Freeday, the last day (28th) of Flocktime: Meanwhile, many leagues to the west, on the prairie land between Chendl and Crockport ....
Iuz's Greater Boneheart high priests and archmages engage the mightiest Knights of the Holy Shielding, Knights of Veluna, Knights of Furyondy, Paladin Peers of the Silver Chalice, and elven
Knights of Luna, and his Lesser Boneheart priests and mages work in greater numbers to harry and divert the powerful archmages of Good--Karzalin the Fire Elementalist Mage (Pyromancer), Tenser, Burne, and Prince Melf--opening a way for the Lord of Evil to challenge the young King Artur Jakartai in single combat ....
COME, KING ARTUR! Let us meet in chivalrous contest to determine who shall take the field this day! The cambion emperor of the Land of Iuz bellows in his fiendish form--that of a 12-foot-tall muscular, red-skinned, horned-and-fanged, clawed-and-hooved satyr-like giant with eyes that blaze like fire opals, brandishing a corroding wavy-bladed greatsword (modeled after or borrowed from his father, Grazz't??) ....
Buzzing with righteous wrath, the paladin-king of Furyondy readies to smite the Lord of Evil as soon as his galloping kirin steed, Ju-Kahn, gets him within lance's reach! There's the Old One, Ju-Kahn! Let us send him to the Abyss with this lance through his cancerous heart!!
Seeming to win the initiative against the towering cambion, the kirin Ju-Kahn streaks past Iuz like a bolt of lightning, and the king's lance seems to plunge through the Evil One's chest, causing his great form to quiver and flap like a flag in the wind. Blast your bloody figments, coward!, swears King Artur as he realizes too late the Old One's deception ....
In an instant, what at first appeared to be the demigod Iuz in his true demonic form billows away on the wind like a tapestry flung from a parapet, as the true Lord of Pain delivers a mighty blow to the charging Kirin's hindquarters with his crackling, hissing blade, momentarily petrifying Ju-Kahn's hind legs and tail into white salt crystal. The kirin squeals pitiably in agony as its front legs buckle and the salt-crystal hind legs snap off like icicles struck from the eaves of a roof. HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! It seems a horse divided has trouble standing, my dear King of Furyondy! Now, you shall face me on foot, face-to-face .... So I can see the despair on your sad face as I crush you beneath my cloven hoof!
Stunned from being violently hurled to the grassy soil when his kirin steed's rear half was transmuted into salt crystal by Iuz's Serpentine Sword of Desiccation, King Artur writhes sluggishly, struggling to gather his wits. A heavy thud of a ponderous cloven hoofbeat sounds near to his ringing, helmeted head, but his visor is clogged with sod .... He is that something large has moved so that he now wallows helplessly in its shadow ....
Iuz tightens both large red claws about the giant's bone hilt of Serpentine Sword of Desiccation as he raises it high for a vicious stroke upon the stunned King Artur.... Fear not, dear boy! Even if I hack you in twain, you'll be brought back from death--many times--before I've finished playing with YOU, oh most amusing of toys!
Not before you taste the sting of The Silver Talon of Heironeous, the mighty Holy Avenger of my goodly father, Archibold! Like a comet descending from Celestia, Lynwerd, King of Nyrond, rends a great gash in the Old One's side with his pearlescent bastard sword as he rockets by on the back of his bonded destrier Windracer, shod in horseshoes of speed.
Lynwerd, at last! Better late than never, my dear King of Nyrond! Rallied by the timely intervention of an ally he'd been desperate to see arrive upon the battlefield, Artur gets his boots under him, still wobbly from the dizzying crash. Laying hands upon the maimed kirin, the crusader king regenerates Ju-Kahn's hindquarters and the mighty dragon horse also springs up, ready to bear its royal ally about the battlefield once more.
I came as soon as I was able, good King of Furyondy! Now let us do what our sires would've done, were they hale and hearty as we! Circling about with graceful alacrity, Lynwerd joins the younger king in standing against a demigod ....
Iuz's feral red face, as large as a beer barrel, splits in a nasty, shark-toothed grin as he growls, Ah. Good. Then there's no need for introductions, as both birds know each other already before I CRUSH BOTH WITH ONE STONE!! As if sliding by magic in such a way that the Lord of Cheating is able to cleave the two paladin kings with a single swing, Iuz sends both Artur and Lynwerd hurtling several feet to land roughly in the trampled turf.
The White Queen of Nyrond sets an orb of indigo crystal the size of a plumb upon a small copper tripod and ignites a strange-smelling incense briquette in a tiny censor that she places beneath the blue-purple sphere. She chants an eldritch incantation:
ᚨᚠ ᛟᚢᛁᛊᚢ ᛊᛁᚾ ᛗᛖᚱ ᛊᚨᚾᛚᛖᛁᚲᚨ! .... ᛊᛁᚾ ᛗᛖᚱ ᛚᚨᚢᛊᚢᛜᛊᛟᚾ ᚲᛟᚾᚢᛜᛊ ᛗᛁᚾᛊ!!
First Annual Nulbish Contest of Champions: Recent Influx of Visitors to Nulbish (15th--28th Flocktime):
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The Dolorous Dodecahedron is a dodecahedral puzzle with 12 pentagonal faces (3 meeting at each vertex), articulated along each of its 1-inch edges (with a total surface area of approximately 20.65 square inches), roughly the size of a large lemon. Each of the dozen pentagonal faces of the dodecahedron is crafted from gleaming black adamantine, and is roughly 0.05 millimeters thick. However, the Dolorous Dodecahedron is not hollow within, containing a diabolically complex system of mithral cogs, gears, wires, axles, springs, and other mechanisms that facilitate its articulation. Additionally, there are a number of diminutive spring-loaded needles, hooks, barbs, and blades crafted from blood crystal concealed within the interior of the Dolorous Dodecahedron.
When a creature manipulating the dodecahedron-shaped puzzle along its articulations succeeds in forming certain configurations (see below), the wickedly sharp blood crystal components will suddenly and swiftly project out from between the adamantine pentagonal faces with sufficient force to pierce or slash unprotected flesh (such as a humanoid’s bare hand) in contact with the dodecahedron, dealing 1d3 damage (either piercing or slashing), plus 1d3 bleed. Once one of these blood crystal needles, hooks, barbs, or blades has drawn blood from a creature, that creature becomes the intended victim of a fiend from one of the lower planes (the exact type of fiend and the particular lower plane are specific to the configuration of the puzzle activated by the victim, as described below).
One to four (1d4) rounds after a configuration of the Dolorous Dodecahedron has been activated and the user’s blood has been drawn by one of the blood crystal projections, a temporary two-way gate to the specified lower plane will open 10—60 (1d6x10) feet away from the victim; on the following round, the specified fiend comes through the gate, intent on dragging the victim back with it into the lower plane from which it came, where the victim will be tortured to death and become a petitioner trapped on that lower plane for the rest of eternity. Once the fiend has succeeded in dragging its victim back through the gate into the lower plane destination, the gate immediately closes.
In the event that an intended victim (and/or one or more allies of the intended victim) instead slays the summoned fiend, the gate immediately closes. Exactly 24 hours later, another gate opens 10—60 (1d6x10) feet away from the intended victim, this time to the lower plane destination of the next higher polyhedron configuration of the same color; on the following round, the fiend associated with that destination comes through the gate, determined to drag the victim back with it, etc. Should that fiend also be slain instead of dragging the intended victim back through the gate, another gate opens after another 24 hours have passed, this one connecting to the next higher polyhedron configuration of the same color, and so forth, until either a summoned fiend succeeds in dragging the intended victim through its gate to its lower plane of origin, or else the fiend associated with the highest possible polyhedron configuration is slain, at which point no further attempts will be made.
For example: a user of the Dolorous Dodecahedron activates the red tetrahedron configuration, triggering a blood crystal needle to stab her finger, drawing her blood; 2 rounds later, a gate to Pazunia (1st layer of the Abyss) opens 30 feet from the intended victim, and on the following round, a babau demon steps through and tries to drag her through the gate to Pazunia. The intended victim and her allies instead slay the babau demon, and the gate to Pazunia closes. At the same time on the following day, a gate to Malignebula (27th layer of the Abyss) opens near the intended victim, and a nabassu demon steps through, intent on dragging her off to eternal torment. If the nabassu demon is also slain, a gate to Gaping Maw opens in the intended victim’s vicinity 24 hours thereafter, disgorging a hezrou demon this time, and so on, until either a summoned demon succeeds in dragging the intended victim off to its native Abyssal layer, or else she and her allies slay the balor demon from Sixth Pyre, after which no further gates will open, and no further fiends will be summoned.
If the solver can successfully subdue a fiend summoned through a gate opened by solving its corresponding configuration (typically by reducing it to 25% or less of its maximum hit point total, and then offering to spare its life in exchange for service), the subdued fiend will serve as if it had been conjured by the solver casting a lesser planar ally spell (if it has 6 HD or less), a planar ally spell (if it has 7—12 HD), or a greater planar ally spell (if it has more than 12 HD), except that the fiend will not require any kind of payment for its service. There is no limit on the number of fiends a single solver can have subdued and serving at any given time.
Configurations of the Dolorous Dodecahedron:
Configuration: Check DC: Fiend Summoned: Gate Destination:
Black Tetrahedron Int-based DC 15 Amanusya Rakshasa Ocanthus, Acheron
Silver Tetrahedron Wis-based DC 15 Ceustodaemon Oinos, Hades
Red Tetrahedron Dex-based DC 15 Babau Demon Pazunia, Abyss
Gold Tetrahedron Cha-based DC 15 Evangelist Kyton Avernus, Baator
Black Cube Int-based DC 20 Marai Rakshasa Tintibulus, Acheron
Silver Cube Wis-based DC 20 Hydrodaemon Niflheim, Hades
Red Cube Dex-based DC 20 Nabassu Demon Malignebula, Abyss
Gold Cube Cha-based DC 20 Erinyes Devil Dis, Baator
Black Octahedron Int-based DC 25 Common Rakshasa Thuldanin, Acheron
Silver Octahedron Wis-based DC 25 Piscodaemon Pluton, Hades
Red Octahedron Dex-based DC 25 Hezrou Demon Gaping Maw, Abyss
Gold Octahedron Cha-based DC 25 Barbed Devil Minauros, Baator
Black Decahedron Int-based DC 30 Orsatka Rakshasa Avalas, Acheron
Silver Decahedron Wis-based DC 30 Tarry Demodand Othrys, Carceri
Red Decahedron Dex-based DC 30 Glabrezu Demon Hollow’s Heart, Abyss
Gold Decahedron Cha-based DC 30 Ice Devil Stygia, Baator
Black Dodecahedron* Any mental DC 10 None None
Silver Dodecahedron Wis-based DC 35 Stringy Demodand Cathrys, Carceri
Red Dodecahedron Dex-based DC 35 Seraptis Demon Sighing Cliffs, Abyss
Gold Dodecahedron Cha-based DC 35 Horned Devil Malbolge, Baator
Black Icosahedron Int-based DC 40 Maharaja Rakshasa Ocanthus, Acheron
Silver Icosahedron Wis-based DC 40 Squamous Demodand Colothys, Carceri
Red Icosahedron Dex-based DC 40 Balor Demon Sixth Pyre, Abyss
Gold Icosahedron Cha-based DC 40 Pit Fiend Devil Nessus, Baator
* The Black Dodecahedron is the default configuration of the Dolorous Dodecahedron, to which it can be returned with any kind of ability or skill check based on one of the three mental ability scores—Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma—at DC 10. Additionally, the Dolorous Dodecahedron will automatically reset itself to this configuration following the closing of any gate that was opened by solving any of its 23 other configurations.
