I've been AWOL for a while, so I offer this beta-version map of the Ransarn for your enjoyment.
This is for a tentative Campaign Module/Adventure Path in lower Norwold that involves the Heldannic polymath Lokena, Essuria, Nithia, Darga and Gylgarid, plus the normal jumble of humanoids and petty dominion lords.
As a means of turning this into a joint project - I'm advertisizing for ruin maps, adventure hooks and 3-adventure arc descriptions, and any other ideas you might have.
Feel free to say what you'd like out of this area.
-OldDawg
:-) Jesper
- 1) A dark, evil clan of treants from the deep forests of Gnomstal conquer the fluvial village of Hegkogur and use black magics to expand "evil" through the river course. This "evil water" increasingly awakens trees with a dark heart, man-hating mentality in the forests next to the Ransarn river.
- 2) A powerful Were-Bat which is also a high priest of Thanatos (or Hel) has established a stronhold in the ruins of Orvan, next to the lake. He creates an army of were-bats (offers them plenty of cattle and even human prisoners for blood) and also of undead. They conquer easily the fishing village of Arcadia (the undead came by surprise from underwater!, they went undetected from Orvan ruins). Now the new undead/werebat army is heading towards Two-Lakes Vale. Heros are needed to kill the Were-bat necromantic leader before the evil army destroys the village.
- 3) In the snow glaciers there are snow-lions and snow-tigers. Their white furs are very appreciated in all Norwold, Alphatia and northern countries. But there are also frost giants and vicious white evil sasquatches. And also, when the hunting heroes go there, they will find that licanthopy arrived sooner: white snow were-lions and were-tigers.
--Ray.
--Ray.
I will have to read up on the Immortals you mention. (Did you develop these in the Heldann Gaz? WotI says Lokena was from Glantri BTW... )
The first thing that caught my interest however, was the southeastern region of Gnomstal.
The first thing I thought was that it could have some link to the Norwegian region of Romsdal, but I couldn't really come up with any way to make that interesting. At least I haven't yet.
The more obvious idea was ofcourse that this has to have something to do with Gnomes. This would be a great opportunity to give Gnomes the recognition they deserve in Mystara. Garl Glitterlode is too smart to have bet all his cards on Highforge and Torkyn falls. He must have had a backup plan for a Gnome settlement on Brun. Will Gnomes be a major feature of the gaz?
The Gnome Crucible Discovered - The Cauldron of Power. The Forge of Power, the Tree of Life and the Blackflame Crucible. The Gnomes have a unique Crucible of their own. It aids them in the fine Gnome art of Alchemy. Brewing of potions and the like have always been a Gnome speciality. Perhaps this could be one of the things that set Gnomestal Gnomes apart from other Mystaran Gnomes?
More later...
Havard
WotI says Lokena was from Glantri BTW...
WOTI says a lot of things ....;)
As was explained in Gaz F7 The Heldannic Order, Lokena was one of the "illegal" nobles of Glantri that was expelled following the Light of Rad Parliament session. She returned to her native/ancestral home of Heldann, did enough to become famous and left for the north.
[In IM2, she has adopted to guise of Athena, and prides herself on her martial prowess (presumably fighter was her first class along the way to becoming a polymath).]
Basically: Warlord in Glantri, Outlaw (T) in Heldann, and then picks up C/M in the Ransarn. Not the four separate lives of the Polymath, but a true polymathic individual who slowly aquired great talent in each major field.
the southeastern region of Gnomstal. ... have something to do with Gnomes.
While not a bad idea, the Gnomstal was introduced in Gaz F8 the Streets of Landfall - the "Gnom" here refers to goblins ("der Gnom" - Germ.) not gnomes - a potential point of confusion the gaz points out.
two evil BBGs and a blude dragon in the module about Two Lakes Vale
Those BBGs are Ulslime the Chaosar (who was tied into Gaz F2 The Denizens of Denagoth, with Chaosars being political apostates in the Church of Idris that seek to overturn the existing leadership so they can return to power) and Wazor the Atlantean Wizard (2nd reference to Alphatia as Atlantis). I've decided to make the Atlanteans a special group of Alphatian mages, including Gargantua. The Blue Dragon is Khorbundar.
All three can pop up in the events of the valley, as can the Death Stone and the Temple of the Stars.
The settlements are:
Humanoids: Terragur, Hrisey, Hegkogur, Lepa Krak (all in Gaz F8)
Traldaran/Other Transplants: Saffir, Relfren (Gaz F9)
Nithian: Akrothep (more below)
Foresthome elves: Meliniath
Norwolder: Atea, Forestholm, Orvan, Arcadia (with Dwarves, Essurians, and Icereach Barbarians), Two-Lakes (with Essurians), Lokeda
Essurians: Drax Ruthiss (isolated after Henadin's march and destroyed by the Vanatics), Arum Del (more below), Serussia, Arcadia, Two-Lakes
In the overall development of the campaign module, Arum Del should function as a Well of Souls site - it points to hidden Akrothep. Akrothep was an important locale during the Nithian's final age: involved with generating the locations to important sites around the globe (such as the Arch of Fire, whatever they were after in Davania when they planted slaves, etc), a training ground/lab to aid or counter the Savage Coast Nithians, and - really deep into GazF backstory - a beacon for Thanatos after he reconstitutes following Nithia's destruction (even "failures" are steps towards his ultimate goals). Darga and Gylgarid will be born out of this site.
