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Yellow Realm
This is the final of the 7 realms. This is a realm of magnificent glowing sun, and a bright, scorching desert. Alzar is on top of a great sun-baked mountain, and can see a few things, including a shrine to Ixion here, the immortal who created this realm. Alzar heads over and uses some unholy cleric magic to despoil the shrine here. There is a desert floor about 1000 feet down and Alzar heads down, and spies an oasis. Alzar comes across a battle between a large gold dragon and a pair of manscorpions. Each us wounded. They see him coming down the path, and each asks for his aid. Alzar moves and attacks the manscorpions, an untrustworthy foe that Alzar wants to end. From behind, he tosses a Firebead and does 31 damage save for half, and the dragon is, of course immune. One dies, and the other is crunched. Alzar heals the dragon with some lighter magic a few times. The Dragon thanks Alzar and agrees to fly him around the Yellow Realm, which is a realm of people working together and cooperating. Alzar finds some caves, valleys, and more. He leaps down and slays some trolls attacking an artist, and the heads back up until they reach the center of the realm. The ruler here is Morilon the Golden, a peaceful cleric who is a pacifist. For helping, Alzar is helped in return, and given the token. Alzar returns to the Guarded Plateau in Pandius. |
He begins to place each of the seven symbols into the pedestal and in a moment, the world fades
 It appears that Alzar is at a great fortress here. He spends some time scrying and investigating, as he has to make it to the fortress first. Here is a great black horn attached to the ground by a metal pole, and in front of him is an odd maze that must be passed, a hall, and then the keep doors are at the end of that great hall. He decides to blow the horn, and a nasty undead creature appears in front of him.  He has to face the creature! Alzar tries and fails to turn or control the undead creature, but he cannot, those powers aren’t working here. Battle: AC 4, HP 50 Alzar loses init, and it misses he doesn’t, and snacks it three times for 41 damage. It fails it’s morale roll and moves to break off. Alzar’s bow is up and he hits it for 15 damage and it falls dead. Alzar steps up to the oddly made and trapped maze. This was not made by a mind that would be considered sane or one connected to Pandius. Due to the disconnect and madness, detect and remove traps abilities have just a 50% chance of working. Alzar’s Star of Mo-Pilar won’t work at all in the maze. Alzar slows down. He’ll scan everything slowly. He casts Protection from Trap. There’s a Glue trap here, a deadly gas trap there, here the floor, walls and ceiling turns into quicksand. A heat metal trap, a poison coated hallway and more. But Alzar is protected from some with poison or gas, some from heat, etc, and the rest with his Protection from Traps. Alzar arrives at the hallway and feels a necrotic tug. |
The is the Hall of the Undead.
In here: Lich Lich controls revenant, Shade, and the other undead was slain Alzar enters, and the Lich is ready and casts Time Stop. The Lich casts Total Immunity, Strip Resistance and Power, Word Kill Alzar… his MR drops to 15, and the PWK will not work (Ring of Spell Turning, only a 1 fails with his protections, he gets an 11). 6 vs 8 Alzar casts Time Stop from his stored spells back, and then casts Cleaving, Destroy Undead, and then Destroy Undead. The Cleaving removes all protections, and it has to make two saves, needing a 6 or better. It fails the 2nd and passes. 4 vs 7 Alzar controls the remaining undead, with their master dead. Alzar gets: 70k gp 25k pp 100 gems worth 100k 50 pieces of jewelry worth 250k gp Potion of Longevity +2 Helmet Talisman of Elemental Travel Undead: Revenant and Shade Alzar orders his undead to open the door to the fortress, and to take the lead. They do. |
He enters the castle
In the front door are 4 Carnifex sentries, one of each class. They are close to the Shade and Revenant Init! 1 vs 3 Alzar casts Wail of the Banshee, and undead are immune. Two Carnifex die, the thief and cleric. His undead miss. The mage casts Fireball, Alzar takes 15, and his undead 30. The fighter moves for Alzar, recognizing the value of hitting a mage, and misses (cloak) Revenant – 51/81 Shade – 30/60 4 vs 8 Alzar casts Skulltrap, and he takes 12 himself, and another 14 from a Fireball and 25 from the fighter. The undead base the mage and hit for some damage. It looks like on this plane you can cast the same spell more than once! Perfect! 46/91 Alzar Revenant – 21/81 Shade – 16/60 Alzar casts Time Stop, and then casts Power Word Kill on the wounded Fighter and Silence on the mage, and then melees the mage. TS ends. The fighter falls. 7 vs 2 The mage wins, but can’t do anything with it, and turns and flees, but undead are blocking him. The mage falls dead. |
Alzar casts a few cure moderate wounds, and then moves his undead to guard the gates given their wounded status.
Alzar heads in, and at an interior corridor, he finds a pair of Death Tyrants making the rounds. Alzar casts Control Death Tyrant and orders them to the gate as well. 2 Death Tyrants added Alzar then spies a shrine to Alphaks, and he slips over and also spoils it, While doing do, some roving dorks come around a corner, and see him and attack! Two carnifex fighters. 6 vs 3 Alzar is missed. He carves one deeply for 41. 7 vs 4 They hit him for 44 damage. His Vampiric Touch for 24 kills the wounded one. 71/91 8 vs 6 Alzar takes 26. He Vampiric Touches for 21 66/91 5 vs 7 Alzar wins init and carves and slays the last fighter Being able to cast the same spell over and over again is going to be really powerful here. Alzar spies a great black shrine with pillars 70 feet wide and 50 feet long. The entire shrine is covered with gold plated panels with gems encrusted in them, and the room would easily be worth millions of GP in gold and gems. Alzar slips into the area. Resting on this shrine is a great black staff, requiring two hands to use, and Alzar makes out a set of six gems, one of each color, and as Alzar moves in, a shadowy fog billows into the room. It lifts, and the gems are drained and now glass, and Alzar sees an undead version of himself! |
It casts Time Stop.
Alzar is hit with Strip Resistance, Remove Magic, and Greater Malison. This undead Alzar has all of the same spells and abilities, but none of the items Alzar has, so it has just nonmagical items and weapons and armor and such. But fighting a mage with his level of power is pretty good. If Alzar leads with Protection from Normal Weapons or something, it can be easily dispelled, and the Remove Magic effect is no joke. Alzar decides to just melee, where he has an advantage. 4 vs 7 Alzar hits for 40 damage, and he casts Heal. Alzar – 66/91 Undead Alzar – 91/91 2 vs 3 Alzar carves for 37, misses twice. Undead Alzar casts Time Stop and then casts Cause Critical Wounds and Cause Serious Wounds. Ring of Spell Turning stops 30% and 60% of those damages. Alzar takes 24. 32/91 54/91 5 vs 3 His foe casts spells and drop him another 20 Alzar needs a Time Stop to work. But with Remove there is a 20% chance of spell failure. And that’s game over. But if it hits, the healing and smashing could win the battle this turn. He also has a 20% of failing a heal. Alzar casts Time Stop and….fails. 12/91 54/91 3 vs 8 Alzar uses his last 9th level spell, Time Stop. And? He gets a 23, made it. He casts a Heal on the undead, and then Cure Critx2 on his foe and himself. Result? First works, almost dead Alzar, the 2nd? Doesn’t work, fails the spell cast. Alzar heals. A – 47/91 UA - 4/91 5 vs 6 Alzar carves undead Alzar and wins |
Alzar finds the Black Staff:
Black Staff - This strong black staff can be powered, with a set of colored diamonds, to undead clone everyone in the area of effect of 200 yards. Alzar has enough diamonds to use it five times Alzar also sees secret panel in the altar. He slips it open, and there is a magical beacon in here It’s the size and appearance of the Ixion artifact he has been chasing. A large portal has opened back to Pandius. Alzar finds a scroll here and sees that the Castle was closed down until a lawful person willingly opened it, and then the portal could be opened. So Alzar was enticed here by immortals to free the Carnifex, who could then invade the realm. But without their Black Staff, it will be a lot harder to win, and they will likely keep back. There are at least 2500 carnifex here. Alzar can hear them coming. He heads back to grab his undead and they will portal out after each grabs as many golden panels as they can. The TK eye on the Tyrants should help with a few panels. Alzar drops his warp marbles and out pop a trio of golems to move them home. Alzar needs a quick defense, so he grabs his Daern’s Instant Fortress and makes a tower to defense and hold up behind. Over the next 30 minutes, they assault his tower, and he holds up. Alzar casts spells that repair the tower or assault the people in the hallway like skulltrap or Evard’s Black Tentacles a few times and such. The Carnifex are immune to charms so no Domination magic. Alzar secures a 3rd Death Tyrant and sends it on. After about a half hour or work, his golems and undead allies have secured the panel: 1225 Panels -Each panel is 2 feet tall, 2 feet wide, weighs 200 pounds, gem encrusted gold. Each panel is worth 50k gp. They room was 50 by 70, with panels on every wall. How many panels where there? 625 on the 50’ walls and 1225 on the 70’ ones. I am ruling that only half of the walls were so covered and the rest were too damaged to get off the walls. But that’s still 61.25 million worth of gold and gems. Alzar secures his fortress and they head out. As they leave, the portal collapses. It will take Alzar days to get these panels back home, but the financial value is worth it. |
As Alzar stands up, with the gate closed, coming out of the seven henges are the seven rulers and leaders. The seven magical realms offer Alzar their fealty. He bested them, so now he can rule them.
As he found out while there, no time passes outside. He should be able to control every creature in the realm, and then Alzar will be able to teleport to the realm at will, and if an intruder is detected, he will be teleported back to deal with the intruders. This is The Choice. Alzar knows what is being offered due to his own heavy walks on the various paths to immortality. There are sometimes shortcuts to immortality that one can find without being sponsored. This is likely one. On Pandius, only an immortal can rule a realm like that. If he takes these 7 realms, Alzar will become immortal, but tethered to those realms and not necessary powerful. On the other hand, the Choice comes with permanent and powerful rewards for those who show humility. As a general rule, Alzar would get multiple great benefits geared towards his own power. So the Choice has arrived. Stay on the Path he is already on, and then gain additional benefits, or switch to take these realms, and gain immortality now. Which is it? Alzar rejects the offer of realmship. Alzar gets: (Some of the benefits mentioned in the module for party members are poison immunity, using True Sight and ESP permanently and constantly, being able to become invisible at will, getting +1 prime stat, inheriting a large realm, getting an artifact…etc, getting a Resurrection spell that will raise you the next time you die, etc. ). All good stuff! Pflarr looks upon Alzar’s actions of humility and decides to give him an arcane bonus that Glantrian wizards who studied at their School of Magic also have. Each day, Alzar can cast a number of spells equal to his total number of spell levels. So for example, if Alzar were level four, he could normally cast 2 firsts and 2 seconds, for a total of 6 levels of spell. But with this he could cast 4 firsts and 2 seconds, or 3 seconds or 6 firsts. You get the idea. Alzar still is bound by the limitations of the plane, so he can’t normally cast a bunch of Time Stops. That’s a gentle brake on the ability. Alzar gains a level and is now level 36. End of M3. Twilight Calling |
I find that boring. High level adventurers with items and spells typically of high level adventurers can sleep though it. There are whole realms you get through quickly. Why just one drolem in the first realm? I added combat in a few places (manscorpions, trolls) and such, but the realms aren’t that interesting. They are too small, too one-note, and too-minor.
You have a final fortress that’s huge, but just the entrance and shrine in there are fought, you are supposed to destroy the black staff (Alzar kept it, obviously) then then flee taking 5 panels each. But why? The 7 realms add nothing to the story. Find the plateau. Teleport to the realm with the Carnifex Castle, and then spend the module blowing out these rumored to be powerful creatures. If they are so powerful, vile and evil hat even entropy agreed in locking them away, then it feels like a joke and a handwave. Give me a fortress of evil, spend that 20 pages of fleshing out the Carnifex home and exploring and slaying them. I don’t even have a monster description of them, you only fight them fleetingly (I gave the 2500 number, but that was not in the module, it suited their power though.) Not a good module. Alzar suspects the Beacon is the one he was looking for from Ixion to destroy. A little research will show if that is the case. |
Year 11, Month 9
Another 2400 UnderDark books acquired this month Alzar has figured out how to destroy the artifact. It must be created. Alzar has explored different was, and like any magical item, he will create the Unmaker by gathering together various components. In Evenarrow, the Shadow Mage Tower is completed. Alzar has reached out to various of his pan-planar shadow mage allies he made, and a few agreed to move into the Shadow Mage Tower and begin to teach Shadow Magic as a specialty school of normal Magic here on Pandius. Alzar major projects this month are his spell and creation, so he has little time for adventuring when dealing the rulership as well. Vix spends the month clearing out another 3 major holds that proved to be too difficult for others, and ongoing task she has taken on after massive expansion and independence, to make this place a lot safer. This month it was a Remorhaz nest, Cyclops cave, and an abandoned tower that had been taken over by local enemies of higher level that someone like Vix was needed to take out. Alzar’s Worldwake to Hamedh this month for some research tools for his projects and an item to create the Unmaker, thus removing it’s existence, saw him run into the College of Wizardry, which is expanding and now has about 30 mages of high enough level to teach and research. By now, most of the major secrets of the Sand Mire have been dug up. Alzar also needs to really push into more book ownership. No one has taken him up on his offer to give the purchase price plus a 10000 gp prize for those giving him a 1000 book lot of unique titles. Alzar hires a cleric of Ssu-Ma and will pay her 2500/month to secure more books, and she’ll help to direct temple construction as well. |
Year 11, Month 10
Construction work on the various projects ends for the year. Alzar collects another 1255 books from the UnderDark and appears to have tapped out that collection, and then 1222 from Regalsford. Begin Glantri: Kingdom of Magic  I love this video by the way, at giving you the full rundown and feel of Glantri. Enjoy! Please stop at 18:00 minutes because one of my campaign ending modules hasn’t happened, and this video’s background is taking place after that, unless you don’t care about heavy spoilers. |
Welcome to Glantri! Glantri is the smaller of the two heavily pro-Magic nations on the world, and it’s much more a favorite of magic and magical beings, and clerics are banned and despised, and fighters and thieves tolerated. Glantri City is the main city of the nation of Glantri.
This is a boxed set with a lot of descriptions of GC, as well as a few adventures you can run from the city. This is the nation with shapechangers and lycanthropes rule alongside magic users, and centuries of magic use have seen people literally sculpt their land with pretty and various effects. I want to roll in Glantri City to Alzar’s Pandius campaign, as we did with Serraine already in the Top Ballista expansion for the world already. Glantri is considered one of the most intriguing and popular places in Mystara/Pandius to adventure in. The Glantri Gazetteer is one of the best in the series, with a lot of interesting details. For example, Gaz 3 is the first in the Gazetteer Series to make strong connections to the Blackmoor modules (DA-series). The incredibly powerful artifact known as the Radience has ties back to the City of the Gods. One of the nobles, Prince Jaggar von Drachenfels claims Blackmoorian ancestry and carries a weapon of Blackmoor Era origins. The module even includes an adventure outline allowing PCs from Mystara to travel back in time to Blackmoor and execute events that would permanently change the face of the Known World. |
That’s very much in the style of the world. Glantri is divided into 12 principalities, each of which has its own distinct culture. many of which feel eastern, central, or southern European. We have the Principality of Boldavia, which is downright Transylvanian in feel, and deals with “night creature” infestations.
Aalban is a principality of plains and pastures. Despite this peaceful look, it is the most militaristic dominion of Glantri. Warriors and mercenaries are plentiful in the area, and the locals are renown for their remarkable siege weapons and equipment. Belcadiz is a lightly forested area that serves as the home of the famous winemaking elves. Not only is their wine in high demand throughout Glantri, but so is their metalwork, something unheard off for elves anywhere else on Mystara. Belcadizians are hot-tempered, easy to offend, and enjoy nothing better that a sword duel or two to try and prove their superiority. Bergdhoven, resting in northern Glantri, is relatively flat. It is a picturesque land with wild flowers growing almost everywhere. These flowers are the base of Bergdhoven's perfume and oil industry. They also attract several mages who need the rare flowers for rare or unique experiments. Boldavia is a word that causes many to shiver as that principality is often associated with rumours of powerful undead and necromancers. The local Traladarans, who live in small villages among the craggy bluffs and forested hills, are a superstitious lot and are accredited with all the undead legends of the area that spread through Glantri. Bramyra is a principality that was created to serve as the first line of defence should the Ethengarians decide to invade Glantri. There is nothing of note here except for the vast herd of sheep that roam the hills. Erewan was once the home of many famous poets, scribes, and artists. Now, the Erewan elves sulk and whine about the goblinoid dominion, spreading false reports about several evil deeds Kol and his minions apparently committed. These elves have been threatening to leave Glantri if the Princes don't fix the situation. So far, all the Princes have been ignoring them. Fenswick is the newest dominion granted to the remarkably charming and attractive Dolores Hillsbury. As yet, not city or town has been built as the Princess is content to let her land prosper with its logging industry. This principality is almost completely in the mountains. Klantyre, the famous fog-shrouded highlands, is another place where the sheep are probably the most interesting feature. The weather is the second most popular subject for the inhabitants; they often wager as to whether it will rain 3 days out of five or 4 days out of five. Krondahar is one of the most cultivated lands in Glantri. The locals are renown for their silk as well as their leatherworking. Morlay-Malinbois is a forested land where werewolves are probably as common as non-werewolves. In fact, they are considered full citizens while within this principality and have all the rights that any Glantrian would normally have. Nouvelle Averoigne is famous as the home of Étienne d'Ambreville, ruler of Glantri, and founder of the Great School of Magic. It is also renown for its cuisine, and theater plays are so popular they often sell out months in advance. Nouvelle Averoigne is flat near the river, but gets significantly more hilly further inland. Sablestone is home to Harald of Haaskinz, the Grand Master of the Great School of Magic. There is nothing much in this principality either, except for stubborn farmers who continuously demand that the wizards just leave them alone. Finally, there's Glantri City, home of the Great School of Magic and capital of the magocracy. In this city, canals replace the traditional roads of other cities, making the gondola the only way of getting around. Glantri is the heart of fashion and style for the nation, and any new trend will soon be copied by all of high-society. Currently, the dark Gothic style of Boldavia is in favor, where aristocrats dress up as vampires and werewolves (or at least how they imagine vampires and werewolves would dress). |
We have had three minor interactions with Glantri in this campaign thus far. We ran into folks from Glantri in Serraine who were major players of that quest, including a Nosferatu. We also came across them with Sandraline of Glantri, a noblewoman up here in Norwold who was a cleric, and thus unwelcome in her homeland, and then a third back in Thorasia. Do you remember the iconic but bizarre Castle Amber? Guess where that is actually set! You can even see the disappearance of Etienne d’Ambrevile mentioned in the Nouvelle Averoigne description above, if that makes sense.
So those three places should give you a good feel for Glantri, both small and in large. No clergy are allowed, because they are jealous of the attention immortals get and mages are jealous of their power. Glantri is the nation with the highest concentration of mages on the world, and in Glantri City that number is as high as 1 out of 7! Glantri City, city of canals…     Hm….I wonder what city or culture it takes after? Yes, it feels like Venice during the height of the Renaissance and it’s political wrangling. |
Here’s one weird thing in Glantri – the coins. The largest coin is the Platinum Crown, a large platinum piece worth around 50 gp. It’s magical, and can act as a Ring of Spell Storage, 1st level for one spell/day! That’s how magical Glantri is. Even the coinage is weird.