Failed Attempts to Solve a Configuration: Each time an ability or skill check made to solve any one of the Dolorous Dodecahedron’s 24 configurations (including its default configuration, the Black Dodecahedron) fails to meet the target DC by 5 or less, a gate to a random plane or demiplane is opened for a duration of 1d4+2 rounds.
All creatures in the vicinity of a random gate should roll initiative; at the start of each round during which the gate remains open, there is a 25% chance (a result of 01—25 on a roll of d%) that one or more creatures come through it on their individual initiative result(s). If any creatures do come through the random gate, it will immediately close at the beginning of the following round (after any and all creatures have passed through), regardless of any remaining rounds originally determined for the duration of the random gate.
If a random gate is accidentally opened, roll d% and consult the table below to randomly determine the destination on the other side of the gate, as well as the creature or creatures (if any) that emerge from the gate (on a 25% chance, checked at the beginning of each round the gate remains open):
d%: Random Gate Opened To: Creature(s) Emerging (25% chance per round):
01—02 Regulus, Mechanus 1d6 modrons 1
03—04 Avalas, Acheron 1d10 fiendish humanoid petitioners 2
05—06 Avernus, Baator 1d6 lemure devils (50%) OR 1d6 imps (50%)
07—08 Pazunia, Abyss 1d6 dretch demons (50%) OR 1d6 quasits (50%)
09—10 Oinos, Hades 1d6 cacodaemons (50%) OR 1d6 shadows (50%)
11—12 Pandesmos, Pandemonium 1d8 windrazors (50%) OR 1d4 windscythes (50%) 3
13—14 Limbo 1d6 githzerai 4
15—16 Regulus, Mechanus 1d4 inevitables 5
17—18 Thuldanin, Acheron 1d4 duergar rangers (6th level) 6
19—20 Dis, Baator 1d4 achaierais (50%) OR 1d4 bearded devils (50%)
21—22 Molrat, Abyss 1d6 abrikandilu demons
23—24 Niflheim, Hades 1d6 lacridaemons
25—26 Cocytus, Pandemonium 1d6 hordlings 3
27—28 Limbo 1d4 proteans 7
29—30 Regulus, Mechanus 1d4 modrons 8
31—32 Tintibulus, Acheron 1d6 raktavarna rakshasas
33—34 Minauros, Baator 1d4 evangelist kytons
35—36 Ivory Labyrinth, Abyss 1d4 brimorak demons
37—38 Pluton, Hades 1d4 cuestodaemons
39—40 Phlegethon, Pandemonium 1d4 redcaps
41—42 Limbo 1d4 slaadi 9
43—44 Regulus, Mechanus 1d4 axiomites
45—46 Ocanthus, Acheron 1d6 bladelings 10
47—48 Phlegethos, Baator 1d4 magaav devils
49—50 Pazunia, Abyss 1d6 hala demons (50%) OR 1d4 vrock demons (50%)
51—52 Oinos, Hades 1d6 genthodaemons
53—54 Agathion, Pandemonium 1d4 neh-thalggus (50%) OR 1d4 seugathi (50%)
55—56 Khalas, Gehenna 1d6 barghests (50%) OR 1d4 greater barghests (50%)
57—58 Othrys, Carceri 1 nighthag mounted on a nightmare
59—60 Shadow Plane 1 shadow demon
61—62 Far Realm 1d4 intellect devourers
63—64 Feywild 1d4 fey creatures 11
65—66 Iron Wastes, Abyss 1 fiendish frost giant with 1d4 fiendish winter wolves
67—68 Chamada, Gehenna 1 fiendish fire giant with 1d4 hell hounds
69—70 Cathrys, Carceri 1d4 fiendish shambling mounds with 1d4 will-o’-wisps
71—72 Negative Energy Plane 1 greater shadow with 1d4 shadows
73—74 Astral Plane 1 githyanki gish with 1d6 githyanki 4
75—76 Ethereal Plane 1d6 phase spiders
77—78 Limbo 1 githzerai master with 1d6 githzerai 4
79—80 Krigala, Beastlands 1d6 awakened celestial animals 12
81—82 Far Realm 1d4 denizens of Leng
83—84 Arvandor, Arborea 1d4 azatas 13
85—86 Amoria, Elysium 1d4 agathions 14
87—88 Gaping Maw, Abyss 1 baregara (50%) or 1 hezrou demon (50%)
89—90 Stygia, Baator 1 ice devil
91—92 Colothys, Carceri 1 tarry demodand
93—94 Leng, Dreamlands 1d4 animate dreams with 1d4 nightgaunts
95—96 Pluton, Hades 1 thanadaemon
97—98 Astral Plane 1d4 aeons 15
99—00 Far Realm 1 random aberration 16
1 Roll a d4 for each modron that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = monodrone; 2 = duodrone; 3 = tridrone; 4 = quadrone; see World of Greyhawk Pathfinder (1e) Bestiary III for stats
2 Roll a d6 for the single type of all fiendish humanoid petitioners that come through the gate: 1 = kobolds of Kurtulmak; 2 = goblins of Maglubiyet; 3 = hobgoblins of Nomog-Gaea; 4 = orcs of Gruumsh; 5 = bugbears of Hruggek; 6 = humans (use bandit [warrior 2] stats from GameMastery Guide) of a lawful evil deity (Bane, Gilgeam, Hextor, Loviatar, Wee Jas, etc.)
3 See World of Greyhawk Pathfinder (1e) Bestiary I for stats
4 See World of Greyhawk Pathfinder (1e) Bestiary II for stats
5 Roll a d4 for each inevitable that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = arbiter; 2 = novenarut; 3 = kastamut; 4 = impariut
6 See Monster Codex pg. 46 for stats
7 Roll a d4 for each protean that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = voidworm; 2 = akizendri; 3 = ourdivar; 4 = azuretzi
8 Roll a d4 for each modron that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = pentadrone; 2 = decaton; 3 = nonaton; 4 = octon; see World of Greyhawk Pathfinder (1e) Bestiary III for stats
9 Roll a d4 for each slaad that comes through the gate to determine its color/type: 1 = red; 2 = orange; 3 = blue; 4 = green; see World of Greyhawk Pathfinder (1e) Bestiary I for stats
10 See appendix B: stat blocks below for stats
11 Roll a d10 for each fey creature that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = alp; 2 = bogeyman; 3 = cold rider; 4 = escorite; 5 = huldra; 6 = ijirag; 7 = korred; 8 = quickling; 9 = redcap; 10 = sangoi
12 Roll a d10 for the single type of all awakened celestial animals that come through the gate: 1 = dire bears; 2 = dire boars; 3 = dire wolves; 4 = mastodons; 5 = giant shrikes; 6 = hyenaedons; 7 = arsinoitheriums; 8 = glyptodons; 9 = emperor cobras; 10 = wollipeds
13 Roll a d6 for each azata that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = gancanagh; 2 = thyrlien; 3 = yamah; 4 = bralani; 5 = lillend; 6 = ghaele
14 Roll a d6 for each agathion that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = silvanshee; 2 = reptial; 3 = vulpinal; 4.= procyal; 5 = avoral; 6 = leonal
15 Roll a d6 for each aeon that comes through the gate to determine its type: 1 = synesis; 2 = othaos; 3 = theletos; 4 = akhana; 5 = agnoia; 6 = bythos
16 Roll a d6 to determine the type of random aberration that comes through the gate: 1 = moon-beast; 2 = dark young of Shub-Niggurath; 3 = froghemoth; 4 = ghorazagh; 5 = flying polyp; 6 = neothelid
Suggested Methods of Destruction: Although there are several methods by which the Dolorous Dodecahedron can be destroyed, all of them are extremely difficult to accomplish. The following methods are certain means of destroying the minor artifact:
— Steeping the artifact in the gastric juices of the tarrasque for 24 hours will cause the Dolorous Dodecahedron to dissolve completely.
— If Primus (the Supreme Modron, the One and the Prime), the only entity in the multiverse capable of reconfiguring all 24 configurations into their mystical corresponding “anticonfigurations” (i.e., reversing the configurations so that the puzzle is turned inside-out), will cause the Dolorous Dodecahedron to be utterly annihilated—exploding for 10d10 slashing and piercing damage from shrapnel to all targets in a 100-foot radius blast (DC 23 Reflex saving throw for half damage).
— The Dolorous Dodecahedron will disintegrate into fine black powder and blow away in the wind if each configuration is solved one at time at the top of each hour, beginning at either midnight or noon and completing in a 24-hour cycle, in the following order: 12:00 = black tetrahedron, 1:00 = silver tetrahedron, 2:00 = red tetrahedron, 3:00 = gold tetrahedron; 4:00 = black cube, 5:00 = silver cube, 6:00 = red cube, 7:00 = gold cube; 8:00 = black octahedron, 9:00 = silver octahedron, 10:00 = red octahedron, 11:00 = gold octahedron; 12:00 = black decahedron, 1:00 = silver decahedron, 2:00 = red decahedron, 3:00 = gold decahedron; 4:00 = black dodecahedron, 5:00 = silver dodecahedron, 6:00 = red dodecahedron, 7:00 = gold dodecahedron; 8:00 = black icosahedron, 9:00 = silver icosahedron, 10:00 = red icosahedron, and 11:00 = gold icosahedron. Additionally, each gate must remain open, and each fiend summoned must be subdued, and not killed; if a fiend is killed, its corresponding configuration must be solved again and its gate kept open to try another attempt at subduing the new fiend summoned. Once all 24 configurations have been solved in their proper order and at the proper hour, and all gates are simultaneously opened, the subdued fiends must then be coerced to collaborate in a combined ritual channeling of planar energies on the 12th hour (either noon or midnight, 24 hours after the first configuration was solved); once this is completed, the artifact disintegrates as described above.
Starday 1st of Wealsun, 600 CY .... The King's Men have made significant progress over the past 3 days and nights toward the purging of all unwelcome indwellers at Duffgordon Manor, some 3 miles south and east down the northeastern bank of the Thelly River--having expelled numerous outsiders of various kinds, they have more or less pacified and secured as their own the four aboveground levels and rooftop battlements--all that yet remains are the dark (and as yet still mostly unknown) chambers and passageways of the subterranean dungeon level below, where zombies and fiends of different sorts have already been encountered on a few occasions.
Significant indeed is the fact that Mavlar Yethvin, priest of Nerull (and briefly--dubiously--their tentative ally) recently made his final fatal error with the insidious and enigmatic puzzle-artifact known as the Maure Dodecahedron (a.k.a., the Dolorous Dodecahedron, the Claustrum Cruciamen, the Claviculus Aenigma, the Adamantine Puzzle-Key, the Twice-Dozenfold Configurations, the Polyhedral Puzzle of the Four-and-Twenty Gates, etc.). Following the bloodcurdling screams of the self-doomed necromancer-priest into the fortified manor, arriving just in time to witness a harrowing and bewildering scene--the usually 5-foot-wide stairway up to the first upper level contracted to twice its normal dimensions so as to accommodate a gate to the Sixth Pyre, one of the 'shallower" layers of the Abyss, from which a giant fire-demon--known in Elven as a balrog and in Common as a balor--had emerged to entangle the terror-stricken priest of Nerull in the burning coils of its flaming whip and drag him, kicking and shrieking in panic and agony, back into the incinerating fires of the Sixth Pyre to begin an eternity of horrific torment .... and leaving behind the sinister Maure Dodecahedron ....
