part2

Part2

Part 2: Terrors of the Void

Chapter 4: A Friend Indeed
En route to the Rock of Bral, the characters discovered a derelict nautiloid drifting in an asteroid field. Only too late did they realize that another, more dangerous ship was lurking nearby, waiting to spring its trap!
A nightspider crewed by neogi has made its presence known, but the characters aren’t forced to deal with any new problems. The timely arrival of a naval patrol drives off the neogi raiders, after which the patrol sees the party safely to the Rock of Bral. There, the characters part ways with Captain Sartell, who encourages them to seek out a giff insurgent named Commodore Krux. The giff brings the characters to his spelljamming vessel, the Second Wind. They set out into Wildspace pursued by Hastain, a deadly ally of the Xaryxian Empire.
Before running this session, familiarize yourself with the Rock of Bral, which is described in chapter 3 of the Astral Adventurer’s Guide. When the characters finally arrive at the Rock, you can show players the poster map of the asteroid city.
Nightspider Dead Ahead
The neogi ship bearing down on the Moondancer at the end of chapter 3 is a nightspider called the Ebonsnare. See chapter 2 of the Astral Adventurer’s Guide for more information on nightspiders.
The Ebonsnare is crewed by eight neogi pirates (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) and twenty commoners of various races and alignments, whom the neogi have enslaved. The neogi also keep two umber hulks on board for use as shock troops during their raids. The nightspider is 250 feet away from the Moondancer when the characters spot it.
The characters likely have little chance of repelling the neogi boarding party, especially if they have just fought off the psurlons hiding aboard the derelict nautiloid in chapter 3. Luckily, a patrol from the Rock of Bral happens upon the characters just in time to save them from having to fight the neogi. Alternatively, if the characters avoided encountering the psurlons or seem eager to test their mettle against the nightspider’s crew, allow a group of four neogi pirates and one umber hulk to board the Moondancer, then have the patrol arrive at a suitably dramatic moment during the fight.
To the Rescue!
As the nightspider approaches the Moondancer (or after a few rounds of battle, if you decide to allow the characters and the neogi to clash), read:
Suddenly, two galleons glide into view and begin pummeling the nightspider with ballista bolts and mangonel stones, forcing it to break off its attack and make for the cover of the asteroids.
The newly arrived space galleons are the Stalwart and the Incorrigible, both under the command of a lawful neutral githyanki buccaneer (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) named Daar’vik. The Stalwart’s crew consists of eighteen bandits of various races and alignments. The crew of the Incorrigible consists of eighteen hadozee shipmates (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) of various alignments. The spelljammer aboard each ship is a lawful neutral, human mage.
Commander Daar’vik, aboard the Incorrigible, is familiar with both the Moondancer and its captain, whom he considers little better than a pirate, though the githyanki grudgingly respects Elaina Sartell’s commission. His ship pulls up alongside the Moondancer so that Daar’vik can hail Captain Sartell and ask where the Moondancer is headed. She tells him that the Moondancer is going to the Rock of Bral, and Daar’vik offers to provide an escort—an offer Sartell readily accepts in the wake of the nightspider’s ambush.
If the Moondancer appears to be under the control of someone other than Captain Sartell (such as Traevus, the astral elves, or the characters), Daar’vik is suspicious and insists on escorting the ship back to the Rock of Bral, where he has it impounded until the question of its ownership can be resolved. Whether or not the characters allow him to do this is up to them.
If Captain Sartell is compelled to refuse Daar’vik’s offer of escort (perhaps because someone is holding her ship hostage or using magic to control her behavior), the githyanki commander wishes her safe travels and sets his ships in pursuit of the nightspider.
Welcome to the Rock
When the characters arrive at the Rock of Bral, read or paraphrase the following boxed text:
Sunlight illuminates the rooftops and spires of a city built across the top of a gigantic asteroid. The asteroid’s underside has structures as well, including fortresses and giant sails. Wooden docks protrude from one end of the asteroid, and a variety of ships are moored there. Space-dwelling fish scatter in front of you as your ship adjusts its heading until the docks are straight ahead and level with the ship’s main deck. Pier workers stand ready to catch ropes and tie off the ship as it glides alongside one of the docks and slows to a stop.
“Welcome to the Rock!” says Captain Sartell. “This is where we part ways.”
If she hasn’t done so already, Captain Sartell urges the characters to seek out Commodore Krux, a giff who has clashed with astral elves in the past and who might be able to help the characters plan their next move. Sartell knows that Krux can usually be found at the Happy Beholder, a popular tavern.
The characters are free to explore the city. If the party puts off meeting Krux for too long, move the story forward by having Captain Sartell send them a message that astral elves are searching for them, and they need to get off the Rock fast.
Commodore Krux
Characters who venture to the Happy Beholder can find Commodore Krux there, day or night, nursing a hefty flagon of ale. When the characters enter the tavern, read:
A large, spherical creature with eyestalks and a watchful central eye tends bar in this establishment. Filling one side of a table meant for six is a broad-chested, hippo-headed man with a green parrot perched on one shoulder. The haggard figure squints at you over the top of an enormous tankard, then waves invitingly to the seats across from him.

COMMODORE KRUX
Krux is a lawful good giff shipmate (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie), a soldier who believes his glory days are behind him. Krux has spent the last few years working as a mercenary on and around the Rock of Bral, but lately the giff has been spending more time in his cups as new jobs have become fewer and farther between. The parrot perched on Krux’s shoulder isn’t his; the bird belongs to Large Luigi, the tavern’s beholder proprietor. Luigi uses the parrot to help cheer up downtrodden patrons.
Krux’s demeanor brightens if the characters mention what’s happening to their home world or start to describe their encounter with the astral elves in chapter 2. The giff leans forward intently, shoves his tankard to the side, and implores the characters to tell him everything. Krux grows visibly excited as he listens to the party’s tale; by the end of it, he is willing to aid the characters in their effort to save their world from what he calls the Xaryxian Empire, based on similar attacks he has heard about occurring on other worlds.
