Bitter Bones
11-09-2023, 05:16 AM
BITTER BONES
a DM Uncatastrophic production
starring Ynni, Ryker Marino, +2/3 others
INFO: The Flaming Skull https://i.imgur.com/UlQMNbn.png has informed this group of a treasure it had in life. Only briefly, however: its original owner, a beast of the water, came to reclaim it. Yet, this treasure remains for the taking, offered by the dead pirate lord in exchange for getting his revenge.
RISK TABLE:
IF UNHARMED: /roll - 1 is a 24 day temp, 2-4 is 12 day temp
IF TEMP INJURED:
1 is a -10vit perm, 3 or less is a -5 vit perm, 4-6 is a 24 day temp
IF 2+ KNOCKDOWNS, no temp:
1 is -10vit perm
3 or less is a -5vit perm
IF 3+ KNOCKDOWNS, no temp:
2 or less is a -10vit perm
4 or less is a -5vit perm
IF PERM INJURED:
3 or less is an upgraded perm (to -10 or -20 f.ex)
IF PERM INJURED, SECOND KD:
1 is -40vit perm (critically injured)
2-3 is an upgraded perm (to -10, -20, or -40)
IF CRITICALLY INJURED:
1 = perm made unhealable
EVENT PLAN:
The party takes a vessel, as those following a pirate should, in the apparently uncharted water far from the coast of the Shadowlands.
A frigid wind picks up, columns of frost smoke rising around the ship. The visibility quickly drops, but suddenly, a pulsing light appears in the fog: a lighthouse, this far out? There’s a choice to be made.
Go to Lighthouse
It’s suspiciously easy: visibility seems to clear only in the direction of a tiny island, a lighthouse basically the only building on it. The fog around the island, however, has thickened. The lighthouse keeper is already out, greeting the group and asking about why they’re here.
He’ll talk, providing some information on the surrounding seas, but he’s quite interested in their reason, pushing. He knows why they’re here, really, of course. He’ll give warnings, say the treasure isn’t to be pursued: he’s very insistent they turn around. If they claim they’ll leave, he gives the group the Rusted Anchor for their troubles. If they really leave, they get away just fine, otherwise, they can try to trick the keeper into thinking the ship is leaving: a 4+ passes, while less than that if they keep the anchor incites his wrath. Otherwise, if they won’t leave or make no attempt to disguise their leaving, he reveals the truth: there is no lighthouse or keeper, only those few spirits of the drowned trying to drive others away from the treasure. Cowards, the pirate lord might say. They’ll fight.
Don’t Go to Lighthouse
Soon, it becomes evident the lighthouse is some sort of mass hallucination, fading into an unusual formation in the smoke. Undeterred, the spirits whisper ghostly voices, imploring the party to turn back. It’s not worth it… If consulted, the skull says to bravely press onward. If they press onward, ghostly boarders materialize: they know what’s best for these treasure-seekers, and they’ll drive them off.
Coward Spirits Fight
The spirits come in waves, garbed in rich treasures they managed to secure before dying: more manifestations of regret at death than manifestations themselves, they are individually weak, but tenacious and tricky. Defeated, they leave behind the Crystallized Cowardice.
With the last force driving them out bypassed or defeated, visibility doesn’t increase, but the ocean seems intent on drawing them in. The sea seems to sparkle with treasure just underneath the surface, and certain members of the group get a strange sensation of ‘the right direction to go in’.
If they follow the feeling, they eventually get a sense of being ‘there’: if not, there’s a sense of being forced in a direction, the sea and wind shifting seemingly with intent. An island appears from the mist, rotting shipwrecks visible under the sea: but there’s treasure there, yes. Caution.
Greed is induced, an urge to stuff their pockets with as much as they can: but even through the distraction, they notice a shifting in the waters of the ocean. The Kraken arrives, the ‘owner’ of the treasure and the beast that killed the pirate lord. It’s a monster twisted by greed, defending this island where its treasure pile can grow larger off the corpses of treasure-seekers looking for the treasure itself. (Appeals to the Mori are acknowledged, but whatever’s twisted it is something else, at this point, so that particular avenue won't call it off on its own.)
When the beast is killed, driven off, or hurt enough for them to escape, the sea seems to rise, the ocean here itself defending the treasure, the guardian just another victim. They can grab what they can, finding some interesting items and money, but must ultimately run to the ship. [Roll for 2000+(500*rolls) gold.] The fog seems to clear, but a storm’s rolling in: they’ve got what they came for, and should get out. Leaving the area, the sky seems to twist: would the be able to find this place again, even if they wanted to? Under the water, what seems like a land city can be glimpsed for a moment, ruined and sunken. Still, they did get some treasure, and the skull, for one, is satisfied.
FOES
EC#1: Cowardly Spirits
Spirits that guard the edge of the cursed sea, trying to drive treasure hunters away, usually in vain. Shadow/bone/illusion, Skeletal Uprising. Injuries are emotional, encourage cowardice.
EC#2: Kraken
What may have once been a Sirenian, twisted by a dark god, but now twisted further by the remnants of ancient greed.