Also noteworthy is the initial introduction and small but distinct inroads made by the mage-investigator, Herzog Tanar'ri/Orsino Ivid VIII Naelax, by his sincere respect for the Archdevil Mammon, who has noticed the cunning young prince's courtesy toward the Archdevil of Wealth and Greed, and insistence that the blasphemous priest amend his defacing of Mammon's idol in the dungeon level temple. This small but significant showing of allegiance, combined with other small but courteous gestures (e.g., rearranging Mammon's upstairs idol to combine it with other trappings of his profane cult--tapestry, et al--setting up a shrine, and sacrificing a considerable sum of treasure to the archdevil) resulted in Mammon bestowing upon Herzog/Orsino a most unexpected and powerful magical gift--a staff of travel! The powers of quick travel throughout the realms of the Flanaess have literally been placed in the hands of the "Hidden Prince of House Naelax"....
I've marked the subtraction on my character sheet but didn't get a chance to mention it in Gameplay.
When we Teleport back to Castle Skullguard after switching our Alter Ego Identities -- Orsino will request a brief (private) audience of Selephotisem in order to watch me as I attempt a Ritual: In his presence I will kneel before a statue of Mephistopheles, pray to the Arch Devil, and burn 800 gold worth of treasure as tribute.
. . . .
As part of my alter ego disguise,...
- As Herzog Tanar'ri I carry the Staff right-side-up and cap the top with a fake Holy Symbol of Pale Night. On the interior portion of the pseudo-profanity is inscribed a prayer in Infernal to Mammon begging for the disguise to succeed in fooling our enemies .... I use my own Linguistics and Lore of Cosmology to make sure it's done appropriately -- and ask help from Kinky/Grimaldi to use use his Artistry to help fashion the fake Holy Symbol.
- As Ivid VIII I carry the Staff upside down, removing the fake Holy Symbol of Pale Night first. And I will adorn the Staff with tassels the color of Malachite and cap it with Malvolio's heraldry.
Mephistopheles assists Orsino in paying him proper honors and invoking his profane favor. He instructs Orsino in the engraving of his profane and occulted sigil on a medallion or seal of purest gold, and in the preferred vestments the investigator-wizard should don during the Archdevil's next unholy sabbat or "black mass", to occur during the upcoming lunar eclipse on Wealsun 28th, when Celene (a.k.a. "The Handmaiden", or Kule) will eclipse Liga the Sun, presenting a spectacular view from Oerth of "Liga's Veil", the Sun's fiery, lacy corona forming a halo around the aquamarine moon.
You shall gird thy waist with a belt of cat skin, and wear upon thy brow or thy breast the golden seal engraved with my profane and occulted sigil. You shall wear in thy cap or the locks of thy hair a cock's feather, and you shall don a crimson cape. You shall burn within a censor of brass ground cinnamon, coriander, skullcap, and sage. You shall bear upon thy person at all times some garment that is crimson, in my honor. My profane star in this crystal sphere is called Mephiz, and it can be seen in the night sky widdershins from the Hawk Star between the first snows of Sunsebb and the last night of Growfest. I am He Who Does Not Love the Light, the Lord of Darkness and Deception! I am the Lord Who Destroys! The Waster of Souls! I am the One True Lord of Cania! My star, Mephiz, is the blazing eye of the Fire Bear, which constellation may be gazed upon throughout the nights of Winter to increase thy wisdom, and to giveth unto thee the gifts of foresight, a forked tongue to beguile even the wise, and to induce prophetic dreams.
The Archdevil Mephistopheles transforms before Orsino's eyes, cycling through a number of favorite guises so his faithful worshiper might recognize him: a great, crimson bear, wreathed in reddish-golden hellfire .... a short, impish little bald man in a red cape and a jauntily askew cap with a cock's feather, leaning on an ebony cane and bedecked in sparkling gold and ruby jewelry .... Selephotsiphem, the Seer in Crimson Robe and Cowl .... a handsome young knight in crimson and jet-black plate armor, with cloven hooves in place of feet, and a flaming longsword in hand .... a lordly, red-skinned, black-horned, cloven hooved, bat-winged devil, with golden serpents' eyes, forked tongue, and fangs .... and an invisible form ringing a bell eight times. Finally, he resumes the guise of Selephotsiphem, Seer of Nulbish. Mark thee well these guises, but know that I can appear in innumerable other forms--let thy discernment and wisdom guide thee!
The Seer concludes by instructing Orsino in an invocation pleasing to the Lord of the Eighth:
Ol Um A Hemostophile A Gohed Oheloka. Solpeth A Omaoas:
Mesphito + Mephisto + Mephist + Hemostophile + Megastophiles + Memostophiles + Mephistophilis + Mephistophiel + Mephistophielis!
Liftoach Pandemonium! Liftoach Hekel Lebanath Ha-Adamas Ater!
Zazas Zazas Nasatanada Zazas! Liftoach Kliffot! Yehi Aur Chashakh!
Mesphito Ramec Viasa On Ca!
Reayha Bacana Lyan Reme Quim Mephistophiles!
Ol Zodameta A Micalzo Od Gohed Gah Methosophiles!
Baruch Ha-Mephist Mephir Ha-Gadhol!
Veni, Veni Mephistophile!
Niiso Arphe Sa Zacare Mephistophiel!
Ol Oecremi Mephist-Hemostophile-Mesphito!
Reayha Bacana Lyan Reme Quim Megastophiles!
Io Mephisto, Zodamran, Zodamran!
Niis Od Caosgon Memostophiles Odzamran Pambt!
Veni, Veni Mephistopheles!
Mesphisto Ramec Viasa On Ca!
Reayha Bacana Lyan Reme Quim Mephistopheles!
Salve Mephitophiles, Salve Mephistophiles, Salve Mephistophiles.
Appearing as an abandoned former guild hall of arcane magic (marked V on the Nulbish City Map), this three-story dilapidated guild hall is actually only the front for a secret subterranean temple dedicated to Vecna, and tended by a growing cult that worships the “Maimed Lord of the Spidered Throne,” and seeks to recover the artifacts and fragments of Vecna. This cult operates in cautious secrecy, as is Vecna’s way, its members feigning devotion to the archdevils revered by the Horned King, or to some traditional Oeridian deity, such as Hextor, Heironeous, Velnius and the Four Seasons/Winds, etc.
The cult is led by Conniveren Plaskerd, a middle aged man of average stature and medium build, with graying dark-brown hair kept closely cropped and hairline receding, neatly-trimmed salt-and-pepper goatee and mustache, and heavy-lidded gray eyes. He favors dark, somber-colored robes, and sometimes dons a silver skullcap. He is the deed holder of the property, and poses as simply an enterprising proprietor attempting to refurbish the old guild hall and turn it into an inn.
Conniveren Plaskerd CR 10
XP 9,600
Male human [Oeridian-Flannae] necromancer 11
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 85 (11d6+44) plus 15 temporary hp from false life
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +10
Resist fire 30
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +6 (1d4/19–20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy (DC 17, 8/day)
Arcane School Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +16, casting defensively +20)
8/day—grave touch (+5 touch, 5 rounds)
Necromancer Spells Prepared (CL 11th; concentration +16)
6th—create undead, eyebite (DC 23)
5th—baleful polymorph (DC 20), magic jar (DC 22), teleport, waves of fatigue
4th—animate dead, enervation (+6 ranged touch), fear (DC 21), solid fog, wall of fire
3rd—blink, fireball (DC 18), fly, ray of exhaustion (+6 ranged touch, DC 20), vampiric touch (2, +5 touch)
2nd—blindness/deafness (DC 19), false life, resist energy, see invisibility, scare (DC 19), scorching ray (+6 ranged touch)
1st—alarm, burning hands (DC 16), cause fear (DC 18), detect undead, expeditious retreat, mage armor, magic missile
0th (at will)—bleed (DC 17), detect magic, read magic, touch of fatigue (+5 touch, DC 17)
Opposition Schools enchantment, illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Conniveren casts mage armor, false life, resist energy (fire), and see invisibility if he doesn’t already have these spells active. His current hit points include 15 temporary hit points from false life.
During Combat Conniveren casts solid fog on a group of enemies, then casts wall of fire in a circle (focused inward) around the solid fog. As opponents leave the fog, he attacks them directly with eyebite and enervation. He might cast fear to drive opponents through the wall of fire, or cast fireball on a group of opponents grouped together. Conniveren has a total of 11 Medium humanoid zombies (2 HD) and 22 Medium humanoid skeletons (1 HD) under his command, which he created by casting animate dead spells on corpses discreetly provided to him by his fellow cultist, Tolar Wolvenmoor, who is the groundskeeper at the Necropolis of Nulbish. He is never encountered without at least 2 of the zombies (concealed under hooded cloaks when going about in public view) by his side, and if he is encountered in the secret underground chapel beneath the dilapidated guildhall, all 11 zombies and 22 skeletons fight on his behalf until destroyed. (See stat blocks for skeletons and zombies following the cultists’ descriptions and stat blocks below.)
Base Statistics
Without false life, mage armor, resist energy, and see invisibility, Conniveren’s statistics are Senses darkvision 60 ft.; AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 11; hp 85 (no temporary hit points); Resist none.
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 14
Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 16
Feats Brew Potion, Combat Casting, Command Undead, Craft Wondrous Item, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Improved Channel, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Craft (alchemy) +19, Fly +5, Heal +4, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (dungeoneering, engineering, geography, history, local, nature, nobility, planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +18, Perception +4, Spellcraft +19
Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Flan, Infernal, Old Oeridian
SQ arcane bond (rat named “Nyles”), life sight (10 feet, 11 rounds/day)
Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potion of displacement, potion of invisibility, robe of bones; Other Gear masterwork dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, belt of mighty constitution +2, cloak of resistance +2, goggles of night, headband of vast intelligence +2, spellbook, crystal for magic jar (worth 100 gp), onyx gems (worth 300 gp), sage’s outfit, 623 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grave Touch (Sp)
As a standard action, Conniveren can make a melee touch attack (+5 touch) that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 his necromancer level (5). If he touches a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than his necromancer level (11th). He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier (8/day).
Other resident cultists at the Occulted Hall of Secret Lore live and work in Nulbish, appearing to be either Conniveren’s apprentices and colleagues working to restore the dilapidated mages’ guildhall, or as even more mundane citizens of Nulbish. There are nine other regular resident Vecnan cultists, detailed below:
Erudine Caymedar is Conniveren Plaskerd’s most capable apprentice. A Flannae-Oeridian woman in her mid-thirties, of slim build and slight stature, with mousy brown hair worn pulled back in a tight bun, dark-brown eyes, and a sun-bronzed complexion, she works as an apothecary, surgeon, and physician out of her modest two-story townhouse in the same neighborhood as the Occulted Hall of Secret Lore. Whenever she is present at the old mages’ guildhall, her pretense is that she is either restoring old and partially worm-eaten manuscripts dealing with anatomy and physiology, or else tutoring some of Conniveren’s apprentices in that subject.
