Scioppe

### Description

This region’s boundaries with the astral plane are especially thin, a situation which the Neggic Cartel has exploited (or, depending on which rumors you believe, created). They sell ceramic sculptures made of “sacred clay” which absorb the energy from a geyser that emerges from the astral plane. People who bond to the statues and hold the charged figures feel euphoric until the charge wears away. Then they feel depressed until they can get their figurine charged again. The cartel gives the figures away for free but then charges for access to the geyser. It’s a lucrative racket.

Although they control many spaces within this territory, they don’t claim its entirety. The effects of the close proximity of the astral plane are unpredictable and often make more “normal” lifestyles challenging, but several people have claimed unusual ways of life in this region. The woods are fertile and beautiful but strange creatures appear and geography can change abruptly.

### Geography

#### Latitude

13 degrees south (in our world Ndola, Zambia; Darwin, Australia; or Cusco, Peru )

#### Average elevation (in feet)

791 (roughly the elevation of San Antonio, TX)

## Adventures Available

### *Team may not take notable damage from this*

#### **Rusty**

There is someone who has domesticated rust monsters. He says he learned the technique from someone from Lemuria, but he’s had some trouble and wants help figuring it out.

Reward: 100gp ruby (security) or 1 point improvement in Security and Hope

#### **Idunn**

There is an apple tree in the middle of the forest which bears golden fruit. It clearly has magical properties, but it’s guarded by a beast. There’s a researcher who is willing to pay for just a single apple.

Reward: 100gp ruby (security) or 1 point improvement in Security and Hope

#### **Pemmican**

An eccentric explorer in this region is renowned for his recipe for pemmican, a combination of crumbled dried meat, fat, and berries that lasts almost indefinitely. Maybe he could sell or share some, or better yet, provide the recipe?

Reward: 3 points preserved food or a new level 3 building

### *Team will likely use some hit dice during the next short rest after this*

#### **King Arthur’s Court in Connecticut**

There is a royal court out in the woods. There’s a throne, a band of knights, a king, a queen… and that’s it. The floor of the palace abruptly ends. It appears a 50 foot circle of their palace was transported here with them on it. Where did they come from? They have a diamond so it’s worth it to at least see what you can figure out.

Reward: 300gp diamond (resurrection) or 1 point improvement in Security and Hope and another 1 point improvement in Empowerment and Engagement

#### **Star-Crossed**

There’s a young man who is despondent. He and his fiance were exploring the woods and they discovered a field of stars. They went to get a closer look, and then suddenly she was gone and he was alone. He is willing to pay for help returning her home if someone can figure out what happened.

Reward: 300gp sapphire (shelter) or 2 points of improvement in Empowerment and Engagement

#### **Chimeric**

A poor creature and spirit have somehow bonded into something new and different. It appears to be in pain and is dangerous to travellers. A woman who lost her husband and son is offering a gem to slay the beast and put it out of its misery.

Reward: 300gp topaz (culture) or 2 points of improvement in Meaning, Exploration, and Celebration

#### **Bustle in Your Hedgerow**

There’s some cedar trees that are both aromatic and make excellent wind breaks from the constant sea breeze. There are some saplings you might be able to transplant in a copse, but the plantings are spaced oddly, almost like an intentional maze…

Reward: 5 points preserved shelter or a new level 4 building

#### **Lost Lambs**

There are tieflings from Lemuria in this region! They seem to have been trying to escape via dimensional travel and somehow ended up here. They don’t realize they’re back on their home plane, but this region is so odd, who can blame them?

Reward: 20 population

#### **Install Quintessence Engine North**

This mission will become available once you have completed 8 missions in this region.

#### **Install Quintessence Engine East**

This mission will become available once you have completed 8 missions in this region.

### *Team will likely need a long rest after this*

#### **Babel**

A cleric came here and went mad… or, his followers would tell you, saw things clearly at last. He gathered people to build a tower that stretched out into the astral plane. It’s unclear how tall it is, but he succeeded… in connecting to someplace dark and sinister. The influence of this dark power is spreading into this plane. The gemfinder says there’s a gem inside… somewhere. It’d probably be good to stop the flow of evil energy into this plane while you’re at it, it seems the neighborly thing to do. (The gemfinder isn’t good at pinpointing anything beyond 6 dimensions.)

Reward: 500gp sapphire (shelter) or 3 points of improvement in Empowerment and Engagement

#### **Aveng(ing Angels) Assemble!**

There’s a small troupe of angels who have become trapped in our plane and can’t find their way back. That’s unfortunate, but they have become so worried about becoming corrupted and unable to return that they’ve begun “purifying” everyone around them for slight offenses. Who is their god? Are they falling further from grace, or is this brutal form of justice exactly who they were meant to be?

Reward: 500gp emerald (food) or 3 points of improvement in Trust, Humanitarianism, and Belonging

#### **Thanks, It Has Pockets!**

There’s a floating pocket dimension that moves in and out of this area, a sort of bubble or psychic flotsam. With this, any structure in your settlement could be bigger on the inside! …if you can figure out how to control it.

Reward: 7 points preserved shelter or a new level 5 building

#### **Foo Dogs**

There are creatures who move back and forth from the astral plane and the material plane that act as guardians. There are tales they can be made to protect regions even across planes if they receive the right offering.

Reward: 7 points preserved security or a new level 5 building

#### **Supply Chain Issues**

Someone has discovered one of the places where the Cartel harvests the clay they use for the sculptures. If their supply could be cut off, it could slow them from finding new victims.

Reward: 4 points reputation or trigger a Breakthrough (+4) or a Crisis (-4) in another civilization

#### **Support Group**

There’s a community of people who have escaped addiction. The idea of staying close was to find others to save, but people are beginning to realize the temptation in being in the region. Has the Cartel infiltrated the community? Or is paranoia one of the side effects of withdrawal? Maybe it’s time to move on, but maybe just one more time with the figurines, the VERY LAST TIME WE PROMISE…

Reward: 50 population

### *If you’re not careful and prepared, some team members may die in this adventure*

#### **Cold Turkey**

There are a surprising number of high-level officials from various Baibose administrative offices who have been addicted to the astral energy offered by the Cartel, almost as if they were targeted specifically. Some officials from Baibose who are friendly to Ter have asked for help getting them out of the geyser compound and sobered up.

Reward: Espionage/Diplomacy (10 traits or [8 traits and 3 agendas])