Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #33 – “Shatterfell”

February 16, 2018

Out of the Box introduction

This series has used items as the centerpiece to encounters previously, but the vast majority have been utilized in an external and obvious way – as things to be held and used. Only one such item (Series 1, Jailbreak) featured an item that could be used as an internal or pocket-dimensional manner.

What I would like to explore is the concept of an item one could both wield, as well as have a para-dimensional experience within. As if one could enter into a weapon with the life stealing property without having to die in the process, so to speak. This weapon may, itself, come with its own tale, or even be sentient. In the latter case, one would have to enter into the item somehow to converse with the intelligence within – a dangerous proposition given any extenuating circumstances.

Orcish culture is bloody and brutal. [Image courtesy Wizards of the Coast]

Perhaps the item is its own library, or hoard storage, or other hiding place. And what if the item wishes not to release anything within? Then a whole new social dynamic and risk exists to could truly expand the storytelling experience.

To take an obvious route, the item in this case will be a weapon. The majority of weapons carrying such legendary properties are swords, likely because of modern popularity with the weapon itself. I like the idea of a spear, actually. For one reason. Orcs. I have a soft spot for these humanoids and their mythology. Gruumsh, their chief god, wields a spear. It is classically featured in the orc creation story and will be part of what makes this following weapon special.

It should probably be obvious such an item would mean more to an orc or half-orc, and might be detrimental to an elf or half-elf. Given my understanding of the War in Archeron, goblinoids would suffer adverse effects as well, albeit less so than elves. That will be a Dungeon Master’s call, as always, but I’m an orc nerd, so you know where I will end up in this equation.

It is my hope this encounter will find its way into an orc-themed dungeon or series of encounters, as it is the most befitting of that sort of environs. This is, as always, the DM’s call, but it is my belief the encounter loses value and meaning outside of this type of set-up. It could, additionally, be inserted into a campaign wherein a half-orc or orc player character is struggling to come to terms with their place in the world.

Environment

Special (see below)

Level

As appropriate for such an item. 5+ is recommended.

Description

An orc as seen in the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Volo’s Guide to Monsters. [Image courtesy Wizards of the Coast]

The terrain before you shifts from grasses to patchy thistles and briars. The ground becomes rougher and stony in patches, and a mist starts to form. The air becomes damp, bringing a slight chill to exposed flesh. Mist becomes fog as the ground hardens even more. Rocks choke out all but the hardiest briars and weeds, while the air becomes heavy with the smell of fresh blood.

Checking your maps and knowledge of the local terrain you realize something is wrong. The terrain is wrong. The smell is wrong. Things FEEL wrong. You’re lost – and you have no idea where THIS is.

Upon announcing this fact to the players, a DM should let their players immediately try a few things. Wisdom (Survival) checks to backtrack will fail to leave this sort of terrain, but a succeeding against a DC 17 check will certainly reveal the terrain and atmosphere are indeed not in keeping with where they were – they are in another locale. Something moved them from one place to another.

A successful DC 17 Intelligence (Nature) check will confirm this, as well as determining the terrain is certainly natural, but the plants are somehow twisted in their display and origin. They are not monstrous or aberrations, but are not native to the terrain from whence you entered this place.

Furthermore, successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Religion) check might reveal what actually happened is the PCs have entered into some form of pocket or parallel plane, with no known or visible exit back to where they were.

The question then becomes, what next? As the PCs begin to bicker or discuss their options, a deep horn sounds, like a tuba from a dark extraplanar source. When it bellows, the twisted plants shudder, and the mist beading upon the armor and skin of the PCs runs and falls to the ground as if shaken from wet leaves.

The resonance clears the fog a little, revealing a low but wide earthen mound in the distance, perhaps some 50 ft. away. What look like dark sticks or poles jut from the ground in a small circle; torn banners lazily moving from near their tops from an unfelt breeze.

Should there be an orc or half-orc PC in the group, allow them an Intelligence (Religion) check with advantage. Should they succeed against a DC 12, their own blood will call to them, and reveal a legend from the beginning of time. Write down the following passage, and hand it to the orc or half-orc character of your choice, and have them read this aloud to the table.

“In the time before time, the gods gathered to decide where their worshippers would gather. The dwarves picked the mountains, rich in ores to fuel their greed. The elves picked the forests, finding only companionship among silent and long lived trees. The gnome – the hills – tiny reflections of tiny would-be dwarves. Halflings tilled the fields and grasses, as being close to the ground tied them to it. Humanity clung to the cities, fearful of the outside world.

Their gods so chose, and laughed at the late arriving Gruumsh. For each land he claimed, they laughed and flaunted their claim, driving him to rage.

