Vessel of Stars SJ Conversion pt 3

        Random Encounters:  Again, random encounters should be standard SJ
encounters as might be encountered where the PCs are.  Not all need be
hostile.  A rock hopper clan or a pod of kindori could make a nice
break from the tedium of travel without forcing the PCs to draw blood.
It is up to the DM whether or not the PCs encounter the scro search
vessel that is looking for the elven ship.  As the scro actually have
less idea than the PCs where the ship went down it is probable that
they are nowhere near the crash site and so will not be encountered.
If the DM does decide to arrange an encounter the scro are flying a
captured squidship and have 3 warpriests (Clr5/Wiz5) as well as 60
warriors aboard (20 F1, 20 F2, 10 F3 marines, 5 F3 sergeants, 3 F4
lieutenants, a F5 first mate, and a F7 captain).  They should make an
especially difficult encounter if the PCs cannot evade them or deal
with them in ship-to-ship combat.
        The Caverns:  Instead of caverns, the elven ship went down in chasms
on the surface of the asteroid.  Thus the existing map can be used (the
shape of the wreck will have to be altered to match the shape of the
ship that went down).  The chasms are dark, however, as they are
steep-sided and deep, preventing the light above from reaching far down
into them (the asteroid does not move with respect to which side is
facing the primary light source of the sphere^×^Óthe sun^Ô^×so the light
never changes, but it does revolve slowly like a spinning disk, taking
several days to make a full rotation).  The humanoid vessel the elves
were battling crashed even as the elven vessel did when a last minute
critical hit destroyed the humanoids^Ò helm.  The surviving humanoids
have besieged the elves trapped in their ship and it is only a matter
of time before the elves are starved out.  PCs flying over the asteroid
to look for the ship can note the glimmer of the continual flame^Òs on
its upper deck far below, signaling to them the location of the
wreckage.  They can also locate the wreckage of a wasp ship that was
destroyed on impact (the humanoids have salvaged everything of value
from it).  If the PCs attempt to drop straight into the chasm they
should be counseled against it (even a novice would be able to tell
there is no maneuvering room and that sections of the chasm walls
aren^Òt completely stable, bumping one might trigger a collapse^×actually
the chasm walls are relatively stable as the damselfly^Òs crash brought
down the loose portions already, but a dwarf would have to be extremely
close to tell this, closer than merely hovering above) and reminded
there is no guarantee of a safe landing site below.  However, near the
chasm^Òs entrance (area 1) there is a flat area where a ship could land
or they could pull up about a ½ mile away on the edge of the asteroid
on the gravity plane.
        Note that Satura knows of the humanoid threat and will warn the PCs,
though she doesn^Òt know the strength of the humanoids or their
locations.  She also knows the condition of the asteroid^Òs atmosphere
before the PCs arrive.  The asteroid the ships crashed on is considered
to have foul air and all forces on the planet suffer its attendant
effects (stats given are standard and do not take into account the air
quality so DMs need to remember to adjust).  The elves and humanoids
were both lucky they crashed on an asteroid that had an atmosphere of
any sort, most do not.
        The Ship:  The ship is pinned by its tail under debris that collapsed
on it and so cannot rise.  The ship^Òs hatches have been sealed with the
surviving elven crew huddled inside.  The hatches are all arcane locked
and have magic mouth cast on them to warn of any breach.  Fire traps
have also been cast on them and have thus far kept the humanoids from
smashing the hatches.  The ship^Òs minor helm is still intact and if the
elves are freed of their siege situation they will work to free the
ship and lift it off (maneuverability is extremely bad as the rigging
and wings have been destroyed and the tail section has been crushed but
the damselfly can still fly).  The elven crew will not help the PCs in
a battle (they fear a ruse by the humanoids) so their stats are only
given here in brief:  the 6 survivors consist of two hadozee F1, an
elven D5/Wiz4 (the helmsman, the crash occurred when she went into
spelljammer shock), an elven Wiz10 (the person casting sending spells),
and 2 elven F1/Wiz1.
