Emberde Bay
The humid, salty air blowing across the rocky coast smells of ocean brine and smoke from the nearby factories. Cliffs rise slowly as the landscape extends away from where the river meets the bay. The waters of the Matawu River churn as they meet the lapping waves of the bay and silt swirls as it flows toward the ocean. A vast network of docks stretch out over the open water connecting moored ships of all sizes to the mainland. The constant ringing of iron, the groaning of ropes and snapping of canvas echo across the surface of the water.
Description
A large body of water that is sheltered from the choppy waters of the open ocean by tall cliffs. The Matawu River bisects Skalan and empties into the bay, creating a brackish environment capable of supporting a wide variety of sea life. A vibrant fishing industry creates jobs and feeds the nation.
The steep continental slope in parts of the bay has allowed for the creation of several gigantic shipyards, capable of creating some of the world largest ships. These behemoths fuel Liekia’s regional shipping industry, moving food and goods between trade ports all along the Monsherba coast.
Rumors & Folklore
The Shrouded Cliffs: The thick fog that masks the jagged cliffs at the mouth of the bay is known colloquially as the Breath of Emberde. According to royal accounts, the great dragon Emberde nested in the hollow sea-caves amongst the cliffs. The perpetual mist is said to be caused by the warmth from his lungs hitting the cold ocean water, warning explorers that the territory belongs to the wyrm.
The Wailing Crew: Mariners tell green crew members that the constant hum and metallic ringing that echoes across the water is the trapped spirits of an entire lost fleet singing in unison from the seabed.
History & Truths
Starting around 19,500 BR: The early Human clans the settled along the shores of Emberde Bay were drawn to the massive cliffs and large sea caves which provided them with shelter and protected them from predators, especially from dragons that nested nearby. They survived by fishing along the banks and foraging the adjacent forests for whatever grew within a days walk. Their ever growing populations soon exhausted what this simple lifestyle could provide, forcing them to setup larger settlements with more reliable sources of food and water.
Starting around 10,800 BR: With settlements growing and becoming more fortified, the mouth of the river became a contested choke point where the entire region’s access to the ocean could be controlled by whoever conquered it. This is where the idea of weaponizing the population’s fear of dragons was born. Legends were woven about the giant creatures and stories about an unseen ancient leviathan named Emberde were spread through the populace. Rituals were often invented and performed on the rocky shores of the bay to support these stories and to convince the superstitious clans that only specific bloodlines were capable of safeguarding them from the leviathans. Before long these were deeply held beliefs among the people.
Starting around 7,000 BR: Ancestral bloodlines gave way to anointed kings and the clans warred for total domination of the region, but the bay most of all. It had become a strategic bottleneck and fleets of heavy, oar-powered galleys clashed, leaving a constant layer of debris floating on its surface. Eventually, a single warlord was able to sack all of the upstream strongholds to secure permanent control over the waterway, and then established a heavily taxed royal harbor to solidify his authority over this vital trade corridor.
Starting around 5,300 BR: After centuries of exorbitant royal taxation, the merchant lords and common dockworkers mobilized a substantial portion of the populace against the king. A massive blockade ground trade through the bay to a halt and a number of valuable shipping vessels were scuttled in protest. The king capitulated to the demands of his people and work began to not only restore the harbor but to vastly improve it. Gigantic shipyards were built to facilitate the building of a new shipping fleet.
Starting around 3,012 AR: During the Era of the Unbound Arcane, a new kind of war was unleashed across Emberde Bay. Rogue mage-lords weaponized their new-found powers to destroy merchant fleets and disrupt trade routes. It wasn’t until they were finally crushed by a ruthless military commander, named Marek Ostren, that the bay was completely brought under the control of his new nation, The Kingdom of Liekia. The bay now serves as an industrial gateway to the ocean, with large warehouses, ironworks foundries and coal-fired factories.
Mechanics
When navigating a vessel across Emberde Bay, the party can either hire a local pilot to safely guide the boat through known channels for 25 times the average party level (APL) in gold pieces, or they may choose to steer the vessel themselves.
If the characters decide to pilot the vessel without professional aid, the DM must roll a d4 to determine weather conditions. On a result of 1, thick maritime fog is blanketing the bay.
