Published in the Norwegian sci fi/fantasy fanzine "Sirius" in 1990 were at least two Classic D&D modules written by the folks who translated Mentzer D&D into Norwegian. The two modules were:
NM1: Risehøvdingens skatt (Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain)
NM2: Skatten på Krokodilleøya (The Treasure on Crocodile Island)
I assume NM is short for Norwegian Module. I am still looking for NM1, but I have a copy of NM2. It details a harbor city named Rythal and "Crocodile Island", but suggests that Rythal can be located on the southern coast of the Known World, Ierendi or Minrothad and tha Crocodile Island is located in the Thanegioth Archipelago.
There are no new monsters or new magical items in the module, but it has some pretty cool Mentzer style maps. It also features a chaotic brotherhood called "Slangens Sønner" (Sons of the Serpent).
I'll see what else I can dig up.
Havard
Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain, huh? Makes me think of the Ogre King toy in the LJN line of action figures (you know, the Strongheart, Warduke guys we've been talking about recently?)
Crocodile island with its Sons of the Serpent would definitely fit in with fan works about the Serpentines/Trogs in the Thanegioth region. How big a city is Rythal supposed to be, and does it mention which of the TA isles Croc Isle is?
Cool! Where'd you find this information? Is there anything about them on Acaeum (I didn't see anything at a cursory glance, but may not be looking in the right place).
AFAIK there is nothing about this in the Acaenum. I found about it because I bought the magazine featuring NM2 back in 1990. I knew I had it lying around somewhere, but I just managed to dig ut out today. The magazine also mentions NM1 and also hints at plans of publishing more modules in later mags. I have no idea if this ever happened. The magazine also mentions the forthcoming D&D Master/Companion rulebook which was never published. I have asked about this on a Norwegian rpg forum though so hopefully I will be able to find out more. Sadly, the author passed away a few years ago. A great loss to the RPG community in my country.
Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain, huh? Makes me think of the Ogre King toy in the LJN line of action figures (you know, the Strongheart, Warduke guys we've been talking about recently?)
You mean this guy?
Crocodile island with its Sons of the Serpent would definitely fit in with fan works about the Serpentines/Trogs in the Thanegioth region. How big a city is Rythal supposed to be, and does it mention which of the TA isles Croc Isle is?
The Sons of the Serpent is a "Chaotic" organization whose members are Clerics and Magic-users. They can be found in many Known World countries apparently, though they are persecuted in most "Lawful nations" whatever that means. They are looking for the treasure hidden at Crocodile Island, but don't normally hang out there.
Crocodile Island is actually a group of tiny islands forming a circle, or more likely a partially submerged or sinking island. If I can get my scanner to work, I will scan the map for you guys to see. The whole island area 2-3 miles, so I'm not sure it would show up on the map at all, though increasing its size a bit we could make it one of the very small islands in the Archipelago.
The Size of Rythal is unclear. This is made even worse by the fact that the word "by" could mean either town or city in Norwegian. There is a map, but it only shows the harbor quarters of the town. It does have a large number of inns and taverns though, and what looks like it might be a decent size castle (though only part of it is shown on the map). One location on the map, the Royal Library, suggests that the city is within a Monarchy. Several Merchant houses are also mentioned as having offices in Rythal. There are three temples; the temple of the Thunder God (Thor?) the temple of the Sea God (Protius, no doubt) and the Temple of the Fish Goddess (woot?). I wouldn't worry about the word "God" being used here as Norwegian doesn't have a good equivalent for "Immortal" (IMO anyway).
Beyond map locations not much info is given on Rythal, though parts of its history are mentioned. I'll share more of that as I read on
Havard
That chaotic brotherhood sound more or less like the... Chaotic Brotherhood (a.k.a. Order of Flame)! Could this mean a connection, pehaps? ;)
Ahn, no new monsters! I was hoping we would have a "goldproducer" or something like that, hehe :D
Interesting news!
That chaotic brotherhood sound more or less like
the... Chaotic Brotherhood (a.k.a. Order of Flame)!
