Tales of the Lance
Contents
Welcome to the World of Krynn
Creating the Flavor of Krynn
The Iconochronos of Astinus
Lost Notes of Sir Tracy
The River of Time
History of Krynn
Astinus, Scholar and Mystery
The Creation of Krynn
All Dragons War
All Saints War
Starbirth of Mortals
Arrival of the Last Gods
Age of Dreams
Age of Light
Graystone of Gargath
The Second Dragon War
Ergoth Ascendant
Kinslayer War
Swordsheath Scroll
The Rose Rebellion
Birth of Nations
The Third Dragon War
A Golden Age
Peace in the Land
Knight of the Black Rose
The Fall of Istar
War of the Lance
Geography of Ansalon
The World That Was
The Cataclysm
The World That Is
The World That Might Be
People of Ansalon (PC Races)
Barbarians
Dwarves
Gully Dwarves
Elves
Gnomes
Kender
Minotaurs
Ogre
Irda
Character Classes of Ansalon
Overview of Character Classes
Class Descriptions
Warrior Group Classes
Wizard Group Classes
Priest Group Classes
Rogue Group Classes
Normal Group Classes
Optional Rule: Status
Cast of Characters
Friends
Neutrals
Foes
Gods of Krynn
Gods in Creation
Descriptions of the True Gods
Gods of Good
Gods of Evil
Gods of Neutrality
Beasts and Monsters of Ansalon
Children of Krynn
Draconians
Dragons
Goblins
Lost Folk of Ansalon
Monsters of Ansalon
Special Artifacts of Ansalon
Scroll
Rings
Rods, Staves, and Wands
Miscellaneous Magic Items
Magic Armor and Shields
Magic Weapons
Random Treasure Determination
Individual and Small Lair Treasures
Using the Adventure Map and Talis Cards
How to Read the Map
Getting Started
Descriptions of Terrain and Locations
Creating Chases
Adventure Generation with Talis Cards
Talis Deck: Random Role-Playing Notes
Talis Deck: Random Event Notes
Ansalonian Calendar
Allowable Clerical Spells
Exchange Rates Upon Krynn
***
Ten years have passed since the creations of the DRAGONLANCE(R)
fantasy setting. What began as a series of game adventures has grown
into over three dozen novels and anthologies, six calendars, a comic
book series, a number of best-selling computer games, award-winning
miniatures sets, and numerous game materials. Yet, in ten years, we
never offered a clear starting point for DRAGONLANCE campaigns -- an
introduction to the world of Krynn. Now, we do.
This boxed set guides you through the lands and legends of
Ansalon, the continent where the DRAGONLANCE saga takes place. The
World Book you now hold outlines Ansalon's flora, fauna, nations,
people, heroes, histories, myths, and more -- all the critical
features for starting a DRAGONLANCE campaign. As well as providing a
starting point for DMs who are new to Krynn, this boxed set sums up
the voluminous work of a decade of adventure for long-time fans of
Ansalon. The ten-year lifespan of the DRAGONLANCE world places it
among the most venerable of game settings. The past decade also leaves
the DRAGONLANCE game world in need of revision and summation. This
boxed set fully expands the DRAGONLANCE saga for AD&D(R) 2nd Edition
rules. It also clarifies contradictions, corrects errors, and fills in
information omitted from earlier products. For old and new adventurers
alike, the Tales of the Lance boxed set is the source of information
for the continent of Ansalon.
Creatng the flavour of Krynn
Adventuring in Ansalon differs from adventuring in any other
fantasy setting. The DRAGONLANCE saga is high fantasy -- a struggle of
Good versus Evil and the triumph of heroism in the face of
overwhelming odds. Hope, honor, loyalty to one's friends and gods,
courage, self-sacrifice, and perseverance are the meat and drink of
adventures on Ansalon. This World Book provides the one-of-a-kind
color and flavor of Krynn. From its mundane features, such as exchange
rates and month names, to the esoteric psychology of dragons, Krynn is
unique.
Caeatures of Krynn
On Krynn, you will meet many unique races -- kender, draconians,
minotaurs, gully dwarfs, and high ogres, to name a few. On the other
hand, some stock fantasy creatures do not appear -- lycanthropes,
orcs, half-orcs, and half lings. All of the races and beast of Krynn,
however, are marked by individuality and diversity. Every creature --
even goblins and hobgoblins -- are fully detailed and
three-dimensional. A sense of wonder and amazement surrounds every
creature of Krynn.
Dragons of Krynn provide a perfect example. They embody the raw
fury of the elements -- wind, storm, fire, cold, and noxious vapors.
The origins of the Good metallic dragons and the Evil chromatic
dragons lie in the foundations of the world itself. The high
intelligence of all dragons of Krynn makes them calculating,
unpredictable, and deadly. Worse yet, Krynn lacks most of the magical
devices and weapons that control or slay dragons, devices all too
common on other worlds. Those few magic items that do exist on Krynn
prove dangerous to employ because of their natural alignment to
dragons.
Fallen Nations
Since the Cataclysm, which disrupted society and remade the
world of Krynn, scholarly knowledge in Ansalon has grown hopelessly
confused. Every journey is, therefore, one of discovery. Once-mighty
civilizations lie shattered and suspicious of their neighbors. Fearful
folk distrust or revile their brightest and best, the mages and the
Knights of Solamnia. Many cities still labor under the draconian yoke.
Clearly, the time for heroes is at hand.
Gods of Krynn
Krynn is ruled by a vast pantheon of gods, each with his or her
own history and motivations. Even so, the peoples of Krynn have
abandoned the true gods, believing that the gods forsook them to the
Cataclysm. Only a handful of priests can still perform the miracles of
faith. But slowly the world rediscovers the truth and returns to the
gods.
For their part, the gods continue their eternal struggle across
the face of Krynn. They occasionally appear upon the world in avatar
form, but more often shape history through worshippers, omens, and
go-betweens.
Stories and Sagas
The tales of Krynn center around glory, honor, and love of
family, friends, and heart-mates. Treasure and personal gain are
devalued next to justice, truth, knowledge, and freedom. The tales are
epic in scope -- continuing sagas with profound conflicts and
recurring villains. Through personal heroism, adventurers face
overwhelming odds and victor at the last. Fate diverts the lives of
common men and women onto the path of heroism, making their small and
private struggles pivotal in the grand future of the land. In all
cases, the heroic spirit provides the brightest spark of hope in the
darkness. Those who can laugh in the teeth of dragons or, singlehanded
and weaponless, charge a passel of draconian guards, can coax that
spark of hope into a flame. And always behind the grim struggle of
today lies the bright hope of tomorrow.
A sense of wonder and awe pervades the world of Krynn and the
cosmic struggle in which it is embroiled. Despite, or perhaps because
of, the unending wars, the tapestry of Krynn is richly textured and
brightly hued.
Lastly, the world of Krynn abounds with diversity. Each monster,
each hero, each villain is unique and individual. By combining the
threads of countless lives, the grand tapestry of the saga emerges.
Create your own tales and help weave the grand history of Krynn!
The next stories to be sung are about you and your companions.
The Shadow Years press like a weight upon the land and the devastating
War of the Lance has troubled every corner. Now, more than ever, Krynn
needs heroes such as you to right the wrongs of this terrible age, and
usher in the new time of hope.
Other Books for Exploring Krynn
Monstrous Compendium, Volume 4 -- DRAGONLANCE(R) Appendix (2105)
The Atlas of the DRACONLANCE(R) World (8448)
***
Astinus of Palanthus, the renowned historian, made great efforts
to chronicle the history of Krynn in his scroll set, the Iconochronos.
These scrolls now fill the shelves of the Library of the Ages and the
Master Lorekeeper continually adds to their number. One long scroll
depicts the history of Ansalon as an unravelling river of time in
which famous events form clear currents. Much of this scroll is
illustrated with pictures of these key events. The scroll was
undoubtedly written by Astinus, but the origin of the art is a
mystery. This scroll appears in its entirety in the following pages.
In this scroll, Ansalonian history has been divided into several
ages, which mark significant periods of cultural change. The ages that
passed before the elven scholars began to write are vast and
uncertain; they may span two to one-hundred millenia. None knows for
sure.
The telling begins with the creation of the world, the Age of
Starbirth. These accounts came from the Plates of Pakafhas -- writings
of an early historian and religious leader from the Age of Dreams.
While much of that text is considered apocryphal by scholars, Pakafhas
nevertheless seems to be the most reliable source of early written
history.
Following this age is a span of uncertain years, called the Age
of Dreams. This age was chronicled only in folk songs and ballads
during the Age of Light that followed. These songs were compiled in
the Lifescroll of Song by the elven bard, Quevalin Soth from
Silvanesti. A copy of that scroll was later presented to the Library
of the Ages at Palanthus, and was found therein by Astinus.
The Age of Light marks the ascendance of the races of elves and
men, as the oppressive ogre empires fell into corruption. The elven
nation of Silvanesti shone then as a beacon of culture and art
throughout the known world. This age marks the "awakening" of magic
through the arrival of the Graystone of Gargath, and the rise of
Ergoth, the first empire of humans. Next, recent discoveries have led
historians to rename the second thousand years of Light the Age of
Right. During this millennium, honest peasant folk rebelled against
the injustice of Ergoth. Thus, Solamnia came into existence, and so
too the Knights of Solamnia. Records of this period have only recently
been unearthed: a cache of silver disks was found sealed away in the
ancient tomb of the legendary knight, Huma. These plates record the
growth and trials of the Knights of Solamnia. They also tell of a
titanic battle against the forces of the Dark Queen, a battle that
ended the fourth age.
The Age of Might followed the exile of dragons from the world.
This age was well chronicled historically, beginning with the
rulership of Karthay Pah in Istar. It was he who first ordered the
keeping of a chronicle. Scribes etched his deeds on plates of gold and
silver, storing them on rings in his treasury. Two centuries after
Karthay Pah's reign, a scribe journeyed from Palanthus to Istar and
spent three decades transcribing Pah's records onto scrolls.
One-by-one, the scrolls were shipped back to the Library. Though many
were lost, some did survive, and it is from these and from Astinus's
personal recollections that we learn of the blasphemy of the
Kingpriest.
Finally, the Cataclysm, as recorded here, is a compilation of
many legends and folktales. These stories come primarily from Tale of
the Nightfall Years, a record of personal recollections and letters of
the heroes and many of the Knights of Solamnia. Tale was penned by
Astinus himself.
History, as recorded by Astinus, is divided into two parts: AC
(Alt Cataclius, or "after the Cataclysm") denotes the history from the
Cataclysm to the present; PC (Prae Cataclius, or "before the
Cataclysm") denotes dates that have been renumbered backward from the
Zero Hour of the Cataclysm. Dating in PC is only approximate.
Lost Notes of Sir Tracy
The Cataclysm itself threw the history of Krynn into shambles.
So many records were destroyed by fire and water that history before
the Cataclysm was at best a series of errorriddled conjectures.
One night, however, while searching through musty bins of
archives, two boxes were unearthed, holding ancient scribblings by the
noble scholar Sir Tracy, best known for his untiring efforts to
translate Astinus's histories. There, among crumpled and yellowing
pages, historians found a two-page sketch labeled the Iconochronos.
This timeline showed the major events of Ansalonian history over
several thousand years. It also showed the source of the discrepancies
to date.
Two major differences appeared: a Third Dragon War, which Huma
Dragonbane concluded a millennium later than once thought; and the
dating of the Rose Rebellion of Vinas Solamnus in 1775 PC rather than
1225 PC.
First, historians assessed the question of the new Dragon War.
Clearly the reason that two and not three Dragon Wars had been
recorded prior to the Cataclysm is that humans were not involved until
the Second and Third (previously named the First and Second) Dragon
Wars. The First Dragon War involved only the elves, who battled to pry
the dragons from Silvanesti. Once this first Dragon War is counted,
Huma would have fought not in the Second but the Third Dragon War,
which took place in 1060 PC. Thus, until now, Huma's legend had been
misplaced by 1,000 years.
Secondly, a 550-year discrepancy existed between the actual and
the supposed dates of the Rose Rebellion. The reason for this
discrepancy was elusive. Then, while reading about the kender,
historians noted that kender history progressed from 250 PC to 400 PC
to 800 PC -- that is, it went backward! Then historians realized that
this was not a PC dating system, but a dating system of years during
the Age of Light: 250, 400, and 800 Age of Light equal 2750 PC, 2600
PC, and 2200 PC, respectively. The same confusion of dating systems
had occurred in regard to the Rose Rebellion. Vinas Solamnus led his
rebellion not in 1225 PC, but in 1225 Age of Light, which translates
into 1775 PC! At last, the mystery of the missing years was solved!
The High God Awakens.
Out of the chaos, there was thought and being; there was the
High God. With celestial hands, the High God drew the plans for a new
realm, a new beginning. These plans were written in a book called the
Tobril, a book that makes gods of mortal folk. The Gods are Called.
Into the Beyond, the High God called. There came an answer from two
beings: one of light, and one of darkness. They were lesser gods,
seeking greatness in the chaos. The king and queen of wyrms, they
were. They abandoned their twining struggles against each other and
worked together to create a new place for them, a place for greatness.
Gilean is Drawn Forth. Out of chaos and out of time, the High God
summoned a third god. He was Gilean, greatest of sages. Gilean alone,
in all of time, was worthy to bear the High God's plans for the
universe. He received the plans, the Tobril. Then, the High God
departed, for the planning was done and the creation was about to
begin.
Reorx and the Companion Gods Come.
Together the three gods summoned helpers. Other, lesser gods
came. The greatest of these was Reorx. "Give of yourself," he said,
"and I will tame the chaos." And from the gods, Reorx forged a mighty
hammer. With the hammer, he smote the chaos and it slowed. Sparks flew
from the hammer and lighted the heavens. And there were stars.
Krynn is Made.
Reorx shaped a mighty globe and separated the lands and seas,
the light and dark, the heavens and the soil. Then, the other gods
gifted the world, each to his or her own. Krynn was blessed with
plants and trees, creatures of the earth, water and air, seasons and
weather, and untold beauty.
Dragons are Made.
Together, Paladine and Takhisis guided the hand of Reorx and
made five rulers of the world. Drawn from the savage elements and
encased in frames of base metals, these rulers became one with the
world. They were the dragons. But the Dark Queen coveted the dragons
and corrupted them. Their metals were tarnished and lost to light.
Good Dragons are Made. Paladine mourned the loss of his dragon
children. He turned to Reorx for comfort and Reorx made five monuments
to the lost dragons. He forged these monuments from precious metals.
But, Paladine longed to behold his children whole, alive again. And
so, he breathed life into the statues.
All-Dragons War.
The gods, the dragons, the beasts of the world, and the light
and the dark themselves made war over Takhisis's treacheries. Chaos
swirled at the corners of the world, threatening to unmake it. When
the gods saw the harm they caused their world, they withdrew, light
gods to light, dark gods to dark, and gray gods to gray. There they
agreed to stay. They lived and loved for countless eons; thus were
born the lesser gods, their children.
The Stars are Claimed. In the silence that followed, there
came the sound of chimes, of heavenly singing. The gods
pondered it, and saw that the stars lived. They shone like the
gods themselves, shone as pieces of the gods. And the gods
coveted these countless spirits.
All-Saints War.
Once again war erupted in the heavens. The firmament shuddered
with the struggles of the gods. The gods of light sought to nurture
and lead these star spirits. The gods of darkness sought to bind and
control them. The gods of gray sought only to set the fledgling
spirits free.
The Balance Restored.
Hearing the battle, the High God returned from the Void. And the
High God knew wrath. From the fire of wrath, the High God forged the
Balance: each family of gods could gift the spirits with one gift.
Afterward, the gods must let the spirits be. The gods of light gave
the spirits physical bodies so they might become masters of the world.
The gods of darkness cursed them with weakness, want, and mortality,
that the fearful spirits might be brought to serve Evil. And the gods
of shadow gave unto the spirits free will, the ability to shape their
own fates.
Birthing Age.
And so, the peoples of the land were formed. The people of the
land were three. Stony ogres there were, cold and beauitiful, strong
but hollow. Wooden elves rose like living trees, tall and regal,
graceful, solitary, and proud. And, least of all, were creatures of
clay -- humans, short and common, simple and bestial. The humans had
the capacity to destroy, and to love. These were the children of the
world.
Age of Dreams: 9000-5000 pc (foundation Age)
The People Choose Places.
Ogres, first to awaken, claimed the mountains. From that lofty
perch they gazed upon the world. Elves withdrew to the forests and
there they lived in quiet harmony, pondering the world. But to humans
fell the plains, and there, exposed to savage winds and rains, they
grew savage themselves.
8500-5000 PC Birth of Civilization.
Ogres set themselves to ordering the land. They seized and
enslaved the humans to be their hands in toil. By human sweat and
blood, the ogres built a mighty nation of cold stone. The elves
watched as order grew.
8700 Favored of Reorx.
Reorx gathered to himself humans who worshipped the hammer, who
were filled with creation. With these humans, Reorx retired to a
northern land. The clay folk would assist Reorx in his heavy labors.
Over the centuries, these humans became the short Smith folk.
6320-5980 PC Heresy of Igraine.
The ogre Igraine failed to slay the slave Eadamm when he saved
Igraine's daughter. Men learned of Eadamm's independence and threw off
oppression. As the humans rebelled, Igraine fled for his life from the
wrath of all ogres.
6000-5000 PC Decline of Ogres.
As ogres embraced cruelty and vengeance, humans asserted their
independence. The humans rose up to slay their masters. Civilization
fell and barbarism reigned.
5000-3000 PC Elves Ascendant.
Elves discovered the value of cooperation, and together they
sought to create their own civilization in the southern enchanted
woods. Yet this was homeland to the dragons. Over time, they mustered
for war.
4000 PC Rise of House Silvanos.
The first Sinthal-Elish, the elven council of high ones, was
convened by Silvanos. The many elf families unified for the first
time, swearing an oath of allegiance to Silvanos. Balif, son of the
second largest family, was made Silvanos's lieutenant. The elves
prepared for war.
3500-3350 PC The First Dragon War.
Elves allied to drive dragons from their chosen lands, but the
opposition was fierce. The three gods of magic gifted the elves with
five magical stones, which captured the dragons' spirits. The elves
buried these stones deep in the tallest mountains of the land. The
gods of magic were exiled for their interference. Craystone Forged.
The banished gods of magic had Hiddukel trick Reorx into creating a
Graystone. They said this stone would remind them of faraway Krynn,
from whose lands they were forbidden. Reorx did so, setting the stone
on the moon of Lunitari. There, in secret, the gods of magic filled
the stone with their essence.
3350 PC Building of Silvanesti.
The second Sinthal-Elish was held, once again pledging
allegiance to Silvanos. The Kingdom of Silvanesti was decreed and all
the elven families were granted lands. The elves copied the ancient
and long-lost civilization of the now-barbaric ogres.
The Craystone Released.
The plans of the gods of magic entered a second phase. They
asked Hiddukel to trick one of Reorx's Smiths into stealing the
powerful Graystone from the surface of Lunitari. The Smith fumbled,
dropping the stone from the sky onto Krynn. With it, magic reentered
the world.
3100 PC Arrival of the Craystone and Magic.
Reorx punished and deformed his Smith folk for their pride and
commanded them to recapture the Graystone. They fled their homeland
and followed the Graystone. Wild magic was released into the world
into the hands of some reborn Smiths. They became the dwarven mages
called Scions.
3100-2900 PC Kal-Thax is Built.
Fleeing the Graystone's chaos, the other Smiths hid in caves in
the bluffs of Ansalon. There they built the first dwarven kingdom:
Kal-Thax.
3051 PC Graystone of Cargath.
A ruler named Gargath captured the Graystone and bound it
between two god-gems. The Smiths demanded its return. Gargath
recruited men and stubborn ogres to defend his prize. Elves,
fascinated by wild magic; joined the smiths to reclaim the stone. When
at last the stone was freed, it escaped, but not before touching those
present and changing their forms to reflect their natures. Thus,
goblins and minotaurs, kender and gnomes came into being. Onward the
Graystone wandered, changing the world as it went.
2800 PC Thoradin is Delved.
Seeking to escape the Graystone's ravages, the smiths -- now
dwarves -- became masters of mining, and began to delve the new
kingdom of Thoradin in the Khalkist Mountains. They abandoned Kal-Thax
for all time.
2750 PC Balif Dies.
A kender hero named Balif, a close.friend of the elf-lord
Silvanos, died. Balif built the first kingdom of kender in Balifor.
2710 PC Dragon Stones Discovered.
The dwarves found the five magical dragon stones that the elves
had buried deep in the Khalkist Mountains after the First Dragon War.
Hating magic due to the Graystone, the dwarves returned the stones to
the surface.
2692-2645 PC The Second Dragon War.
The dragons awoke and. struck south at Silvanesti. Accompanied
by great armies of lizard people, the dragons ravaged the land. Three
wildtalent mages, with the guidance of a lone Scion, summoned potent
magics and commanded the ground to swallow the dragons for all time.
The dragons were defeated, but magic ran wild and thousands died. The
three mages, fearful for their lives, called upon their gods. The
tower in which they stood was taken from Krynn to the Beyond. It
became the Lost Citadel.
2645-2550 PC Magic Defends Itself.
The three lost mages created the laws of magic. They guided
their brethren to build five bastions of magic in remote regions to
shelter all mages. Thus, the Towers of High Sorcery were built.
2640 PC Thoradin Closed.
Ashamed for causing the Second Dragon War, the dwarves withdrew
from the rest of the world. Thoradin's gates were closed.
2600 PC The Rise of Ergoth.
Ackal Ergot united Khalkist barbarians after the war to build
their own kingdoms. They pil laged the abandoned ogre homes and, with
their booty, founded Ergoth.
2600 PC Hylo Founded.
The second kender nation was founded when an entire kender clan
was trapped in the first floating citadel. It crashed against the
Sentinel Mountains in northwest Ansalon.
2500-2200 PC Ergoth Dominant.
The nation of Ergoth stretched from the southern Kharolis
Mountains to the northern shore. These brutal barbarians tried to
learn the ways of civilization. Skirmishes broke out with dwarven
neighbors and an uneasy truce resulted. Ergoth expanded to the borders
of Silvanesti and trade began with elves. Some elves intermarried with
humans.
2515 PC Death of Silvanos.
The venerable elf Silvanos died and was buried in a crystal
tomb. His son Sithel assumed command and ordered the construction of a
tower, the Palace of Quinari, in memory of his father. All of
Silvanesti counted their leader's death as the end of an age.
2150-2000 PC Thorbardin Delved.
Hill dwarves migrated to the southern Kharolis Mountains and,
after a time, began delving a new home. Thoradin was in decline,
becoming isolated from the outside world.
2308 PC Sithas and Kith-Kanan born.
Twin sons were born to Sithel. Sithas was the older by minutes,
followed by KithKanan.
2192 PC Sithel is Slain.
Sithel journeyed to the outpost of his son Kith-Kanan to assess
the half-elf problem. Sithel was accidentally slain by humans hunting
on the western border of Silvanesti. The Kinslayer War began.
2192-2140 PC Kinslayer War.
Elves tried to drive humans from their border, while humans
resisted fiercely. Half-elves were forced to take sides, brother
fighting brother. Kith-Kanan led the elven war effort, and was pushed
into killing his kin. Finally, Kith-Kanan negotiated a truce with
Ergoth.
2140-2100 PC Sundering of Silvanesti.
Western elves, ashamed by the bloodshed they had caused with
their brother elves, sued for social change and self-determination.
The western Silvanesti declared their independence.
2128-2073 PC War of the Mountain.
Border disputes between Thorbardin and Ergoth resulted in
skirmishes.
2073 PC Swordsheath Scroll.
Kith-Kanan engineered the signing of the Swordsheath Scroll, a
peace treaty between the elves, dwarves, and Ergoth. Elves were
granted a large enchanted forested area as a buffer between dwarves
and humans. The land was renamed Qualinesti, and was populated by the
discontented western elves. Kith-Kanan was their leader. Ergoth agreed
to stop mining the Kharolis Mountains and the dwarves relaxed trade
restrictions.
2072 PC Hammer of Kharas is forged.
Thorbardin dwarves forged the Hammer of Kharas, a mortal
artifact made in the image of the immortal Hammer of Reorx. They
presented this greatest dwarven gift to Ergoth as an offering of
peace. The Hammer reinforced the peace.
2050-2030 PC The Creat March.
Western elves of Silvanesti migrated to the new homeland of
Qualinesti.
2009 PC Thoradin is Lost.
None could find the gates of the great city of Thoradin. It was
lost to time. Age of Right 2000-1000 PC (knights of Solamnia).
2000-1900 PC Peace and Pax Tharkas.
Ergoth and all nations prospered. Kith-Kanan strengthened the
peace by convincing men, dwarves, and elves to join together to erect
the fortress of Pax Tharkas. This fortress became a monument to the
peace. The benign and just reign of the Quevalin line began in Ergoth.
1900-1750 PC Rebellions in the East.
The end of the Quevalin line in Ergoth brought brutal kings who
sought to exploit the kingdom. After much abuse and taxation, the
eastern counties revolted. Small but brutal battles crushed all
resistance.
1812 PC Vinas Solamnus Commands Imperial Guard.
Skilled commander, Vinas Solamnus, assumed the most important
military post in the nation of Ergoth.
1801 PC Creat Uprising in Vingaard.
Solamnus marched east with a huge army to crush a rebellion in
the lands of Vingaard.
1800 PC Year of Waiting.
Solamnus reviewed the rebels' cause, trying to avoid another
massacre. He discovered that the corrupt Ergothian empire had driven
the desperate people to rebel. Solamnus and most of his army joined
the rebel forces.
1799-1791 PC Rose Rebellion and Fall of Ergoth.
Nations of eastern Ergoth rallied to Solamnus as their savior.
Patiently, Solamnus trained an army while turning back Imperial
forces. In 1791 PC, Solamnus marched south to Daltigoth,
outmaneuvering Ergothian forces and laying siege to the capital. The
emperor finally sued for peace, granting the northern states
independence. Solamnus honored the Swordsheath Scroll with the dwarves
and elves.
1775 PC Knights of Solamnia formed.
After his Quest for Honor, ruler Vinas Solamnus founded an order
of knights who would fight for the cause of Good. The order was
inspired by Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, and Habbakuk -- three gods of Good.
The Crown, Sword, and Rose Knights of Solamnia became the guardians of
the world.
1750-1300 PC Birth of Nations.
Sancrist, Solamnia, and Istar arose from independent
city-states. Solamnia prospered and Ergoth declined. The Silvanesti
retired from the world.
1480 PC Istar Crows as Trade Center.
Istar grew from a confederation of city-states in the east.
Unaffected by the recent wars, Istar became a nexus for world trade.
Solamnia became the major military power, and the world looked to it
to safeguard the peace.
1399-1010 PC The Dark Queen Plots.
With her dragon children buried, the Dragon Queen began a new
plot. Calling on the aid of the lizard people, she seeded the mines of
Thoradin with dragon eggs, which folk believed to be rare gems.
Collectors bought the eggs, which hatched in their possession. The
owners were devoured by the wyrmlings. Over 350 years, these eggs
seeded wyrmlings across the globe. By the time they were discovered,
hundreds of mature dragons had returned to Krynn.
1060-1018 PC The Third Dragon War.
The dragonarmies unleashed their fury, first attacking and
conquering small borderlands, but finally turning toward Solamnia. The
Good folk of Ansalon endured the attacks from the skies, barely
clinging to life. Ansalon hung in the balance.
1020-1018 PC Huma Dragonbane.
The young Solamnic knight Huma Dragonbane met and fell in love
with Gwynneth, a mysterious elf woman who was really the silver
dragon, Heart. With the guidance of Paladine, they forged the first
true dragonlance and rode into battle. Their victories rallied the
other Good dragons; they produced more lances. At last, Takhisis
herself fell before the enchanted weapon, and she agreed to retire
from Krynn, taking all other dragons with her. Huma and Gwynneth died
as Takhisis departed.
The Bakali -- the lizard people -- were not seen again.
Age of Might: 1000-0 PC (Age of the False God)
1000 PC Hylo Allies With Solamnia.
Thorbardin reopened Thoradin by driving occupying ogres out of
the delvings. With the nearness of Istar, Thoradin became a major
supplier of metals, coins, and tools.
1100-800 PC Istar Dominant.
Istarian trade standards spread throughout the world. Istar
became the moral center of the world.
980 PC Thorbardin Opens Kayolin.
In gratitude for their help during the Third Dragon War,
Solamnia granted the dwarves of Thorbardin mining rights in the Garnet
Mountains. The dwarves delved the city of Garnet and set up a kingdom
there. They called their provincial kingdom Kayolin.
967 and 948 PC Thorbardin Constructs Tree of Life.
Thorbardin began construction of Zakhalax, the Tree of Life, and
Hillow, an outlying hill dwarf kingdom. Silvanesti and Qualinesti
became more isolationist after the war.
910-870 PC Ogres Return to Thoradin.
Exiled ogres united to flush the foreign dwarves from the halls
of Thoradin. The Thoradin dwarves called on their Solamnic allies to
drive the ogres away.
850-727 PC Trade Wars.
Istar aggressively imposed and enforced trade standards on
neighboring nations, including the kender of Balifor. The riled kender
began a trade war. After years of attempted military actions and
lawsuits against the kender, Istar admitted defeat and signed an
agreement known as the "Kender Tax," exempting them from taxes and
trade standards.
673-630 PC Istar and Silvanesti Clash.
Istar expansion threatened Silvanesti naval merchants. Several
sea skirmishes resulted in blockading of Istarian ports. With the aid
of Solamnia as peacemakers, the elves persuaded Istar to add its
signature to the Swordsheath Scroll. This signing was called Elfmeld.
530-522 PC Ogre Wars/Dwarfmeld.
Ogres from the Khalkists threatened trade routes among Istar,
Thoradin, and Solamnia. The dwarves of Thoradin united with Istar and
the Knights to drive back the invaders. The dwarves added their
signature to the Swordsheath Scroll with Istar.
490-476 PC Barbarian Raiders/Great Meld.
Solamnia became more dependent on Istarian trade, currency, and
ideals. Repeatedly, they joined the eastern nation in alliance.
Barbarian tribes in the Estwilde, resenting the Istarian trade routes,
raid ed caravans. Istar branded the barbarian tribes as "pagans,
brigands, and villains." Solamnia joined Istar in warring against the
barbarians. Solamnia re-signed the Swordsheath Scroll with Istar.
460 PC Peace in the Land.
Istar reigned as the center of commerce, tax, and art.
280 PC Istar Declares World Righteousness.
Claiming to be the moral center of the world, Istar set up its
first Kingpriest. Solamnia approved the effort to promote Goodness
throughout the lands. Silvanesti grew increasingly antagonistic toward
the arrogance of Istar, Few others noted the signs of doom.
260-212 PC Temple of the Kingpriest Built.
The finest artisans in Krynn went to Istar to build the
Kingpriest a temple that would proclaim the glory of Istar.
250-100 PC Corruption of Justice -- Elves Shun.
Istar began to repress independence and anyone who did not agree
with the policies and divinity of the Kingpriest. The elves, reaching
a breaking point in their disgust with the arrogance of humans,
withdrew into their forests and barred commerce with the outside
world.
118 PC Proclamation of Manifest Virtue.
The Kingpriest declared that Evil in the world was an affront to
both gods and mortals. A rigid list of evil acts was created and those
guilty of offenses faced execution or duty in the gladiatorial arena.
Priests of Istar began to lose access to high-level spells. These
priests became the Kingpriest's enforcement squad.
80-20 PC Dominance of Istar Clergy.
Istar claimed itself the center of religion, and all aspects of
Istarian life required the approval of the priesthood. While the
status of Istarian clergy rose, wizards were hunted as ungodly and
uncontrolled. The priesthood lost all of its miraculous abilities.
19 PC Siege on Sorcery.
Urged on by the Kingpriest, the people of Krynn laid siege to
the Towers of High Sorcery in the Lost Battles. Two of the towers
nearly fell into the hands of the uninitiated. Unwilling that novices
should unleash the fury of magic, mages destroyed the two towers.
Fearful of rampant, unordered magic wielders that might arise if all
five towers were destroyed, the Kingpriest granted the mages sate
passage to exile if they left the remaining towers intact. The
Kingpriest took the Tower of Istar for his abode.
6 PC Edict of Thought Control.
The Kingpriest asserted that evil thoughts equated to evil
deeds. The priesthood used renegade mages to cast ESP spells at random
on all Istarian subjects. A reign of terror and degeneration ensued.
0 Cataclysm.
The Kingpriest tried to elevate himself to godhood and command
the other gods. He used their gifts to the world to control them. The
gods were wrathful. True priests disappeared from the world. The gods
sent thirteen signs to warn the people of the coming Cataclysm. The
Solamnic Knight Lord Soth, although given the chance to save Krynn
from the Cataclysm, refused. On the thirteenth day of Yule, the third
of the new year, the sky burned and a fiery mountain fell from the
heavens. It dragged Istar to the depths of the ocean.
Age of Darkness: i-??? AC (Age of dragons)
1-300 AC Shadow Years.
The world was reshaped. New mountains arose; elder mountains
fell; seas rushed in. Famine and plague spread across the world. Krynn
became a place of distrust and hatred. Every fallen race blamed others
for the world's pain. All Good priests, knights, and mages went into
hiding.
3-140 AC The Dark Queen Finds Istar.
The Temple of Istar was not destroyed, but gated to the Infernal
Realms where Takhisis found it. For years she pondered the
possibilities, sending agents abroad through Krynn to gauge the
opportunities in the world.
39 AC Dwarfgate Wars.
The men and hill dwarves of Xak Tsaroth fled southward, seeking
refuge in Thorbardin. The mountain dwarves barred their gates and
turned back the refugees with sword and spear. Then the evil mage
Fistandantilus built the magical fortress of Zhaman in the shadow of
the mountains. From there, he waged war on Thorbardin. When at last
his defeat was certain, he obliterated his tower with spell power,
forming Skullcap.
141 AC The Stone is Planted.
Using the Foundation Stone from the ruined Temple of Istar,
Takhisis opened a gateway back to Krynn. She carried the Stone from
the Blood Sea and planted it in the remote vale of Neraka. There, it
grew into a dark version of the Temple of Istar.
142-152 AC Dragons Awakened.
For ten years, the Dark Queen wandered the lands in disguise.
She delved into the remote netherlands and depths of Krynn to find and
awaken the Evil dragons and prepare them for her dark work. Then she
returned to Neraka and, from there, to her home in the Infernal Realms
in the Abyss.
157 AC Berem Finds the Stone.
The young hunter Berem and his sister Jasla discovered the
Foundation Stone. Be rem coveted the gems in the stone and pried one
lose. Jasla counselled him against it. They struggled and Jasla struck
her head on the foundation stone. She died. Fearing discovery, Berem
fled with the gem hidden in a pocket of his tunic. The gem bonded with
the man's flesh, becoming imbedded in his chest. Jasla's spirit was
drawn into the Foundation Stone, occupying the void left when Berem
stole the stone.
210 AC Takhisis Finds the Gate Barred.
Because the Foundation Stone stood incomplete, Takhisis could no
longer use it as a gate. Her sleepless senses searched through the
land to discover the reason for the stone's disfunction. She soon
tracked down Serem and learned of his capricious acts.
287 AC Dragon Eggs Stolen.
Evil dragons raided the homes of Good dragons and stole their
eggs. They hid the eggs beneath the flaming mountains called the Lords
of Doom.
296 AC The Oath.
Takhisis awakened the Good dragons and presented them with an
ultimatum. They would remain out of the coming war that Takhisis had
planned, or have their precious eggs crushed. Knowing they could not
hatch such a store of eggs for another century, the Good dragons swore
noninvolvement in the coming war. Takhisis promised the return of
their eggs once the war had concluded.
300-320 AC Agents of Evil.
Takhisis sent secret minions and worshippers to search for the
gemstone man. She needed him to complete the Foundation Stone so that
she could reenter the world. Berem fled from Takhisis, entering Tarsis
and Barter and Thorbardin. In the last of these, he was caught by
Daergar and thrown in a dungeon to rot. But the gem sustained Berem
for nearly fifty years in the dark. In those dungeons, not even the
Dark Queen could find him.
332-340 AC Dragons Cather; Dragonlords Made.
At their queen's direction, the Evil dragons formed an unholy
alliance with wicked men and ogres. These barbaric men and brutal
ogres became the dragons' commanders and masters.The Highlords, as
they were called, proved as willing and able to torture their own
forces as well as those they conquered.
337 AC Sanction and Estwilde Corrupted.
The blight of darkness in Neraka verged into the neighboring
nations. Takhisis established the lava-besieged town of Sanction as
her major port city. The Evil humans and humanoids of Estwilde became
reluctant reserves for the Dark Queen's armies.
341 AC Dragonarmies Offer Alliance.
The dragonarmies offered alliance to the lands of Kern, Khur,
Blode, and the Pirate Isles, an offer they swiftly accepted, knowing
refusal meant death.
342 AC Draconians Created.
Takhisis taught a dark mage and an Evil priest the ceremony for
creating draconians. By corrupting the stolen eggs of Good dragons,
the mage and priest raised an army of dragonmen from a single egg. The
first to be created were the baaz and the kapak; the bozak, sivak, and
aurak came later.
343-347 AC Evil Marshals its Forces.
Takhisis and her generals trained their army of human rogues and
cutthroats, goblins, hobgoblins, and ogres. Violence occurred among
the allies of Evil, fights that weeded out the weak. At last Takhisis
judged her troops ready.
348 AC War of the Lance Begins.
In spring, the Dragonarmies poured eastward from the Khalkist
mountains to overrun Nordmaar and Balifor and to threaten lands
beyond. Silvanesti accepted emissaries of the Highlords, who swore
that the elves need not worry for the safety of their lands.
349 AC Silvanesti Betrayed.
Flushed with victories, the dragonarmies turned south on a
"routine patrol" and attacked Silvanesti's northern border. Losses
were heavy on both sides. Elves lured their foe into ambush. Takhisis
committed the rest of her troops to the battle and the forest border
was ravaged. Supplies low, the elves retreated to Silvanost, where
they stood a good chance of outlasting the siege. However, King Lorac
of the Silvanesti had become enchanted by the Dragon Orb of Istar, an
artifact he had rescued from the lost city before the Cataclysm. Lorac
ordered the evacuation of Silvanesti. The elves fled in ships, heading
for Solamnia and Qualinesti. On the last day of the year, the
dragonarmies reached the edge of Silvanost. Then, Lorac commanded the
Orb to destroy the dragons. However, Viper, the Evil spirit residing
in the Orb, seized control of Lorac. The elven king's mind went mad.
The Dragon Orb projected Lorac's nightmares out into the land he
loved. Silvanesti became a spiralling nightmare. The dragonarmy
abandoned its conquest, which had grown worthless and corrupt.
350 AC Evil Rearms Itself.
Licking its wounds, the dragonarmies rebuilt their forces from
the Evil folk they had conquered. Takhisis controlled all of eastern
Ansalon, save Saifhum. The minotaurs of Mithas and Kothas harried the
retreating Silvanesti refugees.
351 AC Evil Turns West.
With the coming of spring, the dragonarmies began skirmishes on
Solamnia's eastern border. The Blue Army struck across the Dargaard
Mountains, aided by goblins. The Knights of Solamnia, in recent
disarray, could not repel the attack. The Blues occupied Kalaman,
Hinterlund, and Nightlund. They pressed the borders of the Plains of
Solamnia and Gaardlund.
Lemish betrayed humankind, opening a door in the south for the
dragonarmies to enter Solamnia. The dwarves of Kayolin, however,
proved an insurmountable bulwark against the advancing dragonarmies.
By autumn, the Knights responded and Solamnia became entrenched. The
Red Army led an amphibious flanking assault along New Sea and across
the Plains of Abanasinia. The barbarians fell to their advance and the
war verged upon Qualinesti.
The Qualinesti elves fled to join their cousins in Southern
Ergoth, but not until first delaying the foe's advance. The
dragonarmies marched against the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, laying
siege to its northern gate.
A wing of the Blue Army then struck south around New Sea to
Tarsis and the Plains of Dust. They marched then toward Kharolis to
cut off all retreat for the dwarves. By year's end, much of Ansalon
had fallen beneath the dragons' shadow.
352 AC Whitestone Council.
Representatives of the surviving nations gathered on Sancrist at
Whitestone Glade and forged an uneasy alliance. The secret of the
dragonlances was rediscovered and these supreme weapons began to be
forged anew.
With the arrival of spring, the Blue Dragonarmy besieged the
High Clerist's Tower in Palanthus. They were repelled by the Knights,
using the new-forged dragonlances for the first time.
A special force made a surprise stab at Sanction and discovered
the blackmail that kept the Good dragons out of the war. With the aid
of the silver dragon D'Argent and the copper dragon Cymbol, the
special force rescued the Good dragon eggs. The Good dragons swiftly
entered the war.
In the summer, the armies of Whitestone began to strike back.
They reclaimed much of fallen Solamnia. The dragonarmies responded by
bringing five flying castles into the battle. But already the dragon
alliances and conquests were slipping away, The siege of Kalaman by
Whitestone forces marked the beginning of the end.
Released from years of imprisonment in the dwarven kingdoms,
Berem, the gemstone man, was sighted again. Takhisis moved agents to
find and capture him. Thus, she might open the gates of the Infernal
Realms and bring her armies of dread to reinforce the flagging
dragonarmies. But Berem constantly evaded her best efforts.
In a desperate ploy, Whitestone forces marched across the
Estwilde and assaulted the vale of Neraka, stronghold of Takhisis's
might. The Heroes of the Lance, by Fate's hand, found Berem and
journeyed to Neraka. As Evil rallied its forces around the crippled
form of the dark Temple, Berem reunited the gem with the Foundation
Stone. Whole, at last, but now inextricably linked with Jasla, the
Temple healed itself. Then, as Jasla's spirit fled the stone, the
Temple crumbled. Takhisis's gateway was destroyed.
Evil turned in on itself. The weak alliances of Evil fought over
the dropped crown of rulership. The War of the Lance faltered to an
end.
353 AC The War of the Lance Ends.
The former armies of the Dark Queen fragmented and fled to
remote regions of Ansalon. The dragons, in their retreat, entered
lands with climates harsh to them. They grew weakened.
353-357 AC Harrying the Foe.
The Whitestone forces continued to scour the land, driving out
the last pockets of darkness. Even after the last pockets of
resistance disappeared, the dragonarmies still occupied large regions
of central, eastern, and southern Ansalon.
356 AC The Master of Past and Present.
Raistlin Majere and his brother Caramon used a time-travel
device to journey into the past. They reached the corrupted Istar,
intent on changing history and challenging the Dark Queen herself.
Raistlin became one with Fistandantilus. He journeyed through the
years and into the Abyss, hoping to defeat the Dragon Queen.
357 AC The Blue Lady's War.
The Blue Lady, one of the most powerful and ruthless Dragon
Highlords, made an unholy pact with the death knight, Lord Soth.
Together, they led a dragonarmy from Neraka and, with a flying citadel
above, attacked northern Solamnia.
They besieged even Palanthus, but the effort was doomed. The
Blue Lady and Soth were defeated.
358 AC Sealing the Gates of Hell.
Raistlin Majere made the ultimate sacrifice to bar the return of
Dark Queen Takhisis. In order to seal the gates of the Abyss, Raistlin
surrendered his own life. His brother, Caramon, and all the Heroes of
the Lance grieved the loss of the great mage.
358-369 AC Changing of the Cuard.
A new generation of Knights worked to reclaim the peace and aid
in rebuilding of the wounded nations. The Heroes of the Lance were
replaced by youthful counterparts.
***
Many years have been spent compiling this paper for the
enlightenment of the world. Numerous scribes spent countless hours
poring over yellowed manuscripts, ancient scrolls, and record disks.
The newly found clay tablets of Khur, with their old-world Istarian
record of time, have also informed this document. While this work is
far from completed -- and perhaps may never be finished -- it is the
best effort of Ansalon's brightest minds in this present age. Only
Astinus of Palanthus politely declined a request for aid in this work.
But Astinus did agree, with a faint smile, to open the annals of the
great Library.
We have worked to be ac-curate and open-minded about each
discovery and enlightenment along the way. Whenever we had cause to
believe that traditional histories had erred on some point or other,
we were cautious about such assumptions. In some extreme cases, we
chose to record these new insights into Ansalonian history. The reader
may accept or reject them at will. We hope not to offend anyone's
sense of past events, but would like to remind readers that history is
not an exact science. Histories result from the interpretation of past
events using one's own experiences and prejudices. Many of the
revelations and revisions present in this document arise from two
previously unknown sources. The Knights Annals, recently found in
Huma's tomb in Southern Ergoth, detail the history of the Knights
through the early years of the Age of Might. Likewise, the clay
tablets of Istar, discovered in sunbaked Khur, shed light on Istarian
history from the Age of Light through 200 PC.
Before beginning the history proper, we wanted to investigate
the origin and past of arguably the most historical figure in Ansalon:
Astinus of Palanthus.
Astinus, Scholar and Mystery
Speculation abounds on just who the mysterious scholar Astinus
of Palanthus is. Certainly since the time of the Cataclysm, he has
been with us. Some tales even tell of times before the Cataclysm when
he lived, forever ensconced in the musty Libraries of Palanthus. And
none foresee his demise in the near future. He seems ever the same,
ageless man. An uninformed rumor claims even that Astinus is eternal,
immortal, or one of the gods (perhaps Zivilyn, who is said to have
branches in every realm, or Gilean the master of knowledge). Rumors
aside, the following account records what we, as scholars, have
deduced.
There was indeed a time when Astinus was not around. No records
are known of his presence during the Age of Dreams, and indeed his own
Iconochronos references the works of scholars more ancient than he:
the historian Pakafhas, the elven bard Quevalin Soth, and the first
king of Istar, Karthay Pah.
Further, we know that Astinus possesses the globe of present
time passing, a mystic artifact given to him by the Master of Past and
Present. With a hand on this globe, one can travel the face of the
world in spirit form, searching out the bravest deeds and recording
the acts of greatness that weave the tapestry of history. Clearly,
this is what Astinus has done.
Our research further speculates that Astinus's mastery of
history and his iron will allow him to use this mystic globe to walk
even the River of Time. Thus, Astinus has viewed past events as if
they were present. The more distant the event, however, the more
uncertain that Astinus's spirit can find its way back to his mortal
shell. To our knowledge, none but Astinus has used this device in such
a fashion, and he has explored only a millennium or two from his
current time. Even so, the use of such a device would explain his
detailed histories from before the Cataclysm as well as the apocryphal
sightings of Astinus a millennium ago.
Three other theories may explain Astinus's longevity. (He,
himself, declines comment). First, there are those who believe he is
god-touched, the right hand of one of the old gods of Krynn (Zivilyn
or Gilean). Such speculators appear unable to believe that a mere
mortal could accomplish what Astinus has. Perhaps they are correct.
Second, some hold that Astinus is not a person, but an office,
filled in serial fashion by one historian after another. Tales tell
that during the Age of Dreams, a race of scholarly dragons called the
Astini existed. Some claim that Astinus shares dragon blood, and is
therefore somehow eternal. Perhaps he shares an office with a dynasty
of dragon-blooded men.
The third theory is ours. We have observed that Astinus appears
ageless. We have never seen him with a beard or facial hair and
suspect he has none. This leads us to believe that he is either elven
or shares elven blood (the latter is more likely, for we detect no
hint of pointed ears). If he shares the blood of that incredibly
long-lived race, his seeming immortality might be explained, along
with his preference for solitude and his unending patience with the
slow progress of time. Whatever the truth, Krynn and our meager
efforts would be impoverished without the works of this renowned
historian.
The Creation of Krynn
Before the beginning was Chaos -- without form, without purpose.
A maddening silence blanketed the swirling mists. Into that Chaos
there entered thought, and with thought, being. And there was the High
God. And the thoughts multiplied. There were many, but the many were
one. The High God moved through the Chaos, and patterns grew where
there were none, forms took shape in the formlessness, purposes imbued
the meaninglessness. The One-Who-WasMany determined to make it so, and
accordingly, the High God formed plans. He and She fashioned words and
thoughts and held them in their mind. When at last the work was done,
the High God turned to find those who would help in creation.
The High God called into the Beyond, speaking words from the
plan of creation. There came an answer. Two beings responded: one of
light, one of darkness. Twined and inseparably linked they were, two
halves of a whole. These gods, who were lesser creatures in the
Beyond, answered the call that they might be greater. They were to be
the Mother and Father of the new creation, the King and Queen of
glory. They were Paladine and Takhisis.
Yet as the High God gazed on them, he saw their eternal clash:
though neither could live without the other, they pulled and tugged as
if to consume each other. The High God pondered: To whom should the
plans for creation be given? Neither of the lesser gods were whole.
The High God needed a balance to fill the void between the two, to
keep them from consuming each other and the creation to be.
The High God searched through the realities: they searched the
Void; he searched Time; she searched Space; they strove to find one
who was balanced, who could let the plan fill his or her being and be
all. And, searching through the depths of time, the High God found one
such creature. Only one in all time and space was so suited. He was a
creature, not a god, but he had godly potential.
Out of Chaos and out of Time the High God summoned the scribe
Gilean. To him the plans for creation were given, the plans called the
Tobril. And the creature became the plan, and the plan was all that he
was. The knowledge of all creation made him a god.
Then seeing the task complete, the High God departed into the
Void, into the realms beyond. The three other gods considered the plan
and knew it was good and complete. But they needed help to build such
a creation. So together they spoke the words and named the names, and
this time many answered. There came Majere, who is hope and dream to
the world; Chislev, who is nature; Sirrion, the transforming flame;
Reorx, the forge; and Mishakal, who is life and compassion. The Dark
Queen cast green eyes on the last, for she coveted the King for
herself.
The new gods surveyed the sphere and the plan that was Gilean
and they saw it was good and complete. But they knew not how to tame
the Chaos. It was decreed that a new time and place would come to be.
Time would begin again and the spirits would be created to live within
the course of time.
Then Reorx, greatest of the companion gods, said, "I will
reshape the Chaos for us, and all will help. Give of yourselves and I
will fashion a tool." So, from the godstuff, Reorx shaped a mighty
hammer. With this hammer, he smote the Chaos. And it slowed. Again and
again he struck the Chaos. With the fires of Sirrion he reshaped it.
And as he worked, sparks flew from the hammer and lighted the sphere.
And there were stars.
Then, Reorx fashioned a home for the gods, one for each and for
those who would come later. These became the constellations, the
planets, and the moons. Then, he fashioned the world, hammering out
the ball that was to be Krynn. He formed it and hung it in the heavens
to cool.
Then, the other gods joined the Creation. Together, Paladine and
Takhisis guided Reorx in the shaping of the lands, separating the
lands and seas, the light and dark, the heavens and earth. Then the
companion gods gifted the world. Chislev brought forth the plants and
forests of the lands and seas. Sirrion granted the flora infinite
diversity and change. Mishakal gave the plants beauty and made them
fertile that they might multiply. And Majere gave them order and
purpose that they might enrich the world.
Paladine said, "We need creatures to enjoy this world that we
have made." So Chislev took the clay of the world, that these beasts
might be one with the land, and fashioned creatures in the forms of
the King and Queen of the gods. There were lizards and serpents and
wyrms of every size and shape. Turtles and leviathans filled the seas.
Great striders, toothy snappers, horned juggernauts, and gigantic
grazers claimed the land. Winged gliders and feathered fliers took the
skies. Then the gods rested.
All Dragons War
The gods pondered which creature should have mastery over their
world. Takhisis said, "Let us make rulers in our own image, that they
might know their makers and obey us." "Yes," said Paladine, "Let us
make them in our own image that they may know compassion and learn to
love us." The two gods united. From their essence and their passions,
Paladine drew forth colored strands of elemental fury. He weaved five
spirits of exceeding power. Reorx crafted five shells, made from the
stone of Krynn, for the five children. He made their forms from the
base metals of the earth: iron and copper, nickel and lead and tin.
And into these shells the five were given form, and Mishakal made them
fertile that they might multiply. But they were rebellious children,
these dragons, all save the copper dragon, who was true and dutiful.
Then the gods sought to teach their dragon children about gods and the
ways of gods. The gods created lizardmen, the bakali, to worship and
obey the five, that they might better understand how to worship and
obey the gods themselves.
The world belonged to the five. It was an age of serpents and
mighty lizards. Still the dragon children did not obey. So the gods
chilled the lands and blighted the world, and many of the creatures
died, that the five might learn loss. But Chislev and Sirrion, who
grieved for their creations, taught their creatures the ways of fur
and of fire. And the races of Krynn survived.
Now the Dark Queen regarded the spirits of her five children.
She saw their strength of spirit and resolve. She witnessed their
unfettered powers and coveted the five to be solely her own. And this
covetousness became a hard place in her heart, a dark festering boil.
When she lanced that boil, there stood a soul-sibling, a dark and
hooded pustule. And the Dark Queen called him Morgion.
"Help me my sibling," she hissed. "Help me to make these five
mine and mine alone." The darkened sibling nodded and smiled, for they
shared their thoughts and minds. The Dark Queen went to the five
dragon children and hissed lies in their ears. "Your father fears your
power. He would see you destroyed!" Morgion hovered in shadow and
whispered, Your father covets your glory. He would see you enslaved!
The five dragons growled and snapped at the lies, feasting on the dark
meat till it poisoned their hearts. "We are betrayed," they shrieked.
"Sut he shall never enslave us; better to be cast out than to be so
loathed by one's own parent." Morgion's dark hand seized their spirits
and corrupted them. They all pledged allegiance to their mother,
forsaking their father, save for the copper dragon, who argued for his
king. Then, the dragon of nickel seduced her copper brother with a
clever tongue. Then, too, did the copper dragon agree to follow his
siblings into the darkness.
Morgion twisted and bent the spirits of the dragons, tarnishing
and corrupting the metals from which they were made. And thus were
born the chromatic dragons. Iron became rust red, hot with anger.
Copper became blue as the cracking storm. Nickel turned green,
venomous like the snake. Lead turned black, stained and marked with
its tongue of acid. And tin turned white, the brittle bite of frost.
The Dark Queen's wicked laughter echoed in the heavens. Hearing the
laughter, Paladine discovered her handiwork. He was sorely aggrieved
at the loss of his children. Cursing his queen's name, he retired for
a time.
Majere, seeing Paladine's pain, devised a plan. He sent Reorx
and Mishakal to comfort the king of gods. "Come, do not grieve," Reorx
thundered, "I shall make a thing like no other to fill your grieving
heart. I shall make for you five monuments to your five lost children,
so you may remember who they are." "Yes, dear one," Mishakal
whispered, "Together we will forge a miracle, that your loss shall be
the universe's gain."
So together were forged five statues of precious metals -- gold
and silver, bronze and brass, and least of these, copper, who might
have been redeemed save for the corrupting tongue of his sister. When
Paladine saw what had been wrought, his heart leaped within. He was
filled with love, and the sight of Mishakal quickened his love unto a
raging bonfire. Then Reorx heated his hammer in that fire until it
glowed white-hot. He struck the metal shells. The five monuments
shivered and quaked and quickened into life. Thus, the five dragons
were born in love, their passions refined and guided by their parents.
So, the good dragons were born.
"Betrayed!" hissed the Dark Queen Takhisis. Her spittle melted
an opening in the Void, and the two-headed serpent Hiddukel answered
the summons. "This is unseemly, my queen. Your love, which is greater,
has been slain. Call now my brother, who has been cast into the Void
from the Beyond, for his devotion is true and undying.� The Dark Queen
spoke the words, and there came the goat-headed god of life's
betrayal, and in his wake came the darkness of unlife. So entered
Chemosh to Krynn, to build a steadfast army for his queen.
"Vengeance!" shrieked the Queen, and the universe grumbled. The
land melted and out of the seething inferno there stepped a black god
of hate. A new god. And in this volcanic being, the Dark Queen found
her foul heart's desire. He was a consort of vengeance. He was
Sargonnas.
"Let us wage war," he bellowed. And the Dark Queen echoed his
cry. So war descended on the world of Krynn. Takhisis, her gods of
Evil, and her Evil dragons fought Paladine, his gods of Good, and the
Good dragons. The forces unleashed by this warfare were horrible to
witness and they devastated the world of Krynn. Seas boiled. Forests
burned. Land split asunder. The glorious creatures of Krynn died in
droves, died for the grief of Paladine and jealousy of Takhisis. All
were burned and swept away, save for those few who hid within the
bosom of the world.
And when the gods saw the destruction they had wrought upon
their precious creation, they were pained. They ceased their struggles
and withdrew to mend their aching hearts. Each went to his own: light
to light, dark to dark, and gray to gray. And there, in their
seclusion, they lived and counseled to restore what they had
destroyed. New alliances were formed in that silent and empty time and
new loves grew.
From these loves came offspring to fill the void. To Paladine
and Mishakal were born twin brothers: KiriJolith, champion of justice,
and Habbakuk, bounty of life. When the two were born, the song of
creation swelled in beauty, and Habbakuk laughed. His laughter
multiplied and filled the song, bringing to life Branchala, who would
be Habbakuk's playmate and companion.
To Takhisis and Sargonnas was born the temperamental girl-child,
Zeboim, mistress of tempests, weather, and dark seas. She was moody
like her sire and violent like her dam. Gilean, too, desired a
companion, and so he spoke to his shadow for council and advice. With
Chislev's aid, Gilean formed a brother and friend from his shadow. He
was the tree of life, Zivilyn. And Chislev took Zivilyn as her
consort. Only Sirrion had no heart-mate. Determined to change this
fact, he set to sculpting his ideal mate from the finest alabaster. He
adorned his creation with precious metals and gems. When she was fully
formed, he embraced her, and the fire in his bosom quickened the
stone. Thus Shinare was born. But her industrious and pragmatic temper
opposed that of the sculptor, Sirrion. They have fought to this very
day.
Together with Zivilyn, Gilean engineered a treaty, a truce
between the dark and the light. Through this truce, the gods rebuilt
Krynn. Each god granted the reborn world a gift of his or her own,
over which they alone had dominion. And so came the time of rebirth.
All Saints War
The world was remade. Sargonnas burned away the debris, and
Reorx reshaped the mountains and the valleys. Chislev rerobed the land
in a mantle of ochres and greens, trees and flowering plants and
fruits of every kind. Habbakuk, to the strains of Branchala's music of
life, crafted the creatures of the world from the wood of Chislev's
trees and the soil of Krynn. He made birds for the sky and fish for
the seas. Cattle and beasts of the wilds he made also. Then Majere
touched the fallen leaves and twigs, animating them to become the
gardeners of the world: the insects. Kiri-Jolith strengthened the
creatures' hearts to make them strong to face adversity, and Mishakal
blessed them so they would bear young. And Zeboim stirred the air with
her storms, cleansing the lands and washing the ruin into her dark
bosom.
Paladine shaped a light for the sky so plants could grow, whilst
Takhisis made the black shawl of night so creatures could rest and
resist the light. Gilean gave all things knowledge of themselves, and
Zivilyn gave them the wisdom to use that knowledge. Yet three of the
wicked gods did naught to strengthen the world. Instead, they created
pain and suffering, which they said would teach the world obedience.
Paladine did not turn back their gifts, for he saw that in adversity,
the folk of Krynn would learn greatness. Morgion gave pain and
sickness to the world, Hiddukel gave greed and pride, and Chemosh gave
death. Even in these curses lay goodness, for the new mortality taught
the creatures to cherish each moment of life.
To make sure the world would never again suffer the ravages of
the All Dragons War, the gods weakened the dragons, requiring them to
rest after they unleashed their destructive powers.
Starbirth of Mortals
At last, when all was made, the gods fell silent. But across the
heavens arose the singing of a glorious choir. Then the gods saw that
the stars themselves lived and were like unto the gods. Indeed they
were pieces of the gods that had scattered from Reorx's hammer when he
smote the Chaos.
And the gods forgot their oath not to war upon their world. They
bickered over who might rule these star spirits. The gods of light
wanted to nurture the spirits and teach them the paths of
righteousness. The gods of dark wanted to make the spirits slaves who
would bow down and worship. The gods of gray sought only a balance, to
give to the spirits the chance and the wisdom to choose which path
they would tread.
Sargonnas raged that the gods of darkness should never be
challenged. Kiri-Jolith stood firm in defense of justice. And so the
battle lines were drawn. Again war was waged in the heavens and upon
Krynn. The winds and waves, frosts and fires wreaked great havoc upon
the weary world. Only the return of the High God saved the world from
a second destruction.
So awful was the damage that the gods of light and shadow were
dismayed and heart-sore. They swore an oath even unto the High God to
never again make war on the world. The High God decreed a solution to
the matter of the star spirits. Each family of gods would be permitted
to give the star spirits one gift. The Gods of light and Good bestowed
life, giving the spirits physical form that they might gain mastery
over the world and become more like the gods themselves. The gods of
light hoped that the spirits would bring peace and order to the world
and take the path to righteousness.
The Gods of darkness and Evil bestowed the gift of mortality, so
the spirits woul hunger and thirst, toil and sweat, fall to illness
and at last enter the grave. The gods of darkness hoped that the
spirits would trade their freedom to Takhisis in exchange for the
removal of their sufferings.
Lastly, the Gods of gray and Neutrality gave the spirits the
gift of free will. Thus the spirits could choose freely which path to
follow. The gods of Neutrality hoped thereby that the star spirits
would maintain the Balance of the universe. Then each family of gods
fashioned the star spirits into their own peoples. The gods of Good
fashioned the elves, forming their bodies from the trees of the
forests. Slender, individual, and long-lived, the elves were one with
nature. They wielded the life power to reshape the land according to
their will. The elven folk were formed to bring change to the world,
but to change very little themselves.
The gods of Evil formed ogres from the bones of the world. These
folk had the sturdiness, beauty, and coldness of stone. The ogres were
formed to desire order and utter obedience, taking their orders from
Takhisis and the gods of Evil. The gods of Neutrality formed humans,
casting them from the clay and waters of Krynn. Humans were malleable
and impermanent. These short-lived folk had the greatest potential for
Good or Evil, and the greatest freedom to choose between these. Their
short lives upon Krynn made them quick to act, often without thinking.
Humans gave motion to the pendulum of history, and thus formed a
dynamic balance for the world.
And last, the High God formed the Children of Krynn -- guardians
of the beasts and of the world's bounties. The High God made centaurs
and satyrs, pegasi and griffons, unicorns and chimera, And these, too,
had the freedom to decide their paths. They chose, as was their
nature, to protect their lands. And so, the balance was restored to
the world, and Krynn as we know it came into being.
Arrival of the Last Gods
But the Age of Starbirth did not end here, for three gods
remained to be formed. To seal their agreement to nevermore make war
upon Krynn, each family of gods agreed to create and raise a child who
would become blood-brother to the child created by the other families.
And because their wars had wounded Krynn, the gods agreed that these
three bloodbrothers would bless the world of Krynn by their creation.
The blessing granted Krynn by the brother gods would be magic. To
Paladine and Mishakal was born a son of light, Solinari, who gained
dominion over quiet and constructive magic.
Meanwhile, from Gilean's majestic and beautiful thoughts sprang
forth a daughter of Neutrality, Lunitari, who gained domain over
illusion and reshaping magic.
And last, from Takhisis and Sargonnas, came a brother of
darkness, Nuitari, who gained domain over commanding and destructive
magic. This dark-haired child of Evil suffered from a throat
impairment, which made him speak in hoarse whispers.
Age of Dreams
When the people of Krynn were made they were scattered across
the face of the world. Elves sought the enchanted forests for their
homes, each to live in harmony with the land. Ogres claimed the lofty
mountains and from that perch they sought to rule the world. But to
humans fell the lowly and desolate plains -- grass or sand or ice or
sea. And there, exposed to the elements, they suffered and died.
Reorx stood alone and studied the people. Ogres wielded order
and discipline, but lacked creativity. Elves wielded creativity and
inspiration, but lacked drive and order. But humans, poor, suffering
humans, held both creativity and industry when properly directed.
Seeing this, Reorx gathered some humans to him and retired across the
seas that he might teach them his craft and they might aid his work in
the world. Under the heavy and ceaseless labors of Reorx, these humans
became short and stout, a race named the Smiths.
Ogres sought to order themselves into vast and powerful empires.
They gathered and enslaved the humans left on the plain to lend their
hands and strong backs to the labors. Thus began the age of toil for
humans, as they built the ogres' cities, homes, roads, and walls. From
their forest lands the elves watched as ogre civilizations grew.
To ogres, order and obedience meant everything, and individual
desire meant nothing. Each creature worked according to his capacity
and received according to his stature. Any deviation from these
principles threatened the fabric of society like a tumor that must be
excised. For thousands of years, the ogres lorded it so.
Heresy of Igraine
Then came the Heresy of Igraine. Igraine was governor of the
northern lands of Khal-Theraxian toward the end of the Age of Dreams,
and he owned a man-slave named Eadamm. For countless years Igraine had
remained steadfast in upholding the strict laws of slave ownership,
executing many a human rogue without second thought. But Eadamm's
disobedience was different. While Igraine inspected the mines one day
with his daughter Everlyn, a tunnel collapsed around them. Igraine
barely managed to escape, but his daughter was trapped beneath tons of
rock. Sadly, Igraine ordered the closing and evacuation of the
dangerous shaft, unwilling to risk his fortune in slaves for the life
of his daughter. But Eadamm, ignoring his master's orders, mustered
his fellow slaves and braced the tunnels until beams could be brought
down to reinforce them. Then together, the slaves rescued Everlyn. As
the slaves did their work, Igraine held their angry foreman in check.
Igraine had been oddly affected by the compassion of Eadamm, who would
sacrifice himself to save his master's daughter.
When the rescue was complete, Eadamm was put in chains and taken
to the royal manor. His disobedience required execution. But Igraine's
heart had been wounded by the brave slave, and his eyes had been
opened. He, too, had learned compassion. But by law he was required to
execute the rogue. Igraine fulfilled the law, sentencing Eadamm to
death at his whim. Thus, Eadamm would remain under the death sentence,
but Igraine would never call for it to be carried out. Eadamm was
released. He showed his gratitude by rallying his fellow slaves to
double the output of the mines. Thus, Eadamm doubled the fortunes of
Igraine.
To Igraine this was a major discovery: somehow independent
choice led to greater commitment and prosperity. Per haps, he thought,
the ogre nation had been mistaken to limit personal freedoms. Igraine
relaxed his grip on his slaves, promoting individual effort. Igraine's
fortunes doubled, tripled, and doubled again.
But, with freedom of choice came the desire for complete
freedom. Unknown to Igraine, Eadamm had begun to organize the human
slaves and make them loyal to him. Eadamm's influence spread to the
neighboring estates and civil unrest exploded. The fortunes of
Igraine's neighbors plummeted.
Igraine counselled his friends to allow their slaves more
freedom. The advice worked for many, and a renaissance of business
occurred. But one ogre who heard of "Igraine's Heresy" was outraged.
He blamed Igraine directly for the riots and exposed Igraine's heresy
to the High Council.
Twice, guard units demanded that Igraine leave his estate and
surrender himself to ogre justice, and twice Igraine slew the
messengers. When word came that the council planned to forfeit his
lands and title and execute his family and friends, Igraine gathered
those loyal to him and fled on ships to islands northeast of Ansalon.
These fleeing ogres -- the Irda -- as they called themselves, dropped
anchor on an unknown island that few have ever reached.
Just before departing the city, Igraine freed his slaves. This
simple action sparked the end of the ogre nations. Eadamm and the men
loyal to him were determined to buy time for their former master's
escape. They armed themselves with picks and mauls, dug pits and built
fortifications, laying a clever trap for the empire's troops. When the
ogre armies descended, the slaves fought a bloody battle and emerged
victorious. Few ogres lived to flee. The slaves then escaped into the
hills.
For six long years Eadamm harried the kingdom, causing slave
revolt after slave revolt. At last, at the battle of Persepholus, the
empire's troops surrounded and decimated Eadamm's forces. The human
hero was hamstrung and paraded for six days before his fellow slaves.
Before the eyes of thousands of gathered slaves, Eadamm was drawn and
quartered by four horses. To the ogres' utter dismay, the slaves rose
up as a mob in response to the brutality and slew the ogres in the
coliseum, every last one.
Over the next thousand years, humans distrusted any
civilization. They doggedly harried the ogres, working to destroy
their city-states. Humans, themselves, returned to barbarism.
Age of Light
The elves watched the decline of the ogre empires and suffered
from the pillaging of the human barbarians. The woodland folk then
decided to band together for mutual protection and support. The young
elf, Silvanos, first suggested that elves become the successors to the
fallen ogre kingdom. He inspired them to gather all they could from
the ruins of the ogre cities and learn from the ogres' mistakes. Elven
civilization, he announced, would be built on the needs of the
individual and family. He proposed a communal democracy, in which all
worked according to their ability and received according to their
need. And every family would have a voice in the government of the
land.
Scavenging from the abandoned cities of the ogre empire, the
elves slowly began to build their version of civilization. And, in
4000 PC, the first year of the Age of Light, the first Sinthal-Elish
(the Council of High Ones) was formed by Silvanos on the hill called
Sol-Fallon. In that meeting, many elf clans and families swore an oath
of allegiance to the principles of democracy and to Silvanos as their
lord and leader. Balif, son of the second largest elf family and a
close friend of Silvanos, was named lieutenant to Silvanos and leader
of the united elven militia.
The First Dragon War
At last united, the elves began to build a civilization in the
southern enchanted forests. They created an island on which to build
the city of Silvanost, capital of the proud nation, Silvanesti.
However, this enchanted forest and the southern ridge of the
Khalkist Mountains were home to immortal dragons of darkness. The
wyrms resented the intrusion, They slew any outposts created by the
elves and threatened all in the area. Lord Silvanos and his lieutenant
Balif rallied the elves, uniting them against their common foe.
Though the elves were long-lived, they were not immortal, as
were the five chromatic dragons they fought. Man-y were the elves who
fell before the withering breath of the dragons.
Aid came from an unguessed quarter when three brothers, dressed
in robes of white, red, and black, offered a solution. They had been
blessed with a visit from the three gods of magic. From the gods, they
had learned how to create five runestones in which to capture the
dragons' spirits and trap them for all time. To dispose of these
runestones after the dragons were caught, however, the elves needed
flying mounts. Thus, for the first time, the elves captured and tamed
the vicious griffons, training them for war.
In "Song of Home Coming," the tale is told how the five dragons
were lured back into the mountains and brought within range of the
five stones of lifetrapping. There, the three mages captured their
spirits in the stones. The dragon bodies turned into stony mountains.
Then the elves rode their griffons north to a seeming bottomless pit
in the mountains. One by one, they dropped each stone into the endless
chasm.
Thus, the dragon bodies and dragon stones lay countless leagues
apart, beyond the reach of any mortal folk. The elves, victorious,
returned to build their civilization.
In the year 3500 PC, the second Sinthal-Elish was held. Once
again, the folk unanimously pledged their allegiance to Lord Silvanos
and the nascent kingdom of Silvanesti. All the families of elves were
granted fiefs of land in the forests and grasslands of Southern
Ansalon.
But the gods were not pleased with the interference of the three
gods of magic. And so, Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari were banished
from Krynn, never again to disrupt the business of the world.
Graystone of Gargath
The truth of the following tale is uncertain. It has been
popularly accepted bygnomes and men as true, and kender find it
amusing. Dwarves, however, vehemently deny its truth, claiming that
they were the special children of Reorx. Dwarves believe they were
purposefully forged by Reorx from a human mold, rather than being the
random product of a mystical stone. Elves, for their part, remain
peculiarly quiet on this topic.
In recognition of dwarven histories, the following tale meshes
the dwarven treatise on this topic with the common stories. To avoid
confusion, the forerunner race to dwarves and gnomes (and perhaps
kender) is called the Smiths. (The works of Chisel Loremaster refer to
these folk as "the Hammer Folk, People of the Hammer, the Forge
Tenders, and Children of Reorx."
After the creation of the world, Reorx gathered to him humans
who worshipped the way of the hammer, who were filled with the drive
to create. Together with Reorx, these humans departed to a northern
land where they would be safe from war and where they could learn the
crafts of Reorx. Over the centuries that followed, these humans
changed into the ruddy-skinned, diminutive Smith folk.
The Smiths were gifted with Reorx's craft and they were the
masters of metals, the forge, and machines. The marvels they wrought
in that dream age are but mere shadows in the world today. There were
great wheeled iron wagons that traveled the land without draft beasts;
there were winged craft and toys that capered and pranced without the
power of magic; there were devices of all sorts that ran from
elemental forces. Reorx was mightily proud of his people. But just as
they learned craft from Reorx, they learned pride as well. The Smiths
became haughty. And this distressed Reorx.
Meanwhile in the heavens, the exiled gods of magic plotted to
return their gift of magic to the world of Krynn. The three approached
the trickster god, Hiddukel, for his aid. He agreed to help the gods
if they would enchant an item for him. The item was a coin of godly
powers that would provide Hiddukel a conduit into the world of Krynn.
The gods of magic agreed.
With his silken tongue prepared for guile, Hiddukel drew nigh to
Chislev. "Do you feel the shift in balance?" he asked. "The ogres have
fallen, the dragons have fallen. Soon all Evil must fall and the
balance will be destroyed."
Chislev was made fearful by his words. She asked, "Is there
nothing I can do to right this imbalance?" Hiddukel responded that if
the three brother-gods of magic could escape their exile, the balance
could be renewed. Chislev heard this and believed it in her heart.
To Reorx, then, Chislev flew. "Your fellow gods, the brothers of
magic, miss the world from which they have been exiled -- your perfect
and beautiful world. None should be denied its beauty, certainly not
the gods. Perhaps you might forge for them a remembrance of your grand
creation to ease their grief."
Reorx heard the flattery and it sounded good to his ear. And so
he crafted the Graystone, a thing of marvelous beauty. It was a
perfect model of Krynn. And to the gods of magic he bestowed the
stone.
On the moon Lunitari, the brother-gods of magic received the
stone. There, they imbued the Graygem with their essences. Then,
Hiddukel again drew nigh to Reorx.
"Ah my friend, I fear you have been tricked. The Graygem, your
gift to the brothers three, is being imbued with magical powers,
powers that threaten all the gods. And there is naught you can do
since you gave the gift freely."
"What are we to do?" questioned the Forger.
"Ah, perhaps there is a way to avert this disaster," replied the
Trickster. "What you freely gave, you cannot revoke. But if another
were to steal the Graygem, perhaps a mortal who is beyond the
influence of the brother-gods, Krynn may yet be saved."
"You have such a mortal in mind?" the Hammer asked.
"Perhaps, but you know my dilemma. I can do nothing without a
price."
"Name the price and I shall render it to you, if this thing can
be done," said the unwary Reorx.
"Very well. I would have you forge me three items: a dagger, a
coin, and a circlet. They should be simple items, elegant and
functional."
"Done," said Reorx.
"Good. The mortals I have in mind are your own Smiths. They have
asked me to intercede with you on their behalf."
"What do these mortal seek?"
"Oh great creator, they seek only to follow in your footsteps as
creators, to build a great god-tool."
"Then I will inspire them to create a Great Machine," Reorx
replied.
"But for this Great Machine to work, the Smiths need your
Graygem. They have a vehicle that will climb to Lunitari where your
prize is stored. They can then steal the Graygem from the unwary
brother-gods of magic."
And so it came to pass. Reorx granted the Smiths a vision of the
Great Machine that would be powered by the Graygem. As the rest of the
Smiths labored to complete the Great Machine, Reorx showed the lowest
of the Smiths, Milgas Kadwar, where the Graygem was hidden on
Lunitari.
Milgas then took a sky-hook ladder to climb to the moon. He
hooked the end onto the ether, climbed up, then swung the ladder up
overhead and hooked the other end onto the ether. In this way he
climbed until he reached the moon. With a magical net given to him by
Hiddukel, Milgas captured the Graygem and descended back to Krynn. But
when he reached Krynn, the Graygem awoke and sped away from the Great
Machine. A web of chaotic wild magic trailed the Graystone. As the
stone passed, it warped the world and its folk and laced Krynn with
powerful bands of magic. Thus did magic return to Krynn.
Every creature touched by the Graystone was altered into a form
that reflected the creature's true nature. Stubborn ogres became
bull-headed minotaurs, mariner elves became sea elves, dowdy Smiths
became dwarves, scatterbrained Smiths became gnomes, and so, too, came
the kender and goblins into the world.
The folk of Krynn were sore afraid. They sought to slay the clan
of Smiths who had brought this terror to their shores. But the
brother-gods did not want their unwitting accomplices harmed. So the
Graygem touched one group of Smiths, transforming them so that they
might defend themselves. Outwardly, their hair turned silver and their
pates balded, their beards curled and their eyes became golden as the
sunset. Inwardly, they became magic itself, a living embodiment of the
wild magic of the Graystone. And they were called Scions.
To the Scions fell the task of saving their people. Divinations
warned them of their impending doom. Taking the warning to heart, they
became a driven people. Almost overnight, great barges were
constructed upon the bay. Meanwhile, the dwarven mages made the land
rile, forming ridges to slow the advancing armies. Then, when all was
ready, the Smiths boarded the twelve and twenty craft they had made
and departed from their shores. They fled south toward Ansalon even as
Igraine had fled north from it. And before them went the Graystone.
Although the Scions summoned favorable winds and the bounty of
the seas, still were they hated and feared by the Smith folk, who
shunned the supernatural. They left during the spring floods and
storms. Barge after barge foundered and sank, taking all the relatives
and friends thereon to a wa tery grave. At last, as they reached the
northeast coast of Ansalon, only thirteen of the craft remained.
Rather than giving thanks for their deliverance, the Smiths laid hands
on the Scions and fed all but thirteen of them to the raging waters.
Only the thirteen were left, one for each of the thirteen barges
that remained. And these Scions received the thirteenth barge, being
told to set sail and never return. Otherwise the Smiths would slay
them. Straightaway, the Scions put out to sea. The Smiths made
landfall on the northern bluffs in the bay of Nordmaar in those
ancient lands. Discovering that the Graygem had preceded them to the
land, the Smiths grew fearful and hid in limestone caves and caverns.
They named their new home Kal-Thax, the cold forge."
At that time, among humans, there was a great ruler named
Gargath, an acolyte of Zivilyn. He watched the chaos in the land grow
and prayed to his god for guidance. Zivilyn gifted the lord with two
godstones, forged by Sirrion.The stones would end the reign of chaos.
The first stone was green and named Pathfinder. Its clarion call to
the chaos was like a lighthouse in the dark. The second stone was red
and named Spellbinder. In its presence, the Graygem could be bound so
that the world would once again be whole. Lord Gargath built a tower,
and atop that tower he placed an altar. In the altar he set the twin
stones, a trap for the Graystone. The Graygem answered the call of
Pathfinder, and was trapped by Spellbinder.
Meanwhile, in their dark, cold caves, the Smiths brooded. To
turn their minds to useful pastimes, they once again worked on their
craft. But their metals were weak and brittle. Even their simplest
tools failed them. Their wondrous inventions remained oddly inert.
They delved deeper into the ground, into "Cold Forge," which was a
living cave of lime and water. There they made a wondrous discovery --
a face etched in the stone. A living face. The face of their god,
Reorx.
The face appeared saddened. The Smiths sought it out, sharing
silent communion with their god. Why had they been so cursed? Why had
their inventions abandoned them? And to each question came an answer.
"Have you not abandoned the world? Have you not abandoned your own
creations and responsibility? Accept your responsibility and my gifts
to you will be restored."
The Smiths counselled among themselves and decided to capture
and destroy the Graygem, the chaos they had unleashed. Smith scouts
reported where the Graygem lay imprisoned. The Smiths sent word asking
that Lord Gargath return the chaos stone to them. He declined their
offer: he, too, had been changed by the stone. He now believed the
stone to be his own creation, his key to an empire.
Again the Smiths counselled and they agreed to take the Graygem
from Gargath by force. They were divided, however, as to how to
accomplish this task. Some sought to ally with the other peoples of
Krynn to form a mighty army. In answer to that call, armies from all
the folk of Krynn came, bands of mercenaries, elves, ogres, and
humans. Other Smiths built mighty war machines, trusting in the power
of their inventions to save them. Still other Smiths forged mighty
weapons and armor for their troops to bear into battle.
The siege was a long and dangerous affair. In the shadow of the
chaos stone, alliances and battle plans went strangely awry. Even the
Smiths' mighty war machines failed them. The first juggernaut's
gearing seized up just short of the gates. The second, a fire-spewing
bombard, locked wheels and crashed into the first engine, exploding
and burning down both of the siege weapons. Losses for the Smiths and
their allies were heavy. Still Gargath held against them.
The siege trudged onward. Nearly a month and a half passed
before the Smiths' greatest siege engine, the Colossus, was brought to
the battlefield. Although the Colossus's battlements withered before
the chaos and its wheels cracked and splintered, the mighty engine
crashed into the tower wall, creating a breach that allowed the
invaders in. The resulting quake dislodged Spellbinder and it fell
down a stairwell and was buried beneath stone. The Graygem was free
again.
A steely light erupted from the tower, and the Graygem emerged,
hovering. The alliances dissolved as each people sought the gem for
themselves. And the hideous power of the gem transformed the folk in
the courtyard to reflect their greedy natures.
Tales of the battle's end are confused. Although the ancestor
races are in dispute, most stories agree that the Craystone formed the
races of kender, gnomes, dwarves, minotaurs, and goblins from the folk
there. Kender came from excessively curious and childlike Smiths (some
argue elves); gnomes came from Smiths who cared more for their
inventions than for the gods; dwarves came from fearful Smiths who had
only reluctantly joined the battle; minotaurs arose from stubborn
ogres; and goblins came from ogres who were petty and cruel.
Dwarves say that they were the only race that remained
unchanged: Smiths who had chosen to craft the arms and weapons and had
remained behind in the caves. Even if this is true, the millennia that
dwarves have spent beneath the surface of Krynn has worked slow and
subtle changes on them from the Graystone's latent magic.
When the Graygem had completed its horrid work, it once again
fled to wander the land. Some of the Smith folk pursued it all the way
to Sancrist Isle in the west. Here, most of the gnomish Smiths
settled, unwilling to brave the tossing sea again. Still others built
more boats and followed after. As the Graystone passed west over the
seas, it formed the Dimernesti from fisher elves and the Dargonesti
from elven sea merchants.
The Second Dragon War
With the passing of the Graygem, the land of Ansalon was reborn.
Those who would became dwarves abandoned their dwelling in the cold
caves of Kal-Thax and journeyed south to the Khalkist mountains. There
they delved the dwarven kingdom of Thoradin, called "New Hope."
Balifor was founded by a kender named Balif, friend and confidant to
Silvanos, and became homeland to this new race. In the century that
followed, many other city-states were born. For example, the province
of Mithandrus, the land of the bull, was founded by an expeditionary
force of minotaurs.
While delving Thoradin, the dwarves discovered in the bedrock
five ancient stones covered with runes and glowing with magical might.
Distrustful of all magic, the dwarves mined the five stones and
brought them to the surface to remove all taint of the wild force from
their home.
Soon, minions of Takhisis had found the stones and reunited them
with the stony bodies of the dragons whose spirits they held. The five
dragons, asleep since the end of the First Dragonwar, awoke again. A
new dragon war began over the next decades drawing all the people of
Ansalon into the maelstrom.
Once again Ansalon's folk united, but the five dark dragons
summoned the remaining bakali and an army of other Evil forces to
their side. A siege was laid against Silvanesti. Again, magical aid
came to end the war.
After wandering at sea for a time, the Scions (the enchanted
family of Smiths), returned to the shores of Ansalon. Hidden from the
eyes of their brethren, the Scions each went their own way. They
secretly gathered those who had been touched by the stone and gained
powers of wild magic. The Scions tutored them in the proper use of
their powers.
When the days grew dark and short for Silvanost, three elven
wild mages, trained by the Scions, banded together to drive off the
dragons. Standing at the Tower of the Sun, these novice wild talents
awakened the magic of land and sky -- so much so that the very
elements rebelled against the dragons. The wyrms were swallowed by the
ground for all time. But the novice mages had tapped into far more
magic than they could control. The elements lashed back on their
masters, devastating the lands all about with floods and fires and
earthquakes. Thousands perished.
Only the original three mages remained in the Tower. When they
saw that the folk of Silvanesti and Kharolis meant to harm them for
the damage they had caused, these three mages called upon the gods for
help.
The brother-gods of magic heard the cry. With their power, they
seized the tower and removed it from the face of Krynn, setting it in
a higher plane. Thus, the tower became the Lost Citadel and the three
mages became the founders of the Orders of High Sorcery. The
brother-gods seized the five runestones they had given to the elves
centuries earlier. They hurled the stones into the sky so that the
dark dragons could never again awaken. There, the stones became the
five eyes of the Dark Queen's five-headed constellation.
The brother-gods clouded the minds of the peoples so that the
other wild mages could escape into the wilderness. There they lived in
seclusion, perfecting their craft. For a hundred years, the gods of
magic trained and instructed their chosen disciples in the ways of
magic. At last, the three mages returned to Krynn to lead the wild
mages out of hiding. They constructed five bastions of magic in remote
regions to shelter all mages from the hostile world. These were the
Towers of High Sorcery.
In shame at being responsible for the return of dragons to the
world, the dwarves withdrew into Thoradin and shut their doors.
Ergoth Ascendant
In 2600 PC, the barbarian chieftain Ackal Ergot united the
Khalkist barbarian tribes following the war. Stealing from the ruined
ogre cities and homes, Ergot founded the first nation of humans and
named it after himself: Ergoth. With sword and flame, he exterminated
those who would not join him, and ruled those who would. Slowly, he
absorbed the plains tribes and their lands into Ergoth. The nation was
a brutal, bestial creation, ruled by warlords and tyrants.
With the decline of ogres into barbarism and stupidity, the
retirement of dwarves from the affairs of the world, and the
withdrawal of the Silvanesti to repair their lands, Ergoth quickly
became the dominant nation in Ansalon. As its boundaries spread from
the southern Kharolis Mountains to the northern shore, Ergoth set off
minor skirmishes with neighboring nations. The dwarves proved
especially problematic. Luckily, the expansion ended with the death of
Ackal Ergot.
The ascendance of Ackal Dermount to the throne of Ergoth brought
the land into a mercantile age. He found war unprofitable and
detrimental to his country's welfare. Dermount therefore set aside the
sword of Ergot and began trade with Silvanesti and the dwarves. Races
along the borders began to intermarry and become assimilated. Many
outland elves shared human blood.
In 2600 PC, a second kender nation called Hylo was founded in
the Sentinel Mountains north of Ergoth. This settlement arose when an
entire clan of kender explored and "borrowed" the first floating
citadel, which had been created by a band of mages as a prototype for
the Towers of High Sorcery. The floating castle was carried by
prevailing winds to the northwest until it crashed into the ridge of
the Sentinels. Hylo would later be annexed by Ergoth in 2200 PC, much
to the Empire's continuing regret.
During this time also an outcast race of dwarves appeared.
Referred to as "Dirt Eaters," "Muckers," or "Dump Men," these
interbred dregs of human and dwarven society dwelt in the refuse of
civilization, They were treated no better than slaves and idiots.
Presumably, these were the first Gully Dwarves, a race that continues
to plague society today. For nearly six hundred years, Ergoth would
write the history of the world. It was a kingdom of grandeur despite
its foundation on brutality. Although the panacea of civilization
softened the barbaric cruelty of former ages and created trade and
international relations, it also introduced provincial battles,
barbarian uprisings, and border disputes.
In 2515 PC, the world lost Silvanos, the founder of
civilization. Silvanos was laid to rest in a crystal tomb and his son
Sithel assumed leadership of the elven nations. But Sithel would never
have the patience and tolerance of his father. He heralded the
beginning of elven disdain for the other races of the world. Border
relations became strained among humans, half-elves, elves. Sithel's
greatest gift to the world was the birth of his twin sons, Sithas and
Kith-Kanan.
While tensions grew between Ergoth and Silvanesti, dwarves from
the lands about Thoradin decided to journey south to the Kharolis
Mountains, on the borders of Ergoth. There they delved a new kingdom
to exploit the trade opportunities with Ergoth. This new kingdom also
created a homeland that was more open to the world than Thoradin. Thus
Thorbardin was delved, its name meaning "Best New Hope." While trade
flourished between Ergoth and Thorbardin, Thoradin continued to
decline, becoming even more isolated from the outside world. However,
Thorbardin's prosperity was not without problems. The neighboring
provinces of Ergoth felt that the dwarves had invaded their borders.
Resentment grew over mining rights in the Kharolis Mountains.
Kinslayer War
Tensions continued to mount along the Silvanesti-Ergoth western
border. Kith-Kanan, the younger of the twin sons of Sithel, was asked
to lead the Wildrunner border elves to protect the borders from
incursions. Some historians suggest that Sithas sent his twin on this
task to remove him from the elfmaid, Hermathya, whom they both loved.
Despite the open friendliness in Sithas and Kith-Kanan's relationship,
a smoldering rivalry lay there as well.
Kith-Kanan maintained the peace for nearly a century. His
patience and tolerance for humans, dwarves, and other races became
renowned. Yet, in 2192 PC, when his father, Sithel, Speaker of the
Stars, visited the frontier to sign a new peace pact, he was slain by
humans who mistakenly shot at his stag mount.
Sithas, the older of the twins, assumed command of the elven
nation and declared war on Ergoth. Kith-Kanan was named general. Elves
fell into battle against humans, with their half-elf brothers caught
in the middle. This angry war scared the world for forty years.
When the first battles broke out, Kith-Kanan was pledged to the
Kagonesti Wildrunner maiden Anaya, Keeper of the Forest. Sadly, Anaya,
heavy with Kith's child, was slain in the first battle of the coming
war. Instead of dying, she transformed into an oak tree even as her
predecessor Keepers had done. Despite many victories, Kith-Kanan's
armies again and again failed to drive back the Ergothians, who were
led by a dark, unaging wizard named Giarna. Kith-Kanan did, however,
rescue the human oracle Suzine, a servant of the dark mage. They fell
in love and were married. The rift between Kith-Kanan and his twin
brother widened with Kith's marriage to a human. Sithas's queen,
Hermathya, still coveted his brother, and his son revered his uncle
Kith.
The Kinslayer War spewed blood across the Kharolis plains for
nearly forty years. It was a period of long battles, vast interludes
of retrenchment, starvation, disease, and death. Savage blizzards
froze the armies, while fierce storms ripped capriciously through the
ranks of both sides. A dreary sameness marked the war. The elves
pursued the humans, attacked and slew them, and then more humans took
the place of the fallen.
General Giarna maintained complete control of the Ergothian
forces, although his losses were horrendous. The pressure of his
attacks chipped away at the elves, while reinforcements balanced his
losses. A stalemate evolved, with the elves ever victorious, but the
humans always avoiding final defeat.
Despite this monotonous pattern, the course of the war had
several key junctures. The human Siege of Sithelbec, which reduced
that elven town to rubble, must be considered a decisive hour. The
Battle of Sithelbec turned the tide and will always be ranked among
the turning points of the history of Krynn.
Throughout the war, the life of one individual best illustrated
the tragedy and inevitability of the Kinslayer War. This was the human
wife of Kith-Kanan, Suzine des Quivalin.
Relative of the great Emperor Quivalin V of Ergoth, as well as
heir to a total of three Quivalin rulers, her presence in the army of
her nation's enemy served to solidify human resolve. Disowned by her
monarch and sentenced by General Giarna to hang if she were ever
caught, Suzine took to the elven cause with steadfast loyalty. Over
thirty-five years, Suzine remained loyal to her husband as lover,
companion, advisor, and wife. She was never accepted by the elves,
although her two half-elf children were raised among the clans of the
Wildrunners.
Sadly, as is the way with humans, Suzine aged and grew old,
while Hermathya remained young and passionate. It is rumored that
Kith-Kanan was drawn to his former love's passion. Perhaps this
explains Suzine's self-sacrificial attempt to slay General Giarna. The
"Song of the Lost Sadness," a ballad of Kith-Kanan, tells how Suzine
bravely confronted her former master. When he proved invulnerable to
all attacks, she slew herself rather than be used against her husband.
The decisive battle of the Kinslayer War wrote the final chapter
to many a hero's life. Great were the losses. Parnigar and
Kencathedrus fell. Sithas' son, Vanesti, suffered grievous wounds
while defending his uncle from Giarna. From that day forward, Vanesti
was crippled. At last Giarna met defeat. Sithas, his appetite for war
lost, sued for peace with Ergoth. He granted the western realms of
Silvanesti to Kith-Kanan and the Wildrunners, who had become heavily
interbred with humans. And the western elves founded Qualinesti.
Swordsheath Scroll
In the years following the Kinslayer Wars, the Empire of Ergoth
began to decline. A border dispute with the dwarves of Thorbardin over
mining rights resulted in a series of skirmishes named the War of the
Mountain.
But at last, Sithas engineered the signing of the Swordsheath
Scroll between elf, dwarf, and human. The western Silvanesti elves
were granted a homeland in the enchanted woods where Anaya's tree
grew. This elven state would form a buffer between the humans and the
dwarves. The legendary Hammer of Kharas ( Hammer of Honor ) was forged
by the dwarves as an offering of peace to the Ergothians. From then
on, the hammer was passed annually from one nation to the next as a
constant reminder of the bond of unity and peace between them.
At this time, all mention of Thoradin, the original kingdom of
the dwarves, vanished from the histories. Historians are uncertain as
to why Thoradin vanished. Some say the dwarves were destroyed by the
unfortunate discovery of the Evil blackflame -- a living embodiment of
darkness.
The Age of Light ended with the peace of Pax Tharkas, the "Peace
of Friends." To commemorate that peace, the dwarves of Thorbardin and
the elves of Qualinesti united to build a fortress monument on the
trade route between their nations. The fortress, Pax Tharkas, was
built by both races and manned by both. It ensured the peace. The
nephew of Quevalin V ascended to the throne of Ergoth and an age of
peace and prosperity began.
The Rose Rebellion
In 1900 PC (the beginning of what scholars now call the Age of
Right), the Quevalin line in Ergoth at last came to an end. A coup led
by the army placed Emperor Macqui Hellmann on the throne. More brutal
and exploitative emperors followed. Taxes became unreasonable and the
northern provinces were exploited for their resources and riches.
Again and again, small rebellions arose in the north and the east, but
the empire's legions were sent to swiftly crush all resistance. Then,
even harsher penalties were imposed on the peoples.
In the year 1812 PC (by the new reckoning) Vinas Solamnus, a
skilled commander, was appointed to the highest military office in the
empire. The Emperor believed him to be the perfect pawn; he would
instead prove the Emperor's undoing.
In 1801 PC, a Great Uprising occurred in northern Vingaard.
Praetor Solamnus marched his legions north and east to crush the
rebellion. Initial victories came swiftly, but were unsatisfying. The
people showed no signs of abandoning their rebellious ways. For a
year, Solamnus studied the enemy's motivations and strategies,
determined to end the conflict without massacring all the people.
Gradually, he came to realize that the Empire had provoked the
rebellion through vile and repressive treatment of its citizens. By
the end of the year, Solamnus and most of his troops agreed to join
the rebellion.
The nations of northern Ergoth rallied to Solamnus's banner and
began training armies in secret. Solamnus meanwhile stalled the
emperor's inquiries for progress. At last, unable to stall any longer,
Solamnus and his army marched south and west toward the capital.
With skill and daring, Solamnus managed to outmaneuver Ergoth's
remaining legions, recruiting many of them. He laid siege to Daltigoth
in the beginning of winter. By the next spring, the Emperor Emann
Quisling surrendered, agreeing to Solamnus's terms to give each
province the right of selfdetermination. Many of the provinces in the
west, close to Daltigoth, remained loyal to the Empire. Most of the
northeastern provinces and Hylo asserted their independence.
The human nations declared Solamnus their Lord. In an effort to
ensure continued justice and freedom for the lands, Solamnus(guided by
Kiri-Jolith, Habbakuk, and Paladine) formed the Orders of the Knights
of Solamnia.
Birth of Nations
In the ensuing years, many new nations evolved. The states of
Palanthus, Caergoth (Southlund), and Lemish grew and prospered despite
frequent raids by barbarians on their borders. The art of sailing was
taught to humans by the elves, and the hidden bay of Istar was
discovered along with its fertile lands. Here lay the ruins of ancient
ogre nations and -- cutoff by mountains, deserts, and seas -- the
emerging merchant nation of Istar.
Istar, at first just a confederation of city-states, grew
quickly into a center of world trade. All goods and crops from eastern
Ansalon channeled through the port city of Istar to all points west.
By supplying food, textiles, and crafts to the war-torn nations of the
west, Istar grew more rapidly than any civilization to date.
The Third Dragon War
Records of the Third Dragon War tend to be disjointed and
confused. Much of the war's victory hinged upon the works of a
solitary hero and his minotaur companion. The hero's death prevented
historians from learning his full role in the war, and his companion
chose to report the history from a strictly military perspective. What
can be discerned of the Third Dragon War follows.
The Queen of Darkness, whose ceaseless attempts to corrupt the
world had sparked warfare throughout history, once again plotted to
make Krynn hers. This time her plot dealt with dragon eggs. With her
five chromatic dragons buried deep beneath the mountains, Takhisis
sought to hatch the dragons' eggs.
Calling on the aid of the lizardmen, bakali, Takhisis brought
the eggs of her five dragons to the surface. They appeared to be rare
crystals of great value. She distributed these eggs by tricking gem
collectors into buying them. The eggs hatched and the wyrmlings
devoured the collectors. None were left to warn of the dragons'
return.
Generations passed as the wyrmlings matured. Only when they were
full-grown did Takhisis call her dragons forth into the light. By
then, Krynn's doom had already been assured. Takhisis had raised many
dozens of the adult brutes. With armies of bakali around them, the
dragons laid siege to Ansalon.
For decades, the great wyrms wrapped their shroud of terror
about Ansalon. First, small border kingdoms fell, and then the dragons
turned on Solamnia.
The war was meant to be swift and final. The Dragon Queen had
sent forth her dragons, slaves, warriors, and mages in one mighty
force. The focusof their attack was Palanthus and the Knights of
Solamnia. Takhisis saw in these knights a power that could one day
destroy her children. But the knights had their own allies and, most
importantly, they had the discipline and organization that the Queen's
forces lacked. The knights also fought for the Dark Queen's eternal
foe, Paladine, and his sons, Kiri-Jolith and Habbakuk. The might and
determination of both sides created a horrible stalemate. The bodies
of humans, dragons, ogres, and goblins piled in high mounds and
smoke-blackened pyres. The carrion creatures fed and plagues began.
Wizards had at last gained a level of respect in the land, and
from their five Towers of High Sorcery they sought to turn the war in
the favor of the humans. The highest mages of the three orders met in
the Tower of Palanthus and created the five dragon orbs. These potent
artifacts were modeled on the five runic godstones of old. Even the
wizards of the Black Robes joined in this effort, seeing that if
Takhisis were to win, the balance would be destroyed and the world
would plunge into chaos.
Thus, on a night when all three moons were in high sanction, the
greatest wizards of the age (including the BlackRobed Fistandantilus)
united to make the five orbs. They imbued the artifacts with a
shadow-spirit of their own, a spirit that called out to the fell
wyrms, luring them to their doom. And for a time, the dragon orbs
stemmed the flood of evil. Many dragons fell. But still the forces of
darkness returned with wave after hoary wave.
Then rose a young knight named Huma, who held rare insight,
kindness, and compassion. To him was drawn a companion, the likes of
which the world had never seen. The minotaur's name was Kaz. Huma's
other companion was the mysterious elven healer Gwynneth (or
Trueheart), whom Huma fell in love with. He later discovered her to be
a silver dragon capable of taking human form.
With the guidance of Paladine, Huma forged the first true
dragonlances. With them, he rode into battle on the back of Gwynneth.
The love between Huma and his silver dragon forged the way for an
alliance with other Good dragons. More dragonlances were made to use
in battle against the Dark Queen's forces.
At last, Huma and Gwynneth mounted an attack against Takhisis
herself. She fell before the dragonlance. In agony, she swore an oath
by the High God to retire from the world and make all dragons sleep if
only the lance were removed from her. Sadly, both Huma and Gwynneth
died in the final battle. Only Kaz remained to honor the bargain,
freeing the Queen of Darkness in return for her fulfillment of the
oath. From that day forth, all dragons departed from the lands of
Ansalon, and their servants left as well. The Dark Queen retreated to
the infernal Realms to lick her wounds. Deep within the earth, the
dragons and their kind fell asleep and left the world in peace for an
age.
A Golden Age
The end of the Third Dragon War (or the Second Dragon War by
former reckoning) heralded the beginning of a golden age. Although the
land was severely scarred, it was at least free from the grip of
dragons for a time. Ergoth suffered most greatly. It would never again
achieve the glory of its lost empire.
As the world recovered from its wounds, the Knights of Solamnia
lost their way. The new, safer Ansalon had no great villains to
vanquish, no great evils to right. Many of the knights turned to
rebuilding their lands and governments. Others resigned their posts
altogether and scattered.
Other folk, however, were blessed in the years following the
war. Chief of these were the merchants of Istar. Only Istar, in its
desolate location, remained untouched by the war's ravages. From its
safe locale, Istar plotted to guide the world into an age of glory.
The power of Istar to effect this change was not military, but
commercial.
In Thorbardin, Istar found a ready ally. As center of trade,
Istar desperately needed the coins minted in Thorbardin. In return,
Istar provided a vast market for dwarven crafts and tools. The two
nations entered an agreement of mutual support. Istar built a mighty
fleet to circumnavigate the seas and to carry trade-goods to all
nations. Thorbardin sent forces back to reopen Thoradin as a major
manufacturing center for Istar. These forces found the halls of
Thoradin oddly empty and abandoned as if its previous occupants had
left only the day before. An occasional ogre clan inhabited the
otherwise empty halls. In a brief series of skirmishes, the dwarves
drove the ogres out and reclaimed Thoradin. Thoradin swiftly became a
supplier of tools, weapons, and coinage to Istar.
Soon afterward, Thorbardin received mining rights to the Garnet
Mountain range in Solamnia. The mines of Kayolin opened, setting up a
triangle of trade between Garnet, Thorbardin, and Istar, with Thoradin
at its center.
In this time, Thorbardin also expanded within. The dwarves
carved out one of the wonders of the ancient world. They constructed
the dwarven city of Zakhalax within a broad column of rock in their
mines. They also founded the hill dwarf county of Hillow.
Despite the good fortunes of the rest of the world, Silvanesti
continued to isolate itself. Only Qualinesti elves retained contact
with humans and other demihumans. In 910 PC, fifty years after being
driven out of Thoradin, the ogres attempted to return to their
one-time home. With the aid of the Knights of Solamnia, the dwarves
managed to drive the ogres away.
Istar continued to grow in power and prestige in the world,
becoming the major supplier of tools and arts, and acting as brokers
for grain, woods, and spices for the rest of the nations. In an
attempt to better control international trade, Istar imposed trade
standards and fair-price standards. These regulations were poorly
received by the kender of Balifor to their south. The kender protested
the end of barter and haggling and refused to obey the strict trade
tariffs. In retaliation, they began to manipulate various trade
markets, buying up all supplies to raise demand (and prices), then
dumping their excesses onto the marketplace to drop prices
disastrously. The Kender Trade Wars nearly brought Istar to its
financial knees, and it drove many merchant houses to bankruptcy.
In a desperate effort to save their economy, Istar agreed to the
creation of a free market, with a special tariff exemption for kender
(the so-called "Kender Tax"). In return, kender agreed to cease their
market manipulations. This pact became known as the Kendermeld.
Next, Istar clashed with Silvanesti naval merchants when they
attempted to gain control of key ports and sea lanes, barring the
elven merchants. The Silvanesti retaliated by attacking Istar
privateers and successfully blockading the Straits of Karthay, thus
preventing any Istarian merchants from entering or leaving. Istar
appealed to Solamnia for help. Acting as peacemakers, Solamnia
persuaded the elves to allow Istar to add its signature to the
Swordsheath Scroll. This event became known as the Elfmeld. Istar
learned from its previous two mistakes and decided to extend its trade
standards through treaty rather than strong-arm tactics.
In 530 PC, the ogres of the Khalkist mountains founded the
nation of Kernen and worked to intercept the caravans from Istar to
Thoradin. For five years the so-called Ogre Wars continued until
Istar, acting on behalf of Thoradin, appealed to Solamnia for help.
Together the three nations put an end to the ogre raids. Thoradin then
signed an exclusive trade treaty with Istar, known as Dwarfmeld,
giving Istar a lock on 50% of all metal goods.
Finally in the 5th century PC, when Solamnia became increasingly
dependent on Istarian trade, the king signed the Swordsheath Scroll in
what was later termed the Great Meld. The signers of the scroll joined
forces to put down raids by barbarians from Estwilde, Khur, and
Nordmaar. Istar branded the barbarians as pagans, obviously acting in
devotion to the gods of darkness. The Knights of Solamnia, anxious for
a battle after hundreds of years of relative peace, joined the cause
to suppress the pagans. A series of skirmishes against barbaric tribes
followed. Solamnia justified these battles as a reaction to a massive
barbarian uprising under the leadership of such men as Atillak the
Ravager, Kobbule the Club, and Tarnripper.
Peace in the Land
The lands of Ansalon experienced nearly 200 years of peaceful
coexistence. Then, in 280 PC, Istar started down the road to
corruption. The folk of Istar claimed to be the moral center of the
world and installed their first Kingpriest. Solamnia quickly applauded
the effort to support the cause of Good throughout the land.
