Mystaran Adventure Ideas
by Sean Meaney1. A PEOPLES REVOLUTION
Theguin the Sage looked at the dirty foul street that parted the Village down the middle. A Sickly, starved child struggled across his path.
"You...Boy! Where is your Blacksmith?" The child quaked with fear at being addressed by an Aristocrat and threw himself to the ground at Teguin's feet.
"Other end of the Village Sir." Came the weak voice.DM Briefing: The Bailiffs dispatched by the local lord to collect grain tax have failed to return from the Village of Humprey. The locals are in the middle of a technological boom. A travelling sage has taught the local blacksmith how to build a mechanical grain harvester. The Humprey Push-Scythe allows a single individual to harvest four acres an hour. He has also taught them to manufacture a repeating crossbow that fires bolts from a drum barrel of twenty and must be wound like a clock in a single turn before use. The Sage is an ordinary person dispatched from an Oard Re-education Facility to "assist" the locals in their technological rise.
The Lords Bailiffs simply stumbled into a peasant uprising and were disposed of on their arrival.Humprey Push-Scythe: The push-Scythe allows the farmer to harvest a grain crop at four acres per hour (4x rate of peasant labourer) (Weight: 50lb, value: 500gp).
Humprey Repeating Crossbow: Must be wound like a clock with a special handle that fits on the end of the barrel. The weapon fires up to twenty bolts from the crossbow drum barrel (Weight: 30lb, Weapon Cost: 250gp//Ammunition: 10gp/bolt, Range: 100', Damage: Heavy Crossbow+1, Reload: 1 Turn to reload the drum).
The Party is called in to investigate an isolated village refusing to pay its taxes in farm produce. They find the locals have declared independence from the local lord and have declared them selves the People's Union of Humprey. They will be ambushed on the road by twenty peasants armed with Humprey Repeating Crossbows. If the party capture the Sage, they find a mind immune to torture and interrogation. The Lord dispatches fifty light footmen from his castle a week after the Adventurers with orders to exterminate the villagers. If the People's Union crush the soldiers (with PC help) they spread to control the Lords estate within a year.
2. CHARCOAL AND STEAM (GUNS AND GRAIN I)
Scarpa the Locksmith had been travelling for many days when he reached the Village of Asher Dane...
A member of the village Militia waved him down.
" My good man, I have travelled far with important business...Where might I find a place to spend the night and then your Blacksmith?"DM Briefing: Scarpa has been brainwashed by an OARD operative in control of his Guild. He is here to teach the local Blacksmith how to construct a Steam Cannon (Range: 1 mile, Damage: 20d6). Scarpa is one of many victims of OARD Brainwashing. As such he is immune to Interrogation.
The PCs can get involved simply by being recruited by the Village Militia to resist the Local Baron's Bailiffs when an attempt to collect Taxes is made. The Militia will resist using the nifty Steam Cannon built by the Village Blacksmith.
Alternatively the PCs can be amongst the small army of Bailiffs sent to collect.
3. ERGOT AND RYE (GUNS AND GRAIN II)
"All you have to do is take this sack of ergot and dump it in the Baron's well..." Scarpa smiled at the angry young peasant farmers who had finally been given their first taste of freedom."Won't there be deaths?" Harold was having doubts about this direction the Village was going.
DM Briefing: Guildsman Scarpa orders the gathering of Ergot from the RYE harvest. The Poison will cause terrible hallucinations, pregnancy failures, and very nasty deaths. Good PCs will find this inappropriate and the Villagers will find others with less of a problem if they refuse. Scarpa has been hypnotised by the OARD who have infiltrated his Guild.
4. CATAMO’S PISTOLS
Catamo’s Pistols fired their shot across the twenty feet range into the target with deadly accuracy.
Of course they must be recharged every shot with gunpowder in the combustion chamber…” He poured the powder from a specialized flask down the muzzle.
“…then you insert the wadded shot…”
He inserted a small ceramic ball wrapped in parchment into the tight hole of the muzzle and rammed it down with a rod.
“…And voila, the weapon is reloaded.” Again he fired at the target with killer accuracy.DM Briefing: A young Artisan (An OARD agent) named Catamo arrives in town and demonstrates a new weapon to the local lord and adventuring populace. The weapon fires a bullet at a range of up to twenty feet using gunpowder as a propellant.
5. AN ANGRY MOB
Durst stared at the band of peasants attempting to hang a robed man from the Timbers of the Tavern Ceiling.
"Unhand that man." The Peasants all turned to face Durst who looked around for the source of the Voice. The Wizard Edwin.
"Yeah! What he said!"DM Briefing: A Wizard in Luln is being lynched by local peasants. The Wizard has been feebleminded by an Oard device called a Subjugator Ray which causes the Wizard to be unable to cast spells. An Oard traveller surprised the Wizard with the Ray while in the local tavern and hypnotised the Villagers also there into lynching him. The PC's can stop the Lynching. The Wizard and Peasants don't recover from the effects of the Subjugator Ray however (that takes a Wish). Until they are cured, the peasants will attack any identified wizard attempting to Lynch them. When word gets out, rival wizards show up to loot the Wizard's residence.
6. AN IRON DRAGON
The barely intelligible farmer took a moment to catch his breath.
"Please Sirs...a dragon is rampaging across our farms. Will you please save our farms?"DM Briefing: Farmers in a region of wilderness report an Iron Dragon (Drolem) on the Rampage north of Radlebb wood. The Drolem has destroyed their farms and killed their livestock. The Baron of Verge puts out a call for reliable Adventurers to look into it. The Oard are clearing out a region of its population. They are Mining minerals in an abandoned mine in the Area and needed cover. IF adventurers follow its trail of destruction back to the source they are led to a mine that has been recently worked. Dwarf miners will be unfamiliar with the technique. The PC's can stop the Drolem (Oard Robot). It will have some value to a Wizard fetching 1000gp-4000gp. They can also discover that someone used it to cover their mining activity-Something that took Tin, Lead, Copper, Iron, Gold, Silver, Platinum, and some Silicon. Over a thousand tons have been mined in a single week.
Examination of the mine site by a Dwarf skilled in mining for a year will allow improvements in their mining skill (+1).
7. STARFALL
Astronomer Frankel stared at the distant sight of the burning Star falling toward the world.
That one will come down in the Gulf. His attention turned to the smaller one that would come down in the mountains and he made some notes on the direction and distance.DM Briefing: A wizard seeks Adventurers to look for a Shooting Star that fell from the sky near Reedle. An Oard Entry Impact Capsule has come down in the Mountains. The Engineer of the Oard Survey Ship (detailed in SPLASHDOWN and FOOTHOLD) has ejected from the ship. They find an Iron Golem wandering about a large Smashed "Egg". It is constructing a Bunker (if allowed to finish). The Oard has perished. The "Smashed Egg" is the Entry Impact Capsule from an Oard Ship. Markings on the Capsule translate as "EIC-1". The Iron golem will not allow the PCs to leave with the Oard and will need to be overcome. The PC's might be hired to retrieve the falling star.
8. THE LIFEBOAT
“Lifeboat off the Starboard Captain!” Captain Dewan Haas looked out in the direction his watch was pointing. There was something…It looked like a giant egg.
“Gods I hope that is not a Dragon Egg.”DM Briefing: A ship stumbles across a strange lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. Another of the Crew of the Oard Survey Ship ejected over the Ocean. The "Lifeboat" is an Entry Impact Capsule from an Oard Ship. Markings on the Capsule translate as "EIC-5". The Oard is in Hibernation and will revive if brought onboard. The Oard will attempt to hypnotise the Captain and Crew into slavery. The PC's might encounter the Oard controlled ship at sea or coming into the isolated fishing village they are in. If the Oard makes it to a village it will enslave the locals (A PEOPLES REVOLUTION should provide a good suggestion as to what happens next).
9. SPLASHDOWN
Durst the Fisherman watched the great burning star fall into the Sea.
