More work on misc

bigfile/Deck-of-Many-Things.md

@@ -8410,8 +8410,8 @@ wasn’t powerful enough to turn him all the way into a dragon, so he
 divided the process into multiple steps. Each wish made him a little
 more dragon-like, until finally, he used a wish that made him a true
 Dragon - a steel dragon. Once he became a dragon, his hourglass appeared
-in the realm of Chronepsis.\
-\
+in the realm of Chronepsis.
+
 Green was a 35-year old man, so when he became a dragon, he became a
 35-year old dragon. That’s a very young, small dragon. Green wasn’t
 satisfied with that, he wanted to be more powerful. So he used a wish to

ideas/After-Crow.md

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+I need some help brainstorming ideas for a planescape
+campaign.  The situation is convoluted, bear with me:
+
+Rennick is a man with an unusual ability: he can predict
+random events (quite limited).  This ability has made him a
+person of interest for many people with many different
+agendas - including Tymora, goddess of Luck.  The PCs are
+working for Tymora, and they have been tasked with finding
+and questioning Rennick.
+
+Another group that had an interest in Rennick is the Sign of
+One.  In my campaign, the Signers believe the universe is
+just a dream. As for *whose* dream, they believe in the
+"grandmaster theory."  A master painter will often sketch
+out a painting, and do a little work, then turn it over to
+his journeymen, who will finish the painting.  The
+journeymen will sometimes even delegate further, to their
+apprentices.  The master takes credit, but the painting is
+actually the work of many people.  The grandmaster theory is
+that the universe is just like the painting: the grandmaster
+has sketched out the rough outlines, but we're all
+contributing to varying degrees.
+
+The Sign of One employ a team of "seekers" whose job is to
+try to find the grandmaster and the masters.  The seekers
+are curious about Rennick: they theorize that he isn't
+predicting random events, so much as actually dreaming them
+up.  Is he a master?
+
+Yet another person who has an interest in Rennick was a
+murderous wizard name Crow, who is convinced that Rennick
+is an oracle.  Crow has the ability to steal peoples powers,
+and he thinks he can drain Rennick's life to acquire the
+powers of an oracle.  Rennick went into hiding to evade
+Crow.  Now the PCs have defeated Crow, so it's safe for
+Rennick to come out of hiding.  However, there's a catch.
+
+In order to hide from Crow, Rennick decided the safest place
+was a demiplane.  Demiplanes are great hiding places for two
+reasons: first, a divination spell asking "where's Rennick"
+will just tell you, "in a demiplane that doesn't have a
+name."  That's super not-helpful.  Second: to plane shift to
+a plane, you need a tuning fork.  Nobody has a tuning fork
+for a demiplane.  So: demiplanes are good hiding places, if
+your opponent is a powerful wizard.
+
+Rennick lives in the City of Sigil, which has portals to
+many planes and probably many demiplanes.  However, when
+Crow attacked, Rennick didn't have time to do a lot of
+research.  He had to flee to the one demiplane he knew about
+off the top of his head.
+
+You see, about two weeks before Crow's attack, the
+Signer-Seekers brough Rennick to the hall of speakers, where
+he was examined by factol Darius.  Darius concluded that
+despite Rennick's special ability, he's no master.  However,
+Darius confided in Rennick: morale is low among the seekers.
+They've been searching for masters for years, and have found
+nothing.  Darius asked Rennick to pretend, to put on a good
+show, in order to boost morale among the seekers.  Darius
+explained that this would involve submitting to a testing
+procedure, in which Rennick would be placed into a
+"visualization chamber" designed to test his ability to
+imagine things.  The visualization chamber is actually a
+demiplane that causes people's unconscious imaginations to
+manifest.  When Darius offered, Rennick was curious, but in
+the end he decided that he simply didn't have time.  Darius
+let him go.
+
+However, when Crow attacked and almost captured Rennick,
+Rennick escaped and fled to the Signers.  He took Darius up
+on her offer, on the condition that he be placed into the
+visualization chamber immediately.  He knew Crow would not
+be able to find him there.  He submitted to testing, but
+when the testing was over, he refused to leave the chamber.
+The signers tried to remove him, but luckily for Rennick,
+the manifestations of his imagination defended him.
+
+This strategy worked: Rennick managed to barricade himself
+in the chamber for several weeks, aided by the figments of
+his own imagination, and in the meantime, Crow failed to
+locate Rennick, and now Crow has been defeated.
+
+At some point, Rennick unintentionally imagined an army of
+himself fighting off an army of signers.  This was a huge
+mistake.  There are now hundreds of Rennick clones in the
+chamber.  They know everything that Rennick knows, including
+the fact that they are figments of the real Rennick's
+imagination.  They know that if they leave the chamber, they
+cease existing, and they know that if the real Rennick
+leaves, they cease existing.  They're protecting Rennick
+from being extricated from the chamber, which is what
+Rennick originally wanted.  But now that Crow's dead, the
+clones still aren't going to let him leave.
+
+The PCs know that Rennick is somewhere in the basement of
+the hall of speakers, and they know that they need to talk
+to factol Darius.
+
+OK, so here's what's missing from this picture:
+
+* What are the original figments that helped protect Rennick,
+in the beginning, before the clones manifested?
+
+* What figments of the PCs imaginations will manifest, now
+that they're in the chamber?
+
+* What kind of mini-adventure is going to take place inside
+the chamber?  I should note that the chamber is as big as
+it needs to be.
+
+
+

