D&D Dynasty: 3rd Path of King Alzar the Mighty - FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Get ready


Path the First, Thorasia: The D&D Dynasty: The Path of Alzar the Mighty - Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=77570)

Path the Second, Hamedh: The D&D Dynasty: The New Path of Alzar the Mighty - Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=87446)

[ntndeacon]

woohoo!

[Abe Sargent]

woohoo!

It''s going to be very....out there....but in a way a huge homecoming...

But basically, Alzar is about to head a very familiar plane. An actual, TSR approved plane...

[Abe Sargent]

After being sealed inside of a different plane, one where his combined states and skills won't be as much of an issue, by the Demon Princes Jubilex and Zuggtmoy, Alzar is in a new place.

There are no rules for what happened. There is no curse, spell, magical ability or item that represents what punishment was meted on to Alzar. And even less on what to do when it ends.

There are a few ways I can handle this. I could give him all of the levels on gained on Hamedh, or just merely the XP and give him about one level. What I’m actually going to do is to give Alzar half of the levels he got on Hamedh to the original Thorasia version, then adding a level to represent the Libram he read.

Alzar was level 14 as a mage, so he will be level 19 now. (He gained 8 mages levels through adventuring +1 for the book).

Here was Alzar before he was flung to Hamedh and cursed:

The Alzar of Christmas Past

8th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 14th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 17
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Wis: 15
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 68
THACO: 13
AC: -3 (Bracers, Helm, Cloak, Boots, Ioun Stone) Gets +2 when fighting with one handed weapon
Total XP: 1,515,000
Age 53, Body - 19

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 with melee weapons


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

Languages – Typic, Sis’sharr, UnderTypic, Kuo-Toa,


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. Extra attack every other round. 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.


Stalked by a Death Servant, who merges with his shadow. If he ever is about to take a fatal blow, the Death Servant will jump out, take the blow instead, and Alzar will be fully healed.

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.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar was unable to use some of these abilities on Hamedh, and they will kick back in, like his extra- dimensional pocket, He adds in proficiencies gained and more on Hamedh. Here is Alzar today, on his new plane.


Alzzar, Post Hamedh
8th level Fighter (Myrmidon), 19th level Path Mage (Fivefold Mage)

Lawful Evil
Human

Str: 17
Dex: 13
Con: 10
Wis: 16
Int: 21
Cha: 17

Hit Points: 73
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: 3,500,000(Level 20 at 3,750,000
Age 59, Body - 25

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

This is the Alzar of Christmas Present. Abilities bolded cannot be used here on the new plane (due to the nature of the plane itself or due to the fact he has been sealed in).

[Abe Sargent]

Like Hamedh, there will be some minor changes to plants, animals, and such. Proficiencies in bold simply won’t be able to work at all. Italicized items represent skills that still work for old places or languages known, but won’t work for things from the new plane, at least not at first.

The items that Alzar has on this list come from two places. The first are those he brought over from Hamedh. Those were on him (or held by him) as he arrived. The second set of items he has is in his extradimensional space. His "home" away from home, so to speak. The items he had on him when the Portal/accident happened are long since gone, and things like his Belt of Flying, or the lost gems from the artifact he destroyed, and many others are now gone. They were procured. That includes the items he had in his Bag of Holding, such as one copy of his personal spellbooks (he had spare sets in several locations) . Items from Thorasia that he acquired, but had in his home, or several treasuries, were not able to be procured by him in his short stint back on the home plane for a moment before Jubilex arrived and yanked him off again. So all he has is the stuff he could carry, and the stuff he could store in his personal OtherSpace.

Many of the best items aren’t in the OtherSpace, that was meant to be a place to store and hold up as well as a mobile lab/library and place to sleep. For example, Whelm, Wave, and Blackrazor are not stored there. Neither are a lot of other unique items. He lost the Sword of Lyons that he adored so much. You’ll see what stuff he had.

[Tellistto]

Following, sir!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Following, sir!

Tell

Awesome possum! I actually say that in real life too!

[Abe Sargent]

What items does Alzar have?

Stuff:

5055 pp


Gems: 22,300 in gems from a volume with a hollow center;

Jewelry: 75,000 gp in generic jewelry


Objet d’arts:


Books:

20000 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
Tome of Vile Darkness; Manual of Bodily Health; Manual of Gainful Exercise; Manual of Quickness of Action; Tome of Clear Thoughtx2; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Tome of Understanding; Grim Grimoire; Libram of Gainful Conjuration;


Laboratory:

20000 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, Healingx10, Levitationx1, Spider Climbingsx2, ESPx2 Animal Control – Horses, Clairvoyancex3, Clairaudience, Fire Resistancex2, Philter of Lovex2, Control Plantsx3, Neutralize Poisonx2, Speedx4, Cure Disease, Water Breathingx4, Invisibilityx4; Invulnerabilityx48, Undead Controlx5 (Wight, Vampire, Ghoul), Heroismx3, Flyingx3, White, Silverx2, Red, Black, Greenx2 Dragon Control; Oil of Etherealnessx2, Strength, Treasure Findingx2, Human Controx3, Growthx2, Animal Control, Philter of Persuasivenessx2, Super-Heroismx2, Polymorph Selfx3, 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


Weapons and Armor -


+3 Daggerx2, +4 Battle Axe; +1 Battle Axe;

+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;

Shield of Fear (Like Plate Mail of Fear); +1 Elven Chainmail;

Rings - Ring of Water Walking, Ring of Depetrification – 12 charges; Ring of Protection +1x2; +2, +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; Regeneration; Spell Turning; 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;

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

Staff of Striking – 48 charges; Staff of the Serpent, adder; Staff of Spell Focusing – 23 charges;
Amun-Re’s Staff of Rulership


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;

Scroll of Spell Catching 1-6`

Cleric scroll –

Protection from Acid, Cold, Demonsx2, Undeadx3, Magicx2, Elementalsx3, 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;
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
Scarab of Venom
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;
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

The Eye of Myr Div - Unique other-planar gem - 25,000 gp.


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 – Døkkálfar Teleport
Level 7 – Teleport without Error
Level 8 – Maze
Level 9 - Lauthdryn’s Cleaving

[Abe Sargent]

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



Alzar’s Combined Spellbook, 6/6/6/6/6/4/4/4/2:

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
Crown Meld (Volo)
Curse of Lycanthropy
Death Spell *
Døkkálfar 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
Bind Tabi
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

[Abe Sargent]

After the flash is over, and Alzar is sealed within his new plane, his new home, his new jail. It seems like a normal enough plane. Nothing too special about it. He can access all of his stuff, he walks into his OtherSpace and reviews his things, and begins to add the books and items from Hamedh into the large room he has made for himself here.

He is without his familiar, Gilded Ears. Much like the arrival on Hamedh and subsequent curse/seal ended the link between him and his familiar Dryshik, he has lost the link with Gilded Ears. His jackal familiar is gone. He can try spells out to get a new one. He has Aegis, in its Warp Marble and the Tabi in the Iron Flask to bind later. He can bring those out. He didn’t get back any of his created or allies from

Alzar doesn’t have any spell components for 8th or 9th level spells. He’ll need to collect them in order to use those spells (save for the Power Word spells, they don’t need any spell components, neither does Time Stop. We’ll use Power Word Kill and Time Stop for his 9th level spells for now. The same is true of Maze and Mass Charm. Again, he’ll memorize those for now.)



He has a Spartan bed with some minor things. He spends the night memorizing spells from the spellbooks he brought over in the 8th and 9th level of ability as well as a scroll he was hanging onto.


8th

Create Spectral Wizard

9th

Strip Resistance (College)
Terminate Scrying (College)


The Strip works to pull off magic resistance on an given target. It will attack the Magic Resistance on a creature each round until it penetrates the MR. Then it permanently reduces the 5 x 1d20% of its magic resistance.

Terminate? The next scrying attempt against the user will be known by the user and can be terminated. It’ll do shock damage to the caster of the scrying spell or the item being used.


What do some of these other unusual spells do? The Cleaving cuts through all magical barriers of 8th level or lower. It shears the lasting breaches all protections and destroys them.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar's new plane is going basically be Mystara. This is the home plane of the D&D universe. It won't be the exact plane obviously. I have used a bunch of modules set in Mystara in various places that fleshed things out (such as various entries from the B and X series. We used X1 (The Isle of Dread), X2 Castle Amber, X3 Curse of Xanathon, X4 and X5 in the Desert Nomads duology; X7 War Rafts of Kron; X8 Drums on Fire Mountain; and X12 Skarda's Mirror. That's all in addition to the B series of modules we ran as well.)

But we'll be running an iteration of Mystara. (We’ll be calling it Pandius, named after a city populated by immortals on a hidden moon of Patera.)

Special Rules for Pandius:

1) Like Hamedh, Pandius has magic-users unable to double up on their spells memorized
2) On Pandius, native artifacts work differently than on other planes
3) Pandius is more of a Law/Chaos than Good/Evil place
4) Rings of Spell Storing work as they did on Hamedh
5) Because Alzar is not from Pandius, he can’t control other –planar folks

[Abe Sargent]

So let’s talk about alignment. The original D&D game released in the early 70s only had a Law/Neutral/Chaos trifecta of alignment, from works like Michael Moorcock’s Elric series or Poul Anderson’s Three Hearts and Three Heroes, this concept of law vs chaos was the bedrock foundation of the mage’s alignment.

After the initial books in Greyhawk and Blackmoor, Gygax went and published AD&D and introduced the evil vs good dynamic of Tolkien and such. He laced this good vs evil dynamic over the law vs chaos one, and created the nine possible alignments.

However, for marketing and sales purposes, the old D&D stuff was still getting made at the same time as the AD&D brand, and the D&D began to get a bit of an “introduction” style to it. Fewer spells, races as classes (there’s just the “elf” class for example, not elves that do something else). The D&D modules and releases slowly but steadily built a world around the intro called Mystara. The X modules really fleshed it out – particularly Isle of Dread, each module claimed a new section of the world to explore and flesh out.

Because Mystara is the D&D campaign world, not the AD&D one, things have a law/chaos dynamic. This has some problems, there’s little room for nuance. So, lawful characters and creatures and concepts are usually lawful good, neutral is true neutral, and chaotic is chaotic evil. You don’t have chaotic protagonists or lawful antagonists. The world isn’t really built that way.

You might recall some of these still in various modules we’ve seen. For example, in the very first dungeon, the castle Alzar explores, there is a statute that will give all of the details about the castle to lawful people. This has happened in lots of the B and X series of modules.


What this means for the next campaign is that Alzar lawfulness will outweigh his evil-ness to most things. Therefore he’ll be on the side of the angels barring truly evil actions that prevent people from welcoming him. This is going to be extremely important very soon. You could not do the next campaign as Chaotic Good, just as one example.

[Abe Sargent]

Doing high level campaigns are difficult. Alzar is level 19, and although hell be soloing for a while, and I did pull away his most powerful items (Orb of Golden Death, Demon Staves; the artifact the Lanthorn; Whelm, Wave, Blackrazor; and more) we still have a lot of strength. There just aren’t that many AD&D modules out there than I feel Alzar can comfortably do at this point. There are a few here and there that will work, we can sprinkle them into this campaign.

What works is that D&D sets have Companion Rules that follow characters from levels 15 – 25 those rules came out in 1984. We have a line of modules in the CM range that we’ll using, that are designed to push and test folks at a higher level. The Companion Rules include things for resolving military battles, running nations, participating in tournaments, traveling the planes and more. As we even have Master rules for your character from levels 26-36 (the max level a human can be). So we have plenty of opportunity to stretch this out there, with those modules and adventures and such.


Alzar takes a mental assessment of the powers and additional potential he gained in Hamedh. He can now make a shade or a nasnas. Both of those are useful creature – one extremely powerful and the other extremely loyal. He can create a special wizard, a powerful undead/wizard that will bring a lot of heat. He can bind a tabi if he can find more than what he already had or summon a Soul Eater, not the friendliest creature running, but a solid choice for a specific purpose of killing somebody if needed.

Now add in things like Animate Dead Animals again.

[Abe Sargent]

A few things about his new home:

Pandius is not a world with the traditional four elements of fire, water, air, and earth. Sure, those inner planes still exist, and they are still linked to the Prime Material Plane of Pandius. But that’s not traditionally where the powers that be are in Pandius.

Here there are five spheres that make up the world – Matter, Time, Energy, Entropy and Thought. These five spheres create and influence the plane. In fact, they vie for power and influence in the world. There are no gods on Pandius, and instead there are immortals, and each one is part of one of the five spheres.

Sometimes worshipped as gods by the locals, they do not grant spells, and are not as powerful as deities on other planes. On Pandius, clerics get their spells from the sphere they serve itself, rather than their actual immortal they serve. There are a bunch of immortals, and every one of them was once a mortal on Pandius who achieved immortality. The Immortals here scheme, plot, and battle with each other on a level that often makes mortals look bad.





Because the plane has a rich history, (it’s like putting Alzar on a version of Krynn (Dragonlance) or Athas (Dark Sun)) there are a lot of options for future stories, of a very epic nature by the time Alzar gets to this level.


We are going to begin in the farflung area called Norwold. From there, who knows?

[Abe Sargent]

My personal affection for Mystara is two fold. One, its Pulp World. I don’t think branding ever noticed, or else they would have sold it that way, but it’s the world of pulp. A lost island of dinosaurs and jungle? (Isle of Dread)? Pure pulp. Flying airships that scout, fight and explore? Pure pulp. The planet is hollow and inside is another civilization? Pure pulp. Long lost science fiction/fantasy elements on the plane that can be explored and harnessed? Pure pulp. A major empire that’s actually lost Atlantis? Pure pulp. Castle Amber is actually set in the pulp world of Clark Ashton Smith. Modules like The Lost City, The X4/X5 combination, and Drums on Fire Mountain all have an evocative pulp-like feel to them. That has always been something that appealed to me.

Secondly, I like the world because it’s a minor one in the TSR world base, since save for a handful of supplements late, it was never a world for AD&D, so it’s never been massively known to people who just played AD&D, but for those of us who played it, places like Threshold and Karameikos, the Isle of Dread and more just have a certain timelessness to the in D&D space. There have been a variety of supplements designed to flesh out the world.

[Abe Sargent]

So let me tell you of Pandius and its people. There are two major empires that vie for power against each other, Thyatis and Alphatia.

Alphatia:

The following historical synopsis is given in the traditional Alphatian Calendar of AY (Alphatian Year) counted from the Alphatian Landfall on Mystara. The earlier dates are only approximations to the roundest number.
To find the equivalent Thyatian Year, simply subtract 1000 years, with a negative number indicating BC and a positive number giving a year in AC. Therefore, the current year, AC 1014, is the year AY 2014 in the Alphatian calendar. Also because the Alphatian year and the Thyatian year do not use the same month as start of their respective years, the difference is in fact 1000 years minus two months.
(The interesting thing about this research, however, is the fact that we have learned that the Alphatians seem to have come from another world. If they are indeed "space invaders," does that not mean there could not be others? Have we not therefore answered our own question as to whether or not there is life off of Mystara asked in Joshuan's Almanac? I always find it amusing to note that the answers to present and future questions can often be found by researching the past. B.F.)
AY -3000: On the homeworld of the Alphatians, the Alphatians defeat the Cypris civilisation and begin to be assimilated by it.
AY -2500: The Alphatian/Cypris civilisation uses its magical knowledge to begin colonisation and conquest of the nearby planets and exploration of the elemental planes.
AY -2000: Alphatian aggression has gradually been supplanted by Cypric self-absorption; other planetary conquests and colonies are left to fend for themselves as Alphatian study of magic turns inward.
AY -500: The Alphatian civilisation has achieved total mastery of its environment; the great universities are at the peak of their powers and are just beginning to indulge in serious scholastic competitions and squabbles.
AY -90: The Followers of Flame begin their serious rivalry with the Followers of Air.
AY -27: Sporadic violence breaks out between the Followers of Flame and the Followers of Air.
AY -10: A temporary peace results from one academian's proposal of the Flame vs. Air essay debate.
AY -9: Emperor Alphaks I arbitrarily declares the Flames to have won the debate. Outrage, protest, rebellion and revolt result. The Followers of Flame war with the Followers of Air.
AY 0: The war between the Followers of Flame and the Followers of Air reaches it zenith. Emperor Alphaks I is banished. The homeworld of the Alphatians is destroyed. The Followers of Air settle on what was formerly the Alphatian Continent on the world of Mystara. They begin to conquer and assimilate the various primitive tribes in the area.
AY 20: The Alphatians establish a peaceful contact with the Thothians and adopt their calendar for Mystara as their own after changing the name of the months.
AY 250: Disgruntled non-mage Alphatians colonise the island known as Ochalea where they intend to build a place where non- mages will not be looked down upon.
AY 300: The Alphatians displace various other conquered cultures which do not adapt well to their society to Ochalea, including a culture that enjoys honour and slanted-roof architecture. This culture begins to dominate over all the others in Ochalea.
AY 808: The Alphatians decide to bring Thyatis into the Empire.
AY 810: The Alphatians finally finish subduing the Thyatian barbarians.
AY 998: Governor Lucinius Trenzantenbium of Kerendas assassinates Alphatian wizards and declares himself King of Thyatis. The first Great War between Thyatis and Alphatia begins.
AY 1000: The First Thyatian/Alphatian War is at a standstill. The economies of both nations are wrecked. King Lucinius and Emperor Alphas VI conclude a peace treaty in the neutral city of Edairo on the Isle of Dawn. Also liberated are the nations of Ochalea and the Pearl Islands, which then join into the new Empire of Thyatis.
AY 1012: The Thyatians violate the Treaty of Edairo and build a trading station called Cape Alpha in the lands of Norwold.
AY 1015: Cape Alpha is destroyed by reavers from the Northern Reaches (speculated to have been paid by the Alphatians).
AY 1500: Alphatian and Thyatian colonies in Alasiyan coastal areas begin to clash. This starts the famous Three Hundred Year War (actually skirmishes, but called a war by historians to make it sound more grand and important).
AY 1728: Alphatian colonies get the upper hand and destroy several Thyatian colonies entirely.
AY 1786: An Alphatian lord named Halzunthram arrives in Flaemish lands and defeats the Flaems, effectively assuming control of the area.
AY 1788: Halzunthram takes control of the region's ruling council and declares the area a protectorate of Alphatia. The natives unite and rebel against Halzunthram.
AY 1828: Forces of Suleiman al-Kalim drive the Alphatians out of Alasiya.
AY 1830: Lord Alexander Glantri captures Halzunthram, confirms the region's independence, and disperses Alphatian presence there. Braejr is renamed Glantri City in his honour.
AY 1959: Angered by another Thyatian broken treaty, the Alphatian Emperor commits his military to a sudden assault on Thyatis. Alphatia completely conquers the Isle of Dawn.
AY 1960: The Alphatian assault reaches Thyatis City and Emperor Gabrionus V is killed. The Gladiator Thincol the Brave rescues the dead Emperor's daughter, drives the Alphatians out, and becomes the new Emperor of Thyatis.
AY 1962: Princess Eriadna becomes the next Empress of Alphatia as her father, Emperor Tylion IV, retires.
AY 1985: Empress Eriadna decides to colonise in the west and has a new fortress city built atop the ruins of the station at Cape Alpha destroyed nine and a half centuries before.
AY 1992: Empress Eriadna accedes to her son Ericall's demands for a kingdom of his own. She gives him the city of Alpha in Norwold, the empty title of king of that nation, and a great degree of autonomy.

[Abe Sargent]

Thyatis:

BC 600: Under the pressure of Milenian expansion three related Davanian tribes migrate to Brun, in the region around present-day Thyatis, displacing the Toralai Neathar, subjects of the Nithians.
BC 500: Nithia is destroyed by the Immortals. The Thyatians, Kerendans, and Hattians have conquered and absorbed the natives of the area which will one day become Thyatis.
Alphatia enters its first decline. Seafaring Thyatians encounter the Alphatians as they expand into the vacuum left by the vanished Nithians.
Thyatians begin raids against Alphatians, who do not reach Brun.
BC 200: Alphatians discover that the Altan Tepes Mountains held by the Tribes are rich in gold, and decide to conquer them.
BC 192: Alphatian armies invade Brun to conquer the Thyatians, Kerendans, and Hattians. The Tribes put up a stiff resistance, slaying many
Alphatian soldiers and a few Wizards.
BC 190: The Tribes prove no match for Alphatia's magic. Alphatia succeeds in conquering the Thyatian region. For two centuries the Tribes will be subjugated by Alphatia, working in mining conditions similar to that of AC 1000 Esterhold.
BC 2: Lucinius Trenzantenbium, a Thyatian trained in the Alphatian's magical arts, plots to overthrow the occupiers. Alphatian Wizards in Thyatis are slain and Lucinius declares himself King of Thyatis. War breaks out between Thyatis and Alphatia, eventually spreading to a general revolt against Alphatian rule throughout their despotate.
AC 0: Alphatia, ruined by war and bad government, deposes the last Kerothar Emperor and sues for peace. Treaty of Edairo signed on Isle of Dawn ends the war. The treaty liberates Thyatis, Ochalea, the Pearl Islands, and the western half of the Isle of Dawn from the Alphatians. Alphatia then turns to crush the other rebellions wracking their Empire.
General Zendrolion Tatriokanitas assassinates Lucinius and the Kings of Ochalea and the Pearl Islands and has himself crowned Emperor of Thyatis.
AC 1: Thyatis and Alphatia begin to rebuild from the war. Thyatis, under the leadership of Zendrolion and later Valentia, recovers much more quickly and prospers much sooner than Alphatia, which takes 250 years to recover.
AC 12: As a barrier to future Alphatian expansionism Thyatis founds a trading port in Norwold on the site of present-day Alpha.
AC 15: Alphatian northmen mercenaries attack and destroy the trading port of Cape Alpha.
AC 20: Emperor Zendrolion dies and is succeeded by his wife, Valentia. Zendrolion's empire was controlled by force and seems likely to collapse now that he is dead.
Empress Valentia makes her Citizens' Proclamation. She also liberates Ochalea and the Pearl Islands, then invites them to re-join the Empire under the terms of her Proclamation. They accept. Valentia is known as "the Justiciar" from this point forward.
AC 20-313: The Bright Age of Thyatis. In the centuries after Valentia the Empire expanded and worked to make reality of her promises. Arts and learning flourished, Thyatis City became a cosmopolitan mercantile centre, and the security of the Empire was assured. Thyatian rulers support theological and philosophical inquiry, resulting strong clerical orders which help defend the Empire from Alphatian expansionism.
AC 150: Thyatis colonises south eastern Ylaruam.
AC 250: Alphatia conquers northeastern Ylaruam.
AC 313: Civil War in Thyatis as the Hattians revolt against Thyatis. Emperor Alexian II repels their assault on The City, then subdues Hattias, tearing down its walls in punishment.
AC 500: Thyatian and Alphatian colonies in Alaysia begin to clash. These battles go on intermittently for over three centuries.
AC 571: Thyatis builds prisons on the Islands of Ierendi and initiates several penal colonies for hardened criminals.
In need of funds and resources to face the Alphatian menace, Thyatis conquers the Ierendi Islands and seizes the shipbuilding facilities there.
Halflings resort to piracy in response, find they enjoy rapine and looting, and continue their tradition of reaving down to the present day.
AC 600: Penal colonists in Ierendi revolt and drives Thyatis from the isles.
AC 650: The Storm Soldiers hate society takes root in Hattias and starts growing. The sect forms autonomous clans hiding in the hills of Hattias, in the south at first and gradually further north. The group is manipulated by Thanatos to hate all non-Thyatians.
AC 700: Warfare between Thyatis and Alphatia intensifies in the region of Ylaruam.
AC 728: Alphatia launches its "Final Offensive" against the Thyatian colonies in Ylaruam. Though this assault is repulsed with heavy casualties, later Alphatian revisionists and propagandists will attempt to portray this as a victory that drove Thyatis from Ylaruam. In fact, the skirmishing goes on for another century.
AC 788: The Alphatian wizard Halzunthram conquers the Flaems on behalf of Alphatia.
AC 827: Suleiman al-Kalim's forces drive the Alphatians out of Ylaruam.
AC 828: Forces of the desert brigand Suleiman al-Kalim drives the Thyatians out of Ctesiphon and Cubia.
A Thyatian, Lord Alexander Glantri, captures Halzunthram and liberates the Flaems from Alphatia. The population names the land Glantri in his honour.
Ylari forces take Tameronikas from Thyatis. The Alasyians of Tel Akbir remain loyal to the Empire and reject al-Kalim's cult of personality.
AC 900: Thyatis absorbs Traladara, garrisoning the main town which is re-named Specularum, but leaves the Traladarans and their traditional leaders to run their own day to day affairs.
The city of Oceansend is founded in Norwold by Thyatians, and Emperor Gabronius IV initiates a wave of colonisation to the western shores of the Gulf of Hule. Most of the colonists are derived from the Ispan ethnic group of Kerendas. Their colonies become known as the Savage Baronies because of their fractious nature.
AC 948: The Emperor grants approval to the plan of several priests of Vanya to emigrate from Hattias with their followers and conquer a region of their own.
AC 950: Priests of Vanya leave Hattias and land in the Heldann Freeholds, south of Haldisvall. The ruling Haldis clan is defeated and the knights capture their capital city and its vicinity.
AC 959: A trade dispute causes Tylion IV, Emperor of Alphatia, to declare war on Thyatis, launching a "spike assault" against the Empire. Thyatian Decline becomes evident.
AC 960: The Alphatian Spike Assault reaches Thyatis City. An Alphatian strike force enters the city, reaching the palace to kill Emperor Gabrionus V. They murder most of his family with the exception of his young daughter, Gabriela. Thincol the Brave, a famous gladiator, leads a counter attack which rescues Gabriela and drives the Alphatians from the city. Gabriela marries Thincol, who is crowned Emperor.
Oceansend decides to become independent. The Emperor does not oppose this.
AC 962: Alphatian occupation forces driven from Thyatian areas of the Isle of Dawn. With the 2nd Alphatian Decline now evident, Tylion IV is deposed and replaced by his daughter Edriana.
AC 970: Stefan Karameikos trades his birthright, the Duchy of Machetos to Thincol in exchange for the dominion of Traladara which he will rule as an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Empire. Stefan immediately renames Traladara for himself and replaces native rulers with his own cronies and distant relatives, precipitating a revolt against him almost immediately. That revolt is crushed, and Stefan assumes control over the area.
AC 985: Savage Baronies assume roughly their current borders, with 9 fairly stable but disputatious states in existence.

[Abe Sargent]

Here's this really long one, you aren't expected to read, but the context is nice.

[Abe Sargent]

III. Age of Empires:



BC 125-33: Prince Alinor, a very powerful wizard, younger son of the King of Haven, being destined not to inherit the father's throne, decide to build a personal realm in the wilderness lands of Norwold. With the money coming from his properties and with his father's aid - this way the king hopes to gain a new colony for his kingdom -, he assembles a numerous flock of followers: simple settlers, well-armed mercenaries, bodyguards and mages, adventurers and experts of logistics, building and every branch of knowledge he requires. Alinor trusts mostly in his vast arcane knowledge and in a wonderful rod of victory he possesses to assure the success of his expedition.

Alinor's armies land on the Alpha peninsula, where Cape Alpha is founded, a harbour where the ships loaded with food, provisions, materials can dock and to use as bridgehead. Within a few years, thanks to Alinor's powerful magics, his armies open their way between the barbarian tribes of neighbouring areas, conquering large domains along the coasts of the Great Bay, both south-west and north of the Alpha peninsula, and along the course of the modern Sabre River. Alinor names this new kingdom "Alphia" and he have a great port-city built at the neck of the Alpha peninsula, including a large palace of him that overlooks the whole city and from which he hopes to rule for long time; many other settlements are built and many Alphatian nobles migrate in this region to grasp new lands (the southernmost of these aristocrat palaces is found at the spring of the Sabre River).

Alphia's expansionist and aggressive policy - and its need of slaves to put into practice the building projects Alinor has in mind - bring continuously new enemies in conflict against the realm: the local human tribes, the humanoids, and eventually even the dragons of the Wyrmsteeth Range. Thanks to his powerful magics, Alinor manages to preserve the upper hand, but the dragons attack often in swift and destructive way, and the prince can't be everywhere at the right time. The mean rivalries which oppose Haven to the Alphatian throne, where the foolish Emperor Kerothar IV dissipates huge amount of moneys in the preparation of his empire's millennium, hamper the regular and useful sending of imperial funds to Alinor.

The situation grows truly serious around BC 40, when the dragons carry their first attack against Alphia's capital itself. Alinor decide to close definitely the war against the dragons: after diligent researches in the Alphatian libraries and in the outer plane of Old Alphatia, he begin to create an epic spell which will destroy a whole area of the Wyrmsteeth Range where the majority of the dragons lives. After years of lost clashes against the fierce dragons, he discover the spell he researched for and begins the long ritual to cast it. Unfortunately for him, the dragons someway learn his intentions and carry out the most violent attack against Alphia that was remembered in living memory: Alinor, taken unawares in his palace, can't complete the spell correctly and the released arcane energies work in a way opposed to what he thought, raising from the earth a harsh mountain range under the soil of the capital. The harbour is buried under the rocks, most of the city sinks under the earth or is overrun and destroyed, while the prince's palace is covered by the mountain slope and is left buried under there; the mountain range known as "Alinor's Ridge" is born. Alinor himself is crushed by the debris while trying to catch desperately his rod of victory, symbol of his past successes.

Without the protection of their powerful ruler, the kingdom's population is helpless in front not only of the dragons, but also of the barbarian tribes and the local humanoids which, hearing the new of the destruction of the capital, seek revenge against those who have driven them out of their lands and enslaved them. Within three decades (BC 33-0) most of the Alphian settlements is destroyed and razed to the ground, or conquered by barbarians and humanoids; also those who survive, in the better case are reduced to tiny villages. To the Alphatian population that couldn't escape in right time is reserved the same treatment that she reserved for the barbarians: slavery and scattering.

Only a settlement, that of Cape Alpha, manage to survive as a city, and is saved by the dragon's rage. The city is totally shaken by the earthquakes caused by the failure of Alinor's spell and most of its fortifications and buildings crumbles, but the raising of the new mountain range nevertheless wards it from barbarian raids. In the years following the fall of Alphia, the city resumes loose contacts with the Alphatian Empire, which however is not interested in the poor Cape Alpha and uses the city only once at a time as border site for the fur trade.

[Abe Sargent]

AC 5-14: Following the fastening of good relationships and alliances during the Thyatian Struggle for Freedom (BC 2-0) and thanks to the friendship of many jarls with Thyatian Emperor Zendrolion I, Ostlanders begin together with the Thyatians a series of colonization campaigns aimed to the founding of trade and strategic settlements along the coast of Norwold - usually small towns or strongholds, where in the middle of the Northman majority lives a small but influent political and trading Thyatian enclave. These colonies are branches of this or that Ostlander clan, ruled by sons or relatives of the single warrior-chiefs; thus, after a generation or two, they become utterly independent, with an own ruling clan and without any subjection to the clan of their founders.

On some of these fortress-towns the Thyatian Empire preserves a more strict control (usually they're the more strategic ones), sending there a Thyatian representative. One of these settlements is built by the Thyatians on the site of Cape Alpha - the old Alphatian settlement in full decline is conquered by the Thyatians - and provided with fortifications and a good harbour (AC 12). The Alphatian Emperor Alphas VI protests against this violation of the Treaty of Edairo, but receives from Zendrolion I a mocking answer: the breakers of the treaty are the Alphatians, because the settlement of Cape Alpha was already in existence when the treaty was signed (and that, according to Zendrolion I, makes it useless) and in whatever way before the Thyatians' arrival.



AC 14-16: Unpleasant misunderstandings - perhaps spurred by Alphatian influence - are born between many Ostlander chiefs and Thyatis; the situation degenerates and many jarls even appeal to the Alphatian Empire against the ally of some year before, beginning war actions against the Thyatian Empire. The swift Ostlander ships hit mostly the Norwold coasts, destroying Thyatian hold there (Cape Alpha is destroyed in AC 15); the Alphatian money is behind those raids. Thyatis' counterattack is swift and thoroughly: the Ostlander fleet is quickly destroyed, the rebel jarls captured and replaced with puppet rulers favourable to Thyatis - in short time Thyatis establishes a sort of indirect protectorate over Ostland isles (AC 16). The Thyatian Empire re-establishes its hold of the settlements founded years before on the Norwold coast, but this control doesn't extend anymore north of Walrus Island, given the difficulty to protect these bases from Alphatians and local barbarians; Thyatis wishes to have bases there mostly to overlook the entrance of the Western Sea of Dawn and keep the Alphatians out of it.



AC 50-300: At this time, thanks to the demographic recovery, the Nordurish peoples begin a slow expansion toward north; within two centuries, their settlers have reached the Oceansend Bay, trade with Thyatians and Northmen and their clan build farms, keeps and villages in this whole region. At the same time, many halflings coming from the south (they're the last clans left in the Northern Reaches and in Nordurland) settle in Norwold, living in the human communities or going to increase Leeha's population.



AC 112: A young Vatski priestess of Marzanna (the Immortal Hel) who have from birth arcane powers, named Akra, is cast out of her tribe after being accused to have charmed the tribe's chief. During here exile, she stumbles upon the ruins of an Alphian settlement by the times of Alinor; while exploring it, she finds a hoard of ancient arcane tomes belonged to some great wizard of that age - perhaps to Alinor himself. With the aid of her patron Immortal, she perfects and augments her magical powers, becoming very powerful in the mastering of the magics regarding cold energies.

[Abe Sargent]

AC 136: After years past gathering followers and studying frost magics, Akra assembles around herself a secret fraternity of witches, all followers of Marzanna and skilled in the use of cold energies. She gets also the aid of an huge white dragon named Quesa. This "Sisterhood of the Ice Witches" begins to expand its influence on many Vatski and Norsenian tribes, and to enlist to its service humanoid, ice creatures, giants and white dragons in order to come to rule the whole Norwold. Akra sets her residence in the Ice Cavern, in the depths of the modern Quesa's Massif.



