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

[Abe Sargent]

That leaves just Coiger in the area. Now a Word of Recall takes you to your sanctum, and that;s this place. He can’t have moved far.

They found keys on a cleric’s body, nothing else obvious, and will look more detailed later.

Without any resistance they scour, until they find a hidden room in the back is Coigar’s They arrive. He has conjured four demons, and has 2 mek golems and two bronze golems for guard.


Alzar and party are ready. He has conjured two normal Earth Elementals, and one Air with his magic ad items. Joining them are an Invisible Stalker and Aerial Servant of Lambert.

(random.org)

Alzar and party only care about Coiger, but he has 8 dorks in front. But Coiger is out of most of his spells. He has grabbed some scrolls and pots though! He has three charges left in a Wand of the heavens that casts Flame strike. But he can’t outduel these folks. The demons fall first, with Coiger forcing most of Lambert’s curative magic to be cast. Alzar abjured one of his demons home. They summoned and gated in some dretches and manes, but they were quickly ended. Vix was devastating in ending the lives of demons with assurance. And Alzar’s neverended magic just assaulted Coiger and broke him.

Coiger was left after his golems fell. He barters, gambles, offers Alzar an army of giants to serve. Alzar’s axe is his answer. His final words are, “Slay me, and I bring dark and deep death upon your land!” Alzar’s axe finishes him. They win the battle after 11 rounds.

Alzar wants to cast the evil spell that traps the soul of a dead person to keep them and ask them questions, but he can’t. He uses the Death Mask of Ptah instead and Coiger’s soul heads to bliss and cannot be interacted with. He cannot be raised, animated, or communited with.

Alzar also finds two Death Tyrants guarding the creature room, and casts Control Death Tyrants, and adds them to his horde, and teleports them to Ilth K’hinax.

(I wanted to end that one pretty quickly after I slowed and did the first battle for a while, you’ll see why soon)

[Abe Sargent]

They find a jail with 5 prisoners – One a wererat that Alzar brings into his lycanthrope secret police. The others are an acrobat, warrior, and two children. They were expected to be sacrifices for various dark accoutrements. They will be Mass Teleported back to Dawn’s Rising.


They find:

2500 gold bars worth 350 gp each
25 1000 gp gems
200000 worth of assorted jewelry

Wand of Fire, 2 charges left

Potions – Rainbow Hues, Luck, Fire Giant Control, Flying


Ring of Protection +4

2x +3 Morning Star, Shield, Plate Mail
+4 Plate Mail, +4 Warhammer

40 +2 polearms (Pikes, Halberds, etc)



These books

10 books on where to find artifacts (these was falsified by Coiger to throw people off his trail)
996 volumes on linguistic history, writing, calligraphy, runes, and language. These tomes are detailed enough to give the reader a Sage Knowledge: Linguistics specialty if they were all known.
3 volumes of Coiger’s journals


They are all secured in extra-dimensional space.

On the belt of Coiger was The Girdle of De’Rah, the artifact Alar/Vix/Lambert came here for. Lambert takes it. (I have the stats, it’s specializes in healing and scrying. It’s pretty good.) Lambert takes the Girdle, and the rest falls to Alzar and Vix.

Lambert asks….”What do think he meant with his final threat?”

“I’m not sure, it could have been nothing, just death talk”

“Just in case, I’d like to join you for a bit, to make sure that was all it was.”

“Of course…”

[Abe Sargent]

Two days later, as Alzar finishes collecting the stuff from Coiger’s dungeon and returning everyone and making sure defenses begin to start for the village, they find out about a huge earthquake that just hit the Ljallenvals near the center of Alzar’s Grand Duchy that morning.

“He said dark and deep vengeance would be his. That can’t be a coincidence.”


“I agree, we’ll teleport over there momentarily to check it out Lambert.”


(Now can you see why I’d want to get past a fight that the PCs are supposed to win anyways with random.org finishing it? )


After scrying the mountain chain Alzar sees a huge newly created sinkhole. They teleport over to investigate.

This is a huge sinkhole, it appears to drop more than 300 feet to a large chamber beneath. They head down to scout around. In the giant chamber is a small Earth Elemental creature that meets them. It calls out to Alzar “Hello fellow Master of Earth! Morena sends her bidding. She knew that you, as a fellow Earth Friend and servant of Matter would arrive here and would need a guide into this dark interweb of earthquake-created chambers. It is clearly the work of Entropy. I am here to save as your guide. Morena apologizes for not making it herself, but you know how immortals are. Too high and mighty for us. I am Gorm.”

Gorm heads out and reveals the giant chamber they are in. Gorm says the center of the earthquakes is down here and they need to head left and leads. He arrives four rooms later at a large machine. Alzar passes a check, and this is likely the source, as it’s vibrating and seems to be connected to earth magic. Gorm mentions that this is a large, great earthquake machine, and five keys need to be found and attached to turn off the machine. Gorm points out th
e five places where the keyholes are. Gorm will stay here and watch the machine while the party heads out. “I can’t join you actively, without violating immortal rules and such. All I can do is guide you to end this heavy bending of immortal law.”

Alzar and party head out. Two chambers later they arrive at a huge room with five monolith sculptures. They move into the room, and out from the ground emerges a giant beetle that Alzar has never seen before.

[Abe Sargent]

As it arrives, a small earthquake shakes the room and soil falls. Alzar doesn’t know this giant beetle-like thing, and neither does Lambert, who just shrugs and grabs his magical sling. Vix does. She shouts out they are Earthquake Beetles are dreaded in the Hollow World she is from as they can make the very ground your enemy.

Weapons are up. This thing is as big as dragon, and Alzar wants to kill it as quickly as possible. You don’t want to fight an earthquake causing enemy underground for too long. Alzar leads with Finger of Death. No Magic Resistance, great! It only needs a 4 to make it save and it does. (8 tossed). It takes 20 from range attacks from Vix and Lambert before reaching melee.

For this battle, the team will lose init every round due to uncertain ground, and be at -2 to hit and +2 to be hit.

(random.org)

Alzar took 22, Vix 21, and Lambert 25 but won.


They take more damage then they thought they would. But they won. Alzar approaches the first monolith, and as he does, he can see the air in front of the monoliths is creating another earthquake beetle. These must be part of the earth quaking. Maybe the machine is making the monoliths make these beetles?

(Random.org)

Alzar takes 37 total, Vix 44 total, Lambert still at 25. He heals Alzar for 25, so Alzar has 12 damage left.

Alzar is at the left most monolith. There is a puzzle written on the stone of the monolith. It’s a math puzzle. Alzar answers the puzzle, and presses the answer on some runes. The monolith turns off and a small crack opens in the monolith, revealing a key.

Another beetle spawns. (random.org) and is killed. Alzar finishes another puzzle, and each time another earthquake beetle spawns. Four monoliths turn off. Then the last one. Five keys secured. ( I random.org, and Lambert used Heal twice, and has taken 15 left, Vix fully healed, Alzar currently at 77/89).

They return to the box with the keys, and Gorm is happy to see them, he says he was getting a little scared down here by himself. Alzar places the five keys into the magical earthquake making box, and turns them. The box clicks, opens, revealing a portal to the Elemental Plane of Earth. It must have been where the Earthquake Box was getting it’s energy to fuel earthquakes and Earthquake Beetle making. The box is shut down. As just as that threat is ended, Gorm silently opens a previously hidden giant portal to Earth in the floor, and as Alzar, Lambert and Vix begin to slip into the Plane, Gorm looks over and states, “I never stated that I served Morena. Just in case you were wondering.”


(I added this last part, just in case you were wondering, and shifted the Earthquake Beetle area, just to make it a little more anti-Alzar. Something even Alzar would fall for.)

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar casts some of the planar survival spells he has from the Astral school in his cleric track. Lambert doesn’t have access to them. Alzar enables them to move around and breathe earth, both very hard. But he has no magic available just yet to get them back.

They begin to move through the earth.

Alzar leads, and soon they make some contact with some local earth creatures. Eventually they find they are in a region controlled by a small Dao family, evil earth genies. Alzar heads to their home, introduces himself (Genie Lore) and seeks a boon. They agree to send him and the two with him home, but not before they head to a local foundry that stopped working, find out the issue, and fix it. He agrees with a Genie Pact spell. The Dao are the reason that transit out is not as easy as it is in.

It takes three days to get to the foundry, clean it of the local earth crabs and insects here that infested it, and then another two to return. After being in the Earth Elemental Plane for 6 days, they are teleported back to Pandius, and to Alzar’s home in Evenarrow…


As they arrive near the palace, Alzar sees banners flying above the parapets of his keep that indicate danger. As Alzar is seen, a cry goes up and within minutes the soldiers of his keep are blabbering. Alzar points to one to talk. “Thank the gods you are back! Without either of you here, the Grand Duchy has been paralyzed as war came ten days to Norwold!”

Alzar investigates, and within ten minutes, he finds out what has happened

[Abe Sargent]

Ten days Ago: The city of Oceansend was attacked at night by stealth, the gates were open, many of the soldiers poisoned, and the city was taken quickly by treachery. It now flies the banner of Baron Norlan of Qoedhar. Oceansend is still the most valuable city in the region, and it fell in a night.


Four Days Ago: A combined arms regiment led Baron Norlan and supported by a flying castle began a siege of Landfall. That won’t be a major loss to Alzar’s eyes as it is the den of thieves and pirates and corruption, but it is the 3rd most valuable city in the area and taking it removes a major thorn and potential flanking force is off the map. Alzar reaches out, and today, it appears that Norlans forces won. The skycastle and troops were too much, and the city fell.


Alzar reaches out to Vix and Lambert.

“It seems Alphaks is cleverer than we thought. He was willing to sacrifice one of his own Immortality Pawns to check us hard. This was never about your quest Lambert. Everything, the village raid, the earthquake machine, and the earth elemental plane side-trip were designed to keep us off the board as long as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had already worked with the Dao to keep us from getting back quickly and adding the adventuring we had to do.”

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar gathers his court, soldiers and everyone else outside of his keep. Within 90 minutes all of Evenarrow is assembled.


