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Dominion Addition - Raider’s Point
This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is. It has two resources – fish and salt. Raider’s Point – This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is. Villages – Raider’s Point - 40 families – This coastal village is on the bay to the east of the province, and brings in a lot of salt. Havendrop – 16 families – this northern village is near the tip of the hex. It fishes north. Details – 69 families 3 resource gp – Fish and salt Monthly Income – Standard Income - 690 gp/month Tax Income – 69 gp/month Resource Income – 207/month Total – 966/month (x14 multiplier) Although it’s not the current largest place, Havendrop will be an ideal location for a fort, to guard the hex, this section, and the south side of the channel. End of Month 4, Year 3: 23 weeks of Work left for the wharf defenses Growth is a small 10%. Alzar is now required to start paying 20% taxes to the King. After success, the County gets a new Confidence Check, and it rises to 368. Now it has a 50% of dodging any natural disaster. Our income is 19,547, plus 10% for confidence (which cancels the 10% to tithe) 15637 after taxes 5877 after expenses Alzar heads to the mat and hires some new folks pre-expenses: Sherriff 2 provost Warden Chief Magistrate That’s 2160 gp more The Chief will run the court in Evenarrow so Alzar won’t have to. Alzar will work to increase the army soon enough. People he hasn’t hired yet include an Artillerist for the Army, Magist, Sage (he counts as both), Guard Captain (10th level, and would cost 4000/month) Over the next year, Alzar would like to basically double his army to 800, with the exact same numbers, and double that cost as well. That would bring his military cost to 5,580 total. |
Here’s Alzar right now:
Alzar the Mighty, Count 8th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 21st level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage) Lawful Evil Human Str: 17 Dex: 13 Con: 10 Wis: 16 Int: 21 Cha: 17 Hit Points: 75 THACO: 13 AC: -2 (Bracers AC2, Helm, Cloak -2 AC, Ioun Stone -1 AC:-3 more for Bright Barrier or -2 when fighting with one handed weapon) Total XP: 4,389,055 (Level 22 at 4,500,000) Age 61, Body - 27 Race Abilities: None Taken Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain): Specialization Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires) 3 attacks every 2 rounds Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Myrmidon Bonus: Tactical History 14 Fire-Building 16 Riding 11 Swimming 12 Reading/Writing 13 Survival 14 Blind Fighting Etiquette 13 Endurance Heraldry 13 Hunting 10 Fishing 14 Weather Knowledge 10 Orienteering 15 As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage Necrology 17 Netherworld Knowledge 14 Herbalism 14 Alchemy 15 Poison Use 11 Ancient Languages 10 Spellcraft 12 Ancient History – 14 Bookbinding – 16 Papermaking - 16 Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes – 13 Divining: 15 Genie Lore: 16 Riding, Specialization: 10 Research: 13 First Lore – Aleph I: 8 Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common, Traits: Empathy Fast Healer Precise Memory Obscure Knowledge Weapon Proficiencies: Bonus Kit Specialization: Battle Axe Battle Axe One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat) Crossbow Battle Axe Weapon Mastery Spear Dagger Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer, +1 Class Ability: 1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose. 2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path. 3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path. 4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15% 5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1. 6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance. 7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Alzar’s Father’s Ring) 8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month 9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6 10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5. 11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead. Immune to starvation Can cast ESP once/week A Wish Resulted in - An interdimensional Pocket which only he can access by reaching out his hand, or concentrating to send himself there. It’s sort of like a giant Bag of Holding. It can hold up to 500,000 coins of items, and it’s the size of a large room. Due to the size and volume, it cannot be accessed as readily as his items in a Bag of Holding can be, and therefore, he cannot find items during combat from it. He also can’t step into it during combat, it takes a minute of meditation to translocate his form there. Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy. +2 to all saves against fear/awe effects |
Alzar’s Stuff:
20000 sp 145350 gp 55 pp Gems: Jewelry: Objet d’arts: Huge gold door, 20000 gp; Books: 22000 GP Spell and Use Library 3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold. Manual of Summoning Familiars – When read in its entirety just before casting Find Familiar or a similar spell, three possible familiars will arrive and spellcasters can choose which one they want. The Anatomy of the Harginn (The Fire Elemental Grue) worth 500 gp and tell how to summon, and what they do, etc. Four texts on Elemental Water, Evil – 250 gp each Seven Tomes on Secret Rituals of Water Evil of various sorts. Two Books of Magic Three Books on Spell Research into Commanding Undead 5 books on summoning and binding of demons Book on the Soul Gem Lament for Lost Tharizdun – 33,000 gp Book of the Gate - The Fivefold Path to Power One bookshelf of tomes on becoming a lich, controlling undead, diseases and curing Diary of Helthrax Treasures of Thorasia 3 Rows of Bigby’s Bookshelves: Magical Theory, Spellmaking, Enchanting, Science, Astrology. Illustrated Hamedh Bestiary (250 gp) Creation of the Shade Surrisk’s notes on undead, necromancy, and a spell Undead Familiar Book of the Coming Neconilis’s Book of Horrors Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise; Tome of Clear Thought; Grim Grimoire; Diary - Alinor, Prince of Alphia Laboratory: 22000 gp lab generally Artifacts: Face of Xenous - Summon one of each elemental, 16 hd, no control, once/week; Cone of Cold, Telekinetic Gaze, 1000 coins, 2/day; Flesh to Stone, Web 1/day; Color Spray, Darkness, 15’, 3/day; Comprehend Languages at will - Fires in 60’ extinguished and temperature drops 20 degrees when power used. When non-evil touches it take 4d4 damage and ages 1d4 years. INT 25, EGO 25, turn to CE if dominated. Bright Barrier of the God-King Dargeshaad Alignment – Lawful Large circular shield Major Power: Purge – Drain 2 levels of HD from all non-lawful who can see it 3/day Minor Power: +2 Shield, wielder can hold shield and cast spells simultaneously. Deliver Shield Punch attack for 1d8+2 damage. Cast Command at will; Detect Lie 3/day Dangers: Wielder ages 1d10 months any time activating major power is used. Major power also pushes user more and more towards and stricter and stricter alignment. Chance Dargeshaad will inhabit user if major power used. |
Magic Items:
Potions - of Sweet Waterx2, Diminutionx3, Gaseous Formx2, Poisonx3, Telekinesis, Extra-Healingx5, Healingx11, Levitationx1, Spider Climbingsx2, ESPx3 Animal Control – Horses, Clairvoyancex3, Clairaudience, Fire Resistancex2, Philter of Lovex2, Control Plantsx3, Neutralize Poison, Speedx4, Cure Disease, Water Breathingx4, Invisibilityx4; Invulnerabilityx3, Undead Controlx5 (Wight, Vampire, Ghoulx2), Heroismx3, Flyingx3, White, Silverx2, Black, Greenx2, Blue Dragon Control; Oil of Etherealnessx2, Strength, Treasure Findingx2, Human Controlx4, Growthx2, Animal Control, Philter of Persuasivenessx2, Super-Heroismx2, Polymorph Selfx4, Titan Strengthx3, Agilityx2, Seeing, Fire Giant Controlx2, Freedom, Mammal Control, Fire Breathx3, Storm Giant Strengthx2, Oil of Slipperiness; Hill Giant Strengthx2; Plant Controlx2; Vitality; Tonguesx2; Pursuit, Nutritionx3, Fish Control, Levitation; Cold Resistancex2; Lycanthrope Control; Infravisionx2, Fire Giant Strength, Devil Control, Shielding, Clear Thought, Oil of Acid Resist; Oil of Disenchantment; 2 Jars Keoghtom's Ointment – 6 applications left; Ointment of Blessing, of Poison; Potion of Sustenancex2, Bug Repellant, Elemental Form, Blending, Agility, Luck; Weapons and Armor - +3 Daggerx2, +4 Battle Axe; +1 Battle Axe; Bastard Sword +2; Short Sword +2; +1 dagger; +2 longsword; +3 Mace; +2 Dagger, Longtooth; Cold Sword; +3 Frostbrand Sword; Scimitar of Defending +4; Vorpal Yataghan; Pickaxe of Piercing; Hammer of Luck +2; Ptah’s Royal Flail - +3 Flail, acts as Mace of Disruption; Dagger of Venom; +2 Trombash of Returning; +2 Crossbow of Speed, +2 Heavy Crossbow of Speed Arrow of Giant Slaying; Arrow of Thief Slaying; 4 Javelin of Lightning; Javelin of Piercing; 11 Darts of Wounding; 22 Bolts of Ice, +1 Bolt, deal 1d6 extra damage, 2x damage vs fire; 12 Stun Bolts; 2x Quarrels of Flying; Chainmail of Presence (+3 and CHA 18 when worn); Shield of Fear (Like Plate Mail of Fear); +1 Elven Chainmail; Missile Deflector Shield (+1, +4 vs missiles, 20% chance Magic Missile negated); Rings - Ring of Water Walking, Ring of Depetrification – 12 charges; Ring of Protection +1x2; +2x2, +3; Ring of Warmth; Ring of Windwarding; Ring of Quick Action; Ring of Invisibility; Ring of Human Control; Ring of Fire Resistance; Ring of Telekinesis, 50 lbs; Ring of Feather Falling; Ring of Mammal Control; Ring of Anti-Venom -20 charges; Ring of Mirror Images – 19 charges; Ring of Free Action; Ring of Sustenance; Anything; Regenerationx2; Spell Turning; Chameleon Nature; Cantrips; Shooting Stars (12 charges) Ear Ring Ring of Water Command; Ring of Three Wishes (3 charges) Ring of Djinni Summoning – Can only open a gate to a random Prime Material Plane once/month, and nothing else. Ring of Spell Storing – Haste, Lightning Bolt; Cleric Ring of Spell Storing – Word of Recall; Wands, Staves, Rods - Wand of Paralyzation 17 charges; Wand of Magic Missiles – 20 charges; Wand of Wonder – 45 charges; Wand of Force – 90 charges; Wand of Negation – 5 charges; Wand of Opening – 10 charges; Wand of Frost – 15 charges; Wand of Ice Storms – 42 charges; Wand of Lightning – 12 charges; Wand of Viscid Globs – 79 charges; Wand of Metal Command – 19 charges; Wand of Fire – 68 charges; Spider Wand – 64 charges; Wand of Fear – 22 charges; Wand of Rust – 27 charges; Wand of Secret Door and Trap Det – 7 charges; Wand of Salt – 21 charges; Buckler Wand; Rod of Terror – 8 charges; Rod of Electrification – 17 charges; Rod of Smiting – 19 charges; Rod of Rulership; Rod of Cancellation; Rod of Victory; Rod of the Wyrm (Chaotic); Staff of Striking – 48 charges; Staff of the Serpent, adder; Staff of Spell Focusing – 23 charges; Amun-Re’s Staff of Rulership; Staff of Power – 16 charges; Scrolls – Wizard Scrolls -, Tongues; Invisibility, 10’ Radius; Push; Haste; Fly; Gust of Wind; Minor Globe of Invulnerability; Invisibilityx2; Mass Invisibility, Illusionary Script, Shield, Light, Mirror Image, Spectral Hand, Continual Darkness, Shadow Door, Dig, Feign Death, Strength, Hold Person, Emotion, Dispel Magicx3, Monster Summoning III, Disintegrate, Death Spell, Maze, Death Spell, Symbol of Discord. Disintegrate, Polymorph Self, Remove Curse, Airy Water, Limited Wishx2, Mislead, Summon Swarm, Control Weather, Crystalbrittle, Energy Drain, Gate, Charm Plants, Knock, Pyrotechnics, Globe of Invulnerabilityx2, Stone to Fleshx4, Symbol, Write, Invisible Stalker, Passwall, Fire Trap, Push, ESP, Wizard Lock, Vocalize, Shape Change, Solid Fog, Guards and Wards, Water to Poison, Vampiric Touch, Ghoul Touch, Monster Summoning VI, Power Word Blind, Summon Shadow, Erase, Dispel Magicx3; Binding; Fire Shield, Dimension Door, Elonia’s Glamer, Dazzle, Transmute Mud to Rockx4; Time Stop; Teleport Without Error; Abjure; Gate, Astral Spell, Scroll of Spell Catching 1-6; Scroll of Portals Cleric scroll – Scroll of Creation, Truth; Protection from Acid, Cold, Demonsx2, Undeadx3, Magicx2, Elementalsx4, Lycanthropesx3, Felines, Traps, Devils, Possessionx2, Nonmagical Weapons, Shapechangers; Dragons; Items Worn Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Gauntlets of Dexterity; Rock Jellaba; Robe of Useful Items; Necklace of Missiles –5; Bracelet of Swimming; Bracers of Defense, AC6, AC4, AC 2; Bracers of Protection vs Normal Missiles; Bracers of Cleaning Periapt of Proof Against Poison +2; Periapt of Health Amulet of Proof against Scrying and Detectionx2; Amulet of the Planes; Talisman of the Golem; Medallion of ESP 30’; Scarab of Death; Scarab of Protection – 12 charges; Talisman of Memorization; Medallion of Defense; Amulet of Neconilis; Amulet vs Undead (5th Level); Amulet of Finding x4; Medallion of Proof Against Detection; Scarab of Venom; Luck Charm (+1 Saves) Girdle of Ogre Strength; Zoster of Zeal Sandals of Speedx2; Elven Boots, Boots of Striding and Springing; Slippers of Spider Climbing; Boots of Varied Tracks; Boots of Levitation; Cloak of Displacement; Cloak of the Manta Ray; Cloak of Protection +2, Elven Cloak; White Dragon Skin Cloak - +3 save vs cold, 50% less damage from cold sources; Cassock of Precaution; Set – 1 Black Cloak, Black Boots -75% to move silently/be invisible in dungeons. Crown of Leadership; Mask of Disguise; Helmet of Underwater Action; Helmet of Reading Languages and Magic; Ioun Stone - Incandescent Blue Sphere (+1 spell level), Dusty Rose - +1 AC; Deep Black Sphere (See in Non & Magic Dark); Eyes of Humanoid and Monster Charming Death Mask of Ptah Weightless Chest; Flatbox; Zagyg’s Spell Component Case (12000 gp of components); Heward’s Handy Haversack; Crystal Ball with Clairaudiencex2 Carpet of Flying (4 Passengers); Broom of Flying; Folding Boat; Star of Mo-Pilar (Gem of Seeing), Rope of Entanglement; Rope of Climbing; Warp Marble; Iron Flask; Prison of Zazig; Iron Bands of Bilarro; Dust of Appearance x5; Dust of Disappearancex15 Magic Jelly Beans – 1 Grey, 2 Green, 2 Orange, 2 Yellow (G Cube), 2 White (Crystal Ooze), 2 Black 5 Beads of Force Stone of Diminution, when held acts as potion until dropped. Pair of Glowstones; Crucible of Melting ; Lens of Speed Reading ; Honing Stone 6 charges; Quill of Forgery; 4 Jars of Preserving; Chalice of Identification; Slate of Identification; Incense of Enlightenment; 3 Blocks of Incense of Meditation; Phylactery of Faithfulness Whistle of Golem Control; 2x Collar of Animal Control; Banner of Renown; Pillow of Regeneration; Pearl of Power, 2nd level; Shovel of Digging House of Zebulon ; Cube of Force; Horn of Blasting; Horn of Fog; Bronze Horn of Valhalla, summons 2d4 Neutral Evil, level 2 fighters, AC4, 15 hp, spear or sword. Can only be blown by N, NE, LE, or CE Priest or Warrior. Decanter of Endless Water; Metal Platter (Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Pheasant) for four people once/day; Mug (Beer, Ale, Mead) six/day; Pitcher (Water, Tea, Wine), three/day.; Ebony Fly, Serpentine Owl Figurine Brazier of Controlling Fire Elementals; Stone of Controlling Earth Elementalsx2; Censer of Controlling Air Elementals The Whistle, “Nightcaller” – Blow once/week at night to raise Zombie from grave to follow you Multiform Graegzim Gingwatzim, amulet an turn into Fremlin. Bladestar - +2 dagger, CN, I 15, E 11, Detect Invisible, Charm Person on contact 3/day, strength 1/day, 19 or 20 does max damage when used in backstab. Slay Lawful Creature, 1/month – save vs death or dies instantly. Wyrmcleaver - +2 two handed sword, becomes +4 vorpal sword against dragons Helm of Selnor – Can only be worn by warrior with CHA of 15+, +1 AC and cast Charm once/day on group – save vs spells and cannot be broken normally, charmed become barbarians in culture and alignment, as well as friends. Bloodfear - A +3 longsword that absorbs blood during combat = for every 20 points of damage vs a flesh entity with blood, the sword gets +1 in damage to a total of +7, after which is drops back to just +3 because it’s satiated and has to be built back up again. Unifex - +2 Dagger made from unicorn horn, AC2 given and can teleport once/day Deathstone Fragment - User will be cursed and lose 10 max HP; can control up to 50 HD of undead, with half level of ability. Curse is transferred is given away. The Eye of Myr Div - Unique other-planar gem - 25,000 gp. Body Parts: Eyes, Scales, Teeth, Blood, Central Eye of a Beholder Parts from a Bronze Golem; Drolemx2; Eyes, Teeth, Scales, Blood, etc, of an old Blue Dragon Protective Amulets allow a save made if they fail one and are destroyed Level 1 – Charm Person Level 2 – Forget Level 3 - Suggestion Level 4 – Polymorph Other Level 5 – Domination Level 6 – Flesh to Stone Level 7 – Finger of Death Level 8 – Maze Level 9 - Power Word, Kill Stored Spells: Level 1 - Spoil Holy Water Level 2 – Vocalize Level 3 – Vampiric Touch Level 4 - Minor Globe of Invulnerability Level 5 – Magic Jar Level 6 – Dřkkálfar Teleport Level 7 – Teleport without Error Level 8 – Maze Level 9 - Lauthdryn’s Cleaving |
Alzar can cast: 6/6/6/6/6/4/4/4/2
Spellbooks Castanamir’s Evil Books: 1st Level: Charm Person, Hypnotism, Friends, Magic Missile, Nystul’s Magical Aura, Protection from Good, Sleep, Spook, Corpselight, Dance Macabre, Reflected Image, Spoil Holy Water, Wandbane 2nd Level: Darkness, 15’ Radius, Deafness, ESP, Fools’ Gold, Irritation, Ray of Enfeeblement, Stinking Cloud, Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter, Choke, Dark Mirror, Empathic Control, Ghost Pipes, Castanamir’s Magic Missile Reflection, Undead Mount, Wall of Gloom 3rd Level: Feign Death, Haste, Improved Magic Missile, Protection from Good, 10’ Radius, Suggestion, Vampiric Touch, Curse Tablet, Dire Charm, Minor Malison, Mummy Touch, Skulltrap, Watery Double, Whip of Pain 4th Level: Contagion, Enervation, Fear, Phantasmal Killer, Bestow Curse, Delayed Magic Missile, Putrefaction, Ray of Oblivion, Rain of Terror, Greater Malison, Merald’s Murderous Mist, Disfigure 5th Level: Animate Dead, Avoidance, Cloudkill, Domination, Magic Jar, Deathmaster’s Vial, Eyefire, Fiendform, Nystul’s Enveloping Darkness, Persona of Death, Vile Venom, Xult’s Magical Doom 6th Level: Death Fog, Ensnarement, Geas, Mislead, Programmed Illusion, Flesh to Stone, Curse of Lycanthropy, Gauntlet of Teeth, Otiluke’s Excruciating Screen, Seizure, Spell Mirror 7th Level: Acid Storm, Amorphous Blob, Blood link, Consume Knowledge, Create Crypt Thing, Finger of Death, Otiluke’s Death Screen, Spell Turning, Torment, Vanish, Wandweird 8th Level: Abi-Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting, Bone Blade, Brain Spider, Demand, Heart of Stone, Mass Charm, Maze, Otto’s Irresistible Dance, Trap the Soul, X-Ray Vision 9th Level: Absorption, Blade in the Soul, Energy Drain, Estate Transference, Imprisonment, Mass Domination, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, Programmed Amnesia, Weird Castanamir’s Enchantment Books: Book 1 – Basics – Permanency 8th, Enchant an Item 6th, Analyze Dweomer 8th, Enchanted Weapon 4th, Recharge 6th, Steal Enchantment 7th Book 2 – Advanced Item Making – Obar’s Lesser Purification (4th), Merald’s Meld (4th), Eternal Flame, (5th), Veladar’s Vambrace (5th), Crown Meld (6th), Wondrous Web (6th), Awakening (7th) College of Wizardry Levels 8 & 9 Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Banishment 7th, Binding 8th, Dismissal 5th, Dolor 5th, Ensnarement 6th, Torment 7th, Gate 9th, Cacofiend, 7th; Power Word, Banishment 9th, Spiritwrack 6th Xaene’s Spellbook 1st – Affect Normal Fires, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Find Familiar, Grease, Identify, Magic Missile, Read Magic, Write 2nd – Continual Light, Darkness 15’, ESP, Invisibility, Levitate, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Shatter, Vocalize, Web 3rd – Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Flame Arrow, Hold Person, Material, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Phantasmal Force, Wind Wall 4th – Dimension Door, Fear, Fire Shield, Ice Storm, Magic Mirror, Polymorph Other, Wall of Ice, Wizard Eye 5th – Animate Dead, Conjure Fire Elemental, Dismissal, Dolor, Hold Monster, Sending, Teleport, Wall of Force 6th – Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Control Weather, Enchant an Item, Glassee, Globe of Invulnerability, Guards and Wards, Legend Lore, Repulsion 7th – Banishment, Drawmij’s Instant Summons, Limited Wish, Mass Invisibility, Phase Door, Reverse Gravity, Torment, Vanish 8th – Bigby’s Clenched Fist, Binding, Glassteel, Incendiary Cloud, Mind Blank, Permanency, Polymorph Any Object, Symbol, Xaene’s Mighty Chilblains The Tome of the Unusual: Aganazzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Vipergout, Ray of Fatigue, Paralyzation, Dispel Illusion, Acid Bolt, Gullship, Andrui’s Baneful Backfire Bigby’s Great Tome Bigby’s Bookworm Bane, Bigby’s Feeling Fingers, Bigby’s Dextrous Digits, Bigby’s Silencing Hand, Bigby’s Pugnacious Pugilist, Bigby’s Battering Gauntlet, Bigby’s Construction Crew, Bigby’s Force Sculpture, Bigby’s Fantastic Forces, Bigby’s Interposing Hand, Bigby’s Strangling Grip, Bigby’s Superior Force Sculpture, Bigby’s Besieging Bolt, Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Bigby’s Grasping Hand, Bigby’s Clenched Fist, Bigby’s Most Excellent Force Structure, Bigby’s Crushing Hand To be Decoded Later – Wazor’s Spellbook Alzar’s Combined Spellbook, 6/6/6/6/6/5/5/5/3: First Level: Alarm Alzar’s Undead Porter Armor Animate Dead Animals * Cantrip Charm Person * Chill Touch Comprehend Languages Conjure Spell Component Create Divining Rod (D229) Detect Magic * Emrikol’s Question Enlarge * Friends Identify Hypnotism * Locate Remains Mount Protection from Good Protective Amulet Read Magic Sleep * Spoil Holy Water Talon’s Waterproof Unseen Servant Wizard Mark Second Level: Alzar’s Axethrow Alzar’s Bookcopy Alzar’s Bookmend Alzar’s Familiar Attract Ghoul Baltar’s Lightening Blastbones * Choke Continual Light * Continual Wind Death Armor Embalm Empathic Control ESP Forget Ghoul Touch * Hold Person (Hamedhi) * Knock Leomund’s Trap Locate Object Ray of Enfeeblement Ray of Ondovir * Skeletal Hands Spectral Hand Speak with Dead Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter * Tenser’s Hunting Hawk Undead Mount Unpickable Lock Vocalize Wall of Gloom Wizard Lock Third Level: Alamir’s Fundamental Breakdown Bands of Sirellyn Bewilder Bone Knit Curse Tablet Dire Charm * Dispel Magic * ESP Barricade (College) Explosive Runes Fly Genie Contract Haste Hold Undead Leomund’s Tiny Hut Lesser Rhabdomancy (D229) Lightning Rod (Volo) Proof Against Teleportation Protection from Good 10’ Radius Searing Serpent * Sepia Snake Sigil Slumber * Skulltrap * Suggestion Teleport Object (Volo) Tongues Undead Summoning I Vampiric Touch * Watery Double Fourth Level: Alzar’s Quest Alzar’s Scrollmend Alzar’s Undead Expertise Backlash Bestow Curse Charm Monster * Confusion * Contagion Detect Ensorcellment (D229) Detect Scrying Dig Dimension Door Disfigure Dweomerflow (Volo) Enchanted Weapon Evard’s Black Tentacles * Fire Trap Greater Malison Itemmeld Magic Mirror Merald’s Meld (Volo) Minor Globe of Invulnerability Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens * Obar’s Lesser Purification (Volo) Otto’s Tin Soldiers * Polymorph Other * Putrefaction Ray of Oblivion Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer Remove Curse Ritual of Renewal Special Effects Summon Lycanthrope Swordshun Unburn Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity Wall of Evil Fifth Level: Alzar’s Far Summons Andrui’s Baneful Backfire Animate Dead * Chaos * Conjure Earth Elemental * Conjure Water Elemental Contact Other Plane Deathmaster’s Vial Dismissal Dolor Domination * Eternal Flame (Volo) Feeblemind Focal Stone (Volo) Greater Rhabdomancy (D229) Hold Monster * Magic Jar Mnemonic Negation Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound Passwall Presper’s Moonbow Prying Eyes Spell Trigger (Magister) Stealweb Summon Shadow Teleport Transmute Rock to Mud * Veladar’s Vambrace (Volo) Vile Venom Xult’s Magical Doom Sixth Level: Alzar’s Backtrace Teleport Alzar’s Golem Heal Alzar’s Spellbookmend Anti-Magic Shell Bind Tabi Crown Meld (Volo) Curse of Lycanthropy Death Spell * Dřkkálfar Teleport Dwoemer Divest (D229) Enchant an Item Ensnarement Flameproof Geas * Globe of Invulnerability Invisible Stalker * Legend Lore Recharge Seizure Spell Mirror Spiritwrack Stone to Flesh * Summon Soul Eater Summon Least Yugoloth Teleport Other * Transmute Bone to Steel True Seeing Wondrous Web (Volo) Seventh Level: Amorphous Blob Awakening (Volo) Azundel’s Purification (Volo) Banishment * Blood Link (Volo) Cacofiend Consume Knowledge Create Crypt Thing Descry (College) Finger of Death * Mass Teleport (Volo) * Negative Plane Protection Power Word, Stun * Semi-Permanency Steal Enchantment (Volo) Teleport without Error * Torment Wardmist (Volo) Eighth Level: Abi-Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting Analyze Dweomer Binding * Create Spectral Wizard Demand * Hornung’s Random Dispatcher Mass Charm * Maze * Monster Summoning VI Otto’s Irresistible Dance Permanency Symbol Trap the Soul * Ninth Level: Blade in the Soul Energy Drain Estate Transference Gate Imprisonment Lauthdryn’s Cleaving (Magister) Mass Domination * Mordenkainen’s Disjunction Power Word, Banishment Power Word, Kill * Strip Resistance (College) Terminate Scrying (College) Time Stop * Key to Spell Locations: Volo – Volo’s Guide to All Things Magical Magister – Secrets of the Magister College – College of Wizardry D229 – Dragon Magazine #229 Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action |
Pets in Pandius
Ak’Kabar Tabi HD – 5; HP 26 THAC0 – 15; 2 Attacks, 1d4 each; Intelligence – 9 Speaks – Own Language, Common Tongues AL – Chaotic Neutral Each hit by a claw must save vs poison or be deluded for 2d6 turns. Tabis can pick pockets, hide silently, and move in shadows with a 40% chance of success, and they can backstab when doing do. A tabi looks like a cross between a monkey, a bat, and a cat. They are about 15 pounds, and roughly 2 feet tall. After being bound I is extremely loyal, will do anything commanded, will be loyal for life, can go far outside the boundary normally had, and most importantly, the tabi is not a familiar. He can have a familiar, and if it dies nothing bad happens Azzil, Imp AC 2, HP 14, Save As: Level 7 THAC0 – 19; 1d4 + poison or die Lawful Evil, INT Average Flight class A, 18 25% Magic Resistance Can only be hit by silver or magical items Can polymorph at will into a raven or giant rat. Can turn invisible, detect good, magic, at will. Has infravision. Regenerate one hp/rnd. If within 1 mile, master gains infravision, regeneration and 25% magic resistance. User’s caster level increased by one. If not in 1 mile, caster level decreased by one. Immune to cold, fire, electricity. Can communicate telepathically with Alzar. Once/day can cast Suggestion. Now, if Azzil dies, Alzar is drained of two levels like an Energy Drain. Azzil wants to be the leader of this relationship, and views Alzar as the tool and him as the master, but in reality, Azzil knows that it’s not nearly as powerful as Alzar can be. The devils allowed Alzar to take one of their Imps as a recognition of the work he’s done against demons. Imps are the Ferrari of familiars. There is virtually no familiar that is as useful as an imp. Auto kills no matter the level with poison, they grant MR 25%, regen, and infravison and +1 caster level. They can invisible, polymorph, detect at will. They are the best and most agile of flyers. Now sure, Azzil is a bit independent, and will collect its own treasure and hide it away from bad guys. But it’s good. Aegis – AC – 2 HP - 70 (HD 14) THAC0 – 7 1 attack for 3d8damage Needs a +2 to hit with a weapon Immune to most spells Made of Onyx Stone, gives it a better AC and HP than a normal Stone Golem. Heals fully when a Transmute Mud to Rock spell is cast on it. |
He’ll level up in five months of running his County.
