GM Tarondor's Ptolus Campaign

Game Master Tarondor

Ptolus, City by the Spire. A city of mysteries, secrets, and dark histories, Ptolus lies forever in the shadow of a towering stone spire reaching impossibly high into the sky, itself an enigma and a reminder of evil long past. In Ptolus, the supernatural is expected and treachery lies around every corner—or is it that the supernatural lies around every corner and treachery is expected? Either way, the city of Ptolus abounds with danger, magic, intrigue, and above all, adventure.

It's pronounced "Tawl-us"

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Ptolus Player's Guide

Player's Guide Supplement for GM Tarondor's Ptolus Campaign

Guide to Advanced Play-by-Post Play

Your Character's Stat Line:

Most players have a stat line just below his name, that looks something like:

Ranger 1 - HP 16/16, AC 18 - Perception +5 (Darkvision) - F: 5/ R: +9 / W: +3 - Speed: 25 - Hero Points: 1/1, Active Conditions: None; Default Exploration Activity: Search

Make sure you character has one as well. You can do this by going to your character profile (right-click on your character name in the forum thread), click "Edit My Profile", and enter the code into the ‘Class/Levels’ line of your character.

House Rules:

• Block Initiative. I use block initiative. That is, if two or more PC’s are next up in the initiative order, any of them can go regardless of the actual order. That’s to keep delays to a minimum. However, if someone uses a group buff later in the block (but before any NPCs go), I’ll consider the buff to have occurred before the actions of the other characters in the block.

• Skymetals are rare. Adamantine and other skymetals are not commercially available. You can never purchase items made of these materials. If they are found, they will impossibly rare.

• No Experience Points. Characters will not receive Experience Points. They will instead level up when narratively appropriate as determined by the GM.

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The Chaos Book

PTOLUS PERSONALITIES:

• Darthalis Temester - Information broker who owns the Book Wagon.
  
• Doraedian Mythlord - Respected shoal elf elder. Resides in Emerald Hill.
  
• Ebbert Boltcrafter - Rotund, good-natured dwarf owner of Ebbert’s Outfitters. Friend of the party.
  
• Esgilar Masters - Paladin leader of the Order of the Steadfast Heart.
  
• Evelyn "Evie" Arnholme - Tilver's wife!
  
• Fabitor Thisk, Brother - Chaplain of St. Gustav’s Chapel. Friend of the party.
  
• Hallion "Halley" Flagstone - Male dwarf. Inspector in the City Watch in the North Market. Works w/ Tilver's wife Evie.
  
• Hirus Feek - Blacksmith of the Bull and Bear with brother Sholum.
  
• Hogun Silvergleam - Leader of the Brotherhood of Redemption.
  
• Iernis Poetaen - Elf who sells mapping equipment in the Undercity Market.
  
• Igor Urnst - The Commissar of Ptolus and a famous general who won the Gnoll War.
  
• Iltumar Shon - Sixteen-year-old human clerk at the Bull and Bear. Friend of the party.
  
• Inlios Pabovini - Gnome who hangs out at Danbury’s and runs the Exotic Market.
  
• Iristul Vladaam - Head of House Vladaam.
  
• Iron Mage - Most powerful wizard in Ptolus, independent.
  
• Kabel Dathimol - Leader of the local Order of the Dawn and one of the Twelve Commanders.
  
• Kaira Swanwing - Elf leader of the Knights ofthe Golden Cross,
  
• Kevris Killraven - Ptolus's newest crime lord.
  
• Kird - Ogre bodyguard at Myraeth’s Oddities.
  
• Kirian Ylestos - Prince of the Church.
  
• Kirstol Dallimothan - Head of House Dallimothan.
  
• Lothao Valinth -Elf proxy of Doraedian Mythlord and one of the Twelve Commanders.
  
• Menon Balacazar - Aging crime lord, head of the Balacazar crime family.
  
• Myraeth Tuneweaver - Elf wizard and owner of a magical oddities and trinket shop in Delver's Square. Friend of the party.
  
• Oron Bridgemaster - Dwarf bartender at Danbury’s.
  
• Rehoboth Ylestos - Holy Emperor of the Church of Lothian; also claims secular throne.
  
• Renn Sadar - Head of House Sadar.
  
• Segaci Fellisti - Aging councilor who now claims the Lion-Guarded Throne in Tarsis.
  
• Sheva Callister - Famous delver (retired) who found the Crown of Ki-Lias.
  
• Shibata - Minotaur cleric of Niveral.
  
• Sorum Dandubal - Guildmaster of the Delver's Guild.
  
• Steron Vsool - Mighty paladin and champion of Gaen with permanent heartglow.
  
• Tabor Danbury - Danbury’s proprietor.
  
• Tully Boltcrafter - Ebbert’s brother; took one too many blows to the head in his adventuring days. Friend of the party.
  
• Vatur - Lizardfolk who repairs damaged equipment from his Undercity Market booth.

