TEXT: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
  2nd Edition
  Ivid the Undying
  by Carl Sargent
  GREYHAWK
  ADVENTURES
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
  2nd Edition
  Ivid the Undying
  by Carl Sargent
  Credits:
  Design: Carl Sargent
  Editing: Jean Rabe, William Allman
  Layout: William Allman
  TSR, Inc.
      TSR Ltd.
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  Table of Contents
  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  The Millennium Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Powers And Factions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  The Grand Gazetteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  North Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
  The Twin Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
  The Adri Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  The Naelax Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
  The Sea Barons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
  The Free Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
  The Ruins of Medegia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  The Lands of Darmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
  South Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  The Western Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
  The Almorian Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
  Whispers and Ventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
  Forces of the Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  159
  GREYHAWK
  ADVENTURES
  
  The Great Kingdom is sundered, collapsed into chaos
  after the terrible Greyhawk Wars. An insane overking,
  advised by a malefic priesthood and conversing with
  fiends atop his malachite throne, slew and revivified
  many of his local noble rulers as animuses, undead
  creatures of cold, hateful passions.
  Great armies once the envy of the Flanaess wander the
  lands as freebooting mercenaries and pillagers, stripping
  the once-abundant treasures of this great nation. More
  than 300 years of slow degeneration and decline have
  climaxed in an appalling tragedy. Hundreds of thousands
  of men, women, and children have perished, and many
  more will follow in the years ahead.
  In this merciless nightmare of insanity and cruelty, only
  a few pockets of resistance fighters, good and valiant
  rebels, can be found. Made up of rangers, druids, bards,
  and woodsmen of the great forests of Aerdy and the Lone
  Heath, they struggle against the growing evil and
  oppression.
  Ivid The Undying is an extensive guidebook to the Great
  Kingdom and its many lands, expanding on the informa-
  tion presented in From The Ashes. The first chapter
  summarizes the history of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy.
  The following chapter details its peoples and rulers, laws,
  royal houses, merchants and peasants, powerful factions
  (armies, mercenaries, humanoids, fiends, and others),
  commerce, trade, and more.
  Following these chapters are a number of gazetteer-
  style sections that describe the fiefdoms within the Great
  Kingdom. Cities, towns, settlements, mysterious and
  magical sites, castles, keeps, ruins, natural hazards and
  many other features are covered, along with profiles and
  descriptions of major NPCs of the lands. These chapters
  take up the bulk of Ivid The Undying and provide DMs
  with all the information needed for campaigning in the
  Great Kingdom.
  The chapter, Whispers and Ventures, contains rumors,
  adventure hooks, hints and allusions, suggestions for
  game masters, and mini-scenario themes for PCs of all
  levels of experience so the richness of the Great Kingdom
  as a campaign setting can be fully exploited.
  The final chapter lists the major armies of Aerdy and
  mercenary companies of note.
  From the ghastly fiendish magics of Duke Szeffrin's
  Almorian Lands in the west, to the barbarian-haunted
  islands and treasures of the Sea Barons to the east, the
  Great Kingdom awaits!
  Introduction
  2
  
  The current year is 585 CY (Common Year). It is more
  than 2,000 years since the original inhabitants of the
  Flanaess, the Flan tribes, were driven from their lands by
  Oeridian and Suloise invaders fleeing magical cataclysms
  far to the west.
  Only much later, some 700-800 years ago, the strongest
  of the Oeridian tribes, the Aerdi, settled the rich lands to
  the east of the Nyr Dyv and founded the Kingdom of
  Aerdy. A century and more of growth saw the Great
  Kingdom expand, with the Flan driven north and the
  Suloise driven south to the margins of the Densac Gulf.
  At its height, the kingdom stretched from the lands of the
  Sea Barons to the borders of modern Perrenland, and
  from Sunndi to the south to the forbidding Griff-Corusk
  mountains in the north.
  The Aerdy calendar dates from the crowning of the first
  overking, Nasran of the House of Cranden, in Rauxes in
  CY 1. Proclaiming universal peace, Nasran saw defeated
  Suloise and Flan—rebellious humanoid rabbles of no
  consequence and no threat to the vast might of Aerdy.
  The high history of the Aerdi people is a tale very long
  in the telling. Hundreds of warriors, mages, seers, and
  others are much more than footnotes to that history.
  Aerdi history before the founding of the Great Kingdom
  is a rich, fabulous tapestry; and the lands the Aerdi came
  upon were hardly bereft of legends, wonders, and
  luminaries of their own. Those histories, however, would
  fill books on their own. So it is the Great Kingdom's own
  history we consider here.
  The ruling house of Aerdy became the Rax-Nyrond
  House after the death of Nasran's grandson, Tenmeris, in
  CY 75. Tenmeris's Queen, Yalranda, was a formidable
  diplomat and mediator who had done much to support
  her husband and was the true power behind the throne.
  Tenmeris, it was said, had a brain as small as his flatulent
  belly was vast.
  Yalranda was accepted as the only overqueen in Aerdy
  history because of her prowess in establishing dynastic
  marriages between the royal houses of Aerdy and her
  uncanny gift for forging alliances (and because of her
  strange, magical allure and ability to calm angry or
  confused nobles). That she died young, at age 40, is one of
  Aerdy's great tragedies.
  Her eldest son, Manshen, broke with tradition and took
  the name of the Rax-Nyrond Royal House. This house
  was to rule for nearly 400 years. (Aerdi Royal marriages
  involved the lesser party taking the familial name of the
  more elevated partner of the marriage, so that any spouse
  of the Crandens normally became a Cranden.)
  A Long, Slow Fall
  The subsequent inexorable decline of the Great Kingdom
  can be seen in two stages. The first is the beginning of the
  many secessions from the Overkingdom, with Furyondy
  the first to establish independence in CY 254 and Veluna
  and 
  Tenh 
  following 
  soon 
  after 
  with 
  Perrenland
  re-asserting its independence. The decisive blow was the
  division of this royal house in CY 356 when the Nyrond
  branch rebelled.
  The attempts of the then-overking, Portillan, to recon-
  quer Nyrond were stymied by an assault on the North
  Province of Aerdy from Flan barbarians which forced
  Portillan to defend his own lands rather than reconquer
  Nyrond. With the Urnst states and the Theocracy of the
  Pale swiftly following Nyrond's path, Aerdy's dominance
  was broken.
  While further secessions would follow, such as
  Almorian independence and a relatively short-lived
  attempt to ally the South Province with the Iron League,
  these would not be of major importance.
  However, the second element of the Great Kingdom's
  decline now came to the fore. While some overkings had
  been less than masters of warfare or diplomacy, the
  House of Rax produced a succession of inept rulers.
  Galren, Portillan's son, was a half-wit. In turn, Galren's
  son and heir, Sonnend, was a drunkard who left all affairs
  of state to his advisers. Further ineffectual and weak
  rulers followed their dismal reigns. Some were said to be
  insane, but this was mostly untrue—save for feeble-
  mindedness now and again.
  This produced a vital change in Aerdi society. Local
  rulers who were members of other royal houses began to
  use their titles of prince rather more aggressively. They
  began to enact more laws of their own, to administer local
  taxes increasingly independently of the overking, to build
  fortifications not only for themselves but for their own
  leigemen who came less and less to answer to the overk-
  ing and more and more to obey only their own local
  lords.
  Mercenary armies became more common, and some
  princes conquered slices of other princes' lands. The
  drunken, enfeebled, or effete overkings allowed this to
  happen.
  The House of Naelax was the first to use humanoid
  mercenary troops around the Adri Forest for provisioning
  raids late in the fourth century. And it was this royal
  house which came increasingly to the fore.
  At this time, the Great Kingdom still had a relative
  freedom and equality of many priesthoods, although
  those of Lawful alignments were dominant. In Rauxes
  itself, the priesthood of Pholtus still played a command-
  ing role as advisers, judges, and mediators. However,
  Naelax aligned itself firmly with the burgeoning priest-
  hood of Hextor. In a land with increasing strife and strug-
  gle, this aggressive evil priesthood became more
  influential as the decades passed.
  Before many years went by, Prince Ivid of Naelax acted
  decisively to oust the wretched Rax ruler.
  The Millenium Empire
  3
  
  The Turmoil Between Crowns
  This name is given both to the decade of internal schisms
  under the rule of the last Rax overking, and to the civil
  war which followed Ivid's ascension.
  Overking Nalif was the last of the Rax line descended
  directly from the overkings. A flock of misbegotten
  cousins, exiles and ne'er-do-wells of Rax could lay some
  claim to the title of overking when Ivid had Nalif assassi-
  nated, but after a century of hopelessly ineffectual Rax
  rule all of the royal houses agreed that another Rax
  overking was simply unacceptable.
  Ivid proclaimed himself overking immediately (in 446
  CY) and plunged the Great Kingdom into civil war.
  With few exceptions, no simple picture of the role of
  royal houses in the civil war can be given (the houses are
  detailed in the next chapter). Most of the House of Naelax
  allied with Prince Ivid. But a few of his cousins—who
  disliked and distrusted him—did not.
  Among the competing houses, the House of Cranden
  opposed Naelax, as did many elements of the House of
  Garasteth and the remnants of Rax. But in all houses
  princes were busy using the civil war as a cover for
  settling old scores and attacking their in-house rivals. Ivid
  certainly had some such princes assassinated; the blame
  would be laid upon their own blood for this, increasing
  within-house divisions and making opposition to him
  less organized.
  Alliances shifted during the war, but the decisive event
  was the decree of the House of Darmen in CY 449 to back
  Ivid's suit wholeheartedly. This wealthy and pragmatic
  house believed Ivid was coming out ahead, so the house
  sprang a surprise with the sack of Rel Deven in Harvester
  of that year and a series of brilliant lightning strikes
  aimed at securing provisioning for the coming winter.
  Their armies allied with those of Naelax to secure the
  central lands of the Great Kingdom, and the war was
  won. In Planting, CY 450, all houses agreed to accept Ivid
  as overking, and their leading princes paid homage along
  the Great Way in the Parade of Crowns. The House of
  Naelax was triumphant.
  Ivid's Legacy
  Ivid may have won a kingdom, but he paid a high price.
  The South and North Provinces, and Medegia, became in
  effect semi-autonomous provinces of the Great Kingdom.
  Ivid had to accept this as part of the bargain for accept-
  ing his ascension to the throne. While North Province was
  ruled by the House of Naelax, Medegia in particular
  became increasingly independent and often failed to
  support the more aggressive schemes of later overkings.
  But the independence of these sub-states could only delay
  the final fate of the Aerdi.
  The House of Naelax changed Aerdy forever. The five
  overkings it produced, and most of its noblemen and
  women, were dangerously insane and "fiend-seeing."
  Dangerously insane because the typically paranoid form
  their madness took did not take any toll of their intellect;
  they were usually smart, piercingly observant, especially
  with fiendish aid, and utterly ruthless.
  The title "fiend-seeing" ascribed so often to them is,
  nowadays, not such an unusual aspect of Aerdi. Many
  rulers traffic with fiends, have fiends in their armies, or
  are themselves undead. However, at the time, the House
  of Naelax assumed dominance by being very unusual
  and pre-eminent in such fell dealings, and it gave them a
  decisive edge.
  Ivid V ascended to the Malachite Throne in Rauxes in
  CY 556 by the traditional manner of murdering his father
  and others who got in his way. This was accepted
  practice in many royal houses in Aerdi. The moral degen-
  eracy which the House of Naelax actively encouraged
  had taken a firm rooting in Aerdi aristocracy.
  Ivid was no military genius, but he was a brilliant
  intriguer and politician, and he knew how to stage a good
  public execution or, still better, utilize torture to encour-
  age any possible rivals to re-think their plans to oust him.
  The Screaming Column in Rauxes is one of the most
  colorful testimonies to Ivid V's innovation in the realm of
  cowing opposition by fear.
  Had he remained content with such masterful acts
  within his own lands—for Ivid successfully ensured that
  his kingdom remained intact despite bids for secession by
  certain provinces—he might have been a highly effective
  ruler. As it happened, his megalomania got the better of
  him.
  The Beginning of the End
  The first major naval skirmishes between the Great
  Kingdom and the powerful Nyrondese navy took place in
  Relmor Bay in CY 578. Some say the Nyrondese
  engineered these skirmishes, preparing for what they
  considered to be an inevitable war.
  Certainly, Ivid V was making noises at court about
  reclaiming Aerdy's great imperial heritage, and Nyrond
  was the first major power heading west.
  To be sure, the ruler of South Province coveted Onnwal
  and Irongate, even Idee—but these were small worries to
  Ivid.
  He did have designs on Nyrond, but it may well be that
  the Nyrondese forced his hand. Both sides actually shied
  away from a major land war, but when Iuz's puppets in
  Stonefist swarmed into Tenh with barbarian help in CY
  582, something snapped within Ivid.
  The reports of war, blood, and great conquests being
  made by the hated barbarians and barely-civilized Fists of
  the North excited and enraged the overking. Egged on by
  the priesthood of Hextor, Ivid entered the fray by storm-
  The Millenium Empire
  4
  
  ing into Nyrond and its ally Almor.
  However, even before the Great Kingdom went to war,
  dangerous changes had occurred within its borders. It
  was an open secret that Ivid V had baatezu within his
  Companion Guard, and the forbidding figures of the
  Fiend-Knights of Doom struck fear into all. Their name
  itself was a flamboyant, excessively-stated mockery as
  were their uniforms. They wore gold visors to mock
  knights and warrior-priests of good deities such as
  Heironeous.
  There was worse, of course. Ivid's hateful court wizard,
  Xaene, creator of the fiend-knights, disappeared. It is
  believed he turned to lichdom, but his successor,
  Karoolck, turned out to be an even darker and more
  dangerous mage than Xaene.
  Karoolck is known for his development of the fiend
  armors worn by elite soldiery within Ivid's Companion
  Guard. The wizard's rise corresponds closely with Ivid's
  development of a slowly progressive wasting disease.
  Ivid confronted important priesthoods in the Great
  Kingdom. He proclaimed the worship of "Baalzy," an
  alleged power of prosperity and wealth. The name was
  but an alias for a powerful arch-fiend allied with Ivid
  (and, more importantly, with Karoolck).
  Temple taxes were greatly increased, and when priests
  and worshipers tried to get around them by holding
  simple services of reverence in private homes, Ivid
  proclaimed a "worship tax" on such gatherings. Around
  the Great Kingdom, priests of non-evil deities were
  harassed, assassinated, and persecuted. An inevitable
  showdown followed.
  The Patriarch of Pholtus in Rauxes, Emasstus Carcosa,
  pronounced heresy on Ivid, denouncing him openly as
  being insane and allied with fiends. He called upon the
  servants of all non-evil powers to ally and oppose the
  overking.
  Perhaps the old patriarch-sage thought that by stopping
  short of openly inciting insurrection and overthrowing
  Ivid he might escape with his life—he did not. Ivid had
  him arrested for treason and subversion and organized
  the systematic looting of temples of Pholtus in all lands
  (though in Ahlissa and Medegia he was defied in this
  matter).
  So, when the Greyhawk Wars came, there was foment
  enough within the Great Kingdom. Perhaps Ivid thought
  that a war against foreign states might take the heat out
  of the situation at home.
  War and Aftermath
  The history of the ensuing military campaign is well
  known (see Greyhawk Wars, Adventurer's Book or From The
  Ashes for more details).
  It is a tribute to Ivid's incompetence that a nation with
  the vast armies and resources that the Great Kingdom
  had was fought to a standstill by much smaller Nyrond.
  For all the excellence of the Nyrondese armies, and their
  superb morale and training, Ivid should have been able to
  crush them.
  Instead, such trivial diversions as Osson's raid into
  Ahlissa and Medegia brought out the very worst in Ivid.
  He became utterly obsessed about such matters and
  ordered appalling reprisals, verging on genocide, against
  the people of those lands. He saw it as punishment for
  treachery in not dealing with such affronts to His
  Imperial Majesty.
  Convinced of treachery among his nobles, he invoked a
  unique new form of ensuring their obedience. With
  Hextor's priests and the aid of fiends, he had the nobles
  slain and brought back to unlife as powerful undead
  creatures—animuses. He thought that by eliminating
  their human weaknesses and  he could be certain of the
  loyalty of wholly acquiescent zombie-leigemen.
  What he actually had, however, was a large number of
  very powerful and embittered monsters who retreated to
  their own lands and simply defied him.
  In response, Ivid began executing as many traitors (the
  vast majority of them imagined traitors) as he could get
  his once-elite Companion Guard to lay their hands on.
  Rauxes was awash with blood; by the end of the wars, its
  population was barely above half its pre-war total.
  The supreme irony is that Ivid himself is an animus
  now. After an assassin's poisoned and enchanted dagger
  struck him, only this revivification process was able to
  prevent his death. Still, the process failed in some crucial
  respect, as Ivid still has the wasting disease he contracted
  shortly before the wars. The disease appears to be
  incurable.
  Ivid the Undying is dying by the day.
  To return to the history of Aerdy: one must add to
  Ivid's crimes the decimation of Medegia by troops. This
  came about because of his rage over the Medegian failure
  to support him in his military campaigns, the failure to
  resist Osson's raids, the execution of the ruler of Ahlissa,
  and the destruction of Almor.
  All these have simply added to the tidal wave of hatred
  against the overking which is awash within the Aerdy
  lands. Even his Naelax cousin, ruler of North Province,
  has seceded from the kingdom.
  Yet, the sheer terror which Ivid still inspires prevents
  many of the princes from acting directly against him. The
  legacy of more than 130 years of Naelax rule through fear
  cannot be shaken off in a few years.
  Ivid signed the Pact of Greyhawk to give himself time
  to prepare for a final, crushing onslaught of Nyrond. Yet,
  that will almost certainly never come—at least not from
  Ivid himself.
  The mad overking can claim direct control over not
  much more than a few hundred square miles around
  Rauxes. And his leigemen find pursuing their own squab-
  The Millenium Empire
  5
  
  bles—building 
  their 
  own 
  empires 
  within 
  old
  Aerdy—much more interesting than sending their armies
  to Nyrond. They have no intention of leaving their own
  landholdings vulnerable to opportunistic conquest by
  their neighbors.
  Ivid believes himself to command great provincial
  armies, which have in actual fact long marched
  homewards.
  Aerdy is now a nation-state no longer as the gazetteer
  chapters show. The greatest of all empires of the Flanaess
  has passed into history.
  What Made For Greatness?
  And yet, how came that empire to greatness?
  To be sure, part of the reason for Aerdi dominance was
  the weakness of the Flan opposition when the Oeridians
  arrived. Divided, not many in number, with few demihu-
  mans outside of specific enclaves, the Flan were readily
  overcome. However, the Oeridians also kept the
  Baklunish people marginalized to the northwest of the
  Flanaess and drove the Suloise to the uttermost southern
  margins. They overcame all comers and rivals. How so?
  Magic
  After the Invoked Devastation, the Oeridians managed to
  save more of their great magical knowledge and
  profound lore than the Bakluni or Suel peoples did. The
  concentration on "combat magic" by Oeridian mages was
  ruthless and played a key role in strategic defeats of the
  Suel, with their subtler wizardry, in particular.
  Initially, this powerful resource kept the Oeridians on
  top, but in the long run it stilted the creativity of their
  wizards—over-specialization leads to insights which are
  too few and of too limited application. Thus, both the
  dominance and the decline of the Oeridians can be seen
  in their wizardry.
  The priesthoods of the Oeridians also played a vital
  role. Deities of travel, such as Procan, Celestian, and
  Fharlanghn supported their people's restless drives to
  new lands. Zilchus's priests played a key role in supply-
  ing, provisioning, and distributing resources and goods.
  The martial priesthoods of Heironeous, Hextor, and even
  Erythnul all had their role in driving on Oeridian armies.
  The Heironeous-Hextor enmity actually drove the
  armies of different houses of Aerdi to greater struggles
  and competition for glory. Against the Suloise in particu-
  lar, this combination of priesthoods proved highly effec-
  tive. The Suel pantheon had few potent deities. Among
  only three intermediate powers, Lendor's faith was a
  stagnant, wholly uncreative one, and that of Wee Jas was
  too mystical, too fixed to lead active resistance to the
  Oeridians.
  The evil Suloise deities too often failed to strengthen
  their people, but rather to conceal them at the margins, in
  the shadows, unable to oppose the strength of the Oeridi-
  ans save by subversion and sabotage. Consider  Pyremius
  and Syrul, for example; the are powers of lies, deceit, and
  poisonings.
  Thus, the Suel people were easily driven like the wind
  before the wrathful Oeridian armies, marginalized to the
  boundaries of the Flanaess.
  Logistics
  Just as magic proved a major element for defeating the
  Suel folk in particular, the superior "technology" of the
  Oeridians helped them defeat the Bakluni and Flan.
  More familiar with long marches and extended
  campaigns of warfare, the Oeridians knew the vital need
  for supplies, building bridges, gathering information on
  natural obstacles, fording places at rivers, and very
  simple elements of warfare such as the value of archers
  and how and when to use them. This was a key element
  in the defeat of the Bakluni and Suel people, who were at
  the time behind the Oeridian development of crossbows
  and chain mail armor.
  A notable special case are the magical roads, the
  dirawaen in Old Oeridian, crafted by combat mages using
  earth elementals they otherwise commanded in battle.
  With special weather-resistant magics woven into their
  crafting, these roads made travel and provisioning much
  easier for the Oeridian invaders.
  The Oeridians were just one step ahead with such
  simple elements of warfare. Add to this the work of the
  priests of Zilchus and the recipe for Oeridian success
  reveals itself.
  The Will to Win
  Finally, the Oeridians created their great empire because
  their great commanders, mages, and tribal leaders
  believed that this was their destiny.
  Driven from their homelands by a great cataclysm, they
  founded the great capital of Rauxes nearly 4,000 miles
  from their ancient homeland. No other people traveled
  nearly as far of their own volition (the Suel were forced to
  do so).
  Restless and driven, great pre-Aerdy commanders of
  warfare such as Andorann, Leuk-O, with his massive
  magical juggernaut, and Tuerny the Merciless conquered
  vast swathes of land because this was what they had to
  do. No matter how rich and fertile any particular land
  might be, there was always an imperative to expand
  further, to head beyond, to conquer the vastness of the
  Flanaess and gain the longed-for glory of triumph and
  rulership.
  Other races did not possess this burning fire.
  The Flan were a simple people; nomads do not have
  such territorial imperatives, and they did not have the
  The Millenium Empire
  6
  
  technology nor the desire to build great castles and fortifi-
  cations to defend the lands they originally held. The
  Bakluni were too given to contemplation, mysticism, and
  hampered by a fatalism which the reverence of Istus
  brings. The Suel were simply too cruel, too mean of heart
  and spirit. Oeridian soldiers were fully prepared to die
  for the greatness of their people. The Suel were too
  selfish, too limited in their world view, to die for
  anything. And so, the Oeridians triumphed.
  Wild Cards
  The Oeridians brought a handful of magical artifacts of
  extraordinary antiquity with them.
  Until its rumored destruction by the earth elementals of
  Al-Fasrallah, the Mighty Servant of Leuk-O—a huge war
  machine/juggernaut resistant to damage from weapons
  and magic—and the similar machine of Lum the Mad
  wreaked havoc on opposing armies. Orbs of dragonkind
  were used to capture dragons from the Griff-Corusk
  Mountains and press them into service. The effects of a
  squadron of dragons creating magical fear in a wide
  swathe was decisive in many a battle.
  Of course, such artifacts as these and the crystal of the
  ebon flame and Johydee's mask are well known to sages
  and students of history. Other artifacts of equal power of
  non-Oeridian origin are known to them also. But the
  timing of the use of the artifacts the Oeridians possessed,
  and the employ of planar travel and teleportation to
  move them from one site of battle to another with great
  speed, made the artifacts devastating in the hands of
  Oeridian combat mages.
  The second wild card comes in the form of deposits of
  rare magical ores in Oerth's crust. The dweomerstones
  and related magical gems around the Nyr Dyv (see Iuz
  the Evil) are one example of these, but Oeridian mages
  and priests proved to be of unequalled excellence in
  tracking down fragments of magical meteorites, stones, or
  crystals—some magically shaped by the of powers and
  avatars when they still walked Oerth's lands.
  In some places, such as The Causeway of Fiends, whole
  blocks of such ores could be extracted and enchanted. The
  most fell and dire of these magical deposits, of course, is
  the Cauldron of Night from whence the malachite throne
  itself was crafted.
  Though some mages trembled at dealing with such
  evils, the combat mages of the Oeridians were only too
  ready to use any source of power if they felt they could
  contain and channel it. That the darker energies might
  only escape that control over a period of decades or
  longer was a long term possibility which mages in the
  service of aggressive generals did not bother too much
  about.
  These freak finds were of far greater value to the
  Oeridians than to their rivals because the Oeridians alone
  traveled vast distances to find them. The Flan and
  Bakluni never migrated so far, and the Flan never had the
  magical skills to understand the energies' value. The Suel
  never had the time to exploit them—being driven from
  one land to another by vengeful Oeridian armies. And
  still the Oeridians had more.
  "Johydee's Children" is the name bestowed upon very,
  very rare Aerdi individuals of exceptional magical gifts.
  The name is given for two reasons, not because the
  individuals concerned are literally descended from
  Johydee. First, Queen Johydee of pre-Devastation history
  was a priestess of great magical prowess, favored by the
  gods themselves. Second, Johydee is known for her famed
  artifact, the mask, which allowed her to resist many forms
  of magic and to take on the appearance of anyone she
  chose.
  In some sense, Johydee's Children also wear masks.
  They have the mask's magical resistances to attack forms,
  and their  are also masked.
  Johydee's Children are strange, otherworldly people.
  Either they are wholly aloof, without any apparent
  emotion, or else they seem to live in a spiritual world
  which raises them far above the cares and feelings of
  ordinary folk. Either way, those who know them come to
  think of them as masked, inscrutable, impossible to
  "read." The Children are loners, never understood by
  others.
  In the history of Aerdy, a handful of these gifted and
  strange people have played crucial roles. Queen Yalranda
  is said to have possessed precognitive powers which
  marked her as one of the Children. The mage Schandor,
  creator of the Court of Essence in Rauxes, was surely
  another. He is regarded as the architect of Aerdy's once-
  famed code of justice. Historians consider that the relative
  peace which existed between Aerdi royal houses for
  centuries is largely due to his wisdom building upon the
  informal understandings developed by Yalranda.
  Such influences tend to be subtle and not easily seen.
  Schandor's legal reforms had an effect only noticed over
  centuries of time. Yalranda's prophecies to the House of
  Cranden foresaw their fate, and her writings still succor
  and protect the few remaining princes of that royal house
  today.
  There are a few exceptions, of course, such as General
  Azharadian, whose intuitive knowledge of enemy battle
  formations and tactics surpassed anything his advisers
  and scryers could match, and who never lost a major
  battle in his 40 years of commanding Oeridian armies.
  Today, there is only one Child alive for certain; Gwydi-
  esin of the Cranes in the Grandwood Forest. There are old
  men, riddlers and seers, who tell that The Walker has not
  yet left the land, but that is another story, too long in the
  telling for this first chapter.
  The Millenium Empire
  7
  
  A Vengeance From The Past?
  When the Aerdi swept across the lands of the Great
  Kingdom, there were certain pockets of powerful, ancient
  magic which they despoiled and razed with fire and acid
  or drove down into shadows and twilight.
  The sacred sites of the Ur-Flannae, the rare mystics of
  the Flan people (feared by the Flan far more than by the
  Aerdi), and the haunts of the Old Elves, were among
  them. Some of those magics, old beyond knowing, are not
  wholly lost to the world, but they tend now to take terri-
  ble forms.
  The most feared by far is the magical sword guarded by
  the gray elf remnant of the Grandwood. However, the
  wise and far-sighted see manifestations of this long-
  repressed magic in the fate of the Great Kingdom. Estab-
  lished by war, force, and brutality in many instances, the
  Kingdom is doomed to pass into chaos and suffering.
  Istus knows, of course; Gwydiesin does; the tiny shriv-
  elled elf known as The Spectre does; and, beyond them,
  perhaps Mordenkainen has some inkling, and it is surely
  written in Rillikandren's Book of Hours. But this is
  getting far ahead of the story.
  Such is the history, the peoples, and the destinies of the
  lands of Aerdy. Its many powers and factions remain for
  us to understand.
  The Millenium Empire
  8
  
  Peoples of the Land
  Later sections will say much more about particular
  factions (royal houses, social classes, etc.). What follows
  here is a simple introduction to the peoples of the Aerdi
  lands, a foundation for later, more detailed accounts.
  Humans
  Humans historically have been dominant within Aerdy,
  and remain the rulers, nobles, mages, sages, and artisans
  of the lands. There is no specific discrimination against
  demihumans; it is simply that the lands of the kingdom
  include very few areas (hills, mountains, etc.) where
  demihumans traditionally have made their livings and
  homes.
  A dwarven or gnome face is still stared at by many folk
  in some smaller cities and towns in Aerdi, simply because
  they are an unusual sight. Humans have run all affairs of
  the nation here for a long, long time.
  The Aerdi are Oeridians, of course, but not many of
  Aerdy's people are pureblood Aerdi. Lesser Oeridian
  tribes joined the successful migration of the Aerdi ever-
  eastward. To the south of the kingdom, the Aerdi inter-
  bred with Suel people, and to the east and northeast the
  Oeridian-Flan mix is common (especially in the Sea
  Barons lands, and on into Ratik). The Oeridian-Suel and
  Oeridian-Flan mixes are fairer-skinned than Aerdi
  purebloods.
  There is little discrimination on the basis of human
  race, since intermixing has been the norm for many
  centuries. However, some broad distinctions can be
  noted.
  Oeridian-Suel: These folk tend toward evil alignments
  more predominantly than purebloods. An aptitude for
  magic runs strongly in certain families, especially for
  more subtle, arcane, and evil (necromantic) magics.
  Oeridian-Suel people are often cunning, sly, and
  distrusted by others.
  This is far less true of the Suel-Oeridian mix which
  dominates the lands of the Sea Barons. A certain degree
  of cruelty and cowardice is found there, but these folk are
  more straightforward and less magically adept.
  Purebloods: Old Oeridian blood dominates the great
  central plains lands and royalty (with exceptions noted in
  gazetteer chapters). Oeridian stock tends to the practical,
  straightforward, and unimaginative. At least, this is true
  nowadays, although it was not always so—else, the
  Oeridians would not have been such magnificent coloni-
  alists. Rather, those Oeridians who resist mixing with
  other peoples and stay pureblooded are those who tend
  to be distrustful of what they do not know, and conse-
  quently lacking in imagination and creativity. Nonethe-
  less, hard work, honesty, and loyalty are the positive side
  of these folk.
  Oeridian-Flan: Because this mix is found to the north
  and east, which has always been frontier territory, the
  Oeridian-Flan people tend to be self-reliant, more Chaotic
  than others, and rugged, hardy, and adventurous.
  Customs, such as festival rituals, greetings, burial
  practices, and even religious and superstitious beliefs,
  show clearly the affinity with the barbarians of the north,
  even if most Oeridian-Flan folk are settled and "civilized"
  these days. A rougher, less "cultured," and more forth-
  right people, Oeridian-Flan people are inclined to resent
  others in Aerdy, feeling that many are milksops, living an
  easy life in the rich central lands, and have some
  contempt for them.
  These are, of course, generalizations, but like all stereo-
  types they have some truth in them, or else they would
  not have become stereotypes. Nonetheless, humans
  should not be thought of as a single, monolithic bloc,
  even within the broad racial mixes.
  To be sure, Common is spoken everywhere, since Old
  Oeridian is the root of the Common tongue. But regional
  dialects are strong. The rural folk of Ahlissa, for example,
  would struggle to understand the urbanites of Eastfair
  without them speaking very slowly. What's more, differ-
  ent provinces within Aerdy have peoples with very
  different typical. For example, the meanness of the men
  of Ountsy is as legendary as the laziness of the men of the
  central plains lands. The gazetteer chapters give much
  more detail on such regional differences.
  Demihumans
  Conversely, the only demihuman race of any real note
  within Aerdi are elves, because of their presence in the
  Adri and Grandwood forests. There are a handful of evil
  half-elves serving Aerdi  noblemen, but they are rarities.
  These areas always have been important because of their
  resources, and elves play a dominant role in dealing with
  woodsmen and Aerdi merchants who come to trade in
  the fruits of the forests.
  The elven presence is important because of the way
  elves have become a bastion of resistance to the changes
  in Aerdi under the House of Naelax; while the wood
  elves (and fewer high and gray elves) have adhered to the
  values of Good, they have even more strongly tended to
  emphasize the value of Chaos, and self-determination.
  There is little doubt that resistance to Ivid's oppression,
  and those of his forefathers', have been made easier
  because elves retreated into seclusion and self-sufficiency
  rather than moving to aid those who opposed the overk-
  ings more directly. Times are changing, and the druids
  and rangers of the east find many allies among the elves
  now. In the Grandwood and Lone Heath in particular,
  the alliances of elves with humans are vital to the defense
  of homelands. Still, many such as the Sentinels of the
  Adri, or the grugach, remain aloof and uncaring of the
  Powers and Factions
  9
  
  fate of humanity.
  The other demihuman races are not of importance in
  nation-wide terms, though a few pockets of dwarves,
  gnomes and halflings are of note in specific areas.
  Humanoids
  An increasing number of humanoid mercenaries have
  been employed within Aerdy. Originally, their use was
  confined to the Naelax lands, and especially in the North
  Province, where Bone March humanoids are used as
  troops. Ivid himself introduced the fierce Euroz into
  Rauxes as an elite guard. Recruiting humanoids from the
  Bone March has become an increasingly common practice
  outside of the southern lands; some are also recruited
  from the small enclaves in the Grandwood.
  The advantage to the rulers who paid such armies was
  an instant manpower boost. While the new armies had to
  be paid, the full productive capacity of the land could
  still be maintained. Men who might at other times have
  been recruited forcibly into poorly-equipped peasant
  levies with wretched morale and training could stick with
  what they were good at—growing food and making
  goods—while the orcish militia arrived with fair equip-
  ment, fair discipline, and real eagerness for the fray.
  During and since the wars, however, these militia and
  mercenaries have become a major menace in many Aerdy
  lands, even outside the holdings of those who originally
  recruited them. With some rulers penniless, some
  executed and leaving a power vacuum in their lands, and
  others insane or unable to act, the orcs and the rarer
  hobgoblins have often become freebooters. They raid,
  pillage, and go where they please.
  Only in North Province, where Herzog Grace Grenell
  actively allied with the Bone March against Nyrond, are
  these troops still reliably under the control of the ruler.
  These roaming orc mercenaries are having a good time
  of it, especially in central lands where the opposition to
  them is weak and the pickings rich. The orcs have grown
  wily and smart, and they have altered the practice of
  warfare and skirmishing in Aerdy. The most famous
  example of this is the desertion of Prince Trellar's orcish
  mercenaries to the city of Pontylver in an abortive
  sacking of that city in Coldeven, CY 585.
  Against Trellar's orders, the orcs put up their siege
  engines and sent a chieftain-emissary into Pontylver.
  Offered a better pay rate by the city's ruler, the orcs spent
  two long days in financial discussions before they
  promptly turned right around and massacred Trellar
  together with his armies. This has set an interesting
  precedent for further warfare within Aerdy.
  Indeed, in some lands the orcs have settled down and
  built towns. The most notable examples are the coastal
  orcs of Montesser on the Spindrift Sound. Thousands of
  miles from home, with few orcish priests to rabble-rouse
  them, these members of a non-influential orcish tribe
  simply decided that two years of marching was enough
  and a warm summer with plenty of sun and food in the
  belly was appealing. Such peaceability is distinctly
  unusual, however.
  The Royal Houses
  There are literally thousands of Aerdi men calling
  themselves "princes." The politics of the royal houses of
  Aerdi are subtle and complex, often confusing to
  outsiders.
  Historically, a handful of royal houses have formed the
  aristocracy of Aerdy. Their relative importance has in
  some cases waxed and waned historically, in others
  stayed the same. Some royal houses are strongly identi-
  fied with land holdings in a particular area, such as the
  Crandens in Almor, and the Torquanns in southeastern
  Aerdy. Others have been primarily identified with
  "spheres of concern," such as the aggressive, soldiering
  Naelax and the House of Darmen, always to the fore in
  commerce and trade.
  As a thumbnail sketch, the major royal houses of note
  are:
  Naelax: Ruling Royal House, major landholders, noted
  for their penchant for building large-scale, formidable
  castles and fortifications—and for their vanity.
  Rax-Nyrond: The Rax line is officially extinct, but there
  are some illegitimate descendants of Nasri who claim a
  line to the malachite throne, and historically the house is
  of major importance because of its junior branch and the
  foundation of Nyrond.
  Torquann: An Oeridian-Flan-Suel mix, this house has
  dominated commerce and trade along the eastern coastal
  provinces. Traditionally aloof in politics, this house has a
  long, long history of dour, hard, depressive rulers whose
  lands suffer heavy taxation and repressive laws.
  Garasteth: The House of Garasteth is feared for its
  mages and sages, and for its inscrutablity and arcane
  knowledge. The house is not much given to temporal
  power, but sees itself as a guardian of true Oeridian
  culture and wisdom. The house is increasingly influential
  among local rulers given the threat of the Suloise Scarlet
  Brotherhood to the south (and in the Lordship of the
  Isles). Garasteth rulers are hard, cold, cruel individuals,
  but they are to be feared on account of their devotion to
  learning and their formidable intellects.
  Cranden: Once the royal house, the Crandens have
  dominated Almor and Ahlissa for centuries. A worldly,
  urbane aristocracy, their prestige plummeted with the
  secession of Almor and the abortive attempt to ally South
  Province with the Iron League. The House of Naelax
  moved swiftly to remove control of these provinces from
  Cranden, but the other houses were not prepared to see
  Powers and Factions
  10
  
  Cranden wholly destroyed and exerted pressure which
  even the overkings could not wholly resist. The House of
  Cranden is important because it resists the more insane
  evils of the overking, and the old affinity with the Iron
  League is not completely lost. Irongate and Sunndi have
  friends they trust among the lesser princes of this house.
  Darmen: Often thought flighty and trivial by the more
  powerful political houses, the House of Darmen has
  devoted itself to trade and commerce and found its niche
  there. Easily the richest house, Darmen has massive
  landholdings from eastern Ahlissa through the central
  provinces with their rich and fertile plains, even as far as
  North Province. The House of Darmen believes itself
  fated to be the next Ruling Royal House, with its
  ambitious young Prince Xavener employing a sensible
  long-term strategy. Xavener has no intention of wasting
  his armies assaulting Rauxes. Instead, he bankrolls
  mercenaries for competing houses elsewhere. Often, he
  bankrolls both sides. That way, he is certain to back the
  winner—who will owe him a very large favor. When the
  time comes, with everyone else's armies decimated,
  Xavener will call in those favors and march on Rauxes.
  Such is his plan, at any rate. However, not all in the
  House of Darmen support him.
  There are no formal heads of houses. Power, more than
  seniority,—except 
  in 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  the 
  House 
  of
  Garasteth—brings deference. Still, with major princes
  owning lands so far apart and so extensive, it is difficult
  for any one to truly dominate the rest.
  There have always been land struggles, intrigues, and
  rivalries between and within these houses, of course. The
  most 
  bitter 
  between-house 
  rivalries 
  are 
  the
  Naelax/Rax-Nyrond feud, and the Torquann-Garasteth
  fued. Where these are important, they are described in
  the gazetteer chapters. However, the houses have histori-
  cally avoided their intrigues breaking out into war, with
  exceptions such as the Turmoil between Crowns—but
  that was a war over the Throne itself. They have done so
  in two ways; through cross-fostering, and dynastic
  marriages.
  Royal Fostering
  It has been common practice in Aerdy for centuries for
  the recognized heir of one royal house to be fostered from
  age two or three until early adulthood, about age 14, by
  the leading family of another royal house. Gradually, this
  practice spread until it became commonplace among all
  princely families. The original idea was that the fostered
  child would be a hostage to ensure peace, and at the same
  time would learn the values and ideas of other houses. It
  worked, in that one house would often not attack the
  lands of another for fear that its own heir would be slain.
  Since the accession of Ivid I, however, such fostering
  only became common among families who actually
  trusted each other, an increasingly unlikely state of
  affairs. Nonetheless, knowing who has fostered whom
  among Aerdi royalty is often vital to understanding local
  politics.
  Marriage and Property
  Royal marriages are a complex business. Originally,
  while inheritance of property followed the male line, the
  marriage partners took the family name of the
  pre-eminent royal house in the match. In the beginning
  this was not too difficult, as a fairly clear pecking-order of
  royal houses could be agreed.
  However, as Aerdy grew in size, and especially as
  some houses came to eminence not through landholdings
  (the traditional indicator of eminence) but through trade
  or learning and magical skills, very complex negotiations
  had to be engineered. Sometimes, two houses would
  agree on a trade-off, whereby two marriages would take
  place at the same time, with each pair taking the name of
  the other house to ensure equity.
  Dowries for brides became the subject of negotiations
  which could last for months. In one legendary case, the
  negotiations dragged on 27 years, until the bride-to-be
  fell out of a carriage and was stomped into an early grave
  by the following cavalry detachment.
  Another problem must be added to this. Inheritance is
  not a simple business. A ruling noble (prince) leaves his
  landholdings to one heir (son), but his wealth other than
  landholdings is distributed equally to all his male heirs,
  and all of them may also call themselves "prince."
  This leads to a bewildering hierarchy among princes.
  At the top are the big landholders. Next are those who
  have inherited a fair sum of wealth, usually in the form of
  lesser landholdings, since the eldest son may make a deal
  with his brothers, giving them land in return for the
  money he needs to run his estates. Finally, there are those
  who inherited almost no money from wastrel or incom-
  petent fathers. A subtle and complex social etiquette,
  almost impossible for outsiders to understand, regulates
  the behavior of these different shades of "princes" toward
  each other.
  Some princes are very powerful men, owning hundreds
  of thousands of square miles of land. Some princes have
  but a few coins in their pocket and hardly know where
  the next meal is coming from.
  All this makes for extraordinary politics. A prince
  might cash in his house affiliation for a decent dowry one
  year, and the next year could decide to switch back if this
  seems like a smart thing to do (e.g., to avoid an attack on
  his lands by a house which is a rival to the one he has
  married into).
  Increasingly, princes only use their first names, "Prince
  Carrdren," instead of the old form of their titles, "Prince
  Cardren of Torquann." Some use their place of residence
  Powers and Factions
  11
  
  in their title, since this is a nod in the direction of their
  house affiliation without being blatant or definitive about
  it. For example, "Prince Carrdren of Montrey" implies
  that the man is of the Torquann House, since they
  dominate landholdings around Montrey. But their
  ownership isn't exclusive, so this leaves room for doubt.
  Shifting affiliations, and disguise of one's own real loyal-
  ties, and a willingness to ditch them when needs be, have
  become a hallmark of the past two generations of Aerdi
  princes. This helps explain the wretched mess the country
  has got itself into.
  Animus Nobles 
  A special note must be made of these monsters. Individ-
  ual rulers are described in depth later, but a general point
  which must be kept in mind is that their troops, and
  subjects, are generally terrified of them.
  It is one thing to serve an evil, cruel, cunning ruler. It is
  quite another to serve an inhuman monster with no need
  of rest or sleep—with cold rages incapable of human
  comprehension, which can bring men to their knees with
  but a wave of its hand.
  The dread these creatures inspire explains much behav-
  ior which might otherwise seem hard to understand.
  Nobles, Merchants, and Peasants
  Aristocrats
  As noted, not all princes are landholders, but almost all
  major landholders are princes (with some "secondary
  aristocracy"; see below).
  No man can hold a land grant without the permission
  of the overking, and this prevents any freeman-peasant
  from becoming a landed aristocrat.
  Technically, as in so many other lands in the Flanaess,
  the overking grants landholdings to princes. Historically
  this amounted simply to the overking acknowledging
  land ownership by houses, and accepting the responsibil-
  ity of mediating disputes about such ownership.
  Since Aerdy is a huge land, the princes then appointed
  landholding liegemen, sometimes lesser princes. Such
  liegemen either leased land from princes, bought it (very
  unusual, but the House of Darmen made important gains
  this way), or were even more rarely given a land grant by
  a grateful prince in return for an important service.
  Almost always, whatever the arrangement, the liegeman
  had permanent obligations to the prince—payment of
  taxes, and making some or all of his soldiery available in
  times of need, were the usual burdens.
  These liegemen form the bulk of the "secondary aristoc-
  racy" of Aerdy; the Dukes, Barons, Counts, and so on.
  Some are genuinely powerful in their own right, with
  sizeable estates and large castles. Others are petty despots
  who paid a goodly sum to a prince to grant them such a
  title. Only the overking, or a prince who is head of a royal
  house, can grant such titles; poor princes are often willing
  to sell a title.
  The House of Darmen has a strong representation in
  this secondary aristocracy, often through the women of
  the house who marry outside of royalty and whose
  husbands then buy or acquire a barony or duchy. The
  important point here is that these secondary titles mean
  relatively little. A baron in Furyondy is a powerful man
  with a sizeable army and much land; in Aerdy, he may
  have but a few acres and a couple of dozen mercenary
  thugs at his back. So, just as with princes, other aristo-
  crats come in all shapes and sizes.
  Orders of knighthood are less important in Aerdy than
  in lands such as Furyondy and the Theocracy of the Pale.
  Questing knights bravely battling dangers and perils are
  uncommon in a land without mountains or hills, largely
  civilized, and mostly comprised of great swathes of
  arable land. Dragon-killing isn't easy when the dragons
  just aren't there to be killed. Likewise, moralistic knights,
  such as the Templars of the Theocracy, are thin on the
  ground in a nation which has slowly slid into degeneracy
  for many generations.
  The few orders of knighthood which exist are special,
  limited in number, and without much influence. The
  Knights Majestic of the Companion Guard are impressive
  servants of Ivid, to be sure, but beyond Rauxes they are of
  little note. Likewise, many local rulers have knights in
  their service, but these are "household knights." There is
  nothing to compare with the Knights of the Hart in
  Furyondy, Veluna, and farther abroad to the far west, for
  example. Finally, one might note that in a land where to
  be a baron or count may mean little or nothing, even
  some princes are paupers. The title of knight is hardly an
  ambition many cherish in their hearts.
  Merchants
  Merchants have played a vital role in the development of
  Aerdy. Dominated by the House of Darmen and those it
  appoints to guilds and societies, merchants have been the
  bankrollers for many a prince's ambitions. Because of the
  odd system of inheritance of money, many a ruling prince
  has had to borrow large sums to finance the support and
  expansion of his estates. Imperial edicts on what interest
  merchant-moneylenders can charge on borrowing has to
  be carefully balanced; the withdrawal of Darmen's
  goodwill would have a stultifying effect on Aerdy.
  The famous charisma and charm of the House of
  Darmen has headed off resentment among noble borrow-
  ers, though, and the scions of this house have been
  prepared, at times, to write off some debits to keep things
  sweet with princes who they might want to call in favors
  from at a later time.
  Powers and Factions
  12
  
  An example of how merchants have played a powerful
  role in Aerdy's growth is the Windmarch, the great series
  of trade fairs which travel through Aerdy west to east
  from Planting right through to Patchwall. The name
  comes from the old belief that the roads and paths used
  by anyone traveling from one fair to the next followed the
  prevailing wind, which usually comes from the west
  from late spring into late summer.
  These fairs stimulate trade and barter and generate
  income and wealth for many—from tolls on major roads,
  tavern taxes, hostelry bills, etc.
  Merchants also have funded much of the growth of
  cities, paying for bridges, docks and wharves, and
  improvements which make trade easier. As a result,
  merchants who are not princes still hold exalted positions
  in Aerdy society. For example, wealthy merchants are the
  only men other than princes allowed to walk the central
  Great Way in Rauxes. Certain clothes, such as silks and
  guild regalia, only can be worn by merchants or guild-
  masters. For anyone else to wear them is a crime which is
  heavily punished.
  However, Aerdy merchants are famously amoral. They
  have little in the way of principles, and they are perfectly
  prepared to rob a vendor or customer blind if they think
  they can get away with it.
  This is less true when they deal with people they know.
  However, merchants gain kudos by fleecing some first-
  time or ignorant buyer of his hard-earned gold, and there
  is little principle to be found among these folk. Impor-
  tantly, women play as active a role in trade as men,
  which is somewhat unusual in Aerdy life.
  Lastly, there is a powerful class of "landed merchants."
  These are men who have bought, or taken a very long
  lease upon, sizeable landholdings and who in return
  become almost merchants in the service of their patron
  prince in exchange for the prince paying for the militia,
  men-at-arms, and the like who protect the merchant's
  land holdings.
  In all respects, merchants have a  social standing which
  skilled workers and artisans do not have. This is partly
  historical, because of the role of Zilchus's priesthood in
  the expansion of Aerdy, and partly a rub-off from royalty,
  since the House of Darmen has so many merchants
  among its number. Indeed, in addition to the "landed
  merchant" one might take note of the "merchant princes"
  which this house contains within its ranks.
  Peasants
  Aerdy always has been a feudal nation. There is no
  history of "free boroughs," democracy, towns run by
  elected burghers, or anything similar. Most of its people
  are, as their parents and grandparents were, feudal serf
  peasants.
  Peasants have a life in Aerdy which is similar to life
  experienced by peasants anywhere.
  The huge Flanmi-Thelly river systems make central
  Aerdy a vast rolling plain of arable land, with river
  basins providing excellent land for growing grain and
  vegetables. Livestock farming becomes more important
  away from the regularly-flooded river basins. Peasants
  include serfs, "freemen" who lease small farmholdings
  from the liegemen of princes or landed merchants, but
  they never own the land they cultivate.
  Peasants are, ultimately, the property of the prince
  owning the land they farm on. In some areas, they are
  treated reasonably well; in others, atrociously, depending
  on the local ruler.
  Not unlike Furyondy (as described in The Marklands), a
  peasant farmer works long hours tending his crops. He
  might have one or two oxen or cattle to help with
  plowing; he might share ownership of such beasts with a
  neighbor. He will have a few chickens for eggs and
  perhaps a goat for milk and cheese. He will not have a
  barn, or anything much beyond a simple dwelling, which
  may be even of mud and wattle in areas with little wood.
  He likely uses a liegeman's barn for his hay and perhaps
  even borrows the liegeman's wagons for taking goods to
  markets. The peasant might share his own dwelling with
  some of his animals, the better to look after them
  (keeping them warm in winter and away from raiders
  and poachers in the summer).
  The peasant family will make cheese, whey, jams, and
  preserves from summer fruits bought at market. Some
  peasants do not have an oven, though, so making pies
  from meat, fowl, or even fish might be the province of the
  local baker-pieman.
  When the time comes to pay his lord, the farmer will
  worry himself sick trying as best he can to be sure that the
  goods he must give are of acceptable quality and suffi-
  cient quantity.
  Children of such families don't get educated; that's the
  exclusive province of aristocracy, merchants, and
  artisans.
  Most peasants won't ever have seen a Gold Ivid. They
  live by barter. They take little to market, since they don't
  produce much more than they can eat on their small
  holdings. Often, most trade is done by the landholder
  himself. Again, the majority of peasants won't ever have
  traveled more than a few miles from the places there they
  were born, though along riverways where longer travel is
  feasible this may not be so.
  So, this is a simple life, but the great shadow over
  Aerdy needs to be discussed here. From The Ashes gives
  Evil in all forms as the dominant alignment of the
  peoples of Aerdy. The nature and prevalence of Evil is
  discussed below, but is it really true that this is the
  dominant alignment for such ordinary folk?
  The answer is both no and yes. No, because peasants
  don't truly have alignments. They wake up at some horri-
  Powers and Factions
  13
  
  fying hour of the morning, toil at endless hours of drudg-
  ery in the fields, spend the few non-working days they
  have drinking themselves into a stupor, and then they get
  up and do it all over again.
  One might indeed say there is a dominant alignment of
  NE; Neutral-Exhausted. These people are too tired to be
  good or evil.
  However, it is equally true that the attitudes and
  behavior even of peasants has shifted toward the malign.
  Generations of increasingly cruel rulers, and the stalking
  of the lands by orcs, evil priests, and the like does takes
  its toll after years. One peasant might murder another for
  a single coin in his pocket—or because he uttered some
  personal insult which might have simply led to a fistfight
  even 20 or 30 years past.
  What was once an insular uncertainty toward outsiders
  and foreigners has turned into outright hostility—even
  threats and possible attack in the hope of taking money,
  clothing, possessions, anything of value. The ordinary
  people have been affected by the changes among their
  rulers; they see Evil triumph, and they begin to affiliate
  with it themselves. This is, perhaps, the greatest of all the
  tragedies of this once-great nation.
  Yet, while such behavior is certainly evil, it has to be
  understood in part as a response to the recent changes in
  Aerdy. Ordinary people, often given to superstition, are
  afraid. The druid or priest who once blessed their crops
  and healed their wounds and injuries might be found on
  a sunny morning with a poisoned dagger in his
  back—another victim of the Midnight Darkness agents.
  A stranger seen on the outskirts of town could turn out
  to be a disguised fiend, or even a spy for an army seeking
  fields and crops to pillage for supplies. Even seeing
  soldiers of one's own landholder could herald an impos-
  sible demand for taxes, livestock, or worse. Life always
  has been hard for peasants, and with many evil rulers
  they were subject to humiliations and oppression they
  hated but learned to survive. Now, however, so many
  lands are submerged in a sea of chaos that almost
  nothing, no-one, can be trusted. Small wonder that so
  many just take what they can, and regard might as right.
  This is not true everywhere, of course, but this gloomy
  picture is all too accurate for most of Aerdy's people.
  Rulership and Law
  The historical principle of rulership was strongly linked
  to land ownership: the overking was technically the only
  man able to make dispensation of land grants, but was
  also often only acknowledging existing ownership within
  royal houses by so doing. Thus, the overking's power was
  total in theory, but constrained in practice.
  This is the basic principle of Aerdi rulership—it can
  also be seen in ex-Aerdy lands such as Furyondy.
  This principle was compromised after the civil war,
  when Ivid I was forced in effect, though this was never
  formally acknowledged in treaty, to allow the rulers of
  the North and South Provinces, and Medegia, to act as
  the final authorities for dealing with landholdings in
  those lands. The pretense was maintained that Ivid still
  held this right over all lands, while in practice it devolved
  wholly to the provincial rulers who no longer presented
  formal petitions to be rubber-stamped by the overking.
  However, that still left Ivid in control of most of the
  Great Kingdom in theory, and since Naelax held much of
  the lands in North Province, it made little difference in
  practice there at least.
  While the Ruling Royal House is hereditary (passing
  from Cranden to Rax-Nyrond by proclamation of one
  overking, and to Naelax by assassination), a complex
  power game has been played out between the royal
  houses. Ultimately, the overking needed the backing of at
  least a sizeable minority of royal house leaders (landown-
  ing princes) for any major actions he might take, such as
  waging war.
  There never has been any element of a written treaty or
  constitution here; everything was done by mutual under-
  standings and acceptance of the realities of power.
  The House of Naelax changed this. Gradually, Naelax
  came to rule by fear. The overkings regarded the other
  royal houses as pawns to be trifled with, or simply
  dominated and ordered to do what was wished.
  The use of humanoid mercenaries, the priesthood of
  Hextor, and the employ of fiends provided the muscle
  and magic to force their policies home. During the
  Turmoil between Crowns, important princes of other
  royal houses looked at Prince Ivid's strength and decided
  to accept the inevitable. They thought they could accept a
  peace and plan together for the future, perhaps deposing
  Ivid when the opportunity arose.
  Ivid's use of tanar'ri assassins, ritual sorceries, and
  superbly-commanded 
  orcish 
  armies—with 
  Hextor's
  priests in the vanguard—taught them differently. When
  anyone dared raise a hand against the overking, the
  response could be swift and crushingly decisive. The
  House of Naelax ruled Aerdy with a fist of iron. The
  kingdom changed from an aristocracy to a dictatorship.
  Ivid I also instituted a policy, which his descendants
  followed, of confiscating the land of princes who did not
  yield the appropriate tax revenues. Usually, Ivid's own
  chancellors and tax gatherers cooked the books to make
  sure that taxes did not appear to have been paid. Ivid's
  typical strategy was to dispatch an army to seize the
  lands, overthrow the offending prince, and then place the
  territory in "royal trust." Monies from the lands were then
  distributed throughout the royal houses (with Naelax
  taking the lion's share). A crony or puppet of the overk-
  ing would administer the lands as a "protector."
  Ivid was able to get away with this because he was very
  crafty concerning who to target, avoiding anyone truly
  Powers and Factions
  14
  
  powerful or with strong alliances. Further, because part
  of the proceeds went to royal houses which otherwise
  would not have had any of the bounty of the seized
  lands, organized opposition didn't materialize.
  Some of the "protectors" remain autonomous minor
  local rulers in Aerdy today.
  Following the secession of Almor, Ivid I also had
  drawn up the infamous Sedition Proclamations which
  tied the provinces of the land more closely to the crown
  through a complex set of laws involving liegemen oaths,
  taxes and tithes to be paid to the crown, regulation of
  tolls on rivers and major roads, reciprocal obligations
  regarding calls upon armies, appointment of the
  now-notorious judges of the sessions, and the like.
  It was some time before princes realized exactly what
  these laws did. Taken as a whole, the laws brought more
  and more of everyday life under the scrutiny and control
  of the overking. Since the overking was later able to claim
  that Ahlissan independence was thwarted by these laws,
  again they did not inspire the revolt they might have.
  The Naelax overkings also established a network of
  spies and assassins whose loyalty to the malachite throne
  was never in much doubt. Fiends, other conjured extra-
  planar beings, distant relatives of the overking, pries-
  tlings of Hextor and other dark powers gave the Naelax
  overkings a firm grip on their dominion.
  Still, the overkings did not have complete control;
  Aerdy is too huge for that (covering far in excess of a
  million square miles). But what the House of Naelax did
  stamp out, beyond doubt, was any significant, organized
  opposition to its rulership.
  And one must return to the sheer power of the fear the
  House of Naelax generated. The terrors of the Screaming
  Column and the Endless Death were only the most lurid
  visible symbols of the overking's clear power to make any
  who opposed him suffer the most appalling torments
  imaginable.
  To these facts must be added the genius of the House of
  Naelax. The divide-and-rule principle allied to a brilliant
  flair for making sure none could feel secure of their
  position, no matter how powerful they might be. How
  Naelax has handled the priesthood of Hextor, as
  described below, is a classic example of this.
  Laws
  In the current time, the Imperial Laws are of little impor-
  tance; now, local rulers administer their own affairs.
  These tend to be harsh, with crimes against property
  punished much more severely than crimes against the
  person—unless the person injured is an aristocrat or
  merchant of note. There is no such thing as a code of law
  which runs throughout Aerdy now. Might is right, and it
  dispenses law as it will.
  During its centuries of greatness, Aerdy had a famed
  legal code the envy of many other nations. Local rulers
  appointed their own magistrates and justices of the peace
  to deal with minor offenses and civil disputes. From the
  offices of the prime (see below), guidelines were issued
  regarding penalties and sentences. Local rulers had the
  right to vary these within certain boundary limits. Under
  the rule of Cranden and Rax-Nyrond, these penalties
  were not excessively harsh, and the general principle that
  an offender should make restitution to victims or their
  families, through fines or forced labor, guaranteed that
  most folk thought the laws of the land reasonably just. If
  they were the injured party, they gained recompense, and
  some local rulers would even give an immediate small
  payment following judgment to help victims—as would
  the temples of deities whose priests formed most of the
  judiciary. If they offended, penalties were not thought
  excessive.
  For more important crimes, the judges of the sessions
  held court at regular meetings (assizes) in each major
  estate or landholding. And the Court of Essence was the
  supreme arbiter of major disputes between royal houses.
  Both these, and the general system of local law, were
  devised by Schandor—and these special judicial elements
  are described below.
  Judges of the Sessions
  The brief of these judges, appointed by the prime, was to
  try major crimes, such as murder, arson, theft of goods of
  500 Gold Ivids in value or greater, magical crimes,
  sedition, etc. Historically, they were priests of Lawful
  deities such as Pholtus. Neither they nor any relative
  through blood or marriage could own any land within
  300 miles of the place where they gave judgment.
  What this meant in effect was that the judges of the
  sessions came to try cases in lands where they had no
  direct political or family interests, and this helped them
  not just to be impartial, which they usually were, but to
  be seen to be impartial, which as Schandor understood
  was what really mattered.
  Under the rule of Naelax, the session judges were
  subverted to the interests of the overking. The most
  infamous instance is the slaying of the prime, the "Chief
  Justice" appointed by the overking. This individual was
  usually the patriarch of Pholtus in Rauxes, but sometimes
  the man was a leading patriarch of great wisdom from
  another city.
  Ivid I had Prime Remmanen secretly assassinated and
  replaced by a doppleganger in his service. The prime then
  instructed the judges of the sessions by letter and writ,
  subtly wording his instructions so as to favor the House
  of Naelax and the desires of the overking. When the
  doppleganger was unmasked in CY 456, Ivid feigned
  outrage and immediately replaced the prime by appoint-
  ing three judges—a patriarch of Pholtus, one of Zilchus,
  Powers and Factions
  15
  
  and one of Hextor. This slowed the system down and
  introduced the first systematic element of evil into the
  picture.
  Ivid I enhanced the latter by effecting a purge of priests
  of Pholtus among judges of the sessions, since after the
  business of the doppleganger he could claim that this was
  a wise precaution.
  In addition, Ivid decreed that a small detachment of
  imperial soldiers should accompany each judge of the
  sessions for security reasons. These soldiers were
  carefully picked, and always included a priest of Hextor
  among the retinue to act as a spy for Ivid.
  Being constantly accompanied by this miasma of evil
  certainly had an effect. The decisions of the judges came,
  by degrees, closer and closer to the opinions and views of
  the overking. Ivid I and his descendants were crafty; they
  knew how to subvert an independent judiciary for their
  own ends, a key part of a strategy of domination.
  There are still a handful of judges of the sessions in the
  lands of Aerdy, and some of them still have influence and
  importance in local areas; the gazetteer chapters give
  details.
  The Court of Essence
  Another of Schandor's innovations was the Court of
  Essence in Rauxes. In this chamber, disputes between
  royal houses or major landholders were resolved in the
  presence of the prime and three other patriarchs, one each
  of the Lawful alignments.
  The overking had the imperial right to summon dispu-
  tants to this court at any time—if he deemed disputes
  serious enough for this. Within the court, powerful magic
  dispelled or held in abeyance all enchantments such as
  undetectable lie, mind blank, amulets of proof against detection
  and location, and the like. Those protesting their cases
  were magically compelled to tell the truth, and also
  compelled to state their emotions, their feelings of griev-
  ance, their fears, and their apprehensions concerning the
  dispute.
  No mortal standing within the Court could do other
  than tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
  truth in reply to the questioning of the prime. All royal
  houses respected the court, and many differences
  between them were resolved quietly by the disputants
  rather than baring their souls there. Schandor's aim was
  quietly achieved; many disputes came to resolve
  themselves without the need for powerful intervention
  and rulings by third parties which might have left one or
  other side aggrieved. It also taught nobles how to resolve
  disputes for themselves, which aided peace.
   Needless to say, the House of Naelax managed to
  subvert this, too. With fiendish aid, and years of work
  from Ivid I's Court Wizard, they warped the magic here.
  Now when the overking so wishes and has his regalia of
  office with him, he can command any mortal being
  within the court to answer him truthfully as before. But
  he also can force anyone standing within the court to
  speak words which he wills them to utter (no saving
  throw allowed to resist).
  Because the Court of Essence has such a long attributed
  history of drawing the truth from people, it was many
  years before people began to realize that the "confessions"
  extracted there by Naelax inquisitors might not be
  entirely reliable. Now, the Court of Essence is discredited
  as a place where the truth can be learned, but it still has
  value to Ivid V as an interrogation chamber.
  As noted, Aerdy no longer has an effective code of
  national law. If the DM needs a legal system in game
  play, it is easiest to use the City of Greyhawk legal code
  (from the boxed set of that name) as a template. Punish-
  ments from that code can be applied outside of lands
  with evil rulers (which are few and far between).
  In lands with evil rulers, or places which are plunged
  into chaos, the DM can decide what punishments he
  wants. The major interest of the enforcers of law is
  extracting monies from fines, or simple brutalizing the
  most guilty. If player characters can pay to escape some
  trumped-up charge (or actual justice), they can probably
  go free. Conversely, if they're innocent and penniless,
  they'll end up as slave labor or rotting in jail.
  Law Enforcement
  Law enforcement is equally anarchic in modern-day
  Aerdy. Historically, each local landholder was charged
  with the responsibility of maintaining a law-enforcing
  militia, which usually doubled as a standing army (or at
  least a well-trained peasant levy, in the main).
  Schandor's original legal code also specified that at
  least half of this militia must be of local peasantry, the
  idea being to make sure that ordinary folk did not come
  to see law enforcers as people other than themselves,
  uncaring about the concerns of ordinary people. This
  certainly sustained people's faith in law enforcement.
  Gazetteer chapters describe the level of law enforce-
  ment in Aerdy lands. But in general, law enforcers are
  unscrupulous individuals who are readily bribeable,
  eager to grab a few gold pieces to look the other way
  when a crime is being committed. They have little taste
  for any sustained pursuit of a criminal, and any commu-
  nication between lands or cities is negligible unless very
  serious crimes, such as mass murder or use of powerful
  magic, are involved.
  Trade, Taxes, and Money
  Although most lands are chaotic now, some trade, barter,
  and semblance of civilized dealings goes on. People still
  eat, grow food, produce goods, and try to sell and barter
  Powers and Factions
  16
  
  them, and local rulers certainly try to tax everything.
  Resources
  Aerdy has little in the way of mineral deposits. The
  electrum mines of Bellport, the gemlodes of the Thelly, a
  little ore in the Gull Cliffs, the mines on the margins of
  the Iron Hills, and the overpanned stretch of the Flanmi
  known as the Nugget Run are all one can find here save
  for a few drift mines and freak deposits (details in gazet-
  teer chapters).
  The mines of the Blemu Hills are lost to the Bone March
  humanoids now. Food and cloth are the staples of the
  land, with the central lands and river basins most
  productive in this respect.
  Aerdy used to trade with many nations for goods it
  needed, most notably iron, copper, and alloys. Such
  goods came from lands thousands of miles away, usually
  shipped in through the City of Greyhawk and through
  Woolly Bay eastward, or across the Nyr Dyv and through
  Urnst, Nyrond and Almor.
  Some covert trade was conducted with the barbarians
  through the Lords of the Isles and even the Sea Barons or
  Ratik (which was also a source of good woods). In return,
  Aerdy exported food, cloth, weapons, and a little in the
  way of gems, worked items from artisans, and rarer
  commodities such as Grandwood and Adri herbs and the
  infamous pickled eel saveloys of Winetha. Such external
  trade has now mostly collapsed, at least as far as the west
  is concerned. The eastern coastal cities and the Sea
  Barons, and North Province, conduct most of the surviv-
  ing trade. Now, most people simply grow enough for
  themselves.
  Trade and Transport
  Trade within Aerdy also has sharply declined. Once,
  the great rivers of Aerdy and the dirawaen roads provided
  superb highways for merchants to travel with great
  wagon convoys and merchant vessels ranging from long,
  slow barges hauled by horses to smaller sailing vessels
  (coasters being the most common sort employed).
  Metals, woods, silks, salt, spices, and more were ferried
  around the kingdom in great quantities.
  Nowadays, few merchants venture forth in this way.
  For one thing,  importing goods has declined sharply.
  Also, the risks of doing so are simply too great. Even if a
  merchant hires a hundred men-at-arms to protect his
  goods, he may run into a marauding army of thousands
  of men or orcs only too ready and able to overwhelm
  such protection—that is, if the men he has hired don't slit
  his throat and steal what he has for themselves.
  Ordinary people don't trade much either. Leaving
  home with goods to sell makes one a target and leaves
  one's home undefended. Then again, most people don't
  raise surplus produce; tithes are too high.
  Just about the only people in a position to trade are
  nobles with tithes and armies large enough to fend off
  bandits and discourage marauding armies from attacking
  them. Such trade tends to be arranged in advance. Two
  landholders agree to terms of trade and a meeting place.
  And barter is at least as important as buying and selling.
  Rulers need wood, iron, alloys for weapons; stone for
  fortifications; and the luxuries they once had in
  abundance and which are now so difficult to obtain. The
  surrender of the Lords of the Isles to the Scarlet Brother-
  hood, cutting off imports of spices, silks and the like,
  make luxuries hard to come by.
  Still, some trade continues. It is mostly restricted to the
  major waterways of the lands, and also to the dirawaen
  roads, for a special reason in the latter case. When Schan-
  dor framed the Aerdy legal system, part of the code was a
  duty laid upon landholders along these roads to provide
  secure accommodations at regular intervals for the travel-
  ing judges of the sessions. As a result, a network of forti-
  fied coaching inns sprang up along these major
  highways.
  Since judges visited them rarely, the innkeepers
  obviously needed other custom—and the traveling
  merchants saw the attraction of stopping over at such
  secure places. Hence, as he intended, Schandor's legal
  maneuver stimulated trade. Some of these fortified inns
  still stand, and the few merchants still traveling the lands
  usually plan their travel routes to be sure of spending the
  night at them.
  In game play, if movement rates and the like need to be
  computed, the following rules can be used. The naviga-
  bility of rivers is documented in From The Ashes, of
  course. On roads, the dirawaen roads are still in excellent
  repair and have a multiplier of 0.4 for movement cost
  (this does not change with the weather, either).
  Other primary roads are in fair repair but no better; the
  multiplier for movement cost here is 0.5. Secondary roads
  and trails have a multiplier of 0.6, but if wagons or
  similar transport is being used, there is a 1 in 6 chance per
  10-mile stretch of road of a major obstacle such as large
  potholes being encountered.
  Along most of the dirawaen roads there used to be toll
  stations at 10-mile intervals, where the following tolls
  were levied. Merchants conducting a great deal of trade
  could buy seasonal exemptions from local landholders
  for a negotiated fee.
  For each wagon, 2 sp
  For each horse or other beast of burden, 4 cp
  For each licensed guildman or merchant with his
  goods, 1 sp
  For each freeman, 2 cp (peasants don't count)
  For each "knight or goodman," 1 sp
  The last quaint term applies to anyone on horseback
  Powers and Factions
  17
  
  who looked like an adventurer, squire, page or the like.
  This was subject to the discretion of the tollmen. Each toll
  station was typically manned by one sergeant-at-arms
  (F3) with 1d4+4 militia (F1, with a 10% chance for each to
  be a F2), wearing chain mail armor and carrying short
  bow, halberd, broadsword, net, and shield. The toll
  stations themselves usually comprised no more than a
  couple of wooden cabins; 25% had 1d4+1 war dogs in
  addition to the soldiers.
  Nowadays, most toll stations are abandoned or else
  occupied by bandits and ambushers or desperados who
  will try to extract whatever they think they can get from
  anyone 
  passing 
  through. 
  However, 
  in 
  some
  lands—which have a gazetteer summary entry for "ruler-
  ship" as medium or higher—the toll stations are still
  manned normally and the charges above apply, plus a
  surcharge of 10-100% as the DM determines.
  In other lands, where control has broken down, the DM
  may determine as he wishes how toll stations are
  manned, or else use a simple D6 roll: 1-4, abandoned; 5,
  occupied by bandits/ambushers; 6, occupied by the origi-
  nal toll collectors.
  What Does It Cost?
  Each gazetteer chapter has a "cost Multiplier" in its
  summary (see the following chapter). Prices for items
  vary wildly with supply and demand. See those individ-
  ual entries for changes to standard Player's Handbook
  prices for goods and items.
  Tithes and Taxes
  There are not tax or tithe ratings in the gazetteers, simply
  because this is unnecessary. PCs won't be living in these
  lands, although they may fall foul of special or unique
  taxes specified in some lands (tolls, etc., have already
  been noted).
  Almost everywhere, taxes and tithes are high, and
  rulers extract all they can get, unless noted otherwise.
  Still, there is much variation between lands. The old
  system of taxes is worth understanding, not least because
  the House of Naelax wove their cunning into this as they
  did into everything else in affairs of state.
  The taxation system of the Great Kingdom had many of
  the elements found in other nations once under its
  control. Each landowner had to pay a set of taxes and
  tithes to the crown, based upon the extent and richness of
  his lands. The chancellors of the overking inspected
  estates and holdings every seven years to determine these
  taxes. These monies were then used to maintain the
  imperial army and navy, to support the expenses of the
  crown in Rauxes, and for purposes such as magical espio-
  nage, maintaining a network of spies abroad, and the
  like. Information gained from spies, in theory, was made
  available to those nobles who needed to know.
  In turn, landowners received taxes and tithes from their
  liegemen and their own peasants and serfs. Their liege-
  men also extracted such taxes to pay their lords, of
  course. In towns and cities, taxes were raised in standard
  ways—hearth taxes on stone houses, artisan licenses,
  guild membership fees, freesword taxes on mercenaries,
  and more.
  Travel taxes—on tolls along the dirawaen roads, and on
  import and export of goods—were generally low. They
  were split between the crown and the local landholders,
  with most going to the landholders. The overking had the
  right to levy special taxes for rebuilding any city in the
  kingdom struck by disasters, such as floods or fire. Too,
  he could raise taxes to cover the costs of warfare and
  recruitment of mercenary armies.
  The full details do not concern us here, since—as
  noted—what tax collection comes down to now is how
  much can be extracted. However, some tax changes
  which were made by the House of Naelax deserve special
  attention.
  First, the Naelax overkings tended to reduce land taxes
  on nobles because they had revenues from "royal trust"
  lands. This made them popular with landholders—or,
  more likely, stopped them from becoming too unpopular
  too quickly.
   Second, they balanced this by using taxation as a way
  of keeping nobles in check. The simplest example of this
  is the Castle Tax introduced by Ivid I in CY 486. Outside
  of "strategic" areas bordering on other states, a tax on
  stone castles and keeps was introduced. This was a small
  payment for existing fortifications, but it was a much
  heavier 
  financial 
  burden 
  for 
  those 
  with 
  new
  constructions.
  The tax was justified as a way of paying for new castles
  in North Province, where it could be claimed that they
  were needed to protect the electrum mines of Bellport
  from humanoid attacks. Of course, such castles were built
  in lands mostly owned by Naelax nobles.
  The effect elsewhere, however, was to make landhold-
  ers refrain from building stone castles of their
  own—which would have been the most effective
  constructions for resisting any siege initiated by forces of
  the overking bent on appropriating lands and placing
  them in "royal trust."
  Ivid made sure that his noble subjects' ability to resist
  his own troops suffered as a consequence of his new tax.
  Again, it was some while—too long—before this ruse was
  seen through. By that time, the tax had been in effect for a
  while and the weight of tradition could be said to be
  behind it. It is still on the statute books in Rauxes.
  However, certain nobles did find ways to circumvent it,
  as the bizarre Sand Castle of Rinloru, the Coral Towers of
  Winetha, and other strange constructions of Aerdy show.
  Powers and Factions
  18
  
  Coinage of the Realm
  All lands of Aerdy use the standard AD&D® game
  conversion rate for coinage of different kinds. However,
  different provinces mint their own, slightly varying,
  coins.
  The imperial currency minted in Rauxes is still
  accepted throughout Aerdy, in as much as any coinage is.
  The coins used are:
  Platinum Orb: a rectangular, flat disc with the image of
  the Orb of Rax on both sides.
  Gold Ivid: a circular coin with a milled edge, bearing
  the face of Ivid V on one side and the staff, orb and crown
  of the overking on the reverse.
  Electrum Noble, Silver Penny, Copper Common: these
  are all circular coins without milled edges, bearing the
  heraldic symbol of the Great Kingdom on one side and
  that of the House of Naelax on the other.
  The same coins are used in South Province, but the
  design differences are that the Platinum Orb has the
  symbol of the Great Kingdom on one side; the Gold Ivid
  has that symbol instead of that of the regalia of the overk-
  ing; and the other coins have the boar's-head symbol of
  South Province rather than that of the House of Naelax.
  In North Province, coins are the same as in South
  Province, save that the draconic shield symbol of that
  province replaces that of South Province on coins.
  Old Medegian coins show the face of the Censor of
  Medegia on one side and the shield designs of Medegia
  and the Great Kingdom on the reverse. Here, the gold
  coin was known stubbornly as a "Gold Crown" and not a
  Gold Ivid as elsewhere.
   Foreign coinage (provincial coinage is not regarded as
  foreign) is not accepted in Aerdy outside of the eastern
  fringe lands where trade is still conducted with foreign
  nations, such as the Twin Cities, Rel Astra, Ountsy, etc.
  Also, it is accepted in a few parts of Ahlissa where piracy
  brings foreign gold into the land. In lands where such
  coin is accepted, it is devalued by 5-20% (5x1d4) for the
  purpose of purchasing goods or exchange for Aerdy coin.
  The one exception is the Sea Barons, who accept foreign
  coins with an exchange penalty of only 2%.
  In some areas of Aerdy coinage is not accepted at all, or
  goods are scarce and expensive; the gazetteer chapters
  give details.
  Power in the Land
  The royal houses already have been considered, of
  course, and the gazetteer chapters give details for
  individual lands within Aerdy. Here, an overview of the
  power held by priesthoods, fiends, merchants and guilds,
  mages and sages, special and secretive power factions,
  and the like is given.
  The Military
  During the rule of the House of Naelax, large standing
  armies have been maintained. This was primarily due to
  the desire on the part of North and South Provinces, and
  Medegia, to have security for their independence.
  Of course, it was natural for the overking to respond in
  kind, and the one area where the overking undoubtedly
  had supremacy was naval (the Sea Barons being under
  Ivid's control, unenthusiastically). Most of these armies
  had, in fact, relatively little to do most of the time outside
  of North Province, where the need to secure the Bone
  March and to maintain patrols and mount skirmish raids
  after its fall to humanoids in CY 563 kept troops busy.
  Elsewhere, the Grandwood and Lone Heath were not
  attacked by Medegian armies, which were simply defen-
  sive for the most part. However, the Adri was raided by
  imperial armies of increasingly humanoid makeup. Ivid's
  imperial armies also periodically stormed lands to take
  them into "royal trust."
  In most lands, though, without any wars, the armies
  grew ill-disciplined and poorly-trained.
  Organizationally, the overking had his own imperial
  armies which could, in theory, be strengthened by calling
  upon a number of additional troops from each
  land—including the North and South Provinces and
  Medegia—whenever the overking so decreed. This princi-
  ple stretched down the line; princes with large landhold-
  ings would often appoint liegemen purely on the grounds
  that those liegemen had strong militia the prince could
  call upon when needed (or which acted purely as a deter-
  rent to other princes eyeing up the lands).
  In practice, however, the overking only could call upon
  extra armies from his nobles to the extent that he could
  persuade or cow them into supplying—as Ivid V found
  out in the Greyhawk Wars.
  The final chapter of this book gives details of the major
  armies in Aerdy at this time; their troop numbers, equip-
  ment, morale and more. Individual gazetteer chapters
  also describe any unusual, elite, or otherwise special
  military units, such as the Companion Guard in Rauxes.
  In this initial overview, we can take a look at the politics
  of the military.
  Aerdy rulers always have been careful to ensure that
  senior military commanders do not acquire too much
  political power. In theory, of course, the overking himself
  is supreme commander of all his armies and military
  forces. The imperial army has also always avoided
  having any landholding princes of real note among its
  generals and marshals. This was done simply to reduce
  the possibility of any military coup.
  However, the House of Naelax introduced a distinctly
  political quality to the senior commanders in two ways.
  First, it favored its own scions of Naelax as commanding
  officers to ensure loyalty. Second, it favored minor,
  Powers and Factions
  19
  
  powerful princelings who had some grudge with
  members of their own house.
  Disinherited princes, princes left with little or no land,
  or poor princes not supported by their richer siblings
  were the usual candidates. This allowed the House of
  Naelax to claim that commands were fairly spread
  around different royal houses (disguising their own
  nepotism). Actually, they made sure that other houses
  were divided, rendering major princes insecure and
  vulnerable. This prevented the princes from offering a
  serious challenge to the rule of Naelax.
  These minor princes were almost always incompetent
  and weak commanders, so that the armies they nominally
  led were commanded in effect by their advisers and
  junior officers—who tended to be hand-picked by Ivid to
  serve his interests. This worked well for Naelax in some
  ways, but it also generated a growing contempt for the
  senior officers among the more able junior and middling
  officers and even veteran troops of the imperial armies.
  This, in turn, made it more likely that they would desert
  the overking and mutiny from sheer disillusion when the
  opportunity came.
  The humanoid armies increasingly recruited in North
  Province by the overking were always commanded by
  Ivid himself. On the ground, priests of Hextor or fiend-
  knights usually controlled day-to-day discipline and
  operations. Although humanoid armies often have poor
  morale, the Lawful nature of orcs and the leaders chosen
  to marshal them made up for that by ensuring that disci-
  pline was usually good. That was before the Iron Schism,
  of course, but more on that shortly.
  Church Armies
  A special mention must be made of armies maintained by
  certain churches and religious orders within Aerdy. This
  always has been a strong tradition with martial faiths
  (Heironeous, Hextor, etc.). Outside of Aerdy, it is seen in
  its strongest development in the Theocracy of the Pale,
  for centuries part of the Great Kingdom.
  Such armies were paid for by tithes and taxes levied by
  priests, who were themselves landholders, especially in
  Medegia. Or they were paid for from monies given by
  other landholders to the church.
  The independence of Nyrond, Urnst, and the Theocracy
  was pivotal, so far as Aerdy's religious warriors were
  concerned. Turmoil followed for decades between the
  crowns and the priesthoods of Heironeous and Pholtus to
  a lesser extent. The autonomy of the governments caused
  a great rush of exiles. Powerful men defected to the
  Theocracy, Urnst, Nyrond, and Almor, even to Furyondy,
  often taking their armies with them. This left the priest-
  hood of Hextor in a position of unchallenged supremacy
  among the martial faiths.
  There are now few church armies left intact in
  Aerdy—Medegian armies having been decimated by the
  overking's destruction of that land. Where they do exist,
  however, they are of superior quality and morale. Few of
  them are actually priests, paladins, or ardent followers of
  the faith. But they tend to have fair to good equipment,
  and they know that either combat magic or magical
  healing are routinely on hand, which helps their morale.
  Priesthoods
  It must be kept in mind that Aerdy is vast. It thus
  supported a multiplicity of faiths. The general drift
  toward evil has been slow and cumulative, and while evil
  priesthoods are in the ascendant, it has not always been
  so. Neither is it the case that, even today, good or neutral
  aligned priesthoods do not have any influence.
  Among the peasants, most pay some minor respects to
  Beory, Oerth Mother. This is natural for an agricultural
  people. A small invocation will be offered when crops are
  planted, and some small portion set aside ("Beory's
  plate") at Richfest. However, there are few priests of
  Beory. This has never been a "political" or martial priest-
  hood, and the faith survives almost as folklore rather
  than in formal worship and priestly practice. Ordinary
  folk also propitiate evil deities, notably Nerull and
  Incabulos, in minor rites designed to ward off disease and
  to beg free passage for departing souls of the dead.
  Historically, the one great tension between Aerdi
  priesthoods is between Heironeous and Hextor. During
  the great expansionist drive, this rivalry was regarded as
  healthy. Both sides struggled to be pre-eminent in the
  drive for glory and dominion. Wise rulers kept the priests
  well apart from each other. These Lawful priesthoods
  maintained zeal, discipline, and trained soldiers well.
  However, after the Turmoil between Crowns, priests of
  Heironeous have become few and far between. Most
  emigrated westward, others found themselves marginal-
  ized to fringe areas, often dependent on the support of a
  minor local ruler—perhaps for personal or historical
  reasons. The marginalization of this priesthood was a
  catalyst in accelerating Aerdy's drift to evil.
  Pre-war, only three priesthoods were of importance
  within Aerdy; those of Pholtus, Zilchus, and Hextor.
  Pholtus priests continued to have influence among royal
  houses because of their role as scholars, keepers of
  archives, wise men, and advisers. The junior priests
  formed the bulk of local magistrates.
  However, tensions grew and after the denunciation of
  Ivid V by the patriarch of Pholtus in Rauxes, Ivid ordered
  a purge of Pholtus's priesthood. Most local rulers went
  along with this for the simple reason that this allowed
  them to seize church lands and property and enrich
  themselves.
  The more lenient allowed the priests to escape with
  their lives. Most of these priests fled to the Theocracy or
  Powers and Factions
  20
  
  Urnst, and a few to the Iron League nations.
  Very few rulers dared to oppose Ivid in this matter; the
  overking had played the sedition-and-treason card, and
  this was powerful in its effect. The priesthood of Pholtus
  is decimated now, with only a handful of its senior
  priests left.
  Priests of Zilchus are left as the only non-evil priest-
  hood of real note. They always have played a vital role in
  the economy of Aerdy, forming the bulk of the tax gather-
  ers, chancellors, and advisers to the overking on trade
  and monies. In return, the priesthood has grown wealthy,
  with many opulent buildings and no few small landhold-
  ings of its own. Then again, the richer elements of the
  merchant classes, especially merchant princes, have
  always allied with this priesthood. To have purged it
  would have meant decimating the finances of the
  imperial court.
  Even Ivid was not mad enough to do this; he needed
  money for his great war against Nyrond. Thus, until very
  recently, this priesthood has stayed safe.
   However, it is an ill-disguised secret that Zilchus
  priests tend to back the House of Darmen in their aim of
  forming the next ruling royal house. The House of
  Darmen, with its many merchant princes, has always
  courted this priesthood and very recently Patriarch
  Lassaren was tipped off by Prince Xavener of Darmen
  that an attempt might be made on his life by agents of
  Ivid.
  The overking, Xavener said, was suspicious of the patri-
  arch and might move to act against him.
  Xavener offered Lassaren safe refuge in Kalstrand,
  which the patriarch readily accepted. A carefully
  disguised double left in Rauxes was indeed assassinated
  a week or so later. Some say Xavener himself had the
  double killed and laid the blame on the overking, but
  then those who say that tend to be men in the service of
  Xavener's rivals. Still, Lassaren finds himself almost a
  prisoner in Kalstrand. Treated with deference and living
  in utter luxury, Xavener presses on Lassaren the absolute
  need for security. The priest is not free to leave.
  Thus, while the priesthood of Zilchus does not support
  Ivid, being infuriated by the promotion of "Baalzy"—a
  direct affront to their role—they are uncertain of how
  openly to act against him. Too, they are uncertain
  whether Xavener is the right man to replace him.
  The fiery Matriarch Schleretha of Zelradton, in particu-
  lar, opposes Xavener's suit very strongly. Many priests of
  Zilchus are concerned that Lassaren may become only a
  pawn of Xavener and now quietly regard Schleretha as
  the real, supreme authority.
  The Priesthood of Hextor
  This priesthood has a special place for several reasons.
  First, it is the single most powerful in the land. Second, it
  played a major role in the creation of the animuses. In
  addition, it is the only priesthood left which Ivid deals
  with 
  day-to-day. 
  However, 
  its 
  power 
  is 
  hardly
  unconstrained.
  The House of Naelax was strongly supported by
  Hextor's priests during the Turmoil between Crowns.
  They knew an evil cause when they saw it, and they put
  their own church armies firmly behind Ivid I.
  In return, when the civil war was over, Ivid made a
  number of ceremonial appointments elevating the priest-
  hood and made Patriarch-General Izvestian his court
  priest. He also made sure the priesthood didn't get too
  big for its boots.
  Ivid enthusiastically promoted the priesthood to
  command of major imperial armies such as the Black
  Legion, the Glorioles Army, and others. But he did this
  very cunningly. In some cases he appointed priests to
  command armies where the large majority of officers had
  no liking for them, as in the case of the Glorioles Army.
  This kept the priests insecure about their authority.
  Second, he integrated Hextor's own church armies into
  imperial units; nominally as elite troops or special troops,
  but always in a small minority, again making the priests
  feel insecure.
  Since this often involved sending large imperial troop
  units to "ally with" church armies on the few landhold-
  ings the church of Hextor owned, he made sure that his
  armies occupied their lands.
  Then again, Ivid decreed that the church armies should
  be supported by the royal purse. It might appear that this
  was a generous provision. What it meant in effect was
  that Ivid became their paymaster. Especially in the case of
  humanoid troops, it often seemed to happen that couriers
  bearing wages suffered unfortunate accidents along the
  way so that the troops were paid only very late. Or, the
  couriers bearing letters of instruction to local rulers to
  hand over some of the imperial tithe and tax monies to
  the priests were badly delayed.
  On the other hand, the priests were always paid using
  magical teleportation devices for sending small sums of
  gold. Thus, the troops learned that they didn't always get
  paid, but the priests did.
  In a particularly cunning twist to make sure the troops
  learned this, Ivid I kept the initial minting of the new
  Gold Ivid at a low level for some years—and the priests
  were always paid with these new coins, as anyone could
  readily see when the priests spent any of it. So the troops
  knew well that the priests had got paid by the overking!
  Naturally enough, the troops rarely blamed the overk-
  ing (since, after all, the priests got his money). But they
  blamed their priestly leaders, often believing the priests
  were stealing the army wages. Ivid knew how to make
  sure that the priesthood never got the whole-hearted
  support of their men. Thus, the priests of Hextor found it
  difficult to maintain control and discipline.
  Powers and Factions
  21
  
