She seems a bit disappointed at the fact that the party has retrieved some mundane items instead of finding a weapon that will look menacing, thus perfect for a face-to-face engagement. She sighs and continues to speak:
<I guess you could take the snake-themed longbow the gorgon used to kill Tyreus' grandfather - might be interesting.>
(If Tabaqui doesn't want to claim the snake-themed longbow, then Marlyth will claim it since she doesn't have any ranged weapon.)
Marlyth will attach colorful feathers collected from the pair of axebeaks to the surface of the snake-themed longbow in order to customize the item. Then she attempts to inspect the strange thing visible in the water of that area while maintaining physical distance.
The water is pretty shallow, very murky and flat. Whatever has a magical aura (conjuration) emanating from it is right in the middle of of the water. It's about 2ft deep except right near the middle where it's about 4ft deep.
Even if there were bright locations shining on it, the water is too cloudy to see through.
Parting the water reveals a stone set within the ground. It's 6"x6"x10" and weighs about 35lbs (o think too heavy foe mage hand/tk). The black stone is flaky like slate and marbked with veins of gold and platinum. You've seen something similar in Sylvene's home- the Hidden Page. It is a keystone of creation.
Extradimensional Places. You can use the keystone to conjure an extradimensional space such as Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion. The easiest way is to simply cast the spell using the artifact’s power, which requires no spell slots or material components. Each time you cast a spell with the artifact, the subsequent casting replaces the prior one. For more detailed control of a conjured demiplane or extradimensional space, see “ConstructionDetails.”
Raising Structures. You can use the keystone to conjure a physical structure on the Material Plane. The easiest way is to simply cast the mighty fortress spell using the artifact’s power, which requires no spell slots or material components. Each time you cast a spell with the artifact, the subsequent casting replaces the prior one. For more detailed control of a conjured demiplane or extradimensional space, see “Construction Details.”
Locations conjured by keystones cannot become permanent through repeated spell castings.
Connected Spaces. You can use multiple keystones to create larger spaces, whether adjacent to each other or even interlinked. You can even combine structures on the Material Plane and extradimensional spaces this way. If you are attuned to one keystone when you attune to a second keystone, the keystones combine to become a single artifact (utilizing a single attunement slot), combining their features and their fates forevermore.
You cannot attune to, and thus combine, more than three keystones at once.
Destroying a Keystone. A keystone is an artifact in its own right and impervious to most damage, but a disintegrate spell is sufficient to destroy an unattuned keystone.
After it has been attuned at least once, a given keystone requires attunement to maintain its magical power. Otherwise, its creations on the Material Plane gradually rot and decay over 1d12 + 1 days, and a demiplane relying on the keystone collapses over 1d20 + 10 minutes. Additional destructive forces like fire may hasten the destruction. A demiplane created or upheld by a keystone ejects all creatures within it to their home planes when it collapses.
When a keystone’s creation is fully destroyed, the keystone becomes an inert, powerless rock.
Construction Details
You can customize a keystone’s creation with cosmeticdetails you can imagine. You can also rearrange the floorplans and structural details of your creations as follows.
Demiplane Design
With a single keystone, you can conjure an extradimensionalspace in the shape of a dome or pyramid, up to 1 mile on each side, with whatever terrain you wish.
The edges of this space are solid and impassable but may be invisible, so that your space can appear to go on forever if you wish. With additional keystones, you can add an additional square mile to your creation, adding or combining terrain types.
Each square mile can include a single structure up to the size of Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion, with all the attendant servants and feasts, or any number of smaller structures that together equal a magnificent mansion in total area.
You cannot create flora or fauna that deal damage or otherwise harm creatures. If you create cliffs, waters, or other natural features, however, creatures in the space might fall, drown, or otherwise be harmed.
Physical Structure Design
With a single keystone, you can create a structure akin to a mighty fortress with the added flexibility to customize that fortress not only for cosmetic details but for substantive effects. With a single keystone, you can rearrange the walls, open spaces, floors, doors, and other features of the mighty fortress provided you do not exceed 150 10-foot-wide cubes of interior space.
Your fortress can reach across a creek, river, or other waters. It can take reckless or even dangerous shapes to include deep pits, flooded chambers, and so on. Your design, once conjured, is not guaranteed to be capable of supporting its own weight or surviving the stresses of attacks, weather, or time.
You may post any number of your structure’s servants as guards, if you wish. They have statistics identical to an unseen servant with the addition of a passive Perception score equal to your own, though you cannot perceive through their senses. The servants can ring bells or otherwise manipulate the environment to raise an alarm.
Manifestations
Each place or structure conjured by a keystone of creation has special, unforeseen manifestations that affect its makeup and appearance. Some manifestations are beneficial, some are detrimental. These manifestations change each time a keystone is used to conjure a structure or place. The DM may roll or choose from the following tables, or devise unique manifestations based on the specific creations being conjured.