“As you know, for the last ten days, our nation has been invaded, and we are now at war. It appears we are battling against Baron Norlan and some friendly forces from Alphatia who are “punishing” Norwold for it’s independent desires. It’s clearly a front. These aren’t punitive raids. They are battles for occupation. They are taking our lands. So far, Oceansend and Landfall have fallen.

I am damned tired of these people who think they can manipulate us. As you may have heard, I and your Grand Duchess stopped a raid on the western flank of our mighty nation of more than 100 giants and 50 hellhounds and 2 dragons. That’s who we are! Do you see other rulers out here doing that? Making that sort of change? And we sent away from this plane to be lost, manipulated, sent astray when you needed us most. But did it work? Are we still gone?

Yes, two major cities have fallen, that’s true. One by deceptions, and the other by magic. They haven’t even won a single battle on the high seas or a battlefield. They cheated in Oceasnend. But are we going to fall to deception? To magic? Do you think they’ll out-magic us? No, of course not!

And we all know they are coming here to Evenarrow. You won’t be able to win this war without taking Alpha, our capital. The only way there is through Evenarrow. Almost ten years ago I was given an option to choose where in Norwold I wanted to settle and build. I did not choose a valuable or wealthy area in the south. No! I knew this was important militarily. Taking this area is a sacred trust, because of it’s strategic value. And I built a fortress here at Evenarrow that would be one of the largest out there, and again on Bergholm Island and another in Raider’s Point. We knew that someday, this would happen. At some point in time, our enemies would come to Evenarrow. They would through themselves at our walls. They would throw themselves at our troops. At you and at me. At some of best soldiers in all of Norwold!

Our time has arrived! Your Duchess and I have returned in time to rally the defenses. Together, all of us will take on this great challenge, and we will win. Have we fallen to demons? Giants? Is the baron of some tiny island worth less than one-tenth of Evenarrow going to end us? NO!


And starting today, we will remind the world that our name is not just a trick. Not just a bit of subterfuge. Our name is not a misnomer. WE ARE MIGHTY. WE ARE MIGHTY! And we will answer the call of war with arrows and axes. We will show the world the power of our name. We. Are. Mighty. Go win this war!”

[Abe Sargent]

Lambert offers to stay to help with the war effort, and his magic and healing and artifact will all be very useful in the upcoming battle.

(I have a book of the entire timetable for the war effort, and I have, and this is not a joke, more than fifty armies with various battle values ready to go, as well as tons of ships. Now in the game timeline, they assault Landfall in week 4, giving the PCs time to react after Oceansend falls. I don’t like that. These are two separate armies and navies, and striking that far delayed is silly. Six days later is pretty good, very little rallying could happen in that time, but four weeks? Nah.)

(In the book, Alpha, the capital, is attacked in week 10. We are in week 2, so I am adding an attack on Evenarrow in Week 6, with the flying castle as well, to win quickly and secure transportation to the capital. If we hold here, and prevent them from entering the Great Bay, then they can’t win this war, and we’ll have essentially won the war as a proxy for the entire region. See why Alphaks really wanted Alzar to have a slow response?)

The flying castle is nasty. When involved in a siege, it removes the huge siege bonus to a defender. When used to raid behind lines each week it’ll drop the battle rating of one enemy army by -10. Nasty stuff.

Alzar spends a long time getting ready. He knows the massive value of defending Evenarrow will be removed if the sky castle attacks, and it clearly will. Evenarrow has to fall, so Baron Norland and his allies will pore everything into this assault and that includes the flying castle. Alzar has an ally he can call on to help though. A flying cloud castle Alzar helped to clear of flying demons. And he was given a cloud gem to summon aid if he ever needed it. He needs it.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 3 –


Alzar uses his Cloud Gem. Four days later, Lachlan’s cloud castle arrives. It’s on a thundercloud and made of a cloudy material that turns solid as people near it. Alzar heads up to talk with the cloud giant about helping, Lachlan agrees. Damage to the Cloud castle can be repaired by mental control of Lachlan bringing in more cloudy material. They aren’t risking much. Lachlan will help Alzar out twice more and then his debt is paid for freedom and his family and castle making it through unscathed.

The goal is to have the Cloud castle hidden away above the sky castle. Then as battle is entered, they can be hit from higher up. Alzar also brings up the Skyfish and preps the flying vessel.

Alzar teleports to the local Aarakocra in the Ljallenvals, greets them including Tcho’eh and they agree to help out as a surprise raiding force on the skycastle. After helping them survive the demon attacks, they are willing to help out the Lord of Wood and Fire.

Alzar calls on his 2000 dwarven army in Hammerhelm to rouse and ready, and move into Evenarrow. They have historically been a reserve force only to be next door in case the worst happens. He does not call on Barkal the Red, the barbarians, or others.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 4 –

Alzar Worldwalks to Gammar in the Star Kingdoms and buys four more Phase Ships and brings them over for his navy. His full army is assembled. He hands out the sixty +2 polearms, and uses the time to make sure his magists and himself are working overtime to get Spellcache Rings on soldiers. A simple Sleep spell or Hold Person unleashed at the right time can win a battle when it comes from enough hands.

Alzar brings some special aerial shock troops from Saffir. As you may recall, Saffir has 50 mounted griffins and aerial cavalry. Alzar brings them over to Even arrow to help out with the local defenses, and has them work out with the local forces too.

The Army at Evenarrow:

Light Foot Soldiers – 1000 troops, 20 leaders – 2000 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 600 troops, 15 leaders – 1900 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 400 troops, 10 leader – 2600 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 350 troops, 8 leader – 5600 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 750 troops , 20 leaders – 3000 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
67 Officers – 670 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead

The Mighty Navy

1 war galley
3 large galleys
15 small galleys
19 Phase Ships

BR 94

Phase Ships are nasty harassers that phase in and out like the blink spell, but the rest are weak. It’s more a light engagement force and great at fighting pirates and such but not strong in a ship for ship battle.

For example, here is Baron Norlan’s Warfleet:

5 war galleys
8 large galleys
25 smalls

BR of 123 with 5300 marines in the fleet ready to launch and attack

That’s so much better than ours

They also have a pirate mercenary force with 80 longships with a 109 BR and 4000 troops, and then a transport Guild Fleet with 50 troop transports. Big stuff.









As you can see, it’s around 3100 total troops. BR is 112, +20 with the Baton of Victory

We would normally get +50 for defending a siege. Hard to deal with! But….

That’s not going to last too long.

Alzar has his engineers make and mount more artillery, mainly ballistas that can be turned up at flyers or castles that fly overhead.

This week, unbeknownst to Norwold, Thyatis secretly swaps forces into Oceansend and Landfall, and all of Baron Norlan’s forces are freed to descend on Evenarrow.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 5 –

It appears that Baron Norlan has mercenaries, his own forces, and Alphatian loyalists on his side. The skycastle is the only one in the Alphatian military, and was brought by a loyalist. There are more than 12 young Alphatian scions that see this as a worthy war for Alphatia against the independent minded Norwold, and Baron Norlan is clearly the ringleader in bringing them to “victory”.

Coming towards Evenarrow are three separate fleets, as well as the Skycastle, and troops. They are about to hit, hard, in a few days.

Alzar spends the last few days preparing everything. Traps. Defenses everywhere. Teleporitng all around, making sure that Bergholm Island and Raider’s Point are also defensed in case this is an elaborate feint. He doesn’t think so. This has the feel of an invading occupancy, and Evenarrow is the 4th largest and most valuable economy of any city in the nation, and in a strategically important place and on a key trade route. With the Sky Castle, taking it feels like something normal.

[Abe Sargent]

Week 6

Battle arrives!

These forces are here:

Baron Norlan’s Warfleet:

5 war galleys
8 large galleys
21 smalls

BR of 123 with 2200 marines in the fleet ready to launch and attack


Pirate and mercenary force with 65 longships with a 109 BR and 3500 troops
Army of Qoedhar – 4500 troops - 145 BR
2000 cavalry
1000 archery cavalry
1500 spellcasting pegataurs with bow/sword


Transport fleet, being being involved in battle.
Sky castle, fully stocked with troops.

We have.

Mighty Militia – 112 BV
Light Foot Soldiers – 1000 troops, 20 leaders – 2000 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 600 troops, 15 leaders – 1900 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 400 troops, 10 leader – 2600 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 350 troops, 8 leader – 5600 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 750 troops , 20 leaders – 3000 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
67 Officers – 670 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead, 67 polearms +2



2. Dwarven Fighters, 2000, 101


We have two Batons of Victory, Alzar has given one to the fighters:

[Abe Sargent]

The big issue is their key force and it’s pegataurs. That’s nasty. The sky castle leads, and is trying to create a landing spot for their force first. Alzar orders the attack on the sky caste, and within a minute, a cloud castle descends on it, and Alzar teleports over.


The following forces are ready to force the sky castle out.

Vix on Flying Chariot
Alzar on Skyfish

150 Aarakocra
2 Air Elementals
4 Dire Bats
1 Aerial Servant
50 Griffin Riders

And this is behind the normal Cloud Castle. The Cloud Castle is hitting from surprise above and taking the artillery and such, and responding, and then swooping behind from four flanks are the flying folks above.


As Alzar approaches he feels a vague necrotic pull from the sky castle. Undead? Why and how are there undead on that sky castle? Flying out from the skycastle are four wings of 12 pegataurs each to defend it. Vix is leading the south flank with Alzar’s bats and a Servant, Alzar has the north with just his Skyfish and the elementals are secret powerful troops on the other flanks have the riders and Aarakocra wings.

Alzar takes a few magic missiles and then drops the flank with Wail of the Banshee.

Alzar – 66/89

Vix takes a few rounds and works more normally. She takes more damage, but the pegataurs are slain.

Vix 88/144
2 Dire Bats remain

The other two flanks are out smashed by the large number of troops. Griffin Riders lose 5 and the Aarakocra 13.


Flanks are down. Alzar can see 100 Pegataurs launching from the fleet up to help with the Skycastle. They are a few minutes away. They were escorting ships to keep the Mighty Navy inside the defense. Alzar orders Vix and the various forces under her control to attack the flying pegataurs and to head back to the Cloud castle to defend along with the cloud giants. If they, long distance, see everyone fly back, then Alzar should be able to board. Alzar, two Elementals, and Aerial Servant arrive


Alzar arrives on the battlements and there are six Manscorpions here manning the battlements and artillery, one each. This is an odd choice for a sky castle. Chaotic evil manscorpions? Weird. They are very powerful here on Pandius.