More than 1000 students are at the great school of magic and it’s costs of tuition are very high, with only around 10 full scholarships offered annually, and most wizards coming from across the world to study there. In previous planes, the study of Magic was different. On his home plane of Thorasia, there was no school of magic, but there were guilds associated around it with masters and apprentices. On Hamedh, it was the same, other than Japheth Arcane’s College of Wizardly by Khaibar. Here on this plane, it’s different, with the Glantrian School of Magic an incredibly detailed and intricate area with 1000+ students, tons of faculty, secret schools of magic within the Great School, and more. And Glantri City isn’t as much about money as it is about magic and power, and the appearance of power. Alzar teleports to the City for few stays and explorations. He has already purchased licenses to cast magic and to have his axe handy on his back. Because he is a foreign envoy, he is allowed inside of Glantri (as he is a cleric) While in the city, he will find a few things here of note. He is going to trade for a few spells, and then learn a new non-weapon proficiency described below, and finally trade for entrance to the School and some serious book loving.  |
At the end of the month, Alzar will know:
Spellflash – This NWP will allow the caster, when a successful proficiency check, to add a flashy element to a spell, such as making a Fireball sparkle. It has no effect on the spell, and just impresses a little more. Their spells are going to have very showy names as well, so get ready for his new spells. For example, one evocation spell which is similar to the 3rd level spell lightning bolt but a little better is called Spout of Scalding Wrath. Another spell is called A Summons One Dares Not Deny New Spells: Remove the Instruments of Death, 1st Level, Alteration, Enchantment/Charm Range 100 feet Component : S Duration: Instantaneously Casting Range: 1 Area of Effect: 1 person/5 levels Save: None This spells causes a weapon-wielding target to drop their weapon. They must invest a round to reequip themselves. Sorcerous Transcription, 1st, Conjuration/Summoning Range 10 feet Components: VSM Duration: 10 minutes +1 min/levl Casting Time: 1 Area: See below Save: None This spell animates a quill to record everything the caster says for the duration of the spell. It requires ink, quill, and parchment of some sort. The caster must remain in 10 feet of the quill for it to record. Cloak Against All Peril, 3rd level, Abjuration Range – Self Comp: VS Duration: See below Casting Time: 3 Area: Self Save: None This spell creates an invisible energy shield around the caster that will absorb the next 3d4 points of damage, +1 point per level. It can deflect damage from a single attack or multiple attacks, until the damage is removed. The spell lasts 1 round per level, or until the damage is absorbed. It absorbed weapon or magic damage. Everpresent Record, 4th level, Conjuration/Summoning Range 10 feet Components: VSM Duration: 1 day/levl Casting Time: 5 Area: 1 creature Save: None This is an enhanced version of Sorcerous Transcription, with enhanced length, and can be used on someone to record what they say, instead of the caster if desired. Warding Against Subtle Enchantment, 4th, Enchantment/Charm Range: Touch Components: VS Duration: See below Casting Time: 1 turn Area: 1 creature Save: None This is a contingency spell that a wizard can cast onto an ally, servant, to themselves. When that person is targeted successfully by a charm spell that influences the person, such as Charm Person, Domination, Suggestion, Geas or Command, that magic is overridden, and the person on whom this protection as cast will instead take an order given by the caster of this Warding, such as “Attack the person who tried to control you” or “run away.” This spell can be used cleverly to give a command such as, “Pretend you are charmed, but give away false information” or some such. Jaggar’s Strengthened Bastion, 5th level, Alteration, Enchantment/Charm Range: Touch Components: VSM Duration: 1 hour/level Casting Time: 5 Area: 1 object Save: See below This spell grants a physical object the ability to save vs various magical effects against the object. For example, a wall enchanted with the Bastion would normally allow a Passwall effect freely. But with this would instead save to see if it worked, and saved as the level of the caster. This will work on spells like Dig, Move Earth, Knock, Passwall, and such. It can be made permanent. The material component for this spell is a piece of chalk used to inscribe runes on the object prior to casting. These runes disappear but remain, and can be seen and made out, thus showing the protection, to those familiar with this spell. Magic Defiance Undone, 5th level, Abjuration Range: None Components: V Duration: None Casting Time: 5 Area: See Below: Save: See below When this spell is cast, the user immediately chooses a spell they know that can target an enemy. That spell is immediately cast at the target, and will penetrate any magic resistance the target has, even 100%. The spell attacks to Magic Defiance Undone does not change, and any saves that need to be done still must be used. Seek the Traveler, 6th Level, Divination Range: None Components: VS Duration: Instant Casting Time: 1 Area: 100 foot radius from vaster Save: NA When this spell is cast within a round of someone leaving the area of effect by sorcerous means such as teleport or dimension door or similar magic, the caster will know where they went and see it in their mind. They can teleport there with other magic if they want. Spelldoor 8th level, Alteration Range: See below Components: VSM Duration, Special Casting time: 1 round Area: Special Save: None This powerful teleport spell essentially teleports a spell’s effect. The caster could Spelldoor a fireball to explode into a place like teleporty magic. The Spelldoor is cast first, and then the spell is chosen to send, and any spell of 7th level or lower can be teleported to a site. The rules for Teleport magic apply for ensuring it arrives in the correct place, and scrying, magic like crystal balls or Wizard Eye or such will help to ensure it arrives and hits the correct target or area. The material component for this is a gold ring worth 25 gp twisted into a moebius strip that is consumed by the spell. |
 Alzar takes a meeting while here with the head of the School of Divination here. He wants to set up a trade. He read a lot of great things about the libraries down here, and he wants to trade access to the Divination library for full information and knowledge on Dowsing and the sub-field of rhabdomancy that could prove pretty useful in a city of magic. After consideration, they agree partially, and Alzar offers his various books and information, and teaches the non-weapon proficiency that goes with it and has to give away a few more Divination spells he has they don’t in order to secure the lesser Divinatory library. Alzar gains access to a spell research and theory library for 32500 tomes. One of the best things he has to trade is the removal of a cap limit and how to do that, so if he can use that secret to get access to more books here, it’s worth it. I am ruling that Alzar, for 40 gp each rather than the normal 25 gp, can buy a hugely large selection of books at one time: Alzar spends the money from various recent adventures on 20,000 books. But this selection of books is getting tapped, and every vendor here is devoid of books moving forward. He also lost a ton of gold, 800,000 but it’s a big step closer to his goal. Alzar returns inspired by many of the changes here to the infrastructure and will make the changes in his own area. The first is sewage and trash. As they did in the bottom off the Dungeon as well as in Glantri City, Alzar will be Charm Monstering some lesser creatures and then building them into the infrastructure of his sewage and trash. He is going to build a cage to keep a Gelatinous Cube in, and then have it be the place where trash and sewage are heading, and he’ll do it in a few places around down, underground. The Cube is charmed to prevent any major issues, but he’ll also have it unable to move, trapped in this Cube-container as an extra level of protection. Alzar will be handing out the Everpresent Record spell to his Magists’s to use and distribute. Having cast them for a Sherriff to record their investigations and such could really help to speed up the process of recording important information. He’ll be casting the Strengthened Bastion on most key exits and doors of his area, and will later use Semi-Permanency on them. Alzar will cast the Warding spell on various allies, ambassadors, and more to protect them from charm. He already has to use Divinatory magic to check and see if they are charmed or geased or anything on a regular basis, and he finds it pretty commonly. Alzar is using Continual Wind spell to create permanent breezes to air places and keep air flowing, on shutters that can be closed to cut off the Wind, just as he does with Continual Light Alzar also uses his Decanter of Endless Water to fuel a water system that will feed plumbing into each home, while also using magic to lock the temperature of ice for iceboxes and keeping food fresh. Alzar heads back home for a bit, and he’ll teleport in and out of Glantri for a while. He has some Alzarian spells they will be interested in, but it’s a whirlpool of internal struggle that’s not unlike that of the Dokkalfar in Thorasia and their own strife that kept them from taking out the UnderDark. |
Year 11, Month 11
Alzar finds another 2444 books with Bookfind from Thorasia and invests into another 1000 purchased. The UnderDark was tapped out as a resource last month. He’ll teleport down to Glantri City and trade some more spells of his for books from locals, and acquire around 500 books from local wizards. This month, Vix takes out a few more smaller lairs and such. Alzar hires some adventurers to take out a home of goblins around 25 strong, and then again with some more goblins. Like each month, Alzar is also doing things like going to a few tournaments, weddings, feasts, funerals, diplomatic meetings, and more. He attends a meeting with the central barbarian tribes of his area, and speaks with the leaders of the tribes, and such. Glantri, by the wall, isn’t that far from Norwold. From Landfall, a city in Norwold, head south to the Heldannic Freeholds along the coast. Now the Freeholds and north and west of The Ethengar Khanate as well as Glantri, so it’s pretty nearby on a map, but Glantri is landlocked, and that makes trade there not as easy. Alzar takes a meeting with the ruler of Glantri, (Etienne D’Amberville) and they speak about a few things, including enhanced trade and such. But nothing really too substantive comes out of it. He has established official trade with the Freeholds, Oceansend, Norwold, Alphatia, and others nearby. Unbeknownst to Alzar, Etienne is also an immortal named Rad. |
Year 11, Month 12
Alzar adds another 2223 Thorasia books and 650 Glantrian. Vix is getting to the point late in her pregnancy where she cannot head out anymore. Winter is calmer than normal, and appears to be the same for the rest of the winter, with fewer storms and such. Alzar finishes his two major tasks, his Eclipse Spell and his Creation of the Unmaker, which destroys it, and Vix completes her 4th task, and she has just one left to reach immortality. Literacy is up to 45% Alzar gains +1 to stats. |
Year 12, Month 1
Alzar increases the incentives for literacy. He also gives the children that have learned reading/writing a 100 gp bonus and a Norwold History Book. Alzar quaffs the Pot of Longevity and loses 10 years. Alzar animates two more Silver Golems that were prepared elsewhen. Alzar has confirmed the Beacon is the Ixion artifact and begins working on a way to destroy it. With Alzar suddenly having the financial resources to make the Great Library Project work, Alzar is going to focus on purchasing, not finding or trading or copying books. Those are still in the background happening, just not on the forefront. If I assume that Alzar going hog-wild everywhere and purchasing books en masse will 1). drive up their price 2). require purchasing more expensive books 3). Require to pay more than purchase price to buy a book from a private owner who might not want to let go, or 4). Paying for a quick sale, I am doubling Alzar’s average book price to 50gp each. Even with that, Alzar should still be able to convert the panels he secured into more than 1 million books. Where would he go to purchase books in those quantities? 1 – Serraine. Lots of private vendors, and people with private collects. I’d guess he can purchase around 75k here 2 – Glantri City. Even though he just purchased a lot of books, raising the price should unlock another 20k 3 – Sundsvale - The capital of Alphatia should be the best place to buy Books, and with Alzar’s rank, he should get into a lot of places. From private collectors to merchants, I’d guess Alzar should be able to get 250k at the high price he is offering. That’s just 345k though and would require a ton of visits back and forth. Even if Alzar cast worldwake and opened up a great portal for a few hours and used Bags of Holding and 20 people, they couldn’t really get more than 5000 books a day while still treating them with respect. Alzar is going to hand the Book Moving and care process to Draconus and that will happen behind the scenes. Alzar purchases 345k worth of books this month from Glantri City, Alphatia, and Serraine With those purchases, Alzar’s collection is at around 670k when everything arrives In other news, Alzar’s realm has a minor winter ongoing, and there are some festivals and such celebrating the lack of real cold or freezing temperatures throughout his realm that he goes to. He also attends a major wedding in Hammerhelm, one of his dwarf holds. Alzar uses his monthly wish to increase the literacy rate in his nation. He’ll do this each month Hellgate Keep is now fully operational in the Jotunhemr Hills. |
Year 12, Month 2
Alzar has animated the Iron Golem: “Rebound”, Iron Golem: AC 3, HP 80, THAC0 – 3, 1 attack for 4d10, 24 STR for lifting or carrying, requires +3 magic weapon to hit, immune to cold and elect, Fire heals it, can breath gaseous cloud of noxious vapors, save or take 25% of max hp in damage. This month, Alzar visits lesser places in Mystara, like Thyatis City, Karameikos, and such, and includes places like Ierendi, The Republic of Darokin, Isle of Dawn nations, Heldannic Knights, and more. I am ruling that between these lesser places of learning but centers of commerce, that Alzar is getting another 115k books. Alzar has discovered a way to destroy the Beacon. Alzar finds some minor enemies to face in the month, and will teleport a few times to wipe them out. Winter ends early, and construction on various projects has gone ahead and started. Near the end of the month, Vix gives birth. Their new child is another girl, Juri. Like her older sister Intaria, Juri gains all of the bonuses of quarter-immortalness. |
Year 12, Month 3
Alzar has purchased every book available in the entire plane. Where next? Chance Here on Mystara, the largest city is the capital of Alphatia empire at 500,000. On Thorasia, there is a city with more than 2 million, Chance. Chance’s size and economic strength is so much that it heavily influences the economy of the plane. Chance’s coins are the default coinage used, Chance’s navy is the strongest, and it’s a free city state that’s more powerful than most nations in the entire plane. There is a surrounding section of the city state called the Chance Protectorate of hundreds of small little dales and such, all of which create perfect buffers for Chance. Chance is where Alzar is going to find books, after exhausting books elsewhere. Here on Thorasia, Alzar should be able to finish his Great Library. For the first month in Chance, Alzar gets 250k but there are more for later. That’s who Chance is. Everything is for sale. Alzar lets folks know that he’ll be coming back next month as well to dig into their larders and personal libraries and such. Vix is back out and heading and breaking things. The temple of Infaust and Ssu-Ma are finished at the end of the month. In about a year, the temple of Infaust, which is more of a monastery than a temple, will begin finishing training of a new cadre of monks dedicated to Infaust in Pandius, many of whom will stay local and take up new roles here in their temple as well as with Evenarrow and Alzar’s demesne. So it benefits everyone. Ssu-Ma’s temple completion is good because the new clerics both have a training facility, although not as big as Infaust’s, but also should have a number of clerics to help Draconus manage the library. Alzar and Draconus created a transport system for the Grand Library that should, ideally, work to find and collect books quickly. Each floor will have it’s own subject, and larger versions of Alzar’s teleport jars will be used to transport books quickly. If you’ll recall, teleport jars were a four-set that you could put something in Jar 1 and it would pop into Jar 2, and then into Jar 2 and it would pop until Jar 3, and so forth. It’s a pretty common item that Alzar used frequently, and having a teleport box for books should prove to create a giant opportunity for people getting books quickly. The Great Library is too big of a project to be finished this year. It won’t be ready until next year Alzar invests 250k on getting a new castle to the northern edge of the border to create another keep after examining the local defenses. It should be finished in Year 13, Month 8. Alzar’s military, across the Flying Castle, Hellgate Keep, the main northern castle, the Evenarrow army, the western flank is now at 12,500 total troops before calling on any demihumans like dwarves or elves or the barbarians. This month Alzar orders an expansion of his military by another 2,500 that should be ready by the end of the year. |
Year 12, Month 4
Alzar purchases another 200k Chance books, but has tapped out the great city. It took two months though. He suspects he can find a few books and book collections later from places like Vermani, but for now, the book-shopping is finished. A number of major things happen this month in Alzar’s Grand Duchy. From an earthquake in the west to a work stoppage in Evenarrow for a week due to a nasty disease that hits the workers. The disease is stopped magically, but still takes around a week to finish its course. Vix tells Alzar that she is about to finish her path. She has found a deep tomb that connects to the Demiplane of Shadow, and intends to explore, and then journey across and finish up. She has to do this quest on her own. Alzar loans her items to succeed, and she heads out. Year 12, Month 5 Alzar has finished making the Blanket of Night, and uses it to wrap about the Beacon of Light. They destroy each other, and Alzar has completed the ask to destroy an Ixion Artifact. Alzar collects around 100,000 books from Thorasia and has finished tapping the plane everywhere. Another pirate raid happens on his forces, and he heads out and captures 5 more pirate vessels, brings them under his control, and then uses his powers to determine guilt, and then holds public trials for those responsible for piracy against his nation. Meanwhile, some of them will be used for various effects like taking a permanency spells -1 constitution and such with Alzar’s spells. Vix has not returned. |
Begin Terrible Trouble at Tragidore
 This adventure is a little odd. Like the Master’s screen that included the Spindle of Heaven. This is the adventure that comes with the first DM Screen for 2nd Edition. It was expected to be the first, intro-level module for 2nd Edition, to pair with the DM Handbook, Player Guide, and Monstrous Compendium, with the idea that you could run this canned adventure, and then have something to use to springboard. It has tips for DMs, such as how to change canned adventures around to suit the audience and such. But it’s a higher level adventure that pits someone against Dark Elves and powerful dorks, while also being pretty short and by the numbers. It was a failed attempt to duplicate the success of Keep on the Borderlands. So what are we using it for? I am just using it to break up my campaign, and flash out more of the central and western part of Alzar’s realm, while upping the power level of the module considerably. Are you ready? |
As mentioned before, Alzar’s nation has a lot of lumber supplying elsewhere:
 These are two main cities capitals of two adjacent hexes. To the east is the farming stronghold of Hanuman, one of the larger cities in the region, and has a few thousand people here. Hanuman’s growth and farming requires extensive timber, but that’s not really immediately available, and that’s where Tragidore comes in to the west. About 50% of the population of Hanuman, as you can see on the map, Tragidore doesn’t have the food-making capacity for its population, with the small farmlands to its east not being near enough to feed the town. Instead it has a huge timbering industry, and trades extra wood for food from Hanuman, and both towns have grown up around each other and each depends on the other. Which is why Alzar has three envoys in his court today from Hanuman, and two more from Tragidore about the lumber supplies drying and communication was cut off from Tragidore. These two people from Tragidore proper have been outside of the town. Normally, Vix would head out for a smaller issue like this, but Alzar decides to teleport over with the envoys to check things out. His Mass Teleport arrives at Hanuman with the envoys, and then they are let to head off while Alzar begins to investigate what has been happening at Tragidore. Tragidore used to have a mining interest in the southern hills here, but that dried up, and now wood is now its only main resource. Alzar talks with some locals and summons his Griffin via his Mount spell. They tell him that trade had been slowly dwindling for a while, and ultimately, about 2 weeks ago it ended, and a group of six people from the town headed out to see what was happening and were never heard from again. Then a few women and a child arrived at Hanuman a few days ago with a story that most of the strong men, and a few of the strong woman, have disappeared, leaving very little left to defend the town or work, and some are fleeing the area. |
Alzar begins to fly over.
He spies a wagon on the road from Tragidore, and lands, and speaks with the three mothers and their children fleeing Tragidore and heading to Hanuman to start a new life after their husbands have been gone for months. He finds a few more fleeing Tragidore, and then secures their passage by landing in two places and dealing with bandits. One place, in particular, was interesting. Not know who he was, a few vampire bandits arrived on the road with a group of 8 zombies and more than 20 bandits aiming weapons at him trying to get him to give up his money. The “vampires” where men with fake teeth, eyeblack around the eyes, and some flour dusted on the face to resemble a vampire at a distance, but, of course, Alzar wouldn’t have been fooled. Similarly, the “zombies” are normal bandits and the folks on the road they have been raiding aren’t asking questions. They have been feeding on his people, and their possessions while fleeing, and that does not sit well with Alzar. Not because Alzar is good, but because these are his people, and you aren’t messing with anything Alzar has, money, magical items, books, or one of his servants. Alzar has captured every bandit in the three groups preying on the area, and he will later add 150 troops to this region of his area to help prevent further issues. Tragidore and Hanuman aren’t on the border, but are internal provinces in the vast section he gained, in the rough west-central part of his area. He will sentence those guilty and not magically forced or coerced, and then will have them be subjects of a spell or two before dying publicly and quickly. Justice in Alzar’s area is fast, transparent, and certain, with divinatory magic used to confirm guilt. Alzar arrives at Tragidore about 2 hours later of (mostly) flying as well as talking with people and battling. |
On the outskirts of the town is a modest residential area, unremarkable save for the lack of activity. Very few people are coming and going, and all Alzar can see are children, older men, one younger man who is quite chubby, and women. It seems the fit have been mostly gone.
Alzar heads into town and arrives at a business district that isn’t doing much business, and there are no people at a local inn, and another tavern is closed. A third barely has any patronage. The level of activity here isn’t much greater than outside in the residential area. Alzar heads deeper into Tragidore, and this theme continues. He finds a mage’s tower and in here is a woman mage named Marta who acts as a sort of hedge wizard for the area, doing small tasks like casting Locate Object to find missing things, offering some minor divinatory use, checking the alignment of a prospective couple looking to marry, offering minor potions for sale, and more. She is relatively low level in ability and intelligence (she’s an INT of just 11, and level 6). Alzar speaks with Marta about the various issues here at the town, and she lets him know about the history of what she knows. A few months ago, some people began disappearing, and no one knew what was happening. In about 5 weeks or so, more than 150 people had gone missing, all stronger adults in their prime, mostly men, but not exclusively so. Now too many are gone to keep the trades going, and many have fled in the economic wake of the tragedy. Alzar checks the rest of the town, but cannot find anymore, so he heads out on Griffin Wing to explore. The first place he checks are the massed grasslands about a mile and a half north of the town before the large forest begins. There is a wide path here for multiple wagons to head down and the area is clearly one that is heavily lumbered. |
While out here, Alzar finds a few things of note. He lands and slays a few plants like Mantraps (a version of a man-eating Venus Flytrap) and some Grab Grass here, and then a pack of worgs tries to make him dinner, and only three flee and escape after a few rounds of Selnyr killing them.
None of these dangers would cause the loss mentioned before. The lumbering interests are not currently operating, and no one is out here. He comes across a few abandoned cottages, and it seems like weeks since anyone was here. Whatever is happening, it doesn’t seem to be here, but a few more flyovers occur, just to make sure. Alzar heads south to the hills. Alzar had begun with the woods, as many of the people disappeared while out working or up there, so it only made sense to check there first, but finding nothing, south seems the last logical area to check. (This is where I am changing, not what is happening, but the details and the threat level). As Alzar explores, he sees a newly constructed tower, one too new to be anything that is worn. It’s construction and deployment seem pretty similar to a magical item he has, the Instant Fortress: :origin()/pre00/b8f7/th/pre/i/2011/164/9/f/odd_jobs__magic_items_by_drofdemonology-d3isgd7.jpg) This cube can be turned into an instant tower and used for defense, and then recalled back and moved again by the owner. Alzar has one too, and the tower is detecting as magical with his Star of Mo’Pilar used to verify it. Alzar flies down to inspect the Instant Fortress. |
Alzar sees a large amount of local and recent activity here, about 13 miles south of the town. Alzar’s landing is protested by a family of lamia and their minions
 (random.org) Lamias are users of charms, suggestions, and such. Alzar’s arrival is initially deemed to prove very useful. They know who he is, and if they can charm the ruler of this land…? Well, they will be set up well indeed. Missiles fly in and slay the griffin as they try to charm Alzar. It fails due to his Magic Resistance, or saves (in one case), with Alzar’s level so high, his saves are very low, and his magic items give his bonuses to saves, so only a 1 would fail with most magic. Alzar’s axe is out. One Lamia with 52 HP dies. 4 vs 2 They win init, and Alzar is missed a few times, and then clocked for 11. Then he slays another Lamia dealing 51 damage to it (Bracers that double his melee damage are nasty, although I am ruling they double the base die-rolled damage, not the bonuses, but dealing 2d8+ his bonuses over 1d8 is still a big change in tank-i-ness). 80/91 7 vs 3 Their minions hit for another 12, and the two remaining Lamias move off, galloping away. There were not melee’ing him, so he casts Power Word Kill as they flee, and one drops, the other slips into the Tower, and it’s doors close. 68/91 5 vs 8 Alzar casts a dispel magic and frees the charmed folks, and then they stop fighting and back off. These are 11 people from Tragidore, and they tell him that they were all loggers from the main town who were charmed months ago by the lamias to down below. Apparently, someone found a new vein of a rich ore here, and they needed quick labor to mine it, so the locals that were strong enough were magically coerced and brought down to work, with magic concealing their path to this tower. Alzar healed himself with lighter Cure Light Wounds spells to keep more powerful magic ready. |
Alzar orders them to retreat back to their town and let the others know.
Alzar Conjures a Greater Earth Elemental and another Earth, and then the Elementals pound and after 11 minutes, they smash the gate in, and they head in to the Instant Fortress. The defenders knew that Alzar was at their gates, and they have formed defenses. They have flipped over tables, armed four ballista with magical quarrels, have a number of murder holes, prepared some boiling oil magically, have around 100 defenders including Lamia, orcs, charmed or dominated local humans, and a group of elven mages and clerics here as well. Alzar uses his Ring of Quick Action to go first, and then casts Time Stop. Mass Domination, Mass Charm and Mass Suggestion follow, and when it releases, he has retaken the locals, and orders them to drop their weapons and head back home, and then uses the orcs he controlled to turn on the lamias, and the Elementals smash in. 5 vs 7 Alzar’s forces kill 5 lamias, leaving 12, and the rest flee this level. Alzar leaps in front of 8 and casts Wail of the Banshee and kills 5 of them. The others surrender, and he uses divinatory magic (ESP) to find out what is happening fully. A high level lamia noble teamed with a high level magic user after the wizard uncovered a powerful vein of one of the most rare elements on the plane, Valorite, which makes a bright royal blue metal that is very distinctive and strong. She and the Lamia noble agreed to work together to secure the resources needed to mine this rich vein of Valorite. All of the elves, orcs, and humans locally, as well as a few halflings and dwarves she could find, were charmed and brought in. The mage used her magic to create this tower overnight, and use it as a base of operations directly over the mine, so that it wouldn’t appear that a new mine was in operation and to hide what was happening. Alzar uses his Iron Bands of Bilarro to secure the surrendered lamias, and then frees the orcs, and elves and humans here and lets them go. About 10 want to join up and help, and he sets about them guarding the front door and getting defenses ready in case they need it. Alzar casts the Mind Defense on a female cleric of one to bring with him. They finish this level, and find kitchen, dining area, living quarters, and defensive structures here, and Alzar heads up, not wanting to let them flank him when he heads down. He has the elementals guard as well, as they can’t fit up the tight spiral to the next level. |
He heads up, and this level is less traversed. This is the home of the leader, and he finds a few traps, and then a rich bedroom, library, and such. He does use his clerical magic in a few places to dispel protective magics like Glyphs of Warding and Symbols, and a Fire Trap and Explosive Runes.
