|
They come across a force of aranea roving about right outside of a village.
Force: EIGHT-WEB ARANEAN Leader: 10 HD planar spider No. of Troops: 60 Type: Spell-casting aranean swordsmen, 10 % planar spiders BR: 86 Troop Class: Average Base Movement Rate: 4 hexeslday Battle begins! +20 for Rod of Victory +20 for phanatons in woods (see below) +6 for Treeants in woods (see below) +15 for force size overwhelming their foes The party’s phanaton force gains a terrain bonus of + 20 when fighting in forest hexes. Treants may temporarily triple their number in a forest hex by animating trees (add 1 to the BR for each tree). Ani- mated trees can move out of the hex in which they are created to any adjacent hex, but not beyond. At the end of each battle, all animated trees return to nor- mal - the trees are too damaged to continue. First battle +61 for them, puts them at +72 for battle. They win easily, lose 10% of their forces, but rout their foes. Alzar Raises and Resurrects the 5% that actually died, and heals the others wounded. The next day, while scouting heavily, they come across a fleeing group of aranea, and smash them, leaving none left, and then the winners of the battle against them, and they grab the reinforcements and add them to their unit: PHANATON SQUAD Base Value: 80 One 6 HD phanaton leader (6)* One 4 th-level phanaton shaman (6)* Twelve phanaton warriors (24)* *Already included in squad’s base value. The following allies are included if present: Two treants (24) One 5th-level elf (10) Five 2d-level elf warriors (10) |
They have found a deserted aranea village just ended by the allies
Alzar teleports to an aranea village untouched, and with 12 Elementals, 38 Sandlings, Ice Mephits, and more, he slays them in ten minutes and cleans out another village. Then he returns to the army. The next day, phanaton survivors of a lost battle arrive. Alzar heals them, and then scries where they were, and again heads out and finishes a third village on his own and returns. Messages arrive that two other villages were taken, leaving one left. Alzar’s army arrives at the 4th village the next day and battle begins Force: EIGHT-WEB ARANEAN REGULARS Leader: 10 HD planar spider No. of Troops: 90 Type: Spell-casting aranean swordsmen, 10 % planar spiders BR: 102 Troop Class: Average Base Movement Rate: 4 hexes/day Alzar’s forces get the same bonuses, plus +10 for winning before They toss 71. Their foes 81. They win by enough to win the battle: +10% losses by his army +30% losses by their foe They are super tired Next? They get +30 (seriously tired enemy, already beat this force) They rout them with no additional losses Again, Alzar heals, and raises those he can, and then they take the final of the aranea villages here About five hexes away from this village, Alzar can make out the Lost City of Aran, and they head out. |
Alzar, Vix, Feldspar, McAlister and Shellsnapper arrive at the Lost City of Aran.
The trees blot out all natural light. You push aside a branch clumped with tattered silk webbing to reveal shadowy ruins. In the oppressive darkness, web cables cluster like hanging moss, spanning the distance between eight towers that surround a broad clearing. The buildings, the courtyard surface, and even the statuary are all made of densely woven and wound spider silk. Extreme age has frayed the web, giving the ruins a soft, fuzzy look. The clearing is a plaza paved with fuzzy spider web cobblestones. Worked into the stone pattern is a spiral spider web design. Carved into the web-stones at the center of the spiral is the following message in a lost language, Alzar uses Read Languages to read “Shafts eight lead to cavern great. Start from the north and round you go, but only in darkness with no moon’s glow. Count seven times seven the true path to see, Night Spider waits in the shadows for thee.” Alzar counts 49 tiles in the spiral, and he walks them. This causes the door on the north tower to glow with a spider image, which likely indicates safe passage here; the pit beneath the tower becomes a spiral stair descending 1,000 feet to the lair of the Night Spider. Each of the eight towers has a sealed door that faces towards the plaza. The 5- by-8-foot doors are solid stone. Alzar heads out and inspects the door with the glowing spider image on it. It looks clear. He opens the door and spiral stair down greets them, untrapped. After a seemingly endless spiral, the stair stops, its last step hanging out over a gaping pit. All around you, rope-like web strands criss-cross the pit’s hundred-yard span. Dark many- legged shapes scurry along the ropey webs. Supported in the center, like an acrobat’s net, is a great web. The 1 web’s pattern is immediately familiar, for it is the same’ as Ramenhotep X’s game. At its center hangs the bloated , form of a great spider, so dark that its blackness is more intense than even the creatures of the night. Its six eyes glow like hot coals. Map of area  |
This form gives off an energy that is very uncomfortable. Eldritch. Dark. Twisted. Like something wrong with existence.
This has to be the Night Spider. And as Ramenhotep X and others pointed out, “Master the Web, and Master It’s Maker….” Clearly that was just not meant figuratively. Alzar has to master this web. Strands of web, 100 feet long, connect the spider’s web to the walls of the pit. The spider’s web itself is 100 feet square Alzar asks for the Peaceful Periapt of Pax for their peace conference. The Night Spider addresses him and Vix mentally “As immortality seekers of my fellow Sister in Night, Nyx, I welcome you to my Web of Darkness. As sisters of entropy that share night, I know why you are here. You seek to secure the artifact below for a peace conference in Edairo to help ensure it’s success, correct? Very well, I will ensure that the peace conference will be a success using my magical connection with Thothia and the rulers here. However, I cannot give up the Periapt. As you yourself know, we often quest for artifacts from annoying immortals who strive against us, including this one. It was birthed here, and thus I cannot destroy this bane of mine, but I am forced to keep it from it these mortals. I would not want to keep the rest of my life on this dreary plane away from my home plane, but I must keep the artifact away. Only the presence of an immortal of my power can keep anyone from detecting or finding it, and it hasn’t been used in centuries. Thus, you can leave without it, and your goal will remain intact.” Alzar is unable to see how the Night Spider could guarantee success. He offers a counter proposal. Alzar will secure the Periapt for the conference, and then return it once it is completed. But the Night Spider doesn’t believe that the Periapt’s presence would be kept secret, and that’s an unassailable issue. “You recently found and destroyed an artifact of Ixion and Light! How does your desire for this pathetic artifact make sense? You not only know this is the way of things, but you are on a path for immortality for entropy!” Alzar points out that she and Nyx might be opposed to Ixion or even Rathanos as gods of the Sun or light. But Pax is the immortal of peace. The Night Spider and Nyx aren’t immortals of war. There is nothing in peace that works again her sphere of control. It’s not an anathema. In fact, there are times when peace and inaction is entropy in action. This is different. The Night Spider sees that they will not come to a resolution. Master the web… Alzar sees the web laid before him, like a great board of Spider’s Web. They have to play against the Night Spider, physically. Vix enters at one corner. A phase spider appears in another spot. Feldspar another corner, then another phase spider. Alzar summons allies, an Invisible Stalker, Aerial Servant, Air Elemental and Greater Air Elemental as he can’t see the bottom of what is under the web (it’s actually two miles under him!) An elementals moves into a third space, and then another spider. A Greater follows, etc. Then a Stalker. Alzar moves onto the board as well. No use of No use of Shellsnapper or McAlister. They will stay on guard. |
He forces the first mill, but a piece is not removed from the board. Alzar’s chosen spider to mill off is next to Vix, and suddenly, Vix can move again, and she can attack the spider, but the spider can attack back. After two rounds of combat, Vix took 11 and slew the phase spider.
Alzar then takes a mill back. The Night Spider chuckles at his arrogance for walking onto the web, and a great 36d6 lightning bolt crackles out from her, and then he’ll have to make a dexterity check to remain on the web! I’m going to need some dice. Alzar rolls 99 damage raw, but 40% hits the Ring, thus 59 damage remains. Then save for 50% and…he makes it. And he makes the dex check as well. Alzar takes 30 lightning damage. He remains and she roars at him. He casts Protection from Electricity on his key party members on the web – himself, Vix, and Feldpsar. With an extra person up on the Web despite allowing a Mill. Alzar is in a good place. Alzar mills off another phase spider, this time not going for one in the best place, but just near him, and his magical axe cleaves it dead quickly. He casts Cure Critical Wounds on himself. Now he is up 9-7 on numbers, which is pretty good. Placement continues. She places in the place just vacated, and Alzar places with another summoned dork, and then mills, and a third phase spider dies to Alzar. Moves commence. She moves someone off the mill she made first. Alzar moves. She moves back and uses her Lightning Bolt, this time aiming it at Invisible Stalker and slaying it. It’s the only moves she has left, to play the game rather than hurt Alzar. Alzar mills and drops another spider. She moves. Alzar moves She mills. Alzar loses the Aerial Servant. Alzar blocks her three milling folks in and they won’t be able to move anymore. She moves. Alzar mills another spider heads to death from an Air Elemental. She moves. Alzar blocks her, and she cannot move any longer. Alzar has defeated the Night Spider in real life The Spider’s Web. |
The Night Spider is now free to attack and vice versa, after they have won the game! Alzar orders McAllister and the phanaton to hold off and move to the far corner of the room.
The Night Spider – 150 hp, AC -8, only +5 weapon will hit, and will only deal 1 damage, 100% magic resistance, Attacks: 1 bite/8 leg punches: Damage: 2d8 + poison/1d12, THACO: -5 I made her more powerful. (Much more powerful) Alzar shouts out her true name of “Arachne Prime” and her immortality drops as do her defenses. She now has no MR and can be hit by any weapon. Battle begins! She casts Time Stop, and then casts Silence on Alzar, Remove Magic on Alzar, and then Meteor Swarm. Alzar’s fighting party takes 58 from the Swarm. Saves? Alzar, Vix…Feldspar, not the Greater Air, the Air. Alzar – 78/92 Vix – 123/152 Feldspar – 46/75 4 vs 9 Alzar nods at Vix to take the charge and she bases the Night Spider. Alzar casts Vocalize. Feldspar quaffs a healing pot and heals 25. The Elementals fail to secure a hit for any damage. The Night Spider casts Death Spell, and the summoned dorks head home. Alzar – 78/92 Vix – 125/152 Feldspar – 71/75 6 vs 7 Alzar casts Time Stop. Stoneskin, uses the Sunstone, and casts Anti-Magic Shell on himself, which will prevent any magic from coming in or going out, and turns Alzar into a quality tank with an undispellable Stoneskin. The Night Spider takes 40 from the Sunstone, but it can’t be used again. Alzar shouts to use light magic against her. Night Spider – 110/150. 7 vs 3 The Night Spider casts Cure Critical Wounds. Alzar carves once for 20, and Vix once for 16. 116/150 Alzar – 78/92 Vix – 127/152 Feldspar – 71/75 8 vs 1 The Night Spider stabs out. She is attacking Alzar. She hits and drops five skins. Alzar hits for 22, Vix misses, Feldspar adds 8 from a flung phase spider corpse he hits her with. NS - 86/150 Alzar – 78/92 Vix – 130/152 Feldspar – 71/75 6 vs 4 The Night Spider hits four more times on Alzar and removes skins. Alzar attacks twice and hits once for 20. Vix hits once for 15. The Night Spider turns and roars as a magic spell hits her from behind. Who? Fininister McAlister cast and hit her with Continual Light for 11 damage. Huh. Looks like someone is a cleric. Alzar barks an order at Vix… The next turn is the turn they get an additional melee attack, so it’s the best chance to kill Arachne Prime… Vix uses the Ring of Quick Action to force initiative next round… NS - 39/150 Alzar – 78/92 Vix – 132/152 Feldspar – 71/75 Alzar stabs with his axe once, twice, thrice. He hits twice for 44. The Night Spider falls! |
They return. McAlister admits that he is a moderate level cleric of Koryis, immortal of peace, and doesn’t know too many magic spells, his most powerful are rank 4 (he’s level 8). As a servant of peace, he is a pacifist and thus does not actively seek to use magic, and is unarmed. But he can use his magic against undead, demons, and such.
Finnister McAlister, 8th level Priest of Korylis, 44 hp, with WIS bonus can cast 6/4/4/3/ spells. Alzar and company head to the center of the Spider’s Web where the Night Spider was. They find a warming sense of peace and calm. When Alzar searches near the center of her web, they find a heavy silk cord dangling down into the darkness. When it is reeled in this thread (about 5,000 feet of silk thread!), they will find the alabaster bird form of the Peaceful Periapt of Pax. Alzar knows the rules for immortality, and defeating an immortal’s physical form doesn’t take out the immortal, just as he defeated the avatar of Alphaks on Pandius but Alphaks could still show up later. They aren’t demons or anything that can’t return after being defeated on this plane. By the way, Alzar could have won the game without taking any damage. Have a party of nine people or summoned dorks that are all immune to electricity on the web. Each time you mill, kill a spider until l they have three left. Block in three to stop milling. Leave the other blocked in two spaces so the foe can only move back and forth without hurting you. Now, each time you mill, you will get a round to attack the Night Spider with adjacent people on the web. The rules state you have to take out a spider, not a piece. She’s a spider too. But, once the game is won or lost, she is free and can move about and cast spells and attack and stuff! Alzar casts Mount and summons a Griffin. He mounts it and flies down, wanting to check the area beneath the web, which, according to the legends, is deep underground, and there is a gate there. It’s true, there is a small island about two miles deep here, on a large underground lake, and the island has a dark gate that is no longer working. Alzar grabs some dirt from the island, and then flies back up. They are getting close to the conference, and Alzar needs to finish up things here first, and then he’ll try to use the Periapt to open the gate later. The Peaceful Periapt of Pax The legendary Immortal peacemaker Pax once imbued her pacifying abilities into an alabaster dove as a passive defense against the forces of Entropy. A clever mortal discovered that it could be made into a mace head with serious damaging effects against mortal and immortal creatures aligned with the Sphere of Entropy. Because its presence is a serious threat to Entropy, it is rarely found and often mysteriously disappears before it can be put to best use Description: The periapt appears as an unbreakable alabaster dove, about the size of a clenched fist threaded on a necklace of pearls. On one wing is a carving of a sun and on the other a crescent moon carving. The dove’s breast has been modified to accept a screwed-in shaft, such as the handle of a mace or maul handle. Magnitude: Greater artifact Power Limits: Al4, Bl3, Cl3, Dl4 Sphere: Thought (Thieves, air) Artifact Powers (PP 285): A2 Calm others 30 A2 Mass Charm 75 B2 Lore 70 B2 Truesight 40 D1 Cure wounds, serious* 25 D1 Cure wounds, critical* 35 *These powers are reversible, at a cost of 30 and 35 PP, respectively. Activation: It is active when found. Use of Powers: Any non-Chaotic creature who touches it immediately and magically knows all the names, details, and command words of all of its powers. The Periapt can be removed from its necklace and mounted on a mace or maul handle to become a mace + 3, + 5 us. Chaos. However, if the dove weapon is used against a creature of Chaos, it automatically uses the reverse of its cure wounds, serious power against the creature. If the weapon is used against a creature aligned with Death (such as an undead, a nightshade, or a Night Spider), the weapon automatically uses the reverse of its cure wounds, critical power. The user has no control over this. Artifact Handicaps (3): 1. Alignment Change: When first used, the possessors’ alignment changes to the Lawful version of their alignment (Lawful Good, Neutral, Evil); if already Lawful, become more rigidly so and work more actively to defeat Chaos. 2. Armor Class Penalty: The armor class of the user is penalized by +2 3. Attitude or Behavior Change: The user becomes peaceful unless confronted by beings directly aligned against Law’s interests. The user seeks non-violent means to solve issues first and only attacks when defended. Recharge – The Periapt can recharged either normally (2 PP/day) as well as all damage done in combat against those against Law’s interest. So if it deals 5 damage in combat against a demon, then 5 PP will be recharged |
Alzar screws the Peaceful Periapt of Pax onto the shaft he had earlier. As a Lawful person, it tells him the various abilities. If you’ll recall, Alzar knows how to use a mace well from his cleric days, and he will likely use this until he can find Selnyr.
They head back out. The surviving aranea from the war have fled. With their immortal slayed by Alzar, that have taken to call him “God Slayer” and any that survived the collective forces of Alzar or the elves, treants, or phanatons, have fled and the balance of power here has permanently shifted. As the party ascends from the spider’s pit, King Choppadigga is waiting for them. If the party still has not received the phanaton’s friend talisman, they get it now from the king. (He gives one to Alzar and Vix). He also agrees that the party should take the Periapt of Pax. If Shellsnapper has survived, the phanaton gains another 1d8 hit points (4 HD total). Alzar casts Contact Other Plane and seeks to find out what happened to Ejiputus. They didn’t find any indication of his death or presence anywhere. Apparently he was eaten by a Nightcrawler. Now, Alzar spends a few minutes talking with the party and the King. Without a body, he cannot use Resurrection or Raise Dead. Now, he could use Reincarnation, but that would result in a random body, often an animal (such as a squirrel or bird) and would just keep his spirit alive. Alzar asks Feldspar if Ejiputus would want to come back under such circumstances, and Feldspar shakes his head “no.” Alzar agrees. He doesn’t think that the cleric would want to return under such circumstances, after living a rich and full life. Once everyone is ready (Snallsnapper will join them) Alzar Mass Teleports the group to Edairo…. And into chaos! |
In Edairo, confusion reigns and Alphatian troops are everywhere. Ramenhotep XXIII has died suddenly, without an heir, and in the midst of publicly proclaiming herself sole ruler of Thothia, Queen Aketheti involuntarily changed into a huge black spider and faded from view!
You arrive amidst chaos. Your ship in the harbor was fired upon by war galleys bearing the colors of Thyatis and Alphatia and was destroyed. Great gouts of smoke rise over Edairo, and the beaches are littered with corpses and wreckage. Around the ravaged city, huge war camps fly the colors of the two empires and the sounds of battle between them can be heard even from this distance! Thyatis and Alphatia are at war. Much of outer Edairo is in ruins and currently under the control of Thyatis with troops from Lord Zaar’s fortified manor up by Helskir here. Portions of the mansion are in ruins, the ground around it riddled with gigantic tunnels, reminiscent of the Nightcrawler damage at Ejiiptus’ home. The party comes upon Archduke Donegal Firestorm of Westrourke in the midst of a conference. Guards block the entrance until the party announces their mission. This battle has been going for a few days (since the day after Alzar was at the Temple of the Dawn, about a week ago, but some of this was intentionally hidden from him by the Night Spider and Alphaks.) Thincol the Brave’s nephew Donegal is trim with thinning blond hair, pointed beard and waxed mustache. He is a hardened warrior. Donegal calmly explains the situation: “Both Thyatis and Alphatia agreed to send their imperial leaders as delegates to the Conference. As the opening festivities of the summit began, a chill spread through the hall and the floor erupted giant black worms, followed by black giants, monstrous black bats and black- garbed warriors. Many died, but by the time fresh troops arrived, the emperor, the empress, and their entourages were missing. The only clues we have are these items dropped by the warriors.” The two items presented were Alzar’s axe, “Selnyr,” and Vix’s spear, “Nykthos” Alzar tells Donegal those are his items, they were taken from him at the Temple of the Dawn a day before this tragedy happened, clearly to frame him and Vix. Just after Alzar tells Donegal this, a servant enters and drops a tray of crystal, her mouth hanging open in shock until at last she blurts. out, “It be them what I saw with the creatures ...Them!” An eyewitness, she unmistakably identifies several PCs as accomplices of the nightshades. The forces of Thyatis (enough to present an overwhelming threat) surround the PCs. Alzar tells Donegal that he and his people will offer to use any scrying magic they wish, for both themselves and the witness, although Alzar thinks she is telling the truth. But it was not them. Donegal agrees, and finds that everyone is telling the truth, Alzar, his party, the witness, everyone. Which would highlight something treacherous happened. He announces the result to the gathering crowd, that these two are truthful and the woman as well. But the Emperor Thnicol and Empress Eriadne are now gone. |
Alzar offers to follow. They were taken down these tunnels, and he suspects he knows where…
Alzar casts Worldwake using the soil to the island as the other contact. He explains to Donegal where they are going, and the gate on the island confirms it. A few Thyatians cross over and set up an outpost on the island. In the middle of the deadly poisonous lake is an island with a glowing, 30-foot- tall, ornately carved free-standing door frame and door - wide enough to let even a nightcrawler through. On the frame to the left of the door is a carving of the sun; to the right, a carving of the moon. To open this door, one must touch the sun image on one side of Pax’s Periapt to the moon image on the door frame and then touch the Periapt’s moon image to the door’s sun image, followed by speaking the word “bright” . If the sequence is gotten wrong, sparks fly off the Periapt when it is touched to the door. When opened, the door allows those who pass through to leap the “vast astral void” and enter the world of Thorne. Alzar touches the Periapt of Pax to the gate and it activates. They are given their weapons back, and head out…  Here is the world of Thorn The doorway shimmers as you step through into a jumbled forest of gigantic thorns. The ground is woody and curves sharply away. Beyond the door, far away and indistinct, you see that even the ground is a part of a gargantuan thorn. What you mistook for trees are smaller twigs of the greater thorn. The gate at Avernus leads to Thorne, a world beyond the Astral Plane, one of the so-called outer Prime Material Planes on the fringes of the Sphere’s primary influence. The golden sun gate is similar to the gate at Avernus, but sun images dominate its carvings. Closer inspection shows what the party thought to be haze is fluttering threads of spider silk. Through the thorn forest, the party can see the ruins of a village. A path of desecration and destruction leads through a partially repaired platform village made of thorn lumber and web. When Alzar approaches the village, they are challenged. You are suddenly surrounded as a host of small, furry, monkey-like warriors mounted on great spiders phase in around you. It takes you a moment to realize that these are phanaton and planar spiders, acting as allies - not antagonists. As Shellsnapper accompanies the party at this point, as well as the phanaton-friend talismans, these phanaton and spiders accept the party as non-hostiles. |
Alzar speaks with them. They are still suspicious, even confused, because several party members resemble some of the alien creatures who destroyed their village 4 weeks ago after coming through this same door.
Alzar speaks with the phase spiders (Selnyr back in his possession) and the spiders reveal their concern about the almost continual presence of evil thoughts that are being projected into their minds. This began over 4 months ago. Alzar asks if they knew of the Night Spider and the phanaton and planar spiders quiver with fear, then plead with the party to destroy her, offering each PC member of the party a choice of a standard magic item as a reward. Alzar accepts, and ten 7 HD planar spiders and 20 phanaton warriors (all 2 HD) accompany the party to the Night Spider’s fortress to show them the enemy’s domicile Alzar does some mental math. The long lengths of time mentioned line up precisely with the events home. This plane is so far on the outskirts of the Prime Material metaplace that time is wonky and runs slower here. They spend the night with the phase spiders and phanaton and then move on, escorted by the group to the fortress. On the way, Alzar and his group prepare. He loans Finnister the sunstone and gathers some light spells and items to help. Finnister also has borrowed the Periapt of Peace wielded as a weapon ready to go. About ten minutes away, Alzar summons a few allies – Earth Elemental, Greater Earth. The path of desecration leads to a mighty fortress of thorns. Shambling shapes hunker about the battlements of the fortress, but three on a tower are clearly recognizable: Ramenhotep X from the Temple of the Dawn, the spider queen Aketheti in her human guise, and someone who looks exactly like Alzar! As Alzar approaches the fortress with the party and local forces in two, Ramenhotep X sees him In sarcastic tones, they chide Alzar for arriving here and making it this far. Ramonhotep throws something down to you, saying, ‘2 mutual friends left this for you. What do you make of it?” The imperial crowns of Thyatis and Alphatia are interlocked together like rings in a magic trick. “By the way,” he says, “if you’d like to come in, just give us the dove and we’ll be glad to let you hunt for your petty princelings.” The fortress walls are a 70-foot- diameter circular palisade of sharp thorns, 30 feet high. A single 60-foot-tall tower marks the gate. They head into the gate of the fortress, ready for battle, and all of the defenders are in a large central courtyard and will be facing Alzar. |
The fortress is defended by Ramenhotep X and Aketheti, 10 phanaton vampires (two are undead pawns of Ramenhotep), 80 phanaton zombies (all are undead pawns of the phanaton vampires) and three mujinas in the guise of Alzar, Vix, and Feldspar. The zombie squad attacks and the mujina attempt to confuse the PCs’ allies and henchmen during the battle. Because the Sphere is stronger here, undead cannot be turned. If the party thinks to use the sunstone against Ramenhotep or the other vampires, each must save vs. Death Ray each round or disintegrate.