        Note that the scro forces that downed the elven ship were not scro,
they were orcs.  The attack was not planned but instead was an attack
of opportunity.  Now that the scro have discovered the opportunity (the
first mate used a scroll of sending to report the situation but 25
words couldn^Òt convey their location well) they are interested in
capitalizing on it.  Of course, what^Òs in the ship in the way of
information is just orcish fancy, the orcs are really interested in
being rescues and so supplied scro command with a story that would
guarantee a search would be made.  It^Òs up to the DM to decide how
right or wrong the orc^Òs guess was.
        Caverns Area 1:  The humanoids keep a watcher here, hoping to spot and
signal reinforcements (the watcher has a hooded lantern with a
continual flame spell).  When the PC^Òs ship is spotted approaching the
asteroid the watcher retreats to area 4 to notify the humanoid leaders.
 An augury spell immediately reveals to them that the PCs are not
friends and the humanoids prepare to fight.  When the PCs arrive they
can locate tracks (tracking check) for a number of humanoids through
the rubble.  Note that the bushes shown are not bushed but rather are
fallen boulders from above.  They are jagged as there is no wind or
rain.  Entering the chasm is not an issue once the boulders are
navigated as there is no ceiling.  Sheer (and crumbly^×making them
impossible to climb) cliff walls rise on both sides.  The party will
need to bring their own light though enough light is reflected from the
rock walls (which include some salt crystals and glassy smooth areas)
seeps in for low light vision characters to see as though it were dusk
(as though it were ½ illumination for a human).  Humans and others with
merely normal sight cannot see at all without light.
        Caverns Area 2:  Hren is not hiding here, nor are any other animals.
This rubble should convince the party that they made the right decision
by not flying into the chasm.  A magic mouth has been set here to go
off if anyone who is not an orc, scro, ogre, goblin, or hobgoblin
passes.  It yells ^ÓEnemies!^Ô 25 times in orcish and informs the
humanoids of the PCs^Ò progress as well as informing the PCs that they
are not going to attain surprise.  The landslide danger is still a
reality also.  The rubble that fills the chasm from a landslide will
not due so to greater than 20^Ò depth and can be carefully crawled over
(it will have to settle before it can be walked over, even carefully).
        Caverns Area 3:  Instead of a rope and wood bridge, the humanoids used
sections of their ship to create a crude bridge across this extra deep
area of the chasm.  The bridge has no ropes at all and the chasm below
is only 20^Ò deep (not 50^Ò as given in the module).  The humanoids have
left the bridge in place, anchored by rubble piled on either end, as
they don^Òt want to have to reconstruct it.  The bridge contains both
planking and structural supports from the humanoids^Ò wasp ship as well
as the destroyed heavy ballista it had formerly mounted.  Additionally
they hope to lure the PCs^Ò in with a false sense of security (they
forgot the magic mouth at area 2 as that was established to alert them
to an escape attempt, not possible entry from outside, once it went off
it was too late to adjust plans).  The humanoids stripped their dead
(stripped naked) and threw them into the chasm.  As such 5 orc corpses
lie below.