ideas/Chamber.md

@@ -0,0 +1,320 @@
+## Prelude
+
+
+Darius tells the PCs that Rennick is in the chamber. She
+explains that Rennick and his manifestations are reflexively
+defensive and that they've learned to be hostile to Signers,
+and that she's already lost some faction members trying
+to extricate him.  She thinks that if the PCs bring Signers
+along, they'll get a more hostile reaction than if they go
+alone.  So Darius refuses to send Signers along with the
+PCs.  Instead, she instructs one of her assistants to lead
+the PCs into the basement, but the PCs won't be led the whole
+way: they'll have to go the last few hundred feet themselves.
+
+Darius also warns the PCs that manifestations can actually
+exit the chamber and continute to exist for a few minutes to
+a few hours, depending on how complicated the manifestations
+are.  So, she cautions, there may be some weird phenomena
+before they even get there.
+
+## Lost in the basement
+
+Outside the chamber there are no overt manifestations, but
+there is one very subtle one: the portal to the chamber is
+disguised as just more hallway.  The PCs enter the chamber,
+but they don't know they have.  Beyond the portal, they
+see what appears to be just more hallways in the basement
+of the hall of speakers.
+
+Along the sides of the hallways they start to see doors
+that lead into rooms.  The first room appears to be a
+classroom.  The next, an office with a desk and lots of
+papers and books, but the papers and books are all blank.
+Continue to invent random empty rooms as necessary.
+
+As the PCs wander, the hallways get increasingly twisty
+and weird, and the PCs should have long since figured out
+that they're in the chamber.
+
+The PCs turn a corner, and the walls around this corner have
+a different appearance: they look like the labyrinth below
+castle Green.  They imagine the feeling of a presence in the
+labyrinth, just as they did last time.  If they try to
+communicate with the presence, a scroll appears: the scroll
+says, "A conversation will cost you 5gp".
+
+If the PCs wander further, they come to a steel door.  The
+steel door has 5 coin slots in it.  Putting a gold piece
+into each one causes the door to open, and an
+imaginary version of Rico Sparks steps forth.
+
+## Talking to Rico Sparks
+
+Rico is his usual cheerful self.  He knows that he's a
+figment, and it doesn't seem to bother him.
+he says:
+
+"I manifested just about 10 minutes ago.  When I did, I
+wandered around hallways that looked like the basement of
+the hall of speakers, then they changed to look like a
+wooden labyrinth (the labyrinth under Castle Green).  Then
+Rennick popped out of a door - I don't know how I recognized
+him, but I did.  I introduced myself, and I asked Rennick
+how to get out of this maze, and Rennick said, "I'm just as
+lost as you, this isn't from *my* imagination."  Rennick and I
+walked together for a few minutes, but then he was gone.
+Then, I encountered a steel door, and now we're all here."
+
+He says, "but I guess I haven't really done anything to earn
+my 5gp, hm.  Got any questions for me?"  He is able to
+answer any reasonable question that a tout can normally
+answer.  He doesn't know too much about the chamber, but
+he's willing to investigate.  He says, "I won't even charge
+the hourly rate for investigation, given that you're
+probably going to pay me in imaginary money anyway."  He
+asks the PCs if there's anything in particular they want
+investigated.
+
+Rico, despite being a figment, is perfectly capable of being
+a competent tout.  He can move around independently inside
+the chamber, and he will ask questions and follow up on
+whatever the PCs want investigated.  As a figment, Rico has
+an unfortunate tendency to just "not be there" when you look
+away for a few moments, but he's not gone forever, he's just
+somewhere else in the chamber.
+
+You, the DM, can use Rico to help keep things moving
+whenever the PCs get stuck.  He can appear and offer useful
+information or advice.  Use your judgement about when he
+should appear: it should only be when things are bogging
+down and the PCs need a boost.
+
+## Meeting Some Clones
+
+After Rico vanishes, four clones of Rennick emerge
+from a doorway.  The PCs can talk to the clones.
+They freely admit that they aren't the real Rennick.
+
+Clones have shared knowledge: anything you tell any clone is
+known by all clones, and by Rennick himself.  The clones
+have no *individual* survival instinct.  There are an
+infinite number of clones, so losing a single clone means
+nothing.  But collectively, they don't want "the clones"
+to stop existing.
+
+The clones can discuss anything that the real
+Rennick would be able to discuss:
+
+* They can explain the logic of hiding in the
+  demiplane.
+
+* They will probably express some fears about Crow.
+  They don't know that Crow is dead yet.
+
+* They can explain that no, Rennick didn't deliberately
+  conjure a bunch of clones, it kinda just happened
+  when a bunch of Signers tried to force him out, and
+  he needed numbers to fight back.
+
+* They can speculate about where the real Rennick
+  is - probably in his office in the courthouse?
+
+* They aren't sure about how to get to the courthouse,
+  but they say that the landscape in here is pretty
+  mutable, and the courthouse is important, so it will
+  probably just show up.
+
+If the PCs tell Rennick that Crow is dead, Rennick will
+demand some evidence.  If the PCs provide anything
+reasonable, the Rennicks will get real quiet for a
+moment, then one of them will say, "so... there's no
+reason to stay in here any more, is there."
+
+They are suddenly realizing that this means that Rennick
+can leave, which means the clones would cease to exist.
+
+A moment after this realization, all four clones just
+pop out of existence.
+
+## The Courthouse Square
+
+The PCs emerge from the labyrinth into the courthouse
+square.  The square is filled with "people" moving around,
+doing things, just like it would be if the PCs were really
+in Sigil.  But looking too closely at any one person, or
+trying to talk to one of them, causes that person to fade
+into vapor and drift away.
+
+The reason for this is that these people are part of
+Rennick's imagination, but he hasn't bothered to imagine
+them individually, he has only imagined "a square full of
+people."  These individuals simply don't *have* any
+details, because they weren't imagined in full.
+
+If the PCs look carefully, there are a few Rennick clones
+in the square.  Any effort to contact them will cause them
+to rush into doorways and vanish.
+
+On one side of the courthouse square is the courthouse.
+It looks the same as it does in Sigil.  Surrounding the
+other sides of the square are a variety of administrative
+buildings and some restaurants.
+
+Entering any building other than the courthouse will cause
+the building to be revealed as a facade.  It's just a flat
+cutout with a doorway.  On the other side are some logs
+propping up the facade, and beyond that, an endless sea of
+giant gears, as you would find if you were in mechanus. If
+the PCs want, they can go back through the facade to reenter
+the square, or they can explore the sea of gears.
+
+If the PCs are in the square and they try to approach the
+courthouse, the courthouse quickly recedes.  The square gets
+much, much bigger.  The people dissipate. The courthouse
+rises up on top of a huge, steep hill, and a 100-foot wide
+moat forms around it.  Two more hills with two more moats
+appear: there is nothing on top of the other two hills.
+
+The square is much larger now, but it's still feasible
+to cross it on foot.  It just takes a good 15 minutes.
+It's possible to walk up to the moat.  The building-facades
+that surround the square are still there, and it is still
+possible to go through to the sea of gears.
+
+There are basically two directions the PCs can go now:
+toward the courthouse, or into the Sea of Gears.
+
+## Approaching the Courthouse: Attempt 1
+
+The PCs can cross the moat, if they can figure out some way
+to do it.  Swimming is problematic: the moat contains biting
+fish.  Flying works.  Walking on water works.  Building a
+boat could work, although there's not much to build a boat
+from.
+
+Assuming the PCs figure out some way to cross, they end up
+at the base of the very steep hill, which gets steeper as
+soon as they touch it.  They have to climb cliffs.  Ask
+the PCs to make a variety of DEX and STR rolls as they climb.
+
+All of this difficulty is defenses that Rennick imagined,
+unconsciously. It is all here to protect him from Crow, and
+from the various people trying to eject him from the
+visualization chamber.
+
+When the PCs finally get 80% of the way up the hill, the
+entire courthouse gets up baba-yaga-style and walks over to
+one of the other three hills.
+
+Underneath where the courthouse was sitting are stairs
+leading down into the basement of the hall of speakers.
+Yes, under the courthouse is the basement of the hall
+of speakers.  If the PCs go down, they find themselves
+back in the labyrinth where they entered the chamber.
+
+Sitting on the stairs is a signer: his name is Carruth.
+
+## Meeting Carruth
+
+Carruth is not a figment of anyone's imagination: it's a
+real person.  He and his squad were sent in by factol Darius
+to try to extricate Rennick.  He got separated from his
+group and now he's stuck in here.  He's exhausted, he's been
+in here a week trying to unravel the knots, and he's getting
+nowhere.  Fortunately for him, the Rennick clones have been
+bringing him food and water.
+
+Carruth explains that Rennick has a pretty vivid
+imagination: definitely in the top 10%.  He says that
+Rennick is good at weaponizing his imagination: most people
+imagine things that may or may not be helpful, but Rennick
+seems to be mainly imagining things that are effective for
+protecting him.  He points out the moat, the steep hill,
+the courthouse that walks away - he says all of that is
+designed to keep Rennick from being nabbed.
+
+He says, "one thing I'm grateful for is that there have
+been a few attacks, but they've all been pretty half-hearted.
+Rennick just doesn't have the mindset of a killer.  Thank
+goodness."
+
+However, Carruth points out that no matter how disciplined
+we are, we don't have total control over our imaginations.
+He says: "I have no doubt that Rennick's greatest fears are
+all in here too."
+
+As soon as he says "Rennick's greatest fears," there's a
+rumble, and Carruth says: "oh, I shouldn't have mentioned
+his Greatest Fears."  Then he points to the skyline: it's
+Crow, and he's approaching.
+
+As soon as Crow appears on the horizon, a few Rennick clones
+emerge from the labyrinth and say, "come down here, he
+won't come down here."  If the PCs reenter the labyrinth,
+they don't have to fight Crow.  If they refuse, they do.
+
+## The Sea of Gears
+
+## The Desk
+
+The PCs enter a room with grey walls.  In the center of the
+room is a grey desk, with an inbox and an outbox.  There is
+a big stack of grey papers in the inbox, there's an inkwell
+full of grey ink, and a quill.  There's a grey chair.
+
+You would think that Crow would be Rennick's greatest fear.
+No.  Crow is Rennick's immediate-short-term fear.  The Desk
+is Rennick's greatest fear.
+
+As soon as Lada sees the Desk, she stiffens up, and says:
+"Don't touch that desk.  Don't touch anything.  We should
+get out of here."  This is one of her greatest fears too.
+
+If anyone touches the desk, their hand immediately fuses to
+the desk.  If anyone sits in the chair, their body immediately
+fuses to the chair.  If anyone picks up the quill, their
+hand fuses.  If somebody sits in the chair, and touches the
+desk, their eyes glaze over.  They pick up a paper from the
+inbox, write on it with grey ink on grey paper (leaving no
+mark), and then they put it in the outbox.  They continue,
+automaton-like, forever.
+
+This is Rennick's greatest fear: that he will work a desk
+job, filling out paper after paper, but never accomplishing
+anything meaningful, and leaving no mark on the universe.
+
+If you touch a small object like the quill or a piece
+of paper, then separating your hand from the object is
+possible with a sharp knife: 2D6 damage.  Separating your
+hand from the desk is also possible with a sharp knife: 3D6
+damage.  But if somebody sits in the chair, and their whole
+body fuses to the chair, it's too much: a knife isn't going
+to do it.
+
+Once somebody is in this state, there's only one cure. One
+of Rennick's clones enters via the door and says, "move
+aside."  Then he speaks to the Desk: "you're not here for
+him, you're here for me." Rennick puts his hand on the desk,
+and fuses with it.  As soon as Rennick's hand fuses with the
+desk, the PCs' hand is freed.  Rennick scoots his butt onto
+the chair, and fuses with the chair: as soon as he does, the
+PCs' butt is freed from the chair.  When Rennick's eyes
+glaze over, and he starts writing, the PC is free to go.
+
+If the PCs try to dissuade Rennick from doing this, Rennick
+says, "I'm not the real Rennick.  I'm just a figment of his
+imagination.  He imagines this desk, and he imagines himself
+stuck at the desk (pointing to himself).  But if it's me,
+a figment, stuck at the desk, then it's all just imaginary.
+An ugly nightmare, but still just a nightmare."
+
+When the PCs leave the room, Lada says: "Fuck."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