AC 164-336: Joining the influence of her Sisterhood to her great magical powers and to the strength of her armies, Akra imposes her domination to a large part of north-central Norwold and proclaims herself "Witch-Queen of Norwold". Clans of frost giants and flocks of white dragons subdue to Akra's will the Viaskoda and Jääkansa tribes, other Norsenian and Vatski tribes fall under the control of her witches and more and more Akra comes to rule most of Norwold. Only the southern Vatski tribes, the eastern Norsenians tribes and the dragon clans of the Wyrmsteeth Range oppose her rule.

Akra uses her powerful magics to transform Norwold in a land of ice to honour her patron Marzanna; snowstorms and blizzards run for months even in areas of central Norwold, while on mountain peaks glaciers are formed which become the shelter of creatures like yetis, frost giants and white dragons. The presence of such hostile force in Norwold poses a strong limit to Thyatian expansion, which is limited to the coasts. With the passing of time, groups of shamans and priests belonging to the tribes who oppose Akra's rule assemble their force to repel the evil Witch-Queen.

After years of battles at the borders of her domain, a group of three ambitious witches belonging to the entourage of Akra rebel against her and, with the help of priests and warriors coming from the tribes who fight Akra, trap the Witch-Queen and finally kill her; the white dragon Quesa is entrapped in the Ice Cave by a powerful sorcery of the three rebel witches. The domain of Akra crumbles swiftly, the human and humanoid tribes recover their freedom while a counterattack begins against the ice creatures that were followers of Akra. The witches who were part of the Sisterhood are hunted and killed everywhere; some of them survive and take the bush, losing contact with their fellows.

The three witches that helped the fall of Akra go to live on Mount Crystykk, north of the infamous Ice Cave from where the Witch-Queen ruled. They become a sort of protectors of Akra's secrets, which stay closed together with Quesa in the Ice Cave, and ward the human tribes of Norwold against the resurgence of similar threats. After some time, the three takes the role of protector of Norwold and become known ad the "Crones of Crystykk".

The fierce white dragon Quesa is bound to the Ice Cave by the spells of the Crones of Crystykk; with time he manage to force these dweomers so that he can leave for a short time the Ice Cavern to which his soul stay mysteriously linked. In following centuries Quesa builds a small reign of terror around the Ice Cave: the mountain where he now lives becomes known as "Quesa's Massif" and many Viaskoda tribes of the White Banner are subdued by this fierce being, sending him tributes and sacrifices and serving him in the hope he spares them from his rage.



AC 200: Thyatian influence over Ostlander jarls declines and many of them begin to approach Alphatia to seek her protection against the rival empire. Thanks to these developments the Alphatian influence in the Western Sea of Dawn increases, enough to allow to the Alphatians the building of colonies in Alasiya much close to the ones of the rival (AC 250).



AC 200-500: Some dwarven settlers coming from Rockhome explore the mountains of Norwold and discover that they host rich deposits of minerals and metals. Many of them lead there their families and build after some time their own clans, which settle in various points of the mountain ranges of Norwold, mostly in the central part of the Final Range. Usually these dwarves are in good terms with the civilised human population, while they keep at bay the barbarians.



AC 316-328: Civil war breaks out in the Thyatian Empire (AC 313); while generals and politicians fight among themselves for the control of the throne, Alphatia seize the opportunity to launch an offensive against the rival (AC 316-328). In the course of the long war which follows, Thyatis loses its Norwold colonies, sacked and destroyed by the Alphatians or conquered by local barbarians. At the end of the war the Thyatian presence in southern Norwold has disappeared and the Western Sea of Dawn is finally opened to Alphatian penetration.



AC 450-510: Alphatian Emperor Volospin III begins the first attempt at colonizing Norwold after Alphia's fall, five centuries ago; his goal is to build a colony that will provide the mainland of raw materials (precious metals, timber) and, if successful, could eventually function in following decades as a base for the conquest of Norwold and as a pincer to crush the Known World from the north. Taking advantage of the relative calm in relationships with Thyatis, the expedition is prepared with care; it's decided to found an Alphatian bridgehead in the Great Bay, at the mouth of Sabre River. Alphatian planning and the weakness of local clans and tribes favour the success of the enterprise, which in the turn of few years leads to the building of some Alphatian settlements on the south-eastern coasts of the Great Bay and on the Alpha peninsula. The main Alphatian colony is founded at the mouth of the Sabre River and becomes soon a town of good size, provided with magical defences and starting point for imperial forces going to ensure the Sabre's valley.

Wishing to augment the fame and power of his dynasty with this conquest, Volospin III have large sums of imperial money transferred in the new Norwold colony; some ancient ruins dating to the age of Alinor are recovered and converted into treasure deposits.

Alter the consolidation of the coastal domains, a vast military campaign is planned, with the goal of expanding the Alphatian control to the Sabre River's valley. The campaign, entrusted to a skilled general, goes on well, with the conquest of numerous local barbarian outposts and the scattering of hostile tribes. In these clashes the Alphatian estranges the elves of the nearby Foresthomes and most of all their protectors, the Wyrmsteeth dragons, which remember Alinor's attempt of five centuries ago.

At home the opponents of the imperial dynasty don't like her strengthening, mostly when it's discovered that Volospin III has brought part of the imperial treasury in his Norwold fortresses without the permission of the Great Council - a happening which exposes him to charges of theft against the imperial treasury.

While in Alphatia the scandal rages on and any fund dedicated to the continuation of the Norwold campaign is blocked, the barbarian tribes march in a desperate counterattack against the Alphatian army, lacking provisions and scattered in a large area. The imperial armies, abandoned to themselves because of the veto imposed by the Great Council on the campaign's prosecution, are repelled on the banks of the Sabre River where, in a great battle, the Alphatian army is slaughtered and its general himself curses the river's course, where he falls with his magical sword in hand (AC 507). The dragons continue the attack, raiding the Alphatian city at the mouth of the Sabre River and forcing the imperial personnel, the Alphatian troops and the inhabitants to escape from the region (AC 509).

Volospin III manages to persuade the Great Council to send the imperial fleet in Norwold to recover the colony before all funds expended are lost; the great fleet is however intercepted and destroyed by the dragons in the waters of the Great Bay. After this failure, the responsibility of which is charged to the emperor, the Norwold campaign is abandoned and the project to create a new kingdom there swiftly fails. Within half century (AC 510-560) the Alphatian settlements are mostly abandoned, destroyed by the dragons or conquered by the barbarians, so that the Alphatian are even forced to leave there part of the imperial treasury (which, according to the legends, still lays in some abandoned keep of the region).

[Abe Sargent]

AC 846-874: One of the last descendants of the Ice Witches of Akra, a Norsenian by the name of Frota, manages to break beyond the spells of the Crones of Crystykk and to discover the secrets leaved by Akra in the Ice Cave. Under the suggestions of the white dragon Quesa, Frota awakens the spirit of Akra and is possessed by her. The Witch-Queen, returned to life, begins to gather around her a great number of ice creatures in Ljallenvals Mountains, in the hope to resume her dream to rule Norwold where she war forced to leave it centuries ago. Under the seeming of Frota, she enlist the aid of a large white dragon named Nievous. Thanks to her powerful magics and to the labour of the local humanoid tribes, she raises a powerful ice castle in the Ljallenvals Mountains, which she names the Ice Tomb.

In the following years she manages to expand her influence, gathering frost giants, yetis and white dragons and subduing the peoples of northern Norwold, the Viaskoda and the Jääkansa. Freezing the Great Bay with her spells, Frota manages to expand her reign of terror also south of the Great Bay, enslaving the Norsenian tribes, the villages and the lonelier domains.

At the end her rule crumbles when the uprising of the peoples she submitted defeats her armies, freeing northern Norwold and forcing the witch to retreat in her Ice Tomb. In the final battle, faced with powerful magics, the spirit of Akra is forced to leave Frota's body and at last destroyed; her "host" Frota however survives and manage to flee the insurrection of Norwold peoples; from her hiding in the Ice Tomb, she continues to meditate revenge against Norwold and its inhabitant, trying to work out new plans of domination.



IV. The Tenth Century:



AC 895-904: Alphatian imperial prince Tylion is given by his mother, Empress Tylari III (busy in the search for Immortality), the duty to expand Alphatian influence on Norwold. Tylion, instead of starting a costly and risky military campaign, sends his agents and diplomats to meet the local clanheads, winning consent to settle small groups of Alphatian in their communities, helping the more trusted chiefs against the more rebel or ambitious ones, and generally presenting the Alphatian Empire as a great benevolent protector of Norwold from dangers. The success of this policy is enough that to some Alphatian nobles are awarded lands in reward for the help they gave to local clanheads; there they establish the first Alphatian dominions of Norwold in this century. They're in all regards formally independent, even if they preserve close informal links with the motherland.



AC 900: The Thyatian Emperor Gabrionius IV begins a new age of expansion; he's mostly worried by the first signs of Alphatian expansionism toward Norwold, and fears that the Alphatian may manage to dominate both sides of the Strait of Helskir (they already control Helskir itself). The Emperor wishes to strengthen Thyatian presence in south-central Norwold before this happens, first of all working for a reapproach to the Kingdom of Ostland and then alluring its king with promises of conquests in Norwold and on the Isle of Dawn if he'll help the Thyatians in this enterprise. After that, Gabrionius IV gives to the heroine Aline Sigbertsdatter - who have supported the emperor's father, Gabrionius III, during the time of civil disorders that have upset the Thyatian Empire in the last years - the duty to found a Thyatian bridgehead in Norwold.

Aline had been given by Gabrionius III the promise of a region where to build her own dominion. With the full support of imperial officers and armies, and also with that of the Ostlander fleet, Aline chooses as location to build her colony the sheltered bay facing the Walrus and Dogs islands; thanks to the friendship developed during her youth and during her years as adventurer, she manages to peacefully win the support of the local clanheads, and finally she founds the city of Oceansend, which Aline has immediately provided with powerful fortifications and which becomes an important trade site between Thyatis and local peoples.



AC 900-904: The energetic policy of Gabrionius IV regarding Norwold warns Alphatia, and a diplomatic meeting is summoned in Newkirk to fix once and for all to whom Norwold - over which both empires assert their right - will belong; these talks, that are recorded in history as the "Trial of Norwold", eventually become an introduction of ancient documents in support of one or the other argument instead of a true conference aimed at preventing the war, in which accuses of treason, bad faith and trickery hail.



AC 904-912: The Trial of Norwold degenerates in the Bog War between Thyatis and Alphatia; the recently founded Oceansend, under the rule of Aline, soon demonstrates its firmness, repelling an Alphatian attack aimed to conquer it. The war, fought mostly on the northern Isle of Dawn, brings forth the decline of the Confederacy of Dunadale. At the end of the war, Thyatis preserves the north-western Isle of Dawn (Helskir included); the two empires agree to halt further expansionism beyond own areas of influence in Norwold (the Thyatian one from Oceansend to the south, the Alphatian one from Oceansend to the north).



AC 919: After the definitive disappearance of his mother, Tylion IV becomes Emperor of Alphatia. His first interests are direct toward Norwold, where he continues the work of penetration and influence over local clanheads begun during his regency years before, and halted by the burst of the war with Thyatis. Assured of Thyatian goodwill thanks to a series of treaties with his rival, the peaceful Gabrionius V, regarding expansion, spheres of influence and trade, he proceeds with the awarding of a series of dominions in the area of the Great Bay (one of these is awarded to Baron Meredoth, an Alphatian necromancer), answering directly to the Alphatian crown.

However this policy must stand against a strong opposition within the Great Council, because many think it's aimed to form a new base for imperial power; given the restraint imposed over the funds allowed for this project, many dominions recently founded are abandoned, other have a difficult life, other utterly fail (as the one of Meredoth, in AC 921). The settlement of noblemen in Norwold slows until it becomes a sort of exile reserved to the ones who have been charged of some failure or that have fallen out of some powerful man's favour.



AC 920: After twenty years of wise and cunning rulership and after having been awarded the title of Archduchess, Aline start her journey in search of Immortality, leaving to her grandson the rule of the city founded by her. During these years Oceansend has become an important trade centre of the north, and the pivot of Thyatian defences in the Western Sea of Dawn; the city's territory has been expanded to include the Walrus and Dogs islands, while new Thyatian settlements or dominions allied with Thyatis or Ostland have been formed along the Norwold coast south of the city.



AC 930: Thanks to the strengthening of the trade route that from Ghyr goes to the Bay of Kammin, some small Heldanner coastal settlements located near the crossing of this trail with that going from Haldisvall (modern Freiburg) to Oceansend enlarge and develop themselves.

The most exceptional of those is that village which grows until it becomes the city of Landfall, drawing colonists from the Heldann Freeholds, from Westrourke and even from Thyatian and Alphatian dominions in Norwold. The city soon frees herself from her Heldanner lord, but her chaotic grow favours the arrival of many not-so-desirable elements (outcasts, smugglers, pirates, and so on), which win her the unpleasant fame the city has still today.



AC 959: A new great war bursts out between Thyatis and Alphatia. While on the Alphatians' part every remaining interest for Norwold is lost, because the war drains every energy of the imperial court, on the Thyatians' part the autonomous Grand Duchy of Oceansend appeals to its alliances with the neighbouring clanheads to attack the scattered Alphatian dominions, some of whom are in fact conquered or abandoned.



AC 960: During the war between the two rival empires, an Alphatian offensive aimed against Oceansend seizes the islands in front of the city and threatens to assault the city itself. After diplomatic talks with Alphatian commanders, Oceansend declares her independence from the Thyatian Empire, this way preventing Alphatian attacks while Thyatis is busy in a difficult war against the rival (and likely wouldn't be able to reinforce the city). The son of the Thyatian governor - with the support of his father, which steps aside thinking this is the only way to save the city from Alphatia -, named Yarrvik, signs a peace treaty with Alphatia and is crowned king of the city.



AC 962: After the signing of the peace between Thyatis and Alphatia, the Thyatian Emperor Thincol recognises the independence of Oceansend - his old homeland - both as part of the peace treaty and to restore the bases for an eventual future alliance with the city. Still following the peace treaty, Alphatians leave the isles in front of the city of Oceansend.



AC 985: Alphatian Empress Eriadna restarts the expansion in Norwold, halted now by decades; she is firmly convinced of the strategic and economic importance of Norwold and of the need to widen the Alphatian expansion in order to have Thyatis dividing her resources on many fronts. Eriadna continues both the policy of her father, favouring Alphatian penetration with alliances and concessions, and, where this is not possible or useful, using the force of arms to subdue the lords, the clanheads and the local peoples to Alphatian will. On the peninsula where in ancient times was located Cape Alpha, Eriadna commands the construction of the port-city of Alpha, which becomes the centre of Alphatian expansion in Norwold and the seat of a governor with the duty of overlooking the operations in this new protectorate.

The Thyatian Emperor Thincol answers to this renewal of Alphatian expansionism suddenly declaring war to Alphatia; the war will las for nearly twenty years among truces and armistices (AC 985-1002), will be waged mostly by provinces and vassals of the two empires, and fought mostly on the Isle of Dawn and in the eastern sea routes (first phase, AC 995-992) and then in Norwold (second phase, AC 1001-1002).



AC 990: At this time the vast majority of the coastal communities from Landfall to Alpha has subdued, at least formally, to Alphatian rulership over the region; only the city of Oceansend stubbornly preserves her independence but Alphatians, being in war with Thyatis, can't afford to besiege the city - also because this would cause a reapproach of the city to Thyatis. Meanwhile in Alpha the building of the grand Royal Castle begins.



AC 992: Empress Eriadna, after a relative halt in the war against Thyatis, awards the Protectorate of Norwold to her son Ericall with the title of king; he chooses Alpha as his capital. The Empress hopes that, with the right level of autonomy, Norwold not only could develop and progress, but also provide to its own defence - this way saving the resources of the empire for the war on other fronts. Annexed to the Kingdom of Norwold, the city of Helskir on the Isle of Dawn is granted to Ericall - a great offence for its governor Eruul Zaar, who has not been consulted at all before the decision.

[Abe Sargent]

Again, that's just history of the planes two powers and their vying back and forth over the area of Norwold. Cut and pasted from elsewhere/

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar emerges from his OtherSpace and the sun is bright over mountains, forests, plains, rivers, with a strong bite of cold and lingering snow in the air.

CM1 Test of the Warlords

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/CM1_Test_of_the_Warlords.jpg

Most modules have one of two formulas. The first is an exploration of a dungeon of some sort – caves, sewers, castles, towers, etc. Something indoors. The other is exploration of new outdoor territory. Many will have at least some element of both. The Isle of Dread is a classic outdoor exploration, but there’s still an underground temple complex in the center of the Island. On the other hand a module that’s just a dungeon delve still usually has some element of set up- finding it, reaching it, or such. Most adventures include one of those two types of modules.

There are a handful of official modules that sort of set that formula aside. They may have a bit of a dungeon or wilderness exploration as a token of the traditional module so it won’t be too out there, but they are a different sort of module. That’s CM1.

We will be using CM1 precisely as it is intended, to jumpstart a different sort of campaign, but even the creators would grow tired of this concept, and soon enough modules set in the area would devolve into dungeon delves or wilderness crawls once again. But for a bright shining moment, this is an incredible way to go with the storyline. It gives an epic feel to higher level campaigns that makes perfect sense.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s begin…


Norwold

http://pandius.com/cm1-m2-norwold-24.png

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar grabs his Carpet of Flying and unfurls it and begins to use it to fly around to inspect the area he has arrived in. There’s not a city or village for some distance. After a hour of circling ever wider circles, Alzar can make out some civilization to the east and he heads over, and half hour later lands in the western most border of Leeha

Leeha is a large hilly area of land, with the step-hills of nearby mountains the dominant feature. Leeha is the central meeting place and government for halflings in this part of the world, and the Shire of Leeha is one of the handful of current governments in the Kingdom of Norwold. There are seven clanholds around Leeha that are controlled by seven different Halfling clans, and Leeha has the central defenses, infrastructure, port, government, and more.

Alzar grabs lunch and talks with local halflings about the area and where they are. He gets some of the basic information about the local area. Norwold has been a bone of contention between the two major empires, Thyatis and Alphatia for centuries. There were parts, like Oceansend that, were colonized by Thyatis., and others in contention by Alphatia.

A couple of years ago, the Empress decided to get rid of one of her court embarrassments by appointing her second son, Ericall, King of Norwold, a new title over lands that were not previously under one rule. King Ericall is a strong fighter, but could not magic his way out of a glowing room. Because of the colonial nature of Norwold, Ericall has been granted a strong amount of leeway and this is one of the few places in Alphatia where non-magic users can flourish.

He took over a recently built city called Alpha to the east of here. It’s a city of roughly 30,000 with another 10,000 in local farms and villages outside the city proper. It’s the largest city in Norwold, and Norwold itself is quite big, and quite wild and quite unclaimed.

The town of Landsfall and nearby territory was granted to the King’s younger brother Lernall, who has done nothing with it. The town is notorious for being a haven for pirates, thieves, bandits, and thugs. Because they have been paying some taxes and they don’t raid Alphatian vessels and merchants, they have been given a blank check for now.

Meanwhile there is the Kingdom of Oceansend. Around 40 years ago, the colony was declared independent when it was about to be captured by Alphatia in a war with Thyatis in order to prevent being taken by its enemy. The King Jarvik the Just plays the two empires off and is very proud of his freedom and nation (which is basically just a city state – they own the city, and the immediate surroundings).

Take Alphatia. This ancient empire was founded thousands of years ago, and magic use here is rife in the people. The ruling council is 1000 wizards of level 36, and there are still many level 36 mages not on the council, because of the size limitation. There is also an Emperor/Empress to rule as well. Magic duels as a common way to settle disagreements. Magic users in Alphatia are automatically aristocrats.

Alzar spends some time getting acclimated to his new home plane, Pandius.

[Abe Sargent]

After a few hours, he heads back out. Alpha is about 425 miles to the east. It’ll take a few days by Flying Carpet to reach it. It’s mid-February right now, and there is a large festival in March, Alzar can use Alpha as a temporary base of operations. Norwold is huge compared to a lot of places Alzar has been before. Although they are just lines on a map, from Landfall in the far south to the northern boundary is roughly 1250 miles. It’s about 1000 miles from westernmost to the east coast where the Alphatian Sea lies. In that sea are a variety of Alphatian holdings, such as islands, and then across is the mainland of the empire.

There are small lakes, rivers, and woods everywhere that Alzar can see. The landscape is heavily forested with pines and a mixture of some oak, hickory, ash, elm, and maples here near Alpha, Leeha and the Great Bay that connects them.

A few days later, Alzar arrives in Alpha. The capital of Norwold was built on the old ruins of a colonized city that was destroyed long ago, and the buildings are all new, but there is the bones and infrastructure and layout from the older city here. They used a lot of the rocks/stone work and iron from the first city to build the second. The Great Bay is here, and the water is particularly deep and fresh.

Alzar arrives at the city and enters it after landing outside, and then paying his way in. It’s about three weeks before spring arrives on the calendar.

He gets his bearings, rents a room at a local inn, and begins to check out the local city. The King has announced a two week long spring festival that welcomes the end of winter. The festivities will include a tournament, feasting, games, performers, and other entertainment.

He has also announced that the campaign to claim the wilderness will begin, and he will listen to suitors who want to establish their own dominion in Norwold, in order to bring civilization to the countryside.

The festival will be the time of planning the assignment of land to those deemed worthy. Alzar spends the next few weeks getting ready, buying supplies, renting an apartment, getting the lay of the land and more. Suspecting he can apply for a dominion, he has pored over maps, flown around with his Flying Carpet, teleported around, scouting with hiss crystal balls, and such – considering he is wearing that Ring of Sustenance, he has a lot more hours to do research on the area, and he has selected a few places that he suspects have value, wealth, or growth potential.

There are a lot of small farming or timbering villages that aren’t on the map.

[Abe Sargent]

Other suitors begin to arrive. One after another they roll off ships from the Great Bay. More and more suitors arrive, entertainers are coming, and soldiers and mercenaries are also arriving to add to the security of the upcoming festival and the large gathering of potential leaders.

As the day arrives for the opening of the festival, Alzar steps into the castle and meets with the local Chamberlain, who arranges for those people that are requesting a dominion to enter.

Alzar meets with the Chamberlain for a half hour or so to determine if he is qualified. Since he is a magic-user, they require him to cast at least 8th level magic. “How about Maze?” The Chamberlain agrees, and he casts Maze on one of the guards who disappears, and re-appears about 6 minutes later from the magical labyrinth. He confirms that it was probably a Maze spell, it meets the information that he has of it (but has never been put in one before) and Alzar meets the power-level they are expecting from people to run a dominion here.

Alzar is moved to a small secondary throne room where King Ericall is meeting with other potentials. He is almost 30 years old, and is young and relatively inexperienced in matters political and administrative, after all, he was not groomed for the Kingship nor the Emperor-ship from his mother due to his class as a fighter. He is extremely charismatic and handsome, with a winning style and manner of speech. There is an elite bodyguard of knights in the room and after he finishes speaking with a female cleric, she leaves and the Chamberlain introduces Alzar to him.

The King discusses the need for quickly expanding in Alphatian Norwold, in order to keep the expected Thyatian response off guard. There is a degree of speed. And besides Pandius has never lacked for heroes and people of experience and power that can carve out a fiefdom in the Norwold wilderness. In order to be given a dominion, Alzar must swear to four things:

Norwold Oath of Fealty:

1 – Swear fealty to King Ericall
2 – Must Pledge to abide and protect the law
3 – Must pledge to pay the standard rate of taxation to the crown after two years of building up the land
4 – Must swear that Alzar is not a spy or agent for Thyatis, and will report on any Thyatian spies, ambassadors, or emissaries in Norwold that he encounters.


The Oath of Fealty won’t be administered until the end of the festival. Over the course of the next few days, King Ericall will meet with each applicant for determining who will get what territory. Anyone who has chosen different lands will need to fight it out in the upcoming tournament.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar decides to go ahead and tell Ericall about his experience, and he father as a mayor of a city of larger than 20000 people and the various things he learned about administration, politics, diplomacy and more. The King agrees to allow Alzar to be one of the applicants, and there is a banquet tonight to meet everyone.


A few hours later, the feast begins, and there are a variety of applicants that passed the first stages:

1. Alak Dool, 19th level Magic User
2. Sir Ernest Day, 16th level fighter
3. Rutgar Dag, 15th level fighter
4. Sandralane of Glantri, 16th level cleric
5. Max the First, 15th level fighter
6. Allisa Patrician, 15th level fighter
7. Longtooth, 20th level thief
8. Maltus Fharo, 21st level fighter
9. Fergus the Justifier, 15th level fighter
10. Geoffrey of Heldann, 15th level cleric
11. Weston the Tall, 16th level thief
12. Quillan Elm-Grower, 10th level elven fighter/mage
13. Brogahn of the Steppes, 15th level fighter
14. Claransa the Seer, 15th level Magaic User
15. Alzar the Mighty, 19th level Magic User
16. James Essex, 25th level fighter
17. Niles Douglass, 22nd level fighter
18. Mark Acres, 17th level fighter

The only other fiefdom right now is the Landfall by Duke Lernal. Demihuman groups, such as the Shire of Leeha or the dwarvish realm of Stonehaven are more isolationist and aren’t likely to embrace a human ruler just arriving on a boat and declaring himself their king. There are some unknown Elvish villages out there as well.

At the feast is King Ericall, Duke Lernal, and some advisors like Madeira, a Counselor (25th level magic user), Tarn Oakleaf (24th level druid), and such. The King is not married, nor is he currently betrothed, although his family is in discussion with a friend from back home in Alphatia.

Tonight is a night of introductions and the beginning of a political game that Alzar knows better than a lot of these folks, which included many ex-adventurers who are more comfortable in the camp than in a feasthall of a King planning their future as a potential noble.

Alzar is initially drawn to the fellow wizards to check in with them. Alak Dool is not someone who impressed, but Claransa the Seer has a very interesting work-based conversation with Alzar and spoke of her desire to build a laboratory and library as soon as she settled down. They shared a love of books and knowledge that Alak Dool didn’t really have he was all about power. Meanwhile Madeira is very ambitious and seeking to be on the Alphatian Ruling Council and doing what it takes to get there, and sees advising King Ericall as the route to do so. She’s more of a politico than a traditional wizard. Sandraline is from Glantri, a realm that loves wizards so much that clerics are despised there. She has chosen to relocate here to Norwold and try to make her mark outside of the auspices of the discrimination she gets back in Glantri. She’s a bit one-note for Alzar’s taste.

He doesn’t really connect with any of the fighters yet, but maybe in a different context he might later.

[Abe Sargent]

The night fades, and the next day, Alzar is called in to select his choice for his dominion. He speaks with King Ericall and discusses the place he’d be interested in first choice. Due to its strategic importance, Alzar would like the small bit of land on the far side of the Ljallenvals Mountains, a small chain on the east coast of the Great Bay, on the northern end. Ideally, Alzar would like to expand to the small mountainous islands in the center (Bergholm Isle) and from there south to the small strip on the coast by the northeastern edge, past the mountains Eagles’ Barrier.

This is a strategically vital part of Norwold, because a holding and fortress here could make it very difficult for anyone from entering the Great Bay from the Alphatian Sea. The lands are currently wilderness and Alzar suspects there are some valuable, untapped resources in the hex beside the Ljallenvals Mtns. The area in the north-eastern part is forested. The Ljallenvals are supposedly inhabited by many frost creatures and evil humanoids of the nasty persuasion.

Unfortunately, the next day the King mentions that three places that people wanted are up for contention, and Alzar chose the same place as Fergus. Alzar and Fergus will need to joust to solve this issue.

Two days later, the first of the competitions between people is up in the morning, and Alzar vs Fergus is the afternoon. In the morning, a special guest arrives, King Yarvik the Just, ruler of Oceansend to join th local festivities and a huge Court of Honor is held and then the jousting begins.

We use the rules for jousting in the battle:

Enemy and Alzar each use non-magical lance, plate armor, shield that are given by local troops, and therefore made sure are non-magical and not able to be used to cheat.

Alzar gets -2 to attack because he can’t use a lance. Here are the numbers needed –

Alzar, level 8 fighter, needs a 10 to hit AC 2.
Fergus, level 15 fighter, needs a 4 to hit AC2.

Here we go…

Alzar and Fergus both mount up. They gallop at each other and…Alzar rolls and 13 and Fergus a 6, both hit. When both hit, rather than just one, you save vs wands to see if someone is knocked off.

Alzar needs a 5 or higher as a wizard to make his, and Fergus need s a 7 or higher to make his. Here we go…. 12 and 8, both make it. If both fail, or both make it, then roll saves again, until someone fails, and the other doesn’t… 7 and 19 – 5 and 4. Alzar wins the first pass.

The second pass sees Fergus roll a 14 and Alzar a 4. Alzar is unseated and each one is won one pass.

Final pass, here we go.

Alzar rolls…13 and Fergus…13 as well. Alzar and Fergus both hit…saves? Both fail 4 and 3. Then…9 and 9, both make it and…18 v 9; 19 v 16; 15 v 13; 14 v 7; 9 vs 20; 14 v 13; 17 v 5 -Alzar wins the final push.

Alzar has won 2-1, and he gets his first choice.

Just before the evening feast the final joust is held is and everyone has the final choices in.

[Abe Sargent]

The next day, Alzar meets with King Ericall and the Chamberlain to finalize his selection officially.

Alzar begins with…


Hex #1 – south-central hex, forest hex, directly next to mountains, coastal. (Take a look at the map of Norwold. Go three hexes up from the capital of Alpha, and then over 11). This hex is the first one chosen, and we roll 1d10 to see how many resources there are in the Hex. Alzar rolls a 8 on the d10, and that’s….3 resources.

According to CM1, you keep adding in hexes until you’ve added in at least 7 resources. Alzar also adds in the the Hex directly north above it (2 resources), and then to the northeast – 4 resources. That’s 9 resources total.

Alzar has a three hex large Barony. Now let’s roll for information on those hexes.

Hex #1 – 38 families; resources are….animal, animal, mineral – Fishing; Sheep; Tin - 7 resource gp.

Hex #2 – 89 families, animal, vegetable – Grapes, Sheep. 3 resource gp

Hex #3 – 54 families, mineral, animal, vegetable, vegetable. Fishing; grapes; grain; Lead – 7 resource gp.

Alzar is using the first Hex as the central one for his Barony.



We'll be using Maps from this link, check it out to make out Norwold

Norwold Region (http://pandius.com/nrwldreg.html)

[Abe Sargent]

The Barony of the Mighty

Hex #1 – Villages – Evenarrow - 25 families – On the southern coast of the little jutting peninsula, this village fishes south in the Great Bay 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 Barony. 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 – 38 families
7 resource gp

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 380 gp/month
Tax Income – 38 gp/month
Resource Income – 266/month
Total – 684/month

Hex #2 – 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 – 50 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here.
Riverton – 39 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month
Tax Income – 89 gp/month
Resource Income – 267/month
Total – 1246/month

Alzar will be building up Storn here as well, later on.

Hex #3 – 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 – 30 families, on the northern coast, fish the Alphatian Sea
Farhome – 15 families, grapes, on hills by western edge of hex
Asantia – 9 families, farmers in southern coast of hex.



Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month
Tax Income – 54 gp/month
Resource Income – 378/month
Total – 972/month

EXPENSES –

20% taxes to King Ericall (Not paid for first two years)
10% Tithe to local temple (Not paid for three months)
Military – 1260
Barony Staff - 720
Specialist Staff – 0
Stronghold Staff - 0
Taxes to Ericall -

Barony Staff –

Magistrate – 200 gp
2 Sheriff – 200 gp
10 Provost – 200 gp
6 Warden – 120 gp

Specialist Staff:

None hired right now as Alzar gets things together

Stronghold Staff:

None needed, no stronghold exists just yet


Barony Military –

Light Foot Soldiers – 150 troops, 5 leaders – 300 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 40 troops, 1 leader – 120 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 30 troops, 1 leader – 300 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Crossbow Troops – 50, 2 leaders – 200 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
9 Officers – 90 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead
2 Armorer – 200 gp
2 Smiths – 50 gp

Total monthly cost for the military Alzar is putting together is 1260

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 Barony – 335 (91 + 150 + total of stats for leader) – Healthy

As an effect – Healthy gives 10% more income and 25% chance per spy of them being outed by locals. They are pretty happy about a new government and investment as Norwold seeks to turn their area from a wilderness to a civilized realm.


Basically what happens is every month we’ll roll for events, for confidence, and for population changes in the three hexes, which we’ll call Evenarrow, Storn, and Augustia after the three major villages in each space.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar heads to the feast and meets with King Jarvik of Oceansend, and gets in some nice time with him. Alzar has more respect for Jarvik, but Jarvik is older, and has been a leader for a lot longer.

As the feasts winds up, and entertainers shift and the tournaments end, there are a lot of fun things happening here and there.

All 18 candidates were given Baronies around the kingdoms.

As the feast comes to an end, Alzar begins to hire local soldiers, some boats, and supplies to take over. He has been teleporting there and back every day to set up various outlets. There are no major buildings in any of these areas, no forts, towers, fortresses, keeps, castles, and so forth. A few of the villages have simple palisades, and that’s about it. This is true wilderness. These people have had large amounts of emigration over the years due to a lack of protection and defenses. Now the death rate will hopefully subside, and this is a nice place, along the coast, to relocate. In fact, the place Alzar has chosen as his capital in on the trade route into the Great Bay, and is one of the points of defense there. It’s a good location for future trade and expansion, and he’s already had people working on expanding the docks there and building an inn.

The feast ends, and the first month has ended. Oaths are sworn. Before he heads out and picks up castle building supplies, he gets some advisers and engineers form the King that helped with Alpha, because he needs to make his hoard a lot more defensive in nature than the other Barons and their first buildings, due to the strategic and military importance of the project.

Alzar is using his innate ESP ability, and his spells (such as Detect Lie from the Bright Barrier) and such, to ensure loyalty among the people he hires.

[Abe Sargent]

(We’re going to slip over from rules from the Companion Set to the Castle Guide for a bit to plan the central defensive and administrative structure of the Barony in upper Evenarrow.)


