| Generic Villain |
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Like many Paizonians I really latched on to the themes of Aucturn and the Dark Tapestry. Alas, the Aucturn chapter in Distant Worlds was woefully small. However, one nugget that really caught my attention was a city of Old Cultists called the Citadel of the Black, ruled by an enigmatic figure called Carsai the King. I decided to make more detailed rules for Aucturn, map out and stat up the Citadel, and provide more detail on Carsai the King and his motives/operations.
For now, the only worked I've completed is on Aucturn. Basically, I took the rules that James Sutter gave us in Distant Worlds and expanded on them. Also, I took the idea of "Mythos Creatures" from Legendary Games' awesome work Beyond the Void. I tried to make it as complete a list of Lovecraftian beasties as I could. Also forgive the crap formatting - it's not my specialty.
With no further ado.
Aucturn
Aucturn is a nightmarish and deadly place, its poisonous atmosphere, crippling gravity, and strange magical emanations combining to create a world unfit for sane life. These three environmental hazards are described below, but first a note must be made of the monstrous beings considered native to Aucturn, for they alone can feel any sense of comfort on the accursed planet.
Native Creatures
“Native” is a term for creatures who have adapted to life on Aucturn and fall into one of two categories. The first category are those beings who are naturally attuned to Aucturn’s environment regardless of whether or not they were born there, and find the planet uniquely welcoming as a result. This category includes all creatures of the aberration type, as well as mythos creatures.
The second category of natives attained their status only after having lived on Aucturn for several generations. Such residents are usually horrifically malformed, to the extent that—although they may be statistically identical to a normal member of their species—their appearance is utterly alien. For example, a chimera native to Aucturn may resemble a winged centipede with scything, praying-mantis-like claws and three alien heads sprouting from its body. One head may lack a mouth but be covered in sharp, chitinous plates, allowing it to make a gore attack, while another has particularly large teeth and is capable of spewing energy (the “dragon” head). Such a monstrosity would be considered a native to Aucturn, but a normal chimera transported to the planet most certainly would not.
Regardless of which category it falls into, a native creature is immune to Aucturn’s poisonous atmosphere and warping effects. Being native does not necessarily protect one from Aucturn’s high gravity, however. Only a creature (native or not) that has lived all its life there can ignore the penalties associated with high gravity, including the reduction in projectile weapon range.
Mythos Creatures
“Mythos” is a designation for creatures who are of alien origin and include the following: shantak, gug, nightgaunt, moon-beast, denizen of Leng, Leng spider, scarlet walker, shining child, zoog, star-spawn of Cthulhu, yangethe, aboleth, skum, faceless stalker, dark young, spawn of Yog-Sothoth, cerebric fungus, neothelid, seugathi, ghorazagh, hound of Tindalos, yithian, vemerak, gibbering mouther, morlock, neh-thalggu, elder thing, mi-go, colour out of space, worm that walks, intellect devourer, shoggoth, dimensional shambler, flying polyp, brain ooze, lunarma, void dragon, bhole, vespergaunt, and qlippoth.
Poisonous Atmosphere
Aucturn’s yellow-green atmosphere is poisonous to non-native life. Every hour that a creature spends here, it is exposed to a random inhaled poison. Roll 1d8 and consult the table below to see what effect the poison has.
D8 Inhaled Poison Effect
1: Save: Fort DC 17; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1D3 Str damage; cure: 2 consecutive saves.
2: Save: Fort DC 16; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1D3 Dex damage; cure: 1 save.
3: Save: Fort DC 15; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1D3 Con damage; cure: 2 consecutive saves.
4: Save: Fort DC 15; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1D3 Int damage; cure: 1 save.
5: Save: Fort DC 18; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1 Wis damage and confused for 1 round; cure: 2 consecutive saves.
6: Save: Fort DC 15; frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds; effect: 1D3 Cha damage; cure: 1 save.
7: Save: Fort DC 15; frequency: 1/minute for 2 minutes; initial effect: sickened for 1 minute; secondary effect: nauseated for 2D4 hours; cure: 1 save.
8: Save: Fort DC 14; frequency: 1/minute for 2 minutes; initial effect: 1 Con damage; secondary effect: unconsciousness for 1D3 hours; cure: 1 save.