Water/cosmic/metal. Injuries may be emotional to encourage avarice or physical.
ITEMS:
2500 to 5000 gold, each.
Rusted Anchor Optional, event material
An anchor, rusted from exposure to the elements over countless years. While extremely heavy, it’s much sturdier than its visual condition suggests, and imparts some of that sturdiness on its holder. If it were to be used properly as an anchor, whatever it anchored would remain steadfast in nearly any conditions.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: D]
Crystallized Cowardice Optional, event material
A remnant of drowned treasure hunters’ regret and wishes to escape what their own greed brought upon them. Just touching it fills the holder with a sense of fear and regret. If those feelings can be dealt with, however, the energy of those who died at sea is infused with some of the strength of that cursed patch of ocean itself.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Treasure-Finder’s Coin Event material
Found mixed into a large sum of ordinary coins, an unusual gemstone is embedded into this old golden coin. Holding it seems to attract opportunities for wealth, though the wealth seems drawn to the coin more than its owner. Left alone, it might attract disaster to fall into a vast hoard. Utilized skillfully, however, it might provide some of its luck toward a different purpose.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Water Lotus Alchemical item
(Luck themed!)
Old Shipwreck Wood Event resource
Some who died for the treasure on that island were more informed than others: wood from a strange tree foreign to Meranthe was used for an ancient ship, lighter and faster than anything. It wasn’t enough to save them, but it remains extremely light and strong to this day.
(This is a Special Resource. Face a non-unique chest armor as a T1 artificer and left-click this item to transfer the stats over. Alternatively, can be used as a material in applications.)
Bonus: -20 weight
[BITTER BONES] [CHEST RESOURCE]
Ship’s Ram Event material
A large naval ram, forged from mostly mythril with an arcanium tip. While the ship it is from has rotted away, it has survived, arcanium exposed to the energy of the cursed patch of sea for years and years. It’s far too unwieldy to be used as a hand-held weapon right now, but with work could be used for something quite potent.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Opulent Wine-Bottle Event material
Though the wine inside seems to have been drank, the bottle itself is lavishly decorated with intricate orichalcum runework, perhaps more valuable than anything it might have contained. Studying the runes, it can be ascertained that some additional quality or strength might be imparted to liquid contained within for a time, not limited to just alcohol.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Shadowsea Map
Found on an island cursed by greed, this old map marks trade routes of a now mostly-uncharted region of ocean far from the coast of the Shadowlands. While the information is very likely to be outdated, it’s likely there are still some things to find out there following the map.
[BITTER BONES]
a DM Uncatastrophic production
starring Ynni, Ryker Marino, +2/3 others
INFO: The Flaming Skull https://i.imgur.com/UlQMNbn.png has informed this group of a treasure it had in life. Only briefly, however: its original owner, a beast of the water, came to reclaim it. Yet, this treasure remains for the taking, offered by the dead pirate lord in exchange for getting his revenge.
RISK TABLE:
IF UNHARMED: /roll - 1 is a 24 day temp, 2-4 is 12 day temp
IF TEMP INJURED:
1 is a -10vit perm, 3 or less is a -5 vit perm, 4-6 is a 24 day temp
IF 2+ KNOCKDOWNS, no temp:
1 is -10vit perm
3 or less is a -5vit perm
IF 3+ KNOCKDOWNS, no temp:
2 or less is a -10vit perm
4 or less is a -5vit perm
IF PERM INJURED:
3 or less is an upgraded perm (to -10 or -20 f.ex)
IF PERM INJURED, SECOND KD:
1 is -40vit perm (critically injured)
2-3 is an upgraded perm (to -10, -20, or -40)
IF CRITICALLY INJURED:
1 = perm made unhealable
EVENT PLAN:
The party takes a vessel, as those following a pirate should, in the apparently uncharted water far from the coast of the Shadowlands.
A frigid wind picks up, columns of frost smoke rising around the ship. The visibility quickly drops, but suddenly, a pulsing light appears in the fog: a lighthouse, this far out? There’s a choice to be made.
Go to Lighthouse
It’s suspiciously easy: visibility seems to clear only in the direction of a tiny island, a lighthouse basically the only building on it. The fog around the island, however, has thickened. The lighthouse keeper is already out, greeting the group and asking about why they’re here.
He’ll talk, providing some information on the surrounding seas, but he’s quite interested in their reason, pushing. He knows why they’re here, really, of course. He’ll give warnings, say the treasure isn’t to be pursued: he’s very insistent they turn around. If they claim they’ll leave, he gives the group the Rusted Anchor for their troubles. If they really leave, they get away just fine, otherwise, they can try to trick the keeper into thinking the ship is leaving: a 4+ passes, while less than that if they keep the anchor incites his wrath. Otherwise, if they won’t leave or make no attempt to disguise their leaving, he reveals the truth: there is no lighthouse or keeper, only those few spirits of the drowned trying to drive others away from the treasure. Cowards, the pirate lord might say. They’ll fight.
