Discoveries
Introduction: The Best-Laid Plans
After their recent activities, the heroes
have come to the Citadel of Light on the
island of Schallsea to seek aid and information from two of the leaders of the
free peoples of Ansalon: Goldmoon,
First Master of Mysticism, and Palin
Majere, head of the Academy of Sorcery.
Heroes who participated in the
adventure A Killing Frost (from the
Heroes of Sorcery dramatic supplement)
can use this scene as an opportunity to
report the success (or, if necessary, the
failure) of the mission to recover Huma's
true dragonlance. If necessary, healing
and resupply are also available here.
Overview
In a shocking surprise attack, a group
of assassins in the employ of Malystryx
makes an attempt on Goldmoon's life.
Getting Started
The Narrator should have Goldmoon's
and Palin Majere's character cards available for this scene, as well as the Citadel
of Light information in Chapter Two of
The Magic Within and Chapter Three of
Dusk or Dawn in the Fifth Age boxed set.
First Impressions
It is late at night as you approach the
Citadel of Light. The huge harvest
moon has just set, but lamps from
within the Citadel's great crystal domes
light the last steps of your way. Armed
sentries called Guardians motion you
through once they determine your
business, and sleepy pages show you to
rooms and much-needed beds. They
explain to you that Goldmoon has been
anxious for news of you and will probably want to see you at your convenience
in the morning. But for now, rest.
The sound of thunder in the distance brings a welcome sigh of relief to
your lips as you drift off to sleep in a
warm, dry bed.
The Story Begins
Perhaps it is the activity of the morning
world that awakens the heroes early the
next day, or perhaps they have grown
too accustomed to sleeping with one
eye open, but they find themselves
awake shortly after dawn, to the beauty
of the red morning sky.
Members of the Citadel staff offer
the heroes morning refreshments in a
large dining hall in the complex's
biggest dome. When they have eaten
their fill, a plucky girl with a tangled
mop of red curls, a smudged face, and
an impudent smile approaches and asks
if they are adventurers. She says her
name is Mina and asks their names, too.
Without waiting for a response, though,
she barrages the heroes with all kinds of
questions about their adventures. She
especially wants to know if they've ever
seen a dragon, because, you see, she has
... a big one so black it looked like it
was made of night!
As she regales the heroes with her
increasingly improbable tale, a Citadel
aspirant, or novice, approaches and asks
if the group would have time to meet
with Goldmoon as she makes her
morning rounds among the pilgrims.
When Mina complains loudly that she
was telling a story, the aspirant rounds
on her and shoos her off to do her
chores. When he turns his back, the
orphan sticks her tongue out at him,
then scampers off with a peal of giggles.
The aspirant, a young man named
Telmer, leads the heroes out toward the
shore. Goldmoon is strolling outside,
taking in the sea breeze and speaking
with the faithful approaching the mystic capital. In the distance, coming up
the road from the port of Schallsea, is a
group of twenty or so more pilgrims.
Smiling at the heroes, Goldmoon
asks if they are well after their journey,
and apologizes if the members of the
Citadel disturbed their rest this morning. Despite her polite small talk, however, she seems anxious for
information. As the heroes recount the
tale of their recent adventure, she listens carefully, hoping to glean new
insights about the state of affairs in
other realms. If the group retrieved
Huma's lance, she offers to place it in a
secure room within the Citadel to prevent it from being recaptured by the
Dark Knights or other Evil forces.
As you stroll along the New Sea shore
with Goldmoon, approaching pilgrims
draw near and call out their greetings
to her. They have come from the port
of Schallsea to the south and are overjoyed to meet her. As she approaches,
four of them throw back their traveling cloaks and draw knives, attacking
the other pilgrims - and Goldmoon
herself!
The Battle
Unless the heroes act very quickly, the
attack on Goldmoon succeeds, and she
falls to the ground, bleeding profusely
from a mortal wound. The fight with
the assassins is not an easy one. Despite
using only knives as weapons, these
skilled combatants manage to wound
several pilgrims, whom they attack to
sow confusion and clear a path for their
escape.
As Palin Majere and several
enraged, heavily armed Guardians
pour out of the Citadel, the assassins
try to break off the combat and
escape. They launch a savage attack at
the heroes and any others who are in
their way, then turn and run back up
the road. It will be difficult to capture
any of them alive, for they fight poten-
tial captors savagely, expecting to be
tortured to death if they are taken
prisoner.
Should any hero wear the scale of
Malys due to a tangle with her Dark
Knight minion in A Killing Frost, the
dragon seizes control of his mind in this
scene and forces him to join in the attack.
The Assassins
The assassins were sent by Malys the Red.
They are her personal "trouble-shooters,"
achieving by stealth and assassination
what the Dark Knights loyal to her cannot achieve by their more direct means.
These four come from the Elian
Wilds, an island east of Malys's realm.