Alzar can’t get into a prolonged battle here on the battlements if he wants to hide his presence from the oncoming Pegataur force. He casts Time Stop, Wail of the Banshee and Skull Trap. Just one is still alive. He could only get 5 Mans in the range of the Trap, so it’s unwounded.

[Abe Sargent]

Battle,

It wins. It stabs out at Alzar for 14 damage, and Alzar makes the poison save (Alicorn, Periapt) easily. Alzar’s axe carves it twice for 33, he misses with his shield, an Air punches it for 16.

Alzar wins init and slays it with melee, and he orders the elementals and servant to hide the corpses in a side room, and then hide the Skyfish while Alzar penetrates the sky castle.

Inside the gatehouse he hits another 5 Manscorpions who come out charging. One is a cleric who casts Remove Magic. Alzar casts one spell too before the 4 charging for melee are in. His Death Spell drops two more Manscorpions.

6 vs 5

Alzar is hit twice for 11 damage and then Cause Critical for 25, He casts Heal and cures his damage.

89/89

5 vs 8

Alzars hits three times and kills a Man. He takes another 25 and they miss him.

64/89

7 vs 4

They hit once with a claw for 11, and the cleric hits with Cause Medium for 15. He clashes and kills another scorpion. Just the cleric left

38/89

4 vs 3

The cleric hits for another Cause Med for 15. Alzar casts his other Heal spell.

8 vs 9

Alzar carves and finishes the cleric. All dead.

He moves on. 89/89

[Abe Sargent]

He finds some storage with more than 2000 +2 ballista bolts and such. Then a kitchen with a few humanoid slaves Alzar tells them to hide in the guardhouse and runs around.

By now the Pegataurs are not arriving, so Alzar bought some time, but his airs didn’t come back either, which he expected.

He finds a servants quarters with 7 more slaves and sends them scurrying.

He then arrives into a room with almost 100 soldiers and they are a conventional artillerists barracks. They were readying weapons and such when Alzar arrived, and move to attack him.

Round 1 - Alzar casts Mass Charm. 10 are now his friends and they move away from battle. 92 left.

Alzar is missed this round by everyone (Cloak)


Round 2 –

Alzar uses Ring of Quick Action. He casts Mass Domination. 11 begin attacking their friends. 81 left. He takes 19 damage from a few missiles and melee attacks that manage to hit.

70/89.

5 vs 6

Alzar casts Mass Suggestion, and 13 more drop their weapons and move off. Three die from Alzar;s suggested force. 65 left. Alzar takes another 15

55/89

5 vs 4

Alzar takes 22 and casts heal on himself. 4 more die. 61 left.

89/89


5 vs 8

Alzar casts Hold Person and six freeze. 3 more fall. 52 left Alzar takes one hit for 3.

86/89

8 vs 7

They hit Alzar for 18 and then kill most of the remaining suggested people, just one dies back. Alzar casts Hold Person and another 6 fall. 45 left

68/89

3 vs 6

Alzar casts Chaos and most fail their save. 5 fall in the Chaos. Alzar is attacked half as much and hit just twice for 8.

60/89

/3 vs 1

They hit him for 11. Alzar grabs hits weapons and kills three. 6 more fall to Chaos. 31 left

49/89

5 vs 6

(random.org, Alzar kills the room, drops the 24/89 hp before he does. Chaos was the big winner.)
Alzar kills three more


Alzar cast Cure Crit for 25 and Cure med for 15

64/89

[Abe Sargent]

He feels a necrotic tug in the next floor down. This is the castle’s commander. Alzar slows down, switches his Quick Action ring and swaps it for Free Action, scrys, sees a Lich here, who is fully ready for battle, with magical shields up. Alzar grabs some anti-lich and anti-magic stuff and goes in hot.


Alzar sees 6 specters and a lich here – the lich has up a few magical defenses. Alzar casts Laudryn’s Defenses to drop them. One remains (Total Immunity, 9th level spell). The specters fly to attack him and close, and the lich casts Time Stop.

It casts Strip Resistance, Power Word Kill, Power Word Stun, TS drops. Alzar is immune to the 2nd, and the 1st hits the Ring and….70% reflects, so Alzar gets +7 to his roll, only a 1 fails. He makes it (11).

6 vs 7

Alzar wins init and needs to take out the Lich, but it ha a total immunity. Just a five round spell. He focuses on the Specters instead and his axe kills one dead, and they miss a bunch, and one hits but he is immune to energy drain from his items, and he just takes 5. The lich casts Power Word Blind, again, he makes the save

59/89

3 vs 1

They hit twice for 6 damage. The Lich casts Finger of Death 40% rebounds and…..Alzar only fails on a 1 or 2 and….tosses a 2. ALZAR DIES. Well, except for that Protective Amulet. If you’ll call, Alzar sets Protective Amulet for each spell, and when it resolves and would work, it instead is stopped and the protective amulet has to be recast for that level. So the next FoD that works will kill him in this adventure, before he reloads that spell tonight. Alzar’s axe a weapons drop another specter, just 4 left


53/89




1 vs 6

Alzar kills a third specter, is hit for 5, and then a Magic Missile flies in, but they are redirected and/or Magic Resistance (it’s down to 20%) and only 9 more hits. The Lich took 4.

39/89

7 vs 5

The magic shell on the Lich drops. It casts Anti-Magic shell and moves to melee range. The Specters miss. Alzar casts Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, which drops the AMS

8 vs 7

Alzar takes two scrapes for 8 damage. Then the Lich casts Disintegrate and…..it gets through MR and….20% redirected, and Alzar….just needs a 3 to save. It makes it (16) and then carves with his axe and its the Lich twice and misses with the shield for 29.

31/89

6 vs 9

Alzar’s axe snicks out and hits twice again (he just needs a 2) and then he smashes for 36 and the Bright Barrier (needs an 8) hits for another 9 for 45 damage. The lich is badly wounded but remains. It’s phylactery must not be near if it’s confident it won’t; permanently pass. Another Disintegrate? Fails in the MR. They hit him for 5 more

26/89

4 vs 3

They miss, and Alzar takes a Polymorph Other spell and….gets past MR, 50% reflect, _5 to his save, he makes it, but the lich tosses a 2 and is polymorphed to a snail. Alzar kills it and finishes the two specters

22/89

He casts some Cure Lights and one Meds and such and is now 77/89.

[Abe Sargent]

He still feels another necrotic tug coming from the main navigational chamber…


On the other side of the main chamber are another barracks, as 200 troops are here. But are fleeing right now, and the Pegataurs are landing after killing the airs and in about 5 minutes or so Alzar penetration deeply into the air castle will be reported and acted on by authorities

In the control room, are covered by a copper-life metal, and sitting on a massive crystal=lined throne is a small human male child who barely seems alive. Alzar walks in. The child opens its eyes and claims to be a captured subject and doesn’t know, but Alzar senses a necrotic…presence. He grabs the Star of Mo-Pilar from his belt, and it shows the true form of the child is an undead creature. Seeing Alzar use the Star, the creature rises from the throne, and the castle lurches a bit as if unpiloted, and then it transforms into it’s normal giant undead form. This is a powerful Nightwalker. When It resumes its form, all potions and food is spoiled. Thus Alzar is potion less for this battle.

Nightwalker – 149 HP, -6 AC, 2 attacks for 3d10 damage each.

Alzar needs a 5 to hit with his Axe and he cannot be hit with the Barrier (too weak of a +).

Alzar could just try to melee it, but without his Heals or healing of potions, that would not be easy. He guesses it would take four 4-5 rounds to finish it off, but not enough time in here to rebuild himself.

Alzar casts his 4th level Priest spell Protection from Undead as it closes. This will act like a scroll for just five round. Alzar’s Amulet vs Undead gives him he entire initiative round.

Round 1 – Alzar hits twice for 37. It misses, and sees the protection. It breaks a gem and the protection dissipates.

Round 2- Alzar slashes twice for 32. He is hit once for 3+5+5 – 13.

64/89


Round 3 – Alzar hits once for 14. He is hits twice for 31

33/89

Round 4 – Alzar casts the Pro Spell again, another gem is used

Round 5 – Alzar casts the Pro spell again, the gem is used

Can Alzar out-gem him?

Round 6 – Alzar casts Time Stop from storage. His final Pro is cast, and he casts Hold Undead…

End… Hold fails.

Round 7 – Alzar swings and hits twice for 41. It uses a gem.

That was Alzar’s last pro, but combining it with TS gained full turn,.


Round 8 – The Nightwalker is at 124/149. Can Alzar kill it this round? He rolls…8 so he hits for when he hits, he does +5 for Selnyr, +3 for Weapon mastery, and +7 for STR, so +15 to hits 1d8. He tosses a 3 and hits for 18. Alright, just 6 left. Can he hit again? He tosses a 13 and hits. Dead nightwalker.


In those 8 rounds, the castle has been veering uncaptained.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar steps into the throne to control it. You need a combined WS + CHA of at least 32, and he does easily. He is able to glide it over the battlements and gently to the ground in about a minute. The folks outside are panicking and Alzar’s forces take out the small Pegataurs and such in and around the castles. Guiding the castle gives off a nasty necrotic energy, and Alzar can’t keep it up for long. He teleports in Draconus, the LG ghost who will control it for the battles today

The cloud castle remain overhead and their beachhead under the castle is threatened. The other 1400 pegataurs left are enough to force the ships to land and drop off forces without any major harassing force to contest their presence.

Battle begins, but now we have the +50 seige bonus.

[Abe Sargent]

Battle #1

They lead with their best:

Army of Qoedhar – 4400 troops - 145 BR
2000 cavalry
1000 archery cavalry
1400 spellcasting pegataurs with bow/sword

They also have a Baton of Victory.

