Descent into Avernus Homebrew #4: The Demonic Ship

 

Apologies for the poor quality of the map here: when I was sketching it out, it was primarily for myself as the DM, and to a certain extent to show the players. 

So the setup for this was loosely inspired by an old 2nd edition AD&D adventure called A Paladin In Hell. Part of this was on a demonic ship called the Demonwing. The ship in that adventure was multi-dimensional and considerably larger and more complex. This ship is relatively conventional in its layout. Nonetheless, like its inspiration, it is was a flying ship capable of navigating the outer planes, created by the demons of the Abyss to launch raids into Avernus. I say it was, because it has crashed and is now distinctly non-functional as transport. Nonetheless, most of the crew have survived and are angry and defensive, assuming that any intruders are their foes. 

The plot hook I gave my players was that Mordenkainen (who in Descent into Avernus has temporarily set up base on the first level of Hell for academic studies) wanted the PCs to retrieve two very important instruments, the Astrolabe and the Sextant that allowed the ship to traverse the outer planes along with its crew and passengers. In return Mordenkainen would help them in their quest to free the city of Elturel. 

All creatures on the ship except the rutterkin demons are from the 5E Monster Manual. The rutterkin is officially in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes but since I don’t have that book I adapted the stats for rutterkins from 3E Fiendish Codex II: Hordes of the Abyss. 

Key to the ship map (1 sq: 5ft)

1) Main deck: Empty

2) Fore-deck main cabin: Empty 

3) Bowsprit cabin: 1 barlgura, the bosun, who has the sextant that Mordenkainen seeks.  

4) Stairs down

5) Poop cabin: 1 vrock

6) Mid-deck corridor: usually empty but creatures will wander through.

7) 5 Dretches 

8) Crew Cabin: 2 rutterkin

9) Crew Cabin: empty

10) Crew Cabin: 1 chasme

11) Cultists’ cabin: 10 cultists + 1 cult fanatic. These are human mortals. Although the cult fanatic is eager to take the fight to the forces of Law and feels privileged to fight alongside actual demons, her followers are really having second thoughts and are quite terrified, having seens two of their number being casually murdered by their demonic masters. 

12) Ships Stores: 2 shadow demons

13) 2 rutterkin demons are torturing a captured spined devil who they wrongly suspect of sabotaging the ship’s engine

14) Engine Room: This room has a clearly damaged magical mechanism at the rear - this was the engine. In here, invisible, is an imp that has sabotaged the engine and caused the demonic ship to run aground. However, the imp is stuck here in a ship full of demons and is terrified of anything and anyone. Although Mordenkainen has not specifically asked for it, he would be fascinated if the PCs could retrieve some or all of the engine for him to study. 

15) Captain’s Cabin: 1 hezrou who has a navigation table, with charts of the planes and  the astrolabe that Mordenkainen is after.  

Descent into Avernus Homebrew #3: Camp Knucklebone and the Yugoloth Camp

This is continuing the short series about some of the material I have come up with to make the published adventure Descent into Avernus: Baldur’s Gate run more smoothly.  The adventure as published is good but there are significant gaps that I feel need filling in. 

My map of Camp Knucklebone

Camp Knucklebone

One important missing item is a map of Camp Knucklebone. This is a camp in Avernus run by a night hag called Mad Maggie, who oversees a band of redcaps with a pair of kenku and a few imps. The camp and what goes on there is given decent explanation in the book but crucially there is no map, so I have decided to fix this.

I’m sure others have done neater, more professional maps than this: this was not done with this blog in mind but purely for my players who I DM for. Nonetheless it has the basics, including 

• A) Forge Wagon: This is where smithing is carried out by the redcaps and kenku. It has a trailer with a portable forge, while to one side of the wagon are a pair of anvils. Inside are various blacksmithing and metal-casting tools. 
• B) Maggie’s Wagon: This large gypsy-style covered wagon is her home and includes various books, potions, wardrobes and other personal belongings. It is motorised rather than drawn by animals. Mickey the Flesh Golem can often be found guarding this wagon, making sure that nobody else enters. 
• C) Watch Tower: typically manned by a pair of redcaps
• D) Gatehouse manned by 6 redcaps
• E) Maggie’s Happymobile, a customised Scavenger vehicle. 
• F) Infernal War Machine: There are several of these around the camp, all of them Scavengers.  
• G) Hospitality Wagon. This is where the PCs can stay. Enough visitors end up in Camp Knucklebone that it is sensible to have a wagon spare. It is quite spartan but has 6 human-sized bunks and 2 closets.  
• I) Kenku Wagon: This is where the two kenku Chukka and Clonk live. It is full of shiny and curious odds and ends the kenkus have collected. 
• J) Redcap oversized trikes. These are Devils Ride infernal war machines used by the redcaps. 
• K) Workshop Wagon: Along with the forge wagon (A) this is where much of the mechanical work takes place. 