Battle Begins Alzar casts Time Stop Alzar reads the cleric scroll Sunray Alzar casts Hold Undead Alzar casts Negative Plane Protection Pass Sunray: 8d6 to undead in ray 3d6 to undead out of ray Those especially weak to light – 2d6 damage for near Sunray takes out the zombies that are in range but not in the ray, as well as the rayed area. Two vampires were in range, one is dead and the other has just 3 hp left. The mujina pass. Others are wounded. Hold Undead freezes a few undead as well. NPP arrives to protect the team. 6 vs 2 They moves forward and attack. Feldpsar is hit for 8, but no level drain (NPP up) and Vix hit once for 9. Aketheti spends the turn opening up a gate to another world, and out steps the Night Spider herself! They slay the wounded vampire, Alzar axes a healthy vampire dead, and McAlister uses a Light spell on Aketheti and hurts her for 10 damage. 2 Elementals Vix 145/152 Feldspar 67/75 Alzar 92/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). Left – 13 zombies, 9 vampires, Aketheti, NS and RX. 7 vs 8 Alzar intones the Night Spider’s true name of Arachne Prime. He is based to a few vampires, and slays another in melee, as does Vix. A zombie dies to a earth elemental. Feldspar wounds a vampire. McAlister casts Light on Aketheti for 10 damage, and is holding off on the sunstone. They hit for some damage on the characters, and The Night Spider casts Time Stop and casts Dispel Magic on the NPP effect, Abjure twice once on each Elementals. The Elementals are sent home. Vix 121/152 Feldspar 67/75 Alzar 65/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). Left – 12 zombies, 7 vampires, Aketheti, NS and RX. 3 vs 8 Alzar uses the saved Time Stop, and drops another NPP (it’s a clerical spell), summons Evard’s Black Tentacles and then Destroy Undead. It resolves a few undead die, the Tentacles tether down Aktheti and RX. Even the Night Spider takes a minor amount of damage from it Vix 123/152 Feldspar 67/75 Alzar 65/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 147/150 RX – 85/100 Aketheti – 82/120 4 zombies 7 vampires 3 vs 1 The NS casts Dispel again while the attack happens. More damage hits, and Feldspar loses some levels from a vampire that chomps on him. Alzar makes the save (check out the cleric ability that gives him saves vs energy drains that wouldn’t normally matter. Vix slays a wounded vampire with her first thrust of Nykthos and then kills a nearby zombie with another thrust. Shellsnapper wounds a vampire. Feldspar misses. McAlister casts Cure Moderate wounds on Feldspar. Alzar takes out a vampire. Vix 125/152 Feldspar 51/65 Alzar 40/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 148/150 RX – 85/100 Aketheti – 82/120 2 zombies 5 vampires 6 vs 4 The Night Spider smashes hard with her 9 attacks and doles out a ton of damage to the party. Vix takes 14 and it hit by an energy drain. Alzar Heals himself after he was down to 11 hp. McAlister heals FS again. Vix kills a vampire and Feldspar slays a wounded vampire. Vix 99/148 Feldspar 42/65 Alzar 92/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 149/150 RX – 85/100 Aketheti – 82/120 2 zombies 3 vampires 3 vs 6 Alzar calls out RX as the target. Alzar stabs out and wounds, badly, an adjacent Ramenhotep X, although Alzar misses once. Vix launches a spear at him, hits, and pulls him next to her and Feldpsar on the left flank. Now next to Feldspar, he misses, and McAlister, seeing the wounded RX, damages him with another Light spell, two arrows from Shellsnapper fly out, and one hits and kills Ramenhotep X. The NS again melees strong, with a few follows. Vix takes another energy drain. Vix 77/144 Feldspar 29/65 Alzar 71/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 149/150 Aketheti – 82/120 2 zombies 3 vampires 6 vs 8 Alzar casts Cure Critical Wounds on Feldspar. Vix stabs and almost kills a vampire, and FS finishes it. McAlister casts Light on Aketheti for 10. She casts Cure on herself, and then the NS melees and smashes many hits on the three she is basing. Vix 51/144 Feldspar 52/65 Alzar 59/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 150/150 Aketheti – 117/120 2 zombies 2 vampires 2 vs 1 They retake initiative and the NS hits, Aketheti casts Silence on McAlister as she cannot base him, and a vampire drains more from FS. Alzar heals Vix. Feldspar misses. Vix doesn’t and kills a vampire. Shellsnapper hits the last vampire. McAlister misses. Vix 144/144 Feldspar 27/55 Alzar 37/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 150/150 Aketheti – 117/120 2 zombies 1 vampires 3 vs 8 Alzar concentrates on Aketheti. He deals 56. Vix deals enough to finish a vampire. Feldspar and McAllister miss. Aketheti Heals herself. NS melees. She slays Feldspar. Vix 131/144 Feldspar -3/55 - Out Alzar 22/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 150/150 Aketheti – 120/120 2 zombies 4 vs 7 Alzar Heals himself. Vix stabs Aketheti for 34. McAlister misses, Shellsnapper adds 6. Vix 111/144 Feldspar -3/55 - Out Alzar 80/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 150/150 Aketheti – 80/120 2 zombies 5 vs 1 The NS melees, and her daughter heals herself. Alzar orders a damage spike. Can they take out the Night Spider? Alzar and Vix only have two attacks this round but the timing works. Alzar deals 44, Vix 31, and McAlister uses the Sunstone for 40. Vix 76/144 Feldspar -3/55 - Out Alzar 60/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). NS – 35/150 Aketheti – 120/120 2 zombies Vix uses the Ring of Quick Action to steal init. Alzar carves into the Night spider for three attacks this round and finishes her in two, and his final is against Aketheti, which is a miss. Aketheti takes 17 from Vix’s spear, flung at her and then brings her to Vix. McAlister misses with the sling again. Alzar has him move his targest to the zombie. Aketheti casts teleport and flees. Vix 76/144 Feldspar -3/55 - Out Alzar 60/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 21/21 (in the back, out of melee range, firing a magic short bow). 2 zombies They finish the zombies easily enough and have secured the fortress! |
Alzar casts his teleport tracing spell, and sees that she fled to another plane. And like the Night Spider, even if dead, would return, there’s no value is tracking her down, when she has a cadre of foes around her.
Alzar resurrects Feldspar and then casts restoration spells to remove energy drain effects. The local phase spiders report that the evil and dark influence on their mind is gone with the death of the NS and her minions in the fortress. They throw a large party tonight, and Alzar restores his magic. The next day, they head out through another gate here in the fortress and leave behind the World of Thorne. This gigantic silvery door is similar to the other two gates, but is decorated with moon symbols. It opens like the gate at Avernus. The Moon Gate leads to the Star Gate’s windy ledge on the world of Chasm Welcome to Chasm! |
Rules for Chasm
As the party probes deeper into worlds where the power of the Sphere of Death is strong, their bodies slowly change, adapting to the effects of Death. The conversion process replaces the “life” in their bodies with “ unlife,” a hit die at a time. By the time they reach the Isle of Night, most of the PCs will have become free-willed zombie-like beings: no longer alive and subject to the pawn/liege con- trol particular to undead. It takes time for this change to occur. The worlds of Thorne and Chasm, the interior of the Tower of Night, and the Isle of Night all effect conversion at different rates. The table below shows the rate for each place. Place Conversion Rate Chasm 1 HD every 12 hours* ; Tower Isle 1 HD every 6 hours* 1 HD every 3 hours* *When the characters leave this place, 1 HD is automatically converted, regard- less of whether or not the required time has been spent here. Characters over 9th level can resist the effects longer. For every five levels above 9th (always rounding up), the character effectively has one additional hit die. Thus a 30th-level character would have an additional 5 HD. The physical effects of conversion do not become apparent until the 9th or lower hit die is converted. At that time, the character begins to look, feel, and smell undead. A character who becomes aware of the conversion may attempt to resist it by making Constitution ability checks. Succeeding in a check prevents the change from occurring. Once the conversion begins, the character is vulnerable to the control of other undead (see Undead Lieges and Pawns in the D&D Master DM’s Book). The character’s remaining unconverted hit dice represent the resistance to control as follows: HD 1-2 3 4 5 6 7 8-9 10-1 1 12 13 14 Effective Pawn Type: zombie ghoul wight wraith mummy spectre 7-8 HD vampire 9 HD vampire phantom haunt spirit In the world of Chasm, healing spells only restore 1 hp per die. After the Night Maze, curing cannot restore damage and resurrections always fail. Furthermore, all attempts to turn undead on the Isle of Night will fail. The bearer of the Periapt of Pax is immune to the Effects of Death and can use the periapt to cure other’s wounds at normal power. It will not reverse the Effects of Death. Once the Periapt passes into the world of Chasm and beyond, it does not recharge. If the bearer of the Periapt should lose contact with the artifact while on the Isle of Night, that character must make a saving throw vs. Death Magic at -8 or instantly die. If the character survives the roll, the Effects of Death take hold at 10 times their normal rate. You stand on the precipice of a narrow ledge within a freezing, dark, windy chasm. Any loose clothing or items, such as hats and even shields, are whipped away in the wind if you do not grip them tightly. Miles away, a gargantuan black tower (at least a mile tall itself) juts outward at right angles to the cliff wall. At its base is a blockhouse, which - although of gigantic proportions - is still dwarfed by the looming tower. Pale violet light filters out from the door. Other than the tower, the only visible features are the steep cliffs that fill your vision as far as you can see in all directions. Nevertheless, it seems that there is a junction in the canyon walls over your head, as if the chasm intersects with another at an impossible angle. The ledge you stand upon ends at your feet. The strong winds make even the climb from where you are seem impossibly dangerous.  |
Each character must make an averaged Strength/Dexterity ability check to hold onto any shields, capes, ornate helmets, or similar items with high wind resistance and minimal restraint. Only one item per person can be saved unless the players outline reasonable procedures to prevent fly-aways.
Alzar heads to OtherSpace, and returns with Ropes of Climbing, and uses them to secure their items, as well as to help with their journey. The wind is too fast to fly. Below them is the great Tower of Night. To reach the Tower of Night, the characters must climb, unless they possess some magics or magical items that allow them to cross a 200-foot gap without flying. There are no trails in the cliff face. Any character who flies without a tether is carried off into the darkness, lost forever. With a tether, one loses only 2d6 hit points when one smashes into the chasm walls. Miles pass, and they take smashing damage. Their time is slowed considerably being careful. The tower is 9,500 feet tall and 8,000 feet wide at the base, a black cylinder tapering to a 5,000-foot- wide peak. Inside is a 4,000-foot- wide open shaft. They arrive at the entry hall. Alzar notices a bit of undead flaking, as he is attuned to necrotic tendencies. All of the people in the party are showing minor signs of turning to undead. Shellsnapper is the furthest along. The great door to the tower is 100 feet by 100 feet. Although it seems that the characters should be walking on the left wall of the entrance, gravity pulls towards the floor. After passing through a 350-foot-long corridor, the party reaches the entry hall. A huge Spider’s Web game occupies the floor of this large cubic chamber. However, there are only black playing pieces, in the form of creatures of night. Beyond them, a great wide stair climbs in the darkness. The black pieces are full-sized statues of nightwalkers, nightwings and nightcrawlers. There are no white pieces. The pieces remain as found, even as they are investigated or meddled with by Alzar. There seems to be no connection with the statues and the game. It doesn’t appear they need to play the game to advance, but the Spider’s Web is more of an affectation or decoration here. They head up the stairs to a beautiful scenic overlook  |
An ancient black wyrm lands on the overlook, and bends down, as if to be ridden. Alzar and company get on the wyrm and it flies up.
The black slime will destroy anything that touches it. The Ray of Dark? This black light will not harm non-living flesh (but at this point it still does 2d6 points of damage to any PC who enters it), The pass through the Dark Ray, and Alzar has them heal with Cure Light Wounds, that has to be cast eight times to fully heal (Vix didn’t need one) They arrive at the Giant Cursed Cube This 500-foot-wide cube contains the Night Maze, a more difficult version of Ramenhotep’s Miraculous Maze challenge, which Vix completed as her challenge. The entrance is on the cube’s top face. Going down into the cube is actually climbing up through its floor. When the entire party has descended into the opening atop the floating cube, the opening magically closes, replaced by a stone door with a pattern on it like that on the cube’s sides. The pattern connects 10 star-shaped talismans and seven similar depressions. Alzar pulls out the Talisman they found in Thothia on the giant crocodile, and then places it in one of the depressions, but they have no others that fit here. These are sense talismans, that give a sensation of one of the five senses. The problem is that, outside of the maze, are great nasty undead creatures who, with each room the party moves into, will take away a sense. They head left. Alzar loses sight. Nothing here. They head forward. Vix loses hearing. There is a talisman here. It’s the sound of shouting humans. Alzar takes it. They go right. Vix loses taste. Nothing here. They go right. Feldspar loses feeling. Eventually, (Random.org) they find the six talismans, and walk back, each time losing more senses. By the time they return, they only have left: Shellsnapper – Touch, Sound McAlister – Sound, Taste Vix – Touch, Smell They are fully blind and stumble over placement of the final talismans. As the last are placed, a group of 5 giants moves to attack them to prevent their completion of the talismans |
Alzar has blind-fighting, but it requires him to still hear and feel.
I am ruling this: Alzar is at -10 to hit, and will deal minimum damage. If he misses with a 1 or 2, he hits a party member. Vix is at -8 to hit, if she misses with a 1, she hits a party member Etc. They are also a lot easier to be hit. Battle begins. Alzar shouts the word (even though he can’t hear it) that casts Vocalize. Four out of five hit them. Vix 123/144 Feldspar 59/75 Alzar 78/92 McAlister 44/44 Shellsnapper – 5/21 Next turn Alzar casts Time Stop (Vocalize lets him under his conditions). He tries Mordenkainen’s Disjunction on the effects (it won’t work), he grabs his Warp Marble, and unleashes his familiar, Azzil, to see through his eyes, and then casts Power Word Kill on a giant and drops it. 5 vs 2 They take more damage, and Shellsnapper is taken out. With sight and vocalize on, Alzar casts Maze and pulls the giant off McAlister. Vix 101/144 Feldspar 59/75 Alzar 51/92 McAlister 23/44 Shellsnapper – -11/21 - OUT 6 vs 5 They take more damage from the three giants left. Alzar casts Power Word, Stun and freezes the giant on him. Vix 88/144 Feldspar 38/75 Alzar 29/92 McAlister 23/44 Shellsnapper – -11/21 - OUT 4 vs 2 Alzar’s axe, now freed, wounds a giant on Feldpsar. The others miss Vix 69/144 Feldspar 15/75 Alzar 29/92 McAlister 23/44 Shellsnapper – -11/21 - OUT 6 vs 4 Alzar kills the Feldpar giant and hits the one on Vix. They miss. Vix 57/144 Feldspar 15/75 Alzar 29/92 McAlister 23/44 Shellsnapper – -11/21 - OUT 9 vs 8 Vix takes another hit. Alzar slays the giant, and then the one Mazed will be killed when it returns. Alzar Heals Vix and Feldspar, Resurrect Shellsnapper, and then McAlister uses the Periapt to heal himself. With the talismans in, and the exit to the Isle of Night secured, they head out, and their senses are back. |
The Isle of Night is a 1/24 th scale duplicate of the Isle of Dawn, with a few minor differences. All vertical dimensions are the same (much like a distorted map), but vegetation appears uniformly dead and a few geological features, such as the two-mile-high Night’s Watch Plateau, have been modified at the whim of Night.
The undead condition of the party is deteriorating in the Tower of Night. Alzar readies some anti-turning items he has for his undead horde, to prevent control or turning by forces down here, and they put them on. When the party enters the Isle, their undead condition, with rotted features and worms crawling endlessly through sloughing flesh. This condition allows them to survive on the Isle of Night. A place Nyx would find beautiful as undead and Night merge. Alzar and party head down the trail and begin to talk with zombies and interview them. From these conversations: • For the denizens of the Isle, it has been over 400 years since their ancestors were kidnapped. • Twenty generations have come and gone. • There are as many as 100,000 zombie folk on the Isle of Night, all descended from Thincol, Eriadne and their courtiers. • The zombie folk breed like living creatures, producing zombie babies and eventually wearing out and “dying.” • The Night creatures force them to build purposeless titanic edifices. • Thincol and Eriadne’s remains are interred in a crypt at the Isle’s eastern area, (corresponding to Edairo). A work-gang of 26 zombies passes on their way, and recognize Alzar and the party as the the “promised ones” who have come to return their gods (Thincol and Eriadne) to the “real world,” the heaven of the zombies’ pathetic mythology. They agree, that is what they are here for. A rectangular shadow moves over the group as a great black monolith (over 100 feet wide and 300 feet long) passes overhead. Alzar looks up and recognizes this creature from Pandius mythology. This is a Baak, a guardian being from the Sphere of Matter here on its own business. A thousand zombies ride atop it, on their way to a better life after being negotiated back to their masters. These are mortals that were adherents of the Sphere of Matter. The Night Spider, heading here and back, mistakes the party for zombies. She attempts to command them back to one of the work projects (as a 20 HD liege). This fails, but Alzar and company appear to follow her commands, she goes about her errand. The party is off the plateau and near to the Isle of Night’s Edairo. |
A few hours pass and they are there, and open a door to a large crypt, off to the side is a gate:
As the party exits this friendly door (similar to the other gates), it pops and fizzles while smoke issues from an opening in the door frame. Above the opening are words in strange language. If read (comprehend languages), it says, “Place object of great power within to operate.” Inside the opening are the charred remains of a begemmed bowl carved with the name and command words for the Cup of Silenus, the destroyed artifact whose Power Points kept the gates between worlds working (the gate at Avernus, the sun gate, the moon gate, the star gate, the home gate). For the door back home to work, the opening must contain an artifact (although if an Immortal were to place his hand here, the door would operate, draining a permanent Power Point). The opening glows in the presence of an artifact (the Periapt) or an Immortal. If the Periapt, any other artifact, or part of a living Immortal is placed in the opening, the gate will work again, permanently draining 1 PP each time a being passes through. The runes on this crypt mark it as the home of the “Rulers of Thyphatia” An interesting title. There are many frescos here showing scenes of the two rulers falling in love, marrying, and creating Thyphatia right here in the Isle of Night, centuries ago. Alzar picks a lock, disarms a trap, and they head into the Imperial Crypts |
The Imperial Crypts (located on the site of the terrestrial city of Edairo, contain a pair of sarcophagi and surprisingly realistic statues of Thincol and Eriadne, tightly clasping each other’s hands. The statues are inscribed “Thincol and Eriadne, Rulers of Thyphatia”. After 550 years, Thincol and Eriadne are but ashes and dust.
Yet, not long after arriving on the Isle of Night, Thincol and Eriadne prepared for the rescue they knew must come. Each sacrificed a pound of flesh to be carefully spiced and dried. These leathery bits were sealed in boxes inscribed with the words “MAKE ME ANEW” and were eventually interred with the rulers’ remains. This flesh can be used to clone the rulers back into life. Although the two rulers eventually came to love each other as husband and wife, the flesh samples were taken just after arriving, when they merely found each other intriguing. It is in that mind-set in which they shall be reborn. To return home, the party must sacrifice an artifact. If the home gate is repowered, the gate opens upon Avernus. Alzar takes the Peaceful Periapt of Pax and puts it into the hole, and four people head into the gate, and it’ll lose 4 PP permanently, but he won’t be able to return home. He grabs the Periapt back and the destroyed Cup of Silvernus as well, to see if he can get it to work later. Alzar has four artifacts, two in OtherSpace – Face of Xenous and the Shadow Belt, and two with him, the Bright Barrier and the Peaceful Periapt of Pax. Alzar tries to magic his way home, with an Amulet of the Planes, his innate ability to shift from one plane to another, or the Planar Shift spell. They won’t work from here. Apparently the Isle of Night sis too embedded into other planes. It looks like this: Outer plane – Thorne – Next plane inside of Thorne, Chasm, - Next plane of Chasm, Isle of Night So he needs to return to Thorne to get back home without sacrificing an artifact. He heads back to the Tower of Night first. He passes by some zombie chain gangs, but as a free-willed undead who cannot be controlled, but blends in, he can slip back easily enough, although he is twice sent elsewhere on tasks to cause his time here to increase. He heads back to the Tower of Night and the Night Maze is open in the reverse direction, and the great black ancient wyrm carries him up to the landing, and he heads back out to Chasm. From here, it’s about five miles, and again, he secures equipment and uses magical aid in climbing, but about 10 hours later he heads back to Thorne. He is in the destroyed encampment on Thorne and he casts Resurrection on himself to remove the undead taint, and it does. He heads to the village to check in with them, and everything seems to be doing fine. He heads back through the nearby gate, and then teleports to Edairo. It took about 50 hours or journeying, but only around 4 minutes passed here. He arrives and they have already starting cloning the Emperors and healed the undead party and heroes as well. When their rulers are revived, the two empires call a truce. Now the Peace Conference can begin |
Negotiating Peace
The object here is for the players to role-play the Edairo Summit to create the peace accord. Rather than playing their characters, each player takes the position of one faction’s negotiator. Each faction has things it must have to ensure peace, things it just wants and things it doesn’t want. For the peace accord to be lasting, each party to the summit must feel it has come away a winner. If not, the peace is short-lived. The players randomly select one of six factions. Privately give each player a list of their demands and responses to demands. Each item on the factions’ lists has a positive or negative value rating. This rating is used at the end of the conference to determine the success of the summit and to award experience points. When two numbers are given, the second number represents the value if the opposite of the condition occurs. The higher a positive number is, the greater its importance to the faction and peace overall. The lower a negative number is, the more it will make the faction unhappy if the condition occurs. Example: Thyatis wants to end Alphatia’s westward expansion. If Alphatia were to agree to stop expanding west, but retained Norwold, the two items would bal- ance each other in Thyatis’s eyes. The conference focuses on the resolution of one key issue and a number of lesser issues. These issues are: Key Issue: Who owns Norwold? Major Issue: Expansionism - who may expand in which directions? Alphatia and Thyatis currently control most of the region. Major Issue: Who may trade with whom? Alphatia and Thyatis prohibit interempire trade without explicit permission. Colonies often cannot trade with nearby countries. Lesser Issue: Who controls the Isle of Dawn and its rich southern plateau resources? Lesser Issue: Injured countries demand reparations for damages. Wars have destroyed property in neutral and uninvolved lands With the documents in hand of a previous treaty that made the Isle of Dawn and Norwold neutral, as well as the respect Alzar has gained, and the time spent as allies for a while before cleaning each other, there’s a shot. The Peace Accord: Thyatis: +20 Alphatia ends Westward Expansion - +20 Norwold remains free +10 No Free Trade Treaties - +5 Isle of Dawn Resource Rights - +5 No Norwold not under Thyatis - -5 No Expansion Restrictions - -10 Retain All Provinces - -5 Alphatia: +10 Thyatis ends Eastward Expansion - +20 Isle of Dawn Resources Rights - +10 Norwold remains free - -10 Norwold not under Thyatis + 5 No No Expansion Restrictions - -10 Retain All Provinces - -5 Norwold: +15 Guarantee Norwold’s Independence - +20 No Free Trade - -5 Westrourke: +5 Isle of Dawn Self Rule: 15 No Isle of Dawn Independence - -2 Annex Dunadale - -5 Give Control of Norwold - -2 Helskir: Score: +8 Foreign Troops leave Helskir - +15 Isle of Dawn Self Rule - +10 No: War Reparations – 10 Isle of Dawn Independence - -2 Free Trade - -5 Dunadale: +3 Removal of Martial Law - +10 Isle of Dawn Self Rule - +10 No: War Reparations - 10 Isle of Dawn Independence - -2 Financial Aid to Exploit Plateau - -5 Results: • Isle of Dawn is given self-rule but not full independence • No war reparations, or free trade arrangements given. The local powers preferred more autonomy. • Foreign Troops Leave Helskir • Martial Law ended from Dunadale • Thyatis and Alphatia split the Isle of Dawn resource rights, and they will be run out of the neutral country here in Edairo, helping to build its infrastructure up • Norwold’s independence is guaranteed by all parties (This includes the region of Norwold, so Oceansend and Alzar’s nation as well) • Both Thyatis and Alphatia agree to end expansion towards each other. And there we have it! |
Calculating Success
Total each individual faction’s score. Then total all faction scores together. If the end total is negative, the truce ends. If either empire has a negative score, skirmishes rekindle in 1d6 months. If any other faction has a negative score, skirmishes resume in 2d12 months. If no faction has a negative score, then peace in this area lasts for years. The characters receive 20,000 XP each for participating in the negotiations - if a peace accord is drafted that all parties agree to. Endings If the PCs succeed in rescuing Thincol and Eriadne, and then negotiate a poor peace accord, the worst that can happen is that the ultimate war is averted for a while, but otherwise, there is every indication that the cloned versions of the emperors will be a little less quick to send their nations into war. If the party fails in their mission, the war continues and escalates until all civilized countries under the control of the empires or adjacent to them are involved. Lasting twenty years or more, the war ultimately drains the involved nation’s resources, slays most if not all of their human and demi-human populations, topples their governments into anarchy and plunges this portion of the world into a dark barbaric age. You may wish to create adventures that involve the PCs in the war, or let them try to end it before Night falls. Everyone gains a level! And that’s it! End of M5. Talons of Night |
This adventure remains one of my favorites! It’s a great and epic story line down immortals, pharaohs, undead, plane-spanning, artifact finding, game playing, and exploring. Everything here works.
I changed a few set ups. The peace conference is set in Helskir, not Edairo, and you go there looking for proof of the original stuff agreed to, not because the conference is there, but I loved it enough to make that the home of the conference, and then to move Dunadale into the peace conference for Thothia. Thothia lives. You have red-skinned giants and phanaton and spiders all over, and just a ton of quality things here in this dense module. This is one of the most epic modules and adventures I have ever encountered, at least outside of a boxed set that has books and books dedicated to it. Talons of Night? 48 pages. Of that, you have the cover, table of contents, centermaps, lists of NPCS, a page on the Peaceful Periapt of Pax, monster description, and the library clues to be given, and yet, despite all of that space, this adventure breathes. It is a masterpiece. And you can likely see why Jaquays is one of my favorite module-spinners, as well as a strong artist. Alzar offers to loan the Peaceful Periapt of Pax to McAlister to start a temple of Korylis in Evenarrow, and McAlister agrees. |
Alzar is readying the magical item research for Nyx.
He needs to create a powerful magical item, dedicated to the cause of Nyx. How about this? Darkfire Lantern of Undeath When lit, this lantern causes a darkness that only undead can see through. No infravisions or magical aid can see through the darkness, only undead can. Any undead fighting in the darkness cast by this torch get +2 to their attack, +2 to their damage, +2 to their AC, and any turning attempt against them won’t succeed without a saving throw vs spells. Normally, undead turning doesn’t have a save, you roll to see if it works and if so how many, with some auto turned and auto-destroyed at a high enough level of clerical power. It can burn, for an hour at a time by a special prepared Darkfire Lantern of Undeath oil that costs 2500 gp to make. This item will require the following: Alabaster carved by an ancient child, and honed by a venomous innocent. UnLiving Sand, created into glass by a fire giant’s forge Wick made from the wax of a dark forge around a hair from a Night Hag, willingly given The item blessed by a Crone of Chaos Finger Bones from a level 36 magic-using lich Silver cover over the glass, with space for the wick, rubbed by fur from a nightwing undead. The alabaster makes the main body, with bone used to attach things together, and then the glass made, with a wick and metal cover over it, and then blessed. To make the oil: Special spices, brewed for 10 days, over a special burner that must sit in a shrine of an immortal dedicated to undead (Nyx will do) Spells: Normal ones for magic Continual Darkness Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity Reversed Aid Reversed Chant Corpselight And there we go! |
So how big is Alzar’s domain?