After clearing out the magical wards and entering the bedroom, a few golems here animate and attack! Alzar vs 5 Iron Golems 2 vs 4 Alzar casts Hold Golem and one is paralyzed. They are immune to illusions and his cloak, he would take 14 from a punch, but it misses (he makes his avoidance roll from his thief skill list). His axe slaps one for 33 and then 36 damage but the shield misses. IG - 51/120 5 vs 3 Alzar takes 22. He kills the wounded IG. 69/91 7 vs 9 Alzar misses, and then deals 44. The IGs miss back. 6 vs 3 Alzar takes 15. He slays the wounded IG, just two left 54/91 9 vs 2 Alzar takes 25 from two punches, and was hit twice. He casts HEAL and is fully healed. 6 vs 5 Alzar dodges a hit for 11. He wounds an IG for 65 after hitting a lot. 7 vs 8 Alzar finish the wounded golem, one left. It misses. It does not context again, and Alzar wins. |
Alzar finds:
Two rows of 450 books on arcane lore 51 books on golem crafting 20 books on mining and Valorite usage Book on making a Valorite Golem Zara’s Spellbooks 150000 gp worth of gold, jewels, and gems But not as much as he expected with magical items. Huh. He heads back to the first floor, and then down to the mines! On the mining level, will be the sorceress Zara, a 30th level magic user, as well as her consort, a 29th level warrior, more than 200 charmed slaves, a Lamia Noble, and more than 20 other lamias. They know of Alzar’s arrival. They are prepared. The mines aren’t as easily defensed as the large central room above, but they have used the hour or so to prepare traps, rockfalls, defenses, and more, using charmed people as bait and distractions for Alzar. It’s not common knowledge, of course, that Alzar is evil, so they assume that he would prioritize helping rescue a slave or two over bringing them all to justice. They assumed poorly. Alzar heads down by himself, and sees the assembled group. Zara is not here, but everyone and everything else here. This central chamber is the storage area for the mine, and has a number of carts, mined ore, ingots made by a nearby forge, and more. Meanwhile, this area is trapped and defended quite nicely. Alzar sees it, and that the one he wants, Zara isn’t here. He casts Time Stop from his stored spells, and then casts some dispels to break charms and then a final Disjunction to remove them all from the area, and then the spell lifts, and he orders the slaves to break and flee further, and they do. Suddenly, the battlefield is just a handful of lamia and a noble and a fighter. Angry at Alzar they are marching at him quickly to end him. Battle begins 5 vs 3 Alzar is missed (cloak). He casts Chaos. Most are effected. 9 vs 6 Alzar is hit for 21 from various weapons, but they hit each other too, and Alzar finishes a wounded Lamia and then another. 2 down. 70/91 5 vs 7 Alzar’s axe takes out two more lamias, and then they hit each other. The fighter is using a bow very well from behind lines and he is peppered twice for 14, but that is the only damage he takes. 56/91 6 vs 4 Alzar takes 20, and one Lamia dies. Alzar carves two more dead. 36/91 5 vs 1 Alzar takes another 18. He casts heal. 9 vs 4 Alzar takes 16. One lamia dies from Chaos damage as some attacked each other. Alzar leaps next to the fighter and slices him for 44. 75/91 6 vs 2 The fighter quaffs a potion of Gaseous Form and slips away. Alzar could bring him back, but needs to finish this room and his axe and shield move to the adjacent lamias. One more dies. 4 vs 7 Alzar slays two more lamias, and takes 9. 66/91 1 vs 9 Two more die, and then a third with chaos. Alzar takes nothing. Alzar finishes the group off and took 21 more damage doing so, and then casts some more minor magic. The Lamia Noble, the fighter, and two lamias fled this room. He casts Animate Dead and animates 20 lamia skeletons. 19 slaves died from various traps and tricks as Alzar went for the slavers first, and ignored any flesh shields they had erected. Alzar’s undead pack will lead. |
He finds a smelting room, some mining stations, mass sleeping chambers for slaves and guards, and more lamia bedcaves here. He kills another 10 lamia. He finds the last room here, a smith that pounds the ingots into needed forms for use in various magical devices.
Alzar finds Zara, her consort, and the Lamia Noble here. Zara casts Time Stop. She uses Strip Resistance, the Cleaving, and then casts Spell Immunity: Abjuration, which works against most attempts to drop shields, as that magic is abjurative in nature. She has stoneskin up as well. Battle begins… 6 vs 7 Alzar casts Evard’s Black Tentacles before he is based by the fighter or targeted by the Lamia Noble. They reach up and grab the fighter at missile range, and he takes 31 damage, but is high enough level to free himself. The LN takes 28, and again, spends the round freeing herself. Zara casts Power Word Kill at Alzar. Can it crack his reduced MR? Yes. Will it work against his Ring of Spell Turning? Yes, he makes the forced save, and it rebounds, and she makes hers. 4 vs 3 Alzar takes 22 from missile damage and The Lamia Noble casts Greater Magic Missile and 10 darts fly out for 42 damage. Zara adds a normal MM of 5 darts for 19. Alzar casts Heal. He wishes he had gotten his Gem of Magic Missile Reflection prepared for this battle. His undead (now just 9 skeletons) miss. 5 vs 8 Alzar retakes initiative. He flings a skulltrap with a taken lamia skull at them and hits for 38, save for half, both do. The skeletons add 10 to the fighter, and miss the Lamia Noble. Zara dispels the skeletons with a spell, and the noble casts a normal MM for 22 and Alzar takes 15 missile damage 54/91 6 vs 7 Alzar casts Maze on the fighter and he disappears for 5 rounds. Zara casts dispel and brings him back Alzar makes the save on the nobles PW kill. 8 vs 5 They take init from Alzar, and then he takes 19 damage from the fighter, and then two Finger of Deaths. He uses his final Heal spell. 3 vs 2 They keep init. Alzar takes 43 from a lightning bolt, arrows, and makes another save vs an auto-kill spell. Alzar needs assistance and brings in his deus ex machina. A Worldwake spell to his hold with the Death Tyrants brings them out and 7 undead beholders enter the smithy. 48/91 6 vs 3 The lamia noble, seeing the shift in battle, uses a teleport spell to get away before the beholders can place her in their anti-magic zones. The fighter’s sword cleaves deeply into one for 33 damage, and Zara physically runs out of the room to escape, but not before her protections are dropped. Alzar leaps after Zara and can’t melee her, but can fire arrows at her. She takes 31 from the six fired arrows. Alzar beholders petrify the fighter. 2 vs 8 Alzar wins init. Him and cause damage spells finish Zara. Alzar casts his new shiny teleport track spell, and then follows the wounded Lamia Noble after drinking a healing potion. Battle continues 9 vs 8 Alzar takes 18 damage from a Flame Arrow spell at him. He hits for 55 damage. She falls. Alzar grabs her corpse and heads back to the smithy. |
He’ll later flesh to stone back the fighter and kill him, and use the Death Mask of Ptah to keep them from bringing some heat against him.
Down here, Alzar finds: 100 +2 ballista bolts of piercing +4 longbow, 20 +4 arrows +3 bastard sword Ring of Spell Storing – Teleport (used) Scroll of Wish 1 potion of Gaseous Form 50000 gp worth of jewelry +4 Ring of Protection Alzar frees the slaves and will return to resurrect the dead slaves. All told, around 135 people died, but hundreds were freed, around 20 of those death will be brought back, and the town will recover. Meanwhile, Alzar will invest 50k gp in expanding the mines here, making a road, and such, and will open a valorite mine, and the value of this province will increase considerably. He will leave behind the ballista and such to protect the mines and build a defensive structure to accompany the additional 150 troops he is bringing here. In about a year, Alzar will have an extremely valuable Valorite Golem. The trouble has ended, but it will take some time for it to fully recover. He takes the Instant Fortress. End Terrible Trouble at Tragidore Meh. I find that module to be pretty minor. It’s also very gender-ish. I changed some of the details, as all the people taken are men to work the mines, and all of the women are panicking and fleeing. Why aren’t wives going up and heading out and leading an exploration? Why aren’t strong women being selected to work the mines too? Wouldn’t you rather have a younger women with a STR of 17 than n a middle-aged man with a STR of 7? It’s very poorly conceived, so I modified it. I’m actually surprised this module was cowritten by a woman, but Jean Rabe has been one of the least pro-woman female writers I’ve ever encountered, and this seemed no different. I also added in the lamia nobles, fortress, defenses, and such. In the module, it’s a single lamia, but I wanted an entire clan as I felt that was more interesting and believable. So, I used the basic idea of the module, but I probably rewrote around 50% of it to run it today. Enjoy! |
Where is Alzar’s immortality quest right now?
Here’s an update for Alzar’s Immortality paths Ssu-Ma’s Path of the Epic Hero Win the Demonwars for Law without using the Crook of Infaust. DONE Create a legendary weapon. DONE Have the best library in Pandius. (Ssu-Ma currently ranks it 2nd best). Ongoing Open up his library to more knowledge seekers. Ongoing. Turn over some of the control of his library to Ssu-Ma. Ongoing. Increase the literacy rate of his nation by at least 50% (Currently 49%) Ongoing. Nyx’s Fifth Path to Entropy Create a new race of undead, introduce them to the world, and have them grow and flourish for 2 years. Mighty Wight created, Ongoing Find an artifact of Ixion, and destroy it. DONE Defile a temple of Ixion’s. DONE Create a new school of shadow magic here on Pandius, and support it’s creation. Mostly Done Add darkness to Pandius in some major way (literally, not figuratively). DONE Create a magical item dedicated to the cause of Nyx. Not Yet |
Year 12, Month 6
Alzar purchases another 50k books from Hamedh. That plane is mostly tapped out, so in a half year, Alzar has basically purchased books from most private dealers, stores, and owners across three planes. Some of Alzar’s books will remain in his personal library, although most won’t. He arrives at Jaspa’a and purchases another 100k books. A meteor crashes from the sky out in the central plains of his holding, about 150 miles north of Tragidore and Hanuman. Vix still has not returned. The order for 150 more soldiers by Tragidore and Hanuman is beginning. The Grand Duchy population growth has ebbed from the core areas, save for Evenarrow and south on the Great Bay shores, it’s mostly plateaued in places like Bergholm, Raider’s Point, Riverton and more. Alzar spends this month building a ten-building teleport maze in Evenarrow that can be used for fun. Each building cannot be entered from outside, save for the starting building. There are four portals in each building, and a riddle on the side of the wall that, if answered, will tell someone the right portal to take to get to the next one, and then eventually out. You can randomly get out, get out by order, or just quit and exit with a portal out of each room. He got the idea from “Dungeon.” |
There are three adventures left.
But, there is around 122 pages of Word left. To be fair I quote and slow roll the next adventure M5 and take my time with it. But still, three adventures left! Begin M4. Five Coins for a Kingdom  Before her daughter leaves and joins her in the immortal realm, Nyx has one last task for Alzar and Vix, although she won’t tell them that. Behind the scenes, Nyx is connecting Evenarrow with another city in order to set into motion Alzar and Vix hitting and taking out a big bad. There is an immortal-seeker of the immortal Orcus. Orcus and Nyx are heavy rivals. This seeker has almost finished his quest, but even Orcus has disowned him, he’s that power-mad. Orcus has a powerful artifact called the Shadow Belt that is nasty powerful he ensures that his immortal questers find. If they can handle the power of the Shadow Belt, then they can handle the power of immortality, but if not then it’s good to know now. Nyx wants her two immortality entrants to take out the immortal quester, hurt Orcus, and then recover this powerful artifact and use it and rededicate it in the name of Nyx. But she is manipulating behind the scenes. Alzar and Vix are out touring a local city. And then they teleport back home to Evenarrow…. The city has disappeared! |
Vix is BACK!!!!! woohoo!
|
Quote:
Yeah she is! But not for too much longer... |
Where has Evenarrow gone?
The area is still here. The land is here and the structures just gone. Alzar investigates, and after using magic to track it, he sees the city far away up in space and moving towards Pandius’s sun. A massive bright light is shining down and something is streaking down from the heavens above, and looks to hit the ground just in front of Alzar and Vix. Like a comet or a meteor that is about to strike. However, the thing hits the ground and leaves behind an odd shaped coin. A copper-ish piece. Alzar bends down to look at the coin and it’s written in a bizarre language that makes no sense and is clearly glowing as magic. As the piece arrives, a ghostly image of a wizard shoots up from the coin. Standing before Alzar and Vix is an old man in copper-colored robes, outlined in transparent flames, the image shimmers and comes in and out of focus. The image speaks. “I hope this token has found brave adventures that are willing for fight for law. I bring greetings from another prime material plane. We, the ruling Wizards of the kingdom of Trann are in great danger, and you may be in the same danger. Our capital city, Solius, the jewel and essence of our land of Trann has vanished. The ruler of a rival nation, Durhan the Conqueror, cast this powerful enchantment that leaves our land helpless before his invading armies, but we sense his magic has spread to nearby planes as well, and will continue to do so, finding it’s way to all prime planes. We were betrayed by an ally of Durhans’s, and are now held captive in the treasury of our old kingdom, beneath the site of or city, now heading towards the sun. Our magic has been mostly forced from us, but together, we have sent five coins to your nation that can be collected and used to bring you to our land, survive in it, and set us free, so we can restore the city. Our welfare depends on your strength and courage” The image flickers and vanishes. Alzar picks up the Copper Coin.  |
Each coin has been imprinted with a number of runes and words from their plane, but they give off a strong magical aura.
This coin is designed to be a compass to the other four coins, and as Alzar holds it, they can make out a pulse coming from the west. They head out. About an hour later of flying in the Chariot of Vix, they arrive in the Ljallenvals Mountains near a cliff. This section of cliffside is littered with rubble and boulders. It looks like there has been a great battle with a huge stone giant, bigger than their normal kind here suffering the after effect and badly hurt. The giant is almost unconscious, with each breath seemingly painful. Alzar steps over and casts Heal, fully healing the giant. The giant rises, and then smiles a wide and stony grin at them. It introduces himself as Granite, a mercenary in the employ currently of the Jarl of Ostwald to the south, and he is on a mission to recover a great treasure taken by an ancient blue wyrm here in the mountains. Alzar mentions his need for a silver coin here in the caves where the dragon is supposed to be as well. Granite asks to fight with Alzar and Vix, and three of them will take on the dragon. The dragon took his magical sword, so Alzar lets him borrow Wyrmcleaver, a sword that acts as vorpal sword again dragons. Before they head in, Alzar conjures some allies to help, a Greater Earth Elemental and a normal Earth. They move in to the cave. Alzar sees and dispels an illusion that gives the dragon coverage. They arrive in the cavern, with the illusion dispelled, and in place in a pile of bones, and the entrance to the dragon’s lair is behind it. This is the home of Dominagon the Ancient Blue Wyrm, the most powerful level a dragon can hit. Alzar and Vix prepared some anti-blue magic, such as lightning protection. |
Vix is going to head in first, to take the front, and then they will head behind, with the elementals both flanking and preventing it from easily escaping. They head in a great sword is cracking energy in front of them. This is Granite’s sword, and the dragon has breathed on it, electrifying the sword. The dragon shouts out, “what have you done with my treasure!?! I will kill you!” and then breathes at Vix, and she is immune with her Protection from Electricity cast on her by Alzar’s clerical magic. She is zarked by the sword as she nears, and then closes to melee range, and then Alzar is shocked by the sword for nothing, Granite takes 11, and the elementals each 10, and then the charge leaves the sword.
4 vs 8 Granite bases the dragon. Vix hits for 22. Alzar casts Temporary Youth to weaken it. The elementals hold. The dragon attacks and hits for 19 and 33 on Vix biting her. 99/151 8 vs 6 They take another 45 on Vix. Alzar casts Cure Critical Wounds and heals 35. Then they hit for another 19 on the dragon. It’s hard to hit with it’s seriously low AC, even after weakening with Alzar’s spell. 89/151 2 vs 5 Alzar casts another Cure Crit, and then his team adds 22. The dragon hits with every attack for 56. 68/151 5 vs 6 Alzar casts Heal on Vix. They hit for 27 more with an Elemental punch finally connecting. Granite hit with a 18, almost a vorpal auto-kill. Vix adds 33 more damage 118/151 8 vs 6 Vix takes another 40. They smash for 23, and then Alzar adds 33 more. 78/151 1 vs 2 They hit for another 46 total, and the Wyrm dies. Alzar will carve it up later, but Granite takes his sword back and swaps it with Alzar’s Wyrmcleaver. Granite begins to cut off the head. Other than a silver coin on the ground, there is no more treasure here! No wonder the blue was annoyed and attacked immediately, when they don’t always do that. The Silver Coin:  This coin allows the wielder to cast the spell Polymorph Self once/day if held by the same person as the Copper Coin. Alzar hands them to Vix so she can amp her skills a bit. Alzar heals Vix with Cure Lights, and offers for Granite to join them, but he declines, he has to return the head to the Jarl for his contract. Alzar offers to teleport them over now, so the giant can finish the arrangement, get his reward now, and then they can go. Granite agrees and will join them Granite, Stone Giant, Mercenary, Neutral AC -1, HD 16, HP – 86, THACO – 5, has +3 two-handed sword, +5 vs dragons, with that, Thaco drops to 2, and for skill to -1. Specialist with giant sized two-handed swords, can attack 2/round, gets +3 to hit, and +3 to damage. Deals 2d10+14 for each hit. Granite was assisted by Alzar in his quest to slay an ancient blue wyrm, and was healed by Alzar. Now he has joined as an ally of Alzar. Note that Granite is more powerful than his kind typically are. |
Vix is led by the copper piece to a place and they teleport to the Jotunheimr Hills. Vix is led by the coin to a low cliff with scrub trees at the base. About 20’ up its is the a carcass of a deer, and a patches of fur hang from tree branches, along with some very large feathers. Inside the cave can be made out the singing of a nursery rhyme.
Alzar makes a skill check roll. The feathers and location suggest sphinxes to him. He heads up, leaving the others behind, and moves to the front of the cave, calling out to the sphinxes within. The male moves to the front of the cave, and the mother slips two sphinx cubs to the back and moves to protect them. Alzar and the male talk a bit, and he can see a coin in the shelter. The male sphinx is willing to trade it for food, but Alzar doesn’t have any food on him. The sphinx gives Alzar a riddle instead, and Alzar makes his INT score guess and knows the answer. They move and give him the odd black-metal coin, and then they move off.  When Vix holds the Black Coin, she can cast Programmed Illusion 2/day if she has the other coins in her possession. |
Vix’s copper coin pulls her north, and after identifying the area with a crystal ball, they teleport to a great pond in the area. Almost the size of a lake really. The group finds themselves before a large stagnant lake. A few plants poke up here and there through the lake, and a slight shimmering can be seen.
The shimmering form, clearly undead, forms into the image of a pale man with pale blue clothes, and dripping wet, and wrapped in plants, bleeding from many wounds. The man carries a small casket in his hands, and then sees Alzar and says, “all of my wealth for a breath of air.” It’s common for spirit based undead to require something they had undone or to reverse their death so they can flee this realm. Alzar agrees to give it a breath of air. It walks onto land, and Alzar, Vix, and Granite dig a small grave, and then the ghost lays down. Alzar casts water breathing on the ghost, but it didn’t work, the ghost is still here. Alzar then casts Speak with Distant Dead, and it just wants to be buried here, Alzar doesn’t need to do anything special. They bury the ghost, the spirit disappears, and the chest remains. Alzar picks the lock, and inside is a gold coin.  The gold coin lets Vix create three potions per day of any standard type by touching a vessel with pure water in it, as long as she has the other coins in her possession. |
The copper coin is pointing behind them for the final coin, and it pointing into the lake they are already beside! Alzar and Vix have Necklaces of Adaptation, so they can enter water fine without needed to breathe. Vix creates a water breathing potion for Granite, and he drinks it, and then they head into the lake, which is more than a normal lake…
The water is foul and muddy, and a few stunted plants and rocks can be made out and covered with scum. Following the coin takes them deeper and deeper and the light from above dwindles. They see some shapes that appear to be, not freshwater, but saltwater plants and items, like coral and seaweed, which is odd. There are flat-disk creatures that move towards their party! There are 75 of these monsters here! Alzar casts Time Stop, then Wail of the Banshee, then Death Spell and then the spell sends (random.org) They finish the remaining devilfish in around seven rounds. They took minor damage, which Alzar healed. In the coral reefs here is a glinting platinum piece, and they grab it. Platinum Piece Vix may control one creature up to 40 hp, 4/day, and at will move to the plane of Eloysia or Pandius, if the owner has all five coins. Alzar and his party return, rest to reload their spells, and then activate the five coins, and head to Eloysia  |
The prime material plane of Eloysia is in some ways a reverse image of Pandius. Whereas on Pandius the world floats through the vast emptiness of space, here on Eloysia, the realm is filled with these teeming bits of material and there are great islands that orbit the sun itself. They are on one of those great islands, the island of Trann, the island kingdom of the Ruling Wizards. Nearby is another island, and that’s like Volde. There are two great tethering cables that connect the two islands.
Alzar can’t see the former capital here, but scrying magic shows that I’s overhead, and about 2/3rds of the way to the sun! The party is standing in an empty field, much like the one left behind in Evenarrow. The coins fall to the ground after activating. They can be picked up again. Long grass is here waving and a pond nearby with an island in its center lingers. The sun hangs in the middle of the globe, with great islands crossing overhead in the filament. On a hill overlooking the former capital of Trann, the are a few buildings standing that were outside of the radius of the capital city. They are a mausoleum and graveyard, a wishing well, and a few other buildings. Alzar and party head over to the hill and on it there are a few structures. There’s also a moat around the castle and other things in the ground that show this was once the capital, but no longer. They arrive first at a wishing well. Now that they are back home, the runes and lettering can be deciphered by Alzar’s axe, which can allow him to read languages at will. The copper coin is the coin of Warrick, and the rune of Warrick is on the coin. It’s also the rune on this well. It’s a great fountain that serves as a wishing well. And it’s on. Alzar tosses the copper coin of Warrick into the well, making a wish. A small fragile globe filled with green vapor rises from the well. Alzar gets information on it as well. When broken in battle, this will work to help destroy the Conqueror’s guards. One of the buildings here is an oddly shaped building that is constructed in the form of a dragon sitting on all fours. The stonework is very well done, and the dragon’s head appears to rear back fiercely, with its mouth open. The mouth is bricked over and the eyes missing, and in the belly of the stone dragon are two large blue-steel doors. Alzar knows petrification, and this building was once a great blue dragon that was petrified and then turned into this building. Alzar finds and dispels some magical defenses, like symbols. They open the doors and head in. |
This large, oval-shaped room has a rounded ceiling and walls with vertical bulges like ribs. There is a beam overhead like a spine, and other similarities to an actual dragon. There are silk-covered divans, big pillows, billowing tapestries, and thick carpet. The room is plush and exotic. This is the living quarters of a wizard, and Alzar can make out a few mage accoutrements.