Istar, however, soon became caught up in worldly and temporal
affairs, forgetting the affairs of the spirit. Istarians began to
believe that only they knew right from wrong. In this way, Istar
repeated the errors of the ogre empires, suppressing the will and
independence of the individual in favor of national decrees of the
Kingpriest and his corrupted priesthood. The elves of Silvanesti grew
disgusted by this sham. They shunned the outside world, drawing within
to trade only with their cousins in Qualinesti. Soth elven states were
too distant from Istar to feel its heavy hand, as of yet.
The succession of Kingpriest that followed seemed to be drawn
from the most power-mad and corrupt priesthood members in Istar. Soon,
the Kingpriest proclaimed that all Evil was an affront to gods and
mortals and needed to be destroyed. A rigid list of evil acts followed
and bands of ruffians formed brute squads to enforce the outrageous
laws. Anyone found guilty of an "evil" act would have lands and
property confiscated. Some few who were "truly heinous" were sold into
slavery, sent to fight in the arena, or executed outright. While the
Knights of Solamnia detested these excesses, they were currently too
disorganized and too dependent on trade with Istar to openly resist
their laws.
Priests of Istar became a specialized militia empowered by the
Kingpriest to create a reign of terror. Many priests purportedly lost
the ability to perform miracles.
Wizardry was viewed as a threat to the power of the Kingpriest.
Priests roused mobs of citizens to fear and revile magic, stirring
them to attack the Towers of High Sorcery. When the rioting mobs
approached two of the towers, mages knew that the magical items and
spells in the towers would be disastrous in the hands of the
uninitiated. They therefore destroyed the towers themselves,
devastating the countryside. The Kingpriest, fearing what would happen
if the magic pent up in all five towers were released, made a pact
with the wizards. He offered the wizards safe passage to a faraway
land if they would leave the remaining towers undestroyed. The mages
agreed.
The Tower of Istar was seized by the Kingpriest himself and made
into his abode. The Tower of Palanthus was cursed by a Black Robe
Wizard, who threw himself from the tower-top to impale on the front
gate. His curse raised the haunted Shoikan Grove and barred all from
the Tower until the Master of the Past and Present should return. Only
the Tower of Wayreth in far Qualinesti remained in the hands of the
wizards. Finally, in the year 6 PC, the Kingpriest asserted that evil
thoughts were t he same as evil acts. The priesthood began to use the
ESP spells of renegade mages to read the thoughts of random subjects.
The ensuing reign of terror and degeneration wracked the land. Ogres,
minotaurs, goblins, barbarians, and occasionally elves, dwarves, and
kender were hunted like animals and slain if caught outside the
borders of their nations.
Thus, when the dragons had passed from the land, humans became
worse still.
Knight of the Black Rose
In the Age of Might, years before the Cataclysm, there arose a
noble Knight of Solamnia. Lord Soth belonged to one of the ruling
houses of the nation of Solamnia. His family had, for years, carried
on the proud tradition of the Knights. For this service, they had been
deeded a province named Knightlund, and given responsibility for the
safety of that realm.
Records show that plagues swept the land in the latter years of
the Age of Might, slaying many of Soth's uncles. At last, only Soth's
father Aynkell Soth, remained. But Aynkell was not a knight; he was
merely a second-rate clerk. However, the senior Soth had a son who had
pledged loyalty to the order of the Knights. The elder was established
as steward of the land until his son came of age.
History infers that the senior Soth had a weakness for the
ladies, and his infidelities against his dear wife were a gossip of
the time. Yet, Aynkell had t he common sense and honor to step down
from his honorary office, retiring quietly from public life when his
son came of age. Nothing more is recorded of his deeds or
indiscretions.
Lord Soth, who would one day come to be known as the Knight of
the Black Rose, may have been an only child. Some records suggest,
however, that he slew his half-brothers and sisters. Among them,
purportedly, was at least one half-elf maiden, thanks to the alliances
of Soth's father.
For a time, young Soth remained true to his vows. He was a great
and noble soldier for Good. He fought for justice and freedom and
attained the highest honor, the Order of the Rose. His heart was pure
and his soul apparently spotless. When it came time for him to build
his keep, he fashioned it to resemble a red rose.
After a reasonable time, a proper marriage of state was arranged
for him. A nobleman's daughter and only child, Lady Gladria of
Korinne, had much to offer in the way of a dowry. But she was barren.
Lord Soth grew cold and distant from her and his vision of founding a
dynasty faded. Soth took to riding the countryside with his thirteen
loyal men-at-arms, looking for some wrong to right and, perhaps,
hoping only to avoid his unhappy home.
On one journey to a council of Knights in Palanthus, Soth
witnessed a band of ogres attacking elf maids on a pilgrimage to
become Revered Daughters of Paladine. He rescued the maidens, and the
youngest, Isolde Denissa, was taken by this vision of a man. Soth
returned with Isolde to Castle Dargaard, making some pretense as to
why he brought the woman with him. Whether by fate's hand or the
clever ministrations of Soth's faithful and corrupt steward, Caradoc,
Soth's heart became so tangled with Isolde's that they soon became
secret lovers.
Lady Gladria's response to this affair is unknown. Perhaps she
grew jealous or rife with petty anger, or perhaps she secretly thanked
the gods that Soth had found someone who could give him children. At
any rate, Lady Gladria was beset by some malady and shortly thereafter
died. Reports indicate evidence of blood, perhaps from an aborted
childbirth -- perhaps from murder. Gladria's body was cremated.
Soth took the young Isolde as his wife, and she remained true
and devoted to him even despite rumors of foul play against his first
wife. Within a month, Isolde was heavy with child, and within the
half-year, Soth had Peradur, the son he had coveted.
When evidence was brought before the Knights of Solamnia that
Lord Soth had broken his marriage vows, the knights besieged Dargaard,
demanding justice. Soth ignored them, remaining in Dargaard Keep and
making therein a life for himself.
As the time of the Cataclysm drew near, Soth repented his sins
and asked for a chance at redemption. Thanks in part to Isolde's
beseeching of Mishakal, Paladine provided Soth the chance for
redemption. Soth saw a vision of the destruction that the Kingpriest
would cause, and received from Paladine a quest that would stop the
madness. The quest required that Soth sacrifice his life, but he would
save the world in doing so.
Strengthened by Isolde's love, Lord Soth rode forth. But on his
journey he encountered Isolde's former companions. The elf women,
ashamed by their failure to rescue Isolde from Soth's seduction,
sought to ensure his undoing. They threatened to reveal Soth's deeds
and spoke lies to him of Isolde's infidelities . In anger, Soth turned
back from his quest to punish his wife -- the alleged faithless
harlot.
Returning to Dargaard, he confronted Isolde, accusing her of
betrayal. As he moved to strike her down, the Cataclysm struck. The
great chandelier in the hall crashed to the floor and in the resulting
flames, the elfmaid and her child were consumed. Desperate, Isolde
held out the child for Soth to rescue him. But Soth turned away in
anger. Then did Isolde curse him. As the fire consumed him so did the
curse. He became an unliving, yet undead creature of the dark. His
wife's curse doomed him for eternity to remain in the world, living
one tormented lifetime for each lifetime his folly had brought to an
end.
Soth's castle and his armor were charred and blackened by the
fire. He became the Knight of the Black Rose. His dark land was
renamed Nightlund, and there he sat, brooding on his fate. The elven
maidens who brought his downfall became ceaselessly keening banshees
who circled his throne. The thirteen knights who remained loyal to him
throughout his deeds of evil became skeletal warriors under his
command.
The Fall of Istar
The glory of Istar dimmed as the Cataclysm neared. The
Kingpriest saw fiends in shadows and despair in the night. Blinded by
his own righteous pride, he hoped to summon the very gods to do his
bidding. From the heart of his land, from the Temple of Istar, the
Kingpriest spun his folly like a spider spins its web. He leached from
the land its essence, plotting to enact a salvation for himself.
The gods sent thirteen omens to warn the folk of Ansalon of
their coming doom. How quickly the people forgot the prophesy foretold
by the elven priest, Loralon: "That it ever man, in pride, should
challenge the gods, woe betide the world." These thirteen signs passed
all but unnoticed among the folk.
The gods' hands shall be withdrawn and man shall face his doom alone.
The sky shall lament and beat the earth with its tears and cries of anguish.
Fear shall visit the land.
Light shall be devoured; hope shall flee.
Darkness and despair shall be rekindled.
The flame shall fail on the hearth.
The plains will be cleansed.
Brother shall turn against brother.
Knowledge shall be veiled.
Our children shall bleed for our sins.
Nature shall turn against man in outrage.
The bounty shall end and the blood of the land will wash the blot from the earth.
And finally, the earth shall awaken!
But the Kingpriest, in his pride, did not heed the warnings. On
the Eve of Yule -- a time now known as the Night of Doom -- all true
priests left the world for a higher plane, never to be seen again. The
wicked folk rumored that the Kingpriest had secretly murdered them and
hidden their bodies.
On Yule Day, the sky turned a sickly green and a cyclone
destroyed one of the seven towers of Istar's temple, pelting the city
with a rain of marble. The storm pounded the land in rage unending for
seven days.
Each day afterward, reports arrived from across the land,
telling tales of some awesome or troubling event.
A pall spread over Balifor and Hylo, and the merry kender were
found huddling beneath their beds.
The night sky darkened as the black moon Nuitari devoured the
silver god's eye of Solinari and the red night candle of Lunitari.
The black flame -- the living destroyer of life -- awakened and
burned again in the dwarven halls of Thoradin. In Solamnia, firewood
would not light, leaving hearths cold and dark. In Abanasinia,
brushfires raged across the plains destroying the land.
Lord Soth broke from the council of the Knights. The council
sought to redress him in war, but he retired from the world to his
keep.
In Palanthus, an impenetrable white mist obscured everything.
Only on the thirteenth day could a scribe even set pen to paper.
A cry came from Silvanesti: the trees were weeping blood. From
Qualinesti came an alarm of animals turned violent. Tarsis told of
torn and ruined nets.
Northern ports spoke of red tides that washed through the
streets. Finally, the Lords of Doom and many other sleeping volcanoes
belched forth rivers of lava and ash.
Through all this, few casualties occurred, but the worst was at
hand! Tremors began to shake the land, grinding away the lives of men
as if so much wheat. A mighty roar tilled the air and the sky rained
fire!
A fiery mountain fell upon Istar. It dragged the capital city
and the whole nation down to the sea floor. The Temple of Istar itself
was teleported to the p lane of the Abyss. The impact shuddered out
from Istar and remade the face of Ansalon. (See the "Geography of
Ansalon" section for specifics). All creatures, Good and Evil, hid in
mortal terror.
Cause of the Cataclysm
Speculation on the cause of the Cataclysm has ranged widely. How
a mere mortal like the Kingpriest might bind the gods, forcing them to
measures as drastic as the Cataclysm, is inconceivable. Even so, the
Kingpriest apparently d id bind the gods. The argument for this
assertion follows.
Either the gods were unwilling to intervene before the Cataclysm
or were unable to do so. The gods of Evil may well have been unwilling
to intervene insofar as the Kingpriest forwarded their plans of Evil.
The gods of Good and Neutrality, however, must have desired to
intervene before the Cataclysm. The Kingpriest threatened to destroy
all Good by corruption from within, and such a destruction would end
the Balance and destroy the world. If the gods of Good and Neutrality
could have saved Krynn sooner and in a manner less catastrophic, they
would have.
Therefore, we must assume that at least the Good and Neutral
gods were unable, not unwilling, to intervene sooner than the
Cataclysm. Next, we must ask ourselves why they were unable to
intervene.
Perhaps the Kingpriest somehow used the gods' gifts to the world
-- physical bodies, free will, mortality, and magic -- to bind the
gods somehow.
First of all, the Kingpriest's Evil clearly might have lured the
gods to Krynn in avatar form. Once in avatar form, the gods would have
physical bodies (the first gift) that the Kingpriest could somehow
torture and imprison. Such an action would certainly bind the gods to
some extent.
Secondly, we know that the Kingpriest played upon the free will
(the second gift) of Ansalon's folk, directing their attention from
the true gods to himself -- the false god. By robbing the gods of
their worshippers, the Kingpriest may have weakened them to a point
where they could be controlled. By gaining worshippers himself, the
Kingpriest may have gathered enough praise to become godlike.
Thirdly, if the Kingpriest had through praise or magic gained
immortality, then he would have broken down the walls that separate
humans from the gods. He would have sloughed off his mortality (the
third gift). By stepping over this threshold, he might have become a
peer of the gods.
Fourthly, when the Kingpriest moved into the Tower of High
Sorcery in Istar, he inherited all magely magic (the fourth gift).
Furthermore, when wizards and priests left the world, the Kingpriest
became the only true practitioner of these arts (except, some would
argue, Fistandantilus). The Kingpriest might have used magic to bind
the gods.
If the gods were somehow bound and kept from acting before the
Cataclysm, perhaps even the Cataclysm did not occur due to their
interventions. Perhaps the Kingpriest himself summoned the Cataclysm
as the culmination of a bizarre ritual to gain all power. This theory
would make some sense out of the fact that the Temple of Istar -- the
heart of Evil -- was not destroyed, but gated to the Abyss. Might the
Kingpriest have gone with it? If so, surely the journey would have
struck him mad.
Let it be said now and a thousand times, these are mere
conjectures. The Cataclysm will likely remain an eternal mystery to
mortal folk.
Shadow Years/Dwarfgate War
The years following the Cataclysm are lost in shadows. The
nations of Krynn were devastated. Only a fragmented government
remained in Solamnia under the charge of the feuding knights. Many
cities of high civilization lay in rubble. Some nations lay submerged
in depthless oceans; others had been forced up ontomountain tops. The
devastation was massive. Only the nations of elves and the dwarven
kingdoms of Kayolin and Thorbardin remained somewhat intact.
Following the Cataclysm, the hill dwarves and men of Xak Tsaroth
fled southward to Thorbardin to avoid the ravages of barbarians and
famines. But the kingdom of Thorbardin could not feed its own
citizens, let alone the thousands o f refugees outside. Instead, they
barred their gates and turned their backs on the panicked people.
Disorganized and lacking leadership, the refugees proved no match for
the armed dwarves of Thorbardin.
Then, the dark mage Fistandantilus, appeared, planning to make
himself the magical lord of all Ansalon. He built a magical fortress
called Zhaman and rallied to him the army of refugees left outside
Thorbardin. Then, with the refugees at his side, Fistandantilus
launched an assault on Thorbardin. The battle raged for weeks, and
Fistandantilus rained a horrible shower of spells on Thorbardin. When
at last the sorcerer's defeat looked certain, Fistandantilus loosed
his most powerful magic of all! This spell of destruction devastated
not only his enemies, but his allies, his tower, and himself as well.
The once-bountiful Plains of Der goth became the Wastes of Dergoth.
All that remained of his mountain fortress was a melted slag called
Skullcap. And somewhere, deep beneath Skullcap, (legend has it) lies
Fistandantilus and the secrets to his power.
War of the Lace
For a complete, year-by-year account of the War of the Lance,
see the "Iconochronos of Astinus" section.
The world of Krynn is ancient. Its face has changed, much as the
face of a child changes over time to that of an elder. Before Krynn
was even home to the mortals, it served as a battleground for the
gods. This first celestial war remade the face of the world, as have
the second and third and fourth wars. Through it all, the lands of
Ansalon took one form or another upon the southern hemisphere. Many of
Ansalon's faces are lost to history, but some long-lived folk remember
two different aspects of their land: pre-Cataclysm and post-Cataclysm
Ansalon.
***
The World that Was
Before the Cataclysm, the land of Ansalon was whole. It
stretched uninterrupted for 1,500 miles, from eastern Karthay to
western Ergoth. Travelers claimed that, to see the world, one needed
only a pair of shoes and a pair of eyes. Priests spoke of the unified
continent of Ansalon as "a manifestation in soil and stone of the
gods' hope for a unified world." And rogues, gods love them,
considered Ansalon one big patsy waiting to be scammed. Whatever way
one conceived of it, Ansalon was whole before the Cataclysm. Only the
Isle of Sancrist stood apart from the rest of the world. Legend told
that it cracked away when the gnomes first lit into smokepowder
(literally). But the folk of Ansalon hardly considered the Sancrist
Straits a barrier: it was nothing a strong swimming stroke and a
bucket of grease couldn't conquer.
Although the gods might have intended unity and peace among the
people of the world, the mortals had other ideas. The diverse folk of
Ansalon founded diverse civilizations, which coexisted only as happily
as most siblings do. Eleven great nations reigned during the three
millennia before the Cataclysm: Sancrist, Ergoth, Hylo, Qualinesti,
Thorbardin, Thoradin, Kharolis, Solamnia, Silvanesti, Balifor, and
Istar, in west to east order. Descriptions of each follow.
Sancrist: This island floated off the western coast of Ergoth.
In 3050 PC (PreCataclysm), gnomes following on the heels of the
fleeing Graystone came to Sancrist and decided to stay. In the north
of the isle stood a dormant volcano that the gnomes considered perfect
ground for a glorious citadel. After years of excavation, the gnomes
had created a vastly complex city that became their ancestral home.
Gnomes who wandered the hostile world beyond the geothermal glow of
their homeland always longed to return to the steamy halls. The
gnomish name for the mountain was suitably lengthy and
unpronounceable. A shorter appellation -- "Mount Nevermind" -- stuck
when an Ergothian General stuttered over the name, saying, "Mount...
um... hmmm... uh... nevermind."
In 2500 PC, the gnomish civilization upon Sancrist came under
the rule of the Ergothian Empire. This political tie bothered the
gnomes little: the Sancrist Straits kept the empire at arm's length,
as did the gnomish reputation for (accidentally) lethal inventions. In
1750 PC, forty years after the fall of Ergoth, the gnomes decided the
Ergothians were not planning to return. Furtively, they declared their
independence.
Ergoth: Around 2600 PC, the human Ackal Ergot led a campaign of
war and extortion that united the barbarian tribes of western Ansalon.
The civilization that arose from his efforts bore his name and
exhibited his talent for war and obsession with law. With stunning
military campaigns, the empire grew in waves from its capital,
Daltigoth. After many wars and many emperors, Ergoth sprawled from the
Turbidus Ocean in the west to Silvanesti in the east. By 2200 PC,
Ergoth was the most vast civilization that Ansalon had ever seen.
But still, the heart of Ergoth was barbaric. The empire cared
little for beauty or truth -- foundation stones of the elven cultures
of the time. And though militarism meant strength in Daltigoth, it
meant tyranny in the border states. In 1801 PC, the greatest son of
the Ergothian Empire, Vinas Solamnus, learned of beauty and truth
among the oppressed folk in the eastern provinces. Here, the tyranny
and injustice of Ergoth could not be denied. Determined to free the
folk of the east, he marched the Ergothian army upon Daltigoth.
In time, the emperor sued for peace. The new nation of Solamnia
split Ergoth in two, taking from her all lands east of Palanthus and
Xak Tsaroth. Still, Ergoth did not learn the lessons of beauty and
truth. The mighty empire, no longer the center of the world, slowly
withered, like a vestigial organ that had lost all function.
Hylo: The kender nation of Hylo, founded in 2600 PC, exhibited
none of Ergoth's concern for conquest and destiny. In fact, the birth
of the nation occurred quite accidentally when a kender clan, marooned
upon a floating citadel, coaxed the city to crash land upon the
Sentinel Mountains. The beached citadel proved enough of a fascination
to the kender that most of the clan remained close at hand. By 2500
PC, when the citadel was engulfed in vines and new forests, enough
kender had precipitated nearby to create a city. They called their
city Hylo because it rested in the shadow of the citadel that once was
high and then was low. The surrounding land also took the same name,
but for a different reason: the mountains in the west were high, and
those in the east were low. As one might expect, Hylo served the
kender mainly as a cradle and a grave: young kender lingered there as
they awaited wanderlust and old kender returned there after the world
had worn them out.
In 2450 PC, Ergoth conquered Hylo: human armies surrounded the
land and claimed it a conquered province of Ergoth. The kender
shrugged and went about their business. When Ergoth instated a stiff
tax of 20% of all transactions, the confused kender complied. After 50
years of collecting smooth stones and bits of phosphorescent moss from
the kender, the empire abandoned taxation of its northern province. In
1791 PC, the fall of Ergoth liberated Hylo as well. The kender hardly
noticed the change.
Qualinesti: The elven nation of Qualinesti was the absolute
opposite of the human empire to its north. Ergoth was founded on war;
Qualinesti was founded on peace. Ergoth arose through a tyrannical
uniting of independent regions; Qualinesti arose through a pacifistic
secession from war-torn Silvanesti. Ergoth upheld power; Qualinesti
upheld beauty. The Kinslayer War left the western Silvanesti elves
uneasy. They despised the socially ingrained violence that had led to
the war and felt like poor cousins of the eastern folk. After 40 years
of dissatisfaction, they declared their independence. The eastern
elves resented this act, but did little to oppose it. Finally, after
27 years of feuding between the two clans, KithKanan engineered the
Swordsheath Scroll. This revolutionary document granted the western
elves their freedom, provided them a new homeland, and founded a new
peace between Silvanesti, Thorbardin, and Ergoth.
In 2050 PC, the Great March began. For 20 years, the western
Silvanesti moved slowly across the plains of Solamnia to their new
forest homeland between Thorbardin and Ergoth. The dwarves of
Thorbardin actually welcomed the elven sojourners to the northern
forests, knowing that the peaceloving elves would block the southward
expansion of Ergoth. In fact, the dwarves and Ergothians were so
hospitable to the new elven nation that together, the races built Pax
Tharkas, a huge fortress on the borders of Qualinesti and Thorbardin.
But Thorbardin would not be the capital of the new land. The
Qualinesti elves wanted a capital that would be as beautiful as it was
well-fortified. And so they built Qualinost.
The elegant and attenuate spires of the city served as look-out
posts and the smoothly curving walls proved difficult to climb. Here,
they would have not only beauty, but also peace.
Thoradin and Thorbardin: Dwarves, who tend to be dowdy and
taciturn, only grow more so over time. In 3100 PC, they began building
their first kingdom, Kal-Thax, which meant simply "Cold Forge." They
dug Kal-Thax to shelter themselves from the Graystone and the
uncertainties of the world. This underground metropolis, founded upon
withdrawal and isolation, grew only more oppressive and sunless with
the passing years. The limestone caves were living: stalactites and
stalagmites still formed, but no good ore lay there. By 2800 PC,
Kal-Thax's heart had gone stone cold: the smell of decline and death
permeated everything.
A group of younger dwarves, unwilling to let Kal-Thax become
their graves, set out through the Khalkist Mountains to delve a new
city. They wandered until they found a rich vein of iron ore. The mine
they dug upon that site in 2800 PC grew slowly into a new metropolis,
Thoradin, which means New Hope." In 2750 PC the young community sent
emissaries to the fatherland, Kal-Thax, to bear word of the new
dwarven nation. The ambassadors found Kal-Thax strangely abandoned,
its vast halls dark and its gates infested with bears and wild things.
Twenty-five years later, when a party set out to reclaim the dwarven
homeland, they could not find its gates in the rugged mountains.
But the heart of Thoradin also went bad. In 2710 PC, the
dwarves' delvings uncovered five magical stones -- the dragon stones.
Fearing the corruption of magic, the dwarves cast these stones from
Thoradin's gates. In 2692 PC, the dragon stones happened into the
wrong hands, and the Second Dragon War resulted. Shamed that their
carelessness unleashed such havoc, the dwarves closed off Thoradin
from the rest of the world in 2640 PC. Over the next 500 years,
Thoradin grew increasingly dark and dismal.
In 2150 PC, a clan of young hill dwarves migrated from the
oppressive halls of Thoradin across 400 miles of plains to the rugged
Kharolis Mountains. There they delved a new home, Thorbardin, which
means "New Best Hope." Thorbardin proved to be the largest and
grandest dwarven kingdom yet. In time, it would become 22 miles long
and 14 miles wide. Thorbardin was destined to hold seven major cities,
three farming warrens, two governmental areas, and a fortress at both
gates. Unlike its predecessors, the New Best Hope did not grow stodgy
and stale over time. Nor did its walls fall during the Cataclysm,
which laid waste to most other civilizations in Ansalon.
Kharolis: This forbidding tundra land was a nation in name only.
Here walrus men and ice bears easily outnumbered human and demihuman
inhabitants. Even so, one jewel of civilization stood out in this
frosty land: Tarsis. This port city on the west coast housed
merchants, bankers, scholars, students, and mercenaries of every ilk.
Tarsis was the chief port of trade for exotic pelts as well as
cold-water fish. To protect all of these riches from the plunder of
pirates and the pillage of barbarians, Tarsis had stout city walls and
high guard towers. Solamnia: This huge nation bisected the continent
of Ansalon. Despite its vastness and optimal positioning, Solamnia
never achieved the great imperial power of Ergoth. The regions of
Solamnia cohered not because of military might, but because of a
common and cherished freedom. All the folk of Solamnia remembered
being submitted to the taxation and oppression of the occupying armies
of Ergoth. When Vinas Solamnus laid siege to Ergoth in 1791 PC, the
folk of central Ansalon flocked to his banner, claiming him as
liberator and ruler.
Although Solamnia was not a military dictatorship, neither was
it weak. During Ergoth's occupation, the emperor constructed many
heavy fortifications in cities and villages in the area. When the
lands broke free and consolidated into Solamnia, the people put
Ergoth's fortresses and citadels to good use.
But the greatest strength of Solamnia lay in its morality.
Always the nation strived to follow in the just and honorable path of
its progenitor, Vinas Solamnus. Needless to say, Solamnians
occasionally fell short of this ideal. But the fact that even the
commoners of Solamnia aspired to some ideal of honesty and valor
raised human civilization to a new level. Certainly the jewel of
Solamnia was the great port city of Palanthus, which had already
become legendary by the Age of Might. Although originally of dwarven
construction, Palanthus became a mostly human city. In addition to the
merchant fleets and sprawling marketplaces it housed, Palanthus held
the Temple of Paladine, the Tower of High Sorcery, the Great Library,
the palace of the Lord of Palanthus, and the University of Palanthus.
But Solamnia's true capital was Vingaard Keep, a heavily
fortified citadel guarding the confluence of the Vingaard River and a
tributary. This former Ergothian outpost defended the heartland of
Solamnia, but its daunting walls and military regimes certainly did
not embody the heart of the land.
Silvanesti: The ancient land of Silvanesti took its name from
the elven patriarch Silvanos who drove out the dragons and settled
there in 3350 PC. Unlike the dwarves, whose homelands were hewed out
of lifeless stone, the elves knew their city must be built of living
things -- trees and living granite. And unlike men who felled forests
to build their cities, the Silvanesti elves (as they came to be
called), shaped the trees and rock of the woods into exquisite and
useful forms. The capital city of Silvanost was the creation of elves
and nature together. Perhaps this harmonious life with nature allowed
Silvanost to become the oldest surviving city in Ansalon.
Then came the time of true testing for Silvanesti. In 2192 PC, a
terrible war between elves and humans erupted. Halfelves were caught
between. After over 100 years of battle, the war ended with the
Swordsheath Scroll. Even so, Silvanesti was wounded deeply. The
dispossessed western elves, grieved by the war, demanded a new
homeland as part of the peace treaty. These elves departed the nation,
becoming the Qualinesti. Wounded by this loss, the Silvanesti raised a
hedge around the main forest to keep outsiders away. Slowly, the
Silvanesti elves grew more and more distant from its neighbors upon
Ansalon.
Balifor: In 3051, the Graystone broke loose from its captors,
transforming those near at hand. A newly transformed kender named
Balif gathered together others who had been similarly transformed by
the stone. Balif called his wandering tribe the "kindred" or "kender."
A long-time confidant of Silvanos, Balif received a deed from the
elven ruler for lands east of Silvanesti. There, in a small forest
similar to their homeland, the kender settled in 3043 PC. They called
their city and their nation Balifor, in honor of Balif who brought
them together. Despite the wanderlust that took the kender far and
wide, most returned in time to their homeland. Eventually, three other
small cities sprang up in the woodlands, though their names are now
lost to time.
Four hundred years later, a clan of kender spotted the first
flying citadel. Their wonder and curiosity led the whole clan to a
calamitous embarkation. Disembarking was another matter. Finally, the
kender coaxed the citadel to a crash landing in the Sentinel
Mountains. So Hylo was born, Istar: For almost a millennium, Istar was
merely a barbarian land on the edge of the Ergothian Empire. It lay
cut off from the rest of the world by a ring of desert and wasteland.
In 1799 PC, when western Solamnia rallied around Vinas Solamnus and
his army of liberators, the barbarians of Istar were experiencing
changes of their own. Tribal nations had arisen, replacing the hunting
clans that had gone before. Farming villages began to appear, in time
growing into cities. Over the course of two centuries, the separate
tribal nations of the land banded together into a confederation. By
1480 PC, the port capital of Istar became a channeling point for all
trade from eastern Ansalon. Trade brought with it wealth, which
sparked scholarship and industry. The trade standards of Istar,
created around 1100 PC, slowly spread throughout Ansalon until by 800
PC, the coinage of Istar was accepted in all corners of Ansalon.
At that time, too, the merchant nation's priests rose in power.
Their fervent works on behalf of Good earned Istar a reputation of
morality that exceeded even Solamnia's. The expanding Istarian empire
clashed with the kender in Balifor and the elves in Silvanesti. In
time, diplomatic efforts brought treaties between the Istarians and
their neighbors -- as well as most of the nations of Ansalon. From the
time of 460 PC to 280 PC, peace ruled the world.
Then, in 280 PC, Istar installed the first Kingpriest -- a ruler
in matters both political and spiritual. The Kingpriest's first edict,
World Righteousness,made Istar the self-proclaimed moral center of the
world. Over the next century, the clergy's power grew until the
proclamation of Manifest Virtue in 118 PC. This proclamation listed
countless evil acts and prescribed severe punishments. Thus, Istar
began a ruthless quest to destroy evildoers. In 6 PC, the clergy took
their fanaticism one step further with the Edict of Thought Control,
which equated evil thoughts with evil deeds. Anger became a capital
offense equal to murder; lust became a capital offense equal to
adultery.
The gods, seeing the dangerous and heinous power of the
Kingpriest, smote the world with a fiery mountain. Thus at the Zero
Hour of Ansalonian history, the gods remade the world.
Climate Before the Cataclysm
The key to understanding the climates of Ansalon before and
after the Cataclysm lay in realizing that Ansalon rests upon the
southern hemisphere of Krynn. Thus, the farther south one travels, the
colder climates generally become. The farther north one journeys, the
hotter the climates become. Before the Cataclysm, most of Ansalon was
comfortably habitable. Of course, forbidding tundra stretched across
the southern lands of Kharolis (which lay some 700 miles from the
south pole), and hot rain forests filled the northeastern rim of Istar
(which lay about 2000 miles south of the equator). But the lands
between were generally more temperate. In the following descriptions
of climates, the Ergothian month names are used for ease of reference.
(See "Almanac of Ansalon" for a chart of month names.)
The most favorable band of climate became the birthplace of the
great civilizations: Ergoth, Solamnia, Thoradin, and Silvanesti. Here,
summer arrived early in Corij and stretched into late Reorxmont.
Between these times, temperatures occasionally reached sweating points
but usually remained comfortable. After a patient autumn, winter
arrived in Phoenix and extended to late Mishamont. Winter temperatures
generally hovered about the freezing mark. All in all, this region was
filled with verdant plains, green meadows, lush forests, and
burgeoning villages. Every facet of civilization benefitted from the
temperate climate: farming, husbandry, construction, trade, defense,
commerce, and rulership.
South of this curving swath of temperate climates lay a region
of transitional climates. Here lay the great secondary civilizations
of Thorbardin, Qualinesti, and western Silvanesti. The folk who
founded these cultures had migrated for one reason or another from the
temperate region. In this area, the summers lasted from late Corij to
early Reorxmont and rarely grew uncomfortable. After a short and
stormy autumn, winter set in by H'rarmont and lasted through
Chislmont. Winters typically dipped below freezing and remained there,
and snows fell frequently.
The southern peninsula of Ansalon lay in a band of bitter cold.
In the tundra region of Kharolis, summer lasted for a matter of five
to six weeks around the month of Argon. Even during those days, the
sun lingered low in the northern sky, and temperatures required a
light wrap. The summers would have been colder, too, except for the
warm prevailing currents on the eastern coast of Kharolis. A brief and
stormy spring preceded the summer and an equally rapid autumn led to
bitter winter. During those days, the sun appeared to roll like a red
ball along the horizon from east to west. The air grew so cold that
spittle would freeze before striking ground. Here, only the most
savage and rugged of folk could survive, out-numbered by the ice bears
and walrus men. The flora was equally stunted -- short grasses in icy
bogs, scrubby trees, and tenacious lichens.
On the other side of the temperate lands of Silvanesti and
Balifor lay a desert region that stretched from the mountains of
northern Thoradin to the eastern reaches of Istar. Here, summer days
reached sweltering heat while summer nights grew horribly chill. In
late Hiddumont, a reluctant autumn would take hold of the land,
soothing the broiling heat. Autumn slowly transformed into spring at
some undefinable point, which gave way in Bran to summer. Rain came
seldom to this region: the Khalkist Mountains drained water from the
air before it rolled onto the broad Istarian basin. When rain did
come, it came in torrents. In an hour's time, the blue sky would boil
into a fierce thunderstorm. Lightning hung thick from the clouds like
tangled roots. In the wake of these furious and brief storms, the
scrubby plants of the desert would burst into hopeful blossom. Within
the week, the sun would whither the flowers again.
In the highlands of Istar north of the desert lay vast regions
of grass -- the savannah lands. On the desert's edge, these grasses
grew in tough clumps, with short, dry stalks and roots bulging with
tubers that stored water. Farther north, the islands of grass merged
into endless seas of golden grass, dotted by an occasional tree. In
the far north, the trees grew thicker and the grasses gave way to
forests of baobabs and banyans.
This broad region of grasses existed because of one factor:
water. Tropical westerlies blew sultry air off the Northern Courrain
Ocean onto the plains, bringing a season of torrential rain that could
halt the desert's advance. The grasses held tenaciously to the water
when it came, storing it in root reservoirs. The grasses also held
tenaciously to the heat of the plain as well, causing the harsh broil
of the day to last well into the night. Unlike most other regions of
Ansalon, the savannah lands experienced only two seasons: the dry
season (from Chislmont to Aelmont), and the wet season (from Aelmont
to Chislmont). These seasons were somewhat less extreme around the
capital of Istar itself, a factor that allowed this farming settlement
to burgeon into the capital of the world.
In the northernmost region of Ansalon lay a tropical rain
forest. Here, temperatures almost never reached the freezing point and
vegetation grew rampant. The exotic trees and ferns stood so thick in
the mountainous forests around Karthay that one could walk for 100
miles without setting foot on soil or stone. The rainstorms that fell
for three months on the savannah fell here three hundred days of the
year. The vegetation here was exotic and sometimes deadly, and the
bizarre creatures were no different. Some explorers even sighted
stooped men whose bodies were covered in orange hair.
The Cataclysm
Although known universally as the Cataclysm, the event of the
Zero Hour in fact saved rather than destroyed Krynn. Few folk, even
among the wise, realized that the power of the Kingpriest of Istar had
grown more destructive than that of the fiery mountain that fell upon
the world.
Even so, the fiery mountain itself caused no small tragedy.
(Seethemap sheets for the geography of post-Cataclysm Ansalon.) The
center point of its impact, the capital city of Istar, went from being
the commercial, political, and spiritual center of the world to being
the bottom-most point of the sea. The force of the impact also
reshaped istar and the lands around. The fiery mountain not only sank
the city of Istar, but dragged most of the arid plains down into the
sea after it. The eastern arm of the nation shattered into six
islands. Balifor in the south segmented into a ragged peninsula. The
narrow Bay of Balifor widened into a broad strait, with a new sea at
its northern reaches. To the west, the already-impressive Khalkist
Mountains roiled into an impassible series of ranges. And in the
north, the floor of Thoradin Bay was thrust up violently, sending a
tidal flood rushing from the new land.
Farther west, the lands cracked like the end of a whip. The bays
that extended up from the south Turbidus Ocean and down from the north
Turbidus Ocean came together, snaking across the sunken plains of
Ergoth. Once inland, the water surged onto the flattened midlands,
cutting Qualinesti in half and seeping all the way to Sanction in the
Khalkist Mountains. The central depression that split Qualinesti in
the east also ran west, splitting Ergoth into northern and southern
islands. The backlash of the impact caused volcanic activity on
Sancrist that doubled the size of the island. Luckily, Mount Nevermind
itself did not erupt. And, in the south, the sea bed rose, growing
shallow enough for a continent of ice to cover the land.
And so, the land of Ansalon, which was once whole and fair,
became a shattered land of harsh climes. The following pages detail
and illustrate Ansalon as it stands after the Cataclysm and after the
ravages of the War of the Lance. Most of those who campaign in Ansalon
will journey through this post-War world.
***
Languages indicated with an asterisk (*) are predominant,
occuring throughout the land in various dialects; those with a plus
sign (+) are rare languages, spoken by specific racial groups.
Character class abbreviations follow:
P=Priest, F = Fighter, M =Mage, T= Thief, R= Rogue, Bd = Bard,
Br= Barbarian, Rr = Ranger, Co = Commoner, Tk = Tinker.
The, World that Is
Abanasinia and Seeker Lands
Capital: None. Que-Shu and the other plains tribes have
sovereign villages; Solace, Haven, and the Seeker Lands between
comprise a theocracy.
Main Populace: Plains barbarians, other humans, hill dwarves,
centaurs, goblins
Languages: Abanasinian*, Goblin*, Common, Hand Talk,
Qualinesti+, Centaur+
National Alignment: Neutral Good
Government: Independent tribes and cities
Lord Curston of Tantallon (Human F13, AC 4, hp 52, AL LG)
Disposition: Sad
Lord Hristol of Zaradene (Human Fl 1, AC 3, hp 47, AL NG)
Disposition: Suspicious
Lord Mantilla of North Keep (Human P12, AC 0, hp 59, AL LG)
Disposition: Brooding
Lady Lyrissa of Good Bay (Human Bd9, AC 5, hp 26, AL CG)
Disposition: Clever
Lord Gwathmey of Long Ridge (Human Br10, AC 5, hp 52, AL CN)
Disposition: Temperamental
Allies: Qualinesti, Southlund, New Sea.
Geography: Abanasinia consists mostly of the grainburgeoning
plains south of the Straits of Schallsea and north of Qualinesti and
the Kharolis Mountains. Though Abanasinia contains the northern
reaches of the Kharolis range and the Eastwall Mountains, those who
speak of Abanasinia generally refer to the plains.
In the extreme east of Abanasinia stands a fetid swamp infested
with clinging weeds and haggard, moss-draped trees. The ruins of Xak
Tsaroth lurk here, as well as other things better left undisturbed.
South of this cursed land lies a forest that has no name in any
civilized tongue. The barbarians simply call the place "the Trap," and
the Seekers call it "The Unnameable." The forest purportedly contains
many rare and exotic plants crucial for magical potions, poultices,
and the like. It also purportedly contains legions of ghosts.
To the west of the wood lies the ill-fated village of Que-Shu,
razed by Verminaard just before the War of the Lance. Farther west
still lies a theocracy called the Seeker Lands. Here, the tree village
of Solace stands quietly between Crystalmir Lake and the Kiri Peaks.
Within Solace stands the legendary Inn of the Last Home where the
heroes of the lance originally met and a few hundred thousand
adventuring souls have rested their feet.
The western road from Solace leads around the Darken Wood to a
village called Haven. Darken Wood shelters some of Krynn's most
beautiful and furtive beasts: dryads, centaurs, woodland spirits of
all sorts, and, it is said, the unicorns. In the center of this area
dwells the mysterious Forestmaster.
The citadel of the Evil wizard Gader also stands in the
mountains here. Those whose venture into the Darken Wood should have
hearts that are both stout and pure.
Climate: Abanasinian weather tends to be fickle. Its hot summers
last from late Corij to early Reorxmont, providing near-perfect
conditions for the grains grown here. Rain does not come regularly to
the plain, but falls in downpours when it arrives. Long stretches of
sultry weather fill the space between summer storms. Winter begins in
H'rarmont and lasts into Chislmont. During this time, the moist air
from the Straits of Schallsea clashes with bitterly cold air from the
mountains, producing heavy snowfalls. The critical pass of Sentinel
Gap in the Seeker Lands often snows closed, leaving Solace cut off
from Haven.
Politics: The forbidding mountains, swamps, forests, and seas
that ring Abanasinia insulate this region from the spread of
civilization. Abanasinia is a land of villages, not cities. Aside from
the agrarian settlements of Solace and Haven, the tribal villages of
Que-Teh and Que-Kiri provide the only notable political bases.
Although the barbarians of Abanasinia have long pursued separate aims,
they now seek to form a confederation. The destruction of Que-Shu and
the turmoil of the War of the Lance taught the tribes the benefits of
cooperation with each other. The barbarians harbor particular
suspicions for the Qualinesti.
Trade: The barbarian folk of Abanasinia trade chiefly in corn,
furs, horses, feathers, woven blankets, pottery, and 'wari hide. The
mixed populace of the Seeker Lands specializes in smithing, ale,
weapons, armor, and (of course) hospitality. The barbarians often
journey to Solace for weapons, armor, and Qualinesti leather.
Balifor
(See "Khur and Balifor")
Blode and Blodheim
Capital: Bloten
Main Populace: Ogres, Green Dragonarmy
Languages: Ogre*, Khur, Draconian, Giant, Common+, Zakhar+,
Bakali+, Slig+, Centaur+
National Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Government: Military dictatorship
Dictator Blode of Bloten (Ogre 7HD, AC 3, hp 39, AL CE)
Disposition: Violent
Geography: Squeezed between the southern arms of the Khalkist
Mountains, Blode has proven a stronghold for its ogre inhabitants. On
three sides of the verdant valley stand forbidding mountains and a
broad desert. On the country's fourth side lies the Thon-Thalas River,
which protects the valley from invasions from the south. Despite the
obvious security and fertility of the valley, it holds only two major
settlements, the capital city Bloten and the ruins of Takar.
Bloten huddles against a southern arm of the Khalkist mountain
range. The ancient walls of the city, crumbling though they are,
attest to a lost greatness among the ogre folk. The hunched and
wart-riddled ogres that shamble through the mighty stonework
structures are but twisted shadows of the high ogres who founded the
city.
The ruins of Takar are just that: ruins of a bygone age of
glory. Because of their depth within ogre borders and the current
occupation of the lands by the Green Dragonarmy, few civilized
adventurers have explored this spot.
Climate: The high mountains to the west of Blode sift the balmy
winds of the New Sea, drying the air. Although not a desert, the
plains of Blode are more arid than those west of the mountains and
than the forest of Silvanesti to the south. Occasionally, prevailing
warm currents in the Southern Courrain Ocean bring a nasty glut of
rain (summer) or snow (winter) upon both Silvanesti and Blode. The
temperate summers in Blode last from Corij to Reorxmont and winters
stretch from H'rarmont to Chislmont. Despite the mild climate, the
flora and fauna of Blode tends to be scrubby, scabrous, and stunted,
much like the ogre folk themselves.
Politics: The ogre chieftain maintains a tentative alliance with
the ogre nation of Kern to the north. As a result of the War of the
Lance, however, Blode is occupied by the Green Dragonarmy while Kern
is occupied by the Red Dragonarmy. The antagonisms between green and
red dragons may force the High Chief to cancel his alliance with Kern.
Anticipating this division, the chieftain is strengthening Blode's
ties to the nomads of Khur and the pirates of Sanction. Both groups
supply exotic trade goods and second-hand equipment that ogres have
neither the resources nor the skill to produce.
Trade: The ogres of Blode conduct very little trade. They trade
only with those whom they cannot pummel into submission -- the pirates
of Sanction and the fierce nomads of Khur. These deals typically begin
with the ogre and the pirate (or nomad) on opposite sides of the
table. In front of each stands a dagger, its tip imbedded in the
tabletop. The item to be bargained for rests on the table directly in
front of the seller; the buyer's coin bag lies in sight of the seller
and in reach of the purchaser. Typically, ogres barter with pork,
shale, clay, coal, and lizards. The buyer tosses coins into the
center, and with each coin, the seller pushes the desired ob ject
closer to the buyer. When the seller becomes satisfied with the
payment, he scoops up his money and tosses the object over. If one
party double-crosses the other or quits the negotiations too soon, the
knives come out of the table and a fight to the death ensues. This
brutal trading practice is still a far cry better than that reserved
for other folk. The ogres routinely raid caravans that seek to circle
south of the Khalkists or are venturing north toward Zhakar. Merchants
of such caravans constantly seek brave (foolhardy) adventurers for
escort duty. Many such merchants pay 10 stl for each ogre head
collected.
Blood Sea Isles
Capitals: Sea Reach (Saifhum), Lacynos (Mithas), Kalpethis
(Kothas)
Main Populace: Sea barbarians (Saifhum), minotaurs, pirates, and
kyrie (Mithas and Kothas)
Languages: Saifhum -- Common*, Saifhum, Kalinese, Silvanesti,
Minotaur+, Solamnic+, Kenderspeak+, Ergot+, Lemish+, Nordmaarian,
Dargoi+; Minotaur Isles -- Minotaur*, Kyrie
National Alignment: Neutral (Saifhum), Lawful Evil (Mithas
and Kothas)
Government: Republic (Saifhum), feudal (Kothas), empiric
(Mithas)
Crand Mariner Thimbalin Hankel of Saifhum (Sea Barbarian M12, AC 6,
hp 56, AL N)
Disposition: Jolly
Emperor Chot Es-Kalin of Mithas (Minotaur 10HD, AC 4, hp 80, AL NE)
Disposition: Cruel
Lord Mandracore the Reaver of Kothas (Half-ogre F8, AC 4, hp 68,
AL NE)
Disposition: Vicious
Lady Macquesta Kar Thon of Istar (Half-elf F6/T6, AC 4, hp 50,
AL N)
Disposition: Feisty
Geography: When the fiery mountain struck the city of istar, it
dragged the whole nation to the ocean floor. Only the coastal
mountains along the Northern Courrain remained above the sea, becoming
islands. These areas were saved due to their altitude, though legends
say their innocence of the guilt of Istar spared them. The Blood Sea
Isles were and are lands of minotaurs and beasts.
Saifhum is a harsh land. Its rocky hills hold only stunted
vegetation and a few native creatures. A mariner's settlement, Sea
Reach, is the most prominent site on Saifhum.
Karthay, the largest and northernmost of the isles, contains
barren, hot plains and high, rain-forested mountains. No known
adventurer has yet explored and detailed the Worldscap mountains of
Karthay, whose exotic forests are said to be impenetrable. Most
prominent among the ruins on Karthay are those of the lighthouse
(Winston's Tower) that guided ships safely into and out of the
treacherous waters of the Blood Sea.
Just south of Karthay lies Mithas, a fiery island whose scrub
plains lie in the shadow of four great volcanoes. The minotaurs rule
this isle from the port capital of Lacynos (Nethosak in Minotaur),
which lay shielded from the Blood Sea by Horned Say.
Kothas also contains minotaurs, who rule the isle in combination
with piratical men. Although Kothas is not plagued by volcanoes as is
its northern neighbor, neither is it blessed with Mithas's vegetation.
Most of this island's scant population dwells in the capital city of
Kalpethis and along the coast. Climate: All of these isles rest deeply
in a band of tropical weather. None experiences winter. Summer lasts
for ten months of the year, bringing broiling temperatures, oppressive
humidity, and frequent rain. These conditions encourage vegetable life
to thrive, despite the poor and rocky soil of the three smaller isles.
On Karthay, the mountain forest becomes very thick and many unusual
plants thrive.
Politics: The minotaur (and pirate) islands of Kothas and Mithas
seek stronger ties with the Black Dragonarmies on the Dairly
Peninsula. If diplomatic efforts succeed, the minotaurs will have a
choke-hold on the treacherous eastern passage around the Blood Sea of
Istar and all seas south. By aggressive privateering, the minotaurs
have become a nuisance from Nordmaar to Balifor.
The sea barbarians of Saifhum actively resist this expansion.
They fish the waters north and east of Saifhum and run trade routes
around the inner curve of the Maelstrom. As the minotaurs grow in
solidarity, the mariners increasingly sabotage their far-roaming
ships, planting artificial reefs and anchor traps. A Saifhum ship is
known to have sailed for Sancrist to bring back gnomish channel mines.
None know if they are planted.
Trade: The chief trades of Saifhum are fishing, kelp harvesting,
salt production, and shipping. The mariners of Sea Reach sell their
exotic tropical fish, kelp, and salt as far away as Palanthus and Port
Balifor. Once they empty their holds in these distant ports, they load
up with other goods to resell.
The minotaur nations of Mithas and Kothas specialize in ships,
bronze tools and weapons, salvage operations, and mercenary sailors.
The minotaurs log the verdant forests of Elian for ship planking. They
make runs to Flotsam for general trade supplies, but buy nothing in
large quantities. Their staple foods are Blood Sea fish and grain
garnered from Saifhum ships they raid. These isles conduct their
heaviest trade with each other.
Draken Wood
(See "Qualinesti and Darken Wood")
Dragon Isles and Misty Isles
Capital: City of Gold (Misty Isle)
Main Populace: Varied
Languages: Draconian, Common, Dragon, Gnomish, Kalinese, Kyrie
National Alignment: Varies
Government: Unknown. Communal believed to be wyrm oligarchy of
five gold dragons.
Geography: These eight isles lie in a band some 80 miles north
of the Cape of Nordmaar. From west to east, the isles are Tayol,
Winged Majesty, Berann, Heart, Jaentarth, Misty Isle, Mind, and Alarm.
The stony mountains of these islands show a varied history: shafts and
shards of pumice and obsidian indicate a volcanic past, but various
outcrops of limestone and sandstone point to sedimentary origins and
subsequent massive upheaval. Doubtless, the Cataclysm had a great
effect on the current position and shape of these isles. Although the
islands average only ten miles in diameter, each contains every
terrain from lush plains to high mountains. This wide variation of
land types makes each isle a beautiful and idyllic world unto itself.
But humans and demihumans rarely see the beauty. These are magical
isles. Legends say they shift in shape and position when human ships
approach. Many a captain has reported pursuing one of the isles out to
sea only to be closed upon by night. Whether these shifting islands
are merely low-lying clouds, phantasmal visions, or actual spots of
land, none can tell. Certainly none has asked the islands' natives:
gold, bronze, and copper dragons, and hulderfolk, kyrie, irda, and
shadowpeople.
Climate: Lying deep within the tropics, the Dragon Isles stay
warm the year round. The hot season lasts from Rannmont to H'rarmont,
leaving only two months for the warm season. Typically during the long
summer, the air is steamy, the sky is fiercely blue, and the waves on
the white-sand shores are calm. However, about once a month, a storm
boils up in the deep heavens, unleashing bouts of rain and furious
waves at sea. Such storms can last for days, their incessant winds
battering the coastline.
Though terrains vary markedly across the isles, every spot's
vegetation shares one feature: density. The heat and dampness make the
islands veritable shrines for plant-life. The mountain slopes are as
verdant as the rainforests below. Some say, even, that the plants on
the Dragon Isles act as husbandmen for the animal residents, keeping
the populations down to manageable numbers.
Politics: Although referred to collectively as the Dragon Isles,
no political affiliation binds these lands together. The settlements
of Lief, Cirriculum, Haedan, Watch, Perch, Vermis, and the City of
Gold all belong to different factions -- the last of which is the
place of dragons. None of these peoples cares to engage in affairs
beyond their borders; indeed, most of them fled at one time or another
to escape Ansalonian prejudices and warfare. The most organized
society -- that of the dragons in the City of Gold -- may debate the
philosophical ramifications of warfare and political alliances, but
none would act upon these.
Trade: The Dragon Isles have little need for trade with each
other or the outside world. Each isle contains the foods and resources
for a rich life. However, any of the islands' finished goods (e.g.,
metal weaponry or glassware) come from Ansalon. Typically, these items
are not bought or bartered, but attained from wrecked or derelict
ships that beach upon the islands.
Estlwilde
Capital: None. Each village and tribe is sovereign.
Main Populace: Evil humans, goblin races, ogres, giants,
centaurs, Neidar (hill dwarves)
Languages: Estwilde* (Mountain Barbarian), Goblin*, Ogre*,
Nordmaarian, Draconian, Hill Dwarf, Solamnic, Nerakese, Centaur+
National Alignment: Neutral Evil
Government: Tribal, clandom, or khanate
Chieftain Htulok Kak (Human F15, AC 8, hp 69, AL N)
Disposition: Brutal
Clanlord Ooragh (Human F15, AC 7, hp 55, AL CE)
Disposition: Malicious
Khan Karriga (Human F15, AC 6, hp 75, AL LE)
Disposition: Wrathful
Geography: Estwilde occupies the broad, hilly basin be tween the
Dargaard Mountains and the northeastern Khalkists. Unlike the smooth
and verdant grasslands of Solamnia to its west, Estwilde consists of
dry grasslands, rugged foothills, pine forests, and high mountains.
Only tough grazing animals such as goats can subsist on this rugged
feed.
In the north lie the Woods of Lahue, whose wiry trees form a
dense forest against the Astivar Mountains. Reports indicate that a
goblin empire may be forming here. Also, a pinkskinned, blonde-furred
race of human cannibals called the Lahutians dwells in these woods.
None know whether or not they feed on goblins.
Although Estwilde extends south to the lush seaboard of New Sea,
the rugged and arid land of Throtl gap cuts this section off from the
northern half of the country. Furthermore, the Slue Dragonarmy
currently occupies southern Estwilde, which they captured during the
War of the Lance.
Climate: Like the neighboring lands of Neraka and Kern, Estwilde
suffers under severe weather for most of the year. During the summer
months from Bran to Hiddumont, the Northern Courrain Ocean pours hot
and steamy air onto this broad plain, though rarely does rain result.
Despite the high humidity, the grasses remain dead and dry. After an
occasional summer downpour, the whole rugged countryside becomes green
for a fortnight. Then, it dries out again.
From Phoenix to Rannmont, winter batters the rolling plains.
Although littlerain falls in summer, winter brings severe storms
roaring across the wasteland. Winter thunder and lightning during
furious blizzards is not an uncommon phenomenon during a storm in
Estwilde.
Politics: The folk of Estwilde are a mixed lot: large masses of
surly and treacherous humans who habitually traffic with the goblin
races, ogres, and other nasties that wander down from the Khalkists.
These disparate and selfish people are more unified by their perceived
enemies than by any common charity. They despise and fear the
faint-hearted and muddle-headed Solamnians to their west. They also
despise the Blue Dragonarmy, which has captured their south lands.
The Solamnians and the Blue Dragonarmy push Estwilde toward
alliance with Sanction, Neraka, and Khur. Some say leaders of Estwilde
have allied with the Dark Queen herself -- placating her to keep her
dragonarmies distant. Solamnia investigates such claims. Knights of
the realm stand ready on the borders of Estwilde, prepared for
invasion if they discover any truth to these rumors.
Trade: The folk of Estwilde distrust outsiders and perform
little trade. Their cheeses, beef, goat meat, grains, and spices are
inferior and are therefore consumed locally. A bitter powder named
koko brings some limited trade. Brigands and bandits make the chief
contact with the outside world, plaguing caravan routes between
Nordmaar and Solamnia. The rest of Estwilde's folk keep to themselves
and tend their goats. Most lack the imagination to believe they need
more than what their squalid lives offer.
Goodlund peninsula
Capital: Kendermore (Goodlund)
Main Populace: Kender, Black Dragonarmy, goblins, slig
Languages: Kenderspeak, Common, Silvanesti, Goblin, Draconian,
Slig, Ogre, Khur+, Gully Talk+, Centaur+
National Alignment: Chaotic Good (Goodlund), Chaotic Evil
(Dairly Plains)
Government: Democratic monarchy (kender), totalitarian
dragonlord (Black Dragonarmy)
Kronin Thistleknot of Goodlund (Kender F9, AC 6, hp 42, AL CN)
Disposition: Driven
Salah-Kahn of the Black Dragonarmy (Human F13, AC 3, hp 70, AL NE)
Disposition: Ruthless and stealthy
Geography: Goodlund and the Dairly Plains rest upon a craggy
peninsula that gropes from southeastern Ansalon like the claw of a
crab. Although considered a forest nation by most, Goodlund contains
as much plain land as it does forest. In the southwest corner of
Goodlund lies the Verdant Plain, where stubborn grasses stem the
advancing tide of the Balifor Desert. East of this plain, the forest
of Goodlund spreads. This woodland brims with fruit trees, furtive
creatures, and odd insects -- enough flora and fauna to earn the
interest of the kender who dwell there.
East of these woods, a wide plain opens. Although dubbed "the
Laughing Land," this barren and desolate savannah holds little to
laugh about. The names of other locations on the peninsula are more
honest: "Somber Coast," "Hollow Lands," "Restless Waters," and "the
Maw." Rocky coastlines and hidden shoals run along the jagged edge of
this peninsula. Many of these rocks are sharp and translucent: during
the Cataclysm, the sands of Istar were melted into glass by the heat
of the mountain's impact.
Climate: The Blood Sea of Istar plays havoc with the climate of
the Goodlund peninsula. Though on a level with Southern Ergoth,
Goodlund's summer lasts most of the year and it rarely if ever sees
snow. The strong currents of the Blood Sea drag the tropical climate
over 300 miles farther south than it would otherwise be. Thus, summer
lasts for nine or ten months of the year, and winter is only a dulling
of the everpresent heat.
Politics: The kender of Goodlund comprise the only note worthy
civilization on the outward peninsula. Some might argue that the term
kender civilization is oxymoronic, but of late, the leaders of
Goodlund have some very serious problems of civilization to consider.
A deadly threat grows east of Goodlund Forest. The Black Dragonarmy is
growing. The kender leaders, although curious about the great beasts,
know that leniency may cost them their lives. With governmental
encouragement, Goodlund kender lure adventurers to their lands to
escort them on dragon-hunting expeditions. Aside from this
life-or-death concern, the Goodlund kender seek better trade with Port
Balifor -- mostly because of the curious and wonderful baubles
available through that sea port.
Trade: Those who believe kender cannot compose accurate maps
have not seen a map from Goodlund. Many aged kender, retiring after
years of wanderlust, have set to mapping all the lands they have seen
on their journeys. The first maps thus produced are, of course,
flawed, but the kender penchant for showing off their work and
fiddling to add more curious details slowly refines the maps. A map
that has knocked about Goodlund for five years will be shockingly
accurate, and will fetch a healthy sum.
The kender also trade in coral, wood, fish, and dried fruits.
They willingly barter any of these items for shiny objects and
interesting gadgets.
Icereach
Capital: None
Main Populace: Ice folk (human barbarians), thanoi, White
Dragonarmy
Languages: Mountain Dwarf, Mountain Barbarian, Ice Barbarian,
Kharolian, Silvanesti, Thanoi, Ogre, Gnomish, Draconian+, Ergothian+,
Goblin+
National Alignment: Lawful Good (ice folk), Lawful Evil (thanoi)
Government: City-state (Tarsis), tribal (plains), totalitarian
(glacial)
Harald Haakan of the Ice Barbarians (Human F14, AC 1, hp 88, AL LG)
Disposition: Fierce
Harrrughk of the Thanoi (Thanoi 7HD, AC 3, hp 37, AL LE)
Disposition: Relentless
Lucien of the Draconians (Humans F12, AC -- 2, hp 59, AL NE)
Disposition: Crafty
Geography: The continent of Icereach may be no continent at all.
Some speculate that Icereach is only ice and no land. Where the
continental glaciers begin, just south of Zeriak in the frigid Plains
of Dust, land undoubtedly underlies the ice. Farther south, however,
the ice becomes nearly a mile thick, its vast face riddled with
crevasses and caves that drop away into darkness. None can be sure
whether land underlies this monstrous glacier, or whether the ice
forms a floe upon the sea.
This question dominates the vision quests of human tribesmen of
Icereach. Many youths have journeyed into the deep fissures that line
the ice, descending, after the first hundred yards, into utter
darkness. Those who have returned say they could find neither ocean
nor earth beneath the ice, for the caves seemed to sink forever
downward. Others, who no doubt descended farther, have not returned at
all.
Climate: Year round, Icewall Glacier is blanketed in chill air
and fierce blizzards. In the winter, the sun barely emerges, rolling
like a cool ember across the northern horizon. Even then, the
blizzards often obscure it. The folk here have grown accustomed to the
cold and darkness, but visitors report a settling melancholy that
compels them out into the wastes to try to "get a breath of air." The
ice most often claims them.
Scholars speculate that Icewall Glacier formed because of the
Blood Sea maelstrom 600 miles away. Such folk believe that the
whirlpool pulls the tropical current past the Ruggec Coast and propels
it out east of Kothas. Otherwise, the warm currents would have flowed
south toward the Plains of Dust Politics: Two races struggle to
survive upon this harsh glacier: the Evil thanoi (walrus men) and the
Good humans. A. though the arctic climes do not pose problems enough,
these two races are locked in a bitter battle for control of the
meager resources of Icereach. The desperate humans have sent envoys to
Tarsis and Thorbardin, seeking allies in their struggles. Such
diplomatic efforts have borne little fruit, for the foll of Tarsis and
Thorbardin can hardly conceive of Good foll living on Icereach.
A third population adds further threat to the humans and thanoi:
white dragons. After losses in the War of the Lance, the White
Dragonarmy settled upon the central region of Icereach. Here they
remain, an army of occupation with almost no civilization to occupy.
The humans hide their encampments from the eyes of patrolling white
dragons. If a dragon discovers a settlement, a battle on the ice
ensues. The barbarians leap into their ice boats like Blood Sea
whalers rushing to the hunt. They sail out onto the barren ice sheets,
hoping to lead the dragon from the camp and slay it with harpoons
before it alerts other dragons.
Trade: The barbarians' lifestyle of hunting and ice-fishing
supplies the food, pelts, and blubber they need to survive. The
humans, therefore, concentrate more upon diplomatic efforts than
trade. Even so, the ice folk must rely upon Tarsis for metal
implements, including harpoon heads, fish hooks, and sled runners. For
these items, they trade furs, ivory, ice, meat, and blubber.
The thanoi have no interest in trading.
Karthay
(See "Blood Sea Isles")
Kayolin (kaolyn)
Capital: Garnet
Main Populace: Hylar and Daewar dwarves
Languages: Mountain Dwarf, Gully Talk, Solamnic, Lemish,
Mountain Barbarian, Goblin+, Ogre+, Draconian+
National Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Government: Colonial
Governor Erann Flowstone of Carnet (Hylar P7, AC 3, hp 46, AL NG)
Disposition: Honest
Praetor Reave Coldbuckle (Daewar F12, AC 1, hp 73, AL LN)
Disposition: Haggling
Praetor Rensiv Hearthstoker (Hylar P9, AC 7, hp 41, AL LG)
Disposition: Patient
Praetor Hentel Fardelver (Daewar Col 1, AC 7, hp 33, AL N)
Disposition: Grouchy
Praetor Slag Turnstone (Hylar R7, AC 5, hp 38, AL NG)
Disposition: Angry
Geography: South of the Solamnic plains, a rugged chain of
mountains holds the subterranean dwarven city of Garnet. The city
began as a dwarven mining colony, granted to Thorbardin by Solamnia in
return for wartime assistance. Needless to say, many of the city's
passages follow the routes of rich mineral veins mined by the first
settlers. From the Garnet Mountains, dwarves have mined iron ore,
gold, silver, copper, tin, antimony, phosphorous, nickel, and glowing
sunstones. Once the mines reached full production, the dwarves set up
forges and minted coins. Thus, the city grew.
The dwarves also discovered vast stores of marble, which they
quarried and polished to line their high halls. In time, their city,
though far smaller than Thorbardin or the fabled Thoradin, became a
site of splendor and beauty.
The eastern half of the kingdom of Kayolin contains rich prairie
lands. The dwarves of Garnet all but ignore this area, though they
trade with the human farmers who crop the land.
Climate: Kayolin enjoys the same temperate weather that blesses
Solamnia around it. Beginning in Chislmont, the farmers of the plain
plant for two months, tend for four months, harvest for two months,
and rest for four months. Summers grow hot with ample rain, and
winters grow cold with plenty of snow.
The mountainous side of Kayolin remains cooler through the
summer months and becomes absolutely snow-bound between Phoenix and
Mishamont. Of course, the dwarves in Garnet are little bothered by the
climate in their lovely subterranean city.
Politics: Two dwarven clans dwell within Garnet: the Hylar and
the Daewar. The former, being of the stock that delved Thoradin and
the fabulous metropolis of Thorbardin, were the first to arrive in
Garnet. They have held the primary positions of leadership since, and
it is their sense of grandeur that has made Garnet into a city of
wrought iron and polished marble. The Daewar, on the other hand, came
afterward, when the need for skilled merchants and tradespersons
arose. They have lived peaceably with the Hylar rulership through the
ages, including the current thane.
Although Governor Flowstone comes from Hylar stock, he rules
equitably between both of the dominant races. He also has a Council of
Thanes -- representatives of each of the dwarven clans in Garnet --
who advise him in every decision. When Garnet had grown strong enough
to stand on its own, Thorbardin released its colony, declaring its
sovereignty. The Hylar thane who was chosen established strong and
friendly ties to Thorbardin, and these have lasted ever since.
Both Garnet and Thorbardin serve as storehouses of wealth,
history, and culture. While other civilizations were decimated by the
War of the Lance, Garnet stood firm. Now the dwarves seek to help
Solamnia heal the land and drive out the hobgoblin hordes that have
taken over Lemish.
Trade: Despite its inaccessibility, the reclusiveness of its
dwarven citizens, and its hostile eastern neighbor, Garnet is a center
of trade in the New Sea area. Fine gems, garnets, ironwork, steelwork,
and wagon wheels make Garnet attractive to merchants of all likes. But
most of all, Garnet is a center of trade because it is Northern
Ansalon's greatest minter of steel, silver, and copper pieces. In
Garnet markets, buyers "buy" bags of steel, silver, and copper coins
for goods they have brought. The coin brokers of Garnet then set the
merchandise out to be bought by those in the marketplace with coinage.
In this fashion, Garnet profits twice on each item sold.
Kenderhome (Hylo)
Capital: Hylo
Main Populace: Kender, ogres, goblins, kyrie
Languages: Kenderspeak, Common, Solamnic, Ergot, Ogre+, Goblin+,
Kyrie+, Gnomish+
National Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Government: Omnigarchy
Kin Thrashen Windseed (Kender Bd10, AC 6, hp 29, AL NG)
Disposition: Unpredictable
Geography: (See "Northern Ergoth" for map). A forest blankets
the northeastern edge of the island of Northern Ergoth. Here, the
kender dwell. The forest of Kenderhome has only one major city: Hylo.
The Cataclysm not only destroyed the five other kender cities in the
area, but also made the wilderness village of Hylo into a port town.
Kenderhome is well guarded. The Straits of Algoni and the
friendly nation of Solamnia stand to the east while a vast range of
mountains abuts the nation to the west. The lands below Kenderhome are
inhospitable desert and the lands above are empty wastes.
Climate: Although 150 miles farther north than the kender nation
of Goodlund, Kenderhome enjoys a far cooler climate. In the summer
months from Corij to Reorxmont, the heat rarely reaches sweating
point, especially beneath the swaying trees of the forest. Cool
breezes roll down from mountains, further moderating temperatures. At
the end of H'rarmont, a four-month winter sets in, bringing frequent
and good-packing snows.
Politics: Despite the childlike playfulness that characterizes
kender, the leaders of Kenderhome have some adult tasks at hand. They
currently pursue an alliance with the gnomes of Sancrist. The
"Gnometalks" proceed slowly. Matters of state interest neither party
as much as a whirling- gadget does. Perhaps the stalled talks are a
blessing in disguise: the thought of going to war with the mighty
gnomish infantry at one's back would disconcert even the most
courageous kender. On the other hand, Northern Ergoth will hesitate
before warring with the kender on one flank and the gnomes on the
other.
Trade: Kendermore produces exquisitely carved wooden objects
that, together with flint and ebony, provide Kenderhome a thriving
trade with Sancrist, Northern Ergoth, and Solamnia. The kender import
metals from the first two trading partners and wheat from the latter.
Finally, kender also trade a service: that of serving as a "finder."
Kender frequently hire themselves out to locate missing persons or
objects. Their barter in no way reflects the success of the "finding
quest."
Kern
Capital: Kernen
Main Populace: Ogres, centaurs, Red Dragonarmy, men, goblins
Languages: Ogre, Common, Nordmaarian, Minotaur, Centaur+,
Kalinese+, Nerakese+, Mountain Barbarian+
National Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Government: Despotic (ogres), totalitarian (Red Dragonarmy)
Grand Khan Kern of the Ogres (Ogre 9HD, AC 3, hp 37, AL CE)
Disposition: Crafty
Red Dragon Highlord Karalas (Human P18/F10, AC -- 2, hp 92, AL LE)
Disposition: Vindictive
Geography: The peninsula of Kern resides between Taman Busuk and
the Blood Sea. In the north, Kern merges with eastern Estwilde, and in
the south, it neighbors Khur and Balifor. The Ogrelands region of
southern Kern hold flatlands with vast expanses of wild savannah. A
large northeastern arm of the Khalkists reaches into central Kern.
Here, the capital city of Kernen rests. Northwest of the mountains,
the land becomes an uneven waste. On the eastern edge of Kern, the
grasses become more green and dense, harboring treacherous sloughs and
hidden bogs. This deep green sea stretches out across the peninsula to
a small forest, the Endscape Woods. Here, hardy pines thrive among
vast and exotic ferns. The tidal march of Miremier provides a home for
scrag, sea lions, and nixies.
Climate: The Ogrelands and the western segment of Kern are arid.
Thick grasses leave room for only a few tenacious trees. In the south
and west, this hot, dry area verges on the savage deserts of Khur. The
grasses grow thinner and drier in these border regions. Throughout the
savannah, skies remain blue and cloudless from the month of Bran
through Phoenix, but from Aelmont to Chislmont, thunderclouds boil up
and downpours drench the land. The plants of the plain draw the rain
into reservoir roots, where it is stored for the long summer.
On the peninsula, rainfall comes far more frequently and
unpredictably. Thisregion experiences no steady cycle of rainfall and
drought. One day brings torrential rain; the next has cloudless skies;
and the next drizzles dismally. Clouds built up over the Northern
Courrain Ocean funnel south over the Miremier Straits and then wander
across the peninsula of Kern. But these clouds do not provide relief
from the heat. In fact, the humidity intensifies the temperature,
creating a verdant land filled with many species of biting bugs.
The farthest tip of the peninsula -- the Endscape Forest --
experiences the most constant heat and the fiercest down-
pours.
Politics: A decentralized and sporadically ruled nation of
ogres, Kern is currently under occupation by the Red Dragonarmy.
Unlike other captive nations, the ogres admire the aggressions of the
red dragons. The Kern ogres willingly support any plot of their
captors and, ergo, of the Dark Queen. According to some reports,
Takhisis has even come in avatar form to the dying capital city of
Kernen. No civilized witness has seen such things.
Trade: Kern trades mainly with Blode, an ogre nation to the
south. Neither nation, however, has much to offer except merchandise
stolen from caravans or nearby villages. Most of the equipment comes
with dents and scratches. The only home-produced items of exchange are
talismans, hemp, rope, netting, dogs, and flax.
Kharolis
(See "Thorbardin, Pax Tharkas, and Kharolis")
Khur and Balifor
Capital: Khuri-Khan
Main Populace: Desert nomads, other humans, Green Dragonarmy
Languages: Khur, Ogre, Zakhar, Nerakese, Common, Draconian,
Goblin, Silvanesti+, Centaur+, Kenderspeak+
National Alignment: Lawful Evil
Government: Khanate (humans), totalitarian (Green Dragonarmy)
Khan Kuhri-tal of the Wastes (H F17, AC 3, hp 102, AL LE)
Disposition: Fanatic
Creen Dragon Highlord Hullek Skullmasher (Half-ogre P13/ F18, AC
5, hp 99, AL NE)
Disposition: Scheming
Geography: On three sides of the Khurman Sea hovers the dry and
rugged land of Khur. In the north, rocky badlands give way to
mountains of craggy stone. In the cool recesses beneath the rocky
cliffs, sinewy plants struggle to survive. Farther up the slope, the
climate becomes cooler, allowing savannah grasses to blanket the
stone. The roots of these grasses harbor the scant rainfall.
Adventurers unaccustomed to the altitude tend to grow weary and
breathless in these grassy highlands. Some even report having visions
while atop the wild mountains.
The southern and eastern edges of Khur contain vast, sandy
wastes. Oases are few and far between, built about deep wells or
beside small, natural pools. Invariably, these water sources are
fiercely guarded by nomadic tribes, who establish tent encampments
about them. Between oases lie endless wastes of sand and scrubby
brush. Occasionally, a wanderer will happen upon the ruins of an
ancient savannah city from old Istar. But otherwise, the desert
contains no permanent settlements.
Farther south lies the land of Balifor. Once a forest homeland
for kender, now Balifor is the same harsh and sandy waste as Khur to
the north. The desert holds only one city of note: Port Balifor. Known
for its bawdy taverns, black markets, and expansive slums, Port
Balifor attracts chiefly draconians and rough-necks. The town itself
extends out into the Bay of Balifor, built out upon wharves over the
tidal plain. Beneath these wharves, the criminal element of Balifor
does its work.
Climate: Khur is among the driest places upon Krynn. From
Chislmont to Hiddumont, the days are blisteringly hot and the nights
are cold enough to see one's breath. During these long summer months,
the sky remains deeply blue. Any clouds burn away just before sunrise
and gather again only at sunset. The night sky looks like a bowl of
polished obsidian sprinkled with sandlike stars. In these months, the
only storms to cross the land are sandstorms, which can be more deadly
than hail.
From H'rarmont to Mishamont, clouds grow more common, tempering
the heat of day and the chill of night. On rare occasions, rain falls
from these clouds. Most of the water sinks quickly into the insatiable
sand or the tenacious grasses of the mountains. Occasionally a
cloudburst over a mountain channels down erosive ruts in washes,
causing flash floods in the valleys below.
Politics: This rugged land is home to a rugged people: the
desert nomads. These militant folk respect the power and beauty of the
trackless desert; they have grown to love their homeland. As well as
fighting tor survival in the arid plains, the nomads must endure the
Green Dragonarmy, which laid claim to the western deserts when driven
out of Silvanesti. A number of the clans have sent envoys to Neraka in
the north, asking for the liberation of the western deserts. Some of
the nomadic rulers even work to consolidate their separate folk into
one nation. The unique customs and fierce pride of the nomads present
obstacles to union, both with each other and with the city of Neraka.
The Solamnians feel uneasy about the nascent empire to their east,
especially due to the nomads' insatiable appetite for weaponry.
Trade: The warlike nomads of Khur raise excellent horses --
fleet-footed and strong. They trade these fine beasts along with
harnesses, diamonds, glass, and petrol in exchange for weapons and
armor. They also deal in exotic spices such as myrrh and frankincense,
as well as items found in ruined cities of old Istar.
Kothas
(See "Blood Sea Isles")
Lemish
Capital: Lemish
Main Populace: Humans, Blue Dragonarmy, goblins, trolls
Languages: Common, Lemish, Solamnic, Goblin, Nerakese,
Draconian, Ogre+, Hylar+, Gully Talk+
National Alignment: Neutral Evil
Government: Dictatorial
Despot Nellthis of Lemish (Human F17, AC 3, hp 78, AL NE)
Disposition: Backstabbing
Geography: This small nation is pinched between Solamnia,
Estwilde, and the New Sea. A narrow mountain range guards its eastern
borders from incursions by the Estwilde barbarians. At the same time,
the Northern and Southern Darkwoods hold back the folk of Throt to the
east and those of Solamnia to the west. Between these dense forests
lie grassy plains and winding rivers that reach north into Solamnia.
On the southern border, the New Sea provides a shipping route to
Lemish's most common trade partner: Sanction. Climate: Lemish enjoys
the same temperate climate that Solamnia does, though the winters of
Lemish last a few weeks longer. Ample rainfall makes for thick
vegetation in the Darkwoods and in the central plains. The mountains
to the east and west are snow-capped for nine months of the year, and
from mid-Phoenix to early Rannmont, ice closes the New Sea bays.
Politics: During the War of the Lance, the eastern third of this
small nation fell before the advance of the Blue Dragonarmy. The
victory oF the Blues came not through military conquest, but through
the treachery of a man, Nellthis. Nellthis arranged for the dragonarmy
to take the eastern third of Lemish if he could rule all the land
beyond. The Blue Dragonarmy kept its pact and so did Nellthis. Now, he
rules western Lemish, seeking to keep it clear of the Solamnic threat
to the north and the dragonarmy threat to the east. But, like their
current ruler, the folk of Lemish nurse petty jealousies, practice
profiteering, and engage in slave trade. A SolamnicLemish
confrontation is inevitable.
Trade: These Evil-aligned hunters and sailors export timber and
build small, fast, maneuverable sailing vessels. They also trade in
smaller boats, nautical equipment, cabinetwork, poultry, medicines,
woods, legumes, mushrooms, and herbs. They do their best trade with
Sanction, although some of their goods travel north on the Solanthus
road.
Mithas
(See "Blood Sea Isles")
Neraka
(See "Taman Busuk")
Nordmaar
Capital: North Keep
Main Populace: Moorland human barbarians
Languages: Nordmaarian, Kalinese, Estwilde, Ogre, Draconian,
Dragon, Common+, Mountain Barbarian+, Dargo+
National Alignment: Neutral Good
Government: Feudal
King Shredler Kerian (Barbarian F19, AC 5, hp 83, AL N)
Disposition: Pragmatic
Khan Fezall of the Wastes (Barbarian F16, AC 3, hp 42, AL CN)
Disposition: Manic
Geography: This huge wasteland is larger than Northern Ergoth.
The Cape of Nordmaar is thick with foliage that remains verdant year
round. Farther south, the land drops gently away into a broad and
dangerous moor. Here, the jungle undergrowth of the plains becomes
steeped in water that ranges from 1 to 25 feet deep. In the moors,
many exotic fruits of Nordmaar grow. Although the rest of the
continent has not acquired a taste for these fruits, the natives of
Nordmaar routinely make liqueurs from them. Between the two types of
terrain stands North Keep, where the barbarian King of Nordmaar rules
his lands. South and west of the moors lies a thin band of desert and
savannah land that separates Nordmaar from continental Ansalon. In
these grassy and arid plains, the horse barbarians make their homes.
Climate: Because Nordmaar resides on the northern tip of
Ansalon, it suffers a tropical climate. Bounded on three sides by the
Northern Courrain Ocean, Nordmaar's humidity matches its incredible
heat. Summers are long in this area, and the ferns and trees do not
drop their leaves. All types of peculiar plants grow here, their
stalks so thick that travelers may never set foot on ground. Trees and
plants common farther south cannot survive in the constant and sultry
heat. The same is true of many animal species. Politics: This
barbarian kingdom currently suffers under the Red Dragonarmy. Unlike
other nations that grudgingly endure their oppressors, the folk of
Nordmaar actively hunt down the dragons in their lands. Their
steadfast ally Solamnia sends scores of knights and adventurers to aid
in the struggle. Some factions in Nordmaar press for unification with
Solamnia. Others proclaim they must stand on their own. Both factions,
however, agree not to rest until their land is freed of the red
dragons.
Trade: Nordmaar trades extensively with Solamnia, sending either
ships from Jennison or caravans through the dangerous wastes of
Estwilde. Nordmaar deals in all sorts of exotic compounds, spices,
plants, and animals. The plains barbarians of western Nordmaar make
chariots, carts, and carriages as their main exports. From southern
Nordmaar comes iron and marble. For all these products traded to
Solamnia, they receive in return steel, gems, and food.
Northern Ergoth
Capital: Gwynned
Main Populace: Humans, ogres, goblins, gully dwarves, slig
Languages: Ergot', Common, Goblin, Solamnic, Minotaur+,
Kenderspeak+, Ogre+, Slig+, Kyrie+, Naga+
National Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Government: Imperial
Emperor Mercadior Redic V of Gwynned (Human F15, AC 2, hp S5, AL LN)
Disposition: Stolid
Geography: West of mainland Ansalon stands the island of
Northern Ergoth. A mountain range runs from the northwest to the
southeast corner of the isle. The western section is Ergoth proper,
which consists of grassy plains backed up against the mountains. The
eastern section is the Kender nation of Hylo, which boasts a splendid
wood with a wide variety of food and medicinal plants. The southern
edge of the island contains a hilly desert of scrub and sage. Neither
the kender nor the humans lay claim to this wasteland.
Climate: Northern Ergoth enjoys relatively mild summers that
last from Corij to Reorxmont and winters that last from Phoenix to
Chislmont. Currents from the Southern Sirrion Sea cool the island
during the summer and help to moderate the freezing effects of winter.
The sea also makes for humid air, which brings heavy vernal
thundershowers and thick snows. Except in the south, which is removed
from the ocean's breezes, the land is green and lush.
Politics: Northern Ergoth is ruled by Emperor Mercadior, a title
reminiscent of the lost glory of Ergoth. First came the revolt of
Solamnus, then Ergoth's slow decline into oblivion, and finally, the
Cataclysm. With the old empire split into two islands, Ergoth has much
lost glory to reclaim. Many ruins of the empire lie on the island or
beneath the seas. The current emperor wants these ruins explored and
the riches regained. The emperor thus sponsors adventurers' forays
into ruined areas, providing strict regulations as to what treasures
adventurers may keep.
In addition, Emperor Mercadior pursues a treaty with the
Qualinesti, hoping to outflank Southern Ergoth both militarily and
economically. The eventual goal of Northern Ergoth is to rebuild its
glory, whether by treaty or war. Emperor Mercadior is prepared to do
either.
Trade: Northern Ergoth specializes in copper, brass, steel
tools, relics, and cut stone, trading these items with Solamnia,
Sancrist, and Hylo. In return, they import food from Solamnia,
precious metals from Sancrist, wooden carvings from Hylo, and fruits
and leather from Qualinesti.
Pax Tharkas
(See "Thorbardin, Pax Tharkas, and Kharolis.")
Qualinesti
Capital: Qualinost
Main Populace: Qualinesti elves
Languages: Qualinesti*, Silvanesti, Common, Ergot, Hill Dwarf,
Abanasinian+, Mountain Dwarf+, Hand Talk+, Ogre+, Goblin+
National Alignment: Neutral Good
Government: Monarchic and senatorial
Speaker of the Suns Solostaran (Qualinesti F5/M12, AC 3, hp 29, AL LG)
Disposition: Tired
Speaker of the Suns Porthios (Qualinesti Rr13/M3, AC 2, hp 73, AL NG)
Disposition: Proud
Geography: Just west of the Kharolis Mountains lies the
Qualinesti Forest of Wayreth. Unlike the Silvanesti Wood, this forest
is a healthy, thriving forest of oaks, maples, ash, vallenwood, apple,
peach, and pear trees. The single city of note in Qualinesti is
Qualinost, founded by Kith-Kanan when he led the Qualinesti people
from the oppressive Silvanesti homeland. Here also stands the
gold-burnished Tower of the Sun, where the Speaker of the Suns
resides. Instead of city walls, Qualinost is surrounded by four arched
bridges that run from guard tower to guard tower. At city center lies
the open square called the Hall of the Sky, which overlooks the whole
sylvan city.
Climate: The environment of Qualinesti brings severe winters to
the land. During the four months between H'rarmont and Chislmont, a
harsh chill rolls into the forest, bringing with it heavy snows. In
the heart of winter, the cold sometimes grows so extreme as to split
the trunks of ancient trees, sending a sudden, thunderous echo through
the wood. When finally spring does arrive, the snows melt quickly,
giving place to wildflowers and soft grasses. A rainy summer sets in
during Corij and lasts until early Reorxmont, bringing with it some
hot days. Thankfully, though, the trees cast a comfortable canopy over
the elves who dwell in Qualinesti, keeping them cool. Autumns are
typically dry and temperate, providing a perfect stage for harvest
fests. The deciduous trees turn deep hues of gold, bronze, silver,
red, and violet during the autumn.
Politics: The Qualinesti elves are ruled by the Speaker of the
5uns, a blood descendant of Kith-Kanan, and thus of Silvanos. The
Speaker guides the Senate, a governmental body made up of
representatives of the various guilds and communities.
Currently, the Speaker of the Suns is discussing a peace treaty
with the elves of Southern Ergoth, and reinforcing the northern
borders from possible barbarian incursions. Also, in a political move
reminiscent of Pax Tharkas, the Qualinesti seek to strengthen ties
with dwarven Thorbardin. With their alliances, the Qualinesti hope to
guarantee the stability of Southern Ansalon.
Trade: Unlike the isolationist Silvanesti, the Qualinesti
enthusiastically immerse themselves in the Ansalonian marketplace.
They export fruits, leather, wine, liquors, bows and arrows, and wood
to Abanasinia, Solamnia, Sancrist, Hylo, Northern Ergoth, Southern
Ergoth, and Thorbardin. The Qualinesti employ a great fleet of
Solamnic ships to facilitate their trade. Thorbardin exports steel and
gems to the elves.
Safhum
(See "Blood Sea Isles")
Sancrist
Capital: Mount Nevermind
Main Populace: Gnomes, humans
Languages: Gnomish*, Common, Solamnic, Ergot, Ogre+
National Alignment: Neutral Good
Government: Republic
Clanmaster Jarrig Thingmach (Gnome Tk10, AC 8, hp 38, AL LG)
Disposition: Philosophical
Cuildmaster Slipger Greezmoor (Gnome Tk15, AC 7, hp 47, AL N)
Disposition: Impatient
Lord Gunthar Uth Wistan (Human P15, AC 2, hp 97, AL LG)
Disposition: Demanding
Geography: The northeastern segment of Sancrist, island nation
of the gnomes, contains a vast mountain range that rivals the central
Khalkists. The most famous of these mountains is Mount Nevermind, a
dormant volcano that has served the gnomes as homeland since before
the Cataclysm.
Oddly, the gnomes prefer the rugged mountains in the north to
the verdant forests and glades to the south. The western third of the
island contains the Gunthar Forest and Whitestone Glade. Here, Vinas
Solamnus experienced the epiphany that inspired him to create the
Knights of Solamnia. After the Cataclysm, the Knights of Solamnia
gathered at this same site to regroup. Near at hand stands Castle Uth
Wistan, a center for Solamnic Knights for almost two centuries. The
forest around the castle contains hearty broad-leaf trees, some apple
and cherry trees, and various tuber-type vegetables.
Climate: The winters upon Sancrist tend to be mild, with four
months of freeze and moderate snow. At times, blizzards brew up in the
Sirrion Sea and sweep across the islands, but only rarely do such
snows block the passes for any length of time. The gnomes of Mount
Nevermind, of course, worry little about the snow, for the geothermal
activity around them melts it quickly. Summers on Sancrist are
pleasant, beginning in Corij and extending to Reorxmont. The sea
breezes reach far inland, cooling the island and breaking up clouds
that might otherwise linger.
Politics: Mount Nevermind is governed by an elected Grand
Council of clan leaders and guild masters. Over 200 clans and 50
guilds find representation in this council, and each of the
representatives serves a lifetime appointment. Although the gnomes are
not intentionally isolationistic, their main concern lies not in
diplomacy but in invention. Gnomes believe their best offering to the
peace and prosperity of Krynn is technological advancement. They spend
much time inventing gadgets for mining natural resources, defending
against dragon attacks, and helping the mainland rebuild. The gnomes
happily engage in talks with the kender of Hylo, though both parties
tend to become distracted by one gadget or another before any
agreement can be reached.
Trade: The gnomes mine Mount Nevermind for gold, silver,
platinum, jewels, and granite, which they export to their neighbors in
return for food. The gnomes also ship gears, curios, and knickknacks
to the outside world. Attempts to export gnomish inventions fail
miserably because few other races have an aptitude for operating and
repairing machines.
Sanction
Capital: Sanction
Main Populace: Evil humans, Blue Dragonarmy, ogres, giants
Languages: Draconian*, Dragon, Common, Nerakese, Ogre, Goblin,
Kyrie+, Solamnic+
National Alignment: Neutral Evil
Government: Empiric
Dragon Highlord Bakaris of the Blue Dragonarmy (Human F10, AC
2, hp 98, AL LE)
Disposition: Unstoppable
Lord Covernor Barenn of Sanction (Human F13, AC 1, hp 63, AL LN)
Disposition: Haggard
Geography: Outside of Sanction, stark red rock makes up the
towering mountains. Above the timberline, lichens, mosses, and scrub
plants slowly crack the stone, creating soil in which larger plants
can root. Few creatures live upon these heights -- mostly groundhogs,
eagles, and other beasts that can survive in cold and desolate places.
Below timberline, tenacious pines wrap their sinewy roots about
the red boulders, further decomposing them. Even so, these regions are
by no means lush: the poor soil and arid climate prevent thick
forests. Here, most of the Khalkist beasts choose to lair.
The most desolate region of the Khalkists -- the volcanic
mountains of the Doom Range -- harbors the most deadly beast in
Ansalon. Takhisis, the Dark Queen, rules the region from Sanction,
which lies in the literal grip of three volcanoes -- the Lords of
Doom. Arms of lava have reached numerous times from the volcanoes down
into the city. The lava flows have destroyed large segments of the
town. The folk of Sanction have compensated, building bridges that
span the areas of lava flow. Even so, the evil population of Sanction
lives like whipped dogs, cowering beneath the fuming mountains of
fire.
Climate: The city of Sanction has a climate of extremes. The
volcanoes provide constant and uneven heat through winter and summer.
During winter, snow stands in some regions while others swelter with
lava. When streams of lava reach the harbor, sprays of steam erupt
into the sky, blanketing the city with a sulfuric mist. The mist
freezes wherever it alights, leaving the buildings of Sanction in an
ash-laden shroud of ice. In the summer, the volcanoes only intensify
the heat of the sultry air. From Corij to Reorxmont, the city labors
under steamy weather and little rain. When the rains do come, the
volcanoes belch such steam that a miasmatic cloud drifts over the
city.
Politics: Once a human city, Sanction fell to a blockade of
dragonarmy ships during the War of the Lance. The Blue Dragonarmy took
hold of the land, establishing Sanction as Takhisis's port city. As
the citizens fled to the mountains, goblins, hobgoblins, ogres,
minotaurs, trolls, draconians, and hill giants set up camps on the
south, east, and north of the city. Some even entered Sanction to
claim the abandoned buildings there.
After his surrender to Takhisis, the Lord Governor of Sanction
became merely a figurehead. Although he has proclaimed official
welcome to the Dark Queen's forces, his is a city under siege. In
addition to the evil forces of the Dark Queen, the city is rapidly
disappearing due to lava flow. The Lord Governor has secretly sent
mercenaries and adventurers to scout out a new site for a capital city
and purge it of any fell beasts. He offers huge bounties especially to
those who slay blue dragons.
Nomads and pirates from Khur, Neraka, and Lemish seek alliance
with Sanction, but the Lord Governor is too busy trying to save his
city from the destruction within to worry about alliance without.
Trade: A triangle of shipbuilding, piracy, and slavery extends
from Sanction to Lemish and Neraka. Occasionally Sanction purchases
gems and armor from the dwarves of Zhakar, using slaves as the
currency. Other products from Sanction include obsidian, pumice, tar,
and granite.
Seeker Lands
(See "Abanasinia and Seeker Lands")
Silvanesti
Capital: Silvanost
Main Populace: Dispossessed Silvanesti elves, Evil creatures of
Lorac's nightmares
Languages: Silvanesti*, Qualinesti*, Common, Ergot, Kharolian,
Khur, Ogre+, Goblin+, Kenderspeak+, Mountain Dwarf+
National Alignment: Neutral Good (elves), Chaotic Evil (woodland
beasts)
Government: Monarchic and senatorial
King Lorac Caladon of Silvanost (Silvanesti F15/M13, AC 6, hp
68(18), AL LN)
Disposition: Insane
Alhana Starbreeze (Silvanesti F7, AC -2, hp 32, AL LG)
Disposition: Resolute
Geography: The fabled Silvanesti Woods, homeland of the elves
for millenia, was once a forest of unutterable beauty. The trees were
tall and slender, their high boughs forming a translucent canopy
above. The clear and glittering ThanThalas (Lord's) River ran through
the forest, diverging just north of Silvanost and converging just
south of it. The elven citadel of Silvanost contained sparkling
buildings of marble and living wood. The folk had not built the city,
but patiently reshaped nature into forms both beautiful and practical.
The glory of the city was the Tower of the Stars, where the king
presided in glowing moonlight.
In 2645 PC, the elves defended their bejeweled land against an
attack by Evil dragons. But the dragon attack of 349 AC came too
swiftly to be warded off. As the elven folk fled onto ships in the
Southern Courrain Ocean, King Lorac of Silvanesti wielded the Dragon
Orb to destroy the dragons. It summoned them instead, and took control
of the king. His nightmares in the following months twisted and
reshaped the forest into its current hideous form.
Now called the Bleeding Wood, the forest of Silvanesti is filled
with cracked and rotting trees whose trunks are evilly twisted and
whose gnarled roots clutter the ground. The once-beautiful Than-Thalas
River now runs thick with ooze.
The Tower of the Stars stands as a withered and tumorous spire.
The elves, grieved by the loss of their homeland, established a thick
hedge around Silvanesti to ward off any good creature who might wander
into the land. Climate: The climate of Silvanesti matches its ruined
state.
Winters last from H'rarmont to Chislmont, with blizzards and
bitter winds. Those caught without shelter in a Silvanesti winter will
quickly perish. Springs are stormy, as warm currents off the Eastern
Courrain Ocean fling storm clouds over the forest. Between Chislmont
and Corij, the Than-Thalas often floods, its waters sweeping away any
who try to pass. When summer sets in during Corij, the forest grows
hot and the smell of decay becomes overwhelming. By Reorxmont, autumn
arrives, and the healthy trees turn as dry and brown as the unhealthy
ones.
Politics: The Silvanesti elves are dispossessed. They dwell in
scattered groups on the plains about their forest homeland. Their main
desire is to reclaim Silvanesti, driving out the foul beasts that have
laid claim to their land. Much care must follow to heal the bleeding
wood.
Needless to say, the only diplomatic actions that interest the
elves are those that involve reclamation of their home. They have
struck an alliance with Solamnia for this very purpose. Although the
Silvanesti are not sending out appeals for help, they do grudgingly
accept aid from adventurers such as rangers, herbalists, or pries's of
Chislev.
Trade: This battered elven nation has great needs now, but scant
resources to trade with those around. The elves sojourning upon the
border lands offer ivory, wood, wine, woodcarving, needlecrait,
metalcraft, and herbal medicines. They are chiefly interested in
bartering for resources that can directly assist the elves in
recovering their homeland: weaponry, armor, mercenaries, and
dragonlances.
Solamnia
Capital: Palanthus
Main Populace: Human
Languages: Solamnic*, Common, Lemish, Plains Barbarian, Mountain
Dwarf, Draconian,Goblin+, Ogre+, Kenderspeak+
National Alignment: Lawful Good
Government: Monarchic and parliamentary
Lord High Warrior Michael Jeofrey (Human F14, AC 1, hp 74, AL NG)
Disposition: Honorable
Lord High Clerist Kantar uth Mackan (Human P13, AC 1, hp 78, AL LG)
Disposition: Fatherly
Lord High Justice Gunthar uth Wistan (Human P15, AC 2, hp 97, AL LG)
Disposition: Commanding
Geography: The largest and most geographically varied nation of
Ansalon is Solamnia. From its sandy deserts on the Northern Sirrion
Sea to the dark and stormy plains off the Straits of Schallsea,
Solamnia spans 500 miles of northern Ansalon. It boasts three mountain
ranges (Vingaard, Dargaard, and Garnet), the longest river in Ansalon
(the Vingaard), the most fertile river basin (the Plains of Solamnia),
and the center of learning, theology, and writing for the continent
(Palanthus).
Before the Cataclysm, Solamnia was a largely land-locked state
that bisected the continent. The land shifts that occurred with the
Cataclysm set seas on three sides of the nation. In the three
centuries following the Cataclysm, the coastal folk of Solamnia have
learned maritime occupations. Now, the cities of Caergoth, Palanthus,
and Kalaman are among the foremost shipbuilding nations in the world.
The northwestern region of Solamnia contains the vast and rugged
Vingaard Mountains. Here lies Palanthus, a safe and deep harbor in the
Bay of Branchala. The mountains also house the High Clerist's Tower,
the central site for the Knights of the Sword. A high road leads from
Palanthus past the High Clerist's tower and down to Vingaard Keep,
which guards the Vingaard River. The broad and verdant river basin
around Vingaard Keep produces enough grain and meat to feed the entire
continent of Ansalon.
South of the Plains of Solamnia stand the Garnet Mountains. The
Solamnians granted this province to the Thorbardin dwarves, who have
mined the land and established the beautiful city of Garnet there.
(For more information on this region, see "Kayolin.")
East of Garnet lies the forest land of Lemish, whose evil ruler
has helped the dragonarmies gain a foothold on the northern shores of
New Sea. This threat in the south and the threat of the Estwilde
barbarians beyond the Dargaard Mountains make the mustering of
Solamnia's knights a constant concern.
Climate: Solamnia lies squarely within a band of temperate
weather. Of course, the sheer size and terrain variations of the land
make for differences in climate. The sandy desert in the north
experiences long summers and no identifiable winter. The rainfall here
is scant, for the currents bear moisture away from northern Solamnia
and toward the Peninsula of Nordmaar.
Palanthus, some 150 miles south, experiences the full range of
seasons, with a long and hot summer from Chislmont to Hiddumont and a
snowy winter from Phoenix to Rannmont. Even so, Palanthus and the
Vingaard Mountains receive less rain and snow than the lush seaboard
of Coastlund to the west. The first high peaks tend to sift the air of
most precipitation before it reaches Palanthus.
The Vingaard River valley enjoys the most advantageous weather
upon the continent. A three-month summer beginning in Corij provides
ample rainfall and hot weather perfect for farming. A three-month
winter beginning in Phoenix allows fields and farmers excellent rest
time between crops. The two-month spring and autumn are times of
planting festi vals and harvest festivals, respectively. As well as
producing healthy plants, the plains produce healthy and happy people
-- strong and idealistic stock from whom the Knights of Solamnia are
drawn.
The winters in Southlund and Garnet tend to be more extreme. The
rough waters off Cape Caergoth send icy winds ashore and bring cold
tides from the Southern Sirrion Sea. The shorelands of Southlund are
covered with wind-blasted moors that hold great stores of water. The
folk of Southlund are similar to the moor grass -- strong, sinewy, and
deeply rooted to the land.
Politics: Solamnia has emerged from the War of the Lance as
Ansalon's dominant nation. The capital of Solamnia, Palanthus, has
become the center of civilization for all Ansalon. Palanthus is the
busiest port on the continent, home to a Tower of High Sorcery, the
world's largest and most important library, the Temple of Paladine
(which houses the Disks of Mishakal), and the headquarters of the
Knights of Solamnia. Solamnia and its knights have regained their
reputation for justice and honor due to the heroism of Sturm
Brightblade and his companions. This regained glory has helped
Solamnia establish alliances with Silvanesti, Thorbardin, Sancrist,
and Hylo. The nation has quickly become the "city guard" of Ansalon,
but its leaders consciously strive to avoid the traps of pride and
arrogance that snared Istar and Ergoth. In addition to patrolling the
world, Solamnia works to consolidate its provinces and rebuild its
war-damaged lands. Once this task is completed, Solamnia can turn its
full attention to ridding Ansalon of the Dragonarmies.
Because of Solamnia's sheer size, summary statements of its
political nature cannot adequately describe the area. Descriptions of
politics in Solamnia's major locations follow. Caergoth: The capital
city of Southlund is a port town known for its excellent shipwrights
and sailors. Most of Southlund's citizens harvest the sea as fisher
folk or harvest the land as farmers. Centuries of battling the
ironlike heath grass to plow their fields has made the folk of
Southlund a hearty, pragmatic folk. Their loyalty and innate honesty
make them excellent knights and, in fact, Caergoth is a major
stronghold of the Knights of Solamnia.
Garnet: This dwarven province considers itself a sovereign
province, but remains strongly loyal to Solamnia and its knights.
Currently, the governor of Garnet works with the ruler of Solamnia and
the three knighthoods to prepare an invasion into the Evil neighboring
nation of Lemish. The invasion will be launched from the city of
Garnet itself.
Dargaard: This area guarded the eastern flank of Solamnia from
the nomads of Estwilde until its ruler, Knight of the Rose Lord Soth,
fell to pride and lust. When the Cataclysm struck, Soth's fortress
burned, becoming a pyre for him, his wife, and their child. Before the
Cataclysm, this region was called Knightlund because of its noble
lord. Now, it is called Nightlund because of the darkness brought to
the land by the Death Knight. After the War of the Lance and the death
of Kitiara, though, Soth disappeared from his gutted castle. None know
where he has gone.
Kalaman: The northeastern jewel of Solamnia, the port town of
Kalaman was splintered by the Red Dragonarmy during the War. Even now,
the dragons occupy eastern areas of the city. Elite units of human
soldiers, many of them Solamnic Knights, desperately hold the front.
Good-aligned heroes will find plenty of adventure in the occupied city
of Kalaman.
Palanthus: Palanthus is a city swept up in religious revival.
Temples to all of the gods of Good are under construction and each
Good god's clerical hierarchy maintains headquarters in the city.
Along with knowledge of the true gods comes knowledge of all things:
young students and old scholars from the world over flock to Palanthus
to study.
Solanthus: During the darkest hour of the war, Solanthus fell.
Eventually, the heroes levered the Blue Dragonarmy from its foothold
in the town and pressed them into retreat, but still the foul beasts
burned farmlands and towns as they withdrew. The local government of
Solanthus seeks adventurers to flush out and destroy any remaining
pockets of Blue Dragonarmy resistance. Solanthus also provides
generous land grants to carpenters, masons, and farmers in hopes of
rebuilding their ruined land.
Vingaard: When Vingaard was liberated from the forces of Evil,
the city began a rapid recovery. Still, Vingaard needs hard-working
laborers to repair damage to the fortress and town. Furthermore, many
ruin sites were uncovered by the occupying armies, and no human has
yet had a chance to explore them. In short, the booming city of
Vingaard needs adventurers, laborers, and soldiers to rebuild and
re-people their lands.
Trade: The sprawling nation of Solamnia has much to offer:
ships, timber, and beer from Caergoth; ships and navigators from
Kalaman; gems; iron, and steel from the dwarven province of Kayolin;
ships, books, beer, ale, and textiles from Palanthus; grain and cattle
from Solanthus; and horses and cattle from Vingaard. Even so, Solamnia
requires many mate rials to rebuild Kalaman, Solanthus, and Vingaard
after the ravages of war. Lumber, bricks, blocks, thatch, tiles,
pitch, mortar, iron, steel, glass, and so forth bring high prices
because the demand for them is great. For these items, Solamnia turns
first to its major trading partners: Nordmaar, the Ergoths, Sancrist,
and Qualinesti.
Southern Ergoth
Capital: Daltigoth, Qualimori, Silvamori
Main Populace: Qualinesti and Silvanesti refugees, Kagonesti
natives, ogres, humans, goblins
Languages: Ergot*, Qualinesti, Silvanesti, Kagonesti, Common,
Solamnic, Slig+
National Alignment: Varies
Government: Dictatorial (ogres), feudal (human knights),
monarchic and senatorial (elves)
Dictator Kthaaarx of Daltigoth (Storm ogre 12HD, AC 2, hp 64, AL NE)
Disposition: Villainous
Warlord Thunderbane of the Wild Ogres (Storm ogre 8HD, AC 4,
hp48, AL NE)
Disposition: III-tempered
Lady Merathanos of Qualimori (Qualinesti F6/M6, AC 5, hp 48, AL N)
Disposition: Haughty
Regent in Exile Belthanos of Silvamori (Silvanesti F8/M8, AC 4,
hp 54, AL N)
Disposition: Belligerent
Chief Cher-Kal of the Kagonesti (Kagonesti F12, AC 7, hp 57, AL NG)
Disposition: Agitated
Geography: The northernmost half of Southern Ergoth consists of
a large and desolate plain. Aside from dwindling goblin tribes, no
notable cultures exist upon this end of the island. The scrubby land
cannot support large populations. The deep Morgash Bay (or Bay of
Darkness) lies directly south of the desolate plain. The port city of
Daltigoth stands on the southern shore of this bay, the single
settlement worthy of note in the north. Once the proud capital of the
Ergothian Empire, Daltigoth has fallen to ogres. West of Daltigoth
lies the spinelike Mountain of Ergoth. The center of these mountains
harbors Foghaven Vale, where lies the tomb of Huma, hero of the Third
Dragon War.
West and south of the Mountains of Ergoth, open plains and
venerable forests lead to the Sirrion Sea. Here, the seeds of a grand
civilization have been planted. Silvanesti elves, fleeing their
embattled homeland, founded Silvamori, while Qualinesti refugees
founded Qualimori. Each encampment displaced some of the Kagonesti
natives. Silvamori and Qualimori stand only 20 miles apart, separated
by the river ThonTsalarian (River of the Dead). Following the habits
of their homelands, the elves created settlements that work in tune
with nature.
Climate: Southern Ergoth's weather tends to be harsh and
unpredictable. Storms upon the Sirrion Sea often sweep inland across
the southern and western coasts of the islands. During a thunderous
spring that begins in Chislmont, cyclones occasionally spawn west of
Sancrist and come crashing southward. All lands west of the Ergoth
Mountains tend, therefore, to have wet springs and summers. The
mountains block the advance of rain and storm alike from the north of
the isle, leaving it a dry and desolate grassland. Summer lasts from
Corij to Reorxmont and rarely reaches sweating levels of heat. By mid
H'rarmont, winter sets in, bringing blizzards to the west and biting
winds to the northern plains.