Alzar leads his force

Mighty Militia – 112 BV
Light Foot Soldiers – 1000 troops, 20 leaders – 2000 gp – AC6, longsword + dagger
Heavy Foot Soldiers – 600 troops, 15 leaders – 1900 gp, AC4, longsword, spear, dagger
Light Horse Soldiers – 400 troops, 10 leader – 2600 gp, AC6, longsword, lance
Heavy Horse Soldiers – 350 troops, 8 leader – 5600 gp, AC 2, longsword lance
Crossbow Troops – 750 troops , 20 leaders – 3000 gp, AC 5, heavy crossbow, shortsword
67 Officers – 670 gp, AC 2 better than troop they lead, 67 polearms +2


We get +50 for siege, , and we both have Batons so they cancel each other out. Any other issues or benefits?

They get +15 for ratio

+10 Home field

+50 siege

Result:

We have 162 to their 160, or a +12 differential in our favor

That’s so close t’s pretty dead even.

We each roll d100 and…


We get a 22, they a 65. They win with 20% losses to our 30%. They are not fatigued, we are moderately fatigued.

Battle 1 over

Battle 2

Dwarves of Hammerhelm, 101

Vs

Baron Norlan’s Warfleet:


BR of 123 with 2200 marines in



Alright, they get another +10 for a unit of theirs winning vs our +60.

The dwarves toss a 55. They a 66. Result? Dwarves win with 20% and they lost 50%. Dwarves are not fatigued, they are heavily fatigued.

Day one ends. Result?

The walls by the main force have fallen enough that tomorrow, only ongoing battle with the dwarves will get the siege bonus

[Abe Sargent]

Day 2

They will try to crack and break the dwarves again with their best unit:



Army of Qoedhar – 3600 troops - 145 BR
1300 cavalry
1000 archery cavalry
1300 spellcasting pegataurs with bow/sword

Vs

Dwarves of Hammerhelm, 101, 1600 dwarves
+10 for each side winning, +50 for dwarves, +10 home field, +15 for ratio for Qoedhar

Dwarves toss a solid 68. Barony a 49. Result? Dwarves win 0% damages to 20% to their foes. No fatigue to either side


Battle #2

Mighty Militia Army – 2100 troops remain, 112 BV

Vs


Mercenary force with 65 with a 109 BR and 3500 troops


Bonuses

+35 for them ( we’re moderately fatigued, ratio, friends won)

+20 for us (home, friends won)

So this is slightly in their favor, although as you saw yesterday, they won a battle that was in our favor.


They toss a 61, which puts them at 73 after you add their BR. That’s rough. We toss a 7…..9. Win barely. We win with 0% to 10% for them. No figure.

Results? We win both battles, but they were small tactical skirmishes that did little

[Abe Sargent]

Day 3

Battle #1

Again they are going to try and crack our dwarven nut with their best unit. Value are same as yesterday. Dwarves need to hold, with the siege bonus. They just get a 51. Not big, that puts them at 65. Opportunity for them to push back. They toss a 33. That’s 10% losses for dwarves, 30% for them, and there are moderately tired. That’s a nicer win.


Battle #2

Same forces as last time. This time they toss a 44 to 61 with the BV, and we get a 24. So this time they hit our mains forces hard. 20% to 40% but we are both moderately tired, so that makes my main until seriously tired.


End of day 3. The dwarves won a great victory, they won a great victory…


Day 4

Battle #1

Who do they send against our dwarves? All of there units are tired. The dwarves are going to get +70 against two of these units (another +10 for beating that specific unit before). But the other is seriously tired and gives us +30, the other just +15. So as an example, should they want to fight against the dwarves today with their main:



Dwarves of Hammerhelm, 1450 dwarves, 101BR

Vs

Army of Qoedhar – 2050 troops - 145 BR

Qoedhar - +15 ratio, Army gets +10 for others winning

Dwarves get +50 siege, +10 defender, +10 winning against that force, +10 allies winning, +15 foe is Mod tired.

That a 101+95 to get to 195 vs their 170. That;s a BV of 25. Hard to win against those odds. Possible. But hard. None of us have rolled super high in the 80s or higher, or super low. I think our 20s once was it.

So they come, but it’ll be hard to crack that dwarves nut, a force that beat you twice in a row.

They toss a solid 60. Nothing too bad, but we’ll win with a 36, and with a decent number win decisively not just a tactical victor. I toss a 64. That’s huge. That’s another 10%/30% they are moderately tired result. That makes them seriously tired.


Battle #2

Here is where they take my force to the woodshed.

Same forces as before, they get +10 for beating us before. They get a +8 margin after we toss dice and drop another 10% of our forces to none of theirs. No tired.


Day 4 Close – Again, very tough to crack the dwarves, but…there’s not a whole lot of value in my Mighty Militia left

[Abe Sargent]

Day #5.

Battle #1

Their main vs our dwarves. They lost the +15 bonus for ratio, so now it’s a +40 difference in BV. But anyone else is worse. Its possible we could toss a 10 to their 55 or 88 or something. It doesn’t happen. We toss a 42 to their 40 and get +40 and we lose 20% to their 50%, and they are routed and flee the battlefield. That is the first rout result by either side. That force flees. It’s down to 1025 troops.


Battle #2

Now, they choose to continue on. Our force has lost a lot and could be routed anytime soon as well. We lose by 23 after tossing dice and lose 10% to or 30%


End of Day 5, our army is getting smashed hard. Their dwarves are at 1225.


Day #6.

Battle #1

Who do you send against the dwarves and their remaining siege bonus? They remaining armies are tired, they have lost to the dwarves, and they get a -10 for having a co-unit rout. So you have +80 or +75 vs the dwarves. You have to get through the dwarves to save us. Is it worth a likely rout? Nope. They pull back their two armies and begin a siege instead.

We win the Battle of Evenarrow!

[Abe Sargent]

Week 8 – We have fully explored the flying castle, and it’s now under our control. I’ll get you magic items later.

The cloud castle and sky castle are flying over their sieges, and their Pegataur force that could deal with it was routed and is gone from the battle. After three days of aerial bombardment, they decide to flee, and they head out into their boats. Our fleet and forces keep them from penetrating the Great Bay.


Week 11 - They land a wounded and damaged army at an overland pass and will try to make for Alpha overland, but that includes the Wyrmsteeth Range. Good luck on that.

Week 12 – Baron Norlan captures the Alphatian nobles and Thyatis threatens their death unless Alphatia stays out of the war.

Week 14 – They return from the Range damaged and head back to the boat.


Week 16 -Baron Norlan captures the Barony of Moonhold, to the south of Raider’s Point

Week 17 – The County of Sommerplass falls

Week 18 – The Barony of Solvhane is theirs

Week 20 – After totally failing to capture Alpha, or even assaulting it, the war is growing long and expensive. The lacked the forces to crack the fortress at Evenarrow, and thus were unable to get to Alpha. Alphatia assassinated Baron Norlan, and Thyatis is tired and has long lines for a few holdings, minor counties, Landfall, and Oceansend.

King Ericall declares that since Alphatia and Thyatis attacked him, that Norwold will now be fully independent.

Alzar has a big decision to make.

[Abe Sargent]

Here is what was on the flying castle.

12 +2 Poleaxes
50 potions of healing
2000 +2 ballista bolts



Potion: Climbing, growth
Cloak of Shadows
15 Eggs of wonder
137500 gp worth of gems and assorted jewelry
20000 gp of coins



Skycastle:

This floating castle is a large flying castle with barracks for 200 soldiers, 50 pegataurs, and training and storage facilities. It has 6 large ballistae on the battlements, a larger entrance that can be opened when on the ground, and can be used to harass, defend or to attack as needed. It can only be controlled by a crystal throne in the control room and it requires at least 32 combined WIS + INT. The result is mobile castle that can relocate and move as needed. It’s powerful. Alzar leaves the 12 +2 poleaxes, 50 pots of healing, and 2000 magical ballista bolts on the sky castle.


After healing, Lambert will be involved with helping out around Evenarrow until everyone is healed, and then he’ll head out and finish his Path.



End of M2. The Vengeance of Alphaks

[Abe Sargent]

Vix levels up. She gains Spear Grand Mastery. Watch out.


Year 10, Month 3


“Thank you for meeting with me King Ericall. You know what I want to talk with you about.”

“I suspect I do, although I hope that I am wrong.”

“You are not wrong. I have here the letter for you, and another I am sending back home to Empress Eriadne.”

“I appreciate that you came here to give me letter in person, Alzar.”

“Of course. It’s the least I could do. But King Ericall, I also wanted to remind you that you owe your independence to me. Did you free Oceansend or Landfall? Did you free the various coastal lands that were taken? Did you defeat them in battle on the seas or on land? No, you didn’t. The only place that was able to defeat the combined mercenary, Qoedhar, and Alphatian forces was us, and we had all four armies and navies turned against us, with the Sky Castle, not half of each that took Landfall and such.”

“I know, but you are from Norwold. You do not deserve thanks for helping your lord win a war. That is your role as as servant.”

“And that’s one of the reasons you’ll never be a good leader, King. You weren’t trained for it, and you haven’t learned it after a decade on the job. But remember, we are the only reason you are free today. My people won the war for you single-handedly. Now we have the very sky castle that threatened Alpha itself on our side. I’m sure your scouts told you about the cloud castle as well? It’s true. Don’t overestimate your forces or underestimate ours. I have no desire for war against my new neighbor. And if we were at war, you know I could choke Alpha off at the entrance to the Great Bay and you could not get out without failing to crack the same nut they just need.

You need to help rebuild Landfall and your infrastructure. You can’t sustain another war, nor can you succeed against us like you want to. You will always prefer us as friendly neighbors, to, well, less friendly. So what I would like to do is to get your assurance, neighbor, that you are going to us go our mutual way, and not attack me, and I’ll try to be neighborly as well.”

“I agree. I don’t know if you chose the area you did at the beginning in order to give yourself the strategic advantage that you are flexing now or not. But the facts are the facts. I will not wage war against you unless provoked.”

“That’s fair enough.”

They shake.

“Now for the other piece of business. You have a part of Norwold to your west that has always been uppity, and they don’t respect your rule. Right now, it’s hard to deal with them and the many other crises you have going on. I’d like to offer to buy, or otherwise give you something, for the halfling holds of Leeha and the surrounding area and the shires of the halflings out there.”

“I have lost enough today, I am losing no more.”

