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

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 2


This month is spent building up his infrastructure for almost 10000 new elven immigrants. He’s working on securing supplies such as rope and food. He is also helping more elves enter his realm, as seen below…



ELVES WINTER IN CRUTH MOUNTAINS


The elves fleeing southward from Alfheim are trapped by a harsh winter in the icy foothills north of the Cruth mountains. Heavy winter snowfalls and some unfortunate avalanches blocked the passes into Karameikos, pinning the elves between the rocky Cruth mountains and the hard place that Alfheim has become.


Alzar is sent a request to help by his new elves.

Alzar heads out to offer more assistance. Many see this as a sign that Karameikos is not meant to be their home, and Alzar gains another 750 Elves, but Alzar brings aid, from himself and others in his nation who teleport in and will do things like destroy rocks. Alzar loans both of his Daern’s Instant Fortress to help their wintering and advance in the mountains by giving them two towers to use. He also sends in war winter gear as well, knowing how to prepare for winter with living in Norwold for 16 years.




PLAGUE HITS FREIBURG


The capital of the Heldannic Freeholds to their south is hit by a sudden and swift-spreading plague. Frieburg is hit hard, and this will slow down the Freeholds. They quarantine the capital for months.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 3

More time with infrastructure development. Alzar purchases two more Decanters of Endless Water and uses them to set up irrigation in his farmland, and will spend much of the money on building water and pipes and such. With the rush of immigrants, he doesn’t want to run out of food.

Winter mostly ends. Alzar orders another castle built in the far northwest of his territory as a keep to defend. He’ll name it Castle West.

One of his courtiers dies from a plague she got in Freiburg. Alzar heals her, resurrects her, and then spends a week or so ensuring that the plague from nearby in the south is not coming here. The good news is that Alzar has a lot of experience fighting plagues back in Thorasia, as well as a dense number of temples and people to cure and help folks out.



ISLANDS REVOLT


The Thyatian-controlled nations of Ochalea and the Pearl Islands seize the opportunity to regain their independence, which they lost a thousand years ago. They declare their independence from Thyatis and prepare their own military forces for a Thyatian reprisal which they hope will not come.



HELSKIR JOINS ALPHATIA


Seeing her military forces stalled on the Isle of Dawn and facing ever-increasing opposition to the war at home, especially from the Shiye-Lawr elves (followers of Eiryndul), Empress Eriadna returns to the diplomatic skills at which she has such great prowess.

Helskir, a nominally independent city on the northern tip of the Isle of Dawn, sided with Thyatis when the war broke out but has played no great role in the conflict so far.

This winter, Helskir is suddenly overrun by Alphatians who occupy the city and seize the Thyatian troops and ships there but do not interfere with the civilian population in any perceptible way. The Alphatian forces immediately move south, crushing the Thyatians between them and the Alphatian-occupied cen*tral island. Within days, the entire northern two-thirds of the Isle of Dawn-more significantly, the most heavily-occupied and militarily important two-thirds of the island-are under Al*phatian control.

Within a few days, Eruul Zaar, the powerful fighter who had ruled Helskir in the past, is crowned king of Helskir and the northern third of the Isle of Dawn by Empress Eriadna herself; shortly thereafter he marries Asteriela Torion. Asteriela, third child of the Emperor of Thyatis, had been held in Alphatia as a hostage since she was a teenager (Empress Eriadna's son Tredorian was the counter*hostage held in Thyatis).

This is quite a coup for Zaar: if Alphatia wins the war, he re*tains all of his new power, and if Thyatis wins the war, he retains most or all of his new power. Amazingly, the marriage also appears to be a love match rather than just a political arrangement.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 4

Alzar ends the plague in his Kingdom from Freiburg. He heads there and offers some clerical aid. Again, anything he can do to help!

Alzar spends this month also working to help refugees adopt, including scanning, letting some in, and such.

Bandits from outside of his nation that are hitting him are the strongest they’ve been yet, as humanoids from Thar’s army bleed all over northern Brun and folks from Norwold are either crossing a border a little and hitting his people, or vice versa and hitting his when they cross

Alzar ends four bands of bandits and one of pirates this month.


Alzar begins construction on a building to house a small school of magic.



FIVE SHIRES REINFORCES DAROKIN

Military forces from the Five Shires join the ar*my of Darokin to help keep order there and defend Darokin from the humanoids occupying the crater in North Darokin.


ELVES REACH KARAMEIKOS


The clans of Alfheim finally reach Karameikos. King Stefan, who had indicated that they would be welcome in Karameikos, tells them they can settle wherever local elf-clans and communities will let them integrate. He adds that if they wish to have elvish dominions, he'll cede them land in the eastern forests, near the borders to Thyatis. The lands he has in mind are near lands occupied by the Calarii elves; more signifi*cantly, they are lands currently occupied by the Dymrak Gob*lins. In other words, Stefan is happy to give them dominions ... but only if they are willing to forge those dominions out of wild lands currently occupied by hostile humanoids.

Most of the Alfheim elves choose the eastern dominions.

Alzar hears about rumblings from Karameikos Elves, and he teleports down. After the warm greeting and time that Alzar personally invested in the elves, versus the distant “Carve out dominations on my border from these bad guys and then guard it for me” the elves are not pleased. While there are some that want to call Karameikos home and will enjoy the thought of taking out goblins, most of them just want to focus on building their homes right now.

Another 6000 teleport over to Alzar’s nation, and two more Elf Holds will be made in the same region.


Grand Duchy Elf Total – 5 new holds, 16250 Elves

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 5

Alzar’s work in Freiburg was not great, as can be seen below.

This is not the area for Tornados. Tornados don’t hit this area of the world. But the largest tornado Alzar has ever seen tears through Norwold and the Kingdom of the Mighty. It creates a huge swath of damage in his holdings, leaving thousands homeless and many more without food, water, or infrastructure. More than 200 died.

Alzar spends much of this month and the next few months working on fixing his realm after the Tornado hit hard.


Just because Alphaks has focused his concentration elsewhere doesn’t mean that he has forgotten his enmity with Alzar.



PLAGUE SPREADS

The quarantine failed, and the plague in the Heldann Territories worsens; it has now killed 20% of the Heldannic population. It also spreads into Vestland, Soderfjord, and northern Ylaruam.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 6

All that happens this month is Tornado fixing and repair and feeding folks. The key issues of water and food trump housing for now.

Alzar does have more raids he puts down as well.

The Shrine to Vix is finished

And he helps out some more elves….





ETHENGARIANS AMBUSH ELVES

During this civil war, Ethengar nobles seek the crossing elves as a chance to enrich themselves or their political argument for their own Khanship. Ethengarians attack Alfheim elves crossing their territory to reach Wendar in the north.

The elves are chased out of Ethengar lands and into the Glantrian mountains instead of Wendar, suffering heavy losses. Additionally, from their brief contact with the Ethengarians, some of the elves contract the plague which continues to sweep through the Khanates.

Alzar heads over but finds out about the ambush too late, and all he can do is help to keep the raids from hitting the fleeing elves as they retreat to Glantri. Alzar offers more of them habitation in his nation, and half of the remaining elves heading to Wendar take him up on it. They also move the Library Tree to his nation.



Grand Duchy Elf Total – 7 new holds, 23275 Elves; Library Tree

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 7


More tornado help, now moving to fixing roads, bridges, houses and such.


More raids are issues.

This month, another assassination succeeds with poison.

Barkal the Red approaches Alzar, the leader of his tribe of barbarians and the nominal leader of the rest as well. He was Alzar’s best man at his wedding with Vix. He has aged to the point that he will no longer be able to run the barbarians. He was ousted by his son after losing to him in battle.

