PURPLE ROCKS

Synopsis: There are two islands in the Purple Rocks, Trisk (in the west) and Vtheraal (in the east). The people of Trisk have been enslaved by the Kraken Society, which gathers and then sells information to whomever wants it, and carries out all kinds of evil missions for an appropdate fee. Their hidden complex below Yartar is the largest base they maintain on the mainland.

When the party’s ship is destroyed they are carried by the current to Vtheraal, which lives in poverty because of ransom payments to the Krakens.

Resting: The only places the party can rest safely are: a) In either of the FortressOutposts after they have been cleared of Krakens; b) In the lighthouse after the pirates are killed . c) In the one home that accepts visitors.

Wandering Monsters : On the island trails 5 groups of scrags or northmen may attack the party.

Objective: Clear out the Kraken base in Utheraal (9), turn off the Lighthouse light (5), and take the boat (6) to the Kraken Headquarters on the Western Island of Trisk.

Experience: Not much experience here, and no Training Hall or other services save the Inn for resting.

Quests: The Kraken society has a small base here and is bleeding the citizens dry. Clear out their base. The Lighthouse should be disabled to slow down the advancing invasion fleet.

Leaving: Take the boat (6) to the western island OF tRISK for the second part of the Purple Rocks quest.

Here, like in rural communities all over the North and other outer islands like Tuern, magic use was punishable by death. People of the Purple Rocks appeared to worship Tempus (called Tempos), Auril and Umberlee, the usual Northman deities, but their idols of those gods all showed many tentacle-like arms.

By the time of the War of the Silver Marches in the late Fifteenth century DR, the people of Utheraal and Trisk were under the sway of the kraken Slarkrethel. The islanders wore tattoos of krakens made with squid ink and built longships that boasted kraken-shaped figureheads. They greeted visitors with food and shelter, but didn’t speak of Slarkrethel or the absence of children from their communities. Visitors who tried to investigate the mysteries of the Purple Rocks were asked to leave. Those who refused to do so were captured and sacrificed to the sea.

The islanders showed their devotion, among other ways, by tossing their newborn children into the sea to be claimed by Slarkrethel. The experience transformed the children into fanatics dedicated to the Kraken. They returned from the sea as humans, but when they reached old age, they transformed into sea spawn and rejoined their master in the dark depths. Some children returned having suffered partial transformations, leaving them semi-bestial until their full transformation when they reached old age. These wretches were hidden until their final change, to keep the secret of the Purple Rocks. Kraken priests were the tenders of the kraken’s flock. Most of the priests were island natives, but some were merfolk, merrow, or sea elves that lived in the water around the Purple Rocks.