Erudine Caymedar CR 6
XP 2,400
Female human [Flannae-Oeridian] necromancer 7
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init -1; Senses Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +2 deflection, -1 Dex)
hp 45 (7d6+21) plus 12 temporary hp from false life
Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +8
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +3 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 6/day (DC 14), grave touch 6/day (+3 touch, 3 rounds)
Necromancer Spells Prepared (CL 7th; concentration +10, casting defensively +14)
4th—enervation (2, +2 ranged touch, DC 18), black tentacles (CMB 15)
3rd—hold person (2, DC 17), vampiric touch (2, touch +3)
2nd—acid arrow (+2 ranged touch), darkvision, false life (already cast), ghoul touch (+3 touch, DC 16), see invisibility
1st—cause fear (DC 15), charm person, feather fall, mage armor (2, 1 already cast), unseen servant
0th (at will)—acid splash (+2 ranged touch), detect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue (+3 touch, DC 14)
Opposition Schools evocation, illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Erudine casts false life and mage armor if she doesn’t already have them active. Her current hit points include 12 temporary hit points from false life.
During Combat Erudine has 14 Medium humanoid zombies (2 HD each) under her command, which she created by casting animate dead on corpses discreetly provided to her by her fellow cultist, Tolar Wolvenmoor, who is the groundskeeper at the Necropolis of Nulbish. She is never encountered outside of her townhouse without at least 2 of her zombies (clad in hooded cloaks to conceal their true nature when going about in public), and if attacked in her townhouse, all 14 zombies will be present (minus any that have already been destroyed in previous encounters, of course). She lets her zombies do the work for her, hanging back to attack foes from range with her spells. (See stat blocks for zombies following the cultists’ descriptions and stat blocks below.)
Base Statistics
Without her false life and mage armor spell, she has the following statistics:
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 11; hp 45 (no temporary hit points).
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 12
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Forge Ring, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Appraise +7, Diplomacy +5, Heal +8, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (history) +14, Knowledge (planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Perception +8, Spellcraft +13
Languages Abbysal, Aklo, Baklunish, Common, Draconic, Flan, Infernal, Old Oeridian, Suloise, Undercommon
SQ arcane bond (ring of protection +2)
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, ring of counterspells (contains magic missle), scrolls of gentle repose (3), unholy water (2); Other Gear dagger, ring of protection +2 (bonded item, nonfunctional for anyone but her), doctor’s outfit, healer’s kit, spellbook, 35 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grave Touch (Sp)
As a standard action, Erudine can make a melee touch attack (+3 touch) that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 her necromancer level (3). If she touches a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than her necromancer level (7th). She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier (6/day).
Sequestor Spann is one of Conniveren Plaskerd’s junior apprentices, an Oeridian-Flannae man in his mid-twenties, clean-shaven, with short-cropped brown hair, brown eyes, and a bronze complexion typical of his mixed heritage. He works as a clerk of records at the Riverside Blockhouse and Gaol, and when encountered at the Occulted Hall of Secret Lore, his pretense is that he is volunteering to help restore the guildhall in gratitude for being cured of a wasting disease by the necromancers in Reaping of last year.
Sequestor Spann CR 2
XP 600
Male human [Oeridian-Flannae] necromancer 3
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor)
hp 22 (3d6+9) plus 8 temporary hp from false life
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 6/day (DC 12), grave touch 6/day (+1 touch, 1 round)
Necromancer Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +6, casting defensively +10)
2nd—acid arrow (+1 ranged touch), false life (already cast)
1st—cause fear (DC 15), color spray (DC 14), mage armor (already cast)
0th (at will)—detect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue (+1 touch, DC 14)
Opposition Schools evocation, illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Sequestor casts false life and mage armor if he doesn’t already have them active. His current hit points include 8 temporary hit points from false life.
During Combat Sequestor tries to keep out of melee reach of enemies, staying back and casting acid arrow, cause fear, color spray, and touch of fatigue on likely targets.
Base Statistics
Without false life and mage armor, he has the following statistics:
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; hp 22 (no temporary hit points).
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (society) +6, Linguistics +3, Profession (scribe) +6, Spellcraft +9
Languages Common, Draconic, Flan, Infernal, Old Oeridian, Suloise, Undercommon
SQ arcane bond (toad familiar named “Skidoosh")
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, scrolls of gentle repose (2), unholy water (2); Other Gear dagger, spellbook, spell components, scribe’s outfit, feather quills (2), inkwell, sheets of vellum paper (5), 35 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grave Touch (Sp)
As a standard action, Sequestor can make a melee touch attack (+1 touch) that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 his necromancer level (1). If he touches a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than his necromancer level (3rd). He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier (6/day).
Audracina Meere is a fairly comely Oeridian-Flannae woman in her early twenties, with curly auburn hair worn in a ponytail, hazel eyes, freckled bronze skin, and a curvaceous build, of average height. Another of Conniveren Plaskerd’s junior apprentices, she works as an herbalist out of a ground-floor shop in the same city block that the Occulted Hall of Secret Lore is in, and dwells in a modest 2nd-floor apartment above the herbalist shop. If encountered at the old guildhall, she will admit to being one of Conniveren’s apprentices, seeing no reason to fabricate a pretense.
Audacina Meere CR 2
XP 600
Female human [Oeridian-Flannae] necromancer 3
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor)
hp 19 (3d6+6) plus 8 temporary hp from false life
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +0 (1d4-1/19-20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 6/day (DC 13), grave touch 6/day (+0 touch, 1 round)
Necromancer Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +6, casting defensively +10)
2nd—acid arrow (+3 ranged touch), false life (already cast)
1st—cause fear (DC 15), color spray (DC 14), mage armor (already cast)
0th (at will)—detect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue (+0 touch, DC 14)
Opposition Schools evocation, illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Audracina casts false life and mage armor if she doesn’t already have them active. Her current hit points include 8 temporary hit points from false life.
During Combat Audracina tries to keep out of melee reach of enemies, staying back and casting acid arrow, cause fear, color spray, and touch of fatigue on likely targets.
Base Statistics
Without false life and mage armor, she has the following statistics:
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10; hp 16 (no temporary hit points).
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Heal +4, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nature) +6, Profession (herbalist) +7, Spellcraft +9
Languages Common, Draconic, Flan, Old Oeridian
SQ arcane bond (rat familiar named “Skleek”)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, scrolls of gentle repose (2), unholy water (2); Other Gear dagger, spellbook, spell components, scholar’s outfit, healer’s kit, herbalist’s kit, 35 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grave Touch (Sp)
As a standard action, Audracina can make a melee touch attack (+0 touch) that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 her necromancer level (1). If she touches a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than her necromancer level (3rd). She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier (6/day).
Catalynne Kervynn is a Flannae-Oeridian woman in her late twenties, with a bald head and no eyebrows, sun-bronzed complexion with faint Flannish tribal tattoos on her face and arms, and dark brown eyes. She is tall for a woman at 6-feet-1-inch, with a lean and gaunt appearance. Another of Conniveren Plaskerd’s junior apprentices, she works as a barber, dentist, and surgeon out of her own shop in the same city block the Occulted Hall of Secret Lore is found in. If encountered at the old guildhall, she makes no attempt at a cover story, and readily admits that she is Conniveren’s apprentice.
Catalynne Kervynn CR 2
XP 600
Female human [Oeridian-Flannae] necromancer 3
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 22 (3d6+9) plus 8 temporary hp from false life
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4+1/19-20)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 6/day (DC 12), grave touch 6/day (+2 touch, 1 round)
Necromancer Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +6, casting defensively +10)
2nd—acid arrow (+2 ranged touch), false life (already cast)
1st—cause fear (DC 15), color spray (DC 14), mage armor (already cast)
0th (at will)—detect magic, light, read magic, touch of fatigue (+2 touch, DC 14)
Opposition Schools evocation, illusion
TACTICS
Before Combat Catalynne casts false life and mage armor if she doesn’t already have them active. Her current hit points include 8 temporary hit points from false life.
During Combat Catalynne tries to keep out of melee reach of enemies, staying back and casting acid arrow, cause fear, color spray, and touch of fatigue on likely targets. If pressed by enemies, she will drink her potion of fly to stay out of melee reach.
Base Statistics
Without false life and mage armor, she has the following statistics:
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; hp 16 (no temporary hit points).
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Combat Casting, Command Undead, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness
Skills Fly +4, Heal +3, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (society) +6, Profession (barber, dentist, surgeon) +4, Spellcraft +9
Languages Common, Draconic, Flan, Old Oeridian
SQ arcane bond (bat familiar named “Leech”)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, potion of fly, scrolls of gentle repose (2), unholy water (2); Other Gear dagger, spellbook, spell components, doctor’s outfit, barber’s kit, dentist’s kit, healer’s kit, 35 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Grave Touch (Sp)
As a standard action, Catalynne can make a melee touch attack (+2 touch) that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 her necromancer level (1). If she touches a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than her necromancer level (3rd). She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier (6/day).
Fanx Short (real name Finxlo Bluffburrow) is a young lightfoot halfling man of 23 years, with a mop of curly copper hair, mischievous brown eyes, ruddy complexion, and a jagged scar running from the left corner of his mouth to his left ear, which makes his already crooked grin appear even more lopsided. He has adopted the pseudonym “Fanx Short” to make it more difficult for those who knew him as Finxlo Bluffburrow back in his native city (Roland on the Solnor Coast) to track him down, for he is wanted by the authorities there for a string of burglaries, as well as by several angry creditors to whom he owes large sums of money. He is one of the few “freelance” thieves operating in Nulbish (thieves that are not members of the Thieves’ Court), so he does his best to keep a low profile while plying his trade within the city. So far, it seems he has escaped the attention of the Thieves’ Court, but he knows that if they become aware of his “unsanctioned” thievery within the city walls of Nulbish, he will be “in a bit of a jam” ….
“Fanx Short” (a.k.a. Finxlo Bluffburrow) CR 2
XP 600
Male lightfoot halfling burglar unchained rogue 3
NE Small humanoid (halfling)
Init +6; Senses Perception +10 (+11 vs. traps)
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)
hp 23 (3d8+6)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +4; +2 vs. fear, +1 vs. traps
Defensive Abilities danger sense +1, evasion, fearless, halfling luck
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee mwk short sword +8 (1d4+4/19-20) OR mwk short sword +6 (1d4+4/19-20), mwk dagger +6 (1d3/19-20)
Ranged sling +7 (1d3)
Special Attacks finesse training, sneak attack +2d6
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +7, Athletics +6 (+8 to climb), Bluff +7, Disable Device +10 (+11 vs. traps), Perception +10 (+11 vs. traps), Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +14, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Common, Halfling, Flan
SQ coax information (substitute Bluff for Intimidate), keen senses, sure-footed, trapfinding +1, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear acid flasks (2), alchemist’s fires (2), smokestick, tanglefoot bags (2), potion of invisibility, potion of see invisibility, unholy waters (2); Other Gear Small leather armor, Small masterwork short sword, Small masterwork dagger, Small sling and 20 bullets, masterwork thieves’ tools, traveler’s outfit, 33 gp
Riddler Manxomire is a handsome young Oeridian-Flannae man, with curly brown shoulder-length hair, grey eyes, lightly-tanned complexion, and a neatly-trimmed goatee and handlebar mustache. He is a few inches shy of 6 feet, with a lean but athletic build, and has an air of rakish charm about him. His flamboyant attire marks him as a strolling minstrel — a garish red-and-yellow checkered doublet, cinched at the waist with a broad leather belt with a clover-shaped bronze buckle, a rapier hanging in a scabbard at his left hip, green-and-blue-striped hose, knee-high boots of supple leather, a waist-length cloak of vermillion trimmed with fox fur, and a floppy violet cap with a ridiculous peacock-feather plume drooping gaily to one side. He is never seen without his masterwork lute, which is his most prized possession. A bard who busks for coins at local taverns and inns for a living, Riddler serves the cult of Vecna as a seemingly innocuous snoop and collector of gossip (especially of the scandalous or ruinous kind).
