The Firelord Saga
by Ville LähdeA campaign scheme for Mystara
General information:
This campaign scheme was originally written for the Twin Campaigns. The events in the campaign take place in the Thanegioth Archipelago some time after 1000 AC, but can be easily adapted to suit many time periods. Also, the historical background sections of the text give ideas for a campaign during the Nithian reign. This, however, will require even more work for the DM.
I emphasise the fact that this is a campaign scheme, not a ready-to-run adventure. The important PCs and locations are only vaguely detailed, and will need fleshing out by the DM. I am very sorry for the lack of detailed maps, but I haven't got the skills or the energy to provide hex maps in digital form. However, general maps of the Thanegioth archipelago can be found in the X1 module and some other D&D supplements (Rules Cyclopaedia?). In the following sections I'll try to give enough details for the islands, so that detailing the maps won't be an undue burden.
Note 1: This campaign scheme assumes that the Thanegioth Archipelago is
largely unknown and unexplored, much like the assumptions made in X1. The
DM may wish to create partial maps made by long-dead explorers, pirates or
sages. But the "wilderness value" of the archipelago is central to the
campaign. Thus it is best suited for DMs who haven't established the
status of the archipelago in their campaign, and who wish to get some
meaningful use for this mysterious corner of Mystara.
Note 2: Some details of this campaign can be found in the "Twin Campaigns"
entries in the Vaults, under the "Adventures" -heading. The two historical
timelines include info on the Firelord Saga.
Sections:
1) Metaphysical Background: the Ascension of the Nexus, from the Mystara Mailing List posted 15 November 2001.
- Notes on the Cult of Rathanos in Mystara
- The Legend of the Nexus (or: When the Stars are right)
- The Cultists: Fire-Worshipping Mages and Rathanos Clerics
2) Ancient History of the Thanegioth Archipelago, from the Mystara Mailing List posted 5 December 2001.
- The Era of the first Firelord, or the Fiery Pharaoh
- Formation of the Cult of Rathanos
- The Rise and Fall of the Firelord Empire, the Lion King Rak'Asta
- Key players: the Fiery Pharaoh, the Red Dragons of Thanegioth, the Sea
Dragons, the Children of the Swan (elven clan) and the Rakastae of the
Isle of Dread
3) The Rise of the Second Firelord, from the Mystara Mailing List posted 11 December 2001.
- Personal background of Daricus the Firelord: Hatred of the Empires
- Re-establishing the Fire Empire
- Plans of Daricus: a) Ascension to Nexus b) Revenge to the two Empires:
Pirating and Zzonga trade
- Military Operations in the Thanegioth Archipelago: Aspiring to Hegemony
- Surviving Counter-Forces and Allies of Daricus
4) Fleshing out the Island: Important Locations, from the Mystara Mailing List posted 3 October 2002.
- The Isle of the Firelord
- The Central Archipelago and the Red Dragons
- Isle of Dread and the Descent of the Rakastae
- The Elven Island: the Children of the Swan
- The Northern Firelord Defences and the Route to Thanegioth
- The Island of the Witch
- The Great Whirlpool and the Sea Dragons
5) Different Ways to Use the Campaign Scheme, from the Mystara Mailing List posted 3 October 2002.
- Thyatian Agents: Seeking the Mysterious Pirates
- Alphatian Agents: Stopping the Zzonga Traffic
- Nuari: Insurrection against the Colonisers
- Slave Rebellion
- Explorers of Lost Treasures, or "What the hell is THIS?"