ideas/crow_encounter.md

@@ -1,108 +0,0 @@
-# Crow's Encounter — Stat Blocks
-
----
-
-## Crow (The Wizard)
-
-*9th Level Conjurer*
-
-**Subclass Features:**
-- Conjuration Savant (2nd) — half time/gold to copy conjuration spells
-- Minor Conjuration (2nd) — conjure inanimate object up to 10lbs as an action, lasts 1hr
-- Benign Transposition (6th) — action: teleport 30ft OR swap with willing creature within 30ft; recharges after casting any 1st+ level conjuration spell (primary escape mechanic)
-
-**Spell Slots:** 4 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 1
-
-**Spells:**
-- L1: Puppet - instant, 120ft, move humanoid 5ft + drop item, CON save (self-movement when physically frail)
-- L1: Ice Knife - instant, 120ft, 1d10 piercing (hit) + 2d6 cold in 5ft radius (miss), DEX save for half cold [Conjuration]
-- L2: Cloud of Daggers* - concentration 1min, 120ft, 5ft cube, 4d4 slashing on enter/start turn [Conjuration]
-- L3: Fly* - concentration 10min, touch, fly speed 60ft (emergency self-movement if Movement Construct is down)
-- L3: Stinking Cloud* - concentration 10min, 60ft, 20ft radius, poisoned while inside, CON save each turn to end [Conjuration]
-- L4: Stoneskin* - concentration 1hr, touch, resistance to nonmagical physical damage (fallback defense when sphere is down)
-- L4: Dimension Door - instant, 500ft, teleport self + 1 willing creature (nuclear option — constructs enter homing mode, stop fighting, move toward new position) [Conjuration]
-- L4: Polymorph* - concentration 1hr, 120ft, single-target control
-- L4: Evard's Black Tentacles* - concentration 1min, 120ft, 20ft square, 3d6 bludgeoning + restrained on entry/start, difficult terrain, DEX save, STR/DEX check to escape [Conjuration]
-- L5: TBD
-
-*Note: Benign Transposition replaces Misty Step as Crow's primary escape. Strategy layers: (1) Normal — inside Otiluke's sphere, constructs fight. (2) Sphere down — constructs recast OR Movement Construct casts Fly on Crow. (3) Grappled while exposed — Benign Transposition (action, no movement required). (4) Extreme emergency — Dimension Door.*
-
----
-
-## Construct 1 — Fire
-
-*Specialization: Fire*
-
-**Spells:**
-- C: Fire Bolt - 120ft, 1d10 fire, ranged spell attack
-- C: Create Bonfire* - concentration 1min, 60ft, 5ft cube, 1d8 fire on entry/start turn, DEX save
-- L1: Burning Hands - instant, 15ft cone, 3d6 fire, DEX save
-- L1: Hellish Rebuke - reaction (when damaged), 60ft, 2d10 fire, DEX save
-- L2: Heat Metal* - concentration 1min, 60ft, 2d8 fire initially then bonus action 2d8/round, disadvantage on attacks/checks
-- L2: Aganazzar's Scorcher - instant, 30ft line (5ft wide), 3d8 fire, DEX save
-- L3: Fireball - instant, 150ft, 20ft radius, 8d6 fire, DEX save
-- L3: Melf's Minute Meteors* - concentration 10min, self, create 6 meteors, bonus action launch 1-2 per round, 5ft radius each, 2d6 fire, DEX save
-- L4: Wall of Fire* - concentration 1min, 120ft, 20ft high × 60ft long × 1ft thick wall OR 10ft radius × 20ft high cylinder, 5d8 fire on one side, 2d8 when passing through, DEX save
-
----
-
-## Construct 2 — Movement / Teleport
-
-*Specialization: Movement & Teleportation*
-
-**Spells:**
-- C: Mage Hand* - concentration 1min, 30ft, spectral hand, 10lb capacity
-- C: Gust - instant, 30ft, push 5ft OR disperse gas/move light object
-- L1: Puppet (UA) - instant, 120ft, humanoid target, move 5ft + drop item, CON save
-- L1: Catapult - instant, 60ft, 1-5lb object becomes projectile, 3d8 bludgeon, DEX save
-- L2: Misty Step - bonus action, instant, self, teleport 30ft
-- L2: Vortex Warp - instant, 90ft, teleport creature 90ft, CHA save if unwilling
-- L2: Immovable Object - instant, touch, fix object (10lbs) in place 1hr, designated creatures can still move it, STR check vs spell save DC to move (upcasts to 4th: DC+5, 24hrs)
-- L3: Fly* - concentration 10min, touch, fly speed 60ft
-- L3: Slow* - concentration 1min, 120ft, 40ft cube up to 6 targets, half speed/AC/attacks, WIS save
-- L4: Dimension Door - instant, 500ft, teleport self + 1 willing creature
-
----
-
-## Construct 3 — Force / Barrier
-
-*Specialization: Force & Barrier*
-
-**Spells:**
-- C: TBD
-- C: TBD
-- L1: Magic Missile - instant, 120ft, 1d4+1 force per missile, 3 missiles base, auto-hit (upcasts to +1 missile per slot)
-- L1: Shield - reaction (when hit), instant, self, +5 AC until start of next turn
-- L1: Magnify Gravity - instant, 60ft, 10ft radius, 2d8 force + half speed until end of next turn, CON save (upcasts +1d8 per slot)
-- L2: Spiritual Weapon - bonus action to cast/move/attack, 60ft, spectral weapon, 2d8+spellcasting mod force damage, NOT concentration
-- L3: Pulse Wave - instant, self, 30ft cone, 6d6 force, push or pull 15ft, CON save
-- L4: Otiluke's Resilient Sphere* - concentration 1min, 30ft, 10ft diameter sphere, nothing passes through, DEX save to avoid (has 2 slots for this spell)
-
-*Note: No 2nd-level spells. Magic Missile and Magnify Gravity can be upcast into open higher slots. Primary role: cast Otiluke's on Crow round 1 and maintain concentration. All other spells are non-concentration backups for if the sphere goes down.*
-
----
-
-## Construct 4 — Divination / Mental
-
-*Specialization: Divination & Psychic*
-
-**Spells:**
-- C: Vicious Mockery - instant, 60ft, 1d4 psychic + disadvantage on next attack, WIS save
-- L1: Dissonant Whispers - instant, 60ft, 3d6 psychic, target uses reaction to flee away, WIS save
-- L1: Detect Magic* - concentration 10min, self, sense magic within 30ft
-- L1: Command - instant, 60ft, one-word command, target obeys on next turn, WIS save
-- L2: Mind Spike* - concentration 1hr, 60ft, 3d8 psychic, always know target's location on fail, can't hide/benefit from invisibility, WIS save
-- L2: Detect Thoughts* - concentration 1min, self, read surface thoughts within 30ft, probe deeper with WIS save
-- L2: See Invisibility* - 1hr, self, see invisible creatures/objects
-- L2: Locate Object* - concentration 10min, self, sense direction to object within 1000ft
-- L3: Antagonize - instant, 60ft, 4d4 psychic + target uses reaction to melee attack ally of your choice, WIS save
-- L3: Hypnotic Pattern* - concentration 1min, 120ft, 30ft cube, charmed + incapacitated (can't move/act), breaks on damage, WIS save
-- L3: Dispel Magic - instant, 120ft, end one spell (auto if 3rd level or lower, ability check if higher)
-- L3: Counterspell - reaction (when a creature casts a spell), 60ft, auto-cancel if 3rd level or lower, ability check if higher
-- L4: Greater Invisibility* - concentration 1min, touch, target (or self) is invisible for duration
-- L4: Arcane Eye* - concentration 1hr, 30ft, invisible magical eye, fly 30ft, see through it
-- L4: Crow's Lingering Clairvoyance* - concentration 4hrs, 1 mile, invisible sensor sees/hears (custom spell, homebrew extension of Clairvoyance)
-
-*Note: Detect Magic, Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, and Crow's Lingering Clairvoyance are out-of-combat spying tools. In combat, Mind Spike is the primary concentration spell.*
-
----