The first thing we need to do is to assess the suitability of the area for building a castle and fortifications:


Climate – Temperate – 1.25
Geography – Rolling Hills – 1.00
Ground Cover – Light Forest – 1.50
Resource Availability – Near and Poor – 1.25
Work Force – Agricultural 1.00
Worker Skill – Average – 1.00 (Increase by the engineers from poor)
Worker Morale – High -0.75 (The people here really want a fortress and defenses from the local baddies)

Total modifier – Multiply these all together – 1.75 That’s the PM modifier

Now the design. Eventually we want:

Walls, towers, and a gatekeep to protect the wharf from a naval invasion
Walls around the entire town, with towers, defenses, and moat, and gatekeep
A central keep to rule the area, with good defense, to be a fall back position and center of authority

We’ll begin constructing just the keep first. But I’ll go ahead and add in the costs for the other areas.

I want the Keep to be three stories high, with four medium round towers at each corner. The keep should be 100x100 in size. That will require:

6 medium round tower sections
200 wooden wall sections for floors and ceiling
40 stone wall sections
20 stone wall sections with machicolation
1 large barbican
24 tunnel sections for dungeon
30 moat sections
1 drawbridge

This is for a keep only. The keep would cost:

Towers – 90,000 gp, 5400 man weeks
Wooden Walls – 1000 gp, 200 man weeks
Stone Walls – 20,000 gp, 1200 man weeks
Stone Walls with machicolation and glacis – 17720 gp, 1060 man weeks
Large Barbican – 49500 gp, 2880 man weeks
Tunnels – 2400 gp, 600 man weeks
Moat – 900 gp, 180 man weeks
Drawbridge – 550 gp, 40 man weeks

Total base cost is: 182,070 GP; 11560 man weeks.

[Abe Sargent]

Before I begin to change those costs, let’s go ahead and plan the others later:

Wall, moat, defensive towers, and such for the village:

2 level tall stone walls around perimeter:

88 stone walls – 44000 gp; 2640 man weeks
88 stone walls with machicolation – 76032 gp; 4664 man weeks
1 greater gatekeep – 40620 gp; 4625 man weeks
88 moat – 2424 gp; 828 man weeks
1 drawbridge – 550 gp; 40 man weeks
8 large round towers; 168000 gp; 10080 man weeks

This is a total of 331,616 gp and 22877 man weeks

And what about defenses around the future wharf?

2 walls high:

36 stone walls 18000 gp; 1080 man weeks
36 stone walls with machicolation 31104 gp; 1908 man weeks
1 greater gatekeep – 40620 gp; 4625 man weeks
4 large round towers – 84000 gp; 5040 man weeks

For a total of – 174104 gp; 12653 man weeks

Now those are the base costs.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s look again at the keep:


Total base cost is: 182,070 GP; 11560 man weeks

Now, there is overhead involved for things like furnishings, doors, and other things not included. That’s an additional 10% to both cost and man weeks:

GP 200277
Man Weeks – 12716

Now, multiply the GP cost by the PM determined above for the final cost:

Total Cost – 350485 GP
Man Weeks - 22253

Now the work force:

There are 52 weeks in a year. It will take 428 men 52 weeks to construct this keep.

Now we make some changes:

Alzar, as a 19 level mage, counts as base level (27 levels) plus each spell level (211 people!) By himself, Alzar basically can half the work force required!


There are several items that Alzar has which will be of use in creating this big place:

Ring of Telekinesis - 3
Gauntlets of Ogre Power - 1
Girdle of Ogre Strength - 1
Crown of Leadership - 2
Carpet of Flying (4 Passengers); 10
Broom of Flying - 2
Rope of Climbing; 1
Pickaxe of Piercing - 2
Crucible of Melting - 1
Shovel of Digging 6
Horn of Blasting; 5
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.1
Slippers of Spider Climbing 1
Boots of Levitation 2
Decanter of Endless Water 1
Metal Platter (Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Pheasant) for four people once/day; Mug (Beer, Ale, Mead) six/day; Pitcher (Water, Tea, Wine), three/day.; 1
Ebony Fly, Serpentine Owl Figurine 2
Brazier of Controlling Fire Elementals; Stone of Controlling Earth Elementalsx2; Censer of Controlling Air Elementals 6
Ring of Water Command 1

He can summon creatures or make them via his figurines of wondrous power to create allies to make helpers. He can make food and water for workers to reduce those costs, he can use the Horn of Blasting to open holes and the Gauntlets can turn a worker into a super worker, etc. Meanwhile flying or levitating above the project to work from above will help speed things up as well.

The best is the Shovel, it digs by itself, and doesn’t have to be used for anything else. Everything counts for either 1% or 5% of the XP cost of the item in men. I’m giving just the Shovel the base 5% and the others are just 1% of their XP value in discount.

Total Men the magical items can replace – 49 more people

[Abe Sargent]

So Alzar only needs to hire 168 laborers for 52 man hours of work. That reduces the cost of the project considerably, since the cost to hire men is included in the overall cost of the project. Thus: 26000 Gp is pulled off the total cost. Or, instead, Alzar can pay the gold, and double the work force needed with his own aid (and his magical items) and then, on the flip side, he can double his work force, and reduce the time needed to complete the project by 75%.

Now work seasons

This is not a 52-work week area. There’s only 29 work weeks each year.


It will take 1 year of 29 work weeks, plus another 23 the next year to get it done. Therefore, it should take about 2 years to build. Alzar decides to double the work force, ignore the 26000 gp discount he would get, and reduce the build time is 39 work weeks, and thus should take, roughly, 15 months to build.

What we’ll do is roll each month during construction of the keep for special events, and then each month for Barony Stuff on top of all of that.

In order for afford it, Alzar:

Uses his PP, gems, and jewels and converts those to cash in Alpha, and gets the cost down to 228,185

Then he:

Moves a few books:

Tome of Vile Darkness; Tome of Clear Thought; Tome of Leadership and Influence; Manual of Quickness of Action; Tome of Understanding;

Those are super-valuable books and he easily gets their GP value for each one. He gets 215000 gp for the quad. Then he sells a few lesser items such as spell scrolls or letting wizard copy spells from his spellbook to make up the difference.

Norwold Region (http://pandius.com/nrwldreg.html)

[Tellistto]

Cool start, Abe. Keep up the good times!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Cool start, Abe. Keep up the good times!

Tell

Sure thing!

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s begin to fast forward:

Month 1: (April)

Keep Building – No unusual Event – 4 weeks done, 35 weeks left

Alzar talks to a local faith in Alpha to an Immortal of a Sphere of Matter. They will build a temple in Evenarrow and a shrine in the other major villages.

Dominion Rolls - +15% families in each hex…Storn lost 3 families to an attack

No major events


Month 2: (May)

Keep comes along fine – 4 weeks completed, 31 weeks left

Dominion Rolls - +20% families in each hex…2 families gained in Asantia

Events? A spy was revealed in the workers and replaced. He was working for Landfall.

Next month we’ll begin to bring in money

A lot of soldiers and workers are moving in full stop, so we are getting a few families into our borders from them. Plus some people who had left over the years are coming back as well, and that‘ll continue for a while.


Month 3: (June)

Work is fine – 27 left

Dominion - Another 15% gain of families, no other changes in population


Alzar hires a few more staff for the growing population.

Steward – 1000 gp
Marshall – 80 gp

Next month he’ll have to start tithing to help build the temples/shrines.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 4: (July)

Work is fine – 24 weeks left

Dominion – Capital gains +20%, others +5%; lost 4 families in Farhome to monster attacks - hell hounds and a pair of fire giants raided at night.

Alzar decides to head over and check things out.

After searching for a while, Alzar uncovers a hidden cave about 6 or 7 miles from Farhome, in the foothills. A very large exit from the cave is pretty big, and is too hard to hide, and no one has been taking chances at being stealthy. The exit is big enough for giants or dragons or anything else.

Alzar sits down and concentrates and uses a Crystal Ball to scout a bit ahead – The cave entrance bends into a large tunnel that goes right and left, and there is a door to the front as well. Alzar can see some smoke coming from the right side of the passage.

Alzar conjures an Invisible Stalker to explore and return to him. After it heads out, he conjures an Earth Elemental and then pulls out his golem, Aegis from the Warp Marble. He secures his items for combat, and then the Stalker returns.

The Stalker reports that it saw a red dragon in the large cave, and there were also a cavern of trolls to the left, and some other doors, with fire giants and hellhounds to the rear and a Beholder in a chamber in the far corner. There were three doors he couldn’t open.

Hmmm…

Red dragon, beholder, trolls, and giants/hell hounds.

He swaps his items around a bit. He is now wearing a Ring of Free Action and another of Fire Resistance. He decides to head out to the dragon first. It could be the most difficult.

[Abe Sargent]

The Invisible Stalker is leading the group, and Alzar has the golem and elemental flanked out along the cave, about 24 feet from each other. The dragon is snoring peacefully. Alzar grabs the Potion of Red Dragon Control he has and quaffs it. They run into the chamber to get close enough, the dragon hears and rears up, and Alzar tries to control it…

It gets a save, but it has a -2 for the potion’s effect. Let’s see….It rolls a 14 and makes the save, and then it breathes, and deals out 31 damage (save for 16)

Alzar – 64/73 (Fire Resistance ring)

Alzar tires to control it again and this time it works. It rolled a 2.

Alzar orders it to move to the front and it’s charmed and happy to do so. The dragon flies into the chamber with the trolls and one breath and a few rounds later it has killed the 8 trolls.

Alzar has the dragon return and move down to face the Beholder. His team moves behind, ready to support or attack.

Trolls – 5050 XP

Dragon – 7200 XP

There are a pair of villagers, still alive in this chamber, but the final fire breath of the dragon kills them and the Beholder focuses beams on it. They exchange some battle, and Alzar and his axe and shield move in to try and nip some damage from the Beholder but misses twice, and hits just once for 16 damage. The beholder disintegrates the dragon and it dies. Alzar carves it twice or 14 and 20 and it dies.

Beholder 14000 Xp

Alzar carves off some eyes and other items from the Beholder for his lab and potential parts.

[Abe Sargent]

The only other major foe here are the fire giants and hellhounds so his army moves over.

There are 7 of each. Alzar uses Maze to drop one into another place for a while. The rest move to the Invisible Stalker, which they can apparently sense (high level creatures can sometimes sense invisibility). , and they carve into, and kill, the Invisible Stalker and badly damage the Earth Elemental. Alzar casts Domination on a Fire Giant and it makes its save. Alzar heals the golem with Transmute Mud to Rock and is casting spells from behind the line.


Just before the Earth Elemental dies, Alzar casts Time Stop and moves over and carves the giants and kills two, and then gets ready and casts Death Spell as soon as the Stop lifts and kills most of the hounds.

The two fire giants and one hell hound left begin to flee and the fire giant kills the Earth Elemental as they do, and the golem punches and kills the hound. Alzar casts Polymorph Other at one and it fails its save and turns into a small turtle, and the other can’t get out, so they finish it off, but not before it hits the golem for some damage.

Aegis – 51/70 HP

39550 XP

They head back and check out the locked doors. Two open into an oddly dark chamber, littered with bones, dust, and dirt. Alzar’s Gem/Star reveals that there is an skull-shaped creature here that is moving towards them. Alzar casts Continual Light at it, then activates his Zoster. it makes it save but is still lit up.

The skull druj, suddenly illuminated moves to attack Alzar. It tries to bite him and splits into four skulls. It misses. The golem does too. This is an undead creature but not one Alzar has heard of before. (No need to check Necrology, it’s a Pandius-only creature)

After winning init, Alzar’s axe tries to bite into it twice with his axe and once with the shield. The creature has a -4 AC. He needs a 13, +4 for AC, -3 for Zoster, -3 for strength, -3 for weapon mastery, -4 for battle axe –

He needs a 4. He rolls an 11 and 5 and then for the shield a 2. When he hits he deals 1d8+6+4+3. 14-21. 16 and 16. 31 total damage. It has 37/68 left. The golem misses. The druj bites Alzar twice for 14 damage and a save vs poison that he makes (Periapt of Proof vs Poison helped there)


2 vs 6. Alzar cracks it three times for 42 damage and it’s down. Dead druj.

10000 XP

[Abe Sargent]

There s nothing of value in this room.

The final door opens into an old office. Apparently this dungeon was fleshed out by a cleric named Kwyll, who served Alinor a long time ago. Very little is still left.

In the dungeon, he found:

Ear Ring
Ointment of Blessing, of Poison
2x Quarrels of Flying
Potion of Sustenance, Bug Repellant, Elemental Form, Blending, Agility, Luck
Bastard Sword +2
Short Sword +2
Chalice of Identification


20000 sp
10850 gp
6000 pp

2025 gems worth 172000 gp


The Chalice works simply enough. Just pour a potion into the Chalice, and magical runes will reveal what the potion does, if it’s poisoned or bad, and even if it’s a cursed potion. Then you can just pour it back in.


He heads back and returns a few times for more coins and such to get it all out.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 5: (August)

There are some bad storms and only 2 weeks of work is done this month. 25 weeks of construction left.


Dominion – There was a small meteor shower that sprayed rocks all over. It causes a confidence check for the month and now the dominion is at 312 Confidence (still the same place)

+15% growth across dominion

Alzar hires some more staff:

Equerry
Engineer

He also heads to Alpha and hires some more soldiers and sails them over after checking them out. We bring in 20 heavy cavalry.

Three major holidays in the year:

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


Its costs have been reduced from the income this month.

Alzar also finds the last components that he needs and he casts Bind Tabi on the one that he captured:

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/tabi.gif

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

Tabi can be found here on Pandius as well, so it was easier for Alzar to find the specialized incenses that were needed to bind it (2000 gp).

Alzar has already begun to send the tabi out exploring and scouting the area.


After finding some ruins, and rebuilding them into a town quickly, Baron James Essex has been promoted to Count. (Did you know that I usually use the name James Essex for my character in most dynasties and video games? Did you know that it came from this source, a minor reference in the back of the Companion Set DM Guide?)

Alzar teleports to Alpha for a daylong meeting with the King and a few of his advisors to give a report on the full goings-on in his realm.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 6: (September)

Starting in the second week, there are some bandits that have arrived to hit the supply lines of rock from the adjacent un-claimed territory. Work is halved until they are stopped. Alzar heads out, and over the course of two weeks, finds and takes down the two bandit groups, and then work resumes. 3 weeks of work were done this month – 22 weeks of construction left.


Dominion – Growth in capital by 20% only. Lose 2 families in Riverton to a small flood from the river.

There are numbers of barbarian tribes in Norwold. They are nomadic and fared well as hunters and nomads in the northern parts of the area. They are mainly fighters, with some clerics and a few thieves. For most of the year, they travel in groups of less than 1000. During the Fall Equinox, the barbarians gather at three points in around 15,000 at each point.

The barbarians have never had any trouble with King Ericall because major portions of Norwold have been left uncivilized, and most of the 18 Barons chose territory in the southern and central parts of the realm, south of the Great Bay. In fact, only one Barony, The Barony of Moonland with Sandralane of Glantri is close. She’s on the coast on the Sea of Alphatia, about 7 hexes south of Evenarrow.

One of the gathering places for the nomads is on the other side of the Ljallenvals, about 6 hexes away. As long as dominion leaders don’t impede their access, everything works out fine. They don’t normally cross the mountains to enter the land Alzar is building up. He’s currently working on roads, a bridge, some small barracks and fortifications in the other two hexes while building that keep in Evenarrow.

As Alzar is travelling through his dominion, he hears word that there is a potential showdown occurring over in Alak Dool’s Barony of Morkheim, in the western part of Norwold and around 620 miles away. Alzar decides to scry it out, and then teleports over to take a look-see.

The barbarians are currently camped on the borders of Dool’s dominion. There have been no battles yet. They would prefer to hunt animals than people. Dool has apparently been taunting them constantly. Alzar is flying around and there is an earth elemental attacking one of the central camps, and a large barbarian chief is fleeing, leading it away from camp. Alzar flies down to help out.

He can see Dool, invisible and flying above the fray, controlling the elemental (Alzar sees through Invisibility). He flies down, pretending he can’t see Dool, and then begins to cast a spell, as if targeting the Elemental, and…

He Maze’s Alak Dool. Dool will be gone for 4 rounds.

That should be enough time.

Alzar lands (uses Zoster) with Axe out and moves to battle the Elemental:

3 vs 5. Alzar hits twice for 28 damage from axe and shield (one miss) and the Elemental punches Alzar for 14 damage back.

Alzar 59/73

7 vs 2. The Elemental punches and misses, clanging heavily off the Bright Barrier. Alzar rolls 8, 8, and 18 which is…3 hits for 43 damage. Boom! 8 vs 4. The Elemental punches for 13 damage and Alzar carves it dead.

Alzar 46/73

Alzar flies up to where Alak Dool was and gets ready for him to reappear.

Alak Dool comes back from the Maze, Alzar is 5 feet away.

Initiative. 3 vs 1. Alak Dool casts Teleport and gets away. Ah well.

Alzar lands and checks to make sure the red haired one is okay. He introduces himself as Barkal the Red, and the Chief of one of the local tribes, and about 900 barbarians are in his tribe. Alzar flies him back to the camp on his Flying Carpet, and Barkal orders an impromptu feast.

Remember that Alzar is wearing Selnor’s Helm. Why is this important? It gives bonuses and such to fellow barbarians. It’s a barbarian-friendly item from his home plane of Thorasia. It goes well here too. Alzar’s high charisma and bonuses from his Helm are helping him out.

After the feast, a lot of barbarians begin to wrestle as part of feast and events. One big brawny warrior challenges Alzar who accepts. After announcing that his Girdle magically enhances his strength, and taking it off, Alzar heads into the fire-lit area and begins to wrestle with his normal 17 Str.

After five rounds, he loses, but he fought well.

After the fight, Barkal the Red offers an Oath of Allegiance with Alzar who accepts. Alzar asks Barkal to give testimony against Alak Dool. The next day, Alzar teleports them both to Alpha to submit a formal complaint against Alak Dool, and then Telport Other Barkal back, and Alzar teleports back to his Barony to continue.

Alliance with Barkal Gained

Next month there will be a special tournament to celebrate the elevation of James Essex to Count.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 7: (October)

Work is fine on the keep and 4 more weeks are knocked off – 18 left

Dominion – Growth 10% across board, gain 4 families in Asantia

Alzar hires a few more military:

10 more light and heavy cavalry, 2 more armorers; 30 more crossbowmen


This month we have the Harvest Festival, and spend 15% of our income on it

(The following event is not in CM1, but instead in the back of the Companion DM Guide)

Over in the County of Garette, southwest of Alpha, is a tournament held in the honor of Count Essex’s new title. Not a lot of nobles attend, just Alzar (who teleports over) and two others –

Baron Niles Douglass – 3 knights, 3 squires, 20 men-at-arms
Baron Mark Acres – 2 knights, 2 squires, 10 men-at-arms
Count James Essex – 5 knights, 5 squires, 30 men-at-arms
Baron Alzar the Mighty – None others

Additionally, 6 other knights attend

There are three days of the tournament, that include a holiday for the peasants, and feasts. He spends 4000 gp for the feast and such for three days.

Tournaments:

Archery – Top Prize: +2 Silver Arrow of Returning
Wrestling – Top Prize: Potion of Giant Strength
Sword and Shield – Top Prize: +2 Shortsword

Jousting – Prizes:

3rd Place – 1000 gp Jeweled Scabbard
2nd Place – 1250 gp jeweled helmet
Top Prize – The Golden Dagger (+4, and makes a gently ting sound when it taps against a magical item)

Those are some really nice prizes and his Dominion will get a bonus to its confidence from the holiday and tournament.

Alzar competes in the Archery with his crossbow skill, but doesn’t do that well. He makes it out of the first round of sword and shield, and then defeat a knight from Baron Acres, before losing in the 3rd round to a traveling Paladin in the 3rd round (one of the 6 other knights).

Finally, he participates in the Joust, but is defeated when a random draw puts him against Baron Acres, who defeats him in the first round easily.

On the third day, the winners take their prizes and head home, and everyone is really happy with the tournament, especially since the only major crime was caught by local authorities before it really began.

Alzar teleports back

Currently, in the court, the order of nobility is:

Duke Lernal
Count Essex
Three Barons
Baron Alzar at #6.

(Order is by rank, and then when tied by number of hexes, and then when tied by population)

No other major events occur.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 8: (November)

Work progresses fine – 14 weeks left

Dominion – 10% growth, no other population changes.

Snow sets in at the end of the month and the work will end now, and there won’t be any done until the end of Winter. It gets cold fast, and already places are freezing up.

With the slowing down of various activities, Alzar begins to dedicate more time in research and getting things done on the mage-side of life.

One of the things Alzar has had to do these last 8 months is set up the administration needed to run the Barony, such as a legal system and courts and opportunities for legal redress.

The rapid early expansion has been continued by other families relocating as Alzar continues to bring in more soldiers and officials, who often bring their family with them to settle in the Barony somewhere.

Month 9: (December)

Dominion – 10% growth in capital, 5% elsewhere; lost 3 families due to cold in Augustia.


Alzar hires a few more soldiers

40 more heavy soldiers and an officer for them

[Abe Sargent]

Here is the Barony at the end of Year One:


The Barony of the Mighty

Ruler – Baron Alzar

Hex #1 – Villages – Evenarrow - 92 families – On the southern coast of the little jutting peninsula, this village fishes south in the Great Bay 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 Barony. 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 – 133 families
7 resource gp

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 720 gp/month
Tax Income – 72 gp/month
Resource Income – 504/month
Total – 2394/month (x18 multiplier)

Hex #2 – 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 – 128 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here.
Riverton – 84 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds

Details – 230 families

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month
Tax Income – 89 gp/month
Resource Income – 267/month
Total – 3220/month (x14 multiplier)

Alzar will be building up Storn here as well, later on.

Hex #3 – 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 – 75 families, on the northern coast, fish the Alphatian Sea
Farhome – 29 families, grapes, on hills by western edge of hex
Asantia – 34 families, farmers in southern coast of hex.

Details – 137 families


Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month
Tax Income – 54 gp/month
Resource Income – 378/month
Total –2466/month (x18 multiplier)

EXPENSES –

20% taxes to King Ericall (Not paid for first two years)
10% Tithe to local temple (Not paid for three months)
Military – 2570
Barony Staff - 720
Specialist Staff – 1750
Stronghold Staff - 80
Taxes to Ericall -
Tithe to Matter Temple - 808

Treasury - 13,205

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

Barony Staff –

Magistrate – 200 gp
2 Sheriff – 200 gp
10 Provost – 200 gp
6 Warden – 120 gp

Specialist Staff:

Steward – 1000 gp
Engineer – 750 gp

Stronghold Staff:

Marshall - 80 gp


Barony Military –

Light Foot Soldiers – 150 troops, 5 leaders – 300 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 80 troops, 2 leaders – 240 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 40 troops, 1 leader – 400 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 30 troops, 1 leader – 600 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 80, 2 leaders – 320 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
11 Officers – 110 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead
5 Armorer – 500 gp
2 Smiths – 50 gp
1 Equerry – 50 gp

Total monthly cost for the military Alzar is putting together is 2570

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 Barony – 312 – Healthy

As an effect – Healthy gives 10% more income and 25% chance per spy of them being outed by locals. They are pretty happy about a new government and investment as Norwold seeks to turn their area from a wilderness to a civilized realm.

[Abe Sargent]

As the winter gets very cold very quickly, a large ice bridges forms in the north. There is a giant island up north, Frosthaven, and that’s the home of thousands of frost giants.

2000 Frost Giants move across the ice to the mainland. They break into 20 raiding parties of 100 giants each, with about half moving south towards the halfling holds and the other half moving south east towards the edge of the Norwold territory, in a line for Alzar’s Barony.

They move 6 hexes every 7 days, so every week they move six hexes.

They began moving out from their island on the last few days of the end of fall. They crossed the hundreds of miles of ice, and then arrived at the mainland on the 10th day of this month. After 8 days of moving, an elf hold noticed them

On the 19th day of the month, Alzar receives a guest in his court – Claransa the Seer teleports into his hold at Evenarrow and lets him know about the oncoming frost giant onslaught. But they have some time. Alzar teleports to Barkal the Red to give his barbarians a warning a few weeks ahead of schedule.

The next day, Alzar decides to hit one band early, to slow them down. He scrys the front band moving southeast in his general direction and he teleports over to a spot a few miles away and he prepares a surprise.

Over the next few minutes he creates a nice sized army from the surrounding rock, ice, and air:

3 Earth Elementals (From 2x stones, and one spell)
2 Water Elemental (Ring, Spell)
1 Air Elemental (Censer)
1 Earth, Air, Water – all 16 HD double size (From Face of Xenous)
Invisible Stalker
Ebony Fly, Serpentine Owl
5 berserkers (from Horn of Valhalla)
2 Mordenkainen’s Faithful Shield-Maidens

He also has Aegis, the golem available pulled out of the Warp Marble, as a final bodyguard.

The frost giants enter range, and a few begin to grab nearby boulders to toss and others charge.

[Abe Sargent]

Battle has begun. Alzar will cast Time Stop, Polymorph Other, Domination, Animate Dead on the first dead Frost Giant to give him another ally, Power Word Kill, Power Word Stun, Hold Monster, Finger of Death. Meanwhile, his army will be below, moving in to smash and kill the first flank of troops moving in.

Random.org.

Alzar has slayed 34 of the frost giants, his army is destroyed, and covering his retreat with a Skull Trap that takes out 4 more giants and clears a path, Alzar and his golem move to retreat.

He cannot use the elemental summoning items, Horn, or figurines again for a week.

Alzar gains 76k

62 giants left in this band

Alzar levels up, but he’s in the middle of a campaign, so we’ll wait until later.

The next day, Alzar hits the band again, and again leads with the summoned creatures (Elementalsx2, Stalker, Shield-Maidens), uses Evard’s Black Tentacles to slow them down, and then drops Skulltrap from above on a flying carpet, and again launches the auto kill stuff, animated a dead one back to life to harass the team and more. He takes out 16 more giants.

The 46 giants left begin to pull back, and the next day, another 19 die, and they flee and they will run all the way back home. 100 giants removed from the raids.

It’s now the 22nd.

An elf hold in the far east was smashed by a giant group, Alzar teleports to the barbarians and will help them for a bit. The closest group is 150 miles away, and Alzar Mass Teleports a strike team over, himself at the head. Again, he launches the attack, and 13 giants die, and two barbarians do as well.

Alzar and the team will harass the group for two more days, taking out giants from the air with spells (Flying Carpet) or from the ground with summoned creatures, delaying spells like Tentacles, and Blastbones or Skulltrap, with the occasional Vampiric Touch regaining Alzar damage he takes from the occasional hit by a boulder or somesuch.

They have reduced this unit down to 31 giants, and they flee as well, and then Mass Teleports back and Barkar the Red reports to the rest of the group what they did.

[Abe Sargent]

Over the next week, Alzar is the only major force getting in the way of the giants, this team heading back to take out a second strike force coming in his general direction. On the 26th, he launches another full on assault with his items back making a larger army, and then again finishes it off and forces them to flee.

On the 30th of this month, 9 strike teams on the west and 8 on the east have passed the marshes by the Landsplit River and those two lakes and are moving south into more civilized land.

Barkal the Red and Alzar agree to pull back and let the giants hit the first major Barony in their path on that flank – Morkheim, the one controlled by Alak Dool. Meanwhile, Sandralane moves some of her forces into Alzar’s Barony to support against an assault that crosses the Ljallenvals.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 1, Year Two: (January)

(We’ll do the dominion stuff later, post giants)

On the 3rd, Alzar’s strike team again uses his full items and hits the front giant group, and forewarned, they turn back more quickly.

On the 5th, a third group has routed.

The remaining 7 groups on the eastern flank hold up a few days and gather their forces, and then head out as one big force, 700 strong.

By the10th, two raiding parties on the western flank have arrived at the two hexes of Morkheim. Alak Dool didn’t emerge from his dominion to face them, but he won’t let them in, and himself a pair of apprentice wizards, and a variety of charmed creatures begin to attack, supplemented by his armed forces, and in a few days, both raiding parties are routed, turning the west flank into 7 groups as well.

On the 15th, the first giant party arrives at the northmost Halfling freehold – Port Hinly, and they begin assaulting it. The Great Bay is almost completely frozen.

By the 20th, Alzar hits the large 700 strong group and takes out 18 giants with his forces.

On the 23rd, the forces Alzar are fighting turn south about 30 miles from the Ljallenvals, apparently not really wanting to cross and then run into Alzar and his forces. By now they are down to 651 giants.

25th – The eastern army begins to cross the Great Bay

The 26th – the barony of Lalmetaure, in the forests south of Morkheim, the elf Baron Quillan has turned back and routed another of the giant raiding parties.

The 29th – The groups on the western flank move to create one army as well, and 425 giants are left in this one.

By the end of the month, the troop count is:

West Army – 425
East Army – 617

[Abe Sargent]

Month 2, Year 2:

2nd, the East Army arrives near Alpha. Alzar meets with King Ericall about defenses, and suggests against sallying out. This is a raid, not an invasion force. You just need to outlast them. When the ice starts melting, they’ll likely pull away.

Alzar uses his items and spells to assemble a large defensive sally, and Madeira and Claransa both help by raining down spells like Meteor Swarm, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, while Alzar kills a few here and there with stuff like Finger of Death and Power Word Kill. At the end of their barrage, they have killed 88 giants.

The giants begin to throw stones at the battlements.

3rd:

The Western Army is met by combined forces from County of Garette, Baronies of Westria, Hopeland, and the Free Plains, and they begin to push back the giant attack there.

Meanwhile, another assault by the wizards drops another 61 giants, and then King Ericall orders a counter attack and more than a thousand of soldiers pour forth. After a few hours of fierce fighting, they push through and win the day, and the giants retreat back to Frosthaven.

4th

The western flank is falling. Alzar teleports over and kills a few giants on their rear to turn them away from their force. The giants have to fight on two fronts. Soon enough, Sandralane and Madeira also teleport to the other two flanks and begin to drop spells of mass destruction or the occasional elemental ally. By the end of the day, the western flank is cleared and the giants here have fled.

The giant raids have ended on the 4th.


Alzar at level 20 –

He has gained a 6th and 9th level spell.

Back to the Barony Stuff:


Dominion Rolls for Month 1 and 2:

-5% for winter in Month 1, +15% in capital in month 2. Gain 2 families in Storn

For the new year we make a confidence check and…new confidence is 344. Same level.

We had the Holy Liturgy Holiday.

Alzar hires, in Month 2:

20 more heavy cavalry

1 Sheriff
1 Chaplain


The King assesses the performance of his various servants, and determines that Alzar and Claransa were particularly useful, and are to be given more domains.

Alzar has recently found out that there is an elf village in the wooded hex south-west and north-west of his territory, and the last hex unclaimed before you hit the Ljallenvals. So instead, Alzar asks for the island of Bergholm, and is given it:


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.

29 Families; 2 resources, 1 mineral, 1 vegetable – Copper mines and berries.

Just one village: Bergholm Villa – 26 families, they are on a river where it meets the Great Bay, 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.


We get a message late in Month 2 that King Ericall will be getting married, his bride-to-be will be arriving from Alphatia soon.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 3, Year 2:

We can use one week of labor in the end of the month as spring begins. But the snow is still around and we can’t work that week.

Dominion News – Bergholm is +20% growth, and the others just +5% each as Spring begins, -6 families in Storn as Frost Giants raid a few people.

A band of Frost Giants were left behind as the winter thawed, and a few made it into the Ljallenfals. They have begun to raid folks.

The most recent raids have them coming from nearby Storn. Alzar teleports over and begins to search. His tabi, Ak’Kadar finds some tracks, and Alzar follows them to the trail along a mountain and some rock hills. The terrain here climbs steeply, and there appear to be no signs of human habitation. Suddenly, the heavy footfalls shake the ground and gasping breathes come from rocks to the east. They draw closer. Alzar conjures an Elemental.

The4 giants round the bend with mouths hanging open in desperate gasps for breath, looks of crazed fear on their faces, and they look behind them furtively. The Earth Elemental is in their path.

Alzar’s axe is out too, uses his Zoster, and he flies down to challenge the fleeing giants.

Init – 3 vs 9. Alzar clashes and needs just a 2 to hit these dorks with axe and a 3 with his shield. He smashes the first one dead. But it was already wounded. The Elemental misses. The other three pause, and then lash out at Alzar. They miss. (Cloak of Displacement, as a reminder, is a cloak he now wears)

6 vs 3. They smash him once for 4d8 damage and roll and get…19 damage. He carves one three times for 16, 16, and 12 damage – 44 total damage 13 left. The Elemental punches and slays it. Two left.

Alzar 55/74

The remaining two giants begin to flee. Alzar casts Polymorph Other and turns one into a turtle. Then he casts Power Word Kill and drops the other (no save on that one)

6k XP

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar and his unharmed Elemental follow the giants and there is a rocky trail winding north-west to the mouth of a cave, the orange light of a fire flickers warmly and the smell of roasting venison is strong. Laying motionless around the fire are the bodies of 6 more frost giants and more than 10 large wolves they had as pets and guards. Their faces are full of fear, and their weapons clenched They were killed by very powerful bashing attacks.

These attack could not have occurred less than 30 minutes ago, the fire is fresh, the venison perfectly cooked, and the wounds oozing blood, not fully frozen. There are a few sacks here with dishes, utensils, and then some with low amounts of coins (coppers, silvers, etc). Alzar will turn all of those over to Storn after this ends.

There is a large cave mouth that heads deeper into the cavern. Alzar casts Invisible Stalker and has it do a little scouting, with the tabi following behind. There are three hallways. One ends in a around 5 giant scorpions, one is empty, and the third has a large golem of brass guarding it and more behind it.

Forewarned, Alzar enters his OtherSpace and switches some items around.

His summoned creatures wipe out the scorpions without any problem, and there’s nothing in these back two rooms.

Alzar moves to a rough hallway, with a dull roar coming off the walls. Cool, moist breezes blow softly through the tunnel, and an echoing roar grows into a pounding thunder as Alzar approaches. The tunnel opens into a bubbling stream of water that runs 50 feet along the south wall of the tunnel, and then drops over the lip of a precipice. The tunnel opens into a large cavern, and the silhouette of a large, artificial figure made of bronze blocks the eerie light of the cavern and prevents anyone from going down to the cavern beyond.