Even before the first Cataclysm, their
culture was cut off from the rest of Ansalon, separated both by a mountain chain
and the sense of disdain Istarans held
toward these "barbarians." Although
many of their sect died three decades
ago during the Red's invasion of south-eastern Ansalon, the few survivors continue to reside in their ancestral home.
Their training resembles that of
monks (see the role description in
Chapter One of The Magic Within).
While they do not follow the precepts
of the god Majere, as do most monks,
they have that role's requirements,
advantages, and disadvantages. It is not
known if they follow the teachings of
any of the gods of Krynn. Although
these Elians are not specifically trained
as assassins, their sect's intense and difficult training - which includes arena
combat against minotaur opponents -
makes them effective in that capacity.
While these harsh tests necessarily
make the Elians few in number, those
who survive prove formidable foes.
Atmosphere
The mood in the morning should be
like that of any morning following a
night of too little sleep. The rapid-fire
conversation with an overly curious
little girl should dispel the heroes'
remaining sluggishness, however.
The mood turns more serious during the conversation with Goldmoon.
If the heroes managed to recover the
true lance from Dragon Mountain,
Goldmoon gives a sigh of relief. When
the attack comes, however, everything
turns wild and frantic.
Actions
Little in the Citadel should necessitate
the heroes wearing their heavy armor
around. Carrying weapons is more
acceptable, but only marginally so. If
heroes insist on wearing their heavy
armor and carrying huge weapons, the
Narrator should make any Presence
actions they attempt one degree more
difficult (for example, from average to
challenging). The one exception is a
Presence action to resist mystic magic.
Paranoid heroes suspicious of
Mina's boundless curiosity may wish to
attempt a magical action to determine
her "true" motives. Those with access
to mentalism may cast a spell to read
Mina's thoughts, and those skilled in
sensitivity can attempt to gain a sense
of her motives. In either case, they find
Mina nothing more than an overly
romantic, bored little girl.
The approach of the pilgrims presents another opportunity for players
to utilize their mystic skills. If a hero
who understands the sphere of sensitivity has allocated 9 spell points daily
to maintaining his "danger sense," the
Narrator should draw a card to determine whether the hero anticipates
trouble at the approach of the "pilgrims" (see "Sensitivity" in Chapter
Four of The Magic Within). In this
case, if the hero succeeds at a daunting
Spirit (Spirit) action on the random
draw, he receives a warning immediately before the attack. The results of
this warning are up to the Narrator
and may range from preventing the
attack on Goldmoon to warning the
rest of the heroes in time to prevent the
assassins' escape.
When the attack occurs, the player
with the highest Perception score may
make a challenging Perception (Agility) action to warn the other heroes of an
attack. This alarm may not come in
time to prevent the attack on Goldmoon, but it should prevent the assassins from getting in a second
counterattack.
A hero who knows the sphere of
healing and gets to Goldmoon within a
few moments of the attack can save her
life with his magic. If the hero cannot
cast healing spells, he can attempt first
aid: a daunting Dexterity action, due to
the severity of her wounds. Either
action, if successful, stabilizes Goldmoon enough to move her into the
Citadel.
Characters
Citadel staff: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknowns. Co 5, Ph 5, In 5,
Es 6, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common
clothing).
Mina: Human female child, curious
demeanor, Rabble. Co 8, Ph 3, In 7, Es 8,
Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Telmer, an aspirant: Human male young
adult, reserved demeanor, Unknown.
Co 5, Ph 5, In 6, Es 7 (49), Dmg 0
(unarmed), DefO (common clothing),
also mysticism (animism).
Four assassins: Human barbarian male
adults, crafty demeanors, Champions.
Ag 9D, Dx 7D, En 8D, St 7D, Re 6D,
Pe 8B, Sp 7B (49), Pr 7c Dmg +2 (dagger), Def -2 (leather), also one acute
sense (eyesight or hearing), mysticism
(all have mentalism; one also knows
healing and channeling).
Citadel Guardians: Humans and elves of
varied age and demeanor, Adventurers.
Co 5, Ph 6, Re 5, Es 6, Dmg +6 (long
swords), Def -6 (chain mail/target shields).
Pilgrims: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknown and Rabble. Co 5,
Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0
(common clothing).
Outcome
In this scene, the forces of Evil succeed
(or nearly succeed) in bringing about a
terrible tragedy at the Citadel of Light.
Through the quick actions of the
heroes, this tragedy can be averted.
However, the attack accentuates even
more the need for speed in achieving
the quest Goldmoon had set before
them - for clearly, someone doesn't like
the heroes' efforts to collect artifacts
that the Blue Dragon also seeks!
Palin asks the heroes to try to put
the tragedy behind them, for the free
world needs them now to recover the
Crown of Tides, an artifact reportedly
hidden in Dimernesti. Meanwhile, he
will inform the Academy of Sorcery and
Last Conclave of the attack, obtain
Dalamar's golden ring of healing from
the Tower of High Sorcery, and seek the
Fist ofE'li, a scepter hidden in the Qualinesti Forest. (Optionally, the heroes
can seek this scepter; see sidebar.) He
does not object if the heroes insist on
remaining until Goldmoon is out of
danger and arranges for them to outfit
themselves from the Citadel's stores.