   To make matters worse, spies and agents of the overk-
  ing kept careful watch on the actions of this priesthood.
  The priests, lacking detection and subtler magic, were not
  well-equipped to uncover such agents.
  The crafty Naelax overkings kept this situation in
  existence for many decades, with one twist and turn after
  another keeping the Hextor priesthood firmly under their
  thumbs. When the Greyhawk wars came, however, the
  overking truly needed the support of the priests.
  Ivid neglected his usual intriguing for the purpose of
  giving with one hand and craftily undermining with the
  other. And under Patriarch-General Pyrannden the priest-
  hood waxed powerful. Ivid must have felt utterly
  betrayed when he called upon Medegia for aid during the
  Greyhawk wars and found that the chief censor refused
  him—with the backing of the Krennden, Patriarch of
  Hextor in Rel Astra, the nominal capital city of Medegia.
  Ivid has had his revenge on the Censor, of course, but the
  patriarch fled to the safety of the north-east coast.
  What has happened subsequently is almost without
  precedent within this priesthood. Pyrannden has stood
  by Ivid. However, Krennden has pronounced the overk-
  ing insane and renounced his sacred guardianship of the
  malachite throne on account of that.
  There is an Iron Schism within the priesthood of
  Hextor. Krennden is charismatic and senior enough, and
  has the backing of sufficient animus rulers who hate the
  overking and will support almost anyone opposing him.
  Because of that, he has the following of many of Hextor's
  priests outside of the Naelax lands. Krennden keeps on
  the move, to avoid the assassins and death squads Ivid
  sends to deal with him. And he has enough local rulers
  willing to keep him secure for a short time to be a
  genuine menace.
  Currently he is in Delaric, where he has shown signs of
  settling down and establishing a power base to challenge
  the current Patriarch-General; Delaric's ruler Montand
  had best beware lest this should invite angry reprisal
  from Ivid.
  Finally, while there are no other priesthoods of political
  importance, some are important in special areas—such as
  the faith of Obad-hai in the forests, and Trithereon's
  angry faith in the Lone Heath and Grandwood. Gazetteer
  chapters, especially those covering the Adri, Grandwood,
  and Lone Heath, give more details about this. The only
  remaining priesthood which has a general following
  among the ordinary people (other than Beory) is that of
  St. Cuthbert. However, this priesthood—very much a
  rustic, rural faith here—has been badly affected by assas-
  sins and evil rulers, and it survives only in a few lands.
  Fiends 
  There is ample reason the malachite throne is known as
  the "Fiend-seeing Throne." The throne which the Naelax
  overkings have ascended was crafted between 443 and
  446 CY from a great crystal chunk found in the Cauldron
  of Night. The throne itself, fashioned by mages and
  priests, has magical properties (see the chapter on
  Rauxes). Its abilities include providing a gate to the Nine
  Hells.
  Since Prince Ivid himself was an accomplished mage
  who had conversed with fiends and considered long and
  hard how to deal with them and use them for his own
  ends, when he ascended to the throne it was a perfect
  match. A complex web of intrigues has spread out, with
  the hunched madman on his throne firmly ensconced in
  the center.
  The House of Naelax and Baatezu
  The House of Naelax has a history of at least two centu-
  ries of dealing with fiends. Initially, this was simply
  individual mages within the house summoning lesser
  and least fiends and using them for petty services.
  However, it was Ivid's father, Ivenzen, who took a fatal
  step forward from that minor dabbling.
  Ivenzen dealt with both tanar'ri and baatezu as his
  needs dictated, but after offending a minor tanar'ri Lord
  he concentrated on dealings with baatezu. This came to
  the attention of a pit fiend, Zuchanx, who alerted his own
   master, Baalzephon, to the situation.
  Baalzephon, one of the eight greatest baatezu of Nesses,
  mulled this over for a decade or so. Baalzephon had little
  direct interest in humanity, but he was increasingly
  aware that human mages could be powerful, and enslav-
  ing or allying with them might prove useful in the Blood
  War against the tanar'ri.
  The problem, of course, was that baatezu cannot gate to
  the Prime Material plane, severely restricting their scope
  for action. However, Baalzephon bided his time and,
  when Ivenzen's house wizard cast a gate spell for planar
  travel purposes, Baalzephon expended powerful energies
  to warp the spell and use it to appear before Ivenzen.
  Casually dismembering the body of the stunned wizard
  in his powerful claws, Baalzephon offered a pact to
  Ivenzen.
  Put simply, Baalzephon guided Ivenzen's men to the
  Cauldron of Night and instructed the priests and wizards
  how to fashion the malachite throne. The baatezu offered
  diabolic aid in the form of spinagon and barbazu troops
  for the House of Naelax. Further, it gave the House of
  Naelax dark magical artifacts which the overking and his
  mages hold to this day. (Several are described in the
  following chapter.)
  In return, Baalzephon asked for two things. First, the
  House of Naelax had to agree to cease all dealings with
  tanar'ri—except for enslaving them and banishing them.
  Second, Baalzephon graciously demanded the souls of
  Ivenzen's heirs and descendants for 888 years—should
  Powers and Factions
  22
  
  they rule from the malachite throne.
  A grim smile from the baatezu held the promise that
  Naelax would rule as overkings; else, the baatezu would
  gain nothing from the pact. Ivenzen, thinking of himself
  as the next overking, could hardly wait to offer little
  Prince Ivid up to the towering fiend who stood before
  him. With the blood hardly dry on the contract,
  Baalzephon returned to Nessus and waited.
  What has happened since cannot be simply explained.
  Powerful magical resonances have been created by the
  conjunction of the malachite throne, the gating, the magic
  of baatezu, the spellcraft of the Naelax overkings and
  their mages, and the diabolic artifacts Ivenzen was
  granted. The insanity of the overkings has both contrib-
  uted to, and been reinforced by, the complex magical
  effects created by these conjunctions and resonances.
  Ivid V's current wasting disease is also surely the
  product of these same complex, fell magical forces. A
  monster has been created which has passed out of the
  control either of the Naelax mages and overkings, or even
  the baatezu themselves.
  Baalzephon certainly doesn't wish to see Ivid V die
  from his disease; Ivid's continued reign gives the fiend
  access to Oerthly power and resources, and prestige
  among his fellow diabolic rulers in Nessus. The extrapla-
  nar lore supplied to Baalzephon by the overking's sages
  and mages has also been very useful in the Blood War.
  Yet, even this immensely powerful fiend seems unable
  to prevent the degeneration of the overking, even with
  Karoolck, his mage-pawn, virtually in control of the
  imperial court.
  Duke Szeffrin and Pazrael
  Duke Szeffrin, ruler of the Almorian lands, is the other
  main power player with a firm alliance with a fiend of
  great power. The Abyssal Lord Pazrael (documented in
  Iuz The Evil and also noted in the Almor chapter here)
  lends strength and magic to Szeffrin. Plus, tanar'ri in his
  service use the gate at Onyxgate to enter the Prime
  Material plane.
  Szeffrin plots the destruction of Ivid, in revenge for his
  conversion to an animus. And knowing of the overking's
  alliance with baatezu, an association with tanar'ri to
  oppose him is ideal.
  Pazrael's game is more complex.
  This Abyssal Lord has an alliance with Iuz, not the least
  because Pazrael is very wary of Graz'zt, Iuz's tanar'ri
  father. But Pazrael also has the long-term goal of
  supplanting Iuz as a ruler on Oerth.
  What Pazrael is doing in Szeffrin's domain is simple; he
  is testing magical strength on a scale which he doesn't
  want to offer to Iuz. Pazrael wants to see how his most
  mighty magics work in Almor, to "field test" them for the
  day when he can act against Iuz. Iuz knows this, and
  sends spies to watch over events in Almor. This makes
  for some intriguing complications in the politics of Oerth
  and the Abyss.
  Other Fiendish Alliances
  No other rulers or powerful men within Aerdy have
  alliances with such mighty fiends, but many of them have
  fiends in their service, usually lesser or least fiends which
  swell the ranks of armies.
  There are also some unusual, exceptional cases—such
  as the fiend-sage of Rel Astra—which are described in
  individual gazetteer chapters. These fiends are usually
  dilettantes and mavericks, and their actions do not link
  Oerth to any greater scheme of things in the Blood War.
  Baatezu and the Priesthood of Hextor
  The priesthood of Hextor is the pre-eminent Lawful Evil
  one in Aerdy, and one might expect that they would be
  involved in many dealings with the equally Lawful Evil
  baatezu. However, matters are not so simple. Hextor
  himself has his own dwelling on Acheron, not in the Nine
  Hells. Further, priests of Hextor cannot use the gate spell.
  Thus, the alliance is not so firm.
  Indeed, there is sometimes a rivalry between the
  two—and sometimes an alliance. Matters can depend
  upon the attitude of the patriarch-general of the time, and
  the baatezu being dealt with. A senior priest of Hextor
  might deal amicably enough with a lesser baatezu, but if
  confronted by an arrogant pit fiend the priest could have
  an entirely different view.
  The one instance of real note in which Hextor's priest-
  hood and the baatezu have co-operated is in the creation
  of animuses; see the following chapter on Rauxes.
  Mages and Sages
  The position of mages in Aerdy is an important one.
  There are fewer independent mages here than elsewhere.
  Education is mostly restricted to the children of privi-
  leged families, and thus many mages are nobles and
  landholders and have alliances within their royal houses.
  Also, landholders generally do their best to recruit and
  maintain mages within their households. The Aerdi have
  too strong a recollection of the importance of mages in
  warfare, and they struggle to make sure they have some
  wizards of their own.
  Given the increasing strife of the Great Kingdom under
  the House of Naelax, local rulers will go to some lengths
  to "persuade" mages to join their service.
  Also, wizards of Aerdy tend to specialize in aggressive
  magic, being specialist invokers, conjurers, and necro-
  mancers. Obviously, this is not always so. However, the
  long history of combat mages tends to channel both the
  training of apprentices. Obscure, arcane, and subtle
  Powers and Factions
  23
  
  magic—the arts and crafts of the illusionist or the
  enchanter—are not so highly regarded. Expert diviners
  are an exception, since  they are valued as spies.
  One consequence of all this is that sagacious and
  learned societies of wizards are very few and far between
  in Aerdy. This is not the place to come if one seeks
  wizards steeped in arcane lore.
  Likewise, sages tend to specialize in more pragmatic
  areas of research. This is exemplified by an exchange
  between a naive student attending the University of
  Rauxes, who asked a friendly-looking old sage who was
  the resident expert on myconids and intelligent fungal
  life. The sage's reply was, "Stuff fungi! I've got a new
  explosive powder to test. Get out of my way." Sages in
  Aerdy cities will be more likely than usual (add 10-20% to
  Dungeon Master's Guide Table 61, page 107) to have the
  following fields of study as areas of expertise: Alchemy,
  Astrology, Chemistry, Cryptography, Engineering, and
  Geology. They are less likely (subtract 5-20% from same
  table) to have the following as areas of expertise: Art,
  Metaphysics (save for the Nine Hells), Music, Myconol-
  ogy, Philosophy, and Sociology.
  There are no sage groups akin to the Sagacious Society
  of Nyrond in Aerdy.
  Guilds 
  The one non-adventuring guild which has a truly
  dominant role is the Royal Guild of Merchants of Aerdy.
  This group is dominated by the Royal House of Darmen
  under its patron, Prince Xavener. As part of the agree-
  ment of proclamation of Ivid I as overking, House
  Darmen was paid off for its support of Naelax by being
  granted a royal writ to regulate all guilds of a commer-
  cial nature—this means virtually regulating everyone in
  practice throughout the Great Kingdom.
  Though this royal writ did not specifically exclude
  either North or South Province or Medegia, it could not
  be enforced there. So in those lands the Royal Guild of
  Merchants had to develop its influence more subtly and
  with greater wiles. But, with the backing of the priest-
  hood of Zilchus, it was fairly successful at doing exactly
  that.
  The Royal Guild of Merchants pays a hefty annual tax
  to the overking. In return it licenses all trade and craft
  guilds, which in turn regulate their own affairs. Guilds
  with small memberships, specialist areas of operation, or
  special and unusual requirements, such as literacy, have
  the strongest control over their internal regulation.
  These Guilds are very rarely powerful, simply because
  most of Aerdy's people live off the land as peasants or
  fishermen. However, they do act as a stabilizing factor in
  Aerdy today. Cohesive guilds look after their own, and if
  one furrier, for example, has his house burned by looters,
  other members of his guild will do something to help,
  such as give the furrier money, offer him accommoda-
  tions, and provide other aid. In return, they might ask to
  work in their shop or place of business.
  The Royal Guild is politically powerful through its
  monopoly of commercial licensing, its alliance with the
  priesthood of Zilchus, and its merchant-prince member-
  ship, which has major landholdings. Most of the guild
  currently supports Xavener's bid for rulership, and they
  oppose Ivid by passive resistance means, such as channel-
  ling resources away from what areas of influence are left
  to the overking. However, some of the guild supports
  other bids for the crown, and this powerful group is as
  schism-ridden as other associations in Aerdy.
  Secret Societies
  There are only two secret societies which have some
  degree of influence. Midnight Darkness and The Web
  may not be strong in numbers, but they strike fear into
  the heart of anyone crossing them.
  Midnight Darkness
  This is an evil vigilante group which exists to strike down
  powerful or influential non-evil men and women within
  Aerdy. Their prime targets are priests, especially those of
  Pholtus and St. Cuthbert.
  The organization is generally thought to be in the
  service of Nerull, the Reaper, and their aim of bringing
  death to servants of good is fully in accord with that
  general view. Indeed, priests of Nerull are among their
  number, and the second echelon, the preceptors, is almost
  exclusively of that brethren.
  Since the cult is only believed to have been active for 30
  years, and its killings only linked to it for many fewer, no
  man has been able to collect a great deal of information
  about it.
  The head of this hierarchical cult, a man known simply
  as "Hidden Sickle" to the preceptors, is actually a priest of
  Tharizdun, one Karnquiza. His "hidden agenda" is
  described in his entry in the South Province chapter. In
  brief, he is a servant of the Scarlet Brotherhood. While
  this is not especially surprising, what is perhaps startling
  is that the preceptors haven't yet realized this.
  This continuing ignorance suggests that, at the very
  least, The Reaper himself is happy to go along with this
  charade.
  Midnight Darkness leaves a calling card behind when it
  has disposed of a victim. Almost always, a poisoned
  dagger is left jutting out from between the shoulder-
  blades of a victim (poison is the usual form of dispatch,
  but is not always used for the actual killing). Tied around
  the handle of the dagger is a strip of ragged black cloth
  which itself is soaked in an alkaloid contact poison (type
  N) which renders the cloth potentially lethal to handle for
  Powers and Factions
  24
  
  12+d12 days (until the poison degrades).
  Midnight Darkness does not have many agents in
  Aerdy. Beyond the four preceptors, there are perhaps a
  dozen specialist agents (again including a few priests of
  Nerull). And below them are 20 or so hirelings, junior
  assassins, and an indeterminate number of hired thugs.
  They do not use much in the way of wizardry, with
  priests and thieves dominating their numbers. They have
  assassinated perhaps 30-50 people a year prior to the
  Greyhawk wars. But since that time the group has
  become much more active, and they represent a threat to
  any servant of Good, wherever he may hide.
  The use of disguise, magical and mundane, and
  magical items allowing teleportation for swift travel and
  despatch of their victims, are hallmarks of their
  operations.
  The Web
  This simple and unimaginative name is that given by Ivid
  III to a network of spies, agents, and assassins in his
  service.
  The simple name is almost a double-bluff; the overk-
  ings have tended to favor flamboyant, clichéd names for
  their personal servitors (Fiend-Knights of Doom, for
  example). The Web was set up under the aegis of the
  then-court wizard, Belerak the Wizened, to strengthen the
  overking's grip on the other royal houses of Aerdy.
  Given such a goal, these agents were organized using a
  cell structure, so that active cells did not know where
  their orders came from, nor who their source of instruc-
  tion was. This, obviously, allowed the overking to deny
  any knowledge of them if they should be apprehended
  (and he usually took steps to make sure that cells
  appeared to be linked to other nobles who were rivals of
  the target the cell was acting against).
  This is sound strategy, but it has one central pitfall.
  Cells can become autonomous and out of control. Since,
  over the coming decades, creatures of Chaotic Evil align-
  ment came increasingly to fill the ranks of the web, the
  problems with this organization grew greater. Now the
  situation is one of near-complete anarchy.
  The old spymaster of the Web, Remaelak, was recently
  executed for treason. His lieutenants in Rauxes have
  either suffered the same fate, or else fled the capital. In
  several major cities of Aerdy, Web spies and agents have
  been left without instructions or leadership as a result,
  and have thus opted to follow their own instincts.
  What makes the Web dangerous is that Web members
  are routinely equipped with extensive magical protection
  against detection—rings of invisibility, rings of mind shield-
  ing, amulets of proof against detection and location and the
  like, and also items which prevent their easily being
  disabled, such as rings of free action and magical devices
  protecting against polymorphing and other spells.
  They also have extensive supplies of sabotage items,
  such as poisons, food contaminants, glass spheres of thick
  toxic syrups which emit vast clouds of poisonous gas
  when broken, the volatile substance known as firewater
  (perfect for arson and incendiary attacks), and much
  more. In the past, these were used for strikes against
  "economic targets," to lash out against nobles who had
  offended Ivid.
  The Web was also used to sniff out "subversives" within
  Aerdy. Web spies and agents provocateur would
  sometimes commit acts of sabotage, and then ally with
  genuinely seditious elements so that they could uncover
  those who actually did oppose the overking.
  However, with so many of the overking's enemies now
  dead, and those who remain mostly open in their opposi-
  tion to him, such wiles are hardly necessary. In a bizarre
  twist, in at least one of Aerdy's cities (Eastfair) virtually
  all such subversion is actually carried out by Web spies
  from two different cells. They are unknown to each other
  and believe that the other cell contains the real terrorists
  that they must hunt.
  The Great Kingdom and Other
  Nations
  Political dealings between Aerdy and other nations are
  effectively suspended. Certainly, there are imperial
  ambassadors at the courts of a few other nations and in
  Greyhawk City, but it is mutually understood that they
  no longer speak with any authority.
  Only a handful of other nations are important vis a vis
  the situation in Aerdy. The barbarian states are important
  because of their raids on North Province and against the
  Sea Barons. Nyrond is significant because of its fear of
  Aerdi invasion and its tense standoff with Szeffrin in
  Almor. The Scarlet Brotherhood already extends its
  tendrils into southern Aerdy, and the probable initial
  goals of the Brotherhood are the capture of the Sea Barons
  and the subversion of South Province.
  Powers and Factions
  25
  
  Introduction
  The map overleaf shows the political divide of the Great
  Kingdom at the beginning of summer, CY 585. The
  divisions on this map reflect both formal political claims,
  and also the realities of division by force, ownership, and
  other factors.
  To take one simple example, area #10 is the area of land
  currently proclaimed as his fief by Drax the Invulnerable.
  In actual fact, Drax and his troops mostly remain holed
  up in Rel Astra. His assertion of sovereignty is purely for
  staking a claim when the overking finally falls. The
  reason why the area is, nonetheless, shown as it is on the
  political map is because a majority of landowners and
  armies in this area are ready to ally with Drax, so that his
  claim is not without substance. Do not take these borders
  as either accurate (the division of the Adri Forest is
  simply one agreed by the landowners around it) or
  unchanging. The political map of the Great Kingdom will
  surely change considerably in the immediate future.
  The broad areas shown on the map are those covered in
  the following gazetteer-style chapters which make up the
  bulk of this sourcebook. As numbered on the map, they
  are as follows, with very brief details only at this stage:
  1. Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking. Here, Ivid's
  land claims are not disputed, though he only can effec-
  tively control a portion of the lands.
  2. North Province. This is largely unchanged from
  pre-war boundaries and still retains a fair degree of
  organization and effective rule. It  formally seceded from
  the Great Kingdom at the end of the Greyhawk Wars, but
  as a major power in the north of the ex-Aerdy lands, it is
  of major political importance and is hardly unaffected by
  what happens elsewhere.
  3. Twin Cities. The rulers of Rinloru and Winetha have
  formed a post-war pact, and their claim to these lands is
  not contested. Powerful magic and great evil dominates
  the rulers, chaos strides the lands.
  4, 5, 6: Naelax Lands. These lands are owned in the
  main by Naelax princes other than Ivid. Some of these
  princes still ally with Ivid, most do not.
  7. Sea Barons. Unaltered from pre-war boundaries.
  8, 9, 10: Free Eastern Cities. Roland and lately Ountsy
  have followed the example of Rel Astra and proclaimed
  themselves free cities together with the surrounding
  lands their rulers claim as fiefdoms.
  11. Medegian Lands: Most of Medegia is anarchy, with
  Pontylver a hellish city of ghosts and madmen. This is a
  dreadful, insane land of nightmare and terror.
  12, 13, 14: Lands of Darmen. Primarily owned by
  House Darmen, the lands here contain several cities of
  importance and still have good-sized organized armies.
  These lands are the major military force in south-central
  Aerdy. The key power struggles for ascension to the
  malachite throne are burgeoning here.
  15. South Province. A mage-ruled land, South Province
  is still strong and has enough elite troops to be a major
  menace. This is an intrigue-ridden, dangerous land
  indeed.
  16, 17: Western Lands. These lands are a collection
  largely of petty fiefs where the Houses of Darmen and
  Cranden share most ownership. If there is anywhere in
  Aerdy where evil is not triumphant in open terrain, these
  lands may be that place.
  18, 19: Almorian Lands. The powerful Duke Szeffrin
  has brought many magical horrors and great power to the
  ruined lands of Almor, though the area south of the
  Harp, lying eastward from the ruins of Chathold itself, is
  a nightmare virtually beyond belief—and certainly
  beyond endurance. Unique menaces and dangers are to
  be found here.
  The Adri Forest, and the Grandwood Forest and Lone
  Heath, are detailed in additional chapters.
  Each following chapter has a summary set of notes for
  each land, given as follows:
  Pop.: Number of human and demihuman adults
  (humanoids are noted separately; marauding, nomadic
  humanoids aren't tallied).
  Capital: Not all area have capitals. Those which do,
  have them listed together with a population figure.
  Ruler: The effective ruler is always listed here. The
  titular ruler is also, if he is separate. Some areas have no
  effective rulers, or have several.
  Rulership: This is listed as High, Medium, Low, or
  Absent—or Variable, if the land has various rulers with
  different levels of control. The main text gives details of
  what this means in practice; this single word is just an
  at-a-glance summary. If Rulership is High, then the major
  local rulers have loyal armies, a good degree of law
  enforcement, and so on.
  Cost Multiplier: This lists a percentage base price for
  goods listed in the Player's Handbook. Thus, a figure of
  "150%" means that, on average, goods cost 50% more than
  the list price in the handbook. Of course, this does not
  apply to everything. Seafish are very cheap in Roland or
  Rel Astra, for example, whatever the general cost multi-
  plier is. The percentage figure is simply a rule of thumb.
  The DM might also determine scarcity of goods as he
  wishes, with a simple rule from this cost of multiplier: for
  every 10% this multiplier is above 100%, there is a 5%
  chance that a desired item isn't available for at least 1d6
  days. Thus, if the general cost multiplier is 200%, any
  desired item is 50% likely to be unavailable. Don't apply
  this to food or to very basic items.
  Again, this rule is a just a guideline and the DM can
  amend it as he wishes. In lands where military strife is
  severe, for example, weapons and armor available will
  The Grand Gazetteer
  26
  
  likely be simple—basic axes and staves, common shields,
  and leather or padded armor. Better equipment might be
  hard to come by or might be very expensive—500% for
  chain mail, 1000% for plate mail, etc.
  Taxes and tithes aren't listed for each area, but the main
  text makes reference to them if they are excessive to the
  point of creating social unrest, extreme oppression, and
  other burdens.
  Each gazetteer-style chapter usually gives a general
  picture of the land, followed by details of major locations,
  settlements, special features including ruins, natural
  marvels, magical sites, and more. Non-player characters
  of importance have profiles given at the end of each
  chapter. The final chapter at the back of the book also
  gives an  alphabetically indexed list of NPC profiles and
  where to find them in this book. These profiles list excep-
  tional statistics and magic items together with a personal-
  ity sketch. In the profiles, the AC values given have
  Dexterity bonuses already included. Magical items listed
  include only those important to the character's role or
  function, and one-use items, such as potions and scrolls
  are never included. The DM can add or delete magic
  items as appropriate for his campaign, but he should be
  careful not to overload low-level NPCs with many extra
  items which they would hardly possess.
  The Grand Gazetteer
  27
  
  Pop.: 175,000
  Capital: Rauxes (pop. 22,200)
  Ruler: Ivid The Undying (many nominal titles)
  Rulership:  High (Rauxes), Medium elsewhere
  Cost Multiplier: 180%
  About 80% of the lands in the area shown on the color
  map are owned by Ivid V or are held in royal trust by
  troops and liegemen nominally loyal to Ivid.
  The situation is very different in Rauxes.
  Rauxes
  Ivid still has firm control, politically speaking, in the
  capital city. His Imperial Regulars (infantry), Companion
  Guard, and the Town Guard remain loyal to him. But the
  human troops work for him almost entirely out of fear of
  the baatezu and evil priests who throng the city.
  However, by no means everything Ivid decrees comes
  to pass. His courtiers have learned that Ivid is now so
  hopelessly deranged that he cannot tell fact from fiction,
  and thus simply telling him that such-and-such has been
  done (even if it hasn't) will keep them alive as opposed to
  being executed for treason.
  The overking's insanity leaves him without any real
  notion of what is going on in Aerdy. He still believes the
  Great Kingdom is intact and that his armies are currently
  recruiting from South and North Provinces, and the Bone
  March, preparing for another strike against Nyrond.
  He plans this for the end of summer, when crops are
  ripening in the fields, allowing his armies to survive by
  foraging as they go. However, Ivid sees spies everywhere
  and daily orders the execution of traitors in his realm.
  Again, he is told that these orders have been carried out.
  From time to time, a public execution is held by the
  Screaming Column if an appropriate culprit can be found.
  Since most of the imagined enemies are far away, or even
  nonexistent, this is obviously not often possible.
  Half the population of the city has fled in terror,
  although now the Town Guard at the five city gates have
  orders to let no man or woman leave without an imperial
  pass.
  Those seeking to escape must do so through the Under-
  city, braving its terrors, or else try to scale the 25-foot
  high city walls and avoid the mobats, flying fiends, and
  imperial mages who patrol the outskirts of the capital.
  Few are crazy or desperate enough to attempt this. Far
  fewer still succeed.
  The atmosphere in this city is that of the last days of a
  terrible tragedy. Everyone knows that Ivid's days are
  numbered, and few believe he can survive the coming
  year. For most city folk, this is no comfort; they don't
  believe that they can survive the coming year either—and
  they are lapsed into utter despair. Some live day-to-day;
  others collapse into stuporous helplessness.
  Most taverns and shops are boarded up, and little trade
  goes on now. Those artisans left in the city hoard what
  they can in the hope of better times to come, though they
  are eager to sell if they have any hope of not being robbed
  by thieves or the Town Guard (much the same thing).
  Some food reaches the city still from Naelax lands
  around Rauxes, but many ordinary folk are close to
  starvation. Some even hunt rats for food, braving the
  possibility that one of the city's wererats will get to do the
  eating instead.
  People are terrified of the Companion Guard, though
  the Town Guard can usually be bribed and the Imperial
  Regulars are typically kept within barracks—unless there
  is any  serious unrest, when they will be called out to
  reinforce the Town Guard. Details of these military units
  can be found at the back of this book.
  There are exceptions to this, however. Princes Ishainken
  and Zamasken of the House of Naelax hold court at
  decayed bordellos with their debauched and toadying
  retinues.
  Both feign absolute loyalty to Ivid, and the town
  military forces do not dare interfere with these cousins of
  the overking. Many other dark factions and forces lurk
  within Rauxes, as the location descriptions below show.
  Role playing in Rauxes is desperate and dangerous.
  Drunken orcs, brutal troops, corrupt militia, desperate
  thieves and beggars and fiends who pull people limb
  from limb for the sheer pleasure of it are only part of the
  danger here. There are many other horrors, but there are
  three general dangers which should be mentioned.
  Floods, Disease, and Treason!
  Many buildings in Rauxes are unstable and hazardous.
  Flooding has been a major problem in Rauxes for several
  years, with significant rainfall causing water tables
  around the Imeda-Flanmi rivers to rise to record levels.
  Extensive areas of the Undercity have been flooded, as
  have the cellars and basements of many buildings.
  Wall foundations have collapsed in some buildings,
  and rotted in others. The buildings which have collapsed
  and not been rebuilt for lack of funds are the obvious
  hazards. It is the buildings on the point of collapse which
  are much more dangerous.
  Pursuing a quarry into a rundown area of the city, or
  even an abandoned mansion, can invite the possibility of
  a structural collapse almost anywhere. The only good
  thing about this is that the Town Guard know which
  buildings are unsafe and don't enter them. Therefore,
  avoiding their pursuits can be easier than one might
  expect.
  Second, disease is endemic in the city. Sewer flooding
  and water pollution, coupled with the rapid growth in
  the vermin population, are the major causes.
  Player characters in Rauxes must make a Constitution
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  28
  
  check every week to avoid catching some form of disease,
  which will have the effect of reducing Constitution by 1
  point per month until a cure disease spell or similar is
  used. Lost Constitution points can then be regained at the
  rate of 1 point per week if the character rests, 1 point per
  2 weeks otherwise. If the disease causes the victim's
  Constitution to reach zero, he dies.
  The DM may decide that if PCs enter an exceptionally
  filthy area, such as the Viper Tenements or the Undercity,
  any exposure above 12 hours means an automatic check
  for disease.
  The third problem facing the population is the place's
  laws. While new and absurd laws are decreed by Ivid on
  an almost daily basis, the Town Guard has virtually
  given up trying to enforce them. The one exception is that
  of treason. It is treason, for example, to use any name
  other than "Great Kingdom" for any part of the lands of
  Aerdy—including Almor, North Province, etc. Ordinary
  people are only too eager to run to the Town Guard with
  an account of anyone who has dared do so. It is treason
  to wear any holy symbol or the regalia of any faith other
  than that of Baalzy (save for priests of Hextor). And so
  on. The important point is that to have any chance of
  surviving, any PC here must keep his head down and
  grovel and fawn when he must.
  Location Key and Details 
  Obviously, Rauxes is so large that it allows ample scope
  for the DM to add locations to those listed below, which
  are simply the most important for adventuring here.
  Many other places will be deserted or abandoned, of
  course, but room has been left for DM expansion. Again,
  since the overking must (surely?) die of his disease before
  too long, Rauxes will change greatly in the near future, so
  an over-detailed city plan will be of little use to the DM.
  For the DM wishing to develop Rauxes, WG8: Fate of Istus
  gives a map of pre-war Rauxes which can be adapted.
  1-5. City Gates
  As shown on the city map, these are in order: North
  Gate, East Gate, Warrior Gate, Old West Gate, New West
  Gate. Each gatehouse has a detachment of 40 Town
  Guard who interrogate all-comers regarding their
  purpose for visiting. The guards extract whatever bribes
  they can. Simply paying 2d6 gp will get a person into
  Rauxes, but a bribe of 100 gp+ is needed to get out
  without an imperial pass. There is a 25% chance at any
  time that 1d3 spinagon baatezu will be perched atop the
  walls close by any city gate—and if they are the Town
  Guard won't dare to accept bribes. The baatezu usually
  employ stinking cloud spells as a first attack against
  anyone trying to escape or using force.
  6. The Great Way
  This major highway around the overking's palace
  grounds is 20 yards wide, with the central eight-yard
  strip being made of very large, smoothed stones a yard or
  so in length and breadth. Only the Companion Guard,
  aristocrats, and members of the Royal Guild of Merchants
  and their bearers can walk along these stones. The rest of
  the population must use the small cobbled stone strips on
  either side of this central path. Thus, being seen walking
  the central stones here is a sign of one's social position.
  Detachments of 1d6+6 fiend-knights goosestep the length
  of the Great Way at 20-minute intervals, day and night.
  7. Temple of Baalzy
  This is a new building within the palace grounds,
  which the overking has staffed by fiend-knights and a
  sprinkling of assorted minions dressed in lurid purple-
  and-cream robes. The temple is richly ornamented with
  much gold, silver, and fine woods, and great stained-
  glass windows show the fat form of a grinning richly-
  dressed man seated before a huge meal—"Baalzy"
  himself. On Stardays the Town Guard is forced to attend
  services here with as many of the local people as they can
  drag along with them. Offerings are given up to this
  fictional power, and prayers are offered in thanks for the
  prosperity that Baalzy and the enlightened rule of Ivid
  have brought the Great Kingdom. Everyone knows this is
  an absurd nonsense, but they participate anyway. In the
  warren of "priest's chambers" lurk the cathedral fiends
  who watch those attending using powers such as ESP
  and know alignment to check for suspicious characters.
  The "high priest" is actually a mutant cornugon baatezu
  in the service of Baalzephon, with the additional ability
  of being able to polymorph itself into human form.
  8. Temple of Boccob
  This is still standing because while Ivid ordered that
  only Baalzy's faith would in the future be recognized,
  Boccob's high priest is known to be so powerful that not
  even fiends dared to confront him. Since the priest,
  Rillikandren, remains within his temple with his three
  acolytes—and has magical sources of food and fresh
  water, so the four are self-sufficient—he is not considered
  a danger by fiends, priests of Hextor, or other servants of
  Ivid. The temple is wholly resistant to magical scrying,
  teleportation, entrance by plane shifting and the like. No
  one knows what Rillikandren is doing staying here in
  these times, but in the past month a magical aurora lit up
  the cupola atop the temple, and when a detachment of
  Town Guard came to investigate they were repelled by a
  wall of force around the building. A few visitors are said
  by some to have been admitted by night, perhaps to
  consult the Book of Hours which the high priest is said to
  possess—a prophetic work said to speak of the decline
  and fall of the House of Naelax—and who is destined to
  be the next Ruling Royal House. The House of Darmen is
  known to have sent negotiators to talk with Rillikandren.
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  29
  
  But they have come away without being allowed entry.
  9. Temple of Pholtus
  When Emasstus Carcosa was taken from the temple
  here to the horror of Ivid's dungeons, the remaining
  priests were kept silent in the sealed-up building by a
  Companion Guard detachment. After two weeks of isola-
  tion, it was publicly pronounced that an outbreak of
  plague had killed all inside. Most folk did not believe it,
  but none dared investigate, fearing the disease. The build-
  ing is still sealed up, with powerful glyphs of warding on
  all entrances (many with secondary effects such as hold
  person and even energy drain cast into them). Not even
  desperate thieves will venture here.
  Inside, unknown to most in Rauxes, the upper level of
  the temple has been looted, although in secret basement's
  treasures and a handful of magical items have been
  carefully hidden. The priests and acolytes all have been
  slain and  raised as undead. A small pack of ghouls enters
  the Undercity from a secret door in the basements. One
  priest here stands as a failed attempt to create an animus
  from him. He has animus statistics, save for an inability
  to use the command and domination powers. Further, he
  does not regenerate. This wretched creature is virtually
  mindless, shambling about inside the temple and vocaliz-
  ing ghastly, stomach-turning howls of fury and despair.
  Any PC follower of Pholtus granting him the peace of
  death would certainly receive the blessing of Pholtus.
  10. Temple of Hextor
  Also within the main palace grounds, this temple is
  used by Hextor's priesthood, elite warriors, human
  members of the Companion Guard, and some of Ivid's
  advisers. Patriarch-General Pyrannden has chambers
  here, and in addition to church records, monies, and the
  like, he jealously guards the unholy bloodshield which is
  the temple's most prized magical artifact. Services are
  held here on days sacred to Hextor, such as anniversaries
  of exceptionally bloody battles, and the usual ghastly
  rituals of Hextor's faith are enacted during them.
  Especially gruesome features of this temple are four
  guardian statues made entirely from coagulated blood.
  They have the statistics of flesh golems, but they never
  escape priestly control.
  11. Temple of Zilchus
  When Baalzy's faith was proclaimed by Ivid, this
  temple was effectively closed down by the priests
  themselves. While they did not actively oppose Ivid, they
  simply withdrew their presence. The temple has not been
  looted, but most of its wealth has been quietly shipped
  out of Rauxes. Only a handful of acolytes remain to keep
  the temple from complete ruin. They bribe the Town
  Guard to leave them alone, and two of them are minor
  princelings of the House of Darmen, so they are relatively
  safe from casual attack by militia.
  12. Barracks of the Black Legion
  These 400 elite Imperial Regulars are all CE in align-
  ment, but they are well-disciplined war veterans led by
  the brutal General Schinuss, famous for his dancing sword
  and his magical artificial left eye (granting true seeing and
  being able to project fear as per wand once a day). The
  Imperial Regulars put down major civil unrest and act as
  shock troops in wars.
   13a-c. Support Buildings
  Location #13a is the armory; complete with small
  smithy, only mundane (non-magical) weapons are kept
  here. The larger #13b is another stablery, with a more
  impressive smithy where the dwarf blacksmith Gragend
  Klanden can be found. He is as evil-hearted as he is excel-
  lent at his craft. Finally, #13c is a small set of tenement
  cottages built for palace domestic servants and drudges.
  14. Captain's Quarters
  This barracks is used by the commanding officers of the
  Imperial Regulars and the human leaders of the Compan-
  ion Guard. Tension here is great, since Ivid usually has
  one or two of them executed for incompetence—more or
  less at random—every week. All are too terrified to
  oppose the overking, and most are too frightened to try to
  flee—the last attempt resulted in all the mutineers being
  caught, turned into exhibits in the Screaming Column,
  and a half-dozen of those who didn't try to escape being
  executed because they had not ratted on their fellows.
  15. Tower of the Dead
  These royal crypts are exclusively for powerful princes
  of the House of Naelax. Many of them do their best to
  avoid being buried here, fearful of what Ivid might do
  with their remains. Strangely enough, Ivid fears toying
  with his dead relatives—while being quite happy to
  despatch those still alive with the utmost cruelty.
  The great iron gates of the crypt complex are protected
  with antipathy spells against all of non-evil alignment.
  Magical traps of the truly murderous kind are common-
  place among the passageways and burial chambers.
  Many of the princes buried here had at least one or more
  valuable personal treasure or magical item entombed
  with them—so the potential haul of treasure is great. Still,
  few would dare brave the traps, brown molds, and other
  natural hazards, and noncorporeal undead, ghosts,
  spectres, and wraiths, which are said to haunt the place.
  Some of the princes' favorite servitors were buried with
  them, since some believe that those servants will help the
  deceased reach the afterlife safely. They were usually
  buried without their permission and, indeed, well before
  their lives would have ended from any natural causes.
  Many of them wander the crypts as undead, while others
  lurk as skulks in the shadows.
  Note that Naelax overkings themselves are always
  cremated and their ashes dissolved in acid to prevent
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  30
  
  attempts at resurrection, speaking with dead, and the use of
  other enchantments. Thus, these tombs contain only
  ceremonial, nominal burial chambers, containing statues,
  personal treasures and the like.
  16. Tower of the Fiend-Knights
  Ivid's detachment of some 200 fiend-knights are
  stationed here. These horrors are feared by all the human
  troops of the compound. Magical constructs of sinister
  crafting, these ghastly things have no need of sleep or
  rest, and neither do the undead mounts stabled
  elsewhere.
  These troops are utterly loyal to Ivid. Unfortunately,
  they have virtually no independent volition and little
  creative or innovative capacity.
  17. Karoolck's Tower
  The stooping, limping figure of Ivid's court wizard has
  his chambers atop this craggy, mobat-infested tower. His
  pathetic retinue of goblin servants are on hand to fetch
  and carry for him—and to suffer the indignity of a swift
  disintegration if Karoolck is roused to anger. Karoolkc, the
  rust-robed archmage, is known to have many oozes,
  puddings and the like within his tower, acting as guards
  and disposers of waste (such as intruders, though there
  have been very few of those, and bodies generally).
  Clutching his bizarre staff, Karoolck is said by many
  virtually to control Ivid, in the service of Baalzephon
  (though few know of the baatezu whose servant Karoolck
  is).
  Atop his tower, Karoolck is often heard screaming and
  ranting at traitors and about treasons which exist mostly
  in his own imagination. The name "Xaene" is heard over
  and over—clearly the Archmage is terrified of a possible
  vengeful return of his predecessor.
  Karoolck's political role is further detailed below, but
  any who attempt to enter his tower might take heed of
  the obstacles they would face in addition to his guards.
  His tower has the same magical defenses as the royal
  palace (see below), and the archmage himself, not to
  mention the magical items he carries, present a formida-
  ble defense.
  Karoolck is known to have a pair of iron golems, one
  guarding his own bedchamber and one in his laboratory.
  Ghouls and a vampiric mist are found in his dungeon.
  The archmage also has a dozen or so trained stirges
  which he has enchanted to be immune to hold, charm and
  fear spells and which also deliver a poisonous bite (1d12
  damage in addition to normal damage, saving throw for
  half). Karoolck's apprentice is a neutral-aligned alu-fiend
  renegade from the Abyss with the powers of a 9th-level
  mage (Int 18), known to be an expert in the preparation of
  poisonous gases, armor-corroding acids, and dust of sneez-
  ing and choking.
  18. Palace of the Overking
  No interior map is given for this huge building. If the
  DM wishes to use it in an adventure, then it will require a
  great deal of planning and mapping. Even getting
  anywhere near it, given the formidable forces in the
  palace compound, would be a feat in itself. Only the
  highest-level PCs could hope to enter the Imperial Palace
  and survive.
  The palace building was constructed with magical
  mortar between stonework, which eliminates all forms of
  magical scrying, teleporting, dimension dooring, plane shift-
  ing etc. into the building from outside.
  Likewise, it is virtually immune to fire- or electrically-
  based attacks, and acid damage.
  Surrounding the vast circular palace are eight circular
  guard towers, each 130' high (some 20' higher than the
  palace itself). Barbazu and spinagon guards occupy the
  top levels of these towers, and elite bowmen take up the
  middle floors. At ground level (there are separate stair-
  cases to higher level rooms), charmed monsters with
  special magical attacks, including basilisks, medusae,
  catoblepases, and chimeras, are kept penned up. The
  doors to each tower can be magically opened from within
  the palace and the monsters unleashed to wreak havoc on
  any trying to storm the palace.
  The palace houses many people and chambers other
  than those of the royals, of course. The great chancelleries
  and treasure houses are found here.
  The treasury is largely empty, save for sealed chambers
  containing icons and relics of ancient civilizations which
  have great value in normal times but which are almost
  worthless to the overking now. The treasury is heavily
  magically warded and has many golem guards.
  Patriarch-General Pyrannden of Hextor has chambers
  here and maintains a royal shrine to Hextor, which is
  disused since the proclamation of the faith of Baalzy.
  Minor ceremonial magical items, along with hordes of
  ju-ju zombies, can be found therein. There are also
  personal rooms for generals and senior officers of Ivid's
  armies, a war-room with great magical maps of the
  Flanaess, and such.
  The new spymaster of the Web, the half-elven mage-
  thief Inshalzen, also cowers in his offices here. He has no
  idea of where his juniors are, since his predecessor was
  executed and he has simply been expected to know
  everything without being told. He is desperate to escape,
  but being only a 6th-level mage he lacks spells such as
  teleport to enable him to do this.
  The Court of Essence is still a majestic chamber, but
  now is used solely for Ivid to drag forced "confessions"
  out of people he imagines to be traitors to the crown.
  The combat mages of the overking deserve special
  mention; they have chambers and laboratories on many
  second-floor rooms with direct access to the eight periph-
  eral towers. This allows them to keep watch over the
  magical monster guards therein. There are some 30 of
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  31
  
  these mages, of levels 7-14, and they have a fair number
  of defensive items including rings of protection, cloaks of
  displacement,  bracers of defense, and more. The mages are
  exceptionally well-equipped with offensive magical
  items, notably wands. They are under the command of
  Karoolck, and many of them make few bones about not
  liking this at all. Those who could teleport to escape do
  not do so for fear that they would be pursued by fiends
  and invisible stalkers or because there is simply nowhere
  they know well enough, or would feel secure at, to flee to.
  Ivid's own throne room is a 40-yard diameter circular
  chamber with the great malachite throne set into the
  north wall. The throne itself casts an invisible globe of
  invulnerability on the overking seated upon it, and grants
  him true seeing. Once per week, if the correct command
  word is uttered, the throne can be used to open a gate to
  the uppermost of the Nine Hells. But it provides no
  protection against any being entering through that gate,
  and there is a 5% chance per use of bringing insanity to
  the person opening the gate.
  Ivid himself wears lurid ceremonial robes at all
  times—sometimes purple and blue, other times red and
  gold, or black, yellow and rust. The colors depend on his
  mood, with the more dismal tones signalling that he is in
  a very foul mood. Of late, he has taken to wearing a full-
  face white lacquered mask to hide a psoriatic skin condi-
  tion which his wasting disease brings. He always bears
  his symbols of office, though their weight makes him
  stooped: the Staff of Naelax (staff of thunder and lightning),
  Orb of Rax (brooch of shielding which, if used, regenerates
  20 hp of defensive value per day), and the Crown of
  Aerdy (helm of brilliance).
  Ivid also has the remnants of the royal family here, save
  for his second son Prince Konshandin who has fled to
  Delaric. Almost all of the surviving royal princes have
  been slain and resurrected as animuses—see the lineage
  chart for details. They are regularly administered a
  complex alkaloid preparation by Hextor's priests, which
  has the effect of dulling their minds and keeping them
  loyal to the overking (or at least being incapable of
  rousing themselves to actively strike against him). Ivid
  has had many of them executed as traitors, of course.
  The dungeons of the royal palace contain an unknown
  number of wretches suffering the Endless Death. Here,
  they are tortured by priests of Hextor, given a ring of
  regeneration, and then tortured all over again. Such treat-
  ment renders the victims insane very swiftly. The current
  victims include Spidasa, Censor of Medegia, and it is
  possible that Chelor, Herzog of South Province, is
  similarly tormented—though some say he is dead. Some
  folk believe that Osson of Almor is similarly imprisoned
  in the unspeakable dungeons, swarming with evil priests,
  lesser and least baatezu, undead of most kinds, and
  worse. There may be secret entrances to the Undercity
  from these dungeons—but the handful of Undercity
  denizens who believe that also say that these lead into
  mind-affecting mazes, filled with jellies, molds, undead
  and worse.
  Special Note, Animuses: The Royal Palace also contains
  a secret chamber within its dungeons where fiends and
  priests of Hextor work together to create animuses. This
  creation process is unique, and cannot be quantified in
  simple terms (no spell description in the AD&D game
  format fits this). Essentially, the priests use magical
  energies of a power almost equivalent to a quest spell
  (Tome of Magic). Meanwhile, a pit fiend in the service of
  Baalzephon uses its wish power to complete the arcane
  enchantment. For this reason alone, animus creation is
  not an everyday event.
  The third vital element is the casket of abyssal bone,
  one of the artifacts granted to Ivenzen by Baalzephon.
  The ritual used to create the animus involves slaying the
  victim and a fair number of other souls besides, and it
  does not bear relating here.
  There are no more than 40 or so animus creatures in
  Aerdy, and Ivid has been told by Baalzephon that he can
  spare few wishes from his pit fiends to create more.
  19. The Screaming Column in Oltary Park
  Oltary Park is deserted, save for a few ghouls or necro-
  mancers prowling it by night. This fell place strikes fear
  into all of Rauxes's folk.
  Originally, Oltary Park was a graveyard. By an imperial
  decree of CY 467, Ivid I ruled that the bodies of who died
  within Rauxes became the possession of the crown unless
  a fee of 100 gp could be paid for the purpose of burial
  here. This ensured a supply of pauper-bodies which
  could be used for the purposes of animating dead by evil
  priests. The zombies so created were used as slave labor.
  The ordinary folk hated this indignity, of course, and
  many attempted to flee Rauxes to avoid this fate when
  they grew old or suffered from serious illness.
  For those who could afford it, Oltary Park was their
  burial site. The area is filled with underground catacombs
  and crypt complexes, although the number of undead
  here is fewer than one might expect.
  Many people were cremated and buried simply in urns
  set into walls of great crypts, fearing that despite their
  burial payment, their bodies would be stolen and
  animated anyway if still intact. More dangerous are the
  wererats which prowl the crypts from the Undercity,
  looking for any foolish enough to try tomb-robbing (there
  is very little treasure here in any event).
  Above ground, Oltary Park appears innocuous enough,
  with its shrubbery gardens, wooden bench seats, and its
  jalzanda trees which emit a pungent and slightly
  lethargy-inducing perfume from their purple flowers in
  late spring. The exception is the Screaming Column, set in
  the middle of the park.
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  32
  
  The Screaming Column was prepared for traitors and
  others the overking wished to have publicly, and
  especially unpleasantly, punished. It appears as a 30' tall
  column some 8' in diameter, made of red-veined marble-
  like stone. All around the column's circumference, faces
  are frozen in grimaces, screams, and expressions of
  dreadful anguish.
  When a new victim is to be cast into the column, he is
  publicly beheaded (with a blunt axe, often needing two
  or more strikes). The severed head is then magically
  treated by priests of Hextor using a powerful and unique
  enchantment (the unholy bloodshield is vital to this). The
  head then becomes alive, sentient, capable of experienc-
  ing pain. The officiating senior priest then plunges the
  head into the column, where it is frozen into the stony
  mass (not unlike a meld into stone spell).
  The heads so incarcerated are but driven mad by
  malign magic on the column. If any spell such as ESP or
  speak with dead is used, the spellcaster has a 25% chance of
  becoming insane immediately; the heads cannot be resur-
  rected. Horribly, the unholy bloodshield can also be used
  to stimulate the column for a period of 2d6 minutes once
  per week, so that the entire structure is filled with writh-
  ing, screaming, gibbering faces. Simply witnessing this
  does wonders for discouraging treason among the people
  of Rauxes.
  20. Zelizar's House
  This house of ill repute has become debauched to an
  appalling degree. Its most notable resident, a semi-
  permanent guest, is Prince Ishainken of Naelax. A major
  landholder in the lands north of the Imeda east of
  Rauxes, Ishainken is important because his lands supply
  more than over half the food which keeps Rauxes from
  starvation and utter collapse. Ishainken is a jaded,
  warped, half-deranged wretch who barely cares whether
  he lives or dies; he's simply here to see the last act of the
  tragedy of Naelax played out.
  From his point of view, the best way to do this is by
  indulging himself to the utmost.
  Ishainken's money, and that of a handful of degenerate
  Rauxes merchants with some resources left, keeps
  Zelizar's establishment going. Somehow, the proprietor
  manages to stock a good supply of powerful liquor,
  addictive substances of various kinds, depraved and
  mostly-diseased doxies, and wretches who fight to the
  death in the gladiatorial pit in the cellars.
  From time to time, a polymorphed fiend might enjoy a
  little voyeurism here, and a priest of Hextor or one of
  Rauxes's few remaining mages could attend for some
  particular indulgence.
  In addition to the dubious pleasure of meeting such
  folk, Ishainken is not without interest; he knows some
  hidden secrets concerning the Naelax bloodline. Specifi-
  cally, he has carefully concealed at his home castle a text
  written by Xaene himself. It states that Ivid V was not the
  biological son of Ivid IV, but rather the son of a union
  between a tanar'ri and an enchantress. While the claim
  may be wholly false, the individual who owned the other
  copy was pursued for years by Ivid's agents and finally
  slain (Stankaster of Stankaster's Tower; see From The
  Ashes, Campaign Book).
  Ivid is unaware that any other copy of this text exists.
  Ishainken isn't sure what value it may prove to have, but
  he considers that if and when it is the right time to back a
  claimant to the throne, this book might prove very useful.
  21. Halfhigh's Mead and Ale
  Halfhigh—a male halfling—still somehow manages to
  provide decent refreshment for those who can afford it.
  That he has survived is due simply to the fact that he
  provisions the palace and provides kegs of a dark, porter
  beer of which Ivid is especially fond.  Halfhigh always
  drinks a sample of each keg before Ivid, to demonstrate
  that it is not poisoned. The halfling is terrified, of course,
  but he is no faithful servant of the overking. Should
  anyone be able to smuggle him out of Rauxes, he could
  give a very accurate account of the internal layout of the
  palace—since he not only delivers beer there, but has on
  occasion cooked for royal banquets and the like and has
  thus seen many areas of the palace interior.
  22. Erthara's Boarding House
  This is almost the only general boarding hostelry where
  residents can hope to be free of harassment and spying by
  the Town Guard. Erthara is generally thought to have
  some embarrassing inside information on some of the
  Captains of the Guard, and is left alone as a result. An
  accomplished thief and poisoner, Erthara is a senior
  member of the Thieves' Guild, and guild members hold
  meetings in her cellars from time to time. Her clientele is
  varied, with most having a vested interest in keeping out
  of sight of the Town Guard. Thieves, exiles from Medegia
  and North Province, mercenaries trying to avoid
  conscription into Ivid's armies, and others can be found
  here. Particularly because of the exiles here, this is a good
  place to learn of events beyond the city walls.
  23. The Imperial
  This grand theater, though its grandeur is fading as gilt
  peels from its interior decor, still survives because of
  Ivid's patronage. Once every two weeks or so, the overk-
  ing sits, wearing his mask, in his private box to watch the
  resident theatrical troupe re-enact Ivid's great victories as
  statesman and soldier. Their Villainies of Nyrond was
  especially well-received by His Celestial Transcendency.
  The theater is perforce attended by all Ivid's lackeys
  when he goes there (potentially leaving the palace
  vulnerable to a sneak entry, though the guards outside
  are formidable enough). And a full house is guaranteed at
  such times. Anyone entering knows well enough to cheer
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  33
  
  the overking madly when he makes his entrance, during
  the intermission between acts, and as he leaves.
  The dubious delights of attending these performances
  are enlivened by Ivid's occasional commands to execute
  performers he doesn't care for, which are carried out on
  the spot. The night is further sparked by well-intended,
  but hopeless assassination attempts against Ivid—the last,
  in Patchwall, being made by three thieves armed with
  glass globes of dust of sneezing and choking which only
  succeeded in killing 50 or so of Ivid's Imperial Regulars in
  the stalls.
  24. The Golden Grain Tavern
  This innocuous-looking place is of note only because it
  is as close to a mage's guild as Rauxes has. Most mages of
  any stature not compelled to serve Ivid have long ago
  fled, and the few who remain use this as a meeting
  place—though they protect themselves with mundane
  and magical disguises and guard their meets with
  homunculi, invisible stalkers, and other magical servitors.
  If there is any magical sedition in Rauxes, this is the
  place to find it.
  25. The Red Dragon
  This tavern has been appropriated by Prince Zamasken
  of Naelax, who simply marched in with his retinue of
  warriors, slew everyone in the place, and took it over.
  Zamasken is an animus with the abilities of a 15th-level
  fighter, and he appears still to serve his cousin, the overk-
  ing. If Zamasken hates his cousin as so many animuses
  do, he controls this hatred brilliantly.
  Zamasken's 50 elite warriors (levels 4-9) bristle with
  magical armors and weaponry, with their leader owning
  a broadsword +3, frost brand and a shield +5. Their shields
  are embossed with a sinister variant of the heraldry of the
  Great Kingdom, with a skeletal dragon atop the usual
  symbol.
  It is whispered that a priest of Nerull is among Zamas-
  ken's men, and that bodies have been sealed in crates
  below the Red Dragon and shipped out of the city to
  Zamasken's lands northwest of Rauxes. This may be just a
  tall story. For the most part, Zamasken and his men stay
  holed up within the Red Dragon, and if a few people
  disappear from the vicinity and screams of torment are
  heard from the building at night; well, this is nothing
  unusual in Rauxes.
  More startling are the frequent reports of huge
  creatures the size of mobats, which fly down to the roof
  of the building some nights. They appear to meld into the
  roof tiles and sink down into the tavern.
  26. Jipzinker's House
  This ordinary-looking dwelling is home to a "sage";
  actually a priest of Nerull, the grim-faced and malodor-
  ous Jipzinker. This man is a priest of Nerull, and as a
  preceptor of Midnight Darkness he and the three
  Midnight Darkness assassins (two human thieves and a
  half-elven mage-thief) beneath his roof still seek out
  targets in Rauxes for assassination. They keep careful
  watch on Ertharah's boarding house, and they have a
  network of informants among the Town Guard and
  elsewhere. The few sewer workers left, street kids, and
  the wretches of the eastern tenements alert them to any
  suspicious individual.
  This group, having had no communication from the
  Hidden Sickle for about three months, is beginning to
  degenerate into killing for the sake of it. And since their
  funds grow low, they must perforce slay to replenish
  their coffers.
  Jipzinker keeps a meticulous listing of the operations of
  the cell, which would, obviously, be of considerable inter-
  est to many individuals. He also maintains records
  concerning the actions of the Valorous League of Blind-
  ness in Nyrond—from messages sent by a spy there. The
  identity of that spy would be of great interest to many.
  Apart from these four people, the greatest danger
  comes from three especially tough ju-ju zombie guards
  within the house, the touch of which paralyzes the victim
  for 3d4 rounds unless a saving throw is made to negate
  this effect.
  27. The Royal Guild of Merchants
  This relatively small building is the old meeting place
  for members of the guild, and is currently staffed by only
  a handful of minions save for Deputy Guildmaster
  Robann Peniaden. While, from time to time, Ivid issues
  decrees forbidding usury and the like, the Town Guard
  know well enough that they might be closer to starvation,
  or walking around in rags, but for the few remaining
  merchants bringing food and cloth to Rauxes. So they
  leave the Guild hall well alone.
  Robann is a worldly man who is extremely careful who
  he talks to and what he says. He needs absolute proof
  someone is not a spy for Ivid before he will give anything
  away. He is well-versed in the real state of affairs around
  the lands of Aerdy, from accounts given by merchants
  visiting the capital. Having lived in Rauxes for 22 of his
  40 years, he also knows the layout of the city very well.
  This is an obvious first contact for PCs sent on any kind
  of mission, or adventure, to Rauxes. But the PCs will have
  to prove their trustworthiness to Robann before he will
  divulge anything—and he always wants good payment
  for his help.
  City Areas
  28. Militia Buildings
  This area of the city—separately walled off with its own
  guard posts—houses 200 Imperial Regular infantry and
  800 orc soldiers, and also has some supply and storage
  buildings.
  The orcs have poor morale and are the remnants of
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  34
  
  army units mostly destroyed in Nyrond and Almor; they
  have not been effectively reorganized. Priests of Hextor
  do their best to command them, but many orcs escape
  through the Undercity and hide in the tenements around
  Viper Row, from where they ambush any who enter.
  29. The Viper Tenements
  The houses between Viper Row and Watch Lane (and
  also eastward across Watch Lane) are especially decrepit
  and many are half-collapsed, with their cellars and
  basements flooded or at best half-filled with foul,
  stagnant water, sewage, vermin and the like. Perhaps as
  many as 500 wretches live here. They are orc soldiers
  escaped from their barracks, beggars, people dying of
  disease, those hunted by Town Guard, and others in
  similarly dreadful predicaments. No militia enter this
  area; the risk of disease is simply too great. Because of the
  water-sodden conditions of so much of the area, two
  attempts at burning it down have failed (and the risk of
  the fire spreading elsewhere in the city has mitigated
  against any further attempts).
  The current plan is to use massed ranks of zombies to
  murder the occupants, although a first attempt at this
  failed in part because of the stupidity of the undead and
  their inability to traverse obstacles effectively.
  Those exiled here are desperate enough to attack
  anyone and anything entering—and their blows, by
  weapon or just fists and bites, are 25% likely to cause
  disease. That this area hasn't been entirely decimated by
  disease might cause some to wonder, not least because
  diseased bodies are not found lying in the streets and
  brick-strewn back alleyways of this area.
  In fact, a young priest of Pholtus hides out in a dry
  basement within this area, curing disease for all he can. He
  tries to convert as many as he can to the One True Faith.
  While he has little success with that, the wretches here are
  grateful to him for their lives. They don't inform the
  authorities about him for the simple reason that only
  people utterly terrified of summary execution by those
  authorities come to live here.
  The priest, Elliast Moroneth, dreams of escape to the
  Theocracy of the Pale, and he has some information he
  could barter to anyone prepared to get him out and take
  him there; see his profile details below.
  30. The Eastern Slums
  The buildings here are small, cramped, built one on top
  of another in an urban sprawl which guarantees the
  spread of disease and infection. The roofed-over alley-
  ways are a haven of darkness for thieves and assassins.
  The lucky folk here sleep two or three in a room, paying a
  copper or two for a night's rest. Unlucky ones sleep out in
  the open on roofs, in hammocks slung across alleyways,
  and even in doorways. Of course, this makes them easy
  prey for creatures of the night, but there are none to miss
  them should they vanish.
  Every morning, at dawn, large detachments of Town
  Guard prowl these slums, dragging off all the able-
  bodied men and women they can find for work around
  the city. Pitiful attempts to repair crumbling buildings,
  clean stonework, and bale out sewage-filled basements
  are the usual tasks.
  31. Artisans' Dwellings
  The artisans of Rauxes have done their best to flee just
  as most merchants did. But many who provide necessary
  services for the troops here, blacksmiths, tanners, and
  bowyers, were placed under virtual house arrest and
  could not get away in time after the outbreak of war.
  A small detachment of Town Guard outside a dwelling
  in this area guarantees that the occupant follows a trade
  necessary to the militia here. Other houses nearby are
  often abandoned, occupied by middling officers in the
  Town Guard, or are simply avoided because they are
  structurally unsound.
  32. Noble Dwellings
  The area between North Gate and Strikers' Lane has the
  greatest concentration of noble mansions, each with
  smaller houses for servants dotted around. The handful
  of remaining merchant-princes, none of political note,
  who are still within Rauxes can be found here—as can be
  a couple of very distant princeling-cousins of the overk-
  ing who live behind shuttered windows and bolted
  doors. The princelings are terrified that Ivid will remem-
  ber they are within his city. These minor nobility hail
  from lands on the eastern edge of the Adri Forest and
  south of Delaric, and while they have little money left
  they will certainly offer to pay rescuers well for getting
  them out of Rauxes and back home.
  In 
  other, 
  abandoned, 
  houses, 
  most 
  has 
  been
  looted—usually by Town Guard who arrested nobles for
  treason on Ivid's orders and then confiscated their
  property. However, the occasional exception might be
  found, where a venturesome thief might find some
  carefully-hidden item of jewelry (stashed for a last bribe),
  a diary or account of people and times in Rauxes. For PCs
  who want to get down to some thievery in Rauxes, this
  area offers the best chances.
  The Undercity
  This is deliberately unmapped, to allow the DM complete
  freedom to design it as he chooses. The Undercity is
  composed of city sewers, which lead by a long outflow to
  a network of cesspits and by another to the Flanmi just
  before it joins with the Imeda. There are burial chambers,
  basements and cellars, and even dungeons and private
  jails (and the base of one or two wizard's towers, too).
  However, access through the Undercity to major
  locations (notably the royal palace) is either non-existent
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  35
  
  or else fraught with danger and actually designed as
  traps.
  For the DM wishing to map some of the Undercity, PCs
  might learn of some dangers there through rumors in
  Rauxes. Wererats are the most numerous menace, and
  there are no few diseased zombies which have lurched
  out of the control of evil priests and which wander
  aimlessly there.
  Slimes, molds and oozes are commonplace. The
  occasional otyugh, escaped from some princeling's
  private sewage-disposal system, sloshes around in the
  sewers. Fiends are said to stalk there from time to time,
  but this is in fact very rare.
  Among other dangers that exist, but which PCs are
  most unlikely to hear about from any rumor, are a pair of
  marids magically imprisoned beneath the tower of a
  long-fled wizard. Their confinement has enraged them to
  the point where they will attack anyone entering their
  bounded area. They guard a staff of power (crafted to be
  usable by wizards of chaotic alignments only) in the
  wizard's cellars, which are also packed with magical
  traps and watery magics. Water weirds, a water elemen-
  tal, and more lurk inside.
   However, even the marids are small beer compared to
  Xaene, the ex-court mage, now a two-headed lich dwell-
  ing in the Undercity, biding his time. What Xaene's plans
  are, Istus alone knows.
  Why Come to Rauxes?
  Given the sheer hellishness of Rauxes, one might wonder
  why any PCs would wish to go there.
  The chapter, Whispers and Ventures, lists many
  adventures and scenarios set in Rauxes, or adventures
  involving a visit to this awful city. The location key above
  also refers to many individuals desperate to escape the
  city, and to treasures and information dotted around in
  hidden and/or guarded locations.
  The DM will have to strongarm PCs to enter here,
  however, so as a general rule for any adventure involving
  entering the city the DM should make sure that the PCs
  need some person, item, or information which cannot be
  acquired in any other way.
  Fate of the Overking
  It is certain that Ivid's disease will kill him, but this will
  take longer than many think. Ivid will probably survive
  for at least another year of game time, and when he does
  die Karoolck and Baalzephon will certainly not allow this
  fact to be known. Attempts will be made to employ the
  same magic used in the creation of animuses to revivify
  Ivid as some form of Undead.
  If this fails, Karoolck and Baalzephon will do their best
  to maintain the pretense that Ivid is still alive for as long
  as they can. After all, very few other people actually see
  Ivid. And since he is always masked, an impostor could
  continue to occupy the malachite throne at least for a
  time.
  Karoolck and Baalzephon would then look for another
  pawn, a scion of Naelax they could control in the same
  way as they currently control Ivid. Which candidate they
  would pick is uncertain. One of the animus sons of Ivid
  might be a possibility, but so might the powerful Prince
  Strychan of Dustbridge. Only time will tell.
  Personalities of Rauxes
  Darlack Ruhick, Commander of the Companion
  Guard: 16th-level fighter (Str 18/81, Dex 17, Con 17, Wis
  17). AC -3 (fiend armor +3, plate version, shield not used),
  hp 112, AL LE. Ruhick employs a two-handed sword +4
  which does double damage (2d10+8/6d6+8) against
  creatures of good alignment, and owns a composite
  longbow +2 together with a quiver of sheaf arrows +2 and
  arrows of slaying (one each for good-aligned priests,
  mages, and warriors, and one for any good-aligned
  "faerie" being). He rides a huge heavy roan warhorse with
  horseshoes of a zephyr. Ruhick is 32, a Princeling of Naelax,
  commander of the guard since the Pact of Greyhawk was
  signed. Tall at 6' 4", the black-haired man has a perma-
  nently jaundiced complexion and suffers periodic
  outbreaks of sores over his back and shoulders, which are
  horribly painful. The similarity to Ivid's skin lesions does
  not go unnoticed.
  Ruhick oversees security at the palace together with
  Karoolck. Ruhick is greatly feared on account of his cold,
  controlled sadism; he has thrown in his lot with Ivid
  because he reasons (correctly) that if Ivid falls, his life
  won't be worth a copper common. However, if he could
  be assured safe haven outside Rauxes, it is not impossible
  that he might become a turncoat. He is a clever, though
  not creative, military commander, leading an elite pursuit
  squad of a dozen cavalry all of whose stallions have the
  same magical horseshoes as his own mount. Dispatched
  rarely, this squad has a superb record for bringing back
  those who have managed to flee Rauxes for suitable
  punishment.
  Elliast Moroneth: 6th-level priest of Pholtus (Wis 17,
  Cha 15). AC 3 (chain mail +1), hp 30, AL LG. Elliast is a
  mere 22 years old, 5' 9", with sandy-blond hair and light
  hazel eyes. Elliast cares for the wretches of the Viper
  Tenements, curing disease both by spell and by virtue of
  an otherwise humble mace +1 which has this power once
  a week. He has no illusions about his sermons; he knows
  few will convert. Still, he is moved by a sense of pity for
  those he sees around him.
  Elliast is quite a simple soul, one of the few of the
  Pholtus priests to escape their doom here. But he isn't
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  36
  
  easily deceived. He is wary of any who offer him help,
  fearing imperial spies. Elliast has extensive maps of the
  Undercity, and he knows a handful of other good-aligned
  refugees who manage to hide out in abandoned houses,
  disguise themselves in the slums, or in the Undercity. The
  DM should consider what he wants these contacts to
  be—perhaps a sage or two, a low-level priest of another
  good-aligned power, or a mid-level mage and his appren-
  tice hiding from Karoolck. A mage would need an amulet
  of proof against detection and location to stay hidden from
  the archmage.
  Rauxes is unlikely to have any active resistance
  network, but a token network could make for interesting
  adventuring. Elliast would love to escape and head for
  the Theocracy, but he would want to do what he could
  for the wretches of the Viper Tenements first.
  Erthara (Kallarn): 9th-level thief (Con 16, Dex 17, Int
  16). AC 1 (bracers of defense AC 3), hp 48, AL CN. Small at
  5' 1" and slender of build, Erthara (almost always known
  by her first name alone) is 37 years old, with long wavy
  auburn hair and hazel eyes. She owns a short sword +3, a
  blowgun +2 with abundant venom of various types, and a
  ring of free action and a ring of invisibility. Erthara's father
  is a captain among the Sea Barons, and she still manages
  to get some goods smuggled into Rauxes through that
  route and via Roland. She has to pay the Town Guard,
  but she can afford that from her looting of many nobles'
  houses in the past.
  Erthara is an important council member of the Thieves'
  Guild (long driven underground by Ivid). The other
  council members are Inkeren Kalarn (a distant cousin;
  12th-level thief), Flandar Llanderen (11th level), and
  Pitchain Delarenden (8th-level); they are of evil
  alignments.
  Erthara is a good "street level" contact within Rauxes.
  She has maps of Undercity areas and knows the patrol
  times of the Town Guard in various sections of Rauxes.
  However, she is thoroughly unprincipled, and she is not
  above informing the Town Guard of one or two subver-
  sives from time to time. Dealing with her is safest if one
  can offer some magical aid to disguise her (especially a
  permanent magical item). Such an item would be useful
  for her forays into the city.
  Ishainken, Prince of the House of Naelax: 6th-level
  thief (Dex 17, Int 15). AC -1 (leather armor +3, ring of
  protection +3), hp 28, AL CE. Ishainken is 29, 5' 9", with
  light brown hair and brown eyes; his skin is pitted and
  his lank hair is greasy. Ishainken is utterly nihilistic,
  hateful and spiteful, and wholly unprincipled. Only the
  promise of some more extreme stimulus to jolt his jaded
  system into arousal interests him now. Ishainken's entou-
  rage at Zelizar's house includes half a dozen fighters
  (levels 3-8) and a pair of thieves (levels 5, 8), all of CE
  alignment. The 8th-level thief, Retchen Sobibel, knows
  that Ishainken has documentary evidence which shows
  that Ivid's claim to the malachite throne is in some way
  compromised, 
  and 
  might—if 
  drunk 
  enough—give
  something away on this score. Sobibel doesn't know
  exactly what this is, but he knows Ishainken keeps it
  somewhere in Castle Redegian.
  Ivid V, Overking of Aerdy: Animus with the abilities
  of 7th-level priest/14th-level mage (note: Con 4). AC -4
  (bracers of defense AC 3, ring of protection +5, cloak of
  displacement), hp 33, AL NE. Ivid is biologically 52 years
  of age, although he looks terribly aged now. He has long
  abandoned his service as a priest of Hextor—a profession
  that had been forced on him by his father as a form of
  disciplining. He can no longer use priest spells. His insan-
  ity makes it 25% likely (+1% per level of spell) that his
  wizardly spellcasting attempts will simply fail. Ivid can
  call upon almost any magical items he wishes from the
  imperial treasuries, in addition to his ritual magical items
  and the ring of spell turning he always wears. Ivid's insane
  personality is fully documented above.
  Jipzinker: 12th-level priest of Nerull (Str 15, Wis 16).
  AC 3 (chain mail +2, ring of protection +1), hp 66, AL NE.
  Jipzinker is 33 years old, 6' exactly, with thinning dark
  brown hair and slightly protuberant green eyes. He has a
  slight tremor in his hands and speaks with the hint of a
  stammer. He poses as a one-time dealer in art curios and
  Suloise relics, with sage proficiency in old Suloise legend,
  and he is deliberately inconspicuous in dress and
  behavior.
  Jipzinker has access to many poisons and venoms and
  owns a dagger of venom in addition to boots of striding and
  springing, which are of old Suloise crafting. The boots can
  also cast a fly spell once a day for a one-hour duration.
  Add these to his ring of invisibility, and the man is a
  potent stealthy killer.
  Jipzinker's dilemma is that he has had no orders for
  some time, and his acolyte-assassins are becoming diffi-
  cult to keep in check. Jipzinker may soon start actively
  searching for the identity of other preceptors of Midnight
  Darkness—in addition to Marshevel of Rel Astra, whom
  he strongly dislikes and distrusts. He does not deal with
  Marshevel except when the Hidden Sickle orders him to
  do so. As the DM determines, Jipzinker might have some
  scraps of information that would interest player
  characters.
  A campaign against Midnight Darkness can begin with
  the PCs attempting to locate and rout this dangerous
  priest, and it could end with the PCs either slaying
  Jipzinker and his acolytes, or by following them as they
  travel to locate other cells. The experience levels of
  Jipzinker's acolytes should be tailored to suit such a
  campaign.
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  37
  
  Karoolck, Imperial Court Mage: 19th-level mage (Dex
  16, Con 15, Int 18). AC -9 (bracers of defense AC 2, ring of
  protection +4, cloak of protection +3, fiend circlet), hp 76, AL
  LE. Karoolck is 51 years old, 6' 2", very thin, with black
  hair, brown eyes, and an obvious lack of body hair. His
  limbs are extraordinarily thin, with his forearms no wider
  than his wrists. His hands are long-fingered, and his iron-
  hard nails are an inch in length.
  Karoolck has many magical items within his tower, but
  he always carries a ring of spell turning, a candle of invoca-
  tion (attuned to Baalzephon), a staff of the magi crafted
  from black wood in the form of a skeletal snake, and
  wands of frost and polymorphing.
  Karoolck first contacted a representative of Baalzephon
  when working in the Cauldron of Night.  Baalzephon
  saw the mage as a perfect pawn/intermediary for his
  dealings with Ivid, and a pact was sealed. Karoolck will
  live, not aging, for up to 333 years, and he has "nine
  lives." Should he be slain, Baalzephon will despatch a pit
  fiend to wish Karoolck back to life, up to nine times
  within the 333-year span. In return, the mage's soul
  belongs to Baalzephon, and the wizard must carry out his
  master's will when so instructed in affairs of state.
  Karoolck is vengeful and hateful, and does not forget
  enemies. With eight lives left, he is an enemy PCs will
  likely try to avoid.
  Karoolck is currently researching Ivid's disease, trying
  frantically to find a cure. If he is successful, of course, this
  will radically alter the future of the Great Kingdom, and
  an adventure suitable for high-level PCs would involve
  thwarting Karoolck in this matter. The PCs would have to
  take steps to avoid the archmage learning who they
  are—else his attempt at revenge will be murderously
  powerful.
  Patriarch-General Pyrannden: 17th-level priest (Str 18,
  Con 16, Wis 17). AC 1 (chain mail +4 of fire resistance, ring
  of protection +3, shield not used), hp 77, AL LE. Pyrannden
  is a brute of a man, 6' 2" tall, powerfully built, with dark
  brown hair cropped short and very dark brown eyes.
  Inevitably dressed in his black robes with white skull
  motifs, Pyrannden maintains favor with Ivid because of
  his work in creating animuses and because he knows
  exactly how to tell Ivid what he wants to hear. Pyrann-
  den's political intriguing with Karoolck and the fiend-
  envoys of Baalzephon are wearing him out, as is the Iron
  Schism within his own church. He is 36 years old, but
  looks a good 15 years older.
  At present, Pyrannden supports Ivid for fear of what
  another ruler might do. His orders to his underlings
  within Rauxes are to obey Ivid's decrees absolutely. Patri-
  archs outside Rauxes are expected to obey the local ruler
  of the area they are in, but to avoid any actions directly
  against the overking. Thus, Hextor's priests are told not to
  lead or command armies which plan to strike against the
  imperial forces. Pyrannden is inclined, currently, to
  believe that only the Herzog of North Province can unify
  Aerdy. But there is a complication here. Herzog Grenell
  has a wholly independent church hierarchy in his
  province and has made it plain that he offers, and seeks,
  no alliance with Pyrannden until the Aerdy lands regain
  some kind of order.
  Pyrannden also considers an alliance with Baalzephon
  possible, but he hates and distrusts Karoolck and has not
  dared risk any direct contact with Baalzephon. Karoolck
  has the great advantage that he can gate, but Hextor's
  priests cannot.
  As a reaction to this uncertainty, which makes Pyrann-
  den uncomfortable, he has ordered the priesthood to
  scour the land for whatever magical items they can come
  up with; through looting, exploration, even purchase. By
  hoarding magical relics and items, he hopes to strengthen
  the bargaining position of the church of Hextor with
  whoever becomes the major power-players in the lands.
  Player characters might even find themselves well-paid
  for 
  recovery 
  of 
  some 
  such 
  items, 
  through 
  an
  intermediary. They would not know—until it is too
  late—that they have been working in the service of
  Hextor!
  Rillikandren: 9th-level mage/16th-level High Priest of
  Boccob (Int 18, Wis 18). AC 6 (ring of protection +4), hp 50,
  AL N. Rillikandren is 52, 6', slender of build, with black
  hair turned to white at the temples, a widow's peak, and
  gray eyes. He has an antique Bakluni ring of true seeing, a
  staff of power, and a number of crystal balls of diverse kind
  (with clairaudience, clairvoyance, X-ray vision, etc.). His
  acolytes include an 8th-level mage, a 6th-level priest, and
  a dual-classed 7th-level mage/7th-level priest.
  Rillikandren is a scholar pure and simple, with a
  particular interest in unique magical relics (including
  those owned by the House of Naelax). He is probably the
  foremost authority in the eastern Flanaess on such items.
  However, just about the only way to get him to reveal
  information about the objects is to offer the possibility of
  bringing another one to him (or actually doing so)—even
  if it is only for inspection and study.
  Rillikandren possesses the Book of Hours. This work is
  said to have been traded to a peerless high priest of
  Boccob, Jarnzaydin of Jalpa, by an Avatar of Istus herself.
  It only reveals its contents to a priest of Boccob or Istus of
  16th or higher level. Its pages are said to list the rulers
  and momentous events of Aerdy for many decades into
  the future.
  Stealing it is pointless, since all truly high-level priests
  of Istus and Boccob (the only ones who can read it) would
  know from whom it had been taken. It is a certainty they
  would take steps to return it to its owner. However, there
  are no few mighty men who would seek to destroy the
  book if they knew its contents. From time to time, some
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  38
  
  conjured and commanded fiend, aerial servant, or such
  tries to enter Rillikandren's tower to do exactly this, and
  Karoolck is believed to both hate and fear Rillikandren
  greatly. Yet, the magical protection of the tower easily
  repel such intruders.
  Robann Peniaden: Normal Man (Int 16, Wis 16, Cha
  17), AC 10, hp 4, AL LN. Robann is 40 years old, 5'  6",
  brown-haired, brown-eyed, and pudgy. Robann does his
  best to represent merchants' interests to the Chancellery,
  the Town Guard, and others, and his charisma helps him
  get by. He's a decent, kindly man, genuinely concerned
  for the suffering of the starved and poor in Rauxes, which
  is why he stays, to help supplies of food and clothing get
  into the city. He has maps from old contacts among the
  offices of city planners and architects, and while he won't
  want to know about any plans for subversion, he's
  prepared to help anyone who he believes can help the
  ordinary people of the city.
  Magical Items 
  References have been made above to dark magical items
  supplied by Baalzephon to Ivid, and to unusual magical
  items possessed by some NPCs. The latter are dealt with
  first.
  Fiend Armor
  Worn by more than a dozen commanding officers of the
  Companion Guard and a handful of military leaders
  outside of Rauxes, these are armors forged in hellish fires.
  Chain mail and plate mail versions are known to exist.
  They are wearable only by creatures of LE and NE align-
  ments. Others donning the armor suffers 1d4 points of
  burning damage per round, double this if they are of
  good alignment. Fiend armors are worn by powerful
  warriors in the service of evil masters aligned with
  baatezu.
  Fiend armor is usually of +2 or +3 enchantment. It
  confers the same resistances to attack modes as all
  baatezu possess: half damage from gas and cold attacks,
  and immunity to fire, contact poison, and nonmagical
  iron weapons. The wearer also gains magic resistance
  equal to 2% per experience level and becomes immune to
  magical alignment change. Finally, the wearer can
  animate dead once a week as if an 8th-level priest.
  Fiend Circlet
  A fiend circlet is only given to a spellcaster who has made
  a formal pact of service to a baatezu lord (one of the Dark
  Eight), and are therefore very rare indeed. The wearer
  gains a +2 bonus to AC (if not wearing metal armor), and
  the resistances to attack forms and magical alignment
  change as per fiend armor. The following powers each
  can be cast from a fiend circlet, three times a week:
  advanced illusion, animate dead, charm person, infravision,
  know alignment, suggestion.
  Dark Artifacts
  The malachite throne and the unholy bloodshield are two
  of a number of magical artifacts possessed by the overk-
  ing and those serving him. Such malign magics are either
  crafted with the aid of fiends, or have been revealed to
  the overking and his mages through the guidance of
  baatezu. A third example is the spear of sorrow, held by
  General Kalreth at Permanence. Other gazetteer chapters
  note one or two other such artifacts, and the magical sites
  (such as the Cauldron of Night and the Causeway of
  Fiends) from which they have been taken or crafted.
  The DM is at liberty to craft additional artifacts as he
  wishes, using the ones described in this book as a bench-
  mark. Other artifacts should not be overpowering,
  however, and they will only be held by rulers, priests, or
  mages of great power.
  The Fiend-Knights
  The Fiend-Knights of Doom are an elite squad of warriors
  created from normal men by spellcraft on the part of both
  Ivid V himself, and Xaene, and also using mind-
  controlling magics crafted from baatezu relics. These
  servants are utterly, mindlessly loyal to the overking.
  Their statistics are:
  ORGANIZATION: Group
  ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any (do not need food or rest)
  DIET: Do not require food
  INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12), rarely higher
  TREASURE: Nil
  ALIGNMENT: Any evil
  NO. APPEARING: Variable
  ARMOR CLASS: 10 (unarmored), see below
  MOVEMENT: 12, 24 mounted
  HIT DICE: 4d10 - 9d10+
  THAC0: Variable
  DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3 or better
  SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
  SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to sleep, charm, hold
  spells and illusion/phantasm spells below 4th level
  MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
  SIZE: M (6'+)
  MORALE: Fearless (20)
  XP VALUE: Variable
  Fiend-knights have the same number of hit dice as they
  had levels when mortal fighters. For example, a 5th level
  fighter would become a 5 HD fiend-knight. Nearly all of
  the fiend-knights are 10th level or below, with three
  exceptions—leaders of 11, 12, and 15 HD. These three
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  39
  
  leaders, and some dozen others, wear fiend armor +3
  (plate mail). Others are 5% per level likely to wear
  magical plate mail (roll 1d10: 1-8, plate mail +1, 9, plate
  mail +2, 10, plate mail +3), else nonmagical plate. Fiend-
  knights always employ two-handed weapons, usually
  two-handed swords, and also composite longbows.
  Again, they are 5% per level likely to have magical
  weapons (roll as above, independently for each weapon
  type). Leaders always possess such items, and the 11+
  HD leaders all possess powerful ones: a sword of cold +3;
  two-handed sword; and a two-handed sword +3, giant
  slayer.
  The fiend-knights have high ability scores. All possess
  Strength scores of 18/01 or better, and have minimum
  Dexterity and Constitution scores of 15. No ability ever
  has a score below 9.
  The current composition of the fiend-knights, in
  addition to their leaders, is:
  Approximately 80 cavalry, 20 of whom ride undead
  steeds (treat as heavy warhorses with immunity to sleep,
  charm and hold spells), the other 60 riding normal heavy
  warhorses. These troops have heavy lances, again with a
  5% chance per level for a magical lance, and they employ
  footman's flails in addition to two-handed weapons.
  There are 120 heavy infantry, each of whom possesses
  long spears and a variety of pole arms in addition to
  other weaponry. They have a 2% chance per level for a
  magical pole arm.
  As  currently organized, the fiend-knights wear gold
  visors and have a heraldic emblem etched on to their
  armor over the heart. For cavalry, this is a tan horse, and
  for infantry it is a bronze baboon. The infantry are known
  as "The Howlers," for when they go into combat they
  howl and scream, hoping to strike fear into the hearts of
  their enemies.
  Fiend-knights are not undead, and have none of the
  weaknesses of such (cannot be turned, etc.). They are
  simply wholly controlled humans, created by a precursor
  of the malign rituals which brought the animus to Oerth.
  The unfeeling nature of these fiend-knights, their insensi-
  bility to pain, and their "programmed" nature, make them
  alien and feared by all. Other of Ivid's troops hate and
  fear them, and loathe having to serve with them.
  Beyond The Capital
  From Rauxes, troops and tax collecting militia have
  control over an area within a day's ride (one hex) and
  westward to Rifter. In a strip of land north of the Imeda,
  extending some 20 miles north and to within 20 miles of
  Grelden to the east and almost to Paralad, the excellent
  farmlands are owned by Prince Ishainken. Elsewhere, the
  lands are a patchwork quilt of Ivid's own lands, royal
  trust lands, and smallholdings by minor Naelax Princes.
  Royal trust lands are administered by Protectors.
  Outside of major settlements, hamlets and large
  farmsteads are "protected" by prowling bands of militia.
  In trust lands, or Ivid's own landholdings, these are the
  King's Own Regulars; elsewhere, they are soldiery of the
  local landholder. The Naelax princelings obey the overk-
  ing's troops when they visit, but they give no active
  support to the overking. They have their own petty
  squabbles in addition.
  These militia are supposed to protect farmers, keeping
  bandits and mutinous soldiers at bay, and to extract
  appropriate taxes, tithes, and tolls on the dirawaen roads
  to Delaric and Roland. They generally do so, but in some
  areas the local rulers are uncaring, and the militia extract
  whatever monies and goods they can from those passing
  through—unless the passersby have guards and fighters
  of their own.
  In Ishainken's lands, the militia are virtually autono-
  mous given that their liege is almost always absent. They
  even fight among themselves for the privilege of raiding a
  farmstead or merchant when the opportunity arises.
  Rarely, a squad of Companion Guard may ride from
  Rauxes to inspect these lands and quell such mutinous
  behavior, and for a short time afterward order may be
  restored.
  The northern trade road to Delaric is little traveled
  now, though trade from Roland along the dirawaen road
  to Grelden (and downriver by barge to Orred, then on to
  Rauxes and also south to Jalpa and Torrich) is still a vital
  artery of supplies. Ores, salted fish, treated woods and
  ropes, and other goods flow to Rauxes. But as the coin of
  the capital declines, so will this trade.
  Locations and Settlements
  Castle Redegian
  This is the family home of Prince Ishaiken of Naelax.
  Administered by his castellan Xeriquan in his absence, it
  is a forbidding, inhospitable place. Those approaching are
  routinely fired on by the castle's expert longbowmen.
  There are anchorages along the Imeda here for barges to
  stop over by night, but such is the reputation of the castle
  that few rivermen do this now. Among the castle's men is
  a 
  rarity—the 
  dwarf 
  stonemason 
  Walgrun
  Axebeard—who has built some unusual defenses into the
  castle. These consist of a dual exterior wall with collaps-
  ing sections, swivelling spike stoned tower battlements,
  and carefully hidden hammering and pummelling
  devices. The castle also has a teleporter system between its
  three towers and its great central keep, and a system of
  magical elevator rooms.
  Karellford
  This village of 600 souls was once an important, if small,
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  40
  
  trading post for the fruits of the eastern Grandwood
  forest and for goods headed south from Eastfair and
  Delaric. Goods were then taken on to Rauxes and also
  used for provisioning The Phalanx.
  Karellford was appropriated as a Royal protectorate
  under Ivid IV's ownership some 50 years ago in response
  to a trumped-up charge of treason against the local
  landowner, a mage. The mage was publicly burned, but
  not before he issued an appalling curse on his
  executioners.
  The curse appears to have had some effect. Within a
  year, four of the Companion Guard who had stood beside
  the pyre died in "accidents." The next year, the Flanmi
  flooded and the fields around Karellford sprouted a
  growth of poisonous blue algae which rendered large
  swathes of good land infertile for many years. Local folk
  learned that the bite of a rat, ferret, or similar animal was
  almost always fatal. Domestic animals sometimes broke
  out into paroxysms of inexplicable violence, or else they
  wasted away and died. Stillbirths and premature deaths
  became increasingly common.
  Despite an attempt at a ritual cleansing and lifting of
  the curse by a priest of Pholtus, these effects did not
  entirely abate, and in the past 30 years the population
  here has fallen from 1,200 to its present number. It is not
  just the decline of trade which gives this place its air of
  gloomy 
  resignation. 
  The 
  local 
  administrator,
  Branwenden, tries his best to cow and beat the villagers
  into sullen servitude. However, lately he has developed a
  severe neuralgia and a paralysis of the right side of his
  body. Even he fears to explore what might lie below the
  long-burned ruins of the mage's cottage and tower.
  Paralad
  Paralad's 800 folk suffer the rule of the appalling Count
  Mardral Ishenvan. Mardral is one of Ivid's botched
  attempts at creating an animus; one of the initial guinea-
  pigs when the process had not been perfected. Unfortu-
  nately, Mardral's mind was shattered, and he is virtually
  autistic. In his fortified mansion house north of the
  village, Mardral has a huge tabletop model of Paralad
  and tiny stick figures of everyone living there. These
  enable him to re-enact battles he has taken part in (very
  few) or heard of. The majority of figures represent the
  local villagers.
  Unfortunately, during these battles some of the figures
  break. When one does, Mardral at once orders the execu-
  tion of the villager represented by the figure. His troops
  try their best not to carry these orders out, since
  sometimes the victims are their relatives, but of late
  Mardral has ordered the victims brought to him so that
  he can see that they are executed in the right way. Horri-
  bly, Mardral has them tied to great wooden stakes which
  are then smashed in exactly the same way as the stick
  models were. As a result, many villagers already have
  fled, and half of Mardral's troops have deserted also. The
  rest only remain out of fear, or until they have acquired
  enough gold to pay for a berth on a barge headed far
  away—to Jalpa, perhaps, or to Sarndt and on to Nulbish.
  Visitors (save for rivermen) had best beware: the
  soldiers here are desperate to rob anyone with significant
  amounts of money. If Mardral should espy the visitors,
  he will regard them as an invading army and construct
  stick models of them for his stick villagers to fight. He
  might order his own troops to round up such intruders
  and visit his home to play wargames with him. If he
  loses, he will sweep the figures from his table in a rage. If
  any figures representing the PCs are broken, Mardral will
  expect that the PCs in question offer themselves up for
  execution as a matter of etiquette.
  DM Note: Mardral has the profile of an animus, save
  that he lacks the special powers of regeneration, command,
  fear, and has but a 17 Strength. He suffers triple damage
  from any silvered weapon which successfully strikes
  him—a side-effect of what was done to him.
  Orred
  Orred is a town of major strategic importance. It is a
  natural trading-place, lying at the fork of the Flanmi-
  Imeda river system, and it has extensive wharves and
  warehouses. Orred lies on the Windmarch, with a tradi-
  tional grand fair during the second week of Goodmonth.
  Its normal population of 5,500 usually triples during that
  time.
  Orred has a garrison of 400 infantry and 100 cavalry in
  the service of Prince Lugrand of Naelax, who also owns
  the farmlands between the rivers for some eight miles
  northward. Lugrand is a cowardly, inept ruler who
  grovels to the overking's tax gatherers, but who has
  managed to prevent too many townspeople being
  conscripted into armies.
  Orred has a bad reputation as a town beset by disease,
  plague, flooding and general infirmity, but this is actually
  just a feint on Lugrand's part to keep his people in the
  town. He doesn't care about them as people of course, he
  just wants to keep the tax and tithe revenues rolling into
  his own coffers. Nonetheless, the townsfolk think well of
  him because of his cunning.
  Orred has a powerful thieves' guild and a deserved
  reputation for lax law enforcement. Life is cheap in the
  dock quarter of town, and even with the reduced volume
  of trade flowing through it now, men fight and murder to
  take their share of black market trade, contraband goods
  brought down from Smuggler's Walk or from Pardue and
  the south. Almost anything can be bought here if one has
  the money.
  Orred has one special architectural feature of note.
  In the declining years of the House of Rax, local nobles
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  41
  
  created statues of themselves for a competition held every
  five years, judged by the overking. To win the competi-
  tion was deemed important, because it was thought to be
  an indication not that the statue was necessarily much
  good but, rather, that one was in the overking's favor.
  Over the decades, nobles began to make statues which
  came more and more to resemble a hybrid between
  themselves and an idealized image of the overking,
  hoping to curry favor.
  Along Statuary Row, there are more than a hundred of
  these statues (mostly weathered bronze), growing more
  and more affected and postured as one moves along. A
  young mage placed magic mouths on some of them,
  generally inviting youthful maidens to remove personal
  garments as they pass by.
  Statuary Row is, however, an important public
  meeting-place for making contacts with merchants, river-
  men, and thieves for black market dealings over a mug of
  the fine local ale, seated in the shade of the trees which
  line the broad boulevard.
  The Phalanx
  These stone keeps command lands owned by Ivid, which
  extend 20 to 30 miles south of the Flanmi. They are
  occupied by garrisons of 50-100 of the King's Own
  Regulars, and discipline in most of them is good.
  However, the two easternmost keeps have rather unusual
  problems.
  In the keep on the bend of the Flanmi, Ivid ordered the
  previous garrison leader executed for an imagined
  treason and signed an imperial edict to place another in
  charge. Unfortunately, Ivid's deranged scrawl was
  mis-read by the acting garrison commander (who could
  barely read anyway). He thought that the name was that
  of Connsor, a famous imbecile-jester the troops had
  mocked for years. Daring to make enquiries of the palace
  authorities, the acting commander was thrown out with a
  furious yell of, "if that's who it says, then it's he who
  should be in command—not you, you oaf!"
  As a result, Connsor the Wise (as he styles himself) now
  administers this keep, to the stunned incredulity of every-
  one there. Connsor recently proclaimed such feast days as
  The Feast of the Celestial Chicken, and The Feast of the
  Trout-Tickling Harbinger of Doom. However, one thing
  which can be said for Eel-Handler Keep (as it has been
  proclaimed), is that no one gets executed there, and the
  troops don't suffer the regular floggings that Connsor's
  predecessor meted out. So they are getting used to it.
  Some wonder whether perhaps Connsor is an insane
  close relative of Ivid. Indeed, Connsor hints at this from
  time to time. He may be mad, but he's no fool, and he
  knows when he's on to a good thing.
  The situation at the next keep is much worse, again due
  to mistaken orders. A spinagon baatezu was commanded
  by Karoolck to convey a magical wand of unique design
  to the safekeeping of the senior priest of Hextor here. The
  baatezu misunderstood its orders and used the item to
  slay the priest and all but a half-dozen of the castle
  troops. The keep is thus deserted and no troops will enter
  it if they know anything of events there—even on pain of
  death. Leprous, bloated corpses floated down the Flanmi
  for weeks after the baatezu's orgy of slaying. Worse still,
  the disease- and death- dealing wand is somewhere
  within the keep, for the baatezu never returned.
  Stinking yellow fogs and an orange scum floating
  downriver from this keep have been sighted during the
  winter months, and white-faced troops and farmers have
  reported seeing misty wolves as white as ice padding
  silently around the river bank and keep. Even a detach-
  ment of eight Companion Guard who entered in Patch-
  wall did not return from their investigations. Some
  whisper that the keep must have been built on the sacred
  site of the Ur-Flannae, and that some ancient curse has
  been revivified by the bloodshed.
  Rifter
  Powerfully reinforced with 80-foot walls surrounding the
  keep, mighty ballista platforms atop it, and many magical
  defenses against intrusion and magical assault built into
  its walls, Rifter is a truly imposing structure. It was built
  by Ivid II at a time when he felt the need for an impregna-
  ble "bunker" retreat if he was ever faced with the need to
  evacuate Rauxes. This was at a time when the overking
  was especially paranoid, even by Naelax standards. This
  keep is manned by 200 elite soldiers of Imperial Regulars
  and a detachment of 20 Companion Guard, with 15 fiend-
  knights protecting the dungeons below the keep should
  Ivid ever have to retreat there. It is whispered that a
  sphere of annihilation controllable only by Ivid himself is
  kept as an ultimate weapon within these dungeons.
  Rifter also houses the war apparatus known as the
  machine of Lum the Mad. This artifact appears as a siege
  tower of no great size, but has an extraordinary range of
  magical powers (including chain lightning, fire storm,
  meteor swarm, transmute rock to mud, etc.) It only can be
  operated by a mage of at least 16th level with an 18 or
  higher Intelligence. Unfortunately, the last wizard to
  know the full range of command words for activating the
  many levers, switches and dials within this construct was
  Xaene, and now only some half of the functions can be
  used. An expert (16th level) diviner, Anaranth is currently
  researching the artifact.
  Finally, Rifter takes its name from its construction
  within a half-mile of a narrow (10' across, 25' long) rift in
  the earth which appears to descend for miles, although it
  is always smoke-filled and magical scrying does not
  reveal what lies below. A permanent prismatic sphere has
  been placed above it to prevent anything emerging. One
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  42
  
  might wonder why anyone should wish to build a keep
  so close to such a hazard. The answer is that with halluci-
  natory terrain to disguise it, and spells such as telekinesis to
  propel siege engines and people into it should Rifter be
  besieged, was deemed a very useful feature by the mage-
  architect who advised Ivid III on the best site to construct
  this place.
  Triumph/Wendarn
  The absurdly-named castle, Triumph, is of very recent
  construction. There are stone quarries nearby, and Ivid
  commanded slave laborers, criminals, and serfs to toil
  night and day to build it. The castle walls bear great
  carvings showing Ivid's imagined military triumphs in
  the Nyrond campaign, but the castle itself was shoddily
  built (the laborers having no building skills), and one of
  the four towers is already beginning to show signs of
  collapse.
  The garrison commander, Gregern Damarain, is
  charged with assembling the villagers of Wendarn on the
  first Starday of each month to re-enact some victory from
  the war, which Ivid views with a crystal ball. Gregern has
  learned from bitter experience that, however faithfully he
  tries to do this, Ivid usually despatches a force of some 50
  Companion Guard to execute some of the participants for
  not meeting his requirements.
  Gregern and most of his men would have deserted and
  fled north long ago if not for the ownership of a ring of
  human control by the castle's resident senior priest of
  Hextor, who also possesses a magical rod which can
  summon and command an aerial servant for 12+2d12
  hours, once a week. Escape attempts are thus futile.
  The priest, Ratikinn Durvan, protects himself with a
  force of 10 orogs and 20 orcs who prowl around Triumph
  as if they own the place. The human soldiers here, some
  300 in total, are close to mutinying and rising up to slay
  the orcs, but one initial abortive attempt to do this simply
  resulted in 22 slain soldiers and an extra defensive
  phalanx of zombies around the priest. Anyone slaying
  Ratikinn would earn the loyalty of Gregern and his men;
  they are evil, but most are Lawful, and if they pledged
  service they would be true to their word.
  Wendarn is important as a toll point on the junction of
  the dirawaen roads, and as a tithe barn village. Tithed
  crops from local farms are stored in barns and
  warehouses here, and the "Wendarn minx" is a tailless
  species of feral cat much appreciated in the village for its
  work in keeping vermin out of the grain stores. However,
  rather surprisingly given the number of people who pass
  through here, Wendarn folk are extremely insular and
  xenophobic. Intermarriage over centuries has produced a
  population with a large number of enfeebled, half-witted,
  and even sociopathic peasants. Along the roads leading
  to and from the village, "As like to meet a Wendarner
  with the right number of fingers" is a widely-used expres-
  sion meaning, roughly, "Once in a blue moon."
  Rauxes and the Lands of the Overking
  43
  
