Ashe C2 Episode 74 - The Prometheus versus Kaiju
Previously on Liters of tomorrow...
After weeks of desperate momentum, and constant movement you all took a week to rest and recuperate in Westinox. There Finn, and his ground crew, finished repairs on the downed airship. Mausim, Nuth and the pilot, Halo, found the rest of the crew that had scattered in the city after the battle of the Fierce Stargazer and the defeat of Exatron Saul.
Since then you went to, and then escaped Warshaw, which is now under the control of Lord Vedemire Darkhorse, Uncovered a plot by Darkhorse to infect the entire population of Westinox with his Dark One's Elixir, and you freed Anak Kovara from his summoning prison using the Arcane Focus.
With the airship ready for a new voyage first thing in the morning you all went to the Dryad's Globes to find the two engineers needed to complete the crew. A secondary mission was to celebrate with several shots and mugs of ale the new adventure that awaited you in the morning.
Halo was beset by dark dreams and a strange pain in chest. A portent that something had gone wrong.
Nuth was visited by an old colleage from the Assembly of the Weave. A woman named Tersi Friloth who wanted to talk about old times and to maybe gain some information about the airship and Nuth's new compatriots.
Mausim and Finn, you both noticed that the engineers were in a meeting with a woman you have met several times. Recelia Serise, or is it Kirana Castaliogne? Somehow she seems to change her identity everytime you see her. She offered the two engineers a large sum of gold coins and status in the city of Warshaw. You counter offered with a decent salary and a chance to fly the skies once more on the only airship on the planet. Your offer was accepted and the crew of the airship was complete. Recelia stalked off when her negotaitions broke down but she also offered a playful wink at both of you as she exited the tavern.
Nuth helpfully gave Tersi a tour of the airship and genially offered to consider her other offers to keep tabs on Mausim and Finn and give regular updates on their adventures. In a clever use of his spells he used an illusory duplicate to backtrack and find a strange tracking device that she had planted.
Next you noticed that an island had risen out of the river just outside the city. The pain in Halo's chest intensified and he felt a pull from the island. Running to the airship Finn brought an expensive bottle of wine and quickly rechristened the ship "The Prometheus" before you all boarded and set sail on the maiden voyage of the new ship.
Arriving at the island you noticed a cave that was now exposed underneath. You parked the airship below it and ventured inside. You were immediately attacked by an earth elemental that reached down from above. After dispatching the creature you moved topside and saw several more elementals being commanded by a mad conjurer. He had stolen half of the storm elemental that powers the prometheus and had used the power to raise the island. You all leapt into action but your attacks were disjointed and spread out. Each one attacking different elementals and Mausim taking the fight to the Conjurer alone. Finally Halo summoned The Prometheus from below and leapt on board issuing commands to the crew. Aiming the ballista at elementals in combat and finally focusing on the conjurer himself. Halo called out to the storm elemental and it responded, finally breaking free of the Conjurers hold on it. With the storm elemental no longer protecting him the Conjurer quickly fell. As his power over the island dissipated it fell back to the river. You all watched from the safety of the airship.
After weeks of desperate momentum, and constant movement you all took a week to rest and recuperate in Westinox. There Finn, and his ground crew, finished repairs on the downed airship. Mausim, Nuth and the pilot, Halo, found the rest of the crew that had scattered in the city after the battle of the Fierce Stargazer and the defeat of Exatron Saul.
Since then you went to, and then escaped Warshaw, which is now under the control of Lord Vedemire Darkhorse, Uncovered a plot by Darkhorse to infect the entire population of Westinox with his Dark One's Elixir, and you freed Anak Kovara from his summoning prison using the Arcane Focus.
With the airship ready for a new voyage first thing in the morning you all went to the Dryad's Globes to find the two engineers needed to complete the crew. A secondary mission was to celebrate with several shots and mugs of ale the new adventure that awaited you in the morning.
Halo was beset by dark dreams and a strange pain in chest. A portent that something had gone wrong.
Nuth was visited by an old colleage from the Assembly of the Weave. A woman named Tersi Friloth who wanted to talk about old times and to maybe gain some information about the airship and Nuth's new compatriots.
Mausim and Finn, you both noticed that the engineers were in a meeting with a woman you have met several times. Recelia Serise, or is it Kirana Castaliogne? Somehow she seems to change her identity everytime you see her. She offered the two engineers a large sum of gold coins and status in the city of Warshaw. You counter offered with a decent salary and a chance to fly the skies once more on the only airship on the planet. Your offer was accepted and the crew of the airship was complete. Recelia stalked off when her negotaitions broke down but she also offered a playful wink at both of you as she exited the tavern.