“That’s fair. But the offer will remain moving forward. I’ll happily lend you my aid in rebuilding Norwold or giving you a lot of money or magical items and such. Leeha will be happier with me than you. As you know, the various demihuman populations of Norwold respect me very highly for a human. The dwarves and myself get along very well, elves, halflings, Aarakocra, and many more similarly see me as available ruler and ally. So, if at some point in time, I hope you reconsider, it’s the best for your people in Leeha.”

Alzar rises, and Ericall’s wife, previously watching the conversation to ensure no lies were told, rises and they shake hands as well, and Alzar teleports back home.


Alzar has declared his independence from Norwold.

[Abe Sargent]

That night:

The Path of the Dynast

Alzar must create a realm with a human population of at least 50000 or demi-human of 15000. DONE

Alzar’s March must gain independence from Alphatia and Norwold, and stand on its own. DONE TODAY!

Alzar must quest for, find, and destroy an artifact from the Milenian Empire. DONE – Destroyed the Milenian Scepter!

Alzar must create a dynasty that will endure from his realm, and his successors must rule for at least 20 years. DONE

Alzar must travel into the future to three separate times, and secure his realm and dynasty’s future. DONE

Alzar must face and defeat 4 major challenges to his rule. FOUR COMPLETED
– the last two were war against the Queen of Chaos who sent around 1000 demons to hit his nation and the most recent war from Alphaks that tried to conquer him.

Therefore, Alzar has completed the Path of the Dynast

Vanya teleports to him. She is not normally the sort of immortal that does too much manipulating or pointing people in the right direction all of the time like others. No. She rewards success. Vanya is the immortal of winners. Conquerors. This is the third time Alzar has won a major campaign. So she visits him and talks of her approval of Vix, and such. Alzar’s path is concluded and now he just has to do two more, and he will have secured immortality.

[Abe Sargent]

Two Paths remain

[JAG]

Fun read as always Abe, thanks.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by JAG

Fun read as always Abe, thanks.

Thanks JAG!!!

[ntndeacon]

This was a lot of fun to read!

[hoopsguy]

Congrats on completing the Path of the Dynast. Excited to see the final two paths unfold.

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar was able to decode and work out the details of the Crook during one of the quieter moments during the siege.




Crook of Infaust



When wielded by a monk, it counts as a +5 Holy, Mace of Banishment that banishes any creature from one of the outer lower planes when hit in combat.

By any other user in combat, it’s just a +5 Mace without the additional abilities

When unlocked, can cast Heal once/day.

When unlocked, will create an Anti-Demon barrier for five miles around the user. No demons can teleport it or out.

When unlocked, it can “Banish Permanently” targeted at any lower planar creature once/day. This works, without a save, (although Magic Resistance still applies) and they are banished for 100 years from the plane. It won’t work on a Demon Prince or similarly powered creature.

When unlocked, it will turn lower planar creatures as undead of the same level, as a 25th level user.

It cannot be wielded by a chaotic or evil person. Any attempt to do so will result in 20 damage to the wielder.

Alzar has learned that he’ll need to unlock the Crook, but it seems pretty powerful. He’s not sure how he came across such as powerful weapon against the forces arrayed against him and the Rod of Seven Parts, but it was probably manipulation behind the scenes to get the Crook of Infaust out from the demi-plane it was trapped in for thousands and thousands of years.


Infaust

Patron of Perfection, Master of Mind and Matter
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 12th (Temporal), LN, Matter
Symbol: the Vitruvian man
Portfolio: perfection, completeness, unity of mind and body, universal harmony (inner and outer)
Worshiped in: Small communities of mystics and monks in Brun (especially Sind and Thyatis), in Hollow World (Shahjapur), on Patera and in some outer planes
Appearance: a human of perfect size and physique, with pearl grey skin, grey eyes and white hair, completely nude and with a serious and focused expression.

Suspected History (See below for why this is suspected): Jojannes Silberstein, known as “Dottor Infaustus” (for his custom of intervening in discussions and in erudite dissertations in order to destroy the thesis’ of others – something he is always successful at), he was during his mortal life a student, alchemist, erudite and Hattian mage, who lived in the metropolitan territory of the Thyatian Empire about the II century AC. Driven by his thirst for knowledge, he devoured the most ancient books of human wisdom, learning all that he could on mundane and arcane science, on the history of the world, the planes and the divine. Soon, armed with this knowledge, he embarked on journeys that took him to the majority of the known lands, and in wild lands until now never visited by civilized eyes. His powers, always increasing, allowed him to visit many planes, meet the inhabitants, learning their secrets. However, Jojannes was always a dissatisfied human: in his continued quest for absolute knowledge, he established as the final perfection were elusive and unreachable, as the human mind is unable to take in one gulp the greatest secrets of the cosmos. Jojannes was also always extremely uncertain and undecided as the great knowledge he sought brought him to long reflection on whatever choice he must take on, to slowly ponder every consequence of such choices – a shortage that in most occasions caused not a few problems, especially when he found himself up against choose to quickly make or to more crazy or determined adversaries. Johannes, ascertained this indomitable of the thought to sudden action, after having meditated at length, arrived to consider the dualism of the mortal world: from one side the mind, ethereal, elusive, infinite and potentially powerful in the imagination (but unable of being realized); from the other the body, crude, anchored to inexpressible needs, short-lived, finite and incapable of break off from land (but also always the only means by which his can be translated into real action). Jojannes, deemed that in the solution to this dualism stays the key of perfection, he embarked on further research, that led him to always investigate more before in person the reality of the natural world, animals and of the creatures without great intellect – for understanding the true nature of the body. During this quest he encountered Djaea, who, intrigued by this unusual and complicated quest of inner and outer balance (the microcosm in the macrocosm), direct him to the search of an ancient artefact, the Root of the World, which could finally be at the end of his quest. After many adventures, Jojannes found the mysterious artefact, but barely had it in his hand, when he completely lost his memory and found himself reincarnated as a dog. Despite his bewilderment and sudden amnesia, the mind of Jojannes has though the knowledge of found in a crude body, unable to host it. The only thing that he remembered was the mysterious artefact, which, he thought had taken his memory, therefore he had to go and retrieve it. Therefore he was put again in search of it, being forced to use every sort of mental stratagems for overcoming the difficulties enforced on him by his new undesired body.

Nevertheless, he succeeded in the task and retrieved the Root of the World, only to once more lose the memory and was reincarnated as a minotaur! Once again he went in search of the artefact and found it, and once again lost his memory and was reincarnated as a djinn. When also finally in this form he retrieved the Root of the World, returned to his original form, rejuvenated, and Djaea appeared to him in all her splendor: he had barely completed his Quest on the Path of the Polymath towards Immortality, experiencing the various levels of complementary of body and mind: the animalistic (the dog), the half–animalistic (the minotaur), the dualism (the human) and the volatility of the body (the djinn). Today having finally understood that a mind and a body are intimately bound, their growth is contemporaneous and the perfection must contemplate the growth of one as much as the other. Strengthened by this new knowledge, Jojannes is dedicated to moreover perfecting the proper union between mind and body, founding an order of mystics dedicated to the philosophy of which he himself was made spokesman, that always invokes the greater correspondence between mind and body as the key for understanding the secret of existence and perfecting himself, in order to be at one with the cosmos. When finally Djaea saw fit to return at that moment, called him to herself in the ranks of the Immortals, but Jojannes (now that he felt he had attained the total harmony of his mind and body) asked her to first grant his final wish: removing his previous memory, in order that no residue of his mind could no longer undermine his complete unity of thought and action. Djaea, surprised and pleased by this thus profound dedication to the cause of Matter, consented, and Jojannes became one of the few Immortals to not remember the conditions of his ascension and his mortal life (even having had one). The only thing he remembered was his academic nickname, "Infaustus", from which he derived his new Immortal name, Infaust – to also signify his pain, ominous loss of that which his belief of having learnt that it is in the face of whom pursues the way of perfection.

Personality: For many Infaust is determined and hasty; in realty few understand how mind and body act as one in him. In fact, Infaust doesn’t think: he just acts, since the action that he accomplishes is nothing other than his will made material. Infaust has few allies, and he doesn’t even have many needs, given that he also doesn’t have any enemies and is generally disinterested in having followers; the only ones that honor his memory are his priests and the mystic followers of his philosophy.
Patron: Djaea
Allies: none
Enemies: none
Alignment of followers: Lawful
Favoured weapon: natural weapons (allowed all mystic weapons)
Clerics’ skills and powers: clerics of Infaust pursue a philosophy of perfection that makes them similar to Mystics. For this they gain the special abilities of the Mystics (and only those) at the same level.
Domains: Matter, Law, Knowledge, Will
Preferred weapon: unarmed blow
Source: IM3

[Abe Sargent]

Infaust is a LN Immortal of Matter who specializes in mind, perfection, completeness, and universal harmony and will. He is a major patron of martial artists, monks, and mystics. No major allies or enemies.

Infaust was once most popular immortal among the thinkers, the reasoners, and the focus and meditative ones. No one was more worshipped among those that cared about such things. This was in part due to his creation of the Crook of Infaust. The Crook was the center of Infaust’s power on the plane, and he invested it. In fact, it’s unlike most other Pandius artifacts, due to its age and nature. As it has been gone from the plane for millennia, Infaust’s power, reputation, and acknowledgement have faded and ebbed to very little.

In order to unlock the Crook, Alzar met with a Monk of Infaust about week 18 of the siege for a few hours. He showed Alzar the holiest and rarest tomes of Infaust that show that to unlock the Crook, he would need to go to the ruined great temple of Infaust, on a high mountaintop, and intone a plea for his aid. He will likely come quickly, given just how much of himself he put into the item and how important such a task would be. The monk asks for the Crook to be returned after Alzar’s battle again the demons concludes, and Alzar agrees to consider it, based on whether or not there is an ongoing struggle with demons after the quest against them with the Rod of Seven Parts finishes.


Alzar scouts and teleports to the mountaintop. He intones the prayer in the book, and Infaust appears shortly after. In order to give his aid and turn on the Crook, he wants Alzar to agree to build a large temple in his capital of Evenarrow, and then to give the Crook over to them after his Demonwar concludes and he agrees. Alzar will build a large temple to Infaust, and help to recreate his worship here on Mystara, as there are around 25 monks left that serve him and a handful of other erudites here and there. Alzar asks to let Infaust to slightly modify the magic to allow any cleric of the Sphere of Matter so Alzar can fully use the weapon in combat as well, and he makes the change. Infaust also gives Alzar the location of the 6th piece of the Rod. It’s in a demiplane which is why it was impossible for him to locate. Infaust points him in the right direction.