Barkal is given a role in his tribe as elder now, but his son is the official person to communicate with now.


Leeha are taking in some halfling refugees.




IMPERIAL NAVIES CLASH


In naval action, the Alphatian fleet sails around the northern end of the Isle of Dawn and approaches the main*land coast. Thyatian naval units stationed at Dawnpoint in the Thyatian duchy of Tel Akbir head north to intercept them, as do elements of the Retebius Air Fleet, the elite flying corps of the Thyatian military.

The years of warfare have now all but eliminated the effects of Valerias's earlier efforts; the weak officers have been eliminated by execution or have died in battle, and the common troops have been whipped into shape and weaned from the debilitat*ing effects of the zzonga fruit. So this promises to be a mighty clash of naval forces, and it is. The two sea-navies inflict great harm upon one another, and the Retebius Air Fleet and the Alphatian sky-ship navy lose many of their heroes in bloody fighting.

The engagement is a qualified victory for the Thyatians. The Alphatians are unable to make landfall on Thyatian soil; the Alphatian navy retreats to the Isle of Dawn.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 8

Alzar is trying to use control weather magic to keep the farmers farming longer to help supply the folks who lost food with enough to eat. Alzar heads to their area and helps to put together more than 20 houses with magic. They are helped by a number of elven refugees nearby who were unhurt by the tornado and have now set up their Elf Holds, as a way to return the favor and be neighborly.

Alzar ends another pirate attack, this time from the Isle of Dawn.


MASSACRE AT TROMSO


Increasingly, the many clerics of Heldann are winning the war against the plague. Now, healthy combined forces from the Heldannic Knights and Ostland penetrate into the Ethengar Khanates. Still divided by civil war, and, at the community of Tromso, massacre some of the armies which attacked their territories.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 9


More control weather used.

Alzar has a visit from a fellow immortally seeker he worked with in (M2. Twilight Calling) Randall. He just finished his path, and he has brought his artifact back to Alzar’s realm for a couple of months or so to help with food, water, healing, insuring the plague remains ousted, and such.

More houses are crafted, and it’ll be a tough race against winter. Even with his climate spells, it’s going to be rough to remain warm as well as satiated.


GLANTRI GROWS DESPERATE

Still under siege by humanoids, the Immortal Rad-also known as Prince Etienne d'Ambreville of Glantri-is growing desperate. Even though the Thyatian fleet temporarily beat back the Alphatians, he knows it's only a matter of time before Thyatis is knocked out of the war, leaving the road to Glantri open.

With the help of Rathanos and Rafiel, d' Ambreville begins constructing a Doomsday Weapon powered by the Radiance. His goal is to create a device which will drain magic from anywhere on Mystara that he wants, neutralizing the magical advantage Alphatia currently has over Glantri.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 10

The control weather isn’t working much as effectively as before and winter has hit. Alzar starts making some Decanters of Endless Water. He’ll make 10. He wants to use them in other major cities as well as other irrigation needs.

It does keep the building available in Evenarrow though.


The temple to Korylis is finished.

Construction finishes at the end of the month as Alzar wants to focus on other stuff.

Alzar begins to plan a new place to guard the library tree of the elves so it can be secure.


ALPHATIA REACHES YLARIUM

The Alphatian navies decide to make an end run around the still-powerful Thyatian navy. They make landfall further north, in Ylaruam, at the town of Cubia, which is two days sailing time from the border with Thyatis. Despite local resistance, thousands of Alphatian troops disembark and march south.

At the same time, elements of the Alphatian navy begin making probing attacks near the town of Dawnpoint, which the Thyatian military believes is the first sign of an impending naval attack on Dawnpoint. This is, of course, a ruse to occupy the Thyatians' attention while the Alphatian land forces march in from the north.


ELVES REACH WENDAR

In more distant news, the second group of Alfheim refugees leaves the northern Glantrian mountains and enters the nation of Wendar. The Glantrian plague follows them there.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 11

Randall heads on to heal more elsewhere.


Alzar kills a raid of 10 white dragons in the nearby mountains.

One of Alzar’s apprentices had reached level 5 and is leaving him.


Alzar is working on adding some additional construct creation items, such as Iron Men and Stone Guardians.



THAR PUSHED BACK

Glantrian perseverance finally begins to pay off. Recovering from the plague, they are able to bring their armed forces to bear and drive most of the humanoid followers of King Thar out of Glantri and back into the Crater. Thar's hordes now decide that Darokin to the south looks like easier pickings. They're wrong.

Allied units of the Darokin legions and armies of the Five Shires, reinforced by supplies and other aid from Karameikos, hit the invaders hard and hold them in northern Darokin, not far from the Great Crater. Thar's hordes now find that they can't move south or north, and, with winter now hard upon them, they stand a good chance of freezing to death in Northern Darokin.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 16, Month 12 –

This year, 23 mercenary units were hired in Evenarrow.

2 more Silver Golems

Morena appears to Alzar for his aid. There are a number of dwarves pinned down in the crater by Thar that have been cut off and are under siege. Morena need Alzar to head out and grab them.

He does.

He spends about a week teleporting over and talking with the local dwarves, taking out nearby and working to increase their defenses.

Literacy 70%

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 1 –


Winter is quiet, little is happened, and it’s a good time for studying and such. 10 of Alzar’s people die due to overexposure from the tornado tearing through his domain.

The teleport pads have finished.

Alzar spends time out at Hamedh talking with Japeth Arcane about taking over the college of wizardry light he is building here, but they don’t want to expand to other planes.

Alzar tries some Glantrians and Alphatians, but nothing doing.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 2 –

A local tavern is invaded by wererats from below, fleeing something dark. Alzar finds out, takes out the wererats and finishes them if they were doing some bad juju. In the sewers, nothing major can be found, until Alzar detects a major undead presence and it seems like a Nightcrawler is down here. He slays it.

15 more dies

More work on his Decanters continues.


Year 17, Month 3 -

Winter begins to ebb. See below for many actions this month.

6 more die.

Alzar finds a fledgling thieves guild and takes it out. Maerie is used to help infiltrate it and then he ends it. No robbing from Alzar’s stuff.

He checks out “dungeons” and finds they didn’t know about it either, good for them

HELDANNIC KNIGHTS HIT THAR

The Heldannic Knights launch an expeditionary force to come, somewhat belatedly, to Glantri's rescue. An army of Heldannic Knights make an epic ride, crossing deserted Rockhome, making the difficult passage across the westernmost part of the Ylari desert, taking the long road from Selenica to Darokin City (skirmishing with Shadow Elf patrols along the way), to finally join the Darokin army in time to push Thar's remaining forces down into the Crater. Thar digs in and fortifies the site, which is now the only land he controls; overnight, the Crater becomes the biggest dungeon in the Known World.

Thincol I, Emperor of Thyatis, is furious at Heldann for occupying itself with this diversion when the Alphatian navy is about to launch another attack at the Thyatian homeland ( or so he thinks). However, the Heldannic Knights claim to be obeying the word of their Immortal patron, Vanya.

Alzar heads over and helps Heldannic Knights deal with Thar. He will unleash magic and conjured dorks in an attempt to help stifle Thar’s forces.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 4 -

Construction begins anew, which includes the castle and Evenarrow projects as well as more houses and such.

Another of Alzar’s apprentices heads out after getting to level 3.

The research and part collection for making the 10 decanters and he starts making them.

Norwold has a minor uprising, as the more than 25 Baronies (or above) vie for control and favor of powers both local and foreign.

Karameikos is having some strong religious divisions right now as well.