Nuth helpfully gave Tersi a tour of the airship and genially offered to consider her other offers to keep tabs on Mausim and Finn and give regular updates on their adventures. In a clever use of his spells he used an illusory duplicate to backtrack and find a strange tracking device that she had planted.
Next you noticed that an island had risen out of the river just outside the city. The pain in Halo's chest intensified and he felt a pull from the island. Running to the airship Finn brought an expensive bottle of wine and quickly rechristened the ship "The Prometheus" before you all boarded and set sail on the maiden voyage of the new ship.
Arriving at the island you noticed a cave that was now exposed underneath. You parked the airship below it and ventured inside. You were immediately attacked by an earth elemental that reached down from above. After dispatching the creature you moved topside and saw several more elementals being commanded by a mad conjurer. He had stolen half of the storm elemental that powers the prometheus and had used the power to raise the island. You all leapt into action but your attacks were disjointed and spread out. Each one attacking different elementals and Mausim taking the fight to the Conjurer alone. Finally Halo summoned The Prometheus from below and leapt on board issuing commands to the crew. Aiming the ballista at elementals in combat and finally focusing on the conjurer himself. Halo called out to the storm elemental and it responded, finally breaking free of the Conjurers hold on it. With the storm elemental no longer protecting him the Conjurer quickly fell. As his power over the island dissipated it fell back to the river. You all watched from the safety of the airship.
Plot points/Scenes
A city is rent asunder...
The last thing that happened as you all sailed the night skies above Westinox was a bright glow of light. The great druid Karnak sent a vision to you with the light of the sun. He told you that a great world shaking event was taking place above the city of Serpico in Ventenheim. Your friends were in great danger and if this threat was not stopped the entire world would be in danger.
He showed you a vision of Wes, Truffle, Dusty Gorf, and Kavax standing on a rooftop in the southern city of Serpico. From the ocean a massive demonic head rose unleashing a tidal wave 30 ft tall onto the eastern portion of the city. The creature began to move out of the ocean into the city itself and stood over 300 ft tall. With a sweep of it's massive clawed arm it destroyed three dock buildings.
Karnak says "I'm sorry this is so sudden but you are all uniquely equipped to help in this situation. Your ship and your talents will be well suited, speak to your friends when you get there. Their quest has unlocked the key to defeating this creature. I can use my nature magicks to get you there quickly and safely. Find the park in the center of the city it is the way to summon the great spirit of the forest."
With that the druid rises up into the sky and holds aloft his arms, Dozens of griffons and great eagles dark and swoop around the airship. A great wind sweeps forth and carries the airship faster than it should ever travel. Halo you feel a panic in the storm elemental and the engineers, Tumtum and Sippi rush down to the engine room. In classic scotty fashion the both yell to you over an intercom "She can't take much more of this captain!"
Despite the natural fear you all feel moving through the sky at this speed the Prometheus does not break apart or is damaged in any way. The winds are not the thrashing violent winds of a hurricane or a tornado but focused and gentle as the pick up the ship and buffet her through the sky. You watch as the sun rises in the east and you move over the great Wyvern Sea below.
You get a view only dragons or gods get to see as you watch tiny ships drift upon the waves. You see a storm developing hundreds of miles away with tiny flashes of lightning flick on and off like a firefly. The clouds above seem massive and almost as if you could reach out and touch them. Despite your height and the speed at which you travel the deck remains fairly warm and the great winds only feel to be a soft breeze. Surely the magicks of the great druids themselves.
After a mere four hours you arrive on the eastern coast of Ventenheim. Below you is the great city of Serpico. You see a massive creature now standing on the eastern shore. Dozens of buildings lie in ruin below it as it raises it's arm in fury. A roar escapes it's massive maw and the sounds washes over you shaking you to the core. The massive winds recede and control of the airship is once more returned to you Halo. You feel the wheel and levers once more respond to your nimble hands.
Perception checks:
DC 12 - You see a section of greenery on the south side of the city. A beautiful park with large trees that sits in the center of the web of city streets and buildings. It has strange green glowing motes that dance around inside it large enough to visible from this height.
DC 15 - You scan the rooftops and see flickering lights on top of a four story building not far from the creature. You see a gathering of people standing there. The rest of the citizens below in the streets are fleeing in a panic for their lives but these people face the monster.