Politics: Despite the nation's title, Southern Ergoth's chief
inhabitants are not human. The ogres inhabit Daltigoth in mockery of
ancient Ergoth: Ergoth was founded by human slaves who rebelled
against their ogre masters. West of the mountains, the Qualinesti,
Kagonesti, and Silvanesti elves slowly work out a truce. Although
centuries of antagonism between the races threatens to keep the clans
apart, the mere proximity of their settlements has begun to dissolve
the animosity. Indeed, young elves feel they have the chance to found
a new homeland for all elves, a nation that can reclaim the ancient
birthright of their ancient species. These idealists rally around one
hope: forming a sovereign elven state free of domination from Northern
Ergoth and even Qualinesti. The leaders currently pursue a treaty with
Qualinesti that treats the nations as equals.
Trade: This nascent elven nation engages in little trade, for
the land provides for most all needs. Some homesick folk in Qualimori
do purchase Qualinesti peaches, apples, pears, and leather. The
Silvamori are more likely to buy metal, books, and grain from
Solamnia. The Kagonesti trade chiefly in fish, fur, and grains. Both
the wild ogres of Thunderbane's clan and the Daltigoth ogres trade in
herbs, spices, fruits, and fish.
Taman Busuk
Capital: Neraka and Sanction
Main Populace: Evil humans, Blue Dragonarmy, ogres, barbarians,
goblins
Languages: Draconian, Nerakese, Dragon, Mountain Barbarian,
Solamnic, Lemish, Nordmaarian, Khur, Ogre, Goblin, Mountain Dwarf+,
Kyrie+
National Alignment: Lawful Evil
Government: Dictatorial
Dragon Highlord Ariakus (Human P23/F10, AC 2, hp 88, AL LE)
Disposition: Ambitious
Geography: Although Taman Busuk as a nation is weak, it contains
some of the most mystically and militarily powerful sites on Ansalon:
Sanction, Neraka, and Gargath, as well as the ruins of Godshome. (The
history and importance of Sanction warrants a separate entry. See
"Sanction.") Mountains and sterile soil fragment the nation of Taman
Busuk geographically, and Takhisis and the Blue Dragonarmy fragment it
politically. But Takhisis prefers the country to be so divided: thus,
none can stand against her.
In the north, Taman Busuk borders Estwilde and Kern and in the
south it borders Zhakar. Throughout its length, rugged and barren
mountains stripe the land. The mountains in the north contain huge
slabs of granite -- igneous shafts of former volcanoes that were
forced into splintery ranges when the Cataclysm struck. Between these
mountains lie wide valleys of grassy wasteland. In the south, the
mountains become much more dense and the valleys disappear entirely.
Here, thirteen volcanoes remain active. The lava flows of three of
them reach into the very heart of the Dark Queen's occupied city of
Sanction. Neraka, also, is surrounded by volcanoes, though they stand
at a greater distance.
The ragged Khalkist Mountains house more than just evil sites.
The mystic sites of Godshome and the ancient city of Gargath lie in
these mountains also. Godshome is- a bowlshaped depression in a
mountain top. At the center lies a huge, polished circle of black
rock, surrounded by an oddly shaped ring of boulders. Clearly, this
site is not natural.but celestial in origin. Here, the companions
discovered the true nature of Fizban and witnessed Paladine's
epiphany.
The ancient tower of Gargath is also said to lie nearby, where
the Graystone was contained for a time and where the kender and tinker
gnomes came into being. Even so, tales tell of at least five different
locations for the Tower of Gargath. Most of the tales point to a site
in the upper Khalkists, but perhaps the residue of chaos from the
Graystone has cursed the tower to wander.
Climate: Summers in Taman Busuk last from Corij to Reorxmont and
remain temperate, due to the elevation. Also due to the height, the
land receives little rain, making the stony mountains fairly barren.
From Phoenix to Mishamont, the land grows quite chill and snows pile
higher than a man's head. Only sites near volcanoes escape the
accumulation of snow. It is said that when Neraka has snow, Sanction
has rain.
Politics: Neraka is ruled indirectly by Takhisis herself. The
city arose 141 years after the Cataclysm, when Takhisis planted the
cornerstone of the Kingpriest's temple in a remote glade. By patient
magic, the cornerstone grew in to a new temple -- the twisted Temple
of Darkness where Takhisis could muster and rally her servants. The
city around the temple grew up only to serve the Dark Queen and her
minions. Outside the city lay barracks for the five dragonarmies she
commands.
When travelers discovered the city, they mistook it for the
"Lost City of Neraka," a mountain city destroyed by the Cataclysm.
Those who escaped Takhisis's minions spread news of the city of
"Neraka." Takhisis, wishing to hide her purposes, was content to let
her capital of Evil be so called.
Needless to say, no good comes out of Neraka. Takhisis has sent
her Evil minions south to strike an alliance with Khur, hoping to
unify against the traitorous ogres of Kern and the Knights of
Solamnia. The dwarves of Zhakar occasionally raid Neraka, and the
Nerakans willingly sponsor forays to explore and spy on the Zakharans'
underground city.
Godshome has no ruler lest it be Paladine himself, and Gargath
is only a small settlement clustered about the ruined tower.
Trade: Neraka and Sanction run a thriving trade in slaves,
mercenaries, and weaponry with each other, Khur, and Zhakar. The
dwarves of Zhakar barter with small gems, and the nomads of Khur offer
fine warhorses, exotic spices, and artifacts from the Lost Cities of
Istar. Sanction also deals in lime and llamas and serves as a point of
entry for much stolen or black-market merchandise, which it trades
through Neraka to the northern reaches of Taman Busuk. The nomadic
barbarians of the north barter for these goods with mutton and wool.
Tarsis and the Plains of Dust
Capital: Tarsis
Main Populace: Human, thanoi, goblin
Languages: Kharolian, Silvanesti, Mountain Dwarf, Hill Dwarf,
Ice Barbarian, Thanoi, Minotaur, Common+, Ogre+, Goblin+
National Alignment: Neutral Good
Government: Republic
Lord of Tarsis Heriol Luckwand (Human F7, AC 4, hp 49, AL LN)
Disposition: Determined
Merchant Porkall Frenbuster (Human F8, AC 7, hp 38, AL N)
Disposition: Cowardly
Geography: Aside from istar, Tarsis was arguably the city most
decimated by the Cataclysm. The lands around, which at one time had
been grassy tundra, shifted sufficiently that the fragile tundra died.
Now only a dusty plain remains. Worse yet, the bay that had made
Tarsis the thriving port of the south receded overnight, leaving
ocean-going vessels strewn upon a dry sea floor. Suddenly Tarsis,
famed for its library, schools, marketplace, port, and temple had
become an isolated, near-arctic outpost. It stood as the sole bastion
of civilization in the seemingly endless Plains of Dust. Slowly the
city shrank, its disheartened inhabitants drifting northward to
Thorbardin and beyond. Many of the poor shifted from the old city to
the derelict ships that lay abed in the dry harbor. Although still the
key trade route to all points south, Tarsis continues to dwindle.
The only other notable geographic feature of this area is the
winding river Torath, whose size rivals that of the mighty Vingaard in
Solamnia.
Climate: When southern Ansalon raised in altitude and the Blood
Sea began to redirect warm currents eastward, the tundra died. Year
round, the climate here is chill. Summer lasts for a mere two months,
barely reaching comfortable temperatures before plunging back into
frigid cold. Precipitation comes rarely to this area, and mostly in
the form of snow. Even the Torath River valley remains largely dry,
its turgid, dun-colored water coming from the run-off of Icewall
Glacier. Between Hiddumont and Chislmont, the southern reaches of this
river freeze hard enough to allow caravans to use it as a roadway. A
merchant can set off from Tarsis upon the east road, then ride upon
the Torath all the way to the Silvanesti road. So doing, the caravan
will reach Waylorn's Tower before thaw.
Politics: The Lord of Tarsis, whose office has but a shadow of
its pre-Cataclysm glory, has commissioned a road to Ice Mountain Bay.
This route, and the outpost that will stand at the end of it, should
renew the role of Tarsis as the Lordcity of southwest Ansalon. Tarsis
therefore needs adventurers to guard the work crews, scout the
landscape, and map the wilderness. Further, the Lord of Tarsis works
to stimulate trade with Thorbardin to his north and the dispossessed
elves of Silvanesti to the east.
The thanoi of the Icereach threaten the fragile nation, coming
at times to raid the city. Adventurers willing to battle the evil
walrus men can find plenty of work in Tarsis. Recently, an envoy of
human barbarians descended from Icereach to seek alliance, but the
Lord of Tarsis suspects their intentions.
Trade: In return for furs, horses, and wagons traded to
Thorbardin, Tarsis receives dwarven steel, weapons, and tools of
masonry. Many dwarven engineers and road-builders have found
occupation among the humans in their construction of the bay road.
Once the bay road is complete, the folk of Tarsis will send ships and
caravans as far north as Qualinesti to establish trade there.
Tarsis trades warhorses to the dispossessed Silvanesti, who hope
to use these mounts to retake their homeland. Tarsis also hires
mercenaries of most any race to fight back the thanoi of Icereach.
Thorbardin, Pax Tharkas, and Kharolis
Capital: Zakhalax, Life Tree of the Hylar Main Populace: Hylar,
Daewar, Daergar, Theiwar, and Klar dwarves
Languages: Mountain Dwarf*, Hill Dwarf, Kharolian, Common,
Qualinesti, Ogre, Goblin, Ergot
National Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Government: Republic
Thane Hornfel Kytil (Hylar F11, AC 2, hp 81, AL LG)
Disposition: Devout
War Chieftain Rance (Daergar F13, AC 4, hp 98, AL LE)
Disposition: Angry
Savant Realgar (Theiwar F7, AC 5, hp 43, AL CE)
Disposition: Megalomaniacal
Steward Chert Cneiss (Daewar F9, AC 3, hp 72, AL LN)
Disposition: Patient
Geography: The greatest mountains of southern Ansalon are the
Kharolis range, which run from Abanasinia in the north to within 20
miles of Ice Mountain Bay in the south. This 170-mile span of
mountains houses five sites critical to the fate of Ansalon:
Thorbardin, Skullcap, Pax Tharkas, Qualinost, and Solace. (For
more information on Qualinost, see "Qualinesti;" for more information
on Solace, see "Abanasinia.")
Thorbardin ranks among the wonders of Ansalon -- an excavation
22 miles from north to south and 14 miles from east to west. Within
this range, Thorbardin contains seven major cities, three farming
warrens, two governmental areas, and a burial area. Between each of
these sites, cable-ways run along tunnel roads. At the heart of
Thorbardin rests the Urkhan Sea, which is five miles on a side. At the
center of the sea stands a stalactite that is one-fourth of a mile in
width and half a mile in height. This is the Life Tree of the Hylar,
who carved out a 28-level citadel in it.
Between Thorbardin and Pax Tharkas stands the ruin of Skullcap.
Once a great tower of sorcery, Skullcap gained its present form when
the Evil mage Fistandantilus unleashed a magical barrage that melted
the stone into the shape of a skull. Much magic remains in the ruins,
and adventurers are advised against entering them lightly.
Pax Tharkas, mighty fortress between Qualinost and Thorbardin,
came into being through an uncommon peace between dwarves, elves, and
humans. Before the Cataclysm, both elves and dwarves manned it, but
afterward, only dwarves guarded the walls. During the War of the
Lance, Verminaard captured the fortress, planning to make use of the
iron mines below. However, the Heroes of the Lance infiltrated the
fortress and liberated it before the war's end. Climate: The Kharolis
region experiences a number of varied climatic conditions. In the
north, near Abanasinia, the mountains remain cool for much of the
year, though they do experience the full range of seasons. Farther
south, in the area where Thorbardin stands, the climate has grown much
colder and drier. Here summers are short, lasting from late Corij to
early Reorxmont, and winters last from the first of Phoenix to the
last of Chislmont. This area receives more snow than rain, and many of
the plants live off lakes formed by spring run-off. The southern tip
of the Kharolis Mountains share the near-arctic climate of the Plains
of Dust.
Politics: Thorbardin has cemented an alliance with Solamnia, and
currently settles a similar treaty with Qualinesti. Much of the latter
treaty centers on the restoration of Pax Tharkas in the wake of the
war's destruction. The dwarves hope to restore Thorbardin to its
pre-Cataclysm glory, with new mines and more cities. In addition,
these long-lived and grudge-holding dwarves reserve a special hatred
for the dwarves of Zhakar, the thanoi of Icewall, and the remaining
dragonarmies. The Zakhar are a special sore spot with the Thorbardin
dwarves, who feel an obligation to put an end to their foul brethren
once and for all. Thorbardin holds work for any good-aligned
adventurers who are willing to battle these enemies.
Despite its occupation for much of the war, Pax Tharkas emerged
relatively unscathed. Even so, much clean-up must be done to rid the
place of the draconian stench. Some repair work is also needed.
Trade: Thorbardin willingly trades steel, iron, gems, weapons,
tools, metals, coins, and spirits to Tarsis and Qualinesti in return
for. fruits, leather, wagons, furs, and mercenaries. Pax Tharkas is
mining and refining its iron to help pay for its repairs and clean-up.
Throtl
Capital: Throtl
Main Populace: Hobgoblins, goblins, ogre's, trolls Languages:
Goblin", Draconian, Lemish, Slig, Giant, Solamnic, Ogre+, Common+
National Alignment: Lawful Evil
Government: Anarchic
Geography: The southern end of the Dargaard Mountains harbors a
small forest, which opens out upon a broad and marshy plain named
Throt. To the east of this plain lies a mountain pass of dry hills
that abuts the western Khalkists. Although this mountain pass belongs
to Estwilde, it is called Throtl gap because the savage races of Throt
maraud here without opposition.
Throt has become home of the hobgoblins. During the war,
hobgoblin minions of Takhisis fled to this plain when they were routed
from Vingaard and Solanthus. After robbing the local farmers of their
lands, the hobgoblins entrenched themselves. By the time the pursuing
army of Solamnia reached the marshy lands of Throt, their ranks had
thinned. Many Solamnians had stayed behind to rebuild the torn lands.
Those present had neither the numbers nor the determination to drive
the hobgoblins wholly from Throt. Slowly, the ranks of the Solamnian
army are growing for an all-out offensive. The hobgoblins have
meanwhile fortified themselves and set up their capital in the
mountain city of Throtl.
Climate: The plains of Throt receive more rain than the rest of
the Vingaard River basin. The marshy bogs lie in tufted ridges that
make agriculture difficult. These same ridges became redoubts for the
retreating hobgoblins. Summers here begin in Corij and last until
early Reorxmont, and winters set in during Phoenix and last until
Chislmont.
The forest to the east experiences less rain, but more storms.
When warm, humid air from the heartlands of Solamnia meets with cold
winds from the peaks of the Dargaard Mountains, storms form. The woods
around Throtl tend to flash with lightning from spring to fall, and
succumb to blizzards in winter.
The Throtl gap has the opposite weather -- dry and uneventful.
The clarity of conditions allow hobgoblin marauders to spot caravans
miles away and descend quickly upon them. Politics: Prior to the War
of the Lance, Throtl was a sovereign human nation. The hobgoblins
destroyed Throt's farms and hamlets, taking the capital city for
themselves and banishing or enslaving the folk who lived there. The
hobgoblins have one goal: to hold onto their new homeland at any cost.
The despotic hobgoblin king has petitioned the Blue Dragonarmy on his
eastern border to defend it if Solamnia attacks. The dragons have
quietly agreed, although their motives and loyalties remain clouded to
both the humans and the hobgoblins.
Solamnia claims that before the hobgoblin occupation, Throt
petitioned to be made a province of Solamnia. This claim gives
Solamnia right to invade and liberate its protoprovince. Knights of
Solamnia patrol the borders of Throt and elite cavalry units prepare
for a campaign of liberation.
Trade: Currently, the hobgoblins do not trade. What they have,
they have through pillage and plunder. The capital city of Throtl has
grown decadent and rich off goods stolen from caravans that pass
through Throtl Gap. The one commodity they do deal in is information.
Hobgoblin spies along the borders of Solamnia trade secrets to the
Blue Dragonarmy in return for promises of protection.
Zhakar (Thoradin)
Capital: Zhakar
Main Populace: Zakhar dwarves, the Black Flame Languages:
Mountain Dwarf*, Ogre*, Goblin, Draconian
National Alignment: Neutral
Government: Totalitarian Republic
Lord Brule Vaportwist (Zakhar F13, AC 3, hp 39, AL NE)
Disposition: Cryptic
Geography: The nation of Zhakar stands in the shadows of the
ancient dwarven nation of Thoradin. Zhakar stands in the center of the
thickest tangle of mountains in the Khalkist range. Only dwarves would
view these dry and rugged mountains as home. After six centuries of
civilization in Thoradin (dwarven for "new hope"), Hylar dwarves left
to delve Thorbardin (dwarven for "new best hope"). By 2000 PC, the
roads into Thoradin were lost.
A millennium later, dwarves from Thorbardin returned to the
Khalkist Mountains to establish a trading post with Istar. They named
their new trading colony Thoradin after the lost kingdom. The new
Thoradin became the chief trading post between Thorbardin, Istar, and
Palanthus. It had the potential of rivaling the old Thoradin until the
Cataclysm obliterated it. After the Cataclysm, the dwarven nation of
Zhakar arose in the central Khalkists. A reclusive and mysterious race
of dwarves, the Zakhar, had taken over the abandoned halls of
Thoradin. The people call themselves Zakhar, meaning "cursed ones,"
and their land Zhakar, meaning "cursed place." An ancient mold plague
had disfigured these people and made them outcasts of dwarven culture.
Now, they prefer their reclusion and kill any non-Zakhar who enter
their lands.
Climate: The lofty peaks and granite cliffs of Zhakar are dry
and fairly barren. In a few spots, high tarns from ancient glaciers
provide water to the rocky heights. Around these spots, trees struggle
to root among the white boulders and eagles build nests. Through the
rest of the ranges, scrub, sage, and cactus populate the dry ledges.
Summer stretches from late Bran to early Reorxmont and winter from
Phoenix to Mishamont. Little snow and little rain fall throughout the
year, though the summer wind is often blustery due to updrafts off the
hot faces of stone.
Politics: The Zakhar have a king and a council of prelates who
handle all matters within their kingdom. The state's rigid system of
caste and occupation structures the reclusive folk for one aim:
creating an underground nation that rivals Thorbardin in strength.
They plan to regain control of the whole Khalkist mountain range.
Every action of their dark days targets this one aim, as though their
destiny were instinctual. The dwarves show no passion in the pursuit
of this monomania, only a cold, pragmatic discipline. Numerous reports
indicate that the Zakhar slay any non-Zakhar folk who enter their
city. Some even say that the dwarves turn to the Dark Queen and other
gods of Evil for aid.
Trade: This subterranean kingdom of dwarves in the Khalkist
Mountains manages to do some quiet trade with Sanction. Items include
gems, metals, arms and armor, coins, mushrooms, and spirits.
Dragonarmy Occupied Territories Geography: The five dragonarmies
of Takhisis emerged from the War of the Lance in possession of various
regions. The Red Dragonarmy holds the southern half of Nordmaar and
the northern half of Kern. The Slack Dragonarmy territories extend
from the eastern border of Goodlund to the Courrain Ocean. The Green
Dragonarmy dominates the lands north of Silvanesti, South of Taman
Busuk and between Blode and the Bay of Balifor. The Blue Dragonarmy
holds the region from Sanction to Central Lemish, South of Throt. The
White Dragonarmy holds an area 130 miles in diameter in the central
region of Icereach.
Politics: Each of the dragonarmies is ruled by dragons of the
appropriate color. They take their orders directly from the Dragon
Highlord or from Takhisis's avatar. The lower ranks of the
dragonarmies consist of draconians, hobgoblins, goblins, ogres,
trolls, giants, minotaurs, thanoi (in the White Dragonarmy), and evil
humans and demihumans.
Although they all fight for the same Dark Queen, each of the
dragonarmies is self-promoting and rife with animosity. Squabbles
amongst themselves keep the dragons at bay as much as human and
demihuman defenses. Some dragonarmies have, however, established
alliances with each other: the Red and Black Dragonarmies work
together, as do the Blue and Green Dragonarmies. The Black Dragonarmy
is also allied with the minotaurs. The White Dragonarmy has no allies.
The dragonarmies, of course, want to dominate all of Krynn, but
they are currently too weak and disadvantaged to hold any more land
than they now have. Currently, most of the dragonarmies occupy
climates and terrains that are alien to them. On the whole, the
dragonarmies were forced into these lands when routed during the War
of the Lance. Luckily for the good races, the dragons have grown weak
in these unaccustomed climes. Still, they have nowhere else to live.
Each dragonarmy therefore strives to hold onto its lands, keeping the
forces of Good at bay.
Trade: Trade caravans that attempt to move through dragonarmy
occupied territories typically end up sacked and destroyed. Businesses
that operate within dragonarmy-occupied territory must pay exorbitant
tax rates that reach 60 % in some places. Even so, the locals struggle
desperately to continue their lives and livelihoods, channeling a
large volume of goods through the black market.
The World that Might Be
The world of Krynn holds more than just Ansalon. In fact,
Ansalon is merely a small continent on the southern hemisphere. Krynn
has room for 15 land masses the size of Ansalon, with plenty of ocean
in between. What of the rest of Krynn?
To start with, Ansalon abuts a false continent -- Icewall Gla
cier. Explorers estimate that Icewall Glacier is almost as large as
Ansalon itself. Although this forbidding wasteland is inhabited by few
humans, many bizarre creatures live on the glacier or in the chill
waters around it. None know for certain if any land underlies Icewall
Glacier, though most folk believe that at least half of this false
continent consists of ice. Northeast of Ansalon, near the equator,
lies the sprawling land of Taladas. Here, the minotaurs have a mighty
empire, the Bilogastandirachgnomius gnomes live, and the hulderfolk
elves make their dwelling. Even the weather patterns are backward in
Taladas: the continent resides in the northern hemisphere! The
continent of Taladas features wonders that rival those of Ansalon
itself. For more information on Taladas, consult the Time of the
Dragon boxed set.
To the west of Ansalon lies a vast ocean tossed by many typhoons
and tempests. Strong westerlies bring storms onto Ansalon's shores.
The fairly continuous winds and currents make westerly ship travel
nearly impossible. Perhaps if the gods were to switch the winds for
one season, Ansalonian explorers might find themselves on new shores.
North of Ansalon, the beautiful Dragon Isles serve as home to
Good dragons and many furtive folk of Krynn. Full descriptions of
these lands appear in the Dragon Isles entry. Farther north lie
mystical lands shrouded in fable.
Beneath the seas of Ansalon are mysterious realms of sea elves,
merfolk, and other creatures. Those interested in such realms should
see Otherlands, a product that details one nation of sea elves among
the countless nations beneath the waves. In summary, Krynn is huge.
Ansalon covers 1,300 miles east to west and 900 miles north to south
-- less than 1/30 of the surface of Krynn. Ansalon provides enough
adventure for several lifetimes. Beyond lie even richer lands -- the
continents of your own imagination.
Although humans dominate Ansalon, many other races share the
world of Krynn. Each race has its loves and hates, glories and
shortcomings. One shortcoming of the human race has always been
prejudice, which lumps every nonhuman of Krynn into stereotyped roles.
This prejudice hurts humans as much as it does demihumans, for those
who hold such views miss the real beauty of Krynn: individuality and
diversity.
For instance, some untraveled humans assume that all kender wear
a top-knot just because Tasslehoff Burrfoot does. Hogwash! In fact,
Tasslehoff's real name, Kalin, was changed when folk in Northern
Ergoth noticed his distinctive top-knot. They called him Fringehead
(i.e., Tasslehoff ) because few of the kender they had seen before
wore top-knots. Noting this human penchant for stereotyping, the
following demography of Krynn examines the diversities as well as the
commonalities within a specific race.
Player Character Races
Role-players in the world of Krynn can play many species of
creature: mountain, plain, ice, and sea barbarians; Hylar, Neidar, and
Daewar dwarves; Silvanesti, Qualinesti, and Kagonesti elves; Minoi
gnomes; kender and minotaurs.
Barbarians "Wanderers"
Several clans of human barbarians wander the face of Krynn. Each
clan has dwelt in its native environs for hundreds or thousands of
years. Some brave rugged mountain peaks, others hunt Abanasinian's
verdant plain, still others dwell upon blistering deserts, frigid
polar wastes, or the tumbling and trackless sea.
Appearance
Mountain, plains, and desert barbarians have dark hair, umber
eyes, and deeply golden skin. Their southern cousins, the ice
barbarians have red or light brown hair, blue eyes, and pallid skin.
Constant exposure to the elements weathers the features of all
barbarians. By the ripe old age of 60, most barbarians have leathery
skin, but young barbarians of both genders are among the most
beautiful folk of Ansalon. On the average, barbarians stand an inch or
so taller than the stunted city folk of Ansalon.
These three barbarian clans prefer to dress in furs, leathers,
and skins. Since few barbarians perform agriculture, woven fabrics are
rare luxuries.
Sea barbarians have richer skin tones than other barbarians.
Their skin ranges from light brown to glowing black. They wear their
tightly curled black hair closely cropped to their heads. Their eyes
flash with emotion -- joy one moment and wrath the next -- much like
the volatile sea. Sea barbarians enjoy flamboyant and gaudy garb of
sailcloth, homespun, or burlap. Life among the roaring billows and
pitching waves makes these folk boisterous and courageous. Even so,
they are the most civilized of the barbaric races.
Personality
Mountain, plains, and ice barbarians are proud, grim
traditionalists. They deeply respect nature, granting every creature,
plant, object, and place its due. These barbarians cast a suspicious
eye toward "civilized" humans and their usurious lifestyles.
Barbarians rarely place trust in such folk: until a city-dweller
proves himself noble and honorable, he is considered lower than the
animals. This distrust of civilized humans creates a similar distrust
of mages and magic. Because wizards corrupt nature and turn it to
their own ends, barbarians categorize mages among the most profane
creatures in the world.
Sea barbarians differ greatly from their barbarian brothers. On
the outside, these loud, friendly people brim with good cheer.
Underneath, though, sea barbarians harbor a haughty pride that keeps
them distant from other races. Even so, sea barbarians deal fairly
with those they meet and, given time, develop friendships that can
weather any storm.
History
Humans, the final creation of the gods, were left with little
homeland. Elves had claimed the forests and ogres had taken the
mountains. Only the vast plains of Ansalon remained. The humans
wandered out upon the plains, establishing a nomadic existence of
hunting and gathering. They lived thus for years before ogres
descended from the mountains and rounded up humans to serve as slaves.
For generations, humans labored in ogrish mines. They paid in
sweat and blood for ogre luxuries, always too weary and divided to
rebel. One ogre, Igraine, granted his slaves limited freedoms after
they risked their lives to save his daughter. The hope of freedom
spread like a plague through the mountains. Riots began. Ogres, angry
at Igraine, pursued him from the city. Igraine's slaves fought
fiercely for their liberator, holding off the ogre army. After a
bloody and horrific battle, the humans and Igraine escaped.
The humans scattered to the corners of the world and learned to
extract a living from the land. Some built cities in the fashion of
the ogre cities they fled. Others believed that cities were the root
of slavery, bondage, and depravity. Such folk chose to wander,
snubbing the corruption of civilization. Their descendants wander to
this day. Some returned to the mountains, others traveled to the
tundra lands far south. Still more fled into the desert, certain that
the ogres would somehow seek a revenge. The last group desired only to
return to their ancestral homeland on the plains. Thus, human
barbarian tribes live in most every terrain upon Ansalon.
The sea barbarians have an entirely different history. They
arose as mariners of once-mighty Istar. The Cataclysm destroyed the
heart-city of their shipping business and dispersed the mariners
throughout the world. Since the Zero Hour, mariners have led a
somewhat nomadic existence. They never settle permanently: the urge to
travel fills their blood.
Lifestyle
The barbarians of Krynn live nomadically. They find life in
cities and towns stifling and harsh compared to that in the wilds.
They roam their home terrain, following the migrations of beasts and
the change of seasons. Barbarians love nature. They respect the powers
of the earth, and revere those who wield such powers.
The sea barbarians live differently. Although they spend most of
their time at sea, they do dock occasionally. Descendants of city
dwellers, these barbarians maintain port cities where they can rest
and sell their cargos. The city of Sea Reach on the island of Saifhum
is one such bedroom town for sea barbarians. They forbid foreign
traffic into Sea Reach, wishing to keep the foul folk of Ansalon at
arm's reach.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Barbarian weaponry is perfectly adapted to a specific climate
and task. Barbarian weapons are made of plentiful materials and double
as common tools. For example, plains barbarians use bows and bolas
both for hunting and weaponry. Likewise, the bear claws of mountain
barbarians help in scaling cliffs as well as in war. In addition to
these special weapons, barbarians commonly use spears, long and short
swords, daggers, and clubs.
Only barbarians are proficient in using barbarian weapons.
Non-barbarian users suffer a -- 2 penalty to hit and damage in
addition to a non-proficiency penalty.
Barbarian armor, much like their weaponry, utilizes the
materials at hand. Barbarians commonly wear fur and leather or
studded-leather armor. They carry medium-sized wooden shields.
Desert Barbarians
Garrotte (Dmg 1d4/1d6; Spd 2; Type Strangle) Desert thugs use
lengths of knotted cloth to strangle unsuspecting victims. This weapon
must be used from behind on a victim with an exposed neck. Victims in
combat who are aware of the attack may save vs. paralysis with a +4
bonus to break free. Damage is rolled for each round the victim is
garrotted. After the first round, the victim must make a Con check at
a cumulative -- 1 per round, or fall unconscious. The victim suffers a
cumulative -- 1 penalty to all actions per round.
Kala, Death's Tooth (Dmg 1d6/1d4; Spd 4; Type P) This
short-handled, straight-bladed sickle serves as a hoe and harvester.
It doubles as a knife and hides easily in one's sash. Desert thugs and
assassins use it most.
Scimitar (Dmg 1d8/1d8; Spd 4; Type S) This curved, saberlike
sword has a sharp outer edge. Its heavy weight makes it ideal for
deflecting opponent's blows and slicing through armor. When an attack
does full damage, the victim must make a Str check or be knocked down.
Throwing Blades (Dmg 1d6/1d4+1; Spd 5; Type S; Range 2/4/6) This
three-bladed weapon folds down to the size of an axe blade. Thrown
like a throwing axe, the blade's sleek shape adds a +1 bonus to hit at
medium range and a +3 bonus to hit at long.
Weighted Sash (Dmg 1d6+2/1d4+2; Spd 6; Type S) This easily
concealed silk sash contains metal weights in both ends. The weighted
sash batters like a flail and entangles (save vs paralysis) like a
whip.
Ice Barbarians
Crossbow, Ice (Dmg 1d6/1d4+1; Spd 6; Type B; Range 4/8/12) This
miniature, hand-held catapult flings icicles and large ice bullets.
Ice crossbows have a +1 bonus to hit. Icicles and bullets shatter on
impact, hitting all within 5' with shrapnel that does 1d4 -- 1 points
of damage.
Flasks, Ice (Dmg 1d2/round; Spd 4; Type Freezing; Range 1/2/3)
These flasks of hollowed bone contain salt water, ash, and oil and are
kept warm beneath one's furs. The flask breaks on impact (saves at 16,
+4 if soft target) soaking the victim, who freezes for 1d2 points per
round until donning warm clothes. Victims splashed in the face (save
vs breath) are blinded. For 1d6 rounds, the oil may be ignited with
fire,inflicting half normal oil-flame damage.
Frostreaver (Dmg 1d8+4/1d8+4; Spd 8; Type S) These heavy battle
axes consist of very dense ice. Only Revered Clerics of the Ice Folk
can craft them. A frostreaver takes one month to create, using thanoi
oil and files to thin and harden the ice. The axe has a +4 bonus to
hit, but will melt in 1d6 hours of warm weather, losing 1 point of
bonus per hour.
Grenade, Ice (Dmg 1d12 (3' radius), 1d4 (splash); Spd 5; Type
S/S; Range 2/4/8) These metal spheres contain water and are stored
beneath furs to keep them from freezing. When exposed to subzero
temperatures and a high windchill, the water freezes in 1 round,
bursting the sphere and pelting those in a 3' radius. Other targets
within 8' are hit with a -2 penalty for 1d4 points.
Throwing Stones (Dmg 1d6 -- 1/1d6 -- 1; Spd 3; Type B; Range
1/3/5) By packing a ball of snow around a stony core and shaping an
icy handle, ice folk make an ice club that can be hurled up to 50
yards. Hitting with these provides a 5% chance of knock out per point
of damage inflicted.
Bow, Pellet (Dmg 1d4/1d4; Spd 5; Type 8; Range 6/12/18) A small
sling pouch woven into the center of the bowstring allows this bow to
fire sharpened stones of flint. The bow forms a slight Y-curve that
allows the stone to shoot past. Crook Blade (Dmg 1d8/1d8; Spd 4; Type
S) The curve of this blade make it useful for chopping, digging, and
combat. The machetelike bend of the blade allows leverage blows that
gain a +2 bonus to hit.
Warpipe (Dmg 1d4+2/1d3+2; Spd 3; Type B; Range 1/2/3) This
weapon doubles as an iron smoking pipe. Mountain barbarians smoke
black root, a mild intoxicant, during peacetime and swing this pipe
like a club in war. It also functions as a blow-gun, firing a dart
(dmg 1) coated in black root extract (must make a system shock roll of
fall unconscious 1d6 turns; if makes system shock, must save vs poison
with a - 2 penalty or grow disoriented and loose balance; if loses
balance, must make a Dex check every round to stay standing).
Plains Barbarians
Bolas (Dmg 1d4/1d3; Spd 6; Type B; Range 2/4/6) A leathercovered
stone is tied at each end of this 3' leather thong. A small stone ring
at the midpoint provides a handle. Bolas are spun overhead and flung
at a target. Bolas can also be used for a hand-held flail attacking at
-- 2. Victims must save vs paralysis or become entangled. A Str check
the next round allows the victim to break free. On a called shot ( --
4 to hit), a hit to the legs trips the victim, a hit to the arms pins
the arms, and a hit to the head functions as a garrotte attack. (See
"Desert Barbarian.")
Lasso (Dmg Sp+1/Sp; Spd 10; Type Entangling; Range 10') This
length of rope has a slip-knotted loop tied at one end. The barbarian
twirls the loop in the air and then throws it to snare a target. The
victim must save vs paralysis or become entangled and suffer 1 point
of constricting damage. A mounted victim who fails the save will be
pulled from his mount. A target lassoed and dragged suffers 1d4 points
each round. A called shot that hits the head strangles the victim for
1d4 points per round. A called shot that hits an arm pins it; a - 4
Str check allows escape. A called shot that hits a leg trips the
target. A Str check on subsequent rounds allows the victim to break
free. The lasso may be cut by 2 points of slicing damage (AC 8).
Teeth Chains, (Dmg 1d6+1/ 2d4; Spd 7; Type B) A handle attaches
to one end of this heavy chain. Each link in the chain has a barb that
catches and rends flesh. Victims must save vs paralysis with a +4
bonus or be stunned by the pain for one round, in addition to the
normal damage done by the chains.
Throwing Sticks (Dmg 1d3+1/ ld4+1; Spd 3; Type B; Range 2/5/10)
These bent, flat hunting sticks have a bevelled inside edge and one
long end. A skilled plainsman holds the long end and flings the stick
to clip a target in the head or leg and bring it down. A correct throw
(Dexcheck) makes a missed shot return to the hunter.
Sea Brbarians
Belaying Pin (Dmg 1d3/1d3; Spd 4; Type 8) This rod of metal or
wood inserts in holes in a ship's rail for tying off lines. Used as a
weapon, it functions as a club.
Fang/Gaffhook (Dmg 1d6/1d4; Spd 4 Type P/B) The fang is a
modification ot the gaffhook, a tool used for hauling fish into a boat
(a gaffhook suffers a -- 1 penalty to hit and damage). A fang is an
iron rod with a spike on one end and a hooked blade below. The heavy
rod can land a bashing blow and the spike or hook can easily pierce
armor (+ 1 to hit). The hook may also be used to trip foes or as an
aid in climbing rigging.
Hookshaft (Dmg 1d6/1d4; Spd 4; Type B) This 6' long wooden shaft
has a three-hooked rake at one end. It aids in climbing rigging,
hooking items, and dismounting a foe (save vs petrify).
Sword: Sabre (Dmg 1d6+1/1d8+1; Spd 4; Type C) This single-edged,
curved sword is a favorite of human pirates.
Gaming Notes
Barbarian player characters have the following minimum/ maximum
ability scores.
Ability Min/Max
Strength 10/--
Dexterity 8/16
Constitution 12/--
Intelligence --/18
Wisdom 8/--
Charisma --/--
Proficiencies: All barbarians are proficient 'at Survival in
their native clime (+1 bonus to the proficiency roll). Although their
lives are not easy, they have adapted so fully to their surroundings
that they become mentally and physically weary when away. For the
first few (1d6) days outside their native region, barbarians suffer
fatigue ( -1 penalty to all die rolls). Even after making the
adjustment to foreign climes, they long deeply for their homelands.
When returning to their native clime, barbarians experience a few
(1d6) days of relief and joy (+1 bonus to all die rolls). After this
time, their life returns to normal, but they always have the memory of
time spent away to help them appreciate their environs.
In addition to Survival, barbarians excel at Tracking in native
lands (they suffer no adjustment to Tracking checks). Barbarians are
also skilled at Hunting in their own lands (+2 bonus to the roll).
Only a woefully under-prepared and underequipped barbarian starves in
his homeland. Even beyond familiar climes, barbarians' familiarity
with nature aids them in Hunting (0 penalty), Tracking ( -3
penalty), and Survival ( -2 penalty).
Dwarves
"Workers Under the Mountain"
Appearance
Ansalonian dwarves are short and wide-shouldered, standing only
four feet tall and weighing about 140 lbs. Males have full beards, and
females and youths have wispy whiskers that do not form full beards.
On the whole, dwarves have tough, wrinkled skin, and most males begin
going bald while still young (50 years old).
The natural lifetime of any given dwarf ranges from is 252 to
450 (2d100+250) for all dwarves except gully dwarves (see below). Male
dwarves average between 44 and 53 (43+1dlO) inches tall, and females
average between 42 and 51 (41+1d10) inches. Male dwarves generally
weigh from 134 to 170 (130+4d10) pounds, and females usually weigh
from 109 to 145 (105+4d10) pounds.
After five millenia upon Ansalon, the stout dwarven stock has
splintered into various distinct races.
Hill dwarves, made up of the Neidar and Klar clans, gain their
name from the foothills where they live. They have tan skin, ruddy
cheeks, and bright eyes. Their hair is brown, black, or gray, worn in
respectable trim around the ears but worn long and bushy in beards and
mustaches. Their clothes reflect the drab colors of their lands:
black, brown, gray, tan, and beige. On rare occasions (when feeling
festive or scandalous), hill dwarves don a scarf of bright red or
green. They prefer knee-high boots, large meals, and little work.
Although Neidar have deep, resonant singing voices, cajoling a (sober)
one to sing is quite beyond the capacity of most folk.
Mountain dwarves, unlike their Neidar kin, dwell below ground in
the rugged heights of the mountains. The most ancient and prominent
race of mountain dwarves is the Hylar, from which the Theiwar, Daewar,
Daergar, Zakhar, and hill dwarf races descended. Hylar dwarves have
light brown skin, smooth cheeks, and bright eyes. Their brown, black,
gray, or white hair matches the color of their clothing. With wide
vocal range, Hylar dwarves often form choruses and sing traditional
songs in the resonate depths of their mountains. Gully dwarves, or
Aghar, are not true dwarves but a crossbreed. They appear in their own
section.
Personality
Other races accuse dwarves of miserly greed. Dwarves see
themselves quite differently. Dwarves believe their hard work and
drive make them worthy of riches. Those who would disagree are lazy
and jealous. Among themselves, dwarves consider dogged work and
opulent wealth to be two of life's greatest pleasures. For these
things, and for drink and history and song, dwarves harbor a
passionate love. Around big folk (or elven folk), dwarves hide this
passion, and therefore seem inscrutable, coarse, and oddly reticent.
Passion: Dwarves' tempers can flare like a forge or smolder like
embers. Despite their gray clothes and pessimism, they are passionate
folk. They live intensely, with little patience for contemplation or
idleness. Their work is joyful; their play is serious. They are roused
by grand, earthy music that echoes with percussion and deep-bellied
horns. But a tender oboe, harp, or pipe can bring them to their knees.
A dwarven cho rus, whether on battlefield or mead hall, sings at the
top of its lungs.
Comfort: Although dwarves are not greedy, they like their
creature comforts. "A good chair may outlast a good friend," says one
dwarven proverb. Their industry and cleverness wins for them many
comforts and much money. And they indulge themselves.
With a lifespan that runs into multiple centuries, dwarves are
natural-born collectors. They ornament their dwellings with
tapestries, carvings, and statuary. They do not wear ornamentation
except for heirlooms or medals.
Hard work: Dwarven children learn about responsibility at a
young age. This training in self-discipline takes years, with
responsibility building incrementally. Work becomes instinctual and
is, therefore, rarely performed with complaints.
Dwarves lose themselves in their work for weeks or months until
the task is completed, then binge for a few weeks to celebrate their
success. When dwarves work, they never slack off or delay; they
achieve constant, focussed motion.
Dwarves never retire; they only take up simpler work as they
mature.
Isolation: Dwarves tend to be suspicious of races other than
their own, including other dwarf races. They turn inward to their clan
or their work rather than outward to the politics and deeds of the
world.
Dwarves recognize their own sheltered lifestyle; they cherish
bittersweet memories of a happier world gone by. Although they
exercise great control over their own labors, they see the march of
history as something beyond their control. In the face of
international calamities, dwarves often say "these things happen."
They rarely take setbacks personally, which makes them tenacious
survivors. Dwarves see themselves as Reorx's custodians: maintaining
the past in the present.
Racial Quirks
Hill dwarves tend toward obstinacy; they remain above ground due
to stubbornness rather than lack of suitable mountains to delve. Their
coarse manners, crude aspirations, and conspicuousness to non-dwarves
rile their underground fellows. Even so, hill dwarves partake of a
savage nobility and rugged independence that the pasty-skinned
earth-dwellers secretly admire. The persistent complaining of hill
dwarves is generally calculated to disguise a pleasant and gentle
nature. Mountain dwarves have enough problems underground to keep them
from venturing into the world beyond. The classes and clans in each
community create dangerous splits that have occasionally resulted in
civil war. Such tensions keep the dwarves busy whenever they are away
from their forges and looms. Unless a problem directly affects them,
mountain dwarves will ignore it. Of course, appeals to the higher
dwarven nature can soften the aloof facade and force a dwarf to
undertake most any worthwhile quest.
History
Beginnings: Dwarves believe they were Reorx'slast and best
creations, made in the god's image. Reorx, they say, learned from each
creation until he achieved the perfect form -- dwarves. Although
others on Krynn foolishly believe that dwarves are deviations created
by the Graystone, such folk don't live in dwarvish skin. If they did,
they would know how patently false this lie is. The notion that
dwarves share blood with kender and gnomes is utter blasphemy. Such
ideas start wars.
The first great dwarven kingdom lives now only in legend.
Kal-Thax, or "Cold Forge," was a land extending from Karthay into the
plains of Istar. Dwarves fleeing the Graystone began delving Kal-Thax
in 4100 PC and didn't stop digging until 3900 PC. A century later, the
dwarves abandoned their tunnels, moving south to lands richer in
mineral wealth. The migration splintered, and during the next century,
small colonies of dwarves delved underground villages in nearly every
mountain of Ansalon.
The next great kingdom of the dwarves arose at Thoradin, "New
Hope," which was delved between 3150 and 3000 PC. As their tunnels
deepened, the miners unearthed the magical dragonstones. Their
careless disposal of these stones brought about the Second Dragon War.
In 2640 PC, the dwarves closed Thoradin's gates in shame.
Thorbardin: The New Best Hope, Thorbardin, rose in the distant
Kharolis mountains. The city had reached grand proportions by 2600 PC.
Its influence spread northward until it clashed with Ergoth's
southward expansion in 2189 PC. Tensions between the dwarves and
Ergoth led to the War of the Mountain from 2128 to 2073 PC.
Exhausted from the prolonged Kinslayer War with Silvanesti,
Ergoth negotiated a peace. In 2073 PC, the Swordsheath Scroll set a
buffer between Ergoth and Thorbardin by creating Qualinesti for the
disaffected Silvanesti elves. Dwarves forged the hammer of Kharas in
2072 PC as a gift to Ergoth to reinforce the Swordsheath peace.
Much to everyone's surprise, the Qualinesti elves became fast
allies of Thorbardin. As a symbol of elven, human, and dwarven unity,
the three races built the fortress of Pax Tharkas in the pass between
Thorbardin and Qualinesti. With two centuries of international
involvement drawing to a close, the dwarven kingdoms turned their
attention inward. This isolation brought great suffering for dwarves
in the Cataclysm. Thorbardin was nearly devastated.
Cataclysm: Thorbardin had become heavily dependant upon
Abanasinia, Pax Tharkas, Qualinesti, and Xak Tsaroth for food. In
addition to numerous mountain dwarf cities below ground, Thorbardin
had to feed many hill dwarf settlements above ground, outside the
mountain gates.
The Cataclysm decimated Thorbardin's trade routes and sources of
food. Duncan, king of Thorbardin checked the granaries and food
reserves. The kingdom could not hope to feed all its people. Reasoning
that those above ground could scavenge while those below could not,
Duncan reluctantly closed Thorbardin to the outside world. The hill
dwarves had to fend for themselves.
The Cataclysm brought the hill dwarves flocking to Thorbardin
for safety. But the gates were shut. None heeded their pleas. So came
the Great Betrayal, which split the Neidar forever from the Hylar and
sparked hatred between the hill and mountain dwarves. The Klar, hill
dwarves trapped inside at the time of the Cataclysm, went insane
trying to claw their way free. In 39 AC, Neidar allied themselves with
humans to retake Thorbardin. This was the Dwarfgate War. It ended in
failure.
The mountain dwarves blamed humans for the Cataclysm and severed
all ties with the outside world. This isolation intensified the
internal strife of Thorbardin. After shocks of the Cataclysm had caved
in the highways that linked the cities. Dwarven families were further
separated by class pride.
Common miners and laborers broke from the elite architects and
engineers, turning their hands to dark and hateful deeds. Thorbardin
quickly became a hollow city, where a once-great culture loomed larger
than the present civilization. To this day, most dwarf kingdoms remain
closed to the outside world. The hatred between the hill dwarves and
the underground dwarves still remains high.
Government anb Clan
Dwarves have always been divided into clans. Each clan is led by
a thane -- the clan ruler and representative to the Council of Thanes.
The Council of Thanes is the ruling body for all dwarves upon Ansalon.
Traditionally, the council has had nine thanes. Currently, only six
thanes serve upon the Council: Hornfel of the Hylar, Realgar of the
Theiwar, Rance of the Daergar, Gneiss of the Daewar, Tufa of the Klar,
and Highbulp of the Aghar. The throne of the Neidar has been vacant
since the Dwarfgate Wars in 39 AC. The eighth throne belongs to the
Kingdom of the Dead -- the nation of ancestors long past. This throne
is perpetually empty. The ninth throne is that of the High King over
all Dwarves. It has been vacant since the time of Duncan. A mysterious
dwarven race called the Zakhar have never held a throne in the Council
of Thanes.
Each of the following groups is considered a separate race.
Hylar: This is the oldest and noblest dwarven race. Most of the
great dwarven kings have been Hylar. The Hylar traditionally occupy
the best accommodations a nation can provide and are great craftsmen.
Daewar: This clan, loyal to the Hylar, have produced many of
their own important heroes over the years. The Daewar fight fiercely;
they led the defense of Thorbardin in the Dwarfgate War. In addition
to battle, the Daewar champion public safety and public works.
Neidar: These hill dwarves lived outside Thorbardin during the
Cataclysm. They no longer have representation on the Council of Thanes
-- a situation many hill dwarves would like to remedy.
Klar: These hill dwarves were trapped in the collapsing tunnels
of Thorbardin during the Cataclysm. After a week and a half of
clawing, they pulled themselves out. Many Klar have been unstable or
insane ever since. Following the Dwarfgate War, the Klar were deprived
of property and were subjugated to slavery because of their alleged
sympathy with the Neidar. (In fact, many Klar fought with berserk
bravery on the Hylar side.) Now they serve the wealthy dwarves of
Thorbardin in menial roles. They seek a leader to deliver them.
Theiwar: These strange, degenerate dwarves hate light: it
nauseates them. Theiwar are dark dwarves. In their lightless caverns,
they dream of world conquest and domination. Theiwar consider
themselves the highest of the dwarven races. They work to topple the
Council of Thanes and seize control, even by civil war if they must.
Unlike any other race of dwarves, Theiwar love magic; most of their
leaders have spell-casting abilities. They use their magic to attack
creatures that live in the light. They passionately distrust outsiders
and will kill them if given the slightest chance. Their devious and
shrewd nature provide them many such chances.
Theiwar have exaggerated, repulsive features: bulging and watery
eyes, white and yellow skin and hair, and wiry bodies, which they
drape in black, loose clothing.
Daergar: These dark dwarves split from the Theiwar several
centuries ago. Their culture has spread far and grown powerful. They
exceed even their Theiwar cousins in murder, torture, and thievery.
Their leader, the most powerful warrior of the Daergar kingdom, wins
his post by slaying all opponents in a bloody spectacle.
Daergar are hot-tempered, brutal, and utterly without hon-
or on the battlefield. They never grant mercy.
Daergar have light-brown skin and smooth cheeks. Their hair is
black or gray, their eyes deep brown or violet. They are somewhat
stockier than other dwarves, averaging 150-180 lbs.
Aghar: The gully dwarves are described in their own section
below. They are represented in the Council by the Highbulp, a
much-beloved genius among his people. Although his seat on the Council
grants him great dignity, he often sleeps through meetings.
Zakhar: Little is known of these strange dwarves who occupy the
ruins of Thoradin. They call themselves Zakhar, or "cursed people"
because they were infected by a terrible mold that almost decimated
them. They call their land Zhakar, or "cursed place" because of its
ruined halls. They work with slow diligence to rebuild their kingdom,
making it as powerful as Thorbardin.
The Zakhar have never held a throne on the Council of Thanes.
Kingdom of the Dead: The old dwarven saying, "More of our kind
dwell among the dead than among the living," demonstrates the dwarven
veneration of the dead. Dwarves consider the Kingdom of the Dead the
8th dwarven kingdom. Although the dead rarely enter into votes taken
in the Council of Thanes, they continually enter the minds of the
dwarves. Dwarves use various divinations -- some real, some imagined
-- to converse with their ancestors.
The High King: The High King rules all dwarves of Ansalon. The
Council of Thanes chooses this ruler, who is then ordained by the
people. The High King may come from any clan. Legends tell that the
next ruler shall be the one bearing the lost Hammer of Kharas -- the
magical artifact used to forge dragonlances. Currently, the throne of
the High King stands vacant.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Although dwarves cannot match gnomish ingenuity, in metalworking
and mining crafts dwarves are peerless. Dwarves are the armorers and
weaponsmiths of Krynn. They also engineer the great war-machines:
catapults, rams, and siege towers -- weighty juggernauts all.
On an individual scale dwarves prefer to use weapons made
specifically for their stature. Dwarven hammers, battle axes, and
swords are heavy, thick tools, counter-weighted at the tip to lend
weight to their swing. Only dwarves and creatures Str 16 or higher can
use dwarf-fitted weapons without penalty. Others suffer a - 4
penalty.
Weapons ay Race
Hylar prefer mighty swords, long-hafted spears, weighty hammers,
and light crossbows. They wear chain mail or plated armor over chain
and carry shields of hammered steel. Neidar prefer two-bladed battle
axes, short swords, daggers, maces, short bows, and staff-slings. They
wear studdedleather armor and carry wooden shields.
Daewar prefer flails, iron-shod staves, picks, crossbows, and
throwing axes. They avoid battle but in dire times armor themselves
with breastplates or banded mail over padding. Daergar wield spears,
war clubs, darts, and slings tipped with bone and teeth. They wear
woven ring mail and breastplates of laced bone.
Theiwar, crafters of magic, attack only when they outnumber
their foe. They wield barbed nets, hooked fauchards (curved and
long-bladed spears with a hook at the back), and light, repeating
crossbows (6 shot). They wear leather or carapace armor or furs and
carry spiked bucklers.
Zakhar use uncommon weapons, including a razor-edged slasher
mace, a sickle hook that can be thrown like a dagger, and a blowgun,
which fires barbed darts. Zakhar wear beetle carapace beneath padded
robes.
Dwarven Weapons
Four tool-weapons typify dwarven weaponry: the caff, gapper,
prybar, and weighted sword. Descriptions for these follow.
Caff (Dmg 1d6/1d6; Spd 7; Type P) This 3' long weapon combines a
short pick and gaff hook. The caff has a half pick head on one end and
a leather thong on the other. It dangles from the belt of spelunking
dwarves -- a perfect tool for climbing, prying, and probing. In
addition to hooking upon ledges on an ascent, the caff can be hooked
around a climbing rail, allowing the dwarf to slide down.
Gapper (Dmg 1d2/1; Spd 5; Type B) This 6' long flat metal bar
has metal cuffs and thumbscrews at each end. Dwarven explorers often
carry these bars for vaulting barriers, sliding down holes, and
linking to form a chasm bridge.
Prybar (Dmg 1d4/1d4; Spd 5; Type B) This flat bar has bent
bevelled ends to wedge and pry things open. The dwarven prybar adds
the dwarf's Str score to the Bend Bars/Lift Gates percentage. The
prybar also supplies a +2 bonus to the dwarf's Str for prying open
doors, chests, and wooden items. The prybar doubles as a mace in
combat at a -- 1 penalty to hit and damage.
Weighted Sword (Dmg 1d6+ 3/1d6+ 3; Spd 8; Type S) The blade of
this sword is heavily weighted toward the end, adding +3 to damage
when it strikes. The momentum caused by the blade forces the target to
make a Str check or be driven back. If the sword is swung downward,
the dwarf must make a Str check or opponents gain a +1 to hit while
the dwarf recovers his sword. If swung sideways and the Str check
fails, the dwarf spins about, performing one involuntary attack on
everyone in a 4' radius.
Caming Notes
All dwarven player characters come from the Hylar, Daewar, or
Neidar clans. The other dwarven clans are better suited to NPCs and
villains.
Dwarves make tough warriors, but weak leaders. When creating a
dwarven character, add 1 point to Constitution and subtract 1 point
from Charisma. Create all abilities by rolling 3d6. Character class
restrictions appear in the chapter on character classes. Ansalonian
dwarves have all of the special abilities listed for dwarves in the
2nd Edition Player's Handbook.
Maximum and minimum ability requirements follow.
Ability Hylar/Daewar, Neidar
Strength 8/18 9/18
Dexterity 3/17 3/17
Constitution 12/19 14/19
Intelligence 3/18 3/18
Wisdom 3/18 3/18
Charisma 3/16 3/12
Proficiencies: Dwarves engage in artisan-or mercantilebased
trades: Appraising, Armoring, Blacksmithing, Brewing, Gem-cutting,
Mining, Stonemasonry, and Weaponsmithing. Mining and metalworking of
any sort are particularly venerated among dwarves. They enjoy sports
that require Strength and Constitution, such as wrestling,
weightlifting, and short bow archery. Dwarves also pursue sports that
require individual discipline, such as Mountaineering, Jumping, and
Tumbling.
NPC dwarves make sturdy bards, both in playing and singing.
These concerts are best received by other dwarves, who can appreciate
the dark and endless song cycles their clansfolk perform.
Dwarven distaste for stealth and petty trickery drastically
reduces the number of dwarven thieves on Ansalon. When dwarves turn to
thievery, they tend to do so openly: dwarven thugs take what they want
by force rather than stealth. Dark dwarves commonly become highwaymen
and muggers.
Dwarves also work as skilled fences for the black market. All
dwarves but Theiwar fear and dislike magic; they are a deeply
nonmagical race. No non-Theiwar dwarves are mages. Any enchanted
artifact of dwarven make, such as the Hammer of Kharas, is powered by
Reorx, not sorcery. Dwarven priests frequently bless or even enchant
items with Reorx's power.
Gully Dwarves "Dirt Eaters"
Appearance
The Aghar -- or "Gully Dwarves," as they are called -- are short
and squat cousins of the Hylar. They do not cut a striking figure.
Poor living conditions mar their skin with scars, boils, sores, and
brown splotches. Both sexes have unkempt hair of dirty blond, brown,
rust, gray, or dull black. Males wear long, scruffy beards; females
have some cheek down but no beards. Their eyes are watery blue, dull
green, brown, or hazel. Their narrow fingers have overly large
knuckles and their legs tend to be knock-kneed. Both sexes carry pot
bellies and develop wrinkles soon after age 25.
Thanks to poor living conditions, most gully dwarves are smeared
with enough grime and soil to plant a small garden. Their bedraggled
clothes hostel a bevy of parasites. Aghar lucky enough to possess
jewelry wear it conspicuously and garishly. All told, the filth and
rags and mismatched jewelry sometimes cast the gender of any
particular Aghar in doubt. Aghar breed prodigiously; females average
20 children -- one per year until age 45. Six of these 20 survive to
adulthood. Gully dwarf children reach maturity by age 5. Those who
avoid starvation, disease, vence, and accidents live up to 55 years
(4d10+15 years). Most expire before age 35. Aghar average 4' tall
(1d6+44 inches), and 120 lbs (5d10+100 pounds for males; Sd10+90
pounds for females).
Personality
Aghar are proud, long-suffering survivors. Beneath a cheerful
and hapless appearance beats a tenacious heart. The Aghar has
survived, even thrived, in conditions that would kill any other dwarf.
Those who accuse Aghar of treachery and stupidity are listening to
their noses instead of their hearts.
Survival: Individually, gully dwarves are harder to kill than
cockroaches. Survival is the chief virtue in their minds: to live is
to win, to die is to lose. Consequently, they have raised groveling to
an art form; they spill sensitive information at the slightest threat.
Most Aghar (wisely) run from violence unless their homes are at stake.
Other races brand such behavior as shameless cowardice and treachery.
Gully dwarves see no shame, cowardice, or treachery in survival.
Even so, Aghar do not work at surviving. They do not plan for
the future, but run from the past.
Pride: Despite their glaring faults, gully dwarves take
themselves seriously. Their continual escapes from disaster imbue them
with a sense of rugged pride in themselves. Because they never receive
help from other races, they assume they don't need help.
Innumeracy: Gullytalk, the recently discovered language of gully
dwarves, has no word for numbers greater than two. In gullytalk, "one"
is singularity, "two" is plurality. The constant poverty of gully
dwarves negates the need for any greater differentiation. They have no
money to count, no possessions to value, and nothing to sell. They
rarely need to describe large quantities.
Cheerfulness: Despite heinous persecutions, gully dwarves
maintain a hopeful outlook. They have determined, defiant spirits and
a relentless cheerfulness. Persecutions past only point out the
insignificance of present persecutions. Hope is the foundation of
survival.
Clannishness: Although apparently cowardly', gully dwarves never
sell out a friend. If a non-Aghar wins their trust, gully dwarves
treat their new fellows well. Often, such friendships include advice
to flee from danger.
Cunning: Aghar intelligence is routinely underestimated by the
so-called "intelligent races." This slight does not offend gully
dwarves; being underestimated allows them great latitudes for
behavior, and the chance to surprise their foes. Gully dwarves,
especially the kings and adventurers, play the fool only to manipulate
the true fools.
Gluttony: Because they can live on so little, gully dwarves take
delight in abundance. They gorge themselves one day, knowing they will
face famine the next. This insatiable appetite extends beyond food;
gully dwarves love huge swathes of bright cloth, a surplus of rope or
leather, or just about any goods in large quantities.
Gullytalk: Despite longstanding prejudices to the contrary,
gully dwarves are not imbeciles. They speak in broken and halting
sentences because Common is not their native tongue. In fact, Aghar
speech, which is ugly, convoluted, and incomprehensible to non-Aghar,
makes perfect sense among gully dwarves: they are speaking gullytalk.
Gullytalk is not a formal language, but a patois that shifts
constantly and has a genius for borrowed terms. Aghar who live near
elves speak gullytalk that sounds like broken elvish, those who live
near dwarves seem to speak pigeon dwarvish, and so forth.
Gully dwarves are quite the opposite of antilingual folk. They
love to invent new words, and new ways to use and abuse them.
Gullytalk evolves so rapidly that scholars cannot study it. Not even
brilliant non-Aghar can speak gullytalk, except with the aid of magic.
When two groups of gully dwarves meet, their dialects fuse after
a few days, creating another hybrid patois. In addition to constantly
redefining words, gullytalk continually remakes the basic grammatical
rules of language. Thus, gullytalk cannot and should not be written
down: the symbols would cease to have meaning within a month of their
being penned!
History
Gully dwarves have an extensive oral tradition of their origins
and history. Although the history of no two gully dwarf clans agree,
the stories' colorful narrative are ends in themselves. Gully dwarves,
however, take them very seriously. The truth origin of the Aghar
follows.
Gully dwarves are fertile crossbreeds of outcast dwarves and
outcast humans. They appeared at the time of the Graystone. The hybrid
unfortunately lacked the best traits of both parents.
Noting these deficiencies, the humans and dwarves banned further
intermarriages. The crossbreeds were driven out of their own clans,
particularly by the dwarves, who regarded them as a blight. The new
race proclaimed itself the Aghar, "the anguished," and learned to
survive on the refuse of civilized folk. They were also called
"Muckers" or "Dumpmen." Humans christened them gully dwarves, due to
their low and squalid station. To this day, the Aghar feel betrayed by
their forbearers, and have little love for either humans or dwarves.
The Cataclysm that doomed the world saved the gully dwarves.
Destruction of Ansalon's high civilizations createddozens of ruined
cities where the gully dwarves could dwell. Soon once-mighty cities
like Xak Tsaroth became havens for the Aghar. Undisturbed by their
tormenters, the Aghar established their own culture, such as it was.
Lifestyle
Gully dwarves have crude and primitive societies. They live in
hovels and ramshackle huts near sewers, dumps, gulleys, rivers, or
swamps. They dwell in family units; any given area holds only enough
resources for small family groups to survive. Settlements, therefore,
remain small. Children learn from hard knocks or from their parents;
Aghar have no formal education.
Religion
Aghar believe Reorx, patron 'deity of all dwarves, has abandoned
them. Gully dwarves therefore appeal to the spirits of departed
ancestors to protect them from harm and ensure their survival. Aghar
universally believe that inanimate objects hold great power from the
ancestral spirits. Possession of such objects grants the spirits'
power to the owner.
The most powerful items, say the wisest gully dwarves, are those
that seem to do nothing at all: old bones, fruit, sticks, chunks of
colorful rock, and so forth. Aghar examined items for a long time
before declaring them holy; not just any rock, stick or bone will do.
Other races interpret this as more gully dwarf stupidity. Gully
dwarves consider this proof of their strong faith.
Tools, Technology, anb Weapons
Gully dwarf tools are usually scavenged or makeshift affairs.
Aghar have none of the skill of gnomes and dwarves in crafting useful
items. They can, however, repair or make do with broken items. Given
time, a gully dwarf can usually coax one more use out of a device that
others would consider spent.
Gully dwarves are also master improvisers: they can turn a
broken pot into a serviceable helmet, a nail and some boards into a
rat trap, or a scrap of metal and a string into an alarm. Gully
dwarves are street fighters, willing to kick, bite and use any dirty
trick to victor. Traditionally, they favor clubs, knives, daggers,
hand axes and saps, although a few have learned to use slings.
Gaming Notes
Gully dwarf characters are not created by the usual method but
instead are generated using special dice rolls given in the following
table. They have all the special abilities attributed to dwarves in
the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook.
Attributes Roll Min/Max
Strength 4d4+2 6/18
Dexterity 4d4+2 6/18
Constitution 3d4 3/12
Intelligence 2d4+1 3/9
Wisdom 2d4+1 3/9
Charisma 2d4+1 3/9
Proficiencies: Gully dwarves have few proficiencies beyond those
needed to eke out a living in the ruins. Common proficiencies include
Fishing,Hunting, Running, Set Snares, Survival, and Weaving. Some
gully dwarves have the Leatherworking proficiency. Aghar make good
climbers and lithe dodgers (+1 bonus to Dex when climbing or dodging).
Gully dwarves are incapable of the focussed mental effort
required to wield magic. They do, however, have the faith needed for
clerical magic. They are superstitious, fascinated by showy
legerdemain, but powerful spells frighten them. They hold magical
items in disdain because such magic comes from their persecutors.
As thieves, Aghar work best as cat burglars. They cannot rob
others through strength or wit. Aghar might, however, gang up and sap
a lone traveler.
Elves "Firstborn"
Appearance
Ansalonian elves are tall, lithe, elegant creatures with pointed
ears, thin limbs, and graceful movements. They stand about five feet
(1d10+55 inches for males; 1d10+50 for females) tall, although they
give an impression of greater height. Most elves weigh between 90 and
100 pounds (3d1O+90 for males; 3d10+70 for females). Elves have no
facial hair.
Elves are considered adults from the age of 80. They live to be
about 550 years old before leaving the world, though some are as much
as 700 years old. (Maximum age for any elf in Ansalon is 350 plus
4d100 years).
Silvanesti are fair-skinned. Their hair ranges from lightbrown
to blonde-white, and their eyes are hazel. They prefer loose garments,
flowing robes, and billowing capes. Their clothes are various shades
of green and brown. They speak in melodic tones and move with a
natural grace.
Qualinesti are smaller and darker than the Silvanesti, with eyes
of blue or brown and hair ranging from honey-brown to blonde. They are
not as strikingly attractive as the Silvanesti. They prefer
earth-toned clothing. They have strong, pleasant voices and a
friendly, open manner. They prefer long dresses for women and woven
trousers and jerkins for men.
Kagonesti are about the same size as Qualinesti and Silvanesti,
but they are much more muscular. Their dark brown skin is traced with
designs in clay, paint, and tattoo. Most have dark hair, ranging from
black to light brown; elders have silvery white hair. All have hazel
eyes. Kagonesti wear fringed leather clothes decorated with feathers,
and adorn themselves with necklaces and bracelets of silver and
turquoise.
Dargonesti and Dimernesti, the sea elves, are barbaric aquatic
creatures who appear quite different from their cousins. These races
have rubbery bluish skin, wide eyes with narrow pupils, and webbed
fingers and toes. Although they swim well in their elven form, they
can also take the shape of sea otters (Dimernesti) and dolphins
(Dargonesti).
Half-elves strongly resemble their elven parent but males have
the non-elven capacity to grow facial hair. They are slightly taller
and somewhat stockier than most elves. Though universally beautiful,
they lack the grace of their elven parentage.
Personality
The civilized elves, Silvanesti and Qualinesti, share many basic
philosophies and attitudes. Still, disputes over land or politics can
make them bitter enemies, as the Qualinesti exodus proves. Kagonesti,
Dargonesti, and Dimernesti are barbarians; they clash regularly with
anyone not of their tribes. Despite their differences, all elves share
some common philosophies:
Shaping: Elves believe in the perfectibility of nature; if they
shape the world, its beauty will shine forth. Of course, they also
believe themselves the most capable creatures for shaping the world.
They see Ansalon as a garden in need of tending and see themselves as
the gardeners. Their fierce territorialism arises from this intense
cooperation with their lands. Elven protectiveness often makes them
close their kingdoms to strangers. Most elves grow bitterly homesick
when removed from their lands.
Foresight: Elves live for centuries and plan accordingly. Rather
than glorifying or dwelling on the past, they look to the future.
Their long lifespans and patient pursuit of goals sometimes make them
seem cold, uncaring, or arrogant to shorter-lived races. In fact,
elves deliberately maintain a distance from other races, wanting to
avoid the inevitable grief of watching generation upon generation of
these mortals die.
Pride: Elves, conscious of their race's achievements, take
offense easily. Few other races appreciate the elvish gift of
civilization, their role as the chosen of the gods, and their clear
cultural superiority. Elves don't despise other races, but they are
painfully aware of their shortcomings. Elves also see other races'
attempts at art as crude and transient. Because elven crafts attain
high standards that make them last for ages, elves point out shoddy
craftsmanship whenever they find it. Tools and clothes made by other
races cannot last the centuries of an elf's life.
Hedonism: Elves rarely brood over the past or deny themselves
their appetites. Although they are capable of scrimping and
sacrificing, toiling for irksome days as dwarves do, elves refuse to
do so. If difficult work presents itself, elves engage in it joyfully.
Despite (or because of) their long lives, elves seize each day as a
rare gift.
Elves do feel sorrow, loss, and regret, but they don't savor or
dwell on these emotions. They spend life looking forward to the next
day, the next joke, and the next new friend. Even elven lives are too
short for drudgery.
Racial Quirks
Silvanesti are a proud, arrogant, and stoic folk with little use
for other races, including other elves. They idealize racial purity.
They are intolerant of other ("inferior") races and customs.
Qualinesti are more sociable and tolerant than Silvanesti; they
frequently and happily deal with other races. They do, however, share
some of the Silvanesti's prejudice against interracial marriages.
Kagonesti, Dargonesti, and Dimernesti work to achieve harmony
with nature for a full and happy life. They are a fiercely proud folk,
hot-tempered and passionate. While these barbarians do not initiate
wars or attack strangers, they are by no means pacifists.
Half-elves, raised in an atmosphere of shame, learn insecurity
and uncertainty. Some few grow anti-social. Others trust strangers but
have difficulty establishing true and lasting friendships. Many are
natural leaders, but few feel worthy of a leader's responsibility.
Regardless of their disposition, all half-elves are loners: brooding,
quiet, and struggling with self-doubt. They may overcompensate for
their insecurity by performing acts of death-defying bravado.
History
The elves sprang into being from chaos as embodiments of Good.
They stood tall and stately, like the trees from which they were
formed.
Elves believe they were the firstborn of the world. When first
awakened during the Age of Dreams, elves lay scattered across the land
like stars across the sky. The passage of the Graystone altered some
land elves into sea elves -- the Dimernesti and Dargonesti. Both
developed cultures independent of main elven histories. They live even
now in distant obscurity and peace, though trade exists between elves
of the land and those of the sea.
The land elves sought peace with the world, yet peace was not
always possible in Ansalon. Dragons awoke in the world, some to evil
and some to good. The first Dragon War brought conflict to the world
of Krynn.
The Ogre Wars precluded the second Dragon War (3500- 3350 PC),
which began when elves settled in the dragons' territory. During the
war, Silvanos, a powerful elven warrior and a great traveler, visited
many of the elves in the deep woods throughout Ansalon. Traveling with
his companion, the kender Balif, Silvanos found great suffering and
death during the Dragon War. At last he could tolerate it no more.
Silvanos rallied the elves of the woods, convincing them to band
together. He envisioned a united elven nation and brought it to being.
Thus, Silvanos gathered the previously dispersed elves. He forged a
nation whose ideals and order lasted for more than two millenia, and
still linger today in the courts of the Silvanesti elves.
During the second Dragon War, Silvanos convened the
Sinthal-Elish (Council of the High Ones) on a hill named Sol Fallen.
There, many households and clans swore allegiance to Silvanos and the
fledgling Silvanesti nation. Balif became a general of elven armies.
In 3350 PC, after the elvish victory and the second Sinthal-Elish,
Silvanos build Silvanost in the former dragon woods. He granted lands
to all the elves, establishing the kingdom of Silvanesti along the
lines of the fallen ogre civilizations.
Silvanos then wed Quinari and raised a family. Their first son,
Sithel, assumed leadership of the elves upon the death of Silvanos in
2515 PC. He buried his father in a crystal tomb. Sithel erected a
tower in honor of his father in the heart of Silvanost. In 2308 PC,
twin sons were born to Sithel. They were named Sithas and Kith-Kanan;
Sithas was only minutes older.
During this same time, the Ergothian Empire began to encroach on
the expanding borders of Silvanesti. The Wildrunner elves, led by
Kith-Kanan first contacted the rising human civilization. Kith-Kanan
established trade between the Wildrunner elves and the human
settlements on their borders. In time, marriages between Wildrunner
elves and humans occurred. Sithel regarded these marriages with great
suspicion. In 2192 PC he journeyed to the western reaches of the
kingdom to study Kith-Kanan's diplomacy.
While hunting in the borderlands, Sithel was killed. Some say
the human arrow that slew him found its mark by accident. Others say
humans killed Sithel to remove barriers to their expansion. Whatever
the case, the Kinslayer War resulted.
The Kinslayer War lasted until 2140 PC. Silvanesti high elves
tried to drive humans from their land while elves who had married
humans sided with Ergoth. Kith-Kanan thus led Silvanesti's western
forces to battle against his own kin. The war ended with a truce
between Ergoth and Kith-Kanan.
By then, the western high elves had grown tired of the rigid
caste system of the Silvanesti. They declared their independence,
tempting civil war.
In secret negotiations with Ergoth, Sithas solved several
problems simultaneously. In 2073 PC, the Swordsheath Scroll was signed
and the nation of Qualinesti was formed: a place where the Wildrunner
elves of western Silvanesti could establish their own nation.
Kith-Kanan recognized this act as exile, but could find no other hope
for his people. The Qualinesti reached their new homeland after the
Great March, which lasted from 2050 to 2030 PC. Thus, Qualinesti was
born of sorrow and hope. Kith-Kanan established his kingdom of elves
and never returned east.
After the formation of Qualinesti, the Silvanesti remained in
self-imposed isolation until King Lorac Caladon established
flourishing trade with the northern empire of Istar. In time, the
Cataclysm sealed the borders of Silvanesti and the elves withdrew from
the rest of the world.
Because of the arrogant Istarian King-Priest, Silvanesti elves
blamed humans for the Cataclysm. Their own isolationism made them
equally to blame. Even so, the Silvanesti feel their gift of
civilization went unappreciated and, in the case of Istar, became
arrogantly abused. This feeling has only reinforced their distrust of
humans.
The Qualinesti also suffered from the Cataclysm. Other races
have often raided them for food and riches. Their dreams of shaping
cities other than their glorious capital are all but forgotten as they
struggle just to maintain what they already hold.
Lifestyle
Before the Age of Dreams, high elves lived in the forests
without constructing shelters. At that time they were very much a
forest folk, although they had formed into elf clans and were somewhat
territorial.
The end of the age of Starbirth saw an end to the woodland form
of existence. Forced by the threat of dragons from the northwest, the
elves banded together for the first time under the direction of
Silvanos. After the dragons were defeated, the elves began to settle
into certain fertile regions. They constructed cities, knowing they
would someday need to defend their homeland again.
The layout of these cities has not changed over the course of
the millenia. Each city is built in a circular, cellular form. The
cellular organization of plants provides a good model for elven
cities. Indeed, all constructs of elven life pattern after nature.
During the War of the Lance, the Silvanesti fled west and
settled on the western shores of Harkun Bay. Heie, most Silvanesti
remain to this day. Silvanesti dwell in glades surrounded by dense
forests. Their buildings are tall, ornate structures of wood and
stone. The most striking features of a Silvanesti settlement are the
low stone pyramids used as tombs for the Silvanesti dead, and the
large masses of briars and brambles created by House Woodshaper and
House Gardener to serve as borders.
From the age of accountability into adulthood, an elf must enter
his family's guild and learn a trade. Elves generally do not think of
this as limiting. They see skills as generational, handed down from
father to son.
Long years within a safe, settled, empire have stratified the
crafts and tasks into a rigid system of castes, or Houses. At the top
of the system is House Royal, the descendants of Silvanos. Beneath
this house are craftsmen and guild houses, such as House Mystic, House
Gardener, and House Woodshaper. The House Protector, also known as the
Wildrunners, serves as the army of Silvanesti. The lowest guild is
House Servitor, which includes apprentices, foreign traders,
indentured servants, and slaves. No one marries outside his or her
guild without permission, and permission is rarely granted.
Silvanesti communicate with the outside world, finding it far
too transient for their liking. They also rarely marry outside their
own realms. Silvanesti have endured for over 3,000 years, and have
become set in their ways. Silvanesti abhor contact with humans or
other races. Even their relationship with the Qualinesti is strained.
Qualinesti society is far less structured than that of
Silvanesti. The Qualinesti are ruled by a Speaker of the Suns who must
be a blood relative of Kith-Kanan, the elven leader who established
the Qualinesti. Speakers are thus blood relations of Silvanos. The
Speaker serves primarily as a guiding and directing force in a
government made with a senate called the Thalas-Enthia. The
Thalas-Enthia is appointed to represent the various guilds and
communities of Qualinesti. The Thalas-Enthia brings its
recommendations to the Speaker of the Suns, who makes all final
determinations.
Kagonesti have no permanent settlements. Their villages are
temporary structures of animal hide and light wood. They, use the
boughs of living trees for construction and camouflage. Each village
is home to a tribe of several interrelated families. The tribe centers
around the chief -- the oldest and wisest member -- and his family.
The chief makes all decisions for the tribe.
Kagonesti have an animistic view of the cosmos: they believe
that everything is alive and deserves respect. This respect extends
especially to the dead, who are tressed in finery and set afloat upon
funeral canoes.
No society or community on Ansalon consists solely of halfelves.
Although some half-elves learn trades, most drift from place to place.
The Qualinesti grudgingly provide a home for half-elves. Among the
Qualinesti, half-elves are treated coldly, but not are totally
ostracized.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
The elven people are not an overly inventive race, given more to
artistic endeavors. However, the quality of their craftsmanship is
undeniable. Millenia spent attending to perfection allow elves to
surpass even dwarves in the quality of certain products.
Elven Weapons
All races of land elves favor the long bow. They are master
archers and huntsmen. Sea elves rely on the light crossbow. So skilled
are the elves with the bow that they have developed a variety of
arrows that only they can master.
Armor piercing (Dmg 1d4+1/1d4; Spd Varies; Type P; Range 3/5/8)
These arrowheads are narrow and spiked, adding a +2 bonus to hit all
forms of armor.
Blunt (Dmg 1d4/1d4; Spd Varies; Type P; Range 4/8/15) These
broad ironwood arrowheads causes bashing damage. They are less deadly
than common arrows.
Forked (Dmg 1d6/1d3; Spd Varies; Type P; Range 5/9/16) These
razor-sharp, Y-shaped heads cut ropes, banners, legs, and arms and
shoot small birds.
Leaf (Dmg 1d8/1d6; Spd Varies; Type P; Range 4/8/15) These
flanged arrowheads inflict greater damage, and add a +1 bonus for
firing through concealing brush.
Singing (Dmg 1d2/1; Spd Varies; Type P; Range 3/7/14) This
arrowhead is fitted with a hollow metal bulb that gives a piercing
shriek when fired. The sound can be heard up to a mile away. Singing
arrowheads may also be filled with a flaming oil rag and used as a
fire arrow.
Other weapons common to elves include javelins, ropes and
grapples, nets, daggers, and thin stiletos. The Kagonesti prefer bows,
slings, war clubs and warhammers. Sea elves use short swords, nets,
tridents, lances, and spears.
Elven armor
Elven armor is renowned for its resiliency and light weight.
Leather, studded leather, and brigandine armors are favored by common
land elves. Qualinesti and Silvanesti nobles and Defenders of the Land
often wear high-quality elven scale or chain mail and carry medium
shields. Kagonesti warriors wear hide armor. Sea elves substitute
sharkskin for leather armor and use special scale mail that does not
rust and allows free movement.
Special Equipment
Elves have no particular love for technology, but no particular
hatred either. Several items of elven invention deserve note.
An atrakha is a 6" collapsible animal call whistle. In skilled
hands it can imitate bird and small-animal calls.
Elven cloaks blend into the woods, camouflaging the wearer and
making him 90% undetectable when standing still. Brush, trees, and
rocky terrain improve the odds by 3 %, while movement and bright light
halves the chance. These cloaks are neutral gray or mottled and never
sold.
Elven boots are soft boots of bugbear hide that allow wearers to
move silently (95% chance). They are never sold.
A firebane cloak is treated with heat-absorbing oils from the
elathas plant. The cloak makes the wearer 95 % undetectable in forests
and 100% invisible to infravision. If drawn tightly about the wearer,
the cloak grants a + 3 bonus to saves vs. all fires. Firebane cloaks
are earth-colored and have 4 internal pockets. These rare cloaks sell
for 20d100 stl to elves only.
A greenmask is made of living wood and filter noxious vapors,
providing a + 4 bonus to saves vs. poison gas, and a - 1 reduction of
damage suffered from the gas. Greenmasks resemble an elf face and
covers the full face and ears. Small herbal pouches by the nose and
mouth filter out the gas. The eyes holes are covered with crystal
lenses, which reduce observation checks and increase surprise chances
by 1. Speech is reduced to 20' and hearing suffers a - 10% penalty.
Greenmasks are not sold.
The soris is a two-part jointed staff used by kiraths, elf
scouts. The soris' lower portion is 5' long and outfitted with a
leather thong at 4' and a metal-spiked tip. The upper portion is
1-1/2' long and is equipped with a strong rope loop and 4 collapsible
metal hooks. This section is hinged with a lockjoint that can fix the
upper rod at any angle.
The soris can probe, aid in climbing (+25% bonus to climb
checks) and snag branches, rocks, or animals with its hooks or loop.
Folded in half, the soris serves as a club or spike dagger. With the
upper section swinging loose it doubles as a footman's flail. Fully
extended it can be used like a quarterstaff. Its loop and hooks may be
utilized to disarm, trip, or unhorse an opponent by attacking with a
called shot at a -4 penalty to hit. (Dmg 1d6 -- 1/1d6 -- 1; Spd 5;
Type B/P)
Gaming Notes
PCs can play Silvanesti, Qualinesti, or Kagonesti, Dimernesti,
or Dargonesti elves. All are nimble, quick, and keen-eyed, with thin
frames that don't survive harsh conditions well. Kagonesti are
tougher, stronger, and quicker than their cousins, but their woodland
lives lead to a much lower emphasis on formal learning. When creating
a Silvanesti or Qualinesti character, add a +1 bonus to Dex and a -1
penalty to Con. Kagonesti characters begin with +1 bonuses to Str and
Con and a +2 bonus to Dex but suffer a -3 penalty to Int. Dimernesti
and Dargonesti receive a -1 penalty to Str and a +1 bonus to Dex. All
elves of Krynn have the special abilities of elves listed in the 2nd
Edition Player's Handbook.
Half-elves have the best of both parents. Half-elves add a +2
bonus to Dex and have all the half-elf abilities listed in the
Player's Handbook. These benefits make up, in part, for the social
stigma assigned to half-elves.
Ability Requirements
Ability Silv. Qual. Kag. Dim. Half.
Strength 3/18 7/18 8/18 3/18 3/18
Dexterity 7/19 7/19 8/19 10/19 6/18
Constitution 6/18 7/18 8/18 3/18 6/18
Intelligence 10/18 8/18 3/12 8/18 4/18
Wisdom 6/18 6/18 8/18 8/18 3/18
Charisma 12/18 8/18 8/18 3/18 3/18
Proficiencies: Elves have many proficiencies with crafts and
living things. Elves often excel at Agriculture, Artistry, Bowyer
craft, Fishing, Tracking, Seamanship, and Weaving. Kagonesti are adept
at Animal Lore, Animal Training, Survival (forest), Hunting, and
Setting Snares.
High-elven professions are exclusively taught along family
lines. Each house or family specializes in some craft and uses the
products of their craft to barter for other goods. Although this caste
system slows societal development, it hones skills over centuries. A
partial list of the major guilds follows: gardeners/ growers,
limners/gilders, mariners, traders, wildrunners, builders, mysticals,
orators, and weavers/sewers. Each of these has a more formal name:
nature weavers, rune weavers, sea reapers, changers, protectors, stone
weavers, magic weavers, time reapers, and cloth weavers, respectively.
Elves embrace all forms of magic, but most enjoy divinations and
enchantments. Many elven mages specialize in these schools.
Special Rules for Dimernesti and Dargonesti PCs: Sea elves can
reach unlimited levels as cavaliers, paladins, fighters, Wizards of
High Sorcery, and Priests of the Holy Orders. However, a Dimernesti or
Dargonesti PC who is higher than 10th level is temporarily reduced to
10th level when out of water.
Three times per day, sea elf PCs can shapechange at will in one
round into a sea otter (Dimernesti) or dolphin (Dargonesti). They
receive all the movement rates and special abilities of these
creatures, but temporarily lose any spell-casting abilities.
Gnomes "Tinkers"
Other races sometimes see the gnomes as single-minded or
laughable; gnomes see others as unable to focus, hopelessly
stuckonmagic, and unable to keep up withthe quick pace of a gnomish
mind.
Gnomes dwell in isolated pockets throughout Ansalon, so far
removed from human traffic that they are often placed with pixies and
sprites as semi-magical myths. Gnomes enjoy and support this
misconception.
Appearance
Gnomes stand 3 feet (1d6+38 inches) tall and weigh about 45-50
pounds (35+5d4 pounds). All gnomes have richly brown skin, the tone of
polished wood, with white hair, blue or violet eyes, and straight
white teeth. Males have soft, curly beards and moustaches; females are
beardless. Both sexes develop wrinkles at age 50. Gnomes are short and
stocky, but their movements are quick and their hands are deft and
sure. They have rounded ears and large noses.
Gnomes have miserable fashion sense, dressing themselves in
outlandish garb. Tools and notebooks bristle from the pockets of their
outfits, even if they are not members of the tinker class. It's in
their blood.
Personality
All gnomes share a few common traits:
Fast-Talk: Gnomes speak intensely and rapidly, running words
together in unending sentences. Gnomes can simultaneously speak and
listen carefully. If two gnomes meet, each babbles at the other, often
answering questions later in their dialogue as part of the same
continuous sentence. Gnomes have learned to speak slowly around other
races, in a sometimes condescending and irritating fashion. Gnomes
consider other folk, who are incapable of keeping up with their rapid
speech, a bit slow-witted. If frightened, startled, or depressed,
gnomes clip sentences.
Gnomes rarely provide sufficient explanation of any topic unless
pinned down with direct questions. This occurs because they assume a
gnomish degree of general knowledge. An uncurious visitor may be led
past ten wonders of Mount Nevermind, being told, "Don't step on that",
"Mind the gap", and "Duck." Gnomes have 34 ways to say "Look out,"
each detailing a direction and intensity of dangers.
Bluntness: Gnomes lack social graces that other races take for
granted. They are always eager to talk shop, compare notes, and work
on their projects; in all their hurry and bustle, they often forget to
be polite. Their joy in their work gives them less energy for polite
gestures, careful requests, or compliments. They brusquely steamroll
people's feelings. Gnomes don't mind this among themselves, but when
they start ordering other races around, problems arise.
Technocracy: Gnomes place great faith in their machines; some
gnomes even believe that the machines need a tinker's fervent faith to
work. Further, gnomes believe in constantly improving their machines.
Why trust a task to a single lever, even if it performs efficiently?
What if the lever should fail? By replacing the lever with a vast
complication of dials and gadgets, the tinker minimizes a total
shutdown from the failure of one part. Simplicity is, after all, for
simpletons.
Up with Gnomes! Although gnomes have enormous national pride,
they rarely boast. Their history shows gnomes at the center of the
drama of gods and mortals. Gnome histories drip with entertaining,
gnomocentric arrogance. Gnome children learn that gnomes forged the
Dragonlances, their flying machines battled the dragons, and they were
aided by the Companions of the Lance only in the final victory. Each
year, more historical texts claim these facts, and these facts thus
become more historical.
Education: Gnomes are scholastic pack-rats: they know something
about everything, but cannot discriminate between useful and useless
information. Every scrap of knowl edge has potential use. The most
irrelevant small-talk can awaken epiphany. Careful questioning of a
gnomish sage can unearth amazing gems of insight. No field of study is
too obscure for a gnome.
Flash: Gnomes prefer style over substance. A gnomish
illusionist's show is a marvel of color, timing, imagination, and
staging. Gnomes know how to make a splash, how to draw a crowd's
attention, and how to make an entrance. When tinkering, a gnome will
take a simple machine like a pulley and build on it until it is a
nightmare of ropes, bells, whistles, and bellows that accomplishes the
same task but does so more loudly and elaborately. Their machines
become bigger, better, and more prone to dramatic and exciting
catastrophes. This is progress.
History
Gnomes -- inventive, skillful, and enthusiastic -- were the
favored children of Reorx. Reorx forged the Graystone and imbued it
with light and power. In about 3500 PC, he consigned the stone to the
First King, gnomoi Aldinanachru. Aldinanachru placed it in the tower
of Lunias atop Mount Garath on Taladas. Around 3100 PC, a gnomoi guard
was tricked into releasing it, unleashing magical havoc upon Krynn as
the stone drifted west. Reorx sent the largest clan of the gnomes to
regain the enchanted stone.
The Graystone drifted across the Northern Courrain Ocean and the
gnomes followed it in a fleet. They landed on the eastern shores of
Ansalon and hurried after on foot. A mortal king imprisoned the stone
in what would be called the tower of Gargath. He would not relinquish
it to the gnomes. They attacked and, in the ensuing battle, the
Graystone of Gargath escaped. It transmogrified the gnomes there into
dwarves and kender. The rest of the gnomes chased the stone west to
Sancrist Isle.
There, most gnomes gave up the chase. They would not risk
another dangerous sea voyage. Some few built ships and sailed west out
of sight. Many other gnomes migrated west to Sancrist; only a few
remained on the continent.
Two notable events occurred alter the Graygem's escape. The
first was the arrival of the Knights of Solamnia on Sancrist. As a
result, gnomes have allied themselves with Solamnia and become
important trade partners to it.
The second major event was the Cataclysm, which enlarged the
size of Sancrist's mountainous northern half, where the gnomes lived.
Many gnomes died in landslides and collapsing tunnels. But over all,
the seismic activity increased the living space available for the
gnomes.
Proverbs and folktales
Gnome proverbs can take one to two days to recite, depending on
their seriousness. Other races, on hearing (one of) these proverbs,
pointed out that proverbs are more memorable when short and to the
point.
Impressed, the gnomes convened a Proverb Committee. After months
of deliberation, this committee distilled the three critical gnomish
proverbs to their potent and poignant essence:
"Never."
"A gear."
"Hydrodynamics."
The last proverb in particular brings tears to the eyes of older
gnomes.
Lifestyle
Villages: Gnomes are homebodies, rarely wandering away from
their warrens and projects. They dwell away from the blundering world
of big folk and protect their villages with enchantments and charms.
The villages themselves are loud, garish towns of continual noise and
motion. Most gnomes never leave their native villages; those who do
dislike the suspicious whispers of birds and crickets.
Tinker gnomes live in huge subterranean colonies of tunnels in
secluded mountain ranges. The largest gnomish settlement is in Mount
Nevermind. A metropolis of 59,000 has dwelt in the dormant volcano for
millenia.
Mount Nevermind: The city of Mount Nevermind is built into the
rock surrounding the central shaft of a volcano. Mount Nevermind
bustles. Citizens scuttle, whistles blow, mechanical cars roll, gnomes
fly (catapults called gnomeflingers offer rapid travel from the Inner
Hall to the 35 different city levels). Hundreds of staircases, ramps,
pulley elevators, and ladders span the levels. Steam-powered cars
mounted on rails encircle the city, providing fast transport on
individual levels. The whole place is choked with smoke and sound and
flashes. (For more detail, see the "Geography of Krynn" section and
the mapsheet.)
Gnomes in industry may develop industrial diseases. Mild
respiratory ailments and eye infections are common, but clear up with
a few days in fresh air. Industrial accidents, noise, litter, and
other work-related problems can disable a gnome, sometimes leading to
early retirement from active pursuits.
Life Quests: Gnomes are born tinkers and "scientists;" an
individual chooses an areas of specialization depending on his driving
interests. When young, each gnome chooses a Life Quest, which is
approved by the Guild subcommittee to which his or her family belongs.
A gnome who chooses to study screws spends decades experimenting with
thread sizes, metals, screwdriver types, and so forth. Rarely does a
committee formally declare a Life Quest completed. Completion of a
Life Quest means the gnome has performed so well that all that could
possibly be known about the subject is now known. If a Life Quest is
completed, the gnome's soul and those of his forefathers are
guaranteed a place beside Reorx when dead.
Life Quests are often highly specific and related to a
technological device or process. Sometimes, unusual magical devices
are studied to develop technological means of replacing them.
Names: Each gnome has three names. A gnome's true name recounts
the gnome's entire family tree, extending back to creation. This
history occupies a single, enormous word that can easily fill a large
book. The complete names of every gnome born on Sancrist appear in a
volume in the Genealogy Guild in the main library at Mount Nevermind.
Though each gnome knows his complete name (or at least the first few
thousand syllables), most gnomes use a shortened form of address that
takes merely half a minute to recite. This shorter name lists the
highlights of the gnome's ancestor's lives. Humans use even shorter
names: the first one or two syllables of a particular gnome's name.
Gnomes find this abbreviated name undignified, but endure it all the
same.
Religion
The only major deity gnomes recognize is Reorx. Though religious
services and priests among them are rare, gnomes still respect Reorx
and know (unlike others in post-Cataclysm Ansalon) that he exists. To
them, Reorx is, of course, a gnome who loves building, creating,
inventing, and tinkering. Some philosophers even declare that the
universe is Reorx's machine -- the sun and moons of Krynn are cogs in
the worldgadget.
Although most gnomes revere Reorx, a small cult follows Shinare,
goddess of industry. Members of this group attend services every sixth
day. This groups uses inventionssuch as the steelgrabber (an offering
machine) and the organizer (a huge musical instrument that loudly
duplicates any instrument on Krynn). At their services, the followers
of Shinare petition her to inspire smoothly functioning machines.
Heaven knows they need them.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Tinker gnomes possess greater technology than all the races of
Krynn combined. Gnomes have mastered steam engines and coiled springs.
They use steam-powered ships, clockwork timepieces, and ore-refining
plants for high-grade steel, as well as mundane objects like screws,
pulleys, drive shafts, toothed gears, music boxes, and mechanical
toys. Some legends even tell that the ancient kingdoms of Krynn had
clockwork golems of gnomish design.
The gnomish attention to style and delicate craftsmanship
results in inventions that border on the magical: miniature castles
with mechanized knights and fire-breathing dragons, "bang-bugs" that
sit quietly on the floor before exploding and flying away,
folding-paper umbrellas, bubble-bath soap, spectacles, and
gnomeflingers, to name a few. Projects in the works include the
silent, folding, automatically repeating crossbow; the net-throwing
arrow; and the spring-loaded, blade-throwing, two-handed sword. The
archives of Mount Nevermind brim with ill-fated inventions, awaiting a
gnome willing to develop them further.
Sadly, gnomish mental distraction and fascination with detail
tend to undercut their technology. Anything gnomish machines can do,
magic can often do more cheaply, quickly, and efficiently. Generally
speaking, gnomes who invent items exert as much effort, risk as much
danger, and experience as much success as wizards who perform spell
research.
Gnomish Weapons
When attacked, gnomes defend with whatever is handy:
screwdrivers, hammers, frying pans, stools, flaming parchment,
inventions, and so forth. When prepared, they use light crossbows,
slings, short bows, darts, and throwing axes at a distance. In melee,
they wield footman's maces, short swords, warhammers, and gnome picks.
Gnome pick (Dmg 2d4+2/1d6+1; Spd 5, Type P) A gnome pick is a
4-1/2' hammer with a sturdy head balanced by a curved fluke used to
pierce armor. Atop the hammer is a spike. Gnomes often add strange
devices to improve their picks: hot coal chambers (burn off the wooden
haft in 2d6 rounds), whirling chains (spin gnome around and create
involuntarily attack on all in a 2' radius at -2 to hit), and
spring-loaded pincers (do double damage but disarm gnome).
Special Gnome Weapons
Gnomes also use specially engineered weapons in battle. Belchers
are gnomish cannons disguised to look like statues of dragons,
gargoyles, or roses. Belchers use smokepowder to catapult cannisters
of deadly materials. These cannons weigh over a ton and must be based
on either a sturdy wagon or a pivoting turntable for aiming. Only
targets directly in front of the barrel or between its minimum are
range (30 yards) and maximum are range (360 yards) can be hit.
Determine THAC0 from artillerist's proficiency (Artillery
proficiency costs 2 slots and uses Int-2). On a natural roll of 1, the
belcher barrel explodes, attacking all creatures in 20 yards radius
for 1d10 points damage. A belcher with an exploded barrel can fire
again at half range, but the chance of explosion rises to a natural
roll of 1-4. Then, a roll of 1 hits all in a 10-yard radius for 1d10.
A roll of 2 to 5 results in a misfire. Roll 1d10 for result:
1 = Kickback/spin (stuns crew and causes 1d6 points damage)
2-3 = Flash/short (canister drops 1d10 in front)
4-7 = Black smoke (save vs. paralysis or be stunned 1d3 rounds)
8-9 = Wick goes out (no fire)
10 = Wick goes out (blast delayed 1d20 x 6 seconds)
Loading a belcher takes 3 rounds. If double-loaded, all chances
for failure double. Belcher cannisters carry various payloads. Use
grenade rules to determine scatter and blast effects.
Acid (Dmg 2d8; Area 3' radius) Save vs. breath or be
incapacitated for 1d6 rounds.
Chains (Dmg 2d4; Area 2' radius) Destroys masts, trees, and
lines of attackers; save vs. paralysis or become entangled.
Cinders (Dmg 1d4; Area 2' radius) Save vs. normal fire or
ignite.
Foam (Dmg 0; Area 2' radius) Save vs. breath weapon or be
knocked out for 1d4 turns. Extinguishes 4d6 points of fire damage.
Naphtha (Dmg 3d6; Area 3' radius) Burns for 2 rounds for 3d4
points damage per round and ignites items that fail to save vs.
magical fire.
Oil (Dmg 0; Area 5' radius) Save vs. breath weapon or be
incapacitated by slipping for 1d6 rounds. If oil is ignited, it
causing 2d6 points damage in first round and 1d6 in second.
Water (Dmg 1d2; Area 5' radius) Extinguishes non-magic, non-oil
fires and ruins parchment and paper.
Blunderbusses: These hand-held, miniature belchers fire small
balls of lead or iron. When rolling for blunderbuss damage, a natural
10 (for muskets) or a natural 6 (for pistols) allows attacker to roll
an additional damage roll and add it to the first. A natural 1 on
attack roll is a misfire (use the same rules for misfire as for the
belcher). Explosions function as backfires and only harm the user. A
backfired blunderbuss may be cleared in 1d6 rounds.
Musket: #AT 1/3; Dmg 1d10+2/1d10; Range 5/15/20
Pistol: #AT 1/2; Dmg 1d6+2/1d6; Range 3/6/12
Gnomish Grenades: These 6" hollow pottery balls carry
ingredients that explode when the ball is cracked. Due to their light
weight, grenades may be thrown at ranges of 2/4/6. On a natural 1
attack roll, the gnome drops the grenade 1d6' away from himself. If a
grenade hits a hard surface, roll a save vs. crushing blow (1d4+18 for
soft surfaces). If the save thrown is less than 18, the ball cracks
and the effect occurs:
Fire (Dmg 1d6; Area 1' radius) Burns 2 rounds for 1d6 points
damage. Ignites items that fail save vs. normal fire.
Flash (Dmg 0; Area 5' radius) Save vs. spell or be blinded for
1d4 rounds.
Gas (Dmg 1d4; Area 3' radius) Save vs. breath or be knocked out
for 1d4 turns.
Pepper (Dmg 1; Area 3' radius) Save vs. breath weapon or be
incapacitated for 1d6 rounds.
Smoke (Dmg 0; Area 5' radius) Obscures vision for 1d6 rounds.
Thunder (Dmg 1d4; Area 5' radius) Save vs. rod or concussive blast
stuns for 1d4 rounds.
Gnomish armor
Gnomes wear all types of armor, including piecemeal armor
comprised of several different armors (AC5). Standard armor fare is a
leather apron (AC9). Gnome workman's leather provides an AC of 7.
Workman's leather contains numerous pouches, pockets, loops and straps
for tools and repair materials.
Gaming notes
Gnomes can work quickly and accurately, but lack Strength, due
to their sedentary life. When creating a gnome character, modify Str
by -- 1 and Dex by +2. Roll all other abilities using 3d6. The
abilities of gnome PCs must fall within the minimums and maximums that
follow.
Ability Min/Max Ability
Strength 6/18
Dexterity 8/18
Constitution 8/18
Intelligence 8/18
Wisdom 3/12
Charisma 3/18
Proficiencies: Gnomes are master inventors. They commonly have
proficiency in the following: Blacksmithing, Carpentry, Cobbling,
Engineering, Gem-Cutting, Leatherworking, Mining, and Stonemasonry.
Though all gnomes are tinkers at heart, not all of them tinker
at the same tasks. Each tinker gnome belongs to one of almost 100
guilds: Hydraulics, Chemistry, Architecture, Hydrodynamics, Kinetics,
Mathematics, Weapons, Mechanical Engineering, and Education, to name a
few. Only the Agricultural and Medical guilds deal with life sciences.
Nonpragmatic guilds (e.g., Astronomy, Music), and dangerous guilds
(e.g, Explosives, Flight) have small followings. Gnomes make passible
fighters and quick-fingered thieves. Thieving gnomes, however, are
sometimes betrayed by their penchant for showmanship. Most prefer the
direct sham and sting to sneaking and lifting. Those with a magical
bent direct their talents for sleight of hand and showmanship to the
study of illusion spells. In fact, no (PC) gnome practices generalist
magic. Many gnomes deal in finely detailed crafts like jewelry.
Gnomes of Krynn have all of the special abilities of gnomes
listed in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook.
Kender, "Children of the World"
Appearance
Adult kender resemble young teenage humans: aside from their
pointed ears, they could pass as human youths. Despite their attenuate
limbs, kender are well muscled. Most stand between 3'6" to 3'9" tall
(2d8+ 36 inches for males; 2d8+ 32 inches for females), although some
few reach 4' 6" tall. Mature kender weigh between 85 and 105 pounds
(3d10+80 pounds for males; 3d10+75 pounds for females).
Hair coloration for kender ranges from sandy blonde to dark
brown, with some who have coppery red or red-orange hues.
Short-cropped shag haircuts are popular in Hylo, but Goodlund kender
prefer longer hair: braids, ponytails, knots, and combed manes. Kender
cannot grow beards or mustaches.
Although fair-skinned, kender tan quickly, becoming nutbrown by
midsummer. Their eye color varies: pale blue, sea green, olive, light
brown, and hazel. Their ears have points, much as elven ears do.
Typically, kender faces bear the intense, bright-eyed
inquisitiveness of children. Happy kender grin madly; sad kender wear
an intractable pout. When throwing taunts, kender look impish and
shout with an incredibly grating tone. Their emotional intensity is
infectious.
Kender clothing varies a great deal, but all wear durable,
rustic outfits. Bright natural colors and ribbons accent clothing.
Males wear shirts, pants or breaches, laced leggings, and soft leather
boots or sandals. Females wear a tunic or dress, pants, and soft
leather shoes or laced sandals. All kender wear vests, belts, or short
cloaks with many pockets.
In their countless pouches, pockets, and belt packs, kender
carry a wide assortment of junk: feathers, stones, rings, string,
teeth, toys, whistles, paper, charcoal sticks, ink, tinderboxes,
buttons, chalk, figurines, handkerchiefs, marbles, mice, dried meat,
bones, dried fruit, coins, candles, and so forth. Kender live to 100
years and beyond, always retaining their youthful flair for life.
Adulthood begins around 20 years, and old age set in at 70. As kender
age, their faces retain a youthful appearance, save for a deepening
network of lines and crow's feet. Their hair grays gently, often
starting at the temple. Kender consider this aged look attractive, and
some accelerate it using mud packs to dry out their skin.
Kender voices range from the shrill tones of childhood to the
husky growls of old age. Most kender can create bird and animal calls.
When excited, kender speak very quickly or very loudly to make
themselves heard. At other times, kender tend to ramble, producing
convolute logic and illogic.
Personality
Kender of all ages share a childlike nature: curious, fearless,
irrepressible, independent, lazy, taunting, and irresponsible with
others' possessions.
Curiosity: Kender are curious about absolutely everything. They
are natural explorers. They disgorge the contents of locked cupboards
and delve into deep caverns. "Anywhere a rat can go, two kender will
be," quips a human proverb. Very little escapes a kender's notice.
Kender study every detail in a room, no matter how often they have
been there.
This curiosity extends especially to unusual things. Kender love
magic items and rare creatures (chimeras, centaurs, uni corns, and
dragons topping the list). Gadgets -- especially gnomish gadgets --
also catch kender eyes. Kender seek beauty in all things: they might
prefer an old tarnished coin to a gleaming, newly minted one merely
because the tarnished one is unique.
Fearlessness: Kender are often fearless. They cannot grasp their
own mortality and thus feel invincible. This fearlessness combines
with kender wonder to wash away any dread (and any common sense) they
may feel. Kender fearlessness does not, however, equate to stupidity.
In moments of danger, kender battle bravely while others cower behind.
And kender rarely let their fearlessness endanger anyone but
themselves.
Some tales suggest that kender can actually be frightened. Even
so, these tales describe such monumental catastrophes that few kender
survive to be questioned about their feelings. Irrepressibility: Few
on Ansalon can shut a kender up or tie one down. Full of youthful
energy, kender dread boredom and seek excitement, entertainment, and
fun. Fun for a kender may mean spending hours watching an industrious
ant climb over various obstacles. Sadly, though, risky undertakings
hold at least as much allure for kender as safe ones. While other
party members grimly embark upon a grueling trail with near-certain
death at its end, a kender will accompany them "just for the fun of
it."