High Gravity
The gravity on Aucturn is twice as strong as on Golarion, meaning that objects there weigh twice what they do on Golarion. This high gravity has no effect on creatures who have lived on Aucturn all their lives, but one who is accustomed to the gravity of Golarion moves at half speed (minimum 5 feet), can only jump half as high or as far, and can only lift half as much. Projectiles weapons have their ranges cut in half as they fall to the ground more rapidly. Additionally, those who remain in a high-gravity environment for long periods of time become fatigued. Personal effects (modifications to running, jumping, lifting, etc.) can be negated by spells such as freedom of movement, but projectiles remain affected.
| Generic Villain |
The Warping
Given enough time, Aucturn warps newcomers. Only corporeal humanoids, animals, monstrous humanoids, magical beasts, dragons, and vermin are susceptible, and native creatures are immune. For each day that a creature spends on Aucturn, it must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or begin to twist and mutate. To determine the nature of transformation, roll 1D100 and consult the table below. These alterations can take all manner of aesthetic form. For example, perhaps Dexterity drain causes fingers to fall off, Intelligence drain results in malformed lumps the head, and Charisma drain leads to terrible lesions blossoming on the skin. A temporary boost in Strength could cause muscles to burst through the skin, while a natural armor bonus manifests in thick scales growing upon the body.
Each time a creatures succeeds on its saving throw against the warping, the DC for the next save increases by 1. The DC resets to 20 after the creature fails its saving throw or leaves Aucturn for at least one week. Warping that results in ability drain, blindness, or deafness can be cured in the usual manner. All other warps, except as noted, can be undone by an effect that removes curses. The warping is treated as being caster level 15th for spells such as break enchantment.
The tenth time a creature fails a saving throws against the warping, it does not roll on the below chart. Rather, it has 50% chance of either dying outright as if it rolled a 00 or permanently mutating as if it rolled a 98-99. A creature that has had all warping effects removed or cured resets the number of saves it must fail back to ten. Leaving Aucturn for at least one month and returning does the same, even if the creature is still suffering effects from past warpings.
D100 Warp Effect
1-9 Target takes 1D4 Strength drain.
10-18 Target takes 1D4 Dexterity drain.
19-27 Target takes 1D4 Constitution drain.
28-36 Target takes 1D4 Intelligence drain.
37-45 Target takes 1D4 Wisdom drain.
46-54 Target takes 1D4 Charisma drain.
55-57 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength for 1D3 days.
58-60 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity for 1D3 days.
61-63 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution for 1D3 days.
64-66 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence for 1D3 days.
67-69 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Wisdom for 1D3 days.
70-72 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Charisma for 1D3 days.
73-76 Target is permanently blinded.*
77-80 Target is permanently deafened.*
81-84 Target permanently loses the ability to speak or verbalize in any way.*
85-86 Target gains darkvision 60 ft. for 1D3 days. If the target already possesses darkvision,
the range of that ability increases by 30 ft. for 1D3 days.
87-90 Target’s base speed is permanently reduced by 10 ft. (to a minimum of 5 ft.)**
91-92 Target gains a +10 bonus to its base speed for 1D3 days.
93-94 Target gains a +2 enhancement bonus to its natural armor bonus for 1D3 days.
95-97 Target suffers a permanent –1 penalty on all saving throws.***
98-99 Target is permanently mutated, gaining the alien template. This mutation has an added effect: all warp effects currently affecting the target, harmful or not, immediately end. Any ability drain caused by a past warp is cured.****
00 Target’s body melts into formless goo, killing it.
*If the creature is already blind, deaf, or unable to speak, reroll.
**Reroll if the creature’s base speed is 5 ft.
***A creature can suffer this warping a maximum of three times. If this result is rolled a fourth time, reroll.
****Unlike other warping effects, only a wish or miracle can reverse this mutation.
Note:"Alien" is a simple template from Legendary Games' Beyond the Void. It is comparable to the fiendish template, so you can use that as well.
| Generic Villain |
The Citadel of the Black
This part's not done. I drew up a map of the city using Campaign Cartographer (a basic mapping program with a focus on tabletop RPGs), but wasn't satisfied with it. I initially made it a city of relatively normal looking buildings, all built beneath several massive, interconnected domes of flesh and bone. But that felt dumb.
On James Sutters' advice from his "Ask James Sutter Everything" thread, I'm going to redo it as a city where most of the buildings are organic structures, such that the final place will look like a living being when viewed from way up. A horrible, horrible living being. At the center will stand Vox-Madahl, Carsai the King's palace spire.