Could this mean a connection, pehaps? ;)
Ahn, no new monsters! I was hoping we would have a
"goldproducer" or something like that, hehe :D
A chaotic brotherhood, not THE chaotic brotherhood. I
see what you mean though. There could be some
connection between the Order of Flame and the Sons of
the Serpent. The Sons of the Serpent most likely
operate in the Known World though. IIRC they are
Clerics and Magic-users who work to strengthen Chaos
and Evil in the world. They may or may not be
connected to an ancient Magic-user mentioned in the
module. I'll check his name when I get home from work.
No new monsters, though there is a Kraken in there
which seems to be treated more like a natural disaster
than a monster. Possibly due to his enormous size? I
don't know if they got that from some other supplement
or if that was made up in that module.
Also, I discovered that a couple of the magic items
featured in the module are non-standard even if they
aren't identified as "New Magical Items." I'll get
back to you on the details.
Havard
PS: I just received an email from a guy who said he will send me NM1 Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain over the weekend!
Assasin's rod
A person touched by the rod suffers the effect of a Death Spell (Lvl 6). The victim must save at -3 vs Death Ray. It can only be used by a Neutral or Chaotic character. This Rod has charges, like a wand or staff. There are 8 charges left in this particular rod.
Kvassegg (Sharp Egde)
This is a magical intelligent normal sword with Int 11. It can speak five languages: Elven, Dwarven, Common, Latin(?) and Orcish. The sword's alignment is Chaotic. Other abiltities: Detect Good, Detect Invisibiliy, Extra damage, Fly. The sword has an Ego of 22. It's name is carved into both sides of the sword's blade with Dwarven runes.
Ring of Dragon Control
This ring works as a potion of Dragon control, except that you can only control Neutral and Chaotic Dragons. The Dragons will not be hostile towards the user once the effect ends. The ring can only be used by Neutral or Chaotic characters. (Note: This item seems very unbalancing)
These three items were crafted by the evil magic user Ithaq-Talmir along with a Staff of Commanding, a Mirror of Imprisonment and a Staff of the Magi which he used to control the "lands in the North" under his tyrannical rule some centuries ago. Recently they were brought on a ship which shipwrecked in the Thanegioth Archipelago and the items became the Treasure of Crocodile Island.
Havard
These three items were crafted by the evil magic user Ithaq-Talmir along with a Staff of Commanding, a Mirror of Imprisonment and a Staff of the Magi which he used to control the "lands in the North" under his tyrannical rule some centuries ago. Recently they were brought on a ship which shipwrecked in the Thanegioth Archipelago and the items became the Treasure of Crocodile Island.
An assassin rod, a Dwarven sword, Ithaq-Talmir, lands in the North... don't all those itens sound like Ylaruam, or it's just me?
And, if so, "common" might be Alasiyan, while Latim is, obviously, Thyatian
After some thought, maybe I-T was a Nithian sorcerer during the period of Alphatian/Thyatian conquests in Ylaruam around 200 AC or so (I think that's the right date). He could either have been displaced by the A-T's, or else perhaps took advantage of their conquests to carve out a spot for himself.
My first guess would have been to suggest Ithaq-Talmir was one of the Nithians who conquered the Northern Reaches territories back in the heyday of the Empire, but that would set things back prior to 500 BC (more than a couple of centuries), and Thyatis wouldn't have been around.
Those are indeed "lands in the north", and Sharp Edge could be a interesting hook for the PCs get in touch with the nithian history and explore nithian long-lost ruins, like that karameikan Aminturis (which sword type is Sharp Edge, BTW? Pehaps a Kopesh? Or a Scimitar or Falchion? Or a straight dwarven blade?).
If Ithaq-Talmir history happened before 500 BC, pehaps "latim" could be replaced by "traldar", and common is actually old nithian.
After some thought, maybe I-T was a Nithian sorcerer during the period of Alphatian/Thyatian conquests in Ylaruam around 200 AC or so (I think that's the right date). He could either have been displaced by the A-T's, or else perhaps took advantage of their conquests to carve out a spot for himself.
Or pehaps a thothian wizard and the overlord of the alphatian colonies at Ylaruam?
BTW, as a chatotic sword, shoudn't it detect lawful tencencies instead of good ones? Or, since it's a od&d module, we should have only Lawful X Chaos axis, right?
Or pehaps a thothian wizard and the overlord of the alphatian colonies at Ylaruam?
Hadn't thought of that- that's a good suggestion.
BTW, as a chatotic sword, shoudn't it detect lawful tencencies instead of good ones? Or, since it's a od&d module, we should have only Lawful X Chaos axis, right?
