Threshold 9 PDF
Threshold 9 PDF
Threshold 9 PDF
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Previous Issues
Issues #1 to #8 of THRESHOLD - the Mystata Also available at the same location are higher
Magazine, are available for download from the resolution versions of the maps that were
Vaults of Pandius website. included in the issue’s PDF, allowing greater
detail to be viewed.
#1 #2 #3 #4
Karameikos Vaults of Pandius The Sea of Dread Return to Dread
#5 #6 #7 #8
Exploring The Northlands Exploring Warlords
Davania Norwold of Norwold
ISSUE #9
Editorial Credits....................................................2
Editorial................................................................3
This Issue s Contributors......................................4
Call for Contributors.............................................6
Before the Hollow World......................................7
Icevale Elves........................................................11
Illaria’s Folly.......................................................28
The Lighthouse’s guide to Unknown Cultures...34
Children of Azca..................................................51
Ecology of the Megaliths and the Norns Cycle...62
Seshay-Selene, patroness of the Hollow Moon. . 87
Who’s Who in the Wyrmsteeth part 2.................91
Koskatep level 7 - Signs of the Universe........117
Zetacaalpa, Seer of Ages...................................141
Rahasia - a D&D 5E Adaptation........................147
Accounts of an Apprentice................................170
Artwork Sources and Credits............................190
Next Issue..........................................................197
Editorial Credits
Threshold Editorial Team:
Editor-in-Chief, Issue 9:
Allan Palmer (AllanP) John Calvin (Chimpman)
Angel Tarragon
Francesco Defferrari (Sturm)
Giampaolo Agosta (Agathokles) Layout:
Håvard Allan Palmer (AllanP)
John Calvin (Chimpman)
Joseph Setorius (Julius Cleaver) Art:
Robert Nuttman (RobJN) I. Calvin
Simone Neri (Zendrolion)
Thanks To: The Mystara Community, for your support, hard work, and dedication to Mystara.
Beneath
the
Surface
I was first introduced to Dungeons & for Red October), and most of all I remember
Dragons during my eighth birthday. One of the cacophony of plots racing through my
my friends gave me the red boxed set as a skull.
gift, and while we played a few one-offs at
the time, that box sat in a drawer in my Along with substantial nostalgia, the Hollow
bedroom, largely forgotten, for years World has fueled a more recent pastime of
afterward. At some point my brothers and I mine, a hobby I've taken to calling Fantasy
began playing in earnest and the two of them Archaeology. With its early connections to
chipped in and bought me GAZ 8 The Five Blackmoor, and teasing references to ancient
Shires for Christmas. After that I was cultures such as Nithia and Taymora, Mystara
hooked. I took every opportunity to plead has always been a world with rich history…
and beg with my parents to buy yet another something that is not always immediately
chunk of my beloved Mystara… but those apparent to players. In the Hollow World,
occurrences were few and far between. that history came to life; it drove myself, and
countless others, to explore Mystara's
That situation changed drastically once I got unearthed past. A past with just as much
my first part time job after school, and it is potential for adventuring as the modern era's
also why I have a special place in my heart setting. Yet that is a topic for another time,
for the Hollow World. I can still remember and dare I say it, a future issue of Threshold!
walking into my friendly local gaming shop
and seeing that boxed set for the first time. I am very proud of the work we've done in
It was one of the first purchases I made with this issue of Threshold. So prepare
my own hard earned cash… and it was yourselves! What lies below will refire the
money well spent. imagination, for within the depths of these
pages shines an ever burning light, the rays
Memories of those times have not been of a Red Sun...
forgotten. I remember the smell of the
books, the background music I played when
PCs first emerged from the Broken Lands
John Calvin (Chimpman)
into the great stone bowl at Atacalpa (it was
Issue 9 Editor-in-Chief
Kaboom!!! from the soundtrack of The Hunt
John Calvin is fascinated by the depth of he enjoys original settings & campaigns set
Mystaran history, and has always wanted to in Greyhawk, Harn, and Dark Sun. A map
share that more fully with players. To that loving surveyor, his other interests include
end he has been developing sub-settings like reading, hiking, and playing/teaching piano.
The Hollow Moon and Mystara 2300 BC.
Michele "LoZompatore" C. played BECMI
Joseph Setorius (aka julius_cleaver) began for most of his life, starting way back in
roleplaying in '79, & besides a few brief 1987. He most of all likes mixing and
intervals is constantly involved in one matching canon and fanon material about
campaign or another. Though a longtime Mystara to see how many new adventure
Mystaran DM & player; including a thirteen hooks can be churned out. In the little spare
year campaign throughout the eighties & time away from Mystara he helps other guys
early nineties, which helped create much of in designing oil and gas pipelines around
his material; he is relatively new to the the (real) world.
Mystara online community. Besides Mystara
From the
Mystara
Forum at
The Threshold editorial team invites all fans Articles about other topics are still
of the Mystara setting to submit welcome and the editorial team will
contributions to the next issues of the evaluate their publication in an issue,
magazine. taking into account space available
and that issue's theme.
We are looking especially for contributions
fitting the following themes: Threshold accepts (and invites) the
submission of extended or revised
Issue 10 - Elves versions of works having appeared on The
Proposal Deadline: Expired, but Piazza or the Vaults of Pandius.
proposal could still be submitted if the
author is confident that the article will be Contributions may include, but are not
completed by the below deadline limited to, articles (short stories, short
Manuscript Deadline: October 31st 2015 adventure modules, NPCs, historical
Issue Published: End December 2015 treatises and timelines, geographical
entries, new monsters and monster
Call for proposals for main themes of ecologies, etc.) and illustrations (portraits,
forthcoming issues (2015): maps, heraldry, illustrations, etc.)
Isle of Dawn, Thyatis and Alphatia The Threshold editorial team strives for
The editorial team will accept proposal on edition neutrality, but edition specific
the Isle of Dawn, Thyatis, Alphatia and articles (e.g., conversions) are also
dependencies (Ochalea, Pearl Islands, accepted. Statistics for new monsters and
Alatians, Bellisaria, Esterhold and any NPCs may be included in articles (e.g.,
other colony). adventure modules, new monsters or
NPCs) in any version of Dungeons &
Dragons. The editorial team also offers
Ages Past
help in providing conversions to some
The editorial team will accept proposals
specific rules set (including BECMI/RC,
on Mystara’s past ages (Y’hog, Blackmoor,
2nd Edition, 3rd edition/Pathfinder).
Mystara 2300 BC, Taymora, Nithia, or any
However, they should be limited to the
culture or location that existed before
minimum -- for most NPCs, it is sufficient
present day Mystara.
to mention class, level, and alignment. For
important NPCs, a one or two line stat
block could be included.
From the
Mystara
By Håvard
Forum at
The concept of a world on the inside of the famous fiction writer he would later grow
planet filled with prehistoric creatures and into with his popular Star Wars novels, he
peoples is something that has been explored was already a well established game designer,
in the world of literature and comic books having worked with multiple companies. For
for ages. Journey to the Center of the Earth Mystara, he had also designed essential
(Jules Verne), Niels Klim’s Underground products such as the Grand Duchy of
Travels (Ludvig Holberg), The Pellucidar Karameikos, the Dwarves of Rockhome and
Series (Edgar Rice Burroughs), The Skartaris the Dawn of the Emperors Boxed Set.
Series (DC) and the upcoming Iron Sky 2 are
just a few examples of this idea. In the world However, the Hollow World boxed set was
of Dungeons & Dragons, there was some talk not Aaron Allston’s first attempt at designing
about giving Greyhawk its own Hollow Oerth a Hollow World-like game setting. Two other,
beyond the Land of the Black Ice. However, earlier products by Allston are worth taking a
it was Mystara, then only known as the D&D look at for those who are interested in seeing
Game World© or the Known World that was how this concept had been developing in the
finally selected to incorporate that concept. author’s mind for years before beginning his
Product Manager Bruce Heard selected work on the Hollow World Boxed Set. Those
Aaron Allston (1960-2014) to create this are Lands of Mystery for the Justice Inc RPG
subsetting to be published as a boxed set in (Hero Games) and The Worlds of Ultima:
1990. While Allston had not yet become the Savage Empires PC Game.
CONCLUSION
A professional game designer like Aaron
Allston certainly did not just reuse old ideas
and throw them into the Hollow World.
Land of Mystery, Savage Empires and the
Hollow World Boxed Set are three quite
different products and settings. At the same
time, comparing the three offers a chance to
pick at the author’s brain a little and see how Read more on the Piazza
his ideas and inspiration worked their way Forums:
into each game. Land of Mystery
Savage Empires
From a Mystara fan point of view, those
looking for more inspiration to further
develop their Hollow World or even Outer APPENDIX: SOURCES
World campaigns might want to investigate
more into these and other works by Allston. Lands of Mystery at rpggeek.com
For the Hollow World specifically, it should Prehistoric Pulp Blog
be possible to incorporate material from Dino’s Guide to the Savage Empire
Land of Mystery or Savage Empires directly in Worlds of Utima: Savage Empire at Wikipedia
the Hollow World or simply use them as
inspiration to get into the right atmosphere
for a Hollow World campaign. Savage
Empires is actually available for free from
Gog.com
10
Icevale Elves
Mini Gazetteer
by argentmantle
11
HISTORY OF THE
ICEVALE Tale of the Lonely Elf
12
13
In the Icevale
-Tale of the Lonely Elf
With the trek behind them, Fredar and
Laelithriana reciting a bit of the Icevale Fredara, the husband and wife guided the
Elves’ experience within the dark lands. elves on settling the new lands, building
homes and making the valleys and peaks
their own. Finally, the elves had a land of
their own and began the long process of
turning the land into their home. The clan of
elves has spread out and learned about the
mountainous terrain. Once the necessities of
survival had been seen to, the young adult
elves who had matured far too much along
the journey began the process of scribing
and recording what they could of their ways,
their culture, and their crafts. Collectively,
the whole clan breathed a sigh of relief. Their
ways and people would carry on. In
celebration of this, they turned their
memories back to the ancient celebrations of
the elves on the surface and did as best they
could to emulate the fae feel of such a
raucous event.
14
in their lives that they could remember unprepared. Of all the things that their
happiness and home, it was the first time that ancestors taught them as they lay dying, war
they could feel the cold raw air of a was not truly one of those things. Yes, they
mountain wilderness. It was the first time knew the elven skill with the longbow and
they truly had a home. sword, but they had no idea how to fight a
protracted engagement. The young leaders
used the skills they had learned, treating the
whole thing as vicious pranks and lightning
attacks. The elves used their mastery of the
wild and their knowledge of the
mountainous climate to wage a guerrilla war
against the Neathar. They would trigger an
avalanche to tear through a camp of the
hunters, and then strike immediately after
the confusion on skis. Eventually, the
Neathar, fearing they awoke some vengeful
mountain spirits retreated, telling tales that
Celebrations, feasts and dances were the hunt of game is allowed, but take too
common. If there was a holiday they could much and the mountains will scorn them.
remember, the Elves of Icevale chose to
celebrate it as passionately as they could. Celebrating the victory was of course a
Drinking and dancing, singing and necessity for the Icevale Elves. It was during
storytelling soon became a craft that was as the celebrations that one couple, a pair of
appreciated as much as smithing or leather young elves madly in love, at least for that
working. week, snuck off from the rest of the
gathering to become better acquainted. This
After several years in their new land, the pair was walking through the snow when
Hollow World experienced a drought. The they came upon a lump of fur in the snow
people that had inhabited the plains to the over a small hole. The lump of fur was a
south remembered the strange travellers. sorely injured mountain wolf, a she-wolf who
Thinking these travellers knew of more had been injured by the Neathar while
plentiful game, the Neathar tribes sent hunting for her pups.
hunting parties ranging deep into the
mountains. At first the elves were curious. Upon their examination, they found that she
Watching the crude spears bring down game, could barely sit up and struggled to protect
but soon the desperation of the human her den of pups. The elf couple spoke to the
tribesmen caused them to over hunt the area. wolf in the language of the old elves, singing
to her, calming her, and demonstrating that
New Friends and Foes they meant no harm. After the first day, the
couple returned, bringing the wolf a few
The elves found this disrespect of nature scraps of raw reindeer meat. Slowly they
abhorrent. Yet the clan leaders were earned her trust and on the third day, the
15
wolf could sit again on her haunches. They Beastmen. Whatever the events that
brought more food for the pups and slowly transpired, the elves and Beastmen have
earned the strange lupine kinship that the taken turn attacking, defending,
Elves of Icevale keep today with the wolves surrendering and trading with strange ebbs
that pull their sleds. After that, the elves of and flows that are as wild as Beastmen
course threw a party. bloodlines. From these northerly neighbours,
the elves trade steel and smithed items for
The elves also met the Antalians during these materials, raid for it the next, have it all
early years in the Hollow World. The stolen back a couple years down the road,
Antalians were traveling far from home, and then settle it all with odd diplomacy. Of
when they came upon a cabin that had not course to celebrate their Beastmen friends,
been there before. The raiding tradition they trade, or victory the elves planned feasts and
were famous for got the better of them and festivities to commemorate the date.
they struck at the elven home. Though
violent and sudden, they harboured little The Krugel Horde
brutality and stole steel, gold, winter wine,
and furs from the elves living there. Thinking Only three times in the course of fifteen
it plentiful loot, the Antalians moved on to centuries have the Elves of Icevale come in
the next cabin, but found it strangely deserted. contact with Krugel Horde. Every battle has
been bloody, the fighting fierce and the orcs
In the snowy peaks, the elves made ready to pushed out of their lands. The animosity
push these new invaders out of their homes. between elf and orc is the stuff legends are
Striking with sleds drawn by wolves, sniping spawned from and the meetings between
with arrows along rime covered tree lines, these two members of their respective races
and using the land for trap and ambush, the have been the same. The Krugel orcs strike
Antalians retreated. Oddly, the next year the with their thundering cavalry, destroying and
Antalians returned, this time under a flag of killing elves as they go. In time the elves
truce. They brought with them trade goods, mount vicious ambushes and terrific traps
strange furs, exotic spices, smoked fish, sea and force the orcs away from their
shells, and things that elves were lacking. In homeland. The elves follow the orcs back to
return, under a cautious eye, the elves their lands, harrying the orcs and in turn
invited these strangers into their homes and being driven out by the response of the
soon built up a respect for their neighbours. Krugel Horde. Few things will anger the elves
In fact, the elves threw a magnificent party to more so than an orc, Krugel or other, on the
celebrate the victory against the raiders the sacred soil of their mountains.
previous year and their new friends they
found in the Antalian traders. Of course, a Reign of Rimebite
few seasons later the Antalians would start
the cycle all over again. A century or so ago, during the cold summer
nights and colder winter nights on the frosty
Far stranger than the raiding Antalians is the slopes of the Icevale Mountains, there was
first meetings that the elves had with the concocted a plan both terrible and heinous.
16
An Icevale Elf had been cast out from their the cold weather and rugged terrain did not
community when just but a babe. It was the hamper the wolves, giants, or the dragon any
beginning of just a few unlucky coincidences more so then it slowed them. They found
that led to a year of terror among the rest of that nothing they did could stop the
the Icevale. The babe was found on the powerful army of creatures arrayed against
slopes by of all things a rather matronly them until one young elven warrior,
white dragon. Now, not the most intelligent Heshalon, found the courage and means to
nor compassionate of the dragons, this old stop them.
motherly sort was not about to abandon a
babe on the slopes. Whatever her name was, He rallied the demoralized elves and setup
it matters little to the tale. the first military that the elves had seen since
they had come to the land of the Eternal Sun.
The dragon raised this twisted elf, a club In rank and file, they met the giants and
foot, black hair, with pocked skin, and loved wolves. Reindeer used as cavalry, sleds were
him like only a mother could. In time, a wielded as chariots, and turned the natural
century or so, the even now nameless elf magicks of the elves against them in full fury.
child, learned cruelty and hatred weaned Striking on skis and dancing away the elves
from the poisoning tales of a very cunning turned the tide. It wasn’t until the final
white dragon. So venomous were her tales battle, when the unnamed elf and his frosty
that she raised him to hate the elves. In time, mount were slain was the threat to the
he grew powerful as a wizard, for as a Icevale finally over. It would be a grand
warrior he was too twisted by his birth to reason to celebrate if Heshalon had slain the
master. With his power, he slew his adoptive beast and rider in mortal combat, but the
mother when one of her children had elven leader was slain trying that. It was an
returned. He took the time and power to unlikely thing, a timid hero, an elven woman
subdue that fell wyrm. A white dragon by the of slight stature but keen mind that slew the
name of Rimebite. With a dragon under his white dragon and its rider, casting upon him
control, this nameless elf soon rallied a few spell after spell, and weathering the frosty
packs of winter wolves and tribes of frost breath in a winter wolf pelt cloak. She
giants of Kulear to his cause. His cause? It stepped in when Heshalon was slain, not to
was simply to rule the people who cast him rally the army in disarray, but simply protect
out. her dying brother. With the threat to their
homeland, nation, and people vanquished,
With the fierceness of someone with little to the elves of Icevale began a celebration that
lose, the nameless elven outcast soon began lasted a week with a great feast, dances,
to lead his strong force against the Elves of drinking, and singing.
Icevale. Striking from the cold wintery
snowstorms, the group of giants and wolves The most recent years have passed relatively
would raze settlements that would not peaceably for the elves. The Antalians and
capitulate, and enslaved the ones that did. It Beastmen trade some seasons, raid the next,
was soon apparent that village after village and life in mountainous land continues as it
would fall against these cold-hearted villains. has for centuries.
The elves tried their tactics, but found that
17
18
is fermented with mushrooms and mountain practical and as such, they use the best, not
berries. This drink is truly potent; besides the flashiest.
being alcoholic it has more than a little
hallucinogenic property to it. Now, back to Like other elves on the surface world, the
the honey, even if the elves are on the hunt, Icevale elves have a leadership structure
they may stop at a beehive for a while. The governed by their elders. These elders are
elves will gather around a few combs and revered until they decide to leave their place
share a laugh or two, celebrate the bounty of of governance and walk into the mountains.
nature, and then pack up a few combs for the Strangely, even the most revered and
rest of the community and get back to respected Icevale Elder would be considered
business. an immature adult on the surface. This has a
lot to do with the fact that the culture was
The average Icevale elf wears leathers made founded in the Hollow World by the
from reindeer they herd and the beasts they memories of the survivors of the trek
hunt. These garments are by no means through the tunnels and most of these were
clumsy or crude, as the elves have practiced adolescents or young adults.
their craft for generations. The trousers and
jackets are fur lined whenever possible; This means that the Icevale society is one of
sometimes they add more exotic linings like constant youth. Not perpetual or eternal
silk, flannel, or wool when it can be youth, but one where the culture does not
acquired. Cloaks and overcoats are either know how to mature beyond its current
made from furs or lined with them, keeping state. They are curious, fiercely individual,
off the vicious wintery air. The boots worn by and very willing and able to learn. This is
the elves are hardened and formed leather, tempered with the awkward price that they
sometimes with steel for solid traction on the pay for this immaturity.
loose rock and stone, all while keeping the
feet warm and dry. When the time arises, the Elves of the Icevale have learned to find joy,
leathers are augmented with heavier pieces beauty, and pleasure in all sorts of activities
of armour ranging from stiffened bear from sports to singing. This is in part to ward
leathers to suits of elven chain. off the boredom that passing centuries can
weigh on an elf’s mind, but it is also a
cultural tradition that sprung up in the dark
SOCIETY OF THE ICEVALE caverns. Because of the tragic history, Icevale
elves do have a more rapid pace than most
Unlike the idea of a nation of hunters and elves. They try to cram much into shorter
furriers, the elves of Icevale aren’t nomadic. periods of time, in comparison to other
They are an advanced steel using society that elves, to strive to maintain a balance between
uses steel tipped arrows and spears, iron relaxation and tedium.
traps, and leather snares to assist with
whatever task is at hand. The idea is that just The tests of survival from just getting to the
because something is made of steel doesn’t Hollow World though have created a society
mean it is better. The Icevale elves are that is knit together on every level. Religion,
19
20
Each clan provides a respected elder to the adopted into their work as herd tending
group and are careful to always maintain an animals.
odd number of participants without the
ability to abstain. This insures that there is The Steelarm Clan is the clan most
not a tie vote and matters are decided associated with mining and ironworking.
instead of lingering forever. For matters Their population is clustered around the rich
involving the whole of the nation, the clans ores of steel, silver, and other metals near
each send an elder to advise the king or Tuathar. They also produce a limited number
queen on the views of their peoples. of suits of fine elven chain each year, gifting
it to the other clans and to the royal family.
The Icevale Clan are the original clan of Their expertise also includes the fine
elves that migrated so long ago to the Hollow manipulations of forging as well. A surprising
World. The members of this clan have amount of skill, subtlety, and delicacy goes
actually dwindled, with only the eldest of a into their craft.
family being allowed to keep the name
originally. This promoted the growth of the The Pinedancers Clan members are an
younger clans to help diversify and expand anathema to what most people think of as
the battered population of Elven youth into elves. These are the loggers and builders of
a full nation. the Icevale elves. They have a reverence for
the land and plants, like all elves, but believe
The Argentmantle Clan is the clan that is that tending the forests are part of the
now most famed for the number of wizardly natural cycle. Their carvings and bows are
elves it produces in the Hollow World. It works of function combined with beauty. In
carries a higher percentage of wizards than addition, they have a nearly supernatural gift
every other clan. The elves of this clan are with herbs and concoctions, using their
also expert furriers, hunting game across the woodcraft to create poultices, salves, and oils
mountainous peaks and into the valleys to heal wounds, cure infirmaries, or poison a
below. They have a tendency toward solitary particularly deadly foe.
existence, wandering the woods between
towns, trapping and hunting down animals The Frostwalker Clan came about as the
for their coats. scouts of the original group of migrant elves
formed their own clan after they had
The Silverstreak Clan are the farmers and established their new home. These hearty
herders of the region. These elven families members range far and wide across the lands
hate to be simply referred to as farmers since of the Icevale. Originally, they kept their eyes
their craft is far more intense than planting a and ears open, constantly scouting for new
row of crops. They quest across the highland threats and bringing news between
pastures tending their herds of sheep, communities. As the centuries progressed
reindeer, and protecting them from the wild this tradition continues, but they have added
predators of the region. They get their clan a new skill to their repertoire. Oddly, they
name from the wolves that have been are the most powerful trading party amongst
the elves, venturing so far as the Antalians to
21
the west, Neathar to the south, and food to strengthen them. Of course, the
Beastmen to the north. They travel in small pranks may happen beforehand, but the
caravans between communities, trading elves enjoy good sports.
goods.
GEOGRAPHY OF THE
Families ICEVALE
Beneath the clans are the families. Basically,
a grouping of everyone related by a three The Icevale is an alpine land. The high peaks
generational spread. In these groups, the of the mountains are covered with snow. In
elders give advice to the younger members of fact, more snow falls on these points than
the family but live with the idea that the melts during a year. Below the highest peaks
youth will make their own decisions, these towering mountains have a ring of
mistakes, and successes. Each family passes shale and stone, often bare or with just a hint
their skills and traditions internally, but will of plants that cling to the surface. This area
often ‘trade’ the training of a younger of terrain extends from the bottom of snowy
member who is disinterested in a family skill caps to the treeline. About half the mountain
for one from another family or even clan. is covered in usable forest or pastures, the
This helps to create strong relationships with other half in bare rock, snow or ice fields,
the neighbouring families. frigid mountain lakes, or lichen fields. The
descent into the pine covered trees that
make up most of the forests on the
Economy mountainside is broken up by a pasture or
two. Between the mountains are the valleys.
The Icevale Elves are a barter based These provide another tract of arable land
economy. They do accept coins from that the natives graze their reindeer and
outsiders but not always at the face value of plant a few hearty crops.
them. An elf may take it as a lump of precious
metal that might be valuable to trade. In the The weather of the Icevale is common
event of very large transactions, the elves will amongst the other mountainous areas of the
use an oral contract and then arrange the world, both Known and Hollow. The sun
logistics of the trade later. shines brightly some days, nearer to the
heavens than few other places. Yet, the place
In times of hardship, the elves adopt a more is cold and with a sort of emptiness to the
socialistic approach, sharing resources so air. During the summer, some of the snow
that as many as possible will live better. melts filling arboreal lakes and streams,
Sometimes the favour can be returned, eventually becoming rivers below. The area
sometimes not. This is actually a source of is wracked by cold storms though. These
the hospitality of the Icevale Elves. If they range from the daily gentle snow storms in
come across travellers in need, they may very the winter to terrific blizzards. During the
well lead a deer to the group or leave some warmer months, the area sees a goodly
22
amount of rain to keep the game and plants believe that one of the fiercest battles against
plentiful even in times of drought. the Nameless’ horde and Heshalon’s newly
formed military occurred here. Heshalon’s
Dominating the mountains of the Icevale is sister, Laelilathra led a force of elves here to
Mount Svelthys. This inactive volcano towers stop the depredations of the giants and the
above the surrounding peaks like a giant winter wolves that were threatening her
among gnomes. The heart of fire and magma people. The Battle of Aifar turned into a
has long been asleep, but every decade or so, massacre, only the sorceries wielded by the
it shakes and belches soot and smoke to the elves held the giants back, and only when
heavens. The volcano has become a natural they used their most powerful magicks. If
place that elven elders seek out at the end of one looks closely at the lichen covered
their days. Of course, the impetuousness of stones, they can make out the features of a
youth also calls many elves to the mountain man carved into the rocks. If someone
to explore. Climbing the slope of the studies the rocky outcroppings, they can see
mountain is difficult as the last eruption, the fine details of a wolf mid stride, frozen in
long before the elves, sheared off the stone.
southern and western part of the top. This
has created a treacherous ascent in the best
of conditions. Considering the tendency for
nasty weather at the top of the world’s peaks,
this makes Svelthys an almost suicidal climb.
According to some legends, Rimebite’s
corpse, and the corpse of his rider was
tossed into the fiery pit at the heart of the
mountain. If so, the fire dwarves rumoured
to live within must have been a bit worried
when he fell into the pit.