When it comes to the Citadel of the Black's inhabitants though, I'm having some issues. It's supposed to be a mecca for Old Cultists, so I'm populating it primarily with humanoid races from throughout Golarion's solar system. But how are these cultists able to survive on a planet that so very much hates sane life? Suggestions here are welcome, but here's my current idea: Carsai achieved a sort of empathic link with Aucturn, which not only served as his moment of mythic ascension (more on that below), but also allowed him to will into being a massive dome of energy around his city. Within this dome, gravity is at normal Golarion levels, and all beings benefit from the spell planetary adaptation (from Distant Worlds). This would allow for all to survive safely inside the city.
Here's my next problem: how does a city of lunatics, Old Cultists, and abominations survive and even flourish on a planet like Aucturn? Where do they get their food when most of the humanoid inhabitants can't even leave the city's confines, lest they become mutated/poisoned? Where does the city get raw materials? While it may be the creepiest city in the solar system, the Citadel would still require trade, labor, some degree of governance, protection, etc.
For the moment, I'm assuming that much of the trade comes from otherworldly beings such as denizens of Leng, witchwyrds, and mercanes. I'm going to make a certain percentage of the populace have the alien template, and thus be capable of leaving the city to do whatever passes for farming there. An army of gugs, alien-template-humans, shantaks, and the like will serve as Carsai's military. The city's economy will be unusual, but ultimately center around magic, knowledge, and cold hard coins.
| Generic Villain |
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Carsai the King
The Citadel of the Black's ruler is left quite vague. In all honesty, I think the intention is to have him affiliated with the Dominion of the Black - perhaps the Citadel of the Black is just an experiment conducted by the neh-thalggu. A massive petrie dish that allows them to observe humans who, for whatever reason, kneel to alien forces.
But I personally didn't want to take it in that direction. I'm making Carsai the King a human man from Golarion, a Sorcerer 20/Archmage 3 with the aberrant bloodline and the longevity path ability, thus rendering him immortal. He is a spawn of Yog-Sothoth - not the monstrous variety statted up in Bestiary 4, but the mostly human type. His aims are of a typical madman variety, something along the lines of unleashing the madness beyond the stars on Golarion's solar system for reasons. To that end, he has aligned himself with the Dominion of the Black, denizens of Leng and their moon-beast masters, and a plethora of Old Cultists. He lurks in his palace-spire, and with the aid of an artifact called the Far Lens, scryes on multiple planets to find suitable new residents for his city.
Carsai's trademark smoky appearance is accomplished via his unique robe...
Aura Strong varied; CL 16th
Slot Body; Price 80,000 gp Weight 1 pound
This elegant robe is woven from the silk of Leng spiders and adorned with strangely beautiful meteoric gemstones. The robe of the stranger allows the wearer to act as if continually under the effects of freedom of movement and planetary adaptation, the latter attuned to the planet Aucturn. This grants immunity to the planet’s poisonous atmosphere and warping effects as a result, but does not the grant energy resistance that planetary adaptation normally provides.
The robe also sheds dirt and sweat as they accumulate, and remains as comfortable as weather-appropriate clothing regardless of environmental conditions. It always looks immaculately clean, can be slept in with ease, and does not cause a penalty to the wearer’s saving throws to resist the effects of extreme heat. In cold weather, it counts as cold-weather clothing. Additionally, one of its pockets functions as a handy haversack.
When the robe’s hood is drawn, the wearer becomes wreathed in dark and smoky vapor. This opaque stuff has no effect on the wearer’s vision, and though it is too thin to provide concealment, it does hide his features utterly as if it were a black veil. Nothing can be made of his physical appearance other than the outline of his form, though his worn and held equipment are not in any way obscured. This obfuscation only blocks visual senses. True seeing pierces the vapor, as does any ability that allows one to see through smoke or fog.
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, freedom of movement, planetary adaptation, secret chest, obscuring mist; Cost: 40,000 gp
Some of Carsai's top agents include the following.
Father Blind (CE Male Denizen of Leng Assassin 5) serves the sorcerer for his own Lengian reasons.
Da Ji (NE Female Jorogumo Master Spy 5) acts as Carsai's master spy (on account of her prestige class, no doubt). Da Ji was once a crime lord operating in the Tian Xia metropolis of Goka, but when she crossed the Golden League one too many times, she was forced to flee for her life. An idle worshiper of Hastur, Carsai extended his hand to her.