THYATIS REFUSED BY KARAMEIKOS

Thincol of Thyatis, knowing that the situation is desperate, requests help from his old friend Stefan Karameikos. Stefan politely refuses, claiming that the majority of his forces are helping Darokin and shoring up the western front against Thar. That Stefan would go to the aid of his Darokin allies and yet abandon his old homeland to its fate is particularly bitter to the disillusioned emperor.

Ierendi, the Five Shires, and the Minrothad Guilds likewise decline to become involved in Thyatis's imperial war. Toughened survivors of the Heldannic Knights' expeditionary forces are on the way, but between the plague and the battles with the Ethengarians and humanoids, there are not likely to be enough of them to make an appreciable difference. Thincol is forced to face the oncoming Alphatian navy solely with his own naval forces. Unfortunately for him, there is no oncoming Alphatian navy.
The Alphatian forces marching in by land bypass the city of Tameronikas and slam into the Thyatian defenses of Fort Zen*drol, scattering them to the winds and capturing the fort. For the first time in centuries, Alphatian forces march across the border into mainland Thyatis.

Emperor Thincol even asked Alzar for aid, but it was not coming

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 5

Alzar’s blue dragon, Dragotha, has found a local blue to mate with.

Another attempt to rob the Great Library fails.

Alzar has another marriage offer for political ties, and he turns it down.

The mayor of Saffir passes, and a new one is elected.


TEL AKBIR FALLS


The Alphatian military machine rolls through the Thyatian duchy of Tel Akbir, seizing the entire duchy and preparing for the push into central Thyatis.

Meanwhile, Thincol of Thyatis summons up all his reserves from the duchies of Retebius, Kantrium, and Kerendas, the counties of Hattias, Halathius, and Lucinius, and the Protectorate of Carytion into position to intercept the invaders at the town of Kantridae. He maneuvers his navy around the duchy of Tel Akbir, bringing them back to Thyatis City to become the main units of the armed forces' fall-back position.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 6

The Gargantuan basilisk egg Alzar hatched is now old enough to guard his Keep’s basement entrance. Next project is the Fire Drake eggs.

The Decanters are finished, and Alzar adds them to the infrastructure of his Kingdom, and he offers some to elves and dwarves and such as well as more irrigation and plumbing for urban areas.

Baron Corran has their first child, and Alzar attends a celebration feast.


ALPHATIA ONSLAUGHT CONTINUES



The Alphatian military continues onward toward Thyatis City. Many bitter battles are fought as the weeks draw by, the bloodiest being the Battle of Kantridae in the Duchy of Kantrium and the Battle of Retebius in the Duchy of Retebius. Casualties on both sides are so horrid in the latter fight that the Alphatian armies are momen*tarily stalled again.

However, the Alphatians continue to be reinforced from Alphatia, while the Thyatian reinforcements are mostly civilians, old men, youths, and others, none of them trained fighters. Alphatia now controls the Sea of Dawn, preventing the Heldannic Knights from sending troops other than by a long and difficult overland route through hostile territory; Glantri is still too exhausted from its own troubles to offer more than token aid.


CIVIL WAR FINISHES

In the Ethengar Khanate, the civil war is over, and one side emerged victorious, and a new Khan is named.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 7


Alzar is dealing with more raiders. He has two this month from the Barony of Alak Dool in Norwold.

Alzar snuffs out a gang in Riverton and takes care of them as normal.

An emissary from the Heldannic Knights offers an alliance after the below action. Alzar and the emissary begin to work out terms.

Refugees are slowing here on the continent of Brun as the wars with the Knights, Khanate, and Orcs of Thar have dwindled, and the elfs have finished their emigration from their homeland of Alfheim. They are still there, but they are ebbing



THYATIS QUITS THE FIELD

In Thyatis City, the Emperor, Thincol I Torian considers the wreckage of his empire and makes a momentous choice. He dismisses his favorite advisor and mistress, Anya, who has been urging him to fight on until next year, when the Heldannic Knights can send reinforcements. Thincol has taken her advice for years and seen his empire torn to pieces as a result. A broken man, Thincol tells Anya that he will save his empire even at the cost of his own pride. Unable to persuade him other*wise, she curses him and leaves.

In the days which follow, Thincol's health worsens, but he acts swiftly and decisively. He sends his magist, Demetrion Kara*genteropolus, to see Empress Eriadna. He does not surrender, but sues for peace.

His deal is this: he will withdraw from the battlefield and no longer oppose Alphatia's war on Glantri. Alphatian forces will make a staged withdrawal from Thyatis but may travel across Thyatis en route to Glantri.

Eriadna's son Tredorian will no longer be a hostage; Thincol reluctantly admits that he could not bring himself to kill Tredorian when the war upon Thyatis first began, so Tredorian is really not a hostage any longer anyway.

Since completing the conquest of Thyatis and sending in an occupational force would tie up too many of her troops, Eriadna agrees. She is already under great pressure from the Shiye-Lawr elves, isolationists, and pacifist elements back home who oppose the war; therefore anything that cuts the carnage and prevents the conflict from dragging on is to her advantage. She adds one important provision, however: Thyatis will take no action against King Eruul and Queen Asteriela of Helskir on the Isle of Dawn, nor will it challenge the independence of Ochalea or the Pearl Islands; she wants some buffer nations between Alphatia and Thyatis in the future. Thincol agrees, and the deal is signed.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 8

Alzar’s Kingdom of the Mighty and the Heldannic Knights have come to an alliance, Alzar will send aid to assist them as they deal with the surrounding threats and Alzar supports them. He’ll personally help out their raid, and will loan his skycastle as well as a military unit for their raids. Their treaty is also mutually defensive, if war is declared on one, the other joins. They also had a meeting of the minds for the future carving of Norwold.

After the alliance is announced, the floor falls out of the world….


THE WEEK WITHOUT MAGIC


Rad, Rafiel, and Rathanos finish the construc*tion of the Doomsday Weapon in Glantri. Immediately after hearing that Thyatis has conducted a peace treaty with Alphatia (or that the Alphatian forces besiege and blockade Thyatis), Rad activates the device. Minutes later, a storm forms over the city of Sundsvall.

The storm is like nothing the Alphatians have ever seen. Lightning falls on the city as thick as rain, utterly destroying the Imperial Palace and most of the center of the city. Hail the size of war-horses crashes down upon the entire city, destroying 50% of the dwellings in Sundsvall. Rain floods whole areas of the city.

Worst of all, starting the moment the storm appears over Sundsvall, spellcasters all over the world of Mystara, both outside and inside, discover that magic no longer works.

All across the world, sky-ships falter and sink to the ground; the more savvy captains are able to make safe landings, while inexperienced crews crash and perish.

Members of magical races, such as elves, grow ill and lose their strength. People whose lives had been magically extended age and die, including the Empress Eriadna (some of these characters, like Master Terari, could be wished back to life later on).

Magical wards and barriers which long kept powerful fiends and other monsters imprisoned fail, and the captives run free. Demons wreak havoc and will have to be bottled back up, although they cannot use magic either.

Clerics cannot commune with their Immortals

The Sun of the Hollow World grows dark and millions of Hollow World residents are convinced that the end of the world has come.

Immortals who are on the world of Mystara in Mortal Identi*ties find that they are trapped; they are unable to return to their true forms without using the desperate method of killing their mortal bodies.
Then, after hours of this meteorological abuse, the storm van*ishes. However, magic does not return to the world for a full week.


In Alzar world, the following happens:

Alzar’s true age shows for a week, but it’s in the survivable stage, so he does not die, although he is crippled

Their sky castle lands and cannot rise.

Many of Alzar’s magical effects end for a week, from food to his Decanters of Endless Water system of piped water into homes and more. All magic items cease. Many criminal elements that feared Alzar’s reprisal while he ruled, with his magic responses and scrying now see this as the perfect time, and many of them will steal, rob, kill, and more, and more crimes will be committed in this week than in the last two years combined.