Independence: Kender believe in the rights and freedoms of the
individual. Kender nations have no real ruler because they prefer the
freedom of anarchy. They resent being ordered about, and would rather
do what they want, when they want. Demanding something of a kender
only results in loud complaints, reluctant work, and taunts. But
kender willingly volunteer for any task, as long as it is interesting.
Although they demand freedom of choice, kender often fail to
consider the consequences of their actions. A kender's impulsive
action may back him into a corner from his comrades must save him. "I
guess I shouldn't have opened that door with the warnings on it,
huh?"Entire parties bristle when a kender utters that awful saying,
"Oops!"
Compassion: Kender make lifelong friends. They offer undying
(though distracted) devotion and self-sacrifice to their companions.
They always aid those who are hurt and they happily share their meager
bounty with those less fortunate. The wounding of a dear friend sends
kender into paroxysms of grief. Their grief is so plaintive that it
can soften even the hardest heart.
Due to their big-heartedness for others, kender are easily hurt
by indifference or cutting remarks from friends. However, they quickly
forgive and forget, and this endearing trait makes them extremely
difficult to dislike.
Dreaming Laziness: Dwarves say that kender are "good for
nothing, lazy doorknobs." True, a kender performing drudgery is like a
hobgoblin dancing: it looks and feels unnatural. Kender, however, are
among the most industrious creatures of Ansalon as long as they remain
curious about their task. Work for work's sake is boring, tedious, and
stodgy. Beautiful fields, clever dormice, and antic chipmunks are
another matter entirely. Kender love dreams better than realities, and
daydreams best of all.
They thrive on stories and storytelling. True stories are
routinely modified to make them spectacular, fascinating, and
satisfying. But kender willingly listen to any story, no matter how
poorly (truthfully) rendered it is. Kender also love music and dance.
They have added chimes, bells, and whistles to all of their daily
tools. Whether pounding nails into a barn roof or facing down a black
dragon, kender always keep their beloved music on hand.
Taunting: Kender, like human children, possess a calculating
sense of insult. Their intense curiosity wins for them all sorts of
shocking insights into a creature's private life. These insights
become weapons in moments of wrath. Kender lash out not only to injure
an enemy's pride, but to drive him to irrational behavior. The lapses
in judgment that follow a kender taunt often allow the kender to land
a killing blow.
Handling: Kender are oblivious to matters of ownership. If a
kender needs something that another person is not using, the kender
will innocently borrow the item and put it to use. Curious kender
often pick up items for closer examination, then distractedly forget
to put them back.
Although dwarves cannot distinguish this action (called
"handling") from theft, handlers and thieves differ drastically. First
of all, thieves steal for personal gain, but handlers take things due
to curiosity and distraction. When a handler's curiosity shifts to a
new item, he often loses the one he just picked up. Secondly, a thief
always takes the most valuable item but a handler always takes the
most interesting one. A handler will prefer a glittering shard of
glass to a bagful of dull silver ore. Finally, thieves steal
maliciously, knowing that they break moral and governmental laws; but
handlers take things innocently, unaware of rules of property that
would make their actions malicious.
Although kender handlers have common thieving abilities, they
are not thieves. Handlers take quick offense at accusations to the
contrary. Even if caught in the act of handling, they have (and
believe) many excuses:
- "I guess I found it somewhere,"
- "You must have dropped it."
- "I forgot I had it."
- "I was keeping it safe for you."
- "You said you didn't want it anymore."
- "This looks just like yours, doesn't it?"
- "Maybe it fell into my pocket."
History
The lessons of history stand firm: kender arose when gnomes were
transformed by the potent and unrestrainable magic of the Graystone of
Gargath. All written histories agree on this fact.
Even so, a splinter group of scholars in Palanthus questions
whether kender really came from gnomes. They note the vast
dissimilarities between gnomes and dwarves on the one hand and kender
on the other. Kender are not industrious; they do not tinker or
invent; they have no beards; they cannot focus on tasks at hand; they
are not stout and stocky; they do not dwell underground; they do not
have rounded ears.
Scholars who have made these contrasts go on to say that kender
share many traits with elves. They joyfully embrace life; they
disregard work and time; they love woodlands and nature; they look for
beauty in all things; they have pointed ears and no beards; their
progenitor Balif was a close confidant of Silvanos, and even swore
allegiance to Silvanos at the first Sinthal-Elish, several hundred
years before the Graystone.
The scholars who have marshalled these arguments believe that
kender arose when the Graystone transformed elves, not gnomes. This
charge cannot be made lightly, for it flies in the face of every
recorded history, especially that of Astinus's Iconochronos. Most
scholars still support the histories as they stand, but the splinter
scholars gain support daily. The furor still rages.
Both sides agree, however, that the earliest known kender hero
was Balif, a confidant of Silvanos. Balif fought in the Second Dragon
War (often called the first because it was the first to involve all
the peoples of Krynn), and established the kender nation Balifor. He
died in 2750 PC.
A second kender nation appeared in northwestern Ansalon in 2600
PC. An entire clan of kender became trapped on the first floating
citadel, which drifted northwest and crashed against the spine of the
Sentinel Mountains. The kender named their new land Hylo after its
citadel, which was high and then low, and after its high mountains and
low plains. In 2200 PC Ergoth arose and forcibly annexed Hylo. The
Rose Rebellion of 1800 PC returned independence to Hylo.
The Cataclysm struck Hylo hard. All the kender settlements along
the bay were swept under by tidal waves and the city of Hylo itself
became a port town. The eastern half of the nation disappeared and the
western half clung to the newly formed isle of Northern Ergoth.
The Cataclysm also decimated the land of Balifor, turning it
into a desert waste. The kender left their homeland to barbaric desert
nomads and migrated north. They founded a small forest city on the
edge of a human ruin (now called simply "the Ruins" by the kender who
explore it). Some kender believe that the Ruins are the remains of one
of the missing Towers of High Sorcery.
After the Cataclysm, many kender refused to return to
civilization, preferring to wander the land. Recently, the kender folk
were mustered for war by one kender of note: Kronin Thistleknot. This
charismatic leader is a powerful hunterturned-warrior. He organized
the kender resistance to the dragonarmy threat.
Lifestyle
Kender live in quaint, pastoral villages and towns constructed
in the forests of Krynn. Perhaps this is so they can climb the trees,
play tag among the boughs or just laze in the shade. Their homes are a
variety of incomplete structures: tree-houses, terraced decks,
spacious huts, snug little burrows, and tree hollows. All dwellings
blend beautifully with their environment. Looking upon a kender city,
one sees only bountiful woodlands, winter squash, grape and raspberry
vines, and blossoming fruit trees. On closer examination, a city
appears. The city gate is simply a passage between sentinel oaks where
a footbridge spans a creek. Hedges and gullies form the city's
defenses and vines mask the porticoed buildings from view. Twisting
stairs, rope ladders, and ropeways link the rooftops to each other and
to the ground. Kender have small immediate families with 2 or 3
children. For all the noise and fuss in a kender house, one would
think there were dozens of children. Most kender happily stay at home,
close to playmates. Sometime around age 20, kender are overwhelmed by
a desire to wander and see the world. They travel for years, enjoying
the mysteries of Krynn, before their wanderlust runs out and they
settle down. Some kender draw maps of their journeys, maps that become
fairly trustworthy and very detailed after they fiddle with them for
years. After wanderlust, kender become rooted into the land, remaining
in one place until death.
The sedentary nature of aged kender and young kender allows
kender societies to crop up. Kender society is an omnigarchy:
rulership by everyone. Everyone does whatever they please, so long as
they do not harm each other. Kender value individuality and thus have
no desire to force their opinions on others. Despite their blatant
lack of law, common threats bring kender into quick cooperation. With
little preparation, kender nations can field a formidable army.
Occasionally, the kender will submit themselves to a ruler who
seems interesting at the time. They have had kings, khans, warlords,
councils, judges, and priestlords, many of which have not been kender
and all of which have fallen from power within a month's time.
Religion
Before the Cataclysm, certain kender could work miracles as
priests of the gods. The kender priests never built places of worship,
preferring to praise their gods beneath the open vault of the heavens.
In post-Cataclysm Ansalon, kender priests have all but vanished.
During the War of the Lance, one kender lass purpertedly encountered a
true priest and received her own Medallion of Faith from him. She in
turn studied and began attracting followers. The kender priesthood has
been on the rise ever since.
Although kender recognize all the gods (as well as some nature
spirits, eldritch beings, and potted plants), they hold four in
highest regard: Branchala, Chislev, Mishakal, and Gilean. Kender
generally consider Reorx a grumbling but benevolent grandfather, but
do not praise him highly. Seacoast kender set Habbakuk high in their
pantheons.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Most kender tools serve as a weapon, a tool of one's profession,
and a musical instrument. Kender like to add personal touches to every
tool, such as whistles, notches for tying bundles, and bright
talismans of feather and fur.
All kender possess a makeshift set of lockpicking tools, wires,
files, old keys, hardened leather placards, and beeswax.
For armor, most kender use only small shields, furs, padded
armor, or leather armor. A rare few have been known to wear ring,
studded, or chain mail, but companions say they were not well at the
time.
Kender Weapons
Kender fight with intuition and grace. Their specialized
weapons, which are also tools and instruments, are deadly in the hands
of kender (+2 to attack rolls), but clumsy in the hands of others (-2
to attack rolls).
Kender tools are commonly constructed of a flexible ironwood
haft with leather, catgut, and metal adornment. The heavy "-pak" and
"-ak" tools (e.g., polpak, battak) are frequently used by males,
whereas the lighter "-pik" and "-ik" (e.g., whippik, bollik) are used
by females. Hoopaks and whippiks find the most use among kender.
Battak: (Dmg 1d8/1d8; Spd 7; Type B)
The battak (slapstick) is a walking stick with a variety of
items fastened along its length. It is the favorite tool of young
kender. Shaped like a miniature studded club, this tool sports a small
metal wedge at its tapered end and studs around the wide end. A wooden
plug that fits into the broad tip unscrews and inverts to bear a short
knife blade. The nether chamber that holds this club also stores sling
bullets, which may be batted at one's target with great force (Dmg
1d4+2/1d6+2).
Bells, chimes, and whistles fasten along the club, producing
music and making a fearsome jangle in battle. Typical uses for this
tool include
- batting bullets at targets,
- prying with the wedge,
- spearing with the blade,
- climbing by wedging it in the ground, and
- creating percussive music.
Bollik: (Dmg 1d4+2/1d3+2; Spd 6; Type B)
The bollik (bola belt) is a webbed rope belt worn about the
waist on a leather sash and buckle. The bollik hangs from a series of
quickrelease loops. On one end of the bollik, three weighted balls of
leather hang on short strands of rope, forming a bola. When the bollik
is worn, these bola balls are tied to the large metal buckle. The
bollik can be tugged free with a simple snapping motion and can be
relaced in two rounds. Typical uses include
- flailing enemies,
- using as a bola (-2 to damage),
- threshing grain,
- grappling walls,
- entangling enemies,
- climbing as a rope ladder,
- storing items in pockets of leather strap, and
- playing as a wind thrummer
Chapak: (Dmg 1d6+1/1d4+1; Spd 4; Type B/S)
The chapak (snapper axe) is a combination hand axe and
slingshot. Its single-bladed axe head rests on a hollow haft of
ironwood. The back of the axe blade forms two prongs that support a
cat-gut slingshot (Dmg 1d4/1d4). The hollow haft has fingerholes
drilled along its length and can be played as a flute if the end plugs
are removed. Typical uses of this tool include
- splitting wood,
- shooting as a slingshot,
- prying with the butt,
- play as a flute,
- snorkeling (with holes corked),
- shooting as a blowgun (with holes corked) (Dmg 1/1; produces sleep), and
- grappling (with a spidersilk rope).
Hachak: (Dmg 2d4+1/2d6+1; Spd 8; Type P/S)
The hachak (pole axe) is heaviest of the kender tools and is
used by woodcutters. On one end of its 6' segmented pole rests a
hammer, spike, and piercing beak. The other end of the pole holds a
broad axe backed by a hammer head and a saw blade. Metal rings circle
the shaft at 1 foot intervals along its length. The shaft itself may
be separated into three sections if necessary. Just below the axe
blade, a sheepskin wrap stores 6 throwing darts. The hammer and beak
can be used as weapons (Dmg 2d4/1d6). The shaft darts have the normal
range for a thrown dart and do moderate damage (Dmg 1d4/ 1d4). Common
uses include
- cutting and 'splitting wood,
- hammering nails,
- climbing as a ladder,
- pruning trees,
- planing wood,
- throwing darts, and
- playing as a chime by hammering on the blades.
Hoopak: (Dmg 1d6+2/1d4+2; Spd/Type 2/PB)
The hoopak (sling-staff) is the most common of kender tools.
This 5', ironwood staff has a short spike attached to its tip, which
doubles as a spear or bo stick and inflicts the noted damage. The
staff's other end is forked and laced with gut. A stone may be flung
by either planting the blade end of the hoopak in the earth and
bending the staff back to sling the stone, or whirling the hoopak
overhead as a traditional sling-staff. This tool acts like a bullroar
when whirled in the air, creating a low thrumming sound. Its uses
include
- throwing as a spear,
- striking as a staff,
- shooting or slinging stones,
- prying with the blade,
- picking apples with the gut, and
- whirling as a bullroar.
Polpak: (Dmg 1d8/1d10; Spd 6; Type P/S)
The polpak (swordstaff) has an 8' pole that sports a short-sword
blade. Triggering a catch and giving the blade a half-turn releases it
so that it can function as a sword. The blade has one serrated edge
and doubles as a saw or pruner. The crosspiece for the sword is a
double recurved crescent. Iron rings appear around the shaft at 1 foot
increments to aid in gripping and climbing. A dozen caltrops are laced
on a rod in the crosspiece. Typical uses include
- pruning trees,
- spearfishing with the blade,
- using the blade as a short sword,
- sawing with the serrated face,
- climbing as a ladder,
- striking as with a staff, and
- playing as a musical saw.
Sashik: (Dmg 1d8+1/1d10+1; Spd 5; Type B/S)
The sashik (sashwhip) is a beaded, weighted sash-of laced rope.
Worn across one shoulder, the sashik bears weighted pouches on one
end. Two dozen large wooden beads that line one edge of the sashik can
be pulled loose and thrown. The mesh of the sash is coarse and
netlike. Common uses include
- flailing enemies,
- scourging by attaching hooks, -
- entangling enemies,
- climbing as a rope ladder,
- throwing wooden beads,
- fishing as with a net, and
- playing as a xylophone.
Sithak: (Dmg 2d4/2d6; Spd 3; Type P/S)
The sithak (swordbow) was originally a yoke used for carrying
water in buckets. Now, its ends bear two blades, allowing it to serve
as a double scythe. A recurving hook rests beneath each blade. A
bowstring laced across the yoke allows short field-arrows to fire
through a hole in the haft. Typical uses include
- carrying buckets as with a yoke,
- harvesting crops,
- furrowing ground,
- slashing enemies,
- shooting field arrows (Dmg 1d4+2/1d4+1), and
- strumming as a stringed instrument.
Whippik: (Dmg 1d2+2/2; Spd 4; Type P/S)
The whippik (whip-bow) is a thin wand of ironwood that holds a
short length of looped catgut on its end. It looks much like a riding
whip. The whippik is the most popular tool among female kender. Short
darts may be fired from this whip bow. With additional lengths of gut
and various hooks, grapples, and snares the whippik performs various
functions:
- shooting darts (Dmg 1d4+1/1d6+1),
- whipping or scourging enemies,
- snaring game,
- hanging criminals,
- fishing, and
- strumming as a stringed instrument.
Gaming Notes
Kender are remarkably strong for their size, as well as
extremely nimble. When creating a kender character, roll 2d6+4 for Str
and add +1 to Dex score. Minimum and maximum acceptable scores follow:
Ability Min/Max
Strength 6/16
Dexterity 8/19
Constitution 8/18
Intelligence 6/18
Wisdom 3/16
Charisma 6/18
Proficiencies: Many kender have aptitudes for ranger skills:
Hunting, Setting Snares, Survival, and Tracking. Other proficiencies
common among kender include the following: Agriculture, Animal
Training, Artistic Ability, Dancing, Fire-Building, Fishing, Language,
Rope Use, Tailoring, Singing, Swimming, Weaving, and playing a Musical
Instrument. Infravision: Kender see 30' in the dark.
Languages: Kender select from dwarf, elf, gnome, goblin, and
ogre languages to start.
Magic/Poison Resistance: All kender gain a +1 bonus to saves vs
rod/staff/wand, spell, and poison for every 3-/, points of Con they
have. Due to this magic resistance, kender cannot learn wizard spells.
Slings and Thrown Weapons: Because of natural talent, kender
gain a +1 to attack rolls when using slings or thrown weapons.
Surprise: Due to their watchfulness, kender penalize opponent's
surprise roll by -4.
Fearlessness: Kender are immune to both natural and magical
fear. Still, kender are not stupid and will recognize danger quickly.
Their reaction will tend toward fascination and curiosity, not fear.
Taunting: Kender can taunt others into reckless acts. Their
taunting tone is so annoying that enemies may become enraged. If
enemies fail a save vs. spell, they act with mindless rage for 1d10
rounds and suffer a penalty of 2 to THAC0, Armor Class, and all action
rolls.
Thieving Skills: Even kender who are not handlers have an
inherent ability to perform as a low-level thief: Pick Pockets 25%;
Open Locks 25%; Find/Remove Traps 25%; Move Silently 25%; Hide in
Shadows 25%, Detect Noise 25%, Climb Walls 50%,' Read Languages 10%.
Minotaurs "Chosen Ones"
Appearance
These huge bull-headed humanoids stand at a hulking 7' tall
(4d6+72 inches for males, 4d6+66 inches for females). Their torsos and
limbs are humanoid: rippling chests and hu manlike arms, legs, and
hands. Their feet, however, end in a cleft hoof. Their whole bodies
are covered with a layer of short hair. Their fur ranges in color from
a whitish blonde to glossy black, although most minotaurs have only
one color of fur. Only after they reach the age of 110 do they start
to show signs of mottling. Minotaurs live up to 150 years (2d10+130)
-- more than either the bovines or humans whose forms they share.
Minotaur horns grow to 24" long (1d12+12 inches for males, 1d6+6
inches for females). These lengths are measured and cherished because
minotaurs pride themselves on their horns. Horns symbolize a great and
noble heritage that no other beast of Krynn can claim. Minotaurs
rigorously wax and polish their horns to make them shiny and strong.
Criminals are punished and exiled from minotaur society by having
their horns sawed off. Such creatures are no longer considered
minotaurs, but beasts akin to humans. Dehorned minotaurs have lost
their pride and sullied their honor. By no means will a minotaur in
good standing ever befriend one of these hornless, hapless creatures.
Personality
Minotaurs are an honor-bound race. They believe strongly in
preserving their honor and emerging victorious in the struggle for
dominance in Krynn. Their brutish heads belie the keen minds within;
many are smarter than the average human.
Oddly, of all the many races of Krynn, minotaurs are most like
adiminutive folk -- the dwarves. Boih races value honor, strength,
family, hard work, and the superiority of their race. Honor: Above all
else, minotaurs value their honor. Without honor, they have no life.
They live by a rigid code of honor, developed over the years in
response to many hardships. This code embodies the minotaur way of
life. Thus, minotaurs allow no exceptions to the code of honor. A
minotaur will honor his word, no matter how painful the consequences
might be. Only in cases where the security of the entire race hangs in
the balance will a typical minotaur even consider breaking his word.
Naturally, minotaurs do not lightly pledge such oaths.
Even the brigand minotaurs of Kothas and Mithas retains some
sense of honor. (Ansalonian minotaurs are more vicious and
backstabbing than their Taladan counterparts because they have
suffered under more taskmasters.) Anyone who questions the honor of
even an outlaw minotaur will likely get a gaffhook in the throat.
Strength: Minotaurs adhere strictly to the rule of might: Might
makes right. They believe that any problems they have can be solved
with strength, cunning, and skill. Those who solve their problems
using strength, cunning, and skill are clearly those in the right. The
rule of might finds clear expression in the arena, where all minotaur
legal cases are settled. If a defendant can keep himself alive in the
arena against the champions of the minotaurs, he has have proven
himself innocent.
Minotaurs also believe very strongly in competition. Competition
allows one to measure oneself against other minotaurs and against
lesser beings.
Family: Families are the building blocks of minotaur society,
especially on Taladas. There, family plays a much stronger role than
anywhere else on Krynn. Without a line of parentage, an individual
minotaur is cut off from the noble and glorious history of the
species. Without a family, an individual has no source of honor and
pride -- the meat and drink of minotaur existence.
Each minotaur family represents the whole family of minotaurs
throughout Krynn. Each family therefore safeguards the precious core
of minotaur history and honor. Any just mino taur would die for his
family, as for his nation. Superiority: Originally descended from the
high ogrish races of Taladas, minotaurs see themselves as the heir
apparent to the world of Krynn. The other races of the world are weak
and riddled with dishonorable folk -- a fallow field waiting to be
cropped by Krynn's master race. The minotaurs will stop at nothing to
conquer that which they believe to be theirs. Minotaurs, like most
other races, believe themselves to be the chosen of the gods.
History
The violence of the minotaur race has its roots in their
creation. Originally a clan of ogres living on the western coast of
Taladas, the minotaurs were created when the Graygem escaped its bonds
and spun crazily across the world. As it shrieked over villages of
high ogre folk, the people underwent a painful transformation. They
awoke in the morning as minotaurs. When these hapless man-beasts
sought help from their ogrish brethren, they found enslavement
instead. Eventually, the minotaurs broke free, sailing crude ships to
Ansalon to begin anew. However, they did not leave without exacting a
price. They drenched the earth with the blood of ogres the night they
left, devastating the lands and lives of their former masters.
The voyage to Ansalon was a memorable one. The minotaurs
encountered fierce storms and vicious sea creatures. Fully one-quarter
of their number was lost to the ocean. At long last, they reached the
land of Ansalon. Abandoning their vessels on the beach, they began to
build a new life for themselves.
Unfortunately, Ansalon did not improve their lot. Inward
expansion of the minotaur colonies soon ran afoul of the KalThax
empire of dwarves. Like the ogres before them, the dwarves enslaved
the man-beasts, becoming task masters rather than friends. Battalions
of dwarves marched east toward the coastal towns of the minotaurs,
slaughtering those who would not enter slavery peacefully.
For centuries, the minotaurs endured this brutal captivity.
Resentment and hatred burned ever hotter in their breasts. The
minotaur hero Ambeoutin began to circulate among his people in secret,
mustering them to revolt. With the aid of a wizard and an artifact
from the Ogre Wars, Ambeoutin led his people in a revolt that
overthrew the dwarves and destroyed their Empire. And so, circa 1600
PC, every last dwarf in KalThax died at the hands of their slaves. No
word of the utter destruction of the dwarven civilization escaped
until long after the minotaurs had returned to the coast. When dwarven
explorers came searching for the ancient and abandoned city of
Kal-Thax, they could not even find the gates, for ivy had engulfed
them. Beyond the gates lay only charred ruins, dwarven skeletons, and
looted homes. To this day, Kal-Thax's disappearance remains a mystery
to the dwarves of Ansalon. Once back on the coast, the minotaurs
established a kingdom of raiders and farmers, learning to wrest what
they needed from the land and from others. They acclaimed Ambeoutin
their king, and he founded their society upon honor. No minotaur would
ever be enslaved again unless he broke his word or the minotaur code
of honor. And because honor is strength, all questions of honor would
be settle in the arena.
In time, Ambeoutin sired twin children. These two, Mithas and
Kothas, learned of kingship and battle at their father's knee. When
the time came for the arena battle to decide which would become ruler
after their father, they proved to be so evenly matched that neither
could defeat the other. Eventually, after a day and a night of
fighting, the judges declared the match a draw. And so, circa 1560 PC,
the minotaur kingdom of Ambeoutin was divided into two separate coun
tries, each named after its ruler.
These nations existed peacefully for 1500 years, learning the
art of seafaring and of agriculture. They became highly proficient in
both, and their civilizations grew. The minotaurs created a code of
laws to give flesh to Ambeoutin's skeletal decree that all must live
by honor. Slowly minotaur culture began to approach heights of glory.
Again, though, they ran afoul of another realm. This time, the
Istarian Empire in its heyday verged onto minotaur lands. The
minotaurs were no match for the endless hordes of humans that overran
them. Again, the minotaurs were bound in chains. These new oppressors
were far worse than the dwarves, because the Istarians believed
themselves righteous in their acts. They considered minotaurs
abominations to the gods, hardly even worthy to serve in menial roles.
Thousands were hunted down and slain in the name of the Good gods.
Self-righteous and ruthless and cruel were the Istarians, so much so
that the minotaurs could never stage a successful rebellion.
The doom of Istar was the salvation of the minotaurs: the
Cataclysm. When the fiery mountain struck down Istar, the minotaurs on
the eastern coasts were no longer slaves or prey. The gods even
separated the two kingdoms of Mithas and Kothas from Ansalon, making
them islands safe from the oppressors. Minotaurs perceived the
Cataclysm as a sign from the gods of the minotaurs' future glory. Now,
part of the minotaur code of honor is to fill Krynn with their folk,
flourishing even through the annihilation of others.
Lifestyle
On Ansalon, minotaurs live in a sea-based culture on the two
islands of Mithas and Kothas. Built on the rule of might, these lands
are led by an emperor in Nethosak, capital of Mithas. The emperor's
advisors are the Supreme Circle, a body of the eight most vicious and
powerful minotaurs in the all the land. Each member of the Circle has
won his or her post by personal combat in the circus. They each serve
a life term, which they defend by combat. Life terms usually last five
to six years.
Because Ansalonian minotaurs care little about architecture and
aesthetics, their cities and towns are squalid. Most buildings are
made of mud and rough planking. The streets between the buildings are
dirt or gravel. Only the arena and circus have any grandeur about
them, built of masoned granite and ringed with lofty seats. The rest
of the town has only the taverns on each corner to commend it.
(Minotaurs love strong drink and good fights.)
On Taladas, Minotaur civilization is another matter altogether.
It covers roughly one-fourth of the continent. The League of Minotaurs
rules southern Hosk, enlisting the aid of other races in the area to
create the marvels of a truly advanced civilization. The League may
well be the most advanced civilization on all of Krynn. The League's
power in Taladas only increases with each decade. Its Emperor,
Ambeoutin XI (named after the famed deliverer of the Ansalonian
minotaurs across the sea), wields absolute power over nearly a quarter
of Taladas.
Tools, Technology, and Weapons
As a race built upon violence and brutality, minotaurs make
excellent fighters. They are trained in the arenas from youth for
Strength, cunning, and Intelligence. Common weapons include
double-bladed battle axes, large flails (+2 to damage), short swords,
and whips. Those with great strength (Str 16 or more) have even been
known to wielding two broad swords (-2 to hit on 2nd attack). In
addition to these common weap.ons, minotaurs have created and mastered
a variety of bizarre weapons for the arena. Minotaur weapons are huge
and heavy; only non-minotaurs with exceptional Strength (Str 15 or
better) can use these weapons without penalty. Others are clumsy with
them (-2 to hit and damage. A minotaur who specializes in any of these
melee weapons receives two attacks per round.
Forpann: (Drng 1d8+1/3d6; Spd 8; Type P) This 8', twohanded
trident has a rope attached to its base from which trails a 10' wide,
weighted throwing net. The warrior uses the net to tangle his foe's
weapon or feet, as well as to pin him. A specialist can also catch a
foe's weapon with the trident and attempt to disarm him.
Kausin: (Dmg 1d8+2/1d6+2; Spd 6; Type B) This 6' long "whipping
rod" is a chain of 6 iron bars linked together and attached to a
guarded handle. It functions like a flail but can wrap around a foe's
shield or back to strike a crushing blow. The kausin causes full
damage to buildings.
Mandoll: (Dmg 1d4+2/1d3+2; Spd 2; Type P/S/B) The mandoll is a
minotaur cestus: an iron gauntlet with spikes on the knuckles and a
dagger blade along the back of the thumb. This champion's weapon
requires close fighting and relies on the warrior's Strength. A
Mandoll can inflict bruising, slashing, and piercing damage. It is
deadly when used with a katar, the so-called "punch sword."
Polearm, Lajang: (Dmg 1d10+1/1d10+1; Spd 6; Type P/S/ B) This 7'
polearm holds a recurved crescent blade at each end of its shaft. The
shaft may parry attacks or bludgeon foes. The blades can slash on a
forward or a backward stroke, catch and turn weapons, pin or trip
foes, and impale targets on double prongs. In the hands of a minotaur
with Str 16 or more, it can even be hurled as a spear.
Sanguine: (Dmg 1d8+1/1d10+1; Spd 6; Type P/S/B) This 7' long
gladiator weapon has a serrated spearhead at both ends, and a small
buckler with a razor-edged crescent at its middle. In the hands of a
master the sanguine can be used one-or two-handed to parry attacks,
trip foes, fight multiple foes, or slash, bludgeon, or pierce foes. It
cannot be thrown.
Shatang: (Dmg 1d6+2/1d8+2; Spd 6; Type P/S) Shatang are 5' long,
barbed, throwing spears. Shatang are basically heavy javelins. A
master can fight with one in each hand without penalty. Arena
combatants often wear a rack of four shatangs strapped to their backs.
Sword, Clabbard: (Dmg 2d6+2/1d8+2; Spd 5; Type S) This 6'
broadsword is sized to a minotaur's needs. Its cutting edge is backed
by a serrated saw edge. A blood channel runs the length of the blade,
making it easier to withdraw from an impaled foe. The saw edge can cut
through leather and hide armors with ease (+1 bonus to hit) and, in
the hands of a master, can catch and break a foe's weapon.
Sword, Katar: (Dmg 1d6+2/1d4+2; Spd 3; Type P/S) This weapon is
more a dagger than a sword. The blade is 6" long on an H-shaped hilt.
The warrior grasps the hilt at the crossbar and two side-hilts guard
the hand and wrist. The blade may be used to punch or slash a foe, or
catch and turn a foe's weapon.
Tessto: (Dmg 1d8+ 2/1d8+2; Spd 6; Type B) The tessto is a
6'-long studded club with a loop of rope at its hilt. Using this
weapon offensively requires great Strength. A cunning master can use
the tessto defensively by spinning it around its center like a baton,
and using its loop to snag feet, hands, and heads.
Minotaur armor
Minotaur's thick hides grant them a natural AC of 7. Because
they value bravery in battle, they rarely deign to wear armor beyond
leather (gaining a -- 1 bonus to AC). Nobles occasionally wear splint
armor or breastplates fashioned of lizard hide or beetle carapace.
Minotaur fighters almost always refuse to use shields, leaving their
hands free to wield two-handed weapons.
Gaming notes
Minotaurs are, without a doubt, the most physically powerful of
all the PC races on Krynn. However, they are often insufferably
arrogant, and they can easily alienate other races. Because they
believe all non-minotaurs to be weak and inferior, they often
underestimate the abilities of their foes. Thus, when creating a
minotaur character, Cha and Wis each receive a -2 penalty. However,
because of their focus on physical disciplines, minotaur PCs gain a +2
bonus to their Str and Con. Maximums and minimums follow:
Ability Min/Max
Strength 12/20
Dexterity 8/18
Constitution 12/20
Intelligence 5/18
Wisdom 3/16
Charisma 3/16
Proficiencies: Minotaurs are excellent seafarers. Since the time
of their creation, they have been perfecting their sailing techniques,
for both piracy and exploration. Although their ships remain somewhat
crude, their navigation is top-notch. Minotaurs thus often have
proficiency in Fishing, Rope Use, Seamanship, Swimming, Weather Sense,
and Navigation.
Minotaur are also excellent combatants. Any minotaur who belongs
to one of the warrior classes can benefit from the fighter
weapon-specialization rules in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook. Such
minotaurs draw almost all of their proficiencies from the warrior
section of the proficiency chart in the Player's Handbook. Minotaur
warriors frequently hire out as mercenaries when they are not in the
service of the minotaur emperor.
Minotaurs also make skilled wizards and priests. They consider
thievery beneath them, although they often engage in piracy and
pillaging.
Ogre Irda
"First-Born"
Appearance
Irda, the high ogres of Krynn, retain the beauty that ogres had
in the creation. In their natural form, Irda stand about 6' tall
(2d10+60 inches) and are slender (6d10+120 pounds). They possess a
dark loveliness that accentuates their cold beauty. Their drawn faces
are regal and statuesque. Beneath drooping eyelids, they have keen
eyes of silver. Their skin color ranges from midnight blue to deep,
sea green. Most Irda have black hair, but some have hair of white or
silver. All keep their hair well-trimmed and combed.
Irda dress in simple clothing -- linen smocks and silken gowns
primarily. They adorn these simple garments with jewelry: pearl
brooches, simple bracelets, and thin necklaces of steel. They will not
don garments made of wool, leather, or any product from animals, and
they eat no meat.
Irda have deeply resonant voices, filled with rich melancholy.
When they sing, audiences become immediately silent and listen
tearfully.
All Irda move with a native grace. Their steps seem to be part
of a silent dance. Rarely do they back into corners or step
off-balance. This fluidity of motion reflects the Irda's deep somatic
awareness, which comes from their being shapechangers. After several
years of practice, Irda can change at will in height (two feet in
either direction) and appearance (the form of any human, demihuman, or
humanoid race). Although each Irda has many faces, they typically
perfect and use only two or three at a time. Over their 500-year
lifespans (5d10+550 years), however, Irda assume many different forms.
The cousins of the Irda do not share their beauty. Evil ogres
stand 9' tall and cover their gray, warty skin with loincloths and
rags. Their faces are studies in brutality, depravity, and cunning
cruelty. Giant ogres stand 24' tall -- even kneeling, they rise above
the heads of the other ogres. They have tusklike teeth that protrude
from their broad mouths and are generally smarter than regular ogres.
Ogre mages stand 10 ' tall. They have lean bodies and share their
cousins' look of bestial cruelty, though they appear much smarter.
Finally (and rather abominably) come half-ogres, crossbreeds between
Evil ogres and humans. They appear like human throwbacks to the time
of caves and clubs.
Personality
Irda have withdrawn from the world, for they teel it does not
welcome them anymore. Although they harbor no animosity toward the
current races of Krynn, they consider humans and demihumans fragile,
flighty, and transient folk who are hopelessly enslaved by their
emotions. Many living Irda remember the Cataclysm and its lessons, but
most living humans and demihumans were not even born until two
centuries after the Cataclysm. Understandably, Irda believe that the
world belongs to alien folk now. However, those Irda who travel amidst
the current folk of Krynn are often surprised by the rich variety and
hearty nature of the people.
Although Irda harbor no animosity toward Krynn's other races,
the feeling is not reciprocated. Humans still tell tales of the wicked
and oppressive ogres who once enslaved them.
These tales describe beasts who surpass even modern ogres in
Evil and depravity. Demihumans hate Irda because they have ogre blood.
Other ogres hate Irda because they betrayed their Evil natures. And
every race distrusts Irda due to their shapechanging ability. Legends
abound of Irda "child stealers," who assume the shape of a child's
parent only to swallow the child whole.
The absurdity of such stories does nothing to discount their
effect in the minds of humans and demihumans. Some human prophecies
even claim that Irda are harbingers of a second Cataclysm. Obviously,
Irda shapeshifting skills come in handy when among the hostile folk of
Ansalon. Even with their abilities, however, Irda are cautious and
fearful.
Irda are completely undeserving of their reputation. Unlike
their Evil ogre kin, Irda have chosen the path of Good. (Their
alignments range from true Neutral to Lawful Good.) Because the gods
of Evil sponsored them in creation, however, the Irda struggle with
the vestiges of Evil within them. Non-Irda often interpreted this
inner struggle as arrogance or antagonism. It is, in fact the
opposite. Irda are peace-loving and gentle folk who retreat from
combat and avoid offending others.
History
Elven bards say that elves were the first to waken upon Krynn.
But elven bards lie. First, the ogres awoke. They breathed in the
primal dawn, bathing themselves in its virgin light. First to rise
from the ground, ogres became the masters of creation. And they were
beautiful. The Irdanaith, a mystical book known only to Irda, teaches
the following truths of creation.
When the gods created Krynn, they formed creatures in their own
image. The gods of Good created elves and taught them Goodness. The
gods of Neutrality created beasts and taught them Neutrality. The gods
of Evil created ogres -- creatures of great beauty and strength -- and
taught them Evil. A fourth type of creature, the Maran humans, partook
of none of these alignments. The High God fashioned them from the
stars and gave them free will.
The ogres rose first. They rubbed the sand of endless sleep from
their eyes and spread out across the continents. They chose mountain
heights for their homes, lofty places from which their lords could
survey the lands. The ogres thus became the lords of creation. The
elves, second to awake, chose to live in the forests, for these folk
were slender and tall like the gentle trees. They became the
Silvanesti. The animals awoke third and spread throughout the world.
They became 'the creatures of every land. When at last the Maran rose
from sleep, all the best lands were taken. They settled in what was
left: barren plains, rugged mountains, icy glaciers, deserts wastes,
and tossing seas. They became the barbarians.
The Evil ogres established a realm of tyranny. The strict laws
of their land enriched and empowered their king and punished
disobedience with death. Once the king gained absolute control over
his folk, he sought for minions elsewhere to dominate. The elves and
their Goodness proved too repulsive to rule. The animals were too
feral and stupid to know they were being ruled. But the Marans --
short-lived and shallow-brained -- could make excellent slaves. Seeing
this, the ogres hunted down the barbarian humans, catching them in
broad nets. Thus, the humans became slaves in ogre mines.
Squalid and weak though the were, the humans had one great
advantage over the ogres: free will. One day, a mine collapsed,
killing many slaves and trapping Everlyn, the beautiful daughter of
ogre overlord Igraine. Igraine ordered the slaves out of the caves,
anxious not to loose any more of his property. A slave named Eadamm
refused to emerge and led slaves to rescue Igraine's daughter. When
Eadamm emerged with Everlyn, Igraine knew he must by law kill Eadamm
for his disobedience. But Igraine admired the slave's choice, and
learned in that day of free will.
Instead of sentencing Eadamm to immediate death, Igraine
fulfilled the law by sentencing him to "death at my whim." Thus,
Eadamm could continue to live, for Igraine would nev er call for the
execution to be carried out. Eadamm, grateful for his reprieve,
marshalled the slaves to double their output for Igraine. Igraine soon
became richest and most powerful ogre in the region. By allowing his
slaves even more freedom, he doubled their output again. But this love
of freedom spread through the ranks of human slaves until revolts
broke out all across the nation. Seeing this, the other ogres quickly
realized the danger of Igraine's leniency. "Igraine's Heresy" they
called it -- a weakness that would lead the ogre state into
destruction and degeneracy. Igraine pleaded his case before the Grand
Council, but the rulers labeled him insane. He barely escaped with his
life. Before fleeing the city, Igraine struck the chains of all his
slaves and pronounced them free.
He also encouraged all of his friends and family (who shared his
lenient views) to do the same. Eadamm then led a slave revolt that
decimated the ogre forces. Thus, the Ogre Wars of the Age of Dreams
began.
Eadamm led his folk into the wilderness, where they harried ogre
civilization for 6 years. At last, the ogres captured the rebel. They
hamstrung him and paraded him about for 6 days, one day for each of
the years he harried their forces. Then, before a packed coliseum, the
ogres drew and quartered him. The crowd consisted almost entirely of
slaves, who were brought to witness Igraine's death as warning against
further rebellions. The slaves did not take the message to heart. They
rebelled, massacring every last ogre in the coliseum.
Meanwhile, Igraine and his followers fled to safety. They
reached an isle north of Ansalon and there set up a homeland. In time,
the Evil ogres who were left behind grew misshapen and horrible, their
appearance matching the corruption in their hearts. Their intellects
and charms vanished also. They became stupid brutes, with only their
vestigial cunning to testify to their former power.
Meanwhile, the Irda (as Igraine's folk called themselves)
remained hidden away from the world. The Evil ogres never ceased to
look for their traitorous brothers. Takhisis herself hunted them in
rage for betraying her worship. Even the men who had been freed by
Igraine forgot his role in their liberation. The humans cast
themselves as the sole leaders of the rebellion, and cast the Irda as
the oppressors. Friendless and hopeless in the world, the Irda
resigned themselves to their inevitable deaths.
Mishakal, the Healing Hand, saw the plight of the Irda folk. As
they slept one night, her healing hand passed through them, granting
their bodies the power to change. She blessed the Irda that they could
take the form of any humanoid creature of Krynn, becoming one with
their enemies. This talent saved the Irda time and again as they
harbored away from the hostile world.
However, Irda isolation did come to an end. The Cataclysm
revealed to Takhisis where her rebels dwelt. She mustered her armies
and, in the War of the Lance, sent a huge force to eradicate her
former servants. The Irda, who had been studying magic for millenia,
staved off the annihilation. However, Takhisis enslaved many Irda and
took them to the mainland. Now, the remaining Irda tentatively seek
ties with the folk of Ansalon to find and free their enslaved
companions.
Lifestyle
The royal line of the Irda stretches back unbroken to the Age of
Dreams and Igraine himself. Irda pride themselves on their heritage
and treat each other with respect and honor. A king or queen rules the
island, and the court of nobility extends to even the most common of
the Irda. This arrangement makes for happy citizens and stable
monarchies. Irda dwellings are as simple and elegant as their
clothing.
They do not build houses, but live in smooth, dry caves during
inclement seasons and warm, lush valleys in the summer. They decorate
their dwelling places with dried flowers and stalks and carefully
avoid fouling their environments. Irda seek to live in harmony with
nature, refusing to wear or eat any products from animals.
Their island home itself, part of the Dragon Isle chain, is
protected by various magics. One permanent spell upon the island makes
it appear merely a flat stretch of open sea. Not even Irda can find
the island except when Solinari is in high sanction. Then, the
homeland calls to them, directing their ship into harbor. If the ship
does not reach the island before Solinari's high sanction ends, it
will often become hopelessly lost at sea.
Irda refer to their mystic book, the Irdanaith, in all matters
of history and faith. Only Irda have even seen or held this book, and
no non-Irda even know of its existence. In addition to the Irdanaith,
Irda have an extensive oral history. Tools, Technology, and Weapons
The Irda are not a technologically-oriented race. Their most common
weapons are vine bolas with hook-shaped stones (Dmg 1d4/1d4 and
entanglement), cluster balls of clay imbedded with poison thorns (Dmg
1d2; save vs. poison or suffer 1d4 points poison damage), and powder
bombs created from hollowed eggs (sleep bombs: save vs. poison or
succumb to sleep; paralysis bombs: save vs. paralyzation or suffer
paralysis for 2d4 rounds; blind bombs: save vs. poison or suffer
blindness for 2d4 rounds).
However, Irda use these weapons only when in a tight spot. They
prefer to rely upon their innate shapechanging ability and their
propensity for magic. Their research into magic is unparalleled,
making even the knowledge contained in the Towers of High Sorcery
minuscule by comparison. Irda wield magic naturally; most Irda are
multi-class mages. They consider magic the best of tools.
Gaming Notes
Irda, while brilliant, graceful, and beautiful have a fainting
nature that endures shocks poorly. They have lost much of the savage
toughness inherent in ogre stock that is pure Evil. Irda PCs therefore
receive a penalty of -3 to Con, but a +1 bonus to each of Dex, Int,
and Cha.
lrda Ability Requirments
Ability Min/Max
Strength 12/18
Dexterity 8/19
Constitution 12/15
Intelligence 5/19
Wisdom 10/18
Charisma 15/19
Special Abilities
Shapechanging: The Irda can, after several years of practice,
learn to shapechange into different forms. They can change their
height by 2 feet in either direction and take the form of any humanoid
race. They are most convincing as elves, half-elves, and humans.
However, shapechanging requires quite a bit of practice and often
drains the Irda for a time. A shapechanger usually practice assuming a
specific form, which he can slip into and out of it with a minimum of
bother. Then he only uses other forms in rare instances.
Although an Irda can shift into a familiar form in 1 round, he
must rest for 5 rounds (5 minutes) to adjust to the new form. For 2
rounds after this adjustment period, the Irda suffers a -2 to all
rolls as he learns the nuances of his new body. If shifting to an
unfamiliar form, the Irda must rest for 1d6+6 rounds, and then suffers
a -2 to all rolls for 4 rounds. Irda bodies cannot be dispelled: they
are solid and take damage just as other bodies do.
Magic: Because of their close relationship to magic, Irda
spellcasters gain one additional spell of the highest level they can
cast. This additional spell applies only to the highest level; it does
not remain with the lower levels as an Irda increases in level.
***
Character Classes of Ansalon
When the gods gave life to the stars -- the sparks from Reorx's
forge -- they established destinies for their new folk. Some were born
to be warriors like the war-god Kiri-eolith. Others were destined to
be wizards, following the paths of Solinari, Nuitari, and Lunitari.
Still others would become priests in the line of Majere or rogues in
the style of Branchala. Descriptions of these character classes
follow.
Overview of Character Classes
The following text quickly reviews the character classes of
Krynn. Following this summary is a list of class and race combinations
and a description of each major character class.
Warriors
Warriors study and master the arts of combat. Some do battle for
sake of honor, some for gods, and some for money. Fighters: These
warriors specialize in the use of armor and weaponry. They commonly
serve as sell-swords (mercenaries).
Paladins: Paladins are holy warriors who promote the cause of
good. They serve a Good god, righting wrongs and punishing the
perpetrators of evil.
Rangers: Rangers master wilderness survival and travel. They
guard those who dwell outside of cities and travel the length and
breadth of Ansalon. Most human rangers come from Nordmaar and the
plains around Tarsis and Abanasinia. Elven rangers roam Silvanesti and
Qualinesti.
Knights of Solamnia: Solamnic Knights champion the cause of
justice and honor. They follow a strict code of honor called the Oath
and the Measure, which they enforce with their very lives. Three
distinct orders form the Solamnic Knights: Knights of the Crown,
Knights of the Sword, and Knights of the Rose.
Barbarians: These savages live close to nature. Formidable
warriors, barbarians in Ansalon come from the northern reaches of
Ergoth and the badlands of Khur.
Cavaliers: These chivalrous warriors loyally serve one ruler.
They excel in honorable combat and horsemanship. Cavaliers may be
candidates for the Knights of Solamnia.
Mariners: Mariners are sailors and pirates of the high seas. In
addition to nautical proficiencies and some rogue abilities, mariners
have the combat prowess of warriors.
Wizards
Wizards practice the arts of magic. They avoid physical combat,
relying on spells for defensive and offensive measures.
Wizards of High Sorcery: These wizards submit themselves to the
three orders of magic on Krynn. Wizards of the White Robe use good
magic, those of the Red Robe use neutral magic, and those of the Black
Robe use evil magic. These Orders of High Sorcery cooperate to control
all magic on Krynn.
Mages (Renegades): Wizards who refuse to submit to the Orders of
High Sorcery are called mages by common folk, but renegades by wizards
of High Sorcery. Renegades are hunted down by wizards of High Sorcery
and commanded to join an order or die. Renegades may be specialist
wizards.
Priests
Priests devote their lives to worshipping and serving gods,
whether Good, Neutral, or Evil and whether false or true. Holy Orders
of the Stars: Priests who worship a true god of Krynn -- Good,
Neutral, or Evil -- belong to that god's Holy Order of the Stars. The
god bestows spells, blessings, and granted powers from his or her
sphere of influence. Each of the three ethoses has six gods (excluding
the gods of magic), resulting in 18 gods and 18 holy orders.
Heathen Priests: A heathen priest worships a false god or one
that does not exist on Krynn. Druids from other worlds are also
heathens because they know nothing of Krynn's gods of nature --
Chislev and Habbakuk. Heathen priests are wandering sages with no
divine power.
Rogues
Rogues live on the fringe of society. They make their
livelihoods in ways that are either illegal or frowned upon. Most
rogues are jacks-of-all-trade, but masters of none. Thieves: Thieves
steals from any tempting target, though they are usually loyal to
friends. Though some worlds recognize thieves as a fact of life, most
Ansalonian societies condemn and severely punish thievery. If any
thieves' guilds exist on Ansalon, they are strictly illegal and
pursued by dogged officials.
Bards: Bards are wandering minstrels with minor thieving
abilities. They tell and collect stories and songs, many of which
center on the War of the Lance.
Handlers: Handlers are kender rogues. They thieve not because of
greed but because of insatiable curiosity. Handlers always choose
pretty and interesting items over those that are costly or practical.
They sometimes leave something behind in exchange for purloined items.
Con Artists/Prestidigitators: These rogues are sleight-of-
hand experts, proficient in many scams.
Normal folk
Normal folk are people who do not fit into the four established
character classes.
Tinkers: Tinkers are gnomes who love to design and construct
machines. Each tinker belongs to a guild that specializes in a
particular branch of technology.
These technologies are incomprehensible to most intelligent,
non-gnomish folk. Often, tinkers' industry far exceeds their skill,
producing complex and worthless machines.
Commoners: The bulk of Ansalon's population avoids the dangerous
life of adventuring. Still, some commoners get embroiled in adventures
or even wars. Commoners are generally farmers or skilled tradesmen
such as blacksmiths, innkeepers, and herbalists.
Class/Race Combinations
Some races are predisposed to certain tasks: gnomes love to
tinker and kender love to handle. Conversely, some races have no
interest or talent for certain tasks: gnomes do not handle and kender
do not tinker. The table in the next column lists the character
classes available to specific races and the ceiling experience level
in that class. If a class is not listed beneath a race, the class is
not available. These restrictions update the classes for the 2nd
Edition AD&D(R) game.
Non-player Character Classes
Dungeon Masters should feel free to create NPC race and class
combinations that mesh with the general society. Common sense is
critical, though. If the players run into a kender Knight of Solamnia,
there had better be an explanation.
Class descriptions
The following section details the major character classes of
Krynn that appear in the previous overview.
Warrior group Classes
Characters on Ansalon play the typical AD&D(R) game warrior
classes of fighter, ranger, and paladin. The unique warrior classes on
Ansalon are outlined following.
Knights of Solamnia
Before the Cataclysm, the Knights of Solamnia were the greatest
order of chivalry in Ansalon. Between the Cataclysm and the War of the
Lance, the knights became reviled and scorned by the people for their
inability or unwillingness to combat.
--------------- This tables to be checked (DK.) ---------------------
Racial Group Char. Class
Dwarf, Hill Warrior
Dwarf, Mountain Priest, Rogue, Warrior
Dwarf, Gully Priest, Rogue, Warrior
Elf: Dimernesti Priest, Rogue, Warrior
Elf: Kagonesti Wizard, Priest, Warrior, Priest, Rogue
Elf: Qualinesti Warrior, Wizard, Priest, Rogue
Elf: Silvanesti Warrior
Gnome, Half-Elf Wizard, Priest, Rogue, Warrior, Wizard, Priest, Rogue
Normal Warrior, Wizard, Priest, Rogue
Irda (High Ogre) Warrior
Kender Wizard, Priest, Rogue, Warrior, Priest, Rogue
Minotaur Warrior
Class Subgroup Level Limit
Fighter 8
Barbarian 10
Ranger 13
Holy Orders 15
Thief 10
Fighter 9
Cavalier 6
Holy Orders 7
Thief 5
Fighter 8
Barbarian 16'
Holy Orders 10'
Thief 10'
Fighter 12
Cavalier 12
High Sorcerer 15
Holy Orders 12
Fighter 12
Barbarian 7
Ranger 14
Holy Orders
Thief
Bard
Fighter
Ranger
High Sorcerer
Mage (Renegade) 11
Holy Orders 12
Thief 12
Bard 12
Fighter 11
Paladin 15
Ranger 9
High Sorcerer 13
Holy Orders 14
Bard 10
Fighter 10
Illusionist 16
Holy Orders 10
Thief 12
Tinker 14
Fighter 9
Knight of Solamnia 14
Mariner 12
Ranger
High Sorcerer
Mage (Renegade)
Holy Orders
Druid (heathen)
Priest (heathen)
Thief
Bard
Fighter
Cavalier
Mariner
Paladin
High Sorcerer
Holy Orders
Thief
Fighter 9
Barbarian 10
Ranger 9
Druid (heathen) 8
Priest (heathen) 8
Thief 15
Bard 6
Handler
Fighter
Barbarian
Mariner
Wizard High Sorcerer 14
Priest Holy Orders 10
The number before the slash is the maximum allowable level while
on land; the Dimernesti are unlimited in the sea. When Dimernesti
above the listed level go on land, their hit points, saving throws,
attack rolls, and levels fall to the maximum allowable. The reduction
ends once the Dimernesti return to the water.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
***
The Cataclysm
After the War of the Lance, the Solamnic Knights regained their
status. They sought to revive their code of honor and apply it to the
new Ansalon.
Origin and History
The Knights of Solamnia arose in the Age of Light, about three
millenia before the War of the Lance. The order of knighthood emerged
from the ruin of the decadent Ergothian Empire.
Rebellion Begins: The commander of the Ergothian Palace Guard,
Vinas Solamnus, rode from the capital city of Daltigoth to quell a
rebellion in the northeast. Arriving at the troubled spot, Vinas saw
that the rebellion was justified: the people toiled beneath the
Empire's oppressive tributes and tyrannical laws.
Solamnus assembled his legion. In an impassioned speech now lost
to history, he detailed the imperial atrocities and announced plans to
champion the people's cause. In addition, he promised any soldier
loyal to Ergoth safe passage back to the capital. But the warriors
were moved by the people's plight and, risking exile or even death,
most chose to stay. In the midst of a fierce winter, Solamnus mustered
his knights and the local frontier nobles. He then launched a series
of daring campaigns, which came to be called the War of Ice Tears. The
rebel army doggedly pushed the Imperial legions back to the very gates
of Daltigoth. Vinas laid siege to the city, executing many covert
raids inside the city walls. In two months, the city fell -- a revolt
among the citizens of Daltigoth forced the Emperor to sue for peace.
Thus, it was not armies but common folk who brought independence to
northeast Ergoth. The people from Hylo to the Khalkist Mountains chose
Solamnus as King, naming the country Solamnia in his honor. Though the
nation did not become a great power during the Age, the name Solamnia
became synonymous with honesty, integrity, and determination.
Quest of Honor: In 2225 PC, the Lords of the Northern Reaches
besought Solamnus for help. They, too, had thrown off the Ergothian
tyranny and wished to unite with Solamnia. Though Vinas wanted to
comply, he saw the task as impossible: the ideals and customs of the
nations differed markedly or even conflicted. King Solamnus therefore
launched his Quest of Honor to find an answer to this problem. He left
his most trusted lieutenants in charge and journeyed into the
wilderness.
Various apocryphal stories tell how Takhisis, the Dark Queen,
initiated several covert plots to topple Solamnia in the absence of
her king. Fortunately, Vinas's lieutenants had learned well from their
king and commander and foiled each plot.
Meanwhile, after many weeks of wilderness travel and hardship,
Solamnus sailed to Sancrist Isle. Arriving bruised and wind-torn, he
forged into the wilderness. In time, he found a glade where a stone of
black granite lay. There he prayed and fasted to the gods of Good.
After several days, the gods Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, and Habbakuk came
to him. They instructed Vinas to create a knighthood that would last
for generations to come. Three separate orders would be created, each
upholding a high ideal from one of the three gods.
These knights would unite the northern lands with Solamnia and
carry on Solamnus's vision of honor and goodness. According to some
legends, Vinas then saw a vision of the future downfall of the
knights. According to others, Paladine reassured Solamnus that the
knights would rise as often as they were truly needed. Some legends
even report that each of the three gods told Solamnus a great secret
of wisdom, and wrote these secrets on three tablets of black granite.
The wisdom tablets are purportedly lost, scattered about the
continent.
All legends agree, though, that the gods then transformed the
stone where Solamnus prayed into a pillar of white crystal. The
crystal blessed and sanctified the glade, sealing the gods' pact to
watch over the orders of knighthood. The gods were bound to the pact
unless the knights strayed from the narrow path of honor. Solamnus
returned and established the three orders of the Knights of Solamnia:
the Orders of the Crown, the Sword, and the Rose.
Knights of legend: Vinas himself became the most famous Solamnic
Knight, though two of his contemporaries also became legends: Bedal
Brightblade and Huma Dragonbane. Bedal Brightblade single-handedly
held a pass into Solamnia against hordes of desert nomads. His sword
Brightblade was of dwarven make, never rusting or losing its edge
despite heavy use. The tomb of Bedal lies buried in the southern arm
of the Khalkist Mountains, its location all but lost. Legend states
that Bedal will return to aid Solamnia in its darkest hour. Sturm
Brightblade, a knight of great honor and fame, is a distant descendant
of Bedal.
Only one Solamnic Knight ever exceeded Vinas in virtue: Huma
Dragonbane. He led a group of heroes to destroy the Evil dragons and
drive them from Solamnia. Huma's greatest ally was a silver dragon
who, in her human form, had fallen tragically in love with the knight.
During their battle with Takhisis, Huma sustained a mortal wound. Some
accounts say he died where he fell; others say his death was slow and
painful, causing the agonized gods to inflict thunderstorms across
Ansalon. To this day, many Solamnians claim that thunderstorms mark
the gods' mourning for Huma.
Huma was reverently buried in a tomb shaped like a silver
dragon. Many who aspired to knighthood pilgrimaged to the spot. As the
world darkened, the path to the tomb became rough and overgrown. Soon,
folk even questioned whether Huma had truly lived, or was only a
legend. The location of Huma's tomb fell from memory.
During the War of the Lance, a band of heroes found Huma's tomb.
There they also discovered the special metal used to make
Dragonlances. Wanting to finally establish the truth of the Huma
legends, the heroes opened the tomb. It was empty. Had the gods of
Good taken Huma's body up to the heavens? Had the evil dragons or even
Takhisis stolen the body? The original legend, told by the elven bard
Quevalen Soth, was now too fragmented to offer any answers. The
discovery of Huma's tomb had only deepened the mystery.
Cataclysm and Knighthood: The Kingpriest of Istar's monomaniacal
quest to extinguish Evil was quickly eroding the foundation of the
world -- the balance between Good, Neutrality, and Evil. Krynn was
poised on destruction. Ironically, the gods could halt the destruction
only through an equally destructive force. They dropped a fiery
mountain onto the capital city of Istar. The resulting devastation
changed the face of Ansalon and sundered her great civilizations.
Solamnia, though spared the worst, was overrun by evil
creatures. Beasts boiled up from beneath the earth and ravaged the
nation. Many knights died fighting these gruesome horrors. After years
of such attacks, the people's faith in the Solamnic knights dwindled,
then vanished. Rumors purported that the knights knew of the Cataclysm
in advance and refused to avert it. There was a kernel of truth to
these rumors.
Lord Soth: Lord Soth, Knight of the Rose in Dargaard Keep, had
known of the disaster and chose not to avert it.
Soth's unimpeachable honor first began to crumble when he fell
in love with an elf lass, a disciple of the Kingpriest. Breaking his
knightly vows and his wedding vows, Soth seduced the elf and brought
her, pregnant, back to his keep. Then he slew his barren human wife
and claimed she died of natural causes. Soth took the elven woman as
his lawful wife and the half-elven child he sired became his legal
heir.
The elven woman, discovering Soth's evil, prayed for a way he
might redeem himself. In answer to her prayer, the gods revealed to
her the impending Cataclysm. It could be averted only if Lord Soth
rode to Istar and sacrificed his own life to stop the Kingpriest.
Soth, wanting to regain his honor, even if it meant death, rode off
with his loyal knights. On the road, Soth was confronted by a troop of
elven priestesses who threatened to divulge his adulteries and murder.
Further, they claimed his elven wife was unfaithful to him.
Desperate to guard his secrets and enraged by his wife's alleged
infidelities, Soth turned back from his quest. The burning mountain
fell. Soth reached Dargaard Keep in time to watch his wife and child
perish in flames. He did not lift a finger to save them. Instead, he
walked to his burning throne and sat there. The throne became his
pyre. The fire killed the innocent -- the elven woman and her son --
but only transformed the guilty. Soth became a death knight; his
retainers burned away to skeletal warriors; and the elven priestesses
became banshees, eternally circling his throne and keening his sins.
These foul deeds blighted the name of the knighthood in a time
when knights were needed. Soon, the Oath and the Measure were publicly
jeered. Words escalated into violence. Knights were foully murdered;
their castles and homes were invaded and seized; their families were
slaughtered or driven into exile.
Centuries of heroism fell to years of panicked hatred. The
Solamnic Knights faded from view. Some forsook the road of honor and
took up the simple tools of laborers. Others roamed the countryside
under false names, continuing to fight evil. Others still, who could
not bear to work in secret, left Solamnia and settled on Sancrist. To
this day, a settlement of knights thrives there.
The Organization of the Knighthood
The ancient organization of Solamnic Knights has withstood great
upheavals in its 2,500-year reign. The most profound tribulations
occurred after the Cataclysm, when many circles of knighthood dwindled
or disappeared and the Great Circle -- the oldest established body --
moved from Vingaard Keep to Whitestone Glade on the Isle of Sancrist.
From 2225 PC to the Cataclysm, the Knights of Solamnia were
ruled by the Grand Master (i.e., the Lord of Knights) and the three
High Knights. Since the Cataclysm, however, the Grand Master position
has remained vacant. To fill these positions, the knighthood would
need to order a Grand Circle of Knights. A Grand Circle requires at
least three quarters of the established circles of knights to send two
knight representatives to vote. Sadly, only 63 knightly circles are
known to remain -- not enough for a quorum. Knights are, however,
presently emerging across the continent's face and slowly refilling
the ranks. Perhaps a new ruling council can be elected soon.
The position of Grand Master must be filled by a High Knight --
the High Warrior, High Clerist, or High Justice. Once elected, the
Lord of Knights serves for life unless found guilty of a breach of
honor by the unanimous decision of the High Knights. The Lord of
Knights commands the High Knights, who in turn command their
respective orders of knighthood. All three High Knights and the Grand
Master must be present for a Knightly Council, which makes all the
decisions for the knighthood. The High Warrior rules the Order of the
Crown, the High Clerist rules the Order of the Sword, and the High
Justice rules the Order of the Rose. Each order chooses its own leader
by nomination and election, independent of the others.
Each order contains numerous geographical circles of knighthood.
The troubles after the Cataclysm reduced many circles to covert cells.
These cells appear throughout Ansalon, in major cities and towns where
knights are despised, distrusted, or even banned outright. Cities such
as Nordmaar, Tarsis, and any Dragonarmy-occupied town contain covert
cells. Most knights dislike having to work secretly,. but they endure
for sake of the Oath and the Measure. Some maintain communication with
the Grand Circle in Sancrist, but many are isolated. All such cells
adhere to the Oath, slaying evil and giving aid when needed. Every
day, these cells receive the pledges of new Knights of Solamnia. And
every day they grow bolder.
In other cities, knights are welcome -- for the citizens know of
Solamnic heroics in the War of the Lance. Here circles exist openly
and are easy to find. Sancrist and the cities of Solamnia contain
numerous open circles.
Motto and Laws
For over 15 centuries, the knights have lived by two codes: the
Oath and the Measure. The Oath is simply "Est Sularus oth Mithas,"
which means "My Honor is My Life." The Measure is a voluminous set of
laws that defines the term honor. The full measure is detailed in the
writings of Vinas Solamnus and his successors -- a library of 37 large
volumes.
Obedience to the spirit of these laws is the chief goal of
knighthood. During the War of the Lance, the Solamnic Knights forgot
the spirit of the Measure and clung to the unfeeling letter of the
law. In time and at great cost, the knights learned that honor lies in
the heart of each knight, not in a set of dusty books. This
realization points to a brighter future for the Knights of Solamnia.
A summary of the Measure for each order follows.
The measure of Knights of the Crown
Loyalty and obedience epitomize the Knights of the Crown.
Loyalty is unquestioning faithfulness to the cause of a higher power.
Knights of the Crown view loyalty as a tribute to be justly and
voluntarily rendered. The Order of the Crown is loyal to the order's
founding god Habbakuk, to those who suffer under evil's weight, and to
rulers who, by decree of the Knightly Council, deserve the knights'
loyalty and protection. Only rulers who follow the tenets of Good are
deserving -- politics does not sway this decision. The list of
approved rulers is called the List of Loyalty.
Obedience is the practical manifestation of loyalty. A Knight of
the Crown must unquestioningly obey those on the List of Loyalty.
The specific responsibilities of a Knight of the Crown include
tithing income, aiding any knight who requires help, and service to
the nations on the List of Loyalty.
The Measure of Knights of the Sword
Knights of the Sword act as warriors for the gods of Good,
upholding the purest ideals of heroism and courage. Heroism is
self-sacrificial fight for the cause of Good. Heroic deeds include
strengthening the weak, enriching the poor, freeing the enslaved,
exonerating the falsely accused, championing the defenseless, and
aiding fellow knights in need.
Courage is readiness to die honorably in the fight for Good.
Courageous acts include facing evil fearlessly, defending the honor of
the knighthood, defending the honor of a fellow knight, and protecting
the defenseless and weak.
A Knight of the Sword must surrender all personal wealth to the
knightly coffers (save what is needed for upkeep), pay homage to
Kiri-Jolith and the gods of Good each day, eagerly engage evil
opponents in combat (not retreating regardless of the enemy's
strength), protect the weak and defenseless, and forswear use of
knightly powers for unrighteous reasons.
The Measure of Knights of the Rose
The Order of the Rose embraces honor guided by justice and
wisdom. Honor is allegiance to one's Oath to defend the cause of Good.
Honorable deeds include sacrificing oneself for the sake of others,
refusing to surrender to or ally with an evil foe, defending the
knighthood to the death, protecting the lives of fellow knights, and
living true to the Oath in all matters. Justice is the heart of the
Measure and the soul of a Rose Knight: to render to everyone --
creature, person, or god -- his or her due. Just acts include aiding
those who are less fortunate, donating all wealth to the knightly
coffers (except what is needed for personal or parochial upkeep),
worshipping and obeying Paladine and the gods of Good, fighting
injustice with courage and commitment, and seeing that no life is
wasted or sacrificed in vain.
Wisdom is the prudent use of one's abilities and resources to
uphold honor and render justice.
Becoming a Knight of Solamna
Becoming a Crown Knight: All who wish to become Solamnic Knights
must first enter the knighthood as squires of the Knights of the
Crown, regardless of which order the knight intends to eventually
join.
Candidates for Solamnic Knighthood must be sponsored byan
established knight (at least 5th level). The sponsor must be in good
standing with one of the three orders. After the candidates are
presented to a Knightly Council, they vow allegiance to the honor and
ideals of the knighthood, to the causes of the Order of the Crown, and
to the order itself. If the attending knights unanimously agree and no
one questions the candidates' honor, then all are accepted into the
knighthood as Squires of the Crown. Those whose honor is questioned
are interviewed separately after the other candidates are sworn in. If
the question of honor is dismissed, the candidate is sworn in
normally. If not, the candidate is dismissed until the question of
honor is satisfied.
Because their order is the easiest to follow, Knights of the
Crown advance more quickly than other knights. They also have fewer
special powers, for power comes through discipline.
Becoming a Sword Knight: Upon completing duties as a Squire of
the Crown (gaining enough experience to be 3rd level), a knight may
continue in that order or apply to the Order of the Sword. Knights who
wish to become Knights of the Rose must first serve in the Order of
the Sword. The applicant must seek out an established Knight of the
Sword (at least 7th level) to apply to the order.
In addition, each candidate for the Order of the Sword must
complete a quest that promotes the cause of the order. The quest must
be a witnessed (or otherwise verifiable) deed of heroism that
exemplifies knightly honor and goodness. The quest must include a
30-day and 500-mile journey, the restoration of something that was
lost, single combat with an evil and equally matched (same level or
HD) opponent, and three tests of wisdom, one of generosity, and one of
compassion.
After the quest is completed, the knight appears before a
Knightly Council, telling of the quest and presenting evidence. If the
presiding High Clerist (level 11) finds the tale and deed acceptable,
the candidate takes the Oath. If the High Clerist is not present,
another high-ranking Sword Knight (level 9 or above) can preside.
Otherwise, the matter is tabled until a lawful council can convene.
Knights of the Sword honor the True Gods, learning clerical
disciplines. Through these disciplines, Knights of the Sword receive
from the gods magical healing abilities, limited foresight, and
prophecy. Before the Cataclysm, these special abilities made Sword
Knights a welcome sight in ravaged cities. Now, the knights' powers
are often considered sorcery and punished by death.
Knights of the Sword gain clerical spells by spending a holy day
in fasting and prayer. When a knight joins the order, he selects a
holy day, designating it for worship and meditation. During devotions
on that day, the knight asks his god for that week's powers. Like
normal clerics, the spells remain with the knight until used. Once
used, the knight can regain the spells only on the appointed holy day.
During the holy day, the knight cannot do battle, earn profit,
or speak harshly to anyone. The knight cannot travel unless in
silence, and must spend three hours in solitude and meditation. The
books of the Measure claim that no beast will attack a Sword Knight on
a holy day as long as the knight remains true. Those who break their
vows have twice the likelihood of evil encounters that day, unless the
knight atones, performing a service for the temple of his god.
Becoming a Rose Knight: When a Sword Knight's initial training
is complete (has enough experience to be 4th level), he may choose to
either remain a Sword Knight or apply to the Order of the Rose. An
applicant must appear before a Rose Knight Council at which a
high-ranking Knight of the Rose (at least 9th level) presides.
To join the order, a supplicant must appear in council before
the presiding High Justice. There, the Knight must tell the tale of
his family and lineage, as well as his deeds of honor. Afterward, the
Council meets in private and determines whether to accept or reject
the petition.
Before the Cataclysm, only Sword Knights of royal blood could
become Rose Knights. Scholars say this restriction arose long after
Vinas Solamnus's time. Now in postCataclysmic times, the bloodline
stipulation has fallen to disuse, for a number of reasons: the
Cataclysm destroyed records and muddled bloodlines, marriages and
alliances between noble and common folk confused lineages, and courage
and honor proved more crucial to the knighthood than royal blood.
A candidate who passes these examinations is assigned a quest to
prove loyalty to the order and its cause. The quest must include a
30-day and 500-mile journey, the restoration of something that was
lost, defeat of an evil and more powerful opponent, and one test of
wisdom, three of generosity, and three of compassion. The completion
of these tasks must be witnessed or evidenced. A candidate who returns
and tells of the quest is judged before a council of the Order of the
Rose. If the quest and candidate are found fitting, the person becomes
a Knight of the Rose.
Game Information for Knights of Solamnia
Advancing to Another Order: A knight may advance to the Order of
the Sword as soon as he becomes a 3rd-level Crown Knight, and may
advance to the Order of the Rose as soon as he becomes a 4th-level
Sword Knight. Note that a knight can apply for a higher order at any
time after attaining the proper level. Thus, a Knight of the Crown may
apply for the Order of the Sword as soon as he reaches 3rd level or
may continue as a Crown Knight for many levels before applying.
When a knight advances to a higher order, his experience points
drop to zero, though he retains all previous hit points. His THAC0 and
saving throws are calculated from the lowest level of the new order.
He will not gain any new hit points until his new level exceeds his
level in the previous order. This rule reflects the fact that even
experienced knights are novices when they enter a new order. Thus, a
knight who wishes to change orders should do so as soon as he is able.
If an experienced warrior joins the knighthood, he becomes a
1st-level Crown Knight but retains his hit points, THAC0, level, and
proficiencies as a warrior (a slight modification to the dual class
rules). From that point on, however, he no longer advances in level as
a warrior; he instead uses the experience table for Crown Knights.
Further, no increase occurs to the character's hit points, THAC0, or
proficiencies until his level as a Solamnic Knight exceeds that of his
last class. Then these statistics are recalculated according to the
new level. The character cannot switch back and forth.
There is only one High Warrior, High Clerist, and High Justice
in their respective orders; All other knights who reach these levels
or above retain the titles of Lord Warrior, Lord Clerist, and Lord
Justice respectively until elected to the proper positions.
Statistics for the Knights of Solamnia: Knights of Solamnia are
part of the warrior group, and consequently use d10s for their Hit
Dice. They derive proficiencies, saving throws, and THAC0s from the
warrior group.
Knights who are not well known in an area suffer a -4 penalty to
NPC reactions.
Weapon Proficiencies: Required: Lance (any) and Sword (any).
Recommended: All other Lances and Swords, all Horsemen's Weapons,
Dagger, Spear, Javelin.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus: Land-Based Riding. Recommended:
Animal Handling, Heraldry, Healing, Reading/ Writing, Blind-Fighting,
Endurance.
Equipment: A Knight of Solamnia must spend his initial steel
pieces on at least two weapons -- one lance and one Sword.
Crown Knights Minimum Scores
Strength 10
Dexterity 8
Constitution 10
Intelligence 7
Wisdom 10
Experience
Level Points Hit Dice Title
1 10 2 Squire of Crown
2 2,500 3 Defender of Crown
3 5,000 4 Knight of Crown
4 10,000 5 Scepter Knight
5 18,500 6 Shield Knight
6 37,000 7 Shield of Crown
7 85,000 8 Lord of Shields
8 140,000 9 Lord of Crown
9 220,000 10 Master Warrior
10 300,000 10+2 Lord Warrior
11 600,000 10+4 High Warrior
12 900,000 10+6
13 1,200,000 10+8
14 1,500,000 10+10
15 1,800,000 10+12
16 2,100,000 10+14
17 2,400,000 10+16
18 2,700,000 10+18
19 3,000,000 10+20
20 3,300,000 10+22
21 3,700,000 10+23
22 4,100,000 10+24
23 4,500,000 10+25
24 5,000,000 10+26
25 5,500,000 10+27
Knights of the Crown may use weapon specialization. They are in
all other respects treated as members of the Warrior group, with
commensurate THAC0, saves, and proficiencies.
Sword Knights Minimum Scores
Strength 12
Dexterity 9
Constitution 10
intelligence 9
Wisdom 13
Level Experience Points Hit Dice Title
3 0 4 Novice of Swords
4 12,000 5 Knight of Swords
5 24,000 6 Blade Knight
6 45,000 7 Knight Clerist
7 95,000 8 Abbot of Swords
8 175,000 9 Elder of Swords
9 350,000 10 Master of Swords
10 700,000 10+2 Lord of Swords
11 1,050,000 10+4 Master Clerist
12 1,400,000 10+6 Lord Clerist
13 1,750,000 10+8 High Clerist
14 2,100,000 10+10
15 2,450,000 10+12
16 2,800,000 10+14
17 3,150,000 10+16
18 3,500,000 10+18
19 3,900,000 10+20
20 4,300,000 10+22
21 4,700,000 10+24
22 5,100,000 10+26
23 5,500,000 10+27
24 6,000,000 10+28
25 6,500,000 10+29
Special Abilities: Sword Knights gain the abilities of the
Paladin class at their current level. In addition, they gain priestly
spells.
--------------- This tables to be checked (DK.) ---------------------
Sword Knight Spells Table
Knight Level Clerical Spell Level
1
2
3
4
5
6 1
7 2
8 2 1
9 3 2
10 4 2
11 4 2
12 5 3 1
13 6 4 1 1
14 7 5 1 1 1 1
15 8 6 2 1 1 1 1
16 9 7 3 2 2 1 1
17 9 8 3 2 3 2 1
18*9 9 4 3 3 2 1
*Maximum allowable spell level.
5 4
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sword Knights do not gain bonus spells for Wisdom. In order to
regain a spell, a Sword Knight must spend one-half hour per level of
spell in prayer and meditation. A knight can never meditate more than
six hours per day.
Knights of the Sword use spells of Kiri-Jolith, though Paladine
is the god most revered by this order (see p. 176). This arrangement
results from the origins of the knighthood. KiriJolith, being the god
of holy warfare, inspired the creation of the Order of the Sword, and
so he grants Sword Knights their powers.
Rose Knights Minimum Scores
Strength 15
Dexterity 12
Constitution 15
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 13
Level Experience Points Hit Dice Title
4 0 5 Novice of Roses
5 27,000 6 Knight of Tears
6 60,000 7 Knight of Mind
7 125,000 8 Knight of Heart
8 200,000 9 Knight of Roses
9 425,000 10 Keeper of Roses
10 800,000 10+2 Master of Roses
11 1,500,000 10+4 Archknight
12 2,000,000 10+6 Lord of Roses
13 2,500,000 10+8 Master of Justice
14 3,000,000 10+10 Lord of Justice
15 3,500,000 10+12 High Justice
16 4,000,000 10+14
17 4,500,000 10+16
18 5,000,000 10+18
19 5,500,000 10+20
20 6,000,000 10+22
21 6,500,000 10+23
22 7,000,000 10+24
23 7,500,000 10+25
24 8,000,000 10+26
25 9,000,000 10+27
Special Abilities: Knights of the Rose are completely immune to
fear spells.
Barbarians
Barbarians are warriors who live on the edge of civilization,
both geographically and culturally. Because they do not live the soft
lives of town and city dwellers, they are, on the average, a tougher
breed of fighter. The barbarian is a class within the warrior group.
Their THAC0s, experience point levels, saving throws, and other
statistics are the same as for standard fighters, unless otherwise
noted. (See the People of Ansalon chapter for a discussion of
barbarians as a race.)
Barbarian Minimum
Strength 10
Dexterity 8
Constitution 12
Wisdom 8
Characters who fail to meet these minimums can still be from a
barbarian tribe but cannot belong to the barbarian fighter class.
Weapon Proficiencies: Required: Battle Axe, Bastard Sword.
Recommended: Bow (any), Sling, Sword (any), War Hammer.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiency: Endurance.
Recommended: Animal Handling, Animal Training, Direction Sense,
Fire-Building, Land-Based Riding, Weather Sense, Blind-Fighting,
Hunting, Mountaineering, Running, Set Snares, Survival, Tracking.
DMs may rule that the Barbarian character must select a
proficiency to match the tribal subsistence pattern, such as
Agriculture, Fishing, or Hunting. Equipment: A barbarian character may
not purchase armor heavier than splint, banded, or bronze plate mail
until after he ventures into the outside world. The only weapons that
may be purchased are those common to the barbarian's tribe.
Special Benefits: Barbarians, due to their impressive strength
and savage magnetism, gain a +3 reaction bonus in certain situations.
Whenever the barbarian character has a reaction roll of 8 or less,
counting racial and Charisma bonuses, the +3 bonus is subtracted,
making for an even stronger good reaction.
Special Hindrance: On the other hand, these striking qualities
can work as a disadvantage, too. Whenever the barbarian character gets
a reaction roll of 14 or more, a -3 penalty is subtracted (the net
result is added), making the reaction worse than it would have been.
Wealth Options: Barbarians start with 3d4x10 stl, and
must spend all but three stl or less.
Plains Barbarians
Most of Ansalon's plains barbarians are found in the land of
Abanasinia, the homeland for a number of tribes. Plains barbarians
also appear in any plains area that has a 50 mile radius with no
cities or towns. Plains barbarians are common on Ansalon, and thus
receive no special abilities or penalties over the typical barbarian
class. (See "Barbarians" in the People of Ansalon chapter.)
Ice Barbarians
Ice Barbarians live in the regions of Icereach. These
goodaligned folk battle the Thanoi while remaining out of reach of
most civilized areas.
Special Abilities: Besides the abilities listed in the barbarian
class description, Ice Barbarians have immunity to cold based attacks
such as white dragon breath and cone of cold spells.
Ice barbarians automatically gain the Survival (arctic)
nonweapon proficiency. They begin with 1d4x10 stl. Though characters
cannot initially purchase armor, each PC has a bulky fur wrap that
grants AC 5. Weapons common among ice barbarians are clubs, battle
axes, maces, and daggers.
Cavaliers
Though no ruler sponsors the Solamnic Knights, other chivalric
orders of Ansalon work for specific rulers. Knights of such orders are
called cavaliers.
Cavaliers belong to the warrior group, and unless stated
otherwise, share the characteristics of other warriors. Cavaliers are
mounted warriors, shining knights, the best of the best. These mighty
heroes abide by a strict code of chivalry.
Cavalier Minimum
Strength 15
Dexterity 15
Constitution 15
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 10
All cavaliers must be good aligned and of at least the Upper
Class social tier. Fighters and paladins may be cavaliers. Weapon
Proficiencies: Required: Lance (any), Sword (any). Recommended: All
other Lances and Swords, all Horseman's Weapons, Dagger, Spear,
Javelin.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiencies: LandBased Riding,
Etiquette. Recommended: Animal Handling, Animal Training, Dancing,
Heraldry, Musical Instrument, Reading/Writing, Blind-Fighting,
Endurance.
Equipment: A cavalier starts his career with at least two
weapons, including one lance and one sword, and must buy the most
expensive set of armor he can afford (unless his social rank allows
him armor -- see the end of the chapter). Cavaliers begin play with a
free horse -- a Light, Medium, or Heavy Warhorse, subject to DM
approval.
Special Benefits: At 1st level, a cavalier gets a +1 bonus to
hit when on horseback and using a lance with which he is proficient.
This bonus increases +1 for every six additional experience levels.
At 3rd level, he gains a +1 to hit with any one type of sword
with which he is proficient. This bonus increases +1 with every six
additional levels.
At 5th level, he gains a +1 to hit with a pick, mace, or flail,
all of the horseman variety. This bonus increases +1 for every six
additional levels.
Cavaliers are immune to fear spells. Due to bravery, a cavalier
inspires confidence in others and bolsters their courage. They radiate
an emotion spell of courage in a 10' radius, (see the 4th-level wizard
spell), and thereby negate fear. (Cavaliers cannot evoke the berserker
response that wizards can.) Cavaliers also gain a +4 saving throw
bonus vs. All magic that affects the mind, such spells as charm
person, friends, hypnotism, sleep, irritation, ray of enfeeblement,
scare, geas, command, charm person or mammal, enthrall, cloak of
bravery, and symbol.
The cavalier receives a +3 reaction bonus from anyone of his own
culture, except evil persons and criminals, from whom he receives a -3
penalty.
Special Hindrances: Cavaliers cannot attack an opponent from a
distance if he can instead charge ahead and attack in melee or
jousting combat. He therefore cannot shoot from cover with a bow or
crossbow, nor hide behind a shield wall and use a polearm. In extreme
situations, like saving the life of a defenseless innocent, a cavalier
who cannot close to melee range may use a bow.
In any melee, the cavalier must attack the largest and most
powerful-looking enemy. If blocked by lesser troops, the cavalier must
disable them as quickly as possible, then get to the "real" opponent.
Cavaliers always own the best possible armor type, with the goal
of eventually owning a suit of full plate armor. Magical enchantment
is less important than armor type: a cavalier would turn down chain
mail +5 to wear a suit of mundane plate mail.
All cavaliers follow a code of chivalry. The Code and Measure of
the Solamnic Knights is but one code, albeit the most complex on
Ansalon. Most other codes are similar, extolling the virtues of honor,
noble quests, fair play, protecting the innocent, obedience to a lord,
respect for peers, disdain for the debase, glory in battle, death to
evildoers, and death before dishonor. First to attack and last to
withdraw is a common battle philosophy for a cavalier. The DM and PC
should work out a clearly understood code of chivalry before beginning
play. Should a cavalier violate this code, the first offense brings
guilt. (The DM informs the PC as much.) The second offense strips all
cavalier special abilities from the PC until he repents and performs a
dangerous task, adhering to his code, but without his powers. A third
failing without repentance means the cavalier has abandoned the class
completely. He suffers a permanent -3 reaction penalty from all
members of his own culture (even the evil folk). His horse flees as
soon as it can. It would rather die than let the fallen cavalier ride
it again. Wealth Options: The cavalier starts with the basic Warrior
wealth of 5d4x10 stl.
Mariners
This class of character is part fighter, part sailor, and even
part thief. Call them pirates, privateers, or buccaneers, they use
their skills for everything from stealing from other ships to
defending those who are preyed upon by pirates. The skills are the
same; only the motivations are different. Some mariners are
unremarkable in their goals. They seek only to make a living and sail
the seas unmolested. Others make that living by piracy against
innocent ships as well as raiding coastal communities.
Mariners Minimum
Strength 12
Dexterity 11
Mariners may be of any alignment except lawful good. Weapon
Proficiencies: Required: Cutlass, Belaying Pin, or Gaff Hook.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiencies: Rope Use,
Seamanship, Tumbling. Recommended: Direction Sense, Fishing, Swimming,
Weather Sense, Appraising, Gaming, Tightrope Walking, Navigation.
Equipment: Mariners do not wear metal armor: it tangles in the
rigging and drowns those who fall overboard.
Special Benefits: Mariners gain the thieving abilities Climb
Walls, Detect Noise, Hide in Shadows, and Move Silently. In addition
to the base totals and race and Dexterity bonuses, the 1st-level
mariner has 30 points to distribute to the four skills, with no more
than 10 points awarded to one skill. Every level of advancement gives
the Mariner an additional 10 points, with not more than five points to
be used on any one skill.
Special Hindrance: There are no specific hindrances, though
successful pirate characters gain a reputation that brings competing
pirates, bounty hunters, and other unsavory individuals after them.
Wizard group Classes
Following a war to rid Krynn of all magic, wizards became highly
organized and magic became jealously guarded. Wizards accustomed to
the magical free-for-all on other worlds are in for a shock on Krynn.
Wizards of High Sorcery
Origins: In the Age of Dreams, before the stars were firmly
fixed in the heavens, the gods of magic walked on Krynn. Solinari,
Lunitari, and Nuitari they were. They each held a love for magic, for
the new world of Krynn, and for the spiritbeings called stars.
This third love was held by all the gods, which led to the
All-Saints' War. The three gods of magic did not join in the battles,
choosing instead to orbit the planet. But their eyes and hearts were
ever attentive to the fate of the stars. During the long war, each god
took occasion to walk Ansalon in search of one mortal follower. They
each found such a creature and bestowed on it the keys to the Lost
Citadel -- an amazing place of magic beyond the circles of the
universe. Taking their disciples to the Lost Citadel, the gods taught
them the three Foundations of Wizardry:
1) All wizards are brothers in their order. All orders are
brothers in the power.
2) The places of High Wizardry are held in common among all the
orders and no sorcery is to be used there in anger against fellow
wizards.
3) The world beyond the walls of the towers may bring brother
against brother and order against order, but such is the way of the
universe.
Returning their apprentices to Krynn, the gods of magic
established the three Orders of High Sorcery, Solinari, god of Good
magic, founded the Order of the White Robes; Lunitari, god of Neutral
magic, founded the Order of the Red Robes; and Nuitari, god of Evil
magic, founded the Order of the Black Robes. Initially, the Orders of
Sorcery were loosely knit groups of wizards. As war with the dragons
grew inevitable, the Masters of each order assembled at the Lost
Citadel to proclaim the unity of the orders.
Since that time, all Wizards of High Sorcery vow first loyalty
to magic and its continued existence on Ansalon. This loyalty lets
magic flourish, despite attempts to eliminate it. After this primary
loyalty, wizards have loyalty to their orders. A White Robe and a
Black Robe wizard, fighting in opposing armies, would do everything
necessary to destroy each other. If the wizards met on neutral ground,
however, they would most likely compare notes and discuss magical
matters. If an outside force were threatening the destruction of
magic, the wizards would band together to stop it.
Moons and magic
Each of the three Orders of High Sorcery receives its powers
from one of the three magic moons. Wizards of the White Robes gain
power from Solinari, Red Robes from Lunitari, and Black Robes from
Nuitari.
The phase and alignment of a specific moon affects the power
level of a given order. For example, Lunitari in low sanction provides
penalties to Red Robes, but does not affect the other two orders.
Wizards of 1st through 3rd level are never affected by the lunar
phases: their spells are of low enough power.
--------------- This table needs to be checked (DK.)-----------------
Moon Phase Effects Table
Additional Effective
Spells Level
MoonSaving +1 Normal
PhaseThrow +2 +1
WaxingNormal 0 Normal
High Sanction +1 -1
WaningNormal 0
Low Sanction -1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Only wizards of 6th level or higher and with Intelligence of 15
or greater receive high sanction bonuses. Others default to the waxing
bonuses. The additional spells can be of any level that the wizard can
cast.
--------------- This table needs to be checked (DK.)-----------------
Moon Alignment
Effects Table
Saving Additional Effective
Alignment Throw Spells Level
Sol with Lun. +1 +1 +1
NuitwithLun. +1 +1 +1
Sol with Nuit. +1 0 Normal
All Thtee Moons. +2 +2 +1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Note that all alignment effects are cumulative with all phase
effects. Thus, when all three moons are aligned in high sanction, a
wizard would gain a +3 saving throw, +4 spells, and +2 effective
levels. This singular event is called the Night of the Eye -- the
three moons line up in front-to-back order (Nuitari, Lunitari, and
Solinari), resembling a huge white eye with a black pupil and a red
iris. It is a terrifying sight. Most nonspellcasting folk fear this
night, for it sets all magic is at its peak.
Use the following chart to determine the moon cycles. The outer
ring represents the cycle of the largest and farthest moon, Solinari,
whose orbit is shown divided into 36 days. The second ring represents
the cycle of the second largest moon, Lunitari, whose orbit takes 28
days. The inner ring represents the cycle of the smallest and nearest
moon, Nuitari, whose orbit takes only 8 days. To determine alignment,
find the moons' relative positions and phases on a given day, then add
(or subtract) an equal number of days on each track to determine the
positions on another day.
Towers of High Sorcery
In pre-Cataclysm days, five towers served as common ground for
the Orders of High Sorcery. These towers stood in the locations
eventually known as Palanthus, Wayreth, Istar, Daltigoth, and the
Ruins.
The general plan for the towers' construction was decided by a
committee of members from all three orders. They designed a central
complex with a tower surrounded by a field or garden. The actual
construction, however, was overseen by the wizards living in each
area. Thus, despite the standardized design, each tower reflects the
tastes of the region.
In addition to differing decorations, each tower has a unique
field. The Tower of Wayreth is surrounded by a transdimensional field,
which allows it to appear anywhere within 500 miles of its original
location in Wayreth Forest. The Tower in Palanthus is surrounded by
the Shoikan Grove, which emanates a powerful fear spell. These two
towers are the most popular, most well-known of the five.
Details about the other three towers are sketchy, thanks in part
to the Cataclysm. Apparently the garden around Daltigoth once caused
sleep, that around Istar made characters forget, and that around the
Ruins created intense feelings of passion. In addition, a series of
unique wards and obstacles created a first line of defense for these
towers.
All the towers are neutral zones. Fighting among wizards at the
towers is forbidden, punishable by immediate death.
Organization
The Orders of High Sorcery are ruled by a representative council
of 21 wizards called the Conclave of Wizards. Seven archmages (18th
level or above) of each order serve as a delegation to the Conclave of
Wizards. The Conclave convenes in accordance with the moon cycles to
discuss routine as well as urgent issues.
One of the seven delegates from each order serves as the order's
Master. The means of selecting the Master differ from order to order:
white Robes hold an election; Red Robes draw lots from the seven
Conclave members; Black Robes hold contests to prove magical prowess
and domination. Once a Master is chosen, he or she serves for life
unless convicted of a serious breach of loyalty by unanimous vote of
that order's delegation.
The Master of the Conclave, the highest official in the Order of
High Sorcery, is elected from the twenty-one Conclave delegates. This
election takes place through a consensus spell, which instantaneously
gauges the collective will of Krynn's wizards on a specific topic.
Early Life of a Wizard and the Test of High Sorcery All who wish
to join an Order of Wizardry begin their training as children,
studying under an archmage (18th level or higher), usually an archmage
approved by the Conclave of Wizards. Low-level wizards (1st through
3rd levels) can dabble in magic without declaring an alignment or
loyalty to the Conclave. Such minor magics are not even affected by
the flux of the moons.
With greater power, however, comes greater responsibility. Those
who seek to progress beyond the fundamentals of magic must travel to
the Tower of Wayreth. There, the young wizard declares an alignment
and pledges loyalty to an Order of High Sorcery. The applicant is
apprenticed to a higher level wizard, often the original mentor.
Once this is accomplished, the apprentice must take the Test of
High Sorcery. The Test of High Sorcery measures a wizard's magical
abilities and tells how the applicant will use current and future
abilities. Each initiate's test differs, designed exclusively to
measure strengths and weaknesses. In all tests, failure means death.
The wizards are less interested in the applicant's alignment
than whether or not he will use the power of magic in a responsible
manner. In all versions of the Test, the applicant faces three trials
of magic knowledge and use. These trials include the casting of all
spells the initiate knows. In addition, the Test includes three trials
that cannot be solved by magic alone. One such trial involves combat
against an ally; another includes solo combat against a far more
powerful opponent (two levels higher). The third trial is always a
mystery. Those attempting the Test may bring companions along, but
occasionally these folk never return.
A wizard may change Orders after taking the Test. In these
cases, however, the wizard loses two levels of experience and remains
for one month unaffected by the new Order's moon.
Wizards of the White Robes
A White Robe Wizard acts to promote Good. Aside from his vow to
support magic, the cause of Good is his central concern. Acts that
violate the precepts of Good lead to the character's ruin. White Robe
Wizards who stray from the path soon find they are unaffected by
Solinari.
White Robe Wizards often assist Good-related quests and causes,
finding themselves allied with paladins, Good clerics, and Knights of
Solamnia.
Allowable Schools of Magic
The following schools of magic are open to White Robe Wizards.
Abjuration/Enchantment/Charm
Alteration/Greater Divination
Conjuration/Summoning/Invocation/Evocation
Wizards of the Red Robes
Wizards of the Red Robes tread the delicate path of Neutrality.
Besides an ultimate loyalty to magic, a Red Robe Wizard works to
balance Good and Evil. Wizards of the Red Robes often act as the
moderating voice of reason and peace.
While the forces of Good and Evil battle for control of Krynn,
the forces of Neutrality seek only to maintain the world.
Allowable Schools of Magic
The following Schools of Magic are open to Red Robe Wizards.
Enchantment/Charm
Abjuration
Illusion/Phantasm
Alteration
Invocation/Evocation
Conjuration/Summoning
Wizards of the Black Robes
Wizards of the Black Robes embrace the cause of Evil. They do
not, however, hurl random fireballs at peasants' cottages, for such
activities would abuse and jeopardize their chief love -- magic. Black
Robe Wizards may be cruel, but they are selfish and cunning also,
avoiding open acts of violence if a more subtle way can be found.
Allowable Schools of Magic
The following schools of magic are open to Black Robe Wizards.
Abjuration
Greater Divination
Invocation/Evocation
Alteration
Necromancy
Conjuration/Summoning
Enchantment/Charm
Spells from "Forbidden" Schools
Schools of magic not listed as allowable are available only in
part. A Wizard of High Sorcery may never use a spell of 4th level or
above from a forbidden school. All spells of levels 1 through 3,
however, are open to Wizards of High Sorcery with the following
restriction: No more than half of a wizard's allowed spells may be
from a forbidden school. Thus, a 5th level wizard, who can memorize
four 1st, two 2nd, and one 3rd level spell, may memorize only two
1st-and one 2nd level "forbidden" school spell.
Game Information for Wizards of High Sorcery Wizards of High
Sorcery belong in the wizard character class. They can be mages or
specialists, with all the appropriate benefits and drawbacks outlined
in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook.
Alignment: Though a wizard need make no alignment declaration
until 3rd level, a 1st level wizard may declare an inclination toward
law, neutrality, or chaos. Then, when declaring the second half of his
alignment (i.e., before taking the Test), the wizard's alignment will
be complete.
Minimum Requirements: Wizards require a minimum Intelligence of
9. An Intelligence of 15 or above earns the PC a 10% bonus to all
earned experience points.
Wizards of High Sorcery Advancement Table
Level Experience Points Hit Dice (1d4)
1 0 1
2 2,500 2
3 5,000 3
Declare alignment, pledge loyalty, take Test
4 10,000 4
5 20,000 5
6 40,000 6
7 60,000 7
8 90,000 8
9 135,000 9
10 250,000 10
11 375,000 10+1
12 750,000 10+2
13 1,125,000 10+3
14 1,500,000 10+4
15 1,875,000 10+5
Level Experience Points Hit Dice (1d4)
16 2,250,000 10+6
17 2,625,000 10+7
18 3,000,000 10+8 Master*
19 3,375,000 10+9
20 3,750,000 10+10
21 4,150,000 10+11
22 4,550,000 10+12
23 5,000,000 10+13
24 5,500,000 10+14
25 6,000,000 10+15
*Only one wizard of each order earns the title of Master.
Wizard of High Sorcery Spell Progression
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 1
2 2
3 2 1
4 3 2
5 4 2 1
6 4 2 2
7 4 3 2 1
8 4 3 3 2
9 4 3 3 2 1
10 4 4 3 2 2
11 4 4 4 3 3
12 4 4 4 4 4 1
13 5 5 5 4 4 2
14 5 5 5 4 4 2 1
15 5 5 5 5 5 2 1
16 5 5 5 5 5 3 2 1
17 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 2
18 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 2 1
19 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 1
20 6 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 2
21 6 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 2
22 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 3 2
23 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 3 3
24 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 3
25 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 4 4
Renegade Wizards
Wizards who live outside the strictures of the Towers of
Sorcery, as well as wizards who come from other worlds or planes, are
known as renegade Wizards.
A renegade wizard who has come to the attention of the Orders is
seen as a threat which must be either absorbed, neutralized, or
eliminated. Each Order has its own way of dealing with a renegade.
White Robe wizards will capture the renegade using as little
violence as possible. The renegade is informed that he must go before
the Conclave and join an Order of High Sorcery. If the renegade
refuses, he is magically cast out of Krynn. If the White Robes fail to
capture the renegade, they will keep tabs on his location, destroying
him only if the renegade proves to be a menace to the ways of magic or
to innocents.
Red Robe wizards will attempt to capture the renegade with as
much force as deemed necessary, usually increasing in proportion with
the renegade's resistance. The renegade is brought before the Conclave
and asked to join an Order of High Sorcery. Should the renegade
refuse, or if the Red Robes fail in their attempt to capture him, the
Red Robes will hunt down and destroy the renegade, citing him to be a
threat to the balance.
Black Robe wizards will attempt to capture the renegade and try
to win him over directly to the Black Robe Order. Should he refuse,
the renegade is persuaded to remain renegade or killed.
"Name" Spells
Spells found in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook and Tome of
Magic that include the proper name of a character outside of Ansalon
are not available to Wizards of High Sorcery. Spells with any of the
following names are immediately disqualified: Bigby, Drawmij,
Elminster, Evard, Leomund, Melf, Mordenkainen, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto,
Rary, Tasha, Tenser. DMs may allow Wizards of High Sorcery to research
the banned spells. A successful research attempt means the wizard has
created his own version of the spell and can name it after himself.
Priest Group Classes
Astinus of Palanthas states that "every mortal act has an
immortal audience. In a world with 21 true gods, this statement can
hardly be doubted. Some gods, such as Paladine and Kiri-Jolith, watch
the drama of history with benevolent concern. Others, such as Takhisis
and Morgion, hope to one day dominate the land. Still others, such as
Gilean and Reorx, want only to preserve the balance of creation.
These three groups of gods comprise the celestial families of
Good, Evil, and Neutrality, respectively. Each of the three families
contains seven members, for a total of 21 gods. The three families are
in turn overseen by the High God. This greatest of beings never
trifles with the lives of mortal folk. If other gods exist beyond the
pantheon of 21, they do not act on Krynn, nor do they empower priests
to act for them. Further information on the gods appears in the
"Realms Above" section of this book.
Holy Orders of the Stars
The Holy Orders of the Stars are the faiths that worship the 21
true gods of Krynn -- by whatever names they know them. Just as the
pantheon consists of three celestial families, so too, the gods'
worshipers fall into three holy orders. Priests of a Good god belong
to the Order of Good, those of an Evil god belong to the Order of
Evil, and those of a Neutral god belong to the Order of Neutrality.
Order of Good: Priests of the Good Order defend and preserve
life, protect and promote the welfare of all, and uphold a code of
conduct that embodies the principles of Good. Good priests work to
convince everyone to renounce selfish strivings and devote themselves
to performing just and merciful acts for others and for the gods.
Though some think this strict code of conduct fetters Good priests,
the priests themselves feel liberated by it.
The Good Order is led by the Chosen Prophet, who has six
Prophets as assistants. The Chosen Prophet is a priest of Paladine and
the six Prophets are the lead priests of the six other Good gods. Only
one Chosen Prophet exists on Krynn, and only one Prophet exists for
each of the other gods of Good.
Other priests may equal or exceed these leaders in experience
(i.e., may rise past 18th level), but they do not bear the title or
duties unless selected to the office.
Order of Evil: Priests of the Evil Order seek to dominate
others, both those within their order and those without. Evil priests
have no interest in persons whom they cannot dominate or exploit. And
anyone who poses a threat to an Evil priest should watch his back.
Because they are unrestrained by ethics, priests of the Evil Order
would as soon slit a man's throat as smell a rose if they had anything
to gain from it. But these priests are evil, not stupid. They do not
go around destroying everything they see. Such actions lead to
vigilantism and lynchings. On the other hand, cunning schemes lead to
power, riches, and the admiration of the gods of Evil.
The Evil Order is led by the Nightlord, who is assisted by six
Nightmasters. The Nightlord is a priest of Takhisis and the six
Nightmasters are the lead priests of the six other Evil gods. The
Nightlord and Nightmasters are unique on Krynn, in the manner of the
hierarchy of the Good Order.
Order of Neutrality: Priests of the Neutral Order attempt to
maintain a balance between Good and Evil. They consider priests of
Good idealistic and impractical, and those of the Evil destructive and
treacherous. Neutral priests, however, will ally with either side when
they must tilt the balance away from the other. Even so, they never
fight for Good or Evil, per se. In fact, they pledge to combat both
sides when the free will of Krynn's folk is at stake. As well as
fighting for the people of Krynn, Neutral priests fight for nature.
Evil priests delight in destroying the forests and Good priests
delight in turning them into theocratic cities. Neutral priests oppose
both of these plans.
The Neutral Order is led by the Starmaster, assisted by six
Archmasters. The Starmaster is a priest of Gilean; the six Archmasters
are the lead priests of the six other gods. The Starmaster and the
Archmasters are unique on Krynn, in the manner of the hierarchy of the
Good Order.
Relations Between the Factions: Although the Orders of High
Sorcery work together for the cause of magic, the three Holy Orders
have far more hostile relations. To priests, ethos means everything,
so to work with the other orders is to deny one's only purpose in
life. If any alliance occurs between the orders, it exists because
each thinks it can advance its own cause.
Becoming, a Priest of the Holy Order
Those who wish to serve one of the true gods must first win
acceptance from the god. The supplicant must seek out a priest in good
standing of the god and tell his reasons for wishing to become a
priest. If the priest finds the character sincere, he instructs him in
the beliefs and practices of the religion and arranges for various
tests of faith.
Once the priest is satisfied that the character understands and
believes all the precepts of the faith and will live according to
them, he pronounces him an Acolyte of the god. The new priest receives
the god's medallion of faith. Because the medallion marks the priest
as a servant of that specific god, all priests from Acolyte to Chosen
Prophet wear a Medallion of Faith. (DMs should encourage players to
create a story detailing how they earned the medallion.) Once an
Acolyte, the priest's tutelage ends; service begins.
The gods of Krynn bless their priests with certain powers, but
demand in return strict obedience. Even with the most chaotic gods,
disobedience results in loss of granted powers or spells. Severe
enough transgressions garner the god's wrath.
Heathen Priests
Priests who come from other worlds or those who worship false
gods are heathen priests. Neither have true supernatural power. Priest
from other worlds lose their powers and spells when on Krynn.
Likewise, false priests may be skilled at shams and fakery -- so much
so that they fool even themselves into believing their god is true.
But to have real power, priests must venerate the gods of Krynn.
Priests from other worlds lose one level when converting to a
religion of the same alignment and two levels when changing alignment.
Priests of Krynn who worship false gods convert as first-level
priests. Priests from the Holy Orders of the Stars lose one level if
converting to an order with the same alignment and two if converting
to a different alignment.
Game Information for the Holy Orders
Note that the Holy Orders of the Stars contain no clerics as
defined in the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook. All are priests because
all serve a particular god.
Minimum Requirements: PC priests may come from any race of
Ansalon. Priests need a minimum Wisdom of 9, with a Wisdom of 15 or
higher giving the character a 10% bonus to all experience points
earned. All priests of the Holy Orders of the Stars use the spell
tables from the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook and Tome of Magic. See
p. 176 for allowable schools for each god.
Priest Experience Hit Dice Title
Level Points (1d8) (Neutral Title)'
1 0 1 Acolyte (Aspirant)
2 2,000 2 Deacon (Ovate)
3 4,000 3 Adept (Initiate)
4 7,500 4 Priest (Disciple)
5 15,250 5 Curate (Master of Earth)
6 25,000 6 Prefect (Master of Fire)
7 40,000 7 Canon (Master of Water)
8 90,000 8 Elder or Spiritor (Master of Winds)
9 160,000 9 Patriarch (Master of Mystery)
10 250,000 9+1 High Priest (Master of Light)
11 500,000 9+2 Ecclesion (Master of Time)
12 750,000 9+3 Apostle (Master of Elements)
13 1,000,000 9+4 Abbot (Master of the Book)
14 1,250,000 9+5 Bishop (Master of Dreams)
15 1,500,000 9+6 Prophet or Nightmaster (Archmaster)
16 1,750,000 9+7
17 2,000,000 9+8
18 2,250,000 9+9 Chosen Prophet or Nightlord (Starmaster)
19 2,500,000 9+10
20 2,900,000 9+11
21 3,100,000 9+12
22 3,400,000 9+13
23 3,700,000 9+14
24 4,000,000 9+15
25 4,400,000 9+16
Where two names appear, the one outside parentheses applies to
both Good and Evil priests and that inside applies to Neutral priests.