Lendali Wintertears (CE Female Elf Witch 13) has always been plagued by nightmares and often can't differentiate between dreams and wakefulness. She is Carsai's diviner, and is responsible for finding promising candidates for him to assist or abduct. She does this utilizing scrying and dream magic, as well as the Far Lens artifact (without which the long-range magic she uses cannot be used beyond one's own planet). She is originally from Castrovel.
The Nightwing Riders (CE Alien Human Fighter 7), a fleet of elite shantak-riders that Carsai deploys as needed to enact his will on other planets. If you can think of a name for elite shantak-riders that sucks less than Nightwing Riders, please let me know.
N’vesh-n’kar (CE Advanced Neh-Thalggu Loremaster 4) is Carsai's point of contact with the Dominion of the Black. It is also his chief researcher and mad scientist type. I stole the name N’vesh-n’kar from an Age of Worms villain. It's just so distinctly alien-sounding.
Will of the Stranger (CE Advanced Vespergaunt) is Carsai's advisor. When Carsai made his connection with Aucturn, the vespergaunt materialized as a sort of genius loci. Carsai constructed the Hall of Communion (a temple-like structure dedicated to the madness of the Dark Tapestry, Yog-Sothoth, and Aucturn itself) around the being, and is the only one permitted to approach it.
Gardush the Butcher (NE Male Tiefling Barbarian 17) is Carsai's champion, bodyguard, and executioner. A qlippoth-descended monstrosity that began his miserable life on the outskirts of the Worldwound, Gardush is perhaps Carsai's most loyal follower (also his cohort via the Leadership feat).
| Generic Villain |
| Generic Villain |
Two of Carsai's toys. The amulet lets him control his favorite pet, while the book is lent out to his most favored and capable minions.
Aura Strong enchantment; CL 20th
Slot Neck; Weight —
This amulet of silvery metal has an oddly organic look to it, appearing as if it were grown rather than forged. The only obvious marks of manufacture are the radial pattern of dots that adorn its surface. While these dots appear random, they are in fact Elder Thing writings, and reveal that this unassuming palm-sized lump is a powerful tool for harnessing the might of chaos made flesh—those beings known as shoggoths.
The wearer of an amulet of incarnate madness gains a +5 insight bonus to AC against any attacks made by a shoggoth and is rendered immune to the creature’s maddening cacophony. More significantly, once per day with a command word, the amulet can be used to take control of a shoggoth as per the dominate monster spell (Will DC 25 negates). Spell resistance is not useful against this effect. The ability to command a dominated shoggoth lies with whomever wears the amulet of incarnate madness, whether or not he is the one who initially took control of the creature. The duration of this effect is permanent. Only one shoggoth can be dominated at any one time, however, and if this power is used to dominate a second shoggoth, the first is immediately freed from its magical bondage.
Once per week with a command word, the amulet of incarnate madness can be used to summon the shoggoth that it is currently dominating if the creature is within 100 miles. This teleportation effect causes the shoggoth to appear adjacent to the amulet’s wearer, or as close as possible if all adjacent spaces are occupied. If the shoggoth is further than 100 miles away or on a different plane, or if no open space exists within 30 feet of the wearer, than the ability fails and is wasted. This summons is a dangerous gambit though, for upon appearing the creature may make another DC 25 Will save as a free action. A successful saving throw leaves the shoggoth free from magical control, immune to any further domination attempts from that particular amulet of incarnate madness for 24 hours, and within striking distance of the one who dared to enslave it.
Destruction This masterpiece of elder thing technology can only be unmade by an equally potent device from this species.
Aura Strong conjuration CL 20th
Slot None; Weight 10 pounds
This text is thousands or even millions of years ago. It is written in Aklo and focuses on knowledge concerning primordial forces of the universe, conjuration magic, the Dark Tapestry, and those unfathomable entities that dwell amid the stars. The book itself is relatively large, weighing 10 pounds and consisting of about 500 pages of thin parchment. The cover bears a large inset crystal (said to aid in concentration during the casting of complex conjuration magic) and a series of metal insect-like clasps along the edge that lock down and keep the book from being opened by anyone who can’t make the DC 25 Intelligence, Disable Device, or Use Magic Device check to do so. The book must be unlocked to function in any way and automatically reseals itself 1D6 hours after last being read or actively handled.
Reading the Pnakotic Manuscripts takes a total of 60 hours over a minimum of 10 days and requires a DC 30 Linguistics check if the reader does not know Aklo. The book can thereafter be used as a reference to grant a +8 bonus on Knowledge checks related to conjuration magic, the Dark Tapestry, or the mysteries of the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones.