Lycanthropes are stuck in their current form. Golems and constructs stop working. Technology does not, however, and that means the flying city of Serraine, on a giant engine from a space ship won’t fall. Neither does Alzar’s Android Bodyguard, which watches over him heavily until he recovers.

It’s nasty, and the number of things that happens of deaths and more, will devastate the world.

Magic is shut down for immortals as well.


Rad realizes that the Nucleus is out of control. He immedi*ately sends messages to Ixion and Eriadna asking for a meeting to negotiate an end to the war. Unfortunately, Eriadna is missing and Ixion misinterprets the offer as a threat, coming as it does just after a demonstration of the artifact's power. He rejects the offer and uses the incident to turn Immortal opinion strongly against the Ring of Fire. Across the Known World, clerics asking their Immortals the cause of the disaster receive the answer "Rad, the Immortal patron of Glantri" or "Glantri's Doomsday Weapon.''

Alzar hears of what happened himself as a cleric from Morena and she fills him on what was happening here. Once magic is restored, Alzar spends some time taking out demons, following up on crimes, and a lot more.

[Abe Sargent]

Year 17, Month 9

WIZARD RULERS CONVENE


Empress Eriadna and Prince Zandor, her son and heir-apparent, were in the Imperial Palace of Sundsvall when the storm destroyed it. During the following days, service*men digging through the rubble under the command of Eriad*na's daughter, Queen Eldrethila of Theranderol, are unable to find them.

After a week, magic returns and Eldrethila is able to find Eriadna and Zandor within minutes by casting a locate object spell to find a jewel her mother was wearing. When found, Zan*dor is trapped and near death from starvation and dehydration; Eriadna died of old age, her magically enhanced youth having been dispelled.

Zandor is returned to health within days. He "temporarily postpones" any wish spell that could revive the Empress and immediately seizes the Imperial Throne. Despite this coup, his mood remains as grim as Thanatos, the Immortal of Death. From his new headquarters in Aquas, his father's undersea city*kingdom, he convenes the council known as the Thousand Wizards of Alphatia, which consists of the most powerful magic*users of the empire. Many of its members perished in the Week Without Magic. As they were torn apart by conjured monsters, hunted down by old enemies, or lynched by angry mobs who blamed them for the disaster; the survivors come prepared to hear Zandor an*nounce his intention to accept d' Ambreville's offer to end the war.

Instead, he shocks them all by ordering them to prepare for an all-out assault against Glantri. Some accept his argument that they must destroy Glantri before d' Ambreville can use his weapon against them again; others, including Master Terari (a secret identity of his grandfather, ex-Emperor Tylion), think he is simply inviting disaster. The new Emperor is in no mood for discussion, and gives the dissenters an ultimatum: obey him or face immediate exile or imprisonment. Most cave in, but others, including Terari and many Shiye-Lawr elves, accept exile in*stead. Terari and those who are like-minded leave for Karameikos to establish the School of Magic there, while the Shiye-Lawr set out for Wendar by way of Alzar.


Alzar agrees to ferry the elves from Alphatia to Wendar, and he welcomes them across his border. He meets with them and then agrees on passage to Wendar for the elves.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar tries to teleport over, and he sees that the barrier that stopped him from going to Glantri is now down. He can head out now. This war is reaching a dark chapter with the Week without Magic, so Alzar heads over to Glantri City to check out what is happening there on that front.

He teleports t the Alexander Way

This is a broad open area paved with black marble. In the exact center is the Belfry, a tower made of pink marble. This tower contains a crypt holding the remains of Alexander Glan*tri, the hero who gave his name to the nation. Also in the tower is a device which chimes the time on the hour. At the top of the tower, statues appear hourly; they wear clothes corresponding to the weather expected that day. There is no doorway into the tow*er. Covered bridges link the plaza to the Parliament Building and the Great School of Magic; guards check passes at both sites. Stairs rise up from the water level to make it easier for passengers to get on board or disembark from gondolas.

The plaza is usually crowded with important Glantrians get*ting their exercise or orating about current affairs. Around the edges are numerous stairs leading down to the canals for easy access to gondolas.

Alzar summons Rheddrian, he arrives shortly thereafter.

"My friend, you've done it. Before I came here, I doubted that we could be so close to our goal, but now that I'm here I can feel the part stolen from my ship so long ago. It's definitely somewhere in or near the city. Now all that remains is the final part of our mission.

"I suspect d' Ambreville has cast powerful spells over the artifact to keep it hidden for so long. But my shield is actually a part of the same 'magic' as his artifact; like calls to like, and with it we can find what we are seeking.

"First, we must find exactly where the device is hidden. I will use my shield to focus on the pull of its energy. Then, I will try to open up a gate from here to there. Once we arrive, it should be a simple matter to adjust the magics of the arti*fact to stop it draining off the energy on which this world's magic depends. Then we can all go home.

"So now we come to your part in all this. Simply put, I want you to keep me alive long enough for me to complete the work. Remember that we're dealing with enough energy here to annihilate this planet and everything on it several times over, so it'd be bad if I were interrupted half-way through.

"Still, it's best to be prepared for the worst. If l'm knocked out or killed, you'll have to carry on without me. I've cast a spell on my shield so that it can help you alter the artifact if anything happens to me. So listen, this is very important whatever happens in there, you mustn't stop or turn back. We'll only get this one chance, and if we fail-well, it's been nice to have known you.''

[Abe Sargent]

The Mirror-Shield of Rheddrian (Artifact)

750 PP

Major Artifact: 750 Power Points. Four Powers (one Attack power, two Information or Movement powers, one Transfor*mation power). Recharges at a rate of 30 TP per turn (180 TP per hour).
Vessel: A bright, mirror-shiny disk-shaped shield 2' in di*ameter; the straps attached to back arc not artifact-quality.

Armor Characteristics: - 6 to AC

Powers: Immortal Life-Trapping (Cost: 500 TP; note that unwilling victims are not affected), Teleport (Cost: SO TP; users can telcport to any scene projected onto the mirror), Lore (Cost: 70 TP; information gained is restricted to Beagle*type technology), and Create Any Monster (Cost: 100 TP; may be used to create sprackles, ploppcds, and lightning zombies).

Handicaps and Penalties: Mortal users of the Mirror-Shield will begin to glow the first time they evoke one of the arti*fact's powers. The second time the same mortal uses the arti*fact, he or she loses one-quarter of his or her Constitution and begin to suffer amnesia; roughly a fourth of his or her mem*ory will be gone. A third usage reduces the Constitution score and memory by another quarter and gives a distinct grey pal*lor to the wielder's skin. A fourth use turns the character into a Lesser Lightning Zombie; a fifth into a Greater Lightning Zombie. These effects can only be reversed by Immortal-level magics.


Rheddrian gives Alzar metallic bracers designed to protect him against what he calls noxious magical emanations of the Nucleus (lethal radiation). Once the PCs have made any last *minute preparations and are ready to begin, Rheddrian will pull out the shield, set it facing outward against the side of the tower, and begin.

[Abe Sargent]

In any other place but Glantri City, such an obvious display of magic would be a cause for concern, but here onlookers will sim*ply assume that an instructor for the Great School of Magic is conducting a demonstration for his students. If the PCs try to be discrete, the DM should let them; it will not much matter.

Slowly an image of a cavern forms on the surface of the shield. Just then, from the bystanders, a wizard with a spider tattooed on his forehead walks up to Rheddrian. "You've done enough as it is, stranger ... leave this place. Now!"

Alzar recognizes the avatar of a famous immortal, Korotiku.

