Elanthia 5e/SimuCon2023-Cholen's Play

Cholen's Play (a.k.a. Jastev's Vision)

Synopsis: The deity Cholen has created a divine play based on a vision that his brother, Jastev, has recently experienced.

Designed for 5-7, this one-shot is designed to last anywhere from 2-6 hours based on the experience level of the players.

Settings: ruined temple, a field with a cottage

Characters: 13 characters, one for each class

Disclaimer: The character sheets have been heavily modified for new players. Each character sheet utilizes cards that describe abilities, spells, actions, bonus actions, and reactions.

Legend of Elemdael

Legend has it that the lute Elemdael will be needed to prevent the world from ending. Players are charged with solving a riddle in order to free the lute from its ancient resting place within a temple.

Modifying Opening Verse: Line 3 can be any series of numbers that make up your adventuring party. The stock line is for 5 party members, but it can be changed to the number of the party. The only thing to remember is that the number needs to remain a single syllable in order for the rhyme to maintain its structure. If you have a full thirteen then you’d do five and eight, for example, instead of seven and six. Though, three and ten does sound better.

Riddle in its Entirety

Within the stone, Elemdael slumbered,
Waiting for the World to end.
When two and three, Elemdael will wake,
The Shattered Moon to fend.
To set me free, Elemdael answered,
This riddle you must contend.

No sound but sight, no matter day or night,
A wound of force it leaves.
It cuts the flesh, the motion smooth not thresh,
Bound to the hands of thieves.

Though sunder in twain, links broken from the chain,
His hands receive the token.
Two pieces now intact, making whole what was cracked,
He repairs what was broken.

Release the binding chains that bind rage to your veins,
Let loose the vengeful cry.
Dispose the order of law, embrace the blinding maw,
Let heedless attacks fly.

From Spring’s frigid start, your song touched my heart,
And elevated my soul.
And though heatedly kissed, wind-tossed was our tryst,
By winter your touch left its toll.

In wisdom truth is borne, nothing fickle or torn.
Light hands upon my brow,
Offering a chance or more, for potential left in store.
A gift to those avowed.

All hope comes from a seed, be it in word, body, or deed,
Bending on every wheat shaft.
Growing from ground or vine, no need for a walled shrine,
Just a solid will and a bit of craft.

Brute force, twin-pronged, a fight prolonged.
Violence fills your head.
Rune-carved, born not of fist nor taught.
Instinct, Ivory, and Dread.

As imperceptible as breath, not alive nor bound in death,
Not kith nor kin, not woman nor man.
Wedded in grave-born peace, they are mobile or surcease,
Only present for a short span.

When doubt but a start, a poison laid in the heart,
Seek ye with veracity.
When vipers slink and waltz, whispering that’s false,
Seek ye with tenacity.

Tempered in fire, lacking desire,
It is borne of air.
Immunity on lips, foes fall in the eclipse,
Sighing like a prayer.

Otherworldly, wyrrd, ghostly and feared.
In Darkness conceived,
In violence exploding and the flesh corroding,
Nothing left to be grieved.

A whisper or a sound, or light left unbound,
Playful whims of imagination.
Is it only a scent? Something that came or went?
Or just your laughter’s flirtation.

Bright and divine, without a shrine,
It’s hallowed and consecrated.
Explosive in power, in radiance it sours.
And in success, celebrated.

Riddle by Class

Each character should be given their class's piece of the riddle to solve. They must use either a spell, ability, cantrip, or action that is specific to their class.

Artificer

Though sunder in twain, links broken from the chain,
His hands receive the token.
Two pieces now intact, making whole what was cracked,
He repairs what was broken.

Barbarian

Release the binding chains that bind rage to your veins,
Let loose the vengeful cry.
Dispose the order of law, embrace the blinding maw,
Let heedless attacks fly.

Bard

From Spring’s frigid start, your song touched my heart,
And elevated my soul.
And though heatedly kissed, wind-tossed was our tryst,
By winter your touch left its toll.

Cleric

In wisdom truth is borne, nothing fickle or torn.
Light hands upon my brow,
Offering a chance or more, for potential left in store.
A gift to those avowed.

Druid

All hope comes from a seed, be it in word, body, or deed,
Bending on every wheat shaft.
Growing from ground or vine, no need for a walled shrine,
Just a solid will and a bit of craft.

Fighter

Brute force, twin-pronged, a fight prolonged.
Violence fills your head.
Rune-carved, born not of fist nor taught.
Instinct, Ivory, and Dread.

