Publication:Crystal Spheres

SJA3 Crystal Spheres is an adventure for the Spelljammer Campaign Setting. The product consists of one 64 page book and one poster. It was published by TSR Inc. in 1990.

Crystal Spheres

The Crystal Spheres book is an adventure for four to eight characters between 5th and 7th level. The action starts in whatever crystal sphere the players are currently located in and then moves to Herospace, Faeriespace and Greatspace before finishing up at Darkspace.

Contents

• Introduction - This chapter explains the adventure module, provides background information, gives a summary of the adventure and details of the important non-player characters.
• Chapter 1 - This chapter has the player characters encounter the Hummingbird (crewed by Bruin Shambrath, Korin Haagin and Ponn Jariss) as it flees from a mercenary squidship. If the player character rescue the Hummingbird's crew, Bruin Shambrath asks them to help him save Greatspace from a bard called T'Lann. He is seeking his childhood mentor, a sage called Keriacus. Phlogiston encounters include: Lizard men pirates, pyroserpents, void scavver, adult krajen, giff mercenaries, beholder, gnomish sidewheeler, ephemerals and human merchants aboard a tradesman ship.
• Chapter 2 - This chapter has the player characters travel with Bruin Shambrath to Herospace to find Keriacus and seek his advice. Herospace is a crystal sphere with nine suns orbited by nine planets. One of those planets has a moon. As the player characters and Bruin enter the system The Rational Order of Magistrates dispatches ten hammerships to intercept the Hummingbird and escort it to the moon Borden. Once on Borden, they have to convince the Order to allow them to land on the planet Cumberland and visit Keriacus. Keriacus identifies T'Laan as a half-elf called Dorin from Aglarond in Realmspace. He then uses a crystal ball to create a portal that allows him to scry on T'Laan. At first this is successful, but T'Laan detects the scrying, drags Keriacus through the portal and sends ten ju-ju zombies to attack the party while he kills Keriacus. After Keriacus is killed one of his friends (also a sage) approaches the party and tells them to travel to Faeriespace, find Aelivere and obtain the sun seeds.
• Chapter 3 - This chapter has the party travel to Faeriespace to find Aelievere and ask him for the sun seeds. Faeriespace is an unusual crystal sphere that has a giant tree, instead of a normal planetary system. Sixteen suns and eight planets are supported on the branches of this tree. A vast city called Armon is found on the trifurcation of the tree. If the party asks Aeliever for the sun seeds he tells them he will give the seeds to them in exchange for passing the Test of Ancient Yesterdays by stopping the isoperites that are invading the tree. If the party successfully stops the isoperites, Aeliever gives them the sun seeds and they set off for Greatspace.
• Chapter 4 - This chapter has the party witness four galleons, loyal to House Shambrath fleeing two hammerships.
• Chapter 5 - This chapter has the party arrive in Greatspace to deal with T'Laan. Greatspace is a crystal sphere with seven planets and an asteroid belt orbiting a sun. One of those planets has a moon. House Shambrath, the Palace of House Shambrath (Castle Skyview) and The Grey Sword are described. There are a number of options for the party, but at some point they need to fly close to the sun and use the sun seeds and when they finally confront T'Laan he uses a magic amulet to transport himself to Darkspace.
• Chapter 6 - This chapter has the party pursue T'Laan to Darkspace. Darkspace is a lifeles crystal sphere containing the remains of what used to be an ordinary planetary system. The largest planetary fragment contains T'Laan's lair, the Tower of Night. Twenty miles away from this tower are the Thesalians who have been tricked into coming to the system.
• Epilogue - This chapter closes the adventure, by having Bruin ask the player characters to come back to Greatspace to testify about the actions of T'Laan. After they convince the citizens of what happened, Bruin rewards them.
• New Magic - This chapter describes the: Ring of the Comet and Sun Seeds.

Credits

• Design: J. Paul LaFountain
• Editing: Anne Brown
• Cover Art: Brom
• Interior Art: Paul Abrams
• Cartography: Diesel
• Typography: Angelika Lokotz
• Graphic Design: Paul Hanchette

References

• Spelljammer reference: SJA3
• TSR reference: TSR 9299
• ISBN: 0-88038-878-1

External links

• Paul Westermeyer's review of 'SJA3 Crystal Spheres' at Beyond the Moons (the official Spelljammer website)
• Purchase 'SJA3 Crystal Spheres' PDF from DriveThruRPG
• Purchase 'SJA3 Crystal Spheres' PDF from Paizo
• Purchase 'SJA3 Crystal Spheres' PDF from RPGNow