Riddler Manxomire CR 1
XP 400
Male human [Oeridian-Flannae] street performer bard 2
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 16 (2d8+2)
Fort +1; Ref +6; Will -1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +4 (1d6/18-20) OR dagger +4 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged shortbow +4 (1d6/x3) OR dagger +4 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks bardic performance 9 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate (DC 14), inspire courage +1, versatile performance [Oratory = Diplomacy, Sense Motive])
Bard Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5)
1st (3/day)—charm person (DC 14), cure light wounds
0th (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, summon instrument
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Voice of the Sibyl, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +7, Athletics +4, Bluff +8 (+9 voice), Diplomacy +8 (+9 voice), Lore of Arcana +7, Perception +3, Perform (oratory) +9, Perform (string) +7, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +7, Use Magic Device +8
Languages Common, Flan, Old Oeridian
SQ bardic knowledge
Combat Gear acid flasks (2), alchemist’s fires (2), potion of cure light wounds, potion of expeditious retreat, potion of spider climb, tanglefoot bag, wand of ghost sound (10 charges); Other Gear leather armor, rapier, daggers (3), shortbow and 20 arrows, masterwork lute, minstrel’s outfit, costume jewelry and baubles worth a total of 50 gp, 12 gp, 20 sp, 36 cp
Auspen Walder works as a member of the city watch. A young Flannae-Suel man of striking appearance, Auspen stands about six-feet-six-inches, with a barrel-shaped chest, burly limbs, a narrow waist, chiseled and lantern-jawed face, with freckled ivory complexion, his left eye hazel and his right eye a silvery grey, his visage and thick neck framed by a wild mane of curly, dark-blond, shoulder-length hair, his golden eyebrows upswept in a rather elvish fashion (though he is clearly a young human man of not more than 25 years). When on duty as a city watchman, Auspen wears a black tunic emblazoned on the chest and back with the coat of arms of the Horned King (a horned skull argent in fess point, crowned with a duke’s coronet gules and or, on a field sable) over his chain shirt, cinched at the waist with a belt of black leather, a helmet of burnished bronze with Y-shaped visor and upswept lateral batwings (reminiscent of the Horned King’s own Warduke’s Helm), and is armed with a light crossbow, a quiver of 20 bolts, a sap, and a halberd, in addition to always carrying his own masterwork greatsword. When he is off-duty, Auspen is usually clad in his chain shirt with a wolfskin vest worn over it, buckskin breeches dyed a bright blue-green, the belt of black leather girding his waist and supporting his masterwork greatsword in its scabbard of black leather and copper filagree inset with tiger’s eye agates and moonstones. Draped across his mighty shoulders and broad back is the shaggy grey fell of a grey wolf, which Auspen claims he killed while hunting in the Grandwood Forest with his “dead brother Jexbaynn’s composite longbow” when he’d “not yet seen the passing of sixteen winters.” (Auspen rarely even mentions the fact that he’d recently murdered Jexbaynn while he was in a drunken stupor in order to steal the composite longbow …. Auspen has since lost the bow through misadventure, circa 5 years ago.)
Auspen Walder CR 1
XP 400
Male human [Flannae-Suel] two-handed fighter 2
CE Medium humanoid (human)
Init Senses Perception +
DEFENSES
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 23 (2d10+6)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2; +1 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk greatsword +7 (2d6+9/19-20) OR halberd +6 (1d10+9/x3) OR sap +6 (1d6+6 nonlethal)
Ranged light crossbow +4 (1d8/19-20)
Special Attacks Cleave, Furious Focus, Power Attack
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 16
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Cleave, Furious Focus, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Survival +7
Languages Common
Combat Gear acid flasks (2), alchemist’s fires (4), 5 cold iron bolts, 5 silvered bolts, oils of magic weapon (4), potions of cure light wounds (2), silversheens (2); Other Gear chain shirt, masterwork greatsword, halberd*, sap*, light crossbow and 10 bolts*, barbarian’s outfit, livery emblazoned with the Horned King’s arms (see description above)*,bronze faux-Warduke’s Helm*, silver unholy symbol of Vecna (a finely-wrought silver hand seizing an eyeball fashioned from a tiger’s eye agate) worth 500 gp with a permanent invisibility (CL 11th) cast on it by Conniveren Plaskerd (concealed under his chain shirt), pouch holding 8 baubles worth 5 gp each and 24 sp
Tolar Wolvenmoor works as a groundskeeper at the Necropolis, and secretly provides fresh (or not-so-fresh) corpses of the recently (or long-ago) interred dead to the necromancers Conniveren Plaskerd (leader of the secret Vecnan cult) and Erudine Caymedar (Conniveren’s most advanced apprentice) so they can cast animate dead to animate the corpses as zombies and the skeletons as undead skeletons. Tolar has recently been hiring some of the less squeamish thieves of the Thieves’ Court to assist him in this operation, which Tolar is adamant about reserving “only for overcast or moonless nights!”
Tolar is a Suel-Oeridian man in his mid-forties, and would stand a full six-feet-tall if he didn’t always slouch due to his “twisted spine” (rapidly-progressing kyphosis and scoliosis). A cascade of straight white hair nearly as fine as spider-silk falls over his rounded back, as if it could conceal his ill-formed frame, but the brow-line has been receding since the same fateful and harrowing encounter that robbed Tolar Wolvenmoor of his youthful vigor and vitality; prior to last Walpurgis night (Godsday the 18th of Flocktime in 599 CY — almost one year ago), Tolar Wolvenmoor looked his 40-some-odd years, with a straight spine, a full head of long, straight, pearl-white hair, his pale grey eyes were clear instead of clouded by cataracts, and his pale complexion was unmarred by age spots or wrinkles beyond some mild “crow’s feet” at the corners of his eyes and mouth. He had been hale and hearty, capable, and sharp-witted. Luna the “Mistress” (Oerth’s silver “Greater Moon”) was a New Moon (or “Black Moon”) on that ill-fated night, as She has been every Walpurgis Night since the Oerth was formed.
Tolar had paid little heed to the evils traditionally associated with Walpurgis Night; sacred not only to Nerull the Reaper, but also to chaotic evil witches and Abyssal-blooded sorcerers throughout the Flanaess, who reputedly gathered on remote and unhallowed mountain peaks (such as “Iggwilv’s Horn” in the Yatils; “Star-Keep Mountain” in the Barrier Peaks; “Witchfire Mountain” near the junction of the Crystalmists and the Jotens; and the twin domed peaks known as the “Breasts of Malcantheth” in the Hellfurnaces) to engage in orgiastic revels with various Demon Princes (especially Graz’zt, Malcanthet, Socothbenoth, Nocticula, Lamashtu, Lolth, Fraz Urb’luu, and Zuggtmoy) at so-called “Black Sabbaths” or “Witches’ Sabbaths.”
All that had mattered to Tolar at the time was that the dark night was ideal for carrying out his “nocturnal pastimes” of grave-robbing and corpse-smuggling. He and two unscrupulous hirelings from the Thieves’ Court crept into the heart of the Necropolis under cover of the moonless night, where they encountered the vengeful ghost of a minor lord from a degenerate branch of House Darmen, Viscount Holbald, a sadistic and deranged madman when he was a living man , but even worse when he manifested as a murderous ghost exactly one year after Tolar had robbed his tomb of both riches and his remains, and took revenge upon the hapless groundskeeper. The two hired thieves fled in a panic, leaving Tolar to his fate, but Tolar was unable to escape from the ghost of Viscount Holbald, whose incorporeal touch attacks aged the groundskeeper well beyond his years before it was satisfied with its revenge and returned to its eternal damnation in the Abyss. Tolar desperately hopes that Conniveren Plaskerd (or one of the other Vecnan cultists) can discover some magical means of restoring his stolen youth and vitality.
Tolar Wolvenmoor CR 1/3
XP 135
Male venerable human [Suel-Oeridian] expert 2/smuggler unchained rogue 1
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init Senses partially blind and deaf (see weaknesses); Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 11, touch 9, flat-footed 11 (+2 armor, -1 Dex)
hp 17 (3d8-3)
Fort -1, Ref +1, Will +4
Defensive Abilities
Weaknesses cannot take 5-foot steps as a free action, partially blind and deaf (all targets have partial concealment [20% miss chance], -4 penalty to all Perception checks), permanently hampered (base speed 15 ft.), permanently staggered, venerable age
OFFENSE
Speed 15 ft.
Melee silvered dagger +1 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged light crossbow +0 (1d8/19-20)
Special Attacks finesse training, sneak attack +1d6
STATISTICS
Str 11, Dex 9, Con 9, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 10
Feats Skill Focus (Profession [groundskeeper])
Skills Acrobatics +3, Appraise +5, Athletics +4, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +3, Intimidate +4, Linguistics +2, Lore of Cosmology +5, Lore of Society +5, Perception +1, Profession (groundskeeper) +8, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +3
Languages Common, Old Oeridian, Suloise
SQ conceal item +1
Combat Gear potions of cure light wounds (2), potions of hide from undead (2), potions of remove blindness/deafness (2); Other Gear leather armor, cane, silvered dagger, light crossbow with 20 bolts, masterwork thieves’ tools, groundskeeper’s outfit, 44 gp, ring of keys to Necropolis gates and mausoleum doors, silver unholy symbol of Vecna worth 25 gp (concealed under leather armor)
Conniveren, as mentioned at the end of last session, bestows a few scrolls upon Orsino in gratitude for the warning of impending enemy attack and for sequestering the Vecnan cultists in the Citadel of Salt:
2nd level wizard (divination) spell version of augury
3rd level wizard (necromancy) spell version of speak with dead
3rd level wizard (necromancy) spell unliving rage
Selephotsiphem, pleased with the devotions of his pupil (worshiper), bestows the following scrolls upon Orsino to transcribe into his spellbook, if desired:
1st level wizard (conjuration [summoning]) spell version of barbed chains
1st level wizard (divination) spell heightened awareness
Group vote:
At 8th Level now and getting pretty powerful I would like Malvolio to announce to the world at 'The Arena Games' event my bloodline: That I am the rightful Ivid VIII. And that I publicly support Malvolio to rule a "new" Great Kingdom of Aerdy.
It's a group vote because this will likely mean that Lord Drax of Rel Astra, Lord Xavener of Ahlissa, and Lord Grennel of North Province -- among Lesser others -- may focus on hunting me (us) in addition to their own Cold War attacks against Malvolio.
But we'll likely be 9th Level, each have an Artifact, plus that Malvolio is still by far the main target. I think it's time.
What say Erlick and Grimaldi?