Great question, let’s take a looksee It’s roughly 880 miles across, and between 240 and 400 miles north/south. So that would be, roughly, 319,680 square miles, so let’s call it 320k. That would put Alzar’s holding at around the size of Namibia in real world terms, in its 318k square mile, which is just the 34th biggest nation in the world by area. However, it would be the 2nd largest state and eclipse Texas heavily, given Texas’s 268k square miles. |
Begin Wrath of the Immortals
 I was sort of expecting to end the campaign on M5. Peace feels like a suitable place to finish this dynasty. Get Alzar some quality time finishing his immortality, and then finish up. Now my initial plan for this dynasty was to do M5, and then on the Entropy path, to destroy at a larger level then he ever created! But Nyx was a perfect fit for him, and works nicely in a number of ways, and that felt more organic to the story I was telling. Nyx feels like she fits in alongside Pflarr, Ssu-Ma, Vanya and Morena. So I am going to, instead, finish with Wrath. The story it tells is epic, certainly. It’ll be the final coda of this adventure (I suspect, it’s possible, based on the story that I might add one later. I’ll know as I get closer to the end of Wrath.) The problem with Wrath of Immortals is that it’s a very, very, very epic story, but the overwhelming amount of it performing off-camera and not involving the main characters in any way. Wrath of the Immortals is one of the most challenging in the in the world. It comes late in the published series, and no major adventures or follow up campaigns were ever published afterwards. That makes this adventures and series feel odd. Anyways, we’ll tie this story into the ongoing one nicely. |
What has come before:
Year 4,000 BC Five thousand years ago, the world of Mystara was very differ*ent. Its continents and coastlines would be unfamiliar to mod*ern eyes; it even rotated upon a different axis. At that time the Region now known as the Known World was pan of the polar icecap. This was the age of Blackmoor, Mystara's first human civ*ilization. originally Blackmoor was a small and beleaguered kingdom, until its history was forever changed by a freak accident. Far away in another dimension, a highly-technological civilization developed a star-drive capable of crossing the void between the planets. Over a period of centuries, they colonized new worlds and allied themselves with other races on inhabited planets they came across. One of their survey ships, the Beagle, was on a mission to explore and map an unknown area of their galaxy when it was caught ma freak energy vortex. The disabled ship was whirled through the dimensional barriers, where the crew managed a crash-landing on the surface of the planet Mystara. Most of the people on board survived, but it was clear that the ship would never move again. The captain set up a distress beacon and wait*ed for rescue, not knowing that they were in a whole other di*mension whose boundaries their signal could not penetrate. As time passed and no rescue came, the crew became divided over whether to wait in suspended animation until the inexplicably-delayed rescue ship finally arrived or to colonize this planet. One faction argued they should use their technology to enslave the native population. Tension between the two groups grew until a mutiny broke out, with the "colonizers" seeking to overthrow the captain and those who supported his sleeper solution. After a bloody struggle, the mutineers were defeated and fled, hiding in a distant swamp, where they even*tually put their ideas into practice. Using their science to breed a race of semi-intelligent frog-men, they so terrorized the local human population that dark legends about "the Order of the Frog" are still used to frightened children this day, five thousand years later. Alzar was in the era of Blackmoor. Back at the ship, the captain and crew entered suspended animation, leaving behind automated defenses (electric traps and killer robots) to prevent either the mutineers or the planet's natives from gaining access to the ship. Nonetheless, _it was only a matter of time before King Uther of Black* moor learned of the ship's existence and heard rumors of the strange treasures inside. He dispatched adventurers to explore the ship and bring back whatever marvels they could. Eventually the sages and mages of Blackmoor learned enough about the items recovered from the Beagle to create a technological culture of their own. Many years, centuries even, later, Ogytreen Treel the ship's crewmen in suspended animation, awoke as pan of a routine maintenance schedule-. He discovered that some of the crew had disappeared, including the captain, and noted the continued intrusion by men of Blackmoor despite the dogged defense of the ship's robots-and decided to sell out. He greeted the next group of adventurers to enter the ship and offered them a bargain; in return for a life of luxury and wealth, he would voluntarily hand over the greatest technological secrets of the ship to the men of Blackmoor, secrets they would never be able to unravel without his help. Since he knew the other men and women of the crew would stop him if they ever became aware of his actions, he sabotaged all the other life-support modules to kill them while they slept. At first the plan worked well, and under Treel's direction the systematic looting the ship's core began. Then something Treel hadn't counted on happened; one of the other crew members interfered. Unknown to Treel, First Assistant Engineer Rheddrian Benekander, a compulsive tinkerer, had made modifications to his own life-support capsule. Then power was cut to the capsule, his modifications switched it to backup power and initiated its thawing _ procedure. Rheddrian awoke to find his fellows murdered and a traitor handing over to natives technology which would catastrophically alter their culture. Unsure what one person alone could do to stop Treel and his allies, Rheddrian used his familiarity with the ship's maintenance ducts to spy out the situation thoroughly before acting. He then _improvised _ a plan to put a halt to Treel's activities and undo as much of the damage as possible. First he reprogrammed the defense robots to attack and repel the intruders, defeating them handily, then he planned to assess the damage to the ship itself-but it was already too late. Treel was a linguist and diplomat, not a physicist, and he had unwttingly allowed the men of Blackmoor to detach crucial elements that stabilized the core of the ship's power system. he was horrified to find that a chain reaction capable of setting off an explosion big enough to vaporize the entire planet was already underway. It was too late to stop the core from going critical, so he focused all the escaping energy inward, turning the explosion into an implosion. The resulting energy pulse vaporized all of the starship ex*cept the engine core itself, which melted through the very rock it rested on and sank hundreds of feet into the earth. Rheddrian, working to the last minute in a final effort to stave off as much of the disaster as possible, was utterly disintegrated. What little en*ergy did escape warped reality in all directions, causing animals, people, and planets exported to it to mutate into strange monster races. |
Years 4,000 BC-1,000 AC: The Mirror-Shield
Several centuries later, a red dragon flying over the crater saw a strange shiny object exposed by erosion of the fused sand. This brightly-glowing disk two feet across looked valuable, so the dragon carried it off to become part of her treasure. A thousand years after Rheddrian's sacrifice, Blackmoor's sci*entists rediscovered the principles upon which the Beagle's en*gines had operated-only to find that the highly magical nature of Mystara made such objects volatile. Before they could learn how to control the new-found energy, their prototypes exploded with such force that Blackmoor was obliterated in The Great Rain of Fire, an explosion so powerful it shift the planetary axis. Thirteen hundred years later (1700 years before the start of the Thyatian calendar), a second, smaller explosion turned an elven homeland into the Broken Lands. Meanwhile, the mirror-disk had become a sort of dragon heirloom, passing from one hoard to another, its powers un*known and its origin forgotten. Eventually it came into the possession of a great dragon-slayer named Balthac, who slew its owner and carried the disk away with him to his mountainside home. After Balthac himself died fighting Calor the Great, the most powerful dragon of his day, his abandoned fortress slowly crumbled into ruin. About 200 years ago, a small keep was constructed on the same site by a Darokin noble named Baron Alexander Carran. Unknown to everybody, the mirror-disk is an artifact created by the bizarre energies that destroyed the Beagle. Once a small wo-inch disk used as a security access device by the ship's engi*neers, it absorbed an enormous amount of power in the implo*sion and expanded into a shield-like disk two feet in diameter. It had also absorbed something else: the life-force of 1st Assistant Engineer Rheddrian Benekander. After being unconscious for millennia, Rheddrian awoke a few decades ago to find himself trapped within the disk, which was lying in a forgotten cave beneath the ruined castle. Upon his awaking, the disk began emitting traces of strange energy, with unexpected effects on all creatures, living and dead, in the vicin*ity |
The First Alteration of the Engines
When the Beagle was destroyed, the engine compartment of the starship burrowed its way several hundred feet into the ground in the resulting meltdown. The intense energy field of the implosion altered the engine to create an incredibly power*ful artifact, now known as the Nucleus of the Spheres. At some point, an Old One discovered the device and became intrigued with it. He or she realized that the strange magical energies emanating from the device, the Radiance, had the po*tential to enable mortals to achieve Immortality in the Sphere of Energy without help from an Immortal sponsor. As an experi*ment in creating a whole new kind of Immortal, he or she moved the artifact to its current location and changed it to make it capable of granting Immortality to those who fully mastered its secrets. Satisfied with the results, he or she left the device to do its work; to this day, no one knows who, or what, he or she was. The Second Alteration of the Engines Thousands of years passed before anyone else noticed the arti*fact, but eventually Noumena, a Hierarch of the Sphere of Time, deduced. its existence. Disturbed to learn of its ability to create Immortals that were not controlled by the current Immor*tal hierarchy, he took counsel with his fellow Hierarchs. Meeting secretly, a full council of Hierarchs agreed that, left unchecked, the artifact would create an imbalance between the Five Spheres, as well as undercutting their own authority. They there*fore altered the device so that every time it was used, it leeched power from the Sphere of Energy, diminishing the sum total of magic available to the world of Mystara. It thus became the re*sponsibility of the senior Immortals of that Sphere to restrict the Radiance's use. Two hundred and fifty-five years ago, a brilliant and eccentric wizard named Etienne d' Ambreville, one of the princes of Glantri, discovered the Radiance and used it to achieve Immor*tality. He founded an order of mortal sorcerers called the Broth*erhood of the Radiance to study it. D' Ambreville was the first to achieve Immortality through its use ... and it is he who is now known as Rad and worshipped in much of Glantri |
This script was written down in Pandius, and describes a conversation between Ixion, Rad, and other immortals
"My lords and ladies, Immortals and Exalted servants, we face no less than the destruction of the world of Mystara ... and of our own society." The speaker-tall and elegant, with skin the color of bronze gleaming in firelight, and flaming eye sockets-took the center of the Central Dome's main chamber as if it were a stage re*served for his use. His gaze swept the crowd, Immortals all, and looked for opponents to quell, doubters to sway, and supporters from whom to draw encouragement. He spun and pointed an accusing finger up at the raised judges' bench, where five Hierarchs sat. "It is your responsibility to pass sentence on Rad, to end his studies before they destroy everything we know. In his greed for knowledge, he will sacrifice anything, from an entire world to the very future of our kind." The object of his tirade, standing quietly a few yards away strok*ing his beard, coughed up a little laugh. "Eh, monsieur, you credit me with far too much influence and far too little sense. Would I endanger the world of my birth, the world where my descendants still live? No. The object I am studying, the artifact which causes you so much consternation, it is no threat to Mystara. It is a source for understanding. It shapes energies in ways which no one has ever seen before. It ignores the known laws of magic and yet achieves magical results. There is nothing like it in any of our records. By studying it, I may discover a whole new kind of magic previously unknown to us-perhaps I may even unlock the secrets of those who went before, the Old Ones." Ixion glowered, and the fire in his eye sockets burned brighter. "Each time you use this device, this thing, it draws magical energy, the source of our power, from the world. We have no way to replace that lost energy. And the rate of consumption is increasing. In a few centuries, perhaps a few decades, your irresponsible experiments will have robbed the world of Mystara of all magic." Rad shrugged, the delicate fabric of his crimson robe rustling. "So?" After a second of stunned silence, Ixion whirled to face the audience. "You see? His own words condemn him. No other place in the multiverse has produced as many candidates for Im*mortality as Mystara, the very world this madman threatens. Many of you called it home during your mortal lives. Steal away its magic, and you turn it into a wasteland of squabbling warriors. You doom all the wonderful races of magical creatures who cannot survive without it to slow and lingering extinction." "Nor is this all, " Ixion said, turning his attention to the five Immortals who sat in judgement. "Rad has violated one of the most ancient laws of our kind. By leeching magic from the world, he is directly interfering with the lives of mortals. Unless we stop ... " Rad's voice interrupted him: "That is a lie” Ixion whipped around to glare at him in angry disbelief. The crowd stirred and began to mutter: no Immortal, even one as knowledgeable as Rad, had ever dared to speak like that to a higher-ranking Immortal before, especially not to a Hierarch as powerful as Ixion. Before Ixion could answer, Rad continued: "The 'law,' good monsieur, states that we are not to take direct action against mortals. Travelling to Mystara and forcing a mortal to do your will, that is direct action. Dropping thunderbolts on a city you despise, or sinking an island into the sea, that is direct action. What I do is indirect. I study; I encourage; I inspire. I take no direct action." Ixion laughed bitterly. "Tour 'inaction' will change the world more completely than any thunderbolt from an angry Immortal on an erring mortal. I congratulate you on the sheer power of your inaction. I've never seen any inactivity so powerful ... or so dangerous." Ignoring Rad's mocking bow at the compliment, Ixion turned again to the judges before them. "}au have seen, and you have heard. I have proved conclusively that Rad's re*search is draining energy from Mystara. Unless he is stopped, his work will eliminate the influence of the Sphere of Energy there, and perhaps elsewhere in the Prime Plane. Not even Rad could contest my findings. Now I demand a vote. I demand by my right as a Hierarch that he be stopped." On the bench, Djaea, speaker for the Council of Mystara, nodded. "So be it. We shall decide." She turned to confer in whispers with her fellow judges. Ixion took a moment to relax. He shouldn't have let Rad get him so angry; he knew he'd won his case. Rad was clever-too clever-but he had only been an Immortal for less than two centuries, while Ixion had known the judges for eons; he knew how each would vote. Djaea, a Hierarch of Matter, was sure to vote his way. As concerned as she was with the preservation of worlds and species, she would never allow harm to come to the exotic races of Mystara. Ilsundal, a fellow Hierarch of Energy, was Ixion 's friend and shared his fears about their Sphere losing influence on Mystara. He, too, was a sure vote. Korotiku, Hierarch of Thought, was another friend whose frivolous manner hid a deep wisdom. A co-founder of the Hollow World, he too would act to protect his charges from the danger Rad's experiments posed. His vote would go with Ixion. Khoronus, Hierarch of Time, was a cipher; Ixion could never tell how he might vote on any issue. He might find some precedent for Rad's actions in the deeds of some madman of centuries past, in which case he would vote for Rad, or he might accept Ixion 's charge that Rad's refusal to stop at his Hierarch 's command was a defiance of tradition, in which case he would vote with the others. Hel, a Hierarch of Entropy, in keeping with her nature would probably vote whichever way would cause the most trouble. But it didn't matter: with Djaea, Ilsundal, and Korotiku on his side, Ixion 's victory was assured. He stood savoring the moment, thinking of how he would discipline Rad once the verdict was announced. Yet, when the votes were counted, it was Djaea and Ilsundal for Ixion, Korotiku and Khoronus for Rad, and Hel abstaining. Ixion stared in surprise at Korotiku while the crowd buzzed at the unexpected outcome. The ebon-skinned Immortal stared back, sympathy but not the slightest trace of remorse on his face. "Knowledge and growth do not come from stagnation, my friend," he told the solar Immortal. "This was nothing personal." "We have a tie," Djaea announced; she, too, looked surprised. "As speaker for the Council, it is my right to break the tie. I decide in favor of Ixion. Rad will abandon his studies of the device. This meeting is at an end." There were unhappy mutterings from the crowd as Djaea and the others rose to depart, but they stopped when Rad quietly said: "No. I do not accept your ruling." In the shocked silence which followed, Rad's calm voice continued: "I came here to answer the charges against me and to explain the importance of my work for us all. Even had the vote gone against me, I would not have abandoned my research. But your council is deadlocked: two for my humble self, two for good Monsieur Ixion, with Madame Hel keeping her own counsel, as is her right. No verdict has been reached, and your own attempt to vote twice is, how you say, below the board? My studies will continue." It took the outraged Hierarch a moment to find her voice, during which time the background noise slowly grew to a low roar as Immortals in the crowd began arguing among themselves. When she did speak, it was clear from her tone that she was trying hard to keep her temper. "By rights, the Council should not even have had to intervene in this matter. Ixion is the reigning Hierarch of your Sphere; once he ordered you to stop your lunatic scheme, you should have obeyed him without ques*tion. I offer you one last chance to obey your superior, to do the right thing, to honor our traditions." There was dead silence as they all waited for Rad's reply. "I defy your tradition," he said at last, his quiet voice carrying to every corner of the great chamber. "Traditions are only laws when all accept them. I do not. Our 'traditions' are not laws but regulations made up by the Hierarchs to keep all power in their own hands. Ixion is older and stronger than I, but he is not my superior, and I will not obey his orders. "Have you all forgotten?" cried Rad, turning from Djaea to the crowd. "The Hierarchs command such subservience because they sponsored so many of you to Immortality. No one can become Immortal without serving an Immortal sponsor- or so we are told. Most of you have never outgrown the habit of deferring to them; that is the hallowed tradition which Madame Djaea evokes. "But I achieved my Immortality without benefit of your ancient traditions. I owe my allegiance to no sponsor. I myself am proof that the old ways can change, thanks to the very studies these Hierarchs wish to suppress. Who is to say that those who went before, the Old Ones, are not responsible for guiding me to this new path now opening up before us? I will not, I cannot stop now because one world might lose its flying carpets and crystal balls! "For the sake of us all, for the sake of the future, I must continue my studies. And I will, to the last of my strength, even if l must defy you all to achieve my goal." Ixion clinched his fists and took a threatening step forward. "I should destroy you here and now, before you cause any more damage," he hissed. Suddenly two figures stepped out of the crowd up to Rad's side: Rafiel and Rathanos, fellow Empyreals of Energy. "Rad does not stand alone," Rafiel said to the fiery Hierarch. "I too became Immortal without a patron; I, too, would like to see what his experiments bring." Rathanos merely nodded. "Traitors!" shouted Ixion. "There may be three of you, but you are merely Empyreals; do you seriously think you can stand against a Hierarch in his fury?" "Two Hierarchs," said Valerias, sliding up to Ixion 's side. "Say the word, my love, and we will stop this rebellion before it spreads any farther." Ixion smiled and raised his weapon, but before he could strike a huge figure moved between the antagonists. "No," said Ka the Wise, "That is not the way. Rad is right in one thing at least: he and Rafiel are the first of a new kind of Immortal. I have devoted all the millions of years of my existence to protecting endangered species from harm; I cannot allow you to destroy them. Come, my friends, can we not talk this over before it is too late?" "It is already too late," said Ixion, gesturing to the crowd, which had degenerated into small groups shouting and shoving at one another. "Much as it pains me to count you among my enemies, my duty is clear; I must not allow Rad to destroy my Sphere and rob Mystara of its magic. If I cannot fight him here in Pandius, then I will fight him in the mortal world below. "Look to your followers, rebel," he said, turning to Rad a final time. "An Immortal without mortal followers quickly loses his power. Unless you halt your research now, I will unleash my fol*lowers against yours in a war that will wipe your precious Glantri from the map. And I won't stop until all knowledge of you and your 'Radiance' has vanished from Mystara." For the first time, Rad hesitated. "You condemn hundreds of thousands of mortals to death-many of them your own fol*lowers, or innocents who will get caught up in the struggle." "No, rebel, it is you who condemn them." Ixion snapped back. "I do not desire any of their deaths, but if that is the price I must pay to prevent the doom of every magical creature on the planet, then so be it. Give up your work, submit to the Council and myself, and the war need never take place. Refuse, and their blood is on your hands." Rad shook his head, “”I cannot.” Then it's war-and such a war as that world has never seen before. Look to your defenses, traitor. Gather what allies you may; nothing will save you from my wrath." And with that, Ixion and Valerias vanished in a blinding flash. Rad's shoulders sagged. "So be it," he sighed before turning to his supporters. "My friends, we had best take counsel together. If my dream is to survive, I will need all the help I can get." Then they too vanished. Djaea sat in the rapidly-emptying hall with her face in her hands and said, "What have we done?" Khoronus put a comforting hand on her shoulder and quoted an old rhyme softly to himself: "The old order changeth, giving place to the new/Lest one good custom should corrupt the world .... |
This conversation happened recently.
Ixion and Valerias are joined by another Hierarch, Ilsundal, who fears for the elves if Rad's work continues, and by Alphatia, who knows that the disappearance of magic would doom her own followers on the Alphatian continent. These four organize themselves into a band called The Ring of Fire. Their goal is to protect magic and the status quo by forcing Rad to end his stud*ies; Ixion and Valerias seek '.Rad's personal destruction as well. They encourage their followers-clerics and non-clerics alike to become unusually active so that they will advance in level and be more powerful for the events to come. They also do their best to gain their followers a role in influencing the governments of these and other nations. Finally, they subtly stir up anti-Glantri sentiments so that Rad's followers will be isolated when the war finally comes. Meanwhile, Rad's cause continued to attract supporters. Soon he, Rafiel, Rathanos, and Ka were joined by Korotiku, Eiryn*dul, Vanya, and Asterius; together, they form The Fellowship of the Star. While Rad, Rafiel, and Rathanos work to find ways to use the Radiance defensively, Korotiku and Ka continue to present his case in Pandius. Between Ka's prestige and Koroti*ku's wiliness, they prevent Ixion from gaining any more allies. Asterius roams the Known World in Mortal Identities to spy out Ixion's plans so Rad will know what to expect. Eiryndul devotes himself to stirring up so much trouble in Norwold that civil war breaks out there, preventing this Alphatian colony from helping the mother country in the war against Glantri. Vanya, mean-while, fans anti-Alphatian sentiment among her own followers in Thyatis and the Heldann Freeholds so that these nations will be likely to side with Glantri when hostilities begin. |
Year 12, Month 9
Alzar throws a huge, epically big festival at the end of the month for Vix. The largest his realm has ever seen. She’ll be heading to immortality in a few months, and will be crossing over. The festival includes things like parties, fairs, jousting and other tournaments, and more. Now that peace has been established, more than half of the nobility of Norwold are here, but King Ericall and the leaders are noticeably absent. Major leaders include King Jaarvik the Just, and others send envoys, like the merchants of the Republic of Darokin and locals. Everyone from Barkal the Red to the halflings leaders from Shire of Leeha to the local dwarfs and elves attend the festival. Even some folks like Questrix make it. It’s not as big of a deal as the marriage, but it’s a bigger party! Alzar has to intercede on a major thieving operation, approved by the Barony of Alak Dool to his west while he is busy (he teleports over) and another by the Duchy of Landfall. Both are ended, and even an assassination attempt by some shapechanging doppelgangers is stopped. Alzar spends 100,000 gp on the festival, and gives away some magical items, like potions, scrolls, and such. Alzar and Vix lord over the celebrations, her in her toned-down formal wear, as you cannot remove the fighter from Vix, she is a warrior born. Alzar can turn it up and does, to make a good impression. 10 days pass, and the beer flows. At the end of the month, construction outside of Evenarrow ends due to winter approaching early, but Alzar uses Control Weather magic to keep it going. He wants to finish the Great Library before Vix crosses over. |
During an open day at the throne, Alzar hears of an issue one of his fishermen was having on the western part of the Grand Duchy. He was given a Spellcache Ring of Teleport and sent here to mention the issue that had happened to his castle.
Jeddarin Corran History: Born 40 years ago to a Lake Amsorak fisherman, Corran became a good businessman and gradually acquired a fleet of cargo ships and fishing boats; they conduct trade across Lake Amsorak and in the open seas south of Darokin. Personality: Shrewd; good judge of character. Has no toler*ance for laziness or incompetence. Gets the most use out of every gold piece he spends, but isn't stingy-just careful. Family man; doesn't care for violence. Appearance: Average height; black hair, mustache, and beard going to grey; blue eyes, intelligent; lean build. In spite of good income, dresses in average workers' clothing. Combat Notes: 1st level Fighter; AC 9; hp 8; MV 120' (40'); #AT 1 sword; Dmg ld8 + 1; Save Fl; ML7; AL LN. S13 115 W13 D9 ColO ChlO. Languages: Darokin (common), Thyatian. General Skills: Labor/Fisherman (I), Profession/ Manager (1), Detect Deception (W), Piloting/Small Boats (D), Bargaining (Ch). "My cousin Teodor, a horse-trader, died recently. Good man. Had no children, so I inherited all his material posses*sions. One of them was a box with a lot of parchments in it, apparently something that had been passed along in his side of the family for generations. Had charts showing our family trees, histories, old letters, that sort of thing. "One of the papers was a deed. Turns out that a couple of centuries back one of our ancestors earned himself a little do*minion in the mountains up west. Built himself a castle, called it Corran Keep. "Well, he and his family died in some sort of bandit raid. Since he had no descendants still living, his title was revoked. But apparently some clerk forgot to reclaim the castle. When I presented the deed to the government offices here, they were as surprised as I was to find out that I owned a castle none of us had ever heard of! Not a bad inheritance from poor Teodor, I say. "Anyway, I sent Noriad, one of my boys, up to Corran Keep to see what sort of shape it was in. It was up in the mountains, far from the roads. "He got close enough to watch the place, but didn't go in, because he saw activity. The Keep was still standing and in pretty good shape. . . and there were men moving around in the castle. "And what was strange was that these men, and a lot of birds which lived in the area, glowed in the dark. My boy was attacked by one of the birds, said that it gave off sparks. He got out of the area the next day. "Now, I have clear title to the castle. No one else should be there. So what I need is help clearing it out.” Alzar looks at the map and the castle is just two hexes to the west of his border. It’s not in his realm. He offers to extend the Grand Duchy out to Corran Keep for Jeddarin to run, and then after feeing it, Alzar will give Jeddarin the financial wherewithal to set up the Keep, with the understanding that Jeddarin will run it and send him money and such. He agrees after verifying the information with Know Alignment, ESP and such. |
Alzar scries the Keep.
The Keep consists of a large donjon ( a circular defensive building made of stone) built flush up against the upper slope of a mountain and surrounded by a single curtain wall. Amazingly, the Keep seems to be in very good shape. The walls are standing, and there are signs that they have been recently repaired. The wooden gate is new, and closed. He grabs Vix, and they teleport over (I will amp this adventure up heavily. It’s meant to be early in an adventuring career, but I’m doing it now.)  Here it is The walls are steep and the gate closed, but there is no one defending the walls. Any character who is a thief or mystic can climb the walls with a successful ability check. Levitate and fly spells can get a character safely to the top of the walls. Once one character is atop the walls, it's easy for him or her to climb down and open the gate or to lower a rope for the others to climb. |
Alzar and Vix fly over in her Chariot.
He checks out the walls up close. The walls are 30' tall and quite thick; their foundations ap*pear to be much older than the centuries-old upper regions, which indicates that this site was probably a walled fort in the distant past. The walls appear to have been repaired recently; fresh-cut stones have been placed in some areas, and toppled courses have been rebuilt. wooden ladders and stone staircases inside the walls provide access from the courtyard up to the gate. The ladders are all new; the staircases have recently been repaired. The gate is new as well, and immune to Knock, and the walls here to Passwall and such as well. Maybe they have the Bastion spell on them too? The courtyard is down and they head over. The area between the outer wall and the tower itself is cob*blestoned courtyard open to the sky. The courtyard looks clean and well-maintained-the stones are all in place, and a few early flowers bloom along the tower's base. Directly ahead is the tower itself. It looks to be about four or five stories high with a flat roof. You can see one large doorway, as well as several windows in the upper stories. On your left is a pile of rocks left by a small landslide. Behind the tower, the mountainside rises as sheer cliff hundreds of feet high. As they enter above the courtyard, out from the hillside pore more than 100 Dire Bats! Alzar casts Time Stop. He casts Wail of the Banshee, Death Spell, and finishes with Protection from Normal Weapons. He kills the dire bats with spells and axe, and then casts Cure Light Wounds a few times on Vix. They arrive at the donjon. The only doorway you can find into the donjon is blocked by a single door. The wood in this sturdy door looks new, but the strips of discolored bronze that band it looks centuries old; the bronze hinges also look ancient but newly-greased. As Alzar looks at the door it snaps and it’s a killer mimic Battle 6 vs 3 Alzar takes 31. They smash and hit for 44. 4 vs 1 Alzar takes 22. They slay it, and Alzar Cures and they head in |
The ground floor of the building is a couple of feet higher than the courtyard presumably so that water will not seep in. It looks like this was Alzar and Vix fly over in her Chariot.
