Cosmic Furnace Plot in Pearl Directive

Themes

Impending Doom

Central to a typical campaign, is where characters grow stronger with every adventure. For this, rules are only lightly defined but everyone is driven by urgency and futility. Characters start powerful, but they consistently find themselves in one place to another covered in differently surreal landscapes. Their demise is all but certain.

Eyes of Madness

Spell | Jun 14, 2024

Exposition

End of the World

^{Level to 16}

All that is left of the world you stand on is but a stringy filament of land hemmed in by the void.

After the end of the world, your party is menaced by a colossal kaju that; even as the PCs fight it, is consuming whatever remains. Only the strongest or the luckiest will manage to survive.

Surreal Star

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	23 (+6)	26 (+8)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)	21 (+5)

Armour Class: 16
HP: 555 ( 30d20+240 )
Speed: 90ft
Saving Throws: WIS +7
Skills: Perception +7
Abilities:

When reduced to 0 hp, all targets within 1,000 ft must make a DC 21 DEX saving throw or taking 5d10 fire damage and 5d10 lightning damage, or half as much on a success

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

Sheds bright light in a 120-ft radius and dim light for an additional 120 ft. Targets who start their turn in the light take 10 fire damage and d10 radiation damage

Regains hp equal when dealt fire or lightning damage

Can move through a space as narrow as 5 ft wide without squeezing

Targets within 5ft take d10 fire damage and d10 lightning damage

Can enter a hostile target's space and stop there on a turn. The first time, that target takes d10 fire damage and d10 lightning damage and catches fire, until someone takes an action to douse the fire. The target takes d10 fire damage at the start of each of their turns.

Melee: Target takes 5d10+6 fire damage and 5d10+6 lightning damage. If the target is alive or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a target takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes d10 fire damage at the start of each of their turns.

Conflict

Perspective

^{Level to 17}
Whether the PCs defeat the evil star or not, they awaken on a tiny asteroid hurtling through space. Here, they must find there bearings and find a way to hopscotch to another planetary body for safety. The party can see several planets within manageable distance to find proper refuse. And may opt to use techo-skills, engineering or zeteticism to maneuver their way there.

Inbetween the planets, exposure to the vacuum requires a DC 20 CON save or suffer 30 cold and 30 mental damage; or half on a success.

Rising Action

Natural Planet

^{Level to 18}

Soft Tree-like Spiders 2d4

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	14 (+2)	18 (+4)	13 (+1)	15 (+2)	15 (+2)

Armour Class: 15
HP: 136 ( 16d8+64 )
Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Saving Throws: DEX +6, INT +5, WIS +6, CHA +6
Proficiency Bonus: +4
Skills: Deception +10, Insight +6
Abilities:

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

(1/Day). At more that 50%, d% , each can call 2d4 more of the same

Bite: Targets with 10ft take d6+2 piercing damage and must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or take 6d6 poison damage

Stary Animals

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	13 (+1)	25 (+7)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Armour Class: 18
HP: 229 ( 17d12+119 )
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 60 ft
Saving Throws: DEX +7, CON +13, WIS +8, CHA +9
Proficiency Bonus: +6
Skills: Perception +8
Abilities:

Enemies within 20ft must make a DC 19 WIS saving throw or become frightened until the start of their next turn. On a success, they are immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.

An opponent who tries to contact it telepathically must succeed on a DC 19 INT saving throw or take 3d6 mental damage and be stunned for 1 minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

Claw: 2d6+8 slashing damage

Tentacles: 2d8+8 bludgeoning damage

One target at a time within 60ft must succeed on a DC 19 WIS saving throw or be under its telepathic commanded. If the target suffers any harm or receives a suicidal command, they can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Colossal Moving Forest

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	14 (+2)	28 (+9)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)

Armour Class: 18
HP: 725 ( 25d20+225 )
Speed: 50 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 50 ft.
Saving Throws: DEX +4, INT +2, WIS +7
Proficiency Bonus: +5
Skills: Perception +10
Abilities:

Acidifies water around itself and only targets, also in the water within 5ft, take 2d10 acid damage at the start of its turns
Enemies who hit with a melee within 5ft take 2d10 acid damage
Enemies who hit with a melee weapon must make a DC 10 STR saving throw or have the weapon destroyed
Slam: 2d10+6 bludgeoning damage plus 2d10 acid damage.
- On a 6, the target(s) are also grappled (escape DC 19) and restrained. If they die while grappled, the body is absorbed and irretrievable.
Melee: 3d10+6 bludgeoning damage plus 2d10 acid damage
Unaffected by gravity effects
Regains 10 hp at the start of its turn

Upon landing on the planet, it is immediately apparent that this is a fleshy world covered in abominable hazards. PCs should face some of them before escaping.