The Crook of Infaust now fully works. Alzar, as a cleric, can use a mace and will slide to this as needed in battle. It’s likely Alzar will fight with the Crook solely until the quest against the demons concludes.



He teleports back home and orders the construction of a temple immediately, engineers draw up plans, and within a week they are ready and he has a dedication ceremony where all 26 monks of Infaust arrive and dedicate the ground to him. The 2nd strongest of them, Monrave, will help oversee the construction of the temple, and she’ll take it over and run it once it’s built and will be the monk in control of the Crook of Infaust:

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar has spent some time locating the fourth patron he will seek:


Ssu-Ma

(GANETRA, PANGLOSS)
Patron of Memory, Father of Written Knowledge, Keeper of History and Order
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 23rd (Empyreal), LN, Thought
Symbol: an open book
Portfolio: memory, history, books, wisdom, education, order, sages, scribes
Worshipped in: Alphatia, Bellissaria, Hollow World (Shahjapur), Known World (Sind), Patera
Appearance: Ssu-Ma has two manifestation forms, a human and a pachydermion.

* Human (Ssu-Ma, Pangloss) : a venerable, bald and barefoot oriental sage, with a short white chin beard, wearing a simple linen tunic, a parchment at his waist and often under his arm a well thumbed tome.
* Pachydermion (Ganetra) : an enormous humanoid with the head and feet of an elephant full of wrinkles of venerable age, with a profound and wise look, a red dot marked in the centre of the forehead, a white tunic fastened at the shoulder and a book always underarm.

History: PROBABLE THEORY: the origins of Ssu-Ma are uncertain and even the Immortal hasn’t so far been able to dispel all the doubts on his past. Ssu-Ma believes that this fact, and his obsession for history and memory, are derived from a manipulation that his patron (from which Ssu-Ma has also lost all memory) must have made to his Immortal mind, removing all the memories. For this now Ssu-Ma desperately tries to archive every single piece of information that he encounters, with the hope of also successfully finding the roots of his own origins. Ssu-Ma is considered of having probably been the first creature of the Multiverse who was able to codify his thoughts in words and his words in writing, and that for this achieved Immortality. Given that the cult of Ssu-Ma is linked in first place to the Ochaleans and to the Alphatians, he assumed that maybe during his mortal life he belonged to one of these peoples, even if he hasn’t established which. That which is sure is that in the first centuries after the arrival of the Alphatians on Mystara, his cult appeared both in Alphatia (where he was however called Pangloss) and in Ochalea, and possessing many similar characteristics. Shortly after, Ssu-Ma was of interest of the pachydermion culture of Patera (the invisible moon), and here was worshipped as patron of memory, history, wisdom and writing, gave to the pachydermions a new system of codification of the language and a series of sacred books (the Rig Veda) that have heavily influenced their spiritual and social growth. For this, with the pachydermions, the Alphatians and the Ochaleans he is considered the creator of the codified system of ideograms that has allowed the gathering and cataloguing the acquired knowledge. Among the most ancient texts and works considered sacred of his hands are numbered the legendary Rig Veda (transcription of the philosophical teachings of a pachydermion cleric of Ganetra with the court of the Sindhi Great Moghul during the VI century AC), the Tablet of Celestial Balance (also known as the Tome of Ssu-Ma, that with the Ochaleans constitutes the basis on which stands the philosophy of the Celestial Court and the art of good writing), and the Tome of Gambia (that according to the Alphatian legends was written by the First Mage, who discovered the arcane arts, and in which all the knowledge of the world can be found).

Personality: Ssu-Ma is an extremely calm and compassionate individual, faithful to the precision and order almost ending in an obsession. He doesn’t support chaos or disjointed thinking and for this is often in conflict with Korotiku, who loves to provoke him with disjointed and paradoxical arguments and to drag in his incapacity to remember his own past for making him more humble. He is often so absorbed in his own thoughts that it results in him being distracted, but when speaking he is always aware of the cause. For this many young Immortals turn to him for advice, as the mortals consult his followers, who are shining lights among the sages and learned of all the world. Ssu-Ma is the patron of meaningful knowledge like memory, history and education, and has taken particularly to heart the transmission of knowledge through writing, the only defense that he can interpose between the knowledge and the forgetfulness brought by time. Ssu-Ma has little predisposition to adventure and prefers avoiding the fight for power. For this despite his long time in the Immortal ranks, having never reached the apex of his Sphere. He doesn’t have any allies or enemies because of his detached character, but nurtured esteem for Noumena, who he considers an important interlocutor and a stimulating rival in games of logic and wit.

Patron: unknown [presumed: Korotiku]
Allies: none (respect for Noumena)
Enemies: none (antipathy for Korotiku)
Alignment of followers: Lawful
Favoured weapon: mace (allowed all bludgeoning weapons)
Clerics’ skills and powers: +1 bonus to Intelligence, permanent power of read languages, +2 bonus to librarianship and concentration (not free)
Domains: Thought, Law, Knowledge
Preferred weapon: light mace
Source: Master and Immortal set, WotI, HWA3, IM3

[Abe Sargent]

Ssu-Ma is not your normal immortal, mostly dialing out of the struggle and rat race and such for the quest for knowledge, something that resonates deeply with Alzar. Alzar also doesn’t want to have issues with Immortals. Take Halav for example, who is a Lawful Neutral Thought immortal that has a lot of synergy with Alzar. Well, Halav and Vanya are big enemies, so Halav is highly unlikely to accept an offer of supplication from him.

Alzar teleports to a giant mountain where Ssu-Ma’s worship used to be the greatest. He has with him copies of some of the best historical books in his extensive collection from Thorasia and Hamedh (he’d likely have anything Alzar also had).

Alzar climbs the Mountain over five days, and takes on the seven challenges. Unlike others, all seven here are intellectual in nature. It’s clear that Ssu-Ma cares more for intellectual acuity than anything else. You will note that Ssu-Ma is one of the oldest immortals and yet Alzar couldn’t find any immortals of Thought that were believed to have been sponsored by Ssu-Ma. Although he only has around 55 Thought immortals on the list that have such a detailed history in Alzar’s library of the hundreds of immortals in the sphere that are known. (Although there is at least one on the path of Immortality right now for Ssu-Ma.)


Alzar meditates for 6 days. I roll a d10 for Ssu-Ma and add these modifiers:

I am not sure about one. Right now their alignments are identical, normally a +3. When different, -2. Is that a +3 or -2? I am going to ignore the modifier. Total result is +2, which means only a 0 won’t get Ssu-Ma to respond physically.

Alzar sees a servant of Ssu-Ma appear before him, and his master will visit in 10 days.

10 days later, Alzar is visited by Ssu-Ma

A giant book the size of the mountain top reveals itself before Alzar and opens to the first page. This is a list of Ssu-Ma’s history as an immortal, believes, requirements and such. The pages turn automatically as Alzar reads. 3 hours later the book has been read.

Alzar feels a presence and looks up from the book. The entire time, Alzar was reading, Ssu-Ma’s hands were turning the page, without him seeing it. Revealed in his glory, Ssu-Ma is larger than the mountain. Alzar supplicates him. He gives to Ssu-Ma the great historical works from Hamedh and Thorasia he compiled, more than 30 books on lost civilizations and cultures. It includes the book Alzar wrote after encountering the lost civilization in the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan on the Isle of Dread. They are accepted as an appropriate gift.

Alzar gets +5 to the supplication and presentation roll, +2 for the gift, +3 for passing the tests. The d10 is rolled. Alzar gets a 4. Suu-Ma is happily accepted. He gives Alzar a Codex of Understanding, and reading this magical tome will allow Alzar to quadruple his reading speed forever.

[Abe Sargent]

He has pre-written a document for Alzar he made ahead of time, outlying the Path.


Ssu-Ma explains that the normal path for Thought is that of the Epic Hero. But if Alzar had been assigned this path earlier, he would have easily have accomplished it multiple times in his 10 years in Pandius. Defeating Baba-Yaga? Killing a demon prince in her own home? Stopping three demon invasions on his territory? Winning two wars? Founding a dynasty? Building monuments? Dueling wizards? Taking out the Ice Queen and Icelia? Finding the Throne artifact in the Endless Stair subplane? Recovering the Crook of Infaust? Destroying the Milenian Scepter? Conquering Gammar? Alzar has clearly done much that is in the genre of the Epic Hero.

The goal of a Path to Immortality is to challenge the entrant. The normal path is:

Destroy an artifact of entropy
Find and recover an artifact of Thought
Name and train a successor
Create a legendary weapon
Do one nearly impossible task (drive away all giants in the area, etc).

Ssu-Ma points out that the recent victory was likely #5, as was killing the Queen of Chaos. He is already working with his heavily pregnant wife and will train their daughter to take over after they have completed their paths. He has just brought back an artifact of matter, doing so for thought won’t be hard. He has already destroyed an artifact, and shown an understanding of how to continue.

So, after Ssu-Ma accepted Alzar’s mediation, he met with the leader of the Thought Sphere, Odin. They agreed that Alzar would have an altered path, that reflects new challenges for him as well as Ssu-Ma’s personality and sphere.

Ssu-Ma’s Path of the Epic Hero

Win the Demonwars for Law without using the Crook of Infaust
Create a legendary weapon
Have the best library in Pandius. (Ssu-Ma currently ranks it 6th best). Also…
Open up his library to more knowledge seekers
Turn over some of the control of his library to Ssu-Ma
Increase the literacy rate of his nation by at least 50% (Currently 40%)


And those are the steps Alzar will need to complete for Ssu-Ma

Alzar agrees to them, and smiles sadly at the first. He had just acquired that tool to help win the Demonwars he was previously dealing with.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar heads back home and will read the Codex tonight.


Tomorrow, he spends getting caught up on the 16 days he was away, and Vix was ruling, in he 8th month.

Year 10, Month 4


A few days into the next month, Alzar has budgeted a few hours for creating the plans for his legendary weapon.