<So many mechanics for these artifacts. The author seems very proud of them. This is the end of the chapter. You've already learned that Tyreus is headed for Highstar Lake. Hamish is available to travel with you if you want him to. He's got more invested in this than any of you by quite a bit. Maybe if I was better at weaving your characters into the story, that wouldn't be so, but truthfully it is the case. >
Ooc: He actually made it clear that he's a vainglorious prick, who prattle endlessly to feed his own ego. But he sees no force on Faerûn as more than a middling threat.
Seems like a real Dunning-Krueger Effect
He'll definitely talk your ear off, but he'd have to be compelled by something pretty concrete to change course at this point.
So the real question is whether you want to go straight to Highstar Lake, rhe dinal chapter, or take a side trip. I don't have one planned, but I leave it for you to decide.
Hamish replies, "I can't believe Sylvene's grandson could be trying to conquer Faerûn. It's a heavy burden. And Arturo's brother couldn't say where the dwarf had gone? I wonder if he ever met this little Tyreus."
After Tabaqui's comment about meeting Tyreus, he is interested and would ask a bit about it. To Calner's comment he replies, "It does seem like someone should be attuned to this Keystone of Creation. For whatever bit of advantage it might give us."
"I think the keystone will draw much attention if one of us remains attuned to it and carries it around, the stone is large and heavy. Let's keep the stone buried under the grass of the demiplane, it will be easily accessible to us."
Marlyth will cast Silent Image on the keystone to make it appear like a medium sized stone face which is often seen in tribal totem poles. Then she explains that she can cast Demiplane at will using the chip of creation and create a link to the demiplane conjured by the gorgon.
"Let's keep it under our observation and head to the lake, we'll figure something out during our journey."
'Deepest Night' is the little abode through the magic door, that is the demiplane she created for herself. You're on the prime material plane if you've found the stone beneath the water. The keystone has two functions that operate simultaneously: 1. Magnificent Mansion 2. Mighty Fortress. The statue is in the former, You're standing in the latter, near the poison water, which she may have created with the spell effect.
The keystone can only cast one at a time, so by RAW, I think this would require her to be attuned to at least another chip to keep the demiplane 'Deepest Night' in effect as well.
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<I guess you could take the snake-themed longbow the gorgon used to kill Tyreus' grandfather - might be interesting.>
(If Tabaqui doesn't want to claim the snake-themed longbow, then Marlyth will claim it since she doesn't have any ranged weapon.)
Marlyth will attach colorful feathers collected from the pair of axebeaks to the surface of the snake-themed longbow in order to customize the item. Then she attempts to inspect the strange thing visible in the water of that area while maintaining physical distance.
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
The water is pretty shallow, very murky and flat. Whatever has a magical aura (conjuration) emanating from it is right in the middle of of the water. It's about 2ft deep except right near the middle where it's about 4ft deep.
Even if there were bright locations shining on it, the water is too cloudy to see through.
Marlyth casts Control Water on the murky water to create a trench so that the area of interest is immediately accessible to explore.
"I don't know, Calner. I hope it's not something harmful or hostile."
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Parting the water reveals a stone set within the ground. It's 6"x6"x10" and weighs about 35lbs (o think too heavy foe mage hand/tk). The black stone is flaky like slate and marbked with veins of gold and platinum. You've seen something similar in Sylvene's home- the Hidden Page. It is a keystone of creation.
Extradimensional Places. You can use the keystone to conjure an extradimensional space such as Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion. The easiest way is to simply cast the spell using the artifact’s power, which requires no spell slots or material components. Each time you cast a spell with the artifact, the subsequent casting replaces the prior one. For more detailed control of a conjured demiplane or extradimensional space, see “ConstructionDetails.”
Raising Structures. You can use the keystone to conjure a physical structure on the Material Plane. The easiest way is to simply cast the mighty fortress spell using the artifact’s power, which requires no spell slots or material components. Each time you cast a spell with the artifact, the subsequent casting replaces the prior one. For more detailed control of a conjured demiplane or extradimensional space, see “Construction Details.”
Locations conjured by keystones cannot become permanent through repeated spell castings.
Connected Spaces. You can use multiple keystones to create larger spaces, whether adjacent to each other or even interlinked. You can even combine structures on the Material Plane and extradimensional spaces this way. If you are attuned to one keystone when you attune to a second keystone, the keystones combine to become a single artifact (utilizing a single attunement slot), combining their features and their fates forevermore.
You cannot attune to, and thus combine, more than three keystones at once.
Destroying a Keystone. A keystone is an artifact in its own right and impervious to most damage, but a disintegrate spell is sufficient to destroy an unattuned keystone.
After it has been attuned at least once, a given keystone requires attunement to maintain its magical power. Otherwise, its creations on the Material Plane gradually rot and decay over 1d12 + 1 days, and a demiplane relying on the keystone collapses over 1d20 + 10 minutes. Additional destructive forces like fire may hasten the destruction. A demiplane created or upheld by a keystone ejects all creatures within it to their home planes when it collapses.
When a keystone’s creation is fully destroyed, the keystone becomes an inert, powerless rock.
Construction Details
You can customize a keystone’s creation with cosmeticdetails you can imagine. You can also rearrange the floorplans and structural details of your creations as follows.