"Pull in the nets! We are not going to find Fish on this cursed day..." Evoking the protection of the Immortals, He and his fellow fishermen prepared for an early return to port.DM Briefing: Sailors report seeing a huge "thing" fall from the sky into the gulf of Marilenev. The "Engine" to the Survey ship has come down in the gulf. There is not much left and it is sitting on the Seabed. Adventurers will find the Ship remains mostly intact and under repair by a pair of iron Golems. Unfortunately the Engine is Days from going critical and any water in "engineering" will cause it to trigger early. The implosion of the engine will create a whirlpool located five hexes south of Specularum. The Whirlpool will last for a year before dissipating. The PC's might be hired to go on an undersea adventure.
10. FOOTHOLD
Toko-cho looked at the great stone that had fallen from the sky onto the Island. It sat still for the day until strange monsters emerged from caves in the rock to begin their deadly work.DM Briefing: The Forward Section of an Oard Vessel has come down on an Island of Cannibals east of the Isle of Dread. The Forward part of the Ship has crashed in the Thanegioth Archipelago. The Islanders are being re-educated by the "Sky Gods" while the Robots (a dozen Iron Golems) begin mining operations. The PC's might encounter the Oard dismantling their ship section and constructing a base while exploring the region. This event Takes place AC1010, POST Nuwmont 1 for obvious reasons.
11. CANNIBALS CANNON
Captain Erstwin laughed at the sight of a Native Warcanoe struggling against the waves of the raging sea. His humor turned instantly to horror as the sound of a distant explosion was matched by something large punching through both hulls of the Ship at just above the waterline.
"What in the immortals was that?" The ship seemed to take water now with every wave.
"Abandon ship!"DM Briefing: Cannibals invade the Isle of Dread. Their small war galley confronts a Thyatian vessel harboured at Port Mora. The artillery round explodes on impact destroying the ship it hits utterly. If you decide the Oard have gone un-noticed until Thyatis invades the region in AC1020, then there should be an Oard Dome with full cloning facilities just off the Coast. An Oard Dome can be found in CM6 Where Chaos Reigns. The Re-educated Natives will be working on developing Fire Arms (using a (unduplicatable even by a wish) mix of gunpowder made from minerals only found on their Island) and have the equivalent of a small war galley fitted with a single huge forward facing cannon. The Cannon and Six shots with Gunpowder would be worth fifty thousand gold pieces to the Emperor of Thyatis who is once again frustrated by the prospect of not having gunpowder weapons. The Thyatians may learn of the incident but will find the mineral reserves soon run out.
The Cannon: (Range: 1000' Damage: 20d6, Weight: 2 Tons//Artillery Explosive Shot: 500lb/ Reload Time: 1 turn to reload).
The party might be on the Thyatian Vessel only to wash ashore on the isle of Dread after the destruction of their ship.
12. INVASION OF THE TWAELAR EMPIRE
The Aquatically enhanced Bots moved across the sea floor toward the Coral Citadel with a purpose. The Doom of the Twaelar had come.DM Briefing: The Twaelar Empire stops raiding the surface as they come under attack by Oards. The Oards at the Thanegioth Foothold Site have begun an invasion of the Twaelar Empire. The Sea people come under attack from an army of a hundred Iron Golems (Oard Robots) lead by ugly-looking surface dwellers who breathe water (Aquatic Environment Adapted Oards). The Oards are intent on totally assimilating the Twaelar Empire and mining its resources to build a new Spaceship. They will brainwash the Twaelar People into servitude. The PC's might be hired to go on an undersea adventure to investigate why the Twaelar conflict with the Surface has broken off. They might encounter a lone Twaelar citizen fleeing the Empire for help.
13. SHOW AND TELL (CANNON POWDER PLOT I)
The incredible crack of thunder ripped across the harbor. Emperor Eusebus watched the cannor tear the distant vessel in half with a single shot.
"Oh! Well done." The Emperor clapped.DM Briefing: Advisers from the Savage Coast demonstrate the use of gunpowder in Thyatis City. In a Demonstration of the power of Cannon-powder, a single barge with huge cannon mounted centre barge is signalled into the Harbour to Fire on an anchored vessel. The Cannon hits its target from just under a thousand feet. The Target Ship (a large sailing ship purchased for the demonstration) explodes in a fireball and is destroyed utterly. Unfortunately the creators explain that there are two problems with it. One: The Cannon-powder is only useable in very big Artillery, not hand Weapons, and, Two: The Cannon-powder has a special Oard additive that causes it to detonate within three hundred feet of an actively casting magic-user. A couple of Thyatian Generals see that as more of an advantage than a problem though. The Emperor begins buying the ingredients from the relevant nations on the quiet. The Oards have just sold the Thyatians on Cannon-powder. This particular mix requires a special tar that bubbles up on the Isle of Dread. If the Thyatians are going to control the only Cannon-powder outside the Savage Coast they must take and hold the isle of Dread against all enemies. Considering the Freeport at Tanaroa is currently (1020AC) exporting the Tar by the shipload, the Security of Thyatian Empire is a stake. Other ingredients include a Salt extracted from seawater in the Gulf of Marilenev, A Charcoal found only in the burning of timber from Alfheim, and Sulphur from a Volcano in Ierendi. -The Tar must be mixed with the Charcoal made from Alfheim Wood (no-longer exported) and then with Ierendi Sulphur (not exported), and With Marilenev Salt (currently exported in small volumes by the Estate of Marilenev).
The Thyatian Cannon: Thirty Feet long, ten feet radius, a Steel-alloy made from Ylari Sand, Iron from the Thyatian Empire, and Carbon from Thyatian Hinterlands Timber. Cost of manufacture: 50,000gp, Reload Rate: 2 Turns, Range: 1 Mile, Weight: 50 Tons
Explosive Artillery Round: A 4' diameter Iron shell, Damage: 20d6 (100'radius)/detonates if exposed to magic within 300'. Cost: 1500gp Weight: 3 Tons
The Cannon-Powder Wad: 1,000gp/shot to manufacture is a 4' diameter cannon-powder wad weighing a ton.The PC's might be on the expedition to take the Isle of Dread or caught on the island when the Thyatians Invade. Worse still, they might be involved in the future Invasion of Karameikos, Ierendi, or Alfheim to secure access to the other ingredients.
14. NO PERMIT, NO WIZARD (CANNON POWDER PLOT II)
"Wizard Permits!" The Guardsman took Onslo the Mage by surprise.
"What do you mean Wizard Permits?" I've been invited by the Emperor...
"If you do not have a Permit, you can get your Licence at the Bureau of Internal Security." The Guardman was adamant.
"Where is this Bureau of Internal Security?"
"Citadel."
"Right!" Onslo atempted to push past the Guardsman and make for the Citadel and the Guardsman bared his way.
"No unlicenced Wizards in the City."DM Briefing: The Emperor requires all Wizards in the City of Thyatis (The Cannon-powder Millworks are located here) to carry and display Identification. For reasons of national Security, Wizards are no longer allowed to wander freely in Thyatis City.
15. WAR (CANNON POWDER PLOT III)
Emperor Eusebus signed the document.
"War it is."DM Briefing: The Ingredients to the Thyatian Cannon-powder and the cannons leak out. The Western Defence League cuts off access to the ingredients for manufacturing the Thyatian Cannons and Cannon-powder out of self interest. The Thyatians declare war. The Oards have just leaked the requirements of the Cannon-powder to pit the Thyatians against the Western Defence League. Thyatis must have their ingredients for cannon-powder and cannon-steel. As the ingredients come from many nations in the Western Defence league, they must invade.
16. THE BUNKER (STEAM RISES I)
Captain Franz Thurgood activated the communication clack on Gunderson’s Inter-dimensional Heliograph™.
CAPTAIN-FRANZ-THURGOOD-VESSEL-SEA-PROW HAVE-SPOTTED-NEW-FORTIFICATIONS-ON-CLIFFS-OVERLOOKING-BAY-OF-KERENDAS “That will give the Freiburg Naval Signals Office something to do.”