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs30/i/2008/161/8/6/Bronze_Golem_by_Nezart.jpg

Bronze Golem – AC 0, HD 20, HP 97, THAC0 – 2, 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.

Alzar pulls up the Talisman of the Golem. This will give him one chance to permanently control the golem. As long as he has the Talisman, he can control the golem for free. If it fails, it can’t be used again on that particular golem. If the golem dies, you can control another, you can also release the golem it has.

The golem just needs a 8 to make its save. Here we go….it rolls a 16. It begins to move forward, and the Elemental/Stalker move to block it and attack it.

Initiative. 7 vs 2. The Golem punches and smashes the Elemental for 14 damage and 5 more fire. Alzar’s Whistle of Golem Control is next. And….It rolls a 7 and is controlled for a while. Combat ends.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar moves the Bronze Golem ahead and the chamber opens. The eerie glow of green phosphorescence lights this cavern. The mist from the plunging falls drifts through the cave and settles on the damages walls. On the back is the beginnings of some old, ruined structure, very old, with a door at the back. In a large pool at the bottom is a coalescing mixture of water and the oil and slime from various fungi.

There is a large, dragon looking creature here but it moves mechanically. This is a drolem, a golem designed to look like a dragon. Usually it uses dragon bones, much like a Bone Golem uses humanoid bones, and then layers on top with other, more defensive structures like iron or stone. But usally, it’s dragon scales themselves that are hardened to put overtop of the skeleton.

It takes almost a year to make a drolem, requires a wizard of at least 18th level of ability and at least 90,000 gp in materials. The materials are found only on Pandius.

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/goledrol.gif

This drolem – AC -3, HD 20, HP, 112, flies, ThACo 2, 2 claws, 1 bite for 2d6, 2d6, 1d20+10. 23000 XP if killed. Can also breathe – small poisonous cloud, save vs poison or die. Can only be hit by +2 weapons, immune to cold, acid, heat, and levels up to 4, and detects invisible.

Alzar has the Bronze Golem in front, and then the Stalker and Elemental behind by about 30 feet, and he’s behind those. He tries the Talisman of the Golem again. Maybe it will work this time on a more powerful golem…It rolls a….14. Ah well. Worth the try!

The Bronze Golem moves in, and the drolem moves to fight it. These aren’t smart and intelligent fighters, and the Stalker/Elemental is a tough duo to battle, plus the bronze golem too. (Random.org) the drolem finishes the golem, but is taken down by summoned creatures.

[Abe Sargent]

After it dies, Alzar grabs a few of the items left behind in case he wants to learn how to animate it later. He even takes a vial of the bronze golem’s liquid to look at later.

They head into the back and open a pair of doors. This is an old palace of some repute. This was apparently the home of Alinor, prince of Alphia.

There is an old tomb and library back her. Alzar casts Detect Magic, uses his Gem/Star and more to figure out what they have:

Rod of Victory
Scroll of Creation, Truth

Massive golden carved door, weight 20,000 coins, worth 20000 gp

Diary - Alinor, Prince of Alphia

Hundreds of books that are moldy, and unreadable line many shelves.

It seems that the Ljallenvals aren’t natural mountains, but were raised by Alinor with magic. He used ships and skycastles as attacking vessels in the air to conquer this area for Alphatia long ago.

Rod of Victory makes the user lucky in war. Gives the unit +25 bonus to War Machine or Battlesystem wargaming

Alzar spends some time loading up the moldy and faded books. He can’t read them now, but after using his Bookmend, he certainly can. He uses his OtherSpace to move them slowly, and carefully, and then after he loads them all, he then gathers the items he found.

Since Alzar now normally memorizes Enlarge, he reverses it to cast reduce on the door and drops it to a very small size, uses the Weightless Chest to store it, and heads back out afterwards. He will have the door used in his keep as they finish things up and put in doors in the next few months.


He heads back and hires some more folks for Bergholm:

1 Sherriff
2 Provost
2 Warden
Herald

[Abe Sargent]

Month 4, Year 2:

Keep - We roll a 62 and everything is fine (There is a 2 in three chance nothing happens each month). 4 more work weeks roll off and…just 10 more weeks left!

Dominion – Same as before - Bergholm is +20% growth, and the others just +5% each as Spring continues

Alzar has begun communication with the small elf-hold next to his land, and then, a small group of dwarves from an unknown dwarf-hold in the Ljallenvals arrive with a problem. A few weeks ago, some extremely large versions of creatures (called Gargantuas) broke into their lair, and then were unable to be forced back out again, due to the lack of many magical weapons among the dwarves. They have come to Alzar for aid, since he cleaned out the giants a few months ago.

They offer one of two payments – 100,000 gp in verite ingots for cleaning out their small home, or a “pledge of call” that would require them to assemble their forces, one time, to fight whomever Alzar tells them to, for 3 months. (Verite is a greenish metal, slighter harder than the alloy steel, and more malleable).

This dwarfhold, named Hammerhelm, is apparently the only dwarfhold in the mountain range, and it’s actually right next door to Evenarrow.

In particular, these creatures have taken the forge of power that is sacred to their clan, so Alzar needs to head in, and take them out, and free their stuff. Alzar decides to go with the “pledge of call” in case he wins.

This underground mining operation apparently holds slightly more than 2000 dwarves, and he didn’t even know!

[Abe Sargent]

Two days later, Alzar and his dwarven escort arrive at the dwarfhold and they enter. They escort him past some homes and such, and to the Forgeroom. He has the dozen dwarves wait, and then begins to scout the room with his various supplies, such as the Ear Ring. Instead of light to inform people that he’s there, he’s using his Ioun Stone.

There is a large cavern here, but not large enough for the three gargantuan gargoyles at the end to come down. This is the first of the rooms in the Forgeroom area.

Gargantuan Gargoyle – 32 HD, AC1, THAC0 – 1, Hp 160, 137, 128, 4 attacks for 4d3, 4d3, 4d6, and 4d4, All of the normal defenses. (Immune to magical weapons, for one)

Dang. Those things are hugely nasty in size. Alzar steps back and conjures some elemental aid – 3 Earth Elementals from his spell and two stones. He also brings forth an Invisible Stalker to help aid them. This is not going to be easy. Alzar quaffs his potion of Invulnerably (he has 4.) He is immune ot physical attacks now.

He leads the front, with the elementals and Stalker flanked behind, keeping anybody from leaving, the foes move to attack him.

After a few rounds, the gargoyles have lost a member, realize they can’t hurt Alzar, and moved to attacking an elemental instead, and soon kill it, but a second gargoyle falls. Then the third dies. Alzar orders his group to move on. There is a collapsed wall on the eastern side the gargantuan came in through.

As he approaches, a gargantuan carrion crawler emerges and he destroys it easily enough, then orders his group into the recently dug tunnel (it looks like it was dug with spells like Dig and such, and quite recently.)

Next is a pair of gargantuan basilisks. This is a bit different, so Alzar backs up a bit and lets them fight the creatures that can be petrified. All they have is a weak bite, and while they kill the Stalker, they are both handled easily enough.

There is a large passage that opens in a big chamber, with what appears to be 12 gargantaun trolls, but there;’s just one with an odd mirror image effect, which Alzar sees through. A few rounds later that giant troll is taken out. The Forge of Power was brought here by the troll for guarding. There are no other items or anything else here, even after inspection by the Gem/Star.

The dwarves thank him, (He gains 62000 XP) and heads back out.

He needs about 75k before he levels up again.

He shakes the dwarves’ hands, they have their forge back, and he teleports back home.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 5, Year 2:

Keep – 44 rolled, 6 more man weeks left!

Dominion – There is a plague that hits the capital for -10% people. +10% in Bergholm Isle, and +5% in the other two hexes. The plague is cured by the chaplain.

There is a confidence check and the confidence drops to 321.

Nothing else happens.


Month 6, Year 2:

Keep? 36 rolled – 2 weeks left…

Dominion - +5% everywhere.



Alzar heads to Alpha to attend the wedding of King Ericall and Christina Marie Alanira, a 12th level wizard.

The Summer Solstice was chosen as the date for the wedding, and Alzar arrives 8 days prior. Feasting will begin tomorrow. The bride is 19 years old and trained under the auspices of the best colleges in Alphatia.

The other lords of Norwold are arriving as well. Since Alzar was increased to 3rd in the court order (after Duke Lernal and Count Essex), he will be third at the table for the opening feast. The King wants to make a good impression, and this should be the best of the feasts and holidays and celebrations that the young kingdom has yet had.

[Abe Sargent]

All of the visiting nobles are put up in fine quarters in the royal palace. They are all quartered near each other too, so Alzar can head out and visit any of the others here.

At the first banquet, Duke Lernal is visibly rude and vulgar towards his brother and Norwold. Not a good sign. Alak Dool is pretty quiet, almost tamed. Alzar thinks he should have been stripped of his title, but he wasn’t. King Ericall is a bit weak in making decisions that matter. Alzar found him trying to assassinate the leader of a barbarian tribe outside of his realm, and for some reason, he’s still a Baron. That’s the wrong call, barring something like a Geas spell to ensure loyalty.


Already one failed plot by Thyatian spies was uncovered when a local servant in the Royal palace tried to put poison in the dessert.

On night two of the feast, an immense assortment of culinary delights is spread out on the tables, and dozens of lords and ladies are eating, sitting, and mingling. Suddenly the massive bronze doors are flung open. Four imposing figures, clad head to foot in black plate mail, stride into the room.

A stillness falls over the room and the sounds of eight heavy boots rings against the walls. As the figures approach the King, several royal guards leap for their weapons, and the King holds up his hands to stop them. He stands and calmly faces the intruders and demands to know why they are here. One advances and exclaims that they are here to honor the wedding of a king to a common tramp. They insult everyone else a few times, and demand battle at trial the next morning to prove them wrong. They leave.

The King asks for four champions to meet them in the morning. He gets many volunteers, and chooses:

Count Essex
Baron Alzar
Baron Acres
Baron Fharo

For this battle, layers may use any magical items they possess.

Alzar will be going in full bad-ass mode as a full on fighter:

AC -5 with Axe and Shield

Can’t cast magic.

He gets three attacks a turn with the Axe, Axe, Shield

His foe will get 5 attacks every two turns, two, then three, then two, then three.

They meet in the morning. Count Essex throttles his enemy.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar’s turn:


Alzar 74 HP, AC -5, THAC0 14, activated Zoster, +13 to hit with Axe, +13 damage with Axe.; +8 to hit and +11 to damage with Shield.

His foe:

Black Avenger - +3 long sword, specialization, 17 STR, AC -3 16 HP, THAC0 5.

Black Avenger needs to hit: 4 or more on a d20. He will hit for 1d8+6 damage.

Alzar needs to hit: 4 or more on a d20 for axe, 8 or more for shield. He will hit for 1d8+13 or 1d8+8 when he hits.

Here we go!

9 vs 4. The foe goes first and attacks twice 16 and 13. Hits for 23 damage. Alzar rolls and gets…13, 16, 6. Hits twice for…33 damage.


Alzar – 53/74
Black Avenger – 29/62

Initiative. 9 vs 2. The Black Avenger gets three attacks and rolls….7, 15, 17. Alzar takes 7, 5, 3 for…33 damage. Meanwhile Alzar attacks back and rolls….3, 9, 17. He hits twice for…30 damage. The Black Avenger falls (is knocked unconscious, this battle used attacks to subdue with the flat of the blade).

Two Avengers down. Alzar gains 4000 XP>

The 3rd Black Avenger is taken down by the 17th level fighter Acres and Fharo just blasts his opponent.

They win 4-0.

[Abe Sargent]

During the feast that night, Christina is brought out from wedding prep to meet the nobility. Alzar introduces himself and they talk shop for a while. After seeing them together, the King asks Alzar to escort her to the town that evening, and he agrees to.

After the banquet, and once King Ericall leaves to do some further wedding preparations, Christina wants to head out to the dock district, with a lower reputation. Alzar asks Sandralane and Claransa to join him, but Claransa is already busy. The cleric joins him though.

They head out, and Christina wants to use potions of polymorphing she has to turn into old guys to check out the taverns. They agree, and turn head out to check out taverns and move. After a few minutes, a group of thieves, fighters, and a wizard move out to kidnap the queen-to-be.

Their wizard casts Power Word Stun on their target and she’s stunned. Their soldiers move in. Alzar casts Power Word Kill on their mage and she dies. Sandralane moves in front of Christina to body-block her, and keep away the 12 thieves/fighters as they move in and begin to attack,

Initiative. Alzar uses his Ring of Quick Action to ensure init winning. 3 vs 6, would have won anyway.
He casts Mass Domination. This will gain control of 2 HD per casting level – so up to 40 HD. His foes are all 9th level, so he can Dominate 4. They get saves, but at -4 for the spell (and -1 for his class). HE dominates….3 fighters and they turn and attack their allies. Sandralane maces a 4th for some damage. Some attack Sandralane or Alzar, and some attack the ones attacking them. Alzar takes 11 damage .

Alzar 63/74

2 vs 9. Alzar casts Mass Charm, with the same rules (can charm up to 40 HD, can charm monsters and persons, save gets -2 penalty, and no Wis bonus vs charm stuff either). 2 of 4 fighters fail their saves. They stop attacking. The other fighters, and Sandralane kill a figher. 4 thieves and 2 fighters are still attacking. They fail their morale and begin to break. As they flee, Alzar casts Time Stop and gets 2 free rounds.

He casts Black Tentacles at the legs of the thieves and fighters and then moves next to them. Time Stop ends, and the Tentacles grab at the folks, and then Alzar casts Finger of Death at a thief and he dies.

Init. 3 vs 1. They attack a few tentacles and Alzar, the only person in melee range, it hit once for 7 damage. Meanwhile Alzar Vampiric Touch and kills an adjunct thief. The others and the tentacles kill two more folks, and the last is dead next turn.

The party is killed or handled. The charmed ones surrender happily, and the dominated ones have no choice at all.

They find on the mage:

Ring of Regeneration
Wand of Fireballs – 12 charges
+1 dagger

Alzar gives the wand to Sandralane as payment for her assistance, and secures the other two for himself.

Sandralane dispels the Stun on Christina, and they return with their captured folks for the guards to interrogate.

[Abe Sargent]

The next days pass quickly.

Naturally the day of the ceremony is a sunny day. Banners, candles, and other royal decoration bedeck the great hall of alpha. A collection of bards play music that sings of high celebrations and sober responsibility. A huge mirror at the end of the hall reflects an atmosphere of elegance. The 10 foot wide mirror towers 30 high over the hall. The king stands proudly at the altar and fidgets in nervousness. A smile begins to dance across his face as the bride is exotic silks from far flung places emerges, and takes the king’s arm as she arrives.

The ceremony is short, and now Queen Christina and the King embrace in a broad hug.

Suddenly, a shadow falls over the room, thunder can be felt in the distance, the great mirror fogs up, and then the face of an aged hag or crone can be seen. Her wrinkled visage breaks into a grin, and he wishes everyone a good afternoon.

“Enjoy your celebration while you can, my king! Storm clouds are gathering on the horizon, darker than any you’ve known. If you and yours are alive after the passing of another summer, then you may be happy. Until then, sleep lightly.”

Her face fades, and the image, darkness, and thunder lift.

The following day, Alzar sends some folks he hired during this week back to the Barony for the Stronghold:


4 Bailiffs – 80 gp
Chamberlain – 200 gp
Senechal – 200 gp

He begins to lay out the walls and defensive formations around the village. We can start that project next month, if everything goes well.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 7, Year 2:

Work is done. The keep opens, and Alzar has a one-day feast to celebrate it!

Alzar wants to begin with the normal defensive fortifications, but he can’t. We don’t have the money.

So instead:

For a total of – 174104 gp; 12653 man weeks base costs.

335150 Gp, and 24357 man weeks:

468 workers need to be hired. Once again, Alzar’s work will drop the time to build it by 75%.

Alzar sells a few more magic items, and converts the gems to gold (and loses a bit of money doing so.)

He pays the gold to begin the project to build the walls, defenses, and such around the wharf and docks.

37 weeks left on wharf project.


Dominion Rolls: +10% in Bergholm, +10% in capital, +5% elsewhere, -5 families in capital though as some leave and head home post-project.


A pair of Thyatian spies were outed by loyal locals.


Alzar casts a spell to give himself a familiar again and uses Alzar’s Familiar and gets…


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.

Alzar is at the level where he can get really strong familiars. Azzil will be used to turn invisible and into a raven to hide itself as an imp when that’s not the diplomatic play.



Post Imp, Alzar meets with the local delegates from the Elf-hold next to him and comes to a variety of agreements with them. If he takes their area as part of his barony, they will not stop him, or oust him or anything like that. But they owe him no fealty. They won’t pay him taxes or production, and he won’t build up their area either. They have around 120 elves or so in the trees of a forest in the central north section of the hex.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 8, Year 2;

Weather delays only allow 2 weeks of work to get done. 35 weeks left.

We have a holiday for the Mid-Summer Convocation – 10% of income that month

Dominion - +10% Island, +5% elsewhere;

It’s all quiet.


Month 9, Year 2;

31 Weeks left (Rolled an 08)

Dominion – After apparently working the island, we get both a large +20% population boom in the island and +3 families there too. +5% elsewhere.

We get another spy revealed (There are none left, btw)

Alzar hires:

Level 8 fighter to be Castellan, 2000 gp

The Castellan is in charge of the defenses in the stronghold, particularly when Alzar is not around.

In the last few days of the month, Alzar receives an odd dream about a black stone on top of a large hill, far away, where power and destiny await


Month 10, Year 2:

27 Weeks left (rolls a 51)

Dominion - +10% everywhere. Nice bonus!


Twice more Alzar receives similar dreams. He does some investigating and finds that there is a similar rock and hill about 300 miles to the north-north-west. There are no civilizations anywhere nearby. Alzar decides to head up to the rock, flying on his Carpet, and heading over to investigate.


Two days later he arrives at the black rock on the hill. His new familiar, Azzil, spends some time invisibly scouting around. There is a tunnel here at the base of the rock, and it’s pretty big. Alzar scouts around, lands, and then conjures an Earth and Stalker before moving in.

Alzar suddenly is gently captured and drops down to the ground in a large central chamber. He can’t move. Lights ignite and reveal five thrones equidistant around the chamber, with five different aged women, crones, on them.

[Abe Sargent]

They announce that normally, all five of them would attack a large group to ensure that the person chosen is strong enough for the task. And also because its fun! However, since there is just one person there, they decide to send out one crone. Each crone serves one of the five spheres.

The sphere of Thought, who represents good and rogues generally, is ready. The crone, a high level cleric steps forward, and battle commences, Alzar is released.

Initiative!

9 vs 6. The Crone uses Anti-Magic shell from a Ring of Spell Storing. Alzar orders the Imp, Stalker and Elemental in to engage in melee instead. It won’t matter too much, summoned creatures can’t cross the Shell. It also can’t be dispelled via a simple Dispel Magic. Instead Alzar drops the Warp Marble and releases the golem, which can punch and moves to melee range.

Init – 6 vs 8. Alzar grabs the axe and shield and strikes. The axe will count as a non-magical axe, but the Bright Barrier is immune (it’s an artifact). Alzar swings and hits three times for…(No magical bonuses against it, but I rolled 15, 14, and 10). 3, 4, 3 for 7, 8 and 6 damage – 21 total. (Effects such as magical girdle, and such are turned off when attacking across the threshold). The golem punches and…rolls a 5 and misses. Alzar takes a war club to the side for 11 damage.


Alzar 63/74

Init 4 vs 5. Alzar hits once for 8 damage and the golem smashes it for 14. That drops her to 10% of her hp and she concedes.

The crones concede defeat to him.

Alzar gains 8k

(We only need 7k more to level up to level 21)

The crones offer important information that they have gained from their mirror. The balance in Norwold is getting out of alignment between the five spheres, and they want to bring it back. There is too much entropy right now. They have a unique mirror that allows them to see and scry anywhere, but also to appear and communicate in mirrors.

There is an invasion planned for Norwold. And…it’s coming soon. They bring Alzar to a mirror and reveal a pair of fleets sailing from Thyatis. Several of the baronies that supported King Ericall are switching sides…

Actually…

[Abe Sargent]

The first fleet has landed and it drops off The Thyatis Advance Force has arrived at Landfall to support it. Landfall has joined the side of the Thyatians. Two other baronies join them, with Alak Dool’s being no surprise. A Thyatian Expedionary force moves in and lands about 150 miles south of the Barony of Moonland, Sandralane’s holding, and then begins to attack the adjacent Barony of Havkulle, run by Baron Rutger Dag.

Meanwhile, Longtooth’s domain, the Barony of Latela, is attacking out of nowhere Barony of Ublaat-nor, run by Broghan of the Steppes. Alak Dool is attacking the elven domain of Lalmetaure, and Max’s Barony of Solvhavne is attacking Glumicagora (Barony of). Ruler: Claransa the Seer. They are trying to hit all of the free baronies between Ocansend up the coast. Everybody but the inland and small Two Lakes Vale and Moonland aren’t in the immediate line of fire, but Moonland certainly will be, and then Alzar’s land probably next.

Alzar pulls away from the mirror, ready to give news about the coming invasion, but he is confused. He was not watching what will be, but what was happening. The vision took too long to participate, and it’s month 2, year 3 already.

Alzar teleports back to his dominion to find his army has already been assembled, and he moves out.

[Abe Sargent]

Armies:


Alphatian Forces –

Royal Army of Norwold – 4000 troops, 92 Battle Rating (BR)
Queen’s Guard – 500 troops, all cavalry, BR 135
King’s Militia – 5000 peasants, BR 32
Regent Pass Garrison – 500, all archers, BR117

Sir Ernest’s Force – 500 troops, 79 BR
Rutgar Dag’s Force – 500, 85 BR
Allisa – 800, 92
Essex – 600, 87 BR
Quillan – 200 elves, 122 BR
The other 8 Baronies have 500, and between 70 and 85 BR

Thyatian –

Thyatian Advance Force – 3000 troops, 77 BR
Thyatian Expeditionary Force – 10000 troops, includes 500 mages, 85 BR
Alak Dool’s Misions – 2000 orcs, bugbears, trolls, 74 BR
Longtooth’s Legion – 500, 76 BR
Army of Max I – 800, 113 BR
Landfall Lernal – 2000, 48 BR


Others -


Alzar – 400 troops, 129 BR (Base 84, Troop Class – Good, gives a 9 BFR and we add it it back in as few times for a 129 rating)

Barbarians – 3000 troops, 68 br
Dwarves of the Mountain Clan – 1000 troops, 115 BR

We will not be bringing in the dwarves right now, that’s a useful deus ex machina or emergency reserve in case we need it later


Fharo has not assembled his men over at the Barony of Two Lakes Vale for either side.


That gives us these early numbers:

Alphatia – 16,100 troops
Thyatis – 18300 troops

Plus, the Alphatian forces include the 5000 weak peasants. Almost all of the Thyatian forces are on the coast. So they have the ease of attacking a weakened defense.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar teleports other a diplomat to summon the Red to attack the Barony of Markheim while Alak Dool is not there, in order to relieve that flank.



Alzar teleports over to Alpha, and the King and Queen and their forces have assembled. Alzar advises him to move east via his navy, since they are not in the Great Bay, , his people control the entrance, and The King begins to load up and move his force east to assist in the battle.


Day 19 – Alzar’s army crosses that little straight and arrives on the north-most end. After checking things around, Alzar begins to march south to support Sandralane’s Baronial Forces.

Day 22 -Quillins elves have lost, and their Barony has been captured by Alak Dool

Day 24 – The combined Thyatian/Landfall army has arrived at Geoffrey of Heldann’s dominion and begun to fight for it.

Day 26 – Alzar has arrived and combined his forces with Sandralane.

Day 27 – The barbarians arrive at Markheim, and their garrison just has 200 people (10% of the normal force) and is overwhelmed and will fall in two days. Haukville falls. The Thyatian Expeditionary force of 10000 begins to march north

[Abe Sargent]

MONTH 3

Day 1 – The King has landed at Sandralane’s Barony and will combine with Alzar and her forces and move south.

Day 2 - Geoffrey of Heldann falls.

On Day 3 of the 3rd month of the 3rd year, the following forces entered battle:


Alzar’s Force –
Sandralane’s Force
King Ericall’s Force

Vs

The Thyatian Expeditionary Force –

The Thyatians must break up their army into smaller units, and they break into 1500, 1500 and 7000.

The highest BR selects their opponent first. Alzar takes a 1500 large army.

The next highest is the King. He takes the 7000 strong one

Sandralane gets the 1500 strong one

Results of the day”

Sandralane has a 77 BR and 500 troops

Her foe has 1500 troops and a BR of 85

Here are the rules:

Troop ratio 3:1 for Thyatis gives them +45
Morale - +10 to Sandralane for in dominion of their liege
Environment – None
Terrain - +10 for defending to Sandralane, +20 for defending in hills
Immunities – None
Fatigue – None

Total changes to numbers – Thyatis – 130, Sandralane – 117

Now, you just roll d100 for each player. Thyatis adds 13 to their result. Compare them. Who won and by how much?

Thyatis rolls…99 +13. Dang. 42 for Sandralane. Thyatis won by a difference for 70.

Thyatis loses 30% of their troops, Sandralane 60%, Thyatis is moderately fatigued, Sandralane seriously, and retreats considerably.

Meanwhile, The King and Emperor forces fight.

7000 vs 4000 is just a +15 to Thyatis. +30 to Norwold for defending, but not for fighting in their dominion. So total is… Norwold – 122 and Thyatis is 100. Roll…84 +22 vs….73. So, the result is +33 for Norwold…

The King wins, Norwold loses 20%, Thyatis 40% and moderate vs seriously fatigued as well. Both forces retreated from the field and neither holds it.

Alzar has 400 vs 1500, so +45 to Thyatis. Alzar gets +35 for magic items (banner and Rod of Victory) and +30 for defending. Thyatis has 130 and Alzar has 194. So Alzar adds 64 to his number. He rolls 51. He foes roll…24. Alzar wins by 92. Results. 0% loses for Alzar and not fatigued and hold the field. The enemy lost 30% and is routed and flees. The force is gone.

Alzar and Thyatis both had flanks that won, and held their ground, now they have to fight,


Alzar has no fatigue, there is no defender bonus this time. Alzar has 164 BR. His foe has lost 30% of 1500 troops, or 450 troops, and drops their ratio down to +30 bonus. They are moderately fatigued and get -10. Result is 105. Alzar gets +59. Alzar rolls 49, and his foe rolls. 54. Result is +55 for Alzar…

Alzar’s force loses 20%, the foe 50%, and Alzar holds the field, is moderately fatigued, and they lost 50% and are seriously fatigued.

Results:

They lost 1500 army to Alzar’s force, then are down to 525 in the army that broke Sandralane. Meanwhile they are down to 4200 in the other army, so post battle, Thyatis loses and has to retreat, and their force dropped from 10k to 4,725

Meanwhile Alzar is down to 320
Sandralane down to 200
King Ericall down to 3200

[Abe Sargent]

Now, because they won, half of the losses are recoverable and heal-able. So after a week of healing, Alzar gets 40 back, Sandralane gets 150 back and the King 400 back.

Alzar tells the King to push forward now. We need to take them down now while they are reeling. The plan is to eave Sandralane behind to get her 150, the Kings 400, and Alzar’s 40 back to help with defending. Meanwhile, their forces, fresh from wins, will march towards the retreating TEF.



Day 4 – With the same speed, the only way to catch them would be to force march, but with good troops that would have a 1 in 6 chance of failure, a 2 in 6 chance of working and a 3 in 6 chance of working and tiring their people.

Alzar decides to try something else. Alzar memorizes a special set of spells for use against his foes en masse. He teleports in front of his enemies and drops some spells to slow them down, like Skulltrap and Blastbones on the flanks, then summons every creature, uses his Stones, Censor, Ring, Mask, Horn of Valhalla, and more, and then sends the force against them. Their surviving mages use some low level magic like Magic Missile to hit some creatures at range.

Meanwhile, Alzar begins to cast some nasty spells, like Mass Charm, Chaos, Mass Domination, and such. He is forcing the front lines to deal with his force, and he begins to take some damage from mages and others. He animates a bunch of corpses to keep the fight and pressure going and then drops Black Tentacles. Eventually he flies away, but he killed and slowed down their force considerably. Seeing the army getting closer and closer they stop fleeing, and accept the inevitable, and close ranks and set up.


The Thyatian split their force into 1000 and 3750

Alzar chooses the smaller, and King Ericall gest the larger:


New Numbers –

Alzar gets his 154 (-10 for fatigue) and then adds 20 for heroic actions on this day. 174 total
His foe gets 3-1 odds, and is the defender on a road. +10 for that. And it seriously fatigued, so -20. 105 total. Alzar gets 69 diff.

30 vs 49. Alzar wins by 50

0% loss to 30% for Thyatians they are fatigued, he is not further fatigued. He holds the field.


Meanwhile….King Ericall has 3200 vs 3750 for them . They get -20 for fatigue, he gets -10 for fatigue, they get +10 for defending. Ericall also gets +10 for having beaten these guys. 103 vs 75. Here we go…60 vs 38. 49 result. Ericall wins the same as Alzar did – 0 to 30%, no additional fatigue, hold ground.

Today, Thyatis lost another 30% of their forces and are down to 3,200

And they didn’t lose any other than a few wounded they immediately patch up.

[Abe Sargent]

In two days, this war has completely changed in character. It went from bad numbers to pretty good ones. Thyatis is bringing the Landfall/Initial Force up the coast to link up with others and this force. King Ericall and Alzar will head back and set up in Sandralane’s defending territory again. They can make this the major battlefield again. The Queen’s guard is sailing over.

Day 6 – Markheim has fallen to the barbarians. Alzar teleports over and discusses battle plans with them. They will defend against the expected counterattack from Alak Dool, who still has 1500 troops of his

Day 8 – Alak Dool arrives back in Markheim. Alzar and Alak have a bit of a mage’s duel that results in little to either, but Alak Dool lost 60 or so of his troops in the exchange.

Day 9 – The wounded forces from the battle in Sandralane are now mostly healed.

Day 10 – Battle has begun in Markheim.

Let’s roll:

Alak Dool is outnumbered 1.5-1 - +15 for barbarians
Barbarians are defenders and defending a city +30 for barbarians
Alak is in his dominion - +10 for Alak Dool
Unknown to them, Alzar is there with his magic items, the Banner and Rod and will pop out and help = #5 more.

Barbarians are normally 68 and get to 113. Alak Dool gets to 84. Roll some dice!

24 for barbarians vs 43 for Alak Dool for….+45 diff, victory to barbarians.

0% for winner, -30% for losers, no tired on barbarians but tired for Alak Dool

Alak Dool’s forces are down to 950. Alzar teleports back.

[Abe Sargent]

Day 12 – Forces from the Count Essex arrive and begin to recapture Quillan’s territory.

Day 15 – Two more armies join the Norwold forces in Sandralane’s Barony.

Day 18 – The final gasp of this attack, the combined forces of the Expeditionary Force, Advance Force, and Landfall meet up with two other two baronies here after they secure their targets, and move to Sandralane’s Barony. They will arrive in 5 days.

Day 23 – battle begins

Armies:


Thyatian Advance Force – 3000 troops, 77 BR
Thyatian Expeditionary Force – 3200 troops, includes some mages, 85 BR
Longtooth’s Legion – 420, 76 BR
Army of Max I – 650, 113 BR
Landfall Lernal – 2000, 48 BR

Vs

Royal Army of Norwold – 3600 troops, 92 Battle Rating (BR)
Queen’s Guard – 500 troops, all cavalry, BR 135
Alzar – 360 troops, 129 BR
Sandralane – 77 BR, 350 troops
Douglass, 81 BR, 500 Troops
Acres, 78 BR, 500 troops


They split the TEF in order to make 6 armies.

He first army chooses

Queen’s Guard selections Army of Max I
Alzar decides to take a different tactic and grab the 2000 strong Landfall army, Not what you would normally expect, ceding 7:1 odds, but there’s a method to his madness. He wants to give them a huge numerical loss.
Royal Army takes on the TAF.
1st TEF, 1600 big, takes on Douglass
2nd TEF, 1600 big takes on Acres
Longtooth vs Sandralane

Bonuses – all defenders get +30, Sandralane gets an additional +10 for their dominion.

In addition, nobody is fatigued anymore.

Let’s make some rolls…

Queen’s Guard took on the best army on the other side, and…37 vs 62. Win by 27. 10% to 30% losses, not fatigued to moderately fatigued, you hold the field.

Alzar is next. He cedes +80 to his foe. He gets +35, +30, and 10 for troop class differential. Total? 204 vs 128. Here we go….93 vs 68. Total victory by 102. Result? Alzar lost 20% of his forces, they lost 70%, and are routed too. Boom!

Royal Army vs TAF – 122 vs 77…23 vs 76. Uh oh…..lost by 8. Result? 0% to 10%. TAF holds, Royal Army loses 10% and retreats, no one is tired.

1st TEF vs Douglass – 3:1 odds gives +45 and then +30 to defender and then 130 vs 111….94 vs 53. Result….win by 22 for Douglass. 10% vs 20% losses and moderate fatigue on Thyatian.

2nd TEF gets +45 vs +30 and then 130 to 108…..31 vs 02. 51 win by Thyatians – 20% to 50% losses and moderate vs seriously fatigue.

Longtooth vs Sandralane. 117 for Sandra. 76 for Longtooth….77 vs 54. 64 victory so….30% to 60%. Longtooh flees badly. Moderate vs serious fatigue

Who held the field?

Alzar, Queen s Guard, Sandralane, Douglass

Vs

2nd TEF
TAF

Next time to choose. They have to spilt off two more armies, and TAF splits and TEF splits into 670 in each half.

Q Guard selects TEF
Alzar selects TEF
TAF vs Douglass
TAF vs Sandralane

Reverse order!


