Elancil’s Presence in the Crestwold Campaign

Steel Realms
[contentblock id=dunst-rise]Part of Transformation of Crestwold (Campaign Arc) pt. 1.

This describes the goddess Elancil’s role in the campaign, her followers, resources and actions she will take against the character. She is a major presence/foe of the campaign.

Elancil’s Intentions in Crestwold

Elancil is synonymous with Gwinn in this case. The Gwinnish forces are looking at securing the western areas of Crestwold to hold the shore and disrupt the forces arrayed against it, trying to reclaim the Tarmysian Peninsula.

  • Disrupt and cripple trade from Dunstrand
  • Prevent the the allies of Umbak a means of transport soldiers and goods
  • Draw troops away from the north of Bar-Innis and the pass

Methods: Invasion, fostering discord, use up resources, spread disease/pestilence, interrupt normal trade.

Elancil’s Intervention in Crestwold

The Crestwold campaign is truly epic, in that the gods of the realms make rare direct interventions for their followers. Initially the goddess of Gwinn will not have a personal interest in thwarting the party, except in the sense that they are allied against her forces. Over time, this may change and the GM may introduce a higher chance of disturbing events based on how much they have actively worked against her. Elancil will send bad weather to hamper the party efforts once they start to do significant damage to her forces.

Day and Night: During the night her power is strongest (double the wind strength and precipitation from rain, fog, and mist), but during the day the vigilance of the Wyld Faith and druids clears the skies and sets things right once again.

Noticing: The extremes of weather are definitely something that the PCs have a chance to notice.
After at least 3 days in the field, a Wisdom DC 12 will note the tug of war in the weather.
After days in the field, you notice that the weather seems to be playing a tug of war. During the day, the skies and clearer and less tempestuous. At night, everything drastically changes. Unnatural forces are definitely at play.
After at least 3 days in the field, a Wisdom DC 14 will note the excessive precipitation and fog.
After days in the field, you notice that the weather is laden with moisture. Mist, fog, and rain… storms. More than normal, and the weather to the west is almost always filled with billowing black clouds over Scar Flow.

Any attack at night on positions of her army or navy, or any assault by them will always be accompanied by their enemies being hampered by at least the “Enveloped in Fog” event.

Countering Elancils Magics

Elancil rules by night, when the weather picks up into something worse and brings cold rains and fog in off the sea. Characters that possess the Religion skill, and are followers of a god or great spirit opposed to Elancil (or the Witch of Dwindor), can counter the nasty effects of her wrathful magics. Each effect has a noted counter effect that may be attempted.

Disturbing Weather Events

Each day, twice a day a random event may evince itself. Additionally, any encounter during the campaign can be accompanied by one of these events. 1-3 on d6 chance the following events can be used as a sign of Elancil’s power:
Check Event
1-3 Enveloped in Fog
4-5 Lights Dancing in the Mist
6-7 Extreme Storm
8 Sleet Storm
9 Call Lighting
10 Ice Storm
Worse Conditions: If the PCs use magic on or near a river or stream, or the coast, Elancil’s wrath will increase. Engagements will then have a chance for a worse effects (+2 or more on the check).

Enveloped in Fog

A gradual greying of the air around eventually becomes a wash of the entire area. You find you are enveloped in a thick fog from above, making it hard to see. The fog is cold, wet, and smells faintly of brine.
Sanity DC 10; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze, hinting at terrible things if you continue on. Doubt stirs in your mind.]
[Follower] Religion DC 7 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, the fog rolls back, leaving you with visibility of 60 feet all around your group.]
Encounter: Obscurement:
  • Visibility is reduced to 10′
  • Followers of Elancil can see 60′

Lights Dancing in the Mist

Ahead the mist rolls over the ground, spilling out into the brush and moving upward as a wind blows. Rising from the brush is a column of wind, and bright fireflies dancing in an intricate pattern. They are silent, and seem to shy away from you – dancing all around.
Sanity DC 10; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze – your ears grow warm with their warnings, hinting at terrible things should you venture forth.]
[Follower] Religion DC 9 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, the fog rolls back, lights dim and fade, leaving you with normal visibility.]
Encounter: Will-O-Wisp present in the dancing lights; there will be a body nearby: 1-5 on d6) D20 + 20 silver, 20 silver in gear; 6 on d6) / 1: traveler of some importance (double silver)

Extreme Storm

Ragged lightning crashes through the sky, and northwest winds, cold from the sea, sweep in chilling you to the bone. A faint booming shakes the earth. All of the sudden, a massive downdraft threatens to knock you off your feet and the ground is pulled from under you spooking animals and man alike. Cold water falls in sheets.
Sanity DC 10; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze, screaming terrifyingly in your face – thoughts of doom and the demise of your endeavours fill your mind. You feel yourself drowning, but shake the feeling off.]
[Follower] Religion DC 11 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, the wind is silenced and leaves you with clear visibility.]
Encounter: Dexterity DC 10; D4/2 Cold Damage + D4/2 Thunder Damage and must fall prone or lose hold and tumble D4 x 5 feet. Characters may lose gear or supplies.

Sleet Storm

At first winds tear through the area from the northeast – cold, cold winds. Moisture seems to form in the air and the skies darken rapidly. Suddenly, wet, large flakes of sleet blister through the area, coating everything. The ground hardens and becomes unmerciful.
Sanity DC 10; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze, hinting at terrible things. Its words of pain and madness rip at you, stinging and disorienting you.]
[Follower] Religion DC 13 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, the cold fades and winds die, leaving you with a thin fog and frozen ground that is melting.]
Encounter: Constitution DC 12 vs. Sleet Storm (2nd); Characters also take damage per Ray of Frost if the save is failed and will lose 10’ movement for a day and not heal normally due to a freezing cold that will not leave them until then.

Call Lightning

You gasp as the air is pulled from your lungs. An updraft carries your fears heavenward as the sky blackens and flashes. A jagged bolt of lightning flashes down, followed by several smaller ones.
Sanity DC 10; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze, accusing you of trespass and sucking the air from your breath.]
[Follower] Religion DC 15 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, you breathe easy and the quiet descends again over the area.]
Encounter: Dexterity DC 12 vs. Call Lightning: (3rd)

Ice Storm

One minute the sky and air is peaceful. In what seems to be nothing more than a few heartbeats, the sky darkens from the west, and a cold, salty smell fills the air. Behind this front, a blizzard begins to dump massive amounts of snow and ice.
Perception DC 7; [Whispers come flying across on the breeze, freezing your breath and leaving you unable to move – chilled to the bone.]
[Follower] Religion DC 7 to counter the event; [Speaking words of comfort and command, the fog rolls back, leaving you with visibility of 100 feet.]
Encounter: Ice Storm (4th)

Fighting Against Elancil

Siding with Elancil

The PCs are not meant to side with the storm queen, and the campaign was not originally written for such a turn of events. The PCs may be devout perhaps, or simply mercenary in the sentiments and go to the highest bidder. If the characters opt to serve Elancil in sewing discord and chaos they can find rewards directly from her. Otherwise, taking the side of Gwinn to do the same thing will mean meeting with agents of the Empire. Acting in the interest of Elancil grant those that do so Advantage in all saves against her effects.

  • Money and jewelry cast up from sunken wrecks on the shore
  • Items of art and worth from sunken wrecks cast up the shore
  • Send good weather for investments and allies to succeed
  • Send bad weather for enemies to fail
  • Salt the fields of enemies