people/Crow.md

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+
+## Crow (The Incantifer)
+
+AC 15(16 with ring) mithral chain shirt
+
+HP: 80 (orb-enhanced HP)
+
+Speed: 20 ft. (reduced by partial paralysis)
+
+STR 8 (−1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 18 (+4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 10 (+0)
+
+Saving Throws with Ring: Str 0, Dex +3, Con +3, Int +9, Wis +6, Cha +1
+Proficiency Bonus +4 | Passive Perception 11
+Spell Save DC 16 | Spell Attack +8
+
+Benign Transposition (6th) — As an action, swap with any one of his orbs within 30ft; recharges after casting any 1st+ level conjuration spell
+
+Items:
+    Healing potion 25hp
+    Smoke bomb (casts fog cloud nonmagically)
+    Ring of protection +1
+    Winged Boots (fly 30ft)
+    Scroll of teleportation.
+
+Slots: 1 ( )( )( )( )  2 ( )( )( ) 3 ( )( )( ) 4 ( )( )( ) 5 ( )
+
+- L1: Ice Knife - instant, 120ft, 1d10 piercing (hit) + 2d6 cold in 5ft radius (miss), DEX save for half cold [Conjuration]
+- L2: Cloud of Daggers - concentration 1min, 120ft, 5ft cube, 4d4 slashing on enter/start turn [Conjuration]
+- L3: Tidal wave - instant, 120ft.  Conjure wave of water 30ft long, 10ft wide.  4d8 bludgeon and knocked prone.  DEX save: half damage, not prone.
+- L4: Stoneskin - concentration 1hr, self, resistance to nonmagical physical damage (fallback defense when sphere is down)
+- L4: Raulothim's psychic lance.  Range 120ft, 7d6 psychic damage and incapacitated until start of crow's next turn.
+- L4: Greater Invisibility, concentration, 1 min
+- L4: Evard's Black Tentacles - concentration 1min, 120ft, 20ft square [Conjuration]
+    - On casting, on entry, and on ending turn in area:
+    - Roll str save vs SSDC16.  On fail: restrained, 3d6 bludgeoning damage
+    - If restrained: can use an action to make another STR save
+- L5: Bigby's Hand - concentration, 1 min, 120ft. Action: conjure hand.  Bonus action: use hand.
+    - AC20, HP40, STR 26 (+8), Dex 10 (+0).
+    - Move hand 60 ft and then do one of following:
+        - fist: melee spell attack for 4d8 force damage
+        - shove: hand str vs target athletics.  on success: shove 50ft.  Hand moves with target.
+        - grapple: str vs str.  If successful, grappled.  If grappled, can crush for 2d6+10.
+
+## <div style="page-break-after: always;"></div>                                                                                                         
+
+## Red Construct — Fire
+
+Slots: 1 ( )( )( )( )  2 ( )( )( ) 3 ( )( )( ) 4 ( )( )
+
+HP: 40 disable, 80 destroy: 
+Move: 30ft
+Immune to fire damage
+Resistant to lightning damage
+
+- L1: Burning Hands - instant, 15ft cone, 3d6 fire, DEX save
+- L1: Hellish Rebuke - reaction (when damaged), 60ft, 2d10 fire, DEX save
+- L2: Heat Metal - concentration 1min, 60ft, 2d8 fire initially then bonus action 2d8/round, disadvantage on attacks/checks
+- L2: Aganazzar's Scorcher - instant, 30ft line (5ft wide), 3d8 fire, DEX save: half damage
+- L3: Fireball - instant, 150ft, 20ft radius, 8d6 fire, DEX save
+- L4: Wall of Fire - concentration 1min, 120ft, 20ft high × 60ft long × 1ft thick wall OR 10ft radius × 20ft high cylinder, 5d8 fire on one side, 2d8 when passing through, DEX save
+
+## Teal Construct — Movement / Teleport
+
+Slots: 1 ( )( )( )( )  2 ( )( )( ) 3 ( )( )( ) 4 ( )( )
+
+HP: 40 disable, 80 destroy: 
+Move: 90ft
+Immune to being moved or teleported
+
+- L1: Catapult - instant, 60ft, 1-5lb object becomes projectile, 3d8 bludgeon, DEX save
+- L2: Misty Step - bonus action, instant, self or crow, teleport 30ft
+- L2: Vortex Warp - instant, 90ft, teleport creature to unoccupied space in range, CON save if unwilling
+- L3: Fly - concentration 10min, crow only, range 30ft, fly speed 60ft
+- L3: Slow - concentration 1min, 120ft, 40ft cube up to 6 targets, half speed/AC/attacks, WIS save
+- L4: Dimension Door - instant, 500ft, teleport self + 1 willing creature
+- L4: Gravity Sinkhole - instant, 120ft, 20ft sphere.  5d10 damage, pulled to center.  CON save: half damage, not pulled.
+
+## <div style="page-break-after: always;"></div>                                                                                                         
+
+## Transparent Construct — Force / Barrier
+
+Slots: 1 ( )( )( )( )  2 ( )( )( ) 3 ( )( )( ) 4 ( )( )
+
+HP: 40 disable, 80 destroy: 
+Move: 30ft
+Immune to being pushed/shoved
+Resistant to force and thunder damage
+
+- L1: Magic Missile - instant, 120ft, 1d4+1 force per missile, 3 missiles base, auto-hit (upcasts to +1 missile per slot)
+- L1: Shield - reaction (when hit), instant, self, +5 AC until start of next turn
+- L3: Pulse Wave - instant, self, 30ft cone, 6d6 force, push or pull 15ft, CON save
+- L4: Otiluke's Resilient Sphere* - concentration 1min, 30ft, 10ft diameter sphere, nothing passes through, DEX save to avoid (has 2 slots for this spell)
+
+Primary role: cast Otiluke's on Crow round 1 and maintain concentration
+
+## White Construct — Divination / Mental
+
+Slots: 1 ( )( )( )( )  2 ( )( )( ) 3 ( )( )( ) 4 ( )( )
+
+HP: 40 disable, 80 destroy: 
+Move: 30ft
+Immune to nonmagical physical attacks
+
+- L1: Command - instant, 60ft, one-word command, target obeys on next turn, WIS save
+- L3: Antagonize - instant, 60ft, 4d4 psychic + target uses reaction to melee attack ally of your choice, WIS save
+- L3: Hypnotic Pattern - concentration 1min, 120ft, 30ft cube, charmed + incapacitated (can't move/act), breaks on damage, WIS save
+- L3: Dispel Magic - instant, 120ft, end one spell (auto if 3rd level or lower, ability check if higher)
+- L3: Counterspell - reaction (when a creature casts a spell), 60ft, auto-cancel if 3rd level or lower. Otherwise, D20+INT vs DC10+Level.
+- L4: Ego Whip - concentration, 1 min, 30ft.  Cause despair: disadvantage on attacks, ability, saves.  No spells.  INT save, and again after each turn.
+
+
+

people/Lada-Priestess-of-Tymora-lv4.md

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+## Lada, Priestess of Tymora (Level 4 NPC)
+
+Small humanoid (halfling)  
+AC 15 (chain shirt, shield)  
+HP 36  
+Speed 25 ft  
+STR 8 (−1), DEX 14 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 18(+4), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 9(-1)  
+Proficiency +2  
+Saving throws: STR −1, DEX +2, CON +1, INT +4, WIS +5\*, CHA +1\*   (\*proficient)
+
+**Halfling Nimbleness:** Can move through the space of any creature larger than her.
+
+**Dagger:** +4 to hit, reach 5ft, 1d4+2 damage.
+
+**Equipment:** Chain shirt, shield bearing Tymora's symbol, mace, holy symbol.
+
+<div style="page-break-after: always;"></div>
+
+## Lada's Spells
+
+Spellcasting ability Wisdom.  
+Spell save DC 13, Spell Attack +5  
+Spell slots: 1( )( )( )( )   2( )( )( )
+
+Cantrip: **sacred flame** — 60 ft range; target makes a Dex save or takes 1d8 radiant damage (cover provides no bonus).
+
+LV1: **bless** — 30 ft, up to 3 creatures, concentration 1 min. Blessed creatures add +1d4 to all attack rolls and saving throws.  
+LV1: **cure wounds** — Touch; heals 1d8 + spellcasting modifier (+ 1d8 per slot above 1st). No attack roll or save.  
+LV1: **guiding bolt** — Ranged spell attack, 120 ft, 4d6 radiant damage on hit. Next attack roll against the target has advantage.  
+LV1: **charm person** (domain) — 30 ft, Wis save (advantage if in combat); on fail, target is charmed for 1 hour, treating you as a friendly acquaintance. Target knows it was charmed afterward.  
+LV1: **disguise self** (domain) — Self only, 1 hour, no concentration. Alter your appearance up to 1 ft height change; observers can make an Int (Investigation) check vs. your spell save DC to see through it.
+
+LV2: **blindness/deafness** — 30 ft, Con save; on fail, target is blinded or deafened (your choice) for 1 min, repeating the save each turn. Upcasting adds one target per slot above 2nd.  
+LV2: **lesser restoration** — Touch, instantaneous. Cures one disease or one of: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.  
+LV2: **mirror image** (domain) — Self, 1 min, no concentration. Creates 3 duplicates; roll d20 when targeted to see if a duplicate intercepts. Duplicate AC = 10 + Dex mod.  
+LV2: **pass without trace** (domain) — 30 ft aura, concentration 1 hour. You and companions gain +10 to Stealth and leave no tracks.  
+LV2: **prayer of healing** — 30 ft, 10-minute cast; up to 6 creatures each regain 2d8 + spellcasting modifier HP. No effect on undead or constructs.  
+LV2: **spiritual weapon** — Bonus action, 60 ft; summons spectral weapon making melee spell attacks for 1d8 + spellcasting modifier force damage. No concentration, lasts 1 min.