  Pop.: 830,000 + 25,000 humanoids (approx)
  Capital: Eastfair (pop. 31,000 + 3,000 humanoids)
  Ruler: His Radiant Grace Grenell, Herzog of the North
  Rulership: Variable
  Cost Multiplier: 140%
  The Lay of the Land
  North Province has seceded from the Great Kingdom and
  considers itself an independent nation-state. Military
  units no longer wear imperial heraldry, and the Herzog's
  administrators are busy drawing up designs for new
  coinage, new heraldic symbols, and other badges of a
  young nation. However, everyone knows that what
  happens within North Province will be affected by what
  happens elsewhere in Aerdy.
  Grace Grenell is in a very difficult position politically.
  During the Greyhawk Wars he allied with the humanoids
  of the Bone March out of desperation. This alliance was
  successful in forcing a stalemate which created peace, but
  a very tense legacy has been left behind.
  The Bone March humanoids are not a single coalition
  with one overall warlord. The Euroz orcs are the
  dominant tribe, however, and it is with them that Grenell
  made alliance. So far, different warlords among the Euroz
  have not indulged in their traditional intertribal warfare
  within North Province, but that is probably just a matter
  of time. In any event, matters are difficult enough
  already.
  Humanoid armies in some numbers are still stationed
  in Eastfair, Bellport and elsewhere within the northern
  and western regions of North Province. A war to drive
  them back to the Bone March would be ruinous to North
  Province at the present time. What's more, Grenell
  desperately needs the ores which are supplied from the
  mines of Bellport. Coin minted with these ores is accepted
  for trade by the Sea Barons, the Twin Cities, and for
  imports from points south. The humanoids have massed
  armies which are encamped in strong defensive positions
  in and around those mines; the orcs have their hands
  around North Province's throat, as it were, and Grenell
  knows it.
  So, this alliance has to be maintained, but the orcs and
  other humanoids want to get something in return. Specifi-
  cally, they are now calling in the debt: "We helped you
  fight Nyrond, now you help us storm Ratik."
  For himself, Grenell doesn't give a fig about Ratik.
  Unfortunately, no few of his most powerful local rulers
  care a great deal about Ratik—as do many ordinary folk.
  Many of them share the same Oeridian-Flan racial mix as
  the men of Ratik, and they admire the rugged bravery of
  Ratik's warriors in having kept the humanoids at bay for
  so long. They are opposed to any plan to conquer Ratik,
  and some of them are ready to go and fight for Ratik
  should Grenell dare act against that nation.
  There is another twist to this. The barbarian nations are
  strongly allied with Ratik. At the present time, their raids
  are focused on the Sea Barons and they do not often raid
  most points along the eastern North Province seaboard,
  save for Bellport. This is because many of the rulers and
  armies of that eastern seaboard have managed to make a
  peace of sorts with the fierce Flan barbarians, Prince
  Elkerst of Atirr being a notable example. Indeed, the
  barbarians increasingly trade with some North Province
  coastal towns and villages, and that trade brings much-
  needed wood, furs, and other commodities in short
  supply in North Province.
  If Grenell helped the humanoids against Ratik, the
  barbarians would certainly begin their raids again, and
  trade would cease. Grenell can't really afford to have
  either of these things happen.
  Grenell has some supporters, else he would not be able
  to sustain his position. Patriarch Halldrem of Bellport is a
  church ruler, and the church of Hextor owns Arrow-
  strand and the lands around it, with a few other minor
  fiefdoms in North Province. Princes Hastern of Edge
  Field, and his liegeman Rinshern (with lands to the north-
  east of that town), have humanoid soldiers they use to
  pillage the Adri. The pair support the alliance with the
  Bone March. Hastern has offered Grenell a possible
  escape route; use the humanoids to march on Rauxes
  itself in a great orgy of pillaging. This plan appears to
  offer Grenell the best way out of his dilemma, but even
  the Herzog balks at marching more than 300 miles to
  depose his cousin. He is also unsure of the attitudes of a
  string of Naelax princes who own the lands around the
  Flanmi to the south. Few support Ivid, some openly voice
  their hatred of him, but Grenell knows all too well that
  they are utterly unprincipled and treacherous. Their
  troops, and provisioning, would be vital to any plan to
  march on Rauxes.
  There is a final twist. Grenell does not have the military
  might to march on local rulers he would like to subdue.
  With thousands of orcs in armies along his western
  frontier, Grenell simply cannot risk internecine war
  among the human armies of North Province. It would
  weaken the control Grenell has too much, and it would
  make the orcs feel more confident about attacking a
  divided human enemy. Grenell might take control of
  some small estate in such a manner—but he might lose
  Bellport, the northwest, even Eastfair itself, to invading
  orcs if he used this tactic.
  Thus, the political situation in North Province is very
  tense and dangerous. Some humanoid forces have
  already struck off on their and have begun to pillage the
  northwestern fringe lands where the intransigence of
  Baron-General Shalaster infuriates them. Mercenaries are
  increasingly attracted to trouble spots, finding no few
  rulers ready to protect their lands with armed resistance
  to any marauding humanoids or bandits. The level of
  North Province
  44
  
  rulership in any local area is generally "medium" or
  better, but the conflicts between those rulers threaten to
  plunge North Province into a civil war every bit as bitter
  as the Turmoil Between Crowns. There is no organized
  resistance to Grenell, and most thank him for getting
  North Province out of the Great Kingdom just in time.
  But some new alliances are just beginning to emerge, and
  Shalaster and his excellent army are a possible focal point
  for a new style of rulership in these lands.
  Trade
  Some of North Province's trade has been referred to
  above. Trade is crucial to North Province, for outside of
  the Flanmi River basin the land is often poor, stony, and
  offering low crop yields. Livestock farming dominates
  most areas, and theft of livestock is a capital offense.
  Fishing is another major resource North Province
  possesses, and the whalers of Kaport Bay know all too
  well that the barbarians of the north could decimate that
  industry all too easily if they chose. Fish are a vital part of
  the food supply now. After years of war, the poor
  farmlands of North Province have been inadequately
  sewn and harvested and resources of grain and vegeta-
  bles are low. Without the fish brought in from the east
  coast, usually salted or pickled, many folk in North
  Province could starve.
  The Adri forest is the remaining economic resource of
  major importance. Edge Field is a vital city, with many
  soldiers protecting raiding parties into the Adri seeking
  game, slaves, and the wood of which most southern and
  western homes are built. Farther north, there is a fair
  supply of slate and stone. Even humble farm laborer's
  dwellings are usually made of stone in those regions.
  However, the stone is rarely of exportable quality, and
  those lands which might need it can find sellers nearer to
  where they are.
  So far as importing foreign goods goes, the supply line
  from the south—the great Flanmi artery of trade—has
  dried up beyond Darnagal. Once, even Hepmonaland
  silks and spices reached Eastfair by this route, but no one
  could hope to sail the full length of the Flanmi safely
  now. Atirr has become the most important supply port
  for goods from the far south, which has made that city
  more important politically, as Grenell is only too well
  aware.
  Taxes and Tithes
  Grenell imposes whatever taxes and tithes he thinks he
  can get away with. That depends on the military
  strengths, and the steeliness, of the various local rulers.
  The situation is tough, but not desperate, for Grenell. He
  can always count on the support of the church lands of
  Hextor's priesthood. And the support of the ruler of Edge
  Field is crucial to him.
  Faiths and Priesthoods
  Grenell himself is a priest of Hextor, and this priesthood
  is the politically dominant one in North Province. There
  are, 
  however, 
  some 
  complex 
  aspects 
  to 
  their
  preeminence.
  When Ivid I negotiated the various deals which accom-
  panied his ascension to the throne, he was extremely
  cunning in the way in which he dealt with North
  Province. The Herzog was explicitly designated as ruling
  North Province spiritually and temporally. Spiritual
  preeminence effectively meant imposing on North
  Province the values of Lawful Evil. Here, Ivid I granted
  all that the priesthood of Hextor could have wished for;
  absolute prominence in such matters—without question.
  Ivid could cede this, because he knew full well that other
  faiths of importance among the people of North Province
  were not "political" faiths or churches. Though it sounded
  grand, the awarding of this primacy gave little away in
  practice.
  In matters temporal, Ivid granted authority to the
  Herzog of the time to make land grants and set taxes and
  tithes—in practice. Ivid pleaded that this concession
  could not be laid down in a formal treaty, but must
  remain the subject of a perpetual, but informal, under-
  standing. The Herzog accepted this. But the hole it left
  concerned the military and the armies of North Province.
  Ivid I retained formal rights over them in the treaties of
  the time, so that he could call upon them in times of war.
  What was never written into any treaty was an accep-
  tance that the Herzog would be the unquestioned
  supreme leader of these armies in times of peace. Ivid
  never laid any claim to such leadership himself; the
  matter was simply never formalized.
  The result of this is simple. The elite military command-
  ers of North Province traditionally have been hereditary,
  and of Oeridian-Flan blood. Some have been resentful of
  the primacy of Hextor's faith, and thus unwilling to
  accept that priests should lead warriors and armies. As a
  result, the military elite has often kept the Herzog and his
  priesthood at arm's length, arguing their own case and
  maintaining some degree of independence. In addition,
  many senior military leaders are extremely unhappy at
  the alliance with humanoids, since they believe that they
  have much in common with the men of Ratik. This all
  adds to Grenell's discomfiture.
  Too, North Province has a broader set of faiths which
  have at least a moderate following among common folk
  than elsewhere in Aerdy. Procan is important to many
  eastern people, and Fharlanghn is respected by many
  who travel the lands, even at sea. Some merchants invoke
  him as a protector, in addition to Zilchus, when they set
  out over long distances. In the northernmost lands and
  North Province
  45
  
  some of the best farmlands, the old Flan Powers of Berei
  and Zodal are invoked together with Beory by many;
  homely faiths, those of family, farming, and hope for
  better times. None of the priesthoods of these powers
  challenges that of Hextor, but the faith of the Herzog has
  to accept that they have their place nonetheless.
  Lastly, Grenell and the priesthood of Hextor generally
  do not deal with baatezu or any fiends, save for Patriarch
  Verminek (see below). They are all too aware of Ivid's
  bargains with fiends and believe this to be part and parcel
  of his madness. They dare not follow the awful example
  he has set.
  The Navy
  North Province does not have a navy of any significant
  size. In the pacts accompanying Ivid I's ascension, naval
  strength was almost exclusively ceded to the Sea Barons,
  who used eastern ports as naval bases while keeping
  control of the war galleys of Aerdy firmly to themselves.
  However, following the fall of the Lordship of the Isles,
  offering new threats to the south, and the increased need
  of the Sea Barons for their own vessels to fend off barbar-
  ian raids, some seaboard cities have begun building
  military vessels and establishing their own squadrons.
  This is a piecemeal affair, and the Herzog has no formal
  control over the navy—or, more accurately, navies. These
  small squadrons lack any centralized command, unlike
  the armies of North Province.
  Beyond North Province
  Grenell is concerned with only two Aerdy lands, save for
  Rauxes itself; the broad swathe of Naelax lands to the
  south and the Twin Cities. Grenell must keep peace with
  the rulers of Rinloru and Winetha. He cannot afford
  conflict in the east and south as well as the problems the
  humanoids pose him north and west. Grenell can hardly
  send any emissary to Rinloru's frightful ruler, but as yet
  there seems no threat from that quarter. North Province
  maintains plenty of spying keeps on the borders of
  Delglath's lands, however. Overtures to the Council of
  Wizards in Winetha have met with a cool response.
  Prince Lakaster of that city doesn't care at all about North
  Province, but some Winethan goods flow to North
  Province and that trade is good for all. Grenell judges that
  it is not in Lakaster's interests to precipitate any conflict,
  though he wishes that the ruler there was more aggres-
  sive toward the barbarians. That might take some of the
  heat off North Province.
  Eastfair, The Granite City
  Eastfair is a walled city built from the same granite that
  can be found around the headwaters of the Flanmi near
  the huge underground aquifers and water tables. The city
  lies almost at the end of the Windmarch as it turns north
  from Orred, and the traditional Brewfest Great Fair is a
  week-long orgy of self-indulgence and debauchery. From
  Eastfair northward, a number of minor villages hold
  Windfair trade fairs later in the year, but these have now
  declined in importance as trade has dwindled.
  Eastfair is not what it appears to be. The city seems
  hard, stark, stern in its cloak of granite walls. The city has
  an air of discipline (rulership level is high), and the town
  guard and detachments of the Rakersmen (elite troops of
  North Province) maintain excellent public order. While it
  has a reputation for urbanity, ordinary folk in the city
  work hard. The streets are clean, and there are no dingy
  Thieves' Quarters or filthy slums to offend the eye.
  However, Eastfair has always attracted the most
  debauched and degenerate nobility and merchants of
  North Province. The merchants have only city-based
  guilds in North Province (the Royal Guild of Merchants
  having no license to operate or organize here), and
  Eastfair is the city which draws the wealthiest. Goods
  always have been expensive here (add 10% to all prices,
  additional to the provincial Cost Multiplier). Thus,
  Eastfair attracts wealth. These riches are either inherited,
  or else obtained by the best merchants—that is, the most
  unscrupulous, swindling, money-grabbing ones. Given
  this, it is not surprising that Eastfair's rich like to spend
  their money on depraved and immoral activities.
  Nonetheless, Eastfair has a considerable number of
  truly exceptional craftsmen and artisans within its city
  walls. Their number has been swollen by people seeking
  refuge in the Granite City from more troubled lands and
  cities. Now, truly, Eastfair is a city where one can buy
  almost anything—if one has almost limitless supplies of
  gold.
  Threats to Security
  Despite the general atmosphere of firm control, Eastfair
  has its problems. One which it does not have is
  thieves—or, at least, not in any great number. The penal-
  ties for thievery are very stern. Theft of goods above 500
  gp value means execution here, and even for a theft above
  25 gp, the minimum sentence is two years imprisonment.
  Thus, despite the presence of abundant rich pickings,
  thieves are few and far between. Only a handful of very
  skilled solitary operators are to be found here, not any
  formal thieves' guild.
  One major problem arises from the presence of the
  Euroz "Angry Army," as they style themselves. The orcs
  are often drunk, chafing at their having to live behind city
  walls, and their own leaders cannot maintain discipline
  that well. The location key below details the orcs here.
  The other major problem is far more unusual. The Web
  has two cells of spies acting independently here. One cell,
  North Province
  46
  
  of five people led by a male 9th-level mage, Cronkarn
  Elsoet, received as its last set of orders from Rauxes an
  urgent need to infiltrate and round up an anti-imperial
  group which specialized in "magical subversion" (control-
  ling important townsfolk by charm, hypnotism, etc.).
  Magical control was said to be used to sabotage Eastfair's
  city defenses, such as the Great Gate and the city walls.
  The infiltration strategy used by this cell called for
  magical sabotage against precisely those city defenses, in
  an attempt to flush out the real subversives.
  The second cell, led by a 9th-level female mage, Petrella
  Huisarn, received garbled instructions to flush out an
  anti-imperial group which was directly employing
  sabotage against Eastfair's city defenses. Their strategy
  has been to charm and hypnotize (etc.) city servants
  connected with the integrity of the city's defenses, in an
  attempt to gain inside knowledge of these subversive
  actions and track down those responsible.
  The actual truth is that there are no anti-imperial
  subversives trying to sabotage Eastfair, but the two cells
  are committing magical crimes which convince the other
  cell that there are, indeed, dangerous subversives at
  work. To date, neither cell has managed to track down
  members of the other cell, so they continue their own
  sabotages. In addition, they occasionally use kidnap and
  extortion, or robbery, to maintain finances (since no
  monies have been forthcoming from Rauxes for a long
  time).
  The authorities in Eastfair are mystified. What magical
  scrying they can bring to bear on the matter has yielded
  no information (since cell members are protected against
  magical discovery).
  Location Key
  Eastfair is divided into Old City and New City. The Old
  City was built circa 80 CY, and the city greatly expanded
  in size during the third century when New City began to
  grow outside the original walls. Old City is now mostly
  the province of the poorer people, save for the complex of
  buildings known as "The Cyst," while New City contains
  the homes and workplaces of the well-off.
  For PCs approaching Eastfair, their first sight of the city
  should give them an impression of grandeur. Huge
  granite walls confer an air of invulnerability, and the
  stone spires and slate roofs of the buildings inside crowd
  together like a phalanx of powerful defenders. Great
  Gate, bearing its mighty shields of Hextor and North
  Province, is a forbidding entrance to this majestic city.
  The DM has liberty to add locations to Eastfair as he
  desires. The locations listed below are those of major
  importance within the city, and they deliberately allow
  ample room for expansion. The DM is given enough
  detail to set adventures and scenarios (such as those in
  the Whispers and Ventures chapter) here.
  1. Great Gate
  Great Gate is powerfully defended, with ballista
  platforms flanking the 30' high granite walls and a pair of
  huge (22' high) stone statues of Aerdi warriors standing
  one each side of them. These statues can be animated as
  massive stone golems (200 hp each) by a priest of Hextor
  of 9th or higher level to fight in defense of the city. They
  also can be commanded to meld into stone into the city
  walls, and if this is done all defenders on the battlements
  gain a -1 bonus to AC for as long as one or both of the
  statues remain so melded.
  An entry toll is charged of 1 sp a person (1 gp a
  merchant or freesword, with extra charges of 1 sp to 1 gp
  for each horse, wagon, etc.). The main gates are opened
  for wagons and horse, with men on foot using smaller
  side-doors at the base of the ballista towers. Within Great
  Gate, the broad boulevard known as The Full Path
  stretches into the heart of the city and on to Newgate and
  Spider's Gate. Just beyond Great Gate, the extraordinary
  sight simply named "Waterfall" greets the visitor; 20'
  high, 10' long standing waves of water lie either side of
  The Full Path, a permanent magical reminder that
  Eastfair lies just north of the headwaters of the Flanmi.
  2. Fisherman's Gate
  The north gate of the city is much smaller than Great
  Gate, and receives only visitors on foot or on horse in
  small numbers. Originally, this was the gate used by
  humbler tradesmen, hence its name, but in a reversal of
  history this gate now opens into the richer areas of the
  city and merchants are sent to Great Gate if they seek
  entry.
  Though this gate has not the powerful defenses of
  Great Gate, the gatehouse here contains a minor magical
  artifact which, if the right command word is activated,
  can shield the gate in a wall of stone which is 90% resistant
  to any attempts to dispel it, save by use of the same
  artifact used to create it.
  3. The Cyst
  The Cyst comprises three sets of buildings located
  behind iron railings protected by priests of Hextor and
  squads of Rakersmen. None can enter without an invita-
  tion or the summons or granted pass of the Herzog
  himself.
  The central building here, the Herzog's Palace, houses
  Grace Grenell and the hierarchy of the priesthood of
  Hextor, together with the most senior city officials
  (Chancellor, city architect, Commander-General of the
  Watch, etc.). To the right of the Palace are the barracks of
  the Rakersmen, with some 600 troops and a dozen of
  their most senior commanding officers.
  The great Cathedral of Hextor completes the set of
  constructions. This imposing church contains statues of
  great Aerdy warriors, superb stained-glass windows
  North Province
  47
  
  showing battle scenes, commemorative friezes and
  murals depicting victories of Oeridians over humanoids,
  Flan, and others. Access is restricted to the Herzog, his
  senior assistants, and those powerful folk within Eastfair
  known to be active worshipers of Hextor. Undead guardi-
  ans throng the temple, and leaders of the orcs in the city
  are admitted—but only rarely, and at such times the
  murals depicting their kin being slain are carefully
  covered up with wall hangings. Sacrificial rituals are
  practiced here but rarely, and then only in the basements
  which are whispered to hold a handful of prisoners
  whom Grace Grenell values too highly to leave rotting in
  the city jail.
  4. Newgate
  This city gate restricts access to New City. Save for
  priests and senior military men, few of the people of Old
  City are allowed to enter here, though passage in the
  reverse direction is free-flowing. Dwellers in New City
  are given passes to show their place of residence and are
  allowed to return there freely after visiting Old City.
  5. Spider's Gate
  This is so named because the buildings immediately
  beyond it, in New City, have traditionally belonged to
  merchants dealing in specialty goods—principally silks
  from the far south, spun by pupae and silk spiders. Now,
  passage is restricted to Old City folk unless they work for
  merchants in the area immediately beyond, in which case
  they bear badges showing their trade and passes allowing
  them entrance.
  6. The Glorious Griffin
  This tavern is know to be frequented by the handful of
  thieves in Eastfair. The most notable of their number is
  Sheleern Valander. The thieves always drink and sup in
  the private rooms of the tavern's cellars, which are also
  favored by New City men and women making adulter-
  ous liasons. The Glorious Griffin appears down-at-heel,
  and its first floor bars and serveries providing humble
  fare fit this appearance. However, patrons who know the
  proprietress, Kristern Delglanden, well know to flip her a
  couple of gold for admittance to such secret trysts. Her
  huge half-orc bodyguards, Gordreth and Enkrist, protect
  the entrance to the basements, and also operate carefully
  concealed levers to open secret doors releasing the subter-
  ranean intriguers into the streets of Old City should the
  need arise.
  7. Gloria's
  Owned by a feisty, sociable, funny woman from Atirr,
  Gloria's is a hostelry which is a haunt of mercenaries
  seeking employment throughout North Province. Gloria
  is on good terms with many of the nobles of North
  Province, and she is often visited by them if they have to
  come to Eastfair for any reason. Certainly, their Captains-
  General or equivalent troop leaders come here fairly often
  looking for freeswords or mages available for hire.
  Gloria's home-brewed blastenbeer is famed throughout
  the city. Herbal preparations made from flora of the Adri
  Forest produce and prepared in a recipe only she knows
  make this a murderously potent brew. Eastfair's handful
  of dwarves (mostly exiles from the Blemu Hills) frequent
  this establishment and favor this brew greatly. Among
  their number are hill and mountain dwarves who know
  the Blemu Hills and the southern Rakers like the backs of
  their work-calloused hands. Anyone seeking a guide to
  those dangerous terrains should make this hostelry a first
  port of call.
  8. The Square of Sun by Moon
  This paved town square sees its fair share of drunken
  brawls in the early hours when the taverns have emptied,
  but on the fourth day of Richfest—when Luna and Celene
  the Handmaiden are both full in the sky—the people of
  Eastfair come out at night with blazing torches in an ages-
  old ritual in which a full-scale model of a barbarian
  sailing ship is burned here, with a full crew of effigy
  seamen. Much ale is drunk, and pork and goat's-meat
  sausages dripping with fat are bought from street
  vendors and wolfed down. The ritual is one celebrating
  death and rebirth, an invocation to the powers that be to
  allow safe passage to the souls of those who die in the
  coming year, and to bestow their blessings on those babes
  born during the same time.
  Those setting light to the ship wear furs and regalia
  typical of barbarians, emphasizing the kinship of many
  people with the Flan people of the north lands.
  9. The Whirling Dervish
  Nested in the Streets of Delight, the Whirling Dervish is
  a hostelry offering entertainments marginally less
  depraved, and more varied, than most establishments
  around it. The proprietor, Clinorus Kradner, dresses in
  Bakluni robes and a turban, even though he's never been
  west of Edge Field in his life. But he plays the part well,
  and has a range of "mystical conjuring tricks of the exotic
  west" aided by the small-time magic his talent as a
  3rd-level mage gives him (hypnotism, phantasmal force,
  etc.). His dancing girls are the best trained in Eastfair, and
  his other attractions include "Kumbli, the strongest man
  living outside Ekbir" (a shaven-headed tanned Pontyler
  exile with 18/95 Strength), boas from Hepmonaland
  trained to curl lazily out of their wicker baskets when
  Clinorus plays his out-of-tune conch-pipe, vividly-
  colored liqueurs of brain-numbing potency, dice-game
  tables, and far more besides.
  Climorus is, in fact, a priest of Olidammara, with a
  strong tendency to good alignment. He is always inter-
  ested in new visitors among his clientele, and if he spots
  good-aligned people he will often go out of his way to
  North Province
  48
  
  give them some tips on who, what, and where to avoid
  within Eastfair. He overhears indiscretions mumbled by
  drunken nobles and others at his gaming tables, and
  might pass on something of what he has heard—for the
  right price—if he trusts the individual he is dealing with.
  This is a good location to steer PCs to, if the DM wishes
  to tip them off about something they may not know, or if
  they are missing some important piece of information.
  10. The Pikeman
  Frequented by senior military men, and a few mages
  around the city, this hostelry is the place to visit if one
  seeks employment by rulers and nobles within or close to
  Eastfair. The resident halfling chef is famed for his goat's
  chitterlings (intestines) in garlic and herb aspic. The
  Pikeman has two suites of rooms which are enchanted to
  be 70% resistant to all divination magics, and as such are
  regularly occupied by out-of-town nobility and their
  representatives when confidential negotiations are at a
  premium.
  11. The Noble Herzog
  This hostelry is frequented by the truly powerful in
  Eastfair; on occasion by the Herzog himself, but more
  often by his priest-lieutenants, members of Marshal
  Sasquand's retinue, or by powerful regional nobles or
  Eastfair  such as Verminek or Finelkla the Illusionist.
  Non-members are admitted only on payment of 30 gp,
  and all weapons must be left in the care of the huge,  
  charmed ogre bodyguards and warriors. Membership is by
  invitation only. Non-members are normally only admit-
  ted if accompanied by a member, or on Blachten nights of
  mortal combat in the Deep Pit of the hostelry, when
  gladiators entertain jaded sadist voyeurs with mortal
  combats, against each other or—for high fees—against
  monsters dragged down from the Blemu Hills or even the
  Rakers. Fees for these fight nights may be very high, but
  they may have to be paid if one wants to rub shoulders
  with the truly eminent and powerful. Of late, orcs from
  the city garrison have become increasingly available for
  such contests, and the Noble Herzog's proprietress,
  Shaobhell Ishandrenn, has become a wealthy woman as a
  result.
  On rare and special occasions, priests of Hextor offici-
  ate at special-event nights with murderous rituals which
  do not bear explicit description here. Suffice it to say that
  innocents of tender age vanish from Eastfair's streets
  shortly before these events, and those who attend the
  events need no appetite for rich banquets for a day or two
  afterwards.
  12. Morrkend's
  This shop has a dilapidated exterior, and appears to be
  a humble herbalist's store. The proprietor doesn't adver-
  tise the fact, but he is a superb enchanter. Morrkend
  supplies Grenell with one magical weapon each year,
  usually of +3 enchantment, as a tithe. The rest of the year,
  he works for whoever pays him best—not with gold, but
  with rarities such as giant sinews, dragon blood and
  teeth, doppleganger ichor, and the like. Morrkend knows
  how to enchant virtually any non-unique item, and it is
  even said that he crafted the singing defender sword of
  Elkerst of Atirr.
  Morrkend trades a little in magical items, and PCs may
  be able to exchange these here if the DM allows this in his
  campaign. The enchanter also has a number of maps of
  the southern Rakers and Blemu Hills, even a few sites in
  the Corusks, where magical monsters can be found; he
  seeks their blood, claws, etc., as materials for his work.
  Morrkend is a good patron NPC the DM can use to
  send PCs on perilous adventures outside Aerdy.
  13. Verminek's Residence
  Verminek is something of a maverick among the priest-
  hood of Hextor. He keeps to his own gloomy home,
  packed with undead servants he douses in sickly-sweet
  perfume, all the better to disguise the scent of rotting
  flesh. With his amulet of the planes, Verminek is an inveter-
  ate traveler to the Nine Hells, and he definitely has
  friends in low places. Since he was able to raise a retinue
  of barbazu to strengthen Grenell's army during the wars,
  he is allowed to get on with his work, though Grenell is
  not exactly happy with his independence.
  Verminek is something of a sage, with proficiencies in
  the military history of northern Aerdy and also in the
  sociology of the Nine Hells. In a great leather-bound
  book hidden with dust of disappearance and well-guarded,
  Verminek even has the true names of several baatezu
  recorded and some details of baatezu-crafted magical
  artifacts. This information would be of great value to
  other sages, and also to anyone wishing to find and
  collect or destroy the listed artifacts.
  City Areas
  14. The Haunts
  Part of a residential area is occupied by mages,
  scholars, and priests for the most part. No few houses
  here are available for rent at low prices. The reason is
  simple—ghosts and spectres have been seen flitting
  around at night. And while they have not yet attacked
  anyone, few living souls wish to live here. The undead
  have proved difficult to turn or command (treat a priest
  as 6 levels lower than usual for such attempts). The
  superstitious say that the ghosts are those of ancient
  Ur-Flannae mystics seeking a long-lost artifact, but no
  one is certain. The Phantom's Lament, a tavern built by
  the dividing city wall just west of Newgate, offers such
  beverages as "wraithbeer" and "wight stuff" to its custom-
  ers, who largely include mercenaries and middling
  officers of the town guard.
  North Province
  49
  
  15-17. Wealthy Residences
  These areas are mostly occupied by: #15, priests, mages,
  sages, and senior military men; #16, artisans and crafts-
  men with their apprentices; #17, minor nobility, impor-
  tant civil functionaries, lawyers, scribes, and senior
  guildsmasters and guildsmen.
  18-19. Merchant Quarter
  Area #18 contains the better markets of Eastfair and the
  homes of many ordinary merchants. Area #19 is home to
  an enclave of merchants who specialize in exotic goods:
  silks, spices, peppers, rare herbs, alchemical goods, tropi-
  cal hardwood furnishings, Bakluni carpets, and all
  manner of unusual items. Their shops are poorly stocked,
  and they often gather at The Spice of Life, a noisy tavern
  run by a Bisselite-Ketite exile.
  20. The Streets of Delight
  This notorious district offers every self-indulgence one
  might care to contemplate. The town guard patrols here
  frequently so there is little in the way of street crimes
  such as robbery and mugging, but most nobles bring a
  bodyguard or two with them when visiting. Gambling
  houses, drinking dens, bordellos, gladiatorial emporiums,
  and much worse are packed together tightly here, the
  streets alive with the sounds of shouting and laughter
  and the scents of perfume, heady drink, and dubious
  substances. A current craze among nobles is employing
  various snake venoms as a drug; a sub-lethal dose
  induces hallucinations, palpitations, and near-paralysis,
  and of course this absurdly dangerous habit has claimed
  no few lives of late.
  There are tales of vampire-seductresses in secret estab-
  lishments, and the names of many places are a warning in
  themselves—the Grellpit, the Dismembered Dryad, and
  Flayed Parade being some of the least objectionable.
  However, such places may be the most likely bet for
  encountering or overhearing nobles, priests, and other
  important folk revealing indiscretions and important
  information.
  21-22. Old City
  The houses here are those of laborers, serfs (including
  church serfs), and unskilled workers. Area #22 is as close
  as Eastfair comes to having slums; the houses here are
  dilapidated, and people live in very overcrowded homes,
  with a fair amount of violence and drunkenness.
  However, this is the best place for anyone wishing to lie
  low in Eastfair. Racketeer landlords will rent a bare room
  for a copper or two a day per person, and the town guard
  patrols the streets rarely unless there has been a recent
  bout of worse-than-usual street fighting.
  23. Orc Quarter
  Part of the reason for the overcrowding in the rest of
  Old City is this district, which is in the process of being
  walled off from the rest of the town. The 3,000 troops of
  the Euroz Angry Army have had barracks hastily
  constructed here. At the present, the town guard tries
  only to patrol the outskirts of this zone, but the orcs have
  taken to kidnapping ordinary people in Old City and
  taking them back to their barracks for supper (as it were)
  or just to torture and kill them out of boredom. The orcs
  also act as jailers in the city prison directly opposite
  Spider's Gate, which allows them some opportunity for
  indulging their sadism and brutishness.
  The orc warlord, Snaggrip Grekk, swaggers about
  Eastfair as if he owned the place, and there are many
  humans in Eastfair who would like to have the general
  population rise up and slaughter him and his men—no
  matter how many casualties might be suffered. The situa-
  tion is very tense, and Grenell knows that while the orc
  leaders want to be in Eastfair to have a very definite
  presence in Grenell's capital city, their soldiers grow
  rebellious and irritable, needing the fresh stimulus of
  battle. Grenell's problem is deciding where to send them,
  and constructing a good cover story for it.
  Undercity
  Eastfair has no undercity of note. There is no need for
  sewers; latrines and privies either have small shafts cut
  down to the water tables, or else waste is collected in
  pails and buckets and dumped down a small number of
  communal-use sinkholes leading to the aquifers. Visitors
  are advised not to mistake such dumping-chutes for
  wells.
  Other Locations and Settlements
  Arrowstrand
  This village of 650 folk, together with a walled pair of
  fortified mansion houses and a small tower, is located at
  the site of a major battle against the Flan tribes in 11 CY.
  It is the heart of a large tract of lands south of the upper
  Trask held by the church of Hextor, which maintains its
  own force of 200 militia here. In addition, there are small
  garrisons at other villages in the vicinity. Arrowstrand is
  a recruiting center for church armies. The shrine of
  Hextor within the tower is one of exceptional iniquity,
  since those who fail their military training for the church
  army (half of those "recruited") are sacrificed here to
  Hextor. The people of the nearby lands are evil indeed,
  and few small river craft travel the river west past
  Bortrend, fearing raids and murder. Grenell can count on
  the support of Arrowstrand and the local lands, though
  the land is poor and little of value is produced here.
  Atirr
  A walled city of 19,000 people, Atirr is now a major
  power base in North Province. Built some 35 miles from
  North Province
  50
  
  the coast along the lengthy Trask estuary, Atirr has a
  well-disciplined army, a growing naval strength, and is a
  key trade city.
  Atirr and the lands around are ruled by Prince Elkerst
  of the House of Torquann. Elkerst distances himself from
  all nobles of the House of Naelax and has made it quite
  plain to Grenell that he will not allow his forces to be part
  of any pact to attack Ratik. Elkerst has received emissar-
  ies from both Ratik and the Frost and Snow Barbarians,
  and has concluded agreements with them. The barbarians
  do not raid Atirr or Elkerst's lands, nor those of minor
  Torquann princelings along the coast as far as the Cause-
  way of Fiends. They also refrain from raiding Atirr
  shipping. In return, Elkerst supplies weapons to Marner
  (his own war galleys traveling there) in return for wood
  and furs. Atirr vessels also trade with the Sea Barons,
  although not as often as they once did. The southern
  dirawaen road is not used for trade to Rinloru, given the
  evil triumphant there, though Atirr militias regularly
  patrol it close to the border. And there are fortified garri-
  son houses at regular intervals along it.
  Grenell dislikes Elkerst greatly, but the fish, wood, and
  furs which come through Atirr to Marder (the limit of
  navigability for all but the smallest river vessels) and on
  to Eastfair are vital to his supply lines. Grenell is in no
  position to march on Atirr; Elkerst has the support of
  many Torquann nobles, and Atirr could put up fierce
  resistance.
  Atirr's people are strongly Oeridian-Flan and many
  have more Flan blood than Oeridian. Most are fishermen,
  seamen, rivermen, or members of the army or navy.
  Along the coast, many make a living from gathering a
  nutritious edible purple-brown kelp which is then dried
  for sale. Others search for the popular "cocklers," by
  scouring the stony beaches and prized sandy spots for a
  small edible shellfish, the cockle. They are tough folk, and
  refer to Atirr as "Pride of the east." Rulership here is high.
  The laws are harsh, with particularly severe penalties for
  thievery or any form of sabotage in the naval dockyards.
  The war galleys have slave rowers, many of whom are
  guilty of trivial offenses in the penal code of the city.
  Procan's faith is strong here, and the small enclave of
  priests of Hextor does not maintain a high profile, though
  Elkerst knows that they report to Grenell and thus doesn't
  include them among his advisers. Ryshern Stefanem, a
  16th-level elementalist, is one of Elkerst's most trusted  
  advisers and has some dealings with an exceptionally shy
  and reclusive clan of sea elves living along the ocean
  shelf along the eastern seaboard.
  Atirr itself has strong defenses, once needed against
  barbarians. The walls facing along the Trask, and
  eastward, bear cannon-like devices capable of discharg-
  ing fireballs and even meteor swarms at attackers. The use
  of fiery arrows and a very flammable oil derived from
  walrus fat are common battle tactics—very successful in
  dealing with any attacking naval force. The city bowmen
  are rightly renowned for their accuracy, and Elkerst's
  magical sword is also a potent force in combat. The city
  architecture is spartan and functional, though the oiled
  thatched roofs of part of the oldest quarter are a surpris-
  ing sight in a coastal city. Procan's spacious cathedral
  here boasts a magical weather vane which changes color
  to show local folk the coming weather for the next 24
  hours, and the fish market halls are famed for their huge
  marble-topped trestle tables, up to 80' in length, where
  baskets of fish are sold daily to traders for despatch
  downriver.
  Bellport
  Bellport is a walled town on the point of explosion. The
  city ruler is Patriarch Halldrem, whose response to any
  problems here is to impose curfews, execute a few people
  in public, and crack down with ever more repressive
  dictates and laws. The 8,500 people of Bellport are close
  to rising up and rebelling, but they face overwhelming
  military strength.
  In addition to 2,000 Rakersmen, Bellport has 1,200 orc
  troops who are officially stationed here to make sure that
  no banditry occurs along the northwestern Electrum Trail
  to Horgren's Mine and Pyre, the two mines in the upper-
  most Blemu Hills. They also play a role in defending the
  town against naval raids by the Frost Barbarians and (to a
  lesser extent) the Snow Barbarians, although the orcish
  militias are of little value in naval warfare. The Bellport
  navy now comprises a mere two war galleys, with the
  shell of a third being desperately repaired in the naval
  dockyard.
  The town is wide open to another barbarian attack, and
  since the Rakersmen are needed to defend against such a
  possibility, Halldrem increasingly allows the orcs here to
  maintain day-to-day public order, acing as a town guard.
  Since there are probably another 2,000 orcs within a day's
  march of Bellport, and a few hundred hobgoblins, gnolls,
  and ogres with them, Halldrem can hardly afford to give
  the orc war leader in Bellport any offense. Indeed, from
  time to time Grimkun Threehand (a reference to two
  fingers lost from his right hand) actually seats himself in
  the patriarch's throne for city council meetings, and is in
  no hurry to get up to let Halldrem have his rightful place
  when he arrives.
  Just as the navy is decimated here, so is Bellport's
  fishing fleet. This was never very sizeable, but now more
  than half of the fleet has been sunk by barbarian ships,
  and many sailors are simply too fearful to fish the Solnor
  Ocean. Many Bellport folk are without work and getting
  close to starvation. Bellport is desperately reliant on
  supplies from Luvern, since the lands immediately south
  of the city are very poor, supporting only scrub grass and
  some grazing sheep and the like.
  North Province
  51
  
  Bellport seems like a town under siege. The Rakersmen
  here like the orcs little more than ordinary townsfolk do,
  and they might even join a civil insurrection against
  them. Then again, the orcs might sweep down from the
  Blemu Hills and besiege the city. Certainly, marauding
  bands of orcs and other humanoids have raided the lands
  southwest of Bellport, and it may be that they are testing
  the strength of supply lines supporting Bellport before
  mounting an all-out attack. Since the destruction of
  Greenkeep, there is little to stop them crossing the upper
  Tessar, and an increasing number of farmsteads in these
  lands are deserted as folk flee to the relative safety of
  Stringen or the eastern towns and cities.
  Bellport itself is still a city of grandeur, built into the
  rising Blemu Hills with great walls some 45' high facing
  the sea. Good, exceptionally hard gray Blemu stone was
  used to construct it, and the town is known as "Gray
  Steel" by many. The town is strong enough to withstand a
  very long siege, and the barbarians could not truly hope
  to take it. But the orcs, with so many of their number on
  the inside, would find matters much easier.
  Still, Bellport is not without other defenses. The city's
  most formidable protectors are a pair of blue Corusk war
  dragons, charmed and trained by mages and warriors,
  who proudly bear their plate-clad expert riders into the
  skies above the city. Yet even they betray Bellport's
  tenuous situation; two other such dragons were lost in the
  war against Nyrond, and a surprise Frost barbarian
  warship raid in early Fireseek brought down another in a
  hail of arrows and a flame strike from a warrior-skald.
  Bellport Mines: Horgren's Mine, Pyre
  About 600 miners work at each of the vital electrum
  mines. The miners are slaves, criminals, and captured
  demihumans, brutally treated by the orcs who carefully
  guard the mines. The orcs are given a percentage of the
  value of ores extracted, with payment in kind—which
  means weaponry. The garrisons of Imperial Highlanders
  here (150 at each mine) loathe this  posting, and many
  would happily defect to join the bulk of their army to the
  west.
  Horgren's mine is notoriously unsafe because of
  frequent flooding and the many sinkholes. Pit props rot
  swiftly here, and dozens of miners die in cave-ins each
  year. Pyre is so named because a strange stone formation
  atop the mine resembles the funeral pyre of some old
  barbarian tribes, and there are the usual tales of a curse
  being laid on the place. The highlanders have an
  additional reason for hating dispatch to this place. Both
  mines occasionally suffer monster attacks from xorn,
  horgar, and the like, but each highlander garrison has a
  small number of junior priests and mages among its
  number and can usually deal with such problems swiftly.
  There are also several unnamed, small slate and stone
  quarries in the hills northwest of Bellport. These are
  guarded by relatively large garrisons (400 or so orcs
  each). The laborers here are zombies, animated from
  those fallen in the wars. No living humans are allowed to
  enter these quarries, and as a result all manner of rumors
  have grown up concerning what fell evils lurk there.
  Bilebrine
  Nearly 1,400 people live within the sea cave complex of
  Bilebrine. This town, if it can be called that, is owned by a
  Torquann princeling—as are most of the lands of the
  northeast beyond the Trask. For many years, an above-
  ground village was plagued by barbarian coastal raids
  and attacks from sea monsters, until the weary folk
  decided their best chance of survival was to stay within
  the confines of the caves, once they had been explored
  and mapped and made safe. The ruins of the original
  village still lie close to the shoreline above the caves
  themselves.
  Bilebrine takes its name from the deepest sea caves
  where sea water leeches copper salts from the rocks, and
  additional minerals give the clouded water the color of
  bile. Craftily, one Torquann princeling feigned an incur-
  able illness which was then miraculously "cured" by
  immersion in these waters. Gradually, Bilebrine became a
  health spa for North Province nobility trying to recover
  from the excesses of depravity at Edge Field or Eastfair,
  though the wars have sharply reduced the number of
  such folk coming to be pampered by hydrotherapy,
  flagellation with kelp fronds, and similar dubious
  treatments.
  Bilebrine is a very curious place indeed. Many of its
  folk are almost albinos, and centuries of inbreeding has
  not done the population any favors. Most shun even the
  fee-paying visitors and simply hope the world and its
  wars will go away and leave them alone to eat the kelp,
  cave fish, lizards, and shellfish which form the bulk of
  their diet. They have learned peculiar new skills, such as
  weaving heat-treated and oiled kelp baskets and crafting
  spears from stalactites, so that many ordinary goods are
  simply unavailable here (there is little trade into
  Bilebrine).
  The Torquann rulers of the nearby lands grudgingly
  give Grenell what taxes and tithes they can, and hate the
  barbarians who still raid their lands. Since they don't
  have orcs on their lands, and since the men of these lands
  are not those who would have to march to war again
  (being poor fighting men), they tend to favor Grenell's
  rulership somewhat by default. They believe that any
  change probably will be for the worse.
  Bortrend and the Trade Villages  (Harrast, Marder)
  Largest of these three villages, Bortrend links trade
  coming down the Trask on small river vessels with roads
  North Province
  52
  
  to Delaric, Kaport Bay, and Luvern. Marder is a farther
  down river trade village for those craft prepared to risk
  the predations of folk south of the river, while Harrast
  links the other villages to Kaport Bay and Luvern. The
  lands nearby are owned by a number of minor Naelax
  princelings, who have mostly thrown in their lot with
  Grenell. Each village has 500 to 900 people, with small
  detachments of Rakersmen, 40 to 50 in each village.
  The Causeway of Fiends
  This unnatural geographical feature is shunned by all
  save the most fearlessly evil. A great pathway of granite
  slabs, up to 25' wide and 12' high, descends in a perfectly
  orderly formation down to the sea from a half-mile
  inland, with the causeway heading to the Isle of Cursed
  Souls (known to some as the Isle of Lost Souls). Extraor-
  dinarily, this causeway is never submerged by the tides,
  even though sea water might stand 80' or more high
  either side of it shortly before it rises to the shoreline of
  the magical Isle. The whole causeway radiates intense
  evil, and magic, if such is detected for.
  During the fullness of Celene, fiends of many kinds
  stalk the causeway. Tanar'ri and baatezu rend at each
  other, tearing each other apart. They gleefully attack
  anything foolish enough to approach within a half-mile
  or so of the causeway. The fiends appear to be bound to
  that distance, however, and cannot travel farther inland.
  Usually, but a handful of fiends will appear at full moon.
  Very rarely—perhaps once every 80 years or so—count-
  less numbers of lemures, manes, dretches, and least
  fiends of all kinds will appear as great legions driven on
  by a few greater fiends in an orgy of mindless slaughter
  and destruction.
  Stone fragments from the causeway have, rarely, been
  taken and enchanted by men of great evil to craft dark
  magical artifacts. This is surpassingly dangerous. One
  tiny slip in a process which might take dozens of spells
  and months of time will leave the enchanter helpless in
  the face of a gate opening and a powerful fiend emerging,
  enraged, to slay him. Some of the oldest books of
  Flanaess Oeridian mages give riddles and allusions to the
  work of Ur-Flannae mystics with this ghastly substrate.
  But such artifacts are lost to Oerth—perhaps. In more
  modern times, only Delglath of Rinloru is known to have
  crafted any items from the stone of this atrocious place.
  Even masters of the dark arts such as Xaene and Karoolck
  would hesitate to follow his example.
  Across the causeway lies the Isle of Cursed Souls,
  which is avoided by all sea vessels. In a radius of roughly
  10 miles, it is said that the very rocks of the sea bed will
  rise and hole any vessel approaching more closely.
  Further, any lost at sea will become bound to the isle as
  ghosts, tormented by unknowable horrors for eternity.
  Sailors will jump overboard into stormy seas with a
  prayer to Procan for their souls rather than enter these
  waters. Intelligent sea dwellers such as sea elves, selkie,
  or dolphins warn ships away from the area.
  The isle itself appears only to have the ruins of an
  ancient monastery or mansion house atop its sheer cliffs,
  but distant scrying reveals an intensity of evil and magic
  beneath that site which is powerful enough to threaten
  insanity to the diviner studying the place. In texts which
  are now no more than a rumor in the night between old
  sages, the place is said to be the last resting place of three
  of the greatest of the Ur-Flannae. If this is true, the perils
  below it do not bear even thinking about.
  Chokestone
  This place, and the lands around it (one hex in each direc-
  tion), are deserted, not farmed by anyone. The site is that
  of a great battle between Aerdi men and a small Flan
  tribe in -171 CY. The Oeridians were easily triumphant,
  and an excessively brutal general ordered the torture and
  sacrifice of all surrendering Flan folk in thanks to Eryth-
  nul. The following day, the Aerdi army woke from its
  camp to find that the land for several square miles
  around had been stripped of vegetation. Only slate-like
  stone remained. As they trod upon the stone, it cracked as
  if it were brittle paper, releasing clouds of oily, choking
  smoke. Less than a third of the army managed to march
  away from the accursed area, and those who survived
  suffered lung infections and disease which brought their
  lives to very premature ends.
  From time to time since this slaughter, a huge black
  smoky serpentine  shape has been spotted prowling the
  lands around Chokestone, slaying any who dare
  approach the land where the Flan were slaughtered.
  Astrologer-sages can predict this wandering; it occurs
  around once every 17 years, with the "snake" manifesting
  for 2d12 days. At other times, mages will sometimes try
  to obtain some of the stone for use in making dust of
  sneezing and choking, but they invariably send servants to
  obtain it rather than risking entry themselves.
  Darnagal
  The 6,200 people of this town are ruled by Grenell
  himself, since he holds the lands around. An important
  trade town, Darnagal links Delaric and points east with
  Edge Field along the great dirawaen road. Darnagal is a
  rather dour place, with high rulership. And as a place to
  visit or pass through, it doesn't rate as highly as King's
  Justice 
  (see 
  below). 
  However, 
  Darnagal 
  has 
  a
  traditionally-strong Thieves' Guild with a strongly
  Lawful Evil bent. Thieves seeking truly expert training
  and the best in specialist supplies often head here. Fees
  are steep, and Darnagal thieves enforce their own justice
  against freelancers trying to practice their skills here. The
  infamous thief Goldwhite of Rel Deven is said to have
  North Province
  53
  
  been trained here, and that is a good enough commenda-
  tion for most practicing light-fingered arts to tarry here.
  Edge Field
  Edge Field is a large settlement, with some 16,000 people
  and 4,000 humanoid soldiers. The city and a long swathe
  of land bordering the Adri forest are owned by Prince
  Hastern of Naelax. Halstern is one of the few North
  Province nobles turned into an animus by Ivid. The
  overking felt relatively confident of the support of Grenell
  and thus concentrated on rulers elsewhere, but he made
  an exception for a cousin who, he believed, always had
  been less than fully subservient.
  Hastern has the hatred of Ivid which most animuses
  have, and he plans to strengthen his already powerful
  army and ally with Grenell to march on Rauxes. His
  human soldiers are terrified of him. Hastern makes a
  point of regularly drilling and inspecting them and using
  his command and other powers to showy effect, to ensure
  their servility. Thus, they do not rebel against having to
  fight alongside the humanoids.
  Hastern has a mix of humanoid forces. The majority are
  Euroz orcs from the Bone March, but he also has about
  500 orcs from the Adri (who he keeps separate from the
  Euroz) and elite squads of forest bugbears. His ogre
  battalion mans the ballista and trebuchet defenses of the
  walled city, and armorers make chain leggings and plate
  breastplates for them (AC 3). Placing them in such highly
  visible locations does wonders for keeping the ordinary
  folk of the city scared. Hastern rules by fear. It's a lesson
  he learned quickly as a Naelax prince.
  Hastern is also more wealthy than most princes. When
  the Bone March was overrun, many fled here from Knurl;
  Hastern imposed a special tax on their belongings. Also,
  Edge Field has traditionally been the place where Aerdy
  bandits fleeing towards the Adri from imperial soldiers
  have been taken—for the city boasts a great jail with
  virtually impregnable stone walls and many magical
  wards and barriers. Such bandits often carried fair sums
  in gold, or gems, with them. Hastern has avoided paying
  too much of this wealth to Grenell by the simple expedi-
  ent of paying tithes instead. These take the form of wood,
  slaves, and gold from the Adri, taken in the raids his
  powerful soldiers mount from the city and a string of
  outlying militia camps, of which the orc camp
  Gerrkadenk is the most important.
  Hastern's troops fare well on their Adri raids (see the
  chapter on the Adri forest). However, he has two border
  disputes of note. The exact southern border of his lands is
  challenged by both Prince Strychan of Dustbridge and
  Countess Ishell of Rikerstone. Since the countess is gener-
  ally seen as a liegewoman of Prince Montand of
  Delaric—who is powerful and dangerous—these are
  troubling disputes. Hastern's view is that he who holds
  the disputed lands is the winner in such conflicts; he does
  not bother with diplomacy or treaties. However, rather
  than allowing his own soldiers bearing his heraldry and
  insignia to enter the disputed lands, he allows orcs to
  maraud there "off duty." This means that along the
  central southeastern fringe of the Adri most of the fight-
  ing takes place between Aerdy factions and orcs rather
  than the Adri being subjected to any attacks. This is one
  merciful zone of respite for Adri folk, allowing them to
  concentrate their defenses on the more dangerous north-
  ern and western fringes of their forest.
  Edge Field has high rulership level, but the lands
  around have medium to poor rulership. Those lands with
  mainly orc encampments are low, while those with
  human soldiers posted at small villages and settlements
  are medium. No few human troops outside Edge Field
  are drifting away to the highlander castles, seeking
  employment as mercenaries or in the service of Baron-
  General Shalaster. Hastern is renowned for his pursuit of
  such defectors, however, so only a trickle of men escape
  in this way. Hastern is also known to have many merce-
  naries in his service, including even renegades from the
  Bandit Kingdoms with knowledge of forest and
  woodland banditry around the Fellreev, Phostwood, and
  Nutherwood.
  The city itself is mainly built of Adri wood, with some
  Blemu stone for richer buildings. The city walls are made
  of that stone, with the town gates bearing huge bronze-
  wood shields with Hastern's heraldic emblem—a red
  griffin rampant on a green background. Edge Field's few
  resident mages conduct their research at an exceptional
  dweomertorium with a glassteel cupola used for astrologi-
  cal studies.
  Among other striking sights in the city, Rostanna's
  House of Pleasure is of special note. A vaguely
  hemispherical building, it was built in the shape of a
  galda fruit by a very eccentric mage who placed many
  strange enchantments within. Visitors are greeted by
  talking doors reciting the services available, and banquets
  are served by constructs of unique design. For example,
  roasts of beef are carved up by the very platters they are
  placed upon! Visitors should beware the couches here, for
  they are capable of tickling those reclining upon them as
  expertly as any courtesan.
  Less pleasant are the forbidding city jail and tall,
  narrow cathedral of Hextor that looms behind great
  rusted iron railings as sharp as spears. These buildings
  stand within a separately walled-off central city area
  which also houses Hastern and his personal bodyguard
  in a four-story keep.
  A special feature is a walled-off maze garden currently
  being completed for Hastern. Thick, thorny hedges form
  the maze walls, and the maze is filled with hangman
  trees, kampfults, and like terrors in addition to distance
  distortions and other confusing magics. People who
  North Province
  54
  
  displease Hastern are thrown into this maze. He watches
  their struggles with a specially-crafted crystal ball while
  he sits in a flowery bower which magically hovers above
  the maze. Sometimes, plant monsters escape by night and
  attack city folk, though now that the outer walls are
  almost fully enchanted with barrier spells this hazard
  should become less onerous.
  Lastly, Edge Field has many notable inhabitants. The
  most dangerous, perhaps, is Plandarn Reshelfer, a precep-
  tor of Midnight Darkness. His profile below details his
  interests and concerns; beware this man!
  Greenkeep
  This ruin marks the easternmost point of the highlander
  castles. In Suns' Ebb CY 584, the castle was decimated by
  an immensely powerful magical strike. A boiling black
  cloud settled in the sky above Greenkeep, and vast
  strokes of lightning and acid rain cascaded down on the
  building. The walls and towers were shattered and the
  keep ruined, with most of the garrison here slain and
  only a few managing to escape westward to safety.
  It is still unknown who mounted this formidable attack.
  The most often-rumored theory connects the attack with
  the necromancer Raspalan, garrisoned with the troops
  here. Raspalan was a minor princeling of the House of
  Garasteth, and was known to have fled his birthplace
  west of Rinloru and no few other eastern and southern
  cities during his lifetime. He left behind a trail of murder,
  outrage, and bitter enemies. The destruction of Green-
  keep is generally believed to be due to one of those
  enemies catching up with him.
  The ruin takes its name from a radiant green glow
  which still emanates from the keep on exceptionally cold
  nights. The few who have ventured anywhere near the
  place mumble about moving stones, the keep swelling
  and contracting before their eyes, and blood-freezing
  screams that seem to come from far beneath the ground.
  But this is probably just a hallucination. Nonetheless,
  survivors are rumored to speak with horror of Raspalan's
  experiments in the keep dungeon and to tell tales of
  wretches and the strange supplies which were ferried
  down to those dungeons to enable the grisly wizard to
  continue his malign research.
  The Highlander Castles
  This set of five castles (originally six), with an additional
  tower populated by combat mages who could teleport
  without error to and from any castle in the line from here,
  was originally constructed to form a highly defensible
  fall-back line south of the Tessar. The value of these
  castles was amply demonstrated following the fall of
  Knurl and the western lands to the humanoids; their
  attempts to besiege these castles came to naught.
  The military force within these castles was originally
  known as the Imperial Highlanders, since many were
  well-trained hillsmen used to skirmishes in the Blemu
  Hills and Rakers. They are tough, strong, exceptionally
  disciplined men with very high morale. They still call
  themselves Imperial Highlanders, but now they obey the
  dictates of no ruler other than the one they have chosen.
  They have, in effect, seceded from North Province. Their
  war leaders swore an oath of allegiance to Baron-General
  Shalaster, who commands them from his base at the
  southernmost castle.
  Shalaster is a rarity; a powerful warrior of the House of
  Garasteth. Mocked for being over-large and unsuited to
  the arcane pursuits favored by that house, the princeling
  grew into an exceptionally strong youth and exchanged
  his landholdings south of Rinloru for those of a Torquann
  noble east of Knurl and across the Tessar. Now, Shalaster
  effectively controls all the lands in a strip 50 or so miles
  east from the castles.
  Shalaster gained the backing of the Imperial Highland-
  ers for several reasons. First, he is a war hero who has
  fought alongside them. Second, the highlanders are
  stubborn, proud men who don't like being led by priests.
  Third, Shalaster has made it clear that he does not
  actively oppose Grenell. He is not attempting to subvert
  the Herzog, and he pays taxes and tithes at the same rates
  as he did post-war. Thus, the highlanders don't believe
  they have mutinied. Finally, and this is the most impor-
  tant factor, Shalaster hates humanoids with a boiling,
  steel-hard, utterly uncompromising loathing. So do the
  highlanders. Forced to fight with orcs under the
  command of priests during the war against Nyrond, the
  highlander leaders despised every second of it, and they
  are delighted in their new leader.
  Shalaster and the highlanders patrol the full length of
  the roads along the castles, although there is a long gap
  eastward to Greenkeep and beyond and orcs are begin-
  ning to cross in that region. Elsewhere, Shalaster has been
  very successful in keeping the orcs to the west back of the
  Tessar. This has gained him the support of local farming
  folk and local landholders as far as Stringen.
  Indeed, the highlanders even raid into the Blemu Hills
  across the river, aided by magical scrying from a fine,
  very bright young diviner in Shalaster's retinue and the
  trained wyverns which Shalaster and three of the
  highlander senior officers ride. Raids into the old Ripper
  Mines have yielded up some lost ores, a few magical
  items, and even a remnant of 45 dwarves who had been
  holed up, besieged by orcs and ogres, for about a dozen
  years. The dwarves eagerly joined Shalaster's forces, and
  provide him with expert knowledge of the western hills.
  One of Shalaster's mages is known to have visited the
  rulers of Atirr, Kaport Bay, and possibly others in North
  Province for negotiations. These rulers, who do not favor
  Grenell's dealings with the Bone March, are too dispersed
  to provide much in the way of mutual help, but a new
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  55
  
  alliance may be germinating.
  Nonetheless, for all that he may be a war hero and a
  warder-off of orcs, Shalaster is hardly a pleasant individ-
  ual. He is powerfully Lawful Evil—as any of the serfs on
  his lands could inform any visitor. Shalaster is cruel, flint-
  hearted, and viciously opposed to all good-aligned priest-
  hoods and individuals. If anything, he would make a
  crueller and more wicked ruler of North Province than
  Grenell.
  Iwish
  Pronounced "eye-wish," this village of 450 is named after
  the old lament "I wish..." once heard so often among the
  gold-fevered river panners who came late to the Nugget
  Run of the upper Flanmi in the second and third
  centuries. For a time, sizeable gold nuggets could be
  found by panning the fine stone and silt of the bed.
  However, now finds consist of a few flakes of no more
  than 1d6 gp value for a week's worth of panning.
  Iwish is now rundown, and is a tenth of the size of 300
  years past. Still, it is a center for a number of small
  hamlets and very minor landholdings of petty Naelax
  who congregate at Iwish's main hostelry, The Golden
  Grumnet. The Grumnet (named after an archaic unit of
  weight), is the perfect spot to plan some petty conspiracy
  or other.
  Along the Nugget Run, the riverbank is still often in
  very poor repair due to centuries of being trodden down
  and trampled by gold-grabbing panners and wagons, and
  flooding is common in the surrounding lands during
  spring. It area is also dangerous, since disgruntled
  panners decide to fill their pockets from time to time with
  the gold of passersby. In addition, there are crossbow-
  armed hunters out after the herons, swans, and northern
  cranes which nest or rest here at various times of year.
  Kaport Bay
  Kaport Bay is the most rugged of North Province's towns,
  a whaling station and fishing town of 5,200 souls.
  Together with its twin satellite villages of Low and High
  Scarport, this town has a characteristic atmosphere. The
  people here are hardy men and women with little time
  for frivolity—or outsiders. They term themselves "Kaport-
  landers" and are proud of this. Flan blood is strong, and
  the Kaportlanders are no friends of Grenell and his court.
  Kaport Bay maintains three stout war galleys used to
  protect its whaling fleet, not least against the attacks of
  deep sea kraken in the Solnor Ocean. Barbarians rarely
  raided here in the past, given their blood ties with the
  fair-haired Kaportlanders, and they do not do so now.
  Kaport Bay remains a place unto itself, allying formally
  with no one. It is a town where a man's word is his bond
  (unlike the barbarians, few folk here are chaotic). Thieves
  are strung up on gibbets more or less on sight. Demihu-
  mans are absent from the town, and are regarded with
  curiosity and suspicion (as are all outsiders).
  Kaport Bay's ruler, Prince Anxann, is the nominal head
  of the Torquann House in this area, with many cousins
  and siblings ruling the coastal lands around Kaport Bay.
  Ivid did not trust Anxann to give the Sea Barons proper
  support during the wars and had him made into an
  animus. Now, Anxann plans the overthrow of Ivid, but
  he has one obsession which confines him to his gloomy
  clifftop keep with his personal bodyguard of knights.
  Anxann is convinced that astrology is the only way to
  predict when, and how, Ivid can be overthrown. He has
  become very reliant on a complete charlatan, Zwingell,
  who makes all manner of predictions pertaining to "The
  Dancer of Swords in the Heavens," "The Singing Sisters of
  Revenge in the constellation of the Druid," and the like.
  Zwingell lives in luxury and continues to milk this for all
  its worth; by sheer luck, he predicted one major storm in
  Readying and by confining the whaling vessels to port
  Anxann probably saved at least two or three large ships.
  Thus, none can question Zwingell's skills—at least for the
  time being.
  Thus, Kaport Bay is much the way it was before the
  wars, since Anxann broods within his keep and rarely
  emerges from it. The stone town is gray, and hardly
  possesses much excitement for those used to city life, but
  it does have one singular and striking feature.
  A century or so ago, a skilled enchanter worked with a
  dwarven architect to construct a set of sluices and wheels
  which channelled sea water at high tide into a complex
  apparatus which desalinated the water (providing drink-
  ing water and salt for export) and also raised the water
  through a permanent reverse gravity effect. Tumbling
  through a huge set of water wheels, the water now
  provides the motive force for an automated whale-
  flensing apparatus. Sea captains simply insert a whale at
  one end (more or less) and the whale emerges separated
  into its useful components (meat and blubber, blood and
  oil, bone, etc.) at the other. Other coastal towns have
  attempted to duplicate this strange machine; the ruins of
  a few of the less spectacularly unsuccessful attempts can
  be seen at the Scarport villages.
  King's Justice
  Originally built as a fortified tavern for session judges
  (hence the name), this rapidly grew into a large fortified
  mansion house, then a hamlet, then a village and keep,
  and now 2,200 people live here. For some 70 years there
  has been a Windmarch trade fair here during the third
  week of Harvester, shared with the town of Darnagal.
  King's Justice stands close by a three-way border,
  between Delaric, Dustbridge, and Eastfair. As a result, no
  few mercenaries pass through, and many local rulers
  send emissaries to recruit here. The land was bought by
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  56
  
  merchants centuries ago, and King's Justice is virtually a
  free borough, with the present landholder being an aged
  and half-enfeebled man with a weak militia (rulership is
  low). Riotous behavior, brawling, and revelry are no
  strangers to this increasingly cosmopolitan place. And
  there are many men hiding from the wrath of deserted
  rulers and commanding officers lurking among the
  beggars and cutpurses in the western slums of the village.
  Luvern
  Luvern is a strategically vital town of 2,800 folk linking
  several trade routes, lying at the lowland headwaters of
  the Trask where underground water tables and springs
  rise to form the gentle, sluggish waters of the river.
  Owned by Prince Tharndon of Torquann, the town is an
  unhappy place. The Prince has decided to extract all he
  can by way of tax and tithe and flee North Province, to a
  land of safety such as one of the Urnst states or even
  Greyhawk City. As a result, goods are very expensive
  here (Cost Multiplier 170%) though there are few
  shortages.
  Trade to and from Eastfair and Kaport Bay must still
  pass through (farther west than Luvern is too dangerous
  because or raiding orcs) and, likewise, trade from Atirr to
  Eastfair will not readily detour south because of the
  rapacious folk around Arrowstrand. Tharndon's militia
  quell civil unrest brutally, and they need to; many folk
  here are close to starvation in the midst of plenty, given
  the trade which passes through.
  There may yet be hope. The Knights of Sun and Moon,
  with their leader Sir Berrensen Astraden, have begun to
  collect together in Luvern from the remnants of this
  group in the rest of North Province. Berrensen's profile
  below gives further details, but this group hopes to
  expose the corruption of the town and to go to Grenell
  and have the lands confiscated from Tharndon. Since
  Berrensen has a claim on the lands, they hope to take the
  town over and change things for the better. Whether they
  will be successful is uncertain; Plandarn Reshelfer of
  Edge Field knows of their intentions and it is surely but a
  matter of time before he attempts to strike them down.
  Stringen
  This town of 4,500 folk and the lands around it make up
  the fief of Prince Rishern of Naelax. He is, in turn, a liege-
  man of Prince Hastern of Edge Field and allies firmly
  with him. Soldiers and orcs from here raid the northeast-
  ern Adri, but also keep a watch on the highlander castles.
  Rinshern is said to have a detachment of a dozen barbazu
  fiends among his elite troops, but perhaps only his sinis-
  ter yellow-robed mage, Zebbenen, knows the truth of
  this. Some whisper that Zebbenen is in Hastern's service
  and magically controls Rinshern. After all, he only
  appeared in Stringen two years ago.
  Detachments of soldiers accompany Zebbenen on well-
  prepared forays into the Adri. They are surely seeking
  something the mage prizes highly, but none ever seem
  able to remember any details of what transpired in the
  forest when they return. Indeed, many serfs and artisans
  complain of episodes of amnesia, blackouts, and like ills,
  with no one able to account for these adversities.
  Personalities of North Province
  Anxann, Prince of the House of Torquann: Animus
  with abilities of 9th-level fighter (Str 18/76, Dex  15, Con
  18). AC 0 (plate mail +2, shield not used), hp 78, AL LE.
  Seclusive and obsessional, Anxann has no political
  dealings with other rulers. Anxann is 40 years old, but
  looks around 60, with wrinkled and weathered skin; he
  has very fine white hair and brown-hazel eyes and looks
  shorter than his 5' 10" true height, since he tends to
  shuffle and stoop when walking. Anxann has taken to
  wearing robes decorated with astrological symbols. He
  owns a two-handed sword +3 and a ring of shooting stars
  and is believed to have a rod of rulership, a family
  heirloom.
  (Sir) Berrensen Astraden: 7th-level fighter (Str 17, Dex
  17, Wis 16, Cha 17). AC -2/-5 (chain mail +2, shield +1, +4
  versus missiles), hp 50, AL LN (LG). Berrensen is just 25
  years old, 6' tall, with light auburn hair and hazel eyes.
  Berrensen is acknowledged leader of the Knights of Sun
  and Moon, not least on account of his high Charisma. In
  Luvern, he and five other of his order work at humble
  and menial tasks, often as merchant laborers. They avoid
  any actions which might reveal their true allegiances or
  identities; they have fled from other Aerdy towns and
  cities to escape the anti-Pholtus pogroms which so many
  rulers mounted.
  Berrensen is less inflexible than so many of his follow-
  ing. With his group, his initial aim is simply to free
  Luvern from its cruel ruler and strengthen the town. They
  know that Luvern is strategically important, and if they
  could control it, they would rapidly acquire funds from
  tithes on the trade there. Berrensen has a distant claim to
  land ownership himself, through marriage into the House
  of Torquann (his wife died some three years past).
  Berrensen has begun to make contact with Parren Ludern
  of the Adri forest and the rangers of the Lone Heath, and
  he believes he could use that money to supply them with
  weapons and mercenaries. If the worse came to pass, the
  knights could flee to one or other of those places (though
  the chaotic rangers of the Lone Heath might not appreci-
  ate them).
  This group is rather naive, truth be told. They are all
  young (16-25 years) and of low levels (2-6, other than
  Berrensen). However, they are not without resources.
  First, Berrensen has a ring of human influence which he
  North Province
  57
  
  doesn't like to use for ethical reasons, but which gives the
  group obvious potential leverage. Second, Berrensen was
  given a list of important relics and artifacts of Pholtus
  which were hidden around the lands, and he and his
  group are looking for trustworthy allies they might work
  with to recover these.
  Elkerst, Prince of the House of Torquann: 12th-level
  fighter (Str 18/11, Con 17, Wis 15). AC -1 or better (plate
  mail +4 of etherealness, one charge used, shield not used,
  also sword- see below), hp 90, AL LN. Elkerst is 37 years
  old, 6' 2", and powerfully built. His long brown hair has a
  curious white streak just behind his right ear, though his
  full beard has no such odd feature. His brown eyes are
  large, and his strong forearms bristle with thick hair.
  Elkerst is renowned for his singing defender longsword
  +4, which twice a day can emit a wave of sound in a
  120-degree arc to a range of 120'. All hostile creatures
  within the area of effect must make a saving throw versus
  spells or else be affected as by a symbol of persuasion.
  Elkerst also owns a trident of fish command and a ring of
  regeneration.
   Elkerst is a hard ruler, but fair, and Atirr has prospered
  under his leadership. Some speak of him as the next ruler
  of North Province, though he has no such ambition. He
  would be content with Grenell, if only the Herzog would
  sweep the orcs from the land. Elkerst had hoped to marry
  Anxann's sister, Siskinama, to unite Kaport Bay and Atirr
  and create a powerful eastern land. He was fostered by
  Anxann's father, and thus is fond of him—or, rather, fond
  of what Anxann was. Thus, he hates the overking deeply,
  and an alliance with other factions seeking to attack Ivid
  might appeal to him. However, he has his worries about
  the Twin Cities, and is in no hurry to expend Atirr's
  strength in needless conflict.
  Grenell (His Radiant Grace), Herzog of the North:
  18th-level priest of Hextor (Str 15, Con 16, Wis 18). AC 1
  (scale mail +5, cloak of protection +3, shield not used), hp 88,
  AL LE. Grenell has been a survivor all his 62 years. His
  severely-cropped iron-gray hair, hooked nose, strong chin
  and jawline, and piercing blue eyes make him look more
  look a bruiser than a priest. The grizzled old man is wise
  and crafty. He is a good warrior, too, with his bracers of
  archery and longbow +3 making him a fair shot. His scimi-
  tar +4  has the additional properties of automatically
  detecting good alignment within 60' (the scimitar wails
  and glows red) and casting repulsion three times a week.
  He always wears his helm of comprehending languages and
  reading magic.
  Grenell is an odious man, overbearing and callous,
  treating most of his retinue as if they were congenital
  idiots. He believes keenly that his temporal authority is
  beginning to slip away, even though his dissenting nobles
  such as Elkerst and Shalaster still pay taxes and tithes to
  him. Though Lawful, Grenell will use almost any resour-
  ce—humanoids, poisons, assassins, or worse—to unify
  his kingdom. By carefully making sure that any really
  bright priest rising through the ranks of his church meets
  with an unfortunate accident, Grenell has ensured his
  unquestioned preeminence, and there is no obvious
  successor. He has no goal of ruling Aerdy, believing that
  the Great Kingdom is sundered for ever, but the evil-
  hearted old man with the grip of iron has evaded Ivid's
  clutches and plans to rule in North Province for years to
  come.
  (Patriarch) Halldrem: 14th-level priest of Hextor (Con
  16, Wis 16, Cha 5). AC 3 (chain mail +2, shield not used),
  hp 81, AL LE (NE). Halldrem is 5' 6", brown-haired and
  gray-eyed, 43 years of age; and he is malodorous, ugly,
  and fat. He is greedy for magical items and owns many,
  including the ring of free action and ring of mind shielding
  he always wears, and no few magical wands. He is
  known to have wands of enemy detection, fear, and magic
  missiles among others. He is also believed to have a libram
  of ineffable damnation and seeks to trade this for a suitably
  powerful magical item he can use.
  Halldrem is a born bully-coward. Grenell chose him to
  administer Bellport because Halldrem is scared witless of
  the Herzog and can be trusted to do exactly what he is
  told. He tends to solve problems by hiding in his vestry
  and hoping they will go away, but he is also wantonly
  cruel to his subordinates. His retinue of junior priests are
  noteworthy for their extreme ugliness (which makes
  Halldrem seem less ugly, something he is very sensitive
  about since the ghastly priest actually fancies himself as a
  born rake and ladies' man). On the positive side,
  Halldrem does have a good tactical sense in battle and an
  intuitive sense of what enemy armies may be planning
  which borders on the precognitive.
  Hastern, Prince of the House of Naelax: Animus with
  abilities of 12th-level thief (Dex 18, Int 17). AC -5 (bracers
  of defense AC 4, ring of protection +5), hp 71, AL CE.
  Hastern stands only 5' 6" tall, but he looks slightly
  younger than his 35 years, since revivification did not
  alter his appearance as greatly as it did most animus
  nobles. He owns a short sword of speed +3 (allowing him
  two attacks per round) in addition to numerous magical
  items prized by thieves (use items from the Complete
  Thief's Handbook as desired).
  Hastern is a true Naelax Prince. That is to say, he
  acquired his lands by marrying the only daughter of the
  previous landowner. Tragically, one evening when
  Hastern was conveniently far away, his wife and father-
  in-law, together with everyone else who might have had
  a claim to the land, died in a great outbreak of food
  poisoning. Hastern swiftly took over, with a forged set of
  imperial documents, and has remained in control since.
  North Province
  58
  
  Hastern stayed in control at first because he increased
  taxes, paid the neglected soldiers at Edge Field half as
  much again as they had been paid before, and used the
  treasure maps he had obtained during his thieving years
  to locate lost wealth in the Blemu Hills. This gave him
  acquaintance with orcs as evil as himself, who now serve
  happily in his army since they get to do all the pillaging
  and marauding they want within the Adri. Hastern has
  recruited more such from the Adri itself.
  Hastern was magically forced to attend Ivid in Rauxes,
  and the overking—not trusting Hastern at all—made him
  the first North Province target for revivification. Hastern
  hates Ivid with a ferocity which is almost unequalled
  even among animus rulers. Now, his old pleasures of
  wine, women, song, and abusing the weak and helpless
  are of no value to him; his senses are dulled, his appetites
  unquenched by such things. Hastern is chaotic and, as
  such, given to occasional outbreaks of random and terri-
  fying violence. He has learned the wisdom of maintain-
  ing a captive dungeon of helpless slaves beneath his
  mansion rather than taking out such rages on his troops
  and advisers. And Hastern is unusually dangerous even
  for an animus since his old, brilliant intellect is still intact.
  Morrkend: 18th-level specialist enchanter (Int 18, Cha
  16). AC 0 (bracers of defense AC 4, ring of protection +4), hp
  39, AL N. Morrkend is 71 years old, 5' 5", almost wholly
  bald, with watery gray eyes. This NPC is left for the DM
  to develop so far as his magical items, grimoires, and
  other precious possessions are concerned. Particularly if
  the DM wishes to use him as a patron for PCs, or as a
  trader in magical goods, his magical possessions will
  need devising to suit the needs of the campaign.
  However, the old man certainly has an amulet of proof
  against detection and location and a ring of free action to
  ward off crude attempts at mental scrying and control.
  Plandarn Relshefer: 10th-level bard (Dex 17, Int 16,
  Cha 16). AC 1 (leather armor +4, shield not used), hp 45,
  AL NE. Plandarn is 6' 1", 34 years old, very fair-haired,
  with blue eyes and a fetching smile. In Edge Field, he
  poses as a fop and dandy, a successful merchant who has
  retired from the east coastal provinces but keeps his hand
  in by brokering some deals on Adri produce. He feigns
  being less smart than he is, and he doesn't make himself
  too conspicuous.
   Plandarn has several magical items which help with
  his work as a lone assassin for Midnight Darkness: boots
  of varied tracks, a cloak of the bat, and wings of flying. He
  uses spells such as improved invisibility and appearance-
  altering spells (alter self, change self, etc.) to further conceal
  his tracking and effect getaways. He knows how to apply
  venoms to the bolts from his short bow +4 as well as to his
  pair of short swords +2. Plandarn lives alone, and just as
  he receives orders from a Hidden Sickle he does not
  know, so he has a half-dozen underlings (four in Edge
  Field, one each in Bellport and Eastfair) he communicates
  through a series of messages in coded form concealed
  within goods he ships as a merchant.
  Plandarn enjoys planning assassinations, but doesn't
  get all that much pleasure from carrying them out. For
  him, the real pleasure is stalking his quarry, seeing a
  meticulous scheme work just as he'd planned it.
  Currently, he has just become aware of the Knights of
  Sun and Moon in Luvern and is devising their dispatch.
  He wants to make that a colorful serial killing, getting
  into a position from which he can observe the surviving
  knights becoming increasingly desperate and terrified as
  another of them is found with a poisoned dagger in his
  back. However, Plandarn will happily kill any worth-
  while good-aligned target. Though not a worshiper of
  Nerull, he believes that he sees Nerull's hand behind the
  evil changes in Aerdy and with a local ruler as vicious as
  Hastern, who is to say otherwise? Hence, gaining Nerull's
  favor is a desirable bonus on top of the sheer delight of
  planning good, efficient murders. Plandarn is a happy
  man.
  Plandarn is enjoying his new-found independence
  without Hidden Sickle orders. He knows the identities of
  two other preceptors, Erkann of Zelradton and Marshevel
  of Rel Astra, but he doesn't know that Marshevel is aware
  of his identity. Unlike the other preceptors, he doesn't
  keep notes of what he knows (though he tries to keep
  souvenirs of those he has slain—a garment, knife, ring, or
  an ear). However, Plandarn's bardic training has given
  him a collection of notes and maps pertaining to lost
  legends, magical items and the like which would be of
  value if anyone could enter his home and steal them from
  his heavily-trapped basement.
  Rinshern, Prince of the House of Naelax: 4th-level
  thief (Dex 17). AC 1 (leather armor +2, cloak of protection
  +2). Rinshern is 30 years of age, 5' 11", slim of build, with
  long and rather effeminate wavy brown hair and weak
  brown eyes. Rinshern and his predecessors have been
  liegemen to the rulers of Edge Field for generations, and
  have been as feeble and cowardly a family line as can be
  imagined. Rinshern was about to desert his fief, taking
  his treasury with him, when Halstern dispatched the
  mage Zebbenen to make sure Rinshern did nothing of the
  sort. The thief is wholly controlled by that mage now,
  and has no independent volition.
  Sasquand, Marshal of North Province: 17th-level
  fighter (Str 18/41, Dex 16, Con 17, Cha 16). AC -4 (plate
  mail +5, shield not used), hp 121, AL LE. Sasquand is
  technically commander of all armies of North Province;
  he looks the part at 6' 9" and 297 lbs., with little fat on his
  frame. His age, 46, is beginning to show in the lines on
  his face, but not too much; he has a full head of auburn
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  59
  
  hair and his green eyes are still alive, alert, and watchful.
  Sasquand officially supports Grenell, but he finds it
  harder to choke back his contempt for orcs and the way
  they behave in Bellport and elsewhere. He is happy to
  command them as front-line troops in war, where they
  are expendable; he detests them in peacetime. As yet,
  Sasquand would not even consider acting against the
  Herzog because he believes this would plunge North
  Province into anarchy, but events at the highlander
  castles and in Atirr do not go unnoticed and Sasquand
  wonders, over his favored galda-fruit brandy nightcap,
  whether a new and better leader might be emerging for
  the day when Grenell grows old. Indeed, might not that
  leader be himself?
  (Baron-General) Shalaster: 15th-level fighter (Str
  18/99, Con 18, Int 15, Cha 15). AC 1/-1 (plate mail +2,
  boots of speed, shield not used), hp 121, AL LE. Shalaster
  stands 6' 5", and at 39 he is still in his prime. His thick
  black hair is untouched by gray, and his brown eyes grip
  a viewer with an intimidating gaze. Shalaster's plate mail
  allows him to create an aura of persuasion once a day for 3
  turns (+1d4 Charisma). He hefts a two-handed sword +2, +3
  vs. orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins, +4 vs. trolls and giants.
  Shalaster looks majestic on his war wyvern, but in battle
  he has been seen to dismount and race to the fray with his
  magical boots.
  Shalaster has his army and is content. He's a military
  man through and through, and doesn't use his title of
  prince. He feels the nobility rank alienates his men.
  Shalaster maintains harsh discipline, but the morale of his
  troops is maintained not least because of Shalaster's
  providing the highlanders with magical items of real
  value; the regiment has drums of panic and a horn of blast-
  ing commissioned by Shalaster from Morrkend of
  Eastfair. There are a few priests of Hextor among their
  number, but they are not allowed any role other than
  providing battle magic.
  Shalaster is known to detest the cowardly ruler of
  Stingen and his lord, the ruler of Eastfair, but he also has
  the sense not to challenge an animus (especially one with
  a considerable army). Hence he bides his time, fending off
  the orcs around his castles. He grows richer from forays
  into the Blemu Hills, and plans to strengthen his forces
  with mercenaries and more magical items bought from
  Morrkend. He makes a good patron in any adventure
  involving the retrieval of magical items directly useful to
  a general and his army (rod of rulership,  powerful magical
  weapons, morale-boosting magical battle standards or
  banners, etc.); while evil, he is very Lawful, and always a
  man of his word. Finally, he has little time for other
  Garasteth nobles and has a fierce contempt for Lakaster of
  Winetha.
  Sheleern Valander: 9th-level thief (Dex 18, Con 16, Int
  16, Cha 17). AC 1 (leather armor +3), hp 50, AL N (NE).
  Sheleern is 28 years old, with straight blond hair cut to
  the base of her neck, blue eyes, and a figure men have
  duelled as well as drooled over. A petite 5' 2", she plays
  the role of the slightly dumb blond good-time girl to the
  full, but most around Eastfair know her better. It's mostly
  adopted these days to dupe outsiders. Sheleern might rob
  them, cut their throats, and loot their tavern room, or just
  enjoy the company of a charismatic male for a night on
  the town (so long as he does all the paying).
  Sheleern is actually rather bored with city life. Eastfair
  she knows too well, and it knows her too well; she can't
  use her ring of telekinesis at the gaming house tables now,
  everyone knows about it. The nobles she used to black-
  mail have grown too jaded and evil to care about
  exposure any longer, so that source of revenue is drying
  up. Sheleern looks for adventure, and makes a good
  companion; she does not, as a matter of principle and
  pragmatics, rob, betray, or backstab fellow adventurers. A
  group with the good, smart wizard she would expect
  among their number (preferably one who can protect her
  with invisibility, etc.) would find her a useful addition.
  She will bring her prized short sword +4 and dagger of
  venom along with her, together with the magical thieves'
  tools which add +10% to her chances for opening locks
  and finding (mechanical) traps. Even if a group didn't
  wish to take her along beyond Eastfair, her knowledge of
  the city and its powerful people would be worth paying
  for.
  Tharndon, Prince of the House of Torquann: 5th-level
  thief (Dex 17). AC 0 (leather armor +3, cloak of protection
  +2). Tharndon is 37 years old, 5' 10", with very light
  brown hair and brown-hazel eyes. The administrator of
  Luvern kow-tows to Grenell and obeys all his dictates,
  but he is looking to  take his monies and flee to
  Greyhawk City, Dyvers, or some point westward beyond
  the Herzog's reach. He plans to do this after the coming
  harvest, when he has extracted a high tithe from his
  people. There promises to be civil disorder when Tharn-
  don announces those high tithes, so he's keeping them a
  secret for the time being. Luvern could become a flash-
  point of anarchy once its ruler departs, if his plan is
  successful.
  (Patriarch) Verminek: 12th-level priest of Hextor (Str
  15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 18). AC 3 or better (cloak of
  protection +3 ,+4 on Inner Planes, +5 on Outer Planes; ring of
  protection +3), hp 66, AL NE. Verminek is small at 5' 3",
  slim of build, 49 years of age, bald with beetling
  eyebrows, brown eyes and large jug ears. He may be
  unprepossessing of appearance, but he is wily, cunning
  and smart. He prefers the undead to living people (they're
  easier to control), but he has a handful of acquaintances
  among sages. Grenell tolerates his maverick nature
  North Province
  60
  
  because Verminek often reports tidbits of useful informa-
  tion, such as baatezu dealings with Ivid. Verminek is a
  very evil creature, but he also has much knowledge and
  many extraplanar contacts and often seeks knowledge for
  its own sake (not an evil action). He should not be treated
  as just an evil NPC to be raided or killed by the PCs fight-
  ing the good fight.
  Zebbenen: 9th-level wizard (Con 15, Int 17, Wis 16).
  AC 7 (ring of protection +3), hp 30, AL CE. Zebbenen is not
  what he appears. Swathed in long yellow robes and
  breeches, with a hood covering his face, the mage looks
  strangely boyish for one with his skills. That's because
  Zebbenen is a woman of 27 years, an ex-apprentice of
  Xaene. She is tall enough (5' 7") to get away with the
  pretense of being a male, and keeps her blond hair cut
  short. Zebbenen's real name is Alyshizia, and she knows
  well enough that if Xaene seeks to find her he will,
  pretense or no; the disguise is simply convenient for
  throwing less determined and skillful pursuers off the
  scent. She has an amulet of proof against detection and
  location which certainly helps with this.
  Alyshizia left Rauxes just before the outbreak of war
  and hid in the Adri forest with a bandit group. When she
  heard of Hastern's return to Edge Field, she flew there
  and betrayed her fellows, giving Hastern much informa-
  tion about the forest. Hastern rewarded her by giving her
  a ring of human control to deal with his liegeman Rinsharn,
  who he felt was not doing his job properly. Alyshizia
  now effectively controls the town of Stringen, and the
  baatezu among the troops are certainly her doing; she has
  not forgotten what she learned from Xaene. What her
  longer-term goals are, she isn't saying.
  Note: The DM should also refer to the final chapter for
  details of mercenaries (as well as military units and
  marauding orcs) to be found in North Province.
  North Province
  61
  