The Yugoloth Camp

This is a short side-trek I threw together to give the PCs something to do at Camp Knucklebone. Mad Maggie, the night hag who runs Camp Knucklebone has agreed to help restore the memories of Lulu the hollyphant. I decided that as well as the ritual described in the adventure with its dream sequences, a potion of mind restoration was needed, to be brewed by Maggie and drunk by Lulu. Lulu lost her memory after being dowsed with water from the Styx, which washes away memories of all who drink or bathe in it, except for a few select creatures that have adapted to thrive in the Styx. One species that can swim in the Styx while retaining their memories are the Hydroloth - frog-like yugoloths. Maggie would like the brain of one of them to brew into this potion of mind restoration. However, they are very tough (for 7th level PCs) and I don't have the sourcebook for them (Mordenkainen's Book of Foes). So I decided that this one was already dead. But its compatriots were still alive and angry. 

Thus the Yugoloth camp is found on the banks of the Styx, a few hours drive from Camp Knucklebone. Incidentally I decided that this is when the PCs, travelling on a borrowed Scavenger war machine encountered Raggadragga the wereboar warlord and his motorised retinue. (the PCs managed to deter his band by casting Darkness on the cockpits of the pursuing vehicles). 

The camp has recently been attacked and overwhelmed by the forces of Hell.  When the PCs reach the camp, it is obvious that a battle has taken place - there are fiendish corpses littering the ground around a rough barricade of scrap iron right next to the river. One war machine is completely destroyed, while two more have crashed into the barricade. Significant encounters are indicated on the map above.

a) 2 mezzoloths, paranoid and battle crazed, attack anything not a yugoloth

b) the dead hydroloth the PCs are seeking is actually outside the barricade - it was trying to escape into the river Styx when it was cut down. Fortunately its brain case is intact, and it is a simple if sickening matter to cut its head open and remove the brain, or just take the whole head back

c) This Tormetor, an infernal war machine larger than the scavenger, was abandoned by the forces of Hell. A slain barbed devil is still slumped in the drivers seat, its head on the ground next to the vehicle. The machine is not working at the moment but it can easily be towed back to Camp Knucklebone to be repaired back to full function (which is what my PCs did). 

d) A dead nycaloth is fallen here. It carries a satchel that includes instructions from its Arcanaloth superiors and a collection of gems worth 2000gp. 

I admit there is really only one combat encounter here (the two mezzoloths) but more could be added as needed. And of course travelling to and from this camp will have its own risk of encounters (such as Raggadragga). 

Descent into Avernus Homebrew #2: The Passage through the Abyss

The Passage Through the Abyss 

This was completely unexpected on my part, but there is no clearly given way for characters to get down from Elturel (floating half a mile above the surface of Avernus) down to the ground. There are the massive chains from the foundations of the city to the ground but these seem like a death trap, doing damage every turn and with the risk of falling so I’m gad my players did not try them. I actually gave them a few options including a mechanical oversized hand-glider but they came up with their own. They had already rescued Ulder Ravenguard from the Grand Cemetery chapel, and there is a portal to the Abyss, specifically to the Endless Maze, Baphomet’s layer. The PCs decided that there must be other portals from the Abyss to the surface of Avernus and they just needed to venture into the abyss and find another portal to Avernus. I was not expecting this. But at the same time I was willing to go along with it as they were clearly not confident about my giant mechanical glider.

My version of the Endless Maze is not the same as canon (there is a description of this layer in 3.5E Fiendish Codex II: Hordes of the Abyss)  but it worked well enough. The surface is a dark and foreboding forest, inhabited by fiendish dire beasts including fiendish aurochs (who the PCs mistook for gorgons - I did not bother to correct them).  Underneath the forest floor is the actual labyrinth, a classic dungeon though with more turning passageways and fewer rooms. Here is the map I did:

1 sq: 10ft

In the top right of the map is the chasm - this is the precipitous way down from the forest floor into the labyrinth proper. Although the chasm itself is extremely deep, there are  ledges about 30-50ft below the top which, as can be seen, sometimes connect to the labyrinth. The PCs rappelled their way down to the ledge and the entrance to the labyrinth. 

There was a lot of combat but not all encounters were violent. As well as dealing with minotaurs and demons as befits Baphomet’s layer of the Abyss, there were also cultists and planar creatures with specific agendas. 