Where three names appear, the first is always Good, the second always
Evil, and the parenthetical always Neutral.
Holy Orders Spell Progression
Priest Level Spell Level
1 2 3 4 5 6* 7**
1 1
2 2
3 2 1
4 3 2
5 3 3 1
6 3 3 2
7 3 3 2 1
8 3 3 3 2
9 4 4 3 2 1
10 4 4 3 3 2
11 5 4 4 3 2 1
12 6 5 5 3 2 2
13 6 6 6 4 2 2
14 6 6 6 5 3 2 1
15 6 6 6 6 4 2 1
16 7 7 7 6 4 3 1
17 7 7 7 7 5 3 2
18 8 8 8 8 6 4 2
19 9 9 8 8 6 4 2
20 9 9 8 8 7 5 2
21 9 9 8 8 7 5 3
22 9 9 9 8 7 5 3
23 9 9 9 8 7 6 3
24 10 9 9 9 8 6 3
25 10 9 9 9 8 6 3
*Usable only by priests with Wisdom of 17 or greater.
**Usable only by priests with Wisdom of 18 or greater.
Rogue Group
Every world has its rogues -- those who operate on the fringes
of society. In addition to the common bards and thieves, Krynn
supports two other unique types of rogue.
Handlers
Handlers -- like artists of any stripe -- are born, not bred.
Handling is a state of mind -- a kender state of mind. (All handlers
are kender, though not all kender are handlers.) Though handlers live
by purloining objects, they do not purloin objects to live.
Unlike thieves (handlers are not thieves), handlers act not out
of greed but out of distracted curiosity. It is curiosity that makes
them pick a lock, eavesdrop on a conversation, and slip their hands
into someone's pocket. The more forbidden and protected an item is,
the more curious the handler will be. Once the object is obtained and
examined, however, it often loses interest to the handler, who will
absent-mindedly lose it thereafter. Furthermore, a worthless but
interesting object (e.g., a brass-coated statue), holds a handler's
attention far longer than a priceless but uninteresting one (e.g., a
platinum bar).
Game Information for Handles
Handlers receive experience-point levels, saving throws, THAC0s,
and so forth as per rogues. In terms of game play, handlers differ
from thieves in the following. Handlers receive no backstabbing bonus;
handlers are driven by curiosity, not bloodlust.
Handlers receive no experience bonus for money found.
Handlers will attract only handler followers -- usually young
kender with intense curiosity.
Con Artists/Prestidigitators
These thieves employ scams and sleight-of-hand rather than
robbery. They often travel with troupes of entertainers, performing
cheap tricks and swindling themselves a fortune, copper by copper.
Mages despise them for their magic fakery; priests resent them for
their worthless salves; fighters distrust them because they are
underhanded; and thieves hate "dishonestly."
Game Information for Con Artists/Prestidigitators
A Con artist may be from any PC race of Krynn. A minimum
Charisma of 12 is necessary for this class. To pull off scams and con
games, the con artist sharpens the Pick Pockets, Move Silently, Hide
in Shadows, and Read Languages abilities. Thus, a con artist PC cannot
spend more than ten of his initial percentage points on each of the
remaining thieving skills. When a con artist increases in level, he
cannot spend more than five points on these other thieving skills.
Weapon Proficiencies: Any normal thief weapon.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Required: Gaming. Recommended:
Appraising, Artistic Ability, Dancing, Disguise, Etiquette, Forgery,
Local History, Singing, Ventriloquism.
Normal Group
This catch-all group includes non-combatant folk such as tinkers
and commoners of all likes.
Game Information for Normals
Level Experience Points Hit Dice (d6)
1 0 1
2 1,250 2
3 2,500 3
4 5,000 4
5 10,000 5
6 20,000 6
7 40,000 7
8 60,000 8
9 100,000 9
10 140,000 10
11 270,000 10+1
12 450,000 10+2
13 600,000 10+3
14 800,000 10+4
15 1,000,000 10+5
16 1,500,000 10+6
17 2,000,000 10+7
18 3,000,000 10+8
19 4,500,000 10+9
20 6,000,000 10+10
21 7,500,000 10+11
22 9,500,000 10+12
23 12,000,000 10+13
24 15,000,000 10+14
25 17,000,000 10+15
Normal Character Saving Throws
Rod Petrif. Breath
Level Staff Paralyz Wand Holy Weapon Spell
1-3 15 17 16 18 18
4-6 13 15 14 16 16
7-9 11 13 12 14 14
10-12 9 11 10 12 12
13-16 7 9 8 10 11
17+ 5 7 6 8 9
Starting steel pieces for a normal character is 2d4x10.
Tinkers
Also called engineers and technicians, tinkers conceive of
themselves as masters of technology. Others conceive of them as
deranged lunatics. Tinkering is far more a mind-set than an occupation
and, therefore, only gnomes can be tinkers.
Every project of these engineering gnomes is twice doomed. First
of all, mechanical technology is far more costly, unreliable, and
inefficient than magic on the world of Krynn. Secondly, gnomes have
little grasp of the physical sciences.
The combination of these factors means that tinkers spend their
lives creating many worthless inventions. The have inventions for all
sorts of tasks: seed planters, clothes cleaners,
black-dragon-left-rear foot ticklers, and red-haired kenderhandler
detectors, to name a few. Few of these work as they should, though
most are not lethal.
But tinkers do far more than simply create new inventions. They
also "improve" old ones. This penchant for compromising the efficiency
of existent inventions is clearly demonstrated in common gnomish
sayings:
"If it ain't broke, there's gotta be something wrong with it."
"Maybe the design flaw can be fixed with accessories."
"If simplicity were a virtue, Krynn'd be a featureless ball."
"There's always room for improvement."
"The back-up blew! Better back up the back-up."
"All geniuses have cluttered minds."
"Improvements require complications; complications require
improvements."
"Every magical and mundane activity can be done better by a
machine."
"Improvement is the incestuous cousin to invention."
Each Tinker belongs to a guild, which emphasizes a branch of
technology. Some guilds follow:
Aerodynamics
Appliances
Architecture
Communication
Hydraulics
Hydrodynamics
Kinetics
Thermodynamics
Transportation
Chemistry
These guilds do not compete with each other; all are united in
the task of advancing technology. Each guild has numerous committees
that oversee inventors' accomplishments and investigate system
failures. Though the latter topic gets the most attention, few real
improvements arise from such investigations.
Each tinker, under the auspices of his guild, chooses a
lifequest to accomplish: the creation of some ultimate machine to
simplify life, save labor, and benefit all of gnomekind. Lifequests
are rarely realized because most devices undergo per petual
"improvement."
Game Information for Tinkers
Tinkers must have Intelligence of at least 10 and Dexterity of
at least 12. A tinker's Wisdom cannot exceed 12. Tinkers begin with
five nonweapon proficiency slots and one weapon proficiency slot. They
gain one more nonweapon proficiency with every two levels of
advancement, and one weapon proficiency with every ten levels.
Due to their innate absent-mindedness, tinkers suffer a -2 to
checks against any nonweapon proficiency that involves designing or
building something complex. If the roll fails, they design something,
but it either does not function at all or malfunctions.
Tinkers have a beginning THAC0 of 20 and improve one point for
every four levels thereafter.
Commoners
Commoners are the worldbuilders and maintainers. Through their
mundane labors, they create the world -- each horseshoe, hay bale,
beer barrel, shirt and coat and cap. These folk are innkeepers,
servants, blacksmiths, farmers, and fishermen. They are everyday
people. But in times of trouble, everyday people beat their plowshares
into swords and march out to become heroes.
A commoner's motivation for leaving the comfort and safety of
the hearth to risk life and limb on an adventure may vary. Perhaps a
weaponsmith wishes to field-test her latest long sword. Or perhaps a
baker may follow the trail of those who kidnapped his son.
Game Information for Commoners
Commoners are defined in terms of their occupation: butcher,
baker, and candlestick-maker. Thus, the first task in creating a
commoner character is to choose an occupation from the list below.
Once this is done, roll up the six abilities normally but subtract 2
from each roll. Now check the proficiencies after the occupation you
chose. Each proficiency has a relevant ability listed in parentheses.
For each relevant ability, raise the base score by 4. (Thus, after
subtracting 2 from the number you originally rolled, you add 4 for a
net gain of 2.) Relevant abilities listed more than once receive only
one 4-point bonus.
Now, record the proficiencies your character starts with.
Armorer: Fire-building (Wis), Armorer (Int)*
Blacksmith: Blacksmithing (Str)*, Fire-building (Wis)
Bowyer/Fletcher: Bowyer/Fletcher (Dex)*, Carpentry (Str)
Farmer: Agriculture (Int)*, Animal Handling (Wis), Weather Sense
(Wis), Herbalism (Int)
Fisher: Fishing (Wis)*, Swimming (Str)
Forester: Direction Sense (Wis), Herbalism (Int), Animal Lore (Wis)
Gambler: Appraising (Int), Gaming (Cha)*
Groom: Animal Handling (Wis)*, Animal Lore (Int), Animal Training
(Wis), Land-Based Riding (Wis)
Hunter: Direction Sense (Wis), Set Snares (Dex), Tracking (Wis),
Hunting (Wis)*
Innkeeper/Serving Person: Brewing (Int), Cooking (Int)*
Jeweler: Appraising (Int), Gem Cutting (Dex)*
Leather Worker: Leatherworking (Int)*, Seamstress/Tailor (Dex)
Mason: Stonemasonry (Str)*
Miner: Mining (Wis)*, Stonemasonry (Str)
Navigator: Direction Sense (Wis), Astrology (Int), Navigation (Int) *
Sailor: Seamanship (Dex)*, Swimming (Str)
Scribe: Reading/Writing (Int)*, Ancient Languages (Int), Local History
(Cha)
Shipwright: Carpentry (Str)*, Seamanship (Dex)
Tailor/Weaver: Seamstress/Tailor (Dex) *
Teamster/Freighter: Animal Handling (Wis)*, Land-Based Riding (Wis),
Charioteering (Dex)
Trader/Merchant: Appraising (Int)*, Reading/Writing (Int)
Trapper/Furrier: Hunting (Wis)*, Set Snares (Dex), Tracking (Wis)
Weaponsmith: Blacksmithing (Str), Weaponsmithing (Int)'
Woodworker/Carpenter: Carpentry (Str) *
* Asterisked proficiencies are the main ones for the occupation.
The relevant ability must therefore be 10 or more for the character to
hold the occupation. Also, any negative check modifiers indicated in
the Player's Handbook become zero for asterisked proficiencies.
Finally, a relevant ability of 16 or more grants a 10% bonus to earned
experience when the proficiency is used.
In addition to the listed proficiencies, the commoner begins
with one weapon proficiency. Thereafter, the commoner gains one new
nonweapon proficiency slot for every two levels of advancement, and
one new weapon proficiency slot for every eight levels of advancement.
When purchasing new proficiencies from any but the General group, the
cost is one extra proficiency slot per purchase.
Commoners begin with a THAC0 of 20, which improves one point for
every level of advancement.
Optional Rule: Status
The warrior son of a king is far different from the peasant hero
who leads her people to freedom. Though both are fighters, they are
separated by social status. Characters of Krynn may hold any social
status, ranging from the opulent and soft life of nobility to the
harsh and rigorous life of slavery.
Determining Social Status
To determine social status, roll percentile dice and consult the
following chart. Alternately, DMs may allow characters to choose
status depending on the character class and race (see below).
01-09: Slave
10-25: Peasant
26-50: Trades
51-65: Martial
66-75: Middle
76-85: Upper
86-95: Created nobility
96-98: Inherited nobility
99: Displaced royalty
00: Royalty
Character Class and Status: In Krynn, one will never encounter a
king-thief or a slave-cavalier. To avoid such strange combinations,
some character classes have status minimums or maximums.
Barbarian Warrior: Maximum is created nobility.
Bard: Maximum is created nobility.
Cavalier: Minimum is tradesman.
Knight of Solamnia: Minimum is peasant.
Thief: Maximum is created nobility.
Those characters in the commoner character class (blacksmiths,
leatherworking, etc.) must belong to the trades status. Race and
Status: Characters of any race can hold any social status among their
own people: gully dwarves have kings and Silvanesti have servants.
However, when a character ventures into human society, the human
penchant for prejudice, oppression, and exploitation asserts itself.
Therefore, until the humans of Krynn learn to transcend their own
shortsightedness, certain other races suffer social-status penalties
among them. When determining the social status of one of the following
races in human society, apply the listed penalty to the die roll:
Dark elf - 15
Elf - 10
Gnome - 7
Gully dwarf - 25
Half-elf - 15
Irda - 5
Kender - 15
Minotaur - 25
Conversely, humans who live among these races suffer the listed
penalty to their social status.
***
Social Status Descriptions
Royalty: The character is directly related to a national or
citystate monarch.
Advantages: The character starts out with triple starting money,
plus a choice of armor, shield, helmet, and two weapons. The PC also
receives two extra initial proficiency slots. He lives in opulence.
Fame and honor follow him wherever he goes.
Disadvantages: The character is plagued by fame and honor. He
cannot walk down the street without being recognized and all his
actions are mercilessly scrutinized.
The PC must reduce Con and Str by one point each to reflect the
soft and opulent life to which he is accustomed. After the character
has attained fifth level, Con and Str return to their original values.
The character's parents forbid him from certain adventures
because of their danger or distance from the home nation (any over 100
miles). Disobedience may cause the character to become displaced
royalty. Generally, the more the player relies on his royal blood, the
more demands and restrictions the DM should place on him. In extreme
situations, the character may even be tracked by assassins from rival
nations.
Displaced Royalty: The character is directly related to someone
who once was a ruler but no longer holds power. This category also
includes royalty characters who have been disowned or were
illegitimate.
Advantages: Character starts with double starting money and one
free weapon. Cavaliers, paladins, and people of noble rank recognize
the character, The living conditions vary greatly with the
circumstances of the displacement.
Disadvantages: The character and his family really have no power
anywhere. Those responsible for the displacement ' may seek to kill or
imprison the character. Many of those who recognize the character may
fault him for his family's loss of power.
Inherited Nobility: The character is, or is directly related to,
someone who holds a title and a land grant given by the nation's
rulers. Tribal chiefs and city rulers fall into this category.
Advantages: The PC starts with double starting money, the choice
of one weapon, and a horse. He also lives on an impressive estate.
Disadvantages: The character is expected to defer to those of
higher station. He may have responsibilities that tie him to a
particular geographical area.
Created Nobility: The character is, or is related to, someone
who has worked from upper status to achieve nobility. They do so by
becoming so rich and influential that rulers must acknowledge them.
These folk typically run merchant dynasties.
Advantages: Character starts with choice of a weapon and a
horse, half again the typical starting money, and the Reading/Writing
proficiency. He lives in a roomy manor house.
Disadvantages: Those of inherited nobility may snub the created
nobility. Those of lower status may resent the created nobility and
try to topple them.
Upper Status: This character has wealth but no title or special
land grant. Most are successful, well-established merchants or folk
from an ancient family line with ancestral land.
Advantages: The character starts with full allowable starting
money plus the choice of a weapon. He also has a comfortable house and
the Reading/Writing proficiency.
Disadvantages: The character and his extended family may be
subject to intrigue by similarly ranked families vying for favor or
created nobility status.
Middle Status: This character comes from a comfortable family.
They cannot afford extravagance, but neither do they starve. Most
normal merchants fall into this category.
Advantages: The character starts with a free weapon, a clean
house, and the Reading/Writing proficiency.
Disadvantages: Middle status folk occupy a slippery position. If
business improves, they may ascend to upper status; if business
declines, they may descend to poverty.
Martial-Status: The character is, or is directly related to, a
person who makes a living through military work. Such folk are
typically mercenaries or fighters in a nation's army or navy.
Advantages: The PC starts with one extra weapon proficiency, a
free weapon, and an extra point of Con to represent the ruggedness of
this lot.
Disadvantages: Those of the martial class are notorious for
being boisterous, brutish, and disruptive. Because they believe that
most anything can be settled with a fight, others shy away from them.
Also, those who belong to the martial status are continually
relocating to the most dangerous sections of the world.
Trades Status: This character is, or is related to, a person who
makes a living by the sweat of his labor -- be it blacksmithing,
leather working, sailing, fishing, trapping, or a multitude of other
tasks.
Advantages: The PC receives one free nonweapon proficiency from
the General category. Also, the character is spared from performing
the mind-numbing tasks reserved for peasants and slaves.
Disadvantages: The PC must work very hard to maintain his social
position so as not to descend into the peasant status.
Peasant: This unskilled individual works hard and lives at
subsistence level. Tenant farmers, shepherds, bandits, brigands,
nomads, and pirates are considered to come from peasant stock.
Advantages: These people are the least tied down of any social
status. Because they have nothing, they have nothing to lose.
Furthermore, they share their lot with most of the folk on Krynn. Many
a great hero has arisen from peasant stock.
Disadvantages: Character starts with no more than half the
normal starting money and often is very destitute. This condition
inspires many to leave their farms to seek fortune and glory.
Slaves: These PCs had been captured and sold by raiders or
forced to work in servitude to repay debts. As roleplaying begins, the
character has either escaped captivity or earned his freedom.
Advantages: The PC receives one free nonweapon proficiency from
the General category (to reflect the tasks he performed) and a dagger.
Disadvantages: The character starts with no money. If the
character is an escaped slave, he is being hunted.
***
Gast of Characters
One of the greatest strengths of the DRAGONLANCE saga is its
cast of well-developed characters. Ansalon contains many unique
heroes, each with his or her own goals and motivations, hopes and
fears. In addition to well-detailed heroes, Ansalon has a huge and
varied cast of allies and villains who help shape the world and its
conflicts.
The heroes most often played by characters (and the villains
most often used by DMs) appear on the character cards in this box. The
following individuals are less-often played, but may prove critical
for a given adventure.
Characters here are grouped by the role they play in the saga --
Friends, Neutrals, and Foes. Within each of these sections, the
entries are alphabetized. The game statistics appear first for each
character, followed by a description of the character, his
personality, history, and game use.
Friends
Alhana, Starbreeze (Daughter to Speaker of the Stars) LG
Elven female fighter 7th Level
Str 9; Dex 13; Con 10; Int 16; Wis 15; Cha 15
AC 2 (plate +3, shield + 1); THAC0 14; hp 32
Residence: Silvanesti; Ht 5'4"; Wt 107 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword +3, short bow +2
Special Abilities: Infravision, 90% resist sleep/charm
Alhana's voice is coldly polite when dealing with those of other
races. She harbors a thinly-veiled hostility just beneath the surface.
She originally held all outsiders responsible for the downfall of her
once-great nation -- a prejudice hard to abandon. Even when dealing
with other elves, her voice can be imperious and demanding. She was
born to the throne of the Silvanesti and it shows in every one of her
words and gestures. Oddly enough, her cold facade hides a warm,
loving, young woman. She is easily moved to sympathy, although she
hides her feelings very well.
When Alhana wants something, she does not cajole or plead: she
demands. She acts the same way in battle. Despite her small stature,
she fights like a berserker, refusing to hold back and relinquishing
no quarter. She has often overwhelmed opponents many times her size.
During the Dragon Wars, Alhana was attending a diplomatic
meeting in Sancrist when the news arrived that her homeland had fallen
to the dragonarmies. Because her people had been holding off the
draconians quite well when she left, this news came as a complete
shock. She immediately left for her homelands to learn what had
happened to her father, who had not fled with his people. She found
that the paths to Silvanost had become strange and twisted. Luckily
for her, she met the Heroes of the Lance on her way. She convinced
them to accompany her and soon regretted it, for she found herself
doing the unthinkable: falling in love with the human Sturm
Brightblade.
Future Adventures: A group of adventurers who deal with Alhana
early in her life can forget any chance of negotiation. Even if the
party consists entirely of elves, Alhana will likely demand their
service rather than offer any aid herself. After her experiences
during the wars, however, she realized that there is good and bad in
all races. She discovered also that when times change, those who wish
to survive change as well.
Arman-Kharas (son of Hornfel, Petriarch of clan kytil) LN
Dwarven male fighter 7th Level
Str 16; Dex 10; Con 17; Int 11; Wis 6; Cha 9
AC 2 (chain +2, shield); THAC0 14 (+1 bonus); hp 59
Residence: Thorbardin; Ht 4'10"; Wt 162 lb; Mv 6"
Preferred Weapon: Footman's mace
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', +4 save vs. poison and magic
Arman-Kharas always speaks as though his words were fraught with
deep significance, even when he is having a mundane conversation. He
believes that he is the reincarnation of Kharas and is destined to
greatness. Fiercely loyal to his people, Arman-Kharas is a man with a
vision and looks forward to the day when he will lead his people into
the light. Arman is tenacious in negotiation or battle, always seeking
the greatest advantage for his people. He will not surrender once he
has taken on a task. He is a very proud man and will never admit
defeat.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Thane of the Hylar
dwarves, Arman desires to become the next king of Thorbardin. Even
though his name means "little or lesser Kharas," he constantly
searches for a way to prove that he is Kharas reborn, Kharas the king.
Future Adventures: A group of adventurers coming to deal with
the Dwarven Council might meet Arman-Kharas in the tunnels of
Thorbardin. He would be willing to join in any quest that he felt
might allow him to prove his destiny.
Astinus of Palanthus N
Human? Male? Sage? ?th Level
Str 12; Dex 17; Con 15; Int 21; Wis 19; Cha 17
AC 10; THAC0 2; hp 980
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'7"; Wt 155 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: None carried
Special Abilities: Has knowledge of most things present and
past.
Special Items: The Iconochronos, the great book of Astinus
Astinus speaks in a hushed voice that nevertheless carries a feeling
of great strength. He is often too busy to speak with people; only a
lucky few find themselves in his presence.
Astinus is always polite, but can be somewhat distant. Those who
interrupt his studies will see his irritable side. Astinus is reticent
and sparing with his advice, often simply restating the obvious and
inviting questioners to rethink their own conclusions.
Astinus's past (and present) is vague: no other person now knows
when he first appeared in Palanthus and he refuses to relate his
origins. Some folk explain his seeming omniscience and deathlessness
by saying that he is the god Gilean or Zivilyn (the latter of which is
said to have a branch in every plane). The truth of this is not known,
although Astinus obviously has gained the gods' favor at least in some
way. He has no friends or associates as such and remains aloof from
the mundane matters of life.
Future Adventures: Astinus might provide information to an
adventuring party, though the need would have to be great and the
cause far-reaching. He also might ask help of some group of mortals.
He seems to have little or no knowledge of other worlds, and he might
be willing to make a deal in return for such knowledge. A group must
be careful to make deals with him in advance, however; as soon as any
information is uttered on Krynn, Astinus knows it.
Bupu (High Priestess, Bulp Aghar) NG
Gully Dwarf Female Shaman 1st Level
Str 15; Dex 16; Con 15; Int 8; Wis 10; Cha 9(15)
AC 8; THAC0 20; hp 7
Residence: Xak Tsaroth; Ht 3'4"; Wt 42 lb; Mv 6"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger
Special Abilities: Groveling
Bupu has a somewhat congested voice. Her speech patterns vary
depending on whom she speaks to, but she always sounds a bit like a
three-year-old. She is somewhat flirtatious with Raistlin, who once
cast a charm spell on her. When speaking to other gully dwarves, she
has the harsh tones of one who expects to be obeyed. When speaking to
someone dangerous, she has the servile, groveling tone common to all
threatened Aghar.
If caught off-guard by a threat, Bupu will pull a dagger or
anything else resembling a weapon and pretend to be dangerous. She
isn't dangerous, really. If her opponents are startled by this bluff,
Bupu runs. If given time to prepare her "magic," she will cast a
"spell" using one of her "magic" artifacts. Her artifacts include
random bits of garbage that she happened to be holding when something
good happened once. Clearly, her magic needs a bit of help. "Help"
includes running under low obstacles, blowing pepper in someone's
face, or breaking a pot of grease in front of someone. These are the
somatic and material components of Bupu's "magic."
Bupu first met Raistlin in the sunken city of Xak Tsaroth when
the heroes were searching for the Disks of Mishakal. He cast a charm
on her, hoping for information; she never quite got over the spell.
She later presented Raistlin with a magic rock to cure his cough (an
emerald) and then a book to help him (the spell book of
Fistandantilus). Raistlin found this fairly charming in itself. Bupu
is an exceptional Aghar, almost able to count to three (as the saying
goes). She has quickly climbed the Aghar social ladder, such as it is,
and married the Highbulp himself. This conjugal relation secured her
title as High Priestess.
Future Adventures: A party can benefit from Bupu's information
more than her "magic." Gully dwarves, by their very nature, are
ignored by most other races. This prejudice lets them overhear a huge
amount of sensitive information. True, they have little concept of the
import of what they overhear, but persistent questioners may discover
gems of information.
Crysania (Revered Daughter of Paladine) LG
Human Female Priestess 14th Level
Str 10; Dex 11; Con 16; Int 13; Wis 12; Cha 16
AC 2 (plate mail, shield); THAC0 12; hp 63
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'6"; Wt 122 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Footman's flail
Crysania has a full, rich voice that captivates those to whom
she speaks. She has converted many to her faith with the power of her
voice alone. She is truly dedicated to Paladine.
Her first and only love is the church. She is pleasant,
cultured, and extremely well-educated.
Crysania is devout but ambitious. She feels that she has the
strength and ability to lead the church when Elistan is gone. Although
this assumption is true, Crysania needs to learn compassion,
tolerance, and humility in her office. Otherwise she will follow in
the path of the Kingpriest.
Crysania is the daughter of an ancient noble family of
Palanthus. She could have had her pick of husbands, not only due to
her charm and beauty, but also due to her family fortune. Crysania
wanted more from life than just raising children and running a
household. She always felt that a great destiny awaited her and she
became frustrated when she could not find her calling. When she met
Elistan, she found her destiny. She was among his first converts, and
immediately left her family and wealth to dedicate her life to the
church.
Future Adventures: A party of adventurers could interact with
Crysania in several ways. She might ask them to accompany her on a
quest for Paladine; she might hire them to perform a service in return
for some spellcasting; and she might be rescued by them from enemies
of the church. Because the reconstruction of the true faith on Krynn
is still in an early stage, Crysania might also send PCs on a mission
to gather knowledge for the faith.
Dougan Redhammer N
Dwarven Male fighter 11th Level
Str 18(00); Dex 17; Con 18; Int 18; Wis 9; Cha 16
AC 0 (chain +2, shield +2); THAC0 10 (+3/+6); hp 81
Residence: Wanders; Ht 4'10"; Wt 157 lb; Mv 6"
Preferred Weapon: Warhammer, battle axe
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', +5 save vs. poison and magic
Dougan has a loud, boisterous voice that can nearly wake the
dead. He is a cheerful, friendly fellow who loves drinking and
gambling (typically in that order). When sober, Dougan has the
staunch, moral, no-nonsense attitude of any Good dwarf. When drunk,
however, his carousing and gambling get the better of him.
Dougan is extremely proficient at drinking. He can drink anyone,
whatever the race, under the table. He makes up for this with his
incredibly bad luck at gambling. He will bet on anything -- which
direction a fly will go, which paw a cat will lick first -- anything.
This gambling mania becomes annoying when Dougan begins betting his
companions' belongings, often without their permission. And he almost
always loses.
Dougan is a great warrior except when drunken. In the latter
case, he will stop in the middle of a bloody battle to have another
drink or bet who will get an arrow in the head first. Few if any
Ansalonians know that Dougan Redhammer is one avatar that Reorx takes
when he comes to Krynn to meddle in the affairs of mortals. His
boisterous personality usually masks the serious and pragmatic motives
of his presence on Krynn. The people whose belongings he loses seldom
really need the possessions they lose and, in the long run, Reorx
rewards them with many more riches.
Future Adventures: A group of adventurers is only likely to run
into Dougan if Reorx has big plans for them. Dwarves in the party
increase the chance of Reorx's interest. The loss of PCs' equipment
and money due to Dougan's gambling usually leads to a raucous and
profitable adventure for all.
The Forestmaster Unicorn CG
Unicorn Mare 10 Hd; Int 20; Wis 21
AC 2; THAC0 11; hp 60
Residence: Darken Wood; Ht 18 hands; Wt 1,200 lb; Mv 24
Preferred Weapon: Horn, hooves
Special Abilities: Knows all that occurs in her forest; all
woodland beings respond to her call, do her bidding, and defend her
unto death.
The Forestmaster speaks in a calm and kind voice. She has
reverence for all life and attacks only those who threaten her forest
or creatures. She always tries to move Evil creatures out of her
domain as soon as possible. She is friendly and helpful, but is
concerned mainly with her own domain and will aid only in matters that
apply in some way to it.
The Forestmaster has existed as long as the forest itself. Some
folk believe she is not a creature at all, but an expression of the
lifeforce of the lands. She has no associates, though rumors abound
that the white stag would be her suitor if she permitted him. Although
she has no companions, all woodland creatures respond to her will.
Future Adventures: The Forestmaster may ask a party to aid her
in defense of her land or in recovery of some item (she is unable to
leave her domain). A group of PCs might be directed by the gods to
recover an item placed within the forest for safekeeping (with or
without the Forestmaster's cooperation).
Gunthar Uth Wistan (Solamnic Grand Master) LG
Human Male Knight of Solamnia. 13th Level
Str 18(57); Dex 15; Con 13; Int 12; Wis 16; Cha17
AC 0 (plate mail +2, and shield); THAC0 8 (+2/+3); hp 62
Residence: Western Ansalon; Ht 5'11 "; Wt 197 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword+2 and mounted dragonlance
Lord Gunthar speaks in a deep, measured, and rumbling voice. He
holds himself perfectly erect at all times. While conversing, he
always maintains eye contact, seeming to judge a person's soul by the
light in his or her eyes.
Gunthar is a concerned leader with a strong sense of duty and
honor. While he is an accomplished warrior, he truly hates unnecessary
bloodshed, seeing it as wasteful and cruel. He feels that it shames a
commander to lose even one more man than is absolutely necessary to
attain a victory.
Gunthar therefore strives to learn about his opponents before
battle. He feels that if he understands an opponent well enough, he is
halfway to defeating him. In personal combat, Lord Gunthar will often
attempt to capture an adversary rather than slay him outright. In this
way, an enemy can often be made a friend. This mercy should not be
seen as weakness.
With enemies such as draconians, who consider negotiation
useless, Gunthar battles ruthlessly.
Gunthar Uth Wistan was forced to take up his title at an early
age. His father died when Gunther was only 14. He took his duties
seriously and, realizing that he had much to learn, listened to his
advisors well. The respect he held for his betters was returned when
they elevated him to Grand Master. He took power when the Knights of
Solamnia were still suffering some disrepute; he has done all he can
to see their ancient greatness restored.
Gunthar's duties weigh heavily on him; he has few friends. He
trusts and respects the leaders of the three orders of the Knights,
but will not give in to the temptation to share his burdens with them.
Future Adventures: At any time after taking over as Grand
Master, Gunthar may find the need to hire a party of adventurers to
investigate matters pertaining to the Knights or the draconians. In
earlier years, he will need help in matters affecting his estates. He
also searches for aid in investigating his father's death. Gunthar has
wide resources in his position as Grand Master. He is someone a party
might petition for aid with a crisis of their own.
Kharas (Dwarven Hero) LG
Dwarven Male fighter 14th Level
Str 18(56); Dex 14; Con 16; Int 12; Wis 17; Cha 10
AC 2 (plate +1); THAC0 7 (+2/+3); hp 78
Residence: Thorbardin; Ht 5'1"; Wt 172 lb; Mv 6"
Preferred Weapon: Warhammer
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', +4 save vs. poison and magic
Special Items: The Hammer of Kharas
Kharas speaks in a somber tone. He sees the hatred among his
people and it tears at his heart. He is a brave warrior and a loyal
companion. In the days before the dwarves fought each other, he was a
proud and happy warrior.
In battle, Kharas always strives to win. He takes great pride in
his martial skills and keeps himself and his equipment in perfect
condition. He will do whatever needs to be done to win a battle, but
he always fights with honor and courage.
When Kharas was a young warrior, he fought beside the Knights of
Solamnia in the Goblin Wars. The knights were so impressed with his
skill, valor, honor, and nobility that they named him Kharas, which
means "Knight" in the Solamnic tongue. This is the highest honor they
can bestow on a person of another race. During the Dwarfgate Wars,
Kharas shaved off his beard as a sign that he was bitterly ashamed to
slay his own people. He killed only at the orders of his king.
Kharas departed the final battle when he saw his brothers
slaying each other for no reason but hatred. He took the bodies of the
king's sons with him. He was thus absent when the devastating blast
leveled the field, destroying both armies.
When the dwarven king heard the reports of the battle, he shut
himself away, refusing to eat or drink. Eventually, he died in
Kharas's arms. When Kharas saw the fighting and political backstabbing
that began upon the king's death, he gathered up the king's body and
his hammer and buried them in a secret place.
Future Adventures: A party that meets Kharas before the
Dwarfgate Wars will find a strong and loyal companion to support them
in any good cause. After the war, they will see a broken man with
nothing left to live for.
Otik Sandath LN
Human Male fighter 3rd Level
Str 15; Dex 12; Con 18; Int 12; Wis 16; Cha 15
AC 9 (leather apron); THAC0 18; hp 22
Residence: Solace; Ht 6'1"; Wt 285 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Tap handle (1d4/1d4), dagger
Otik has a loud, jolly voice that carries over the rumble of a
crowded room. He is a large man (impressively so) but so friendly that
those who have never seen his anger tend to underestimate him. He
truly enjoys his life as an inn owner and barkeep and would not do
anything else. He feels that he brings much good to the world by
serving hungry and thirsty people the best food and drink that he can.
There are few who have dined at his Inn of the Last Home who would
dispute his inn's reputation.
When dealing with unruly patrons, Otik prefers to quiet them
with a free drink so that everyone can get back to having a good time.
When this proves impossible, Otik tumbles the offending party out the
door.
Otik was an adventurer for a time, but found that a life of
constant alertness and violence was not for him. When he saved up a
bit, he settled down to create the kind of quiet, friendly inn where
he had found pleasure when living on the road. The name Inn of the
Last Home reflects his desire to settle here in comfort till the end
of his days.
Otik is on good terms with everyone who lives in the surrounding
area. Most frequent his famous inn. He counts the Heroes of the Lance
as close friends, especially Tika, whom he regards as a daughter. His
friends feel the same about him.
Future Adventures: Otik could hire a low-level group to obtain
some rare herbs for his brewing, or just to guard a shipment of wines
or food that he has purchased. He is more likely to be valuable to a
higher-level group as a source of information or by providing a base
where they can recover from an adventure in comfort. He makes splendid
spiced potatoes.
Porthios (Heir to the Speaker of the Suns) LG
Elven Male Fighter 7th Level
Str 18(45); Dex 15; Con 16; Int 14; Wis 10; Cha 17
AC 1 (chain +2, shield +2); THAC0 14 (+1/+3 bonus); hp 55
Residence: Qualinost; Ht 5'10"; Wt 187 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword +3, dagger +3
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', 90% resist sleep/charm
Porthios has a slow, methodical, and succinct manner when
speaking. He appears to weigh every word before releasing it.
Porthios's main fault is his pride, which can trip him up when he
least expects it. Still, he truly cares for his people, the
Qualinesti, and will make an excellent leader when the time comes.
All of Porthios's decisions in battle and otherwise will be made
with the welfare of the Qualinesti folk uppermost in mind. He does
care about other races, but feels that the Qualinesti should be his
first concern. He will place these matters above even his own life.
Porthios was the eldest child of the Speaker of the Suns. It was
known from birth that he would rule. His whole life has been spent in
training for rulership. He resents the attention that his brother,
Gilthanas, receives for his adventuring, feeling that Gilthanas's true
responsibilities lay at home. He has also lost respect for his sister,
Laurana, for running off in a time of crisis to follow Tanis. Porthios
stayed home to support their father in his illness and later led his
people to safety. He feels underappreciated for it.
Future Adventures: Porthios might hire an adventuring party to
perform a service for the Qualinesti people. Porthios, however, would
never be found adventuring. He has too many responsibilities for that.
On the other hand, a party might have to deal with Porthios to gain
access to some site on the elven land or to gain permission to cross
Qualinesti.
Silvart of the Kagonesti CG
Elven female figher 4th Level
Str 13; Dex 17; Con 15; Int 15; Wis 13; Cha 18
AC 5 (leather, Dex); THAC0 17; hp 34
Residence: Silvanost; Ht 5'4"; Wt 102 lb; Mv 12")
Preferred Weapon: Obsidian dagger, hunting club
Special Abilities: Can cure light and serious wounds and cure
disease once per day with Healing or Herbalism proficiencies.
Silvart has a voice like dancing waters: bubbling and melodious.
She works as servant to the Silvanesti and is usually dirt-caked and
savage-looking. When cleaned and combed, however, Silvart is a great
beauty. She is dedicated to freeing her people and will be a loyal
friend to those who aid her in this cause. If met while spying for her
people, Silvart will seem dull and able to perform only the simplest,
most tedious tasks. However, when she has befriended a group, she will
show herself to be insightful and extremely knowledgeable in the ways
of the forests.
Silvart descended from a line of wise women, as evidenced by her
pale skin and white hair. She took service among the Silvanesti
invaders to spy upon them for her people. Her only companion is her
dog Dargo, who is a snow-white cooshee with 27 hit points.
Some speculate that Silvart is the alternate identity for
Silvara, the Great Silver Dragon who fell in love with Gilthanas. The
truth of this matter is unknown.
Future Adventures: Silvart might approach a kind, Goodaligned
party for aid in obtaining freedom for her people. Otherwise, she
could be of aid to a group seeking some artifact or relic from her
native forests.
Solostaran (Speaker of the Suns) LG
Elven Male fighter 7th Level
Str 15; Dex 14; Con 13; Int 17; Wis 15; Cha 16
AC 9 (robes of office); THAC0 14; hp 47
Residence: Qualinost; Ht 5'7"; Wt 165 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword +3, dagger +3
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', 90% resist sleep/charm
Solostaran has a diplomat's voice: calm, reasonable, and steely.
He is a gracious man of advancing years, who, if he shares the
prejudices of his people, does not voice such opinions. He has led his
people for more years than most humans have been alive and is
therefore accustomed to being obeyed. Solostaran projects an aura that
makes all those around him naturally obey in times of crisis.
He will not enter lightly into any conflict. The Qualinesti are
his to protect as well as command. He realizes that regardless of who
wins a battle, everyone loses. Solostaran will not risk the life of
even a single subject until he is convinced that such a risk is
necessary.
Solostaran came to power much as his son Porthios did: following
a long period of training and seasoning. He was very familiar with the
reins of power before he ever wielded them alone. He is, therefore,
not given to rash or ill-advised use of his power. He is proud of his
sons and the job he did in raising them. His daughter, Laurana, gave
him much sorrow when she rebelled against him, leaving Qualinesti to
chase after the half-elf Tanis.
Future Adventures: Dealings with Solostaran will be long and
almost ceremonial in nature. He nearly always deals from a position of
power and feels no need to be rushed. He may seek mercenaries for a
conflict with another race. (After all, why shed elven blood
unnecessarily?) Or he may need specialists for a quest, perhaps to
enter a realm where elves are unwelcome.
Theodenes CG
Gnome Male fighter 5th Level
Str 15; Dex 10; Con 17; Int 17; Wis 6; Cha 14
AC 3 (chain +2); THACO 16; hp 39
Residence: Mount Nevermind; Ht 3'2"; Wt 65 lb; Mv 6
Preferred Weapon: Guisarme, bardiche, trident
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', +4 to saves vs. magic.
Theodenes has a friendly, cheerful voice, and speaks fairly
quickly. He seems to have so much to say that he is afraid he might
not get to say it all. As is typical among gnomes, Thoedenes is an
authority on most any imaginable topic. He is adventurous and curious
and deeply loves mechanical objects. He good-naturedly offers help to
anyone and never learns from his mistakes.
Theodenes will give his advice and help during any crisis, no
matter how much he is asked to refrain: he rushes headlong into battle
only to trip the whole party; he offers to fix a ship and, when it
sinks, confesses that he drilled holes in the hull to let water in for
ballast.
Theodenes has traveled everywhere and anywhere, and has picked
up souvenirs from all the places he has been. He travels with a
sabre-tooth tiger kitten named Star, who is almost as much trouble as
he.
Future Adventures: Theodenes could supply a party with just the
item it needs for their next adventure (if only he can get it working
on time, or keep it working long enough to do any good). He might also
hire the party to collect for him something special to finish his
greatest project. In either case, he should be able to have them
tearing their hair out in no time.
Waylorn Wyvernbane N
Human Male Druid 9th Level
Str 8; Dex 13; Con 14; Int 9; Wis 16; Cha 15
AC 5 (leather +2, shield); THAC0 16; hp 40
Residence: Silvanesti; Ht 5'9"; Wt 164 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Scimitar +2, staff of the python
Special Abilities: Typical druid special abilities.
The druid Waylorn occasionally believes himself to be Huma, hero
of the Third Dragon War. This personality quirk is perhaps
understandable seeing as Waylorn was a contemporary of Huma's. Waylorn
fell asleep in those ancient days and did not awaken until Ansalon had
been reshaped by the Cataclysm.
Waylorn has a quiet, soothing, tired voice of moderate tones.
However, when he believes himself to be Huma, his voice becomes deeper
and more heroic in tone. He is cleanshaven but occasionally strokes
his upper lip as if smoothing a moustache.
In his role as a druid, Waylorn is wise and brave and has a good
head for tactics. Sometimes, however, he will attack trees or rocks,
claiming them to be dragons in disguise. During these periods (which
may last for hours), Waylorn claims to be Huma. Probably, however, he
merely knew Huma and his long sleep has left him somewhat confused as
to his own identity. He has considerable druidic powers, and does not
hesitate to use them in battle, whether with real or imagined
opponents.
Waylorn was discovered locked in magical sleep. He lay in the
base of a tower that appeared to have been built during the Age of
Might, over 1,500 years ago. He has no memories of the time between
then and now, nor does he understand the historical events since that
time. Waylorn originally loved and later became the foe of an elven
sorceress named Silvyana. The dark mage summoned many wyrms to her
side to savage the aristocracy of Silvanesti. Waylorn and the elves,
however, slew her army and she retreated to the sanctity of her
enchanted tower. She then stepped into the River of Time, fleeing into
a future time when her foes would be weaker.
Waylorn tragically sought to pursue his fallen love through
time. He entered the Sleep of the Ages, from which the Heroes of the
Lance awoke him prematurely. He believes the devastations the world
suffers are due to Silvyana. His grief seems to have reft his reason.
Future Adventures: An adventuring party could perhaps discover
Waylorn as he lies asleep in his tower, or they could even be involved
in placing him there. He could also approach a group for aid in
discovering the truth about his identity.
Neutrals
Bas-Ohn Koraf "Kof" (First mate of the Perechon) NE
Minotaur Male Fighter 10th Level
Str 18(90); Dex 10; Con 14; Int 8; Wis 6; Cha 6
AC 6; THAC0 11 (+2/+4); hp 55
Residence: The Perechon; Ht 6'6"; Wt 220 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger, large club (1d8/1d6)
Special Abilities: Infravision 60'
Koraf was apprenticed to a ship-builder in Lacynos and studied
under him for many years. Another apprentice, Diro, was jealous of
Koraf and swore to discredit him. The final test before graduation was
for each student to design and build a ship and sail it alone with the
master builder. On the night before the test, Diro sabotaged Koraf's
vessel. When Koraf's turn came, he eagerly sailed out onto the sea.
Suddenly, the ship started to leak and broke in half. Koraf made his
way to shore but Efroth, the master builder, was not so lucky. Struck
by a piece of the rigging, Efroth drowned. Later that night, Koraf
heard Diro bragging about the sabotage. In a fit of rage, Koraf
strangled Diro with his bare hands. Because minotaur law forbids
killing another minotaur except in the arena, Koraf was thrown into
prison to await execution.
There he met Maquesta, also sentenced to die. Together they
escaped. They have been together ever since. Koraf is completely loyal
to Maquesta and would willingly give his life for her.
Koraf speaks slowly, if at all. His voice is deep and rumbling.
He is more refined and gentle than most of his race, but becomes a
true beast in battle. Koraf is somewhat hottempered but usually
manages to maintain control, especially in matters of business. When
he does lose control, however, someone usually goes overboard.
Condemned by his own kind, he has grown more kindly toward
humans than most minotaurs. Kof would never betray his crewmates. He
respects any one who bests him in fair combat, but he distrusts
strangers and fears magic.
Future Adventures: Koraf would join with a party only if
Maquesta ordered him to or were going along herself. He might seek
help if she were in trouble and he could not help her himself.
Minotaurs might also hire a party to arrest Koraf. He is, after all,
an escaped felon.
Berem Everman N
Human Male Ranger 6th Level
Str 13; Dex 12; Con 14; Int 15; Wis 14; Cha 13
AC 10; THAC0 15; hp 44
Residence: Many; Ht 5'9"; Wt 160 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Short sword, dagger
Special Abilities: Regenerates 1 hp/round; immune to fire, acid,
poison, magic, disease, drowning, and petrification; every wound will
eventually heal.
Berem speaks little. When he does, his voice brims with
depression and despair. He does not share knowledge of his special
abilities with those he meets. He shows real emotion only when
threatened with capture by the dragonarmies, for they terrify him.
Berem will not betray companions but will not show them loyalty
either. Although he does not die from his wounds, he feels the pain of
each one. He goes to great lengths to escape injury.
When the Foundation Stone of Istar's Temple was returned to
Krynn by Takhisis, Berem and his sister were the first to find it. He
was a simple shepherd and hunter then. He attempted to pry a gem from
the Foundation Stone. His sister, Jasla, felt the evil in the
structure and tried to stop him. He pushed her and she fell, striking
her head and dying. Fearing discovery of his crime, Berem fled with
the gem hidden in his shirt pocket. The cursed gem bonded to his
flesh, imbedding itself in his chest.
Now Berem wanders the face of Krynn, terrified that his crime
will one day be discovered. He also fears the Evil draconians, whom he
knows are somehow linked to the master of this mystic gem.
For nearly fifty years, Berem was held prisoner by the Daergar,
the dwarves of darkness. During that time, hidden from the eyes of the
Dragon Queen, he forgot his identity. He became merely a mind-numbed
old man until the Heroes of the Lance freed him.
Berem believes the stone is the source of his regeneration. He
knows it cannot be removed. When his body is healing, the stone glows
a brilliant green. The dragonarmies are hunting him for some dark
purpose of their queen, Takhisis.
Future Adventures: Berem will travel with parties for a while,
but will show no loyalty to them. He will not truly ally with anyone.
A party may be hired by the dragonarmies, Council of Whitestone,
Knights of Solamnia, or some such organization to find Berem and bring
him to the group.
Fritzen Dorgaard CN
Half-Ogre Male fighter/thief 7th Level
Str 18(51); Dex 16; Con 17; Int 8; Wis 7; Cha 12
AC 6 (leather,Dex); THAC0 14 (+2/+3 bonus); hp 56
Residence: The Perechon; Ht 6'9"; Wt 295 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger, belaying pin
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', excellent at Swimming (+3 to
proficiency check)
Fritz speaks in a loud voice. He is flamboyant and boisterous,
as is common among half-ogres. He enjoys taunting his enemies and
dislikes most minotaurs. Fritz has a bestial handsomeness that
attracts many women. And he knows it. He is a rogue and scoundrel but
is very loyal to Maquesta and will not betray her.
Fritz feels that life is a grand adventure and he often leaps
into combat, wielding a dagger in each hand. Wryly jovial, he enjoys
taunting foes. He has a secret fear of fire and will avoid it. If
faced with flames, he fights at -2 to hit and loses all Dexterity
bonuses.
Fritz was scheduled to hang for piracy when Maquesta KarThon
rescued him. He has been with her ever since. He sails with her on the
Perechon and acts as her personal bodyguard.
Future Adventures: Fritz will not leave Maquesta for long. If on
lay-over in port for a while, Fritz might, however, be lured away by
tales of legendary treasures or wild adventures. A party might be
hired by him to save Maquesta if she were captured.
Justarius of the Red Robes LN
Human Male Wizard 17th Level
Str 14; Dex 16; Con 13; Int 17; Wis 14; Cha 12
AC 2 (ring of protection +6, Dex); THAC0 15; hp 42
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'11"; Wt 150 b; Mv6"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger, spells
Justarius speaks in a robust voice. He is a friendly person with
an open, honest face. He does not trust others quickly, and is not
overly compassionate toward those he does not know. He is very loyal
once he makes a friend and always keeps his word. He walks with a
pronounced limp and is prone to rely on magic more than physical
prowess if in danger.
As a young mage, Justarius was very proud of his physical
abilities and was forced to choose between physical prowess and magic.
The spectral foes at his magical Testing tore his left leg, leaving it
crippled and nearly paralyzed. During the long healing process, he
honed his magical abilities and eventually rose to the top of his
order. As one who is truly neutral, he has not made many enemies. Some
say he is next in line to head the conclave after Par-Salian. Due to
his position, he has few opportunities for friendship, but admires and
respects Par-Salian and Ladonna, the heads of the other two orders.
Future Adventures: Justarius is of an adventurous bent and might
be persuaded to accompany a party, especially if the quest is for an
artifact, a spell book, or some unusualmagical item. Alternately, he
might commission a group to retrieve an item for him.
Lorac Caladon (King of Silvanesti) LG
Elven Male Fighter 15th/Mage 3rd Level
Str 13; Dex 14; Con 7; Int 12; Wis 7; Cha 12
AC 6 (leather +2); THAC0 6; hp 18
Residence: Silvanesti; Ht 5'10"; Wt 123 b; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword +3
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', 90% resist sleep/charm
At this time, Lorac is a shattered wreck of a man. The only
sounds he can make are tortured and barely decipherable whispers.
However, in happier times, he was strong and robust and considered one
of the most handsome elves in the kingdom. He was a great leader:
intelligent and well educated.
When the dragonarmies besieged Lorac's fair forest of
Silvanesti, he sought a way to destroy them. Pulling out a dragon orb
that he had discovered on previous adventures, Lorac summoned its
power to destroy the dragons. Sadly, the dragon orb's power proved
greater than Lorac's. The Evil mind trapped within the orb -- Viper,
the Green Dragon Spirit -- cast a mindspin spell on Lorac. The spell
drove Lorac insane, imprisoning him in his own nightmares. The spell
also distorted the fair forest of Silvanesti into a twisted and
horrible wood. Even now, the elves seek to reclaim it from the
phantasmal beasts that dwell there.
Future Adventures: In order to help Lorac, a party would have to
enter into his dream realm and help him fight his way free. The way is
treacherous. Reality is distorted and the heroes risk being eternally
trapped inside their own nightmares. Anyone and anything can appear
and only the DM can judge what is real and what is not.
An adventuring group could also meet Lorac before his downfall,
although such a meeting would be difficult. Silvanesti before the
Dragon Wars was closed to most outsiders. Perhaps the characters could
be on a diplomatic mission to convince the elves: had they should open
relations with surrounding kingdoms. Or perhaps rumors of war prompt
neighboring kingdoms to send spies to learn if the elves are preparing
for conquest.
Maquesta Kar-Thon (Captain of the Perechon) N
Half-Elf Female fighter/thief 6th Level
Str 15; Dex 18; Con 16; Int 11; Wis 13; Cha 13
AC 4 (leather, Dex); THAC0 15; hp 50
Residence: The Perechon; Ht 5'5"; Wt 120 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Long sword +1, dagger
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', 30% resist. to sleep/charm
Maquesta speaks in a clear, husky voice. She is accustomed to
being a leader of men and therefore uses a commanding tone whenever
she speaks. She flirts often with handsome and somewhat slow-witted
men, but avoids any commitments. Every port holds one of her many
lovers. She trusts no one except her first-mate Koraf and her
bodyguard Fritz. Her first loyalty is to ship and crew and her second
is to paying customers and those to whom she owes a debt of honor. She
is a tough bargainer, but an honest merchant.
Maquesta appears to come from the northern race of blackskinned
mariners, but is really half elf and half sea barbarian. She has
bobbed her ears to conceal her elven ancestry because elves are hunted
in lands of the dragon. Only her firstmate and bodyguard know of her
true lineage.
As merchant and pirate, Maquesta plays both sides of the fence.
Her quiet rebellion agaist dragonarmy rule is a dangerous occupation,
but she carefully avoids capture. She detests draconians, having sworn
a secret blood-oath against those who massacre the elven people. She
battles ruthlessly against draconian ships, making sure that none of
the lizard folk escape to reveal her duplicity.
When Maquesta's sailor father died, he left her only the
Perechon and a pile of debts. He had been betrayed by a friend whom he
had trusted. On his death bed, he forced Maquesta to swear that she
would never trust anyone and would sacrifice everything for wealth.
Money alone seemed to matter in the cruel and evil world. Embittered
by her father's betrayal and death, Maquesta has obeyed him to this
day, trusting only her first-mate and her bodyguard.
Maquesta met Bas-Ohn Koraf on the Isle of Mithas where they both
stayed in a Minotaur prison, awaiting execution. He saved her life and
helped her escape. Although she feels a fondness for the minotaur, she
will not admit this even to herself. She still has nightmares about
the prison. Maquesta picked up Fritz when she rescued him from a
draconian gallows. He has been loyal to her ever since.
Future Adventures: Maquesta might pick up a party of adventurers
to fill spaces in her crew or to help rescue crew members who have run
afoul of the law. Adventurers also might take passage on her ship. The
PCs might meet Maquesta in prison or be hired to bring her in for
trial. Also, the forces of the Dark Queen have placed a bounty on
Maquesta's head, a bounty that Evil party members may be eager to
colect.
Par-Salian of the White Robes (head of the Conclave) LG
Human Male Wizard 18th Level
Str 10; Dex 17; Con 9; Int 18; Wis 15; Cha12
AC 2 (leather +3, Dex); THAC0 15; hp 45
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'9"; Wt 129 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger, spells
This 70-year-old man has a quiet but clear voice. He appears
extremely frail, but his eyes are a bright glittering blue. He has
long white wispy hair, which he is constantly pushing from his eyes.
He prefers to spend his time in study rather than action. He would
like very much to set aside his responsibilities as leader of the
White Robed Wizards but will not retire while Raistlin remains a
threat to the world. He will under no circumstances leave the Tower of
Wayreth.
It was Par-Salian's decision to allow Raistlin to take his Test
at such an early age. Many believe this premature Testing propelled
Raistlin into his pact with Fistandantilus and his fall into evil.
Par-Salian is the most powerful of the heads of the orders; he gained
his current position primarily through his magical prowess.
Future Adventures: Because he fears to leave the Tower of
Wayreth, Par-Salian needs others to do his work in the world. He has
subordinates, of course, but some tasks may be beyond their abilities.
He may wish to hire an adventuring party for some task, or may demand
a task for some magical aid that they require.
Sestun (Servant to Toede) N
Gully Dwarf Male Thief 2nd Level
Str 12; Dex 17; Con 16; Int 9; Wis 7; Cha 10
AC 5 (leather, Dex); THAC0 20; hp 7
Residence: Xak Tsaroth; Ht 3'7"; Wt 62 lb; Mv6"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger
Special Abilities: Groveling
Sestun refuses to whine even when he's groveling: he unabashedly
believes in his ability to help friends. He eagerly performs just
about any task asked of him. He does not willingly put himself in
danger, but often has no real idea how dangerous a task may be.
Sestun will never enter combat willingly, except to save the
life of a dear friend. He will likely grovel for his lite until he
gains the chance to run away. He runs and climbs extremely well for
someone with such short legs.
The heroes first met Sestun when they were taken prisoner in
Solace and the elves, led by Porthios, tried to free them. They
managed to convince Sestun that he was tired of being Toede's slave
and that he should change his associations. Ses tun took action by
breaking the lock on their cage and then promptly getting lost in the
confusion.
Future Adventures: A party of adventurers is likely to come upon
Sestun in grubby corners and at odd times. Sestun will probably try to
join up with any group that will let him tag along for protection. The
DM can use Sestun for comic relief, letting him get the party in a
great many annoying situations while he is trying to "help."
Foes
Ariakus (Highlord of the Red Dragonarmy) 16
Human Male Priest 23rd/fighter 10th Level
Str 15; Dex 12; Con 11; Int 13; Wis 18; Cha 15
AC -1 (plate mail +4); THAC0 7; hp 88
Residence: Sanction; Ht 5'11"; Wt 197 Ib; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Mace +3
Ariakus does not speak; he proclaims. His every word is an
edict, and he expects every word to be obeyed. Ariakus is the
personification of ambitious evil.
Ariakus's major weakness is his arrogance. He has such great
power that he tends to underestimate his opponents. His overconfidence
in his abilities prevents him from giving anyone credit for having
skills of their own. Thus, his plans may contain flaws that a clever
enemy could capitalize upon.
Ariakus was a brilliant warrior in his younger days. When he
discovered the pure evil of the Dark Queen, however, he immediately
cast aside the study of combat to dedicate himself to her service. His
power has risen accordingly. He is the Highlord in command of the Red
Dragonarmy, the most powerful of the five armies of Takhisis. The red
army has also been the most successful in its campaigns. Ariakus is
the governor of all lands taken by his forces. These include Sanction,
Abanasinia, Qualinost, and Tarsis. Now that Ariakus is the Emperor, he
answers only to Takhisis herself.
Future Adventures: Few adventurers could hope to take on a foe
such as Ariakus head-to-head. Only an assassination attempt or a quick
abduction would allow even high-level PCs much of a chance. Another
possibility for PCs to dethrone Ariakus is to discredit him with the
Dark Queen. By fouling up enough of Ariakus's plans and making him
look the fool, PCs could quickly bring about his dismissal by
Takhisis.
Bakaris (Blue Dragon Leutenant) CE
Human Male fighter 11th Level
Str 16; Dex 12; Con 15; Int 10; Wis 14; Cha 13
AC 1 (plate mail +2); THAC0 10 (+1 dmg); hp 58
Residence: Estwilde; Ht 6'; Wt 187 lb; Mv 12
Preferred Weapon: Two-handed sword +2 life-stealer, poison
daggers
Bakaris speaks in a sullen and angry tone. He is a handsome,
dark man who is more devoted to the Blue Lady than to the rest of the
dragonarmy. He has a quick temper and arrogant manner that he has
trouble keeping in check.
Bakaris fights like a berserker in battle. His temper, constant
lust for pleasure, and devotion to the Blue Lady are weaknesses that
could be exploited. If provoked by anger, tempted by power, or
convinced that the Blue Lady were threatened, he might leave his
responsibilities to take action.
Bakaris's wild nature and fearsome temper forced him to flee his
native lands: in a fight over a woman, he killed the son of a noble.
These weaknesses have plagued him ever since.
Bakaris met the Blue Lady early in her career and realized that
she would quickly rise to power. He initiated plans to rise with her.
She recognized his weaknesses but realized that as long as Bakaris's
career were linked to her own, she could trust him. She was careful to
make sure her success was in his best interest.
Future Adventures: A smart party could perhaps exploit Bakaris
as a weak link in the Blue Dragonarmy's Command Structure. If Bakaris
could be convinced that other officers were insulting him behind his
back, he would go into a traitorous rage. Otherwise, a man like
Bakaris could probably be subverted through gambling debts or
something of a similar nature.
Chot Es-Kalin (minotaur chieftan) NE
Minotaur Male fighter 13th Level
Str 18(99); Dex 12; Con 16; Int 9; Wis 10; Cha 8
AC 4 (chain + 1); THAC0 8 (+2/+5 bonus); hp 80
Residence: Lacynos; Ht 6'11"; Wt 275 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Battle axe +2
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', immune to normal fear
Chot Es-Kalin speaks in a loud, angry manner when he deigns to
speak at all. He cannot speak Common, and seldom speaks to lessers
unless deciding their fate. Chot is a violent and cruel creature who
leads by terror and intimidation.
Chot looks down on all other races as inferiors. He does,
however, have a strong respect for dragons and those who control them.
He refuses to believe that a member of an inferior race could defeat
him and consequently toys with opponents, dragging out combat like a
cat with a mouse.
Chot made his way into power over the bodies of his opponents.
This is his style of governing also. He has made a pact with the
Dragon Highlords to further his own ambitions but he does not trust
his leaders. This is why he has entered into a secret pact with the
Reaver, chief of the human pirate fleets. He and the Reaver seem to be
cut from the same cloth. Their alliance may not take them far, but
they certainly deserve each other.
Future Adventures: Unless Chot can be drawn out of his capital
(possibly by raids on his ships), the only place that nonminotaur
heroes will meet him is in the arena. Whatever satisfaction a PC might
gain from defeating Chot would be short lived in the next fight to the
death... or the next.
Fistandantilus NE
Human Male Wizard 23rd Level
Str 9; Dex 15; Con 16; Int 18; Wis 16; Cha 15
AC 9; THAC0 13; hp 47
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'4"; Wt 120 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Spells
Special Item: Bloodstone of Fistandantilus
Fistandantilus speaks with a cold, grating voice like the
creaking of the hinges on a tomb. He is a diseased old man with gray,
wizened skin and bright, feverish eyes. Fistandantilus exudes an aura
of evil and decay; all those around him can feel it. His is a flat,
emotionless voice. He has subordinated all his emotions to his lust
for power.
Fistandantilus often tries to get others to fight his battles
for him; he will enter combat only if given no other option. He
prefers to teleport away and ambush opponents when they can be caught
unaware.
Long ago, Fistandantilus trod the path that Raistlin walks. His
attempt to enter the Abyss and do battle with Takhisis was interrupted
by a gnomish magical item that exploded and destroyed both armies in
the Dwarfgate War. He suddenly found himself threatened with conquest
by the relentess march of time: Fistandantilus was growing old. He
then cast his spirit through time' and contacted Raistlin, intending
to take over the young mage's body. Once in Raistlin's form,
Fistandantilus could battle the Dark Queen once again. Apparently,
however, Raistlin proved too strong for him.
Fistandantilus's life has been a never-ending battle against
death. He first attempted to sustain his life by stealing the
lifeforce of younger mages with his bloodstone; then he sought to
become a god by defeating Takhisis; lastly, he gained immortality by
becoming a lich. In the end, all of Fistandantilus's schemes failed
him.
Future Adventures: Fistandantilus always takes a great interest
in adventuring parties, especially those that contain young male mages
of the Black or Red Robes. Fistandantilus abducts or lures a mage away
from the party in order to steal the mage's life force with his
bloodstone. Such an abduction could precipitate a rousing chase as the
party attempts to rescue its comrade.
Gildentongue LE
Aurak Draconian Male 8 Hd
Str 12; Dex 13; Con 10; Int 17; Wis 11; Cha 16
AC 0 (natural); THAC0 10; hp 49
Residence: Wanders; Ht 7'2"; Wt 280 lb; Mv 15"
Preferred Weapon: Energy blasts x 2, breath weapon
Special Abilities: See entry for "Aurak Draconians" in the
section on beasts and monsters of Ansalon.
Gildentongue speaks in a relaxed, slightly sibilant voice.
Although he seldom raises his tone, his words are easily audible, even
in a noisy room. When interacting with potential enemies, Gildentongue
moves about in many disguises: a simple farmer, stupid ogre,
golden-haired maiden, lanky urchin, and so forth.
Gildentongue looks down on mammalian races and tends to treat
them as inferiors. This prejudice often causes him to underestimate
mammals at first. A quick opponent could perhaps overwhelm him with a
sudden powerful attack. He also does not deign to use his jaws and
teeth on an opponent. He prefers energy blasts and breath weapon
exclusively unless forced to do otherwise.
Gildentongue is a special agent of the Dark Queen, sent out to
keep the peace between Lord Toede, the Blue Lady, and her other
allies. Only the Blue Lady and Toede know of his true nature and he
obeys only their orders. He is completely loyal to Takhisis, but
distrusts the Blue Lady. he attempts to frustrate her by aiding Toede
whenever possible.
Future Adventures: A sharp opponent could find a use for
Gildentongue's antagonism toward the Blue Lady. Perhaps if approached
properly, Gildentongue might betray the Blue Highlord in order to
depose her. He might at least leak some of her plans to the enemy to
make her look bad. If traveling PCs meet Gildentongue, he will attempt
to mislead the heroes with "friendly" advice, then go alert Toede to
set a trap.
Ladonna (Mistress of the Black Robes) LE
Human Female Wizard 17th Level
Str 9; Dex 18; Con 12; Int 18; Wis 16; Cha 18
AC 1 (robes, ring of protection +4, Dex); THAC0 15; hp 41
Residence: Palanthus; Ht 5'; Wt 115 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Spell
Ladonna has a sultry voice that many men find irresistable. She
impresses all who meet her with her wit and charm. A woman of striking
beauty, Ladonna refuses to use magic to hide her age. Underneath her
seductive exterior, however, she is ruthless and utterly dedicated to
her position.
Ladonna routinely allows others to underestimate her. When
conflicts arise, she crushes her enemies completely. She does not
hesitate to use any means at her disposal, including assassination and
murder, to deal with opposition to her power. The only person she
fears is Raistlin. She knows that if he ever did challenge her for her
position, he would not hesitate to kill her outright.
Ladonna was apprenticed as a teenager to Arianna -- a sorceress
of the Black Robes who became Chief Overseer of the library in
Wayreth's Tower of High Sorcery. This position allowed her to gain a
wealth of knowledge from materials to which she might otherwise have
been denied access. When Arianna died at the age of 50, Ladonna was
elevated to her position. She thus assumed a seat on the conclave at
the age of 30.
During this time, Arianna had a brief affair with Par-Salian.
They had a daughter, of whom Par-Salian never knew. Ladonna sent the
child tn trusted family in Palanthus to be raised, but the ship on
which she sent the baby disappeared without a trace. Ladonna sometimes
feels guilt over this loss and hopes that the child is alive
somewhere.
Future Adventures: Ladonna spends most of her time at the Tower
of Wayreth. Any PCs summoned there will most certainly meet her. She
may occasionally hire people for purposes other than assassination and
the party can have contact with her that way. Alternately, a third
party may wish to hire the PCs to protect them from one of Ladonna's
assassination attempts.
Mandracore the Reaven NE
Half-Ogre Male Fighter 8th Level
Str 16; Dex 14; Con 15; Int 12; Wis 8; cha 14
AC 4 (studded leather +2, shield); THAC0 13; hp 68
Residence: Wanders; Ht 6'10"; Wt 289 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Dagger, long sword +1, belaying pin
Special Abilities: Infravision 60', Blind Fighting
This pirate-lord has a harsh voice, almost like the growling of
a beast. He is a surly, abusive fellow with a great appetite for
power. His tone is blustering and aggressive. If he thinks a certain
person foments revolution, Mandracore challanges that person to a
fight to the death. Those who refuse to fight him mysteriously
disappear.
Madracore rules his fleet through fear and strength. He bonds
the pirates together by playing upon their fear and hatred of the
minotaur pirate fleet. He is crafty and vicious, but has a good sense
of politics. He has entered into a secret agreement with the minotaur
fleet and the Dragon Highlords, allowing their ships to pass safely in
return for being allowed to freely rob other vessels.
Mandracore was a galley slave until the day a pirate ship
attacked his vessel and offered the slaves freedom in return for
allegiance. Mandracore repaid the captain's kindness by challenging
and slaying him at the first opportunity. By the rules of the pirates,
this made him the captain of the ship. He continued to cut a bloody
swath through the pirates until he was in control of the entire fleet.
Future Adventures: Adventurers can interact with Mandracore in
one of two ways. They can hunt him down for a reward, or they can
defend themselves against him when He attacks a ship on which they
sail.
Soth, Lord (the Knight of the Black Rose) CE
Death Knight
Str 18(99); Dex 14; Con 17; Int 10; Wis 9; Cha 17
AC 0 (plate mail +3); THAC0 5 (+ 2/+ 5); hp 89
Residence: Solamnia; Ht 6'5"; Wt 300 lb; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Two-handed sword +3
Special Abilities: Has magic resistance 75% (if roll is 11% or
less, spell reflects onto caster); affects undead as 6th-level priest;
summons nightmare steed once every 4 years; projects fear 5' radius;
Magic: fireball (20d6) once/day, gate twice/day, power word (blind,
stun, or kill) once/day, symbol (pain or fear) once/day, wall of ice
at will.
Lord Soth speaks with a hollow, chilling voice. His demeanor is
terrifying, even to kender. Soth often behaves according to the Oath
and the Measure in his daily routine.
However, he adheres to the trappings of honor more as a mockery
than as an ethos. Lord Soth fights according to the rules of chivalry,
dismounting to fight a man afoot, sheathing his sword to fight one who
is unarmed, and so forth. These gestures are bald-faced mockeries, for
the death knight's awesome powers make these concessions worthless.
Lord Soth was considered a good and honorable knight by all,
nearly a paragon of virtue. He was, however, a man of strong passions;
these passions proved his downfall. Soth craved an heir, but his wife
was barren and could not provide him one. Then, one day, he laid eyes
upon an elf maiden, a disciple of the Kingpriest. He committed
adultery with her and later, when he found that she was pregnant,
participated in the murder of his wife so that he might marry the elf
woman. Soth's crimes came to light and he suffered disgrace and
condemnation.
When his new wife found out what had happened, she prayed to
Mishakal that he be given a chance at redemption. Soth himself prayed
to Paladine, and the two gods answered them. Soth was given the power
to prevent the Cataclysm although it would cost him his life. Soth set
out to accomplish this task. However, he was waylaid by elven women
who wished him to fail. They planted lies in his heart, claiming his
wife was unfaithful. He weakened and returned to his keep at Dargaard
to confront her. The Cataclysm occurred and Soth's wife and child were
burned to death before his eyes.
Soth sat down in the great hall of his keep, seared by the
roaring flames. He waited for death. But death never came. He was
transformed into a death knight. In mockery of his lost honor, his
retainers were changed to skeletal warriors to serve him and the elven
women who triggered his damnation became banshees, keening his crimes
every night in the halls of Dargaard.
Soth's torment continued until the Blue Lady came to Dar gaard.
She offered Soth the elf maiden Laurana for his bride if he would join
with the dragonarmies. At first, Soth saw his lost bride in Laurana
and believed her to be his chance at release from undeath. Later, he
turned his desires to the Blue Lady and plotted her downfall so that
she could rule beside him in undeath forever.
Future Adventures: Lord Soth is a terrible enemy for any party
of adventurers. With his nightmare steed, skeletal warriors, and
banshee companions, he truly is a force to be reckoned with. The
destruction of Lord Soth is too grand a goal for a single adventure.
Perhaps, however, it would make a suitable framework around which to
build a heroic saga of adventures. The heroes could start out by
thwarting Soth's plans in minor ways. Then, as they grow in power and
learn more about him, they can eventually reach a point where they can
challenge him face-to-face in a magnificent final battle.
Verminaard (Dragon Highlord) LE
Human Male priest 8th Level
Str 14; Dex 10; Con 15; Int 12; Wis 16; Cha 18
AC 1 (plate +2); THAC0 16; hp 50
Residence: Wanders; Ht 6'2"; Wt 195 Ib; Mv 12"
Preferred Weapon: Mace +3
Special Items: Nightbringer (mace +3, save vs. spell or be
blinded for 2d6 turns)
Verminaard speaks in a smooth, seductive voice that can charm
and calm those around him. He is an extremely charismatic and
diplomatic man -- when he wants to be. He can also turn into a
bloodthirsty beast when thwarted. Verminaard lives for the destruction
of all that is good.
Like all other Dragon Highlords, Verminaard is completely
ruthless in battle. He offers no quarter and only accepts surrender to
make his job easier. As often as not, he kills those who surrender to
him. He glories in bloodshed and slaughter.
In short, he is the perfect commander for the dragonarmies.
Verminaard was just a minor mercenary when the Dark Queen first
appeared to him and offered him power in return for service. He saw in
her a leader who could offer him the power, blood, and destruction for
which he hungered. She saw a man with no conscience or shred of mercy
to weaken his actions in her cause.
Verminaard's only worry is the Blue Lady, whose ambition and
hunger for power exceed even his own. He discounts his main minion,
Toede, as too incompetent and cowardly to be a real threat. This could
well be his undoing.
Future Adventures: Typically, PCs will deal with Verminaard only
as opponents or victims. They might be hired to spy on Verminaard's
forces and report his movements, or his troops might capture them for
slave labor, forcing a daring escape from one of his construction
camps.
***
Gods of Krynn
Krynn's pantheon of 21 true gods comprises creatures of awesome
power, beauty, and will. Throughout recorded time, the antithetical
families of gods -- Good, Evil, and Neutrality -- have battled for
dominion over Krynn. But these immortal wars have spilled mostly
mortal blood. The roots of this unending struggle lie in the very
creation of the world.
Gods in Creation
In the heathen days following the Cataclysm, knowledge of the
true gods and the true creation of Krynn all but fled the world. The
creation stories that did survive are fragmentary and heavily colored
by cultural biases. Even the Disks of Mishakal remain maddeningly
vague about the creation. Tales such as the following still provide
our best knowledge of the origins of Krynn.
Silvanesi Myth
"Before time and substance, there was nothing. The High God
opened a door from another place and stepped through into the
emptiness. But she sorrowed, for it was a desolate place. And she lay
down in chaos like a woman asleep."
"Then Chislev, whom we call Nature, and Reorx, whom we call
Manufacture, happened through the door to see the High God so
distraught. And Chislev said, 'Make us a world, Reorx, that the High
God needn't weep.' Grieved in kind, the rotund Reorx swung his mighty
hammer to forge chaos into a world. Thus he created a ball of rock.
Still the High God did not rise from grief."
"Chislev descended to walk upon the vast and barren ball of
rock. It was more desolate than chaos itself, and its rough stones
sliced her feet. Where her tears fell, rivers poured forth. Where her
feet bled, the salty oceans rose. When Chislev saw the rivers and
oceans, she was glad. She laughed and skipped and danced across the
world. Where she laughed, beautiful meadowlands blanketed the stone.
Where she skipped, forests grew. Where she danced, rocks piled into
huge mountains."
"But still the world was lonely, for none lived in it. So
Chislev stooped and fashioned from clay every creature of land, sea,
and air. Once all were made, she laughed at their. small and still
forms. Hearing her laughter, the figures sprang to life.
"The ringing of Reorx's hammer and the sound of Chislev's
laughter awoke the slumbering High God. She, too, laughed. The sound
brought all the other gods through the open door -- Paladine and his
six, Gilean and his four, and Takhisis and her six. They all were so
struck by the new world that they began to bicker over who should rule
it. Annoyed by the clamor in the heavens, the High God slammed the
door and said, 'Silence!' And they were silent."
Dwarven Myth
"In the days before history and before the world, everything was
a jumbled chaos. Jumbled and useless it was. And the High God was
flummoxed. He reached into his robe and pulled out the sticks he had
brought from the other place and started whittling. He whittled one
stick -- a pleasantly stout stick with a stern expression -- but still
hadn't thought what to do with the chaos. He whittled another. Still
nothing. He whittled twenty-one sticks and in the end was all the more
flummoxed. So the High God said, 'What should I do with the chaos?'"
"The stout stick, whom the High God called Reorx, said, 'I'll
make a round and sturdy world in my own image.' A lithe stick called
Chislev said, 'And I will make trees in my own image.' A reedy stick
called Zeboim said, 'I will make oceans for me to live in.' A
beautifully carved stick named Paladine said, 'I will make dragons in
my own image.' And all the other sticks cried out what they would
make."
"The High God, pleased with all the ideas, asked the beautiful
stick Paladine to create his dragons first. Paladine did so, clutching
the elemental power of chaos in fistfuls and forming noble dragons in
rainbow hues. Though this creation pleased the High God, a thorny
stick called Takhisis was jealous: she wanted to be the first creator
and have the first creation bear her image. So she corrupted the
dragons, making them Evil in her likeness."
"Disturbed by the folly that had come of Paladine and Takhisis's
squabble, the High God turned to Reorx the Forger for a better
creation. Reorx reared back with his mighty hammer and pounded the
chaos as a blacksmith strikes red-hot iron. Each blow flung sparks
into the ether, and each spark became a star. The other gods watched
in awe, certain they could never forge such wonders. The last mighty
blow of Reorx's hammer created Krynn, a gloriously smooth and stout
ball of iron."
"The High God applauded, but now the other gods were anxious to
do their creating. They flooded down upon Reorx's perfect world and
proceeded to ruin it with deep gashes, high ridges, puddles and ponds
and lakes and oceans. As though these were not insult enough, the gods
filled the place with grasses, ferns, and trees, and infested it with
all manner of wriggling, flapping, creeping, climbing, and flying
beasts."
"Reorx's wonderful creation of simplicity now burgeoned and
teemed. Reorx stomped mightily upon the ground, raising a mountain in
his anger. That mountain would later be called Thorbardin."
"The High God comforted Reorx, 'This world is for all the gods.
They must learn to live and work together. I am sorry your perfect
world is ruined but, see, you are not the only one who grieves.' And
there, in a lovely glade, they saw Paladine weeping amidst statues of
his lost dragons. He had fashioned one dragon statue for each of the
rainbow hued dragons he lost. The statues were made of only the finest
metals of Krynn: gold, silver, bronze, brass, and copper."
"The High God asked, 'Paladine, have you created nothing more
than these statues for my world?' Paladine turned his sorrowing eyes
toward the High God, 'Yes, I am sorry. I can create nothing new. My
heart lies with my lost children.' Reorx pitied the poor god and said,
'Your creations shall be the greatest of all -- five Good dragons for
our world.' And so saying, he struck each dragon statue with his
hammer. The shuddering ring of the hammer blow quickened the metal
into life, and the five metallic dragons took to wing above the
world."
Gnomish Myth
"Before everything else, there was a machine called chaos. It
was infinitely large and infinitely complex. But it didn't do
anything. It just ran and ran. Reorx, great god of the forge, saw this
and said 'We have a design flaw. This machine doesn't do anything. We
need to make some improvements to the machine -- add some accessories
so that it will save labor and make life simpler.'"
"Reorx's first design modification was to put a giant cog at the
center of the machine. With his mighty hammer, he struck part of the
machine to forge the cog. The sparks from the forge flew up and became
stars to light his work. At last the cog was finished. To make it
truly efficient, he had made the cog not only round, but spherical.
All cogs need teeth and grooves, so he made mountains and valleys."
"About this time, as always happens when one starts a big
project out of doors, it started to rain. Irritated, Reorx cut
channels into the spherical cog to control water flow. The channels
became rivers. Soon, Reorx realized he needed some storage tanks for
the water, so he hollowed out the basins we now call oceans."
"But the waters kept rising. Irritated, Reorx made sea creatures
to drink the water. But water wasn't enough for these creatures. They
began eating the cog. So Reorx made plants for the sea creatures to
eat. The plants crept up onto land and the sea creatures followed. And
so came theflowers and trees, the beasts and birds. Reorx became truly
flustered, thinking he should destroy his cog altogether."
"Just about that time, some other gods wandered over. 'What're
you workin'on Reorx?' they asked, trying to sneak a peek at his
invention. Reorx, ashamed of his plant-and beastinfested cog, would
not let them see. He said, 'Go away. It's not finished.' One sly god
named Takhisis looked at the stars that had flown up from the forge
and said, "You aren't using those sparks, are you Reorx? They're just
by-products, are they not? Give them to me.' But Paladine said, 'Don't
give them to her, she'll only corrupt them. Give them to me instead.'"
"And so an uproar ensued over what god could have Reorx's
sparks. At last, the High God happened over and said, 'If you are
going to fight over them -- by-products or no -- none of you can have
them. I will make them a people to live on Reorx's beautiful world. If
you wish, each of the families of gods -- Good, Evil, and Neutrality
-- can bestow a gift on these spark creatures. But none can control
them."
"Paladine, patriarch of the Good gods, gave the spirits bodies
so they could manipulate the world as do the gods. Takhisis, matriarch
of the Evil gods, gave the spirits pain -- hunger, thirst, disease,
and death -- hoping that she could enslave them through their desires
and fears. Gilean, patriarch of the Neutral gods, gave the spirits
free will so that they could choose freely between Good and Evil. Once
these gifts were bestowed, the High God set the races of Krynn on the
world."
"The cog was clearly ruined. It would still spin, but it could
clearly not drive a whole universe the way Reorx had hoped. He shook
his head and sighed, wishing he had left the chaos machine alone."
Kender Myth
"There was a big nothing called Void, and in it was a swirl ing
thing called Chaos. Reorx, who made dwarves but also likes us, thought
Chaos was interesting. He picked it up, borrowed a hammer Kiri-Jolith
wasn't using, and pounded Chaos into a round world."
"'Hmmm. Maybe it needs some decorations.' He took his hammer and
made mountains, hills, and valleys. 'Better -- but it's all sooty from
the hammer. Perhaps if I wash it with that water Zeboim isn't
using...' And so the thing came to have rivers and oceans."
"Then he found some seeds that Chislev had thrown out. 'From
seeds she doesn't even want, I will grow some flowers for her.' So, he
took the seeds and planted them. Instantly, trees, grass, plants, and
flowers sprang up."
"'The world's looking better and better.' He found a few of
Habbakuk's fish and threw them into his ocean to keep them from
suffocating. He gathered in a stray flock of Sirrion's birds and
placed them on the world for safe keeping. Soon, Reorx's world was
thriving."
"The gods, seeing their discarded things put to such good use,
grew jealous. They complained to Paladine, who studied Reorx's world.
He said, 'You're mad because Reorx made something good with your
throw-aways? Well, too bad for you. Anyway, everything's so mixed up
down there, you couldn't get it back if you tried.'"
Mortals and the Gods
The first celestial war -- as well as all those that followed --
was fought for the hearts and souls of the mortals on Krynn. This was
the All Saint's War. Each family of gods had its own motivation for
wanting control of the mortals. The gods of Good wanted to instruct
mortals in the ways of Good; the gods of Evil wished to subjugate
mortals; and the gods of Neutrality desired to give mortals free will
to choose their futures and suffer their own consequences. In
addition, every family of gods needed the worship of mortals to
empower them.
These motivations remain true to this day. The gods therefore
reward mortals who have served them well in this life and the life to
come. As well as granting spells and visions to priests, Good and
Neutral gods bless their faithful in the afterlife and grant boons to
their descendants. Thus, when a hero dies or is killed, and this hero
has faithfully served a Good or Neutral god, that god may bless one of
the mortal's descendants (e.g., the replacement PC) in one of the
following ways:
- The new character starts out at 2nd level instead of 1st.
- The character automatically receives one ability at 18.
- A prized magical item of the deceased PC is granted to the new hero
to continue the fight.
- The new PC gains a +2 on all saving throws.
- The PC is visited by the dead hero's ghost and is told the exact
circumstances of his demise. The new PC is given a token to summon the
god's avatar to aid him, but it will work only once in the PC's
lifetime.
If a hero sacrifices himself in order to serve the goals of his
god, the DM should grant two such boons to the new PC. The gods of
Krynn rarely intervene directly. Something tremendously significant,
which affects entire populations and the lands they dwell in, will
bring a god to Krynn, but little less. Things like the War of the
Lance and the restoration attempt of the Silvanesti homeland are two
such examples. Even then, the god will come only to someone who has
been faithful in following the god's tenets.
Descriptions of the True Gods
Each of the 21 true gods appears in the following pages, along
with the High God, who is beyond creation. All of these gods are NPCs,
and their involvement on Krynn should be limited to providing
adventures for PCs.
The entries appear in a modification of the Legends and Lore
format. The abbreviations used in these entries follow:
AL = god's alignment
WAL = worshippers' alignment
PAL = priest's alignment
SY = god's symbol
Str = Strength
Dex = Dexterity
Con = Constitution
Int = Intelligence
Wis = Wisdom
Cha = Charisma
AC = Armor Class
HD = Hit Dice
SZ = size
AoC = area of control
THAC0 = to hit armor class 0
hp = hit points
MV = movement
PAT = number of attacks
Dmg = damage
AB = ability scores
MR = magic resistance
WP = weapons allowed
AR = armor restrictions
SP = spheres of priest spells*
PW = powers per level**
TU = turn undead ability
* Spheres marked with an asterisk indicate minor access only.
** Unless otherwise noted, powers can be used once per day.
After a description of each deity appears a description of the
god's avatar. An avatar is a physical projection of a god on the face
of Krynn. These corporeal shadows have much less power than the god
that casts them and, unlike the god, they can be killed. Remember, the
avatar and the actual god are as different as a man and his shadow.
The gods are categorized as greater gods and intermediate gods,
using the system presented in Legends and Lore. Both types of god are
immortal, can teleport without error, gain automatic initiative
against mortals, communicate with any being regardless of barriers,
use any magic spell, and grant powers and spells to priests at
appropriate levels.
Greater gods have the following powers:
- shapeshifting into any object from a pebble to a planet
- 100 % resistance to mortal magic
- automatic success on saving throws
- omniscience, all-knowing
- omnipotence, creating anything (resting 1 turn per ton of mass
created)
- control over life and death, can grant or destroy life at whim
- perform infinite actions simultaneously
- maintain ten avatars at once
Intermediate gods have the following powers:
- shapeshift into any animate or inanimate form at largest possible
size for its species or type
- 95 % resistance to mortal magic
- saving throws of 2 against all attack categories
- able to sense everything in 100-mile radius of self, any worshipper,
or holy item
- create or summon duplicate of any held item (resting 1 turn per 100
lbs. of mass duplicated)
- raise any mortal being from death
- perform up to 100 actions simultaneously
- maintain five avatars at once
***
High God, All-Father/Mother
(Greater God)
Gender: Male or female
Home Plane: Unknown
Description: The songs of creation tell of the One, the High
God, who came from beyond. The High God came when all was void, when
there was neither Krynn nor sun, moons nor stars. Then it was that the
High God stepped through a door from distant worlds. Being alone in
this new place, the High God chase to make other, weaker gods. As to
how these gods were made, none know for certain. Some songs relate
that the High God opened a door in her heart to release the gods from
beyond. Others say the High God brought crude gods with him through
the door and fashioned them like a man whittling wood. Still others
hold that the gods arose from the High God's passions -- love, hatred,
joy, fear, contentment, rage, and so forth. All stories agree, though,
that the High God is mother and father to the other gods.
At the University at Palanthus, translations of the recently
discovered Disks of Mishakal indicate that the High God was chief
architect of Krynn. Staring into the void, the High Cod envisioned a
fair and beautiful world -- not a wholly Good world, but a beautiful
world all the same. Then, gathering the company of gods, the High God
set them to work in forming all things. Reorx forged the great,
spinning sphere while the other gods crafted the world's marvelous
intricacies, all according to the High God's plan.
With the world's completion, the High God was weary. Withdrawing
from Krynn, the High God set creation into the charge of three other
gods -- Paladine of Good, Takhisis of Evil, and Gilean of Neutrality.
Still the High God watches these three pillars of creation, content to
remain withdrawn. Most tales agree that the All-Mother/Father lives
on, watching the events on Krynn, but few if any mortals worship this
distant and silent creator. Some theologians believe the gods
themselves pay homage to the All-Mother/Father. New tales and legends
abound regarding the nature and fate of the High God as the folk of
Krynn turn again to things unseen.
Role-Playing Notes: The High God should not be roleplayed. He or
she has withdrawn from Krynn, allowing the world to play out its fate.
The High God acts through the natural forces of conflict, fate, and
coincidence, remaining otherwise distant from creation. Although
apparently aloof, the High God loves creation and would act to prevent
its final destruction.
Statistics: AL None; WAL Any Good; AoC All creative and
destructive energies, the powers of true names and true forms,
justice, and the vagaries of chance; SY A budding seed, a lump of
clay, a pair of oddly shaped dice.
Artifacts: Three rumored artifacts may prove to be conduits to
the High God.
Luckstones: Shaped like dice, coins, or runestones, these
artifacts provide good or bad luck (DM's option) to the carrier. U p
to three times per day, a good luckstone grants a bonus of 2 to any
die roll, while a bad luckstone grants a penalty of 2. Good and bad
luckstones are undistinguishable except that bad luckstones, when
thrown away, reappear in the person's hand.
Chime of Creation: This chime of crystal and bone, when rung,
reshapes up to 8 cubic feet of inanimate material or creates up to 4
cubic feet of inanimate objects. It functions up to three times per
day.
Cymbals/Horn of Destruction: These instruments, when played,
inflict 6d6 points of damage to all within 20 yards in front of the
user, unless they save vs. breath. On a natural saving roll of 20, the
power backlashes on the player.
Hiqh God's Avatar
None known.
Gods of Good
Paladine, the Dragon's Lord (Greater God)
Gender: Male or genderless
Home Plane: Seven Heavens
Description: Paladine is Father of Good and Master of Law. He
speaks for the gods of Good, leading them not by restriction but by
example and encouragement. Paladine upholds the laws of Good,
assisting the righteous and abjuring the Evil.
During the Age of Dreams, Paladine led the gods in creation.
Before aught else was made, Paladine and Takhisis infused the raw fury
of chaos with form and purpose. Thus they created the first material
things -- dragons. Takhisis, jealous that the first creations were not
entirely hers, corrupted the chromatic dragons to make them Evil.
Paladine replaced his fallen children with the Good, metallic
dragons, but Takhisis's corrupting act began the rift between Good and
Evil. Takhisis then sought to dominate the newly-created starspirits.
Thus, the rift widened into a canyon. Paladine, in righteous anger,
launched the All-Saints War against the Evil gods. The war ended with
both sides wounded, but the battlefield, Krynn, was nearly destroyed.
Paladine, saddened by the devastation, swore never again to make war
on the world.
And so, Paladine learned the need for subtlety in his conflict
with the Evil gods. By working through worshippers rather than in
person, Paladine could bring about slow change without jeopardizing
the fragile stuff of creation. Paladine counseled the other gods of
Good to do likewise, and they have.
In one of history's darkest hours, though, when Takhisis loomed
over the world like an inescapable plague, Paladine realized he needed
a more powerful weapon in the fight for Good. Joining with his sons
Kiri-Jolith -- god of war, glory, honor, and duty -- and Habbakuk --
god of harmony and nature -- Paladine created the Knights of Solamnia.
They chose the human hero of liberty, Vinas Solamnus to establish the
knighthood, basing it on the ideals of truth, justice, and honor. The
Solamnic Knights proved weapon enough to thwart Evil's plots for over
a millennium. Then, in the throes of the third Dragon War, Paladine
honed the edge of this weapon by revealing the secret of the
Dragonlance.
Many legends suggest that Huma, hero of the Dragonlance who
exacted an oath from the Queen of Darkness herself, was Paladine's
avatar. This is false. Huma was indeed a mortal, acting with divine
guidance perhaps, but still mortal. Because this mere man's
history-shattering sacrifice is difficult to accept, many prefer to
consider him divine rather than aspire to his golden example.
Today, Paladine is honored by all orders of the Solamnic
Knights. He is patron of the Order of the Rose.
Paladine's constellation guards Gilean's constellation (the Book
of Knowledge). According to tradition, Paladine's constellation
occupies this position because truth and knowledge are essential
weapons in combatting Evil. During the War of the Lance, the
constellations of Paladine and Takhisis both vanished from the
heavens, a warning to the people of Krynn. Once the Dark Queen was
defeated and banished, the constellations returned to their proper
positions in the heavens.
At the Cataclysm, Paladine and his order, disillusioned with the
arrogant people and bound by the Kingpriest's spells, ceased their
intervention in the world. For 60 days, they permitted Evil to roll
unchecked across the land. In this time, Paladine's tears glowed
brilliant in the night sky.
Since that time, Paladine has turned his hand back to the weary
and ceaseless work of guiding fickle mortals. Paladine rules from the
Dome of Creation, which surrounds the heavens. These ethereal lands
are infinite and beautiful.
Role-Playing Notes: Paladine often intervenes in apparently
minor matters but he rarely, if ever, makes war in person -- no matter
how dire the cause. He pushes and prods, arms and inspires his folk,
but never overrides their-free will. Motivations: Following the
devastation of the War of the Lance, Paladine has two main goals -- to
keep Takhisis in.her banishment and to bring light and hope again to
the beleaguered nations of Krynn. Even in the lull following the war,
Paladine has returned occasionally in avatar form to spur on the work
of Good.
Statistics: AL LG; WAL Any Good; AoC Order, hope, light,
rulership, guardianship; SY Silver triangle, pine tree (Silvanesti),
anvil (Thorbardin); Colors silver and white.
Other Names: Draco Paladin (Ergoth), Skyblade (Goodlund),
Dragonlord (Mithas), E'li (Silvanesti), Thak the Hammer (Thorbardin),
Bah'Mut (Istar), the Great Dragon (Solamnia), Fizban (Goodlund).
Paladine's Avatars (Warrior, Priest, or Wizard; 25 th-level)
After the dark days of the Cataclysm, Paladine reentered the
world in the form of the befuddled old wizard Fizban the Fabulous.
Fizban embodies Paladine's mage abilities. He wanders the world as a
senile mage who forgets spells -- and even his own name! Mishap upon
mishap pile up around the flustered Fizban but, in the end, each
mistake works together to form a startling victory. Fizban's true
nature is mysterious: is he a heaven-touched true believer, a shell
created in memory of a favorite worshipper, or merely a conduit for
the god's voice? Such ontology matters little to dragons, though, for
they instinctively sense the heavenly presence and show deference.
As a greater god, Paladine can maintain many avatars at once.
One form is a perpetually smiling, rotund, hard-ofhearing priest who
sees the best in everyone. Luckily, in his presence, the best is
always drawn out. He also takes the form of an elderly warrior with a
dragon on his crest. In this form, he wears a Solamnic mustache and no
beard. Despite thinning hair and creaking joints, he remains
youthfully nimble and intuitive when the need arises. Deadly in
battle, he is even more skilled as a statesman, swaying crowds with
his eloquent speeches.
In whatever form, the avatars of Paladine have the following
abilities.
Dex 18, Con 18, Str 15, Wis 22, Cha 14, Int 23, SZ 6', MR 75%,
MV 12, HD 25, Hp 200, AC -5, THAC0 -4 Dmg 1d6, #AT 1
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Paladine uphold the law of Good in thought, word, and
deed. They do not brow-beat evildoers, however, trusting
self-destructive Evil to teach its own lessons. Requirements: AB
Standard; PAL Any Good; WPN Any; AR Any; SP All, Astral, Charm,
Combat*, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun, plus reflecting pool; PW
know alignment; flame strike. TU Turn undead and Evil.
Mishakal, Healing Hand (Greater God)
Gender: Female
Home Plane: Elysium
Description: Among most Good people of Krynn, Mishakal is
worshipped as the "Heater." In preCataclysm days, she was the most
revered of the ministering gods, with many temples that taught the art
of healing. Nearly every community in Ansalon had a priest of Mishakal
to tend to the populace's health and, in recent:days, the new clergy
of Mishakal is working to renew this custom.
Before the Cataclysm, Mishakal was known primarily as the
"Healer," but in the War of the Lance she earned other appellations:
"Light Bringer," "Bearer of Light," and "Quen IIlumini." These names
reflect the fact that it was Mishakal who revealed the true gods to a
world in darkness. The legendary Disks of Mishakal, a set of platinum
disks engraved with knowledge of the Good gods, brought this
revelation in tangible form to the people of Krynn. Since then, her
priesthood has understandably boomed.
Mishakal is Paladine's wife and advisor. The couple have twin
sons, Habbakuk and Kiri-Jolith, as well as a third and younger son
named Solinari.
Role-Playing Notes: Mishakal is gentle and compassionate. She
seeks to heal ills and minister to all creatures through her servants
on Krynn. Her gentleness should not be confused with weakness,
however, for Mishakal touches every corner of Krynn with her power. If
that power were ever roused to anger, she would doubtless prove
unstoppable.
Motivations: Mishakal, like Paladine, manifested herself during
the War of the Lance. She desires only to heal the wounded land and
recruit compassionate priests to become new healers. These activities
put Mishakal and her followers in direct conflict with Morgion and his
worshippers. Mishakal wants to return her priesthood to its
pre-Cataclysm glory, when every settlement had a priest of Mishakal.
Statistics: AL LG; WAL LG, CG; AoC Healing, knowledge,
fertility, life, beauty, blessing; SY Blue infinity symbol; Color sky
blue.
Other Names: Ka-Mel-Sha, Healer in the Home (Kharolis/ Tarsis),
Mesalax (Thorbardin), Meshal (Icewall), Mishas (Ergoth), Quenesti Pah
(Silvanesti), Quen Illumini (Qualinesti), Skymistress (Goodlund), the
Blue Lady (Balifor, Hylo), Empress (Mithas), Bearer of Light, Light
Bringer (Solamnia).
Mishakal's Avatars (priest 20)
Mishakal most commonly appears as a beautiful woman in excellent
health and physical condition. Her flawless skin radiates a golden
light unless she wishes to disguise herself. Even if she has dampened
her radiance, her latent power often deepens the natural blues in
objects around her -- blue blossoms, blue lakes, blue eyes, and so
forth. She wears a robe and carries no armor or weaponry except her
glowing blue crystal staff.
Though this form is her favorite, she occasionally occupies
vastly different avatars. In whatever form, her abilities follow.
Str 17, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 23, Wis 25, Cha 22, MV 24, SZ 5', MR
40%, AC -1, HD 20, hp 160, #AT 1, THAC0 1, Dmg 1d6+1
Special Att/Def: Mishakal is surrounded by a permanent
protection from evil 10' radius.
Duties of the Priesthood
A priest of Mishakal seeks out those who are ill and heals them.
Though some priests charge a nominal fee for healing spells, Mishakal
demands that priests not overcharge or withhold healing from those who
cannot afford it.
Requirements: AB standard, plus Int 13+; PAL LG, CG; WP
Nonpiercing only; AR Any; SP All, Astral, Charm, Creation, Divination,
Guardian*, Healing, Necromantic, Sun, plus prayer, remove/bestow
curse; PW animal friendship, bless/curse, endure cold/heat, resist
cold; chant, silence 15' radius; stone shape, water walk; holy word;
TU Turn.
Majere, Master of Mind (Intermediate God)
Gender: Male and female
Home Plane: Elysium
Description: Majere is the god of organization, industry, and
control, as well as meditation, faith, and dreams. Majere creates and
inspires the martial arts and all disciplines that lead to an honest
confrontation of oneself.
Majere's worshippers seek simple lives, devoid of luxurious
trappings but filled with meditation, self-discipline, and deep
thought.
Majere worked hand-in-hand with Paladine in creating and
populating Krynn. According to some scholars, Majere's crowning
creations are the insects of Krynn, who emulate the quiet god's
unassuming grace, introspective complexity, and ceaseless industry. As
Astinus once said, "Each of Majere's insects is an elegant complexity
of legs and armor that no gnomish machine could ever match."
Role-Playing Notes: Majere is contemplative and thoughtful. A
quiet god, Majere exercises an economy of speech that makes his
pronouncements singularly profound. Like the countless insects, Majere
has a humble aspect that can be easily overlooked. But, like the
insects, Majere's wisdom is ubiquitous.
Majere does not compete for worshippers, but rather acts to
rebuild the faith of the people in all the old gods of Good. The gods
of Evil are another matter. Majere combats them with merciless
precision, particularly Chemosh, lord of the dead.
Motivations: Majere is Paladine s friend, and is in no
competition" with him. He seeks only to live a simple life of loyalty,
faith, and mercy. He wants followers who will do likewise.
Statistics: AL NG; WAL Any Good; AoC Meditation, control,
thought, faith, mercy, inspiration; SY Copper spider, single rose
(Qualinesti, Silvanesti), mantis (Solamnia); Colors copper and red.
Other Names: Manthus (Ergoth), Mantis of the Rose (Qualinesti),
Matheri (Silvanesti), Nadir the Dreamsender (Mithas).
Majere's Avatars (fighter or priest, 20th level)
On Krynn, this quiet god takes one of two forms. The first is
that of a beautiful blind female oracle. Despite her youth and
loveliness, the oracle is utterly bald. She has fine features, a thin,
sloping nose, and full lips. Majere also assumes the form of an
ancient man, equally bald. His stooped body is wrapped in a burlap
robe and he carries no weapon. In this form, Majere's perpetual smile
of serenity proves unnerving to those who are not truthful with
themselves. Either form has the following abilities.
Str 19, Dex 23, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 22, Cha 14, MV 18, SZ 5,' MR
25% AC -5, HD 20, hp 160, #AT 4, THAC0 1, Dmg 1d3+7 (bare hands)
Special Att/Def: Despite a weak and helpless exterior, Majere's
avatars are deadly in unarmed combat, relying on Punching and
Wrestling. If using the called shots rule, Majere attempts to knock
out his opponents with a blow to the head.
Dutiess of the Priesthood
Priests of Majere must not retain more than 10% of any wealth
earned or found. They follow a simple lifestyle, seeking visions and
contemplating every act and word before proceeding. Priests of Majere
promote faith, mercy, and loyalty through example. The only indulgence
allowed to priests of Majere is pursuit of an artistic endeavor.
Requirements: AB Standard plus Dex 15+; PAL Any Good; WPN Staff,
club, bo stick, sling; SP All, Animal*, Astral, Charm, Divination,
Summoning, Sun*, plus charm person or mammal, silence 15' radius,
summon insects; PW Medallion of faith cast on ground becomes giant
hornet to defend priest; giant insect; repel insects, insect plague;
creeping doom; TU Nil.
Kiri-Jolith, Sword of Justice (intermediate God)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Twin Paradises
Description: Kiri-Jolith is the god of glory, honor, obedience,
justice, and righteous warfare. Paladins and fighters who embrace Good
revere Kiri-Jolith. His constellation threatens the Queen of
Darkness's in the night sky.
Kiri-Jolith is oldest son of Paladine and Mishakal, though he
preceded his twin brother Habbakuk by mere moments. The twins and
Paladine appeared before Vinas Solamnus and inspired him to form the
Knights of Solamnia. He did so, creating an order to follow the
teachings of each of the three gods. Kiri-Jolith is patron of the
Order of the Sword.
Role-Playing Notes: Kiri-Jolith is a war god, but not one
possessed by bloodlust and needless violence. He represents righteous
warfare, launched to right grievous wrongs. KiriJolith's behavior
reflects this orientation: though his temper is not swift, it is sure
when combat is justified.
Kiri-Jolith has a strong sense of honor and fair play. He
targets the guilty only and avoids involving innocents. Kiri-Jolith
cannot tolerate tyranny, fighting it with tireless heroism and
discipline. His zeal for the cause of Good is outstanding. He
aggressively seeks to rebuild his power base, recruiting worshippers
to the war for Good.
Motivations: Kiri-Jolith, Paladine's son, is far more aggressive
than his father. As the war god of Good, he seeks to rebuild his power
base to counter further threats from the Dark Queen. He sees the
draconians and chromatic dragons as terrible threats. Kiri-Jolith
actively recruits for the Knights of Solamnia, seeking warriors with
courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, and obedience. Priests and
Kiri-Jolith seek out Evil and bring the battle aggressively to them.
Statistics: AL LG; WAL LG; AoC War, battle, courage, and
heroism; SY Bison's horns, also horned battle axe (Thorbardin,
Kharolis); Colors brown and white.
Other Names: Corij (Ergoth), Kijo the Blade (Thorbardin), Jolith
(Kharolis/Tarsis), Qu'an the Warrior (Uigan), Emperor (Mithas).
Kiri-Jolith's Avatars (paladin 25, priest 18)
Kiri-Jolith most commonly takes the avatar form of a Knight of
Solamnia, resplendent in beautiful plate armor. He often wields a
heavy lance in battle, the weapon bearing some semblance to the famed
Dragonlance. Occasionally, KiriJolith takes the avatar form of a huge
minotaur wielding a battle axe. In either form, he has the following
abilities:
Str 25, Dex 20, Con 25, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 20, MV 12, SZ 7', MR
25%, AC -5, HD 25, hp 200, #AT 2, THAC0 -4, Dmg 2d6+5 (lance) +12
Special Att/Def: Kiri-Jolith has all the special abilities of a
25th-level paladin.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Kiri-Jolith must use granted powers to lawfully and
honorably combat Evil. Kiri-Jolith forbids use of powers to benefit
only the priesthood. If a priest or paladin of KiriJolith is in a
retreating party, that character must be the last to retreat, covering
the party's escape. Cowardice is blasphemy among Kiri-Jolith's
worshippers. Offenders need an atonement and a quest to return to
their god's graces.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL LG; WP Any; AR Any; SP All,
Charm*, Combat, Divination*, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Sun*, plus
detect magic, create food and water; PW +1 bonus to attacks on Evil
opponents; detect snares and pits; find traps, heat/chill metal;
magical vestment; cloak of bravery; quest; heroes' feast; TU Turn
undead.
Habbakuk, fisher King (intermediate God)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Happy Hunting Grounds
Description: Habbakuk created and rules all creatures of land
and sea. Rangers and sailors especially revere him. He made the
creatures in his likeness, and he is as feral and merciless as they.
Still, in the furious cycle of predator and prey, there resides a
natural harmony that also embodies Habbakuk. He is thus as fierce as a
lion when dealing with Evil and as innocent as a doe when dealing with
Good. Needless to say, Habbakuk is as much feared as he is loved.
Because he represents the eternal cycle of nature; Habbakuk has become
a symbol of eternal life beyond the world.
Son of Paladine and Mishakal, Habbakuk is Kiri-Jolith's younger
twin. Together with his brother and father, Habbakuk established the
Knights of Solamnia, creating the Order of the Crown to champion his
ways.