So where/what is next? CM3 works. I could flip and do something else too. Before I do that though, hold on Alzar has been researching to see if a plan of his will work. What he would like to do: Cast Gate and open a Gate to Thorasia Give Azzil the Scroll of Gate he has and send him over to meet with a local Alzar might know. That person Gates Azzil back, and then others can follow as they desire. But that doesn’t seem to work, Gates apparently can’t be used to open and summon from a different material plane. Now, what about Demand? Here’s how the 8th level Demand works: 1). Allows brief contact with a particular creature that is known to the caster 2). Includes a Suggestion spell in it at a -2 to save 3). 10% of failure is they are not on the same plane 4). 25 words or less can be sent So, can Alzar Demand something of one of his former pupils? Can Valia, his star apprentice hear him? Will he be able to connect with her? Will she care? Alzar pens the 25 words, and the Sends the message and….no issue with it getting through the planar barrier… Alzar is sealed to Pandius mystically – will this extend to mere communication as well? Yes it does. It is shut down, and Alzar can’t communicate with people in other planes. |
But that gives him an idea.
Alzar teleports over to Claranasa the Seer. Alzar agrees to teach her the Demand spell, and she agrees to cast it three times for him and deliver the message he writes down. The next day….her spell is cast, it isn’t stopped by the forces that interfere with inter-planar magic, and…the message is delivered, apparently Valia is still there. Next he wants to have her contact Japheth Arcane from Hamedh. This time there is a 50% chance of it not working and…….it works! She has contacted Japheth as well. One final attempt to reach and contact Aman Al-Rafiq and…even that one works too. Two people at the College now know about him, and Valia over at Thorasia does as well. Alzar has decided to begin research on a 7th level spell. It will move the caster from their plane to Pandius, and arrive in Alzar’s dominion. As the DM, I am ruling that Alzar can both research and rule at the same time due to the Ring of Sustenance which only requires 2 hours of sleep and no eating/drinking. However, I am also ruling that he will not get XP for ruling the nation while doing so. Research proficiency roll…..7. Yay, halved research! Normally it would take a base 14 weeks, now just a base 7 weeks to research. He will spend 14000 gp on research texts and such. Now, let’s roll…Nope. Needs another week, nope, needs another rweek, yup. 9 weeks later: Return to Alzar (Alteration, Conjuration) - Reversible 7th Level Requirements - VSM Casting Time – 7 Duration – Immediate Range – NA Save – NA The caster of this spell immediately is shifted to Alzar’s fiefdom in the prime material plane of Pandius, just a mile from his keep in Evenarrow. There is no chance of someone appearing inside something solid. Only the caster may move, and only objects worn or in her or his hand can be moved. The material component is a platinum wand, 2 feet long, carved with Alzar’s name in Thorasian Typic, Pandius Prime, and Hamedh’s Sand Mire Common. The rod costs 40 gp to make. If reversed, this spell will send you back to where you came from. Alzar gets 4500XP from it. He’ll be inscribing it on scrolls, and will be making a bunch of rods. |
A few days later after contact, Japtheth Arcane and a pair of guild wizards arrive in Pandius, and then Mass Teleport to Alzar’s abode and meet up. They haven’t met and talked in around 40 months.
Alzar gets some updates on the Sand Mire. They get updated on his campaigns and Count-ness here. He informs them of the spell he is going to research and he’ll be giving it to fellow guild members, and as well as scrolls and material components once it’s done. Valia will visit a little later after using an Amulet of the Plane to get here. She hasn’t seen him in almost 10 years since he left Thorasia. She is using his old base as hers now, and most of the people that were a part of his circle of friends – Gamholt and Wassilon and such are all gone on. Only Carum remains, still loyal to the Zombie Master. Estaish has had children, none have heard of Aleigha or Maerie, and others. Actually, a few days after that, Varney, the alu-fiend Alzar freed in the Temple of Elemental Evil arrives to meet up with Alzar. So now Alzar has been found. |
Sneaky sneaky Alzar! Good going, Alzar! Let's rock against those damn demons!
Go go go Alzar the Mighty! Tell |
As a level 15 Path Mage, Valia has taken on a lot of apprentices herself and spread the specialty all around Thorasia. Alzar and Valia have a long negotiated process, and at the end, come to some agreements:
Alzar will provide Valia with Return to Alzar, and the material components. Alzar will allow Valia to copy his notes on the creation of the Shade and the Spectral Wizard Alzar will allow Valia to gain the Bind Tabi and Summon Soul Eater spells. She never knew Consume Knowledge either, and now she’s high enough to use it, so Alzar will share that with her as well. The ability to copy his book on the Soul Gem for the old library again (no copies there, and she has the Soul Gem). That will improve her power considerably. They both know that his lost items and such she gained with remain hers. That’s just the way of things. Sure, he’d like to get some of the useful magical items in his laboratory and such, or the money she inherited. Instead, she will provide him: A Bag of Holding, 10000 coins. He hasn’t gotten any since coming here. For the next year plus, at least three times a week, she will arrive at Pandius, a total of 200 times. Each time, she will bring books from the library that Alzar wants and doesn’t have access too that have been Bookcopied and he can add back to his library. With the Bags of Holding she inherited from Alzar, she can, over a year, with the Bookcopy spell, bring over his entire library from Thorasia. She has 8 apprentices who can help copying books. Meanwhile, Alzar has finished repairing the books from the Alicor Library. They are historical, contemporary historical, and magical treatises. |
In one year’s time, Alzar will have (re)gained:
1000 gold worth of texts from Tower in Rahasia 2000 gold worth of Castanamir’s own personal journals. 3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold. 5000 gold in books on summoning and conjuring. 10 alchemy texts, 1000 gp value. 15,000 gp specialized summoning and conjuring texts 2500 gold Gingwatzim information, and the five books and two manuscripts that show it. 1000 gold, 12 books, info on making portals 3000 necromatic tomes for research Ye Secret of Ye Philosopher’s Stone – 500 gold Concerning Mesmerism and Lists of Effects – 50 gold The Magical Properties of Gemstones - 150 The Magical Properties of Herbs and Flowers - 150 The Metaphysics of Mathematics – 150 Principles of Navigation and Legal Distinction in Letters of Marque – 10 gold Cenozoic Glacial Geology, - 50 gold The Art of Coarse Angling – 75 gp History of The Gauntlet and The Sentinel – 250 gold 200 tomes, 12000 gp – value of books in generic mage research for spells and other mage stuff. 1500 gp worth of alchemical books Tome – 500 gp Detailing sacrifice of humans to earth elementals for various effects. Treatise on the nature of a flesh golem (not its construction) 5 books on anatomy of various monsters 8 books on Magical Lore 25 volumes on Battle tactics and strategies in various wars and sieges 100 magic research tomes 1786 texts - Shrine of Kuo-Toa, on religion, water, history, and various UnderDeep cultures. 150,000 gp 18 high quality religious texts on Sea Mother, 2500 gp total 358 Titles on Alien Theory, Gates, Teleporting, Magical and Normal Creatures, Various Theories 25000 gp on Books on herbalism, poisons, and magic item construction. 46 books on anatomies of various creatures. 320 books on history of Thorasia 2500 gold in making items such as Scarabs That’s going to be pimp! Luckily, Alzar dedicated a huge section of the 100 yard Keep to his library, which was pretty small with the books he had thus far acquired. Eventually he’ll come to a similar deal with the College of Wizardry. Except they’ll bring his books over, just plan, in backpacks or chests, from his library in Khaibar. He gives them the passcode, and provides some books for them to make copies of texts they want to retain in Hamedh so that it doesn’t “lose it’s learning.” 6 months later, Alzar will have this: History of the Badlands Tribes (20 gp) Encyclopedia of Local Plants (50 gp) Diary of the Wizard, Zelligar Meteorological Phenomena of Hamedh (75 gp) Tribal History of this Duergar Clan Yaghoub’s Journal Three books of magical history Book on history of tower and residents 11 books on the nature of demi-humans – 250 gp 100 Books from Bone Hill Study 1000 gp library of 300 general purpose books from Dungeon in Desert 6 Books on Worship of Nabilah 1200 GP of works on spell research for Scrollmend 5000 gp research library from Nadir’s Tower Complete Leather-Bound 10 Volume Set of writings of Japheth Arcane (5000 gp set) Scrolls, Maps, Journals, War Plans from Tomb of Amhara Yeah baby! |
After completing his spell, handing out scrolls and the rods, he’ll expect to see a large number of folks visiting him from Hamedh or Thorasia. The scroll is an MU scroll, so that limits it to folks who can read it – Bards, Thieves, Wizards, and such. Plus they can’t bring friends, but as a general rule, it works.
But the best, by far is getting access to the books he secured in all of the various adventures he initially began. Advance two months in his Dominion. No major events beyond a creature attack at Raider’s Point killing a few families and 6 weeks of work were done on the wharf defenses. 17 weeks left Alzar is using to treasury to build stone buildings in Evenarrow like a smith, increase the wharves, and then to do the same in major villages in other hexes. We’re going to finish this thing off. |
The County of the Mighty -
 The yellow-orange dot is Evenarrow, the capital of the County, and the purple dot in the south shows the province of Raider's Point and the capital of that province, Havendrop. |
Month 7, Year 3:
We roll a 53 – 4 more weeks roll off – 13 left. There is an attack by a tribe of trolls from the nearby Ljallenvals Mountains on the elf-hold, and Alzar ‘ports over and helps to take care of them. Elsewhere in the Dominion, minor 5% growth everywhere. Month 8, Year 3: 26 rolled – 9 weeks left In the dominion, minor growth again. We have now doubled the size of our army in every way. We’re building a nice treasury-based nest egg to assist with the next construction project, Month 8 - Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month is held. Alzar will level up soon Two more baronies are formed in Norwold as people begin to move here. Month 9, Year 3: 21 is rolled – 5 weeks left… Growth increases as a lot of potential people have learned of the War of the Crown and have packed up and headed out, many want to get in before winter starts – 10% growth in established provinces 15% in the newer ones. Month 10, Year 3: 63 rolled (barely avoided an issue) 1 week left… Just 5% in the larger ones, and 15% in the Point and the quarry, rock of Rostock, near the elves. Month 10 - Harvest Festival - 15% of income that month We have a minor fire in Augustia and lose 18 families there. Next month….. Month 11, Year 3: We rolled a 74, bad weather – we only get 2 weeks of work done this month. But that works. After the first week, I’m ruling that winter has set in and folks have to end work and such until post winter. Count Alzar throws a quick little one day feast in celebration of the completion of the defenses and entrance and walls around the wharves. He also gains a level! He can now cast the 6th and 9th level magic. He has also finished dispelling and verifying that Wazor’s Spellbook is ready to go. It’s a traveling book, with few spells that Wazor didn’t actually memorize: 1st Level – Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Identify, Burning Hands 2nd Level – Invisibility, Detect Invisible, Flaming Sphere, Tasha’s….Laughter, Forget 3rd – Fly, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Dispel Magic, Item 4th – Charm Monster, Fire Trap, Massmorph, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self 5th – Transmute Water to Dust, Hold Monster, Dolor, Improved Blink 6th – Anti-Magic Shell, Enchant and Item, Stone to Flesh, Globe of Invulnerability 7th – Phase Door, Statue, Teleport Without Error, Dragon Breath 8th – Major Globe of Invulnerability, Permanency, Incendiary Cloud 9th – Wish, Meteor Swarm, Gate, Wail of the Banshee He learns Major Globe of Invulnerability. It’s exactly like the Minor and Normal ones, but it stops all magic from 6th level and under from hitting you. He also learns Wail of the Banshee. He’ll make the Wail is normal fourth 9th level spell now that he has another one from level 22. |
CM3. Sabre River
 It’s the next in the line of CM stuff, and again, it sort of leaves behind the whole point of CM level adventure. This module is posted online at a blog, and I’ll sometimes be posting things from it. Here’s a quote from the module: Have all of your characters settled down and started dominions? Have you wondered if they’ll ever get a chance to fight their way through an old-fashioned dungeon again? Yes they will! It’s another missed opportunity to build off the idea of CM1. I want political intrigue or a murder mystery or somesuch. |
As the snows and winter drive down the work, a child has arrived in Evenarrow that wants to speak with Alzar. Cutter, who is around 8 years old, is escorted to Alzar in his throne room, and he comes from the small area around the lead mines that they have going in that area about 13 miles to the west.
While waiting for him to arrive, Alzar checks in and apparently taxes and such have just stopped coming in from the mines a few days ago. Cutter greets the Count and tells him that he begged his family to allow him to come to Evenarrow.. This year, something has entered the area, and their animals, food, and ore have begun to rot and decay. A few weeks ago, monsters began to roam the countryside at night, and during the week of the new moon, they walked during the sub and many neighbors have died. Alzar uses the Bright Barrier to Detect Lie on Cutter. Cutter tells him that when he was a baby, he was found on his family’s doorstep, and taken in. He wants to save the village and its area, and feels very close to folks, and he is immune to the animals, monsters, and anything else that has been happening. Only him, by himself, could reach court safely. All of those are truth as Cutter knows it. The room grows dark and a chill wind lifts the wall hangings. Out of thin air a huge skull materializes and floats in front of you. The eye sockets are inky black, and water drips from the nose, ears, and mouth. As the water hits the floor, it turns to blood. A stench of damp rot fills the air. Then the skull speaks: "The blood of men grows pale and weak, The land rots while you search and seek. "A blight on earth for all to see, So civilization can never be. "The cure you seek is in your hand Even while you search the land. "No man can change this evil's course, Unless you seek the curse's source." Without a trace, the skull vanishes  |
Here's the link to the online blog that has the whole module, if you want to follow along:
Welcome back to the Sabre River - Return to the Sabre River |
Cutter tells the court about the Sabre River that runs through the area from the Ljallenvals. The curse comes from the river too it seems, and out there is an island right by the homes of the miners and other workers. There is a seer who has lived on the island for some time who has told folks to come visit when unusual things happen, and to come visit and get guidance, for a price that is never money.
The detect lie spell lingers and verifies Cutter again. Well, that’s a good place to start. Cutter will be given food and a place to rest. Alzar will spend the night scrying, and then in the morning memorize a different set of spells, and teleport them back to the area to check on things, and then to visit the island. That night, Alzar receives a dream from the five crones again. It’s hard to decipher though. In the morning they teleport over to check things out. Sabre River appears to be an odd color, and animals drinking it are sleeping, or looking violent and controlled. The small buildings are deserted and everyone succumbed to the effects of the river water, there are around 40 locals alive, and armed with knives, and they are controlled and move to attack the. Alzar has Cutter and himself fly off on the Flying Carpet to get away. Cutter’s adopted parents appear to have been killed while he was away. He begs and pleads to go to the island, and Alzar agrees, and they head to the seer’s place on the island in Sabre River. The river is wide here. In the center of the river is the island, which looks to be a scant 100 feet across. All around it the black waters of the Sabre River swirl with whirlpools and dangerous currents. The island looks lifeless. Dead bushes and trees obscure its center with a tangle of gray and black. Suspended over the river at a height of 10 feet is a single cable. The cable is supported by a thick pole on either shore. They fly over and are at the island in the river a few moments later. |
On the surface, the island looks like any other, and with a pit there that gives access to two subterranean levels:
 The pit is barren, and there is an illusion here, but Alzar ignores it. They arrive in a mud pit with a small bridge that crosses from left to right (#3 on the map). A Mud Golem animates and moves to attack Alzar. Alzar’s axe is out and he moves forward. He wins init and carves the golem three times (it has an AC of 9) for 46 damage and it dies. It leaves nothing behind. Alzar leaves to his OtherSpace to collect his anti-golem items in case he needs them. He comes back and the Gem/Star shows a few other unanimated mud golems in here (7 more) so he heads out now. Also the middle of the bridge is a trap, and anyone walking there gets muddropped. Alzar conjures an earth elemental. He heads right to an amphitheatre (4). Two ledges turn around the northern, eastern, and western walls of this large, square room. The ledges are 5 feet apart. In the southern wall is an opening. In the northwest corner of the room is a door. The walls and the ceiling are carved stone. In several places the carvings have been gouged and defaced. In the corner opposite you a giant gargoyle is perched. The gargoyle is of the gargantuan persuasion, like those he fought against for the dwarves. It moves over, and Alzar tries to capture it in his Warp Marble as it nears…It rolls a 7 and that….a failure. The golem pops out. Melee range has been reached. The first round it misses Alzar (Cloak) and then with its AC5 it is hit a bunch of times for…..55 total damage. The gargoyle has 105 left. Next turn initiative…8 vs 7. The Gargoyle attacks Alzar five times, hits three for 31 damage. Alzar Vamps him for 22 and the golem and elemental each hit once for 19 damage. 64 left. Initiative? 4 vs 2. The gargoyle adds another 29 damage, and then Alzar hits once, twice, three times (anything but a 1 hits) for 2, 5, and 6. (13+39) 52 damage. The golem hits (only a 1 misses) for 8, 4, 5 – 17 and it dies. Dead Gargoyle. Alzar – 40/76 The Gem/Star reveals nothing else here. 15k XP |
They head through a tunnel down some stairs and into an oddly ordered chamber
You are in a large chamber. Near the center is what appears to be a pit with a small platform overlooking it. The walls of the chamber are covered with runes and writing. Stone statues stand here and there on the floor, and all the surfaces of the chamber are scorched and gouged. In the east wall is a door. Across the chamber from you is a large, six-legged lizard. This is a basilisk. Alzar casts Power Word Stun at it (which is super fast, it’s just saying a single word – no gestures or components needed.) It is stunned, and Alzar grabs the Gem/Star and sees something very odd. One of the statues is a magic-user using a Statue spell, and there is an Invisible Stalker making it way to him. Alzar orders his Elemental to attack the Stalker, the golem to cover himself, his imp to head over and take care of the stunned basilisk, and prepares to attack the wizard. Seeing his cover blown, the wizard turns back to normal and begins to cast a spell. Initiative. 3 vs 6. Alzar casts Power Word Kill, and the wizard has a Ring of Spell Turning. Here’s how this will work. We roll….4. 40% of the spell if turned back on Alzar. Now Alzar gets a save vs spell or die with a +6 penalty to the roll. The wizard gets a +4 penalty and rolls. (If Alzar had more hp, he’d be immune) Alzar normally needs a 4. Now he just needs a 1. He does. His foe has a 8, and now he needs a 4. He makes it too. Well that’s annoying. The mage casts Disintegrate at Alzar. Alzar needs a 6 to make the save, and he rolls that 11. Alzar moves to melee range, which was just a few feet away. Their Stalker takes some damage, and theirs stabs and misses Alzar. Init. 3 v 7. Alzar grabs his axe and tries to carve a message on the mage. He just has an AC of 6. 3 hits and 45 damage later, the mage is dead. Sometimes, you just need an axe. The Stalker dissipates and they finish the basilisk. 21k XP They find: Ring of Spell Turning Potion of Gaseous Form Crystal Ball Neroth’s Spellbook |
The child, Cutter, still has not been seen or attacked.
They head down the stairs:  This room feels like it was lifted whole-cloth from the Sand Mire. It’s like a vista of another world and place, with sand dunes, some giant scorpions, and more. They are killed extremely quickly and without prejudice by a golem and elemental, both immune to them. Alzar finds a glowing hammer in a small pit: Warhammer, +2, +4 vs Weapon-Using Opponents There’s a secret door, but after scrying he notices a draconic form in the big chamber in the other direction. He has the Earth Elemental lead, and he’ll have others off to the side. He swaps some items around, place his Scroll of Portals on the wall, and orders the Earth Elemental to open the door |
You are on a ledge overlooking an enormous cavern. Twenty feet below you is a second ledge and the cavern floor 40 feet below that. The slopes of both ledges are steep but negotiable. The sounds of rushing water can be heard and toward the rear of the cavern a short waterfall empties into a pool of black water. Next to the pool a huge black winged lizard eyes you balefully. It stretches to its full height, spreads its wings, and bellows its battle cry.
 As expected, it breathes acid, and the Earth Elemental is almost dead. Alzar’s scroll opens a Passwall and the group flanks the black dragon. Alzar has Cutter and the Imp behind, and the golem moving to the far side of the cavern while he drinks a potion of Black Dragon control and…. It works. There’s no treasure or alternate ways out here. It was charmed by drinking river water, and that kept it charmed. It’s still charmed and when Alzar’s potion runs its course, the charm will resume. They fly through the other door and head down the corridor. You are looking into a room filled with moving machinery. Gears, pulleys, and rods are in motion everywhere. Even the low ceiling is a mass of moving metal. As you look closely you can see a few narrow paths through the machines. The dragon blows through all of the traps of this maze and opens every thing up. They make it through immediately. This dungeon ends in a large hexagonal room: Before you is a hexagonal room, the walls of which are covered with black tapestries. Woven in each tapestry in shades of grey are pictures of great battles. In the center of the room is a large kettle full of hot coals. Floating in mid-air next to the kettle is a large, moldering book. Floating crosslegged behind the book is an old man wearing a black robe. A hood obscures his face. |
The Seer’s eyes light up as he sees Cutter and welcomes him. He suggests that Cutter stay with him, but Cutter is not pleased with that at all. Then the Seer:
"Ages ago a general of Alphatia bravely fought many battles in this land. But supplies were slow in coming from his homeland and often he fought just to survive. His final battle was on the banks of this very river, where he was overwhelmed by the savages and their tribal shaman. "At the end, feeling betrayed and angry, he stood alone on the river bank. Raising his magic sabre he called down a curse, saying, 'Let this land remain a savage and uncivilized wilderness for seven times seven centuries!" Although the sky was without clouds, it seemed to shudder at his words, and a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck his upraised blade, dividing it in two. "The general and his weapon fell into the river and were never recovered. However, the shaman came across the hilt of the sword and, knowing that if the curse was to be one day lifted the hilt might play a part, kept it safe. "For years the curse was forgotten because no one cared to brave the wilderness, but for over a decade now the land has been gradually settled, and the curse is showing its power. "The sabre hilt lies in the Tower of Terror in Flamesmouth Mountain in the Ljallenvals. I cannot leave this island, but if you will go to the tower, find the hilt, and bring it to me, I can lift the curse. The way is dangerous, and you must keep the boy, Cutter, from harm, even though little can harm him. But if you succeed the land can be saved." The seer shows Alzar where the tower is. It’s named Flamesmouth because of the red dragons that live in and around the area. Alzar and the dragon fly up and out, and then, surrounded by his allies, Alzar forces the dragon to breathe twice and use up his acid and cast it’s spells, and then lifts the control just as axe and punch are aimed for it. It takes 44 damage from various hits and then the next round begins. Alzar’s Ring of Quick Action ensures that he gets initiative and he hits once…twice, and then…..three times for….5, 4, and 4 damage – 47 damage and the dragon falls. Alzar spends some time carving it up an gaining some XP. Alzar casts Teleport Other on Cutter to send him back to the capital. |
The Tower is about 32 miles away, but just 5 miles from the dwarves in the mountains. Alzar teleports over and then uses his Carpet of Flying to scout around a bit.