Rheddrian, realizing he's been caught, instantly uses the artifact to teleport the whole party through the gate (no save) before soar*ing through the air with Korotiku in hot pursuit, as bystanders applaud this wonderful display of magic. Meanwhile, the party appears in the artifact's chamber with Rheddrian's shield, and alone. From there on, they're on their own. Rheddrian has his hands full leading Korotiku away and will no longer be able to respond to their calls.

[Abe Sargent]

The wall of this huge cavern appear to be made of black stone which has been fused by great heat. The chamber itself is about 500' in diameter and spherical except for the flat*tened floor. Stalagmites, stalactites, and natural stone columns are illuminated by glowing globes which hang by chains from the ceiling, filling the cave with light.

In the center of the chamber is a huge object unlike any*thing you've ever seen-a box 60' long, 60' high, and 180' long, made of some dull pitted gray metal. It looks very, very old. Snapped-off ends of metal spars and rivets stick out in all directions, as if this thing had once been torn from an even bigger object. A strange gridwork seems to surround the en*tire box, as does a glow which pulses and fades, pulses and fades in regular five-second cycles. The air in this chamber hums with energy, even at the low end of the cycle, causing the hair on the back of your neck to stand up.

There are a few other items in the chamber as well: a statue on a pedestal and a cluster of tables with what look like magi*cal paraphernalia on them.


This object is the Nucleus of the Spheres-the main engine compartment of the Beagle. Originally a highly advanced tech*nological device, it has become an artifact through the absorp*tion of enormous amounts of this dimension's energies and the meddling of Immortals. The Nucleus of the Spheres cannot be harmed by any mortal attacks because it continuously draws magical power from the Sphere of Energy, giving it a theoreti*cally infinite number of hit points.

[Abe Sargent]

Just as an FYI, I expect to be finished with this tonight

[Abe Sargent]

On a pedestal stands a tall (24') bronze statue of a stern, determined-looking man in archaic Glantrian dress. His eyes gaze off into the future. Inscribed on the pedestal are the words "Alexander Glantri / Still He Protects Us."

This statue is actually a giant bronze golem Rad placed here to guard the artifact.

This is clearly a golem, Alzar uses the Star of Mo-Pilar, but it’s size is off the charts crazy. Alzar moves up, casts Hold Golem and…it’s held.

Alzar moves up to it

This metal framework completely surrounds the box; it looks like the sort of grid the engineers build around towers and large buildings they are repairing. It seems to be made of copper tubing. Occasionally sparks run up and down its lengths.

Alzar moves to Rad’s lab on the outside of the object.

This cluster of tables, cabinets, and equipment is clearly a wizard's laboratory-a rather strange wizard's lab. Among the more unusual items are a crystal ball attached to the metal grid with a wire, two poles with electricity constantly sparking between them, a 5' square cube of black lacquered wood, and a multi-colored globe suspended in mid-air over a long table.

Inside the 5'-square open-faced cube whirls a miniature tornado descending from a miniature rain-storm; if you listen closely, you can hear the wind whistling and the sound of rain. On the side of the box is a dial pointing to one of four runes.

Alzar casts read magic to read them:

The four runes read "Fire," "Storm," "Flood," and "Earthquake." The dial is currently set at "Storm." If the setting of the dial is changed, the appropriate conditions appear within the black box.

Alzar sees the weatherbox is Rad's attempt to find ways to put to good use some of the energy the artifact is soaking up. He hopes to be able to spend all that energy in the form of natural disasters over unpopulated areas-or if things go wrong, as a way to protect himself and his allies against more powerful Immortals.


Hanging suspended in space directly above one of the empty tables is a multicolored globe-mostly blue, brown, and green. For such a small thing (it is only about a foot in diameter) it has an impressive amount of detail. You can see that the globe is hollow, with openings at the top and bot*tom; you can even catch a glimpse of what looks like a tiny red sun within. Even more impressive is the fact that you can see motion-tiny wisps like clouds drift slowly across its sur*face, and the whole globe slowly, almost imperceptibly ro*tates.

Only one detail seems out of place. A small red disk hovers over one spot on the globe, casting a ruby shadow on the sur*face below. As the globe slowly rotates, the disk moves with it to stay in exactly the same position in relation to the globe's surface.

Characters who have some experience with maps will recog*nize this as a three-dimensional representation of the world of Mystara as it might appear from far, far above its surface. The red circle is directly above the city of Sundsvall, capital of Alphatia. The globe is not solid; hands will pass right through it without doing any harm. The whole thing is similar to an incredibly complex illusion, but they will not be able to dispel it.

The crystal ball affixed to the adjacent table has a similar, but much smaller, disk attached to its surface. Unlike the disk on the globe, however, the disk on the crystal ball can be touched. If a PC moves it, the disk on the globe will move as well. By experi*menting, the PCs will discover that they can move the disk any*where they wish on the globe by moving the disk on the crystal ball.

This strange device is the "Doomsday Weapon" responsible for the destructive storm on Sundvall and the Week without Magic.

The Doomsday Weapon does not glow the way the Nucleus of the Spheres does, but it is an artifact assembled by Rad, Rafiel, and Rathanos working together. It has an Armor Class of - 20 and 750 hit points. It can only be damaged by weapons with a + 5 "to hit" bonus or spells of 5th level and higher. It makes its saving throws against all attack forms as a 36th level magic-user.

[Abe Sargent]

Since the greatest danger to Glantri is the magical might of Alphatia, Rad and his colleagues came up with this device in an attempt to drain Alphatia's magical energies while leaving those of his allies and followers intact. The globe shows the world; the red disk is the pointer which shows where the effect will take place. The crystal ball allows the user to move the pointer to the place he or she wants drained of all magic.

When it became clear that Thyatis would have to withdraw from the war and Glantri was doomed, Rad put his device into operation, positioning it right over the Alphatian capital of Sundsvall. To his horror, it did not work in the way he expected. Instead of simply draining away all Sundsvall's magic, the arti*fact absorbed all the magical energy in the area and then re*leased it again; the release took the form of a violent storm which laid the city to waste, killing thousands of people-the Empress Eriadna among them.
Although Glantri's situation is becoming desperate, Rad is unwilling to use the device again until he finds a way to avoid this unwanted side effect. He recently attempted to contact Ix*ion and the Alphatians to negotiate an end to their quarrel. .. only to be rejected by both. Ixion interpreted Rad's offer as a sign that victory was near and ordered his followers to redouble their efforts, while Zandor, the new emperor, seeks revenge for the attack on Sundsvall.

Alzar takes it carefully and moves to the door.

A metal tube 20' in diameter and 30' long sticks out of the box at this end. The entrance to the tube is jagged and man*gled, but looking down its length you can see it ends in a circular door.

As Alzar steps into the tube, he bumps into something that feels like an invisible wall. It’s a person that seems to completely seal the entrance. As Alzar is trying to figure out how to get by this unexpected obstacle, the air next to you begins to shimmer, then coalesce into the form of an old man wearing crimson robes and an elaborate-looking wizard's hat. He has a long white beard, sharp, piercing eyes, and a halo. He grins at you and says, "Going somewhere?"

This is Etienne D’Ambreville, ruler of Glantri, and immortal named Rad.

He'll wait until Alzar calms down a bit and asks him to explain. Eventually he should be able to get the truth or a near facsimile thereof out of them. If so, at this point he'll release them from the force field and say "Let's talk."

Rad is, by this point, desperate. The war is going against him, the Nucleus is beyond his control, and his people are in danger of annihilation. He will therefore propose an alliance: if the party can alter the Nucleus to stop it from leeching power from the Sphere of Energy with the Mirror Shield, Ixion's main complaint against Rad would vanish. Rad's allies Ka and Korotiku should then be able to negotiate an end to the quarrel that started the war.