He checks out the walls up close. The walls are 30' tall and quite thick; their foundations ap*pear to be much older than the centuries-old upper regions, which indicates that this site was probably a walled fort in the distant past. The walls appear to have been repaired recently; fresh-cut stones have been placed in some areas, and toppled courses have been rebuilt. wooden ladders and stone staircases inside the walls provide access from the courtyard up to the gate. The ladders are all new; the staircases have recently been repaired. The gate is new as well, and immune to Knock, and the walls here to Passwall and such as well. Maybe they have the Bastion spell on them too? The courtyard is down and they head over. The area between the outer wall and the tower itself is cob*blestoned courtyard open to the sky. The courtyard looks clean and well-maintained-the stones are all in place, and a few early flowers bloom along the tower's base. Directly ahead is the tower itself. It looks to be about four or five stories high with a flat roof. You can see one large doorway, as well as several windows in the upper stories. On your left is a pile of rocks left by a small landslide. Behind the tower, the mountainside rises as sheer cliff hundreds of feet high. As they enter above the courtyard, out from the hillside pore more than 100 Dire Bats! Alzar casts Time Stop. He casts Wail of the Banshee, Death Spell, and finishes with Protection from Normal Weapons. He kills the dire bats with spells and axe, and then casts Cure Light Wounds a few times on Vix. They arrive at the donjon. The only doorway you can find into the donjon is blocked by a single door. The wood in this sturdy door looks new, but the strips of discolored bronze that band it looks centuries old; the bronze hinges also look ancient but newly-greased. As Alzar looks at the door it snaps and it’s a killer mimic Battle 6 vs 3 Alzar takes 31. They smash and hit for 44. 4 vs 1 Alzar takes 22. They slay it, and Alzar Cures and they head ins once a common area used to stable animals or shelter refugees in times of trouble. Today, the stone floor of the donjon is covered with dirt and wooden wreckage fills the room. There are no windows, leaving the room dark except for what light comes in through the now-opened door. You can dimly see a door in the back of the room and an enclosed stone staircase along the right wall winding its way up to the next level. Alzar feels something….necrotic here… |
The room's desolate appearance clearly does not mean it is unoccupied! 50 Lightning Zombies sleep here on piles of makeshift bedding among the wooden wreckage. As Alzar stops and tells Vix about their presence, they erupt and attack!
These are apparently very fast zombies. They will always win initiative. (random.org) Alzar casts Protection from Undead on himself after taking damage. Alzar casts Pro on Vix after she takes damage. They autokill the zombies, and: Alzar – 52/93 Vix – 88/155 He casts more curative magic There are marks that say they serve Lord Kazakk tattooed on them. They find a ground level storeroom. This dusty chamber is full of strongboxes and wooden chests. They see no doors other than the one entered. the chests and boxes contain only rotted clothing. They head to the staircase up The donjon 's staircases are built against the curved walls of the donjon. Each is enclosed, with stone walls on either side and a roof. At the top of each staircase is a landing and a closed door; characters must open the door to enter the next level. The letters on the map indicate where each or the five stair*cases begins and ends. Staircase a-b goes from the 1st floor (ground level) to the 2nd floor; b-c goes from the 2nd floor to the 3rd, and so forth. Staircase e-f leads from the 5th floor to a trapdoor in the roof.. Alzar summons Aid in the form of Air and Earth and Greater of each The single room that makes up this floor looks like it might once have been used as an audience chamber for the lord of the Keep. The frayed tatters of once-glorious tapestries still hang from the walls, and a ruined heap of carved ebony, ivo*ry, and gold leaf at the far end of the room is all that remains of an old baronial throne. A large fireplace near the stairs has obviously not been used in centuries; it is choked with cin*ders, ash, birds' nests, and other rubbish. Elsewhere in the room, ruined desks, benches, spinning wheels, and other furniture lie strewn about. There is no sign of any movement. Alzar looks for tracks, they can see from the trail through the dust that the Lightning Zombies do not use this room much except to get to the stairs to the next level. Un*fortunately, this means they have not rooted out or killed the strange creatures which infest the level, the Ploppeds (pro*nounced PLOP-eds). Ploppeds are big, hairy black spiders with too many legs. They are territorial but not particularly aggressive, which means they will not attack if Alzar and company merely pass through to the next level. Alzar sees them up above, and identifies them. He casts orders the Elementals in and they slay the spiders (need magic to hit). There is nothing of value here. They head up. |
Unlike the two levels below, this floor of the donjon is di*vided in a T-shaped corridor and six small rooms, three on each side of the hallway.
This level of the tower was once the residential hall. It is di*vided into several bed-chambers for groups of men-at-arms. As Alzar enters the first room, This room looks as if it might once have been a bed*chamber. The bed itself has collapsed into a heap of broken wood and bedding; a broken table and smashed chest also litter the place. An armoire, or wardrobe, still stands intact in one corner. Alzar feels more undead in the room, and he moves behind the elementals. He opens the door with telekinesis. As he does, out comes an odd looking energy vampire, and vampires burst out of the other rooms too! 1 vs 3 Hold Undead is cast. Two are frozen. Vix misses. Elementals kill another. The rest attack! They slay an elemental, and wound another, and move around the flank to base Alzar’s group. 9 left 5 vs 4 Alzar kills a vampire next to him in melee and Vix another. Elementals smash a third dead, the others kill an Elemental and one claws Alzar twice for 15, and he fails one of the energy drain saves and loses 2 levels. 6 left 6 vs 2 Alzar takes 22 and fails another save. They still haven’t hit Vix yet. Alzar and Vix kill more vampires, and they win inti next round and finish them. Alzar casts restoration to restore his lost 4 ,levels. |
In the back bedchamber, they find a secret door. Alzar disarms FIVE traps on the door and then picks the lock and they crack it open.
The wall at the end of this corridor looks exactly the same as the other outer walls in this fortress: dressed stones fitted closely together, with two brass sconces to hold torches. The footsteps in the dust lead directly up to the wall and then stop. The secret door is actually a heavy wood-and-metal door with a thinner stone facing mounted on the outside; it is triggered by pulling on both torch-sconces at the same time. If the characters think to look, they will notice that this door, like so much else in the fortress, has recently been rebuilt. This is an exit to a secret cave complex behind the Keep They head back up to level 4 and will come down here after finishing the tower. Level 4 - This area looks like an antechamber. There is no furniture whatsoever, and the door beyond has not been repaired; it lies in splinters on the floor. Beyond the antechamber is a large chamber look as if it might have once been the master bedchamber. The room is filled by the remains of two large four-poster beds, several armoires, rugs, and tapestries. Two windows look out over the courtyard, with a large fire*place between them. Over the mantlepiece are the remains of a weapons rack, a jumble of rusted and broken weapons still dangling from it. Characters who do a thorough search of this chamber will find several things of interest here: A small, secret drawer in one of the wrecked armoires (stand*ard Find Secret Doors roll to find) hides a mouldy leather pouch containing 100 gold pieces, three gems (garnets) worth 100 gp each, and a finely-wrought ring. The ring has a crystal stone carved with a mountain-goat in a rampant heraldic pose; on the inner surface is carved the motto ''A Corran! '' Alzar grabs it for Jeddarin. In the rubbish on the mantlepiece is a dagger on which there is not one trace of rust. It is a dagger + 2 with no extraordinary abilities. Alzar secures it for the lord as well. There is a blank space on one of the walls. From the darkness of the surrounding wall, it looks as if a circular picture or some similar object once hung here and has been recently pried away. No trace of the missing object can be found in the chamber. On either side of the fireplace in the old master bedroom are windows large enough for a thin human (or any halfling or elf) to enter. The remains of shutters still hang from hinges, and iron bars are still firm in the stones of the wall; it takes a normal Open Doors roll to pull enough bars free to allow someone to pass through the window. Evidently, these two windows were to be used for sniping down on any enemies who might have reached the courtyard. |
They head up to the final level
This large chamber was clearly the donjon's kitchen and main food storage area. It is currently littered with the re*mains of hardwood kitchen tables, rusted knives and other implements, and large bins which once held many types of food. There are not one but two large fireplaces here, at ei*ther end of the room; both look equally disused. The ceiling here is made of heavy wooden planks; holes in it have allowed birds to enter and nest here; several squawk in annoyance at you as you enter. There are some nests and such here, and among them are 150 Stirges! Alzar moves behind the Elementals and they kill about 9 before they fly away. Nothing of note is here. They head back down to the cave entrance The chamber behind the secret door leads to a small natu*ral cave in the mountain's side. The cave is dark, but full of sooty air that smells as though torches burned here until mere moments ago. Alzar’s light is proved by Continually Lit lantern. Alzar detects a trap. At the tunnel out of this cave are wooden stairs leading down into the next chamber. The stairs are of recent construction, like much of the woodwork elsewhere in the Keep and environs. The next-to-the-bottom stair is a pressure-plate; when any weight of more than 1,000 en (100 lbs) is placed upon it, the trap will be set off. Naturally, the denizens here know the trap is here and will not set it off however disorganized their retreat. When the trap is triggered, the bolt holding the top of the stairs to the stone gives way but the hinge holding the bottom of the stairs to the stone doesn't. Characters standing on the stair*well will fall into a water-filled pit unless they can make a Saving Throw vs. Death Ray to leap clear. Then a bronze grate slides across the top of the pit, sealing characters within. The really nasty thing about the trap is that since the grate is just under water level, anyone trapped in the pit will drown un*less the grate can be removed, and quickly. Alzar spends a few minutes disarming the trap. |
Behind the stairs is a large crypt.
The floor of this large, dark chamber is covered by water several inches deep. The entire right wall is made up of burial vaults stacked one atop another all the way up to the 12' ceil*ing. The vaults are made of crumbling brick and mortar; most are open and clearly have never been used. Four stone sarcophagi lie along the wall before the vaults, their lids all in place. Near the far end of the chamber, on the left, are what look like the jumbled remains of rotting wooden coffins. Wooden stairs rise up toward exits in the left and back walls of the cave. Dim light can be seen trickling in from the open*ing on the left. Alzar investigates the room. The floor of this chamber is about six inches deep in water; characters walking through it will make splashing noises as they go. Characters investigating the vaults will find that only one of them shows signs of ever having been used, arid it is now empty. Not enough remains of the coffins to tell if they were occupied or not, but they are all empty now. As for the sarcophagi, all are empty except one. The exception is the only one with a name*plate carved ( crudely carved to read "Barron Aleyxandre Corraigne, In Vayne He Died"); inside is an empty wooden coffin. Alzar and his team head to the door on the left. As he does, he heads a voice from inside that chamber will call out, "Who's there? Is some*body out there?" The voice is high-pitched, perhaps that of a young woman or a child. Alzar arrives at a library with a young child here  This room must once have been some sort of hall of re*cords. Several feet higher ( and therefore drier) than the crypt outside, it has shelves cut into the stone of the walls. Each shelf holds the remains of baskets, each basket containing tatters of parchments. A new desk has been built for this chamber, and behind it, reading by candle-light, is a boy. He looks to be about nine years old, and, like all the other denizens encountered in the Keep, his skin is grey and his clothes in tatters. But unlike them, he seems inquisitive and friendly. As the first character enters, he looks up and says: "Hello. I'm Crackle. You must be the ones everyone's been so worried about." Crackle is a lightning zombie that is talking. |
Crackle has been learning about Keep Corran.
Around the year 821 AC, Baron Alexander Corran brought his wife Lillian, their son Edgar, and a dozen guards and servants to this bleak area of the mountains to establish his new dominion. All he had to do was wipe out the most dangerous monsters in the area and his baronial status would be confirmed; his family would send more guards and settlers. Unfortunately, he failed completely. Local monsters proved more familiar with the terrain and slowly wore down his fight*ers. Lillian Corran was carried off by some evil thing from the north; the records suggest that it might have been a vampire. One-by-one the guards were killed in minor skirmishes, until finally there were not enough left to protect the Keep from a final full-scale onslaught. The remaining guards, the servants, and young Edgar all died before Baron Corran was able to repel the attackers, receiving a mortal wound in the process. The sole surviving guard buried the bodies here in the Keep's crypt be*fore leaving to return to the safer lands to the south. Crackle doesn't know where the zombies came from. The body in the sarcophagus also emerged. It was much stronger than the rest of them, and for some reason when it commanded the others they found the zombies felt compelled to obey. They all chose names; the leader called himself Kazakk and gave himself the title Lord to indicate that he ruled over them. Under his orders, the Lightning Zombies have been rebuilding the Keep to be their permanent home. Crackle thinks that maybe the talking shield had something to do with the Lightning Zombies. "The Talking Shield?" Yes, in one of the rooms of the donjon they found a mirror*like round shield. Lord Kazakk had them carry it to his treasury. Sometimes a face appears in the mirror and tries to talk to them, but Lord Kazakk refuses to speak with it or let anyone else do so, either. Crackle has noticed that the shield glows just like the Lightning Zombies; sometimes its energy spreads out through the whole Keep area. The last chamber of this cave system, beyond the chamber with the pool, has a chest filled with money. Baron Corran's journal says that Corran Keep was built on the ruins of an older fort, the home of some famous dragon-killer. Crackle was the one who discovered the journal entry that said the old treasure was sunk at the bottom of the pool. Lord Kazakk had his Lightning Zombies retrieve it and store it in the Treasury chamber, and now won't let anyone else see it. Crackle is miffed at this, because if it hadn't been for him no one would have even known about the treasure. Crackle doesn't like Lord Kazakk. He wants to leave, but Kazakk won't let him. Crackle would like the player characters to destroy or drive away Kazakk and perhaps help Crackle get back to civilization, where he can "grow up." Crackle obviously doesn't understand that he's undead, but since he's not evil it's up to the PCs to decide whether or not to help him. Alzar will take Crackle to Evenarrow after this is concluded, and help him overcome his “condition”. Crackle: NA 1; AC 9; HD 1; #AT 1 fist or special; Dmg ld2 or special; MV 90' (30'); Save Fl; ML 4; TT Nil; Int 13; AL N; SA lightning touch: ld3 electrical jolt each round after victim grabbed (Open Doors roll with + 2 bonus to break grip); XPV 13. |
They head to the crypt and the other exit:
Another set of stairs, with water dripping down them, leads up into this chamber. Water welling up from cracks deep in the earth makes a freshwater pool here. Someone once encircled the pool with a stone wall, turning it into a natural cistern, but the base of the wall collapsed long ago and water now trickles out freely. When an Elemental starts to climb the stairs up to the pool chamber, about 25 surviving Lightning Zombies-minus Crackle and Lord Kazakk - bar their way at the top of the stairs. A speaker for the Lightning Zombies addresses the PCs; as she does, a harsh voice from much further back in that room con*stantly amends and corrects what she is saying: Speaker: "Mortals, we order you ... " Voice In Back: "Mortal fools!" Speaker: "Mortal fools, we order you to depart this place.This is the keep of Lord Kazakk ... " Voice: "The great, glorious, and indestructible Lord Ka*zakk!" Speaker (pauses and sighs before continuing): "This is the keep of the great, glorious, and indestructible Lord Kazakk, slayer of men, ruler of continents ... " Voice: “Don’t overdo it” Speaker: " ... who requires that you drop all your weapons and money before us, turn and flee, and either leap from the mountainside or run screaming to the lands of men." Voice: "That is correct. Well done.” That is odd. These lightning zombies are showing a level of intelligence that the others didn’t. Clearly these, zombies have no choice; they must obey the orders of Lord Kazakk. Alzar offers to negotiate, Lord Kazakk will shout his conversation from an unseen point at the rear of the chamber (from the stairs up to the treasury, that is) but will not come closer. He'll give ground on his negotiations far enough to allow the PCs to leave the Keep with all their equipment and possessions intact, but he will not let the PCs enter the treasury. If they want to do that, they'll have to do so by force. If the PCs ascend the steps, the remaining Lightning Zombies (aside from Crackle and Lord Ka*zakk) will have to attack. Alzar steps back like he is going to leave, and he orders his elementals to remove themselves from the stairs. The Lord shouts, “Quite right” to hm. Alzar reaches out. Can he control these zombies instead of kill them? No, there is some interference, not from a source he can understand. Normally, he could wrest control away from a master, or at least turn. But not today. Instead, he walks back to the crypt entrance, and then to the entrance. He casts Shadow Walk and walked to the area behind the lighting zombies, where Lord Kazakk is by himself and comes out of shadow. Alzar casts Time Stop from his stored spell after taking 13 damage from Kazakk. He can’t tell what sort of undead Kazakk is. So he is playing as hard as he can, leads with Laudryn’s Cleaving, Greater Malison and finally Disintegrate. The Malison gives a much worse set of save throws. Kazakk makes the save. Alzar – 80/93 A few zombies arrive. Alzar ignores them and takes 22. He axes Kazakk twice for 47. Alzar – 58/93 Alzar takes more damage from another zombie that arrived, and took 23. He hits again three times for 66. Alzar – 35/93 Kazakk flees. Alzar takes 10. He uses his Boots to jump in front of Kazakk and slash and kills him. The other lightning zombies stop attacking. They drop their weapons and pull off Alzar. They thank him for killed Kazakk. |
This room of the treasury cave has been arranged as a bedchamber. In it are a new, sturdy wooden bed draped with animal skins, a new wooden chest, a new wooden chest of drawers, and a framed picture set atop a new wooden table.
Bed and Animal Skins The bed is of good, heavy construction; evidently one of the Lightning Zombies retained some carpentry skills. It is worth perhaps 1000 gold pieces if the PCs care to carry it on their backs all the way to civilization. Wooden Chest This box contains 5000 pieces of silver-ancient coins bearing unreadable symbols on one side and a sphinx on the other. If they take the time to look for a collector of rarities, they discover that these coins seem to belong to the long-lost and nearly forgotten Nithian culture and are actually worth ten times their face value (i.e., 500 gp not 50 gp ). Chest of Drawers Inside the drawers are the remains of fine clothing, once care*fully and lovingly folded for storage but now faded and brittle. Atop the chest is a mirror-frame made of two vertical wooden bars. The mirror itself is a silvery disk 2' in diameter; it can easily be lifted out of its makeshift frame. Curiously enough, on the back of the mirror are straps that allow the thing to be used as a shield! As Alzar knows from Crackle that there is someone inside the shield, he speaks to it. The spirit inside the shield will come to the surface and answer; see "The Mirror-Shield of Rheddrian" below. The same will occur if the PCs start to leave the chamber without taking it along. Framed Picture The picture is an oil painting of a dark-haired, noble young man, a fair-haired, delicate-looking young woman, and a dark-haired male child. His expression is gallant and his skin is not gray. He wears�� a velvet doublet of a style which was popular two centuries ago. The woman is very beautiful, with long blonde hair and green eyes, but she has a slightly melancholy expression. She looks more like a debutante than a pioneer and wears an ele*gant green gown of the same period. The boy looks exactly like Crackle, with dark hair and eyes; his expression is an idealized adult look of determination. He wears an outfit identical in style and color to the one the man wears. A brass plaque affixed to the frame of the picture identifies this trio as Baron Alexander Corran, Baroness Lillian Corran, and young Edgar Corran. Alzar will book copy 220 books from the library here. Alzar will Raise Dead Crackle and some others here. He takes nothing but the Mirror Shield from the Keep and will lit the new inhabitants in. The characters have now accomplished their mission; they've gotten rid of the significant dangers of Corran Keep. Oh, yes, there are still some sprackles around, and some ploppeds to help make the PCs' lives interesting for as long as they remain in the vicinity of Corran Keep, but Jeddarin Conan's men-at-arms should be able to cope with these minor nuisances. |
Up to this point, the adventure will appear to have been fairly straightforward. However, the characters' liberation of the Mirror-Shield of Rheddrian will complicate matters, eventually having an enormous impact on the fate of the world.
When the being in the mirror decides to address the PCs, the following will happen: the mirror-like surface will become cloudy and cease to reflect whatever is before it. Then, the face of a man-black-haired, with a short beard and mustache, intelligent eyes, creases of worry in the brow, and light green skin*will ''swim'' to the surface. The mirrorlike sheen of the disk's surface will return and the background of the mirror will reflect whatever is before the mirror, but the face will remain. It speaks: “Greetings. Please don't be startled; I won't hurt you. In fact, I need your help ... help to get free of this prison. My name is Rheddrian ... and unless I am freed, I fear that this world of yours may be destroyed.” After an introductory statement like that, Alzar and Vix will doubt*less want to ask this fellow a few questions. Here are the questions they are most likely to ask, with his answers What are you? Rheddrian will attempts to explain the events described earlier. Long ago, he says, he traveled on a great ship that sailed be*tween the worlds. Something happened to the magics that kept the ship aloft, and it fell from the skies onto this world. The ship's magics would not work properly here, so they were strand*ed. The ship's captain had to put down a mutiny of those who wanted to use their powers to enslave the planet's pink-skinned primitives. . After sending out a message for help, the captain put all the remaining crew to sleep so they would not grow old while await*ing rescue. Only one at a time would stay awake to keep watch over the others and to protect the ship from intruders, aided by mechanical men. These armored knights were golem-like crea*tures who would obey the orders of the crewmember on watch help defend the ship, and make what repairs they could. They agreed that each crewmember would stand a watch of two years before waking his or her replacement. Rheddrian slept for what he assumes where many years, only to awaken to treachery. Most of his fellow crewmembers had van*ished, while the rest had been murdered by the man on watch; Rheddrian himself survived because of a spell of protection that the murderer didn't know about. The traitor had sold his serv*ices as an alien wizard to one of the groups of pink-skins, people from a place they called Blackmoor. He had let these men plun*der the ship, not understanding that this would remove the pro*tective wards that prevented the ship from exploding. Rheddrian managed to regain control of the metal men and used them to defeat the traitor and drive away the thieves, but he was unable to stop the explosion. He doesn't know what hap*pened after that, but assumes that the explosion destroyed the ship. He knows he slept a long, long time after the explosion, and finally woke up to find himself here in Lord Kazakk's treasury. Kazakk would never talk to him and ignored everything he said. He learned the language by talking to the small crea*ture called Crackle-he adds that it was easier to learn than he would have expected. Crackle described the object Rheddrian is trapped in, and Rheddrian says it seems to be a larger version of the object he once used to communicate with his ship (if the player characters ask, he will explain that the ship had many areas that thought and spoke on their own). He does not know how he came to be trapped within it, but assumes this must have been a fortuitous side effect of the explosion. If the player characters ask, Rheddrian will known nothing about the nations of the modern world (they didn't even exist when he and his crew landed!). Nor will he recognize the local landscape if they describe or show it to him; it's simply changed too much in the intervening millennia. Alzar tells him he was on the Beagle (City of the Gods) after he used a Temporal Transport Cube from a crashed spaceship to go there and fix some things. He also helped to take out the Temple of the Frog as well. Hearing of Alzar’s knowledge of his technology and area strikes Rheddrian heavily. What's This About the World Being Destroyed? Rheddrian says that the mirror-shield, the device which holds him, is leaking dangerous energy. He believes that it was this excess energy which created the Lightning Zombies; if the PCs tell him about the other strange creatures of Corran Keep (the plopped and the energy vampires), he will theorize that the shield is responsible for them as well. He thinks this energy could be quite dangerous to the health of living people exposed to it, and wants out so he can cast the proper spells to stop the energy from escaping. More importantly, Rheddrian says that he can still distantly sense that some of the devices from his ship are still in operation; he can feel them radiating energy. Somehow this energy has been altered in ways he does not yet understand-perhaps combined with other forces native to this world. He strongly suspects that the missing devices will have effects on their surrounds similar to those of the mirror-shield, but far more deadly. It's al*most, he says, as if they' re draining the life-force out of this world ... and the process is accelerating. But he has no idea where the devices are, can't feel a direction ... and he can't even begin to look for them while he's trapped in this thing. How can we free you? That's the tricky thing. He has an incomplete but intuitive understanding of the way this device works (he's had a very long time to think on it, after all). He thinks he can only be freed if one of the characters will willingly trade places with him. It's only for a short time, he assures them; if he cannot find someone to take the PC's place inside the shield within three days of their reaching civilization, he will trade places back with the PC and resume his imprisonment here. The PC has nothing to lose, he says. Why should we help you? Rheddrian has no gold or treasure to offer them; he says that he only had his jumpsuit and personal possessions with him when the energy blast trapped him in this device. He says he has a space chromometer. He also has some coins of his people; he has no idea what they would be worth here (nothing, except for curiosity value). But, he says, they will earn his friendship, and he will owe each of them a favor, especially the PC who temporarily takes his place. If he ever achieves power or fortune, he will not forget the people to whom he owes his freedom. He says he is a man of his word, and that he wants only to eliminate the danger of his ship's devices and then return to the existence of a normal man. Alzar agrees to help after conforming the man’s claim with Detect Lie. He is not lying. Alzar volunteers |
He must hold the shield facing him or her, speak Rheddrian's name, and concentrate on drawing him from the shield. There will be a crackle of energy and bright light from the shield. When it clears, the PC has vanished and Rheddrian stands in his or her place; the PC's face is now reflected in the mirror
Rheddrian in the flesh is a man of average height who looks just as he did in the mirror. He wears a smudged and oil-encrusted garment that, to the PCs, looks like a one-piece combination of trousers and long-sleeved shirt. He also wears black boots and a black belt. His skin is a light, pleasant green in color. He sways a little on his feet, then smiles, checks to see if he's real, and turns to you. "Thank you, friends," he begins. "You will see that I am true to my word ... " Then he looks startled and folds over, collapsing as if someone just hit him in the stomach. He's suddenly surrounded by a bright, radiant golden light. The strange aura is so glorious that it affects the PCs' minds. All PCs within 60' must make Saving Throws vs. Spells (with no bonuses from Wisdom scores, spells, or magical equipment). Those who fail are paralyzed with awe for a total of three full turns; those who make their rolls are unaffected. It's important for the DM to note that Rheddrian has no idea what's happen*ing to him; he'll say so if asked. Finally, after two combat rounds, the fit seems to pass. This is a glory Alzar and Vix have seen once, and it is unique (It happened to Vix recently when she finished her immortality quest) Alzar calls out to Rheddrian, “have you become an immortal?” “I don’t know what that means yet. Let me come back in a day as promised.” Something's happening," he says dully, and vanishes*taking the Mirror-Shield with Alzar. He'll be gone for several hours; once the other people have recov*ered from their paralysis, let them do as they wish during this time. No amount of shouting or spell-casting will let them fig*ure out what has happened to Rheddrian and their comrade. Vix is returning to Evenarrow actually, on her Chariot, with Crackle on the chariot. What Happened to Their Friend Take the player of the trapped character aside and explain to him or her what the character sees. A moment after Rheddrian's disappearance, Alzar finds himself or herself looking down on the mountains from an altitude of what seems like miles. Rhed*drian then clutches the shield to his chest with the mirror-face against his skin, so Alzar can't see anything except Rheddrian's dirty garment. Rheddrian won't answer his or her attempts to communicate. Alzar sees several changes of light-intensity, as though Rheddrian were moving from lighted rooms to darkened ones. Then, after several minutes, the mirror is pulled away from Rheddrian's chest and wrapped in a blanket. After that, nothing happens for many hours. Finally, the blanket is unwrapped. Rheddrian, looking hag*gard and still a little confounded, has the Shield; he is in a rat*infested jail cell, and standing beside him is a weak, stooped old man. The cell is illuminated by the light that continues to pour off Rheddrian. Rheddrian addresses Alzar, saying that he isn't exactly sure what's happened, but can't talk about it now. He says, "It's time to free you, as I promised. I'm sorry for the delay; it took me a while to learn how. This poor wretch has agreed to take your place for the time being, for it will earn him his freedom and prolong his life.'' Rheddrian will hold the shield before the old man and speak his own name, and a moment later Alzar finds himself or her*self standing in this stinking cell with Rheddrian. Back With the Other PCs Seconds after freeing Alzar from the mirror, Rheddrian will teleport the two of them to the flying chariot. They land to talk. Rheddrian is a being of few words right now. He shoulders his shield and says: "I apologize for what has just happened. Some day, perhaps, when I understand it all better myself, I can tell you what it meant. For now, accept this as partial thanks ... and know that I do remember the favors I owe you." He gestures; a medium-sized wooden chest appears at his feet; and then he attempts to dis*appear again. Alzar grabs his arm, and tell him simply, “I already know you are an immortal and where you are from. Vix has already completed her path for immortality and I am deep into mine. Why not tell me everything right now? Who else can you trust?” Rheddrain hesitates, and then agrees When Rheddrian was freed by the PCs and emerged from the Mirror, his Immortality immediately caught up with him. His mortal body was replaced by a similar Manifestation Form. Awash with energy and with vast knowledge of magic spells crawling through his head, he was confused. Instinctively, he fled through use of his spells ... which is good, because just before he teleported away, the Immortal monitors of the city of Pandius noticed him and sent a pursuit party to find him and bring him in. They appeared far over Alzar and Vix’s realm seconds after Rheddrian left and began a systematic search for him. Rheddrian could feel something there. It wasn't too long before Rheddrian discovered that someone was chasing him, someone with powers similar to his. Managing to throw off his pursuers, he used his magic to analyze the Mirror-Shield and determine that the method he used to escape the device would work for others. He teleported from city to city until he found a prisoner dying of old age and abuse. He appeared and offered the prisoner a way of escape if he would agree to be bound in the device; the old man readily agreed. With his new-found Immortal powers, Rheddrian created a considerable quantity of gold from thin air, and started paying off people. He kept the other half, under the impression that it would be useful to him; he still did not know his true abilities as an Immortal. Now, knowing that the pursuing Immortal might catch up to him at any time, Rheddrian is about to flee ... heading out into space in the hope that it will throw off his pursuer and give him time to learn what has happened to him. He heads out. |
They return to Evenarrow and speak with Jeddarin Corran. Alzar instills him as Baron Corran, of Keep Corran, and gives him a few nearby hexes. This is his first domain. He gives him the Ring and the magical weapon as well as leaving the valuable items for him, and he’ll be given 150000 gp to start cleaning out and preparing things.