In room 8 on the map there is a Molydeus demon called Falco who appears as an imposing human. He is interested in prosecuting the Blood War, so messing around with the devils of Hell and their plans to consume Elturel sounds like a good idea. He will thus offer to help the PCs navigate the maze to the exit portal. In return for this, the PCs must slay the Hezrou demon guarding an item known as the soul stone, which Falco wants to possess. I had written some lore about the soul stone being the crystallized remains of a fallen chaotic evil demigod but the PCs didn’t ask too much about it - the soul stone was just another McGuffin. Falco is aided by a chaotic evil tiefling warlock (fiend patron, level 6) called Kayaphass. Kayaphass ended up acting as local guide at Falco’s behest. 

Some monsters have been borrowed and converted from other editions (converting from 3rd edition is relatively quick and simple), particularly the Molydeus and the Ghour.  

The key to the map is summarised as:

1. 3 minotaurs
2. Gas trap - Con save DC 14 or 2d6 poison damage per turn. 
3. 3 bulezau demons
4. Kayaphass’ chamber - 6th level warlock
5. Empty
6. Empty
7. 1 Vrock
8. Falco the Molydeus demon
9. 1 Hezrou demon guarding the soul stone + treasure (10,000sp, 4,500gp, 600pp)
10. Portal to surface of Avernus + 2 minotaurs + 1 minotaur boss
11. 1 ghour demon
12. 4 bulezau demons

As it happens the PCs slew the bulezaus in room 3, the hezrou in room 9 and the minotaurs in room 10, and encountered but did not fight the vrock in room 7. I’m glad they did not find the ghour in room 11 - although it might fit thematically, it was a lot more powerful and could have ended with TPK. I may have been easy on the PCs providing them with a local guide, but I really did not have the appetite to have them getting lost in what really is an Endless Labyrinth instead of getting on with rescuing the city of Elturel. Note that the map I’ve done does have passages leading off the edges to unmapped areas. Although possible to go off this map, I’m relieved that the PCs stayed within it. Anyway the PCs passed through the portal in room 10 and found themselves on the ground level of Avernus. In the distance there was a hill shaped like a giant monstrous hand, up against which was nestled a settlement with a wall of scrap iron. Welcome to Camp Knucklebone.  

New Monsters 

The Molydeus demon is found in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes for 5E (so I won’t give its stats here), but I don’t have that book so I adapted its stats from the 3.5E book Fiendish Codex: Hordes of the Abyss (2006). Similarly the Ghour as adapted from its entry in the 3E book Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun (2001). Both are very powerful, so I’m glad the PCs did not get into a fight with either. 

The minotaur boss is based on the standard minotaur from the 5E Monster Manual with improved hit dice and represents a tough and experienced tribal chief among minotaurs. The bulezau demons are found in the back of Descent into Avernus. 

Demon, Ghour (Huge Outsider, Chaotic Evil)
AC 25, Speed 40ft, HP 150 (12d8+96) 

Str 25 (+7), Dex 8 (-1), Con 26 (+7), Int 15 (+2), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 15 (+2)
Saves: Str & Con
Skills: Stealth
Senses: Darkvision 120ft, Tracking by scent, passive perception 15
Languages: Abyssal, Giant, Telepathy
Immunities: Poison & Electricity
Resistance: Fire, Cold, Acid, non-magical weapons

Challenge 12 (8,400xp)
Actions & Attacks:

Multi-Attack Horn & Claw 

Horn attack: melee +12 to hit for 1d8+7 piercing

Claw attack: melee +12 to hit for 2d6+7 slashing

Roar: 1/day all creatures within 30ft must make DC 15 con save or be stunned for 1d4 rnd and deafened

Breath Weapon: Noxious Gas (10ft x 10ft x 30ft long), DC 20 Dex save or 2d6 Str damage

Spell-like Abilities (DC 18 for saves): Blasphemy (at will), Chaos Hammer (at will), Deeper Darkness (at will), Greater Teleport (at will), Maze (3/day), Fear (3/day), Confusion (3/day)

Source: Monsters of Faerun (3E) (artist C. Critchlow)

Minotaur Boss (Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil) 

AC 16, Speed 40ft, HP 102 (12d10+36)

Str 20 (+5), Dex 10 (+0), Con 16 (+3), Int 8 (-1), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 12 (+1)

Skills: Perception (+7)

Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Passive Perception 17

Languages: Abyssal

Challenge: 5 (1800xp)

Actions/Attacks:

Greataxe: Melee +8 to hit for 2d12 slashing damage

Gore: melee +8 to hit for 2d8+5 piercing damage

Charge: If minotaur boss moves at least 10ft straight towards target and hits with gore attack, the gore does an extra 2d8 damage and target must make DC 14, Strength save or be pushed 10ft and knocked prone

Reckless: Minotaurs can gain advantage on melee attack rolls but also melee attacks against it also have advantage.  

Descent into Avernus Homebrew #1: The Thayan Compound

 Diverging a bit from my usual Basic D&D, I thought I would go over some of the stuff I have come up with in 5E D&D for the campaign I am currently DMing, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. 