 His scrying demonstrates a very, very old red dragon and about 4 or 5 young reds in the caldera of the old volcano. Alzar was considering trying to find a way past the dragons and into the Tower when he spies a treasure herd bigger than just about any he has ever seen before in his life. (Its big) He drops down and enters OtherSpace and swaps some items around. He grabs Wyrmcleaver, a sword that’s normally +2 but +4 and vorpal when used against a dragon. He puts on the Ring of Fire Resistance (pulling off the Quick Action) and then grabs a scroll of protection against dragons and reads it. He has just one left. Alzar flies down, activating the Zoster of Zeal. The leader dragon, Incendiarous sees him coming and begins to cast some spells of her own. She drops haste on her and her brood, and detect invisible. Alzar is almost at melee range and she looses a breath of fire and he takes…. 15 damage. Alzar 61/76 No golem, no elementals, and no imps. Alzar’s using the +4 axe against the youngling. 9 vs 2. The dragons attack, and he takes no damage (Cloak). Now they know where he is. The younglings just have an AC of 2. His axe bites into one for 7+13 – 20 damage, and the second attack follows – dead youngling. His shield tries to bash the next youth and…he rolls a 5 (he gets +3, +3, and +2 on this attack from weapon, STR, and Zoster – and then THACo is 13, so he just needs a 3.) That’s a hit for 9 more damage (6+2 damage, and he rolled a 1). None of the dragons can touch him in melee. 5 vs 7. Alzar carves the wounded dragon dead, and then hits a 3rd for damage twice and it’s down as well. The 4th and 5th younglings attack, and the older one chooses to cast a spell – Polymorph Other, right at Alzar. He fails his save, but Alzar has a protective amulet that is destroyed in case a P Other hits, and it’s destroyed (he’ll reload it later after the adventure). 1 vs 4. Alzar kills the last two dragonlings. And the older one rises and then breathes fire on him for 17 more damage. 47/76 6 vs 2. The Dragon uses her third breathe for another 15. Alzar swaps weapons and flies up, looking to hit. Now, Alzar’s attacks change a bit. He gets +4 from sword, +3 from zoster, and +3 from strength, and then -2 because he doesn’t know how to use any sword. Alzar’s wyrmcleaver is simple. He’ll get three attacks every two turns with it, and then a shield bash every turn. He rolls a 13 with the cleaver and…hits for 10 damage, misses with the shield, and then is attacked and missed. 33/76 2 vs 6. Alzar swings twice and rolls. 11 and….19. That’s it. The Vorpal blade works, and severs the head of the dragon and it dies instantly. (you need an 18, 19,or 20, naturally for a larger-than-man-sized critter – so there’s a 15% chance in each attack). Dead dragon. (It still would have had more than 100 hp). |
Alzar gets a sinful amount of XP.
He has the Imp fly down from way above and a Detect magic reveals a few items in the gigantic horde. The treasure pile contains the following items: 120,000 sp 75,000 gp 15,000 pp 200,000 gp worth of jewelry, all types 70,000 gp worth of gems potions (2 doses each type): agility elemental form ethereality longevity sight speed Necklace of Adaptation, Rope of Climbing, Elven Cloak Yay! Alzar will teleport back and forth for a few days to unload all of the treasure. |
He flies down the caldera
You are in a huge cavern baking in the heat of molten lava. A dull red glow comes from the depths of the volcano and colors the many niches and passageways. The central portion of the chamber overlooks the bowels of the volcano. Swirling vapor clouds and pillars of smoke writhe above the pit. As you watch, in the center of the room, the smoke congeals with a suction-like sound. Suddenly, flames erupt and where there was once only smoke stands a giant man within a ring of supernatural fire. This is at the bottom of the extinct, about a thousand feet below. Someone has opened up a portal to the plane of Fire, and some other fire folks are popping out. There is a large Efreet, and some hell hounds it seems like. Alzar notices some fire creatures called hellions on the side of the volcano. Three is also a gargantuan Fire Elemental on a ledge about halfway down. There are some entrances into the area from the shaft proper, and Alzar flies into one. (#11 on your map) Dampness and a moldy smell come from this chamber. Large boulders, crumbled stones, and what look disturbingly like human bones cover the floor. Alzar reaches out and senses a force here. Poltergeists. Three of them. He easily controls them. But they are bound to this room and can’t go anywhere else. They tell him of treasure behind though. He checks with his Gem/Star and there is a secret door here. It opens to reveals a small corridor that ends. The poltergeists tell him there is a room past there, but there are no secret doors or anything. He uses the Scroll of Portals to cast Passwall. This chamber, buried within the solid rock of the volcano, is the location of treasure beyond belief. However, any characters who reach the room have a few problems before they can retire rich. If the poltergeists from area 11 have been defeated, they must also be dealt with in here. The monsters fight to the death here unless forced away during a cleric's turn. Even if the haunts were dispelled (by failing a save) in area 11, they need to be turned again before they will leave. They will probably not be at full strength if they have been forced to retreat to this place. The room is piled high with treasure - coins, gems, and jewelry. Dozens of weapons lie around the room, and many bottles of clear liquids can be seen amid the other treasures. In stark contrast to the unbelievable wealth, 8 or 10 human skeletons also remain here in mute testimony to the absence of doors, windows, exits, or entrances in this room. This is exactly what Alzar often does. Have a room with no ways in or out, and in this case, the poltergeists can get it and out all day long. Get ready to hold onto your butts: |
The treasure to be found here is:
• 1,780,000 sp • 500,000 ep • 250,000 gp • 75,000 pp • 10,000 gems, worth a total of 1 million gp • 1,000 pieces of jewelry, worth a total of 700,000 gp Potions (3 doses each) • animal control • clairaudience • diminution • dreamspeech • ethereality • fortitude • gaseous form • healing • invulnerability • levitation • merging • poison • speech • speed • super-healing Weapons • 5 swords +1 • 2 swords +2 • 4 short swords +1 • 1 short sword+4, +6 vs. giants • 1 battle axe +1 • 1 battle axe +3 • 1 javelin, returning • 1 net +2 • 20 arrows +1 • 4 arrows +4 • 1 suit of leather armor +4 • 1 suit of chain mail +2 • 3 shields +1 • 1 shield +3 (special: flying) • 1 shield +5 Magical items • 1 lamp of long burning • 1 onyx dog figurine of wondrous power • 1 finger nail • 1 broom of flying • 1 square wheel Wow Again, he’ll be spending some time teleporting back and forth to relocate some of this. But here’s the thing, only the poltergeists and Alzar know about this room. This is not a bad secondary treasure horde. Sure, he’ll take the magic, and the other stuff. |
Anyway, Alzar heads back and will use the first room as a cover in case he needs to run from bad guys, he can bring them to get ambushed by the poltergeists under his command. He cancels the Scroll of Portals after grabbing some the best stuff (post Detect Magic)
The hallway from the room continues on, and it winds down and eventually hits the ledge where the gargantuan FE is, so Alzar flies back up and over to the other entrance and moves in (to 13) This room is empty and has no secrets to hide. The Gem/Star confirms it – empty room. The room is over a pole heading down, but Alzar skips it and just flies down to avoid any potential traps, poison, spells, etc. This area seems eerily quiet, although if characters listen carefully they can hear what sounds like the steady breathing of one or two large animals. Several statues of human warriors stand here and there. Four gorgons are in the room, masked with invisibility reinforced by permanence. This protection lasts for each gorgon until it attacks. Gorgons are immune to gorgon breath weapons. When the party first enters the room, one charge and make butting attacks. While the party is occupied with the other three, the fourth gorgon slips around and attacks the party from behind. These gorgons are the guardians of the stairway to the chamber containing the sabre hilt, but they have no treasure of their own. Alzar sees the invisible gorgons as he arrives because he can see invisible (with the super-high INT). This chamber is 50’high and Alzar flies up and autokills these gorgons like he did in mire of Twolakes Vale. |
There are stairs that leads up.
Red, green, blue, and white light spills from a hundred sources in this spectacular, intricately appointed chamber. Suspended from the center of the ceiling, a chandelier of carved red and green stones glows with a light that seems to emanate from the stones themselves. Around the outer walls are 10 statues of stern warriors, eyes glittering like diamonds in sockets of golden metal. Each statue seems ready to draw its sword from the bejeweled scabbard at its side. The floor of the room is a mosaic of jewels, placed in an abstract pattern of simple, yet elegant design. The walls, too, are covered with skillfully rendered mosaics. These tell a story that seems to advance from left to right around the room. Across the room is the most dazzling sight of all. In a triangular alcove, directly opposite the entrance, is a small altar. Upon this altar, radiating a golden light that overwhelms all the other glitter, sits the hilt of an ancient sabre. Alzar can see through an illusion on the hilt that makes it look nice, and the Gem/Star reveals fake stuff all over. The statues aren’t constructs waiting to spring or anything else. There is a statue that looks differently, and has a hilt on its sword that looks real enough. That’s probably the hilt then. There are traps on the floor, so Alzar has Azzil, the Imp, fly over, grab the hilt, and then return to him in the hallway. He uses his final teleport spell to teleport everything back to Evenarrow, unloads the best stuff from his Bag of Holding and OtherSpace, sleeps the night, and awakens on the morrow refreshed, with a newly minted spell selection, and then readies to teleport back to the seer. The more he thinks about the seer, the more suspicious he’s been of him. How come creatures that were charmed by the curse lived peacefully next to him? Cutter doesn’t seem to have any more information, and begged Alzar to come with him, but he refuses. But Cutter insists, pointing out that even the Seer seemed unable to damage or wound him. Alzar relents, and Mass Teleports over. |
Alzar hands the Seer the hilt, and he asks for Cutter to come forward. He is needed to help with the spell.
The seer is standing over Cutter. He says, "Hold forth your hand, Erbas son of Korse." Slowly, Cutter extends his right hand. The Seer says, "Grasp the hilt of the sword long lost. Feel its power." Cutter takes a firm grip on the hilt, and with an evil screech of triumph the Seer calls out an alien word. The hilt explodes in a blinding flash of light, and Cutter's body seems to melt and shrink until at last it is transformed. A moment later the Seer is holding a whole sabre in his hand. The blade crackles with sorcerous blue energy. He waves the blade and shouts, "Death to you all! Now that I have the sabre again, the curse shall be fulfilled, and the land remain savage for all eternity! With this sabre in my hands I am invincible!" In Cutter's voice the sabre cries out, "Help me!" Wait….what? The child Cutter was turned into the sword? No, the sword must have become Cutter the child, and then the Seer restored them. Alzar casts Power Word, Kill, and the Seer is immune. He summons a creature, four Sabreclaws. Alzar grabs his axe and carves twice, and the Seer laughs and summons more creatures to fight, this time a pack of 4 hellhounds. Clearly, this guy is immune to stuff, seems like Cutter may have been more right than he suspected. Alzar reaches to his Bag and grabs one of the potions he has in there. It takes a full round to find, and he takes no damage (Cloak) and the Seer summons giant wasps. Alzar quaffs the potion of telekinesis the next turn and uses it to grab the sword from the Seer’s hand. It does and Alzar grabs it and stabs the Seer and he dies. Your blow strikes the Seer. His image grows fluid and with a bloodcurdling scream he begins to dissolve before your very eyes. His body has become a puddle of water on the floor over which a black mist hangs. The mist begins to move, taking on the shape of the Seer's face. Its mouth opens and you hear the Seer's voice. "Your doom is upon you," it says. "You have defeated me here, but I shall return and then shall all the land know my fury!. The summoned creatures dissipate as well. |
"I have been saved and I thank you, but my task is not complete. The Seer is gone, but his curse remains. To lift it, you must plunge my blade into the festering sore at the Heart of the River. Only if I remain at the Heart will the curse be foiled forever."
The Heart of the River is where the headwaters lie. They too are in the Ljallenvals, just around 13 miles away. Alzar grabs the Carpet and heads out.  It’s actually near the Alphia location that Alzar found the old library and tomb at with the Rod of Victory there. As Alzar nears the location, a few rocs spy him and move to attack him flying in the air like a morsel of meat. He moves down low to fly just a dozen feet over the ground One swoops down at him, and he uses a trick from long ago and casts Ray of Ondovir at it. If it works, the creature is forced to repeat the same thing it did last round. It works, and the Roc swoops down at full speed into the ground, rather than lift up. It dies. The other two break off their attack and head off. A short while later, Alzar notices… Ahead is a wall of stone rising high enough to block the sun. From a hole shaped roughly like a heart at the base of this cliff, the black waters of the Sabre River pour forth, angrily chewing at the rocky gorge. As you look up, many hundreds of feet above you the trail ends. Five large pillars, decorated with a unique pattern of carvings, flank what looks like an opening into the mountains. Were it not in such a wild place, you might think it was the courtyard of some wealthy prince. The heart-shaped hole is that labeled Area 14 on the map. If the characters have had any experience with Alphatian ruins (in module CM 1, for example), they will recognize the carving as peculiar to that culture. Seeing the heart shaped entrance of the river, Alzar decides to fly down there to check things out. The current flying from the hole is very powerful, and he can’t swim up it, but it can fly over it. There’s about 10-15 feet of space between them too. |
The roar of falling water obscures all other sound, and a choking veil of spray spews up from the surface of what is obviously a large body of water. As you struggle clear, you see that you have come through the ceiling of a huge natural cavern 30 feet above. Fifty feet away, waves wash a rocky shoreline, while in the opposite direction the lake stretches into the distance. The water here is foul-tasting and black— quite unlike the fresh clear water spilling from above.
There is a hole in the ceiling that water is cascading through. Alzar heads into his OtherSpace for a few moments, and then comes out with his pro-water stuff. He is wearing the Bracelet of Swimming, Helmet of Underwater Action, and Necklace of Adaptation. This is a very large lake with the foul, polluted water. Alzar then dives into the water. There is a concentration near the bottom. As Alzar closes, a dragon turtle rises! It’s a really big one too. It’s underwater though, that’s a better place to fight it – no breath weapon or the ability to break or overturn boats. Alzar unfurls his axe, activates his Zoster, and gets ready and the dragon turtle nips him and misses (Cloak) Initiative. 3 vs 2. The turtle gets three attacks, two hit for 19 damage. Alzar gets three attacks like normal (His three items give him fast speed, no need to breath, and not slowed down by water. He can actually go faster, and more nimble underwater, with these three items, than above water.) He gets a 4, 14, and 15. That’s three hits for 3, 3, and 3. 41 damage. 5 vs 9. Alzar carves again, hits twice with the axe for 36 and it roars and dies. 12k. Alzar will carve up the dragon turtle later on. Meanwhile he drives on and plunges Cutter into an odd shaped alive plant thing. After a moment, the thing has died, and the water begins to clear up. The curse has been lifted. If the curse is removed, pure water once again spurts from the wormhole, and soon begins to clear the befouled lake. There is no more danger from swallowing the water. Within a day, the underwater lake will be clear. A day later, people downstream on the Sabre River will see a noticeable improvement in the water quality. A full month will pass before the river is completely clean and back to normal. As soon as the curse is removed, however, all of the dangerous effects from drinking river water vanish. The creatures that have been charmed by the effects of the water will fall into a deep sleep, awakening 1-8 days later. Those which are sentient will have no knowledge of what happened to them during the intervening period. The water elementals quickly enter the wormhole, eager to return to their plane. If the PCs and elementals have worked together, the elementals pledge to return the favor at some point in the future. This pledge means that the PCs can summon a water elemental from the waters of the Sabre River by nonmagical means. Summoning will work only once and will bring a 10-HD water elemental from the river in 1-4 turns. The elemental will perform one task for the PC but will not spend more than a week doing it. The player character must actually stand in the water of the river in order to summon. All he or she need do is call aloud the phrase that the elementals give them before departing. Continuing the Campaign The king will take careful note of those characters who saved the Sabre River from the curse. If adjacent land is available, characters may find their dominions expanded by a hex or two as a reward. The status of the PCs at court is also increased. |
Alzar has the whole upper complex here he skipped past. There are some water elementals happy to have their healthy pool and waters again and they tell him about a Beholder, and a bunch of Sabreclaws up above. They also tell him that a pair of Bronze Golems guard the gate.
Alzar notices that the ruins are identical to the ones he found before, and are both part of the same city from long ago. He grabs the Talisman of the Golem and heads up, and after some time hits the beginning. He dodges past some sabreclaws and then uses the Talisman on a Bronze Golem. It fails. He tries it on the mate. That one works, and now Alzar has grabbed a Golem. He forces the others away, and the Golem steps on his Flying Carpet and he flies back and away. Bronze Golem, Named Aleph: Bronze Golem – AC 0, HD 20, HP 97, THAC0 – 3, 1 attack fist 3d10 damage +1d10 heat damage; Deals 1d10 heat damage from its scaling hot “blood” inside the being. That fiery liquid spurts out when it takes damage to whoever hit it, or when it punches because it makes contact. Immune to heat, and requires a +2 magical weapon to hit. As long as Alzar has the Talisman of the Golem with him (it can be in his OtherSpace or Bag of Holding) he can control Aleph, his new Bronze Golem toy. He cannot use the Talisman for any other golems though. |
Here’s the history of Cutter, the sword, in case you care:
Cutter, Major Artifact Aura none; CL 30th Slot none; Weight 5 lbs. Description This is a +5 sabre of Lawful Good alignment, Int 12, capable of speech. • The sabre can attack by itself and move through the air as if flying, at speed 50'; • The sabre can locate secret doors 10' 3/day; • The sabre can read magic at will; • The wielder can inflict 4 times the normal damage for 1-10 rounds 1/day; • The sword can detect all types of gems within 60' by pointing itself in that direction; • Only the sabre can destroy the Seer; • Only the sabre can remove the growth from the Heart of the River and stop it from growing back; Cutter's real name is Erbas, adopted son of Korse. As an infant, he was found on the banks of the river. Cutter is really the polymorphed sabre of the general, created by the lightning that cut the sabre in two. Cutter is unaware of his true nature. He does not know he is a sabre or that he has the power to stop the curse. All he knows is that the curse does not seem to be able to affect him. As a boy, Cutter has the same abilities as the sword, with a few alterations. He can move and attack by himself, but only on foot and with his fist or a hand-held weapon. He cannot do extra damage. Cutter can find secret doors as the sabre can. However, he doesn't always think to tell his friends what he sees. When they are not looking, he might pass through the secret door. Cutter can read magic and detect gems just as the sword can. Cutter is immune to any aspect of the curse. If a creature is under the influence of the curse, it cannot affect Cutter in any way. All traps set by the Seer have no effect. If he is ever killed in some unforeseen way, such as by an uncharmed creature, he rises again in 24 hours. Centuries ago, an Alphatian general was charged with preparing the land around the Sabre River for colonization. However, Alphatia did not send him enough supplies. As he lost battle after battle, his forces dwindled, until finally he was backed up to the banks of the river. After hours of furious fighting, he was the only Alphatian left standing. Holding his magical sabre aloft, the general called down a curse upon the land and, as he did so, a bolt of lightning struck him and cut the sabre in two. The Seer is not a living being, but the animation of that curse. He exists only to carry out the destruction of all civilization in the area. There you are. |
End of CM3. Sabre River
Sabre River is certainly better than CM2 in several ways, especially since it doesn’t try to shoehorn in as much stuff. Alzar skipped sections of dungeons and was fine, because he had secured his objective, an found massive treasures to boot. There’s no reason to fight a gargantuan Fire Elemental with more than 200 hp or a Efreet and some hell hounds or the Beholder and its minions. But it’s not bad. |
Anyway, as expected ,King Ericall, a ruler with a lot of land to offer, uses it to reward Alzar for his continuing service to the crown. Alzar gains a new hex, this one is southwest of Raider’s Point. It’s north-east of the mountain chain, and 3 hexes from Moonhold.
Let me give you an End of year 3 Look at his County The County of the Mighty Ruler – Count Alzar Hex #1(Evenarrow) – Villages – Evenarrow - 331 families – On the southern coast of the little jutting peninsula, this village fishes south in the Great Sea and the entrance there brings in some nice saltwater fish. With a small set of docks, Alzar will be expanding Evenarrow into the capital of his County. It’s in the perfect place. The rest of the Hex is really small villages here and there or individual shepherds and there is large area, near the mountains on the western part of the hex that has Cassiterite deposits that can be opened to mine. Details – 396 families 7 resource gp Monthly Income – Standard Income - 720 gp/month Tax Income – 72 gp/month Resource Income – 504/month Total – 7128/month (x18 multiplier) Hex #2 (Storn) – North of Evenarrow is this highly populated hex, southeast of the mountains, and with some amount on the Alphatian Sea. Forest and some hills. Villages – Storn – 369 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here. Riverton – 144 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds Details – 599 families Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month Tax Income – 89 gp/month Resource Income – 267/month Total – 8386/month (x14 multiplier) Alzar will be building up Storn here as well, later on. Hex #3 (Augustia)– East of Evenarrow and Storn, and flanked by the coast, this hex is the last full hex in the area in the waters. Lead has been mined before just south of Farhome and there’s open mines there ready to be used, if they are cleaned out and reinforced. Villages - Augustia – 191 families, on the northern coast, fish the Alphatian Sea Farhome – 70 families, grapes, on hills by western edge of hex Asantia – 104 families, farmers in southern coast of hex. Details – 377 families Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month Tax Income – 54 gp/month Resource Income – 378/month Total –6786/month (x18 multiplier) Hex #4 (Rostock) –, this heavy forested hex is next to the Ljallenvals and has an elf-hold of 122 elves living here too. Village – Rostock – 138 families, they have a small quarry here they use to harvest stone and rocks of quality and send them elsewhere. 3 resource GP Details - 148 families, 1 good – Stone Monthly Income – Standard Income - 560 gp/month Tax Income – 56 gp/month Resource Income – 168/month Total – 2072/month (x14 multiplier) Raider’s Point - This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is. It has two resources – fish and salt. Raider’s Point – This hex is the far point on the peninsula that is across the channel from Evenarrow and Bergholm Isle. It’s just four hexes from the Barony of Moonhold, where Sandralane is. Villages – Raider’s Point - 101 families – This coastal village is on the bay to the east of the province, and brings in a lot of salt. Havendrop – 39 families – this northern village is near the tip of the hex. It fishes north. Details – 181 families 3 resource gp – Fish and salt Monthly Income – Standard Income - 690 gp/month Tax Income – 69 gp/month Resource Income – 207/month Total – 2534/month (x14 multiplier) Hex #5 - (Spearhold) – This hex is southwest of Raider’s Point and northeast of the mountains in Eagles’ Barrier. With just two resources, it has only grain and potatoes here. Villages – Spearhold - 60 families – Virtually everyone lives in this farming village, growing either potatoes or grains. Details – 68 families 2 resource gp – Grain and Potatoes Monthly Income – Standard Income - 680 gp/month Tax Income – 68 gp/month Resource Income – 136/month Total – 884/month (x13 multiplier) Bergholm Island – Although it spreads across via two hexes, it’s really the size of one full hex, and we’ll treat it as such. Heavily mountainous and with very few places to do stuff. 207 Families; 2 resources, 1 mineral, 1 vegetable – Copper mines and berries. Just one village: Bergholm Villa – 176 families, they are on a river where it meets the Great Sea, and the place is elevated too. Form here they can reach both some copper mine and harvest the numerous berry bushes that grow all over. Monthly Income - Standard Income - 290 gp/month Tax Income – 29 gp/month Resource Income – 116/month Total –3105/month (x15 multiplier) EXPENSES – 15,010 + Tithe, Taxes 20% taxes to King Ericall (Not paid for first two years) 10% Tithe to local temple (Not paid for three months) Military – 5,580 County Staff - 2520 Specialist Staff – 4050 Stronghold Staff - 2560 Taxes to Ericall – 20% Tithe to Matter Temple – 10% Treasury - 121,592 Holidays: Month 8 - Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month Month 10 - Harvest Festival - 15% of income that month Month 1 - Year’s End Divine Liturgy – 5% of income that month County Staff – Chaplain – 500 gp 2 Magistrate – 400 gp 6 Sheriff – 600 gp 16 Provost – 320 gp 10 Warden – 200 gp Reeve – 500 gp Specialist Staff: Steward – 1000 gp Engineer – 750 gp Herald – 300 gp Chief Magistrate – 2000 gp Stronghold Staff: Marshall - 80 gp 4 Bailiffs – 80 gp Chamberlain – 200 gp Senechal – 200 gp Castellan (Lvl 8), 2000 gp County Military – Light Foot Soldiers – 300 troops, 10 leaders – 600 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger Heavy Foot Soldiers – 160 troops, 6 leaders – 480 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger Light Horse Soldiers – 80 troops, 2 leader – 800 gp, AC6, longsword, lance Heavy Horse Soldiers – 100 troops, 4 leader – 1600 gp, AC 2, longsword lance Crossbow Troops – 160, 4 leaders – 640 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword 26 Officers – 260 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead 10 Armorer – 1000 gp 4 Smiths – 100 gp 2 Equerry – 100 gp Total monthly cost for the military Alzar is putting together is 2790 He gets income and expenses each month, and then rolls for population changes, and events. It will take 2 months before they will start getting taxes in. He also gets XP on an even level with his taxes, so he makes 2902 XP the first month, and then it heads up from there. Current Confidence of County – 268 – Average |
Because Alzar is now getting 30k XP a month from gold, and it’s getting higher, I am now capping his XP gain per month to 10k. That is being done to keep his level down. I am justifying it by pointing out that continuing to rule doesn’t have as many opportunities to learn and grow as before.
He’s saving up money for the next construction project, but that might not be needed anymore. As expected, trade in Evenarrow is increasing. With the enhanced wharves, location on the major trade route, and an important place strategically, trade and traffic here continues to increase. Alzar heads over to Alpha to have his annual End of the Year meeting with the King, Queen and their advisors about the various things that have been happening and such. After the curse, Alzar’s Dominion Confidence dropped 100. King Ericall mentions that he’ll send one of his contacts over to help. He knows of a traveling showman who has a particularly grandiose show to head on over and help his dominion out. Alzar has also begun to send out feelers for golems and their building. He has built golems and other constructs back on Thorasia, such as Iron Cobra and Necrophidus. Some of the common Pandius Golems, like the bronze one, really appeal to him. Some of the common ones here include: Amber Golems - The ones that look like lion things., He encountered them in Thorasia and Hamedh as well. Basic tomes reveal that they would take a high level priest. Skeletal Golem – Weaker than the typical Bone Golem. Silver Golem – Wizards make them ,and they are very interesting. Mud Golem – Made by priests Obsidian Golem – Not a lot is known about them There are probably some others. There are other golems made here too, like standard Stone, Iron, Flesh, Clay, Bone, the weak Wood Golem and various variants like Iron Cobra and Necrophidus. Of the group, he finds the Silver Golem very interesting, and has begun to inquire how to make one. Golems are animated either from earthen materials (Stone, Clay, Mud, Amber, various metals, etc) or from formerly living ones (Wood, Bone, Flesh). There are probably some unusual golems, like sand or something out there too. But for now, he’s fine. He has all of the information on how to make iron golems and the smaller version, iron men, from Castanimir’s complex he raided, and he has made his own flesh golem back in Thorasia, stone golem in Hamedh, and made Iron Cobra and Necrophidus constructs (not golems) as well. So it shouldn’t take too long to find out the process on how to make a Silver Golem, common golem types tend to have lots of people know how they work, and he begins to send out feelers. |
The Book of Lairs II
 We’ll interject this smaller stuff here and there to flesh things out again. Near the end of the year, about a week from it, news comes of a raiding party of frost giants that cross down from the island of Frosthaven and down, and entered the Ljallenvals. A small raid was just conducted. Alzar teleports to the village and flies back the way they supposedly came, and can see their trail. A few miles later he arrives at a long, broad cave. He sees more than 20 frost giants in front of the cave, and just inside, it’s not deep, just about 30 feet or so back from the surface . There’s a pack of winter wolves in the front. Alzar heads out a few hundred yards and the begins to summon allies. He summons water, earth, and air elemental (water from the heavy snow – there is no fire to use for that one) . He also summons an Invisible Stalker and orders it to do some scouting and Azzil., his Imp, does so as well. This is a great opportunity for Alzar to try out his new spell. He’s going to have the elemental army pressing on one side, and then drop onto the other. Alzar gets the elementals to guard one of the two exits from the other, and then flies down, with the Stalker and Imp out of spell range. He has the lock of female elf hair in his hand and casts Wail of the Banshee. The Wail works thusly: For each spell level of the caster, one listener within range will hear the wail and make a saving throw vs death magic or die. It’s that simple. Alzar wails. And…9 giants die, a few weren’t in range, and two wolves do as well. With that many of their people dying that quickly, the giants immediately fail their morale check and flee. They rush right into the large group of elements waiting to smash them. They have no organization, and the elementals quickly make quick work, supported by the occasional spell by Alzar. Afterwards, Alzar carves the wolf pelts and takes them, and then he animates one of the giant skeletons, grabs a few slaves/meals the giants captured from his people and Mass Teleports them back. Then he’ll pop back over every so often to animate another, and he’ll store 23 giant skeletons out here in case he needs them later. He also found: Splint Mail +1 23432 GP in various coins, predominantly copper, silver, and electrum, and some minor goods. Alzar is going to spend that gold to build a large paper-making and book-binding facility in Evenarrow for himself to use, and employ locals, teaching them the trade himself. End of Book of Lairs II for now |
Year 3 Ends.
