The Adarkar Wastes
The Wastes were once an ancient battlefield, where two mighty armies clashed. One army got desperate, however, and their most powerful wizards summoned an almighty storm to drown the opposition. Their magic went far beyond their control, and both armies drowned while the deluged lasted for a year. Everything there died or drowned, as they accidentally opened a portal to the Elemental Plane of Water.
Even now, centuries later, the area is still flooded and occasional mini-portals pop up leading to the Elemental Plane, and creatures pass back and forth.
Lay of the Land
Underneath the surface of this “lake” (more of an ocean) lie what was once open steppes. Something in the water clearly retains its magic, and while the trees and grass no longer grow, they are still alive, simply waiting for the opportunity to grasp at the air again. Animals and such cannot survive in this manner, so while everything is normal above the water, below the surface, the usual assortment of aquatic freshwater animals can be found.
The water has one more effect, which is why so many travel the area in spite of the danger. Remaining in contact with the water seems to empower spellcasters, though some suffer severe burns from the magical energy.
Any spellcaster can restore a spent spell or spell slot simply by standing for 1 round in the water and meditating. After 1 round, he recovers 1 spell. For each spell level that the recovered spell or spell slot has, the spellcaster takes damage. This damage increases with the power of the spell as follows:
- A level 1 spell causes 1d6 points of damage.
- A level 2 spell causes 2d6 points of damage (1d6+2d6)
- A level 3 spell causes 3d6 points of damage (1d6+2d6+3d6) and so on, all the way up to 45d6 for restoring a level 9 spell. This damage is untyped and cannot be mitigated in any way (i.e. no resistances to energy or spell or anything of the sort). As many spells can be regained as the spellcaster dares. Standing in the water without any spells or spell slots lost causes no damage.
Dangers
The area’s biggest danger is not any single creature or group of creatures, but the wandering portals to the Elemental Plane of Water. Appearing as gigantic blobs of water that are somehow either murkier or clearer than the waters of the Adarkar Wastes (and showing where you’ll end up on the Elemental Plane), they are two-way portals. They open and close seemingly at random, and moreover they move. Some move slowly, barely an inch per day, while others race around at the speed of a horse. They never leave the area of the wastes, however, nor are they permanent. So far, the longest recorded open portal has been a year.
The area is rife with magically enhanced water elementals (any single water elemental encountered is of the advanced version and has spell resistance equal to 10 + it’s CR), but even trade-“caravans” of aquatic creatures such as sahuagin, aboleths or marids can be encountered.
Below is an example of one of the advanced water elementals, a Large Water Elemental known as Shoalshearer, who’s come to look for certain rare herbs that cannot be found in its home plane. Herbs that it intends to deliver to one of the Lords of the Elemental Plane of Water, in return for some special service. He is not immediately hostile, but he is not friendly either.
Shoalshearer
(unique) Advanced Large Water Elemental CR 6
XP 1,600
N Large outsider (elemental, extraplanar, water)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural, –1 size)
hp 84 (8d10+40)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +4
DR 5/—; Immune elemental traits; SR 26
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., swim 90 ft.
Melee 2 slams +14 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks drench, vortex (DC 21, 10–40 ft.), water mastery
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +8; CMB +16; CMD 29
Feats Cleave, Dodge, Great Cleave, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +11, Escape Artist +13, Knowledge (planes) +8, Perception +11, Stealth +7, Swim +26
Languages Aquan, Common
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Drench (Ex)
The elemental’s touch puts out non-magical flames of Large size or smaller. The creature can dispel magical fire it touches as dispel magic (caster level equals elemental’s HD).
Vortex (Su)
A water elemental can create a whirlpool as a standard action, at will. This ability functions identically to the whirlwind special attack, but can only form underwater and cannot leave the water.
Water Mastery (Ex)
A water elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its opponent are touching water. If the opponent or the elemental is touching the ground, the elemental takes a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. These modifiers apply to bull rush and overrun maneuvers, whether the elemental is initiating or resisting these kinds of attacks.
Kim Frandsen
Latest posts by Kim Frandsen (see all)
- Finder’s Archive – Crypt of the Eternals - June 2, 2023