23
Beyond Aifar, halfway to the Antalian coast to Avair is a typical Icevale Elven community.
the west is a village similar to the Antalian Built with great care and respect to the
ones not too far away, if not for the sheer natural surroundings, this city is located
size. This village, named Kulear is the home along a large stream in the middle of a
to a powerful frost giant chieftain, a jarl, who deciduous glen. The town is home to a few
commands the giants like chiefs command of the greatest thinkers (and pranksters) of
lesser men. This settlement is composed of a the nation and seems to birth more wizards
massive wooden palisade and wooden long than the rest of the nation combined.
houses all cantered around a great mead hall
in the centre. In it are no less than seventeen Goidec is the first stop on the Antalian
adult male frost giants, fifteen females, and trading route or raiding plan. This large
twenty-two young. The culture of these frost elven city is protected by thick timber walls
giants is an imitation of the Anatalians further that are reinforced with glacial ice. Located
to the west. In fact, the frost giants here have on the upward rise above the plains they can
even gone so far as to try and raid the Icevale also spot large groups of Beastmen before
Elves and then strike up trade with them. So they can reach Llyr. This town is the primary
far, this has not met with much success, trading post for many of the elves who range
though the elves are warming to the to the north.
endeavours.
Gotlund is located closest to the Midworld
Gate and the forests to the south. Many
COMMUNITIES OF THE furriers and hunters come to this town to
ICEVALE trade after a season. Of the Icevale
communities it is almost less reminiscent of
an elven town and far more similar to human
(One of the interesting pieces of material is trading post. The buildings house more than
the fact that original map listed Argandir as a three hundred elves year round but these
ruined city, however, in the PWA1010, it is numbers can swell.
listed as the largest city of the elves.)
Llyr is an oddly deceptive town. There is but
Argandir is the capital of the Icevale elves. one entrance into a large network of caverns
This walled wooden city is located deep that the elves have moved into. Here, it is
within the mountains on one of the slopes of strange to see the woodland subtlety of the
Mount Argan. It is home to over five elves built into the rock walls, but
thousand elves living in the protective pine everywhere is it present. Llyr is located in a
forest all around them. This city swells to valley that is often the first place that
over ten thousand during times of festivals Beastmen traders or raiders (depending on
and gatherings. With the great feasts and the mood) visit. Llyr is home to nearly six
celebrations that are part of the Icevale Elves hundred elves, many of whom are shrewd
culture, it is no strange thought that the traders and capable warriors.
largest city is home to the biggest.
24
Mag is a city left in ruins by the vicious The tactics employed by the elves are
fighting against the nameless elf in the past harrying in nature. They strike using natural
few centuries. Even today, there are still the terrain features and creatures as much as
broken ruins of buildings and mouldering possible. Avalanches, rock slides, angry
pieces of the palisades that lay about. The predators, traps, and natural barriers to
town has been rebuilt in the centre, but is strike quickly and then fade away. The elves
only home to about two-hundred elves. also make use of their superior mobility in
the mountainous terrain, skis, snowshoes,
Tuathar is located nearest to the volcano and sleds are as commonplace as swords.
Svelthys. This is the primary smelting and
mining town in the Icevale. The elves here
practice their trades of smithing for hours at Skiing, Reindeer Cavalry, and
a time, taking great joy in the goods they Snowshoes
produce. The metalwork of an elven
craftsman from Tuathar is said to be equal to The Elves of the Icevale live in an area that
that of a dwarven smith, luckily there are few can be very dangerous to the unprepared.
dwarves in the area to argue this matter. This danger is magnified if the elven military
is making the terrain work against an
opponent. The elves will wear white cloaks,
MILITARY OF THE or camouflaged with magic as their outer
ICEVALE world kin, and trackless move across the
snow to strike from ambush. In a wintery
campaign, few demi-humans or humanoids
The last couple centuries in the Hollow can match their fleetness. This is made
World have seen the rise of a martial tone in possible by the use of many winter
the nature of the Icevale Elves. This has led accoutrements.
to the semi-formal creation of regional
defenders, a militia, so-to-speak. The territory Elven cavalry rides on the back of the
is divided into ten regions and in turn each strongest reindeer of the domestic local
of those regions plays host to ten squadrons. herds. These animals are able to navigate the
This puts nearly thirty five hundred of the poor conditions and are hearty enough to
Icevale’s population under arms at any one survive trekking through the mountains on
point. The military is strong considering its military missions. More than a few lines of
small size, which has been deemed large reindeer have been bred to haul especially
enough to hold out long enough to mobilize heavy loads for trade and to haul cargo. If the
perhaps ten times that number if the need arises, it is not unheard of for the elves
situation is truly dire. Though nominally to harness these animals to pull three person
equipped with swords, spears, longbows, ski chariots. A driver will control the beasts
and chain mail, many of the soldiers make as they pull the chariot sled, while the other
use of their own weapons and armour. two will use spears and bows to whittle
down their opponents. These light war
machines harry an opponent’s flanks and
25
26
Ice Lances
Adventure Note
Ice Lances are crafted from the branches of
The Tree of Frost at the town of Mag has the Tree of Frost and then soaked in a half
been missing since its ruination. No one is gallon of the precious Oil of Frost. They must
sure of its whereabouts and finding it be fitted with a spear head fashioned by the
would provide friendship with the Elves of Clanmaster from a shard of ice.
Icevale for generations to come. Naturally,
along with this friendship this would This counts as a +3 spear of slowing. When
include an amazing feast and celebration the temperature falls below freezing the
beyond the other more material rewards. spear always inflicts maximum damage
against living creatures.
Hoarboats
Oil of Frost
To build a hoarboat, the Clanmaster and
This bluish liquid is constantly cold. The Treekeeper must fashion it using the
Treekeeper will take the distilled oil from the branches from the tree, collected for a
tree and drop it into a small globe of water. century as the planks. The needles are woven
The magic of the oil freezes the water around together to lash the boat together. Finally,
the oil in a flask of unmeltable ice. The flask when this is done, a centuries worth of the
weighs just 5 cns or a half pound. When oil is spread across the hull on the coldest
broken and applied, this oil grants immunity night of the year.
to cold and fire for 3 turns (30 minutes). This
process uses a 1/12th of an ounce of the oil The hoarship is then complete, able to fly
(i.e. 1 month’s worth.) through the air at 360' per turn with perfect
manoeuvrability as long as the temperature
Frostbrands remains below freezing. If exposed to
temperatures above 80 degrees, the boat
These elven swords are forged of silver and immediately starts to melt. After a turn at the
steel by the Clanmaster and his aids. The temperatures above 80 degrees, it is reduced
Treekeeper will tend a forge made by the to inert wood and water.
burning of the needles and branches
gathered from the Tree of Frost that it will
melt the alloy allowing a sword to be forged. REFERENCES
The sword is tempered in no less than a half-
gallon of the precious oil, sixty four ounces. Map of Northern Iciria 1000 AC
(by Thorfinn Tait)]
This counts as a sword +3 of extinguishing.
In addition, it glows at temperatures below Hollow World Boxed Set
freezing. While it is glowing it adds the extra
talent of slowing. AC1010 Poor Wizard’s Almanac & Book of
Facts
27
by Geoff Gander
28
emissary of a great power – perhaps Xeron When the time was right, Illaria and a half-
Himself – Ilarria accompanied him to the dozen other Selhomarrian Lighthouse
nearest port, where a waiting vessel carried operatives abandoned their posts, took
them beyond the frontiers of the empire, to whatever treasures they had, and headed for
the continent of Iciria. There, the pair a prearranged meeting spot beyond the
journeyed overland to a secluded valley “eastern” fringes of the empire, on a grassy
inhabited by peoples of a vast multitude of plateau. There, they established a
cultures – the Lighthouse. Illaria's guide, stronghold, where they could study the
who called himself Rallian, explained that his artifacts and other treasures they had
people watched out for those who were recovered. Illaria also urged her companions
driven to expand and preserve knowledge, to round up as many supporters as possible
and that he had selected her to join his order and lead them to their stronghold. The
if she wished. Illaria, passionate in her faith Lighthouse soon learned of Illaria's actions,
but increasingly frustrated at the hierarchical, and Rallian tracked them down several years
hidebound nature of the Church of Xeron, later. He implored his former apprentice to
eagerly accepted. return to the fold. Illaria denounced the
policies of the Lighthouse, which she
After training for several years, Illaria was believed unnecessarily held the peoples of
sent back to Selhomarr to look out for the the Hollow World back. Realising that he
Lighthouse's interests. Armed with a more could not break through her misguided
accurate knowledge of the history of the idealism, Rallian left – but not before telling
Hollow World and its peoples, she sought her that the Lighthouse did not tolerate
out obscure records and other treasures that rogue operatives. Knowing that retaliation
found their way back to her order's was coming, Illaria urged her followers to
headquarters, where they would be fortify their position while she redoubled her
preserved. At first she was happy to fulfill efforts to find out if any of the treasures they
this role, but as time passed she discovered obtained, some of which they had figured
fragments of lore that, if disseminated out, would help them against possible
amongst the populace, might advance the attackers.
knowledge of her people and improve their
lives. Rallian told her all that he knew about The Lighthouse was not idle, and used its
the Spell of Preservation in an effort to connections to encourage the nobles of
dissuade her from that line of thinking, but Annurios to march against a purported nest
all she saw were Selhomarrian treasures of bandits and insurgents on the fringes of
being sent to the Lighthouse to be kept their territories – in a region where no
under lock and key. Eventually Illaria's organised communities of any sort had ever
frustration got the better of her, and she been known to exist. When scouts (some of
secretly began sounding out her fellow whom were agents of the Lighthouse)
Lighthouse operatives in the empire. A reported that a fortified base was under
handful felt as she did, and they made plans construction, the local army moved in
of their own. quickly. Illaria’s stronghold – essentially a
fortified village of roughly 200 – was not
29
30
31
The artifact that Illaria used was built shortly Forbidding Ruins: Illaria’s Folly is known
before the Sinking of Lhomarr, by a now- to the people of Annurios as a cursed place
forgotten sorcerer who had foreseen the visited only by the truly foolhardy, but even
destruction of his homeland and sought a though it was destroyed certain parts of the
means of escape. Had it functioned lower levels of the complex could still be
properly, the artifact would have transported intact. The DM would have to decide what
his entire estate and its inhabitants into a sort of items might await discovery, and what
pocket dimension for a period of 100 years, kind of dangers would await the PCs. It is
during which everyone inside would be in possible that the portal that the artifact
stasis. After that period, the pocket opened may have allowed creatures from
dimension would expel its contents to the another dimension to enter. What these
nearest suitable location, and the estate and creatures might be, and how they would
its inhabitants would continue as before. react to the PCs, is up to the DM.
Unfortunately, the artifact did not function as
intended. Instead, it teleported itself to the Illaria’s Fate: As stated above, Illaria was
nearest safe dimension – which happened to thrown between dimensions when the
be the vortex created by the Immortals to artifact exploded, and now lives in an
transport what they saw as the best elements eternal, ghostly half-life. She has not aged,
of Lhomarrian society to the Hollow World. but the centuries of solitary imprisonment
The sorcerer and his estate ended up at the have driven her insane. She would beg the
bottom of the ocean. PCs to help her free herself, but once freed
she would seek to win their confidence
The transition to the Hollow World, followed (perhaps with promises of sharing her
by thousands of years of neglect, did not do considerable knowledge) and use them in
the artifact any favours. The Immortals were her personal vendetta against the Lighthouse
aware of the item but concluded that the – especially Rallian (who is now long dead).
Selhomarrians, now held back by the Spell of Depending on their own moral leanings and
Preservation, would never be able to figure ambitions, the PCs might very well decide to
out how to repair it. By the time Illaria help her. If freed, Illaria would be a cleric of
found it in BC 2500, the artifact was heavily Xeron (Ixion) of 14th-16th level.
deteriorated.
Illaria’s Heirs: A small cabal of
The fateful conflict took place in BC 2468, Selhomarrians secretly carries on her work –
and when Illaria used the device it that of uncovering the true nature of the
transported her followers, but also sent her Hollow World. They operate in a dangerous
into a semi-ethereal state, and tied her to the environment because their ideas fly in the
ruins of her stronghold. She now wanders face of accepted doctrine and because the
the ruins as a ghost; although she is not dead. Lighthouse has been trying – largely
unsuccessfully – to stamp them out for
32
33
Once, it was widely believed our world of the Many years ago, an expedition reached the
Eternal Sun was a relatively recent Immortal World Shield. Needless to say, such journey
creation. But in recent times our numerous was unbelievably challenging, nearly killing
encounters with ancient races have led us to all the participants. Still, the survivors
believe otherwise. Mystara’s cultural history, managed to return with an incredible
both on the surface and the interior, may be account. Evidently, the underground of the
far more ancient than previously Hollow World is much more vast and
hypothesized. The Hollowdeep (1), the intricate than we could have possibly
Depths of the Oceans and the Floating suspected before this report. The authors
Continents are home to alien and exotic state, a sea of fire lay deep below, dividing
creatures, straight out of Mystara’s ancient the Hollowdeep from the Shadowdeep of the
past (2). Outer World. Upon this ocean of lava, islands
dotted with mighty palaces and cities float,
Notes home to creatures of fire and flame; asserting
1 - In the “Mystara's Underdark?” and previous they once dominated all Mystara. The
threads on The Piazza, and in the Shadowdeep expedition was just able to barely escape
Index on the Vaults of Pandius, the Mystara them. In other regions of the Hollowdeep,
community more or less decided to call they discovered an ancient, shifting realm of
“Shadowdeep” and “Hollowdeep” the Earth creatures and a subterranean sea so
underground regions of Mystara’s Outer and extensive its shores could not be seen. The
Hollow World. sea also held inhabitants, aquatic creatures
2 - Many creatures and civilizations described in vaguely resembling ancient Crabmen and
this article came from my “99,9999985% Mystara other water breathing inhabitants.
History” article, which presupposes a much more We named these realms the Deep Elemental
ancient Mystaran history than the one normally Kingdoms. We do not know yet how big such
described in canon. realms may be and how many creatures they
might contain, nor if we will ever be able to
establish friendly relations with them.
34
LAIRS OF THE
BURROWERS
Notes
1 - See the “[Nation] Intua - Kingdom of the Sun”
thread on The Piazza Forums for more info about
Intua:.
35
36
37
38
39
LANDS OF THE
REPTILIANS
40
Notes
41
Notes
1 - A term I invented here to indicate the races of
intelligent animals, to match the term demihuman.
2 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
3 - Appears in Champions of Mystara
4 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
5 - See Thunder Rift’s Quest for the Silver Sword
6 - The Hollow World Boxed set list a variety of
werecreatures as inhabitants of the Hollow World’s
woods. I think Demianimals races may be more
appropriate to the Hollow World, but werecreatures
could live alongside Demianimals races or substitute
them as the DM prefers.
7 - As proposed in the “Muskoxtaurs in HW
Apefolk, Bearfolk and Sealfolk live in the tundra” thread on The Piazza
north among the Beastmen, as well as 8 - For example, these are the Mammals orders
ancient breeds of Lupins and Rakastas, who 9 - As proposed here by Havard in the “Tapir-Folk:
also live in Neathar lands. Icirian forests and Runequest's Morokanths on Mystara?” thread on
jungles are home to a great diversity of The Piazza Forums:
Demianimals, including Bearfolk, Boarfolk, 10 - The latter two were created by me here and do
Gazellefolk, Giffs, Minotaurs, Pachydermion, not appear previously in canon of fanon sources of
Phanatons, Rabbitfolk, Ratlings (6), which I am aware.
Rhinofolk, and many races of Monkeyfolk
and Apefolk. The World Spine mountains
and hills are home of Rock Baboons,
Goatmen, Saquatches and many others.
Indeed, the Demianimals races are too many FLYING PEOPLES OF THE
to list them all. As an example, the Hollow FLOATING CONTINENTS
World hosts infinite variations of Minotaurs
races, such as Bisontaur, Muskoxtaur (7) and
Wisentaur on Northern Iciria; Aurochtaur The Floating Continents (1) of the Hollow
and at least two races of Buffalotaurs in World host a variety of people and races
Southern Iciria and Jomphur. Antelopetaur, capable of flight. Hiak-Lor is home to the
Gaurtaur, Yaktaur, Zebutaur inhabit Hiakrai Neathar, who astride their giant
Jomphur, while Elandtaur, Gnufolk, and eagles exploit their homeland’s annual orbit
Nyalataur exist in Southern Iciria. The same to raid Azcan, Neathar, Krugel and Antalian
is true for all the others Demianimal orders lands, and even Aerical and Jomphur.
(8), so you can encounter such races as the Ashmorain is home to the Feathered
Tapirfolk (9) of Suridal, the Penguinfolk of Serpents. Oostdok is the flying island of the
the far South, or the Civetfolk of Jomphur (10). Gnomes. Other Floating Continents are
inhabited by Dragons (2), Drakes, Ee’aars
(3), Enduks (4), Faeries (5), Gargoyles (6),
42
Notes
1 - A list of the Floating Cintinents by Andrew
Theisen can be found on The Vaults.
2 - See my article “Who is Who in the Wyrmsteeth
part II” about Dragons of the Outer and the Hollow
World in this issue of Threshold.
3 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
4 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
5 - Canon creature, also described in “Faerie
Subtype and Faerie” on The Vaults.
6 - As intelligent creatures, some immortal may have
chosen to preserve them, indeed they are indicated
as inhabitants of the Mountains in the Hollow world
boxed set, page 30 of the Adventure Book.
7 - Or Werehawks, as they were exterminated in
Minrothad according to Gaz9 The Guilds of
Minrothad.
8 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
9 - They already live in the Hollow Moon, see
“Hollow Moon Cultures: Pteryx of the Apennines”
on The Vaults and Chimpman’s “Once in a Blue
Moon” in Threshold issue #2, in Threshold issue #5
Harpies, Hawkfolk (7), Krollis (8), Pegataurs, I also hypothesized that some may still live in the
Rocs, Shedus, Sphinxes, Pteryx (9), Pegasus, Brasol mountains of Davania.
Red Hawk Dragons (10), Tabis and stranger 10 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
creatures like the Apteras. The latter are a 11 - Created by me, already hinted at in Threshold
race of intelligent flying insects, probably issue #5, where I place some in the area of Pelatan
once inhabiting the Outer world (11). A in Davania
variety of Aerial creatures and Djinn also 12 - Pterosaurs, Pteranodons and Flapsails are
roam the Floating Islands. Beside intelligent described in the Hollow World boxed set.
species, further flying animals and beasts 13 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
populate these continents, including 14 - Listed in the Hollow World boxed set as
Chimeras, Flapsails (12), Ghriests (13), populating the mountains.
Griffons, Hippogriffs (14), Hydras, Pterosaurs 15 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium
and Pteranodons, Tyminids (15) and 16 - Heldannic Knights starts exploring the Hollow
Wyverns. In the last few decades, Outer World in 960 AC and The Princess Ark makes her
World visitors in flying ships have also been first exploration in 965 AC. The arrival of Alphatia
spotted in the Hollow World’s skies (16); and in 1010 AC will obviously worry even more The
we have now a growing concern they could Lighthouse, and will have a huge impact on the
disrupt the unique cultures of the Floating people inhabiting the other Floating Continents.
Continents.
43
The position of the biggest floating continents on III page 129, without Ashmorain, Hiak-lor and
Nuwmont the 1st, as given in the Poor Wizard’s Oostdok, whose dimensions were in canon for
Almanac III, page 132. Resi and Tama annual orbits Ashmorain and Oostdok, but I had to invent for
were inverted in page 129 and 131: I decided to Hiak’lor. When a second diameter is present, it’s the
assume the ones on page 131 are the correct ones. adjusted size the floating continent should have if the
Only 8 floating continents were listed, but Andrew Hollow World has a circumference of 15120 miles.
Theisen added some information (available at The Also, with a bigger Hollow World the values in Table 1,
Vaults) about the other 3 canon ones (Ashmorain, particularly Orbital Speeds, should be adjusted
Hiak’lor and Oostdok. I decided arbitrarily their position accordingly, but for now I left the information as given
on Nuwmont, the 1st and the orbit. Alphatia is shown in the canon source, even if I am not sure they are all
as if the Hollow World has a circumference of 15120 correct.
miles and each hex is 60 miles (see caption to the The white outline around each floating continent should
Hollow World full map). With hexes at 40 miles, the reflect, approximately, the diameter of its shadow.
size of Alphatia in comparison to the Hollow World Chijioke’s shadow is quite bigger due to its height.
would be bigger and, in my humble opinion, quite A full size version of this map will be also published in
excessive. The first diameters given in Table 1 on the the Mystara forum at The Piazza and on the Vaults of
following page appeared in the Poor Wizard’s Almanac Pandius.
44
45
Notes
1 - This intelligent creature and all the following
not included in canon Mystaran products were
created by me in my “99,9999985% Mystara
history” article and inspired by the namesake real
world animals.
2 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous
Compendium
3 - Described in the Expert set and the AD&D
Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix.
4 - Sea Lizardmen, Mermen, Nixies, Dolphins,
Devilfish, Sea Hag and Wereseals are listed in the
Hollow World boxed set, while the others are
entirely my supposition.
5 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous
The mysterious Queen who is supposed to Compendium
be ruler of all the Hollow World’s oceans and 6 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous
has a lair or palace someplace within the Sea Compendium
of Rax. She is said to be an enormous sea 7 - See the Savage Coast Monstrous
dragon according to some accounts. In Compendium
others she appears as an ancient dragon 8 - Described in the AD&D Mystara Monstrous
turtle. Yet she could even belong to a Compendium Appendix.
hitherto unknown species. Legend says she
protects denizens of the sea when in extreme
danger, either from natural causes or
powerful enemies. Acanthodians (1),
Acquatic Elves, Ammonites, Crabmen, DRAGON AND FAIRY
Decapus, Devilfish, Dolphins, Sea Dragons LANDS
and Dragon Turtles, Eurypterids, Sea Giants,
Sea Hags, Sea Hermits (2), Hydraxes (3),
Knas, Koprus, Sea Lizardmen (4), Mermen, The mighty dragons have their domains
Narwhals, Nautilus, Nixies, Opabinia, within the Hollow World as they have in the
Ostracoderms, Omm-wa (5), Sealfolk, Shark- Outer World (1); often protecting some
kin, Shimmerfish (6), Snappers (7), ancient races or creatures from stronger
Trilobites, Tritons, Undines (8): all the forces surrounding them. They are frequently
intelligent inhabitants of the oceans and seas allied with local fairies, which in the Hollow
have their own legend concerning the World normally take forms more suited to
Queen, and how she once saved them. Is she local culture amongst which they live (2).
Lighthouse scholars classify dragons and
46
47
THE GIANTS LANDS variations from clan to clan, with some very
civilized and others quite savage. Stone
Giants are more common around the World
Spine and in the eastern deserts, and in
Suridal. Storm Giants roam from the
Southwest and the Anathy Archipelago to
Jomphur. Hephaestons (3) live in the
mountains north of Milenia. Garls (4) are
common in the eastern World Spine. Cyclops
tribes inhabits Southwestern Iciria and the
Anathy Archipelago. The ancient Trolls (5)
live in several areas of northeastern Iciria,
while Giant Trolls (6) live among the hills
between the Krugel, the Neathars and the
Antalians. Giant Gargoyles (7) live between
the Traldar lands and Milenia. Lastly, a
mysterious and reclusive nation (8) with a
mixed population of Giants, Fairies and
ancient Trolls is rumored to exist in one of
the Floating continents.
Notes
1 - Indicated in the Hollow World boxed set as
living in the Hills and Mountains.
2 - Indicated in the Iciria map with Kulear as
capital.
3 - Canon monster, not indicated in the Hollow
World boxed set, but they seem appropriate for
the area.
Several areas of the Hollow World are 4 - Not listed in the Hollow World boxed set, but
dominated by Giant cultures(1). Frost Giants they seem appropriate for the area.
are numerous in Northern Iciria and rule a 5 - The only humanoid mentioned in the Other
great kingdom (2) between Antalian and Monsters section of the Hollow World boxed set
Icevale lands. Fire Giants live in Western (Adventure Book, page 30) under “Hills”: I decided
Krugel lands, Southern Nithia, Southern ancient Trolls, more intelligent and civilized than
Suridal and near many volcanoes. Cloud modern ones, could be more appropriate, as the
Giants are common in Northeastern Iciria trolls which inhabited ancient Grondheim as
from Neathar lands to the Ostzee, and in the developed by Chimpman in the “[Nation]
Floating continents. Hill Giants live in Grondheim” thread on the Piazza Forums.
countless areas, ranging from the Southern 6 - Gargantuan Trolls are listed as creatures of the
Beastmen lands to the World Spine and Hills in the Hollow World boxed set.
Milenia. Their culture displays the greatest 7 - Gargantuan gargoyles are listed as creatures of
48
THE ANATHY
ARCHIPELAGO AND
JOMPHUR
49
50
Acknowledgement
INTRODUCTION
This article started out as a thread at The
Piazza, in which several forum members
participated. I would like to thank
maddog, Andaire, Khuzd, Big Mac, Seer of Right or wrong, I’ve always felt that the
Yhog, and Havard for their participation in portrayal of Hollow World cultures was very
that discussion, and for inspiring me to monolithic. Beastmen populate the
finally revisit it and formalize it in the Beastmen Wastes, the Milenean Empire is
article you see today. comprised entirely of Milenians, Nithians live
in Nithia, and very rarely do individuals from
Unfortunately, I was unable to include all these diverse cultures mix. From a world
of their ideas in this article, so I encourage building standpoint this may make a lot of
you to visit the thread for yourself and to sense, and I think that jives with the overall
even expand on it! It is a topic that can spirit of what the Hollow World is meant to
continue to grow and mature. The Azcan be - a cultural archive, where the immortals
Empire, after all, is expansive, and both can place cultures that they want to keep
DMs and Players should have plenty of safe… and pure.
territory and material to explore for years
to come.
51
Frogfolk have existed alongside the Azcans The size and dexterity of frogfolk, not to
since before being relocated to the Hollow mention their uncanny ability to move
World. Their culture originated on Davania through thick jungle terrain, make them
and dispersed across portions of Brun and
Skothar even before the rise of Blackmoor. 1 Th e W as tin g is a term us ed to den ote th e
On the Outer World, along the northern s ick n es s an d dis eas e caus ed in th e aftermath of
coast of Davania and following the th e Great R ain of F ire. F or more in formation
Immortal’s Arm to the southern shores of s ee th e My s tara 2 3 0 0 B C Campaig n Settin g at
Th e Vaul ts of Pan dius .
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53
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55
Other races are found throughout the Azcans clash with the Neathar tribes just as
empire, though neither in great numbers, often as barter with them, but many
nor within homogenous communities. craftsmen subsist through trade with the
empire. Neathar hunters and trappers may
Beastmen Mercenaries be found along Azca’s northeastern
territories. Though most are justifiably wary
Beastmen sometimes serve as Azcan of aggressive Azcans, as Azcans are suspicious
mercenaries in the northern frontiers, most of them, cordial interactions do take place.
often being pitted against Neathar tribes or Neathar become less numerous the further
even other belligerent beastmen clans. one travels into core Azcan territory.