        Caverns Area 4:  No mushrooms exist here as there is no native life on
the asteroid.  Among the large boulders are dirty sleeping mats for the
humanoids (salvaged from their ship), a cracked but whole chest
containing a holy symbol of Gruumsh, a hooded lantern with a continual
flame spell (the signal lantern described in Area 1, the humanoids
forgot it here, possibly providing the PCs with a light source), 5
suits of studded leather armor, 2 small wooden shields, a broadsword, 4
battle axes, a masterwork longsword of elven make (the elven captain^Òs,
the orc have not yet determined its quality, the elves will claim it to
return to his family), 2 bucklers, a cracked longsword, a suit of elven
chainmail sized for an elf, a wrecked wheellock (barrel crushed,
mechanism broken, and handle cracked), and the bones of several
creatures (successful knowledge(nature) checks reveal these to be bones
of an elf and 3 hadozee^×the captain and 3 of the crew of the
damselfly).  A small firepit containing only ashes beside which sits a
large, dented metal jug full of water (the water also has a lot of dust
in it but is safe to drink if unpleasant tasting).  4 orcs hide in the
back of the cave, hoping PCs will head to area 5 so they can seal the
ambush.  3 of the orcs have ballista bolts (the last of the wasp^Òs
ballista bolts) which they will use as spears in melee.  They set them
to receive charges from PCs after moving to block escape while the 4th
orc attempts to take spellcasters and missile troops from the rear by
firing his crossbow at them.  The crossbowman stays behind his fellow
orcs, using them for cover.  Note that if the PCs insist on
investigating what^Òs amid the boulders the orcs attempt to attack with
surprise (charging into melee) while calling for support from their
brethren.  The ogres and orcs from area 5 will arrive to help them in 2
rounds and the orcs from area 6 will arrive the next round.
        Orc males (4):  HD 1d8; hp 6, 6, 1, 7; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13; Atk
+3 melee (1d8+2, crit. x3, ballista bolt/longspear), +3 melee (1d8+2,
crit. x3, battle axe), +1 ranged (1d8, crit. 19-20/x2, light crossbow);
AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will -1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis
8, Cha 8
Skills and Feats:  listen +2, spot +2; alertness
Possessions:  studded leather armor, battle axe, 1d8 sp; 3 have
ballista bolt and 1 (1 hp) has a light crossbow and case of 13 quarrels
Caverns Area 5:  When the PCs reach this spot they can see the
continual flame spells atop the wreck of the damselfly.  From the PCs^Ò
right will suddenly charge the two ogres and 6 orc warriors.  The
humanoids are attempting to get the PCs to flee to area 6 where they
will be ambushed and forced to either retreat down the dead-end
corridor where they will be trapped or to fight.  If the PCs stand and
fight the ogres and orcs (who appear from concealment behind the wreck)
the orc cleric in area 6 will order his companions to attack after 2
rounds of battle.  He will begin casting spells as they charge,
entering battle the next round.  Regardless, the orcs in area 4 will
move to block any retreat to area 3 or 4 and will be in position as
described for area 4 in 3 rounds.
The elven ship lies in this area and can be investigated by PCs.  Its
hull, being metal, was not ruptured in the crash but the tail section
was crushed.  The windows are unbreakable glassteel covered in orc
feces.  Satura^Òs voice and face or some careful convincing will get
them to open the hatch and come out.  Once they see they are freed they
will use stone shape spells to help remove the stones holding them down
and then carefully raise the ship into space.  They wouldn^Òt mind a tow
home (if the PCs don^Òt mind) as their ship is nearly un-maneuverable at
this point and their ballista is destroyed.  If they part ways with the
PCs they will provide healing for wounded PCs first and Satura will
join them after retrieving her things from the PCs^Ò ship.  The PCs will
be paid whatever was agreed to now as the pay is in Satura^Òs chest.
Note that if the PCs need help against the humanoids the elves might be
able to see through a slight clear spot in a portal and will come to
the PCs aid.
        Orc males (6):  HD 1d8; hp 2, 8, 5, 6, 6, 3; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC
13; Atk +3 melee (1d8+2, crit. x3, battle axe); AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref
+0, Will -1; Str 15, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8
Skills and Feats:  listen +2, spot +2; alertness
Possessions:  studded leather armor, battle axe, 1d8 sp
        Ogre males (2): HD 4d8+8; hp 28, 23; Init -1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16; Atk
+8 melee (2d6+7, huge greatclub); AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1;
Str 21, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills and Feats:  listen +2, spot +2, climb +4; weapon focus (great
club)
Possessions:  hide armor, huge great club, 2d6 gp


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