He has a family already, Crackle and Captured Zombies The fates of Crackle and any captured Lightning Zombies are up to the PCs. Naturally, it is a bad thing to kill someone who has surrendered, but PCs may feel justified in doing so because the Lightning Zombies are undead. If the PCs do not kill all the Lightning Zombies, the surviving Lightning Zombies will agree to leave the Keep and seek their fates elsewhere. In all probability, they will travel north through the mountains and reach Glantri, where they may end up in the guard of some eccentric wizard-prince. Should the Immortal Nyx, patron of the undead, learn of their existence she will be very interested and will look out for their welfare thereafter. Nyx is happy to see a new form of undead discovered, and protects them and sends them to the Ljallenvals to live. They have kept their intelligence. It seems like they were smarter and kept more intelligence the physically closer they were to the Mirror Shield. The further old ones were normal zombies with the same level of zombie intelligence, just energetic and fast. The ones closer to the Mirror Shield kept their full intelligence and personality. Crackle will join Alzar’s court as noble sire that is sent to learn things and increase ties with their courts. He will likely turn to the clergy or wizardry if he takes up adventuring. End of the Keep Corran intro mission |
Year 12, Month 10
Alzar manages to find a few more books here and there, but not too many. He’ll continue to use wish magic to accelerate his literacy. Each month it rises by 1% due to magic, as well as the various programs attached. Control Weather will keep the folks here working, and Alzar doubles the workers salary for the next few months to keep them motivated on the Evenarrow construction projects. Year 12, Month 11 It’s about halfway towards the end of the month when Alzar and Vix’s adventure end, and Evenarrow won’t return until the final week of the month. Most of this month is spent fixing things after Evenarrow as gone and the leaders as well, for extended periods of time. Examples include fixing storm-broken items or hearing trials and cases that were on hold. This month: Alphatian clerics have been found fomenting for war against Glantri. In Aefheim, elves are girding for war just in case, in Thyatis, Vanya has taken physical form, not liking the direction that peace is going, and influencing the Emperor into a more warlike stance, and a great immortal lover is seducing away key soldiers from the Thyatian military and undermining their effectiveness. Thyatis vessels raided two Norwold ships. (I’ll show you the behind the scenes stuff:) Rad, in his Mortal Identity of Etienne d' Ambreville, con*tinues to study the dangerous artifact known as the Nucleus of the Spheres and the strange energy it emits, the Radiance. It's obvious to him that his enemies in the Ring of Fire plan to use the vast magical might of the Empire of Alphatia against him. The Nucleus of the Spheres is currently buried deep beneath Glantri City, the capital of the Principalities of Glantri, a nation that has more magic-users for its size than any other in the Known World-except Alphatia. Rad anticipates an Alphatian assault on Glantri to decimate his mortal followers and seize possession of the artifact. His response is to intensify his study of the Radiance in hopes that he will learn enough to protect his followers and defeat his enemies when the time comes. Rad's most important ally in his efforts to buy time is Vanya, who is secretly setting up the Thyatian Empire, traditional ene*mies of Alphatia, to blunt Alphatia's anticipated assault against Glantri. Vanya is influencing the emperor of Thyatis to be more reactionary and less tolerant, so that the empire will denounce and oppose any action that Alphatia takes. Simultaneously, she is urging her devoted followers in the Heldann Freeholds to forge an alliance with Thyatis, so that Alphatia will have an unexpected enemy in the north if war should actually erupt. Vanya's actions are secret; currently, no one knows she is on Rad's side. Rafiel and Rathanos, Energy Immortals whose main interests lie in the acquisition of knowledge, are spending most of their time studying the Radiance with Rad. However, Rafiel is also the patron of the Shadow Elves; as such, he has been urging them that the time has come at last for them to seize power in the land of Alfheim. If his plan is successful, Glantri will gain an ally in the troubles ahead. Ka is not active at all on the Known World. He remains in the Immortal city of Pandius, where he and Korotiku argue on be*half of Rad's cause and make sure that Ixion does not gain any more support for his group. So far, popular opinion remains mixed, with most Immortals waiting to see how things·come out on Mystara before committing to either side. Finally, there are Asterius and Eiryndul, both of whom are having the time of their Immortal lives. Eiryndul, a renowned troublemaker, divides his time between Alfheim and Norwold, stirring up mischief in both to prevent their being used effec*tively against Glantri. Asterius, meanwhile, has returned to his mortal skills as a thief and acts as Rad's eyes and ears. He travels the Known World watching for signs of the interference from the Ring of Fire. So Rad now has many more allies having joined his cause, especially Vanya The Ring of Fire has only four members, but since three of them are Hierarchs, it is still a potent group. Ixion, the ringleader, spends most of his time in Pandius, pressing for formal action to be taken against Rad and trying to gain more members for his clique. Without Ixion's continual presence, Ka and Korotiku between them might gain yet more allies for the rebellion, delaying what Ixion sees as certain victory. Rad is greatly relieved to thus hold the enemy "king " in check. However, the truth is that Ixion's plans are more subtle than Rad guesses. Ixion may be "in check," but what Ixion knows and Rad does not is that Ixion is not the most dangerous member of the Ring of Fire. Rad assumes Valerias, Ixion's mate, is of little strategic use in any intrigue which does not involve passion and romance. He's wrong. For the last several years, Valerias has been setting up Mortal Identities in all the important nations of the Known World and Hollow World and gaining influence there. For instance, realizing that the Empire of Thyatis could be used as a shield between Alphatia and Glantri, Valerias has spent much of her attention in Thyatis City. In her Mortal Identity of Helen Ledamiades, she has become a ��popular figure in society, hosting wild parties and frequently actin as patron for the city's lavish gladiatorial games. She has sparked romances between the most capable of the Thyatian military officers and mortal women of her choice _ ( of*ten Alphatians)-romances which have led officers to defect foreign lands, to form strong bonds with Alphatian families, or to lose all interest in military matters. She has introduced new types of decadence and self-indulgence into the co1:1rs of Thyatis and allies such as Karameikos, and the habits _ she is introducing are becoming very popular. The worst of these is her populariza*tion of the use of zzonga-fruit, an Alphatian fruit which causes its users to become drowsy, unambitious, and eventually inept; she has particularly pressed it on the military officers am0ng her guens. In short, while Vanya influences the rulers of Thyatis to be*come more reactionary and aggressive, Valerias is deftly remov*ing the very backbone of Thyatis' military might and bureaucratic efficiency ... with neither aware of the other's activity. And this is only the most successful of the many plots Valerias has been conducting under the noses of the Fellowship of the Star. Ilsundal, patron of the elves of Alfheim, is regretfully influencing his followers to gird themselves for war. The immediate pretext is increased activity among the humanoids of the Broken Lands but once Alfheim is ready for conflict he plans to sabotage their alliance with Glantri and ally them with Alphatia. . He's not aware that Rafiel is doing something similar with the Shadow Elves, far below, nor is Rafiel aware of his activities. Ironically, Ixion's least powerful ally is also the most impor*tant for his success. Alphatia, a patron of the Alphatians, has been working directly to bring the Alphatians to bear on the Glantrians. Normally a gentle Immortal, she realizes that Alphatia cannot survive without its magic, magic which Rad's studies are leeching away. The desperation which this realization causes her has made her the most vehement of Rad's opponents. Using a variety of Mortal Identities, she has been spreading a lot of propaganda. In the wake of Alphatia's 2000th anniversary, she has been inspiring writers and poets to remember the origins of their people in their works. Since Glantri was founded by an*cestral enemies of the Alphatians, this helps stir up old hatreds that had long been nearly-forgotten. In addition to supposed past sins, there is plenty about modern-day Glantri to upset the Alphatians, and she takes pains to see they are reminded of them all. First, the Glantrians forbid clerics within their borders, which infuriates clerics every *where and gives her a pretext to have her own clerics speak out directly against them. Second, the Glantrians claim that their School of Magic is the premier source of magical wisdom in the world ... a claim which everyone in the nation of Alphatia be*lieves to be a dirty lie. Third, she circulates disturbing rumors that the Glantrians have discovered some sort of new magic which enables them to actually steal away the power of Alpha*tian wizards-a highly-disturbing thought for a nation which depends on its magic as much as does Alphatia. The clerics of Alphatia are surprised to hear such a litany of hatred and intolerance from their normally mild and temperate Immortal. A few refuse to spread the calumny, but most believe that she knows best. So, slowly, she poisons the minds of the nation of Alphatia-the nation with more magic-users than any other on (or in) the world-against Glantri. The thoughts she sets into motion will continue of their own accord ... and it will not be long before the average Alphatian spits at the mere men*tion of Glantri. |
Year 12, Month 12
Alzar finds a few more books, and this year, the literacy is now at 54%. Evenarrow construction is back on and resumes. It’s a pretty quiet year-end month. Very little going on, like everything is recovering after the madness of the last adventure. Alzar uses the month to put together some of the components for his Lantern. Darkfire Lantern of Undeath When lit, this lantern causes a darkness that only undead can see through. No infravisions or magical aid can see through the darkness, only undead can. Any undead fighting in the darkness cast by this torch get +2 to their attack, +2 to their damage, +2 to their AC, and any turning attempt against them won’t succeed without a saving throw vs spells. Normally, undead turning doesn’t have a save, you roll to see if it works and if so how many, with some auto turned and auto-destroyed at a high enough level of clerical power. It can burn, for an hour at a time by a special prepared Darkfire Lantern of Undeath oil that costs 2500 gp to make. This item will require the following: Alabaster carved by an ancient child, and honed by a venomous innocent. UnLiving Sand, created into glass by a fire giant’s forge. Alzar found a sand creature, killed it, and then animated the corpse, to create UnLiving Sand, and then got it forged by a fire giant locally into glass. Wick made from the wax of a dark forge around a hair from a Night Hag, willingly given. Alzar had the hair, but nothing else. The item blessed by a Crone of Chaos. Alzar is trying to find one here. Finger Bones from a level 36 magic-using lich. Collected. Silver cover over the glass, with space for the wick, rubbed by fur from a nightwing undead. Ongoing. The alabaster makes the main body, with bone used to attach things together, and then the glass made, with a wick and metal cover over it, and then blessed. To make the oil: Special spices, brewed for 10 days, over a special burner that must sit in a shrine of an immortal dedicated to undead (Nyx will do) Alzar animates two more Silver Golems, and gets +1 to his stats in the correct places where needed. End of the year! |
Year 13, Month 1
Alzar gets some more Bookfind books secured. Alzar finishes uncoding and preparing the captured spellbooks, but there was nothing in them of value. Next up in the queue are a number of meetings Alzar, the priests of Ssu-Ma, and Draconus the chief librarian have. They are beginning to meet and plan the details of the library. For example, some books are going to be in general circulation, and another set of books will be higher level stuff that will require certain credentials completed before accessing them. Who determines which books are in which section? That meeting is a part of this one. Additionally, various planning is required at a massive level. Alzar is creating the Teleport Boxes for the library. Another wish for literacy ALPHATIA GEARING UP The magic*users of Alphatia have lately been more pushy and arrogant than usual, Alphatian travelers to other nations are conducting more duels to demonstrate their magical superiority, especially against Glantrian spellcasters. These duels are some*times to the death. Alzar and Vix have noticed that there is a much more gung-ho, Alphatia-is-the-best attitude than ever before, and it seems to be empire-wide ... but there is no obvious origin for it. And Alphatia was never a nation that was known for being humble… |
Year 13, Month 2
There is a big push in the north from a pan-giant coalition led by Frost Giants, and Alzar heads out and ends it. More than 100 giants are dead. More Bookfind books. More work on items commences. Alzar has a particularly heavy case that is making the whole area take up and take notice. Either way, Alzar will annoy a big part of his people. He chooses the just path, and then loses 15 realm confidence. Vix is preparing for immortality. ALPHATIAN SPY MURDERED Decades ago, an Alphatian elf ·named Troiki*thus, loyal to Empress Eriadna, travelled to Glantri as her spy. Pretending to be an elf from the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, he ingratiated himself with the elven Clan of Ellerovyn and established his identity as an vigorous, intelligent student of magic. Recently, he uncovered evidence of a secret order of magicians studying a previously-unknown type of magic (the Radiance). He also heard rumors that there were followers of Entropy among the rulers of Glantri. He sent back a report to his Em*press describing what little he knew and promising to find out more. A week later, Troikithus's drowned body is found in a ca*nal of Glantri City. The princes of Glantri do some research into the background of the popular murdered elf and discover that he was an Alpha*tian with an assumed identity-in short, a spy. Alphatia re*sponds by denying that he was a spy, saying that he took the identity because of Glantri's long-standing disdain for Alpha*tians. Empress Eriadna protests his obvious murder, but with no evidence on either side neither Alphatia nor Glantri is willing to press the matter. |
Year 13, Month 3
More bookfinding and item making commences. Vix heads out to take out a few final quests to help ensure the expanded nation is stable and ready to go. All month long, Vix, non-stop, hits out almost 25 different dens, ruins, dungeons, and more. Construction resumes elsewhere in the Grand Duchy, and continues in Evenarrow. A forest fire begins in a local forest from a lightning strike from a storm. Alzar heads out and puts it out after a day of growing with magic like Control Weather. Very little is lost. They have a number of issues to the north, as ice was delayed in melting, and the trade slowed, Evenarrow’s trade revenue for a few months will drop by 15%. ALPHATIAN PROCLAMATION The Alphatian Council of Wizards issues a doc*ument written and countersigned by Empress Eriadna. In it, the Alphatian wizards accuse the Glantrian Great School of Magic of harboring followers of the Entropic Immortals and using forbidden, evil varieties of magic. An amused Prince Etienne d' Ambreville, speaking for the other Glantrian princes, replies that there are no followers of Entropic Immortals, or any Immortals, in Glantri, since the nation bans clerics of all philosophies. Also, d' Ambreville points out, Glantri does not forbid the study of any variety of magic; therefore there's no such thing in his country as "forbidden magic." Even if there was, what Glan*tri's wizards study is their own business; certainly the wizards of Alphatia have no right to dictate to them what they can and can't do. Lastly, the Glantrians say, will the Alphatians please explain what they're talking about? |
Year 13, Month 4
More Bookfind. More items. Next month, the Great Library will be physically complete. Some issues occur as some young central barbarians chafe at Alzar’s centralized rule, despite him assembling their sacred swords and bringing them together and finding the lost tribe. Alzar is informed by the local leaders, including Barkal the Red, and around 350 barbarians have split off. Alzar intercepts them, and then challenges their leader and kills him in solo combat, and then kills a few other key ringleaders in solo combat as well, and the sails are taken out of the barbarian exodus, and these return, and the major issues have left. Alzar has handled barbarian issues as a barbarian would, and they respect it. Vix again throws herself at blowing out everything she can. Alzar also heads out and clears out a giant cave and a den of nasty phase spiders that teleported in from other places. Alzar Shadow School of Mages now have brought in 5 apprentices and are fully underway. Anyone who enrolls gets some free shadow spells Alzar made (Alzar’s Eclipse, Alzar’s Shadowshift). The realm is pretty peaceful this month, only a handful of small weather related issues are dealt with. THYATIS REVOLTS!!! Things have been very busy in Thyatis lately. In recent months, the soldiers and sailors of the Thyatian army and navy, who are normally pushy and arrogant, have been outdoing themselves. On the Isle of Dawn, half of which is controlled by Thyatis and half by Alphatia in an uncomfortable state of near* peace, off-duty Thyatian soldiers have been more-than* commonly aggressive toward off-duty Alphatian soldiers. At the same time, Thyatian warships have been very confron*tational toward ships of non-allied nations and have been ac*cused of piracy against trade-ships from Norwold and other Alphatian territories. Meanwhile, in Thyatis City, the gladiatorial festivities are more lavish than ever, the parties and festivals are being thrown more often and with wilder abandon; all in all, it's a very entertaining place to be ... until one spring day when everything goes wrong. On that date, an enormous riot takes place in Thyatis City. The lower classes have for months seen a steady decline in the quality of the free bread passed out every morning in the city, bread which sustains the life of thousands of poorer Thyatians. While the size of a typical loaf of bread has shrunk in half, the loaves handed out have been only half-cooked and usually swimming with maggots. Finally the city's lower classes revolt', storming the Coliseum during one of the gladiatorial games. Significantly, the Thyatian legions inside the city are poorly *trained and badly-led; they are unable to put down the rebellion. Far too many legions from other Thyatian cities have to be brought in to quell the insurrection, but quell it they finally do. Over the next few weeks, the scandal continues to worsen as it is discovered that funds which were to be spent on the free bread were being diverted to fund several senators' nightly festivities, notoriously decadent affairs. Additionally, many Thyatian officers are charged with dereliction of duty or with incompetence, especially those who appear to be addicted to the dangerous zzonga fruit; they are executed. Many of those convicted for embezzlement, bribery, and corruption break out of jail and leave for foreign parts, often in the company of their paramours, women of foreign nationality. Subsequent investigations of the Thyatian prisons reveal that they are rife with corruption; dozens of jailers and military officers involved with the prison system are executed. |
Year 13, Month 5
More bookfinds. During one of Alzar’s open court’s, the final visitor is a merchant with a great hat, and finery is introduced. Alzar recognizes him as Rheddrian. He asks to meet in private to discus some trading opportunities with Darokin, and to speak with Alzar in private. He grabs Vix and they do  “My friends! It's good to see you again. Please, sit.” He’s become almost paranoid, and he casts a few detection spells and such before confirming that only Alzar and Vix are in the room with him and no one is spying. “There: that will assure us of a certain amount of privacy. Now, we can get to business. "First, a word or two of explanation. You will remember, from when last we met, that I was trapped within that re*markable mirror-like shield, and you were kind enough to free me from that prison-a good deed for which I am quite grateful. "My stay inside the shield changed me, as you know, and I emerged with all my abilities and mental faculties intact but I developed other abilities and became immortal. For example, I acquired other abilities as well-the ability to work magical spells, for example. "In the time since we last saw one another, I've been learning about this world of yours-Mystara, I think you call it. As you mentioned, you were on the Beagle millennia ago, this is the same as the one my ship crashed upon, lo these many centuries ago, but dozens of centuries of age and catastrophe have changed it; it is very, very different from the way I remember it. "Still, it's a nice place. And since I don't suppose I'll ever find my way back home after all these centuries, I've adopted it as my new home. Also since we last met, I've used my new abilities to become quite wealthy, fairly powerful, and very well informed in certain areas." "Now ... I have asked you here because I need your help. I told you last time we met that I thought dangerous forces were doing harm to the magical energy of this world. Now I'm certain of it. "I've also seen strange changes in the activities of whole nations. Clans and countries seem to be jumping and jerking in strange, unpredictable directions, like chickens freshly beheaded. I'm sure you've seen these changes as well. "I sense that these political events are the result of powerful manipulators. People who are making entire nations dance on their puppets' strings, people who don't care how many thousands of people suffer and die. "I think these two sets of events may be related. And I'll tell you why. "Through my researches, I've come to the conclusion that only beings of a certain level of power-you call them Immortals-can utilize the remaining devices of my old ship. In doing so, they are draining magical energy from the world, as I told you. If it continues, your world could be utterly drained of magic. "Think of it: a whole world with no spells, no magical healing, no magical weapons or protection, and no magical creatures either. "Now, I don't know why the Immortals are doing this. Not all Immortals are good, as you know; perhaps you've already had the opportunity to observe the damage which an evil Immortal can cause with only casual attention. Others, not necessarily evil, are indifferent and careless, and through their negligence they can destroy us as easily as the evil ones. "Too much is happening in this part of the world too quickly for it to be natural; only Immortals could wreak so much havoc in so short a time. But I don't know which Immortals are doing this, or why. All I know is that I want to see them stopped. I don't know if that's possible, but I've decided to use all my abil*ities and fortunes to find out what's going on, to see if there's a way. Maybe if we could find out why they' re doing this we could find a way to convince them to stop it. "I cannot do it all myself. I cannot be everywhere at once. I need allies - men and women like yourselves. So I am here to persuade you to join me. I need adventurers who can travel the world, leaders who can turn opinion, people who can observe events in places where I think the Immortals are most active, and accumulate evidence to prove or dis*prove my theory. "If you accept, I must ask you not to speak of this mission to your rulers ... or even the Immortals you serve ... until we know who is doing what to whom. I do not ask you to swear to a permanent oath of secrecy! But please ... for now ... until we are certain who is the enemy, who is the friend ... keep this association to yourself.'' |
Rheddrian actually doesn't know any more about the Immor*tals than a well-educated mortal does; though he is technically one of them, he is not part of their community and does not know any of them.
