Resting and Damaged Anima Relays:
Upon arriving in the Lost City, players find themselves in a race against time. If they rest, the final
encounter of the next issue will become harder. The Red Sargassum Guardian will be joined by 1
Draug Impaler for each short rest players take after arriving in Atlantis, and 1 Draug Warmonger for
each long rest.
At various points in this adventure, players will encounter Damaged Anima Relays that once powered
the city. Each party member can touch a Damaged Anima Relay once and gain one rest effect of their
choice:
They refresh a spell slot. They roll a D6. The number rolled is the maximum level of spell slot
that can be refreshed.
Monks or Sorcerers can roll a D6 and regain Sorcerery or Ki points based on the roll.
They can refresh the uses of an item that has limited uses per day.
They refresh one class feature of their choice that normally refreshes after a short or long rest.
They regain 25 hit points.
They regain 1 sanity.
Red Queen's Aerie:
Players first materialize in a large chamber beneath a massive glass dome smothered by blackness. Any
lights they would have had before transport, magical or otherwise, will have gone out. The room is
constructed of what looks like brass and various other metals, and has a strangely retro-futuristic
aesthetic, with many exposed pipes and gears.
Upon activating a light of some kind, massive black tentacles will pull away from the dome, allowing
players to see out. They find themselves at the top of a huge tower deep beneath the ocean. The tower
looks out over a ruined city of many towers. Some of the intact towers have lights in them, flickering
dimly. Tentacles the size of skyscrapers enshroud the city, cradling the towers or waving in the ocean
currents.
The Atlantean Conduit burns out and shatters.
A staircase at the north edge of the room leads downward to the Anima Division.
Lilith's Lab – Anima Division:
A long rectangular room containing two workbenches covered in incomprehensible devices. The east
workbench also has one of the keycards needed to unlock the elevator. Players enter at the north end. At
the south end is a doorway leading to the Mezzanine.
In the centre is a Damaged Anima Relay and an Unfinished Custodian.
When players enter the room, the lights turn on. A device on the west workbench activates, displaying a
holographic image of a statuesque woman with fiery red hair – Lilith. She is wearing exotic, regal garb,
and her body is encircled by many small tubes carrying golden energy – anima – and black fluid –
Filth. The recording speaks in an unknown language.
Players with the magical ability to comprehend languages can understand her words and determine she
is discussing schematics for the Custodian. If they make an Arcana check, they can gain information on
it based on the result:
1: Nothing.
2-9: They can learn their choice of its AC, max HP, or basic attack damage.
10-15: They learn of its Anima Cannon ability, learning the range but not the damage.
16+: They learn of the Draw Anima ability and its general mechanics.
Shortly thereafter, the Custodian activates and attacks them.
After the Custodian's defeat, intercom speakers around the room will crackle to life, and the Black
Signal will address players:
Sssss... I am the abyss that gazes back – let me in.
Hiya, Chuck. It's John.
Welcome to the Lost City. Atlantis. I shit you not, Chuck. This is the real deal. Specifically, this is
Lilith's old lab. This is where she conducted her experiments and learned to speak to the Dreamer. This
is where the old world died.
There are some bad-bad-bad things locked up here, Chuck, and since that Venice errand boy turned on
the Conduit, they've been waking up. Pretty soon they're gonna get out. Now, normally, this wouldn't
bother me. Ocean-side cities swallowed by black tides, tentacular skies feasting on the soft minds of the
innocent? That shit's my jam, Chuck.
But see, me and the redhead, we aren't on the best terms right now. Sure, she might be having fun
playing with her Nephilim buddies right now, but only a fool would underestimate Lilith. Do I look like
a fool to you, Chuck? No, it's in everyone's best interests if Atlantis stays forgotten.
Better hop to it, Chuck, and don't wait around. Time is running out fast.
Depending on how evil the DM feels like being, they can choose to explain what John's warning
means, or not.
Lilith's Lab – Mezzanine:
A large diamond-shaped room with doorways at each corner. The north doorway leads to the Anima
Division, the east to the Progeny Division, the west to the Hell Division, and the south to the Time
Division. There is also an elevator in the middle, which requires a keycard from each Division to
activate.
The lights turn on when players enter.
The signs over each door can be read by a College of Binding Bard, Circle of the Immaculate Machine
druid, or someone with proficiency in History. The DC is 10.
Lilith's Lab – Progeny Division:
A rectangular room filled with cylindrical glass tanks and alchemical equipment. Most tanks are empty,
but one at the far end contains an Ancient Vampire Mutant. The lights activate when players enter.
When players collect the keycard, the Vampire will wake, smash its way out, and attack. The broken
tank reveals a Damaged Anima Relay behind it.
Lilith's Lab – Time Division:
A long rectangular room with a window looking out over Atlantis at the south end. This lab is totally
ruined, and the lights do not work. The only thing still operating is a console with glowing controls
near the doorway. Players must make a Perception check to find the keycard (DC 12), and when they
do, they discover it's broken.
Activating the console causes time to briefly rewind within the lab, returning to the time just before
Atlantis' fall when the keycard was still intact. The window outside shows a sunny day in Atlantis, with
towers shining in the light and strange flying machines like dragonflies darting through the air. A small
bubble of normal time remains around the console. There is a long table in the centre, and a desk in the
southwest corner that is partially concealed by a shelf running from the west wall. The keycard is on
the desk.
There are two ancient scientists in the rewound lab. Their passive Perception is 10, but they see anyone
within 15 feet directly in front of them. One is at the desk, whereas the other is operating equipment
near the northwest corner. If a scientists sees a player (those in normal time are invisible), the timeline
will be disrupted, normal time will return to the lab, and the player will lose the keycard if they have
collected it. The console can be activated again to rewind again as many times as is needed.
The goal is for one or more players to be sent back in time and remove the keycard without being seen.
When a player enters the past, roll for Initiative for any players in the past and the scientists. They take
turns as normal. Patrol the scientists around on their turns, but have them always follow the same
routes. Players will break stealth if they Dash, and movement spells and abilities will fizzle out without
triggering, but extra movement from effects like Unarmoured Movement or Go-Getter will still
function.
Lilith's Lab – Hell Division:
A rectangular room that has been absolutely trashed, with claw marks on the walls, door, and floor.
Various artifacts of the Hell Dimensions are scattered about. The ceiling is a tangle of pipes. The lights
activate when players enter. There is a Damaged Anima Relay at the far end. The keycard is clearly
visible in the centre of the room.
An Emaciated Oni is hiding in the pipes. Make a Stealth roll for the Oni when players enter the room.
If players do not detect it, it will attack when they collect the keycard or wraps or attempt to use the
Relay, and players may be caught off guard. Otherwise, the Oni attacks when detected.
The elevator shaft:
When all four key cards are collected, players can enter the elevator. When the door closes, the Black
Signal will speak over the intercom:
Have a nice trip, Chuck.
The elevator's controls will flash red, and the car will drop precipitously.