No defense bonuses. Sandralane is tired, TAF is not. Sandralane gets +10. 87 vs 77. 66 vs…62. Sandralaine wins by 6.

Result – 0 to 10%, no changes in fatigure, TAF retreats

Douglass vs TAF – No fatigure, no defender, 77 vs 81. Here we go…..69 vs…94. Lost by 20. 10% to %20. Douglass now moderately tired. TAF keep the battlefield.

Alzar gets +10 for beating TEF before, +10 for routing some today, no outnumbered, they are moderately fatigued

184 Alzar vs 75. 36 vs 53. Win by 92. Result? 0% for Alzar, 30% and routed for Thyatis. No tired.

Meanwhile, Q Guard has 135 foe is moderately fatigued. Vs 75….32 vs 60. Win by 32. 20% to 40% and moderate tired for Q Guard.

Result…

Alzar, Q Guard, Sandralane, all still there.

TAF not.

Alzar orders Sandralaine to hold back. The TAF is forced to split into two units as Alzar and the Q Guard move in and both rout their foes.

The result?

TAF is routed and has just 750 which were not routed in losses.
Longtooth lost 60% of its force
Landfall routed and lost 70%
TEF is partially routed, and has 732 forces left retreating
Max I – 30% losses


The massive losses meted out today have ended the war, and peace is sued for soon thereafter.

[Abe Sargent]

Dominion while Alzar was away:


Alzar gets 100k in XP for battles and tax income.

We did 2 more weeks of work – 25 weeks left

Paid for some vacations. Lost some folks to cold. Wartime caused the growths to slow down.

Post War of the Crown, immigration to Norwold is going to take off. People all over see it as the place to forge their destiny. Soon there will be more people arriving to set up baronies and such.

Meanwhile, Alzar is promoted to Count, and given another hex as a thanks for his routing of three armies and helping to win the battle, and for bringing in the barbarians that took Alak Dool’s Barony from it.

Alzar takes the forested hex with the elf-hold to his west next to Storn and Evenarrow.


Hex #4 – 56 families, 1 good – Stone, this heavy forested hex is next to the Ljallenvals and has an elf-hold of 122 elves living here too.

Village – Rostock – 49 families, they have a small quarry here they use to harvest stone and rocks of quality and send them elsewhere. 3 resource GP

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 560 gp/month
Tax Income – 56 gp/month
Resource Income – 168/month
Total – 784/month (x14 multiplier)


Alzar hires:

1 Sherriff
1 Warden
2 Provost
1 Magistrate
1 Reeve

The Reeve collects taxes and keeps records or populations and stuff – like a censor and tax collector.


Alzar at level 21:

He gets an extra level 7 and 8 magic spells and an extra HP

Total XP: 4,218,085 (Level 22 at 4,500,000)

[Abe Sargent]

By the end of March, year 3, here is the Barony:


The County of the Mighty

Ruler – Count Alzar

Hex #1 – Villages – Evenarrow - 211 families – On the southern coast of the little jutting peninsula, this village fishes south in the Great Bay 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 – 242 families
7 resource gp

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 720 gp/month
Tax Income – 72 gp/month
Resource Income – 504/month
Total – 4363/month (x18 multiplier)

Hex #2 – 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 – 167 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here.
Riverton – 114 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds

Details – 407 families

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month
Tax Income – 89 gp/month
Resource Income – 267/month
Total – 5698/month (x14 multiplier)

Alzar will be building up Storn here as well, later on.

Hex #3 – 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 – 114 families, on the northern coast, fish the Alphatian Sea
Farhome – 42 families, grapes, on hills by western edge of hex
Asantia – 64 families, farmers in southern coast of hex.

Details – 241 families


Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month
Tax Income – 54 gp/month
Resource Income – 378/month
Total –4336/month (x18 multiplier)



Hex #4 – 56 families, 1 good – Stone, this heavy forested hex is next to the Ljallenvals and has an elf-hold of 122 elves living here too.

Village – Rostock – 49 families, they have a small quarry here they use to harvest stone and rocks of quality and send them elsewhere. 3 resource GP

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 560 gp/month
Tax Income – 56 gp/month
Resource Income – 168/month
Total – 784/month (x14 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.

108 Families; 2 resources, 1 mineral, 1 vegetable – Copper mines and berries.

Just one village: Bergholm Villa – 90 families, they are on a river where it meets the Great Bay, 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 –1620/month (x15 multiplier)



EXPENSES – 9760 + Tithe, Taxes

20% taxes to King Ericall (Not paid for first two years)
10% Tithe to local temple (Not paid for three months)
Military – 2790
County Staff - 2360
Specialist Staff – 2050
Stronghold Staff - 2560
Taxes to Ericall – 20%
Tithe to Matter Temple – 10%

Treasury - 61,145

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
5 Sheriff – 500 gp
14 Provost – 280 gp
9 Warden – 180 gp
Reeve – 500 gp

Specialist Staff:

Steward – 1000 gp
Engineer – 750 gp
Herald – 300 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 – 150 troops, 5 leaders – 300 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 80 troops, 3 leaders – 240 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 40 troops, 1 leader – 400 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 50 troops, 2 leader – 800 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 80, 2 leaders – 320 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
13 Officers – 120 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead
5 Armorer – 500 gp
2 Smiths – 50 gp
1 Equerry – 50 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 – 321 – Healthy


With his large dominion and Count title, Alzar is now 2nd in order of the nobility. A new family member is heading up the Duchy of Landfall, and the rebelling baronies are handed to others.

End of CM 1. Test of the Warlords

[Abe Sargent]

Man I love that module! There’s just a lot smashed into it once you begin to run it. For example, the War of the Crown is just 2 pages in the book, but it takes hours to run and figure out troop movements and such We have the frost giant incursion, an actual, proper, war, betrayal, alliances, some dwarves and barbarians to help, and so forth. The combination of the Castle Guide and the Companion Rules also give this high level campaign some fun and interesting spins on stuff.

Plus you can see how epic this campaign is really getting with the high-level stuff.

(I made a few changes. For example, I made five crones instead of three, and I pulled the references to Alphatia being lost Atlantis that warred with Cypris (sic) and lost.)

Yes, he gained 2 levels in this module, but they covered two years of time. Plus Alzar requires 375k to level up each level. That happens quickly. Imagine this – right now I think he’s getting 13k a month in XP. Suppose that Alzar could get 200k in a year with the expected growth we are considering.

Now that Alzar’s in an interesting place, we are going to flesh things out. Now a few things to discuss –

1). None of the other modules that take place in Norwold are this dense, and this fun. This had political intrigue, war, combat, dungeon delving, a tournament, a challenge, building up, and so forth. It’s an intriguing combination. You could make future modules like this one, but it’d be extremely hard to follow. Imagine this, this 36 page module, which includes pictures, maps, and a table of contents and a hex grid, is 32 pages long. My dynasty talking about this is 54 pages long. Single spaced. Dang! You aren’t getting that.
2). Some of the other modules are a bit one-note, by the book, retrogrades
3). But when we get to the M Line? Holy crap we have some sausome!

So, in the meantime, let’s have some fun!

Here we go!

[Abe Sargent]

CM2. Death’s Ride

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/CM2_Death%27s_Ride.jpg

This isn’t anything like the first one. However, I took some of the storyline of this module and moved it into the first one in a few, small, ways to enable us to use it easily enough.

[hoopsguy]

Just wanted to post that this has been my favorite FOFC dynasty to follow over the past few years. Thrilled to have it back and looking forward to seeing where it might end, if not the idea that it will end.

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

What happened to Two-Lakes Vale? Why did Baron Maltus Fharo not assemble his troops at all? He’s been very loyal, from helping to defeat a Black Avenger to aiding in other ways. What happened?


When Alzar teleports back to Alpha to have a post-war chat with the King, King Ericall asks Alzar to check it out and see what he can uncover in the Barony.

It’s a rich, one-hex Barony in the foothills of the Wyrmsteeth Range generally and Eagles’ Barrier specially. It’s seven hexes inland southeast from out Bergholm Isle and four east of the farthest border of Sandralane’s Barony of Moonland.

There have been no messages or people coming out, and rumors of a black cloud that can be seen over the Barony are a bit dark. It’s only 7 hexes from here in Alpha as well (its 155 miles away), so Alzar grabs his Flying Carpet and sets out.


(You can see Twolakes Vale on the maps I linked to earlier: http://pandius.com/nrwldreg.html)

[Abe Sargent]

As he flies over the Wyrmsteeth Range he sees a few dragons swirling around, but none come near. He also notices that rumors of a large black cloud are true. There is one swirling above the barony. It covers the whole land, can’t be breathed, and can’t be seen through. Alzar’s Ioun Stone will see through it though (As will the Gem/Star). Alzar needs a way to breathe in the cloud as well. He wishes he still had his old Necklace of Adaptation, one of his most reliable items.

Anyway, the deathcloud detects as magical, which is interesting. He arrives at the Barony and tries a few things. The deathcloud is magically poisonous and you take damage each turn you are there. But a Protection from Good/Evil spell seems to keep things at bay. After experimenting with some of his items, and taking some damage in the process, it seems like the Ring of Windwarding will work to keep the deathcloud away from him. It’ll replace his Ring of Quick Action. (He normally wears the two Action rings)

Alzar 54/75

The obvious place to begin looking is Skullheim Castle, the main stronghold of the Barony. It’s smaller than Alzar’s keep – just 40x40 yards (compared to Alzar’s 100x100 keep) and 2 floors to Alzar’s three. So they added walls, eight towers, a gatekeep, and a handful of stone buildings and built them all at once, and finished a few months ago. Took them about 2 years to do the whole thing. They built it on an island in the river, and used almost the entire island. Alzar simply flies over the river and lands at the castle gatekeep.

[Abe Sargent]

The gatehouse is open, and in the courtyard between the castle and the walls are a few creatures. There appear to be a quartet of hill giants, and a ten-tet of manscorpions.

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg123/EricQuigley/ManscorpionDrawing4-FINAL1BIG.jpg

Alzar lands just outside of the gate, and conjures an earth elemental, then an Invisible Stalker, and then pulls Aegis out of the marble to give him a nice strike team . With the summoned creatures in front, and Aegis behind, they move in.

A boulder collides with an Elemental for 13 damage. One of the manscorpions in the back is a cleric and casts Silence, 15’ Radius on Alzar and he is silenced. Well, the, we’ll do this melee way. Alzar has the invisible Imp fly over to the cleric manscorpion and melees the others.

Init…4 vs 3/ The mans attack and miss Alzar or his minions. They hit the Elemental twice actually, but can’t damage it. They’ll move to attacking Alzar exclusively next turn. Meanwhile, a Hill Giant punches the Earth for 9 more damage. Alzar’s axe and shield try to hit a man. They have an AC1 with their hard chitin, so he needs a 4 to hit them. He rolls. 5, 11 and 18. He hits the first one for 17 damage and then 21 damage and it falls, and then bashes the next for 11. The golem punches and….rolls a 10 which…is a hit (just needs a 6) and clocks it for 3d8…3, 1, 7 for 11 more damage. 22 so far. The Elemental rolls a 2 and misses, and the Stalker a 20 and kills the wounded manscorpion. The Imp stabs out and…hits the cleric for….3 damage and…is a Manscorpion immune to poison? Nope, save vs poison or die…it rolls an 11. Is that a save made? Hold on, gotta grab my book…They need a 10, so its fine.

Next turn:

1 vs 3. The Imp hits for 2 damage and….it rolls a 8 and its fine. Alzar hits once, twice, just twice for 33 damage. The Golem adds 9 and kills the 3rd manscorpion. The Elemental punches for 15 and the Stalker finally hits for 11 26 to wound a 4th ms. They attack back, and Alzar is hit twice for 7 damage and he has to roll vs poison…even with a high save (he just needs a 8) and he gets a bonus from his Periapt of Proof vs Poison (+2) he still fails after he rolls a 3. He will die in 2d4 rounds. (4 rounds). The giants smash for 14 on the elemental, and it’s about to fall. The cleric casts Hold Person at Alzar and fails (Ring of Free Action).


Alzar 47/75

Next turn: 2 vs 5. Alzar’s team smashes the damaged man, and then savages a 5th. Meanwhile, Alzar drops the shield and carves twice with his axe and hits, kills the 5th on one hit, and damages a 6th. The Imp stabs the cleric and misses. Alzar grabs a potion of Neutralize Poison with his free hand and quaffs it. While it’s in his system for a bit, he’ll be immune to further poison. He takes 13 damage and the Earth Elemental is killed by giants. The cleric swings and misses the Imp a few times.

Alzar – 34/75

8 vs 2. The Imp takes 4. Alzar takes another 9 from scorpion loving, and the Stalker is the target of the giants now, and they hit for 18 damage. Alzar’s axe kills the wounded manscropion, and then misses (stupid 1 on a d20). The golem smashes for 13 and the Stalker misses. Meanwhile, the Imp stings for 3, and then the cleric fails and dies. Left? 4 hill giants, 3 manscorpions, one damaged.

Alzar - 25/75

They roll for morale and keep fighting. The Imp flies back.

1 vs 7. Alzar kills the wounded one and wounds the next. Everybody else misses (including the imp). The hills hit twice, including a critical, and the Stalker falls. Alzar is missed by the 2 remaining mans. They wrest initiative back and Alzar is attacked by the hills who miss (Cloak) and then it hit with a claw for 5 damage. His axe clashes a wounded manscorpion, hacks into another, and then he grabs and throws the Warp Marble at a Hill Giant with the other hand and…it fails its save (rolled a 7) and is captured. Golem hits for 7 and the imp misses. 3 hill giants, 1 gently wounded manscorpion left. Alzar has just golem and himself and Imp left.

6 vs 4. They attack and hit Alzar once with a club for 8. Then Alzar carves into, and slays, the last manscorpion and hits a 18, then uses his Boots of Striding and Springing to pull out from combat and then get behind the Golem, who hits for 11. The Imp hits for 4 but save made.

Alzar – 12/75

Alzar is out of melee range now. 3 vs 6. The golem punches for another 10, and the Imp misses. Alzar uses the Scarab of Death to coat his Trombash with poison. The golem takes 10 after one tried to attack the Imp but it had flown up out of range. They win init back - 4 vs 2. The golem takes one more hit of 13 damage. The Imp misses, and the golem adds 14 more and slays the hill giant. Alzar uses the Trombash of Returning and…rolls a 19 and…hits for 9 damage and….it rolls a 10 for its save and… it needed an 8 so its fine. The next round, the Silence Spell drops, and Alzar laps in and casts Vampiric Touch and hits for a lot of damage. He drains 6d6 and rolls 21 damage, and there is no save for V Touch. Then it takes a hit from a golem and dies. Alzar orders the Imp up and invisible against the final giant, which misses. Then it wins init and stabs the golem for another 9 damage. Alzar and the golem finish it. Then Alzar releases the final HG far way from himself next to the golem and a few rounds later, the giant dies. Alzar heals the golem with Transmute Mud to Rock.

Alzar 35/75
Imp – 10/14

They regenerate one hp/round, as a reminder. The Imp is healed by the end of combat, and Alzar will heal very quickly as well.

There is a camp here with 30000 gp in some bags that he takes. Alzar makes 39000 XP from the battle.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar checks out some of the buildings in the exterior courtyard, and they are abandoned, and as expected – blacksmith, stables, storehouses, stuff like that. After making his Necrology proficiency check, It looks like the place was taken by undead, and there are old necrotic marks that appear here and there from things like ghouls.

He enters the main keep, with its simple four towers, two floors, and a small dungeon below. They enter into a great hall, with banners, wall candles, hangings, and expensive carpets adorning it. There was a huge battle here, and skeletons and corpses line the area.

There is a large wooden throne at the end of the great hall, and seated on it is as man dressed in plate armor and ten men in leather arrayed around it. They begin to march stiffly, towards Alzar. The man at the end is Baron Fharo. Alzar backs up, flanked by his golem, and begins to cast another spell. He isn’t feeling anything necrotic from the ten dead looking individuals, but he is from the live looking Baron. So he casts Time Stop.

The first turn he uses the Star/Gem to figure out what is what. The Baron is possessed by a ghost, and the ten men are actually form-shifting creatures from another plane of existence he is unfamiliar with (he failed his Sage Knowledge proficiency - they are called Death Leeches).

The next round he smiles. You see, he ran out of good spells to memorize when he hit level 21, so he chose a spell that banishes creatures back to their home plane – called Banishment, 7th level spell. It has no save, will work on all summoned creatures in a 60’ foot radius, and will work on 2xspell level HD of creatures. Now, with the Imp, his spell level is 22, for 44 hd of creatures are affected. That’s…5 of them (They are 8 HD each). Now that spell won’t trigger, (since it’s against someone else) until the Time Stop ends. And….that’s it, he just got two free rounds.

Banishment hits, and half of the Death Leeches are gone. Roll for initiative…

2 vs 5. Alzar casts Black Tentacles and drops 25 tentacles in the mass of creatures coming his way. They are stopped, every one is grabbed by a lot of tentacles. They begin to try shifting their form and such, but little will happen. The possessed ghost, sensing trouble, frees the Baron, and fades away.

Over the next few turns, the tentacles will kill the Death Leeches (they take damage every turn they are captured).

Alzar gains 12000 XP from the leeches

[Abe Sargent]

He heads over to the Baron, now freed from the possession. Apparently, the Baron was possessed by an evil magic user using magic jar, and then gave orders to open their defenses, and once that happened, a large number of undead came in, led by a high level cleric. Many were killed, most left, and a ghost took possession of his body instead. The only other info he overheard was that the cloud comes from a Deathstone which is somewhere nearby.

Alzar heads out to explore the rest of the keep while the Baron waits and begins to recover.

Alzar finds a ot of dead people, and he comes across an odd mirror, that when the Imp uses Detect magic against instead reveals the image of a person. Alzar casts Dispel Magic, and the image disappears, the person’s body reforms from the bones in front, and the guard captain is restored back to life.

There is a polymorphed cockatrice that Alzar detects with his Star/Gem and uses Polymorph Other on to restore to her form - he restored the Steward too, but she can’t tell him much else, other than a Hammer of Life can destroy the deathstone and it was broken up by a wizard and given to manscorpions to guard. The wizard rides a big blue dragon, and the dragon was given the deathstone. Alzar heads back to double check the corpses and camp of the ones killed here, but nothing else was to be found.

He doesn’t raid any of the items or places he finds in his final tour of the castle. There are no other undead or defenders here, and Alzar heads back out. He grabs the Steward, Guard Captain, King and they Mass Teleport to the King in Alpha, and Alzar drops them off to get healed and interrogated, then Alzar spends the night and relearns his spells and he teleports back in the morning. If he encounters more death leeches, he’d like to have Banishment again, and makes a few changes to his normal spell rotation. He now has Power Word, Banish at 9th level instead of Mass Domination, as one example. He also has some water friendly spells, and expecting a battle with a blue dragon, he has memorized a special answer to it.

He gets the layout of the land in safety from the Baron. About a mile from Skullheim to the northwest is Alicor and about four miles to the northeast is the small mining town of Gollim. Alzar flies over to Alicor to check things out. It’s on the south coast of Westlake.

[Abe Sargent]

Blocks of yellow clay pave parts of the road and the ground in Alicor, and a large island sits out on the middle of Westlake, and Alzar can make it out with the Ioun Stone. He landed and the peasants meet with him. They tell him of a great blue dragon that appears from the deathcloud and attacks (there’s about 10 yards of empty space between the deathcloud and the ground here in the Barony). Alzar decides to fly out and check up on the island. He casts one of his new selection of spells for the day, Conjure Water Elemental, and they head on over - the island is just 3 miles away, and the elemental is here for 4 hours, plenty of time to get go, and inspect the small island.

The island is roughly 350 feet square, and that’s not that big, obviously. Dirt and rock have been piled into a mound that rises from the center of the island. All but the south side rise up around 100 feet above the water.

The land on the southside they approach is gently sloping and open, and there are six trees that stand before a beautiful marble staircase, There are three pairs of statues that flank the stairs, made of jade, gold and marble. Suspecting something might be animating from the statues, Alzar scouts the area from his Flying Carpet above and uses the Gem/Star. As expected, the statues are not statues, but in fact are living statues, minor constructs. However, there is something else here he didn’t expect. The Trees are massmorphed Hydras – there are six hydras there, that can turn back into hydras at any time.

Alzar lands by the coast and the Water Elemental arrives. He then conjures and earth elemental and summons his Invisible Stalker., and pulls out Aegis. He will leads with the elementals and stalker, then golem and mage, with the invisible flying Imp around as well.

As they approach the six trees melt into 6 6-headed hydrae.

Battle begins.

The Hydrae spend the first turn moving towards the elementals/Stalker. Alzar uses Hold Monster on just one Hydra, and it works. Frozen Monster. Battle begins.

8 vs 7. The Hydrae each have 6 attacks, and there are 5 left so they get a lot of chomping opportunities. However, as they are just natural creatures, they cannot damage the elementals. So after some misses, they shift targets to the Stalker, and a bunch of hits later and the Stalker is dead. The elementals smash a Hydra, and the Golem arrives at battle. Alzar is keeping the Imp out of this combat, and he casts Finger of Death and kills an unwounded Hydra.

2 vs 4. Alzar’s party slays the wounded Hydra – 3 left. They can’t hurt his stuff, and he stops casting spells. They figure it out and begin to retreat. They fall back, the as they get hammered, they hit the activation range of the six living statues, who move forward and begin to attack.

A few rounds pass, and the hydras and statues are all dead, and no damage was dealt, 5470 XP

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar uses his Crystal Ball to scout ahead, and finds out the basic layout of the area. He wants to find the ideal place to cast his defensive spell.

There is an archway at the top of the stairs, with a large glowing Symbol. Alzar swaps helms to the Reading one, and it’s a Symbol of Discord, placed here by a high level priest. A Dispel Magic spell banishes it, and then they enter.


Beyond the archway is a large chamber rising 70 feet above to a rough ceiling. Jumped piles of statues, draperies, silks, utensils, silverware ,and more are here, but none look that valuable (total value is 5000 gp). (Afterwards, Alzar will teleport it home to his Keep to add to make some things a little pimpier.)

Off to the right is a small chamber, and there is a large group of undead here, and they have begun to move out. Here are:

10 Death Leeches,
10 ghouls
20 skeletons
20 zombies

They cannot be turned or controlled – the deathcloud prevents it. Alzar spins and casts Banishment, and 5 Death Leeches are gone, and his Elementals and golem move to keep him from being disturbed. Battle is about to begin and Alzar casts Hold Undead. Several ghouls are held, but the Death Leeches aren’t undead, so they are unaffected. Battle begins.

9 vs 3. The death leeches hit an earth elemental a few times for 11 damage with their tentacles (after they resume their true form) The others can’t penetrate the magical defenses of the golem/elementals. Alzar orders them o focus on the death leeches, and two turns later, they are all killed. The rest are smashed shortly thereafter. 12500 XP for Alzar.

[Abe Sargent]

They head left and a arrive at a large rock, weighing 50 pounds in the center of the room, looking like a massive chunk of coal. The Gem/Star reveals this is not the deathstone, and there is a secret door, and opens into a room with an identical looking piece of stone and an evil aura from it. The elementals clean up a few undead in here as well. They head back and go right at the corridor.

Alzar finds the right spot and drops the metal pole is has been carrying with him and jams it into the dirt. Then he casts his special 3rd level spell. Lightning Rod. For the next 48 hours, any lightning attacks will hit he rod. If the Rod were loose, it would destroy the metal object, but when grounded, it survives.

After hundreds of feet have passed, they find a room with great wall hangings, and luxury. Blue scales from a dragon’s hide are glistening as she has already set up its defenses. It heard the battle with the undead, and then began to cast some spells.

Alzar can see through a few illusions it brought up. One covers a back door exit, in case damage is coming

Korbundar - -2 AC, 12d8+6 breath weapon (Lightning Bolt); 16 HD; THAC0 of 6; hp 89; 25% Magic Resistance. Immune to electricity, and the deathcloud, and has cast haste on herself, and read Anti-Magic Shell from a scroll.


The only other exist is the back one, covered by an illusion. Battle begins.

7 vs 6. Kobundar rises flies near, and lines up the water elemental and Alzar in one line and breathes. Her damage flies to the lightning rod and dissipates. (Earth’s are immune to lightning damage). The Earth, Golem, and Water advance and get to melee range, and Alzar, who cannot target the dragon with spells (stupid Anti-Magic Shell) instead uses his stored spell Lauthdryn’s Cleaving. It cancels every protection magic a person has on them, so it tears through the Shell. (It is still hasted)

The Imp is staying back, way up. 5vs3. Denuded of its precious breathe weapon, the Dragon instead flies over to melee. It attacks Alzar, misses (with the Cloak) and then instead chomps on an earth elemental and carves it for 22 damage in its many hasted hits. Alzar uses his stored Dispel Magic on the Haste and… It punctures the MR and pulls it down. The dragon takes just 9 damage from his minions.

5 vs 7. The minions hit the dragon twice for 11 and 15 damage. 26 total. Alzar casts Power Word, Kill to try and finish it off quickly. Here’s how PWK works…

The Power Word slays one creature, up to 60 feet away, with up to 60 HP. it’s not good on something that has a lot of hp, so you need to have whittled it down, or it needs to be something like a mage that starts out low. (There is a mode against multiple creatures, that does not apply). Alzar doesn’t know how many HP the dragon has left. There is no save against the spell. It just works, or it doesn’t. How many HP does it have? 89-26 and- 9, So it’s under 60. 54 to be precise. Now, there is a 1 in 4 chance the spell will hit the Magic Resistance and not work at all.

And?

It rolls a 6. It needed a 1-5 to work. The dragon has died.

Alzar strips down the skins, scales, etc.

Here there is:

120,000 gp worth of jewelry, gems, and coins of various types

4 potions – Healing, Polymorph Self, ESP, Sustenance
Slate of Identification
Luck Charm (+1 to saves)
Chainmail of Presence (+3 and CHA 18 when worn)
+2 Sword
Wizard Scroll – Gate, Astral Spell


The Slate writes in magical chalk lettering what any magical item placed on it is.

[Abe Sargent]

He loads the items up (with the help of a golem and Elementals) and move s it into his OtherSpace, then he releases the Elementals, has his golem “not resist” the Warp Marble to capture him, and then unfurls the Flying Carpet and heads up and out.

As he looks around, he spots a mire to the west where the lake and a small river meet. There is something moving down there. The Westlake Road curves around that side of the lake, so Alzar flits over to check things out,

Strange vines and plants are creeping forth from the swamp, and Alzar notices an unnatural feel, like the deathcloud is influencing the land as well. The mire isn’t that big. Its roughly 6 miles by 4 miles at its widest, and more of a line than a square or circle shaped. He slides his Carpet down.

The movement is a group of 10 more Manscorpions. He has Azzil check them out invisibly and reports back that one appears to be a cleric, and the party appears to be identical to the group encountered before. Remembering the clue that the Hammer parts were likely hidden by manscorpions, he plans a method of attacking them. He drops down and swings into spell range, wanting to hit the cleric before it can hit him. Init. 4 vs 5

Alzar casts Power Word, Stun. It’s stunned. No return.

Next turn, still flying above them, Alzar casts Evard’s Black Tentacles as the Imp heads over to finish the paralyzed cleric. A few spears are thrown at Alzar to little effect, and then they start taking some damage from the 23 tentacles grabbing them. While concentrating on the tentacles, Alzar grabs the empty skull from his belt, casts Skulltrap, and drops it into the center of their party. It deals 20d4 damage (it’s actually 2d4 + 1d4/spell level, no max, so technically, its 24d4, but I’m going to cap it at 20d4, just like local Mystaran spells without a cap). 48 damage, save for half, and it will destroy the remaining tentacles but only two manscoprions are still alive. Alzar lands and finishes them easily.

10000 XP

[Abe Sargent]

The cleric has a wand case with a long metal haft inside of it that is probably the haft of the Hammer of Life. Alzar flies up and can’t see any more manscorpions here, but there are some other creatures. There are a pair of gorgons about a mile away. Gorgons can only hit with melee attacks and can breathe, small clouds of petrifying gas that can’t get more than about 20 feet or so from them. Alzar can easily just fly above them, out of range, and use his Trombash of Returning to kill them. The Carpet is faster than they are running in a swamp. After killing them, Alzar finds a collar on one with the pommel of the Hammer of Life on it.

He flies back and notices frost crackling a short distance to the north. Alzar follows and the air gets increasingly colder as he approached. There is a sting to the air, and pools have been frozen in the swamp. There is a block of ice with the hammer head frozen inside. Guarding it is an oddly shaped creature


A Hydrax

http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/elemlafw.gif

It’s the one that looks like an ice crab

Alzar makes his Sage Knowledge check and…

Here we go - -2 AC, 12 HD and 60 HP, 2 attacks for 1d0 each and can detect, dispel magic, use Ice Storm, Wall of Ice, and Web three times a day each, and then is immune to lower level magic. It is from the Water Elemental Plane


Roll for init as Alzar closes… It wins and casts Web (Free Action) nothing. Alzar names the plane, and casts Power Word Banish, which works automatically and it is gone. Alzar’s axe hews into the block and grabs the head of the hammer, and when he brings the pieces together they snap together.

Alzar has reassembled the Hammer of Life.

He grabs the Hammer and flies back to the stone on the island. After an hour or so he arrives. He lands, heads in, and them hammers the stone. A resounding crack can be heard, and the stone is destroyed. On the ground is:

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 if given away.

[Abe Sargent]

After destroying the deathstone, the curse has not lifted, and the deathcloud is still there. There’s a gate that has to be closed. Alzar grabs the Carpet and heads out. It’s nearing dinner time so he does some scouting. As he does, he notices that a pass in the back of Twolakes Vale, guarded by a tower, looks like it has been taken over by something or someone else. The cleric? The wizard? Allies or monsters? Alzar teleports back to home, spends the night early, rises early, and then memorizes a slightly different version of spells, such as taking the 9th level Cleaver spell (if he doesn’t cast it, he can store it) and other anti-wizard or anti-cleric spells. This includes – Anti-Magic Shell, Vocalize, Feeblemind, Passwall – stuff like that. He also keeps his Power Word, Banish and the anti-undead and anti-summoning creatures, but he swaps out Lightning Rod, Conjure Water Elemental, and such.

He teleports back over (after unloading things from OtherSpace too) and then moves near the Tower. His imp slips near to begin scouting and he pulls out the Golem early, and he rides on the Carpet (he takes up the space of two people)

Highpass Tower is six levels high, the bottom three medium sized, and the top three smaller. It was just created to have an outpost in the militarily valuable pass, not to run a large home from. Wazor knows company is coming. Just not when. There is movement on the ground level (giants), two Efreet on top of the tower guarding it, and there are no windows in the center of the Tower. What Alzar wants to do is attack in a direction the wizard doesn’t expect. Most wizards expect and build up defenses from magical angles (such as from the Ethereal Plane) or will have Symbols, Glyphs, golems, massmorphed creatures, Wizard Locked doors, and that sort of thing on the various entrances.

But what they often forget is that a mage can penetrate their defense with a simple Passwall spell aimed at the middle of their home. It’s like tunneling into a mage’s complex with Dig and Passwall after you’ve passed the traps and monsters

According to the Baron, this tower’s third floor is a storeroom, the 2nd was barracks, and then 4th quarters, and the 5th offices. Alzar decides to hit the 4th floor, which you can tell, because the tower gets smaller.

[Abe Sargent]

He flies in and casts Passwall at the wall, and then flies into the tower with the Golem, who then unloads.

4th floor is now akennel with a quartet of hell hounds that begin barking. They are caged up. Alzar hears nose from upstairs, and the room here is the entire floor, there are stairs up and down to the sides of where he entered. This is a lab and study and a bit of a sleep chamber all in one and Wazor is here, arming himself. He sees Alzar come up and casts the 8th level Major Globe of Invulnerability and is immune to all 7th and lower level spells. It’s a pretty good opening. Alzar orders his imp and golem to move in and attack physically, and rolls for init.

5 vs 6. Alzar casts Power Word Kill and…no protection, he dies. He has very low HP actually. He was level 24. Most high level magic users are glass cannons.

More advice from the module we are skipping (“Make sure that the characters do not kill or capture Wazor in this encounter!”) Not for any plot based reason, but just to strengthen the final battle.

Anyway, Wazor has perished and Alzar checks and finds:

Ring of Protection +2
Cleric Ring of Spell Storing – Word of Recall
Potion – Blue Dragon Control, Elemental Form, Human Control, Undead Control (Ghoul)
Scroll – Protection from All Elementals; MU Scroll - Close Gate (reverse of Gate Spell)

Staff of Power 16 charges

Wazor’s Spellbook

To be revealed later after decoding.

In the room are a bunch of random items taken from the barony (gold, gems, jewelries, cushions, furniture, art, etc) worth around 100,000 Alzar won’t touch.

He takes about a hour to load up the various lab equipment into his own mobile laboratory he has in his OtherSpace.

The Passwall is gone, so he heads to the roof, where there are two efreeti, but when Wazor was killed, they were freed and they fled back to the Fire Plane.

He grabs the Carpet, puts his golem in the Warp Marble, and then heads out. Wazor’s notes mentioned that there was a gate at the Temple of the Stars to the east, so Alzar heads out, scanning for the Temple.

It’s about 7 miles to the south and east. The temple was built by hermit-clerics and then abandoned when the Baron claimed and began to settle Twolake Vale a little more than two years ago. The three that be felt it was an ideal place to open a gate to another plane from which the deathcloud poured out and which the connection to the deathstone was harnessed. As long as the deathstone existed, the gate could not be closed. But now…

[Abe Sargent]

The temple lies just beyond a sharp bend in the road and Alzar can spy the cleric from some distance, standing on a rocky platform about 30 feet up the cliff wall from the temple, (made of white marble). Alzar summons the golem from the Warp Marble. The Temple is just a simple one level deal, a dome, about 120 feet in diameter.

As Alzar approaches, a dragon emerges from the temple, and the cleric mounts it, and moves out. It looks identical to the one he slew two days before. Hmmm….