Lokeda was established by Lokena, and contains a training ground for polymathic characters (Special Rules section).
The campaign module outline is to start out in Lighthall dealing with pirates, humanoids, and trapped caverns whose treasures point in the direction of the Ransarn.
Early Expert is spent crossing and mapping the Valley from Saffir to Arcadia, where they pick up Baron Malthus Fharo and help him locate and claim his fief. At that point they are in the valley and now strong enough to start dealing with the bigger mysteries lurking here.
Some adventures also could lead back to Lighthall or Landfall (particularly tying in the strange artifacts with the Association for Atinquities and Aquisitions and the Dark Masters; and political complications with GHOST). Others could require a journey to the Tower of the Nameless One, who has information about the older sites. So the module really lives in GazF continuity.
-OldDawg
You have a new symbol on the map that I can't figure out. It's the dotted lines in the mountains. What's that? A pass? The direction that the whole range goes?
Thanks!
--Ray.
You have a new symbol on the map that I can't figure out. It's the dotted lines in the mountains. What's that? A pass? The direction that the whole range goes?
Just a guess, OD will have to confirm, but I think that it denotes an impassable range--which would explain why rivers and lakes suddenly end at the edge of the range and continue on the other side.
Again, it's just a guess.
Roger
It's the dotted lines in the mountains. What's that?
Assuming you mean the "tracks"-like paths near the words "Final Range", for example, then Roger is mostly right. These are major and minor divides that control the watershed for runoff. They don't have to be impassable to explorers, although many stretches are.
I've been using the map notation since Denagoth (cf. the ridge nest in the southern Menguls). Some of these ridge markers come courtsey of CM1. Others are invented to explain why Norwold's rivers do some funky things.
-OldDawg
These are major and minor divides that control the watershed for runoff.
Thanks! That cleared that up nicely.
--Rayl.
*Native Canadians/First Nation: I don't know about the rest of you, but the Athruagin Clans seem like a small region to cram in most of North America's native populations. Also, it seems like the Athruagin Immortals should likely have projects beyond that small country.
*Staying in Canada... maybe a little silly, but how about some culture or organization based on Canadian Mounties? At first I thought about having Halfling Sherrifs of Leeha dress up in red coats and broad brimmed hats, but it could also be used elsewhere...
*Valleys of Plague: Based on 13th Century Scandiavia, where islolated valleys are threatened by magical plague. Some valleys are left void of humanoids as the plague has wiped them out. However, other creatures have taken over. In one valley, the few survivors of the Plague were turned into Swanmays. Mysterious creatures known as the Plague Lords control this entire region.
*Northern Fey: A region based on 16th-17th Century Scandinavia complete with post-Viking myths of Fey creatures like the Dryad-like Huldr, the Fossegrim, Undead Draugs, Brownies etc.
*Northern Travellers: Perhaps a branch of the Darine, based on the Scandinavian Tater people
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_and_Swedish_Travellers ).
Havard
*Staying in Canada... maybe a little silly, but how about some culture or organization based on Canadian Mounties? At first I thought about having Halfling Sherrifs of Leeha dress up in red coats and broad brimmed hats, but it could also be used elsewhere...
Lol! I always thought that those pikemen shown at that picture on p.15 of GAZ11 was some sort of "Darokinian Mounties" :D
*Staying in Canada... maybe a little silly, but how about some culture or organization based on Canadian Mounties? At first I thought about having Halfling Sherrifs of Leeha dress up in red coats and broad brimmed hats, but it could also be used elsewhere...
Halflings as Dudley Do-Right, Snidely Whiplash, Nell Fenwick and Horse (well maybe as Pony instead and NOT a halfling)! That would be a perfect one-off!
--Ray.
Halflings as Dudley Do-Right, Snidely Whiplash, Nell Fenwick and Horse (well maybe as Pony instead and NOT a halfling)! That would be a perfect one-off!
More Leeha than the Ransarn, but an excellent bit of comedy to put in.
And to go with Havard's Canadian concept, the Leehashire Khrondar could be mounties.*Native Canadians/First Nation: ...
The Shonak tribes are quasi-Amerind of the Arctic Circle. They will be making an appearance in Kaarjala.
*Valleys of Plague:...
Ransarn and the Wyrmsteeth will have isolated valleys and sites where the population fell ill or suffered calamity, but probably no Plague Lords
*Northern Fey:
What can you tell us about the Huldr, Fossegrim, and draugs?