Role-Playing Notes: Hale and hearty, Habbakuk is always immersed
in and obsessed with the present moment. This obsession makes him
care-free and noisome one moment and predatory and silent the next.
Some confuse this latter aspect with cruelty or Evil, but Habbakuk
unfailingly acts for Good. Just as he allows a hungry tribe of
plainsmen to bring down a fattened buck, so too, Habbakuk does not
flinch from other violent acts for the purpose of Good.
Motivations: Habbakuk, as Paladine's son and Kiri-Jolith's twin,
wants to heal the scars on Ansalon itself, trying to reverse the
damage done during the War of the Lance. Habba kuk specifically seeks
to reclaim the Silvanesti homeland. To this end, he works with the
Neutral gods of nature. Because Habbakuk founded the Knights of the
Crown, their quests often help nature. In addition, Habbakuk works to
keep the Evil Sea Queen Zeboim at bay.
Statistics: AL NG; WAL Any non-Evil; AoC Animal life, the sea,
creation, passion; SY Blue bird, blue phoenix (Ergoth); Colors deep
blue and white.
Other Names: The Blue Phoenix (Ergoth, Silvanesti, Qualinesti),
Skylord (Balifor, Goodlund), Sea Lord (Mithas). Habbakuk's Avatars
(ranger 15, druid 15)
Habbakuk occasionally appears as a large blue bird or phoenix
aglow with blue flames. At sea, Habbakuk assumes the form of a giant
blue dolphin. Purportedly, he has taken many other forms, including a
badger, a wild elf, a serious but clever kender, a tall ranger with
wildly black hair and intensely blue eyes, a wiry druid with white
hair and beard, and many other creatures. In these guises, the color
blue typically appears in the creature's coloration or clothing.
Whatever avatar form Habbakuk assumes, he has the following abilities:
Str 19, Dex 22, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 24, Cha 23, MV 18/Fl,
38(A)/Sw 24, SZ 10', MR 30%, AC -2, HD 20, hp 160, #AT 2 or 1, THAC0
1, Dmg 3d8+7/3d8+7, or 2d10+7
Note: The two attacks are for bird form; the single attack is
for the dolphin and humanoid form.
Special Att/Def: Habbakuk can change form in one round,
completely healing previous damage. He can activate this change once
every five rounds.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Habbakuk fiercely protect nature from those who would
destroy or squander it. In many ways, Habbakuk's priests resemble the
Heathen druids who also pay homage to this god.
Once during his lifetime, a priest of Habbakuk must leave
friends and community to wander the land, taking nothing but a walking
stick and the clothes he wears. This time purifies the priest and
teaches the true ways of nature and of Habbakuk. The time ends when
the priest has either done a great service for Habbakuk (usually
protecting or restoring nature from a terrible threat), or Habbakuk
sends a sign.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any non-Evil; WP Nonmetal only;
AR Nonmetal only; SP All, Animal, Creation, Divination, Elemental,
Healing", Weather*, plus locate animals, detect life; PW create food
and water; commune with nature; heroes' feast, speak with animals,
forbiddance, conjure animal; TU Nil.
Branchala, Song of Life (inteumediate God)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Gladsheim
Description: The Bard King Branchala is god of music. A
companion of Habbakuk since the beginning of time, Branchala imbued
Krynn's first creatures with the lyric and untamed melody of his
immortal soul.
Branchala's music is the song of all living souls. His melodies
evoke undeniable passion in every listener's ear. Branchala's music
dwells to some extent in every creature of Krynn. Some even say that
all hearts beat in time to the mysterious melodies. Elves and kender
consider Branchala the highest god.
Role-Playing Notes: Like all bards, Branchala loves music,
singing, dancing, and merriment. He fills his days with quickwitted
jokes, clever ruses, and songs to suit every occasion. Motivations:
Branchala seeks singers and storytellers to spread the news about the
victories won by the Heroes of the Lance. Branchala hopes to repair
the wounded spirits of Ansalon's folk, encouraging them to rebuild
their world. Much remains to be done.
Statistics: AL NG, WAL Any non-Evil; AoC Elves, kender, music,
forests, beauty; SY Bard's harp, flute (Goodlund, Qualinesti,
Silvanesti); Colors yellow and green.
Other Names: Songmaster (Goodlund), Astra (Qualinesti), Astarin
(Silvanesti), Sran (Ergoth), Gardener (Mithas), Bardilun (Thorbardin).
Branchala's avatars (fighter 17, bard 20)
Branchala's avatars assume the form of whatever folk he is
visiting. When choosing to mingle with mortals, he dampens his deific
glow. In this way, he can join in festivities without garnering
bothersome adulation.
Branchala's avatars unfailingly display some association with
the forest. He appears as a woodsman, a ranger, a bard from a great
forest, or even a heathen druid -- any guise associated with trees.
Whatever form he takes, his abilities are as follows.
Str 17, Int 20, Dex 25, Con 17, Wis 21, Cha 25, MV 15, AC -4,
#AT 1, SZ Varies, MR 25%, HD 20, hp 160, THAC0 1, Dmg By weapon +5
(magic) +1 (Str)
Special Att/Def: Branchala arms himself with a weapon of the
people with whom he visits. This weapon is invariably a +5 enchanted
weapon, which appears at his summons.
Branchala also radiates an enchantment similar to a cloak of
displacement.
Duties of the Priesthood
Branchala's priests must compose a song, write a poem, or create
a dance once every season. Once during a priest's lite, he must create
a masterpiece dedicated to Branchala. This masterpiece must take years
to create and represent the full flower of the bard's ability. It may
be a song, poem, dance, work of art, practical joke, or tall tale.
Requirements: AB Standard, plus Cha 12+; PAL Any nonEvil; WP
Any; AR Any nonmetal; SP All, Animal*, Charm*, Creation, Healing,
Plants, Sun, Weather, plus locate plants; PW detect snares and pits;
slow poison; create food and water, neutralize poison; quest; aerial
servant, heroes' feast. In addition, all priests of Branchala gain +2
on any artistic proficiency.
Solinari, Mighty Hand (intermediate God)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Seven Heavens (initially),
Border Ethereal (currently)
Description: Solinari, third son of Paladine and Mishakal, is
god of Good magic. Solinari loves Krynn deeply and has granted his
Good magic to guard the land. He established the Order of the White
Robes to administer Good magic.
Like the other gods of magic, Solinari chose to remain close to
Krynn, residing on the Ethereal plane near his symbol, the silver
moon. He no longer has a home plane.
Role-Playing Notes: Solinari, Krynn's first White Robed Wizard,
lives for magic. He will happily discuss any topic of magic in
infinite and boring detail. Aside from Krynn, Solinari treasures magic
over every aspect of life, death, and afterlife. Motivations:
Solinari's passion for magic remains undimmed with the passage of
time. Now he seeks to bring a great influx of worthy mages into the
White Robes. He works with Lunitari to strengthen the presence of
magic on Ansalon.
Followers of Solinari seek out lost libraries, treasure vaults,
and any ruin that may hold spell books or magical items.
Statistics: AL LG; WAL Any Good; AoC Good magic; SY White circle
or sphere; Colors white or silver.
Other Names: Solin (Ergoth), White-eye (Goodlund, Balifor),
God's Eye (Thorbardin), Ivory Disk (Hylo), Seacon (Mithas).
Solinari's Avatar (Wizard 25)
Because Solinari is closer to Krynn than the nonmagical gods, he
rarely assumes his avatar form. Still, when he must directly
intervene, he appears as an ancient, white-robed wizard. Unlike Fizban
(avatar of Paladine), Solinari's avatar has a lucid, insightful, and
recursive intellect. He eagerly engages in conversation about magic
though his mumblings often become too phrenetic and cryptic to
decipher.
Str 17, Dex 19, Con 17, int 25, Wis 22, Cha 16, MV 12, SZ 6', MR
75%, AC -3, HD 15, hp 90, #AT 1, THAC0 5, Dmg 1d6+5 (staff) +1 (Str)
Special Att/Def: Solinari always knows what spells are being
prepared against him. He carries a quarterstaff +5 that has the powers
of a staff of the magi with unlimited charges. It cannot be used by
any mortal.
Duties of the Priesthood
To become a priest of Solinari, an aspirant must first become a
Wizard of the White Robes and advance to at least 5th level. The
wizard must seek out a priest of Solinari for initiation into the
priesthood at 1st level. From then on, the character uses the priest
experience table, THAC0, saving throws, and all other statistics
(except Hit Dice -- he gains no additional hit points until he reaches
6th level). A priest of Solinari can continue to use wizard spells as
a 5th-level mage. When the priest reaches 6th level, he rolls for hit
points using the priest Hit Die.
Requirements: AB Standard, plus Int 15+; PAL Any Good; WP Staff,
dagger, darts; AR None allowed; SP All, Astral, Combat, Divination,
Guardian, Healing, Protection*, Sun*; TU None. Priests of Solinari
gain a +2 bonus against magical attacks.
Gods of evil
Takhisis, Queen of Darkness (Greater god)
Gender: Female
Home Plane: 1st Plane of the Infernal Realms (Nine Hells)
Description: Not even fools or children speak the name Takhisis
lightly. Her name summons darkness, destruction, and death. Swathed in
shadow and hatred, she desires only the domination and destruction of
Krynn and its folk.
In the Age of Dreams, Takhisis was Paladine's mate and consort.
The two gods were equals in every way. But when they forged the first
beings of creation, the dragons built of chaos, Takhisis grew jealous.
She wished to be the only first creator; she wanted the first
creatures to bear the stamp of her being. And she devised a way to
make it so. The nascent Dark Queen corrupted the dragons, draining the
nobility from their blood and installing savage fury instead. Paladine
was deeply grieved, a sorrow that pleased his lover. By the warping of
these first creations, Takhisis forever divided the families of gods.
She quitted Paladine and consorted with Sargonnas, god of fury
and vengeance. They had two offspring: Nuitari, god of black magic,
and Zeboim, goddess of the sea and storms. The passion between
Takhisis and Sargonnas has been intense and volatile, vacillating
between insatiable lust and rancorous loathing. Takhisis bore one
other child, Artha, demigoddess of wanton lust and greed. Originally
believed to be a child from a passing liaison with Chemosh, Artha was
in truth sired by Hiddukel masquerading as Chemosh.
But such alliances did not distract Takhisis from her ultimate
goal -- domination. She turned her attention next to the star-spirits,
wanting to form them into pawns to wage the deadly wars she planned
against the other gods. Discovering her scheme, the other gods
refused. The All-Saints War resulted. The war ended in a stalemate and
Takhisis, furious that she could not own the star-spirits, bestowed
upon them weakness, disease, and death.
She has not spent an idle moment since. All three Dragon Wars
began as her ruses to seize power. Between these wars, she brought
about countless plagues and senseless slaughters. Surely worse
catastrophes would have befallen had not Huma used the Dragonlance to
drive Takhisis from Krynn and banish her to the Nine Hells. Along with
her, dragons both Evil and Good sank deep into the ground and slept.
Soon they lived only in folk tales and legends.
The Queen of Darkness made her home in Avernus, first layer of
the Infernal Realms. Her domain was Abthalom, the Nether Reaches.
During her rule, Abthalom was in a state of constant flux, mirroring
the tempestuous moods of its mistress. While she awaited a chance to
escape, she tortured the spirits of dead folk consigned to live in the
Nine Hells because of their Evil.
At last, the Kingpriest's pride provided Takhisis a means of
escape. Using the Kingpriest's vanity like the strings of a puppet,
she ruled Istar through him. For one glorious, heinous century,
Takhisis spread her power from Istar to the four corners of Ansalon.
At last, the other gods could stand by no longer.
So came the Cataclysm.
The Cataclysm nearly destroyed Ansalon and all of Krynn, a
result Takhisis little minded. Worse yet, she actually benefitted from
the Cataclysm. When the mountain fell, she drew the Temple of the
Kingpriest down to the Nether Reaches. Then, using the Temple's innate
connection to Krynn, Takhisis forged a gateway back to Krynn.
Returning, she nullified Huma's banishment.
Since that time, Takhisis's Evil armies have massed and her
wicked plans have advanced. Currently, she is worshipped by the Dragon
Highlords, ogres, the goblin races, the draconian armies, and some
despicable humans.
Role-Playing Notes: Takhisis is the embodiment of Evil. She
enjoys preying upon the weaknesses of others, using their hearts'
desires to enslave them. She is cold and brilliant; exploitation has
become second nature to her. Takhisis hates Good, loves cruelty, and
hoards wealth. She still happily dwells in her former prison, the Nine
Hells, served by abishai and Evil dragons.
Motivations: Takhisis does not take defeats easily. She still
hopes to bring all of Krynn under her tyranny. She realizes that
dragons and draconians will not be easily driven from Ansalon. They
still control land and are able and willing to fight. What Takhisis
needs now is a group of powerful lieutenants to replace losses like
Kitiara and Lord Soth. She also seeks the eggs of Good dragons, to
create more powerful draconians. Finally, to fill her thinned ranks,
Takhisis has launched a campaign of seduction and temptation, offering
great power in return for obedience. Some say Chemosh has even given
her especially wicked undead to return to Ansalon in new bodies.
Though Paladine is her long-time enemy, Kiri-Jolith causes her the
most concern. She has ordered all her followers to slay worshippers of
Kiri-Jolith and desecrate his temples on sight.
Statistics: AL LE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Night, Evil dragons,
hatred, intrigue, chaos; SY Black crescent; Colors black and
iridescent black.
Other Names: Dragon Queen (Ergoth, Silvanesti), Tii'Mhut
(Istar), She of the Many Faces (Hylo), Mai-tat (Tarsis), Nilat the
Corruptor (Icewall), Tamex the False Metal (Thorbardin), Lady Chaos
(Mithas), Darklady (Ogre), Mwarg (Hobgoblin).
Takhisis's Avatars (Wizard 25, priest 25)
Takhisis can assume any form, but her two favorites are a
five-headed chromatic dragon and a beautiful temptress of human or
elven stock. Rumors claim she also assumes avatar forms of a giant
serpent and any multiheaded creature such as a hydra or leviathan. The
abilities below represent her as a human. In other forms, refer to the
beast type she has assumed and triple the statistics.
Str 20, Dex 24, Con 22, Int 23, Wis 20, Cha 24, MV 18, SZ 5', MR
75%, AC -5, HD 25, hp 200, #AT 2, THAC0 -4, Dmg by weapon +8
For three millenia after Huma's victory and also after the
Whitestone Council that ended the War of the Lance, Takhisis's avatar
was banished from Ansalon. Even so, she can act through agents and
offspring, working to open a gate for her return. She can speak her
will into dreams and through agents, though the latter typically die
immediately upon completion of the message.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Takhisis serve as their mistress's eyes and ears,
alert to any opportunity to further the goddess's ambitions. Priests
also carry out her plans to sabotage the power of every god other than
Takhisis.
The Dark Queen's chief directives to her priests are to use the
desires of Good-aligned beings to enslave or destroy them and to
destroy or steal the eggs of Good dragons. Every priest of Takhisis
must take an oath of utter obedience. Those who break their oath
receive a slow, painful death followed by an eternity of damnation.
Reguirements: AB Standard, plus Str 13+, Con 12+; PAL Any Evil;
WP Any; AR Any; SP All, Astral, Combat*, Creation*, Divination*,
Guardian, Healing", Necromantic*, Protection, Summoning, plus animate
object; PW detect good, spiritual hammer; create food and water; flame
strike; unholy word; TU Command.
Sargonnas, Dark Vengeance (Greater god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Gehenna
Description: Little is known of Takhisis's consort. Perhaps the
Queen of Darkness casts intentional shadows on him. Thereby Takhisis
keeps him obscure, little worshipped, and nonthreatening. Or perhaps
Sargonnas himself has wrought the obscurity. He is the brooding,
sometime explosive god of vengeance, rage, deserts, and volcanoes.
Sargonnas embodies the destructive passion of fire. His greatest ally,
Takhisis, is also his greatest enemy, and he routinely plots both for
and against his Queen.
Role-Playing Notes: Sargonnas is a fuming and treacherous god.
Occasionally, he works his revenge through insidious means, plotting
for years or centuries to bring it about. During such times, he
presents a calm and diabolically magnetic personality -- a mask of the
fires within. More often, though, Sargonnas erupts with fury,
consuming everything in his path, before resuming his feigned
quiescence. However he pursues his treacheries, he always anticipates
similar deceits from his friends. He is, in a word, paranoid.
Sargonnas has no loyalty except to himself. He happily pursues
plots and counterplots without concern for any side but his own.
Motivations: Sargonnas, Takhisis's consort, is enraged over the
Dark Queen's infidelity. He has begun leaking Takhisis's plans to
interested Neutral and Good powers. Also, Sargonnas sends his
followers to destroy temples to other Evil gods and blackmails priests
to follow Sargonnas. Sargonnas's final objective is ascendancy over
his consort.
Statistics: AL LE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Vengeance, destruction,
intrigue, volcanoes, fire, deserts; SY A stylized red condor, a red
fist (Thorbardin, Istar); Colors red and black.
Other Names: Argon (Istar, Ergoth), The Firebringer (Hylo),
Misal-Lasim (Tarsis), Gonnas the Willful (Icewall), Sargonax the
Bender (Thorbardin), Kinthalas (Silvanesti), Kinis (Qualinesti),
Destroyer (Mithas).
Sargonnas's Avatars (priest 20, thief 25, illusionist 14)
Sargonnas prefers the form of a red condor with a silky, enticing
voice. He also appears as a fire elemental of lava with a roaring
voice that sounds like a dwarven blast furnace. Occasionally, he takes
the form of a human, kender, or minotaur warrior, but he is loath to
do so. In any form, he has the following abilities:
Str 19, Dex 20, Int 18, Wis 16, Con 18, Cha 15, MV 14/Fl 24(A),
SZ 6' (20' wing), AC -2, HD 18, #AT 3, THAC0 2, MR 35%,Hp 144 Dmg
2d10+ 7/2d10+ 7/1d10
Special Att/Def: In condor form, a successful hit allows
Sargonnas to grab one opponent in either of his two claws and fly off
with him. Sargonnas is immune to any fire attack, normal or magical.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Sargonnas must actively seek revenge for the wrongs
the world has committed against Sargonnas (including ignorance of his
existence) as well as any wrong person ally suffered by the priest.
Priests also act to further the convoluted plots of their god.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any Evil; WP Any; AR Any; SP All,
Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation*, Protection*, Summoning, Sun*, plus
resist fire, know/obscure alignment; PW protection from fire; animate
object; TU Turn. Priests of Sargonnas receive a +2 bonus to saving
throws, attack rolls, and morale checks when on a mission of
vengeance.
Morgion, Black Wind (intermediate god)
Gender: Male and female
Home Plane: Hades
Description: Morgion, god of disease and decay, refuses the
company of the other gods and does not discuss plans with them. Alone
Morgion broods in a bronze tower at the edge of the Abyss, keeping
thoughts secret from all but loyal minions.
Those unfortunate enough to encounter this reclusive god see a
rotting humanoid corpse -- neither male nor female -- topped with a
goat's head. Secrecy is Morgion's way, with distrust that rivals
Sargonnas's.
Role-Playing Notes: Morgion despises all things healthy,
striving to destroy or corrupt them with disease and decay. Morgion
speaks little and rarely attacks directly.
Motivations: Morgion works to spread plagues and disease in the
wake of the War of the Lance. He actively sabotages Mishakal's
attempts to heal the people. His priests are ordered to infect
Mishakal's priests whenever possible. For this task he needs more
priests, and searches most diligently among the dark dwarves and the
other creatures of underearth.
Statistics: AL NE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Disease, decay, plague,
weakness, plotting; SY A hood with two red eyes, an upside-down axe
(Thorbardin), a rat's claw (Hylo); Colors deep brown and black.
Other Names: H'rar (Ergoth, Istar), Gormion (Tarsis), Morgi
(Icewall), Morgax the Rustlord (Thorbardin), Pestilence (Mithas),
Anthrax Goatlord (Hobgoblin).
Morgion's Avatars (druid 20)
Morgion has two favorite avatars: a thick, roiling black cloud
with two glowing red eyes, and a priestess or executioner wearing a
black hood and veil. Morgion speaks in a harsh whisper. In whatever
form, Morgion has the following abilities:
Str 17, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 20, Wis 21, Cha 3 MV 9, Fl 12(A), SZ
10' diam, MR 20% AC -4, HD 18, hp 144 #AT 1, THAC0 3, Dmg Special
Special Att/Def: Morgion rarely attacks directly, relying upon
rats, locusts, flies, and other minions to spread disease or rot. When
attacking directly, a cloudy tendril snakes out from any avatar form
and hits for 2d20 points of damage from a skinrotting disease.
Each day after, the victim suffers another 1d20 points of rot
damage until death or a heal or cure disease spell is cast. Even these
spells do not restore lost hit points; they simply halt the progress
of the disease. Subsequent spells and rest restore points normally.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Morgion meet in secret and dark places to worship and
plan their Evil acts. They swear a mortal oath to keep doctrines and
customs secret; little is known of them outside their order.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any Evil; WP Sap, dagger; AR
Restricted to armor made by priests of Morgion; SP All, Astral,
Divination, Healing, Necromantic", Plants; PW create food and water;
TU Command.
Chemosh, Lord of Death (intermediate god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Web/Abyss -- Fiendholme
Description: In the Age of Dreams, Chemosh, lord of undead, was
drawn by Takhisis to Krynn. She needed a lieutenant to marshal the
legions of death. As lord of false redemption, Chemosh offers "eternal
life": recipients spend immortality in an undead and eternally
corrupted body. Chemosh rarely explains this when making a pact with
Evil undead. Before they can reconsider, they find themselves to be
minions of Chemosh.
Role-Playing Notes: Dead and dying creatures fascinate Chemosh.
The desperate, thrashing movements, the hoary rattle of water in the
lungs, the smell of decay all delight him. Even so, he plans never to
experience death himself, growing in power and longevity with each
minion he gains. And his skill at telling convincing lies assures him
many more minions.
Motivations: Chemosh works closely with Takhisis to raise undead
leaders for her armies on Ansalon. In addition, Chemosh entices
recruits with false promises of immortality. He seeks to corrupt
potential heroes of Good.
Statistics: AL LE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Nemesis, ravager, undead;
SY Yellow skull; Colors black and sickly yellow. Other Names: Aeleth
(Ergoth), Dron of the Deep (Tarsis), Chemos Joton (Icewall), Khemax
(Thorbardin), Lifebane (Mithas), Orkrust (Hobgoblin).
Chemosh's Avatars (priest 20, mage 20)
Chemosh appears as either a rakishly handsome man in a black
robe or as a lich clad in rotting finery. In either guise, he bears a
small obsidian sickle. The sickle always directs Chemosh to the target
with the fullest lifeforce (i.e., highest level). Chemosh's true form
is that of bloated satyr with a goat skull for a head.
Str 19, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 20, Wis 19, Cha 24/4 MV 12, SZ 6',
MR 15%, AC -1, HD 15, hp 120, #AT 2, THAC0 6, Dmg 1d4+5 (sickle) + 7
(Str)
Special Att/Def: Chemosh cannot be cursed, diseased, or affected
by any death magic.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Chemosh wear white skull masks and black robes. They
recruit followers using Chemosh's false promises of immortality.
Because Chemosh's minions grant his power, priests consider the
destruction of undead strictly taboo. They take vengeance on any who
commit it.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any Evil; WP Sickle; AR Any; SP
All, Astral, Combat, Healing* (usually the reverse spell forms),
Necromantic, Plant*; PW animate object; TU Command. Priests of Chemosh
gain a +2 on undead command attempts. They can also recognize all
forms of undead on sight.
Zeboim, Darkling Sea (intermediate God)
Gender: Female
Home Plane: Pandemonium
Description: Zeboim the Sea Queen is the impetuous and volatile
daughter of Takhisis and Sargonnas. Her unpredictable tempers make her
a dangerous foe and a lethal friend.
As creator of the sea, tempests, and weather, Zeboim receives
petitions and sacrifices from seamen wishing good weather and safe
journey. Though some manage to avoid her rage, others who displease
her through some real or imagined slight never see harbor again.
Dwarves know nothing of Zeboim. To pay back their ignorance,
Zeboim delights in spilling dwarves from boats and watching their
heavy-boned bodies sink to the bottom.
Role-Playing Notes: Zeboim is temperamental, fickle, and
thoroughly unpredictable. Like the sea, which she created, she can
shift from placidness to violence in mere moments. Also like the sea,
she harbors unplumbed depths of utter blackness.
Despite her rebellious nature, Zeboim refuses to cross her
mother Takhisis. Neither does she cooperate too fully unless in an
uncommonly amiable mood. On the other hand, Zeboim ignores her father
Sargonnas, considering him weak and unworthy of Takhisis's attentions.
Motivations: Zeboim has never had many priests. She little cares
to change this fact. She wars against Habbakuk, god of marine life,
for control over the seas. Habbakuk's control beyond the seas makes
her mad with rage. Zeboim, therefore, offers rewards of extremely
favorable weather to any who will kill followers of Habbakuk and hunt
to extinction his people in the sea. She recruits Evil aquatic races
and Evil coastal races. She provides her followers the vast wealth of
lost treasure ships.
Statistics: AL CE; WAL any Evil, or sailors; AoC sea, storms,
tempests, weather, undead sea races, jealousy; SY turtle shell
pattern; Colors: green and red.
Other Names: Rann (Ergoth), Zyr (Tarsis), Zebir Jotun (Icewall),
Bhezomiax (Thorbardin), Maelstrom (Mithas).
Zeboim's Avatars (druuid 15, priest 20)
Though Zeboim can assume a human form, she favors the form of a
giant sea turtle with a human female face. Either way, she has the
following abilities:
Dex 15, Con 23, Str 22, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 5, MV 9/Sw 48, SZ
20' long, MR 15%, #AT 1, THAC0 6, AC -4, HD 15, hp 120, Dmg 1d20+10
Duties Of the Priesthood
Zeboim has few priests; most beings fear her capriciousness.
Those who honor her at all do so by throwing offerings off the sides
of their ships. Zeboim's few true priests are required to know how to
swim.
Requirements: AB Standard plus Str 9+; PAL Any Evil; WP Trident,
harpoon, dagger; AR None allowed; SP All, Animal, Creation, Elemental,
Protection", Sun, Weather, plus create food and water, animate dead;
TU Command.
Hiddukel, Prince of Lies (intermediate god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: The Web/Abyss -- Fiendholme
Description: Hiddukel, god of ill-gotten wealth and deals, is
patron god of Evil businessmen and dishonest merchants. A cunning
deal-maker, Hiddukel trades in living souls. Some say Hiddukel can
even barter with Takhisis and come out ahead.
Hiddukel controls all gotten wealth, using it to corrupt honest
and greedy men alike. Greed and mischief drive all his transactions.
One of his deals resulted in the creation of the Greystone, an
artifact that wreaked havoc on Krynn.
Role-Playing Notes: Hiddukel constantly seeks good bargains,
which generally entail the swapping of a material object for one's
spirit. Although he is calculating and predatory, Hiddukel often takes
the guise of a fawning and fumbling merchant. Those tricked into
bargaining with him generally lose their lives.
Motivations: In the economic havoc after the War of the Lance,
Hiddukel works to gain a choke hold on national economies. He directly
opposes Shinare and, to a lesser extent, Reorx. Hiddukel offers great
rewards to his followers for destroying the priests and temples of
Shinare. Hiddukel, not being much of a fighter, fears Reorx and will
not risk angering him.
Statistics: AL CE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Evil business practices,
damned spirits, greed, slavery, betrayal; SY Broken merchant's scales;
Colors red and bone.
Other Names: Betrayer (Mithas), Usk-Do (Hobgoblins), Hitax the
Flaw (Thorbardin), M'Fistos (Istar).
Hiddukel's Avatars (priest 14, mage 18)
Hiddukel prefers to appear as an obese man with cold, beady eyes
and an oily smile. He drapes his expansive girth with the finest
brocade and his knuckles are knobbed with false gemstones. Hiddukel
avoids physical combat, relying on spells and hired monster
bodyguards.
Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 19, Wis 21, Cha 7 MV 9, SZ 5', MR
5%, AC 0, HD 14, hp 112 #AT 1, THAC0 7, Dmg 1d3 (fist)
Special Att/Def: None can read Hiddukel's mind, and he is immune
to all divination spells.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Hiddukel must greedily pursue and attain wealth
through dishonest and (when all else fails) honest endeavors. They
also must wear the finest clothes available.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any Evil; WP Any blunt; AR Any;
SP All, Divination*, Guardian, Necromancy*, Protection*, Summoning; TU
Nil.
Nuitari, devouring Dark (intermediate god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Acheron (initially), Border Ethereal (currently)
Description: Nuitari, god of black magic, drew his Evil nature
from his parents, Takhisis and Sargonnas. Like the other gods of
magic, Nuitari left his home plane to orbit Krynn in the Ethereal
plane. He resides just beyond the black moon that is his symbol. This
moon, also called Nuitari, cannot be detected unless it eclipses other
stars and moons. From this smallest of all moons, Nuitari watches
Krynn and fosters his greatest love -- magic.
While wandering Krynn in avatar form, Nuitari founded the
wizardly Order of the Black Robes. This order espouses Nuitari's
belief that magic should be secret and coveted. Role-Playing Notes:
Nuitari is perhaps the most approachable of the Evil gods. His love
for magic transcends his Evil nature. An intense and quiet god,
Nuitari displays a scholar's love for the magical arts. He continually
researches new spells to grant his priests and wizards, seeking the
universe's arcane secrets. But black magic comes at a price; though it
grants its users incredible power, it also slowly takes control of
them. Nuitari observes in wry amusement as those who try to master his
art are overcome by its dark power.
Motivations: Nuitari, like Solinari and Lunitari, seeks to
increase the presence of magic on Ansalon. If he cannot recruit a mage
to darkness, he may encourage him to go renegade, causing headaches
for Solinari and Lunitari. He works distantly with the two other magic
gods to bring more and better magic to Krynn. But Nuitari would love
it all to be black magic.
Statistics: AL LE; WAL Any Evil; AoC Black magic; SY Black
circle or sphere; Color black.
Other Names: Nightreaver (Mithas), Darkness (Elian), Black Hand
(Balifor), Ungod (Thorbardin).
Nuitari's avatars (wizard 25)
Nuitari favors the form of a quiet, intense young man with
jet-black hair and a long black robe. He also may appear as a wicked
child.
Str 15, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 24, Wis 16, Cha 21, MV 12, SZ 6', MR
75 %, AC -5, HD 16, hp 128, #AT 1, THAC0 5, Dmg 1d6+ 3 (staff)
Special Att/Def: Nuitari always knows what spells are being
prepared against him. He carries a quarterstaff +5 that acts as a
staff of power with unlimited charges. It cannot be used by any
mortal.
Duties of the Priesthood
To become a priest of Nuitari, an aspirant must first become a
Wizard of the Black Robes and advance to at least 5th level. The
wizard must seek out a current priest of Nuitari for initiation into
the priesthood at 1st level. From then on, the character uses the
priest experience table, THAC0, saving throws, and all other
statistics (except Hit Dice -- he gains no additional hit points until
he reaches 6th level). A priest of Nuitari can continue to use spells
as a 5th level wizard. When the priest reaches 6th level, he rolls for
hit points using the priest Hit Die.
Requirements: AB Standard, plus Int 15+; PAL Any Evil; WP Staff,
dagger, darts; AR None allowed; SP All, Astral, Combat, Divination,
Guardian, Healing, Necromantic*, Protection*, Weather*; TU None.
Priests gain a +2 bonus against any magical attack.
Gods of Neutrality
Gilean, Void (Greater god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Concordant Opposition
Description: Gilean, patriarch of the Neutral gods, guards the
book of all knowledge and true names -- the Tobril. Before creation,
the High God wrote the Tobril to lay down the designs of the universe.
After creation, none among the gods was trustworthy enough to guard
the Tobril, for its secrets were more powerful than the gods
themselves. So the High God searched Krynn for a trustworthy mortal,
searched through the depths of time. And he found only one trustworthy
soul -- Gilean, a scribe so scrupulous as to have never penned an
error. The High God brought Gilean back to the dawn of creation and
entrusted him with the Tobril, saying, Read those passages you may.
Their knowledge will make you a god equal with all others. But guard
this knowledge from all gods and mortals, for on the day another reads
of it, you shall surely die." And so Gilean read the Tobril and has
faithfully guarded it ever since. But even some passages are sealed to
his eyes, and can be read only by the High God.
The High God made Gilean not only to guard the Tobril, but also
to lead the Neutral gods in retaining the balance between the families
of Good and Evil. The High God wrote this destiny for Gilean in the
stars, setting his constellation in the night sky between Paladine's
and Takhisis's. He holds them apart lest they war and destroy all
creation.
Gilean resides in the Hidden Vale, a valley of perfection,
peace, and serenity that exists everywhere and nowhere. Sometimes,
devout followers of Gilean's way find the Hidden Vale. Role-Playing
Notes: Gilean is modest in all things, never boasting of his knowledge
or power. He takes a scholar's delight in watching others discover
truth and solve problems. To Gilean, knowledge and beauty are
synonymous -- worthy pursuits in their own rights without concern for
Good or Evil. Even so, Gilean realizes that most mortals view
knowledge as a mere tool of Good and Evil. But as long as mortals seek
knowledge, Gilean is content to let them think so.
Gilean fears for the peace of the cosmos. He understands and
appreciates both Paladine and Takhisis, and works to balance them
through diplomacy and enlightenment. When one side grows too powerful,
Gilean allies briefly with the other side or provides it a bit of
knowledge like a merchant balancing a scale.
Motivations: Although Gilean knows Good had to win the War of
the Lance for Krynn to survive, he fears that the forces of Good will
tip the scales too far. The Good gods' strength occasionally surpasses
their wisdom. The militaristic KiriJolith proves a special worry.
Gilean is also worried about Takhisis who, stung by defeat, will
doubtless rise again soon. Gilean's priests have the doubly difficult
task of watching both extreme factions, Good and Evil. Gilean seeks
more worshippers and priests to help him safeguard the balance.
Statistics: AL N; WAL Any; AoC Knowledge; SY Open book; Color
gray.
Other Names: Gilean the Book, Gray Voyager, the Sage, the Gate
of Souls.
Gilean's Avatars (wizard 25)
Gilean takes the form of a book-toting scholar of middle age,
intent on a particular topic and absent-minded about everything else.
This male or female avatar may appear as a human, elf, dwarf, or
kender. Although apparently selfabsorbed, Gilean slyly tests the
preconceptions of folk he encounters. Those who learn from such tests
gain a bit of secret knowledge or an answer to a troubling question.
Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 25, Wis 25, Cha 22, MV 12, SZ 6', MR
65%, AC -4, HD 25, hp 200 #AT 1, THAC0 1, Dmg 1d6+6 (staff) +1 (Str)
Special Att/Def: Gilean knows the true name and identity of any
being. He knows its history, hopes, fears, and shortcomings, and will
use this knowledge to his ends. Gilean carries a staff +6, which
reveals the true nature and weakness of anything it touches, and can
shine the light of truth, dispelling enchantments and Evil powers.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Gilean serve a temple or university and insatiably
seek knowledge. Once every four years, a priest of Gilean must write a
long paper addressing some metaphysical or philosophical conundrum.
Writing the paper takes 1d10+14 months minus the writer's Int. This
paper, called a thesis, must be presented to the temple or university
the priest serves. If pleased by the paper, Gilean magically
distributes it to the library of every temple of Gilean on Ansalon. If
Gilean is displeased, the priest must rewrite the paper.
No priest of Gilean may ever burn a book. Such a transgression
requires a quest and an atonement by the offending priest. One month
each year, a priest of Gilean must serve the public as an historian,
counselor, judge, or arbiter. In so doing, the priest performs in the
world the same peacemaking efforts Gilean performs in the heavens.
Requirements: AB Standard, plus Int 13+; PAL Any Neutral; WP
Staff; AR Any; SP All, Animal*, Astral, Charm*, Combat*, Creation,
Divination, Healing, Protection, Sun*; PW speak with animals;
messenger; TU Turn/destroy Undead.
Priests of Gilean gain a +1 bonus on any non-weapon proficiency
check, and one extra non-weapon proficiency per level of experience.
Sirrion, Flowing flame (Intermediate god)
Gender: Male or none (fiery energy)
Home Plane: Limbo
Description: Sirrion, god of creative flame and natural power,
sculpts fire into beautiful forms. He controls every flame, from the
blazing sun to the low-burning wick, channeling and filtering the
feral power into useful forms. But Sirrion is by no means tame: he
sometimes sparks forest fires to clear old and rotten trees and allow
young forests to grow; he also burns children who play with a candle
flame, teaching them to respect fire. And though he desires to make
fire useful, he wishes even more to make it beautiful.
Sirrion's companion is Shinare, goddess of wealth and commerce.
They quarrel because Sirrion is temperamental and artistic while
Shinare is practical and opportunistic. Sirrion does not have a
readily recognizable constellation because his celestial symbol is his
planet.
Role-Playing Notes: Like the flames he controls, Sirrion flares
quickly into fiery passion and smolders long in quiescence. Although
his moods may seem chaotic, his passions respond to fluxes in nature.
Seasonal changes, solstices, and equinoxes bring violent emotional
outbursts from Sirrion, a fact that irritates Shinare deeply.
Motivations: Sirrion cares little for mortal followers, though
the beauty and power of fire draw many to him. If he happens to notice
such hangers-on, he welcomes those who come sincerely and shuns those
who seek only power. Only when his wife Shinare gains more followers
(and thus more power) than he does Sirrion actively seek priests.
Gnomes especially love Sirrion because of the steam power and smoke
powder he provides.
Statistics: AL N; WAL Any; AoC Flame, natural power, change,
transformation; SY Multi-colored fire; Colors bright reds and yellows.
Other Names: Firemaster, the Alchemist, the Wizard (Mi-
thas).
Sirrion's Avatvars (fighter 15, druid 15)
Sirrion prefers to appear in fire and auguries of smoke or ash.
When he does take an avatar form, Sirrion appears as a tall man with
flaming hair, beard, and eyebrows. He wears a robe that periodically
changes color, much in the fashion of flames. In battle, he wields a
two-handed flame tongue sword that no mortal can touch. Any who touch
it are attacked by the sword for double damage; the attack continues
until the offender dies or drops the sword.
Str 22, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 23, Cha 16, MV 18, SZ 7', MR
15%, AC -4, HD 16, hp 108, #AT 2, THACO 5, Dmg 1d10+4 (sword) +10
(Str)
Special Att/Def: Sirrion is invulnerable to fire-based attacks,
magical or normal. Every round, he can cast one fire-related spell,
whether priest or mage, at 15th level.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Sirrion have a great challenge. They must shape fire
into beautiful and useful forms, never losing control so that its
destructive power is released. Priests of Sirrion primarily serve
nature with their fire handling. Sirrion occasionally grants small
boons to priests who contain a destructive fire or use fire to promote
the creative passions. He also looks favorably on those who disrupt
Shinare's plans of industry and commerce.
Requirements: AB Standard plus Wis 17+; PAL Any N; WP Any; AR
Any; SP All, Combat, Elemental (heat and fire spells only), Guardian,
Healing, Summoning, Sun*; PW +1 to saves vs. fire; fireball; flame
strike; TU Nil. Priests of Sirrion gain a +1 bonus per die of damage
for fire-based spells.
Reorx, Forge (Greater god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Arcadia
Description: The dwarves of Ansalon consider Reorx -- god of
manufacture, technology, and metallurgy -- to be the greatest of gods.
Although humans see Reorx as the rotund helper of Kiri-Jolith, dwarves
and gnomes depict him as a powerful dwarf with arms well-muscled from
smithing.
According to all creation myths, Reorx tamed chaos to forge the
world. Most accounts also agree that the stars were sparks from his
hammer when he struck chaos. Reorx's second greatest creation, the
Greystone of Gargath, led to the creation of dwarves, gnomes, and
kender. Many therefore consider the forge god to be father of these
races.
Reorx does not have a readily recognizable constellation because
his celestial symbol is his planet. Role-Playing Notes: Dwarves report
that Reorx displays many dwarven virtues. He is sober, pragmatic, and
dispassionate. He seeks efficient solutions to any problems
encountered. He is quiet, almost sullen, and unexcitable. The art of
smithing occupies him primarily, though he also has a passing interest
in mining.
Humans paint a very different picture. They see Reorx as a
rotund, jolly dwarf given to excesses of gambling and drinking. His
frivolity and jocularity make him a wandering festival, lightening the
hearts of all who encounter him.
This vast difference in perception is attributable to one
factor: drink. Dwarves have witnessed only the sober and powerful
Reorx of creation; humans have witnessed only the drunken and carefree
Reorx of the gambling table.
Motivations: Reorx has strong ties to the demihuman races of
Krynn, Dwarves are his foremost followers, remaining faithful even
through the Cataclysm. Because of their fidelity, Reorx works hard to
restore the glory of the dwarven race. He has forged an alliance with
Shinare to spur dwarven industry. Reorx also works closely with tinker
gnomes, inspiring them to some of their grander inventions. And,
despite their scatter-brained tendencies, Reorx loves kender, who were
created by the Greystone of Gargath.
Humans are another matter. If they know of Reorx at all, they
regard him as comical. Even so, Reorx occasionally tests humans to see
if they are ready to return to faith. Statistics: AL N; WAL Any; AoC
Dwarves, weapons, technology; SY Forging hammer, dwarven hammer
(Thorbardin); Colors slate gray and red.
Other Names: Anvil (Elian), the Weaponmaster (Mithas), Reorx the
Master (Gnomes), Reorx the Craftsman (Kender).
Reorx's Avatars (warrior 20, priest 20)
Reorx takes the form of a powerful dwarven warrior, magical
hammer always in hand. Beneath his deeply-tanned skin rest massive
muscles. His long beard contains numerous braids and is the blue-gray
of tempered steel. Reorx carries a unique dwarven throwing hammer (all
qualities -- range, damage, etc.-- are doubled), and wears a beautiful
breastplate of adamantine. Dwarves see the avatar as the perfect
dwarven warrior in all aspects.
Reorx may also assume the form of a blacksmith of any race or
that of a wizened gnomish faerie who dwells in a forge. Regardless of
form, he always carries a hammer or the symbol of a hammer and always
has the following abilities:
Str 24, Dex 20, Con 24, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 24 (16 to
non-dwarves), MV 12, SZ 4.5', MR 75%, AC -5, HD 22, hp 176 #AT 3,
THAC0 -2, Dmg 1d6+7 (hammer) +12 (Str)
Special Att/Def: Reorx's weapons and armor never break.
Duties of the Priesthood
Every priest of Reorx of 5th level or higher must make a special
artifact of renown with his own hands. The finished object must
exhibit the finest workmanship possible by the priest. When the priest
reaches 5th level, he must announce to the fellowship of believers
what artifact he will create. From then on, the priest may work on the
artifact as much or little as he wishes, but must finish it before
leaving middle age (250 years old).
Requirements: AB Standard; WAL Any; WP Hammer, battle axe, hand
axe; AR Only metal armor; SP All, Combat, Creation, Elemental,
Guardian, Healing*, Protection, Summoning*, Sun; TU Turn creatures of
darkness and shadow. Priests of Reorx gain a +2 on any non-weapon
craft proficiency.
Chislev the Beast (Intermediate god)
Gender: Female (usually), Male (occasionally)
Home Plane: Happy Hunting Ground
Description: Chislev is nature incarnate. According to legend,
the seasons change with the moods of her heart: her fear brings the
fall, her despair the winter, her hope the springtime, and her joy the
summer. As well as the worship of mortals, Chislev receives the praise
of every beast of the field; every blade of grass turns toward her as
toward the sun. She is served by the master spirits of each creature
of Krynn, who animates wooden statues of their kind.
Chislev and her mate Zivilyn are said to dwell in Zhan, the
grand forest beyond the world. Elves believe that when worthy elves
grow ancient, they journey to Zhan to live with Chislev and Zivilyn.
The love between these gods fills all of Zhan with profound bliss.
Chislev does not have a readily recognizable constellation
because her celestial symbol is her planet.
Role-Playing Notes: Chislev's moods can vary wildly. One moment,
she may be tempestuous, destructive, and harsh; but then she grows
calm, nurturing, and kind. In rare moments of summer despair, the day
grows cold and dark, and in brief glimpses of winter joy, the sun
breaks through and snows begin to melt.
Motivations: Chislev feels each wound on Krynn's surface. She,
more than any other god, works to restore the land in the wake of the
War. She especially wishes to heal Silvanesti. To this end, her
priests work in concert with Habbakuk's. As nature is healed, Chislev
grows stronger. She does not want to dominate Ansalon, but to let
nature thrive again. Chislev opposes rampant industry and disputes
Shinare's notion that industry needs more attention than nature.
Statistics: AL N; WAL Any non-Evil; AoC Nature, wilds, the
beasts; SY A feather of brown, yellow, and green; Colors brown,
yellow, and green.
Other Names: Wild One (Mithas), the Wilds.
Chislev's Avatars (druid 25)
Chislev usually appears as a beautiful human or elven woman. In
either form, her hair glows like golden sunlight, and her clothes
appear to be made from living plants. She carries a living wooden
staff. On occasions when she does not wish to speak with anyone, she
appears as a unicorn. In any form, she has the following abilities:
Str 17, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 17, Wis 24, Cha 23, MV 24, SZ 5', MR
10%, AC 0, HD15, hp 90, #AT ,1 THAC0 6, Dmg 1d6+5 (staff) +1 (Str)
Special Att/Def: No plant or animal will attack Chislev,
regardless of such things as charm spells.
Duties of the Priesthood
Chislev priesthood consists of non-heathen druids, who care for
nature much as druids do.
Requirements: AB Wis 12+, Cha 15+; PAL N; WP Sling, club,
sickle, dart, spear, dagger, scimitar; AR Any nonmetal; SP All,
Animal, Charm*, Combat*, Elemental, Guardian*, Healing, Plants, Sun,
Weather; TU Nil.
Zivilyn, Tree of Life (Intermediate god)
Gender: Male
Home Plane: Everywhere and nowhere
Description: Zivilyn, god of all wisdom, is the celestial Tree
of Life. His branches and roots extend into all times and places. Much
as Gilean holds the knowledge of the universe, Zivilyn holds its
wisdom. He acts not according to the dictates of his mind, but
according to those of his heart.
Because wisdom is incomplete without knowledge and knowledge is
incomplete without wisdom, Zivilyn and Gilean work closely together.
Zivilyn is companion of Chislev; most mortals view this relationship
as the perfect marriage of harmony and understanding.
Zivilyn does not have a readily recognizable constellation
because his celestial symbol is his planet.
Role-Playing Notes: Despite Zivilyn's wisdom, many find him
aloof. His concern with harmony and balance prevents him from
approaching other gods or mortals. His wisdom also makes him
imperturbably quiet. Many misinterpret these two traits as conceit,
though Zivilyn is in truth one of the most approachable and
sympathetic gods.
Motivations: Zivilyn works with Chislev to restore nature
because he loves Chislev and because nature is the cradle of wisdom.
He wants to teach the folk of Krynn a wisdom that transcends Good and
Evil, wisdom unfettered by any order. Zivilyn occasionally sends
worshippers in search of lost libraries and fonts of wisdom, though,
often, he calls them to seek wisdom in themselves.
Statistics: AL N; WAL Any; AoC Wisdom; SY A great green or gold
tree, sometimes a vallenwood; Colors green and gold. Other Names:
World Tree, Tree of Life (Qualinesti, Silvanesti), Wise One (Mithas).
Zivilyn's Avatars (priest 18)
Zivilyn assumes many different forms. Some have seen him as an
old, balding man with a long beard. Though sighted, his eyes appear as
twin windows looking out into space. Any who gaze into those eyes will
learn his future, including the circumstances of death. Others report
Zivilyn as a prophetic child with black skin, white hair, and eyes of
quicksilver. Recently, several scholars have even proposed that the
ageless Astinus of Palanthus is a branch of Zivilyn. After all,
Zivilyn may maintain several avatars at one time, and Astinus may be
one of them. In whatever form, Zivilyn wields a simple wooden cane
that will obey any command it is given.
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 22, Wis 25, Cha 14, MV 9, SZ 6', MR
15%, AC 0, HD 16, hp 108, #AT 1, THAC0 5, Dmg 1d6+5 (cane) +1 (Str)
Special Att/Def: Three times per day Zivilyn can cast time stop
and temporal stasis. Once per day, Zivilyn can "erase" all actions and
consequences that took place in one minute (round), though he can go
back no more than ten minutes (one turn).
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Zivilyn devote themselves to wisdom in thought and
deed. To the priests, committing a foolish act is worse that
committing an Evil act.
Requirements: AB Standard plus Int 15+, Wis 16+; PAL any; WP
Staff; AR None allowed; SP All, Astral, Divination, Necromantic,
Plant; TU Turn.
Shinare, Winged Victory (intermehiate god)
Gender: Female (generally), male (to humans and dwarves)
Home Plane: Concordant Opposition
Description: Shinare -- goddess of wealth, industry, and
commerce -- has many dwarven worshippers, for they appreciate her love
of wealth and industry. She also finds many followers among merchants,
mercenaries, and profit-minded adventurers of other races. And all
folk consider her the champion of freedom and self-destiny.
Shinare's companion is Sirrion, god of creative fire. Their
relationship shows the stress of their opposite personalities: Sirrion
is temperamental and artistic while Shinare is calm and pragmatic.
Still, for some reason even they do not understand, they remain
together.
Shinare does not have a readily recognizable constellation
because her celestial symbol is her planet.
Role-Playing Notes: Shinare cannot tolerate laziness. She
ascribes poverty to stupidity or sloth. In her eyes, those who are
idle and unproductive are slowly dying.
Motivations: Shinare views war-torn Ansalon as a place that
needs rebuilding. She calls her worshippers to work hard at
reconstructing their ruined glory. She aggressively recruits
followers, claiming that only industry and progress can save Ansalon.
Though beleaguered by her capricious mate, Sirrion, Shinare considers
her greatest foe to be Hiddukel, god of corrupt business.
Statistics: Al N; WAL Any; AoC Wealth, industry, freedom, power;
SY Griffin's wing; Colors gold, silver, and brown. Other Names: Winged
One (Silvanesti, Qualinesti), Silver Master (Thorbardin), Walking
Liberty (Ergoth), Balance or the Scales (Mithas).
Shinar's Avatars (fighter 15, priest 15)
Shinare most often assumes the guise of a rich, portly matron or
merchant. She wears expensive clothing and jewelry, and a belt of
finest silver encircles her waist. When appearing to the dwarves, she
takes the torn of a male dwarven merchant, decked in rich clothing
that drips with gems and precious metals. Because dwarves so espouse
her philosophies, she acquiesces to their stubborn insistence that she
is male. Minor concerns such as mortal gender should not stand in the
way ot progress. In either form, Shinare carries a solid silver mace
+4.
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 15 (20 to dwarves)
MV 9, SZ 6'(4'to dwarves), MR 45% AC 0, HD15, hp 120, #AT 1, THAC0 6,
Dmg 1d6+4 (mace)
Special Att/Def: Shinare cannot be harmed by any weapon made of
or adorned with precious metals or gems.
Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Shinare are industrious. They work hard to amass
wealth and prestige, but they must not be greedy. Their work must
serve the greater community and they must wisely spend their money for
the benefit of all. Shinare's priests must dress in the best clothing
they can afford and adorn their weapons with gems and precious metals.
Shinare occasionally deposits gems or precious metals in the
pockets of priests who oppose Sirrion's plans. Shinare seeks not to
harm her mate, but to hamper his ambitious plans. But her truest enemy
is Hiddukel, false merchant and perverter of contracts.
Requirements: AB Standard; PAL Any; WP Mace; AR Only armor made
by priests of Shinare; SP All, Charm, Combat*, Creation, Guardian,
Protection, Sun*; PW locate/obscure object; TU Nil. Priests of Shinare
receive 1 experience point per 10 stl of treasure earned or legally
acquired.
Lunitari, Veiled Maiden (Intermediate god)
Gender: Female
Home Plane: Limbo (originally), Border Ethereal (currently)
Description: Lunitari, goddess of Neutral magic and illusions,
was born of Gilean and an unknown mother. (Some suggest she sprang
full-grown from her father's thoughts.) She founded the wizardly Order
of the Red Robes to promote Neutral magic. Most of Krynn's mages
embrace her order because it allows them to practice magic without the
moral shackles.
Lunitari and Solinari have long been friends and work well
together. Like the other gods of magic, Lunitari chooses to remain
close to Krynn to govern her order of mages. Lunitari's heavenly
symbol, the small red moon, is called the "witching light."
Role-Playing Notes: Lunitari is a vivacious young woman with a
mischievous streak. Her capriciousness has earned her homage even
among the kender. She delights in all magic and illusions, but loves
Neutral spellcasting most of all.
Motivations: Lunitari wants to bring a magical renaissance to
Ansalon. To achieve this aim, she works closely with Solinari, though
she also heavily promotes her Red Robed Wizards.
Statistics: AL N; WAL Any Neutral; AoC Neutral magic, illusions;
SY Red circle or sphere; Colors red or magenta. Other Names: Luin
(Ergoth), Red-Eye (Goodlund), Night Candle (Thorbardin), Maid of
Illusion (Mithas).
Lunitaui's Avatars (wizard 25)
Lunitari usually takes the form of a beautiful, red-haired human
woman clad in red robes. She has a cunning and capricious smile.
Occasionally, Lunitari cloaks her avatar in a powerful illusion, which
can be anything from a draconian to a gnome. Lunitari carries ruby red
darts with her, which she uses only as a last resort.
Str 13, Dex 23, Con 19, Int 24, Wis 15, Cha 23, MV 18, SZ 5', MR
75 %, AC -4, HD 15, hp 90, #AT 1, THAC0 6, Dmg 1d6+ 5 (darts)
Special Att/Def: Illusions and phantasms are useless against
Lunitari. Lunitari's clothing acts as a cloak of displacement.
Duties of Priesthood
To become a priest of Lunitari, an aspirant must first, become a
Wizard of the Red Robes and advance to at least 5th level. The wizard
must seek out a priest of Lunitari for initiation into the Holy Order
of the Stars at 1st level. From that time on, the character uses the
priest experience table, THAC0, saving throws, and all other game
statistics (except Hit Dice -- he gains no additional hit points until
he reaches 6th level). A priest of Lunitari can continue to use spells
as a 5th level wizard. When the priest reaches 6th level, he rolls for
hit points using the priest Hit Die.
Requirements: AB Standard, plus Int 15+; PAL Any Neutral; WP
Staff, dagger, darts; AR None allowed; SP All, Astral, Charm*, Combat,
Divination, Guardian, Healing, Summoning*; TU None. Priests of
Lunitari gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against magical attacks.
***
Beasts and Monsters of Ansalon
The continent of Ansalon houses many bizarre animals. These
beasts tend to be too retiring, too mystical, or too savage to be run
by player characters. However, DMs constantly take up the role of
these furtive and feral beasts, who provide Ansalon much of its
variety and splendor.
The following section details the wild folk of Ansalon. The most
important of these creatures are treated with in-depth discussions at
the beginning of this chapter. After these descriptions, brief
outlines of the other beasts and monsters follow. For a complete
catalogue of the monsters of Krynn, consult Monstrous Compendia, Vol.
1, 2, and 4.
Although the following beasts were not intended to be played as
PCs, the typical PC ability scores (e.g., Str, Dex, Con) appear for
each creature to help the DM in role-playing them. Other vital
statistics appear with each entry, listed in the order a DM will most
likely need them -- from the terrain and frequency of the beast to the
combat abilities it may use in a confrontation with PCs. The
abbreviations used for these statistics follow:
TR = Terrain;
FQ = Frequency;
#AP = Number Appearing;
SZ = Size;
HD = Hit Dice;
ML = Morale;
Str = Strength;
Dex = Dexterity;
Con = Constitution;
Int = Intelligence;
Wis = Wisdom; Cha =
Charisma;
MV = Movement;
MR= Magic Resistance;
TS = Treasure;
AC = Armor Class;
THAC0 = To Hit Armor Class 0;
AT = Attacks.
Children of Krynn
The children of Krynn are beautiful creatures of nature --
centaurs, griffins, naga, pegasi, and satyrs. They are closest to the
heart of Chislev.
Centaurs
Appearance: The centaurs are gentle folk, appearing as a cross
between a powerful horse and a human of near-perfect frame. The males
have broad chests, rippling muscles, and handsome, angular faces. The
females are lithe and graceful, and their visages are among the most
beautiful seen on Krynn.
There are several varieties of centaurs. Abanasinian centaurs,
the biggest and handsomest, are strong and sturdy (+2 to Strength and
+2 to all saves). Crystalmir centaurs are leaner, sleeker creatures
(MV 30 for short sprints), but still exhibit the renown strength of
their race. They tend to be shy and reclusive. Endscape centaurs have
long, shaggy coats and are nomadic and savage. These short, stocky
beasts are skilled with weaponry (+1 to hit and dmg) and attacking
with hooves (+2 to hit and dmg). The last group, Wendle centaurs, are
odd, pony-sized beasts. Their ribs form a set of bony plates that
protect them in battle (AC of 4). Wendle centaurs are the smartest of
all centaurs (+1 to Int).
Personality and Powers: Centaurs are not especially intelligent,
nor particularly virtuous. They think first of themselves and enjoy
pleasures such as wine, art, and fine weather.
Although the centaurs of Krynn live in secluded woods and
pasture lands, they freely associate with humans and demihumans, whom
they consider less fortunate due to their dearth of legs. Centaurs,
especially Wendle, avoid kender, however, who often try to ride them.
Centaurs favor meetings with satyrs and other children of Krynn.
Centaur: Chaotic Good; TR: Temperate; FQ: Rare; #AP: 5d6;
SZ: L (7'-9' tall); HD: 4 (21 hp); Ml: 12; Str: 16, Dex: 14,
Con: 16, Int: l0-12, Wis: 12, Cha: 9; MV: 18; MR: Nil; TR: M/Q
(D/I/7); AC: 5; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d6x2 hooves or by weapon
Griffons
Appearance: These violent avians are a bane to small human and
demihuman settlements. Griffons are ferocious carnivores, half-lion
and half-eagle.
Rarely more than a dozen will be found together. They prefer to
lair in forests where trees offer perches and cover. Griffins are
prized as mounts throughout Krynn. And trainers who acquire young
griffins or unhatched eggs command high prices.
Personality and Powers: Griffons enjoy the taste of horseflesh.
They search for poorly-defended farms to find their prey. Even if a
horse has a rider, a griffon can rarely resist trying to get a taste
of it (attacks 90% of the horses it sees). Griffons use their weight
and speed to great effect against ground targets, and are even more
fierce in aerial combat. They always fight to the death, especially if
there is horseflesh as a prize.
Griffon: Neutral; TR: Mills/mtns; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d6; SZ: L
(9'); HD: 7 (35 hp); ML: 12; Str: 19; Dex: 15; Con: 9; Int: 2-4; Wis:
7; Cha: 8; MV: 12, fly 30 (C,D if mounted); MR: Nil; TS: (C,S); AC: 3;
THAC0: 13; AT: 1d4/1d4 claw, 2d8 bite
Naga
Appearance: Nagas are snakelike creatures with humanoid heads.
Nagas come in three varieties. Guardian nagas, who reach lengths of 20
feet, often protect nearby human settlements from the threat of
draconians and other creatures.
Spirit nagas, who are somewhat shorter than guardians, prey upon
merchants, small groups of adventurers, and illdefended farmers. Water
nagas, who are half the size of guardians, act in unpredictable
fashion, vacillating between Evil and Good. Some of the people of
Krynn believe that the three types of naga are not related at all --
they are merely different creatures of similar appearance.
Personality and Powers: Naga possess high Intelligence and
magical abilities. They prefer to set traps for trespassers, relying
mostly on magical ability rather than melee skill. After their magic
is expended, they use their poisonous bite to attack and defend.
Good-aligned guardian nagas, on the rare times that they do attack,
use deadly poison (save vs poison or die) and priest spells (as a 6th
level priest). Evil-aligned spirit nagas utilize charm spells (save vs
paralysis), wizard spells (as a 5th level wizard), and priest spells
(as a 4th level priest) to handle foes. Neutral-aligned water nagas
avoid combat, but cast wizard spells (as a 5th level wizard) when they
must defend themselves.
Naga, Guardian: Chaotic Good; TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP:1;
SZ:H (20'); HD: 11 (55 hp); ML: 15; Str: 19; Dex: 15; Con:9; Int:16;
Wis: 16; Cha: 8; MV: 15; MR: Nil; TS:x (H); AC: 3; THAC0; 9; AT: 1d6
bite, 2d4 constrict
Naga, Spirit: Chaotic Evil; TR: Underground; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d2;
SZ: H (15'); HD: 9 (45 hp); ML: 14; Str: 17; Dex: 12; Con: 12; Int:
13; Wis: 11; Cha: 6; MV: 12; MR: Nil; TS: x (8/ T); AC: 4; THAC0: 11;
AT: 1d3 bite
Naga, Water: (Neutral) TR: Fresh water; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d3;
SZ: L (10'); HD: 7 (35 hp); ML: 11; Str: 15; Dex: 9; Con: 13; Int: 11;
Wis: 11; Cha: 9; MV: 9 Sw 18; MR: Nil; TS: x (D); AC: 5; THAC0: 13;
AT: 1d4
Pegasi
Appearance: The winged horses of Ansalon are among the
best-loved children of Krynn. Their broad-muscled backs can bear two
to three riders, their satiny pelts are smooth to the touch, and the
feral beauty of their eyes captivates humans and demihumans alike.
Their fur is usually white, though some are brown or (rarely) black.
Personality and Powers: Although pegasi serve the cause of Good
and are prized as mounts, they are not easily tamed. The wild nature
and Intelligence of the pegasi makes them unwilling to be bridled.
When angered, pegasi attack with their hooves and teeth. If someone is
foolish enough to stand behind a pegasus, they may receive a brutal
kick (2d12 points dmg). Pegasi also make excellent aerial combatants,
diving to attack from a height of 50' or greater (+2 to hit and double
damage).
The great steeds' natural enemies are griffons.
Pegasi: Chaotic Good; TR: Woods; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d10; SZ: L
(8'); HD: 4 (16 hp); ML: 11; Str: 15; Dex: 18; Con: 15; Int: 8-10;
Wis: 17; Cha: 17; MV: 24, fly 48 (C, D if mounted); MR: Nil; TS: Nil;
AC: 6; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d8/1d8 hooves, 1d3 bite
Satyr
Appearance: These natural folk appear to be a cross between
humans and goats. They have cleft hooves for feet; goatlike legs; a
human torso, arms, and head; and goat ears and horns. Satyrs' skin
ranges from tan to light brown, and rarely red.
Hair color is medium, reddish, or black. Satyrs dwell in
woodlands across Ansalon. All satyrs are male.
Personality and Powers: Pleasure-loving satyrs are wild,
carefree, and unpredictable. Although not malicious, satyrs are viewed
with suspicion by the humans of Krynn, who fear the goat-men might
steal their women. Despite such ludicrous claims, satyrs are
relatively inoffensive. They want only to enjoy life, and therefore
are fond of females of many races. Scholars believe dryads are the
female counterparts to satyrs.
Satyr: Neutral; TR: Sylvan; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d4; SZ: M (5');
HD: 5 (19 hp); ML: 13; Str: 15; Dex: 18; Con: 1S; Int: 11- 12; Wis:
17; Cha: 17; MV: 18; MR: 50%; TS: I, S, X; AC: 5; THAC0: 15; AT: 2d4
head butt or by weapon
Draconians
Appearance: Draconians have short, stubby tails, lizard snouts,
and scaly bodies. They are the twisted creations of dark magic used to
mutate the eggs of Good dragons. There are five draconian sub-races:
the auraks from the eggs of gold dragons, the baaz from brass dragons,
the bozak from bronze dragons, the kapak from copper dragons, and the
sivaks from silver dragons. All draconians but auraks have wings that
allow them to glide a distance equal to four times the height they
begin from. Only sivaks can fly. Whenever a draconian dies, enchanted
energy courses from their body and may harm bystanders.
Scholars believe that draconians do not have sexes and do not
mate. Their near immortality (1,000 years) and their origin in magic
make procreation unnecessary. Dragonmen are invulnerable to many
diseases and can survive on little food and water. They love ale and
spirits.
Personality and Powers: All draconians are Evil. Their heinous
deeds and crude desires have won them hatred from humans and
demihumans throughout Krynn. Corruption and perversity typify these
folk. Draconians serve the Dark Queen and her generals faithfully and
unquestioningly. They feel no fear in a dragon's presence, but rather
awe (+1 to morale and attacks when within 120 feet). Humans and
demihumans mercilessly hunt draconians. Some bands of adventurers even
specialize in eliminating these offspring of Evil.
Aurak draconians
Aurak are special agents of the Queen of Darkness. They can move
among other races undetected. They are the rarest and most powerful of
all draconians, and have an arsenal of attacks and defenses to choose
from. Aurak cannot fly, but move swiftly on foot and can use a limited
dimension door three times a day to teleport up to 60 yards away.
Aurak have very acute senses, with 60' infravision and the
ability to detect hidden and invisible creatures within 40 yards. They
can also see through illusions.
Aurak have several natural defenses that can be invoked at will.
They can become invisible once a turn and polymorph self into any
animal their size 3 times per day. They have a natural resistance to
magic and special damage and gain a +4 bonus to all saves. Finally,
aurak can change self to perfectly imitate the appearance and voice of
any humanoid they have seen. They can retain this form for 2d6+6
rounds, thrice per day. The widespread rumors that aurak smell of su
Ifur are merely wishful thinking. Unfortunately, the Dark Queen's
spies can be detected neither by sight nor smell.
Aurak engage in three modes of physical combat and two modes of
mystical combat. They generate bursts of energy from each hand,
striking targets within 6" and causing 1d8+2 points of damage with
each. When using change self, these bursts appear to be attacks using
the aurak's illusory weapon. Alternately, aurak can attack with claws
and a bite. And thrice per day they can breathe a noxious cloud of gas
with a 5' diameter. Victims caught in the cloud suffer 2d10 points of
damage and are blinded for 1d4 rounds. A save vs breath halves damage
and prevents blindness.
Auraks use magic spells and an innate ability for mystical
attacks. Each day, an aurak can cast two each of 1st to 4th level
wizard spells. Preferred spells include: enlarge, shocking grasp, ESP,
stinking cloud, blink, lightning bolt, fire shield, and wall of fire.
The auraks' most insidious power, however, is mind control. They can
use suggestion once per turn if they concentrate. Once per day, they
can use mind control on one victim of equal or fewer Hit Dice for 2d6
rounds. A save vs spells negates this attack. Mind control lets the
aurak control another creature's body as though it were his own.
When an aurak is reduced to 0 hit points, he does not
immediately die. The escaping magical energy causes him to burst into
green flames and enter a fighting frenzy (+2 to hit and damage).
Anyone within 3 feet suffers 1d6 points of flame damage per round,
unless they save vs petrify.
After 6 rounds or when his hit points drop to -20, the aurak
transforms into a whizzing ball of green lightning, attacking all
within 10' radius as a 13 HD monster and causing 2d6 points of damage.
Three rounds later, the ball of lightning explodes, causing 3d6 points
of damage and stunning all within 10 feet for 1d4 rounds. Items must
make a save vs crushing blow or be destroyed.
Draconian, Aurak: Lawful Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d2; SZ:
M (7'); HD: 8 (41 hp); ML: 15; Str: 16; Dex: 15; Con: 12; Int: 15-16;
Wis: 15; Cha: 15; MV: 15; MR: 30'/o, TS: K/L/N/V; AC: 0; THAC0: 13;
AT: 1d8+2 (x2) or spell
Baaz Draconians
Weak of mind and character, baaz appear as men with scaly,
patterned skin. Small wings, which baaz often cover with cloaks or
other clothes, protrude from their shoulder bones. Although the facial
appearance of each baaz is as distinct as any man's, many of these
draconians have doglike snouts. Baaz often masquerade as humans
through the use of masks and bulky clothing. The most "human"
appearing baaz are usually employed as spies.
Baaz were created by injecting a hardening liquid into the eggs
of Good dragons. When alive, baaz remain fleshlike, despite the
hardened liquid in their bodies. However, when the creatures are
killed, they turn to a substance similar to stone -- trapping inside
them whatever weapon dealt the final blow. The attacker must make a
Dex check at -3, or his weapon becomes stuck in the statue for 1d4
rounds, at which point the stone crumbles to dust.
Baaz are the smallest and most plentiful draconians. They are
especially sadistic when drunk. They can attack twice in a round with
their claws, or substitute their bite for one claw attack. They prefer
to use easily concealed weapons when attempting to ambush prey;
otherwise, they use long swords and spears.
Draconian, Baaz: Neutral Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d10;
SZ: M (5-1/2); HD: 2 (9 hp); ML: 13; Str: 12; Dex: 8; Con: 11; Int:
11-12; Wis: 6; Cha: 8; MV: 6, run 15, glide 18; MR: 20%; TS: M/Q; AC:
4; THAC0: 19; AT: 1d4/1d4 or by weapon
Bozak Draconians
These offspring are typically 6 to 6-1/2 feet tall. They are
covered with bronze-hued scales. The scales are small and fishlike on
the draconian's face, hands, and feet, but are about the size of a
copper piece on the remainder of the offspring's body. Although
limited in flying ability, bozak have learned to glide indetinitely in
strong winds. They prefer gliding at night, when they are safer from
the eyes of humans.
Bozak were created by fouling the eggs of bronze dragons. When
killed, a bozak's flesh becomes dry and brittle, turning to dust. The
bones begin to vibrate, then explode violently, causing 1d6 points of
damage to all within 10'.
Bozaks are the most cautious of the draconians, serving as
special forces and commanders for their Dark Queen. Their caution is
reflected in their use of magic and of missile weapons, preferring to
use these before charging into melee. They can cast spells as 4th
level wizards (three 1st and two 2nd level spells), preferring such
spells as 1st: burning hands, enlarge, magic missile, shocking grasp,
and 2nd: invisibility, levitate, stinking cloud, and web. They gain a
+2 to all saves.
Draconian, Bozak: Lawful Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d10;
SZ: M (6'+); HD: 4 (19 hp); ML: 13; Str: 14; Dex: 10; Con: 8; Int:
13-14; Wis: 12; Cha: 10; MV: 6, run 15, glide 18, fly 6 (E); MR: 20% 1
2; TS: Q x 2; AC: 2 THAC0: 17 AT: 1d4/1d4 or by weapon
Kapak Draconians
Kapaks look less humanlike than baaz do. Kapaks sport a short
mane that hangs down to one side of their mouths. Their large,
leathery wings make them fair at gliding. They disdain clothes,
considering them worthless trappings of humans.
However, they have been known to wear trophies of their kills --
necklaces, bracers, and other shiny objects.
Kapaks are generally ignorant, ill-mannered, famished, and
witless. They are best-suited to a military lifestyle, where their
movements and actions are directed by more intelligent draconians,
such as baaz or bozak. A force of kapak foot soldiers is dangerous,
swift, and surprisingly strong. They prefer close fighting, where
their venomous saliva and curving claws work to best effect.
Kapaks serve as skirmishers and assassins in the Dark Queen's
army. They are notorious for their venomous bite. Before entering
combat, they often lick their weapons to coat them with poisonous
saliva. Anyone who receives damage from a venom-coated weapon or a
bite must save vs poison or be paralyzed for 2d6 turns. The poison
evaporates from a weapon in 3 rounds; reapplying the poison takes one
round. Kapaks were created from the eggs of copper dragons.
When a kapak is slain, its body dissolves into a 10' pool of
acid. This causes 1d8 points of damage per round to all caught in the
pool. The acid evaporates in 1d6 rounds. All items exposed to the acid
are rendered useless.
Draconian, Kapak: Lawful Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2dlO;
SZ: M (6'); HD: 3 (13 hp); ML: 13; Str: 13; Dex: 10; Con: 10; Int:
8-10; Wis: 10; Cha: 10; MV: 6, run 15, glide 18; MR: 20%; TS: K/L/M;
AC: 4; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d4
Sivak Draconians
Sivaks are the largest and sturdiest draconians (+2 to all
saves). They are the elite forces of the dragonarmies, shock troops
wielding mighty flails and two-handed swords. Even so, like kapaks,
they need direction. Their small minds have trouble concocting
long-range plans and elaborate tactics.
Birthed from the eggs ot silver dragons, sivaks gleam like
polished coins. Their eyes are dark, however, as black as their
corrupt souls. Their great Strength makes the accomplished fliers, and
when they take wing during the day, the brilliance of their scales is
dazzling.
The most devastating ability of the sivaks is their mastery of
shapechanging into the form of someone they just killed and
masquerading as that person. When they take the shape of a victim,
they gain only the appearance and voice; they do not gain magic use or
memories. They can change back to their normal form at will, but
cannot change into humanoid form again until they kill another victim.
This shapechanging ability allows sivaks to function well as spies.
When they are slain by a humanoid, sivaks shapechange into the
form of their slayer. They retain this death shape for 3 days. At the
end of this time, their form bursts into flames and is reduced to
black soot. If the slayer was not humanoid or was larger than the
sivak, the slain draconian bursts into flames immediately, causing 2d4
points damage to all within 10' (no save).
Draconian, Sivak: Neutral Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Uncommon; #AP:
2d10; SZ: L (9'); HD: 6 (29 hp); ML: 14; Str: 18; Dex: 8; Con: 16;
Int: 13-14; Wis: 10; Cha: 10; MV: 6, run 15, glide 18, fly 24 (C); MR:
20%; TS: Q1.5 V; AC: 1; THAC0: 15; AT: 1d6/1d6/2d6 or by weapon
Draconian Society
Draconians progenitors dwelt upon the lower planes. Takhisis,
when looking for a way to bypass the barriers between the plains,
selected tanar'ri and encased them in draconian bodies. This creation
by magic means that draconians are sterile. Unless Takhisis makes more
of these creatures, they will someday fade from the face of Krynn.
Seeming to sense their inevitable demise, draconians turn to
strong drink in large quantities. During the War of the Lance, inns
and taverns became key strategic outposts. Takhisis did nothing to
stop this love of alcohol: without it, kapaks and sivaks were
difficult to control.
Despite their inevitable demise, some baaz refuse to give up on
their race. These crafty draconians seek to capture more eggs -- from
Good or Evil dragons. They know that one egg alone could yield dozens
of draconians. Once they secure the eggs, the baaz intend to summon
tanar'ri to occupy the forms, increasing their number on Krynn. These
baaz hope one day to subjugate humans and demihumans and dominate
Krynn. In hopes of absolute power, the baaz keep their vast armies of
kapaks training.
Until the day of tyranny arrives, however, the draconians hide
themselves. They are well aware of the bands of humans who hunt them
for revenge. Some draconians, such as wellplaced sivaks, entrench
themselves in human and demihuman communities, listening, learning,
and gathering precious information on the strengths and weaknesses of
the soft-skinned enemy.
Dragons
Appearance
Dragons are unchallenged as the most powerful children of Krynn.
These massive reptiles are covered with thick scales from their
tail-tips to their toothy mouths. Them have wings strong enough to
bear them aloft and to produce a devastating blast of air. The ten
greater dragon types of Krynn belong to two families: the Evil
chromatic dragons (black, blue, green, red, and white) and the Good
metallic dragons (brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver). These
colors designate the various elemental forces from which the dragons
were forged. In addition to differing in scale colors and alignments,
the ten dragon types differ in size, appearance, spell use, and breath
weapon. Descriptions of these differences appear in the text on each
dragon.
Krynn also has unique, lesser dragons -- sea dragons, amphi
dragons, and others hinted in legends to exist.
Personality and powers
All dragons are supremely intelligent and are feared by those
who behold them. In addition to their massive size and brooding
natures, dragons radiate an aura of fear that keeps lesser beings in
check. Even so, Krynnish dragons have many dealings with humans. Evil
dragons often ally with Evil humans, and Good dragons share an almost
mystical bond with the humans who have won their trust.
Dragons' powers grow greater with age (see the dragon entries in
Monstrous Compendium, Vol. 1). The base age for all the statistics
that follow is young adult, (age category: 5; age: 51-100; combat
modifier: +5 to hit and dmg; fear radius: 15 yards; save modifier:
+3). To create dragon characters of older or younger ages, consult
Monstrous Compendium, Vol. 1.
Dragons have excellent senses. They can detect invisible or
hidden objects and creatures within a 10' radius per age category. All
dragons possess natural clairaudience; this ability has a 20' radius
per age category. Dragons have an innate spell-casting ability. Which
spells they may cast is determined by the DM.
The chief attack form for any dragons is its breath weapon:
anything from a lightning bolt to a searing blast of fire. The type of
breath weapon varies by subspecies of dragon. A dragon can use this
weapon once every three combat rounds. A successful save vs breath
will reduce damage by half.
Dragons have many other attack options also. They can fight by
clawing, biting, snatching, kicking, tail slapping, and wing
buffeting. Dragons can divide attacks among foes, using the more
dangerous attacks against the more dangerous foes. Claw: Dragons can
attack creatures to the front and side with claws. If the dragon kicks
with one rear leg, it can only attack with one claw.
Bite: Because of a dragon's long neck, it can bite creatures to
the front and sides.
Snatch: Only dragons who are young adults or older can snatch
while in flight. A snatch is performed by diving, grabbing a creature
with claws, and carrying it into the air. There is a 50% chance the
creature's arms will be pinned by this attack, leaving him unable to
attack the dragon. The dragon can squeeze its victim for automatic
claw damage or make a successful attack roll, transferring the victim
to its mouth for automatic bite damage. Dragons can also drop their
prey from great heights.
Kick: This attack is very effective against rear assaults. A
kick inflicts claw damage and knocks those who fail Dex checks back
1d6+1' per age category of the dragon. The kicked target must save vs
petrify or fall down.
Wing Buffet: Only dragons that are young adults or older can
perform this attack. Targets must be at the dragon's side. Damage is
the same as a claw attack, and those affected must make a Dex check or
be knocked prone.
Tail Slap: Dragons that are adults or older can employ this
attack against creatures behind them. It causes the same damage as two
claw attacks and affects a number of creatures equal to the dragon's
age category (default is 6). Creatures within the sweep must save vs.
petrify or be stunned for 1d4+1 minutes.
Amphi Dragons
This horrendous toadlike dragon is a crossbreed between a green
dragon and a sea dragon. It has inherited the worst qualities of both.
It cannot fly, and moves awkwardly on land.
However, it can leap a distance of 18' or 6' vertically every
other round, and cannot react in the round following such a leap.
Amphis most often attack ships, for they disdain land and avoid
coastal communities. An amphi dragon will attack a ship without
provocation. In combat, they first employ their spells, followed by
their breath weapon. The breath weapon is a stream of acid 60' long
and 3' wide, and it works well above and below water. The breath
weapon can be used once every 3 rounds.
Amphi dragons avoid melee except when attempting to capsize a
ship. If forced into melee, however, amphi dragons are protected by
their acid-oozing warts. Whenever a creature attacks an amphidragon in
melee, he must make a Dex check or suffer 1d6 points from the acid.
Amphi dragons can also attempt a tongue grab from a distance of up to
twice its age category in feet. If the tongue hits (rolled THAC0), the
victim is stuck to the tongue and dragged to the creature's mouth. If
the tongue takes 12 points of damage, the amphidragon will let the
victim go. Otherwise, it will hit automatically with its bite each
round thereafter until the victim or the dragon is dead.
Amphi dragons can change their color to match their
surroundings, and are thus 80% undetectable if they remain stationary.
Dragon, Amphi: Neutral Evil; TR: Temperate; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d4;
SZ: H (25' base); HD: 9 (base); ML: 16; Str: 18; Dex: 12; Con: 12;
Int: 11-12; Wis: 10; Cha: 2; MV: 6, swim 24; MR: Varies; TS: Special;
AC: 3 (base); THAC0: 11 (base); AT: 1d8/ 1d8 claws, 2d10 bite
Black Dragons
These great, slimy lizards usually make their homes in marshes
and jungles. They prey upon animals for sustenance. Dark as the bogs
they dwell in, black dragons are difficult to notice. Black dragons
are impulsive and nervous, tending to act first and think later.
Because of their independence, they are seldom used by Takhisis except
in times of great need. Black dragons are unpredictable in what they
hold precious. Some dragons have been known to amass and covet piles
of coins and gems, while great wyrms have collected only weapons and
items of men they cannot use.
Black dragons save their spells in combat until they believe
they are in jeopardy. They initially attack with their breath weapon,
a deadly stream of acid 60' long and 5' wide. They are quick to fight
with their claws, wings, tail, and vicious bite. A black dragon can
cast spells at 5th level. Their favorite spell is darkness, because it
allows them to attack under cover. Black dragons easily breathe water,
and are immune to acid.
Dragon, Black: Chaotic Evil; TR: Swamp/jungle; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (30' base); HD: 12 (base); ML: 16; Str: 19; Dex: 12;
Con: 15; Int: 8-10; Wis: 13; Cha: 5; MV: 12, fly 30(C), swim 12; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: 1 (base); THAC0: 9 (base); AT: 1d6/1d6 claws,
3d6 bite
Blue Dragons
These immense, sapphire-hued lizards bask in deserts and arid
lands, making their lairs in caves beneath the sand. Unlike most other
Evil dragons, blues are quick to work together for a common goal.
Their favored form of attack is their breath weapon -- a lethal bolt
of lightning 100' long and 5' wide.
They consider their breath weapon superior to other dragons', as
the bolt is precise, devastating and powerful. Blue dragons are valued
allies in times of warfare because they understand how to cooperate.
Sometimes, the bond they share with their allies is such that they are
plunged into deep depression when one of them dies, hindering their
effectiveness in battle.
Blue dragons use spells and magical abilities at 7th level. They
are immune to electricity.
Dragon, Blue: Lawful Evil; TR: Arid; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (42' base); HD: 14 (base); ML: 16; Str: 20; Dex: 9;
Con: 19; Int: 11-12; Wis: 15; Cha: 13; MV: 9, fly 30 (C), burrow 4;
MR: Varies; TS: Special; AC: 0 base; THAC0: 8 (base); AT: 1d8/1d8
claws, 3d8 bite
Brass Dragons
Like blue dragons, brass favor arid, sandy regions where the hot
sun can properly toast their shiny scales. Although goodnatured, these
dragons are selfish, boisterous, and overly proud. Their weakness is
their desire for small talk. And because they know dozens of
languages, it is easy for them to find other creatures with whom to
converse. Despite their love for gab, brass dragons have little
interest in art or culture. They are benevolent and understanding, but
they ultimately believe the weak should be weeded from the strong, and
the superior allowed to flourish.
Brass dragons prefer to attack with their claws and teeth,
saving their breath weapon and spells for dire situations. They have
two forms of breath weapon. One is a sleep gas 70' long and 5' wide at
its base and 20' wide at its end. Creatures caught in the gas must
save vs breath or fall asleep for 10 minutes per age category of the
dragon. Their other breath weapon is a wave of heat, 50' long, 40'
wide, and 20' high. A brass dragon can cast spells and use its magical
abilities at 6th level.
Dragon, Brass: Chaotic Good; TR: Arid; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1 (1d4+1);
SZ: G (30' base); HD: 12 (base); ML: 17; Str: 16; Dex: 12; Con: 15;
Int: 13-14; Wis: 10; Cha: 12; MV: 12, fly 30 (C), burrow 6; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: 0 (base); THAC0: 9 (base); AT: 1d6/1d6 claws,
4d4 bite
Bronze Dragons
Bronze dragons lair near fresh or salt water, near settlements
of humans and demihumans. They are fond of treasure, but only seek it
from Evil communities and creatures. Bronze dragons dislike killing,
preferring to drive enemies away with repulsion gas. When confronted
with intelligent opponents, bronze dragons use ESP to learn their
intentions.
They are fond of war and fighting Evil, and are very curious
about humans and demihumans. They prefer attacking creatures smaller
than them with their tail, bite, and claws, reserving their spells for
more worthy opponents. The bronze dragons will, however use their
breath weapons on a significant number of foes. Their breath weapons
are a stroke of lightning 100' long and 5' wide and a cloud of
repulsion gas 20' long, 30' wide, and 30' high. Creatures caught in
this cloud and failing a save vs breath must move away from the dragon
for 1d6 minutes plus 2 minutes per age category.
Dragon, Bronze: Lawful Good; TR: Coastal; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (42' base); HD: 14 (base); ML: 17; Str: 22; Dex: 9;
Con: 13; Int: 15-16; Wis: 15; Cha: 15; MV: 9, fly 30 (C), swim 12; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: -2 (base); THAC0: 8 (base); AT: 1d8/1d8
claws, 4d6 bite
Copper Dragons
Perhaps the most selfish of Good dragons, copper dragons are
still very good-hearted. They easily give in to the decisions of
others, and will often consult with other dragons before making
important decisions. They are loyal to their friends, but distrust
strangers.
Although copper dragons are the smallest of the metallic
dragons, they command magic well and are crafty fighters. They lair in
rocky, mountainous regions, where they can look down upon their
territories.
Copper dragons resist fighting, attacking only when other
creatures dear to them are in jeopardy. The dragons leap or fly to the
top of their lairs in order to avoid antagonists. When forced to
fight, an angry copper dragon will drive its foes into muddy mires
using rock to mud. If enraged, the dragon will crush those so
entrapped with a wall of stone.
In any combat situation, copper dragons begin their assault with
their breath weapon -- a cloud of slowness gas, 30' long, 20' wide,
and 20' high (save vs breath or be slowed 3 min per age category),
followed by any non-damaging spells they possess. If the targets still
resist, they attack with their other breath weapon, a stream of acid
70' long and 5' wide.
Copper dragons cast their spells at 7th level. They are immune
to acid. Copper dragons can jump 30 yards forward or sideways,
reaching heights of over 30'.
Dragon, Copper: Chaotic Good; TR: Hills/mtns; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (36' base); HD: 13 (base); ML: 16; Str: 21; Dex: 9;
Con: 16; Int: 13-14; Wis: 14; Cha: 10; MV: 9, fly 30 (C), jump 3; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: 1 (base); THAC0: 9 (base); AT: 1d6/1d6 claws,
5d4 bite
Green Dragons
Green dragons are notorious even among Evil dragons for their
cruel natures and vicious tempers. They are cunning opponents, and
will only follow leaders whom they respect. They use trickery and
magic instead of all-out combat, but can engage in melee if necessary.
Green dragons lair in wild, forested areas, usually underground.
There, in large chambers, they pass the days counting their piles of
treasure. Those old enough to possess spells use their magic first in
any encounter, followed by their breath weapons.
They attack physically only when necessary, as they do not want
to get their claws dirty. Their breath weapon is a cloud of chlorine
gas 50' long, 40' wide, and 30' high. They cast their spells at the
6th level. Green dragons are immune to all gasses from birth.
Dragon, Green: Neutral Evil; TR: Woods; FQ: Very rare; #AP:
1(1d4+1); SZ: G (36' base); HD: 13 (base); ML: 16; Str: 15; Dex: 9;
Con: 17; Int: 11-12; Wis: 13; Cha: 13; MV: 9, tly 30 (C), swim 9; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: 0 (base); THAC0: 7 (base); AT: 1d8/1d8 claws,
2d10 bite
Gold Dragons
These are the most magnificent of Krynn's dragons. Priding
themselves on their great Intelligence, many golds have become
scholars, mathematicians, philosophers, and artists. Like silvers,
they can polymorph three times a day into human and demihuman form and
walk freely in the communities of men. However, golds are arrogant,
and they do not become as attached to "lessers" -- humans -- as do
their silver brethren. Golds can dwell in any climate, although they
prefer mountainous regions.
Gold dragons are extremely skilled in combat, and prefer to use
spells over all other methods of attack. They cast spells at 11th
level, and often seek formal magical schooling. They own spell books
and always have useful spells. Like other Good dragons, they have two
breath weapons. One is a cone of fire 90' long, 5' wide at the base
and growing to 30' wide at the end. The other is a cloud of chlorine
gas, 50' long, 40' wide, and 30' high.
By touch, a gold dragon can enchant a gem to bring good luck.
(When the dragon carries it, the dragon and all creatures in a 10'
radius per age level gain a +1 to all saves.) If given to someone
else, the gem's power lasts for 3 hours per age level, plus 1d3 hours.
Dragon, Gold: Lawful Good; TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (54' base); HD: 16 (base); ML: 17; Str: 24; Dex: 14;
Con: 18; Int: 17-18; Wis: 16; Cha: 18; MV: 12, fly 40 (C), jump 3,
swim 12 (15); MR: Varies; TS: Special; AC: -4 (base); THAC0: 5 (base);
AT: 1d10/1d10 claws, 6d6 bite
Red Dragons
The most powerful of Evil dragonkind, red dragons are greedy and
covetous. They begrudgingly cooperate with other dragons, but refuse
to obey orders with which they disagree. They love death and
destruction, and are fanatically loyal to the Dark Queen.
Red Dragons lair high in hills and mountains where they can
watch the goings-on around them. The dragons know they are the
strongest among their multi-hued brethren, and when encountering other
types of dragons they quickly point out their superiority. Like
greens, they avoid physical contact with their quarry.
These dragons begin a combat assault with spells, especially
those that will leave a foe's valuable possessions intact. The dragons
will resort to their breath weapon as a last resort. Their breath
weapon is a fiery cone of white-hot flames 90' long, 5' wide at the
base and ending 30' wide. This weapon melts all coins and destroy
magic and gems.
Red dragons cast spells as 9th level. They are born immune to
fire.
Dragon, Red: Chaotic Evil; TR: Hill/mtns; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: G (48' base); HD: 13 (base); ML: 18; Str: 21; Dex: 13;
Con: 14; Int: 15-17; Wis: 12; Cha: 16; MV: 9, fly 30 (C), jump 3; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: -3 (base); THAC0: 7 (base); AT: 1d10/1d10
claws, 3d10 bite
Sea Dragons
Sea dragons appear to be a cross between a giant turtle and a
dragon. They dwell in the oceans of Krynn. Evil in nature, they are
quick to attack ships and small coastal communities. A sea dragon's
territory covers several hundred square miles. The dragons are loathe
to leave their territory. Few creatures and men who trespass into such
a territory live to tell of it.
The sea dragon's breath weapon is a cone of steam 50' long, 5'
wide at the base and ending 30' wide. From birth it can breathe both
water and air. Sea dragons can detect creatures man-sized or larger
360' away in the water.
Dragon, Sea: Neutral Evil; TR: Seas; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d6; SZ: G
(35' base); HD: 15 (base); Ml: 18; Str: 23; Dex: 12; Con: 15; Int:
13-14; Wis: 9; Cha: 9; MV: 3, swim 12; MR: Varies; TS: Special; AC: -2
(base); THAC0: 5 (base); AT: 1d12/1d12 claws, 3d12 bite
Silver Dragons
Nearly equal in power to red dragons, silvers are the most
beloved by the people of Krynn. Silver dragons, among the largest of
dragonkind, can easily polymorph into human and demihuman form. These
dragons are fond of human company and visit cities and towns
frequently. Unfortunately, silver dragons also have been known to fall
in love with their human companions, which has created awkward -- and
sometimes tragic -- relationships.
Silver dragons usually construct their lairs near favorite human
communities. This allows the dragons to visit their human friends
easily and to protect them.
Silver dragons believe that the purpose of lite is to devote
themselves to the cause of good and justice. They will go to war only
reluctantly, but will give their lives for a cause in which they
believe.
The most famous silver dragon in Krynn is Silvara, who took the
form of a Kagonesti elfmaid. The dragon fell in love with the lord of
the Qualinesti elves, Gilthanas. The elf could not accept Silvara's
form, however. It is suspected a great misfortune befell the two, as
they disappeared from the face of Krynn many years ago.
Silver dragons have two breath weapons: a cone of cold 80' long,
5' wide at its mouth and ending 30' wide, and a cloud of paralyzation
gas 50' long, 40' wide, and 20' high. Creatures in the gas who fail
their save vs breath become paralyzed for 1d8 minutes plus 1 minute
per age level of the dragon.
A silver dragon casts spells at 6th level, plus its combat
modifier. At birth, they are immune to cold, and can polymorph self
three times a day. They can also cloud walk if they wish, or tread on
clouds or fog as if they were solid ground.
Dragon, Silver: Lawful Good; TR: Mountains; FQ: Very rare; #AP:
1 (1d4+1); SZ: G (48' base); HD: 15 (base); ML: 17; Str: 23; Dex: 15;
Con: 13; Int: 15-16; Wis: 18; Cha: 16; MV: 9, fly 30 (C), jump 3; MR:
Varies; TS: Special; AC: -3 (base); THAC0: 5 (base); AT: 1d8/1d8
claws, 5d6 bite
White Dragons
Although physically and mentally the weakest of the evil
reptiles, white dragons are terrible foes who rarely associate with
their malicious, other-colored cousins. These palest of dragons are
extremely haughty, preferring solitude, as they consider no other
dragon their intellectual match. They consider all other creatures
beneath dragonkind.
White dragons enjoy cold climates, land coated with snow and ice
and unsullied by men. White dragons served Takhisis as scouts in the
defense of the Icewall. White dragons collect little treasure, as they
are loathe to bother themselves with inferior possessions. However,
most of what they do own is nearly flawless -- gems of the purest
quality and jewelry of unrivaled beauty.
White dragons will always use their breath weapon before landing
to engage opponents. Their breath weapon is a cone of frost 70' long,
5' wide at the dragon's mouth and 25' wide at its end. White dragons
often pursue creatures underwater, where they are just as effective.
White dragons casts their spells at 5th level. From birth, they
are immune to cold.
Dragon, White: Chaotic Evil; TR: Arctic; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1
(1d4+1); SZ: H (24' base); HD: 11 (base); Ml: 15; Str: 19; Dex: 12;
Con: 15; Int: 5-7; Wis: 8; Cha: 12; MV: 12, fly 40 (C), burrow 6, swim
12; MR: Varies; TS: Special; AC: 1 (base); THAC0: 9 (base); AT:
1d6/1d6 claws, 2d8 bite or breath
Goblins
Appearance
Goblins are short, flat-nosed creatures with bright red skin;
they stand about 4' feet tall and weigh about 80 lbs. Hobgoblins bear
the same bad traits of their little cousins on a larger scale. These
angle-faced, fanged horrors grow as much as 6-1/2' tall and weigh
about 240 pounds. Bugbears are large versions of hobgoblins, 7' tall
and covered with fur. A stalking bugbear carries his 300 pounds in a
shambling (but deceptively stealthy) walk. All goblins have fangs, and
(reputedly) poisonous blood.
Goblins wear whatever they can find, but they all enjoy uniforms
and badges of rank (often stolen).
Personality
Goblins are on the whole unpleasant and brutal creatures.
Although some folk have known non-Evil goblins, or even intelligent
ones, these examples are clearly exceptions. Most goblin folk are
honorless brutes who want only to kill, eat, sleep, and pass gas.
Born Killers: What do goblins do for a living? Kill! Kill! And
kill again! All goblins are vicious fighters with no sense of honor or
justice, and they have no compunction about using anything as a
weapon, no matter how dangerous it may prove to be. They revel in
glory, reject fear and cowardice in battle, and have very good reasons
for giving ground when they themselves retreat.
Snivelling: Although fierce in battle, among themselves
goblinkin can be world-class grovelers, bootlickers, and whiners, able
to flatter shamelessly and deflect blame almost as an unconscious
reaction. Superiors expect this treatment and bully their inferiors,
and they in turn appease their masters in the same way. Much of this
snivelling is simply a cover for the backstabbing, double-crossing,
and treachery each goblin holds in his heart.
Shortsightedness: As a group, the goblin races rarely look
beyond their next meal, battle, or plunder. This makes them excellent
troops for Evil leaders who need a quick army. Fortunately, this
character flaw also limits goblins' ability to carry out extended
campaigns against civilized lands. Goblins aggressively take what they
want but have little patience for longterm sieges and marches.
Mighteousness: The goblin races believe in force. Consequently,
their leaders are the strongest and fiercest members among them.
Merging separate tribes into an army is nearly impossible because
goblins from other tribes may as well be elves.
Honorlessness: Goblins have no shame and will lie, cheat, or
steal to get what they want. No contract with a goblin is binding
unless one is in a position to enforce it. This doesn't mean that
goblins never cooperate or that they steal constantly. They cooperate
if they must or if it serves their own interests, and they steal only
when they think they can get away with it.
History
The goblin nations cannot match human empires, elven magic,
dwarven forge-craft, gnomish technology, or even kender wanderlust.
Goblins, however, are matchless pillagers:
they have the strength to take from others. And stealing suits
them because goblins are poor cousins to the other sentient races of
Ansalon. Though they have the same spark of soul and spirit as the
other races, they have yet to capitalize on it. They are lucky to get
from one meal to the next -- triumphs of civilization are beyond them.
Their history is a long and complicated recitation of violence.
The goblin races of Krynn include only goblins, hobgoblins, and
bugbears. (Krynn has no orcs.) Kobolds, often noted as a goblin race,
are reptilian by nature and are therefore related to lizard men. All
the goblin races are the descendants of the ogres, changed by the
Graystone into smaller, twisted forms that reflect their corrupted
inner nature. For ages, goblins have been raiders on the outskirts of
civilization, little more than scavengers of fallen nations. The
Cataclysm has created many fallen nations -- a rich field for harvest.
Some goblin shamen are preaching that the time of the goblin races is
at hand.
Recently, goblin races prospered under the leadership of the
Dragon Highlords and a few exceptionally charismatic goblin leaders.
Fewmaster Toede is one such leader, a hobgoblins able to command
fanatical loyalty from his followers. Although rumors say that Toede
died in the great War of the Lance at the hands of either a kender or
a dragon, no firm evidence confirms his death. His habit of dressing
troops to resemble him makes it quite possible that his assassin
killed someone else.
Lifestyle
The goblin's life centers around the tribe, where they are born
and will most likely die. The high mortality rate among young goblins
is balanced by a massive breeding rate. However, goblins suffer from
their continual inbreeding. Deformities are common. Some unusual
features or marks are considered lucky -- many shamen are deformed
this way. Other defects, such as blindness or lameness, which leave an
infant goblin unable to fight, are dealt with barbarically: the
infants are left exposed to the elements. Even as adults, goblins do
not suffer the weak to live. The strong rule, and the strong are not
always the bright.
Military ranks among goblins correspond directly to political
power; warchiefs and generals are goblins' princes and nobles. The
only exceptions to this are the shamen and witch-doctors, who are held
in respect for their power although they are rarely given direct
command over troops or raiders.
Most goblin tribes are semi-nomadic, wandering from place to
place like a plague of bandits, stripping an area until it is
despoiled or the local militia rouses itself. Some few tribes have
managed to wrest small villages from their previous inhabitants.
Goblin rule over these villages rarely outlasts a moon cycle, but such
"goblin towns" are the highest form of goblin civilization.
Tools, Weapons, and Technology
Goblins have almost no native technology. They lack the basic
ability to forge weapons and tools, relying instead on scavenging and
impressing slaves to get what they want. They do, however, excel at
making things stop working.
Although goblins make very few original items, some tribes have
developed complicated signaling codes for use in battle. Goblin horns
and drums can relay orders quickly and efficiently, allowing goblins
who possess them to respond in unison to any attack.
Goblins and hobgoblins wear either leather armor or piecemeal
armor, including scavenged splint and chain mail pieces. They most
often carry medium wooden shields.
Goblins wield any weapon available to them; since their weapons
are usually captured rather than made by goblin smiths, goblins
frequently use the same weapons as the surrounding civilized races.
Goblins also use a number of dangerous and unusually cruel weapons of
their own devising. If a goblin rolls a natural "1" when attacking
with one of the weapons in the following list, that goblin injures
himself instead of his opponent. Goblinkin suffer only half damage
from these attacks.
Atl-Atl: (Dmg: 1d4+2/1d6+2; Spd 4; Type P; Range 3/6/9) This is
a 1-1/2' long spear-throwing stick used to fling 3' short spears with
great leverage and power. The throwing stick has a cupped indentation
at one end that cradles the spear. The handle is wrapped in leather.
The spears are laced with cobie larva juice, which causes spasms in
victims (penalty of 1 to all rolls) and might cause paralysis if a
save vs poison fails. The throwing stick can double as a short club.
Club, Spiked: (Dmg: 1d8/1d4+2; Spd 5; Type PB) This club has
bone spikes fitted into its nether end and is dipped in dung. The dung
infects wounds, making them take twice as long to heal. If the victim
fails a Constitution check, he contracts a debilitating disease for
3d6 days and must make a system shock roll or die.
Dart, Viper: (Dmg: 1d4+1/1d4; Spd 3; Type PC; Range 1/3/5) The
viper dart is only 2" long. Its barbed head has a hollow channel
stuffed with cotton, which is soaked in mandrill root poison. The
victim must save vs. poison at +2 or suffer an additional 1d6 rounds
of 1d6 points of damage. A failed Wisdom check makes the victim
experience delirium and hallucination for 2d6 rounds. Hallucinations
cause a penalty of 2 to all rolls and result in disorientation that
may involve seeing an imagined danger, a friend as a foe, and so
forth. Each round until success, the PC can make a Wisdom check to
drive off the delusions.
Firebrands: (Dmg: 1d6/1d4; Spd 6; Type F) Firebrands are short,
pointed iron rods with wooden handles. The rod is kept red hot in a
pot of coals until battle and then is used to jab and brand opponents.
Anyone burned for more than 2 points of damage must make a system
shock roll or pass out for 1d6 rounds from the pain. Firebrands will
ignite flammable items that fail a save vs. normal fire.
Hot Coals: (Dmg: 1d4+2/1d4+2; Spd 5; Type B; Range -- /1/2) Hot
coals are carried in a double-walled punk pot, insulated so that they
can be carried slung over a shoulder. Hot coals are used to heat
firebrands, or the entire pot may be hurled like a grenade, causing
fire damage to anyone struck by the coals. The pot must fail a save
vs. crushing blow to burst when thrown. Anyone burned for more than 2
points of damage must make a system shock roll or pass out for 1d4
rounds from the pain. Hot coals will ignite flammable items that fail
a save vs. normal fire.
Pole Tri-Flail: (Dmg: 3d4/3d6; Spd 10; Type S) A tri-flail is 7-
1/2' tong. Three spiked balls hang on chains that dangle from a
triangular crosspiece at its end. The tri-flail may either be swung,
inflicting three attacks simultaneously, or spun to attack all within
reach in front of the target with a wind-milling action. Once a goblin
starts spinning, he may have trouble stopping (Dex check).
Slimejars: (Dmg: Varies; Spd 8; Type Varies; Range 1/2/3)
Perhaps the most insidious and deadly of all goblin inventions is the
slimejar, a sealed ceramic jar containing a small version of one of
the deadly scavenger slimes, oozes, jellies, puddings, or molds. Upon
impact, the jar must fail a save vs crushing blow to burst open. The
scavenger then attacks the victim each round until he escapes or is
slain. If a goblin drops the jar at his feet or cracks the seal the
slime escapes. Slimes and related scavengers cannot tolerate bright
sunlight and will die within 8 hours of exposure to sun.
Black Pudding: (AC 6; HD 3; THAC0 17; Dmg 1d8; hp 12) Black
pudding dissolves wood and flesh as well as metal. It is immune to
acid, cold and poison. Weapons and lightning cut it in two. Fire
causes normal damage.
Crystal Ooze: (AC 8; HD 1; THAC0 19; Dmg 1d6; hp 4) Crystal ooze
dissolves wood, cloth, and flesh. It is immune to acid, cold, heat, or
fire. Lightning and magic inflict full damage. Weapons inflict only 1
point. Save vs. poison or be paralyzed for 2d4 turns.
Gray Ooze: (AC 8; HD 1+1; THAC0 19; Dmg 1d4; hp 5) Gray ooze
dissolves metal and flesh. It is immune to magic, cold, and fire.
Weapons and lightning cause full damage.
Green Slime: (AC 9; HD 1 -- 1; THAC0 20; Dmg 10%; hp 3) Green
slime dissolves metal quickly and wood slowly. It is immune to weapons
and spells. It converts organic matter to green slime. Green slime can
be scraped off, frozen, or burned, but the same damage inflicted on
the slime is inflicted on the victim.
Ochre Jelly: (AC 8; HD 2; THAC0 19; Dmg 1d4+1; hp 8) Ochre jelly
dissolves flesh and organics. Lightning and weapons divide it in two.
Fire and cold cause normal damage.
Yellow Mold: (AC 9; HD 0; THAC0 --; Dmg 1d8; hp 8) Yellow mold
explodes in 2-1/2' radius spore cloud, requiring a save vs poison or
die. An ignited cloud explodes for 2d8 hp damage. It is immune to
weapons and most magic. Cold and poison will drive it into dormancy
for 1d6 rounds. Fire and acid cause full damage. Contact with enzymes
causes 1d8 damage.
Tanglenet: (Dmg: 1d4+1/1d3+1; Spd 8; Type C) Tanglenets are made
of living choke creeper (AC 6; HD 3; THAC0 17; hp 13). This net is
kept bound in a bundle until used, then it is flung at a target, and
all within 8' are automatically caught in the constricting vines.
Tanglenets are immune to small fires. Cold inflicts 1 point per die
and immobilizes the plant for 1d4 rounds. Electricity doubles the
attack rate of the plant.