people/Lada-Priestess-of-Tymora-lv5.md

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+## Lada, Priestess of Tymora (Level 5 NPC)
+
+Small humanoid (halfling)  
+AC 15 (chain shirt, shield)  
+HP 42  
+Speed 25 ft  
+STR 8 (−1), DEX 14 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 18(+4), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 9(-1)  
+Proficiency +3  
+Saving throws: STR −1, DEX +2, CON +1, INT +4, WIS +6\*, CHA +2\*   (\*proficient)
+
+**Halfling Nimbleness:** Can move through the space of any creature larger than her.
+
+**Destroy Undead (CR 1/2):** When an undead fails its saving throw against her Channel Divinity, she destroys it if its CR is 1/2 or lower.
+
+**Dagger:** +5 to hit, reach 5ft, 1d4+2 damage.
+
+**Equipment:** Chain shirt, shield bearing Tymora's symbol, mace, holy symbol.
+
+<div style="page-break-after: always;"></div>
+
+## Lada's Spells
+
+Spellcasting ability Wisdom.  
+Spell save DC 14, Spell Attack +6  
+Spell slots: 1( )( )( )( )   2( )( )( )   3( )( )
+
+Cantrip: **sacred flame** — 60 ft range; target makes a Dex save or takes 2d8 radiant damage (cover provides no bonus).
+
+LV1: **bless** — 30 ft, up to 3 creatures, concentration 1 min. Blessed creatures add +1d4 to all attack rolls and saving throws.  
+LV1: **cure wounds** — Touch; heals 1d8 + spellcasting modifier (+ 1d8 per slot above 1st). No attack roll or save.  
+LV1: **guiding bolt** — Ranged spell attack, 120 ft, 4d6 radiant damage on hit. Next attack roll against the target has advantage.  
+LV1: **charm person** (domain) — 30 ft, Wis save (advantage if in combat); on fail, target is charmed for 1 hour, treating you as a friendly acquaintance. Target knows it was charmed afterward.  
+LV1: **disguise self** (domain) — Self only, 1 hour, no concentration. Alter your appearance up to 1 ft height change; observers can make an Int (Investigation) check vs. your spell save DC to see through it.
+
+LV2: **blindness/deafness** — 30 ft, Con save; on fail, target is blinded or deafened (your choice) for 1 min, repeating the save each turn. Upcasting adds one target per slot above 2nd.  
+LV2: **lesser restoration** — Touch, instantaneous. Cures one disease or one of: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.  
+LV2: **mirror image** (domain) — Self, 1 min, no concentration. Creates 3 duplicates; roll d20 when targeted to see if a duplicate intercepts. Duplicate AC = 10 + Dex mod.  
+LV2: **pass without trace** (domain) — 30 ft aura, concentration 1 hour. You and companions gain +10 to Stealth and leave no tracks.  
+LV2: **prayer of healing** — 30 ft, 10-minute cast; up to 6 creatures each regain 2d8 + spellcasting modifier HP. No effect on undead or constructs.  
+LV2: **spiritual weapon** — Bonus action, 60 ft; summons spectral weapon making melee spell attacks for 1d8 + spellcasting modifier force damage. No concentration, lasts 1 min.
+
+LV3: **blink** (domain) — Self-only, 1-minute duration; at the end of each of your turns, roll a d20 — on 11+, you vanish to the Ethereal Plane until the start of your next turn, then reappear within 10 ft. While ethereal you are invisible and untargetable by creatures on the Material Plane.  
+LV3: **dispel magic** (domain) — 120 ft range; all spells of 3rd level or lower on the target end automatically. Higher-level spells require an ability check (1d20 + spellcasting modifier, DC 10 + spell's level).  
+LV3: **revivify** — Touch, instantaneous; returns a creature dead no more than 1 minute to life with 1 HP. Requires 300 gp of diamonds (consumed); cannot restore lost body parts or reverse death by old age.

people/Sasuko-y-Saso.md

@@ -1,31 +1,30 @@
 # Sasuko-y-Saso, Beholder-Kin
 
-**Armor Class** 15 (natural armor)  
-**Hit Points** 60 (11d8 + 11)  
-**Speed** 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
+Sasuko-y-Saso is a beholder-kin: a mutated form of beholder.  Sasuko is considerably
+weaker than a true beholder, but he does have quite a few of the same abilities.
 
-**Stats** Str 8 (-1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 13 (+1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 14 (+2)
-**Saving Throws** Str +2, Dex +5, Con +4, Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +5  
-**Skills** Perception +8  
+AC18 (natural armor)  
+HP: 90  
+Speed: Fly 20ft  
+Stats: Str 10 (+0), Dex 14 (+2), Con 18 (+4), Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 16 (+3)  
+Saves: Str +2, Dex +5, Con +4, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +8  
 
-## Traits
+Sasuko gets two actions per turn, and can also aim his antimagic cone (no action cost for aiming cone).
 
-**Antimagic Cone.** The central eye creates a 90-foot cone of antimagic. At the start of each of its turns, the beholder-kin decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. The area works against the beholder-kin's own eye rays.
+Antimagic Cone: Central eye creates a 60-foot cone of antimagic, with a 45-degree arc. At the start of each of its turns, the beholder-kin decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. The antimagic cone will also neutralize sasukos's own eye rays.
 
-## Actions
+Action: Bite:  +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 2d6 + 2 piercing damage.
 
-**Bite.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.
-
-**Eye Rays.** The beholder-kin shoots two of the following magical eye rays.  Range on all rays is 90ft.
+Action: Eye ray: If you decide to fire a ray, roll randomly to decide which ray (use D6).  Sasuko cannot fire same eye twice in one turn (reroll as necessary).   *After* randomly choosing a ray, you can *intelligently* choose who or what to target with the ray.  Range is 90ft.
 
 1. **Telekinetic Ray.** The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be moved up to 30 feet in any direction. The beholder-kin can also target an object weighing up to 300 pounds that isn't being worn or carried.
 
 2. **Slow Ray.** The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have its speed halved and disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
 
-3. **Enervation Ray.** The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Until the end of the beholder-kin's next turn, the target can't regain hit points.
+3. **Necrosis Ray.** The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 4d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Until the end of the beholder-kin's next turn, the target can't regain hit points.
 
 4. **Blinding Ray.** The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
 
-5. **Lightning Ray.** The target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
+5. **Lightning Ray.** The target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
 
 6. **Marking Ray.** The target must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or glow with dim light.  Effect as "faerie fire."