-OldDawg
More Leeha than the Ransarn, but an excellent bit of comedy to put in.
Cool! Yeah, Leeha would be ideal for this concept.
The Shonak tribes are quasi-Amerind of the Arctic Circle. They will be making an appearance in Kaarjala.
Sounds good. Does this mean the Athruagin Immortals will be used?
Ransarn and the Wyrmsteeth will have isolated valleys and sites where the population fell ill or suffered calamity, but probably no Plague Lords
Okay, I'll just save that idea for later then
What can you tell us about the Huldr, Fossegrim, and draugs?
Now this is the kind of question I like!
Huldr:
The name Huldr is sometimes used as a general term for Fey, but also just as often refers to a female creature similar in many ways to Dryads. Like Dryads, they appear as beautiful human women. I would probably suggest a nordic appearance for the Huldr. Perceptive adventurers may also notice the cow or fox-like tail of the Huldr, though she always tries to keep it hidden under her long skirt/dress. Like the Dryad the Huldr charms her victims and the Huldr then takes the helpless male with her into the mountain. She can pass through mountain rock like a Dryad passes into her tree.
I'll do the others tomorrow, since Im getting sleepy here
Havard
Here are some more Northern Fey:
Huldr:
The name Huldr is sometimes used as a general term for Fey, but also just as often refers to a female creature similar in many ways to Dryads. Like Dryads, they appear as beautiful human women. I would probably suggest a nordic appearance for the Huldr. While appearing to be fragile women, they have supernatural strength. Perceptive adventurers may also notice the cow or fox-like tail of the Huldr, though she always tries to keep it hidden under her long skirt/dress. Like the Dryad the Huldr charms her victims and the Huldr then takes the helpless male with her into the earth. She can pass through mountain rock like a Dryad passes into her tree. While tales of the Huldr women are most common, males also exist. The Huldr live in great kingdoms beneath under ground, often quite close to human settlements which sometimes leads to problems between the two races.
Nøkk (Nix)
The Nøkk is a male water spirit living in lakes and streams, probably related to Nixies. He is often depicted as a male human with glowing eyes and hair overgrown with water plants. The Nøkk is known for luring women and children into drowning. His favorite way of doing this is to take the shape of a beautiful stallion and trick victims to attempt to mount him. Once astride the horse, the stallion will set off in a wild raze eventually leaping into the water pulling his victim with him. According to some myths, pouring a bit of alchohol or tobacco into the lake will please the Nøkk and he will teach you some enchantments. The Nøkk is vulnerable to daylight and does not like to leave the water for extended periods.
Fossegrim
The Fossegrim is another water spirit related to the Nøkk. These appear as attractive (but usually bearded) men living in water falls. They are known for their skill with playing the fiddle (or even Norwegian Hardinger, a special fiddle used for the Rohan theme in the LotR movies among other things). They are enemies of the Nøkk who will try to destroy the Fossegrim's musical instrument should they meet. Fossegrims may be befriended by offering them lamb meat. If their trust is betrayed however, the Fossegrim will dance naked in front of you which is a traumatic sight (I propose turning victims to stone or similar effect). Befriended Fossegrims may teach their amazing musical skills to visitors.
Kvernknurr ("Mill Mouths")
Yet another water dwelling Fey, the Kvernknurr live in streams or rivers and cause trouble for millers as they are able to stop a watermill by chewing onto the water wheel with their gigantic mouths. I don't really know what they look like except for having mouths the size of a doorway. I imagine them as goblin-like with pointy ears and small hairy bodies.
Draug (Draugr, pl: draugar)
These aren't really Fey, but material Undead similar to zombies or Ghouls. They usually drowned sailors rising from the dead to pull others into their watery graves. The draugar appear as bloated corpses whose skin has begun to turn blue. Sometimes they swim and try to turn boats around. At other times, they sail ghostly small boats (or even ships) with torn sails. They are said to be a warning of death. Those who see a Draugr will not reach land alive (this is a curse, and a curse should be allowed). Draugr has to stay near the sea, though they often hide on the beach, where they often take the shape of large rocks. They fear clergy and are quite likely susceptible to turning. Older myths distinguish between the Sea Draugr and the Land Draugr. Most of the above refers to the former.
Marmæl
These tiny Fey appear like small Merrow and live on the bottom of the sea. They are mostly friendly and hate the Draugar and are able to repell them. If approached in a friendly manner and if they are offered clothes (they may ask for it), they will repay this generousity by answering questions. They possess great knowledge. However, they are proud and hate stupid questions. If annoyed in such a way, they may use their weather controlling powers to create violent storms. While they live under water, they have no problems breathing above water.
PS: In addition to my own understanding of these things, I consulted the wikipedia and the Norwegian RPG draug which is quite true to Norwegian myths.
Havard