The staircase leads up, and they head into the head, which is a study. This room has a rounded stone ceiling, long wooden tables, shelves of books, and more, with some lab equipment to the left. This is a wizard’s story. In this room is a small blue dragon, flitting around. Alzar communicates with her. She is Popiel, a baby dragon who is the familiar of the wizard who lives here, Saybrook. She tells about what is happening, and implores Alzar to help her master be freed. He agrees. She flies up and Alzar sees a slot for a coin under her, and her places the silver coin of Saybrook into the slot, and out comes a Round Marble Key. They head back out, with Popiel leading the way. They reach a giant granite statue of a sphinx resting, and outstretched paws concealing an entrance to a downward tunnel. Over it is a rune telling of a person who lives here, Kendell, it’s the same rune as the Black Coin. They head into the tunnel and move down. Inside the sphinx is a big, well-lit room about 60 by 30 that resembles a museum, with numerous animal sculptures here. There are lions in bronze, swans of glass, wild horses in iron, deer in brass, and such. Each of the room’s four walls are colored with a bright fresco, and over the doorway is a scene of a royal court. Alzar can detect something off, and the Star reveals that much of this room is an illusion, including the animal sculptures. On the endtable, one statue is not an illusion, one of a Black Metal akin to the one the coin is made of. As Alzar moves there, the frescos on the wall disappear and instead maps of the kingdom, appear, and they include the treasury, which is where the Wizards are held. Like a bank, there is a slot in here. Alzar slips in the Black Coin, and gets full knowledge of how to get to the treasury. Within a few minutes of leaving the sphinx, they begin sweating heavily. Without the city here, the heat from the sun is hot. And the sun is far away, but bigger than Pandius’s sun. Next Alzar and company arrive at the Mausoleum and graveyard. As the area is approached, a cold breeze beckons from in front of them. Low, ivy-colored walls with thick pillars in front hold a great golden door with the likeness of a face it in, and this is the hold of Jacaine, one of the five Ruling Wizards, and the one with the golden coin. They head in. |
This place is gloomy, theatrical, and haunted. Alzar finds and dispels some symbols and other magic traps, and then finds and removes some mundane traps as well, including an acid bath trap.
As they head in, a dark scratching voice intones” Think upon thy life, mortal, and resolve to live it better!” These gloomy sentiments are repeated, and carved into the entrance walls of the tunnel. As they finish, a ghost comes to Alzar, and asks, “Is there any way we may be of assistance, sir?” almost like a butler. They head into a room with the ghost butler. There are poster beds, a large coffin, open with nothing in it, and a number of other accoutrements of the wizard who lives here. Alzar inquires of the ghost, named Dreeval, and he tells Alzar of the various rooms here, and there is a golden tray carried by Dreeval. Alzar puts his gold coin on the tray, and then it disappears, and on the tray appear a number of magical potions which should, according to the info Alzar has gotten, wake the Wizards and fully restore/refresh their powers. They head out to the final building here, a temple made to a local immortal. Platinum pillars are here and more than 15’ tall to support the roof, and a narrow band of elaborately carved marble extends to the roof above the platinum supports. The stairs here heading up surround the temple, and a platform is in the middle. They arrive, and a shrine is here, with no protective elements here, no traps, no magical wards, not even walls or doors. A roof frieze above shows the wizard who lives here, Dyan, fighting off various monsters and elementals. A great platinum altar is here to an unknown immortal. Alzar places his coin into a platinum dish on the altar. Suddenly there is a burning odor, and the immortal venerated here (Nyx) had decided to bequeath Alzar 20 Bronze Golems as aid in taking out the forces of the Conqueror. A voice intones, “Yours to command.” And fades. They leave the temple, and head back down the hill. |
Now that Alzar knows where everything is, and has the items and knowledge needed, he should be able to free the five Ruling Wizards.
The treasury vault entrance is hidden and concealed, Alzar finds and opens it with the Marble Key. Inside is a great staircase leading down and it is too small for Granite and the golems, so Alzar leaves them here. Only Vix and the small dragon Popiel join him. There is a steep incline down, and Alzar casts Mass Flight and Vix and him descend down, to the bottom. There are a number of traps here that showed on the map, so Alzar finds and disarms them quickly. In one door there was an obvious trap that guarded the door, and then a subtle trap as well, and if you opened the door after disarming the obvious trap without searching again, this nastier one would hit you, but Alzar knows everything from the maps he saw in the sphinx, and the knowledge gained there by the coin. Then they arrive at a giant lead vault, that protects the vault from outside teleportation and detection magics, and a great anti-magic shell made permanent is here as well. Popiel tells them of the layout in here, and moves to cover a few traps and secret doors that need counter mechanisms to stop. They arrive at the vault, and the moment they do, seven nasty, three-armed giants step forward, and they are powerful indeed. These are powerful Athaches! Athatch  Alzar flings the sphere and the glass breaks, and the mist inside moves up and devours the great giants, and all seven guards die. |
The small dragon familiar flies to it’s master
There is a mummified beholder eye here hitting the area with an anti-magic, and Alzar takes it out, and the five ruling wizards are here, tied up. Alzar breaks their chains, and then gives them the potions, and they are fully healed and repowered. They leave the vault behind and get away from it’s anti-magic shell. The five wizards head outside and begin to work together to bring their city back down from the sun. The sky is filled with fire but they are not able to fully reverse it’s effects on their own, and Alzar is asked to join them. He does so, and uses his life to help them…. Round 1 – Alzar loses 10 hp. The city begins to halt it’s progress 81/91 Round 2 – Alzar loses 15 hp. The city has been stopped, but it remains hanging in the air, not moving anymore. 66/91 Round 3 – Alzar loses 20 hp. The city has just barely started moving back down. It will take years to return at this rate. 46/91 Round 4 – Alzar loses 25 hp. The city has reached a speed to bring it back down safely, but not so fast that things or people would be damaged. It should return in about 12 days 21/91 Alzar casts some lighter healing magic to heal himself. |
Now the immediate crisis is averted. One of the wizards, Dyan, tells him about what had happened here. An adjacent island, was ruled by Durhan the Conqueror and he came and took their land after his powers were heavily enhanced. He flung the capital into the sun to remove any question of his power and then returned home to his island.
The power of Durhan has run out of control, however, all of the cities on other planes, such as Evenarrow, that were heading to the sun were tethered to their capital of Solius, so now that the return of Solius has occurred, it should be mirrored on other planes as well. One of their trusted advisors betrayed them to Durhan and then they fell. The Ruling Wizards ask Alzar to finish Durhan, who stole their nation’s treasury and valuable magical items and such. Dyan asks for Alzar’s aid, and points out that just because Durhan was defeated this time after he left is no guarantee that he won’t come right back and repeat what happened earlier. Thus Evenarrow could be tossed in the sun again. The area was taken quickly by Durhan without any battles. He launched those giant metallic tethers from his own island to theirs, locking them into place, and then came across with magical enemies quickly and powerfully, so fast that the army couldn’t even be assembled. Durhan’s island, Volde, has launched those tethers on other places as well. After arriving, the local wizards that were weaker in power, such as apprentices, and lower ranked mages, were taken away by Durhan, and then he sent their capital at the sun and left back home. Their army is about a day’s march to the cables and the entrance from Volde to their hold, Trann. Alzar and company agree to head out, and Dyan casts a spell and summons a gigantic steed that is used between islands here on their plane of Eloysia. It’s basically a giant goldfish creature the size of a cloud, that can carry the golems, Alzar, Vix, and Granite easily with room to spare. They are going to circle around the long way, while the local wizards will assemble their military, and cross the cables to attack Volde. Alzar climbs aboard the steed, named an Auratus, and they head out! |
They pass a small peaceful family of Autati over their island.
There are three islands between the one that are leaving and the home of Durhan the Conqueror. The first is closer to the sun, and thus warmed by it’s embrace. It’s larger and very dense and heavy in the sky. Now each day they have to give their steed some time to rest and sleep. So they head over to anchor to the island tonight. It was about 10 hours away by Auratus Alzar and his company disembark, and on this side of the island, away from the sun’s glare, there are a number of mining operations here. Alzar heads to the local mining institute and discovers a powerful operation ongoing. He speaks with the 100+ miners here and they each have a Ring of Fire Resistance to work here, and they were hired by a local ally of Durhan on an adjacent island who has a strong economic interest here in the plane of Eloysia. He hires miners to come here for six month shifts, but doesn’t tell them that he charges for their flight here and home, lodging, rental of the Rings, and more. And thus they accrue more and more debt, and then they can’t leave until that is paid off. Alzar agrees to help them. First, he uses his Rhabdomancy spells to find a rich vein of platinum ore deeper underground that is untapped, and he uses magic and his golems to dig down there. They will begin mining immediately. Three days pass, and Alzar and company join them in mining as quickly as possible. Alzar has also taken most of the miners home and back again with his Auratus. Meanwhile, while exploring the part of the island in the light of the sun, Alzar comes across a number of fire creatures, including around 150 fire elementals of various types. He also comes across a famous Fire Elemental artist named Sss’f’hkk that makes these elaborate sculptures. Alzar impresses her after saving some Elementals from a nearby attack on them by a local fire-eating creature, and she gives him a memento of her favor. Sss’f’hkk’s Red-Hot Teardrop of Steel – a token of the favor granted by the famous fire elemental artist Alzar has freed the miners here, by having their platinum reduce their cost and then removing the shipping cost and they head home. |
They arrive at another island that is a small farmstead on a smaller island between them. Again, the Auratus is here to rest up.
They land, and Alzar talks to some of the locals to get the lay of the land. Similar to the land of the Royal Wizards, the folks here were hit by an invading force of troops from Durhan, but they didn’t set up shop, they just took all of the wizards and left. They suspect that Durhan was looking to eliminate sorcerous competition. (A reasonable assumption, and that will be so wrong) The next day they head out. They fly by a giant rainstorm in the sky, and their steed heads over and flies through it, drinking the water as it falls. As they close to the third island, Alzar notices something threatening. This island appears to be a minor island with a small civilization, but Alzar sees something in the distance, and uses scrying magic. Yes, it seems like battle is about to begin on the cables. The army of the wizards is moving up the cable, but Alzar sees a Durhan army heading towards them. Alzar decides to head down to help the battle. As he orders the auratus to land here and tether, so he can mass teleport there, a group of 21 angelic archons teleport around Alzar’s group, and they are powerfully blocking him. The leader, Coronatus, is not happy with Alzar’s presence on the island under his defense. Like others of his kind, Coronatus is downright arrogant to a fault, and looks down on anything not an Archon. Alzar tells him they are about to head down to the battle below, and Coronatus agrees to join the helpless pebbles since they have nothing better to do, if Alzar can defeat him in one: one combat. Alzar uses his Blade of the Archons to summon the great fiery sword to defend himself, and as he does, the archon sees the gift from the archons and their blessing already given and holds up. Alzar tells him of freeing archons and also winning the Demonwar with the Rod of Seven Parts, as the chosen scion of law. That’s enough to get the archon to join, and the 21 angels teleport Alzar and his 20 golems, Vix, and Granite to the battle. |
There are two cables that connect Trann and Volde, one to link them, and a second to keep them from moving about and locking in the tether. Each cable is miles across, and can easily be moved up. But the wizards kept their army together and marched up just one cable.
Alzar grabs Vanya’s Rod of Victory, and helps the group move forward, meeting with the wizards to briefly review their battleplans and make a few suggestions and minor tweaks. With angels, golems, and the Rod, battle begins while they are around 4/5s of the way up the giant cable. Total army size – 3530, BR of 119 Enemy army – 4000, BR 110. Now time to crunch some numbers: Day 1 Alzar’s force gets +20 (Rod) and nothing else. The enemy army gets +10 for defending. So that’s 139 vs 120, or a +19 for Alzar. Trann tosses a 44, them a 81, and the result is minor tactical victory for them. Alzar’s force lost 10% and no one is tired. Day 2 Today, they get another +10 for having already beaten Alzar, for a total +9. Trann rolls well with a 75. They toss a 32 and lose. Trann: -10%, Volde - -30%, and they are moderately tired Day 3 Today, the -10s cancel each other out. Alzar’s force gets another +10 for tired foes Trann rolls 10. They 51. Trann: -20%, moderately tired Volde: Nothing Day 4 Today the bonus for Trann drops by 20 BR from yesterday, as they’ve lost twice and they have an equal amount of tired people. Trann a 80, Volde a 49. Result? Major victory for Trann. Trann: -20% Volde: -40%, heavily tired Day 5 With another level of tired, Trann’s bonus rises considerably Trann a 63, Volde a 68. Trann wins, and wins by -20% for their foes, and nothing for them. Day 6 Again, bigger ratio for Trann. Trann tosses a 66. Volde a 38, and Trann has now routed Volde, and kept the field. They spend a day recuperating, healing, and raising where possible, and then they push forward. Alzar’s golems and archon allies lost nobody. |
As the army nears Volde, they are stopped by a great magical force. Alzar can make out a giant thundercloud here that is at the top of the entire island. From it come lightning bolts, and Alzar and Vix are each hit by a Bolt for 20d6, save for half. Alzar heals them a bit, and then more magic its them. Alzar casts Protection from Electricity.
Inside the cloud, is their foe, Durhan the Conqueror The cloud fades, and Alzar can see a pitch black belt around his waist that is not a color, but rather the absence of light or color. There are hundreds of small little cables that lead from the belt to something under him. The main is huge, almost 50 feet tall, and while networks of black-gold wires extend down from him like a huge spider in a web, with a mixture of agony and hatred on his eyes the army makes it from the cable to the island. He is casting a spell a round. Ice Storm? Meteor Swarm? Lightning Bolt? And they are coming down again and again, creating a powerful buffer that cannot be easily overcome. Angered the archons fly up to hit him, and almost none make it through the powerful magical bursts, but it gives Alzar and his retinue time to locate and figure out what Is happened. Because the golden wires are connecting, not the person, but the belt he wears. He suspects that they help to power it. So Alzar teleports himself and Vix to the area below him, and they begin to cut wires about half a mile below him. Alzar and Vix have hit about 20, but Alzar sees that there are hundreds more, but they are coming each other, so the closer he gets to Durhan, the more wires he can end in a single cut. Vix remains, and Alzar teleports behind Durhan and Time Stops. He gets three rounds of cleaving the wires, and about half are cut. Durhan turns in rages and casts Time Stop, and then Strip Resist, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, and Power Word, Kill. It ends and Alzar takes no damage, although his MR drops dangerously low. Only one archon remains, the leader Coronatus, but seeing Alzar’s strategy, he cuts another cord, and Durhan shouts out again in blind rage. 4 vs 1 Durhan casts Time Stop again and casts Lightning Boltx3 with two at Alzar and another at the wounded Coronatus. The angel falls, but Alzar is not longer immune with his protection gone, and he takes 44. Alzar cuts with his axe twice, and again with his shield, and now most of the webs are gone, and Vix cut a few more on the far side. 47/91 5 vs 7 Alzar finishes the cords, and the dark-gold strings that connect his artifact the Shadow Belt to whatever was tethered to is gone. The power leaves Durhan and the belt fades from shadow black to just a dark leather. Durhan shrinks in size back down to his normal size, and is overwhelmed and now in a fetal position. Alzar slays him, takes the artifact with a telekinesis spell, and then puts the Death Mask of Ptah of Durhan for a bit. |
Later, they will find that the mages taken were acting as a battery for the Shadow Belt.
Shadow Belt, Greater Artifact of Orcus Power Points – 500 Abilities – Mass Charm (75), Lightning Bolt (50), Clairvoyance (25), Levitate (10), Immunity (100). When touched and a command word given, a small skullcap appears, and can be placed on any willing or charmed wizard to draw power from, creating a tether. Up to 500 wizards can be so tethered. Power Drain – When it is attached to wizards, for each wizard attached, it regains a PP each day/level of the victim. While attached, the wizards cannot take any action other than eating, drinking, or sleeping. Any spells known by attached wizards can be cast by the wearer of the Shadow Belt, and 10/PP per/level of the spell can be cast via the Shadow Belt OR can be cast normally by the wearer. No spells cast by the Belt or the wearer of the Belt are subject to the normal spellcasting rules of the plane, thus, for example, on Pandius, while wearing this Belt, Alzar could cast more than one Chaos spell or Power Word Kill per day. Each power, when used, takes up a PP and cannot be reused until the PPs are restored While worn, the following happens: Alzar must make a madness check each day to see if he goes mad. Unlike other effects, this cannot be avoided with magic, although the save vs spells can be improved. The user increases in size uncontrollably by 1 foot/week worn until 50’ tall, and this comes with pain as the body increases, and the user’s max hp is cut by 50% while wearing the Belt. That’s a nasty artifact. Alzar is going to take it home and see if he can With the threat ended here to Eloysia, and Evenarrow should be home. They show scrying of nearby planes that have the capital city heading the sun back, and while their scrying hasn’t gotten to Pandius yet, it should be back as well. Alzar is ready to head back. The Ruling Wizards here give Alzar a Bag of Holding with 20000 platinum piece as thanks, and he can keep the 20 golems and the Belt. Alzar and Vix head home! End of M4. Five Coins for a Kingdom |
That’s not a bad adventure. But I feel that there are a number of missed opportunities that don’t make any sense in a larger perspective. Why are wizards behind an Anti-Magic shell and under the protective eye of a Beholder able to combine their powers to make 5 separate and distinct magical items that are very powerful, and then cast them out of their plane entirely?
I feel like much of the module tries too hard. Alzar is high level. He doesn’t need a globe to destroy Athachs, or 20 golems to help fight stuff or a Stone Giant friend to help kill a dragon. It felt a little railroading at times, with the quest for the coins, and then the quest for finding help to free the wizards, and such. You could just go to the vault, figure out how to get in, deal with the many epic traps, fight the 7 Athachs (I increased their number from 3) and then free the wizards, heal them yourselves, and be fine. But it’s there. It just takes you out of the adventure, and instead of focusing on the major big bad with the major Shadow Belt, you have these minor things happening instead that distract you. Anyways, those are my quick thoughts! Oddly, this is the most expensive module in the M series by far, clocking in around 90 or 100 used, much more than the others, like it’s some beloved lost treasure. Meh. Sure, it has levels of crazy ness, with a city heading to the sun, but the connection with city and yours just to make you interested seems like a plot device that makes no sense. Ah well. Back to Pandius and Evenarrow! |
I had that module and basically thought the same as you. It was ok but not up the level of a number of others.
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Yup, exactly! |
Alzar, Vix, Granite, and the 20 golems arrive back home, and he looks around. Where is Evenarrow?
Maybe it hasn’t returned yet? Like the other capital, maybe it’s just coming back over days, and it is on its way back down. Alzar scries and cannot find Evenarrow anywhere above Pandius! It’s not in the skies, not on the ground, not heading to the sun! What has happened to Alzar’s capital city? Begin M4. Five Coins for a Kingdom  Alzar and Vix cannot figure out what has happened to his Kingdom. Alzar heads to his OtherSpace and leaves the Shadow Belt there and transfers the platinum coins and keeps the Bag of Holding for other stuff. He grabs a Crystal Ball and heads back out. He uses the Ball to scry, but cannot find what happened. |
Alzar heads to a quiet glen. He has the golems guard him, and casts Contact other Plane, which can take minutes, or hours to use.
He reaches out, and taps into the conscious of a dark magi, but nothing comes of it. Then an aid to a immortal and more, and eventually he finds who knows the answers. Alzar spends a hour and 11 minutes to uncover that Evenarrow is actually in the sun! On their home plane of Eloysia, their capital was much further from the sun, and their city had much further to go to get to the sun, and it was still very close. On Pandius, where the sun is a lot closer, Evenarrow reached the sun before the original was stopped and reversed. Evenarrow was already in the sun by that time! (I added this reason because it makes more sense than the reason given in the module, btw). The city is not destroyed. The same enchantment that created a bubble around it, ripped it from planet and sent it hurtling through space now keeps it safe from the sun while at the heart of it! But because it’s position has changed, Alzar cannot teleport to it, nor will his Word of Recall magic work either (it just takes him back to the area his home used to be on the planet) Alzar and Vix will have to head in the slow way. Alzar prepares the items he does have in OtherSpace, as he cannot access anything inside of his home, such as his library. A Ring of Fire Resistance won’t work. Neither will their natural immunities either. They need something that will protect from the force of an entire sun. He doesn’t have an obvious object that will work without the chance of coming undone or ending while they are there, like a short-term Protection from Fire effect or such. Both him and Vix can breathe with their Necklace of Adaptation, they just need to survive. Alzar uses his monthly wish from the Ring of Djinni Summoning to create a force cage that will be big enough for Alzar and Vix and will keep out all heat and other elements. Alzar casts Semi-Permanency on it. They teleport to the edge of the sun! |
The sun is Ixion’s territory, so he will be using some of the sun to push back and hinder Alzar and Vix, the two immortal entrants of Nyx.
They arrive at the magneto scope of the sun. There are some sunspots out today, and a odd magnetic field is out here that forces some of their metal objects to cling badly to each other. Alzar sees a giant phoenix in the sky floating from the sun outwards, a phoenix that is larger than his city! He calls out to it, and it flies, over, and it’s oddly innocent for phoenixes. It tells Alzar that it saw people like him behind “glass” deep in the heart of the sun. Alzar and Vix begin fly, quickly, over to deal with it, with Mass Flight on both of them. An hour passes, then another, as they close into the outer edge of the sun. As they do, a few fiery creatures can be seen. Only a handful of fire creatures can live the sun. Not even fire tolerant creatures like a Fire Giant or Hell hounds could survive this heat. Just fire elementals, fundamentals, and creatures like phoenixes or hellions. They move deeper down towards the sun. More hours melt away. They see a group of flying 1500 Fire Fundamentals across the landscape Another hour passes. Then three more. |
Then as they close to a deeper part of the sun, Alzar and Vix see a massive solar flare hit, one stronger than any other before (maybe caused by a little Ixion action). It’s so powerful that it heats up inside the force cage they are living in. Alzar’s natural fire protection helps some, but it’s stifling. Vix as well. He grabs Rings of Fire Protection and they put them on to help defray the fire.
Alzar takes 33 damage, Vix 55. As this is internal heat damage, it cannot be healed by normal curative magics, like Cure Serious Wounds. 58/91 96/151 The solar flare passes, and they head deeper inside the sun. More time passes, and creature activity increases. More Fire Elementals can be seen. Alzar has to reload their flying magic occasionally to let them continue to descend magically. A day has ended. Another Solar Flare erupts, and they take more damage 32/91 46/151 Another day rolls by. |
Fire elementals of various types are constant companions. There is Fire Elemental architecture here in the flames, and a fiery home for everyone. Alzar has conjured a Fire Elemental to escort them outside of the forcecage and push it along faster than they can fly. It lasts for 8 hours, and then he summons another, and so forth, so they always have a fire elemental friend on the outside.