The tome functions as a spellbook, and any spell prepared from the Pnakotic Manuscripts are treated as if the caster were two caster levels higher. It contains the following spells:
4th—dimension door
5th—lesser planar binding, teleport
6th—planar binding
7th—greater teleport, plane shift, phase door, teleport object
8th—greater planar binding
9th—interplanetary teleport, gate, teleportation circle
The Pnakotic Manuscripts also contain occult rituals that can modify certain conjuration spells. If it is held and used as an additional focus component by a spellcaster who has read the tome, he may use planar binding (including its lesser and greater variants) or gate to call creatures of the aberration type in addition to outsiders and elementals. Merely holding the open book grants its bearer a +5 bonus on the opposed Charisma check required by planar binding when used to call aberrations.
Destruction The Pnakotic Manuscripts are destroyed if exposed to the fury of a star’s heart.
Note: I got the basic, non-artifact version of this text from Richard Pett's fantastic Carrion Hill adventure.
| Generic Villain |
Some things I'm still trying to figure out (not including all the stream-of-consciousness notes above). Any ideas welcome.
-What's the Citadel of the Black's population? Right now I'm tentatively putting it at 12,500, with about 75% of the populace being humanoid and the rest monstrous.
-What level of governance does it have? I'm going with an "organized chaos" mode, given that most inhabitants are all kinds of nuts. As of now, I'm thinking of making the government proper a group called "The Host," made up primarily of clerks, scribes, and mooks. That certainly works, but at the same time feels just so utterly mundane. This is the Citadel of the Black - why not think of some fantastic governing element? A bunch of not-dead, not-alive brains-in-jars hooked up to one another, controlling every aspect of the city perhaps.
-Aside from being crazy, what do the citizens do with their time? The dearth of official Aucturn info limits me a bit here, but it's suggested there are other cities like the Citadel, and they like killing each other. However considering the Aucturn is twice the size of Golarion, I'm assuming it's comparatively sparse in terms of humanoid population centers.
-Residences aside, what sort of buildings would you find there? Does the Citadel have inns, markets, taverns, and the like, just like any other city? Or is the place's populace too demented for such quaint things?
-For now, I'm thinking of making most buildings the "flesh domes and bone spires" mentioned in Distant Worlds. Basically, organic protuberances that have been hollowed out. Any other ideas?
Nathan Nasif
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This is pretty awesome. I am enjoying my perusal of your work so far.
| Generic Villain |
Two more toys. The Far Lens is my way around the optional rules in Distant Worlds that prevent long-range spells like scrying from working on targets on different worlds. The evil book is an evil book.
Aura Strong divination; CL 20th
Slot None; Weight 2,100 pounds
This 10-foot-diamater lens is mounted in a frame of copper metal that feels oily to the touch. A tiny forest of antennas protrude from the frame’s surface in every direction, some several feet in length, all softly humming in different frequencies. The lens itself is a paper-thin opaque crystal whose surface crawls with a thousand streams of ever-changing symbols—all highly complex mathematic formulas that, if deciphered, seem to calculate mind-bendingly vast distances.
The Far Lens allows those in its vicinity to utilize spells over otherwise impossible distances while on the Material Plane. Anyone within 30 feet of the device may use spells and effects without range limitations (such as scrying, sending, dream, and nightmare) to observe, contact, or reach any target in all the universe. There are no additional penalties for doing so. For example, attempting to use scrying to observe a creature dwelling on a different planet does not incur the penalties associated with scrying a creature on another plane. There is one limitation however: teleportation and conjuration spells and effects are not enhanced in this manner.
A spellcaster must remain within range of the Far Lens throughout the entire casting time and duration of the spell. If he ever passes beyond this radius, the spell or effect immediately ends. The Far Lens only functions on the Material Plane and does not allow spells to breach planar boundaries if they could not normally do so.
Destruction If a being were somehow able to solve every equation displayed on the Far Lens' surface in the split second before new formulas appeared, he would momentarily gain enough insight into the device to shatter it with a single blow from an enchanted adamantine weapon.
Aura Strong transmutation [evil]; CL 17th
Slot None; Price 55,000 gp; Weight 5 pounds
Alignment CE; Ego 14
Senses 60 ft., darkvision
Int 17; Wis 10; Cha 14
Language Empathy, speech (Common, Aklo, Osiriani)
This very old and massive tome is several hundred pages long and bound in black leather. By an unknown author, the pages are scribed in Aklo in cramped handwriting and include complex star charts and maps of strange, distant worlds. There are numerous breathtaking illustrations of eerie monsters and alien gods as well.