Therefore, it is not unheard of, seeing
beastmen in the empire’s northern Traldar Traders
territories, despite most Azcans mistrust and
contempt towards them. Traldar come to Azcan shores as traders
nearly as often as raiders. Thus, many Azcan
Krugal Caravans cities are apprehensive upon spotting their
ships at sea, yet once friendly intentions are
Though the Krugal Hordes reside far to the established, Traldar traders find tepid
east, occasionally a well armed group of reception in Azcan ports.
traders will successfully navigate Neathar
lands, looking to sell the spoils of former
conquests. As long as such visitors come Persona Non-grata
looking to trade, and not plunder, they
usually find cautious welcome among For good or ill, when recognized, these races
curious Azcans looking to buy foreign and and cultures are spurned within Azcan lands.
exotic merchandise.
Gentle Folk
Milenean Merchants
Unfortunately for the Gentle Folk, the
By and large Azcans are wary of seafarers. Azcan’s most hated enemy are the
Nonetheless they regularly welcome Shattenalfen to the south, and while most
merchants from distant lands, whether Azcans are familiar with elves, or have at least
arriving by land or sea. Consequently, heard tales of their description, few would be
Milenians routinely come ashore to buy and able to distinguish between the two cultures.
sell exotic goods, and are often found up and Regardless, very few of the Gentle Folk ever
down the western Azcan coast. leave their refuge to intermingle with their
neighbors.
56
Icevale Elves
ORGANIZATIONS
Like the Gentle Folk, Icevale Elves are the
unfortunate victims of mistaken identity
when it comes to dealing with the Azcans. Jaguar Knights “Defenders”
Unlike the Gentle Folk, however, they are
more than willing and capable of defending
themselves. Though the two cultures exist in
close proximity, their preferences for
extremely different environments makes
their interaction irregular at best.
Merry Pirates
Shattenalfen
57
induction, a knight typically abandons local jungle, and Azcan war parties make use of
loyalties and obligations and assumes the them whenever possible. Several mercenary
responsibility of protecting the Empire. bands exist in the villages around the
Many are itinerant, traveling throughout Tolmecac Swamp, and south to the Snake
Azcan territories, honor bound to render aid4 River. Though these bands are much smaller
to any and all Azcans in need. than the troupes hired from the Malpheggi
Swamp, they have a reputation for being
especially trustworthy, for the lizardmen that
Blue Darts form them follow Azcan ways and tradition.
58
never sure if the statue they pass daily is through a stone circle. The stakes are high
actually carved of stone, or is a patient, and however, as the losing team will be sacrificed
ever-seeing member of the House of Obsidian. on Atzanteotl’s alter. Many teams competing
do so willingly - lizardmen opportunists from
Uexotzinco, Jaguar Knights and their rakasta
CAMPAIGN IDEAS allies from Xochimilco, and even a team
composed of frogfolk and shifters from Inxi.
The following campaigns can be run in the Victors of the games may fare little better, as
Azcan Empire, either by a party of Azcan their fate is also to be sacrificed, in this case
natives or foreigners to these lands. upon the altars of the House of the
Magicians, creating a new band of warforged.
Should the PCs continue to win, and find this
The Games of Chitlacan fate undesirable, they must devise a means to
escape their captors and flee the Azcan
Empire. Their best escape route is ascending
the pass at Mount Kalaktatla and seeking
refuge in Colima, where they can book
passage on a ship to farway lands. Should
the PCs need assistance in this endeavor they
can be joined by fellow captives Spart, a
bruteman warrior, and Akuss, a lizardman
scout, who can help them navigate the
jungles, avoid Azcan slaver parties, and help
defend against the various dinosaurs
roaming the area5.
59
Mages from the House of the Obsidian have The ancient frog cult plans to remove all
been striving to ensure the rituals performed leadership from the city, as well as prevent
this year will not go as planned. Deep all travel and communication between it and
beneath the temple they have hidden the the outside world. Unbeknownst to all but
Obsidian Mask, a powerful and ancient the highest ranking members of the Blue
artifact dating back to construction of the Darts, the cult is more ancient than any
first warforged. With the mask in place, the surmise; its goals more sinister. In fact the
ritual will consume the life essence of the assassins guild can trace its origins back to
participants and use that power to fully mythical Ythlil6, before even the time of the
unlock the memories and past lives of the Carnifex, when frogfolk dominated Mystara.
masters of the House of the Obsidian. As The BLue Darts have unearthed an ancient
warforged bodies are immune to the effects evil7 from that time in the nearby swamps,
of aging, some of the masters have existed
for centuries, if not millennia, should the 6 See Geoff Gan der’s work on Y th l il (in
addition to oth ers ) at th e Vaul ts of Pan dius .
60
dormant for eons, and are preparing to trap. When his forces are ready, Chicitztli
awaken it. If successful they intend to offer will march against the fortress of
the entire population of Yuzihuapac to Cuetzpallinan. Unfortunately the real battle
appease it and slake its ravenous hunger. will come once the rebel warband is
Eliminating the city’s leadership and surrounded by rakasta and were-jaguar
communication network is the first step in warriors, Chicitztli and his lieutenants
their plan. PCs must expose and prevent this turning upon their own men. PCs caught up
diabolical plot, or the entire Azcan Empire - in this scheme must strive to discover the
even the whole Hollow World - may be truth about their brutal commander, or
threatened. failing that find a way to prevent the ambush
and insure the safety of Otzitiotl’s faithful.
61
Ecology
of the
Megaliths
and the
Norns Cycle
by LoZompatore
62
favorite meditation chamber. As you see its such wickedness is due to the interference
floor, its walls and its ceiling still have to be of the entropic agents.
found.
Tiresias: So do I. That’s why I would like to
Tiresias: I am glad to meet you, master SSu- counter such interference by providing the
Ma. Mortals know me as a teller of legends rock-men with proper advice. I wish to
and a weaver of prophecies but, in truth, so spread new legends about the ancient past
many things are beyond my grasp. Look at and the far future of the world, to shake
the Brasol Range, right below us at this their false confidence in an unchanging
moment. There, right now, in the environment.
labyrinthine tunnels of the Heart of Kirac,
the prince-priest Paha is laughing and SSu-Ma: And now I’m starting to figure out
scoffing at the best advices his wisest clergy why you asked for this meeting.
is giving at him. Day after day, that old
prince is growing more and more self- Tiresias: Master Ssu-Ma, in order to be able
important and presumptuous. to relate more information to the mortals, I
need to know more myself. Our hierarchs
Ssu-Ma: A definitely bad attitude, especially told me that you hold the secrets of the past,
from someone in charge of the destiny of so the present and the future of this world.
many of his people. Some mortals believe I am some kind of
jealous keeper of secrets, which I am not.
Tiresias: Indeed. The prince is coming to Actually I am just a humble Temporal of the
believe that the sturdiness, and the nearly- Sphere of Thought formally asking the help
immortal life span of his race, will by of a mighty Empyreal of his kin. Will you
themselves prevent any external menace, disclose those secrets to me, for the benefit
allowing his rock-men people to live forever of our Sphere and for the balance of power
in safe and splendid isolation. Unfortunately in the Prime Plane?
I foresee that, within the next century, those
who follow his guidance will be literally Ssu-Ma: You spoke about secrets, but
smashed and shattered into pieces by the secrets they are not. The truth about this
foul Crystalline Army of geonids led by the place has always been known by some, while
King of Isigg. The King of the Deeps is countless others rediscovered and forgot it
assembling his army right now, covetous of many times over the ages. I understand your
the gemstone marvels waiting for him in the scopes and I respect and appreciate your
Heart of Kirak. efforts, so I will tell you about what you are
asking for.
Ssu-Ma: Rock-men are a quiet, meditating
kind. I believe they should ponder better Let us just hope that our little meeting will
about their environment. Being able to yield fruitful consequences for our Sphere
detect enemies is a necessary skill for every and this part of the Prime Plane…
living being, the more so for the civilized
ones. I come to suspect that such naivety,
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64
A megalith may stay awake, or slumbering, planets but, in the end, from our knowledge
for as little as 10’000 years, and up to 100 all this life comes from just one of the three
times more, and its communication is sources.
usually just as slow as well. The same
information conveyed in a conversation of a
few minutes between mortals or even
Immortals usually needs centuries to be
delivered by a megalith, even if its quality,
fineness and depth cannot be reached even
by the finest philosophers of our Sphere of
Thought.
65
On the contrary, during its slumbering also gives a maximum time limit for life to
phase, the megalith loses interest in keeping prosper on the surface of Mystara. If
life forms on its surface, it accelerates its properly weaved, such information will
rotation to cool down and to expel all air shake the misleading self-assurance of the
and water over itself, and it shuts down the rock-men in an unchanging world. But I also
magical energy field. In this phase the know that the Hollow World deep inside
megalith no longer cares about keeping a Mystara is used as a - rather static - storage
stable orbit and repels any communication yard of worthy cultures, species and races by
attempt. If disturbed, it reacts with violence my fellow Immortals. What is the fate of
by means of huge earthquakes and volcanic such a place, and how is it possible to keep
eruptions so fierce their lava is able destroy this artificial equilibrium when the very rock
even artifacts and Immortal bodies. over which this museum is built is going to
change anyway?
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67
have not seen our megalith involved in the galaxy, new planar rifts form in space, this
creation of new planets since its first time connecting the Elemental Planes of
meeting with our kin. Earth, Air, Fire and Water to the Prime Plane.
Such gates occurs very close to each other
Tiresias: Which kind of requirements may around a promising star, as every elemental
be needed in the void, master? Sphere races to fill the space around the
new sun with its own element. Again, such
Ssu-Ma: Well, most of them should be gates are governed by the will of the
related to the amount of elemental matter Elemental Masters and their servants. After a
available around. You already know that first, enthusiastic and turbulent flood in the
new stars are created at a steady rate at the void of space, the gates end up impeding
very center of each galaxy through the each other and they are shut down by their
opening of special gates from the Elemental own controllers. Long chunks of elemental
Plane of Fire15. We Immortals do not have matter drifting around the new star are the
any control over this process, which is remnants of this process.17
entirely regulated by the Elemental Master of
Fire and its servants16. This is where we believe the megaliths come
into service. There are sightings of them
New stars are created without planets - as teleporting in these pristine solar systems
planets are not made of fire but of many and orbiting there for hundreds of
different kinds of elements - and they slowly millennia. Over time, there is indeed a
spiral away from the center of the galaxy to reduction of elemental matter and the
its periphery, a process which usually takes sudden appearing of celestial bodies of
dozens or hundreds of millions of years. It many different sizes, always smaller than the
seems to us that the main scope of the size of the megaliths currently orbiting the
galaxies is to fill the void of space with stars. system. We believe that the elemental matter
We don’t know if this task will ever be is drained by the megalith from the solar
completed, as the void itself is expanding - system and assembled in a new planet inside
and I strongly believe Entropy is involved in the cavity. The newly built planet is then
this process - but new stars are created at a teleported into a suitable orbit by the
regular pace. megalith.
Somewhere along the route of the new star, Sometimes it was even possible to see the
at a distance far enough from the crowded megalith teleporting somewhere else in the
and potentially disruptive center of the solar system, leaving its previous position
occupied by a new planet. In this case we
15 See I M1 adven ture, “Th e cen ter of th e believe the megalith just did the opposite
g al ax y ” s ection . H ere it is s tated th at th e g ate
17 Th e creation of th e man y worl ds of
from th e El emen tal Pl an e of F ire is th e on l y
way for a g al ax y to acquire n ew s tars . Spil l word des crib ed in DotE mig h t match th is
1 6 A g ain , from I M1 adven ture of N ote 1 3 . Th e proces s . N o paren t s tar is ex pl icitl y des crib ed
s ervan ts of th e El emen tal Mas ter of F ire wh ich in Spil l word, b ut a s ource of h eat an d l ig h t
are devoted to th e tas k of open in g or cl os in g s h oul d n everth el es s b e provided to th es e n ew
th e cen tral g al ax y g ate are cal l ed F iremas ters . worl ds .
68
69
70
71
72
itself is pleased to have this moon orbiting experiment, without worrying about
around itself like some kind of jewel or possible opposition by the megalith itself.
decoration. Patera was actually built by the Many new races and cultures are first tested
Immortals in a way that I’ll describe in a here before being moved to the moons or to
moment, while the asteroid fields - like the the surface of Mystara21. Unfortunately the
one we are contemplating right now - are asteroid habitats themselves, while many,
part of Mystara as well. differentiated, and growing over time22, are
not enough to repopulate the whole surface
Let me digress for a while on the asteroids, of a megalith, with its myriad of ecological
as they are the easiest to describe. These niches.
debris may have three possible origins. They
could be nothing but soil, water and air Tiresias: And I guess, this is where the two
expelled from the external surface at the moons come into play.
beginning of previous slumbering phases19;
they could come from solidified lava Ssu-Ma: Exactly. Early in the collaboration
extruded to repel intruders while the between the Immortals and Mystara, our kin
megalith was hostile to any contact and made a special agreement with the megalith,
communication; lastly, they are pieces of of who allowed them to modify Matera, the
the external surface torn from some only moon orbiting the world at that time.
cataclysmic event during the active phase.20 The Immortals then carved a huge hollow
As they are discarded pieces of Mystara, the space inside the moon23 . The “marrow”
Immortals see them fit for every kind of resulting from this operation was
compressed into a dense sphere 950 miles
19 I f th e meg al ith s pin s fas ter to remove al l in diameter and placed in a polar orbit
l ife s upport from th e s urface at l eas t part of around Mystara to form its second moon,
th is material s h oul d en d up orb itin g th e pl an et
as a s et of as teroid fiel ds or as a fain t rin g Patera. Both moons were to be used as the
s y s tem. Th e meteor th at cras h ed on th e main staging and storage habitats for
Darok in ian / Gl an trian b order durin g th e W rath cultures facing destruction or wishing to be
of th e I mmortal s (s ee W otI b ox ed s et) may b e preserved by the Immortals.
part of th is g roup of orb ital deb ris . N otice th at
W otI s ug g es ts th at s uch a meteor may b e
in h ab ited. Th e Sh in in g I s l es of O2 modul e 21 Th e Outer W orl d col on y of Emeron d on
“B l ade of Ven g ean ce” may b e an oth er ex ampl e Davan ia (s ee N ote 2 ) mig h t come from th is
of in h ab ited as teroids fl oatin g ab ove My s tara. proces s .
2 0 Th e ex pl os ion s of B l ack moor wh ich caus ed 2 2 I f th e I mmortal s man ag e to k eep th e orb its
th e Great R ain of F ire an d th e g ian t eruption of of th e curren t as teroids s tab l e - s ometh in g th at
K ik ian u Cal dera wh ich created th e I eren dian th e En tropic I mmortal s are more th an h appy to
arch ipel ag o (s ee GA Z 4 for detail s ) may b e dis rupt - th en th e n umb er of as teroids
ex ampl es of s uch even ts . Oth er ex ampl es mig h t s urroun din g My s tara is g oin g to g row as n ew
b e th e vol can ic eruption s of Vul can ia after th e rock s an d el emen ts are th rown in to s pace at
Great R ain of F ire, th e catacl y s mic even ts th e en d of every active cy cl e.
wh ich fol l owed th e l os s of th e in s ul ar 2 3 W h at fol l ows is b as ed on th e H ol l ow Moon
civil iz ation of Tan g or (s ee H W R 2 : K in g dom of s cen ario b y Sh aron Dorn h off (s ee h ere). F or a
N ith ia DM’s b ook l et compared with H W pre- s ummary b y J oh n Cal vin detail in g H ol l ow Moon
catacl y s mic map for detail s ) an d th e Gl an trian properties an d g eog raph y s ee Th res h ol d
catas troph e. Mag az in e I s s ue #2 .
73
74
from extinction. Note that, thanks to the Cultures left on Patera and the asteroids
polar orbit of Patera, its denizens are able to when Mystara enters the slumbering phase
fly over - and potentially reach - any point of will be usually left free to evolve, develop,
Mystara, sooner or later. It is not uncommon and interact with the additional threat of the
for the denizens of Patera to establish small showers of new debris ejected from the
colonies back on the Mystaran surface24. surface of Mystara to be faced and avoided.
Finally, people living in the Hollow Moon do At that time many Immortals of the Spheres
not usually interact with the external worlds. of Life will abandon Mystara. Most of them
They may evolve and prosper in a cyclic way will try to bring with them their followers,
from barbarism to the peak of their sponsoring migrations to other planets, stars
civilization, and then revert back to or Planes of Existence26. They usually never
barbarism due to the periodic global come back, but sometimes an Immortal
cataclysms that happen on the moon. from a previous cycle will show up with its
retinue and ask Mystara and the local
When Mystara reaches its slumbering phase, Immortals permission to settle its evolved
and this can be calculated fairly accurately, group of followers on the surface. Not
the Hollow Moon will likely host those always this right is granted27.
cultures of the Outer World and the Hollow
World the Immortals will deem worthy of Moon . A s s umin g th at mag ic on My s tara is
survival as-they-are. The cyclic pattern pos s ib l e mos tl y due to th e mag ic fiel d created
embedded into the Hollow Moon habitat b y th e meg al ith its el f, mag ic on th e H ol l ow
Moon may b e provided b y th e I mmortal s - wh o
will prevent extreme changes in those
es tab l is h ed a mag ic fiel d s imil ar to My s tara - or
cultures until the end of the slumbering b y th e very s un l ig h t, en h an ced an d
phase of Mystara. Usually the Hollow Moon con cen trated b y th e s emi-tran s paren t material
is progressively emptied soon after Mystara of th e F ars ide. N otice th at, accordin g to M4
becomes habitable. Sometimes - like during modul e “F ive cois for a k in g dom” , th e s un of
My s tara is h ig h l y mag ical in n ature.
the current active cycle of Mystara, for 2 6 Th e A l ph atian s may b e travel l ers from
example - the huge cavity inside Matera is an oth er meg al ith wh o en tered its s l umb erin g
left unused for dozens or hundreds of ph as e. I t coul d b e pos s ib l e th at th e fin al s pel l
millennia, until worthy enough cultures cas t b y th e F ol l owers of th e A ir on th eir
orig in al h omeworl d (s ee DotE an d M1
develop on the surface of the megalith.
adven ture modul e for detail s ) actual l y caus ed
Irrespective of this, at the end of the active th e meg al ith to en ter a s udden s l umb erin g
cycle of Mystara the Hollow Moon is usually ph as e. Local I mmortal s may h ave h ad a
full of races, people and cultures25. differen t s et of ag reemen ts with th eir meg al ith
an d s o n o s afeg uard mech an is m l ik e th e
24 Th e k in g dom of B el l ay n e may b e a col on y Coun cil of th e N orn s was ever in pl ace th ere -
of th e rak as tas of Patera (or jus t th e oppos ite). or s uch a mech an is m mig h t h ave b een
A ccordin g to CoM “H eroes of th e Prin ces s dis rupted b y an I mmortal s trife mirrorin g th e
A rk ” b ook l et, rak as tas of B el l ay n e us e war b etween th e F ol l owers of A ir an d F ol l owers
fel iquin es as s teeds in pl ace of s ab ertooth of F ire.
2 7 Man y ex trapl an ar in vas ion s of th e pas t may
tig ers , wh ich th ey deem k in d of “ob s ol ete”.
Look s l ik e B el l ay n e is an evol ved cul ture with b e ex pl ain ed b y a refus al - or b y an ag reemen t
res pect to Patera’s on es . - to s ettl e th e s urface of My s tara. Th e oth er
2 5 A n ote on th e us e of mag ic on th e H ol l ow I mmortal s may n ot b e h appy to s h are th e
75
THE COUNCIL OF THE Tiresias: Master, you just said that the end
of the active phase may be predicted with
NORNS great accuracy. This puzzles me. Isn’t the
future unpredictable by its own nature? How
is it possible to foretell the effects of Entropy
and the actions of countless Immortals and
other intelligences in advance of hundreds
of millennia? Surely Mystara may be induced
to exit its active phase sooner or later than
the due time, or there can be short
outbursts of slumber inside a longer active
phase.
76
A complex set of agreements was thus the three Immortals are dispersed over so
established between the megalith and those vast a time span, and so taken for granted,
early Immortals to create the needed that most of the youngest Immortals do not
stability29. know about this. Some of the youngs are
even barely aware that Mystara is a megalith,
Mystara agreed to extend the duration of its an ignorance the Sphere of Thought is
active phase up to the maximum possible steadily trying to dispel. The hierarchs of
value for its own biology - a sheer aeon one each Sphere and their servants, however, are
million years long - and to keep this phase all fully aware of the three ancient Immortals
as stable as possible. In order to comply and their fundamental contribution to the
with this request Mystara needed a following cause of our kin.
slumbering phase some 500'000 years long.
During the deep sleep all communication Over the epochs, the three Immortals
would have ceased and all the Immortals' changed many times name and status.
projects on the megalith would have been Currently they are known as Urd - of the
erased. Finally, Mystara requested a small, Sphere of Time, Skuld - of the Sphere of
but permanent, contribution of Entropy, and Verthandi - of the Sphere of
Immortals’ life force to help the megalith Matter.
with staying awake (or sleeping) all the time
during the active (or slumbering) phase. I believe they are among the oldest
Immortals still active in this part of the
Three female Immortals of the original Multiverse, while I must admit that very old
exploring party were selected for the beings like Ixion and Thanatos might be of
establishment of this lasting bond with different opinion.
Mystara, partially merging with the megalith
to provide, in turn, the required flow of When the agreements were finalized, Urd
power. was a Hierarch of the Sphere of Time, Skuld
a Celestial of the Sphere of Entropy and
Tiresias: Master, this is the first time I’ve Verthandi an Eternal of the Sphere of
heard of such a link between Mystara and Matter. The three Immortals established a
some of our kin. cycle in which two of them simultaneously
gave part of their power to the megalith
Ssu-ma: As I told you in the beginning this while the third Immortal was "off-duty" and
is not secret information, but the actions of busy in slowly regaining her power after the
long drainage30.
29 A s et of s pecial ag reemen ts b etween th e
I mmortal s an d th e meg al ith is h in ted in th e In that archaic time Urd and Skuld were
I mmortal Set, wh il e n ot ex pl icitl y des crib ed. I n drained first by Mystara, giving time to
th e fol l owin g it is s uppos ed th at s uch Verthandi to gain enough power to be able
ag reemen ts were made to max imiz e th e
duration of th e s tab l e, active ph as e of My s tara,
wh il e min imiz in g th e duration of th e s l umb erin g 30 A s ch eme depictin g th e evol ution over time
ph as e to a defin ed an d precis e s pan of ”deep of th e power of th e th ree N orn s is in cl uded in
s l eep”. th e A ppen dix .
77
to replace the weakest of the couple at the This sequence of events was repeated over
right moment. Skuld - being lowest in power and over for every cycle of wakefulness and
- was immediately absorbed into the slumber of Mystara. As all the three
megalith itself - temporarily disappearing Immortals reach hierarch status sometime
from the ranks of the Immortals. This during the cycle - although never all of them
adsorption was part of the agreement, as a at the same moment - their group is
"guarantee" for Mystara that the Immortals officially addressed as a Council by the
would never leave their service in fear of an rest of the Immortals.
excessive dwindling of their power.
The three Immortals collectively call
● After 150'000 years of service Skuld was themselves "Norns" which, in an old
reduced to Temporal status31; the language of those forgotten origins, may be
megalith then released the Immortal translated as "Those who secretly
from its body to let her regain the lost communicate"32. This name refers both to
power. Verthandi - now at hierarch status the ability of the Norns to communicate with
in power - substituted Skuld. Mystara through a preferential channel, a
channel which is denied to all the other
● After 500'000 years of service Urd's Immortals, and to the possibility that the
power was reduced so much that she Norns have to use Mystara's vast array of
was temporarily absorbed into Mystara as natural phenomena to send cryptic
well, just like Skuld many millennia messages to mortals and Immortals alike33.
before.
Like the Norns themselves, their Council is
● Urd was released at Temporal status after possibly the earliest and the longest lasting
650'000 years of service. Skuld - whose Immortal's Council in this part of the Prime
power increased up to hierarch status in Plane.
the meantime - substituted for her.
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79
causing major changes to the environment Bias in the Norns Cycle and
and to the mortal beings living on it37. the Ages of Mystara
As I told you before, communication with a Tiresias: I never had the opportunity to
megalith is a very slow matter, so this kind know Urd in person, as she disappeared
of talk may require years before the Norn is long before my ascent to the ranking of the
released. Moreover, Mystara is notoriously Immortals40 - now I understand that she is
meticulous and deeply-pondering before merged inside the very substance of Mystara.
taking any action. The disappearance of Skuld, I tried to talk with her in the past, but
Verthandi during the last chain of events38 she is extremely reclusive, I never suspected
- a disappearance which greatly alarmed such a great involvement in Mystara’s affairs.
some groups of mortals and low-ranking I thought she was deliberately avoiding me
Immortals - is due just to a round of such because I am of lowest ranking, some
talks. Verthandi will surely be released Entropic Immortals give these things a lot of
within a short time, to the disappointment importance. About mighty Verthandi, she
of those among mortals and Immortals who was definitely more talkative but, again,
believe her disappearance to be a bad omen before her disappearance she never spoke
foretelling the end of the world39. about the heavy burden she has to bear.
Among high-ranking Immortals a member of Ssu-Ma: That’s because the three Norns
the Council of the Norns is always much have performed their duty for so long and
respected. Both "on-duty" and "off-duty" believe their service so common that it is not
Norns, irrespective of their current level of even worth mentioning. You are less than
power, are granted honors and privileges two thousand years old41, a newborn
usually not available to the other Immortals Immortal by the Norns’ standards. They tend
and, while acting as ambassadors of the to forget there are many like you in our
megalith's will, they have immediate access ranks, who cannot know their whole story.
to the Full Hierarchs of all Spheres. After all,
even the most selfish and evil-oriented But we are now to the part of the Norns
Immortal is forced to recognize the Cycle which likely will fascinate you most. Its
important service the Norns provide for the about the effect of the Norns’ service on
development of all the Immortals' projects - Mystara and its inhabitants over the epochs.
including the Entropic projects - on Mystara.
