Does anyone know anything about this Gate? What is was, where did it lead, it's history, etc.? I'm curious, and didn't see anything on Canonfire about it.
Nowadays, occasional persons will slip past the guards or sneak into the tower and pass through the gate, never seen again. But the guards that zealously protect the fortress usually dispatch intruders.
Humans are allowed to celebrate in the streets next to the gate to remember their heritage and the great Lendore at the end of summer. Elves will often join in the festivities, as it is the largest celebration the islands experience.
Then, there are references to the Glass Gate in a poem by John G. Whittier. I've never read the poem, it's too boring. But others say the idea of the gate is nicked from Whittier's poem.
I hope this helps. I don't know how the gate works or if it's even real. I don't know who created it or where those who pass through it go.
City of Glass [TWN]
DRG#65 Pg# - 11
Gate of Glass (Lo Reltarma)[GTE]
LGG Pg# - 69
From the GenCon 2001 Greyhawk Adventure Supplement (extracts of material originally designed for the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer), by Fred Weining
City of Glass
Half a mile above the center of Lendore Isle floats a shimmering relic of the Suloise archmage for whom the island is named. It is a magical metropolis called simply the City of Glass. At one time it was visible from any high point on Lendore Isle, but no more, for it has been enshrouded by the misty veil of Sehanine that surrounds the entire island. Beneath the floating city’s glassine domes and crystaline [sic] turrets is the aerial haven of the human exiles of Lo Reltarma, the island’s capital.
Prior to the elven usurpation of Lendor Island only a hidden society of astrologers, diviners and savants dwelt within the City of Glass with their kobold menials and various familiars. But the city’s population was brought to nearly five thousand by the arrival of refugees escaping from the surface before the deactivation of the teleportal in Lo Reltarma. Upon their arrival in the City of Glass, these Suel exiles from the surface found themselves in the presence of the most ancient and noble member of their race---the archmage Lendore himself.
Lendore had endured for centuries beyond his normal span not by imbibing precarious life-extending potions, nor by embracing the curse of undeath and existence as a lich; rather, he had merged his life force with the substance of his lofty city, while impressing all his knowledge and memories into the Archive of Shards. But the City of Glass was created to preserve more than the essence of Lendore, it was to provide a refuge to his posterity in the time of their greatest calamity. In earnest of this, he build his city 3 miles in diameter, to accommodate a large population, with cisterns open to the sky supplying water and magical gardens providing food.
Secure for the time being in their aerial refuge, the main occupation of the exiles now dwelling in the City of Glass is their resistance to the elven domination of Lendore Isle. Lendore has revealed several lost secrets to the resistance fighters, one of the most important being the location and operation of strategic teleportals throughout the island. With this knowledge, agents of Lendore are able to travel swiftly between various sites on or near the island surface, though they must take the utmost care not to reveal the locations of these portals to the elves. The resistance has even managed to capture some important elven leaders, but have not yet made any progress in dispelling the mists of Sehanine. This must be one of their primary goals, since the energies that sustain the City of Glass are restored by sunlight, and it has been beclouded for nearly a decade.
DM’s Notes
For many centuries Lendore was able to manifest physically (with the powers 36th level wizard) anywhere on his island, and also appear in the neighboring lands for limited periods. Much of his time was also spent tutoring the hidden society of wizards who originally made the City of Glass their home. Many of them have dwelt here since the city’s first elevation, and they remain as living repositories of much ancient Suloise lore. Still more is recorded in the Archive of Shards that rises in the City’s highest tower.
Yet, with the engulfing of the City of Glass by Sehanine’s mists, Lendore’s power has slowly started to degrade. The elder wizards have again begun to age, and Lendore seldom manifests himself physically any more. Lendore has spent his remaining energies in support of the human resistance fighters who are based in his city. He has even encouraged the cultivation of alliances with elves from the mainland who oppose Sehanine. Agents of Lendore are present in Sunndi, the Urnsts, and in the Sheldomar Valley seeking such elven allies. Unfortunately, these Suel travelers are too often suspected of being agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood, and have thus far been unsuccessful in obtaining aid. Fortunately, successful contacts have been made with the Lydian priesthoods in Pitchfield, Nellix and Niole Dra, and their help could prove vital in overcoming the suffocating illusions of Sehanine.
Ref: LGG, pg 69, 162, 183
Coincidence? I think not ;)
"And people say that Greyhawk is low magic... "
"Low Magic" does not necessarily have to mean you will not find powerful magical artifacts, or no spells beyond fourth level, or the like. It can also mean that while there is powerful magic in the world, it's comparatively rare, and unlikely to be the sort of thing that just falls into the laps of commoers and adventurers alike.
Originally posted by Steve_MND
Wow Grodog, thanks! That's more information than I was expecting, honestly.
De nada :D
"And people say that Greyhawk is low magic... "
"Low Magic" does not necessarily have to mean you will not find powerful magical artifacts, or no spells beyond fourth level, or the like. It can also mean that while there is powerful magic in the world, it's comparatively rare, and unlikely to be the sort of thing that just falls into the laps of commoers and adventurers alike.
Well-said Steve! I like the feeling that Greyhawk's magic-level is "low" in the sense that everyone doesn't carry around wands of Cure Light Wounds, population demographics don't mandate that every village has a 5th level cleric, population demographics do mandate that more high-level thieves exist in GH than high-leve wizards, etc. However, high-level action is still possible and part-and-parcel of the world: artifacts, magical catastrophes, networks of gates, Iuz, Zagyg, etc. exist and are active elements of the world.