Alzar accepts. Rad lets him enter the arti*fact and carry on with the mission; in return they will help him find a way to defuse the Doomsday Weapon and bring the Nucleus under control. Rad takes back the Doomsday Weapon.

Alzar enters a great engineer chamber

[Abe Sargent]

The circular door opens into a circular passageway which runs 40', ending in another circular door. As the last of you step inside, the first door closes behind you, cutting out all noise from outside.

The second door opens as the party approaches it. Beyond lies a huge room 100' long, 40' wide, and 40' tall. The walls, floor, and ceiling are all made up of solid machinery. The room is dark, but arrays of blinking lights and glowing panels flash mes*sages in incomprehensible languages that seem to be made up mostly of numbers.

According to dials, this chamber is filled with enough radiation energy to kill anyone who stays in it more than a few minutes, and it's getting stronger all the time. The energy focused on this cham*ber is so intense that it will cause 5 points of radiation damage for each round characters remains inside the Nucleus. The bracelets Rheddrian gave Alzar will absorb 50 hp each before burning out, buying them a little time.

Alzar heads in deeper

Fused to the floor at this spot are a pile of blue, glowing bones. Although they look almost human, subtle differences in their contours reveal they actually belonged to some human-like creature.

Panels in the wall silently slide open to reveal two niches, each of which contains a 7' -tall suit of armor. The armor is made of some strange black metal without joints. As you watch, they come to life and step from their hiding places. They don't look friendly.

These are Dbots (Defensive Robots). Four thousand years ago Rheddrian/Benekander programmed them to kill all intruders in the ship. That program is still running.

Dbots: NA 4; AC -2; HD 24****; hp 150 each; #AT 2; Dmg varies (any two of the effects listed below); MV 120' (40') ground, 480' (160') flying; Save F16; ML 12; TI Nil; Int 9; AL L; XPV 14,250.
Weapon Systems: Each of these weapons is an internal mecha*nism, not an external object which the PCs could take away.

Needler: Range 60'. This object shoots a poisoned needle; a vic*tim hit with a needle must Save vs. Poisons or be paralyzed for one hour. The needle itself does ld2 damage whether the character makes his or her saving throw or not. Neutralize poison spells will negate the paralyzation but not the damage.

Heavy Blaster: Range 360'. This object works like a staff of fire*balls, doing 8d6 damage; it holds 5d4 charges.

Hand Blaster: Range 240'. This object works like a wand of fire*balls, doing 6d6 damage; it holds 5d4 charges.

Light Grenades (Yellow) (3 ): Range 60'. Creates a 60' -diameter effect like continual light but lasting only one turn. Characters within range of effect when it first goes off must make Saving Throws vs. Spells or be blinded for one round.

Smoke Grenades (Black) (3 ): Range 60'. Creates a 60' -diameter effect like a continual darkness spell ( continual light reversed) but lasting only one turn.

Gamma Grenades (Red) (6): Range 60'. Targets within 30' of explosion must Save vs. Death or die; if they make their saving throws, they take 8d6 radiation damage. Only organic tissues take damage from these explosions; they have no effect on inanimate objects. Note that the bracelets Rheddrian gave the characters, if still functioning, may absorb some or all of this damage.

Sonic Grenades (Blue) ( 6): Range 60'. Emits a damaging blast of sound against all targets within 5' of explosion. Those within range must make Saving Throws vs. Paralysis or sustain ld4 X 12 damage and be paralyzed for 12 turns. They do full damage to doors and wooden structures.

Neuron Grenades (Green) (3 ): Range 60'. This emits a cloud of gas; characters within 30' of the explosion must Save vs. Dragon Breath or sustain ld4 damage and become paralyzed for 6 turns. This gas doesn't affect constructs, machines, undead, or inanimate objects. It attacks through the skin, so characters won't avoid its effects by holding their breath.

Tangier Grenades (Gray) (3 ): Range 60'. This grenade blows up to create an effect much like the web spell. Targets within 10' of the explosion must Save vs. Wands or be webbed and take ld4 dam*age.


Alzar casts Time Stop, then Skull Trap, Evard’s Black Tentacles, and then Dimension Door. Alzar pops behind them after they took 45 from the Trap and lots from the Tentacles.

3 vs 1

Alzar takes 45 from the defensive robots. He destroys one.

5 vs 8

Alzar destroys the other

He heads on.

[Abe Sargent]

A small stair leads to the master console room

Narrow circular metal stairways rise from four points in the room to catwalks 10', 20', and 30' above the floor.

in this area, six chairs with controls set in their armrests face a battery of large screens, one in front of each seat. All six screens are black.

Alzar inserts the metal shield into a device and it lights up and flickers into life. Any one of these screens can be used to alter the Nucleus to stop it from draining magical power from Mystara. Alzar touches the screen, mysterious icons and runes appear. Alzar’s Selnyr tells him these are the icons:


1) Shut Down, 2) Restart, 3) Hyper Mode, 4) Emergency Reroute, 5) Self-Destruct.


Alzar tries to shut it down, but is told there is too much power build up. Then he tries #4.

Alzar successfully stopped the power drain from the Sphere of Energy. The Nucleus will still draw its power from an outside source, but now that source will be the negative energy on which Entropy feeds.

Ixion shows up.

The air flickers, and a 7'-tall man with flamelike hair and fire where his eyes should be appears, brandishing a huge flaming sword. Glaring at Rad, he shouts in a deep, booming voice that shakes the stalactites "You have broken the Law of Immortals once again, Rad. I'll tolerate no more of this. Pre*pare to meet your end, renegade!"

Normally, a medium-level Immortal such as Rad would stand no chance against a Hierarch as powerful as Ixion; Rad is able to hold his own because he is drawing energy directly from the Nu*cleus via the Doomsday Weapon. Some of lxion's attacks are ab*sorbed by the Nucleus, from which Rad in turn draws power to return just as deadly a blow. The result is a standoff between two more-or-less evenly matched opponents (unless unbalanced by the PCs actions). During the duel, the Doomsday weapon progressively suffers from magical overload and threatens to strike Alphatia or the Known World.

[Abe Sargent]

Suddenly all magic ceases in the chamber, including that of the Immortals. A tall, dark figure steps out of the Nucleus of the Spheres, near Rad. It is the shadowy silhouette of a robed creature. Within its darkness, the twinkle of stars can be seen. Two brighter ones mark the location of its eyes.

It says in low voice "Cease."

Rad falls to his knees in absolute awe, while Ixion steps back, his fiery brightness somewhat dulled. The mysterious creature then adds in a voice that seems to come from the other end of the universe ''You've failed to understand the nature of your privilege, Immortals. You should take better care of those from whom you've risen, and from whom you draw that which allows you to exist. Only then will you know who We are.''

Then pointing at Ixion, the being says "Leave and learn." Ixion disappears and the creature turns toward Rad. It utters a single word-"Come.''

It then turns to Alzar and tells him to “Witness.” Alzar immediately knows all of the immortals involved, the conversations, manipulations and more, and an anger engulfs him completely.

Totally mesmerized, Rad stands up, and silently enters the Nucleus. As Rad becomes one with the artifact, a surge of energy pulses from the Nucleus, down the grid, and into the crystal ball, which shatters.

The miniature globe flickers, and the tiny red dot hovering over Sundsvall suddenly expands to cover the whole conti*nent of Alphatia. As you watch in horror, cracks appear across the surface of the continent and water washes over the edges of the land; Alphatia is breaking up and sinking.

The creature then follows Rad into the Nucleus, and a second surge of energy, even more powerful than the last, magnetizes the whole artifact. The Doomsday Weapon is drawn up against the huge grey box, crushing it completely.

