Adventure: Rivals of the Sun God

Tome Banner

Rivals of the Sun God, continued

NPCs

Myrrith

Align: Lawful Neutral
AC: 8
Move: 12"
Class: Magic-User
Level: 15
Hit Points: 21 (due to age)
THAC0: 14
# of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: by weapon or spell
STR 6 / DEX 9 / CON 8 / INT 15 / WIS 17 / CHA 7
ML: 7
XP: None if killed, 1,000 if survives until end of adventure.

Myrrith's currently memorized spells are:
First Level: Read Languages, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Charm Person(x2)
Second Level: Phantasmal Force, Invisibility, ESP, Entangle
Third Level: Clairvoyance, Fly, Hold Person(x2)
Higher Level: Due to her great age, Myrrith has trouble casting spells higher than level 3. She may be able to cast up to seventh level spells if the DM permits, but she should not be able to do so with out penalties (suggested system shock roll).

The wizard Myrrith is an imposing figure shrouded in mystery. Were she not hunched over with apparent age, she would stand 7 feet tall. Her arms and legs are quite thin, while her hands and feet seem to be slightly over proportioned. Every inch of her body is covered by finely, gold embroidered clothing. The hooded cloak she wears covers her face entirely. Myrrith uses magical means to mask her identity as well as physical ones. Two golden orbs suspended in shear darkness meet those who try to peer beneath the folds of her cloak.

Born at the height of the Nithian Empire to Ellymnar, Myrrith is nearly 2000 years old, and nearing the end of her lifetime. As a child, Myrrith stayed very close to her father at all times. They constantly moved from one elven settlement to another, in order to avoid being detected by her father's enemies. On one occasion, when Myrrith had reached adolescence, she and her father settled down in a small elven village. Tired of running, Ellymnar decided to make a real home for himself and his daughter. He taught the elves great magic in the hopes that when his enemies found him, they would be able to defend themselves. That time came quickly. The dragon queen and her minions found the elven settlement and decimated it. Several of the elves bought enough time for Myrrith and Ellymnar to escape, with their lives.

Myrrith lived through the period of Nithia's decline. Enamored with that culture, she immersed herself into it, and learned all that the Nithians had to offer. The Immortals wiped the memory of Nithia from Mystara, but Myrrith retained most of her knowledge. Over the centuries she has filled in most of the blank places in her mind. Nearing the end of her life, she wishes to find the nation that was lost to her so long ago.

Pharaoh Thessikth

Align: Lawful Neutral
AC: 6
Move: 12"
Class: Magic-User
Level: 25
Hit Points: 34 (before Ceremony), 67 (after or during Ceremony)
Thac0: 9
# of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: by weapon or spell
STR: 7 / DEX: 4 / CON: 5 / INT: 17 / WIS: 10 / CHA: 12
ML: 7
XP: 1000
Thessikth's currently memorized spells are:
First Level: Magic Missile(x3), Protection from Evil, Shield, Sleep(x2)
Second Level: Mirror Image(x2), ESP, Invisibility, Levitate, Web(x2)
Third Level: Fly, Hold Person(x2), Lightning Bolt, Fireball(x2)
Fourth Level: Confusion, Dimension Door(x2), Wall of Fire, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self
Higher Levels: Due to his preparation for the Ceremony of Sublimation, Thessikth can not cast spells higher than level 4.

Sired by the hooded serpent Hekath, Thessikth assumed the crown of true Nithia when his predecessor made a miscalculation during the Ceremony of Sublimation and was consumed by it. He soon rose to prominence among his peers, and was in the process of subjugating many of the other half-dragon pharaohs when the First Upheaval came. His human subjects turned their worship to the Immortals, predominantly Energy Immortals like Ixion. Thessikth desperately banded together with eight other dragon pharaohs and led an assault to put down the Immortal's rabble. Their attempt was thwarted, and they fled into the swamps to the east.

The eastern lands were inhabited by those that survived the sinking of Taymora. Thessikth and his kin allied themselves with these dark forces in the hopes of regaining their homeland. Soon they led any army back into Nithia, and were successful in regaining some of their territory. The Taymorans also worshiped Immortals, albeit different ones than the Nithians did, and they soon betrayed the dragon kin.

Thessikth fled once more into the swamps, however this time he was followed. The Nithians wanted to make sure that his kind bothered them no more. The dragon-kin prepared a final defense against their enemies, but were spared from ever mounting it. Hekath and the other hooded serpent patrons gathered their followers up and moved them into the Hollow World. Once in the Hollow World, Thessikth and his brethren began their struggles anew. The Ceremonies they performed to preserve their own lives, drained the life from their surroundings, leaving it a vast desert wasteland. As the choicest land became more and more scarce, the battles became more and more fierce. Thessikth found himself winning more battles than he lost, and soon all of the land he cared to control was his. When he learned that the human Nithians had infested the land he withdrew his minions into the city of Pahat-Surah. There he has stayed over the centuries.

Presently the pharaoh is very frail and weak. He has waited until the very last possible minute to perform the Ceremony of Sublimation. If he is successful, his strength, dexterity, and constitution scores should increase by 6, 3, and 8 respectively. DMs should arm the pharaoh with any items (mundane or magical) that are suitable for their campaign. Over the centuries he has had the opportunity to aquire just about any item.

Assassins

Sis'thik (x10); AL: N; AC: 4; MV: 90' (40'); HD: 3+3; hp: 22, 20(x2), 18(x4), 16(x3); THAC0: 16; #AT: 2 claws, 1 bite, or by weapon; Dmg: 1-6 / 1-6 / 1-3 or by weapon +2
SD: not harmed by normal fire, minimal damage from magical fire; ML: 10; XP: 50

Guards

Lizardmen (x15); AL: N; AC: 5; MV 60' (20'); HD: 2+1; hp: 15(x3), 12(x5), 10(x2), 8(x5); THAC0: 17; #AT: 1 weapon; Dmg: by weapon +1; ML: 12; XP: 25

Monsters

Hooded Serpent / Hooded Dragon

AC: 2
Hit Dice: 12***
Move: 150' (50'); Flying: 360' (120')
Attacks: Ground: 2 claws / 1 bite; Air: up to 7 Damage: special (see Rules Cyclopedia)
No. Appearing: 1
Save As: F33
ML: 10
Treasure Type: Hx2, I
Intelligence: 16
Align: Lawful
XP Value: 6,000

Hooded dragons are a form of dragon that was mutated during the period after the Great Rain of Fire. Their mutation changed them physically, leaving them with a new form, resembling that of a cobra-like dragon, as well as making them sterile (with respect to dragon-kind only, see below for more details). Hooded dragons also changed magically, and so has their relationship to the Ceremony of Sublimation.

As a result of these changes, and the hooded dragon's reactions to them, the dragon Immortals now consider them to be renegades, outside of draconic law.

Although the dragon Immortals will not actively hinder hooded dragons, neither will they render any assistance to them. Mortal dragons will most likely attack hooded dragons on sight as an abomination. Although hooded dragons may not produce more hooded dragon young, they may mate with humanoids in order to produce a half-dragon offspring. These offspring are trained by their parents in draconic ways, and may attempt to perform the Ceremony of Sublimation themselves. It is through their offspring, that the hooded dragons exert their power over their surroundings.

A hooded dragon's scales are somewhat softer than those of other dragons, and unlike other dragons they have no breath attack. They are still formidable opponents and will use intelligent battle tactics when engaging their enemies. They are quicker than most dragons their size, and thus recieve an extra attack (up to 7) while in the air.