He can use an Axe. But Selnyr is a powerful and great Axe, one of the best ever forged by the dwarves.

Instead he’ll make a legendary spear for Vix. She just has a +4 spear, with no other abilities other than returning.

Alzar is going to make:

Nykthos, Spear of Vix: +5 Spear, sized for Vix (She is bigger and taller than most people due to her heritage)

And give it these abilities:


Teleporting – A hit character is teleported adjacent to the person who threw the spear
Returning – It will return to the hand of the person who tossed it.
-2 AC when used in combat
User is immune to level drain

That’s pretty good.

Alzar has researched a path for making it:

Ivory Horn from an extra-planar elephant to be carved into the point by a knife made from flint gathered from the oldest mountain on Pandius.

Wool from a tiger from the future must be secured, and used to rub down the spear after it’s ready

Verite to make the end of the spear forged by an evil ghost, mined from another plane, and forged in the fires of a dragon’s belly. Then the metal must be cooled on the Elemental Plane of Ice and dried in the Positive Material Plane.

The shaft of the spear must be cut from Yggdrasil, and carved by a shearing knife blessed by two enemy immortals.

Then the spells must be enstarred into the spear itself:

Negative Plane Protection
Boneblade
Aid
Chant
Blink

And that will be it and Alzar will have given his wife the powerful and soon-to-be legendary “Nykthos”

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar spends the next week acquiring some components, like the wood, and creating Focal Stones for the five spells that are going into the item he is making. He is using this month quietly to work on this object and they expect that Vix will give birth in a week or two.

Alzar has also launched a literacy program, working to create a temple for Ssu-Ma here in Evenarrow as well as Infaust, and he is working on building up his library.

Alzar also has his apprentices meet and gives copies of Alzar’s Bookread, a 2nd level spell that speeds up reading, away to as many mages and wizards as possible. This is his gift to knowledge.

[Abe Sargent]

Begin Greyhawk Ruins

In order to push his library quickly, Alzar teleports back to the dungeon, this time focusing on the third and final remnant of the keep locked away. The first was the military part of this castle that he incursed, and then the second was the old magist’s tower that had a unparalleled amount of treasure from 30000 ogre control rings to tons of books including information on how to break the level barrier and still level up and tons of stuff.

The final of the three surviving areas of this ancient complex is a ten level dungeon of magic and power that were the under levels behind a giant keep that was destroyed long ago, but this was locked off and down.

(I find this this dungeon to be logically inconsistent. Alzar is about to find out that it has a very active economy, stores, people living here, and so forth. But despite the presence mages, genies, and such, there are still places on each level where you have a humanoid clan of trolls or something raiding and feeding on the others, or a group of weaker shadows doing the same and such. It makes no sense. If you live here, and you are very powerful, why would not fully take out each level and then fully embrace the level and remove any threats at the same time? Why let a group of trolls snack on your customers or your staff when you can send your genie to clear them out, or a quick foray by a mage and a few apprentices will end it? So I am going to be removing the various aspects from this dungeon that are different. Instead I will be amplifying the living feel of the place, and thus, I will be changing about 30% to 50% of the dungeon to make it logically consistent.)

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar arrives at the final dungeon. As a reminder, this is near his border with Alak Dool’s Barony, and Alak Dool was a chaotic evil problem he dealt with who allied with Thyatis in the first War of the Crown about 8 years ago now against Leeha and others. Alak Dool was left in charge after a geas spell secured his loyalty, and he didn’t join Baron Norlan or Thyatis in this recent war, so at least that was okay. He fields an army of more than 1500 evil humanoids of various sorts, like gnolls and hobgoblins. Alzar prefers his own dwarves, much more reliable.

Because this place is a former central castle and keep for the entire region, there are still a number of smaller villages and such in the region, despite the fact that, it’s pretty remote from anything anymore. They are a little less than 150 miles to the dwarf hold, a little more than 50 miles from Alak Dool’s and the border with Norwold. About 10 villages are within a half day ride from here and still in operation, even after all of this time.

Alzar arrives at the doors down, and he notices that they appear newer than the previous two places he explored here last year. There is a new lock here as well. Seeing newer people here, Alzar uses some Dust of Disappearance, and his Griffin flies off. He moves carefully to the door and puts his Ear Ring up to it. He can hear a number of voices talking about seeing someone approach, no one is scheduled to arrive today. His scrying won’t work too far. Someone is blocking it – it was the same in the other two places here as well. If you’ll recall, the bottom of the first dungeon had an unusual source of magical power that interfered with things, gave additions to making magical items, and more. It screwed with scrying attempts to the area as well. That’s why they built here. So that seems to linger over this third dungeon beneath the old castle.

The door opens and out come a quartet of half elves, looking around. They see Alzar’s Griffin flying away. One of them cries out and points. They talk to each other about the flying creature and are actually sad that it’s not someone come to buy anything. Alzar moves into the open door and they close and bar it about a minute later.

As Alzar steps further, he passes an Invisibility Purge field he didn’t notice. He is made visible! They cry out for him to stop, and one of them shouts out that Alzar is the Duke (yes they used the wrong title) and that they have been found and draws steel and moves to attack. Two others follow her, the fourth shouts her down, but battle has already been joined.

[Abe Sargent]

Round 1

6 vs 4

They miss him three times. (Cloak). Alzar hits the first and kills it for 19, and then second for 18 and kills it, and the third is bashed and slain for 10.

The fourth just shakes his head. “I told them.” He apologizes to Alzar for the welcome. But what would you expect when the lord of the land sneaks, not knocks, on your door? He asks Alzar what he is here for, and he replies that, honestly, he was looking to explore and get some more books for a project he was working on. The guard’s Know Alignment is working and sees Alzar as LN, and welcomes him, knowing he is unlikely to be lying.

They enter, and the guard commander shows Alzar the first floor entrance and a few places to visit, and then will report to the guard captain and replace the dead guards and report the arrival of Alzar.

Alzar turns the corner, emerges from a magical chamber that scans to ensure nothing bad is happening and all illusions are dropped, and the another entry room behind it, and then and sees a long hallway that stretches about half the way down the dungeon at least, with a number of smaller rooms of each side of the wide corridor. There are about 5 or 6 stalls down each side with vendors hawking goods, and as Alzar walks down he can hear the sounds of light armor making and crude weapon making coming from some of the rooms off the corridor. The goods offered here are pretty minor things.

About 5 minutes after he arrives, the leader of the first floor arrives to greet Alzar. “I always come out to meet first time visitors, but when I heard it was you? I wasn’t sure if we were being raided or if I was being lied to.”

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar and the leader agree to voluntarily fail some detect lie and ESP magic so they can be sure of what they are each saying. The leader here rungs the first floor of a 10 floor operation. It appears that this area is mostly off the books for a number of reasons. Their clients are often illegal, often of either an evil or chaotic element to them. Many of the things provided here aren’t legal, but more are legal than illegal.

There are a few ways into this place. One is through a few tunnels. Each level 2 – 9 has at least one tunnel to it from deeper that you can come up. Only the top and bottom floors don’t, for security. There are also the top entrance Alzar just entered through, as well as many places for people to teleport or use other transit magic, which is apparently also really common as a way to enter the dungeon. They keep the top looking like a normal dungeon door to prevent prying eyes.

This area caters to various economic desires for this region of the nation. Nothing else works. This is where local villagers can buy and sell weapons, you can hire mercenaries, and so forth. There are a few things that are not allowed. On the 8th floor is a huge arena. The only people allowed to duel there are summoned creatures like Fire Elementals and anyone who wants to volunteer, although they haven’t had any non-conjured folks fight in a few years. It’s more fun watching a demon and devil smash each other‘s face, and gets more bidding. Secondly, slavery is not allowed. No slaves are bought or sold here, and no slaves are owned here. It’s party for purely selfish reasons. It keeps the place off the map. It helps to keep things safe. But it’s also a hassle too. And a lot of folks here really like freedom, and they don’t take with the idea of people owning each other.

Alzar asks about thieving elements, and sees that there is an active thieves guild here, and that it’s only connected to one in Alak Dool’s barony. There’s no central authority to the dungeon either, although each floor has a captain to keep things in line and respond to any issues. But the place polices itself.

Some of the things available here include a teleport maze in level 4, a gambling den in level 5, and in level 9, the home of five powerful mages who’s apprentices make magical items for sale. That’s the big place. Alzar had mentioned being interested in books. There is a library here guarded by a pair of peaceful Beholders. He gives Alzar a Ring of Levitation to levitate up and see the entire library of books. Alzar mentions that was what originally brought him here, but he was coming to explore and clean out a dungeon, not what he found instead. He’d like to explore the entire dungeon, and the leader will join him for the entirety of it.

[Abe Sargent]

Level 1 –

The shops here on the entry level are minor – crude weapon and armor making, food, and such. There’s a mushroom-based beer here that’s pretty popular and the brewery for it takes up about 10 percent of the area.

They pass around 50 different human, half elf, and orcs that are on guard duty or in the grand hallway eating. Alzar enquires but there is no name they have for the place. It’s easier to keep it off the radar is one is overheard talking about going to a dungeon as opposed to going to Hotbar or whatever else you might call it. Less curiosity is raised.

A great table of purple marble is at the end of this corridor, and there are some soldiers that are guarding a large stair down, but Alzar moves off to explore this level first. We have a few minor golems, like Necrophidus, as well as tavern called the Green Leaf. There is an altar and old temple converted to a modern temple off to the left. It was originally a shrine to a long forgotten immortal, but now is a modern person. Alzar doesn’t recognize the dedication, and is told it’s a new immortal named Loup who is worshipped heavy by lycanthropes and Lupin. He’s an evil Thought immortal.