OD&D still used the Detect Good/Evil versions of the spell, despite having no Good/Evil axis in the alignments for whatever reason. I think the closest it got to having Detect Law/Chaos was the Know Alignment spell (ironically, of a higher level than the Detect spells, despite- in OD&D anyway- having nearly as limited a range)
Hadn't thought of that- that's a good suggestion.
;)
OD&D still used the Detect Good/Evil versions of the spell, despite having no Good/Evil axis in the alignments for whatever reason. I think the closest it got to having Detect Law/Chaos was the Know Alignment spell (ironically, of a higher level than the Detect spells, despite- in OD&D anyway- having nearly as limited a range)
That's odd!
Since we don't have a Good/Evil axis, what this spell detect, actually? Hostile/friendly attitudes?
That's odd!
Since we don't have a Good/Evil axis, what this spell detect, actually? Hostile/friendly attitudes?
Yeah, IIRC thats what it does.
Havard
That's odd!
Since we don't have a Good/Evil axis, what this spell detect, actually? Hostile/friendly attitudes?
Not only is that how it worked in Classic, but it's how I still run things in 3.5e, as far as when it comes to Know/Detect/Protection spells, as well as the Paladin's Smite ability.
It is a house rule of mine that the PCs are heroes, and thus they and their allies are always "good" and their enemies "evil" (from their own point-of-view.) An unconnected third-party observer would see (and detect via magic) their on-paper alignment.
On the same token, an NPC ally of a LE hero PC would detect as good, i.e. friendly; While the CG enemy of the party would detect as "evil", meaning hostile... again, this is all from the PC's point-of-view--unrelated NPCs would see/detect something completely different.
Roger
I find it more intriguing when things aren't quite so cut-and-dry, and point of view is an important element in a game to me (and is one of Mystara's themes IMO).
Agreed.
Not only is that how it worked in Classic, but it's how I still run things in 3.5e, as far as when it comes to Know/Detect/Protection spells, as well as the Paladin's Smite ability.
It is a house rule of mine that the PCs are heroes, and thus they and their allies are always "good" and their enemies "evil" (from their own point-of-view.) An unconnected third-party observer would see (and detect via magic) their on-paper alignment.
On the same token, an NPC ally of a LE hero PC would detect as good, i.e. friendly; While the CG enemy of the party would detect as "evil", meaning hostile... again, this is all from the PC's point-of-view--unrelated NPCs would see/detect something completely different.
Ya, that's pretty much how I handle it as well. It's very interesting to be able to have an NPC with a good reputation appear to be 'evil' because of his intentions towards the party. I find it more intriguing when things aren't quite so cut-and-dry, and point of view is an important element in a game to me (and is one of Mystara's themes IMO).
Hey, I love this! I'm seriously considering to do the same at my 3.5 games as well!
Those are indeed "lands in the north", and Sharp Edge could be a interesting hook for the PCs get in touch with the nithian history and explore nithian long-lost ruins, like that karameikan Aminturis (which sword type is Sharp Edge, BTW? Pehaps a Kopesh? Or a Scimitar or Falchion? Or a straight dwarven blade?).
Good suggestions. According to the module Sharp Edge is a "normal sword". Ofcourse that could mean anything. If we make Ithaq-Talmir an Ylari or a Thothian, I'd say we could easily make it a weapon of that culture.
I'm guessing the Dwarven runes were made by dwarven slaves in the service of the wizard who helped forging the blade. It was probably wielded by the wizard's bodyguard, likely a weak-willed individual who would then be controlled by the sword who was loyal to the wizard...
If Ithaq-Talmir history happened before 500 BC, pehaps "latin" could be replaced by "traldar", and common is actually old nithian.
Or the other way around? Latin is a dead language as is Nithian in the Known World....
Or pehaps a thothian wizard and the overlord of the alphatian colonies at Ylaruam?
Both of these work for me.
I orgininally understood "the lands to the north" to mean merely some region north of Rythal, but I guess anywhere in Known World would fit. BTW, looks like Rythal is a town and not a city. It's ruler is referred to as the Town Prefect. I dont know if that should matter. Right now I'm leaning towards setting Rythal somewhere on Ierendi.
