Precinct 1: Gorgon’s Gate Hidden: Music Locked away. Submerged in cold, in mind, in darkness. A prison of stone, the ultimate penitentiary. The resting place where justice herself can at last lay down her sword: for this is Hell, a judgment worse than death. Premise: A small, elite group of players are hired by her ex-lover to break out a single female convict, recently sentenced to life for a crime she didn’t commit. The dungeon officially known as Precinct 1 is a maximum security prison in Terrasphere, located deep within the Hylands. There is no need to feed, water, or house the criminals: upon entry to the prison, convicts are turned to stone, hence the nickname "Gorgon's Gate." Despite their frozen bodies, the prisoners' minds and senses remain active and aware. The torture of being sentenced here for any period is enough to make even the most vicious criminals hesitate. The dungeon is extremely difficult to access from the outside, surrounded by sheer, icy cliffs. A single tram on a chain that bridges the gap is the only access/exit to the prison, guarded heavily at both gates. Precinct 1 is carved directly from the mountainside. Entering it reveals a vast, hollow domed interior, cavernous and echoing. Four paths intersect at a junction with a magical "elevator" platform (currently unavailable to use*) Three floors: the top two house less severe offenders or those with shorter sentences. The first floor has jail cells filled with stone prisoners. They are guarded by monsters who react to the presence of heat (living flesh, not stone). The second is a "yard" for less severe offenders to spend their "thaw time" in, socializing and exercising before returning to their stone-time. They are overseen by NPC guards. The final floor is the destination, Gorgon's Gate itself. The floor takes the shape of stone steps with twisted statues of the highest-security prisoners arrayed in spacious, open terraces. At the top of the radial steps is the Gate, frigid and ethereal. Passing through the gate will turn a prisoner to stone, while passing back the other way will restore them. Gimmick: A figure on a far peak in deep meditation, her focus born from desperation. With strength of mind she knots the living threads of moments, and holds the net of time fast for those she believes can slip through. While navigating the first half of this dungeon, time is stopped. As the NPC chronomancer’s power fades and her concentration slips, the zone of “normal time” around the party becomes larger and larger. It is not as difficult to get into Precinct 1 as it is to get back out. Initially (level 1) unless curious players touch objects/enemies, they are considered static and immovable.This includes the elevator, which players have been advised not to use while the time spell is active, so they must descend down the shaft manually instead. If touched, objects/enemies will break free of the spell and can be interacted with. This can lead to some creative uses of physics to progress. By level 2 it will be more difficult, as players must navigate a crowd of “frozen” convicts and guards who will reanimate due to mere proximity. After level 3, players realize the bubble of “stopped time” has shrunk significantly and that time is starting up again in the prison, though it runs in slow-motion unless enemies are within attack range of the players themselves. The magical elevator-platform can now be accessed safely without complications, but will be under heavy assault until players (and prisoner) escape the dungeon. Girls kiss. The end.
Cave of Elementals Hidden: Music An odd cave system found in Astorea during the Restoration, the Cave of Elementals houses plentiful magical crystals that can hold different elements. One day, the crystals might house Pyromancy, while the next, they could contain Hydromancy. The element that is within the odd crystals is seemingly random, but those who have entered the cave claim that the crystals can enhance the monsters within the cave, as well as magic of the same element used. There have been rumors of an odd shrine along with a family of elemental spirits at the end of the cave system, and that they control what element the crystals house, but none of the speculations have been confirmed. A small river flows throughout the cave system, infused with the present element. Gimmick: Every time a group of adventurers enters the Cave of Elementals, the element the crystals hold is randomized. Sometimes, entering a new area will change the element. If a player uses magic of the chosen element, it will gain a boost to its potency. Different enemies will appear in the dungeon when different elements are present.
Tora’s Wedding Ring Hidden: Music Lightning cracks and thunder roars as the storm brews as it did for a thousand years, gale force winds raging ceaselessly, droplets of rain turned into icy needles as frost forms over anything that stays still. Beneath the boiling sea, dark shadows writhe, leviathans long thought existent prospering within the violent waves. The sea spray is like acid, and the debris of innumerable ships swirl within the maelstrom, each capable of dragging more unfortunate vessels to the same grisly fate that they had met. The Grindhouse. Terrasphere’s Bermuda Triangle. The Aberrant Current. And, most commonly, the Tora’s Wedding Ring. Dark divinity inspires the madness that has seized the ocean’s waters, and vengeful spirits of pirates and merchants slain by this eldritch storm only serve to fuel the malignance of the storm-bringer further. The sailors speak of that part of the ocean in hushed tones, the light of fear burning clear in their eyes as they clutch stained mugs of mead and beer. But there too, is the fanatical light of hope, of the other rumor that clings to the Tora’s Wedding Ring. And once they stop thinking of the dozens of brothers they had lost within the banshee winds and the searing rain, the sailors start dreaming again, of something brighter, lovelier. Paradise found in the center of the storm, the last relics of the Tora before they were banished from the realm by the Elysid in their divine conflict. Elixirs that could grant eternal youth and perfect health. Divine instruments that could slay armies in a single stroke. Gilded robes that shielded one from shadowfire and pureflame. Regalia that could twist the minds of lesser men to one’s bidding. Such were the treasures that laid in the center of the unholy maelstrom that awaited the man that could push through the storm, through the debris, through the revenants, through the leviathans, through the burning waters and reach the shores of imperfect paradise. It would be a story for the ages, if one were to conquer the millennium storm that scourged the Tora’s Wedding Ring and ascended to godhood through the artifacts of disgraced divinity. No doubt, such a trial would be fitting for a hero wishing to prove their worth. But the world has few heroes and many fools. Now, which one are you? A hero or a fool? Gimmick: The Tora’s Wedding Ring is a dungeon raid in which players are incapable of fully leveraging their individual abilities to clear DCs. Instead, they must pool together GP in order to purchase and outfit an expedition vessel sturdy enough and powerful enough to make it through the storm. Once the ship is purchased, groups of players must band together to complete Tasks, which will allow the ship to perform various Actions that will aid them in surviving the storm and getting ever closer to their goal. Some Tasks involve accelerating the boat, while other Tasks involve navigation and handling, and others more will be centered around fighting off great sea beasts. Every Task matters however, and the ability to properly coordinate is essential. And, above all else, it’s the boat, not the crew, that must survive. Because once the hull fractures, once the ocean starts bursting in, once the frame snaps in half and a dozen leviathans descend upon the corpse of your beautiful ship… Once that happens, everyone’s hopes, dreams, lives are forfeit.