DM Briefing: The Captain of the Hattian Merchantman Sea Prow spots an unusual construction on the cliffs overlooking the entrance to Port Kerendas. He makes a note of it in his report to Frieburg. The Oard advising the Thyatian Empire have finally developed a Steam Cannon to replace the unavailability of “cannon-powder” Artillery. The Bunker and its cannon are the first of many such placements securing Thyatian Interests. The Hattians are always on watch for some new military development by the Thyatian Empire. Considering the one mile range of the Cannon, anyone sailing into Port Kerendas is in range of the Artillery.
Steam Cannon: (Weight: 5 Tons, Range: 1 mile, Damage: 20d6, Reload: 1Turn)
Adventurers might simply notice the construction and do a little investigating or are spying on behalf of foreign interests.
17. THE BLOCKADE (STEAM RISES II)
Cannon shot from the battle-deck at the distant vessels attempting to escape the harbour of Mirros.
“Reload!” Commander Aruin Steelblow stepped out of the cloud of steam to look at the prey.
“What say you Gunners? Shall we give them a second volley?”
“Aye Sir!“
A Second volley came the reply.DM Briefing: The “Thyatis Rose” blockades the harbour of a foreign port. It pounds the ships approaching the Port City with four steam Cannon for a day. Thyatis is testing the power of its steam cannons. It blockades a port and picks off every ship approaching and leaving the port. The PCs could be sailing on a ship that is attacked or simply be in the Port and sent out to challenge the Thyatis Rose.
18. THE SMITH'S APPRENTICE (OARDACIOUS PLAN I)
The corpse surfaced near the small boat, as Arko the fisher was preparing a line, taking him by surprise.
"By Petra's uncle...a floater!"
Arko turned the lesion covered corpse face up revealing something ugly and deformed. The shiny almost wizard like clothing suggested he should be pulled in.
He didn't look long dead so perhaps the patriarch could save him...DM Briefing: A body surfaces in lake Windrush near Threshold. Taken for a deformed wizard, the drowned man is raised from the dead yet has no memories of who he is. "Silvio of Windrush" as he is soon come to be known as finds gainful employment with a Blacksmith. His skills in metalworking soon become apparent as he turns out weapons of Masterful quality.
Silvio of Windrush is in fact an OARD. There is a time travel mirror on the bottom of the lake (the mirror was there before the lake was). The OARD was sent through to investigate but drowned, loosing all memory of his past and mission.
19. THE ARTISAN'S LENS (OARDACIOUS PLAN II)
"Now sir if you will look through this simple lens you should see some improvement to your sight." Silvio held up a small frame of brass with two circles of diamond carved glass.
The bell rang on the shop door. It was Aleena Halaran.
"Lady Halaran! Wonderful to see you! I'll be right with you..."
Silvio returned his attention to his first customer.
"By Petra she is Beautiful...I never realized." The customer coughed and put down the glasses.
"Wonderful! I'll take them." Silvio smiled.
"Forty gold Royals as agreed." Coins were exchanged and the elderly wizard left with a nod to Aleena.
"Now where were we?" Silvio of Windrush pulled the large wooden case from beneath the counter and flipped the lid to reveal a great brass Spyglass.
Aleena smiled at the gift for her father's birthday...
"Thank you Sylvio. A wonderful lens."DM Briefing: The Artisan known as Sylvio of Windrush (An OARD) finally opens his own shop in Threshold and begins crafting lenses for short-sighted wizards, and a fine range of telescopes.
20. THE MASTERS DIVING BELL (OARDACIOUS PLAN III)
Silvio took a breath full of air and sank beneath the surface of the lake. Franz took a breath and followed him.
It didn't take long to reach the Diving Bell anchored near the shore.
The two companions surfaced in the air pocket of the dive bell.
"As you can see, the bell holds several minutes of good air and can be replenished with a simple mechanical apparatus. From here a diver can plunder the riches scattered on the sea floor." Franz looked at the mirror sitting on the muddy bottom now a few feet below him.
"Is that a gold framed mirror?" Franz pointed out the treasure he had spotted.
"Indeed. There are many treasures for salvage even here at the bottom of a lake."DM Briefing: Silvio of Windrush discovers the OARD mirror while testing out a diving bell of his invention. He gives it to his financial partner as a gift.
The mirror winds up in the offices of Franz Thwaket in Mirros. It is from here that a number of OARD eliminate Franz and take over his half of the Diving Bell business.
Thwaket and Windrush Diving Bells becomes a front for the OARD.
21. PLAGUE AMONGST THE VILLAGES
"You have proven your loyalty to the church of Thanatos, now take this powder and introduce it to the wells of every village in Karameikos."-Urga, High Priest of Thanatos addressing the faithful in a meeting in Mirros.DM Briefing: Travellers and Merchants begin dropping small sacks of poison into the wells of numerous villages across the Kingdom of Karameikos. Symptoms include boils and lesions and looks like the mummy rot plague.
22. A SINKHOLE OPENS IN KELVIN
"Are you sure we won't get in trouble?" Yan looked about nervously.
"We can sell that rock for a gold Royal now shut up and dig..." Boris speared his crowbar into the dirt by the boulder. The Crowbar vanished into the Earth along with the boulder and much of Mrs. Mealy's Garden.
"What did you do?" Yan looked at his friend.DM Briefing: A Sinkhole opens in the city of Kelvin. The Hole Expands threatening several homes. The Sinkhole drops 500 feet into a cavern the size of the city above it.
23. A SWORD IN THE PEAT
"Found it under the Peat I did. Look at it." Stephan wiped the muck from its surface.
His companion stared at the blade and looked for the smiths-mark that should be...
"By Hala...It Cannot Be." Iago fell to his knees in fear.
"Iago?" Stephan stared at his friend.
The sight of Stephan holding a sword aloft while leaning over his kneeling companion drew instant attention.
"He's killed him!" The voice from the crowd was quite loud.DM Briefing: A very old short sword is found beneath the peat diggings east of the city of Kelvin. The Sword has the blacksmith's marks of Halav. Indeed, this is one of Halav's swords crafted by the smith before he achieved immortality. The Sword is non-magical yet will fetch a price of a million gold Royals. As a consequence everyone will want it by any means.
24. COVETING EYES (PLOT TO TAKE MARILENEV I)
"One of the Last Traladaran-held Estates...?"
"It produces near a hundred million gold Royals a year."
"Well there is that."
"Lady Marilenev's tithe to the Church of Traladara exceeds the tithe we get from every Thyatian in the Kingdom including the King."
"The Church of Karameikos must have it all."
"And those are very important points but how?"
"There are Clerics of Chaos in the Mountains to the North-east. It is time they moved against the Kingdom."
"Vanya help you if the Patriarch finds out."DM Briefing: Senior Clerics in the Church of Karameikos begin plotting to take the Estate of Marilenev as a Bishopric. They flood the region of the North east with poorly guarded merchants with wagonloads of weapons.
25. SOMETHING UNDER MIRROS
"I hear ol Vigo was moanin about somethin tryin ta eat him when he went the Jakes at the Broken Mug." Boris squatted above the hole in the ground and moaned at his constipation.
"Damn Drunk with his fairytales!" Replied Yan from the next squat.
"You Know there are supposed to be tunnels dug beneath the city." Boris was thinking they might look into that soon.
"Yeah. Been thinking about...what the...ERRAGGG!" Yan's scream was Cut short.
"Yan? What you Screaming about? Yan?" Boris felt very alone as he staggered forward around the stall to look in on his friend. he watched as a naked foot and leg slid down a very narrow hole. The stall was sprayed with blood.
Boris made best speed for the Tap Room leaving a trail of dung in his wake.
"For Halav's Sake someone find me a Pot to go in..."DM Briefing: A Gelatinous predator begins eating people who use the toilet or venture into cellars. This is a Permanently Hasted Gargantuan Black Pudding (stats: 8xHD, 2x Size).
