Another small location derived from my (still unfinished) Central Karameikos map.
Yet I could no longer resist sharing this.
The Dragon Spires
by RobinSource; Fanon mini adventure ( on paper from some Gencon) with a vague relation to the Penhaligon Trilogy
Karleah Kunzay apparently derived much of her components from here, and Verdilith seems to have perished here.
I am unsure on this but the material was very usable for the map on the location described.
So Here are; The Dragon Spires
Description; A former collapsed cave region, where water was pressed up from below, nature took advantage and created a marshland and heavy pine forest between the rocky spires.
In the depression of the Dragon spires is a forested marshland, where the ancient sudden cave-in long ago, drowned the trees and created a marshland. Several sturdy rocks broke through the collapsing ceiling and form brown -black spires in a row. An escarpment came to be on the southern side of the area of about 200' high.
The whole area is enveloped by a fogbank with an internal visibility of a medium Fog (day 100-200feet, Twilight 50-100feet, Moonlight 25-50 feet, Darkness 30-90 feet with Surprise chances of +2. Externally the fogbank seems to be closed and the visibility is less than 50 by day, less than 25feet by twilifght, less than 10 feet else with a +4 on surprise rolls) The fog exists even during rain, except on rainy/snowy days of of no-magic(aka Days of Dread) this will dispell the fog until the snow is thawed away then it reappears
Artist of the art; https://www.iamkie.com/
Dragons for unknown reason came here when they felt their life was ending. And so the area became a dragon Grave yard.
DM; The cave underneath was actually the home of a large Red dragon and when it collapsed due earthquakes in 1750-1700BC it perished while performing its second ascencion (From large to Huge see Bruce Heard's article on Dragon Circles) . The Dragon did become Huge, and its inherent magic affected the region, this together with the earthquakes caused its demise. The region however was altered forever, luring dragons to the still strong (actually stronger due all additional dead dragons) aura to die here. Creatures other than Dragons who die within the magical area become Zombies, controlled by a single lingering reactivated command to defend the area.
These zombies are not 2HD but 2+1d6HD, with a 25% to wear magical armor, 35% use magical weapons and 30% use items. (this number was higher, yet these items also suffer from the no-magic-days See Calendar Gazetteer 1(aka Days of Dread) passing and from using up any charges when possible. They use Treasure Type U+V (DM adjust accordingly)
The Nearby abandoned humanoid village of the Leghorn orcs did temporally prosper until their dead became undead here.They abandoned their village and moved further south. They did saw a resemblance of the spires as if they were the spine of a great dragon, and the western rock as its skull(they of course enhanced this in the rock, to make it more skull like). The Leghorn Tribe is the only tribe of Orc and Kobolds who not only usr caves or camps, but really build their own village(always called Leghorn). The Leghorn also have the highest amount of Half-Orcs, and despite many attempts years ago, the now refrain from attacking human farms (they still attack wanderers, wagons and caravans if able). Some of the halforcs even serve in Penhaligon (mostly menial jobs like bouncer, guard, worker, but still). Others similar like in the tale of WarriorNeedsFood become adventurers. The Dragon Spires are still a holy-slightly magical site to them, even though the Rooster Tribe plunders bones. It is one of the reasons the Leg-Horn and Rooster Tribe don't get along.
The Nearby Elves of Kota-Hutan created a small Ilsundal-Traladaran Shrine to prevent the undead from wandering further, and regularly use thev trail north to the Ilsundal-Mother Earth Temple further north. Any undead they encounter they try to destroy.
The Nearby Rooster Orc Tribe set up a camp here, and try to control the Undead, sometimes with succes due their shaman, often they fail due adventurers or the undead. They also use many dragon bone based weapons taken from the graveyard.
According to AD&D2 rules Half-Orcs mating always gives a halforc, no matter who the parents are.So no quarter or 1-16th or such Orcs. Their Beastmen genetic base sort off anchored the human and orc base to always an even balanced level, thus making the Half-Orc a new viable race.
Keep in mind any dragon (no matter the alignment) will react negatively if encountered with creatures using their remains as weapon, tools, building material or such. (wouldn't you be disgusted or angry when someone did so with your relatives/loved ones? So you understand!!)
DM Information.