As Mystara drains power from a specific
Norn, it is impossible to avoid a slight bias
37 A coupl e of s uch recen t even ts are th e
in favor of the Sphere of Power the Norn
Great R ain of F ire an d th e W rath of th e
I mmortal s . “B l ack moor: Grief Etern al ” a fan - belongs to. Two Norns are always drained at
made n ovel iz ation b y Cab on des crib es h ow
40 A ccordin g to th e Codex I mmortal is b y
My s tara “fel t” after th e Great R ain of F ire.
3 8 Th e referen ce h ere is to th e W rath of th e Marco Dal mon te, B ook 1 , U rd dis appeared in
I mmortal s even ts . 3 0 0 0 B C, wh il e Tires ias as cen ded to
3 9 See al s o N ote 5 for a variation on th is
I mmortal ity s ome time after 1 0 0 0 B C.
s cen ario, in wh ich th e dis appearan ce of 4 1 See th e Codex I mmortal is b y Marco
Verth an d woul d real l y foretel l th e en d of times . Dal mon te, B ook 1 .
80
the same time, but one of them is almost turbulent activity usually attracts many
always drained more than the other. Over Immortals from other parts of the Prime
centuries and millennia of continuous Plane, who start establishing their own
draining from the same predominant projects on the megalith and take advantage
source, this "bias" slightly affects Mystara's of the turmoil. At the end of this phase a
behavior. As most of the mortal beings living few, sturdy intelligent living species are
on the megalith are made with the same usually firmly established on the surface and
elements which Mystara itself is made of, in the oceans. This final part usually
this bias is also effective on these beings and coincides with the moving of most of the
on the cultures they produce. species and cultures of the Hollow Moon
and surrounding celestial bodies to the
The results of this biasing are different cycle surface of Mystara.
after cycle and they also depend on a myriad
of other factors - the most prominent being 100'000 - 500'000: Matter bias is prevalent
the will of the Immortals and the - although constantly dimming over time.
peculiarities of the intelligent mortals living Stability is predominant. Species and
on the megalith at a given epoch. cultures tend to live without major
Nevertheless, it is possible to recognize six, modifications for ages; less evolution and
very broad, general patterns during a full innovation is produced in the world with
cycle of Mystara42. respect to subsequent eras44. While no
proper stagnation is ever in place, at the
Assuming that year 0 corresponds to the beginning of this phase the practical effects
awakening of the megalith from the previous on mortal cultures and biology is very close
slumbering phase43, we have: to the Spell of Preservation currently cast on
the Hollow World.
0 - 100'000: Entropy and Matter biases are
almost equivalent. Mystara awakes from its 500'000 - 600'000: Matter and Time biases
previous slumbering era and the building of are almost equivalent. This is a golden age
a new surface begins. Water and air are for life on Mystara45, as the stability
drawn on the surface, while a volcanic cycle 44 Th e dis tan t pas t of My s tara. Th is is an
and a magic field are established on the attempt to ex pl ain wh y th e pas t of My s tara -
megalith. There is an initial succession of s ay b efore B C 1 0 0 0 0 - is s o devoid of
building up and catastrophes - less and in tel l ig en t l ife, an d th e H ol l ow W orl d b efore
less violent over time - involving, in this 6 0 0 0 B C was fil l ed mos tl y with primitive
temporal order, continents, large cul tures an d din os aurs . Th ere are ex ception s ,
of cours e - drag on s , g ian ts , trean ts an d
landmasses and mountain chains. This g ak arak s , th e carn ifex peopl e, th e in s ectoid
creators of th e mek s , th e El dar from th e
42 See th e A ppen dix for a detail ed s ch eme of Drag on ord Tril og y are al l ex ampl es of very
wh at fol l ows . an cien t races l ivin g in th e dis tan t pas t of
4 3 To h ave a referen ce for th e curren t cy cl e of
My s tara. Th e un derl y in g idea h ere is th at th e
My s tara, accordin g to th e I mmortal Set, previous ag es of My s tara were more s tatic an d
pres en t time may b e s et at 5 0 0 ’0 0 0 y ears s in ce produced l es s cul tures an d civil iz ation s due to
th e l as t awak en in g of th e meg al ith . See al s o th is b ias from th e Sph ere of Matter.
N ote 5 3 b el ow for detail s . 4 5 A ccordin g to th e orig in al I mmortal Set, th e
81
inherited by the previous epoch mixes with 1'000'000 - 1'100'000: Time and Entropy
new ideas and changes brought on by the biases are almost equivalent, marking the
bias of the Sphere of Time. Species tend to end of the current active phase of Mystara.
change at an accelerated pace, ideas and The fragmented species and cultures of the
philosophies spread and evolve faster and previous eclectic age are led to extinction
faster. A widespread sense of progress is by the efforts of Entropy. It is also an era of
established in the world. cataclysmic events of every possible kind,
as Mystara enters its slumbering phase and
600'000 - 1'000'000: Time bias is prevalent slowly removes any support for life like air,
- although constantly dimming as this epoch magic and water. By the end of this phase
draws to an end. This is an eclectic, long- the megalith is but a dead body, devoid of
lasting era which builds on the conquests all life. While the Norns still tend to Mystara,
of the previous golden age and in which most of the other Immortals of the four
change is predominant. No two places in the Spheres of Life usually leave the megalith -
world look similar, at least not for long. often taking their followers with them - to
There is a progressive dispersion and continue working on their projects
fragmentation of species and cultures which elsewhere on the Prime and other Planes.
leads to the greatest splendors and the This is also an important event, as many of
deepest sorrows of the whole active cycle of these Immortals, who were born on Mystara,
Mystara. Conflict is common throughout this never come back to their birthplace. In this
age, even if proper, violent, destruction way, the megalith effectively acts as a
usually happens in a later stage, when diffusion point for the Immortals in the
cultures also begin to stagnate and become Multiverse.
decadent due to the growing influx of
Entropy46. 1'100'000 - 1'500'000: Entropy bias is
prevalent - although constantly dimming
meg al ith of My s tara is approach in g th e middl e over time. This is a quiet era of decay and
of its active ph as e, i.e. 5 0 0 ’0 0 0 y ears in th e oblivion. Under the careful supervision of
model des crib ed in th is articl e. Th e idea is th at most of the Immortals of Entropy every ruin,
th e W rath of th e I mmortal s was (on e of) th e every bone, every written glyph, every
l an dmark even t(s ) s ig n al l in g th e h al f of th e
curren t active ph as e an d th e b eg in n in g of th e remnant of previous civilizations and
1 0 0 ’0 0 0 y ears l on g g ol den ag e. N otice th at cultures is slowly erased from the megalith.
th is time s pan is s o l on g th at man y civil iz ation Mystara itself avoids any contact with other
may ris e an d fal l , even catas troph ical l y , durin g intelligent beings and violently repels
th is epoch . Th e term “g ol den ag e”appl ies wh en inquisitive intruders, including its previous
compared to th e oth er ag es of th e N orn s Cy cl e
des crib ed in th e l is t. denizens now living on the moons and
4 6 A t th e en d of th is ph as e l ife on My s tara asteroids. During this phase increasing
coul d b e pretty s imil ar to th e “Dy in g Earth ” numbers of Immortals of Entropy leave the
s ettin g b y J ack Van ce. A l th oug h th e s un is n ot megalith to pursue more attractive
g oin g to die l ivin g con dition s on th e meg al ith
are wors er an d wors er over time due to th e
objectives elsewhere. A few of them even
prog res s ive s h uttin g down of al l l ife s upport b y
My s tara. Mag ic may b ecome l es s powerful an d eman ated b y th e meg al ith b ecome prog res s ivel y
un predictab l e as wel l , as th e mag ic fiel d un rel iab l e.
82
self-destruct once they believe their task on The Sphere of Time is obviously
Mystara is done. At the end of this phase represented by the cyclic pattern established
Verthandi, the Norn of Matter, takes over the by Mystara and the Norns. Notice also that,
supply of immortal power and slowly begins while every cycle has the same phases and
the awakening of the megalith for a new cycle. broad succession of events of the previous
ones, the Sphere of Time also takes care that
no two cycles are exactly equal: events
Balance of the Spheres in the may be anticipated or delayed by a few
Norns Cycle thousand years, without any major
disruption to the overall pattern. For
Tiresias: Master, what you just disclosed to example, in the current cycle Urd was
me is amazing. By using this general pattern absorbed into Mystara after the Great Rain of
as a guideline it would be possible to create Fire, some 4000 years before the expected
prophecies and legends dipping into the time. This difference means very little in a
most remote past and referring to the end- cycle spanning over 1'500'000 years.
times of the far future. With this, I’ll
definitely be able to shake the false The Sphere of Entropy, on its side, ensures
foundations of the rockmen prince. that, during every cycle, some part of the
"backbone" is permanently lost, depleted or
Ssu-Ma: I’m really glad you consider the destroyed and that, at the beginning of a
information I provided you useful for your new active phase, the background is slightly
goals, then. less stable and safe for the implementation
of projects of the Immortals of the other
Tiresias: One last question, Master. While I Spheres. Moreover, Entropy is effectively in
agree that the effect of the biases induced by charge of the slumbering phase of the
the Norns are small and become effective megalith - by all purposes, with the final
over very long times, how is it possible to effect of subjugating a hostile and dead
preserve the balance of the Spheres? planetary body in which every trace of the
previous cycle is forgotten and cancelled.
Ssu-Ma: This balance is still preserved
overall, but in a very subtle way. The aims of The Sphere of Energy, while not
every Sphere are satisfied by the full cycle represented by a specific Immortal, is
and its effects. I’ll delve more in detail into anyway an essential part of every cycle, as
this. the constant flow of Immortal power - the
gainings by the three Immortals and the
The Council of the Norns definitely provides subsequent drainage by Mystara, and the
stability - as in the main scope of the Sphere building of new projects at the beginning of
of Matter - to Mystara and, in doing so, to every cycle - is undoubtedly within the scope
the "backbone" over which most of the of this Sphere.
Immortal projects are established and
developed. Finally, as you may guess, the whole
arrangement of the cycle sequence, as well
83
as the choice and power level of the initial While the last question was still echoing
Immortals, was set by the Sphere of inside Tiresias’ mind, the glowing silhouette
Thought. Even if a specific Immortal of of Ssu-Ma disappeared from the asteroid
Thought is not directly involved in the field. Tiresias lingered for a while focusing
Norn’s cycle our Sphere, as a whole, gets on a distant party of raiding rakastas
great benefits as it manages to order and pursuing a voidship of some kind through
control many powerful beings of the other the asteroids, possibly an Heldannic
Spheres - including Entropy. Mystara itself Warbird. Both groups, likely unknowingly,
may be considered under control, as the were moving close to the ancient Nithian
whole cyclic mechanism prevents excessive, wreck of Nebta, guarded by one of the
unpredictable behavior from the megalith. fiercest and largest onyx dragons of its kind.
The voidship crew would definitely need
With this in mind, my lesson on Mystara, its some good ideas to escape the dire
true nature, its past and its future is over. situation, the same for the raiding rakastas if
With the new information in your they really want to gain their loot. Maybe it
possession you could definitely weave more could have been an interesting challenge to
effective prophecies to warn the mortals of watch and, possibly, to direct in a way useful
the future of this world. for the Sphere of Thought. Tiresias moved
faster than light away from the tumbling
I’d like to leave you by remarking upon the rocks toward the place of confrontation.
many questions still to be answered in
my speech, as I’d like you to ponder about
them.
84
85
86
Seshay-Selene,
patroness of the Hollow Moon
by John Calvin
Acknowledgments
SESHAY-SELENE
I would like to take this opportunity to
acknowledge all of the work that Sharon
Dornhoff did over the years on the Hollow
Moon material, particularly at this time, Hierarch of Time, "Moonsinger"
her creation of Seshay-Selene, one of the [Aquarendi], "Singer-To-The-Moon"
driving forces behind the setting. More [cetacean], "Tchirichee/Great
can be found out about the immortal by Stormspume" [cryion], "Tidemother" [var.
gleaning information from the many lunar cultures], "Nephthisi" [ancient
Hollow Moon articles on the Vaults of Nithian]
Pandius, but I have attempted to
accumulate here all of the major facts and
events of her life (both mortal and
immortal), as well as add some touches of Though long forgotten by many cultures and
my own. races on the surface of Mystara, Seshay-
Selene has played an active role during much
I would also like to thank Marco Dalmonte of that planet’s history, and continues to do
for compiling the Codex Immortalis, the so with her work on the Hollow Moon.
format of which I have chosen to use for
this entry.
87
History
Level, Alignment, Sphere
Long before the rise of Nithia and
36th (Hierarch), CG, Time Blackmoor, or even mythical Lhomarr,
Symbol Seshay-Selene’s people lived a simple life in
the Great Ocean1. The whales of the Great
A whale with a Ocean spent their time harvesting krill,
shiny crescent tending to their family pods, and frolicking in
moon for her tail- the sunlit waters. That life was not to last
flukes however, as ancient evils rose from abyssal
depths to torment them… krakens. The
young matriarch of a modest pod, Seshay-
Selene was ever vigilant against the threat,
and eventually united the pods into a
common nation so that they could defeat
their foes. During her twilight years Seshay-
Portfolio Selene developed the Unending Sojourn, a
ritual of migration (followed by whales even
Materan weather, Materan seas, tides, whales,
to this day) from one pole of Mystara to the
migration, natural and biological cycles
other, the creation of which eventually lead
Worshipped in to her ascension to immortality in the Sphere
of Time.
The Hollow Moon, all oceans
Not long after having attained immortality,
Seshay-Selene was invited to the newly
Appearance formed Hollow Moon Council, replacing a
vacancy left by Ixion when that immortal
In life Seshay-Selene was a humpbacked refused service in a world that would remain
whale, and to many sea races she still mostly dark. The immortal whale’s vast
appears as such. Other times she takes the knowledge of tides and seasonal changes
form of a giant whale of indiscriminate type, proved invaluable in the creation and
combining the traits of blue, gray, right, and maintenance of Matera’s internal environs,
sperm whales (and sometimes even sharks). and her sympathies with Time, and or
To land dwellers she appears as a young innovation helped shape the cultural
woman (Nephthisi) with pale skin and curly makeup of the moon.
white hair that dances across her face as if
waves crashing upon rocks. Silver jewelry
adorns her body amidst flowing robes and
gowns of blue and white. Whatever form she 1 Th e Great Ocean is l ocated on th e far s ide of
chooses to take, her eyes remain the same - My s tara (oppos ite th e con tin en t of B run ) an d
stark white orbs of moon rock. b efore th e day s of B l ack moor s pan n ed th e g l ob e
from pol e to pol e with s can t more th an dis tan t
is l an ds to b reak up its vas tn es s .
88
89
90
I once heard a human say that tales are DRAGONS AROUND THE
important because they tell you that WYRMSTEETH
even the powerful dragons can be
beaten, but that’s only if the dragon is
stupid enough to engage such an In the lands surrounding Norwold there is an
inferior creature directly. ongoing complicated Cold War between the
Wyrmsteeth dragons and their allies on one
Quote attributed to Vitriol. side and The Onyx Ring and the Church of
Idris on the other. The arrival of Synn (in 1010
AC) will further complicate the picture as no
one could initially know which side she will
pick. Each of the dragons listed below will
have, as usual, several smaller dragon allies
and probably also humanoids and human
* This article follows Who’s Who in the
agents in their service.
Wyrmsteeth” article published in issue 8 of
Threshold magazine, which described the
dragons of the Wyrmsteeth kingdom and of
the rest of Norwold
91
Question marks, “?”, listed after a dragon's but is now living in Glantri under the human
name indicate that the true power and nature identity of Veronique Gaudin2. Many indeed
of the specified dragon are unknown, even by know she was sent on some secret mission
other dragons. DM's are encouraged to adjust by the King and Marthaen, but very few know
the power levels of these dragons to better fit where and why. She is indeed spying on
their campaigns Amanth, Jaggar (and later Synn too) on
behalf of the Parliament.
Auragentus,
16 HD Large Gold Dragon Raknaar,
22 HD Huge Gold Dragon
Auragentus1 is a sorrowful and bitter dragon,
who feels even other golds have abandoned This old gold occupies Anton Vlaardoen’s
her. She guards the ruins of Drax Tallen but body in Glantri. It’s widely believed that he is
she now knows Landryn Teriak is back from there to coordinate the spies who keep on
death as the Shadow Lord, allied with the eye on Amanth, human dracologists and,
Church of Idris. Her warnings at the more recently, Synn. Another wild rumor
Parliament a century ago fell on deaf ears, says that Juliana Vlaardoen too is a dragon in
and she lost her mate and her friend disguise, even if she doesn’t know the truth
Henadin as a consequence, along with herself.
several other allies. She knows eventually
Idris and Teryak will kill her, but she stopped
pleading to the Dragonking, other golds, and Kirbey,
even the immortals long ago. Some young 10 HD Small Gold Dragon
golds and other small dragons help her at the
moment, but she will send them away to Originally a mandrake who maintained the
spare their lives, when the last attack comes. human identity of Sir George Kirbey, treasure
hunter, he was a personal friend of the now
immortal Diamond. Rewarded with the
Therandael, transformation into a gold dragon, Kirbey is
10 HD Small Gold Dragon a close friend of Marthaen, Daresha and
Raknaar, and cooperates with them watching
The daughter of Thelvaenier (now the over Therandeal.
immortal Diamond) and Khaerendaen, she
was raised by Marthaen in the Wyrsmsteeth,
92
Brulefer,
15 HD Large Blue Dragon
Malypir,
15 HD Large Blue Dragon
93
94
95
Dragons and Secrets of the realms exist, but only some are known to
Adri Varma Plateau Wyrmsteeth dragons.
96
Ulnag26 has ambitiously founded his own She29 controls the Altan Tepes mountains
kingdom between the Black Peaks and the from Karameikos towards Darokin and
Eastern Cruth Lowlands in Karameikos with Rockhome with some white vassals. She
some vassals who include Ahkriin, 8 HD hates Snagglefang and is considering an
alliance with Argos.
21 A s n ote ab ove
22 Created b y Giampaol o A g os ta in “Lords of
th e Cruth Lowl an ds ” adven ture.
2 3 N ame created b y me h ere, b ut a g ol d drag on
Blethinferelth,
in dis g uis e in Th res h ol d appears on pag e 4 0 of 21 HD Huge Blue Dragon
th e D&D Ex pert s et. I ’ve al s o arb itraril y decided
h e coul d b e th e mate of A z em men tion ed in From the Cave of the Great Lizard in
Drag on 1 7 1 , an d th at th ey coul d h ave two Ylauruam, bordering Karameikos, the ancient
ch il dren .
2 4 Created b y Tim H an ey in “Val amaeraen th e female blue dragon, and one of her young
B ron z e”. DMs wh o do n ot us e A D&D metal l ic
drag on s coul d ch an g e h im to a s mal l g ol d. See 27 N amed b y me, b ut men tion ed on pag e 6 0 of
al s o “More Drag on B reeds ” b el ow un der Gaz 1 “Th e Gran d Duch y of K arameik os ”. Th e
Drag on s of th e H ol l ow W orl d. pos s ib l e con n ection with U l n ag is en tirel y min e.
2 5 Created b y Giampaol o A g os ta in “Lords of 2 8 Created b y Simon e N eri in h is “Th e Cen tral
th e Cruth Lowl an ds ”. A l tan Tepes ” min i Gaz etteer.
2 6 A s ab ove. 2 9 A s ab ove.
97
98
beauty, she is also vain and rumored to enjoy to submit, and the location of his lair is
parties in human form all around the Known currently unknown.
World. Druuwor and Jargnir fear her, but
have never been able to locate her lair. Her
allegiance, if any, is also unclear. Some also Khordarg,
say she is the companion of Xanesh, others 11 HD Small Red Dragon
of Dominagon34.
Ambitious and violent, this red female37 is
carving a realm in the Emerlas, between
Khanistar, eastern Alfheim and the darokinian Orclands,
17 HD Large Blue Dragon along with her mate Histizt, 10 HD Small Red
Dragon, and her children Fagtorx and
She rules35 from the World Mountain, at the Shalkmog, 7 HD Small Red Dragons and
centre of the Land of the Black Sand in humanoids vassals. She doesn’t care about
eastern Ethengar, deep inside a tall mountain the rules of the Dragon Kingdom and is
dotted with sinister towers. She built an ready to ally with Vitriol or Idris to have her
impressive library of rare and ancient spells, way.
including a few abominations dating from
Nithia. Khanistar is on good terms with the
Wyrmsteeth kingdom and has no bitter Marudi,
enemies. Emissaries from Vitriol however are 14 HD Large Blue Dragon
courting her promising rare magical items, a
tactic that could succeed. He38 rules in the desert of Ylauruam, in a
invisible palace guarded by lesser djinn. A
master of illusions, he is a rather peaceful
Balefire or Urwalk, 15 HD creature and on good terms with most
Large Red Dragon dragons. He is the son of Khanistar. He is
loyal to the Wyrmsteeth Kingdom and has
Known for his violent ways, this dragon36 received Vitriol’s envoys just to report their
could be the father of Khordarg or Histizt. He words to the Dragonking.
has harassed Alfheim and nearby lands in the
past, but some say he failed to create his
lasting dominion as he was defeated by
Ambur. He escaped after the fight, refusing Thalkor,
13 HD Large Black Dragon
99
Kevran,
14 HD Large Gold Dragon and
Althea,
Thundar,
11 HD Small Gold Dragon
13 HD Huge Sea Dragon
Father and Daughter, these two golds control
Her lair is located within an inactive
40 a large area of the northwestern coast of the
underwater volcano crater called Thun, just Isle of Dawn43, near the Gulf of Westrourke.
north of the Aloysius Reefs, in the hollowed They have good relations with the
out hulk of a fossilised kraken. She tries to Dragonking and Hytiliaph and mediate
influence tritons to build an empire. As other between them when there are contrasts.
Sea dragons, she doesn’t care about her
surface cousins, but has agreed to become a
sort of representative of the sea in the rare
case in which the Dragonking needs
information or contacts.
41 H e appears in Dawn of Emperors Th y atis
an d A l ph atia, DM’s g uide pag e 2 6 .
4 2 Much more on H y til iaph , h is famil y an d th e
reas on b eh in d h is h ate of A l ph atian s can b e fin d
in a s eries of articl es b y J oh n Cal vin .
4 3 Th ey appear in A C1 0 , pag e 3 4 , l ocated in
Den s teh n K eep n ear th e s eaport of N an dua an d
Carack . Such l ocation s were n ever pl aced in
My s tara b y can on or fan on , b ut I th in k th e I s l e
40 A s ab ove of Dawn woul d fit n icel y for th em.
100
101
Jaelynix, Archivaarr,
20 HD Huge Blue Dragon 15 HD Large Red Dragon
She49 rules in the lower Sind Desert between Guardian of the Well of the Moon in the
the Twin Oasis and Kesret Oasis, and has Great Pass of the Black Mountains,
controlled a vast area for over 600 years with Archivaarr52 has great influence in the area
sis'thik minions. Jaelynix also tried to and over local dragons, a power that will
subjugate the fire giants of the Burning probably increase thanks to his control of the
Wastes but was defeated and maimed. Since portal. His daughter Arstratorr53, 11 HD
then she has become much more aggressive, Small Red Dragon, is his first agent, and she
searching for magic that could heal her, and has developed cordial relations with Eshtelyx
has cut off the once cordial relations with the in the nearby cacti fields of the Great Waste.
Dragonking. Vitriol’s envoys are now Archivaarr is the son of Verminthrax, and has
courting her to gain her allegiance, and if good relations with his father and the
they bring the right type of magic they could Dragon Kingdom.
succeed. Her daughter Eshtelyx50, 10 HD
Small Blue Dragon, controls the
northwestern territory toward the Great Pass, Verminthrax,
and is on friendly terms with Archivaarr and 21 HD Huge Red Dragon
his daughter.
From the Moktor Fire Pits under the Plain of
Fire, Verminthrax rules over all the northern
Asparadispexillies, Sind desert and has been trying for quite
15 HD Large Blue Dragon some time to subjugate Graakhalia too. He
and Jaelnyx have so far stayed away from
He rules51 over the northern Plain of Fire, their respective territories, and their relations
respecting the territory of Verminthrax, who are even more cordial as Verminthrax’s niece
he fears. Some indeed say he has already and Jaelnyx’s daughter have become friends,
been subjugated by the larger red, who uses but all that could change if Jaelnyx will
him as his surface guardian. Asp resents switch her allegiance to Vitriol. Verminthrax
Verminthrax’s power and could ally with is very independent but so far has respected
Idris to get rid of him. the authority of the Dragonking.
102
103
been endangered after the fall of the Sylvan Wyrmsteeth. Powerful whites, blues and
Realm by Moorkroft and the dragons who are blacks competing on the plains of Borea. A
allied with him, so is trying to arrange for the huge gold, friend of gnomes, near the Yalu
elves to return. sea. Golds and Reds in the Endworld Line
and the Arm of the Immortals. Three huge
greens would rule the Tunguska forest, the
Sulfar and Fosfar, Great Zdredanyan forest and the Ozungan
17 HD Large Red Dragons Plateau. A Black and a Green would be in the
service of Hule. Some Dragons would be
These two brothers59 are allied with involved in the Neutral Alliance, the Lawful
Moorkroft and are known to guard the Brotherhood and the Chaotic Sisterhood. A
Rainbow Bridge. They have an extensive mysterious Huge and Ancient Black ruling in
dominion in Western Brun, competing with Yavdlom. The world of dragons is more
Aurik and the other golds of the area for the complicated than humans, and many
control of local dragons and humanoids. dragons, could imagine.