Spoiler alert: many of the things I will be discussing involve plot points in the published book. If you are a player playing through the same campaign book, then you have been warned. 

Descent into Avernus is a bit of a mixed bag. It has some great ideas and set pieces but joining them up in a way that the PCs want to follow is not always clear in the published book.  Furthermore, the adventure requires advancement at a much higher rate than the encounters in the book will allow. Advancing automatically after two or three encounters regardless of XP is not my preferred way of PCs levelling up. So some of these homebrew encounters are opportunities for the PCs to earn sufficient XP to get to the levels needed to move onto the next crucial parts in the adventure. 

Side Quest #1: The Red Wizard Enclave in Elturel

This side quest was created for three main reasons. Firstly to award the PCs some magic items. Secondly to award the PCs enough XP to take on the Elturel Cemetery. Thirdly to secure a source of food for the refugees in the High Hall cathedral in Elturel. The background here is that the Red Wizards of Thay have set up a trading enclave  (actually a walled compound) within Elturel, and this was dragged into Avernus along with the rest of the city. 

The acolyte in the High Hall, Pherria Jynx, knows of a magic item, a minor Cornucopia, that can conjure sufficient food to keep the refugees in the High Hall crypts alive. The Cornucopia was last seen being sold to the Red Wizards at their Enclave. The PCs are requested to retrieve it, with the incentive that they can keep any other magic items they find.

The Red Wizards tried to defend themselves against the devils of Avernus by summoning demons to protect them. This did not work out as planned and the demons have run amok in the enclave. Some red wizards are slain, others barricaded in their rooms, terrified. Thus the PCs find themselves investigating this walled compound, with a combination of angry demons, scared apprentice wizards and random magic items. 

Key to map: 

    1) Apprentices’ living quarters & Kitchen: 1 shadow demon (as Monster Manual) + 1 deceased neophyte

    2)  Apprentices’ dormitory: 3 Red Wizard Neophytes (see below for stats). All three are scared and will welcome any rescuers. Braddock in particular is questioning why he joined the Red Wizards at all. 

• Catrina (human female)
• Braddock (human male)
  
• Welph (human male)

    3) Stables. Contains 3 dead horses, slain by demons

    4) Senior Mage's Living Room. Nothing of interest except some nice chairs and carpet. 

    5) Senior Mage's Bedroom: Denthoros is a Mage (as per Monster Manual), a Neutral Evil human male who is the surviving leader of the Red Wizards still in the compound - his senior in the enclave has plane-shifted on his own back to Faerun leaving Denthoros and the others to their fate. Denthoros intends to survive and will do whatever it takes. He will only attack humanoids if they seem intent on attacking him, though any fiends will be treated as hostile. His wooden chest by his bed holds 250gp, 1200sp and his spellbook. Crucially Denthoros holds the key to to the Vault (room 10) and will only hand it over if offered something worthwhile. 

    6) Kitchen and Food Stores. A Barlgura Demon is in here and will attack any mortals or devils. Denthoros (room 5) is aware of this demon. The demon has devoured or spoilt any food that had been here.

    7) The Shop Floor. In here is a Chasme Demon (as Monster Manual) that will attack any mortal. There were shelves holding various baubles and trinkets for sale but the chasme has smashed everything into worthless scraps. However, behind the counter are three bags, one with 43sp, one with 60gp and one with 5pp. 

    8) Corridor

    9) Spell Components Stores: 1 Red Wizard Junior (stats as below) + 2 Veterans (as per Monster Manual). Similar to Denthoros in room 5, the Red Wizard Junior (human female, name Eriadnee) and her two guards are not interested in unnecessary fights and will try to negotiate their way out. They all know that Denthoros holds the key to the vault (room 10) but will only offer this information if pressed or offered something in return. They are trapped here by the chasme in room 7. 

    10) The Vault: This room is sealed by a locked steel door. Denthoros the mage in room 5 holds the key. Inside are 1 shadow demon +2 dretches (all as in Monster Manual). Also in here are locked boxes containing:

• The Cornucopia (a horn that constantly provides food on demand, enough to feed dozens of people every day. 
• A Bag of Holding
• A suit of Chain Mail +2
• A Wand of the War Mage
• A pair of Bracers of Defence +2

Red Wizard Neophyte:

Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil, based on 2nd level wizard

AC: 10, HP: 9,  Speed: 30ft

Str 10 (0), Dex 10 (0), Con 13 (+1), Int 15 (+2) Wis 12 (+1), Cha 10 (0)

Saving Throws: Int (+4), Wis (+3)

Skills: Arcana (+4), Insight (+3)

Senses: passive perception (12)

Languages: Common, Thayan, Abyssal

Challenge: 2 (450xp)

Special Equipment: Dagger, red robes

Action: Dagger, melee attack (+2 to hit, 1d4 damage)