Alzar is working on learning some new skills. (He’s gained a lot of levels and acquired a lot of skills points to use. ) He’s been in Pandius almost 3 years without learning anything new. He spends some time with the air riders and learning aerial riding. Considering how often he flies, and that he can fly the Ebony Fly figurine when he wants to, that just makes sense. Month 1, Year 4: No major growth or ungrowth in winter time. Month 1 - Year’s End Divine Liturgy – 5% of income that month Alzar picks up: Artillerist – 750 gp Guard Captain – 4000 And some additional County Staff A Comet is seen in the sky and Dominion Confidence drops again. It’s now 242. Month 2, Year 4: Dominion News – 5% growth across the board, 15% in Spearhold There are a few changes to the next building project in Evenarrow. Firstly, because the county now has a quarry in the next hex over with a lot of people, the quality of products improves. Secondly, because the second project has been completed, the experts from King Ericall have returned to him. But they've now built two major projects, so their expertise is solid. Because Alzar has more money, and the final project is the defenses of the city, he's going to expand the initial plan by increasing the height of some areas, and widening the length and range of the walls. The original PM modifier was 1.75, now its 1.4, Wall, moat, defensive towers, and such for the village: 2 level tall stone walls around perimeter: 102 stone walls – 51000 gp; 3060 man weeks 102 stone walls with machicolation – 88128 gp; 5406 man weeks 1 greater gatekeep – 40620 gp; 4625 man weeks 102 moat – 2809 gp; 900 man weeks 1 drawbridge – 550 gp; 40 man weeks 8 large round towers; 168000 gp; 10080 man weeks This is now a total of 351,107gp and 24,111 man weeks Now with 10% overhead costs and our new, spanking 1.4 modifier 540,705 gp 37,131 Man weeks – 714 man folks. Alzar does the work of a lot more men with his leveling up and getting new items. Hold on…. He now does…337. He hires 20 extra laborers (100 gp each – 20k) for getting double the work done, and drops the work load to 75% again. Alzar pays the cost Work should get started next month. |
Month 3, Year 4:
The first week is done – 38 weeks of defensive fortification needed. Dominion – Normal Growth Nothing major happens, but Alzar’s research into the Silver Golems creation is done. He’ll need a lot of mercury for the golem. He begins to have some of his people build a foundry for the building of large metal objects, such as, say, a golem. Meanwhile they cast about for mercury and silver. Month 4, Year 4: 57 rolled – 34 weeks left Dominion – Normal Growth; 16 families immigrated to Evenarrow to work with the new army, foundry, bookmaking, and building stuff. Nothing Else major happens. Month 5, Year 4: 73 rolled and….bad weather all month long, no building conditions. Still need 34 weeks of work. Alzar has gained another level from the 10k XP this month. He’s now level 23 and has another 7 and 8 level spell. Alzar needs some more 7th level spells that work well while adventuring, so from his books he learns: Vanish It’s a pseudo-teleport that instead can be used to send an object or target away into the Ethereal Plane in a sub pocket there until Alzar calls it back out again. |
CM4. Earthshaker
 This is an odd module, that feels very pure adventure ish. It’s also fast. It has 24 pages of module, and that includes NPC Bios and maps of the various rooms in the Earthshaker, and all of the various permutations of what might happen when. In fact, if it follows the right trajectory, it could literally take like an hour to run through. Anyway, here we go: Thought your characters would never settle down? That they would never learn to appreciate the finer things in life? With Earthshaker!, you can remind them of all of the pleasures offered by civilization. |
In the first week of the month, Alzar is taking in business in the throne room when the Chief Magistrate comes in with a problem that has to be passed up.
One week ago, a knight of Solvhavne, the dominion established by Max I, and which sided with Alak Dool and Thyatis in the War of the Crown , was in the village of Havendrop, in Raider’s Point. Even though their rulers were swapped out, relations between the pro-Alphatia and pro-Thyatis side have been very distant, particularly with Alzar’s County of the Might and Sandralane’s County of Moonhold. This knight, Heimglarson, led raids against Alzar’s territory and people. Indeed, he was known for his prowess and savagery. He stopped for the night in a local inn and was killed by the burgomaster in Havendrop, Ruva Kolchitsky. Ruva feld from justice and was appended by the Raider’s Point Sheriff in the nearby wilderness. Many people where there in the inn when Ruva killed Heimglarson. In his defense, he offered evidence that Heimglarson had been responsible for the death of Ruva’s entire family, including his children, during one of those raids. This was confirmed both with a Speak with Dead spell to Heimglarson and with divinatory magics for Ruva. Normally the punishment for cold-blooded murder is capital. But the burgomaster is well respected, has reason, and the people of Havendrop have advocated for his release. Meanwhile, the new Baron of Solvhavne has demanded that Ruva be turned over to them for trial and murder. Ambassadors have left and should arrive within ten days or so. Advisors tell Alzar that Solvhavne might be upset enough to take real action and they have a really big army. Meanwhile, if Alzar turns him over, he’ll have an angry village that might go up in arms, and become a major irritant as well. Alzar will think it over. |
A few minutes later a large man with a lot of colors enters, Milos Formiesias bows, and enters. He has come after getting new from King Ericall about a need for some excitement around here! He can bring his traveling entertainment here in a few days. He’ll need some nearby acreage and some seed money of 10000 gp and then he’ll tithe all of the proceeds to the local church.
Alzar agrees and they’ll arrive in three days, money paid. They sign terms. Alzar announces a 3 day feast and pays for both from the treasury. The three days have passed and leaflets advertising the Traveling Expedition of Wonders have been handed out. As night passes and dawn nears, three enormous thumps reverberate for miles. A huge number of people are up and alarmed, crying out that an attack is among them. In a few minutes Milos arrives to tell people that it’s all a part of his Wonders. As dawn cracks, the breeze flutters the brightly colored pennons that grace the tent tops of the Expedition of Wonders. Alzar has arrived, and the first day of their Expedition has begun. They have a medusa, a animated gargoyle skeleton, a mirror that tells lies about someone, clowns, tumblers, a sextet of charmed harpies who charm audiences, and minstrels all over. But none of that is the real show. Behind them, towering over the area like a great Colossus is a giant machine-like creature, more than 1200 feet high. Milos invites Alzar inside for the first tour, free of charge, to show there is nothing here that could be a problem |
The tour has begun. He answers question put to him by Alzar – The Earthshaker is thousands of years old, built by a long lost civilization. He found it himself while in the employ of the Principalities of Glantri, but after convincing the gnomes that live here about moving the machine, Glantri asked him to leave, but not before giving him an object that can teleport the Earthshaker.
The machine has a central gem that contained its soul, but now the gnomes move it with steam from coal and water. It goes though tons a day. There are gnomes all over, and they address Alzar warmly, and answer some of his questions. Their clan has lived here for thousands of years, and passed things down. Due to the massive size, and effort required, there are thousands of gnomes that live aboard the Earthshaker. They head around and check out a limb and then the main furnace before heading the head of the creature. Earthshaker is huge. The cables are larger than Alzar, and the gears about 15 feet around. The scope of the thing is incredible. While here at the command deck in the machines head, a message comes through the speaking tubes that a battle with large forces is occurring in the engine deck. Alzar overhears them, and Milos is quite concerned. Attacks are pretty rare. Alzar asks if people can teleport here, and is told that they can. He was in the engine room a few minutes ago, so he grabs his Crystal Ball and scrys the area then Teleports down there to help out. A pair of fighters, a thief, and a magic user are here fighting a large party of gnomes, but the gnomes here really aren’t major fighters. These are engineers. Alzar arrives to the side, away from the fighter, and casts Power Word, Kill, and drops the thief. He doesn’t have line of sight to the others. After one dies, they shout out, see Alzar, and move to target him after pushing aside some gnomes and then the mage casts Power Word Stun, but his HP is too high and it doesn’t work. Alzar orders the gnomes to pull away and casts Evard’s Black Tentacles between the mage and their fighters. All three are tied up by 27 tentacles. Alzar’s axe is out and he dashes forward, killing the two fighters in front as they struggle with the tentacles, and the mage surrenders. He agrees to willingly submit to a Teleport Other spell and Alzar teleports him to jail. Alzar orders a general evacuation and Milos and the others agree, and many begin to head out. In less than three minutes, the engine is secure. |
Alzar begins to walk back up to the head when a group in the right leg has captured some gnomes and is holding them hostage. Two attacks? And they are without a target? Sounds like a diversion. Alzar grabs his Gem/Star and begins to scout critical places for something, anything. He has Azzil flitting about, doing the same, and he pauses to cast Invisible Stalker to help.
In a nearby tunnel to the engine room, Azzil spies a group moving to the engine room, and Alzar races back to fight them off, and orders his Stalker to join them. They are moving to the head swivel controls. This is a group of 6 people, and someone tosses a stone at Alzar with a Silence spell on it. It lands at his feet. A few long range weapons miss him (Cloak). The space isn’t big enough to find a place to cast spells, and Alzar can’t get to them to stop them, the place they are going for is on the left of the room. He pulls back into the hallway and orders his Stalker to attack and slow them down. He casts Animate Dead on the three corpses and gives them another creature to slow them down and fight. Alzar heads back, and he knows where the next attack is likely to hit –the command deck. Alzar begins to create a line of defense, and conjures an earth elemental, and summons the Shield-Maidens, Seraing Serpent, and such. He heads into the OtherSpace for a minute, then back out and uses the Horn of Vahalla, the three figurines of wondrous power, and He casts Major Globe of Invulnerability after everything else. Aegis is pulled out of the Warp Marble. He even has time to Mass Teleport away all 10 gnomes away to safety. There is no one left anymore. And then they arrive. 8 people, looking to take this machine. Viktor Zhucharnov – Fighter Serge Schrodt – Mage Ivna Beria – fighter Voroniev Lukin – Fighter Yurk Kurochin – Cleric Varm, Melchia, Tuva – Fighters They are battle scarred, and strong, and ready to go. Alzar activates the Zoster. Battle begins… |
Init, 9 vs 3. Serge casts Power Word Blind on Alzar. It works because PWB has a lot higher HP threshold to run (100 and less). But it will only last a few rounds (1d4+1 on really high hp targets). 3 rounds. Meanwhile, weapons are out and Alzar’s group takes some damage. Alzar unfurls his axe, and steps into melee, ready to attack with Blind Fighting. He rolls 12 and 6. He needs a really low number, and even with the -2 from the fighting blind, he’s able to tack both hits for 29 damage. No shield is being used, though.
5 vs 8. Alzar carves his target twice more, and whoever it is has died. The elemental and golem team up to do some damage, and they kill Tuva. Alzar’s minions have been carved, and his berserkers have dropped mostly already. 4 vs 2. The last berserker falls, and they kill the Serpent and begin to take out lesser creatures like the Onyx Dog and such. Someone casts heal and someone else haste to speed up their team The Elemental and Alzar both hit for some damage and two more people are wounded. 4 vs 7. Alzar’s blind is back, and he Wails (of the Banshee.) Everyone alive is in range and….17 for the big guy, 2 for the Serge and he dies, 12 for Ivna she’s fine, 7 for Voroniev, and he dies, 15 for Yurk, and he’s okay, and 19 for the last fighter. Alzar took out two. Meanwhile his people damage the wounded Varm, and he’s down., Melchia is also down too. 4 down. Meanwhile Yurk casts Hold Person on Alzar which fails (Ring of Free Action, Globe) and then Viktor, ordering everyone to focus on Alzar, has some misses, but the Cloak is now known. 5 vs 3. Alzar takes 29 damage from a few hits with magical weapons, and Yurk tries to Dispel the Major Globe, and….it works, Globe is gone, Alzar casts Vampiric Touch to drain 19 from Ivna. The elemental and golem both hit and she falls. 2 to go. 1 vs 3. Alzar casts Time Stop. On the first turn, he casts Power Word Stun at the cleric, and on the second Finger of Death on Viktor. He even gets a third round (he rolled well) and casts Continual Light at the cleric, in case the PWS doesn’t work. Well, when time resumes, the cleric is stunned, but made the blinded save. Meanwhile, Viktor rolls a 15 and he’s fine. The Elemental and Golem roll 18 and 14, and both nail our good bad guy….for 31 damage. The imp reveals himself and stabs down and….gets a 16, which hits with the +4 bonus and he takes 2 and….rolls a 13 and he’s still fine. Viktor grabs a potion from his belt, quaffs it, and turns into a gaseous form, and disappears into the venting system just a foot away before Alzar can answer it. Damn. Alzar orders his minions to finish off the cleric and he grabs a potion of G Form of his own, chugs it down, and follows This attack ends. |
After a few minutes, Alzar can hear where Viktor is. He has found a secret control compartment, and he resolidified himself, grabbed a seat on a throne, and has just finished placing the mind gem back on the control panel.
With a groan the machine leaps to life. After coming to life, it begin to prepare to move. Alzar remembers what Milos told him about finding the Earthshaker, it was upright. Forcing it to fall would likely break it. Viktor is so focused on the outside that Alzar has a free shot to cast a spell if he solidifies in the right place. He does, and casts Maze of Viktor. It always works, no save, and jut delays things by a bit. Expecting that he’ll come back in a few rounds, Alzar grabs the Mind Gem and pulls it off. Everything shuts down at once. Alzar prepares for the return of Viktor. Alzar’s axe, and shield are in hand., ready to strike, and when he returns, Alzar lances out, with the first hit. He nails Viktor with a 12, 5, and 14, three hits for 3, 7, and 4 for 48 damage and he dies. Dead Viktor. Alzar grabs his stuff and secures them, heads to his OtherSpace, and drops off the Mind Gem, and the items from Viktor. Then he heads back to the main areas of battle, and does the same. The people who were holding gnomes hostage were long since killed by his soldiers. About an hour later, Alzar emerges from the Earthshaker alive, and with Viktor’s corpse. The attempt to gain control over the machine was unsuccessful. Embarrassed, Milos agrees to do some work around the dominion for a few hours to make up for it. He drains a swamp and moves earth and tress to clean up for a road. Meanwhile, Alzar will check out the items he grabbed from Viktors group. The mage that surrendered was Maggione, a wanderer from a foreign land, neutral, who was paid to join and attack. He was a mercenary for hire, but didn’t understand the plans or anything. (in fact if you demonstrate what the plans really are in the adventure, he may even turn on Viktor and join your side) . Alzar some time of being convinced of his honesty, Alzar releases him, and he’ll stay in the area |
Meanwhile, the ambassadors from Solvhavne have returned. Alzar has them shown to his throne room, where many are arrayed. They do not bow, and they do not talk. Alzar waits. Minutes pass. The throne room, with more than a hundred people, is dead silent. After ten more minutes pass, Alzar announces that since the ambassadors aren’t asking for anything, Solvhavne must be satisfied, and has them sent away, back home. They begin to protest and Alzar chides them for their lack of decorum. First of all, their ruler has no right to his subject. Justice is his to grant as he sits fit, and not their rulers. And secondly, their lack of respect just now demonstrates that they have no right to even ask, and they are tossed out of the country.
“Get ready for war folks.” Two weeks later the assembled ruler of Solvhavne has arrived near the dominion with 6000 troops, many of the hastily assembled: 6000 troops, BR 74 Vs Alzar’s forces: 800 troops, BR 129 Alzar meets them at fortifications just inside his borders that he has been preparing. Bonus – Alzar’s forces are outnumbered 7-1. +80 for them. Alzar gets: +35 for magical items, +10 for own domain, +10 for defense, +10 for morale, +20 for terrain of their choosing. Alzar gets - +85. Result +60 difference. Here we go. 66 to…44 +82. Alzar’s force wins, they keep the field. Alzar loses 105 and they lose half of their force today. Alzar is not tired, and they are strong tired. He orders his army to force march and…It works, but they are tired, and now moderately so. They force battle: Numbers – Now 6 to 1. +70 for foe. Alzar gets - +20 for their tired (but loses 10 for his) and then gets +35 for item, +10 for own territory, +10 for morale, +10 for a troop they’ve beaten before Result - +70 for Solvhavne and +75 for his troops, again +60 for difference. 47 v 56. Win by 51. 20% loss for Alzar vs 50% loss for them. Everyone is now fully tired. Having lost a full 75% of their fighting force, and going from 6000 to 1500 troops, they are forced to withdraw, head home, and sue for peace. Alzar only lost 15% casualties, the other are healed. His Dominion get +20 confidence from the entertainment, +10 for stopping the Earthshaker, and +10 for defeating their foes in battle. Alzar forces the Solvhavne Barony to give him some concessions to break off war. They end up agreeing to give him some minor trade agreements that end tariffs for all goods produced in his Country from their Barony, stuff like that. He returns home a war hero and the Earthshaker has left to head out to the next place of entertainment. |
Alzar still has the Mind Gem in case he ever wants to track down the Earthshaker and try to use it. He didn’t mention that to Milos or anyone else.
In a month, after Solvhavne is not sanctioned, he teleports over to Alpha to put in a formal complaint. One vassal declared war on the other, and nothing happened. The King points out that Alzar could have turned over the killer, and avoided it, but Alzar demonstrates the lack of respect shown by the barony, and they had no legal right to the killer. He puts it right to Ericall frankly. “You want me to disobey the law that you want me to uphold, so that you don’t have to do the right thing?” Alzar refuses to remove his official complaint. He’s seriously rethinking Ericall’s style of mis-management. ( I was secretly rooting for the machine to be activated, and then tripped and destroyed. That would have been really cool. That would have created a tourist attraction that would have added another resource to the province (Come see the place and the ruins that the great wonder of the world left behind!). Magic collectors and users would arrived and buy up the parts and such. Alzar would have taken the best parts, moved them to his foundry, brought in some of the best artisans on Pandius, and then used them to begin to make Iron Golem bodies. Finally, around 2000 gnomes would have relocated and created a gnome-hold in the Ljallenvals mountains, Alzar would have claimed that area for his County, and they would have been very loyal subjects. But nah.) Meanwhile, he got these magical items: +4 broadsword; +4 Short Sword; +4 bastard sword; +2 mace; +2 broadswordx2; +4 leather armorx2, +2 plate mail x2; +2 shieldx3; +4 plate mail; +1 plate mailx2; +3 banded mail x2; Arrow of Disarming x4 Sword of Deceiving +2 Ring of Protection +3x3, +4 Elven Boots Potion of Elemental Form, Fortitude, Speed, Freedom, Super-Healing, Diminution 2 Scrolls of Communication linked together Scarab of Protection Scroll of Disintegrate, Delayed Blast Fireball, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, Boots of traveling Serge’s Spellbook And that’s it! End of CM4 Earthshaker! |
Again, quick, interesting, and I’m going to use it as a prelude to some later plotlines as well.
Now those four are in a sort of easy line to build off. Each one assumes that you are in Norwold, and that you either run a dominion or are in a place to help those who do. The M1, 2, and 5 modules continue the storyline that began in CM1. But really, CM2-4 don’t have a lot of storyline, they are just adventures that take place in and around your domain. Therefore, it’ll be easy to do the same thing – sliding in some adventures here and there in Norwold in this vein, while Count Alzar continues to build up his fiefdom He’ll begin by finishing up the dispels on Neroth’s Spellbook as well as Serge’s he just got: Neroth’s Spellbook 1st – Magic Missile, Sleep, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Protection from Evil, Wizard Mark, Ray of Fatigue 2nd – Pyrotechnics, Invisible, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Levitate, Web, Improved Phantasmal Force 3rd – Dispel Magic, Protection from Evil, 10’ Radius; Haste, Fly, Lightning Bolt, Dire Charm 4th – Ice Storm, Phantasmal Killer, Remove Curse, Confusion, Wizard Eye 5th – Conjure Fire Elemental, Telekinesis, Teleport, Passwall, Wall of Stone 6th – Disintegrate, Invisible Stalker, Legend Lore, Claws of the Umber Hulk 7th – Statue, Power Word Stun, Vision, Mass Invisibility Serge’s Spellbook 1st – Magic Missile, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Protection from Evil, Light, Burning Hands, Charm Person 2nd – Detect Invisible, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Levitate, Web, Continual Light, 3rd – Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Lightning Bolt, Vampiric Touch, Haste, Hold Undead 4th – Confusion, Wall of Fire, Hold Monster, Acid Bolt, Shout 5th – Telekinesis, Teleport, Dissolve, Cloudkill, Summon Shadow, Cone of Cold 6th – Disintegrate, Projected Image, Death Spell, Dimensional Blade 7th – Planar Door, Spell Turning, Limited Wish 8th – Power Word Blind, Incendiary Cloud Alzar adds Power Word, Blind and Planar Door to his roster of spells. Alzar is also subbing out Chaos for Summon Shadow in his default list of spells, since he hasn’t had a chance to cast that in a while, and Wail of the Banshee is now is default spell against bi groups, followed by Mass Domination or Mass Charm. |
Back to the Barony Stuff:
Currently the Barony makes 30,905 Currently, the Barony spends - 19,980 plus 30% to taxes and tithe So very little cash right now, after the people Alzar just hired. So, over the next few months, as they grow the tax-base, Alzar will bring in some more money, and then in a few months, will look at adding another large injection of military and increase them by 50% across the board to 1200 soldiers Alzar wants to go ahead and approve the building of a keep in Raider’s Point, on the southern part of the channel in here. Raider’s Point is in a flat, lightly covered, coastal area on the northern coast that brings in salt from the Sea and local deposits. Here are the modifiers for this place: Climate – Temperate – 1.25 Geography – Plains 0.75 Ground Cover = Scrub 1.0 Resource – Distant and Good 1.5 Culture – Agricultural – 1.0 Worker Skill – Average, 1.00 Worker Morale – Average, 1.0 Final PM is…. 1.4 There are a lot of dominions here in the southern part of Norwold, and this place is much more likely to be hit than the north. So, Alzar needs it to be even more pimp, and he uses taller walls, towers, and the best of the best. He also wants to build it all at once, walls, keeps, and defensive formations. With the best towers (Large Round) and the best defenses on walls (machicolations). Here’s the final costs for a 4 story keep, 120’ by 120’, with a stone roof, rather than wood one, but wood floors elsewhere, and towers, and a large barbican, moat, and drawbridge, tunnels etc. Then we have level 3 walls around the area, including the wharves, two grand gatekeeps, numerous towars and defenses. A moat, drawbridges, and more are all included. Total cost 810,135 gp and 95,676 man weeks. Alright, now… 1,247,608 total gp after PM and 10% extra stuff 147,341 man weeks Total – 2833 workers needed. Alzar pays the cash with his personal stash. If he wants to spend 283,000 he’ll be able to hire double the works and get 75% build speed. He skips it. He won’t be able to accelerate the building of these folks, so instead, they’ll just have to put in the 52 weeks. Month 6, Year 4: 04 and 54 – There are 30 weeks and 48 weeks left on the two projects. |
WGS1. Five Shall be One
 Let’s do something a little different for a bit. We’ll be changing the backstory, and t herder of this adventure to fit our world and story. Five Shall be One and the sequel, Howl from the North were designed as two of a trilogy that was not concluded in a module, but in a boardgame (Greyhawk Wars). We’ll be shifting things around, and since one of the five in these duology is just given to you, I’m going to add in a small lair from the Book of Lairs instead. |
As the second week of this month begins, a barbarian emissary from Barkal the Red has arrived. Barkal the Red would like some assistance from a non-barbarian to assist with some thing that has just been revealed. Alzar agrees and then Mass Teleports the emissary and himself to the camp that Barkal’s tribe has.
After being greeted and a feast in his honor, Barkal takes Alzar to his tent and they begin to discuss history, and then shop. As Alzar knows, there are currently three tribes that rule the wastes up here in the north of Norwold and beyond. The barbarians used to be called the Corusk people. The three tribes each have a around 15000 barbarians in them, and more than that, they are split into a large number of smaller sub-tribes, and only get together for major events and holidays. Barkal’s is not only the leader of his subtribe of 900, but also one of the leaders of their whole tribe. The three tribes are the Bear, Fox, and Wolf tribes. Some time ago, there were five barbarian tribes, (The others are the Lynx and Hawk) and each one has a totemic weapon that was used by the person in charge of the tribe. Then a leader rose in Hawk tribe and sought to unite all five blades and thereby force the other tribes to follow him. There had always been a general rivalry between the five tribes, and downright skirmishes on occasion. But there had never been all-out warfare of the sort that the leader used. They launched a surprise attack and defeated the Lynx tribe and absorbed the survivors into their own tribe after killing most of the fighters and taking their sword. The three other tribes heard of what had happened and joined to wage war against the Hawk tribe, and blood flowed across the snow like never before or since. As the war ebbed, a great immortal who was one of the patrons of the barbarians arrived. The Great One of the North took the five swords and sent them into hiding. The Hawk tribe was destroyed and absorbed into the other three as a punishment. The immortal left, but not before leaving a prophecy that only someone who was not a barbarian could find the blades and bring them back, since the barbarians had failed their blood and their people by using them improperly. Ever since then the location of the weapons have never been known. And the Great One of the North left them, ashamed by what they had become. They were cursed with the inability to be found by magic, and neither they, nor their owner, could be revealed with any sort of magic, clerical or wizard. A few weeks ago, a huge black dragon raided from a mountain holding way deep into the nearby Jagged Teeth range about 75 miles to the west. While out raiding, a small tribe of barbarians were raiding, and they entered the dragon’s lair. The dragon came back and drove them back out, killing most, but not before several identified one of the long lost blades of the corusk. More than that, this blade is The Edge. That’s the blade of the wolf tribe, which Barkal the Red is a member of. He would like Alzar to head to the dragon’s lair, kill the dragon, secure The Edge, and bring it back to Barkal. This would re-unify the wolf tribe from the other sub-tribes, and introduce a new age of barbarian strength in the north. “Well, as it happens, I don’t have anything on my schedule today or tomorrow. I can do a little dragon hunting for you.” Alzar smiles and Barkal claps him on the leg. He knew his friend and bond-brother wouldn’t let him down. |
Alzar talks to one of the barbarians who returned, and gets more details on the dragon, it’s location, and more, and then heads out to do some scrying. He teleports out and grabs some of his information gathering stuff like a crystal ball, finger nail, and so forth. He scans the area, uses the Flying Carpet, and nears the place of the dragon.