26. DEATH ON THE ROOFTOPS
Vigo turned to face the noise and watched wooden roofing tiles clatter into the dirt street. Vigo looked up at the cloaked shadow on the roof above him. The foe was an almost intangible piece of black cloth gripping a great Scythe.
"Scyth'r!" Vigo screamed and fled down the alley in a mad rush.
Vigo crashed through People standing in front of the Black Dog Tavern.
"The bugger has come for me..." He tried to make them understand as the cloaked figure dropped from the roof top into their midst and took Vigo with a single swipe of its pure entropic Blade.DM Briefing: A Shadow with a Scythe of Pure Entropy descends on the city of Mirros and begins targeting several individuals who were all involved in a raid on a Temple when they were young adventurers. The Weapon itself has the abilities of a magic missile in that it automatically hits inflicting 1d6+1.
27. A SANDBAR BLOCKS MIRROR HARBOR
"Dredge it they Says. Do it Quicker they Says, Trade pays your wages, they says." Purvis the Wizard waved his Rod of Civil Works and the sand loaded on the Barge.
"Who says what?" The odd voice came from all around him.
"Who said that?" queried Purvis as he looked around him.
The wet sand began to tower to its full height pulling even more sand onto the barge.
"I said that." The very ancient and aquatically-evolved earth elemental was in the mood for conversation.
"Pefh! No sandbar here." Purvis dived into the harbour water and swam for shore.
"What about me?" The twelve foot tall sand-bar wanted answers.
"Not my department, I'm Civil Works." Purvis was having none of it.
"Want to hear about how the water gets the grit out of all my crevices?"
"Definitely not!" called Purvis as he headed to the nearest tavern.DM Briefing: An ancient (and aquatically adapted) Earth Elemental decides to make its home in the Harbour of Mirros to the inconvenience of Ships in the Harbour.
28. THE GREAT ROBBERY
"I was just saying that it seem silly."
"What do you mean?" Arlo Von Gaunt queried Boris.
"That the King's Treasury would have fifty two Firkins of Silver simply walked down to a ship in the Harbour." Boris whispered as the army of Porters walked past in teams of two with a small barrel branded Treasury of Karameikos on a litter between them. They were escorted by a hundred Guardsmen.
"They're paying it to Darokin for the Annual Shipment of Grain."
"I Think it's silly." replied Boris to his new companion.
"You think that twenty-six thousand pounds of Silver is Silly."
The Silver was loaded into the hold.
"I simply think it silly that they didn't have better protection of the Ship."DM Briefing: Robbers steal a ship moving 260,000sp of Karameikan Coin to the Republic of Darokin.
29. BUTTLEKNNOSE'S STEAM ENGINE
The great brass ball turned as the steam sprayed from its opposing arms.
"What exactly does it do?" Stephan stared at the Gnome-built engine with wonder.
"It is Technology!! It drives the future. It powers the...the ships of industry!" Buttleknnose was struggling for words on his Knees with his hands in the Air.
Shuuu...Shuuu...Shuuu...Shuuu....went the great steam engine echoing all the way down the valley. It didn't seem to be driving anything in particular.
"But what exactly does it do?" Stephan looked at his companion who was attempting not to break into laughter.
"Um, well, nothing right now. Gear's broke."
"Well the folks down the valley would appreciate it if you fixed the noise, particularly the loud bang that happens in the morning."
"Yeah! It's putting off the milking cows." Arn the dairy farmer was finally getting a word in.
"That wasn't the Buttleknnose Steamball(tm). That was the Buttleknnose SteamKannon(tm)." Buttleknnose was on a roll.
"Will you ask him what "(tm)" means or shall I?" Stephan stared sternly at the smiling farmer...DM Briefing: A Gnome builds some steam based technology to the detriment of the future.
30. FLYING SHIELD ABDUCTS LIVESTOCK
"It was big and shiny and round and polished mirror-like, like a...a mirror and there were lights and it flew and ..." Stephan held up a hand to pause the young Halfling.
"So what you are saying is that a big shiny flying discus abducted your sheep?"
"Nono. That was the Thingummy that they flew off in. It was funny-looking elves with pointy ears and silver clothes and lightning bolt wands with funny grips and they all went about saying 'resistance is pointless' and 'prepare for the harvest' and 'cor! that's a pretty sweater'...scared the missus an all."DM Briefing: Blacklore Elves with Magic-built flying Saucers and Lightning bolt ray guns abduct some farmers Livestock and take them back to their secret base on the dark side of the Moon.
31. THE BURROWING TOWER
"Our initial investigations of the Tower in the Great Crater have provided valuable Data." Prince Malachie looked around the Council Chambers at the few Princes and Princesses of Glantri who cared to show up.
"Witness reports that the Tower 'burrowed to the surface' have been verified. The Geological Data is on page three of the report. The Tower itself is of Entropic origins and has an aura consistent with an artefact of Entropy" Malachie paused and looked at princess Hillsbury.
"We are however still unable to penetrate the Interior." Princess Hillsbury smiled at his personal failure.DM Briefing: The Tower has been penetrated by Synn the Night Dragon (a.k.a. Dolores Hillsbury). To activate the tower, she must sacrifice the princes and princesses of Glantri (She has already sacrificed prince Kol). Activating the Tower causes everyone in the Great Crater to evolve into Gargantuan versions of themselves (Gargantuan: HDx8, Sizex2).
32. SOMETHING TERRIBLE
A great and terrible monolith in the deep of the Phlogiston loomed before their hammership. The helm crashed and the hammership soon followed.
"By the Immortals! What is that thing?" Captain Halav stared at the incredible sight as the small wooden vessel fell into its gravity well...DM Briefing: The PC's, having ventured into Spelljammer Space encounter the Starship Warden, a fifty mile long, twenty five mile wide, 8&1/2 mile thick derelict (and potential Dungeon) adrift in the Phlogiston.
33. ARSON IN THE NEST (PLOT TO TAKE MARILENEV II)
"Fire!" Alexis listened to the cry as her fireball gems struck dry timber in the Nest. No Moon made her invisible on the flying broom. The explosions shook the poorest district of Mirros and began their work. Rescuers were going to their deaths, the impoverished populace was in anarchy. Within moments the entire quarter was an inferno.DM Briefing: Senior Clerics in the Church of Karameikos plotting to take the Estate of Marilenev as a Bishopric employ a Thyatian Mage to carpet bomb that region of Mirros known as THE NEST with fireball Gems.
34. RIVER OF BLOOD
"The Magos bleeds, my friend." Kuzama whispered to her companion the latest rumour.
"Aye. I hear the River Magos flows with an unholy redness. As though the Mountains were bleeding..." Stephan invoked the ritual of Halav for simply speaking of such evil.DM Briefing: The Magos river runs bloody red from it's source. Fish in that river float dead on its edges. A Cinnabryl Vein has been discovered at the source of the river by some Modrigswerg dwarves who are using it to make weapons from an alloy of Cinnabryl Known as Corrupted Steel (not RED STEEL). These are Entropic Weapons which inflict
+ .
The process requires the washing out of the redness of the steel to create a dark and rotting look to the steel.
35. THE POISONING OF AN EMPEROR
"Are you sure he took the poison?" Senator Fiorenza needed to know.
"Yes." The Assassin did not enjoy being interrogated by his employers.
"Are you sure it will work?"
"Fiates Rose is impossible to detect, and immune to all magical and clerical cures. The Emperor is a dead man within three days."DM Briefing: The Young Emperor of Thyatis is poisoned by something that can neither be detected as poison, nor cured by wizard or clerical magic. This leaves the Thyatian Empire with a child for an emperor.
36. ON THE WHIM OF AN EMPEROR
The Emperor of Thyatis stared at the old map. Oddly Alphatia wasn't on it.
His aide leaned forward to examine the curiosity.
"Um? Sir? Shouldn't that bit be labelled Empire of Alphatia?"
Emperor Zendrolion snapped a look of disgust at the disloyalty of his staff.
"If I say there is no such place as Alphatia, then that is all." The aide straightened and cleared his throat.