  A Strange Alliance
  Historically, the cities of Rinloru and Winetha have not
  had the intimate intertwining which the now-used name
  "Twin Cities" implies. Winetha developed as a naval base
  and fishing town, and also a trade port for importing the
  goods the Sea Barons brought in from their isles and
  lands to the south. Rinloru developed rather later as a
  city set well back from the coast with an anchoring
  purpose. It supported and supplied the sea keeps north of
  Winetha, which defended the coast from barbarian raids
  between Atirr and the southern port. It also came to
  anchor a series of small garrisoned keeps which protected
  the inland farm hamlets and villages of the south. Thus,
  the two cities had complementary functions, but were not
  closely allied in any way.
  Indeed, the noble houses owning the lands around the
  cities have traditionally had considerable enmity for each
  other. Rinloru has been in the keep of the House of
  Torquann for generations, as has Winetha been the fief of
  the House of Garasteth. Part of the feud between these
  Houses, indeed, concerns Garasteth claims to land south
  of Rinloru which that house asserts was obtained by
  banditry on the part of Torquann. Minor battles between
  hothead young princelings of these houses have been
  commonplace over the centuries, though serious large-
  scale conflict was usually avoided.
  The events of the Greyhawk Wars, and two exceptional
  rulers, have changed this. Now the cities and their lands
  are locked in an unholy embrace. Both rulers are appall-
  ingly evil, but possessed of great magical strength, and
  rulers of adjoining lands do not dispute their land claims
  far beyond the Twin Cities even though only the
  remnants of disorganized armies are to be found beyond
  them. The fear of magical retribution is too strong, and
  the ghastly army of Rinloru in particular is one no one
  wishes to face on the plains of battle. United in evil,
  Delglath of Rinloru and Prince Lakaster of Winetha are
  nonetheless allies—of a sort. How this came to be is a
  strange tale indeed.
  Delglath the Animus-Priest
  At the outbreak of war, Ivid decided that the then-ruler of
  Rinloru, Prince Grendemmen of Torquann, could not be
  trusted to support him. So, Ivid prepared to have
  Grendemmen and his immediate family slain, and looked
  around for an alternative, pliable, puppet ruler acceptable
  to Torquann and to himself. To place the lands in royal
  trust would have been an affront Ivid might have risked
  in peacetime, but not during war. So, Ivid chose Delglath
  for the role. A priest of Erythnul of no particular note,
  Delglath was swiftly appointed a judge of the sessions
  and then granted the title of prince with a minor land
  holding in royal trust within Ivid's own territories (this
  has been revoked since, of course). Ivid then moved to
  slay Grendemmen, but his agents did not succeed in
  killing the prince's wife, and she remained in the Sand
  Castle of Rinloru, defying Ivid. In his rage, Ivid turned on
  the hapless Delglath and had him made an animus. Soon
  the news came that Grendemmen's wife had been
  successfully poisoned, and Ivid marched an army to
  place Delglath in command at Rinloru. It was one the
  worst mistakes he ever made.
  At first, Delglath was not entirely displeased at becom-
  ing an animus. He was far more powerful than before,
  and his new servants and lackeys obviously feared him,
  which made him feel good. Unfortunately, Erythnul did
  not take it so well. Delglath found himself unable to
  spellcast, and was cast out of his priesthood.
  That truly enraged Delglath. His faith was important to
  him. Delglath felt a cold, vile delight in hatred and
  brutality and had been getting a real appetite for more.
  Now his patron power had deserted him. Raging at his
  fate, the outcast invoked Nerull, the Reaper—and Nerull
  heard.
  Soon, the court at Rinloru changed dramatically. From
  around the Flanaess, priests of Nerull were guided by
  their dreadful patron power to the city. They were not
  numerous, and the Reaper by no means guided all of his
  priesthood there, but those he chose were powerful, and
  they came by stealth and in disguise. With priests of
  Nerull spirited into his halls, Delglath slew a thousand
  souls in one night and animated them over the coming
  weeks as undead. To the assembled masses of the city, he
  proclaimed that he was now Delglath the Undying, and
  that any who opposed him or sought to escape his realm
  would not only be slain but subjected to torments after
  death which they could hardly even begin to imagine.
  Faced with a vast squad of undead flanking the red-robed
  maniac, whose own powers were evident from the
  serried ranks of people forced to kneel at his magical
  command, the survivors believed him. To be sure,
  thousands have successfully fled to other cities, but just
  as many more have suffered the awful agonies Delglath
  promised them.
  Delglath has also gained experience very rapidly,
  becoming a formidable spellcrafter, and his dabbling in
  evil magic and artifacts makes him very dangerous.
  The Mage-Prince Lakaster
  Prince Lakaster of Winetha has a brilliant, cold, evil
  mind. He is a mage with few equals in all the Flanaess.
  He always takes the long view; with his magical aids to
  longevity, he can afford to.
  During the wars, Lakaster cooperated fully with Ivid's
  orders regarding the use of Winetha as a vital supply port
  and in cooperating with the Sea Barons. Lakaster saved
  himself that way, and he also saved the Winetha navy
  The Twin Cities
  62
  
  which he confined to port for fear of barbarian sea raids.
  Indeed, shortly after Ivid demanded that Lakaster
  dispatch his vessels to Asperdi to support the Sea Barons
  (an order Lakaster refused), the barbarians raided the city
  and the defensive value of Winetha's six war galleys was
  vital in preserving the city. Ivid did not issue the same
  order to Lakaster again.
  Lakaster is undisputed head of the House of Torquann
  in these lands. He has many liegemen, minor Torquann
  Princes, with small militias in the lands west and south of
  his city, and by and large he has been a responsible lord
  to them. He has not extracted heavy taxes and tithes from
  them, not needing to do so. Trade levies provide Winetha
  with enough wealth.
  So, after the wars Lakaster is in a strong position. His
  military forces are intact. Winetha is subject to barbarian
  coastal raids, but these are not as severe as those inflicted
  on the Sea Barons. Trade has declined somewhat with
  Roland taking the lion's share of cargoes from the south,
  but the city is still reasonably affluent. 
  The Alliance
  So, why has the archmage-prince allied with the murder-
  ous, insane Nerull priest of Rinloru? Power and
  arrogance, as so often, are the keys.
   The realities of power here center on two magical
  artifacts the Oeridians brought with them from their
  lands far to the west many centuries ago. One is the Mace
  and Talisman of Krevell, an evil priest of great might. The
  other is the Helm and Wand of Lynerden the Spinner, a
  mage of equal prowess to Krevell. The component parts
  of these artifacts are useful, but if the two parts of each
  are combined, they gain enormously in power. These
  artifacts have long been divided between the houses of
  Garasteth and Torquann, and currently Delglath has the
  mace and helm, and Lakaster has the talisman and wand.
  Obviously, each desires the other half of the artifact he
  prizes so much.
  Fighting each other for the other half of the artifact is
  something both rulers have kept from. Lakaster's troops
  fear the undead hordes of the west, while Delglath knows
  full well that the magic of an archmage and his renowned
  Court Wizards of Winetha—not to mention the fiendish
  allies and elementals they could muster—would present
  truly formidable opposition to his armies. Besides which,
  each spellcaster knows that the other will guard his
  portions of the artifacts with wards and spells which the
  other might not be able to breach. War is not an option
  here. Yet both men—archmage and animus—crave the
  great power of their artifact and have become obsessed
  with completing their great magic item.
  So, emissaries have been dispatched and received, very
  coolly admittedly, but initial contacts have been made.
  The rulers have signed a treaty of mutual non-aggression.
  Each keeps his armies to his own lands and does not
  attack the lands of the other, and recognizes the land
  rights of the other. This has reassured the Torquann
  princelings to some extent. Delglath does not have to
  worry about Garasteth princelings since there are few left
  in his lands, and those still alive are virtual prisoners in
  their own keeps and mansions. Each spellcaster is now
  trying desperately to learn of the powers of each artifact
  when combined together, to test how much he would
  gain compared to the other. This takes much time, and
  prince and priest have an uneasy alliance in the interim.
  Both believe that they can vanquish the other, if only they
  had the full power of the magical artifact they want.
  As intense magical studies proceed in Rinloru and
  Winetha, an infinitesimally thin strand of magical energy
  has come to link the Twin Cities. Some unique magical
  resonance links the artifacts and spellcasters, and this
  straight line of magical energy can be seen easily with a
  detect magic spell. The link has no magical effects, nor can
  it be dispelled; it is simply there. Mordenkainen believes
  that the strange coupling of artifacts and powerful spell-
  casters will generate an uncontrollable magical force
  which will ultimately result in a massive Mordenkainen's
  disjunction which will have decimating effects on the two
  men and their magical possessions and possibly create
  magic-dead areas around the Twin Cities. Most of the rest
  of the Flanaess had best wish that he is right. Whether he
  is, no one is daring to take on the might of these rulers,
  leaving them to their own strange interlocked pavanne of
  obsession and magical power.
  The lands of Delglath and Lakaster are divided as
  shown. By treaty, neither side sends any troops into an
  area of six miles either side of this border. Sometimes
  wandering zombies or skeletons might stray into these
  lands out of control of one of Nerull's priests, but this is
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  63
  
  relatively rare, and they cause little damage in any event.
  In the Locations and Settlements sections below, the
  lands are divided, and the capital city of each is consid-
  ered before the other locations.
  Delglath's Lands
  Pop.: 160,000 + 16,000 undead (approx)
  Capital: Rinloru (pop. 17,100 + 3,500 undead)
  Ruler: Delglath the Undying
  Rulership: Variable
  Cost Multiplier: 160%
  Locations and Settlements
  Rinloru
  Delglath's current policy is to gradually convert all
  ordinary folk into zombies. Skilled artisans and the like
  he must keep alive, since zombies are useless for skilled
  work, and of course people with adventuring abilities are
  important to his armies. However, Delglath is not wholly
  mad. He knows full well that the Rinloru Light Regiment,
  elite infantry, are important to any campaign of conquest,
  and their morale will hardly be improved by seeing all
  their families turned into zombies. Thus, Delglath
  concentrates on foreigners, orphans, the poorest folk of
  the city, and the like as initial targets. With about 3,000
  zombies in the city already, he is making good progress.
  What has happened to those surviving is the result of
  intense shock and a paradoxical passivity reaction. One
  might think that, faced with a charnel house of a city and
  the priests of Nerull in control, people would go to any
  lengths to flee. By now, exactly the reverse has happened.
  Many folk think they are virtually living dead, eking out
  the days until their turn comes. Their fate is inevitable.
  Resistance is futile.
  Obviously, little trade flows through Rinloru now.
  What comes from the west detours southward to avoid
  this horrific city. Balancing this is the city's diminished
  need for money and food (an advantage of having
  undead legions as armies). Very few approach this place
  now.
  Delglath has 25 priests of Nerull occupying the major
  administrative posts in the city. His human army
  commanders are all wholly cowed into submission,
  waiting for the next set of orders. Delglath makes it plain
  that a military campaign will ensue in late summer,
  though he does not reveal where the armies will march.
  So, Rinloru has an extraordinary atmosphere where
  despair, desperation, unmanageable tensions, and sheer
  gut-wrenching terror are all part of the mix.
  Undead are everywhere here, mostly mindless, but
  with ghasts and attendant ghouls posted at strategic
  points. Delglath has not ordered the city plundered yet,
  and there is certainly gold and good reward awaiting any
  who enter and begin to loot the richer residences. The
  city's buildings are stone, with typically thick walls, and
  are highly defensible; this was a fall-back garrison city
  after all. The most extraordinary building here, of recent
  construction and walled off separately from the rest of
  the city, is the famed Sand Castle.
  The Sand Castle was built to evade the Castle Tax in
  the previous century. Since it is not made of stone, it was
  not liable to that tax. The ruler of the time didn't care that
  it cost 10 times as much to build as a stone castle, even
  with the tax element; he just wanted to spite the overking.
  The Sand Castle is constructed of sand magically treated
  to render it as hard as stone, together with great sheets of
  heat-fused sand (which looks like black opaque glass)
  treated with glassteel spells to toughen it. The resulting
  hybrid is a part-sandy, part-glass four-towered structure
  with a massive wooden gate and an extensive fortified
  inner keep with dungeons. This is where Delglath
  currently resides, and the lowest level of the keep has
  been decorated as a parody of the magistrate's chambers
  where judges of the sessions held court and gave
  judgments.
  The Nordan Villages
  Delglath's lands have few substantial settlements, but the
  Nordan villages are the most noteworthy because of their
  increasing importance as a trade link from Winetha to the
  west, bypassing Rinloru. Each has about 1,200 people and
  a garrison. Note that High Nordan is actually across a
  border to the Naelax lands, and a large garrison has
  grown up there in response to Delglath's priestly and
  undead forces which maintain a strong presence in these
  villages, though they do not practice the mass executions
  and animations which occur in the capital. As yet there
  have been no clashes of armies of forces at these border
  points, but the powerful ruler of Delaric is taking no
  chances (see the chapter on the Naelax lands).
  Reaperkeep
  This mage's tower (and fortified garrison houses) acted as
  a supply base for the eastern Sea Keeps, though these
  have declined in importance. The Necromancer of
  Reaperkeep (renamed from its pre-war title of Ratkeep)
  has thrown in his lot with the priests of Nerull who now
  control the base. The vermin which infest the dank, fetid
  dungeons below the keep grow fat and sleek these days,
  feeding on the remnants of the necromancer's researches.
  A command to peasant farmers to bring supplies here is
  dreaded, since many do not return. Reaperkeep has more
  powerful undead than in most outlying areas, including a
  group of 20 or so wights controlled by the necromancer
  and priests. It is said that the necromancer has somehow
  obtained a blackwand from the Lands of Iuz and is
  researching it, hoping to duplicate it in a form he and
  The Twin Cities
  64
  
  others in Delglath's service can use. Obviously, any
  concerned with checking the spread of evil in these lands
  would strike a powerful blow if they prevented this from
  happening.
  The Sea Keeps
  The four keeps and northern tower (a weather-signalling
  beacon and mage's tower of old) protect the coastline,
  with each keep overlooking a small bay or inlet where
  military vessels could drop anchor and provision before
  sailing off to keep barbarians and pirates and bay. Each
  keep also has a lighthouse cupola atop it. Well over half
  of the troops here have fled, headed to Atirr or Winetha
  or even to the Sea Barons. There are not enough of
  Nerull's priests to control all these keeps, and the south-
  ernmost one is occupied solely by zombies with a
  vampire-mage as overseer. The result is that barbarian
  raids along the coast have escalated, and the barbarians
  have become aware of the presence of undead defenders,
  which they detest. If they raid here, they often bring one
  or more of the rare barbarian priests of Pelor with them,
  since such men are powerful in the art of turning undead.
  The coastline and the farmlands west have been largely
  depopulated here, people fearing the twin menaces of
  marauding barbarians and undead. And there are many
  abandoned farmsteads and ghost town hamlets here.
  Some of them have been occupied by men fleeing the
  wrath or evil of their liege, and they have become increas-
  ingly desperate bandits. These are dangerous and forlorn
  lands.
  Spinning Cloud
  Spinning Cloud is a stone keep which hovers 200' in the
  air with a permanent reverse gravity effect (which cannot
  be dispelled save by a wish). The top story of the keep
  cannot be seen, since a permanent stationary white cloud
  envelops it. There has been no sign of the master of the
  keep, an elementalist of air, for some five years now.
  Many consider that Jummenen has been lost on one of his
  forays into the Elemental Plane of Air. Whether this is
  true, anyone planning to loot the keep must beware the
  air elementals and invisible stalkers which guard it, not to
  mention braving a wealth of magical hazards within.
  Lakaster's Lands
  Pop.: 140,000
  Capital: Winetha (pop. 20,500)
  Ruler: Prince Lakaster of the House of Garasteth
  Rulership: Medium
  Cost Multiplier: 110%
  Locations and Settlements
  Winetha
  This city is almost as impregnable as Roland, with sea
  cliffs behind it and massive stone sea walls ringing the
  city below. Winetha is built along a long and narrow bay.
  It is overcrowded, for many have fled here from less safe
  lands.
  Winetha boasts a large mages' guild and fine libraries
  and archives, protected by preservational spells against
  the corroding effect of damp, salty air. Most remarkable
  of all the signs of magecraft here are the legendary Coral
  Towers, flanking the sea gates which give access to the
  city harbor. These 100' tall, 80' diameter towers are
  crafted from roseate corals of the outlying Asperd Isles,
  melded by spellcraft and rendered as tough as steel.
  Continual light spells in great glass domes atop them are
  important beacons for ships, since the coastal currents
  here are strong, especially at times when Luna is full and
  the tides are high. Beneath the brilliant glow from the
  domes, wizards keep watch over the seas, aided by
  priests of Procan.
  Winetha's mages meddle with almost everything in this
  city. Their alchemists have developed oils which protect
  bow strings against sea air, so that the longbowmen of the
  city are effective defenders. The sea gate system can be
  commanded to open and close by using the right
  command words (known only to the harbormaster
  mages), and so on.
  Lakaster is certainly the most powerful of the 60 or so
  wizards of the city. He is no absolute ruler as Delglath is,
  for he must always submit his plans and proposals to the
  Council of Wizards here. They rarely oppose them, since
  few are politically inclined. And so long as Lakaster's
  plans don't stop them from pursuing their own arcane
  researches, they don't really care what he does. However,
  there are certainly tensions within the council concerning
  Lakaster's plan to trade artifacts with Delglath. The
  wizards fear Delglath, and they don't want Lakaster to
  become overwhelmingly powerful. Most hope that
  Delglath will never agree to the trade, but a few are
  concocting plans to attack Delglath's outlying troops and
  settlements with summoned monsters and servants to
  force Lakaster to abandon his alliance. That, in turn,
  might provoke Delglath to march on Winetha—and some
  of the wizards believe that the city could be defended
  against him. Others are not so sure.
  Visitors to Winetha are carefully checked these days.
  An entry fee of 5 gp is payable per person, and a pass to
  the city is given entitling the bearer to stay for one week.
  The purpose of visiting, and where one intends to stay,
  must be divulged. And it is possible a member of the
  Town Guard may call to check up on the visitor.
  Regularly visiting sea vessels and merchants are known
  The Twin Cities
  65
  
  to the guards at the gates, and newcomers are usually
  interrogated carefully and thoroughly. The town has a
  considerable number of eccentrics and unusual delights,
  though visitors are warned that the Picked Eeel Saveloys
  are not for those with sensitive stomachs.
  Pearl Beacon
  This great sea keep with its glorious lighthouse is the
  home of a very unusual noble—Prince Harley of the
  House of Garasteth. Harley is a real rarity; in his youth he
  studied dutifully as a mage, as so many Garasteth
  children do, but he hated it. In his mid-20s he adopted
  the faith of Olidammara. It was a huge relief for him. He
  took to drink, song, and women as a seagull to the sky,
  and in the deadly seriousness of the lands of the Twin
  Cities, Pearl Beacon is an ocean of lightheartedness.
  Nearly 2,000 people live in shanty towns around the old
  sea village here, and somehow they scratch out a living.
  Fishing is the staple source of work and food, but the
  pearls of the bay below the keep (which give it its name,
  as well as the pearly-hued continual light lighthouse
  beacon) are an extra prize for the diligent scavenger of
  the seabed. There are a number of wrecks along the coast
  here, and they too attract adventurers seeking riches.
  Most times they find no sunken gold, but find Pearl
  Beacon is a fine place to stay, at least for a summer.
  Harley has managed to make peace with the barbarians
  by simply challenging them to drinking contests. The
  barbarians were bemused by such an unusual response to
  their arrival in the bay, but they know a priest of Olidam-
  mara when they see one, and they also know a ruler who
  can hold his liquor when they wake up beneath the table
  and find him calling for another hornful of fiery akvavit.
  Pearl Beacon also trades with the Sea Barons, though
  most vessels head for Winetha rather than to this south-
  ern outpost.
  So, Pearl Beacon is as close to a riotous, happy seaport
  as one will find along the east coast. It carries the atten-
  dant dangers; thieves and cut-throats throng this settle-
  ment, since rulership here is low. But Harley is a ruler
  who the wise and bright do not dismiss as the drunken
  rake he appears to be. He has still his old talents as a
  competent mage, and his priestly talents are considerable
  (he is a 9th-level mage/12th-level priest). He is smart,
  cunning, and behind his jests and quips lie a very alert
  mind, fast on the uptake. There are rumors that aquatic
  elves, who have long abandoned most of the coastal
  waters and even the Asperd Isles for the new elven lands
  of Spindrift, have been seen at Pearl Beacon. Some
  whisper by night that a blue-skinned elf, not an aquatic
  one to be sure, has been seen visiting Prince Harley's
  floridly-decorated home, and the name of Mordenkainen
  himself has been uttered by one or two folk—after they
  had too much to drink.
  Finally, the shrine to Procan here is maintained by
  Harley's own funds, and a blessing from the priests is
  greatly valued by seamen. The priests are said to have
  exceptional skills, and to have the favor of Procan
  himself. It is also said that their blessings minimize the
  chance of encountering fearsome sea monsters or sudden
  fogs or storms in the Solnor Ocean, and some vessels will
  travel out of their way to bring gold or other gifts to the
  temple in return for this blessing.
  Treltern
  Lakaster himself owns about half the lands in his domain,
  the rest being owned by minor Garasteth and Torquann
  nobles. Of the many hamlets and villages in these lands,
  Treltern is the most sizeable with 1,600 people, a well-
  equipped local militia, and a strategic position along the
  southern trade route to Orred. Even some goods headed
  for or out of Delaric come this way now, following the
  dirawaen roads to Wendarn and then northward, though
  that is a hazardous route with so many miles to be
  covered within the overking's claimed lands. Treltern is
  noted for a fine bardic collection of old poems and songs,
  surprising in such a small place; it was established by
  Nightsong of Delaric long before his alignment change,
  and indeed that legendary bard was born here. Few,
  however, would wish to see him return. Nonetheless,
  there is a faint whiff of magic about the recitatorium here,
  and Treltern has a reputation for producing musically-
  gifted people as well as fine poetic and declamatory
  bards.
  Personalities of the Twin Cities
  While Rinloru has some important priests of Nerull and
  Winetha has some noteworthy mages, the two major
  protagonists of the strange alliance concern us here. Their
  "supporting 
  cast" 
  is 
  deliberately 
  left 
  open 
  for
  development.
  Animus-Priest Delglath: Animus with the powers of
  13th-level priest of Nerull and additional abilities (see
  below, and Wis 18). AC 6 (ring of protection +4), hp 88, AL
  NE. Delglath has all the special powers and abilities of an
  animus, but he has one additional talent. At will, he can
  cause blisters to rise on the palms of his hands which
  secrete a smoking, corrosive acid. This does not harm
  Delglath, but his touch inflicts 1d4+4 hp of damage per
  round his palms are in contact with the skin of anyone
  else, and the acid corrodes cloth in one round, wood at
  the rate of 1" thickness per round, and metal at the rate of
  .25" thickness per round. Magical items receive the
  standard saving throw against destruction by acid;
  nonmagical items do not. "Delglath's blessing" is a laconic
  Rinloru saying which refers to this dreaded touch.
  Delglath sees himself as a Chosen One of Nerull. In one
  The Twin Cities
  66
  
  respect, his view has some validity. Though he is but 13th
  level, he is a powerful enchanter of magical items
  (consider him as equivalent to a 20th-level priest for this).
  Delglath even has been to the Causeway of Fiends to take
  stone he polished, crafted, and enchanted to create his
  talisman of ultimate evil which he wears with pride. He has
  other magical items, of course; these include a great sickle
  +2, +3 versus good-aligned creatures, a ring of X-ray vision,
  and a brooch of shielding with 71 charges remaining.
  Delglath has the typical wizened, wrinkled appearance
  of the animus. He has long, flowing white hair which he
  braids in the style of old Aerdi nobles, and blue eyes
  which are unblinking. As a personality, he is consumed
  with the desire to render Aerdy into a kingdom of the
  undead with himself atop the malachite throne. But he is
  wily and cunning, and while insane he knows this is not a
  goal he can aim at right now. He seeks no alliances, and
  he has eliminated all who oppose him within his own
  lands. He intends to do the same everywhere else. Once
  he has the talisman, Winetha will be his first target.
  Rauxes will be next.
  Archmage-Prince Lakaster: 19th-level mage (Dex 16,
  Con 15, Int 18). AC 0 (black robes of the Archmagi, ring of
  protection +3), hp 49, AL LE (NE). Lakaster is chronologi-
  cally 77 years of age, but due to two potions of longevity
  and his possession of an amulet of perpetual youth (see
  Tome of Magic) he is biologically only 35 (this becomes
  57 if his amulet is removed). He is an imposing 6' 5", slim,
  graceful; the blond archmage has boyish good looks, a
  broad white-toothed smile, and friendly hazel eyes. He is
  a thoroughly evil power-maniac, however. Still, he is
  brilliant and urbane, and he is worldly-wise. He knows
  the value of alliance, having time to develop one's
  strength when facing an enemy—and of the value of one
  well-planned, lightning-swift, devastating strike (prefera-
  bly with a streak of wanton cruelty).
  Lakaster has many magical items. His quarterstaff +5
  has the additional magical properties, usable once a day,
  each using one charge: spectral force, suggestion, wall of fire,
  wall of stone. The staff is recharged by being plunged into
  one gallon of fresh blood from an intelligent, humanoid
  creature, and Lakaster has no compunctions about
  recharging it when he needs to do so. Lakaster always
  wears his Serten's ring, which confers on him a perma-
  nent Serten's spell immunity. whether this ring truly
  belonged to that legendary archmage, who can say?
  Lakaster certainly isn't saying.
  Lakaster is on fair terms with the Sea Barons, but has
  few other contacts among local nobles. He is too obsessed
  with desire for the Wand of Lynerden to bother with
  politics now. Night and day he labors to research the
  combined powers of the wand and helm of that fabled
  wizard, and his researches continue to yield conflicting
  answers. Any who could provide him with the truth
  would be very well rewarded by this archmage-prince,
  who has a fair collection of Asperd pearls and similar
  valuables among his personal wealth.
  Magical Artifacts
  The Mace and Talisman of Krevell
  Krevell was a dreaded priest of Nerull, and his baneful
  items have the appropriate magical qualities. On its own,
  the mace is a mace +4 which can cast animate dead once a
  day and energy drain three times a week by touch. Alone,
  the talisman can cause paralysis once a day in a 20' radius
  around its user. Either item only can be used by an evil-
  aligned individual with spellcasting ability. If the two are
  held by a priest of Nerull, however, their combined
  power is vastly enhanced. The functions above can be
  used seven times more frequently, and the following
  powers are gained, one per week each: destruction, gate (to
  Nerull's home plane), unholy word, symbol of death. The
  owner of both items can adopt wraithform at will, gate
  himself and up to 10 attendants to the Negative Material
  Plane at will without ill-effect once a month, and can
  command undead as a 20th-level priest, with double the
  usual number being affected. No mindless undead
  (zombies, skeletons, etc.) will attack the bearer of the
  mace and talisman even if so commanded. And intelli-
  gent, free-willed undead, such as vampires and liches,
  must make a saving throw versus spells to be able to
  attack the bearer each round. All spell effects are at 14th
  level of magic use for the mace and talisman individually,
  and at 20th level when combined.
  The Helm and Wand of Lynerden the
  Spinner
  Such was the power of the ancient Oeridian mage Lyner-
  den that the individual items of this pairing are powerful
  indeed, though neither can be used save by a nonspecial-
  ist mage. The helm, if worn, gives a -3 AC bonus and +3
  to all saving throws against attempts at mental control or
  possession (charm, domination, magic jar, etc.). It can also
  cast color spray, improved phantasmal force and shadow magic
  each once a day. The wand grants its user a +3 bonus
  against all fire- and cold- based attacks, and can also be
  used to cast fireball and cone of cold each once a day. When
  both items are held by the same archmage, however, the
  following magical powers also can be cast, each once a
  day: delayed blast fireball, incendiary cloud, mass invisibility,
  meteor swarm, screen. In addition, a limited wish can be cast
  once a week, and a full wish can be cast once every three
  months, save that after 1d4+1 wishes this function is lost.
  Spell effects are at 14th level for the helm or wand, and at
  20th level when combined.
  The functions of each half of the pair of artifacts are
  The Twin Cities
  67
  
  readily ascertainable by the usual means (identify, legend
  lore, etc.). However, the combined properties are almost
  impossible to scry unless one possesses both halves.
  Delglath and Lakaster busily interrogate extraplanar
  beings, pore over old tomes, and so on. Lakaster has even
  expended a wish to learn more, but to no avail. The truth
  only can be found (if one does not possess both halves of
  an artifact) in the original writings of Krevell and Lyner-
  den the Spinner. If any copies of their works survive, they
  are in far-flung places, perhaps guarded by powerful
  mages, fiends, or worse.
  The Twin Cities
  68
  
  The Adri Forest is perhaps but half the size it was when
  the Great Kingdom was founded, but it is still large and
  shelters many peoples and creatures. The whole of the
  forest has been regarded as part of the Great Kingdom
  historically, though the lands west of the Harp River were
  considered part of Almor or Nyrond for a time. As
  detailed in this chapter, the forest can be divided into
  three distinctively different regions:
  (1) The ancient, deep forest woodland. Here, few
  humans enter, and the terrain is fraught with danger.
  (2) The remaining bulk of the woodland. This is home
  to foresters, rangers, bandits and others.
  (3) The city of Innspa and the forested hills. The hills
  abut the southern extension of the Flinty Hills range.
  The Adri Woodlands
  About 90% of the mass of the Adri is mixed deciduous
  woodland, with the broad and sluggish Harp River
  cutting a swathe through it to the west. The forest is
  plentiful with game, and its fringes always have seen
  their share of nobles out hunting. In addition to deer, the
  rabbits of the forest are plentiful and are trapped for food,
  as are squirrels, mink-like animals, and larger birds.
  Fishing is productive along the banks of the Harp. Add to
  this good supplies of mushrooms, herbs, fruiting plants,
  berries, and tubers, and the riches of the forest are easily
  enough to support the 25,000 or so people who dwell
  permanently within the forest confines.
  Races other than humans are rare outside the deep
  forest. There are a few hundred wood elves, no more, and
  very few high elves or forest gnomes. The demihumans
  who live in this forest keep to themselves, and they
  defend their homes with snares, tripwires, pit and net
  traps, and poisoned weapons. There are so few of them
  that they do not take chances with outsiders. This applies
  even to the normally peaceable gnomes.
  This is a surprise to many who do not know the history
  of the forest. The elves have a good reason for disliking
  this forest, as the history of the Coldwood reveals.
  Likewise the gnomes, who might have been expected to
  have taken to the wooded hills, shun them. Their avoid-
  ance is explained in the notes on Innspa and the hills
  below.
  This leaves a human population which, though
  sizeable, is sparse in terms of people per square mile.
  There are areas of the Adri where no man has ever set
  foot.
  So far as costs and availability of goods go, food is
  readily accessible, but most other goods are almost
  unavailable at any price—save for such simple weapons
  as spears, bows, arrows, and battle axes.
  The Forest Folk
  Foresters
  Most humans who live here make a living from fishing,
  trapping, hunting, and plant gathering. Thus, they are
  foresters rather than woodsmen. Most of the folk who
  make a living taking wood from the forest for the
  manufacture of spears, bows, arrows, and ships live
  outside the forest in farmsteads and small hamlets. These
  woodsmen grow more determined and callous in their
  cutting down Adri wood because their lords demand it of
  them. The foresters react in different ways to this invasion
  and to the much more threatening incursions of other
  factions; bandits, humanoids, and militias. Some have
  reacted aggressively by setting lethal traps for those who
  come to their forest, others have retreated into the deeper
  woodlands or to the new, larger, fortified settlements
  which have sprung up or grown larger over the past few
  years.
  Decades ago, foresters lived alone, often with their
  families, in timbered huts, except in areas where indige-
  nous forest humanoids were anything other than a rare
  menace. Now, this is unusual. Groups of families live
  together, and ditches and palisade walls protect their
  dwellings. These settlements have been built (or are being
  built now) deeper into the forest—deeper than settle-
  ments into other forests.
  The main threats to the foresters come from outside the
  forest rather than within.
  The Adri foresters are a mix of alignments, but are
  predominantly chaotic. A forester whose family has a few
  chickens for eggs and a goat for milk is virtually self-
  sufficient, needing perhaps one trading trip a year to buy
  leather, cloth, cooking pans, and a few other finished
  items. They are tough folk (Con of 6+2d6). They are also
  suspicious of any outsiders, and with good reason.
  Foresters' hamlets (any population of 30+) are regularly
  patrolled, day and night. The forest men favor leather
  armor, longbows or short bows, spears, and battle axes.
  But some have weapons taken from the bodies of militia
  from beyond the forest—longswords, heavy maces, and
  the like. They tend to band together in small groups to
  hunt, check traps, or collect berries and mushrooms. In
  many areas, the foresters have taken to smearing plant
  and berry extracts on their skins to disguise themselves in
  the woods. The DM should allow foresters a chance of
  hiding in shadows in woodlands, with this chance being
  15% +2% per experience level. As a random determina-
  tion for foresters, the DM may use a d100 roll for adult
  men and women:
  D100 
  Result
  1-85
  Normal Man (Woman)
  The Adri Forest
  69
  
  86-95
  1st level fighter
  96-97
  2nd level fighter
  98
  3rdlevel fighter
  99
  4thlevel fighter
  00
  Reroll:
  1-15
  NM/W,
  16+
  fighter of level 3+1d6
  Rangers
  Since the Great Kingdom is not noted for its many good-
  aligned people, that there are few rangers in the Adri is
  no surprise. Moreover, there is a schism within their
  ranks. Two powerful ranger lords compete for the spirit
  of the Adri rangers; one Lawful, one Chaotic.
  From his base at Elversford, Parren Ludern stresses
  constantly the need to organize forces to defend the
  forest. He is charismatic, and has the blood of the House
  of Cranden in his veins, giving him some aristocratic
  kudos. Parren has had some notable successes, strength-
  ening Elversford and negotiating with Captain-General
  Osmeran of Cordrend in Nyrond. Osmeran instructs his
  elven mage Nukirien to teleport to Elversford, bringing
  small quantities of crafted weapons, potions, and the like
  in return for herbs and food which Osmeran badly needs.
  Osmeran and Parren also cooperate militarily. A joint
  venture by them recently employed foresters and rangers
  as a feint to lure away defenders from a military garrison
  outside Innspa some months ago, allowing Osmeran's
  men to attack those remaining in the camp, inflicting
  serious casualties and retrieving useful supplies.
   Those rangers allied with Parren wear insignia to
  identify themselves and their relative rank. A small lime-
  green stripe is worn on the right sleeve by rangers of
  levels 1-2; two stripes for those of levels 3-5; three stripes
  by those of levels 6-8; and three stripes with an inverted
  chevron above by the handful of levels 9+. The align-
  ments of these rangers, perhaps 80 in number throughout
  the forest, are: LG, 50%; NG, 40%; CG, 10%.
  There are those who do not like this militaristic organi-
  zation. It is too similar to the regimented life which many
  of the Adri people fled from beyond the forest, and it is
  not without its dangers. After the Innspa raid, Aerdy
  militias did their best to retaliate with forays against the
  foresters to the west. They only killed a few, but next time
  the retaliation might be more powerful and cost many
  more lives.
  Rangers not allied with Parren have more sympathy for
  the other best-known ranger of the forest, Prisstyne
  Carnhuis. Prisstyne's rangers form a very loose alliance,
  without rank or order, communicating on an ad hoc basis
  when necessary. They have no base similar to Elversford
  and travel widely throughout the Adri, not necessarily
  just patrolling the borders of the larger settlements as
  Parren's rangers tend to do. They also have better under-
  standings with nonhuman forest dwellers, such as the
  wood elves, the sentinels, and the few faerie folk. Many
  speak one or more additional languages, such as elven or
  a faerie tongue. The very few half-elven rangers of the
  forest are almost all among Prisstyne's followers. There
  are perhaps 60 such, and their alignments are: NG, 30%;
  CG, 70%.
  These two groups are not antagonistic. They simply
  don't cooperate very much. They have different views on
  how the Adri is best defended, but their lack of coopera-
  tion may yet cost the forest dear.
  Druids and Nature Priests
  There are small numbers of several nature priesthoods
  within the Adri. A handful of priests of Beory, Atroa, and
  Phyton have taken refuge here over the years, but the
  most important priesthoods are those of Obad-hai and
  Ehlonna. Ehlonna's priests often term themselves
  "druids," not least to challenge the authority of Obad-
  hai's druids.
  Obad-hai's priesthood is the most numerous in the
  Adri. Archdruid Immonara has lived in the Adri for more
  than 80 years, some say, and for all that there are few
  signs of age on her face. Immonara has many affiliations,
  unusually for a druid of this reclusive faith. She talks to
  both Parren and Prisstyne, and is associated with the
  The Adri Forest
  70
  
  Brothers of the Bronze, the Nyrondese group of druids,
  rangers, and others who try to protect the Celadon and
  Gamboge forests in Nyrond. Immonara is one of very few
  able to walk the deep forest in safety, and she has an
  unparalleled knowledge of forest lore. She knows the old
  mysteries and dangers of the forest, and the true tale of
  the Coldwood. Since Griffith Adarian's finding of an
  ancient relic close by (see City of Greyhawk, Folk, Feuds
  and Factions book), Immonara warns her other druids to
  be wary of travel therein. Immonara's druids are forest
  wanderers, rarely staying long at any settlement. They do
  not seek confrontations with raiding militias or human-
  oids as Parren's rangers often do. Very often a druid of
  Obad-hai just happens to be on the spot at the time, using
  entanglement, snares, spike growths and the like to confound
  raiders.
  The druids of Obad-hai also have friends among the
  wood elves, the  few forest gnomes of the Adri, and other
  nonhumankind. 
  They 
  are 
  a 
  gentle 
  priesthood,
  introverted, lacking in aggression, and they also keep
  confidences to themselves. They are exceptionally skilled
  in herbalism, and any druid of Obad-hai of 3rd or higher
  level is able to prepare herbal draughts and remedies
  which can: (a) cure 1d4 hp; (b) have a 50% chance for
  curing disease (if a natural disease); and (c) if adminis-
  tered within 10 minutes of a person or animal being
  poisoned, allow a fresh saving throw versus poison and,
  if that saving throw is made, the herbal curative neutral-
  izes the poison (though it will not undo any adverse
  effects which have already occurred). Druids of 7th and
  higher levels have an even more advanced natural
  pharmacopeia, though they do not reveal the secrets of
  their recipes.
  Ehlonna's smaller priesthood is rather more outgoing
  and even aggressive. It has no leader of similar stature to
  Immonara, but Lisara Elmhern is a fiery and exception-
  ally astute priestess who often speaks for this group in
  conclaves with rangers and outsiders. A handful of these
  priests have organized into a martial faith, stressing the
  strength of the forest and the power of the life-force
  Ehlonna epitomizes. This group, calling itself the Warri-
  ors of the Huntress, specializes in combat and protection
  spells and actively organizes with Parren's rangers and
  forester-fighters to attack those who threaten the Adri.
  The famed warrior-bard Lukan the Boar is allied with the
  Warriors of the Huntress, and he is rumored to be Lisara's
  lover.
  Bandits
  In addition to the forest's indigenous folk, at any time
  there are perhaps 2,000 or so bandits in the Adri. They are
  a varied lot. Some have been outlaws within the forest for
  many years, and have come to know the paths and ways
  of the forest. Others are army deserters or farm folk fled
  during the wars or the months since. And the most recent
  of these arrivals are as likely to die from eating poisonous
  fungi mistaken for edible mushrooms as from any other
  cause. Very few—only those who have lived here for
  several years or more—have any permanent, defended
  settlements. The majority are feral scavengers, raiding
  farmlands and farmsteads outside the forest for the most
  part. They tend to be poorly equipped and have wretched
  morale, although there are a handful of exceptions (see
  location entry for Sharpwall below).
  Other Folk
  Perhaps 1,000 orcs, half this number of gnolls, and a
  handful of bugbears are indigenous forest dwellers. Their
  numbers have been diminished to the northeast as
  Hastern has recruited them (at sword-point, usually) into
  his militias. They present little threat to the foresters,
  since they leave obvious telltale signs of entering forest
  areas and foresters are usually able to avoid them and
  anticipate any serious raiding they might make from time
  to time. They have no major settlements and tend to roam
  in small bands of 5-20 or so, scavenging whatever they
  can.
  There are few faerie creatures (dryads, pixies, nixies in
  the river, etc.) outside of the deep forest—save for brown-
  ies. Many a forester's hamlet has a brownie living nearby,
  and a few have a prized killmoulis somewhere among the
  wooden ceiling beams. The foresters are very supersti-
  tious about these little folk, and always provide saucers
  of milk, beer, and food. There is a common belief that the
  little people like candied  sweets, which are made from
  fruit sugars. Brownies are also friendly to Prisstyne's
  rangers in particular, and often leave telltale warning
  signs for them along their preferred trails and paths if
  dangers lie ahead.
  The Strategic Picture
  The Adri is raided from many directions, but its problems
  are more severe in particular areas.
  Northeastern Forest
  Here, the militias and axemen of Hastern of Naelax and
  his liegemen are constant raiders into the forest. Human-
  oids in Hastern's service make extended forays into the
  forest, venturing up to 50-60 miles from their bases
  beyond it, hunting for slaves, food, anything they can
  scavenge and despoil. Many foresters have left the area,
  but as the forays get deeper and deeper, the time comes
  when they will be forced to defend at least the margins of
  deeper settlements.
  The Adri Forest
  71
  
  Southeastern Forest
  Strychan of Dustbridge has little interest in the Adri, and
  few of the other Naelax nobles to the south have
  Hastern's policy of systematic raiding. Their axemen and
  soldiers loot the margins of the Adri, but do not penetrate
  deeply into the forest. This area is thus defensible, and
  settlements have not retreated so far back into the forest
  as elsewhere.
  Southwestern Forest
  There are no organized military threats to this area, but
  the few creatures which enter the Adri from the wretched
  Almorian borderlands may be insanely powerful,
  intensely evil, or both. Thus, the few dangers which
  present themselves here are of exceptional strength.
  Defensive measures have been taken along the northern
  bank of the Harp just inside the forest here, and foresters
  who once lived south of that river have tended to retreat
  across the river to safer northern lands. The gazetteer
  chapter for the Almorian lands gives extra details.
  Northwestern Forest
  The description of Innspa and the borderlands gives more
  details. In theory, the forces amassed in the chaotic
  margins of the forest could be overwhelming, but the
  soldiers and humanoids here expend much energy fight-
  ing each other rather than raiding the forest. This is why
  Prisstyne is currently so angry with Parren. She is
  concerned that his cooperation with Osmeran threatens
  to turn the attentions of the disorganized factions against
  the forest and, if this happens, woe betide the forest.
  Alliance?
  Many Adri folk secretly long for union with Nyrond.
  Indeed, many have relatives there. Now that Almor has
  fallen, they believe that only Nyrond can preserve them
  from the evils of the Great Kingdom. Unfortunately, most
  Adri folk have little true idea of what is going on in the
  outside world. Most speak of the Great Kingdom as if it
  still existed as a single entity. Few can comprehend the
  state into which Nyrond has fallen. They might hear
  news from outside (though not often), but they do not
  truly understand and comprehend it. This is a naive
  people for the most part, too long isolated in their forest
  home to understand the momentous changes outside it.
  Locations and Settlements
  As noted, there are few permanent settlements of any size
  in this forest, and few dangerous ruins or magical areas
  outside the deep forest. The DM should feel free to add
  unusual sites to the brief list given here, though strongly
  magical and dangerous areas are perhaps best placed in
  the deep forest.
  Elversford
  The fortified village of Elversford has nearly 1,000 people
  behind its wooden walls and network of flooded ditches.
  Built on the bank of the river, a shallow moat has been
  created around the village. The waters are no more than
  four feet deep, deliberately to tempt any force attacking
  the village to try its luck wading through. The submerged
  metal-tipped spears beneath the moat waters would then
  inflict most unpleasant injuries on those entering. The
  iron tips have rusted, of course; but that's all the better for
  inflicting blood poisoning on anyone suffering a wound
  from a spear. The village has a wooden gatehouse with a
  drawbridge which is lowered to allow access to Elvers-
  ford from the land.
  Elversford is the major trading post for the Adri. Of
  course, there is little trade now, but a precious trickle of
  armor, weapons, and a handful of minor magical items
  makes its way here by one means or another. Mages such
  as Nukirien can teleport here. A few brave souls from
  Nyrond, who may have Adri relatives, even risk the Harp
  River from points west of Innspa or head down the
  southern spur of the Flinty Hills. These latter visitors are
  rare, however, simply because of the severe threats such
  travel poses. Few try these routes, and considerably fewer
  survive. Only those with magical protections (invisibility
  10' radius and the like) come back more than once.
  Elversford is well defended by Parren's ranger patrols,
  and the forest bowmen atop the wooden walls of the
  village are deadly shots (Dexterity scores of 12+1d6 for
  the 25 elite bowmen). There are two young mages (3rd
  and 5th level). At any time, their mentor Nukirien (a
  10th-level mage) will be within the village. There are also
  a handful of priests of Ehlonna and other powers in the
  village, so that low-level spell defense is strong.
  The people of Elversford are forced to forage into the
  forest for days at a time in search of food, simply because
  a settlement this size cannot support itself by fishing and
  livestock keeping. In a 20-mile radius east of the river,
  there are forester's huts along some of the most-traveled
  trails which are used by such foragers to rest and sleep.
  They always leave some food and water behind for those
  who come after them. Some of these have tiny, hidden
  chambers below the ground which have been laboriously
  dug out. A trapdoor, concealed below straw or matting
  above, gives access. Some foresters sleep in these tiny,
  lightless chambers, hoping that any raiders who might
  happen by will open the hut, see no one is there, and just
  take the food and depart. One or two lives have been
  saved this way, though the forest orcs have tumbled to
  the trick by now and know to look for such hidden
  trapdoors. Anyone caught in the chamber beneath is not
  The Adri Forest
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  necessarily a sitting target, for there are usually cross-
  bows beneath them which can be set to fire at anyone
  opening the covering when a woodsman is asleep inside.
  Elversford is the first place to come for characters in
  search of important Adri NPCs. Parren is usually here,
  and he knows where others such as Prisstyne, Lisara and
  Lukan can be found if they are not actually in Elversford
  when characters visit. Any characters who bring
  weaponry or similarly prized goods will be very welcome
  in Elversford—though Parren and the village elders will
  certainly want to know where any visitors come from and
  what their business is. Anyone approaching will be
  detected well before they get to the settlement.
  Erianrhel
  This is a ruined treehouse settlement of the wood elves of
  the forest, abandoned by them long ago when the
  Coldwood came into being. The houses are long
  overgrown with trailing vines, creepers and moss, and
  the elves left little behind them. Foresters are very super-
  stitious about this place, and so are the humanoids of the
  Adri. Neither will approach within several miles of
  Erianrhel. They fear that elvish or faerie enchantment will
  steal them from the mortal world, never to return.
  Rangers and druids know better. There are some faerie
  creatures here, but none are hostile. The most notable
  permanent occupant is Elmennanibinaquen ("Elmen" to
  humans), a young (9 HD) elm treant. By treant standards,
  Elmen is friendly and talkative, but he has an intrinsic
  ability to know alignment and avoids evil folk. Elmen is, in
  his way, something of a sage among younger treants, and
  he possesses telepathic abilities. For example, he can use
  ESP at will. Elmen knows of events in the deep forest,
  and he also knows much about the Grandwood. Gywdie-
  sin has traveled here, and Elmen speaks approvingly of
  him: "The only human I've ever met who understood that
  a conversation only begins to get interesting after the first
  two settings of the sun." Elmen's faerie and small animal
  and bird friends have an excellent up-to-date knowledge
  of what happens in their area, and will help good-aligned
  forest travelers and those actively seeking to defend the
  forest.
  Ettin's Mound
  The site of an ancient battle between Flan and Oeridians,
  Ettin's Mound is a single hillock jutting out from the
  forest, an isolated extension of the forested western hills.
  Most unusually, there is a tribe of ettins below the
  mound, perhaps 15 or so in a great extended family.
  These ettins are led by a monstrous chieftain with 16 HD,
  and they obey the dictates of Iron Grandfather from sheer
  fear. The ettins have looted most of the items buried with
  the dead below the mound, though some may remain.
  Iron Grandfather has a horn of fog which he uses to best
  effect in the ettins' battle forays and a wrought iron brooch
  of shielding which has the additional property of hasting
  the wearer once a week without any aging effect. His
  name acknowledges this artifact, as well as his vast
  strength and tyrannical nature.
  Foresters and rangers give the area around a wide
  berth. The ettins are a threat to any humans they find.
  Iron Grandfather has a particular hatred of humanoids,
  and the ettins usually slay orcs, kobolds, and others. A
  spit roast of ogre stuffed with orc stuffed with kobold is a
  prized delicacy. Why the old, huge ettin has this especial
  hatred is unknown. Why the ettins tattoo their forearms
  with the motif of a lightning bolt which looks astonish-
  ingly similar to the holy symbol of Heironeous is also a
  mystery.
  Goldchasm
  Along a 15-mile narrow stretch of forest, rocky chasms
  cleave hundreds of feet below the forest floor. Cave
  complexes honeycomb some of the rifts. This is danger-
  ous terrain, because the chasms appear to shift, closing
  and reforming, sometimes at a rate fast enough to be
  visible to the onlooker. It is said that powerful earth
  elementals, maybe dao, live far below these rifts, and
  some who have ventured here say the deeper caves show
  signs of svirfneblin activity. There even might be passage-
  ways to the Underdark within the area.
  Goldchasm is so named because there have been
  discoveries of veins of that metal here, and a few
  moonstone and chrysoberyl deposits into the bargain.
  Few try to recover these valuables, however. Mining is
  impossible because of the shifting structure of the chasms
  and caves, and the dangers of entrapment underground
  are all too real. As a result, monsters and dangerous
  animals—even worgs—prowl the area, which is devoid
  of forester settlements.
  Sharpwall
  Named after the palisade wall logs with their sharpened
  flint tops, Sharpwall boasts a strong central keep with a
  dozen wooden cabins. The Johrase bandit Kavern Egrias-
  sen, a 9th-level fighter, has set up camp here with some
  25 equally vicious men from the Bandit Kingdoms,
  fleeing the forces of Iuz far to the northwest. Kavern and
  his men are well-armed and equipped, and among their
  number is a bandit with a good knowledge of forest
  plants and preparations from his days in the Fellreev
  Forest. He brews paralyzing and disabling venoms which
  the bandits use on spears and arrows. They make regular
  patrols looking for foresters, who they subdue with their
  venomed weapons and nets. These unfortunates are then
  sold as slaves, usually in Edge Field.
  Kavern is tolerated as an opportunist by Hastern of
  Edge Field, because he brings a steady trickle of slaves
  The Adri Forest
  73
  
  into the city and offers no threat to Hastern's forces.
  Indeed, Kavern even sells them food when those forces
  enter the Adri, and sells information to the leader accom-
  panying them.
  The Deep Forest
  As shown on the map, there are three tracts of deep
  forest; the Coldwood and two other, smaller, tracts of
  tangled heavy woodland. The Coldwood is a special, fell
  place of great peril. The other two areas have their own
  dangers.
  In deep forest generally, monsters such as ettercaps and
  lyrannikin are a menace, and in one or two boggy places
  will o' wisps are likewise dangerous. There are more
  benign faerie beings outside of the Coldwood, but they
  shun human contact save for a few druids of Obad-hai
  whom they trust. These lands were once part of a much
  greater tract of deep forest, and the faerie beings blame
  humanity for the terrible fate which befell so much of
  their home.
  The key to this hostility lies in the tale of the
  Coldwood, which reaches back into pre-history.
  Darnakurian's Doom
  At the heart of what is now the Coldwood, a great and
  majestic elven city once stood. Crafted from living
  woods, marble, silver, and even ice, the City of the
  Summer Stars was home to perhaps 2,000 gray elves.
  They were an introverted, studious, mystical people, and
  they sought no dominion outside their homelands. The
  spells and lore known to them is virtually beyond
  comprehension in the Flanaess now. By a wave of her
  hand, Queen Sharafere could make winds ripple through
  all the endless miles of the great forest, and summon
  unicorns, treants, and the beasts and birds of the forest to
  her glittering palace.
  The demise of this race is a dreadful tragedy which few
  alive today know of. Those who know the tale do not
  speak of it. Mordenkainen, Philidor, Gywdiesin, Calen-
  dryen of the Vesve, Immonara, and the Silverbow Sages
  of the Lendore Isles are among that rare few, and perhaps
  one or two other mortals.
  The City of the Summer Stars received emissaries from
  the Ur-Flannae. Those necromancers and wizards spoke
  honeyed words, but Sharafere saw the lust for magical
  power in their hearts and sent them away. In their rage
  and desire to possess the magic of the elves, the
  Ur-Flannae brought their own magic to assault the city.
  Fire and acid rained down from the skies. Fiends stalked
  the forests. Bulettes, xorn, and other monsters erupted
  from the very earth to strike at the foundations of the city.
  Sharafere knew the city could hold against this assault,
  but the forest around was screaming its agony at the
  defoliation and slaughter which covered thousands of
  square miles. The undead and monsters of the invaders
  seemed countless in number; the elves slew thousands
  and still the Ur-Flannae mounted wave after wave of
  attack.
  Sharafere's eldest son, Darnakurian, could take no
  more. A peerless enchanter, he called on many sources of
  power, even across the planes. From corners of the void
  dark voices came to him, seducing him with the promise
  of supreme power—power which could destroy the
  Ur-Flannae and save the city and the forest. Darnakurian
  grew gaunt and sleepless, barely ceasing his work to
  memorize more spells he needed in his race against time.
  Finally, he crafted the appalling sword the elves named
  Hunger. Marching to the throne room, he presented it in
  triumph to his mother as the instrument by which the
  elves could triumph and banish their evil foes.
  Sharafere was appalled. The weapon's evil was appar-
  ent to her, hidden beneath the waves of magical power
  which emanated from it. She ordered him to destroy the
  malign sword, at which Darnakurian was aghast. Driven
  half-mad with bitter anger at what was happening to the
  forest and frustration at the thought that his endless work
  was valueless in his mother's eyes, he raised the sword
  and slew her in the Palace of the Heavens. Looking down
  at her body, the enormity of his crime came over him and
  the elf-prince was plunged into madness, his mind
  broken. He fled into the forest and came upon a conclave
  of necromancers. Then his doom came upon him in
  earnest.
  Darnakurian slew thousands in a matter of hours. The
  circle of destruction his sword emanated cut a great
  swathe of horrific deaths before him as he charged the
  Ur-Flannae and drove them in terror from the forest.
  Finally, the elf-prince took himself back to the city. So
  weak was he by now that the sword controlled him
  utterly, and it drove him to slay his own people in the
  hundreds. Every gray elf alive in the City of Summer
  Stars either fled, never to return, or perished in that single
  day.
  The Sentinels
  At the heart of the Coldwood the old City of the Summer
  Stars has simply disappeared. The magic of the elves has
  faded, and the city with it. Some say that its ruins can be
  found within the Fading Grounds, but the portal to it
  within the Coldwood is unknown. All of the city is gone
  from Oerth—save Darnakurian's own keep. The elves
  named this Bitterness, a word with a more intense double
  meaning than in the Common tongue. It refers both to the
  dreadful tragedy of the prince, and also to the intensely
  bitter chill which gives the Coldwood its name. The
  Coldwood generally has temperatures below zero, but
  within five miles of Bitterness the temperature is virtually
  unbearable, all vegetation is frozen into stark, leafless
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  forms—killed by the black permafrost which covers
  everything here. Spells such as control temperature 10'
  radius and magical items such as boots of the north are
  powerless to negate this bitter chill, or to protect charac-
  ters from its effects.
  No living man has ever entered Bitterness. Within it,
  Darnakurian's form is still alive—in some sense. A
  powerful temporal stasis spell, crafted by the last of the
  great gray elf wizards before they fled the city, imprisons
  him inside. He still holds Hunger on his lap as he sits
  frozen, staring out blindly into the great marbled hall of
  his home.
   No living man (or other sentient creature) is going to
  get anywhere near Bitterness if the guardians who prowl
  the margins of the Coldwood have their way. These gray
  elves are known as the Sentinels. There are 20 of them
  around the Coldwood, each a fighter/mage of great
  power (20+ levels split between their two classes). They
  have special magical defenses, with base 80% magic resis-
  tance and complete immunity to illusions and disabling
  spells such as hold, charm, domination and the like. They
  possess formidable magical items, with many holding
  rings of human control to keep potential intruders at bay.
  Some of these Sentinels are gray elves from the old city
  itself, which brings them close to the limit of their years.
  When a Sentinel grows old, and the time comes for him to
  pass from the world, another takes his place, usually sent
  by the Silverbow Sages of Lendore.
  The Sentinels warn intruders not to enter the
  Coldwood, telling them of the dangers. Monsters such as
  remorhaz and white puddings prowl the intensely cold
  permafrost area. Elementals, golems formed of ice as hard
  as steel, and many still more dangerous magical guardi-
  ans stalk the wood. Great necrophidii (4-10 HD) are the
  most numerous. The Sentinels invariably know when
  anyone approaches within a mile of the Coldwood, and
  they can teleport instantly to any point on its margins to
  ward off such folk. Great owls spy the margins and talk
  to the Sentinels, but the frozen spider's webs around the
  Coldwood are also said to be a magical detection system
  alerting them to visitors.
  The Sentinels do not speak of themselves, nor exactly
  what the Coldwood contains. They say simply that great
  evil and danger lurk within, and that the magical stasis
  containing that evil must not be disturbed. They will not
  permit entry. Their own enchantments make it impossible
  for any to enter the wood by planar travel, teleporting and
  other magical means. If need be, the Sentinels will fight to
  prevent any entering. They prefer to use disabling spells
  such as charm, domination, hold, wall of force and their
  magical rings, but if there is no alternative, they will not
  hesitate to use lethal attacks by spell, device, or weapon.
  If a Sentinel is seriously endangered, he will flee using his
  teleport ability. However, in a short time other Sentinels
  will arrive to join the fray.
  Additional DM Information
  Player characters should not be seeking Darnakurian or
  his appalling sword! This is an intensely evil and very,
  very powerful artifact. Its powers are not specified here,
  and have waned a little since Darnakurian first crafted
  the relic, but it is known still to inflict destruction on any
  it strikes. Gywdiesin would say this is the least terrifying
  of its powers; there are fates worse than death, and
  Hunger can bring them to those to seek it. In addition,
  any character holding Hunger has his alignment immedi-
  ately shifted to that of the bastard sword itself (Chaotic
  Evil) and becomes a pawn of the sword. Not even a wish
  (nor indeed any number of wishes) can prevent this, or
  release a character from the control of the sword. Rather,
  for adventures which involve the Coldwood and the
  Sentinels, see the Whispers and Ventures chapter for
  challenges to high-level characters!
  Innspa and the Hills
  Yellowretch and the Wooded Hills
  The forested hills of the Adri are a place of misfortune.
  Mines excavated in the past suffered flooding, gas explo-
  sions, and yielded only subterranean monsters, no ores or
  minerals. Farmers attracted to the shallow rolling
  hillsides found that their crops grew poorly and blights
  despoiled 
  most 
  growing 
  seasons. 
  Livestock 
  often
  sickened and died from all manner of ailments and agues.
  The trees of the thin woodlands here were often
  themselves stunted, yellow-leaved and sickly. Some say
  the area is cursed. More reasoned souls consider that
  some mineral or metallic poison contaminates the soil
  and water table here, though the gases from the mine
  certainly don't help either (see below). Whichever is true,
  very few intelligent creatures live either above or below
  ground.
  Conversely, these woodlands abound with monsters.
  Groups of werewolves and wolfweres contend fiercely for
  territory, and the howls of their fighting can be heard on
  many moonlit nights. Burrow-dwelling ghouls and ghasts
  prowl the area, looking for lost travelers to rend. A small
  group of spriggans has been seen here, and a mated pair
  of wyverns of exceptional size (9+9 HD). These monsters
  are in some ways a blessing, for they cut off humanoids
  from easy passage south through the hilly forest to
  Nyrond.
  There is one site of special note, the old gnomish mine
  Yellowretch (as the gnomes now name it). A handful of
  rubies as large as a plover's egg were found by gnomes
  centuries ago, and the miners recklessly dug deeper and
  deeper in search of more prized items. They found no
  more of them, but they burrowed into a large cavern with
  peculiar stone walls which had the appearance of shriv-
  The Adri Forest
  75
  
  elled and yellowed paper. From that cavern, a seemingly
  endless cloud of yellow, stinking gas rose inexorably
  upward through the mine and forced the gnomes to
  abandon it. Periodically, whenever the weather is calm
  and there are no prevailing winds, this gas creeps out of
  the old mineworks and rolls down over the hills, affect-
  ing an area of up to 10d20 square miles. The gas is nause-
  ating, so that any creature breathing it must make a
  saving throw versus poison each round it does so. A
  failed saving throw means that the creature loses 2 points
  each of Strength and Constitution as long as he stays
  within the affected area. Undead are not affected by this,
  and the ghouls and ghasts of the hills often use the
  opaque yellow cloud (visibility is one-quarter normal
  range) as cover for ambush and trailing their quarry.
  Yellowretch would be simply a good place to avoid,
  were it not for the fact that the gnomes definitely detected
  magic (alteration and evocation/invocation) emanating
  strongly from the cavern. They would not enter it again
  now, feeling ashamed that perhaps their forefathers
  brought the curse down which seems to lie on the hills.
  Thus, any magical secrets and treasures which Yellow-
  retch held are probably still within the mines.
  Innspa
  Innspa is a unique city in Aerdy. It has been part of
  Nyrond, Almor, and North Province in its history. For the
  past 35 years or so, it had become virtually the personal
  fief of Prince Corazell of the House of Garasteth. His
  House had bought Innspa from the Crandens centuries
  ago when the city was but a small mining village and
  turned it into a trade city, dealing in ores from the Flinty
  Hills, food from Nyrond, timber from the Adri and fish
  from the river. During changes of nation, Innspa stayed
  much the same, a cosmopolitan city where all races and
  alignments mixed and intermingled.
  Corazell died without issue, and while one or two of
  his male brothers and cousins have turned up to take
  possession of the city, they have met their match in the
  fierce Countess Karasin, Corazell's widow. She is cunning
  and crafty. Since Corazell died in the wars, she says that
  she holds this city in a form of royal trust in his memory.
  No mind that Prince Corazell died from a brain hemor-
  rhage brought on by ingesting staggering amounts of
  brandy. Karasin proclaims him a war hero and will not
  give up his lands. Indeed, she has proclaimed ownership
  of a swathe of land stretching from the eastern bank of
  the small western Harp tributary as far northwards as the
  point where the river enters the southern Griff
  Mountains.
  Of course, Karasin has little control over these lands.
  Those to the north are overrun by humanoids. She has a
  pact of sorts with the Bone March orcs, and proclaims
  them administrators of the northern lands beyond the
  forested hills. She has little choice, but this pact discour-
  ages Hastern of Edge Field from setting his covetous eyes
  in that direction. Her western lands are mostly prowled
  by disorganized defectors of the Aerdy armies involved
  in the sack of Almor. Many deserted from that campaign,
  and many were driven blind, deranged, or force to run
  shrieking in fear when fiends bestrode the plains of that
  land. Remnants of rag-tag armies wander those lands,
  sometimes crossing the Harp's small tributary to enter
  northern Almor.
  All this leaves Karasin in control of Innspa and just
  enough surrounding land to keep the 10,500 people of the
  city from starvation, subsisting on the fish of the Harp
  and some grain from outlying farms, almost all of which
  have a garrison of Karasin's troops stationed in their
  barns. Trade is rare now; the Flinty Hills gnomes and
  miners have long gone, and little Adri produce flows
  through Innspa—although from time to time some goods
  come along the forest trail from Elversford. This trade
  route might carry more cargo, which would benefit both
  Innspa and Elversford, if only Karasin would ally with
  the Adri folk. However, she foolishly lays formal claim to
  the lands around Elversford and all Adri lands west of
  the Harp River, so that alliance is stillborn.
  Innspa would appear a natural place for some noble
  intriguer or petty warlord to overrun. There are two good
  reasons why Karasin holds to power here. First, she is
  known to be on excellent terms with Prince Strychan of
  Dustbridge, sharing his black sense of humor and exqui-
  sitely debauched pleasures. Strychan is not a man many
  would oppose. Secondly, Karasin is herself a sinister and
  dangerous woman.
   Karasin's family (minor landholders south of Atirr) has
  been rumored for centuries to have vampires and necro-
  mancers among their number, and to have magics avail-
  able to them which slow even the appearance of the
  passage of years. She is known to possess many magical
  scrying items, some of which can penetrate even power-
  ful magical defenses (such as amulets of proof against detec-
  tion and location, mind blank spells, and more). Karasin
  knows too much about too many powerful people for
  them to take a chance on having her assassinated and
  seizing her lands.
   So, Karasin remains in control, for the time being. She
  seeks alliances, however, and her friendship with
  Strychan reveals her basically opportunistic nature. She
  allies with whoever she thinks will come out on top. Her
  own military leaders include the formidable General
  Levialen, a commander of the army which decimated
  Almor. He will never forgive Ivid for the pointless
  destruction of Chathold ("By the Powers, I could have
  looted millions of gold if that fool of an overking had let
  me besiege the place!"). And he favors Strychan's claim to
  the malachite throne. Karasin and Levialen are currently
  trying to negotiate an alliance between Strychan and
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  Montand of Delaric, with Karasin hoping to sell the deal
  to the eastern Garasteth nobles. In this way, Naelax
  would keep the throne, but Garasteth would benefit as
  well, perhaps displacing Darmen as the second house of
  the lands. Needless to say, the House of Darmen is well
  aware of this, and they have spies and agents within
  Innspa and even at Karasin's court.
  Finally, while Innspa is not a walled city, the old town
  is walled with the rest of the city built around it. Most
  houses are built of stone, and many reveal the handiwork
  of dwarven or gnomish stonemasons—though demihu-
  mans are very rare here now. The old town houses about
  2,500 people, and contains Karasin's palace, the barracks
  of Levialen's Innspa Regiment, and the richer, skilled
  workers and petty aristocracy of the city. Rulership is
  high within the old town, medium elsewhere. Goods are
  expensive (cost multiplier 180%) and are often in short
  supply.
  Innspa has two exceptional features. One is the series of
  stone aqueducts of gnomish design which bring fresh
  water from the Flinty Hills. The other is the splendidly
  ornate public baths with their idiosyncratic bill of fare: a
  quick swim and bathe in the "tepid water" baths costs but
  1 cp. For the aristocracy, 2 gp buys a foaming hot water
  bath with herbal infusions and allegedly medicinal
  mineral salts together with all the hot towels and soap
  one can use. They were built in CY 322 by an eccentric
  wizard obsessed with personal hygiene, and the fire
  elemental he bound to heat the waters is still at work
  here.
  Personalities of the Adri Forest
  Immonara, Archdruid of the Adri: 16th-level priestess
  of Obad-hai (Dex 15 [16*], Con 15, Wis 18, Cha 18). AC 1
  (leather armor +5, cloak of protection +3, gauntlets of
  dexterity*, shield not used), hp 76, AL N. Immonara is
  nearly 90 years old but, with her resistance to aging,
  appears to be in her mid-thirties. She has very long blond
  hair, plaited down her back, and pale blue eyes. At 6' 3",
  she is an imposing figure, and Flan blood is strong in her.
  Immonara works quietly to avoid conflicts between
  those who seek to protect the forest. She talks with both
  ranger factions, and makes quiet overtures to Ehlonna's
  priesthood, often appearing in changed form (using the
  skill of a 16th-level druid) to take on a form pleasing to
  those she speaks with. Immonara also takes an interest in
  events in other great forests; the Celadon, Gamboge,
  Grandwood, and farther afield. She is pacifistic, hoping
  for better times to come, and tries to persuade people to
  use passive resistance to the raiders and marauders from
  Aerdy.
  Immonara has many magical items. Most notably, she
  owns a staff of the woodlands +3, a ring of spell turning, and
  an ornately decorated and polished chunk of oakstone (a
  mineral which has the appearance of oak bark), a power-
  ful stone controlling earth elementals which always
  summons an earth elemental of at least 16 HD and has a
  50% chance for conjuring an elemental with 20+1d4 HD.
  Karasin, Countess of the House of Garasteth: 9th-level
  mage (Con 15, Int 18, Cha 16). AC 6 (ring of protection +4),
  hp 33, AL NE. Karasin is 47 years old, but even without
  magical aids she looks a decade younger. She has
  red-blonde hair and deep green eyes, and stands 5' 1" tall.
  She is self-conscious of her lack of height, so she wears
  shoes with raised heels and wears her long hair bound
  into a topknot and circled with a silver tiara. The effect is
  certainly dramatic; the countess is a fierce and tempera-
  mental woman.
  Karasin is determined to hold on to her lands and sees
  herself as a powerbroker within the Great Kingdom. She
  has no love for Strychan of Dustbridge, but she fantasizes
  about being his queen. She is confident he is the best
  human candidate for the malachite throne. But she
  shudders at the thought of an animus-overking replacing
  Ivid. Insightful about people and highly observant,
  Karasin is nonetheless a vicious individual with an
  especially bleak and cruel sense of humor. Save for
  General Levialen, who is too smart and powerful to play
  games with, she specializes in tormenting her advisers
  and leaving them uncertain of how they truly stand with
  her. Her more depraved personal tastes are noted in the
  description of Dustbridge; see the next chapter.
  (General) Levialen: 13th-level fighter (Str 17, Dex 16,
  Con 17, Int 17, Cha 15). AC -2 (plate mail +3, shield not
  used), hp 100, AL LE. Commander of the Innspa
  Regiment, Levialen is 44 years old. He is not especially
  powerfully built, but he looks his full 6' 3" in his typical
  upright, stiff posture. The man always seems to be stand-
  ing at attention. He has light brown hair and hazel eyes,
  his left eye partially scarred from a duel. Levialen has a
  heavy lance +3 which he uses to great effect when charging
  on his massive warhorse (which has chain barding +2) and
  his bastard sword +2, nine lives stealer (5 life stealings
  remaining) is an even more powerful weapon since it can
  create fear in all opponents within a 30' radius once a day
  for 1 turn (saving throw versus wands negates the effect).
  Levialen managed to evade a summons to Rauxes,
  which he is sure would have resulted in him being turned
  into an animus. Having seen what this revivification has
  done to other generals, Levialen counts himself lucky. He
  backs Prince Strychan's claim to the malachite throne, and
  keeps his troops in a good state of readiness for battle.
  Still, he preserves their numbers and strength by avoiding
  skirmishes with the Bone March humanoids prowling the
  lands northeast of the Flinty Hills. Levialen is not a politi-
  cian, and he trusts Karasin in such matters. He dislikes
  her self-indulgent nature, but he has regard for her
  The Adri Forest
  77
  
  shrewd brain and knows she is not famous for backing
  losers.
  Lisara Elmhern: 10th-level priestess of Ehlonna (Dex
  15, Wis 16, Cha 17). AC 1 (elven chain mail +3, shield not
  used), hp 42, AL CG. Lisara is 30 years old, 5' 6", with
  dark brown hair and mismatched eyes; her left eye is
  emerald green, the right is hazel-brown. She owns a
  longsword +3 and a longbow +2 with a quiver of 18 sheaf
  arrows +1. Her chaotic nature is best reflected in her
  occasional tempers. She doesn't often lose her temper, but
  when she does the effect is pyrotechnic.
  Lisara is rather torn between affiliations. She favors
  aggressive defense of the Adri, sniffing out planned
  invasions and heading them off. However, this is a view
  shared by Parren (who is lawful) but not by Prisstyne
  (who is chaotic) among the rangers whom Lisara regards
  as her best allies. She tries hard to persuade Prisstyne to
  be more forceful and aggressive, without great success.
  On the other hand, she chafes at the militaristic organiza-
  tion in and around Elversford. She prefers to prowl
  border areas with junior priests and a handful of rangers
  and foresters with superior fighting talents who form the
  backbone of the Warriors of the Huntress (Ehlonna being,
  of course, the Huntress-Power).
  Lukan the Boar: 10th-level bard (Str 19, Con 16, Int 15,
  Cha 17). AC -1 (chain mail +5, boots of striding and spring-
  ing, shield not used), hp 69, AL NG. The 37-year old
  Lukan is huge; 6' 4", 285 lbs., and he looks like a crazed
  barbarian. Red-brown hair seems to grow all over him; he
  has a huge bushy beard, a mane of head hair, and thick,
  almost furry body hair. Lukan's natural Strength rating is
  18, but he possesses a magical ring which adds  +1 to
  Strength and which also has the combined properties of a
  ring of jumping and a ring of the ram. One of Lukan's best-
  rehearsed combat maneuvers involves using the jumping
  function to crash into an opponent, attacking him with
  his longsword +3 and the ramming attack, and then
  leaping back with his magical boots before his enemy has
  a chance of replying.
  Lukan has a huge enjoyment of life. He eats like a
  horse, and his capacity for ale is legendary. He is
  especially proud of the rounded belly he has acquired
  from pouring endless gallons of it down his throat, and
  likes to sit by the fire with his hands crossed over his
  stomach, patting it contentedly from time to time. He's
  vain, of course, and he has an eye for a fine silk shirt or
  blouson. If he has any lapse of aesthetic sense, it is that
  one with a stomach so large should not really wear
  leather britches quite so tight-fitting.
  Lukan is a warrior-bard. He doesn't sing romantic
  ballads or lament the tragedy of the human condition.
  His superb baritone voice is used to declaim stirring epic
  tales of might, valor and the triumphs of the good and
  great. Likewise, Lukan doesn't use magic for show. He
  uses ice storms, lightning bolts, fireballs, and magic missiles
  (though he will not use spells within the forest which
  might harm it, especially fire-based spells). So far as the
  history of magical or special items is concerned, Lukan
  has only half the normal chance to know something of
  such items if they are not directly combat-related (25%
  chance). But he has a 75% chance for knowing something
  if the item is a weapon or combat-related (such as a
  specially crafted wand of lightning).
  Lukan might thus be expected to be amongst an army,
  but he loves the Adri and its people, and he is happy at
  Elversford given Parras's building of its defenses and
  militias. Lukan also travels to outlying villages and
  hamlets, steeling the morale and resolve of folk with his
  singing and powerful poetic recitations. He knows the
  forest as well as any ranger, and most people like, trust,
  and value this larger-than-life character.
  Parren Ludern: 12th-level ranger (Str 16, Dex 16, Con
  16, Wis 16, Cha 15). AC 3 (leather armor +3, cloak of protec-
  tion +2, shield not used), hp 80, AL LG. Parren fights
  two-handed with a longsword +3 and a dagger +4. and
  uses his composite longbow +2 when necessary. He is 5' 11",
  wiry and slim, with dark brown hair and gray eyes. He
  looks slightly older than his 31 years; his skin is weath-
  ered and he has crow's feet around his eyes. Parren owns
  a prized three-person carpet of flying. His own followers
  include a nosy and friendly black bear, Hector, the pixie
  Shillifandi, who spies around Elversford, four human
  fighters (levels 2, 3, 4, 5) and two human rangers (of 3rd
  and 4th level). Elversford is his stronghold.
  Parren is a decent man who seeks alliance with Nyrond
  and any other LG or NG allies. However, he dislikes and
  distrusts people of chaotic alignments, though Lisara is
  broadly an ally. He trains the forester militia in camou-
  flage and ambushes, and drills the burgeoning ranks of
  Elversford's defenders. He is especially proud of the
  bowmen there, whom he trains individually.
  Prisstyne Carnhuis: 11th-level ranger (Dex 17, Con 16,
  Wis 16, Cha 17). AC 1 (leather armor +2, cloak of displace-
  ment, shield not used), hp 77, AL CG. Prisstyne fights
  with her spear +3, +6 vs. Lawful Evil creatures, and she has
  three daggers of throwing and a short bow +4 for ranged
  attacks. Prisstyne is 29, 6', willowy to the point of
  thinness. Her light brown hair is cropped short on top
  and at the sides, and she has a long, lustrous pony tail.
  Prisstyne's bright green eyes are almost startling at first
  sight, as are her hands—very large for a woman, with
  long fingers and almond-shaped nails.
  Prisstyne wears rings of free action and sustenance, and
  also boots of the north. She has a small tree house lair
  hidden deep in the forest, and some of her followers will
  usually guard this. She regards her followers as compan-
  The Adri Forest
  78
  
  ions, and they are free to come and go as they wish,
  though they are deeply loyal to her. Two human male
  rangers (levels 2, 5) maintain the tree houses, and two
  brownies (brothers who are constantly arguing with each
  other) prowl the forest. Prisstyne's huge wolf Harquan
  (5+5 HD, 45 hp) usually accompanies her on her roaming.
  Finally, a seclusive young wood elf priest (4th level) of
  Rillifane Rallathil is an exceptional member of her entou-
  rage, a very rare exile from the wood elf homelands. He is
  young, shy, and speaks little to anyone other than
  Prisstyne.
  Prisstyne has faith that the factions beyond the Adri
  will tear themselves apart, and the forest people will be
  left to go their own way. She fights when she must, but
  she doesn't look for trouble and she fears that organized,
  aggressive action by the forest folk will create more
  problems than it will solve. She is fiercely independent
  and respects the free will of all sentient creatures. Among
  her followers is a pegasus who offered service, but she
  did not wish to see such a creature tied to her circle. The
  pegasus visits periodically to see if Prisstyne needs his
  help, and sometimes she soars on his back above the
  forest to spy on movements beyond her forest home.
  The Adri Forest
  79
  
  Pop.: 700,000 + 8,000 humanoids (approx.)
  Capital: None (largest city is Delaric, pop. 20,500)
  Ruler: No single ruler (Naelax Princes)
  Rulership: Variable, generally Medium to High
  Cost Multiplier: 120%
  Ivid's Princelings
  The three areas of land shown as the Naelax lands are
  almost all owned and controlled by nobles of the House
  of Naelax. The northernmost lands of the three fiefdoms
  are mostly owned by Prince Montand of Delaric and his
  liegemen. The central wedge of lands is in the grip of
  Prince Strychan of Dustbridge. And the southern lands
  are a diversely controlled set of landholdings.
  In all these lands, there is nominal acceptance of Ivid as
  overking. Taxes and tithes are still paid to Rauxes, and
  Ivid's armies still prowl these lands and are afforded
  hospitality. However, the Naelax nobility has no doubt
  that Ivid's days are done, and power struggles dominate
  these lands. Some are petty squabbles, old scores settled
  with mercenaries. But there is a major tension between
  the rulers of Delaric and Dustbridge.
  Prince Strychan of Dustbridge is an ambitious, charis-
  matic man who is increasingly accepted as the most
  plausible candidate the House of Naelax can put forward
  for the malachite throne—since Ivid's own sons are mad,
  feeble-minded, or worse, and no one wants one of his
  descendants on the throne anyway. However, Prince
  Strychan's ambition is a little too naked for the tastes of
  Montand of Delaric, who also has a puritanical dislike of
  Strychan's debauched and eccentric court. Karasin of
  Innspa, Strychan's paramour, works hard behind the
  scenes to swing Montand's influence and power behind
  the Prince of Dustbridge, but Montand has not yet
  acceded. He has his own worries with Rinloru and its
  undead armies to the east, and much of his diplomatic
  energies are devoted to careful dealings with North
  Province.
  Both these princes managed to avoid the fate of becom-
  ing an animus. Strychan always managed to be away on
  some plausible pretext when Ivid's summons came, while
  Montand simply refused to budge from his fortress. This
  is another reason why Montand fears allying with
  Strychan. He knows that Ivid is especially angry with
  him for his refusal to leave his city and lead the token
  army he gave to the overking during the Greyhawk Wars.
  And he considers that an alliance might bring down the
  wrath of the overking's armies upon him. Delaric is a
  well-fortified city, but even so this is a conflict Montand
  wants to stay well out of. The problem of the renegade
  priest Krennden of Hextor exacerbates this, of course.
  In these lands mercenaries find good employ. Many old
  scores are being settled, as noted, and some of Strychan's
  liegemen in particular are jockeying for position behind
  their lord and use ambush, assassination, and sabotage to
  deal with their rivals. In the southern lands there are only
  pockets of effective control, and mercenaries and human-
  oid troops (many deserters from Rauxes) prowl the
  highways and raid farmsteads in search of gold, food,
  clothing, and equipment. Travelers here will need plenty
  of weapons and very fast horses.
  Locations and Settlements
  The Northern Lands
  Delaric
  As its position at the heart of a central network of
  dirawaen roads shows, Delaric is a major trade center
  linking north with south, east with west. Heavily
  fortified, with three-meter thick city walls and a massive
  fortress keep occupied by Montand and his troops
  (including the exceptional heavy cavalry of the city), the
  city is wealthy and still. Rulership level here is high.
   Delaric is famed for its artisans; engineers, architects,
  fine furniture makers, and the like. The people of the city
  are very practical. They know the price of everything. The
  city's university has a reputation for practicality and
  pragmaism—not the arcane arts.
  The mages' guild includes in its training courses how to
  use spells for commercial purposes, helping in city build-
  ing, agriculture, and the like. Delaric's mages are not of
  great power or repute, but they are not absent-minded or
  eccentric. And they are certainly not poor.
  Not surprisingly, the priesthood of Zilchus is strong in
  this city. This gives Montand some cause for anxiety,
  since he is aware that this priesthood generally favors the
  House of Darmen for the malachite throne. While
  Montand himself has no ambitions for the throne, he is
  loyal to his own house and has received assurances from
  the wily patriarch of the city, Hearden, that the priest-
  hood will not be "politically" active here.
  Against this backdrop of wealth, no little elegance, and
  pragmatism, Delaric's other claim to fame is its superb
  Bardic Colosseum. Bards of Delaric are welcome through-
  out the Aerdy lands; they are renowned for their skill
  with poetry and declamation. The bardic college makes
  much of teaching bards genealogy and history, so that
  their command of epic historical lays and verse is
  unparalleled.
  The most famous—or infamous—of the city's bards is
  undoubtedly Nightsong, a sinister but commanding
  presence at Montand's court. It is said that even Montand
  is somewhat afraid of the bard, whose power over his
  audiences is well-attested. Nightsong makes a habit of
  challenging guests with his recitations, and his innate evil
  is very clear from the relish with which he can skewer
  unfortunate victims of his displeasure with sarcastic
  The Naelax Lands
  80
  
  barbs and veiled insults.
  Montand rules his city with a harsh grip. Penalties for
  crime are generally harsh, and one oddity of the city's
  laws is the category of "cultural crime." Much as statutes
  against blaspheming deities are part of the laws, so are
  statutes against defaming or portraying in an irreverent
  light the cultural attainments of the city—and especially
  its bards. These laws are almost unworkable, but are
  wheeled out every now and then to deal with trouble-
  some people who Montand wishes to have placed in exile
  from Delaric without appearing to be arbitary about
  matters.
  Among the city's residents, a notable recent arrival is
  Krennden, the renegade priest of Hextor who has
  denounced Ivid and set himself up in opposition to the
  patriarch-general 
  in 
  Rauxes. 
  Krennden 
  is 
  rapidly
  whipping up converts to his cause, which is basically that
  of an (un)holy war to drive out an insane heretic and
  restore the proper pride of armies to the lands of Aerdy.
  Why Montand allows this troublesome priest to continue
  with his public rantings, given that this is a virtual invita-
  tion to Ivid to strike hard against him, is very unclear.
  Some say Krennden must have some hold, magical or
  blackmail, over the prince to be allowed the freedom he
  has in the city. A recent assassination attempt against him
  by priests loyal to the patriarch-general gained Krennden
  sympathy and kudos, and he has now effectively taken
  over the temple of Hextor within the city. Some of
  Montand's troops clearly chafe at the bit under the priest's
  urgings, and openly express their desire to ride on Rauxes
  and install their prince as overking, a prospect Montand
  has no taste for. Of course, if he allied with some other
  princes then a combined army could make that fateful
  ride, which would deal with the problem—one way or
  another.
  Rikerstone
  Ancestral home of Countess Ishell, this small tower-keep
  complex stands watch over the southern territories of
  Edge Field. Ishell is a wily, cunning woman who encour-
  ages Montand to caution and continually begs extra aid
  for her isolated fortification. Wary of Nightsong's home
  to the north (the similarity of name comes from the fact
  that they were once twinned fortifications owned by the
  same prince), Ishell keeps visitors at bay if possible. She is
  very knowledgeable about political matters, and if her
  vanity is appealed to, she might be more forthcoming
  about them than most. 
  Rimzenstone
  Rimzenstone is the ancestral home of Nightsong,
  Montand's court bard. It has a strong Gothic streak to its
  architecture, 
  with 
  leering 
  gargoyles 
  and 
  ornately
  decorated archways and small courtyards within its
  walls. The walled, fortified mansion house is populated
  by servants who Nightsong selects, seemingly, for their
  ugliness. Rarely can one household ever have held so
  many grotesques within its walls. Its sinister appearance
  is not just surface deep. Nightsong is an accomplished
  magician, and his dungeons contain deadly traps and
  devices. It is rumored that Nightsong is an adept kidnap-
  per, concealing his victims within the walls of his rank
  dungeons and holding them for ransom; he specializes in
  noble and wealthy adventurers. This may just be rumor,
  for those returned by their anonymous kidnapper refuse
  to speak of him, and cannot be magically compelled to do
  so. They appear not to have been ill-treated, and some
  speak reluctantly of sipping fine wine and sweetmeats
  with their charismatic, masked captor, even coming to
  like and admire him. They may also be amnesic for points
  of detail, making it harder to be sure whether Nightsong
  truly was their abductor.
  A half-mile south of the mansion is a fortified garrison
  holding a hundred or so of Montand's troops. Ostensibly
  they are placed here to watch over the northern portions
  of Strychan's lands, and guard the riverway to Loutharn.
  But equally Montand wants to keep tabs on his bard
  during his absences from his court. A specialist diviner is
  usually posted with these troops, giving further plausibil-
  ity to this alternative explanation. 
  The Shuttleford Villages
  Among the many small villages and hamlets along the
  lengthy, winding Flanmi River, High and Low Shuttle-
  ford are the largest, with some 1,200 or so folk in each
  village.
  They flourished in the past as folk headed for Loutharn
  for the markets of the Wind Fair during the first week of
  Harvester, and coaching inns and taverns sprouted like
  weeds here. Now, however, the villages are avoided by
  most. There are two reasons for this.
   The first reason is the innate unpleasantness of the
  people. They seem to revel in clutter and filth; the
  contents of chamber pots are dumped wherever is
  convenient, and many people here suffer unpleasant
  diseases as a result.
  Shuttleforders are dishonest, vicious folk. In the past,
  the landowner of the two villages, Prince Kobasten of
  Naelax, held this in check by virtual military rule.
  However, he fell foul of Ivid's priests. Now an animus, he
  has fled the lands, and his fate is unknown. The villages
  thus exist in a state of virtual anarchy, since none of
  Kobasten's relatives dares to assume control less the
  unpredictable animus-prince should return and show
  displeasure at another assuming his place.
  The second reason for shunning these villages is that
  they have come, by virtue of their lack of rulership, to
  attract evil and vicious exiles from many Aerdi lands.
  The Naelax Lands
  81
  
  Thus, the village herbalist may well turn out to be a
  disguised priest of Incabulos who will sell the innocent
  purchaser poison with a toothless grin. The butcher will
  have fresh meat as well as maggoty hunks for the poor,
  but one should not enquire too closely which type of
  creature the meat came from.
   The architecture of the villages, with crowded slum
  cottages and narrow, dark alleyways, adds to the crime
  and violence of the people. Throats are cut not just for a
  few copper coins here, but in a fit of rage that an
  ambushed victim has nothing of value to yield up to his
  assailant. These are places to avoid (which is an invita-
  tion to the DM to force PCs to seek someone hiding in
  one or the other village).
  The Central Lands
  Dustbridge
  Dustbridge is a town of 2,200 people. The main feature is
  the huge walled castle of Prince Strychan. The town itself
  lies in the middle of some surprisingly fertile arable land,
  away from the great river basin of the Flanmi. Good
  supplies of grains, fruits and livestock still make their
  way to the town. Strychan's troops patrol the outlying
  farmsteads regularly and deal summarily with any
  raiders or bandits. Word has got around among the
  mercenaries and desperadoes of Aerdi that these are
  good lands to avoid, for if one is captured one may end
  up as an exhibit in one of Strychan's entertainments. That
  is a fate, with its accompanying humiliations, which even
  a hardened bandit will blanche at.
  Dustbridge is a paradox. It appears to be a well-
  controlled small town of moderate wealth, with reasona-
  bly happy and contented people. Under the surface,
  however, matters are different. Many of the wealthier
  merchants try to ape Strychan's lavish entertainments
  with repulsive parties and amusements of their own,
  while even the poorer folk—filled with tales and lurid
  rumors of the debauch at the castle—indulge in repellent
  night-time activities of their own devisings. Animal fight-
  ing is the least unpleasant of these. Unlike Eastfair, there
  is a manic and violent edge to this debauchery, and
  visitors here are significantly more likely to end up as
  victims than witnesses of leisure activities.
  Strychan appears often before the townsfolk, granting
  Brewfest coppers to the poor and strutting about town in
  outfits of lace, leather, and silk. He deliberately appears
  as a foppish dandy, but everyone knows that while he
  may appear supercilious, indeed effeminate, the prince is
  a man of unsurpassed cruelty. He has eliminated every
  independently-minded priest from his city, either by
  imprisonment on trumped-up charges or at the hands of
  his elite assassins, and he has complete control over the
  mercantile and artisan guilds of Dustbridge. Their senior
  guild members have often become dependent on the
  herbal substances Strychan serves his guests to enhance
  their enjoyment of his debauches, and Strychan has a
  monopoly on supply. Strychan is a prince to rival Ivid
  himself for his wiles and implacable evil.
  Strychan makes no public show of his desire for the
  malachite throne, nor does he disavow it. In conversa-
  tions with important guests and visitors, he expresses the
  view that Ivid is clearly insane and that Aerdi should be
  reborn as a federal state with a senate of major landhold-
  ing princes. This is just to reassure other nobles, of course.
  Strychan seeks dominion as absolute as that of the long
  line of Ivids he seeks to supplant.
  Strychan is a complex individual. Brilliantly intelligent
  and a superb tactician, he nonetheless has an irrepressible
  chaotic streak which he has managed to disassociate
  within his own personality. Dealing with affairs of the
  city, or in political discussions, he is cool, sharp, and very
  self-controlled.
  However, at his entertainments, the monster shows his
  true colors. He is a connoisseur of tortures, possessing an
  unequalled collection of suitable instruments, and his
  tastes run to the bizarre: one of his masquerades included
  a cast of slaves and captives who had their tongues
  extracted to prevent them speaking and were then
  encased in the skins of great cats. The wretched victims
  were stitched inside the suits, their hands held within the
  paws by tarred bandages so that they were unable to get
  out of them. The application of hot peppered oils shortly
  before the final stitching ensured that the poor wretches
  went berserk with pain. And the appearance of a snarling
  and shrieking assembly of lions and tigers (as it
  appeared) proved a suitably dramatic conclusion to one
  of Strychan's evening gatherings. Seated atop his gilt
  throne, with a wall of force preventing the "animals" from
  reaching him, Strychan watched the ensuing chaos
  among his guests with glee.
  Such amusements are only self-indulgence, of course.
  Strychan is a powerful mage. Rumors of his trafficking
  with fiends are certainly not groundless. Strychan is
  biding his time, knowing others will come to him for
  favors as his role as pretender to the malachite throne
  gains wider acceptance. Of course, his spies and assassins
  let him know who is a potential ally. And they are well
  capable of eliminating any serious opposition.
  Strychan also boxes clever in the matter of humanoid
  troops. He does not maintain such armies himself and
  feigns a distaste for them, which boosts his general
  popularity. However, he does not worry about his liege-
  men using such mercenaries, which they employ quite
  commonly. The orcs are mostly of Adri origins, and are
  usually employed to fight in internecine squabbles,
  though some still raid the eastern margins of their forest
  home. The orcs are unusually cruel even by orcish
  standards, and the commonfolk are especially terrified of
  them.
  The Naelax Lands
  82
  