Spellcasting: Red Wizard Neophytes are spellcasters of 2nd level using Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +4 to hit with spell attacks)

At Will Cantrips (3 known): Acid Splash, Fire Bolt, Light

1st L spells (3 slots): Charm Person, Fog Cloud, Silent Image

Red Wizard Junior:

Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil, based on 4th level wizard

AC 12, HP 21, speed 30ft

Str 10 (0), Dex 10 (0), Con 13 (+1), Int 17 (+3) Wis 14 (+2), Cha 12 (+1)

Saving Throws: Int (+5), Wis (+4)

Skills: Arcana (+5), Insight (+4)

Senses: passive perception (13)

Languages: Common, Thayan, Abyssal

Challenge: 4? (1100xp)

Special Equipment: Dagger, red robes of Protection +1, Ring of Protection +1

Action: Dagger, melee attack (+2 to hit, 1d4 damage)

Spellcasting: Red Wizard Juniors are spellcasters of 4th level using Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +5 to hit with spell attacks)

At Will Cantrips (4 known): Acid Splash, Fire Bolt, Light, Message

1st L spells (4 slots): Charm Person, Fog Cloud, Silent Image, Sleep

2nd L spells (3 slots): Invisibility, Detect Thoughts, Web

Description: Red Wizard Juniors are deemed competent enough by the Red Wizards of Thay to be entrusted with basic tasks and minor responsibilities. They are sometimes found looking after Thayan camps while team leaders are leading missions, or perhaps leading a patrol of minions, looking for minor foes of the Red Wizards. Red Wizard juniors have survived their apprenticeship and are a bit more aware of the manoeuvring and backstabbing among the Red Wizards, so are not as trusting of their fellows (Insight skill and Detect Thoughts spell are more used on their colleagues in the Red Wizards than their obvious enemies). 

Note that as the DM I awarded XP rewards for peacefully dealing with Red Wizards and retrieving the Cornucopia and bringing it back to the High Hall. 

Elemental and Para-Elemental Planes in this campaign

In this Mystara campaign I am writing, the Ethereal and Elemental planes are still there beyond the Material Plane, and can be accessed by either powerful spells or interplanar wormholes. The four elements are of course Fire, Air, Water and Earth. This metaphysical map illustrates the inner planes as I am using them here.  It is a modified version of my old one posted back here. 

My previous descriptions of the elemental planes still stand:

The Elemental Plane of Earth is nearly solid stone and earth, with only a few pockets of air, water and lava found. Finding an air (or maybe water) pocket is essential if a human visitor is to avoid being crushed and suffocated. However, if a pocket of air can be found, the plane is tolerable in temperature and not many dangerous inhabitants. A few valuable minerals can also be picked out by those with skill in prospecting and mining. 

The Elemental Plane of Water is like a vast, dimly lit ocean without a surface. There are pockets of air and earth (but no fire pockets). Any visitor who can cope with breathing underwater should be able to stay on this plane for a while. Creatures of seas and oceans of the Material Plane are occasionally encountered here, adding weight to sages' theories of gates between the Elemental Plane of Water and deep abysses in the oceans of Kaelaross. 

The Elemental Plane of Fire has two major problems - firstly the intolerable temperature will kill any mortal creature without some sort of protection. Anyone travelling to this plane must be able to tolerate hot flames, or their death will be a quick one, with cremation rather than burial. Secondly the Plane of Fire is home to some quite dangerous and volatile creatures - Fire salamanders and efreet. Being able to either negotiate or else fight off these creatures is necessary for any extended stay where encounters are inevitable. There are some pockets of clear air, while lumps of rock from the plane of earth either melt into pools of lava or else glow like burning coals. 

The Elemental Plane of Air is in many ways the safest of the elemental planes. The biggest problem is the electrical storms. This plane has no gravity, so everything - clouds, natives and visitors, float around. There are occasional spheres of earth and fire that float around. Any water here tends to evaporate and turn into clouds within a matter of hours, and visitors are recommended to bring water as they are likely to get thirsty. The djinn are found here, but they can be tempermental and fickle in dealing with those who intrude on their domain.

Para-Elemental Planes

As well as bordering the ethereal plane, the elemental planes also touch or overlap with some of each other. This is closer to AD&D elemental planes than BECMI's version, so bear with me.  Although I do not have the stats for para-elementals that might be summoned to the material plane, I believe they were given stats in AD&D 1st edition Monster Manual II. 

Between Fire and Earth is the para-elemental plane of Magma.  It is a land of volcanic eruption and lakes of lava. There are some metals found here - the more easily melted ones (gold and lead) are found in molten pools while the less volatile ones (iron and tungsten) are usually still solid though often glowing with heat. The Efreet’s City of Brass is on the border between the Plane of Fire and Plane of Magma. 