Gruumsh raised his spear on high, and roared. Thrusting his spear into each stolen choice, he scarred each in declaration. ‘My people shall walk the spoils, emerge from scars, and rise to take what they were never given. They shall spill from the blood of the land to spill blood upon it, and will claim their birthright in this holy currency.’

Then looking at Corellon, his hated foe, he spake, ‘From your trees shall birth the beginning’, and he thrust his spear butt first into the ground. Thunder erupted from the sky and end of the shaft shattered both trees and itself, sending splinters over the land like shrapnel. In each land grew a black spear, small children of their parent, reflecting an aspect of the One Eye Who Watches.

Retracting his great spear from the wooded lands, it renewed itself, leaving these progeny of itself to be found later by worthy orcs, who might rise to claim them and the lands in which it spawned.”

If questioned in regard to the mound ahead and the apparent flags, the orc or half-orc PCs will feel compelled forward, as if by the call of a parent to a child, although they can always deny this calling. When anyone approaches to within 30 ft. of this rise in the earth, they will see it covered in scattered moss-covered stones. Five spears with ragged banners form a perimeter around the outside of the mount. These weapons look aged and worn by time. The wood of the shafts appear old and cracked, and the spearheads rusted and damaged. Each spear bears a black banner with a single word in orc upon them.

Those who can read orcish will know these symbols: dwarf, elf, human, gnome, and halfling.

An orc as seen in the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. [Image courtesy Wizards of the Coast]

In the centre of the mount, rising straight up from its very apex is a single spear-like shape. It is black and absorbs all light, standing out against the mist like an empty hole in space. The shaft appears straight and perfect, rising 6 ft. straight up, and the spear point is a further 18 inches long with a narrow leaf shape. At the base of the spear head jut out two sharp horn-like protrusions, each about 6 inches long, curving slightly upward to sharp points.

This is Shatterfell, one of the many splinters of the Spear of Gruumsh.

The first creature to enter the Circle of Spears will be challenged by the Circle. This first challenge is the Challenge of Fear. Elves and half-elves who attempt to enter the circle will need to succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with a random Long Term Madness (Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 260). Other non-orc/half-orc races entering the circle must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with a random Short Term Madness (Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 259). Orcs and half-orcs must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. Frightened or mad creatures cannot enter the Circle of Spears until their current condition ends.

Once a PC enters the Circle of Spears successfully, they will be tested again. Only one creature will be allowed to enter the Circle at a time. Others will be barred by a barrier of magical force resembling the translucent smoky grey spirits of fallen orc warriors weaving together in a wall of bodies, spears, and angry faces. The barrier cannot be broken by worldly forces short of a wish. Spells and abilities do not penetrate the barrier.

This barrier forms to the outside of the Circle of Spears, which is a diameter of 30 ft. It forms a hemispherical dome to a height of 15 ft. and is completely transparent so long as no one interferes with the outside. Once this barrier is up, the second challenge begins.

The second challenge is the Challenge of Pain. It begins when the single challenger grips the black spear in the centre. Shatterfell will lock the hand of the challenger in place, tormenting the PC with wracking pains. The challenger must endure five rounds. In each of these five rounds, one spirit from each surrounding spear will issue forth and stab the challenger with a spear. Each spirit will resemble the race portrayed on the ribbon of the spear from which these were issued (elf, dwarf, human, etc.). On each turn, the character will be in wracking pain and unable to dodge these attacks.

The Challenger must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw once for each of these attacks. If they fail any of these checks, they will fall unconscious, and will be ejected from the Circle of Spears. They will remain unconscious for a number of hours equal to the difference between their result and the required DC 15. (so a total of 12 on the Constitution saving throw would equal 3 hours). If an elf or half-elf grips Shatterfell and attempts this challenge, they mu

st succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for an hour and ejected from the Circle. Gruumsh remembers the offence done to him by Corellon, and it cannot be forgiven. Even if they pass, they will still be ejected from the Circle of Spears and knocked unconscious for an hour. This applies to any Tanarukk who attempt the challenge as well. Gruumsh recognizes the abandonment of orc teachings for a demonic path – such cannot be tolerated.

Challengers who make it this far will appear to vanish. In reality, they have been taken into Shatterfell. Within the weapon, there exists a mirror of the Circle of Spears, but it is black like an eternal night, and where Shatterfell stood rages a thin pillar of fire. The area inside Shatterfell is the same 30 ft. diameter, 15 ft. high hemisphere, and is its own pocket plane. Communication in or out of the pocket plane is not possible at this time.