  Loutharn
  Loutharn is a major stopover point for river traffic headed
  along the Flanmi, with its great Harvester Fair still a
  major attraction during the first week of that month. The
  village proper, usually referred to as "Old Loutharn" by
  locals, comprises 1,200 people. But Loutharn has spread
  out along the western Flanmi banks rather like a strip-
  town built along a major highway. Ruled by Strychan's
  eldest son Rivandren, the town is a den of wily thieves.
  Loutharn is the best place in all the Flanaess to come if
  one wishes to be the victim of a scam of some kind. It
  appears that the entire old village is filled with historical
  sights; a taverner may explain his exorbitant charges by
  telling the traveler that he is sleeping in the very bed
  which Ivid himself (or Grenell, or Strychan, etc.) slept in a
  year before to the very day. Firewood bundles are sold at
  ridiculous prices to the innocent visitor, because one
  faggot in the bundle was taken, somehow unburned,
  from the pyre of a heretical fiend-worshiping mage
  burned for his crimes just the week before. Loutharners
  have an infinite number of ways of separating fools from
  their gold.
  However, there is a nastier edge to Loutharn since
  Rivandren took up residence. The son is too like the
  father, too wantonly cruel. But he lacks his father's
  charisma and his household troops, who act as the town
  watch now. They are drunken, boorish and vicious.
  Nearly half are orcs and half-orcs, making them deeply
  hated by the human population. Taxes and rents here are
  very high, and evictions of village folk from their homes
  are becoming commonplace. Public floggings and
  burnings are almost regular events, and the place has a
  tense, fearful air to it.
  Tabask
  The oddly-named Tabask, a keep and small hamlet of
  some 250 farming folk, is home to an ebullient and color-
  ful Yatils dwarf with a highly suspicious name. Molvard
  is certainly the first name the dwarf was given, but the
  second name of Mohsin is hardly dwarven. Eccentric the
  master of Tabask certainly is, since he acts the part of a
  Tusmit exile to the full. It is not just an act, either.
  Molvard has a fine stock of Tusmit costumes, goods and
  equipment and regularly supplies Strychan with exotics
  for his entertainments. So taken was Strychan with the
  odd little fellow that he gave him this hamlet to adminis-
  ter in return for some free supplies every year, and
  Molvard delights in the role of the squire of the manor,
  even in a place so small.
  Molvard himself entertains visitors in a glass aviary,
  magically heated with semi-tropical plants flourishing
  inside it, with multi-colored birds chirping and swooping
  around the startled guests. Unsuspecting visitors should
  beware the long-beaked torkan birds, which have a
  gleeful habit of nipping at earlobes.
  Molvard certainly has a mysterious and eventful past.
  He very rarely shows the ability uninvited, but the dwarf
  can transform his arms and hands to the texture and
  weight of stone seemingly at will, the skin changing color
  to gray and feeling cold and hard to the touch. Molvard
  can slam his fists into stone when they are in this trans-
  formed state without ill-effects, a dramatic party trick
  which has amused Strychan's guests more than once.
  How he acquired this clearly potent magical ability he
  will not say, nor does he discuss his past. However, he is
  fairly knowledgeable about the area around Mordenka-
  inen's home in the Yatils, though he keeps this to himself,
  and some connection between them is whispered among
  the knowledgeable. 
  The Southern Lands
  Lacking any single powerful ruler such as Montand or
  Strychan, the southern Naelax lands are a hodge-podge of
  small landholdings and feuding minor nobility. Armies
  may charge high fees for allowing anyone to cross the
  lands of their petty lord. So trade has declined sharply
  away from the Flamni in particular where the militias
  and well-trained river excisemen of Carnifand and
  Roqborough protect merchants from over-zealous private
  militias. However, while there is no central focus of
  power, there is no shortage of intriguing places and
  people.
  Carnifand
  No one is entirely sure how the very, very fat mage
  Oswalden got the money to buy this town from its previ-
  ous owner 15 years ago, but the local population doesn't
  really care. They changed their cruel and vicious Naelax
  ruler for an amiable and reasonable ruler, although there
  is no little corruption here and the legal system has an
  interesting variation. Punishments for crimes are meted
  out as a function of one's social class.
  Peasants and the poor gain harsher penalties for crimes
  than merchants or rich folk, though this does not apply to
  major crimes (murder, arson, etc.) Being upper-class does
  not give anyone the right to violate laws with impunity.
  The twist is that it is effectively possible to buy class. In
  the most notable instance, "Emeritus Members" of guilds
  are regarded as upper class for the purposes of the legal
  system. It costs 150 gp per year to be such an Emeritus
  Member. With the revenues so collected, Oswalden has
  been able to keep taxes and tithes low, and as a result the
  poor have a very strong incentive to be law-abiding.
  Carnifand has the lowest rate of crimes in all of Aerdi for
  this very reason (excepting the backhanders, corruption
  and bribery which are endemic among the middle and
  upper classes). It also has no humanoid militias, and has
  a sprinkling of dwarves and halflings within it.
  The Naelax Lands
  83
  
  Oswalden is said to be a distant cousin of Otto, and
  certainly his great girth lends credence to that claim. The
  mage enjoys administering the bustling town, and he
  likes the fact that his subjects think very well of him.
  Anyone marching on Carnifand would find the whole
  town turning out as a militia. Oswalden and his town
  militia-police are also exceptionally good at sniffing out
  truly evil and trouble-making individuals and getting
  them out of town before the dust has shaken off their
  boots. In a dangerous and violent land, Carnifand is an
  oasis of seeming stability and sanity. Many of the more
  reputable mercenaries of Aerdi (that is, those who will
  not take their employer's money and cut his throat for the
  sheer heck of it) send emissaries here, seeking employ. As
  a result, no few princes have their own hirers ensconced
  in taverns around the city. In the heart of Aerdy, this is
  the place to come if one seeks mercenary employment
  from a reasonable master.
  Dastryth and Errantkeep
  These twin landholdings are held by brothers, Darrien of
  Dastryth and Marinn of Errantkeep. The brothers are both
  animuses, despite their lowly status in the hierarchy of
  the House of Naelax. Each owns a small walled castle,
  with a village of some 1,000 built around it. In both cases,
  the townspeople have all been slain and animated as
  zombies. The brothers are wholly deranged, and their
  lifelong rivalry has degenerated into an open blood feud.
  Their undead armies skirmish constantly in the lands
  between the settlements, though the brothers themselves
  do not take to the field, staying in their castles.
  All this, and the deserted lands around (since virtually
  all farmers and their kin have fled), would be of little
  interest save for the fact that each brother has something
  of real interest in his castle. Darrien owns a manual of
  golems and has two stone golem guards at his castle gates;
  this work is of Old Suloise date, very ancient indeed, and
  its final pages, if read, conjur into the mind of the reader
  apocalyptic events from far-distant Suel history. In Carni-
  fand, it is rumored that spies of the Scarlet Brotherhood
  came seeking this work, but were foiled by the golems
  and Darrien himself. Why they should be so interested in
  it is unknown.
  Likewise, Marinn owns a unique tome which gives
  some details of Tenser's castle and the many designs,
  traps, and servants it contains. How he came into posses-
  sion of it is unknown. Marinn is too crazed to realize its
  value, and at the present time no one knows that he owns
  it. However, Mordenkainen and others are seeking this
  book, and when they learn who has it, they will surely
  take steps to acquire it—with or without Marinn's
  agreement.
  Permanence
  Permanence is as striking a sight as anywhere within
  Aerdy. The five-towered castle is built atop a great,
  50-foot high slab of red rock which has no relation to the
  surrounding geology of the land. Even looking at the
  castle is painful; the spired towers seem crooked, the
  spiral stairways running around them seem to follow
  impossible angles, bends, and turns. The castle almost
  seems to be a huge stone clawed hand reaching for the
  skies, or searching for something to crush in its grip.
  Detect magic reveals the place to be crackling with uniden-
  tifiable sorcery.
  The castle is home to Kalreth, an animus-warrior
  wholly loyal to Ivid. His household troops are but 200 in
  number, and they include 20 fiend-knights. Their power
  is wholly disproportionate to their number, not least due
  to the many magical items they possess. Should this force
  be dispatched to strike against someone or some place at
  Ivid's behest, they would be devastating.
  That they do not do so is because of Kalreth's adjutant,
  Balraize. A powerful warrior himself, Balraize hopes to
  depose Kalreth and lead the army here himself. He
  always alters summons delivered from Rauxes to avoid
  major military actions. Balraize tells Kalreth that Ivid's
  orders are to secure Permanence as a place of retreat
  should Rauxes fall, with the option to ride to Rauxes
  should the need arise. This is a plausible enough story, so
  Balraize has gotten away with his dangerous game so far.
  Further, Balraize is in the pay of both Strychan and
  Montand as a spy. Both those princes fear the power of
  Permanence and its elite strike force and want to know
  what is happening here (and in Strychan's case, to
  somehow neutralize it should he march on Rauxes). Both
  is unaware Balraize is a double agent, of course.
  Further, Permanence's magic verges on the awesome.
  Within the deepest of the dungeons burrowed down into
  the rock is a chamber containing magical banestones
  which can cast permanency spells if used by a wizard of
  14th or higher level. This allows the crafting of magical
  items of power, of course, without the risk of the Consti-
  tution drain which casting this spell normally entails. For
  this reason, many mages of Oerth have a distinct interest
  in the place. There are three reasons why none has
  entered it for many years.
  First, Kalreth will not tolerate the presence of any
  wizard within his walls. One of his personality quirks as
  an animus is a paranoid hatred of wizards, a generalized
  and amplified obsession developed from his personal
  antagonism to Karoolck (who is the main reason why
  Kalreth retreated here from Rauxes). Second, every
  wizard who covets Permanence's magic does not dare to
  try to capture it, for fear that other wizards would strike
  against him. And finally, Kalreth owns a magical artifact
  of such power that most wizards would rather face a
  The Naelax Lands
  84
  
  rampaging tarrasque than challenge the lord of the castle
  here.
  The spear of sorrow is a barbed, fauchard-like weapon,
  some seven feet in length, made entirely of black stone.
  Its exact origins are uncertain, but some say that it was
  crafted in the Cauldron of Night from whence the
  malachite throne itself came. Karoolck gave it to Kalreth
  in the hope of warping him to his own will, given the
  magical control powers of the malign thing. But Kalreth
  was not overcome by it or its curse. He was, however,
  aware of the potential of the spear and realized what a
  poisoned gift Karoolck had given him.
  If Karoolck had not shortly taken up his role as Ivid's
  favored wizard, Kalreth would have slain him. Details of
  the spear are given in Kalreth's character profile below.
   Permanence can be a major goal for a high-level adven-
  turing group. It is rumored that permanency spells are not
  the only innate magic of the castle, and trying to capture
  the stronghold would be an immense task for high-level
  PCs. Even trying to subvert or decoy its defenses would
  be very difficult. But the magical rewards here could be
  very great. 
  Roqborough
  Of the many animuses created by Ivid's servitors, Prince
  Kalord of Roqborough is certainly the most pyrotechnic.
  The animus-prince ruler of this otherwise insignificant
  trade village has an additional ability to those of most
  animuses. He can literally burst into flame when angered
  or irritable. His body becomes shrouded in a aura which
  acts as a wall of fire (inflicting 4d6 hp damage to those
  within five feet of him).
  Because Kalord cannot control this ability voluntarily,
  he wears only a leather suit which has the magical quality
  of fire resistance, so he wanders his own halls, and the
  village, half-naked most of the time.
   Kalord's other claim to fame is that he possesses the
  signet ring of Ivid II, lost when that monarch's son assas-
  sinated his father. The simple garnet-set ring is an
  heirloom which has symbolic significance; any pretender
  to the malachite throne would gain some legitimacy to
  his claim if he were able to mark his own proclamations
  of rulership with this ring. Kalord is well aware of its
  value, and has it very carefully hidden within his
  mansion in the village.
  Emissaries from more than one prince have come, offer-
  ing much gold for it, but as yet Kalord has dismissed
  them all. How long he can continue to do so without
  someone marching on his village to take it by force is
  uncertain. Still, the distance between Roqborough and the
  home armies of the main power-player Naelax Princes is
  quite considerable, and such a strategy would not be
  likely to be successful. Kalord anticipates that assassins
  may be sent instead, and he has his own phalanx of
  warriors and thieves who act as bodyguards at all times.
  To date, only three of his guards have been immolated
  while on duty.
  Personalities of the Naelax Lands
  (General) Kalreth: Animus with abilities of 15th-level
  fighter (Str 18/00, Dex 17). AC -7, hp 100, AL NE. Kalreth
  is only 5' 9" tall, but he is massively muscled and power-
  ful of stature. His brown curly hair is cut short, and he
  has a very lined forehead above the thick, bushy
  eyebrows which dominate his face. Kalreth is a general of
  the Companion Guard, and he hunted down Osson in
  Medegia and razed much of that land. He regards
  anything other than complete fealty to Ivid as treason,
  and he is uncompromising and brutal.
  Kalreth's character has been changed irrevocably by his
  ownership of the spear of sorrow. This artifact has the
  following magical properties: confers a base AC of -4 (to
  which no magical bonuses can be added), immunity to
  cold-based attacks and illusion/phantasm spells below
  5th level, regeneration of 1 hp per round during combat,
  and the ability to use the following powers once a day
  each at 18th level of magic use: cone of cold, ice storm,
  Otiluke's freezing sphere, sink. The artifact is NE-aligned
  and only can be used by a warrior of that alignment of
  13th or higher level.
  The spear is a malign and purposive artifact. It will
  attempt to control any new user up to three times; in
  game terms, the user must roll 10d10 below the total of
  his level + Wisdom + Constitution to resist control. If this
  roll is made three times, however, the spear does not
  attempt control again. However, it has powers of mental
  insinuation, tormenting its owner with nightmares of
  fiends, destructions, and fates worse than death in stark
  and barren lands and dungeons of torment the dreamer
  cannot place. It is a cursed weapon, of course, but only a
  priest or wizard of 18th or higher level can free the owner
  from the spear's effects.
  The special purpose of the spear, which may lie
  dormant for many years, is to locate and revivify temples
  and sleeping guardians devoted to the god Tharizdun. In
  campaign play, it might become an onerous task to
  prevent the spear from locating any such places or beings,
  or to destroy the weapon (which will be formidably
  difficult).
  Krennden: 12th-level priest of Hextor (Str 17, Con 16,
  Wis 16, Cha 17). AC 2 (chain mail +3, shield not used), hp
  70, AL LE (NE). Krennden is surprisingly youthful-
  looking, fresh-faced and clear-eyed; he could pass for
  much younger than his 38 years. He is elegantly tall at 6'
  2", of medium build, with pleasing mannerisms and an
  agreeable smile. Auburn-haired and green-eyed, Krenn-
  den can be charming and sociable when he wishes.
  The Naelax Lands
  85
  
  However, he is fired with the faith of the true evil
  zealot. Krennden knows that Ivid's days are done, and he
  despises the weakness of the patriarch-general for not
  seizing effective control of Rauxes from Karoolck. Krenn-
  den thus plays a double role as an exile. First, he is
  drawing to himself as many clergy of Hextor as possible
  to aid an overthrow of Ivid and the patriarch-general.
  Second, he works behind the scenes to test who is the best
  man to replace Ivid. Originally, he had considered
  Montand his best bet, but increasingly he comes to think
  that Strychan is the stronger and better candidate. He has
  had two recent clandestine meetings with Karasin of
  Innspa, and Krennden is now working to recruit priests,
  mercenaries, and the armies of minor nobility as far afield
  as the southern reaches of North Province.
  Krennden's dangerousness lies in his combination of
  good tactics and organization, and his high Charisma. He
  would make an excellent charismatic priest-demagogue
  adjutant for an army marching on Rauxes, and he knows
  it.
  Montand, Prince of the House of Naelax: 13th-level
  fighter (Str 16, Wis 16, Cha 15). AC -1 (plate mail +3), hp
  75, AL LE. Montand has ruled Delaric for 25 of his 50
  years, and the time is beginning to show on his face.
  Gray-haired and balding at the crown, Montand does not
  have the energies of his youth, which is why he no longer
  has any ambition to be overking. Rather, the slightly
  stooped prince has the conservative ambition simply to
  hold his powerful city, though he wants at all cost a
  Naelax overking to replace Ivid. Montand is over-
  cautious and does not act hastily. In campaign play, the
  major role of Montand and his city forces is that they are
  a crucial potential ally for any serious pretender to the
  throne in Rauxes. Montand's only son, Haragern, is
  apparently as passive as his father, but ambition lurks
  within the 19-year old princeling. One day soon the
  princeling might take the traditional step of ambitious
  sons of his house and take rulership of Delaric for
  himself.
  Nightsong: 19th-level bard (Dex 16, Int 18, Cha 17). AC
  -3 (bracers of defense AC 3, cloak of protection +4), hp 59, AL
  NE. Nightsong is somewhere between 50 and 75 years of
  age; he isn't saying, and he looks almost timeless. Very
  tall, 6' 5", and slim, he has gray hair with a widow's peak
  and craggy, imposing features. He is animated, swift, and
  energetic beyond his years.
  Nightsong is consumed by a passionate desire for
  knowledge of all things and matters magical and mythi-
  cal. With his amulet of the planes he has gathered lore and
  treasures from far beyond Oerth's confines. Nightsong
  knows the burial laments for the victims of the Invoked
  Devastation, the poetry of the necromantic invocations of
  the Ur-Flannae, and he can sing the whispering hymns of
  the long-dead Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Among his many
  magical items is a gold pendant which allows him to
  duplicate his own voice in harmony, an effect he uses
  rarely but to powerful impact.
  Nightsong is also thoroughly evil. He believes that all
  things come to nothingness in the end, though as usual
  with such nihilists he shows a marked dislike for the
  prospect of his own death. He reveres Tharizdun as the
  embodiment of this principle, though he does not actively
  worship him. He has been approached by a spy for the
  Scarlet Brotherhood, but as yet has declined to act on
  their behalf. Should he do so, the effect on Aerdy would
  be dramatic. Nightsong has little but contempt for
  Montand and could easily depose him and place
  Haragern in his stead, ridding Delaric of the military
  loyal to Montand and establishing the Brotherhood as the
  true power of the city.
  Montand allows Nightsong to stay in his city not least
  because of his fear of the bard. While he is in the city
  Montand can keep tabs on him. Should he exile him, he
  would not know where the bard might go, but he could
  be certain that Nightsong would have his revenge.
  Nightsong plays at life. He enjoys vanities, jewellery,
  fine wines, and amusements and distractions. But it is just
  play; Nightsong almost has no heart. He has passions, but
  they are cold and cruel ones. He despises humanity
  collectively and individually, and the one being he
  perhaps still fears and respects is Gwydiesin (see the
  Grandwood chapter).
  Strychan, Prince of the House of Naelax: 13th-level
  mage (Dex 16, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 17). AC 8, hp
  49, AL NE (CE). Strychan is a small man, a mere 5' 5" and
  slimly built, with almost effeminate soft features and cool
  blue eyes. His handshake is firm, though, and there is
  steely ambition in the man. He enjoys his amusements
  and recreations, but they are only distractions. The real
  business is politics, and taking the throne.
  Strychan is a master logician. He knows where every
  one of his spies is, and what they are up to. He can detail
  the provisioning, morale, and equipment of all the forces
  available to him at any given time. And he will soon be
  seeking skilled mercenaries through emissaries as far
  away as Carnifand, Jalpa, and even Rel Deven when the
  time comes.
  Strychan is sizing up Montand, Hastern of Edge Field,
  and even Grenell as allies. But he has rejected Grenell on
  the grounds that the old man would try to seize Rauxes
  himself rather than allowing Strychan to become overk-
  ing. So, Strychan is in no hurry. He is building up allies,
  forces, and resources for when the time is right.
  Strychan is a major power-player in Aerdy. His spies
  and agents work in the nearby lands, employing merce-
  naries to sabotage the overking's lines of supply and to
  acquire men and monies for the future. Those agents
  The Naelax Lands
  86
  
  might easily hire PCs (without the PCs knowing whom
  they ultimately serve) for all matter of missions—proba-
  bly duping them in the bargain.
  Finally, Strychan is as wantonly cruel as anyone one
  can find in the lands. He does not have the detached
  philosophy of someone like Nightsong, nor the excuse of
  insanity which affects so many of his house. Neither is he
  an animus, with all the torments that brings. Simply, evil
  acts and sadism are the hallmark of the man, and the
  veneer of affability, humor, and style he has should not
  detract from realizing his true nature.
  The Naelax Lands
  87
  
  Pop.: 45,000 (plus 8,000 on Leastisle)
  Capital: Aspedri (pop. 7,750)
  Ruler: Lord High Admiral Basmajian Arras
  Rulership: Moderate-High (except Leastisle)
  Cost Multiplier: 110%
  Divided Lands
  The lands of the Sea Barons were among the last to be
  settled by the Oeridians, and here the folk are an
  Oeridian/Flan mix for the most part. The overking estab-
  lished the isles as four Baronies; Asperd Isle, Oakenisle,
  Fairisle, and Leastisle. Naval power, patrolling the coasts
  of the Great Kingdom from Bellport far to the south, was
  concentrated here, with the Lord High Admiral being
  determined from the outcome of a naval battle fought
  between the baronies. Asperd Isle won that battle, and
  Asperdi has become the largest town and center of power
  in these isles.
  Militarily, the Sea Barons simply stayed out of the
  Greyhawk Wars. With war far to the west, and Rauxes
  many hundreds of miles away, the old Lord High
  Admiral Sencho Foy could decide that the threats of the
  northern barbarians, clearly excited into a war-seeking
  frenzy, were too dangerous to ignore. Dispatching navies
  to Relmor Bay to fight Nyrond would be suicidal,
  especially with the overthrow of the Lordship of the Isles
  leaving the southern waters of the Aerdi Sea more
  dangerous than ever.
  The old admiral suffered one of those sudden deaths so
  common among Aerdy rulers, and his replacement is a
  stern and hard man who has the support of the barons of
  the two remaining isles, Fairisle and Oakenisle. All are
  aware that they are faced with increased threats and
  unknowns. The northern barbarians, no longer at war on
  land, have more time and resources to spend raiding the
  Solnor Ocean. While coastal cities offer good targets, so
  do the wealthy lands of the Barons. To the south, the
  Scarlet Brotherhood has sent its spies and agents to
  Asperdi and Oakenheart. They have been rebuffed, but
  all the Barons fear that a naval invasion might be
  mounted on them from the Lordship of the Isles. Then
  there are the new elven lands of Lendore, an unknown.
  No threat seems to come from them, but due to the
  magical barriers around those isles, the Barons cannot
  know what is happening there, and this makes them
  insecure.
  There are also divisions among the Sea Barons which
  heighten that insecurity. Most seriously, Leastisle fell to
  pirates and buccaneers at the end of the Greyhawk Wars.
  Most of these men were fleeing the eastern coastal cities
  of Aerdi, but they brought enough mercenaries and
  seapower to sack Vernport. They now sail widely, attack-
  ing any target which looks soft enough, from North
  Province to Hepmonaland. As yet, they have avoided any
  raids on the other isles of the Barons after one abortive
  attack against Port Elder. The Sea Barons lack the will to
  strike against the 8,000 or so ne'er-do-wells on Leastisle,
  again because they fear that the men and ships they
  might lose in such an action would leave them vulnerable
  to other enemies.
  The other division is one of politics and temperament.
  Basmajian favors an alliance, or at least a truce, with the
  barbarians and Ratik. His argument is that this would
  remove the greatest threat to the Sea Barons, and leave
  them better able to handle the others. However, the
  Barons of the other isles do not agree. They point out that
  such an agreement might not go down well with the
  eastern Aerdi cities with which the Sea Barons trade.
  In the case of Rel Astra, they might get away with it
  since barbarians rarely raid that far south. However, the
  Five of Roland, and the ruler of Ountsy, would certainly
  react badly, and the Sea Barons could ill-afford to lose
  those trade links. The temperamental division is with the
  younger sea captains and young bucks of the baronies,
  who are more aggressive and believe that, with their
  seapower still mostly preserved, the Barons should be
  more enthusiastic about raiding and piracy (not to
  mention retaking Leastisle). The old Medegian lands offer
  a soft target and the Barons raid there, but apart from the
  occasional foray into Hepmonaland to loot the spices,
  ivory, and furs which come from that vast land, that is
  about the limit of the Barons' current exploits.
  Basmajian and the other Barons want to keep their
  ships close to home for protection; the younger men want
  to sail the blue seas and oceans in search of adventure
  and bounty, freed as they now are from rulership by
  Rauxes.
  Finally, Basmajian is well aware that there always has
  been rivalry between the Barons themselves, especially
  between Asperdi and Oakenheart. He has to be sure that
  he can count on the support of his fellows, rather than
  assassination by poison or dagger (the weapon he used to
  eliminate the previous lord high admiral, Sencho Foy). 
  Trade and Bounty
  These isles are fertile and beautiful. The climate here is
  warm and mild, and while grains and livestock do not
  fare so well here, the natural riches of the islands are
  considerable. Bananas, galda fruit, plantains, and figs
  grow in abundance. Rock iguanas are as common here as
  are rats in Rauxes, and unlike those vermin, their tails
  make excellent eating, marinated and roasted. Wild goats
  clamber the cliffs and are hunted for their meat. Some
  islanders will even tell the visitor that the seagulls here
  taste better, less fishy and tough, than anywhere else. But
  with the abundant seafood available, few eat the birds.
  Clams (especially the giant clams of Fairisle's coasts),
  large striped tuna-like fish, and small squid are the staple
  The Sea Barons
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  seafoods.
  These goods alone are in demand by the hungry cities
  of Aerdi, but the isles have further resources. Oakenisle is
  named after a unique species of fine oak which appears to
  flourish in saline soil and sea breezes, and the superb
  wood it yields is excellent for ship construction. The oaks
  grow very slowly, however, so the wood is in short
  supply and thus commands very high prices.
  Fairisle has small wooded pockets which contain spice
  bushes and plants, and herbs much in demand by alche-
  mists and herbalists. The strange Tar Hill of Asperd Isle
  yields a thick, resinous tar of excellent adhesive and
  waterproofing qualities; when treated with an ammoniac
  solution it becomes as hard as steel, and thus has a range
  of obvious uses. The Sea Barons are rich men from their
  trade, and as a result they can afford the mercenary garri-
  sons which secure their towns and forts. Those mercenar-
  ies are part of the imports the Sea Barons take in return
  for their goods, but they also acquire metal weapons and
  armor for their defense (since the isles have no metal ore
  deposits), worked utensils, coinage (from Rel Astra), and
  also stone for construction purposes.
  Rulership
  Each Baron administers his isle as his personal fief. An
  interesting twist is that house affiliations count for little
  or nothing here; the separation of the Sea Barons from the
  mainland has divided them from their Houses, and they
  now regard their blood relatives and loyal liegemen as an
  extended family. Most of the relatives have been in the
  service of the Barons and their ancestors for generations.
  Captaincy of sea vessels usually passes from father to son
  (rarely, to a daughter) unless the offspring is conspicu-
  ously unsuited to it. In this event, talented newcomers
  may gain a command if they prove themselves as mates.
  If the Barons show more indulgence and kindness to
  those immediate liegemen and retainers than many other
  nobles do, they do not do so in the case of the common-
  folk. Most people here are serfs, their bodies and lands
  owned by the Baron, and they are subject to his wishes.
  Given the relative richness and ease of life here (taxes and
  tithes are low by Aerdi standards), people are not too
  unhappy with their lot. In any event, many serfs have
  their life eased by the fact that the Barons and their liege-
  men often have slaves in their households, save in Oaken-
  isle. These slaves are humans taken from Hepmonaland
  for the most part. Thus, Barons do not make excessive
  demands in the way of service from their serfs. 
  Dangers of the Isles
  Apart from barbarian raids, the isles of the Barons have
  their own hazards. Poisonous snakes are fairly common
  on most of the islands, with the deserted Serpent Isle
  infested with them. In the coastal waters, one of the nasti-
  est hazards (and an excellent discouragement to diving
  for pearls or large clams) are the great rainbow-hued
  moray eels which are all too common. Their bites are
  vicious, and the moray will not release a victim from its
  jaws even when slain. However, the islanders take a
  symbolic revenge on this enemy by their tradition of
  roasting morays over charcoal fires during Brewfest and
  feasting on their flesh—which is an acquired taste, to put
  it mildly.
  Sahuagin are the major sentient menace of the coastal
  waters. They do not organize themselves to do more than
  make opportunistic attacks on small fishing boats, but
  every year a score or more lives are lost to these preda-
  tory creatures. In the past two years, the sahuagin have
  grown more bold and even attacked a coaster recently,
  and some fear that someone, or something, is organizing
  and directing the creatures. Since their numbers, and
  home location, are unknown, this makes people increas-
  ingly anxious.
  The waters and coastlines of the isles are not without
  their dangers. Strong cross-currents can send a small
  vessel with an inexperienced captain or fishing crew
  The Sea Barons
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  many miles out to sea, with generally northern currents
  flowing up from the warmer southern waters. Whirlpools
  or tsunami are, however, very rare events, and gale or
  storm force winds and massive downpours are not too
  common. However, most people recall the three-day
  storm of 578 CY, which some laughingly called "Hurri-
  cane Ivid."
  Asperd Isle
  Largest of the islands, with some half of the total popula-
  tion, Asperd Isle has been the dominant power of the Sea
  Barons since Baron Asperd won that fateful naval battle
  centuries ago. Basmajian has three ocean-going galleons
  here, a main fleet of 12 coasters (with seaworthiness of
  70%). There is also a fishing fleet of some 15 vessels,
  though they almost always stay within two miles or so of
  shore.
  By informal understanding with the eastern Free Cities,
  visiting Aerdi vessels only come to Asperdi through
  Ironport. Most trade is conducted by the Barons' ships
  traveling west, but sometimes a Winethan vessel or one
  from Roland will travel here. Visitors are only allowed to
  disembark if they are personally known to the Naval
  Phalanx of Asperdi, have been invited by the Baron or a
  liegeman, or if they buy a visiting permit from that
  organization. This costs 150 gp, a price which discourages
  most visitors. And the permit purchaser also must be
  tattooed with the design of an iguana's head on his left
  forearm—relatively few casual travelers venture here. At
  least, if they do, they don't land in Ironport. 
  Asperdi
  Asperdi is a walled town, set back from the coast, mostly
  built of a hard reddish-brown stone taken from a quarry
  to the east long exhausted of its riches. It is bustling and
  lively, with several large markets and a strong line of
  armorers and ironworkers in addition to the more
  predictable naval artisans. The folk of the town, and the
  isles generally, almost all favor the combination of loose
  pantaloons and a baggy, wide-sleeved cotton blouse,
  though those of primarily Flan blood still use face-
  painting as an additional decoration. Bright colors are
  generally worn, so on a sunny day Asperdi is a vivid
  sight, with its literally colorful people walking in the
  shadow of the ornately-decorated city walls. Most carry
  long, heavy, curved daggers which can be treated as short
  swords for the purposes of damage, weapon speed, etc.
  Any town of seagoing folk has a rowdy quality, with
  violence not far from the surface. Asperdi is no exception.
  Basmajian's Naval Phalanx act both as a city watch and
  as judge and jury in the case of offenses; this is a place of
  summary justice. The city prison is greatly feared, since it
  is dilapidated and vermin-infested and in hot weather in
  particular death from disease and infection is common-
  place. For this reason, Asperdi doesn't attract many
  thieves. The forbidding crenellated tower overlooking the
  town is too visible a reminder of where they will proba-
  bly die if they are detected in their nefarious activities.
  Among the main power factions of Asperdi are the
  guilds of various artisans and the priesthood of Procan.
  They, together with the commanders of the city watch,
  who are Basmajian's galleon captains, form an advisory
  council to the Baron. Also on that council is the wizard
  Livensten, a true eccentric who often turns up for
  meetings in partial states of undress because he has
  forgotten to put all his clothes on. Livensten's passion,
  however, is inventions and tinkerings. The new astrolabe
  he has just invented—and his almanacs showing how to
  compute latitude and distances from the position of sun
  and moons—is receiving considerable approval from the
  galleon captains. These aids have enabled the Sea Barons
  to become true ocean-goers should they wish, in contrast
  to their traditional role as coastal defenders and
  patrollers.
  This is a mixed blessing for Basmajian, since it encour-
  ages his younger captains to do precisely what he doesn't
  want them to do, namely to set off on great voyages of
  discovery far east across the Solnor.
  Finally, Asperdi is home to a small matriarchal group
  whose origins are in the bloodlines of the Rhennee, the
  bargegoers of the central Flanaess. How they came here is
  lost in the mists of time, but this community has been
  here for so long than no one really cares any more. With
  their mixture of soothsaying, divinations, herbalism, and
  a little symbolic ju-ju cursing when it suits them, the
  women are much respected by the men of the islands,
  who are extremely superstitious about them. One of the
  women, known as the rhenata, will always be asked to
  give her blessings to any new vessel about to take its first
  voyage, and usually to any ship about to set sail for
  longer than a week or so out of port. This precaution is
  always doubled with asking for the blessings of a priest
  of Procan, of course, so the cost of setting sail can be quite
  high at times. Blessings are not given gratis.
  Ironport
  The only natural harbor along the rocky shoreline of
  Asperd Isle, Ironport is a magnificent sight. The stone
  walls and cathedral to Procan built facing the bay are
  massive, nearly a hundred feet high, with incredible
  decorations: arabesques, symbols of Procan, stone
  anchors adorning the base of the walls, and the symbols
  of ropes and chains strung along below the battlements.
  Atop the very center is a 20-foot statue of Procan himself,
  a forbidding and truly impressive sight.
  Ironport is not large—only some 2,000 folk live within
  the town. But it has a grandeur and sternness to its archi-
  The Sea Barons
  90
  
  tecture, and its people are likewise thrifty, pragmatic, and
  (it must be said) relatively humorless souls. The naval
  quarter is walled off from the rest of the city so that
  drunken sailors do not offend the sense of propriety of
  the rest of the town.
  Tar Hill
  Tar Hill is a dangerous place; far more dangerous than all
  but a very few people know. Its surface appearance is
  strange enough, for below the slopes of the 500-foot peak
  lie many pits of resinous tar which are excavated for their
  special bounty. The thick, gluey tar pits are littered with
  the bones of huge animals, dinosaurs and the like, and
  some folk frighten rebellious or naughty children with
  tales of how the terrible great lizards which still lie far
  below the hill, trapped alive in tar, will come and feast on
  their flesh if they don't stop behaving badly.
  What very few know is that, below the hill, there is
  indeed a hidden terror; the Cauldron of Night itself.
  Basmajian is the only one on the isles who knows of this,
  and the entrance to the Cauldron—fully 600 feet below
  ground and accessed through winding and dangerous
  mineshafts. It is protected with very powerful glyphs and
  other warding spells. The Cauldron is a great natural
  amphitheatre of ebony stone, with a central depression 50
  feet across and seemingly endlessly deep, for it is filled
  with a magical darkness no scrying spell can penetrate.
  Radiating intense evil, the Cauldron is almost a sentient
  thing. Mages of great power who have come seeking
  stone for making artifacts have had the very marrow in
  the bones frozen and their bodies shattered into dust
  here, while others of much lesser attainments have been
  able to take one of the spine-like stalactites of the
  Cauldron by simply reaching out and breaking it off.
  The Cauldron almost seems to choose who it will allow
  to harvest its dark riches and craft them into works of evil
  power. Yet, those mages who take something from the
  Cauldron always pay a heavy price for it, driven insane
  by their own creations or dragged off screaming by some
  gloating fiend, to endure untold horrors in the Abyss.
   Basmajian maintains a mercenary force of 100 well-
  armed and equipped warriors, with his most trusted
  adjutant in command, ostensibly to guard the tar pits
  (which yield much money for him) but also to make sure
  none enters the shafts leading to the Cauldron of Night.
  In truth, any who did so unprepared would meet a swift
  and grisly end, either fried alive by detonating glyphs or
  consumed by the monsters which prowl the shafts,
  among which xorn and earth elementals are perhaps the
  least dangerous.
  Oakenisle
  Oakenisle is a riot of vegetation. Not just the strange
  ancient oaks which give the islands its name, but thorny
  palm trees, hard-barked dwarf figs, and many succulents
  and scrub bushes cover almost every square inch of the
  island. Travel across land is difficult; all movement rates
  are at half maximum. The island is also alive with small
  lizards and snakes, rodents and vermin, fruit-eating
  birds, and a wide variety of insects. Among them are the
  dangerous giant dragonflies of the damper, eastern half
  of the island, which has a high rainfall rate and is almost
  permanently half-shrouded in mist during the spring and
  fall.
  This is a wild, untamed island, despite centuries of
  human occupation. The land is almost infertile if vegeta-
  tion is burned and cleared. Away from Oakenheart itself,
  there are no settlements of even village size, only the
  wooden huts of foragers and trappers.
  Baron Jamzeen of Oakenisle is old now, having ruled
  this island for more than half a century. His triplet sons
  create permanent problems, both for their old father and
  between themselves. The three are constantly trying to
  outdo themselves with feats of derring-do against
  barbarians, and it is a major surprise that they are all still
  alive. They certainly know more about the bottom of
  empty rum bottles than they do of naval warfare. The
  young and reckless are in the ascendant here, for Jamzeen
  increasingly lacks the will to bring his fractious juniors
  and descendants to heel.
  Because of Oakenisle's impenetrability and wildness,
  sahuagin and other monsters prowl the coasts more often
  than they do the other islands. While Jamzeen has a
  bounty of 50 gp per sahuagin head brought to him, this is
  where these crafty creatures are increasingly beginning to
  make inroads. Oakenisle is said to have several old ruins
  scattered among its vine-infested rocky lands, and all
  manner of rumors pertains to them. Few bother to investi-
  gate, but the paladin Karistyne of the Cairn Hills traveled
  here incognito two years past and looted a treasure-trove
  of an unknown wizard on the east coast. What she
  retrieved, she has not revealed.
  Jamzeen is generally a staunch ally of Basmajian, but
  one bone of contention between them concerns slavery.
  While Jamzeen is as evil as any of the Sea Barons, he has a
  particular distaste for slavery and berates Basmajian often
  on this score. Slavery is outlawed on Oakenisle, which is
  not to say that its captains do not take slaves and sell
  them in Asperdi when the opportunity arises.
  Oakenheart
  Oakenheart is the one natural harbor on the island it
  dominates. Though the city has stone walls and great
  harbor gates which are bronze-coated (and magically
  protected both against corrosion from salt and wind, and
  fire-based attacks), much of the city is built from the
  wood of the great oaks for which the island is famous.
  The Sea Barons
  91
  
  Oakenheart has a more swashbuckling atmosphere
  than Asperdi, and in particular it has the great shipyards
  of Walfrenden, the master shipwright of the island—and
  the best in all Aerdi, it should be said. Walfrenden's
  vessels are of excellent design (+10% to all seaworthiness
  ratings). His latest design is a heavy caravel which the
  younger captains of the city's 17-vessel fleet (five
  galleons, 12 coasters) look upon with real yearning.
  Starflier, the first of these vessels, lies in harbor awaiting
  an inspired captain and devoted crew ready to sail
  forever across the eastern horizons, the triangular sail
  designs allowing far more freedom for the vessel to sail
  against prevailing winds than the larger square-rigged
  galleons. Walfrenden is nearing his 80th year, and what
  keeps him alive is looking forward to the day when the
  captain of his pride and joy sails back into Oakenheart
  and tells him the wonders and strangeness of the lands he
  has found across the endless azure miles of the Solnor
  Ocean.
  More mundanely, Oakenisle is almost a sealed-off city.
  Visitors are not admitted without good reason (trade or
  otherwise), and the harborguard are not easily bribed.
  The Scarlet Brotherhood is feared here, since the assassi-
  nation of two of the town's finest young sea captains six
  months ago is widely believed to have been due to their
  agents.
  Fairisle
  Named for its rolling, fertile low hills and the white sand
  beaches of the northwestern coastline, Fairisle is notably
  more relaxed and informal than the other towns of the
  isles. Baron Pamdarn is but 22 years old, and he does not
  have the old sense of discipline and duty of the older
  Barons. However, he is not rash or reckless, and since this
  island is closest to the pirates of Leastisle, Pamdarn
  makes sure that his fleet of 10 coasters and three galleons
  is always on the alert. Pamdarn has hired three mages of
  Winetha to travel on his galleons, having an arsenal of
  fire-based spells at the ready to assault any pirate vessel
  he sees.
  Fairisle is also noted for the colony of large wild apes in
  its northeastern scrub and woodland. These creatures are
  not by and large aggressive, but they are hunted for their
  furs by the islanders, who use blowpipes and nets to
  avoid damaging the valuable fur. Also, the island has
  some Suloise ruins on its southern tip, around Cape Rarn,
  although these are avoided by island folk. There are too
  many tales of the terrors of the Isle of Serpents for them to
  risk venturing there.
  Port Elder
  Baron Pamdarn's youthfulness shows itself in the relative
  laxity of application of laws here. If a traveler seeks the
  riotous, swashbuckling seaport of the isles, this is where
  to find it. Port Elder is a relatively open port, though any
  of Suel appearance are carefully watched by the naval
  militia, which is known as the Black and Golds on
  account of their uniforms. The Lordship of the Isles, and
  its Suel masters of the Scarlet Brotherhood, are too close
  for comfort here.
  Pamdarn's Admiral of the Squadrons, Yendrenn
  Harquil, is a dashing and charismatic figure about town.
  His galleon, the Seawolf, bears Yendrenn's own symbol (a
  seawolf, unsurprisingly) on its sails rather than the sea
  serpent which almost all other Sea Barons vessels display.
  With his sallow-faced mage Rhennen aboard to give aid
  with airy water, telekinesis and other such spells, Yendrenn
  specializes in the discovery and looting of sunken wrecks,
  of which there are several south of Fairisle and on the
  eastern seaboards of all the islands.
  Yendrenn is always eager to learn of such wrecks, if a
  diviner, bard, or sage knows of any such—and he agrees
  on a share of the booty recovered with his source. Though
  chaotic, he always holds to his word in such dealings. His
  recent recovery of nearly 40,000 gp worth of pearls and
  ingots of precious metal from the hulk of a Duxchan ship
  sunk in 515 CY has brought him fame.
  Port Elder's city walls are being strengthened, given the
  threats to the south. From somewhere—no one is sure
  quite where—Pamdarn has managed to import a half-
  dozen stone giants who are busy at work. Since none on
  the islands speaks stone giant (save for Rhennen), and the
  stone giants don't converse in Common, there are all
  kinds of wild tales flying around about them, with some
  saying that they are fiends in giant form and that
  Pamdarn has sold his soul to some Lord of the Hells or
  the Abyss. Few worry about such matters, however; since
  the repulsing of the pirate raids on the city some years
  ago, people feel more secure behind strengthened city
  walls and don't much care who builds them so long as
  they get built.
  Leastisle
  Captured and sacked by seamen fleeing the wars to the
  west, Leastisle is now an anarchic free-for-all. Half its
  population lives in the ruins of Vernport, with spasmodic
  and ineffective attempts made from time to time to
  rebuild the town. About a third of the island's folk are
  indigenous, many of them used as slaves by the invaders,
  who have become little more than pirates now. The booty
  taken from Vernport has mostly been used up, and the
  half-dozen vessels (all coasters and cogs) in the harbor
  are in need of repair. The pirates here lack any leadership
  since Petreden of Torquann, a minor prince who master-
  minded the sack of Vernport, was slain in a drunken
  brawl last Ready'reat.
  Vernport, and the scattered small settlements of the
  The Sea Barons
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  island, are a den of evil cutthroats and scum. There are no
  few people of real power here, warriors, thieves and
  mages alike—for this is one of best places to hide from
  enemies one has made on the main continent. Somewhere
  on the island a priest of Nerull must be hiding in the
  overgrown huts or eastern sea caves, for sea zombies
  have been observed on the southern coasts. That puts
  great fear into people here, who tend to respond by
  drowning it in rum and samberra—a bitter, dry spirit
  fermented from the juices of succulent plants.
  Leastisle is a great place to come to get one's throat cut,
  but a vessel from Rel Astra or even Ountsy will hazard it
  once in a while, especially to fish for the huge and tender
  sea clams which throng the western coastline. Such
  vessels always bring a mage with them, if only to
  announce their arrival with a fireball or similar show of
  strength, warning the pirates to leave well alone.
  Leastisle is dangerous not just because of the despera-
  tion, evil, and the unpredictability of its folk but because
  this is surely where the Scarlet Brotherhood, acting
  through Duxchan, could secure a base on the southern
  flank of the Sea Barons. It seems certain that they will do
  so before long.
  The Isle of Serpents
  This small isle was never settled by the Oeridians on
  account of the extraordinary number of poisonous snakes
  and reptiles inhabiting its densely vegetated uplands. The
  isle is hard to reach in any event, with sheer chalky cliffs
  rising 250 feet or more in some places. Sea serpents are
  often seen around the island, and nagas have been
  reported by the handful of travelers who braved the
  island's hazards.
  Such travelers also tell of a set of sunken caves in the
  center of the island, and jade statues of a Suloise snake
  goddess which stand guard at their entry point. The
  statues are said to animate and attack any approaching
  who are not pureblood Suel females, so the depths of the
  caves have not been explored.
  However, a small 6" tall miniature jade figurine of the
  goddess was taken by a distant ancestor of Pamdarn of
  Fairisle. He owns it still, though it is kept securely locked
  away on account of the curse it is said to bear. One sage
  has speculated that the goddess may be an aspect of Wee
  Jas, but the strangely alien facial features of the goddess,
  with slanted almond eyes, and short-cropped hair do not
  resemble the usual portrayals of that sinister power. Here
  is a mystery still waiting to be explored, providing the
  adventurer brings with him priests able to neutralize
  poison.
  Around The Isles
  Pirates, barbarians, the Duxchan fleets, and sahuagin are
  offshore menaces to the Sea Barons. However, in the
  waters around their coasts there are other races and
  creatures. Seawolves have been reported some 50 or so
  miles north of Asperd Isle, though they have not entered
  the coastal waters yet. They appear to be organized, or
  familial, since they always have been seen in groups of a
  half-dozen or so. Rumors say that they are in some way
  bound to an area around the site of their sunken ship,
  which is said to have been a vessel bearing mages and
  arcane magics seeking seabed sites akin to the Cauldron
  of Night. No one knows for sure, but notably Yendrenn
  has not sought the wreck as he usually would if hearing
  of such a lost vessel.
  Sea elves are almost never seen by the Sea Barons now.
  In the past, the neutral-aligned members of sea elf
  communities would sometimes trade and barter with the
  Barons on a fairly ad hoc basis, but they have not
  appeared in Asperdi for several years. It is said have
  retreated to the waters around the transformed Lendore
  Isles.
  Lastly, there are persistent tales of an aquatic race of
  brownie-like creatures or sea sprites, not nixies or their
  kin, on the eastern shore of Oakenisle. These little folk are
  extremely elusive, but appear to be spying on the island
  and sometimes acting as sentinels or guards. What they
  are watching for, or watching over, is a mystery.
  Personalities of the Sea Barons
  (Lord High Admiral) Basmajian Arras: 13th-level
  fighter (Str 18/00, Dex 17, Int 16). AC -2 (chain mail +4),
  hp 85, AL LE. Basmajian is 40 years old, with coppery fair
  hair and brown-green eyes. He lacks true stature at 5' 8",
  and is not a charismatic man, but his intelligence is high
  and he applies it capably to the problems of rulership. His
  natural Strength rating is 16; the gauntlets of ogre power he
  has are one of his two most prized magical items, the
  other being a ring of swimming. Basmajian is extremely
  sensitive to the fact that he can't actually naturally swim.
  A ring of free action is also always worn by the high
  admiral, likewise a richly bejewelled longsword +3.
  Basmajian lives richly and well. He takes a cut from
  virtually every dealing in Asperdi, since he grants
  merchant licenses, and they are only given if he gets a
  kickback. He is content with his lot, and he seeks to
  preserve his own strength. Basmajian doesn't want the
  Sea Barons involved in anyone else's troubles, and this
  finds favor in Rel Astra in particular, since the protection
  of the Barons' coasters is not really needed there.
  (Baron) Jamzeen: 10th-level fighter (Str 7, Dex 6, Con 6,
  Int 16, Wis 16). AC 3 (chain mail +3), hp 66, AL NE.
  Jamzeen's statistics are strongly affected by age, of course,
  since he is 77. Lean as a rake, the stooping figure of the 6'
  Baron is still impressive, for he has a full head of crisp
  The Sea Barons
  93
  
  white hair and his gray eyes still express vigilance and
  intelligence. Jamzeen was a notorious rake in his youth,
  and still is; his triplet sons Jamair, Jaqiran, and Nandain
  are but 19 years old. Jamzeen has had a succession of
  "wives" in his long life. Other offspring have left the isles,
  seeking their fortunes elsewhere, or are dead, often at the
  hands of jealous siblings.
  Jamzeen always has been happy to be Number Two. It
  made for an easier life. But now the old man's grip is
  faltering; perhaps the death of Sencho Foy, a friend for
  half a century and a man with whom he had a long
  shared past, has drained him of some of his will. He
  doesn't resent Basmajian for killing Sencho; such things
  happen, and Jamzeen is philosophical about these
  matters given his alignment. He supports Basmajian,
  whose conservative policy is one he fully agrees with,
  though he has differences with him concerning barbari-
  ans and slavery. But Jamzeen grows tired, less willing to
  attend to the everyday practicalities of governing his
  island, and it may well be that one of his sons will do the
  time-honored thing and arrange his father's burial rites
  (and those of his siblings) before the realization of their
  imminent demise has occurred to them.
  Livensten: 11th-level mage (Int 18). AC 7 (ring of protec-
  tion +3), hp 27, AL NE (LE). Levensten is 5' 5', slim of
  build with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Unprepos-
  sessing of appearance, the 56-year-old mage neglects
  himself to the point of periodically suffering eczema
  through not bathing properly. Standing next to him in
  hot weather is not a pleasant experience.
  Livensten is obsessed with researching instruments and
  devices connected with time and travel. He has a library
  of lore on such matters of startling breadth, including
  sacred works of deities which as Labelas and Lendor. He
  constantly fiddles in his laboratory with new ways of
  measuring and recording. His astrolabe is one of his more
  successful inventions, and his folding boat, which he hires
  to captains in return for very large security deposits, is a
  greatly prized item. Livensten has Basmajian's support
  and patronage, so he does not have to worry about
  earning a living as such.
  (Baron) Pamdarn: 9th-level fighter (Str 17, Con 17, Int
  15, Cha 16). AC 6 (ring of protection +4), hp 80, AL NE.
  Pamdarn is young and inexperienced in rulership, but he
  is learning fast. He, like Jamzeen, dislikes slavery,
  because somewhere inside him a youthful love of
  freedom resents it. But he keeps quiet about this to
  Basmajian. Pamdarn knows that he has a certain amount
  of leeway in the court of the lord high admiral, and he
  doesn't push his luck; he uses the tolerance he gets to
  allow his captains greater freedom to sail the oceans than
  those of the other Barons. Pamdarn is relatively impover-
  ished, since he has been saving funds to purchase the
  caravel Starflier and has also bought instruments of
  Livensten's devising.
  Pamdarn is 6' 1", well-built, with very fair hair and blue
  eyes. Some mutter that there is Suel blood in his veins
  (actually, he has more Flan blood than anything else). His
  father died but a year ago, and Pamdarn is just emerging
  from the depression this brought on him. The company of
  his friend Yendrenn has also done much to cheer him.
  Nonetheless, Pamdarn is no pleasant soul. He is
  ambitious and unscrupulous. If he has some idealisms, he
  is also quite unconcerned about how he achieves his
  ends. Because of his lack of monies, he recently had an
  Ountsy merchant executed on a trumped-up charge of
  sedition and arson, confiscating his vessel and goods in
  the bargain. Basmajian forced him to return the vessel
  and most of the money, but this episode illustrates
  Pamdarn's personality quite clearly.
  Walfrenden: 7th-level fighter (Str 7, Con 7, Int 16, Wis
  18). AC 10, hp 29, AL NE (CE). Walfrenden is 78, 5' 5",
  wholly bald with gray eyes and a notable tremor these
  days. Still, the old captain has a hungry energy within
  him. Maimed by an infected seawolf claw many years
  ago, so that his left leg is almost useless and he walks
  with a heavy stick, Walfrenden took to the design and
  building of ships. He rose swiftly in his profession so that
  he is now the master shipwright of the barons.
  All his life, Walfrenden longed to set sail under the
  starry night skies and head forever eastward. He is a
  freedom-loving spirit, and he chafed at having to patrol
  and protect the Aerdy coastline. His caravel design
  delights him, for the vessel's combination of high seawor-
  thiness and small size, allowing it to navigate close to
  coastlines and up river estuaries, is perfect for ocean-
  going and the exploration of new lands. Secretly,
  Walfrenden longs to take the first voyage on Starflier
  himself, so he can end his days under the stars with a
  chart of new lands explored in his hands. He has received
  a down-payment for the caravel from Pamdarn, and a
  condition of delivery is that Walfrenden is allowed to
  travel on the vessel.
  Walfrenden knows well the history of the eastern
  Aerdy lands. He has met virtually everyone of any power
  in the isles over the years, and he also has the finest set of
  maps and charts of the coastline anywhere. He has a set
  of seaman's tales more varied and outrageous than
  anyone's, but he narrates them with panache and a real
  love of storytelling. Sea captains who, as children, sat on
  his knee and thrilled to tales of savage Hepmonaland or
  the orcs of the Pomarj (Walfrenden has sailed all of the
  Azure Sea), are every bit as ready now to bring the old
  man a tankard of ale and hear the same tales again.
  Yendrenn: 11th-level fighter (Str 17, Dex 17, Int 16, Cha
  17). AC 2 (ring of protection +5), hp 80, AL CN (N).
  The Sea Barons
  94
  
  Yendrenn may be only 25 years old, but he has had
  command of Seawolf for seven years, and his men regard
  him as the finest captain on all the seas of Oerth. A
  distant cousin of Pamdarn, he lost his own father a year
  before the young Baron, and thus the two have a shared
  experience and a strong bond between them. Yendrenn is
  handsome, fair of skin and hair, 6' 3", and always well-
  groomed, with his silk blouse unbuttoned to the navel.
  He is vain, but his vanity is not excessive.
  Yendrenn is strongly loves freedom. He also has a real
  feel for history. He loves old maritime maps and charts;
  even if they are inaccurate, he just loves to take in their
  sense of history, bygone days, and the sailors who drew
  them. He regularly begs Walfrenden for copies of his
  maps, and no little of Yendrenn's gold has gone to the old
  shipwright in payment for such.
  Yendrenn also studies the myths and legends of the
  islands, and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of them. If
  any traveler wishes to know of the hidden and secret
  places of the islands, the captain will determine if they
  hail from the southern lands where the Scarlet Brother-
  hood may have spies and agents. If they are from
  somewhere else, the captain is ready to share an ale or a
  jigger of rum with them and talk of the islands' secrets.
  The Sea Barons
  95
  
  The cities of Rel Astra, Ountsy, and Roland have much in
  common, though they certainly have their differences,
  too. Each is walled, a trading post, and the power center
  of the lands over which they lay claim. Each has high
  rulership, and a tyrannical system of government. Each
  maintains its own small fleet of coastal defense vessels,
  and loudly proclaims independence from Rauxes. The
  cities have a definite alliance. There is a mutual under-
  standing between them that, should one fall, the others
  would be jeopardized. Thus, political emissaries travel
  from city to city keeping their rulers in touch, and
  showing formal marks of mutual respect. For all their
  differences, their fates are intertwined. Finally, the term
  "city" is something of a misnomer so far as Roland is
  concerned, since the place is but a town, but it has its
  pretensions.
  Rel Astra
  Pop. City, 57,000; lands, 170,000
  Ruler: Drax The Invulnerable
  Cost Multiplier: 130%
  From his throne in Rel Astra, Drax proclaims dominion
  over a huge swathe of land. He cannot enforce his will
  over the Grandwood, of course, but elsewhere he controls
  much of the fief he claims. The lands northwest of the
  Grandwood pay tribute to Drax, though they feign
  allegiance to Ivid. This is for several reasons. Firstly,
  because by sending some taxes to Rauxes the local
  landholders have learned that they can keep the overk-
  ing's armies away from their lands. Ivid is not overly
  concerned about them since there is no major power
  focus here. Secondly, because Drax does not demand
  further taxes from them. Third, because Drax's Iron
  Nation knights have been dispatched when needed either
  to strike at those who fail to pay homage, as the decima-
  tion of Cranzer's Beacon in Ready'reat showed, or to
  assail any who attack those who do pay homage. Drax
  doesn't need to maintain garrisons everywhere. In
  dealing with small men, as the northwestern rulers are,
  he only needs to show that he can be crushing when he
  needs to be to earn their allegiance.
  Drax has been clever with these lands. He does not
  need heavy taxes from them, but he does lay claim to a
  small number of veteran troops, whom he keeps posted
  in their homelands and whom are available to him. In
  this way, his rule is not onerous to the minor nobles
  beyond the Grandwood, since the "tithed" troops are not
  taken away to weaken their homelands.
  Drax also lays claim to much of old Medegia, and here
  his claim is but a formality. These lands are in chaos and
  ferment, and Drax's claim is only to establish a precedent
  should some form of peace descend upon them. No one
  disputes the claim because no one cares.
  Drax is an animus. He was an obvious target for Ivid,
  given the power and wealth of Rel Astra and Drax's
  position as scion of a rival royal house. During the wars,
  Drax sent armies to Rauxes as Ivid asked, but the crucial
  event was the sack of Medegia and the subsequent
  attempt to loot Rel Astra itself by troops which had
  become overfond of slaughter and pillage. Obviously,
  Drax was furious about this and ordered his own troops
  in the overking's service to pillage and ruin as many of
  Ivid's supply lines as possible. Those orders were inter-
  cepted, and Drax was magically abducted; for once, there
  was no advance warning from his fiend-sage.
   Ivid released Drax, assuring him that the imperial
  armies had attempted to loot Rel Astra from a fit of over-
  exuberance and that their commanders had been suitably
  disposed of. Drax feigned understanding and alliance,
  but as soon as he returned to his city he began planning
  to overthrow the overking. He does not have any true
  natural allies in this. Other princes of his own house,
  Garasteth, are wary of the old tyrant. No one has ever
  truly known what Drax really thinks and believes, so no
  one has ever trusted him much. Drax's tactic, therefore,
  has been to accumulate as much wealth as possible to buy
  allies and resources, and to use the power he has to force
  others to accept him.
  Many of Drax's old concerns, when he was but the
  constable mayor of Rel Astra, have evaporated. Once,
  Drax had to seek alliances with the Sea Barons and
  Medegia to balance the oppressive forces of the overking
  in North and South Province. Now, with North Province
  seceded and mostly concerned with barbarians, human-
  oids, and Rinloru's madman ruler, that threat is gone.
  South Province has no interest in this far-away city. The
  Sea Barons come to him, rather than the other way
  around.
  Just as Drax has strengthened his rulership to the point
  of tyranny, he has many fewer external political threats to
  worry him. 
  Rel Astra: The City
  Rel Astra is a large city, even by Aerdy standards, with
  labyrinthine walls which divide it internally into Old
  City, Common City, and the charmingly-named Barbar-
  ian Quarter. Each of these areas has a distinctive
  atmosphere.
  Old City is where Rel Astra's "old blood" is found. This
  doesn't necessarily mean that they are wealthier than
  others, but there is a subtle distinction between these folk
  and those of Common City. A man of the same occupa-
  tion as someone from Common City will consider himself
  superior to that other. There is something of a slower and
  more assured quality to Old City folk, and here Rel
  Astra's oldest buildings are to be found in all their
  strange majesty, together with the fortress keep of the
  The Free Cities
  96
  
  city, occupied by Drax himself, and the offices of city
  government.
  Common City has three-quarters of the town's indige-
  nous population and is named after the Copper Common,
  reflecting the fact that this is the place where most
  merchants and markets are located. Barbarian Quarter is
  the only part of Rel Astra where foreigners are allowed to
  enter unless they have some special invitation from Drax
  himself (perhaps at the request of an important person
  within the city). Barbarian Quarter is next to the
  shipyards and wharfs of the city, and is livelier and
  obviously more cosmopolitan than the rest of the city.
  Rel Astra is rife with despotism. Drax chooses who he
  consults and takes the advice he wishes to take. The
  commonfolk have the virtues of thrift, hard work, and
  sobriety which Drax constantly urges. They are dour,
  joyless folk; the predominant alignment is Lawful Evil.
  They also tend to be a religious folk, with the temples of
  Hextor, Nerull, and even Wee Jas being sizeable. Syrul's
  faith is outlawed, however, since a power of lies and
  deceit is entirely contrary to the Lawful city ethos.
  Trade and Travel
  Rel Astra trades with virtually anyone. It has a fleet of six
  coasters and two heavy cogs for protection, and several
  small pilot vessels which guide foreign ships into the
  harbor. Ships come here from the Sea Barons, from
  Dullstrand (rarely), from northern Aerdy ports, and even
  from the barbarian lands. Initially, Drax allowed
  Duxchan vessels to trade, but now that he has taken stock
  of the Scarlet Brotherhood he no longer permits this. Even
  pirate vessels and a few ships which have looted, or
  traded with, the free Hepmonaland peoples have been
  known to bring their cargoes to Rel Astra.
  Much trading thus uses Rel Astra as a safe haven and
  meeting place, but some trade also comes into and leaves
  the city overland. The southern road through Medegia is
  largely unsafe now, so this means traveling the route to
  Ernhard and Farlen and on into the main continent.
  Technically, this route lies along lands claimed by the
  Five of Roland. However, Rel Astra pays for the garrison
  at Ernhand, and Farlen is a shared village. The Iron Road,
  as this route is named, is very heavily patrolled by Drax's
  men and by troops based in Farlen. Attacks by Lone
  Heath and Grandwood men are still common, since rich
  pickings can be had from the caravans and merchants
  headed either along the road or the upper Mikar river.
  City Life and Folk
  Rel Astra is a city of contrasts. The Barbarian Quarter is a
  place of license and vivacity. Sunndi elves, albino
  barbarians, Suel folk, even a handful of Hepmonalanders
  can be found here. A visitor may even find some Keolan-
  dish merchant travelers or Greyhawkers in this part of the
  city. The Barbarian Quarter is crowded, overpopulated,
  noisy, and relatively lawless save for the vigilant Watch
  at the wharfs, warehouses, and markets. If one wishes to
  stay safe and secure here, it is possible to do so. If one
  prefers the high life and gambling with thieves and
  gap-toothed sailors from distant lands, that's possible,
  too.
  Old City and the Common City, in contrast, have some
  very strange architecture. There are silent warrens and
  back alleyways with their own peculiar follies and oddly
  slanted and tilted buildings. Some parts of Rel Astra
  appear to be impossible; that is, one cannot make out
  how buildings stay upright. To this, one can add a variety
  of building styles and materials, and an extraordinary
  number of places to which some legend or other is
  attached. There are houses and streets haunted by the
  shades of wizards or murderers, sealed wells which are
  said to issue forth magical disease-ridden mists once
  every century, pawnbroker's shops where a lingering
  curse is said to lie on some dusty item the hunchbacked
  vendor will desperately try to offload on the visitor, and
  many such oddities besides.
   Some of the oldest families of Rel Astra are insular and
  inbred to a remarkable degree, some speaking a form of
  Old Oeridian as a familial patois. Trades and professions
  are virtually always handed down from father to son; the
  city is strongly patriarchal. And it is a matter of shame if
  one's eldest son takes up some trade other than that of his
  ancestors—such mavericks may be shunned by their
  families in perpetuity.
   Rel Astra also has, by virtue of its size, some of the
  oddest and most specialized traders and shops anywhere.
  Selling Hepmonaland goods only is not uncommon, but
  Rel Astra also boasts one tiny, dusty little shop where
  only carved jade artifacts from the Shinazi people of that
  continent are sold. Those curiously fascinating little
  trinkets, often carved in the form of fabulous or
  enchanted beasts, are said to have magical qualities to
  ward off disease or magical control of one's mind.
  Whether this is true is uncertain, but they do radiate a
  faint abjuration or necromantic magic when detect magic is
  used.
  The DM using the proficiencies system might consider
  etiquette checks for PCs. Rel Astrans have a precise code
  of address and manners, which differ between Old City
  and Common City, and making mistakes in the matter of
  address is something they readily take offense at.
  Armies and Forces
  Drax's city is well-protected. The Iron Nation knights are
  100 in number, heavy infantrymen, and there are garri-
  sons of other standing troops in and around the city
  numbering nearly 2,200. They administer city justice and
  handle watch duties too, and they have good equipment
  The Free Cities
  97
  
  and excellent morale. Discipline is matchless, and woe
  betide anyone trying to bribe these highly Lawful men.
  Marching, square-bashing, and fitness training are
  emphasized for all the forces, so that these are tough men
  indeed. There are few females in the military, again a
  reflection of the city's patriarchy. The maritime forces of
  the city are readily recognizable by the tarred ponytails
  many of them wear, and most have unpleasantly discol-
  ored lips and teeth from the tobacco most of them appear
  to chew incessantly.
  Drax also has excellent light and heavy cavalry at his
  disposal. Further, levies and militias of some 5,000 to
  8,000 men can be drawn from the lands south of the city,
  and as many again could be relied upon from the claimed
  lands west of the Grandwood. An old treaty with Ountsy
  is still in force, allowing Drax to call upon that city's
  resources in time of war.
  Drax can also call upon the services of the priests of Rel
  Astra. They are primarily priests of their power, as
  anywhere, but they are also strongly secondarily priests
  of Rel Astra and are always ready to defend it should the
  need arise. Their role in repulsing Ivid's armies was
  important during the Greyhawk Wars, and the priest-
  hoods are almost separate from the church hierarchies in
  the rest of Aerdy.
  Rel Astra has also always attracted many wizards of a
  particular sort. Because of the safety of the city, combined
  with its Lawful ethos, wizards of Lawful Neutral align-
  ment, have found the city much to their liking. However,
  necromancy is strongly controlled by a complex set of
  statutes. Those who combine the pursuit of power with a
  tough mental discipline, especially wizards revering or
  devoted to Wee Jas, find Rel Astra an agreeable home.
  Because such wizards are often given to the arts of
  invocation, or other "tough" specializations, they provide
  powerful protection for the city. The mages' guild of the
  city is strong, and its Guildmaster Vernnend is one of the
  few who Drax regularly consults.
  The Fiend-Sage
  Lastly, Rel Astra is infamous for a molydeus tanar'ri
  which makes infrequent appearances in the city, and
  which has some kind of pact or deal with Drax. The
  tanar'ri is said to advise him on the extraplanar dealings
  and travels of powerful folk, mages, and otherwise, in
  Aerdy; what he gets in return is unknown. The rare sight-
  ings of the richly-dressed tanar'ri, haughtily parading
  itself with Drax, are memorable. They help keep resis-
  tance to Drax's tyranny subdued, for who would wish to
  challenge a despot with such an ally? Likewise, external
  enemies are kept at bay for fear that anything they try,
  Drax will be forewarned of. 
  Marshevel the Merchant
  A much less well-known menace in Rel Astra is this man,
  secretly a preceptor of Midnight Darkness. Marshevel
  often travels to Ountsy to hear news there, since that city
  is more open than Rel Astra. But Drax's city is the place to
  see (and perhaps to slay) the powerful and well-to-do.
  Marshevel is described in the Personalities section below.
  Ernhand
  The garrison at Ernhand protects the ferry route across
  the Mikar, and, as noted, while technically within
  Roland's claimed lands it is maintained by Rel Astra. It
  has 300 troops, with half being light cavalry who patrol
  road and river extensively. Around the village and keep
  there are several stabling and horse-rearing farmsteads
  where the swift horses used by the Rel Astra cavalry are
  bred and trained. These horses fetch high prices (treat as
  light warhorses with a minimum of 5 hp/die and a basic
  MV of 24), and so the farmsteads have to be guarded
  against horse thieves.
  Ernhand also boasts a small clique of Rel Astran bounty
  hunters who pursue fugitives from Drax's city into the
  Lone Heath and the Grandwood. Led by a priest of
  Pyremius, this silent bunch of murderers is shunned by
  all. They have their own fortified house on the edge of the
  town, and sometimes the sounds of unfortunates being
  "interrogated" by these men keep the whole village
  awake at night. Even the Lone Heath rangers fear these
  men, who are not averse to kidnapping one or more of
  their number and torturing and slaying them for the evil
  pleasure of it.
  Strinken
  Strinken is the southernmost point of Drax's effective
  realm of rulership; beyond lie the chaotic remnants of
  Medegia (those lands, technically claimed by Drax, are
  detailed in the following chapter). The stone tower and
  enclosures of Strinken are thronged with troops patrol-
  ling the northern road and the lucrative nearby
  farmsteads. Oilseed and citrus fruits (an important
  commodity for preventing scurvy, thus having a good
  sale price in ports) are grown there. So the lands are
  important to Drax.
  Strinken is notable for its flying ballistas, an experimen-
  tal design developed by a mage and a gnome engineer.
  Only two aerial platforms have been developed to date,
  but these are potentially deadly weapons, and Drax has
  no intention of allowing others to see them until he has a
  whole fleet of the things. For this reason, travelers are not
  usually allowed within four or five miles of the place,
  with troops turning them back northward.
  The Free Cities
  98
  
  Roland
  Pop. Town, 5,000; lands, 75,000
  Ruler: The Five of Roland
  Cost Multiplier: 140%
  Roland is a unique place. Nestled into the Gull Cliffs, the
  Bay of Gates is a freak harbor. The cliffs around Roland
  are 150 to 400 feet high, but the harbor is deep and vessels
  can draw virtually up to the sea gates of Roland itself,
  located in the Bay of Gates. By virtue of those cliffs,
  Roland is highly defensible, which is why the Oeridians
  founded it. Set back from the harbor, the place is immune
  to maritime invasion, which was judged worth the neces-
  sity of hauling cargoes from the harbor into the town
  itself along the very smooth trail which connects town
  and harbor.
  Roland has been the subject of usually abortive barbar-
  ian raids in the past, but recently Frost Barbarians have
  come offering trade and peace, and the Five of Roland are
  considering whether this might be a good idea. Because
  of its security, the town has only three coasters for patrols
  and always has been used to the protection of the Sea
  Barons, who are still a major trading partner. The only
  major outpost the town maintains is Grelden, which
  stands at the triple border with Winetha's lands and those
  of the overking himself, so by and large Roland has few
  outgoings and overheads. The town is not rich, but it isn't
  poor either.
  Roland is virtually a split-level city. Most of it is built
  on the hills by the coastline, but there are also extensive
  caves below, excavated by the dwarves and gnomes who
  once lived in considerable numbers in the Gull Cliffs.
  Now, there are perhaps 150 dwarves and 200 gnomes in
  the town, with 250 dwarves and 1,000 gnomes in small
  scattered settlements in the Gull Cliffs. The invading
  Oeridians initially tried to wipe out the dwarven and
  gnomish clans, but over the centuries some kind of
  uneasy truce was proclaimed. In the 150 years since The
  Five came to rule Roland, demihumans have been consid-
  erably better treated. Few of them are of good alignments,
  however, with the majority being neutral and no few
  being very definitely evil.
  In the caves and catacombs below Roland, some folk
  actually make their homes, though this is unusual.
  Rather, there is a system of military bunkers and stores,
  and also several catacombs of mummified bodies. A long-
  forgotten town ruler once decided to have his body
  mummified after death and placed here, and the fashion
  caught on among the better-off. It has become a sign of
  rank and privilege to have one's body disposed of in this
  way, rather than burned and the ashes scattered on the
  sea (the traditional method).
  Obviously, such catacombs attract necromancers as
  dung attracts flies, so they are carefully guarded by
  detachments of the town watch.
  Despite its trade function, with goods coming from the
  Sea Barons in particular, Roland is as insular and
  parochial as one would expect from such an isolated
  place. The local dialect of Common, and the strong
  accents of the Rolanders, make it difficult to understand
  them easily. The town's merchants and traders generally
  use their own promissory notes rather than imperial
  coinage for trade between themselves, and barter is
  commonplace.
  However, Roland has a highly unusual form of govern-
  ment, being ruled by a group known simply as The Five.
  A despotic Garasteth ruler was overthrown in a military
  coup, and the leaders of that coup instituted their own
  despotism instead. To avoid assassination attempts, they
  kept their identities secret, meeting at irregular intervals
  in the windowless marbled keep known simply as
  Fortress. While The Five know who each other are, they
  meet masked and disguised in Fortress. When one dies,
  and it is time to select a replacement, the position of ruler-
  ship is usually hereditary, but from time to time one of
  The Five has been known to be hurried along to an early
  grave to allow a particularly promising "external candi-
  date" to take his or her place.
  None of The Five trusts each other, of course. Each is
  perpetually uncertain of which of the others is allied with
  anyone else, so it is rare for one member to attempt to
  assassinate or ruin another. Thus, this pattern of rulership
  is stable enough. Since the wars, however, a spanner has
  been thrown into the works.
  The preeminent mind among The Five has been, for
  many years, the mage Jireen. His intelligence is truly
  piercing, and he had a way of organizing the meetings of
  the rulers, and resolving disputes, which marked him out
  as a real leader. Unfortunately, Jireen was one of the last
  victims of Ivid's crazed enthusiasm for revivification, and
  he is now one of the legion of animuses. Jireen has a
  particular obsession, the belief that a magically created
  and almost undetectable doppleganger stalks him at
  Ivid's bequest. Indeed, Jireen's madness has advanced to
  the point where some days he actually has brief spells
  when he suffers the delusion that he is that doppleganger.
  During these spells, Jireen is depersonalized and mute.
  This makes it very difficult for Jireen to lead The Five as
  he used to do. The others recognize what has happened
  to him, and are uncertain. On the one hand, they feel that
  they must do away with this madman. On the other, they
  are very afraid of an animus-mage and what he might do
  should any attempt on his life fail. At a recent meeting,
  Jireen screamed and raged at the others for conspiring
  with the doppleganger to replace him; since three of them
  had just met to discuss how to get rid of the mage, they
  feared that he must have had magical warning of their
  plans, though this was but coincidence.
  The others of The Five are: Ramshalak, a 12th-level
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  99
  
  priest of Pyremius; Vornekern, a 12th-level thief; the 13th-
  level female warrior Lord Barbern (she takes the title
  Lord rather than Lady, regarding it as having more
  gravity), and Admiral Quaanser, a 10th-level fighter who
  has major responsibility for all aspects of city defense.
  None of them has the power, magical strength, or guts to
  overcome Jireen, though Ramshalak is the most murder-
  ous and determined of them. None has any powerful
  house affiliations which might allow them to call on
  outside aid, a consequence of Roland's long history of
  isolationism. However, Vornekern has secretly met with
  Drax recently, and discussed a deal in which Drax would
  slay Jireen and Vornekern would become despot of
  Roland as a liegeman of Drax. In return, the thief would
  provide Drax with full information relating to the defense
  and layout of Roland, allowing Rel Astra's lord to mount
  an invasion with ease. As yet, Drax sees no real advan-
  tage in this, since his ultimate concern is with Rauxes and
  Ivid. But if he could also reappropriate Ountsy, then this
  would give him a monopoly on east coast trade. If Drax
  strikes, it will be to take both Roland and Ountsy, not just
  one.
  The Gull Cliffs
  Apart from the small dwarf and gnome settlements here,
  the Gull Cliffs are riddled with caves and natural
  passageways. There 
  are certainly several magical
  locations. The best-known is the Fading Ground of the
  Blood Obelisk of Aerdy (From The Ashes, Campaign Book)
  but there are also said to be at least two burial chambers
  of Ur-Flan mages or necromancers. Many come seeking
  them, but they have not yet been located even by the
  most penetrative magical scrying. There are also
  traveler's tales of an albino clan of gnomes far below the
  hills, said to be extraordinarily swift of movement and
  able to meld into stone as a natural ability. One or two
  claim they are guardians of some site sacred to a gnomish
  deity, others that they restructure deep passageways to
  the Underdark to keep intruders and adventurers away
  from some site of dark magic, possibly a temple of
  Tharizdun.
  Farlen
  The village of Farlen is maintained jointly by all three
  Free Cities, since they all need it as a trade outlet, and the
  garrison of 350 troops guarding the 1,300 villagers is
  drawn from all of them. This makes for animosity and
  frictions, especially since the Rel Astran commander of
  the troops is a weak and cowardly man who blusters and
  bullies his way through commands. This makes his
  Rolander and Ounstian adjutants contemptuous and
  resentful.
   The village has two unexpected buildings which make
  it noteworthy. The first is a huge cathedral of Pholtus,
  now looted and pillaged, which was built by a rich and
  eccentric convert to the faith some 200 years ago. Its
  peculiar architectural style mixed traditional Oeridian
  with Ketite and even Keolandish influences. The second
  is a large library and scriptorium, again built by a rich
  and eccentric Garasteth noble who retreated here centu-
  ries ago. The library's upkeep is maintained from monies
  left by that noble, and by fees charged to the scholars
  who come to consult some of the more obscure scrolls,
  parchments, and tomes. The library is complete
  (Dungeon Master's Guide, p.107) for anything the DM
  determines to be "social science"—including history,
  languages and philosophy). For other subjects of sage
  fields of study, roll 1d10: on a roll of 1, the library is
  complete; 2-8, it is partial; 9-0, it is nonexistent. Fees to be
  paid are fairly hefty and have to be individually arranged
  with the wily old librarian, Rimann Tigana.
  Tigana is a cousin of the resident alchemist of
  Greyhawk City, a fact which he never fails to mention to
  visitors. The DM should determine fees as suits the level
  of costs in the campaign.
  Grelden
  Grelden has a difficult strategic location at the junction of
  three fiefs, and the village of 1,300 folk has also been
  raided by deserting imperial army men and orcs twice in
  the previous spring. Hence, maintaining a garrison
  here—which has perforce been expanded to 200 infantry
  and 50 light cavalry—is an expense Roland could do
  without.
  However, it is the only major garrison outside Roland,
  and the trade outlet is vital. Quaanser has recruited two
  mercenary mages to aid defense, one armed with a ring of
  orc control, which has proved very useful against maraud-
  ers. However, there is tension between the mages, who
  are arrogant and haughty; the local garrison leader, who
  is more arrogant and haughty; and the local folk, who are
  arrogant, haughty, vicious and dishonest.
   Corruption is endemic in Grelden. A third or more of
  the village's economy is a black economy, with
  backhanders, extortion, protection rackets, and worse
  being commonplace. The garrison keeps order over the
  markets where goods from major trade cities are bought,
  sold, and bartered. Yet, they receive bribes themselves, so
  visitors are beginning to learn that Grelden is a place to
  avoid. Nonetheless, the village does well. There are no
  real alternative east-west trade routes, given the dangers
  of the lands of Rinloru to the north and Medegia to the
  south. Likewise, the village sees its fair share of merce-
  naries and adventurers traveling these routes, seeking
  employ or treasure. Though Grelden itself is not large,
  there are many smaller hamlets along the roads which
  lead from it in all directions, so that within a 10-mile
  radius or so there are probably an additional 6,000 folk
  The Free Cities
  100
  
  with homes. Trade is now being conducted in these
  smaller places. They are less well defended against
  raiders and bandits, but corruption is less, so some
  merchants take their chances there.
  Smuggler's Walk
  This is the major access route to Roland. For three-
  quarters of its length it is an overground trail through the
  hills, capable of being traversed by small carts—though
  wagons find the terrain too rough. For small sections at
  irregular intervals, the trail descends below the hills
  through a series of short excavated tunnels. The work
  here appears dwarven, but the dwarves of the Gull Cliffs
  have forgotten who built them and why. These tunnels
  are protected by militia detachments. The longest of
  them, Coppercavern, is a large natural cavern which has
  been developed and worked out.
  There is even a coaching tavern here, The Smuggler's
  Lament. Stuffed full of piratical decorations and naval
  furnishings by its eccentric gnomish owner, the place
  offers good accommodations, food, and beer, so that
  many making the trek through the cliffs look forward to a
  rest along their way. 
  Ountsy
  Pop. City, 27,000; lands, 43,000
  Ruler: Lady Emmara, Trine of Ountsy
  Cost Multiplier: 140%
  Ountsy is a sizeable city which has a traditional rivalry
  with Rel Astra as a trade port. Historically, the city has
  been a tied fief of Rel Astra, but it has become effectively
  independent with Drax's blessing, since he sees no threat
  from this quarter. Drax is certain his treaties with Ountsy
  allow him to call upon it in time of war. Ountsy still pays
  an annual tribute to Rel Astra, so its ruler must be careful
  of how she behaves to the southern city's despot.
  Ountsy's ruler claims little in the way of lands, and
  most of what she does claim is the Lone Heath, an area
  where Ountsy's writ does not run far. Emmara is a noble-
  woman of the House of Garasteth, and she makes sure
  that her house affiliations are as close as possible. She
  acceded to rulership of the city some 15 years ago, when
  her husband died. For a female to assume rulership of
  such a sizeable city is unusual, especially since she is not
  of this house by blood; she is a Darmen woman by birth.
  Cleverly, Emmara renounced affiliation to Darmen and
  proclaimed her allegiance to the rival house on the day of
  her husband's death, and this has helped bring about
  warmer relations with the princes of the House of
  Garasteth.
  Emmara's formal title, The Trine (technically she is also
  Lord High Mayoress as well), is an ancient one for the
  despot of Ountsy. It has astrological connotations, and
  astrologers and diviners always have been among the
  advisers to the rulers here. The city's College of Divina-
  tions has many of them, wearing traditional blue cloaks
  lined with red silk and mortar-board hats, which make
  them look either academically impressive, as they see
  themselves, or faintly ridiculous—as everyone else sees
  them.
  Such flourishes are unusual. This is a city of legendarily
  mean and tight-fisted people. Even the priests of non-evil
  powers charge heftily for their services in the matter of
  healing, removing curses and the like. Buying any goods
  in Ountsy is an ordeal, for in addition to high prices the
  vendor will inspect coinage with an attitude which
  screams at the buyer that he distrusts him. Vendors tend
  to count coins at least four times. Asking any Ountsian
  for directions to such-and-such a place will inevitably
  draw the reply, "Givvus a Common and I'll tell yer."
  Ountsians also have contempt for anything which
  smacks of art, culture or over-indulged learning. This is
  inevitably referred to as "bein' like Rauxes," or if faced
  with someone who is a bard, artist or the like, the rejoin-
  der "yer be from Rauxes then?"
  Rauxes is regarded as an ultimate sinkhole of depraved
  self-indulgence and effete verminous ne'er-do-wells, so it
  stands in good stead for this kind of comment.
  This attitude is both Ountsy's great strength and
  weakness. Its strength is reflected in the hard working
  nature of Ountsians and the disciplined defense and
  protections of the city. Its city walls, aqueducts and
  sewers protect not just against pirates or invaders but
  against disease and ill-health. The splendid, though
  functional, Exchange Markets are well laid-out, and
  commerce is well regulated. Dishonesty is rare, so this
  keeps merchants coming back despite the traumas of
  dealing with Ountsians.
  The weakness of this attitude is that Ountsy has no
  history of scholarship or wizardry. Any child showing an
  aptitude for such pastimes will earn his parents the query
  from neighbors, "yer sendin' him to Rauxes for schoolin'
  then?" Studiousness is usually beaten out of children
  fairly early on in life. This is even true for the wealthier
  merchant and artisan classes. In turn, this means that The
  Trine almost always has imported mercenary wizards, or
  invited a promising young Garasteth wizard or two from
  elsewhere.
  Thus rulership is compromised, for The Trine is
  crucially reliant on outsiders in key positions. Emmara is
  well aware of this, and has made sure that her Court
  Mage, Svenser, and his group of apprentices have every-
  thing they want. That's costly, for wizards have a taste for
  rare, 
  exotic, 
  and 
  expensive 
  ingredients 
  for 
  their
  researches. However, Emmara judges that it's worth it.
  Otherwise, Emmara has cemented her rulership of
  Ountsy very effectively. Initially disliked by the military
  of the city, she has charmed their leader Theodenn
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  101
  
  Semmer and made sure that they are well-paid. Semmer's
  title is that of supreme phalangist. Ountsy has a range of
  odd formal titles for people in important positions;
  Emmara's city treasurer is known as the grand chancellor
  and keeper of the rolls, the latter a reference to the way
  accounts are recorded and stored.
  Emmara has one key ally, a priestess of Wee Jas, Celan-
  denn. Celandenn is Lady Warden of the College of
  Divinations, and her presence is strong and unsettling.
  She seems able to read the thoughts of any she meets with
  absolute ease. The cold, formal priestess makes most folk
  feel certain that The Trine knows everything they are up
  to, so this helps subdue any possible opposition to
  Emmara's rule. However, given her careful dealings with
  the privileged and powerful in her city, she does not need
  to fear such opposition.
  Lastly, though Ountsy is a puritanical and mean city, it
  has a sprinkling of visitors as all the southeastern port
  cities and towns do. Dullstranders sometimes trade here,
  likewise do men from the Darmen lands, the Sea Barons,
  and one or two Hepmonalanders. There is no specific
  foreign quarter in the city, as there is in Rel Astra. But
  there are hostelries and dockside taverns which cater
  mostly to travelers, merchants, and seafarers. Because
  Ountsy has a reputation as a place where the walls don't
  have ears, and since Ountsians are so pragmatic and
  uninterested in anything which smacks of the exotic or
  intrigue, many of them speak more freely of their travels
  and events across the lands than they would elsewhere.
  Adventurers seeking to hire a vessel to travel eastward
  without this being traced should choose Ountsy as their
  first port of call.
  Baizel
  Baizel is a combination of elements. It is the major south-
  ern base for the swift light cavalry of Ountsy which
  patrols the margins of the Lone Heath. It is also the site of
  a 120' high lighthouse which acts as a beacon for vessels
  approaching Rel Astra from the north or Ountsy from the
  south. There are ragged rocky islets and treacherous reefs
  in the offshore waters and fairly violent tides and cross-
  currents also, especially in spring and fall. Finally, the
  small settlement of 300 villagers  gazes in some wonder at
  the magnificent and luxurious hostelry Emmara has built
  here in the past two years. She uses this as a base for her
  diplomats, usually Celandenn, to meet with Drax's repre-
  sentatives. Meeting them on her territory, and pampering
  them with the luxuries of The Trine's Welcome, gives her
  an advantage in dealings. And, because those luxurious
  chambers aren't used by diplomats all the time, some
  merchants who like to travel in comfort hazard the
  overland route from Rel Astra to Ountsy in preference to
  using the hazardous sea route. That trade has been stimu-
  lated by this luxurious stopover point and the frequent
  cavalry patrols along the road, bringing more money into
  Ountsy.
  Personalities of the Free Cities
  Celandenn: 13th-level priestess of Wee Jas (Int 16, Wis
  18). AC 7 (cloak of protection +3), hp 49, AL LE. Celandenn
  stands a regal 6', and with her platinum-blond hair and
  light blue eyes she is a truly striking figure. Nearing her
  46th year, the crow's feet and facial lines add gravity to
  an already imposing appearance. Her black robes offset
  her cold beauty, and the neckchain of opals, rubies, and
  silver miniature skulls adds to the sinister power of her
  personality. She has little Suel blood in her, despite the
  nature of the power she worships, and she is loyal to
  Emmara. Celandenn enjoys being a big fish in a pond
  which isn't so very small, since Ountsy is sizeable. She
  likes the power she has over others. And she enjoys the
  freedom she has to develop and work magic with little
  interference from any annoying Guild of Wizards—she
  has polite, but wholly uninvolved, relations with Svenser.
  Since Svenser specializes in abjuration, and Celandenn is
  most interested in elemental, illusion, and divination
  magic, their interests overlap little.
   Celandenn travels to Farlen regularly to consult the
  library. Her researches concern pre-Oeridian settlements
  and peoples in the Flanaess, and she will pay well for
  books or sources of information about such matters. She
  has a good library of her own on dark magical artifacts of
  Aerdy, especially those of alleged Ur-Flan origin. Her
  home 
  is 
  filled 
  with 
  relics 
  and 
  trinkets 
  from
  Hepmonaland, and she has visited there several times,
  though she does not reveal what she learned or observed
  in that wild and wondrous land.
  Drax The Invulnerable, Lord Protector of Rel Astra:
  Animus with abilities of 9th level fighter and 11th level
  mage (Int 17). AC varies (usually -2 in plate mail +5, shield
  not used, else normal animus AC if ready for
  spellcasting), hp 64, AL LE. Once but a mayor, though
  one with great power over Rel Astra, Drax is now the
  undisputed despot of his city. He is 62 years old, but as
  an animus he does not have to worry about aging. He is
  5' 9', black-haired and green-eyed, an unusual combina-
  tion for one who is almost pureblood Oeridian. Drax is
  less afflicted by insanity or instability than many of his
  kind. He is very rational, calculating, and has a dry, bleak
  sense of humor. His goal is to slay the overking. He
  doesn't want to see him overthrown and just destroyed.
  He wants to rip apart Ivid's body with his own gaunt-
  leted hands.
  Drax is inclined to long-term strategy. He has heard all
  about Ivid's disease and claims that the overking must
  die soon. But he doesn't believe it. "I know that swine.
  He'll cling to his existence until someone rips the head
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  102
  
  from his shoulders." So, Drax waits and schemes and
  builds allies and resources. He doesn't much care who
  becomes overking after Ivid, so long as it isn't a blood
  relative of the overking.
  For this reason, the House of Darmen has just begun
  making overtures to Drax, and initial negotiations have
  gone well. A combined army of Darmen and Rel Astran
  forces, with Ountsian aid, could present a formidable
  threat to Rauxes. 
  Emmara, Trine of Ountsy: 10th-level fighter (Str 17, Int
  16, Wis 15, Cha 15). AC -1 (silvered chain mail +5 with the
  magical properties of fire resistance and free action), hp 61,
  AL NE. Emmara is 39, 5' 9", with honey-blond hair and
  green-hazel eyes. She is not beautiful, being somewhat
  overweight and coarsely-featured, but she has an easy
  familiarity with people and can put others at their ease
  when she so chooses. Emmara's natural evil is kept in
  check by her need to balance forces within her own city
  and keep Drax content with her rulership. However, in
  private she has little but contempt for most people she
  knows, and an especially unattractive feature of her
  personality is a combination of unforgivingness and
  malice toward those brought low in life by misfortune or
  calamity. Emmara's one friend is Celandenn, whose evil
  strikes a chord with Emmara, and whose knowledge of
  far-flung lands and exotic history makes her an intriguing
  companion. The two sometimes drink wine long into the
  night, fantasizing about power and rulership, and what
  they would like to do to all the many imaginary enemies
  they believe haunt them.
  Jireen of the Five: Animus with abilities of 15th-level
  mage (Int 18). AC -2 (bracers of defense AC 2, ring of protec-
  tion +4), hp 47, AL NE. Jireen's insanity has had a severe
  destabilizing effect. Mute and virtually autistic part of the
  time, his doppleganger obsession consumes him. He casts
  the same detection and scrying spells over and over,
  trying to find the monster, which of course he never does.
  Jireen is almost impoverished from hiring mercenaries to
  track down the doppleganger, and despite his madness
  his lack of funds is beginning to concern him. Of course,
  he believes that the doppleganger has stolen much of his
  gold to stop him hiring people to track it down. Jireen is
  even beginning to contemplate the sale of some of the
  magical items he possesses (the DM should determine
  these to suit his campaign). The goal of a good short
  adventure should be to try to prevent him doing so—in
  the case of an innately evil item. An alternative adventure
  would be getting a good deal of the items the mad mage
  possesses.
  Marshevel: 12th-level thief (Dex 18, Int 16). AC 1
  (leather armor +3), hp 47, AL CE. Posing as a merchant
  dealing in antiquities, about which he is very knowledge-
  able, Marshevel is as psychopathic and vile an individual
  as Midnight Darkness has ever attracted to its numbers.
  Marshevel is a master poisoner and has killed hundreds
  during his time in the city. As an ardent reverer of Nerull,
  he enjoys maximizing casualties. Poisoning food is his
  speciality. Nerull himself sometimes commands the thief
  to seek out and slay a special target, and sometimes this is
  a priest of a rival evil power. A good score of priests of
  Hextor have fallen foul of Marshevel's dagger of venom,
  and he also has a magical net of entrapment to aid him in
  his work. Slippers of spider climbing and a cloak of the bat
  are among his other possessions.
  Only 31 years old, small and slim, the brown-haired
  killer has bright hazel eyes and an appealing grin, so that
  most think well of him. Among the other preceptors,
  Jipzinker and Plandarn Reshelfer know Marshevel's
  identity; Marshevel knows of Plandarn, but not either of
  the other preceptors. Marshevel keeps a meticulous
  record of his slayings, and how he carried them out; on
  the latter score, professional assassins would find his
  diaries of great interest and would pay well for them. 
  The Free Cities
  103
  