When held in hand, Secrets of the Dreaming Dark can lace spells with unwholesome energy, functioning as a sickening metamagic rod. More dangerously, an insidious intellect hides within the book’s pages. It is a patient and alien thing that urges its owner to uncover secrets and attempt dangerous rituals. It is well versed in many esoteric subjects, though will not part with such knowledge freely; only those who help further the tome’s inscrutable agenda can glean its secrets, and even then it sometimes omits details or lies outright. To that end, Secrets of the Dreaming Dark possesses the following skills: Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, and Bluff +7.
Three times per day the tome can channel the madness of the Dark Tapestry, targeting those who displease it with mad hallucination (Will DC 15 negates).
Requirement Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Rod, Sickening Spell, mad hallucination; Cost 27,500 gp
Note: "Secrets of the Dreaming Dark" was originally detailed in the module Dragon's Demand. This version does not resemble the original except in title and basic description.
| Generic Villain |
That's about the thrust of what I have right now. I've statted Carsai the King and some of the NPCs listed above, and am about 40% done with a gazeteer of the Citadel of the Black (despite not having even a bare-bones map). Still a lot to do. If/when I churn out more material, I'll post it. Again, any suggestions/opinions/criticisms are welcome.
| Generic Villain |
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Recent progress.
Citadel of the Black
CE Large City
Corruption: +5; Crime: +2; Economy: +2; Law: -2; Lore: +3; Society: +1
Qualities: Academic, city of madness, magically attuned, notorious, pious (CN and CE Old Cults)
Disadvantages: Cursed
Danger: +20
Demographics
Government: Overlord
Population: 13,862 (10,611 humans [426 aliens], 649 halflings [24 aliens], 468 morlocks [15 aliens], 344 byakhees, 267 half-orcs [10 aliens], 232 half-elves [7 aliens], 140 gnomes [5 aliens], 83 dwarves [3 aliens], 80 ratfolk [2 aliens], 71 elves, 61 mi-gos, 55 brain oozes, 52 gugs, 50 tieflings, 48 cloakers, 31 denizens of Leng, 25 shantaks, 593 other)
Marketplace
Base Value: 12,000 gp; Purchase Limit: 85,000 gp; Spellcasting: 9th
Minor Items: 4D4; Medium Items: 3D4; Major Items: 2D4
Notes
City of Madness: The settlement is a hub for cultists, madmen, and monsters. It is a more tumultuous place as a result, yet its citizens are also uniquely open-minded. (Law –1; Society +1).
| Generic Villain |
The little mark beneath the compass rose measures 500'.
Currently absent are any buildings other than Carsai's palace of Vox-Madahl. It's a traditional castle-type structure - my justification for not making it uber weird is that Carsai is obsessed with decadence/aristocracy. He's not much of a politician, but loves the trappings.
The lake of acidic black goo in the north is a fairly large body, sailed occasionally by the black ships of Leng, but it is mostly just wilderness. No other notable settlements border it, so the Citadel has little in the way of docks or naval defense.
Roads are between 20-30' wide. There are three entries into the Citadel, and while there are roads exiting all three, they only go a few miles before ending. Carsai plans to eventually expand his city into a nation, but he's taking the long approach there. Exterior walls are 20' thick at the base, probably 20' high, composed of bone-like stone. The single lake of clean water at the Citadel's center is artificial, fed by a carefully tended gate to the Elemental Plane of Water that only allows water to pass through. It's also the aquatic lair of Beelthot, Carsai's enslaved shoggoth.
I'm going to start the agonizing process of actually placing buildings. Cringe.
Saurstalk
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I'm just a tad late to the ball on this one, but have been developing a campaign that will have some events take place on Aucturn. The information here provides me a wealth of source material. Curious to know whether you ever finalized a gazetteer? (And yes - I'm using 1st edition rules.) Thanks.
| Goth Guru |
The little mark beneath the compass rose measures 500'.
Currently absent are any buildings other than Carsai's palace of Vox-Madahl. It's a traditional castle-type structure - my justification for not making it uber weird is that Carsai is obsessed with decadence/aristocracy. He's not much of a politician, but loves the trappings.
I'm going to start the agonizing process of actually placing buildings. Cringe.
May I suggest my random building table. Aside from placing the warehouse district near the spaceport and or elfgate, you can pretty much place buildings randomly. The main thing to remember is mythos buildings have no right angles.