Swell Plot in Pearl Directive

Conflict

Sound
^{Level 3}

Moving through the Dark Forest, the PCs stimulate the tendrils of a large predatory plant. Ten long, vine-like appendages burst from the darkness attempting to grapple the PCs and pull them towards the serrated maw of their bulb. Near the end of this fight, the party will begin to hear strange music emanating from everywhere. The PCs must succeed on a DC 13 CON saving throw or fall unconscious with 0 hp

Grabber Bulb

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	17 (+3)	10 (+0)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)	8 (-1)

Armour Class: 13
HP: 36 ( 8d8 )
Speed: 30ft
Abilities:

Minions within 30ft have advantage on saving throws against fear effects

Characters starting their turn within 5ft must succeed on a DC 10 CON saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their next turn. On a success they become immune to the stench for 24 hours.

10 Grabber Tendrils

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)	7 (−2)	10 (+0)	6 (−2)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 22 ( 5d8 )
Speed: 30ft
Abilities:

Melee: Target takes 2d4+2 slashing damage and must succeed on a DC 10 CON saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns

Rising Action

If all the PCs fail the saving throw, they awaken to find that the friendly residents of Husby have brought them into town and took care of them. They inform the party that every 24 hours, a small school of juvenile meridians, lead by one called Testrit, circle the town to grab morsels to feed ( d4 damage to maximum hp per attack).

Meridians

Species | Mar 3, 2024

Lone Meridian

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: 0 ft., fly 60 ft.
Abilities:

Can move through others and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 d10 force damage if it ends their turn inside an object

Target must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or their hp maximum is reduced by 4d8+3 that lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces their hp maximum to 0.

Falling Action

Investigation
^{Level 4}

By the next day, the PCs investigate the happenings, asking around and eventually settling on exploring Castle Mardröm. They hope that they could find some clue as to resolve the situation.

Swarm of Books

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
5 (-3)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)	1 (-5)	10 (+0)	1 (-5)

Armour Class: 12
HP: 22 ( 5d8 )
Speed: 5 ft., fly 30 ft.
Abilities:

Slam: 2d4 bludgeoning damage or d4 bludgeoning damage if the swarm has half of its hp or fewer.

Animated Staff

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

Armour Class: 15
HP: 17 ( 5d6 )
Speed: 0 ft., fly 50 ft
Abilities:

Melee: d4+3 bludgeoning damage

Moldy Carpent

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	13(+1)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)

Armour Class: 14
HP: 78 ( 12d10+12 )
Speed: 10 ft., fly 40 ft
Skills: Steath +5
Abilities:

While in bright light, has disadvantage on attack rolls and WIS (Perception) checks that rely on sight

Bite: Target takes 2d6+3 piercing damage.

If it had advantage on a target size large or smaller, it attaches to the target’s head; whereby the target is blinded and unable to breathe.
While attached, can make this attack only against the target with advantage.
Can detach itself by spending 5ft of movement.
A character, including the target, can take its action to detach by succeeding on a DC 16 STR check.
While attached to a target, it takes only half the damage dealt (rounded down) and that target takes the other half.

Swarm of Flying Swords

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	15 (+2)	11 (±0)	1 (-5)	5 (-3)	1 (-5)

Armour Class: 17
HP: 45 ( 8d10 )
Speed: 0 ft., fly 50 ft.
Saving Throws: DEX +4
Abilities:

4d10 slashing damage; or 2d10 slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hp or fewer

3 Chained Shelves

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	8 (-1)	14 (+2)	1 (-5)	5 (-3)	1 (-5)

Armour Class: 14
HP: 45 ( 6d10+12 )
Speed: 10ft
Saving Throws: CON +8, WIS +7, CHA +1
Proficiency Bonus: +4
Skills: History +9, Investigation +9, Perception +7, Religion +9
Abilities:

Target takes d8+2 bludgeoning damage and can be grappled (escape DC 12).

Recharge 5-6. Targets within 10ft must succeed a DC 10 DEX saving throw or take 8d4 bludgeoning damage

2 Moving Statues

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	11 (+0)	16 (+3)	6 (-2)	11 (+0)	7 (-2)

Armour Class: 15
HP: 52 ( 7d8+21 )
Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Abilities:

Bite: d6+2 piercing damage

Claw: d6+2 slashing damage

Ruin of Mardröm

Exploring down towards the basement, the party would encounter a menagerie of nascent defences/spells that have remained unactivated for 1000 years.

Zeteticism

Physical / Metaphysical Law | Dec 2, 2023

Resolution

Swell
^{Level 5}

The party tracks down and confronts Testrit and her school for 7 rounds. After which Testrit will spring her trap and direct the party to a wispy cloud-based creature floating over everyone. Then there is a blinding flash and a deafening silence. The school has retreated and the PCs are able to look down at their comatose bodies while feeling the as they are being pulled skywards. Looking up, they would see that they are being pulled into the cloud.