"Yes my Emperor!"
The Emperor's Aide carried word to the Cartographers guild. Overnight, Every map was altered and new ones issued.DM Briefing: Emperor Zendrolion Issues new Maps. Maps without any sign of Alphatia. Irrelevant until you colonise a piece of vacant coast based on that map and the Alphatians show up to tax your Wizard-Baron.
37. A HOME WITH A VIEW
Frandos the Maleficent looked out across the Great Crater. The staircase being carved into the steep embankment, by an army of underskilled humanoids learning the art of stone masonry, was a wide avenue on the roof of the homes on the lower level.
"As you can see my lord, it is a house with a view and you will not regret the location..." Prince Kol's Aide smiled as he sold the better aspects of the city being carved into the Caldera.DM Briefing: The PC's are granted a nice house in the Great Crater in a Lottery by which Mages from the Great School of Magic might be lured to live in the great Crater.
38. BANDITS IN MARILENEV (A PLOT TO TAKE MARILENEV III)
"They are looking for answers."
"Then it is time we gave them some."
"You will personally spoil a tax shipment of wine coming to the King from within the Marilenev Estate."
"But that would Expose Me!"
"Yes Moray Vaco. And that is why you will go to ground with the Humanoids in the Cruth."
"You are mad!"
"No, Just setting you in place to lead the humanoids against Traladaran Settlements there."DM Briefing: The clerics conspiring to take the Marilenev Estate begin exposing their own as plotters to destabilise the patriarch and turn the Traladarans against the Church of Karameikos.
39. THE ABDUCTION OF ALEENA
"I intend to father my children upon you." Bargle stroked her cheek and smiled at his own rising pleasure.
"Get off me you monster!" Aleena pushed him away.
"You’re my property now."
"My Husband will get you." She was pure hate.
"Who? Him? He came looking for me at Mistamere." Bargle pulled back the curtain to reveal a very dead and tortured Traladaran shackled to a torture frame. Aleena recognized the broken form before her instantly.
"Noooooo!!!!" Aleena's Scream echoed across the flying castle...DM Briefing: Her Husband murdered by Bargle, Aleena is abducted from Threshold by Bargle the Infamous. The PCs must penetrate his flying fortress and rescue Aleena.
40. WHAT FIEND IS THAT? (HAND OF KELVIN I)
"What?" Desmond turned his head quickly to catch a view of the shadow moving beyond his field of vision. Nothing.
Desmond shook his head and walked off.
"Heerraaa!" One of his guards screamed.
Baron Kelvin ran to the sound. The Guard was dead.
"Sound the Alarm!" Kelvin's loud voice screamed the words.
Guardsmen poured into the hall.
"We have an intruder. Find him now. And someone deal with him." The Baron pointed at the body. Guards Scurried off and a few carried off their dead companion.
Baron Kelvin returned to his chambers to retrieve a weapon. His mace hung on a hook on the inside of the door.
"Why do you need a mace when you have a perfectly good sword in your hand?" The voice came from nowhere. In his hand he now held a sword. The blade coated in the blood of the Guard.DM Briefing: Baron Kelvin develops an alternative Personality. It is Chaotic Evil and of the Fighter Class.
41. THE BANISHED (CRISIS OF FAITH I)
"Eoward Radu! You are banished from Traladara for all time!"
The Terrible voice was instantly heard by every one in the kingdom of Karameikos. Eoward Radu looked up at the Sky. The sky distorted and became the face of Halav.DM Briefing: For Eoward Radu, he becomes the most despised and mistrusted man in all of Karameikos. Once this gets out to other nations, He will be the most despised individual in the world.
This is a crisis of Faith for the Cult of Halav. Suddenly they are no longer sure that King Stephan is the reincarnation of Halav.
42. A LITTLE SCHISM (CRISIS OF FAITH II)
"King Halav! That we might clear away the horrors of the past, It is at the heart of our petition that you should grant us that ground upon which the ruins of Castle Doom do fester. Let us heal these wounds by constructing a Monastery to Petra that shall provide haven and education to both churches and pave the healing path to unification." King Stephan waved forward his servant. The young Cleric handed the petition to the servant and Bowed at King Stephan.
"I Shall give this honest consideration. Halav Knows we need it in these times." Stephan Smiled.DM Briefing: A few establish a new faction in the Church. They are the Monastic Rose of Petra. They petition King Stephan for the Hill overlooking the Town of Fort Doom. They wish to demolish the ruined castle and build a Monastery on the site. The Monastery is open to followers of Petra from both churches.
43. D'BOER WAR
Gnomish Technicians huddled around a great iron tractor with mounted cannon when General D'Boer entered the Bunker.
"How long before it fully operational? T' Kaisar wants results!" General Hurak D'Boer grasped Albert by the throat and slapped a second Gnomish technician to the ground.
"A month at least my lord!" Albert Wundersteam resisted the urge to struggle.
"Fool! You told me that a month ago! I want t' Steam Tank operational." The other technicians looked at the interrogation with concern.
"We go to war in less than a Year! If this is a failure like that Kaisarballoon project..."
"A month my lord! With the new enchanted fuelrod, the engine power is much improved."
"It better Be! Or you and your little family here will join t' rest of that Glitterlode-worshiping filth on their way to t' STEAM CHAMBERS!"DM Briefing: An Orcish civilization in Vulcania is preparing to sweep across Davinia using Steamtech.
44. PIRATE LANTERN
"Have I Made it?" Devor Mandrazy looked about. He had managed the dimension door to the hold of the merchant ship. He lowered the Pirate Lantern and pulled the hand drill. The noise of his work was easily muffled by the flurry of crew activity on deck.
His pirate raider was struggling to close the distance.
A Dozen holes along the length of the ship and water began pouring in through the hull.
Water was around his ankles when a voice came from above.
"Saboteur!"
Armed marines began pouring down the ladder into the hold.
Devor grabbed up his lantern and was gone.DM Briefing: Pirates are discovered to be using Magic items specifically made for them. They have wizards in Alphatia turning out Magic items of all manor. Stats for the pirate lantern: Dimension Door Useable 2/day non rechargeable (30 charges). A platinum lantern frame encasing a petrified 2' gelatinous cube. Once the charges are used up, the gelatinous cube grows to full size attacking the user.
45. LOST
The Tenobar Wake sat in open water.
"Are you certain our course was correct?" Captain Thero looked about.
"Yes my captain. We made the turn the evening last at the island of those cannibals." Navigator Harn shook his head.
"That put us within sight of the mistwall. But the mistwall and the Island are gone."
The Island was gone. Immortals. It had to be Immortals.
"Get us back to the island of the Cannibals. We are going to need the fresh water."DM Briefing: Ships traveling the Thanegioth Archipelago discover the entire isle of Dread is missing.
46. HAMMERFALL
The Flying Merchantman Mirros Rose moved above the surface of the Sea of Dread.
The Terrible flash in very heart of the Sea of Dread caught the sight of the watch.
"By the Immortals, What was that?" In the distance the deep red glow vanished behind a rising wall of water.
"Oh, Halav!" Devin Hyraksos stared at the wave. It traveled quickly out across the horizon.
"Captain...?"
"What is it?" Captain Gregor Stephanov looked up at the Sailor.
"Wave on the Horizon, Captain. Closing fast." The Captain scaled the rope ladder and turned to look where the sailor was pointing.
A Tidal wave was racing toward them at a terrible rate.
"Halav's Mother! Helm, get us up two thousand feet. Now!"
The Ship surged upward just catching the wave. The wave struck the hull and tipped the ship.DM Briefing: An asteroid clips the Mystaran Moon of Luna sending large rocks at the planet Mystara. The Asteroid itself impacts in the Sea of Dread sending a wave of destruction through coastal and island communities facing the Sea of Dread.
47. PICKLED VIRGIN
Petrov spat out the wine.
"What in Halav's name? It’s befouled." Petrov walked away from the Barrel in search of an Axe.