Between Water and Air is the para-elemental plane of Ice and is an arctic wasteland of glaciers, crevasses, ice caves and constant snow. Ice-related creatures such as Frost Salamanders are now associated with the para-elemental plane of Ice not Earth (a change from the BECMI rules). Other cold-based creatures such as white dragons and frost giants are also capable of surviving here even if they are not truly native. The air is so cold as to freeze the lungs of an unprotected human but anyone who can survive the intense cold can 

Between Water and Earth is the para-elemental plane of Ooze which is seems to be a vast and bottomless quagmire with few plants on the surface, filled with sticky, slimy mud and pools of acid. Many ooze creatures are found here, including black puddings, ochre jellies and green slimes.

Between Air and Fire is the para-elemental plane of Smoke. It is a very mysterious plane, and very few creatures live or visit here because of its poisonous fumes. Various levels of toxicity, from mildly irritating to silently lethal carbon monoxide. There are also frequent lightning storms suggesting a link to the quasi-element of Lightning. Sages have no idea what sort of native inhabitants if any are found here as any expedition by mages to investigate have either had difficulty seeing anything or else simply not returned. 

Other quasi-elements may be found on the elemental planes although these quasi-elements do not have their own planes. 

• Lightning is closely associated with air and also the paraelemental plane of smoke
• Acid is closely associated with Ooze but also to some extent with both Earth and Water
• Metal is closely associated with Magma and to some extent with Earth and Fire

Elementalist Mage

Elementalist Mages are magic users, nearly always human, who tap into the powers of these elemental planes. Many spells already use the elements in one form or another, from Fireballs to Ice Storms to conjuring elementals themselves to fight for and serve the caster. Elementalists take this one stage further and specialise in elemental magic. 

This usually means ignoring spells that do not involve the elements - enchantments, illusions and mind-affecting spells are rarely learnt by elementalists. Most elementalists will take a general approach and treat all the elements equally, though some focus on just one element. Most famously there was an ancient rivalry between the Air Elementalists of Alphatia and the Fire Elementalists of Glantri. 

In terms of game rules the Elementalist mages are magic users with the same saving throws, hit points and spell memorisation. They have access to a different spell list that accentuates spells that involve the elements and elemental planes, while ignoring spells that do not. 

Specialists in one element will usually also use spells from one of the neighbouring para-elemental planes. So a Water Elementalist may use spells that involve Water (obviously!) and either acid or ice but not both. Focusing on just one element may seem overly restrictive but any creature targeted by an one-element elementalist will suffer -2 to saving throws against any spell the elementalist cast that belongs to their favoured element. So when a Fire elementalist casts a fireball spell, any creature in the area of effect who needs to make a saving throw suffers -2 penalty on their saves. 

Elementalists who don’t specialise will happily use spells that draw from any of the elemental or para-elemental planes but saving throws against their spells are at normal difficulty. They are often known as pan-elementalists. 

Specialist elementalists require plenty of spells in their selected element in order to function effectively. Low level spells that use either earth or water are really not found in the standard spells of the magical colleges, i.e. the 12 spells per spell level listed in the B/X rules or 13 per spell level in the Rules Cyclopedia. Therefore elementalists tend to work best when they have access to lots of non-standard spells from magical research, i.e. places with large magical institutions and lots of mages such as Glantri and Alphatia. 

BECMI Rules Cyclopedia and AD&D 1st Edition PHB Magic User spells by associated element

Spell Name	Source	Level	Element
Affect Normal Fires	AD&D	1	Fire
Burning Hands	AD&D	1	Fire
Create Water	AD&D	1	Water
Dust Devil	AD&D	2	Air
Endure Cold/Heat	AD&D	1	Cold
Feather Fall	AD&D	1	Air
Light	B/X	1	Lightning
Magical Stone	AD&D	1	Earth
Predict Weather	BECMI	1	Air
Shocking Grasp	AD&D	1	Lightning
Continual Light	B/X	2	Lightning
Faerie Fire	BECMI	2	Lightning
Fog Cloud	AD&D	2	Air
Fools Gold	AD&D	2	Metal
Heat Metal	AD&D	2	Metal
Levitate	B/X	2	Air
Melf's Acid Arrow	AD&D	2	Acid
Resist Cold	AD&D	2	Cold
Resist Fire	AD&D	2	Fire
Stinking Cloud	AD&D	2	Air
Acid Ball	Blog Post	3	Acid
Fireball	B/X	3	Fire
Flame Arrow	AD&D	3	Fire
Fly	B/X	3	Air
Gust of Wind	AD&D	3	Air
Lightning Bolt	B/X	3	Lightning
Meld into Stone	AD&D	3	Earth
Protection from Normal Missiles	B/X	3	Air
Water Breathing	B/X	3	Water
Water Walk	AD&D	3	Water
Explosive Rune	AD&D	4	Fire
Ice Storm	B/X	4	Cold
Stoneskin	AD&D	4	Earth
Wall of Fire	B/X	4	Fire
Wall of Ice	B/X	4	Cold
Cloudkill	B/X	5	Air
Cone of Cold	AD&D	5	Cold
Conjure Air Elemental	B/X	5	Air
Conjure Earth Elemental	B/X	5	Earth
Conjure Fire Elemental	B/X	5	Fire
Conjure Water Elemental	B/X	5	Water
Rock-Eating Slime	Blog Post	5	Acid
Stoneshape	AD&D	5	Earth
Transmute Rock to Mud	B/X	5	Earth
Wall of Stone	B/X	5	Earth
Chain Lightning	AD&D	6	Lightning
Invisible Stalker	B/X	6	Air
Lower Water	BECMI	6	Water
Wall of Iron	BECMI	6	Metal
Weather Control	BECMI	6	Air
Delayed Blast Fireball	BECMI	7	Fire
Otiluke's Freezing Sphere	AD&D	7	Cold
Statue	BECMI	7	Earth
Explosive Cloud	BECMI	8	Fire
Imprisonment	AD&D	9	Earth
Meteor Swarm	BECMI	9	Fire