In my view, the "low magic" of Greyhawk means that there's not much of a "magical middle class" in Greyhawk: the "upper class" of high-level organizations, demigods, artifacts, etc. exist, as do the "lower class" minor magics (+1 swords, potions, etc.), but that there's not as much middle class magic running around....
thanks!
Mike
Originally posted by qstor
Grodog, was there anymore of the 2001 GenCon supplement that hasn't been released? I know Erik put a few extras on the WOTC boards and those are now on Canonfire?
Hi Mike---
Yes, in fact Fred's 2001 supplement detailed four such mysterious places: the City of Glass (reproduced above in full), Harbour of the Dark Fleet (of the Ataphads, scourge of the Drawmij), the Huntsman's Bier (a hallowed ranger's grave in the Griffs), and the Oasis of Flames (near the Ulsprue in the Dry Steppes).
I had rather assumed that Fred was going to post all of them to his web site, but it's still offline....
Mike
Someone over on CF!'s looking for this.
I get that there were not only two, but three L - Series modules.
Now that last one was released only in a kind of collector's boox when it had already timed out.
Wouldn't it be possible for CF!, that is offering L1 and L2 for download, to offer L3 as well?
If you want to buy L3 get the whole Silver Anniversary Box. Single L3s always go for as much or even more as the whole set.
Oh and I believe i read somewhere that there even were plans for L4 and L5 but no complete manuscripts for them yet.
If you want to buy L3 get the whole Silver Anniversary Box. Single L3s always go for as much or even more as the whole set.
This might become expensive...
:evillaugh Anyway, wouldn't it be nice...?
Why, after all, should WotC hold it back after releasing all the other stuff? *Hell, they released the entire Grand Conjunction series for Ravenloft via the web, so what would be the sense of letting that module get forgotten?!*
I believe it isn't even possible to get it via the *pay-for-.pdf* - sites.
BTW, is there a LG community for the Lendore Isles?
BTW, is there a LG community for the Lendore Isles?
No. Nearest regions you can find are Lordship of the Isles (Spain) and Sea Barons (Italy) and both of them are pretty much inactive at the moment.
S.H, Naerie webslave
Anyway, wouldn't it be nice...?
Don't worry, I have it and you aren't missing anything. It wasn't mind-blowing or anything. Frankly, the only good thing in that module was the art and then only because I am a dwarf-fan.
It does have some cool art though
Now, L1 and L2 just don't provide me with the stuff for, let's say 4 to 6 adventures, IMO.
Anyway, the more they release for free, the better for us players!
;)
I wish you all nice holidays!
;)
Merry Christmas!
I agree Deep Dwarven Delve was at best an average quality module... the plot was a little on the weak side, the dungeon was entirly to linear, with very few choices of direction but forward or back, and and some of the encounters seem a little too much for the listed character levels (3-6) the Iron Golem is likley to prove a TPK for most parties in the suggested level range, as are both the Barbed and Bone devils if played to thier potential, specialy against parties on the lower end of the level spectrum.
It does have some cool art though
IIRC, back in 1999 there was a pretty huge issue about WotC reissuing this module sans all of the additional development work that Len had put into L3: essentially he had spent a lot of time cleaning up the text, but WotC didn't use any of it. That was, in part, I think, what contributed to his withdrawl from the rpg scene (in addition to his dislike of 3e).
I'm sure someone around on Greytalk from that timeperiod could confirm/deny this, but that's what I remember, which would certainly help to explain why L3 may not stand up to the test of time as well as L1 and L2.
Maybe a stupid question, but I have found L1 (Bone Hill) but not L2. What is this product title, and where can I find it, would help me get back my sanity...
By the way, Happy X-mass to all of you.
Fearghal
http://greyhawkonline.com/canonfire/L2_The_Assassin's_Knot.pdf
Enjoy!
IIRC, back in 1999 there was a pretty huge issue about WotC reissuing this module sans all of the additional development work that Len had put into L3: essentially he had spent a lot of time cleaning up the text, but WotC didn't use any of it. That was, in part, I think, what contributed to his withdrawl from the rpg scene (in addition to his dislike of 3e).
I'm sure someone around on Greytalk from that timeperiod could confirm/deny this, but that's what I remember, which would certainly help to explain why L3 may not stand up to the test of time as well as L1 and L2.
that could well be the case, L3 could definatly have used some more work
It had rocked our gaming sessions, hadn't it?
Anyway, the idea with the Gate of Glass will be far enough for a Greyhawk adventure on the Isles!
Will start it when my DL stuff is finished (in about 3 months).
that could well be the case, L3 could definatly have used some more work
I don't think I've ever run any module without significantly modifying it. I just like having a basic outline and structure to get my creative juices of alteration flowing.
This brings a connection between the Gate of Glass and the Moonarch to my mind. I wonder if Lendor gained access to hidden elven knowledge? Perhaps the City of Glass is not his creation at all but something stolen from the Elves.
A very interesting idea Jason....
Thanks! Hope it gets back online. I wanted to see his prestige class for Old Lore Bards. I was hoping that Erik would publish it in the LGJ for the LG campaign since one of my PC's is a Bard. Hope I know he had some hangups.
It doesn't look like Fred's returning to the online GH world anytime soon, so I'll probably see if CF! can host the City of Glass info and the other three sites, since they're fun stuff and well-worth being around and available.
Thanks.