Rheddrian's motives are sincere; he wants to save the world and to counter the actions of the Immortals who are so callous about endangering mortals. "Now that war looks to be breaking out between various nations, more and more nations will become involved. It's inevitable that innocent people will die by the thousands, including those of your dominion and your home towns. And the more out of control things become, the greater the likelihood that no place will be safe.'' Alzar asks Rheddrian if anyone else other than himself or Vix knows he is immortal, and he shakes his head. Do any immortals? “Not to my knowledge.” Seeing that Rheddrian only has the knowledge of sage or mortal right now, Alzar offers his own information to Rheddrian, “Read my mind. See all that I know about immortals here on Pandius. I have done more to get immortality here than any other, I have been manipulated and used as a pawn, and I have been embraced by other immortals.” Rheddrian does, and then does for Vix as well. He sees things he never knew about before, like the Hollow World, where Vix is from. He sees that both are entrants for Entropy, and Vix has concluded that quest, but Alzar is finishing it up. Rheddrian is a little surprised that they are Entropic, but he also sees them as honest and law-abiding in ways that the good people of the world often aren’t. Rheddrian has a mission for Alzar and Vix. He offers to pay them money, but Alzar declines. Alzar sees Rheddrian as a useful ally against the increasingly annoying manipulation of these immortals, and he should save his resources. “Now if you can send me a working robot…?” Alzar says jokingly. Rheddrian smiles, and then agrees to use the money for something else. "I am going to send you to a place where unusual activities are taking place. From there, you are on your own for the most part; just keep me informed of your movements and activities, and I will warn my other agents not to interfere with you. "In general, I want you to keep your eyes open for a certain set of clues-clues which, to my mind, indicate Immortal interference. "First: drastic changes to a community or a society. Of course, with war between empires, there will be changes. Try to gauge which changes are likely to result from war and which are not. Keep your eyes open for strange changes, un*precedented ones. "Second: unusual activities by clerical orders or unusual changes to the philosophies or opinions of clerical orders. Such activity tends to mean that the Immortal is using his or her clerics to achieve some goal; changes in doctrine show that the Immortal is providing new, different ideas to his or her clerics, which can point us toward the Immortals we seek. Third, watch out for unusual or unpresented magic or spell abilities. The devices pillaged from my ship may inter*act with the magic native to this world to provide them and their mortal followers with strange, hitherto-unknown spells. ''Fourth: listen for the names of Immortals unknown to you. When you hear of Immortals you do not know, ask for their stories and philosophies. In many cases, these will turn out to be local names for well-known Immortals you are already familiar with; those you can safely ignore. In other cases, the Immortals you hear of may be completely unknown to you. This could mean that the unknown Immortal has been drawn here to participate in the new activities of the Immortals, or it may mean something more sinister than that. "Other than that, I have no guidance for you. Act as the heroes you are in all ways and I can have no complaint of your behavior. "For your first investigation, I'd like you to travel to an island called Aegos. It is one of the four Alatian Islands off to the southeast of the Isle of Dawn. The Alatians are properties of Alphatia. "The reason you're going is that one of my agents reported to me that Aegos has recently lost the majority of its work*force ... and yet these men and women were not seen sailing off to join the Alphatian armed forces. She wasn't able to find out anything more, but I want to know what happened to all those people. It may be something entirely innocent, but I don’t think so. My sense of detecting immortal intervention is becoming increasingly on point, and I suspect there is something more. "Remember that your mission is one of intelligence and stealth." Rheddrian gives them each a coin they can use to summon his notice. He’ll swing over when its safe to do so. |
AEGOS
Aegos is a large island, about 500 miles long, running west*southwest to east-northeast; it is about 240 miles across at its widest north-south measurement. The island has one area with fairly rich soil, to the southwest; this area is thick with farmlands and pasturage for sheep and cattle. The larger central and eastern regions are very hilly, with one large central body of water, Lake Aegos; they are nowhere so friendly to farms or cattle, though sheep and especially goats do well. The hills north of Lake Aegos have fair deposits of lead and silver, so there are many mines there. There are only two communities on the island-at least, according to most maps of Aegos. The town of Aegopoli, population 17,500, is on the southwest tip of the island. It serves the shipping and trading needs of the island's farmers. It is the island's capital and has many ware*houses, shops, and taverns; there are a couple of inns here, and there is even a school for the teaching of children in both magic and academic matters. The village of Selenion, population 2000 is on the northern shore of Lake Aegos, between the lake and hills to the north. It's the sole example of civilization for the miners of the area; it is in most ways a bawdy, rough-and-tumble frontier town. No magic users live in this small community; the only spellcasters there are a couple of clerics. Long ago, wizards of Aegos tried to make the island into a haven for the breeding and creation of magical beasts and mon*sters and eventually a zoo for the exhibition of such creatures. But the effort was sabotaged by unknown parties (legend has it that the saboteurs were rival wizards of the Alphatian monster nation of Trollhattan). The breeding pens and zoo were opened and the monsters fell upon one another; the few surviving monsters fled into the island's hills, and the Aegos economy was ruined. Later, the island became a very dull and typical farming and fishing island, though sometimes monsters still do wander out of the island's hills to fall upon the human inhabitants. |
Alzar and Vix use Hats of Disguise and such to take on various forms and teleport to the capital.
The town gates are open. Out in the bay, a fleet of small fishing boats is plying its trade. The town itself, though, looks tired and empty; many of the shops are closed, and there are signs nailed to their doors. The signs read "Closed for the Season " or, more often, "Closed for the Duration." Alzar does some math. It looks as though half or two*thirds of the town's population is missing. The few people the PCs see are mostly of copper-skinned Alphatian coloration, though a few have been pale like the Thyatians; a very few are dark like the Pearl Islanders. In addition to the farmers and shepherds outside of town, there are a couple of tavern keepers to be found in town, plus messengers (always on the run be*tween the grand house in the center of town and other buildings in town), town guards (mostly too old or too young to be effective guards), and a fair number of soldiers. The number of elderly people and children is all out of proportion to the number of youthful adults; in fact, it seems that the elderly outnumber the young and vigorous by three or four to one. Most of the natives do not appear to be curious about Vix or Alzar. The people here speak both Alphatian and Thyatian, but are careful not to use the latter since the outbreak of the war. If a PC addresses an islander ( on the street, in tavern conversation, or wherever) in Thyatian, he or she will look startled, glance around to see if anyone is listening, and then advise the stranger to use Alphatian "for the duration." If asked about what's happening on this dreary island, the locals will be downright chatty: “Newcomers, eh? Good to see some new blood about. If you stay, that is. "Not for me to talk about things here, you understand, but I can tell you this: plenty of businesses have had to close down, what with all the able-bodied hereabouts going off to join the Army of Aegos, you understand. You might be able to negotiate to open one of them closed businesses, as a tem*porary worker don't y'known, while the owner's away. Or, you can go where the big money is, in the Army, like most everyone else. "Either way, you'll need to talk to Prince Dromedon at the King's Mansion. He's in charge of the work-force. Not for me to talk about it." They head to the King’s Mansion. They get a meeting with Prince Dromedon in about 2 hours, asking for work. |
“So, foreigners, eh? Looking for work? There's work to be had here. Two types of work.
"The town needs workers, as I'm sure you've seen. We need temporary shopkeepers, town guards, fish-cleaners, warehouse folk, that sort of thing. Payment is one gold piece a month plus room and board, or three a month for town guards, and we'll keep you on a minimum of six months if you work out. "But if you're inclined toward work that's more interesting ... maybe a little more dangerous ... but certainly a lot more rewarding ... I can offer you local work in the Army of Aegos. You both look the sort to be army-types. Now, it's hard work, and you'll be off at a site I can't talk about for a minimum of six months, during which you can't send mail off to your families or friends, but the pay is high, a minimum of ten gold pieces per month, plus room and board ... perhaps much more, depending on your skills." They would then be sworn into the Army of Aegos and transported to the work-site, at which time their duties would be explained to them. They agree to join the Army of Aegos. Alzar noticeable equipment isn’t here, so he can use his shield, but his innate ESP talent reveals the prince is going to send them to a nearby hidden Alphatian mission, and is honest about the offer. The prince swears them into the Army of Aegos The Oath of the Army of Aegos merely states that the person taking the oath promises to protect the island and its people to the best of his or her ability. Prince Dromedon will ask each character what the character's abilities are and ask the character to demonstrate. Then, he'll set the PC's pay rate as follows: Base Rate of Pay: 10 Each Experience Level Above 1st: Spell Use: 10 Weapon Master: 100 Character Has General Skills in: Engineering Healing Intimidation Leadership Military Tactics Tracking Alzar gets 360 and Vix 220 monthly |
Never one to believe in wasting time, Dromedon tells the party the name of an inn where they can put up for the night (at no expense, of course) and that they're to be ready and waiting at the town's northeast gate at dawn for transportation to the work*site.
At dawn the next morning, a small caravan of horses and wag*ons is arrayed within the northeast gate. Prince Dromedon isn't there, but the caravan-master, a gray-bearded but hale man called Scupper, has the PCs' names on a list, shouting them out one by one and checking them off when the PCs arrive. PCs who can ride will be assigned one of the small, tough caravan horses; other PCs will have to ride on the wagons. In addition to Scupper and the PCs, there are three other new Army of Aegos recruits: a copper-skinned male fighter named Stryl, a dark-skinned female fighter named Torkia Nuar, and a light-skinned male cleric named Kelter Zerben. Scupper is garrulous, but won't discuss what waits at the end of the caravan trip. He's an old Alphatian Navy man, an ex*cook who brags about the quality of his cooking but complains that everyone else thought it was terrible. He'll insist on cook*ing each night for the caravan, and the PCs will learn that he is terrible. Stryl and Torkia Nuar are not very talkative about themselves; Stryl is from Archport in southeast Alphatia, Torkia is from Sea*girt on Nuar, one of the Pearl Islands. The two of them have been partners and travelling companions for the past few years, adventuring mainly in Norwold. That's about all they say. Kelter Zerben is friendly, talkative, and charismatic. He's a fighter-turned-cleric from Darokin who'll gladly swap stories with the PCs; for more on his personality and past, see the de*scription below. The caravan trip takes the PCs and their companions to Pittstown; see the accompanying fold-out map for directions. The trip itself takes twelve days of easy travel along a dirt road, passing through farmland, pasturage, light forest, and hills. The DM can gloss over details of most of the trip, so that these twelve days will not stretch into an eternity for the players. At some point about half-way to Pittstown, the caravan (and PCs) will be attacked by wandering monsters: three trolls, de*scendants of those who escaped from the old Aegos zoo. These marauders will leap out from all sides at once, ensuring that all the PCs and NPCs get to see some action. A raid of 15 trolls moves out. Alzar takes the lead as Scupper protects the wagons. He casts Death Spell, Wail of the Banshee and Skull Trap after using Time Stop, and Vix and Alzar take out the trolls easily, and use fire/acid to finish them. During the journey, Alzar will teleport back home to help rule, make decisions, and more, and also communicates with locals via his scrying devices. |
Alzar and Vix will not be able to avoid seeing Kelter Zerben. It's easy to think of this tall, strapping man from Darokin as a fighter, because he carries a two*handed sword and practices with it every morning. But he also makes offerings and prayers to an Immortal at regular intervals and meditates for spells each morning as well, making it obvious that he's in fact a cleric.
Alzar asks about his faith, and he’ll volunteer the information that he's a cleric of Balthac. Alzar will have never heard of an Immortal named Balthac, which should set off alarm bells in their minds. Kelter will happily talk about Balthac and his philosophies, as well as about Kelter's own history and attitudes; see the boxed description of Kelter, below. Alzar asks of Balthac. The Story of Balthac Locals in the army who are from Darokin or who are elves from Alfheim will have heard the story of Balthac at some point in their lives and can corroborate parts of the following tale. According to legend, Balthac was a great hero of the region that was later to become Darokin, famed as a dragon-slayer. He lived in the time between the fall of Blackmoor and the rise of modern nations. He and his companion, Sinan (a fe*male elf), fought many great evils in the ancient world. His career ended when he and his companion went up against a gigantic red dragon called Calor, who was ravaging the area that is now north-central Darokin. Both Balthac and the dragon died in the battle that followed their meeting, but Sinan survived. She buried Balthac in a large cairn, leaving another over the bones of Calor whose skull still had Camb, Balthac's elvish sword, imbedded in it. Sinan went on to become a great hero in her own right, eventually perishing centuries later defending Alfheim from an evil lich. Both she and Balthac are revered as great heroes who died defending their people. That's the legend as most people know it. Balthac's battle with the dragon is a favorite folktale in Darokin which every child born there grows up knowing; elves of Alfheim keep Sinan's memory alive in honor of her sacrifice. But the cleric Kelter Zerben has additional details, details which the PCs have never heard before. Kelter says that not long ago an adventurer found an artifact that enabled her to travel back in time. A great admirer of Balthac, she journeyed back to just after Balthac's fatal battle with the dragon, raised him from the dead, and brought him back to the future with her. Uneasy with the idea of being treated like a legend, Balthac changed his name and continued his dragon-hunting career. He recently gained Immortality as the patron of warriors who travel about de*fending those who cannot defend themselves; the adventurer who brought him back from the past, Lady Lillith, is now the head of his new clerical order. His symbol is a sword cleaving a dragon's skull. It certainly is possible that Balthac is just a new immortal, with a new following, but that last bit (time travel) certainly happens here, but feels overly convenient. Kelter Zerben, Cleric of "Balthac" History: Kelter, who is in his mid-twenties, was born in Corunglain, a city of Darokin near the Broken Lands. When he was 18, he joined the army of Darokin and was assigned to Fort Nell, a dangerous fortress situated between Alfheim and the humanoid-inhabited Broken Lands. On a mission to repel orcish raids into Darokin, Kelter was the sole survivor of a hard-fought clash between soldiers and ores. As he lay wounded, he heard the voice of Balthac commanding him to travel northeast into the mountains and hear Balthac's word. Kelter travelled for weeks into the mountains, suffering near-starvation and continuous attacks from ores, before finally finding his way to the site from whence the voice beck*oned-Balthac's cairn. The voice told him to rejoice; that he had been found worthy and chosen to serve as one of Balthac's cler*ics; that he, Kelter Zerban, would be sent around the world to right wrongs beyond the concerns of the army of Darokin. Weeks later, the starving Kelter found his way back to Fort Nell and made his report. His commander looked at his de*pleted physical condition and listened to his story of becoming a cleric of a figure out of old fairy tales-a story Kelter couldn't corroborate because, as a 1st level cleric, he didn't have any spells yet-and kindly gave him an honorable discharge. Since that time, Kelter has wandered the world: fighting monsters, protecting the innocent, and promoting honorable conduct wherever he goes. If Kelter is with the PCs as part of the caravan, he'll tell them that he has come here to find out what's happening to the peo*ple of this island; if they' re the victims of some monster, he in*tends to slay it. If Kelter is following the caravan and discovers the PCs doing the same, he'll tell them the truth (as he knows it): Balthac com*manded that he come here and find out what strangeness is afoot, because if there is evil here, it must be destroyed. Personality: Kelter is brave, strong, heroic, gallant, and naive. In some ways, he's probably the nicest person the PCs are ever likely to meet; it's a pity he and they are going to wind up on opposite sides. His goal is to making the world a better place for everyone. He takes pride in the fact that, though a cleric, he can wield swords, and seeks to learn swordsmanship from every fighter he meets. Though he has given no thought to romance, he is certainly not immune to it, and may be attracted to female adventurers who are courageous and resourceful. Appearance: Just over 6' tall, clean-shaven, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a compact and muscular build and is tanned from being outdoors in all kinds of weather. He wears dark brown and black clothing; on the tabard he wears over his armor and on his belt buckle are the sword-shearing-a-dragon*head symbol of his order. Combat Notes: 7th level Cleric; AC 1 (plate mail, shield, and Dexterity bonus); hp 25; MV 90' (30'); #AT 1 two-handed sword or by spell; Dmg 1d10 + 2 or by spell; Save C7; MLl0; AL N. Sl 7 113 W15 D14 Co12 Chl6. Clerics of Balthac have the special ability that they can use swords and daggers; they receive a + 1 bonus to their attack rolls when using two-handed swords. However, they do not gain spells until they reach third level. Clerics of Balthac must be Neutral or Lawful. |
That night Alzar uses the coin to summon Rheddrian. About an hour later, Alzar heads away from the camp for a few minutes while on guard duty and Rheddrian arrives, although not taking physical appearance.
Alzar tells him of Balthac and supposedly a cleric of him in their group. Alzar can confirm there was a Balthac long ago, but as a recent immortal? It’s odd Alzar wouldn’t know of it. Rheddrian agrees it is suspicious, and will let Alzar know after doing some research. Alzar tells Rheddrian that he wants to ask one of his immortality sponsors to see, maybe Morena, who seems dialed in while not taking sides. Of course, he won’t mention Rheddrian, but given that he doesn’t have contacts in the immortal community, he may not have an answer soon. Rheddrians doesn’t agree with the urgency, but accepts the basic logic, and they agree to share info. Vix watches over Alzar while he casts Commune to speak with his immortal patron as a cleric of Morena, and his first sponsor. A few minutes later, an avatar of Morena has arrived. Alzar tells her of Balthac and such. She lets him know that there is no Balthac immortal. Someone has clearly been impersonating Balthac. Who would do that, Alzar asks? A trickster immortal like Loki? Possibly, but Loki has been keeping a low profile recently after getting in trouble a few years ago for direct intervention. This feels more like Hel to Morena. Alzar beseeches a favor from Morena, knowing that a favor here is going to be something he’ll need to repay later. If he grabbed Kelter, and brought him here, would she tell him what she told Alzar, and allow Kelter to continue as a cleric of her? She pauses, smiles, and agrees. While Vix continues to keep watch, Alzar wakes Kelter and tells him he wants to talk more of his faith. Kelter, initially annoyed at being woken, quickly gets excited and he heads to Vix and Morena. Morena reveals her full grandeur to Kelter. Kelter has, of course, never dreamed of meeting an actual immortal, even her avatar as a female dwarf. Alzar tells Kelter of the betrayal, and that Balthac is not an immortal, and an immortal of entropy has lied and has been creating and manipulating the church for their own mission. Morena confirms it. Kelter has tears nakedly poring down his face. Alzar tells Kelter that Morena has offered to continue as his patron, and he can keep he spells and class, and continue as before. She nods. Kelter takes a moment, then two. Then he kneels and thanks Morena and accepts her offer. Morena fades, with a new cleric gained, and a favor owed from Alzar. She has gained more information about Pandius as well, to begin some quiet investigations. Alzar lets Rheddrian know later as well about Morena and Kelter. On midday of the twelfth day of travel, the caravan comes in sight of their destination. Scupper announces, "Welcome to Pittstown. Hope you enjoy it. You'll be here awhile." This small town at the base of Aegos' central range of hills is surrounded by a stout stone wall. It doesn't look as if the town has been here long; all the buildings are new. Most of them are unexceptional single-story dwellings and warehouses, but one stands out and will catch any newcomer's eye. The strange building in the center of town is circular and at least five stories in height and a hundred yards in diameter; it is built all of white stone. Large entrances can be seen at the four cardinal points of the compass; a steady line of basket laden donkeys led by men issues from the east entrance. The donkeys head out the town's east gate and off into the hills. There is also a line of returning donkeys with empty baskets. The arriving caravan from Aegopolis is greeted with enthusiasm. Oddly enough, there are no old people or children here; everyone is youthful and hardy. The workers here are of both sexes and of every human race. There are also many dwarves and gnomes in the town; they and the humans seem to be getting along marvelously. The arriving caravan is greeted with enthusiasm by bypassers as it heads through town towards the large circular building. The giant disk-shaped building turns out to be a single huge room inside, the roof held up by tall columns at regular intervals. Your first thought upon entering is that you've never been in such a noisy place in your life: donkeys bray, machinery clanks and whines, and workers shout to be heard above all the din. |
In the center of the unpaved floor is a pit, or shaft, heading straight down into the earth. The shaft is big (about 30 yards in diameter) and surrounded by a chest-high railing punctuated with metal gates.
Above the shaft, a series of enormous pulleys hangs from the ceiling, trailing a taut metal chain down into the depths of the pit. The pulleys seem to be powered by machinery up in the ceiling, for some of them are rotating, sending chain down and bringing chain up. Around the perimeter of the pit lie three large machines on the bare rocky floor. They are shaped like rigid centipedes with legs on four sides instead of just underneath and with a conical drilling device where the insect's head would be. They are about ten yards (30') long and have hatches and windows on the sides. Near the eastern doorway of the building there is a small corral where many donkeys carrying baskets, and their hu*man handlers, wait patiently. A grinding and rumbling noise comes from the pit, slowly getting closer and closer; nobody seems to be alarmed by this. Eventually one of those centipede machines clambers its way up out of the pit and rumbles over until it is beside the don*key corral. Hatches open and hot, sweating gnomes spill out, running over to where other workers have cool drinks and food waiting for them on tables. A big hatch on the side of the centipede machine opens up, and rocks and ore come spilling out. Donkeys are brought over and their baskets loaded with the stony rubbish. When a donkey's baskets are full, the donkey is led out of the building. Eventually the entire load is cleared away. Then something occurs which does cause a stir among the whole crowd. Something comes into view at the end of the chain down in the pit; it looks like a round-ended cylinder with windows. As people hop to and push a drawbridge-like device over the pit's edge, the cylinder reaches the top and halts. A hatch opens in the side and five people, Alphatians by the look of them, emerge and walk along the drawbridge to the pit's edge. They look a little dizzy and stretch their legs as if they've been confined for a long time. No sooner have the people riding in the cylinder gotten clear than a burly fellow who seems to be a foreman wanders over and confers with Scupper. Then Scupper calls out all your names as well as those of the three who came on the caravan with you. "You lot will be going down to the Site in Car #4, which just came up," he announces, pointing to the cylinder which just arrived. "It leaves in just a few minutes, so you'd better go ahead and get your gear stowed aboard. I'll be going along with you ... and maybe then you'll get answers to some of your questions. The inside of the cylinder has weighted chairs mounted with*in spherical frameworks; no matter which way the cylinder is ori*ented, the chairs remain upright. Along the walls of the cylinder are rigidly-mounted boxes, one per person, in which the PCs can stow their gear.  As Alzar sees the giant pulley mechanism, there is only one place they could be going that would make need this much infrastructure. The Hollow World. Descent begins |
Several minutes pass. Nothing major happens. Then suddenly the cylinder begins its descent with a jerk. Stryl jumps and lets out an oath; Torkia Nuar laughs at his discomfort; Kelter admonishes him for his language.
The cylinder sways as it descends, but then the swaying gradually ceases and the ride becomes smoother. Through the windows, you can see that the pit darkens; there are no lights outside to see how fast you're sinking. From his pack, Scupper pulls out an oil lamp and lights it before you are plunged into complete darkness. Then he grins and says, "Now we have quite a long ride. About a day's worth, in fact. Hope you brought some cards or dice. We're well stocked with food and drink, and there's a strange gnome device in the back of the car that'll serve us as an outhouse-or inhouse, in this case." He laughs at his feeble joke, as you resign yourself to a dreary journey. The descent will continue downward hour after hour. The temperature increases, until it is barely tolerable; Scupper and the other NPCs will shed themselves of all clothes except garments constituting the bare minimum of decency. Alzar and Vix are fine (immune to elements). From time to time, through the windows, the PCs will see one of those gnomish caterpillar-machines. Lighted from within so that their glowing front-windows look like shining eyes, these devices crawl along the shaft's walls. From time to time they stop to grind away rocky projections with their nose-cone drills, catching the debris in nets. Every hour or so, the chain-and the PCs' cylinder-passes through a short metal tunnel attached by metal posts to the sides of the shaft. Scupper says that these tunnels stabilize the chain so that it does not swing wildly and crash into the sides of the shaft. When asked where they are going “Down," Scupper answers, grinning. "Way, way down. A few years back, an Alphatian sky-ship skipper named Haldemar found a place beneath the earth-a big place; bigger than. Alphatia itself. Where people lived. And Alphatia's going to own it. All of it. "For the last several years, we've been digging this shaft down to the new world. One day, not too far in the future, we'll have cars on cables roaring up and down, carrying troops and trea*sures up to Alphatia, carrying colonists and governors down to the new world. Alphatia's already the richest empire on Mystara; with our new colonies, we're going to be twice as rich. '' And folk like you, soldiers and retainers who get in before the truth is revealed to the world, will have a good deal coming. You'll have early choice on land to colonize, for instance. The Empire won't forget your efforts." What's this new world like? "Oh, no. Better if you wait and see it for yourself. Words can't do justice to it." If the PCs have already been to the Hollow World setting in a previous adventure, it should already be obvious to them where they' re headed. Also, if the existence of the Hollow World has already become public knowledge, then Scupper won't be so secretive about what the "new world" looks like. What are we going to do there? "Lots of things. Some of you will be guards and warriors. We need guards for the town and warriors to conquer the savages who surround it. "Some of you will be sailors. We have a growing sky-ship navy down below ... but we aren't the only ones. Those evil, treacherous Heldannic Knights are down there, too, curse them. They have their own sky-ships, and plans to conquer all the primitive tribes of this world and make them slaves. Naturally, we' re try*ing to enslave them first, for the glory of Alphatia and empire! "Some of you will be teachers. If you' re skilled with weapons and tactics, you'll be teaching the savages how to do things the Alphatian way. They' re citizens of the empire now, and they' re going to have to fight to protect it along with everybody else. "Don't worry, young 'uns. If there's something you know how to do, we'll find you someone to do it to down below." Who built this thing we're riding in? "Dwarves and gnomes, mostly. The dwarves are from Denwarf*Hurgon, the dwarf capital of Stoutfellow, in Alphatia. The gnomes are from an interesting place called Serraine, a gnome city of no fixed address." He chuckles to himself, but won't make any explanations about Serraine when asked by an NPC. "We have four chains going now. Each one has two cars on it, one at each end. A car will go from the surface world to the new world, and its mate at the other end will go from the new world to the surface world. Then, the chain's direction reverses, and the cars come back to where they started. "Those gnomes, they're trying to engineer a new type of con*veyance. This one'll go all the time in the same direction. Each car’ll have to pass through some kind of thingy at each end to help it stay attached to the chain when the chain passes through the pulley. I don't know how it works, but the gnomes say it'll work all right. When that's done, we can have bigger cars arriv*ing every hour or so ... and then we'll really begin moving troops in and treasure out." Why don't Alphatian wizards just teleport there? "Don't they wish! Ha! They would if they could, but magic don't work the same down there. Some spells just won't go. And no one seems to be able to get from the world above to the new world below by means of magic. Something between the two worlds keeps it from happenin' ... and I'll describe that a little further down." |
After about sixteen hours of travel-and card-games, and dice-games, and sleeping, and singing led by the off-key Scupper-a faint red glow can be seen coming from below.
“Coming in to Midpoint," Scupper announces. "A chance to stretch your legs." Through the windows, the PCs can see what looks like an enormous pool of lava filling the entire shaft below. Just as they begin to worry, the cylinder begins shuddering as it starts to slow. Finally, about 100 feet above the lava it descends to a stop beside a large platform which leads to a large lighted cavern cut into the rock beside it.  The platform was cut into the stone by means of disinte*grate spells, a fact which will be apparent to any experienced magic-user in the party who looks carefully at the surrounding stone. The edge overlooking the lava-filled shaft has a high, sturdy railing to keep people from falling in accidentally. There are four drawbridges. t each of these four points an extendable drawbridge (like the one the player characters saw at the top of the pit) extends out to enable passengers from the cylinders to disembark with*out falling into the lava below. Once the PCs are safely on solid ground again, Scupper tells them they have an hour or so to stretch their legs, enjoy the cool air, get something fresh to eat and drink, and have a look about. |
There are gnomish caterpillar-travelers here on the platform, and the PCs will see others come and go during their stay, crawling all over the shaft walls grinding away at the rock.