Climax

Artificial Environment

^{Level to 19}

Ghosts

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
7 (-2)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	17 (+3)

Armour Class: 11
HP: 45 ( 10d8 )
Speed: fly 40ft
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Abilities:

Banshees

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
1 (-5)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	12(+1)	11 (+0)	17 (+3)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 58 ( 13d8 )
Speed: fly 40ft
Saving Throws: WIS +2, CHA +5
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Abilities:

Targets within 60ft must succeed on a DC 13 WIS saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turns with disadvantage

(1/Day). Targets within 30ft that can hear must make a DC 13 CON saving throw or hp drops to 0. On a success, they take 3d6 mental damage.

Wraiths

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (-2)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)

Armour Class: 13
HP: 67 ( 9d8+27 )
Speed: fly 60ft
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Abilities:

Melee: Target must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or its hp maximum is reduced by 4d8+3 . This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.

Specters

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
1 (-5)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	11 (+0)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 22 ( 5d8 )
Speed: fly 50ft
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Abilities:

Melee: Target must succeed on a DC 10 CON saving throw or its hp maximum is reduced by 3d6 . This reduction lasts until a long rest.

Gallows

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	18 (+4)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 85 ( 19d8 )
Speed: fly 40ft
Saving Throws: WIS +4
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Skills: Perception +7
Abilities:

Melee: Target takes 2d10+4 mental damage, and the target must subtract d4 from their next attack roll or saving throw before the start of the their next turn

Target within 30ft must make a DC 15 WIS saving throw or take 3d12 mental damage and spreads from that target to up to three other targets within 30ft of them, each of which take 3d8 mental damage.

Archmages (12)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	20 (+5)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)

Armour Class: d15min12
HP: 99 ( 18d8+18 )
Speed: 30ft
Saving Throws: INT +9, WIS +6
Proficiency Bonus: +4
Skills: Arcana +13, History +13
Abilities:

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

Dagger: d4+2 piercing damage

An imposing and labyrinthine ecumenopolis that is crumbling from the high gravity to cavernous depths, within which are all haunted by incorporeal beings. PCs must survive at least 12 enemies, after which they find the Book of Sand that can help in escaping.

Falling Action

Living Environment

^{Level to 20}

Snapping Heads d5

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
25 (+7)	15 (+2)	21 (+5)	4 (-3)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Armour Class: 17
HP: 232 ( 15d20+75 )
Speed: 50ft
Proficiency Bonus: +6
Skills: Perception +14
Abilities:

Enemies that deal piercing or slashing damage within 5ft to a head take 3d6 acid damage

(3/Day). Can choose to succeed a failed saving throw

Bite: 2d10+7 piercing damage

Slam: 2d8+7 bludgeoning damage

Tongue: Target takes 2d10+7 bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 21 STR saving throw or be pushed up to 20ft away

Whenever a head takes 40 or more damage in a single turn, one of the heads dies. If all its heads die, all the other enemies that make up the creature also die

Claws (2)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
28 (+9)	10 (+0)	25 (+7)	3 (-4)	11 (+0)	1 (-5)

Armour Class: 21
HP: 350 ( 20d20+140 )
Speed: 60ft
Saving Throws: STR +16, CON +14
Proficiency Bonus: +7
Skills: Athletics +16, Perception +7
Abilities:

When reduced to 0 hp, targets on the ground within 30ft must make a DC 22 DEX saving throw or take 4d10 bludgeoning damage and 4d10 fire damage on a fail, or half as much on a success

Regains hp when dealt fire damage instead

(Recharge on a 6). Targets within 90ft must make a DC 24 DEX saving throw or take 8d8 fire damage, or half as much damage on a success. On a fail, a target also catches fire for 1 minute. At the end of each of their turns thereafter, the burning target repeats the saving throw or takes 4d8 fire damage, and the effect ends on a success.