Scouring the area characters are certain to find Dragon bones, Dragon Scales (All but Blues, Whites, Golden, and lawful Gemstone dragons), and Dragon Teeth and Claws. The chance to find usable soft organic material is 5% unspoiled, and 25% spoiled/rotten per body. in 1000AC 155 Dragons corpses are found here, mostly small who are wounded, some large and 5 huge ones. The vary in degree of decay. The overall treasure chance amongst the Dragon's is Treasure Type Ax5+F+G+H, yet this is widely spread over the whole area. Any 100 by 100 feet yields only one of the following treasure types(TT); (1d20=1-4=>TT=P, 5-8=>TT=Q, 9-11=>TT=R, 12-14=>TT=S, 15-16=>TT=T, 17-18=>TT=U, 19=>TT=V). All dragons within 100 miles (Karameikan and West Thyatian, South-west Ylaruam and South Darokin) know or feel the existence of this location. Any dying dragon still alive here is mortally wounded or sick, and would remember gracefully any healing it, yet will always fly away. Chaces of talking are as per species as normal(see RC).
Many dragon parts can be found here and mages regularly try to attain some of these for components or research. Many of these plunderers/looters perish here, with their companions along. The zombies they become still can make use of the items they wore or used.
Wandering Monsters in the area, check once each our or 1 mile hex whichever comes first
1d100
1-20 None
21-35 Zombies (mostly Humanoid, sometimes adventurers) Controlled by the command of the area to protect.
36-50 Skeletons (mostly Humanoid, sometimes adventurers) Controlled by the command of the area to protect. (these were zombies originally, yet their decay, though slowed, continued.
51-56 Ghoul (mostly Humanoid, sometimes adventurers) Uncontrolled, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
57-60 1d4 adventurers or local humanoids level 1d10, individually 30+1d10x10% wounded(100% is dead carried along) TT=B
61-63 1d4+1 adventurers or local humanoids level 5+1d12, individually 20+1d10x10% wounded(100% is dead carried along) TT=C
64-65 1d6 adventurers or local humanoids level 10+1d12, individually 10+1d10x10% wounded(100% is dead carried along) TT=B+C
66 1 Young (small) Dying Dragon (Red, Green, Black, Onyx, Jade, Brown/Amber) 10+d20% Hp left
67 1 Adult (large) Dying Dragon (Red, Green, Black, Onyx, Jade, Brown/Amber) 10+d20% Hp left
68 1 Elder (Huge) Dying Dragon (Red, Green, Black, Onyx, Jade, Brown/Amber) 10+d20% Hp left
69-70 1 Dragon Zombie (See MMMC Undead page ) unable to fly or use magic, Controlled by the command of the area to protect
71 1 Dragon Skeleton (See MMMC Undead page ) unable to fly or use magic, Controlled by the command of the area to protect
72-73 1d4 carrion Crawlers(Only active at Night or obscured light, activated by any light closer than 15' or touch
74-79 1 flock of 3d10 Raven, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
80-83 1 pack of 206 Wolves, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
84-85 1 pack of 1d4 Dire Wolves, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
86-87 1 pack of common rats, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
88-90 1 pack of 3d6 Giant Rats, attracted by the decaying bodies for food
91-96 1 Insect swarm, attracted by the decaying bodies for food and reproduction(maggots)
97-99 1 patch of Rotgrubs (see MMMC Lowlife page ), attracted by the decaying bodies for food asnd reproduction
00 1d4 Neutral Leghorn Orcs (25% individually is Half orc), attracted by the decaying bodies for food TT=B
TT= Treasure type they carry along, if no TT is given their trasure is merged with the general treasure (see above)
Animals will scurry away and only attack if cornered, chased, touched, Frightened or attacked.
Dying dragons may still attack. If capable of talking they might plead for aid or a swift death.
Undead will always attack any living sebntient creature (not animals unless attacked by these)
Adventurers (no matter alignment) are all wound to some point, and may need help (as their own sources might be depleted (DM decision). This help they may enforce, trick, take or ask for.
Ok what was written here in black comes from a leaflet with this information found on the Gencon 1996 or 1997 in Leicestershire England of an unknown author(all I know is the name Peter in the upper right corner, yet I do not know if he was the creator), added with some extra material (in blue) infused by myself due the nearby canon/other fanon sources (Altitudes were by me, yet the creeks' flow, th escarpment and the swamp depicted general altitude differences of the region).
The adventure was apparently based on exploring the region, other than a vague map drawn with pencil(which I now did fully use), no other information could be found, other than that it was north close to the mountains between the Castellan and Hillfollow river(aka Shutterga River) of Karameikos. The notes described Goblins instead of Orcs, probably based on the X1 map information. It hence can only be assumed the Rooster Tribe is an Orc-Goblin mixed tribe to conform to the canon and fanon.
The adventure was all level based apparently as the last note was to exchange enemies in the random wandering encounter table with higher ones if needed.
So Now you know all.
Hope you like this little find I had and recreated with some updated information and a colored hex map in 1 mile hexes,