Krux is tight-lipped regarding his own history with the Xaryxian Empire as well as how he plans to help the characters, indicating that it is best not to say too much where others might overhear:
“A fleet of astral elf ships visited the Rock of Bral a few days before launching the attack on your world. The elves gave fair warning to various captains on the Rock, urging them to steer clear of your world lest their ships be fired upon. The elves undoubtedly left spies behind to make sure their warnings were heeded. Best we continue this chat aboard my ship.”
On the way to Krux’s ship, the characters are accosted by four lawful evil astral elf warriors (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) wearing cloaks and visors to conceal their identities. These elves (named Faarfryn, Helix, Kekarion, and Lannis) seek to avenge the defeat of Captain Azmadian and the Dark Star by killing the characters in the streets. Gadaric Main, the proconsul to Prince Andru of Bral, has given these emissaries diplomatic immunity. As a result, there’s no one to stand in the elves’ way. If he is present, Krux fights alongside the characters but is poisoned for the duration of the fight, due to his drunkenness.
If the characters are in danger of being defeated by the astral elves, a dozen commoners begin throwing stones and food at the astral elves. A few brazen locals even start attacking the elves with sticks and clubs. Realizing they’re outnumbered, the elves withdraw while threatening to finish off the characters later.
The Second Wind
Krux hurriedly ushers the party toward the docks in hopes of making a quick getaway aboard his ship. As the characters make their way to the Rock of Bral’s docks with Krux at their side, read:
Stately galleons, sleek cutters that resemble flying fish, and warships built to look like hammerhead sharks line the docks of Bral. Krux waves his arm toward a craft that seems modest by comparison.
The ship’s sails are patchworks of mended canvas, while its hull seems barely held together by thick vines that bind it like rope. Its strangest feature is the full-grown tree that sprouts from the aft deck.
“The Second Wind,” Krux declares pridefully. “Isn’t she something?”
The Second Wind is a living ship equipped with two jolly boats called Little Boom and Big Bluster (see the “Jolly Boats” sidebar). See chapter 2 of the Astral Adventurer’s Guide for the living ship’s deck plans and weaponry.

LIVING SHIP DECK PLANS
VIEW UNLABELED VERSION
The living ship’s spelljamming helm, located belowdecks, looks like an antique chair with golden upholstery and arms sculpted to look like smiling dolphins. The right arm is loose and falls off easily (which has no effect on the item’s functionality), and the chair reeks of stale ale. The chair is held aloft and stabilized by green crystals under the seat that project a magical green circle onto the floor.
As Krux and the characters board the vessel, they are accosted by its current captain, Fel Ardra, a chaotic neutral, tiefling cult fanatic who has been renting use of the ship from Krux. Fel is irate at Krux because she still has forty days left on her lease, and the tiefling is preparing to undertake a big job when the party arrives.
JOLLY BOATS
A spelljamming ship can be outfitted with one or more jolly boats, which use the rowboat statistics in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. In space, jolly boats are used to cross the gulf between two ships whose gravity planes and air envelopes intersect (on occasions when bringing the bigger ships alongside each other would be risky), or to travel to or from a pier that is either too small or too crowded to accommodate a larger vessel.
A jolly boat can be lowered into the gravity plane of a larger ship or object, where it bobs like a boat in water. A jolly boat is too small to support a spelljamming helm, so the crew must use oars to steer and propel it as it “floats” in the gravity plane. A jolly boat without a gravity plane to float in becomes uncontrollable, though its own air envelope has enough air to sustain one crew member for 8 hours or four crew members for 2 hours each.
Fel Ardra
Fel Ardra is a capable spelljammer who, under different circumstances, could make a comfortable living selling her services to other captains. As it happens, though, the tiefling has turned to smuggling to make enough coin to buy her way out of an infernal contract she entered into many years ago.

FEL ARDRA
Although Krux doesn’t approve of Fel’s line of business, the giff has had a soft spot for her ever since the two met. Fel sees their relationship as purely transactional, but Krux is convinced the tiefling has a heart of gold, and he keeps trying to persuade her to give up smuggling. Now, with the party’s arrival, Krux envisions the makings of a grand adventure, one he hopes that he and the characters can convince Fel to join.
For her part, Fel is indifferent to the party’s plight and says that if Krux wants his ship back ahead of time, he’ll have to refund the rest of her lease payment, which amounts to 400 gp. Krux says he is prepared to pay her back. Fel, however, can sense the giff’s desperation, so she insists on also being compensated for the lost revenue of her next venture, which she figures to be 3,000 gp. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes Fel is bluffing—the tiefling secretly reckons she would be lucky to clear 1,000 gp—but she has always suspected Krux of having deep pockets and has no qualms about trying to gouge him. In truth, Krux has squandered most of his money and can barely afford to return the balance of Fel’s lease payment, let alone pay the extra amount she’s demanding.
Negotiation is not Krux’s strong suit, and the giff turns to the characters for help in convincing Fel to let them use the ship. A character can do so by impressing upon her the urgency of the party’s mission and succeeding on a DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. The check is made with advantage if the characters refund the rest of Fel’s lease payment (400 gp). If the check fails, Fel is unmoved, and further attempts by that character to sway her fall on deaf ears.
If the party doesn’t have any spellcasters, Krux points out that they will need to hire a spelljammer. If the party tries to retain Fel’s services for this purpose, the tiefling insists on a fee of 1,000 gp in addition to whatever agreement they reach regarding her other demands. If it’s obvious the party can’t pay what she’s asking up front, Fel is willing to accompany them in exchange for a 25 percent share of any treasure they find until she is paid in full.