  Pop.: 60,000
  Capital: None (previously Mentrey)
  Ruler: None
  Rulership: Absent
  Cost Multiplier: 200%
  This chapter is short, simply because Megedia has effec-
  tively vanished from the realm of Oerth. For many years,
  Medegia existed in a perilous semi-independent manner,
  with the censor being the chief cleric to the overking. It
  later established firmer independence from Rauxes while
  still paying tribute to the imperial capital.
  Being close to Rauxes caused a strained relationship.
  And when 
  war came, Medegia's ruler made a
  catastrophic error by refusing to send his armies to
  support the overking. In addition, Osson of Chathold
  conquered most of Medegia during his extraordinary
  run-around of southern Aerdy, with Ivid's armies deliber-
  ately not coming to the aid of the rebellious Medegia.
  Incredibly, Censor Spidasa fled to Rauxes from Osson's
  victorious armies, where he now enjoys the agonies of the
  Endless Death.
  Osson's armies never returned home, and when they
  left Medegia Ivid sent in his armies to loot, pillage, and
  murder in an act of senseless destruction. Ivid saw this as
  revenge for the lack of support from the small nation, and
  his men carried out their work thoroughly and with a
  grim pleasure. The very dregs of armies were employed:
  the remnants of the Glorioles Army, orcish forces, and
  even penal legions of convict and slave militias and
  levies.
   Added to this, the rag-tag, brutal army faced little
  active resistance in Medegia, since so many of the
  censor's forces had already been overwhelmed by Osson.
  Among its commanders were two cousins of the overking
  (subsequently executed for treachery) who were true
  Naelax men—they dealt with tanar'ri and yugoloths.
  Lesser and least fiends and hordlings were used as
  shock troops to demoralize and terrify the small levies
  which opposed them, making it easier for the armies to
  despoil the lands they came to ruin. The strategy failed
  when they attempted to beseige Rel Astra. However, free
  fiends still stalk many Medegian lands, with no one to
  control them.
  Medegia is thus a land of absolute anarchy. Its popula-
  tion is decimated. Only the pathetically poor, feeble-
  minded, aged, infirm, and those too sunk into despair
  and stricken with terror remain.
  Outside of Pontylver, not many fiends stalk the lands.
  However, there are orcs, deserting soldiers, and
  ex-mercenaries who have taken to a life of pillaging what
  they can from this land.
  Fields are unsewn with seed and tuber here, and most
  livestock has long been eaten. Many of those left are close
  to starvation, and they suffer deficiency diseases (scurvy,
  rickets, and the like) as a result. Medegia is grim indeed.
  Megedia is not self-contained, however, the rogue
  elements here threaten the Grandwood and the lands
  around Nulbish and Torrich. Still the evil forces have
  learned not to push too close to Rel Astra. The Iron
  Nation knights there have inflicted heavy casualties on
  raiders, and the knights use a particularly nasty form of
  slow quartering for bandits they capture; this encourages
  others to keep away. There are also several important
  places, ruins and the like, scattered about this land. And
  much that has been lost has not been pillaged—and
  remains to be retrieved.
  Locations and Settlements
  Barrish
  There are several villages and small towns marked on the
  map which are not described in this chapter. These have
  been left free for the DM to develop. Barrish is one
  example of how the few remaining settlements manage to
  get by. The description of Dornelan is another example.
  Barrish and Dornelan are typical illustrations which the
  DM can use to fashion other small locations in this
  remnant of a land.
  Barrish is a fishing village of 700 people, with the land
  owned by a petty princeling of the House of Garasteth.
  The only defense the city has is a levy with poor disci-
  pline and old, often dilapidated arms and equipment.
  The city was raided by pirates (possibly disguised
  Duxchan men testing the strength of what is left of
  Medegia) in Flocktime.
  People only remain here because they fear fleeing
  northward, given what have heard of the marauding
  bandits of the land. In Barrish, at least, the people have
  found some strength in numbers. Fishing and some
  farming brings in enough to eat and get by day-to-day.
  Simple existence is all most people can see in their future,
  and staying alive another day is the limit of their
  ambitions.
  As for their ruler, Prince Alaern, the people here could
  not be more unfortunate. Alaern seeks only to
  escape—with enough gold and loot to guarantee a
  comfortable survival in whatever city he comes across.
  Without any reliable source of information about events
  in far distant lands, and no magical talents or a court
  wizard to allow him to escape by teleportation or such
  means, Alaern still doesn't know exactly how he will
  escape.
  He would sell this community to the Scarlet Brother-
  hood if they guaranteed him safe passage far away. And
  it is only because they have never sent an emissary here
  that he hasn't done so. Caring nothing for his people,
  Alaern is as craven and despicable as one can imagine,
  and he imposes brutal punishments and ruinous tithes
  The Ruins of Medegia
  104
  
  and taxes on his people.
  Dornelan
  Dornelan is a village of 850 people occupied by remnants
  of the Glorioles Army and subjected to military rule with
  nighttime curfews. The army here numbers some 200
  infantry and 40 varied (and poorly shod and barded)
  cavalry. They remain here only because the surrounding
  land is fertile and the village has enough food to support
  them. These army deserters fear that some imperial force
  will turn up and have them executed for desertion.
  Since they have no way of knowing the overking is in
  no position to do this—and would hardly bother with
  somewhere so small anyway—they are constantly afraid,
  always watching the roadways to make sure no army is
  approaching.
  Dornelan spells trouble, for the cavalry here raids
  across the river using the fords to the west to enter the
  Darmen lands, usually looting farmsteads. They seek
  good horses and whatever saddles and equestrian equip-
  ment they can get, for their own steeds are aging and in
  relatively poor condition. This is as yet but an irritant, but
  the cavalry is growing in arrogance and the frequency of
  its raids increases. They are inviting a determined strike
  against them by the princes of Darmen across the border. 
  Mentrey
  After the crushing of Pontylver, Mentrey was the next city
  of Medegia to be crushed by soldiers. Only a fifth of its
  original 16,000 people are left alive. The soldiers who
  sacked this city were predominantly orcish, and the
  cruelty with which they put commonfolk to the sword
  appalled even their evil human leaders.
  Mentrey is now a city divided into occupied zones, east
  and west, by two armed groups who regularly skirmish
  in the city center. One group is a faction of Euroz orcs led
  by a one-armed orog said to be as strong as a cloud giant.
  The other is a force of around 800 mercenaries, bandits,
  and army deserters with no effective leadership. In truth,
  the humans lose as many men in drunken brawls and
  slayings as they do to the orcs they outnumber here.
  City folk still mostly side with the humans, of course,
  but the orcs have enslaved the people in the areas they
  occupy and force them to construct barricades.
  Mentrey had some warning of its fate after the fall of
  Pontylver, so many escaped in time. Learned men, of
  whom the city held many, were able to depart with many
  of their most treasured tomes and works. However,
  because of unusually high rainfall which made carts and
  wagons unable to travel the muddied roads heading
  northwest, much had to be left behind. There is many a
  private library, collection of art pieces, or even some
  magical items stashed away in some sealed-off cellar or
  basement which the raiders have not yet found. And
  there are many exiles who would pay well for the
  retrieval and return of the items.
  Since this city was once the capital of Medegia, there is
  much in the way of hidden documents and archives of
  information, not to mention some of the contents of the
  city treasury which may yet be unlooted.
  Montesser
  This is an extraordinary place. There are 600 or so orcs
  permanently encamped by the sea. That's not so unusual,
  but the fact that they are building their own wooden huts
  using materials from razed villages nearby is surprising.
  The orcs have sewn crops (very haphazardly, admit-
  tedly) and have two fishing boats which have, despite all
  the odds, not yet sunk. The orcs even keep a few goats
  taken from deserted villages, and have a startling pride in
  them. They have been heard to compare the merits of
  different cheeses made from each individual nanny goat.
  To top off this bizarre picture, the community is matri-
  archal, led by a priestess of Luthic who espouses the
  virtues of domesticity and nurturing, at least in the forms
  of growing food and protecting the young.
  These orcs simply tired of war. Orcs are mostly warlike,
  to be sure, but a lifetime of being kicked around by other,
  more powerful, orcs got to be wearying. They deserted
  their brethren in Mentrey and settled here. Their align-
  ment may be considered as verging on Lawful Neutral,
  since the society is well-organized, but the traditional evil
  streak is shown up in the harshness with which disputes
  are settled and other social practices.
  These orcs are not weaklings. They patrol the perime-
  ters of their camp and the shoreline, and they are ready to
  rise up at a moment's notice to strike down any seek to
  take away what little they have. They have a fierce pride
  in their little settlement.
  Recently a Sea Barons vessel was blown off course and
  sighted the camp; an initial attempt to loot it was swiftly
  fought off by the well-drilled orcs, and the captain of the
  Asperdi vessel was sufficiently impressed to make peace
  with them. Now, the Sea Barons ship goods here, as the
  orcs desperately want better weapons and armor to
  defend themselves and tools to work their gardents. In
  exchange for the goods, the orcs provide foodstuffs and
  information about events in Medegia. The captain of the
  Asperdi vessel is always interested, given his trading
  with cities north of this troubled land and his periodic
  raiding of Medegian coastal towns and villages.
  Since orcs are fecund, this settlement will grow unless it
  is wiped out by the mercenaries roaming the land. Should
  this happen, Oerth may find its first above-ground
  "civilized" orcish city.
  Pontylver
  Before the wars, Pontylver was a great city of some 30,000
  The Ruins of Medegia
  105
  
  people. Secure behind its city walls, built to protect it
  against piratical raids from Duxchan, it seemed a bastion
  of calm, culture, and learning.
  During the wars, Osson bypassed Pontylver. A diviner
  among his retinue informed him that the city rulers
  would not come to the holy censor's aid if Osson
  ventured further into Medegia. The advice was correct.
  Pontylver saw itself as a free city, and Spidasa as being
  too bound to Rauxes. Having failed to take Nulbish,
  Osson was ready to accept his diviner's advice—and he
  was surely right to do so.
  However, Pontylver was the first Medegian city to fall
  to the imperial troops when the soldiers came to raze
  Medegia. This was for three reasons. First, Ivid's armies
  were at the start of their Medegian campaign, and they
  still had enough discipline and strength to assault the
  city. Second, from Spidasa Ivid had learned almost every-
  thing about Pontylver's defenses and defenders. Finally,
  this is the city where Naelax military leaders used fiends
  to greatest effect.
  Pacts agreed with greater tanar'ri for this one crucial
  campaign of conquest brought forth vrock, hezrou, and
  chasme to spread death, terror, disease, and weakness to
  the defenders of the city. Not even Pontylver's mages
  could defend it against the combination of fiends and the
  magic of priests of Hextor. And, while imperial casualties
  were not light, the city fell in the early summer of 584 CY.
  The sack of this city was the most complete and brutal
  anywhere, not least to send a message to other towns and
  cities in Medegia which would demoralize their armies.
  Destructive spells of fire, lightning, and acid were used to
  strike down the city walls and virtually every building of
  any size behind them. Transformational spells such as
  rock to mud were used to bring down the city itself. Of the
  inhabitants, nearly 90% were slain or carried off to the
  Abyss by tanar'ri.
   Now, Pontylver is a nightmare city, only Chathold
  equalling the horrors here. The people who remain are
  mad, autistically depressed, or even animated as
  zombies. The city is stalked by 50 or more fiends of
  varying levels of power who prey on whoever they find.
  There are also considerable numbers of deserters, bandits,
  and orcs who seem consumed by a blood craze inspired
  by the mass slaughters they inflicted on the city. Horribly,
  there are several places in the city where great mounds of
  skeletons or decomposing bodies lie, and vermin,
  undead, and disease are rife.
  Even the temple of Pyremius was sacked, and a
  thousand souls were crammed into the building which
  was then razed with fire so that only blackened stone and
  charred remnants of bodies remain. Even the Abyss itself
  has few sights as ghastly as this dreadful place.
  The horrors of Pontylver impress themselves on any
  who enter it. The awful sights of the city, and the
  wretched ghosts who infest some of the sites of massacre,
  are bad enough.
  However, the minds of those who venture here become
  obsessed by the carnage. Growing homicidal mania,
  delusional insanity, and worse have afflicted those who
  have visited even briefly, growing stronger over the
  months after they leave. Even spells as powerful as heal or
  remove curse seem only to delay the onset or development
  of these mental symptoms.
  Thus, those entering this ruined place take more than
  their lives into their hands; their very souls may be lost in
  this citadel of holocaust. Yet, still people come. Some are
  those so ineffably evil that they seek to despoil the treas-
  ures undoubtedly left in temples, caring not for what may
  afflict them. Others come to fight with the bandits or orcs
  of the cities. Some are commanded by fiends to serve
  them here, though the purposes of the tanar'ri who
  remain are inscrutable.
  Others, however, have a foolhardy bravery which
  overcomes their natural sense of caution. Pontylver was
  noted for its cathedral and scriptorium of Wee Jas, and
  the slain priests and priest-mages of that power had
  much magic. By no means could all of their wealth and
  magical items have been taken from the city. Any who
  come to seek the treasures must face all the hazards
  already mentioned—and the perils of crumbling and
  unsafe buildings and many magical traps. 
  The Walker
  Only one personality is described in this chapter, but he
  is an extraordinary individual and his purpose in
  Medegia remains unknown.
  Oeridian legends concerning The Walker have existed
  since before the Great Kingdom came into being. He is
  always described as a man who appears physically very
  young, perhaps but 15 or 16 years of age, though great
  age is attributed to him and a perceptive viewer can see
  that he has tiny lines on his forehead and around his eyes
  which belie the appearance of youth. The truth is that he
  has always existed and always will, though in what form,
  perhaps even he does not know.
  He can be recognized by the small sack tied to a stick
  which he carries over his shoulder, and the small and
  nondescript dog which always accompanies him.
  The Walker is often said to be a being verging on
  demipower status, perhaps a human who is undergoing
  divine ascension and in the last stages of a sublime
  enlightenment. Some say he is an aspect of Fharlanghn,
  but this is surely only a partial truth at best.
  He is one of Johydee's Children. His sack is small, and
  contains only small trinkets or beads which seem to be of
  little value, but which are potently magical and unique in
  kind. The Walker always shuns human company, though
  he is polite enough to any whom he meets on the road.
  He speaks very little and then always in riddles. But he is
  The Ruins of Medegia
  106
  
  unfailingly good-humored and never shows anger nor
  gives offense to any he meets.
  One of The Walker's traits is that he cannot be attacked
  effectively by magical or mundane means. Either he
  simply vanishes, or with a wave of his hand he can dispel
  magic or turn any weapon used against him into a
  harmless object, perhaps but a thin stick or stave which
  the holder finds impossible to raise against him. He never
  attacks in reply.
  The Walker travels at normal speed (MV 12) but he
  never tires, and he can cross any terrain without
  penalties. He is normally a land traveler, though he can
  walk on water at will. Oddly enough, his little dog
  cannot, so The Walker carries him across water.
  The Walker is enigmatic. No one knows who he is, or
  where he comes from, or where he is going. He seems to
  be undergoing some endless journey.
  The Walker is a mystery, and the sightings of him in
  Medegia would be nothing more than the retelling of an
  old myth if it were not for the fact that his travels have
  left behind him a growing and developing trail of
  magical force.
  Detect magic shows a faint line of abjuration and altera-
  tion magics in the trails left behind by The Walker, and a
  particularly skilled decoder of cyphers might see that The
  Walker is building up a spider's web pattern centered on
  Mentrey on his recent travels.
  Leaving behind such detectable evidence of his
  journeys never has been part of the mythology of The
  Walker. Why this change has suddenly taken place is
  unknown. It might reflect some internal development in
  The Walker's own psyche, or it might reflect some change
  in Medegia itself.
  Certainly, one startling physical change which has been
  observed only very recently is that tall, stark, utterly
  smooth stone monoliths 12' or so in height have sprung
  up at nexal points in the web pattern, and these radiate
  the same pattern as the trail The Walker has left behind.
  Wholly impervious to physical or magical damage, these
  silent stones stand as physical evidence of The Walker's
  passage through the world, and the magic they radiate is
  stronger than that of the trails. Again, their purpose—if
  they have one—is unknown.
  The Ruins of Medegia
  107
  
  These two great tracts of land have traditionally been safe
  havens for the folk of Aerdy who are opposed to the
  overking and those who served him. If anything, the
  prospects for the people here have improved as a result of
  the wars, for there is not the organized, overwhelming
  imperial power to crush them.
  The peoples of the forest and heath are coming to terms
  with their position. Nearby rulers such as Drax in Rel
  Astra may be evil, but they and their people loathe the
  overking as much as the good peoples do. So the men and
  women of the Grandwood and Lone Heath are contem-
  plating allying or negotiating with the nearby rulers.
  The Grandwood and Lone Heath also have demihuman
  communities, giving them a quite different social picture
  to that found in the main continental lands. Especially in
  the Lone Heath, these communities are unusual and
  specialized, making them more colorful than most of
  their kind.
  In these lands, the struggle for the good fight can be
  fought by those who oppose the evil rulers of the lands
  around. Here is a haven for PCs wanting a base of opera-
  tions where friends and good comrades can be found and
  trusted.
  The Grandwood
  Pop.: 30,000 (plus 9,000 demihumans)
  Capital: None
  Ruler: Not applicable
  Rulership: Variable discipline and organization
  Cost Multiplier: 160%
  The Grandwood has been a haven, historically, for
  renegades both good and bad. While Medegia claimed
  the forest south of the Mikar, the remainder was the
  overking's fief. However, the natural defenses of the
  Grandwood, with its central areas of dense forest,
  prevented imperial troops from raiding into its heart. The
  western third of the forest was relatively uninhabited
  because of those troops, but the forest folk learned to be
  cunning. A typical trick was to dress in the clothes of
  slain imperial troops to ambush others of the same ilk
  who came raiding later.
  Unfortunately, as a response to this the overking used
  orc troops to raid the Grandwood, and because of their
  familiarity with it, many deserting orc troops filtered
  back into the forest.
  Grandwood folk make their living from the forest itself,
  since that yields most of what they need. Weapons such
  as staves, bows, and spears are made from the variety of
  trees available. However, superior weapons such as
  swords and metal armor could not be usually had, save
  poor or mediocre quality equipment taken from killed
  imperials.
  There is but one ore vein below the forest, tapped by
  the gnomes of Gaborren's Rift. But this yields gold and is
  useless for weapons. Many consider that gold should be
  used to get the weapons they need. Hence, the Grand-
  wood men could certainly benefit from trade, just as cities
  like Rel Astra or Ountsy could certainly use the wood
  and food the forest offered. Such trade agreements would
  keep Drax from raiding the forest to get what his people
  need. This leaves Drax, who intends to march on Rauxes,
  free to use his troops in that endeavor.
  Grandwood folk are unsurprisingly divided on
  whether they should trade with Rel Astra. It would offer
  them other benefits, such as peace, and with orcs raiding
  into the forest that would be welcome. However, many
  do not trust Drax; many years of fighting off Medegian
  and Rel Astran raiders make them suspicious.
  Others object on moral grounds; Drax is still an evil
  despot, and it is wrong to trade with him. Still others
  reply that Grandwood food would go to feed the
  ordinary folk of Rel Astra, and that such trade would not
  be morally wrong since it would mostly benefit those
  commonfolk. The debates are endless.
  The people of the Lone Heath add another dimension
  to the trade question. There are ties between the commu-
  nities, especially between rangers and the druidic priests
  of Obad-Hai. The Lone Heath folk are almost all implaca-
  bly opposed to the despots of the east and continue to
  raid and strike at their merchant caravans along the Iron
  Road and elsewhere.
  In a first meeting with Grandwood folk, Drax's repre-
  sentative pointed out that the Grandwooders and the
  Heathfolk were allies, and surely the Grandwood people
  could prevail upon the Heathmen not to attack Rel
  Astran merchants? The request was reasonable, but the
  Grandwooders could not comply.
  How all this will turn out is uncertain. If Drax should
  march on Rauxes and become overking, then the Grand-
  wood people would be his implacable enemies and trade
  would be impossible. Some have, indeed, foreseen this
  possibility. But only Istus knows who will ascend the
  malachite throne, so the deliberations continue.
  Woodsmen and Foresters
  The majority of these people make a living and have
  communities just like others in the Adri Forest. One
  important difference, however, is the distribution of
  character classes among the forest men. Many of them are
  thieves, mages, and priests who fled from powerful
  rulers. This is unusual among Adri foresters.
  About three percent of Grandwood adults are
  non-fighters, with levels determined by the DM as suits
  his campaign (but there are no renegade high patriarchs
  or archmages here).
   Likewise, weaponry and equipment possessed by these
  men is similar to those of the Adri, except for exceptional
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  108
  
  characters who will often have brought their own special
  weapons and equipment with them, or perhaps some
  second-generation woodsmen who have inherited them
  from parents.
  A majority of the woodsmen are of Good (45%) or
  Neutral (35%) alignments. The remainder are considered
  to be evil renegades, and the two groups have different
  patterns of organization.
  Non-evil woodsmen tend to have lived in the woods
  for longer, and many more have actually been born here.
  They have better-defended homesteads, a few walled
  hamlets, and have good morale. The evil refugees are
  nomadic and forage to get by. They make only temporary
  camps for a few weeks or months at best and then move
  on.
  Non-evil 
  woodsmen 
  do 
  not 
  have 
  any 
  overall
  leadership. Each community has its own elected spokes-
  man. However, there is a secret conclave of such spokes-
  men held at the fortified site of Rivenwen every festival
  week, and here the communities try to organize their
  patrols, discuss matters which affect all of them, and (in
  the case of groups dominated by Lawful alignments) tend
  to share and barter resources and bounties which have
  come their way. No one commands anyone else; most
  communities are actually more concerned with cooperat-
  ing with the demihumans, druids, priests, and rangers in
  their areas. Thus, cooperation between communities
  across the forest is relatively loose and informal. The
  rangers are the most important communication resource;
  they are the grapevine which spreads information across
  the forest. If a special conclave is needed, they are the
  ones who spread the word.
  Bandits, Raiders and Menaces
  These come in various shapes and sizes: evil renegades,
  deserting orcish and human troops, and army forces sent
  to raid the forest who have become less important since
  Drax has opted for a more conciliatory approach to the
  forest folk. Too, there are the humanoids of the forest
  itself, among whom orcs are the major menace (with
  some 600 gnolls being an equally important problem on
  the rare occasions when they organize effectively into a
  raiding party). By and large, these menaces have declined
  somewhat. The most threatened forest area is now the
  south, not the west, because of evil things slipping into
  the forest from Medegia. Even one or two fiends have
  been sighted on the southern forest margins, which has
  caused great alarm to the people living there.
  These concerned individuals are among those who
  most desperately press for trade with Rel Astra, since
  woodsmen's weapons will not long keep fiends at bay.
  They may go their own way, and trade with Drax even if
  others disapprove.
   The native forest orcs, a sub-tribe of the Euroz who call
  themselves the Eurork, have no love for those of their
  kind who have defected to the service of Aerdy rulers.
  Priests of Gruumsh have pronounced heresy on them,
  and battles between orc residents and intruders are
  commonplace. The Eurork are more cunning than most
  orcs, with many shamans who have scouting and forest
  camouflage skills, so that their ambushes are more
  dangerous than those of most of their kind. Their
  blowpipemen are known to use paralyzing poisons when
  dealing with humans or elves. And the best way of
  dealing with them, if they're believed to be in the vicinity,
  is to taunt or anger them so that they loose their self-
  control and attack on the rampage, eschewing ambush
  and skirmish strategies. 
  Wood Elves
  The Grandwood is home to 7,000 elves, of whom 700 or
  so are grugach. The grugach live in and around the
  central densest forest, and they have few dealings with
  any 
  other 
  forest 
  people. 
  However, 
  a 
  cabal 
  of
  fighter/mages among them has infrequent and cautious
  meetings with the moonmages of the wild elves, and
  these gatherings at least help to avoid misunderstandings
  with other forest people.
  Woodsmen know to leave the grugach well alone. Any
  bandits or evil people who come this way, which they
  rarely do, do not usually return.
  The other elves of the forest are unusual in that they
  have no clan divisions. Lacking much in the way of
  contact with other elves, they use the term "The People"
  to refer to themselves, and they have a strong sense of
  community. Neutral Good, rather than the usual Chaotic
  Good, is the most common alignment among them.
  Seniority and rank among the elves is determined by age
  and artistic talent. Thus, even a powerful mage among
  the elves will politely defer to the wisdom of an old
  matriarch or young sculptor in elven meetings and
  discussions.
   This sense of being a people unto themselves applies
  even to those magically skilled individuals who know,
  through their communing with elven powers or magical
  travel to other lands, that they are not, of course, alone. A
  paradoxical sense of unity with the rest of Corellon's
  creation and a heightened sense of their own separateness
  go together for these elves. It is a paradox they have little
  desire to explain to anyone else, since they regard it as a
  matter of racial metaphysics (the lofty kind of verbiage
  they would use in discussing it) which concerns them
  alone.
  To deepen the paradox, the elves have a sincere sense
  of oneness with the other peoples of the Grandwood.
  They care for the fates of every non-evil person in their
  forest home. The forest halflings are the people they are
  emotionally closest to. The elves are very protective of the
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  109
  
  small folk, while at the same time respecting and being
  delighted by the undoubted toughness and resourceful-
  ness of the hardy halflings. The elves don't patronize
  anyone.
  The elven tree archers are among the forest's best and
  most deadly defenders. But above all, the moonmages are
  the heart of the elven will to survive. Reverers of the
  power Sehanine, the majority are specialist illusionists
  who use spells such as hallucinatory terrain and massmorph
  to devastating effect in entrapping troops raiding the
  woods. Saving throws against these spells, when applica-
  ble, are made with a -2 penalty if cast by a moonmage.
  However, there is much more to these gray-clad
  wizards than ingenious illusions. They are the repository
  of knowledge, magical and historical, of the elves. They
  do not record their wisdom and learning in books but,
  rather, in a unique symbiotic arrangement with old
  treants of the forest. A moonmage communes for days
  with his partnered treant, sleeping and dreaming in its
  branches. As the elf does, he relives his history and
  communicates his own being, and all he has learned, to
  the treant. When a young moonmage is ready to gain an
  experience level, he comes to the treant and communes
  with it in the same way. Then, some of his elder's learning
  and wisdom passes to him, and so does something of the
  older mage's being, which strengthens the young elf's
  sense of community and identity with his fellows.
   The treants learn much of life beyond the forest in this
  way, though they find much of it only mildly interesting.
  The uniquely elven nature of understanding life and
  wisdom is not something the treant consciously appre-
  hends. When the treant itself grows old, and comes to its
  time of endless slumbering, it will call to the moonmages
  and ask to pass on all it has learned from them to a
  mature treant who will take on its role as a keeper of
  understandings. Non-elves cannot acquire knowledge
  from the treants, and magical mind-reading or controlling
  spells will not yield up what the treant has stored.
  For all this, the Grandwood elves should not be consid-
  ered 
  some 
  transcendentally-absorbed 
  variety 
  of
  unworldly creature. Any moonmage worth his salt can
  discuss the finer points of flight arrow design with the
  master fletchers or longbow users of his race. The Grand-
  wood elves are among the most powerful, resilient, and
  aware of any on Oerth, and perhaps the strongest defend-
  ers of all that is good and true there.
  Halflings and Gnomes
  The 1,000 or so forest halflings are tough, burrow-
  dwelling folk, a mix of halfling types. They are skilled at
  concealing themselves in the forest (having a base chance
  for hiding in woodlands, as a ranger can, of 15% + 5% per
  level if applicable). They use short spears, short bows,
  and throwing knives to great effect. Excellent preparers of
  pit traps and weighted net traps cunningly camouflaged
  with leaves from the trees, they know how to defend
  themselves and their communities. They are avoided by
  any forest raiders who know what they are doing. It
  would be easier to assault a palisaded hamlet of a
  hundred woodsmen than to try to dig 20 halflings out of
  a burrow complex.
  The halflings cooperate best with the wood elves,
  gnomes, and rangers of the Grandwood, though their
  basic attitude to any woodsman is peaceable. They
  readily form alliances with woodsmen who have lived in
  the Grandwood for many years or who were born there.
  The halflings are not much interested in events outside
  the woods, since they are quite self-sufficient. However,
  from time to time one unusually curious and ambitious
  young halfling thief will sneak off to the wicked world
  beyond to seek fortune and fame.
  Grandwood halflings are tough. They are not cute little
  folk, and they loathe being patronized. They have excel-
  lent forestry and foraging skills. If the DM possesses the
  Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings, he may consider
  customizing the forestwalker kit for developing halfling
  NPCs here.
  The forest gnomes are detailed in the entry for Gabor-
  ren's Rift below.
  Rangers
  Grandwood rangers tend to stay in certain sections of the
  forest and patrol them, protecting the local settlements of
  woodsmen and others. It is a matter of pride to a ranger
  to know every inch of his home like the creases on his
  hand. Such rangers will even have names for individual
  forest creatures of any size, such as badgers or foxes, and
  they have an unerring sense of any changes to their local
  area.
  It is effectively impossible for anyone to cross their
  lands without their knowing it. A successful Wisdom
  check even allows the rangers to detect the passage of a
  druid who has used a pass without trace spell to cross their
  terrain.
  Thus, the relationship of a ranger to his community is
  almost like that of a village constable or sergeant-at-arms
  to the folk therein. They are localized protectors and
  warners, guardians above all else.
  Of course, this is not universally true. Chaotic rangers
  journey beyond the boundaries of the forest—often to the
  Lone Heath—and travel widely within it, spreading the
  latest news, information, and gossip. If the need arises for
  identification of themselves to each other or some uncer-
  tain group of woodsmen they haven't met before, the
  rangers use a signalling system of coordinated hand
  gestures and eye movements; a fraternal handshake with
  the small finger crooked into the palm of the hand when
  both parties feel secure enough to approach more closely.
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  110
  
  They do not have a marking system of terrain as the
  Gnarley rangers do, for they don't need one given the
  knowledge rangers have of their home area.
  The Grandwood rangers have no hierarchy, but there is
  one among them who they universally respect. Fiorena
  Goldhand wanders widely through the Grandwood and
  seems always to have knowledge of what is going on in
  places such as Rel Astra, Ountsy, and even Rauxes itself.
  Fiorena's consort ranger, who is known simply by the
  name Auruma, is a quiet and silent type, but one clearly
  possessed of great strength. One woodsman fleeing from
  orcs who accidentally ran into Auruma's back described
  it as feeling like running into a rock. The ranger didn't
  budge an inch.
  Fiorena and Auruma have a special affinity with the
  wood elves and in matters of grave import; these two will
  meet with the Moonmages to discuss what must be done.
  This happens if some major menace should arise, such as
  a large warband entering the Grandwood or, most
  recently, to discuss the incursions of fiends into the south-
  ern woodland. These two rangers are currently thought
  to be in the southern woodland, seeking to destroy those
  invaders. On the basis of those discussions, Fiorena lets
  other rangers know what should be done by the forest
  defenders; she only suggests and seeks to persuade, not
  to order. However, her advice is almost always obeyed.
  Druids and Priests
  There is no major, dominant ethos or priesthood within
  the Grandwood. Among the druids there is the all-too-
  frequent animosity between the more seclusive, but well-
  informed and knowledgeable, druids of Obad-hai. They
  wander as they will, while the druids of Ehlonna tend to
  stay closer to areas with higher density of human habita-
  tions. What is unusual about the Grandwood is that there
  are tiny, scattered handfuls of priests of many good
  faiths, such as those of Atroa and even Berei (among
  those with a generous portion of Flan blood in their
  veins).
  Most cabins or huts will have a little family icon or
  statuette of a power, to which food or flowers may be
  offered, or candles burned, as appropriate. There is a
  quiet religious feeling among most folk which they do
  not impress on outsiders. Interestingly, it is not the more
  obviously martial and protective powers such as Heiro-
  neous or St. Cuthbert which most folk revere. Rather, the
  quieter and gentler paths of Atroa, Ehlonna, Berei, and
  Pelor find most favor here.
  Beory's faith is also one which almost all the common
  folk offer tokens to in spring and at the first fall of leaves
  in the autumnal months.
  The relatively few priests here tend to be wanderers
  and itinerants who move from place to place, giving
  healing, consecrations at births and marriages, offering
  funeral rites, and performing small services in return for a
  bed for the night and warm food. The one truly powerful
  priestess of the forest is Taralene of Atroa, who is almost
  regarded as a saintly figure by Grandwooders. To have a
  newborn infant named and blessed by her is a regarded
  as a great good fortune. The priestess has her home at the
  Bellfields, described below.
  Locations and Settlements
  Bellfields
  In the heart of the forest stands this lushly-grassed
  meadowlike clearing some 200 yards in diameter, with a
  stout wooden cabin standing in its center. The place is
  well-named, for the arrival of spring is heralded by a
  sudden eruption of a solid carpet of azure bluebells
  which seem almost to spring up in full flower overnight.
  The entire area has an antipathy spell for all evil-aligned
  creatures operating upon it and for some 100 yards in all
  directions beyond it.
  Bellfields is the home of Taralene and her three juniors,
  one a priest of no mean attainments himself (a 10th-level
  priest). Those who know Bellfields know that an owl hoot
  is the way to call one of Atroa's priests from their home.
  Any other 
  signal 
  usually rouses 
  the two 
  huge
  wolfhounds here (treat as 7+7 HD worgs), who growl
  and snarl at the visitors.
  Bellfields radiates strong healing magic. Injured and
  diseased natural animals (not monsters, people, or
  demihumans) which enter the area fall into a deep sleep.
  When they awaken their wounds or illness is healed,
  unless the injury is very severe in which case they pass
  peacefully from the world, without pain. The forest
  creatures seem to know this, for some will travel many
  miles, even if badly hurt, to get here.
  Because they know of this magic, a group of brownies
  has travelled from the heart of the forest to watch over
  Bellfields and they have spread the word around. They
  even kidnapped a kilmoulis, brought it struggling here in
  a sack, and told it in no uncertain terms that this was its
  new home and it had better serve Taralene well. Initially
  resentful, the little creature now scarcely believes its luck.
  Pegasi, unicorns, and other such rare and magical
  creatures visit here from time to time, and the ubiquitous
  cranes on their way to fish the Mikar are not the only
  reason Gwydiesin stops here from time to time. Taralene
  is not a warrior-priest, and she has no real dealings with
  rangers or elves who play martial roles. But her quiet
  passage through the world and the hearts of men is very
  much part of the defense of the Grandwood.
  Gaborren's Rift
  This deep mine is home to virtually all the 700 gnomes of
  the Grandwood. The mine yields up gold, which the
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  111
  
  gnomes trade mostly to the wood elves who use it for
  making jewelry and statuary. In return, the gnomes
  receive food, crafted items, and even a magical item or
  two. Sometimes, a widely-traveling moonmage may use
  teleportation to take the gold farther to trade. The gnomes
  here are miners, so they are regarded as rock gnomes, not
  forest gnomes, even though they are forest dwellers.
  The gnomes have the perimeter of their mine very well
  guarded indeed. Deadfalls and other traps are just the
  obvious part, but the gnomes also have seven trained
  horned iguanas as guards; a rush attack from one of these
  beasts can inflict severe damage. With improved invisibility
  cast on them, the iguanas make formidable allies. The
  gnomes also use their own specialized type of hand
  catapult. It is treated as sling, but the gnomes are +1 to hit
  with this weapon, and they do not just fire stones from
  them. The gnomes have learned to manufacture poison-
  ous and choking concoctions from leaf and plant molds
  that are contained in small glass spheres which break on
  impact. The effects are diverse, but can vary from Class B
  poison (inhaled rather than injected) to the severity of
  dust of sneezing and choking (a +2 bonus is permitted to the
  saving throw, however, since this is a biological and not a
  magical attack).
  The clannish rift gnomes are wary of any visitors other
  than wood elves. They don't deal much with the humans,
  and they tend to send even native woodsmen packing if
  one of their spies spots a woodsman approaching too
  closely. The gnomes do have a gold mine here, after all.
  The one exception to their relative insularity is if any
  sizeable number of orcs approaches within even a score
  of miles. The gnomes have a unique myth about Garl
  Glittergold, one of the very few in which he is combative,
  when faced with the brutishness of Gruumsh. So they
  especially loathe orcs. A gnome warband—and this is a
  rare sight—will always emerge from the mines, its leaders
  riding the biggest of the iguanas, to sally forth and attack
  the orcs. The orcs have not yet won.
  If the gnomes come across any hidden pockets of
  buried and secret evils within their mines, they aren't
  saying. They keep to themselves, and visitors had better
  be something special to be invited to meet with the clan
  elders.
  Spikerift
  Hidden away in the deepest forest, Spikerift is a deep
  natural depression in the forest floor descending some
  150 feet to a water-filled rocky crater from which many
  small caverns and passageways lead, the entry to most of
  them being submerged. The vegetation is dominated by
  sharp-leaved grasses and long-thorned bushes, so that
  skin can be left badly bleeding and leather or clothing
  severely torn simply by trying to get through the tangle of
  undergrowth.
  The water in the lakelet is inky black and bitterly cold
  even at the height of summer. Animal life is sparse,
  although from time to time great bubbles burst to the
  surface of the water, suggesting that something large is
  living at the bottom. Great eel-like creatures have been
  seen slithering into the cave entrances, and at nights a
  silky phosphorescence has been seen at the entrance to
  some cave mouths.
   There are many wild rumors about Spikerift and the
  monsters, magic and evil which lurk in the submerged
  caves. Even elves and rangers avoid the caves, fearing
  they might awaken a slumbering evil. The most persistent
  rumor is that a priest of Nerull has been placed in tempo-
  ral stasis by rival priests of Hextor. As part of the power-
  ful wards which bind him into that state, a potent good-
  aligned magical artifact had to be used to neutralize the
  evil magic which some might attempt to use to awaken
  the priest. Taking the artifact, variously described as a
  stave or crook, would free the priest. Any attempting to
  retrieve it had best be sure they could deal with an
  enraged and powerful priest of the Reaper, else their
  meddling would bring a terrible new danger to the
  Grandwood.
  Tormengrend
  Tormengrend is described here as a typical larger settle-
  ment of woodsfolk; others of similar size certainly exist,
  but have relatively little to distinguish them from this
  place.
  Wooden palisade walls with sharpened tips protect the
  hamlet, which has 28 wooden cabins and 117 people
  living within. Three rangers (of 2nd, 3rd and 5th level)
  guard an area of some 100 square miles centered on the
  settlement. Further guarding comes in the form of
  concealed pits dug around the hamlet, which have spiked
  spear traps set within them. Because of these, children are
  never allowed to leave the hamlet to play unescorted.
  Only when a child has his coming of age at 14 and shows
  that he has memorized exactly where every pit is can he
  leave alone. Even then, that's rare; foraging, trapping or
  taking fungi, berries, tubers, elderberries and the like is
  done by small groups of people.
  Tormengrend is unusually fortunate in that it has a
  resident 1st-level priest of Atroa with the herbalism profi-
  ciency, able to cure wounds and make poultices and
  nonmagical potions for all kinds of ailments. The mustard
  foot baths and inhalations for the colds of winter are the
  most widely used. She can also extract rotted teeth swiftly
  and efficiently, and that's no little blessing for such
  humble forest people.
  The hamlet also has a prized armory—a half-dozen
  elven longbows brought by wood elf visitors one
  Brewfest and two longswords brought by the oldest of
  the rangers from a skirmish with imperial deserters.
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  112
  
  These supplement the staves, spears, and crossbows the
  villagers have, with the best of the foragers having heavy
  hunting and skinning knives as well.
  This is a humble place. Tormengrend, and anywhere
  like it, is a good setting to give PCs who take much for
  granted a reminder of the wrinkles of everyday real life in
  the Grandwood.
  The Lone Heath
  The Lone Heath is a mix of heathland and marshland.
  Marshland areas are more watery, tend to be on the
  margins of the Mikar and around its headwaters, and
  have fairly abundant tall grass. Reed and willow growths
  provide excellent cover and camoflage, though taller trees
  do not grow in abundance on the very wet soil. The
  heathland areas are drier and rockier, with poor soil, and
  have growths of heather and bracken-like plants, and
  tough-leaved members of various families of fern,
  together with scrub bush growth and a few copses of
  stunted trees.
  Though the place is referred to as the Lone Heath, it is
  the marshland areas which provide the best homes for its
  occupants, since camoflage is better and hunting, forag-
  ing, and trapping tend to be better rewarded. And, of
  course, both marsh and river have good fish and bird
  reserves.
  The Lone Heath has no tracks nor trails. Nor does it
  have any permanent settlements of any size. Most of the
  inhabitants are nomadic and make temporary camps.
  This continual wandering was once to avoid any imperial
  forces hunting the people here. But even for those
  without generations of tribesman ancestry behind them,
  it has become a way of life.
  Unlike the Grandwood, the Lone Heath has virtually
  no evil humanoids, bandits, or refugees permanently
  living within its confines. This is because the indigenous
  peoples appear to be able to sniff out such intruders and
  drive them off without any offer of peace or quarter. But
  there is more to this lack of evil than that vigilance, and
  perhaps Gywdiesin is the key to that.
  The folk here will have no truck with any evil ruler
  beyond their homelands. Virtually all of them have
  family tales of suffering and torment inflicted by the evil
  nobility and rulers of Aerdi. And they will not deal with
  them now, even if it should benefit them in some ways to
  do so. To them, one does not deal with one's persecutors
  simply because it suits those men to be cooperative now.
  The cooperation surely will not last.
  Tribesmen
  Tribesmen have always existed in the Lone Heath, and no
  one has ever really exerted any rulership over them. Most
  are Chaotic Neutral, and they move around in extended
  family groups of 20 or so and more rarely in family
  aggregates of up to a hundred, but no larger.
  Wearing ragged clothing usually made from animal
  skins, the tribesmen use facial scarring and bird feathers
  for decoration and ornamental. Vegetable dyes are used
  for skin coloration and camoflage, and the tribesmen are
  also excellent mimics of the sounds of marshland animals
  and fowls, a skill useful in hunting. Spears, especially fine
  throwing spears, bows, and nets are their most common
  weapons.
  They are always suspicious of outsiders, and since they
  have little to trade they don't seek any contact. Rangers
  they know and accept, and sometimes buy a little in the
  way of knives, tools, or pots from them by bartering with
  skins or food.
  The tribesmen have their own shamans, primarily
  druids of Obad-hai, who lead them on their nomadic
  wanderings. Since many small family groups speak very
  heavily accented Common, or even a variant of Oeridian
  dialects, the shamans usually do the talking. Lastly, virtu-
  ally every group has 1d8+2 hunting dogs, animals which
  also serve as camp guards (treat them as war dogs).
  Nomadic groups meeting each other will sometimes
  place bets (of animal skins, fine feathered belts, etc.) on
  which of their pack is the best hunter. And some celebrate
  Brewfest by gathering in much larger bands (up to 400 to
  500) for massed hunts and an awarding of prizes to their
  best dogs. That also allows for breeding between packs of
  the dogs, and for marriage arrangements which in truth
  have little more subtlety to them.
  Marsh Dwarves
  The 200 or so marsh dwarves of the Lone Heath are
  unique. They are hunter-gatherers, members of a single
  clan, and they specialize in fishing and trapping lizards
  and other small reptiles and animals. Visitors are warned
  to avoid having to listen to a marsh dwarf's "one that got
  away" story. Every last dwarf has one, and if it's
  concluded on the same day that the telling begins, the
  listener is indeed fortunate. Since the telling is always
  accompanied by the eating of pickled fish and the
  consumption of thick, sweet berry wine, the listener is
  also fortunate if the contents of his stomach don't
  reappear during the storytelling.
  This is an odd group of folk. The dwarves have a sly,
  riddling type of humor which is almost incomprehensible
  to outsiders and nothing at all like normal dwarven
  humor. They also have little interest in history or even
  their own ancestries, which again is highly unusual.
  There is no reverence of any dwarven power, and the
  community lacks priests or shamans. The dwarves are
  also extraordinarily fastidious. They bathe in the Mikar,
  or streams around it, at least twice a day. And one of the
  most esteemed members of the community is an old
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  113
  
  female dwarf who makes scented soaps from animal fat
  and flower extracts. During Brewfest, which the dwarves
  consider as the ending of the year (they have their own
  calendar system), one can hear the drunken dwarves
  singing some distance away. The dwarves have no time
  for ornamentation or even golden trinkets, and are
  severely functional in what they wear and use.
  This is a rugged group. They have superb survival skills
  and are exceptionally hardy (Constitution scores of
  11+1d8, and no dwarf has fewer than 4 hp per die). They
  are alert and vigilant, and while more sociable than most
  dwarves they are careful with outsiders. They do not give
  trust readily. Again, they know the rangers, but they are
  fairly cool even with them.
  The dwarves have excellent weather sense, and a few of
  them have the ability to sense impending danger as if
  they were precognitive. They make less temporary camps
  than most people, moving on typically after Brewfest
  each year, taking their pickled and dried food to
  somewhere safe and sheltered for winter. During winter,
  a dwarf might sleep for up to 18 hours a day, almost
  hibernating. This tends to make them even more long-
  lived than usual for their race, though the marsh dwarf
  who tells you he saw the first overking crowned in
  Rauxes is probably stretching the truth. 
  Other Demihumans
  The total of gnomes and halflings is probably fewer than
  1,000, and they tend to favor burrowed dwellings in the
  heathland rather than the watery and more fertile
  marshes. It is almost impossible to harvest much food
  other than small animals there, but the gnomes in particu-
  lar have been successful at growing fungi and a distress-
  ingly yellow-cream colored tuber underground; these
  form the basis for their diet.
  The halflings, however, are hungrier little folk who like
  to trade for food, and they always pay with gold signet
  rings and old imperial coins. Where they acquire these,
  only they know, and they certainly aren't telling. Most
  people suspect the burrowing halflings—who have dug
  much deeper than these folk usually do—must have
  uncovered some great treasure cache. And the people
  worry about what else the halflings might uncover if they
  are encouraged by this to go on digging deeper still.
  The 600 high elves dwell exclusively in the marshes.
  This is surely a group long isolated from all others, for the
  elves are exceptionally tall. Almost all adults stand
  considerably more than 6', and the usual build is very
  slim (subtract -2 from Con and add +2 to Dex for these
  elves). They have superb senses and unparalleled infravi-
  sion abilities, up to a 240' range.
  The elves are gatherers, and are virtually all regular
  vegetarians. However, some meat is taken at ritual meals
  every other Starday, with thanks given to the animal
  consumed for giving up its life for the benefit of the elves.
  This single extended clan acts as the watchers over the
  Lone Heath, even more so than the rangers of the place.
  They cooperate well with the rangers, but for the most
  part they do not seek any conversation or meetings with
  other groups. The exception to this is a fighter/mage of
  clearly considerable age, Carferlen, who has an excellent
  knowledge of events in Aerdy and, indeed, across much
  of the Flanaess.
  It is obvious he has many sources of information in
  far-away places—or perhaps just one or two truly excep-
  tionally well-informed friends. Carferlen is always eager
  to hear news, and he can also express penetrating views
  on the events of the land ("Well, if I was in Drax's shoes,
  Corellon forbid, I would..." followed by a very fine
  exposition of what that despot probably ought to do to
  further his goals). Carferlen also has an extensive knowl-
  edge of the names, specializations, and major achieve-
  ments of every mage to have walked the Flanaess during
  his lifetime, and of many well before that—which was a
  long, long time ago.
  Rangers and Others
  In addition to ordinary tribesmen, there are a total of 700
  adventurers who have fled to the refuge of the Lone
  Heath over the decades. Rangers predominate them,
  simply because the children born to those who come here
  tend mostly to take up this profession and because a
  handful of those arriving train as rangers when they settle
  here. Oddly enough, these refugees tend to take to the
  nomadic life relatively easily. It takes some getting used
  to, for mages used to stuffy alchemist's laboratories and
  priests used to the musty corridors and halls of great
  temples. Yet somehow after a few months of grumbling
  over chilblains, colds, and damp blankets due to night-
  time rain or morning dawn life gets easier.
  The sense of community between these people, who are
  overwhelmingly of good alignment, helps. However, it
  must be said that Reorxen the mage, who has a miniature
  ceramic house which can be commanded to become an
  overnight Leomund's secure shelter, is a very popular man
  indeed judging by the number of visitors he gets.
  Morale among these people is excellent. A charismatic
  priest of Pelor, Hyren, organizes meetings and gives
  blessings and sermons which even those without relig-
  ious views find uplifting. Hyren has had no few ardent
  converts to his faith here.
  However, the rangers are the leaders of the free people
  of the Lone Heath, hierarchically organized under their
  lord, Marcenn Simraith. It is they who protect the borders
  of the lands, screen and vet newcomers, and teach them
  survival skills. Watching a ranger slowly losing his
  patience trying to teach a hopelessly clumsy mage how to
  set a snare trap is a sight which any DM should spring
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  114
  
  upon PC visitors.
  They organize the raiding parties which strike at
  supply trains heading to or from the Free Cities, though
  the mages provide a great deal of help with this (with
  invisibility, protection from evil 10' radius, fly and the like
  rather than using spells which maximize casualties
  among their victims). These strikes are vital. They are not
  just for food and clothing (which aren't in short supply)
  but for tools, weapons, worked items, and simple goods
  like parchments and inks, which mages need.
  In addition to this community, there are perhaps 5,000
  refugees who are normal men and women who could not
  tolerate the wickedness of the Free Cities, or have fled
  from afar as Delaric. The stories they have brought from
  that terrible place have caused some nightmares. Many of
  these folk have enthusiastically converted to a good-
  aligned faith if they did not follow one already, and they
  have learned to survive in the wide expanses of the
  marshes. About half of them have come here during or
  since the wars, and adapting to this influx of new faces
  has been a major difficulty; there are many people to
  teach and train, and few rangers and other veterans to do
  it. However, the Lone Heath encourages survival.
  The Future
  The Lone Heath has become something of a citadel of
  good. There are hundreds of capable adventurers and
  thousands of men and women who could be organized
  into a levy with excellent morale. This could be quite a
  force; capable of taking a major city and holding it.
  This won't happen for a long time. While the people are
  enthusiastic, their equipment is poor. It's good enough to
  fend off attackers, but not to march out and take a land
  and city. Also, they like the nomad life. There's
  something about the Lone Heath which cannot be
  expressed to those who have not lived there. The stars
  seem brighter in the sky. When a footfall is made in the
  wrong place, the poisonous snake which darts out just
  seems to miss that ankle bite which could kill in minutes.
  Some warm summer days, the mosquitoes just don't seem
  to bite while the fish just keep taking the bait. There is a
  deep and insidious good magic at work here, and its
  effects are subtle. But the place grows on those who come
  here in good faith.
  It is possible, however, that rangers, mages, and others
  might organize themselves to mount some major strike
  against Ountsy, Farlen, or another place and take away a
  great deal of wealth and equipment which might secure
  the future for the people here. Still, that might actually
  make things worse, since it might invite major reprisals.
  Gwydiesin of the Cranes
  Presented separately from the other characters because of
  his uniqueness, this old man holds many of the secrets of
  the Grandwood and Lone Heath in his heart. His basic
  stats are:
  30th-level Bard: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 20,
  Cha 20. AC -4 (silvered chain mail +5 of spell turning, cloak
  of displacement), hp 116, AL N (NG). Spells: 6 each of
  levels 1-6,  3 7th-level, 2 8th-level, 1 9th-level, and may
  substitute one druidic spell per level for a wizard spell.
  Special abilities: all bardic thief skills at 95% irrespective
  of modifiers; songs give +4 to morale of friends in melee
  and once a week he can make friends fearless for 3 turns;
  identifies all magical items, even relics and nonesuch
  items; can use all written items usable by wizards
  without any chance of spell failure, can polymorph self as
  druid three times a day.
  These statistics do not set a precedent for high-level
  bards. Gwydiesin is a singular character, beyond normal
  game rules.
   Gywdiesin is very, very old. He looks perhaps in his
  early 60's, with a magnificent mane of silver hair tied
  back in a long braided ponytail and thonged with
  silvered leather. He wears simple, coarse-clothed brown
  robes, and his fingers bear no rings. He is a proud 6' 4", of
  medium build, and he stands upright and regal. Gwydie-
  sin's immense Charisma impresses any who see him. He
  has many magical items, but the one most often associ-
  ated with him is the simple lantern he usually carries,
  which has the combined powers of a gem of seeing, a gem
  of brightness and a helm of brilliance.
  His full name comes from an especial love the old man
  has of the beautiful black and silver winged cranes which
  nest every spring along the Mikar, and in the Lone Heath
  marshlands. Some years, if the waters are high in the
  headwaters, the marshes flood and the nesting sites
  become sodden; the cranes abandon their eggs. Gwydie-
  sin then prowls the marshes rescuing the eggs (druids of
  Obad-hai bring them to him, too), and he takes them back
  to his home in the deep forest of the Grandwood. Using
  control temperature 10' radius and delicate hand-turning of
  the eggs round the clock to ensure even warming, the old
  bard hatches fledglings. Feeding them by hand and strok-
  ing the small chicks with an extraordinary gentleness, the
  time comes when the bard has to teach them to fly (which
  normally they learn by observing their parents as their
  own muscles develop). Amused spectators are treated to
  the spectacle of the old man running around flapping his
  arms up and down, with a squadron of enthusiastic
  young cranes doing their clumsy best to follow his
  example. Any who are close enough might see the hint of
  a tear in the bard's blue eyes as the last bird flies uncer-
  tainly into the sky, and then with greater assurance rises
  into the wide blue beyond.
  Gwydiesin travels where he wishes in forest and heath,
  and talks with who he wishes. He knows, and deals with,
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  115
  
  most leaders of any significance. Without exception, they
  speak of the man in tones of reverence. Fiorena has been
  known to say that if she had known beforehand what she
  would feel during the bard's recounting The Doorway to
  the Summer Stars, she would gladly have given ten years
  of life to hear his words. Gwydiesin only offers verse and
  song (almost always verse in preference) when the mood
  is upon him, and in truth not everyone always wishes to
  hear the bard's declamations.
  The emotions he can draw forth are so strong as to be
  painful in their intensity.
  Yet, Gwydiesin has a playful and light-hearted side,
  too. During his retelling of The Battle of the Trees to an
  audience of elder treants (hardly favorers of levity) he
  teased an especially old birch he knew was slightly
  resented by the others on account of its self-esteem. He
  reminded the birch it had been late for that epic struggle
  with Aerdy axemen, "nor from any diffidence, but
  because of his magnificence." The subtlety of his intoning
  left the birch feeling pleased at the compliment, since
  Gwydiesin obviously recognized that the birch simply
  had to have the right moment for entry into the fray, with
  the other treants were wryly amused at the jest which the
  birch could not see because of its inflated self-esteem.
  Gywdiesin is a child of Johydee, of course. He has spent
  nearly 700 years in the world, and he has more knowl-
  edge than perhaps any soul living on Oerth. There hardly
  can be a legend, tale, or myth which the man does not
  know. Often, however, he will tell a tale in its original
  form which he knows mixes truth with inaccuracy,
  because he wishes to test the perceptiveness of the
  listener or because the mood takes him. He does not lie;
  he tells the tale as it always has been told. But he does not
  always tell what he knows to be the real truth.
  Gywdiesin is a reverer of Beory, although that is
  putting things too mildly. Rather, what fires Gwydiesin's
  heart and soul and puts the fire, steel, and magic into his
  poems and verse is the intense yearning this old, old soul
  has for union with that power. All of life's richness and
  beauty he sees in Beory's hands, and once, so many years
  ago, he walked with her in the Vale of Summer Stars and
  understood what life's end, and the passage of his soul
  from Oerth, would bring. Yet, the old man has no thought
  of death and no desire for it. Oerth is still a place with
  intense beauty, magic, and wonder to the old bard's eyes,
  and they still shine as brightly as ever they did.
  Gwydiesin is above most "political" concerns. He has
  seen the rise and fall of the Great Kingdom, and the
  machinations of those working away in its ruins do not
  concern him. He does not aid the Grandwood or Lone
  Heath folk by spellcasting or reciting morale-boosting
  declamations prior to battle. The effect he has is far
  subtler. For days after hearing one of his recitations, the
  listener feels a sense of heightened energy and
  perception; colors seem brighter, sounds more pleasing,
  food and wine taste better, other people seem fairer of
  face and kinder of expression. That is the bard's gift to the
  good folk of forest and heath.
   Those who come seeking Gwydiesin won't find him.
  When they come, he will know of it, and he will choose
  whether to see them. He will choose the time and manner
  of his appearance. He will know what they wish of him,
  but that's no guarantee they will go away heartened or
  informed. The bard makes his own choices.
  Gywdiesin is solitary, but in addition to his usual
  wanderings he meets with a handful of people in the
  Flanaess. Mordenkainen has eaten and taken wine with
  the old man, and indeed the two have many things in
  common, not least their alignment.
  The Circle of Eight have heard the bard's recitations;
  even the introverted, conservative, and repressed Bigby
  was shaking when the bard fell silent, and Mordenkainen
  himself was stirred enough not to repeat the experiment.
  Gwydiesin's power is unsettling to those who are used to
  power of their own combined with a firm sense of
  control. Philidor has been seen laughing with the old man
  and, incredibly enough, light-heartedly skipping along
  paving stones of Greyhawk City with the bard keeping
  pace. Once, some years ago, Gwydiesin arrived at Night-
  song's dark home and took him by the collar when they
  met; Nightsong was not seen for some months afterward.
  And the bard travels the planes, surely, for Lhaeo the
  Scribe has recorded a couple of visits from someone
  looking very like the old bard who periodically chats
  with Elminster.
  Other Personalities of the
  Grandwood and Lone Heath
  Carferlen: 7th-level fighter/11th-level mage (Dex 18,
  Int 19, Wis 16, Cha 16). AC -4 or better (elven chain mail
  +5, shield not used, defender bastard sword +4), hp 46, AL
  NG. Carferlen is nearing his 400th year. He is 6' 4', very
  slim of build, with long, bony fingers and almond-shaped
  nails which gesture with an effortless grace to emphasize
  what he says. His hair has streaks of gold and silver
  among the honeyed curls, and his gray-green eyes are
  unblinking.
  Carferlen has a much wider awareness of the Flanaess's
  problems than most of his people. He has links with
  many elves of the lands, including the gray elves of the
  Tree Lands in the Vesve, and the People of the Testing.
  His polite, humble manner has endeared him to people
  such as Kieren Jalucian of Greyhawk and the rulers of
  Veluna City, where he often travels (and is known to stop
  over in Mitrik and converse with Bigby). His special
  concern is the rise of the Scarlet Brotherhood, which he
  fears more than Iuz or any Aerdy power. For this reason,
  Carferlen is not an infrequent visitor to powerful nobles
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  116
  
  of the House of Darmen. He dislikes their evil, of course,
  but they are the one faction in Aerdy which appears to
  share this sense of threat, and his enemy's enemy is his
  friend. Carferlen is very pragmatic.
  This old elf is friendly, kindly, and rarely has a harsh
  word for anyone. He is a simple, good individual, but his
  brilliant intellect and well-informed nature make him
  outstanding among his people. He does not possess or
  covet magical items much, although his defender bastard
  sword +4 is a potent protection, and he also carries a wand
  of paralyzation.
  Fiorena Goldhand: 11th-level ranger (Str 16, Dex 16,
  Con 16, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 16). AC 2/0 (leather armor +4,
  boots of speed, shield not used), hp 81, AL NG. Fiorena is
  36 years old, 6' 1", wiry and lean, brown-haired and
  brown-eyed. Even her usual tan doesn't disguise the
  freckling of her cheeks and arms, and she has an infec-
  tious grin. Without any pretensions, she's a natural and
  open person, part of her Charisma.
  Fiorena has a graver, quieter side for all her good
  humor and especial love of children (though she has
  never wanted any of her own). She feels the weight of the
  world on her shoulders; she knows she plays a pivotal
  role in the defense of the Grandwood and sometimes
  that's a hard burden to carry. Though she is resilient and
  resourceful, the friendship and companionship of
  Auruma is important to her.
  Auruma is a young adult gold dragon who almost
  invariably appears in polymorphed form as a human
  ranger. He has learned enough from Fiorena to pass
  muster as a ranger, with knowledge of their signals and
  secret ways. Auruma comes from Sunndi, and his parents
  have sent him here to learn more of the ways of human-
  kind far from his home and also to aid the Grandwood
  folk. A few of the wood elf moonmages know Auruma's
  real identity, and the dragon is fascinated by their
  approach to magic and especially by their symbiosis with
  treants, which are unlike anything he knows from his
  own home. Fiorena acquired the nickname "Goldhand"
  for her fondness for wearing gold rings, but there is a
  second appropriateness to it now which few know.
  Marcenn Simraith: 14th-level ranger (Dex 17, Con 16,
  Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 16). AC 2 (ring of protection +3, normal
  leather armor, shield not used), hp 96, AL NG (CG).
  Marcenn is 35, 5' 11", of medium build, with very tightly
  curled dark brown hair worn short and brown-hazel
  eyes. Not by ambition, but simply by acceptance from
  others, Marcenn has become something of a leader to the
  Lone Heath rangers and exiles. He simply seems to have
  the kind of personality and mind which naturally
  mediates disputes, puts forward practical suggestions,
  and organizes matters to everyone's best advantage.
  Puffing at his halfling weed pipe at the campfire, the man
  has the aura of a leader. People naturally look to him
  when deciding what to do, where to go, what decisions to
  take.
  However, Marcenn's other great skill is that his sugges-
  tions intuitively tell other people that the best thing to do
  is what they wanted to do anyway. Or, perhaps, by the
  time he has finished talking the listener is convinced that
  Marcenn's suggestion is what he wanted to do originally,
  even if it wasn't. Marcenn is soft-spoken, persuasive, a
  storyteller if he needs to be, and he has a great knowledge
  of the Heath and its history.
  For himself, Marcenn does not know what the future
  may hold. After all, the Heath's population has greatly
  increased during and since the wars, and there may be
  many more newcomers yet. For this reason, he is opposed
  to precipitate actions or drastic changes. He sees the need
  to balance raiding the Free Cities for supplies with the
  need to avoid inviting harsh reprisals. A pragmatist as
  many lifelong Heathmen are, the ranger waits to see what
  the future holds. His own natural optimism and generos-
  ity mean that he doesn't fear that future.
  Marcenn has no permanent companions or followers,
  but he owns a two-person carpet of flying and also winged
  boots (MC: C) so he knows what has been happening in
  the Heath. If he must fight, he does so two-handed with a
  short sword of quickness in his dominant left hand and a
  dagger +3 in the other. He also owns a ring of free action
  and a 1,000 lb. bag of holding.
  Taralene: 16th-level priestess of Atroa (Int 15, Wis 18,
  Cha 17). AC 4 (cloak of displacement, ring of protection +4),
  hp 88, AL NG. At 51, Taralene has a serene mature
  beauty. Just a whisker below 6', she has a fine figure, and
  her auburn hair is thick, wavy and reaches the small of
  her back. Half the Grandwood folk are in love with her
  (and the other half is prone to be jealous of that).
  The woodlands are her home. While she cares about
  events in the lands around the forest, and will listen to
  discussions of what is afoot in Rauxes or Bellport, she
  does not truly worry herself about them. What is impor-
  tant to her is healing and caring for the animals and
  peoples of the forest. She knows it as well as any ranger;
  she has a magical belt which confers on her the ability to
  walk on water and travel at normal speed over any
  terrain, passing without trace into the bargain. She also has
  a better knowledge of the forest's evils than any ranger.
  She keeps a careful watch on Spikerift in particular.
  As a priestess of Atroa, the spheres allowed to Taralene
  are: All, Animal, Charm*, Creation, Divination*, Elemen-
  tal* (except Air, to which major access is allowed, and
  Fire, to which she has no access), Guardian, Healing,
  Necromantic (curative only), Plant, Protection, Sun*,
  Travelers*, Wards, Weather. As a lesser power, Atroa
  cannot grant 7th-level spells to priests.
  The Grandwood and the Lone Heath
  117
  
  Pop.: 1,300,000
  Capital: None; four major cities
  Ruler: None; several major Princes
  Rulership: Variable, generally Medium
  Cost Multiplier: 110% (but see below)
  From the Ashes?
  The House of Darmen believes itself to be inexorably
  ascending to the malachite throne. There are several
  reasons for this belief.
  Darmen is economically strong. Allied with the priest-
  hood of Zilchus, nobles of this house have preserved
  some of their old external trade routes and protected
  merchants from ruinously high tithes and taxes (unsur-
  prising, since many of the throng of princelings of
  Darmen are Merchant-Princes themselves). Conversely,
  the serfs and peasants have suffered much, since burdens
  of taxation have fallen on them and on the small class of
  freemen who, in the past, found more encouragement
  from the House of Darmen for their aspirations than they
  did anywhere else.
  Second, Darmen nobles have mostly managed to avoid
  becoming animuses. They did this by acceding readily to
  Ivid's orders during the wars (or appearing to do so); by
  sending doubles and impostors when summoned to
  Rauxes; and by claiming they could not visit Rauxes
  because of a pressing need to raise money for the war
  effort (sending extra tithes to the overking to allay any
  imperial anger). The House of Darmen is wily and
  intelligent.
  Third, Darmen nobles have mostly managed to
  maintain their armies in a good condition. The exception
  is the Glorioles Army, now destroyed, which has cost
  Nulbish and to a lesser extent Torrich something of their
  military capability. But generally this house has military
  muscle and friends and enemies respect this.
  Fourth, while the major power players of this house
  have rivalries, there is a common belief in the fate of the
  house. The rivalries will be settled one way or
  another—but not by any dispatch of armies. Everyone
  understands that this would ruin Darmen's hope for
  rulership. Prince Dilweg might challenge his rival
  Xavener to a duel or some ritual contest, but he won't try
  to oust him by force of arms. And if he loses, he will
  support his cousin.
  Finally, there is a sense of destiny about the House of
  Darmen. Every major noble family has an illuminated
  copy of the massive Histories of Epitecus the Wise, a
  combined history and mythology which attributes to
  ancestors of the House of Darmen virtually every accom-
  plishment of Oeridian prehistory. Children are taught
  passages from this book by rote, and some older members
  of House Darmen practice ancestor worship, or at the
  least hold small monthly services of commemoration to
  long-dead ancestors of legend and fable from Epitecus's
  work. Darmen's past glories, they believe, will come
  again, even if the means of the house's ascendancy will be
  different to the military glory and magical prowess in
  those old fables.
  Princes of Power
  While these characters are detailed more fully below, the
  basics of the power struggles within the House of
  Darmen come down to five nobles. These are:
  Prince Xavener of Kalstrand (NE). Wealthy, militarily
  powerful, Xavener is a brilliant diplomat. At present, he
  has skillfully gained increasing acceptance by the priest-
  hood of Zilchus as "their man." He also has one
  absolutely reliable ally, namely:
  Prince Farland of Jalpa (LE). Farland is Xavener's uncle.
  He lacks real wealth, and his strategic position is difficult
  because of the proximity of his lands to the western
  Naelax territories. But the old man has gravitas and great
  social skill. An arch-manipulator, he is a power broker
  rather than a power player.
  Prince Dilweg of Torrich (LE). This is Xavener's major
  rival. Dilweg has fire in his guts and more passion than
  Xavener. He is a mage and has the support of many
  Darmen mages. Dilweg also favors an alliance with
  another noble house to gain a broader coalition for
  Darmen's bid for the throne. This view gains support in
  some quarters, since it spreads the burden of a war
  against Ivid, but opposition in others. Many younger
  princelings support Dilweg.
  Prince Harnnad of Nublish (NE). This man is uncertain
  who to support. Politically convinced that Xavener is the
  best candidate, he hates him for stealing away the woman
  he was going to marry. On the other hand, Harnnad was
  cross-fostered by Xavener's parents, and hence there is a
  debt of honor on his part to give Xavener support.
  Harnnad could be a spoiler, a disruptive factor, and the
  other princes are puzzling out how best to deal with him.
  Princess Bersheben (CE/NE). She is a major owner of
  lands around the Flanmi and has a powerful army at her
  disposal. Her family cross fostered Xavener and Dilweg,
  and thus she has potentially great influence.
  There are other factors in this mix. Each of these power-
  ful nobles has many lesser nobles on their lands, and
  these liegemen don't always support their masters.
  Indeed, much diplomacy by each prince deals with
  persuading the liegemen of rivals that their master is not
  the one to whom they should give support. Such rebel-
  lion would not take the form of open revolt, obviously.
  But House Darmen is considering how to settle the rival-
  ries within it, and Bersheben's suggestion is for a secret
  ballot of every Darmen prince in the lands. This has
  opened 
  the 
  door 
  to 
  bribery, 
  intimidation, 
  and
  The Lands of Darmen
  118
  
  "persuasion" which may be exactly what Bersheben
  intended. She is very chaotic, and enjoys the uncertainty
  of the hour even though she wishes for an eventual unity
  of the major princes and a march on Rauxes.
  Beyond the Lands
  One of the factors favoring the House of Darmen is the
  relative lack of serious problems it faces on the borders of
  its territories. This makes it at least as powerful as North
  Province, for example. Grenell has more money and
  bigger armies than the Darmen nobles but he has to face
  orcs, undead, barbarians and worse on his doorstep. The
  lands of Darmen offer an easier life.
  Northwest, the lands of House Cranden provide a
  buffer between the unpredictable evils and power of
  Almor and Darmen. Westward, South Province is a
  potential threat, but its ruler has concerns other than
  Darmen, and his energies are expended elsewhere.
  Eastward, Medegia offers troublesome raiders and even
  some fiends but no organized military threat. Northeast,
  the armies of the overking are separated from Darmen's
  lands by the western tract of Naelax lands which have no
  powerful single ruler, and many pragmatists who might
  throw in their lot with a unified Darmen army.
  The only significant problems arise to the south, where
  the peoples of Sunndi do not discriminate between one
  royal house of Aerdy and another and are still vengeful
  for their treatment at the hands of the Glorioles Army.
  They raid into the southern Darmen lands, and Nulbish
  in particular has to expend men and money defending its
  lands against them.
  The one shadowy problem which keeps Darmen
  princes awake at night is that of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
  Far to the south is their homeland. Southwest they hold
  the old Iron League lands; southeast they hold Duxchan
  and its fleet. House Darmen recognizes that should the
  Brotherhood send its assassins and spies to Aerdy, their
  lands are a likely first target. Recent events in Nulbish
  and Torrich have worried the princes greatly and
  disrupted their planning for overthrowing Ivid.
  Life in the Lands of Darmen
  Though different cities and lands have their points of
  variation, there are general qualities to life here.
  Merchants dominate in many respects. They are
  deferred to by most folk, and even soldiers treat them
  with some deference. Being a merchant gives one higher
  social status even than an artisan of many years accom-
  plishment. Merchants guilds are powerful, including
  many princes as members, and the pecking order estab-
  lished within them is subtle. There is a "Merchants' Cant"
  spoken here, similar to Thieves' Cant in that it has a
  vocabulary dealing with activities specific to their profes-
  sion: costs, prices, travel, and weather conditions.
  Merchants guilds are also the forums where a great deal
  of day-to-day governance is conducted. Because every
  prince of any note at all is a member of such a guild,
  political decisions are usually made in the great guild-
  halls which even small towns possess. Armies, mercenar-
  ies, even city and town works may be paid for through
  the guilds. A major part of all taxes and tithes goes to
  these guilds, which then pass on a portion of this to the
  landowning princes as their tax and tithe in turn.
  Administrative 
  duties 
  of 
  government 
  are 
  often
  conducted in offices in the guildhalls, with sergeants-at-
  arms of city watches and militias, civil engineers, and
  more cloistered there.
  Merchants have specific dress codes in many cities.
  These vary from city to city, so that traveling merchants
  can recognize each other. Variations in costume (always
  worn for commercial transactions and discussions) are as
  subtle, and as impressive in their richness, as the herald-
  ries of any noble house, army, or even nation.
  All this means that commonfolk do not fare so well.
  The huge majority are serfs, possessions of their merchant
  landowner or landlord, and treated as such. In these
  lands, if you have gold in your pocket you might be
  somebody. If you don't, you're just a serf, and serfs can be
  bought and sold without any reference to their family
  situations, welfare, or feelings.
  The evil of House Darmen is as well exemplified by this
  as by anything else. Some sages and scholars of the house
  have actually written learned tomes discussing the possi-
  bility that the "serf race" is somehow not fully human, a
  vicious and malign view which may not be doctrine, but
  which is held by many Darmen princes.
  Money is power, and power is everything, the Darmen
  saying goes. In the dominant noble families within the
  house, the duties of honor which come from cross-
  fostering and respect for elders (which is more marked
  here than for any other house, save House Cranden) do
  count for something. The politics of House Darmen
  cannot simply be reduced to who has the greatest force
  available.
  House Darmen has evolved a series of intriguing social
  rituals for settling matters of rivalry and dispute, its
  elders having long ago seen that assassinations and wars
  tended only to weaken the house and strengthen rivals.
  Conclaves of elders will deal with minor squabbles
  between princelings. Commercial disputes and rival land
  claims are settled by meetings of merchant guilds.
  Disputes of real passion and anger are settled in ritual
  combats or trials of strength or pain; these vary from
  nonlethal duels to contests of endurance. Darmen has
  many, many such rituals, and to disobey the long-
  established formulas and resort to violence or force is
  simply unacceptable. One's own liegemen would desert,
  and throw in their lot with whichever rival was nearest
  The Lands of Darmen
  119
  
  and strongest.
   Beyond all this, everyday life in these lands has a more
  relaxed air than elsewhere. This is especially true now,
  since Darmen's cities are strong and well-defended and
  most of its lands are secure. But it has always been so.
  Most folk here are pragmatic, and merchants travel,
  which gives them a more cosmopolitan outlook on life.
  There is more tolerance of diversity in these lands in
  many ways. To be sure, good priesthoods have never
  fared well here for their messages were generally
  opposed to the money-grabbing, power-loving ethos of
  the house, and they have been quietly suppressed. But
  demihumans have fared better than elsewhere, especially
  if they had some trade or skill merchants could make
  money from exploiting (Kalstrand has a noted group of
  halfling "contract cooks").
  The traveler has always found himself less subjected to
  interrogations, military harassment, and general brutish-
  ness than in most of Aerdy. He has always paid for this,
  from the high tolls levied along the dirawaen roads to the
  continual ripping-off at markets, taverns, and the like, but
  that is a price many have been willing to pay for respite
  from the more brutish evils of the lands.
  Civilization
  Population density is higher here than in any other
  sizeable tract of land in the Flanaess. Much of the land is
  farmed, and there are few wild areas. Outside of a
  handful of dangerous, wild or cursed terrains (one of
  which is noted below), encounter checks should be
  modified so that meetings with farmers, merchants,
  adventurers, etc., comprise at least 80% of the total. 
  Thieves
  In the cities of these lands, thieves have an interesting
  life. Where there are many rich merchants, there are
  many thieves, and these lands are no exception. The
  Darmen merchants regard them as an acceptable
  nuisance, provided that (1) they don't get over-greedy, (2)
  they don't get caught in the act, and (3) they aren't outsid-
  ers. The situation which prevails is that such-and-such a
  person may be suspected to be a thief and still be able to
  pass in good society. If his style of robbery has some
  panache or real skill, he might even gain some kudos
  accordingly. But such an individual should not ruin his
  victims, and he should not be caught. If he is discovered,
  amputation of the hands, exile, and execution are the
  likeliest fates.
  Thieves from beyond the Darmen lands are treated
  harshly by both the law and resident thieves, and should
  avoid plying their skills here unless they are very able.
  Wizards, Sages, and Scholars
  These are not held in esteem by House Darmen. They,
  too, are resources to be brought in as necessary. Wizardry
  and learning are interesting only if they are useful, practi-
  cally oriented, and have some pragmatic purpose to the
  purchaser of arcane skills. While this house has few
  wizards, those it possesses are often powerful, for they
  must be determined and skilful to rise above the general
  lack of encouragement they receive. If they show a real
  awareness of the need for practicality at all times, then
  they will be valued highly. If they're interested in arcane
  lore and obscure secrets, they can go hang.
  Locations and Settlements
  The Lands of Kalstrand
  These lands, reaching some two-thirds of the way to Jalpa
  in the area shown on the color map, are owned by Prince
  Xavener and a number of cousins and siblings. This is an
  economic powerhouse; Kalstrand stands at a river
  junction, and a dirawaen road leads north to Jalpa and
  into the heart of Aerdy while the Therry and Mikar
  Rivers used to bring trade from the south and east. This
  has declined with the fall of Medegia, but some still
  comes overland to Nulbish and then on upriver. On the
  southern fork of the Windmarch route, Kalstrand has its
  great annual trade fair at mid-Wealsun, and major
  harvest market-fairs.
  These lands are fertile and well-settled. Grains, vegeta-
  bles, fruits, and livestock all thrive here. The Thelly River
  yields up gemstones to the determined panner; most of
  these resources lie farther north toward Rel Deven or
  farther east at Bluelode, however. Rulership in all these
  lands is high. Armies and militias are well-organized,
  and the different local liegemen of Xavener cooperate
  well enough with each other and with the men of Jalpa to
  the north. This is a wealthy and prosperous land indeed.
  Kalstrand
  A city of 19,000 people, Kalstrand is prodigiously defen-
  sively constructed. In the past, hostile men and dwarves
  from the Glorioles, not to mention monsters, were a
  threat to the burgeoning city. After the construction of
  double city walls and an excavated moat defense
  (Kalstrand has a good river harbor, aiding trade), and the
  installation of key magical defenses, the city found itself
  attracting more and more people. Its population has
  doubled in the past 40 years, and a new city section is
  being built northward with an extension of the city walls
  being currently completed.
  Kalstrand is rich. The cost multiplier for goods is 140%.
  This applies especially to staple goods; luxuries are only
  100-120% of normal cost. The city has very few slums or
  The Lands of Darmen
  120
  
  areas of poor people; city laborers and menials generally
  walk the two or three miles from a number of villages
  around Kalstrand to work in the city itself.
  There is much to wonder at. The Merchants' Guild is
  proud of the majestic buildings it has paid for, and the
  great columned guildhall is only one of the great sights.
  Others include the spectacular Hovering Gardens (levita-
  tion magic keeping these terraced, exotically vegetated,
  bowers in place over the northern city) and the Museum
  of Antiquities. The museum has a remarkable number of
  old Baklunish and Suel relics and items as well as Oerid-
  ian ones, but the priests of Boccob who administer it are
  both unhelpful and pompous and delight in being
  difficult.
  The city is dominated by Prince Xavener, both by virtue
  of his regal mansion complex with its fountains, gardens,
  marbled towers, trussed roofs, and gilded wind-braces
  and also by his personality. Xavener is an urbanite, and
  Kalstrand reflects that. He is also a consummate politi-
  cian, and Kalstrand reflects that, too. An outsider never
  can be quite certain what anyone here truly thinks of him.
  This is a city of half-truths, silences, concealments, and
  polite smiles masking all manner of backstabbings and
  cruel treacheries.
  The cathedral of Zilchus is huge, and its icons must be
  worth more than the building itself, which cost 200,000
  gp to construct. The head of Zilchus's church in Aerdy,
  Larissen, is almost a house prisoner here. Xavener
  rescued him from threats in Rauxes but now insists the
  priest cannot leave, and Patriarch Cherench of Kalstrand
  agrees with the Prince, having a genuine concern for
  Larissen's safety. Larissen is unhappy, because here he is
  too closely identified with the Prince whose hospitality it
  would be churlish not to acknowledge. This restricts his
  freedom for political maneuvers, as he is well aware.
   The major population of visitors here is Ahlissan, since
  Darmen nobles own land there and trade is conducted
  between Kalstrand and Ahlissa. Kalstrand offers the best
  opportunity for gaining advance knowledge of Ahlissa
  before entering it; and, like everything in this city, the
  information is available to the curious—for the right
  price.
  The Coach Keeps
  This string of fortified coaching taverns along the
  dirawaen road to Jalpa illustrates part of the reason for
  Darmen's current supremacy. They are well secured with
  troops, and well fortified, with regular patrolling of the
  road for protection from bandits. They are also comfort-
  able and have one suite of rooms in each building, which
  is truly luxurious and has protections against low-level
  divination spells below 4th level. Travel along these
  roads is thus inviting for merchants and adventurers,
  stimulating commerce and bringing money to Jalpa and
  Kalstrand and the Darmen lands around. At least one of
  Xavener's many siblings or cousins lives either in, or close
  by, each of these keeps. And the inquisitive might hang
  around to overhear some interesting tidbits of gossip
  about intrafamily grumbles and disputes in each of these
  places.
  Hornish
  Hornish is in many ways typical of the many bustling
  trade and market towns and villages which have sprung
  up along road and river in these lands, linking Torrich
  with Kalstrand and Jalpa. The singular twist to this settle-
  ment of 1,250 people is the canoemen's boating yards and
  sheds. While cogs are used on riverways farther south,
  northward these canoemen are used individually as
  scouts and collectively as escorts for smaller merchant
  vessels. They are very skilled, and DMs should give
  appropriate proficiencies: the men are fighters of levels
  1-3, have Dexterity scores of 12+1d6, wear leather armor,
  and use throwing knives, short swords and buckler
  shields. They move at 25% faster than normal in their
  very well-designed and compact vessels (average speed
  of 5 miles per hour).
  Strand
  Strand is a village of 900 people with two notable
  features. One is the large walled keep with a garrison
  which keeps watch over the border with Ahlissa and acts
  as a center for spies headed there and also into the lands
  around Rel Deven and beyond. The stable of swift light
  warhorses, and the five resident mages, testify to the
  importance of the place strategically. There is also a small
  shrine to Istus which receives a steady supply of pilgrims,
  for it contains a holy relic; a strand from one of Istus's
  woven webs. The strand is said to be an infallible guide
  in some matters, able to reveal by changing color whether
  a child has the innate skills to be a mage, if a person's
  malady is due to a magical curse or affliction, and more.
  The shrine thus receives a constant trickle of hopeful
  parents and afflicted souls, which provide a constant
  headache for the men of Prince Karralak, one of Xavener's
  younger brothers. They must be sure that none are spies,
  especially of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
  The Lands of Jalpa
  The lands in Farland's fiefdom are similar to those in his
  nephew's dominion, but west of Balaour there is an
  expanse of fairly barren plains which stubbornly refuses
  to yield anything in the way of plant growth beyond
  rank, knotted, ground-hugging yellowed grass. There are
  many tales which explain this blight, but they are only
  fables for a drunken evening by a tavern fire. This is out
  of place in these rich, wealthy lands. Yet, Farland's lands
  The Lands of Darmen
  121
  
  have their share of oddities and in this small but secure
  fiefdom, there is a great deal more than meets the eye.
  Jalpa
  Jalpa is set back several miles from the very shallow and
  sluggish headwaters of the "Little Flanmi," as the riverlet
  east is known.
   Jalpa's 22,500 people are used to affluence. Even more
  than Kalstrand, this city is virtually central to all of
  Aerdy, and as such trade, information, mercenaries, and
  the like flow from all directions into and out of Jalpa. For
  this reason, the city has more hostelries than any other
  city in the Flanaess; some 750 in all. This is why Jalpa is
  no longer so prosperous. Much of that traffic has been
  sharply reduced, especially the Urnst, Nyrondese, and
  Greyhawk caravans which used to come through Almor.
  Perhaps a third of Jalpa's people used to make a living by
  servicing the needs of visitors and travelers, and many
  are finding it hard to scrape a living now. Many
  shopkeepers and artisans have boarded up their shops;
  they did not have the reserves of wealth which have
  sustained Kalstrand. Jalpa was a city of small business
  folk, rather than the dominant wealthy merchants of
  Kalstrand, and this shows.
  Jalpa is also a tenser city than Kalstrand. It is closer to
  places such as Permanence where Ivid's supporters still
  hold sway, and this gives everyone greater pause for
  thought.
  These two factors have brought more villainy to Jalpa
  than to other Darmen cities. Many poorer folk have taken
  to petty theft, mugging, burglary, and worse. More
  refugees from eastern lands have fled here bringing the
  habits of evil lifetimes with them. There are rumors of a
  group of necromancers of Nerull having fled here from
  Rauxes, and wilder versions of the tale say that they have
  a powerful relic in the form of a golden skeleton which
  can be animated at night when Luna is full, striking
  victims with the death gaze of a nabassu. These may be
  fanciful tales, but one won't hear anything like them in
  Kalstrand. The number of overnight disappearances in
  the city lends some credibility to such stories, though of
  course many people are leaving Jalpa to escape creditors
  and penury.
  All this is part of the backdrop to why the urbane,
  conservative Prince Farland is actively promoting his
  nephew's claim to lead House Darmen to the malachite
  throne. Farland senses that if Darmen doesn't head east
  and strike, evils which lie east will come and strike
  Darmen. Farland is assiduously courting allies for his
  relative among free factions such as the rulers of Roqbor-
  ough and Carnifand. And he is marshalling the armies of
  his liegemen, who have a high loyalty to the old but still
  forceful prince. Farland has perhaps 700 mercenary
  troops in and around his city, including imperial desert-
  ers who are selected for a real hatred of Ivid and their old
  commanders.
  Finally, despite its penury in some areas, Jalpa has an
  air of faded magnificence which is distinctively different
  from other Darmen cities. Buildings are upkept more
  poorly than elsewhere, but they often seem to be an
  embodiment of the perfections of classical ideas of archi-
  tecture. Some older temples, mansions, and civic build-
  ings are truly majestic to behold. The most famous is the
  eerie Polyphonium, built by a distant ancestor of Otto the
  mage with the same shared obsession with sound and the
  human voice. With its nested scalloped ceiling and roof
  structures, and bizarre cross-beamed internal structure
  (allegedly designed to allow perfect sound), the place
  looks bewildering. Some claim that metamagical opera-
  tions and illusions using sound distortions can be most
  beneficially practiced and performed here, but the
  Polyphonium's 
  aged—and, 
  ironically,
  half-deaf—gnomish curator doesn't allow any mage
  meddling unless triplicate signed permits from Farland
  himself are presented.
  Balaour
  Balaour may be a trade stopover point, where many
  rivermen unload goods for despatch to Jalpa, but it is a
  stranger and more insular place than most trading posts.
  Houses that have windows here have shutters upon
  them. Virtually no one leaves their homes alone at night,
  and all wear a small neck pendant with the motif of a
  hound's head upon it as a protection. Simply, the 600 folk
  here are intensely superstitious regarding the dreaded
  "black dog" of the western moorlands. Spectral, silent,
  radiating a paralyzing chill and capable of causing almost
  instant death by its fetid breath and raking claws, this
  enormous brute is said to stalk the moor at unpredictable
  times and to slay any it meets. Most disappearances and
  misfortunes which befall anyone in the village are attrib-
  uted to this beast. There are a hundred and one rumors of
  the evil which conjured the creature into being, with the
  commonest version being the tale of an evil mage-priest
  (perhaps a servant of Tharizdun, though the villagers will
  never say that name openly) who buried some fell
  magical item somewhere on the moors, and conjured his
  own nemesis into being. All this would be but ignorant
  superstition if not for the fact that the moor is so barren
  and has patches of treacherous disguised bog which can
  draw down a man into a watery grave in a minute or less.
  Mists and gray clouds hover over and across the moor
  even on some sunny days, and the place radiates a faint
  aura of evil and magic. The name of the village echoes the
  cry the hound is said to make: "baaal... oooo.... urrr."
  Bar Strannach
  This village of 900, strategically placed along the great
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  122
  
  Jalpa-Rel Deven highway, has a legend even more
  peculiar than that of Balaour. In CY 172 a huge fomorian
  giant, said to be 40 feet tall, staggered into the village,
  slew half the occupants, and then screamed some crazed
  and allegedly prophetic utterances regarding the Great
  Kingdom's future history and fate. Collapsing in a ghastly
  fit, the giant spewed forth a book, the Lays of Bar Stran-
  nach which is still preserved in a small shrine to Boccob.
  This shrine also has the spine and skull of the fomorian,
  from which one could estimate the giant to have been
  perhaps 25 feet tall—much less than the embellished
  legend suggests, but still extraordinary.
  The book has endless riddling verses which indeed
  seem to be some kind of prophetic and demagogic work.
  It is possible, with imagination, to see the rise of the
  House of Naelax and its fall in the verses inscribed in Old
  Suloise by its unknown author. Sages and scribes
  regularly travel to consult it, and Mordenkainen
  (disguised) and Philidor (openly) are among them; so,
  too, are representatives of Xavener and Strychan. That
  such luminaries consult this work suggests that it cannot
  be merely pretension and dissimulation, but its riddling
  is so obscure as to confound all but the very wisest of
  those who read it.
  More mundanely, Bar Strannach is home to 100 of
  Farland's excellent light cavalry who protect the roads
  leading to Jalpa and for some 60 miles westward. Along
  the dirawaen road farther west, Rel Deven's men patrol;
  relations between the two groups are generally good, but
  cool.
  The Lands of Torrich
  These lands have the same fertility and general economic
  and social qualities as those of the eastern Darmen lands.
  The major difference is that these lands have more
  western exiles than the other Darmen lands, and there is a
  division of land between Prince Dilweg and Princess
  Bersheba. This leads to even more in the way of political
  intrigue and the use of troop patrols along roads and
  highways as spies. Travelers will be stopped and asked
  the purpose of their journey and destination more often
  here than on other roads. The troops aren't hostile or
  belligerent, but they are very definitely curious and make
  regular reports to their masters describing who they
  encounter.
  Torrich
  Originally built as a castle stronghold on a hill, which
  now lies just north of the main city, it was natural that
  Torrich would soon support a growing population.
  Because the stronghold never fell to bandit, foreigner, or
  feuding Aerdy noble, Torrich gained a reputation as a
  secure, safe place. For this reason it has attracted more
  than its fair share of exiles during and after the Greyhawk
  Wars. Before the Wars it had a population of 19,000,
  including the shanty town which has sprung up east of
  the city. This figure now stands at 27,000. Prince Dilweg,
  landowner of much of the Darmen lands west of the
  Flanmi, is a young, charismatic, and combative man who
  has caught the mood of the population, including young
  Darmen nobles outside his own lands. Dilweg urges a
  strike on Rauxes. And there are many, especially among
  the exiles, who are hot-headed enough to receive this
  message enthusiastically. Dilweg is cunning; he knows
  that as time goes by, Xavener will grow in strength, and
  his only real hope of becoming overking lies in precipi-
  tate action. Death or glory; Dilweg's fate would more
  likely be death, but he doesn't care.
   However, Dilweg is restrained by two factors. One is
  Princess Bersheba. The other is the unmasking in early
  Wealsun of a nest of four Scarlet Brotherhood spies
  posing as silk merchants in the city. Dilweg's watchful
  and perceptive Captain of the Watch, the half-elf Crenel-
  land, intercepted messages and instructions being
  smuggled in silk bales to the spies and arrested and
  executed them. Now, Torrich's troops are very watchful
  and many ordinary people are subjected to random visits
  and searches of their homes and property. Dilweg and
  Crenelland haven't publicized the reason for this, and
  many folk are angered by these intrusions. Dilweg has
  only informed Harnnad among the other major princes,
  hoping to gain his support for Dilweg's ambitions.
  Thus Torrich is overcrowded, rather dirty and decrepit
  in parts, and has an atmosphere of suspicion and resent-
  ment. It also has an unpleasant Thieves' Quarter, mostly
  occupied by mercenaries in Dilweg's service (or ones who
  have come seeking his coin). Trouble flares up there fairly
  often, and in its darker corners half-orc faces can be
  glimpsed and even, it is said, a drow or two. If Dilweg
  has alliances with that race, he is a dangerous power
  player indeed.
  Bersheben's Lands/Forinn
  From her home at Forinn, a village which is rapidly
  growing to town size with 1,900 people, Princess Bershe-
  ben commands a sizeable army. Unusually for Darmen
  nobles, those armies include 800 orcs from the Grand-
  wood. Bersheben usually employs them for raids into that
  wood, and as bodyguards for the hated tithesmen when
  they go collecting. These orcs are unusually well-
  disciplined, and 20% of them have 1+1 to 3+3 HD, and
  use chain mail and shields, giving them AC 4. They are
  detested, but also much feared, by the peasants Bersheben
  treats with contempt. Many minor Darmen nobles hold
  tracts of land within Bersheben's fief, and they stay tight-
  lipped about her. None of them like her, and through the
  years several attempts have been made on her life. She
  has evaded them all, and some will quietly refer to her as
  The Lands of Darmen
  123
  