The player driving the vessel must make a series of five successive ability checks, choosing from Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Survival), or an appropriate Intelligence or Dexterity (Vehicles) check. If the vessel is traveling through fog, the pilot makes these checks with disadvantage.
Success. If the pilot succeeds on the majority of the checks, the vessel successfully navigates the natural choke points and safely reaches the open ocean.
Failure. On a failed crossing, the vessel veers off course, striking the jagged, shallow rocks hidden near the tapering cliff bases. The hull immediately takes structural damage, which moves the vessel one step down the track. Each stage inflicts a cumulative penalty:
- Undamaged: The vessel is fully operational.
- Damaged: Maximum speed is halved, and all future vehicle navigation checks are made at disadvantage until repaired. (If already navigating with disadvantage due to fog, the pilot takes a -2 penalty to the checks instead).
- Breached: The vessel actively takes on water. At least one character must spend their action each round pumping water or patching planks, or the vessel sinks in 1d4 hours.
- Wrecked: The vessel capsizes or is permanently incapacitated. Its movement becomes 0, cannot be repaired, and must be abandoned.
Encounters
| d6 | Encounter Details |
|---|---|
| 1 | Toxic Smoke: The wind shifts and suddenly a cloud of foundry exhaust engulfs the party. Visibility drops to 5 feet and the heavy particles in the air burns the eyes and lungs. Each character must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain the poisoned condition for 1 hour. |
| 2 | Industrial Waste: The heavy pollution running off from the nearby factories coalesces into a living threat. 1d4 masses of caustic, burning slag and chemical sewage (use Ochre Jelly or Gray Ooze statistics) surge forward, mindlessly attacking any creatures radiating body heat. |
| 3 | Collateral Damage: A booming crack echoes through the air as a misfired, heavy iron harpoon sails past the party and embeds itself violently into their immediate surroundings. It is attached to a rapidly winching chain that threatens to tear into whatever it comes into contact with. |
| 4 | Mistaken Identity: A cloaked traditionalist mistakes one of the characters for a fellow rebel contact. As they pass the party they deliver a missive to the character. REWARDAn encrypted rebel dispatch. Scrawled on the communication is the coded movements of the next Brynnmor secret armor shipment. A character must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check to decode the message. |
| 5 | Falling Debris: A structural failure nearby causes a massive shower of splintered timber, iron rigging, and heavy ropes to come crashing down into the party’s immediate space. Characters must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and become restrained beneath the wreckage. |
| 6 | Desperate Plea: A dirt-stained citizen subtly flags down the party. Having noticed the characters look like capable outsiders, they beg the group to drop off a tiny, sealed vial of a black market healing elixir to Jerna, a family member who works at the iron foundry in the Docks Ward and they warn about getting caught with such contraband. REWARDThey offer 15 silver pieces as payment. |
Adventure Hooks
The Missing Mechanist:
- The Trigger: Just outside of an industrial workshop in the Docks Ward, a young apprentice paces back and forth. She approaches the party and introduces herself as Nesta. She’s clutching a broken copper gear and explains that her mentor Bramen, a brilliant crane engineer who has vanished mid-shift after discovering a structural gap in the main foundry wall.
- The Objective: The party is asked to enter the maintenance tunnels beneath the foundry and locate Bramen. They discover he has been abducted by a gang who are trying to force him to hand over the master keys to the shipyard warehouses.
- REWARDThey receive 30 silver pieces (sp) and a custom-tuned Mechanist’s Lens, which grants a +2 bonus to all Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to analyze complex machinery, locks, or structural weak points.
The Contaminated Catch:
- The Trigger: While walking along the lower docks, the party witnesses a local fishmonger named Marra sitting on the ground crying. Several massive, metallic-scaled fish are laid out on a table at her market stall, their gills leaking a thick blue chemical sludge.
- The Objective: Marra begs the party to figure out where the chemical came from before the entire bay’s ecosystem is poisoned. The party must investigate the source by following traces of the chemical through the sewers. This will lead them to a corrupt factory whose overseer is illegally dumping concentrated alchemical waste to avoid The Cobalt Crown’s disposal taxes.
- REWARDShe gifts the party her family’s Siren-Bone Charm talisman, which allows the wearer to cast purify food and drink to completely neutralize toxins or pollution in a 5-foot radius. The item can be used twice per day.