If the heroes managed to capture
any of the assassins, interrogating them
is no easy undertaking. The four have
been conditioned to give little or no
information about themselves or their
mission. They were assigned this task
by their master, whose orders and
motives they do not question. All they
know is that their master agreed to
serve a foreign woman. They do not
know what she looks like, for they have
never seen her. They do not fear death,
only failure. After many unsuccessful
hours of questioning, Palin suggests
that perhaps Goldmoon would permit
someone (either a Citadel mystic or
one of the heroes) to attempt a magical
interrogation - normally considered an
unethical method - but she will not be
well enough for several days. By then,
the heroes should be on their way.
Palin asks them to journey first to
Solace, both to inform the elders of the
Legion of Steel what happened at the
Citadel - he doesn't want to create a
stir as they get information through
hearsay - and to find a guide to take
them east. The sorcerer gives them a
letter of introduction to Legion elders.
The Narrator can now move on to
Scene One.
The Fist of E'li
Instead of heading east immediately to
recover the Crown of Tides, the heroes
can travel south into the Qualinesti Forest to locate the Fist of E'li, an artifact
carrying the elves' name for Paladine and
once wielded by Silvanos himself.
The Fist is a small mace of polished
wood. Emeralds, garnets, and diamonds
encrust its bulbous head, and bands of
silver and gold inlay decorate its haft.
This mace of legend has a damage rating
of +17 and a bonus of +10 to attack
actions. It also gives the wielder a trump
bonus to leadership-related Presence
actions.
Palin can tell the heroes that the old
fort said to house an item matching the
Fist's description lies in a thick wood just
west of Ahlanost and north of Wayreth
Forest; he ran across the place years ago
while helping Speaker Gilthas search for
Beryl's lair. However, unbeknownst to
Palin, this crumbling tower has become a
hideout for draconians opposed to the
draconian conscriptions Beryl has instigated in her efforts to create spawn; they
favor more "natural" reproduction methods for their race.
Arriving at the fort, the heroes find a
force of two Auraks, six Sivaks, and a
dozen each of Baaz, Bozaks, and Kapaks.
If the heroes don't attack, the draconians
tell them they were ambushed just hours
ago by a unit of Dark Knights and
brutes, most of whom died in the attack.
However, two Knights and two brutes
made off into the wood with the Fist. If
the heroes can convince the draconian
leader, General Urek (Aurak, independent
demeanor. Master), that they will not
reveal him to Beryl - that, in fact, they
work for Palin Majere, who actively
fights her - he makes them a deal: If the
heroes can track the Knights and get the
Fist before dark, they can keep it. But at
dusk, the draconians will emerge from
the fort to seek their artifact, shielded
from Beryl's spawning recruitment teams
under cover of night.
Creative Narrators might wish to
design several scenes to cover this side
trip, for the Fist would give the heroes an
advantage fighting Brine in Act Three.
Scene One: The First Step
The heroes journey south from the
Citadel to the tree-city of Solace, as
Palin asked. (This scene takes place
before the heroes begin seeking the Fist
of E'li, should they take up that option.)
Overview
The heroes update High Elder Silver
Claw of the Legion of Steel on the
Citadel happenings, secure a Legionnaire guide for their trip, and spend
some time at the Inn of the Last Home.
Getting Started
Caramon and Tika's character cards can
help in this scene, as can the details on
Solace from Act One of Heroes of a New
Age, the adventure included in the FIFTH
AGE boxed set. Silver Claw is described in
the Appendix to Dusk or Dawn.
First Impressions
Approaching the town of Solace, you
see its cozy buildings nestled among the
tops of great vallenwood trees. Near the
edge of the town, you pass by the Tomb
of the Last Heroes, a great edifice of
obsidian and marble sitting in the
middle of a field filled with picnickers.
As you walk through town, locals nod
and give you a brief smile as you pass. In
addition to these townsfolk and some
members of the local militia, a few more
heavily armed soldiers patrol the paths
through the trees. Their livery proclaims
them as soldiers of the Legion of Steel.
The Story Continues
The heroes can learn the whereabouts
of Legion headquarters from any of the
passers-by. Should they ask instead
about food and lodging for the night,
most locals direct them to the famous
Inn of the Last Home; others might
send them to a lesser known inn.
The heroes can locate Legion headquarters with little difficulty. This
sprawling structure sits high in a vallenwood overlooking the Last Heroes'
Tomb. In addition to serving as the organization's center of operations, it is the
home of Silver Claw, Legion High Elder.
Presenting their letter to one of the
guards outside, they wait for a few
moments, then are ushered up the
winding stairs and inside to Silver
Claw's office. The middle-aged plains
barbarian greets them soberly and is
shocked and angered to hear about the
attack on Goldmoon. He asks for all
available details about the assassins.