If the party threatens to take the Second Wind by force, Fel storms off the ship. Within an hour, she finds four veterans who are willing to help her retake the ship. These veterans are armed with pistols (range 30/90 ft.) instead of heavy crossbows. If the Second Wind isn’t gone by the time she returns, Fel and her hired guns attack.
Flinch
The first mate of the Second Wind is a neutral good hadozee explorer (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) whom Krux refers to as Mister Flinch. The hadozee is also a skilled seamster; the repairs to the ship’s sails are his work. Upon meeting the characters, the friendly hadozee begins offering unsolicited guidance on how to improve their wardrobes.
Flinch is an old comrade-in-arms of Commodore Krux and stands by the giff through thick and thin. The hadozee knows about Krux’s history with the astral elves but says nothing of it, replying, if pressed, that “’tis not my tale to tell.” Flinch has spent the last several months keeping an eye on the ship for Krux while serving in Fel’s crew. He is relieved to have Krux back on board and glad to see his friend in such high spirits, though he privately worries that if their upcoming mission should fail, that might be more than the old soldier could bear.
Starbough
The tree rooted to the Second Wind’s sterncastle is a treant named Starbough, who is largely indifferent to the aims of either Krux or the party. Like many of its kind, the treant considers most Humanoids’ problems to be fleeting affairs and takes a much longer view of life.
Within Starbough’s reach are ten mangonel stones, which the treant can throw like rocks.
To the Edge of Wildspace
Once the characters are aboard the Second Wind and safely off the Rock of Bral, Krux reveals his plan to them: to travel to another Wildspace system called Doomspace, where enemies of the Xaryxian Empire are assembling a coalition. Krux believes that the characters’ only hope of saving their planet lies in joining the coalition. Krux doesn’t know much about Doomspace, though, so the ship’s immediate destination is a lonely tower on an asteroid, where a wizard-cartographer named Topolah lives. Topolah is Krux’s friend, and he’s certain she will be able to provide him with a map of Doomspace. Her tower is at the very edge of the Wildspace system.
Having a new venture to occupy his thoughts lifts Krux’s spirits. The giff stops drinking and moves about his ship with purpose and authority, barking out orders like the military commander he once was. Any time the conversation turns to Krux’s history with the Xaryxian Empire, however, the giff becomes quiet and brooding. It’s obvious there is a painful memory Krux doesn’t feel comfortable sharing yet; if pressed, the giff waves dismissively, muttering, “Things are bound to turn out differently this time.” (More information about Krux’s secret can be found in chapter 7.)
Ruthless Reigar
Because of their exploits earlier in this adventure, the characters have unknowingly made an enemy of Hastain, a chaotic evil reigar (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) who lives in a small palace on the Rock of Bral. Hastain is a longtime ally of the Xaryxian Empire, which holds a grudge against Commodore Krux (for reasons described in chapter 7). Hastain’s spies have been watching the giff, reporting on his activities and contacts.
When word of the recent altercation between the characters and the astral elves gets back to Hastain, the reigar decides to punish the characters for their insolence. Hastain pursues them in an esthetic (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie), which trails the Second Wind at a safe distance. Once it becomes obvious that the party is heading to meet Topolah, a wizard the reigar knows by reputation, Hastain decides to put an end to the characters’ meddling:
Closing in from behind is a gigantic, bioluminescent, jellyfish-like creature with a flamboyantly dressed figure standing inside its glassy dome.

HASTAIN
The esthetic is 250 feet away at the start of the battle and tries to get close enough to attack the Second Wind with its tentacles. The reigar casts dimension door on their first turn, using the spell to board the party’s ship. When that happens, read:
A magical doorway appears on the main deck of your ship. The flamboyantly dressed figure steps through it brandishing a trident, and the doorway closes behind them. Sparkling light surrounds the figure. “Heading to Topolah’s tower, are we? I don’t think so. My friends in the Xaryxian Empire don’t want you meddling in their affairs.
“But forgive me, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Hastain. When the elves came looking for a suitable world to nourish their dying star, I suggested yours. It isn’t every day I get to witness the destruction of a planet. I promise, it will end beautifully—even if you’re not alive to see it.”
Hastain uses Summon Duplicate on their second turn in combat. While the reigar and the duplicate attack the characters, the esthetic uses Jammerscream against the Second Wind, then moves close enough to the ship to attack with its tentacles if it isn’t close enough already.
Victory
If Hastain dies, the esthetic uses Jammerscream against the Second Wind if the ship’s spelljamming helm hasn’t already been disabled.
If the characters win the battle but their spelljamming helm is disabled, read:
You have won a victory, but at what cost? You’re stranded on a ship without a functional spelljamming helm, adrift in the vast ocean of Wildspace.
Here ends chapter 4.
Defeat
If the characters and their allies are defeated, the reigar returns to the esthetic and commands it to demolish what’s left of the Second Wind. Enough of the ship’s air envelope remains to keep any surviving characters and crew members alive for 8 hours.
If Hastain prevails but the esthetic did not survive, the reigar takes control of the Second Wind and flies it back to the Rock of Bral, but only after jettisoning the characters and crew and leaving them with enough flotsam and jetsam around them to provide only an hour or two of breathable air.
Here ends chapter 4.
Chapter 5: Living on the Edge
The Xaryxian Empire attacked the characters’ world, forcing them to take refuge on the Rock of Bral. There, they met a sympathetic giff named Krux. Aboard his ship, the Second Wind, the characters headed to a wizard’s tower on the outskirts of Wildspace, where Krux hopes to acquire a map. En route to the tower, the Second Wind was attacked by Hastain, an evil ally of the Xaryxian Empire!
If the Second Wind was disabled or destroyed in the last session, the characters get to the wizard’s tower with the help of a pod of migrating kindori.
