AA19: The Secret of the Callair Hills – Conversion Notes
by Geoff GanderThe Secret of the Callair Hills can very easily be adapted for use in Mystara.
This outline explains how to change various aspects of the module to make it fit into the Mystara campaign setting.
Geographical Location:
This module should be set in the hill country to the east of Corunglain. Using the expanded Darokin timeline, the ideal location would be in the region once occupied by the Duchy of Callair. The Barrowfields has been noted on the revised map of Darokin; this is the best location of all.
Historical Background:
The most extensive changes required are historical. The fallen realm of Ynlaska and the Ynlar should be replaced by Inlashar and the Inlasharians, respectively. The historical events can take place in the sequence given, but I would change the efforts of southern lands to explore the Callair Hills roughly 500 years ago (p. 2), to an effort by Corunglain to do the same. Efforts to colonise the region ended after Corunglain was destroyed by humanoids in AC 523, and afterwards the focus was on rebuilding the city. In this version, however, some Inlasharians survived in neighbouring regions.
The Callair Hills would have been resettled around AC 560-620, with more people coming in with the rise of the Duchy of Callair in AC 672. There would have been farms, and possibly a village at most. As most of the people would have been of Inlasharian stock, they would have respected the sanctity of the Barrowfields (no undead activity). These people would have been wiped out by the humanoid invasions that culminated in the destruction of Tolann in AC 702-703. Callair ceased to exist after that, and the Callair Hills would have reverted to wilderness. Humanoid incursions were common, which would have provoked the barrow lord and his minions. In this context, the ruined tower that the PCs can visit would probably date from just before this time.
The more recent resettlement efforts that have provoked the barrow lord yet again would likely have been orchestrated by Corunglain, whose leadership (political and economic) would want to gain control over the region to improve security and tax revenues, and to bring the remaining hill folk more fully under their influence.