The Quake Beneath Raven's Reach

Save your home from a subterranean monster's rumble.

In the underground city of Raven's Reach, tremors threaten to collapse its very foundations. Players are drawn into the action when a loved one, living near the dangerous epicenter, goes missing during a recent quake. Tasked with tracking down the source—a massive, agitated beast known as the Ember Groan—they must harness rare and mysterious magic combined with Renaissance technology to save their people and calm the creature before the city crumbles.

The World

Context

Raven's Reach thrives beneath the earth, where human and orc societies have forged a life amid cavernous wonders. Rare magic, in forms of crystal-infused relics, occasionally surfaces, complementing their Renaissance-level technology. The harmony is fractured as a supernatural threat, tied to these magical artefacts and the creatures they awaken, stirs unrest from below.

Concept

Magic crystals power technological devices, creating hybrid machines.

Impact

Crystals can unexpectedly react, causing machines to burst with magical energy—an ever-present risk.

The Plot

Summary

The Raven's Reach underground city faces imminent destruction as strange earthquakes—provoked by an immense creature, the Ember Groan—rock its foundations. The adventure begins with a personal plea and evolves into a race against time over three acts. The protagonists must locate ancient magic crystals that can soothe the monster, repel an invasion of its minions, and safely lure the Ember Groan back into its dormant state. Time is of the essence as the city buckles and strains under repeated tremors.

Complication

The Ember Groan controls a swarm of earth elementals disrupting the mission.

Hook

A family member is missing after a quake.

World stakes

The city of Raven's Reach could collapse entirely.

Personal stakes

PCs' homes and loved ones are at risk of burial.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

Players enter the bustling underground market where initial tremors cause panic. They gather clues about their missing loved ones and the source of the shakes. The market's Renaissance-like inventions, powered by crystals, malfunction erratically, hindering the search and leading to a minor catastrophe.

Location:

Underground market with crystal-powered inventions.

Challenge:

Identify reliable information amidst chaos.

Objective:

Find clues about a missing person.

Set Back:

A market disruption destroys an important crystal.

Revelation:

Quakes linked to the Ember Groan beneath.

GM's Guide:

Encourage players to explore alliances and suspect motives in the crowded market. Incorporate moments of chaos as crystal devices malfunction, pacing them to allow for recovery and choice-making. Stress urgency without overwhelming players.

GM's Move:

Crystal-powered technology malfunctions catastrophically.

Act 2

Summary:

Delving deeper, adventurers locate the focal quakes' source in an ancient crystal-filled cavern. However, an unexpected rush of elemental forces—controlled by the Ember Groan—obstructs their path. They must solve the cavern's mystery to uncover the crystal's secrets, crafting a device to communicate with the creature.

Location:

Ancient crystal cave with mystical properties.

Challenge:

Evade elemental creatures and dangerous terrain.

Objective:

Access and utilize crystals to communicate.

Set Back:

Failure of initial device prototypes.

Revelation:

Crystals are the creature's communication medium.

GM's Guide:

Drive exploration and skill use within the dense cave's labyrinthine tunnels. Maintain tension with periodic small quakes and elemental attacks. Allow players to feel their way to multiple solutions, such as crafting or negotiation.

GM's Move:

Elementals block escape routes, increasing danger.

Act 3

Summary:

Players build and deploy a device to harmonize with the Ember Groan. They face the creature, balancing aggression and appeasement to guide it away from the city. Choices culminate in whether they harness magic fully or rely on technological tact to resolve the threat, each with differing repercussions.

Location:

Echoing chamber near the city's base, creature's presence felt.

Challenge:

Confront and appease the Ember Groan.

Objective:

Calm the Ember Groan and stop the quakes.

Set Back:

Device malfunctions, threatening failure.

Revelation:

Creature's agitation caused by disruptive crystal mining.

GM's Guide:

Guidance involves playing up the monster's emotional depth and incorporating player choices in its reactions. Tailor the final conflict's intensity based on party actions and development, ensuring closure or continued mystery.

GM's Move:

Creature becomes agitated as device nears completion.

Climax:

Pacify the creature to secure the city or risk total collapse.