Alzar doesn’t want to fly and fight something that’s better in the air than him, so he lands, and forces the golem to lands as well, he’s about two rounds from the cleric and dragon to be in spell range of most spells He grabs some dirt from the ground and Conjures an Earth Elemental. Then Alzar casts Anti-Magic Shell to give himself a good defensive shell to use, grabs his axe and Bright Barrier and moves.

The dragon does not breathe lightning, but instead breathes a gas identical to the one breathes by that drolem earlier that Alzar encountered a few months ago. This is likely a drolem, not a dragon. The cleric casts Sticks to Snakes to turn some of the nearby foliage into an enemy, and these move in. Alzar orders his elemental and golem to smash these and Azzil moves in for a surprise attack later when ordered.

[Abe Sargent]

Init – 7 vs 1. The Drolem lands and moves to melee range with Alzar, the cleric dismounts and does so as well. Alzar prepares, smashing a few snakes, and his guards do as well.

Init 3 vs 2. The drolem snaps at Alzar and hits for 12. It’s too bad Alzar didn’t grab his Golem of Whistle Control or Talisman of the Golem from storage in OtherSpace, but it’s too late to get it now. Alzar’s axe snakes out and hits the cleric once for 7 damage (no magical bonuses) and the Barrier smashes for 11. The rest of the snakes are killed.

Init – 3 vs 9. Alzar orders his group to focus on the drolem. He can’t hit it (weapon is non-magical) so he focuses on the cleric. Alzar hits for 14 damage and the drolem takes 11. Then the priest casts Heal and fully heals himself and Alzar takes 14 from the drolem’s hits.

Alzar 50/75

Init 4 vs 3. They miss Alzar a lot (he gets bonuses for the Bright Barrier still. Alzar’s group hits the drolem for 15. Alzar adds 5 to the cleric and misses. Alzar takes one hit for 6 from the drolem and a mace-punch for 3 from the cleric. Then they smash for a little more damage.

42/75

Initiative. 5 vs 3. Alzar takes more damage, and his group finally clocks the drolem for some major damage and it has around 20 hp left. But Alzar misses twice and his with the Bright Barrier for 8 damage. 3 vs 7. The golem rolls a 16 and hits for…12 damage, and the Earth rolls….4 and misses. Alzar uses his axe twice against the cleric and hits once for 1d8 plus 4 damage (for 17 STR and weapon mastery) or…7 more damage. Then he turns and attacks with the Shield on the drolem instead and….hits for….9 and the drolem falls dead. The priest heals its wounds.


Alzar – 31/75

With the drolem dead their foe is going to look for a way to get out of the battle. 4 vs 5. The Earth rolls a 10 and hits for…13. The golem needing a 5, rolls a 7 and cracks for…9 more. Alzar hits once for 5. The priest casts Abjure and banishes the Earth Elemental. That’s a bad long-term play. That was his final level 6 spell. (He cast three)

4 vs 6. Alzar and his golem hit for 31 damage combined. The cleric heals most of it with Cure Critical Wounds. 7 vs 2. The cleric casts Striking on his mace. Odd choice. Alzar and golem add 15 to him. 8 vs 7. The cleric swings and connects with the golem for 14 damage (magical mace plus striking effect). So he’s switching targets to drop Alzar’s golem while he can’t cast spells and heal. That’s a smart choice.

1 vs 8. It’s time. Alzar orders the Imp to attack the cleric unknown from invisibility. That gives him +4 to hit on this first attack. He needs a 13 or higher to hit. He rolls a 19 (didn’t even need to ambush!). 2 damage and…the cleric makes his save on a 17 rolled, but it clearly scares him. Alzar smiles as his group carves into him for 19 more damage.

9 vs 7 The priest has to cure, but he still has some damage against him. Alzar orders the imp to attack and then go invisible and fly out of range in an odd direction, down. The Imp…rolls an 11 and misses. Alzar rolls. 20, 19, and 6. That’s 2 hits for 16 damage. Then the golem rolls….8 and hits and then rolls off 13 damage – 29 total damage.

Next turn. This would be when Alzar would use the Ring of Quick Action, if he was wearing it, and not under an Anti-Magic Shell. 9 vs…9. Yay reroll! 4 vs 6. Whew! The cleric is down to 24 hp. Alzar attacks and rolls….12, 4 and 15. That’s an axe hit for….3 + 4, 7 damage and 9 from the Barrier. 16 damage from Alzar. The golem attacks and rolls….6. Now, it has a THAC0 of 7 and the cleric an AC of 2, so he needs a 5 or better, that works. Now, the golem hits for…3d8 damage and the cleric has left 9 hp. The first die rumbles and lands on a 5. If the next die is at least a 3, then the priest dies (because the last one could be a one). … another 5. Dead priest. A 4 for the last one, 14 damage was dealt.


Dead priest.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar finds on the body:

+3 mace
Rod of the Wyrm (Chaotic)
Scroll of Portals
Missile Deflector Shield (+1, +4 vs missiles, 20% chance Magic Missile negated)

The Rod is a powerful magical item, no idea why it wasn’t used unless the cleric wasn’t chaotic. A chaotic user can turn the rod once/day into a small 30 hp, black dragon, that can breathe acid and everything. If slain, it returns to rod form.

Scroll is awesome. Twice/day it can be used as a Passwall, when unfurled and pressed against a wall, and the scroll disappears until half hour later when the Passwall ends, or when canceled by the user


There is nothing else here.

Alzar doesn’t want to cast Close Gate from the scroll and lose that, so he stores the Dispel Magic and Carver spells, and then rests the night, learns the reverse of Gate, and then casts it. The Gate closes. Alzar then teleports back to the King to report his victory.

King Ericall offers him 50000 gp or another section of territory added to his County. Alzar chooses the latter and expands his influence again. He takes Raider’s Point, the hex on the other side of the entrance to the Great Bay.

We’ll look at that in a bit. Meanwhile, Alzar has freed the barony just seven days after starting!

End of CM2. Death’s Ride

[Abe Sargent]

This is not exactly a major module, and it has some issues. Basically the module wants your high-level characters to quest all over the small Barony of Twolakes Vale in order to figure out that the evil is coming from a Doomstone that has to be hit by a Hammer that has to be assembled. So you are heading to find that out, find the pieces, and the locations. The major problem is that all of these locations are known. For example, there is a trail from the main one to the Temple of the Stars, which is one of the final dungeons. Here’s what CM2 says about this “Make sure the characters don’t stumble onto the trail that leads to the Temple of the Stars when they are in Fraggi. They can only learn of the trail while in Gollim.” Gollim, of course, being the second o final place in the rotation, despite being just TWO MILES from the castle you start the adventure at. (You are expected to head north and west of the castle along the Westlake road. That’s bad adventure writing! Where is the opportunity for the player to do their own thing and, you know, actually role-play? Also, when in a module with sort of high-level players, you never known when a player with Polymorph Self into a bird or cast Fly or something, and then head up. In fact, the first castle has, as you’ll recall, bad guys a quartet of hill giants. If you charm them, you can find out everything right there. The carefully doling out of clues one step at a time is done. Here’s what the adventure says about that:

“Don’t allow the characters to learn the location of Korbundar’s Lair or the Temple of the Stars while they are adventuring in this stronghold.” This is bolded it’s so important to the adventure. Again, that is a poorly designed adventure. We are simply running it because it flows right along from the first CM.

Here’s another one for you. Why is the Hammer of Life here? In the module, it reads that only the Hammer of Life can destroy the deathstone, not even a wish can. The bad guys know that the Hammer of Life can destroy their stone, that’s why they break it into three pieces and hide them.

Now, why would you use the deathstone against the only place where there is a measure that can defeat it? And if you didn’t know, or if the Hammer of Life was discovered later, then why keep the three pieces within a couple of miles of each other, easily findable, and just a few miles from the stone? Surely your 24th level wizard can teleport, fly, Plane Shift, or otherwise move somewhere else and place the pieces thousands of miles away, and thousands of miles from each other, At the very least, have your dragon spend half a day flying, secure one piece about a hundred miles away, and then repeat twice more, choosing three far flung places and three different methods of security. One guarded perhaps, one in an impossible to open chest in the bottom of an ocean or something, etc.

At very least, give it a hand wave. Mention that the powers that be brought the Hammer of Life in to help out the locals when the deathstone was used, but they found out and stopped the hammer and killed the party with it before it could reach the deathstone, and then they broke it into three pieces. But before they could remove it, the powers magically tethered the Hammer to the Vale, so it could not be removed, teleported, flown out, etc. And neither could it’s parts either. But nope, we couldn’t even get that.

[Tellistto]

Nice job, Abe. Too bad the writing sucked so back in that module. Looking forward to more!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

Nice job, Abe. Too bad the writing sucked so back in that module. Looking forward to more!

Tell

Thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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 – Døkkálfar Teleport
Level 7 – Teleport without Error
Level 8 – Maze
Level 9 - Lauthdryn’s Cleaving

[Abe Sargent]

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 *
Døkkálfar 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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Tellistto]

Sneaky sneaky Alzar! Good going, Alzar! Let's rock against those damn demons!

Go go go Alzar the Mighty!

Tell

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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!

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

The County of the Mighty -

http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag295/AbeSargent/Alzars%20Domain%20Year%20Three_zpsgxfglg9h.jpg


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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

CM3. Sabre River

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fdtklN7dHJg/Ubb8tkyYbXI/AAAAAAAAtnA/XrDTh5WfEJo/s1600/CM3+Sabre+River.JPG

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4462693526_aa7cdf1340_b.jpg

[Abe Sargent]

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 (http://ilfiumesabre.wikidot.com/)

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

On the surface, the island looks like any other, and with a pit there that gives access to two subterranean levels:

http://ilfiumesabre.wikidot.com/local--resized-images/dm-map-1/Map1.jpg/medium.jpg

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

The child, Cutter, still has not been seen or attacked.

They head down the stairs:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/4512051421_07e9f3c9f9_o.jpg

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4462694044_26fd594337_b.jpg

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

http://ilfiumesabre.wikidot.com/local--resized-images/dm-map-3/Map3.jpg/medium.jpg


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).

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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:

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

"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.

http://ilfiumesabre.wikidot.com/local--resized-images/dm-map-4/Map4.jpg/medium.jpg

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

The Book of Lairs II

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WJLdGx85L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

CM4. Earthshaker

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/CM4_CM4_Earthshaker.jpg

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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…

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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!

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

WGS1. Five Shall be One

http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/large/61294ad3gw1dvx4l51bb2j.jpg

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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:


http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb320/prodigyduck/Shadow20Mastiff.jpg

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/1/1e/1417517-1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120824154237

Szeverin, Young Adult Shadow Dragon – AC -4, HD 12, HP 63, AT 1d6+4, 1d6+4, 3d4+4; Breathes 2d4+2 and drains either ½ of levels (if save made) or ¾ of levels (if failed). 20% Magic Resistance, Levels are restored one per turn until back up.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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?

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Travis]

Really enjoying and looking forward to more exploits.

[Abe Sargent]

Really enjoying and looking forward to more exploits.

Thanks! Let's see what's next

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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 – Døkkálfar Teleport
Level 7 – Teleport without Error
Level 8 – Maze
Level 9 - Lauthdryn’s Cleaving

[Abe Sargent]

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 *
Døkkálfar 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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uyKhprQjL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


http://www.videogamecenter.biz/warhammer2/eye_pain_retro.JPG


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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070303152449/forgottenrealms/images/b/bd/Death_Tyrant.JPG

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

Eye of Doom


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71JHH8QD8GL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.gif


Let’s just keep this thing moving.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

Eye to Eye

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OI41BNdVL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


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)

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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…



http://www.lomion.de/cmm/img/spc/beholde2.gif

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

http://dungeonsmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/beholder-01.jpg


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!

[Abe Sargent]

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).

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

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.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 10, Year 4:

I’m not randomly rolling this time. There is a result on the Castle Guide’s area, referred to as the Call to Arms, and its 92 or 93 on the chart. A call to arms arrives from King Ericall. Alzar decides to send gold, not arms, for the call. Its 5% of the cost of the projects combined, and he sends the money in. There are 16 weeks and 32 weeks left on the two projects.

Growth on Bergholm Island has stagnated at 250 families. It likely won’t grow again until a new city or space is made, the island is too mountainous.

Month 10 - Harvest Festival - 15% of income that month. Yay harvesting!

In week 3, the 7500 troops of Oceansend arrive to fight the 10000 troops of the King, and a variety of Barons of his, and have a combined force of 16000+ troops. Norwold wins, and slowly, they begin to push things around. In a few weeks, Oceansend will be officially annexed, and yet Jarvik will keep his nation, but be demoted to a Duke.

Alzar decides to quaff another pot of Longevity. Here’s how it works. He loses 1d10 years of physical age. Then he has a cumulative 1% chance per potion consumed of all of the years reversing. Here we go.

He loses 4 years ofhis physical age. And he now has consumed 9 potions. He rolls….a 03. Blast! Okay, here’s what happened. He reverts to his actual age (61). However, the Longevity potions are basically reset, so the next ones he drinks start things over. That’s annoying. He quaffs two more potions he has and loses 8 total years to drop to 53 physcial years. And he doesn’t roll a 1 or 2. (24 and 52).


Alzar announces that month 2 will be a Tax Free month for all citizens, and that will continue in perpetuity. The tax income for the population won’t be included for that month.

Confidence is up again.

[Abe Sargent]

AC10 Bestiary of Dragons and Giants

http://www.waynesbooks.com/images/graphics/ac10set.jpg

I just picked up this module/accessory thing and I’m really excited to run some of the adventures in it, since they are very appropriate to the area. This work has a bunch of adventures of scaling difficulty with giants or dragons. Take, as one example, dragons. In the Wyrmsteeth Range, adjacent to one of Alzar’s hexes in the southern part of his area, are more than 1000 dragons. Most people nearby don’t realize just how many there are, because a few of the oldest and most powerful of the dragons have sort of forced most of the dragons to raid and feed far away from home, and thus most locals would put the numbers in the hundreds, not the thousands. Meanwhile, the Island of Frosthaven alone has thousands of frost giants living there, and there are numerous giants in the Ljallenvals, right next door to Alzar.

Including this makes a lot of sense. I can’t tell you how excited I am…

Meanwhile, the AC series is an accessory one for the D&D line. They are very inconsistent with their concepts. Some of the accessories are just a book that gives you more of a certain group of awesome – the Creature Catalog is just more creatures, the Book of Marvelous Magic is a bunch of magical items, and so forth. Another common theme is an accessory with a quick 7 or 8 page adventure as well. The DM Master Screen, AC7, Comes with the Spindle of Heaven adventure (which I think we’ll play later on) and others (such as adventures in tile sets and such.). The Shady Dragon Inn simply gives you vignettes of more than 100 NPCs you can slip into your campaign and so forth. This one has some rules, but is almost all mini-adventures.

One set of rules is about the nature of flying and the use of weapons and spells. I had always just assumed that the Carpet of Flying would allow someone to cast spells and fire missiles without issue, but something like a Broom of Flying wouldn’t. And I’m right! There’s a while page for which steeds and which magical items and which spells provide what is referred to as a “steady platform.” And then it also gives which things enable a “swoop” melee attack, which I had also assumed a Carpet could do. And again, I’m right! Some can do a swoop, but not steady – Broom of Flying, Wyvern. Some can be steady, but can’t swoop – Air Elemental, Levitate spell. Some do both – Flying Carpet, Fly spell, Roc. Some do neither – Vampire, Cockatrice, etc. So you can’t ride a vampire and fire weapons, sorry! It’s an awesome section for rules.

One of which is set right here, and I personally picked up to run….

[Abe Sargent]

Krasniy the Red

There are two major trails that lead through the Ljallenvals from Alzar’s County to places and peoples on the far side. The southern of the two passes near Hammerhelm and the dwarves located there in that dwarf-hold. Meanwhile, the northern of the two passes by a town called Saffir, which is in a valley in the mountain chain. There still aren’t a lot of settlements on the far side of the mountains. The growth in the Kingdom’s baronies still hasn’t come north, so the trade isn’t super hot or anything.

Anyway, Saffir is nestled in a small valley, with a variety of farmers there, coming to town to trade crops and animals for other goods at the local town square.

Saffir is increasingly coming onto Alzar’s radar because a local warlord named Krasniy the Red, another red-headed leader, has taken over the town around 10 months ago. Since that time, he’d hired a lot of muscle, begun building a castle to protect the trail and city, and even hired some assistance away from Alzar’s county to do it.

Meanwhile, the people there have increasingly become uncomfortable under his rule.

In the last week of the month, Alzar looks up from his day in court and there is a delegation from Saffir, a nervous looking baker named Pandrum and a pair of farmers that have arrived. They tell him about the changes in Saffir. Magic is outlawed, and any magical items are confiscated. Taxes have been raised so high that people have had to sell their things just to make it. Most of the citizens have had it, and already around 50 have fled. But there are a few who have used this as an opportunity to enrich themselves as others suffer.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar has already heard about Krasniy, but he asks for some info about their new ruler. He came in and declared himself their lord. They had none prior. He is a tall, ruddy man, clean-shaven, bright red shoulder length hair, wears no armor, but carries a huge two-handed sword in a jeweled scabbard from his back. He has hired a group of soldiers, more like enforcers, that police the whole area. Meanwhile, the castle is about 2/3rds done.

The three agree to allow Alzar to open their minds to his magic, and the Bright Barrier’s detect lie ability quickly confirms they believe they are telling the truth. It’s about 2.5 to 3 days ride from Evenarrow to Saffir, so Alzar agrees to Mass Teleport them over to the outskirts. He uses his Crystal ball to scry a nice place, out of the line of sight behind stones and trees, and then casts the spell, and they are back in Saffir.

Alzar asks that the three people return to town, claiming that they weren’t able to make it to his place, and that’s why they are back early. Meanwhile, he sets out to scry the town with his crystal ball, about a mile away.

Saffir is around 1400 people strong, down from the 1500 it was a year ago pre-Krasniy. Their valley is a few miles across, and there are farms here that eke out a living with various crops like potatoes and carrots. The trail comes from Alzar’s demesne up the mountains, through a pass, and then down into this valley via a river that flows through Saffir, and then north and west back up the valley, and then over another ridge of mountains in a wide and easy but high pass to the north and west and from thence to the other side of the Ljallenvals.

Alzar verifies the location of the castle, currently, being built. There is a building recently burned down, and it looks like it was the only temple in the town.

Because of it’s valuable position by the river, the town proper has defenses and a pair of gates on either side. Up here in the Ljallenvals it’s important to have a good defense. Remembering what was stated about the disrespect that magic received here, Alzar decides to change up his normal set of items. He’ll don the Bracers of Protection against Normal Missiles, and then fly above the walls with his Carpet. He considered going in as a local ruler and demanding immunity to the local laws or using an invisibility potion, but he wants to go in hot. He’ll ignore the people on the walls firing on him, and arrive at the town hall, where the pennant of the warlord is flown right now, pending the completion of the castle.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar moves out, and heads towards the wall. The folks there hail him frantically, and then sling stones and quarrels at him, but to no avail. Alzar ignores them and flies into the town and passes a few homes and a shop or two and arrives at the town hall as an alert erupts. 20 soldiers move out of the hall to protest him, and Alzar casts Mass Charm and suddenly, he has a lot of friends that push open the doors and he flies into the town hall through double doors.

A pair of griffons and their riders launch from a stables in the far corner of Saffir to protest Alzar’s arrival, but he’s already in the hall. Krasniy secretly tries to cast ESP on Alzar before arriving. As we’ve seen before, that triggers his protective spell. Alzar rolls an 8 and makes his save, so he turns it off, and sees Krasniy as the one who cast it. Krasniy rolls a 13 and won’t take any damage from the breaking.

A moment later, he comes down from the eating room and greets Alzar with a booming voice. He welcomes Alzar and offers the mage a seat at the table with a plate of food to be brought out by a servant.

Alzar sits down, his charmed friends all giving him an honor escort. Alzar sits at the table, in the seat offered, and Krasniy the Red also sits. After a few exchanges of pleasantries, Alzar just comes out and asks why Krasniy’s own people are fleeing his town and petitioning Alzar to come in and remove Krasniy from power.

Krasniy’s features darken as he is accused by Alzar. Who is Alzar to question? Who is Alzar to push? Alzar offers Krasniy a one-time offer. Pack up, and leave, right now, and nothing more will happen. And Alzar won’t kill Krasniy. Otherwise, Krasniy will die, today, right now, in front of everyone.

Krasniy opens a wide, toothy grin. “You don’t begin to know the power I have under my control, human!”

Krasniy and Alzar move into the clearing, Alzar still on his Carpet, just a few inches off the ground, and in front of the town hall by unspoken mutual consent, Alzar instructed his “friends” to keep everyone away from their battle. Alzar grabs his Axe and the warlord smiles another grin, and this time, the grin seems to be toothier and wider than before, and soon, his enemy has polymorphed back into his natural form of an old red dragon!



Krasniy – AC -1, HP 86, Breath – Cone of Fire, THAC0 5, etc.

[Abe Sargent]

The dragon lifts off and Alzar heads in the opposite direction, trying to put some distance between them. He hasn’t prepared for a battle with a red dragon like he often would, this took him by surprise – settling down, ruling a town, and building a castle is hardly normal red dragon behavior. Alzar casts Major Globe of Invulnerability to protect him from the spells the dragon will undoubtedly have. The dragon breathes on him and Alzar takes 47 damage or save vs half. He rolls a 10, save to 24 damage.

Alzar uses his Ring of Quick Action and wins initiative and then casts teleport and flings himself about a mile from the conflict and away from the village. The Dragon can see him still, hovering in the air, and moves towards him. Alzar begins to concentrate and in a moment has moved into his OtherSpace. He grabs the Ring of Fire Resistance and swaps it for the Quick Action ring and grabs Wyrmcleaver from the wall, and then heads back out.

An angry dragon is flying all about, trying to find out where Alzar went.

Initiative

5 vs 2. The dragon breathes again, and this time, the Ring and a save keep the damage to 9 more. Alzar’s sword is out and he swoops into the dragon and rolls a 15 and hits for some damage (a natural 18 or higher decapitates the dragon) but misses with the shield bash.

5 vs 7. Alzar gets two attacks with the sword this time. He rolls a 6 and an 18. Dead dragon. Wymcleaver carves the dragon’s neck in half in mid flight, and the dragon dies instantly, and drops to the ground in a thundering shudder from hundreds of feet. No one is hurt in the fall, but a farm is destroyed.

Alzar flies down and within a few moments the entire town of Saffir has turned out to applaud Alzar. They had no idea that their new overlord has been a polymorphed dragon. They throw a big feast for him that night and Alzar carves up the dragon’s body. He searches town hall and finds it’s treasure, it has spent most of it developing the castle or paying for the soldier-esque enforcers. It’s 3000 pp, 30k gp, and 7k in gems and jewels.

[Abe Sargent]

At dinner that night, Alzar is greeted by an offer from the locals to take over Saffir and the surrounding area and to add it to his County. Alzar agrees. Alzar uses the gold and platinum to finish the castle, and then gives the remaining to the town.

The castle has 17 weeks left to be finished. It’s smaller than some of Alzar, but very well built. Alzar meets some of the local businesses like the Blue Feather Tavern and Mendel’s Alchemist Shop.

The loyalists of Krasily have fled and Alzar checks out the garrison. They have 12 full grown griffons that have been trained to be used in battle, plus another 15 soldiers that can use them. There are a few horses and such as well, and Alzar checks in on the barracks and such. He uses his County’s treasury to help build a new temple as well, and then find the old priest of the local one, named Yancey, in the jails beneath the city hall.

Alzar annexes Saffir and the surrounding hex, as well as the small coastal strip, about one to two miles wide, to the east for about 25 miles of here. Alzar sends notice to King Ericall, but does not ask permission, he merely explains what happens, and that the people officially asked to join his county. This is an enfeoffment.

[Abe Sargent]

Dominion Info:

Saffir -


Saffir - in Ljallenvals - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Rostock and northwest of Storn.

Village – Saffir – 291 families, they farm vegatables here and sell them on the trade route. 1 resource GP

Details - 332 families, 1 good – Farming


Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3320 gp/month
Tax Income – 332 gp/month
Resource Income – 332/month
Total – 3984/month (x12 multiplier)


Castle built in 17 more man weeks, but shut down for the season right now.

Alzar hires some new staff to help run the new place.

Alzar uses his Detect Lie and ESP to ensure that everyone who continues to hold a job in Saffir proper and the hold are the right people for the job to reduce any chance of disloyalty.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 11, Year 4:


Snow is down, only two weeks of building occurs. 14 and 30 weeks left

Moderate growth in the dominion.

No other major news, other than the foundry has made their first body for a siver golem, with mercury as a “blood” for it. He can enchant it anytime.

Alzar gets an invitation for a wedding over in Hammerhelm, the adjacent dwarf hold in the Ljallenvals. It will occur in two months, and end a fued between the new invitees of the now-captured dwarf-hold to the west and the ones that welcomed them.

There is a small cave in at the quarry in Rostock and 6 families died.


Month 12, Year 4:

Some more moderate growth. No other major news.

[Abe Sargent]

End of Year 4 County Update:

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 – 522 families
7 resource gp

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 720 gp/month
Tax Income – 72 gp/month
Resource Income – 504/month
Total – 9,396/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 – 409 families, inland, center of the hex, they grow grapes on the hills here.
Riverton – 204 families, On a small river from the mountains to the sea, shepherds

Details – 721 families

Monthly Income - Standard Income - 890 gp/month
Tax Income – 89 gp/month
Resource Income – 267/month
Total – 10,094/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 – 472 families


Monthly Income - Standard Income - 540 gp/month
Tax Income – 54 gp/month
Resource Income – 378/month
Total – 8,496/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 – 139 families, they have a small quarry here they use to harvest stone and rocks of quality and send them elsewhere. 3 resource GP

Details - 202 families, 1 good – Stone


Monthly Income – Standard Income - 560 gp/month
Tax Income – 56 gp/month
Resource Income – 168/month
Total – 2828/month (x14 multiplier)


Saffir - in Ljallenvals - This mountainous region has a central valley and the major northern route through the Ljallenvals. It is north of Rostock and northwest of Storn.

Village – Saffir – 291 families, they farm vegatables here and sell them on the trade route. 1 resource GP

Details - 332 families, 1 good – Farming


Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3320 gp/month
Tax Income – 332 gp/month
Resource Income – 332/month
Total – 3984/month (x12 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 – 278 families
3 resource gp – Fish and salt

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 690 gp/month
Tax Income – 69 gp/month
Resource Income – 207/month
Total – 3892/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 – 119 families
2 resource gp – Grain and Potatoes

Monthly Income – Standard Income - 680 gp/month
Tax Income – 68 gp/month
Resource Income – 136/month
Total – 1547/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.

250 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 –3750/month (x15 multiplier)



EXPENSES – 28,230 + Tithe, Taxes

Military – 14,460
County Staff - 3160
Specialist Staff – 4050
Stronghold Staff - 6560
Taxes to Ericall – 20% (8800)
Tithe to Matter Temple – 10% (4400)

Treasury - 249,592


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
Month 2 – Tax-Free Month

County Staff –

Chaplain – 500 gp
2 Magistrate – 400 gp
7 Sheriff – 700 gp
20 Provost – 400 gp
12 Warden – 240 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
Guard Captain (Level 10) – 4000 gp

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

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.

[Abe Sargent]

End of Year Four


Here’s a map!


http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag295/AbeSargent/Alzars%20Domain%20Year%20Four_zps1a0olzaz.jpg


The yellow dot in the mountains is Saffir, which Alzar annexed from Krasily the Red’s domain. Other two expansions include Rostock, the blue dotted hex, and that’s the one with the small elf-hold that does not acknowledge Alzar as its ruler. Meanwhile the red dot to the south is where Spearhold is.

[Abe Sargent]

Axe of the Dwarvish Lords

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$T2eC16JHJF8E9nnC6U!,BQ3GSRF(2!~~60_35.JPG



There are a few artifacts that were introduced one of the first supplements for D&D called Eldritch Wizardry. It was published in 1976, and was just the third supplement printed for the game. In my pdf of the supplement, you can see that it introduced to the game psionics, introduces the sub-class of druid, adds creatures like demon princes and some demons, and then they add in artifacts. Artifacts are at a level of power above your normal stuff, and they have some random abilities, so that players can never be certain exactly how your artifact will impact theirs. The first artifacts are listed here, in the order that they appear in the supplement:

The Invulnerable Coat of Arn
The Mace of Cuthbert
The Sword of Kas
The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords
The Wand of Orcus
The Rod of Seven Parts
The Codex of the Infinite Planes
The Hand of Vecna
The Eye of Vecna
Baba Yaga’s Hut
Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless
Queen Ehlissa’s Marvelous Nightingale
The Machine of Lum the Mad
The Mighty Servant of Leuk-o
The Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty
The Crystal of the Ebon Flame
Reward’s Mystical Organ
Horn of Change
The Ring of Gax
The Crowns, Orbs and Sceptres
The Throne of the Gods
The Orbs of Dragonkind

This supplement is very inconsistent when it comes to artifacts. For example, the Sword of Kas will, “of course, attempt to dominate its owner.” And, “if possible, it will control any fighter who picks it up and turn him evil.” Okay, fine, it has an INT and EGO scores as well, like intelligent weapons. Got it. But, the Mace of Cuthbert has no disadvantages at all. It’s +5 to hit and damage and comes with 4 powers and one weakness – that weakness is that it doesn’t work until you’ve killed a certain type of monster (like a vampire or an elemental) and then after you have to kill one of those with the Mace each time you see one. Now, only good clerics need apply, but that’s it. That weakness is nothing, and the artifacts power is considerable. Evil things like the Eye and Hand of Vecna turn someone inalterably to an evil or chaotic alignment and have disadvantages on top of that. But neutral, random or good items like the Nightingale or Horn have few to no problems.

Now, these items have a huge cachet in the D&D game. They are among the mightiest and most mysterious of items ever, and numerous modules, stories, novels, video games and supplements will use them. Characters like Vecna have become major players in D&D and Dragonlance was heavily inspired by the Orbs an even Baldur’s Gate series has multiple appearances of these artifacts. You can find homages in other places as well. For example, in Magic: the Gathering, there is a card called Ring of Gix. You can find different histories that conflict with other, or require that there be more than one item.

There have been a variety of updates for these guys ever since. You might find them in the Book of Artifacts or moved to Ravenloft (Sword of Kas) and such. They got a power upgrade in major ways, and became very hot to handle. And entire modules revolved around them. The first Dungeon’s Masters Guide for AD&D, which had not even been released yet, would be the first upgrade and additional attention for a lot of these artifacts.

The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords module was written in 1999. It’s basically a three part adventure over 188 pages of a giant thick tome that includes info on the NPCs, new monsters, new items, and more. The history has been fleshed out even more.

I’m planning on this module ending the first chapter of the Norwold campaign. You’ll see!

[Abe Sargent]

In order to welcome in the new year, the two dwarf groups in Hammerhelm have decide to marry the scions of two major houses of nobility. More than a year ago, the dwarves of Radruundar were driven back from their fortress and mines by a horde of goblins that showed an unusual understanding of tactics. Around 700 fled, and 650 made it months later to Hammerhelm, where they were welcomed.

But as always happens, rivals began to commence, and space in Hammerhelm was very tight. The dwarves began carving a new rooms and homes from inside the mountain, but there was also a lot of pressure and rivalry around mining operations, food and water supplies and more.

There were even a few fistfights that broke out, so the ruling family of Hammerhelm chose to marry its princess to the prince of the former ruling family of Radruundar.

Alzar has been invited to the wedding, as the nearby ruler of the County, and a friend to Hammerhelm.

The first day of the dwarvish new year is actually the 17th day of the month, so Alzar arrives on the 14th, a few days early, to the typical dwarven greeting, a quick official ceremony that lasts 10 minutes, and then a feast and drinking. Lots of drinking.

Alzar is provided a nice chamber, and they hope that his attendance will bring joy and luck to the couple and the two groups.

[Abe Sargent]

The night before the wedding, Alzar is walking down a cave after dinner when he passes by a tavern. A pair of gnomish illusionists are here casting a variety of illusions that awe the local dwarves. Alzar decides to stop in for a half hour. As the performance gathers up steam, one dwarf absent mindedly critiques the wedding party from the other side, and when he is overheard, refuses to apologize or back down. In a moment a shouting match has begun and Alzar quietly gathers a few spell components. Soon someone throws a mug and a brawl breaks out. Alzar casts spells like Sleep and Hypnotism and in a few rounds has subdued the brawl. In a moment, 5 dwarves break in, and tell Alzar that he is under arrest, draw steel and move to attack him. Alzar makes a spellcraft proficiency roll and a sage knowledge roll. These dwarves are a bit off, and a little jerk-ish. They aren’t undead, or being controlled, or…wait. Those are probably simulacra. Alzar tells Azzil to us detect magic, and they glow.

Alzar casts Power Word Kill and drops one and it turns to snow and melts. That’s a common 7th level spell – you make a duplicate of another creature from snow or ice. Afterwards it melts. The simulacra move in and stab at Alzar with weapons, and they all miss (cloak)

Alzar uses his Quick Action ring and casts Mass Domination and controls them, and then they come with him. The real guards arrive a few rounds later and Alzar tells them he needs to see their leaders.

He talks to them, shows them a simulacra, kills one and then the rest to see what happens, explains the tricks to identifying one and that they detect as magical or can be seen as an simulacrum with true seeing or a gem of seeing. Alzar suggests that they prepare tomorrow, because a high level mage has chosen to send 5 simulacra of dwarves to push this brawl, and that means they have penetrated the defenses of the caves.

Alzar suggests that they delay the wedding. Someone is clearly here to move against the wedding tomorrow, that’s the only thing that would make sense. But instead, they will strengthen their guards around the wedding party, and Alzar requests, and refuses to be denied, the opportunity to secret escort the two wedding parties tomorrow.

[Abe Sargent]

That night Alzar teleports back home to grab a few items, teleports back, memorizes a different set of spells to prepare for the next day, and grabs a different set of items from his OtherSpace.

Dawn breaks. The ceremony will be a little different than normal. It will begin more militantly, and people are asked to wear armor and bring bound weapons, but then will move very quickly to a peaceful and hospitable environment.