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GLOSSARY OF THE CITY:

Beacon Island - Island in the Bay of Ptolus.
Bladechapel - Home of the Knights of the Pale, Old Town.
Blessed Bridge - Crosses the King's River at the Street of a Million Gods.
Bull and Bear - Delver’s Square armorers in Midtown.
Castle Shard - Magical castle in the Noble's Quarter.
Chapel of St. Thessina - Lothianite church in Rivergate.
Church of the Lawgiver - Lothianite church in North Market.
Clock Tower, The - Famous edifice in Old Town.
Dalengard - Historic fortress guarding the path between Oldtown and the Noble's Quarter.
Danbury's - Mage's bar in Delver's Square
Delver's Guildhall - Group HQ in the Undermarket
Delver's Square - Adventurer's Quarter in Midtown.
Dwarvenhearth - Abandoned home of Stonemight dwarves; fell to Ghul long ago.
Ebbert’s Outfitters - Adventuring supplies in Delver’s Square.
Emerald Hill Elf neighborhood in Midtown
Eternity Cave Massive cavern beneath the city. Well-known point for Delvers.
Fairbriar - Gnome neighborhood in Midtown.
Fortress of the Redeemed - Brotherhood’s HQ.
Foundry - Ironworks in the Guild District.
Gallows Square - Execution site in Oldtown.
Gathering Hall - At Delver’s Guild office in the Undermarket.
Ghostly Minstrel - Adventurer's tavern and inn in Delver’s Square.
Ghul’s Labyrinth - Warrens beneath the city Ghul built for storage, billeting, and laboratories.
Giant’s Staircase - Leads to Eternity Cave.
Goth Gulgamel - Ghul’s fortress on Spire.
Grail Keep - Fortress-city home of Grailwarden dwarves on the Prustan Peninsula.
Grail Temple - Beneath Grail Keep.
The Griffon - Popular bar in Midtown.
Guildhouse of Iron - Ironworkers’ HQ in the Guild District
Guilder Gate - A southern entry into Ptolus.
Hall of Heroes - Statue garden/memorial in the Temple District.
Hall of the Valiant - Quiet memorial in the Necropolis.
Hammersong Vaults - A secure place to store valuables in Oldtown.
Holy Palace - Holy Emperor’s Ptolus residence in the Noble's Quarter; includes fine chapel for locals.
Imperial Academy of Music - Arts school in the Noble's Quarter.
Imperial University - Famous academy in Oldtown.
Jabel Shammar - Ancient fortress at the Pinnacle of the Spire.
Jeweled Cliffs - Ridge at east end of the Noble's Quarter.
Katterwood - Halfling neighborhood in Midtown.
Kem - Land along the Southern Sea, blighted by Wars of Fire millennia ago.
King’s River Gorge - Runs through Ptolus.
Longbottom - Rough neighborhood in southern Midtown.
Mane - Litorian neighborhoods in Midtown.
Market Gate - A southern entry into Ptolus.
Midden Heaps - Local dump in the Guildsman District.
Moonsilver Forest - Palastan home of Shoal elves, once home of the Harrow elves.
Myraeth’s Oddities - Magic and trinket shop in Delver’s Square.
Nall - A northern wasteland east of Ptolus.
Narred - Aram neighborhood in Midtown.
North Gate - A main entry into Ptolus.
Palastan - The land that includes Ptolus.
Praemal - The world.
Priory of Introspection - Sisterhood of Silence HQ in the Temple District.
Prustan Peninsul - Land between Kem and the Plains of Panish.
Ren Tehoth - Ruined land east of Palastan.
Rhoth - Provincial land west of Ptolus.
Rogue Moon Trading Company - Major commerce outfit; office in South Market
Siege Tower - Keepers of the Veil HQ in the Necropolis.
St. Chausle’s Chapel - Lothianite temple in South Market.
St. Daris’ Church - Lothianite temple in Guildsman District.
St. Gustav’s Chapel - Lothianite temple across from Delver’s Square; run by Fabitor Thisk.
St. Valien’s Cathedral - City’s main Church of Lothian; adventurers unwelcome; Temple District.
Star Crossing - Large open plaza in Southern Market.
Star Jewelers - Skilled dwarf gemcrafters in Guildsman District.
Street of a Million Gods - Location of many temples in Temple District.
Swordthrower’s Club - Exclusive tavern in the Noble's Quarter.
Taggert’s - Bar/temple of the ale god in the Temple District.
Undercity Market - Shopping hub and entry into Dungeon, accessed from Delver’s Square.
Uraq - Empire south of the Southern Sea.
Wall of the Lost - Posting board for lost adventurers in the Great Hall in the Undermarket.
Zar’at - Harrow elf neighborhood in North Market.

GM STUFF:

Ptolus Adventures by level

1. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 1 - Pythoness House - Level 4
2. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 2 - The Secret Meeting - Level 5
3. The Banewarrens, Ch. 1 - It Begins - Level 5
4. The Banewarrens, Ch. 2 - The Meandering Passage - Level 6
5. The Banewarrens, Ch. 3 - The Broken Seal - Level 6
6. The Banewarrens, Ch. 4 - Enter House Vladaam - Level 6
7. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 3 - Surgeon in the Shadows - Level 7
8. The Banewarrens, Ch. 5 - The Outer Vaults - Level 7
9. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 4 - The Temple of Deep Chaos - Level 8
10. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 5 - The Mrathrac Machine - Level 8
11. The Banewarrens, Ch. 6 - The Belfry - Level 8
12. The Banewarrens, Ch. 7 - Portal to the Quann - Level 9
13. Night of Dissolution, Ch. 6 - The Final Ritual - Level 9
14. The Banewarrens, Ch. 8 - The Inner Vaults- Level 9
15. The Banewarrens, Ch. 9 - Tremoc Korin - The Baneheart - Level 10
16. The Banewarrens, Ch. 10 - The Dread One’s Path - Level 10

Potential Other Ptolus Adventures
17. The Dwarvenhearth - Level 11
18. Freeing Calista from the Dark Reliquary - Level 12
19. Restoring Dreta Phantas - Level 13
20. Goth Gulgamel - Level 14
21. Search for the Orrery - Level 15
22. Exploring the Jewels of Parnaith - 16 and 17
23. The Dreaming Stone - Level 18
24. The Seven Chains and the Vallis Moon- Level 19
25. Jabel Shammar - Level 20