"This time the Dark Knights have
grown too bold!" he exclaims. He snaps
out an order to one of the guards outside his door to summon the other
Elders to a meeting.
Then he turns back to the heroes
and asks about their plans, offering to
assist them in any way he can. Should
they merely request a guide across the
Plains of Dust, he asks their reasons for
crossing the Plains. The eastern Plains
have grown quite dangerous of late, he
says, due to rising hostilities between
the local dragon lords: brass Iyesta and
Thunder, her volatile blue neighbor.
His cells and scouts have told him that
a northern route, even one that traverses Sable's domain, would be much
safer at this time.
Silver Claw is curious as to the
heroes' ultimate destination and the
reason for their trip. Assuming they tell
him of their quest to recover an artifact
from Dimernesti to use in their fight
against the dragons, he comments on
the difficulty of getting to Dimernesti
due to the Silvanesti Shield, which
forces eastbound travelers to cross
Dragon Realms and has closed off
access to much Ansalon's southeastern
coastline. Nevertheless, he promises to
have his best available scout take them
as far as the Bay of Balifor. He will send
this guide to meet them the next morning; if they have no accommodations
yet, he recommends the Inn of the Last
Home, which the Legion used as its headquarters in its early years.
In addition. Silver Claw gives them
the name of Karina Duskborn, a
Legion sea captain in nearby New Ports
who can take them safely across to the
Duntollik shore. He also writes them a
letter of introduction to Kenat Three-Lives, the commander of the Legion's
cell in Ak-Khurman on the Bay of Balifor, who can help them find passage to
the realm of the sea elves. In closing,
the High Elder offers to supply the
heroes with anything they need, within
reason, from Legion stores.
Regardless of where the heroes choose
to spend the night, it passes quietly. At
the Inn of the Last Home, they are
likely to hear a tale or two about great
deeds of the War of the Lance or the
Chaos War - it's never hard to persuade
Caramon to relate one. In addition, some
of the locals will tease Caramon lightly
about a book he is writing about the
creatures he encountered in his long life
of travels. Various locals, merchants,
and travelers have come to sit with a
legend and partake of the Inn's famous
spiced potatoes and delicious ale.
Relating to him the story of the
attack on Goldmoon brings a somber
mood to the public room. If informed
of their quest, Caramon gives them
what advice he can about the Plains of
Dust and the situation there (the
details from the "Duntollik" and "Iyesta
and Stenndunuus" entries in Chapter
Two of Dusk or Dawn). Toward the end
of the evening, Caramon stands and
asks everyone to join him in a toast. "To
the memory of dear friends," he says.
Tika and the assembled crowd respond,
"May they live with us forever."
In the morning, the heroes' guide
meets them at the Inn of the Last
Home (or wherever they are staying).
He is obviously of barbarian heritage.
Just shy of medium height, he looks
thin but wiry. He carries a few daggers,
a wicked-looking short sword with a
bone handle, and a great bow and a
quiver of arrows slung over his back.
The man introduces himself as Hevar
Tarn. He has been told of the heroes' need to get to Ak-Khurman, but was
given no other details of their journey.
Atmosphere
Although there is a certain urgency to
the quest the heroes have accepted,
they should take the opportunity of
their stay in Solace to prepare themselves, both physically and mentally, for
the rigors of the coming journey.
Actions
Most of the action in Solace revolves
around role-playing. Unless the heroes
initiate it, there is little likelihood of
combat in town.
Characters
Solace locals: Humans of varied age and
demeanor, Unknown and Rabble. Co 5,
Ph 5, In 5, Es 5, Dmg 0 (unarmed),
Def 0 (common clothing).
Silver Claw: Human barbarian middle-aged male, determined demeanor, Hero,
6
Ag 7C, Dx 7A, En 8C, St 8B, Re 9C,
Pe 8A, Sp 7B (49), Pr 8A, Dmg +6 (battle
axe), Def -6 (chain mail/target shield),
also missile weapons (great bow/+8), acute
sight and taste, mysticism (animism).
Hevar Tarn: Human barbarian male
adult, cunning demeanor, Master. Ag 10X,
Dx 8A, En 8D, St 5C, Re 6D, Pe 9A, Sp 7A
(49), Pr 6c, Dmg +5 (scimitar), Def -2
(leather), also missile weapons (great
bow/+8), acute senses of smell and sight,
mysticism (sensitivity, animism, healing).
Outcome
With their guide, the heroes can make
their way to New Ports and contact
Karina Duskborn (minotaur female
adult, serious demeanor, Champion), the
captain of the Star Wanderer, a small
coast-hugger. Karina accepts Silver
Claw's letter as payment for the voyage.
After an uneventful two-day sail,
the heroes reach the shore of Duntollik
late in the night. The next day, Hevar
leads them along a merchant trail
toward the settlement of Duntol, and
the quest continues with Scene Two.
Scene Two: Grandfather
Hevar sets a swift pace through the
northwestern Plains and, after a full
day's travel, the heroes reach the settlement of Duntol.