Crypt Of Sigils Hidden: Music At first sight, the entrance to the Crypt of Sigils is a seemingly generic and ordinary dungeon entrance; standard heavy stone brick staircase leading into the earth with menacing gargoyles overhead, the usual stuff. The rooms are incredibly generic as well, as the players will find out. Boring squares, stone masonry, one door for entering and one door for exiting. Even the enemies are generic; case in point, a bunch of weak goblin guards, half-asleep from boredom, will try (and hopefully fail) to stop the daring adventurers from passing the first room. The gimmick takes a tentative peek around the corner when the final goblin guard falls and the floor starts glowing. The dungeon’s layout is very, very simple, even a first-timer dungeoneer would know how to navigate it. Room after room connected by short closed-off corridors make up the bulk of the dungeon, most of them leading to dead ends with loot rooms. The final room of the dungeon is the lavish living quarters of the dungeon boss, the Sigil Master. The Sigil Master has 500hp, and attacks all players for 50 hp every turn. The damage can be modified by attack styles, buffs, debuffs and various other conditions. Gimmick: The Crypt Of Sigils’ gimmick is simple: every room in the dungeon has enemies posted in it, and the adventurers must kill them and get past to the final boss, the Sigil Master. Standard hack and slash fare. However...every enemy’s lifeforce is linked to the dungeon itself, and whenever a room is ‘cleared’, an ancient glowing sigil will appear on the floor of the dungeon, causing a random effect that will be determined by a DM’s dice roll. 1-19: Major Harmful Effect (Black Sigil) - Something really, really bad happens that can put one or more players in mortal peril; plumes of flames shoot up from the floor, poisoned arrow traps activate from the ceiling, the sigil itself explodes violently, etc, etc. Make their lives hell, basically. 20-49: Minor Harmful Effect (Red Sigil) - Something bad happens that can disadvantage the players a bit; one player is weakened/poisoned for the next few rounds, the players are teleported to a random unvisited room, the next room’s enemies gain slight buffs, etc. Don’t make it too dangerous, but keep ‘em on their toes. 50-59: Dud Sigil (Grey Sigil) - Something...has gone awry with this sigil; it's a dud. A good tool to instill paranoia in players, though nothing functional actually happens... 60-89: Minor Positive Effect (Green Sigil) - Something nice happens that can give the players a bit of an advantage; one player is cured of all status effects, a useful item appears in the room, the monsters in the next room are weakened/damaged slightly, etc. Don’t get too lenient, but make sure they get a break. 90-100: Major Positive Effect (Gold Sigil) - Something great happens that give the players something to celebrate about; a pile of free loot appears, all players are healed for half their health, gain a powerful buff-over-time status, etc. Pretty self explanatory; you gotta reward them sometimes!
Warlock's Well Hidden: Music Revealed with the exploration of the Naryu Canyon, there is a strange power in this subterranean network which makes the air and the stone alive with magic. An abundance of energy but too volatile to safely use, and the first ones to try and explore the crystal-studded tunnels barely escaped with their lives. Creatures warped by the energies, creatures formed of nothing but energy, and even the cave itself tries to kill intruders with sudden bursts of power. There was a barrier when this place was first found, keeping everything out... and everything in. Curiosity drove the explorers to break the barrier down, but now the results of such uncontrolled power are beginning to spread beyond the underground, and a solution will have to be found. Possibly even worse than the creatures and the threat of magic going rampant the volatile nature of the cave system infects those exploring it as well, causing their own power to harm their bodies as they use it. What will be found in the depths of this labyrinth decorated by crystals thrumming with power? An ancient sorcerer, having found a way to amass immense amounts of magic regardless of the consequences until he was sealed in? An artefact of such power that it bleeds into the very world around it? Treasures beyond measure, hid away and guarded with reckless paranoia to prevent any would-be adventurers from taking them? Whatever it is, the cause of such a volatile environment must be found and taken care of, and any material rewards are for whoever finds them first. Someone must have made that barrier, and it will be very important to figure out which side of the barrier was protected from the other. Gimmick: The entire dungeon is saturated with uncontrolled energy, and it causes the energy of adventurers to turn against them as well. Every time Energy is expended that person also takes damage equal to half that amount (rounded up) as they will experience sensations akin to burning, electric shocks, frostbite and stabbing pain. The good news is that any method of restoring Energy is twice as effective.