"Are you sure? This is supposed to be from one of the rarest and most exclusive vineyards in Glantri." Franz sampled the mug.
"By the Immortals it tastes like pickled hog."
"Exactly." Petrov drove the axe into the wood of his stolen prize until the timbers shattered.
The Corpse of a pickled young elf could be made out amongst the shattered wood.
"Yeergh!" Franz released the contents of his stomach on to the ground.
"Right! When you get done turning out your meal, fetch that tame cleric. I want to know who this corpse is and who killed her before sunset."
"Then What?" Franz sprayed the ground again with his stomach contents.
"Then We break open the other six barrels and find out if this is a one-off."DM Briefing: A shipment of wine stolen during a change of residence by the Prince of Boldavia turns up in Karameikos. The wine contains Pickled Elves for flavoring. The Elves (requiring a speak with the dead) were abducted from the Elf Principalities of Glantri and are infact being pickled for food purposes.
48. ON THE RUN (HAND OF KELVIN II)
"We didn't kill those villagers lady Aleena. Please believe us."
"I Do, but you need to surrender yourself to trial, running will just hurt your position."
"We tried. Killers attacked us when we did."
"What do you mean?"
"You need to be aware of some evil creeping into..."
A crossbow bolt grazed Aleena and drove into the wall.
"We've put you in Danger."
That attack came from inside the Residence.
"They have people inside the residence?" Aleena was in shock.
"They have agents everywhere. It may be better if we remain criminals on the run."DM Briefing: The party find themselves blamed for the massacre of a village. Attempting to seek legal outcomes, the party are attacked by agents of the real villains at every turn putting friends and loved ones in danger.
49. THE TWILIGHT SKY
Wendel the Sworder looked down into the valley. There scattered across the side of a Mountain was the shattered iron hull of the Twilight Sky. The Alphatian Flying Carrier that had laid siege to the city of Glantri at the height of the War.
It had gone down in the Wendarian Ranges with all hands.
"By the Immortals!" The carnage was terrible and awe inspiring. The contents of a once glorious empire were scattered across the mountains of Northern Glantri.
Wendel didn't see the Predator lurking in shadow. It came at him with furious speed.DM Briefing: The PC's stumble across the wreckage of the Alphatian Flying Carrier ship scattered across a mountain in the Wendarian Ranges. There amongst the wealth of lost wizard magic are numerous powerful predators that were summoned to attack Glantri.
50. BUY ME SOME STONE
The Wagons moved up the rocky trail toward New Xorg. Magebuilt walls encompassed a rapidly growing community of walled suburbs teaming with Orcs. Brawls could be seen in the streets...Indeed there was a crowd betting on a fight. Waste was being thrown from the steps into the gutter and the smell was foul and toxic.
Erina of Threshold held her nose. It was worse than the foul streets of Mirros. Get in, buy twenty wagons of Stone, and get out.
Still there was something wrong with the prospect of an orc City.DM Briefing: New Xorg is located on the southern edge of the ORCLANDS of Darokin. It is a recently established Quarry town employing its orcish population in stonecutting.
INFO on NEW XORG can be found on the Vaults of Pandius (including maps).
51. AND NOW A LESSON IN ECONOMIC TERRORISM
"Now the concept of a glut is over production. Because there is much produce, the buyer or merchant can pick an choose from available producers to get produce at lower prices." Devon was starting to slur from too much wine.
"Now If a farmer wants to push prices up, he needs a shortage of the product or a Monopoly...what's in this?" Devon blinked at the mug of wine.
"Is Radishes...So what's this monopoly thingy if everyone's got one?" said farmer Durn.
"Um Its where like you is the only one with a crop." Devon passed out.
"You mean like where the other farms are burned down and their crops torched?" No reply.DM Briefing: A drunken economist explains the concept of Market forces to farmers. A few Barns are burned and crops put to torch. There is a sudden wheat shortage in Northern Karameikos as the PCs are called in to investigate acts of Agricultural Terrorism.
52. NIGHT TERRORS
"I tell you I saw it! It weren't no child! It was a fiend!" Afern the ropemaker jerked his head side to side at a shadow still moving around him as they dragged him into the cell.
"Wa! Demons!" came the cry from the many cellmates of Afern.
Jailer Cadesa shook his head and walked back to his seat by the door.
"What in Petra's name is wrong with them?" His companion guardsman shook his head.
"Been pulling them in all night. Ordinary folk just seeing demons. This one killed his daughter. Said she turned into a monster and tried to eat him." Cadesa returned to his ale but he couldn't stomach it. Mirros was in an uproar as the demonic epidemic spread.DM Briefing: A massive shipment of ergot contaminated ryebread is sold cheap by bakers in Mirros. By evening over a thousand of the populace are sick, hallucinating, or dead.
53. WAR
Franz leaned back on the hay pile and stared at the morning sky. They young farmhand could only wonder at the distant lands an magical sights he should be experiencing.
"Franz? Franz lad, you done with the hay?" Farmer Stephanov marched around the load of hay that was mostly on the wagon.
"Hoy! Back to work! This needs to be shipped to Verge tomorrow." Franz climbed to his feet only then noticing the two black spots in the distant sky and the terrible flicker of thunderous fire between them.
"What the?" Franz pointed at the sky and flying citadels that were closing the distance toward their little farm.
"By Zirchev!" Farmer Stephanov ran to the farmhouse.
Magical Fire snapped and flashed as they continued to draw closer.
Then one began a descent reminiscent of a thrown stone while it's opponent continued bombardment. It fell toward the small farm with increasing speed until it touched below the ground and dug in.
A wave of tilled sod rushed out from the impact and rolled through the farm house throwing it aside.
Franz climbed out from under the collapsed haystack and snatched up a hayfork.
"Woah!" Franz watched as the remaining Citadel drifted over it.DM Briefing: Two flying citadels engage in open hostilities over Northern Karameikos. One of them is finally shot down by the other near Verge. Who, what and why are left entirely to the DM.
54. A DARK TRADE
"This sword belonged to a soldier in King Stephan's Guard. He was killed in a Riot...yours for a hundred gold Royals." The Black marketeer wiped the blade slowly across his sleeve.
"Interesting...I'll Take it." Del Marko exchanged a sack of coin for the weapon.DM Briefing: Black marketeers begin selling trophy weapons of Warriors of the Kings Guard who die. The price for a trophy weapon is ten to a hundred times the market price of a new weapon. Some begin killing and ambushing members of the King's Guard just because their weapon's have value.
55. THE JOB (PRE AC1010)
WANTED
Fine and upstanding monster hunters to seek and capture a werewolf plaguing the village of Luln and deliver it to Fort Doom. Remuneration of one thousand Gold Royals value will be made. Deliveries made to Bargle the Wizard.DM Briefing: What they wont hear is that the werewolf is one of Bargle's Apprentices and he doesn't really want to go back, The entire Affair is designed to cause pain and suffering in the village of Luln, and the PCs are going to be paid one TUN of poor quality wine (value 1000gp if they are lucky)
56. A DELIVERY OF WINE (PRE AC1010)
"Well this here shipment goes to a Wizard in the Black Eagle Barony named Bargle." The wine merchant got Stephan to sign for it.
"Should take a week..." Stephan nodded his head. A simple delivery job. Easy coin.DM Briefing: The PC's are paid a hundred coin to deliver a wagonload of wine to Fort Doom. Unfortunately the Black Blades (Traladarans out for vengeance against Bargle) have other plans. They intend to kill the PCs and handle the shipment themselves having added a suitable poison to the wine.
57. A LETTER IN THE MAIL
"Good Sir, we have journeyed far to deliver this letter on behalf of Nevone the Wizard to your Lord Furlan." Franz handed over the Letter and waited for a reply from Lord Furlan's Aide.
"If you would wait in that room there. Food and drink shall be brought." Manservant Dalwith indicated the small room near the busy kitchen.
Cheap wine and sandwich loaves stuffed with meats, herbs and cheeses were soon served.
Franz and his companions took in the feast for an hour before drifting off.