Some say Moorkroft is indeed their pawn,
others that they are pawns of Pyre. They are
also known to roam in Alfheim and Glantri. Sapphreet Cyanbolt,
16 HD Large Blue Dragon
Ufloq, Divided as Alphatian dragons are,
15 HD Huge White Dragon Sapphreet61, also known by humans as Lord
Gellan, Royal Treasurer of the Kingdom of
This incredibly big and ancient white Randel, is their informal representative when
dragon60 is rumored to rule over Hyboria dealing with the Wyrmsteeth. Brun dragons
from the depths of a huge crevasse, but many do not like Alphatian dragons much, as there
consider it long dead or slumbering. If Aurik have been wars in the past with the
knows more about the matter, he has not Alphatians and they feel dragons should not
revealed it ally with them. Despite that, dragons do
cooperate with wizards not only in Randel
but also in Ar, Haven and other Alphatian
kingdoms. The gold dragon Jaq’antixuen62,
under the human identity of Quentin Jax,
Other Dragon Realms in Brun was recently sent to the Wyrmsteeth as a
diplomatic envoy by the Alphatian dragons
More dragon realms exist in Brun, with thin
or nonexistent relations with the
104
Ehamakeribh,
30 HD Huge Gold Dragon?
105
Apsidar, Tupakmjr,
23 HD Huge Gold (Orium?) 29 HD Huge Gold Dragon?
Dragon
This ancient Gold70 would be the King of a
An ancient Gold female or, some say, an huge dragon nation dominating the Ice Peaks
Orium Dragon67, she is a friend of in southern Davania, ruling over a vast
Ehamakeribh and the Wyrmsteeth. Ruling population of dragons, fairies, giants, elves,
over Eastern Arypt, she protects the local halflings and rakasta. Some says he has
therapsid race, last remnants of a lost visited the Wyrmsteeth at least once and is
civilization, and has often aided the nearby on good relations with the Kingdom.
nations against the Night Dragons of Oceania
and the Serpentine Empire of Central Arypt.
The Sea Dragon,
25 HD Huge Sea Dragon?
The Night Dragons of Oceania
An incredibly big Sea Dragon, some say the
An unknown number of Night Dragons true ruler of all sea dragons in the world,
inhabit68 Oceania in the far south. Many would live off Davania’s western coast. He or
dragons of the Wyrmsteeth and beyond She would be the cause, every five years or
suspect they are servants of entropic powers, so, of the event known as “The Sea Dragon’s
but their true allegiance and purpose has Wrath71”, a hurricane season of
remained a mystery so far, as well as what thunderstorms and floods in all the area
exactly happened on Oceania. Probably high from the month of the Basilisk to the month
ranking dragons know more about this. The of the Pegasus (Flaurmont to Sviftmont). The
relation between Night Dragons and the only one who may know the truth behind
Church of Idris, if any exists, is also this rumor, if there is any truth, could be
unknown. The situation could change after Ehamakeribh.
the arrival of Synn69 in the Known World in
1010 AC.
Dimelian,
17 HD Huge Jade Dragon
67 Created b y me, men tion ed in Th res h ol d
is s ue #5 , pag e 2 7 . Orium Drag on s were This ancient female rules the city of Nive in
in troduced in th e 2 0 0 8 D&D 4 ed Virdin72, a magical place even in the already
Dracon omicon : Metal l ic Drag on s enchanted fairy nation of Davania. Nive is the
6 8 Th ey appeared in Th e Voy ag es of Prin ces s
A rk from Drag on Mag az in e #1 5 4 , th en #1 5 5 center of the Saved World, where Dimelian
an d #1 6 3 , an d in Ch ampion s of My s tara b ox ed
s et, H eroes of th e Prin ces s A rk pag e 9 2 . See 70 Th e drag on n ation was h in ted in Th res h ol d
al s o “Greater N ig h t Drag on ” b y J amie B aty an d is s ue #5 , pag e 2 8 .
on pag e 1 0 of Simon e N eri’s “H is tory of 7 1 Created b y me in is s ue #5 of Th res h ol d
Drag on k in d” articl e. mag az in e, pag e 1 0 5
6 9 See en try for Sy n n ab ove, Voy ag es of th e 7 2 Th is drag on an d th e fairy n ation of Virdin
Prin ces s A rk , Poor W iz ard’s A l man acs I , I I an d were created b y me, s ee Th res h ol d mag az in e
I I I , Gl an tri: K in g dom of Mag ic. is s ue #5 , pag e 1 0 9 .
106
has gathered an incredible number of races the Kwythellars and Kilmurians, sheltering
on the verge of extinction. Wary of any escaped slaves and aiding external spies and
interference in her realm, Dimelian however adventurers. The Kwythellar Empire and the
maintains good relations with other dragons. Kingdom of Kilmur have tried to kill her for
centuries, in vain so far.
Amarald,
13 HD Large Jade Dragon Shais,
14 HD Large Brass Dragon
Supposedly a daughter of Dimelian, Amarald
leads the Emerald Squad73, a flying force Native of the plains of Eseri76, she leads a
composed of drakes and gargoyles that very effective air force composed mostly of
defends the city state of Amara in North pegataurs, dragons and pegasi which has
Western Davania, mostly from Kwythellar, been instrumental during the centuries in
Kilmurian and Izondian airborne raiders. the efforts to resist Izondian and Kwythellar
aggressions.
Divimiagh,
15 HD Large Silver Dragon Akl’tlikat,
12 HD Large Bronze Dragon
Living in the nation of Duur, friend of
Ehamakeribh and Dimelian, this female This dragon lives peacefully among the
dragon74 leads the Defenders of Duur, an crabmen on the Tlik’kkill77 coast, aiding them
airborne force made up by a variety of flying if the nation is in danger. He has cordial
creatures that defends the mountain nation relations with surrounding dragons.
against Izondians and Kwythellars.
Kashar,
Sinsama, 15 HD Large Red? Dragon
16 HD Large Silver Dragon
Some says Kashar is not really a red, but a
Rumored to be the sister of Divimiagh, fire dragon78 from the elemental plane of
Sinsama75 lives near a namesake active Fire, or a hybrid between an elemental and a
volcano in Kilmur, near the Kwythellar Mystaran dragon. Whatever his true nature,
border. She leads an active resistance against he is a respected scholar in Rakasi and has
good relations with other dragons.
73 Created b y me in is s ue #5 of Th res h ol d
mag az in e, pag e 1 0 6 .
7 4 Created b y me an d men tion ed on pag e 1 1 9 76 Created b y me, h in ted at pag e 1 2 6 in is s ue
of Th res h ol d mag az in e is s ue #5 , a DM wh o #5 of Th res h ol d mag az in e.
does n ’t us e A D&D metal l ic drag on s in h er/ h is 7 7 Created b y me, h in ted at pag e 1 2 8 in is s ue
campaig n may turn h er in to a Larg e Gol d. #5 of Th res h ol d mag az in e.
7 5 Created b y me, can b e a Larg e Gol d if th e 7 8 Created b y me, h in ted at pag e 1 3 3 in is s ue
DM does n ot us e A D&D metal l ic drag on s . #5 of Th res h ol d mag az in e.
107
This dragon, a friend of Ehamakeribh, has The current Star Dragon, Ruler of all Lawful
aided for many years every people and group Dragons, Golds, Crystals, Sapphires and
who has tried to resist Izonda’s expansion. Rubies. He was born as Thelvaneir in 500 AC
The izondians have tried to locate his lair in Glantri, the son of The Great One and the
the northern desert for centuries, but always Gold Dragon cleric Arbendael81. He later
failed, even with Adizamihn’s help. They became the Dragonlord and the Wyrmsteeth
respect him greatly as a cunning and worthy Dragonking for a short time, defeating the
enemy. Overlord’s army and the renegade Gemstone
dragons, before ascending to Immortality. He
now lives in the Draconic Cluster with his
mother Arbendael, his mate Kharendaen and
108
Pearl,
24 HD Colossal Unique
Dragon, 10th Level Temporal
The current Moon Dragon, Pearl83 is the
Immortal ruler of all Chaotic Dragons,
Blacks, Greens, Reds, Ambers. Like all
immortals, Pearl is not supposed to directly
interfere on the Prime Plane. However, the
Draconic Rulers generally treat this as a
guideline, and will deal with draconic affairs
on the Prime as they see fit. Pearl in
particular is prone to go to the Prime in
order to destroy powerful dragon hunters.
Her mortal form, when travelling to the
many Dragon Guardians. All three frequently Prime Plane looks like the largest dragon
visit Mystara to meet Therandeal and Kirbey ever seen, at well over 100 feet long, with
in Shadowmere and Marthaen and Daresha scales like mother-of-pearl - white but
in Windreach, but obviously such visits are iridescent, constantly shifting, like her
not common knowledge. Diamond is Chaotic nature. As normal in case of the
obviously a strong supporter of the Immortals, her mortal life is linked to more
Wyrmsteeth Kingdom and of any dragon than one dragon, one would be the Red
realms which promote peace between Dragon Syare who ruled over the
dragons and with other races. For this Wyrmsteeth from 1900 to 745 BC, another,
reason, he is to be considered an enemy of the powerful Red that ruled a vast area of
Idris and Synn. Skothar from 300 to 850 AC, and it’s hard to
tell if they are the same dragon or two
The previous Star Dragon was killed by the different ones that became the Moon dragon.
Overlord and the renegade Gemstone
Dragons a few years before Thelvaneir’s Pearl visits Wyrmsteeth from time to time,
ascension. Some say he was a close relative of but normally manifest her presence only to
Ehamakeribh from Davania. Around AC 999 the Dragonking or her most powerful priests.
or 1001 Jaggar Von Drachenfels, High Master Once quite intolerant toward lawful and
of Dracology in Glantri will defeat Diamond, neutral dragons (and toward Diamond and
but he will refuse the rulership over Lawful Opal), whom she considered weaklings, she
Dragons. This event may prompt the rise of a has revised her position recently. The
new Immortal Diamond, with Thelvaneir as
83 Men tion ed in Giul io Carol etti’s Gaz etteer of
a simple Dragon Guardian82.
th e W y rms teeth as Sy are, b ut in Marco
Dal mon te’s Codex I mmortal is an d Simon e N eri’s
H is tory of Drag on k in d s h e is a powerful R ed
from Sk oth ar. Th e l atter coul d b e Sy are in
82 A s ex pl ain ed in Simon e N eri’s H is tory of an oth er in carn ation or a n ew drag on wh o
Drag on k in d, pag e 1 8 . defeated h er, as th e DM prefers .
109
growing power of Idris and, in the last years, has a particular interest in the dragon realms
the activities of Synn, concern her much, as of Brasol, heirs to her former kingdom.
well as the rise of Wei Huang Long in
Skothar. She despises Idris and Synn more
than lawful and neutral dragons, as she The Great One,
considers submitting themselves to entropic 40 HD Colossal Unique
powers very demeaning for a dragon. Dragon, 26th Level Eternal
Incredibly ancient even for dragon standards,
Opal, The Great One belonged to an ancient breed
27 HD Colossal Unique of flying dragons. His main concern is the
Dragon, 13th Level Celestial future of all dragons and what worries him
most nowadays is the ascent of Wei Huang
The current Sun Dragon and Immortal Ruler Long, whom he suspects could led the
of all Neutral Dragons, Whites, Blues, Onyxes dragons to another disastrous war with other
and Jades. According to a story, Opal was a Immortals. Idris and Synn are maybe minor
Jade dragon in Atruaghin or Sindian lands menaces, but still dangerous, and he works
whose mate and sons were slain by humans. actively against them too. He has at least a
According to another story, Opan was a Jade son, the Immortal Diamond, whom he
dragon who had a powerful reign in Brasol, created with the Gold Dragon cleric
Davania, between 100 and 550 AC, when her Arbendael to stop the Overlord’s invasion85.
kingdom was destroyed by humans. The Great One favors peaceful dragon realms
Probably the stories refer to different and tries to hinder any dragon who
incarnations of the same Sun Dragon or to promotes wars against dragonkin. He does
different Sun Dragons, as supposedly a new not plot with other Immortals, but has good
one ascended in 650 AC84. Opal was not relations with Ordana, Terra (his patron) and
much interested in the Wyrmsteeth Kingdom Ka.
until recently, when the threat of Idris and
Synn began to concern her too. She is
however still much more concerned about Idris,
Wei Huang Long, who seems about to 15th Level Celestial
subjugate all the dragons of Skothar. She also
All is mysterious about Idris86: her history
84
and nature, her allegiance and goals, as if her
A ccordin g to W rath of th e I mmortal s , B ook
On e pag e 3 0 , Opal was a J ade drag on of th e
faith was purposely a web of lies, as some
K n own W orl d. A ccordin g to Marco Dal mon te’s
Codex I mmortal is , s h e was from a g reat fores t 85 A s n ote 8 1 .
in th e Davan ian con tin en t. A ccordin g to Simon e 86 Sh e was in troduced in X 1 1 Sag a of th e
N eri’s H is tory of Drag on k in d, s h e was from th e Sh adow Lord, with l ittl e detail s . Very differen t
n orth ern jun g l es . Th e Mig h ties t of Drag on s vers ion of h er h is tory appear in Gaz F 2 Th e
articl e, in Drag on Mag az in e #1 5 8 des crib e a Den ag oth Pl ateau , Th e Codex I mmortal is an d
con tes t for th e Sun Drag on ’s pos ition . I created oth er fan s ources . I n Th res h ol d is s ue #2 , pag e
a reig n for h er in th e jun g l es of B ras ol in 1 7 1 I imag in ed s h e was a memb er of th e
Th res h ol d is s ue #5 , pag es 4 8 -4 9 . K orrig an s al ready b efore th e Great R ain of F ire.
110
dragons suspect. Even the tenets of her Insellageth, Tsartha and their son Chamber90
Church in Denagoth are shrouded in were supposedly Immortal Dragons in
mysteries and secrets. Was she a black Skothar 5000 years ago. Several dragons
dragon or an elf? How many mortal lives has believe Insellageth was just an avatar of The
she lived? It is true that she was an elf who Great One. Some dragons also believe that
betrayed Ordana’s faith twice in the past of the Korrigans91, some of them if not all, were
Davania? It is true that she was one of the dragons.
Korrigans, the mysterious protectors of
Wendar, from before the Great Rain of Fire?
It is true that she brought to an end the DRAGONS OF THE
Antalian golden age staging the humanoid HOLLOW WORLD
invasion? It is true that Hel was her patron?
What kind of connection has she with Night
Dragons? Has she created them? Could Synn The Hollow World is the place chosen by the
be another one of her avatars? Not even the Immortals to preserve cultures on the verge
wisest and oldest dragons know the answers of disappearing from the Outer World. So
to these questions. If Idris and her Church what kind of dragons could live in it?
have a plan in motion as it seems, the world Probably some strange breeds, as the ones
could discover the truth quite soon, in the described below.
worst way. Dragon followers of Idris
maintain she is a champion of the Dragonkin
against those, humans or elves, who tried to More Dragon Breeds
destroy dragons and other ancient races. But
the Wyrmsteeth dragons dismiss this story as BECMI rules list 4 lawful breeds of dragons
simple propaganda and the vast majority (Golds, Crystals, Sapphires and Rubies), 4
believe that Idris is indeed an evil and neutral breeds (Whites, Blues, Onyxes and
dangerous servant of entropic powers. Jades) and 4 chaotic breeds (Blacks, Greens,
Reds and Ambers). They could also be
divided in Metallic (1) Chromatics (5) and
Other legendary, maybe Gemstones (6) AD&D and D&D 3ed instead
Immortal, Dragons. have Metallic Dragons as Good, Chromatic
Dragons as Evil and Gemstone Dragons as
Some say other dragons have reached Neutral. A way to increase the variety of
immortality, or at least the status of Immortal
Guardian, as Lhoran the Blue, former 88 A ppears in W rath of th e I mmortal s B ook I I
Wyrmsteeth Dragonking, or Kharendaen, Th e I mmortal s ’ F ury an d Th e Ex pan ded Darok in
Timel in e b y A aron N owack .
sister of Marthaen and mate of Diamond87. 8 9 See Son of Dawn n ovel b y Dix ie McK eon e
Some believe that also famous (or infamous) an d Th e H is tory of K arameik os b y Simon e N eri
dragons of the past have reached from Th res h ol d is s ue #1 .
9 0 Created in Dave A rn es on ’s B l ack moor,
Immortality, as Calor88 or Yealeletherveri89.
pub l is h ed b y Goodman Games in 2 0 0 4 .
9 1 Des crib ed in Codex I mmortal is an d in “Th e
87 See previous articl e ab out th e W y rms teeth K orrig an s ” articl e. Th e rumor th ey coul d b e
drag on s in is s ue #8 of Th res h ol d mag az in e drag on s is jus t min e.
111
breeds in Mystara while preserving the who consented to aid Ka against the
lawful/neutral/chaotic division is explained in Burrowers thousands of years ago. Some say
the table on the following page. they are there to protect ancient and
forgotten civilization. Only Ehamakeribh or
All these breeds appear in D&D sources, Ka may know the truth.
except for Amaranth, Cyan and Violet that I
created here. Some however may have Some Outer World dragons also says the
different alignments than those I listed Hollow World dragon breeds are almost
below. extinct in the Outer World because they were
exterminated in wars against the Immortals,
Breeds in Bold are the original Mystaran one. or among the dragons themselves. Such
Breeds in Black are Lawful, Breeds in Blue breeds may still be present in remote areas of
are Neutral and Breeds in Red are Chaotic. the Outer World, or where dragons have a
The preferred habitat and Maximum Hit Dice strong presence, but they are much more
are listed too. common in the Hollow World.
Outer World Gold dragons say the metallic The Chromatic dragons say that the rare
subspecies have their origin in Davania, in races are crossbreeds (Amaranth from Red
the area that hosted The Golden Empire of and White, Brown from Black and Red, Cyan
Dragons92 before the Great Rain of Fire, now from Blue and White, Grey from Black and
the (mostly) human nation of Pelatan. Some White, Orange from Yellow and Red, Purple
say they are the descendants of the Golds from Black and Red, Violet from Blue and
Red), but that doesn’t explain why more
92 See A g e of B l ack moor b y J ames Mis h l er:
crossbreeds do not exist as well. Some say
an d Th res h ol d is s ue #5
112
that such minor races were almost long gone extinct in the Outer World. Some
exterminated by other stronger chromatics, also say that more of them live in Jomphur
but some of these dragons are indeed as and other continents.
strong as the more common ones. Some
Chromatics distrust or despise Hollow World Huyanac the Gold,
dragons, considering them weaklings who the protector of the Oltec lands.
have submitted to some Immortal’s will to Ladja the Electrum,
escape extinction. the founder of the Lighthouse.
Querash the Iron,
The Gemstone dragons believe their Hollow an important Shattenalfen agent.
World cousins are those who cowardly Ishwelak the Mithral,
escaped the Outer World during their war another Lighthouse agent.
against Blackmoor. Others however suspect Wedak the Grey,
that the vast majority have lived in the the ruler of N’djawar ruins.
Hollow World since many centuries before Camoc the Red,
that, maybe from the time of the Burrowers master of the Serpent Fangs volcanoes.
or even earlier. Ronath the White,
lord of the Ronani glacier, competing
Many Hollow World dragons are divided in with Yohen the Crystal.
the lands of their preferred habitat, and often Kaxya the Amethyst,
they take some lost race or civilization under who roams to the north of Lake Menkor.
their wing, playing a complicated game to Kumtis the Ruby,
assure the survival of their pets. a friend of the Kogolor dwarves.
Names of famous Hollow World dragons are Other mountain ranges, such as the north of
given below, but information about them are Iciria, are inhabited by Silvers, Whites and
tentative at best, and some of them may be Crystals reigning over old humanoid races.
dead or just myths. No one knows how big Vjya the Silver,
or powerful such famous dragons are. protector of the Antalian in the Vjyarnik
glacier.
113
114
The Arid lands of Eastern Iciria, the Wintlian Legends say that three rare breeds of dragons
islands and Southern Aerical host the battle for dominion of the Shadowdeep,
domains of Brasses, Coppers, Oriums, Blues, between the Hollow and the Outer world.
Browns, Yellows, Ambers, Sapphires and The lawful Adamantine dragons shelter
Jacinths. Many breeds of dragon which have ancient races best suited to life underground
to coexist, but sometimes cannot. rather than under the Eternal Sun. The
Teuz the Brass in the Jennite plains neutral Purple do the same things, but
Wintlan the Copper of the compete to gain more territories. The chaotic
Wintlian Islands Obsidian harbor and create undead far from
Saha the Orium in the Tanagoro plains the blinding light. Some occasionally ally
Yudh the Blue of the great river with the Schattenhalfen, hated by the
Raaneh the Brown, Adamantines and the Purples.
lord of the Western Desert in Nithia Kawi the Adamantine,
Anjiur the Yellow hunter of Burrowers.
lord of Boglucubul desert Hona the Purple,
Agay the Amber, protector of forgotten people.
lady of the Ayskudag wastelands Thyrfel the Obsidian,
Okai the Sapphire, ally of the cruel elves of the deep.
protector of Brutemen plains
Arax the Jacinth,
lady of south eastern Aerical
115
116
by
Francesco Defferrari (Sturm)*
The Death Hand came to take Traladara The reason why the area is sparsely inhabited
Five years of terror it brought defies all our magical, clerical and historical
in the cruel nights research. It has been for years an haven of
A Lady of the Sun on the fifth year bandits and werecreatures, for sure, but even
Destroyed four of them with her companions such people tend to avoid the area whenever
But The Last One’s revenge was cast it is possible. We know it was called The Dark
Ten years of winter came upon the land Wood, or The Cursed Forest, in the past. We
Until the Sun’s return at last. have explored it and we have not been
attacked, but there is something disquieting
From ancient Traladaran tablets, circa 1400 about the place. Further exploration may be
BC, kept at the Krakatos’ School of in order to determine if it’s true that an
Magecraft. ancient evil inhabits the area.
117
118
the Grand Darker and most powerful wizard, rises up to Kosmoteiros and The Dark
and the Grand Daughter of the Night, Lady Waterfall is created. Thousands die and the
Sonya, the most powerful priestess of Nyx. place is abandoned for many years as seismic
The followers of Nyx will be here studying activity increases in the area.
the place day and night.
1664 BC: After the destruction of Taymora,
In the year 1031 AC at the very last, every fairies of the Unseelie court, ancient
plan should come to fruition and if any side inhabitants of Krystallac exiled long ago,
manages to use the artifact, the fate of build their city of Kudrak over the ruins of
Karameikos could change forever. The PC’s Kosmoteiros and try to use the Starlake in
actions should decide the outcome of the Kosmoteiros, but do not know of the hidden
millennia old fight for Koskatep. temple of Ixion below.
1777 BC: To prevent Kosmoteiros from 1421 BC: Leukos’ band falls into an ambush
falling into the hands of Thanatos, the priests and is destroyed by the crusaders. Leukos
of Nyx destroy the city with a terrible survives by making a dark deal with
earthquake. The Great Chasm of Level 12 Thanatos.
1 Several detail s of th is h is tory come from my 1415 BC A group of five vampires called
H is tory of Tral adara. Oth er h is tories may differ,
as th e on e pres en ted in is s ue 1 of Th res h ol d
"The Death's hand" bring havoc in Traladara
mag az in e did (H is tory of K arameik os b y Simon e for five years, from their hideout of Mokan in
N eri, pag e 3 7 ), b ut th is timel in e coul d eas il y fit
in to th em too.
119
the Dark Wood (in the peninsula between and Thanatos reopen the levels below and
modern Mirros and Vorloi) in the south. begin to study the Starlake2.
1412 BC: The Hutaakans take Ieronyx from 841 BC: Followers of Nyx, aided by ogres
Lord Keiros, exterminating his followers, and and giants, attack Koskatep but are unable to
renaming the city Ranekek (Light over the conquer it from the gnolls. Yet they succeed
Darkness). Hutaakans and Traldar settle the in reaching Kosmoteiros and the Starlake,
city, which over four centuries establishes killing the most powerful shamans of
peaceful relations with nearby giants and Thanatos and burning their notes.
fairies. The hutaakans build over Ieronyx and
seal the levels below, including Kosmoteiros 603 BC: The ogre king Kulfan conquers
and the Starlake. Koskatep in the name of Nyx and ogres rule
over the area for centuries. Human priests of
1411 BC: At last The Death's Hand is the Lady of the Night live in the city along
destroyed by a priestess of Ixion and her with them. Kosmoteiros and the Starlake are
companions. Leukos, now The Last One, once again a great temple of Nyx, and The
hides for centuries in the former Dark Wood, Chasm is covered.
now known as the Cursed Forest, which
remains uninhabited for centuries due to his 95 AC: The Darkers almost complete the
presence. ritual to use the Starlake and bring forth the
Eternal Night, but are stopped at the last
1021 BC: The red orcs sack and conquer moment by an army of priests of Ixion, from
Ranekek, renaming it Rak. The orcs make the all over the Known World, who drive out the
former storage and treasury of the temple of ogres and occupy Koskatep for years.
Pflarr their main city but do not explore Soldiers of the Duchy of Achelos join the
below Kundrak. attack and establish good relations with the
temple of Ixion that is consecrated in the
954 BC: Despite the successful campaign of akropolis of Kotesh. The priests try to cleanse
the Traldars against the gnolls, the west is all the levels up to Kosmoteiros, which is
still in their hands and orcs still rule the city then sealed.
of Rak. In these years a large dwarven
expedition sent by Loktal Ironshield of the 227 AC: The priests of Ixion have repelled
Glittering Realm reaches the Cruth several attempts by ogres, giants and
Mountains and conquers Koskatep-Rak, followers of Nyx trying to reclaim the ruins,
renaming it Karrast. Level 5 is sealed by the but are destroyed at last by The Last One,
dwarves who are unable to completely who establishes his seat in Kosmoteiros and
eradicate the undead orcs that infest it, and begins to corrupt the Starlake and explore
so are the levels below it. the levels below. In the following centuries
120
121
The Followers of The Last One encounter are undead and do not really need lights, but
table of level 1 (in issue 2 of Threshold some use them anyway for preference or
magazine, page 122), can also still be used practical purposes.
here if the DM wishes so. One such follower Kosmoteiros is now inhabited by hundreds
could try to join the PCs to explore this level, of undead, the minions of The Last One.
with the final purpose of bringing them in Their exact number and power should be left
the presence of The Last One himself (in to each DM’s decision depending on PC’s
Level 7). After the Darkers take control (see levels. All the indicated levels are indeed just
issue 1) any Follower of The Last One will suggestions to be lowered or augmented by
obviously keep a much lower profile and the DM as they see fit. Unless the DM decides
maybe even aid the party against the Darkers otherwise, it should however be almost
to use them or lead them to their deaths. impossible for a single party to defeat The
Last One and his minions here, unless the
Spells that provide magical transportation, party is backed up by an army of allies. When
such as teleport, passwall, dimensional door, the Darkers takes the level indeed they
magic door, travel, gate and spells such as succeed thanks to a surprise attack and a
clairvoyance and find the path do not work relevant force (see The Battle in This Level
on this level as on Levels 5 and 6 due to paragraph below). Not all the areas of the
powerful wards placed by The Last One and city nor all its inhabitants will be detailed, as
others before him. The DM could decide to they are too many, so each DM may add
apply the same rule to the levels above the many more as he or she prefers.
5th, at least from Level 2 and below,
particularly if the PCs are of high level.