sections/4-a-warning-from-chronepsis.md

@@ -0,0 +1,452 @@
+# A Warning from Chronepsis
+
+The PCs have been tasked with finding Rennick, who is in
+Sigil. There is no portal to Sigil in St Parnas (that the
+PCs know of), so the PCs have to leave town.
+
+When they leave town, they may be accompanied by some of the
+people they have met.  In particular, Pig wants to accompany
+the PCs.  Pig likes being around people who don't laugh at
+him.  The PCs may also have discussed the possibility of
+curing Pig, to do that, the PCs need "Greater Restoration," which
+they can definitely purchase in Sigil.  Pig, in his weakened state, is
+not a great fighter, but he's strong enough that he's not a
+burden.  Sam is another person who may want to accompany the
+PCs, but it is probably best if he doesn't, it might be better
+to arrange for him to be transported with Green as discussed
+in the previous chapter.
+
+When the PCs leave town, they will probably walk toward
+Tradegate, which does have a portal to Sigil. There are
+other places in the Outlands that also have portals to
+Sigil: it doesn’t matter where the PCs decide to go, what
+matters is that they will be traveling through the Outlands.
+
+The Outlands are a strange place. The farther one gets from
+civilization, the more “unmoored” and “unrealistic” the landscape
+becomes. At one point, the PCs walk past a section of forest which is
+covered in cobblestone: not just the road, but also the forest floor,
+and some of the tree branches. If the PCs are traveling with somebody
+who is native to the Outlands, then this person remarks: “We’re standing
+in the middle of nowhere. But this land doesn’t want to be nowhere, it
+wants to be somewhere. The land is dreaming of all the different kinds
+of places it could be. Tomorrow, it will look different.”
+
+Eventually, the PCs will have to build a campsite and bed down for the
+night. During the night, the entire campsite moves. This sometimes
+happens in the Outlands: patches of land shift from one place to
+another, or even, to another plane of existence. Sometimes, it’s random,
+but in this case, it’s not: a god, Chronepsis, wants the PCs to pay a
+visit. So Chronepsis moved their campsite close to his realm.
+
+Chronepsis is the *Dragon God of Time and Fate*, and he is an enigmatic
+god. He literally *never* talks to anyone, mortal or god. He does
+occasionally leave his realm, but it’s rare. When he acts, it’s always
+subtly, and nobody is ever entirely sure whether or not he acted at all.
+This is the case here: Chronepsis did move the campsite, but he isn’t
+giving the PCs any clues that it was him, and he will never do anything
+to confirm or deny it. As a DM, you must treat Chronepsis as a permanent
+enigma. Divination spells that try to determine a being’s purpose or
+intent simply don’t work on Chronepsis. The PCs can make educated
+guesses: they can be 90% sure that Chronepsis did something, based on
+the evidence, but they should *never* receive any unambiguous
+confirmation.
+
+The PCs don’t notice the movement of the campsite until they wake up.
+The campsite and the immediate environment look completely unchanged,
+which is why nobody sounded the alarm during the night. But when the
+light comes up, it is possible to see that the spire used to be on
+*that* side of the campsite, but now it’s over *there*. Furthermore,
+Moradin’s Keep (a mountain range) looks a lot closer. A survival roll is
+enough for the PCs to figure out what happened: the campsite has moved
+across the outlands. They’re still on the “good” side of the great
+wheel, but they’re a lot closer to chaos now.
+
+The players discover that there’s still a road running past the
+campsite. The road used to connect St. Parnas to Tradegate, but now it
+probably goes somewhere else. The PCs aren’t entirely sure where it
+goes, but their best estimate is that if they travel rimward, they’ll
+end up near Sylvania or Faunel. Tell them that both of those cities
+probably contain gates to Sigil.
+
+Wherever the PCs decide to go, as they walk down the road, they pass
+beside a huge clearing in the woods, large enough to hold a city - but
+there’s no city inside, just some old ruins. If the PCs ignore it and
+keep walking, they eventually see it again, and again, and again.
+Meanwhile, they never actually *get* anywhere. No matter how long they
+walk, the spire seems just as far away, and the scenery starts to feel
+like it’s repeating, and they keep on seeing the clearing.
+
+### The Realm of Chronepsis
+
+The clearing is actually the realm of Chronepsis. His realm consists of
+a ruined city above ground, and an underground system of passages and
+chambers, known as the “Mausoleum.” Chronepsis himself is in his
+Mausoleum.
+
+If the PCs enter the realm and then try to leave, they end up back on
+the road, and they again find themselves walking past the clearing over
+and over. Again, they get nowhere. They cannot really leave yet.
+
+The ruined city contains only the foundations of buildings. The walls
+have all fallen. Almost all the buildings are made of white stone blocks
+that have been eroded by the millenia. The blocks used to be sharp and
+square, but rain, wind, and time have rounded the corners and
+sandblasted any surface details away. It is obvious to anyone that this
+city was abandoned millenia ago. The scale of the buildings is
+considerably larger than normal human buildings: the doorways are large
+enough for a creature of large size.
+
+Weather in the city is always cool and dry, and surprisingly, the PCs
+can see the Sun! This is unusual for the outlands, which doesn’t
+normally have a sun. This is because this city is an echo of a far away
+time, a far away place, a place that did have a sun. There is plant life
+here, mostly scrub vegetation and grasses. Small animals like birds,
+squirrels, and the like are plentiful. If you wish, you may place
+wildlife here, to give the PCs a random encounter.
+
+Throughout the realm of Chronepsis, there are tens of thousands of
+hourglasses. Most are down inside the Mausoleum, but the players will
+encounter a hundred or so while traveling the ruined city. The
+hourglasses appear to be made of glass, but with decorative trim made
+out of miniature dragon hide with little tiny scales. The miniature
+dragon hide trim comes in various colors - for every color of dragon,
+there are hourglasses of that color. Attempting to touch an hourglass
+reveals that they’re intangible illusions. The players probably don’t
+know this yet, but each hourglass represents the lifespan of an actual,
+living dragon.
+
+There are no hourglasses near the periphery of the ruined city. The PCs
+will have to walk inward into the city for a good 10-15 minutes before
+they see their first hourglass. It is hovering a few inches above the
+ruins of a stone wall, a few feet from the ground. Let the PCs examine
+it, but they can’t touch it. If they cast *identify*, they can learn
+what it is: the countdown of the life of a dragon. If the PCs get close
+to the center of the ruined city, they will start to see more
+hourglasses.
+
+Close to the center of the ruined city, the PCs encounter a dragonborn
+with golden skin, named Laeros. Laeros is actually an young adult gold
+dragon who travels in the form of a dragonborn. Laeros is a philosopher
+who is trying to understand how dragons are bound by fate. He isn’t a
+worshiper of Chronepsis, but he has found that he has more insights
+about fate when he’s in Chronepsis’ realm. He doesn’t know if this is a
+magical effect, or maybe it’s just an inspirational place. Either way,
+he’s happy sitting in the ruined city. He says the city is pretty, the
+weather is cool and pleasant; and it’s conducive to meditation.
+
+Laeros is quite surprised to see the PCs, the first thing he says is:
+“Are you dragons?” If the PCs say, “obviously, we’re not dragons,”
+Laeros laughs and says, “Most dragons take other forms when they
+travel.” If the PCs ask, “why do dragons take other forms,” Laeros holds
+up his hands and says, “Hands. Hands are very useful. Dragon claws just
+aren’t made for delicate work. Writing, for example: much easier with
+hands.”
+
+Laeros asks: “So, what are non-dragons doing *here,* in the realm of a
+dragon god?”
+
+Of course, the players only know that they were pressured into coming
+here by the clearing that kept chasing them. Laeros considers this to be
+an interesting mystery. He explains that the PCs are in the realm of
+Chronepsis. He says that hardly anyone ever comes to the realm, and that
+it’s particularly odd for a bunch of non-dragons to show up.
+
+He says: “I assume that if you’re here, it’s because Chronepsis probably
+wants you here. But why would he want you here? There’s not much to do
+here. He’s definitely not going to talk to you, he literally never talks
+to anyone. I really have no idea why he would bring you here. There’s
+nothing here but old stone blocks, some old sculptures,
+hourglasses, and Chronepsis himself. And Chronepsis definitely won’t
+interact with you.”
+
+### Exploration of the Mausoleum
+
+The players may decide to explore the realm, to see if they can figure
+out what they’re supposed to do here. Laeros says, “Exploring seems like
+a good idea, you might figure something out. I must warn you though: if
+you see Chronepsis, don’t try to get his attention: if you bother him,
+he will cause you to cease to exist. However, you can look around
+safely, he does not object to people walking around the city and the
+mausoleum. He doesn’t even mind people walking around his chamber, as
+long as you’re quiet. Be respectful and silent, and you should be fine.”
+
+In the city, the PCs have pretty much already seen everything: ruined
+foundations, scrub vegetation, the occasional hourglass, and little
+else. In the very center, however, is the mausoleum.
+
+The mausoleum consists of a small above-ground building of white stone,
+containing a stairway down, and an underground complex. The small
+above-ground building is the only building that still stands in the
+entire city. The doors are wide open. The building is featureless white
+stone. There may have been decorations once, but they have been
+sandblasted away by the aeons.
+
+When the PCs descend into the mausoleum, they see corridors stretching
+in all directions. It looks like a museum: the floors and walls are done
+in marble, and there are magical lights at regular intervals. There are
+sculptures throughout the place - this artwork represents the lives of
+the dragons who used to live in the city. Many are in the form of
+dragonborn, but some are in full dragon form. They are doing all the
+things that people do: working, resting, eating, making art, and
+spending time together. The artwork is unmarred by erosion or time.
+Examining the art reveals little.
+
+The walls also contain niches that contain hundreds of hourglasses each.
+These niches are in every room and passage. The passages go in many
+directions, and eventually one will find the chamber of Chronepsis. He
+is here, resting in his chamber. He is an absolutely ancient dragon,
+with ash-grey scales. He is bony and undernourished, so much so that he
+initially appears to be skeletal, but a closer inspection reveals he
+still has flesh, just not much of it. He is resting on a dais with a
+raised pedestal for his head. He does not bother to look at the PCs when
+they enter. His eyes stare into the distance.
+
+The chamber with Chronepsis contains an immense number of hourglasses,
+and more art. There is nothing else to discover here. In the long run,
+the exploration reveals little. There is nothing much to be done inside
+the mausoleum. Chronepsis will not react to the PCs unless a PC gets
+aggressive or destructive, in which case that PC stops existing: roll up
+a new character.
+
+### Talking to Laeros about the Deck
+
+A player might mention the Deck of Many Things to Laeros. When they do,