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Marchland of the Adri Forest
Prince Molil, (LN male human Ftr9), House Naelax Principality of Ahlissa
Prince Reydrich (NE male human Wiz20) House Naelax Marchold of Chathold
Marquis Karn Serrand (LG male human Clr13 of Rao) Marchland of the Grandwood Forest
Princess Bersheba (CE female human Rog9), House Darmen Principality of Innspa
Princess Kasarin (NE female human Wiz10), House Garasteth Principality of Jalpa
Prince Farland (LE male human Ftr 12), House Darmen Principality of Kalstrand
The Overking
Marchland of Medegia
Prince Gartrel (LE male humn Ftr 10), House Darmen Principality of Naerie
Prince Barzhaan (LN male human Ftr 11), House Haxx Principality of Nulbish
Prince Harnnad (NE male human Ftr 11), House Darmen Marchland of Rauxes
Baron Oswalden (NG male human Wiz 15), House Cranden Principality of Rel Deven
Prince Carwend (N male human Wiz 14), House Cranden Principality of Torrich
Prince Dilweg (LE male human Wiz 16), House Darmen
Bandit Kingdoms
Regions:
Abbarra: administrated from Hallorn. Kor (NE male human, Rog 12) leads assassins and other “terrorists” against Iuz as they resist Iuz’s rule.
Artonsomay: Mostly uninhabited and in ruins, but governed from Stoink. Duke Gellor (N male human Ftr12), former ruler of the land, may still be there, waiting for help from Urnst.
Grand Theocracy of Dimre: Technically independent but has signed a non-agression and alliance pact with Iuz. This land is reviled in the Pale for its heretical cult of Pholtus. The cult preaches that to understand the glory of light, one must first walk hand in hand with darkness. No ruler listed. (Possible leader, created by me: Archcleric Covil Feydun, LG (LN), male human, Clr 12 of Pholtus)
Fellands: Ruled by Xavendra (CE female human Clr 13 of Iuz). It is rumored she may rebel, though loyal to Iuz.
Mighty Freehold: Near the Fellreev Forest, it is ruled by Null (CE male human Wiz19) of Iuz’s Greater Boneheart.
Defenders of Greenkeep: In the Fellreecv forest. Ruled by a bandit/elf alliance resisting Iuz.
Grand Clans of Grosskopf: Part of Iuz’s empire, no ruler listed
Kingdom of Johrase: Ruled by a frequently-replaced (about annually) orc chieftain or ogre warlord loyal to Iuz
Stronghold of the Midlands: Ruled by Graf Demmel Tadurinal (CE male human Clr 8 of Iuz)
Principality of Redhand: A renegade Shield lander Prince: Zeech (LE male human Ftr 8/Clr 4 of Hextor), rules this land. He is allied to Iuz but rumored to be ready for rebellion.
Great Lands of Reyhu: Some resistance by former bandit lords, often based in Urnst. Largely unpopulated.
Men of the Rift: This territory is divided and there is resistance in Rift Canyon from Plar of the Rift Durand Grossman (NE male human Rog11). Iuz has forces here led by Cranzer (NE male human Wiz 15)
Free City of Rookrosost: Ruled by Lord Marshall Arus Mortoth (CE maale half-fiend Ftr 15/Assn 4).
Free City State of Stoink: Surrendered to Iuz, but still rulled by Boss Renfus the Mottled (M male human Rog12). They conduct raids into the Count of Urnst
Earldom of the Tangles: Ruled by the insane Earl Aundurach (CE male human cClr 13 of Iuz). He carries a magical scepter crafted from the bones of Reynard, the lands rebellious bandit chief killed in 589. Interestingly enough, a band of humans and half elves have acted since 585 CY as a force of resistance with the assistance of clerics of Trithereon based in Furyondy.
Unified Bands of the Warfields: Mostly in ruins, but ruled from the town of Hallorn. The former bandit lord, Guardian General Hok (CN male human Ftr 14) has not been heard from in years.
The Barony of Wormhall: Home of the town of Hallorn, its real attraction is Woermhall. Reportedly the three lords of Wormhall seem to be allied to Iuz. No one knows who they are, but they ar bewlieved to be fiends or undead. The structure known as the Wormhall has tenebrous worms crawling on it.
Bissel: Ruled by Larrangin, Margrave of Bissel (LG, male human, Ftr 9/Clr2 of Heironeous)
Blackmoor: Archbaron Bestmor of Blackmoor (NE male human Frt 1.Wiz 4) rules from Dantredun. However, an orc in service to the Egg of Coot ( a mysterious being who seems to create automata in the land.) The fabled City of the Gods is in the area, which seems to be a source of strange technology.
Teuod Fent (N, male human Wiz 2 (illusionist) has been acting against Iuz here. Iuz seems to avoid Blackmoor, possibly because of some power in ancient standing stones and hills.
Bone March: The former Lord, Clement, the Marquis of Bone March (LN male human Ftr 9 is presumed to be dead.)
Bright Lands: Ruled by Rary (NE male human Wiz 20+)
Celene: Queen Yolande (CG female elf, Wiz 13/Ftr 2) has traditionally been an isolationist, but seems to have changed of late.
Melf, Prince Brightflame of Celene (NG, male elf, Wiz 14/Ftr 4) leads the Knights of Luna. He encourages more involvement in the world.
Dyvers: The LGG lists the mayor as Larissa Hunter (NG female human, Ftr 12)
Ekbir: Ruled by Caliph Xargun (NG male human Clr 16 of Al’Akbar). In the LGG, he seeks unity with his fellow Baklunish.
Frost Barbarians: Led by King Hudgred Ralffson of the Frutzii (CN male human Bbn 13). This kingdom was allied with the Archbarony of Ratik, but received the agents of the Scarlet Sign with respect. (Note: In an adventure published in Dungeon magazine, King Hundgred dies of wounds suffered in battle against a red dragon, a la Beowulf, and his successor is Bowvar (LG male human paladin 9? So I've gone with that.)
Furyondy: Led by King Belvor IV (LG male human Pal 16 of Heironeous) is a staunch foe of Iuz. His son, Thrommel III disappeared many years ago. (Living Greyhawk Campaign advanced to the elderly Belvor naming Count of Crystalreach Artur Jakartai his successor before dying of old age, so in 600 CY, King Artur Jakartai rules Furyondy.)
County of Crystalreach
Count Artur Jakartai (LG male human Pal 17 of Heironeous)
Fairwain Province
Ruled by King Belvor
Gold County
Countess Kyaren Rhavelle (N female human Wiz4 (illusionist)
Barony of Kalinstreen
Baroness Jelleneth Kalinstren (CG femal human Ftr9)
Barony of Littleberg
Baron Jemain (LG male human Ftr11)
Duchy of the Reach
Duke Bennal Tyneman (CN male human Rog 12)
Viscounty of the March
Viscount Luther Derwent (N male human Ftr 4)
Barony of Willip
Baron Xanthan Butrain (LN male human Ftr 8) (Note: Not anymore! Its now Baron Monduel, Joe's gnome mesmerist 20!)
Geoff: Formerly ruled by the exiled Owen I, Grand Duke of Geoff (LG male human Wiz 15 (illusionist)/Ftr 5).
Gran March: Magnus Vrianian, Commandant of the Gran March (LG male human Wiz9 (evoker)/Clr 3 of Heironeous)
Greyhawk: Lord Mayor Nerof Gasgal (LN male human Rog 12) (Note: Deceased, assassinated recently by former Master of the Greyhawk Assassins Guild, Turin Deathstalker, who discovered Gasgal's clandestine meetings with Despot of Pomarj, Turrosh Mak, to broker a peace treaty. It's someone else now, a different oligarch. Turin Deathstalker has fled Greyhawk, and is currently being hunted by Org Nenshen, Master of GH Thieves' Guild, who regarded Nero Gasgal as his oldest and closest friend.)
High Folk: The Worthy Sir, Tavin Ersteader, Mayor of Highfolk Town (NG male human Wiz 11) and His Most Excellent Highness (Kashafen Tamarel Flameflower, Lord of the High Elves of Vesve (CG male elf Wiz 14/Ftr 4). They are aided by Philidor the Blue (NG male human? Wiz 20+). As I recall, Philidor’s skin is blue and he appeared in the Flanaess sometime between 581 and 591 CY.
Ice Barbarians: Lolgoff Bearhear, King of the Cruski, Fasstal of all the Suelii (CN male human Bbn 15) In the LGG, he is suspicious of the Scarlet Brotherhood – who murdered his uncle. (Note: hmmm.... THIS might be the barbarian king killed by the dragon in the Dungeon adventure....)
Irongate: His Resolute Honor Cobb Darg , Lord High Mayor of Irongate (apparently human, no other information available). The government is lawful neutral.
Empire of Iuz:
Delaquenn: this territory in the western horned land is ruled by Maskaleyne (CE male vampire W12) a formen noble of House Naelax in Aerdi
Dorakaa: Iuz’s capitol. The city is overcast in black clouds in a four mile radius.
Shieldlands: Iuz’s portion is ruled by Vayne (CE male human Wiz 17). (Note: As of very recently in our 600 CY campaign, the whole of the Shieldlands has been conquered by Iuz.)
Grossfort: This is on the barrens, and is rulled by the archmage Jumper (CE male human Wiz 19)
Molag: Former capitol of the Horned Lands: It is ruled by Iuz’s high Priesteess Althea (CE female human Clr20 of Iuz)
Resistance in tis area and the Fellreev Forest is led by former bandit lord Shannar Hendricks (CN male human Ftr 15), elves and Flan foresters, independent orc bands and a rogue liech Dahlvier (NE male human (undead) Wiz 18)who rules part of the Molag area
Keoland:
Barony of Axewood
Baron Anladon of Neheli (LG male half-elf Ftr8/Wiz 2)
County of Cryllor
Count Ignas Manz (LN male human Ftr 16)
Duch of Dorlin
Duke Cedrian III of Neheli (CN male human Wiz7/Ftr 2)
County of Flen
Countess Allita Elgarin (N female human Clr 5 of Xerbo)
Union of the Good Hills First Speaker Blaif Rinnar (NG male gnome Ftr 6/Rog 2)
Duchy of Gradsul
Duke Luschan VII of Rhola (LN male human Wiz9/Ftr 2)
Barony of Grayhill
Baron Markos Skotti (NG male human Ftr 7)
March of Middlemead
Margrave Kharn (LN male human Ftr 3)
Royal Capitol and District of Niole Dra
Lord Mayor Pugnace Dillip (LN male human Ari6)
County of Nimlee
Countess Lissen Rheyd (NG female human Clr 8 of Lydia/Ftr 2)
Viscounty of Salinmoor
Viscount Cronin Secunforth (LN male human Ftr4)
Ket
Nadaid, Beygraf of Ket, (LN male human Ftr 10/Wiz 5 (diviner))
Lendore Isles:
High Priest Anfaren Silverbrow (CG male elf Clr 20 of Sehanine)
Lordship of the Isles:
Prince Frolmar Ingerskatti of Duxchan (N male human Ftr 12), puppet ruler controlled by Scarlet Brotherhood.
North Kingdom:
Overking Grenell of House Naelax (LE male human Clr 19 of Hextor) . The besieged city of Rinloru has thousands of undead controlled by a mad undead priest of Nerull called Delgath the Undying (NE male animus CLr 17 of Nerull.)