There is also a magical alarm in place all over About the map
this level: whenever a clerical or magical
spell is cast, The Last One will sense it and Depicted in light grey inside the city are the
the general direction of the caster. multi story areas, which can have up to four
floors. In dark grey at the boundaries of the
map is solid stone which is very difficult to
The Level and its inhabitants dig. Once the city was surrounded by mighty
walls long crumbled, as were many areas on
The original Taymoran city has been repaired the outskirts of the original city, which were
and modified several times during the never repaired. In white are the open areas.
centuries, but the renovation has not been As in levels above, “Open areas” should be
consistent lately and therefore most of the considered a relative term as much of the
level is ruined. The city had thousand of terrain is rugged and full of debris. Area 5,
inhabitants at its height, while now a much above the Starlake, and the central area are
lower number of The Last One’s minions those in better conditions, where most of the
inhabits it, so many houses and palaces are debris has been removed. As said above,
dark and abandoned. Some however are most areas are dark or only partially
inhabited and sometimes even lit by blue or illuminated by magical lights, if PCs do not
white magical lights. Most of the residents bring their light. If they do bring light, of
122
123
124
125
4 - The Fountain
(4) - There are some more hutaakan
This area contained a great public fountain inside a objects in this area, including a
three storey tower. The fountain still exists but the mace +1. +3 against the undead,
surrounding buildings have almost completely once property of a cleric. It’s well
decayed. Some Wraiths (HD 5) are hidden near the buried, but Hutaakans or priests of
fountain, once Traladaran adventurers slain by The Ixion may receive an inspiration and
find it.
5 F or B ECMI s tatis tics s ee Compan ion s et or R ul es
Cy cl opedia, for A D&D s ee Gol em (A th as ) I I at
Mon s trous I n dex , or Ob s idian Gol em 3 ed rul es b y J oh n
W al ter B il es .
126
This great building of about 100x200 meters was (5) - There are several magical
and is the Temple above the Starlake. Once objects in the temple and in Dakria’s
consecrated to Nyx, it is now a shrine to Thanatos, room. All of them however have
decorated with skulls, skeletons and darker images. been blessed by Thanatos and will
Dakria, a nosferatu and powerful cleric of therefore be cursed items if used by
Thanatos (C16), is often here (30% of the time she anyone who doesn’t share His faith.
will be below in Area 5B, The Starlake), with 4
apprentices, all nosferatu and clerics (C5-7) and 2
Nightshades (HD 20) who guard the access to The
Starlake below. Dakria was turned into an undead
by The Last One two thousand years ago, after she
was captured in the Cursed Forest. She is
extremely loyal to him and will fight until forced to
return to her grave, which is inside a secret room
on the right side of the temple. Her apprentice’s
graves are in the same room.
A hidden trapdoor on the bottom left corner of the
temple leads down to The Starlake through a
narrow stair. The stair contains a magical trap
(delayed fireball) which will spring if it’s not
deactivate by the phrase “Glory to Thanatos” in
ancient Taymoran.
127
5B - The Starlake
The Starlake is contained in a cave about 100x200 (5B) - What the Darkers and Nyx do
meters big as the temple above. It’s a great pool not know, and neither the other
that mysteriously reflects current stars and possible parties such as Ixion, Hel
constellations, day and night. “Night is truth, Light and the Fairies, is that The Last One
is lie” says a silver engraved inscription, in old has corrupted the Starlake in recent
Taymoran, on the walls of the cave. Since the centuries. Now anyone attempting
earthquake of 1777 BC the surface of the waters, to use it will open a portal to the
once perfectly still, has small ripples. This happens home plane of Thanatos, instead of
because some droplets of water are dripping into the plane of her or his Immortal.
the Dark Waterfall of the Chasm (Area 1) and down The immediate effect would be the
to Level 12. That is also the reason why the Artifact same as in the case of Nyx, with
can now be used only once every 936 years, while eternal night over a vast area and
it was supposed to work once a year before the more undead, but such undead will
earthquake. be very evil and accompanied by all
The next alignment in which the Starlake will work kinds of evil monsters and fiends.
will be on 1031 AC. On such an occasion priests For every year the Darkers or any
and wizards casting the appropriate spells will be other party study the Starlake before
able to open a permanent gate to the Plane of the ritual, there is a 10% chance they
Entropy and the Domain of the desired Immortal. can spot the corruption and correct
In the case of Nyx, such a gate would obscure the it. If Fairies use the Starlake instead,
sun in a 160 miles radius (covering almost all the portal will open in Annwyn,
Karameikos and more than half the Shires, Darokin home of the Dark Fairies,
and Alfheim), slowly transforming the area into dangerously close to the Carnifex
something more akin to the Immortal’s domain. In prison (see note 5).
the case of Nyx the number and importance of
intelligent undead will rise quickly. However any
other party could use the Starlake with the same
purpose. If used by the Church of Ixion, for
example, the area will experience no more nights,
and all undead will be weakened and eventually
die. If an Immortal is able to maintain control of
the Starlake for some centuries, he or she will
absorb the whole planet, i.e. Mystara will become
permanently a part of his or her domain. Such
128
The Last One will make his last stand here with any
remaining minions, after The Darkers’ attack, but as
many will be slaughtered in area 10, where The
Darkers will take them by surprise, he will be
defeated. As a boon from Nyx, the Starlake will also
grant powerful magic to the Darkers. The Last One
however will cast a powerful illusion, making the
Darkers believe he and any remaining lieutenants
have been disintegrated, while escaping to level 10,
where he will hide for a year, waiting for the right
time to strike back. Even if she survived, Louma will
probably abandon him and join the Darkers. If still
alive, Koros, Skleros and Dakria will instead escape
with him. The Last One still has an hideout in the
Vorloi peninsula, in the south, defended by
monsters and magic, but will not escape there
unless forced to, or defeated by the Darkers a
second time (see the Battle on this level below).
After The Last One’s feigned death, here around ten
Darker priests and wizards (Mogren, Sonya,
129
This quarter was once the administrative center of (7) - Besides many objects from
the city and contained also many private houses. Taymoran, Dark Fairies and Lord
Most of the internal walls of several houses and Keiros’ times, including potions and
buildings have fallen, but the area still contains scrolls, there are also the remains of
many places in which to hide and many objects a dwarven party from 950 BC in this
130
8 - The Warehouses
(8) - There is a hidden cache in one
This area once contained the great warehouses of of the warehouses containing
the Palace. They were mostly looted by Hutaakans hundreds of ingots of silver and gold
and Traldars after the fall of Lord Keiros Ieronyx in from Taymoran times. Their worth
1412 BC, but one has remained untouched from would be enormous but their weight
Dark Fairies’ times. The Fairies hid within the body also is.
of a Storm Giant, who seems to be asleep rather
than dead. Shovran, that was his name, was
captured by the Fairies when he attacked their city
with his giants in 1621 BC. The Fairies meant to do
something with him, but they simply forgot. His
magical slumber could be dispelled by a cleric or a
wizard. Shovran could be grateful and willing to
cooperate with PCs, but he will not aid anyone
allied with the Dark Fairies or Thanatos. He will
accept aiding anyone aligned with Nyx for a year in
exchange for his freedom, considering that
sufficient to pay his debt.
Another warehouse is still closed, but it was set by
The Last One and contains some Wights (HD 4)
including 2 former kobolds, an ogre, an hobgoblin,
an orc and 7 humans, all explorers gathered in the
last centuries.
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133
134
135
136
137
138
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(as detailed in Level 1, issue #2 of and Lord Keiros in Level 5 (in issue #7 of
Threshold). They will also have at least a Threshold).
hundred Darkers between wizards like
Mogren, Anna Exoter and Basco Trius, They will also have the strategic advantage to
Clerics as Lady Sonya, Kivid and Ilena (the strike from the secret passage leading from
latter two are described in Level 5, issue #7 Level 5 to area 14 of this level, thus
of Threshold), thieves and warriors. They will surprising The Last One’s minions.
have also around 50 undead with them,
including Undecayed and Uncorporeals Approximately a year after the first battle, as
(described in issue #1 of Threshold), explained in issue #1 and #2 of Threshold,
Skoghios and his nosferatu, and some The Last One will probably strike back from
obsidian golems. Level 10, but also Hel’s beastmen of Level 11,
Ixion’s followers in Level 13 (with some
As explained in the above levels of Koskatep more allies from the above levels as detailed
in the previous issue of Threshold magazine, in each one) and the Fairies in Levels 9 and 6
the Darkers will also gather several more could be involved in this second battle.
allies among the undead of the levels above,
as many will join them, as Gilas and her
ghosts in Level 4 (in issue #6 of Threshold)
140
Villains of Mystara
Zetacaalpa,
Seer of Ages
by John Calvin
141
advice on their entrepreneurial endeavors. century before being driven out by true
Zetacaalpa is secretly a servant of Atzanteotl, followers of the immortal Ka.
and all of his prognostications are designed
to further that immortal's goals. Once again on the run, Zetacaalpa followed
his master's whispers through the earth's
The Seer of Ages has been prodding his crust before finally emerging in the
supplicants into continuously more callous borderlands of Darokin.
acts of violence against lower class citizens
and foreigners and is slowly pushing many
regions towards rebellion and revolt. His Followers
main goal is to see Darokin at war with as
many of her neighbors as possible. Once this Although Zetacaalpa chiefly works unseen in
is achieved Zetacaalpa will bring forth the the shadows, he has encountered several
city of Oenkmar from the depths, ruling it in individuals on the surface world that he
Atzanteotl's name. Besides the unknowing considers as minions.
dupes that Zetacaalpa coerces into doing his
will, the creature has a cult of fanatic Alfek “the Silversmith” Vickers
followers devoted to carrying out its will.
Male, Darokinian human, Merchant
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143
Dhoka Naag (Eyes of the Viper) escalating into a full scale war between
Alfheim and Darokin.
The Dhoka Naag are are semi-spiritual
assassin’s cult dedicated to serving the whims Neither will Alfek Vickers take kindly to
of Zetacaalpa. While the core of the group anyone meddling in his affairs. Once his
formed in Sind, offshoots have since spread discovers the PCs are involved, Alfek will
into Darokin, Glantri, and Ylaruam. At least spring into action. While the PCs are busy
one disciple of this order attends the great fending off his assassins, Alfek will make sure
serpent at all times, even if they are not seen. that all of his involvement in the situation is
The Dhoka Naag are experts in the martial erased from existence.
arts and master assassins, and many of the
cult’s masters are practiced diviners and Evil Whisperer
prognosticators - skills which only increase
their formidability as opponents. The sole survivor of a bloody attack, a
maiden known as “Serpent Flower,” was
taken in and nursed back to health by the
Adventure Hooks Coyote tribe of the Great Escarpment. After
hearing her chilling tales of depraved attacks
The following adventure hooks can be used against her own tribe, the Hawks, all of the
to introduce players to Zetacaalpa and his Children of the Bear have begun to flock to
machinations, and may even be weaved her aid and are preparing for war with
together to form a fully fledged campaign arc. Darokin.
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by Giuliano Michelon
INTRODUCTION
This article provides an adaptation of the old My intentions for the story narrated in this
adventure module B7 Rahasia, by Tracy and module are that it will fit perfectly as a sequel
Laura Hickman, for the new Dungeons & of TSR's module DDA3 - The Eye of Traldar.
Dragons® 5th edition. Possessing the In fact the two modules together constitute a
original module will be essential because this mini campaign called "The Eyes of Traldar"
conversion will not contain original texts, (see the background section for more
maps, pictures or other vital information to details). In the end the epilogue will explain
run the game properly. how to use these adventures as an
introduction to the biggest campaign of
Elemental Evil including its last iteration,
Princes of the Apocalypse, set in Mystara.
147
About this Module and Special But a thief, whose name is lost in time, had
Thanks other plans for Trinklas' treasure; infact he
stole the orb from the sorceress' tower.
In the first issue of the magazine "Threshold", Unfortunately for him, things went bad and
dedicated to the land and myths of he went lost in the Blight Swamp, ending up
Karameikos, I found a really interesting buried with the orb. After about 150 years a
article entitled "The History of Karameikos" new player made his appearance in the form
by Simone Neri (aka Zendrolion). It of the good hearted wizard Elyas. Even in this
included the history of various orbs, magical case, Simone, speculated about the origins of
items that affected the history of ancient the mage. He wrote that Elyas could be the
Traladara. Simone goes beyond the first non-Alphatian, native of Thyatis, to be
individual stories of two powerful gems, the trained to the art of magic and that he
Black Opal Eye (introduced in B7 - Rahasia) quickly became a powerful wizard.
and the Eye of Traldar (DDA3 – Eye of Displeased with the methods of the Alphatian
Traldar) and builds a charming story that rulers and disgusted with the wide
bonds together the two artifacts, now known corruption of the Thyatian bureaucrats, he
collectively as the "Eyes of Traldar". chose for himself the way of the hermit in the
remote wilderness of Traladara. There he
But what exactly is their history? Simone became a good friend of the Callarii elven
hypothesizes that the Traldar hero Zirchev, tribes and of the current Seer. Once he
before he achieved Immortal status, trained became the new Seer of the Lake of Lost
and entrusted an apprentice with the delicate Dreams, he started his quest to recover the
duty to protect ancient Traladara. To do this lost orb from Trinkla's Tomb. There, at last,
he entrusted him with two powerful magical he found and recovered the Black Opal Eye.
items, two orbs gifted with great divination During his life as Seer, Elyas divided his time
and enchantment powers known as the Eyes between his tower in the Hantu Valley
of Traldar. This point gave rise to the first (where he kept the Black Opal Eye) and the
question: who made these orbs? Are they a Lake of Lost Dreams (where he kept the Fire
product of Zirchev's powerful magic or Opal Eye).
maybe they're more ancient than the
Immortal itself? And lastly where do they The story then goes on as described in the
come from? What is their origin? Later I'll try B7 - Rahasia module with the fight between
to give my personal idea about this aspect of Elyas and the three witches, Elyas' sacrifice
their history. and the foundation of the Temple of the
Quiet Way, until the arrival of the Rahib and
Zirchev's apprentice became the first Seer of of the heroes.
the Lake of Lost Dreams; the first in a long
list of wise protectors of the land, until the This is undoubtedly a good story and can
malevolent wizard Trinkla, in BC 308, came work magnificently as well as it's written.
and took the Black Opal Eye from its rightful
owner. I'll try however to add, and not subtract,
details to the story only to, if possible, render
148
it more complete and, I hope, more A very special thanks goes to Simone Neri,
suggestive. even if I don't know him personally, for his
precious article over Karameikos history and
Before you start with my version of the story, finally to another web-friend, Stelio Passaris
I'd like to thank a friend of mine, a great for his work on DDA3 - Eye of Traldar 5th
Mystara expert and developer. I have always Edition and that has made it easy for me to
turned to him for opinions or when I've had play it like an introductory adventure for my
doubts, and he has also influenced a lot the first 5th edition campaign, and of course
development of this idea. So, a special thanks Glen Welch, Giampaolo Agosta and John
goes to Marco Dalmonte (aka Dek Shari). Calvin, of Threshold Editorial Team, for his
precious help with this translation.
149
At that time a brilliant young scientist, Between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
answering to the name of Rafiel, was carrying B.C., in an unspecified year, two of these
150
"eyes" collided and fell to earth. Their fall was energy of the cores, were equipped with
confused by the court astronomer of Prince unique powers individually, but with much
Traldar, of the then Kingdom of Nithia, as greater power if used together.
twin shooting stars. The sign was interpreted
as a good omen, given the twin birth of the Under the tutelage of a loving father and the
Prince's children, his son Meketre and best teachers, Meketre became a sorcerer-
daughter Isisalam. warrior of unmatched value while Isisalam
dedicated her life to the worship of the
However, the omen came with a warning that Immortal Pflarr becoming favored among her
one day their birth would have generated priestesses. When Prince Traldar deemed his
fratricidal struggles for control of the barony children ready, he gave them the gift of the
of Traldar. The first act that was undertaken two "eyes". Isisalam received the Fire Opal
by Prince Traldar was to organize an Eye, a yellow-orange gem equipped with
expedition to recover the remains of the two powers of divination. Meketre was given the
fallen stars. In the days that followed, the Black Opal Eye with its bewitching powers.
fallen stars were brought before him with As a condition of his gift he tasked them with
great difficulty. The charred remains of two leading part of the clan of Traldar south of
ferrous clusters were little more than one the Altan Tepes Mountains to colonize the
meter in length but possessed an extremely new lands in his name. His conviction and
great mass. secret hope was that his two children would
learn to collaborate and use the combined
It took several weeks before the magicians of powers of the two gems. It was his plan to
the court were able to "open" the metal give the newly colonized land to one child
casings and reveal their hidden content. At and the "motherland," Traldar, to the other.
their center was what looked like a great eye
of metal and wires, and they were declared "a But things did not go exactly as desired by
gift of the gods". The blue core, no bigger the prince. Princess Isisalam, soon
than a quail's egg, was said to have “an alive discovered the valley of Hutaaka and its
and pulsing" energy. The core's metal had mysterious inhabitants, "heralds on earth" of
the consistency of quicksilver and had to be the immortal Pflarr. She joined them and
placed in special containers. Some spent every day of her life devoting herself to
experiments made by the wizards of Traldar the worship to the jackal headed immortal.
revealed unusual properties of the metal; the Her brother Meketre conquered with ease
two liquids attracted each other but, never and took total control of the lands south of
melded and always returned to their original the Altan Tepes Mountains (now
size and shape. They also found them to Karameikos). His reign was long and
possess strong divination and enchantment peaceful, marked by prosperity for the
charms. The Prince then commanded his peoples he ruled over. Over the years his
most powerful mages and clerics to create subjects adopted without distinction the
two gem settings for the cores, called "the name of Traldar. Like his sister, he never
Eyes of Traldar" as gifts to his two children. returned to their ancient home of Nithia,
The gems, at whose center pulsate the because he adapted more quickly to life in
151
the rich and fertile lands watered by the philosophy of Quiet Way and the order of
rivers of Volaga and Rugalov. After his death monk-elves Siswa. The rest of the story and
his subjects built his mausoleum near the the death of Elyas, one of the Avatar of Rafiel,
headwaters of the river Volaga. Among its are described in the module B7 – Rahasia.
treasures was found his most valuable asset:
the Black Opal Eye. Before attempting to separate the two
objects Elyas used his power to locate the
Popular tradition was that was the Traldar "Arrow Station", a laboratory and
hero Zirchev created the Eyes of Traldar but underground bunker located in the heart of
this is a distortion of reality, due to the Dymrak Forest, forgotten from the time of
effects of the Spell of Oblivion that wiped out Blackmoor's demise. This laboratory, similar
the civilization of Nithia and almost all of the to others scattered throughout the planet of
memories concerning it. Zirchev had reached Mystara, was designed to collect data sent to
the rank of Archmage under the teachings of the planet by the various "Eyes". After that the
the last hutaakans, and had the generosity to data was conveyed to a Central Unit located
bring together the two objects and to in the center of the Empire for the analysis of
"donate" them to the people of Traldar. He information collected.
entrusted to a special trained elect, the two
orbs. This elect became the first Seer. In this The Station, though waiting to be destroyed,
way was born the figure of the Seer of the was temporarily made safe by the Immortal
Lake of Lost Dreams (or Seer of the Lake of with the use of technological traps and
Lost Souls, or simply Seer of Traldar). guardians. But the death of his Avatar and
the loss of the Black Opal Eye by the hand of
Almost eight centuries later the immortal the three witches, thralls of Orcus, persuaded
Rafiel, really active in the search for Rafiel to desist from his primary goal. He
technological artifacts dating back to thought that it was unlikely someone would
Blackmoor, has perceived in the Eyes of be able to put together the Eyes of Traldar
Traldar a dangerous remnant of his deadly again, and to locate and access Arrow
work. He was determined to put them in safe Station's secrets. For the following centuries
keeping in order to prevent accidents that all Rafiel's efforts and energies were absorbed
could generate a new holocaust, like the one by the development of the Chamber of the
that created the Broken Lands. He assumed Spheres and the care of "his" people... until
for himself an avatar, a mortal identity named now. Now Rafiel has perceived that, in the far
Elyas. With his affinity for magic and the east, a long forgotten enemy has awoken
elven people he soon became the new Seer from hibernation. An enemy so powerful and
of Traldar. His first act was to separate the dreadful that the people of Blackmoor
gems: the Fire Opal Eye was left on the island preferred to annihilate themselves and their
in the middle of the Lake of Lost Dreams; the own civilization with the Great Rain of Fire,
Black Opal Eye was instead entrusted to the rather than succumb to its will.
care of the Vyalia elves in the small village of
Kota-Hutan in the current Empire of Thyatis.
There, in the Valley of Hantu, he founded the
152
153
The adventure is calibrated for a 3rd level 21. HALL JUNCTION [EL 1,050 =
party composed of 5-7 PCs. Medium]
No. 03 Bandits [MM pag. 343] Challenge 1/8
XP Thresholds by character level are the (25 XP)
following: No. 01 Bandit Captain [MM pag. 343]
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Easy 525
Medium 1,050 24. CLOAK ROOM [EL 200 = Easy]
No. 01 Alki, Elven Eldritch Knight [see
Hard 1,575 NPCs] Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Deadly 2,800
In the courtyard and upper level, check for 27g. PRIESTHOOD CELL [EL 300 = Easy]
random encounters every thirty minutes No. 03 Siswa Acolytes [new monsters]
(game terms). Roll 1d6. A result of 6 means Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
the PCs encounter something. When an
encounter occurs, roll 1d12 and use the 27n. PRIESTHOOD CELL [EL 500 = Easy]
resulting encounter on Table 2. No. 05 Siswa Acolytes [new monsters]
Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
11. COURTYARD POOL
27o. DARK CELL [EL 500 = Easy]
[EL 700 = Medium]
No. 05 Siswa Acolytes [new monsters]
No. 01 Water Weird [MM page 299] Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
29. SISWA GUARDS [EL 150 = Easy]
13. SOUTHEAST SHRINE
No. 02 Siswa Guards [new monsters]
[EL 450 = Easy]
Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
No. 01 Gargoyle [MM page 140] Challenge 2
(450 XP)
154
Die
Table 2: Wandering Monster [No.] Souce Book Special Notes / Chal.
Roll
1 Swarm of Poisonous Snakes [1] MM pag. 338 2 (450 XP)
2 Giant Spider [1d2] MM pag. 328 1 (200 XP)
3 Gelatinous Cube [1] MM pag. 242 2 (450 XP)
4 Gargoyle [1] MM pag. 140 2 (450 XP)
5 Swarm of Rats [1] MM pag. 339 ¼ (50 XP)
6 Siswa Guards (High Elves) [2d4+2] New Monster ¼ (50 XP)
7-8 Skeletons [1d4+2] MM pag. 272 ¼ (50 XP)
9-12 Siswa Acolytes (High Elves) [2d4+2] New Monster ¼ (50 XP)
Die
Table 3: Wandering Monster [No.] Source Book Special Notes / Chal.
Roll
1 Orcs [2d4] MM pag. 338 2 (450 XP)
Shadow Elf Mercenary [1]. Roll again
2 MM pag. 128 5 (1,800 XP)
if he is already defeated.
3 Goblins [2d4] MM pag. 166 1/4 (50 XP)
4 Ogre [1] MM pag. 237 2 (450 XP)
Rahib. Roll again if he is already
5 See NPCs
defeated.
6 Black Panthers [1d2] MM pag. 333 ¼ (50 XP)
8 Gelatinous Cube [1] MM pag. 242 2 (450 XP)
9 Giant Rats [3d6] MM pag. 327 1/8 (25 XP)
10 Giant Bats [1d10] MM pag. 323 ¼ (50 XP)
11 Zombies [2d4] MM pag. 316 ¼ (50 XP)
12 Giant Spider [1d3] MM pag. 328 1 (200 XP)
From
Maze Table 4: Arena Opponents [No.] Source Book Special Notes / Chal.
Area
A Skeletons [8] MM pag. 272 1/4 (50 XP)
B Orcs [5] MM pag. 246 1/2 (100 XP)
C Phase Spider [1] MM pag. 334 3 (700 XP)
D Zombies [8] MM pag. 316 1/4 (50 XP)
E Ogres [2] MM pag. 237 2 (450 XP)
F Panthers [8] MM pag. 333 ¼ (50 XP)
G Minotaurs [1] MM pag. 223 3 (700 XP)
H Green Dragon, Wyrmling [2] MM pag. 95 2 (450 XP)
155
30. HALLWAY OF THE GREAT TEMPLE 49. PRISON CELLS [EL 400 = Easy]
[EL 450 = Easy] No. 01 Baik Telor, human fighter [Thug,
No. 01 Gelatinous Cube [MM pag. 242] MM pag. 350 ] Challenge ½ (100 XP)
Challenge 2 (450 XP) No. 01 Hasan, elf scout [Scout, MM pag.
349] Challenge ½ (100 XP)
35.THE GREAT TEMPLE [EL 450 =
Medium] Note. These two NPCs offer the opportunity
No. 01 Bone Golem [new monster] to easily replace previously dead PCs. If they
Challenge 3 (700 XP) are simply prisoners, Baik Telor is a human
fighter coming from Ylaruam. Use the thug
stats for him substituting the mace with a
Lower Temple Level [Use Map scimitar. Instead Hasan is an elf scout from
4 for areas 36-49]. the village of Kota-Hutan.
46. STORAGE ROOM [EL 500 = Easy] 58. OUTER EAST VAULT [EL 450 = Easy]
No. 08 Giant Rats [MM pag. 327] Challenge No. 01 Gelatinous Cube [MM pag. 242]
1/8 (25 XP) Challenge 2 (450 XP)
47. GUARDROOM [EL 400 = Easy] 63. MIRYALA'S CELL [EL 0 = N.A.]
No. 04 Siswa Guards [new monster] No. 01 Miryala, commoner elven maiden
Challenge ¼ (50 XP) [MM pag. 345] Challenge 0 (10 XP)
156
64. SPIDER LAIR [EL 200 = Easy] 80. ORC'S ROOM [EL 1,000 = Medium]
No. 01 Giant Spider [MM pag. 328] No. 05 Orcs [MM pag. 246] Challenge ½
Challenge 1 (200 XP) (100 XP)
65. MAGICIAN'S CELL [EL 200 = Easy] Note: one of them has 20 hp and uses a
No. 01 Merdiz, human magician, AL N mace +1
[LMoP pag. 57 ref. Evil Mage] Challenge 1
(200 XP). He has the following spells:
Elyas' Treasury [Use Map 6
for areas 85-95].