Alzar and Vix have descended to the point that they are a considerable novelty. Great creatures of fire ignite the sun’s sky. As a novelty, thousands and thousands of elementals of various types have arrived to observe them. Their passage is noticed. Alzar is using his Ring of Greater Sustenance to prevent the need for hunger, water, or sleep, and Vix the same, with her normal Ring of Sustenance. Alzar is casting magic while in the Forcecage. Things like communication with his home, scrying, and more. And he finds the location of the capital city, about a third day away. Hours more roll. Alzar sees an unusual thing here at the heart of the sun. There is a court here with a Fire Elemental King, and the King has the caged capital city of Evenarrow here. Alzar orders their escort to head over and take them to the King, and Alzar and the King speak for a while. Alzar shows the King the tear he got from the powerful Fire Elemental artist, and the King agrees to help Alzar send the city home. The king sends more than 500 fire elementals down to the heart of the sun where his city is, and they will physically untether it, and then push it back, and it will return in about 10 days. After securing aid, Alzar and Vix teleport back to the Grand Duchy, and he resumes his normal duties here, helping locals and such, and then the capital returns and they spend two days ensuring the return and safety of the magic, and have cancelled the magic that captured his city. Evenarrow is saved! End of M4. Five Coins for a Kingdom And there we go, all done. |
Year 12, Month 7 – Alzar adds another 50k books from Jaspa’a Vix returns after spending months in the Demiplane of Shadow, and she has finished her quest for immortality! Typically, a successful entrant is given time to put affairs into order before taking immortality. It’s common for someone to take a year, but they can take a week or a decade. Vix is looking for a year as well, to finish up some tasks here in the Grand Duchy. Alzar also begins a shrine to Vix. After doing more conferring with advisors, King Jaarvik the Just, king of Oceansend, has decided to declare independence from Norwold, and Alzar has sent the Sky Castle, and others, and arrived, and has declared that Oceansend will be guaranteed freedom, and many of Alzar’s forces are assembled to help stave off any moves by others. This has clearly been a long time coming, and King Ericall is not ready to let go of Oceansend. The Norwold army marches for Oceansend, which they can get to without sailing, as its south of the mountains. Alzar is using his Sky Castle to raid and hurt their supplies. He also uses this time to hit Landfall hard with magic and his western army is hitting the Barony of Alak Dool to push. Within four weeks, the siege of Oceansend ends after the main Norwold army leaves defeated, and Oceansend is now free and allies with Alzar’s Grand Duchy. No land exchanged. Alzar begins to work on a temple to Bemarris for Evenarrow. Bemarris: (ARES, MAGNI) Patron of Heroes, Protector of Norwold, The Dragonslayer Level, Alignment, Sphere: 3rd (Initiate), CG, Energy Symbol: a dragon pierced by a sword Portfolio: battle, strength, exterminate dragons, defend Norwold Worshipped in: Isle of Dawn (Helskir), Known World (Northern Reaches), Norwold Appearance: a sinewy human of about forty encased in shining plate armour with several embellishments of draconic stamp, a shield with the bas-relief of a rampant dragon on the left arm, a sword that emanates an intense magical aura in the right hand, and an helmet in the form of a dragon’s head with the visor raised that leaves glimpses of a perfectly shaved face of square features, with sky-blue eyes with a fierce and indomitable look and short greying hair. History: in life he was an Alphatian fighter of Norwold with a bold and obstinate temperament. Haunted by the power and destruction brought by dragons into his lands, succeeded to climb the summit of Immortality thanks to epic clashes with the draconic blood for protecting Norwold and to the of the armour, shield and sword of the Lord of Dragons (three ancient legendary artefacts). Ascending in the middle of the VII century AC, has brought with him into the Sphere of Energy his crusade against the dragons and is now the protector of numerous dragonslayers and all the humans of Norwold. Personality: Bemarris is an ardent fighter in heart and soul, more accustomed to fighting than to strategy and politics. However he is not reckless, and the years spent as mortal have refined his tactical skills as well as his skill of command, gifts that he tried to teach to his followers. He is a faithful ally of Thor, his mentor, who selected him for embodying the role of Magni (his son according to the Antalian mythology) and admires the young Lokena for her bravery and strategic skill, with who he has a good affinity. His principal enemies are naturally the dragon lords, as well as Idris, patroness of Denagoth and the evil dragons that live there. Bemarris indeed doesn’t distinguish between good or evil individuals: when he deals with dragons, his prejudice is so deep-seated that he indiscriminately considers all creatures treacherous and devastating and should be wiped out. Patron: unknown [presumed: Thor] Allies: Thor, Lokena Enemies: The Great One, Diamond, Pearl, Opal, Idris Alignment of followers: any; the clerics must be Chaotic or Neutral Favourite weapon: long sword (allowed all bludgeoning weapons and the bastard sword) Clerics’ skills and powers: can use Fighter Weapon Mastery slots instead of Cleric slots Paladins’ skills and powers: +2 bonus to attack rolls versus dragons Domains: Energy, Chaos, Good, Strength Preferred weapon: long sword Source: WotI, IM2 It makes sense to venerate a local immortal more with the shrines in his nation. Alzar also wants to add a Halfling shine as well. The Halflings on Pandius (who call themselves Hin), are different from many others planes. They are svelte adventure seekers with normally sized feet and they wear footwear. They are hit with a wanderlust in their youth, and then head out to satiate it. In fact, around half of the adventurers Alzar has hired for smaller tasks in his realm went to Halflings from nearby Leeha. Halflings have the greatest percentage of adventurers per adult in the plane. Because of this, they can be found spread out everywhere, and they get along with everyone. There are only two places on Pandius where Halflings live by themselves on a traditional shire. The Five Shires, a nation to the south, and the Shire of Leeha, nearby. Usamigaras Patron of Cynidicea, Patron of Leeha Level, Alignment, Sphere: 19th (Empyreal), CN, Energy Symbol: a silver five pointed star Portfolio: magic, healing, guile, travel, messengers, thieves, Cynidicea Worshipped in: Known World (Cynidicea), Norwold (Leeha) Appearance: a youthful halfling of about a metre tall, with the face of an infantile candour so much to be confused for a child, a sly and intelligent look, a small golden circlet on his head and a silver dagger at the waist, dressed in loud clothes of all the colours of the rainbow and a pair of great wings of white on his back. History:: Usamigaras was in life a halfling given of an slyness and of a boldness equal only to his thirst for adventure. After having left his homeland, the Five Shires, Usamigaras wandered around until, in escaping from a powerful wizard from who he’d just stolen a ring of wishes (which he used to gain magic powers equal to those of an archmage), in 400 BC ended in the city of Cynidicea. Thanks to the exhibition of his powers and to a little cleverness, Usamigaras was able to enter into the thanks of the rulers, Kallikrates and Valeria, and was appointed court mage and tutor of the small Marina, only heiress of the two monarchs. When the king and queen of Cynidicea died because of a landslide while they searched in the subterranean grotto only just discovered under the capital, Usamigaras succeeded to convince the council of nobles to support his nomination to new monarch and regent of the crown, with the promise that having protect the queen Marina until her age of majority and would later return the power from his hands. Effectively, during the following 20 years of the reign of Usamigaras, Cynidicea was able to peacefully prosper, and the Regent became a figure of great popularity both among the nobles and among the commoners, frequently organizing ballets, festivals and games for endearing himself to the population (and justified with this conspicuous expense deficit in the case of the state). In 370 BC Usamigaras discovered the secret documents of Gorm regarding the path for Immortality, and began to think seriously of doing a more important thing than the governing of the kingdom. Therefore, after having taught well the by now adult Marina on her duties and having found her a worthy husband in the captain of the guard, the faithful Alexius, as promised Usamigaras abdicated from his position of regent and left Cynidicea (taking with him a good part of the royal treasury and all the ancient documents of Gorm), revealed to him that the moment had arrived for him to undertake the path for joining with the Immortals Gorm and Madarua. Usamigaras succeeded in effect to become Immortal in 333 BC, after having found in Coberham a patron and on his indication having guided the halflings that lived with difficulty between Soderfjord and the Alasiyan Desert (descendents of the survivors from the invasion of Soderfjord by part of the kobolds in 490 BC) towards the far-off Great Bay, moving to found the county of Leeha. It was here that Usamigaras completed his own path and became a hero and an Immortal worshipped by the hin of Norwold. After he returned to also manifest in Cynidicea, where he founded his own cult and became the third member of the Cynidicean pantheon. It was typical of Usamigaras to guide the Cynidiceans in escaping from the northmen invaders in the underground caves, and to suggest to his clerics of starting the reconstruction of the city in that secret site, a decision that was later also supported by the followers of the other Immortals. Personality: Nevertheless during his mortal life Usamigaras has wanted most of all is to place the churches of Madarua and Gorm in second place and centralise in his hands all the power, from when he became Immortal he is a loyal ally of the other two Immortals that protect Cynidicea, acknowledging that fighting the threat constituted by Zargon (the demonic entity that lives under the city) as well as guaranteeing the survival of the Cynidiceans are two optimal motives for acting in common accord. This does not remove the fact that Usamigaras is always much more cunning in the proffering of plans of action and preaches to his cultists of using guile and subterfuge for more easily attaining their aims. Despite this side of him, Usamigaras is also remembered for his great curative ability and for the profound knowledge of the arcane arts, and for this is worshipped as the patron of thieves, healers, messengers and mages to Cynidicea, while to Leeha he is recognised as patron of guile, healing and travellers. Patron: unknown [presumed: Coberham] Allies: Gorm, Madarua Enemies: none Alignment of followers: Chaotic or Neutral Favourite weapon: dagger (allowed all bludgeoning weapons) Clerics’ skills and powers: Clerics Usamigaras acquire the ability to cast arcane spells from scrolls, as a mage of level equal to 1/3 of their cleric level, free read magic ability Domains: Energy, Chaos, Magic, Healing, Stealth Preferred weapon: dagger Source: B4, WotI And another…. Coberham Shadowglint Patron of Hins, Protector of the Five Shires, First Master Level, Alignment, Sphere: 10 (Temporal), N, Energy Symbol: a black flame Portfolio: halflings, magic, blackflame, mysteries, knowledge Worshipped in: Known World (Five Shires, Minrothad), Norwold and wherever a Crucible of Blackflame is present Appearance: a middle sized hin clad all in black, with an aura of blackflames flickering around him constantly which obfuscates his features; the only unmistakable feature of his visage is his silver-sparkling eyes and his magnetic gaze. History: LIKELY THEORY: in life he was probably the first Hin Keeper who discovered the secret of Blackflame under the Black Peaks Mountains, creating the first Crucible and harnessing the magical powers of Blackflame in the VIII century BC. Thanks to the Blackflame powers, the hin resistance finally got the edge over the humanoids, and led by the brave and charismatic Gunzuth (Brindorhin) the hins finally earned their freedom in BC 610 at the end of the Time of Heroes. Later Coberham taught the mysteries of Blackflame to a small cadre of loyal followers creating the first Hin Keepers and he became the most powerful mage of the whole area. He then proceeded to create a unique magical network all around the Shires to protect them by exploiting the Crucibles of Blackflame. This way he finally succeeded in his quest on the Path of Paragon and reached immortality in the Sphere of Energy in the VI century BC. Coberham is as much wise as he is silent. He loves to ponder the deep issues of the Multiverse and to study all unique and innovative forms of magic. He never stopped to examine the Blackflame and learn about its origins and powers, inviting all his followers to handle these mysteries with care and secrecy. He's a loyal friend of Brindorhin, who shared with him the epic deeds of the Time of Heroes, and finds Nob Nar and Raven the perfect embodiment of the typical merry and easygoing hin. He's got a deep respect for Ixion and Noumena, although he cannot really count them among his allies. His only enemies are the immortal patrons of orcs and goblins. Patron: unknown [likely: Ixion] Allies: Brindorhin, Nob Nar, Raven Enemies: Yagrai, Wogar Classic D&D stats: Followers' Alignment: any Weapons: none preferred (allowed all small and medium sized weapons) Clerics' skills & powers: +1 Intelligence bonus. Some clerics belong to the caste of the Keeper of Blackflame (a special priest subclass detailed in Tome of Mystaran Magic). Paladins' skills & powers: Coberham's paladins are the Hin Masters (see GAZ8) Spells: ceremony (1st), cornucopy (3rd). D&D 3E stats: Domains: Energy, Magic, Knowledge, Fire Preferred weapon: siangham Sources: GAZ8 Arguably, the most popular immortal among Halflings. |
Just two adventures left!
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Year 12, Month 8
Alzar’s Book Quest is mostly done, he’ll keep using his Bookfind each month to get a few books here and there for the Great Library. He’s out of cash from the adventures that jumpstarted the mission, and should be mostly finished. Basically after the Library is finished next year, and opens, with Ssu-Ma’s assistance, things will look up. Beginning of M5. The Talons of Night  Welcome to the final module in the M series, and one of the hardest modules you’ll ever see. This module is epic. It’s my favorite of the M series and because of that, it is probably the highest rated level of all time, and it feels like it. It’s going to fit a crap ton of awesome into this little package. Get ready for High Level Adventure play of the highest kind. This module will, mostly, conclude the storylines that I created. M5 is the end of the M1, M2, plotline that finishes in M5, but in a real way it caps the CM1 overarching plotline, and we will be mining this entire path for you. |
Before we do, I want to introduce you to some players in detail.
Alphatia – Empire and most powerful nation on the planet. Came from an adjacent plane as seen in Into the Maelstrom called Atlantis, and after the nasty Emperor Alphaks caused massively internal and external issues, his people fled into Mystara thousands of years ago and created the Empire of Alphatia. Alphaks followed and became an immortal. Meanwhile Alphatia is a magic-focused region, with flying ships in its navy, a flying sky castle (that Alzar captured in war) and a ruling council of 1000 36 level Magic Users that advise Empress Eriadne, who has lived for hundreds of years. Alphatia favors magic users heavily. Alphatia rivals with Thyatis, the other empire on the planet. They are in a huge cold war, and they have proxy wars in various places to push themselves without the full on battle elsewhere. Alzar was involved in two small brush wars between them in Norwold. Another place they have a ton of proxy wars is on the nearby Isle of Dawn. Thyatis – The Empire of Thyatis, led by Emperor Thincol I is much younger than Alphatia, and it is more balanced, and tends to favor all classes more evenly. It has a massive amount of power and seeks to push itself, and has been in a cold war with Alphatia for almost 150 years, and that’s most of it’s existence. Norwold – Like the Isle of Dawn, Norwold has been a region that has passed and been fought over as a proxy for the central Thyatis/Alphatian conflict. The city of Oceansend used to be Thyatian, the nation used to by Alphatian and more. Recently, Empress Eriadne wanted to duplicate the success Thyatis had with the Grand Duchy of Karameikos and add in Norwold as a colony that would grow into a mighty nation, thus the official Kingdom of Norwold was born, and Alzar was given a Barony in the fledgling nation. Thyatis influenced and bought off some local rulers and tried to get them to capture Norwold for Thyatis a few years after it was founded. This failed after Alzar helped King Ericall to win, and keep Norwold under the Alphatian aegis. King Ericall of Norwold would militarily annex the wealthy city-state of Oceansend. A few years later in Into the Maelstorm, Alphaks tried to hurt Alphatia by manipulating Ericall and the Baron of the Alphatian Island of Qoedhar to fight, and then lost to Alphak’s fleet, and even though Alzar was able to defeat Alphak’s avatar in battle, he lost the naval battle and much of the war until time was reversed by the immortals and set right. A few years later, Baron Norlan of Qoedhar led a set of reprisals against Norwold with some Alphatian allies to “punish” Norwold for its independent minded streak. This was a ruse to capture cities for Thyatis in a second brush war here in Norwold. During the battle, only Alzar won against the combined Qoedhari and Thyatis forces in his capital of Evenarrow, which overlooks the narrow straight into the capital. Alzar’s main army and thousands of dwarven subjects defeated them and won the war. After, King Ericall declared independence, and then Grand Duke Alzar declared his independence from Norwold, taking his northern 1/3 of the nation with him. Soon later, encouraged by Grand Duke Alzar, Oceansend would declare independence, and Alzar would help them win independence, and ally with the wealthy city state. Here is a map of Norwold  |
The Isle of Dawn
To the south of Norwold is the Isle of Dawn  You can see it on the Norwold map where you see Helskir. Four major nations are on the Isle of Dawn, as well as land controlled by both Empires and some lesser areas, like Redstone. The four major players: Helskir – Independent monarchy with ties to Thyatis, and the King and Queen have accepted nominal vassalage under the Empire and send aid and accept Thyatian rule, but it’s gentle here, as it was brought in diplomatically and peacefully, not on the fields of battle. In most respects, Helskir is still independent. It has changed hands multiple times from one Empire to the other. Helskirans are a freedom loving, self-sufficient people, who prefer to handle things themselves rather than relying upon their government for help. Helskir has changed from Thyatian to Alphatian rulership and vice-versa so many times that Helskirans have lost count. Regardless of which empire Helskir has belonged to, Eruul Zaar has remained the ruler of this town, shifting his loyalties with the wind. Most Helskirans are of Alphatian descent, but severed all ties to the despotic Empire of Alphatia. Grand Duchy of Westrourke – Independent Grand Duchy under the jurisdiction of the Empire of Thyatis. (Its ties to Thyatis are merely a formality.) It doesn’t like Alphatia much, but it’s not the biggest fan of Thyatis either, and it’s one of the largest states on the Isle of Dawn. Thothia – Southeastern part of Isle of Dawn. Semiautonomous theocracy and monarchy. It has it’s own powerful history, culture, nasty lands and deserts, and more, and it won’t bow easily to no one, currently free. Dunadale – Alphatian control and influence. East of Westrourke and Helskir. Largest state on the Isle of Dawn. While the coasts, with their brash tradesmen and knowing ways, are what people most think of when they consider Dunadale; it is the people in the countryside, which form its heart. These people are the salt of the earth, prizing their self-reliance, and yet ever ready to lend their neighbors a helping hand. For centuries they have lived, wedged between two empires, their lives and livelihoods endangered by war and monster incursions, and yet they thrive. |
Alzar receives a sealed summons letter from Thothia.
Tired by centuries of war and battle, multiple influential powers in both Empires have begun pushing for a permanent peace between Thyatis and Alphatia. Thus in six weeks time, a peace conference is going to be held. As the only neutral country on the neutral Isle of Dawn, Thothia is the ideal place to hold the conference, and their capital of Edairo will host the conference. Each of the heads of the major nations in this large inter-continental war will be directly at the table. The major players are Alphatia, Thyatis, Helskir, Norwold, Dunadale and Westrourke. These six nations and their leaders, will be at the conference. Alzar’s status as a new nation that has kept out of political entanglements has given him a unique status. He is respected by Thyatis for beating them fairly in battle and declaring independence from Alphatia, respected in Alphatia for winning wars against Thyatis, and while currently Norwold isn’t happy with him, that fact endears him more to Thyatis and Alphatia. And the three Isle of Dawn nations are fine as well given their lack of interaction with him. Thus Alzar is being offered the opportunity to run the peace conference proper, with all of the six nations present and equally represented with their delegation. If this works, this would be the first major move towards peace in the history of this conflict. |
BEHIND THE SCENES
The two main movers here are the immortals Koryis and Alphatia. Both are peaceful immortals that are worshipped in Alphatia, and both want peace. Koryis is the immortal of peace. He does not want war for any reason, even a good one. This is playing to his strength. Behind the scenes, Koryis has manipulated Alzar into attending the meeting despite his nation not being part of the conference as the leader of the negotiations. He also manipulated Thothia as the site of the conference. The key for Koryis is that he does not trust that mere mortals can come to a peaceful accord on their own. Koryis’s mentor immortal, Pax, created an artifact called The Peaceful Periapt of Pax that is very powerful, before Pax left and has not been seen in millennia. The Sphere of Entropy took the Periapt centuries ago. Koryis knows it’s somewhere in Thothia, but he cannot see more, and there are powerful immortal presences in Thothia that Koryis and Alphatia cannot detect. Meanwhile Alphaks and allies from the Entropic Sphere are here in Thothia to ensure that things go decidedly against peace. Thothia is already under their thrall, and they have increased that presence before Alzar arrives. Alphaks wants to destroy Alphatia as his former home, although he really wants to destroy everyone too. These immortals want strife to continue for any number of reasons – such as chaos, death, and their own enjoyment. Thus, Koryis is going to try and manipulate Alzar into finding the Peaceful Periapt of Pax, and then using it during the peace conference to ensure the best chance for peace. And much of Entropy is going to lean on Alzar to die or fail. One of the major players here in Norwold politically, and the diplomatic adviser for Norwold is heading early, and Alzar communicates with him via long-range crystal ball with clairaudience. Finnister McAlister, has received a grim vision from the crones of Crystakk, the three women who gaze upon Norwold’s present and future. Finnister saw the sun dawn over the neutral city of Edairo, but the sunrise was suddenly blotted out by great clouds from the east and west hurling lightning at each other above your fortresses, which lay in smoking ruin - your dominions plundered and ravaged beyond repair. Finnister believes this means that the war to end all wars is brewing between Thyatis and Alphatia, the war that could destroy Norwold as well. However, events seem to hinge on you and the city of Edairo. It may be that you can play a key role in bringing lasting peace and in so doing, save Norwold and the world. McAlister explains that due to insistent demands from the powerful provinces of both empires, peace negotiations have been arranged in the Thothia on the Isle of Dawn. In five months time, high ranking ambassadors of both empires and their chief provinces will meet to discuss their differences and if possible, hammer out a peace accord. The key issue seems to be who has the right to control Norwold. Apparently the ownership of the lands now known as Norwold and the Isle of Dawn was determined centuries ago. Unfortunately, all known copies of these treaties have disappeared. Finnister is certain that any existing copies of these documents are sealed in the vaults of the library of Edairo, the capital of Thothia on the Isle of Dawn. Finnister is to be one of Ericall’s representative at the peace conference, but he needs that information from the Edairo library first. King Ericall meets with them and asks for Alzar to escort Finnister to Edairo and scour the library for ancient history and information about ownership of the Isle of Dawn and Norwold. Armed with this knowledge early will give a chance to help stage the stage for the conference. Finnister then sighs, “Still, if only we had the dove, the Periapt of Pax, peace would be ensured.” Alzar agrees to escort the Norwold delegation over now. King Ericall will join later. |
The delegation begins the following day. Bethilda’s Star, Ericall’s best war galley, with a catapult, including some pitch rounds, sets sail from his capital of Alpha, and then stops in Evenarrow for a few hours to pick up Alzar, Vix, and some supplies before heading into the Alphatian Sea.