Off to the left are some recent magical constructs. There are two black pyramids here, made of a dark, unknown stone. Alzar inquires and is told that they were built about 50 years ago after the supporting structure collapsed with time. It’s the home of clerics of Loup. Alzar knocks and enters and they greet him and welcome him. There is an entire set of books on the faith, worship, and history of Loup here, a and Alzar wants to add them to his growing library. He mentions to them that he is seeking to create the largest library in Pandius in Evenarrow, and they have two extra copies. He buys a set for 100 gp from them

Set of 7 books on the History and Worship of Loup


They also have 142 books on various faiths here worth 25,000 gp that Alzar is allowed to come and copy later, and he’ll do so with some apprentices, and he will donate 1% of their value to the temple (250 gp)

They finish about the level and head down

[Abe Sargent]

Level 2 –

This level has most of the public areas, as the first level with tunnels as well as more secure locations. This is where there are a few inns, restaurants, and such. This also includes the first barracks for soldiers, and sleeping quarters for people who live and work here. There are people who are born here and have lived in the dungeon complex their entire lives.

He enters to another guard room, and then passes into another large corridor. Here are stools and mats and such lining the area. The upper floor was much more sparse than this one, which feels more densely populated.

About 100 soldiers line the area and protect things, or are off duty. There is a large gong by the entrance for emergencies, and a magic mouth effect announces discounts at two local inns as they pass down the main corridor. There is a permanent illusion to the left that points to a local tavern called “The Mad House” and a clown carved into the wood and a clown motif sign in front of it.

Near the end of this central passage are more decorations and such. There is apparently a pretend haunted dungeon effect behind the Mad House where programmed illusions and hit and the continually light lanterns are snuffed out. Alzar sees a giant table carved like a pearl in a restaurant to his right, and the living quarters continue. On the back side the Mad House Alzar sees a small fountain carved into a clown. The restaurant to his right is serving a meal of cooked giant cockroach right now, which apparently to his guide, tastes delicious, but he is not going to head in. A tattoo parlor to the right is past the inns, and Alzar sees a well in front of the parlor. They head down.

[Abe Sargent]

Level 3 –

This level includes a number of infrastructural needs. His guides mentions that the 2nd level is the most populated. So the third level has a lot of the trash and garbage and cleaning devices and locations needed to care for the dungeon. There are some wererats to the left over a large chamber of trash and refuse that the upper level dumps through the rock. Apparently, there are chutes here up to level 1 as well. There are some bats and flying birds here, and even a few Stirges, but they east quietly. Up here, the guide mentions that trash is normal. But down below near the mages they use and control magical dungeon cleaning like feeding their refuse to a contained gelatinous cube.

There are about 20 wererats here guarding and working in the refuse. Back here is also a crypt and tomb, where people are buried. Alzar and his guide walk by it, but he doesn’t feel any necrotic tugs so he doubts there are any undead here. The tombs and markers go back centuries. The rest of the 3rd level are some crafts shops, that make clay or pottery, carpentry, and an embalmer for the graveyard.

Level 4 –

The next level is really interesting. There is a an old teleport maze here that is the whole left of the dungeon. Each room has four teleport spots and you have to go in the right order to get out. There are riddles in each room that, if solved, will clue a person on which pad to step on. Otherwise you go in a random direction. It’s used as entertainment, although it was clearly designed with different purpose.

On the right side of the level is a large courtyard and garden. Down here are a red dragon relief that breathes fire when you pull it’s metal tail and a runes marking the area and pointing out various parts of the floor. There are some people here talking or walking around. It’s all underground foliage, mosses, and such that lives here.

That makes this an open and spartan level. They head down.

[Abe Sargent]

Level 5 –

Level 5 has a number of guards here as well. It’s one of the more durable and lived in levels with a number of living chambers, as well as another restaurant, and two wells , as well as a natural chimney outside that lets heat and smoke out. There are also more shops here, and there are weapons and such. But the biggest feature here on level 5 is are a few recruiters and hirelings for mercenaries. You can hire some mercenaries here, with tables and rooms converted to meeting rooms and negotiation chambers.

Alzar’s ongoing ESP can see the problem. How can you tell the difference between a mercenary who is worth the money, won’t leave you, and is just looking for an opportunity to do something interesting as opposed to mercenaries that are going to stab you in the back? The mercenary profession here on Pandius can have a bit of a bad reputation. Alzar just fought against some mercenaries in war. Is there a
chance to change that?

There are some iron and flesh golems here that protect the peace and keep control. Probably just in case to keep the mercenaries in check, as well as at least 50 more troops on guard Alzar notices. This appears to be a pretty tight ship. Alzar asks about funding, and then 5% tax on all transactions occurs here.

Alzar’s guard captain points him to a certain shop with eight golem guards and they head in. In here is a golem making store. There are more than 100,000 gp of value of books and tomes on making golems, ivory tubes with scrolls of spells needed to make golems, and every some equipment here. The proprietor has apparently been here for a long time and they swap shop for an hour. He makes the golems for the area, and then sells the extra supplies he doesn’t need Alzar bends down and grabs some loose rocks from in front of the Golem Shop. Now, if he ever wants to Worldwalk here, he can.

[Abe Sargent]

Level 6 –

Level 6 is the gambling dens, and this floor, in addition to guards both living and golem, there are tons of gambling tables, sleeping quarters, another pair of inns, and there is also a perfectly legal set of prostitution here, with 5% of the funds here also being taxed. There are also some drugs being sold here as well in a pair of stores with some stools and tables out front. Alzar sees a group of four soldiers smoking something in a tobacco pipe that doesn’t smell like tobacco, but he can’t identify it.

They head down.

Level 7 –

This is the final level with things for sale in it. This is the place with some additional food stuffs, and water, some clothing and such all sold here. Also about a third of it is storage, on the left hand side there are some warehouses. The right has more living quarters. There is also more large foundations and another trash chute room that goes up to level 4 and collects trash and refuse here, but it’s behind some closed doors they check out.


Level 8 –

This floor is dominated by one huge central room. This must have been where people once sparred for training. Now they spar for life. Creatures are summoned to this space, and here they fight. There are runes and circles of protection around the sparring circle in the ground that were added more recently than the stone, and carved there so they would remain. Many seats and tables circle the sparring table, and bets are placed, taken, and creatures are summoned. Another battle is schedule in a few minutes time. It’s between a Hydrodaemon and a Alu Fiend. As they explore the level, the battle begins, and the Hydrodaemon wins in a about a minute.

Most of the rest of this level appears to be living quarters and supplies for the fights, but not all. As they move over to the left wall, Alzar senses something beyond the dungeon. His Star is out and reveals a passage in the earth that was hidden by a high level illusion and there are some Dao-esque accoutrements here. The guard captain didn’t know these were here, and they explore. Soon they run into a Dao mining facility. They are under the summoning and control of the mages, and they are exploring and looking for gems and high quality metals in the earth. After mining, they use their earth-control powers to rebuild the place immediately, so it’s state is identical to the one left and doesn’t weaken support structures. Alzar uses Genie Lore to talk with them and find out why they are here.

They head back and go down.

[Abe Sargent]

Level 9 –

Level 9 is noteworthy as the shops of the five mages that live here, and their apprentices. Each of them has a specialty, one an alchemist, another a conjurer, and so forth. Their apprentices set up a selling station here with goods, and a number of magical wards on in place to ensure proper sales. Everything from trash to water is provided or handled magically. Because this area gives boons to things made here, the golems are more powerful, the potions more potent, and the magical items have an additional +1 to them.

However, level 10 is their homes, workshops and such down there. There are powerful magical channels in the earth here that protect it, and there are no side tunnels to it, so it’s safer

Alzar reviews the goods, and notes a few things he might want to pick up later. But the final feature here is the library and he heads to the library. He heads in, and is greeted by two Beholders who are smaller than normal, they were shrunk with various spells to make them more agile and powerful in the confines of the library. They can use their Telekinesis eyestalk to move something down. Alzar bends down to fill out a visitor slip and there are thousands of visitors, including Alak Dool and Claranesa the Seer. As he fills it out, he is hit with a geas to force him to not reveal the library or the dungeon, and a Forget spell so he’ll forget being geased. Neither crack his 75% Magic Resistance. He can tell the geas and reads it’s trap in the sign pad, but doesn’t protest the basic idea of secrecy anyway. The captain has shown Alzar around and then leaves.

There are five rings of Levitation used here to help folks browse, instead of stepladders. There is a platinum candelabra on an onyx table that lights up when Alzar moves in with a continual light effect.

Alzar browses the library and these are many of a sagely type, with titles like Social Graces Among Gnomes and Structural Mathematics. There appear to be more than 1500 books here. There is also a back collection protected by Beholders not allowed to be accessed by Alzar. Alzar’s Star of Mo’Pilar reveals that every book back there is trapped with at least one spell. That’s the good stuff. Alzar quickly counts 75 black-bound volumes. Spellbooks? Grimoires of a dark and personal nature? (They are, in actually, atlases of every known dungeon, places, city, castles, and more.)

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar will return.

He wants to set up a meeting with the mages, and the apprentice for the diviner reaches out and she arrives first. She knew Alzar was here. She invites him downstairs. Down here the five mages and their apprentices live a sort of collective with everyone sharing everything. They need to, in part, due to the space. You can’t have five separate work rooms or summoning chambers, for example. She introduces Alzar to the other wizards here, one of the five is out right now. She tells Alzar that she knew he was coming today, and that she prepared a gift for him. Alzar looks over and spies a stack of 25 books, wrapped in ribbon. Those are rare books you’ll want for the Great Library. The group of five mages want two things, and she wants a third, and Alzar can have that stack of books, and make a copy of all of the books in their library above.

All five mages will get full access to the Great Library, starting now with the stuff Alzar already has. He negotiates making them pledge to geases not to destroy or attack anything, nor to use the info against him or his people, and they agree.
Alzar will give them the various spells he has made on books, copying, and such that are rumored to have made
She wants full knowledge of Rhabdomancy. She scouted Hamedh and saw it had a new and unusual sub-school of divination she had not encountered before, then scried Alzar using a divining rod for his divination magic. In exchange, she’ll let him copy every one of her 121 books on divination from her personal collection. They agree after Alzar reviews the 25 books.



Alzar gained:

75 black-bound volumes of atlases of every known dungeon, places, city, castles, and more.
25 rare books on summoning and conjuration used in the dungeon arena.
121 specialist books on divination
1500 Sage books from dungeon library
7 book set on the full History and Worship of Loup
142 books on various faiths worth 25,000 gp

That’s not bad. He may come back here later for spell trading and such as well.


Alzar teleports home and begins to send out apprentices to make Bookcopies.

End of Greyhawk Ruins