July 14, 2011

Farstead: Mysteries

This is the list of Mysterious things the characters can find in my Farstead campaign. They are meant to be unexplained, perhaps for the entirety of the campaign. Perhaps someday they will be explained but nothing is set in stone right now and I can use them later to fill a void if needed. Until then they are meant to show the characters that they can not "know it all".
In your own campaign they can be used for something similar or maybe you have an idea of how they can fit into your world to add something unique and different.

Ash Tower
The top of a building rises up from ash and hardened rock of a lava field. At the top of the tower is a bell. A volcano rose from the ground nearby and created a lava field, but the lava did not reach high enough to bury the tower and it was able to withstand the lava.

Carrion Birds
Carrions Birds (such as vultures or crows) are circling high over an area in the distance. Upon reaching the spot, there is nothing unusual there, but the birds continue to circle.

Dead Magic Zone
Those with Arcana can sense that no Arcane magic will work in this area. The area is a mile square. The terrain is Barren and no plant or animal life can be seen.

Dragon Skeletons
In this cleared out area are 7 dragon skeletons. Upon further inspection they are deemed to not be real bone but rather a form of worked stone, probably chiseled from large blocks of rock.

Floating House
A house is floating in the air 20’ off the ground. It is built of rock and mortar and is 40’ square. It is in good condition. The front door is locked with a mundane lock and if the characters get in the inside of the house is fairly typical.

Floating Rocks
Rocks rise up from the hills of Hex 7 and slowly float to Hex 16 where they eventually touch down next to a wall of rocks. Only 1 rock at a time will be in flight. The wall of rocks is 4 miles long, is 10’ high and runs North to South in a serpentine pattern. The rocks all fit expertly together.

Glowing Mushrooms
All the mushrooms in this area glow brightly at night. If picked they will glow for another 2 hours.

Miniature City
On a stone table rests a city in miniature. It is a scale model made from stone of a large city. Most homes are round and single story, but several are larger. It can be estimated that if such a city was real, it would have housed over 10,000 beings.

Missing Village
This area appears to once have been a village of some sort, except there are no structures of any type. There are pathways through the area and there are blank spots where buildings once stood. An outline of a well can be seen, but there is nothing there but ground now. In all there are enough blank spots for 19 buildings of various sizes.

Moon Map
This stone tablet is 5’ x 5’ x 2’. In the center of the top is a bas-relief of the moon (Selena). The stone relief matches Selena is her various phases; i.e. the stone actually alters with the phases of the moon. Around the base of the tablet is a figure of Selena’s moon, Elasson, and the figure moves around the base relative to Selena and the planet.

Phantom Steed
The characters come across the hoofprints of a shod horse. The tracks look relatively fresh. If followed the go a little over a mile in a circle. The tracks are circular, but always appear fresh. If the characters hurry along the path they will hear the sounds of hoofbeats but can not catch whatever is making the noises.

Planetary Model
Spread over many miles is a series of celestial objects in stone form. If a person could view all the models at the same time he would realize they are the solar system to scale. H18 has Aelios (Sun), Huphelios and Puroeis. H19 has Khoikos with Selena and Elasson. H20 has Hadothen. H33 has Mesonux. H23 has Ge.

Purple Flames
A large boulder 5’ in diameter is perpetually on fire with purple flames. Nothing seems to be able to put the fire out and it is hot to the touch, but nothing else will catch on fire (though heat damage may occur).

Sanctuary of the Gods
This is a large place, with ruins of various style buildings spread out over 3 acres. Each building was once a temple to one of the gods. The buildings were built long ago and the area was then decreed a sanctuary. Beings could visit the place, but no one could touch each other or the buildings. The buildings eventually deteriorated over time, though curiously the statue of each god still remains in pristine condition. This place was one where there could be no conflict. Any local inhabitants within the hex (and nearby hexes) will know this.

Sea Organ
A series of carefully placed holes from the rocks at the base of a cliff lead up to the top of the cliff. There is a set of stone benches facing the seashore. When the wind blows just right or the sea waves are hitting the holes just right, music can be heard. In fact, it is possible to hear the music before ever seeing the site.

Shadow Pillars
This area has 5 pillars of darkness. They rise to 10’ high and 3’ in diameter. If they are entered nothing happens though it is dark inside of them. Not even magical light will penetrate them, but water causes the darkness to dissipate where the water hits it.

Shadowless
For a square mile area nothing casts a shadow. It will take some time to notice this. If characters investigate the edges of the area it appears as if their shadows waver and get pulled away as they enter this area.

Silent Zone
Within a 100’ radius all sound is muted. All talking comes out as a whisper, indeed no sound is louder the level of a whisper.

Skeletal Houses
Wooden frameworks for 12 homes are built here. None of the homes are completed but all the frameworks are.

Solar Furnace
On the top of this hill is a stone concave wall. On the wall are thousands of flakes of reflecting mica. They channel sunlight toward a 10’ x 10’ building. Obviously the inside of the building can get extremely hot during the day, reaching upwards of 1000 degrees.

Stepping Stones
A series of pillars is here. They start at 1’ high (and 1’ wide) and progress up to 25’. The pillars are 2’ apart and go from shortest to tallest. It is possible to “walk up the stones”.

Stone Giant
The players come across the top part of a large stone foot sticking out of the ground. If they uncover it there is revealed a stone giant statue of 10’ high.

Stone House Cover
A large stone house is discovered alone. It is 50’ long, 20’ wide and 20’ high. It has a single entrance. Inside is another house; smaller and made of wood. The smaller house is round, 10’ in diameter and 8’ high. It may once have been a dwelling, but it has not been in use for a very long time.

Stone Monsters
This is an open air set of four walls running square at 50’ per side. In the walls are open niches that each house a stone monster of varying types.

Sundial
Atop a 30’ high pillar rests a large sundial, on its side, so it can be seen from a distance.

Table Setting
A wooden table and chairs are here. It seats 6 and has table settings for 6 as well; i.e. plates utensils mug. These can be used, but if taken away will turn to grey dust once they are more than 100’ away.

Underwater Observatory
On the surface of this body of water floats a 1 room building. It is 10’ square and rests on normal flotation devices (large bladders filled with air). However, there is a trapdoor that goes down. A glass tunnel goes down 50’, with 5 individual levels. Each level is a resting area and supplies an excellent view of the underwater area.

Water Tanks
At this location there are 5 stone circles on the ground (3 are initially hidden under overgrowth. These stone circles house trapdoors that each open into a cavernous area filled with clean water. If water is taken from these tanks, they will refill after the next rainfall.

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