  "Bersheben the Undying." She laughs at such a title, but
  in truth she is as evil as Ivid himself.
  Spiral
  This highly unusual castle has the form of a double
  square keep with internal mirror imaging and a nest of
  spiral staircases, many of which descend to labyrinthine
  dungeons below. Bersheben uses it as a garrison for
  troops patrolling the Mikar's banks, keeping careful
  watch over Medegia. Harnnden of Nulbish, and Dilweg,
  both pay monies to support this castle since they have a
  vested interest in keeping Medegian madmen or fiends
  well away from their lands. Spiral has been home to one
  of Bersheben's advisors, tucked away in a tower for
  nearly 300 years. Rexifer is a Garasteth lich, whose field
  of study is the Blood War between baatezu and tanar'ri.
  Utterly unconcerned with house politics, he causes no
  problems for Bersheben, though why she visits him once
  a month or so for conclaves is quite unknown. Before the
  wars, such people as Karoolck came to visit Rexifer,
  suggesting that the lich's knowledge of Abyssal and
  Hellish affairs must be very extensive. Rexifer is absent-
  minded and will happily talk for hours about his field of
  study, but Bersheben's troops make certain that no
  uninvited guests get the chance to pick the lich's brains.
  Bersheben's younger sister, Baaneth, one of Darmen's few
  mages, uses her divinational skills and abjurations to
  detect and fend off magical intrusions. And she, too,
  learns much from the lich. Some say Baaneth is every bit
  as wicked and cruel as her sibling, and even more
  dangerous because of her lack of self-control, and magical
  skills; she is 11th-level.
  Willnend
  Largest of the towns in these lands, with a population of
  4,400, Willnend was once a major marketplace with a
  Windmarch fair during Goodmonth. Like Pardue farther
  south, it has an obviously strategic position for trade.
  Now, with so much trade having gone, it is a backwater,
  and precisely for that reason it attracts many folk at a
  loose end—adventurers, grim-faced men returned from
  the horrors of Medegia, a few down-at-heel mercenaries
  seeking work, and the like. No powerful individuals will
  be found here, so this is a good place for lower-level PCs
  to become involved in intrigues. It is a place to pick up
  information about the lands around, since many here
  haven't learned the need to keep their mouths shut when
  they have over-indulged in the cloudy mahogany-brown
  ale known as Beory's Draught which is brewed here.
  The Lands of Nulbish
  Prince Harnnad of Nulbish has a smaller dominion than
  his rivals, but they are rich lands. North of the Thelly the
  land is fecund, and the gemstones found by river panners
  bring in good revenues. Because Harnnad himself has
  retained personal ownership and administration of
  Bluelode, he has become a rich man and thus can afford
  to levy light taxes on his liegemen, helping assure their
  loyalty.
   However, the people of these lands are jumpy and
  paranoid. Memories of the near-fall of Nulbish to Osson's
  men during the wars are still fresh, and families here lost
  many more of their sons to soldiers than elsewhere. The
  unmasking of one of Harnnad's most trusted advisers as
  a Brotherhood spy has leaked into general knowledge.
  This, too, worries people who are far more suspicious of
  strangers than elsewhere in the Darmen lands. One effect
  of this is that propitiation of evil deities such as Hextor
  and even Nerull has become more common here. And
  evil priests are finding more converts to their faiths by the
  day. Increasingly, danger and bandits are infesting these
  lands, and too many of Harnnad's nobles have grown fat
  and careless because of the minimal taxes they have to
  pay their lord.
   Sunndi raiders also have begun to threaten river traffic
  along the southern banks of the Thelly. Elven bowmen
  were not an unexpected threat, but dwarven engineers
  from the Hestmark-Glorioles range have allied with them
  and can mount river blockades with logs and improvised
  rafts overnight, making them truly dangerous. The
  demihumans tend to shoot first and ask questions later.
  They are used to Aerdy men disguising themselves in the
  raiment of good-aligned faiths to confuse them, making
  the elves still more disinclined to parley.
  Nulbish
  Sixteen thousand folk inhabit this city, which has increas-
  ingly become something of a military garrison. Nulbish's
  flotilla of heavy cogs and riverboats bristles with well-
  armed and vicious troops, and many have a mage on
  board as well. Harnnad has shown an awareness of the
  value of mages, not least because the city's military
  commander, Magistar Vlent, is a fighter/mage who has
  become something of a heroic figure after his skilled
  defense of the city during the wars.
  Two months ago, Vlent's right-hand man was exposed
  as a traitor and spy for the Scarlet Brotherhood by Vlent
  himself. None doubt the man's guilt (it needed only
  minimal torture to extract a confession), but many
  whisper that Vlent himself should be suspected by
  association. Harnnad has the wisdom to see that this is
  exactly what the Scarlet Brotherhood would want him to
  think; Vlent is a fine commander, and his loss would be
  irreplaceable. However, what worries the prince is that
  somehow the information about the spy became common
  knowledge, and he cannot discover who leaked it.
  Because that leak has caused public concern, bordering
  The Lands of Darmen
  124
  
  on unrest, he is fairly sure that it must be the work of the
  Brotherhood. Which, in turn, suggests they have another
  spy in his court.
  Nulbish still has war-damaged city walls and perimeter
  guard towers which are currently being repaired before
  the winter. Behind those defenses, the city lacks the
  grandeur of Kalstrand or Jalpa, and city life has a tenser,
  more rushed quality than in those other cities. The priest-
  hood of Hextor is strong here, though they have no
  leading priest of real charisma or power. Harnnad makes
  sure that their loyalty is to him, and not to Ivid, but that
  means that he must maintain constant spying on them.
  Among the mercenary forces brought to reinforce
  Nulbish after Osson's siege and the departure of the
  Glorioles Army are no few orcs, half-orcs, and ex-penal
  militias—tough and brutal creatures Harnnad is proving
  unwilling to release from service. Nulbish has more
  places to avoid than most Darmen cities, and a violent,
  brutal slum quarter filled with exiles and army deserters.
  Even the city watch does not often go there, so one takes
  one's life in one's hands visiting there, especially after
  dark.
  Bluelode
  Bluelode's three linked and walled keeps defend this
  village of 900 people and the vital gem resources of the
  Thelly riverbed. Harnnad's personal elite plate-clad Steel
  Squadron are the guards here and constantly watch over
  the panning. A mage employs a wand of metal and mineral
  detection to meet the quarterly quotas Harnnad lays down
  to keep his coffers full. And any form of theft is punished
  by immediate execution. The keeps, with their very
  strong walls and elite troops, are also said to contain
  dungeon-prisons where Harnnad incarcerates political
  enemies or those he suspects of treachery. And there are
  rumors of a drow torturer with fine interrogation skills
  dwelling below the central keep.
  Citadel of Salt
  Here, a castle is being erected on the site of a keep razed
  by Osson during the wars which once protected an old
  salt trade route from the east, hence the name. Harnnad
  has dwarven prisoners taken from Sunndi. He forces
  them to work on the fortification, their loyalty ensured by
  the fact that their children are kept hostage at Bluelode
  against any possibility of sabotage. Unfortunately, since
  most of the laborers they direct are criminals serving
  forced labor terms, the dwarves cannot keep up with the
  punishing schedule for completing the work (which is
  planned to finish in the summer of 586 CY). The dwarves
  are regularly beaten and brutally treated by their captors,
  many of whom are orcs and half-orcs.
  The citadel is being built as a defensive bastion and
  riverboat base to protect the lands from the folk of
  Sunndi, making their work even more odious to the
  wretchedly unhappy dwarves forced to work here.
  Pardue
  Built where the Mikar and Thelly rivers slowly meander
  toward each other, Pardue is another tradeplace quieter
  than it once was. Its 3,300 people still find fishing and
  farming lucrative, however, and the 600 soldiers posted
  here to protect against the threats from Medegia and from
  the lands south add security to their lives, even if they
  also add an element of brutishness.
  The townsfolk's lives are at least brightened up by the
  open-air antics of Wallzern, a maverick 10th-level priest
  of Olidammara whose satirical and sarcastic songs and
  verses poke fun at virtually all the powerful and noble
  folk of the Darmen lands and beyond. How he manages
  to get away with this without being arrested, exiled, or
  executed is a mystery to most people. He just seems to
  have a charmed life; certainly, the man is too happy with
  the attraction of wine most days to defend himself against
  any serious attempt to dispose of him.
  Sarndt
  Situated along a highway linking Nulbish and Torrich,
  and a natural stopover point for river trade, Sarndt is not
  the simple market village one might expect. Among its
  1,400 people are an enclave of about 90 flinds, which have
  their own little quarter within Sarndt. They have lived
  here for 300 years, descended from enslaved troops
  brought from the Grandwood by a noble who felt that
  their charisma towards gnolls might be useful in dealing
  with the forest gnolls and building up a force of human-
  oid troops.
  That plan never quite worked out, but the descendants
  of the charmed flinds began quietly to take up other
  activities to fill the spare time when they weren't used as
  troops or scouts. Now, Sarndt has a few little flind
  cobbler's shops, flind purveyors of candles, oil, tar, pitch,
  and more. Flinds lack the physical skills for true artisan-
  ship, but their intelligence (the average flind is almost as
  smart as the average human) and lawful alignment has
  made them an effective part of the economy.
  They speak a guttural, half-barked form of Common.
  And while some of the humans of Sarndt detest them,
  most are reconciled to their presence after generations of
  coexistence with little trouble. The flinds are wholly
  urbanized and would not be able to survive in their
  "natural" habitat now. Many present a comical sight,
  dressed in the baggy pantaloons and blouses they gener-
  ally favor, though they don't wear shoes. But they are
  smart and industrious, and the traveler will find that if he
  needs to buy food or some simple equipment long after
  dusk, it will be a flind's shop which will still be open to
  sell it to him. 
  The Lands of Darmen
  125
  
  Wyverntor
  This castle and mine complex is one of the few stable
  settlements south of the Thelly, although bandits and
  Sunndi folk both menace the road headed north from
  here.
  Deposits of rosy quartz, moonstones, and, quite freak-
  ishly, aquamarines are mined here. A handful of dwarves
  and gnomes, some slaves, supervise the mining work.
  Hired hands, convicts in chain gangs, and humanoids do
  most of the back-breaking labor.
  The castle garrison comprises nearly 300 men, with 50
  elite heavy cavalry and four wyvern riders forming the
  major defense. At least two mages are always posted
  here, and spells such as invisibility 10' radius are regularly
  used to protect or disguise gem-carrying cavalry squads
  headed north.
  Personalities of the Darmen Lands
  Princess Bersheben: 9th-level thief (Dex 16, Int 17, Wis
  15, Cha 16). AC 2 (cloak of displacement, ring of protection
  +4), hp 40, AL CE (NE). At 50, Bersheben is beginning to
  turn into something of a matriarch, and she resents the
  intrusion of late middle age. She is short and running to
  fat, which she tries to disguise with corsets and loose,
  flowing gowns. Her features are coarse, and she wears a
  copper-brown wig to cover her own graying and thinning
  hair. Very vain, Bersheba loves being a power broker,
  playing political games. Neither Xavener nor Harnnad
  knows truly where they stand with her. She remains
  inscrutable, her amulet of proof against detection and location
  helping with this.
  Bersheba is a cruel woman, capable of having a house-
  maid flogged to insensibility for not polishing her
  make-up mirror to the point of perfection. Arrogant and
  insensitive, one of her most appalling practices is insist-
  ing on singing to visitors in a voice which sounds like a
  corncake infested with some painful parasite while
  accompanying herself on a mournful, tuneless accordion-
  like instrument.
  Prince Dilweg: 8th-level fighter/9th-level mage (Str
  18/16, Con 17, Int 17, Cha 16). AC -2 (plate mail +2, shield
  +2) or 10, hp 66, AL NE. Dilweg is only 23, and he is
  hot-headed and impetuous. He is handsome: his 5' 11"
  frame is well-muscled, and his brown curly hair is thick
  and lustrous. The prince's glittering green eyes make him
  the object of attraction to many females, and he indulges
  their attentions whenever possible.
  Dilweg is ambitious. He knows how to fawn over
  Bersheba while pulling every string he can with Harnnad.
  He favors an alliance with the House of Cranden to
  oppose Naelax, and he has made some initial overtures
  (without great success) to the western lands. Dilweg's
  major weakness is that he underestimates some of the
  problems House Darmen faces, being all too ready to
  dismiss them out of hand. To be sure, Ahlissa probably is
  no threat to Darmen—but the very possibility shouldn't
  be ruled out as casually and cavalierly as Dilweg does.
  However, his Charisma and his military role in the
  Greyhawk Wars give him real status with young princes.
  And a few Generals are coming round to his idea of a
  swift strike against Ivid while Rauxes is still in confusion.
  Dilweg also has been careful to court Darmen mages,
  making them feel better appreciated and sharing their
  feeling of being undervalued sympathetically.
  Prince Farland: 12th-level fighter (Dex 16, Con 17, Wis
  17, Cha 18). AC -8 (plate mail +5, shield +5), hp 97, AL LE.
  Farland is an old grandee of House Darmen. At 71, he
  improves with age as much as the fine wines he savors so
  much. His thick head of hair is still dark brown, and his
  short-cropped beard is unflecked with gray. His face is
  serene, almost kindly, but his dark brown eyes show the
  iron resolve which, combined with an endless patience,
  makes Farland the outstanding Darmen noble of his
  generation.
  Farland believes passionately that Darmen's time has
  come to rule. He espouses Xavener's cause simply
  because he thinks Xavener is the best candidate. He has
  no desire to be overking himself. He knows that whoever
  rises to lead Darmen will need Bersheba's support, and
  their rivalry is too long, though friendly, for him to be
  able to obtain it.
  He enjoys his power games with Bersheba. He enjoys
  talking to and instructing his spies and emissaries. The
  old man recruits allies where he can, but he is careful.
  And while polite and debonair he rarely trusts anyone
  too much. He always has contingency plans in case his
  first plan, and his back-up plan, fail. This man is the true
  brains behind Darmen's bid for the malachite throne. As
  kingmaker, Farland makes sure he protects himself with a
  retinue of 20 fighters of levels 5-9 and two mages around
  him or his rooms at all times.
  Finally, his magnificent family heirloom, a bejewelled
  longsword +5, is said to be a thousand years old, and
  Farland makes sure it is very visible at all public and
  political engagements.
  Prince Harnnad: 10th-level fighter (Str 18/40, Int 16).
  AC 2 (chain mail +2), hp 57, AL NE. Harnnad, at 35, is
  beginning to go to seed. His belly is too rounded from the
  ale he drinks to excess, and his face is starting to redden.
  He has never been good-looking, being only 5' 6" and
  having pudgy, fat fingers and features. His thin brown
  hair is greasy, and his gray eyes are reddened by the ale
  which broadens his girth. Harnnad has, in truth, never
  recovered from the loss of the woman he loved—his
  reason for hating Xavener. However, the prince has a
  The Lands of Darmen
  126
  
  powerful sense of duty, and Farland has left him no
  doubt that Xavener is the man to lead House Darmen to
  glory. His head tells him to support Xavener's suit; his
  heart cries to him that he will be damned if he will.
  Harnnad has several magical items, not least due to the
  good agencies of Vlent, the 55-year-old fighter/mage
  (levels 11/9) who is the real power and ruler of Nulbish,
  and who is still loyal to Harnnad by virtue of his Lawful
  alignment. The most noteworthy is a magnificent helm of
  comprehending languages and reading magic said to be a
  3,000-year-old Bakluni artifact, which also has the powers
  of ESP and mind shielding, as per the ring. Hence, it is
  hard to lie or conceal secrets when dealing with Harnnad,
  so his fellow princes are often wary of visiting Nulbish to
  deal with him.
  Patriarch Larissen of Zilchus: 19th-level priest (Wis 18,
  Cha 17). AC 0 (chain mail +5), hp 81, AL LN. Larissen is
  66, 6' tall, slender, and slightly stooped. His balding pate
  is offset by splendid graying muttonchop side-whiskers,
  but he has a lined face and heavy bags below his gray
  eyes. Most of his wealth and magical items were lost in
  his flight from Rauxes, and the loss of his money in
  particular is a sore affliction for a patriarch of this faith.
  Larissen would like to begin work as a merchant in
  Kalstrand, but this would be almost accepting Xavener's
  coin to his mind, so he is somewhat lost for a current
  purpose.
  Larissen isn't opposed to Xavener's claim to the
  malachite throne. Indeed, he believes it would be a boon
  if Darmen ascended to that. What annoys the old man is
  the feeling that he is being manipulated and taken for
  granted. Unsure of what to do, Larissen is in some danger
  of losing the respect of his peers unless he makes a clear
  and definitive proclamation soon.
  Prince Xavener: 14th-level thief (Dex 18, Int 18, Wis 15,
  Cha 18). AC -1 (leather armor, ring of protection +5 which
  also confers 10% magic resistance and +4 to saving
  throws versus illusions), hp 59, AL NE. Xavener is 37, a
  handsome man with perfect skin, light brown curly hair,
  hazel eyes, and a smile which seems to show more perfect
  white teeth than humans normally have. With his perfect
  manners, shows of modesty, and self-effacing comments,
  Xavener can also add an easy, light sense of humor to his
  social assets—in public, anyway. His beautiful wife
  Rachern is the envy of all men who look upon her, and
  with their 6-year-old twin daughters, this appears a
  charming family. Xavener is almost impossible to
  dislike—unless one sees behind the public appearance.
  Xavener is consumed with ambition. He would, in
  truth, do or say almost anything to ascend the malachite
  throne. He would even betray his own royal house, or
  cast his daughters to the fiends of the Abyss to be ripped
  limb from limb if it would get him what his black heart
  craves so badly. Xavener longs for absolute power, and
  cares not who must suffer so long as he gets it. Heartless
  and cruel, this is a man virtually without a soul. But he is
  cunning, brilliant, and manipulative, and his only current
  regret is that he cannot assassinate Dilweg since that
  would throw House Darmen into uproar. And the blame
  would definitely be laid at his door.
  Xavener is a psychopath. His unique ring, coupled with
  an amulet of mind shielding which blocks all mind-probing
  or mind-affecting spells, prevents anyone from knowing
  his true nature (and his wife, though evil herself, does not
  know the full measure of the monster she married). He
  would be a fitting replacement for Ivid, in his way, and
  infinitely more dangerous. 
  The Lands of Darmen
  127
  
  Pop.: 520,000
  Capital: Zelradton (pop. 10,000)
  Ruler: Graf Reydrich
  Rulership: Medium (high in cities)
  Cost Multiplier: 125%
  A Land of Intrigues
  South Province, or Ahlissa, has for many decades been a
  land of political intrigues, treachery, and nepotism. It
  always has been divided into a larger number of smaller
  fiefs than most of the Great Kingdom, and there is no
  dominant royal house here. Naelax and Darmen are the
  largest, but South Province is a patchwork quilt of
  competing, rival nobles of all houses. Backstabbing
  (metaphorical and literal), petty feuding, and even
  prolonged outbreaks of major land conflicts have been
  the staple fare of the noble life here.
  For nearly 30 years, three rulers of the same name
  —Herzog Chelor—kept Ahlissa stable. They did this
  through repression and fear of the magical power and
  fiendish aid which both they, and their relative the overk-
  ing, could bring to bear on any rebelling against them.
  Since South Province lacked any truly powerful nobles,
  with large landholdings and powerful armies, the
  Chelors stayed in control.
  Ivid executed the third Chelor during the Greyhawk
  Wars, a fair reward for his cousin's dithering. Indeed,
  most of the Naelax-Selor House perished with the
  Chelors at the hands of Ivid's executioners and assassins.
  Ahlissan armies did not readily march to war against
  Nyrond, and they suffered humiliating defeats at the
  hands of Osson of Almor. This was, indeed, a pitiful
  display by the Herzog's armies. For some years before the
  wars, Ahlissan armies had threatened the Iron League
  nations, and Chelor had built a powerful standing army
  around the Province.
  In mitigation, it must be said that Osson's attack was
  wholly unexpected.
   At the height of Osson's invasion, Chelor begged aid
  from his cousin. The army which arrived was too late to
  deal with Osson, but it also had orders to detain Chelor.
  The Herzog and most of his senior advisers were brought
  to Ivid and summary justice was dispensed.
  Among 
  those 
  advisers 
  was 
  Reydrich, 
  Chelor's
  archmage and himself a prince of the House of Naelax.
  Reydrich denounced Chelor to Ivid, and saved his own
  skin in the process. On the highly dubious grounds that
  his brother was an admiral of the Prymp fleet, Reydrich
  was pronounced ruler of the province. If this seems an
  extraordinary happening, one has to remember that Ivid
  is insane. Reydrich seemed the only major Ahlissan noble
  who was not obviously conspiring against him.
  Reydrich consolidated his position swiftly. All Chelor's
  ex-cronies were swiftly eliminated. Many were said to
  have been sent to Rauxes to suffer the Endless Death. By
  doing this, Reydrich made himself undisputed head of
  the House of Naelax in Ahlissa. Secondly, he spread
  general fear among all the nobles of the province; the
  mage clearly had the ear of the overking. In point of fact,
  few of Reydrich's rounded-up victims ever reached
  Rauxes; the story that they met with the most dreaded of
  all punishments was a rumor spread by Reydrich's servi-
  tors. Most of them were simply executed by Reydrich
  himself.
  Reydrich took two further steps to cement his
  dominance. He carefully gained the support of the
  military generals and commanders of Ahlissa. Second, he
  made it known that he, like the overking, had dealings
  with fiends. Now, since Reydrich had been to Rauxes and
  returned—and Chelor had been executed—and since
  Reydrich, like Ivid, had dealings with fiends, most nobles
  readily accepted that Reydrich was clearly favored by
  Ivid. That gave Reydrich enough time to make sure he
  had Ahlissa secure as his own fief.
  Since the Greyhawk Wars, Reydrich has remained
  reasonably firmly in control. There are none to offer him
  serious opposition. The archmage sits secure in Zelradton
  and is reasonably content. He has no interest in the
  malachite throne. Ahlissa is a fertile and fair fief, and the
  land is large enough for his ambitions (at least, so far). On
  a personal whim, he has resurrected the archaic title of
  Graf.
  However, many little princelings are quietly carving up
  little portions of Ahlissa for themselves. Some fight each
  other to expand their dominions. Some make quiet
  alliances with foreign forces. Many of the Darmen princes
  occupying lands west of the Thelly have made it quietly
  known to Xavener that they will support his bid for the
  malachite throne if he secures and expands their
  landholdings in Ahlissan.
  Finally, Reydrich is not just an archmage who has
  emerged from nowhere. He served all three Chelors, and
  his own ancestors are steeped in the history of this land.
  He can trace his family line back more than 400 years, to
  mages as grim as Reynevar the Snakeheaded and Allrey-
  nen the Gripper. He has tomes filled with the genealogies
  and histories of all the princes of the land. While fortu-
  nate fate may have brought Reydrich to rulership, he is
  not ill-prepared for it.
  Around the Land
  South Province has many neighbors, and Reydrich is
  much occupied with thoughts of how to deal with them.
  West, the affairs of House Darmen do not occupy him too
  much. He has refused to ally with that house to
  overthrow Ivid, and he considers Darmen no threat.
   To the north, the ravaged lands around Almor give
  Reydrich and the nobles living nearby some pause for
  South Province
  128
  
  thought. Reydrich is inclined to support House Cranden.
  And while thoroughly evil himself, he supplies Prince
  Carwend of Rel Deven with little in the way of aid and
  information. He sees Rel Deven as a vital buffer between
  Ahlissa and the fiendish force of Almor, and this policy
  has found favor with the petty nobles of the lands adjoin-
  ing Rel Deven.
  Along Relmor Bay, South Province is engaged in a
  sporadic piratical war with Nyrond. The fleets of Prymp
  and Shargallen raid southern Nyrond, seeking slaves,
  plunder, and food. In return, Nyrondese vessels raid
  Ahlissa's northern coast and, indeed, mounted a major
  raid on Prymp itself in Coldeven. This piracy is still
  relatively small-scale because neither side seeks all-out
  war and neither has a truly dominant fleet. Still, this
  gives Reydrich concern. For one thing, building up
  defenses such as city walls is expensive, and local rulers
  demand help with such constructions which Reydrich is
  loath to give.
  It is to the south and west that South Province has most
  problems. Southeast, beyond the long spur of the Hollow
  Highlands, lies Sunndi. The folk of that free land have no
  liking for the rulers and nobles of South Province. The
  tract of land between the Grayflood and the Rieuwood is
  hard for Reydrich to defend. Indeed, he has decided to
  abandon it, building the Grayflood Keeps as a fall-back
  defensive line.
  Reydrich seeks an alliance with the beleaguered
  dwarves of Irongate. This is for the simple reason that,
  should Irongate fall, South Province would then have a
  very long border with lands in the grip of the Scarlet
  Brotherhood. This is a situation which Reydrich fears
  above all. As yet, the Brotherhood fleet in Onnwal has
  not menaced South Province, and Reydrich has not
  discovered any spies of the Brotherhood in his land. But
  he knows very well how the Brotherhood acts, and he
  knows that if Irongate falls, South Province will be
  impossibly vulnerable.
  The dwarves of Irongate have greeted Ahlissan
  emissaries with great uncertainty. Certainly, the food
  South Province can offer is badly needed, but they don't
  trust Reydrich an inch. There is a long history of disputes,
  skirmishes, even major battles in the Iron Hills fought
  between the dwarves and the rulers of South Province.
  Reydrich is too new a ruler for the dwarves to change
  their minds about matters in such a short space of time.
  South Province's position is thus not an easy one. It is
  ringed with enemies and uncertainties. The only advan-
  tage Reydrich has is that he does, at least, know
  accurately who those enemies are, and he has generally
  acted wisely in his short period of rulership to take
  precautions against them.
  Exiles and Factions
  The population of South Province has actually grown by
  nearly a third from pre-war days. Many people have fled
  here from Almor, troubled central lands, and even as far
  away as Medegia.
  These exiles have brought problems with them. While
  Ahlissa is fertile and large enough to support them, they
  have been ruthlessly exploited by landowners and even
  peasant farmers live as little better than slaves. Some of
  them actually are slaves, and are rounded up as such by
  local armies and militias. Diseases have followed these
  refugees, and the more desperate of them have resorted
  to theft, burglary, and even banditry. By and large, the
  exiles are not strong enough to be an important threat,
  and few were able to bring many belongings with them,
  so they pose little threat to public order. But some have,
  in turn, fled Ahlissa and settled in the lands south of the
  Grayflood. There, in alliance with Sunndi folk, they are
  an increasing menace.
  So far as power factions other than the nobility go, the
  military are the dominant power. South Province has
  always maintained large armies and has a fair naval force
  and sizeable, well-trained militias. The province's gener-
  als are men of power. The commanding generals have a
  secret society all of their own, with secret meetings,
  symbolic handshake greetings, and other trappings. To
  them, loyalty to their fellows is more important than any
  house affiliations.
   There is no dominant priesthood. The full range of
  Aerdy priesthoods can be found, save for good-aligned
  ones. But Chaotic faiths are strongly disapproved of
  (Reydrich, the Chelors, and the military leaders all
  strongly tend to Lawful alignments). Neither is there any
  strong secular faction such as the merchants of Darmen.
  Rather, individual areas may have strong local factions,
  but these are usually down to powerful and charismatic
  individuals rather than any strong organization.
  Locations and Settlements
  Half of the Bonewood is within South Province, but this
  location is detailed in the following chapter.
  Benkend
  Benkend is a sizeable village of 2,000 which has tradition-
  ally been an important recruiting-post for mercenaries
  and soldiers from the Thelwood. Now it is both an
  important trading post with Rel Deven and a spying
  station for keeping watch on Rel Deven, the Bonewood,
  and Almor. It is also a hotbed of intrigue, for within 20
  miles there are Naelax, Darmen, Cranden, and two
  Torquann princes who continually struggle for ascen-
  dancy and the right to extract tolls along the roads to and
  South Province
  129
  
  from this busy place.
  Prince Quaansheek, one of the Torquann princes whose
  lands lie southeast of the village, is known to have a
  magical war banner which his heavy cavalry employ.
  This gives bonuses to morale and to charging speed for
  cavalry, and is also said to grant temporary immunity to
  magical fear.
  The course of the roadway to the west of the village is
  diverted some three miles south of the original route, for
  a stretch of 12 miles or so. The old roadway is still clearly
  visible as overgrown tracks, and at intervals along it there
  are gigantic humanoid footprints, an inch deep and more
  than a yard in length. These are said to have simply
  appeared overnight a hundred or so years ago, and some
  locals say they fill with blood as an omen of dire warning.
  This happened just before Chelor's abduction by Ivid's
  armies, and on the night before Chathold was razed to
  the ground. What form of being made them, and when
  they will again convey their gruesome warning, is
  unknown.
  Strange and wondrous beasts have been reported stalk-
  ing this old roadway by night, and the track radiates a
  dim abjuration magic.
  The Calling Mines
  Guarded by 400 Hexpools army men, this silver mine
  brings vital money into that city. The miners here are
  mostly slaves, with a small handful of captured Sunndi
  dwarves and gnomes among them.
  The mines take their name from the eerie, faint voices
  which whisper to the miners in the deeper and richer
  mine shafts. Perhaps a quarter of those who work here
  come to hear them; most do not, and there does not seem
  to be any obvious reason why only some hear these
  voices. Everyone who does hears something different.
  Some hear the calling of a dread ghost or malign spirit.
  Others hear svirfnebli calling that they will come to
  rescue them. Some hear the seductive voices of succubi
  and recoil in terror. The mines claim many lives through
  accident and the occasional monster, but they claim as
  many minds as they do bodies, for many become insane
  here.
  No one knows the true nature of the creatures doing the
  calling or, indeed, whether there truly are any. All
  manner of wild rumors concern these beings, and tales of
  the magic and/or treasure which may lie below the mine
  shafts circulate in the lands around.
  The Grayflood Keeps
  Three stone keeps are in the process of construction at the
  sites shown on the map. Two more are planned farther
  east along this river. Slave labor is used for building,
  together with convicts. Because speed is deemed to be
  vital, mages use levitation and Tenser's floating disc spells
  to speed up building work. Half of them are low-level
  mercenaries, many being apprentices fleeing the wrath of
  their masters for some reason or another (such as fleeing
  with a choice selection of master's spell books, hoping to
  sell them for badly needed gold).
  If an adventurer wanted to hear interesting tales about
  some of Aerdy's more powerful mid-level mages, pouring
  plenty of ale or wine down the throat of these malcon-
  tents would be a good way to go about it.
  South of these keeps, with their strong garrisons, the
  lands are increasingly anarchic. While South Province
  patrols still try to protect the richer and more fertile
  farmsteads, the border lands of the Glorioles, Rieuwood,
  and Hollow Highlands all offer excellent shelter for
  bandits, Sunndi raiders, army deserters, and worse. There
  have been several reports of monsters, possibly liberated
  by the Scarlet Brotherhood, including warped and
  mutated creatures of real ferocity. A manticore with
  poisonous spines and a fringe of venomous snakes
  around the crown of its head was destroyed recently, and
  its head is mounted in the feast hall of the westernmost
  keep. Little wonder that Reydrich desires to fall back to
  the readily defensible position these keeps will offer,
  when completed.
  Hexpools
  Hexpools is an extraordinary sight. Its great limestone
  walls stand 30' high, and while some 11,000 people live
  here, the city is larger than most holding three times this
  number.
  Dominating 
  the 
  city 
  are 
  the 
  famed 
  hexpools
  themselves. There are six of these, arranged in a hexagon
  pattern around the margins of the city and within its
  walls. Each is a hexagon of limestone, some 100' from
  side to side, with 10' high walls with the pool sunk some
  30' into the ground. A complex of fountains and
  aqueducts rings each great pool. Elemental magic draws
  up great streams of water from underground aquifers and
  powers the fountains and waterwheels which in turn
  power the mills of the city.
  Most of the water is removed from the city through
  great ducts to form the headwaters of the Grayflood, but
  some is forced upward by magical means so that the
  battlements of the city walls have powered water streams
  running their full length both in carved channels and in
  pipes built into the walls. The latter can be accessed
  through valves, and if the city were to be attacked its
  defenders can, in effect, use high-powered water cannons
  to assault attackers getting too close to the formidable
  walls of the city.
  This powerful complex of water magic was built into
  the city by the mage Farlockend nearly 300 years ago.
  Statues of the mage can be found in many places in
  Hexpools, and he is almost a local saint. Mention of his
  South Province
  130
  
  name is always followed by an incantation of "blessings
  on him!" Farlockend's descendants administer Hexpools
  as an hereditary aristocratic council. Such is Farlockend's
  fame and reputation that no matter how inept they
  become no Hexpooler will rebel against them. To do so,
  they believe, will ensure that Farlockend's magic will turn
  against them, perhaps drowning every soul in the city
  overnight.
  The need for these defenses, and the 1,200 troops here,
  grows monthly as refugees and Sunndi forces, especially
  dwarves, grow more daring from their bases in the
  Hollow Highlands and the lands south of the Grayflood.
  Hexpools' rulers actively seek mercenary bounty hunters
  to destroy these enemies. About 200 evil mercenaries—a
  collection of small adventuring groups, some groups of
  army deserters from central Aerdy, and even a squad of
  16 orcs and half-orcs led by a plate-clad orog on a
  monstrous black stallion—can be found here. 
  Icespire
  This keep, with its lighthouse and continual light beacon,
  is now deserted. Until 20 years ago, this was a manned
  beacon for vessels headed into or from the Sea of Gearnat,
  but a mage attending the magical beacon ventured into
  the caves south of the keep and discovered something
  which transformed the place. The 120 people at Icespire
  were slain in an instant and the place frozen into a
  mausoleum. Chelor sent a strong force to investigate;
  only two of them returned, both insanely babbling.
  Magical scrying attempts also resulted in those casting
  the divination spells to suffering traumatic amnesia,
  madness, and even death. Now Icespire stands, as its
  name suggests, as a pinnacle of blue ice, gleaming in the
  sun. The temperature is desperately cold (-50 C) for
  several miles south of the keep, and no one has ventured
  into this forbidding promontory for many years. 
  Ker Bazainn
  This grim fortress has guarded the land passage between
  the hills, south to Idee, for more than two centuries. Now
  it is a vital strategic guard against the forces of the Scarlet
  Brotherhood, and around the castle two keeps and
  curtain walls are being constructed by Reydrich to form a
  defensive bastion.
  Ker Bazainn is a six-towered castle which is both evil
  and magical in itself. During its construction, the blood
  and ichor of many creatures—human, humanoid, magical
  monsters and (so it is said) fiends—saturated the
  limestone blocks used for building. Certainly, the castle
  has powerful defenses against fire, acid, impacting siege
  weapons and the like. One tale tells of a powerful priest
  of Beory using an earthquake spell to afflict the castle after
  a deranged noble there had sacrificed hundreds of souls
  on its grim stones, only to find that the castle levitated
  and then resettled on safe ground. This is probably
  another tall story, but the brooding fortress surely has
  many secrets within it.
  What is known for certain is that 2,000 troops are
  stationed here, though at any one time probably a third of
  that number patrol the lands around. There are also
  fiends in Ker Bazainn said to have been summoned by
  Reydrich himself. To date, only abishai and barbazu have
  been seen, but recent reports of a creature very like a
  gelugon have filtered back to distant lands.
  One of Reydrich's apprentices, Tarrak, lives full-time at
  Ker Bazainn and has clearly been at work tapping the
  magic of the place. Broiling acidic mists and fetid stinking
  clouds have been seen rolling southward, but stopping
  short of penetrating too far into Idee. Tarrak's true nature
  is unknown to most, for the mage enjoys using alteration
  spells to appear as a drow, an orc, a male human, or even
  as an ogre. She is known to have captive charmed
  monster companions, including a pair of leucrotta which
  she uses as hunting animals—usually to pursue human or
  demihuman quarry.
  Ker Bazainn is further defended by a pack of 40 or so
  wolfhound/worg crosses with the statistics of worgs.
  These animals are superbly well-trained and utterly
  ferocious (Morale 15). The strength of this place is testi-
  mony to how deeply Reydrich fears the Scarlet Brother-
  hood. It is also a prison. Reydrich generally does not
  execute those who oppose him, considering that they
  might be useful as hostages, for ransom, or that their
  loyalty 
  might 
  after 
  all 
  be 
  gained 
  through
  "encouragement" in the dungeons of this place.
  The Lantern Road (Ports)
  This long, sweeping coastal road is aptly named. For
  centuries this coast has been a haven for smugglers and
  pirates, guiding vessels into small coves and bays by
  lantern signalling. In more recent times beacons of contin-
  ual light have been installed and maintained at the
  Lantern Ports as the villages and small towns along the
  coast are collectively known. Piracy and smuggling are
  still commonplace here. The increasing power of the
  Scarlet Brotherhood has made the local seamen more
  fearful of traveling too far west, into the Azure Sea to the
  Wild Coast they once raided, or to points beyond. Now,
  most of them raid southern Nyrond, or even each other.
  Several villages and towns are shown on the map.
  These are deliberately left for the DM to develop as small
  settlements. They are all dangerous places, with many of
  Chaotic Evil alignment in particular. In addition to
  pirates and smugglers, bandits, assassins, and thieves are
  commonplace. Life is cheap indeed in these settlements.
  From time to time, one of the Ahlissan navy vessels
  from the larger bases at Prymp, Shargallen, or Trennen-
  port will be anchored in the bay, re-provisioning or
  South Province
  131
  
  chasing a pirate who had the audacity to raid another
  Ahlissan port. However, there are no permanent naval
  stations in these ports; even the Ahlissan navy, half of
  whom have a piratical past themselves, fear to spend a
  night in one of these nasty little backwaters.
  Prymp
  A walled city of 16,300 people, Prymp is the major base
  for the Ahlissan navy. At any given time, half the Ahlis-
  san force of 22 cogs and coasters, seven galleys, and four
  galleons are either here or within a day's sailing time of
  the city. Keeping close to port is a reaction to the Nyron-
  dese raid on Prymp earlier this year (585 CY). Fleet
  Admiral Llarnen is a cautious man by nature in any
  event.
  Prymp is a cruel, harsh city. It always has been admin-
  istered by a military council, comprising the ruler of
  South Province, the Fleet Admiral, and the commander-
  general of the Ahlissan armies, General Reynard. The
  similarity of name to Reydrich is coincidental.
  Law here is military-based, and the rulership level for
  this city is high. Prymp is a major center for the vile trade
  of slavery, and in truth virtually anything is for sale here,
  including the loyalty of many of its mercenary and black-
  hearted defenders. Many are ex-slaves, pirates of old, or
  simply chaotic and utterly untrustworthy souls held in
  check by the rigid Lawfulness of the city's rulers.
  Prymp never has been a decorative or pleasant city, and
  after the damage caused by the Nyrondese the city verges
  on the decrepit in many areas. There are still ruined
  buildings, fire-scorched areas toasted by the fireballs of
  Nyrondese mages, and worse. Some back streets of
  Prymp are little better than open sewers. Evil cults flour-
  ish here, whether it be the notorious assassins' guild of
  the city or furtive and unspeakable rites practiced by
  devotees of Nerull or other such deities in the squalid and
  neglected city cemetery. Prymp's undercity is extensive
  and even more dangerous than the streets above. A
  complex and extensive series of underground ducts for
  draining away high tidal waters combines with burial
  vaults, natural fissures in the limestone bedrock, and
  secret passages used by assassins and worse to form a
  huge area of only partly-mapped caverns, tunnels, and
  vaults. Some of these areas are permanently underwater,
  others flood occasionally. Monsters such as ropers,
  various forms of cave lizards, moray eels, cave fishers,
  and others infest some areas of the Undercity, while some
  claim that there is a deep and interdicted nest of Kuo-toa
  far below the city. There are even tales of an underwater
  complex occupied by a lich and undead very like sea
  zombies.
  Treasure and magic still draw the brave or foolhardy
  into this dangerous territory. Among those reputed treas-
  ures, there is known to be a sacred relic of Pholtus,
  warded and sealed up here by the last of a desperate
  priesthood chased into the farthest recesses of the Under-
  city by pursuing assassins in Ivid's employ. It is believed
  to be a cloak, granting the wearer (if a faithful follower of
  Pholtus) protection from evil 10' radius, a +4 bonus against
  all spells and spell-like effects cast by evil enemies, and
  other benefits. The cloak is important enough to have
  attracted the interest of Mitrik, but an adventuring group
  sent in disguise in Fireseek of the current year to fetch it
  did not return. This relic, and who knows what else, is
  still there for those valiant enough to seek it.
  Shargallen and Trennenport
  These two small towns are very alike. Both are walled,
  have similar populations (2,900 in the western port, 3,100
  in Shargallen), and both are important secondary naval
  bases. Shargallen is most noteworthy for a small sect of
  worshipers of Beltar, who have an unparalleled knowl-
  edge of the coastal caves the length of the Relmor Bay
  coastline. Several of them still hold buried treasures,
  caches of gold left by pirates who never lived to return to
  claim them, and a festering evil of some kind—a necro-
  mancer's cavernous laboratory, perhaps, or some malign
  minor magical artifact.
  Trennenport, on the other hand, is a busier port, not
  least because of its proximity to Onnwal. As the major
  western port along the coastline, its walls and defenses
  are being strengthened, and there is something very
  unusual being done underneath the sea walls. A force of
  nearly 100 sahuagin are commanded by the sinister mage
  Bortwimn here. They constantly dive into the shoreline
  waters, fetching and carrying stone, strangely-shaped and
  rune-etched plaques, and other oddities. Exactly what is
  being built below the waters is unknown, and heavily-
  armed troops discourage any over-curious soul from
  getting anywhere close enough to find out.
  Zelradton
  Zelradton is not a large city, though its population has
  been swollen with an influx of refugees. But it is a mighty
  one, and it is the center of power of South Province.
  Historically, the Aerdi established the city as a military
  stronghold, defending the unnamed silver and iron mines
  in the fringes of the Hollow Highlands.
  For centuries, raids were made from here into the Iron
  Hills, seeking dwarven treasures and slaves, and adven-
  turers from the city brought fame and wealth back from
  the passage-ridden, cavernous Hollow Highlands. There
  are more tales of famous dungeon exploits in Zelradton
  than in any other Aerdy city, because of the proximity of
  two hill ranges with their treasures of old. Nowadays, the
  Hollow Highlands have been exhausted of minerals,
  treasures and tall tales.
  Reydrich, ruler of the city, lives in a majestic tower
  South Province
  132
  
  which has been built within the past year. Since it is 140'
  high, and doubtless has extensive dungeons, it is clear
  that he must have had magical aid in its construction. The
  slaves, dwarves, and trio of stone giants Reydrich
  recruited from some unknown place could not have
  finished the work so swiftly. Indeed, Reydrich made sure
  that visiting princes saw the dergholoths at work inside
  the place, their five-armed bodies and great strength
  being very useful in carrying and lifting immense
  weights. Reydrich let it be known that these horrors were
  just the tip of the iceberg, and that more powerful fiend-
  ish aid was on hand. It got his tower built, and it made
  sure the princes had a healthy respect for the
  archmage-ruler.
  The great armies of Zelradton dominate the city. Little
  used in the wars, they remain in good morale and deter-
  mination. Among their leaders, the talk is of the threat to
  the Scarlet Brotherhood and the need to strike against
  Onnwal and Idee. There is a general view that, if these
  lands could be annexed, it would protect Ahlissa from
  the Brotherhood and secure a valuable naval base, Scant,
  and eventually allow the army to annex Irongate as well.
  Because the army doesn't have a great deal to do, such
  fighting talk is on the increase.
  All this does not go unnoticed by the Brotherhood.
  They have a key spy here, the inquisitioner of the city,
  Karnquiza. The inquisitioner is an important post histori-
  cally; this man is responsible for ferreting out the ruler's
  enemies and then "interrogating" them. He also adminis-
  ters the city's forbidding and grim prison with its chained
  and shackled penal slaves used for building work and
  stone-breaking. The average prisoner has a life expec-
  tancy of less than 18 months, so most people here have a
  healthy respect for the law.
   Reydrich is suspicious of Karnquiza, not because he
  has any evidence of his treachery, but because he instinc-
  tively distrusts anyone with so much power. Rather than
  act directly against him, what Reydrich has done is to
  appoint his own relatives to be "understudies" and assis-
  tants to Karnquiza. Thus, the city's assistant head jailer is
  one of his cousins, while his nephew Tarannis has been
  appointed as a liaison between the army and Karnquiza
  in his intelligence-gathering role.
  Thus, the wily Graf cramps Karnquiza's scope for
  action. Karnquiza's position grows very difficult, for he
  has so much covert activity as a spy and also as the
  Hidden Sickle of the cult of Midnight Darkness. His
  lengthy entry in the personalities section below gives
  further details.
  Because Zelradton is home to the Ahlissan ruler, and is
  so militarily powerful, the city is awash with spies and
  representatives of other Aerdy factions. Xavener of
  Kalstrand keeps a staff of three diplomats and several
  hulking bodyguards, ever seeking to recruit Reydrich to
  his cause—or at least to make sure the Graf remains
  neutral. A military attache from Rel Deven with his staff
  are here to discuss integrating patrols around the
  Bonewood, and also to negotiate division of toll
  payments along the roads between the cities.
  The most noteworthy recent addition to this number is
  the dwarf Cragden Keephand, an invited emissary from
  Irongate. Reydrich is actively courting Irongate as an ally,
  because he feels that if Irongate falls to the Scarlet Broth-
  erhood then Ahlissa would be severely threatened.
  Cragden is aware that while Reydrich may be sincere in
  this view, there are many army leaders here who see
  Irongate as a very desirable bastion and seek to eventu-
  ally conquer it.
  The Irongate dwarves decided to send their emissary
  simply because it gave them an agent in Zelradton who
  could keep them informed of events in the city. Cragden
  has mercenary spies in Zelradton, paid with Irongate
  gold. PCs seeking a dangerous and intriguing time here
  could find him a rewarding employer.
  Zelradton is a city waiting for momentous events to
  pass. With a large and increasingly restless army seeking
  glory and battle, spies, fiends, agents of Nerull and more,
  this frontier city offers a considerable scope for PCs.
  Personalities of South Province
  The Military
  Fleet Admiral Llarnen: 14th-level fighter (Str 17, Int 17,
  Cha 15). AC 1 (chain mail of command +4, shield not used),
  hp 80, AL NE. Llarnen is Reydrich's brother, and is loyal
  to him simply because he knows that Reydrich must trust
  him, and it favors him to have a brother as ruler. Exactly
  50 years of age, Llarnen is 5' 11", of medium build, with
  wavy brown hair flecked with gray and hazel eyes. He is
  rather fond of his impressive uniforms, and he is
  something of a fop. His record as a naval commander is
  not one of glory and triumph, but it is also one unmarred
  by serious military blunders—and in Aerdy that is
  unusual. Owner of a bowl commanding water elementals
  specifically made for him by Reydrich, and usable by a
  fighter, Llarnen's kudos is further increased by his scimi-
  tar +4 which allows him to water walk once a day for 12
  turns and also to create airy water once a day for the same
  duration.
   Llarnen is cruel, hated by his men for the floggings he
  prescribes so liberally. He is also rich, from piracy and the
  sale of slaves. His home contains overflowing chests of
  gold and trinkets from around all the oceans of Oerth.
  Many have tried to ransack it, but few have come away
  even with their lives.
  General Reynard: 19th-level fighter (Str 18/97, Con 18,
  Wis 17, Cha 17). AC -2 or better (plate mail +5 of missile
  repulsion, see below; shield not used), hp 152, AL LE.
  South Province
  133
  
  "Reynard the Fox" is an overused expression, but it fits
  this wily old brute perfectly. Reynard is 78 years old, but
  he has a magical homunculus crafted by Chelor's old
  archmage (with fiendish aid) which, so long as it
  survives, gives him almost perfect longevity. On the first
  day of the year, the homunculus must drain the life force
  of a sentient adult demihuman in an especially grim
  ritual. Then Reynard will not age for the forthcoming
  year. However, there is a 5% chance the ritual fails and
  Reynard ages normally. Thanks to this magic, Reynard is
  physically only in his mid-30s. Not knowing his true
  secret, some whisper that he is a vampire, or a fiend in
  human form.
   Standing 6' 8", the powerfully-built general has wavy
  brown hair and eyes which are dark brown—almost
  black when he treats someone to his infamous, fixing
  stare. His magical black lacquered plate mail gives him
  an additional -4 AC bonus against all missile fire and has
  further powers; it allows him a saving throw vs. spells to
  negate the effects of an arrow of slaying, it grants free
  action, and provides a +4 to saving throws versus
  illusion/phantasm spells. Reynard also owns a bone-
  hilted vorpal bastard sword with the powers of detecting
  enemies and sharpness, a fearsome weapon which he
  claims was taken from the Hells themselves.
  Reynard is of the House of Naelax, but he spurns
  almost all of his kin. He believes the house has grown
  weak and effete and has degenerated into madness.
  Viciously puritanical, Reynard considers Reydrich a
  better lot altogether, since he is clearly eager to treat the
  army well and has made it clear to Reynard that war
  against Onnwal or Idee must come within two years at
  the most. Reynard is eager for battle now, having been
  prevented by Chelor from any overexertion in the
  Greyhawk wars.
  Reynard is probably the finest general Aerdy has
  known for decades, even centuries. He was a prime target
  for Ivid's revivification program, but Chelor prevented
  Reynard from attending the overking—the only good
  thing Chelor ever did in Reynard's eyes. Reynard is a
  dangerous, brutally evil disciplinarian whose armies are
  thoroughly drilled and disciplined, and as a leader he
  strikes fear into all who oppose him. He is a master
  military strategist and historian, and he owns the finest
  collection of books on all aspects of warfare, from mythic
  histories of ancient Oeridian, Suel, and Bakluni civiliza-
  tions down to memoirs of his best predecessors. That
  collection of tomes alone is almost priceless.
  Midnight Darkness
  The position of this group in Zelradton is peculiar and
  dangerous. Preceptor Erkann is based here; he knows of
  Jipzinker in Rauxes, while in turn Plandarn Relshefer of
  Edge Field is aware of Erkann's identity. However,
  Karnquiza is also in the city, his true identity known to
  none of the preceptors. This allows Karnquiza to observe
  Erkann, and to get most of what he wants done indirectly
  through Erkann. Since Karnquiza is responsible for most
  of the "civilian surveillance" in Zelradton, it is thus easy
  for him to shield Erkann.
  Erkann the Antiquary: 11th-level thief (Dex 17, Int 16).
  AC 1 (leather armor +4), hp 41, AL NE. Erkann became a
  devotee of Nerull after having his alignment magically
  altered by contact with an artifact of the deity, and was
  guided by visions to make contact with Jipzinker who
  drew him into Nerull's killing cult. Previously, the
  38-year-old thief had fronted as a collector and dealer in
  antiquities while following his chosen profession of
  burglary (and he still possesses a remarkable array of
  specialized items assisting this craft). Slightly built at 5' 7"
  and of unnoteworthy appearance, Erkann had a reputa-
  tion around Zelradton as a man worth seeing if one had
  an interest in bric-a-brac, curios, and trinkets from far-off
  lands. If he didn't have what one was looking for, he
  probably knew something about it. (DM note: allow
  Erkann bardic proficiency in legend lore for any obscure
  magical, or historical, items.)
  Erkann's career as a killer has been slow to develop, but
  his current targets are the dwarves who now trade a little
  with Zelradton and visitors from the western lands
  whom he suspects of being of good alignments. He is still
  tense and nervous before his slayings, since he is neither
  strong nor especially swift. But the homicidal mania
  which grips him is only partly allayed by his visits to the
  gladiatorial pits of Zelradton to watch slaves fighting to
  the death.
  Karnquiza: 15th-level thief (Str 16, Dex 18, Int 18, Wis
  16). AC -6 (bracers of defense AC 2, cloak of protection +4), hp
  60, AL NE. Karnquiza is 49 years old, 5' 11", of medium
  build, with lustrous black hair and green eyes. He has a
  battery of magical items, including rings of free action and
  invisibility, an amulet of proof against detection and location, a
  bag of tricks and a short sword +4 with the powers of detect
  lie three times a day and casting undetectable lie likewise
  three times a day. Karnquiza is a complex man in a very
  delicate situation, for he has three roles: inquisitioner of
  the city, Hidden Sickle of Nerull, and a spy for the Scarlet
  Brotherhood!
  As inquisitioner, Karnquiza is both overseer of Zelrad-
  ton's jails and of a force of some 20 thieves and fighters
  who act as spies around the city, and they have their own
  hirelings. His job is to root out any opposition to the city's
  ruler. When the ruler changes, Karnquiza calmly hunts
  down enemies of the new one. He's seen enough changes
  of rulers to grow philosophical about it. However, as
  Reydrich has appointed "assistants" to him, his room for
  maneuver has become sharply reduced.
  South Province
  134
  
  As Nerull's Hidden Sickle, Karnquiza's history is a
  strange one. Shortly after he took up his post as inquisi-
  tioner (slaying the previous incumbent during a transi-
  tion of Chelors, as it were), a senior priest of Nerull
  visited him and converted him to the faith. The conver-
  sion was gradual, following an original charismatic effect
  on the priest's part. Karnquiza grew to love the power of
  life or death he held over the city's people, to enjoy the
  nefarious means by which he could bring the high down,
  and the extension of his power across Aerdy through his
  preceptors. He came to believe that there was no one, no
  matter what his station, he could not have tortured or
  slain. Such lust for power endeared him to Nerull, and
  Karnquiza went about his work with relish.
  This abruptly changed only six months past. In his
  heavily-guarded rooms above the city jail, Karnquiza was
  awakened in the middle of the night by three scarlet-
  robed assassins holding blades to his throat. In the
  background was a nameless thing; Karnquiza assumes it
  was a fiend, but he shudders even to think of it now. His
  choice was simple—serve the Brotherhood and accept a
  geas into the bargain or be taken away to Kro Terlep and
  suffer a fate worse than the Endless Death. Karnquiza
  decided swiftly to change his allegiance. Now, he uses
  Erkann—without his realizing it—to convey messages to
  the Brotherhood through an intricate pattern of signalling
  involving placement of goods in his shop window and
  signs on items.
  Unfortunately for Karnquiza, it appears that this has
  not gone unmarked by Nerull. In the past month,
  Karnquiza's body has begun to rot and shrivel. Since this
  has only extended to his abdomen to date, he can cover it
  up, though the amount of perfume the man is forced to
  use to disguise the stench of his putrescent flesh is
  increasing by the day. He suffers periodic excruciating
  pain from this, but mostly the affected area is anaesthetic.
  Karnquiza fears that he is being turned into some ghastly
  undead horror, and has begged Nerull for forgiveness.
  The Reaper does not appear to have heard him, and
  Karnquiza goes on supplying information about events,
  locations, and visitors in Zelradton to them.
  This ineffably evil man is in a desperate plight. He will
  do anything, hire anyone, to save his skin. Any PCs
  duped into helping him will find themselves enmeshed
  with agents of the Brotherhood and Nerull, not to
  mention Reydrich's watchful spies. This is an adventure
  for high-level and smart PCs only!
  Other Personalities
  Cragden Keephand: 8th-level dwarf fighter (Str 17,
  Con 17, Int 17). AC 1 (dwarven chain mail +3), hp 79, AL
  LN. Cragden is the emissary of Irongate in Zelradton. He
  is 178 years old, 4' 3", barrel-chested and slightly
  bow-legged. He wears his black hair fairly short, and his
  beard trimmed short. His ferrety black-brown eyes give
  him a furtive look, but he is an honest and principled
  dwarf.
  Cragden knows he is in a den of intrigue and wicked-
  ness in Reydrich's city. His task is to learn all he can of
  the place, while knowing all the while that he is being
  watched. His ring of invisibility helps little in this respect,
  since mages are among those spying on him, but his gold
  bracelet (allowing him to dimension door four times a day)
  allows him to throw them off the scent now and again.
  Cragden is eager for any who will serve as his eyes and
  ears; he has a couple of petty thieves in his employ and
  some street brats who often learn more about comings
  and goings in the city than any adult could.
  Cragden is also eager to hire trustworthy (Lawfully
  aligned) bodyguards for the cautious Irongate traders
  who have begun to bring their goods to Zelradton. They
  fetch good prices, and if the place is evil, well, gold is
  gold, as any dwarf will tell you.
  Graf Reydrich: 19th-level mage (Int 18, Wis 17). AC 0
  (black robes of the archmagi, ring of protection +5), hp 31, AL
  NE (LE). Reydrich is 60 years old, a pencil-thin 6' man
  with cropped steely gray hair and watery gray eyes. He
  limps fairly heavily; his left leg is withered from an old
  magical curse which even a wish spell could not remove.
  His staff of power is not just used for magic; it is a stout
  hornwood stave, and supports the archmage as he walks.
  The staff itself is a grisly thing, carved with gargoyle faces
  and leering visages, and it is said to need blood to
  recharge it.
  Reydrich is no absent-minded old mage. He is as hard
  as steel, holding to life and power with an utterly
  tenacious grip. He never has been seen to smile; the deep
  lines on his frowning face are evidence of that. His
  expression seems frozen into one of permanent disap-
  proval and harsh judgment.
  Reydrich has been court mage to the Chelors for 19
  years before his ascension to rule, and he knows the
  factions and forces of Zelradton better than even
  Karnquiza himself. He is politically highly astute, and he
  knows the value of nepotism in achieving his ends.
  Reydrich deals with fiends, primarily baatezu whom he
  summons from the Hells. He has no formal pacts with
  them, but he uses magical compulsion and threat to force
  them to serve him. This is a dangerous practice and
  Reydrich knows it; he has ringed himself around with
  magical protections against the wrath of a powerful
  greater baatezu, including unique spells and items of his
  own devising.
  Reydrich is growing to love the power he has. He
  wants to extend it further, but he is highly pragmatic. He
  knows that the western lands might be easy to
  conquer—but that would be stupid because it would
  bring him next to the monstrous Duke of Almor as well
  South Province
  135
  
  as leaving his southern flank exposed. Likewise, he has
  no desire to be crowned in Rauxes. He knows that he
  would have many bitter rivals and his hold on power
  would be too tenuous. Rather, the archmage covets Idee
  and Onnwal, for annexing these lands would eliminate
  his most dangerous neighbor from their southern land
  base and also lead to the fall of Irongate. That is his
  present aim, but he is in no hurry. He is also wise enough
  not to waste energy being aggressive toward the tricky
  guerrilla fighters of Sunndi.
  Finally, Reydrich has an especial hatred of the Circle of
  Five and Mordenkainen. Some 15 years ago he pleaded
  with Mordenkainen to become a member of the Circle of
  Eight. The rejection did not overly surprise him, but the
  manner of it did; Mordenkainen let it be known that one
  who relied so much on compulsion and servitude was no
  true mage, for such acts are a substitute for true magical
  prowess and understanding. Reydrich took the insult
  badly indeed, and if given any way of stymieing the
  Circle, he would certainly do so.
  Tarrak: 11th-level mage (Con 16, Int 18, Wis 17). AC 2
  (bracers of defense AC 5, ring of protection +3), hp 44, AL
  NE. Tarrak's true appearance is as a 30-year-old woman,
  5' 6", slim of build, with light brown hair worn in a long
  pony tail and green-hazel eyes. One-time apprentice and
  concubine to Reydrich, she now has her own home at Ker
  Bazainn where she experiments with her ever-repeating
  book of infinite spells to her heart's content.
  Tarrak has a strange disability; she cannot cast spells
  when Luna is within two days of being full in the sky,
  due to a powerful geas/curse laid upon her by a Sunndi
  elven wizard. As a result, she hates elves with an especial
  passion and is trying to develop spells which are more
  powerful than ones of equivalent level, but have more
  limited applicability. She has developed a fireball which
  inflicts 1d6+1 points of damage per level, but all targets
  other than elves suffer half damage and save for no
  damage at all from the spell effect. She also hires bounty
  hunters to track down the wizard who cursed her, hoping
  that if he is slain the curse will be lifted.
  A deceitful mage, she will do anything to advance her
  own power and magical arsenal. She owns wands of fire
  and frost and a staff of stinking clouds of unique design. She
  is loyal to Reydrich for the only reason she will ever be
  loyal to anyone; he has the power to snuff her out like a
  candle if she betrays him. Tarrak also has a unique way of
  settling old scores; she has enemies killed or kidnapped
  (so that she can torture them), and then uses a specialized
  version of the animate dead spell which traps the spirit in
  an undead form forced to comply with her commands.
  Unfortunately, they are still sentient and sensitive to pain.
  This allows her to continue tormenting and torturing her
  enemies endlessly.
  South Province
  136
  
  Pop.: 420,000 + 8,000 humanoids (approx)
  Capital: Rel Deven (pop. 8,000)
  Rulers: Various
  Rulership: Variable
  Cost Multiplier: 160%
  A House Fallen
  The Western Lands comprise two swathes separated by
  the Harp River and its southern tributary. South of this
  river lies the lands claimed by Prince Carwend of Rel
  Deven, and the Cranden Conclave of some 20 lesser
  nobles of this house, with these fiefs occupying about
  three-fourths of the total. North of the rivers, bounded by
  the main Harp waterway to the west and the Adri Forest
  to the east, is a broad area of land which is far less organ-
  ized and which faces threats from Almor and the chaotic
  lands around Innspa.
  This northern territory is the province of many minor
  Princes without any true leaders or men of distinction.
  Together, these lands are of greatest note because what
  is left of House Cranden is almost entirely concentrated
  here. House Darmen and House Naelax also have a few
  princes and landholdings here, but Carwend is a scion of
  Cranden, and if there is any unifying faction in these
  troubled lands, this house is it.
  Princes of this house are much more varied than others.
  House Darmen is known for its many merchants, House
  Naelax for its insanity and innate evil, but Cranden is not
  easily summarized by any such label.
  When House Cranden fell from the malachite throne,
  the reaction of its nobles was polarized. The house was
  oppressed by other houses, not least because they feared
  revenge for Rax-Nyrond usurping the throne and acted to
  diminish Cranden's power. Cranden nobles tended to
  take one of three lines of reaction to this.
  One path was to polarize toward true Neutrality, to
  withdraw from temporal affairs and follow the path of
  sage or wizard. Cranden always has had a history of
  exceptional scholars, and this behavior was a signal to
  other houses that Cranden accepted its fate, seeking
  authority and prestige in affairs of the intellect, not of the
  world.
  A second path, followed by many of the younger and
  lesser nobles at the time, was to turn to Chaotic Evil. "If
  we cannot rule then let there be chaos," was the effective
  motto of this faction. Because such men were not in a
  position to strike back and revenge themselves on other
  houses, those who took this path frequently degenerated
  into cruel acts, oppressing others as they felt themselves
  to be oppressed. House Cranden contains some of the
  most violently evil people in all of Aerdy.
  The third path, very much a minority one, was to
  follow the ways of Lawful Good. This appealed to more
  philosophically-minded Cranden princes, perhaps the
  best of them in many ways. Accepting their fate, and
  knowing that all dynasties come to an end, nobles taking
  this path increasingly turned to the priesthoods of Good
  and saw themselves as gaining authority and kudos in
  spiritual matters rather than the intellectual pursuits of
  their neutrally-inclined brethren.
  Apart from this complexity, House Cranden is impor-
  tant because of its history and traditions. Cranden sages
  have many of the finest collections of historical
  documents, tomes, and items in all the lands. If one
  should seek all that is known of such ancient luminaries
  as Lum the Mad, Johydee, the Wind Dukes of Aqaa, and
  the Sunken Isles below the Nyr Dyv, then Cranden sages
  are the best sources—and probably the most accessible.
  Indeed, the house itself has produced some of the greatest
  names in all Oerth's history; Johydee, Tuerny the Merci-
  less, Schandor, and among more modern luminaries, both
  Bigby (which is generally known) and Mordenkainen
  himself (which is not known to more than a handful). PCs
  should not learn this fact easily, if at all.
  Likewise, the lands of House Cranden still give refuge
  to a few powerful good-aligned exiles, fled from the evil
  eastern domains. Priests of Pholtus and Rao still exist
  here, though they conceal their true identities from any
  prying eyes for obvious reasons.
  These lands still pay homage and tribute to Ivid,
  sending supplies and taxes to Rauxes. The position of
  Carwend and his fellows is too perilous for them to risk
  the overking's wrath. While Rauxes may be far away, the
  westernmost Naelax lands border on these fiefdoms. The
  dreaded forces of Permanence are too close to the eastern-
  most Cranden nobles for them to dismiss out of hand the
  overking's declining strength.
  Carwend does his best to unify these lands, but this is
  difficult. Darmen princes tend to look to Xavener and
  other powerful Darmen nobles for leadership, while
  many Cranden nobles of extreme alignments (LG, CE)
  look upon Carwend with real dislike. However, house
  loyalty overrides even alignment differences in many
  cases (though LG and CE individuals will not counte-
  nance cooperating with each other). Something of House
  Cranden's old sense of glorious destiny remains even in
  the most degenerate wrecks of its lineage. The glories and
  great names of a faded past still mean something to the
  nobles of this house.
  Carwend has no ambitions to restore House Cranden to
  the throne, accepting the change in his house's destiny.
  Nor is he willing to ally with any who have this
  ambition. He cannot possibly give any military support,
  since all the forces he has must be kept to watch against
  the threat from Almor.
  The Lay of the Land
  The situation is desperate. Naelax lands lie to the east
  The Western Lands
  137
  
  and their rulers cannot be given offense. To the
  southwest, Ahlissa is the one possible ally the western
  lands have—Reydrich actually sends some weapons and
  funds to Carwend and this support is sorely needed.
  Carwend knows full well that Reydrich is no true friend,
  but is protecting himself against Almor by shoring up the
  western lands. But the supplies are as valuable as if a true
  friend had given them, and at least Carwend fears no
  threat from this quarter.
  North, keeping the chaotic overspill from the lands
  around Innspa in check is a permanent drain on the
  resources of the local nobles, so Carwend sends most
  Ahlissan aid there. Raided by wandering orcs and
  bandits from those lands, the nobles also look west to the
  threat of Almor, and east to the Adri Forest—the woods-
  men have not raided into the farmlands much yet, but if
  they increase their efforts, the strain may become
  intolerable.
  The great threat lies westward, of course. Szeffrin's
  fiendish and humanoid armies swarm over the ruins of
  Chathold and across most of old Almor. While no army
  has marched into the western lands yet, a strong one
  could crush the weak Cranden and Darmen armies if they
  did. Szeffrin could claim some legitimacy for striking
  against the lands north of the Harp tributary, since these
  were part of the old greater Almor which he claims as his
  domain. More to the point, there would be none to stop
  him; might is right here.
  However, the animus-duke is still biding his time, and
  he has no especial interest in anything much other than
  the destruction of the overking.
  These lands are also far poorer than they once were.
  The early-season Windmarch fairs used to come from
  Chathold and farther west to Rel Deven, Ralsand, and
  other towns during Planting and Flocktime. The
  Greyhawk Wars, and especially the destruction of
  Chathold, have ruined almost all of that. A few travelers
  still come; but they usually come to seek whispers and
  rumors in quiet places, not to bring money or goods for
  barter and sale. Much trade now is purely local, save for
  that which comes from Ahlissa and the Darmen lands,
  though fortunately these are both increasing. Carwend
  and his house hope to hold on long enough for the
  western lands to rebuild.
  Locations and Settlements
  Rel Deven
  Rel Deven is the only really sizeable city in these lands
  and is of especial importance.
  Prince Carwend, the Cranden ruler, is the head of a
  complex government. He and four brothers and cousins
  share the income from taxes in the city equally, but each
  has a particular sphere of primary responsibility (city
  treasury, military, guild rulership and administration)
  and none is, technically, a complete ruler.
  However, Carwend is the acknowledged head of the
  government, by virtue of his political skills and
  farsightedness.
  Rel Deven is unique among Aerdy cities in that only
  temples of neutrally-aligned deities (LN, N, CN) are
  officially allowed to exist. Those of Boccob, Zilchus, and
  the garden-shrines of Beory are the most important.
  Carwend's ancestors were firmly rooted, as he is, in the
  pure Neutral branch of the House of Cranden. However,
  there are unofficial temples of many deities with a neutral
  element in alignment (NG, NE) to be found in the city.
  Some are fairly openly, such as the temple to Pelor.
  However, some are less so, such as the temple to Nerull.
  Rel Deven also contains the bizarre glowstones, said to
  have been enchanted by Schandor himself. There are a
  dozen of these, eight around the city walls, two above the
  city hall, and two others which move around the city and
  appear at unpredictable places and times.
  Each stone is a solid ball some 2' in diameter, capable of
  levitation and flight (MV 40). Each is apparently impervi-
  ous to any form of magical or normal damage, and each
  can vanish into another plane if attacked in any way.
  They return at an unpredictable time. Each stone, bar the
  two wanderers, hovers in its usual place, emitting a pale
  blue glow which is visible even in full sunlight. The glow
  of the stones grows to a brilliant intensity when some
  threat endangers the city (e.g., an approaching army). The
  stones around the walls are said to deflect missile and
  siege weapon fire and to greatly diminish the potency of
  magical attacks. Old longbowmen, who remember the
  attempted sack of the city by Ahlissan forces in 531 CY
  tell that when they fired their arrows the shafts gleamed
  with blue brilliance and bent in flight, striking their
  targets almost unerringly.
  Further, the equally bizarre Cult of the Stones has
  gained some adherents in Rel Deven in recent years. A
  small group of townsfolk claim to have heard one of the
  wandering stones speak, warning of the wars and giving
  visions of mayhem. At the time, this was laughed at, but
  when war broke out, no few people took to revering the
  stones as protectors and standing around them—scream-
  ing prophecies of doom to all who would listen.
  Since the end of the world has not actually transpired,
  the cult has lost some standing. However, a core of fanat-
  ics remains, and they can be dangerous—curious visitors
  getting too close to the stones might be set upon by angry
  cultists convinced that the strangers mean their sacred
  stones harm.
  Cults like this are a strong strand in the psychology of
  the city. The absolute Neutrality of the rulers doesn't
  provide any clear moral direction for less sophisticated
  commonfolk, so many take to strange superstitions or
  extreme, exaggerated interpretations of established faiths.
  The Western Lands
  138
  
  The coin-worshipers outside Zilchus's temple are a good
  example of the latter.
  Rel Deven also has an extremely varied population. An
  enclave of some 100 voadkyn, exiles from the Bonewood,
  has taken up residence in Beory's Gardens and is now
  part of the city's army. Their goal is to reclaim the
  Bonewood/Thelwood and deal with the evil therein.
  Likewise, 600 Thelwood soldiers are garrisoned here,
  their brown and green jerkins and ashwood bows demar-
  cating them from the other soldiers.
  Even a few wood elves are to be found in Carwen's
  city, from a tiny Thelwood clan which has brought its
  famous silver-streaked elven cats with them. Rel Deven is
  a crowded, diverse, and surprising place. Tucked away in
  towers and spires, or hidden in crypts below Rel Deven,
  are priests of Rao, Incabulos and even Joramy. There are
  sages with almost unequalled proficiency in arcane fields
  who receive disguised and silent visitors on dark
  evenings. And there are blue-robed stonemages, who
  study and research the glowstones.
  The Bonewood
  Once known as the Thelwood, this has never been a
  populous forest. However, its woodsmen have made
  superb infantry and bowmen, playing a leading role in
  taking the lands south of the Grayflood in times gone by
  and demonstrating excellent morale and pride. Now,
  perhaps only 1,000 of the 5,000 or so original pre-war
  foresters are left, living only on the very margins of the
  wood.
  Shortly before the outbreak of war, a horrifying change
  came over the woods. Trees almost ossified overnight,
  their barks becoming bleached and hard as stone. In
  moonlight, they looked like ghastly bony sentinels, hence
  the name of the wood these days. The few treants of the
  Thelwood vanished; trees were transformed in an ever-
  wider area from the heart of the forest. Game became
  scarcer and undergrowth shrivelled. Any who tried to
  stay alive in this place found themselves succumbing to
  disease 
  or 
  madness, 
  haunted 
  by 
  phantoms 
  and
  nightmares.
  Now some 80% of the Bonewood is a barren, lifeless
  shell, 
  with 
  only 
  the 
  yellowy-white 
  "bone" 
  trees
  remaining. The cause of this change is wholly unknown,
  but it is striking that the few druids of Obad-hai once
  here have fled—surely a sign that some truly dire evil is
  at work now. Likewise, the wood elves and voadkyn
  have departed, taking refuge in Rel Deven, pondering on
  what they can do to return the Thelwood to its former
  state.
  Blacksplinter
  These badlands are home to the most treacherous and
  dangerous of all the nobles of the land, Prince Ferrenan,
  bastard son of a Cranden/Rax-Nyrond union which gave
  him a necromancer for a father and a priestess of Incabu-
  los for a mother. Ferrenan's own home is a grisly
  necropolis, a mausoleum-keep with the bodies of a
  hundred and more ancestors entombed in marble—to
  keep them firmly in their graves, many would say.
  The very terrain around this place is extraordinary
  enough. Patches of bog and swamp threaten the traveler
  with a swift drowning death, since many are disguised
  by hallucinatory terrain, and there is a vast sprawling
  network of potholes which descend into gleaming black
  caverns infested by monsters. Passages to the Underdark
  are to be found there, and there are constant rumors that
  Ferrenan receives drow as guests to his undead-thronged
  halls.
  Yet, Ferrenan cannot be ignored or forgotten. Ghosts
  and spectres compelled to serve him bring him reports of
  events in Almor. The vampire-necromancer-prince of
  Blacksplinter appears very anxious to make sure
  Szeffrin's armies never break through beyond the Harp
  River (further details are given in his entry in the Person-
  alities section below). Thus, Ferrenan is an ally of
  Carwend, albeit a repulsive one, and the prince of Rel
  Deven does not turn away allies in this time of great
  need.
  Ferrenan also owns a library of works by Cranden
  mages, including some unique spells for banishing and
  greatly weakening extra-planar beings. Carwend and
  many others are desperate to obtain these works. Ferre-
  nan does not permit visitors to enter his lands. He has the
  grounds patrolled by zombies with ghast leaders said to
  be of great size and exceptional cunning.
  Goldbolt
  This magnificent six-towered, twin-courtyard castle is a
  citadel of good. The lands around are ruled by Karn
  Serrand, a paladin serving Rao. The castle occupants keep
  watch over the fiends, monsters, and mad things prowl-
  ing the borders of Chathold. Serrand is proud of his
  lineage which he claims goes back to Queen Yalranda
  herself, and of its unswerving allegiance to the ethos of
  Lawful Good throughout the centuries. Serrand and
  Carwend dislike each other, the animosity being greater
  on the paladin's part. Still, Carwend knows the vital
  importance of this citadel in keeping the deranged evils
  of Chathold at bay, and he keeps the place amply provi-
  sioned and supplied. This is as well, for there are few
  farmers left in Serrand's lands to feed the men there now.
  Serrand's army contains only men of trustworthy (LG,
  NG, LN) alignments, and several priests of Rao and Pelor
  have taken refuge with him. The most powerful single
  defender of the castle, however, is the storm giantess
  Hierranea. Far away from her normal abode, the giant
  arrived here shortly after the fall of Chathold and
  The Western Lands
  139
  
  announced herself to Serrand.
  Well aware that storm giants are chaotic, Serrand was
  about to politely dismiss her when the clouds overhead
  grew instantaneously as dark as the fate of Chathold. The
  giantess reached up to touch one of the castle towers with
  her left hand, and in her right drew down from the clouds
  a golden lightning bolt which traveled, it is said, as far as
  the horizon and exploded above Chathold with a deafen-
  ing thunderclap. Stunned, the paladin meditated on what
  to do and received a vision from Rao, instructing him to
  take the giantess into his citadel. Serrand also later
  discovered, in the castle library, an ancient tome speaking
  of the ability of certain priests to generate the power of
  this golden lightning from the site where the castle was
  built, and Serrand renamed the castle Goldbolt in honor
  of this prophecy and his strange visitor.
  Building a tower for Hierranea has been in progress for
  more than a year. The giantess is a priestess of Stronmaus,
  the giantish power of sun, storms, and skies, and she is
  good-humored and liked—though half-feared on account
  of her enormous size by the defenders of the castle.
  Hierranea has prophesied that the lands west of the
  castle, around Chathold, will crumble and vanish into the
  sea within a few years, and Goldbolt will be left as a sea
  castle. She has a reputation as a prophetess which almost
  equals her reputation as a priestess. Hierranea is known
  through virtually all the western lands, and evil things
  and spies from adjoining lands fear to approach this great
  castle on account of her.
  Jennden
  Jennden is the only truly significant settlement of the
  lands north of the Harp tributary, and it is home to 6,000
  people. It is an overcrowded city, filled to the bursting-
  point with refugees from old Almor and riddled with
  poverty and disease. The city's despot, Prince Jichrisen,
  has not been seen for almost a year now, and the city
  seems to be ruled by a military triumvirate, with both
  human and orcish troops administering a savage order.
  This faceless junta is a force Carwend must deal with, for
  maintaining the forces here is crucial to keeping the
  threats of Almor at bay.
  Jennden is a city where virtually none of good align-
  ments live. Visitors are targets for robbery, assault, and
  murder. Because of this, few head south from Innspa
  along the once well-traveled highway linking the cities.
  Indeed, while the evil mercenaries, thieves, and murder-
  ers of the city are well-known, its worst evil is not.
  Jichrisen was abducted to Rauxes during the Greyhawk
  Wars, and Ivid's priests worked their magic on him, with
  wholly unpredictable and spectacular results.
  Jichrisen's family has always had a streak of lycan-
  thropy in their blood, partly due to a Rax-Nyrond streak.
  Now, the werewolf lycanthrope-animus has become a
  snarling, marauding thing which is kept chained and
  magically restrained in the dungeons of his own castle
  while his brother, Horamy, heads the junta ruling the
  city. Unfortunately, the strength of the monster is increas-
  ing, and the magical bonds which restrain him grow
  fragile. If Jichrisen were loosened upon the lands, the fate
  of the people of this city—and far beyond—hardly bears
  thinking about.
  Jennden anchors a string of a dozen or so small keeps
  along the east bank of the Harp, keeping watch over
  Almor. Each keep has 50 to 100 infantrymen, with the
  luckier ones having a mage or two to support them. They
  would not realistically provide much defense against
  invasion from Almor, but the very fact that they are
  maintained and troops drilled outside them hopefully
  sends some kind of signal to Szeffrin about the readiness
  of these lands to defend themselves.
  The southern keeps, in particular, tend to lie in the
  fiefdoms of good-aligned Cranden princes and Darmen
  nobles. Their troops have correspondingly better morale
  and equipment. Some are supported by light cavalry
  units which patrol the river banks—ever watchful for
  fiends and humanoids.
  Oldridge
  Oldridge is set amid an array of warring petty princes;
  Darmen, Cranden (the CE line predominating), Naelax to
  the east, and even a couple of the last remnant of the
  Rax-Nyrond bloodlike, albeit rather diluted. Thus, the
  town is a nest of mercenaries and recruiters and disgrun-
  tled troops returning unpaid from the service of one or
  other prince whose name is now only part of history.
  What sets Oldridge apart from this petty warmongering
  is that the town is the birthplace of Bigby. Indeed, he left
  his now deserted tower outside the town only some 12
  years ago. And there are many rumors about what he
  might have left behind, for black-robed visitors flanked
  by fiends arrived in hot pursuit of him only days later.
  The tower has been looted, of course, and some of its
  dungeons explored, but there are tales of other, inter-
  dicted, dungeons which can only be accessed at times of
  rare lunar and planetary conjunctions and which may yet
  be unspoiled. Since Bigby has not returned, however,
  there is likely nothing of a really powerful nature
  remaining.
  Ralsand
  This town of 2,800 is a vital reserve garrison. Its blue-
  liveried 
  light 
  cavalry 
  is 
  famed 
  for 
  speed 
  and
  horsemanship.
  The town is ruled by a distant cousin of Carwend's, and
  his men travel to any trouble spots, generally west, to
  support any troops or settlements under threat. The
  specialist diviner Francenn is a colorful figure in the
  The Western Lands
  140
  
  place, said he to have a map of the western lands and
  Almor in his tower. The construction glows in areas
  where threats arise, so that he has magical warning of
  enemy approaches.
  Francenn is a worshiper of Olidammara, a very strange
  choice for a mage. He is a high-living, gregarious sort. He
  has two dwarven bodyguards who carry him home from
  his evening indulgences, and anyone trying to loot the
  mage's home or attack him should beware: the two are
  actually polymorphed and charmed mountain giants and
  have the same strength (23) they possessed in their previ-
  ous forms.
  Rasfern
  Rasfern is the picturesque home of Prince Benzeden, an
  archmage-noble known to revere Boccob. It is an oddly
  tranquil place, named after the purple-leaved ferns which
  spring up around the many small lakelets and pools of
  the village that are fed by underground springs.
  In Flocktime, when the spring waters grow unusually
  warm for a short time, the pink flowers and the scent of
  the ferns is almost overpowering. Those waters are
  dangerous; while the two largest lakelets have a few
  nixies, water weirds may be found in smaller pools. The
  villagers keep well away.
  There may indeed be more in the waters, for the villag-
  ers seem an almost passionless bunch, never angry, irrita-
  ble—and never joyful or delighted either. They are polite,
  mildly helpful, and they are lacking in any personality
  whatever. Woe betide anyone harming them, for Benze-
  den will certainly pursue any who do, and his vengeance
  will be both swift and devastating. Benzeden favors
  invisible stalkers, air elementals, and aerial servants as
  his messengers. And those he calls upon are tougher than
  most (his conjured elementals are always 20+ HD).
  Benzeden is a recluse and does not visit, nor receive
  visits from, his peers. Carwend sent a messenger asking
  for assistance, expecting a small sum in tithes to maintain
  patrols and forces around the area. Benzeden sent him
  two iron golems with an attached note politely express-
  ing support for Carwend and a desire to be left alone in
  future. The priceless guardians are among the best
  defenders 
  Rel 
  Deven 
  has, 
  so 
  Carwend 
  was
  delighted—but he does not want to risk asking the
  archmage for any further help.
  Benzeden is a force none understand or can predict.
  What he does in his spired tower complex is shielded
  from even the most expert of prying eyes by powerful
  blocks to magical scrying and unsleeping magical
  guardians.
  Tarrentch
  This fortified manor house, and the village of 400 or so
  around it, appear just like any other small riverside settle-
  ment but for one thing: the richness of the place. Every-
  one here has money, or seems to have, but they are
  careful not to let strangers see this too easily. Prices are
  high here (Cost multiplier 200%, and 150% even for food
  and staples), and even farm laborers have some silver
  coins in their pockets. The reason is that an awful lot of
  money turns up in Tarrentch, having been "liberated"
  from one or other town or city by the mansion owner, the
  thief Goldwhite.
  Goldwhite is an audacious, impish woman. Long a
  thorn in the flesh of the merchants of Rel Deven, Jennden,
  and far beyond, she has even been known to tip off her
  future victims and then bypass all the security they
  muster. If her heart is set on having something, it seems
  that nothing will stop her. Bubbly and intensely charis-
  matic, she enjoys flaunting her wealth in the midst of
  those she has taken it from.
  However, the mischievous thief knows that dangers of
  an entirely different kind menace Tarrentch now. She
  knows that the threat of Szeffrin is an altogether different
  thing compared to cavalry or fiend-knights of the overk-
  ing—forces she has eluded.
  Increasingly, Goldwhite is away from her home, bring-
  ing gold back from far-distant cities to pay for mercenar-
  ies and adventurers both to support Carwend's border
  keeps and garrisons and to investigate events in Almor
  for her. Perhaps, also, the rebelliousness of youth is
  beginning to fade a little, although Goldwhite would
  certainly take umbrage at any who accused her of respon-
  sibility with the advancing years. Goldwhite doesn't want
  to lose her home now, whereas once she would never
  even have thought of having a home, preferring to keep
  on the move.
  Goldwhite is known to loathe Karasin of Innspa, who
  has a bounty of 10,000 gp on the thief's head—Goldwhite
  had stole her jewelry and left her trussed up in her silk
  undergarments in a highly undignified position. Indeed,
  a fair number of Aerdy nobles have a bounty on the
  thief's head, but she's escaped from jails and dungeons
  before and she has no fear of them. Goldwhite has stolen
  valuables from a huge number of places she should never
  have been able to enter, and correspondingly she knows
  scraps of information about places which even sages and
  diviners might not know. 
  Personalities of the Western Lands
  Carwend, Prince of the House of Cranden: 13th-level
  mage (Con 14, Int 18, Cha 15). AC 0 (gray robes of the
  archmagi, ring of protection +5), hp 52, AL N. Carwend is
  50 years old, tall (6' 5") and slim, elegant and fastidious.
  Clean-shaven, the mage's black hair is only slightly
  graying at the temples, and there are still only thin lines
  at the side of his brown eyes.
   Carwend is not a particularly skilled mage. He has
  The Western Lands
  141
  
  spent too much time immersed in city government,
  researching the history and genealogy of his family, and
  in negotiating with others to have given very much time
  to wizardry in recent years. Thus he is more worldly than
  most mages, and he has an acute insight into people and
  personalities.
  Carwend is a complex person. His complete Neutrality
  convinces him that all the factions of House Cranden
  must coexist for the western lands to survive, just as this
  is true of all of Aerdy. He dislikes the paladin of Goldbolt
  (LG) as much as he dislikes the prince of Blacksplinter
  (CE). All the extreme (non-neutral) alignments are
  equally irksome to him. He can hold in his heart at the
  same time the propositions that everything passes and all
  comes to dust in the great cycle of things, and also an
  unwavering faith in House Cranden being ripe for a
  return to glory or rulership. He is both detached and
  involved at the same time. Likewise, he believes that his
  house's destiny is fixed. And he realizes Szeffrin and his
  fiends are a unique and potentially wholly destructive
  threat to that destiny and that his efforts to neutralize that
  threat are of ultimate import.
  As a personality, Carwend is cool, polite, and impecca-
  bly mannered. He has no passion for people, only things
  and themes. But he listens well, and he wouldn't know
  how to be condescending if he tried. While he does not
  suffer fools, he will let a fool speak his piece without
  interruption—simply ensuring that he does not have to
  listen to him again. His genuineness, politeness, and
  brilliance have made him a respected, if not loved, ruler
  of Rel Deven. It is a good final comment on Carwend that
  whether people love him is a matter of complete indiffer-
  ence to him. But he would be annoyed if he felt that
  others lacked respect.
  Carwend owns few magical items, his ring of free action
  and rod of alertness being the most prized. However, from
  the resources of Rel Deven's armory he can lay his hands
  on others, as the DM sees fit.
  Ferrenan, Prince of the House of Cranden: 15th-level
  specialist necromancer-vampire (Str 18/76, Int 18, Cha
  17). AC -4 (cloak of displacement, ring of protection +3), hp
  61, AL CE. Ferrenan's appearance is as a man in his
  mid-30's, black-haired and brown-eyed, with very smooth
  skin and an elegance of features and manners which are
  exceptional. Ferrenan is a controlled, rakish vampire. He
  does not need to take blood often, and in the unlikely
  event of his receiving guests, he prefers heavy red wine.
  Ferrenan has a fine, black sense of humor with a self-
  deprecating streak. He even jests about his own vampir-
  ism. He has no adverse reaction to garlic, though he has
  other standard vampiric weaknesses, and he enjoys
  chewing cloves of it just to see what people's reactions
  are.
  The appearance should not deceive. Ferrenan is indeed
  a monster steeped in blood, torture, and all manner of
  cruelties. He regards ordinary humanity as nothing more
  than cattle for him to feed on as he wishes. He respects
  the power of skilled mages, but he is contemptuous of
  priests 
  and 
  paladins 
  and 
  fears 
  no 
  one 
  and
  nothing—except Duke Szeffrin.
  Szeffrin is a great-great-grand-nephew of Ferrenan (the
  vampire is in fact some 200 years of age). Before Ferre-
  nan's vampirism was general knowledge, Szeffrin's
  parents had him cross-fostered into Ferrenan's care. At
  that time, Ferrenan had a wife who cared for the child.
  What transpired during Szeffrin's adoptive years, neither
  will say. But Szeffrin hates Ferrenan as a result, and Ferre-
  nan fears what the fiend-assisted Almorian duke has in
  store for him.
  Bypassing his magical wards and guardians and his
  throng of undead, some unknown agent of Szeffrin
  penetrated Blacksplinter to leave a poisoned knife
  plunged into Ferrenan's hidden coffin, with the message
  "This would be too good for you. It will be soon now, and
  it will be horrible." The missive was in Szeffrin's unmis-
  takable calligraphy—in a script learned from Ferrenan's
  own tutor of the time.
  Thus, Ferrenan is a worried individual. He is fairly
  confident that his new magical defenses against intrusion
  (expending even a wish from a ring) will protect him, and
  that Szeffrin will have to send an army to get him. Hence
  Ferrenan has offered support for Carwend's armies and
  has refused to admit any visitors he does not actually
  know.
  Ferrenan's 
  black 
  frock-coated 
  butler/manservant,
  Shadwell, is himself a vampire and, since he has the skills
  of an 11th-level illusionist. Shadwell is almost as danger-
  ous as his master. He presides over a domestic staff
  largely composed of ju-ju zombies and has an especially
  fast-thinking line in droll and macabre wordplay.
  Blacksplinter is a dangerous place, considering Ferrenan's
  spell book collection (as designed by the DM), and the
  many magical items the vampire-prince owns, including
  a staff of power with few charges left.
  Goldwhite: 20th-level thief (Dex 18, Con 16, Int 18, Wis
  17, Cha 18). AC -8/-10 (bracers of defense AC 2, ring of
  protection +5, magical boots which combine the functions
  of speed and striding and springing), hp 81, AL CN (CG),
  SA/SD all thief skills at 95%. Goldwhite is 38 years old
  now. She's touchy about that, and says she is in her "early
  thirties." Slimly built and 5' 4", she weighs less than 100
  lbs.—but she is fiery and a powerful presence for all of
  that smallness. Her dark blond hair is cut short in a page-
  boy manner which flatters her moonish face and slightly
  slanted, almond-shaped hazel eyes. She is very proud of
  her cheekbones. Flattery is her major weakness.
  Goldwhite doesn't discuss her origins or true name; her
  taken name comes from a gilded marble statue which was
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  142
  
  her first great theft, and she wears gold-threaded white
  silk blouses most of the time. She knows virtually every-
  thing there is to know about every aspect of urban thiev-
  ery, and she owns a vast number of magical and
  mundane items to assist in city capers. The DM should
  use the Complete Thief's Handbook to select such items.
  For example, Goldwhite always employs essence of
  darkness (with detection resistance combined in the
  effects) on a heist, and she has a much-prized amulet of
  dramatic death which has saved her skin several times. Her
  hat of disguise, a floppy raspberry-colored beret, travels
  with her most places.
  Goldwhite has 
  a whole 
  slew of followers 
  in
  Tarrentch—the place is literally a den of thieves. Half a
  dozen of them are of 9th or higher level, so that the place
  is well-defended by skilled spies and ambushers. Since
  several are able to use scrolls of wizard spells, even a
  battalion of good troops could be (and has been)
  defended against here. They are loyal to her, even the few
  evil thieves (80% are of neutral alignments). Her charisma
  and reputation gives a thief respect and status for being
  known as one among her retinue.
  Goldwhite had humble origins in Kalstrand, and her
  conversational style is rough and ready. She detests noble
  people who patronize others, and she cannot abide
  pretentiousness or airs and graces. She bought her village
  from a corrupt local noble who gambled most of his
  money away. In her version of the tale, she won it at a
  game of cards with him. She is extremely wily and
  insightful, and there is little point trying to deceive her
  about most matters. Wary of allying with anyone, she is
  not exactly trustworthy. But if she does renege on a deal,
  she won't leave the aggrieved party in real trouble. If one
  agrees a 50/50 split of some booty with her, she will
  probably only end up taking 70% or so!
  Goldwhite does not adventure as such any longer,
  given the need to protect her own settlement and the
  need to gain funds from elsewhere. While Tarrentch has
  only a few mercenaries to guard the place, she is anxious
  to recruit more.
  Hierranea: 13th-level priestess of Stronmaus (Str 25,
  Con 23, Wis 18, Cha 17). AC -6 (giantish bronze plate
  mail), hp 153 (15+6 HD), AL CG (NG). Hierranea stands
  28' tall, big even by giantish standards. At 14,800 lbs.,
  however, her figure is relatively trim and lean. She is a
  strong, proud giantess in her prime (she is 197 years old).
  Her skin is a lemony-green color, pale for a storm giant,
  and pleasing once a non-giant gets used to it. Her hair is
  almost emerald colored in contrast, long and wavy,
  growing down to the small of her back. She is a striking
  figure indeed.
  Hierranea has come to Goldbolt from her home far east
  across the Solnor Ocean because of a vision from Stron-
  maus. In that vision, she saw the lands west of the castle
  vanish beneath the waters of Relmor Bay, just as the isles
  of the Nyr Dyv sunk so many centuries ago. And she
  believes that the waters around the castle will be her
  home thereafter. Solitary among her kind, the meditative
  and sensitive giantess wanders from time to time (though
  not into lands populated by many humans). From Relmor
  Bay, she has brought back gifts from dolphins and a
  previously-unknown group of selkies, which she wants to
  hide and treasure in privacy in the tower which Serrand
  is having built for her.
  Hierranea doesn't like towers much, but she wants
  some privacy. Even in Goldbolt's huge courtyards, it's
  difficult for her to stretch out to sleep comfortably at
  night—and those little folk do gawk too much.
  Hierranea likes Serrand, though she thinks he's a bit
  stuffy and his reasonableness may just be because he's
  repressed. She likes embarrassing him by asking him why
  he isn't married yet (and when a storm giant asks
  questions, "earshot" is a long way for folks to overhear).
  Being chaotic, she cannot suppress her liking for a little
  mischief now and again. She sees the evil across to the
  west with a real hatred, and she longs to see Szeffrin and
  his fiends wiped from the face of Oerth. When the
  Chathold lands have sunk beneath the seas, the dolphin
  and selkie friends she has made will be able to swim with
  her—and that's something she wants badly. It has relig-
  ious significance; her power is strongly allied with the
  powers of those aquatic creatures.
  Hierranea has a magical necklace which confers
  immunity to magical alignment change, and a giantish
  ring which grants her a +4 bonus to saving throws versus
  spells cast by evil beings of all kinds. She wields a
  bronze-studded club +4 which inflicts 19-46 hp of damage
  per successful hit (3d10+4+12 strength bonus).
  Stronmaus, and rules for storm giant priests up to 16th
  level, are found in Monster Mythology. For those who do
  not have this book, Hierranea can use spells from the
  following spheres: All, Animal, Charm*, Combat*,
  Creation, Divination, Elemental (all), Guardian, Healing,
  Necromantic*, Protection*, Summoning, Sun, Thought*,
  and Weather. Her special powers are charm avians or sea
  animals (up to 30 HD total charmed at any one time),
  summon 12 HD air or water elemental once a day after one
  hour of meditation, and vision once a week. She turns
  undead as an 11th-level priestess. The bolt which Hierra-
  nea can use, drawing on a magical source far below
  Goldbolt, can be drawn three times a day as a call light-
  ning effect causing 25d8 points of damage per strike. The
  maximum range is 800 yards.
  Karn Serrand: 12th-level paladin of Rao (Str 17, Wis 18,
  Cha 17). AC -1 (plate mail +4, shield not used), hp 81, AL
  LG. Karn is 33, 6' exactly, with light brown hair which
  has natural honeyish streaks and light brown eyes with a
  slight amber tint. Serrand is proud and steadfast; he is not
  The Western Lands
  143
  
  aggressive—a paladin of Rao is rarely that. He is, rather,
  a protector and an endurer. If what he holds dear is
  menaced, he will respond with unflinching force.
  However, he does not actively seek out evil to attack it.
  He waits for it to come to him. With a citadel as well-
  defended as Goldbolt, this is a very viable strategy.
  Serrand maintains nearly 1,000 troops in and around
  his castle. Slowly, a few farmers are beginning to return
  to the lands south of the castle, and some crops will be
  harvested after all this fall. Serrand's funds are not
  inexhaustible, although Hierranea brought more value in
  pearls than her tower will cost the paladin to construct.
  He is glad of the supplies from Carwend, especially the
  food. Nearly one-tenth of his garrison's food consumption
  is accounted for by Hierranea.
  Serrand knows that Rao is pleased that the storm giant-
  ess has come, and while she causes some consternation
  among his troops he also sees that their morale has
  improved. "We will endure with her amongst us," is the
  general thought. Serrand is only slightly miffed that this
  reflects less than entirely favorably on himself, but he is
  tolerant and reasonably worldly-wise—except where
  Chaotic Evil is concerned. Here, Serrand's usual relative
  pacifism goes out the window. He detests Ferrenan, and
  he is furious with Carwend for accepting aid from a
  prince he bitterly denounced as "a monster, a sadist, and
  not even human!"
  Carwend politely and coolly replied that he had
  noticed that Serrand himself had help which was "not
  even human, as you put it, esteemed prince." That took
  the wind out of Serrand's sails a little, but he would still
  dearly love to ride for Blacksplinter and destroy its
  appalling occupant. He does not do so for fear of leaving
  the folk of his lands vulnerable to attack from Almor.
  Thus, while Serrand is displeased with Carwend and
  does not understand his complex personality, he also
  knows that Carwend is doing the best he can to keep the
  lands together in the face of a great external threat.
  Perhaps he is so displeased with Carwend precisely
  because he is doing a fair job. That makes Serrand care for
  his fellow prince enough to be troubled and disturbed by
  his failure to understand the philosophy of the prince of
  Rel Deven.
  Serrand 
  has 
  come 
  to 
  believe 
  Hierranea's
  prophesy—another reason for his not striking aggres-
  sively against Chathold. He believes that Szeffrin will
  have to be fought and destroyed, however, and he is
  eager to build up the money and resources of his castle
  and burgeoning small army for the fateful day when the
  long ride west will be needed.
  The Western Lands
  144
  