Overview
The heroes meet some Plainsfolk and
experience dreams of great import at the
Grandfather tree, an ancient mystic site.
Getting Started
The Narrator can refer to the "Duntollik" section of Chapter Two in Dusk or
Dawn for background on the area.
First Impressions
In the distance to the west, you can see
the Kharolis Mountains, part of the
great chain that runs, broken by the
New Sea, all the way north to the Bay
of Branchala. All day yesterday, a sea of
grassland lay to the east, with only the
occasional copse of trees or plateau to
break up the landscape.
Now, however the rough, bustling
settlement of Duntol commands your
easterly view. Hevar has told you that
some eight hundred people live here,
but it looks like enough folks come in
from the surrounding area to trade to
double the population. Most locals are
human, but you see a few half-elves,
kender, and centaurs as well.
The Story Continues
Hevar easily finds the heroes reasonable
accommodations for the evening in
this rugged town. He suggests that, from here, they travel cross-country; he
knows the route well. If they prefer, he
can take them along the Run, the road
that rings most of Duntollik. It is generally a safe route, he says, but one that
will take them several days out of their
way to the north. He explains that he's making for the City of Morning Dew, a
Legion outpost between Sable's and
Iyesta's realms, at which point they'll
strike out across the New Swamp for
the mountains of Blode. After they all
agree on the route, Hevar bids them
good night.
The guide gets the heroes up early
the next morning. As they travel, they
can see that, despite the name, the
Plains of Dust boast a rich ecology with
an array of prairie plants and animals.
Occasionally they spy the ruins of
ancient pre-Cataclysm civilization on
the horizon - nothing more than
broken heaps of stone.
During the next few days of the trip,
the heroes may meet hunting parties
from local barbarian tribes, such as the
nomadic Ereshu and the more settled
Wan-kali, and even the northernmost
centaur clan, the Windwalkers. Because
Hevar accompanies them, the warriors
leave them in peace - unless the heroes
act belligerently. The proud Plains
peoples will tolerate no insolence or
aggressiveness from outsiders. Heroes
who pick a fight may find themselves facing up to forty angry and armed hunters.
As the third day draws to a close, the
heroes glimpse in the distance an enormous tree. The peoples of the Plains call
it Grandfather, Hevar tells them; others
call it the World Tree. It is sacred to the
god Zivilyn, he explains - some even
say it is the god of wisdom himself.
All the next day, the great vallenwood tree looms ever larger on the
horizon. When they finally reach it late
in the afternoon, the heroes can get a
true idea of its enormity. If a hundred
grown men spread out their arms and
linked hands around the trunk of the
tree, they could just barely surround it.
No one may ever make a fire from the
wood of the tree, Hevar says, for to do
so is to disturb the god it represents.
Those who are especially quiet and
respect the tree as a symbol of life and
the ancient ways may be granted a gift
from the god. Heroes may scoff at this
belief, but it remains very strong
among the Plainsfolk.
That night, a vision comes to heroes
with a Spirit score of at least 4 and a
nature derived from a card with a white
or red aura. One hero dreams of a whale
with a long horn rising from its head,
making it look like a unicorn of the sea.
Another hero dreams of a sun rising over
a distant calm sea; in the foreground, the
sea is turbulent, with much flotsam and
jetsam. Other dreams include a dog
barking at shadow behind a velvet curtain; and a group of vicious hyenas
huddled together against the violence
of a magical windstorm, their intended
prey disappearing into the storm.
Any mystic hero skilled in animism
dreams of a dying glade, at the edge of
which stands a tiny green sapling. In
the morning when that hero awakens, a
single seed from the great vallenwood
falls from a low branch to his feet.
Hevar seems in awe of this event, for
Grandfather seldom offers such gifts.
The Dreams
The visions from Grandfather are not
mere dreams but portents of things to
come. In each one lies a clue about an
event that awaits the heroes. (However,
the Narrator should not interpret these
dreams for the players - half the fun is
the sense of discovery!)
- The "sea unicorn" is a subtle clue to
the ship the heroes should take from
Ak-Khurman: the Narwhal, so
named for the long, sharp bowsprit
projecting from its bow.
- The sunrise over the turbulent sea
suggests an escape route when Ak-Khurman falls under the Dark
Knights' attack: If the heroes head
due east, they can avoid the main
force of the blockade after the
Legionnaires repulse the first attack.
- The dog barking at a shadow behind
a curtain hints that the hero should
seek a spy in the Legion headquarters in Ak-Khurman (who can warn
them about the impending attack).
- The image of the hyenas in the magical storm suggests that using sorcery
might allow the heroes to escape
when they encounter the Khurrish
warriors at the start of Act Two.
- The dream of the dying glade hints
that the heroes can slow the rate at
which the Silvanesti Shield causes
the elven forest to decay (which
they will see later in Act One) by
planting a Grandfather seed there.
