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Shattered Earth

nd tier (
Challenge
DC
(3 hours)

Massive pillars, plates of stone, and earthen boulders haphazardly confound the broken landscape ahead and navigating a way through requires equal amounts of careful stepping, scaling rock formations, and rounding obstacles. 

On Foot. Land vehicles and most mounts cannot traverse this area, and in order to continue the party must dismount and unload overladen wagons. Squeezing through narrow passes, lifting heavy loads over debris, and ducking under stone overhangs quadruples the amount of time needed to travel through this area with vehicles or mounts.

Precarious Boulders. Boulders tumble down whenever they are even slightly disturbed by passersby far below. At the end of every hour spent in this area, roll 1d20. On a result of 15 or more, rocks fall. Each adventurer makes a Dexterity saving throw , taking 13 (2d12) bludgeoning damage on a failure, or half damage on a success. In addition, on a failed save they are knocked prone and restrained by the boulder. The boulders are large enough to offer three-fourths cover or potentially block passage forward.

Up and Away. The use of levitate , fly , or similar magic to scout ahead triggers a critical success.

Possible Solutions

A successful group check using the following options allow the adventurers to travel across the area:

  • Acrobatics check to avoid putting too much weight on any step.
  • Athletics check to scale the walls and reach a set of boulders.
  • Perception check to spot a set of precarious boulders.
  • Stealth check to move in utter silence and disturb as little of the terrain as possible.

Potential Outcomes

Critical Failure: The adventurers become trapped after a catastrophic collapse of stone and rock. Digging themselves and their equipment out takes a day, and the party loses 2 (1d4) days travel time making it through this area.

Failure: The adventurers each suffer a level of fatigue but make it through this area.

Success: The adventurers make it through this area.

Critical Success: The adventurers find a path through the maze of rock and safely make it through in just 1 hour. Roll on the Boons and Discoveries table.


Leave It Be

Bypassing the precarious area is possible but takes a great deal of time—safely traveling around it costs an extra 5 (2d4) days of travel time.