As he does, he spies the large crevice that supposedly opens to a cave halfway down. It’s has a gentle slope down, and Alzar spies it from a distant. Alzar’s scrying shows a small cave, and then an extremely old and powerful looking black dragon is moving about, and sorting its treasure. It’s probably a venerable wyrm, and that’s a lot more powerful than Alzar has normally faced. He teleports back and spends some time learning a few different spells and reading some anti-acid tactics as well as some quick research on dragons that old. He doesn’t have a lot. Acid is harder to protect against. But he does have a scroll of protection against acid. It’s not going to be easy to win this battle with melee weapons it’ll have a hard-to-hit AC and lots of hp. But, if Alzar shuts off its breath attack, and forces it to use magic and melee only, the dragon could just leave. Alzar wants to maximize his scroll, and he’ll use some magic to collapse the crevice. He didn’t spy another way out. The morning arrives, Alzar learns some different spells in places, and then heads out. A quick check shows that the venerable dragon is still there, but not asleep, just counting its treasure. Alzar moves closer, then uses his Scroll of Protection Against Acid, and flies in, casting Dig and after two rounds of digging has dropped the crevice enough to block a dragon and flies in The Venerable Black Dragon – AC-5, Breath Weapon – 20d4+10, 18 HD, 103 hp, THAC0 – 1, 35% magic resistance, knows spells. Alzar flies in, preparing to cast his next spell – Strip Resistance. When he casts it, and abjurative force flies from him, and tries to knock out the MR of his foe. It will reduce the MR if it breaks through by _24% (Alzars spell level – no save) and if it can’t crack the resistance, each round it will attack the resistance again until it gets through. Alzar rolls 54, and it racks, and drops the dragon to 11% MR. The acid breath from the dragon rolls over Alzar but nothing happens, it fades against Alzar’s defense. Let’s roll init. 1 vs 7. Alzar casts Time Stop. It works, and he flies to the dragon to close the gap and casts his Faithful Shield Maidens, activate the Zoster of Zeal , and he’s wearing the +4 ring of protection rather than the Ring of Quick Action, which drops his AC to -11. Then the dragon unfreezes. Game on! 3 vs 5. To hit, Alzar needs: THAC013, so an 18, -3 for skill, 15, -4 for axe, 11, -3 for Zoster, 8. He needs a 14 with the Bright Barrier. Here he goes – 7, 3, and 7. He misses with everything. The dragon attacks. To hit Alzar’s -11 he needs a 12, and he gets 3 attacks for 1d6, 1d6 and 3d6. None hit (Cloak). Next round. 4 vs 3. The dragon Hits twice with claws for 7 damage. Alzar rolls a 13, 14, and 4. That’s a hit for 4 and 2 so 32 damage. 4 vs 3 again. Seeing how strong Alzar is, the black dragon flies up near the ceiling and out of melee range and tries another acid breath, but it doesn’t work. Alzar casts Ray of Ondovir at it. He rolls a 51, and cracks the MR. Will the dragon fail its save, even with the penalty to it? The dragon rolls a 17. Nope. 3 vs 7. Alzar casts Major Globe of Invulnerability, and the dragon, which was going to start using magic, sees the spell for what is is, and then decides to plummet to the ground and pin Alzar. He rolls a 2 and Alzar scrambles away easily enough. 6 vs 7. While beside him, Alzar takes advantage and tries to carve the dragon again. 10, 8, and 9 were rolled. 2 axe hits – 3 and 2, so 31 damage this time. The dragon tries to snatch Alzar, this is a bite, but if it hits, he’ll be able to carry and lift Alzar up. It rolls a 9. Nope. 8 vs 2. Once again, the dragon tries to snatch and…it rolls an 8. Alzar carves it with a 6, 10 and 16 for 6 and 3 for 30 damage. 1 vs 9. Alzar’s axe stabs and kills the dragon in one hit and it dies. Dead dragon. 18k XP for him. |
The dragon had:
A Sword of Corusk +2 Spear of Accuracy, +4 when thrown Hasp of Reloading 15750 gp 20000 assorted gp of gems/jewels/lower coins The Hasp of Reloading is used on a bow or crossbow. When the bow or crossbow is fired, another arrow from the quiver immediately appears, where the other one flew out, and the bow/crossbow remains cocked and ready to be used again. Result? Double the shots in a turn with arrow or bolt. After gathering the various items here and placing them into his Bag of Holding and OtherSpace, Alzar takes the blade and teleports back. Alzar grabs Barkal the Red, and shows his the sword. His brow furrows in both confusion and awe. This is one of the five swords, it’s true. But it’s not the Edge. So, in order to show which swords are which, Alzar has Barkal draw up a quick little diagram in the dirt. The Bear Tribe, Harmonizer The Wolf Tribe, The Edge, Barkal’s Tribe The Fox Tribe, Greenswathe – Druid Scimitar The Lynx Tribe, Dreamsinger The Hawk Tribe, Stalker The sword Alzar has found is Greenswathe, a +2 scimitar that will have its true powers revealed when used by a druid. The Fox Tribe was historically held by a druid’s might. They are closer to nature than any of the other tribes, but they lost that part of themselves sometime ago. |
Alzar has noticed that ever since he recovered Greenswathe, that there’s been a gentle tug, or pull on him mystically in a certain direction. Barkal tells him that’s probably it telling him where the next blade is. So, Alzar needs to use Greenswathe to find the next sword. Maybe that one will be The Edge. Later, Alzar could give this to the Fox Tribe, that’s the one on the eastern side of the North, near his domain.
Alzar decides to head out and see where the tug leads. He heads onto the Flying Carpet and begins to follow the tug. Hours pass, and he is heading further and further north, and then in bends west. It’s now dinner time and Alzar keeps going, and soon, it’s just a few miles ahead. Here are the bluff hills, a rocky, dangerous set of sharp foothills of the nearby mountains. There is a small temple here that the scimitar points him toward. It looks ruined, but looks have been deceiving. He teleports home, rests in his palace, changes his spell selection back to normal and then teleports back out in the morning, with an ally. He has his Stone Golem Aegis with him, and his bronze one in the Warp Marble. He also has his imp, with the tabi keeping watch, like normal, back home. Alzar flies down, with Aegis on the Flying Carpet, and Azzil flying about, invisibly in the form of a raven, and reaches the ruined temple. There is nothing here of note. Other than a tunnel in the back of the hill that heads down, there ruins here are complete, even when seen with the Gem of Seeing from the Star of Mo-Pilar. So they head down. This natural tunnel descends some 20’ over a total length of 80’ or so. It’s clearly of natural origin and was never worked. The walls have some long since rusted brackets for torches or lanterns or light. Alzar has to use the Ioun Stone to make things out clearly down here. At the bottom is a large, natural cavern, with some remnants of long dead creatures, hounds of some sort. More heads than bodies, probably cerberus. One is zombified and alive and Alzar tries to control it, but can’t, not this close to the temple, some sort of interference. It’s something that controls undead so purely that Alzar can’t interfere, maybe something else undead? His axe carves it dead in one turn before it can attack back. |
There is one exit, a natural flowing cave to the front. Alzar takes it, and two branches knife off the first, and end at areas that were turned into beddings and a home for junior clerics, long since dead. He returns and finds a barracks, a spacious cavern that was worked a little bit in some places to widen things. There is a small shrine here off the barracks, and there is a palpable aura of evil. (which has no negative effect on Alzar, yay!)
A pair of corridors bend off. One ends at some stores, with nothing major, but a pack of shadows are in here. Alzar can’t control them either. He backs up and while Aegis blocks the hallway, conjures an earth elemental, then Alzar heads behind that finally brings out an Invisible Stalker. The shadows had been bouncing off Aegis, and the group tear through them. Alzar has then three creatures lead, with Aegis behind. The final corridor from the barracks widens and widens into a very large tunnel, again, natural. There is a chamber here at the end with the décor of a place where clerics and fighters would have practiced their military skills. There are a few old weapon racks on the walls. Nothing is here. There is a door off to the right. It is secured, but not locked, and a few shadow mastiffs melt through the door as Alzar tries to get the door pushed open:  The Invisible Stalker and Elemental smash their bodies, and they bite for some damage back, but it’s not really an even fight, and they die shortly thereafter. |
The door is opened and this is a surprisingly Spartan room with little decorations. The Gem/Star revels a rough secret door back there
Alzar has his Stalker open the door and there is a hall off it that widens, and this section has been carved, not natural. This room is strewn with skeletal forms, decayed armor and weapons, and was where the last battle of the fallen temple took place. Azzil’s D Magic spell forces a few items to glow, including: 2x +1 dagger +1 Short Sword +1 shield 12 +1 arrows There is a door on the far end, and Alzar’s Ear Ring detects heavy breathing back here, when it noted nothing else. There is a massive symbol of hate and discord here that triggers when a non-evil person arrives, but again, Alzar is fine. The door opens and here is a beautifully dark dragon, looking at Alzar oddly, for not triggering its symbol trap, and squatting on top of some treasure. This is the bane of he temple, and is what destroyed everything, and now it creates and summons minions like undead and the shadow mastiffs and shadows and sends them off to do its bidding and bring it treasure and food. It’s a nice deal. The dragon cast Mirror Image just before Alzar arrived, but can see through it.  Szeverin, Young Adult Shadow Dragon – AC -4, HD 12, HP 63, AT 1d6+4, 1d6+4, 3d4+4; Breathes 2d4+2 and drains either ˝ of levels (if save made) or ž of levels (if failed). 20% Magic Resistance, Levels are restored one per turn until back up. |
Alzar orders his crew to attack and uses his Ring of Quick Action to ensure that he’ll win the first round himself. Rolls for initiative 9 vs 8, he would have lost. Alzar casts Time Stop. He was taken unaware, so he heads in, gets the melee range and casts Maze (won’t resolve until the spell ends). Does he get a second round? Yes. He casts Continual Light at its eyes. Does he get a 3rd round? Nope. Spells resolve, check MR first and….the Maze hits the MR and the Light does not, does it make its save? It rolls an 6 and does not and is blinded and the light illuminates the area.
6 vs 7. Alzar carves into the suddenly easier to hit dragon for 41 damage, and the golem hits for 10 and the others miss. The Dragon screeches and speaks in a halting version of Pandius Prime to leave him be. He’ll give Alzar one-third of the treasure, or some magical items to just leave. Alzar refuses, and it shadow walks away and flees. Alzar gathers up everything: 755 pp 2495 gp 19 gems worth 6850 gp 12 pieces of jewelry worth 3200 gp Pair of Heavy Crystal Statues of Elves (1500 gp pair) Mother-of-pearl and mahogany box (500 gp) Platinum Chain with Emerald (900 gp) Dragon Tooth Necklace (1500 gp) Blade of the Corusk +1 quarterstaff +1 footman’s mace Gloves of Missile Snaring Libram of… 3 Incense of Meditation Hat of Disguise 8 potions of Polymorph Self A lot of items. When Alzar grabs the sword, suddenly he gets a vision of a large orc city with at least 5000 orcs and other humanoids. The leader of the city is great black orc who has seen many a battle and campaign. The vision ends. We’ll check out the book later… Alzar’s conjured creatures are sent back, and he teleports back to Barkal again. This time Alzar has found Dreamsinger: +2 Broadsword- it gets better in the hands of a bard. The leaders of the old Lynx Tribe put a lot of store into legends, song, and the tales of their people. |
Alzar mentions his vision. It seems that as he collects more blades, the information about where the next blade is becomes more precise. Barkal tells him that a great orc city, matching that description, is hundreds of miles away, on the far side of the mountains to the west, and in land unclaimed by any crown or nation.
Barkal just knows the basic vicinity, and points it out on the map and Alzar spends some time with all three crystal balls, trying to find it, Finally, after an hour of searching, he does. He heads to bed (in OtherSpace) and then studies and gets ready for a new day. He scrys again, and then teleports over to the large orc city. Alzar decides to use the same trick that worked well in the Sand Mire. He’ll turn invisible by drinking a potion. Before he does, he dons the Hat of Disguise and turns into an orc. Now he’s an invisible orc, just in case the invisibility drops, or can be seen through. He heads into the city as an invisible person, and is easily able to slide between shacks and such. There are some openings in the ground in hills as the orcs have carved out small underground shelters for the day to hide in. Some barracks are too the left, and an ogre enclave is in front of him with more than 30 ogres there. There is a black flag over a structure in the west-central part of the city, and Alzar makes his way, feeling the tug of the swords, and suspecting that’s his best chance of finding the leader here. Guards and crowds thicken as he closes , a few time she had to run or duck for an alley to wait, as there was no room for him to squeeze by. He passes by a group of orc artisans and then some slave pits. There are black gates at the front of the large house, and a lot of guards. There’s a large black obelisk marked with runes next to the gates in. Alzar walks around sees no back exit at all. Not even the Gem of Seeing sees anything. Alzar grabs his Scroll of Portals, and tries to find a quick place to use it to Passwall into the house. Unfortunately, the Passwall opens into the throne room of the chief, and about 40 orcs, the chief, a cleric, and his wife are all in here. They see the hole open up in the wall. Roll for initiative. 6 vs 1. They shout an alarm, cast detect invisible, and Alzar’s potion ends. He looks like an orc. Many guards charge him. The orc king grabs the barbarian blade he has a some missile weapons fly in. Alzar uses the lock of elven woman and casts Wail of the Banshee. 13 orcs drop dead, and the rest immediately begin to retreat. Init - 2 vs 5 Alzar casts Time Stop. He dances up to the orc king (just 22 feet away) and then casts…Power Word Kill and…that’s it, the TS ends. The Orc King dies. Alzar reaches down and grabs the sword from his hand, and a few other obviously magic items while folks are running away from him (killed the king, and slew 13 other orcs, and used really creepy magic to do so. ) A quick detect magic by Azzil finds a +2 Plate Mail, +2 shield, Scroll of Protection from Fire, and Potion of Extra-Healing. Alzar and Azzil teleport away. They arrive and talk with Barkal the Red, and this time, the blade they found was Stalker. +2 longsword, and its really good in the hands of a ranger. Why didn’t the three blades point to the 4th? And where is the next blade at? End of WGS 1. Five Shall be One |
WSG2. Howl from the North
Alzar spends some time with the three blades, trying to figure out where the fourth one is. After concentrating with all three in his lap, he is visually pulled along a tether north and then more north, to the sea south of the Isle of Frosthaven, land of thousands of giants. They then turn east, leave Frosthaven, and find a distant island. More than 850 miles away is a small island off the east coast of Frosthaven. On this island is an old base that the barbarians used to live at, but have since been abandoned. The sword is on this island. Alzar teleports over and grabs the Carpet to give the island a good scouting. As it appeared in the vision, the island is small, but it does have some ruins and destroyed villages here and there. Alzar lands to inspect an area of ruins that has some pull from the swords. He conjures an earth elemental to be a guide and ally here. The earth elemental quickly hits one, and then a second snare out here in the wilderness. Then a third. Behind the third snare is an old, abandoned camp, with tents, cabins, and old huts, falling apart. All of the sudden Alzar gets a necrotic sense and it doesn’t seem like this camp is abandoned at all. Suddenly out from the huts, tents, and more come a large horde of undead. 24 ghouls, 16 zombies, 22 skeletons, a pack of 9 shadows, and an unusual undead Alzar has not seen before (it’s unique, no necrology check needed) wielding the 4th blade. It’s glowing runes and fiery, something the other blades have not done. Maybe it’s in the hands of a qualified user? |
Alzar pulls back and tries to control some, but the undead leader, with the sword, can’t be broken here. The undead horde are all former barbarians.
Suddenly the leader barks and darkness surrounds Alzar and he’s in a Darkness, 15’ Radius effect. He backs out, and grabs the Ioun Stone from his belt and uses it – it enables him to see in darkness, even magical. Alzar doesn’t have a lot of spells that are good against mass undead he can’t control. He already cast Wail of the Banshee (nd it wound; work anyway,) Hold Undead will just paralyze three, and spells like Skulltrap won’t hurt them. Power Words, Finger of Death, charming, domination, all of those just don’t work. He moves the Earth Elemental in front of him, and casts Evard’s Black Tentacles to snag some creatures. But they keep coming. He flies up on the Carpet and watches as the Elemental and the undead begin to battle. He casts Searing Serpent to give them another creature to fight, and the leader is smart, and grabs some water from an old well and puts it out this turn. Alzar flies off and then teleports away. He’ll spend the night resting and learning a slightly different set of spells the next day. He teleports back over in the morning and conjures a water and earth elemental, and then an invisible stalker and 8 shadows from summon shadow. Aegis, his golem is out as well. He is about a five minute walk from the undead home, and they head over. It looks like a handful of undead died to the tentacles and earth elemental the previous day. Alzar casts Hold Undead to freeze a pair of foes as his group moves in. The leader is smart, and uses the two handed sword to good effect. But this battle is never in doubt, Alzar has too many heavies. Soon enough the undead fall, and the leader is the only one standing. Alzar drops down with axe in hand and melee begins. His foe wins init 5 vs 2 and the two handed sword bounces off his Bright Barrier. His axes carves into the undead creature, hews off some damage, and the combined damage from other sources is enough to end things. A quick check verifies that there are no other items here, just the weapon. Alzar teleports back to the barbarians and verifies that yes, this is the two-handed sword – the Harmonizer, it’s +2 in most, but +5 when used by a thief and gains other abilities. As Alzar touches the four weapons together, a portal opens up. He walks through. |
Alzar is in an unknown wilderness somewhere far away. Wherever it is its still in the north, despite the summer most places, there is a frozen river to Alzar’s left. Alzar takes a quick stock of the area around, and then heads up into the air to scout around . He spies multiple groups of barbarians moving towards from three directions.
While in the air, the Harmonizer gives a little tug. Alzar grabs it and points it, and eventually it points in a straight line to a large rock, which appears to be the center of the area that the three barbarian groups are converging. As Alzar closes with the rock area, the two handed blade gets harder and harder to hold onto, like it is being pulled magnetically. Alzar is able to hold onto it with his magically enhanced strength. Alzar lands. The blade is pointing directly at the large rock, refusing to move. This stone, covered in frozen green and red mosses is half buried in the hardened tundra A dozen feet to the south, the frozen river starts weaving back and forth to the east, and frigid breeze flows in from the south over the river, chilling. Off in the distance can be heard the approaching barbarian groups. With hundreds of barbarians marching towards him. The first group is led by a warrior named Kabloona Starskull. They arrive in a few minutes. He greets Alzar warmly and introduces himself as one of the leaders of the Bear Tribe. The Harmonizer, in Alzar’s hand, is the totem weapon of his people. As the one who found it, Kabloona will do what he can to prepare and protect Alzar from the oncoming tribes, he has just 150 from his sub-tribe that broke off and arrived, ahead of the rest of his group around 750. Apparently the tribes of Hawk and Lynx were not as dead as were thought and both had groups near the sacred stone. They did not follow and respect the edict of the Great One of the North after he had to show up and end the inter-barbarian war. This the meeting point of the Bear Tribe, in the far north of Norwold, and beyond. His tribe was the closest. The Hawk and Lynx are here to stop Alzar, and they have 250 and 350 soldiers bearing down on him right now. One is about 30 minutes away, and the other 40 minutes. Alzar heads to OtherSpace for a few minutes, and emerges. He orders the Bears back. He puts on the Face of Xenous and makes an Earth Elemental and Air Elemental and then a Water one (From the ice in the river). He can’t conjure any (he was teleported away earlier from the battle on the island) and instead uses his Stones for two more Earths and a Censor for another Air and the Ring of Water Command for another water elemental.. He blows the Horn of Valhalla for 5 berserkers, uses his three figurines of wondrous power, casts his Faithful Shield-Maidens, releases Aegis, and the first group is just a few minutes away when Alzar has planned the battle strategy. He orders them to hold back, behind the wall of creatures and allies he has brought out. Meanwhile, he’ll try to turn back the first group, which are 250 people big, himself. |
He flies over with the Carpet, and then drops into the midst, as missile weapons fly out at him. He is missed (Cloak) and then takes a few hits from a few people as he prepares his spell. In the middle of a large army, his Wail of the Banshee will hopefully prove a knife in their back. 34 barbarians die, and they move back and begin to circle him. Alzar takes some light damage from three spears.
He uses the Ring of Quick Action and wins initiative. He uses Skulltrap and destroys every barbarian and steed in range – another 44. They pull back and break formation and flee. Alzar grabs his Carpet, and orders the Bears to charge down the retreating Lynx while he heads back and tries to do the same with the Hawk. He doesn’t want to give them a chance to rally. The Hawk is about10 minutes away from the west, and Alzar has his minions move up and prepares a few surprises. He also realizes he needs a new item, and concentrates a minute to hit OtherSpace, grabs some bracers from the shelf in a few seconds, and then spends a minute to head back and puts on the Bracers of Protection vs Normal Missiles. He uses the Carpet to fly over the 350 Hawk barbarians, and is immune to their missies. He halts and then casts Mass Domination, and a handful of barbarians begin to fight for Alzar. Then he casts Confusion, to bring some additional chaos to their ranks. His forces arrives on the western flank as he adds Mass Charm to make some barbarians his friends and they pull out of the fighting and wait over on the side. Already around 100 barbarians are dead, fighting, or charmed. Soon, Alzar starts taking minor damage and turns. Someone has ordered the troops to ignite their arrows, and that breaks through the Bracers. Smart. He flies over by his friends, and lands behind them. Alzar took 21 damage total. Alzar tells his friends to move away and runs towards the enemy. He takes a few flaming arrows, but they are mostly geared towards the army on the other flank, and a few folks left fighting in their ranks, and then Alzar casts Time Stop, and then positions nicely for a Death Spell over the group and… gets another round and casts Evard’s Black Tentacles. 8 more die from the DS and the Tentacles grab a lot of folks. The group is ordered to flee as well, and soon, they begin to retreat as well. The Hawk is fleeing like the Lynx did. |
A half hour later, the Bear allies of Alzar arrive back and Alzar escorts them to the rock. Alzar takes the sword of the Bear Tribe, and sticks it in the front of the rock, all the way up to the hilt. There is a crashing thunder, and the rock cracks into two equal portions, revealing the fifth sword, The Edge.
Alzar grabs the blade and he is celebrated by the 100 strong barbarians here. Alzar sits down and begins to look at the five blades pulling them all out. They have ancient runes from centuries ago. And the runes aren’t legible, they are parts of words, not full runes. Alzar grabs his Helm of Reading Magic and Languages and puts it on. It verifies his assumptions. These runes are not full letters but parts of them. He moves a few swords around, and soon he has lined up an incantation. Nothing says what will happen when its read, and Kabloona has not heard of it. No time like the present. Alzar begins to intone the runes, and in less than a minute the incantation is finished from the five blades. A crack in reality opens up and a popping noise follows. As everyone looks up from Alzar and the blades they see a giant, muscular, barbarian figure that towers about 20. He smiles a smile that is bigger and wider than Alzar’s arm and that’s when Alzar notices two large wolves can be made out to his left and right, resting. “Thank you my children! You have brought me back to your fold after centuries of being lost. You have gathered the blades ,and from that proven yourselves worthy again. In gratitude, I shall grant you your most intimate desires as long as they do not alter the path events are destined to follow. “ Alzar stands back up and addresses the Great One of the North, an immortal and worshipped by the barbarians. “I would want thing. That you remove the seal that binds me to Pandius, that I might freely travel the planes again.” “I can do this for you. Compared to an immortal, a demon prince has as much power as a grasshopper does to you. I can lift this veil. But I will not. That is not your destiny. You are not one of my kind. You are not a barbarian, you are not even from this world. No, your destiny is not mine to alter. You are not in my circle of power, if you will, to grant that desire.” “Then I would have you give my land its freedom. I would have you increase our military power, strongholds, navy, and remove us from the weak yoke of the King.” “That’s more of a barbarian request. But why should I give you that which you can do for yourselves? And your destiny in Norwold for now is more than you can conceive right now, I cannot sever that linkage.” “I admit, I don’t understand that destiny. But I would learn about the path to immortality. I have heard that it requires a sponsor.” “It does. And you have done many deeds that would impress potential suitors. You have destroyed artifacts and created spells and founded a fledgling nation and won much glory across three planes. But immortality is not ours to give someone who has not come from our plane, Pandius. We can’t have a bunch of plane-travelers coming to our world, walking the paths of immortality, and join our pantheon anymore.” “But you uses to?” “Most rules, to immortals, are more like general guidelines to consider.” “Then I would want you to allow me to achieve immortality here on Pandius, if I earn it.” “Hmmm… I can’t do that on your behalf. That’s a decision that would require more than one immortal to agree. What I will do is outlay the basics of achieving immortality, normally questing and heavy research would be required. However, I cannot be your sponsor. You are not one of mine. Plus, you are in an odd place. Should you go with the evil-aligned sphere of Entropy? The lawful one of Matter, earth and fighters? Energy’s chaos, fire and wizard? Thought and air, thief and good-aligned? Time with its water, clerics, and neutral? Every sphere has immortals from various alignments and entrance paths, but it can be harder for people out of the things that Sphere cares about. While I just don’t see you with the last two, the first three of the have a claim on you in one way or another. Law, evil, and mage. I am an immortal of the sphere of Time. Each sphere requires a different path, and you would need to find your sponsor for more specific details as to what to do. After getting a sponsor, a person needs to gain more experience from the world, and then do a specific quest, trial, testimony, and task.” He goes over a few more details, and then “Finally, I can offer to contact a few immortals in Matter, Entropy and Energy, and see if some are interested in you. In fact, there might even be a fellow time-immortal that I can think of who’d be interested. But that will all come much later. For now I thank you for helping my people return to me” And with that, the Great One is gone. |
Alzar announces to the barbarians that it‘s time for the entire group to meet. He will give out all five blades at a ceremony at this rock in one month’s time. Include Hawk and Lynx, all is forgiven. They agree to spread the word and he leaves.