Once they reach their destination, Krux and the characters hope to obtain a map of Doomspace from Topolah, a reclusive wizard. After defeating a void scavver named Big Momma, the characters seek out a notorious pirate who might be willing to join their fight against the Xaryxian Empire.
Adrift
If the Second Wind is intact and its spelljamming helm is functional, skip ahead to “Topolah’s Tower.”
If the Second Wind was destroyed or its spelljamming helm was disabled, read the following text to begin the session:
Krux takes a drag from his pipe. “Settle in, everyone. We could be here for a while.”
The characters have enough time to take a short rest before the kindori arrive.
Kindori Pod
An hour after the events of the previous chapter, the characters encounter a pod of six kindori (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) flying across space along a migration route. The kindori defend themselves if attacked but otherwise pose no threat.
The kindori keep their distance, staying at least 100 feet away from the crew of the Second Wind. The kindori are, however, attracted to lights. If the characters don’t think of it themselves, Commodore Krux encourages someone to flash or wave a light to get the pod’s attention. Flashing or waving a light causes one or two kindori to approach within 15 feet of the light’s source while the remaining kindori keep their distance.
Lassoing and Riding a Kindori
A character who has a rope can use an action to try to lasso a kindori, treating the rope as an improvised ranged weapon. Alternatively, a character within reach of a kindori can to try to climb onto its body as an action, doing so with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Lassoing or riding a kindori doesn’t cause it to attack.
A kindori lashed to the Second Wind with rope pulls the ship across space in whatever direction it is headed. Krux knows the way to Topolah’s tower and can indicate which direction the kindori must go to reach it. The tower isn’t along the whales’ migration path, so a character must coax the kindori into altering course.
As an action, a character mounted on a kindori can try to guide it in a particular direction, doing so with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. This check has advantage if the character has some way to communicate with the kindori (telepathy, for example). If the check fails, the kindori refuses to alter course. If the check fails by 5 or more, the kindori also dislodges the character, who is pushed 10 feet away from the kindori before falling into its gravity plane.
With the help of one or more kindori, the characters arrive at Topolah’s tower after 72 hours of travel, after which the kindori resume their migration. If the Second Wind is intact and its spelljamming helm becomes operational before then, Krux orders the characters to release the kindori so the creatures can go on their way.
Topolah’s Tower
Topolah’s tower is perched on a flat-topped asteroid with an air envelope that extends 180 feet above and below the asteroid and 100 feet away from its sides. The asteroid’s gravity plane intersects it horizontally at the level of the docks and the base of the tower.

TOPALAH’S TOWER
VIEW PLAYER VERSION
As the tower comes into view, read:
A crooked tower perches atop a small asteroid, surrounded by a cloud of twinkling cosmic dust.
Through his spyglass, Krux examines the rock upon which the tower stands and the decrepit wooden pier that juts from one side of it. “Mr. Flinch,” he says, “ready the jolly!”
If the Second Wind was lost in the previous chapter, characters can ride the kindori to the dock. Otherwise, Krux is concerned about the poor state of Topolah’s dock and fears the Second Wind might accidentally smash it to flinders or rip it off its moorings. For this reason, he orders Flinch to deploy a jolly boat while the Second Wind remains 100 feet away, its gravity plane aligned with the gravity plane of the asteroid. Flinch uses a winch to lower Big Bluster, one of the Second Wind’s jolly boats, into the overlapping gravity planes of Topolah’s Tower and the Second Wind. Characters can use the six oars aboard the jolly boat to propel it to the docks while Krux stands proudly in the bow, pointing to the dock as if the destination were not obvious.
Approaching the Dock
As Krux and the characters make their way to the dock, read:
Scores of pelicans, mollymawks, and smaller birds nesting on the asteroid squawk as you approach the rickety dock. At the end of the dock, two gray, shark-like creatures fight over the remains of a pelican.
A woman with frayed robes and bare feet sits in a rocking chair at the base of the tower watching the fracas, her face half hidden by a wide-brimmed hat that has a blue jay perched on it. The woman leaps to her feet, brandishes a staff, and snarls, “Go on, git!” A fiery ray springs from her fingertip, frightening away the shark-like creatures.
The woman is Topolah, a chaotic good mage. She is elated to receive visitors, especially since one of them is her old friend Krux.
After welcoming Krux and his companions to her tower, Topolah insists on showing the characters her abode (see “Tour of the Tower” below). If Krux or the characters mention the purpose of their visit (to acquire a map of Doomspace), Topolah tells them she’ll talk business only after the tour is over.
Tower Features
Aside from its crooked architecture, Topolah’s tower has the following features:
Autognomes. When Topolah purchased an expensive telescope from Orwyck Cogsworth, a gnome inventor on the Rock of Bral, he threw in eight autognomes (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) that he built in his likeness, each sporting a dazzling metal mustache. The indifferent autognomes have the three directives common to all their kind plus the following directive: “Defend Topolah from hostile creatures.”

TOPOLAH AND HER BIRDS
Birds. Harmless birds nest in all areas of the tower.
Ceilings and Floors. Openings in the floors and ceilings connect the tower’s three levels. A magical rope-and-pulley mechanism serves as an elevator; a creature need only grab hold of the rope and say “up” or “down” to be hoisted or lowered one floor as desired.
Illumination. Continual flame spells bathe the interior in bright light. Topolah can suppress or reactivate the illumination on a particular floor by clapping three times while she is on that floor.
Walls. From the outside, the tower initially appears to have no windows. Topolah can cause an open window (up to 4 feet wide by 10 feet tall) to appear on any wall simply by touching it, or she can make a window disappear with a snap of her fingers. A creature in a window (perhaps sitting on the sill) when the opening disappears is pushed out of the tower a split second before the window vanishes.
Tour of the Tower
Topolah gives the characters a quick look at each floor of her tower, showing them how to operate the rope-and-pulley device to get from one floor to the next.
