Page 186 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

successful DC 20 group Charisma (Persuasion) check. The pit's magic acts as a beacon for negative emo-
If negotiations break down or if the characters give the tional energy generated within five miles of it, drawing
aboleths a reason to be paranoid (which is easy to do, wisps of all such energy from the dismal environment
given their natural inclinations), these creatures attack. of the Styes. Channeled through the unholy symbol of
Tharizdun that the kraken bears, that energy acceler-
L3. LANDGRAVE'S PIT
ates the kraken's growth and fuels its hostility. Normally
• • such a beast would take decades to reach maturity,
but Sgothgah's magic has reduced that time to mere
The light that fills the pit originates in the flicker of intri-
months- and now the kraken will reach maturity in only
cate magical sigils that cover its top edge and the upper
a few weeks unless it is destroyed.
twenty feet of its walls. Those sigils are woven into a
The magic of the pit can be destroyed with a success-
complex tapestry of magical light, undulating and writh· ful casting of dispel magic (DC 19), or by physically de-
stroying the sigils on the floor of area L3 and the similar
ing like an obscene carpet of snakes. Below their pulsing
marks on the top 20 feet of the pit wall. The floor and
glow, the pit descends into utter darkness.
the pit each have AC 17; 75 hit points; immunity tone·
erotic, poison, and psychic damage: and resistance to all
Landgrave's dedication to his mad goal is demonstrated other damage while the magic endures.
by the success of his doomed digging effort. The pit that
opens up inside the temple is hundreds of feet deep and AFTERMATH
pitch black below the uppermost 20 feet. But the crea·
To end the killings that have been plaguing the Styes.
ture that lurks within is much closer than that.
the characters need only slay Sgothgah. But killing the
The juvenile kraken (see appendix C) normally lurks
aboleth won't save the Styes from the doom lurking in
several hundred feet down in the pit, but its hunger has
Landgrave's Folly.
steadily drawn it up higher. Its progress is slow because
If the characters don·t destroy the juvenile kraken (or
it must acclimate to the decreasing pressure as it rises.
at least wound it badly enough that it flees, after which
It now lurks 40 feel below the edge of the pit, concealed
they destroy the magic of the pit), it eventually kills the
in the inky-dark water. lf it senses activity in the water
two squabbling aboleths and begins a reign of terror.
above or al the lip of the pit, it races up and strikes.
The creature starts to systematically destroy any
Although still immature, the kraken is already mon·
ships and fishing boats sailing past Landgrave's Folly,
strous to behold, with oily, dark green flesh, 20-foot-long
and seemingly for sport it periodically slithers up to
arms, and a ravenous mouth lined with hundreds of
the Styes to pluck hapless victims from its sagging
dagger-like teeth. Its enormous eyes are surrounded by
docks. The cultists ofTharizdun are able to foresee the
an aura of red energy, the mark of the power channeled
kraken's strikes and can appease it with sacrifices, and
into it. The glyph with which Sgothgah branded the
their status in the district quickly improves. Eventually,
creature takes the form of a blue-black mark resembling
the cult leaders replace the councillors as rulers of the
the spiral sign of Tharizdun. The flesh surrounding the
Styes. Defeating the kraken and its growing cult be·
spiral is scarred by ulcers and sores: the energy chan-
comes much more difficult at that point, though it could
neled into it sometimes erupts spontaneously and rots
make for an exciting follow-up adventure.
away its flesh.
If the characters destroy the kraken, they have done a
The kraken understands from Sgothgah's constant
huge service to all seafaring folk in the area. though the
whispering that it has a great. unknown destiny. It was
locals might not realize it or appreciate it at first. Some
content to let Sgothgah serve its needs as it grew, but it
time after the kraken's defeat, the councillors hold a
had already decided to kill the aboleth once Sgothgah's
closed meeting and decide to reward the characters:
usefulness had run its course. The kraken has no in·
each receives a small teak coffer containing pearls and
terest in cooperating with anyone. Its only fear is dying
other gems worth 3,000 gp. on the condition that they
before it becomes monarch of the sea, so if it is reduced
do not speak publicly about their efforts.
to 40 hit points or fewer, it stops fighting and focuses
If any of the aboleths survive, those creatures have
on escape.
long memories. and are certain to seek revenge against
Writhing Sigi/s. The glowing marks that writhe
characters who wronged them. This is especially true
around the pit are a unique magical channeling device
of Sgothgah. Alternatively, if the characters came to an
concocted by Sgothgah. The two aboleths from the End·
agreement with the aboleths of the Endless Nadir and
less Nadir didn't recognize it or understand its purpose,
aided them in their mission, they might be able to call
which led to their hesitation about attacking the kraken.
in a favor in the future. The aboleths' alien nature, how·
If the characters heard Mr. Dory's explanation of how
ever, means that their idea of repaying a favor might not
the cultists are incubating their spawn in the fear and
necessarily match that of the characters.
misery of the Styes, the players might figure out the
If the kraken escapes. it retreats into the dismal
function of this magical conduit. Otherwise, a character
depths of the sea and grows naturally to maturity. The
who has proficiency in Arcana who studies the glyph for
dire, apocalyptic events that might be triggered by a gar-
a few minutes and succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Ar·
gantuan monstrosity whose mind has been poisoned by
cana) check determines its purpose.
negative energy and the constant nightmares ofThariz·
dun are left for you to imagine.
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