Rheddrian returns the PCs, awake or unconscious, to what*ever place they call home. He casts powerful Immortal-level healing spells to cure any injuries and radiation damage they may have suffered, recovers his shield, and quickly departs.

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar is removed from Pandius and sent to the immortal city and home, where the center of their life is. Many immortals chose to live elsewhere, but this is their home or work space.

A council of immortals is here around Alzar, and more than 50 immortals have been summoned. They include all of the actors in the war, including those who manipulated events, fought in three different power groups, and more. Also, every single immortal who ever dovetailed with Alzar, or sponsored him is here. Finally, all of the most powerful or influential leaders such as Terra, leader of Matter who decided to be neutral in the Great War.

The following Immortals are here:

All of the Immortals who participated in the Great War, and every immortal who dovetailed with Alzar

The Three Alliances:

Ixion
Rad
Rafiel
Rathanos
Valerias
Vanya
Korotiku
Alphatia
Isundel
Eiryndul
Kythria
Hel
Alphaks
Atzanteocl

Others that participated:

Loki
Rheddrian

Others that Alzar has Interacted with:

Thanatos
Night Spider
Nyx
Vix

Morena
Pflarr
Ssu-Ma

Korylis
Bemarris
Infaust

Leaders and Influencers like Terra, Odin, Zugzul, and Razud, Tarasia, Thor, Zirchev, Talitha, Halav, Petra, Dajea, Noumena, Khorunus, and Ordana, the three dragon leaders, and more.

All of the movers and shakers of immortality are here.


All of the immortals are held in place, and cannot move, but Alzar is not bound. A form in the back that resembles the one that stopped the fight between Ixion and Rad moves forward and addresses the august assemblage.

“Listen in judgment from one you deem your inferior. Heed. Learn.”

[Abe Sargent]

The man steps aside and the immortals are free once again and looking intently at Alzar. No one with angrier eyes than Alphaks and Ixion.

Alzar addresses them.

“I have been given full knowledge of every conversation and plan about the battle we just saw. I suspect it’s because you clearly need an outside person to tell you how far you have fallen.”

“I want to start with immortality on Pandius, and how many of you have used that wrongly. I know some of you have chosen to dial out of the squabbles and the pettiness of the rest of you, like Ssu-Ma, Infaust or Morena, who fulfill your initial charge. I want to hold them up as examples of what to do, how to care.

“When I arrived at Pandius around 17 years ago, I found out that the world was divided into five elements – matter, entropy, thought, time, and energy. These five elements gave magical spells. These five elements were seen as the keys to understanding magic and such on the plane. And there were immortals behind the throne. They were exclusively the province of former mortals, who weren’t godlike and indifferent about mortals, but genuinely cared about.

The whole point of Pandius and nearby planes where Gods do not rule distantly with disdain over mortals but instead come from mortal ranks has to be because then you keep that identity. That tether to your identity. That keeps you connected. That keeps you honest. That keeps you true to yourself?

When did you lose it? Why have you gone off so badly? When did the immortal game you play replace the person you were. Take the Sphere of Time, for example, with the Path of the Epic Hero. I don’t see many Epic Heroes in the room. For the most part, you’ve lost that key identity.

Ixion, let’s talk. You were the first one to mention war against Rad for failing to stop what he was doing. You were willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of lives in order to take an artifact from another immortal. Your actions led to the direct consequences of this war. An entire continent just sank! You saw the loss of countless mortal lives, all at your feet.


How does an immortal who supposedly believes in doing what is right do what you just did? How many wars have you fought? How many people have died? What value did it serve? Did you suddenly become the immortal of destruction when no one was looking?”

“Who are you to speak to me so?! No human can speak to me in such a way.”


“You see, that’s your problem right there. You dismiss the truth. Truth is truth, no matter who the speaker is. To dismiss truth by rejecting the speaker is a classic logical fallacy. If I told you that 2+5 equaled 7, would you reject that claim because I was human? Because you think you are so much better than me? But that’s the difference between you and me. I listen to my enemies. I take what they tell me under advisement. Even the worst criminal or the lowliest peasant in my kingdom can be truthful.

You are so worried about blaming Rad that you never put others first. I see that you were watching Rad the entire time. As Rad physically manifested at the end, and also cast a couple of spells like invisibility, you had your excuse. Rad had directly interfered! And you were going to have your vengeance!

But if someone directly interfering is the issue you claim it to be when you attacked Rad, then what about Alphaks? Alphaks didn’t just physically appear at home to a single mortal who has already finished his path to immortality. He didn’t cast invisibility and a few other minor spells. Alphaks launched a meteor at the world. He launched a tornado at my home. He caused direct harm to a degree that no angry god would do on another world. The issues I’ve seen on other primes were caused by nature or mortals, not by gods. And yet here Ixion you are letting Alphaks go? Why not immediately go after Alphaks when that happened? Or when I found out that Hel was really manipulating as fake immortals from other spheres. I see that Morena told most of you that information. Where was the anger for Hel, Ixion?

Ixion, I see that after the Week without Magic, Rad offered to negotiate peace. When you chose not to take him up on it, everything that came after is on you."

[Abe Sargent]

“And Rad? If anyone in this room was a self-centered immortal, it was you. It’s surprising to me that someone who still lives among the mortals on Pandius and still leads a nation there would have lost his way. How could you not allow Ixion to check out the artifact, and to stop the research if it was removing magic from Pandius. You are an immortal of magic! You are an immortal of order! Those are in your sphere of influence. I don’t remember you as the immortal of obstinacy. Why would you continue to allow the experiments to continue once you knew they were draining magic and against the order of your own sphere’s leader? Neither of those make sense. Does the only order that matters to you the orders you issue in Glantri to your people? Are you not also subject to order? And how can a deity of magic allow magic to be lessened?

Rad, your obstinacy and refusal to see the bigger picture led to this war as well. You have just as much blood on your hands as Ixion.

I can see that some of you see the wisdom in my words, although many are not. I suspect it is because you are dismissing me, either as human or as evil. I can see that last word resonates in the eyes of some of you.

I am the ruler of the Kingdom of the Mighty. And yes, I am evil. I accept that. I do things for my own benefit, for my own power. I accept that as well.

But let me ask you this. Let me challenge you on this.

You have seen me. You know who I am. Five of you in this room sponsored me for immortality. I am known.

During my time here, have I ever sacrificed one of my people for power? I could have been taking my prisoners and turning them into undead servants or charmed them and added to my power. I didn’t. I could have charmed everyone of my own courtiers to increase their opinion of me. I didn’t. I never sacrificed my people. I defended them against anyone who came after them. I protected them. They are mine.

So here is my key question for every immortal in this room.

If I, an admittedly evil, human, and unenlightened ruler have never sacrificed a single one of my citizens, then why would you? If you are the enlightened immortal, and not-evil, then why would you be willing to do something and cross a line even I wouldn’t think of doing?

How many people have you sacrificed? Even Alphaks sacrificed one of his own immortality seekers in order to delay my response to an attack on my nation. And folks, don’t sit in judgment of Alphaks on that matter. Ilsundel? How many of your elves lost their lives in a war you helped to craft? Valerias? You are the immortal of love. How many people in Thyatis that served you died in this great war after you helped to start it and you helped to manipulate things behind the scenes for precisely that goal. Alphatia? After pressing your nation and clergy for battle despite the fact that you are an immortal of peace, now you see your nation sunken beneath the seas. How many people that followed you or were in your sphere of control lost their lives as a direct result of your actions in this great conflict?

Your disdain for your own heritage and the people who worship you is wrong. The fact that you care more for your fellow immortals than the people who you came from and you serve is wrong.