Game Information
Goblins: Lawful Evil; TR: Swamp/wastes; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 4d6;
SZ: S (4'); HD: 1 - 1 (5); ML: 10; Str: 9; Dex: 8; Con: 8; Int: 5-10;
Wis: 6; Cha: 5; MV: 6; MR: Nil; TS: C(K); AC: 6 (10); THAC0: 20; AT:
1d6 or by weapon
Hobgoblins: Lawful Evil; TR: Any; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d10; SZ:
M(6-1/2'); HD: 1+1 (6 hp); ML: 12; Str: 9; Dex: 9; Con: 9; Int: 8-10;
Wis: 7; Cha: 7; MV: 9; MR: Nil; TS: J/M/D (Qx5); AC: 5 (10); THAC0:
19; AT: By weapon
Bugbears: Chaotic Evil TR: Any subterranean; FQ: Uncommon; #AP:
2d4; SZ: L (7'); HD: 3+1 (13); ML: 12; Str: 13; Dex: 9; Con: 12; Int:
5-10; Wis: 8; Cha: 8; MV: 9; MR: Nil; TR: J/K/L/M (B); AC: 5 (10 hp);
THAC0: 17; AT: 2d4 or by weapon
***
Lost Folk of Ansalon
Lost Folk -- Bakali
Appearance
Bakali look like lizards and walk like men. They are
stoopshouldered, thick-bodied, longtailed creatures. They range from
6'-8' tall. Their scaly hides vary from yellow-green to mottled brown.
They wear few or no clothes. Some have been known to wear belts and
girdles as well as bandoliers. Bakali are just as comfortable walking
on all fours with their tail hunched in the air, as they are walking
upright.
Bakali are relatively long-lived, reaching over 100 years old.
Their females can only lay a clutch of eggs every five years. Males
are bigger, with larger mouths and blunter snouts. As with all
reptiles, bakali outgrow and shed their skins (once every ten years).
Older bakali display a yellowing of their hide and a production of
smaller scales.
Bakali language consists of short hisses, growls and smacks.
Only about 15-25% of bakali can understand Common or use barbarian
Hand Talk.
Personality
Bakali are distrustful and suspicious, a trait that comes from
their vulnerability to cold and the fragility of their eggs. They keep
to themselves and avoid all the civilized races of Ansalon. Though
they may seem cruel and savage, having no compunctions against
violence, individual bakali are often tolerant. Bakali are hostile to
most civilized races, but they have a strong sense of honor and
remember the good, as well as the ill done to them. They place great
store in friendships once they are made.
A lesser race, the jarak-sinn, are a throwback to a more violent
past. The jarak-sinn were more aggressive and fecund. Their
involvement in the Third Dragon War nearly caused the other folk of
Ansalon to drive lizardmen into extinction. Vulnerable to the ravages
of heat and dehydration, the jarak-sinn fell back to their marshes,
which were then drained and burned, killing hundreds of thousands.
Most surviving jaraksinn live in the Great Moors or on the offshore
islands of the Blood Sea. They quietly raid coastal villages and farms
for sacrifices, leaving none alive to reveal their existence.
History
Bakali legend states that before there were men, before elves or
ogres, there were the First People. Creations of the gods, they were
made in the gods' own image that they might know their creators and
worship the gods' first born, the dragons. And these people named
themselves the bakali.
The first and only people during the Age of Starbirth, an age of
reptiles and lizards, they themselves were lizards, and yet they were
men. The gods called them lizardmen.
And they were loved by the gods, but they were primitive, and to
them the dragons were gods, and so they worshipped the child when they
should be praising the parent. The gods were angered and they sent a
time of cold and fear upon the lands that their children might know
their anger and be chastised. But Chislev and Sirrion hurt for their
creations and taught them the way of fur and fire that they might
survive the long cold night.
When the Queen of Darkness stole the Five from the King of
Light, and he in turn gave birth to the five dragons of Good, then did
they choose sides and fight as the elements laid waste to the world.
With the close of the Age of Starbirth came the end of the age of
lizards and the bakali crawled deep into the earth with their
brethren. They left the land to the starborn three races that would
follow.
Untold ages passed. The bakali knew little of the First Born, of
what they were or where they had gone. Then the Dark Queen came
seeking them in the Age of Right, seeking to make them once again her
pawns. From the depths of the earth did the bakali bring forth the
eggs of her children, the spawn of the dragons. Thus did dragons
return to the world. But again, the bakali took sides. Some fought for
Light, though most embraced the Dark. So, when at last Huma, the
golden knight, defeated the Queen of Darkness and received her oath to
withdraw from the world, so too did those lizardmen leave the land for
a last time.
Who can say where they are today? What has become of them! Some
believe that they traveled north, across the waters with their exiled
masters. Others say they once again crawled away into the depths of
the ground, never to return. Yet, perhaps they left their mark on the
world. The only people to ever crossbreed with that poisonous race,
the goblins, sired the dark-blooded trolls who make their home in the
marsh and swamps, once home to this lost race of wyrm.
Lifestyle
Bakali live in primitive, swamp villages or near muddy hot
springs beneath the earth. Their buildings have oddly squat doors and
triangular corridors with reeds or woven mats underfoot. Pools of mud,
shallow warm waters, and mounds of dried reeds are their favorite
resting places. Their villages are often burrows in river banks with
their entrance below the surface of the water. Bakali are tribal in
this age, and rarely unite with other tribes.
Bakali are omnivores but prefer meat -- either carrion that has
softened on the bone, or small fish, rats, birds and frogs that they
can swallow in one gulp.
Bakali eggs are leathery shelled and are buried in mounds of
warm sand or rotting vegetation to keep them warm until they hatch.
The young bakali must survive for a year, battling siblings for food,
space, and nests, before they reach maturity.
Bakali lead very basic lives: hunting, eating, basking in the
sun and warm waters, or lazing in pools of mud. As warriors, bakali
are ferocious, able to fight with tooth, claw and tail, or with
primitive weapons. Their greatest weakness is that they become
sluggish in the chill of night and they cannot venture far from their
life-sustaining water.
Religion
If bakali choose to worship gods they worship first the images
of the Five Great Dragons, before the gods themselves. Bakali shaman
can cast 1st through 3rd level priest spells. Among the gods that they
do deign to worship, the two most prevalent are Chislev (Krik'k lettz)
and Sirrion (Sirr'ushush); these two gods aided their people during
the Cold Season and taught them the way of survival. Bakali revere the
flame and covet the fur of mammals.
Jarak-sinn, that misbegotten race, worship Chislev by offering
her sacrifices (thus offending the giver of life). Few if any gain
powers and blessings from her. Those who live on the outlying islands
have found another goddess more willing to accept their sacrifices and
violent nature: Zeboim.
Tools, Weapons, and Technology
Bakali are natural hunters and ferocious fighters. They have not
mastered technology and view all technology with suspicion. Bakali are
distrustful of wizard magic, calling instead on the elemental earth
magic of old -- ancient and eldritch embodiments of the raging
elements.
Bakali weapons tend to be fire-hardened spears of wood,
tooth-edged clubs, short thrusting swords, and bone-tipped javelins.
Bakali wear no armor, though some may carry shields of hide.
Bakali are said to be able to command other serpents and lizards
as others command horses and dogs, and make them their mounts and
guardians. Bakali have only the most primitive tools -- pottery,
baskets, and short axes for chopping and shaping wood.
Gaming Notes
Bakali: Neutral to Neutral Evil; TR: Tropical swamp; FQ:
Uncommon; #AP: 1d10; SZ: M (6'-8'); HD: 2+1 (9 hp); ML: 15; Str: 14;
Dex: 7; Con: 13; Int: 8-10; Wis: 8; Cha: 8; MV: 6; MR: Nil; TS: J/K
(Qx5); AC: 7 (10); THAC0: 19; AT: 1d2/1d2 claw, 1d6 bite, 1d4 tail, or
by weapon
Special Abilities
Bakali do not possess infravision, but they do have a heightened
sense of smell and heat detection from pits behind their eyes. With
these, they can sense the presence of intruders within 60' even if
they cannot pinpoint the location.
Bakali possess a nictating membrane to shield their eyes, giving
them a +1 bonus on saves against blinding attacks. Bakali can swim in
water and slide through mud on their bellies, as fast as they can walk
on land (MV 9).
Being cold-blooded, bakali are vulnerable to cold and suffer 1
extra point per die of cold-based damage.
Lost Folk -- Huldrefolk
Appearance
Faerie tales describe the huldrefolk or "faerie" as small,
ranging in size from 1 -4 tall. They are humanoid in shape, naked and
gray-skinned. They have bald heads, large eyes, sharp teeth, and no
ears. Their longfingered hands are broad and large for their size.
They can appear to be male or female at will, perhaps due to a natural
alter shape ability.
Huldrefolk may assume a variety of physical forms to manifest
themselves in our reality. They may appear as a spectrelike figure of
witch-fire, which is closest to their true natures. They may appear in
their shadow-gray natural form. They may alter self at will to
resemble a vision of a specific element, for all huldrefolk control
some aspect of creation. An insect lord of the huldrefolk might have a
fly's head, for example. Lastly, and most commonly, huldrefolk may
animate a physical form comprised of the element they command (the
insect lord would form a body from a swarm of creeping, crawling
bugs).
Huldrefolk may appear youthful or aged, beautiful or ugly as
suits their purpose.
Personality
Huldre appear to reflect the elements emotionally even as they
do physically. Each huldre has both a light and a dark side. A huldre
of grain wields both bounty and famine. Furthermore, a huldre's
personality largely reflects the manner in which they are approached.
When approached with respect, huldre respond in kind; when approached
with scorn or anger, huldre reflect this nature as well. Still, huldre
do not mimic the actions of others. Their responses are always
capricious and individual, whether they respond in respect or rage.
History
Although no one has seen huldrefolk for ages, an abundance of
physical artifacts suggest that they once lived. They left remnants
such as rings of monolithic stone on lonely hilltops and mammoth stone
arches found across the face of Krynn (which are said to be gateways
to a gray realm, where the faerie huldre now dwells).
Taladas is home to elves who bear the name of "huldrefolk," folk
who avoid contact with others even as the bakali and shadowfolk do.
Yet, the faerie huldrefolk are not elves. They are creatures of pure
power. Faerie, they are called, and the Unseen, the Invisible, the
Unknown.
History of the huldrefolk remains pure speculation. Clearly,
their monolithic rings come from an age before history -- the Age of
Dreams. This was an age before magic, when the peo ples of Krynn were
as newborn as the gods. In those days, priests and shamans could tap
the forces of the very elements. This power was called "nature magic."
The huldrefolk may have descended from ogres, elves, humans, or
Smiths -- no one knows. Scholars do agree, however, that the huldre
embraced the passion of the elements, became one with them, and were
forever changed.
When human civilization arose, the huldrefolk recognized that
their time in the world had reached an end. They sought a new place
for their own, a gray realm, untouched by civilization. They built a
dozen mighty portals, aligned to the stars and the moons, that they
might open a door into the realms beyond. Wizards speculate that the
huldre failed, for in the present day, the portals are merely cold
stone.
If faerie tales hold more wisdom than wizards, however, the
huldrefolk now live beyond the portals and stone rings (or faerie
rings) in kingdoms they have built in the gray. Some tales even claim
that the huldrefolk still walk the world, unseen, untouching, and
untouchable in the light of day. At night, they may take forms of
wood, stone, metal, and earth that cavort about the land. But, if the
dawning sun catches them in these solid forms, tales say, the
huldrefolk are frozen within their elemental bodies, trapped forever.
Lifestyle
A huldre's lifestyle reflects its native element. Those elements
that are cruel and violent breed cruel and bestial huldre. Those that
are light and joyous create pleasant and entertaining huldre. Faerie
tales variously describe huldre as engaging in wild festivals,
patrolling winsome woods, and stalking gloomy moors. Whatever their
lifestyle, the huldres' passions are extreme and manic: one moment
they are clutched in melancholy, the next, they rave with passion.
Huldre bear offspring infrequently. Huldre will often steal a mortal
child and replace it with one of their changelings, so they can
refresh their bloodlines. But if the changeling is exposed, the child
mystically returns to its kin.
Tools, Weapons, and Technology
Huldre rely upon magic rather than technology. Because they come
from a time before wizardly magic, they are often immune to it (50%
chance that a magical effect will fail). Priestly spells, however,
have full effect. Huldre have little or no use for modern magic or
tools, though they are fascinated by toys and animated machines.
Game Notes
Faerie Huldrefolk: Neutral Good and Evil (simultaneously); TR:
Any natural, the gray realm; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 2dl2; SZ: T-S
(1'-4'); HD: 7+ 7 (50 hp); ML: 10; Str: 7; Dex: 18; Con: 8; Int:
15-20; Wis: 16; Cha: 18; MV: 18; MR: 50%; TS: Nil; AC: -5 (5 when
corporeal); THAC0: 13; AT: 1d4/1d4 claws, 1d8 bite, or elemental
magic.
Special Abilities:
Faerie Sight: Huldrefolk can see beyond the realm of light and
dark, recognizing things by their nature, spirit, aura, and emotions.
They can also see invisible objects and people. Limited Telempathy:
Huldrefolk are usually silent, though some tales say they have honeyed
voices and others say their voices are as stones grating. Most huldre
communicate through empathic projection. This empathy can be tuned to
include all creatures in the area or targeted at just one. Sensitivity
to Light: Most huldrefolk are sensitive to bright lights. Bright
lights turn the huldre's actual form transparent. In bright lights,
they fight as if blind ( -4 to hit) and are attacked as if invisible.
Sunlight diffuses their energy and dis perses their physical form.
When exposed to sunlight, huldre must make a save vs petrify or be
expelled from their material form for 3d6 days. If a huldre is caught
in the sun when its spirit is animating an elemental shell, the spirit
is trapped forever in the shell.
Ability Drain: The huldrefolk have the power to drain life
energy from a living creature and revitalize themselves with that
stolen energy. For the drain to occur, the victim must either be
touched by the physical form of the huldre, willingly enter a pact
with the huldre, or accept the huldre's hospitality. When attacked in
this manner, the mortal loses 1d4 points from the ability score of the
huldre's choice. The huldrefolk gains 4 hit points for every point
drained. The victim must make a system shock roll after all attacks
cease. If he fails, 1d6 ability points are permanently lost. Other
lost ability points are recovered at the rate of 1 per day. If a
victim drops to 0 in any ability score, he dies. His form may be
animated by the huldre and used as another helper.
Elemental Magic: Elemental magic uses a wide range of natural
forces. Each huldre specializes in one elemental sphere, such as
insects, earth, trees, or weather. These schools of magic include, but
are not limited to the following:
AirEarth Fire Stone Water
Birds Animals Lizards Insects Fish
Weather Plants Light Darkness Dreams
Each huldre can manipulate his element, controlling or reshaping
any one object up to 20 cubic feet or any creature up to 8 Hit Dice.
Descriptions for each manipulation follow, listed from simplest to
most complex:
Move Element (Spd: 1): Moves element up to 60 feet in one round.
Element Walk (Spd: 1): Allows huldre to step into element and
step back out 120 feet away.
Shrink Element (Spd: 2): Reduces element size by 10% per round
to a maximum of 90% reduction.
Swell Element (Spd: 2): Increases element size by 20% per round
up to a maximum of 200% increase.
Shape Element (Spd: 3): Alters element into desired shape.
Element Talk (Spd: 3): Allows huldre to question element about
events in its area in the past 7 days -- and receive answers.
Summon Element (Spd: 4): Summons object or creature of the
huldre's element, which appears one round later if in area (DM's
option).
Animate Element (Spd: 4): Shapes a physical form from the
elemental, animates it with the huldre's spirit, and allows
manipulation. In animate form, the huldre's Str triples (+4 to hit, +9
to dmg), Con triples, and AC becomes 2.
Awakening Talent: Grants any huldre ability to any living
creature. The recipient must make a system shock check at -20% or die.
If he survives he may use the granted ability whenever he concentrates
on it. When the faerie sight ability produces a horrifying image to a
non-huldre creature, however, the creature must make a save vs
paralysis or lose 1 d4 points of Int. These points return at a rate of
1 per day. Huldre may revoke an awakened talent at any time.
Vulnerability: All huldre possess a vulnerability to the element
opposed to the one they control. These oppositions are earth to air,
fire to water, birds to fish, animals to plants, light to darkness,
lizards to insects, and so forth. When confronted by their nemesis, a
huldre will cower or flee unless already enraged. Huldre suffer 2
extra points of damage per die from attacks by their nemesis.
In addition, because huldre are enchanted creatures, they are
affected by attacks of cold iron (+1 to hit and damage) and holy
water, and attempts to turn undead/eldritch.
Lost Folk -- Kyrie
Appearance
Kyrie are a bizarre mix of hawk and man. They have a human torso
and head with feathery hair. Their bodies are covered with feathers
and their arms are actually wings, though they possess rudimentary
hands at the end of each wing. They have a birdlike tail for
maneuvering and wiry legs with talons on the end.
Kyrie possess large lungs and hollow bones, adults weighing
often less than 100 pounds despite their 7' height. Their plumage is
most often brown and gold, though rare ones have had black or white
wings.
Personality
Kyrie are a quiet, passive, generally peaceful folk, unless
provoked. They have a fierce pride and low tolerance for invaders or
trespassers, and will defend their nests and personal freedom with
their lives, preferring death to subjugation.
Kyrie are the mortal enemies of minotaurs who stole their
Northstone and have, since the Cataclysm, waged an ongoing war for the
extermination of kyrie. Kyrie have raided remote minotaur villages and
hunting parties to steal food and weaponry. Despite the continuing
struggle with the bullheaded ogres, kyrie will not abandon their
nesting lands in the Dragon's Spine in exchange for a more peaceful
clime.
History
Minotaurs name the ancient race of birdmen the kyrie. The
origins and nature of these mystical creatures are shrouded in
mystery. However, as with the origin of many other races of Ansalon,
some scholars suggest that kyrie came into being due to the Graystone
of Gargath. Perhaps they were mountain folk who longed to take wing.
Tales relate that the kyrie at one time dwelt in all the
mountains and outlying islands of Ansalon. A nomadic people, they
migrated across the waters of Krynn from isle to isle, it is said,
with the aid of a magical artifact known only as the Northstone.
Perhaps, this stone in some way enabled them to track the endless
waves to find each isle in turn.
Lifestyle
Kyrie live together in lairs called "aeries": a series of nests
and caves in the cliffs of isolated mountain peaks. Their society is
based on mutual protection and survival, centered around family units.
Whether kyrie have a leader or not is unknown.
Kyrie eat rodents, small birds, fish, seeds, and fruit. They
have a special fondness for wine, but do not overindulge, preferring
to sip it in small quantities.
Kyrie eggs are said to be tough and leathery, and generally held
to be inedible, save by minotaurs who mix the yolks with mutton fat to
form a custard (probably out of spite). The greatest weakness of the
kyrie is that their young cannot fly for the first few years of life.
Thus they cannot easily avoid raids of predators and must be protected
by the adults.
Tools, Weapons, and Technology
As noted earlier, Kyrie are versed in the ancient world magic of
animal kind and are one with nature and the winged creatures. No
reports exist of kyrie wizards and it is suspected that they reject
the magic of the three moons.
Those who have visited and lived to escape a kyrie nest report
that they have little in the way of possessions, except for
stone-headed axes and spears. They do collect bright and shiny things,
such as coins, gems, shells and glass, but appear to put them to no
purpose.
Gaming Notes
Kyrie: Neutral; TR: Tropical mountain; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 2d12;
SZ: M (7'); HD: 4 (13 hp); ML: 11; Str: 17; Dex: 16; Con: 12; Int:
8-10; Wis: 12; Cha: 10; MV: 6, fly 18 (B); MR: 25%; TS: B; AC: 5;
THAC0: 17; AT: 1d6 talons, or by weapon
Special Abilities
Flight: Kyrie can fly at a rate of 18 and are extremely
maneuverable. On the ground they move at a rate of 6 and have an odd,
skipping gait.
Languages: In addition to their own language of song and
warbles, 80% of all kyrie can speak clipped Common.
Combat: While kyrie can attack with their raptorlike claws,
causing 1d6 points of damage, they prefer to fight with weapons and
stones. They carry two fist-sized stones aloft and drop them on
targets for 1d8 damage each. They have also been known to fight with
spears and axes clutched in their talons.
Magic: Kyrie are capable of casting spells as 3rd level druids,
using spells like animal friendship, invisibility to animals, predict
weather, charm mammal, warp wood, and hold animal.
Lost Folk -- Scions
Appearance
Scions are dwarven stock with golden skin and eyes and silver
hair with a bald circle on top. They wear simple cloth tunics and
pants that somehow resist soil, cold, heat, and wear. Scions can make
themselves appear to be any other creature, including a dead friend.
This appearance is purely illusory, however, for Scions can manipulate
creatures' perceptions of reality.
Scions are said to be sterile due to their deep immersion in
magic. Even so, reports of the involvement of Scions spans at least
two millenia of Ansalonian history. This fact implies that they are
immortal, Perhaps they are.
Personality
Not much is known of the personality of Scions except that they
are dwarvish folk with a phenomenal propensity for magic. Beyond this
point, speculations abound. Apparently Scions are meddlers, interested
in change for change's sake. They are most likely beneficent, or at
least neutral, for they could devastate the land in an instant if they
so chose. In addition, the fact that so little is known about the
Scions indicates that the are an evasive folk. Their history certainly
gives them reason to avoid their thoroughly non-magical cousins, the
dwarves. Scions therefore, reputedly move through the world only in
disguise.
History
The history of the Scions is the history of the dwarves and
gnomes of Ansalon. Tales say that when the Graystone turned all of
Taladas against the Smith folk, the Scions saved the people by
building mighty barges to brave the seas. They even made the land rile
into bulwarks to hold back the angry armies. After storm-tossed months
at sea, in which only thirteen of the barges survived, the Smiths and
Scions made landfall. The Smiths, grieved by their harrowing journey,
seized the Scions and drowned all but thirteen -- leaving one for each
barge that had survived the trip. Then the thirteen were given the
last barge and told to set out to sea and never return. The Smiths
promised to kill any that ventured back. The histories of Krynn tell
of the Scions' return in the saga of the Second Dragon War. During
this time, the thirteen Scions landed upon the shores of Ansalon. They
each went their separate ways, gathering those who had grown adept at
commanding wild magic. The Scions taught them its proper use. Some
scholars speculate that the Scions made landfall on the Dairly Plains.
They claim that Claren Elian (now in ruins) was the first creation of
the mages that had gathered to the Scions. Scholars who espouse this
view, point to strange godmarks upon the landscape, set up almost like
a trail to lead wild mages to the cloister of Scions.
One splinter group of scholars has spent long years studying an
apocryphal cannon dubbed the Dairly Tablets. These tablets claim that
"one of these sad creatures [Scions] fell into the hands of the madman
[the Kingpriest]. He heaped abuse upon abuse on that venerable head.
The madman blinded and hamstrung him, even took his manhood, hoping
torture might loosen his tongue. But never did the sad one speak.
Somehow still, the madman drew the powers from him, and became a
mighty tower of mystical arts. Commoners falsely believed this power a
god gift, but it was not.
"At last, seeing but one end to his torment, the sad one tricked
his tormenter to call down the curse that men call the Cataclysm. The
sad one perished in the devastation, but his spirit might yet walk the
land."
Although these passages are highly criticized by conservative
historians, they raise interesting questions about the Scions. In any
case, if Scions are immortal, as is supposed, some may still exist. If
one died in the Cataclysm, perhaps the other twelve still dwell in
Ansalon. Or perhaps, five of them. Or perhaps, one.
Gaming Notes
Scions: Neutral Good; TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d4; SZ: M
(4'5'); HD: 7+7 (55 hp); ML: 15; Str: 12; Dex: 11; Con: 12; Int: 20;
Wis: 20; Cha: 10; MV: 6; MR: 75%, TS: M ( x 5), Q; AC: 7; THAC0: 17;
AT: 1d10 or by spell
Special Abilities
Magic: Scions can use any spell at will, up to seven of each
level per day.
Infravision: Scions can see 120' in the dark.
Pass Unnoticed: Scions can pass unnoticed if they choose. Once
they allow someone to see them, that creature will always be able to
see them unless they are blinded or their memory is erased.
Enchant: Scions can use their magical energies to enchant items
and creatures, giving them magical bonuses or penalties that will last
for 1d6 days. Each point bestowed is treated as one level of spell
expended.
Telepathic: Scions can communicate with anyone at will.
Lost Folk -- Shadowpeople
Appearance
A race of apparent mammals, shadowpeople have been mistakenly
described as slim apes. They actually bear a striking resemblance to
humanized bats more than anything, though their "wings" are mere
gliding membranes.
Shadowpeople have large, hairy heads with flattened, upturned
noses, wide flaring ears and large green or amber eyes. They have two
pairs of curved fangs, the lower pair protruding when their wide
mouths are closed. A shadowperson yawn is actually a sign of challenge
and aggression, baring their fangs. Shadowpeople's hands and feet bear
long claws. Smooth gray, black, or dullbrown fur covers their bodies.
A long patagium, or gliding membrane, connects their arms to their
flanks.
They do not wear clothes, except for hooded robes when moving in
the outside world beneath the sun. However, they may appear to wear
fur bandoliers, ruffs and belts. In reality, these are small animals
-- ferrets, minks, marmots, chinchillas, and other rodents -- clinging
to their fur. Shadowpeople have ESP with animal friends, who act as
their hands and living weapons. (Rodent HD 1 - 1; hp 3; AC 8; THAC0
20; AT 1d2).
Shadowpeople communicate with a series of squeaks, hoots, and
growls, but more often use their natural talent at ESP to send and
receive messages. All shadowpeople can send and receive thoughts
telepathically to and from creatures within 60' if they share a common
language and are not blocked by more than 3' of stone or 3" of metal.
They can employ ESP to sense thoughts within 50 yards.
Personality
To the surface dwellers of Krynn, shadowpeople are regarded as
creatures of myth. Cherishing their privacy, shadowpeople seldom
interact with other races, maintaining communities far from
civilization. Shadowpeople are kind and benevolent and will unite with
others in the cause of promoting good.
Rarely seen above ground, shadowpeople occasionally appeared to
aid lost children and the elderly. The very young and very old are the
most open to shadowpeople's ESP. Shadowpeople have an affinity with
children, often speaking to them in the guise of imaginary companions.
History
The saga of the War of the Lance tells how the heroes
encountered hidden allies within the very heart of the enemy's
stronghold, Sanction. The heroes named these creatures the
shadowpeople. They were the first citizens of Sanction before the
humans came and before the Dread Queen established her City of Doom.
Believed extinguished by their conquerors, the patient shadowpeople
rallied to the cause of good, helping the heroes escape with word of
the deceit of the Dark Queen's plot with the Good dragon eggs.
Where the shadowpeople dwell now, none knows. Where they came
from, many have guesses. Some say the shadowpeople are children of the
Scions. They claim that before Istar and Ergoth, shadowpeople were
born when wild magic mingled with the blood of primitive men. They
became children of the moons and of the night.
Lifestyle
Shadowpeople communities are built in catacombs and warrens
underground and in the subterranean reaches of ruined cities. A
typical settlement is made of a series of underground chambers linked
by a labyrinth of narrow tunnels and crawl-ways. Passages leading to
the main living quarters are lined with traps for unwary intruders.
The main living quarters consist of private dens, which are furnished
with nests of cloth and fur, woven mats, and stone furniture. All
chambers are well-vented and a series of carved channels bring a fresh
stream of water. Other caverns are used to raise mushrooms and molds
for food.
Shadowpeople do not covet gold and gems, but they are lovers of
art and are masters of sculpting and painting. Shadowpeople are
organized in close-knit clans and family units. They are divided into
two classes, counselors and shadow warriors. Counselors are
non-combatants given to the raising of food and caring for young.
Shadow warriors are skilled and able fighters, striking swiftly and
silently and then fading back into the shadows.
The elusiveness of shadowfolk is legendary. They seem to appear
and disappear at will, climb sheer walls, pass through solid stone,
and stand in no place and two places at once. Shadowfolk's pale fur
helps camouflage them and their ESP warns them to fade into and out of
shadows. Their long claws and ability to glide explains their power to
climb sheer walls. And though they seem bulky in form, their
nimbleness and small frame allows them to squeeze through very narrow
holes. And because all shadowfolk look alike to nonshadowpeople, two
shadowfolk working in unison might present the illusion one person in
two places.
Counselors can perform a ceremony that mindlinks them to each
other. The result is the summoning of the spirit of the Revered
Ancient One. This joined mind is possessed of genius Intelligence and
is always beneficent. It can cast cure serious wounds an unlimited
number of times, and can also cast teleport without error on anyone in
its presence. Further,the Revered Ancient One can answer any question
(95% chance) within its collective intelligence. It cannot, however,
predict the future. Shadowfolk's diet consists of mushrooms and molds,
insects and worms, rodents and blind cave fish.
Shadowpeople have no natural enemies save for the jaraksinn. To
these violent marauders, shadowpeople show no mercy. It is perhaps the
resemblance of draconians to these fabled lizardmen that united the
shadowfolk in defense of the Heroes of the Lance.
Shahowpeople Weapons
Only grim reports from the raid on Sanction give any veracity to
the existence of the shadowpeople and their weapons. Chain-Blades:
(Dmg: 1d6+1/2d4; Spd 6; Type: S) Many of the shadowfolk's weapons use
hooks and the cords or, in this case, chain. This 6-1/2' length of
chain has a curved, hooked blade attached to one end. It can function
as a flail or can entangle a foe. The hook blade can be held by its
hilt and used as a sickle (Dmg: 1d4+1/1d4; Spd 4; Type: C) while the
chain is used to parry and snare the opponent's weapon.
Sicklecord: (Dmg 1d6/1d4; Spd 5; Type: CB) This weapon is a 4'
length of silk rope with a sharp, hooked blade and spike on one end
and a heavy iron ring on the other. The rope can be swung to attack
with either the blade or ring, snapped around the feet or arms to
entangle, or thrown like a bola. The blade may be held in one hand to
cut, while the other end swings the rope to tangle. Two attacks may be
made each round at no additional penalty.
Spikecord: (Dmg 1d3+1/1d2+1; Spd 5; Type: P) This is both a tool
and a weapon. It is an 8' length of spidersilk rope with a grapple at
one end and a weighted spike at the other. It can be used for climbing
or as a weapon in a fashion similar to the sicklecord (attacking and
using to entangle.
Shadowstaff: (Dmg: 1d8/1d8; Spd 2; Type: PB) The shadowstaff is
a wickedly curved hook mounted on a 4' wooden haft. It is used both to
attack and restrain. Shadowpeople can impale foes on the hook and then
continue to cause damage as they twist to get free. Victims act at a
-2 on all rolls while impaled. This staff can also be used to climb,
trip foes and parry weapons. Shadowfolk can perform two actions with
this weapon each round.
Gaming Notes
Shadowpeople: Neutral Good; TR: Any/subterranean; FQ: Rare; #AP:
2d20; SZ: M (5'); HD: 3+1 (13 hp); ML: 11; Str: 9; Dex: 15; Con: 10;
Int: 11-12; Wis: 16; Cha: 9; MV: 12, fly 18 (C); MR: Nil TS: Nil; AC:
2; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d2/1d2 claws, 1d4 bite, 1d8 (shadowstaff)
Special Abilities
Infravision and Acute Hearing: 240' range. Limited ESP: Enables
shadowfolk to anticipate the actions of a foe. They cannot be
surprised by any sentient being within 60' whose thoughts they sense..
Mindweave: A ceremony that allows a party of shadow warriors to
link their minds with each other for 1d4+4 hours so that they might
act in unison from a collective awareness. Other people may enter the
mindweave if they succeed at an Int check with a penalty of -- 5 to
their score. Light Sensitivity: Hampered by sunlight, shadowpeople
suffer a penalty of -2 to all attack rolls in overcast daylight and --
4 in bright sunlight. Shadowpeople will become blinded for 2d6 hours
after being exposed to direct sunlight for 2d6 turns.
Gliding: Shadowfolk can glide 10' for every foot of distance
they drop. They can also soar on heat currents and the wind.
Contortion: Shadowfolk can twist and bend so as to slip their supple
form through many a narrow opening.
Lost Folk -- Thanoi
Appearance
Thanoi appear to be a cross between a walrus and a human. They
have barrelthick torsos with humanoid arms and legs, and walruslike
heads. Their head sports two-foot-long tusks and rows of blunt teeth
strong enough to crush bone and shells. Their eyes are small and black
or deep blue in color. They have wide nostrils and a coarse set of
bristles lines their upper lips. These bristles are used to sweep
aside snow and to strain water when drinking.
Thanoi have broad feet that are clawed and webbed, providing
excellent traction on ice and snow as well as propulsion when
swimming. Their fingers are blunt and stubby, too awkward to handle a
bow or crossbow, but well-suited to wrap around an axe or spear.
Thanoi hide is a tough leather atop three layers of blubber.
Their coloration varies from dark gray to tan. Their hide hangs in
blubbery folds, and the thick layers of fat beneath insulate them from
the arctic temperatures. Female thanoi are smaller than the male (6'
tall to their 8').
Their tusks are shorter and their hides are usually softer brown
fur. Females may adopt the role of the "kagog" or "medicine giver",
similar to a herbalist in role. Kagog wear a crown of fish spines.
These walrus folk move on land with a shuffling, waddling gait.
Thanoi are swift in water, able to hold their breath for up to 30
minutes.
Thanoi speech is a cacophony of grunts, snarls and barks,
supplemented by facial expression and chest slaps. Only 5% of all
heroes with Intelligence of 16 or more can learn the language.
Minotaurs have a 25% chance. Up to 20% of thanoi speak Common.
Personality
Thanoi are a brutal, barbaric, primitive, hostile race bent on
destruction. Thanoi kill for the sheer joy of the battle. They are
fiercely territorial and mercilessly slaughter trespassers. Thanoi
sport themselves with the slaughter of the weak and innocent. They
distrust strangers, but will cooperate with other Evil creatures if it
should help the thanoi become more powerful. Even so, thanoi are too
independent to maintain an alliance for long.
Lifestyle
Thanoi live only in subarctic and arctic regions, on ice floes
and glaciers. They dwell in tribes, which consist of many families.
The tribes have no permanent home, but are nomadic, moving from one
hunting and fishing ground to the next. Thanoi homes are built from
blocks of ice and snow, and are heated and lighted with small pots of
burning oil. Thanoi diet consists of fish, seals, whales, and sea
birds. Though they are not above eating carrion, they prefer their
meat raw and warm.
Tribes consist of 17-24 (1d8+16) adults and an equal number of
young (HD 2; Dmg 1d4). Young thanoi reach their maturity in 20 years.
Their lifespan is about 60 years. Thanoi are led by the meanest, most
aggressive male in the tribe. They have 5 HD and add +4 to all
attacks. The eldest female serves as the "kagog," or "medicine giver."
She can cure serious wounds three times a day. The kagog can also
predict weather for a 30-mile radius for the next 24 hours with a 90%
accuracy.
Thanoi make constant war with the barbarian Ice Folk, and will
abandon all other duties to wreak havok on their enemy. Thanoi are not
skilled combatants, preferring to rely on their brute strength (+2 to
dmg) and their stability on the ice instead of discipline and
precision. They can use either weapons or tusks when attacking.
Thanoi are not treasure hoarders. They use shiny coins and gems
only as fishing lures. Thanoi often raise and train polar bears as
trackers, mounts, and beasts of burden.
Tools, Weapons, and Technology
Thanoi produce only heavy weapons: long daggers of bone, stone
clubs, axes, maces, and harpoons. Other tools and weapons of metal
they steal from their prey, or demand as pact price from would-be
allies. Thanoi may also fling pots of flaming oil at enemies.
Thanoi view magic with distaste. They responded to spellcasters
with berserker rage, hoping to overwhelm the spellcaster and slay him.
Thanoi view priests with the same distrust they accord wizards.
Gaming Notes
Thanoi: Lawful Evil; TR: Arctic; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d20; SZ: L
(8'); HD: 4 (24 hp); ML: 13; Str: 16; Dex: 12; Con: 14; Int: 5-7; Wis:
7; Cha: 7; MV: 9, swim 15; MR: Nil; TS: M (lair C); AC: 4; THAC0: 17;
AT: 1d8/1d8 tusks, or by weapon
Special Abilities
Tusks: They can use their tusks to attack (Dmg 1d8/1d8 each).
They also use them to dig.
Cold Adaptation: Thanoi are immune to cold and coldbased
attacks. However, they suffer 1 extra point of damage per die of
fire-based attacks. In temperatures higher than 40 degrees (F), thanoi
lose 1d4+1 hit points per day.
***
Monsters of Ansalon
The task of cataloguing every last creature of Ansalon is
insurmountable. On the following pages, many of Ansalon's most
important beasts and monsters appear. Creatures were chosen for
inclusion here according to their uniqueness to Ansalon, their central
role in adventures upon Krynn, or their sheer splendor.
Each creature's name is followed by statistics that indicate its
abilities. Afterward appears text that summarizes the creature for
quick game use. Three generic categories provide statistics for common
animals: game animals, pests, and varmints. DMs may use these
statistics for any animal not covered in the following list. The
statistics used in the entries that follow are defined at the
beginning of this chapter. Creatures with an asterisk (*) beside their
names have aquatic counterparts that dwell in oceans, lakes, or
rivers. For more complete information on these beasts, see Monstrous
Compendia, Vols. 1, 2, and 4.
Anemone, Giant (Neutural)
TR: Seas; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 3d6; SZ: L(10'); HD: 16 (64 hp);
ML: 11; Str: 16; Dex: 3; Con: 12; Int: 1; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 1/4,.
MR: Nil,. TS: Special,. AC: 2., THAC0: 5; AT: 10 x 1d4 per tentacle
The anemone is a mobile, plantlike creature that dwells in deep
seas. This tree-shaped, multicolored polyp is a voracious carnivore,
devouring all creatures that cross its path. The anemone's tentacles
have poisonous nematocysts used to paralyze its victims and drag them
to its mouth. Anyone hit by a tentacle must save vs. paralysis or
suffer an additional 1d6 points of damage and be paralyzed for 3d6
rounds. Anyone saving once is immune to that anemone's poison for the
duration of the encounter.
Bear, Ice (Neutral)
TR: Arctic; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d4; SZ: L (12'); HD: 6+2 (29
hp); ML: 10; Str: 18; Dex: 12; Con: 19; Int: 5-7; Wis: 8; Cha: --; MV:
12, Sw 3; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 6; THAC0: 15; AT: 1d8/1d8 claw, 2d8
bite, 2d6 hug
The ice bear is a cross between a cave bear and a polar bear. It
inhabits the southern lands of Ansalon. Due to keen senses, ice bears
gain a -3 to their surprise roll. On an attack roll that exceeds the
needed number by at least 5 (or is at least an 18), the ice bear hugs
a foe for 2d6 additional points of damage. Ice bears fight for 1d4
rounds after reaching 0 to -8 hp, and die immediately when they reach
-9 hp. They can track prey across snow, with a 100% chance of
following a trail that is less then a day old (assuming that no snow
has fallen). This chance decreases by 10% per day and per inch of snow
that has fallen.
Black Willow (Neutral evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: L (9' diameter); HD: 16 (59
hp); ML: 19; Str: 20; Dex: 6; Con: 20; Int: 3-5; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV:
1/4,' MR: Nil; TR: Incidental; AC: 2; THAC0: 5; AT: 1d4 each tentacle
This carnivorous plant is the size of a small tree or log.
Related to the giant anemone, the black willow's branches are really
tentacles. These tentacles may be hidden in the willow's hollow cavity
so that it looks like a log, or extended to look like a willow. The
black willow prefers to lull its prey into a stupor before attacking,
radiating an aura of drowsiness in a 20' radius (save vs spells to
avoid). Those caught and swallowed will be digested at the rate of 1d4
points per round. The black willow regenerates 1 hit point per round
and is immune to most electrical attacks.
Coodhee (Neutral)
TR: Woods; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d8; SZ: M (4'); HD: 3+3 (17 hp); ML:
16; Str: 9; Dex: 18; Con: 13; Int: 2-4; Wis: 15; Cha: 13; MV: 18" or
sprint 24"; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 5; THAC0: 17; AT: 2d4 bite
Also known as the elven hound, cooshee are large, green and
brown dogs. They are deadly foes when aroused. They can move at great
speed, sprinting for several rounds. A cooshee will leap at humanoid
foes, using its weight to knock them down (Str check). Prone foes are
then easier to bite (no Dex bonuses and +2 to hit). The cooshee's
natural coloration helps camouflage it so that it is 75% undetectable
in woodlands and tall grasses.
Death Knight (Neutral evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: M (6'-7'); HD: 9 (54 hp);
ML: 17; Str: 16, Dex: 16, Con: 12, Int: 17-18, Wis: 11, Cha: 1; MV:
12; MR: 75%; TS: Nil; AC: 0; THAC0: 8; AT: 1d10+2 or by weapon
Death knights are the tragic corruption of a knight who has
betrayed his honor and vow. The most famous example is Lord Soth, but
others have committed equally terrible crimes and been similarly
cursed. A death knight retains the fighting skills he had in life. He
also retains some tortured sense of nobility: he will not attack from
ambush, nor attack an unarmed person. Death knights have Strengths of
18(00). Their weapon of choice is a sword (80% of the time, a magical
sword of +2 or better).
A death knight constantly generates fear within a 5' radius. He
can cast detect magic, detect invisibility, and wall of ice at will.
Twice per day, he can cast dispel magic. Once per day, he can cast one
power word blind, power word stun, or power word kill. He can also
cast a symbol of fear or symbol of pain once per day, and one 20-die
fireball. All spells function at 20th level.
Death knights are 75% resistant to magical spells (if an 11 or
less is rolled when checking to resist a spell, the spell will rebound
onto the caster). A death knight cannot be turned, but can be
dispelled by a holy word spell. Death knights can command undead as if
they were 6th-level priests.
Dolphin (Lawful Good)
TR: Seas; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 2d10; SZ: M (5'); HD: 2+2 (12 hp);
ML: 11; Str: 10; Dex: 18; Con: 12; Int: 11-12; Wis: 14; Cha: 12; MV:
30; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 5; THAC0: 16; AT: 2d4 butt
Dolphins are friendly toward humans and humanoids, only
attacking in self-defense. Otherwise, dolphins often aid those who are
lost at the sea. Dolphins almost always attack sharks. Highly
intelligent, they attack as an organized group, responding to their
leader's commands.
Fetch (Chaouc Evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: M (4'-7'); HD: 9 (43 hp);
ML: 14; Str: 17; Dex: 9; Con: 13; Int: 13-14; Wis: 13; Cha: 13; MV: 6;
MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 4; THAC0: 11; AT: Drains 2 levels
These Evil death-dealers exist on the planes of the Abyss, and
can only enter Krynn through reflective surfaces such as mirrors or
ponds. Fetch look like haggard, pale imitations of the person gazing
into the reflective surface. A fetch cannot emerge until it meets the
eyes of the person it is trying to kill. The fetch must be able to fit
its entire body through the mirroring surface to attack its chosen
target. It is invisible to all but its chosen, even when attacking.
True seeing (but not detect invisible) spells will detect it. Its
victim can always see the fetch in the reflective surface. The fetch
makes two attacks per round; each successful attack causes the victim
to lose 2 levels (including THAC0, hit points, and all other
levelassociated powers). If the victim dies, the fetch drags him or
her into the Void to become another fetch.
Fire Minion (Lawful Evil)
TR: Volcanoes; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d4; SZ: L (7'-9'); HD: 6 (30
hp); ML: 15; Str: 14; Dex: 12; Con: 10; Int: 11-18; Wis: 10; Cha: 15;
MV: 12; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 3; THAC0: 15; AT: 2d6
Fire minions are powerful warriors composed of living flame. In
combat, they wield large swords, although the type of weapon makes no
difference to damage inflicted to their opponents. Fire minions must
be in flames to survive. Outside of flames, they last only 1d6 hours,
after which they lose their flame aura; in another 1d6 hours, they
lose 1d2 points a turn, until they return to the flame or perish.
Fire-minions are immune to flame-based attacks. In fact, magical
fires restore the amount of damage that would ordinarily have been
caused. Fire-minions suffer 1 extra point of damage per die from
water-based attacks, and suffer double damage from cold-based attacks.
In any event, water-or coldbased attacks halve the amount of time fire
minions can remain away from their flame.
Fireshadow (Chaotic Evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: G (30'); HD: 13+3 (61 hp);
ML: 16; Str: 21; Dex: 9; Con: 18; Int: 17-18; Wis: 13; Cha: -3; MV: 6;
MR: 50%; TS: Nil; AC: 0; THAC0: 7; AT: 1d6/1d6 claw, 3d6 bite or 4d4
ray
These dread creatures are denizens of the Infernal Realms of the
Abyss, composed of cold, green flame. They can be summoned to the
Prime Material plane only by an 8th-level or higher Evil priest, and
even then only if the priest's deity approves the summoning. A
fireshadow can make 3 attacks per round. Opponents who are not
resistant to fire suffer 1d6 points of damage each round they remain
within 10' of the fireshadow. Any victim touched by a fireshadow must
save vs spell or have his flesh begin to turn to green flame at the
rate of 1d8 points a round. The spread of the flame can be stopped by
a cure spell or holy water, which cures 1d6+1 points. Unless all of
the flame is cured, it will continue to spread at the rate of 1d8
points a turn. Those destroyed by the flame become smaller fireshadows
under the command of the original. The fireshadow can also absorb its
victims, restoring 1d20 hit points to itself.
As well, the fireshadow can attack with its ray oblivion every
other round, causing 4d4 points of damage to all within its 5' x 130'
area of effect. A save vs breath reduces damage by half; any opponents
who are slain by the fire are instantly disintegrated. Fire shadows
are immune to fire, mental attacks, and nonmagical melee weapons.
Magical weapons inflict normal damage, and a mace of disruption has a
50% chance of utterly destroying it. Fireshadows can be destroyed by a
single blow from the Hammer of Kharas.
Game* (Neutral)
TR: Any; FQ: Common; #AP: 2d4 - 1; SZ: S-M (2'-5'); HD: 2d8; ML:
7; Str: 4; Dex: 12; Con: 10; Int: 1; Wis: -; Cha: -; MV: 12, MR: Nil,-
TS: Nil,. AC: 9,. THAC0: 19,. AT: 1/2, hp
These are generic statistics for game animals such as turkeys,
ducks, fish, rabbits, wild pigs, and mule deer. Adjust the hit points
based on the size of the animal.
Hag (Neutral Evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d3; SZ: L (8'); HD: 9 (38 hp); ML:
15; Str: 16; Dex: 15; Con: 13; Int: 11-12; Wis: 9; Cha: 4; MV: 12 Sw
12; MR: 35%, TS: D; AC: -2; THAC0: 9 (12); AT: 1d8/1d8+8 claws, 2d4+1
bite
There are three types of hags: the armis, the green hag, and the
sea hag. All are nasty, withered creatures, appearing as wretched old
women. Though they appear frail, their Strength is truly amazing. All
hags have a Strength of 18/00 or greater. In addition, they all have
the ability to change self at will, which they use to lure weak
victims into their clutches, or stronger opponents into prearranged
traps.
Hags are even more powerful when formed into a covey of three of
any combination of hags. They gain the following powers when they do
so: curse, polymorph other, animate dead, dream, control weather,
veil, forcecage, vision, mindblank, and the ability to cast these
spells at the 9th level of ability. To use these spells, the three
members of the covey must be within 10' of each other, and the spell
being cast is in lieu of all other attacks by any member of the covey.
However, hags very rarely use the spells in combat, preferring to use
them against nearby settlements.
Individually, each type of hag has its own area of specialty in
combat. The annis attacks uses its talons and teeth. Any annis that
scores all three attacks in a single round has grappled with its
opponent, and the next round all the annis' attacks automatically
succeed unless the victim can kill the hag or escape (teleport, break
free due to superior Strength, etc.). The hard skin of annis hags
makes them deduct 1 point of damage when they are hit by piercing or
slashing weapons.
Blunt weapons, however, cause an extra point of damage.
Greenhags impose a -5 penalty to their opponents' surprise rolls, due
to the hag's natural coloration and ability to move absolutely
silently. Due to their ogrelike strength, greenhags gain a +3 to hit
and a +6 to damage. They can cast the following spells at will, once
per round: audible glamor, dancing lights, invisibility, pass without
trace, change self, speak with monsters, water breathing, and
weakness. They can also imitate the voice of any human or demihuman,
mature or immature.
Sea hags are the most wretched of all hags. They hate beauty and
will attempt to destroy it anywhere they find it. The true appearance
of a sea hag, carefully disguised until victims draw near, is so
ghastly that anyone viewing one must save vs. spell or lose 1/2 their
Strength for 1d6 turns. Even worse, they have a deadly gaze attack,
which they can use 3 times a day. It affects one creature within 30'.
The victim must save vs. poison or die immediately from fright (25%)
or become paralyzed for 3 days (75%). Either way, a failed save
usually spells doom for the unlucky one, for the hag will quickly de
vour him. Sea hags, like other hags, gain a + 3 to hit and a + 6 to
damage.
Hydra* (Neutral)
TR: Swamp; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1; SZ: G (30' long); HD: 1d8+4 (8
hp) per head); ML: 10; Str: 17; Dex: 9; Con: 10; Int: 2-4; Wis: --;
Cha: --; MV: 9, swim 12; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 5; THAC0: 15; AT: 1d8
each head
This immense reptile somewhat resembles a dragon, excepting that
it lacks wings and has multiple heads. Hydra generally have 5 to 12
heads (1d4+8), all of which must be severed before the hydra is slain.
Hydra receive all 8 hit points on each of their HD. The number of
heads a hydra has is equal to its HD; thus, a 5 headed hydra has 5 HD.
A hydra can bring four of its head against a single opponent at a
time, biting once with each. Hydrae with 5-6 HD cause 1d6 points per
bite; those with 7-10 cause 1d8 per bite, and those with 11-12 cause
1d10 points. Every time a hydra takes 8 hp of damage, one of its heads
is assumed to be cut or tom from its body. The hydra continues to
attack with its original HD, no matter how many heads are lost.
Attacks on the body have no effect unless a single attack inflicts
damage equal to the hydra's original hit points.
Imp, Blood Sea (Chaotic Evil)
TR: Tropical ocean; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 10d4; SZ: T (2'); HD:
5+3 (28 hp); ML: 11; Str: 13; Dex: 17; Con: 10; Int: 11-12; Wis: 8;
Cha: 9; MV: 12, fly 24 (A), swim 6; MR: Nil; TS: E; AC: 4 (1 in mist
form); THAC0: 15; AT: 1d6 or 1
These vicious creatures can polymorph between two forms at will,
although the process takes a full turn. One form is that of a cloud of
red mist, with two eyes hovering in the center of the cloud. The other
is a red humanoid with claws, horns, and a tail. In this form, it has
an AC of 4 and attacks with a chilling touch for 1d6. However, Blood
Sea imps cannot fly in their physical form. In mist form, the Blood
Sea imp has an AC of 1 and can fly, but inflicts only 1 point of
damage with its touch. Imps cannot be turned, nor can they be hurt by
nonmagical weapons. If struck by lightning, there is a 10% chance
that the imp will generate a copy of itself.
Kani Doll (Chaotic Evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Rare; #AP: 2d6; SZ: T (6"); HD: 2 (9 hp); ML: 20;
Str: 6; Dex: 9; Con: 6; Int: 0; Wis: 0; Cha: 13; MV: 9; MR: Nil; TS:
Nil; AC: 10; THAC0: 19; AT: 1d4
These primitive dolls occasionally take on life, seeking to
enact the evil instructions of the person who enchanted them. Kani
dolls always attack with mouth or beak, causing 1d4 points of damage
if they hit. They can then continue to chew, causing an additional 1
point until the doll is destroyed or its purpose achieved. Each doll
varies in shape, movement, and AC, but no doll exceed a MV of 15 on
any surface, nor does their AC ever descend below 8.
Kingfisher (Neurtal)
TR: Coastal; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 4d6; SZ: M (4' wingspan); HD: 1
(5 hp); ML: 7; Str: 9; Dex: 18; Con: 9; Int: 1; Wis: 9; Cha: --; MV:
1, fly 36 (C); MR: Nil; TS: Q; AC: 5; THAC0: 19; AT: 1d4
Its deep blue feathers, white crest, and shrill cry are
unmistakable signs of the kingfisher. This large raptor lives off of
fish and rodents and builds its nests high on the inaccessible sea
cliffs and promontories.
Kobolds (Lawful evil)
TR: Any, FQ: Uncommon,. #AP: Sd4,. SZ: S (3'), HD: 1/2, (1d4
hp); ML: 9; Str: 7; Dex: 6; Con: 8; Int: 8-10; Wis: 5; Cha: 6; MV: 6;
MR: Nil; TS: J/0 (Qx5); AC: 7 (10); THAC0: 20; AT: 1d4 or by weapon
Barely 3' tall, these sadistic humanoids always attack gnomes on
sight; their hatred for gnomes knows no bounds. However, they do not
hesitate to attack other foes, as long as they have overwhelming odds.
They prefer not to close with enemies until the enemy has been
sufficiently weakened.
They enjoy setting pits and snares for the larger humanoids.
Like goblins, they suffer a -1 when attacking outdoors.
Lizard, Giant (Neutral)
TR: Any warm; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d4; SZ: H (15'); HD: 3+1 (14
hp); ML: 9; Str: 12; Dex: 11; Con: 9; Int: 1; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV:
15; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 5; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d8
These huge reptiles are used as war mounts by desert nomads and
sligs. On an attack roll of 20, the target is caught in the lizard's
mouth and suffers double damage.
Pests* (Neutral)
TR: Any,. FQ: Common,. #AP: 1 (1d6),. SZ: T (1/2,'-2'),. HD: 1
(1d8 hp); ML: 12; Str: 2; Dex: 15; Con: 8; Int: 1; Wis: --; Cha: --;
MV: 15 (fly 18, swim 18); MR: Nil; TS: Scavenged; AC: 8; THAC0: 20;
AT: 1/2 hp
These generic scores may be used to play pesky animals who steal
food and snoop in characters' gear. Pest would include small monkeys
or lemures, squirrels and chipmunks, skunks or couscous, raccoons,
ravens, and small lizards. Hit points would vary by size of the
animal.
Rat, Giant (Neutral)
TR: Any,. FQ: Uncommon, #AP: 1 (2d8),. SZ: T (2'),. HD: 1/2 (1d4
hp); ML: 6; Str: 4; Dex: 12; Con: 8; Int: 2-4; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV:
12, swim 6; MR: Nil; TS: C; AC: 7; THAC0: 20; AT: 1d3, disease
Giant rats are very aggressive and territorial. They live in
ships, tunnels, graves, and dump yards. They are brown or black, with
white bellies. There is a 5% chance that a rat is diseased. A bite
from a diseased rat requires a save vs poison to avoid infection. A
failed save brings a disease that debilitates for 2d6 days, during
which the character must rest. At the end of that time, the victim
must make a system shock roll. Failure results in disfigurement or
death; success indicates healing.
SanDling (Neutral)
TR: Sand; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1; SZ: L (10' diameter); HD: 4 (21 hp);
ML: 7; Str: 12; Dex: 6; Con: 9; Int: 0; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 12,
burrow 6; MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 3; THAC0: 15; AT: 2d8
These creatures look like amorphous masses of sliding sand. They
are not aggressive unless provoked. However, they are very
territorial. They protect their territory by slashing with an abrasive
pseudopod. If at least 10 gallons of liquid are splashed on the
sandling, it will have the same effect as a slow spell, and the
sandling hits for only half damage. Sandling are invisible to
infravision and immune to sleep, charm, hold, and other
mind-influencing spells.
Scorpion, Giant (Neutral)
TR: Arid; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d4; SZ: M (6'); HD: 5+5 (28 hp);
Ml: 11; Str: 9; Dex: 15; Con: 1 1; Int: 0; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 15;
MR: Nil; TS: D; AC: 3; THAC0: 15; AT: 1d10/1d10 pincers, 1d4 sting,
poison
The giant scorpion is 95% likely to attack any creature that
approaches it. The monster attacks by grabbing prey with its two huge
pincers, each causing 1d10 point damage, while it lashes forward with
its tail to sting. Thus, it can fight three opponents at once. If it
can latch onto a toe with one pincer, it causes 1d10 points of damage
with this pincer each round thereafter. The victim has one chance to
escape: a successful bend bars/lift gates roll. This can only be tried
once per character per combat. A sting against a trapped character is
automatically successful. The sting inflicts 1d4 points, and the
victim must save vs poison or die the next round. A scorpion with 1d2
hit points remaining gains 2 attacks per round with its tail because
it goes into a stinging frenzy.
Shadow Mastiff (Neutral Evil)
TR: Underground; FQ: Rare; #AP: 4d4; SZ: M (5'long); HD: 4 (23
hp); ML: 17; Str: 12; Dex: 18; Con: '(8; Int: 2-4; Wis: 9; Cha: --;
MV: 18 (9 in light); MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: 6; THAC0: 17; AT: 2d4 bite
These shadowy hounds are the ultimate hunters in the dark. They
can hide in shadows 40% of the time, striking and then blending back
into the shadows so that foes must attack as if in the dark. The
baying of a shadow hound brings terror and blind flight if a save vs
death magic is failed. Affected creatures will flee for 2d6 rounds or
until out of hearing range of the hounds.
Shrine (Neutral)
TR: Seas/coasts; FQ: Very rare; PAP: 1 (2d4); SZ: M (5'); HD:
4-7 (4 hp/HD); ML: 12; Str: 12-15; Dex: 17; Con: 12; Int: 13- 18; Wis:
9-12; Cha: 13-18; MV: 12 Sw 24; MR: 20%; TS: L/M/ N/Q X; AC: 3; THAC0:
13; AT: 1d6 by weapon
Sirines are an amphibious race of humanoid females. A sirine
song can charm any who hear it. Sirines can use the following spells:
suggestion, polymorph self, fog cloud, and improved invisibility once
per day. Any creature touched by a sirine must save vs poison or be
reduced to an Intelligence of 2. Intellect can be regained through a
dispel magic or at the Sirine's offer. Sirines are immune to all
gasses.
Skeleton* (Neutral)
TR: Any; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d10; SZ: M (6'); HD: 1 (7 hp); ML: 15;
Str: 9; Dex: 6; Con: 16; Int: 0; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 12; MR: Undead;
TS: Nil; AC: 7; THAC0: 19; AT: 1d6 or by weapon
Skeletons are mindless animated bones. Although blunt, crushing
weapons inflict full damage against skeletons, all attacks with
slashing or piercing weapons only cause 1 point of damage plus
bonuses. Skeletons act only by the commanded of a high-level priest,
wizard, or enchantment. Skeletons may be turned. Skeletons are immune
to sleep, charms, and mind control, as well as poison and paralysis.
Skeleton Warrior* (Neutral Evil)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: M (6'-7'); HD: 9+2 (79 hp);
ML: 15; Str: 13; Dex: 6; Con: 16; Int: 15-16; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 6;
MR: 90%; TS: A; AC: 2; THAC0: 11; AT: By weapon +3
These undead lords were created when their life essences were
trapped within their golden circlets. Skeleton warriors continual y
look for their circlets. Anyone possessing one of these circlets can
control the warrior, but those not aware of how to control the warrior
risk disaster. Skeleton warriors will not rest until they and their
circlets are de stroyed. To establish control, the character must wear
the circlet on his bare head. Circlets do not work through helms, and
wearing any sort of headgear negates the control. The wearer must also
be able to see the skeleton warrior, concentrate for one full round on
establishing control, and then roll a successful Wisdom check; if he
fails, he can attempt control again. However, the warrior will
continue to advance to the owner of the circlet at twice its normal
movement, intent on destroying the owner of the circlet and gaining
possession. Skeleton warriors usually fight with two-handed swords,
but they can also use any other weapon. They gain a +3 on all attack
rolls, Only magical weapons affect them, and they cannot be turned by
priests. Any creature of less than 5 HD must flee in panic unless a
save vs spell is made.
Skyfisher (Neutral)
TR: Coastal; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d20; SZ: L (7' wingspan); HD: 4
(16 hp); ML: 9; Str: 12; Dex: 13; Con: 10; Int: 13-14; Wis: --; Cha:
--; MV: 3 Fl 24 (C); MR: Nil; TS: I/M/N/ Q; AC: 3; THAC0: 17; AT:
1d8+2 beak or 1d6 x 2 talons
These hideous birds of prey appear to be a cross between a bat
and a vulture. They are black or gray in color, with a naked body and
scaly head. The skyfisher lives mostly along the coast of the Blood
Sea. They are not picky about prey, diving on lone travelers as well
as sheep and mule deer. A skyfisher's dive adds +2 to its attack and
doubles damage inflicted on the first round. When the skyfisher
strikes, its prey must make a Dex check to evade the grip or be lifted
aloft for 1d4 rounds and then dropped. Damage from the fall equals 1d6
points for every round airborne. Skyfishers can lift up to 200 pounds.
Skyfishers drop their prey if they sustain 10 points of damage.
Slig* (Lawful Evil)
TR: Subtropical; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 6d6; SZ: M (6'); HD: 3+3 (17
hp); ML: 12; Str: 9; Dex: 9; Con: 14; Int: 8-10; Wis: 14; Cha: 4; MV:
9; MR: Nil; TS: L/M (lair B); AC: 3; THAC0: 17; AT: 1d4 or by weapon +2
Distant cousins of goblins and hobgoblins, sligs are larger and
more ferocious than their brethren. They love combat and hate
weakness, and look to find inventive ways to destroy their opponents.
Their traps are so well disguised that those searching for them have
only half the normal chance of discovering them. The walls of slig
traps are coated with slime to make them difficult to climb from. The
sligs avoid attacking opponents who are obviously stronger than they
are, preferring to lure prey into ambushes. Weaker enemies are
attacked outright, without mercy.
Sligs can bite to inflict damage but prefer to use weapons.
Their Strength allows them to add 2 to their damage. In addition, slig
can squirt venomous spittle three times a day, up to a distance of
10'. The spittle causes 1d6 points of damage. Furthermore, an attack
roll is made against AC 10 to determine whether the poison landed in
the eyes. If so, the victim must save vs poison or be blinded for
1d4+1 rounds.
Slig are immune to normal fire. Magical fires against slig do 1
less point per die of damage.
Spectral Minion* (AL Varies)
TR: Any; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d20; SZ: M (5'-7'); HD: Varies;
ML: 13; Str: 5; Dex: 15; Con: 3; Int: 8-10; Wis: 7; Cha: 7; MV: 30;
MR: 20%; TS: Nil; AC: 2; THAC0: Varies; AT: Varies
These are the spirits ot humanoids who died before they could
fulfill a task they had vowed to perform. Spectral min ions have all
the abilities in death that they had in life, although their alignment
may have changed. Each of the six types of spectral minions has its
own quirks: berserkers, guardians, philosophers, revelers, searchers,
and warriors. None of these can inflict damage unless they were
holding weapons when they died. They cannot be disarmed because their
weapons have become an integral part of their being.
The speed of a spectral minion grants them a -1 on all
initiative rolls. They can only be hit by weapons of +1 or greater
enchantment. They can be released from their dooms by a remove curse,
or if someone can fulfill their quest for them. They cannot be turned.
Berserkers: These are minions who have given up hope of ever
being released from their state. They are Chaotic Evil. They attack
and pursue any intruders with frightening singlemindedness. All are
armed, take two attacks per round, and gain +1 to attack and damage.
They cannot be vanquished by fulfilling their vows; they will fight to
the death.
Guardians: All of these are armed, and are usually of Chaotic or
Neutral Good alignment. They vanish when they are destroyed or if they
guard their posts for 100 years and a day. They defend themselves if
necessary, or if they need to defend their posts, but otherwise are
not particularly dangerous.
Philosophers: These spectral minions can be of any alignment.
They spend their time in study and contemplation. They are often found
in groups of two or more, engaged in endless discussion. Philosopher
minions can only be released from their vows if they manage to resolve
an unfulfilled issue. They attack only when their honesty is called
into question, or if they need to defend themselves.
Revelers: These are foolish minions doomed to revel through
eternity. They are Chaotic Evil, and are quite dangerous although they
are unarmed. They often surround intruders and urge them to join in
the spectral revelry. If the character joins the party for 3 or more
rounds, he must save vs spell. If he fails, he falls into a deep sleep
which can only be broken by a wish or similar spell. His spirit leaves
his body to join the party, and each turn he loses 1 level. If
awakened, or the revelers disperse, he regains lost levels at the rate
of 1 every four hours.
Searchers: These are always armed, and stalk through their
territory searching for the item that will allow them to fulfill their
quest. They are Lawful Evil, and will attack those who stand between
them and their unreachable goal.
Warriors: These are the spirits of those locked in combat at the
time of death. They are typically encountered in a ghostly battle,
with both sides represented. Their combat is eternal, since they
cannot seriously damage one another, Only the intervention of mortals
will allow them to end their battle.
Spider, Giant* (Chaotic Neutral)
TR: Any; FQ: Rare; #AP: 1d2; SZ: L (8'); HD: 4+4 (25 hp); ML:
13; Str: 14; Dex: 12; Con: 12; Int: 2-4; Wis: --; Cha: --; MV: 15, web
6; MR: Nil; TS: C; AC: 4; THAC0: 13; AT: 108
Giant spiders sometimes spin big webs and snares, create a
concealment or trapdoor to attack from, or lair in deep woodlands.
Spider poison is powerful (save vs poison at -- 2) and paralyzes
victims for 2d8 hours. Victims must make a system shock roll or die if
not rescued within one day.
Stag, White (Neutral Good)
TR: Mountains; Fg: Unique; #AP: 1; SZ: M (7'); HD: 10 (77 hp);
ML: 16; Str: 18; Dex: 21; Con: 15; lnt: 13; Wis: 13; Cha: 13; MV: 24;
MR: Nil; TS: Nil; AC: -5; THAC0: 11; AT: 1d6/1d6 hooves or 1d12
antlers
The White Stag is a messenger of the Gods of Good. The White
Stag is a unique creature, and often uses special abilities to aid
those of Good alignment. It can cast find the path and speak with
animals at will. It can also bless three times a day. It cannot be
captured, and will fight to the death if necessary. If it is killed,
its body disappears, and black clouds hover over the killers, giving
them a -1 penalty to their AC.
Treant (Chaotic Goob)
TR: Woods; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1d20; SZ: H (18'); HD: 12 (60
hp); ML: 15; Str: 20; Dex: 9; Con: 12; Int: 11-12; Wis: 15; Cha: 11;
MV: 12; MR: Nil; TS: Qx5/X; AC: 0; THAC0: 9; AT: 4d6 or animate trees
Treants are woodland giants that are more treelike than they are
humanoid. They are guardians of the woodlands and will move to thwart
wanton destruction. Fire-based attacks have a +4 to hit against
treants, who also suffer 1 extra point of damage per die from
fire-based attacks. Treants can animate up to two trees to fight for
them (AC 2, MV 3, HD 12, 48 hp, THAC0 9, AT 4d6 x 2).
Troll* (Chaotic Evil)
TR: Wilds; FQ: Uncommon; #AP: 1d12; SZ: L (9'); HD: 6+6 (35 hp);
ML: 14; Str: 18; Dex: 12; Con: 13; Int: 5-7; Wis: 5; Cha: 5; MV: 12;
MR: Nil; TS: Q (D); AC: 4; THAC0: 13; AT: 1d4+4/1d4+4 claws, 1d8+4
bite
The troll is a horrid, green carnivore that is found nearly
everywhere in the world. Since they are almost always hungry, they are
always on the prowl, and therefore are always dangerous. Their skinny
frame hides strength that can bend iron bars. They have a poor sense
of hearing, but their sense of smell is highly superior. They attack
with claws and bite, and can direct all these attacks against
different opponents. When using a weapon, they gain a +5 to damage due
to their Strength.
An edged weapon can sever a troll's limbs on a natural 20.
However, this is not always a desirable thing, for the limbs can
continue to fight on their own. After the fight is over, they scuttle
back to rejoin with the main body. Trolls can regenerate damage three
rounds after they suffer it. They regenerate at the rate of 3 hit
points a round. If they reach 0 hit points, they fall to the ground,
but they are not slain. Only fire and acid can permanently damage a
troll; any other attack will result in the eventual regeneration of
the troll.
Undead Beast, Stahnk* (Neutral)
TR: Wilds; FQ: Very rare; #AP: 1; SZ: H (20'); HD: 12+12 (81
hp); ML: 14; Str: 22; Dex: 9; Con: 13; Int: 0; Wis: --; Cha:
--;MV:9,swim9;MR:20%; TS:G;AC: 6; THAC0: 7; AT: 1d6+2/1d6+2 tusks, 3d8
trample
This mindless horror is brother to the gholor, a rotting monster
of flesh and bone. The size of a small dragon, it has a great horned
head, with twin tusks and bare barbed ribs forming a hideous cage. The
stahnk attacks with its tusks and razor claws. Any foe struck by a
massive claw must save vs death or be flung for 1d20 additional
points. It may also trample foes for 3d8 points of damage (save vs
death for only 1d8 points). If the save is failed, a second save vs
wands must be made. If it fails, the victim is caught in the rib-cage
and suffers 1d4 points of damage each round thereafter. Victims may
attack at -3 and can be freed by reducing the beast to half his hit
points.
Stahnk cannot be turned and are immune to fire. They only
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***
Special Artifacts of Ansalon
Magic, as much as any other force, has shaped the history of
Krynn. Many artifacts of power were crafted. But as the end of the Age
of Might neared, the Kingpriest feared the power of magic and
persecuted wizards and their creations. Magic was sealed away from the
knowledge of mortals, and with it, most of these wondrous devices were
lost. The following list of magic items presents those that heroes
will most likely encounter.
Many of the following items are artifacts, unique items that are
superior in potency to more mundane magic items. The names of such
items are capitalized, to show their uniqueness. Each artifact results
from mystical research and highly arcane craft. Every artifact has its
own story, a history of its creation and use, and the role destiny has
set for it. Use each history to create further adventures: finding the
artifact, slowly learning of its powers and past, and having the
heroes relive the conflicts and destiny of the device.
Be miserly in letting heroes discover the powers and potential
of these treasures; struggle sweetens the final victory. Powers often
require command words to trigger. By saying aloud a specific arcane
word or phrase while rubbing, pointing, or otherwise manipulating the
artitact, a PC can activate the effect. The caster must be able to
speak aloud to use a command word. DMs should feel free to invent
arcanesounding command words for the following items.
Scroll
Scroll of the Stellar Path
Used by: Wizards of High Sorcery
Description: This scroll overcomes the natural wax and wane of
magic with the phases of the moon. The scroll siphons the magic of the
moons through passing time. Power: Reading this scroll creates a
magical conduit through time that duplicates the effects of the
wizard's moon at high sanction. This effect works for the caster only,
despite the actual position of the moon. The effect lasts for 48
hours, when the effects of the true cycle return. If, during this
time, the other moons move into conjunction with the wizard's illusory
moon, the conjunction causes the usual effects, but for the one wizard
only. Using this scroll exhausts the wizard for 1d4 days after the
48-hour effect, causing him to suffer a penalty of -2 on all rolls and
requiring him to move at half speed.
Defenses: Interruption XP Value: 1,000
Rings
Golden Ring of Healing
Used by: Wizards; Dalamar
Description: This ring appears as a band of gold braided into an
intricate knot. It provides a wizard's last defense, saving him from
death. The schools of sorcery still produce such rings to this day.
Dalamar, the dark-elf black mage, used just such a ring to survive the
deadly attack of his mentor Raistlin.
Power: The ring only affects the wearer. It can cure up to 6
points of damage once per day. Furthermore, it can save a wizard from
one mortal blow by healing him to 1 hit point. After saving a mage's
life, a particular ring will never work again for him, but may be
passed on to another wizard.
Defenses: Damage XP Value: 3,000
Ring of Nature's Love
Used by: All; Tika Waylan
Description: This ring appears common: it is a simple pewter
ring carved to resemble twining branches with a blossoming rose at its
heart.
A long history ties this ring to the Age of Dreams. It passed to
Lady Ellyth, who gave it to her son Arin for his bride. Sadly, fair
Marissa, Arin's love, had also melted the cold heart of Kryl
Shadestalker, a vampiric creature. Master Kryl stole Marissa's
life-breath, making her one of his ilk. To seal the pact, he forced
her to slay Arin. Although eternally damned, fair Marissa would never
bow to Kryl's lust. Decades later, she threw herself on the witch
hunter's stake both to spite Master Kryl and to end her torment. Kryl
saved the ring to remind him of his loss.
"Then Master Kryl retired to a manor in the desolate Crumbled
Spine of Abanasinia. He swore never to love again. One day his travels
took him to the ramshackle port of Dering's Way. While gauging the
cattle for his next repast, Kryl fell prey to a common thief, a small
girl (Tika) who slipped the ring from his finger while deigning
courtesy. Outraged, Kryl sent his minions to locate the girl. They
never returned. After a fortnight, a mage named Waylan knocked at
Kryl's door.
Waylan said that his daughter had the vampire's ring and he
proposed a game of chance to decide ownership. Intrigued, Kryl agreed.
If he lost, he would leave the mage and girl-child alone. If he won,
he would claim both the ring and their lives.
How the game ended none knows. Some say Waylan won and Kryl,
loathe though he was, honored the bargain. Others say the con man
cheated Kryl, and the furious vampire swore to exact revenge one day.
The unliving can be patient. Whatever happened, Waylan lived. The lord
of deceit did eventually return to challenge the mage, but Waylan had
teleported Tika and the ring away to a new land.
Tika wears the ring on a chain about her neck as a memento of
her father. She does not know of its power, but in times of stress she
will slip on the ring asking for her father's guidance. This activates
the ring. Where fate will lead her is unknown. A fortune-teller once
said to her, Nature s love will one day find its true heart and
healing hands."
Powers: This ring detects only as minor magic. It acts as a ring
of protection +2, improving AC by -2 and adding a +2 bonus to all
saves. It also protects against the elements, halving damage from
fire, cold, lightning, air, and water -- making the wearer immune to
up to 3 dice of nonmagical damage from the natural elements.
Lastly, the ring makes the wearer immune to the ravages of time.
It slows the aging process and quickens healing to double normal
rates. Only catastrophe or violence will slay the wearer. Otherwise,
the wearer is undying.
The ring is one of three artifacts that make up the Circle of
Love. These artifacts were created in ancient days by the god Mishakal
to end a war between two noble families. The spirit of the earth mage,
Heris Jerrold, inhabits the Ring of Nature's Love. Heris's brother
Trae and Trae's betrothed Mirri inhabit the other two artifacts in the
Circle of Love. One day, destiny will reunite these artifacts, and the
spirits within them. The Ring of Nature's Love is opposed by the
Circlet of Pride in the Triad of Betrayal, three artifacts created by
the Evil God Hiddukel.
Defenses: Removal, Circlet of Pride XP Value: 7,700
Ring of Projection
Used by: Wizards; Serinda
Description: This ring is a simple bronze band enamelled in
black. It bears a round, silver set -- a rosy crystal encircled by
eight amber chips. The gem setting may be raised to reveal a hidden
compartment beneath. The origin of this ring remains a mystery,
although it is said to come from other lands. Serinda received a ring
of projection from the black sea mage, Mellick as a memento of a
battle against Mandracore the Reaver's pirates off Endscape. The ring
was said to wield the mirage magic that projects the image of an
island out across the sea.
Powers: When the gem is raised and the command word spoken, an
illusion of the wearer is projected up to 60 yards away. This exact
duplicate of the wearer copies the actions of the original, or
performs other actions at the caster's command if the caster limits
his own actions to half movement with no attacks. The caster must be
able to see the image to maintain it. This effect can be summoned once
per hour, and lasts up to 5 rounds.
Defenses: Dispel magic, distract XP Value: 500
Ring of Shapechanging
Used by: All; Tasslehoff
Description: This ring allows the wearer to change into the form
of a specific creature. Each device produces one natural animal form.
These shapechanging powers may also be infused into belts, robes,
gauntlets, or circlets.
Tasslehoff found one such ring: an ivory ring shaped like a
mouse head. It had two red stones for eyes. When worn, Tas could
change into a small white mouse.
Powers: Wearers of the ring may transform into a specific animal
either with a command word, or by simply willing it. Each device is
limited to one form. All clothing and gear is abandoned when the
person transforms except for the ring itself, which fuses with the new
body. If the user remains in animal form more rounds than his Wisdom
score, he may begin to forget that he is not an animal. He must make a
Wisdom check each round. After three failed checks, the user forgets
his true form. As long as a user remembers his form (or is reminded by
a comrade), he can regain it by merely willing it so.
Defenses: Detect magic XP Value: 1,500
Rods, Staves, and Wands
Dalamar's Wand of Lightning
Used by: Mages
Description: Although there have been many wands of lightning,
this particular wand carries its own curse. Because the wand was used
by Dalamar to kill the Blue Lady, the undead Dragon Highlord
unceasingly hunts for the wand and its current owner.
Powers: This device works only for wizards. The wand casts
lightning bolts (10d6) at 15th level power. It normally carries seven
charges and recharges itself at the rate of one charge for every week
in which a thunderstorm occurs. Each time the character uses the
device, there is a 5% chance that his location is noted by Lord Soth,
who comes to take the wand to his mistress. The death knight appears
in 1d10 rounds to claim the prize.
Defenses: Save vs wands XP Value: 4,000
Staff of Magius
Used by: Wizards; Raistlin, Palin
Description: This polished mahogany staff is topped with a
crystal ball grasped in a bronze dragon claw. Its powers are limited
only by its user; once the mage's learns the staff's true nature,
great power may be summoned.
Legend say the wizard Magius aided Huma in his quest to drive
dragons from the face of Krynn. Magius's staff of legend still bears
the wizard's spirit and lends it to save the world Magius loved. Many
mages of renown have used this staff and added to its powers.
Powers: The staff acts like a ring of protection +3, improving
the wearer's AC by -- 3, and adding a +3 bonus to all saves. The staff
strikes with a +2 to hit, inflicting 1d8 points damage. Once per day,
it can create continual light, 60' radius; it can save its owner with
a feather fall.
When used by a mage of 6th level or higher, the staff doubles
spell durations, adds +2 points damage per die rolled, and maintains
spells for 1 round after concentration is broken. Other powers may
exist.
Secrets: This staff has hidden powers. Only a master mage can
summon them. If a mage of 6th level or higher uses the staff, the DM
rolls 1d10. On a 1, a random effect occurs. The DM should select the
effect from the list below. Once an effect has occurred 3 times, the
mage may attempt to master the power by making a 1/2 Intelligence
check.
The following powers cost 1 charge each.
continual light, feather fall
darkness, 15' radius, hold portal
detect magic, protection vs Evil/Good
enlarge, strike at double damage
The following cost 2 charges each.
entangle, gust of wind
jump, magic missiles ( x 3)
knock, spider climb
levitate, telekinese (25 ft)
The following powers cost 4 charges each. The user must make a
Constitution check or become exhausted for 2d6 rounds, suffering a -2
on all rolls and moving only half rate.
dispel magic, lightning bolt (6d6 points dmg)
feign death, locate object
fire shield, paralyze
invisibility, summon swarm
The staff recharges 1 charge per hour in the light of Solinari
(up to 8 points per eve). The staff can carry up to 20 charges.
Defenses: Dispel magic, distract XP Value: 13,000
Staff of Mishakal
Used by: Priests; Goldmoon
Description: The first gift of Mishakal to the people of Krynn
upon her return to the world was the blue crystal Staff of Mishakal
given to Riverwind. Carved from crystal, its crown is topped with a
bladed cap with a blue gem. Mishakal granted Riverwind the staff to
bring Goldmoon to her and to the Disks of Mishakal.
Powers: This staff is sentient and of Lawful Good alignment. Its
Intelligence equals 13 (empathic with user) and its Ego is 10. It can
control the actions of a user whose combined Intelligence, Charisma,
and level (-1 per 5 wounds) is less than 23. Only Lawful Good
characters may use the staff; others suffer 4d6 points of electrical
damage if they try.
The staff strikes as a +3 weapon, adding +3 to all attack rolls.
For each attack the user can choose to spend 1, 2, or 3 charges to
inflict +3, +6, or +9 (respectively) to damage. The staff can cast any
of the following priestly spells (cost of 2 charges per spell level).
1st: command, cure light wound, remove fear
3rd: continual light, cure blindness, cure disease, remove curse
5th: cure critical wound, raise dead, teleport (15 charges)
7th: restoration, resurrection, deflect dragon breath (10 charges)
The staff holds up to 20 charges and regains 1 charge per day in
moonlight.
Defenses: None XP Value: 5,000
Staff of Striking/Curing
Used by: Priests; Goldmoon
Description: These staves were common among priests during the
Age of Might. They were used for defense and as a means to further the
cause of the gods. The staff is polished maple with a silver or bronze
cap bearing the symbol and secret names of one's god.
In the Cataclysm, the magic of healing was lost to all. Mishakal
gave Goldmoon the first staff of striking/curing from the vaults of
fallen Xak Tsaroth. Since then, others have been discovered by
followers of the true gods.
Powers: This staff has two powers. As a staff of striking, it
adds a +3 bonus to all attack rolls and causes 1d6+3 points of damage.
This use does not drain a charge. However, if the user drains 2
charges, the staff can cause 1d6+6 points of damage. The staff cannot
heal until an hour has passed for each double-damage blow struck. As a
staff of curing, this magic item can heal 3d6+3 points of damage for
every 2 charges spent. The cure may be performed up to 6 times per 24
hours, but no recipient may be healed more than once a day.
The staff recharges itself in sunlight at a rate of 1 charge per
2 hours, as long as it is not used. The staff can hold up to 50 charges.
Defenses: None XP Value: 9,000
Miscellaneous Magic Items
Amulet, Hands of the Healing Spirit
Used by: All; Huma, Dargent, Dalamar, Gilthanas
Description: This elegant amulet is made of white gold. The
amulet is a circle formed by three crooked arms, with three hands
clasped together at its center.
This amulet was crafted during the Age of Dreams by Sirrion and
given to Mishakal so that she would intercede with Shinare for him. In
time, the amulet came into the possession of Trae Jerrold, who gave it
to Mirri Witikell upon their betrothal. The wicked schemes of Hiddukel
betrayed these young loves, entrapping Mirri's life force in the
amulet itself.
According to a mystic prophecy, "Mirri shall one day find rest
with the spirits of her lover and his brother."
Eventually, the Hands of the Healing Spirit fell into the
possession of Huma of the Lance, given to him by his uncle. When Huma
at last admitted his love for the elf maid Gwynneth (the silver dragon
El'liolle or "Silver Heart") he gave her this amulet as a pledge.
Gwynneth wisely gave the amulet to her younger sister Dargent before
she followed Huma through death's doorway. Dargent honored Gwynneth by
taking the name of Silvara when she moved among mortals in the form of
a wild elf.
Centuries passed before the amulet again changed hands. This
time it was given to a wild ogre of unexpected wit and compassion, who
tried to lead his people away from darkness and into harmony. After
the Cataclysm, the amulet was held by a mad gnome named Fractore
Gearslip, the dark mage Dalamar, and the kender Glendoll Allseer. At
last, it returned to the dragon Dargent. Fate has decreed that the
amulet will one day be given to another mortal who captures Dargent's
heart.
Powers: This amulet detects only as minor magic, for its might
comes from the spirit of Mirri trapped within. The ring adds a +3
bonus to saves versus all poisons and disease and adds a +3 bonus to
the wearer's Wisdom, allowing spell bonuses to priests. It
continuously radiates an aura equal to a protection from Evil, 10'
radius spell.
Once per day, the wearer can cast one of every healing spell:
cure light wounds, cure blindness/deafness, cure disease, cure serious
wounds, neutralize poison, cure critical wounds, and heal and can
evoke continual light as well. However, each time a spell-like effect
is invoked, the user must make a system shock roll or become exhausted
for 1d6 turns.
The Hands of the Healing Spirit promotes harmony and
cooperation, and grant a +3 to all reaction rolls made by the wearer.
Further, the wearer will slowly begin to shift alignment toward
Neutral Good, being drawn again and again to provide succor for the
oppressed and aid for the injured. This artifact doubles the healing
rate of the wearer and protects against the infirmities of time and
age, keeping the body healthy and vibrant. The wearer is undying.
The Hands of the Healing Spirit is one of the three artifacts in
the Circle of Love, created by Mishakal to end the war between two
noble families. The spirit of Mirri's love Trae and his brother Heris
are trapped in the other two artifacts: the Ring of Nature's Healing
and the Armband of Trueheart's Warding. The Hands of the Healing
Spirit are opposed by the Coin of Creed in the Triad of Betrayal,
artifacts created by Hiddukel.
Defenses: Coin of Greed XP Value: 5,500
Armband, Truehart's Warding
Used by: All; Vanderjack, Gregor, Kitiara, Caramon
Description: This armband of bronze is etched with a hawk who
bears arrows in its talons and four roses upon its breast. Its tale is
a twisted web of intrigue and tragedy.
The armband's origins are clouded in mystery to mortal
inquirers. Eventually, it passed into the hands of Khantal Krellick
"Oathbreaker," who maintained a bloody feud with his brother. At last,
weary of war, Khantal bequeathed the armband to his brother Novace to
end their feud. Among the ranks of mercenaries, however, Novace's
magic armband became coveted by many. A soldier who desired the
armband used a peculiar dagger of venom to slay Novace from behind.
While the coward looted the body, the warrior Vanderjack, who had
witnessed the betrayal, confronted the villain with his crime. In the
ensuing skirmish, Vanderjack slew the man. Vanderjack swore an oath to
one day return the armband to its family.
In the years that followed, Vanderjack's path crossed that of
the legendary Gregor Uth Matar. Seeing a similarity in the crests on
the armband and Sir Gregor's armor, Vanderjack passed the armband to
Sir Gregor, who promised to return it to his relatives, who had that
very crest. Whether Gregor ever intended to honor the bargain remains
uncertain. Gregor bequeathed the armband to his daughter Kitiara. She
wore it proudly and began her own career as a warrior. As time passed,
she bid farewell to her family and gave the armband to her warrior
brother Caramon, who still holds it.
Powers: This artifact detects only as simple magic, for the
depths of its powers are drawn from the spirit bound within the metal.
The armband provides its wearer with several enchantments. The wearer
receives protection from normal missiles and a +3 bonus to saves
versus magic and special attacks. Thrice per day, the armband lets the
wearer automatically avoid a special attack or reduce it to its
minimal effect (DM's option).
The armband also works much like a ring of protection +3,
improving the wearer's Armor Class by 3. Further, only +2 weapons or
better can strike the wearer for full damage. Other weapons will only
inflict 1 point of damage plus Strength and magical bonuses.
The armband can heal the wearer of all wounds once per day. With
all of these abilities, Trueheart's Warding is proof against the
blight of age, ill-will, and curses. The wearer is undying.
This artifact is the third in the Circle of Love, created by
Sirrion for the goddess Mishakal during the Age of Dreams. To prove
the strength of love over deceit, Mishakal drew the girl Mirri to the
young enemy warrior Trae. They fell in love.
Allied with Trae's brother Heris, the lovers set to establishing
peace between their warring nations. The evil god Hiddukel, however,
betrayed the lovers, imprisoning each of their spirits in one artifact
from the Circle of Love. Trae is bound in the Trueheart's Warding. The
armband opposes the Dagger of Vengeance in Hiddukel's Triad of
Betrayal.
Defenses: Dagger of Vengeance XP Value: 6,900
Bloodstone of Fistandantilus
Used by: Evil mages; Fistandantilus, Gader, Raistlin
Description: Legends state that no one can possess the
Bloodstone of Fistandantilus; one is possessed by it. Such is the
bloodstone's power; such is its Evil. Even if the artifact itself does
not turn its user mad, it offers prizes that just may: a new body, a
new mind, and immortality. In mortal combat, Raistlin wrested this
artifact from Fistandantilus. Some say the bloodstone wanted Raistlin
to win. Some say it drove him mad.
The Bloodstone of Fistandantilus has survived from the early
days of magic, crafted from the blood-speckled jasper found at the
Ravaged Heart valley of the Khalkist Mountains. A three-inch long
teardrop gem, the bloodstone takes its name from the scarlet speckles
that run through it. The gem rests in a plain silver setting that is
worn about the neck on a silver chain.
Powers: Once per day, the wearer can speak a command word to
cause the bloodstone to cure 2d8+1 points of damage to himself. The
stone cannot cure systemic damage such as that caused by poison or
petrification.
A separate command word causes the bloodstone to activate in the
following turn, attacking anyone in a 40-foot radius. When
successfully used, the bloodstone dislodges the victim's spirit and
transfers the mage's spirit into the victim's body. Use of the
bloodstone in this fashion automatically shifts the character one full
alignment toward Evil (i.e., Good becomes Neutral, Neutral becomes
Evil). In the round after this second command word is spoken, both
victim and wielder roll a save vs. spell with the following results:
- If both fail, each loses 1d10+5 hit points. The victim can
make one attack. The wizard can elect to receive the attack, hoping to
use the bloodstone again in the next round, or may break concentration
and try to avoid the attack.
- If both save, the victim's spirit is firmly entrenched and has
battled back the attack. Both roll saves again.
- If victim saves and wizard fails, the wizard suffers 1d10+5
points of damage and cannot perform an action in the next round. The
victim takes a free action that round.
- If wizard saves and victim fails, the victim's spirit
dislodges and departs to the gods. The wizard's spirit inhabits the
emptied body and his old body crumbles to dust. The wizard keeps his
old ability scores (Str, Dex, Con, etc.) except where the victim's
scores are higher. For such abilities, the wizard raises his scores to
match those of his victim. If the victim exceeded the wizard in level,
the wizard attains the higher level, gaining the experience points and
powers of his new level.
Defenses: Save vs. spell XP Value: 15,000
Brooch of Imog
Used by: Wizards; Alhana
Description: Made of gold leaf, these brooches are fashioned as
a ring of mistletoe with white-gold berries. They are a traditional
reward given to mages who served the elven nations well. No new
brooches have been crafted since the Cataclysm, though the skill to
create them survives.
Powers: When worn by a wizard who knows the command word, a
brooch of imog can (once per day) create a minor globe of
invulnerability: a shimmering, magical, 5' wide sphere that prevents
all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells from affecting those within. Magic
may still be cast by those within the sphere on targets beyond. The
effect lasts for 1 turn.
Defense: Disruption XP Value: 5,000
Bupu's Emerald
Used by: Gully dwarves, gnomes, kender
Description: A gully dwarf named Bupu bestowed this emerald upon
Raistlin as they wandered the ruins of Xak Tsaroth. She hoped it would
heal his infirmities. It did not. But neither did it strike him dead,
as it has done to others since. Although some adamantly claim that
Raistlin imbued the stone with its killing power, others say the
emerald was so enchanted before Raistlin acquired it. Regardless,
after Raistlin's death, the emerald somehow appeared in the pocket of
a gully dwarf who was cornered by draconians. The miserable creature
offered the emerald to his tormentors as a bribe for his life. They
accepted, intending to slay the wretch anyway. The stone killed the
draconians and the gully dwarf escaped.
Powers: Bupu's Emerald works only for gully dwarfs, gnomes, and
kender. When they offer the gem as a bribe in a life-threatening
situation, it evokes an insane fascination and possessiveness in the
attackers. The attackers must roll a save vs. spell to avoid this
effect. If the roll is failed, the attackers must do everything in
their power to clasp the emerald. The stone wounds or kills them on
contact. Those who touch the emerald must roll a save vs. death.
Success causes 2d20 points of damage; failure causes death. Draconians
call this lethal fascination Bupu's Revenge.
At any time, the owner of the gem may touch it harmlessly.
Outside of a life-threatening situation, the gem remains inert, having
the standard value of a similar gem.
Defenses: Saving throw vs. death XP Value: 5,000
Coin of Luck (Coin of Greed)
Used by: Hiddukel's minions; Balcombe and Tasslehoff
Description: This innocent-looking copper coin has two faces,
both depicting a fat-jowled merchant. One side smiles ingratiatingly
and the other side sneers in open-mouthed scorn.
The coin grants luck indeed: good luck for Hiddukel and bad luck
for any mortal who comes across it. One encounter with the Coin of
Luck occurred when Balcombe, an initiate into the Order of the Red
Robes, failed the Test of Sorcery and ended up a splintered and
smoldering pulp outside the Tower of High Sorcery. The Coin of Luck
appeared in his hand, and his ruined body was renewed with life. Then
Hiddukel, speaking through the coin, offered a deal: Balcombe could
remain alive and avenge himself on the wizards who slew him if he
promised to serve Hiddukel. Balcombe agreed, only then discovering
that Hiddukel required him to trap the life forces of Krynn's folk in
magic jars and feed them to the insatiable god. Hiddukel planned, at
the next opportune stellar conjunction, to draw the life forces from
the jars and feast upon them.
As might be expected, Balcombe was killed in the commission of
his duties, and the coin found its way into the pack of one Tasslehoff
Burrfoot. It could be anywhere now.
Powers: The Coin of Luck acts as a luckstone, occasionally
adding a bonus of +2 to any die roll (roll 1d6: odd = +2, even = +0).
Through the coin's opposite faces, Hiddukel can speak to the
bearer. The grinning side speaks when Hiddukel is in a good mood and
the sneering side when he feels foul. The coin periodically flips
sides in the bearer's hand when Hiddukel's mood changes. Hiddukel
grants the Coin of Luck only to those with whom he knows he has a
bargain that cannot be refused.
Once the coin reveals itself as a tool of Hiddukel and the owner
agrees to enter into a pact with Hiddukel, however, all the Coin of
Luck's powers activate. Once per day, the bearer of the coin can cast
continual darkness, 15'radius. Once per turn the bearer can also cast
suggestion on anyone. These suggestions are used to sew dissent and
discord. The coin can create an anti-magic area with a 20 foot radius
at Hiddukel's will. Hiddukel summons this ability to place his minion
at a disadvantage so that he must bargain further with the god of
betrayal for his life. Once per day, the coin also casts blight and
bestow curse, the reverse of bless and remove curse.
Anyone invoking one of the greater powers of the coin must make
a system shock roll each time or become scarred and lose 1 point of
Charisma. The user of the coin becomes more corrupted, jealous, or
greedy. Eventually the coin brings downfall to any using it.
This Coin of Creed, is part of a Triad of Betrayal created and
inhabited by Hiddukel. Although Reorx forged the coin, Hiddukel imbued
it with magic to thwart the designs of the goddess of love, Mishakal.
The Coin of Creed, like the other artifacts of the Betrayal Triad,
pursues an artifact of the Circle of Love all around the face of
Krynn. The Coin of Luck seeks to destroy the Amulet of the Healing
Spirit.
Defenses: Refuse the deal XP Value: 15,000
Dalamar's Bracelet
Used by: Evil and Neutral folk; Dalamar, Tanis
Description: The true name of this ancient artifact is lost to
time. It received its current (and misleading) name when Dalamar took
it from its resting place in the Tower of High Sorcery and presented
it to Tanis. Dalamar did so to offer Tanis some small protection
against the magic of the death knight, Lord Soth.
Powers: The bracelet contains an Evil taint that prevents those
of Lawful or Chaotic Good alignments from using it. If such folk touch
the bracelet, they are struck by lightning that arcs from the
artifact, causing 3d10 points of damage.
Those of any character class may wear the bracelet. It provides
limited protection against magic. It offers 10% magic resistance
against spells of 3rd to 5th level, 20% against those of 6th to 7th
level, and 30% against those of 8th to 9th level. The wearer can,
using a command word, summon this magic resistance thrice per day for
each of these three spell ranges. The command word must be uttered
just as the opponent casts the spell.
Sadly, this benefit comes at a cost. The Evil taint of the
bracelet causes the user's alignment to slowly slide toward Chaotic
Evil. Every nine uses (equivalent to a full day's use of the magic
resistance) causes the character to slip one alignment downward. From
the top, the progression runs as follows: Lawful Good, Neutral Good,
Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Evil,
Neutral Evil, Chaotic Evil. The DM should keep track of the number of
uses of the bracelet and, after each nine, slip the player a note
indicating his new alignment. The PC will soon discover the cause of
this shift.
Defenses: None XP Value: 7,000
Disks of Mishakal
Used by: Priest of Mishakal and scholars of Good gods; Goldmoon,
Elistan
Description: The once-lost Disks of Mishakal, are steeped in
legend. These disks, crafted during the Age of Might, provide a
treatise on the rituals and worship of the gods of Krynn. Each of the
160 disks are made of hammered platinum, thin as a quith-pa wafer and
3 hand-spans wide. A rod of steel pierces one edge of each disk,
binding the disks together. Arcane glyphs engraved on both sides of
the disk tell the secrets of the gods. As with any sacred text, the
disks answer a multitude of questions, but raise a many more.
The disks are said to have been commissioned by Karthay Pah,
though the actual work was completed at the hands of Eriel Caladon nae
Tempus and a triumvirate of Silvanesti scholars. When the Kingpriests
arose, the elves feared for the loss of this divinely inspired work.
They therefore sent it secretly across the land to their brethren in
Qualinesti. Barbarians from New Sea massacred the caravan and the
disks were lost.
In 255 PC, the disks were rediscovered in Zhakar: the ogres
wanted to melt the disks and forge them into coin. The disks somehow
escaped melting (perhaps by divine intervention or a unique magical
property). Later, the gray dwarf Forlorn Ironbeard summoned the gods
to aid his folk, the Zhakar, in repelling Khurian raiders. The
ungrateful Zhakar abandoned Forlorn to his doom in the final siege of
Ransom's Gate. The gods sent the mold plague to punish the unfaithful
dwarves.
Word reached the Kingpriest of the lost disks and a kingly
bounty was set for their recovery. In addition to the glory and power
the disks would provide him, the Kingpriest knew that quests for the
disks would preoccupy the Knights of Solamnia. Many valiant knights
sought the holy disks, but none ever found them. At last, the brash
plainsmen Clearbrook set out upon the quest. His travels took him to
world's end and beyond into the mists of the Abyss. When Clearbrook
returned to Xak Tsaroth, he bore the disks in a robe of bison skin. He
delivered the relic to the priests of Mishakal, and then led his
pursuers (spies of the Kingpriest) into the Darken Woods. None
returned.
In Xak Tsaroth, the disks lay hidden. After the Cataclysm, the
barbarian priestess Goldmoon recovered the disks from the ruins. At
war's end the fabulous disks were ensconced in the temple of Mishakal
at Palanthus for the most devout and pure souls to study and learn the
teachings of the gods of Good.
Powers: Anyone with Good alignment may touch the disks, and folk
with the Ancient Languages proficiency may read them. Those of Neutral
or Evil alignment, when attempting to touch or read the disks, are
struck by a lightning bolt that arcs from the disks, doing 3d10 points
damage. Although priests of Paladine strongly warn petitioners that
"they must be at peace with Mishakal and Paladine to read the disks
safely," one or two unworthy readers die every year. To the worthy,
however, patient and penitent study of the disks can unfold the
mysteries of death, creation, and life.
Defenses: None XP Value: 100,000
Dragonorb (Orb of Dragonkind)
Used by: Mages; Raistlin, Dalamar, Fistandantilus, Lorac
Description: The orbs of dragonkind, also called dragonorbs, are
fragile, etched globes of crystal, 20" in diameter when in use. When
not in use, the orbs shrink to a more manageable 10" diameter. The
orbs expand when a mage speaks the command words carved in elven runes
on the globes' surface.
The five dragonorbs were created by the alliance of wizards
during the Third Dragon War. These orbs were designed after the five
godstones that imprisoned the original dragons of darkness during the
First Dragon War. Because each orb contains the spirit of a mighty
wyrm of evil, the orbs lured other dragons to their doom, much as
moths are lured to a flame. At least three dragonorbs survive on
Ansalon in this age: one in haunted Silvanesti, one in the cold
fastness of Icewall, and the third somewhere in northern Solamnia,
perhaps even Palanthus or the High Clerist's Tower.
Powers: Legends said that in pre-Cataclysm days, the orbs
destroyed dragons. Unfortunately, these legends were terribly
inaccurate. In fact, the orbs summon Evil dragons. Before the
Cataclysm, powerful wizards used the orbs to summon Evil dragons, then
destroy them with powerful spells.
Any character attempting to use an orb must gaze into it and
speak the command words. Afterward, the DM secretly rolls a save vs
spells for the character. If the save fails, the character is charmed
by the dragon that inhabits the orb. A character charmed by the orb
acts to further the cause of evil, but will avoid alerting companions
to his new nature. DMs should discreetly inform the player that his PC
has been charmed, but should act no differently until the right
circumstances arise.
If, however, the character made the save vs spell, any Evil
dragons in 1d4x10 miles wing their way to the orb. These dragons try
to kill any non-Evil creatures they find within sight of the orb. If
current gaming locations do not specify nearby dragons, the DM rolls a
d6. On a 1 or 2, an Evil dragon of random age and color shows up.
Each orb has a variety of other magical powers that may be
invoked. These powers vary from orb to orb. The best-known orb, the
orb of Silvanesti has the following minor abilities, usable thrice
daily: clairvoyance on anything within a 60 mile radius for up to
three turns, invisibility, 10'radius if the caster concentrates,
legend lore with a 25% chance of success, speak with dead, and water
breathe cast on one creature for up to six turns. The following major
abilities function once per day: airy water with a duration of one
day, heal one creature per day, control dragon for 1d20 turns (during
which the dragon attempts to pervert commands), and teleport without
error to any location the orb or the caster knows.
Each summoned ability requires a save vs spells; failure means
the caster becomes charmed by the orb. If the save is successful, the
DM must still check to see if any Evil dragons answer the call of the
orb. Any character who gazes into the orb and utters the command words
and avoids the charm will learn of one of the orb's other abilities.
Detect magic or detect Evil show a positive result if cast upon
the orb or the charmed character. For purposes of removing the spell
effect by dispel magic or remove charm, the charm is treated as if it
were cast by an 11th level wizard.
Defense: Dispel magic, remove Charm XP Value: 25,000
Flute of Wind Dancing
Used by: Musicians; Riverwind
Description: These flutes sing with sea magic and are given to
favored mariners by sirens of the depths. Flutes of wind dancing
occasionally find their way into royal courts of the land. Legend says
the art of crafting these flutes was taught by Branchala to Habbakuk.
Powers: Only skilled musicians can evoke the magic of the flute.
With the proper tune, the user can control a normal breeze within 2
rounds, causing it to blow in any direction: blowing clouds 10 feet
per round, reducing the duration of magical clouds by half, and
fanning flames hotter (+1 per die of damage). The flute also stirs up
a light breeze for sailing.
With 3 rounds spent playing a lively tune, the player can summon
a gust of wind that doubles sailing speed, disperses clouds, blows
away light items, and slows (or speeds) flying creatures by half. If
the musician plays for an entire turn, a dust devil is created (HD 2,
AC 0, MV 180', THAC0 19, Dmg 1d4, hp 13), which snuffs all nonmagical
flames it passes, holds gaseous creatures at bay, blows grit into a
10' wide blinding cloud, and triples sailing speed.
These effects last as long as the flautist plays. He may play 1
round per point of Constitution, after which he must make an ability
check each additional round to continue.
Defense: Disrupt, dispel magic XP Value: 1,500
Glasses of Arcanist
Used by: All; Tasslehoff, Dalamar
Description: These magical rose-colored lenses have narrow
platinum frames, best suited for the smaller heads of elves and
kender. Created by the mage Arcanist centuries before the Cataclysm,
these glasses have been lost through the ages. For a time, Dalamar had
possession of them.
Powers: These spectacles allow wearer true seeing on anything
within 2 feet. The glasses enable the wearer to read and comprehend
all writings no matter what the language, but do not guarantee
understanding of the topic. Magical scrolls and books may be read, but
the glasses do not automatically enable non-spell casters to cast
spells. Rogues and fighters have a 5% chance to use a magical scroll,
but have a 25% chance of reversing the spell. Low-level spell-casters
can cast highlevel spells without error.
The wearer may also use the glasses to detect forgeries, find
hidden items, see through mundane magic illusions, and see invisible
objects or creatures in range. The DM rolls 1d20. On a 1, the user
misinterprets what is seen or sees an illusory image.
Defense: Distance, artifacts XP Value: 2,000
Golden Circlet
Used by: Priests and wizards; Serinda
Description: Over the generations, the Golden Circlet (Circlet
of Pride) has brought about some of the great tragedies of Krynn. Some
tales say it brought an end to the proud kingdom of Ergoth. All tales
agree that it contributed to the Kingpriest's madness. Even so, the
mind-warping and dominating powers of the Golden Circlet have shrouded
its history in malaise. Sadly, only those with the malevolent power to
use this item know its true operations.
Powers: Worn upon the brow, the Golden Circlet can command up to
8 Hit Dice of creatures, once per turn. Commands must be only 1 word
spoken aloud in a language the creature understands. Each command
lasts 1 round. Alternately, the wearer once per turn may concentrate
on one creature of up to 4 Hit Dice who is within 60'. This focus
allows the wearer to control the actions of the creature as long as he
concentrates. This is not a charm spell and the creature will not
intentionally harm itself.
The Evil god Hiddukel takes this mind control one step further.
He uses the circlet to place a suggestion in the mind of the wearer,
offering him a deal that will be hard to refuse. If the person agrees,
the circlet's full range of powers becomes available to him.
The circlet can be used at will to heat or chill metal and to
cast a modified command spell that may use sentences of seven words or
less. It also adds a +2 bonus to the wearer's Charisma, and supplies a
-2 penalty to Wisdom.
Each use of these dark powers permanently drains one hit point
from the wielder. These points may be recovered by draining life
energies from another creature as if an undead creature. When the
wearer strikes with hands, teeth, or feet, he may drain two experience
levels (like a spectre) from his target and gain 1 hit point per level
drained (up to his maximum). Each time he drains a level in this
manner, however, the character must make a system shock roll or
permanently lose 1d3 points of Constitution. If the character's
Constitution falls to zero, he becomes a mindless spectre, abandoning
the Circlet of Pride to another.
