The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

10. The Vortex Generator
The item that produces the maelstrom is secured here,
fastened to the cavern floor by thick chains. It seems
to be nothing more impressive than a metal cylinder ten
feet long and three feet thick, with rotating fins arranged
around its outer casing like a propeller. Inside there is
a strange assembly of brass pipes, tiny glowing gems
and leather sacs that inflate and deflate. This is clearly
some amalgam of magic and mechanical engineering.
A Knowledge (architecture and engineering) check
(DC 15) identifies it beyond a doubt as gnomish in
origin. Any Player Character examining the case finds
a maker’s mark, which an Appraise check (DC 20)
identifies as that of Jubal Huygens, the current master
artisan of Vella (see the golden bird description above).
This item was never intended to be a maelstrom
generator. Huygens built it as a prototype propulsion
system for ships, which would generate a magical
turbine effect and power them through the waves at
unimaginable speeds. The sahuagin captured it when
they raided the ship that was carrying it to the Eagle
Nations.
Non-Player Character Group: The
Sahuagin
The clan of sahuagin who live in this burrow are not a
conventional group and there are no young here. They
are, even by sahuagin standards, a group of fanatical
cultists. They are devoted to their living idol, the One
Who Must Be Fed, an ancient half-dragon dire shark
who was discovered slumbering in a deep cave and
believed to be an avatar of the shark deity.
The priestess of the One was convinced that he would
lead them to a source of unending wealth and power,
which – to the joy of the cult – he did. The sahuagin
do not fully understand what the vortex generator is,
nor do they care. It makes whirlpools that wreck the
human ships and this is good. One day they will take it
from its cave and deploy it against the aquatic elves, and
with the One leading them, they will tear their enemies
to bloody shreds. Nobody knows when that day will
come.
Sahuagin Wreckers
These troops are used as sentries and fast-response
warriors. Their specialty is boarding surface vessels
and slaughtering the occupants.
Sahuagin Wrecker, Rgr5: CR 7; Medium monstrous
humanoid (aquatic); HD 7d8+7; hp 38; Init +6; Spd
30 ft., swim 60 ft.; AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15;
Base Atk +7; Grp +9; Atk +9 melee (1d4+2, talon)
or +9 melee (1d8+3, trident) or +9 ranged (1d10/19–
20, heavy crossbow); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d8+2,
trident) and +7 melee (1d4+1, bite); or +7/+2 melee
(1d8+2, trident) and +7 melee (1d6+1/x3, handaxe) and
+7 melee (1d4+1, bite); or +9 melee (1d4+2, 2 talons)
and +7 melee (1d4+1, bite); or +9 ranged (1d10/19–20,
heavy crossbow); SA blood frenzy, favoured enemies,
rake 1d4+1; SQ blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.,
freshwater sensitivity, light blindness, speak with
sharks, water dependent, wild empathy; AL N; SV Fort
+7, Ref +9, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis
13, Cha 9.
Skills & Feats: Handle Animal +4*, Hide +6*, Listen
+12*, Move Silently +8, Profession (hunter) +1*, Ride
+11, Search +8, Spot +12*, Survival +1*, Use Rope
+8; Alertness, Endurance B , Great Fortitude, Improved
Initiative, Multiattack B , Track B .
Equipment & Treasure: Crossbow bolts (10), heavy
crossbow, trident.
Favoured Enemies: Wreckers gain a +2 bonus on Bluff,
Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks and a
+2 bonus on weapon damage rolls when using skills
against or attacking humans. Against aquatic elves, the
same checks and rolls receive a +4 bonus.
*A wrecker can handle his shark companion as a
free action or push it as a move action. He gains a
+4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks
and Handle Animal checks made regarding his shark
companion.
Animal Companion, Shark: CR 1; Medium magical
beast (aquatic); HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init +2; Swim 60 ft.;
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +2; Grp +3;
Atk +4 melee (1d6+1, bite); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6+1,
bite); SQ blindsense, keen scent, link, share spells; AL
N; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 13,
Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.
Skills & Feats: Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +9; Alertness,
Weapon Finesse.
Tricks: Attack, defend, guard and seek.
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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