It’ll take 15 days to get to Edairo. Alzar will, at times, teleport hither and thither, using the Star as his base, but still ruling. He is researching the Isle of Dawn, and when they arrive in Edairo, he expects to be well-versed on its history. On the 8th day out, all of the food and water on the vessel spoil. They lose a day restocking. On the 9th day out, the ships drifts almost 25 miles off course at night until noticed in the day, an requires more time to correct. On the 10th days out, a plague erupts on the ship, and Alzar curses it. His detect magic is finding nothing. Then he sees it in front of him a Dreadnaught of Death! At the end of Into the Maelstrom, the immortal had summoned an entire navy of Dreadnaughts of Death, these powerful iron-clad war vessels raised from the deep with magical and undead parts to them that could be easily be defeated. The dreadnaught is burrowing down on them!  It will take 5 rounds for the catapult to ready itself. Alzar casts Time Stop. He casts Mass Flight on crew, himself, and Vix, and then Protection from Undead on them as well and finally he drops Evard’s Black Tentacles and they will slay a lot of lesser undead. Time resumes. 5 vs 3 The Star is rammed. It takes 35 hull damage. Two web spells are cast that will keep the two tied together and undead unload on the Star. Vix, flying, is concentrating, as is Alzar, on the Dreadnaught proper. They need to destroy the nasty ship. Alzar casts Damage Link to connect the Dreadnaught and the flag at his front, and they swap physical natures. The ship is now as vulnerable as the flag. He calls out to Vix and the flying soldiers to douse it fire, and they do. Some fiery arrows and a few fire pots and such hit, and it takes 48 damage total. 6 vs 1 The undead are attacking crew, and 8 died. Some underspikes under the Dreadnaught of Death are being used to hit their vessel for a lot more hull damage, and water begins to pour in. Alzar takes 23 from a Lightning Bolt spell. The forces use more fire to hurt the Dreadnaught, and it starts on fire. Alzar can’t control the undead here, there are other forces controlling them. So he casts Destroy Undead and a few die. Alzar 70/93 8 vs 5 Another 7 crew die. Vix takes 14 from missile weapons. Their ship takes even more damage, and Alzar can see the bottom of their ship through the giant hole in theirs, and on the bottom is a nasty hand druj. Undead powerhouse. They do more damage to the Dreadnaught’s hull, but Alzar has to deal with the druj, and he casts Flesh to Stone, trying to kill it in a single hit, but it made it save easily. 70/93 137/151 4 vs 7 Alzar orders Vix to hit the druj. Alzar leaps over (Boots of Striding and Springing) and spends the round basing the druj. Vix flies over and is in Nykthos range. All of the remaining minor undead are now killed, (skeletons/zombies) and their vessels takes damage from burning and fire attacks. The druj casts a Meteor Swarm spell that appears to be at Alzar, but instead is at the vessel, and it tears the Star into chunks, and it is beginning to sink, it’s hull points exhausted. 70/93 137/151 Alzar uses his ring of quick action and casts Raise Vessel, which will suspend the sinking of their ship by 37 hours. Vix stabs the druj twice for 33 damage. The crew, now with no other targets, blast the Dreadnaught for more damage. The druj casts teleport and flees. Alzar casts the Teleport Trace spell he has, and then casts the same and teleports to the druj. It’s underwater at another potential Dreadnaught of Dread, working at animating it. Alzar’s Necklace will allow him to breathe underwater. Alzar casts his stored Time Stop, and casts Improved Haste, summons the giant fiery Blade of the Archons, and then Cure Moderate Wounds. He hits twice for 77 damage and a dead druj. Alzar swims/flies back to battle above him, and the Dreadnaught is sinking from the fire as he rises. The men are repairing the boat, and Alzar will use some magic to help. |
They will limp forth in a day of repairs, and arrive at Edairo delayed by three days.
Alzar and company arrive at the head of the Aurora river, and then into the main capital city of Thothia. The banks of the river are lined with green flooded fields. Up-river, you can see a large Alphatian galley being slowly rowed inland with a small reed boat in tow. Small, red-haired, brown-skinned Thothians paddle their reed boats out to surround your ship. Men and women alike wear lin en kilts and jabber at you in a foreign tongue. By their actions, it appears that they are trying to sell you everything under the sun, which, by the way, is becoming hot. The Thothians speak poor Common, using their native tongue almost exclusively. They wish to sell their services as river pilots, healers, shipwrights, grocers, and tour guides. If questioned about the best way to reach Edairo, the river pilots speak up again indicating that it would be unwise for such a large ship to sail up the river to Edairo without their help. Alzar pays 1000 gp for a reed ship escort, and a few hours later, they arrive in Edairo…  Welcome to Edairo! And this? This is just 5 pages into a 48 page adventure!!! |
Thothia is an ancient land, once the primary power on the Sea of Dawn. Its small, brown, red-haired people are descended from colonists of the lost empire of ancient Nithia on the western continent. Several centuries ago, the Thothians shifted away from the Sphere of Energy to follow the philosophy of mysticism. Their current pharaoh, Ramenhotep XXIII (RA-men-HO-tep), is also their spiritual leader. However, his wife Aketheti (AH-khe-THEE-tee) is the true power in Edairo. For centuries there has been a queen Aketheti . Ramenhotep X was drawn to discover her in the ruins of Aran and fell under her charms. The mystics’ symbol is a stylized black spider on a square web pattern (similar to the spider’s web game board in Players’ Aid 2), which all Thothian mystics wear on their robes. Adopted by Ramenhotep X, the founder of Thothian mysticism, Alzar has found out the symbol is the symbol of the Night Spider, but the average Thothian believes that it represents the eight principles and powers of Thothian mysticism and is unaware of its links to evil and death. Edairo is a dusty, crumbling, crowded city of low, flat-roofed structures, towering pyramids and mighty obelisks. Everything is in disrepair. Imagine visiting a land where the native people’s language and philosophy of life is totally alien to your own, and then imagine that these people don’t particularly like foreigners. Imagine this and you have a good idea of how Alzar is received in Edairo.
Alzar is met by the local authorities, and is given a quick tour around the capital. He heads to the area that the peace conference will be in and takes a look around, and McAlister gets settled. Alzar, Vix and McAlister are put up in a local inn, the best in the city, in the noble district, and given quarters befitting their rank. Alzar begins looking for the library, but it’s not in an obvious location. Alzar must find the library to continue finding the information from previous treaties. When Alzar, questions the average Thothian about the library eerie results are produced: although the library is a major landmark in the city, most Thothians are illiterate, ignorant of Common, and superstitious. Alzar or Vix asking someone on the street brings about fearful looks and an attempt to break away. Asking a shopkeeper or someone obviously educated (like a scribe) brings about a whispered warning to go somewhere else - quickly. So Alzar asks an Edairan city guard, and she can lead Alzar and Vix to the library. On the way, the guards gets “lost” first, then hem and haw and act confused until Alzar drops a small bribe to the sergeant. The library is a great pyramid, similar to the other forty or so great pyramids in Edairo. Although plainly labeled, its door is locked. Alzar knocks. The door is answered by a stuffy little Edairan mystic named Brother Spider, whose forehead is marked by Thothia’s mystic symbol, the spider web pattern. He is fluent in Common, but without even waiting to hear what Alzar has to say, he refuses them entrance to the library and walks away. Alzar uses his Knock spell to open the door, and then waits for a minute while Brother Spider returns. He explains who he is, and the need for the library for prep for the conference, but not the details. Brother Spider heads back to consult his boss, and then receives permission, and Alzar is welcomed in to give his request to the supervisor directly. The corridor walls are stacked with dusty tomes, scrolls, tablets, folios, and books. The corridors are lit by glowing stones (continual light) mounted on the walls. The door to the outside is at map location P. Location A (the central room) is filled with copying stands and thousands of loose, decaying scrolls. A rickety stair in the center of the copy room leads up to a second level and a second stair leads down. Brother Spider leads the party to Location A and suggests that they repeat their request to its only occupant, an old blind mystic. In the copy room, an old, blind mystic states that the requested information is forbidden and cannot be given without the express permission of his holiness the pharaoh. The old man is fidgety, nervous about something that his body language says is directly above. Alzar glances up to see the dark form of a black haired female leaving the alcove above. Alzar is escorted out of the library by Brother Spider. Alzar, Vix, and McAlister head to the palace, an island in the center of the Aurora River. |
The palace is an imposing structure of many buildings, gardens and court- yards. Unfortunately for you, it is out in the middle of the Aurora river. A ferry waits to take visitors across the river.
Alzar is stopped by the chamberlain who says that it would take weeks to normally have a meeting with the pharaoh, despite the fact that Alzar is a ruler. Alzar charms him, and he gladly allows Alzar through as they are such friends. From the dark halls of the palace, you are ushered across a small bridge into an elegant open-air garden around a long pool. The huge pillars that sur round the garden are sculpted to look like the lotus blossoms floating in the pool. Through the pillars, you can see several small, ornate pleasure boats tied to them. Seated in the shadow of a gazebo at the far end of the garden are the pharaoh, a handsome man about 50 years old, and his queen, Aketheti, a darkly beautiful woman, who appears thirty years younger. She looks exactly like the paintings of the ancient queens who bore her name. Meanwhile, Ramenhotep seems unaware of your presence. He is in a meditative trance. Queen Akethti introduces McAlister to one of her advisors, and recommends that they speak, as they may have some opportunities for increased trade with Norwold, and they head off to talk. Alzar asks to get information from the library, and thus to secure information for the upcoming peace conference. The Queen asks of him and Vix to help secure her with more power, and if Alzar and Vix will pledge their fidelity to her, and bring the Grand Duchy of the Mighty under the control of Thothia, they will be given all they need here in their time. Of course they refuse. She smiles expecting it. “I had to ask.” Then the Queen asks if they help her secure the throne of Norwold instead, as they clearly aren’t on the same page. And for their help in getting Norwold, she will them Leeha, the Halfling Shire Alzar has been wanting, as well as will give them full access to everything here. Again, Alzar declines politely, although he offers money or even minor magical items. She sighs and tells him that this was clearly never going to happen, but given his moral compass, they had to try. Then she summons guards and teleports away. 50 guards rush in, and the pharaoh is still in his mystic trance. Alzar would normally just attack and take out these guards, but would it be a diplomatic incident to do so? But wouldn’t fleeing be leaving the attaché of King Ericall behind? That doesn’t make much sense. So Alzar and Vix step forward. Alzar casts Wail of the Banshee, and many drop. Vix kills one with a spear toss. Arrows pepper them from the back row for 15 on Vix, 0 on Alzar (Cloak). 3 vs 4 Alzar casts Death Spell and 15 more drop. Vix kills two in melee. These are low level guards. With two thirds of their troops killed that quickly, they flee. Alzar casts Cure Light on Vix to heal. The pharaoh, Ramenhotep XXIII is still meditating quietly. |
They cannot find McAlister anywhere. Alzar and Vix use Dust of Disappearance and slip out of the palace unnoticed.
Night has just fallen. They arrive back at the library. The library is closed. Alzar detects some traps and removes them, and then picks the lock and slowly slides the door open and they slip in and close the door behind them. In the entrance, the Star of Mo-Pilar detects two traps as well as well as a secret door. They are disarmed and the door down. There is a stair down here, and then two levels of library, this main level and stairs up to the rest of the library. Alzar heads down first, as it was behind a secret passage, and maybe there would be something hidden. It’s a jail, and down here is the webbed body of McAlister with some giant spider eggs on him. Alzar and Vix free him and Alzar heals him to rejuvenate him. They look around the jail and dungeon, and an exit leads to a holding area, and there are 50 giant crab spiders here that leap to attack! He recognizes them with his religion proficiency. These are the progeny of the Night Spider. They are the same people he saw earlier in the library, and Brother Spider, for example, is one of the Crab Spiders leading the charge. They can shapechange from human to spider form, so these are the librarians. They are immune to normal weapons, poison, etc. Alzar casts Time Stop. Alzar casts Teleport Other and removes McAlister from the battle, Skulltrap and Evard’s Black Tentacles. Just 8 die. These are very strong foes. Too bad he used Wail of the Banshee today already. Battle begins. They have based Vix and Alzar with a ton of their people already. Vix has put on her War Mask that gives her regeneration. 8 vs 9 Alzar will be more effective with his doubling damage axe on some wounded spiders. Correct. He slays two in melee, and Vix another two. Vix takes 14, and Alzar 0. 12 dead spiders Vix – 137/152 Alzar – 92/92 4 vs 2 They bite into Vix for 22, the first hit on Alzar is dodged by Avoidance, and he takes 16 from two more hits. They poison heavily on every single bite, but Vix is immune and Alzar has items that immunize him. 5 die this turn (wounded ones with Barrier, and remember VIx/Alzar each get three attacks every other turn with their main weapon). 17 dead spiders Vix – 118/152 Alzar – 76/92 6 vs 7 Alzar/Vix slay another four and then take 21 and 21 respectively. 21 dead spiders Vix – 97/152 Alzar – 55/92 6 vs 7 Alzar/Vix slay four more and then take 12 and 15. 25 dead spiders Vix – 87/152 Alzar – 40/92 9 vs 7 Alzar/Vix take 19 and 20. Vix kills just 1 this round and Alzar casts Heal spell on himself. 26 dead spiders Vix – 71/152 Alzar – 92/92 3 vs 5 Vix/Alzar 5 more dead. They take 20 and 11. 31 dead spiders 53/152 81/92 The spiders make a morale check and success indicates they will keep fighting 6 vs 2 Vix/Alzar take 9 and 23. They slay 3 more 34 dead spiders Vix – 46/152 Alzar – 58/92 7 vs 4 Vix/Alzar take 16 and 12. Vix kills two and Alzar fully Heals her. 36 dead spiders Vix – 263/152 Alzar – 46/92 4 vs 5 They kill four more, Vix takes 11. Alzar is only hit once and uses Avoidance successfully 40 dead spiders Vix – 142/152 Alzar – 46/92 5 vs 7 They kill another three, and take 7 and 15. 43 dead spiders Vix – 137/152 Alzar – 25/92 8 vs 2 They take 11 and 7. Alzar uses Heal on himself, and Vix takes out 2 more 45 dead spiders Vix – 128/152 Alzar – 92/92 4 vs 7 They finish battle without any more damage. |
After battle, they inspect the basement area, but the rest of it is mundane and nothing of value, so they head up.
Alzar collects McAlister from outside the library on the street, and they head back in and try to figure some stuff out. This library has more scrolls and other parchments than books proper, and the info is small. Alzar finds a directory of the information in front, but it’s coded, and he can’t read it, not even with Read Languages spell. He doesn’t have the ability to read. He hands a Bag of Holding to Vix and the three of them will begin to search the library for the information they need, as well as hidden clues about anything else going on. One out of every ten scrolls or parchments they handle turns to dust, and Alzar has them keep the dust as he can restore them later. He also has them take anything they need to keep for later for his Grand Library. On the second floor are books that catalogue the secrets of the area. After ten hours of work, Alzar, Vix, and McAlister find: • A white dove on a shaft was used to destroy many evil creatures here in Thothia generations ago • The pharaoh of Thothia once ruled Norwold • Thothia was centuries old when Alphatia was founded and they watched it happen locally. The first Alphatians arrived in Thothia. • An ancient and eldritch spider haunted Ramenhotep X’s dreams • After 40 days in the Temple of the Dawn, Ramenhotep X returns and creates Thothian mysticism. • “Master the web, and you master its maker.” Key tenet of the mysticism • Meeting in Edairo centuries ago, the rulers of Alphatia and Thyatis hammered out agreements for Norwold, the Isle of Dawn, Vestland, Ostland, Soderfjord. The Isle of Dawn and Norwold were to be neutral for all time. “By placing neutral land between us, we hope to ensure peace between our empires for all time.” • The Peaceful Periapt of Pax is documented multiple times in the history of Thothia as one of the key reasons it kept independence. It also is mentioned multiple times in history, always appearing at the darkest hour. It was buried with Ramonhotep I • Alphaks, in his physical form, manifested and encouraged the empires to abandon the treaty, and then destroyed other copies save for the original here in Edairo. • The Emperor of Thyatis two generations later declared all treaties null and void. Thyatis was the first nation to break the treaty of peace. He conquered the Pearl Islands to the south of the Isle of Dawn first. Alphatia then moved to check them. • Peace follows a most difficult path, through thorn and chasm and on into night to bring the lost back into the light. • In dark rites, Ramenhotep X married Queen Aketheti, the daughter of She-Who-Dwells-In-Darkness, the Night Spider immortal. This demoness of the stars of night brought about Ramenhotep’s doom, but not before his immortal, Rathenos, was driven from worship here on Thothia to be replaced by their mysticism. With that, Aketheti, hearing their success below, flings through an Phase Door to them and attacks with surprise! |
Aketheti (pronounced AH-khe-THEE-tee) is the current queen of the kingdom of Thothia and the wife of Pharaoh Ramenhotep XXIII. She has been the queen of Thothia since the reign of Ramenhotep X, over 13 generations ago, but the populace of Thothia is unaware that Aketheti I (“rescued” by Ramenhotep X from the wilds of the southern plateau) and Aketheti XIII are the same being. In Thothian mysticism, she is known as the daughter of the Night Spider (although she is most likely a free-willed magical construct created by the Night Spider). Aketheti’s normal form is that of a huge planar spider. At night, she must always assume this form, but during the day she may also become a half-human, half-spider creature. Like a werecreature, she is immune to non-magical weapons and requires at least a +3 to hit her. Like a vampire, she can charm with her eyes (in both human and spider form), take on gaseous form, regenerate hit points and drain two energy levels each time she hits a foe. In human and spider form, she casts spells as a 15th-level magic-user (5/4/4/4/4/4/3/2), and has a Magic Resistance of 75%.. She can be turned (but not destroyed) as a “Special” undead, but has a chance to save vs. Death Magic to avoid being turned. She is unaffected by holy symbols, mirrors, or garlic, and holy water merely enrages her. Her poison is so deadly that the saving throw must be made at -6 or death results. Even those who make their saving throws take an additional 2d6 damage. Finally, those who survive this must also make a saving throw vs. Paralysis or be paralyzed for 1d6 turns.
She is not happy! Ac -11, HP 170 (I buffed her stats and magic ability), 2 attacks/turn one bite and one stinger for 4d6 plus poison and paralysis, or can cast spells. She enters battle having already cast Stoneskin. Battle begins 7 vs 3 A ring on her hand disappears. She casts Time Stop. She casts Spell Trigger to give herself Magic Missilex3 and targets Alzar with Lightning Bolt and Flame Arrow How many crack his MR and Ring of Spell Turning? Alzar takes 44. 48/92 3 vs 5 Alzar casts Time Stop. He casts Strip Resist, Cure Critical Wounds, and Laudryn’s Cleaving. 92/92 2 vs 8 Vix spears once for 22 and misses. Alzar reads the Protection from Arachnids scroll he has. She casts Dispel and drops their protections. 6 vs 1 Their foe stabs and bites and hits Vix once for 19 damage and -2 levels. No need for poison save, but still takes another 8. 27 total. Vix misses, Alzar cleaves and hits for 22 and misses twice. Ak – 44 Vix = 27 7 vs 4 They take 13 and 24 respectively, and hit for 50 even. Alzar – 13 Vix – 51 5 vs 2 Their foe casts teleport and flees. Alzar traces it, but sees she has fled to a place with a ton of folks around her, in a dark underground chamber, so they let her flee. Alzar casts restoration and heals Vix. |
They leave the library.
They find a Golden Shaft which is unscrewed and Alzar takes 2000 books or scrolls for later and the remains of 500 parchments for him to restore. As they leave, the sun is rising. They have what they need, but it seems that Alzar and Vix have become persona non grata in a place they were expecting to stay for a while until the peace conference concludes. Should they head to the ship and maybe head back to a nicer place of refuge for a few weeks and study what they took? Should they try and talk with Ramenhotep XXIII? Alzar spies the boat: When he spies reach the docks, the Star is under the guard of hundreds of soldiers. An enclosed royal carriage is visible near the ship and Alzar’s party is cer-tain that the rigging is sagging under, the weight of some very large invisible creatures on it. The normally bustling waterfront crowds melt away around you as you approach the docks, shunning even eye contact. A number of reed river boats are tied up at the piers, mostly unattended - as everyone’s attention is focused on the soldiers surrounding your ship. Several boats are in good condition, but the only one that is attended is an ancient reed barge and its equally ancient boatman. So the only path out of this city is by the river boat, unless they want to try their luck against hundreds of soldiers, in public, and the additional dorks there too. Hundreds of men are on their ship. It’s not their ship any longer. Now Alzar could just teleport back home, and then teleport here a day before the conference. He doesn’t have to keep exploring if he doesn’t want to. There are other options. But will he be welcome? It feels like there are other traps running around, so Alzar wants to find out more about what is happening here, and besides, maybe he’ll find more books. They head to the old man with the barge and negotiate with him for passage. Ejiiptus Kenaton Ka tries to drive a hard bargain for passage, while attempting to gain as much information as possible about Alzar’s mission. When a bargain is finally struck, the old man laughs and says the trip is on him (he just likes to haggle for the fun of it), and he welcomes the party aboard his boat, the Sun’s Handmaiden. However, the delay allows the soldiers to find the party. River boats have sails and oars. Ejiiptus’s oarsman (his friend and primary ballast load), Feldspar Pebblecrafter, a stone giant, arrives just ahead of the soldiers. The Sun’s Handmaiden (or the stolen river boat) is 30 feet long and constructed of tightly bound reeds and rushes. It moves 36 miles per day (60 feet per round), has 20 hull points, AC 9, and can carry 40,000 cn. |
Here let me show you something really cool.
I have played this module through once before when I was a kid, and Feldspar Pebblecrafter became one of my NPCs. Here is my character sheet for him, still in this copy of my module: I figured you would enjoy that! Ejiiptus Kenaton Ka Chaotic Good 20th-level Cleric S 14, D 12, I 14, C 10, W 16, Ch 9 AC - 3 hp 53 Basic THACO: 11 Armor: Chain mail + 3 of electric, shield + 2, ring of protection +- 2 Equipment: Mace + 2, + 4 us. other-planar creatures; sword + 2, + 4 us. bugs (I 9, Empathy, detect magic, teleportation, see invisible) (Ejiiptus cannot use the sword and has kept it for the day when someone who would need it came along), rod of health, scroll of seeing, scroll of equipment (torches, stakes and mallet, oil, garlic, 50 feet of rope, and tinder box) Spells: 7/6/5/4/4/4/3 Ejiiptus is a cleric of Rathanos, a lesser immortal of the Magian Fireworshiper pantheon. The old cleric dwells upriver, living with his faithful hunakoi (stone giants). Although chaotic, he is not evil, but is a rebel against the jaded mysticism that has drawn his once dynamic and creative people away from the Sphere of Energy. Feldspar Pebblecrafter, Lawful Neutral stone giant AC-1 HD 9 hp 75 Basic THACO: 8, Damage: 3d6 + 13, Armor: Ring of protection + 3, Equipment: Giant Two-Handed Sword +3 Normally silent, Feldspar speaks the Thothian and phanaton languages fluently. The giant is a brave fighter who would give his life in defense of his human friend and ally himself with those who seek to avenge his friend’s death. |
They rush out, but they have been noticed!