Demiplane Design
With a single keystone, you can conjure an extradimensionalspace in the shape of a dome or pyramid, up to 1 mile on each side, with whatever terrain you wish.
The edges of this space are solid and impassable but may be invisible, so that your space can appear to go on forever if you wish. With additional keystones, you can add an additional square mile to your creation, adding or combining terrain types.
Each square mile can include a single structure up to the size of Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion, with all the attendant servants and feasts, or any number of smaller structures that together equal a magnificent mansion in total area.
You cannot create flora or fauna that deal damage or otherwise harm creatures. If you create cliffs, waters, or other natural features, however, creatures in the space might fall, drown, or otherwise be harmed.
Physical Structure Design
With a single keystone, you can create a structure akin to a mighty fortress with the added flexibility to customize that fortress not only for cosmetic details but for substantive effects. With a single keystone, you can rearrange the walls, open spaces, floors, doors, and other features of the mighty fortress provided you do not exceed 150 10-foot-wide cubes of interior space.
Your fortress can reach across a creek, river, or other waters. It can take reckless or even dangerous shapes to include deep pits, flooded chambers, and so on. Your design, once conjured, is not guaranteed to be capable of supporting its own weight or surviving the stresses of attacks, weather, or time.
You may post any number of your structure’s servants as guards, if you wish. They have statistics identical to an unseen servant with the addition of a passive Perception score equal to your own, though you cannot perceive through their senses. The servants can ring bells or otherwise manipulate the environment to raise an alarm.
Manifestations
Each place or structure conjured by a keystone of creation has special, unforeseen manifestations that affect its makeup and appearance. Some manifestations are beneficial, some are detrimental. These manifestations change each time a keystone is used to conjure a structure or place. The DM may roll or choose from the following tables, or devise unique manifestations based on the specific creations being conjured.
8
You cannot be charmed or frightened while within your creation.
45
Your creation is prone to haze, fog, and other lightly obscured conditions.
99
While attuned to the artifact, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class
"You're a genius, Calner! But I think we should use the key-stone to lure him out of his personal sanctuary and compel him to engage in a duel."
Marlyth suggests an alternative plan since Tyreus always sends his minions after the party while trying to avoid the company of his rival.
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
<So many mechanics for these artifacts. The author seems very proud of them. This is the end of the chapter. You've already learned that Tyreus is headed for Highstar Lake. Hamish is available to travel with you if you want him to. He's got more invested in this than any of you by quite a bit. Maybe if I was better at weaving your characters into the story, that wouldn't be so, but truthfully it is the case. >
Angus will thank Hamish for his help in defeating the gorgon, and invite him to travel with the party to Highstar Lake.
"At our last encounter," drawls Tabaqui, "he made it pretty clear he wasn't interested in negotiation."
Ooc: He actually made it clear that he's a vainglorious prick, who prattle endlessly to feed his own ego. But he sees no force on Faerûn as more than a middling threat.
Seems like a real Dunning-Krueger Effect
He'll definitely talk your ear off, but he'd have to be compelled by something pretty concrete to change course at this point.
So the real question is whether you want to go straight to Highstar Lake, rhe dinal chapter, or take a side trip. I don't have one planned, but I leave it for you to decide.
Hamish replies, "I can't believe Sylvene's grandson could be trying to conquer Faerûn. It's a heavy burden. And Arturo's brother couldn't say where the dwarf had gone? I wonder if he ever met this little Tyreus."
OOC: I'm just here to keep everybody walking, so whatever the group wants to do is fine by me =)
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
So straight to Highstar Lake then? It's the body of water to the North. We've established you're proximal to the Serpent Hills, presently.
Tauzan is willing to proceed to Highstar Lake.
After Tabaqui's comment about meeting Tyreus, he is interested and would ask a bit about it. To Calner's comment he replies, "It does seem like someone should be attuned to this Keystone of Creation. For whatever bit of advantage it might give us."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Can Marlyth navigate the party through the 'Serpent Hills' region to the 'Highstar Lake'? What's the terrain type of the 'Serpent Hills'?
Wisdom: Survival 22
Intelligence: Nature 8
"I think the keystone will draw much attention if one of us remains attuned to it and carries it around, the stone is large and heavy. Let's keep the stone buried under the grass of the demiplane, it will be easily accessible to us."
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Angus votes for heading to the Lake.
Marlyth will cast Silent Image on the keystone to make it appear like a medium sized stone face which is often seen in tribal totem poles. Then she explains that she can cast Demiplane at will using the chip of creation and create a link to the demiplane conjured by the gorgon.
"Let's keep it under our observation and head to the lake, we'll figure something out during our journey."
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
'Deepest Night' is the little abode through the magic door, that is the demiplane she created for herself. You're on the prime material plane if you've found the stone beneath the water. The keystone has two functions that operate simultaneously: 1. Magnificent Mansion 2. Mighty Fortress. The statue is in the former, You're standing in the latter, near the poison water, which she may have created with the spell effect.
The keystone can only cast one at a time, so by RAW, I think this would require her to be attuned to at least another chip to keep the demiplane 'Deepest Night' in effect as well.