The boxed text describing each floor of the tower includes information that Topolah gives during her tour.
First Floor
Four ring-shaped garden terraces line the walls of this cylindrical chamber. The gardens are vertically spaced every ten feet and brimming with luscious fruits, vegetables, and golden wheat. Four mechanical gnomes wearing harnesses tend to the plants. The harnesses are attached to ropes that loop around pulleys affixed to the ceiling, enabling the gnomes to hoist themselves into the air and move from one plot to another.
“Most of my sustenance comes from these gardens,” says Topolah. “I get regular deliveries of fresh soil from dohwar merchants, and they get home-grown food and birds’ eggs in return.”
The four autognomes (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) here are named Orwyck 1, Orwyck 3, Orwyck 6, and Orwyck 8. Their rope-and-pulley harnesses enable them to tend to the gardens.
Second Floor
This floor houses a modest kitchen where two mechanical gnomes are preparing dinner. Furnishings include an unmade bed, a wardrobe topped with bird nests, and a bookshelf packed with astrological texts and more bird nests.
“Here are my living quarters,” says Topolah, “where I read my books and take my meals. My autognomes have no shortage of recipes. Today’s repast is a deep-fried night scavver steak with a lunar béchamel.”
The two autognomes (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie), Orwyck 2 and Orwyck 4, pay no mind to guests as they prepare Topolah’s next meal.
Treasure. Topolah’s wardrobe contains an assortment of wizardly garments, including a robe of useful items, and her spellbook, the cover of which is splattered with dry bird droppings. The spellbook contains all the spells Topolah has prepared plus the following: air bubble (appears in the Astral Adventurer’s Guide), grease, haste, and Rary’s telepathic bond.
Third Floor
Two mechanical gnomes are using rags to polish a ten-foot-long copper telescope in the center of this chamber. Dozens of star maps lie atop tables that are also littered with sketches of planets and otherworldly landscapes.
“And here is my observatory!” remarks Topolah proudly. “I acquired my autognomes from the same fellow who sold me this telescope, which allows me to spy on all the worlds in this system and gaze at stars in other systems as well.”
Topolah walks across the room and touches a wall, whereupon a tall opening appears in front of the telescope. “Would you care to have a look?”
The two autognomes (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie), Orwyck 5 and Orwyck 7, keep a close eye on visitors.
The telescope is pointed at the characters’ home world. Topolah has been observing the planet for the past several days. Anyone who looks through the telescope can see crystalline vines engulfing the planet.
Star Maps. The observatory contains forty-two maps of various Wildspace systems. None of them depict Doomspace or Xaryxispace (the two other systems featured in this adventure).
Treasure. A Wildspace orrery (see the Astral Adventurer’s Guide) rests on a shelf. Topolah acquired this magic item from a mercane trader some time ago but lost interest in the item because it makes her feel obsolete.
Obtaining a Map
After finishing her tour, Topolah is ready to talk business. She starts the conversation with “What brings you to my tower?”
When she finds out that Krux was expecting her to have a map of Doomspace, Topolah reluctantly says she doesn’t have one. But to take its place, she is willing to part with the Wildspace orrery she keeps in her observatory. In exchange, she asks the characters to agree to dispose of a local threat:
“A void scavver has started prowling around my tower. I call her Big Momma because she’s enormous. I’m surprised you didn’t come across her, but then, she can be hard to see—except for her single red eye. I’ll give you my Wildspace orrery if you slay Big Momma for me.”
Topolah trusts Krux and the characters to make good on their promise to kill Big Momma. Before giving them the Wildspace orrery, Topolah explains how it works:
“This gizmo shows you where you are in relation to the planets, moons, and sun in a Wildspace system, but you must be in Wildspace to use it. To get to another system, you must first enter the Astral Sea, which will take you wherever you want to go. Once you reach your destination, use the orrery to get your bearings.”
As they leave her tower and head back to their ship, she wishes them luck saving their world from annihilation.
If Krux and the characters no longer have a ship, Topolah allows them to stay with her until another ship arrives, in which case you should modify the rest of this chapter as follows:
Modify the “Oh, Momma!” encounter so that the void scavver attacks characters who loiter outside Topolah’s tower or on the dock.
An hour after Big Momma is defeated, a cosmic storm engulfs Topolah’s tower. While marveling at the storm, Topolah conveys the information in the “Old Flame” section.
During the cosmic storm, Grimzod Gargenhale pays Topolah a visit. Conclude with “The Last Breath,” skipping over “Gargenhale’s Fleet.”
Oh, Momma!
Ask the players which character has the Wildspace orrery. If none of the characters want to carry it, Krux takes it. With the item in their possession, Krux and the characters can hop aboard their jolly boat and return to the Second Wind.
Have Krux and each character make a DC 21 Wisdom (Perception) check. Those who fail the check are surprised when Big Momma attacks:
As the jolly boat approaches the Second Wind, an enormous jet-black behemoth glides out of the darkness and cosmic dust, its red eye glowing brightly as its jaws open wide. Long, stringy strands of saliva break off into weightless globs as the ravenous monster descends from above.

BIG MOMMA
Big Momma, a void scavver (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie), starts the encounter 40 feet from the characters’ jolly boat, which is 50 feet from the end of Topolah’s dock and the same distance away from the Second Wind. On its first turn, the void scavver swims up to the jolly boat and attacks a random character. Characters who were surprised can’t act until the next round.
A character can use an action and a pair of oars to row the jolly boat 10 feet horizontally in any direction along the gravity plane shared by Topolah’s asteroid and the Second Wind. Unlike the jolly boat, Big Momma flies through space like a fish through water and can move in any direction.
Belly of the Beast
If slain, Big Momma regurgitates a partially digested dwarf skeleton wearing a fish suit (see the Astral Adventurer’s Guide).
