Changes to the Landscape

Onyx Plaque

Old News

In this kind ofscenario,the PCs find a crater,either by accident or by intent,ofa meteorite that struck years ago.However,a cult ofsorts has grown up around the meteorite strike,and the cultists have built their temple in the bowl ofthe crater.

Depending on the proclivities ofthe cult,the PCs may have a hand in aiding or attacking them during some conflict in which they become involved.A vicious cult may be kidnapping locals and sacrificing them on their meteoritic iron altar, hoping to call down more meteorite strikes on their enemies (and perhaps coming close to succeeding).A more benevolent cult may be attempting to prevent the lode ofadamantine and thaumeteoritic iron (or even a Rune Sea at the heart of an engram ark) from falling into the hands ofpredatory monsters,dark elves,undead,or other evil individuals.

PCs as Prophets

It’s possible that the PCs learn about the impending strike before anyone else.Perhaps one character has a terrible dream,featuring a vision ofa fiery rock falling from the heavens,and the Checklist destruction and death Determine how to foreshadow the that result from its meteorite fall impact.Maybe the PCs Is the strike the campaign’s central discover a tablet foreevent or merely the effect of something more critical? telling the fall in an old Choose a method for revealing the ruined wizard’s tower, meteorite’s fall to the PCs. describing in exacting Stage an adventure. detail what will occur Everyone learns the news (the mage used a combiat once. nation ofmundane Decide which groups attempt to capitalize on the fear of the Afterfall. optics,mathematics, magical computation, and clairvoyance to calculate the date and location ofthe impact).The clarity ofeither the dream or description should leave no doubt that the event will come to pass.The news will almost certainly shock the PCs. An awesome responsibility descends upon the PCs,should they agree to take it on:Warn,or run? Why haven’t others had this dream? Is some shadowy entity or organization trying to keep people from learning about the impending meteorite strike? It might be up the PCs to ferret out this entity or group.

Following Clues

As this scenario unfolds,the PCs are investigating stories of change or disaster in a distant area.When magic fails (due to the blast ofan EMP),or an area is destroyed,the PCs follow a trail ofstories:refugees who speak ofa “star touching the earth,” lost and rampaging molten elementals or ark guardians,burnt landscapes,and perhaps people appearing with strange,colored designs on their skin and possessing unusual powers.Eventually,they make their way to the crater and discover what has come to pass.

Creatures and communities in the area that survived may be desperate for food and supplies after the fires and periodic acid rain ruin crops.The PCs may be hard pressed merely to make it to ground zero.

On the other hand,the PCs’ first clue that something strange has fallen from the sky could be perturbations in the arcanosphere—see “Changes to the World,” page 26.

The Proclamation of Doom

The local or national officials in an area have a big secret. Some leave office,others go on sabbatical.“In the know” high-profile celebrities are leaving the area,or are already gone.Rumors spread like wildfire:Something bad is coming.

Secret plans ofcontainment and evacuation are undertaken.The local guard triples its numbers with new conscripts. An omen appears in the sky—the fiery tail ofa comet that daily grows larger,even to the naked eye.Underdog political factions rise to sudden prominence with unlikely speed. Anarchists walk the streets,inciting riots and disorder,using the undercurrent offear as a catalyst.The unrest reaches its worst levels when the announcement finally goes out to all: A star is falling from the very heights ofheaven,and will soon smash itselfto death on the world—specifically in the local region,city,or nation.Total destruction is expected.

PCs may decide to make for the farthest coast,or they may be asked to help clean out the caverns below the area to be used as underground shelters,so the population can weather the coming event (these caverns are infested with all manner ofunpleasant life,including dark elves and other creatures common to the underworld).PCs may be asked to embark on a teleportation-enabled journey to the very edge ofthe speeding rock,safely contained within a sphere offorce,in order to set vast thaumaturgic charges to deflect the meteor.The PCs might be asked to lead a group ofrefugees across land or sea, through underworld tunnels,or shadow world darknesses, defending their wards against all threats along the way.

Or something completely different.