The False Accusation:
- The Trigger: A scuffle breaks out just ahead of the party as a wealthy looking foreign merchant points a golden cane at a terrified, dirt-covered dockworker. The merchant, who the party come to overhear is named Orlov, claims the laborer cut open his bag and stole a small pouch containing several sapphires. A group of local mercenaries steps in, shouting, “Hold still, Jovan!” as they begin beating him to try to force a confession.
- The Objective: Jovan, spots the party and desperately begs for their help, swearing he is innocent.
- If the Party Intervenes: They step into the fray to buy time. A character must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception or Insight) check to spot the true culprit hiding in the gathering crowd: a nimble pickpocket, who is wearing an oversized smock and nervously trying to conceal Orlov’s pouch inside her gloved hand. Should they confront her, they will learn she is named Mikla.
- If the Party Does Not Intervene: They watch from the sidelines. As Jovan is dragged away bleeding. A character can make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice someone from the crowd slip away while transferring a lavish pouch into an oversized smock pocket. If they choose to make contact with the individual, they will learn their name is Mikla and can decide what to do next.
- REWARDIf Jovan is vindicated, a grateful dock supervisor who says he works with the man will secretly hand them a Nautilion Cargo Manifest as a gratuity for helping him. Alternatively, if they hunt down Mikla privately, they secure the manifest from her stash alongside Orlov’s stolen sapphires. A character proficient with a forgery kit can modify this official manifest to cover any single inventory item. When a customs official inspects that item, the manifest grants advantage on one Charisma (Deception) check made to bypass the security checkpoint. The manifest is surrendered and destroyed upon use.
Escalation Guide
Alert Status
Standard Operations
The crown maintains control over movement through Emberde Bay and operations around the docks, but the guards here have grown complacent or corrupt.
- Standard entry fees of 2 silver pieces are charged upon entering Liekian territory and pilots can be hired at the base cost of 25 x average party level (APL) gold pieces.
- So long as the party does not commit any visible crimes and they have not openly disrupted any of The Cobalt Crown’s plots, the guards are passive.
- Traditionalists and smugglers operate covertly out of sea caves and from the Docks Ward, players can identify them with a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check when searching those areas.
Heightened Alert Operations
Should the party disrupt any one plot of King Rouis, the area is ordered to be more strict about its operations.
- Redvakt Peacekeeper patrols are actively patrolling the trade lanes of Emberde Bay and the Docks Ward, looking for disturbances. Whenever the party is within 30 feet of a patrol, the DM rolls a d20 and on a 15 or higher the patrol moves to intercept the party to interrogate and inspect them. A character must make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check to talk their way past the guards.
- Due to the increased security, local captains are more reluctant to take control of a ship that’s not their own and the price of hiring a pilot increases to 50xAPL gold pieces.
- Traditionalists and smugglers are much more careful about their actions and players will need to succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate one when looking in the sea caves or the Docks Ward.
Success. The guards let them go about their business but advise them that the area is being watched and to stay out of trouble.
Failure. On a failure, the guards detain them and search their possessions for anything subversive to The Cobalt Crown. The guards riffle through their belongings and confiscate a single mundane item from a character’s inventory (crowbar, instrument, or tool), declaring it suspicious.
Lockdown Operations
Should the party disrupt any two plots of King Rouis, the area is ordered into lockdown.
- Redvakt Peacekeeper patrols are increased in the trade lanes of Emberde Bay and the Docks Ward. Whenever the party is within x feet of a patrol, the DM rolls a d20 and on a 10 or higher the patrol moves to intercept the party to interrogate and inspect them. A character must make a DC 18 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check to talk their way past the guards.
- Local captains are no longer willing to take control of a ship that’s not their own.
- Local traditionalists and smugglers have gone into hiding. Players will need to succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate one when looking in the sea caves or the Docks Ward.
Success. The guards let them go about their business but advise them that the area is being watched and to stay out of trouble.
Failure. On a failure, the guards bring them to a local holding cell for several hours of bureaucratic interrogation and search their possessions for anything subversive to The Cobalt Crown. The guards search through their belongings and confiscate a single mundane item from each character’s inventory (crowbar, instrument, or tool), declaring it suspicious.