City of the Crystal Burrows

Uncover secrets to save an urban jungle from magical disaster.

In the sprawling ancient city overladen with vines and bioluminescent moss, the harmony between the inhabitants, humans and elves, is threatened by violent tremors. Heeding the seers' warnings, a group of adventurers must navigate the crystal limestone underbelly of the city to uncover the source of the quakes. During their exploration, they discover an ancient secret hidden within the city’s roots—a dormant elemental guardian, whose weakening magic sustains the city, is losing power due to interference from mysterious crystal growths.

The World

Context

In this world, magic surges through bioluminescent crystals found beneath the city, enabling humans and elves to thrive in their urban stone age. The city lifts itself above dense jungles, shaped by druidic magics interwoven with crystalline technology, creating a haven for life amidst untamed chaos.

Concept

Bioluminescent crystals power magic-based technology in a stone-age urban environment.

Impact

Crystals shape city life, aiding agriculture, lighting, and defense, but overgrowth causes magical instability.

The Plot

Summary

Paired with the discovery of increased seismic activity threatening their city, players must delve into the Crystal Burrows, a network beneath the city, to stop a growing crystal catastrophe. Finding their way through treacherous terrain and encountering rival explorers seeking to harness the crystals' power for themselves, players uncover that the crystals are converging due to a magical imbalance inflicted by a rival team of misguided elves. This revelation points to an ancient guardian imbued with elemental magic, crucial for stabilizing the city. Players have just one week to revitalize this guardian before the crystals burst, devastating the urban landscape. Numerous paths—negotiation, ritual magic, and battling competing factions—shape their approach to saving the city. Along the way, they uncover personal truths tied to their backgrounds, affecting their decisions.

Complication

Rival explorers trigger more crystal growth while attempting to harness their magic.

Hook

Seismic tremors threaten the city, revealing crystal instability underground.

World stakes

The city's destruction unleashes untamed magical chaos across the jungle.

Personal stakes

Players risk losing loved ones and their homes.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

The city experiences violent tremors disrupting daily life. Players investigate reports at the city’s edge and learn about new crystal growths forming beneath, revealing a series of unsafe tunnels. They must locate the entrance alongside a suspicious band of explorers. A tremor collapses part of the district, urging hasty entry.

Location:

City's outer rim, glowing with crystal fragments.

Challenge:

Navigating the dangerous tunnels collapsing during tremors.

Objective:

Enter the Crystal Burrows to prevent further collapse.

Set Back:

Tunnels become unstable, trapping players briefly.

Revelation:

Crystals react violently to external magic.

GM's Guide:

Kick off with a sense of urgency as the city's security shatters. Encourage players to engage with NPCs for critical information while managing public panic. Allow free exploration in the city’s fringe to instigate player-driven discovery.

GM's Move:

District collapse hinders easy navigation of the underground network.

Act 2

Summary:

Inside the Crystal Burrows, players encounter increased seismic activity triggered by an elf faction. Through exploration, they uncover the faction's misguided objective of harnessing crystal magic for power, which destabilizes the city further. The players must prevent these actions while searching for a way to reverse the magical damage.

Location:

Central Crystal Burrow chamber, interlaced with vivid crystal webs.

Challenge:

Preventing rival elves from further exploiting the crystal magic.

Objective:

Uncover the cause of crystal growth linked to the rival elves.

Set Back:

An elf ritual destabilizes tunnels, creating treacherous passages.

Revelation:

Crystals' imbalance threatens city guard stability.

GM's Guide:

Focus on tension with the competing explorers, presenting moral dilemmas in engagement strategies. Encourage creative uses of magic to stabilize tremors and ritual magic to communicate with creatures.

GM's Move:

Rival explorers catalyze more growth, increasing expedition hazard.

Act 3

Summary:

Players reach the heart of the Crystal Burrows to find the guardian—a colossal crystalline entity weakened by imbalance. During a magical confrontation, players must carefully balance the crystals’ growth with the guardian's power, choosing whether to assist it at the cost of their objective or seek alternative resources to stabilize the city.

Location:

Guardian’s sanctum, with pillars of glowing crystals.

Challenge:

Maintain balance between restoring and controlling magical growth.

Objective:

Revitalize or stabilize the guardian to restore balance.

Set Back:

Guardian misinterprets players' intent as hostile.

Revelation:

Peaceful restoration is possible only through cooperation.

GM's Guide:

Build a thematic tension focusing on tough decisions. Highlight personal stakes at the climax—encourage tactics that integrate character backstories to enrich engagement. Maintain a balance of combat and negotiation elements.

GM's Move:

Crystals begin to rupture, threatening imminent destruction.

Climax:

Guardian's power rebalances the crystals, saving the city.