Atmosphere
The mood of this scene is one of discov-
ery, both of the Plains and its people
and of the magic of Grandfather. If the
heroes start a fight with local hunters,
however, the mood quickly turns nasty.
Actions
For each day of the journey, the Narrator should ask a different player to make
a random draw. If the card's aura is
white, the heroes meet a group of centaur hunters that day. On a red aura,
they meet human barbarians, and in the
event of a black aura, they meet no one.
Characters
Hevar Tarn: Human barbarian male
adult, cunning demeanor, Master. Ag 10X,
Dx 8A, En 8D, St 5C, Re 6D, Pe 9A, Sp 7A
(49), Pr 6c, Dmg +5 (scimitar), Def -2
(leather), also missile weapons (great
bow/+8), acute senses of smell and sight,
mysticism (sensitivity, animism, healing).
Ereshu or Wan-kali hunters: Human
barbarian adults of varied demeanor,
Adventurers. Co 5, Ph 6, In 4, Es 5,
Dmg +2 (daggers), Def 0 (common
clothing), also missile weapons (throwing stick/+2 or long bow/+6).
Windwalkers: Centaur adults of varied
demeanor, Adventurers. Co 7, Ph 7,
In 5, Es 5, Dmg +3, Def -3, also
missile weapons (long bow/+6).
Outcome
Two days after leaving Grandfather
(three if the group took the Run), the
heroes reach the River Torath, the border with Iyesta's realm. This wide, lazy
river is an excellent place to replenish
water supplies and rest. After the heroes
cross the river. Scene Three can begin.
Scene Three: Friend or Foe?
Iyesta's realm seems little different from
Duntollik. As they travel, though, the
heroes see evidence of fewer settlements
here - even nomads are less common.
Windstorms kick up great clouds of dust
from time to time, but Hevar hurries
the group along, fearful of earning the
notice of the brass's enemy. Thunder.
At the Narrator's discretion, the
heroes can cover the distance between
the River Torath and the City of Morning Dew in a week. After a night's stay
at the home of a local Legionnaire, the
group presses on into the swamp: the
realm of Onysablet.
Overview
This scene shows heroes the cruelty of
Sable's "experiments" and gives the
heroes an item that will prove valuable in
Act Three when they meet the sea elves.
Getting Started
Information on the bakali, a race of
lizard men widely considered lost,
appears in Chapter Six of the Book of the
Fifth Age in the FIFTH AGE boxed set.
First Impressions
The oppressiveness of the dank surroundings weighs on you as you slog
through Sable's morass. The mosquitoes are dreadful, but after days of travel
through this humid wilderness, you've
almost gotten used to them. Dim light
filters down through the tangle of trees,
and the stench of damp rot fills the air.
Throughout most of your journey, the
footprints you leave in the muck fill
with water the instant you take a step.
Sometimes, however, this "dry" land
recedes, forcing you to wade through
stretches of mire as deep as your chest.
Not surprisingly, it's hard to find any
kind of trail. All you can do is try to
keep yourselves pointed east.
The calls of the unseen wildlife surround you now, as they have throughout your trek. Then, from up ahead,
you hear the sounds of a fight: hissing
and snarling - and a man's screams.
The Story Continues
Heroes who rush forward toward the
sounds see before them four bakali
lying unmoving in the stagnant water
at the feet of a man. He stands doubled
over in pain, grabbing his midriff, his
sword arm low. Drawing near to him is
a creature the likes of which the heroes
have never seen. The humanoid figure
looks lizardlike - quite a bit like the
fallen bakali, in fact - except that it
walks on all fours, has wicked pincers
instead of front claws, and drags a long,
lobsteriike tail behind it.
From the context of this scene, the
heroes may assume that this abomination is preparing to finish off the
wounded man who killed its bakali
comrades. All is not as it seems, however, for this creature is actually the
man's ally. Together, they just defeated
the four bakali minions of Sable that
had ambushed them. The crustacean
lizard man seeks only to help his
injured friend, a Legionnaire scout from
the City of Morning Dew on a mission
north to gather information.
The hybrid creature, Sloss, was born a
bakali. This hidden race of lizard men,
created at the dawn of the world, have
become slaves to Sable, thinking it their
duty to worship and serve the Great
Dragons as they once served the First
Born Five dragons. However, when the
Black Dragon, in her love of experimentation on the creatures of her realm,
reshaped Sloss into the lobsteriike horror
he is today, she forever lost that warrior's
fidelity. After escaping the dragon's lair
in Shrentak to the north, he sought
sanctuary in the long-abandoned Wentil's Tor, not far back. From there, he
launched raids on the dragon's hunters
and the trustees of her zoo, hoping to
fight the chain of horrors that produced
him - for Sloss it not the most wretched of Sable's abominations.
It saddened Sloss to see his former
kinsmen to turn on him. Outraged at
his rebellion, as well as his blasphemous
new form. Sable's bakali minions do not
suffer him to live. But the sense of honor
that runs through all bakali compels
Sloss to work toward the day when the
Black Dragon can no longer work her horrors on the creatures of Ansalon.
