Converting Kalamar Quests to Mystara
by James MishlerWell, here's a bit of a plug for some stuff I worked on for Kenzer & Company. I edited and co-wrote the first four Kalamar Quests, small, digest-sized 16 page adventure sourcebooks set in the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting (if you read Knights of the Dinner Table you might be familiar with Kalamar). I am converting the first four KQ's to the Mystara setting for my own use and thought I'd share the conversion notes. You need to buy the Kalamar Quest booklets to get any use out of these notes. The notes list name changes as well as any notable change due to the change in setting. Anything not mentioned is essentially unchanged from the original.
Here's the conversion for the first Kalamar Quest, _Unguarded Hoard_. (K&C103, $3.95, by Brian Jelke with additional material by James Mishler. Ask for it at your local hobby shop)
SV1: Unguarded Hoard
Location: Unguarded Hoard takes place in the Free City of Bronish, a small city in a semi-topical borderland region near swamps, forests and mountains. The best Mystara site for the adventure is near the Amalur Lowlands, south of the swamps near Telos Taksidhi on Davania.
Area and geographical "Equivalents":
Bronish = Bronev
Svimohzia = Davania
Dashahn and Krimppatu Mountains = Adakkian Mountains
Whiven Marsh = Amalur Swamps
Whisvomi Forest = Amalur Jungles
Mendarn = Traladara
Vrandol = Garganin
Pel Brolenon = Hule
Kalamar = Thyatis
Brandobia/Mendarn/Eldor = Traladara (modern Karameikos)
Ul-Karg = [Hobgoblin Kingdom in Adakkian Mountains]
Vromlond River = Vasile River
Sea of Svimohzia = Straits of Dread
Language Equivalents
Brandobian = Traladaran
Svimohzish = Menami dialect of Yavi/Nuari
Kalamaran = Thyatian
Merchant's Tongue = Milenian Trade Tongue
The Adventure: The adventure is mostly unchanged, with the following exceptions:
Page 2: Mercer Resimahn = Merusero Resu. Verlo Relnman = Veliku Raduscu.
Moretam = Moretamu Meri. Fenshishy = Fenusubi.
Page 3: Shamira Serimahn = Samira Serimanu. Tyresh Ashwamhi = Tiresu Hawame.
All minor creature encounters should be with animals native to a
sub-tropical or tropical climate.
Pages 4 through 7: Daerinaea = Daenae. Rhaengaer = Rhoecus. All references
to "Elvish" at this point should be changed to "Milenian". The riddle is
written in Ancient Milenian. Rhingoryx takes the form of a human Milenian
adventurer named Rhoecus (supposedly from Mivosia). Dharingaryx takes the
form of a human Milenian adventurer named Daenae (and actually has a manor
house in Kastelios); she speaks Dragon, Milenian (Ancient, Kastelian and
Hrissopoli), Menami, and Traladaran.
The Free City of Bronish: The city of Bronish can be used pretty much as stands, with the following conversions.
History
1) Merchants from Ierendi founded the original trading settlement in the 7th
century.
2) Eliminate references to the dwarves and gnomes, replacing with human
merchants and miners from Hrissopoli.
3) The human refugees that arrived in 902 AC were Traladarans. 1 in 5 of the
refugees were Halflings from the Five Shires.
4) The refugees followed Bronev Vasile, a Traladaran priest of Koryis.
Bronev and his followers had led a "non-violent" resistance against the
Thyatian occupation of Traladara and were repaid for their simplicity with
the sharp end of pikes. Bronev was martyred in Specularum, and most of his
followers there were slain or imprisoned; his followers in the western
regions of Traladara (including some Halflings from the Five Shires) fled by
ship, and were guided to their new land by Ierendian and Ispan scouts.
5) Many other Traladarans joined the settlement over the first decade, as did
a small number of Ierendians, Daro and Ispans (most of whom were quickly
assimilated into the new "Bronev" culture). They brought with them several
other faiths that helped maintain the religious diversity of the settlement.
6) The Menami locals, a Tangor descended people, were friendly, just as in
the module, and retained their distinctive cultural differences for the most
part. The Menami are more like the Nuari than the Yav.
7) Rhingoryx, the Gold Dragon, was first encountered in 914 AC.
8) The Hobgoblin War took place in 976 AC.
The People
1) References to Mendarns equal Traladarans; references to Meznams equal
Menami. "Bronish" refer to natives, usually to Traladarans. Foreigners
include Yavi, Milenians (Kastelians, Hrissopoli), Garganin, Ierendians,
Ispans, and a smattering of Thyatians, Minrothians, Huleans and even a few
Ochaleans.
2) Religions and Gods/Immortals
"House of Solace" = Koryis (Temple of St. Bronev the Martyr)
"Parish of Love" = Valerias (Hall of Harmony)
"Face of the Free" = Korotiku (Freedom Hall)
"Parish of the Prolific Coin" = Asterius (Merchant's Guildhall)
"Home Foundation" = Petra (House of Order)
"Hall of the Valiant" = Halav (Hall of the Valiant)
"Court of Justice" = Tarastia (Court of Justice)
"Temple of Stars" = Sinbad (Temple of the Seven Seas)
"Water Corner" = Protius (Temple of the Sea King)
The "Temple of All Gods" contains shrines to most other Immortals revered by
visitors to the region, even some esoteric and otherwise unknown entities.
City Walls
1) The guards will swear by Tarastia that the characters will have their
weapons returned.
2) "Builders of Law" = "Thyatian Architects"
Merchant's Quarter
1) Temple of St. Mroln = Temple of Seven Seas
2) "Dream Weaver" priests have no real equivalent in Mystara. The proprietor
of the Hall of Slumber is a non-classed NPC, and does not hold any ceremonies.
3) Bywater Brew is exported to the Milenian City States, the Known World and
the Savage Coast.
Foreign Quarter
1) Temple of All Gods has shrines to Kagyar (Dwarven and Human professions), Alphatia, Ilsundal, Ixion, Razud, Thor, al-Kalim, Vanya, and Odin (as Odin and as Bahamut). Hidden shrines include a shrine for Hel, a shrine for Kala (yes, Hel again) and a shrine for Thanatos.
Craftsman's Quarter
1) The "Weavers" Mystic Order is the Wizards Guild of the city (and was
deleted from the adventure for space considerations). They are basically a
homebody style guild.
2) "Godday" is equal to "Soladain"
3) Mizhamo Izhamoni = Misamo Samoni
Bronish Royal Dragon Company and Militia
1) Forget the strange titles. Most members of the RDC are followers of Halav.
Bronish City Guard
1) Forget the strange titles.
The Dark Elves
The Dark Elves of the Adakkian Mountains are descended from a group of
Shattenalfen that turned from the way of Atzanteotl but did not turn from
chaos and evil. For now read the entry pretty much as it stands, with the
following changes:
Prince of Terror = Demogorgon
Creator of Strife = Orcus
The Ravisher = Ranivorus
Prince of Pestilence = Jammudaru
Confuser of Ways = Atzanteotl
Lizard Men
The Lizard Men of the Amalur work just like in the adventure, except they
worship Thanatos and have enslaved even more primitive tribes of Troglodytes.