+Laeros perks up, and says, “Everyone’s been talking about the Deck. It’s
+big news all over the multiverse. People think it’s some kind of portent
+of big changes. There’s also a rumor that some adventurers who drew
+cards from the deck are working with Tymora to find the deck… and I see
+you have a priestess of Tymora with you. Are you the guys from the
+rumor?
+
+If they agree that they are, then Laeros says, “Well that’s exciting!
+You guys are famous, and I got to meet you! Good story for the kids.”
+
+Laeros is intellectually curious, and will ask a variety of questions
+about the Deck. But in the long run, he doesn’t have any immediate
+insight about things.
+
+### Asking Laeros about Hourglasses
+
+The players may ask Laeros about the hourglasses. Laeros explains: “Each
+hourglass represents the lifespan of an actual, living dragon. There’s
+an hourglass for every dragon in existence. The color of the hourglass
+matches the color of the dragon.”
+
+“By the way, the sand only tells you how much time remains in the
+dragon’s natural lifespan. But if a dragon gets killed before it has a
+chance to grow old, then it dies while a lot of sand still remains. So
+the sand isn’t a prediction of when the dragon will die. It only
+indicates how old the dragon is.”
+
+He says, “I tried to find my own hourglass, but in the end, I couldn’t
+figure out which one was mine. Obviously, I’m a gold dragon, so my
+hourglass is going to be gold. I’m a young adult, so I would expect the
+sand in my hourglass to be about one-third used up. So I can rule out
+99% of the hourglasses based on color and sand-quantity, but that still
+leaves dozens of hourglasses that could be mine. I just don’t know how
+to narrow it down further.”
+
+### Why are the PCs Really Here?
+
+Here is the real reason the PCs are here, in the realm of Chronepsis.
+Spoilers ahead!
+
+Green is a dragon. He didn’t start out that way: he was originally
+human. He used wishes to transform himself, bit-by-bit, into a dragon.
+Of course, he still takes the form of a human most of the time. One wish
+wasn’t powerful enough to turn him all the way into a dragon, so he
+divided the process into multiple steps. Each wish made him a little
+more dragon-like, until finally, he used a wish that made him a true
+Dragon - a steel dragon. Once he became a dragon, his hourglass appeared
+in the realm of Chronepsis.
+
+Green was a 35-year old man, so when he became a dragon, he became a
+35-year old dragon. That’s a very young, small dragon. Green wasn’t
+satisfied with that, he wanted to be more powerful. So he used a wish to
+age himself. That wish added some years, but not as many as Green
+expected. He plans to use more wishes to add more years.
+
+If a dragon makes a wish to be older, that dragon is breaking a strict
+dragon code of conduct. Aging oneself artificially is not allowed. In
+fact, normally, it’s not even possible: the dragon gods have limited
+mortal magic so that it cannot be used to age a dragon. But the Deck
+isn’t mortal magic, the deck is a god in its own right. It has the power
+to make Green older, but the dragon gods resist, which is why the wish
+didn’t age Green by very much. Chronepsis, the dragon god of time, is
+particularly annoyed.
+
+So Chronepsis has a message for Green: Do not use any more wishes to age
+yourself! If you do, there will be consequences.
+
+However, Chronepsis cannot deliver this message. By his own rules, he
+cannot speak to anyone, and he cannot act in any overt way. He must be
+so subtle that nobody knows for sure if he acted at all. So here is his
+plan:
+
+First, Chronepsis arranged for Green’s hourglass to be directly in front
+of Laeros, and made sure Laeros was watching when Green aged himself.
+Laeros saw the sand in Green’s hourglass jump ahead. Laeros knows that
+this kind of sand movement represents artificial aging, and he knows
+that this should be impossible. He has been pondering it ever since.
+
+Second, Chronepsis brought the PCs into his realm, forcing them to meet
+Laeros. Now Chronepsis is just waiting for Laeros and the PCs to
+exchange information. He knows that eventually, if the two parties talk
+enough, they will figure out what they need to do.
+
+When the PCs understand their mission, then they will be released from
+the realm. But they’ll have to figure it out, with Laeros’s help.
+
+### Solving the Mystery
+
+When the PCs have finished exploring the realm, Laeros eventually brings
+the subject back to: “So why did Chronepsis bring you here? You’ve
+already explored everything. You’ve already looked at the hourglasses.
+You’ve already looked at the sculptures. There’s nothing left to do.”
+Then, in a joking tone, he says, “Well, other than talk to me.”
+
+Hopefully, one of the players will say, “hey, maybe we *are* supposed to
+talk to you about something.”
+
+Give the players a little time to suggest this. When they do, Laeros
+exclaims “Of course! We must have important information for each other!”
+If none of the players suggests this, Laeros suggests it.
+
+Laeros says, “OK. Let’s just tell each other what we’ve been doing. I’ll
+start. I’m supposed to be here writing a book, but honestly, I’ve mostly
+spent the last month pondering a mystery - a weird hourglass.”
+
+He goes on to tell about how he was just relaxing one day, and staring
+absent-mindedly at the hourglass which was in front of him, when all of
+a sudden, the sand in the hourglass jumped ahead. He says:
+
+> “If the sand jumps ahead, it means a dragon suddenly got older. Some
+> kind of premature aging. But that shouldn’t be possible.
+>
+> You see, when dragons age, they get more powerful. So if you’re a
+> dragon, magically aging yourself would be a cheap shortcut to power.
+> Because of that, the dragon gods have decreed that dragons aren’t
+> allowed to magically age themselves - dragons have to *earn* their
+> years.
+>
+> For example, there are undead who can cause premature aging. If an
+> undead like that attacks a dragon, the dragon might get sick, but it
+> won’t get older. Getting older isn’t allowed.
+>
+> So how is it possible that I saw an hourglass jump ahead? Doesn’t make
+> sense. But I’m sure I saw it. It would have to be some very powerful
+> magic. I’m pretty sure only a god could do it.
+>
+> So I’ve been wondering about that ever since. I just keep thinking
+> about it.
+
+If the PCs ask what color the hourglass was: Steel.
+
+> “Steel dragons? They fit in very well with human culture. They often
+> take the form of humans and live in human cities. It’s common for them
+> to form relationships with humans. They are often interested in art
+> and culture.  Even though they live among humans, they're still dragons,
+> and like all dragons, they like their hoards - they tend to be wealthy
+> even when in human form.   Of course, they’re individuals - don’t
+> assume they’re all the same.”
+
+If the PCs ask how old the dragon was, based on the amount of sand:
+Before the aging, juvenile. After the aging, young adult.
+
+So after explaining all this, Laeros says: “OK, somehow, this must all
+fit in with what you’ve been doing. There must be some sort of
+connection.” Of course, the connection is this: the hourglass that
+Laeros saw was Green’s hourglass, and the magical aging was caused by
+the Deck.
+
+It is up to the PCs to figure out at least this much: the Deck has been
+used to magically age a dragon. Just let them sweat it out until they
+figure it out.
+
+When they say this to Laeros, Laeros says:
+
+> “Well, if somebody’s using the Deck to age a dragon, somebody needs to
+> tell them to stop. Otherwise, they’re going to really piss off the
+> dragon gods.”
+
+As soon as Laeros says this, the PCs feel a weight lift, and they
+instinctively understand that they’re free to leave the realm. They have
+the message they’re supposed to deliver.
+
+Of course, Green is in Beshaba’s realm at this point. The PCs can’t talk
+to him directly, but they could possibly use the *sending* spell. If
+they do, Green will respond “Understood. Thanks for the warning.”
+
+If the players don’t deliver the message right away, they will hopefully
+remember it later, when they see Green try to use the Deck to age
+himself again.
+
+### To Sylvania, and then Sigil
+
+After solving the mystery and leaving the realm of Chronepsis, the PCs
+have no trouble following the road, which eventually leads to Sylvania.
+We are providing a simplified version of Sylvania, mainly because the
+PCs won’t be here long. They’re really just entering the town to use the
+portal to Sigil. If you want to replace this version of Sylvania with a
+more complex version, you can. You can even set some of your own
+adventures here.
+
+As the PCs travel down the road toward Sylvania, the trees start getting
+bigger and bigger, until eventually around evening the road is snaking
+around the bases of absolutely *enormous* trees.
+
+The road leads underneath a living wood archway. At the top of the
+archway, a hand-carved sign says, “Welcome to Sylvania.” At the side of
+the arch, a bored attendant looks up from the book he’s reading and
+says, “Please state your business.” If the PCs say, “Here to find a
+portal to Sigil,” the attendant puts a tally mark on a notepad, and
+says, “OK, move along,” while pointing toward the city. Then he goes
+right back to his book.
+
+A few minutes later, the road becomes the main street of Sylvania. On both
+sides of the road are establishments built against or into the giant trees.
+The establishments are mainly restaurants, bars, music venues, dance clubs,
+theaters, and the like. Imagine bourbon street New Orleans on mardi gras, but
+wedged between giant trees.
+
+If the PCs stop for dinner at a restaurant, they have to make difficult
+WIS save DC18 (use the party average) or else they start having a great
+time talking and socializing. They stay at the restaurant way too long,
+eat way too much, drink a lot of wine, and don’t leave until midnight.
+They spend 5X as much money as they intended. They wake the next day
+with an exhaustion level. This is the mood-altering properties of
+Arborea leaching through into Sylvania.
+
+If they ask an innkeeper about a room, rooms are available. If they ask
+the innkeeper about a portal to Sigil, the innkeeper says: “To get to
+Sigil, you need to talk to the scrap metal dealer in the flea market.
+They open at 8 in the morning.”
+
+The next day, the PCs wake, and the character of the city has completely
+changed. People are working hard, it’s bustling. The locals know that if
+they want to party at night, they have to get their work done during the
+day, and they’re pushing themselves so that they can celebrate again.
+This is life in Sylvania.
+
+The flea market contains some permanent buildings, some large tents,
+some people who just have tables by the side of the walkway. The scrap
+dealer has a big round tent. Inside, there are bins with metal
+classified by type: tin, copper, iron, steel, and alloys. The bins are
+full of all kinds of metal junk, bought and sold by the pound.
+
+If you ask the merchant about the portal to Sigil, he says, “OK, I’ll take you
+there. 10gp each.” He collects the money. Then, he says “First, I have to do
+this.” He reaches into the steel bin, and pulls out a roll of steel wire. He
+makes a loop out of wire - an impromptu bracelet. He says “This ring of steel
+has an affinity for the city of Sigil, because the city of Sigil is like a
+ring of steel. Here, put this on.” He hands the bracelet to a PC, and then
+makes one for each PC. When everyone has a bracelet (except the dealer), the
+dealer says, “OK, time to go.” He ushers everybody out of the tent. When the
+PCs step out of the tent, they’re back in the flea market. But then they
+realize: it’s not the same flea market. It’s bigger — much bigger! Looking
+behind them, they see there’s no tent. They just traveled through a one-way
+portal.
+
+Welcome to the Bazaar, in Sigil.
+