The cavern houses a village-sized community, one which is obviously set up to provide services to people travelling from the Known World above to the Hollow World below and to serve as a base for gnomish caterpillar-tunnellers stationed here. The air in the cavern is cool and refreshing, very different from the hot air the PCs suffered through during the trip down; it is obvious that the cavern is made more comfortable through magic. The area of the cavern closest to the platform is the Plaza, an open area filled with chairs, benches, and tables, surrounded by vendors of juices, wines, and food. Despite the exotic location, the goods are all very inexpensive (the vendors are government supported). For a few copper pieces, the PCs can refresh themselves with the local goods. Behind the Plaza are small buildings and tenements which serve as the homes of the humans, gnomes, and dwarves which operate Midpoint. Over the edge of the platform, about 100' below, is a lava lake entirely filling the shaft. It might provide the PCs with food for thought if they happen to notice that the chain which carries their travel cylinder heads straight down into the lava. Alzar spends a few minutes in contact with his Grand Duchy, before he passes the World Shield and will be out of communication range. All too soon, it's time for you and your fellow travelers to load back into the cylinder and recommence the descent. Scupper asks everyone to shut and fasten down their win*dows, and then checks to make sure they're all shut correctly. He then hands out cheap leather bags, one per person. He won't say what they're for, but announces, "If they become necessary, you'll know what to do with them." Finally, he sits down in a chair, muttering to himself "I hate this part." To the rest of you, his only advice is "Hold on tight!" Suddenly, the cylinder jerks into motion and plummets 100 feet, bringing your heart into your mouth. You hit the lava pool seconds later at high speed and immediately sink into the fiery depths. The temperature inside the cylinder be*gins to rise rapidly and the air becomes very hot and stuffy. The cylinder continues to sink in the lava for what seems like an eternity, downward and downward. Then something very strange happens. You begin to feel dizzy and have an odd sensation of weightlessness. You actually begin to float free unless you hold on to your chairs, which isn't easy, con*sidering that all the chairs are rotating at random in their spherical housings! You begin to wish you hadn't eaten that snack at Midpoint as your stomach rebels ... Alzar feels it. They have passed the world shield after only a few minutes, the queasiness eases. Scupper tells them jokingly, “Oh good; perhaps you'll all have time to get comfortable before you roast to death or suffocate.” You begin to feel your weight again, and your chairs gradually swivel around until they all face the same way. Oddly enough, the cylinder seems to have reversed its direction during all this; it's now rising instead of falling. Your speed is also slowing down; perhaps the cylinder is beginning to reach bottom. Then, the last thing you'd expect to happen, happens. The cylinder pops out of the lava, and you're back at Midpoint! |
Actually, although this is a Midpoint it is not the Midpoint the characters have just visited, as Scupper will helpfully explain to them: "The one we stopped at on the way down is Midpoint Up, on the other side of the lava. It may feel like we're going up, but then everything's turned around down here-in fact, we're still going in the exact same direction we were before.''
After a short stop at Midpoint Down to grab some fresh air and let the cylinder cool off, Scupper shoos everybody on board one last time. The rest of the trip is another sixteen hours of travel, this time "upwards.'' The PCs will have plenty of time to sleep during this final stretch of the trip. At the end of the long, wearying trip, the travelers in the cylinder will see light far above; gradually, this rather reddish light will become brighter and brighter. Finally, the PCs' cylinder is hauled up out of the shaft, to the top of a set of pulley machinery identical to that which they saw on the island of Aegos ... but these are standing in the open air, not in a building. The PCs, looking out through the windows, will see that they are in a small walled town surrounded by what looks like jungle or tropical rain forest. The sun overhead is at high noon; it's a funny blood-red color, not yellow like the sun they're used to. They've come to a land that is new to them ... Within minutes, the PCs, their NPC companions, and their gear will be off-loaded. |
Scupper will lead the PCs and the NPCs to the barracks which will be their new home; here he'll introduce them to their new commanding officer (Lt. Stolander) and they'll be assigned bunks and shown where to stow their gear. They'll also meet their messmates and generally be shown the ropes.
They are near the Azcan Empire. In the Alphatian colony town of Haldemar and Alphatian Neatharum Alzar, Vix, and Kelter will probably be in this area for some time and will be able to learn the following facts about the place through talking with NPCs and from ex*perimentation of their own. Prince Haldemar of Haaken, an Alphatian adventurer and ex*plorer who had been missing for several decades, reappeared in the skies above Alphatia, still commanding his flying ship, the Princess Ark. Haldemar had been famous for his voyages to little-known places, but his final voyage was clearly his greatest discovery. While attempting to fly over the south pole, he had inadver*tently flown inside one of the two great polar openings in Mystara's crust. His sky-ship had crashed when it passed through the anti-magic aura which protects the Hollow World, but Halde*mar managed to have it towed and sledded to a region where magic worked again. Flying around in the Hollow World, Haldemar learned that he was not the first human of the Known World to discover this place. The Heldannic Knights, a group the Alphatians had paid little attention to in the past, were already here, conquering lands and making alliances as fast as they could. When he eventually returned to Alphatia, Haldemar told Empress Eriadna of the Hollow World and was commanded to remain quiet about his discovery. The Empress then set about to exploit Haldemar's discovery for Alphatia's benefit. She discovered soon enough that some force-an anti-magical barrier of lava located at the exact center of Mystara's crust, soon termed the World-Shield-prevented magic-users from using teleport spells to reach the Hollow World. Those who tried either failed altogether (if they were lucky) or tended to wind up half-way (i.e., in the lava). Knowing of the difficulty involved in sending sky-ships through the polar openings, she decided that Alphatia's access to the Hollow World should be from Alphatian soil. She contracted dwarves from Denwarf-Hurgon in Alphatia and gnomes from the flying city of Serraine to burrow a hole from Alphatian territory straight down into the mainland of the Hollow World. Over a period of a very few years, they designed the devices and provided the labor necessary to make a shaft 1,200 miles deep ... stretching from the island of Aegos to the jungle lands of the Neathar. The first drilling mechanisms of the Alphatians emerged in the lightly-forested area of the Nogai Neathar tribe. The Nogai are a tribe of Stone Age men, similar to our own world's Cro*Magnons; they are accomplished hunters, trappers, and furriers who live in small forest villages and trade with the mountain elves to the north and the other Neathar tribes in the other di*rections. They treated the newcomers with suspicion but not hostility, and the first tunneling explorers from Alphatia had quite a tale to take home. Soon after, more tunneling devices arrived; Alphatian wizards emerged, and the subjugation of the Nogai villages began. In the time since then, the Alphatians have built a town to house and protect the mechanisms which soon will be carrying more and more people and resources between the Known World and the Hollow World. The town was named Haldemar in honor of the Alphatian "discoverer" of the Hollow World; it promises to be a big city some day. The expanding nation under Alphatian domination is named Alphatian Neatharum. Since the area's initial conquest, the Alphatian rulers and their reluctant Nogai subjects have been un*der attack by their neighbors, including the Valgrai Neathar and the Azcan Empire. |
They are given assignments in the local army.
Two days later, Alzar and company are on guard when a large army from the Heldannic encampment is flying towards them. In a few moments, after announcing their presence, Airships have dropped fire bombs all over Haldemar, but with an earlier warning from Alzar, they are able to assemble some defenses. The city is burning, but defenses force the Heldannic foes away. Soon enough they realize the city is lost, and in a few hours, they begin retreating some of their forces back up, meanwhile others head to the surface via polar exits and such. Alzar grabs Vix and Kelter and they grab their good items. Alzar grabs his flying carpet from OtherSpace and he casts Mass Teleport and moves them to the polar area, and then they fly up until they pass the World Shield, and then Alzar teleports them back home. It takes around 4 days in Hollow World and then to return. Alzar communicates with Rheddrian as they return. They arrive back in the first week of next month…. The Great Library is physically completed. Alzar, Draconus, and the monks will spend two months preparing the library It will be opened in two months. |
Great Library at Evenarrow:
The Great Library at Evenarrow is the largest library in Pandius with 1.4 million books in it and growing. The Library has 25 floors, and the ground floor is dedicated for many resources, catalogs, check out, and more. The library is divided into two major sections. 2/3rds of the library, up through floor 18, are considered the public collection, and are available to the general public. Any citizen of Evenarrow can access the public collection, and non-citizens can access it for a one-time donation of 10 gp. On floors 19-25, are the advanced collection, which are not available for normal public use, but citizens can access them for 100 gp one-time donation, and non-citizens can get access either through a donation of 1000 gp or a magical item, rare book not in the archive, or a task given to the library equal to it. Those donations go to the general library fund used to repair books or purchase new ones. The library features a set of 100 teleport boxes used to teleport books quickly from one floor to another. Priests of Ssu-Ma are in the role of librarians, and Draconus is constantly on duty as the Chief Librarian. The library has a number of protections, and various counter-measures. There are Symbol spells as wards, as well as Sepia Snake Sigils, Glyphs of Warding, Page Guardians, Xult’s Magical Doom, and more. The major fire-based traps of Explosive Runes and Fire Trap aren’t used. Additionally Bookworm Bane and other spells are used to protect the areas. They used a material in the walls that will prevent scrying into the Library, as well as teleporting. There is also a special magical material in the ground that keeps anything from burrowing up into the library. Alzar has semi-permanent’d the Garrison spell that prevents things like Knock, Dig, and Passwall effects from being used to enter the Library. He has cast Invisibility Purge in a few places, and then made it Semi-Permanent. Divinatory magic is used for potential folks to access the Great Library to ensure they are doing so for the correct reason. Alzar has kept 125,000 books in his own personal library, the crème de la crème, but many arcane and research books will be kept by him, including the key books for making constructs, and will include his spellbooks and such as well. The Library is done! |
GENERAL TORENAL ASSASSINATED
A party of Glantrian heroes travels to Sundsvall, the capital of Alphatia, with another letter from Prince Etienne d' Ambreville to the Empress Eriadna. This is a follow-up to the letter wherein the Glantrians claimed not to know who mur*dered Troikithus, the Alphatian spy in Glantri City. In this new letter, Prince Etienne provides the Empress with more information proving that Troikithus was an Alphatian spy; his intent is to further embarrass and inconvenience Eriadna. While waiting for their audience with the Empress, these ad*venturers meet General Torenal, who is the leader of the Alphatian Empress's elite guard and the father of some of Eriadna's children. When last seen, the Glantrians and Torenal are chat*ting amicably in a waiting chamber near Eriadna's throne room. What happens afterwards is in dispute. Torenal and the Glantrians disappear. A day later, Alphatian investigators find the Glantrians, all drunk to unconsciousness in a tenement in the Alphatian capital. Based on evidence in the tenement hideout - dust which turns out to be human remains, spell damage in the walls, and the use of a wish spell to extract memories from the Glantrians' minds - the Alphatians conclude that the Glantrian emissaries teleported Torenal to their place of hiding, then murdered him with magical spells, burned his body, and scattered his ashes to the winds. Then, according to the officials, the Glantrian assassins got drunk to celebrate. Eriadna's efforts to use a wish spell to resurrect Torenal fails for unknown reasons; the best guess is that the assassins used some sort of unknown magic to prevent his resurrection. Naturally, the Empress is enraged. Her father, the former Emperor Tylion IV, takes charge of the investigation, and learns some interesting things with his magic. The Glantrian assassins say they did not perform the murder, but have conflicting memories about the events. One set of memories has them speaking briefly with Torenal, who tells them to return tomorrow, as Eriadna cannot see them until then; in this memory, the Glantrians returned to the inn where they were staying, fell asleep, and did not awaken until the Al*phatian investigators found them in another place entirely ( the tenement). In the second set of memories, Torenal told them to return tomorrow, and they were so offended by his presumption that they took him away to the tenement and murdered him out of petty revenge. The Glantrians are confused by these twin sets of memories, but do not think of themselves as callous murderers and do not believe they killed Torenal. Eriadna, on the other hand, believes that the memories where the Glantrians are innocent have been planted somehow, in an attempt to hide the truth of the murder so they can escape justice. Tylion is sufficiently intrigued by the discrepancy that he hasn't allowed Eriadna to kill the Glantrians yet. Eriadna breaks off formal relations with Glantri, pending fur*ther information. CLERICAL MISSIONARIES KILLED Clerical missionaries of the Immortal Vanya from the Heldann Territories are slaughtered while travelling through the Ethengar Khanates. The Ethengarians deny any in*volvement, though the bodies are demonstrably riddled with Ethengarian arrows and lances. The Heldannic Territories (To Norwold’s south) have begun ambling for war with the Khanates. |
Year 13, Month 6
They arrive back from Hollow World and Aegos. Alzar works with Kelter to help set up some more information on the false cult of Baltac. Alzar and Kelter want to let the rest of his cult know. Alzar actually knows of an immortal that they may find more to their suitability – Vix. With the 6th literacy Wish this year, and another rise of 1% literacy in his nation, Alzar’s literacy is now 60%, the target for Ssu-Ma Alzar spends most of this month working on the library project. Vix finishes getting things ready, and then at the end of next month, after the library opens and is dedicated, she’ll accept the Gift of Immortality, and leave behind this mortal coil and begins as a new Entropic Immortal, Neutral, with a profile not dissimilar to Vanya’s, winning, power, throwing oneself at something, success in battle, and more. Of course an interesting question is, did Alzar ever love Vix. No. As I mentioned before, Alzar is asexual. He did not seek out a romantic partnership until it was required for him to get more power. Then he married the strongest female he could, literally, so that he could set up his nation for long term success. It was about power. They were a good match, and had a strong loyalty to each other, but Vix was hardly the sort to stay at home and bake cookies and she never played a traditional motherly role. Neither did Alzar as a husband/father either. While Alzar took the lead on battle, that was because of his heightened intelligence and decades more experience. Vix certainly got Alzar more so than any other woman has, other then possibly Vala, his most successful former apprentice. Their bond is stronger with just head nods and such that could give major signals. They were definite battle buddies. Alzar trusted Vix completely. But did Alzar love Vix? Romantically? No. Alzar is not that mundane. Alzar receives a secret communiqué from Former Emperor Tylion. He is convinced of their innocence and is looking for a neutral party to send the Glantri party of heroes to outside of the realm of the eyes of anyone else. Alzar secretly agrees to take them in and keep them hidden and out of magical detection. He’ll send them to the “Dungeon” with its antiscrying magic after using magic to change their forms slightly and give them new identities. (This is not something that was actually happening to the PCs, but in order to make Wrath of the Immortals not feel like “Our Anti-Hero on the Sideline” I have given him a few lesser roles here and there to keep him in the story) ASSASSINS ESCAPE The Glantrians who were supposed to have assassinated General Torenal break out of the Imperial Palace's dungeons and escape. |
Year 13, Month 7
The Great Library opens, the size is 1st in the plane, and the various tasks for Ssu-Ma are complete: 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! Nykthos was created! Have the best library in Pandius. DONE! It just opened! Open up his library to more knowledge seekers. DONE! Turn over some of the control of his library to Ssu-Ma. DONE! Increase the literacy rate of his nation by at least 50% (Currently 60%) – DONE! Alzar has completed the Path of the Epic Hero One path remains… Vix’s immortality is gained. Now, she is made a last minute offer by an immortal from the Sphere of Thought. While adventuring with Alzar, she has actually completed the typical Path of the Epic Hero, not Ssu-Ma’s modified one above. Vix is offered the Thought sphere if she would like. But no, she is following her mother into Entropy. GLANTRIANS ASSASSINATED Not long after the escape of the Glantrian emissaries, more treachery breaks out, this time in Glantri. Several Glantrian nobles having dinner together, including at least one representative of each noble family, are assassinated by a bom*bardment of lightning bolts, fire balls, death spells, and other powerful magics. The assassins, obviously very high-level magic*users, escape clean away, their identities unrevealed, though the only surviving diner (Prince Innocenti di Malapietra) can testify that the killers were wearing Alphatian-style clothing. PUNITIVE ATTACKS BEGIN ON ETHENGAR Without benefit of a declaration of war, the Heldannic Knights send several punitive raids into Ethengar, launching deadly lance-cavalry attacks against Ethengarian en*campments and slaughtering every last man, woman, and child encountered. |
Year 13, Month 8
Alzar and Kelter head to the temple out in Northern Darokin At first, Kelter's plan of action at this point is simple: he intends to go to the temple at the Cairn of Balthac and burn it to the ground. Alzar though suggests turning them as an option first. They should also be alert to the possibility of learning more about the artifact the false Balthac mentioned; perhaps temple records will give some clue to its location (if the PCs do not think of this, Kelter will suggest it). As they are teleporting near it, they will have no trouble reaching the Temple, especially since hu*manoids give it a wide berth (the clerics there consider them tar*get practice and react with enthusiasm to their rare forays into the area). If the PCs sneak up on and reconnoitering the site, they will be able to see the general layout of the temple grounds and will be able to figure out the purpose of each building. The absence of regular patrols means that the party will have no trouble sneaking into the main temple. The Temple of Balthac is nestled in a small dale in the mountains. The temple itself is a large rectangular building made of stone, built in archaic fashion with a colonnade all around. The windowless exterior walls are decorated with bas-relief carvings representing the heroic feats of Balthac's mortal life. There is only one door, which is closed: a great bronze valve depicting Balthac's nemesis, the great dragon Calor. The doorway faces a large heap of stones, an artificial mound about 30' high-according to legend, Calor's burial place. Three wooden buildings stand on the eastern end of the dale; two which seem to be barracks or dormitories and one large one which, judging from the smells and noises that issue from it, contains a kitchen, mess hall, and practice room for the clerics-in-training to learn weapon skills. Alzar scries it, and thinks he has a path to success. He tells Kelter, and he agrees. Rather than heading in and taking out the temple, he will instead do something different and Kelter agrees. Alzar and Kelter walk in front of the temple entrance visibly. Alzar sees a large temple in just inside of the entrance. They know Kelter as “the apostate” and ask Alzar to hand him over, or to just stand aside. Alzar introduces himself to them as the Grand Duke of the Mighty, and that Kelter was someone who asked for asylum, and he granted it legally. But, he has come here to put Kelter on trial just in case to either clear or convict him, and will allow the temple to take justice. What Alzar suggests is that all of the clerics and clerics in training and the priestess come to the main temple area, and then they will be allowed to present their evidence to Alzar as the Grand Duke, and then Kelter will be able to present his defense. And then, if Kelter is an apostate, he will be turned over and killed by the Temple of Balthac. They take the question to their leaders. It takes a while, almost an hour, to return. Priestess Lilith is here, and she speaks with Alzar, and confirms his statements and intentions with Detect Lie. |
They set up the trial of Kelter.
Here at the lead (and only) temple of Balthac, there are: 1 Priestess Lilith 22 Clerics in Training 11 Clerical Instructors 15 Clerics Alzar gathers the clerics of Balthac here in the tomb of Balthac, and Kelter is tied up by Alzar to show his willingness to listen. Then Alzar takes testimony from many clerics. They were told by the one who gave them spells that Kelter left their service and went to serve an evil entropic immortal and a number of other things to attack. Hours of testimony is given, and Alzar accepts it meekly. He used Detect Lie openly on the various testimonies, although Priestess Lilith did not testify. Then, at the conclusion, Alzar sums their points. Then Alzar asks Kelter to give his defense, again using Detect Lie openly, and letting the clerics cast it as well. Kelter talks of discovering that Balthac was really not Balthac but instead an entropic immortal lying and taking Balthac’s service. The clerics clearly find Kelter’s testimony contrived. One or two comment that perhaps he’s mad or his new entropic immortal has deluded him, But they are unanimously convinced of his guilt after his twenty minutes of testimony. Then Alzar states that there is one more witness he would want to hear from before giving his decision. He casts Time Stop, then Hold Undead, Protection from Undead and unfurls his Rope of Entanglement. Time Stop ends, and their Priestess is held and tied down. Alzar apologizes for doing so, but they will see in a moment that the real apostate was not Kelter, but the Priestess. While held down by the rope, Alzar cancels his Hold and then has the priest cast detect lie again. Alzar asks a question: Are you an undead vampire nosferatu? No! (lie) Are you a servant of Balthac? Yes! (lie) Is Balthac an immortal? Yes! (lie) Alzar uses ESP to read he mind and she serves Hel. Just to ensure it: Do you, and these other clerics, really serve Hel? No! (Lie) Alzar turns to the group, gathers some of their holy water, and pours it on her and she screams. Alzar turns to the crowd. “Who is the apostate?” They have to admit that it’s Priestess Lilith. “Then as a promised, I will slay the apostate” Alzar kills her. |
With her dead, he then offers them someone else to worship.