Don’t Go to Lighthouse
Soon, it becomes evident the lighthouse is some sort of mass hallucination, fading into an unusual formation in the smoke. Undeterred, the spirits whisper ghostly voices, imploring the party to turn back. It’s not worth it… If consulted, the skull says to bravely press onward. If they press onward, ghostly boarders materialize: they know what’s best for these treasure-seekers, and they’ll drive them off.
Coward Spirits Fight
The spirits come in waves, garbed in rich treasures they managed to secure before dying: more manifestations of regret at death than manifestations themselves, they are individually weak, but tenacious and tricky. Defeated, they leave behind the Crystallized Cowardice.
With the last force driving them out bypassed or defeated, visibility doesn’t increase, but the ocean seems intent on drawing them in. The sea seems to sparkle with treasure just underneath the surface, and certain members of the group get a strange sensation of ‘the right direction to go in’.
If they follow the feeling, they eventually get a sense of being ‘there’: if not, there’s a sense of being forced in a direction, the sea and wind shifting seemingly with intent. An island appears from the mist, rotting shipwrecks visible under the sea: but there’s treasure there, yes. Caution.
Greed is induced, an urge to stuff their pockets with as much as they can: but even through the distraction, they notice a shifting in the waters of the ocean. The Kraken arrives, the ‘owner’ of the treasure and the beast that killed the pirate lord. It’s a monster twisted by greed, defending this island where its treasure pile can grow larger off the corpses of treasure-seekers looking for the treasure itself. (Appeals to the Mori are acknowledged, but whatever’s twisted it is something else, at this point, so that particular avenue won't call it off on its own.)
When the beast is killed, driven off, or hurt enough for them to escape, the sea seems to rise, the ocean here itself defending the treasure, the guardian just another victim. They can grab what they can, finding some interesting items and money, but must ultimately run to the ship. [Roll for 2000+(500*rolls) gold.] The fog seems to clear, but a storm’s rolling in: they’ve got what they came for, and should get out. Leaving the area, the sky seems to twist: would the be able to find this place again, even if they wanted to? Under the water, what seems like a land city can be glimpsed for a moment, ruined and sunken. Still, they did get some treasure, and the skull, for one, is satisfied.
FOES
EC#1: Cowardly Spirits
Spirits that guard the edge of the cursed sea, trying to drive treasure hunters away, usually in vain. Shadow/bone/illusion, Skeletal Uprising. Injuries are emotional, encourage cowardice.
EC#2: Kraken
What may have once been a Sirenian, twisted by a dark god, but now twisted further by the remnants of ancient greed.
Water/cosmic/metal. Injuries may be emotional to encourage avarice or physical.
ITEMS:
2500 to 5000 gold, each.
Rusted Anchor Optional, event material
An anchor, rusted from exposure to the elements over countless years. While extremely heavy, it’s much sturdier than its visual condition suggests, and imparts some of that sturdiness on its holder. If it were to be used properly as an anchor, whatever it anchored would remain steadfast in nearly any conditions.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: D]
Crystallized Cowardice Optional, event material
A remnant of drowned treasure hunters’ regret and wishes to escape what their own greed brought upon them. Just touching it fills the holder with a sense of fear and regret. If those feelings can be dealt with, however, the energy of those who died at sea is infused with some of the strength of that cursed patch of ocean itself.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Treasure-Finder’s Coin Event material
Found mixed into a large sum of ordinary coins, an unusual gemstone is embedded into this old golden coin. Holding it seems to attract opportunities for wealth, though the wealth seems drawn to the coin more than its owner. Left alone, it might attract disaster to fall into a vast hoard. Utilized skillfully, however, it might provide some of its luck toward a different purpose.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Water Lotus Alchemical item
(Luck themed!)
Old Shipwreck Wood Event resource
Some who died for the treasure on that island were more informed than others: wood from a strange tree foreign to Meranthe was used for an ancient ship, lighter and faster than anything. It wasn’t enough to save them, but it remains extremely light and strong to this day.
(This is a Special Resource. Face a non-unique chest armor as a T1 artificer and left-click this item to transfer the stats over. Alternatively, can be used as a material in applications.)
Bonus: -20 weight
[BITTER BONES] [CHEST RESOURCE]
Ship’s Ram Event material
A large naval ram, forged from mostly mythril with an arcanium tip. While the ship it is from has rotted away, it has survived, arcanium exposed to the energy of the cursed patch of sea for years and years. It’s far too unwieldy to be used as a hand-held weapon right now, but with work could be used for something quite potent.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Opulent Wine-Bottle Event material
Though the wine inside seems to have been drank, the bottle itself is lavishly decorated with intricate orichalcum runework, perhaps more valuable than anything it might have contained. Studying the runes, it can be ascertained that some additional quality or strength might be imparted to liquid contained within for a time, not limited to just alcohol.
[BITTER BONES] [GRADE: C]
Shadowsea Map
Found on an island cursed by greed, this old map marks trade routes of a now mostly-uncharted region of ocean far from the coast of the Shadowlands. While the information is very likely to be outdated, it’s likely there are still some things to find out there following the map.
[BITTER BONES]
![[Image: MYqnJtt.png]](https://i.imgur.com/MYqnJtt.png)