Old Flame
After the incident with Big Momma, it dawns on Topolah that she might know someone willing to help the characters further. She casts fly on herself and lands on the deck of the Second Wind shortly after the characters are back on board but before the ship departs.
Topolah offers to introduce the characters to a potential ally, Grimzod Gargenhale. She provides the following information:
Grimzod is a pirate who has fought many battles against astral elves. Grimzod and Topolah had a tryst that never amounted to much and ended with a peaceful breakup.
He has a small fleet of ships nearby and might be persuaded to help the characters.
Gargenhale owes Topolah a favor.
Topolah doesn’t mention that in the years following their breakup, Gargenhale met his mortal end and rose again as a vampirate. Topolah fears that the crew of the Second Wind might be discouraged by learning this fact before they meet Gargenhale in person. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check determines that Topolah is withholding information about Gargenhale and, if they call her out on it, can convince her to spill the beans.
If she’s asked about it, Topolah doesn’t divulge why their relationship fell apart, but she’s quick to point out that she ended things with Gargenhale, not the other way around.
Welcome Aboard?
If the characters accept Topolah’s offer to lead them to Gargenhale’s fleet, she attunes to the spelljamming helm of the Second Wind and pilots the ship with precision, grumbling occasionally about the vessel’s lack of a battering ram.
If the characters prefer to continue without Topolah, she lets out a wistful sigh and hangs her head in disappointment. After giving Krux the directions to Gargenhale’s fleet, she tips her hat at the characters and returns to her tower for a much-needed nap.
Gargenhale’s Fleet
Whether the characters head for Gargenhale’s fleet or immediately set sail for Doomspace, their course takes them toward the wreckage of a recent battle:
Dead ahead, you see a cloud of debris that appears to be the drifting wreckage of several ships. Krux shouts, “To arms!” Peering through his spyglass, he adds, “Looks like three flying fishes, three lampreys, two squid ships, and two star moths.”
Krux’s count is accurate. If Topolah is aboard the Second Wind, she recognizes the flying fish ships, lamprey ships, and squid ships—they account for roughly half of Gargenhale’s fleet. She is quick to add that Gargenhale’s flagship, a space galleon called the Last Breath, is not among the wreckage.
Enough space exists between the wreckage for the Second Wind to pass through the area, which Krux is inclined to do unless the characters advise him to circle around the debris instead.
If the Second Wind passes through the wreckage instead of going around it, the following events occur in sequence:
Crimson Flag. A blood-red pirate flag drifting in space becomes snagged on the Second Wind’s ballista.
Drifting Corpses. Two human corpses drift close to the Second Wind. As they bump up against the ship’s hull, the figures reveal themselves to be two chaotic neutral vampirates (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) named Dorgio Dali and Vitalia Daggermore. These “survivors” of the battle clamber onto the deck and ask to speak to the captain. They say they’re looking for a new commission and are eager to serve. Krux won’t have them under his command, however, and orders that they be destroyed.
Scavenging Scavvers. Three gray scavvers (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) pick at the drifting corpse of an astral elf warrior. Wounding a scavver causes it to dart away.
Will-o’-Wisp
After the Second Wind passes through or circles around the wrecked ships, an invisible, chaotic neutral will-o’-wisp slips aboard the Second Wind and reveals its presence:
A tiny ball of light appears over the bow of the ship, quickly flies around the mast, and settles a few feet above the main deck, changing colors as it hovers in place. In a soft voice it says, “Lost, are we? Maybe I can be of assistance.”
The will-o’-wisp was with Gargenhale’s fleet when the astral elves attacked. It stayed behind after the battle to feed on the life energy of the dying. It offers to guide the Second Wind to the location where Gargenhale’s fleet typically regroups. This rendezvous point is a day away.
If questioned, the will-o’-wisp admits that Gargenhale made the mistake of attacking a star moth a while back. Since then, the astral elves have been aggressively attacking Gargenhale’s fleet. The will-o’-wisp knows that Gargenhale is always looking for new ships to join his force, which is why it wants the Second Wind to travel to Gargenhale’s rendezvous point.
The Last Breath
The will-o’-wisp leads the Second Wind to Gargenhale’s flagship. If the characters aren’t looking for Gargenhale, he finds them instead. In either case, the following scene occurs after a day’s travel:
You are caught in a cosmic storm. Lightning flashes through dense blue and purple clouds, illuminating the silhouette of a galleon with torn, flapping sails. Ghastly mariners stand on deck and cling to the rigging, staring at you with unblinking eyes.
The Second Wind and the Last Breath are 250 feet apart at the start of this encounter. The Last Breath, which is badly damaged, tries to close the distance as quickly as possible. When the ships are within 50 feet of each other, Gargenhale makes his presence known:
The galleon’s captain steps into view: a pallid, white-haired man with a barred metal mask covering the lower half of his face. His left hand detaches at the wrist, skitters up his arm to his shoulder, and waves at you with its fingers.
Krux sneers at this sight and keeps one hand on his holstered pistol. “Vampirates,” he hisses.
Here ends chapter 5.
Chapter 6: Grave Alliance
After acquiring a Wildspace orrery at Topolah’s tower, the characters fought a void scavver named Big Momma. After that battle, Topolah mentioned a possible ally in the fight against the Xaryxian Empire: a pirate named Grimzod Gargenhale. Amid a cosmic storm, the characters laid eyes on Gargenhale’s flagship and its vampirate crew!
In this chapter, the characters come to terms with Captain Grimzod Gargenhale, who confesses that Xaryxian vessels have all but destroyed his fleet. His badly damaged flagship, the Last Breath, is all that remains after multiple engagements with the astral elves. The vampirate captain nevertheless still vows to destroy the Xaryxian Empire, but unbeknownst to him, his crew is on the verge of mutiny after their latest defeat.