Here is another weird thing that perhaps you guys can help me figure out: When Ithaq-Talmir was defeated, his magical items were left in the ruins of his tower untill they were found again some years ago by agents of the Sons of the Serpent. When they tried to bring them to Rythal, using the ship of some Ivory smugglers, the ship was blown greatly off course and ended up on the Thanegioth Archipelago.(!)
My first thought was that Ithaq's tower must have been on Davania. But why would it be there if he was a ruler of countries in the north? I guess the Nithians did have some holdings in the Hinterlands, didn't they?
BTW: I just got ahold of NM1: The Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain. NM1 appears less professionally made than NM2. The maps are amateur-style, except for one fairly decent regional one. NM2 is more on par with the Moldway modules. The suggested setting of NM1 is somewhere near a mountainous region in Karameikos. I'll bring in more details on NM1 later.
Havard
I'm guessing the Dwarven runes were made by dwarven slaves in the service of the wizard who helped forging the blade.
I wonder that, if his was a thothian mage, this means that alphatians at Ylaruam wanted to enslave their neighbours dwarfs. Pehaps Rockhome helped Al-Kalim fighting against the alphatian mages, and that's another reason for their friendship?
It was probably wielded by the wizard's bodyguard, likely a weak-willed individual who would then be controlled by the sword who was loyal to the wizard...
Interesting idea! Love it ;)
Or the other way around? Latin is a dead language as is Nithian in the Known World....
Yes, that's another possible interpretation. But it would be the same, in the end ;)
Both of these work for me.
I orgininally understood "the lands to the north" to mean merely some region north of Rythal, but I guess anywhere in Known World would fit. BTW, looks like Rythal is a town and not a city. It's ruler is referred to as the Town Prefect. I dont know if that should matter. Right now I'm leaning towards setting Rythal somewhere on Ierendi.
I guess Ierendi or Minrothad are indeed the best place for placing it, since it's a Thanegioth adventure and the sounding of this name fits better with those islands
Here is another weird thing that perhaps you guys can help me figure out: When Ithaq-Talmir was defeated, his magical items were left in the ruins of his tower untill they were found again some years ago by agents of the Sons of the Serpent. When they tried to bring them to Rythal, using the ship of some Ivory smugglers, the ship was blown greatly off course and ended up on the Thanegioth Archipelago.(!)
That's the official version of how Brazil was discovered, pedro Álvares Cabral was sailing to India and his ship go off course. But today many agree that this sound more like an excuse to claim this lands, anyway
My first thought was that Ithaq's tower must have been on Davania. But why would it be there if he was a ruler of countries in the north? I guess the Nithians did have some holdings in the Hinterlands, didn't they?
Yes, and brought tyatians with tem to there. This would surely explain the "latim" part. OTOH, we would need to drop the "lands of the north". Unless that mage conquered the Northern Reaches, the barbariands killed him, his nithian friends took the barbarians south and them brought the magical itens with them... Too complicated this way, I guess.
Another idea is that they weren't actually salining to Rythal, but in fact to somewhere else, like the SC, and would need to go all the way around the Serpent Peninsula.
BTW: I just got ahold of NM1: The Treasure of the Ogre Chieftain. NM1 appears less professionally made than NM2. The maps are amateur-style, except for one fairly decent regional one. NM2 is more on par with the Moldway modules. The suggested setting of NM1 is somewhere near a mountainous region in Karameikos. I'll bring in more details on NM1 later.
Sounds interesting
Travis
I wonder that, if his was a thothian mage, this means that alphatians at Ylaruam wanted to enslave their neighbours dwarfs. Pehaps Rockhome helped Al-Kalim fighting against the alphatian mages, and that's another reason for their friendship?
This makes alot of sense to me.
I guess Ierendi or Minrothad are indeed the best place for placing it, since it's a Thanegioth adventure and the sounding of this name fits better with those islands
These are the two countries that are mentioned by name as possible locations for the town. Other coastal nations are also possible (Thyatis and Karameikos, mainly). The fact that the town has a Royal Library makes me think it should be a country with a Royal family, so Ierendi seems most likely.
That's the official version of how Brazil was discovered, pedro Álvares Cabral was sailing to India and his ship go off course. But today many agree that this sound more like an excuse to claim this lands, anyway
Hehe, I didn't know that.