This artifact ultimately corrupts the wielder, making him
conceited, arrogant, boastful, and vain. He can then only attract
monstrous minions and others that share his prejudices and hatreds.
The Golden Circlet belongs to the Triad of Betrayal: three
artifacts created by Reorx and the gods of magic and imbued with the
essence of Hiddukel. The circlet's true name is the Circlet of Pride.
It opposes the Ring of Nature's Healing, created by Mishakal to end a
war between two great families.
Defense: Distract, remove curse XP Value: 3,500
Icon of Truth
Used by: Priests of Neutrality
Description: This item is a jewel-encrusted white-marble
rectangle carved into the shape of a book. It radiates magic. The icon
represents the Tobril, the book that Gilean holds, which contains all
the knowledge of the gods. In the days of the Kingpriest, the Icon of
Truth was used to verify the truth in a person's words and oaths in
the courts of the land. The questioned person would place his hand on
the icon and swear that his words were the truth.
Power: The Icon of Truth can detect lie up to six times a day by
pulsing white when the truth is spoken and glowing red (and invoking
pain) when a lie is spoken by a person touching it. Three times per
day, a priest with the Icon of Truth can cast true seeing. A priest
also can utter the command word "Tobril" to generate a field that
dispels all illusions in a 30' radius.
Defense: Conceal lie, dispel magic XP Value: 7,000
Keys of Quinarost
Used by: Elves; Alhana Starbreeze
Description: These six-inch long keys are made of fine crystal
twined with strands of platinum. They are of elven origin, and are
attuned to the life forces of the owners.
Powers: The Keys of Quinarost have the power to open the tower
at the center of the city of Silvanost. The keys can be reattuned to
the life of a new owner as long as the old owner is alive and
voluntarily makes the change.
These keys are highly sought after by the Silvanesti elves, who
will pay 25,000 stl for the safe return of one key.
Defense: None XP Value: 5,000
Medallion of Faith
Used by: Priests; Goldmoon, Elistan
Description: The medallion of faith is a Good priest's holy
symbol. This relic is essential to invoking the miracles of one's god
and to mark the devout. Without a medallion, a priest is cut off from
his god, and at best can only evoke spells from the 1st through 3rd
levels of discipline. These silver medallions bear the symbol and
mystic signs of one's god. Powers: In the hands of a priest of 5th
level or higher, the medallion can create other medallions for
converts to the true gods.
In addition, a medallion in the hand of a priest of 9th level or
higher allows him to detect Evil -- the medallion glows a pale blue
and chimes when touched by an Evil thing. Once per day, the following
powers may also be used:
- Bless: Add +1 to attack and morale rolls of all allies within
60 yards for 6 rounds.
- Protection vs Evil, 10' radius: All allies within 10' of
priest cannot be touched by an Evil or enchanted creature as long as
the priest does not attack. This effect improves the priest's AC by
-2, and gives a +2 bonus to all saving throws for as long as the
caster concentrates.
- Slow poison: As long as a poison victim wears the medallion,
he suffers no ill effects from the poison for up to one day.
Defenses: Distract XP Value: N/A
Nightjewel
Used by: Anyone; Dalamar, Tanis
Description: Black as an Evil dragon's blood, this jewel
protects any who enter the Shoikan Grove as long as they have the
courage and will to use it. The Nightjewel helps to alleviate the fear
generated by the Grove, though it does not cancel it completely. The
Nightjewel can be used in defense against the undead who stalk the
Grove, but the person using it must have the courage to touch the
undead with the jewel if the undead attacks. No other weapon can be
used with the Nightjewel.
The Nightjewel is black, unlovely to look at, and cold to touch.
It can hang about the neck on a silver chain, but must be held in the
hand, high in the air, when entering the Grove. A character who uses
the jewel must remove his helm and hood so that the light of the jewel
shines on his face and in his eyes. This light can be seen only by the
undead. To all others, the jewel looks as black and ugly as a lump of
coal.
Powers: When a party of adventurers enters the Grove, the
Nightjewel must be held high by the leader of the party. It modifies
the fear roll for everyone in the group so long as no weapon is drawn
or spell is cast. Once a weapon is drawn or a spell is cast, the
Nightjewel instantly loses all power, leaving the adventuring party at
the mercy of the Shoikan Grove.
Those properly presenting the Nightjewel may ignore the -- 10
penalty to saving throws while in the grove. Characters must still
roll their normal saves. If the character fails, he loses the benefit
of the Nightjewel until he succeeds in a subsequent saving throw (with
the -- 10 penalty).
The wielder of the Nightjewel may turn undead as a 14thlevel
priest by touching the undead (rolls THAC0).
Defenses: Knock out of hand XP Value: 3,000
Raistlin's (Fistandantilus') Cursed Money
Used by: Merchants; hill dwarves
Description: During the Dwarfgate Wars, Raistlin (or
Fistandantilus) made a deal with the dark dwarves. They betrayed their
king and left the gates of Pax Tharkas open when Raistlin's army
attacked. A victorious Raistlin paid the dark dwarves 100,000 steel
coins.
These coins were cursed, however, to prevent the dark dwarves
from double-crossing the wizard. If the owner of one of these coins
goes back on his spoken word, the flesh of his hands begins to turn
black and rot away. This dread curse spreads slowly and inexorably to
the rest of the body until the victim dies.
Powers: The legendary effect of this money occurs only when the
money is actually part of a promise. (If an NPC pays a PC in
Raistlin's cursed money to guard him, and the PC flees with the money,
the curse will claim him.) A person under the curse suffers 1d4 points
of damage from rotting each day until he either makes good on his
promise, receives a remove curse, or dies.
Defenses: Remove curse XP Value: 10 per coin
Silver Arm of Ergoth
Used by: One-armed humanoids; Theros Ironfeld
Description: The Silver Arm of Ergoth was created by the men,
elves, dwarves, and Good dragons during the Third Dragon War. It was
used to forge the original dragonlances, and was used again during the
recent war against the Dragon Empire.
Powers: The arm must be attached to a humanoid with a Strength
of at least 17. The person must be of Good alignment and be missing
his right arm. When a proper wearer places the arm to his right
shoulder, the arm grafts itself to the character and becomes a normal
arm for all common tasks.
When used with the Hammer of Kharas, however, the Silver Arm of
Ergoth has the power to properly forge dragonlances from dragonmetal.
Only with the Hammer of Kharas, the Silver Arm of Ergoth, pure
dragonmetal, and the skill of a blacksmith or weaponsmith can true
dragonlances be crafted.
The arm acts as a ring of regeneration for the character wearing
it.
Defenses: Death, dismemberment XP Value: 9,000
Singing Statue
Used by: Anyone; Crysania
Description: These hollow statues of gold were smithed into
their form by the goddess Mishakal, the Healer. Each statue stands
about 6" tall.
If water is poured into the hole at the statue's top, the statue
begins to hum a peaceful tune. When the statue "sings," it acts as a
chime of opening against any locked or held door, it prevents undead
from approaching within 20' of the wielder, and it heals 1d6 points of
damage to all people within 10'(including the wielder). This last
power is usable only once per day.
The duration of the singing is 4d4 turns. If the water is
prematurely spilled, the singing stops. These statues were common in
pre-Cataclysmic times. Now that the clergy of Mishakal has been
restored, the singing statues have begun to reappear with increasing
frequency.
Defense: Spill water, dispel magic XP Value: 3,750
Webnet
Used by: Wizards; Apoletta
Description: Dimernesti sea mages; wealthy women Powers: These
delicate and beautiful hair ornaments are spun by Dimernesti sea mages
and are treasured by wealthy ladies of the land. In the hands of a
wizard who knows the command word, webnets are clever weapons. When
spun before the eyes of up to 12 Hit Dice of intelligent creatures,
webnets cause the creatures to save vs spells or be hypnotized. A
hypnotized subject obeys reasonable verbal suggestion only, either
responding immediately or according to a trigger (e.g., "When you hear
a clap, stab Arnos."). If the subject is hostile or wary, the DM
should add +1 to +3 to the subject's saving throw. This power may be
used 3 times per day.
With a second command word, the user may throw the webnet at a
foe. It grows into a 10' round net of entrapment (treat as AC -10; 5
points of damage are needed to cut a strand). The net can only be
ripped by a person with a Strength of 20. Upon command the net will
shrink again. This power may be used 6 times per day.
Defense: Save vs spells XP Value: 3,000
Magic Armor and Shields
Dragonarmor
Used by: Warriors and priests; Dragon Highlords
Description: This armor consists of a padded tunic and leggings
topped by breast and shoulder plates made of dragon scale and plate
mail. The thighs and shins are protected by additional plates, these
attached separately. The full-sized helm is a two-pieced arrangement,
which grants protection to the back of the neck as well as the face.
Dragonarmor is custom-fitted to its wearer, who suffers no
encumbrance penalty when wearing it. Others may find a particular suit
either too loose or too tight, suffering a -- 1 penalty on all attacks
and all proficiency checks that depend on Dexterity. Dragonarmor was
the invention of Sargonnas for his Dark Lady during the War of the
Lance.
Powers: Dragonarmor is considered scale armor +2. Those who wear
the tunic and leggings subtract 1d6 points from any
cold-or fire-based attacks against them.
Defense: None XP Value: 3,000
Plate of Solamnus
Used by: Warriors and Knights of the Rose; Solamnus
Description: These suits consist of field plate armor that has
been beautifully tooled with the markings of all three Solamnic
orders. The sigil of the Order of the Rose shows prominently on the
breastplate. The suits, made when the Knighthood was first formed,
have been used by certain Knights of the Rose ever since. Vinas
Solamnus wore the first such suit, as did Huma, although he never
became a Knight of the Rose. Currently such suits are scarce.
Powers: This armor carries a +5 enchantment (AC - 3). Wearers
must strictly follow the tenets of the Lawful Good alignment or the
armor loses its magical bonus. Neutral or Evil characters suffer an
additional 1d10 points of damage from any damage received while
wearing this armor.
DMs must remember that this armor is very rare. It is no longer
made. One suit could be the goal of a long, dangerous quest.
Defense: None XP Value: 5,000
Sheld of Huma
Used by: Warriors; Huma
Description: Huma is most famed for his use of the original
dragonlances to banish the Queen of Darkness from the face of Krynn.
His shield, however, figures quite prominently in many of his lesser
tales. It never failed him, saving his life during many battles
against dragons before the dragonlance was employed.
The shield appears to be a medium shield, carved with intricate
symbols of the Knights of the Crown.
Powers: Huma's shield is considered a medium shield +3 (+5 vs.
dragons). It magically protects its wielder against breath-weapon
attacks so that a successful save vs. breath weapon causes no damage
and a failed save results in only half damage.
Defenses: None XP Value: 7,000
Solamnic Armor
Used by: Warriors and Knights of Solamnia
Description: All Knights of Solamnia gain this suit of armor
when they attain the title of Lord and prove themselves worthy as true
and noble knights. Each suit is engraved with the symbols of the
knight's order and (for Sword and Rose Knights) any knighthoods
previously held by the knight. Production of Solamnic armor has
resumed in the aftermath of the War of the Lance.
Powers: The armor is a suit of field plate +1.
Defense: None XP Value: 3,000
Magic Weapons
Axe of Brotherhood and Sword of Friendship
Used by: Warriors
Description: During the Dwarfgate Wars, Caramon proposed a
contest to bring the two quarreling factions of hill dwarves and
plainsmen together. Caramon raised a tall wooden post in a sea of mud,
placing the Axe of Brotherhood and the Sword of Friendship at the top.
Whoever climbed the post could claim these as prizes. There was a
catch, of course. Not only was the post greased, but Caramon had the
contest rigged so that the dwarves and men had to work together to
reach the prizes.
Powers: The Axe of Brotherhood has a +2 bonus to hit and damage.
The Sword of Friendship has a + 3 bonus to hit and damage.
Defenses: Armor XP Value: 2,000 and 3,000
The Brightblade
Used by: Warriors; Sturm, Angriff, Bedal, Galen
Description: This two-handed sword is among the finest weapons
ever crafted by dwarves for humans. Rumored to be over 2,900 years
old, the Brightblade remains keen and vital, showing no wear from the
long, wearying ages. Legends regarding the sword remain few, lost with
the death of the last of the Brightblades.
In the time of Vinas Solamnus, a warrior named Berthel defended
a lone dwarven traveler from the savagery of bloodthirsty hobgoblins.
As a reward, the dwarven noble crafted a beautiful shining sword for
his savior. The sword bore the name of the Brightblade.
In the years that followed, Berthel wielded the Brightblade in
the service of Vinas Solamnus during the Rose Rebellion. Afterward,
Berthel's son Bedal took up the honor, and proved himself as heroic as
his father. He single-handedly defended a strategic pass from fierce
desert nomads.
The Brightblade continued in the service of Berthel's line until
its owner was slain and it was lost to ogres. After the Cataclysm, a
descendant of Bedal's, Bayard Brightblade, recovered his family's
sword, which he then passed on to.Galen Pathwarden di Caela
Brightblade, his adopted son. Although Galen's beginnings were humble,
he became known as a knight of great virtue and prowess.
Through history the sword passed to Emelin Brightblade,
grandsire of Sturm, and thence to Angriff Brightblade. The sword was
lost during the peasant rebellion called the Outcrying, but Sturm at
last reclaimed his heritage when he came of age and faced down Lord
Wilderness' challenge of the heart. The Brightblade defended Sturm to
the last, when he fell at the High Clerist's Tower during the War of
the Lance. The sword's current locale is unknown.
Powers: The Brightblade is a two-handed sword +3 of dwarvish
make. It resists rust and corrosion and its edges never lose their
sharpness. Strong dwarven runes of protection cover it, forbidding
those unworthy to use it. Only those of noble heart, virtue, and
courage can command its full powers. If used by one of dark purpose,
weak beliefs, or Evil will, it will shatter, and may only be restored
by the grace of the gods.
The sword's runes of friendship and peace grant the wielder +2
to all response checks from others. Further, this two handed sword has
the speed and swiftness of a long sword. Finally, the Brightblade can
summon light and provide protection from Evil once per day.
Defenses: Armor XP Value: 2,700
Dagger of Magius
Used by: Wizards; Raistlin
Description: Raistlin Majere purchased this dagger from the
Tower of High Sorcery, giving in exchange a valuable magical item he
found in his early days of mercenary service. He carried the dagger on
his right forearm by means of a cunningly designed leather thong of
this own making. This allowed the dagger to slip into his hand with a
simple movement of his wrist.
Six inches long, this silver dagger is carved in the shape of a
dragon with the tail as the blade. It is slender and lightweight and
can easily be hidden upon the person of the mage. Powers: The dagger
has a +3 bonus to hit and damage. It also has the ability to remain
undetected in a search of themage's person.
Defenses: Armor XP Value: 1,500
Dagger of Vengeance
Used by: All
Description: This double-edged dagger has a nasty barb at its
tip and a blood groove that runs its length. The pommel of the dagger
is wrapped in serpent skin and bears a flaming red garnet. Legends
praise this weapon as the bringer of righteous revenge.
From the time of its mysterious beginnings, the Dagger of
Vengeance has wandered Krynn, wreaking terrible tragedies and
advancing the cause of evil. Ever it has followed in the path of the
magic item Trueheart's Warding; often has it slain the wearer of the
armband. No one knows who now bears the Dagger of Vengeance.
Powers: The Dagger of Vengeance appears to be a dagger of venom.
It secretes its own extremely virulent poison (save vs poison -2). If
employed in what the wielder perceives to be an act of vengeance, the
blade backstabs at +4 to hit, and causes 1d4+2 points of damage and
requires a save vs poison at -2. On a roll of 18-20 on 1d20, the
dagger injects a second dose of poison, requiring a second save vs
poison at -4.
The Dagger of Vengeance slowly gains control over anyone who
wields it, especially those who harbor anger or jealousy. With each
use, the dagger gradually shift the wielder's thoughts to Chaotic
Evil. The ranks shift as follows: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic
Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral, Chaotic Evil, Lawful Evil, Neutral
Evil, Chaotic Evil. The dagger makes the wielder paranoid,
temperamental, and quick to anger. Whenever a PC or NPC performs an
action that the character might consider a threat, the DM should have
the bearer of the Dagger of Vengeance make a Wisdom check minus the
number of times the player has used the dagger. If the check fails,
the player goes into a paranoid rage and must attack the offender.
"Vengeance will be mine!"
If the dagger is stolen, it continues to call out to previous
owners across the miles. Any owner who has a combined Intelligence and
Wisdom of less than 27 must pursue the dagger fanatically, seeking its
return.
This dagger is one of the three artifacts in the Triad of
Betrayal created by Reorx and imbued with the essence of Hiddukel. He
created the Dagger of Vengeance as a foil to Mishakal's Trueheart's
Warding. The dagger seeks out the owner of Trueheart's Warding and
strives to destroy him or her.
Mishakal bestowed the three artifacts of the Circle of Love on
the lovers Trae and Mirri, and Trae's brother Heris. These artifacts
bound them together, bringing about a peace between their feuding
families. Hiddukel plotted to destroy that peace. He bestowed the
Dagger of Vengeance upon Lady Dobal, who lusted after the heart of the
mage Heris. Lady Dobal feared the impending alliance between the
feuding families. She planned to slay the warrior and his bride to
free Heris' heart for her alone. Through treachery, Lady Dobal
shattered the newfound alliance. But when Trae and Mirri lay dead,
Heris took his own life, leaving Lady Dobal again alone.
Defenses: Armor and remove curse XP Value: 1,300
Dragonlance, Lesser
Used by: Warriors and Knights of Solamnia
Description: These beautiful weapons come in two types:
footman's lances and mounted lances. Each type is made of a silvery
metal that gives off a healthy, powerful glow of silver. The head is
sharpened to a fine edge, with small barbs protruding from the sides.
How well the lance was made and under what conditions it was
forged determines the lance's performance in battle. The forging of a
true dragonlance requires two artifacts: the Silver Arm of Ergoth, and
the Hammer of Kharas. Legend says that only dragonlances forged by
these two artifacts can work properly.
A dragonlance forged with only one of the two above artifacts
receives only a +2 enchantment to hit and damage. A lance forged by
both artifacts gains a +4 enchantment. Dragonlances were first created
at the end of the early Dragon Wars, and they brought about the
downfall of the Evil dragons. Twenty dragonlances survived inside the
Stone Dragon of Ergoth -- 10 footman and 10 mounted lances. Others lie
in sunken Istar.
More lances were forged during the War of the Lance. With the
end of the War, the Knights of Solamnia have overseen the production
and distribution of the lances. Dragonlances are never sold, nor
distributed lightly. Characters who are not demonstrably Good cannot
use the lances. (The lance burns the hand or mount of a non-Good
character for 4d6 points of damage per round held.) The Knights keep
close track of the actions of those who are given a lance.
Footman's Dragonlance: This lance is 6 feet long. It can be
thrown as a spear, although with a -- 2 to hit. The lance causes 1d6
points of damage on man-sized or smaller opponents, and 1d8 points
against larger than man-sized opponents. Against any dragon, the
dragonlance inflicts damage equal to the total remaining hit points of
its wielder. Mounted Dragonlance: The mounted lance is 12 feet long
and is most effective when mounted on a Good dragon. The weapon is
buttressed by a harness mount that enables the wielder to bring the
weapon's point to bear at any arc around its balance point.
The mounted lance does 2d4+1 points of damage against foes that
are man-sized or smaller, and 3d6 points against larger than man-sized
opponents. Against a dragon, the lance inflicts damage equal to the
total remaining hit points of the
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The hammer chooses when to activate its powers, although a
wielder with enough Intelligence and Wisdom can resist the hammer's
will and, in turn, command it.
The Hammer of Kharas has the following special abilities, at the
20th level of magic use:
- Detects Evil as a paladin.
- Gives wielder immunity to fear, both normal and magical.
- Protects wielder from 1st-4th level spells.
- Casts prayer once per day.
- Provides protection from normal missiles once per day.
- Acts as a potion of fire giant strength once per day.
- Cures serious wounds once per day.
Inspires awe in all dwarves and derro, preventing them from
taking action against the hammer or its wielder.
Defenses: Armor, willpower XP Value: 7,700
Mantooth
Used by: Rogues and warriors; Caramon
Description: Silvanesti legends tell of this warrior's blade
that could shattered enchantments and turn spells -- the true wizard's
bane. It is known by many names: Spellcleaver, Darkstar, Magefool, and
Mantooth. Folktales credit this blade with the undoing of the
sorceress Silvyana 500 years ago and binding of the ogremage, Shril.
The sword's origin and purpose are unknown, as is its current
location. Mantooth last appeared in the treasury of Silvanost.
Powers: Mantooth is a long sword +1 (+2 vs wizards and magic
creatures). It deflects a magical attack back on the attacker by
rolling to hit AC 0 (without bonuses). The spell caster may still save
to dodge the attack.
Mantooth also may sever magical barriers. Roll to hit AC 0.
Every point of damage inflicted on the barrier causes a 1% cumulative
chance that the barrier will fall.
Defense: Disarm XP Value: 2,700
Nightbringer
Used by: Evil warriors and priests; Verminaard
Description: Nightbringer was forged in the Tower of Ergoth. It
was here that the power of the Black Robe wizards forged many Evil
weapons in the days when their kind were hunted by the corrupt church
of Istar.
After the Cataclysm, Nightbringer fell into the possession of
Verminaard, who received it from other Evil priests.
Powers: Nightbringer is a footman's mace +3. It is a powerful
tool of evil. When the mace strikes a victim and the com mand word is
uttered, the victim must make a saving throw vs. spell or become blind
for 2d6 turns. The mace also inflicts its normal damage. If a
character of Good alignment tries to pick up Nightbringer, that
character must roll a successful saving throw vs. spell with a -2
penalty to the roll. Failure means that the character is blinded
permanently until a cure blindness spell is cast on him.
Defenses: Remove curse, armor XP Value: 5,600
Rabbitslayer
Used by: All; Tasslehoff
Description: Tas brags about how his lucky knife always finds
its way back to him. Called Rabbitslayer (because Caramon said it
would only be of use against ferocious rabbits), the dagger's origin
remains unclear. Tas claimed he found in the cursed lands near Xak
Tsaroth. Goldmoon once pronounced the blade "blessed by the gods" and
"more powerful than imagined." Others scoffed. Powers: Rabbitslayer is
a dagger +4. It always returns to its owner's hands within 1d20 hours
after it is lost or stolen. Only if it is willingly given away does
Rabbitslayer gain a new owner.
Defenses: Armor XP Value: 300
Wyrmsbane
(Redeemer) Used by: Warriors; Tanis
Description: This sword has had many owners and many names. To
most it is Wyrmsbane, sister sword to Kith-Kanan's Wyrmslayer. It was
forged in Silvanesti during the Second Dragon War, but was given to
the kingdom of Thorbardin and from thence to Ergoth. The sword's blade
is etched with elvish script, and its crosspiece bears the likeness of
a falcon's beak. Powers: Redeemer functions as a long sword +2. When
wielded against dragons, draconians, serpents, or lizard kin, it
inflicts double damage.
Against serpent spawn of the sea and marsh (e.g., black dragons)
Redeemer causes triple damage. It cannot be harmed by wyrm breath
weapons, and cannot be trapped in the stony form of a dead draconian.
Redeemer can also locate objects if the object is known and within 180
yards. The sword will point in the direction of the desired object (if
the item is not shielded by lead or gold). This power functions 3
times per day.
Defenses: Distance, lead or gold XP Value: 800
Wyrmslayer
Used by: Warriors; Kith-Kanan
Description: This mighty blade was the weapon of the ancient
elven hero, Kith-Kanan. It was forged in Silvanesti during the second
Dragon War and remained in the royal house until Kith-Kanan led his
people to Qualinesti. He is said to have been buried with the sword.
Powers: This weapon looks very much like Wyrmsbane (Redeemer),
except that it is a little larger. It normally functions as a
two-handed sword +3. Like Wyrmsbane, Wyrmslayer is immune to the
imprisoning effect of a dying Baaz draconian. The sword causes double
damage against any dragon or draconian.
In addition, a character holding Wyrmslayer by the hilt gains a
+3 bonus to all saves against dragon breath attacks and spells cast by
dragons or draconians.
Wyrmslayer does have the disconcerting tendency to buzz
aggressively whenever it is brought within 3' of a true dragon (not a
draconian). This fuzzing sound is loud enough to be heard clearly and
always awakens a sleeping dragon.
Defenses: Armor XP Value: 9,000
***
Using the Adventure Map and Talis Cards
On the back side of the map of Ansalon (see the first map sheet)
is an adventure map. This map allows PCs to explore the areas in and
around Solace and the Seeker Lands. The following pages describe how
to generate AD&D(R) roleplaying adventures using the adventure map,
the Talis card deck, the character cards, and the fold-up figures
enclosed. The adventure map provides a campaign-base, showing all the
important sites in the homeland of the heroes.
How to Read the Map
Layout: The map has two main sections: the adventure map and the
battleground. Characters will move their standups across the adventure
map to go to locations and have encounters. When a battle begins,
however, the players remove their stand-ups to the battleground
portion of the map to resolve combat.
The adventure map is divided into hexes of two varieties:
adventure locations and terrain areas. Adventure locations are marked
with numbers, which correspond to their descriptions in the following
text. Some adventure locations are shown in detail on the border maps.
These border maps contain red card symbols that indicate encounter
sites. At these encounter sites, cards are drawn to generate
encounters and events.
All hexes on the adventure map that are not adventure locations
are terrain areas. The ten terrain area types appear on the map key.
The numbers on the key correspond with the numbers on the terrain
descriptions that follow.
Scale: The map has two different scales. Within Solace and the
fair grounds, one hex = 100 yards. Outside of Solace and the fair
grounds, one hex = 2 miles.
Movement: Character movement rates appear on the character
cards. A character's maximum move on the map is one third of their
movement rate in hexes. Humans, who have a movement rate of 12, have a
maximum move of 4 hexes at a time through clear terrain, while
demihumans, whose movement rates 6, have a maximum move of 2.
Characters move at these rates whether they are in Solace or outside
it. Terrain also affects movement, as will be described following.
Characters can always move at least one hex during their move. Time:
If a character is in Solace, his maximum movement takes one turn (10
minutes of game time) to complete. Outside of Solace, a character's
maximum move takes him 8 hours to complete (three maximum moves take
one day). In any of the small border maps, a character spends a full
move to go from one encounter site (red card-draw symbol) to another.
This movement equals one turn (or 10 minutes of game time).
Getting Started
The DM should have each player choose a character card and a
fold-up counter. The characters place their fold-ups on the map at
adventure location 45 -- the Inn of the Last Home in Solace. Here, the
adventure begins. Noting that the Inn is number 45, the DM should turn
to description number 45 in the following pages.
Adventure Locations: The following descriptions of the Inn and
all other adventure locations are arranged in this fashion: Number and
Name: The number of each adventure location on the map corresponds
with the number of each description here in the book. The Inn of the
Last Home is adventure location number 45.
Mood: A short phrase appears after the adventure location's name
to help DMs establish the mood at the site. The Inn has a welcoming
mood.
Response: The disposition of creatures encountered at an
adventure location appears here. DMs should refer to Table 59:
Encounter Reactions in the Dungeon Master's Guide to determine how
creatures encountered here respond to the PCs' dispositions. Folk in
the Inn tend to have a friendly response.
SUN or MOON: The nature of a site is defined using two symbols:
a SUN represents non-harmful encounters and a MOON represents
dangerous encounters. A combination of the two symbols means the DM
may determine the nature of an encounter. At the Inn, the DM can
choose which kind of encounter occurs.
Description: This brief section describes the location. DMs may
read this section aloud or paraphrase. The Inn has a cheerful and busy
tap room.
DM's Notes: This section indicates to DMs what sort of events
might occur at the location. At the Inn, PCs might get hired for
adventure.
Residents: This entry appears when PCs will likely find a
specific person or beast at a location. If an encounter is indicated
in such a site, the DM may either use those listed as residents or
draw a card to determine the creature encountered. Game stats for
resident creatures appear as follows:
Name (Character Class and Level or Hit Dice, Ability Scores [for
important NPCs], Armor Class, Movement Rate, THAC0, Attack Damage, hit
points, and special notes).
In the Inn, PCs will likely encounter Otik, a 3rd level fighter,
and Tika, a 3rd level thief and 2nd level fighter (among others).
Event: This number indicates the chance that an event will occur
when a hero ends his movement on this hex, The DM rolls 1d10, and if
the number rolled is equal to or less than the Event number, an event
occurs. At the Inn, the DM would need to roll a 1 for an event to
occur. If a 1 appears, the DM may either draw a card from the Talis
deck or roll 2d10 and consult encounter tables of his own devising
(see the DMG chapter on encounters).
Card: If an event or encounter is indicated for an area, this
number indicates how many Talis cards the DM should draw for the
adventure location. At the Inn, the DM would draw 1 card.
Some adventure locations have fully-detailed border maps, which
indicate the number of cards for each location on the map by a red
card symbol with a yellow arrow. Once a card is drawn, the DM should
consult the Chance of Event Chart on the back cover of the World Book.
He should find the type of terrain that surrounds the adventure
location, roll 1d20, and consult the chart to see what type of event
occurs. Then the DM turns to the appropriate Adventure Card table at
the end of this chapter, noting whether the Talis card was drawn
revealing the "Light" or "Dark" side. This table will indicate the
event that occurs.
When an encounter occurs, the DM decides how many creatures are
encountered depending on how challenging he wants the encounter to be.
A fair match has the total Hit Dice or Levels of the creatures equal
those of the heroes.
Terrain Areas: Hexes on the map that do not contain numbers are
terrain areas: fields, hills, marshes, mountains, and so forth.
Players move across terrain areas when they go from location to
location. Terrain types, like adventure locations, have entries
indicating Mood, Response, SUN/MOON, Description, DM's Notes, Events,
and Cards. Terrain areas also have the following statistics.
Move: This number indicates how many movement points a character
must spend to enter one hex of this terrain type. The maximum move for
a PC is calculated by dividing the PC's move rating (on the character
card) by 3. For example, a human with a move rating of 12 can move 4
hexes (12/3=4) in open terrain, which has a movement cost of 1 point
per hex. Hills, however, have a higher movement cost of 2 points per
hex. A human with a move of 4 can only move into two hill hexes at a
time. A character can always move at least 1 hex during his or her
movement.
Lost: This number indicates the chance that a PC will become
hopelessly lost in this terrain type. The DM rolls 1d10 when the PC
ends movement on a terrain area hex. If the number rolled is equal to
or less than the Lost number, the PC's turn ends.
Descriptions of Terrain and Locations
The first ten entries are the terrain areas. The remaining
entries are adventure locations.
1.CROSSROAD/PASS Mood: Possibility; Response: Indifferent
(SUN/MOON)
Description: The trail wanders ever on. The song of birds and
insects stills at your passing.
DM's Notes: This is a place where heroes often encounter
strangers or events for the first time. Roll 1d10 and check the Event
chance to find if an encounter or event occurs. The DM may select an
encounter or draw cards from the Talis deck to determine
- what creature is encountered,
- what the creature's goals are, and
- what personality it has.
The DM may decide to use an Event as defined by a card, rather
than an encounter.
In crossroads, PCs often encounters farmers, vendors, Seeker's
Guards (seeking taxes), beggars, pilgrims, wandering wizards, con men,
brigands, or even monsters.
Move: 1, lost: 1, Event: 5, Card: 1
2.FIELDS Mood: Curious; Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: Fields of grain carpet the plains. Farms and trees
divide the land into neat little bundles.
DM's Notes: These cultivated lands are home to friendly farmers,
working their fields. They will quickly aid strangers in need during
the day, but become evasive at nigh. They will not leave their lands
to fight beside strangers, but will defend their homes.
Farmers may freely offer heroes a place to rest and heal (1 hp
per day) or may request aid of heroes. Heroes may trade or negotiate
to obtain information, food, equipment, or weapons: spears, staves,
polearms, clubs, axes, long swords, slings, and short bows. Armor is
limited to shields, padded, leather, and studded leather. Here,
weapons and armor cost twice as much as in town.
Farmers (Com4, AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 12)
Move: 1, Lost: 1, Event: 2, Card: 1
3. GRASSLANDS Mood: Playful; Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: Green prairie graces the rolling plains and a
playful breeze dances through the tall grass.
DM's Notes: The plains are idyllic and tranquil. Small herds of
buffalo graze in the distance. Bands of barbarians sometimes hunt the
windswept plains. The buffalo will challenge an incautious hunter. The
barbarians distrust strangers. The tall grasses may conceal a creature
lying in ambush or an unknown treasure or ruin. Thunderstorms,
stampedes, and brush fires may catch the unwary (Dmg 2d6; Wis check to
avoid).
Barbarian (Ftr4, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d6, hp 16)
Buffalo (HD 3, AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 17, Dmg 1d6, hp 15)
Move: 1, Lost: 1, Event: 2, Card: 1
4. HILLS Mood: Watchful; Response: Hostile (SUN/MOON)
Description: The hills crowd anxiously together like fearful
cattle. Unfriendly eyes seem to be watching.
DM's Notes: The hills are covered with gray gorse and purple
heather. Beech and birch trees mantle the valleys in green and gold.
Firs and pines dress the ridge-line in subtle grays and olives. Flocks
of wild 'waris -- large flightless birds -- forage on the slopes, and
bands of bandits are known to hide in the hills.
The 'waris may be hunted for their feathers, hides, and meat.
However, 'waris panic and stampede at the smell of blood or pungent
odors (Dmg 4d4, Dex check to avoid).
Srigands may wait in ambush or pose as injured travelers to draw
the heroes near. Monsters also build their lairs in burrows and on
lonely hilltops or shadowed vales in the hilly countryside.
Brigands (Ftr3, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d8, hp 16)
'Wari (HD 3, AC 6, MV 15, THAC0 17, AT 1d2/1d4, hp 13)
Move: 2, Lost: 2, Event: 3, Card: 1
5. LAKE Mood: Unpredictable; Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: The blue sky darkens the deep waters. Wind kicks up
whitecaps in the distance.
DM's Notes: Lake Crystalmir is capricious, calm and glassy,
wind-tossed and playful, stormy and threatening. Early morning finds
fishermen working nets from boats near the shore. An occasional boat
puts out to carry passengers to the lonely island in the center, or to
the far shore.
Rain and windstorms may spring up suddenly over the lake,
delaying travel (MV x 1/3) and capsizing boats of the unwary (Dex
check), spilling passengers into the choppy waters so that they must
swim to the shore (Str check per hex plus Con check if the Str check
fails. See swimming rules in the PHB).
Fishermen (Com2, AC 10, MV 12 Sw 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 6)
Boatman (Mar5, AC 6, MV 12 Sw 9, THAC0 16, AT 1d6+1, hp 27)
Move: 2, Lost: 0, Event: 1, Card: 1
6. MARSH Mood: Malevolent; Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: Under the ironclaw trees, black waters swarm with
flies and conceal dangers of the swamp.
DM's Notes: A fetid mist swirls and eddies above the rank, black
waters. Pools and channels of stagnant water divide the muddy hummocks
and briar-covered islets. Movement is treacherous through the muck and
mire. These swampy lands harbor vicious goblins, voracious trolls,
haunted undead and other dark creatures.
Hazards: The persistent clinging mist of the marsh and
meandering waterways increases the chances of becoming lost. Dangers
lie everywhere: crocodiles, poisonous vipers, and quicksand (Int check
to avoid). A character who is trapped in quicksand must make a Wis
check to stay afloat, otherwise he will sink in 1d3 rounds. A floating
victim must try to swim free (1/2 Dex check) or be pulled free by
friends (Str check -2 per round).
Coblins (HD 1 -- 1, AC 6, MV 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d6, hp 5)
Trolls (HD 6+6, AC 4, MV 12, THAC0 13, AT 1d4/1d4+4+1d8+4, hp 35)
Vipers (HD 1+1, AC 8, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d3 + poison, hp 6)
Crocodiles (HD 3, AC 5, MV 6 Sw 12, THAC0 16, AT 2d4+1d12, hp 11)
Move: 8, Lost: 6, Event: 5, Card: 1
7. MOUNTAINS Mood: Cold; Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: An angry mountain towers ahead, casting giant
shadows across the land.
DM's Notes: Mountain brooks tumble in muddy sluices down the
rocking cliff face. Crooked cedars cling precariously to piles of
cracked and fallen rocks. In the distance, goats caper nimbly from
rock to rock. The lonely cry of a hungry wolf summons a chorus from
his canine brothers. Here too dwell small bands of cruel but stupid
ogres.
Hazards: Rockslides and avalanches are an everpresent danger in
these ragged mountains. A character caught in the midst of one must
have a hearty Constitution to survive. Each character is attacked 1d4
times (THAC0 15, Dmg 1d6, Con check reduces damage to half). To cross
a fallen rockslide requires two Dex checks; failure results in the
character's receiving an additional attack.
Goats (HD 1+2, AC 7, MV 15, THAC0 19, AT 1d3, hp 6)
Ogres (HD 4+1, AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 13, AT 1d10, hp 19)
Wolves (HD 2+2, AC 7, MV 18, THAC0 19, AT 1d4+1, hp 11)
Move: 6, Lost: 5, Event: 4, Card: 1
8. RIVER Mood: Moody; Response: Threatening (SUN/MOON)
Description: Muddy waters sluice through steep cliffs, in one
place calm, in another churning and crashing.
DM's Notes: Solace Stream crashes through a narrow gorge
southward to join with the White Rage River. Sunken rocks tear at the
hulls of boats and the shoulders of swimmers (make Wis check or suffer
2d4 dmg). At times the water forms calm pools, dammed by a fallen
rock, only to suddenly drop away in falls and rocky rapids (Dmg 2d4;
Dex check to reduce to half). Above the swirling waters, kingfishers
wheel and dive, searching for food.
Kingfisher (HD 1, AC 5, MV 1 Fl 36, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 5)
Move: 2, Lost: 0, Event: 1, Card: 1
9. ROAD Mood: Calm; Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: The road is steady and sure, winding past towering
trees and brooding hills.
DM's Notes: Relatively safe during the day, the nighttime road
teems with bandits and bugbears, looking for easy prey. Bandits are
swift, taking money, not lives, and leaving heavily armed folks alone.
Bugbears move silently on padded feet, often attacking with surprise.
They seek to steal horses, food, and weapons. Bugbears are cowardly.
During the day, PCs may encounter merchants, fellow travelers,
Seeker Guards, pilgrims, or wandering wizards.
Bandits (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d8, hp 4)
Bugbears (HD 3+1, AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 17, AT 2d4, hp 13)
Move: 1, Lost: 0, Event: 3, Card: 1
10. Woods Mood: Brooding; Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: Deer paths wind furtively through dark trees.
Shadows dapple the leafy carpet.
DM's Notes: Elves, hunters, and their prey -- deer and other
game animals -- are frequently encountered here. Elves are cautious
and affect an air of disinterest. Hunters are often suspicious, but
indifferent. Deer and other game animals will freeze when they sight
an intruder, and then bolt, startling the hunter.
Hazard: Occasionally, the unwary (Wis check) will stumble into a
hunter's snare and be whisked into the air by one leg.
Elves (HD 1+1, AC 5, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d8, hp 7)
Hunters (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d6, hp 5)
Deer (HD 3, Stag, AC 7, MV 18, THAC0 17, AT 1d3/1d3 or 2d4, hp 15)
Game Animal (HD 2, AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 12)
Move: 3, Lost: 4, Event: 2, Cards: 1
11. SANGUINE MANOR Mood: Haunting; Response: Threatening (MOON)
Description: A lonely manor perches on a craggy hill. Reclusive
and cold, it warns travelers away. Torn drapes and crumbled masonry
tell of its age and abandonment.
DM s Notes: Sanguine Manor, also called "Eld Manor" was once the
home of Thenil and Karyn Eld, a young lord and his lady whose only son
was lost to the Red Death. Lady Eld went mad and was locked in a
lonely tower. Lord Eld took to drinking and arcane studies looking for
a cure to his wife's malady. At last Lady Eld broke free and strangled
her husband. Their ghosts still wander this manor. It had been
otherwise abandoned until the vampire Lord Kryl Shadestalker, arrived.
Originally the owner of the Ring of Nature's Love (which young
Tika stole), Kryl broods and plans his vengeance. His manor is a tomb
of many undead horrors, but few are more than phantoms or restless
spectral minions. The true terror is Kryl, if and when he is at home.
Adventure Idea: Someone challenges the PCs to spend the night at
Eld Manor. This adventure should terrify the PCs but cause minimal
harm, chasing the heroes about with phantoms and two brigands
masquerading as undead until they fall victim to the house's horrors.
Kryl (Wiz9, Str 18, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 17 AC 1,
MV 12 Fl 18, THAC0 13, AT 1d6+4, hp 52, daunting)
This vampire can drain 2 levels with his bite, and can charm
foes. Vampires are immune to charm, sleep and hold spells, and can
only be harmed by +1 weapons or better or magic. Vampires can turn to
gaseous form, command bats, rats, wolves, and other undead. Holy water
burns them (dmg 1d6) and they avoid holy symbols and mirrors. A stake
through the heart or immersion in running water for 3 rounds will slay
them. Vampires regenerate 3 hit points a round.
Vampiress (HD 8+3, AC 1, MV 12 Fl 18, THAC0 13, AT 1d6+4, hp 39)
Skeleton (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 7)
Zombie (HD 2, AC 8, MV 6, THAC0 19, AT 1d8, hp 11)
Ghost (HD 10, AC 0 or 8, MV 9, THAC0 11, AT ages, hp 45)
Haunt (HD 5, AC 0, MV 6, THAC0 15, AT 1 dex, hp 25)
Spectral minion (HD 5, AC 2, MV 30, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 21)
Poltergeist (HD 2, AC -2, MV 6, THAC0 19, AT 1d8, hp 11)
Haunt (HD 5, AC 0, MV 6, THAC0 15, AT 1 Dex, hp 25)
Events: 4, Cards: 1 per symbol
12. HOLLOW HILLS Mood: Sad; Response: Cautious (MOON)
Description: Heather and gray gorse mantle the stony, huddled
hills. The wind moans through the vale. Trees huddle together in
twisted groves as though to comfort each other.
DM's Notes: These hills were an ancient battleground during the
Age of Light; thousands died here. Now hundreds of phantoms and
spirits remain bound to the site of their death until their bones can
be laid to rest. During the day there is naught but a feeling of
despair. But with twilight the wind begins to moan and shadows
flicker, sometimes forming phantom battles of the past, or the sound
of distant clang of weapons. At other times, the very air seems alive
with thousands of eyes, flickering open and shut.
Hazards: If an encounter is rolled, a wraith or a haunt appears.
The DM should consult the random adventure list to learn what the
wraith or haunt seeks. The wraith will drain at least one life level
before negotiating. He will retreat to save himself if reduced to 1/4
hp.
A greater danger still is the Whispering Madness -- the voices
of thousands of displaced spirits. Each hero must make a Wis check at
+2. Those who fail draw one card and look at the location card
listing. The hero cannot rest until he visits the indicated location
and has an encounter there.
Wraith (HD 5+3, AC 4, MV 12 Fl 24, THAC0 15, AT 1d6 + drains 1
level, hp 41)
Haunt (HD 5, AC 0, MV 6, THAC0 15, AT 1 Dex, hp 25)
Events: 3, Cards: 1d3
13. SEA OF GRASS Mood: Mischievous, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: Tall, winsome grasses blanket the hills. Lazily it
bends and ripples before the wind. The breeze trills like a flute, and
birds, soaring and diving, echo the song.
DM's Notes: This meadow seems pleasant and unthreatening. Any
creatures encountered here will not be hostile (treat all responses as
the next better one). If characters spend the night in this location
they may fall under the spell of playful satyrs or be challenged to a
race by a drunken centaur. (See rules about chases at the end of this
sections.) The satyrs play a music that charms (save vs spells)
causing those who fail to save to dance with these children of Krynn,
Those caught up in the dance will either suffer 2d4 points of damage
or fall unconscious and be relieved of halt of their possessions.
Hazards: Insect Swarm (3 Wis checks to avoid), log (Dex check or
fall, Dmg 1d4), crevice (Dex check or fall; Dmg 1d4-1), stream (Str
check or slowed to half), steep slope (Con check or half move).
Satyr (HD 5, AC 5, MV 18, THAC0 15, AT 2d4, hp 29)
Centaur (HD 4, AC 5, MV 18, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp 18)
Events: 2, Cards: 1
14. ANCIENT TOMB Mood: Despair; Response: Threatening (MOON)
Description: High atop a lonely hill stands a pile of tumbled
stone - an ancient cairn of a fallen warrior. With noble melancholy,
it marks a site of despair and loss.
DM's Notes: This was the tomb of Lord Byron Haekell a Knight of
Solamnia who was grievously wounded when he rescued fourteen children
from a rabid lion. Unable to heal the hero, priests and mages placed
him here in suspended animation until a healer would come. A series of
mazes and wardings were created to keep tomb robbers out.
If the PCs awaken but do not cure Lord Byron, he must return to
the tomb and fall again into the sleep of the ages after only one
week. If awakened and cured, Lord Byron will join the heroes for the
duration of this entire adventure. Draw cards to determine the nature
of the hazards and traps that must be overcome to reach the heart of
the tomb. A guardian blocks the deadpool, in addition to the other
hazards. To cure Lord Byron, the PCs must regain his sword Redeemer or
Magefool (see the treasure section for details). Draw a card and
consult the appropriate chart to determine where the sword is hidden.
Lord Byron (Ftr10, AC 1, MV 6, THAC0 11, AT 1d12x2, hp 60)
Wight (HD 4+3, AC 5, MV 12, THAC0 15, AT 1d4+drain 1 level, hp 21)
Events: 6, Cards: 1 per symbol
15. MINES OF MYSTERY Mood: Mysterious; Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: A weathered mine lies half buried in the hillside.
Its gray timbers are dried and cracked. Cobwebs and dust veil the
secrets within.
DM's Notes: Built on the site of a huldrefolk mound, this mine
has suffered many tragic accidents and mysterious van ishings. At
times, windows in the mine opened into the gray realm where the huldre
live. The huldres' response to intrusions is based on how the heroes
approach them. If they are reverent and giving, the huldre return
favors or are indifferent. If the heroes are boastful or hostile, the
huldre grow angry or violent. Huldre often use illusions of monsters
to chase intruders away.
Adventure Ideas: The PCs meet a young and beautiful woman who
says her lover is trapped within the mines. She is really a ghost, and
somewhere within are the bones of her lover beneath a cavein. The PCs
must battle illusions (by the huldre), shadows, and spectral minions
to recover the bones so the woman ghost can rest.
Huldrefolk (HD 7+7, AC -5/5, MV 18, THAC0 13, AT 1d4/1d4, hp 49)
Illusions (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, at 1d6, hp 7)
Shadows (HD 3+ 3, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4+1, hp 12)
shadows are 90% invisible, immune to charm, sleep and hold and can
be turned as undead.
Chost (HD 10, AC 0 or 8, MV 9, THAC0 11, AT ages, hp 45)
Spectral Minion (HD 5, AC 2, MV 30, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 21)
Events: 6, Cards: 1 per symbol
16. TEMPLE Mood: Peaceful; Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: Sunlight glimmers through a shattered dome of
marble. Limestone walls bear vines and soft tapestries of moss. The
forest murmurs as though with prayers.
DM's Notes: This ancient temple has been long abandoned,
though legend says that the gods or at least ancient powers still
haunt its hallowed halls. By day this place is refuge of peace.
Under the night sky, it takes on the aspects of whichever moons or
constellations is in high sanction. A mystical barrier that looks
like a gray, impenetrable mist bars entrance to the Chamber of
Celestial Light. To pass the barrier, the heroes must pass three
tests. If they do so, they may enter the Chamber and be healed of
all wounds.
Adventure Idea: Mishakal's helix is in high sanction. The
temple becomes an animate thing. Hidden in one of its chambers is a
large, blood-red garnet that pulses with life. The garnet is
cracked, and blackened blood seeps from it. If the heroes can pass
the tests Mishakal places before them (consult the Talis cards) the
"heart" is healed. Mishakal allow all the heroes into the Chamber of
Celestial Light and will give the savior a reward. If the heart is
destroyed, the temple will crumble, and the perpetrators must make 3
Str checks to escape. For each failed check the person suffers 2d4
points of damage.
Events: 5, Cards: 1 per symbol
17. CRYSTALMIR LAKE Mood: Unpredictable; Response: Indifferent
(SUN/MOON)
Description: The blue waters are clear and deep, marked by the
silver flash of darting fish. The lake's mirrored surface ripples
with small motion, a calm before the storm.
DM's Notes: Friendly fishermen and doughty boatmen ply these
waters during the daylight hours. Wicked winds whip up waves during
the evening. The fisherman willingly share rumors or a bite to eat,
but will not join an expedition. The boatmen will negotiate the PCs'
services in return for payment.
Tales tell of a monster dwelling in the depths of the lake (in
truth, a huldrefolk with mastery over water). She is capricious by
nature, enamored by handsome men, tipping their boats so that they
may join her in the depths. She may masquerade as any monster made
of water, mist or ice. She also summons storms on a roll of 3 or
less on 1d10. A storm may capsize a boat (Wis check) or wash someone
overboard (Str or Dex check). Anyone in the water must make 1Str
check per hex swum to reach the shore. Failure results in 1d6 points
of damage and another Str check must be made before he can move
forward again.
Huldre (HD 7+7, AC -5/5, MV 18, THAC0 13, AT 1d4/1d4, hp 49)
Constructs (HD 3, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d6, hp 18)
Events: 2, Cards: 1
18. ISLE Mood: Impish; Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: A tiny, wooded isle hovers on the sky-colored
lake. Its dark shores and tranquil glades offers a haven for
adventurous youth, playful lovers, and tired fishermen.
DM's Notes: This idyllic isle seems the perfect place for
those seeking isolation. All who visit its shores feel light-hearted
and carefree. An imp hides on the isle. With puckish humor he
challenges visitors with imagined omens or illusory dangers that are
easily overcome. If the imp's hideout is discovered (seek out and
overcome 3 of the imp's challenges and then make a Int check) then
the imp can be forced to either give the heroes a reward or provide
them some information.
Imp (HD 5+3, AC 4, MV 12 Fl 24, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 28)
Illusion (HD 1, AC 8, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 7)
Events: 3, Cards: 1 per hour
19. SAFE CAVE Mood: Safety; Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: Behind the cliffs of Lake Crystalmir, a narrow
crevice widens into a sandy floor. Humming breezes whirl through a
crack in the ceiling.
DM's Notes: This cave seems safe against the ravages of wild
beast and violent men. No one Evil or cruel creatures cannot find
this cave. Resting here doubles healing rates. Any encounters here
will tend toward negotiation, not combat.
Events: 1, Cards: 1
20. GADAR'S TOWER Mood: Dread; Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: Deep in a mountain cleft, a turreted tower points
accusingly at the heavens. Its walls are black, built from the stone
of the brooding peaks. The wind whimpers as it passes the Evil
tower.
DM's Notes: Danger and dread hang thick in the air about the
tower. The tower is built on the foundation of a place of power from
the Age of Dreams, (-2 to all saves vs spells, and +2 per die of
spell damage). The dark mage Gadar summons ancient eldritch powers
to obey his commands.
Gadar is a melancholy mage, despairing the fate he has made
for himself. He is nevertheless an addict to power. He will
negotiate to advance his own power. Guardian spectral minions and
elementals answer his call.
Adventure: Gadar has kidnapped Daryn and Karel, the brother
and the lover of Rianna. They were carried off by spectral warriors,
leaving Rianna to wander lost and terrified. Gadar is preparing to
drain the life from his captives, as he has so many others, leaving
their husks in the lower towers.
Spectral minions bar the heroes, wielding a magic despair that
makes those who fail to save vs spells hopeless and resigned to
death. (A new save may be attempted if Gadar tries to harm them.)
Gadar's power is at an ebb and he is denied 4th, 5th, and 6th level
spell use.
Cadar (Wiz13, Str 9, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 11, AC2,
MV 12, THAC0 16, AT 1d6, hp 39, melancholy)
Spells: 1st change self, charm person, hypnotism, magic
missile, unseen servant, 2nd darkness, 15'radius, ESP, invisibility,
stinking cloud, summon swarm, 3rd dispel magic, fireball, feign
death, hold person, slow
Elemental (HD 8, AC 2, MV 9 Fl 36 Sw 12, THAC0 9, AT 3d8, hp
48) Elementals are immune to damage from their own element. They
suffer 1 extra point per die of damage from opposing elements (Earth
to Water to Fire to Air to Earth). Elementals can be harmed only by
opposing elements or +2 weapons or better.
Spectral Minion (HD 5, AC 2, MV 30, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 21)
21. DARKEN WOOD Mood: Fearsome, Response: Threatening (SUN/MOON)
Description: Overhead, the leafy canopy thickens. Sunlight
dims, then fades. Gnarled trees, armored in blackened bark, stand
sentry. A presence lingers here, a presence dark and fearful.
DM's Notes: This is a fearsome place. Dark shadows slink
beneath the tall gray firs, and dread fills the air. The spirits of
ancient warriors guard these forests from all intruders. If heroes
invade these woods, the spirits will either seek to drive them out,
lead them to the unicorn called the Forest Master (who will ask them
to undertake a random quest), or lead them to a random event before
letting them leave these darken woods.
Spectral Warriors (HD 3, AC 4, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 2d8, hp 17)
Centaur (HD 4, AC 5, MV 18, THAC0 17, AT 1d6/1d8, hp 20)
Events: 6, Cards: 1 per move
22. PRAYER'S EYE PEAK Mood: Awesome, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: White-capped peaks soar in the distance. Barely
visible from here, a fault splits the peak so that it appears two
hands are folded reverently in prayer.
DM's Notes: This is the legendary home of the White Stag,
embodiment of the god Paladine's love. When the white stag appears,
the hand of Paladine is present to guide travelers away from harm or
toward good fortune. The lower slopes of this mountain are favored
by picnickers and the upper slopes offer hunters true challenges.
But the mountain is not without its secrets, hidden in dark caves
and beneath crashing waterfalls. The adventure areas can only be
approached in order along the trail; the sequence may not be jumped
save that the cavern and the waterfall are linked via a tunnel.
Tales tell that the one who captures the legendary white stag
will be granted eternal peace in life. The heroes may be hired to
help the Merchant Glofell catch the stag. The early hours of the
hunt will be spent casting about the lower slopes looking for spoor
to follow. After the first encounter, the stag will appear and lead
the chase. All encounters will be Events only. The stag will appear
after each challenge is bested. At the last challenge, the stag will
be captured. Glofell's true desire is to slay the stag and eat its
heart. If the heroes allow this to happen, they will be cursed (-2
on all rolls until each PC performs three seltless acts). If Glofell
eats the heart, he transforms into the stag he once hunted and is
bound (unwillingly) into the eternal cycle.
White Stag (HD 10, AC -5, MV 24, THAC0 11, AT 1d12, hp 77) The
stag leads a wild chase. See rules about the chase at the end of
this section. Lost = 5.
Game Animals (HD 2, AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 2d4, hp 9)
Events: 2, Cards: 1 per Symbol
23. GORGE Mood: Rash, Response: Challenges (SUN/MOON)
Description: Water tumbles and roars at the base of these
stony cliffs, then flows south to the New Sea. Gulls dive into the
foam and soar forth with minnows in their beaks.
DM's Notes: This rickety rope bridge sways 50 feet above the
raging river. It is hazardous to cross (2 Dex checks or suffer 1d4
and remain hanging onto an edge; 1 Str roll to crawl back up; if a
PC fails 2 Str rolls in a row he falls to the water for 5d6 points
of damage).
Events: 3, Cards: 1
24. WINDY VALE Mood: Courteous, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: A mountain village nestles in the Sentinel Peaks.
A wooden stockade keeps out the wild beasts and violence of men. For
honest travelers, though, this vale holds hospitality.
DM's Notes: This little hamlet opens its gates to all
travelers during the day. But at night the gate is securely barred
and none may pass until the dawn. Wolves and ogres maraud across the
mountain valleys in the dark, hunting any who are caught outside.
Within the vale, lamplights and hearth fires glow warmly, giving a
false sense of security. The peoples are courteous but evasive,
speaking with horror about the wretched monsters who prowl the land
at night. They all wish the Seekers in Haven would send someone to
drive the ogres from the land once and for all.
These people however are hiding some terrible secret and it
should be apparent to the heroes that something is not right. If the
heroes succeed at the following adventure they receive two rewards.
Changeling Child: When the heroes arrive, they are greeted and
asked to attend a meal at the Keep. There they hear a tale of woe.
The lord's infant son has taken ill and none seem able to cure him.
Strange boils and lesions have formed on his body. When the heroes
investigate, any use of priestly magic or cold steel will cause the
child to transform into the imp it really is. Then it challenges the
heroes to find it three times in order to get the child back. The
"imp" is actually two imps working in cahoots. If injured, they
transform to gas and fade away before they can die. The heroes
should search each location and wherever they go, draw an encounter
card to see what they discover. Whatever is found is really the imp
polymorphed into the form. The third time the PCs make a discovery,
both imps will be present -- one as the encounter and the other
impersonating the child. When the PCs finish battling the first imp,
the second will transform into a new monster to surprise and fight
the heroes. If both imps are slain, the child reappears in his
cradle.
Guard (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d8, hp 7)
Imp (HD 5+3, AC 4 (1), MV 12, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 28)
Townsfolk (Com2, AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 7)
Wolves (HD 2+2, AC 7, MV 18, THAC0 19, AT 1d4+1, hp 11)
Ogre (HD 4+1, AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 17, AT 1d10, hp 21)
Events: 1, Cards: 1 per symbol
25. CAVES OF REFUGE Mood: Solitude, Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: In the cliffs of the Comb, these caves offer
refuge from fires, famine, and war. They are stocked with supplies
in preparation for such troubled times.
DM's Notes: These dry, small caves are cut into the cliffs
some 30' above the ground. The cliff must be climbed to reach them.
Within, dozens of cavelets hold a few fresh supplies. Roll 1d10. The
following rolls or less reveal these supplies: 5 -- Food or one type
of equipment; 3 -- a weapon or armor; 1 -- a dose of healing herbs
(Heals 1d8+1 points). Occasionally some pest or vermin has taken up
residence in one of the caves. Other creatures are most normally
encountered at the base of the cliffs.
Pest (HD 1, AC 8, MV 15, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 5)
Vermin (HD 1+3, AC 7, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 9)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
26. KIRI VALLEY Mood: Ancient, Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: The forest darkens and thickens. A stillness
hangs in the air. The gnarled, bent trees seem to be waiting and
watching for something.
DM's Notes: The PCs sense someone watching over this area. An
evil wizard built a tower at one end of this valley but he and his
tower were destroyed in the aftermath of the Cataclysm. Now his
spirit is in all things in this valley. This area is a place of
random adventures.
Hazard: The mad mage's spirit will possess one PC (whomever
fails a Wis roll) to lead others into danger. The DM should treat
this like a charm.
27. XAK TSAROTH Mood: Dangerous, Response: Hostile (SUN/MOON)
Description: Ruins of a once-graceful city rise above the
swamp. Vines clutch the walls and columns, dragging them down into
the black waters.
DM's Notes: This is the domain of the black dragon, Onyx and
her draconian minions. Danger also abounds in the swampy lands all
about. Despite the current danger, this was once once a place of the
gods, and Mishakal's temple still stands here. Any who adventure
into the catacombs beneath her temple and succeed in whatever
encounters and event occur will be rewarded with the blue crystal
Staff of Mishakal or a Medallion of Faith (DM's option).
Baaz (HD 2, AC 4, MV 6 Gl 18, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 9)
Dragon (HD 12, AC 1, MV 12 Fl 30, THAC0 9, AT 1d6/1d6+3d6, hp 60)
28. Barbarians Mood: Suspicious, Response: Challenges (SUN/MOON)
Description: Hide-covered huts and lodges crowd within an
earthen rampart. Thin spirals of smoke twist into the sky. From the
heart of the village, a horn sounds.
DM's Notes: This is a village of the barbarian plainsmen. They
are suspicious of strangers, but will aid those who can either best
the village champion in simple combat or complete an obstacle course
of dangers. Adventures in the barbarian village center around their
traditions and their long war with draconians.
Plainsman (HD 1, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1 d6, hp 8)
Champion (Ftr5, Str 17, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 9
AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 16, AT 1d8, hp 23, confident)
Events: 1, Cards: 1 per symbol
29. GOLDEN FIELDS Mood: Helpful, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: Farmers in fields harrow the earth or reap an
early harvest as you approach.
DM's Notes: These farmers are isolated and hungry for
information. They will willingly trade common weapons, food and
supplies as well as horses, for information. They do not trade
armor. Those seeking aid and refuge will always find it here.
Healing rates are doubled while resting here (2 points per day). A
veteran warrior can be recruited from here to aid the heroes if
needed.
Farmers (Com3, AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d6, hp 12)
Veteran (Ftr5, AC 6, MV 9, THAC0 15, AT 2d4+1, hp 30)
Horse (HD 3, AC 7, MV 24, THAC0 17, AT 1d4/1d4, hp 15)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
30. QUIET GLEN Mood: Restful, Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: Tall pines and quaking aspens climb the mountain walls.
The valley floor is carpeted with tall grass and golden needles. A
silvery stream bubbles southward, alive with trout and dragonflies.
DM's Notes: This tranquil vale is home to the phaethon, a
tribe of flame-winged people who pride honesty above all other
virtues. They will drive out or slay dishonest intruders. Their
homes are built on high mountain spires, so the casual traveler will
rarely notice them. Phaethons look like normal men when their wings
are extinguished. They will watch intruders from afar and determine
their intent before they give them a chance to see if they will
answer honestly or not. They use an herbal truth tea to detect lies.
The secret of this vale is a magical loam that, when applied to
wounds, heals 3 points of damage once per day. The phaethons know
where it is.
In a cavern in the far end of this valley is a series of
chambers and a conjure ring used to commune with the ancient gods
and eldritch powers. Ownership of this cavern periodically changes
hands. (Draw 1 card for its occupant.) Mages may use the conjure
ring to magically teleport the party to any other location on the
map.
Phaethons (HD 4, AC 8 (3), MV 12 Fl 18, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp
16) Phaethons may wrestle with foes and, if they get a successful
pin, may use their wings to hug for 3d6 points dmg.
Events: 2, Cards: 2
31. CASTLE TANTALLON Mood: Proud, Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: Mighty granite walls rise into the sky. Bright
banners fly from the battlements high above. On the dead grasses
below, the banners cast mournful shadows.
DM's Notes: This castle houses Lord Curston, a knight of
Solamnia, his son Rostrevor, and their mage, Balcombe. Tantallon is
more than just a castle. Beyond the walls, an entire village has
sprung up and Lord Curston administers to the land with a firm but
just hand. Rostrevor honors his father and seeks to follow in his
footsteps, but he distrusts the wizard Balcombe.
Balcombe is in league with Hiddukel, the god of betrayal. In
return for his lite, Balcombe has agreed to provide Hiddukel with a
soul to feast upon. He attempts to make off with strangers in the
night and magic jar their souls into a ruby. When the black moon
reaches full sanction, Balcombe flies to the Quiet Glen, and there
in the caverns, opens a window to Hiddukel so that he may claim the
souls.
Balcombe dislikes Rostrevor and wants to do away with him, but
needs someone else he can frame with the crime. If the heroes are
caught up in this intrigue, they will likely be thrown in the
dungeon from which they must escape. From there, they must track
down the location of the magical gem and bring it in contact with
the former bodies of the victims to restore the souls. This
adventure may take them in pursuit of the wizard to the Quiet Glen.
Curston (Ftr9, Str 15, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 13,
AC 3, MV 6, THAC0 12, AT 2d8/2d8, hp 63, cautious)
Rostrevor (Ftr6, Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 9,
AC 4, MV 9, THAC0 15, AT 1d8, hp 27, energetic)
Balcombe (Wiz9, Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 9, Cha 9,
AC 8, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d6, hp 19, schemer) Spells 1st: charm
person, burning hands, magic missile, detect magic, 2nd blindness,
invisibility, pyrotechnics, web, 3rd fire ball, fly, lightning bolt,
4th fire shield, minor globe, 6th animate dead, magic jar.
32. SOLACE BRIDGE Mood: Carefree, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: A stream sparkles beneath the sturdy stone
bridge. Water tumbles from the northern forest and southward through
the gorge. Vallenwoods form a thick canopy above.
DM's Notes: This bridge is where many adventures begin. The
only way across the Solace Stream, the bridge is ideal for an ambush
(random encounter). The PCs otherwise might meet someone on his way
to town with news of the lands beyond. Everyone appears ready to
begin an encounter by negotiating, but sooner or later their own
personality takes over.
Events: 4, Cards: 1
SOLACE TOWN: Here lies the tree town of Solace. Many of its
buildings rest high in the spreading vallenwoods, though a few
huddle on the ground beneath the trees. In Solace, 1 hex = 100 yards
and maximum movement accounts for one turn (10 minutes). Solace
spreads from the bridge in the south to the dump in the north, and
from the docks in the west to the posting tree in the east, on the
faire grounds. While many different types of adventures may take
place in Solace, they are usually neutral or benign during the day.
Monsters do not readily roam these streets, except during the
wee hours of dark. Instead, the heroes will encounter the various
peoples who live here. The DM should substitute a human, or elf,
dwarf or kender in place of any monster indicated during the day,
though the encountered individual will exhibit a similar personality
to the monster. Each adventure site in Solace describes the location
and the residents of that place, as well as any benefits the heroes
may negotiate there. The DM should emphasize role-playing when
adventuring in town, not battle.
Instead of drawing a card only when events occur, the DM may
draw a card to discover the mood or situation taking place when the
heroes visit an area.
The faire grounds are open only during the daylight hours. Use
the time track and a penny or some other marker to keep track of the
hours. There are six 10-minute turns per hour.
33. MILLERS Mood: Boastful, Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: A creaking water-wheel turns beside a whitewashed
mill. Workers move about the docks, dwarfed by the mighty mill.
DM's Notes: This mill is always busy except on Gileadai.
Heroes can raise some money by working for a wage of 1d6 silvers a
day, depending on the burden they undertake. The masters of this
place are Harak Frendren and his son Emil, boastful snobs who can be
shamed into doing right.
Harak and Emil once insulted a traveling wizard. Now, once a
year, a plague of rats descends on the mill, fouling the grain and
chewing holes in everything. These rats seem to be led by a gigantic
king rat, whose Intelligence is very high. The rats are not easily
trapped and often turn a trap back on the hunter, to the hunter's
embarrassment. The giant rat is a servant of the old warlock. If the
heroes solve the problem with minimal damage to the mill, Harak will
give them 10 steel a piece, plus a reward.
Harak (Com8, Str 11, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 14, AC
9, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6-1, hp 24, haughty)
Emil (Com5, Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 10, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d8-2, hp 14, braggart)
King Rat (HD 1/2, AC 7, MV 12 Sw 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d3 + 5 1/3
diseased, hp 3)
Rat Pack (HD 1 hp, AC 8, MV 15 Sw 8, THAC0 20, AT 1d10, hp
ld100) The rats attack all creatures within the area, slow movement
by 1/4th, and require a Dex check from moving PCs, who otherwise
fall prone.
Events: 1, Cards: 1
34. DOCKS Mood: Tempting, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: A well-repaired boardwalk juts into still waters.
Moored boats line the docks.
DM's Notes: These docks are kept in good repair, and it is
from here that the heroes may learn rumors or may charter a boat to
carry them to the other shores. The docks are owned by Master Kaval
Pukal (a renown philanthropist) and his ne'er-do-well son Carlotti.
Kaval is unhappy with his son, but will protect his image by having
those who abuse this braggart thrown in jail for the night or lashed
at the stocks in the town square (Dmg 1d4; halves PC's die rolls for
1d4 days). The Pukal's home is a multilevel tree manor.
Local tale has it that Carlotti once broke the heart of a
young maiden, who threw herself into the choppy waters of Crystalmir
and drowned. Now, when Solinari is full, her watery ghost visits the
Pukal manor, drenching everything with water and leaving her hosts
with a nasty cold. Kaval's fortunes run deep, but he is perplexed
what to do to drive the ghost away forever. If the heroes can
complete a random quest, the reward of that quest will lay the ghost
to rest.
Carlotti causes trouble for the heroes. His bully henchmen
block the heroes path, steal the reward of a quest, and taunt and
insult them. Embarrassing Carlotti and seeing that he gets his just
deserts can be a counterpoint to any adventure.
Kaval (Ftr9, Str 15, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14,
AC 4, MV 9, THAC0 12, AT 1d6 x 2, hp 54, commanding)
Carlotti (Ftr5, Str 14, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 8,
AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 16, AT 1d8, hp 31, insulting)
Bullies, Blodger and Leek (Ftr3, Str 15, Dex 11, Con 15, Int
10, Wis 8, Cha 9, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d4+2, hp 21, stupid)
Ghost (HD 5, AC 0, MV 18, THAC0 15, AT 1d4 + special, hp 23)
This ghost drenches everything within 30' radius, causing paper and
cloth to save vs acid at +2 or be ruined. Characters must make a
system shock roll every hour or come down with a cold (-2 to all
rolls for 1d6 days). Everything becomes slippery in the ghost's
presence (Dex check to move or hold something). She is Emelyn
Trellgaard; she is very lonely.
Events: 1, Cards: 1
35. SEEKERS Mood: Blustery, Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: An emaculate manor house hangs in the trees.
Lanterns glow warmly in the boughs.
DM's Notes: The Seekers are not lords, but have as much power
if not more than the elected officials of town. The Seekers claim to
be clergy seeking the new gods, but they are unable to perform any
priestly miracles, and can only rely on their proficiencies and
their political clout. The town guard answers to the Seekers and so
this false clergy often has dissidents taxed, arrested, fined,
jailed, or even whipped (Dmg 1d6-1). The Seekers are puffed up with
self-importance and are not above seeking aid from goblins,
minotaurs, ogres and their ilk.
The Seekers provide a starting point for many adventures: they
hire heroes to undertake dangerous quests for minimal pay (1 stl per
character level plus a reward at the completion of the quest).
However, if the PCs' actions embarrass the Seekers, they will
send the Town Guard or one of their monster cohorts to punish the
heroes. Hederick and Pryze can be embarrassed and forced to stick to
the law and pay an equitable settlement.
Hederick (Pr7, Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 16,
AC 5, MV 12, THAC0 16, AT 1d6+1, hp 41, snobbish)
Pryze (Pr7, Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 9, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 16, AT 1d8, hp 26, prideful)
Coblin (HD 1-1, AC 7, MV 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d6, hp 4)
Minotaur (HD 6+3, AC 6, MV 12, THAC0 13, AT 2d4, hp 33)
Ogre (HD 4+1, AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 17, AT 1d10+2, hp 19)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
36. TOWN GUARD Mood: Bully, Response: Challenging (SUN/MOON)
Description: A white-painted constabulary stands beside the
town jail.
DM's Notes: The Town Guard are in the employ of the Seekers
and only uphold the law when it suits them, as they are often
bullies and scoundrels. Any character who insults them may be
arrested and imprisoned for 1d4 days, fined up 1d10 steel, or placed
in the public stocks in the town square and whipped (1d6-1). If a
culprit is unable to pay a fine, he will be taken before the
Seekers, who will assign a random quest to compensate.
One of the heroes may be framed for theft, mugging,
destruction of property, or murder and jailed to await judgement.
The other heroes may attempt a jailbreak and then work to complete a
random quest to gain the evidence against the real culprit. There
are two guards and a wardog to overcome. The PCs must prevent the
alarm from being sounded until they are safely away.
Town guard (Ftr5, Str 12, Dex 9, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 9,
AC 6, MV 9, THAC0 16, AT 2d4, hp 25, bullies)
Hound (HD 2+2, AC 7, MV 15, Track 15, THAC0 19, AT 2d4, hp 12)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
37. BLACKSMITH Mood: Cheerful, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: The clang of hammers echoes through the smithy.
DM's Notes: Theros Ironfeld was once a hater of elves because
he believed that his mother died at their hands. He later realized
the elves were not to blame and has since attempted to atone by
becoming a friend to elves and the down-trodden. He hates injustice
and will knock bullies' heads together to protect the weak. He is a
favorite of the mayors and Master Pukal and thus protected from the
wrath of the Seekers and Town Guard. Theros will become a ready
friend of any hero who is friendly in return.
Weapons and armor are only available for purchase in town from
the Ironfeld forge. Theros is a pleasant, cheerful and robust fellow
who enjoys a good round of bargaining.
While he is loathe to leave town, Theros' aid can be recruited
to most local quests in the cause of justice. Theros is also
secretly a leader of an underground movement that smuggles innocents
out of town through the sewers and in the back of supply wagons.
Work can be found at the forge by those with minimal Strengths of
13. Theros pays 1d4 silver a day.
Theros (Ftr3, Str 17, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 9,
AC 9 (2), MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4+1, hp 27, cheerful)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
38. CITY HALL Mood: Demanding, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: Stained sky-blue, the hall is high and lofty.
DM's Notes: Master Merrick Tinworth is mayor and chief
magistrate of this town. He holds his office due to the support of
Lord Egil, who believes him to be an honest man, and the Seekers,
who believe him to be easily intimidated. Tinworth is really just a
practical man, who takes his responsibilities seriously, but does
what he must to survive in office. Merrick will acquiesce to any
threats until he can summon the town guard to arrest the culprits
and throw them in prison. Two young militia men, Khelli and Aaron,
stand ready to defend him if necessary. Further, Merrick's court
clerk, old Haegamon, is really an accomplished wizard, though he
will conceal his use of his talents and the ability to divine lies
for Merrick.
If the heroes are brought before Master Tinworth for
supposedly breaking the law, allow the players to role-play their
own defense. Tinworth will attempt to give the heroes the benetit of
a doubt, but if they fail to adequately argue their defense he will
mandate either a fine, jail time, a whipping (Dmg 1d6-1) or a
service for the court (random quest).
Heroes may also visit here to research historical records,
study maps of the countryside and town buildings, and seek legal
advice or service, such as a contract. They may also witness other
cases in court and attempt to get involved. The DM should invent
whatever cases he desires using the random quest system that appears
after this section to define the history of an event.
Tinworth (Com9, Str 9, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 9,
AC 10, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 31, judgmental)
Guards (Ftr2, Str 14, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 12,
AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d8, hp 11, pleasant)
Haegemon (Wiz9, Str 7, Dex 9, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 8,
AC 10, MV 9, THAC0 18, AT 1d6, hp 27, absent-minded)
Spells: 1st comprehend languages, charm, phantasmal force,
sleep, 2nd detect evil, invisibility, stinking cloud, 3rd dispel
magic, hold person, slow, 4th emotion, minor globe, 5th wall of
force. Can also detect lies via amulet of ESP.
Events: 1, Cards: 1
39. THE TROUGH Mood: Rowdy, Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: This disreputable tavern gathers scoundrels.
DM's Notes: A dingy, filthy bar, the Trough huddles on the
ground. The barkeep is Martyn Hacksilver (known for his tendency to
shave coins). This is the favorite gathering place for rogues and
ruffians and goblins. PCs looking for disreputable character or
nasty rumors should look here. Martyn is unscrupulous and will do
anything for the right amount of money. Indeed, some folk say that
after he is hired to steal from someone, he may approach the target
for protection money.
The heroes may hire henchman here, but in any given encounter
they must make a Wis check. If they fail, the henchmen either flee
the battle or turn against their employers. Rumors may also be
discovered in abundance here, but there is 1 chance on 1d6 that the
rumor is false or misleading.
Whenever a hero visits this locale, some patrons will try to
pick a fight. If this happens, stage a battle with 3 goblins, 10
ruffians, Martyn and his half-ogre bouncer, Branzill, and one kender
thief.
Martyn (Ftr6, Str 15, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 7, AC
8, MV 12, THAC0 15, AT 1d6, hp 37, conniving)
Branzill, Half-ogre (Ftr5, Str 17, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 8, Wis
7, Cha 13, AC 9, MV 9, THAC0 16, AT 1d8+1, hp 29, mean)
Ruffians (Ftr4, Str 13, Dex 12, Con 1 1, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 8,
AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 2d4, hp 25, vicious)
Rogues (Thf5, Str 9, Dex 16, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 13, AC
8, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d4+1, hp 17, cautious) Thieving Percentages:
PP 45, OL 35, FT 40, MS 35, HS 30, HN 40, CW 85, RL 25.
Hobgoblin (HD 1+1, AC 5, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 7)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
40. FIREFORGE Mood: Gruff, Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: A simple lodging stands bedecked with wood
carvings.
DM's Notes: This is the home of the master craftsman Flint
Fireforge. His friend, the half-elf Tanis, can often be found here
as well. Flint is a gruff, but kindly dwarf. His wood carvings and
metal craft are outstanding and bring top coinage at the market.
Tanis is a competent hunter and woodsman, as well as a charismatic
negotiator. Both Flint and Tanis will rally to the cause of justice
and friendship. Flint knows a lot about hill dwarves and Tanis knows
a lot about elves.
This house is filled with mechanical cuckoo clocks, all
crafted by Flint and available for sale at a price of 1d10x10 silver
pieces.
Flint (Ftr4, Str 16, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 13, AC
6, MV 6, THAC0 17, AT 1d6, hp 42, crotchety)
Tanis (Ftr4, Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15,
AC 4, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp 28, quiet)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
41. EGIL'S GROCER Mood: Patient, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: The smell of fresh-baked goods wafts through the
air.
DM's Notes: This is the general store of Gerann and Leatha
Egil. Gerann is a retired soldier and is noble and patient, though
the wars have left their scar and he walks with a limp and a cane.
Mistress Egil is pleasant and motherly, encouraging all who visit
the store and always giving a bargain once a sale is struck (adding
one extra to a dozen, etc.). Mistress Egil's hand-person is the
gully dwarf, Magpie (called Maggoty by the vulgar). Magpie is
gregarious to a fault, and a bit scatterbrained. She is puppy-dog
loyal and does not recognize when people are being mean to her.
Born in the year 377 PC to a now-legless Gerann and old
Leatha, the fair-haired child Lor is a latent prescient. At times he
can predict the future and anticipate danger. He always speaks with
a childlike and cryptic air. He never knows what he says in one of
his prescient trances. This innocent is a lover of animals and is
prone to wandering off into the wilds on his own. Somehow, though,
he avoids the many dangers present. The heroes may be called on to
find him.
Gerann (Ftr7, Str 14, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 8, AC
10 (5), MV 9, THAC0 13, AT 1d6+1, hp 57, patient)
Leatha (Com5, Str 6, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d3, hp 17, understanding)
Magpie, Cully Dwarf (Thf2, Str 15, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis
7, Cha 10, AC 7, MV 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d3, hp 7, friendly) Thief
Percent: PP 25, OL 30, FT 30, MS 30, HS 30, HN 20, CW 75, RL 0.
Lor (Coml, Str 6, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 18, AC
10, MV 9, THAC0 20, AT 1d2, hp 5, endearing)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
42. MAJERE'S Mood: Uncertain, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: This quiet cottage is painted gray and white.
DM's Notes: This is the home to Gilon and Rosemun Majere, Kitiara
Uth Matar (Rosemun is her mother, Gilon her stepfather), and Caramon
and Raistlin Majere. Gilon is a quiet, honest woodcutter; Rosemun is
a dreamy noble lady given to swooning and trances. Kitiara is a
driven warrior-maiden, who will do whatever it takes to gain power.
Caramon is a merry lad and brawny warrior. Raistlin is a cynical,
sickly runt of a mage.
In the year 342 AC, Gilon dies in a tragic accident, and
Rosemun, shattered by the loss, soon follows after. A special bond
of love and loyalty grows between Kitiara and her brothers, but Kit
believes everyone must learn to stand on his or her own. Kit
undergoes abrupt mood shifts, and often takes off with no advance
notice.
After the death of Rosemun, few people visit the Majere's.
Neighbors swear that on nights of the red moon, they see an
apparition that looks like Rosemun wandering the house. Indeed,
those gifted with second sight believe the spirit of Rosemun remains
to watch over her children and care for the home as she never did
during her life. Heroes may be asked to help lay the spirit to rest
by performing a random quest.
Gilon (Com5, Str 15, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 9, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d6, hp 16, kind)
Rosemun (Com3, Str 5, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 19, Wis 7, Cha 8, AC
10, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d2, hp 9, dreamy)
Kitiara (Ftr7, Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 7, Cha 14,
AC 1, MV 12, THAC0 14, AT 1d6, hp 42, impatient)
Caramon (Ftr4, Str 18, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 15,
AC 3, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp 43, cheerful)
Raistlin (Wiz3, Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha
10, AC 5, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d8, hp 8, cynical) Spells: 1st
burning hands, magic missile, 2nd invisibility
Events: 1, Cards: 1
43. BRIGHTBLADE'S Mood: Noble, Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: This yellow and white cottage rests high aloft.
DM's Notes: This is the home of Lady Ilys Brightblade and her
son, Sturm. Lady Ilys is quiet and melancholy. Wife to the knight
Lord Angriff Srightblade, Lady Ilys and her son fled into exile when
the peasants revolted and laid siege to Castle Brightblade. Word has
come that Angriff died in that battle, sacrificing his life for his
men, but none are certain.
Sturm is proud of his heritage and has lionized his father's
memory. He fervently desires to live up to the strict ideals of the
Knights and to one day become a knight himself.
Lady Ilys receives a sizeable stipend from the knights and may
be willing to loan up to 20 steel to finance a quest, in return for
21 steel and a tale of the adventure. Sturm will be anxious to join
any noble quests to prove himself.
Lady Ilys (Com4, Str 8, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 15,
AC 10, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 12, melancholy)
Sturm (Ftr4, Str 17, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 12,
AC 2, MV 9, THAC0 17, AT 1d10, hp 34, chivalrous)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
44. FARLEY'S Mood: Crotchety, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: This rundown, decrepit hut barely clings to its
tree.
DM's Notes: Old Farley is a short-tempered old man, given to
telling tall-tales and legends of adventure. He does not like gully
dwarves, goblins, or any of the Evil races, and is very open in his
disgust. Farley is a great source of information on folktales. The
DM may use the random quest generation to create a story for Farley
to talk about. His tales attribute many events to supernatural
beings and spirits (such as faerie huldrefolk, ogresses, and
wizards). The DM can then decide how much to reveal. Farley talks
with an slow drawl.
Farley (Ftr4, Str 8, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 7, Cha 12, AC
9, MV 9, THAC0 18, AT 1d4, hp 18, storyteller)
45. INN OF THE LAST HOME Mood: Welcoming, Response: Friendly
(SUN/MOON)
Description: Warm laughter tumbles from this inn.
DM's Notes: This friendly inn is the largest building in all
of Solace, and a frequent gathering place for heroes of all sorts.
Lodging and meals can also be had here as well as drink and
company. The owner is Otik Sandath, an amiable and agreeable
middle-aged chap who loves his business. He is quick to offer a
helping hand, a listening ear and insightful observations. Otik
retains a variety of barmaids, though the most famous is the child,
Tika Waylan. Otik once caught her trying to rob him, and instead of
having her arrested, he offered her a job. Tika is talkative and
friendly, full of the energies of youth. She is also a bit of the
rogue, interested in seeing bores and cruel people get their
comeupance. Tika is fascinated with magic and champions underdogs.
While Tika appears very worldly and knowledgeable, this is
just an act of hers. She is an innocent. Not so the other
sharp-tongued, quickwitted barmaids that assist Otik. Carla is a
man-chaser, while Diane is a know-it-all prankster. The cook is a
gruff old man, Woodrow. He is fairly close-mouthed and appears
understanding (though he is really feebleminded).
The heroes can often find someone to hire them for an
adventure here, paying 3d6x20 silver pieces. They can also learn the
latest gossip or hire a man-at-arms. However, anyone who hires
workers here must make a Wis check at each encounter. If they fail,
the hired help flees.
Residents:
Otik (Ftr3, Str 15, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 16, Char 15,
AC 9, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d4, hp 22, tolerant)
Tika (Thf3/Ftr2, Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha
14, AC 6, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 12, energetic), Thief
Percentages: PL 30, OL 25, FT 20, MS 25, HS 35, HN 30, CW 60, RL 15
Carla (Com3, Str 6, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 11, wise-mouthed)
Diane (Com4, Str 7, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 7, Cha 15, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 15, know-it-all)
Woodrow (Com5, Str 13, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 9, Wis 9, Cha 8, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4+1, hp 17, gruff)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
46. STABLE Mood: Helpful, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: Horses stamp and whinny within these stables.
DM's Notes: Calin Rose tends travelers' horses here. He is filled
with youthful exuberance and is extremely friendly. He keeps several
horses for rent at 50% of cost. He is also a source for local gossip
about the town and the other residents of Solace. Calin would love
to be a hero, but he is not at all versed in the way of the sword.
He must rely on his wits to overcome a situation.
Calin (Com2, Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 13,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 8, clever)
Horse (HD 3, AC 7, MV 24, THAC0 17, AT 1d4/1d4, hp 15)
47. CHURCH Mood: Pious, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: Gleaming maple and cedar adorn this building.
DM's Notes: This Church of the Seekers is a grand building and
the domain of the Seekers priest. Converts gather here every Soldai
and Gileadai morning to sing paeans, asking for the arrival of the new
gods. The priest is proficient in the Healing (Wis - 2) and Herbalism
(Int - 2) proficiencies as well as scholarly proficiencies such as
History, Ancient Languages, Reading and Writing, and Music. However,
he is unable to cast spells because he does not worship the true gods.
Periodically, the priest is replaced by another. Seeker priests
are very charismatic and can rouse a crowd to act in their behalf by
making a Cha check at -4. An occasional priest will resort to trickery
and fraud to seemingly perform miracles of healing or talking to the
gods. Seeker priests will only aid converts who attend services
regularly.
The town turns abuzz when Seeker Lockley Despare' arrives in
town and performs miracles of healing. He heals many supposedly-sick
strangers before the townfolks' eyes and then begins a policy of
taxation to keep up the good works. If any doubts his powers, the
character is branded a sinner and unclean, and is either discredited
publicly, framed for a crime, or vanishes mysteriously. The PCs must
expose this charlatan.
Rense (Pr5, Str 11, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 15, AC
7, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d6, hp 22, pretentious)
Despare' (Pr9, Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 18,
AC 6, MV 12, THAC0 16, AT 1d8, hp 41, intimidating)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
48. PARK Mood: Wistful, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: Dappling shadows fill the spaces between the
towering vallenwoods in this quiet park.
DM's Notes: Children gather here during the day to play games
of tag and to fight mock battles, or to simply pretend. Occasionally
a gully dwarf or kender will join in the fun.
Children (Com1, Str 8, Dex 9, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15,
AC 10, MV 9, THAC0 20, AT 1d2, hp 3, taunting)
Gully Dwarf (Com3, Str 9, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 5, Wis 8, Cha 7,
AC 10, MV 6, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 10, childish)
Kender (Thf3, Str 13, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 17,
AC 7, MV 9, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 12, curious)
Events: 2, Cards: 1
49. PICNIC GROUND Mood: Happy, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: Surrounded by beach and vallenwood trees, this
grassy hillock hosts picnics and town festivals.
DM's Notes: This is a retreat for family picnics as well as
for lovers and children practicing their archery.
A bear has been attracted to a picnic and the terrified folk
are cowering in a tree as the eldest is being chased by the bear.
The PCs' assistance would be appreciated.
Children (Com1, Str 8, Dex 9, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15,
AC 10, MV 9, THAC0 20, AT 1d2, hp 3, taunting)
Adults (Com3, Str 12, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 9,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 10, terrified)
Bear (HD 3+ 3, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d3/1d3, hp 16)
Events: 3, Cards: 1
50. HEALER Mood: Caring, Response: Friendly (SUN)
Description: This simple wooden cottage is surrounded with
bright flowers.
DM's Notes: This is the house of the healer and midwife,
Minna. She is helpful, but motherly and chiding. Many people seek
her out for her skills. She has both the Healing (Wis - 2) and
Herbalism (Int - 2) proficiencies. She also has Weather Sense and
can predict the weather. The cost of her services is negotiable up
front but averages 5d4 silver pieces.
At one time, Minna the Healer is kidnapped. No one knows where
she has gone. The heroes must complete a random quest to rescue her.
In reward, she will treat the heroes for free for the next three
adventures.
Minna (Com7, Str 7, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 9, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4, hp 24, motherly)
Events: 0
51. TIKA'S Mood: Brash, Response: Threatening (SUN)
Description: This small cottage is simply appointed.
DM's Notes: Tika began life as the daughter of a con-man named
Alleran, who made a living traveling from town to town and
performing illusions and sleight of hand tricks as if a magician.
Tika was taught to work the crowds as a pickpocket during the
performance. At the age of 8, she lifted a ring on a chain from a
dark man she later learned was Lord Kryl, the vampire. That night,
several wolves chased her home. A dark lady with sharp teeth came
visiting. Alleran intercepted her and the wolves. Tika is uncertain
what became of them, knowing only that they did not return.
After a time, Tika's father departed on an overnight trip.
When he returned, he was shaken and pale, but told Tika she had
nothing to worry about. Alleran changed habits and began having Tika
burglarize homes while he performed, but a bad fall broke Tika's arm
and made her afraid of heights. Several weeks later, while her arm
was still mending, Lord Kryl came visiting. Alleran hid Tika from
him. But the vampire returned again. With each visit Kryl sought his
precious ring. As Tika's 9th birthday approached, Kryl became more
insistent, till one night Alleran told Tika he was going to settle
matters with Kryl once and for all. She was to keep the ring to
remember her father in case something went wrong. Alleran never
returned from that fateful meeting. Lord Kryl's drowned,
thousand-year-old corpse was later found washed up by the Solace
Stream in Gateway.
Tika took to thieving to survive, and found this small cottage
to rent on the pittance she could fence. Tika is crafty for a child,
and will run from strangers and hide if she is chased.
If harassed too much, she will make it a vendetta to steal
something and frame her persecutors. Tika is wild and energetic,
full of the brashness of youth. She is fascinated by magic and will
do all in her power to support the oppressed.
Tika (Thf3/Ftr2, Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha
14, AC 6, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 12, energetic) Thief Percent:
PP 30, OL '25, FT 20, MS 25, HS 35, HN 30, CW 60, RL 15
52. PRODUCE Mood: Talkative, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Fresh Vegetables, Fruits, and Grains." Mounds of
produce spill from baskets.
DM's Notes: This is the stall of Mistress Edill Mertryn. She
is a talkative soul who likes to tell tales of the wee folk
(huldres) and is perhaps the town authority on the supposed powers
and weaknesses of Faerie. She sells her produce at market prices.
Edill (Com2, Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 13, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 9, talkative)
53. CORRAL Mood: Matter of Fact, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Cattle, Pigs, & Horses - Chickens, & 'Wari"
Clucks, snorts and mooing fills the air.
DM's Notes: Here, livestock is sold. The owners of the corral
are Klem and Fran Wendling, a couple that speaks matter-offactly and
a little obtusely. Their skill at trading is masked by this
unassuming facade. The Wendlings are likely to answer questions with
an odd logic. For example, "Your tent is leaking, you should patch
it." "Can't. S'raining" "Then patch it when its sunny. Why? Doesn't
leak then."
Klem (Com5, Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 13, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d4, hp 12, stubborn)
Fran (Corn 3, Str 9, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 11, thoughtful)
54. STAGE Mood: Entertaining, Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Next Show Within the Hour" Magicians, jugglers,
and salesmen tromp the boards of this small stage.
DM's Notes: A wide variety of performers use this stage. Local
singers, dancers, and musicians perform for coins dropped in their
hats. Jugglers, stage magicians, and politicians do also. One common
performer here is Waylan the Magician (before his disappearance).
Waylan always plays to the kids, letting them help with
sleight-of-hand tricks, which he occasionally enhances with an
actual spell. Waylan is the ultimate con-man, slick, sincere, and
endearing. Another performer is Galfield the Alchemist, purveyor of
elixirs guaranteed to remove hair, grow hair, add muscle, reduce
weight, soothe muscle, cure distemper and flatulence, and more.
Galfield is a shyster, a greasy merchant who promises anything to
get his hands on a few coins.
Waylan (Wiz3/Thf5, Str 12, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha
16, AC 6 (10), MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4+1, hp 13, clever) Spells: 1st
audible glamer, cantrip, phantasmal force, 2nd blur, fool's gold,
Thief Percent: PP 45, OL 50, FT 30, MS 35, HS 20, HN 25, CW 70, RL
20.
Calfield (Com4, Str 8, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 13,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 14, sleazy)
55. ORACLE Mood: Cryptic, Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Seeking Guidance? Destiny Awaits." This rude
tent is covered with mystic sigils.
DM's Notes: This is the tent of Madame Ghutan le Rue, an
oracle and seer, or so she claims. She is mysterious and vague in
her readings, but several important people in town -- including
Mistress Egil -- swear by her second sight. Madame is not all fraud;
indeed at times (50%) she can see into the future. But she cannot
control this talent and so sometimes speaks in vague riddles.
If the DM desires, he can have Madame Ghutan read the Talis
cards to predict the heroes' future. The DM may use these
predictions to determine the adventure to come, or may let them be a
red herring.
Madame (Com7, Str 9, Dex 10, Con 10, int 8, Wis 9, Cha 17, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4, hp 20, mysterious)
56. WEAVER Mood: Dreamer, Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Finest Cloths, Shawls, Scarfs and Rugs." Mounds
of rugs and bolts of cloth fill the tent.
DM's Notes: Aesther Tittlelot is the merchant here. She and
her husband Herm sell carpets and cloth at reasonable rates.
However, Aesther is a dreamer and longs for high adventure. In fact,
she can recite much of the Iconochronos by heart, having studied in
Palanthus before her family fell on hard times.
Aesther may hire the PCs to journey to a far land to buy some
rare cloth for her. Or she may take the heroes into her confidence,
and tell them that she is looking to recover a Khurulean family
treasure that was stolen -- a flying carpet. She will pay the heroes
three rewards if they are able to find and retrieve the carpet for
her.
Aesther (Com3, Str 9, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 10,
AC 10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 11, dreamy)
Herm (Com2, Str 10, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 13, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 9, nervous)
57. FLINT'S Mood: Sober; Response: Indifferent (SUN)
Description: "Fine Carvings and Jewelry for Sale." The
craftsmanship outshines the plain tent.
DM's Notes: Flint Fireforge, a gruff-but-kindly dwarf, sells
and crafts items of wood, leather, metal and jewelry here. His
friend, Tanis often works as his salesman, talking with customers,
and bargaining on the sale price.
One day a kender called Tasslehoff stops by this booth to
admire the fine work. He finds a plain copper bracelet that
fascinates him. Not seeing the salesman, Tas walks off in search of
him. Flint, spotting the kender, accuses him of stealing, and the
heroes must help sort it all out.
Unknown to both Flint and others, the bracelet is magical and
can predict the immediate future with a vision of what might happen.
The bracelet grows warm when warn. Flint crafted it for a mysterious
elven maiden who is coming back to claim it. Unfortunately, before
that happens, the bracelet is stolen again. Flint will hire the heroes
to pursue the criminal to get it back.
Flint (Ftr4, Str 16, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 13, AC
6, MV 6, THAC0 17, AT 1d6, hp 42, crotchety)
Tanis (Ftr4, Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15,
AC 4, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp 28, quiet)
58. BASKETS Mood: Clever; Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Baskets, Hats, Chairs, and Fans!" Stacks of
baskets and chairs totter precariously here.
DM's Notes: Winsell and Mistress Marin are the merchants at this
booth. They are clever negotiators, pretending they know more than
they do. They are masters at selling their goods. However, the couple
is plagued by uncommon accidents: their baskets suddenly fall, their
tent pole collapses, a chair pulls itself out from under a sitting
person, and so forth.
These events occur because of a poltergeist, the spirit of their
13-year-old son who died mysteriously one night. The heroes may
complete a random quest to solve the problem.
Winsell (Com2, Str 8, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 14, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 9, clever)
Mistress (Com1, Str 7, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 14, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 5, sly)
Poltergeist (HD 5, AC 0, MV 18, THAC0 19, AT 1d4, hp 26)
59. POTTERS Mood: Outspoken; Response: Threatening (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Solamnic Glaze and Ergothian Blue Pots." Neatly
lined rows of pottery greet all who wander by.
DM's Notes: Hallan Farnstall is the master here. He travels far
and wide with the Merchant Glofell to buy and trade pottery from all
over the world. Hallan offers opinions on most any subject, no matter
how foreign the topic to him.
Hallan possesses an ornate Khurulean bottle with a silver seal.
He rarely talks about it. Those who study it closely may see some eyes
staring back from within (1/2 Int check). There is a djinni in the
bottle, and who will grant his rescuer two wishes in return for his
freedom. However, the djinni is very vocal about the damage he will
visit on the merchant and the entire town who dared to imprison him,
thinking that Solace is that town. The djinni will summon a hurricane
to devastate the region and the hero will be responsible for all this
destruction. The djinni must be defeated or tricked so that he must
swear not to harm Solace.
Hallan (Com8, Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 13, AC
6, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d8, hp 36, outspoken)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
60. TINKER Mood: Defensive; Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: "Knives and Shears Sharpened, Pots Patched" The
scratch of a grindstone fills the air.
DM's Notes: Gaesil Bishop is a henpecked husband. His home lies
at Gateway but he prefers to travel to get away from his wife. Gaesil
sharpens weapons, repairs armor, and makes pots and pans and shoes.
Since the time when he accidentally stumbling into the Darken Wood one
night, Gaesil has been finding his work finished for him every morning
when he arrives at the shop. He suspects that wee folk are performing
the labors but he is very evasive when asked about his work.
The truth is that an imp has followed him and replaced his deaf
horse, Bella. At night, it changes form and completes the tinker's
work, then changes back. If discovered, the imp will attempt to
mislead the heroes into thinking that performing a quest will reward
them, and that the imp will go away. Instead it will just refrain from
changing form for several days, until the matter is dropped.
Gaesil (Com4, Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 10, AC
10, MV 12, THAC0 19, AT 1d6, hp 18, quiet)
Events: 1, Cards: 1
61. POSTINGS Mood: Gossip; Response: Indifferent (SUN/MOON)
Description: Sundry bills are tacked to an ancient oak. A
wastrel is posting new bills.
DM's Notes: Young Karl Fairnuff posts bills here, noting work
for hire, announcements of upcoming festivals or new laws and
advertising sales booths. Karl is a gossip and is full of rumors (50%
are truth the rest are fabrications of an overactive mind).
Karl (Com2, Str 8, Dex 11, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 9, AC 10,
MV 12, THAC0 20, AT 1d4, hp 9, gossip)
Events: 1; Cards: 1
62. BEER TENT Mood: Drunken; Response: Hostile (SUN/MOON)
Description: "BeeR & DrInKs TO LiFT YUR SPiRiTS" This
redand-white striped tent is soiled and worn.
DM's Notes: Martyn Hacksilver is the owner of this establishment
and his nephew "Snaggletooth" Garyn runs the business. This bar is as
filthy and disgusting as the Trough. Garyn serves watered beer and
vinegar wine, plus a greasy stew made of duck and whatever odds and
ends are at hand. Any one eating here must make a Con check or become
ill for 1d3 days.
Despite the bad reputation, this beer tent is a prime place to
recruit mercenaries and guides to the countryside. Those who hire
these characters need only make one Wis check per adventure location
to see if they desert. If they desert, those who see the heroes
afterward apologize for getting lost.
Unfortunately, muggers, pickpockets, and thugs abound here too.
The visitor must beware what he says and where he goes or he may find
himself short some coin and some breath (35%). Brawls may also occur
here if the DM wishes.
Caryn (Ftr5, Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 7, AC 9,
MV 9, THAC0 16, AI 1d6, hp 29, ugly)
Ruffians (Ftr4, Str 13, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 8, AC
7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 2d4, hp 25, vicious)
Rogues (Thf5, Str 9, Dex 16, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 13, AC
8, MV 12, THAC0 18, AT 1d4+1, hp 17, cautious) Thief Percent: PP 45,
OL 35, FT 40, MS 35, HS 30, HN 40, CW 85, RL 25.
Events: 1, Cards: 2
63. DUMP Mood: Crazy; Response: Friendly (SUN/MOON)
Description: The sour odor of rotting vegetables and offal
chokes the air.
DM's Notes: This is the town dump. Though it may be hard to
believe, there is a thriving village of gully dwarves living among
these mountains of stink. They sort the garbage into usable and
unusable piles. One usable pile contains compost. They burn what can
be burned once a week and haul the rest to the marsh and dump it. The
village includes about 50 gully dwarves and their leader, Brracchk. In
addition to salvaging some of the good garbage for themselves, the
gully dwarves tinker at repairing furniture, clothing, and tools and
resell them at a small junk market at the front of the dump for
one-tenth the original cost.
Anyone visiting the dump will be astounded at both the silliness
of the setting and its bizarrely organization. Gully dwarves have no
sense of possessions, so they pay little attention to others wandering
the dump looking for useful salvage. However, there are several
hazards in the dump. Hidden pits, tottering rubbish piles, and
explosive gas may harm PCs (each causing 2d6 points dmg; save vs.
paralysis halves). Even if the gas is not ignited, it may put PCs to
sleep (Con check).
The Seekers have lost a chalice from their temple and fear that
it was hauled away with the rubbish. They will pay 5 silvers apiece to
those who will go to the dump and search for it. However, a random
monster has built a nest in the dump, as the heroes will discover. The
gully dwarves will make a grand quest out of searching for the item.
They climb the highest trash heaps (Dex check). They delving deep into
a pile of wooden refuse, which others set aflame (1d6 damage per
round). They seek out the wisest gully dwarf of all for his guidance.
Brracchk, Cally Dwarf (Thf5, Str 15, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis
7, Cha 12, AC 7, MV 6, THAC0 18, AT 1d3, hp 14, friendly) Thief
Percent: PP 35, OL 40, FT 50, MS 40, HS 50, HN 30, CW 75, RL 10.
Gully Dwarf (Com2, Str 8, Dex 17, Con 9, Int 5, Wis 7, Cha 6, AC
7, MV 6, THAC0 20, AT 1d3, hp 4, friendly)
64. WILDERNESS CAMP Mood: Threatening; Response: Hostile (SUN/MOON)
Description: The smell of burning pines drifts from the
crackling bonfire. Bed rolls surround the crude tents and lean-tos.
DM's Notes: This wilderness camp may serve a DM as a number of
sites. The DM should first draw an Encounter card to discover what
race is using the camp. After that, all encounters will be with that
race or one of their minions. Possible adventures which may occur here
include finding a barbari an hunting party, an ogre raiding party, a
rebel hideout, the remains of a lost patrol, or a draconian base of
operations. Hazard: Snare traps and nets around the camp capture
intruders (Int 8 check to avoid).
65. FAERIE RATH Mood: Enticing; Response: Indifferent(SUN/MOON)
Description: Fireflies and moonbeams glow among the ancient
stones. Distant revelry and haunting music whisper on the wind.
DM's Notes: This is a gate to the rumored land of Faerie --
actually part of the Ethereal Plane. Huldrefolk are the primary
creatures here, as well as creatures made from the element the huldre
has mastery over. Huldrefolk are an uncertain people and their
response may be random (1-3 friendly, 4-8 indifferent, or 9-0
hostile). Those who please and entertain the huldrefolk are granted
great rewards (3), but those who displease them either lose half their
gear or are struck ill for 2d6 days (-2 to all rolls).
66. MONSTER LAIR Mood: Brutal; Response: Hostile (MOON)
Description: Decay and ruin hang palpably in the air. A gaping
cave opens to the lair of some beast.
DM's Notes: Monster lairs can exist anywhere and this generic
lair is presented for the DM to use whenever he desires to throw a new
twist into the adventure. Draw a Talis card or select one of the
following types of creatures for the lair: a changeling imp who
retreats and changes form every time he is defeated, a hive of giant
bees, an ogress' witch lair, a strange hermit with a menagerie of
creatures (the hermit is really a rakshasa), or a dragon's nest. A
lair should only hold one reward, though this may be a clue as weil as
a treasure.
67. CARAVAN Mood: Guarded; Response: Cautious (SUN/MOON)
Description: Cracking whips and the creaking wheels herald a
line of wagons. Some are gaily colored, others are simple wains with
weathered tarps tied down.
DM's Notes: This caravan may belong to any number of races and
serve any number of persons. Draw one Talis card to determine the
race, and a second to define its goal. Possibilities include a brigand
merchant, who appears to be friendly but will waylay and attempt to
slay paying customers at night; kender entertainers, who are bound and
determined to show the heroes a good time; a merchant caravan led by
Glofell, who is actually looking for some artifact of legend; gypsy
troubadours and fortune tellers; or a draconian supply train for the
war.
Secret: The PCs may receive a random aid if they pay a price =
1d6 x 10 stl.
68. THE GROVE Mood: Sleepy; Response: Indifferent (SUN/ MOON)
Description: Large moths flutter in the leafy foliage of this
quiet grove, almost faerielike. They dance here, alight there. Gray
shadows veil the quiet refuge beneath the trees.
DM's Notes: Throughout the day this area seems empty and serene.
As the moons rise, the shadows darken and take on a life of their own.
They will slip into camp, waiting for the right moment and then they
will quietly begin to leach the party members' Strength points. A
shadow drains up to 6 points a night and then is sated. There are
always two more shadows than their are heroes, so some heroes will be
more drained than others. Lost Strength is recovered at the rate of 1
point every 2d4 turns, up to the hero's maximum.
Shadow (HD 3+3, AC 7, MV 12, THAC0 17, AT 1d4+1, hp 12) Also
drains 1 Str point per attack. Victims reduced to 0 Str will be
transformed into shadows. A shadow is immune