Dalwith returned, the contents of the Letter on his mind: Dispose of those who deliver this letter and you shall be granted favours of great worth from Bargle the Wizard.
"Move them to the Dungeon. Lord Furlan intends to question them."DM Briefing: The PCs are hired by Bargle (in disguise) to deliver a letter. The letter is to a nasty lord somewhere in the Kingdom. The Letter is the PC's Death warrant.
58. THE WITCHFINDER COMMETH
Witchfinder Ruthven Ghoulburn looked about. Here was a city where ancient hatreds were sorted out on the street and the mob ruled. There could be no mistake: here was a den of witchery and evil.
The Artifact in his hand pulsed with awareness.
Ruthven walked across the crowded market place toward the church of Karameikos. Around him the crowd parted and melted away.
Ruthven nodded to himself. Such was the way of things.
The tall Paladin of Vanya looked at the great wooden doors and hefting the eye of Vanya, placed his hands against their wooden form.
"Invo Vanya Writus!" The wood smoked as Vanya's fire burned across the surface. People about him fled in panic.
As the smoke cleared, Vanya's Holy symbol could be seen scorched into the wood. With it was a writ from the Synod of Freiburg, their seal burned into the wooden document.WRIT OF VANYA
Unto this kingdom have we dispatched Paladin of Vanya for it is become corrupt with witchery, heresy, and concealed horrors.
All faithful of Vanya are commanded to route out all witchery, sorcery, and heresy that the faithful of this land may know the embrace of Vanya's Bosom.- issued by the Synod of Freiburg, this year of our Lady Vanya one thousand and twenty.DM Briefing: The Eye of Vanya has the ability to scribe a Symbol known as a writ of Vanya on any surface. All clerics and followers of Vanya looking upon the writ must make save vs spell or form angry mobs and attack wizards and those clerics who are not clerics of Vanya.
59. MYSTARAN EXODUS
"...now where was I? Ah yes: My Dear King Stephan Karameikos, It is with deep sorrow at..." The Emperor fell from the chair in a twitching fit.
"Summon the Cleric!" The scribe leapt forward to help the Emperor of Thyatis as he twitched and foamed on the floor.
He stopped.
"THE END OF MYSTARA IS NIGH! YOU MUST TAKE THE EMPIRE FROM THIS CRYSTAL SPHERE. THE ALPHATIANS WILL AIDE YOU IN THIS TASK!" The Emperor passed out. The Scribe fell back from him as the other guards arrived with a Cleric.DM Briefing: The Emperor of Thyatis spouts Prophecy during a fit. The Mystaran Exodus is coming.
60. THE MANTICORE
"Captain!"
"What is it number one?"
"Small moon approaching off the port bow sir!"
Captain Halav looked up from his Mystaran Almanac at the approaching sphere.
"That no moon!"DM Briefing: This spherical spell-jammer consists of a large sphere with over two thousand port holes on the outer shell. Out every port hole across this vessel is heavy ballista. For the crew moving on the deck below this sphere, they are simply firing up and out a hole from their deck position.
Below the battle deck is the crew quarters. The rooms are hexagon shaped as are the hallway sections that weave between them.
Below the Crew deck In the heart of the ship is a massive hollow occupied by a great brass gyroscope on which is mounted a large helm that powers the ship.
61. THE MYSTARAN WELL
Halav investigated the edge of the huge well that descened down to a dark pool of still liquid.
"You say the Ancients built this to go where?" Halav looked at Zirchev who stood near the well's edge.
"Beyond!" Halav stepped back.
"What a silly idea." Halav looked back at Lady Petra.
"Are you sure we should take Zirchev's Great Flying Bowl into this well?"
"It doesn’t go to the Hollow World." She gave him the 'It’s not like we have something better to do' shrug.DM Briefing: The PCs discover a Well a mile across that takes them all the way down to the inner Boundary of the Crystal sphere of the Mystaran Universe. It sits in a Deep Cavern near that boundary between Outer Mystara and the Hollow World and can only be reached by descending deep into the subterranean reaches of Mystara. Beyond is Spelljammer Space.
62. THE WIDOW’S ATTIC
“Oh please help…There is some monster in the Attic of my home…won’t one of you help me?” The crowd in the Tavern seemed disinterested in aiding the Widow and some remarked it was the attic in her head.
Calbert the Sworder stood to his feet and waved her over.
“How may I be of help?”DM Briefing: A widow has a problem with monsters in her Attic.
63. WELLSPRUNG
Leon de Sylare shifted to werewolf and dropped down from the tree on to the Elves...that was his first and last mistake. Sheon Ewanil shifted to Wellsprung Lycan. The almost alien horror of the transformation paused Leon de Sylare in his tracks...and he turned and ran. The fear of this unknown Lycanthrope seized control of his brain in a most unnatural and unfamiliar way. A blur of silver and it stood over him. With a single bat of its monstrous clawed hand, the Were-Elf smashed the Werewolf through the trunk of a tree, crushing his organs and bones to paste.DM Briefing: A Humanoid or Demi-human has discovered the Well of the Moon in the Great Pass through the Black Mountains (X5 - Temple of Death) and bought home a Case of rather unique Lycanthropy. The pure strain Lycanthropy is safe for Humanoids and Demi-humans because there is no animal parent spreading the Disease. Anyone stumbling across the well of the Moon might acquire the disease and assume a new Lycan form consistent with beast form-free lycanthropy.
64. THE PIT OF BLOOD GOLD
The great wicker basket slowly lowered down the long shaft with two men as its passengers. It seemed forever. "How much longer Bargle? I grow Weary of this ride down a well in a bucket." Bargle smiled to himself at the fairytale reference. "Not much longer my lord Baron." Bargle lifted his Magical Lantern to illuminate the shaft which seemed to end in a deep cavern. Yet the basket continued down into the darkness - the silence replaced by a roar that grew slowly louder. The Baron breathed in shock as he saw for the first time some of that which lay below him. "And there you have it...some ancient city a half mile below fort Doom."
A Spell and the distance the roar was revealed to be a waterfall pouring in through the rock wall. Bargle pointed at it. "It is Sea Water. The Engineer tells me it only opened when we broke through into the cavern releasing the pressure. We have a week to plunder what we can." The Basket came to rest atop a stepped Pyramid on which was piled the dirt and corpses of their recent mine collapse.DM Briefing: While excavating beneath the earth, the Baron's slaves break into an underground cavern in which an ancient Nithian city lies. Its Treasure Vaults are filled with a million pounds of Orrichacum Artefacts (A Gold-Copper alloy). While not an absolutely foul amount of wealth, it is sill substantial. As Nithian Artefacts they would be worth a million gold pieces but as metal ingots only a few hundred thousand gold pieces. The Pyramid is dedicated to some immortal of Entropy involved in the Fall of Nithia.
65. THE DAROKIN PIT (AC1020)
Daryn of Athenos hammered the piton into the stone of the shattered wall and looked around. There was still another three hundred feet to the bottom.
The Cataclysm had swallowed the capitol and all its riches but without magic, few could get to them.
Daryn pulled the bell rope to signal that he needed to be lowered another ten feet. The Rope slackened and he found himself swaying in open air at the mouth of a cave tunnel that now opened to the sky.
The Purple Worm that dominated the tunnel mouth snatched him and pulled in the cable from which he was suspended.
Above, his companions could only watch in surprise as their apparatus was pulled over the edge.DM Briefing: In AC1020 the Night Dragon Synn drained the Nucleus of the Spheres causing much of the heart-lands of the Known World to collapse into the Cavernous Shadow-elf Realms beneath them. For the city of Darokin, this meant destruction as a large area of land dropped some thousand feet devouring the City, its people, and their Riches Now every fortune hunter in the region is desperate to plunder its wealth.