Note that this list is by no means exhaustive and there are many other spells out there in official, third-party and fan-made sources that could fit into this table. For example my Slimy Spells of the Arvorians would suit a Water mage or an Earth mage.

More spells could be added if the in-world description for the effects is given an elemental twist. For example Protection from Normal Missiles is generally considered to involve a magical barrier. But what if it is the air around the caster that solidifies and catches missiles that try to pass through it? This change in flavour would make it suitable for Air elementalists. Similarly there could be elemental variations on Magic Missile (Icy Missile, Flaming Missile, Stony Missile) with a bit of reskinning. 

 

Kaelaross and the Monster Manual

Although my intentions earlier in the blog were to keep Kaelaross clearly B/X D&D, separate and distinct from AD&D, I have decided to relax a bit. If I were to allow monsters from 1st Edition Monster Manual into Kaelaross, which ones would I use? Note that I don't expect those who read this blog to necessarily have the book, and I won't make them central to any adventures on this blog without giving them B/X D&D stats. If you do want B/X D&D stats for these, you could try Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion.

Boar, Giant - Although not as common as their lesser cousins, giant boar are known to inhabit the warmer areas of Toutus, including the Howling Forest (near the Godsblood Straits).

Brownie - These fey creatures related to sprites and pixies have been touched by the powers of Law. Although very shy and wary of bigger folk, brownies are nonetheless useful allies against Chaos. They have been known to ally with powerful lawful mages as familiars, and also found in both the Shorgan Forest and the Talloak forest.

Couatl - These agents of Law, when not on the Planes of Law, are found in warmer, tropical climates and rarely in Toutus.

Demons, all - All these demons could be found in the Planes of Chaos, and could travel to the Material Plane either through a Chaos Portal or individual summoning

Dragon, Silver - Silver dragons are as rare as gold dragons and, like them, can disguise themselves to blend in with lesser races. Silver dragons are known to be friendly with lawful clerics and deities but, unlike lammasu and shedu, are not in servitude or owe any great loyalty. Tales of silver-bearded dwarves transforming into silver dragons have occasionally been heard both in the Grulven Mountains and the Ten Peaks.

Ghast - These stinking undead are primarily found in Narvellis, in the Varreshiss Islands, but apparently some clerics of Storshin have discovered a ritual to transform normal ghouls into ghasts and are travelling from one region to another looking for ghouls to transform.

Ghoul, Lacedon  - These undead are found in the waters around the Varreshiss Islands, particularly the cursed and haunted Narvellis Island with its undead masters.

Golem, Flesh, Stone & Iron - These constructs are among the most powerful that a magic user can create.  The students of Gerontium in Maquosmouth would be most impressed if they found out how to create these.

Irish Elk - These huge majestic herbivores are found in northern climates, including the hills and plains of the Walrus Freehold, and on some of the Varreshiss Islands.

Ki-Rin - These heavenly creatures are very rarely seen except on the Planes of Law. When they do appear on the Material Plane, it is to oversee the fight against some terrible evil foe. Ignore the psionics and give them 1 clerical spell from each level from 1st to 7th

Koalinth (aquatic hobgoblin) - These creatures are believed to have come through the Chaos Portal created in the sunken city of Urdus, and now have set up bases around the Godsblood Straits. They often clash with their main rivals, the Sahuagin.

Lamia - These chaotic deceivers are found in ruined, desolate areas including the Twisted Hills and the Godsblood Hills. They are also found on the Planes of Chaos, and most of the lamias on the Material Plane came through the Chaos Portals.