The fact that you have forgotten that you serve them, not vice versa, is wrong."

[Abe Sargent]

And frankly, I have lost my desire to join your ranks. I do not want to be tempted to lose who I am. I have done more to achieve immortality than any other immortal, by having to do all five paths, for each sphere. And now that I can see all of the issues you have, I do not want to fall into the mewling squabbles that most of you have fallen to.

Today, the only thing that you have to offer me is immortality proper. I thought you would have a lot more. But that’s gone. Immortality alone is not enough for me to sacrifice my core identity. I am Alzar. And your offer would possibly change that.

Therefore, I am leaving your offer on the table. Thanks. But I have no desire to get involved in the gamessmithing of manipulating immortals for your own greed and boredom.

As mortals, we had just had a peace conference that we put together. Korylis knows that I never used the artifact to force terms. We negotiated it together. Everything was worked out for true peace that would last for decades at least, maybe longer.

Then within a year Alphatia has been riled up by their peaceful immortal, Thyatis by Vanya, and other nations brought to the table, and suddenly a war between Glantri, Thyatis, and the Hendannic Knights vs Alphatia is happening despite mortals taking care of ourselves.

We don’t need you anymore. The war, conflict, and devastation is not needed. You have fancied yourselves gods when you aren’t. You have let immortals like Alphaks, who was sanctioned not to come back to Pandius for his misdeeds in the Maelstrom, return even stronger in less than ten years.

We are better on our own. You have forgotten that you serve us. Not the other way around. And I no longer wish to join your group.”

[Abe Sargent]

Alzar stops. The figure in the back moves forward.

“We are the old ones who came before you and set the rules you follow. You have disappointed us by falling. You cannot move forward until you remember who you are, and only ones like Pax, who was always focused on mortals, have left to join us.

Normally, in a time like then, when a mortal has distinguished themselves in such a way, they would be rewarded. Alzar, what would you want?”

“I’d want the timeline reversed, much as it was after Alphaks caused the big issue”

“Normally, the immortals would have done that themselves already. But I agree that they have lost their way. I think part of it is that a temporal reversal acts as a brake. An immortal is able to get away with worse behavior because they can be found out and reserved. Nothing is permanent. Thus I am removing temporal reversal as a tool”

“What else would you ask instead”

“I would ask that you resurrect all of the people who died in the war then.”

“I don’t disagree with that basic request. There are some things and deaths that happened that were natural, such as the plague that struck northern Brun, that was natural, and it’s spread was too. And those that operated in their sphere are deemed appropriate. Azantoetcl, for example, is the lead entropic worshipped by the Orcs of Thar, and merely had Thar move up his timetable, but he was already moving to attack Darokin and Glantri. Those deaths to that flank of the conflict was natural and a part of what Azantoetcl would be expected to so.

However, the rest is reversed. I have made the continent of Alphatia the largest floating island in the Hollow World. The people are moved there. I have restored those that died to the meteor strike. Also, take Alfheim. Rafiel directly sickened the trees there so his shadow elves would move in, ousting the elves. That is a direct action, and while I do not want to punish the shadow elves, neither do I want punish the elves. I am restoring the lives of the elves who fell, as well as making the taint of the woods work against the shadow elves as well, thus potentially requiring them to move back home or elsewhere.

I am also removing the knowledge of the surface people about the Hollow World and ending that move to colonization.”

[Abe Sargent]

“I will be leaving soon, and I won’t be coming back. Alzar, before I go, I need to set up an immortal leader who leads all five spheres and can hold immortals responsible for violating actions, who will be above the political fray, remember the key points of working for mortals, and helping the immortals and Pandius to rise once more. I want you to take on that role. You finished all five paths but are not yet an immortal. You are uniquely qualified for the role. However, I do want to warn you that I would be forced to change your alignment to Lawful Neutral to remove the appearance of bias, as well as remove you from your realm in Pandius. You could no longer rule or be involved, as you might otherwise wish to do.”

“Will you serve as the Immortal Leader?”

“I will humbly accept this role.”


“Good. I appreciate your willingness to take on the new role. I grant you immortality, powers to influence, direct, and force the other immortals to follow your edicts, full knowledge of every action the immortals take, and the ability to change the rules of immortality to better serve mortals.

“Seeing that, in their eyes, I have underlined your points, I am confident that you won’t have any pushback against your rule, but you should be able to handle it.”

“Alzar, it’s your show now. When we return, I hope to find Pandius better run than when I left.”

And with that, the old one leaves.

Alzar has taken over as Immortal Leader. He issues two immediate changes.

1). All immortals who violate the “Direct Interference rule” will be punished, and on the third strike, they will lose their immortality permanently, and be unable to regain it.

2). All immortals lose all levels and that system is removed. (They level up as mortals and gain more experience). It removes their focus from the people they serve. All immortals have the same level of power, and thus, in order to rise in rank in their sphere, like become leader, they most be voted in by their membership.


The Kingdom of the Mighty will fall to his daughters, as he saw in the future in his various immortality quests for Time. They are not old enough to rule yet, but they will be well positioned for success. They will be advised by everyone from Finnister McAlister to Barkal the Red, and the various dwarves and elves of the realm will send their advisers to assist as well.

They will rule the realm together, each taking part of the Kingdom, one the justice system, rules and laws, and the other throwing herself out there to end issues and problems that arise. One the building and the other the fighter.

Alzar’s power is not tied to anything like mortal worshippers, so there are no temples to Alzar (save for Evenarrow). No clerics to Alzar, nothing.

There are threats to immortality and Pandius from without. Great plane-splitting events and monsters that come about that Alzar leads the immortals and their allies against. Alzar has an incursion from Baba Yaga he puts down as well.

He also has friends within immortals. He plays games with Noumena, and Vix is here, and they continue to life as husband and wife (like many others, such as Petra and Halav or Ixion and Valerias). Randall joins soon, surprised to see the changes to immortality after he does. There are others.

But one person gains immortality in a few decades Alzar wasn’t expecting. Shellsnapper, the first phanaton immortal.

Alzar also emphasizes the securing of more immortals for non-combat or adventurers. There are not enough artists and such. So he pushes the immortals to find and create paths for non-combatants. How can someone be in the Sphere of Thought without being an Epic Hero? Shouldn’t there be room for a great painter? The same is true for others.

Great philosophers and artists are joining the pantheon of immortals.


Pandius blossoms under the guidance of mortal-friendly immortals. Alzar refuses to allow the immortals to forget the lessons of the war. Alphaks was the first, and so far only, immortal to be stripped of immortality under Alzar’s rule. Only a few entropic immortals, and one energy, have tested the rules and been given one strike. None have two.




And that, my children, is the story of how King Alzar the Mighty, Lord of Wood and Fire, went from the evil son of an evil mayor on the plane of Thorasia to the most powerful immortal on Pandius. He once ruled us here in Evenarrow so long ago, and we built a great statue and temple to his name, even though he did not grant any magic, because he was truly one of us, and the world became a better place. It is a tale told by bards and artists to show just how important each mortal is, and what we can do.

[JAG]

Great finish to a great dynasty.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by JAG

Great finish to a great dynasty.

Thanks!

[hoopsguy]

Thanks for sharing this with us. It has been a ton of fun to read about Alzar's journey over the past couple of years.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

Thanks for sharing this with us. It has been a ton of fun to read about Alzar's journey over the past couple of years.

Glad you liked it, thanks!

[Abe Sargent]

I am considering continuing this with Alzar and Vix's two daughters. Thoughts?

[hoosierdude]

Please continue. Enjoyed this a lot, and hope that the next adventure surprises us even more.

[Abe Sargent]

I went back and reread this dynasty and there were some things in Mystara/Pandius that I missed and would have added in.