DC 18 - You see the tortle woman Truffle and the owlkin man Kavax both wreathed in a light green glow. They stand on the rooftop with two strangers though. A bugbear man and a dragonborn, what strange companions...
The sky is darkened with the wings.
As you speak with your old friends you watch as the griffons and great eagles that accompanied you here began to wheel and dart about the city battling something. As you look towards the east you see wave of winged creatures lift off of the giant demon and wheel about into the city, like a great colony of bats leaving a cave.
Themes
Kaiju Battle -
Dave's side of the battle will be to guide the Kaiju side of the battle. The two druids will go to the Song of the leaves park and use the beetle/Verdant Sigil items to summon the great forest spirit Oppapan. Once the great spirit is summoned one of the druids must be linked to it at all times. They will take turns controlling the great Oppapan. It takes two minds to maintain control, however, so they must recruit another member of the party to be with them at all times.
- Once the connection is made all three work on Oppapan's turn to attack the demon.
Oppapan gets three actions per turn, his own attack as listed in his stat block and each party member in control gets to make an attack of their own. - They can either use one of their own spells or abilties and channel them through Oppapan OR they may select one of Oppapan's attacks on his stat block.
- Channeling a spell through Oppapan upcasts the spell to level 7 and effects may change depending on DM discretion.
- Using a melee attack summons forth the weapon of choice and adds 2d12 to the damage dice. *Or more depending on DM discretion.
- Examples: Necrotic damage may not function as it would because the power of nature may not allow it. A reduce size spell would be changed to fit the titanic scale of the battle and so forth. No mind control spells or enchantments will work on the Demon.
As Oppapan takes damage from the demon so too do the players within. When Oppapan suffers over 30 points of damage a player takes a level of exhaustion. The players must swap every two rounds as well, as controlling Oppapan take an enormous amount of energy. Every round a player stays beyond the two rounds they must suffer a point of exhaustion. As they return to the Prometheus this will become more and more dangerous as they are attacked by Abishai and Cultists.
DM Note: Reminder that one of the Druids must be in control of Oppapan at all times.
Dave will also track damage to the city below every round. Using the Serpico city map as the battle map he must track the path of destruction that the Kaiju leave in their wake. As you move them around the map drop rubble over areas of the city that are destroyed. Allow the kaiju to use buildings, walls, ships, or any debris as weapons.
Structure
Exposition
Protecting the City
Tim will take the city side of things as the new airship the Prometheus now is the best way to protect the city from the attack. The pilot, Halo, will make perception checks with advantage (help from the crew) to scout what is going on in the city below.
Dangers to the city and the airship:
Perception checks reveal! DC 10-15
Buildings on the brink of collapse threaten citizens. The airship will be needed with ropes and grappling hooks to allow citizens to escape before it falls. Have Halo and his crew assisted by the team make Dex/Con/Str checks to buy the citizens enough time to escape.
DC 16-17
A Red Abishai Leads a band of cultists (1d8) towards some of the city guards
DC 18
Cultists (1d8) run down an alley towards trapped citizens. A fairly wealthy man, his wife, and two yound children. When saved this man rewards the team with 180 gold and a random draw from the magic item pile.
DC 19
Cultists approach A family that is trapped on a rooftop as a Red Abishai land and look at them hungrily. When saved the woman rewards the team with 40 gold and a random draw from the magic item pile.
- At any point
The airship is invaded by several (1d6+2) Cultists, led by a Red Abishai - A fire has trapped people in a building. Use the same airship checks to maneuver the airship into position and save the people.
Halo and the crew will use the ballista to grapple walls and use ropes. They can also fire down on cultists and Abishai to help in combat.
Conflict
THE PROMETHEUS
The Prometheus will be the hub of all of the action. A stone representing the spirit of Oppapan will float in the middle of the main deck. When heroes return from the Oppapan link they will appear next to the stone. Count their points of exhaustion and have them use ropes to join battles that are ongoing. (DM Note: Reduce movement down to 1 round to join a battle.
2nd day of Kieralar (July), 6:30 am. 27 Celsius / 82 Fahrenheit.
Black Abishai
Medium Fiend (Devil), typically Lawful Evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. passive Perception 16
Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Medium Fiend (Devil), typically Lawful Evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
- STR 14 (+2)
- DEX 17 (+3)
- CON 14 (+2)
- INT 13 (+1)
- WIS 16 (+3)
- CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. passive Perception 16
Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
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