[Abe Sargent]

Thothia is an ancient land, once the primary power on the Sea of Dawn. Its small, brown, red-haired people are descended from colonists of the lost empire of ancient Nithia on the western continent. Several centuries ago, the Thothians shifted away from the Sphere of Energy to follow the philosophy of mysticism. Their current pharaoh, Ramenhotep XXIII (RA-men-HO-tep), is also their spiritual leader. However, his wife Aketheti (AH-khe-THEE-tee) is the true power in Edairo. For centuries there has been a queen Aketheti . Ramenhotep X was drawn to discover her in the ruins of Aran and fell under her charms. The mystics’ symbol is a stylized black spider on a square web pattern (similar to the spider’s web game board in Players’ Aid 2), which all Thothian mystics wear on their robes. Adopted by Ramenhotep X, the founder of Thothian mysticism, Alzar has found out the symbol is the symbol of the Night Spider, but the average Thothian believes that it represents the eight principles and powers of Thothian mysticism and is unaware of its links to evil and death. Edairo is a dusty, crumbling, crowded city of low, flat-roofed structures, towering pyramids and mighty obelisks. Everything is in disrepair. Imagine visiting a land where the native people’s language and philosophy of life is totally alien to your own, and then imagine that these people don’t particularly like foreigners. Imagine this and you have a good idea of how Alzar is received in Edairo.


Alzar is met by the local authorities, and is given a quick tour around the capital. He heads to the area that the peace conference will be in and takes a look around, and McAlister gets settled. Alzar, Vix and McAlister are put up in a local inn, the best in the city, in the noble district, and given quarters befitting their rank.

Alzar begins looking for the library, but it’s not in an obvious location.

Alzar must find the library to continue finding the information from previous treaties. When Alzar, questions the average Thothian about the library eerie results are produced: although the library is a major landmark in the city, most Thothians are illiterate, ignorant of Common, and superstitious. Alzar or Vix asking someone on the street brings about fearful looks and an attempt to break away.

Asking a shopkeeper or someone obviously educated (like a scribe) brings about a whispered warning to go somewhere else - quickly.

So Alzar asks an Edairan city guard, and she can lead Alzar and Vix to the library. On the way, the guards gets “lost” first, then hem and haw and act confused until Alzar drops a small bribe to the sergeant. The library is a great pyramid, similar to the other forty or so great pyramids in Edairo. Although plainly labeled, its door is locked.

Alzar knocks. The door is answered by a stuffy little Edairan mystic named Brother Spider, whose forehead is marked by Thothia’s mystic symbol, the spider web pattern. He is fluent in Common, but without even waiting to hear what Alzar has to say, he refuses them entrance to the library and walks away.

Alzar uses his Knock spell to open the door, and then waits for a minute while Brother Spider returns. He explains who he is, and the need for the library for prep for the conference, but not the details. Brother Spider heads back to consult his boss, and then receives permission, and Alzar is welcomed in to give his request to the supervisor directly.


The corridor walls are stacked with dusty tomes, scrolls, tablets, folios, and books. The corridors are lit by glowing stones (continual light) mounted on the walls. The door to the outside is at map location P. Location A (the central room) is filled with copying stands and thousands of loose, decaying scrolls. A rickety stair in the center of the copy room leads up to a second level and a second stair leads down. Brother Spider leads the party to Location A and suggests that they repeat their request to its only occupant, an old blind mystic.


In the copy room, an old, blind mystic states that the requested information is forbidden and cannot be given without the express permission of his holiness the pharaoh. The old man is fidgety, nervous about something that his body language says is directly above.

Alzar glances up to see the dark form of a black haired female leaving the alcove above. Alzar is escorted out of the library by Brother Spider. Alzar, Vix, and McAlister head to the palace, an island in the center of the Aurora River.