Alzar doesn’t need spells that might kill local dwarves, like Wail of the Banshee, which he swaps for Mordenkainen’s Disjunction and similar anti-mage spells. He grabbed items like the Ring of Spell Turning and he has his Bronze Golem in the Warp Marble and Aegis, the Stone Golem in his Iron flask, and both are on his belt, ready to be used. He has other anti-spell caster and anti-people stuff, like the Wand of Salt form Hamedh, instant capture items like Bead of Force, and he’ll be using Dust of Disappearance to disappear. That won’t lost as long as Invisibility, but it’s not lost by attacking or casting spells.

In the morning, Alzar summons an Invisible Stalker, gets his invisible raven-y Imp out and they head out. They near the groom’s party, and Alzar uses the dust. He is wearing his Slippers of Spider Climbing and moves to the top of the tunnel and will guard from above, while the Stalker and Imp flank and keep an eye out.

An hour later the groom’s party has made it and was unattacked, and Alzar heads to the bridal party. Again, they begin to move out…

[Abe Sargent]

On the way to the temple, they spy a damaged, overturned cart, a dead bulette, and a dwarven lady dazed, with three escorts fumbling about. Alzar jumps down invisibly, and drops a rock as a signal to have the group stop while he investigates. He uses the Gem/Star and reveals several hidden people. There is a mage, who also used dust of disappearance and is confident in his invisibility (it can’t be located with Detect Invisible spells), a group of 10 goblins riding wargs, and a female goblin to the side. The three dwarf escorts are simulacra. There is also something extremely powerful there as well with the female dwarf.

It’s clearly an ambush. Alzar creeps up until he is in range of the wizard for a Power Word Kill, about 180 feet away, Alzar makes sure its 170 just in case he miscounts. Now, it doesn’t look like the mage has any magical defenses up, and a Power Word Kill is a fast spell. Alzar literally says one word and the spell is cast. There’s no saving throw either. Alzar uses the Zoster to get ready for battle, and then…

He spits the spell. Now, I need to check the defenses of our good mage.

In the text it says he only used Dust and cast non-detection as well. But in his characterization, he uses a lot of spells for protection, including the spell Spell Turning. So in the interest of having an actual adventure I will rule that the mage had cast Spell Turning, and now I roll to see how many levels of turning he has – 1d4+6. 3 – 9 levels exactly. Alzar is also wearing his Ring of Spell Turning, so, here is what happens. The Spell is cast. It rebounds off the Turning spell that our good foe had prepared. The spell ricochets off and bounces back to Alzar, who then it bounces back off his Ring. So now what happens is that I roll to see the result, and here’s the chart:

01-70 – Spell ends, drained
71-80 – Spell effects both casters fully
81 – 97 – Defenses are down, and Alzar’s Ring will be inert for 1d4 rounds.
98-00 – Rift to Positive Material Plane is Opened and both head through it.


So there is still a 10% chance that Alzar wins. If he gets both effects, he is immune to PWK – too many hit points. Also, if he gets the rift result he wins, because he can’t leave this plane. I roll a 62 and the spell is gone.

[Abe Sargent]

The wizard, seeing a spell cast and his Turning drops, is going to try and flee. He’s a bit of a coward, and having been targeted through his defenses, he’s looking to get out.

Initiative!

Alzar does not have his Ring of Quick Action. Just Free and the Spell Turning one. 2 for Alzar and 4 for the foes. Most of their enemies are moving out, trying to attack, and the goblins and wargs have left the Invisibility 10’ radius spell that was dropped. Alzar ignores them, and casts Power Word Stun on the mage. Does the mage have an immunity to paralysis? Nope. He is stunned for…2 rounds. The goblins break and fire, and keep running in formation. The simulacra and the dwarf are charging, and…the Bulette is up too and attacking, and another is burrowing up from the ground.

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/non-aliencreatures/images/e/e6/Bulette.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101207230148

The Stalker is up and Alzar uses his Slippers to climb the walls to get him out of melee range so he can focus on more spells for hitting Tairdo, the conjurer. Init. 6 vs 8. Alzar casts Time Stop. Then he casts Mass Domination to deal with the goblins as he moves closer, and then Finger of Death and charges in to melee range…and that’s all he gets. The Mass Domination works on many and a bunch of goblins now force their worgs off, and the Finger of Death…15 rolled, save made. Alzar’s imp attacks the stunned Tairdo and….hits for…1 damage and….the mage rolled an 8 – and…a magic item helps him to win the save vs poison or die. Tairdo will be stunned for one more round. The dwarf and her simulacra attack Alzar and miss. The Bulette are in and attacking as well.

5 vs 7. Alzar takes 21 from the dwarf and one of the Bulette. A great axe carved him. Alzar tries to kill the mage the old fashioned way, with three attacks. Tairdo has an AC of -7. That’s right. That’s Bracers of Defense AC4, plus -3 for dex of 17 (AC1), Ring and Cloak of Protection each +3 (in my campaigns you can’t stack those, that’s too illegal, so I’m giving him a +3 ot hit bonus for a stunned character to make up for it). and a item that gives -2 to AC so he has an AC of -7. Now, Alzar needs:

13 ThACo
+7 for AC 17
17 with attack against a stunned creature
14 with Zoster
10 with Magical Axe
7 with strength


So he needs a 7 twice with the axe. 18 and 15 are rolled. That’s…6 and 3 damage rolled on d8s plus 6 and 4 and 3 times two for two hits – 35 damage. Then Alzar tries to hit with the Bright Barrier. Now he needs a 11 to hit with it. He rolls a 2. Unfortunately, he could not kill the mage this turn with melee attacks but…we still have an Azzil attack. The Imp rolls a 18 and hits. That’s 2 more damage. (3 from imp, 35 from axe – 38 damage – he has just 7 hp left, although Alzar doesn’t know that). Now, what about that poison save? He rolls a 5 and….I need to look that one up hold on….His poison save is a 10, so he gets +3 from the ring, and I’m ruling he doesn’t get two +3 saves from two protection items. (I just looked it up and the DM’s guide says this in the Ring of Protection section:

“2. Multiple Rings of protection operation on the same person, or in the same area, do not combine protection.”

Now just because you take the same magic, and put it on a cloak, a boot, a belt, or a condom doesn’t mean that the magic is different. There’s no line that specifically says that it will or won’t work in the Cloak or Ring descriptions, so hold on, let me check the later printings of those two items in the Encyclopedia.

Ring in Encyclopedia Magica says….the same description. What about the Cloak? Nope, nothing else there either. Hmmm…. What about the D&D magical items list? I searched for ten minutes and nothing. So I ate a Twinkie. And then I ate the other one in the pack. And no mystical guidance followed. I just think it’s cheesy and cheating to run that many +s to saves in order to cheat and win your saving throws.

So what do I do? Ignore my ruling from the past? Then the Imp’s poison doesn’t work and we go to the next turn. Or do I keep it and once again, Alzar has killed a big bad and changed the story early on.

Sigh.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s just ignore the ruling because this character is built around those items. The Imp’s poison fails to work. Alzar takes 15 from some melee. Alzar’s dominated goblins have fired bows at the dwarf and tinged her a few times.

Next round. Watch, Alzar will win initiative, kill the wizard, and that will have been moot anyway. Alzar’s team rolls a 7, not looking good, and then…2.

The mage casts teleport, touches the female dwarf next to him, and then they leave.

In a short manner of time, Alzar will have cleaned out the simulacra, bulette, and the worg/goblins will reveal that they came from the dwarf fortress they conquered a while ago, Radruundar.

Alzar is getting close to leveling up.

They finish escorting the bride to the chapel, and the wedding goes off without a hitch (normally in the plotline, there would have been an ambush at the wedding, but Alzar prevented it and the bride was not killed, so the plotline is different here. Normally, there would be an investigation to find out who killed the bride and suspicions would have been on both sides, yadda yadda. Now it’s all clear.)

[Abe Sargent]

After the wedding, and relating events of the day and the previous night to various people, a creature suddenly springs up from the ground and moves to attack one of the local priests of Morena. It’s some sort of lower plane creature, but Alzar’s Netherworld Knowledge and Sage Knowledge are useless at identifying it. It’s not like anything Alzar has seen before.


http://pandaria.orgfree.com/advent/abomination.png

It has 3 mouth attacks, each do 1d3 damage and then stay linked doing 1d3 and causing a level loss to energy drain each time. Then it has three claws, each does 2d4 when it hits, and if two hit the same target an additional 4d4 is done.

Magic Resist – 30%, AC -3, THACo – 1, 140 hit points. Regenerates 3 hp per round, even if MR fails, it acts as if a Ring of Spell Turning were worn, immune to heat, cold, acid, poison, and electricity. +3 or better to hit.

Initiative!

3 vs 4. Alzar’s pushes himself between the creature and the cleric, and then the axe leads the way and he tries to hit it twice, and then once with the shield. 13, 9, 9. That’s…2 hits. 34 damage. The creature is attacking. It snaps at Alzar and misses (Cloak). The cleric casts a spell but it rebounds off the creature’s magic resistance. Other dwarves begin readying missile weapons at Alzar’s commands, he’ll do the melee.

109/140

4 vs 1. The Creature needs just a 6 to hit Alzar. He hits four times, two mouths and two claws, for 31 damage. Alzar carves it with his axe for….28 damage. The cleric heals Alzar of some damage and the missiles all miss.

84/140

5 vs 8. Alzar tries again and…3 hits for 47 damage. Blarg! The missiles miss, and Alzar is fully healed, then he loses two levels, takes 4 damage automatically, and then is hit with the other mouth and two claws for 27 more damage.

40/140

5 vs 8. Alzar rolls a 5, 11, and 11. For 26 damage. Missiles miss. Alzar is healed. Then he takes 3 more levels lost and 19 damage from claws.

2 vs 4. Alzar carves and finishes it. The creature dissipates into mist. It won’t have been killed, just sent back.

Alzar splits 23k with the priest (nothing else was done by anyone)

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar asks the priest for a Restoration Spell, and the priest agrees to cast it. Another couple of priests are brought it and he is fully restored by them. The levels he lost are restored.

The high priest of Morena sighs, and then begins to tell the tale of the Abomination of Karazan. Created specifically to hunt and destroy dwarves by an Immortal here on Pandius, only one is known to exist. It was against the Abomination that the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords was used and lost, centuries and centuries ago, one of the great artifacts of dwarven power here on Pandius. It seems that both have been turned up.

The high priest was from Radruundar, where the high temple to Morena for the plane was. That temple’s power, along with others in the fortress and mining complex helped to contain the Abomination. But the Axe was lost, long ago. No idea where it is now.

Radruundar was the largest dwarf hold in the Norwold borders, and had around 5000 dwarves. It’s to the far west, where the Jotunheimr Hills meet the Jagged Teeth of the mountains, northwest of Leeha. The second largest is Stormhaven, in the Wyrmsteeth range, and Hammerhelm was the 5th largest, now 2nd largest with the remnants of Radruundar bolstering their numbers. Despite the well managed defenses of the dwarfish citadel, there were almost 30,000 goblins that attacked, they were aided by magic and monsters, and they used a lot of formations and such. Ultimately, fewer than 750 dwarves survived to flee, and around 650 made it to Hammerhelm after fighting off various threats and the goblins that attacked them twice.

[Abe Sargent]

With the assault on the wedding by the goblins and the human mage and female dwarf sort of confusing, but clear that Radruundar is where the action is, Alzar spends the next day (the 18th) getting all of the information that he can about the fortress and their enemies. How did they fight? What else was with them? Are there any secret passages or anything the goblins may not have found that Alzar can use? They provide him with a map of the fortress.

He begins to scry it to see what Radruundar looks like. It’s hundreds of miles away. There are several major sections of the fortress:

West Entrance connects just to West Defenses
West Defenses connect just to Citadel and West Entrance
Citadel – connects to Main Level, Mines, Caverns, West Defenders and East Entrance
East Entrance connects to Citadel and Main Level
Main Level, connects to East Entrance, Lower Level, Citadel
Mines, just connect to Citadel
Power House just connects with Lower Level and Main Level.
Lower Level connects with Power House and Main Level
Caverns just connect with Citadel

Alzar discusses a variety of places to enter the fortress. The western entrance was the main one the dwarves used, and it was built up defensively, while the east was the back entrance. Alzar would rather hit the east, but he can also go into the mines in the top of the complex and work down through the defenses if he wants, or he can try to find a way up the caverns from the bottom.

After studying, what he’d like to do is teleport inside the fortress, and then move from there, behind their lines. That’s the smart, tactically strong play. The least likely place to get noticed would be the Power House, all the way in the bottom of the complex. There are a few waterwheels there that turn and provides mechanical power and hot water to the stronghold.

[Abe Sargent]

There is a large grotto here. Alzar will scry it out and then teleport over to check out the power house. It’s not likely to be heavily guarded. There are parts of the fortress that have been created to keep scrying, teleporting, and pass-walling out, such as the citadel. But the powerhouse is not anywhere near that level of protection. Alzar arrives in the underground grotto, where a river used to flow through the chamber to the west, vanishing down a sinkhole. However, the dwarven structures, built centuries ago, have dammed off the grotto to create the water and mechanical power for the stronghold.

There is a carved corridor off the room. Alzar uses the black Ioun Stone and has some slightly different magical items as his default. He is wearing the Necklace of Adaptation, the Gauntlets of Dexterity (which give him +3 DEX to 16, and an additional -2 to AC as a result, plus he gets 95% to pick pockets, 37% to open locks. There are apparently a lot of doors in this complex that are locked, according to the dwarves. He’ll be using the Girdle to bump his Strength up. ) Early on, he’ll have the Ring of Free Action and the Ring of Invisibility, with the Spell Turning one on his belt, ready to be pulled off and swapped. He has the Eyes of Humanoid and Monster Charming on instead of his Helm or Hats, and has the Pickaxe of Piercing on his leg instead of a different backup weapon, and has memorized a different set of spells that are anti-magic resistance and anti-mage, as well as large group stuff too.

For example, his 9th level spells are Lauthdryn’s Cleaving (Magister), Mass Domination *,
Power Word, Kill *, Strip Resistance (College).

The Eyes of Humanoid and Monster Charming are really powerful. He can’t wear the Eyes something else on his head though.

Alzar can, at will, use either Charm Monster or Charm Person with a -2 to the save. Alzar also gives a -1 to the save with his class ability. He skips memorizing the charm spells and takes other useful things instead, Unseen Servant and Dig.


Here in the grotto are some charmed creatures, there are around 15 goblin females and children, and 5 goblin males and a handful of apelike yeti-esque creatures called Alaghi. All use this area as their home, and all are charmed (spellcraft proficiency).

Alzar ignores them and heads down the tunnel. Back here is a set of pipes that take water up, and a geyser that has a huge amount of moisture in a large room. The stairs up to one of the floors should be down the hallway to his left and there are more parts to the level to the right. (Alzar secretly rolls a d20 and fails, getting an 8).

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar heads right to explore the rest of the level. There is a large gear room on the left and a control room passes on the right. There are doors in the area that have been weakened by the moisture of the area and easily opened and closed, many hanging loosely. There is another gear room and then he arrives at the large waterwheels. Two huge waterwheels are turning and creating motive energy that is used to move things like elevators and to keep doors closed. There are some glowgems, that are in the walls of the area, and give off light. There is a large pond of water past the wheels, and an island beyond that. Alzar unfurls his Carpet and flies over the pond to the island, with Azzil invisibly above by the ceiling.

As he nears the island, he notices an uncomfortable feeling in his head. Once again, a Mind Flayer is using a Mind Blast to attack him psychically. He is immune to the stun effect (Free Action Ring) and grabs his axe – flying and melee are the best way to face off against a Mind Flayer. A second illithid floats down and firs a Mind Blast. A group of 5 marine trolls emerge from the pool and were charmed to help the illithids.

6 vs 1. Alzar is hit by a Suggestion spell by one as the other moves to melee him, hoping to suck out his head. Alzar rolls a 5 and instead of the Suggestion working (he failed the save) the protective amulet is destroyed. The illithids gets above him and forces him down to the ground and its tentacles lash out and Alzar is hit once for 6 damage. His axe and barrier bite into the creature for 28 damage. The scrags have moved their full movement and based Alzar.

6 vs 2. Alzar is hit automatically by the mind flayer for one tentacle and two more hit him. Scrags miss. Alzar takes 8 damage from a psionic attack from the other flayer. Alzar carves and finishes the one on him, and then cuts into a scrag twice more with the extra attacks and kills it. It’ll regenerate though.

1 vs 5. Alzar’s axe and barrier kill a second troll. He takes 9 from trolls and 6 from the Mind Flayer.

3 vs 9. Alzar orders Azzil down to stab the Mind Flayer and he stops attacking and casts Polymorph Other. The Illitihid makes its save, then the imp rolls and gest a 14 – with the +4 ambush, that’s enough to hit for 3 damage and….The illithid rolls a 5 and fails the poison save and dies.

The charm on the scrags breaks, but they haven’t seen anything to fear yet. Alzar takes 8 from a few attacks.

2 vs 5. Alzar carves a third, and bashes one that just regenerated back to life back to death. With two left, they attack for 5 and then begin to flee. Alzar lets them go, carves up the pieces of the three he kills even more, heads to OtherSpace to grab a flask of acid, and then destroys them.

Dead – 2 Mind Flayers, and 3 scrags

20k.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar only needs 30k more to level up.

He takes some glaregoggles from the two mind flayers.

A quick search turns up nothing here on the island. Alzar heads back, flying over the pool.

He checks out the elevator and stairs. The stairs should head up to the Lower Level and the elevator to the main level. Alzar’s not sure which one is more likely to have the target. So he starts with the Lower level.

The twisting stairs will head up more than 200’. As he heads up, Alzar casts Invisible Stalker, and uses the Ring to turn invisible, and then uses the Slippers to walk up the walls of the stairs, avoiding any potential traps. As the dwarves mentioned, a lot of traps here in the complex are floor based, so he’ll normally walk on the ceiling or walls.

The lower level was used for housing dwarven families and troops, had the main temple to Morena in the center, including a brewery and some other similar industries, a prison, training areas, and buried their dead. Alzar knows where each of the sections are. He arrives at the top, unguarded, and moves to a large hallway, running east to west. To the east should be the temple and quarters and such for the priests. Barracks are to the south, and there is a door about 30 feet down the chamber that is a back entrance to it. West is a hospital and some apartments. Off the temple is a concealed door to a back complex that is quite large but has no other entrances or exits. Back there is the mortuary complex, and many spells won’t work there, like passwall or teleport. You can planar shift into or out of the area either, so no conjuring of elemental aid can occur back there. They wanted to keep their people safe.

Alzar heads east first to make sure that they take care of any problems. A few goblins move from the barracks down the corridor, but Alzar’s invisible folks (Imp, Himself, and Stalker) easily get past in this wide corridor.

Beyond the door is a rectangular chamber with vaulted ceiling and dim light filtering down from a far away jewel, There is a cistern of holy water in the center of the room, untainted. That’s probably good evidence that the goblins haven’t come down this section. Of course Alzar will be using the Star of Mo-Pilar to search all of the rooms they encounter. They head left from the anti-chamber into the priest quarters area of the floor. Back here is a statuary hall with a lot of scars and pockmarks and broken statues. Towards the back are two statues perfectly framed and shaped like dwarves. The hall ends with a door at the back end. This was used as a room to celebrate the immortals of the dwarves, and various leaders.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar uses the Star and discovers that the two statues are golems. They look like a stone golem that’s in the shape of a dwarf, but golems can be tricky, and could have different stats or abilities. The dwarves didn’t mention them. That’s dangerous. They must have been put here by the new owner.

Golems aren’t going to be confused by an invisibility spell. They aren’t moving, they are just guarding the back. That’s a little suspicious, although having guards for something that has nothing of value beyond it is a known tactic. Still, Alzar can certainly advance on the golems. He pulls back into OtherSpace to grab the Whistle of Golem Control, and pulls out his Bronze and Stone golems. He’ll lead with the bronze one.

With golems in front, and Stalker to the rear, Alzar moves to the golems, who animate and move to attack back.

3 vs 8. The bronze golem punches and connects for 16 damage but no extra heat damage, and Aegis misses, rolling a 4. Alzar blows the Whistle on the one they are not targeting and….it rolls a 3 and fails its save. Alzar now controls it. It moves to punch it’s ally and smashes it hard for 15 damage. The damaged golem punish the bronze for 11 damage but does not take heat damage, nor does the Bronze take the Heat Metal effect from the golem (it’s called a Dwarf Crusher golem).

1 vs 2. The combined damage of the various folks have badly damaged the dwarf crusher, and the bronze took another 10 damage. Then they finish it off next turn.

Bronze Golem – 69/90

Alzar uses the controlled golem (for a about another half hour) to lead. Behind their hall is a vestry, a number of dormitories, a few vestibules, and finally a bedchamber. Alzar’s Star and Azzils Detect magic finds a few items with Nystul’s Magic Aura cast on them to appear magical but there are also four full kegs of 100 charges of smoke powder each, and the golems move them into his OtherSpace.

They head back and move to the temple proper.

[Abe Sargent]

Beyond the shimmered portals is a passage that is 20 feet across at least. The temple opens up in the heart of the mountain and it’s at least 100 feet down, and across. There are large statutes of dwarves, and a titanic figure of a female dwarf at the end, dressed as a smith. Some of the bas-reliefs and decorations have been broken, but there is still an aura of good here that survives. Several wards and traps have fired, and there are goblin corpses on the ground, now since damaged.

There are some wards on the ground that are still active, and Alzar simply walks on the ceiling. The altar here is a great anvil, and Alzar lands by it, and strikes it with his axe. The clear ringing tone causes the various wards to disappear and a secret door to open to the left. There is a huge forge to the left in the temple that was used to make holy items that were blessed by the clergy. The forge is still magical.

The temple has space for private worship areas, and such. But Alzar heads to the catacombs past the temple. This is a wide vaulted hall extending north and the air is cool and infused with the odor of mold. There is a line of glowgems in the ceiling.

There are a lone of statues with glyphs and glowgems, all in good condition. It’s clear that the condition that back here has not been tainted by the goblins, they haven’t found this place.

There are side corridors that break off the main one, and with memorial tablets, urns with ashes and a few crypts and sarcophagi. The Star doesn’t see anything so he skips them. He feels the presence of some guardian mummies in some of these, but they are not antagonistic, the dwarves have created a variant that’s just lawful neutral, and not evil.

There is antechamber up to the right that has a block of white stone with a blue flame burning steadily at the top, and sparking jewels scattered about. Alzar heads into the room and inspects it with his various items. One of the gems is magical:

Amulet of Inescapable Location

[Abe Sargent]

He pulls out and continues on. There are some false tombs here he skips past, not wanting to drive things to an unusual level. There’s nothing unusual in them. The corridor has turned around a few times and now opens into a large, gently sloping staircase to the east, and at the bottom is a hugely vaulted passage which bears more and increasingly impressive bas-reliefs. This is where kings were buried. The Gem of Seeing reveals that some of these are actually dwarven made golems called Tomb Wardens.

Alzar skips the crypts here and avoids the tomb wardens. He passes into an antechamber with a bright shining blue anvil made of valorite. This is the Anvil of Songs, an artifact that was used to create many of the ancient dwarven items. Alzar rings the Anvil and waits, as per instructions from the dwarves. In a moment, guardian mummy leader arrives, and Alzar tells him why he’s here, he’s trying to end the continued assault on the dwarves above, find and destroy the Abomination of Karazan, and to take out the mage and his allies here and remove them as a major threat.

The mummy asks him to verify these statements, and he removes magic protection and voluntarily opens his mind. After being verified, the mummy summons 5 guardian deacons to escort Alzar. Alzar is escorted back to the back of the crypt area, down an elevator into caverns that once mined the most valuable ore on Pandius – valorite, and then to a huge chamber behind everything else. In this room is the burial chamber of the ancient king who began Radruundar, and more importantly, who had the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords. When he died, he was placed with the Axe in the hand of the great statue of Morena here to guard him. About a year ago, that mage and his goblin female ally broke into this chamber, dispelled the various wards, fought against the mummies, broke into the sarcophagus and robbed him, and the goblin took the axe on her way out. They mummies regenerated and reformed, but they were too late, and the king was raided.

They ask Alzar to find the Axe, and bring it back to this crypt. Alzar agrees to try and find the axe, but has some questions. If the female goblin had the Axe, she would have been turned into a dwarf by now, right? Correct, the curse of the Axe is well known. Anyone who uses it for long turns into a dwarf. Alzar then asks about the Axe. The mummy tells him of the prophecy of it being brought back to return the dwarves for a golden age. Alzar learns more from the axe, but then he asks the mummy if it shouldn’t be given to the dwarves. After they were sent away from the home the Axe helped to forge, wouldn’t it make sense to let the current dwarves have it, so they could either regain Radruundar or carve a new destiny? The mummy ponders for a moment, and agrees that would be acceptable as well.

The white is about to run out, so Alzar asks the Mummy and his allies for help. In one great attack they attack with fists of mummies and Alzar’s axe and punches from his golems and destroy the dwarf crusher. The mummy tells him that the dwarf crusher golem has a anti-dwarf enhancement on it of some sort and confirms it was not dwarven in manufacture.

Alzar leaves the area, and heads out to the rest of the lower level. He pulls his golems back into the Flask and Marble, and then heads out.

[Abe Sargent]

Using the Ring again, Alzar moves on the top of the ceiling and has his allies with him. They get past a a patrol of goblins and enter the infirmary area. There are numerous goblins in here, as well as a variety of herbage and items. Alzar uses the Star and finds some magical potions, unused. He moves to them, and then as it coast is clear, drops down and snags three potions of Healing, and climbs back up. He places them in a Bag of Holding.

They pass a kitchen, dining area, and a shrine, now corrupted to a goblin immortal. The brewery is working again as goblins make their own brew. It smells awful. As do the goblins. In fact, they are nasty, smelly, they defecate and urinate where they sleep, and the entire area is full of vermin from lice and worms to rats. Alzar’s Necklace keeps him from smelling it in.

The glassblowers shop, cobbler, sculptor and tailor are all minor places., and Alzar investigates the apartments and finds little.

There is an elevator back here that heads up to the main level.

The goblins here have a few goblins that have unusual shaped weapons, and many have magical items, particularly potions and rings. Alzar decides to try and isolate one in order to investigate. His Stalker grabs one and pulls it into a vacant room and breaks its neck before it can cry out. The Ring is something Alzar has never seen before, and the goblin has a potion of polymorph. The pot is a Thunderpot, it’s a incendiary device that’s basically like a one-shot necklace of missiles, and it has to be ignited with a spark, and then tossed and it explodes for 4d10 damage on everyone in a 15’ radius, and save for half damage. It’s a fragile thing, made of glass, and Alzar slips it into the Bag of Holding

Ring – Spellcache (Stoneskin)

Alzar will find out later regarding the Ring what it is.

[Abe Sargent]

Meanwhile, Alzar heads south to check out the jails. He presses through a small guard of a pair of goblins – clearly a token guard. Alzar checks the cells - there are more than 30 dwarves back here in jail, being used as slave labor, plus a gnome and a human female. She is an old cleric, captured by a goblin raiding party, who secreted her holy symbol and has been making sure the prisoners are well fed and healed. They are in much better straits that prisoners would normally be, with her Create Food and Water spells and curings. The gnome is a bit battened by his experience, but he’s an illusionist/thief.

This is basically an instant army. Some of the dwarves are civilians, and one, a young dwarf female, has just given birth. Alzar uses Mass Teleport to send the non-fighters and the woman and child back to Hammerhelm. Alzar slips into OtherSpace to grab some weapons, all magical, for the dwarves, but he doesn’t have army that’ll fit anyone. There are 20 dwarves, a gnome, and a cleric, and Alzar wants to keep them here, ready to fight for now, and then search the rest of this floor first. He only has about one fourth of the level left to scout out.

Alzar uses the Eyes on the two guards and they fall to his friends, and they will guard here, happily, and keep Alzar’s coming a secret.

Alzar heads east into some more barracks, and this has the officer’s quarters. Alzar can’t get in too far; the place is dense with goblins.

He passes by a large training area that’s in use, and the goblins are running through a variety of formations and practicing tactics. A goblin leader is leading them.

They also pass a tavern, kitchen, and more. Some vermin pop out, scavengers like centipedes and stuff snake out, but ignore the people they can’t see. Alzar enters a huge grotto and cavern to the south, and 8 guards flank it, but he passes over them. Inside here is an old silver mine. The goblins checked it out, and then were disappointed with the amount of metal ore and abandoned it.

Alzar heads deeper and deeper into the area, and suddenly a giant xorn breaks through the ground, and demands 300 gp for payment.

http://th06.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2014/345/c/a/xorn_by_flammableperson-d89j2f2.jpg

Alzar doesn’t want to weaken himself when he knows that he could have some major battles later, so he agrees, and pulls out 300 gp for it, and it allows him to continue. Nothing else is back here. Alzar is still invisible, the xorn just saw through it.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar finishes exploring the floor and returns. He checks up on the now-freed prisoners and gives them the lay of the land. He is going to take the stairs to the west up to the main floor, to try and find, and hopefully surprise or assassinate the wizard and his goblin/dwarf ally, consort, minion, whatever. Then he’ll free the complex of its leaders, and more importantly, That’s his goal. Right now, the fact that no one knows Alzar is here is his best ally. Alzar is going to turn the amulet into a Fremlin who will invisibly watch over, and leave the Invisible Stalker here as a guard for them to help them out and gives it some instructions. Then he’s going to head back out and up with the imp and go up to the main level, where he suspects the two main bad guys are likely to be found.

The main level was the main living quarters and home of the old dwarven kingdom, with a throne room, the palace, storage, and more. There are two choke points on the floor that guard entrances to it from other places. Alzar skipped both by coming up from the lower level.

The door from the stairs to the hallway is stronger than others. Alzar fails to pick the lock and acid won’t work on this one – the door’s lock is made of stone. Alzar has to waste his knock spell to open it up. It swings free. After casting his final spell, the Ring is done for the day and Alzar swaps to using Dust of Disappearance and he gives himself the Spell Turning ring in its place.

If Alzar has captured the fortress, he would have taken a space in the lower level, but the foes didn’t, so they are almost assuredly in the palatial section of this level, in the southeast corner of the area.

Alzar heads out and is astounded by the sheer number of goblins here. He passes by rooms that would have held 50 dwarves poring with 200 goblins easily. There are three sections of barracks, storage, and various apartments.

In fact, it seems like there are three different clans of goblins all living here. After30 minutes of scouting it seems that there are at least 2500 goblins that call this place home, and that includes shaman, leaders, lieutenants and such. The patrols here are in strong numbers, and very well disciplined in the heart of the mountain.

[Abe Sargent]

The largest room in the level is the foundry. Here dwarves turned ore into ingots, hewed weapons, armor and implements, and worked metal for their whole lives. There are some goblins in here, led by a fire giant ordering them around, but the numbers of ingots, unworked ores, and more is huge.

In the back of the foundry the goblins have set up a huge circle of stones, about 20 feet tall, along the back side of the wall. It detects as magical, and appears to be a portal of some sort, currently not in use.

Alzar heads back and moves to the palace complex. Like some other places, the palace is immune to teleporting, scrying, and such. Alzar arrives on the north end of the area, and this is the palace atrium, a pleasant chamber stretching away to the south with a still pool that reflects the dim light of the glowstones and a few blotches of multicolored lichen dot the area. The air is much fresher than the rest of the place, and there is a row of slim pillars and wide steps beyond them with stone fragments of broken statues.

After seeing what he suspects are more Dwarf Crushers, there are two more golems back here, guarding this entrance to the palace. Alzar was hoping to head in via the wide atrium, but instead circles to the other barracks side and comes in the west entrance. There are a variety of traps in this floor, and Azzil is perched on Alzar’s shoulder in order to walk slowly, and invisibly over the goblins below.

They are adjacent to the royal guard barracks. They appear to include 20 elite goblin warriors, leaders, females, switch doctor, and more.

Alzar slips past the barracks by following the corridor east. Because goblins are so small, there’s little chance of them bumping heads, but he’s cautious when people come by.

[Abe Sargent]

He arrives at a large foyer, just south of the atrium. Further and to the east is the rest of the complex, and to the right and south of where he stands is the throne room, with a pair of double doors. There are are goblins on guard here. Alzar’s Stone reveals glyphs of warding in a few places. Alzar can’t get the doors open without revealing something is here, so he heads east.

There is a message that the Fremlin just sent telepathically. Some goblins downstairs came into the cells and discovered the prisoners were freed, and the Stalker is engaging them .

Alzar pushes on with some haste. It’ll probably be at least 10 minutes before an alarm would reach up to here, but he wants to ensure that it happens.

Three is a kitchen to the left, open, and Alzar senses something…necrotic beyond it. There is a woman there and Alzar uses his necrology proficiency and…succeeds. She is a vampire. Well that’s interesting. Alzar skips that area for now.

There is a corridor of traps next, with pits, punji stakes, and spear traps, all on the floor. Alzar walks over them. There are a group of bed chambers and a bath chamber next that flank on corridors off the main one. No guards are here. Alzar grabs his Ear Ring to hear on a door to the left, and hears the sound of a human male speaking and intoning something. Alzar rolls a spellcraft and…. He’s currently trying to snare an extraplanar creature to help him. Alzar unstoppers the Iron Flask and the Bronze Golem is next to him. The Warp Marble makes noise when it’s used, so he stays here.

The door is locked, so he tries to pick it quietly. It is picked. He made some noise and…he was not noticed.

[Abe Sargent]

The door opens to reveal an apartment that has been converted to a work room. There are a pair of doors here. The one to the south has the speaking from it. Alzar heads over gently, and pulls the golem in and gently closes the door, all quietly.

Again, this time Alzar considers his options. The Ear Ring doesn’t detect anything else here. He can have the golem kick the door down and Alzar, behind it, casts Power Word Kill and tries to one hit kill his target again. Alzar grabs a vial of acid and spends a few seconds weakening the hinges. He doubts that Tairdo has cast the Spell Turning spell, because it only lasts around 10 minutes or so, and there’s no reason to cast it here. But he probably has a protection from evil spell or something else while working on that ritual. Alzar decides that the chance at the one hit kill is too good to pass up, and will lead with the same spell as before.