  Pop: 150,000 + 18,000 humanoids + ? fiends
  Capital: Bloodcrystal?
  Ruler: Duke Szeffrin
  Rulership: Special
  Cost Multiplier: Not relevant
  Quite deliberately, many points about some Almorian
  locations are not specified in this chapter. Duke Szeffrin's
  evil empire is designed as a grim adventure setting for
  mid- to high-level PCs, and the DM has been allowed
  maximum freedom to develop Almor as he wishes. The
  history of the land and nature and goals of its ruler and
  his Abyssal ally, have been presented fully, so the DM
  knows exactly what is going on here. Similarly, the nature
  of creatures at certain locations, such as types of undead,
  fiends, and others are specified, though their exact
  numbers are not. This leaves freedom for the DM to
  develop details as suits the nature of his individual
  campaign and the strength of his player characters.
  The previous sourcebook, The Marklands, detailed a
  small number of locations included here—Bloodcrystal,
  Millennium, and Onyxgate. The descriptions of these
  locations has been expanded here, but the added informa-
  tion does not negate anything from that earlier product.
  For readers who do not have the earlier sourcebook, there
  are brief notes on the Nyrondese locations immediately
  across the western border of the Almorian lands which
  may be helpful to DMs wishing to set up adventures
  which commence in Nyrond and involve infiltrating
  Almor.
  The Day of Dust
  The nation of Almor has had a perilous past. Long under
  the dominion of overkings, it never established the
  security in independence which such nations as Tenh and
  Nyrond could claim. Small, underpopulated, with
  borders subject to dispute by Aerdy and even by Nyrond
  at times, Almor existed as a buffer state only. An example
  of the precariousness of Almor is its claim to Innspa. The
  rulers of this land were unable to prevent Innspa from
  proclaiming itself an independent city, and that sent signs
  of the weak-willed nature of Almorian leaders to the rest
  of the Flanaess. With powerful neighbors, that was
  simply not the right message to convey.
  While the heroism of Osson of Chathold is celebrated in
  song and verse, there is little doubt that his exploits cost
  Almor the lives of tens of thousands of people and
  plunged it into a nightmare which endures still. Osson's
  raids so enraged Ivid that he struck against Almor as
  brutally and forcefully as he did against Medegia. Ahlis-
  san armies, the Army of the North, and Bone March
  humanoids 
  converged 
  on 
  Almor 
  and 
  simply
  overwhelmed its armies. On the 17th day of Goodmonth,
  584 CY, mages and priests in Ivid's armies razed
  Chathold by fire, lightning, acid, earthquake, poisonous
  gas, and more. The Day of Dust, as it is now known, saw
  the nation of Almor disappear from the maps of the
  Flanaess, probably forever.
  The armies marched on to the very frontier of Nyrond,
  taking some land which belonged to that nation, until
  they were ground to a halt at the Battle of Blazebane three
  weeks later. The forces of Aerdy suffered more than 4,000
  casualties besieging that Nyrondese citadel. And while
  the Ahlissan army departed relatively unscathed, the
  imperial and humanoid armies suffered grievous losses
  and 
  found 
  themselves 
  almost 
  bereft 
  of 
  senior
  commanders.
  The one exception was General Szeffrin. Shortly before
  his leaving Rauxes for the Almorian campaign, Ivid had
  him transformed into an animus, following his usual
  practice with senior military leaders about to enforce his
  imperial will far away from Rauxes. And, on the very
  night before the march began, Szeffrin was woken by a
  shadowy and unknown figure who pressed into his hand
  a simple gold medallion, saying simply, "When the time
  comes to pay back the overking, call the name upon this
  gold." The figure had the stench of undeath about it;
  Xaene the lich cannot disguise that. For some reason he
  could not rationalize, Szeffrin kept the medallion.
  During the coming weeks, the hatreds which gnawed at
  animuses began to take firm root in Szeffrin's soul—or, to
  be more precise, what remained of his soul. Loathing his
  condition, he came to hate Ivid for what had been done to
  him. Szeffrin worked out his hatreds in the furious, brutal
  razes of Almor, but when Chathold was incinerated and
  the severed head of its prelate impaled on the collapsed
  ruins of the city gates, the black rages in his heart found
  no obvious expression. The animus wondered how to
  destroy himself. In a desperate gesture, he gripped the
  medallion tightly and whispered the name—Pazrael.
  Even to a creature as powerful as the animus-general,
  the sudden appearance of an Abyssal lord was terrifying.
  Fortunately, the tanar'ri was predisposed to listen and
  negotiate, to use his wiles and low cunning. Feigning
  sympathy for Szeffrin's plight, Pazrael offered assistance
  in making Almor Szeffrin's fief, and to aid him to march
  on Rauxes and destroy Ivid personally. As to what
  Pazrael wanted in return, well, that is a subtler and more
  complex matter the significance of which stretches far
  across the Flanaess.
  Pazrael has an alliance with Iuz, but he also has a long-
  term goal of replacing Iuz as a ruler over the enormous
  empire the demipower now rules. Though he is not
  powerful on the Abyss, lacking allies, Pazrael's domains
  are populous and he can strengthen Szeffrin considerably.
  Pazrael's aim in aiding Szeffrin is to establish a first
  power bloc taking in much of Aerdy with its resources,
  which will provide human and humanoid armies with
  which to supplement the fiends the lord could throw into
  The Almorian Lands
  145
  
  the fray.
  Pazrael's fiends can also gain experience of the Prime
  Material by marauding into Nyrond. And his favored
  nabassu can grow mature and powerful by slaying in the
  Prime Material—all the better to fight the Blood Wars
  and internecine struggles in the Abyss. Pazrael is also
  experimenting with magic in the Prime Material; the
  Abyssal lord has gained possession of an abyssal magical
  relic, enhancing his gating and that of his minions, which
  also has important creating abilities (hence the raising of
  Bloodcrystal so rapidly). Pazrael has much to learn, and
  he needs to test his strength. Szeffrin's realm is an ideal
  place to do this. 
  The Lay of the Land
  Szeffrin may have pronounced himself Duke from his
  base in Bloodcrystal and laid claim to all the old lands of
  Almor, but that does not mean he controls those lands,
  nor all those lands west of the Harp and around
  Chathold where there are none in occupation to refuse
  him rulership.
  Many of the Almorian Lands are wholly disorganized,
  with marauding remnants of armies comprised of imperi-
  als, fighters from North Province and Ahlissan deserters.
  Added to this are the Bone March and Adri humanoids
  far from their homes. There are even some fortified
  farmsteads where Almorian families, despite all the
  threats which surround them, still manage to survive.
  The large majority of Almor's population, however, are
  forced into slavery by Szeffrin or used as forced levies by
  armies seeking to raid Nyrond, the Adri, into the western
  lands, or even as far as the Flinty Hills and north into the
  Theocracy of the Pale.
  Already, more than 50,000 Almorians have perished,
  and many more die by the day.
  A fair number of the fiends in Almor are not
  commanded by Szeffrin. They may be sent by Pazrael,
  but being chaotic they certainly roam and maraud as they
  wish much of the time. This is acceptable to Szeffrin. He
  does not care much what the fiends do, so long as they
  are available to him when he is ready to march on
  Rauxes. Then, Pazrael will have to marshal his fractious
  servants on behalf of the animus-duke.
  Despite all this, the dominant ethos in Almor has been
  the common good for a long time, and there are still some
  surviving pockets or even strongholds of the good and
  strong, surviving beleaguered in these dreadful days. The
  courage of such men and women was badly shaken by
  the destruction of the mighty paladin Shreckend in the
  citadel of Appolled in the month of Flocktime. But these
  folk will sell their lives dearly to Szeffrin's merciless evil.
  Almor presents the greatest tragedy in all the Flanaess
  in some ways. This was a beautiful country, with gently
  rolling fields and meadows, the patchwork of small
  landholdings separated by flowering hedgerows a delight
  in spring. The weary traveler could always find
  somewhere to rest his weary feet along the roads,
  whether that be a tavern or the barn of a friendly farming
  family. Almorians were, for the most, kindly and trusting
  people. The virtues of Good were expressed gently and
  quietly here, not in great deeds of derring-do which bards
  would sing of, but in the simple kindnesses of considera-
  tion and fellowship.
   Now, the fields are unsewn, and half the farms of the
  land have been put to the torch. For warriors to die in
  battle is one thing; for a simple farming family to be left,
  ripped to pieces, in a ditch by some gloating fiend is an
  evil which is all the more dreadful for its senselessness.
  The famed mage Nystul, of the Circle of Five, was caught
  up in the exodus from Almor when Szeffrin was cement-
  ing his hold on the land. This normally humorous and
  flippant man was almost speechless when he fled to
  Mordenkainen and Bigby, and he shook with rage
  recounting what he had seen here. He has vowed to
  destroy Szeffrin, and, while the Circle's current ethos is
  strongly against direct action and for careful watching
  and learning, it may be hard even for Mordenkainen and
  the ever-cautious Bigby to prevent him from trying.
  To the east of Szeffrin's domain the armies of Nyrond
  are amassed along the Sword Road (they are documented
  in The Marklands). Nyrond is too weak to attack Almor,
  and Szeffrin knows it. His concerns lie east, toward
  Rauxes, and the overking is the only target he seeks.
  Szeffrin has become a truly ghastly animus, his self-
  hatred expressing itself in an unmitigated rage at every
  sign of life and weal around him. Just as he longs for an
  end to his own hellish existence, the animus-duke seeks
  to bring death and destruction to all the lands he can
  subjugate and conquer with his burgeoning fiendish
  allies. Szeffrin is supremely dangerous not because he has
  strong armies (though he has), but for psychological
  reasons. He doesn't fear death, he embraces it and longs
  for it, and in doing so he has become its very embodi-
  ment. When his armies march forth, as they surely will,
  untold thousands will perish.
  Locations and Settlements
  Appolled
  This shattered ruin was once the castle of the paladin
  Shreckend and his followers and retainers. It only fell in
  Flocktime of the current year, after months of siege by an
  orcish army—the remnants of which still roam the area.
  Fiends and mages finally destroyed the place, slaying
  everyone they could find and looting the treasures of the
  fine chapels of Pelor and Heironeous within the place.
  Below the rubble, however, the dungeons of Appolled
  were not fully explored by the teeming orcs. Here a group
  The Almorian Lands
  146
  
  of 30 low-level fighters and men-at-arms still survives,
  aided by a magical cornucopia which can create food and
  water three times a day. They have but one spellcaster
  with them, a 6th-level mage, and they are too afraid to try
  their luck even emerging to the surface to check what is
  happening. Many of them could give excellent first-hand
  accounts of the flying chariots used by fiendish assailants
  (see details for Bloodcrystal below), and the group also
  managed to hide the spellbooks of the castle's premier
  mage, Arastenn. Thus, any group rescuing them would
  gain both magic and information, and the area is not
  routinely patrolled by fiends, mages or priests.
  The Badlands
  Certain areas on the color map are shown as badlands.
  These are burned and razed villages or small towns, or
  the sites of battles or massacres. At the latter sites, many
  Almorians perished at the hands of genocidal evil forces,
  usually fiends, mages, and priests of Hextor. Each of
  these locations is 10 to 100 square miles in size (10d10),
  with the area being centered upon any old settlement
  therein.
  The badlands are ghastly and appallingly dangerous.
  Diseased corpses infest the areas, and tormented undead
  of mindless savagery (Morale 20 in all cases, turn as two
  categories higher than usual) plague them. Floating
  clouds of stinking cloud/cloudkill effect may be found here,
  as well as ghasts and ghouls, seeking new victims to feast
  upon. The DM is at liberty to expand these areas and add
  perils and menaces. Examples might include: energy
  draining clouds of mist, choking black corrosive acid
  clouds which paralyze humans (but not demihumans),
  disease-carrying warped vegetation, fiends disguised as
  undead, zombies which explode in 20' radius acid storms
  when destroyed with any edged weapon, ground which
  spontaneously decays under the footfalls of a living
  creature, fissures and areas of utterly treacherous acid-
  soaked bogs, and more. Naturally, these areas are best
  used as ones into which PCs must travel to retrieve some
  needed item or piece of information.
  Bloodcrystal
  Bloodcrystal is a four-towered castle of great size with
  red crystalline fragmented cupolas atop each tower. The
  total of the teeming armies here is unknown, but they are
  awesomely powerful.
  First, Szeffrin has not only humanoids of the usual
  type—orcs and goblins—but more than 100 ogres and
  phalanxes of both hill giants and trolls. How he keeps
  control over these usually quarrelsome races is unknown,
  but discipline appears to be maintained. There are even
  ettins, used as guardhouse watchouts.
   Second, Szeffrin has renegade priests of Hextor in his
  citadel. Some are rare humanoid shamans of this power,
  others are turncoat humans from North Province and
  even the central Aerdy lands. Why they have chosen to
  serve Szeffrin is uncertain, though as priests of war they
  must know that the opportunity for glory cannot be far
  away.
  Third, Szeffrin has fiends of Pazrael here. There are
  perhaps 30 nabassu at any given time, and perhaps ten
  times this number of least and lesser tanar'ri. More worry-
  ing still, a few gehreleth and yugoloths have been sighted
  at the castle by brave Nyrondese spies, and even a maril-
  ith or two has been spotted. And, while there are enough
  fiends here, Nyrondese mages have warned their king
  that Szeffrin may be able to call upon thousands of them
  should he so need this.
  Finally, Szeffrin has well more than 2,000 undead
  creatures here. Zombies and skeletons have been created
  from the bodies of Almorians slain by fiends, but there
  are also several hundred much more dangerous undead,
  notably ju-ju zombies and ghasts.
  To complicate matters, Bloodcrystal is a potently
  magical place. The entire structure is said to have sprung
  up, on the site of a great Nyrond-Aerdy battle, within a
  week. The great iron gates of the castle have been seen to
  spit smoking, corrosive acid upon command from one of
  the red-robed mages serving Szeffrin. And a red-streaked
  black "rainbow" has also been seen above the place,
  depositing bloody hailstones the size of goose eggs.
  What other intrinsic magic the castle has is unknown,
  though 
  it 
  radiates 
  magic 
  (alteration, 
  abjuration,
  conjuration/summoning and evocation) very strongly. It
  is also magically protected against assault by fire, light-
  ning, and transmute rock to mud and the like. Ghiselinn,
  premier mage of Nyrond, has grimly assured his king
  that even an earthquake would leave the place still stand-
  ing. The Nyrondese are also said to be keenly troubled by
  sightings of a pair of gray-robed albino Suloise mages,
  apparently identical twins. Admittedly, in these days
  almost any very fair-skinned Suel person is suspected of
  being an agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood, but these
  mages are powerful. One cast a meteor swarm at fleeing
  Nyrondese.
   And all this may yet be the tip of the iceberg. Flying
  above the Sword Road recently, seemingly impervious to
  missile fire, came two great fiery stone chariots, flying
  aloft with teams of fiends spraying acid and cloudkills
  onto the terrified Nyrondese below. Archbold's mages
  have identified these as a transformed version of the
  chariot of Sustarre spell, and the gloating aviators were
  traced back to Bloodcrystal. Again, whatever magical
  artifact Pazrael is using in conjunction with Szeffrin, it
  must be greatly powerful to create such effects. Magical
  scrying has not revealed what this artifact may be, nor
  what powers Szeffrin and his ally may yet unleash from
  it.
  The Almorian Lands
  147
  
  The Ruins of Chathold
  The horrors of this place are as dire as any found in all of
  Medegia, with its deranged and maddened souls.
  Chathold suffered such a rain of fire, acid, and lightning
  as has not been seen since the Invoked Devastation itself.
  Mists, fogs, poisonous gases, and palls of smoke still
  loom in and over the burned-out ruins of the city, and
  soul-rending howls can be heard by day or night.
   All manner of evils have been drawn to this nightmare
  place. Fiends and orcs prowl and roam, but they have
  almost passed beyond Szeffrin's reach or even that of
  Pazrael (in the case of fiends). Acolytes of Nerull have
  been drawn here, breathing in the redolent stench of
  death and massacre like a delicate perfume. Bony, black-
  robed priests of Incabulos pick over the ruins, their grim
  master smiling on the putrescine undead they have
  animated from the thousands of corpses to be found here.
  These creatures prowl the city ruins, and they maraud as
  far south as the line held by the citadel at Goldbolt. The
  orcs, other humanoids, and wretched bandits of Aerdy
  who live in those southeastern lands seem afflicted by the
  evil emanating from Chathold itself. They appear almost
  deranged, driven on by some inner madness, reckless and
  careless of death.
  Indeed, Chathold has taken on a magical aura all of its
  own. The sheer magnitude of the destruction and slaugh-
  ter in this city has generated powerful magical effects. All
  malign (reversed) necromantic spells are saved against
  with a -4 penalty here. Undead are turned as if the priest
  was six levels lower than his normal experience level.
  Reversed healing spells always inflict maximum damage.
  For example, a cause light wounds spell thus causes 8
  points of damage. There are also a number of special
  magical effects which apply to particular spells; e.g.,
  speak with dead has a 50% chance (less 1% per point of
  Wisdom of the spellcaster) of sending the querying cleric
  immediately insane. The DM should modify other spell
  effects to reflect these general themes as appropriate.
  Chathold's ruins most certainly contain many lost treas-
  ures. The aim of those who destroyed this city was
  simply to lay waste to everything they could find, not to
  loot anything. The overking's troops and mages had no
  thought of retrieving relics from the cathedrals of good-
  aligned powers.
  However, the horrors of this place have turned the hair
  of the few to have entered here white overnight. If an
  adventure is to be played here, this place must be
  presented as ghastly. For example, the ruins of this city
  assail the senses of any entering with a frightful intensity
  of impactful horror. More than 5,000 people perished in
  the Day of Dust, and their physical and spiritual remains
  haunt these ruins. Adventurers entering Chathold's ruins
  embark on the aftermath of an apocalypse.
  Harskern
  This village appears typical of the handful which have
  not been decimated by raiding armies or fiends. There are
  300 or more villagers who go about their business of daily
  life almost as if nothing had changed. Harskern is not
  raided, it appears, and the traveler might wonder why
  this is so. Querying one of the locals will not bring any
  reply; they are silent and avoid questions and strangers.
  The reason for this is that the "village militia" is not
  what it seems. This group of 20 men-at-arms are actually
  disguised priests of Iuz and veteran fighters (levels 5 to
  10). They are aided by a pair of mages and two thief-
  scouts. Harskern is the base from which Iuz's agents spy
  on events in Almor. Iuz is well aware of Pazrael's schem-
  ing and so ensures he has first-hand observations of what
  happens here. From time to time Iuz may even send one
  of his Boneheart wizards here for a full report, though
  this is rare. The villagers know that these folk are evil.
  They don't know for sure that they serve Iuz, because
  they prefer not to know.
  At least these occupiers keep raiders at bay. Wander-
  ing orc militias and bandits have been swiftly slain by
  Iuz's men, who have made sure that none escape to raise
  any warnings. Moreover, Iuz's servants do not mistreat
  the villagers, much as they would like to, since they do
  not want to give the game away to casual visitors.
  Harskern offers a change of scene for a campaign, since
  there is a dilemma for good-aligned PCs: if they root out
  the evil of Iuz, they may leave this village defenseless
  against the bandits and deserters who have burned down
  and pillaged so many others just like it.
  Millennium
  This black stone castle has stood for just under half the
  duration of the thousand-year rule the first overking
  proclaimed as his empire's fate. Millennium withstood a
  siege by Szeffrin's forces for three months during the final
  phase of the wars, and the Pact of Greyhawk allowed the
  Nyrondese survivors—only 300 of the 1,500 who were
  originally garrisoned here—to depart in safety, Nyrond
  being forced to give up the lands around the castle.
  Millennium stands above a warren of sea caves and
  caverns, further excavated over the centuries. The fiends
  which have taken up residence in the castle (and the
  Nyrondese have seen greater tanar'ri here) have begun
  the task of filling those catacombs with an undead army
  from the bodies of those who fell defending the castle.
  Disease-ridden corpses are floated down the shoreline
  into Mithat Bay in the hope of infecting Nyrondese folk,
  though most bodies are kept for animation.
  Millennium is primarily garrisoned by orcish troops,
  with fiend commanders; there are few humans here.
  Because the departing Nyrondese were searched by
  The Almorian Lands
  148
  
  Szeffrin's gloating servitors, some treasures and precious
  items had to be left behind when the castle was
  evacuated. The orc warlords here also use this castle to
  stash their war booty, so there is fair treasure to be had
  for anyone prepared to face the defenders of this redoubt-
  able castle.
  Narsel Mendred
  These ruins were once the second city of Almor, not as
  populous as Chathold, but wealthy, well-built, and a
  pleasing sight to the eye. Orc armies decimated the city
  with siege weaponry, so that the semi-deserted city ruins
  are filled with debris and rubble. Perhaps only a tenth of
  the city's buildings are still standing in anything like their
  pre-war condition, and fully half have been razed.
  The city ruins are the haunt of desperate Almorian
  refugees, men turned to banditry, renegade orc militias,
  and occasionally a solitary fiend prowling for prey
  (nabassu favor Narsel Mendred as a hunting ground).
  While there are not the horrors of Chathold here, the
  inhabitants are desperate and dangerous, and strangers
  will be attacked more or less on sight. A tiny enclave of
  priests of Pholtus struggles to survive here, guarding the
  rescued treasures of their power's shattered cathedral
  with their lives. A trio of young priests of Ehlonna,
  caught up in the razing of the city, hides in an undercity-
  crypt complex, protecting a ragged bunch of 40 young
  children they ushered out of a school just after the orcs
  breached the city gates. They must perforce go above
  ground to find what food they can, from the wild plants
  growing in the old city gardens, but their lot is desperate.
  The ruins of this city contain several such tiny pockets
  of pitiable folk, hoping against hope for someone to come
  and lead them to safety. Any who do so would, in their
  way, further the cause of Good as much as if they
  retrieved some icon or relic from a sacred site in such a
  place.
  Onyxgate
  This site is marked by a simple square keep which
  appears innocuous. The truth is different. There are
  dungeon and cavern complexes at least a mile deep
  below it, disguised by illusions and protected by magical
  barriers and wards. Spies report that fiends regularly
  leave Onyxgate for other locations, especially Bloodcrys-
  tal. 
  Since 
  the 
  site 
  radiates 
  the 
  presence 
  of
  conjuration/summoning magic strongly, it is clear that
  some form of gate to the Abyss must lie beneath the
  surface. It is also known that several priests of Hextor
  stay cloistered within the keep, and Nyrondese rumors
  filter back to western lands whispering that at least one
  knows the secrets of revivification.
  Worse still, there are persistent rumors that a dark
  magical artifact is responsible for the gate, and that
  Xaene's inscrutable hand is at work in having placed it
  here. This may or may not be true, as is usually the case
  with such fearful whisperings.
  Some Nyrondese military men favor a strike on
  Onyxgate to lessen the threat to Nyrond and weaken
  Szeffrin, but King Archbold will not countenance this. He
  believes he cannot order an army or squad to risk a fate
  worse than death by ordering them to assault this desper-
  ately dangerous place. This is not to say that he wouldn't
  favor a strike by a small, elite group of high-level PCs.
  In addition to priests and fiends, the dungeons of
  Onyxgate contain both "mundane" undead, such as
  zombies and skeletons, and more spectral undead, such
  as wraiths, spectres, and worse. Nabassu here include the
  least mature type (arriving) and fully matured ones
  (about to depart for the Abyss).
  There are also several spellcasting cambions, including
  a pair who can use charm monster spells to force monsters
  of the dungeons—ropers, xorn, and some grey stony-
  skinned basilisks of AC 0—into servitude. Slaves are used
  to expand the dungeon complex, which is also used as a
  prison for a handful of Szeffrin's most hated captives,
  including at least two rival Aerdy generals.
  Shroudgate
  This location is not shown on the map because it moves
  around, appearing from time to time in different places.
  Shroudgate is a fortified mansion of especially strange
  design. The windows of the building show distorted
  reflections of anyone peering into them from the outside,
  as if they were one-way mirrors. Leering stone gargoyles
  flank the gray-coated iron gates, staring down from the
  guttering of the nested angular roof complex.
  The house has a large east wing and a smaller west one
  abutting on to the central hall and living chambers. The
  place never can be seen in open terrain in normal visibil-
  ity; the handful of people who have entered Shroudgate
  and lived to tell the tale blundered into it in driving rain,
  winter fog, mist, or some similar condition.
  Shroudgate has internal architecture and decoration of
  ancient Oeridian design. From the outside it looks odd;
  from the inside, it is like entering a time warp going back
  a millennium. The only apparent occupant is a small,
  limping, withered elf male who does not reveal his name.
  He appears to be normal flesh and blood, but he can pass
  through walls and objects as if they did not exist, and
  likewise objects can pass right through him—as one or
  two who have raised weapons against him could testify if
  they were still alive. In the flickering candlelight which
  always illuminates the gloomy interior of Shroudgate,
  from certain angles it seems as if the elf is immaterial or
  semi-material, and the name The Spectre has been given
  to him.
  Those who call him by this name find him slightly
  The Almorian Lands
  149
  
  amused by it, but seemingly not offended.
   The Spectre receives visitors in different ways. Primar-
  ily, he is interested in conversing with mages and sages,
  or travelers who have up-to-date knowledge of events in
  Aerdy and the Flanaess generally. To such folk he is
  politely welcoming, offering greetings and hospitality.
  This is probably the only chance anyone will have of
  quaffing drinkable 1,000 year old wine.
  Somehow, The Spectre seems to say very little while
  wringing out of his guests everything he might want to
  learn, even if they breach discretions and give away
  secrets by so doing. On rare occasions, The Spectre may
  say something of historical events, very often in the form
  of first-hand eye-witness accounts. His age is unknown,
  but it must pass beyond the thousand-year mark. While
  his voice is normally even, with a slight hint of sardonic
  irony here and there, if he chooses to describe the
  Invoked Devastation his words sound as if his own eyes
  saw the full horror of it.
   Shroudgate is intensely magical and contains an
  endless number of minor unique magical items. The
  Spectre never has to pour wine for his guests; the
  decanter pours and refills itself. Words spoken by guests
  are recorded in huge leather-bound vellum tomes by a
  levitating, scribbling quill which never runs out of ink.
  The Spectre does not permit visitors to consult his
  records.
  Chairs draw back from tables to allow visitors to sit on
  them, while the napkins at meal tables place themselves
  on diner's laps and automatically absorb any crumbs of
  food spilled on them. Certainly, The Spectre owns more
  impressive items, and even artifacts, but he does not
  reveal these to his guests.
  One of his inner sanctums is a room filled with untold
  thousands of hourglasses, in which the sands of time run
  out for people, nations, and powers across the Flanaess.
  There is an icon of Istus therein, but whether The Spectre
  reveres her, or serves her purposes, is unknown.
  Visitors to Shroudgate be warned: while The Spectre
  will accommodate those who call on him and are agree-
  able to him, he never sleeps and cannot be surprised,
  controlled, dispelled, or harmed by weapon or magic.
  And to sleep even one night in Shroudgate is perilous.
  One may wake and leave to find that 50 years of time
  have passed in the world outside the gates.
  A visit to Shroudgate in a campaign should be special,
  eerie, and disorientating. The unblinking, white-haired
  tiny elf is a creature out of time, timeless and strange,
  who appreciates wit and humor, but expels oafs or
  aggressive individuals instantly. Stupidity gets one
  dumped back in the storm outside; aggression is
  rewarded with a devastating magical riposte. The Spectre
  cares not for racial or alignment factors. For example, he
  prefers a smart dwarf to a tongue-tied elf.
  His challenge, if you like, is in his habitual expression
  "Tell me." If a visitor has interesting things to say, he will
  be welcomed. And if The Spectre is in a good mood, he
  might give some gift of information or minor unique
  magic item.
  The Spectre does not show any emotive response to
  anything he is told, with one exception—he grows
  animated if any visitor can tell him anything about
  Philidor, the Blue Wizard of Greyhawk City and the
  Vesve forest. "So he's come at last!" is his excited response
  to that. If his visitor has met or observed Philidor, The
  Spectre will interrogate him keenly, his quill scribbling
  frantically all the while, but the elf does not reveal
  anything about his knowledge of that peculiar mage.
  If asked about himself, The Spectre deflects such
  queries with a statement along the lines of, "All in good
  time. We shall see all in the fullness of time."
  The Spectre isn't a killable or controllable character.
  Charm, sleep, hold, etc. are a waste of time. Even a wish
  won't achieve anything inside Shroudgate. If he is
  attacked, he is effectively impervious to harm. He has the
  spellcasting abilities of a 19th-level mage, and he gener-
  ally uses power words to teach those attacking him a
  lesson.
  Tirian
  Tirian is a village of 420 folk, a small rural farming
  community. That it has not been overrun is due to a small
  group of Almorian men and women, remnants of the
  Irregulars, an elite force of mercenaries and specialists.
  Their leader, Bajastelle Renderan, is a priestess of
  Mayaheine, converted to the new faith because of a vision
  she experienced after the Irregulars were largely
  destroyed by the imperial forces on their fateful march to
  Chathold.
  One of a very few survivors from her battalion, she
  believed herself an unworthy survivor and was sunk into
  despair when a vision of the demipower appeared to her
  and sternly told her to get up off her knees and do
  something about those a lot less able to defend
  themselves.
  Bajastelle is a charismatic leader and she has some 25
  veteran Irregulars, mostly heavy infantry. In addition to
  them are three ranger-scouts and a priest of Pelor. Her
  goal is to get the folk of Tirian to some place of safety.
  Ideally, she hopes to strike out for Nyrond. The problem,
  of course, is that Tirian is distant from any even relatively
  safe place (the Flinty Hills are another possibility).
  There are a few other such places in Almor where small
  groups are in dire need of rescue, but for PCs Tirian is the
  most interesting. Bajastelle and her surviving troops are
  well-disciplined and hardy, and if helped to save the
  village people by a group of intelligent and caring PCs
  they would be prepared to pledge service to them in
  return. Especially for PCs who are of sufficient experience
  The Almorian Lands
  150
  
  level to attract followers, rescuing this community would
  make for an excellent adventure, since the charismatic
  young warrior-priestess would make an excellent, and
  wholly trustworthy, second-in-command. Of course, this
  is provided that the PCs she serves are worthy of her
  assistance.
  Personalities of Almor
  Bajastelle Renderan: 8th-level fighter/5th-level priest-
  ess of Mayaheine (Str 17, Con 15, Wis 17, Cha 17). AC 0
  (chain mail +2, shield +2), hp 64, AL LG. Bajastelle is 28, 5'
  9", distractingly curvaceous, with straight dark blonde
  hair and hazel eyes. Her family has farmed and lived in
  Tirian for generations, and her parents and two sisters are
  among the folk still surviving there. Her band of warriors
  are likewise survivors, from the local area and lands
  around, who retreated after their army was shattered by
  Szeffrin's advancing forces. With their leaders and many
  of their fellows slain, they came home to protect and
  attempt to save their kin.
  Bajastelle knows Almor well in terms of geography,
  roads, trails, and places to forage. Planning a mass
  evacuation of the village is difficult, though. Emotionally
  it is a great wrench. The logistics are difficult; simply
  getting enough food along the way is a major problem.
  Likewise, the very young and the old slow down
  movement rates, although Tirian has some 40 horses and
  a few wagons. The wagons could only be used along
  primary or secondary roads.
  The major problem is that this group is short on
  magical firepower, having no mage among them to use
  illusion spells to disguise and protect, for example. A PC
  group with a good mage among them would make a
  huge difference to the Tirianers' survival chances.
  This young woman is resilient and always optimistic.
  She has the zeal of a convert, and her energy seems
  inexhaustible. Her troops admire her, and indeed are
  proud of her. Even high-level PCs should not regard her
  as some kind of adjutant. If they are smart, they will treat
  her as an equal. Her troops are almost followers of hers,
  and will bristle if she is not treated with respect.
  Imagena: Alu-fiend with abilities of 9th-level mage (Str
  17, Int 18). AC 3 (ring of protection +2), hp 32, AL N.
  Imagena is not listed above, since she wanders Almor
  widely. Posing as a human mage, her robes hide her
  wings. She is 5' 5", slim, dark-haired and brown-eyed. She
  wears much facial make-up, disguising her give-away
  eyebrows, and she deliberately appears fastidious and
  vain.
  Imagena was gated to serve Szeffrin, but she hates the
  animus. On a whim Szeffrin had her brutally punished
  for some minor misdemeanor, and she fled Bloodcrystal.
  Now she wanders Almor alone, giving what help she can
  to any who appear able to strike any kind of blow against
  the duke's forces or citadels. She knows much (but not all)
  of what is going on in Bloodcrystal and Onyxgate, and
  she could provide much information to PCs about those
  places and their defenders. She will not do so, however,
  unless she has first-hand evidence that the PCs are
  capable and competent adventurers able to do something
  about events in Almor. That means observing them
  closely for a while, and certainly seeing how the PCs cope
  with combats with troops, fiends, and the like.
  Imagena will not reveal her true nature voluntarily, and
  her magic resistance might neutralize know alignment
  spells and other enchantments. If she is detected for what
  she is, she will truthfully recount her story. If attacked,
  she will use her dimension door or teleport spells to escape.
  Imagena has a dagger +3 and a wand of illusion with 12
  charges remaining. She is loath to use the latter, saving its
  charges for emergencies.
  Duke Szeffrin: Animus with abilities of 15th-level
  fighter (Str 18/00, Con 18). AC -5 (plate mail +4, shield +3),
  hp 121, AL NE. Szeffrin is a freak: he stands exactly seven
  feet tall, and some have wondered if there is ogrish blood
  in his veins. Revivification has frozen his features into a
  virtual death mask. His skin is ashen, his brown eyes
  unblinking, and his expression unchanging. Oddly, the
  duke is fastidious about his personal appearance. He
  spends nearly 20 minutes shaving each day, and his thick
  black hair is always precisely cropped. Szeffrin has
  tattoos of dragons on his forearms, a mark of his having
  slain two such beasts with his longsword +2, dragon slayer.
  That weapon is intelligent (Int 17) and aligned, with the
  primary powers of detect good and evil, detect magic, and
  locate object. Its extraordinary power is X-ray vision. The
  weapon's special purpose is to slay creatures of NG align-
  ment, and its special purpose power is disintegrate.
   Szeffrin was one of Ivid's best generals, and he is a fine
  army commander and strategist (though a little over-
  traditional). He never cared how many of his men were
  slain in battle so long as the day was won; now that many
  of his forces are undead this is not a substantial
  weakness. The orcs of Almor are happy enough because
  they are allowed to loot and pillage freely, but they are
  terrified of their grim master. Likewise, Szeffrin's human
  troops are scared witless of the man, but they have poorer
  morale than the orcs because Szeffrin keeps many of them
  confined to barracks. And they loathe the proximity of
  undead creatures and fiends.
  Szeffrin does not worry much about the fine details of
  his dealings with Pazrael. So long as he gets the forces he
  wants to march on Rauxes and destroy Ivid, that will do.
  Szeffrin doesn't worry about his own fate either. He has
  the self-hatred of most animuses. Ideally, he would like to
  leave Pazrael and his fiends to slay more or less anyone
  they can get their hands on right across Aerdy and meet
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  the release of death himself.
  Szeffrin watches Nyrond with some amusement. He
  knows the westerners are afraid of him, and he organizes
  a few raids not to disappoint them. But he has no real
  interest in Nyrond, so long as the troops there remain
  entrenched in defensive positions and do not interfere
  with his plans.
  Szeffrin has mastered himself these days. He is not
  prone to the angers and rages of the past. He disciplines
  himself with precise daily rituals to suppress his dark
  emotions, but that is not without cost. Szeffrin is effec-
  tively permanently depressed; his energy is sapped and
  he seems deadened. However, when the time comes for
  his advance on Rauxes, he will surely come to life—as
  much as that is possible for an undead creature, of course.
  Along the way, disposing of Ferrenan is a prospect he
  looks forward to.
  Szeffrin's steed is a nightmare, a gift from Pazrael, and
  a beast of truly fearsome kind (7+7 HD, 63 hp, and can
  breathe a stinking cloud three times a day).
  Across the Border
  DMs wishing to set adventures in Almor for PCs based in
  Nyrond will need The Marklands. For Aerdy PCs, a retreat
  into Nyrond may be forced if skirmishes in Almor
  become heated, so the following brief notes on Nyron-
  dese locations are provided for DMs without The
  Marklands.
  Blazebane: This is a five-towered stone castle with a
  ring of external standing stones in the castle moat, which
  can be used to generate walls of fire to assail attackers.
  King Archbold of  Nyrond has 1,600 troops here.
  Kurast's Tower: Set at the source of the Flessern River,
  this garrison of 400 troops looks with some consternation
  at the tower of the apparently forgetful and eccentric
  mage Kurast, a water elementalist whose summoned
  elementals have more than once struck devastatingly at
  orcs attempting to advance into Nyrond.
  Mithat: This walled city of 28,000 has a massive stand-
  ing army (4,000 naval militia and 3,000 infantry and
  cavalry). It is the most important Nyrondese naval base, a
  city with good morale and law-abiding folk. Hugarnd,
  the Nyrondese Fleet Admiral, is here, and major Nyron-
  dese generals and the king himself are frequent visitors.
  Sword Road: This is patrolled night and day by bands
  of 22 to 60 (20+2d20) Nyrondese infantry, including
  1d4+1 officer-leaders, fighters of levels 4-7. They are ever-
  vigilant. Provisioning wagons likewise regularly travel
  this road, supplying its bristling array of watch posts.
  The Almorian Lands
  152
  
  This chapter explains how to develop adventures and
  campaigns in the lands of Aerdy. Adventures suitable for
  PCs of all levels of experience are outlined here, together
  with plentiful notes for the DM on running them.
  Player Character Base
  The goals which PCs may have in Aerdy will depend
  very much on where they come from. If they are based in
  a foreign land, such as Nyrond, Urnst, or Greyhawk City,
  then they are going to have a very different agenda to
  what they would have if they came from the Great
  Kingdom itself. Also, they are going to have very differ-
  ent knowledge of the place.
  Foreigners will know little more than rumors of a great
  empire which has been sealed off by war for years. The
  DM should make foreign PCs work hard to learn who is
  who, and what's been happening.
  The assumption is made here that PCs are of good or
  neutral alignment, wishing to oppose evil factions and
  forces in Aerdy. Even if this is not so, many of the points
  made still apply. Logistic and tactical points do, and even
  evil PCs will have many of the same enemies which
  non-evil PCs would.
  The DM needs to have a strategic understanding of
  what the PCs are trying to do. What are their ultimate
  goals? If they simply want to beat up on evil wherever
  they find it, there's plenty of scope. However, a group
  which wants to remove some area of land from the
  control of evil is playing a much deeper and more
  dangerous game. Foreign PCs might simply want to
  neutralize and sabotage the Aerdy evils on the bounda-
  ries of their homelands (most obviously, in Almor,
  Innspa, or the southern Darmen lands and Ahlissa if the
  PCs come from Sunndi or Irongate).
  Getting the goals for a campaign straight is important.
  Obviously, with rescue and retrieval missions, for
  example, this doesn't need so much thinking about.
  Styles of Game Play
  The Aerdy lands can be used for any type of adventure. It
  depends on what players and DMs most enjoy here.
  Combat and Battle
  For players who enjoy plenty of combat, the Aerdy lands
  offer many enemies for any level of PC experience.
  For larger-scale battles against powerful enemies, the
  Almor setting is the most obvious one to use. The fiends
  and priests here, with orcish, undead, and imperial
  armies, present formidable opposition. Locations such as
  Onyxgate and Bloodcrystal are citadels which are tough
  even for high-level PCs to assail. For mid-level PCs,
  battles with Bone March humanoids are a good option.
  Battles also certainly can be had in Medegia, but given
  the chaos of that land, there is likely little purpose to this.
  Skirmishing is possible all over the place. The most
  likely options are the margins of the Adri and Grand-
  wood Forests and the Lone Heath, where PCs can defend
  settlements of good-aligned folk and mount raids on
  supply wagons and the like for the benefit of beleaguered
  people.
  Sea adventures shouldn't be overlooked. Raids on
  Ahlissan ports, or suppression of Ahlissan pirates, would
  be very helpful to Nyrond.
  The DM will need to think long and hard about major
  land battles in areas where princes rule, such as Darmen
  lands and Naelax lands. Such battles are only likely to
  take place when someone has made the fateful decision to
  march on Rauxes and proclaim himself overking. When
  that happens, there is going to be a major power change if
  the pretender to the throne is successful. The DM needs to
  be prepared for the consequences of that, which are going
  to be very significant. Rivals will need to be dealt with,
  and there's the little matter of confronting the enormous
  military and magical might of Rauxes itself!
  Investigation and Discovery
  For players who enjoy adventures with story goals based
  on investigation, acquisition of learning, and information,
  the Aerdy lands offer a realm of possibilities. Obviously,
  this sourcebook provides a lot of information about
  Aerdy, but PCs—especially outsiders or even Aerdy-
  based PCs from areas such as the Adri or Lone Heath,
  who have not traveled widely—won't know more than a
  tiny fraction of it.
  The key decision here is: what kind of mystery do
  players like getting into, and what style of play is going
  to get the information they seek?
   Aerdy contains many arcane secrets, such as the old
  sites of the Ur-Flannae mystics, the Cauldron of Night
  and the Fading Grounds, the unknown patterns gener-
  ated by The Walker in Medegia, and the secrets guarded
  by The Sentinels of the Coldwood. Here, the PCs are
  getting into magical and arcane secrets. They will need
  the help of sages and mystics, which means traveling to
  find them and paying them in some currency (magical
  items, service, information). They may attract the atten-
  tion of powerful, magical beings opposed to their
  meddling. The dangers they will face may be unseen and
  unsuspected. This is dangerous territory and not suited to
  low-level PCs.
  At a much simpler level, the information sought by PCs
  may be more down-to-earth; logistic, tactical. When does
  that rich merchant caravan from Rel Astra come along the
  northern road so that we can ambush it and feed the
  people of the Lone Heath? What are Reydrich's plans in
  building those keeps along the Grayflood? When do his
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  troops patrol, so that Sunndi guerrillas can strike them
  down? This kind of investigation is well-suited to lower-
  level PCs, especially those of a chaotic bent who enjoy
  skirmishing on the margins of free lands.
  Players may enjoy politics and intrigue, which is a very
  different type of investigative operation.
  Role-Playing And Intrigue
  The Aerdy lands are an absolute den of conspiracies and
  intrigues. There are dozens of princes who will pay for
  trustworthy spies to find out what their rivals are up to.
  PCs of all levels can become engaged in such activities.
  Powerful ones will draw the attention of a major power-
  player like Xavener of Kalstrand or Strychan of
  Dustbridge. Low-level PCs may be employed by a minor
  liegeman of such a great prince, which allows them to
  earn their spurs by serving an underling and working
  their way up the greasy pole. The Naelax and Darmen
  lands offer the best opportunities for such intrigues.
  Tough Choices
  One of the greatest strengths of the Aerdy setting is that it
  allows the DM to present PCs with some extremely diffi-
  cult moral and tactical dilemmas. At a simple tactical
  level, PCs can be approached to act as spies by two rival
  princes to spy on each other. Each prince makes it plain
  that either the PCs serve him or they come to an unfortu-
  nate end. What do the PCs do?
  Moral dilemmas can likewise be thrown at the PCs.
  Because so much of Aerdy is evil, good-aligned PCs can
  be thrown into really grisly dilemmas. Here's an example:
  Carwend of Rel Deven asks the PCs to protect Prince
  Ferrenan of Blacksplinter. The reason is that Carwend
  needs Ferrenan's support. He needs the money and
  magical items Ferrenan supplies from time to time. He
  knows Ferrenan is going to be magically attacked by
  Szeffrin, with his fiendish and mage allies. If Ferrenan is
  destroyed, the western lands will be weakened and many
  of the ordinary folk who live there will be destroyed as
  Almorian fiends and orcs sweep into the lands. So, the job
  for good-aligned PCs is to act as bodyguards for a
  vampire-necromancer. What do they do? If they just
  refuse and walk away, thousands of ordinary, good-
  aligned people may die.
   One option would be to take over Blacksplinter, but
  that would be a poor choice. Part of Ferrenan's support of
  Carwend is the information he gets from undead servi-
  tors. That will give Carwend warning of an Almorian
  warband planning invasion, and if the PCs slay Ferrenan,
  that warning will be lost.
   There are lots of ways to throw nasty curves like this to
  players. Very often, good-aligned PCs can be put in the
  position of having to choose between two evils. They may
  have to ally with one evil to oppose another, stronger
  one. It forces players to think hard about the moral
  bottom line their characters have. From the DM's point of
  view, it's also nice because good-aligned priests and
  paladins may have to undergo atonement for whichever
  course of action they take—which allows the DM to set
  those PCs on a suitable quest in the future.
  Adventure Themes
  There are several broad themes for adventures in the
  Aerdy lands, each of which is discussed below. However,
  one word of warning. Oerth is a game setting which has
  been through the upheavals of the Greyhawk Wars.
  Players need some time to come to terms with the
  changes in the game world. The one campaign theme
  which a DM needs to be very careful about is the
  overthrow scenario, where Ivid is toppled and another
  prince rises to the malachite throne. This will have
  powerful consequences, as noted. It's best not to use this
  initially, and instead to focus on making preparations for
  this—recruiting forces, making allies through negotia-
  tions, gaining magical items through adventuring, spying
  on Rauxes, and so on.
   The one campaign theme which is right out the
  window is allowing any group of PCs to take the throne
  themselves, no matter how powerful they may be. If they
  are not evil, then virtually all the major powerplayers of
  the land will rise up against them. There even may be
  direct intervention by an evil power, probably Hextor.
  The good powers actually owe the evil ones one such
  direct intervention without reprisal, after St. Cuthbert's
  actions against Iuz, and a Neutral power such as Istus
  would probably aid Hextor.
  If the PCs are evil, then they are in for a constant stream
  of armies arriving at the capital, expert assassins, aerial
  servants, fiends, and much besides. Their lives won't be
  worth living; the DM has to make sure of that.
  Rescue and Retrieval Missions
  Especially suitable for one-night adventures, PCs may
  have to enter Aerdy to recover someone or something of
  importance. Examples of such adventures include:
  Relic Retrieval: The gazetteer chapters have many refer-
  ences to relics. There are both good-aligned relics lost in
  temples of Pholtus and other such powers, and buried
  evil relics and artifacts the destruction of which may be
  vital to preventing a powerful evil faction from growing
  more powerful still. A location such as Spikerift puts a
  nice spin on this; retrieving a good-aligned artifact means
  unleashing some evil, so PCs must deal with that as a
  necessary price to pay for taking the good power of the
  item. Putting such a spin on an adventure of this type
  always spices things up. Such adventures are suitable for
  mid- or high-level PCs. For high-level PCs, placing the
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  relic in a place such as Pontylver or Chathold, a bastion
  of evil such as Onyxgate, or a magically strange and
  dangerous location such as below the Causeway of
  Fiends, allows the DM to throw the kind of opposition at
  them which makes for a challenging adventure. One
  example would be a commission to obtain a suit of fiend
  armor for study.
  Rescue the People: There are also pockets of non-evil
  folk in Aerdy needing rescue. Almor is the most obvious
  example here. Rescuing the children of Narsel Mendred is
  a case in point. Tirian offers a still greater challenge, for
  the PCs have to organize the evacuation of a sizeable
  population. Don't allow them any easy options such as
  gate spells or an amulet of the planes, mirror of mental
  prowess, etc. to move many people fast. Tirian also has a
  good payoff in the form of potential followers. Rescuing
  the Tirianers is an ideal adventure for PCs of 9th level
  who are looking for followers.
  Into The Unknown: A variant on the "retrieve the relic"
  mission, PCs may be asked to discover exactly what
  something is, or what's going on in some place or other.
  Thus, it might be known that Karoolck is manufacturing
  something in the Cauldron of Night which could save
  Ivid's existence, although no one knows exactly what it is.
  The PCs have to find out. Ideally, they might have to
  bring back the item Karoolck is making for study by a
  powerful NPC wizard such as Kieren Jalucian of
  Greyhawk, so that if Karoolck tries again, counter-
  measures could be taken.
  A spin can be put on this by using the Coldwood
  setting. It is known that some great evil magic is stirring
  there. The PCs must seek it out and destroy it or render it
  latent, studying all they can of the magical changes. That,
  unfortunately, means they must deal with The Sentinels
  who don't let anyone enter unless they have some very
  persuasive arguments (which may require an adventure
  to find, research, sage consultations, etc.).
  Sabotage!
  The general theme of such adventures is handicapping
  powerful evil forces by somehow eliminating or weaken-
  ing their supply lines and resources. There are endless
  options here.
  Guerrilla Warfare: For chaotic PCs, this is perfect.
  Continually harassing supply trains headed into and out
  of Edge Field, Rel Astra, Roland, Permanence, or similar
  locations from the cover of the Adri or Grandwood, or a
  hill range, is a simple but effective way of weakening evil
  power centers.
   Kidnap: A time-honored Aerdy tradition, kidnapping
  the wife/husband/lover/best liegeman of a noble can be
  an effective way of getting money, food, equipment and
  supplies for beleaguered good-aligned folk while simul-
  taneously weakening an evil ruler. Strictly LG characters
  might be queasy about this, however.
  Sow Dissension: Aerdy's grapevine is alive with all
  kinds of rumors about who is allying with who, who
  secretly dislikes another, and so on. PCs can spread such
  rumors to great effect themselves, but they have to
  marshal some supporting evidence for their rumormon-
  gering. They may need to discover that by espionage or
  by manufacturing it themselves.
  Revealing treachery among subordinates can be a very
  effective strategy for 
  weakening evil. Unmasking
  Karnquiza as an agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood in
  Zelradton would worry Reydrich a great deal and lead
  him to abandon his lands south of the Grayflood to
  Sunndi men, as he withdrew extra forces back into his
  city. Providing evidence of Balraize's double-dealings at
  Permanence could cause reactions at the courts of
  Strychan and Montand, and unsettle General Kalraith,
  perhaps making him crucially less likely to march out
  from his citadel. Subtler possibilities can be envisaged
  aplenty.
  Weaken Defenses: As one example, the effects of
  destroying the aqueducts and watery defenses of
  Hexpools would be considerable, on both public morale
  and health. Further, it would drown a lot of troops if the
  waters could be directed properly by saboteurs, and it
  could impact on the willingness of the Darmen princes to
  ride out to a war against the overking. Sabotaging city
  walls almost anywhere will throw rulers into confusion,
  forcing them to defend their city rather than making
  aggressive plans (unless they are not rational; animuses,
  for example). Simple sabotage operations can be vital in
  buying time for some beleaguered enclave of good threat-
  ened by a powerful military force nearby.
  Create Alliances and Communications
  There are good people in these evil lands, but they are
  separated geographically and often don't understand
  each other's goals and needs. They may have conflicts of
  their own (the aggressive stance of the Lone Heath
  rangers as compared with the more uncertain attitude of
  the Grandwooders is a good example).
   Communications: Part of creating wider alliances is the
  need for better communication. An adventure which
  allows PCs to set up some form of magical communica-
  tion network between the Adri and Grandwood and
  Lone Heath would achieve a great deal.
  Teleportations: Also, acquiring some way of teleporting
  significant quantities of goods from one location to
  another would help. The Grandwooders have much food,
  but need weapons. If, somehow, that food could be trans-
  ported to Greyhawk City or Irongate then weapons could
  certainly flow in the opposite direction. Bigby is known
  to be doing something very like this to link Irongate with
  Mitrik. Of course, some powerful source of magic would
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  be needed, probably an artifact.
  Networks: There are also many small good-aligned
  groups, pockets of resistance and secret societies
  (Almorian, the Thelwood voadkyn, the Knights of Sun
  and Moon, etc.) who don't even know of each other's
  existence. In many cases they might not be able to help
  each other much even now, but in the future.... Simply
  putting them in touch would have a morale-boosting
  effect. It makes a big difference knowing that one is not
  alone. A long-term goal might be bringing such folk
  together and establishing a dominion of their own within
  the boundaries of Aerdy. The western lands, even parts of
  Medegia, would offer possibilities for this.
  Dominion!
  The Great Kingdom certainly offers PCs the chance to
  seize or establish some power base and lands, and to rule
  it themselves. This is only likely, however, if two condi-
  tions are met. First, the PCs had better find some area
  where they don't have powerful neighbors. Setting up
  camp in the middle of Almor would be stupid. Likewise,
  proclaiming a new fiefdom in the middle of the Naelax or
  Darmen lands would be likely to bring a large army to
  the castle gates in fairly short time. Second, the PCs will
  need to recruit an army, even if only a small one. Follow-
  ers alone are unlikely to be enough. They'll need a force
  capable of protecting their dominion, and driving off
  likely enemies—or at least holding the fort long enough
  for the PCs themselves to deal with matters (this is a
  suitable theme for mid- to high-level PCs only).
  An alternative is for the PCs to acquire some realm of
  their own within Aerdy through serving an existing ruler.
  If the PCs are non-evil, this will have to be a non-evil
  NPC, of course. Carwend of Rel Deven would be one
  obvious possibility. He needs all the help he can get and
  by establishing a power base in the western lands, and
  PCs could begin forays into Almor. They would also
  weaken Carwend's dependence on Ferrenan, allowing
  them to strike out against the vampire-necromancer
  himself if they wished to do so. A base south of Atirr
  might be another possibility, allowing PCs to keep watch
  over the looming evils of Rinloru.
  Patrons
  Some adventures are most easily introduced into a
  campaign by having a patron commission PCs to go forth
  and do such-and-such. It's important for the DM not to be
  transparently arm-twisting about this. It also needs a
  campaign where that NPC doesn't arrive out of the blue
  and just pick on the PCs for no logical reason. Players
  need to feel that there's some logic behind why they are
  being asked to do something.
  For higher-level PCs, one element of any worthwhile
  campaign is that they will inevitably attract the attention
  of high-level NPCs simply because their own actions
  draw attention to themselves. Kings, court wizards, high
  priests and the like keep well-informed about the
  existence of powerful individuals in their lands, areas of
  study, church hierarchies, and more. A 12th-level PC
  priest, for example, is going to be regarded by the head of
  his church in the land as an important agent for further-
  ing the goals of the faith. And that church head is going
  to start taking a direct interest in his budding junior's
  achievements and seek to channel them as he sees best.
  This is obviously especially true of lawfully-aligned
  faiths. Likewise, news of the deeds of powerful warriors
  will spread along the grapevine and come to the attention
  of nobles and rulers, who are mostly desperate for the
  help of such individuals. Aerdy is a land where armies
  have been greatly reduced in strength. Everyone wants
  really fine fighting men and women in their castle, town,
  city or even large village.
  Even for lower-level PCs, higher-level NPCs are going
  to get news of what they have been up to, and they make
  seek to recruit the PCs as promising juniors, followers,
  troop leaders, and so on. The actions of adventurers of
  any worth always attract someone's attention!
  The basic rule with using a patron NPC is that, if the
  DM really wants to run a certain adventure, assuming the
  patron isn't evil (in which case coercion and threats will
  be a primary way of dealing with PCs), it's handy to have
  a combination of persuasion and potential coercion to
  hand. With priests and paladins, this isn't so true. The
  moral authority of a senior priest should be enough (if it
  isn't, the PC is not being role-played properly and should
  not be allowed to gain any experience if refusing the
  request of such an NPC, unless it's grossly unreasonable).
  In other cases, a patron's initial line will be one of persua-
  sion, offering reward for service.
  However, if the quest is a fair one and the PCs refuse, if
  the patron is of any stature he will have some threat, even
  if veiled, to try to force compliance ("I'm sorry you won't
  help us. Our need was great. I hope you enjoyed your
  wine. By the way, my court wizard placed a trap the soul
  spell on your glass, my friend. Shall we activate the
  spell's effects or shall we reconsider my proposition?").
  Try not to be too coercive about matters—but any worth-
  while NPC patron is going to have some such options at
  his fingertips.
  The High Magical Campaign
  The Greyhawk Wars were only part one of the great
  struggle. The Great Kingdom is virtually certain to disin-
  tegrate. Iuz will wage war on Furyondy again, and
  nations such as Veluna and the Ulek states will have their
  fates decided by what happens in Furyondy. The Scarlet
  Brotherhood will strike again to conquer nations, because
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  there is no power to stop it doing so. The Flanaess will be
  plunged into war again, and what happens during that
  war will be decisive. There will be no stalemate next time
  around.
  Now, this great war will not happen for a decade or so
  in all probability. Everyone needs time to build up their
  strength, defensively and offensively. However, in a real
  long-term strategic Greyhawk campaign, PCs had better
  be aware, as are the rulers of great nations, that the day of
  reckoning will come in their lifetimes. And they'd better
  do something about it.
  This becomes a "save the world" campaign, but not one
  with apocalyptic battles, a focus on fighting the good
  fight against pitiless fiends, or anything that simple.
  Rather, what becomes vital to such a campaign is control-
  ling the very powerful, deep sources of magic lying
  within Oerth and confronting the powerful extraplanar
  threats to Oerth.
  Oerth's deep magic lies in the form of the dweomer-
  stones of the central Flanaess, the dark sites such as the
  Causeway of Fiends and the Cauldron of Night in Aerdy,
  and in the Fading Grounds scattered around isolated
  locations. Sites of ancient temples of Tharizdun, and
  possibly in the remains of the Temple of Elemental Evil,
  also contain these ancient magics. They take various
  forms, but usually rather than actually being relics or
  artifacts they are locations with powerful magical
  substrates from which relics and artifacts can be manufac-
  tured. Think of them as highly dangerous magical
  lodestones. Those who control these substrates have a
  powerful edge for the future. Securing ones which can be
  used, and destroying those which are innately evil, is a
  vital strategic goal. There are also a handful of unique
  locations which tap these magical substrates in more
  direct ways, as the events currently taking place in
  Tenser's tower demonstrate.
  The extraplanar threat angle focuses on the pacts of Iuz
  (especially) and Szeffrin (to a lesser extent) with very
  powerful tanar'ri Lords. If these deals go unchecked, the
  possibility of hordes of fiends swamping the Prime
  Material becomes a reality. Strategically, it is vital that the
  forces of good either destroy the preconditions for these
  pacts or inflict such damage on the fiends already in the
  Prime Material that their abyssal masters are unwilling to
  sustain further losses on the same scale.
  The final element in this strategic equation is the fate of
  certain powerful individuals who have the ability to
  prevent evil from becoming fully triumphant. The vital
  forces here are: Mordenkainen and the Circle of Five;
  Archmage Philidor; Gwydiesin; The Walker; The Spectre;
  the priesthood of Rao in Veluna; the quasipowers
  Heward, Murlynd, Kelanen, and Keoghtem; Mayaheine,
  Oerth's new demipower; and a handful of similar beings
  in lands such as Celene, Ulek, and Keoland. In the grand
  strategic picture, the unity of action of such mighty
  individuals will likely determine the fate of the Flanaess.
  Don't forget that these people are highly diverse and by
  no means agree on goals and procedures. Canon Hazen
  of Veluna City is powerfully Lawful Good; Mordenka-
  inen is as Neutral as they come. There are also some
  unpredictable elements in the equation of Evil, most
  notably Vecna and Xaene, whose actions are unknown.
  Also, there are many other non-evil NPCs who have
  dealings with these pivotal figures (for example, Kieren
  Jalucian, the elves of the Timeless Tree in the Vesve
  forest, and many others) whose support of and flow of
  information to these luminaries will make an important
  difference.
  For the DM, there isn't any hurry about this. There is no
  need to begin frantically scripting adventures bringing
  PCs into contact with these exceptional NPCs, nor fling-
  ing them into adventures where they have to enter the
  horrors of the Cauldron of Night. Rather, just keep in
  mind that there are places, and people, which fit into a
  grand magical pattern which Istus alone sees in its
  fullness. Some of them remain entirely enigmatic. That's
  deliberate; Philidor, The Walker, and The Spectre should,
  at this time, remain wholly mysterious. Their timespan of
  perception covers decades and centuries, and they are not
  over-hasty.
  The lands of Aerdy contain both NPCs and locations
  which are part of this grand theme in significant number.
  The lands are ones in which PCs of mid- or high-level
  should definitely become embroiled in if they are going
  to become important elements of the equation of Oerth's
  future.
  Final Notes
  The Aerdy lands are not easy ones for role-playing. There
  are some general elements of play here which are worth
  pondering.
  Good PCs: There are many lands in Aerdy where one's
  alignment or reverence of a power has to be disguised.
  That should be fairly obvious, but outside of especial
  circumstances such as attending the court of a noble
  where priests of Hextor are powerful and will make sure
  mages check alignments, it should be possible for PCs to
  go undetected for some time provided that they disguise
  their alignments. The difficult thing for PCs to come to
  terms with is seeing evil dominant day-to-day. What does
  a priest of a power of mercy and kindness do when he
  sees some drunken orc soldier beating a peasant in a
  town street? What if that orc has 50 fellows with him, and
  the PCs are on some important mission and desperately
  don't want to draw attention to what they're doing?
  Any DM worth his salt should test the PCs with such
  scenes. Players need to have a clear picture of what their
  characters will do in such painful circumstances. It only
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  takes one PC acting impetuously to ruin an adventure for
  everyone.
  By comparison, neutrally-aligned PCs will not attract
  suspicion by virtue of their alignment and won't normally
  have to disguise it in any manner.
  Demihumans: Life is going to be tough for demihu-
  mans. They will always attract attention and suspicion,
  especially elves closely associated with the rebellious
  forces in the Grandwood and Adri. It may be essential for
  PCs to disguise the demihuman nature of one or more of
  their fellows even during a single adventure, let alone a
  campaign. This presents obvious problems with dwarves,
  gnomes, and halflings ("Hmmm. You are very small.
  Fancy being polymorphed into a human for a day or
  two?") Alternatively, the PCs better have good cover
  stories for demihumans being among their number.
  Shot By Your Own Side: The rangers, elves, and others
  of the Lone Heath, Sunndi margins, and the like know
  that imperial spies and troops often disguise themselves
  as servants of Good (a logical development of their own
  posing as imperial troops). Sunndi elf bowmen, in
  particular, shoot first and cast speak with dead later. PCs
  should reason out strategies for persuading such folk of
  their true nature. Alignment language and reading won't
  do. The elves know all about misdirection and the like.
  Cover Stories: It sounds obvious, but the PCs should
  always have a good reason why they're traveling along
  some road, across country, etc. Patrols and militias
  always want to know what any bunch of adventurers is
  doing on their patch. They may actually try to press-gang
  them into serving their master, (a scenario well worth
  springing on PCs now and again). But the PCs have to
  learn that a plausible cover story is as basic a survival
  instinct as breathing or eating.
  Whispers and Ventures
  158
  
  This chapter gives brief details of the great Aerdy armies,
  as was and as are, together with some mercenary groups
  the DM may employ in game play. For space reasons,
  BATTLESYSTEM® statistics are not provided here, but
  the DM using that system should nonetheless find the
  following notes of value.
  "Technology"
  Oerth is a game world which has elements of both the
  Middle Ages and the Dark Ages. It is important to under-
  stand what this means for the equipment used by forces.
  In From The Ashes and subsequent Greyhawk source-
  books, plate mail is assumed to be the best armor
  available. Field and full plate do not exist yet, not having
  been invented. If the DM wishes to allow these superior
  armors in a Greyhawk campaign, then profiles for NPCs
  should be amended accordingly; high-level NPCs will
  have superior armor. This also affects armies—it is
  assumed that even elite knights only have plate mail.
  Second, gunpowder weapons do not exist on Oerth.
  DMs are strongly advised not to allow such weaponry in
  Greyhawk campaigns. Thus, armies noted below don't
  have musketeers or cannons.
  Third, spelljamming and psionics are rare. Psionics are
  strongly featured in the DARK SUN® game setting, but
  outside of this specific context they can be very problem-
  atic for DMs and players. Thus, armies and forces do not
  have psionics support. Likewise, spelljamming vessels are
  not part of military units scripted below.
   Finally, bowmen troops in Greyhawk don't really fit
  the historical pattern. The heavy crossbow (arbalest) is
  actually a mid-15th century development in terms of
  widespread use, and it was both slower and more appall-
  ingly damaging than the AD&D game version, which can
  be assumed not to have the mechanical winch used for
  reloading the steel arbalest. Since field and full plate
  actually predate the arbalest, one should assume that the
  AD&D game heavy crossbow is not the arbalest of
  historical reality, although it has that name.
  However, don't get bogged down in these rules. This
  section isn't concerned with every last detail of gorgets
  used by mounted knights. And Oerth does have superior
  technology in some departments (e.g., the galleon, and
  the development of astrolabe and caravel at sea). Rather,
  use this section to add color to encounters with troops; it
  focuses on their histories, regalia, and demeanor.
  Armies of the North
  Drawn from North Province, there traditionally have
  been three great armies—the Army of the North, the
  Rakersmen, and the Imperial Highlanders.
  Army of the North: The Army of the North has tradi-
  tionally been one of heavy (35%) and light (55%) infantry
  with little in the way of cavalry support, not least because
  good horse breeding and bloodstock management hasn't
  been a traditional skill here. Bowmen have likewise not
  been much used, not least because North Province has,
  away from the Adri, not had the kind of terrain to
  provide cover and ambushing points so helpful for
  concealing such troops. Cavalry and bowmen form only
  10% of this army. Chain mail always has been preferred
  to plate for reasons of mobility (North Province is a big
  place and marching infantry may have long distances to
  cover). Preferred weaponry has been: longswords,
  daggers, and heavy maces. However, during the
  Greyhawk Wars elite long spear- and pike-using units
  were developed for use against Nyrondese cavalry, and
  these have become increasingly prominent. The shield
  design used by the Army of the North is that of a blue
  serpent coiled around a yellow spiralled sun on a red
  background, the symbol of North Province itself.
  As it stands in North Province, the Army of the North
  is not greatly diminished by the wars, save for the loss of
  men to Almor and in the Nyrondese campaign. Grenell
  has moved swiftly to replenish these losses, and the Army
  of the North has fair morale and equipment in most
  locations.
   This army is one of the common soldier. Its officers
  tend to be practical, common-sense men who are close to
  their foot-slogging ordinary troops. Possessed of no great
  intelligence or imagination, most commanding officers
  are reliable, loyal, but capable of dumb mistakes from
  time to time. In times of major conflict, raised levies have
  traditionally been attached to this army rather than to the
  two elites described below.
  The Army of the North has a solid history of campaign-
  ing in flatland terrain but is ill-suited to hill or forest
  warfare or skirmishing. Its units now protect cities and
  patrol open terrains.
  The Rakersmen: These are veteran troops with a history
  of hill warfare, especially in the Blemu Hills and those
  north of Bellport—and in the Flinty Hills during the wars.
  Many, indeed, are hillsmen from those areas, or recruits
  from the hardy men who inhabit the Rakers. This army is
  less than a century old, but it is proud of its fighting tradi-
  tions. Armor worn is a mix of studded leather and chain,
  and weapons employed are typically short bow or sling,
  flail or heavy mace, spear, and short sword. Shields are
  often not used by these men, since missile use is a widely-
  used tactic and hills provide good cover anyway. But
  when employed, their shields display the design crossed
  maces over a craggy hill peak, rendered in shades of
  brown and gray above a small miniature of the North
  Province symbol—all on a light gray background. No
  cavalry units form part of this force, nor do specialist
  bowmen.
  Forces of the Empire
  159
  
   The Rakersmen are now mostly confined to protective
  duty in cities, especially Bellport, and their morale is
  currently not good. Above all, these men hate humanoids
  and dislike having to ally with them intensely. Many of
  their leaders are almost openly rebellious about this,
  which Grenell must tolerate as a letting-off of steam. The
  Rakersmen are proud soldiers, and have fighting fitness
  (Con scores of 10+1d8) and, normally, superior morale.
  Imperial Highlanders: A second elite unit, like the
  Rakersmen the Highlanders are well used to hill fighting.
  However, they also have a long history of forest warfare
  and mixed unit types. While most (80%) are light
  infantry, the use of light cavalry (10%) in particular has
  been a hallmark of their operations, and their longbow-
  men (10%) are justly feared. Their studded-leather
  armored infantry employ pikes or spears, and short
  swords. Some 20% are also trained in the use of cross-
  bows, with the others often employing full body shields
  to protect the crossbowmen during their reloading opera-
  tions, and to protect the longbowmen units which usually
  only have short swords in addition to bows. Cavalrymen
  use chain mail and are equipped with longswords, heavy
  maces, and lances. Their horses are not usually barded,
  however, since the advantage of light cavalry is speed.
  The great body shields of the Highlanders display their
  own symbol of crossed gray lances over a shattered rock-
  like symbol. Some say it resembles a crumbling xorn in
  brown, on a green background, with three small brown
  chevrons in the top left quadrant. Many Highlander
  cavalrymen have tattoos of the crossed-lance design on
  their forearms, and indeed tattooing is a characteristic of
  most Highlanders in general.
  More than any other northern army, the Imperial
  Highlanders always have had a primary loyalty to their
  own fraternity and fellowship. They are deeply proud
  and stubborn men, silent and often infuriating to deal
  with. But they have superb morale (16) and in their near-
  250 years have virtually never been known to retreat
  willingly even in the face of an overwhelming force. They
  are greatly feared by the orcs of the Bone March, who
  refer to them as "the wall fiends" (a reference to the solid
  protective wall of body shields they use in defensive
  formation).
  Euroz Angry Army: The premier army of the Bone
  March, these orcs are equipped in the standard manner
  (see the Monstrous Compendium entry for orcs). However,
  there is one exception: they rarely employ glaives or
  similar long weapons, being mostly used to hill warfare.
  They are especially tough. Fully 20% of the standard 1
  HD types will have maximum hit points. Because of their
  often-disparate sub-tribal origins, they use a variety of
  shield designs. One design is becoming increasingly
  uniform: the chalk-white splintered skull motif on a rusty
  blood-red background.
  Armies of the South
  Drawn from Ahlissa, Medegia, and the central-southern
  lands, two great armies have traditionally dominated
  here. These are the Glorioles Army and the Army of the
  South itself.
  The Glorioles Army: This has been decimated by the
  Greyhawk Wars. Perhaps only a fifth of its pre-war
  strength remains intact. The rest was lost in the
  campaigns against Sunndi, Osson, Medegia, and Almor.
  Some residual units remain in cities such as Torrich,
  Nulbish, and Kalstrand, but others are in Szeffrin's
  service in Almor, or exist as marauders or madmen in
  Almor, Medegia, and the edges of forests in Aerdy.
  The Glorioles Army combined excellent heavy and
  light cavalry with regular infantry and a fair percentage
  (25%) of levied infantrymen used to secure "base camp"
  positions, guard baggage trains and the like. Mercenary
  cavalry and infantry also has been more widely used in
  this army than in northern ones, again a factor in the
  disintegration of the Glorioles Army and the desertion to
  banditry of many of its remnants. Partly out of shame at
  its fate, existing units of this army no longer use the old
  shield and banner design of the army (a heavy destrier
  bearing a mounted knight, rendered in brown and steely
  tints on a green background) but use the designs of the
  cities or nobles they now serve.
  Glorioles Army cavalry are a mix, including the heavy
  plate-clad, heavy lance-using knights of their elite strike
  units and the much swifter chain-wearing wielders of
  light lance. Both types of cavalry also employ heavy
  maces or horseman's flails and have short swords. Infan-
  try (non-levy) wear leather or chain if available and
  usually employ spears and short swords. Some 30% of
  the non-levy infantry are specialized pike units or
  longbowmen, making for a formidable mixed force.
  The name "Glorioles Army" actually comes from the
  origins of the unit in the distant past, when fierce hills-
  men from the Glorioles formed the bulk of the nascent
  southern army, and battles with demihumans of the
  Glorioles and Hestmark Highlands were a major feature
  of its operations. The army has actually changed out of all
  recognition since those times, which is obvious. Cavalry
  are hardly suited to hills, and Ivid's ordering of them
  across the Glorioles during the wars was a dumb error.
  One of the major changes has been the use of humanoid
  troops, especially in and around the Adri Forest. About
  20% of the pre-war Glorioles Army was orcish or half-
  orcs; these were always infantrymen. Now, in the
  Darmen and Ahlissan cities, orcs are not part of this
  army. In Medegia and Almor, they remain part of the
  existing forces.
  Forces of the Empire
  160
  
  The Glorioles Army has poor morale now. It has been
  broken and, except when it has a superb commander or
  leader (such as Reynard of Ahlissa) its men are relatively
  listless and discouraged, having lost too many fellows
  and friends during the wars.
  Army of the South: The Army of the South has unit
  composition similar to the Glorioles, save that humanoid
  troops are not part of it and levies are a lower percentage
  (10%) of the total. This army has retained virtually all its
  troop strength and both the soldiers and leaders are
  chafing at the bit. This is an active army, having
  skirmished with the Iron League for decades, and the
  army is ready to assail those lands again.
  The Army of the South is Ahlissan, and uses as a shield
  and banner design of a blue boar's head, crowned and
  tusked, on a yellow background. The army is especially
  skilled at skirmish actions and in low hill terrain, and its
  longbowmen are unusually adept at hill warfare and
  especially keen of eye (15% of them are veterans with +1
  to hit targets of S/M size). The light cavalry have mounts
  trained for hill clambering, although heavy cavalry stays
  on the plains.
  Armies of the Central Lands
  These are the mainstay imperial armies of the overking
  himself.
  Ivid's greatest army always has been known as the
  Imperial Regulars. The core of this army is heavy and
  light infantry battalions. Heavy infantry wear chain mail
  and shield and bear great shields, employing longswords
  or bastard swords, footman's flails or maces, and heavy
  daggers. About 25% of Imperial Regulars heavy infantry
  are pike- and polearm-using units, however. Light infan-
  try use leather armor and shields with most having chain
  mail vests (base AC 6). These troops have been mostly
  used for protection of supply lines, and in combat they
  are employed only when speed is of the essence. Their
  equipment is variable; typically they have hand arms
  (clubs, morningstars, hand axes, etc.). But when combat is
  planned they will be equipped with short bows, pikes,
  longswords or whatever is most appropriate.
  Cavalry is almost always heavy. It is from the plate-
  clad crushing forces that the elite Companion Guard
  cavalry is drawn. These cavalry have more destriers than
  most other heavy cavalry units, and all have chain
  barding; some even have plate. These huge horses (17
  hands and up) are slow, but when the heavy cavalry has
  roused itself to a charge the effect can be absolutely
  decisive. Heavy cavalrymen are arrogant, proud, and
  haughty men.
  Imperial Regulars always use the design of the old
  Great Kingdom itself on their shields. This is a crowned
  yellow spiral sun on a blue background. This is so even
  today for Imperial Regulars in Delaric and Dustbridge,
  since the symbol is one of the old Kingdom, not Ivid's
  personal symbol.
  Specialists are drawn from the Imperial Regulars. The
  Black Legion of Rauxes has been referred to in the main
  text. This is a unit of 400 veteran CE fighters, heavy infan-
  try which has been specially equipped with magical aids
  to mobility (rings of flying, winged boots, potions of speed,
  flying carpets, etc.). This is vital to their role as shock
  troops, dispatched to quell civil unrest or to strike down
  any subversion in the Kingdom while giving minimal
  warning of their impending arrival. The DM is at liberty
  to devise other such specialist units in the service of major
  Aerdy powerplayers.
  Other Armies of Note
  Church armies have been referred to briefly in the Intro-
  duction, and these men always will be armed with armor
  and weaponry which obeys the same restrictions as those
  placed upon specialist priests of the powers they serve.
  The armies of the Church of Hextor are by far the most
  important, of course. Of the many individual troop units
  in Aerdy, easily the most important is the army of Rel
  Astra, simply on account of its size. The Iron Nation
  knights are the elite unit of this army. They are heavy
  infantrymen, fighters of levels 4+, all plate-clad and
  unusual in that they only employ two-handed weapons.
  While they are not cavalry, they use heavy horse for
  transport and are almost always accompanied by light
  infantry as logistic support. These knights own magical
  items, and have double the usual chances for magical
  armor and weapons. Each also has a 75% chance for
  possessing a miscellaneous magical item which has a
  function protecting against some form of magical control:
  a ring of free action, for example. Any knight-leader of
  level 10+ always possesses at least one such item and has
  a 50% chance of possessing one other.
  Mercenaries of the Lands
  Hansamen's Charge
  This is a group of 24 infantrymen, led by a charismatic
  6th-level fighter, Hansamen (Str 18/44, Int 16, Cha 16).
  Hansamen wears chain mail +2 and has a shield +2 giving
  him AC 0. He has a simple longsword +1. The rest of the
  group is: six 3rd-level fighters (chain mail and shield,
  short sword or longsword, and dagger or hand axe); eight
  2nd-level fighters (half with chain mail and shield, half
  with padded leather and shield; short sword or battle axe,
  dagger, and three have longbows with which they are
  adept—these men have Dexterity scores of 12+1d6); and
  nine 1st-level fighters (padded leather armor and shield,
  short sword, hand axe, dagger).
  Forces of the Empire
  161
  
  Hansamen's Charge are deserters from the Imperial
  Regulars. They come from the Naelax lands and deserted
  in a battle north of Innspa against Nyrondese and Flinty
  Hills forces. They were half-starved, badly treated, and
  they detested having to fight alongside orcs. Their morale
  is not good (9) because several have left families and
  sweethearts in the lands to which they dare not return.
  The group is fairly unscrupulous, but Hansamen is of LE
  alignment and keeps fair discipline. The Charge has
  survived by foraging south of Innspa and raiding in the
  northern Cranden lands before making its way south,
  seeking employment in the Darmen lands or on the
  borders of the western lands.
  The base morale of this group could be improved to 11
  if they were hired, given hot food, and handed a few
  silvers before seeing service. While they are no angels,
  they're not much worse than anyone else in Aerdy these
  days. Provided they can see one or more good fighters
  among those hiring them, they will be unlikely to desert
  unless they come up against highly magical monsters or
  fiends. This group would make a good escort, for as
  infantrymen they are used to long marches and don't
  complain overmuch. For long-distance rescue missions,
  this group would be valuable as logistic support, camp
  guards, trail-concealers (several have skills in this depart-
  ment), and foragers. Pay rates for this group should
  average 5 sp per level per day, with their employer
  paying for their board and quarter when appropriate, and
  for equipment. Hansamen would require 5 gp a day, and
  if asked to undertake some dangerous mission these men
  would ask for more.
  The Bannermen
  The Bannermen are a surviving unit of the Glorioles
  Army, once drawn from Pontylver. Led by the 8th-level
  fighter Ranxxen Strangender, they are the remnants of an
  elite heavy cavalry unit. There are 13 in all, apart from
  Ranxxen; 12 fighters (two each of 6th- and 7th- level, and
  four each of 4th- and 5th- level) and the 8th-level mage
  Alavend.
   Ranxxen is a fine fighter (Str 18/77, Dex 16, Con 16,
  with AC -2 and 96 hp). All the fighters have heavy horses,
  with 50% having chain barding to boot. The fighters all
  wear plate mail, although each has a 50% chance for
  damage to the armor which reduces the AC value to AC 4
  base. Ranxxen has plate mail +2 and a longsword +2, +3 vs.
  extraplanar creatures. For the other fighters, use standard
  rules for determining magical item possession. The mage
  Alavend has a wand of frost with 37 charges remaining
  and a ring of invisibility.
  The Bannermen are so named because Ranxxen owns a
  magical war banner, proudly displaying a red dragon
  with a severed head on a green background. This is a
  specially crafted family heirloom and can only be
  employed by Ranxxen or one of his bloodline (the unit
  has none of his kin). All within 100' of it and allied to
  Ranxxen can gain from the magical effects it can create:
  prayer once a day, changing morale to Fanatic (18) once a
  day for 1 turn; regeneration (1 hp a round for one turn,
  useable once a week). Note, however, that the banner will
  enrage any dragon which sees it, so that the beast will
  automatically attack, gaining a +4 bonus to all hit rolls
  (but a +2 penalty to AC).
  This group actually turned renegade and fought against
  imperial troops in the sack of Pontylver. Having seen
  what happened to that city, and their families within it,
  these are hollow-eyed, grim-faced, fanatical warriors
  now. They seek any opportunity to strike at imperial
  forces, and while they are not reckless they don't fear
  death. They have been employed by Drax as shock troops
  to strike against Lone Heath raiders, and to raze the
  keeps or settlements of those who have offended Drax or
  tried to resist his rule. This has been acceptable to them to
  date, especially since they gained the ring of invisibility
  in payment, but they now want more aggressive action
  directed more specifically against imperial targets.
  Hiring the Bannermen is ideal for PCs who need to
  make some strike against a fortified target and to create a
  distraction while they strike at a secondary area. The
  Bannermen are all evil, of course, but most are LE
  (including some ardent reverers of Hextor) and they don't
  desert their employers if they have been fairly dealt with.
  They demand high payment rates; above all, they want
  magical items. They also want a share of booty, which
  varies depending on the number and levels of PCs hiring
  them. They don't waste their time with anything which
  isn't dangerous.
  The Moving Shroud
  This terrifying group of psychopaths was last believed to
  be prowling the Naelax lands in the service of Strychan of
  Dustbridge. Their exact appearance and nature is uncer-
  tain, because the group is rarely seen. They are always
  disguised by a moving haze so that only their distorted
  outline is seen. These horsemen always seem to be gallop-
  ing at some extraordinary speed (MV 48). They appear as
  heavy cavalry, with their faceless leader bearing a war
  banner carrying the dread symbol of Nerull, the Reaper.
  The Moving Shroud is a group of bounty hunters and
  slaughterers. They kill for pleasure and profit, but they
  are no simple group of assassins, not even a high-level
  group. Magical effects such as fear radiate from and
  around the group, said to be some 20 strong. Undead
  creatures cannot be compelled to attack them and,
  indeed, commanded undead will often desert their
  controller to ally with the Moving Shroud in a battle.
  This entity is greatly feared in the western lands and
  the Darmen lands in particular, where they were repeat-
  Forces of the Empire
  162
  
  edly sighted in the previous winter. Heading for Almor, it
  was feared that they were in Szeffrin's employ until they
  turned up not far from Permanence. While the huntsmen
  are known to track down and slay priests of good align-
  ment and paladins in particular, for the right induce-
  ments (magical items, sacrifices to Nerull) they will
  contemplate any target, and they ride down anything
  which gets in their way. How they can be approached for
  hire is uncertain, but there are rumors of one or two dark-
  robed emissaries who visit possible employers when the
  time is right, and magical divinations assist in drawing
  the soul-dead eyes of the Shroud's leader to a patron.
  The Spiderhanders
  The Spiderhanders are an extended group of men and
  women, refugees from Rinloru, who ply their trade across
  North Province. Once they were part of a specialist unit
  of the Imperial Regulars, but they consider that the fall of
  Rinloru has freed them from any military service.
  Members of the group have the tattoo of a black spider on
  their left hands, hence the name. There are perhaps 100 in
  all scattered across the Province; one group of 25 serves in
  Atirr, others wander. None cares much for Grenell, and
  they prefer to serve individual employers or the rulers of
  free cities.
  The majority of the Spiderhanders are related through
  blood or marriage, and most are Garasteth people.
  Among the hundred, at least six are mages and they are
  known to have ways of communicating with each other
  instantaneously across long distances. Most of the others
  are fighters, but a few are thieves specialized in rural or
  urban espionage and scouting.
  The core of the Spiderhanders, the leaders of this group,
  are the 13th level mage Alasuzian and his paramour, the
  12th-level fighter Daraneth Ghalann. Daraneth is the wife
  of a Torquann princeling with lands south of Winetha,
  and he has placed a bounty on her head for deserting
  him. For this reason, Daraneth feigns being mute in
  public and will never reveal her name; her ring of mind
  shielding helps maintain her secret.
  Alasuzian makes sure all members of the Spider-
  handers know as much as possible about prospective
  employers. As a group, these men and women are
  gaining much information from their employers and
  adventures, and that information has value in certain
  quarters. They don't betray employers; they just know
  how to dispense certain hints where they will be well
  received.
  The Spiderhanders are a group in metamorphosis, half-
  way between a mercenary battalion and a secret society.
  In a campaign, an important element of their role is that
  they can be hired half a dozen at a time—or as a small
  army in their own right. They don't undertake "political"
  work, such as assassinations, but they will act as
  bodyguards, spies, and burglars.
  Other Mercenaries of Note
  The Hands of the Axe are a group of Thelwood men,
  driven from their forest home, seeking employment
  throughout Ahlissa and the southern lands. Low-level
  fighters for the most part, they have some repute because
  of a priestess of Beory who travels with them, allegedly
  with superior powers of healing and curing disease.
  Krakenhunter is a small galleon from Vernport whose
  captain, Thamassen Hariador, commands a crew of 28
  including two aggressive mages. Rather than turn to
  piracy, or throw in his lot with the rival captains of the
  Sea Barons, Thamassen sails the east coast seeking
  employment. He's happy to sail anyone anywhere, to
  smuggle, run slaves or contraband, or just to protect
  coastlines. Currently he is defending Rel Astra until the
  coming Harvester. Competent and trustworthy, Thamas-
  sen knows most inlets and bays along the east coast of
  Aerdy from Atirr to Dullstrand.
  The Marchers is the simple name taken by a force of 40
  Imperial Regulars who have deserted from Rauxes and
  seek employ in North Province. They have identical twin
  priests of Hextor among them, and they are strongly
  Lawful in alignment, well disciplined, and they stick
  rigidly to the terms of agreements. Because the group
  possesses a flying carpet, and one of the priests has a
  mirror of mental prowess, they can move long distances
  very swiftly and are capable of strikes behind enemy
  lines. They demand high payment, but Strychan of
  Dustbridge for one has shown keen interest in employing
  them.
  Forces of the Empire
  163
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
  2nd Edition
  Ivid the Undying
  by Carl Sargent
  he Great Kingdom is sundered, collapsed into
  chaos after the terrible Greyhawk Wars. An
  insane overking, advised by a malefic priest-
  hood and conversing with fiends atop his mala-
  chite throne, slew and revivified many of his
  local noble rulers as animuses, undead creatures of cold,
  hateful passions.
  Great armies once the envy of the Flanaess wander the
  lands as freebooting mercenaries and pillagers, stripping
  the once-abundant treasures of this great nation. More
  than 300 years of slow degeneration and decline have cli-
  maxed in an appalling tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of
  men, women, and children have perished, and many more
  will follow in the years ahead.
  T
  TSR, Inc.
   TSR Ltd.
  201 Sheridan Springs Road
   120 Church End,
  Lake Geneva
       Cherry Hinton
  WI 53147
          Cambridge CB1 3LB
  U.S.A.
    United Kingdom
  .
  GREYHAWK
  ADVENTURES
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Ahlissa (Naerie)/Ivid v3.pdf