Goals

Confront a lone super-predator terrorizing a party town.

From the GM's perspective, this adventure is meant to transition the party into an incorporeal state for the next adventure.

Cruel Tricks

Dan Maab

Dan Maab is - in fact - the true predator preying on the town. It is nearly invisible as it hovers above the battlefield and has an area of effect were it can absorb the consciousness of any being around it within itself. The trapped soul is aware of itself and can communicate with the swarm of other trapped souls. The creature can also grant a trapped soul awareness beyond the immediate realm within and the ability to communicate with beings outside, causing their likeness to appear within 60ft.

Targets beginning their turn within 20ft when Dan Maab first makes it presence known must succeed on a DC 21 CON save or take 5d6 damage and gain one level of exhaustion.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
28 (+9)	14 (+2)	26 (+8)	22 (+6)	15 (+2)	20 (+5)

Armour Class: 23
HP: 647 ( 35d20+280 )
Speed: 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
Skills: Arcana +14, Deception +13, Insight +10, History +14, Perception +18, Stealth +10
Abilities:

Advantage on saving throws against magical effects

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

Targets within 120ft must succeed on a DC 21 WIS saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns and become immune for the next 24 hours.

When a target is reduced to 0 hp within 60ft, they are instantly slain and retains their soul

Either

immediately regains 70 hp and ends any blindness, deafness and any diseases
automatically recharges an otherwise 5-6 , where targets within a 90-ft cone must make a DC 24 DEX saving throw take 26d6 damage; or half as much on a success

Adversaries

Banshee Testrit

In spite of being the oldest meridian, and the group's leader, Testrit is also considered deformed by the species' standards. This is not readily noticeable by anyone who is not familiar with the species steam-like physiology; which coincidentally makes her easier to find in the forest than her fellows. Testrit uses this to her advantage, however, acting as a lure to draw the party towards Dan Maab.

Trapezus Conspiracy

Plot | Nov 21, 2024

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	18 (+4)	16 (+3)	6 (–2)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Armour Class: 16
HP: 120 ( 16d8+48 )
Speed: 30ft
Saving Throws: CON +7, WIS +6
Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +8
Abilities:

As a bonus action, all targets that start their turn within 30ft or take 2d8 damage

Targets starting their turn within 30ft must make a DC 12 CON saving throw or their hp drops to 0. On a success, they take 4d10 mental damage

While in bright light, takes 5 damage and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks

(Recharge 4-6 ). One target within 60ft must make a DC 12 WIS saving throw or take 4d10 damage and become frightened for 1 minute; or half on a success and is not frightened.

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

Locations

Farmland

Geographic Location | Jan 24, 2023

The PCs travel around a scarcely populated area. From:

an isolated little town in the middle of nowhere
to long abandoned and waterlogged ruins
eventually traversing space as ghost-like entities around Nonantum
before being ejected into parts unknown

Encounters

Spawning Meridian

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)

Armour Class: 15
HP: 82 ( 11d8+3 )
Speed: 30ft
Saving Throws: DEX +6, WIS +3
Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +6
Abilities:

Regains 10 hp at the start of their turn if they have at least 1 hp except from radiation

2d4+3 slashing damage, or instead of dealing damage, can grapple the target (escape DC 13).

Small Meridian

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: 0 ft., fly 50 ft
Abilities:

Can move through others and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 d10 force damage if it ends their turn inside an object

Target must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or their hp maximum is reduced by 3d6 that lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces their hp maximum to 0.

Skinny Meridian

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	6 (-2)	8 (-1)	5 (-3)

Armour Class: 15
HP: 9 ( 2d6+2 )
Speed: 30ft
Skills: Steath +6
Abilities:

Can take the disengage or hide action as a bonus action on each turn

War of Earth and Water

Military Conflict | Jun 15, 2024

Meridians Left Behind

Ever since Thalatta moved from its place in drowning the Everdark, a fragment of lesser meridians were separated from the main mass of water and were forced to adapt to the more terrestrial environment that greatly weaken them.

Swell

Levels 3 - 5

Structure

Conflict

SoundLevel 3

Grabber Bulb

10 Grabber Tendrils

Rising Action

Meridians

Lone Meridian

Falling Action

InvestigationLevel 4

Ruin of Mardröm

Zeteticism

Resolution

SwellLevel 5

Components

Goals

Cruel Tricks

Dan Maab

Relations

Adversaries

Banshee Testrit

Trapezus Conspiracy

Backdrops

Locations

Farmland

Encounters

War of Earth and Water

Meridians Left Behind

Entry for WorldEmber 2024

Comments

Author's Notes

January Prompt: Transition

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Sound
^{Level 3}

Investigation
^{Level 4}

Swell
^{Level 5}