66. A BASTION OF LIGHT
"What in Halav's name is that?" Gregor stared in shock at the huge stone keep that now dominated the previously naked landscape. "That wasn’t there yesterday..." Franz Torkeep was as surprised as Gregor.DM Briefing: The Keep is sent backward through time to serve as a bastion of light in the Coming age of Darkness. The Occupants are recent house guests but the Statue will know only that the future is a writhing horror and this 'gate-keep' was part of a great citadel serving to defend the survivors from some unknown horror sweeping the land. It does not know precisely when this horror is to sweep the land however (uses the new Castle Caldwell Map).
67. THE KUE GOBELIN
Jamby of Shireton had spent the day watching the entrance to the caves. Only that evening had Bugbears emerged from their dark recesses.
Denby of Luln crawled up next to him in the Dark and passed him a refill of drink water.
“Well?”
“These are defiantly the Bugbear caves of that old map...”DM Briefing: The Kue Gobelin are a fifty mile long network cut by ancient flood waters that divert south through the caves to spill out into the Radlebb lowlands south of the Westron Road.
About ten miles south of Fort Radlebb, are the entrances to an extensive network of caves and caverns frequented by Bugbears. The caverns extend north to the Radlebb Mines, and then North-north west beneath the Ruins of Korizigy keep to a Cave entrance thirty miles north of Luln known to be a Lair for Goblins.
68. VOLCANO ERUPTS NEAR FORT CRUTH
Captain Theobold Longshanks Pushed his horse across the open hill country toward Fort Cruth. Somewhere ahead of him was his new Assignment. A Quake shook the earth beneath him and he was thrown from his horse. A Great Gas plume blew up out of the Rock and bellowed into the Air. There were more such plumes spraying up out of tiny cracks in the Rock. "Hells Bells!" Longshanks struggled ot his feet, his bottom sore from the rough landing he could only run after his horse.DM Briefing: A Volcano (located on the Shadowelf Subterranean map) sixteen miles north of Fort Cruth erupts. Foul and Poisonous gases blow out of the earth and the Primary hex and the adjacent hexes are rocked by tremors. Eventually The Area will blow and a Full on Volcano with flowing Magma will erupt from the Earth.
69. THE EGG RETURNS (AC1020)
“I’ve almost got it.” Sedwik reached through the smashed-in hole and touched the two broken wires together.
SYSTEMS ONLINE...RUNNING SYSTEMS CHECK. An indistinctive voice vibrated through the surface of the Giant Egg.
DAMAGE DETECTED...AUTOREPAIR ACTIVATED.
AUTOREPAIR WORKING...DAMAGE REPAIRED. Sedwik fell back from the egg as the damaged hole vanished.
“Hello?” Sedwik reached out to touch the smooth stone.
SENSORS ONLINE...SCANNING.
SCAN COMPLETE...BIOLOGICAL PRESENCE DETECTED.
ATTEMPTING TO MAKE CONTACT...ACCESSING LINGUISTIC PRIORITY LIST.
GALACTIC-A: RESPOND PLEASE.
“Anya! Come and listen to this...There is someone trapped inside it.” Sedwik felt about the surface looking for some catch to release the person trapped within.
RESPONSE DETECTED...COMPARING...THONIAN VARIANT DETECTED.
THONIAN: RESPOND PLEASE.
“Anya! I think this egg just asked me to pleasure it!” Sedwik was shocked at the suggestion.
RESPONSE DETECTED...COMPARING...AFRIDI VARIANT DETECTED.
POSTULATING...ONE PERCENT THONIAN AND AFRIDI DETECTED IN SHARED SUBLANGUAGE.
POSTULATING...A MINIMUM TWO THOUSAND YEARS HAVE ELAPSED.
SUBDIALECT ALPHA: RESPOND EGG PLEASE.
Anya the Witch listened to the Words...
“You are right...The Egg just demanded you pleasure it. There must be some sort of evil Demon trapped within.” Sedwik backed away.
“We must warn the Village Elders.” Anya nodded in agreement with Sedwik’s assessment of the Situation.DM Briefing: The Artificial Intelligence previously known as the Egg of Coot has been reactivated in the Mystaran year AC1020 and attempts to make contact with the Locals. Once it overcomes the language barrier it will attempt to teach them the Galactic Federation Language known as Galactic-A. Only then will it begin creating the new Age of Technology.
70. CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE GOBLINKIND
The Citadel of light hovered over them for a while until it turned and little more than a large dark discus was above them. Now the discus lowered slightly until its centre sat above the ground.
"BUA! BA! BA! BA! BU!" The Incredible sound echoed across the landscape.
"BUA! BA! BA! BA! BU!" The Sound came again from the great Citadel in the Sky.
Now a small light appeared at the heart of it...and spread becoming a large opening from which small children emerged.
"This isn’t happening....Kord tells us we are alone in the Universe!" Jethero the Paladin up and fled.
The Ugly little children in silver clothes emerged and surrounded Silvarn the Wizard. "Help...I'm being abducted!" They walked him back into the light.DM Briefing: A major incursion occurs as the Goblin Citadel-ship ENCOUNTER is revealed to the planetary populace. The evening is filled with sightings of strange lights in the sky, the abduction of ten thousand head of livestock, mass-crop vandalism (crop circles). They proceed to abduct numerous Wizards capable of understanding BLACKLORE. All the Goblins wear silver clothing.
71. THE BARON'S EGG
Baron Amien watched from the battlements of his small keep as the Flying Egg descended into the Castle grounds with a terrible Roar and alighted on the Rosegarden. "This wizard has offered me great secrets..." Amien smiled. "Let us hope they are sufficient to throw down the Duke and his assaults."DM Briefing: An Alphatian wizard in a flying egg offers a local baron technological secrets that his craftsmen will be able to build. Backed by ten Specially bred Trolls (the Wizard calls them TALAK), The Wizard (an OARD Leader) is prepared to instruct the Baron's Artisans in better fortress design, Steam Artillery, and a selection of other crucial technologies that will achieve the OARD's endgame.
72. INTO THE SEWERS
They had passed the Orc Reavers armed with Greatcleavers, only to encounter a naked man haunting the dark tunnels. He was covered in blood and worse and carrying a pair of large Iron Spikes in one hand and the head of a child in the other. He was chewing on the wet end.
Hallok the Guide screamed "Villiam the Bloody" and fled back toward the exit taking the Torchlight with him.
The first Iron Spike jumped the distance down the tunnel withincredible accuracy to burn through Carolan’s Plate Armour just as he and his companions were plunged into darkness.DM Briefing: Street Urchins are going missing; Orc Reavers have been seen loitering by a sewer drain outside the city; and worse awaitsthe PCs in the Sewers as the Flesh eating Wizard – Villiam the bloody runs rampant. The PCs are in the Dark with a naked killer who "Throws" Iron Spikes for weapons and eats raw human.
Villiam uses a Magic missile Variant- allowing him to achieve autohit with his iron spikes.
73. SEMPER ZAP
"Is we is or is we aint gonna do this?" Huurk the Kobold hoisted the Magic Tube of Distant Destruction on his shoulder and climed the bank toward the Village. "No sure No sure, risky business this." Cleaver the kobold stood up out of the mud with his wand of loud thunder. "What risky?" Huurk tripped on a twig and the Magic tube burst to life. The Beam of light that projected from it blew away the newly erected castle that overlooked Haas. "Errf! In all sorts a trouble now."DM Briefing: Kobolds stumble across Strange and advanced Technology (Blackmoorean). They proceed to destroy a few castles.
74. THE LOVE BOAT (ALPHATIAN ADVENTURE)
Carolina di Medichi climbed the gantry to the deck of the flying ship. Her servant carrying her baggage - including her pet Dragon Jemnar (a White Hatchling) followed. "My Lady Carolina di Medichi...and servant." The Lieutenant checking the bording lists marked her name and bowed.DM Briefing: A Parent Dragon (Huge White) disguised as a Wizard (with her 'pet' Dragon Hatchling) takes a trip on the Alphatian Flying Ship. In truth she intends to conduct the Ceremony of Inheritance on board the flying ship - sacrificing it - and granting her offspring the ability of Speech (and thus magic use). If she succeeds, the ship will die with its passengers.