Nyrond:
Almorian Protectorate:
Governor Younard (LG male human Ftr 13)
County of Brackenmoor:
Count Romdnen Beremen (N male human Clr 5 of Zilchus)
Viscounty of the Eventide:
Viscount Edward Ventrose (CN male human Rog 11/Ftr 3)
Duchy of Flinthill:
Duke Grevin Damar (LG male human Ftr 5)
Earldom of Gamboge
Earl Larapel Klendern (NG male human Rog2)
Justcrown Province
King Seth Rhynnon
Duchy of Korenflass:
Duke Regurd Korenflass (N male human Ftr 8)
County of Mowbrenn:
Count Cunal Huldane (NG male human Rgr9)
Duchy of Orberend
Duke Arnon Orberend (LG male human Pal 10 of Pelor)
Duchy of Womtham
Duke Finelann Boomgren (LN male human Ftr3)
March of Woodverge
Sir Weynoud Aspranth (LG male human Clr7 of Heironeous)
Barony of Woodwych
Baroness Verin Talnith (N female human Rgr 4)
Onnwal:
Jian Destron, Sezek of Free Onnwal (LN male human Ftr 8) and Rakevhell Chert , Comander of the free Onwall Army of Rebellion (N male human Rog18) versus Exalthed Sister Kuranyie (LE female human Mnk 10)
Pale:
Theocrate Ogon Tillit (LN male human Clr16 of Pholtus)
Plains of the Paynims:
Only the Mahdi of the Steppes and the Amir of Kanak are mentioned, but no stats are given.
Perrenland:
Karenin, Voorman of all Perrenland (LN male human Ftr 14)
Pomarj:
Turrosh Mak (NE male half-orc Ftr 6).
Ratik:
Archbaroness Evaleigh (CG female human Rog 9/Wiz3)
Rel Astra:
Drax the Indestructible (LE male animus Wiz 11/Ftr 3) (Currently leading expedition in Moil to acquire Hand of Vecna!)
Free City of Ountsy:
Princess Emamara of House Garasteth (NE female human Ftr 10), advised by the venerable Svenser, Court Mage of Ountsy (N Wiz 16).
Free City of Roland:
"The Five of Roland":
Admiral Lef Quaanser (LN male huan Ftr 11)
Master Ramshalak (NE female human Clr 12 of Pyremius)
Lady Barvern (LE female human Ftr 13)
Master Vornekern (N male human Rog 13) (Currently part of Drax's adventuring party in Moil!)
Magus Isrilhan of House Garasteth (LN male human Wiz 14) (Recently annihilated by the green devil's mouth in Tomb of Horrors, orchestrated by Drax and Master Vornekarn!)
Rovers of the Barren (Arapahhi in its native Flan tongue):
Durishi Great Hound (CN male human Ftr 9)
Scarlet Brootherhood:
Only a title is known: His Peeless Serenity, the Father of Obedience. (According to Greyhawk Adventures hardback, his name is Korenth Zan, actually....)
Sea Barons:
High Admiral Basmajian Arras (LE male human Ftr 13)
Sea Princes:
Brother Hammandaturian, Shepherd of the Sea Princes (LE male human Mnk 12)
Shieldlands:
Countess Katarina of Walworth (LG female human Pal 15 of Heironeous). Currently presumed either dead or a prisoner of Iuz in Dorakaa, following Iuz's conquest of the Shieldlands.
Snow Barbarians:
King Ingemar Hartensen of the Schnai (CN male human Bbn 16)
Sterich:
Resbin Dren Emondav, Marchioness of Sterich (LN female human Src 13). (But in MY Greyhawk, it's now Duke Killuah, advised by the Wizard of Witchfire Mountain, Grymalkyn the Awesome, and Paladin-Beloved-by-the-Goddesses Samhain Aqualung Tull!)
Stonehold:
Rhelt Sevvord I , Master of Shonehold (CE male human Ftr 20+) was a foe of Iuz.
Sunndi:
Overking Hazendel I (CG male elf (Wiz 8/Clr 4 of Trihereon/Ftr 1)
Tenh:
Duke Ehyeh II of Tenh (NG male human Rgr 12)
Tiger Nomads:
Ilkan Gajtak of the Chakyik Hordes (CE male human Ftr 19/Wiz2 (Illusionist))
Tusmit:
Pasha Muammar Qharan (LN male human Ftr14)
County of Ulek:
Count Palatine Lewenn of Ulek (N male human Drd 13 of Berei)
Duchy of Ulek:
Duke Grenowin of Ulek (NG male elf Wiz 11/Ftr 2)
Principality of Ulek:
Prince Olinstaad Corond (LG male dwarf Rog 12/Ftr 3)
Ull:
Orakhan Khazuron of Ull (CN male half-ogre Ftr 16).
County of Urnst:
Countess Belissica of Urnst (CG female human Wiz 14 of Urnst)
Duchy of Urnst:
Duke Karil Lorinar (CG male human Rgr 13)
Valley of the Mage:
Aran Krimeeah (N? male human? Wiz 20 +), rumored to be of House Rax-Nyrond?
Veluna:
Canon Hazen (LG male human, Clr 20+ of Rao)
In the LGG, his daughter Jolene was trying to weaken the influence of the Church. Now, in 600 CY, Canon Hazen has died of old age, and Veluna is a secular Principality ruled by Princess Jolene.
Verbobonc:
Viscount Langard of Vebobonc (CG male half-elf Rog 4) Bishop Haufren (LN male human Clr 14 of St. Cuthbert)
Wolf Nomads:
The Fearless Wolf Leadr, Tarknan of the Wegwiur, Bargru (CN male human Frt 14/Wiz 2 (illusionist))
Yeomanry:
Spokesman for the Yoromanry League Marius Lingon (NG male human Rgr 10)
Zeif:
Sultan Murad of Zeif (LN male human Ftr 15)
Former Pasha of Tusmit:
Jadhem(LN male human Ftr 15)
Natural features:
Iron Hills:
This dwarven hill kingdom is a member of the Iron League, lead by King Holgi Hirsute (LG, male hill dwarf, Ftr 15)
Thanks!
I'm actually (only) looking for a list of the Noble House members for Aerdy.
Garasteth:
Drax (RelAstra)
Princess Emmara ...NE Ftr-10 (Ountsy)
Magus Isrilhan ...LN Wiz-14 (Roland)
etc, etc, etc
.
Darmen:
Xavener
etc, etc,
.
Naelax:
Ivid VIII
etc, etc, etc
I can start working on it, too!
@ Grimaldi and Erlick (as well as @ DM):
When I post the Nobles by House, would you like a separate post on 'Presumably Under X Allegiance' as well?
So far my list will be-- "Canon House Naelax:..." ; "Canon House Darmen:..." ; Canon House Garasteth:..."
.
But I can also follow up with a redundant list-- "Canon Nobles under Xavener 'Darmen' of Ahlissa:..." ; "Canon Nobles under Lord Drax 'Garasteth' of Rel Astra:...", etc. As there are Darmen Princes under Grenell and Garasteth Princes under Xavener, and Torquann Princes all over.
.
It's also important to note that A) Canon is from the 580s or earlier CY (Current Year) while we are in 601 CY so things can have changed, and B) Mike is DM and he can change canon via prerogative. So my list is just a rough draft or guideline. Still, I think it's important for the second phase of the campaign as we move beyond Nulbish AFTER the Gladiator Games.
@ Grimaldi and Erlick (as well as @ DM):
When I post the Nobles by House, would you like a separate post on 'Presumably Under X Allegiance' as well?
My 2 cp: If you think it will be helpful to you and the other players, go for it. I tend to do my own research prior to creating any content, but if you compiled that info in one place (here), I'd reference it for sure. But only if you feel like it.
I stick to canon as much as possible, but yeah, a lot can change between 591 CY (actually stands for Common Year, FYI, not Current Year) and 600 CY (the current year of our campaign). For the most part, however, loyalties and alliances should be about the same as they were in 591 CY.
Bear in mind that some NPCs have been "missing" since the magical catastrophe that enveloped Rauxes in an opaque field of shimmering energy (called "The Shimmering Wall" by the folk of the former Great Kingdom). Canon states a few of these "missing" NPCs--including former overking, Ivid V--but there doesn't seem to be a complete list. High-Patriarch of Hextor Pyrranen is one of the "missing" NPCs, but there are several NPCs who had been in Rauxes when the catastrophe occurred, but whose magic/resources allowed their escape, e.g., Grenell, Xavener, Drax, et al. For purposes of compiling your list, Ray, I wouldn't worry about this in the least.
Moonday the 3rd of Wealsun (the same day that the Horned King's Men, disguised as Baklunish righteous avengers of Al'Akbar, cut down four Mouqollad Consortium merchants from Ket in the street outside the Nulbish Trade Emporium)....
Two weeks ago, the renowned hill dwarf master stone-shaper and architect, Bromgarn Trollgirth of Clan Marbledelver in the Iron Hills, received a commission from the newly reinstated Sisters of Stern Alia, who requested his widely-recommended skills to complete some masonry repairs and adornments in their recently-restored Temple of the Stern and Unalterable Way. Packing his masterwork hammers, chisels, awls, and files into saddlebags (along with an ample supply of goat jerky, cheese, bread, and some ale skins), he saddled "Old Buckleback", his not quite as stout as he was Highlands pony, and rode east for several days, arriving in Nulbish just one week ago.
For the past seven days, Master Bromgarn has toiled from dawn until dusk, stopping only four-or-five times each day to take brief meals (for instance, two kettles of lamb and mushroom stew with 4 loaves of crispy bread, slathered with creamy goat cheese, and two flagons of brown ale to wash it down). Despite the truly mind-boggling pace at which he has been emptying the temple larder and draining the temple ale vats, the Sisters of Stern Alia cannot deny the impressive quality of Bromgarn's stone-carving artistry--the way he imbues the stunning bas relief images of inevitables, modrons, and axiomites he has coaxed from the vaulted ceilings, archways, and columns almost with a breath of animating life....
After only a week's work, Master Bromgarn has already finished the vestibule and nave of the temple, and is now toiling away with an alacrity and skill that borders on Oerth-elemental magic. At around 3 in the afternoon, Ivid VIII "Orsino" arrives at the temple, notices the dwarven stone mason at work with a spark of mild interest, and then requests the aid of Sister Belit with the old and gravely ill father of Carnalynn Cleaver at the Butcher's Block. Sister Belit agrees to follow the wizard at once, and the two depart, leaving the dwarf to continue his artful labors, and the other 4 clergy of Stern Alia to watch in awe of his talent. At the Butcher's Block, Sister Belit cures old Sarcolas Cleaver of the consumption (tuberculosis) that had him with one foot already in his grave. Eyes widening at the sudden realization that a consumptive old man had been hacking and wheezing all over the source of the city's meat for devils-knew-how-long, Ivid VIII further suggested that Sister Belit magically purify every haunch of meat in the shop, which she agreed to with a sudden look of alarm and nod of understanding.
Later, as the sun sunk beyond the western city line of Nulbish, Master Bromgarn took one last meal for the evening (a rack of beef ribs, a jar of pickled olives from Sunndi, 3 boiled potatoes drenched in butter and herbs, and two more flagons of brown ale) before retiring to the choir loft for the night. He soon fell into a well-fed slumber, mustaches fluttering with each reverberating snore that echoed in the vaulted choir loft, blissfully unaware that sinister and hostile figures crept about in the street outside the temple, planning evil deeds of hateful bigotry against the dwarf....