Cantrips (at will): light, friends,
prestidigitation, shocking grasp In this level, check for random encounters
every third game turn. Roll 1d6. A result of 6
1st level (4 slots): sleep, silent image, means the PCs encounter something. When
witch bolt, expeditious retreat an encounter occurs, roll 1d6 and use the
resulting encounter on Table 4.
2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, spider
climb, web 90. SOLORENA'S BEDROOM [EL 750 =
Medium]
No. 01 Solorena, Witch [NPCs] Challenge 2
76. KITCHEN [EL 750 = Medium] (450 XP)
No. 01 Karelena, Witch [NPCs] Challenge 2
(450 XP) No. 01 Black Panthers [MM pag.333]
Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
No. 01 Black Panthers [MM pag.333]
Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
95. THE ARENA [EL = Variable]
77. GAS-FILLED ROOM [EL 500 = Easy]
No. 08 Gian Rats [MM pag. 327] Challenge
1/8 (25 XP)
157
158
159
160
BONE GOLEM
Large construct, unaligned
Armor Class: 12 (natural)
Hit Points: 81 (9d10+36)
Speed: 40 ft
STR DEX CON
18(+4) 11(+0) 18(+4)
INT WIS CHA
6(-2) 10(+0) 5(-3)
Special:
Damage Vulnerability: Bludgeoning
Damage Resistance:
piercing, bludgeoning and slashing from non magical weapons
Damage Immunities: poison
Condition Immunities:
charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses:
darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages:
understand the languages of its creator but can't speak (Traladaran)
Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
Magic Resistance: the golem has advantage on saving throws against
spells and other magical effects
Magic Weapons: the golem's weapon attacks are magical
Special Ability 3:
ACTIONS:
Multiattack: the golem makes four melee attacks with its one-handed
weapons or two attacks with pole arms or two-handed weapons. It attacks
up to two opponents each round.
Scimitar: Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 7
(1d6+4) slashing damage
Shortbow: Range weapon attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target.
Hit 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage
161
ULAR-TAMAN
Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral
Armor Class (AC): 12 (natural)
Hit Points: 66 (12d8+12)
Speed: 30 ft.
STR DEX CON
16(+3) 14(+2) 3(+1)
INT WIS CHA
14(+2) 12(+1) 16(+3)
Skills: History +5, Religion +5, Nature +5
Damage Immunities: poison
Condition Immunities: poisoned
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: common (Thyatian), draconic
Challenge: 5 (1.800 XP)
Shapechanger: Ular-Taman can use its action to polymorph into a giant constrictor
snake (MM pag. 324).
Innate Spellcasting (5th level cleric):
1st level spells (4 slots): animal friendship, speak with animals, cure wounds, sanctuary
2nd level spells (3 slots): barkskin, spike growth, hold person, spiritual weapon
3rd level spells (2 slots): plant growth, wind wall, create food and water, dispel magic
162
Spellcasting: Alki is a 3rd level Eldritch Knignt. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence
(spell save DC 13, +3 to hit with spell attacks). Alki has the following wizard spell prepared:
Cantrips (at will): true strike, dancing lights
1st level (2 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield
ACTIONS:
Longsword: Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d8+2)
Shortbow: Range weapon attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit 4 (1d6+1)
piercing damage
163
Weapon Proficiency: Clerics of Talitha are proficient with all simple weapons and
battleaxe
Spellcasting: The Rahib is a 7th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom
(spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following cleric spells
prepared:
Cantrips (at will): light, mending, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, bane, command, shield of faith, cure
wounds
2 level (3 slots): mirror image, pass without trace, blindness/deafness, hold person,
nd
spiritual weapon
3rd level (3 slots): blink, dispel magic, animate dead, spirit guardians
4th level (1 slots): dimension door, polymorph, banishment
Divine Domain: (Trickery) Blessing of the Trickster: when the Rahib touch a willing
creature (action) other than himself, he gives it advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
checks. This bless last for 1 hour or until he use this feature again.
Channel Divinity (2/rest): Turn Undead, Invoke Duplicity, Destroy Undead and Cloak
of Shadow
ACTIONS:
Battleaxe: Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d10+2)
Dagger: Range weapon attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d4+1)
piercing damage
164
Weapon Proficiency: Karelena is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor
Otherwordly Patron: (Fiend): Orcus. Dark One's Blessing: when Karelena reduces a
hostile creature to 0 hit points, she gains 9 temporary hit points.
Pact of Magic: (Cantrips): Blade Ward, Eldritch Blast, True Strike
Spell Known (2 slot / 3rd level): 1st – Armor of Agathys, Hellish Rebuke, Hex; 2nd –
Mirror Image, Misty Step; 3rd - Fear
Spellcasting: Karelena is a 5th level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell
save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
Eldritch Invocations: Agonizing Blast, Armor of Shadows, Repelling Blast
Pact of the Blade: Karelena favorite pact weapons are the Mace or the Whip
ACTIONS:
Mace: Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6+2)
bludgeoning damage
Whip: Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d4+3) slashing
damage
165
Weapon Proficiency: Solorena is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor
Otherwordly Patron: (Fiend): Orcus. Dark One's Blessing: when Solorena reduces a
hostile creature to 0 hit points, she gains 10 temporary hit points.
Pact of Magic: (Cantrips): Chill Touch, Friends, Minor Illusion
Spell Known (2 slot / 3rd level): 1st – Command, Hellish Rebuke, Witch Bolt; 2nd –
Invisibility, Suggestion; 3rd – Vampiric Touch
Pact of the Tome: Solorena has a Book of Shadows that allows her to cast at will:
Eldritch Blast, Shillelagh and Ray of Frost
ACTIONS:
Quarterstaff (with Shillelagh): Melee weapon attack: +3(+8) to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit 3(9) (1d6 [1d8+5]) bludgeoning damage
166
Weapon Proficiency: Trilena is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor
Otherwordly Patron: (Fiend): Orcus. Dark One's Blessing: when Trilena reduces a
hostile creature to 0 hit points, she gains 9 temporary hit points.
Pact of Magic: (Cantrips): Eldritch Blast, Poison Spray, True Strike
Spell Known (2 slot / 3rd level): 1st – Burning Hands, Charm Person, Expeditious
Retreat; 2nd – Cloud of Dagger, Ray of Enfeeblement; 3rd – Stinking Cloud
Spellcasting: Trilena is a 5th level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell
save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks).
Eldritch Invocations: Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight, Fiendish Vigor
Pact of the Chain: Trilena has learned the find familiar spell: her pet is an imp.
ACTIONS:
Dagger +1: Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d4+1)
piercing damage
167
168
In my version they faced an hologram ancient enemy not only for Blackmoorians
(described more like an ethereal duplicate of but for the whole world! This will be the
a person) that taught them the properties of starting point for the epic campaign for D&D
the lab and part of the world's history, in 5th edition Princes of the Apocalypse. For
particular Blackmoor. The hologram was that details on the changes and hooks for that
of Rafiel of course! It warned the heroes of campaign, and the specific adjustments to
an upcoming horror that has awoken in the bring it in the Mystara setting, stay tuned for
far east, on the continent of Skothar. An my next article.
169
Author’s Note: The following story begins during the first week of 998 AC. Each future
episode will cover roughly the span of one week. Allowing a greater amount of description
to be revealed about life in Glantri City, and the School of Magic. Not all of the current
episode’s tale is described in detail as I wanted to get to the “heart” of the story, which is
Palzac’s current dilemma. Hopefully at a later date I will have time to go back and
illustrate the backstory; giving it the same treatment I plan to use with future episodes. I
hope you enjoy it at least half as much as I laboured over it!
170
clinker constructed longships lying along the and featured an elevated walkway leading to
shore, or laid up on the pebble beach. the jarl’s Main Longhouse behind.3 Eight
Founded just fourteen years before Ottar the octagonally arranged lodges encircled the
Just’s victory over King Finnbogi of Ostland Longhall, each occupied by prominent
at the Battle of Bridenfjord; though many of members of clans swearing allegiance to
Vestland’s towns and villages had since Aethelson. Ringing this inner stronghold lay
modernized, adopting square grids for their the accommodations of the artisan class.
streets and avenues; Daggenskjold remained Palzac’s kin cohabitated with three other
in the past. Its defensive palisade formed of families in an oversized hut, sporting a
a circular earthen enclosure topped with tented roof. Yet Palzac did not mind the
sharpened timber poles, which in turn was confines of the smaller sized dwelling.
surrounded by a shallow muddy ditch During the long, dark, cold winter months,
trickling down to the fjord. During the short less heat escaped out the rooftop vents than
summer months, mosquitoes found this in the larger longhouses; and tallow candles
mucky trench amenable, adding to the reflected light off the converging rafters,
village’s many woes. keeping the cabin cheerful and well-lit.
Palzac felt the residence’s most redeeming
The Longhall of Kolskegg Aethelson quality; however, was its location farther up
dominated the centre of the fair sized village,
171
the slope, and thus farther from the Palzac's father, though well respected in the
dampness of the shore. community, was an artisan of modest means.
Yet one holding knowledge of how the world
Though Daggenskjold did produce works, without possessing any of the tools to
significant trade goods commanding higher join. Money, power, connections. A
prices on foreign shores, the village’s main cordwainer by trade, the family constantly
export remained raiding. Its longships struggled to survive each passing year. Palzac
trolling the Northern shores of the Isle of struggled just to become a passable
Dawn, and the coastal settlements of the apprentice, possessing none of the dexterity
mainland as far North as The Prow.4 or skill of his father. Shortly after turning age
Unfortunately, many of the communities five, his parents gave birth to a second son,
which Daggenskjold’s vikings preyed upon, and after aged nine was soon surpassed in
held similar vocation, often launching skill by his younger brother. His brother
retaliatory attacks. Daggenskjold’s one having a knack for manual tasks, where
advantage lay in its often veiled location. Palzac held none. Taking what little savings
The village had taken its name from the fog they had acquired, and wanting more for
fortuitously rolling in each evening; their son, Palzac was at that early age
obscuring the village from unfamiliar eyes apprenticed to a man, said to possess an
seeking revenge upon the raiders to their expertise of the arcane powers.
home shores. The enveloping fog frequently
helped set foreign ships upon the fjord’s This man, Eilif the Learned, had come from
treacherous seamounts, sending them to a somewhat similar, although more affluent,
watery grave. Since its founding, a circumstances. Youngest son of a Norrvik
“daggenskjold” or “day’s end shield” was mercantile family, the ambitious Eilif knew
seen as an auspicious event. Yet Palzac he would never be kingpin among his kin. A
found it materialized so often, it couldn’t be trade expedition to cosmopolitan Glantri
bringing too much fortune to the convinced a young Eilif, the Great School of
downtrodden settlement, for little luck ever Magic is where he belonged, and seven years
passed Daggenskjold’s way. Additionally it hence had completed his studies and
did not just confine itself to appearing in the overcome the Dungeon of Aces to
evenings, and was so ever-present Palzac undistinguished accolades.5
found it downright depressing. Palzac often
wished a party of overseas crusaders had Five years after, while researching an inter-
avenged their kin long ago; thus perhaps dimensional spell capable of transporting
preventing anyone, though mainly himself, him to the Plane of Fire, he happened upon
from having to suffer a life upon obscure references to a great and powerful
NordesFjord’s gloomy inland shore. force, able to permanently take him to a
higher one. Yet Eilif was too eager to learn
more, and strove forward without necessary
caution and reserve. Several powerful
4 Th e Prow is al s o k n own as R aider’s Poin t.
Seein g as h ow I ch ris ten ed th is feature b ack in 5 Th e Dun g eon of A ces is des crib ed on Pag es
1 9 8 4 , I was rel uctan t to ch an g e it. 9 0 -9 3 of Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of Gl an tri.
172
associates, considering themselves the receiving little instruction in the magical arts.
keepers of this unique force quickly became Instead he was consigned to carry out the
aware of his advances. Fortunately, he also everyday household tasks of the tower.
became aware of their suspicions, and Having not had an apprentice or steward in
attempted to allay their fears. But his initial quite some time, there seemed an endless list
negligence had convinced the clandestine of tasks and travails his new Mästare set upon
organization, he was not to be trusted. him. Yet Palzac remained diligent and
Realization he would likewise never be tireless in his duties, hopeful he might
recognized among Glantri’s favoured sons, eventually be shown the door to higher
Eilif returned to Vestland, accepting being a power. After eight months of continuous
big fish in a small pond was where he toil, he finally found he had outdone his
belonged; and infinitely safer. catalogue of assigned chores.
Eilif’s proficiency with fire, having been a The following day, pleased with the positive
Fire Elementalist of the Third Circle, proved progression of his secluded spire, Mästare
indispensable; dispatching countless troll Eilif at last relented, beginning Palzac’s
bands roaming the hills above Sudorn and instruction in earnest. Yet just as he had
Daggenskjold. He quickly earned reputation possessed no aptitude for manual trades,
as a formidable mage, and the troll’s greatest Palzac initially appeared to have none for
foe. Kolskegg Aethelson and Rurik Sturlason cerebral pursuits either. It seemed the
both embraced Eilif’s construction of a spire, harder he strove to succeed, the more
which he built immediately below the divide complete his failure. At last he had been
between the sea and the Streel, and shown the door, and yet held no key to
appropriately named Trollbane Tower.6 7 enter. At the end of another day of abundant
disappointments, Mästare Eilif at last realized
Though only eighteen miles further inland, the solution to Palzac’s quandary.
life at Trollbane Tower was worlds away from
life upon the gloomy shore. The wind often “Your concentration is too intense. To
blustering down from the heights, bringing master the enchanted arts, you must let go
with it the invigorating chill of snow-packed your logic, and embrace the impossible!
mountains, and the pungent aroma of Only when you have shed reason and
Vestland Fir. Although over the course of the rationality can you hope to thread the
first several months, Palzac felt he had simply strands of celestial energy, meshing the fiber
traded one kind of servitude for another, of forces emanating from unseen planes.
Your mental focus and determination
6 Trol l b an e Tower l ay s jus t b el ow th e divide moulding them into spells of your desire.”
b etween th e coas tal drain ag e s y s tems an d th e “How can I focus without concentrating?”
Streel R iver, an d jus t ab ove on e th e s prin g s th at Palzac asked, somewhat skeptically.
is th e Streel ’s s ource. F rom th e top fl oors it is “Focus is not the same substance as
pos s ib l e to g az e th e s ea to th e Eas t an d th e concentration. Focus is life-force, essence,
edg e of th e s teppes to th e W es t.
7 R urik Sturl as on is l is ted as J arl of F y n mark the paths to your soul. Find it, and you may
on Pag e 1 4 in th e Pl ay er's Guide of Gaz . 7 , Th e find the solution to your woes!”
N orth ern R each es .
173
Though this instruction did not immediately Someone to share the burdens of labour and
bear fruit, Palzac persisted, undaunted by exaltations of study. But it quickly became
past failures. Gradually he began to harness apparent, the aspiring novice bore more
the wild energies, focusing them into ambition than he, and possessed a
recognizable designs. At long last, he found competitive streak that prevented friendship.
his focus; and after, his determination His initial elation quickly soured. Ten
discovered the hidden paths to power. months later, Palzac found himself slowly
Though Mästare Eilif judged Palzac was being supplanted under the Mästare’s
progressing at a snail’s pace, eventually light watchful eye. Increasingly he was relegated
appeared from darkness, as Palzac completed to mundane chores, as the maestro fawned
his first spell. over his more promising apprentice.
174
One evening while perusing the modest will take considerable time, and will require
library he had acquired over the years, your utmost discreet talents.”
Mästare Eilif thoughtfully paged through the
few books he had attained vaguely intimating Palzac was perplexed. He was unaware of
probable paths towards Glantri’s greatest possessing any discreet talent. In truth he
power, and lamented abandoning his quest was nearly sure he retained no talents
for true knowledge and power. Mästare Eilif whatsoever beyond dusting, sweeping,
had all but given up hope of returning to mopping, cataloguing…and changing the
Glantri, his face well known among certain chamber pot. His competence at cooking
members of the Glantrian elite. But what if was so awful in fact, Mästare Eilif had retaken
he were to send someone in his stead? responsibility of preparing meals himself.
Though Palzac derived the least bit
“Palzac?” He shouted down the winding satisfaction when it was declared his peer
stair. possessed no culinary skills, either.
“Yes Mästare Eilif.”
“Please come here a moment.” “You will travel to the Principalities, and
As Palzac entered the cramped circular attend the Great School of Magic.
chamber atop the lonely tower, Mästare Eilif Consequently, this will allow you to continue
instructed “Shut the door.” your studies. Perhaps under another master,
you might unlock hidden power within you.”
Palzac could hardly contain his excitement.
Months had passed since his master wished Mästare Eilif paused, gauging Palzac’s initial
speak to him behind closed doors. response. Palzac was so bewildered and
Perchance Mästare Eilif had at last sussed out mystified; however, he didn’t know rightly
the conundrum behind his inability to what to say. Could he have heard correctly?
quickly grasp arcane concepts. Perhaps he
had grown suspicious of this new apprentice, “As payment for your tuition, room and
fearing the ambitious lad would eventually board; you will instigate a secret
try and usurp his power. Or maybe the investigation for me.”
youth had reached his potential, burning out
in a blaze of mediocrity. Palzac could only Now Palzac understood the heart of his
hope. master’s stratagems. Palzac was to cease
being his Mästare’s apprentice, and start
“I need you to do something for me,” he playing his pawn. Palzac was resigned to
started. cooperate, after all it wasn’t much less a
“Yes, Mästare Eilif.” demotion than the one received ten months
“I am sending you away…on an important past. “What’s the mission?” he inquired,
errand.” Palzac at once looked dejected, anxious to learn of his accepted fate.
figuring the Master had at last tired of him,
and was sending him back to Daggenskjold. “This is where your discretion will be
“No need to be discouraged. paramount. Handle this wrong, and you will
The…mission…shall we say, I have for you wind up dead. Your conduct must remain
175
free of suspicion. The assignment may take will suggest a reliable moneylender with
years to complete, but this will allow you to which to deposit it. Now…hurry along to
continue your schooling. I have a contact, an bed. We’ll start off tomorrow.”
old friend really, still living in Glantri. You
must first contact this Master Van Dyke.9 The next morning Palzac was up early, and
Give him this letter, and my regards.” by mid-morn they were off toward Sudorn.
Mästare Eilif handed him the bound dispatch, Upon reaching the ridge, cresting the hills
sporting his master’s seal. A dark grey spire falling to the coast, Mästare Eilif and his
fashioned as a torch, from which blazed a understudy headed back toward Trollbane,
dark blue flame.10 Mästare Eilif continued while Palzac travelled on.
on, “He will set you upon the correct path.
Once commencing upon your journey; His knapsack shouldered, the rest of his
however, there will be no turning round. possessions were secured in a small chest
which rested upon an opaque floating disc.
You must never mention my name. I still Mästare Eilif had given him a simple wand
have foes there who would see me finished. which directed the disc, but cautioned the
Nevertheless, learn what I need, and it may device, and disc, would last only so long.
open doors for both of us.” Palzac deemed he had better make it to the
Palzac very much doubted that. Yet instead village before the spell expired, for lugging
he asked, “When do I leave?” the small chest down the steep hilly slopes
“You will depart with the first Klarmont and gullies would take great pains, possibly
caravan, which you must catch in Sudorn. leaving him in the dark before reaching
Convoys don’t often stop for wayward Sudorn.
travellers along Vestland’s backwoods roads.
Though you are often known to make the As his master departed he offered good
trip in a single day, I would not tarry. Better fortune, and a stern reminder to conduct
to arrive early. As soon as you have your constant correspondence. Even the little
possessions packed, we shall leave. I will brat had offered sympathy, but Palzac had
accompany you as far as the southern ridge. not been impressed by his parting words.
I am giving you fifty gold,” Mästare Eilif What risk lay in offering good fortune, when
tossed Palzac a weighty velvet pouch. “The the bestower was already secure in his own?
rest of your expenses will be taken care of Perhaps they already knew he was heading
with this usury note. Do not lose it! Show toward his doom. Making the village before
it to Master Van Dyke when you arrive and he nightfall, Palzac did as he was told. He let a
room for the night, and as the procession
9 R ich art Van Dy k e is an al l y an d rolled into the village late the next morning,
repres en tative of H ous e Lin den in Gl an tri City . he at once located the caravan master,
H e is an 1 1 t h l evel mag e, an d 3 r d Circl e F ire securing a berth on one of the elaborate
El emen tal is t. coaches.
1 0 Th oug h Eil if’s s eal / coat-of-arms is a dark
g rey s pire fas h ion ed as a torch from wh ich a
dark b l ue fl ame b l az es , th e b l ue wax s eal on th e
l etter is s impl y a mon och rome impres s ion of th e
s ame.
176
177
Once entering the Flaemish Highlands; flaunted elaborate balconies and windows,
however, his spirits rose. The second with flowers of every species sprouting from
morning, a stark brilliant blue sky greeted the sills, though Flaemish grown tulips were
the dawn, more vivid than anything Palzac most accessible in the city. Every
could have imagined. The contours of the architectural style seemed represented in
clouds shone silver in the rising sun, their Glantri. As he was staring at the buildings,
distinct outline against the azure sky a people seemed to be staring at him. With his
complete contrast to Daggenskjold’s hazy platinum blond hair and sky blue eyes, he
skies. From this moment on, his prospects didn’t exactly blend with the copper
appeared more promising. Each mile complexioned Flaems.
travelled toward the capital, the land grew
progressively productive, and its inhabitants Rounding Manor Row, Ambassadors Canal
increasingly cheerful. Upon bursting came into view. Embassies of various
through the Northern Tulip Gate, the noise, countries dominated the canal, each built
smell, and bustle of Glantri City along the traditions of their representative
overwhelmed him.11 nations. One building, looking more
diminutive than the rest, displayed a tented
Glantri City was twenty-five times larger than gambrel roof, with a dormer window rising
any settlement Palzac had seen, and although from each face. Orange Prince’s Tulips grew
having heard tales of magnificent cities, in flower boxes beneath windows of the
nothing prepared him for the wonders of estate. Palzac guessed this must be Master
Glantri. His initial passage through the city Van Dyke’s Palazzo.12
was as if in a waking dream. He was barely
aware as his scant belongings were unloaded Palzac gave the gondolier a few extra ducats
from the coach and placed in an elaborate to wait while he made contact with Master
gondola. Palzac had spent his whole life Van Dyke. Van Dyke’s palazzo lacked its own
looking at boats and ships at sea, but here in landing, but the neighbouring townhouse’s
this inland nation was the first time he had levee boasted a walkway leading between
ever been a passenger on one. Mooring buildings to The Rim, whereupon Palzac
poles in a multitude of colours were sunk could access Van Dyke’s front entrance.
beneath the murky waters, unevenly placed Boldly banging on the door, it was
along the perimeters of the channels, several punctually answered by an attractive solidly
striped like candied canes. Blue marble built young woman with flaxen coloured
towers overshadowed carved wood onion hair. She scolded Palzac for pounding on the
domes. Plastered palazzos in earthen tones door, directing his attention to the knocker.
either sporting gambrel or mansard roofs He was then directed to take a seat on a
were the predominant structures of the city, wooden chair in the foyer. Her common was
yet marble towers of every size, shape, and incomprehensible, having a thick Flaemish
colour sprang from the canal or rooftops of
larger townhouses. Still all buildings 12 Pal z ac h ad b een tol d b y h is mas ter wh at
woul d s et Mas ter Van Dy k e’s Pal az z o apart from
11 Th e “Tul ip Gate” is th e n on -can on n ame I th e oth er town h ous es on th e b l ock . Oran g e
h ave g iven th e city ’s N orth ern Gates . Prin ce’s Tul ips are a s y mb ol of H ous e Lin den .
178
accent; nonetheless her commanding through the pages, pedantically perusing his
manner made it clear how she expected him directory.
to comply. Palzac unshouldered his
knapsack, setting it upon his chest, which he Palzac studied his new patron. Coffee
left sitting next to the chair. coloured hair splotched grey betrayed his
age, yet he retained a fit figure. A tan
Palzac waited for what seemed like hours. waistcoat covered a darker brown doublet
Finally an inner door opened and two with stiff pointed collars, which Palzac later
gentlemen exited, boisterously guffawing at learned he had designed himself. He wore
some jest. Palzac could not tell what was silver rimmed spectacles, which fascinated
being said, as they spoke in Flaemish. The Palzac, never having seen such a thing
larger gentlemen with flaming red hair before. Palzac had noticed earlier Van Dyke
headed out the door without so much as wore trousers matching his doublet, and
glancing at Palzac. The other man reentered russet leather clogs with square silver buckles.
the study, the young woman following.
Shortly thereafter he reappeared in the “Aha! Here is vhat ve desire. Silas Silverberg.
lobby, and proceeded toward Palzac. He runs the eponymous Silverberg’s. An
elegant establishment, yet often overlooked.
“Goede Dag. You must be young Palzac?” he Seeing as how it sits next to the ostentatious
inquired in curt common. His kind brown Builder’s Consortium. The man is
eyes at once putting Palzac at ease. parsimonious vith his sovereigns. But I
“Wha…a…yes. How did…?” suppose that is an advantageous trait in a
“Mästare Eilif sent vord by red-tail…hawk moneylender, no?”
that is. It is said pigeons bring vords of “I guess.” Palzac really didn’t know what the
peace, and hawks bring vords of var. You man was talking about. Parsimonious? Was
veren’t planning on invading vere you?” Van that some kind of fruit?
Dyke’s thin pink lips curled upward, “Nevertheless, you vill first need to register at
obviously delighted by his own wit. the school. I vill hold onto the usury note
“Ah…I was hoping to attend the School of for now. It is not the kind of thing you vant
Magic.” to carry around in this city. Ve then later
“Yes, of course; and locate a reliable usury if travel there together, yes?”
I’m not mistaken?”
“Yes.” Palzac was actually quite unsure, and it
showed on his face. Was this man just going
Van Dyke headed back to the study, and to take his money... well his master’s in truth,
Palzac supposed he should follow. As Van and dump him in the canal?