A month later, Alzar teleports in wearing the Helm of Selnor and his Ring of Human Control one day before the appoint time and there are barbarians to the horizon. Each of the five tribes re here, including the two “lost” tribes. Alzar heads out and checks to see who each of the five tribes have selected to be their leader. Barkal the Red will lead wolf, and Kabloona Bear. He meets with Fox, Lynx and Hawk as well. Fox, Bear and Wolf each seem to have roughly 15000 people, while Hawk and Lynx seem o have around 5000 each. That puts the barbarian numbers roughly 55000 people. The next day he addresses the assembled tribes. He tells them about their history, and about meetings the Great One of the North. Then he show each tribe their totemic blade. In turn he gives each tribe’s appointed leader (chosen in combat) their blade, and then he becomes bond-brothers with each of them, like he did with Barkal. He then talks of family and brothers. Brothers do not fight brothers. People are chanting his name and calling him Sword-Giver. And with that the barbarians begins to call Alzar the Lord of Wood and Fire, a famous hero from history who is said to come again and again during the time of need of the people of the north. Alzar is given to be the next incarnation. After all, he matches the descriptions and carvings in the old texts. And with a bunch of new fervently loyal allies to help if and when needed, Alzar drinks and wrestles with the locals for hours. Then he leaves them and teleports back home. End of WGS2 Howl from the North |
It’s nice to have Alzar popping all over the place with teleport, he can churn off a lot of time moving from place to place, and more important, get through modules faster by not fighting the dorks in between. This little two module diversion gave me an opportunity to a fun little 5 sword quest. Much of these modules are being chased by the orcs or barbarians and so forth. If you have to criss-cross from point A to point B, that will take days and days of traveling, which results in a ton of wandering monsters and planned encounters. That takes up a lot of these modules. A higher level character just flits about with a teleport spell and moves on
Now I changed some stuff. The undead island was actually a barbarian village, and I made it undead because in my backstory, only an non-barbarian can grab the swords, that the play reason Alzar would be trusted to grab them. Well I can’t very well have Sword #4 be controlled by a barbarian, now can I? Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this little barbarian adventure. |
Really enjoying and looking forward to more exploits.
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Thanks! Let's see what's next |
Month 7, Year 4:
64 and 18 – There are 26 weeks and 44 weeks left on the two projects. 15% population gain in the southern hexes, and 5% in the northern. Hammerhelm, the dwarven hold next to Evenarrow has just absorbed around 525 more dwarves who fled from an invasion of their homelands in the west hundreds of miles away. We have almost finished adding in the 400 additional troops to the County of the Mighty’s forces. A group of bandits are hitting the southern trade routes between Spearhold and Raider’s Point. Alzar teleports over to where a small pair of wagons were hit, follows the trail back and just annihilates the 26 bandits in the group that day, and then brings back their bodies as proof of his deeds. Ideally, they’ll help to convince other bandits to hit places out side of his fiefdom. After meeting with Valia today, the final group of books from his library were brought over. With the papermaking and book binding production he has added to the village of Evenarrow, Alzar brings the books over, and then uses Bookcopy to make a duplicate of one of the books from Hamedh or Pandius that he found, and then uses Consume Knowledge spell to destroy it, but to gain that knowledge from that book. The Libram he procured is (I’m rolling randomly of the 24 choices, 1st 12, or 2nd 12? 2nd twelve. Now, let’s roll a d12 and that’s a 8, so number 20). Libram of Teleportation Arches Basically, It’s like a Manual of Golems – you build two teleportation arches (cost 40,000 gp and 1d4+1 weeks per arch), then cast some minor magic spells, burn the pages, and then sprinkle the ashes on the arches, and they are permanent connected – folks can walk back and forth from one to the other. |
Let me get you another hit of Alzar:
Alzar the Mighty, Count 8th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 23rd level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage) Lawful Evil Human Str: 17 Dex: 13 Con: 10 Wis: 16 Int: 21 Cha: 17 Hit Points: 77 THACO: 13 AC: -2 (Bracers AC2, Helm, Cloak -2 AC, Ioun Stone -1 AC:-3 more for Bright Barrier or -2 when fighting with one handed weapon) Total XP: 4,955,086 (Level 24 at 5,250,000) Age 61, Body - 27 Race Abilities: None Taken Class Abilities (Cannot use as Necromancer without losing XP gain): Specialization Leadership (Alzar can command the tactics, strategy, logistics and more that a large force requires) 3 attacks every 2 rounds Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Myrmidon Bonus: Tactical History 14 Fire-Building 16 Riding 11 Swimming 12 Reading/Writing 13 Survival 14 Blind Fighting Etiquette 13 Endurance Heraldry 13 Hunting 10 Fishing 14 Weather Knowledge 10 Orienteering 15 As a Necromancer/Fivefold Mage Necrology 17 Netherworld Knowledge 14 Herbalism 14 Alchemy 15 Poison Use 11 Ancient Languages 10 Spellcraft 12 Ancient History – 14 Bookbinding – 16 Papermaking - 16 Sage Knowledge: Outer Planes, Inner Planes – 13 Divining: 15 Genie Lore: 16 Riding, Specialization: 10 Research: 13 First Lore – Aleph I: 8 Riding, Air: 13 Languages – Thorasian - Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa; Hamedhi – Arjuni, Sand Mire Common – Pandius Prime, Traits: Empathy Fast Healer Precise Memory Obscure Knowledge Weapon Proficiencies: Bonus Kit Specialization: Battle Axe Battle Axe One Handed Weapon Style x2 (-2 AC when using one weapon in combat) Crossbow Battle Axe Weapon Mastery Spear Dagger Total with normal battle axe - +3 to hit, +3 to damage, -2 to AC. An additional +1 with the axe and +1 damage for strength Staff – Can only use this as a Necromancer, +1 Class Ability: 1). Alzar can control undead as an evil Priest of the same level, and this ability extends to extra planar beings which are considered undead with the same hit dice for this purpose. 2). One Extra Spell/Level is Gained, must be Path. 3). Fivefold Mages reduce the spell level by one when researching spells in The Path. 4). Chance to Learn spell in The Path increased by +15% 5). Saving Throw of Targets when targeted by spells from The Path at -1. 6). No more than one spell per level can be from the group: Abjuration, Alteration, Alchemy and Geometry barring a highly unusual and temporary circumstance. 7). Fivefold Mage must invest a focus item as the method through which magic is cast. (Alzar’s Father’s Ring) 8). Must have a lab and library and workbench with 1,000 gp value per level, and an upkeep of 50 gp/level/month 9). They can store spells like an Artificer, but cannot begin to do so until level 6 10). Fivefold Mages have a chance to identify a magical item by spending a turn peering at it closely and examining it - chance is their level times 5. 11). Fivefold Mages never suffer from a negative reaction penalty due to controlling or animating undead. Immune to starvation Can cast ESP once/week A Wish Resulted in - An interdimensional Pocket which only he can access by reaching out his hand, or concentrating to send himself there. It’s sort of like a giant Bag of Holding. It can hold up to 500,000 coins of items, and it’s the size of a large room. Due to the size and volume, it cannot be accessed as readily as his items in a Bag of Holding can be, and therefore, he cannot find items during combat from it. He also can’t step into it during combat, it takes a minute of meditation to translocate his form there. Alzar may move and survive in the following planes at will: Tarterus, Acheron, The Abyss, Elysium, Arcadia, and the Astral Plane and Positive Energy. +2 to all saves against fear/awe effects |
Alzar’s Stuff:
76,350 gp 20,000 sp 90,055 pp Gems: 76850 gp worth of gems Jewelry: 903,200 gp worth of jewelry, all types; Platinum Chain with Emerald (900 gp); Dragon Tooth Necklace (1500 gp); Objet d’arts: Huge gold door, 20000 gp; Pair of Heavy Crystal Statues of Elves (1500 gp pair); Mother-of-pearl and mahogany box (500 gp); Books: 22000 GP Spell and Use Library 3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold. Manual of Summoning Familiars – When read in its entirety just before casting Find Familiar or a similar spell, three possible familiars will arrive and spellcasters can choose which one they want. The Anatomy of the Harginn (The Fire Elemental Grue) worth 500 gp and tell how to summon, and what they do, etc. Four texts on Elemental Water, Evil – 250 gp each Seven Tomes on Secret Rituals of Water Evil of various sorts. Two Books of Magic Three Books on Spell Research into Commanding Undead 5 books on summoning and binding of demons Book on the Soul Gem Lament for Lost Tharizdun – 33,000 gp Book of the Gate – Firestorm Peak The Fivefold Path to Power One bookshelf of tomes on becoming a lich, controlling undead, diseases and curing Diary of Helthrax Treasures of Thorasia 3 Rows of Bigby’s Bookshelves: Magical Theory, Spellmaking, Enchanting, Science, Astrology. Illustrated Hamedh Bestiary (250 gp) Creation of the Shade Surrisk’s notes on undead, necromancy, and a spell Undead Familiar Book of the Coming Neconilis’s Book of Horrors Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise; Tome of Clear Thought; Grim Grimoire; Diary - Alinor, Prince of Alphia 315 books from Alinor, Pandius, Restored - They are historical, contemporary historical, and magical treatises. 14k Library used for Return to Alzar spell research History of the Badlands Tribes (20 gp) Encyclopedia of Local Plants (50 gp) Diary of the Wizard, Zelligar Meteorological Phenomena of Hamedh (75 gp) Tribal History of this Duergar Clan Yaghoub’s Journal Three books of magical history Book on history of tower and residents 11 books on the nature of demi-humans – 250 gp 100 Books from Bone Hill Study 1000 gp library of 300 general purpose books from Dungeon in Desert 6 Books on Worship of Nabilah 1200 GP of works on spell research for Scrollmend 5000 gp research library from Nadir’s Tower Complete Leather-Bound 10 Volume Set of writings of Japheth Arcane (5000 gp set) Scrolls, Maps, Journals, War Plans from Tomb of Amhara 1000 gold worth of texts from Tower in Rahasia 2000 gold worth of Castanamir’s own personal journals. 3 books on golems and repair – 500 gold. 5000 gold in books on summoning and conjuring. 10 alchemy texts, 1000 gp value. 15,000 gp specialized summoning and conjuring texts 2500 gold Gingwatzim information, and the five books and two manuscripts that show it. 1000 gold, 12 books, info on making portals 3000 necromatic tomes for research Ye Secret of Ye Philosopher’s Stone – 500 gold Concerning Mesmerism and Lists of Effects – 50 gold The Magical Properties of Gemstones - 150 The Magical Properties of Herbs and Flowers - 150 The Metaphysics of Mathematics – 150 Principles of Navigation and Legal Distinction in Letters of Marque – 10 gold Cenozoic Glacial Geology, - 50 gold The Art of Coarse Angling – 75 gp History of The Gauntlet and The Sentinel – 250 gold 200 tomes, 12000 gp – value of books in generic mage research for spells and other mage stuff. 1500 gp worth of alchemical books Tome – 500 gp Detailing sacrifice of humans to earth elementals for various effects. Treatise on the nature of a flesh golem (not its construction) 5 books on anatomy of various monsters 8 books on Magical Lore 25 volumes on Battle tactics and strategies in various wars and sieges 100 magic research tomes 1786 texts - Shrine of Kuo-Toa, on religion, water, history, and various UnderDeep cultures. 150,000 gp 18 high quality religious texts on Sea Mother, 2500 gp total 358 Titles on Alien Theory, Gates, Teleporting, Magical and Normal Creatures, Various Theories 25000 gp on Books on herbalism, poisons, and magic item construction. 46 books on anatomies of various creatures. 320 books on history of Thorasia 2500 gold in making items such as Scarabs Libram of Teleportation Arches Laboratory: 27000 gp lab generally Artifacts: Face of Xenous - Summon one of each elemental, 16 hd, no control, once/week; Cone of Cold, Telekinetic Gaze, 1000 coins, 2/day; Flesh to Stone, Web 1/day; Color Spray, Darkness, 15’, 3/day; Comprehend Languages at will - Fires in 60’ extinguished and temperature drops 20 degrees when power used. When non-evil touches it take 4d4 damage and ages 1d4 years. INT 25, EGO 25, turn to CE if dominated. Bright Barrier of the God-King Dargeshaad Alignment – Lawful Large circular shield Major Power: Purge – Drain 2 levels of HD from all non-lawful who can see it 3/day Minor Power: +2 Shield, wielder can hold shield and cast spells simultaneously. Deliver Shield Punch attack for 1d8+2 damage. Cast Command at will; Detect Lie 3/day Dangers: Wielder ages 1d10 months any time activating major power is used. Major power also pushes user more and more towards and stricter and stricter alignment. Chance Dargeshaad will inhabit user if major power used. Magic Items: Potions - of Sweet Waterx2, Diminutionx7, Gaseous Formx5, Poisonx6, Telekinesis, Extra-Healingx6, Healingx14, Levitationx4, Spider Climbingsx2, ESPx3 Animal Control – Horses, Clairvoyancex3, Clairaudiencex4, Fire Resistancex2, Philter of Lovex2, Control Plantsx3, Neutralize Poison, Speedx10, Cure Disease, Water Breathingx4, Invisibilityx3; Invulnerabilityx6, Undead Controlx5 (Wight, Vampire, Ghoulx2), Heroismx3, Flyingx3, White, Silverx2, Greenx2, Blue Dragon Control; Oil of Etherealnessx2, Strength, Treasure Findingx2, Human Controlx4, Growthx2, Animal Controlx4 Philter of Persuasivenessx2, Super-Heroismx2, Polymorph Selfx12, Titan Strengthx3, Agilityx4, Seeing, Fire Giant Controlx2, Freedomx2, Mammal Control, Fire Breathx3, Storm Giant Strengthx2, Oil of Slipperiness; Hill Giant Strengthx2; Plant Controlx2; Vitality; Tonguesx5; Pursuit, Nutritionx3, Fish Control, Levitation; Cold Resistancex2; Lycanthrope Control; Infravisionx2, Fire Giant Strength, Devil Control, Shielding, Clear Thought, Oil of Acid Resist; Oil of Disenchantment; 2 Jars Keoghtom's Ointment – 6 applications left; Ointment of Blessing, of Poison; Potion of Sustenancex2, Bug Repellant, Elemental Formx4, Blending, Agility, Luck; Sightx2; 5x Ethereality; 2x Longevity; Super-Healingx4; Dreamspeechx3; Fortitudex4; Mergingx3; Weapons and Armor - +3 Daggerx2, +4 Battle Axe; +1 Battle Axe; Bastard Sword +2; Short Sword +2; +1 dagger; +2 longsword; +3 Mace; +1 Sword, x5; +2 Sword, x2; +1 Short Sword, x4; +1 Battle Axe, +3 Battle Axe, +2 Net; +4 broadsword; +4 Short Sword; +4 bastard sword; +2 mace; +2 broadswordx2; +1 quarterstaff; +1 footman’s mace; +2 Dagger, Longtooth; Cold Sword; +3 Frostbrand Sword; Scimitar of Defending +4; Vorpal Yataghan; Pickaxe of Piercing; Hammer of Luck +2; Ptah’s Royal Flail - +3 Flail, acts as Mace of Disruption; Dagger of Venom; Warhammer, +2, +4 vs Weapon-Using Opponents; Short Sword, +4, +6 vs giants; Sword of Deceiving +2; +2 Spear of Accuracy, +4 when thrown; +2 Trombash of Returning; +2 Crossbow of Speed, +2 Heavy Crossbow of Speed; Hasp of Reloading; Arrow of Giant Slaying; Arrow of Thief Slaying; 4 Javelin of Lightning; Javelin of Piercing; 11 Darts of Wounding; 22 Bolts of Ice, +1 Bolt, deal 1d6 extra damage, 2x damage vs fire; 12 Stun Bolts; 2x Quarrels of Flying; +2 Javelin of Returning; +1 Arrowx20.; +4 arrowx4; Arrow of Disarming x4 +5 Shield; +1 Shieldx3; +2 Chain; +4 Leather; +3 Flying Shield; +1 Splint Mail; +4 leather armorx2, +2 plate mail x2; +2 shieldx3; +4 plate mail; +1 plate mailx2; +3 banded mail x2; +2 Plate Mail, +2 shield; Chainmail of Presence (+3 and CHA 18 when worn); Shield of Fear (Like Plate Mail of Fear); +1 Elven Chainmail; Missile Deflector Shield (+1, +4 vs missiles, 20% chance Magic Missile negated); Rings - Ring of Water Walking, Ring of Depetrification – 12 charges; Ring of Protection +1x2; +2x2, +3x4, +4; Ring of Warmth; Ring of Windwarding; Ring of Quick Action; Ring of Invisibility; Ring of Human Control; Ring of Fire Resistance; Ring of Telekinesis, 50 lbs; Ring of Feather Falling; Ring of Mammal Control; Ring of Anti-Venom -20 charges; Ring of Mirror Images – 19 charges; Ring of Free Action; Ring of Sustenance; Anything; Regenerationx2; Spell Turningx2; Chameleon Nature; Cantrips; Shooting Stars (12 charges) Ring of Water Command; Ring of Three Wishes (3 charges) Ring of Djinni Summoning – Can only open a gate to a random Prime Material Plane once/month, and nothing else. Ring of Spell Storing – Haste, Lightning Bolt; Cleric Ring of Spell Storing – Word of Recall; Ear Ring; Finger Nail Wands, Staves, Rods - Wand of Paralyzation 17 charges; Wand of Magic Missiles – 20 charges; Wand of Wonder – 45 charges; Wand of Force – 90 charges; Wand of Negation – 5 charges; Wand of Opening – 10 charges; Wand of Frost – 15 charges; Wand of Ice Storms – 42 charges; Wand of Lightning – 12 charges; Wand of Viscid Globs – 79 charges; Wand of Metal Command – 19 charges; Wand of Fire – 68 charges; Spider Wand – 64 charges; Wand of Fear – 22 charges; Wand of Rust – 27 charges; Wand of Secret Door and Trap Det – 7 charges; Wand of Salt – 21 charges; Buckler Wand; Rod of Terror – 8 charges; Rod of Electrification – 17 charges; Rod of Smiting – 19 charges; Rod of Rulership; Rod of Cancellation; Rod of Victory; Rod of the Wyrm (Chaotic); Staff of Striking – 48 charges; Staff of the Serpent, adder; Staff of Spell Focusing – 23 charges; Amun-Re’s Staff of Rulership; Staff of Power – 16 charges; Scrolls – Wizard Scrolls -, Tongues; Invisibility, 10’ Radius; Push; Haste; Fly; Gust of Wind; Minor Globe of Invulnerability; Invisibilityx2; Mass Invisibility, Illusionary Script, Shield, Light, Mirror Image, Spectral Hand, Continual Darkness, Shadow Door, Dig, Feign Death, Strength, Hold Person, Emotion, Dispel Magicx3, Monstesr Summoning III, Disintegrate, Death Spell, Maze, Death Spell, Symbol of Discord. Disintegrate, Polymorph Self, Remove Curse, Airy Water, Limited Wishx2, Mislead, Summon Swarm, Control Weather, Crystalbrittle, Energy Drain, Gate, Charm Plants, Knock, Pyrotechnics, Globe of Invulnerabilityx2, Stone to Fleshx4, Symbol, Write, Invisible Stalker, Passwall, Fire Trap, Push, ESP, Wizard Lock, Vocalize, Shape Change, Solid Fog, Guards and Wards, Water to Poison, Vampiric Touch, Ghoul Touch, Monster Summoning VI, Power Word Blind, Summon Shadow, Erase, Dispel Magicx3; Binding; Fire Shield, Dimension Door, Elonia’s Glamer, Dazzle, Transmute Mud to Rockx4; Time Stop; Teleport Without Error; Abjure; Gate, Astral Spell, Scroll of Disintegrate, Delayed Blast Fireball, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, Scroll of Spell Catching 1-6; Scroll of Portals; 2 Scrolls of Communication linked together Cleric scroll – Scroll of Creation, Truth; Protection from Cold, Demonsx2, Undeadx3, Magicx2, Elementalsx4, Lycanthropesx3, Felines, Traps, Devils, Possessionx2, Nonmagical Weapons, Shapechangers; Dragons; Fire, Items Worn Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Gauntlets of Dexterity; Gloves of Missile Snaring; Rock Jellaba; Robe of Useful Items; Necklace of Adaptation; Bracelet of Swimming; Necklace of Missiles –5; Bracers of Defense, AC6, AC4, AC 2; Bracers of Protection vs Normal Missiles; Bracers of Cleaning Periapt of Proof Against Poison +2; Periapt of Health Amulet of Proof against Scrying and Detectionx2; Amulet of the Planes; Talisman of the Golem; Medallion of ESP 30’; Scarab of Death; Scarab of Protection – 12 charges; Talisman of Memorization; Medallion of Defense; Amulet of Neconilis; Amulet vs Undead (5th Level); Amulet of Finding x4; Medallion of Proof Against Detection; Scarab of Venom; Luck Charm (+1 Saves); Protection +2; Girdle of Ogre Strength; Zoster of Zeal Sandals of Speedx2; Elven Bootsx2, Boots of Striding and Springing; Slippers of Spider Climbing; Boots of Varied Tracks; Boots of Levitation; Boots of Traveling; Cloak of Displacement; Cloak of the Manta Ray; Cloak of Protection +2, Elven Cloakx2; White Dragon Skin Cloak - +3 save vs cold, 50% less damage from cold sources; Cassock of Precaution; Set – 1 Black Cloak, Black Boots -75% to move silently/be invisible in dungeons. Crown of Leadership; Mask of Disguise; Helmet of Underwater Action; Helmet of Reading Languages and Magic; Hat of Disguise; Ioun Stone - Incandescent Blue Sphere (+1 spell level), Dusty Rose - +1 AC; Deep Black Sphere (See in Non & Magic Dark); Eyes of Humanoid and Monster Charming Death Mask of Ptah A Bag of Holding, 10000 coins; Weightless Chest; Flatbox; Zagyg’s Spell Component Case (12000 gp of components); Heward’s Handy Haversack; Crystal Ball with Clairaudiencex2; Crystal Ball; Carpet of Flying (4 Passengers); Broom of Flyingx2; Folding Boat; Square Wheel; Star of Mo-Pilar (Gem of Seeing), Rope of Entanglement; Rope of Climbingx2; Warp Marble; Iron Flask; Prison of Zazig; Iron Bands of Bilarro; Dust of Appearance x5; Dust of Disappearancex15 Magic Jelly Beans – 1 Grey, 2 Green, 2 Orange, 2 Yellow (G Cube), 2 White (Crystal Ooze), 2 Black 5 Beads of Force Stone of Diminution, when held acts as potion until dropped. Pair of Glowstones; Crucible of Melting ; Lens of Speed Reading ; Honing Stone 6 charges; Quill of Forgery; 4 Jars of Preserving; Chalice of Identification; Slate of Identification; Lamp of Long Burning; Incense of Enlightenment; 6 Blocks of Incense of Meditation; Phylactery of Faithfulness Whistle of Golem Control; 2x Collar of Animal Control; Banner of Renown; Pillow of Regeneration; Pearl of Power, 2nd level; Shovel of Digging House of Zebulon ; Cube of Force; Horn of Blasting; Horn of Fog; Bronze Horn of Valhalla, summons 2d4 Neutral Evil, level 2 fighters, AC4, 15 hp, spear or sword. Can only be blown by N, NE, LE, or CE Priest or Warrior. Decanter of Endless Water; Metal Platter (Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Pheasant) for four people once/day; Mug (Beer, Ale, Mead) six/day; Pitcher (Water, Tea, Wine), three/day.; Ebony Fly, Serpentine Owl Figurine, Onyx Dog Brazier of Controlling Fire Elementals; Stone of Controlling Earth Elementalsx2; Censer of Controlling Air Elementals The Whistle, “Nightcaller” – Blow once/week at night to raise Zombie from grave to follow you Multiform Graegzim Gingwatzim, amulet an turn into Fremlin. Bladestar - +2 dagger, CN, I 15, E 11, Detect Invisible, Charm Person on contact 3/day, strength 1/day, 19 or 20 does max damage when used in backstab. Slay Lawful Creature, 1/month – save vs death or dies instantly. Wyrmcleaver - +2 two handed sword, becomes +4 vorpal sword against dragons Helm of Selnor – Can only be worn by warrior with CHA of 15+, +1 AC and cast Charm once/day on group – save vs spells and cannot be broken normally, charmed become barbarians in culture and alignment, as well as friends. Bloodfear - A +3 longsword that absorbs blood during combat = for every 20 points of damage vs a flesh entity with blood, the sword gets +1 in damage to a total of +7, after which is drops back to just +3 because it’s satiated and has to be built back up again. Unifex - +2 Dagger made from unicorn horn, AC2 given and can teleport once/day Deathstone Fragment - User will be cursed and lose 10 max HP; can control up to 50 HD of undead, with half level of ability. Curse is transferred is given away. The Earthshaker’s Mind Gem – Controls the Machine The Eye of Myr Div - Unique other-planar gem - 25,000 gp. Body Parts: Eyes, Scales, Teeth, Blood, Central Eye of a Beholder Parts from a Bronze Golem; Drolemx2; 4x White Wolf Pelts Eyes, Teeth, Scales, Blood, etc, of an old Blue Dragon, old Black, 6 red dreagon s(5 young, 1 very old), Dragon Turtle, venerable Black; Protective Amulets allow a save made if they fail one and are destroyed Level 1 – Charm Person Level 2 – Forget Level 3 - Suggestion Level 4 – Polymorph Other Level 5 – Domination Level 6 – Flesh to Stone Level 7 – Finger of Death Level 8 – Maze Level 9 - Power Word, Kill Stored Spells: Level 1 - Spoil Holy Water Level 2 – Vocalize Level 3 – Vampiric Touch Level 4 - Minor Globe of Invulnerability Level 5 – Magic Jar Level 6 – Dřkkálfar Teleport Level 7 – Teleport without Error Level 8 – Maze Level 9 - Lauthdryn’s Cleaving |
Alzar can cast: 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/4:
Spellbooks Castanamir’s Evil Books: 1st Level: Charm Person, Hypnotism, Friends, Magic Missile, Nystul’s Magical Aura, Protection from Good, Sleep, Spook, Corpselight, Dance Macabre, Reflected Image, Spoil Holy Water, Wandbane 2nd Level: Darkness, 15’ Radius, Deafness, ESP, Fools’ Gold, Irritation, Ray of Enfeeblement, Stinking Cloud, Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter, Choke, Dark Mirror, Empathic Control, Ghost Pipes, Castanamir’s Magic Missile Reflection, Undead Mount, Wall of Gloom 3rd Level: Feign Death, Haste, Improved Magic Missile, Protection from Good, 10’ Radius, Suggestion, Vampiric Touch, Curse Tablet, Dire Charm, Minor Malison, Mummy Touch, Skulltrap, Watery Double, Whip of Pain 4th Level: Contagion, Enervation, Fear, Phantasmal Killer, Bestow Curse, Delayed Magic Missile, Putrefaction, Ray of Oblivion, Rain of Terror, Greater Malison, Merald’s Murderous Mist, Disfigure 5th Level: Animate Dead, Avoidance, Cloudkill, Domination, Magic Jar, Deathmaster’s Vial, Eyefire, Fiendform, Nystul’s Enveloping Darkness, Persona of Death, Vile Venom, Xult’s Magical Doom 6th Level: Death Fog, Ensnarement, Geas, Mislead, Programmed Illusion, Flesh to Stone, Curse of Lycanthropy, Gauntlet of Teeth, Otiluke’s Excruciating Screen, Seizure, Spell Mirror 7th Level: Acid Storm, Amorphous Blob, Blood link, Consume Knowledge, Create Crypt Thing, Finger of Death, Otiluke’s Death Screen, Spell Turning, Torment, Vanish, Wandweird 8th Level: Abi-Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting, Bone Blade, Brain Spider, Demand, Heart of Stone, Mass Charm, Maze, Otto’s Irresistible Dance, Trap the Soul, X-Ray Vision 9th Level: Absorption, Blade in the Soul, Energy Drain, Estate Transference, Imprisonment, Mass Domination, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, Programmed Amnesia, Weird Castanamir’s Enchantment Books: Book 1 – Basics – Permanency 8th, Enchant an Item 6th, Analyze Dweomer 8th, Enchanted Weapon 4th, Recharge 6th, Steal Enchantment 7th Book 2 – Advanced Item Making – Obar’s Lesser Purification (4th), Merald’s Meld (4th), Eternal Flame, (5th), Veladar’s Vambrace (5th), Crown Meld (6th), Wondrous Web (6th), Awakening (7th) College of Wizardry Levels 8 & 9 Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Banishment 7th, Binding 8th, Dismissal 5th, Dolor 5th, Ensnarement 6th, Torment 7th, Gate 9th, Cacofiend, 7th; Power Word, Banishment 9th, Spiritwrack 6th Xaene’s Spellbook 1st – Affect Normal Fires, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Find Familiar, Grease, Identify, Magic Missile, Read Magic, Write 2nd – Continual Light, Darkness 15’, ESP, Invisibility, Levitate, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Shatter, Vocalize, Web 3rd – Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Flame Arrow, Hold Person, Material, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Phantasmal Force, Wind Wall 4th – Dimension Door, Fear, Fire Shield, Ice Storm, Magic Mirror, Polymorph Other, Wall of Ice, Wizard Eye 5th – Animate Dead, Conjure Fire Elemental, Dismissal, Dolor, Hold Monster, Sending, Teleport, Wall of Force 6th – Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Control Weather, Enchant an Item, Glassee, Globe of Invulnerability, Guards and Wards, Legend Lore, Repulsion 7th – Banishment, Drawmij’s Instant Summons, Limited Wish, Mass Invisibility, Phase Door, Reverse Gravity, Torment, Vanish 8th – Bigby’s Clenched Fist, Binding, Glassteel, Incendiary Cloud, Mind Blank, Permanency, Polymorph Any Object, Symbol, Xaene’s Mighty Chilblains The Tome of the Unusual: Aganazzar’s Scorcher, Odeen’s Magic Cloud, Vipergout, Ray of Fatigue, Paralyzation, Dispel Illusion, Acid Bolt, Gullship, Andrui’s Baneful Backfire Bigby’s Great Tome Bigby’s Bookworm Bane, Bigby’s Feeling Fingers, Bigby’s Dextrous Digits, Bigby’s Silencing Hand, Bigby’s Pugnacious Pugilist, Bigby’s Battering Gauntlet, Bigby’s Construction Crew, Bigby’s Force Sculpture, Bigby’s Fantastic Forces, Bigby’s Interposing Hand, Bigby’s Strangling Grip, Bigby’s Superior Force Sculpture, Bigby’s Besieging Bolt, Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Bigby’s Grasping Hand, Bigby’s Clenched Fist, Bigby’s Most Excellent Force Structure, Bigby’s Crushing Hand Wazor’s Spellbook 1st Level – Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Identify, Burning Hands 2nd Level – Invisibility, Detect Invisible, Flaming Sphere, Tasha’s….Laughter, Forget 3rd – Fly, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Dispel Magic, Item 4th – Charm Monster, Fire Trap, Massmorph, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self 5th – Transmute Water to Dust, Hold Monster, Dolor, Improved Blink 6th – Anti-Magic Shell, Enchant and Item, Stone to Flesh, Globe of Invulnerability 7th – Phase Door, Statue, Teleport Without Error, Dragon Breath 8th – Major Globe of Invulnerability, Permanency, Incendiary Cloud 9th – Wish, Meteor Swarm, Gate, Wail of the Banshee Neroth’s Spellbook 1st – Magic Missile, Sleep, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Protection from Evil, Wizard Mark, Ray of Fatigue 2nd – Pyrotechnics, Invisible, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Levitate, Web, Improved Phantasmal Force 3rd – Dispel Magic, Protection from Evil, 10’ Radius; Haste, Fly, Lightning Bolt, Dire Charm 4th – Ice Storm, Phantasmal Killer, Remove Curse, Confusion, Wizard Eye 5th – Conjure Fire Elemental, Telekinesis, Teleport, Passwall, Wall of Stone 6th – Disintegrate, Invisible Stalker, Legend Lore, Claws of the Umber Hulk 7th – Statue, Power Word Stun, Vision, Mass Invisibility Serge’s Spellbook 1st – Magic Missile, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person, Protection from Evil, Light, Burning Hands, Charm Person 2nd – Detect Invisible, Melf’s Acid Arrow, Levitate, Web, Continual Light, 3rd – Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Lightning Bolt, Vampiric Touch, Haste, Hold Undead 4th – Confusion, Wall of Fire, Hold Monster, Acid Bolt, Shout 5th – Telekinesis, Teleport, Dissolve, Cloudkill, Summon Shadow, Cone of Cold 6th – Disintegrate, Projected Image, Death Spell, Dimensional Blade 7th – Planar Door, Spell Turning, Limited Wish 8th – Power Word Blind, Incendiary Cloud To be Decoded Later – Alzar’s Combined Spellbook, 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/4: First Level: Alarm Alzar’s Undead Porter Armor Animate Dead Animals * Cantrip Charm Person * Chill Touch Comprehend Languages Conjure Spell Component Create Divining Rod (D229) Detect Magic * Emrikol’s Question Enlarge * Friends Identify Hypnotism * Locate Remains Mount Protection from Good Protective Amulet Read Magic Sleep * Spoil Holy Water Talon’s Waterproof Unseen Servant Wizard Mark Second Level: Alzar’s Axethrow Alzar’s Bookcopy Alzar’s Bookmend Alzar’s Familiar Attract Ghoul Baltar’s Lightening Blastbones * Choke Continual Light * Continual Wind Death Armor Embalm Empathic Control ESP Forget Ghoul Touch * Hold Person (Hamedhi) * Knock Leomund’s Trap Locate Object Ray of Enfeeblement Ray of Ondovir * Skeletal Hands Spectral Hand Speak with Dead Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter * Tenser’s Hunting Hawk Undead Mount Unpickable Lock Vocalize Wall of Gloom Wizard Lock Third Level: Alamir’s Fundamental Breakdown Bands of Sirellyn Bewilder Bone Knit Curse Tablet Dire Charm * Dispel Magic * ESP Barricade (College) Explosive Runes Fly Genie Contract Haste Hold Undead Leomund’s Tiny Hut Lesser Rhabdomancy (D229) Lightning Rod (Volo) Proof Against Teleportation Protection from Good 10’ Radius Searing Serpent * Sepia Snake Sigil Slumber * Skulltrap * Suggestion Teleport Object (Volo) Tongues Undead Summoning I Vampiric Touch * Watery Double Fourth Level: Alzar’s Quest Alzar’s Scrollmend Alzar’s Undead Expertise Backlash Bestow Curse Charm Monster * Confusion * Contagion Detect Ensorcellment (D229) Detect Scrying Dig Dimension Door Disfigure Dweomerflow (Volo) Enchanted Weapon Evard’s Black Tentacles * Fire Trap Greater Malison Itemmeld Magic Mirror Merald’s Meld (Volo) Minor Globe of Invulnerability Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens * Obar’s Lesser Purification (Volo) Otto’s Tin Soldiers * Polymorph Other * Putrefaction Ray of Oblivion Rary’s Mnemonic Enhancer Remove Curse Ritual of Renewal Special Effects Summon Lycanthrope Swordshun Unburn Vorthala’s Undead Turning Immunity Wall of Evil Fifth Level: Alzar’s Far Summons Andrui’s Baneful Backfire Animate Dead * Chaos Conjure Earth Elemental * Conjure Water Elemental Contact Other Plane Deathmaster’s Vial Dismissal Dolor Domination * Eternal Flame (Volo) Feeblemind Focal Stone (Volo) Greater Rhabdomancy (D229) Hold Monster * Magic Jar Mnemonic Negation Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound Passwall Presper’s Moonbow Prying Eyes Spell Trigger (Magister) Stealweb Summon Shadow * Teleport Transmute Rock to Mud * Veladar’s Vambrace (Volo) Vile Venom Xult’s Magical Doom Sixth Level: Alzar’s Backtrace Teleport Alzar’s Golem Heal Alzar’s Spellbookmend Anti-Magic Shell Bind Tabi Crown Meld (Volo) Curse of Lycanthropy Death Spell * Dřkkálfar Teleport Dwoemer Divest (D229) Enchant an Item Ensnarement Flameproof Geas * Globe of Invulnerability Invisible Stalker * Legend Lore Recharge Seizure * Spell Mirror Spiritwrack Stone to Flesh * Summon Soul Eater Summon Least Yugoloth Teleport Other * Transmute Bone to Steel True Seeing Wondrous Web (Volo) Seventh Level: Amorphous Blob Awakening (Volo) Azundel’s Purification (Volo) Banishment * Blood Link (Volo) Cacofiend Consume Knowledge Create Crypt Thing Descry (College) Finger of Death * Mass Teleport (Volo) * Negative Plane Protection Planar Door Power Word, Stun * Return to Alzar Semi-Permanency Steal Enchantment (Volo) Teleport without Error * Torment Vanish * Wardmist (Volo) Eighth Level: Abi-Dalzim’s Horrid Wilting Analyze Dweomer Binding * Create Spectral Wizard Demand * Hornung’s Random Dispatcher Major Globe of Invulnerability * Mass Charm * Maze * Monster Summoning VI Otto’s Irresistible Dance Permanency Power Word, Blind Symbol Trap the Soul * Ninth Level: Blade in the Soul Energy Drain Estate Transference Gate Imprisonment Lauthdryn’s Cleaving (Magister) Mass Domination * Mordenkainen’s Disjunction Power Word, Banishment Power Word, Kill * Strip Resistance (College) Terminate Scrying (College) Time Stop * Wail of the Banshee * Key to Spell Locations: Volo – Volo’s Guide to All Things Magical Magister – Secrets of the Magister College – College of Wizardry D229 – Dragon Magazine #229 |
Special Books Already Used – Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Libram of Ineffable Damnation; Tome of Understanding; Tome of Quickness of Action
Longevity Potions Drank - 8 Pets in Pandius Ak’Kabar Tabi HD – 5; HP 26 THAC0 – 15; 2 Attacks, 1d4 each; Intelligence – 9 Speaks – Own Language, Common Tongues AL – Chaotic Neutral Each hit by a claw must save vs poison or be deluded for 2d6 turns. Tabis can pick pockets, hide silently, and move in shadows with a 40% chance of success, and they can backstab when doing do. A tabi looks like a cross between a monkey, a bat, and a cat. They are about 15 pounds, and roughly 2 feet tall. After being bound I is extremely loyal, will do anything commanded, will be loyal for life, can go far outside the boundary normally had, and most importantly, the tabi is not a familiar. He can have a familiar, and if it dies nothing bad happens Azzil, Imp AC 2, HP 14, Save As: Level 7 THAC0 – 19; 1d4 + poison or die Lawful Evil, INT Average Flight class A, 18 25% Magic Resistance Can only be hit by silver or magical items Can polymorph at will into a raven or giant rat. Can turn invisible, detect good, magic, at will. Has infravision. Regenerate one hp/rnd. If within 1 mile, master gains infravision, regeneration and 25% magic resistance. User’s caster level increased by one. If not in 1 mile, caster level decreased by one. Immune to cold, fire, electricity. Can communicate telepathically with Alzar. Once/day can cast Suggestion. Now, if Azzil dies, Alzar is drained of two levels like an Energy Drain. Azzil wants to be the leader of this relationship, and views Alzar as the tool and him as the master, but in reality, Azzil knows that it’s not nearly as powerful as Alzar can be. The devils allowed Alzar to take one of their Imps as a recognition of the work he’s done against demons. Imps are the Ferrari of familiars. There is virtually no familiar that is as useful as an imp. Auto kills no matter the level with poison, they grant MR 25%, regen, and infravison and +1 caster level. They can invisible, polymorph, detect at will. They are the best and most agile of flyers. Now sure, Azzil is a bit independent, and will collect its own treasure and hide it away from bad guys. But it’s good. Aegis – AC – 2 HP - 70 (HD 14) THAC0 – 7 1 attack for 3d8damage Needs a +2 to hit with a weapon Immune to most spells Made of Onyx Stone, gives it a better AC and HP than a normal Stone Golem. Heals fully when a Transmute Mud to Rock spell is cast on it. Bronze Golem, Named Aleph: Bronze Golem – AC 0, HD 20, HP 97, THAC0 – 3, 1 attack fist 3d10 damage +1d10 heat damage; Deals 1d10 heat damage from its scaling hot “blood” inside the being. That fiery liquid spurts out when it takes damage to whoever hit it, or when it punches because it makes contact. Immune to heat, and requires a +2 magical weapon to hit. |
Month 8, Year 4:
85 and 37 - There are 24 weeks and 40 weeks left on the two projects. Bandits have hit the supplies on the north route, halving work there until again, Alzar cleans them up quickly and efficiently. The dominion grows again, slightly. This month hold the Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month At the village of Riverton, there have been some disturbances with the shepherds here. It’s a little uncertain exactly what. Alzar agrees to check it out. Eye of Pain   I want to get to the later two modules so we’ll sort of step into this one in order to get Alzar and his dominion to the finale. We’re doing a quest that’s much lighter in level for Alzar (as we did with the previous duology) so I may bump up the difficulty in a few places. |
Riverton is a small village in the same hex as Storn. It’s up-hill, and features a little over 1000 residents.
Alzar teleports in and arrives to the village. Riverton’s Sherriff is here to greet him, and fills Alzar in on some of the more unusual things that have been happening. Many of the locals cross the river to get to work with their herds of sheep in the hills. In the village are obvious buildings, such as a watermill, textile making, and there is an entire place to scour the wool and prepare it for spinning. Meanwhile there are places for sheepskin tanning and leatherwork and then others for carving and cleaning the meat. Many of these buildings have been built in the last five years as more and more people move here, and the industry increases. Obviously, not everyone is involved in the wool, meat, leather industry that Riverton has. Obviously, the sheep need to be cared for, cleaned, and animal husbandry is a major factor here. But there are also people who work other jobs, such as security, logging the forests for wood to expand or burn, and grabbing other food from nearby, such as fishing the river. The road to Storn crests here and heads northeast. The there is a huge waterwheel jutting out from its side and revolving slowly in the river’s lazy current. A stand of houses and shops are beyond the mill here, and there is a man here, cleaning some tools off in the river as Alzar meets with the Sherriff. |
Everyone in his dominion has gotten used to seeing their Count teleport around here and there, and without any pomp or ceremony or fancy bodyguards, and several people wave as he walks by. He is a leader that resonates with the workers and common people. He tends to be really popular among people like Riverton, where almost everyone is a normal laborer who is just trying to make things better, and Alzar’s personal investment of his money, his regular appearances, and the lack of any noble aires or manners is refreshing to these folks.
Alzar hasn’t been to Riverton in a few weeks, so he given another tour of the village. There’s a general store along the river with a variety of goods, run by Tholas Dramon, and over there is the Butcher’s Paradise, run by Tamerick Beyl and her husband is the proprietor of the Knotty Pine, the only Inn in Riverton. Their daughter runs all of the financial and commercial aspects of the inn, including ordering food and buying supplies and such. The Sherriff tells Alzar that a pair of wizards arrived here in Riverton three days ago to hire assistance to escort them to head into the nearby hills and check things out. Alzar is escorted to a home where a couple took a herd of sheep out a few days. They came across an odd object that had just appeared overnight, a state, plain as day, sitting right on a pedestal in the middle of a clearing – the bust of a man. The Sheriff tells Alzar that there have been a few disappearances in the last three months – four folks from the village have just up and vanished from the hills. No tracks, no blood, nothing left behind. |
Alzar decides to head to the Knotty Pine to check in with the wizards who are hiring here. He arrives, and the locals greet him, but neither is here. Mr. Beyl offers to show Alzar to their chambers, and he agrees. Their room is opened up, and there are some red robes, and letters and hand-written notes on the desk. Alzar walks over to them One is a stack of esoteric and heavily scholarly on the nature of anti-magic rays of beholders and another is correspondence back and forth between the two mages about whether or not beholders levitate biologically or magically. There is also a map to the right.
It is a crudely drawn map of the area. Riverton is on the southwest of the map, and above it is the statue with notes (Who put this here? The beholder? Why?), and points to a large and unusual rock formation as a marker with these notes “Signs of beholder activity: little mounds of rocks in the grass.” A crudely drawn beholder is over a carve mouth roughly 1.25 miles to the northeast of the statue and past the rock formation. He uses the Star/Gem to verify nothing else of concern in the area. Alzar puts the map back down and grabs the crystal ball, and then uses it to scry the area. After a few minutes he has found the cave entrance that the map has on it. He leaves and thanks the proprietor and Sherriff. Alzar decides to fly there, rather than teleport, since it’s so close and he can scan for folks on his way. He heads to the statue on the way there. In the middle of a circular clearing a slender stone column stands, perfectly smooth and about three feet high. Atop it is the bust of a man, flawlessly sculpted, and every feature is worked, down to the pores in the skin. The figure bears an expression of terror and confusion. Sounds like it might have been petrified to Alzar, and the bust was torn off a body. Alzar finds the small rocks that are mentioned as a sign of beholder activity in the map. He can’t find the rest of the body though, so he heads on |
A short time later, Alzar has arrived at the suspected lair. The mouth of the cave is high on a ledge, and Alzar flies up to it. It was covered with brush to disguise it, but he found it already with scry magic, so he didn’t need anymore.
The entrance is down, and extremely steep. Alzar flies down, the steep tunnel descends for a few dozen yards and opens into a narrow ledge near the top of a very large cavern. There is a distinct odor of dampness and decay here, and rock formations are in abundance. Alzar grabs the Ioun stone to give him the ability to see down here and there are a huge number of creatures below. The Gem/Star confirms it. There are large mushrooms that may be shriekers, other nasty looking animals, and large beetles. The cavern is very tall, so Alzar flies up to the top and moves across, without triggering the shriekers. He’ll use items like his Ear Ring to listen and detect anything. The cavern ends as a worked tunnel on the other end. It opens into a similar wrought area that appears to be perfectly round, and the floor, ceiling, and wall are perfectly smooth. In the center is a shaft in the floor. Alzar begins to head down the shaft, it appears to go down about 200 feet straight down. After it arrives in a large open bit that is half-filled with water, and there is a tunnel leading off from here. Alzar flies into the tunnel and it heads out for about 60 feet or so before opening in a room lit by a green color. Alzar conjures an elemental, summons the Stalker, and summons some shadows. Then they head in. This is another circular room, with nothing else and nowhere to go. There is some luminescent fungi here. Azzil’s detect magic reveals some magical material in the wall. A look with the Star of Mo-Pilar is nothing more. It looks like the actual wall, for about 6 feet, and circular. Hmm…ttat’s the size of the walls. Alzar grabs his Scroll of Portals and uses it on the magical wall, and the Pass Wall effect hits it. Behind is another tunnel. The elemental can’t head down it, so Alzar leaves it here to guard. It’s loud anyway, so the Stalker, the quiet shadows, and the invisible, flying Azzil are here. They head down it. |
The small round hallway widens at this point, and the place is surprisingly well li. Ornamental gems embedded in the alcove walls emit a brilliant magical light and the worked stone has intricate patterns, and exquisite statues to either side of the them, set into the stone. Beyond the room is another large tunnel, and they head past it. As they do, a Death Tyrant that was above floats down, and moves its gaze, and all of the sudden, there is that magical rock behind them. They are trapped!
This room is a large room with a high ceiling, and a Death Tyrant (an undead Beholder) and what looks like 4 more beholders are here. They move forward, and Alzar orders his group as well.  Alzar tries to control the Death Tyrant. It works and he orders it to turn and attack the 4 beholders in the back of the room. Alzar’s group moves out, and he casts Time Stop. He first casts Skulltrap and flies over and throws it at the quartet. And then? That’s it, just the one Time Stop round. It ends, and Alzar is in the range of the eyes of these mothers, but the Skulltrap blows up, and all four monsters with it, and the Death Tyrant in those blasts. They were apparently gas spores, creatures that look like beholders, but which explode when pierced (that exploding will send spores everywhere and its how the creature reproduces). There’s nothing else in the chamber. A quick Detect Magic and Gem/Star reveal some items in an balcony way up high: 1950 gp in gems Scroll – Dispel Magic, Polymorph Self Potion – Extra-Healing +2 Warhammer +2 Long Sword Dart of the Hornet’s Nest Bag of Puchezma’s Power of Edible Objects |
After checking out everything, Alzar teleports back to Riverton to check in with the Sherriff and see what he can find out. Apparently, while he was in the dungeon, one of the wizards told the landlord that he was heading to Storn and that he’s meet Alzar there. The other wizard is still here, and Alzar talks with him for a bit. Tarren Trasker, a 12th level mage, and a scholar who specializes n learning about unusual creatures, and especially beholders, which have always fascinated him. He’s a scholar-mage, not a combat one. He adventured with Velinax the Vermillion for almost a year, tracking down beholders, and that led to the revelation that there was beholder activity here at Riverton. Alzar tells him of the Death Tyrant and it resonates with Tarren’s impressions. Tarren wants to stay here for a few days to check out the lair and the rest of the area, to make sure there aren’t any other beholders here, and then may head to Storn to help out Velinax or he might head somewhere else.
Alzar wishes him well, and then teleports back to Evenarrow, drops off his stuff, and rests the night. End of Eye of Pain |
So I made some changes. In addition to changing the storyline to fit our good realm in Riverton, I also pulled some stuff. For example, this was originally an adventure for a mid-level party of characters that were being hired by the two wizards. And the wizards also hired other parties, and you have to compete with another party of NPCs. That’s an added element I pulled. Here I, have Alzar trying to put together these various pieces. There’s way too much stuff about the town in the module to care about, such as a late light tryst between two lovers and such. But the module’s fascination with this town certainly resonates with older school modules like The Village of Hommlet or Against the Cult of the Reptile God.
The Powder resembles salt, and when added to a normally indigestible material, it becomes delicious food. One pinch works for a meal, and it has 50 pinches. When you hurl a Dart of the Hornet’s Nest, it becomes 4d4 +2 darts. They disappear afterwards. |
Eye of Doom
 Let’s just keep this thing moving. |
Alzar spends a couple of days helping folks out, and doing some modest research, Alzar gest a message from a messenger just returning from Storn that Velinax is waiting for him at the Grinning Madman inn in Storn. He teleports to Storn.
Despite the growth in the capital, Storn is still the largest town in the County. 409 families give the city around 2045 people here. Evenarrow is narrowing the gap, but it’ still Storn’s crown to lose. Alzar is heads inside after greeting the local people in the street. The wizard is not there right now, but had breakfast and left around an hour ago or so. |
Suddenly, someone in the room reaches out and tries to, without being detected, use ESP on Alzar. Because he has Terminate Scrying up (it stays until used) , we have a story problem, so let me put on my DM hat and tell you what the issue is:
The big bad of the story polymorphs as humans, and is often Velinax, manipulating events. You won’t find out, probably, until module #3 near the very end that this odd, erudite, sagely wizard who is your guide throughout the 3rd adventure is really the big bad. Anyway, he polymorphed as the messenger that brought the message so that it would know when Alzar arrived, in order to gauge him, use ESP, and find out a lot more about him. The big bad cast teleport as well, and then polymorphed into the guise of a bard, and is languishing in this room, right now, casting ESP on Alzar. Alzar normally does not wear his Medallion of Proof against this stuff, wanting instead to know when it happens via Terminate Scrying. Here’s how Terminate Scrying works. The target (Alzar) knows about the attempt. He can cancel it (and will). When he does, there is a save for Alzar against spells, and if it works, he knows the location and identity of the user. Furthermore, if the target is at least 4 levels more than the caster (he is) then there is a save at -4 penalty by the caster of the scrying magic. If they fail, they take 6d6 damage, right now. You can see the issues that this brings. How do I resolve it? 1). Alzar automatically fails his save, and while the scrying is stopped, won’t know anymore. 2). Alzar, for some random reason, put on the Medallion of Protection…. And can’t be targeted at all, making this scenario null and void. 3). Alzar can roll the save, and may get the idea of who is is based on his roll. But, the big bad, because he is not human, cannot be more or fewer levels and therefore, can’t be hurt. 4). ESP is not a scrying spell in Pandius, so the whole conversation is moot. 5). The big bad automatically makes that save and cannot be damaged. 6). Create a magic item that protects from the Big Bad from the spell, and give it to him right now. Or, just live with the consequences… What’s a DM to do? Alzar is clever, he has 21 INT, he plans this sort of trap to expose someone. And now someone has fallen into that. I have to give the advantage to Alzar. |
Alzar terminates the scrying with the ESP hits him. He rolls a saving throw and gets a 13 – saved. Alzar sees the caster – a bard, who is sitting a few tables down, and the location is within a few hundred feet. But he can see the bard.