Ithaq's Keep:
Yes, and brought tyatians with tem to there. This would surely explain the "latim" part. OTOH, we would need to drop the "lands of the north". Unless that mage conquered the Northern Reaches, the barbariands killed him, his nithian friends took the barbarians south and them brought the magical itens with them... Too complicated this way, I guess.
Another idea is that they weren't actually salining to Rythal, but in fact to somewhere else, like the SC, and would need to go all the way around the Serpent Peninsula.
The ship was definately sailing towards Rythal. I'd say the easiest sollution to this was that Ithaq was a ruler of Ylaruam. (Not neccesarily all of Ylaruam either, he could have been a provincial ruler.) However, at one point he may have been involed with operations in the Hinterlands and constructed himself a secret fortress there. When the people rioted against him he fled from the Known World to his old hideout on Davania, but was followed even there and killed.
The Sons of the Serpent were likely formed by his followers and have been working in the Known World ever since their loss of power. They were recently able to find Ithaq's Keep and the hidden magical items there. The ship bringing the items to Ierendi sadly shipwrecked in the Thanegioth Archipelago. Recently they have been trying to recruit agents (like the PCs) to recover the items.
NM1:
Sounds interesting
I will post more when I have read through it properly
Havard
IHere is another weird thing that perhaps you guys can help me figure out: When Ithaq-Talmir was defeated, his magical items were left in the ruins of his tower untill they were found again some years ago by agents of the Sons of the Serpent. When they tried to bring them to Rythal, using the ship of some Ivory smugglers, the ship was blown greatly off course and ended up on the Thanegioth Archipelago.(!)
Not sure if it helps. but you could always look at some of the charts of currents in the Sea of Dread (I believe there is one in PC3: The Sea People, and it seems there was probably one somewhere else). That might give you an idea of what route might have forced the ship into the TA.
These are the two countries that are mentioned by name as possible locations for the town. Other coastal nations are also possible (Thyatis and Karameikos, mainly). The fact that the town has a Royal Library makes me think it should be a country with a Royal family, so Ierendi seems most likely.
I guess Ierendi is the best option, then
The ship was definately sailing towards Rythal. I'd say the easiest sollution to this was that Ithaq was a ruler of Ylaruam. (Not neccesarily all of Ylaruam either, he could have been a provincial ruler.) However, at one point he may have been involed with operations in the Hinterlands and constructed himself a secret fortress there. When the people rioted against him he fled from the Known World to his old hideout on Davania, but was followed even there and killed.
The Sons of the Serpent were likely formed by his followers and have been working in the Known World ever since their loss of power. They were recently able to find Ithaq's Keep and the hidden magical items there. The ship bringing the items to Ierendi sadly shipwrecked in the Thanegioth Archipelago. Recently they have been trying to recruit agents (like the PCs) to recover the items.
That's possible too. Actually, I just had one idea, Ithaq-Talmir might had been one of Thanatos agents at Ylaruam, and the Sons of the Serpent now continue his entropic work at the KW. But this would mean that Ithaq-Talmir lived for, at least, 500 years (from Hinterland colony to nithian destruction)... hm... Pehaps he was some kind of evil lich/mummy mage?
I guess Ierendi is the best option, then
Alright then!
BTW: Any history of Nithian presence in Ierendi, or is that just in Minrothad?
That's possible too. Actually, I just had one idea, Ithaq-Talmir might had been one of Thanatos agents at Ylaruam, and the Sons of the Serpent now continue his entropic work at the KW. But this would mean that Ithaq-Talmir lived for, at least, 500 years (from Hinterland colony to nithian destruction)... hm... Pehaps he was some kind of evil lich/mummy mage?
I'm not opposed to having him be a lich or mummy (or even a Nosferatu). I like having him as one of Thanatos' agents. I'd say we could make it simpler by using your theory of him being around at the fall of Nitha, but still owning a Keep (perhaps constructed by an ancestor) which he fled to, when he was ousted from power.
I like the other idea about the Sons of the Serpent continuing the work of Entropy in the tradition of Ithaq-Talmir. I imagined the Sons to be servants of Demogorgon though, rather than Thanatos. Perhaps even Ithaq was a follower of Demogorgon, introducing a sort of schisma among the Nithian entropy cultists? (Possibly the reason why they managed to survive the Spell of Oblivion....)
Havard