The door is bashed open by the Bronze Golem and Alzar spits a word at whoever is beyond this door. As expected, it’s the wizard, and the wizard doesn’t have Spell Turning up, so he dies in one spell.

Alzar casts Conjure Elemental to give him another ally while the bronze golem guards him. He unfurls Aegis and then the group head out to the corridor. Out from the bedchambers in the back is the female dwarf, and she is bellowing in rage at Alzar. There’s no one else though. As she moves down, with a glowing Axe in her hand, the Abomination appears in the hallway, and grabs the axe. Then it dissipates with it in its grip.

Um….okay?

Alzar casts Finger of Death are the now weaponless dwarf and…she rolls a 7 and dies.

A moment passes and the guards back here in the palace arrive – a dozen wereboars, lycanthropes charging to attack. Alzar’s summoned creatures and golems are in front. He has Azzil fly around an scout to make sure he can’t be flanked and he casts Mass Domination and 7 of the 12 wereboars are now his and he controls them and forces them to attack the others. Surprised by the attack by their allies, and with the pressing of an elemental and a pair of golems, the now 4 survivors begin to flee. Alzar lets them go, he doesn’t care about them that much

[Abe Sargent]

Azzil reports a back entrance to the south that hits the apartments, and Alzar summons shadows, and gets 9 shadows, and sends them down to the lower level to relieve the attack on the prisoners, and the Stalker and his gingwatsim/fremlin ally down there. The shadows can slip past everyone else. Then he grabs his stones and conjures two more Earth Elementals and has them guard the south flank, just in case, and leaves these here and does a quick inspection.

There were two royal chambers. One has been turned into the wizard’s major wizard area, with a lab, library, workroom, and summoning chamber. The other is where the bed, bath, and such are. Alzar uses the Star of Mo-Pilar on them and checks to see if there are any traps, or anything else.

As Alzar begins to inspect, checking the corpses and such, the area begins to fade. In a moment, a statute that looks suspiciously like Morena is in front of Alzar, and the mouth opens. Alzar is in a dark chamber, with no light. The statue tells him that the Abomination of Karazan, a rival immortal who hates dwarves, has taken the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords back to its sub-plane. Without the amulet that summons it, it can’t come back to Pandius. The Axe will be lost unless Alzar can go to the sub-plane, and then destroy the Abomination on its own plane, which kills it permanently, and then returns with the Axe.

Alzar inquires further and Morena tells him that it would be inappropriate for an immortal to go and arrive at the sub-plane of another Immortal and destroy one of their creatures directly. She helped the dwarves create the Axe, an it’s an artifact of the Sphere of matter. So she needs someone to go and get it, and defeat the powerful Abomination.

The problem of course is that Alzar can’t go to that plane. So Morena, an Immortal of Matter and a patron of the dwarfs, offers to free Alzar of his burden, and Alzar must pledge to return the Axe, and then agree to do one other task for her dwarves at a later point in time. Alzar accepts but points out that they demon princes can just come to Pandius and reestablish the block later. Morena’s statue agrees to ensure that he can’t be so ensorcelled again.

And suddenly, the demon prince’s magic on him is gone, and he is no longer tethered to Pandius, or any other plane.

[Abe Sargent]

In a moment, the fog clears, and Alzar has moved to the sub-plane of the Abomination.

As long as this pocket plane exists, and it was created by Karazan himself, the Abomination will always come back after death, unless killed here. The pocket is a cavern, small but breathable. Alzar’s Dust of Disappearance is still on him, but its not working – he can be seen. Every plane has its own rules, it looks like either illusion or concealment (or both) won’t work here. Azzil did not follow.

Alzar needs some friends to help. He was able to destroy the Abomination only because he was getting healed at a prolific rate. Alzar stoops, concentrates, and heads to his OtherSpace to plan a route of attack. He drops off items that he used, such as the stones. He grabs the Face and returns and uses it to conjure a 16 HD earth and air elemental. Often summoning spells on these sub planes don’t work, but they are fine here.

With that knowledge, out come the Horn of Valhalla’s fighters and Alzar switches from the Spell Turning to Quick Action ring.

With 4 berserkers, and the two elementals, Alzar moves out, the Face still on so he can use it if needed.

They arrive in a large chamber with a giant giant called an athach, Alzar uses the Zoster as it flings a boulder at him, behind his people, and misses. The others move it to melee it, and Alzar casts a spell.

Init. 8 vs 2. A boulder smashes Alzar for 17 damage. Alzar tries to kill it by casting Stone to Flesh. It rolls an 18 and is fine. A variety of creatures tear into it (AC0 ) for 24 damage. 2 vs 9. Alzar throws his Trombash of Returning for… 11 damage. Elementals hit twice foe 42 damage and it dies.

The Star shows nothing in the chamber, it was just empty.

As they move into the final room, the Abomination appears beneath him and comes out to attack and misses (Cloak)

Alzar 62/77

Initiative. 5 vs 7. Alzar’s axe and Bright Barrier give him three attacks against the creature. Here we go…Alzar rolls 7, 2 and 11. Alzar needs a 6 to hit with the Axe and a 11 to hit with the shield. That’s two hits for 29 damage. The elementals attack they each need an 8 to hit. 15 and 14, for 3d8x2, 19 damage total. That sucked. The berserkers can’t hit. The Abomination attacks Alzar six times. Alzar normally has an AC of -5, but he gained –2 with the Gauntlets of Dexterity, but is not wearing the Helm of Selnor he is wearing right now. (Bracers AC2, Cloak of Displacement, -3 for Bright Barrier, -2 for Dexterity, -1 for Ioun Stone) so the Abomination needs a 7 for its various attacks. For the mouths, it rolls…1, 3, and 2. (Not kidding. Dang Alzar!). For the claws, it rolls 10, 6, and 13 for 2d4, 2d4 and then 4d4 for the extra hit. 22 damage.

Alzar - 41/77
Abomination – 95/140

Alzar drops the Bright Barrier and moves to his stance, so he can have -2 AC from the fighting style, but loses an attack. Init. 7 vs 6. The creature attacks Alzar, this time needing a 6. For…5, 15, and 15 – 4 damage from the mouths, and they are locked on. Then 6, 13, and 18 for 21 damage from the claws. Alzar’s axe slashes into the creature with rolls of 6 and 12 for 34 damage and then he grabs a potion of super healing and chugs it, and heals 40 damage. The elementals roll a 3 and 2 and both miss. Dang!

Alzar – 57/77
Abom - 64/140

Init.. 2 vs 5. Alzar attacks with his axe and…10 and 6 and hits for…5 and 7 for 38 damage. Alzar quaffs a potion of Gaseous Form to break the hold the mouths have on him, so he won’t lose any levels. The Elementals punch and….16 and 9 are rolled, two hits. The first is for 6, 3, and 6 – 15 and the second is 8, 2, and 3 for 13 - 28 more The Abom is still alive (un fortunately) and changes targets to an elemental. He attacks and does 35 damage total to an earth elemental.

Init – 7 vs 2. The Abom hits for 36 more damage and kills the Earth Elemental. Alzar turns back into a person but can’t do anything else this round. The Air misses when it rolls a 4.

The next turn Alzar uses his Ring of Quick Action to go first and attacks. 1 and 12 for one hit for 6 +13 – 19 damage. The Abom gained 6 from regen but that’s still enough to kill it.

The pieces fly off and it dies. Alzar carves off pieces after pieces, but it’s still regenerating. He needs to figure out how to kill it permanently. He tries fire and acid but they won’t work. It takes a while, but eventually he figures out that its holy water. The creature’s body parts dissipate.

[Abe Sargent]

Beyond the creature is a portal, and a glistening axe lays before it. Alzar gains 23k and then grabs the Ring of Tk he had around his belt for this. He uses it to pick up the Axe without touching it, and places it in a small chest from his OtherSpace. He checks around and there’s nothing left and he flings through the portal and arrives back in Pandius.

Alzar arrives and no time has passed at all. Azzil didn’t even notice him leave. Alzar orders that the corpse f the two leaders be brought out, after stripping them of their items, and the message sent to the goblins gathering in the barracks for an assault on them.

Alzar has the two dead bodies in front of him, and casts Mass Charm. He has his friends tell the others that the leaders have died. The goblins pass the message back and forth, and with the bodies of their two leaders cast down, it’s easy to see the truth, and soon enough, they break, not wanting to further go against one so strong.

Meanwhile, the shadows arrive downstairs and helped to bolster the defenses down there, and nothing more happened. Alzar leads a group of Elementals down, leaving his golems, and Imp here to guard to place, and they kill a few goblins that try to sneak in. A short while later, Alzar has rescued the group and brings them back up. They return to the area that he secured in the palace and sleep in the bedchambers. Alzar teleports over a few with a normal teleport and then hands the box with the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords to the locals here, and then uses Vanish to head back and spends the night there looting, sleeping, studying, and then Mass Teleports over the rest of the group to Hammerhelm, with himself one of the targets, and gives them another 30 dwarves.

A ceremony is held at lunch and Alzar is greeted as dwarf-friend and given a massive amount of titles, both for killing the leaders and the Abomination, as well as finding and returning the Axe. In fact, several leaders have suggested that Alzar is the reincarnation of the Lord of Wood and Fire, who gave the dwarves their first Forge of Power, millennia ago. The fortress still has too many goblins and they are too weakened for them to retake it, but someday, they’ll do it. so instead they’ll help to rebuild Hammerhelm for now. They have agreed to become a part of Alzar’s County officially, and unlike other holds, have sworn fealty to Alzar and will help to strengthen his burgeoning nation-state. (We’ll look at the particularly of that soon)

[Abe Sargent]

Afterwards, Alzar teleports back to Evenarrow for a few hours, informing them of what had happened, and what the changes will be going forward, and then decides a few cases and takes care of outstanding business for a few hours. Then he teleports back to Radruundar and continues to explore the area in the palace he cordoned off. He used Dig and such to destroy the entrance to the back chambers from the throne room, so there is no other way back here, while he spends a few days scouring everything, looting, and more.

Here are the various things he has uncovered, found, and procured


Detailed Notebook on making a Dwarf Crusher Golem
4 Books that relate, in detail, how to make Spellcache Rings of various sorts
How to Make a Thunderpot in Four Easy Steps
Notes on Summoning Hordlings, and 4 Truenames given to Summon
6 Books on making various potions, Climbing, Giant Strength, Healing, Heroism, and Gaseous Form
467 Arcane Texts
33 Books on Dwarven Lore
Book on Axe of the Dwarvish Lords

Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms

Thunderpot Making Equipment
Alchemical Equipment – Makes Climbing, Giant Strength, Healing, Heroism, and Gaseous Form Potions.

Spell Component Collection – 12500 gp value

22 Rings Ready for Spellcache
38 empty Thunderpot Flasks
8 Thunderpots
Several Glowgems

Cursed – Ring of Spell Snatching

Goblin sized +3 chainmail
Bracers of Defense AC2
Cloak of the Bat
Ring of Protection +2, +3, 5’ Radius
Cloak of Protection +3
Shortbow +1
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Warhammer +2
Boots of Striding and Springing
Rope of Climbing
Rod of Rulership (31 charges)
Hat of Disguise
Spellcache Ring – Stoneskinx3, Phantasmal Killer
Dust of Disappearance – 11 pinches
Dagger of Venom
Ring of Wizardry (Double 1st and 2nd)
Bag of Tricks (C)
Obsidian Steed
Ioun Stone – Clear Spindle (No eating or drinking needed); Pearly White Spindle (Regen 1 hp/turn), Pale Lavender Ellipsoid (Absorbs spells up to 4th level, 20 charges left)
Girdle of Many Pouches
Horn of Collapsing
Pearl of Power 3rd Level; Pearl of Power 4th level


Arabian Rug – 3000 gp
Jade Table – 8000 gp
20 5 lb gold bars, 250 gp each
Gold Crown set with rubies and diamonds - 12000 gp
10 Pearls, 100 gp each

2 sets of traveling Spellbooks
3 other spellbooks

Lamp of Creation – See Below

Wizard Scrolls – Color Spray, Dispel Magicx3; Invisible Stalkerx5

Potions – Climbingx4; Heroismx5, Gaseous Formx5; Extra-healingx2; Super-Heroism; Giant Strength;

Ten Already Made Spellcache Rings (Anti-Magic Shell, Dispel Magic, Flame Arrow, Phantasmal Killer, Reduce, Stoneskin, Non-Detection, Haste, Mirror Image, Grease)

Amulet of the Abomination – The Amulet used to summon the Abomination of Karazan, it no longer works.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar is very impressed with the work that Tairdo did. A spellcache ring was created by him. It’s basically a one-shot Ring of Spell Storing that can’t be refilled. It has the command word on the Ring so the person that gets it won’t be confused. Will hold any wizard spell up to level 6. Ring functions as 12th level spell They are cheap to make and take very little time.


Lamp of Creation was made by Tairdo as well, and it’s amazingly awesome. Place it in your wizard’s workshop and lab. Then when you are making an magical item, drawing a scroll or brewing a potion, you may also work on a second subject. It can’t be the same thing, so you can’t make two Wands of Magic Missile at the same time, but you could make a Potion of Heroism and a Magic Sword or a Gem of Seeing and a Ring of Human Control. Golems count, and you can build a golem while doing something else as well. The Lamp requires expensive refueling, of a rare material that costs 1000 gp a week while it is being used.


Alzar also levels up. He can cast another 9th level spell.

One set of traveling spellbooks is the ones for the gnome that Alzar freed and returns, and the other was a damaged set from Tairdo, that only had a few spells from early in his career.

Then there are three others, Tairdo’s and two other unidentified ones.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar have added:

Hammerhelm - in Ljallenvals - This mountainous region has a part of the southern route through the Ljallenvals. It is south of Rostock and southwest of Evenarrow. No humans live up here, just dwarves. Unlike other hexes, this one will not grow via immigration.

Dwarfhold- Hammerhelm – 346 families live in this dwarfhold, now the second largest in Norwold. They mine verite, several other ores, and harvest fungus. +9 resource GP.

Details - 346 families, 1 good – Farming


Monthly Income – Standard Income - 3460 gp/month
Tax Income – 0 gp/month Dwarves don’t pay taxes
Resource Income – 3114/month
Total – 6,574/month (x19 multiplier)


They pick up some more people for the County as well.

Alzar will keep the powerful Hammerhelm army separate from the main one.


End of Axe of the Dwarvish Lords

[Abe Sargent]

So as you can see, on the 20th, Alzar can now go anywhere to any plane.


Month 1, Year 5:

Month 1 - Year’s End Divine Liturgy – 5% of income that month

A large-ish raiding party of 400 frost giants slips down the ice from Frosthaven. In a week, a large army of barbarians, much larger than ever before in living memory carves into them and kills them and only a handful escape to tell their fellow giants about the new barbarian horde that assembled on the snows to defeat them.

By the end of the month, Alzar has finished with the exploring of the dwarf citadel, and animates a bunch of the dead and teleports them to a certain ex-beholder city. That includes animated Mind Flayers, and others that were killed, such as worgs and stuff.

Meanwhile, Alzar moves to Hamedh and checks out a place he had noted 8 years ago. In the basement of the Bone Hill, there was a room guarded by a family of Spectators, who were guarding a book, and there were three of them there. They had 6 years left. Alzar finds the book unguarded, quietly tucked away, and teleports onward to Khaibar. (Teleport without Error can cross planes to a place you’ve known.)

Libram of Gainful Conjuration

The Tower was left in his name, after he had done so much for the city. He heads back in and the College grabbed his books and such, but there are a few other things he wants to grab. He can’t access his OtherSpace or Bags of Holding here. Instead he loads up the two weightless chests he had left here. He’ll also bring over:

Kamencheh of Calming

A few magical items. Eventually he’ll bring over all of his spare magical weapons and armor

A variety of spellbooks

Some cursed items

And some undead he’ll teleport over to his city.

9 Coffer Corpses
6 Ghoulstirges
Undead Head (AC7 in the bottle), HD 3+3, HP 30, DMG 1d6 from screech or 1d4 bite. Alerts everyone.

He swings by the College to put in an appearance and meet up with folks. Then he spends the night and Teleports back the next day and resumes leading and such.

Magical armor will follow soon enough.

Gilded Ears, his familiar, is gone, unknown where. The link was severed.

[Abe Sargent]

Next he heads back to Thorasia and checks out some of the hidden caches he left behind. The link with Dryshik was severed and he long since went back to his plane. He checks out a few of his caches. These had a spare set of spellbooks, items to help him get back, such as potions, scrolls, Wands, extra defensive items, gems and jewelry and some coins for emergencies and more. They were rooms he carved out of rock with spells, and had no doors, no ways in, just a room to teleport too. Almost 10 years later, 2 of them are still unfound.

Now Valia has gained all of the items in his compound. But the most valuable stuff he had elsewhere.

He keeps both of them as useful spare areas, and in fact will add some spare potions and such.

He does take some of the controlled creatures here that he made, that are still here:

His Homunculus connection still works! Megala was in a storage area. It senses him and flies to him.

1 Iron Cobra
1 Necrophidus
1 Homunculus

Alicorn

He leaves behind things like the Ring of Three Wishes with one Wish left and stuff like that.

He teleports over some undead from them as well, including 4 Swordwraiths and a few Topi.


Megala, Homunculus

Lawful Evil

HP: 10
THAC0: 19
AC: 6
Damage: 1d3+ sleep


Megala is Alzar’s Homunculus from before Vorthala died, and he had given Alzar much of the ingredients. Megala has no personality, and is merely an extension of Alzar. When he fights, his fangs force a save vs poison or put a person to sleep for 5d6 rounds. If he dies, Alzar will take 2d10 damage


He has leveled far past when Megala would be a big help, but he can use assistance in the lab and such in the Barony.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar sends a message to Valia and she agrees to meet him at his old compound. She gives him a tour and he greets Coram as well as sees the compound. She’s expanded it in a variety of ways, and added some charmed monsters to it.

Alzar wants to negotiate for some of his old items that he left behind. They spend some time swapping spells, items, and talk shop.


Alzar gains these spells:


7th Conjure Greater Earth Elemental, Spectral Guard


8th Summon Fiend

9th Programmed Amnesia, Virus Charm

Spectral Guard will create an invisible guard at a specific location, and then waits until certain conditions are reached or dispelled. When those conditions occur, it arrives and attacks. The creature is pretty powerful too.

Virus Charm charms one creature. Then when that creature touches another, there is a chance that creature will be charmed too (all of these at -2) until 3xAlzar’s spell level (75) creatures are fully charmed. (Not HD, but just creatures).



He also gets his own Chime of Opening back, since Valia doesn’t do adventuring anymore, and was never really into it.

Alzar let’s her copy the notes on how to make the Lamp of Creation, which is a major item for both of them. He trades her some spells and so forth. Valia has made a ring she calls a Greater Ring of Sustenance. It doesn’t require the 7 days of being worn before it works, and it doesn’t require 2 hours of sleep, it negates it all. Alzar gives Valia some Ring of Pro - +3, 5’ Radius and three empty Spellcache Rings as well as the notes on how to make them in detail and copies those.

[Abe Sargent]

With the Ring of Wizardry he acquired, Alzar can now learn double the normal spells for 1st and 2nd level when he wears the ring. This gives him essentially 12/12/6/6/6/6/6/6/5 as long as he dedicates a Ring slot all day long. He’ll sub off the Ring of Quick Action, and just wear the Free Action one normally. Because the restriction on Pandius is that he can’t memorize more than one of the same spell at each level, he has to memorize 12 different 1st and2nd level spells. That’s a lot of spells. Alzar needs to find some more spells at those levels that are feasible.

This is what he has currently:

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
Detect Undead
Emrikol’s Question
Enlarge *
Friends
Identify
Hypnotism *
Locate Remains
Mount
Protection from Good/Evil
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


Now, at 2nd level, he could add in Choke, Empathic Control, Knock, Ray of Enfeeblement, Forget and ESP pretty easily. But some of those (Forget, Choke) aren’t exactly going to win a lot of hands at the local card night. At 1st level, he really doesn’t have a lot of useful options.

He begins by reviewing the spellbooks he captured to see if there are some spells he could use. Did you know:

Casting the 1st level conjuration spell, Mount at level 18 or above gives you a Griffon, with a saddle and full barding, for 27 hours at his level. That’s pretty good. So that’ll be a spell.

He learns:

Chromatic Orb
Dance Macabre
Light
Wandbane

At this level Chromatic Orb is a necromantic spell that must make a save vs death or die, with 2d4 rounds of slowed if save is made. Now you have to roll to hit the target and then roll the save (with +3 to hit close, and +2 medium and +1 long range). But it scaled nicely too.

Any 2nd level spells that appeal?

Scare
Summon Swarm

[Abe Sargent]

Month 2, Year 5:

With no taxes paid this month, as announced, the dominion confidence grows a bit.

Minor last-winter growth in a few hexes.

Alzar teleports over to Alpha to give a year-final review, and discuss the parameters of him in Norwold. King Ericall doesn’t want to distance himself from Alzar, or vice versa. Alzar has the largest dominion by land size, and is after all of the other dukes. If Alzar were made a duke, then his land mass would make him first in the land. Alzar asks to be made duke, and lists his accomplishments. The King agrees to appoint him to a new title, and uses the one of Marquis instead (one which is between Count and Duke, but no one else in the kingdom had yet been given it).

Heading home, Alzar’s lands will now be referred to as the March of the Mighty, reflecting his new title.

Because he often head out and does other things, Alzar hires a new Magist for his March. Usually a dominion hires an official wizard for the court, and Alzar has been performing those duties. But he also adventures and works and studies and so forth, so having a full time Magist, in addition, will help.

Magist(15th level) – 4000 gp

Alzar’s Magist is going to be a mage he found via contacts from Sandralane. Farensa the half-elven mage, she is a lawful neutral mage, fully vetted by Alzar with spells like Detect Lie, ESP, and Know Alignment, and she’ll be given many of Alzar’s tasks to work on, such as working on golems, inscribing scrolls, stuff like that. She’ll be under the influence of the Lamp of Creation as well. The first thing Alzar wants her to do is to finish the Silver Golem whose body was built by the expert artisans in the foundry. Then he’ll show her how to make some other constructs, like the Iron Cobra and Necrophidus, that she can make at her level, as well as some scrolls, potions, those sorts of things.

For example, she can make one Necrophidus every three weeks for 8k a construct, while making other things. Soon enough they can have tons of the little constructs guarding important things around the Keep. Alzar also likes the Spellcache Rings as a way to give a few people here and there a nice, one shot spell. Those cost 250 gp/spell level to make, and you can make one, from scratch, every three days. They have the equipment to make them teleported over from the fallen dwarf fortress, so she can make 7 Spellcache Rings and one Necrophidus in three weeks, for a cost of (approximately) 13000 gp each iteration, with those Rings given out to leaders and such. You’d be surprised at how useful a single spell like Sleep or even something big like Evard’s Black Tentacles can be as a one-shot from a fighter.

The Alchemist in Saffir makes and sells potions, some of which are magical. That includes (according to AC10) things like Invulnerability and Invisibility. Alzar ties him into their infrastructure, and begins to purchase the occasional potion from him.

In celebration of his new title, Alzar will hold a tournament on the mid-spring night in Month 4 and invites a lot of local nobility and such. Three days. He’ll be offering magic items as the prize for each of the tournaments.

[Abe Sargent]

Month 3, Year 5:

Some more growth. A disease breaks out in Augustia and 14 families die before the clergy can contain and heal people from it.


Meanwhile, at the end of the month, building can begin, and…38, 48, 55 – all three projects advance one full week. Saffir Castle – 16 man weeks; Evenarrow Walls – 13 weeks; Havendrop - Full defenses, castle, etc – 29 weeks.

Back to AC10 Bestiary of Dragons and Giants

The Deluded Dragon

In the second week of Month 3, a woman comes in to petition Marquis Alzar’s aid. Althea and her father, an old sage named Kevran, live in a Keep out in the Ljallenvals beyond Alzar’s borders. Her father acquired a fair bit of treasure when he was younger, and a thief must have heard about it. He came to plunder their wealth and stole an item called a Gem of Delusion, and when Kevran moved to stop him, the thief used it on her father and escaped. Kevran has since become very paranoid and defensive, at times violently so.

She has been able to trace the location of the Gem of Delusion, and needs someone to track it down, return it, and use it on her father to free him from the item. Alzar has her come with him to a nearby meeting chamber to continue their conversation.

Alzar tells her that he has recently encountered multiple dragons polymorphed into human form that have tried to deceive people in major ways, including Saffir’s Krasniy. So he had some detection magic installed in the court room to tell if someone was polymorphed or what their true form was.

She smiles and relents that she is, of course, a gold dragon. Gold dragons can sense, to the item, where the items of their horde are at all times, so she knows that the Gem is being moved at sea towards Landfall, the city of the rogues and pirates and such. They must have found out that her and her father were gold dragons, because they came a long way to abscond with their stuff. In fact her father has often flown over the countryside and attacked random creatures and people. She offers him some of their treasure, and to come with him if needed.

Alzar agrees, but declines the assistance. He uses her information to track down the boat at sea and she confirms that the ship he sees in the Crystal Ball is the target. He casts Mount and mounts the griffon that is summoned, and then teleports away, about a quarter of a mile above the boat.

[Abe Sargent]

The griffon lazily catches the gentle breeze and Alzar orders it to sail around (Alzar has flying, air, as reminder). A griffon flies faster than a Flying Carpet. The Carpet is 100’ and the Griffon 120’ Only rocs and pegasus are common creatures that fly faster. It’s the same speed as a Fly spell, an Air Elemental or a dragon. But griffons are not a stable platform, so no spell casting, and -4 to missile attacks, but yes to the swoop attack for hitting with his axe.

Alzar flies down towards the ship, checking his spells. He doesn’t have his water spells handy, like Conjure Water Elemental. He pauses and heads into OtherSpace and pulls out a Censer and the Face and uses both to conjure two Air Elementals, one 8 HD one and the other a 16 HD one. He unfurls the Flying Carpet and steps off the Griffon. He’ll be using the Griffon and the two elementals to strike at the ship aerially, with himself behind on the flying carpet, casting spells as needed.

Before he launches his attack, he spends some more time with a crystal ball scrying. The boat is a 3-masted vessel, and there are around 50 people on board. Alzar is going to head down with his creatures, and demand their temporary surrender, so that he can get on board and search for the Gem of Delusion.

The quartet flies down, with line of sight for arrows and bolts and the ballista on the front blocked by his summoned trio. Not sure what to expect, a bunch of soldiers have come to the top deck and are grabbing weapons and Alzar announces himself and his rank, the suspicion of theft and piracy he is chasing, and shouts out his proclamation. They start firing instead. Okay.

Alzar casts Mass Domination, and 13 of the soldiers stop and Alzar orders them to attack their companions. Confusion breaks their ranks, and then he follows with Mass Charm, and has his friends drop their weapons and move to the bow, removed from the battle. The Captain of the vessel, unharmed by the spells, signals his surrender, and his men stop attacking, and Alzar pulls back his dominated crew. Alzar’s Elementals begin to scouring the area, and he flies down and takes all of the various weapons and such from these folks, and ties up those that are not charmed/dominated. In the ship are a trio of merchants, and after Alzar uses the Bright Barrier’s Detect Lie ability, he finds out that one of them purchased the Gem, and some other stolen items, from a thief. Alzar grabs the merchant’s Bag of Holding and empties it. He takes the Gem of Delusion, and one of her items that intrigues him, and then has her tied up as well. The charmed and dominated crew agree to sail the ship to Evenarrow, two days away, and then turn the ship over to the March. Alzar has been looking to have a real navy, and he just procured his first vessel. He finishes inspecting the ship, and then Mass Teleports the prisoners, his Griffon, the elementals and himself over to the Evenarrow jail, and then tells the locals what happened and they are arrested and will be tried for various crimes (piracy, theft, smuggling, resisting Alzar, etc).

The item Alzar took was a +3 Shield of Haste (Once/day can cast a self-haste which does not age the user).

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar heads to the castle and meets with Althea. He has the Gem of Delusion. They fly back to the keep she has, she in her natural form, and him on the Griffon, escorted by his elementals until their time here wears out. A few hours later as they arrive at her and her father’s keep, she polymorphs back to human form and they fly down on the Carpet. Kevran, her father, is on the countryside and flying about to the east, so they move to encounter him here, in the sky. In order to protect himself against a gold dragon, Alzar heads to OtherSpace for a moment to grab the Ring of Fire Resistance, and then he turns back into a dragon to face her father, and Alzar mounts her. As they get nearer, he casts Major Globe of Invulnerability, just in case some spells come a calling. They leave the Griffon back, and he lands on the ground by the keep.

They get to range and the dragon breathes poison gas at them. Alzar and the dragon are immune. They speed in in order to try and get off the Gem. Another breath, this time fire hits, and Alzar takes 14 and she is immune again. The dragon casts a Lightning Bolt at Alzar but it fails (Globe) . Now Alzar is close enough and he uses the Gem of Delusion and the dragon is freed from his insanity and stops, puzzled. The daughter and him communicate in their own language, and then land a mile away from the keep, polymorph back to people, and begin to thank Alzar.

They agree to help him, or his March, should he need it in the future, and additionally, to give him any one item from their horde. Alzar smiles, and just asks for the Gem. It’s just a cursed item, is Alzar sure? Yes, he’s sure. He flies off on the Griffon and they head back to their keep.

[Abe Sargent]

Gem of Delusion – Command word forces everyone other than user in 20’ radius to save vs spells as Gem flashes. If they make it, they are stunned for 1d4 rounds and then Feebleminded for 1d6 after. If they fail, then deluded.

Chances of being paranoid and defensive or thinking you are someone else or becoming a kleptomaniac or growing depressed and removed from action, etc. Effect is permanent. It can be used as often as Alzar wants, and it is considered cursed, but it’s an auto-hit for stun+feeblemind. That’s pretty saucy. We’ll go ahead and place a restriction on the item that it can be used just once/day. Because otherwise he’ll lead with it literally every single combat (since undead, summoned, and constructed would be immune to all three effects).


End of AC10. Bestiary of Dragons and Giants

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar had been considering building a navy, and this showed him how. Landfall, in the southern part of Norwold, has long been known as the haven for smugglers, pirates, and others living on the outskirts of law. King Ericall believes that coming down hard on the Duchy of Landfall, and coming down on his family that runs it, hurts the nation in the long run, because those people are just going to scurry out somewhere else. Might as well have them all in one place, away from the other cities.

But that’s a flawed view. After all, Alzar took down a thieves guild in a town of 2000 in his own area. People will be people, and giving them a free pass down south also encourages them to attack other areas in Norwold, and now Alzar has proof.

He teleports with the merchant and a few sailors to Alpha, and after an hour, meets with Ericall and some of his advisors. Here is a thief who raided a keep far away from Landfall, sold the goods he robbed from that crime, as well as others to this merchant, who is well known in Landfall, and then that merchant set sail with the stolen goods ready for sale back home. This is not going to be the only place where black market and stolen goods are being harnessed. This is the proof that Marquis Alzar needs to show that something more needs to be done with Landfall.

Ericall takes it under advisement, but again, does not take any action. He continues to feel that it’s not worth the effort, and the Crown won’t get involved.

Ericall continues to be an idiot. He’s not comfortable making the big decisions. Very well then. Alzar heads back. He will send a message of his own.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar had been thinking about building an actual navy of his own to help patrol the entrance to the Great Bay and the trade routes that go right by his holdings. Now he has one vessel, taken at sea. That gives him an idea.

That night Alzar rests, and memorizes a slightly different set of spells. Over the next three days, Alzar scrys and locates 7 pirate vessels at sea, and captures them and brings them back to his March. Using Mass spells, Confusion, Chaos, Evard’s Black Tentacles, Water Elementals, Skulltrap, Wail of the Banshee, the Gem of Delusion and a lot more, Alzar has begun to wreak havoc on the pirate trade in the south, and simultaneously added 7 more vessels. One vessel he captured the first day by teleporting to the harbor, and meeting with a nasty pirate about to board the ship, and he cast Virus Charm on him. A day later he had charmed 80% of the crew.

In some cases, his friends are staying on board. Alzar orders a nice Drydocks to be built in Evenarrow (for 35000 gp) that will cost a few months to construct.

Soon, the pirate ships here are coming with a local wizard that has been hired out to cancel Alzar’s tactics of using Mass Charm or Domination, and they found out about the Virus Charm from one of the other people that got through.

As pirate ship after ship arrive, turn themselves over, and Alzar’s jails are crammed full or riff-raff of various sorts, Alzar’s popularity soars even more. As his herald points out, Alzar has done more to end piracy in the area in four days than the King did in four years. Clerics of the local temple are using their base detection spells to ensure that people who are tried are responsible, and folks who didn’t know, or were in the wrong circumstances or somesuch are freed and help to work the boats. For example, some people were captured by the pirates and forced to work the ship or be killed. Those aren’t in trouble, it’s the people that were willing accomplices and people who enjoyed it, people who pushed the laws.

More than a hundred guilty pirates from Landfall are executed that week. The Duke of Landfall has issued a formal complaint with Ericall over Alzar taking Landfall people and finding them responsible and executing them. But just as the King did nothing to stop the Duke’s people from raiding others, he’s not likely to do anything with Alzar either. He’s the Do-Nothing King.

(You think this is just Alzar’s impression of King Ericall? Here it is from a DM’s sourcebook:

“Ericall believes this string of events to be the result of bad luck, and doesn’t realize that he’s just not a very good king.”

The events are referring to Landfall, Oceansend, Leeha, people breaking off in the War, etc.

Here is the assessment of Ericall, a page later:

“His ambition is to be a great king. But he’s naïve, even after a decade of kingly rule. He doesn’t like paperwork and managerial duties and relegates them to subordinates of varying levels of ability; he doesn’t listen to criticism or advice, or admit to mistakes; and he still smarts because he feels he was his mother’s least favorite child (he may be right) and was the object of her ridicule and her magic-using children. He tries to be too perfect, and is doubly harsh on himself whenever he fails.”

There you are.