The bard makes a save with a massive -4 penalty. And? 10. Is a 7 good enough? Nope, the bard takes 6d6 damage (no save). 23 damage. The bard grimaces but does not scream out in pain. Alzar gets up and walks over to the table. Basically what I will be doing is accelerating a conversation that would not happen until the end of Eye of Doom. Alzar and the big bad would sit down and has some stuff out. Alzar tells him to not move, and uses his Gem/Star while the bard is beginning to sweat, and the creature is a beholder. “I’ve never heard of a beholder that can polymorph. Potion? Scroll?” “No, I can cast magic. I’m a wizard.” “ESP spell and polymorph. Those aren’t exactly little spells you pick up here and there, you must have studied for years.” The beholder bard nods. “And I have to admit that I’m surprised that you resisted my magic so easily, and then forced it back to me. I’m also a bit taken back by it, that’s not a trick even one of my kind could do, unless they canceled the magic altogether.” “So I assume that you are the mage in red? It’s not hard to piece together that at the same time the messenger arrived in my court you were here, ready with magic for when I teleported back over.” “I am that, indeed.” “So why don’t you tell me what you want. You have left yet, although I’d stop you if you tried to magic away or something.” “Alright, it’s cards on the table time. About 15 miles away, in the foothills of the Ljallenvals, underground, is an incredibly old city. In my tongue it’s called Ilth K’hinax. During its heyday it was home to more than 2000 beholders. It was abandoned long ago as my race moved on. Recently a small group, led by a hive mother, and joined by myself, arrived at the city, and began to set up a new base. I want you to kill her, so I can take over the group.” “That easy, eh?” “I wouldn’t have though so until your little demonstration.” “And why would I want to do that?” “Because the beholders are a threat to your rule. They want to completely destroy Storn and Riverton. This area was once holy to the beholders, and they want you gone I was asked to infiltrate the above world, and create the angles of attack to take it down, but there is a lot more power up here than they realize. I like the power I’ve acquired. I don’t want to leave. I want to gain more power. By helping me, you put someone who wants to keep the status quo.” “You clearly don’t know me well enough to make that your sole offer.” “What do you suggest?” “Three things. First, I want a spell that I now know you have. You animated the Death Tyrant outside of Riverton. I want that spell ,it’s rare, and I haven’t encountered it before. You’ll give me a scroll with it. I also want your control method, if that’s a spell as well. Two, you escort me down. I need someone to show me around, and help me out. And then three, you agree that, after I kill the Hive Mother, and I will do so, that you won’t attack me or my people. And, in order to sell me on those three things, you agree to have me cast a geas spell on you right now.” “That’s a tough order. You want me to give away secret beholder magic to you?” “I do. Just the one spell obviously.” “….okay with the scroll, I have two. And fine with the escorting around and joining you. But the geas? Is that really necessary?” “It is if you want me to help you at all.” They go around that for a while, but Alzar doesn’t budge. They’ll meet up tomorrow and then head over to Ilth K’hinax. |
Alzar gets the scroll that day, and learns, and then memorizes the 8th level spell so he can use it.
Create Death Tyrant – 8th level. It takes 3 rounds to cast, so you can’t use it in battle. It requires no components other than verbal. It allows the caster to make death tyrants from dead beholders. One is created for each level of the caster, but they can only be controlled for roughly an hour after creating them, and then the caster needs a Control Death Tyrant spell. Only an evil wizard of 18 or higher intelligence can use this, unless you are an Elder Orb. Control Death Tyrant – 4th Level No components, 4 casting time (can be used in combat) no save, lasts a day. You can control up to 1 Death Tyrant within one mile per HD of the caster. You can control a number of Death Tyrants equal to your intelligence, like a charm person, but with no saves. Only an evil wizard of 18 or higher intelligence can use this, unless you are an Elder Orb. Alzar won’t learn this, his ally, Qeqtoxii, doesn’t think there’ll be any down there., but there is an opportunity to raise one or three to use in attacking others. |
Eye to Eye
 The duo teleports to Ilth K’hinax and they begin to enter. Qeqtoxii had originally intended to join Alzar, or any others, as the mage, and in order to keep their journey somewhat secret, they agree to continue that way, although things can certainly change. Alzar has his Medallion on today, in case someone gets a little antsy. (I tried to find an image of Ilth K’hinax online for you but that was a big ol swing and a miss. Sorry) |
It’s a gigantic circle, with towers, buildings, slave quarters and more. There are four major thoroughfares with a huge tower in the middle, and that tower is the central command area for our new beholder residents.
At the entrance they teleported to are a pair of Spectators, large beholder-kin who guard a particular thing or area. They have been set here by Qeqtoxii and let him and Alzar through. The great beholder city of Ilth K’hinax occupies a mammoth cavern below the surface world. It stretches as far as the eye can see, and the beholders who originally built it and dwelt there carefully planned it as a tribute to their way of life. Entrances are vertical holes that lack stairs or a ramp, and similar construction is up and down the whole of Ilth K’hinax. The lower level they are entering by and it was the quarters for servants and slaves, with beholders above, and in the central tower. It’s very similar to a great stalagmite. After the beholders returned to the site, they began to excise the area of the life that had grown up, so creatures like bats, beetles, centipedes, other insects, gelatinous cubes, carrion crawlers, and other scavengers and underground friendly folks are long since driven out. There may still be some down here, but their numbers are greatly diminished. As they walk down they notice some natural phenomena, like air currents and odors and dripping water and hot and cold spots. The place is alive geologically. Alzar is using the black Ioun stone to see in darkness, and can see better than a certain beholder-cum-human. In fact, it seems like this lower level has been cleaned of much of the debris of time, and objects are gone from homes. The recent lodgers might have used their telekinesis eye stalks to move things around. |
Qeqtoxii would like Alzar and him to head up to the tower now, fight the beholders there, and then Alzar can explore till his heart’s content. There is a large water filled chamber that Qeqtoxii mentions would have held kuo-toa slaves long since. There are 14 observation towers on the edges of the circle on the lower level, but reach up a lot higher. Alzar wants to check one out to get the lay of the land.
There is one to the left about 100 yards from the entrance. All of these watch towers are constructed similar, and rise from the floor of the level up through the roof and out of the surface. There was once some of the magical blackstone that the beholders use to create or dis-create with their anti-magic eye stalks . But it’s eroded, and Alzar slips around it. As he ascends to the top of the shaft, he arrives at a catwalk that juts up into a great area of inky darkness. Off in the distance and high overhead there are some points of light, similar, to stars, but they cannot be made out from here. Alzar points them out and Qeqtoxii says they are from the upper level of the city in the tower. The city would have been well lit at one point in time, but now its eerie. A large number of dwarf/gnome/halfling warrens are here that would have been used way back when as slaves. Alzar heads back down and then he agrees to accelerate their arrival at the beholder home. He grabs the Flying Carpet and Qeqtoxii jumps on it too. They fly over a central plaza with a tall gateway and It looks like there was a battle here and despite the cleaning up of large rubble, there are still scars in the rock and floors. They fly to an inner plaza that the beholder-human points out. They fly past an old looking freight ramp with a pulley system. There are some tunnels that lead out of the city to other places, and they may be blocked off, Alzar can check them out later. They arrive at a catwalk on the second level of the city. From here, they need to move to the central tower. Qeqtoxii shows Alzar where to go. He points out a few places where there are supposed to be some inhabitants, and they head to the tower. |
Up here beholder decorations and carved, polished, and oddly shaped areas. Because beholders think in terms of their own shape, everything is round and spherical. For example, they are in a 40-foot diameter tube that runs in a great circle around the area. Qeqtoxii tells Alzar that there is a stone golem shaped like an umber hulk guarding the area to the left. It patrols the entire 1200 foot round tunnel as it circles, but he can make it out a bit. There’s no one else here, so Alzar heads to OtherSpace for 5 minutes or so and Qeqtoxii shifts back to his beholder form in order to avoid any attention.
From here, we can go directly to Ixathinon’s lair, the hive mother. At this time, Alzar summons and conjures allies. He has a different set of items as well, since the Hive Mother and other beholders have anti-magic properties. He doesn’t normally like to use it, but he places the turn Face of Xenous on his, and his complexion changes to hers. He’ll keep it on during the battles against these beholders . Anti-magic stuff doesn’t work on artifacts. The Bright Barrier is the same. Alzar uses the Face to conjure a 16 HD earth elemental, 16 hd Air elemental, and then he conjures an earth, a stalker, and summons 8 shadows, then grabs Aegis and will use it behind the others to flank things off. Alzar will actually keep his allies in the hallway until battle commences. There is an outer chamber that is the home of a beholder, very loyal to the hive mother, named Zulnethrac. The Hive Mother is past it. Zulnethrac’s door is just two down on the left. They open the door, and its very Spartan in here, the beholder spends little time her (and can only be found here 30% of the time – I roll 61, nope). Alzar brings his army into the chamber, and then they prepare. He uses the Ear Ring to check and see and get a feel for the next room. No noise. They head in, Alzar leading with the Star of Mo-Pilar and using it to sweep the room for anything unusual. |
There is a gentle ledge down, and this is a lavishly decorated room, with fine sculptures, wall hangings, and brightly colored crystals. A combination of luminescent mosses, fungi, captured fire beetles, and strange colored lanterns give the place an odd feel to it. There is an open book on a low stone block, and what appears to be some sort of workshop is set up on another stone block in the corner.
And a hive mother…  It‘s the weird one on the far, upper left She’s twice the size of a normal beholder, her mouth is so large that a natural hit of 20 swallows a man sized creature whole. She controls fellow beholders and beholder-kin and brings order to a lair that way. She is relatively surprised that these people are here, but not that Qeqtoxii sent some people to kill her, but they quickly flew up here after their arrival and skipped some of the traps and guards she had stationed elsewhere. She immediately summons the hive to come and help her, and then turns on them. Alzar drops the new inert Star into his pocket. He didn’t notice anything. He charges forward, leading with the creatures he has summoned and conjured here. But he pulls up and uses the Face of Xenous to Flesh to Stone her. She was not expecting someone to use magic while using her anti-magic ray, and she has to roll a save, or else be petrified. Save die is rolled and………She rolls a 2. Dang. She is petrified and falls to the ground, all stony. Qeqtoxii, in human form, is just pausing for a moment, but more beholders can be heard. Alzar uses this as a chance to tidy things up. He casts Time Stop. It works. He casts Power Word Kill at Qeqtoxii, and he gets another round and casts Finger of Death, and he gets a third round and follows with a hard cast of Flesh to Stone. The Time Stop ends, all three spells hit him, and the PWK works and kills him, the others were overkill. But understandable. As he dies, he shifts back into the elder orb form. No way he was going to let the Elder Orb live, he ran a thieves guild in Storn, and this was a good chance to deal a death blow to that organization. Now he knows why his spies found out I was called the Unblinking Eye. A little too on the nose there. Alzar has never been one for people violating his own laws. He doesn’t want to get dialed in, he just wants to end any problems. |
Alzar Hears beholders arriving as his force moves around to meet them. While waiting, he’ll use the Zoster, in case he gets a chance ot attack without being in an anti-magic zone, and then he’ll also drink the potion of Luck he prepared for this battle, which increases his bonus against saving throws considerably for a few turns. In case they try to use their eyestalks, those can come with a lot of saves. He’s also using Ring of Protection +4 instead of his Ring of Quick Action. (He also has a small amount of magic resistance from Azzil, the Imp)
The remaining beholders are: Gazriktak, Loyal to the most powerful beholder, just wants to go home Khuxristul, Beholder Mage, it is a strong team player, and plays for the strongest beholder Sespetoxri, greedy little deviant, thief, stole things from the lair, will choose to flee now that the hive mother is gone, rather than find out what killed it. Sikrewxes, tries to play political games to give itself more power, doesn’t take sides with anyone, always seeks to winning side, and that might even be the characters Zulnethrac – Viciously loyal to the hive mother, most powerful beholder now that both Qeqtoxii and Ixathinon are gone. It will take charge as soon as it arrives. The normal plotline here is that the party kills Ixathinon with help from the human mage, who then transforms back into Elder Orb and begins to attack them, revealing his plan and plots to kill her, and then Zulnethrac leads an attack to kill Qeqtoxii and many of the beholders will join him (Gazriktak, Khuxristul, and maybe Sikrewxes) while Sespetoxri runs. Then the party and the beholders combine and take out the big bad of the adventure. But Alzar just killed him while he was a fragile human. So the script is going to be flipped.  In one round, a group of four beholders move into the room. One has a scarred and destroyed central eye, and it hangs back and begins to cast magic. The other three move in, and create three different cones of anti-magic,. The good thing is that the eyeball powers of the beholder won’t work in the anti-magic zone, so Alzar is going to stay in there and melee, along with his minions and such. Roll for initiative! |
4 vs 5. Alzar’s axe, non-magical, hums and tries to connect with the beholder in the middle. It has an AC of 0. Without magic, or the zoster, Alzar has to roll a 10 to connect with the axe, (no strength bonus either) as well as an 11 with the Bright Barrier’s shield bash. The one in front is Gazriktak. He has 48 hp. Here we go… 12, 5, and 17. It takes 1 and 5 for 11 damage. The golem swings and rolls a 5 and hits for 16 more damage on the creature. A 16 HD earth elemental smashes Zulnethrac for 18. No one else connects. The beholders flip from anti-magic to spells as the spells from the mage fly in. They are spreading their fire, trying to take out multiple opponents. Out shoot Flesh to Stone, Disintegrate, and such. The mage casts Blindness at Alzar, and he rolls. 10 on the save. He’s fine. A disintegrate comes his way and he rolls 16. They use Flesh to Stone on him twice, and his Rock Jellaba makes him immune. After all, he now gets his magic bonuses. They kill the 16 hd Air Elemental with a disintegrate ray
Gazriktak – 21/48 Zulnethrac – 54/72 3 vs 2. The beholders continue to use their eyestalks. They have a few rays target Alzar – Cause Serious Wounds, Fear, Disintegrate, Charmx2. He takes 20, rolls a 7 for the fear and makes it, a 4 for the Disintegrate, and I need to look this one up (hold on) level 23 mage needs…and he gets the + 4 from his +4 ring and the Potion too. That’s a 10 total, that’s fine. They kill the Invisible Stalker and the 16 hd Earth Elemental. Then they roll back and use Anti-magic again. Alzar’s now non-magic axe bites once for 8 damage, and his Barrier smashes for 5. Aegis finishes off the wounded beholder. Then the attacks come in on Zulnethrac. 14 rolled by the 8 HD Earth for 16 damage, and then a few misses by shadows and such. None have even hit yet. Alzar had Azzil fly carefully over to the beholder mage, and he gets an ambush attack. Rolled an 11 and that’s a miss. Alzar – 57/77 Zulnethrac – 38/72 2 vs 7. Alzar’s team grabs the initiative back. Alzar turns to hit Zulnethrac. In three attacks he just hits once for 4 damage from his axe (The bare minimum). Azzil needs an 18 and rolls….15. Nope. Meanwhile, 8 HD friend elemental swings and….1. Nope. Golem? 17, smashes Zulnethrac for 13. Shadows? Nah. Alzar orders Azzil to fly out of the way. He wants to prepare line of sight. They spin and use eyestalks. A few shadows bite it, and then 8 HD Earth is disintegrated and Alzar takes another Cause from Zulnethrac . Meanwhile, he made his saves for various effects. Zulnethrac orders a focused retreat, and begins to pull back. They move back and cover with AM eyes. Zulnethrac – 21/72 4 vs 7. Alzar uses the Face of Xenous to spit out a Cone of Cold on the two beholders he has line of fire – Zulnethrac and the mage behind him. It shoots out….33 damage, save for half…both make their saves, and take 17 damage. Then Aegis punches out at their leader and rolls and 9 and kills him. They have two beholders left. Meanwhile, Alzar has himself, the golem, Azzil, and three shadows left. They continue to retreat, keeping the party in Sikrewxes’s AM rays, not wanting to give anyone a line of sight or target of opportunity. Khuxristul 43/60 They are moving back to Zulnethrac’s room, Khuxristul behind Sikrewxes. All of the sudden, Sikrewxes spins, hits Khuxristul with his ray, and shouts out to Alzar to take him down. Alzar casts Power Word Stun and holds him, and they kill him next turn. With the beholder dead, Sikrewxes turns to keep Alzar in his AM ray. Alzar lets him. Sikrewxes just wants to leave, and head somewhere else to start his own group and Alzar agrees. He tells them there is a cowardly little thief of a beholder who likely fled as well, in case Alzar wants to kill him. And then he floats back to his chamber to collect his things as they walk and talk, and hen floats off of this floor, down to the ground level, and then down and out. The other one fled and is gone as well. (Sikrewxes is actually going to hold out for a few hours, wait until Alzar has finished, and then head back and take everything that he left behind, and take it with him). |
The first place Alzar investigates is these two bedchambers. There are a lot of items, Azzil makes many glow, and in fact, on Alzar’s dead erstwhile ally’s body is a large Bag of Holding that he shoves thing into for now. All of the magical items in the rooms, and there are some books he shoves in too. And some statuettes and things of beauty but awkwardly shaped, he moves to his OtherSpace for now.
Alzar breaks the statue of the hiver mother into a bunch of pieces to make sure that she is gone for good. Alzar heads back out to finish exploring this wing, there should be other beholder rooms here. He heads out and the next room is Gazriktak’s former lair, and he has placed some petrified creatures here for defense in case things got out of hand. There’s nothing else here and the next room was Sespetoxri’s room. It’s been cleaned out recently. As Alzar moves out, he hears the stone golem rounding the bend again, and he’s grabbed the Whistle of Golem Control. He uses it and…nope, no dice. He grabs the axe and shield instead and heads in. Init: 1 vs 9. Alzar carves the golem twice but misses with the shield for 33It punches for 11,, and then wins int , punches and misses, and Alzar hits 2 outta 3 again for 22. Alzar grabs initiative back and slays it. Alzar 66/77 (Alzar heals often due to regeneration from Azzil). The next room was Sikrewxes and Alzar was already there – a quick check finds nothing. The next two rooms are the chambers and laboratory of the magic user. He finds a spellbook and another magical book and secures them. There are 220 Books on Beholders, Magic, and Research on Spells without requiring Somatic/Material Components In Qeqtoxii’s lair are some oddly shaped mirrors, but little else. |
There are an odd behold art gallery and a water garden here as well. But the library is the final room on the floor and something of interest. The entire place had thousands of little niches and areas with scrolls and books that were everywhere. Today the entire collection of the hive is here. Qeqtoxii brought in most of the books. The Elder Orb only sent in lower value books, he craved knowledge himself and has books probably back above.
442 Books from Beholder Library – General Topics All of the things from this floor: Bag of Holding, 10000 Cns Potions - Ventriloquism, Longevity, Gaseous Form, Fire Breath, Invisibility, Human Control, Extra-Healing, Polymorph Self, Vitality, 5200 gp of gems, jewelry, and coins Wand of Magic Missiles – 63 charges Libram of Golems Tome of Clear Thought Tome of Understanding Two Ioun Stones – Pearly White Spindle – Regen 1 hp/turn; Dusty Rose Prism, +1 AC Cube of Force Daern’s Instant Fortress Necklace of Protection +1 AC Khuxristul’s Spellbook Alzar heads back down to the level they skipped, the second one not here in the tower. He coasts around, trying to find anything to loot, kill, or kill. (In an attempt not to delay this module overly much I’ll skip a bunch of things her.) There’s a catwalk, arena, storage, quarters for higher level slaves and servants, Alzar kills a cloaker, and gains some magic armor from it. He also fights off against a Xorn that attacks. Then back down to the first level, and he flies around, making sure he found everything, and he did. He teleports back home and unloads everything, spends the night sleeping and rememorizing spells, and then he teleports back to Storn in the morn. He wants to finish the guild there off now, while he still can +3 Banded Mail Back to Eye of Doom |
Alzar tracks down information on the guild’s location using Detect Lie and ESP tricks. After doing so, he heads over. It’s not a big location, after all Storn is not that big either. He watches the HQ for a few minutes, using the Crystal Ball but little can be made out.
He goes in from the side, using the Scroll of Portals to Passwall. He hits the back of the guild, and there is the leader, the faceless man, who can be seen in the background with an image on the curtain, and a handful of operatives here as well. It’s almost like no one has noticed anything. Alzar leads in and nine operatives turn around and the leader steps out from behind a curtain, and a mage turns around and begins to prepare a spell. Initiative. 3 vs 7. Alzar casts Wail fo the Banshee. The mage dies, 7 operatives fall as well. The rest flee, and the leader turns and smiles at Alzar widely, and then turns back into its beholder shape. There’s a least one more of these things! It fires some of its rays at Alzar. This time, he wasn’t using the +4 Ring of Protection or the luck potion. Several rays hits him and….He makes them, even the disintegrate ray. Alzar uses the Ring of Quick Action while he can. He wins initiative. He casts Time Stop. Then he casts Finger of Death, and he gets….one more round and casts….Flesh to Stone. Will either work? 6 and 17. Yes, it dies. Alzar grabs the dead beholder, strips it of everything that it had, and then takes it out to street. He heads back in and spends about an hour ransacking the place and taking the books, spellbooks, and magic items, and gold and such from it. Once he is satisfied that there is nothing left of value he heads back and sets it on fire. By that time, most of the town has turned up anyway. Alzar greets them and tells them that the thieves guild is done. This beast ruled it, and tried to There might have some people, some rulers, and some officials that might have looked the other way in order to get a little something. But not here. Not today. These people deserve better. No one lives outside of the law. And anyone found in cooperation with these (and he points to the beholder’s corpse with his boot) type of people will be handled, because, frankly, you need better. They have to have each other’s backs, because there is no one else who will. Alzar grabs the bag of loot from the guild with the gems, coins and jewels. He hands it, and announces that this was probably taken from most of them, and now it is returned, and then hands it to an official for distribution. Alzar grabs the corpse, and heads home. In the now burned and destroyed guild? +2 Scimitar Talisman of Memorization Scroll of Protection from Acid 301 Uncommon to rare books on general knowledge topics 4 books on summoning and controlled Spectators Felmot’s Spellbook Zerixith’s Spellbook And that was it. End of Eye to Eye, Eye of Doom |
Alzar summoned a Spectator back in Thorasia, but this method is quicker, cheaper, and more reliable. It comes with a spell as well.
Alzar teleports back to Ilth K’hinax and uses his spells to collapse the three entrances after making surere there are no no other denizens he needs to worry about. As he has time, he’ll teleport over undead that he controls, creates or captures, both as a nice, out-of-the-way place to store them, but also to create an underground base of operations. Obviously, other creature will eventually move in, but sending in powerful undead, like his giant skeletons, will help to keep the area his. He’ll also be setting up magical traps all over, such as Watery Double, Blastbones, and Skulltrap. He has three spellbooks to decode for later, a bunch of magical items, the goodwill of folks in Riverton and Storn, and more. Dominion Confidence raises by 10. I roll to see which Manual of the Golem we have here…67 is rolled. It’s an Amber Golem book. He’ll have the foundry organize and make an amber lion or tiger. (Cost 60,000 gp). It’ll take a few months to get that much. Normally an Amber Golem can only be made with a priest, but with the Manual, Alzar can make one took. Alzar gained 136k from the last two adventures, and I toss him some quest XP to make up the diff as well. Behind the scenes Alzar creates a room in the Ljallenvals, unconnected to anything else, and then animates the dead beholders into 6 Death Tyrants that he leaves them guarding this, specific ally designed to create a fall back place in case things go poorly, or a storage place for his undead. He doesn’t want to leave the Death Tyrants in Ilth K’hinax, because if/when other beholders return, they could take control of them via a simple Control Death Tyrant spell. That could be a ponential Achilles heel. |
Month 9, Year 4:
04 and 25 - There are 20 weeks and 36 weeks left on the two projects. The dominion grows again, slightly. Alzar checks in with King Ericall. He wants to launch an attack to annex the Kingdom (Free City) of Oceansend. That’s not going to go well. Alzar tries to talk him out of it. Two weeks later King Ericall has assembled his personal forces, more than 10000 strong, and declared war on Oceasend. Alzar has also used Dispel Magic on the three books captured from the Beholders magi and the human mage. Here they are: Felmot the Invoker’s Spellbook 1st – Detect Magic, Read Magic, Identify, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Shield, Tenser’s Floating Disk, Wall of Fog 2nd – Flaming Sphere, Stinking Cloud, Web, Flying Fist, Know Alignment 3rd – Lightning Bolt, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Dispel Magic, Delude, Invisible Mail 4th – Ice Storm, Wall of Fire, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, Delayed Magic Missile 5th – Cone of Cold, Cloudkill, Wall of Force, Zerixith’s Spellbook 1st – Hold Portal, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Feather Fall, Magic Missile, Phantasmal Force, 2nd – Blindness, Knock 3rd – Hold Person, Hold Undead 4th – Polymorph Self, Instruct Spectator, Dimension Door Khuxristul’s Spellbook 1st - Detect Magic, Read Magic, Hold Portal, Magic Missile, 2nd – Detect Invisibility, Darkness 15’ Radius, Knock 3rd – Protection from Normal Missiles 4th – Dimension Door, Extension I 5th – Wall of Blackstone, Contact other Plane, Wall of Force, Extension II 6th - Extension III, Geas Alzar learns Instruct Spectator. Alzar teleports over to the Shire of Leeha, and the halflings here fear that King Ericall will take them next. They have been within the boundaries of the Kingdom of Norwold ever since Ericall arrived here more than 10 years ago. Five Baronies and Counties of Norwold have been started very close, or adjacent to, the Shire of Leeha and its 7 halfling holds. Alzar agrees to not support his power grab with Leeha. Alzar is going to expand their military by an additional 800 soldiers. That will put the County in the red for a while, but they can take it out of their treasury. Meanwhile, the county should grow economically (due to the growth of the region) and the taxbase should grow to encompass the increased military. County Military – Light Foot Soldiers – 750 troops, 20 leaders – 1500 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger Heavy Foot Soldiers – 400 troops, 10 leaders – 1200 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger Light Horse Soldiers – 200 troops, 5 leader – 2000 gp, AC6, longsword, lance Heavy Horse Soldiers – 250 troops, 6 leader – 4000 gp, AC 2, longsword lance Crossbow Troops – 400, 10 leaders – 1600 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword 51 Officers – 510 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead 25 Armorer – 2500 gp 10 Smiths – 200 gp 4 Equerry – 200 gp Artillerist – 750 gp 14460 gp Alzar has declined to follow the King’s lead. After consulting with his people and advisors, this is not a popular war in his area at all. Alzar announces that his army will not be joining the offensive against the King of Oceansend. After the recent attack on his County by the 6000 strong army from the Barony of Solvhavne, and due to the strategic importance of his County and the rebuilding of his army, he will remain, defeding this point, and will contribute to the war effort by contuing to rebuild and hold the line of supplies here, thereby preventing any potential attempt by Oceansend to send a naval or military force into the Great Sea. That’s a minor little shot against the bow for King Ericall for failing to support The County of the Mighty for Solvhavne. A day later an object is teleported to the court, and it’s a message from King Jarvik the Just from Oceansend as a quick little, behind-the-scenes thanks. |
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