Lammasu - These noble creatures of Law will sometimes be sent by Lawful deities to assist or advise their mortal followers. They are also found on the Planes of Law.

Leucrotta - These strange predators are definitely chaotic in nature, and are found near some chaos portals, including Maquosmouth and Aerisport in the Godsblood Straits.

Lurker Above - These strange ambushers dwell underground. They have evolved in the Underworld, but have adapted and thrived in deliberately created dungeons.

Morkoth - These strange underwater predators are not common, but can be found in deep waters, including off the western coast of Toutus such as around the Vareshiss Isles and Godsblood Straits. Sages believe, based on survivors accounts, that these are not natural creatures but evil monsters of Chaos.

Ogre Mage - Rather than being a separate species, on Kaelaross, Ogre mages are ogre leaders who have made a dark pact with a powerful chaos god (usually Bhael) and been transformed. They may either be on their own or else among a band of normal ogres either as leader or as lieutenant to an ogre chief.

Peryton - Bizarre stag-headed predators. They could only be a creation of Chaos, and their vicious behaviour confirms this. A few have been sighted around the Chaos Portal in Aerisport, while others are seen in the Twisted Hills south of the Walrus Freehold

Quasit - These demonic imps are often found in areas where other demons are found. Also they may ally themselves to a particularly chaotic and unpleasant magic user.

Rakshasa - Originating in Pelepton's home plane of Aegothis, these tiger-faced shapeshifters have slipped through chaos portals and have now infiltrated surviving cities around Kaelaross such as Ironmarket and Trislem.

Remorhaz - These giant polar worms are found on the icecap north of the Walrus Freehold. They are not natural creatures but are thought to have come through a portal from Noreesis Vale (change alignment from neutral to chaotic).

Roper - Sages believe that although these creatures may have started off as natural creatures in the Underworld, they have been touched by Chaos and are found in some planes of Chaos as well as dungeons and the underworld.

Sahuagin - These violent sea raiders are the bane of both other sea creatures and shore-dwelling land folk. They are thought to have originated in the Planes of Chaos, but several outposts have been established around the chaos portal in Urdus where they clash with both the Koalinths and the mermen in the area.

Satyr - these wild and unpredictable fey are notorious for their appetites for wine, music, dancing and women. They are found in small groups in the largest forests, including the Shorgan Forest, the Talloak Forest and even the Twilight Forest.

Shedu - Along with Ki-Rin, Couatls and Lammasus, these are the messengers and agents of the Lawful gods sent to assist and advise their mortal followers in their battle against the forces of Chaos. Ignore the psionics and give them spellcasting as if 7th level magic users.

Slithering Tracker - These amorphous predators may be related to less intelligent slimes and oozes. They are found in both dark dungeons and also the sprawling caverns of the Underworld.

Toad, Ice - These creatures are found in the far north, on the ice floes and icecap north of the Walrus Channel. They only come onto human lands during the bitterest winter, though there are records of a band of ice toads causing trouble among trappers and hunters north of Walrus City a few years back.

Umber Hulk - These huge monsters are creatures of chaos, placed in the Underworld by dark powers (such as Havok) to cause as much disruption and death to miners and explorers as possible.

Water Weird - These malevolent creatures are found in the Elemental Plane of Water, but have been tainted by Chaos, giving them an evil urge to kill. They rarely occur in bodies of water such as seas, rivers, lakes, underground pools or even village wells.

Winter Wolf - These chaotic predators originated from the Chaos Plane known as Noreesis Vale, but have slipped through a chaos portal and now roam the northernmost reaches of Kaelaross, including the Icemud Tundra and Twilight Forest as well as the island of Cortacus in the Walrus Freehold.

Xorn - These creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth don't often occur on the Material Plane, but when they do it is either at the beckoning of a powerful spellcaster or else deep in the Underworld.

Others, which I have not had time to comment on, include:
Aerial Servant
Ankheg
Axebeak
Barracuda
Beetle, Giant Rhinoceros
Catoblepas
Eagle, Giant
Frog, Giant
Frog, Killer
Gar, Giant
Gargoyle, Kopoacinth
Groaning Spirit
Hippocampus
Hippopotamus
Ixitxachitl
Jackalwere
Larva
Leech, Giant
Leprechaun
Lich
Lizard, Giant Fire
Lizard, Giant Minotaur
Locathah
Mimic
Mindflayer
Naga, Spirit & Guardian
Night Hag
Nightmare
Nymph
Otyugh
Owl, Giant
Pike, Giant
Porcupine, Giant
Sea Hag
Shambling Mound
Slug, Giant
Sphinx, Andro
Sphinx, Hieraco
Triton
Will-o-Wisp
Wind Walker
Wolverine, Giant
Yeti