To that end, Sloss has become an
inside contact for the Legionnaire, Guy
Nightwatcher, who frequently reconnoiters Sable's realm to report her evils
to his cell leader in the City of Morning
Dew. In fact, he has just received a
package from Sloss, which the mutated
bakali recovered from a pair of slavers.
They had been conducting a sea elf
prisoner captured at the Silvanesti
shore in to Shrentak but, according to
Sloss, the sea elf died before he could
become subject to the dragon's cruel
experiments. Only his personal effects
remain: a pair of shell bracers, with an
account of the elf's captivity etched (in
the Dimernesti tongue) into the inside
surface. Guy planned to deliver these
relics to his Legion superiors.
The Battle
If the heroes, seeing the abomination as
a threat to the wounded man, move in
to attack, Hevar rushes forward as well,
shouting a warning to the fellow. Guy
glances up, a startled look on his face,
and quickly holds out a hand to the
group, as if to keep them back. At the
same time, he draws out a pendant
hanging from his neck. Seeing it, Hevar
stops up quick: The man wears the
Legion's starjewel symbol. The guide
shouts to the heroes to hang back.
Should the heroes fight the pair,
Sloss lashes out ferociously with his
pincers, fearing that the newcomers
also serve the Black Dragon. The
wounded Guy tries to shout out to the
heroes that Sloss is an ally, but will
enter battle to defend his friend if he
must. If the heroes cease their hostilities, they can learn the pair's story.
Atmosphere
The scene begins slowly, to match the
heroes' slogging pace. However, it
quickly shifts to a feeling of horror as
the heroes catch sight of the mutant
bakali. It may erupt into a frantic and
brutal fight or level out as the heroes
discover the truth about the Legionnaire and his ally.
Actions
When the party first emerges onto the
scene, heroes can make desperate Perception actions to note the lack of malice in
the crustacean lizard man's demeanor.
If the heroes ask to return the bracers to the Dimernesti, one hero can
attempt an average Presence (Reason)
action to convince Guy to part with
them. (The action is easy for a Legionnaire hero or one with an "A" Presence
code.)
Characters
Sloss has the dark green scales of a
bakali, which shade to black on his
crayfishlike tail and claws.
Sloss: A monster, obsessive demeanor.
Co 4 (7 in water), Ph 7, In 5, Es 8,
Dmg +7 (pincers), Def -2 (scales).
Guy Nightwatcher: Human male adult,
charismatic demeanor, Champion.
Co 6, Ph 3 (down from 6 due to
wounds), In 5, Es 5, Dmg +3 (short
sword), Def 0 (common clothing),
also missile weapons (shuriken/+1).
Hevar Tarn: Human barbarian male
adult, cunning demeanor, Master. Ag 10X,
Dx 8A, En 8D, St 5C, Re 6D, Pe 9A, Sp 7A
(49), Pr 6c, Dmg +5 (scimitar), Def -2
(leather), also missile weapons (great
bow/+8), acute senses of smell and sight,
mysticism (sensitivity, animism, healing).
Outcome
After the Legionnaire bandages up his
wounds, he and Sloss wish the heroes
all the best on their trip. They leave to
continue their scouting work, and the
adventure continues in Scene Four.
Scene Four: The Slow Death
This scene begins as the heroes cross the
eastern fork of the Thon-Rishas River,
just southeast of the Trueheart Mines.
Overview
Near the river, the heroes are beset by a
band of elf thieves - refugees, cut off
from Silvanesti when the magical shield
around the forest rose. Here, the heroes
get a chilling glimpse of the slow death
happening inside the shield and have a
chance to revitalize part of the land.
Getting Started
If the Narrator wants to extend the
heroes' stay in Sable's swamp, he can
insert a scene at the Trueheart Mines,
described in Chapter Two of Dusk or
Dawn, before the action of this scene
begins.The heroes might have been
captured by Sable's minions and taken
to the mines, or perhaps they joined
Guy and Sloss in their attempt to liberate slaves from the mines.
Before beginning this scene, the
Narrator should refamiliarize himself
with the nature of the Silvanesti people
by reviewing the elves section in Chapter One of the Book of the Fifth Age.
First Impressions
You have finally put the rigors of Sable's
swamp behind you. Now the sight of
the majestic Khalkist Mountains ahead
fills your field of vision, while immediately before you lies the northernmost
tip of the Silvanesti Forest.
Suddenly, an arrow whizzes past
your shoulder, narrowly missing you.
Your companions jump, similarly
startled, as a volley of arrows passes
harmlessly through the group. As you
turn, you see approaching from a cliffside to the north a band of elves of
twice your own number. "Throw down
your weapons!" their leader orders.
The Story Continues
These elf bandits are not evil, only desperate. Their leader, a former Silvanesti
border guard - Outrider Faetar
Lorathalan of House Protector - can
see no other way to feed himself and
those who depend on him.