Ship of the Dead
The Last Breath is a space galleon that has been reduced to 90 hit points. Unless the characters take defensive measures, the galleon comes close enough for its captain, Grimzod Gargenhale, to be heard. Gargenhale is a chaotic neutral vampirate captain (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie). He strikes a dramatic pose as he addresses Krux and the characters, toward whom he is friendly:
The undead captain places his boot on the rail along the deck of his creaky galleon and leans over the bow. His disembodied hand perches on his shoulder, and lightning from the cosmic storm flashes behind him.
Gargenhale’s tone of voice is inviting, but his dead-black eyes glint with malice. “It’s dangerous out here. That menace from Xaryxis, Commander Vael, keeps sending ships to our system, but we do our part to thin the astral elves’ ranks. You’re obviously not with them. Care to identify yourselves?”
Gargenhale lost his left hand in a sword fight years ago. The hand, which Gargenhale calls “Lefty,” was later animated as a crawling claw. The disembodied hand can play instruments and communicate using simple gestures.
If Topolah is in sight, Captain Gargenhale’s posture briefly slumps like that of a wounded animal. He then puffs out his chest, raises an eyebrow in her direction, and adds the following:
“Do my lifeless eyes deceive me? Topolah, my darling, what a surprise! If you’ve come to drive a stake through my heart, you’ll have to return it first.”
After making introductions, the vampirate captain confesses that his flagship and its crew are all that remains of his fleet. The rest fell prey to ships under the command of Vael, whom Gargenhale calls the scourge of pirates, raiders, and anyone else who refuses to bow to the might of Xaryxis. Despite these cautionary words, Gargenhale tells any belligerent or opportunistic characters that his crew has already died once—and they won’t hesitate to do so again in defense of their ship.
In conversation, Gargenhale is placid and convincing, but his words carry the bite of a vampire scorned. He warms quickly to characters who echo his distaste for the Xaryxian Empire.

GRIMZOD GARGENHALE
Parleying with Gargenhale
Gargenhale wants to see the Xaryxian Empire crumble, but he’s wary of embarking on a voyage to Doomspace alongside a bunch of nobodies. He requests permission to discuss terms in private, either aboard the characters’ ship or, if the Second Wind was lost, on Topolah’s rickety dock.
Once Gargenhale is off his ship, one or more characters can try to coax the vampirate captain into joining their cause. If one character does all the talking, have that character make a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check; otherwise, have all participating characters make a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) group check. If Topolah is present, characters have advantage on this check.
On a successful check, Gargenhale pledges to help the characters save their world from destruction, asking for nothing in return. On a failed check, Gargenhale won’t agree to an alliance unless Krux and the characters join his fleet, adhere to the Pirate Code (see the “Pirate Code” sidebar), and call him Admiral Gargenhale.
As the captain of the Second Wind, Krux refuses to bend his knee to a vampirate, but a character can convince the giff to swallow his pride and yield to Gargenhale’s authority by succeeding on a DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. If no one succeeds on this check, Krux ends the impasse by offering to step down as captain of the Second Wind for the remainder of the mission, yielding command to any character who can tolerate undead allies better than he can.
When the two parties come to an agreement, Gargenhale bows deeply and invites the characters aboard his ship to celebrate their alliance with a bottle of Champagne du le Stomp. But before the characters can take him up on his offer, Gargenhale is betrayed (see “Mutiny” below).
PIRATE CODE
Grimzod Gargenhale expects those under his command to abide by the following rules:
Article 1: Don’t Eat Each Other. No crew member shall partake of another crew member’s flesh or drink their blood.
Article 2: No Hymns. Many crew members’ ears are sensitive to holy praise. While aboard the ship, bards and other musicians are allowed to play only secular tunes.
Article 3: Coward’s Consequence. Those who abandon their post or shirk their duty shall be marooned.
Article 4: No Shipboard Conflicts. All disputes shall be settled on land.
At your discretion, Captain Gargenhale’s code can include additional rules, perhaps of your own design or as suggested by the characters.
Crew of the Last Breath
The crew of the Last Breath includes eight vampirates, a vampirate mage named Rutledge Wynn (who is seated in the ship’s spelljamming helm), a dead-eyed ogre zombie, and a tiefling ghost named Agony; see Boo’s Astral Menagerie for vampirate stat blocks.
The following rules apply to Agony the ghost:
As long as the Last Breath has at least 1 hit point, the ghost can’t be permanently slain. If the ghost is reduced to 0 hit points and the ship has at least 1 hit point, the ghost re-forms 24 hours later in the ship’s cargo hold with all its hit points.
If it moves more than 100 feet from the Last Breath, the ghost disappears and instantly reappears in the ship’s cargo hold.
While away from the Last Breath, the ghost can use a bonus action to magically teleport back to the ship, either to the lower cargo hold (area 13 on the space galleon deck plans) or a location it can see.
Mutiny

THE LAST BREATH
After negotiations with Gargenhale conclude, but before he can return to his ship, read:
The Last Breath turns tail and flees, leaving its captain behind. Gargenhale’s dark eyes widen, then narrow. “What’s this foul treachery?” he hisses.
Unbeknownst to anyone aboard the Second Wind, Agony the ghost has taken possession of Flinch. Before the players roll initiative for their characters, read or paraphrase the following boxed text to them:
As Gargenhale bellows a curse at the dwindling stern of his ship, Flinch approaches the vampirate captain with glazed eyes and a dreamy smile. In a voice dripping with sarcasm, Flinch says, “Captain Gargenhale! Your command of the Last Breath is at an end. We’ve had enough ‘victory’ at your hands to last ten lifetimes.” The hadozee then shudders as a horned ghost vacates his body, cackles, and disappears. Flinch blinks his eyes back into focus, then says in his normal voice, “Do I smell smoke?”