Tail

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	11 (+0)	29 (+9)	22 (+6)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Armour Class: 22
HP: 409 ( 21d20+189 )
Speed: 80ft
Saving Throws: INT +14, WIS +8
Abilities:

(3/Day). Can choose to succeed a failed saving throw
Advantage on saving throws against magic
Target that makes a spell attack against it have disadvantage on the attack roll
Melee: Target takes 3d8+10 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone
Melee: Target takes 3d6+10 bludgeoning damage and is grappled (escape DC 26).
1. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and the tail can't use this attack on anyone else.
2. If the target doesn't escape by the end of its next turn, the tail can throw the target up to 60ft in a straight line. The target lands prone and takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage
(Recharge after a short or long rest). When reduced to 0 hp, 4 growths emerge from under its hide with the stats:
- AC of 22
- 100 hp
- Immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
- Immune to all conditions
- All ability scores are 10 (+0)
- Targets within 10ft must make a DC 25 DEX saving throw
  1. or take 3d8 slashing damage on a fail, or half as much damage on a success.
  2. And until the start of their next turn, the growths gain a +2 bonus to AC.
- The growths return under the hide to regenerate when the tail heals

This planet is a conscious world covered in coiling ridges which can break apart and act like appendages for the planet. It does not want the PCs to leave and will actively aim to keep them there.

Resolution

Breaking Through

^Optional

Assuming the party wants to bring the adventure to an end, the GM can bring them to the very edge of space and pit them against the Master at the Border.

The PCs float in a colourless nebula to contend with a purely mental battle.

Border Master

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	15 (+2)	21 (+5)	23 (+6)	21 (+5)	26 (+8)

Armour Class: 20
HP: 250 ( 33d10+165 )
Speed: 30ft
Saving Throws: INT +12, WIS +11
Proficiency Bonus: +6
Skills: Magic +13, History +13
Abilities:

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

(3/Day). Can choose to succeed a failed saving throw

(Recharge after a short or long rest). Can add d10 to an ability check or saving throw

Targets within 5ft, and at the start of their turns, must succeed a DC 15 WIS saving throw or take 3d6 mental damage

(Recharge 5-6). Targets casting magic within 60ft fail at 4th level or lower. If higher, he makes a DC 10 + magic level CHA check to negate

(Recharge after a short or long rest). In response to taking damage, can teleport up to 60ft in an unoccupied space while invisible until the start of their next turn or he attacks or makes a roll

Hooks

This adventure is not intended to have an end. There is no escape for the PCs. For the players, though, it is a thing that they can return to with ready characters thrown into newer and weirder settings at any time in the future.

Cruel Tricks

Time Dilation

Time dilation, technically occurs at any speed, but is only noticeable at relativistic speeds. It is a multiplier for determining how much time passes outside the adventure.

For example, a ship moving at 70% the speed of light has a time dilation of 1.4. Ten hours of travel between planets at this speed means that 14 hours (10 × 1.4) have passed for those left behind. Conversely, if ten hours pass for those left behind, only 7.1 hours have passed aboard the ship (10 ÷ 1.4).

Speed (ml/sec)	AU per hr	% Light Speed	Time Dil (ratio)
2,046	0.18	1.1%	1.0003
26,040	1.0	14%	1.01
52,080	2.0	28%	1.04
78,120	3.0	42%	1.1
104,160	4.0	56%	1.2
130,200	5.0	70%	1.4
154,380	6.0	83%	1.8
167,400	6.5	90%	2.3
180,420	7.0	97%	3.9
182,466	7.1	98.1%	5.1
185,981	7.24	99.99%	60.2

Locations

Pretend Planets

Species | Dec 2, 2024

Wandering Planets
^Optional

All the apparent planets that the PCs aim to land at the beginning of a session can just be a sphere of rock. Or be a conscious entity that can complicate many and any action they take; according to the GM.

Threats

Planetary Engulfment

Physical / Metaphysical Law | Nov 25, 2024

Predatory Stars
^Optional

Pretend planets are the slow-moving equivalent of herbivores in their ecology. Their predators are living stars that stalk the void-space between the planets. When one finds the other, the star would aim subsume its prey.

There is also a possibility that the party encounters a star while traveling in the dark void and no planet to retreat to.

Encounters

Kaju

Species | Nov 16, 2024

Giant Monsters
^Optional

Wandering pretend planets may house towering beasts wandering their surface. They are - in effect - parasitic and PCs can realize this with DC 15 INT check, DC 20 INT (Nature) check or DC 25 WIS (Insight) check.

Cosmic Furnace

Level 16 - 20

Themes

Impending Doom

Eyes of Madness

Structure

Exposition

End of the World

Surreal Star

Conflict

Perspective

Rising Action

Natural Planet

Climax

Artificial Environment

Falling Action

Living Environment

Resolution

Breaking Through

Border Master

Components

Hooks

Cruel Tricks

Time Dilation

Backdrops

Locations

Pretend Planets

Wandering PlanetsOptional

Threats

Planetary Engulfment

Predatory StarsOptional

Encounters

Kaju

Giant MonstersOptional

Welkin

Comments

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Wandering Planets
^Optional

Predatory Stars
^Optional

Giant Monsters
^Optional