sections/5-the-carrion-bird.md

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+# The Carrion Bird
+
+In this chapter, the PCs arrive in the city of Sigil, where
+they have been tasked with finding Rennick.  This turns out
+to be difficult: Rennick is in hiding, because he is
+terrified of a man named Crow, who is hunting him.
+
+Crow is an incantifer: a member of a small sect of
+wizards who have mastered a vile technology. Incantifers
+capture a powerful individual, rip the soul out of their
+body, and use that soul to build an orb: a construct that 
+allows the incantifer to wield the powers of the person
+from whom the orb was made.
+
+But the real innovation is in how incantifers control these
+orbs: you see, the soul is connected to the body by
+something called the silver cord.  It turns out the silver
+cord is a braided thing, made up of seven strands, with each
+strand connected to one of the body's seven chakras.
+Incantifers disconnect one of the seven strands from one of
+the chakras, and then reconnect that strand to the orb. This
+allows the incantifer to control the orb as if it were part
+of their body - using an orb is as fluid as thought.
+Incantifers are blazingly fast: an incantifer can cast one
+spell per turn per orb, in addition to whatever spell they
+cast with their human body. In an action-economy combat
+system, an incantifer is a rain of death.  Crow has four
+orbs, and for all practical purposes, fighting Crow is like
+fighting five powerful mages at the same time.
+
+However, incantifers pay a terrible price for this: the more
+strands of the cord are disconnected from the human body,
+the more paralyzed the human body becomes.  The more
+powerful an incantifer becomes, the more their physical body
+becomes a handicap.  Incantifers dream of the day when they
+can fully disconnect and discard the physical body, becoming
+a creature of pure magic.  However, every incantifer who
+has attempted this has died.  At least for now, incantifers
+are stuck with their physical body.
+
+Crow has verified that Rennick has the ability to predict
+random events.  Crow has concluded that Rennick is actually
+a powerful oracle, who has not yet fully realized the extent
+of his powers.  Crow intends to take those powers for himself.
+
+Up until this moment, there have been very few NPCs in this
+campaign who are unadulterated evil.  Green is greedy, but
+he has redeeming qualities, and he can be reasoned with.
+Orethys was pure evil, but he is a historical figure.
+Beshaba is evil, but she won't play a central role until
+later.  Crow is the first genuinely horrible person that the
+PCs will face.
+
+Do not tell any of this to your players.  All of this will
+unfold gradually, as the PCs search for Rennick, and explore
+the city of Sigil.
+
+## First Sights of the City
+
+When the PCs emerge from the scrap dealer's tent, they step
+out into the Bazaar of Sigil.  It is a one-way portal.
+Behind the PCs is just more bazaar.  The first sights they
+see are wild and disorienting.  The PCs just stand and stare
+for several minutes, unless they consciously try to fit in.
+These are the most notable things they see:
+
+- The extreme variety of races.  In addition to the more
+common races, the PCs see a ton of people they may or may
+not recognize: bariaur, tabaxi, modrons, goblins, gith,
+tanaari, everything.  When describing it, be sure to throw
+in some really unexpected ones: a giant, a mind flayer, a
+group of pixies, you name it.
+
+- The enormous arch.  Overhead, there appears to be a huge
+arch that spans the entire width of the city.  This is
+actually the city itself, forming a ring. But this isn't
+immediately obvious to newcomers.  It may take them a little
+time to realize it's not a giant structure, it's the city's
+topology.
+
+- The gritty atmosphere.  The foundry is not far, and the
+yellow soot hangs over the bazaar.  Many of the buildings
+are made of steel, rusted and corroded, and blades stick out
+from the corners of the buildings and the door and window
+frames.  The city somehow looks both extremely poor and
+extremely wealthy at the same time.
+
+- The chaos of the bazaar.  People are rushing in every
+direction, trying to get business done.  They shove around
+the clueless newbies standing in the road, paying them
+little attention.
+
+There is a lot of great material about the city of Sigil
+published by Wizards of the Coast.  I highly recommend you
+familiarize yourself with the city before trying to run this
+section of the campaign.  This adventure, as written, is set
+in a version of Sigil in which the faction war never
+happened. If you want to adapt this to whatever version of
+Sigil you prefer, that would not be difficult.
+
+The PCs came to the city with a quest: Find Rennick!  
+After wandering around for a few minutes, they may start
+to think about their objective.  Before they have a chance
+to get started, introduce them to Rico Sparks.
+
+## Rico Sparks, the Tout
+
+- Finding a Kip
+- Searching for Rennick
+
+## Healing Pig
+
+## Rennick's Office at the Courthouse
+
+## The Hall of Records
+
+## The Goblins in the Casino
+
+## Sending to Rennick
+
+## Rennick's House
+
+## Sergio and Jinn, the Xaositects
+
+## The Mercenary from Ysgard
+
+## The Greatest Show in Ysgard
+

sections/6-the-barrens-of-doom-and-despair.md

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# The Barrens of Doom and Despair
+
+-   Travel through The Barrens of Despair
+
+    -   Travel to Sigil
+
+    -   Portal to the Domain of Bane
+
+    -   Travel to Kuralyek’s Lair
+
+    -   
+
+-   Kuralyek’s Lair
+
+    -   Present: Green, Kuralyek, R39-Delta
+
+    -   Discussions with everyone
+
+    -   Kobolds draw cards
+
+    -   Chaos strikes again, Emergency Exit
+
+    -   Kuralyek makes a grab for the deck
+
+    -   Green strikes at Kuralyek, Kuralyek summons Beshaba
+
+    -   Tymora appears to counter Beshaba
+
+    -   Multi-way battle with deck exchanging hands
+
+    -   One of these people gets deck: Tymora, R39-Delta, Kuralyek,
+        > Beshaba, or Players
+
+##