Flinch remembers nothing of what has transpired. Agony the ghost took possession of him long enough to deliver its rebuke, then vanished and took refuge in the Last Breath’s cargo hold.
Gargenhale encourages the characters to give chase, saying, “Aboard my ship is a weapon you can use against the Xaryxian Empire! Help me retake the Last Breath, and the weapon is yours!” He refuses to elaborate until his mutinous crew is disposed of.
Giving Chase
If the Second Wind was destroyed earlier in the adventure, continue with “Shipless Pursuit” below. Otherwise, skip ahead to “Aboard the Second Wind.”
Shipless Pursuit
Without the Second Wind, characters must use their own magic to pursue the Last Breath before it disappears inside the cosmic storm.
If the characters have no such magic but Topolah is present, she casts a fly spell on Gargenhale. Once a rope is tied around him, he can pull the characters behind him as he, with a flying speed of 60 feet, catches up to the Last Breath, which has a flying speed of 35 feet. Characters pulled behind Gargenhale must hold their breath for the short time they spend in the airless void of Wildspace.
Aboard the Second Wind
Characters aboard the Second Wind can use this ship to pursue the Last Breath, which disappears in the cosmic storm. As soon as he can, Gargenhale gives the Second Wind an edge in the hunt:
The vampirate captain drops to his knees and traces a pattern on the deck with his right hand. A shimmering wave of magical energy washes over the ship. Gargenhale then cackles in triumph, “We are invisible! They won’t see us coming until it’s too bloody late!”
Gargenhale has used his Ship Invisibility action to conceal the Second Wind, although the effect is not readily apparent to anyone aboard the vessel.
To pursue the fleeing mutineers, the Second Wind must search the storm clouds in which the Last Breath is attempting to hide. The spelljammer of the Second Wind must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check, with advantage if one or more characters are serving as lookouts. The check can be repeated every 10 minutes until it succeeds. On a successful check, the Second Wind finds the Last Breath when the two vessels are 2d6 × 10 feet apart. Since no one aboard the Last Breath can see the invisible Second Wind or its crew, the characters can close the remaining distance and climb aboard the space galleon, becoming visible only after they leave the Second Wind.
Gargenhale insists on joining the boarding party to retake his ship. If the characters allow him to do so, the invisibility effect on the Second Wind ends as soon as Gargenhale leaves that ship.
Firing on the Last Breath
If the characters seem determined to fire on the Last Breath from a distance, Gargenhale discourages this course of action:
“My ship is badly damaged and brimming with alchemist’s fire. One well-aimed shot could cause her to explode. Better to slip aboard and dispatch the mutineers in close combat.”
Gargenhale is not lying about the danger posed by the alchemist’s fire, which is described in the next section.
Boarding the Last Breath
The following locations are depicted on the space galleon deck plans in the Astral Adventurer’s Guide. Locations that are not described below are assumed to contain nothing of interest.

SPACE GALLEON DECK PLANS
VIEW UNLABELED VERSION
Forecastle
Six vampirates (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) are here, waiting to repel boarders. They fight until destroyed, knowing Gargenhale will show them no mercy if they’re captured.
Sterncastle
The ogre zombie and two vampirates (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) are here, waiting to repel boarders. Like the vampirates on the forecastle, these creatures fight until destroyed.
5: Spelljamming Helm
Rutledge Wynn, the vampirate mage, is here. If Rutledge is reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, he casts dimension door and transports himself 500 feet into Wildspace, then casts fly on himself and flees.
Spelljamming Helm. The ship’s spelljamming helm looks like a black, tall-backed, legless wooden chair with shackles bolted to its armrests. Red crystals sprouting from the chair’s underside project a red pentagon on the floor that stabilizes the helm while allowing it to swivel.
13: Lower Cargo Hold
This area contains twenty earth-filled coffins, ten wooden kegs painted red that contain gunpowder (see “Explosives” in the Dungeon Master’s Guide), and ten wooden kegs of alchemist’s fire (each marked with a stenciled green flame).
A keg of alchemist’s fire lobbed at a creature or an object deals 21 (6d6) fire damage on a hit. Further, the target is set ablaze and takes the damage again every round (in the case of a creature, at the start of each of its turns) until the fire is put out. A creature within reach of the blaze can take an action to smother the flames using a blanket or carpet, reducing the fire damage by 2d6. Three such actions are needed to fully put out the fire.
Agony, the tiefling ghost, hides here. If it hears the characters approach or open the door to the brig (area 14), the ghost tries to possess one of them. It uses its host to smash one of the kegs of alchemist’s fire, starting a blaze in the cargo hold. If this fire is allowed to burn for 1 minute, it ignites the other kegs and blows the Last Breath to flinders. Anyone and anything within 100 feet of the exploding ship takes 110 (20d10) fire damage.
14: Brig
The door to this compartment is barred from the outside and has a tiny shuttered window built into it. Characters who peer through the window or open the door see the following:
An elf lies unconscious on a cot. She is clad in an ornate black dress accented with silver and gold. A high collar rises behind her head.
If he’s present, Gargenhale says, “Here’s the weapon I promised you. I liberated her from a star moth we destroyed a few days ago.”
The unconscious prisoner is an astral elf aristocrat (see Boo’s Astral Menagerie) named Xedalli. She has 0 hit points and is stable. If the unconscious elf receives any amount of magical healing, she regains consciousness but remains groggy and unable to think clearly or take actions until she is aboard the characters’ ship or otherwise safe.
Look, a Princess!
If the prisoner hasn’t already been roused to consciousness using magic, she awakens with 1 hit point after 1 hour. Once she is awake and somewhere safe, read:
The elf’s gold pupils twinkle as she speaks in a superior tone. “I am Princess Xedalli, daughter of Emperor Xavan and heir to the throne of Xaryxis.”
Here ends part 2 of the adventure. Each character should gain a level before the next session.