As the party attempts to leave the harbor a platoon of soldiers arrives at the dock, and all five squads rush the boat. Roll a d6. On 1-4, the party has not pushed off from the dock and combat may occur at dockside; otherwise, the fifty soldiers hurl spears (as 1 st-level fighters). A second platoon of soldiers arrives in two reed punts. Sixteen of the soldiers on each boat shoot flame arrows at the party’s boat. Each boat has 20 hull points. I toss a 5. Alzar casts Chaos on the group and a number of them on shore begin to fight against each other, and that distracts them long enough to slip past. Ejiputus casts Flame Strike on a boat and it catches fire, Vix’s spear stabs one and brings it next to her for her to kill, and Feldspar paddles the boat, as Finnister McAlister hides under his rock hide from arrows and spears. They are through. They are not sailing towards the ocean, which was blocked up, but instead further inland towards the Temple of Dawn, and through the Valley of Kings. Let’s take a break. Who is Rathanos? That’s the full name of the Immortal often shortened to Ra Rathanos Patron of Nithia, Thothia, Lord of Fire Level, Alignment, Sphere: 28th (Eternal), CN, Energy Symbol: a flaming brand Portfolio: fire, fire creatures, energy, power, male supremacy Worshipped in: Davania (Meghales Amosses), Great Waste, Isle of Dawn (Ekto, Thothia, Trikelios), Alatian Islands, Hollow World (Nithia), Known World (Ierendi), Skothar (Esterhold, Jen, Minaea) Appearance: a 7' tall humanoid made of blazing fire, without any distinctive features History: Rathanos was a wizard of the ancient Oltec civilisation, totally obsessed by the power of fire and the elemental plane associated with it. With the passing of years he became an unchallenged master of fire magic until he discovered the path to immortality and finally around XXV century BC ascended to the Sphere of Energy under the patronage of Ixion. After becoming immortal he spread his teachings to all of the Jennite tribes living in Skothar, descendants of the Oltecs whom Rathanos belonged to in his mortal life. At the same time he took a particular interest in the ascension of the Nithian people, becoming one of the most important deities in their pantheon and their foremost patron together with Pflarr. During the centuries he managed to create a strong movement for male supremacy inside the Jennite culture and this put the matriarchal tradition of the Jennites in danger. This friction escalated in an open civil war that opposed the female followers of Tarastia to the male worshippers of Rathanos, and the strife caused the collapse of the Jennite civilisation, which reverted to Stone Age. This started the fire of misogynist hatred inside Rathanos's soul. Rathanos turned then his attention wholly on Nithia, but here Thanatos's schemes made the Nithians turn to the wrong side and caused Rathanos to lose many of his followers to the rival Corona (the Nithian identity of Zugzul), who brought the Magian Fire Worshippers on his side. Rathanos chose to concentrate his blessings and protection only on the most faithful of his followers and only managed to preserve Thothia (the Nithian colony on the Isle of Dawn) from the Entropic influence of Thanatos and his allies, saving it from the immortals' cleansing and annihilation of the empire, although later he would mostly lose it again with only a few worshippers still adhering to him. Afterwards he joined Pflarr, Ixion and Valerias in recreating the Nithian Empire in a preserved place, and after choosing the most traditional communities among those spared they transplanted them in the Hollow World. Here the Nithians thrived once more and they prospered under the guidance of the pharaohs loyal to the ancient immortals. Personality: Rathanos is obsessed with power and his misogynist view of the universe, which leads him to systematically oppose every female immortal just for the fact of being female (the same attitude is also present in many of his clerics). Rathanos's only interest is the complete transmutation of all matter into energy, and in fire energy in particular. He is constantly searching for a spell that will allow his followers to turn into beings of pure energy, making them unbreakable and immortal. However up to now his researches have not produced the ultimate spell, and for this reason he continues to push his followers along this path, promising them that only this way they will achieve true immortality. If his plan will ever come to pass, he will create a nation of beings that will be born as mortals and can learn as fast as only mortals can do, but later will become eternal beings serving the cause of Energy. Because of his character and goal he is in perpetual contrast with many female immortals (notably Tarastia) and with Zugzul, patron of fire giants and self-appointed Master of Fire way before Rathanos rose among the immortal ranks. Patron: Ixion Allies: Pflarr, Elemaster of Fire Enemies: Zugzul, Stodos, Tarastia, Diulanna, Vanya and all female Immortals that challenge male supremacy in the universe Classic D&D Stats: Followers' alignment: Neutral or Chaotic Favoured weapons: torch (allowed all bludgeoning weapons) Clerics' skills & powers: clerics can cast Resist Fire and Produce Fire once per day for free (see spells with same name), +5% bonus to researching spells based on fire, bonus "Firebuilding" general skill Avengers' Skills & powers: permanent "Resist Fire" power (see clerical spell with same name) after sacrificing 1 point of Constitution in a ritual dedicated to Rathanos, +1 bonus vs ST vs Fire D&D 3E Stats: Domains: Energy, Chaos, Fire, Magic, Strength Preferred weapon: club (any) Sources: HWR2, HW, WotI, DotE, M5 So there you are. Definitely an asshole. And certainly not good, but certainly better than She-Who-Lives-In-Darkness the Lawful Evil Night Spider, for those who live here clearly worship her: Arachne Prime (An-Ying Zhu Hou, Asharya, Night Spider, Rakhnee, Spider Queen) Patroness of the Planar Spiders and the Aranea, Patroness of Oppression, She-Who-Dwells-In-Darkness Level, Alignment, Sphere: 6th (Initiate), LE, Entropy Symbol: a square spider’s web Portfolio: planar spiders and evil aranea, oppression, deceit, darkness Worshipped in: Alphatia, Cestia, Savage Coast (Herath), Isle of Dawn (Lost Plateau, Thothia), Ochalea, Thanegioth Appearance: an enormous blacker than night of about three metres of length, with four pairs of legs (the forward pair end with three prehensile digits) and six scarlet eyes that shine like heated coal. History: during her mortal life many millennia ago, Arachne Prime was a planar spider of an evil nature that lived in an outer plane. After having corrupted her followers carrying them towards the way of Entropy, succeeded in becoming Immortal around 5000 BC, and began to spread the seeds of the evil among the planar spiders, sending her horde to sow terror in the other planes and to enslave the weaker races. However, millennia ago the plans of conquest of the Night Spider were roughly interrupted when a group of adventurers penetrated into her home plane armed with the knowledge of her True Name and challenged her, threatening to destroying her for ever. Forced to escape after being deprived of a large part of her power following this defeat, she fled and sought refuge on the Prime Plane together with a throng of planar spiders to her followers and a multitude of phanaton slaves, ending with them skulking in the heart of that which later became the Isle of Dawn, where created the kingdom of Aran well before that the Thonians founded their empire. Her disciples were crossed later with local giant spiders, created the Aranea race, that with the passing of time manifested in the southern forests of the Isle of Dawn. After Arachne Prime was contacted by Korotiku, who with his suggestions convinced her to divide her subjects for exploring Mystara and founding an extensive culture that could rival that of the humans. Arachne Prime ordered her aranea of using the magic for colonising unexplored area. It was thus that were created the Aranea colonies in the Savage Coast, in the Archipelago of Thanegioth and in other parts of Mystara, with the intent on the part of Arachne Prime of creating an empire of vast dimensions, while the plan of Korotiku was simply for freeing the aranea from the abominable influence of their great mother. Korotiku became an always most important presence in the aranea pantheon, especially in the colonies, while secretly acting also among the phanatons of Aran for inducing them to rebel. With the advent of the Great Rain of Fire and the chaos that followed, the phanatons (who had been reproducing so much that they outnumbered their masters three to one) chose the occasion for revolting and began to fight aranea and planar spiders everywhere they were encountered. Therefore the kingdom of Aran decayed, and the colonies had to look to provide for themselves without more guidance from the motherland. The efforts made by Arachne Prime for halting the collapse of her kingdom were futile, and Korotiku revealed his true intentions when around 2600 BC a group of his aranea followers were introduced into the sanctuary of Arachne Prime and assaulted it. The Immortal was not destroyed, but simply deprived of most power, until becoming a paltry Initiate. After this betrayal, Arachne Prime fled Pandius for an unknown plane and was not seen again, despite having her service grow in Thothia by new convert Ramenhotep X. Personality: Arachne Prime is an untrustworthy and manipulative being who nevertheless has an incredible fear of dying, because of the events that she saw fleeing from her home plane. In the course of the centuries she has tried to expand her influence also over the aranea of Herath, distant descendants of her ancient servants, the planar spiders that had fled with her to Mystara, but because of the attention that Korotiku has for the aranea of Herath and of the distance between the Isle of Dawn and the Savage Coast, her plans have been slow. Because of her plots she has made a throng of powerful enemies that comprises Korotiku (patron of the aranea and the non evil planar spiders), Rathanos (original patron of Thothia), Terra and Zirchev (patrons of the phanatons that she harassed so much). Patron: unknown [presumed: Hel] Allies: Alphaks, Iliric Enemies: Korotiku, Rathanos, Terra, Zirchev Alignment of followers: any; the clerics must be Neutral or Chaotic Favourite weapon: natural weapons (allowed all bludgeoning weapons and nets) Clerics’ skills and powers: +2 bonus to ST versus Poison and Paralysis Domains: Entropy, Law, Evil, Slavery Preferred weapon: natural weapons (bite or claw/fist) Source: M5, DotE So as you can see, the Night Spider and Rathanos are also in on the Korylis and Alphaks adventure too, and probably more! |
They travel further up the Aurora River.
Swimming silently beneath the boat, this great giant crocodile rises suddenly, overturning it on a d10 roll of 1-2, in which case all are thrown into the water. If the boat stays upright, each character must make a saving throw vs. Paralysis or be thrown overboard. The croc tries to eat characters in the water before attacking the boat again. The die is 2 and the boat is flipped! The must battle this monster in the river. Alzar and Vix are in the front flanking off the others. They are the natural leaders with their Necklaces of Adaptation and strong ability to work together. (Random.org) A few rounds later the battle is over, the ship is flipped back by Feldspar, and Alzar/Vix took some damage, but it’ll heal with her War Mask or Alzar’s Cure Light Woundsx2. They continue on after gathering the things that fell into the water with Locate Object magic Alzar casts. Many things were tied to the boat, so they stayed with it, and some drying magic from Eijyptus is here. On the corpse of croc is: Is a black talisman that, when touched, gives the sensation of hearing the clatter of pans. They pass by later that day some hunakoi hunters on the shore. If the PCs are accompanying Ejiiptus, the hunakoi (red-skinned stone giants) are friendly and wave from the shore. Night falls and they put the barge up on the banks and then rest with double watches. Only some nasty bats are seen, in huge numbers. Ejiiputus wants to head a little up a side river the next day to pay his respects at a shrine to Rathanos here, as it’s the only one left in the area. |
They head into the river, and most of the day later they spend getting to it:
A thick plume of white vapor rises in the distance. As the barge approaches, a circle of 60-foot-tall monolithic pillars thrusting up from the swirling waters near the river’s bank can be seen. It supports a 30-foot-wide hemispherical dome and shrouded in steam. The water beneath the dome is brightly lit by concentrated sunlight and boils rapidly. At the apex of the dome is a sunstone, a cloudy, pink quartz sphere with a clear, polished, lens-like protrusion. Alzar asks of Ejiputus if taking the clearly magical Sunstone would be sacrilegious, and he replaces that as long as it was used in the service of his immortal, then no. Alzar flies up and takes the sunstone. Sunstone – This stone magically stores light and then releases it later as an intensely hot ray through the lens, doing 4d10 points of headlight damage to any creature caught within its 60-foot radius of effect (similar to a cone of dragon’s breath). Once the sunstone is cut off from light, it stops emitting light. However, if exposed thereafter to any light source, it releases all its destructive force in a single blast, then begins storing light anew. A discharged sunstone needs a full day of sunlight to recharge. Ejiputus prays, and they head back to the Aurora River, and spend the night. A third day arrives. They have entered the Valley of Kings. To each side of the mighty river are great monuments to rulers of the past. As they near one, Alzar sees the name and asks if they can stop for a moment. This is the tomb of Amonhotep X The party sees an open crypt about 100 feet up the canyon wall. Alzar flies over to investigate safely. Inside, narrow steps lead downward to a single, austere crypt. Thothian hieroglyphics on the walls show a man in mystic’s robes, with a king’s “holy” aura, casting down the sun. This is clearly the tomb of Ramenhotep X, the legendary founder of mysticism in Thothia. Alzar heads inside and then finds and secures some traps. He finds the final resting place of Ramenhotep X. The sarcophagus appears to be sealed, but when opened and searched, small air holes can be found in the lid, and there is nothing inside other than a handle to open the sarcophagus from inside. Air holes? Was he buried alive? Was his death a lie? Why go through that? Did he fear the Night Spider or her progeny Aketheti? Many unanswered questions abound. Alzar returns. Another day passes. On the fourth day out of Edairo, the boat arrives at an interesting village: A walled village of huge stone huts huddles against the river. Red-hued stone giants work nets in the river while tending to crops and day-to-day tasks. Welcome to the hunakoi village of Kenaton. This is the home of Feldspar and Ejiputus. The group stays for the night, and they won’t go further up the river. The Temple of the Dawn is a day away though, and that would include the crypt of Ramenhotep I, which would, according to the library notes they had, be where the Peaceful Periapt of Pax was buried. Ejiiptus invites the party to stay as long as they wish, but cannot spare the river boat. The village has adequate supplies to support the 60 hunakoi who dwell here and to reprovision the party. They will head out the next day. That night, Ejiiptus throws a banquet for the party. During the feast, the old cleric begins to give the three venturing on information about the trip to the Temple of the Dawn. |
As Ejiiptus presents his info, the ground rumbles beneath your feet and the floor splits to reveal the gigantic armored head of two ebony worms. Throughout the room, the odor of rotting food spreads like odious gas, while a hunakoi suddenly shrinks to doll-size and two more shrieks and turns to bats as two giant flying bats arrive. These are four powerful undead Nightshades, two Nightcrawlers, and two Nightwings.
Battle begins Alzar casts Time Stop, and then casts Magic Defiance Undone and flings a Flesh to Stone at a Nightwing (it will pierce and kill it, it’ll fall and smash into many rock pieces), and then casts Protection from Evil 10’ Radius and Protection from Undead on some of the giants. 9 vs 1 They attack those they can (they cannot hit the folks under control). More giants shrink and bat-ify. Alzar casts Destroy Undead but it makes the save. Vix tears into a crawler, and then a few more hit it. One of the crawlers is wounded badly. 4 vs 2 The wounded crawler flees, burrowing away quickly. The Nightwing attacks and en-bats more giants. The Crawler left attacks and kills a giant. Another crawler emerges from the ground! It shrinks a giant and wounds another. Vix and crew damage a crawler, and Alzar finishes it with Power Word Kill. Dead crawler. 6 vs 7 Alzar casts Maze on the other Nightwing and it disappears for a few rounds, and the others wound the 3rd crawler. It flees down underground. Alzar spends some rounds dispelling the magic or polymorphing the bats back, and then when the nightwing returns, they slay it in a turn. During the battle, Eijiputus and some other giants disappear. After the giant’s wicca leader is reverted from bat form to normal, she tells tales of the “Dark One,” who dwells in the Temple of the Dawn, and of the god of a race of intelligent spiders, who prevents peace from coming to the world. If questioned further about this, she speaks the name Rakni Prima in a hushed whisper and looks about nervously. Even after all the bats are restored to normal, Ejiiptus is not found. Alzar casts some Resurrection and Raise Dead spells on the dead giants, but two giants and the cleric are not to be found. Feldspar survives the battle and he vows to find Ejiiptus again and asks to join the party. The Sun’s Handmaiden is available again for the journey upriver if the party wishes to use it. Alzar and group head out the following day. Scrying magic shows that the tunnels appear to head to the Lake of Avernus around the Temple of the Dawn, so they might as well take the faster water-route. |
Alzar, Feldspar, Vix, and McAlister head to the Temple…
Do you know how deep I am into this awesome module? Just TWELVE PAGES. That’s good stuff. A short time later in the morning, they arrive at the Lake of Avernus, near the Temple of the Dawn. Ahead of you, a great wall spans the canyon, linking the north and south cliff faces with a low bastion of stone, damming the river behind it. Below the dam, another river, the Spider, joins the Aurora river. Where the Aurora exits the wall through a majestic facade of towering pillars, you see mighty waterfalls. Behind the falls, the temple’s three pink pyramids form a regular range of triangular mountains The temple has withstood the ravages of the eons. Its 100-foot-tall pillars still sup- port the flat roof above the temple’s sluice and waterfall. The water from the reservoir falls another 100 feet to the river bed. Here’s the map of the Temple of the Dawn  |
A pair of gargantuan statues crouch beside the titanically broad stairs that flank the spillway from the reservoir. Although they are obviously sphinxes, it takes some looking to recognize the south one as male. Even more scrutiny is needed to see that the crumbling northern statue once represented a female sphinx.
Suddenly, the southern statue opens its eyes, and lumbers agonizingly to its feet, shedding avalanches of crumbling stone and debris, including much of its mane, wings and hind quarters. “So you are the players at saving worlds,” it whispers in a distant hollow voice. “I must apologize, for I have no riddle for you, only an answer. Find the right question and you shall have the answer’s meaning and more. Use it well, for it is my last.” “The answer is ‘An emperor and an empress.’ ’’ The sphinx sighs, and the mighty stone form collapses into rubble. Find the answer…. The remnants of a crouching female sphinx statue guard the northern stair. As the party approaches, it shakes and vibrates, but does not move. They move to the dam… A bronze giant with a pair of massive saw-toothed swords blocks the passage through the pillars. He ignores you, his attention focused on a glittering bauble atop the largest pyramid of the temple. This is a mek construct. It ignores the party. Alzar tries to speak to it, to no avail. It is not aggressive, just staring. Alzar and party try to move past it, and it attacks, seeking to destroy the intruders. Battle 4 vs 3 It attacks Vix and hits her for 39 damage. They punch the Mek back for 49. 6 vs 8 They attack back and hit for 41 and then Vix adds another 24. 4 vs 5 Alzar and company slay the construct. Vix is cured with a few Cure Light wounds. |
They arrive at the crossing to the central place. The bridge from the dam to the temple island has collapsed, leaving a 175-foot gap over turbulent water. The north bridge appears to be spanned by glistening ropes.
Further inspection reveals the ropes to be spider webs. Great, thick, webbing. Alzar casts Mass Flight, and they fly over. You don’t want to mess with dealing with webbing over a turbulent river at the top of waterfall heading down. By flying over the landing and sands, and such, they also skip a number of traps Alzar can see, such as Glyph of Warding or a sinking sands trap. The three pyramids that form the Temple of the Dawn are sheathed in still-polished pink marble. The greatest of the three is 400 feet square and 500 feet tall. Each of the matched pair of lesser pyramids is 200 feet on a side and about 90 feet tall. It is impossible for any but a thief to climb the outside of the large pyramid. Luckily, Alzar is a thief and they can fly. Like the shrine to Rathanos, Alzar sees something on the apex of the large pyramid, and he flies up to it. The apex (top) of the largest pyramid is a miniature pyramid made of transparent crystal, 6 inches on a side at its base. Encased in the crystal is an eyeball. Regardless of which way the miniature pyramid is held, the eye always faces the holder. He finds another miniature pyramid on top, with an odd looking part: Crystal Pyramid - The crystal pyramid can be used by any class of character and has the following five powers that are activated by the command word that glows when the wielder stares at one face of the crystal. In all cases the user must look into the crystal facet to use the power. Side one: Truesight (as a cleric of the same level). Side two: Locate object. User must look at the crystal and will see and sense the location of the object. Side three: Infravision. Side four: Wizard eye. Side five (bottom): Contact outer plane (as a magic-user of the same level). Alzar heads over to the smaller pyramids. Each of the two lesser pyramids has a door at the bottom to enter them. Doors are located at the bases of the two lesser pyramids. Massive blocks of stone seal the entrances. To force open the door, the party must roll a d% less than or equal to the combined Strength of all characters attempting to force the door. If the result is 95 or higher, the attempt fails and all characters in the attempt take 1d10 damage from a botched try. They can’t be knocked or otherwise opened with magic. They try the first with the large combined strength. They toss a 66, easily enough to make it. Inside is a sunken suite with stairs that lead down a bit. The stair ends in dark, scummy water. Whatever is below here must surely be submerged, too, yet shimmering faintly in the depths, you see an eerie glow. The water begins 75 feet in from the door at area 7 and fills both area 8 and the ascending stair to the north for another 25 feet. This chamber is 50 feet by 50 feet by 20 feet. Both doors enter at floor level. Scrying magic isn’t great here and is coming back distorted, so Alzar scouts it out. The sunken stair ends in a submerged chamber, lit by a dim but warm glow from the center of the room. Tall aquatic grass undulates slightly, disturbed by your swimming motions. On the opposite wall, you can see another opening with a stair leading upward. Alzar feels a necrotic presence in the room. He reaches out and he cannot control them here, but he can turn them. Seven aquatic mummies rises, and Alzar forces them to flee near his team, and they slay them. Alzar returns. Alzar’s Star of Mo’Pilar helps a little. The glow seen by Alzar comes from the center of the room’s floor, emanating from a clear yellow gemstone (continually lit). When viewed from within 20 feet, there are can see the sixty 1,000 gp red, orange and yellow gemstones set in a sunburst pattern around the stone. It takes 1d4 rounds to pry a gem loose with a dagger or similar implement. So it would take 120 rounds to grab them all. Alzar grabs the group, and then spend 30. 60 1000 gp gems |
On the far side of this chamber is another room identically shaped to this in the lesser pyramid, and a door that they also would have to force open.