Should the heroes fight, the elves
battle to win. However, they do not
want to kill the heroes, only rob them.
They even bind the wounds of severely
injured heroes to prevent them from
bleeding to death. Faetar and his band
take all valuables (including any artifacts and the bracers from the Scene
Three), but they leave the horses.
If the heroes throw down their
weapons and attempt to talk with the
elves, Faetar may very well listen (see
"Actions"). Assuming they convince him
they are on a mission for the Citadel or
the Legion, Faetar orders his men back,
saying that he is not one to steal from
such groups dedicated to justice.
He explains that he and a group of
elves trapped outside the Silvanesti
Shield have lived in these plains since
the shield went up twenty years ago.
They have a small settlement near a
bluff overlooking the Thon-Rishas
River. Recently, they've had to resort to
banditry, however, for the local vegetation started to die, as did their crops.
"We are like the forest now," Faetar
laments, "dying a slow, painful death."
If the heroes ask him to explain his
statement, Faetar offers to lead them to
the edge of the Silvanesti Forest, where
they can see for themselves. When the
heroes reach the wood, a horrible sight
confronts them - horrible especially to
heroes of Silvanesti origin.
Faetar spoke the truth. Silvanesti is dying.
The shield still stands, solid as ever
along Silvanesti's tall defensive hedge.
Once, Faetar says, the only way to detect
it was to feel the solid surface under
one's hand. The touch would send
ripples running along its surface, making the forest on the other side look as
though one were viewing it through strong summer heat. But now, the land itself shows the presence of the shield.
No longer are the plains bordering
the wood a luscious sea of grass as high
as a man's waist. Now, they are brown
and withered. For ten yards or so out
from the edge of the shield, as well as in
the fields the elves had tilled nearby,
only lifeless dust covers the ground.
The sight of the forest within the
shield is even worse. As far as the eye
can see, the stately Silvanesti trees are
dying. The tall hedge and the trees closest to the shield stand naked, bare of
leaves and life. Deeper in, leaves look
brown and withered. Beyond, some
green boughs might still live, but it's
hard to tell. You can neither see nor
hear evidence of any animal, elf, or any
creature at all within the shield.
Heroes who recall the vision of a
green sapling in a dying glade from
Scene Two may think to plant the seed
from the Grandfather tree here. Once
they do so, the grass around the seed
revives within seconds, and even the
plants farther away seem to improve a
bit. By the end of the day, trees inside the
shield sprout buds. There is still hope.
Atmosphere
The scene begins with a feeling of desperate brutality in the attack, but it takes
on an air of sorrow once the plight of
the elves and the forest is known.
Any elf feels a deep sense of horror at
the sight of what is happening to this
land. The Narrator may even try to
make Silvanesti heroes believe the green
they see in the distance is only wishful
thinking. (It is there, though; the trees
are dying only near the shield now.)
Actions
A successful robbery reduces all heroes to
temporary wealth scores of 3 (they will
revert to normal when the heroes return
to their homelands or the Citadel).
Their social status remains the same.
If the heroes try to talk their way out
of the robbery, the party leader can
attempt a Presence action to get Faetar
to stop the attack: an average action for
elves, but challenging for humans and
kender, and daunting for all other races.
An average Reason action allows a
hero who received the Grandfather seed
to plant it here at the shield (the action
is challenging for anyone who did not
have the dream himself). Heroes with
animism who make average Spirit
actions when the seed is planted sense a
rush of life spilling from the seed and
flowing through the ground.
Characters
This scene introduces Faetar and his
warrior band of refugee elves:
Faetar Lorathalan: Silvanesti adult male,
dogmatic demeanor, Champion. Ag 6A,
Dx 8A, En 5C, St 7B, Re 7C, Pe 8A, Sp 6D,
Pr 6B, Dmg +4 (long sword), Def 0
(common clothing), also missile weapons (horse bow/+4), acute vision.
Refugees: Silvanesti adults of various ages
and demeanors, Adventurers. Co 6, Ph 4,
In 5, Es 6, Dmg +2 (daggers), Def 0 (common clothing).
Hevar Tarn: Human barbarian male
adult, cunning demeanor, Master. Ag 10X,
Dx 8A, En 8D, St 5C, Re 6D, Pe 9A, Sp 7A
(49), Pr 6c, Dmg +5 (scimitar), Def -2
(leather), also missile weapons (great
bow/+8), acute senses of smell and sight,
mysticism (sensitivity, animism, healing).
Outcome
The heroes may be horrified by what is
happening to the forest, but Hevar
reminds them that he was ordered to
escort them to Ak-Khurman in all
haste. He guesses that southern Legion
cells, studying the shield near the
Missing City, are already aware of the
problem - assuming it permeates the
circumference of the forest.
After bidding farewell to Faetar, the
heroes head into the Khalkist Mountains via the Pashin Gap. Narrators can
use this time to create scenes of their
own suitable for mountainous terrain,
or can move right to Act Two, which
begins as the heroes emerge in Khur.