Welcome to the Challenge of Rage

Walking out of the fire will be a duplicate of the challenger, but embraced with ferocity. The Fury will engage in melee with the Challenger in melee combat, and will be an exact duplicate of the Challenger with the following changes:

Initiative will be rolled for each round of combat.
Both the Challenger and the Fury will have a single weapon of the Challenger’s choice. Whatever the Challenger chooses for themselves from their own equipment is also used by the Fury. This must be a single melee weapon. However, whatever the weapon is, it is duplicated with any and all possible magical traits the original from which it was copied possesses.
Both the Challenger and the Fury will be the same AC based on equipment, abilities and such. This copied weapon, armor and everything else the Fury possesses will dissolve into smoke along with the Fury should the Fury be defeated.
The Fury will be in a rage as per the barbarian class (page 48, Player’s Handbook) regardless of the class of the original Challenger, except with regard to damage reduction. It will not cast spells even if the original Challenger could, and will use the best possible melee attack available to it. Furthermore, it will be protected from the charmed and frightened conditions as per Mindless Rage (page 49, Player’s Handbook).
The Challenger will be unable to cast spells inside Shatterfell during this challenge, although any spells cast on the Challenger before this series of Challenges began that were not lost could still be in play. Class abilities will still be in play, so long as they do not involve a spell.
The Challenger and the Fury will engage in single combat until on or the other drops to 0 hp.
If the Challenger loses the duel, they will be ejected from the Circle of Spears, and the Circle of Spears will vanish to a new location. The terrain will return to as it was before the mist showed up, and the Challenger will begin rolling Death Saves.
If the Challenger is victorious, they will emerge from Shatterfell, and the spear will cease to be a black shadow. Its aged wooden shaft will appear wrapped in leather worn smooth by frequent use. The long leaf-shaped blade will have the same dark chrome look of hematite, and will have the single orc rune for “shatter” upon it. The long, upturned sharp features at the base of the blade will be shown to be metal horns fashioned like the tusks of an ancient orc.
The spear will pull easily from the ground, and when it does, the Circle of Spears will evaporate into smoke.

The Challenge will be considered attunement. Elves, half-elves, and tanarukk can never attune to this weapon.

In the hands of any other race than an elf or half-elf, the spear will become a +2 magic weapon. It will furthermore allow the wielder to read, write, and speak orc if they do not do so already. Charisma-based ability checks with or against orcs will be done with advantage by whosoever is attuned to Shatterfell so long as they are holding it and displaying it openly. Shatterfell is sentient (as per the Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 214), and communicates with the wielder emotionally. It has hearing and darkvision out to 60 ft., and has the following ability scores: Intelligence 12, Wisdom 8, and Charisma 15. Should a conflict (Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 216), occur, Shatterfell will be rolling its Charisma check with a +2 bonus based on its Charisma. This also means that should Shatterfell wish to take control of a PC (charmed for 1d12 hours), the Charisma saving throw is DC14.

The spear has an argumentative personality, and will always try to encourage the wielder to violently resolve conflicts even if it is not in the best interest of the spear itself. The weapon will also encourage the owner to partake in strong drink and debauchery at every turn, regardless of the alignment of the wielder. Shatterfell is chaotic neutral, and has no such concerns about long-term thinking.

In the hands of an orc or half-orc, Shatterfell will truly awaken. The weapon will unlock extra abilities depending on the level of the wielder.

If the attuned wielder is at least 3rd level each successful melee strike will deal an additional 1d8 thunder damage. When this feature successfully strikes, the thunder can be heard up to 100 ft. away.
If the attuned wielder is at least 5th level, it will allow the owner to cast shatter (Player’s Handbook, page 275) as a 3rd level caster. The wielder can use this ability once per long rest.
If the attuned wielder is at least 8th level, they may cast call lightning (as per Player’s Handbook, page 220) at 5th level once per long rest.

It should be noted if all willing Challengers fail to enter the Circle of Spears at any time, the Circle of Spears will fade away as if the Challenge was over, and may or may not re-appear again in the future.

Monsters

Only what the Challenges create, as per the three Challenges above.

Treasure

Shatterfell

Complications

Because of the exclusive nature of this encounter, this entire event may well center upon one singular PC. This creates the risk of boredom on the part of other players or may make them feel less important. Shatterfell is a very orc-centric encounter, but there may well be other singular moments and items like this elsewhere.

Encourage your players by telling them this is but one item in the multiverse waiting. While a single PC gets through the third stage of the challenge, have a tribe of orcs surround the PCs, drawn to the splinter of Gruumsh’s spear, seeking to have it fall into worthy hands. They may even be shadows (not in the Monster Manual sense) of fallen Challengers, and may interact socially with the remaining party members. This is an opportunity to unlock lore and have the party question what it means to be a Warrior in the eyes of another.

You could create moments delving into the definition of worth, honour, endurance, or other Warrior-like traits many would never see in the eyes of an orc.

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