The stair ends abruptly; the last step may be 50 feet below. This cubical chamber is floored with smallish mushrooms. Although this door sits high above the floor, the door opposite is at ground level. The fungal growth is dense but small. The star is showing the area is magical, but other than that, it can tell that there aren’t any traps. As they step into the room, a contingency spell fires, and the fungus mushrooms grow in size, creating a giant, unpassable forest. Then 10 Bone Golems that were massmorphed into mushrooms turn back into golems and move to attack! Battle begins. 2 vs 6 Alzar casts Hold Golem and freezes one. The others with him hit and damage one badly. The rest attack in melee, and their weapons are poisoned. Vix is immune, as is Alzar, but Feldspar isn’t, and he takes 20 normal damage plus another 15 poison. Vix – 133/152 Alzar – 92/92 Feldspar – 30/75 4 vs 8 Next round, Alzar casts Maze on one and it heads out. Vix finishes a wounded golem and wound a little another. Feldspar agrees to back up and grabs some things he can heave over Vix/Alzar at the golems. Vix – 111/152 Alzar – 81/92 Feldspar – 30/75 2 dead golems, 1 mazed 6 vs 2 They take more damage, and they slay two more, Alzar and Vix leading. Vix – 99/152 Alzar – 68/92 Feldspar – 30/75 4 dead golems, 1 mazed 7 vs 8 They kill 1 more and then take a little more damage Vix – 91/152 Alzar – 68/92 Feldspar – 30/75 5 dead golems, 1 mazed 5 vs 3 Alzar takes more damage, just 1 more dies Vix – 93/152 Alzar – 61/92 Feldspar – 30/75 6 dead golems, 1 mazed They finish the golems without anyone other than Vix getting wounded, and her War mask will heal her with regeneration. Alzar heals Feldspar and himself normally |
They push the door open, and then head back the first chamber and head up to a central room in the middle.
This is a small maze-like area:  Alzar enters at P. Alzar heads left to the corner at Q, then continues to J, continues to K, turns to L, M, N and O, and there are no exits on the outer rung, and he disarms a few traps. He heads in to H, and then walks around the next circle, again with nothing there other than some traps. Then to A: Hanging from the ceiling, about 30 feet above the floor, is a dove-shaped, alabaster amulet. Just looking at it makes one feel calm, relaxed, peaceful. This is the object of their quest. There is a space in the amulet that can take a screw thread that matches the one they took from the library! Alzar takes the amulet, and then leaves the Temple, and then they teleport back to Edairo with the group, and then move to the peace conference, with the Peaceful Periapt of Pax in tow, and it guarantees they have the treaty they need for peace. Good job! End of M5. Talons of Night |
That’s just a joke. There’s more. But that would be a fitting end, right? How many modules would have as cool of a setting as Edairo, which just drips off the page, the haunted and xenophobic feeling place, the flight up the river, and finding the Temple of the Dawn, the burial place of the first Ramenhotep, and then head back!
You fought against immortal manipulation, Queen Aketheti, and found an artifact and brought it back. You are good to go, right? Not yet. See Paul Jaquays is one of the best module crafters out there. One of the Top 30 modules of all time is Dark Tower, written by Jaquays for Judges Guild in the early days of D&D when Judges Guild has a license for D&D publications. They were founded in 76, and they had a ton of very high quality and very influential modules, many by Jaquays. Only one was on the WOTC/TSR list of best modules of all time, and it’s no surprise that they wouldn’t give more credit in a magazine article that was probably meant to sell more of their own product. But they are great, and I’d put Caverns of Thracia or Dark Tower up against many D&D classics. And Talons of Night is awesome. So epic. Here is Jaquays on point, in the final module for the series, with no editorial interference. Make the module you want to make! So Jaquays makes the module, and since our good author is also an illustrator, does all of the art and maps for the module, so everything here is from Jaquays’ mind. Which is crazy good… So no, this thang ain’t ending soon! And we'll be the richer for it! Begin M5. Talons of Night |
Alzar’s ability to detect illusions can tell that the Periapt is an illusion, a permanent illusion on a cheap knockoff, with a fake feeling. And there is a nasty trap here that’ll trigger when you collect the dove. Alzar heads to the stairs here and to the central pyramid inside the structure
The 20-foot-wide stairs descend to the inner sanctum of the temple. There are 120 steps. Starting with the fifth step from the top, Alzar finds that the steps are trapped. When anybody steps on or over this step (and every alternating step following it), a giant skeletal arm and hand thrusts upwards through the stone step, grabbing at the nearest character as a 7 HD monster. If a hand hits, it does 2d6 points of damage the first round that it hits. Thereafter, it immobilizes the character and does 1d6 points of damage each subsequent round until it is turned or destroyed. The hands are treated as 7 HD monsters and have 16 hit points each; they turn as mummies. There are 57 hands. Alzar disarms 57 traps, and they head down. It is night in the center of the Temple of the Dawn, which is odd, as it is not night time yet, and they are in the Temple of the Dawn, emphasis on dawn. The stair ends on a great hall, the temple’s inner sanctum. The hall is immense, at least 400 feet long and 200 feet wide. Massive 20-foot- diameter pillars thrust upwards to support nothing; for although this room must be deep beneath the temple, possibly even under the greatest of the three pyramids, there is no roof - only the night sky. In the shadows at the far end of the hall, a man in mystic’s garb peers intently at a gaming board before him. As you enter, he stands, raises his fist, covers it with his other hand and makes a slight, crisp bow. “Since you have come this far,” he says, “I take it that you have not found what you seek. Perhaps I can be of some assistance to you.” This man resembles Ramenhotep XXVIII, but looks more like Ramenhotep X from the frescos at his temple. “Ramenhotep X?” Alzar asks. The man gently nods an affirmation. With a cryptic smile, Ramenhotep X offers to trade information about the location and uses of Pax’s Peaceful Periapt if the party will play a game with him - providing one piece of information for each of his pieces that the player removes from the board. Alzar asks what he will lose if he loses a piece, and Ramonhotep X tells him the “trade will be fair.” If the party agrees to the game, they must select a challenger who will sit across from Ramenhotep X. All party members except the challenger fade into etherealness (no saving throw); only Ramenhotep X and the challenger remain (the challenger must make an Intelligence ability check to notice that his or her comrades have vanished). Those who disappear find themselves paralyzed and individually isolated in the misty grey realm of the Ethereal Plane. Around them, they can sense but not clearly see the hulking, squirming and flapping forms of Alphaks’s nightshades: always just inside their peripheral vision but never in plain view. Each remains here during the game until summoned to face a challenge. And then the game begins. The gameboard  The rules  So as you can see, Alzar is about to play a version of Nine Men’s Morris against Ramenhotep X Nine Men's Morris | Board Game | BoardGameGeek |
Alzar steps forward to play, and the other three folks disappear.
They roll a dice, and Alzar places first, and he takes a outside corner, and then Ramenhotep a middle, and Alzar another corner, and Ramenhotep lines up, 2, Alzar blocks. Ramenhotep X plays defenses for two blocks, and then pens Alzar in, so Alzar’s next play is defense to cut off Ramenhotep on the other side first before he can get two, and then he gets 2 elsewhere, and so forth. Alzar uses his better positioning to force a mill on Ramenhotep on placement and pounds off one of his foes pieces. Clue #1: “Spider, Spider of the Night, Spider-folk’s god, Tree-swinger’s plight; But shadow in darkness can’t bear the light. Do a good deed and aid those in need. Fight not with one, Fight not with two, Only the battle of many will do.” On the Lake of Avernus, ’Neath the stark windy moors; Peace is the key to the strangest of doors. Night touches day, Day touches night; Follow toward darkness When you say the word ’bright” Ramenhotep can either block the rest or trade, and he trades, and each loses a stone. Clue #2: “Below the Dawn, there flows a spider, feeder of Aurora. Follow the spider, climb the walls to its lair. For friends fight foes.” And then a challenge for… McAlister, the non-fighting NPC The world goes dark briefly and he is at the starting point of a maze that resembles the one they were at before. Except for a tunic, the character has no clothing, footwear, or armor (AC 10 -all Dexterity bonuses apply). For spell casters, only spells of fourth level or less are remem bered. The character does retain his or her primary weapon. Saving throws are made as if the character were only half his or her cur- rent level. He walks around until he encounters a Sphinx: McAlister clings tightly to the walls of a dark, narrow chasm while a shrieking wind rips at his clothes and numbs fingers. You know that you will soon freeze unless you can reach the uncertain shelter of the dark tower you see nearby. Yet as you inch along the icy-cold black rock, a gargan tuan female sphinx lands on the ledge between you and the tower. With an evil sneer, she mocks you, saying, “Mortal simpleton, solve my riddle and live. Fail, as you most certainly shall, and you shall die. My riddle is thus: ’Two on Earth become as one in Night We live beyond the maze’s door Where your yesterday is our long ago, for we count your days as ten thousand Who are we? Getting the answer earlier, McAlister answers “An Emperor and an Empress” and that is correct. When the character correctly answers the riddle, she shrieks “Trickery!” and launches herself at the character only to be intercepted by an equally gargantuan male sphinx (the one from the temple). The two of them lock in roaring combat, tumbling into the depths of the chasm. The character may proceed to the dark tower and enter, ending the challenge. The placement finishes. They begin moving, and each will mill the other (They removed blocks for mills) Clue: “In the realm of Death, through Chasm deep, the wailing wind wards well the Tower of Night. To enter the realms of Death, ye must become as one dead.” Challenge: Vix In a totally white, square chamber with exits on each side, Vix finds a massive square door set into the floor. Inscribed on the door is the Thothian mystics’ symbol, and embedded into it are 13 palm-sized, star-shaped talismans. There are three additional star-shaped depressions on the symbol, and a fourth depression is located in the symbol’s center. You feel as though you are walking on grass, but the ground beneath your feet is featureless white marble. In the corner, a cowering shadowy-gray goblin clutches something to its chest. Four talismans are missing. Vix needs to finish them. Vix begins to move around the maze. She finds four talismans, and they are similar to the one they already found on the crocodile. The star talismans needed: G (black; sound of eerie violin music), A (white; grassy texture) Q(gray; mucousy texture) L (white; odor of baking bread) As Vix returns to the central chamber to reunite the talismans, a quartet of four giants, one for each talisman, are here to stop her. (random.org) Vix takes 88 and slays all four. |
Back to the game
Alzar decides to sacrifice a piece for better positioning. He can lock off a mill from Ramenhotep X this way, and stop him from moving those pieces, and be in a much more dominant position as a result. Challenge Feldspar Pebblecrafter heads out for the challenge Thick foliage clusters densely around the path, cutting off the sky and blocking clear vision down the trail. In the distance you can hear plaintive cries of some animal, possibly trapped or hurt. And then the first floating leaf appears in front of you, wafting downwards and glowing violet. The paths of this maze are trails in a dense forest. The map scale is one square to 20 feet. It is not possible to leave the paths, and the obstructing foliage limits vision to 20 feet in any direction. When foliage is cut or destroyed, it magically regrows when the character cannot see it. Feldspar steps out and finds a phanaton captured in a spider’s web. Let’s pause. What is a phanaton:  They are basically flying, racoon people, introduced in the Isle of Dread module. They are lawful, and they have warred against the aranea, also introduced in the Isle of Dread. The Aranea  Evil magic using spider people with the hands of humanoids also for grasping and such. They also have larger brains as well. Finding a wounded phanaton in a spider web would make a lot of sense, given the constant war and struggles these two races have. Feldspar reaches down to unfurl the phanaton from the webbing, and as he does, a magical leaf floats over and zarks him for some damage. He flees, carrying the freed phanaton, and finds another, and he stops, takes damage from the flying leaf. He finds and frees 5 phanatons total, and then leaves, taking 44 damage total. Blocked, Alzar’s foe does haven’t a lot of options. They have to move to a place that Alzar can mill out of. Clue “Time is not a constant thing. Like rivers, in some places it flows faster. By passing through some planes, it is possible for someone to spend but a moment and find a lifetime has passed in absence or to live a dozen years and yet return to find but an instant has passed” Ramenhotep X cannot move to mill, with three pieces blocked, and two left elsewhere. Alzar against mills and sends off another piece Clue “When first I studied the mystical way, my mentor challenged me daily with this game, saying ‘Like game, like life. ‘Master the Web and you master its Maker.’” Alzar blocks the final piece, and Ramenhotep X cannot move, and loses. Game to Alzar |
Ramenhotep X offers another game, with more clues!
But Alzar declines. After the game, Selnyr, the axe, has gone missing. “This has been a most pleasant diversion. Yet, I fear that my less-than-benevolent master does not wish you to actually use the enlightenment you have gained. I am most sorry.” RamenhotepX dissolves into mist and sinks between the cracks in the floor as the challenger’s party materializes from the ether, Vix is missing Nykthos as well. A swarm of undead mummies arises from each compass direction. Battle Begins Alzar casts Time Stop. Protection from Undead. Hold Undead. Evard’s Black Tentacles. While they are messing with his undead, Alzar heads to OtherSpace for a round, and will return with backup weapons for Vix and himself. Feldspar takes the front and smashes a wounded mummy that broke through the tentacles. 7 vs 3 The next round, the three mummies free and attacking hit for 15 and Feldspar now has mummy rot. Alzar and Vix are armed, and Alzar slashes and carves a mummy badly, and his shield finish it off. Vix does the same with a wounded mummy. 4 vs 6 Alzar heals Feldspar. His team finishes the wounded mummies and slay the ones tied up or paralyzed and finish the battle They are unable to follow Ramenhotep X. But where did he go? One of the clues mentioned following the Spider River that feeds and creates the Aurora, so they’ll head up the side river. |
A few hours pass and they prepare themselves readying for the next day.
Their spells refresh. A half a day passes and the river has reduced to a stream that cannot be navigated further at a narrow waterfall up. They tether up the barge and then Alzar casts Mass Flight for the party and they’ll fly over local obstacles and up the canyon side. To continue the area, the party must reach the forests at the top of the canyon. Following the Spider River upstream, they encounter either Spider Falls on the Spider, or Garsh Falls on the Red Sabre River. Both falls are impassable, the canyon must be scaled to continue. Unless they possess fly or levitate spells for the entire party or magical items capable of flying the party to the top, the canyon walls must be climbed. The walls are steep and dangerous, but not unclimbable to those with a will for it. The walls of Spider Canyon near the falls are 600 feet high, but near the entrance to the Valley of Kings, they are a daunting 2,000 feet, but a thief may climb them without equipment. Non-thief characters who follow a thief s directions for climbing the cliffs, may add their Intelligence score to half the thief s climbing ability as their chance on a d% roll to climb the walls without using climbing tackle. As they near the top The crumbled rock reveals a titanic human skull. As you watch, the skull takes on ghostly flesh, becoming the face of a lovely woman. She whispers to you and then fades into a skull which shivers into dust and shards. “I speak truth only. Arachne Prime must die for her chaotic crimes. The Spider must return to her primal ooze of Night. Speak her true name to make her vulnerable.” This is a formerly alive Titan who was in the area trying to find the Peaceful Periapt of Pax and died here. When the party reaches the cliff top, their presence is noted by a phanaton shaman. Magic is cast and it sees that Feldspar previously passed a challenge where he was willing to be hurt to save phanatons from a spider web. The shaman moves from the trees into the clearing, and motions. Alzar cannot speak with it (no longer has Selnyr to translate him) but he casts Tongues. As an acknowledgement of Feldspar’s willingness to help the phanaton, the shaman wants to give him a Amulet of Phanaton Friendship as a symbol of that. It’s been magically widened to fit around the Stone Giant’s thick neck. It warns of a aranea camp a mile away, that has ten phanaton pinned, and asks for aid. Alzar agrees and scries, finding it. In the clearing ahead, you hear the sounds of battle. You part the thick foliage to see a half dozen furry creatures, no bigger than halflings, fighting desperately against three times their number of giant spiders armed with swords and spears. Alzar asks the shaman to guard their non-combatant McAlister, while they intercept, and he agrees. Alzar casts Mass Teleport and puts them in between the Aranea and the phanatons Time Stop – Wail of the Banshee Death Spell Evard’s Black Tentacles Result? 17 dead aranea from the first two spells. The others are mostly pinned or damaged from the other. Spells fly at Alzar and his party, like Magic Missiles. Every aranea is a spellcaster, and thus needed to be hit first. Battle continues For the adventure, until their weapons are re-secured, Alzar and Vix are using Vix’s old Spear and Alzar’s generic +4 axe. 8 vs 3 More magical damage heads in, but the 10 phanatons and Feldspar, Vix, and Alzar kill the ones not in tentacles, and then Alzar finishes the bound spider-creatures. Alzar – 55/92 Vix – 112/152 Feldspar – 51/75 |
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Is that part of the restrictions of the plane, can't use 9th level spells multiple times per day? Quote:
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Good questions! So most magic rules on various planes have no such Highlander "there can be only one" restriction on mage magic. So the initial plane Alzar came from, Thorasia, did;t have ti either. You saw him cast multiple spells of the same type, like Animate Dead Animals, Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch, etc, and such. When I moved him to Hamedh as a punishment for his success on thorasia, I wanted to nuke him as much as possible, and came up with the Highlander rule, that no wizard spell could be cast more than once a day per caster. It worked, and I kept it for Alzar on Pandius, which is just my version of Mystara. (It's not a rule on Mystara) but again, it works as a nice brake on him. That worked especially well as a brake after he found the Nefti's Spell Recall that let him cast any spell he knew and removed the memorization restriction as well as now that he has maximum flexibility after receiving Pflarr's gift. It works for all spells, not just 9th level. Hope that helps! |
Vix still has everything else, including her War Mask.
Alzar heals a few phanatons. Their quick intervention saved the party, and they are extremely gracious, and they see the amulet around Feldspar’s neck and have taken to calling him “Phanaton-Saver.” The shaman and McAlister arrives as Alzar and the phanatons finish talking. Feldspar can make out the phanatons with his amulet as well. Shellsnapper, the brave, intelligent and talkative leader of the rescued phanaton hunters automatically, becomes the friend (and willing henchman) of the character possessing the phanaton-friend talisman. He will wish to accompany his new friend everywhere (including potentially embarrassing situations). Shellsnapper is a 3 HD phanaton warrior. They are escorted to a nearby phanaton village The phanaton live in villages built upon platforms about 50 feet above the forest floor. Although the phanaton can glide from platform to platform, the platforms are connected by rope ladders and bridges. Simple huts on the platforms house family and craft groups. Each village has about 200 occupants. Shellsnapper stops you, points upwards, then scampers up a tree trunk, disappearing into the foliage. Moments later, a wooden-runged rope ladder drops earthward. You squeeze your way through a cramped trap door at the top of the ladder onto a large, sun-dappled wooden platform surrounded by low huts. Other plat- forms surround yours, connected by rope ladders and bridges. Everywhere are excited, fearful, and curious web- winged furry folk. The phanaton villagers are initially fearful, but soon grow friendly. The subchief who rules the village throws a big (but largely inedible-looking with grubs and such considered a feast for the flying racoon creatures) feast that night for the saviors of the phanaton hunters During the feast, an elderly shaman begins to tell the story of the phanaton and aranea. “Long ago, the people and the spider folk lived together in harmony in another place, a lush place rich In life and mighty thorns. The people and their spider allies were caretakers of a mighty talisman, a small, white stone bird. All was peaceful until the greatest spider, ’She- Who-Dwells- in-Darkness, ’ enslaved the people, stole their ancient and holy white bird, then brought them to this place.’’ Alzar feels a necrotic presence. At this point, a young shaman interrupts the elder. The shaman accuses the party of being in league with the creatures of Night. Alzar recognizes the sensation of an undead Nightwing here, and he flies up (Mass flight lasts for hours) and he excuses himself, The Nightwing sees him coming, and casts Finger of Death at him. And then again. Nothing. Alzar has reached spell range for himself and casts Magic Defiance Undone and flings a Hold Undead at it. It works and the Nightwing falls and dies on the ground. Alzar heads down, and the shaman is crying at Alzar’s death of his friend. He tells the phanatons that the creature is responsible, and then casts his own charm spell (one charm breaks another and neither works) and frees the phanaton shaman from the magic of the undead flying Nightwing. After regathering their people, the story is finished “Long did the people serve their evil masters; but after generations, the spiders became weak and the people escaped. They stole the white bird from under She- Who-Dwells-in- Darkness and sought the door to the old place for only the white bird could open the door. But the Spider had hidden the door in a dark lake deep beneath earth, far below even her own black pit. In despair, the people cast the white bird into the great river; knowing that someday, the holy bird would return and take them home.” |
Where is the lost city here up on this great plateau?
They can give Alzar the locations of all of the aranea villages up here, but know nothing else. They stay the night in the phanaton village. The next day… The village chief had a dream last night “Spider, Spider of the Night,/Spider-folk’s god,/tree-swinger’s plight;/ But shadow in darkness can’t bear the light./ Do a good deed and aid those in need./ Fight not with one,/Fight not with two./ Only the battle of many will do.” The chief discusses this eagerly with his elders. They grow more and more excited about the big fight, many many, and the 200 villagers get more and more excited. The excitement builds, ending with phanaton literally bouncing off the trees by the end of the speech. In an hour, the phanaton prepare to fight against the spiders. However, their king suggests that the fighting would go better if their friends, the elves and tree folk, would join them. A friendly phanaton explains that the king means you should go talk with them if you want their help. Alzar heads to the homes of the Treants. Neither the treants nor the elves will join the battle without urging. Members of the party must travel to the treant and elven strongholds and persuade Elmbeard Longleavesrustlingin thewindatdusk, the treant shaman, and clanmaster Trueflower of the elves to join the phanaton against the aranea. Alzar teleports himself and Feldspar and Shellsnapper to the vicinity of Elmbeard and then walks over and speaks to the great Treant of their need. The treefolk heavily dislike the presence of the evil spiders that tear up their trees, so the idea of removing them from the forest entirely is enticing to them. They agree to help after consideration for hours and hours and hours, in part due to the friend talisman and Shellsnapper’s presence. |
They then Mass Teleport to the elven sanctuary, and approach.
Allying the Elves: Clanmaster Trueflower is suspicious. He feels that the PCs are using the simple phanaton for their own ends. He could care less about relations between Thyatis and Alphatia, lands he has never heard of. Modifiers: -1 for his preconceptions, + 1 for each elf member in the party, -1 for each dwarf member, + 2 if anybody bears the talisman. Alzar talks of the Tree of Life in his own realm, and that the idea for the battle came from the phanaton, not from himself, which is confirmed with Elven magic and Shellsnapper. They reluctantly agree, but just to help their phanaton friends. The goal is to find the known spider villages and locate the Lost City of Aran. Before the mission begins, the phanaton will help the party mark the locations of the villages on their map. Roll a d10 for each village. On a roll of 1-4 the phanaton mark the exact hex location of the village. On a roll of 5-10, they mark an adjacent hex. When the Battle of Many begins, King Choppadigga leads most of the phanaton forces into battle. A much smaller force accompanies the PCs. In War Machine terms, the smaller force is: Force: PHANATON IRREGULARS Leader: Alzar No. of Troops: 100, +10 Elves, +6 Treants, Type: Phanaton spearmen BR: 96 Base Movement Rate: 6 hexes/day Troop Class: Below Average If the party is allowed to lead the force (it must have the phanaton-friend talisman), add the PC leader’s level minus 8 (to accommodate change of command) to the force’s BR (I already did). If the elves are allied, add 20 to the BR. Nine warriors (2nd level) and one leader (5 th level) also join. Allied treants add 10 to the force’s BR; six treants join the force. Alzar summons some magical aid to assist as well, Griffin to ride, and elementals summoned. They went home and Vix got her Chariot during the three-days they assembled forces and scouted around to finalize the forces. |
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