Monk

As imperceptible as breath, not alive nor bound in death,
Not kith nor kin, not woman nor man.
Wedded in grave-born peace, they are mobile or surcease,
Only present for a short span.

Paladin

When doubt but a start, a poison laid in the heart,
Seek ye with veracity.
When vipers slink and waltz, whispering that’s false,
Seek ye with tenacity.

Ranger

Tempered in fire, lacking desire,
It is borne of air.
Immunity on lips, foes fall in the eclipse,
Sighing like a prayer.

Rogue

No sound but sight, no matter day or night,
A wound of force it leaves.
It cuts the flesh, the motion smooth not thresh,
Bound to the hands of thieves.

Sorcerer

A whisper or a sound, or light left unbound,
Playful whims of imagination.
Is it only a scent? Something that came or went?
Or just your laughter’s flirtation.

Warlock

Otherworldly, wyrrd, ghostly and feared.
In Darkness conceived,
In violence exploding and the flesh corroding,
Nothing left to be grieved.

Wizard

Bright and divine, without a shrine,
It’s hallowed and consecrated.
Explosive in power, in radiance it sours.
And in success, celebrated.

FOR GameMasters ONLY

Chapter 1

Read to Players at Start of Session

Large and ominous, the pearly white surface of Liabo fills your dreams with its soft glow and ethereal hum. Your body is light, the worries of the world gone from you for the moment, and you gaze about the pockmarked landscape. An eerie sense of silence settles upon you. Your eyes slide across the craters where meteors have played out their last hours.

You find your friends around you and are at ease among your comrades.

Quiescent and peaceful, the serenity of the pale moon dulls the senses.

You gaze at the distant stars, the pinpoints of constellations and nebulae vibrant -- their light flickering and flashing within an endless blanket of emptiness.

You begin to feel the skeins of the dream space slowly unraveling, your body regaining weight, and you start to stir from slumber as paper crinkles between your fingertips.

“Not yet,” a voice whispers in your ear.

Opening your eyes, you stare into the face of Ronan and smile.

You move your lips to speak, but no sound comes as the familiar numbness of sleep is still heavy in your limbs and voice.

“You must watch... You must see what I see...”

Gazing away from the lines of concern in her eyes, you notice that the moon has shifted under your feet. Fractures splice the pristineness of the pearly white ground. A booming sound fills the air, the ground heaving and rippling.

Falling away into a deep chasm, the moon splits before your eyes, and a taloned hand, impossibly large, gains purchase upon the lip.

“Soon... It will happen soon...”

Jastev whispers in your ear and with a start you wake, your scroll gripped tightly in your hand.

Above, the ovoid moon visibly cracks with fractures large enough to be seen from the ground of Elanthia.

Liabo is restless. A dragon is to be born.

Cholen's voice rings in your mind:

“Upon the hatching of the moon,
The end of Elanthia makes itself known --
The birth of the thing that would devour the planet
-- The World Dragon.

But we'll hatch our own plan --
With the aid of Dream itself,
I will use the harp Elemdael
to woo it to sleep.
Ronan will forge a poison of
sleep and dream itself, while the other gods lure it.”

And so, as the prophecy dictates -- you will walk an ordained path, reclaim a harp from its ancient place, and bring it to me before Elanthia is destroyed.

You wake with a start, finding yourself standing at the entrance of an antechamber.

In your ear, you hear Cholen's voice...

“Thank you for heeding my summons, adventurers. Tonight, you will sing the tale of the death of the egg-moon Liabo that will hatch and become the end of Elanthia. We will move through the prophecy of those that will send it into slumber. You will dance in the moonlight, perform as divinity, and move to become heroes in our time of need.

Pre-Game Player Hand-out

Before the game create a letter for each of your players. You will place their riddle in it and a symbol that will let them know what to direct the solution of their riddle at. We used waxed seals, but anything will work.

Sample Letter: File:Cholen's Letter.pdf

Letter Template:

Intrepid Adventurer,

Cataclysm is upon us, the end of times is near, and the world is at its breaking point. Or so my brother would have us believe.

Join me for a merry play and become the Heroes and Heroines of yore! I mean, of our future! Solve the riddle of the fated Elemdael, save the world from certain destruction, and save all of Elanthia from doom under a shattered moon.

We look forward to entertaining you with this tale that protends the final days of Elanthia as we know it. We will meet on (day) at (time) to play out the dance steps that lead to the ending of our world.

Yours in Song and Laughter,

Cholen

Include 1st verse of the riddle.
Include Class Riddle Verse.