Ten-Year-Old List of Princes (Nobles) of Aerdy by House:
Ivid VIII 'Orsino' PC Great-Nephew of Ivid V's elder brother and rightful heir to the Malachite Throne, abdicating to Malvolio
Prince Grenell LE Cleric-19 of Hextor (Eastfair, North Kingdom) Cousin of Ivid V
Prince Reydrich NE Wizard-19/20 (Zelradton, Ahlissa) taken Title of "Graf", no interest in Malachite Throne, inclined to support House Cranden, supports Irongate in concern of Scarlet Brotherhood
Prince Molil LN Fighter-9 (Adri Forest)
Prince Halldrem LE(NE) Cleric-14 of Hextor (Bellport, North Kingdom)
Prince Reynard "The Fox" LE Fighter-19 (Prymp, Ahlissa) age 78 in early 590s
Prince Hastern CE Death Knight, Thief-12 (Edgefield)
Prince Montand LE Fighter-13 (Delaric, North Kingdom) enemy of Prince Hastern, ally of Countess Ishell
Countess Ishell (Rikerstone, North Kingdom) enemy of Prince Hastern, ally of Prince Montand
Prince Strychan NE(CE) Wizard-13 (Dustbridge, North Kingdom) enemy of Prince Hastern
Prince Rivandren (Loutharn, North Kingdom) Prince Strychan's eldest son
Princes Darrien & Marinn (Dastryth & Errant Keep, North Kingdom) Death Knights and Brothers
Prince Kobasten (Shuttleford, North Kingdom) missing
Prince Lugrand (Orred, Rauxes 'valley')
Prince Ishairiken CE Thief-6 (Rauxes) perhaps lost
Prince Rishern Thief-4 (Stringen, North Kingdom) complete thrall of Prince Hastern with Barbazu army
Prince _ (Eastfair, North Kingdom)
Prince _ (Darnagal, North Kingdom)
Lord Drax The Invulnerable (Rel Astra) Death Knight with the Eye of Vecna
Princess Emmara NE Fighter-10 (Ountsy, Rel Astra) Widow of a Darmen
Prince Lakaster LE(NE) Wizard-19 (Winetha, North Kingdom)
Prince Isrilhan LN Wizard-14 (Roland, North Kingdom)
Princess Karasin NE Wizard-10/11 (Innspa, Adri Forest/Almor border) titled “Countess” fought her widowed husband Garasteth’s family to keep power
Prince Shalaster LE Fighter-15 (Blemu Hills, North Kingdom) Highlander/Nomad ally of Grenell, hates Humanoids
Prince Harley Wizard-9 / Cleric-12 of Olidammarra (Pearl Beacon, North Kingdom) no longer likes magic, outlier of the Nobility unconcerned with politics
Prince Alaern (Barrish, Medegia)
Prince Raspalan (Grenkeep, North Kingdom) Necromancer
Prince _ (Redfalls, North Kingdom)
Xavener (Kalstrand, Ahlissa) is cousin of Grenell, his wife Rashern has twin daughters
Prince Farland LE Fighter-12 (Jalpa, Ahlissa) Xavener’s Uncle
Prince Karralak (Strand, Ahlissa) Xavener’s younger brother, Strand halfway between Rel Deven & Kalstrand
Prince Dilweg NE(LE) Fighter-8/Wizard-9 {or Wizard-16} (Torrich, Ahlissa/Rauxes/Nulbish Tri-Border) rival of Xavener & wants to ally with another House
Princess Bersheben CE(NE) Thief-9 (Forinn, Rauxes valley {or Torrich}) powerful matriarch exerting control across the Flanmi River
Prince Rexifer Lich (Spiral, Medegia) obsessed with The Blood War, empty village on Mikar River between Nulbish and The Grandwood
Prince Baaneth Wizard (Spiral, Medegia) Princess Bersheben’s daughter
Prince Harnand NE Fighter-10/11 (Nulbish prisoner)
Prince Gartrel LE Fighter-10 (Nulbish prisoner)
Prince Karn Serrand LG Cleric-13 of Rao {or Paladin-12 of Rao} (Chathold, border of Ahlissa & Almor) Titled “Marquis”
Prince Carwend N Wizard-14 (Rel Deven, Ahlissa) ally of Prince Reydrich of Naelax
Prince Oswalden NG Wizard-15 (Orred, Rauxes valley)
Prince Ferrenan Necromancer-15 (Blacksplinter, Chathold border of Ahlissa & Almor) [i]Half-Blood Rax-Nyrond and Crandon bastard of a Cultist of Incabulos
Prince Jichrisen Death Knight-Werewolf (Jennden, Chathold border of Ahlissa & Almor)
Prince Benzeden Wizard of Boccob (Rasfern, Chathold border of Ahlissa & Almor)
Prince Szeffrin Vampire or Death Knight (Almor area)
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Ivid The Undying
Ten-Year-Old List of Princes (Nobles) of Aerdy by House:
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **...
Excellent work, man! This should be useful for me, as well, actually.
It's important for us PCs to know that, at best, this list is based on intelligence from ten years ago and could have been inaccurate in parts even then.
But the fact that there could be a Lich on The Mikar River that we passed by several times going to the Grandwood Forest to deal with Wicked Fey, Gnomes, and Darkenrift, a Lich obsessed with The Blood War -- is Cool Beans!
For most of the previous month (Flocktime), following the disgraceful defeat of their divine master, Wastri, Hammer of Demi-Humans, a small party of Wastriggi inquisitors has been secretly spying on goings on in Nulbish, watching the ominous Castle Skullgard for any comings or goings of the dreaded Horned King (whose unholy greatsword Blackrazor, with its blade black as a star-speckled midnight sky, nearly consumed their demigod lord's immortal essence!), but have noted little of particular interest.... Only the disgusting humanoid scum--Vile Rune orcs, Black Moon bugbears, Festering Crotch hobgoblins, and their putrid ilk--crawling about the streets and alleys of Nulbish like lice on an infested scalp.... Until IT arrived, seven days ago!
Dis-GUST-ing, Brother Rhongorlois! I do believe I can smell its foul musk even through the temple walls! sneered Brother Cunoberak, as if oblivious to the fetid reek of decaying Vast Swamp muck mingling with his own ripe, unwashed flesh's odor.... We ought not wait TOO long, lest the cave-dwelling maggot escape our justice.... We OUGHT to crush the filthy dwarf TONIGHT, as he and the traitorous mongrel-loving priestesses of Stern Alia sleep!
The vaguely batrachian features of the Wastriggi inquisitor assume a bulging-eyed exaggeration of disgust and moral outrage as a prurient thought occurs to the hate-poisoned bigot: EEEWWW!! .... Do you think those whores of Stern Alia are bestowing their.... carnal favors.... as payment for the stunted hill-maggot's labors??
At this titillating suggestion, Wastriggi Inquisitor Rhongorlois quickly tried to listen at a dark stained glass window, then struggled to peer through the stained glass panes, to no avail. He grumbled in disappointment, then replied, Gross, Brother Cunoberak! Where DOES your mind come up with such NAUSEATING--*CROAK!*--FANTASIES?? You'll spoil our supper.... Nay, we must be patient, and bide our time. When the runt finishes its work here, we shall stalk it out into the wilderness as it returns westward for its burrow in the Iron Hills, or wherever it crawled out of... There, unobserved, and free of danger from the Horned King or his men--we shall CRUSH the abominable DWARF!!
The pair of Wastrian cultists guffawed in unison, rubbing their vaguely toadish hands in anticipation....
Prince Delglath Death Knight Cleric-17 {or Clr-13} of Nerull (Rinloru, North Kingdom) possesses several Artifacts
Prince Kargath Death Knight Demigod
Prince Anxann LE Death Knight Fighter-9 (Kaport Bay, North Kingdom) highest of the Torquann Nobles
Prince Elkerst LN Fighter-12 (Atirr, North Kingdom)
Prince Asperdi (Atirr, North Kingdom)
Princess Quaansheek (Benkend, Ahlissa)
Prince Tharndon Thief-5 (Luvern, North Kingdom)
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Flasback 3 days earlier, to the final day (28th, Freeday) of Flocktime....
Location: The battlefield some 4 leagues (~12 miles) north of Chendl, capital city of the Kingdom of Furyondy.
The din of battle echoes throughout the blood-soaked plain as the dead and dying fallen (many of both sides of the savage conflict) are trampled under soldiers' boots and horses' ironshod hooves. Roars of bestial orc-fury mingle with strident battlecries, shouted commands to advance, retreat, wheel about, or hold ground... and over all, the intermittent shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying...
Amid this horror and confusion, Iuz towers over the throng of orcs, men, and lesser fiends all around him--thrusting wicked-looking orc polearms, hewing through leather and metal with sword and axe, or chomping, goring, rending, and stinging, respectively--no longer the shriveled and wizened old hunchback in tattered black robe... Now, he stood twice as high as King Artur Jakartai of Furyondy and King Lynwerd of Nyrond, a monstrous cambion combining the features of a scarlet-skinned giant and a fiendish satyr--shaggy black goat's legs on cloven hooves, with a far-less-hirsute, pot-bellied-but-heavily-muscled torso, tree-trunk-thick arms ending in ape-like paws that gripped the ruby-studded black hilt of a pocked and pitted, curvy-bladed greatsword, and bestial leering face on a jowly, bald-but-horned head.
Kings of Furyondy and Nyrond, Artur and Lynwerd, staggered back several feet each, gasping with exhaustion, pain, and bewildered dismay from a furious exchange of blows with the overgrown cambion demigod... Their backward withdraws were lumbering in their full plate armor, albeit magical and lighter than normal suits of full plate, and winded from multiple armor-hewing hacks from the oversized and serpentine blade Iuz had dealt to each... Their fields of vision already limited by their crowned-and-plumed basinets and visors, and their attentions keenly focused on the 12-foot-tall, red-skinned, satyr-like cambion, the hapless kings were battered, chopped, bashed with shields, and shoved at spear-point by minions of Iuz on all sides.... Iuz cackled at their further groans of agonized frustration, and the (to him) comical sight of the kings of Furyondy and Nyrond reduced to stumbling and yelping buffoons in a violent street-puppet satire... The long, rumbling, staccato cackling of the cambion was more like the rhythmic barking of some primordial canine beast. GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK!-GRONK !-GRONK!... A JOLLY GRAND SHOW, MY SILLY LITTLE KINGS! JOLLY GRAND! AHHH... WE THREE SHALL HAVE SO MUCH FUN BACK IN DORAKAA!... FEAR NOT... EVEN SHOULD WE BE OBLIIIIGED TO STRIKE YOU DEAD HERE ON THE BATTLEFIELD, MY BONEHEART PRIESTS SHALL REVIVE YOU... ONCE WE ARE ALL BACK IN MY CAPITAL.... YESSSS!!... THE GREAT AND JOLLY GRAND TIME WE THREE SHALL HAVE!...
During this casual speech, the giant cambion had, just as nonchalantly and offhandedly, struck down 4 soldiers of the combined host of allies, consisting of soldiers of Furyondy, Nyrond, and Veluna, including knights of all three realms. A brave but doomed knight, footman, or mobile skirmisher would make the fatal error of trying to charge up and strike at the demonic Iuz, and without really even redirecting the gaze of his black, soulless, sharks eyes, fixed on the kings he was threatening with his idea of a "jolly grand time", the wavy black blade would snap out with serpentine swiftness to saw the doomed man in half, lengthwise in two cases, and through the waist in the other 2, producing a storm of blood, gore, and gurgled death-screams....
WELL... MAYHAP MORRRRE THAN JUST WE THREEEE!... I SHOULD ALLOW MY MOST LOYAL GREATER BONEHEART MINIONS--ARCHMAGUS NULL AND ARCHPRIESTESS HALGA... TO JOIN IN OUR... PLAYYYYTIIIIIME!... On cue, the very two Greater Boneheart he'd invoked appeared at his side, as if by teleport spells...
And then Iggy arrives with Trithereon's Sting!
And Mordenkainen. And Mondoul. Maybe Bob-the-Fighter. Certainly Lord Robilar. And a few 20th Level Clerics of Rao from Veluna.