They are free to go. But Alzar’s wife, the Grand Duchess of the Mighty ascended to immortality last month. Your Detect lie spells should still be working, you can verify that. She is the Immortal of Action, of Success in Battle, Power and Warfare. Vix will keep the agreements in place, giving them the same spells, weapon usage, and everything just. Now, Alzar is honest, that Vix is in the Sphere of Entropy, but, she is not chaotic or evil, their alignments is also neutral or lawful, like others recently admitted, her goal in joining the Sphere was to help push it to a more practical and saner place. They can confirm the truth, and given that it’s not different from their views of Balthac, they accept Vix. A few leave, but most stay. Kelter will become the head of this Temple to Vix, the first in Mystara. Alzar finds in the shrine, the bones of the dead dragon Balthac killed long ago, and: Camb: Elven two-handed sword + 3, + 5 vs. Dragonkind, intelligent (no communication), talent of extinguishing. Alzar reports his findings to Rheddrian. This is Hel. When he returns, he finds a duplicate of the Android Bodyguard, and now has two. GLANTRI DEMANDS JUSTICE, THYATIS INTERVENES The united Princes of Glantri send word to Em*press Eriadna of Alphatia, instructing her to surrender the assas*sins to Glantrian justice. Everyone expects that. But it's a surprise when Thincol I, Emperor of Thyatis, sends Alphatia a stern warning, saying that it is obvious the assassina*tions were performed by Alphatia in retribution for the death of General Torenal, and informing Eriadna that Alphatia will not be allowed to extend her territorial holdings through these treacherous means. Eriadna of Alphatia replies that it was not involved in the deaths and that Thyatis had best keep its attention to its own territories. It is obvious from this event that Glantri and Thyatis have secretly achieved some sort of alliance. |
Year 13, Month 9
Alzar tries to get to Glantri City to check out the magic artifact he has found out about, but the immortal Rad is not allowing entrance. He can’s teleport, Shadowshift, or anything else. He can’t scry it anymore either. Glantri City is locked to Alzar for the time being. Alzar continues to flesh out his road network. Alzar orders another 5000 troops built in his Grand Duchy and spend some time investing in his navy as well, in order to be prepared. No major events occur, save for him working on the magical item for Nyx. An early and harsh winter ends construction early as well. THE TEMPLE OF ASTERIUS BURNS In Alphatia, dozens of temples of the Immortal Asterius are burned to the ground over a period of days. The Alphatian authorities capture the arsonists-a band of Glantr*ians. These Glantrians, elves of the Erewan clan, claim to have been envoys from Glantri to Darokin. They say that they were magically put to sleep and awakened within a burning temple of Asterius. However, magical probing with a wish spell reveals that they, too, have two sets of memories about the event. One set clearly shows the elves accepting a mysterious cloaked man's commission to destroy the temples of Asterius. Empress Eriadna rushes the investigation through the judicial system; the Glantrian elves are quickly tried and sentenced to death. The Princes of Glantri protest the trial but make no direct attempt to rescue their envoys. They instead sent evidence that the elves were in Glantri at the time of the burning, and were seen on the road by more than 50 witnesses, verified by magical means, but this is deemed biased information. (By the way, it’s Alphaks behind the scenes causing some of these issues, in order to bring Rad and Ixion into war more quickly than either want.) |
Year 13, Month 10 More bookfinds and research. This month. With Vix gone, Alzar spends some time taking out a few dungeons instead. Corran Keep is up and running. The Corran Barony begins this month officially. Alzar holds a huge party in the capital for them. Alzar spends some time working on upgrading the educational infrastructure here. He preemptively teleports to the great ice bridge forming in the north and destroys it before any Frost Giants think of crossing. The Fire Elementals he summoned really seemed to enjoy it. Year 13, Month 11 More bookfinds and research. A few crimes are committed, but Alzar finds and takes them out. Publicly. ALPHATIAN ARMADA AND CITY BURNED As the Erewan elves were convicted of burning the temples of Asterius, then Glantri sends a crack unit of mages to free them. They broke into the Imperial Palace's dungeons and rescue the Erewan elves. Later, escaping from the continent of Alphatia, they stop in at the city of Aasla, which is the main port of the Alphatian navy's sky-ship armada. They steal a naval sky-ship and make their es*cape, starting a fire among several other ships to conceal their departure and delay pursuit. Unfortunately, before the mages of Aasla can put out the fire, it grows into a firestorm. Amazing amounts of heated air from the sky-ship fire rises from the city; more air rushes in from the surrounding countryside. The fire spreads and the cycle con*tinues, turning the city into an inferno. When all is done, days later, the city is a crumbling acropolis of ash; half its population, especially the non-spellcasting citizens, are dead. |
Year 13, Month 12
More bookfinds and research. Literacy is up to 63%. The Great Library has been a big hit and dozens of scholars and academicians are there daily. He stopped a high profile thief trying to get into the library and steal some valuable books. He goes public about stopping the thief to help deter others. Alzar’s stats rise +1 each and he makes two more Silver Golems. Alzar’s research finishes and the magical item is made! Update for Entropy: 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. DONE He should be finished next year for the 1st and 4th tasks. With the rise of tempers and battles, countless pirates and bandits are seeing this as an opportunity and Alzar has been seeing heightened raids. |
Year 14, Month 1
Bookfinds are ongoing. Alzar is investing a lot of time in his Consume Knowledge spell that eats a book to give him the knowledge of that book, and he’ll teleport to Thorasia and do a few each day with extra books made by Bookcopy. Cold reigns over Norwold heavy. WAR DECLARED Empress Eriadna of Alphatia, having sorted through the ruins of the city of Aasla and determined what has happened, issues a proclamation of war against Glantri. Immediately thereafter, the Principalities of Glantri declare war upon the Empire of Alphatia. Considering Glantri's much smaller size, this sounds like a joke-until the next day, when the Empire of Thyatis and the Heldannic Knights both declare war on Alphatia as well. This is a grim day for Rad, who has been trying to delay the outbreak of war as long as possible, and a victory for the Ring of Fire. Alphatia and Thyatis, the two greatest political powers of the Known World, are now at war. |
Year 14, Month 2
This month Alzar spies an attack on his underground city at Ith Khinax. This former beholder home is a few miles underground and he cleaned it out and the uses it at the central depository for his undead and demons who patrol the streets, and he walled off the entrances. He uses it as a backup powerbase. A group of 4 beholder scouts broke through the wall easily with disintegrate rays and are attacking his base. He teleports down there and destroys them and rebuilds the wall. He adds Bastion spells to the main entrances this month, and focuses more on Ith Khinax defenses. Nyx blesses Ith Khinax and the undead there won’t be able to be turned, destroyed or controlled away from Alzar. More bookfinds erupt. ALPHATIA BUILDS FORCES The Empire of Alphatia, caught off-guard by Thyatis's declaration of war, finds that it cannot immediately send conventional invasion forces against Glantri; Thyatis and the Heldannic Knights can interfere along every approach to Glantri. Also, the largest available sky-fleet was the one de*stroyed at Aasla, further limiting Alphatia's mobility with normal troops. So they decide on a longer, more grueling plan for the conquest of Glantri. First, they must eliminate the Empire of Thyatis as an obstacle, and the first step in this plan is to take over the Isle of Dawn. |
Year 14, Month 3
Alzar has a major pirate force hit some of the privately owned merchants from his nation off Landfall. They sink four ships, capture two more, and looted the entire fleet. Alzar spies them returning to Landfall. Alzar is done with this. He is done with Landfall. Alzar teleports to Alpha, and requests a meeting with King Ericall. The King and Alzar don’t get along too well after Alzar declared independence, and then supported military, Oceansend’s War of Independence. but they have had a sort of “Don’t bother each other” set of relations since Alzar secured Norwold’s peace last year in Edairo. Alzar shows his evidence and scrying. Pirate ships from Landfall took out a merchant fleet of six of his ships. If that happened from Alzar’s domain, what would Ericall want? King Ericall guaranteed his independence. This is an act of war. If it continues, Alzar cannot respond save by an Act of War back. How can Ericall guarantee his independence when he lets Landfall be? How many times have Landfall pirates or bandits raided Alzar? Ericall has no answers, just platitudes. Alzar returns home. That night, Alzar makes it personal mission to destroy Landfall. KHANATE RETURNS RAIDS Incensed by raids into it’s territory, the Ethengar Khanate raids back and hits the Heldannic Knights hard, thus hurting their immediate ability to help Glantri. |
Year 14, Month 4
Alzar heads to Freiburg, the capital of the Heldannic Knights, and to the south of Norwold and Landfall. Alzar takes out of the Khanate raids with some allies and himself, as a sign of good will towards the Knights. Alzar asks for the Knights help. He wants Landfall removed from the map. These are crusading knights and paladins, and they don’t like Landfall as a haven for thugs, bandits and pirates being right next door anymore than he does. He tells them of their recent raid, but Alzar is afraid Norwold will punish him if he moves to take out Landfall on his own, so he needs someone else to take them out. He offers to support any military offensive north into Landfall. More bookfinds and such. Alzar stops a bunch more raids and removes bandits from his nation. ALPHATIA SENDS MONSTERS Since Alphatia can not yet attack Glantri di*rectly, they decide on a stop-gap attack: a reign of terror which they can set into motion without having to monitor. Hundreds of Alphatian wizards travel secretly to Glantri and conjure hordes of monsters-many of them from other planes-and re*lease them in Glantri. The monsters rampage across the civilian population of Glantri, and the Glantrian wizards have a hard time keeping the monsters in line. Unfortunately, many of the monsters spill over the borders in*to Wendar, Darokin, the Broken Lands, the Ethengar Khanate, and even into Alfheim. The Khanate has to pull back some of its punitive raids to deal with many monsters poring over their border with Glantri. During the monster raids, Alzar reaches out to some of the nations raided to see if they need any assistance, but his proffers are not taken. |
Year 14, Month 5
Today, the Shadow Mage school has been around enough that it has caught on, and that aspect of Alzar’s path is now complete. Alzar stops an earthquake in Norwold early in its run with magic. An ancient volcano to the west about four hexes outside of Alzar’s territory begins to give off smoke, it’s active again. As always, Alzar hits a few lairs and smaller dungeons. Alzar orders an amphitheater built in Evenarrow. It won’t take too long or too much money. Amphitheater – This 2500 person outdoor amphitheater is outside of the city walls of Evenarrow on a nearby hill overlooking the capital city. After researching it, Alzar is ready to use the Gargantuan Basilisk Egg, and secures hatching it, and it will be raised and used for defending Alzar’s keep basement after being raised for a few years. |
Year 14, Month 6
The volcano erupts! Luckily it’s not in his region, but soot and ash are, and they are hitting the landscape there hard. Alzar is using control weather magic to force rain and well as using spells like Create Water to assist. There will be a hit to crops and such for this year, and realm confidence drops. The number of undead Alzar controls has passed 5000 Alzar turns down an offer of marriage from Empress Eradne’s family to bind him back to Alphatia. Infaust’s monastery has been around long enough now that monks and servants of Infaust have begun to serve the capital and government in various ways. They have added to the growing intelligencia of the area. WEST PORTAGE FALLS The Alphatians on the Isle of Dawn begin the ground war by assaulting the Fortress of Kendach and the Hold of Fenswatch, the fortifications which defend the critical town of West Portage, where elements of the Thyatian Fleet are still be*ing prepared for war in West Portage's shipyards. Over a period of a few weeks, the Alphatians box in the two citadels and then send troops directly against West Portage. The garrison at West Portage puts up a spirited defense ... but even*tually falls before the Alphatians. Soon afterward, Kendach and Fenswatch also fall. |
Year 14, Month 7
After some time spent mining it in Tragidore and working on it here and there, Alzar’s Valorite Golem has been animated: “Unbreakable” Valorite Golem: AC -5, HP 100, THACO 1, 2 punches for 2d10+5 damage. This is the most powerful metal golem on Pandius, as Valorite is the most valuable metal made here. The power of this golem is just shy of the diamond golem Alzar captured and secured. The Heldannic Knights reached out to Alzar and told him they were unable to hit Landfall anytime soon, and thus, Alzar is essentially on his own. Year 14, Month 8 Alzar uses his teleport spell spell (Spelldoor) to teleport spells like Mass Charm. He teleports in and will Virus Charm a boat, and then Mass Suggestion another. 6 boats joins his cause and leave Landfall. Equal to the number his merchants lost. He takes another 6 over the next week, here and there with a different path each time, as they use anti-charm magic then others. Once Alzar’s death spell and Wail of the Banshee will kills the crew and then animates them to return a ship. Another time he’ll use water elementals to move an empty ship back. Each time something different, a different way to attack. 6 ships for his navy and 6 ships to give back to those who lost theirs. Two days later, Alzar teleports to just outside of Landfall’s harbor. He summons every water and air elemental he can. This includes Censor and Bowl, Face of Xenous, spells, Ring of Water Command, he summons flyers like his Griffin, Nightmare, Dire Bats, and creates the Ebony Fly, Glass Griffin miniatures and more. Alzar is on his Wind Chariot. He leads an attack with this horde. His goal is to destroy the Landfall docks. He wants to remove their naval capabilities. There’s aren’t too many ships in harbor right now, as Alzar scared them away, and thus he is able to close pretty quickly. In about an hour, Alzar’s army is dead, destroyed, abjured and taken out. The docks are burning from some fiery creatures he summoned after arriving, like his Searing Serpent. They have been contained, and nothing inside the city is in danger of burning. Landfall’s naval capacity is ended. KHANATE INVADES DAROKIN The Ethengar Khanate launches a lightning-swift attack into Darokin, overwhelming the defenders and driving the armies of Darokin back before it. Within weeks, the great cities of Akesoli and Akorros have fallen. The tattered remnants of the Legions of the Republic fall back through the hills east of Akorros to defend Darokin City. In those hills, units of the defending army try to dig in their heels and make a last stand so that the other forces can get to the capi*tal safely. |
Year 14, Month 9
More bookfinds follow. Alzar teleports to Hamedh and heads to Khaibar and finds Ibrahim’s Mint Tea Parlor. He takes it and copies and creates an identical copy for his capital. Alzar has another offer from marriage, this time from Thyatis, and again, he declines. Alzar is sent a summons letter by King Ericall, and he agrees after grabbing the Peaceful Periapt of Pax. He is excoriated by his neighbor. As Alzar reminds King Ericall, his people have been attacking by Landfall again, and again, and again, mostly at sea. Alzar has thus acted in self-defense to remove Landfall’s ability to hurt his people at sea. It was a measured and reasonable response to an act of war that Ericall’s nation allowed, and has been allowing, and did not give Alzar any justice or recompense. So as the duly appointed ruler, he did was he had to for his people. Ericall has no bullets in his gun. He’s not going to do anything against Alzar when he’s correct. SABOTAGE IN ALPHATIA Glantrian wizard-adventurers travel to Sunds*vall, capital of Alphatia, and harass Alphatian nobles there *fire-bombing noble estates, launching hit-and-run attacks on wizards and military officers, releasing conjured monsters in the streets, and the like. The actual damage they do is negligible, but these incidents polarize opinions about the war in Alphatia- some are out*raged and demand Glantri be punished, while others wistfully recall the old days when this sort of thing didn't happen in Alphatia. The latter group begin to speak out in favor of isola*tionist policies that would enable them to just be left alone with their studies. |
Year 14, Month 10
As one of the few areas currently not in war, the Norwold Region nations are seen as a heavy place to head to by refugees. Norwold, in particular, is benefiting as the closest one, and Oceansend as well. Alzar is getting some refugees as well, but it’s a trickle. He uses divinatory magic to ensure they won’t be a problem, and then they are welcome here. Alzar is contacted by McAlister, priest of Korylis, who wants his help. There are two small nations currently at war that Korylis thinks Alzar and the Peaceful Periapt of Pax can help bring to the negotiating table, and then to peace. Alzar tries. He teleports Finnister McAlister there as well as Alzar and they have a negotiations, but they never go anywhere, and peace is lost to this era. Year 14, Month 11 The Mighty Wight has been around enough to secure it’s strength, and Alzar has completed his immortality quest! He will not leave right now, the world is in a dangerous place. But that has finished, and for the first time in years and years, Alzar is once again his own. KARAMEIKOS SELLS OUT Karameikos, makes a secret diplomatic mission to Sundsvall. On his return, Duke Stefan announces that hence*forth his country will no longer be a "Grand Duchy" but the Kingdom of Karameikos, with himself as King Stefan I. The terms of the treaty of mutual peace and neutrality Teldon has just negotiated with Alphatia soon become public knowl*edge. The newly-established Kingdom of Karameikos agrees not to help Thyatis in this war-in effect, selling out their longtime allies. In return, Alphatia agrees to recognize Karameikos's in*dependence and to set up a school of magic in the Karameikan capital of Specularum. This treaty is one of the major events of the war. Duke ( now King) Stefan has long desired his own throne, completely free of any allegiance to his old friend, Emperor Thincol. With Thy- atis's troops committed to the war with Alphatia, Stefan has chosen this moment to declare his independence, when Thincol can hardly spare the men to re-take Karameikos (which has been autonomous for the last three-and-a-half decades anyway). Stefan has received Empress Eriadna's assurance that Alphatia does not perceive Karameikos to be Thincol's ally. He believes that Thyatis is doomed and rationalizes his betrayal of his home*land by saying that the steps he has taken will insure that Thyatian culture survives even if the Empire is destroyed. He also recognizes the very real danger posed by the Ethengar Khanate in Darokin. Finally, by establishing a school of magic, he is looking to the future, hoping to increase his nation's magical ability in upcoming years. Within weeks of the treaty's being made public, the best units of Karameikos's military forces march and sail west to relieve the pressure on Darokin. En route, they join halfling forces from the Five Shires and a small number of elven units from Alfheim. |
Year 14, Month 12
Literacy is at 69% Alzar’s stats get +1 Alzar is going to follow Karameikos’s lead on two major things. First, Alzar is going to officially change his title to King and his nation to the Kingdom of the Mighty, but then he is also going to try and start a wizard college of some sort. He throws a huge party for the new title, and a ton of people attend! Lots of people (cough dwarves cough) get drunk! The volcano has stopped erupting. 2 more Silver Golems animated |
Year 15, Month 1
Alzar is having in increasing diplomatic role on Pandius as the ruler of a smaller realm, far to the north. He is seen as neutral, but firm, and multiple nations, like Darokin, Glantri, Karameikos, Alfheim, the Five Shires, and more have open up official communications with him, rather than just ignoring him in the north. A quiet winter pauses as Alzar puts down a small ice rebellion to the north as ice and snow creatures attack en masse. It takes three days for Alzar to end it, and he lost more than 80 of his people in the attacks. REDSTONE CASTLE UNDER SIEGE On the Isle of Dawn, the Alphatian army at*tempts to secure the center of the island, turning its attention to Redstone Castle. ROCKHOME GOES SILENT There is just one nation on Pandius that is just a dwarf hold, Rockhome. There are smaller dwarf holds in other places, but only Rockhome is the dwarf home. The dwarves of Rockhome have had enough. It is evident to them that the world has gone mad ... and they do not wish to be driven mad with it. King Everast declares a state of emergency and commands his entire population to "go deep." Within weeks, every dwarf in Rockhome is locked up securely in a deep cave, a cavernous city, or some other subterranean community; all the surface dwell*ings of the nation are stripped bare, their furnishings and trea*sures safely hidden underground. The nation of Rockhome literally disappears from the face of Mystara. This will not effect non-Rockhome areas, like Alzar’s dwarfhold in Hammerhelm. |
Year 15, Month 2
Winter ends early, and construction re-continues. Alzar ends some more raids. He also continues to head out every month to ruins, lairs, underground complexes and more to clean out baddies. Alzar levels up. KHANATE LOSES DAROKIN CITY The forces of Karameikos, allied with military units from the Five Shires and Alfheim, march to Darokin City, which is now besieged by the Desert Nomads. They lift the siege on the city, reinforce the legions there, and then begin taking the war back to the Master. Over the next few weeks, the over*extended Desert Nomads are slowly driven back. |
Year 15, Month 3
More refugees come in. Civil strife in Norwold has ousted several leaders, including Claransa the Seer. Temples for Bemarris and the Halfling immortals are complete. ALFHEIM TREES WITHER With the coming of spring, the trees of the forest of Canolbarth begin to darken, twist, and mutate into sinister things. The elves of Alfheim are at a loss to explain the mutation, other than to guess that something in the fallout from the ash of the volcano is causing it. Whatever its origin, they are helpless to halt it. The forest becomes increasingly inhospitable to the elves. Alzar hears about it from some of his contacts, and he offers some magical aid. He has some sylvan based magical items and such. He teleports to Alfheim and talks with some of the leaders of the various clans here and gets a little information from them. It started a few weeks ago. Alzar Worldwalks in some aid from his own elves to assist. Alzar finds some unusual looking Elves here, that are similar to the sea elves of Minrithod on the islands out there, smaller, blonder, pale, but with larger eyes and ears and some strange markings like tattoos. He spies them slipping out of a cave, and then watches as the band of 9 elves head out to a sentry and attack it. Alzar helps the sentry, paralyses the Elves, and then turns them over. These are Shadow Elves, a lawful neutral band of xenophobic elves that live underground nearby and have been looking to return to the surface world. Alfheim will investigate it, with a forewarning given by Alzar. |
Year 15, Month 4 –
This month, construction on the Mercenary Review Board area in his capital is open. This is to be a clearinghouse of mercenary employment that guarantees that all mercenary units and purchasers are acting in good faith by the use of divinatory magic Alzar begins working on major beautification projects in Evenarrow such as fountains, statues, and plants. Alzar orders the creation of an Arboretum of Plants from Thorasia that are unique to that plane that can be used as an interesting exploration and away place. Alzar has begun working a new spell: Alzar’s Continual Incense, Alteration Level 3 Casting Time: 3 Components: VS Duration: Permanent This spell essentially creates a fragrant small like incense burning, and is chosen at the time of the casting. That odor will be smelled in perpetuity. It will take 3 months for research and 2 to make. After it is made, Alzar will use it to give his Evenarrow, and Kingdom, a continual fragrant smelling area. It can be placed on an item and then secured when not needed. |
Year 15, Month 5 -
Alzar hires a third Magist for his nation, and will work on a new tower for her. Aleigha brings to Alzar news of a major corruption scandal is unearthed in Alzar’s realm. He finds the sheriff responsible, has a public trial, uses divination magic to uncover the truth, and then finds him guilty, sanctions him, and replaces him. Realm confidence drops. After war on the Isle of the Dawn spreads, Shellsnapper is concerned about his people. Alzar, Shellsnapper and Feldspar head over to the Island, and they bring back a few tribes of phanaton that were about to be killed and in the path of armies and such. They relocate to Alzar’s Kingdom. The Hunakoi are fine. No one messes with giants. They return. Phanaton – 3 tribes 450 KHANATE DRIVEN FROM DAROKIN, FINAL REVENGE, METEOR DESTROYS ALL IN PATH The leader of the Khanate plunge into Darokin has been de*feated. His forces retreat back across the border. As a final defiant gesture, the leader formally curses those who have defeated him. To everyone's surprise, the curse has an immediate and deadly effect. Only a few days later, an enormous meteor smashes through the sky and slams into northern Darokin, on the Darokin/ Glantri border. The impact destroys an entire range of mountains, creating a crater dozens of miles in diameter. The resulting earthquake knocks down buildings as far south as Akesoli and can be felt as far north as Glantri City .. In Glantri, the Principalities of Black*stone and Caurenze are devastated, as is most of Darokin north of Lake Amsorak. The cloud rising from the impact is larger than some countries. Stretched by the last western winds of the sea*son, the cloud covers all of southern Glantri and northern Darokin out as far east as the middle of Alfheim. The immediate loss of life is tragic, but Glantri survives. However, the impenetrable cloud stays in the air for days, block*ing out the sun. When it finally starts to settle, ash covers every*thing, killing plants and fouling drinking water. Together the cloud and ash have a catastrophic result on the crops of both countries, ruining the harvest and threatening famine for the upcoming year. Popular opinion in Glantri credits the attack to Alphatia; the Glantrians vow to make the Alphatians pay if they have to fight to the last wizard. (The meteor was sent by Alphaks.) |
Year 15, Month 6 –
The first mercenaries are coming to Evenarrow, or sending a rep here. Alzar’s huge Evenarrow expansion with the doubling of the walls and the huge increase in area covered is complete! Alzar reaches out to other tribes he is aware of to ensure that wars are not hurting them. What about the Aarakocra? Alzar finds a few and relocates them to the Ljallenvals. He finds that the gnomes are okay, and the tabi as well, and everything up at Serraine is operating smoothly. Alzar checks out Jakondar, Isle of Destiny, and they are far away from the war and barely know what is going on. The savage coast as well. YLARIUM RAIDS THYATIS With Thyatis focused on the Isle of Dawn, a bold young emir decides to take advantage of Thyatis's distraction. Zealot followers of the "Desert Garden" philosophy of al*Kalim execute a brilliant nighttime crossing of the Altan Tepes mountains into northern Thyatis. The wholly-unexpected attack takes the Thyatians at Fort Nikos off guard. Convinced that they are hopelessly outnumbered, the Thyatian commander surren*ders without a single life being lost on either side. The next day, the Ylari seize the town of Biazzan, capital of the Barony of Biazzan; the civilian authorities in Biazzan also promptly surrender rather than face massacre. Thyatis now has a new enemy to face: the forces of Ylaruam, who are already on Thyatian soil. Thyatis must summon up reserves forming in Thyatis and recall units from the Isle of Dawn to cope with the new threat. |
Year 15, Month 7 –
The first mercenary unit is hired in Evenarrow. The Great Library is growing in popularity more and more. The Spell is researched. Alzar gives it to his Magists to begin spreading to various places, starting with places that might not have the best smell in the world. A spy attempt works, and one of Alzar’s courtiers is slain. A meteor shower arrives and it’s quite beautiful. The Barony of Qoedhar in Alphatia raids Alzar’s nation, and an army of 150 lands and begins raiding his coast. After the spell is completed: Alzar begins work on a set of 10 teleport pads around his Kingdom that will work as giant large teleport boxes and enable people to teleport from one area to another. |
Year 15, Month 8
Alzar has removed the Qoedhar taint from his coast violently. He confirmed magically these were sent by Qoedhar, not just trying to trick him. Alzar casts scrying magic on the Baron (ESP from his C Ball of ESP), to no good result. He knew about it and actively kept it at arms in order to keep himself from knowing too much. Alzar casts True Sight on the bedchamber with Spelldoor to see any magic defenses, traps and such. Once he knows the baron is alone, Alzar teleports to his bedchamber and casts Time Stop, Alzar casts Laudryn’s Cleaving (just in case) and then Power Word Stun and Slumber. He is stunned. Alzar teleports him back home as a war criminal. Baron Qoedhar is publicly tried for the death of the 54 peasants that died. Divinatory magic reveals he had given a tacit instruction to carry it out. Meanwhile a fleet of ships from the Barony is on its way. The Baron is found guilty by Alzar. Alzar takes 10,000 gp from him for each person dead, forces him to use a scroll that gives him the CON drops from permanency spells Alzar needs to cast, casts Forget on him so he won’t remember the scroll but he will his guilt, and then sends him back to the ship. The fleet stops and takes theirs stunned ruler back. Where possible, Alzar and his people restore the lives of those they can. The rest are given 10k gp each. Alzar attends the wedding of Baron Corran, his courtier. More refugees arrive, and some aren’t sapient. There are animals and owl bears and such coming across his borders. Alzar gets more politically minded marriages proposals and declines. Alzar’s secret lycanthrope network of spies, counter-spies, police and such is now more than 100 strong. ETHENGAR REVOLTS The Great Khan of Ethengar, whose people have suffered from several savage raids by the Heldannic Knights and have been pushed eastward by the choking black clouds from Darokin after losing there, has just started a powerful rebellion and civil war. This frees the Heldann Territories to focus on aiding Glantri. THYATIS / HELDANNIC KNIGHTS SIGN TREATY Though the Heldannic Knights and Empire of Thyatis were both defenders of Glantri, they had no formal alli*ance before now. This season, they sign a treaty of alliance. This alerts the Ylari that the Emirates may have enemies attacking by sea from both north and south if they do not leave Thyatis alone; it alerts the Ethengarians that they may face an additional enemy in Thyatis once the war with Alphatia ends. |
Year 15, Month 9
The second mercenary unit is hired in Evenarrow. The new spell is completed. Alzar is working on making some more items that he likes, such as Quill of Bookcopy that he already knows how to make. Alzar spends much of this month dealing with a lack of food in Heldan, and helping the people there, as Alzar seeks to improve relations with them. He sees a future where the holdings of Norwold he wants (cough Leeha cough) goes to him and the others to the Knights. His nation is oddly shaped, and there are places he really needs to better defend itself. THAR RAIDS GLANTRI Thar, the famous humanoid leader of the Broken Lands, analyzes the confusion in the human nations and decides that his humanoids can reap great rewards by acting now. He calls for more humanoid hordes from the Altan Tepes range and the Wendar Ranges to join him, and leads the largest humanoid horde assembled in living memory from his Broken Lands to the Darokin Crater. His strategy is to side-step the well-guarded paths and passes that separate the Broken Lands from its neighbors by launching his invasion from an unexpected direction. From the harsh, forbidding landscape of the crater, Thar un*leashes his hordes into northern Darokin and southern Glantri. These forces sack and pillage what remain of the southern prin*cipalities. The Glantrians fight ferociously to keep their lives and properties, but fall back before the seemingly numberless humanoids pouring across the border. Within a few weeks, Glantri City is an armed camp, besieged by thousands of humanoids under Thar's command. The capital has so many wizards that the city escapes being overrun or starved out. However, Thar has so many thousands of human*oids that the Glantrian wizards just can't kill enough to get rid of them ... and the humanoids are sacking, pillaging, and de*stroying the countryside for miles around. It is a stand-off. Alzar still can’t teleport to Glantri City or get there, he is blocked by the immortal Rad. Otherwise he’d likely try to help against Thar. |
Year 15, Month 10
REDSTONE CASTLE AND NEWKIRK FALL After a long siege that was not being won, on the Isle of Dawn, the Alphatians had still not been able to take Redstone Castle, so they kept their forces in place there and send reinforcements further north to Newkirk in a surprise attack. They smash through the city's defenses and occupy the city. Heroic defense by units of the Eastern Thyatian Legion allow the majority of Thyatian troops to evacuate the city and take ship for home, landing in the town of Dawn point in the Duchy of Tel Akbir. Within a couple of weeks, Redstone Castle's commanders re*alize that their situation is hopeless and surrender. Alphatia now owns the central parts of the Isle of Dawn from West Portage up to Redstone. On mainland Thyatis, the Thyatian troops are becoming depressed as they lose battle after battle after battle. Year 15, Month 11 After spending a lot of time, Alzar has finished Restoring the destroyed scrolls, papyrus, and books from the Edairo Library, and they are reviewed, and those that are appropriate are added to the Great Library collection while the others are in Alzar’s personal one. One of Alzar’s Magists dues in childbirth and he resurrects her. |
Year 15, Month 12
By the end of the year, 6 mercenary units have been hired. Saffir is under attack by nearby humanoids seeking to escape the cold and Alzar teleports over and ends it. 2 more Silver Golems. Literacy is now 69%. Alzar’s stats are now capped at 22. |
Year 16, Month 1
A new resource is found in the area just past the Ljallenvals as the local farmers discover the land is also good for growing grapes and wines. Alzar has to deal with major blizzards this month and helps to keep things warm in various places. YLARIUM RETREATS The Ylari forces in Biazzan, seeing that they cannot continue to hold the Duchy against all the returning armies the Thyatians can throw at them, decide to withdraw. The entire force slips away before the approaching Thyatians are aware, getting all their people away as well as the greater part of Biazzan's wealth. By the time the Thyatian generals realize what has happened, the Ylari are across the mountains and well out of range of pursuit. ALFHEIM FALLS In Alfheim, invasions by the Shadow Elves have grown overt. The Shadow Elves come springing out of tunnels in the ground, attacking from within community boundaries. Canolbarth forest continues to mutate into something horrid to the eyes of the Alfheim elves, and their trees of life, living artifacts bound to the fates of the elves, are now dying. In a move that shocks Alfheim's friends in Darokin, the elves of Alfheim flee their country, bearing with them healthy cuttings from the trees of life. Half head north through Ethengar toward the elven kingdom of Wendar in the north. The other half, with the permission and cooperation of King Stefan, head toward Karameikos. The Shadow Elves occupy the completely mutated Canolbarth forest. They rename their new nation Aengmor, after a near-legendary city they built and lost more than two thou*sand years ago. Alzar spends much of the month helping the elves in Alfheim win smaller battles against Shadow Elf raids. He also agrees to take some of the Elves back to his place. Unlike the long walk overland to Wendar or Karameikos, which will takes months in winter through multiple countries and hostile lands, Alzar’s offer of refuge is heard, and 8500 elven refuges are relcoated to his Grand Duchy, bring many Great Trees of Life with them. Alzar opens up Worldwake gates that last a day and allow anyone to cross back and forth as many times as they wish as methods of opening up gates. He also commits his Sky Castle to the mobile defense of local elven forces and protection thereof. The Elves will create three major Elf-Holds in the south of his nation, along the great bay, on the eastern Lothbarth Forest. They will have Trees of Life and have exported many things to help recreate their cities quickly. Alzar has cast Control Weather to becalm the area to help their move and adjustment as well. They send their library to Wendar, and Alzar will still be able to finish the book-copying there once it’s completed it’s move north-west. Alzar orders a Temple for Isundel, Patron of the Elves, in Evenarrow. |
| All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:46 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin Version 3.6.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.