Dyke sat at his desk he motioned for Palzac
to have a seat. “No reason to be frightened.” Van Dyke
reassured. “I am an old friend of your
Vell let us see here…” Master Van Dyke Mästare Eilif, and rest assured, ve vant no
began ruffling through a drawer and pulled harm come to you. Leave your things, go
out a thin black book. He then thumbed and see the Registrar, then return here. This
179
pass vill allow you to pass over the pons.” Upon mooring at the quay, Palzac leapt from
Van Dyke handed him a vermilion dyed slip the gondola, at last anxious to learn of his
with his signature and seal. “I vill put you up appointed fate. The city guards directed him
‘til you find a place of your own. Tis best toward Pons Sapientia and the School of
though for a young man to be independent. Magic.13 Once inside an overeager youth
Now off vith you!” he announced with a exiting with a group of friends, directed him
cheerful smile, standing to indicate the to a large set of stairs, ascending out of sight.
meeting was at an end. Palzac’s climb up the innumerable steps took
“Thank-you,” was all Palzac managed. a rather chaotic course, often doubling back
on themselves or heading off in irregular
Heading out the door, the flaxen haired girl tangents. After what seemed like nearly an
gave him suspicious stares as he walked past hour, at last he reached the rooftop gardens,
and out the entrance. at the edge of which he surmised stood the
administrative offices. Palzac made his way
Returning to the quay, he noticed the over to the hexagonal tower dwarfed only by
gondola was gone. Yet fortuitously, another the observatory and Grand Master’s Tower,
was across the channel, unloading its and proceeded inside.
passenger and contents. The passenger,
struggling to rise from the boat, wore an “May I assist you?” A balding man wearing
indigo coloured gabardine adorned with white gloves and eyeglasses immediately
waves and clutched an intricately carved staff enquired.
crested by a seahorse. A matching skullcap “I wish to enrol for the current trimester.”
decorated with crescent moons, suns and Palzac voiced with exuberance.
stars sat atop his head. His left arm was “Well you are certainly not in the right
bound in a sling. place!” The man sunk his thumbs into the
pockets of a black waistcoat worn over a
Upon unloading his cargo, the gondolier white doublet, and advanced upon him.
pushed off into the channel, and Palzac “Where am I?” Palzac obviously seemed quite
flagged him down. confused.
“This is the Tower of Archives. Hopefully
“My good fortune to gain another passenger nothing of yours will wind up here for a
so soon.” He said, biting down on the ducat long, long time. I am Archibald, Chief
Palzac proffered. Archivist. Yes you may laugh, or snicker as
is your wont, at the name. Given my current
Turning toward Manor Row, the City Belfry vocation it seems quite absurd. Little did my
loomed over the horizon. As the expansive mother know…”
Alexander Platz and towering Great School of “My name is Palzac,” Palzac offered.
Magic at last came into view, Palzac became
completely buoyant. Surely his miserable
master had crueller plans in mind than 13 Pon s Sapien tia is th e covered b ridg e
internment in this shining city? s eparatin g A l ex an der Pl atz from Th e Great
Sch ool of Mag ic. “Pon s ” mean s b ridg e in
Th y atian .
180
181
two entry visa stamps, and have them affixed a list of possible tenements for lease. Under
in the top right square.” normal circumstances you might find
“Is that all?” Palzac’s head was beginning to residence at the school; however, yet being a
spin. foreigner your name will appear further
“Not in the least. Then you must head to the down the lists. Currently, the school
House of Ministers, with a usury note, stating dormitories are full up. It is unlikely you will
you have at least 600 ducats, which should find residence here. Though you needn’t
easily cover your rent, and enrolment at the pay for board if you wish to take your meals
school for the current trimester. They will at the school.”
then impress your Right to Reside stamps. “After that?” Palzac was quickly realizing,
Be sure to get both impressed. This will registering for school might be as difficult as
allow you to wander the streets unhindered. navigating the NordesFjord.
Afterwards you will return here, where you “Next you will need to locate your patron,
will pay for the current trimester. The fee is and have him prepare three marques of
480 ducats.15 We will then provide you with commendation. These must first be taken to
the Watermark Parchment and Scroll
h ourg l as s es . R ecen tl y th ere h as b een a pus h to Company in the merchant’s quarter, and
al l ow th em to s el l s al t, pepper an d oth er s pices . watermarked. The area is constantly
Th ey al s o s el l “B ook s of Pas s ag e”, con tain in g crowded. Paying a gondolier an extra ducat
tick ets for g on dol a pas s ag e, for th os e wis h in g to dock on the back pier is best. Thereafter
to n ot carry cas h . Gon dol iers may th en turn in
th e tick ets to th e H ous e of Min is ters wh en they must be signed by one of the ruling
pay in g tax es . A s th e tick ets cos t more th an Princes, or their representatives at court.
actual averag e fares , th e profit from th e s ervice One signature, per letter. Citizens usually
b en efits b oth th e s tate, an d th e g on dol iers . complete this step before stepping foot in
W h en turn ed in th ey receive h al f profit val ue of the building!” the Grand Registrar remarked
th e tick et ag ain s t th eir tax es .
1 5 Tuition is des crib ed as cos tin g 5 ducats per reproachfully. “This will need to be
day , per l evel of th e s tuden t on Pag e 5 8 , completed promptly, as classes are filling up
col umn two, Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of quickly.”16
Gl an tri. I t furth er s tates th at tuition may al s o b e “Next?” Palzac asked in an acquiescent and
paid in advan ce for on e or more week s . Th is
s eemed ridicul ous l y tedious to fig ure out in
compliant tone, hoping to the Immortals the
g ame pl ay , an d s omewh at un reas on ab l e g iven next step would be reiterated after
th e n ature of s tudy an d Gl an trian b ureaucracy . completing the previous.
More l ik el y th e Sch ool of Mag ic an d H ous e of “You will finally reappear at the school, ready
Min is ters woul d wan t th eir g ol d promptl y .. to register for classes. I will hand you
A l s o, as in real l ife, mos t profes s ion s require a
min imum period of con s tan t s tudy , rath er th an a
day h ere a day th ere. U s in g th e eig h t mon th to pay n ot on l y for tuition , b ut addition al
min imum for ch il d s pel l cas ters , it s eemed s uppl ies . Th e H ous e of Min is try is in teres ted in
reas on ab l e th at th ree “trimes ters ” a y ear k n owin g th at s h oul d a s tuden t fail in h is s tudies ,
ex is ted. Given cl as s es are s ix or s even day s a or drop out, th ere wil l b e ampl e g ol d l eft to s ee
week …every b ody n eeds a day to res t an d tak e h im out of coun try .
care of l aun dry …at 5 ducats per day , th is woul d 1 6 Th e Gran d R eg is trar is a n on -can n on
amoun t to 3 0 ducats per week . Or 1 2 0 per pos ition in ch arg e of reg is terin g s tuden ts an d
mon th , an d th us 4 8 0 per trimes ter. Th e 6 0 0 col l ectin g tuition fees , an s werin g to th e H ig h
ducat requiremen t is to in s ure s tuden ts are ab l e Secretary of th e Sch ool of Mag ic.
182
one…and only one, schedule form. Do not “Are we finished?” Palzac inquired in an even
lose it! There has been an outbreak of and polite tone, mustering the last of his
irresponsibility running round this academy, meagre patience.
and I will no longer tolerate it! If you wish to “Lastly”, the encumbering administrator
attend, be attentive. Spend an entire day plowed on, “I will affix the school’s stamp
tracking down your prestidigitators…” and seal for the current trimester next to
“My what!” Palzac’s complacency was your Right to Reside stamp; and at last,
beginning to fade. ‘Immortals assist us’, you will be an
“Prestidigitator.17 Professor is such a undergraduate of Glantri’s Great School of
mundane profession. We like to think of our Magic. Further, the stamp and seal will also
masters as instructors in the arcane and attest to your ability as an Arcaner, affording
esoteric; and not surprisingly, so do they! you all the rights and privileges of our class.”
Anyway, track them down and obtain their
signature on your schedule form for the Had Palzac not thought it might have
appropriate class. Once this form has been prevented his inclusion into the school, he
completed, you will bring the document might have fainted on the spot. Before more
here! I will at once sign it, then you will sign orders were dispatched, he darted out the
it. I will then take your schedule to the High door, bound for the Citadel.
Secretary for approval.18 It will then be
placed in this bureau until the trimester is “Oh, and one other thing!” the academic
completed. At which time, assuming success bureaucrat called out while Palzac was still
in your classes, I will place your marks upon within earshot, “if you are smart, you will
an official transcript. Of which one copy is deposit one of your Leaflets with a reliable
kept in the school vault, with the other usury. For if you should lose them…”
residing within the Citadel.”
Despite the extensive obstacles of
17 Th oug h B ruce h in ts a “Pres tidig itator” is bureaucracy, and the laborious chore of
s impl y a mun dan e s l eig h t of h an d artis t; un der appeals, within the day he had acquired his
l ocation 3 4 . Mag ic for Sal e, l ocated in th e Right to Reside, and by the following week’s
B us in es s Q uarter [Pag e 4 2 , col umn th ree, Gaz . end, Palzac had become a bona fide scholar
3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of Gl an tri.]; I l ik ed th e
term, an d th oug h t it mig h t b e b etter s uited as at the Great School of Magic.
an often un us ed an ob s cure word to des crib e
teach ers at th e Great Sch ool of Mag ic. With the trimester not beginning for another
Profes s or s eemed more a profes s ion rooted in week and a half, Palzac was unsure of what to
s cien ce an d reas on th an th e arcan e. H owever, do with himself. No shoes to mend or
“Pres tidig itator” is a titl e, n ot an addres s .
Studen ts s til l cal l th eir in s tructors construct. Not a chore to be completed, nor
“Mas ter”.Th oug h perh aps a n ew word a book to be read and memorized. After his
comb in in g pres tig ious an d pres tidig itator woul d starting expenses had been paid, Palzac had
b e b etter? “Pres tig io”, “Pres tig itator”, little left for frivolous pastimes, yet until now
“Pres tig ig ator”? neither had he any time or money to ever
1 8 Th e H ig h Secretary is men tion ed un der th e
h eadin g “Private Spel l -Cas tin g ”, Pag e 5 0 , develop a hobby or interest. Life without
col umn two, Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of supervised regulation had been an unknown
Gl an tri.
183
up to this point. What was he supposed to Glantri, Palzac suspected likely there was
do with himself? Freedom, even with few much competition for what was present; and
ducats to spend, was going to take some perhaps explained why different crafts
getting used to. He decided the best use of drawing on different energies had developed.
his time would be wandering the streets of
his newfound city.
184
but the proprietor had promised the building one was at the pump. Quickly he filled his
was free of bugs. Additionally, a new pails. Scurrying back to his bedsit he doffed
immigration wave had overtaken the city, his nightdress, dumping a pail of ice-cold
and business was booming. Perhaps he had water over his head. He was too panicked to
been lucky just to find a room at all. notice the chill, yet was keenly aware of his
absolute sobriety. Opening a box of charcoal
The final few days before class, Palzac and talc he scoured the previous day’s muck
decided to see what surrounded the city. from his hide, afterwards pouring the other
However; what lay beyond the walls, was not ice cold bucket over his head. Digging in his
nearly as interesting as what lay inside. chest he found fresh jonnins, his best shift,
Nondescript sprawling suburbs sat Northeast and favourite trousers.20 Brown with green
and Northwest of the city, surrounded by piping, his most prized purchase from
endless muddy fields growing a wide range Sudorn. Throwing on a light smock-frock
of crops. Northeast, expansive tulip fields Palzac raced out the door, away from the
littered the countryside, and immediately tenement toward the nearest quay; hailing
North of the suburbs a caravansary rested the closest gondola, proffering a raised ducat
along the road to Taterhill. to demonstrate he was quite able to pay.
Returning to his tenement well after dark on A dilapidated gondola promptly appeared.
the last day, Palzac climbed into his pallet Despite Palzac’s misgivings concerning its
soiled and mud-spattered. Sore, soaked, and seaworthiness, anxious urgency overrode his
exhausted; he quickly fell into a restless sleep apprehension. Throughout the trip, Palzac
of disturbing visions. First drowned at sea, made all kinds of verbal exhalations and
then burned alive by the ambitious physical gesticulations to impress time was of
apprentice. Worst among his nightmares, he essence, but the languid gondolier leisurely
was committed to mopping an endless poled the boat, unconcerned with the
chamber seeming to grow ever more impatience of his passenger. All the while
cavernous just as he was nearing completion. humming a repetitious refrain. Palzac was
quite certain it was the only melody he knew.
Consciousness came creeping back in He began nervously tapping his feet in an
intermittent waves. The sight of cracked effort to hasten the journey. Nevertheless,
plaster on the wall. A grey woollen blanket throughout the entire trip, the gondolier
pulled over his head. Sun slanting through never sped up. Finally they reached the
cracks in the door. Sun…sunlight…day. elongated jetty abutting Alexander Platz.
Complete awareness came rushing back.
Launching himself from the vessel, he shot
“Black Abyss!! I’m going to be late for the across the Platz, bounding over Pons
first day of classes!!” Sapientia and up the stairs, holding his
185
Leaflet aloft to prevent any obstruction to his knew the exchange rate between a daro and
rapid passage. Breathlessly he burst through a ducat, and not one was unaware of the
the classroom door…only to trip upon the minute details of Lord Glantri’s life and
master’s staff, which was being used to achievements. There was not a law, common
demonstrate a proper gesture. Palzac flew or otherwise, Palzac was unfamiliar with. He
across the room, arms outstretched, as his applied himself conscientiously on this
knapsack and all its contents wound up subject, figuring this would prove
strewn across the front of the room. Without advantageous in the future. To end the
missing a beat the master continued on, as term’s lectures, they discussed magical
though the incident were part of the lecture. theory, the master even hinting of Glantrian
secret crafts.
“Coincidentally, Grand Master Flash has
shown us the correct gesture for fly!” They even received instruction in what was
known as the three “Rs”. Which
The entire classroom erupted in laughter. coincidentally, past midpoint of the
Red-faced and abashed, Palzac quietly took trimester, seemed to take up three hours.
his seat. The Master was evidently satisfied But again, by trimester’s end they could
with Palzac’s level of mortification, and let accurately proportion components; read
him slink into studious obscurity throughout Glantrian, Darokinian and Common; and
the rest of class. Though afterwards a stern most importantly, read and write magical
reprimand of “Don’t let that happen again!” runes and symbols.
made a positive twofold impression. Palzac
appreciating the prestidigitator letting him They participated in exercises upon
off easy. However; his given handle: “Grand Alexander Platz, and received spiritual
Master Flash”, eventually shortened to just guidance in hours long meditations; sitting
“Flash”; stuck. Though escaping further cross-legged atop the Great School among
discipline, Palzac owned it amicably. the rooftop gardens. Learning to harness
something called chi. Though Palzac kept
On the whole, the rest of the term passed confusing this word with a popular tea
uneventfully. Though Palzac learned little of served at the Mages’ Hostelry.21
thaumatology that first trimester. He, along
with the rest of the students in his circle Initially Palzac loathed this inert quiet time,
spent their days acquiring mundane harkening memories of the long winter
knowledge in geography, history, economy, nights in Vestland. Eyes were to remain shut,
general law and philosophy. Of course the yet the mind open. Instead, Palzac would
Principalities were the principal subject of often peek out under his eyelashes, gazing at
most these topics. By the end of the the lofty towers and rooftop patios and ice
trimester, he could confidently recite the
21 Th e Mag es ’ H os tel ry is th e Great Sch ool of
names of every prince, duke, or minor lord,
Mag ic’s practical “l ab oratory ”, puttin g th e
and their appointed dominion within the s ch ool ’s ex perimen ts to tes t. I t is des crib ed as
Principalities; perhaps even listing what l ocation 5 4 . Mag es ’ H os tel ry , l ocated in th e
products each produced. Every student En tertain er’s Q uarter. [Pag e 4 3 , col umn th ree,
Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of Gl an tri.]
186
gardens. Feeling the warmth of the winter As the night wore on, intoxication fostering
sun, the stark blue atmosphere broken by his confidence, he at last proclaimed an
herds of cumulous clouds slowly migrating enthusiasm for the night sky. Vocalized with
across the pristine sky. Yet after a while he such brash bravado, and thoughtless
began to find the sessions enlightening. presentation, there was little doubt behind
Clearing all thought from his mind, attaining his deux entendre; and an uncomfortable
ascetic contact with his focus. Its first hush fell over the room. As the cacophony
occurrence since casting light so long ago. recommenced, he slunk outside to the
Perhaps this is what was meant by chi. But balcony. Gazing at the night sky, even in his
his connection was more lucid and coherent sozzled state, he was greatly aware of the
than before. Perchance chi was a more gaffe. However; little did he know, in
powerful form of focus? addition to his academic records; living
arrangements, leisure activities, and
Even as all these talents were acquired, still nocturnal amblings had been documented
lacking the social skills and courage to along with most of his other unusual
befriend any of his classmates, Palzac was endeavours.
usually left to his own devices. Occasionally
he would drop obscure allusions concerning Knowledge and privilege being well
Glantri’s ultimate power; yet nothing was regulated in Glantri, a common jest amongst
ever revealed of this enigma, or the its citizens is you even need a license to shit.
clandestine organization said to preserve its Yet through the various boards of records
secrets. In fact, most students seemed not and licensing, and the School of Magic, these
even to know what he was talking about. institutions exist to serve another function;
This suited Palzac just fine. Still furtively he showing all moving through various circles,
feared his newfound life and education could whose company they keep, and perhaps what
be stripped from him if he did not produce knowledge they possess. It is said a lone
some evidence of its existence or invention. individual sits at the head of these numerous
As the trimester came to a close, he was no boards. Known only as The Engineer or
closer to obtaining any proof one way or the "Keeper of the Watergates", this figure
other. During the final week of classes, maintains tabs of all knowledge flowing
another more confident youth approached through the city streets, keeping continuous
Palzac offering casual invitation to a Year’s contact with the Council of Princes.22
End party being thrown by his older brother Whether this soul indeed exists is the source
and some flat mates. Perhaps here at last was of much speculation among residents of
his chance to mingle with a more advanced Glantri City, asserting he gains secret
group of knowledgeable enchanters. knowledge from an ability to communicate
with the city's rodent population. Despite
Yet acumen and alcohol seldom mix, the validity of this ability, until now, Palzac
especially for someone unaccustomed to
either. Palzac originally planned to remain 22 A s “Th e En g in eer” is n on -can on , I l eft h is
sober, but unfamiliar with peer pressure, he ex is ten ce a my s tery . Perh aps at a l ater date,
was persuaded into having a drink…or two. B ruce H eard or th e My s tara commun ity can
decide if th ey l ik e th e idea?
187
had always been cautious; aware of where Immortality… if such a thing were even
and what he said, acutely conscious of rats possible. Palzac had not believed so, until
lingering about... whether on two legs or four. witnessing the fervour of those striving to
protect the path.
Which made his current predicament ever so
disheartening. Palzac was terribly aware of An older student also attending the party,
his inability to weave the complex webs of and assistant to one of Palzac’s
deception and duplicity the Glantrian lords thaumaturgical prestidigitators, propitiously
employed so proficiently. But he later found overheard his blunder. This pedagogic
it somewhat incredulous, that such an progeny of his professor recounted what he
apparently insignificant phrase blurted out at had heard to his Master. This Master, taking
one of a hundred plebian Year’s End parties, special interest in Palzac’s education, now
to an inebriated crowd no less, could have struggled to set him upon the path of societal
led so quickly to his current questionable redemption, and hopefully, restored
intent. Possibly putting him in the crosshairs standing at school. How Master Krollnar had
of one or more powerful figures in Glantrian conceived of sending him to this ostensible
society. The pinnacle consisting of the ruling minor lord Palzac couldn’t be sure.24 He had
princes of Glantri, and although a forum heard only whispers of Stein, and knew
leading to true power, it was an arena Palzac nothing of his allegiances.25 Though his
knew he had no business entering. Had the name was scarcely mentioned in class when
Bells of Fate already rung?23 discussing ranking nobility, it was often cited
when discussing diplomacy. Could this
What if after seeing the price of power you conservative conjurer row him safely back to
no longer wanted power? Was it possible to shore?
step back from the intricately woven stage
and withdraw unnoticed? Initially wanting Though he could not be sure, Palzac had
only to view what lurked beneath the ocean little choice. After leaving the Street of
of knowledge without drowning below, Wounded Warriors and walking across the
Palzac had waded too deep to turn back
without first learning to swim these 24 Mas ter J ul ius K rol l n ar 1 2 t h l evel mag e, is
dangerous waters. Yet the more Palzac Lady R owen a K rol l n ar’s un cl e, an d quite
gleaned from whispered half-truths, it was pos s ib l e Lady J ul ian a Vl arrdoen ’s n ames ak e. A
the entire ocean they were trying to protect, ch il dh ood frien d of Prin ce Vl aardoen , an d
and he had already seen the shore. He knew in s tructor at th e Sch ool of Mag ic, h e is al s o a
of its existence, and that alone was danger 2 n d Circl e F ire El emen tal is t, an d a 3 r d Circl e
Cry ptoman cer.
for those wishing to protect the knowledge 2 5 N ik ol aus (N ik ol aas ) Stein 1 2 t h l evel mag e, is
leading to Glantri's greatest power. One said l iais on b etween h ous es Lin den & R itterb urg . Of
to have the power of opening doors toward A al b an es e an d B erg dh oven des cen t, h e quite
pos s ib l y th e b es t man for th e job . Stein h as
acted as foreig n dipl omat in matters of ex treme
23 Th e B el l s of F ate is a n ation al Gl an trian del icacy . H is in teres t in en tomol og y is
h ol iday tak in g pl ace at midn ig h t on th e l as t day res tricted to b eetl es an d b utterfl ies . H e al s o is a
of th e y ear. I t is des crib ed on Pag e 5 5 , col umn 2 n d Circl e W ater El emen tal is t, an d a 4 t h Circl e
th ree of Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of Gl an tri. Cry ptoman cer.
188
plaza, he handed a city guard the vermilion surrounding townhouses, despite having a
slip allowing him to enter The Rim.26 Making lofty Flaemish gable, and did not possess
his way along The Rim, passing Prince much of an overhanging eave. The rooftop
Innocenti di Malapietra’s white marble gable was replaced by a small clerestory
Mansion & Dona Carnelia’s pink marble and window from which emanated a faint golden
mountain cedar Estate, over the Duke of light. Not surprisingly, the structure’s
Hightower’s low Townhouse, Stein’s Estate exterior brickwork was composed of a
at last came into view.27 The structure diagonal Flaemish bond, and oriel windows
seemed less imposing than some of the frequently protruded from its face.
Rounding the townhouse’s West wing, an
26 Th e R im is th e far Eas tern wal k way in th e
imposing crimson entrance exhibited itself,
city , with acces s b ein g den ied to th e l ower cl as s conversely facing the city’s outer wall.
an d b eg g ars . I t is des crib ed as l ocation 9 . Th e
R im, l ocated in th e N ob l e’s Q uarter. [Pag e 5 5 , A gulp of acidic anxiety travelled down
col umn th ree of Gaz . 3 , Th e Prin cipal ities of Palzac’s throat, depositing butterflies in his
Gl an tri.] Th e vermil ion s l ips may on l y b e
acquired from parl iamen t, an d are purported to
stomach. An unfortunate turn of events, as
h ave mag ical properties . On e mig h t g ras p th e Stein was purported to be an entomologist of
reas on b eh in d th is b y l earn in g th e oth er n ame some repute. Hopefully, in trying to extract
for Vermil l ion is Cin n ab ar/ Cin n ab ry l . I n the insects of his conscience, dissection was
an cien t times , b oth th es e h ues were derived not on the evening’s agenda. Yet here before
from th e s ame s ources .
2 7 Town h ous es h ere refer to th e urb an Great the door to deliverance, there was nothing
H ous e equival en t, an d n ot modern varieties left to be done. Palzac advanced toward the
h avin g common wal l s an d con domin ium rig h ts . entry. Under his present suspicion, Palzac
W h en referrin g to a Town h ous e, Man s ion , was now faced with performing the most
Pal az z o, etc.; wh atever mos t accuratel y
unpalatable task for any young man. Trying
des crib es th e s tructure b ein g dis cus s ed; if th e
b uil din g in ques tion is b ein g des crib ed as to convince the world he knew nothing.
b el on g in g to s omeon e; for ex ampl e, Lord
B eaumary s -Moork roft’s Town h ous e; I h ave Ω
ch os en to capital iz e th e term, as it is an
ex ten s ion of th eir g reater es tate or domin ion ;
To be continued…
an d th us , part of th eir titl e/ titl ed “l an ds ”.
H owever wh en on e of th es e terms ex is ts b y
its el f, it s h oul d b e written in l owercas e.
189
Front Quetzalcoatl
cover: An original commission for this issue undertaken by I. Calvin
and used by permission
Page 3: [Image: Red Sun] Source
Modified from sunset-472981_640 by AdinaVoicu [CC0 Public
Domain] via Pixabay
Page 7: [Image: Progression]
“Hollow World” box cover is copyright of Wizards of the
Coast; It is used here for purposes of review, illustrating an
Source
article discussing the product and qualifies as “fair usage”,
not infringing any copyright.
Page 7/8: [Image: Lands of Mystery]
“Lands of Mystery” book cover is copyright of Hero Games; It
is used here for purposes of review, illustrating an article Source
discussing the product and qualifies as “fair usage”, not
infringing any copyright.
Page 7/9: [Image: Worlds of Ultima]
"Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire" book cover is
copyright of Electronic Arts; It is used here for purposes of Source
review, illustrating an article discussing the product and
qualifies as "fair usage", not infringing any copyright.
Page 9: [Image: Savage Empires Map]
"The Savage Empire" map is copyright of Electronic Arts; It is
used here for purposes of review, illustrating an article
discussing the product and qualifies as "fair usage", not
infringing any copyright. Photograph courtesy of the author.
190
[Image: Atzian]
Page 15: The stones of Lasgalen by Helesssart [Creative Commons
Source
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported] via
DeviantArt
Page 15: [Image: Icevale Party]
Thrym's Wedding-feast, W.G. Collingwood (1854 - 1932) Source
[Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons
Page 24: [Image: Frost Giant Attack]
The Giant with the Flaming Sword, John Charles Dollman Source
[Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons
Page 28: [Image: Lighthouse]
Sunset Over the Cape May Lighthouse by Michael Laks 30
August 2012 [Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Source
Unported] via WikiMedia
Page 30: [Image: Illaria’s Artifact]
lighthouse-signal-fantasy-sea-561624 by Bonnybbx [CC0 Source
Public Domain] via pixabay
Page 31: [Image: Province of Annurios, 1000 AC]
Based on Geoff gander’s map (2009); cartography by
Thorfinn Tait, Narch 2009 www.thrf.co.uk
Page 35: [Image: A Burrower]
Painting of the Allghoi Khorkhoi via Wikimedia commons Source
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