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Chaosium Digest Volume 10 Number 08
Chaosium Digest Volume 10, Number 8
Date: Monday, May 29, 1995
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
Prince of Ruins, Part One (Simon Lee) ELRIC!
Editor's Notes:
Welcome all to a brand new issue of the Chaosium Digest. For those who
care about such minutia, I thought I'd mention the distribution of
this list is now up to over 700 subscribers, scattered across all the
world.
Next week, I'd like to feature a set of articles based on or inspired
by the new Pendragon release, Beyond the Wall. If you're interested in
submitting anything relating to the Picts, Hadrian's Wall, or the
lands to the North, please drop me a line.
Shannon
RPG RELEASES:
* Nephilim - _Chronicle of the Awakenings_ (Chaosium, 96 pg., $16.95)
is a player's reference containing: 16 new past lives, a revised
metamorphosis system, a set of Celtic metamorphoses and a whole
bunch of new simulacra. I think the supplement is really terrific,
but I was also one of the major contributors, so feel free to take
that with a grain of salt.
--------------------
From: simon.lee@digitec.co.za (Simon Lee)
Subject: Prince of Ruins, Part One
System: Elric!
PRINCE OF RUINS
An introductory Elric! adventure
One of the "unwritten" rules of Elric! roleplaying is never to
directly involve the character of Elric in game scenarios. Prince of
Ruins breaks this rule from the outset. Elric is one of the more
memorable characters of fantasy (and now role-playing) literature. To
create a first-time Elric! module that does not include Elric seems a
contradiction in terms, particularly as those who enjoyed reading
about Elric are undoubtedly looking forward to gaming with him too. Of
course, introducing the most powerful mortal in the Young Kingdoms to
a group of neophyte characters needs to be handled carefully. The game
master will have to ensure that Elric neither overwhelms the game
session nor becomes the "quick fix" solution to problems the
characters may encounter.
To overcome some of these difficulties, Prince of Ruins is structured
in such a way that Elric remains central to the adventure without
becoming the centre of it. The plot of the scenario revolves around
Elric, but the characters will have to do all the role-playing and
problem-solving themselves. For those players who are intimately
familiar with the Elric saga, and hence have knowledge regarding Elric
and Stormbringer that no character could be assumed to have, an added
complication is introduced: Elric begins the scenario disguised as an
"ordinary" Melnibonian noble. His hair is dyed black, his skin is
coloured by artificial pigments and he is without Stormbringer and the
Ring of Kings. Elric is unlikely to reveal his identity without good
reason, as he is hunted by both Chaos and the various priests of Law.
Once the characters see the runesword, however, they are likely to
suspect something. Even then, the game master should encourage
confusion. An excellent way to do this is to have the players mistake
Elric for Yrkoon (his insane, power-hungry cousin) and Stormbringer
for Mournblade (Yrkoon's sword). No Elric aficionado is going to
release mad prince Yrkoon, much less place his runesword back in his
hand!
The Elric novels are classic "high fantasy" replete with skilled
swordsmen, evil wizards and repulsive nether-creatures. Moorcock,
however, colours his fantasy with moral ambiguities. The last Emperor
of Melniboni is undoubtedly chaotic, but is he any more "evil" than,
say, the unforgiving priests of Law? Melnibonians are certainly
decadent, but are they any crueler than the tightfisted merchants of
the Purple Towns? Moorcock leaves such questions unanswered. He also
suggests that while the gods of both Law and Chaos offer great
advantage to those who follow them, ultimately they betray humanity to
satisfy their own supernatural purposes. Mortals are likely to find
peace only in dedication to the Balance, the middle way between Law
and Chaos. Tragically, Balance is also the most difficult state to
achieve or maintain. Only the lucky few ever reach Tanelorn (the
physical, city-like manifestation of Balance).
In keeping with Moorcock's novels, Prince of Ruins intermingles
elements of both swords & sorcery and intellectual observation. The
game master's task is to integrate these concerns to produce an
adventure that satisfies both minds and conflict skills. As the
scenario progresses, Elric himself becomes a pawn in a desperate
"tug-o-war" between Chaos and Law. Agents of the Chaos god Pyaray seek
to obtain Stormbringer for their own uses, while followers of the
unforgiving Law god Donblas have recognised Elric and want to execute
him before he has a chance to devise a plan of escape. As Elric is
inactive for most of the adventure, the player characters have a large
say in what his eventual fate will be. They can deliver him to Law for
judgement, hand his sword over to the minions of Chaos, or try to
strike a "balance" where both Chaos and Law are thwarted (or
satisfied) and Elric is freed to continue his wanderings. While the
latter is perhaps most desirable, the game master should expect the
players to arrive at various innovative solutions to this problem.
PART 1: GAME MASTER'S INTRODUCTION
The scenario begins in Menii, commercial centre of the Isle of the
Purple Towns. The characters are approached by representatives of the
Church of Goldar to undertake the delicate mission of transporting a
Melnibonian prisoner to the Fortress of Evening. The Church
representatives provide whatever incentives are necessary to get the
characters to accept the mission, including monetary payment, favoured
treatment by Menii bureaucracy, or whatever else the characters
suggest. Only a small percentage of the reward is provided up front,
however. The remainder is to be collected at the Fortress upon
completion of the mission. Such generosity on the part of the Church
of Goldar is likely to make some characters suspicious. The
representatives are at pains to reassure characters that the mission
is of a routine nature, as the prisoner's chaos powers are nullified
by the bonds of Law that he now wears. They are also keen to point out
that the mission is actually the responsibility of a group of the
Church's military men, led by sergeant Firian Kais of the Menii
militia. The characters are on the mission in case of mishap, nothing
more. The high rewards involved merely reflect Goldar's gratitude for
the accomplishment of a urgent and somewhat delicate matter.
The Church representatives are unaware that the Melnibonian they have
captured is Elric, last Emperor of the Dragon Isle. For his own
enigmatic reasons Elric chose to disguise himself while travelling on
the Isle, and now appears as a raven-haired Melnibonean noble with
deep amber eyes. The exact reasons for Elric's presence in Menii, and
the conditions of his capture, are for the game master to decide.
Although he succeeded in concealing his own identity Elric could not
hide the inherent chaos of his runesword, Stormbringer. The Church of
Goldar priests are uncertain what to make of this artifact and have
encased it in a wooden box for transport to the Fortress of Evening.
They fervently hope that the priestesses of Vallyn will know what to
do with it. They also "neglect" to mention the sword's presence to the
characters, as they fear that the presence of a chaos artifact may
dissuade them from accepting the mission. Once details of payment and
other preliminaries have been sorted out, the characters are
introduced to Firian Kais and the 4 additional warriors who are under
his command. Firian suggests that the characters retire to bed early,
as the journey to the Fortress begins before daybreak the following
morning.
PART 2 : PLAYERS' INTRODUCTION
(the following can be read to players or paraphrased)
"The Seaport of Menii is the hub of commerce on the Isle of the Purple
Towns. From its harbour, trading vessels travel as far as Ilmioria in
the East and Tarkesh in the West to enrich the merchants and sealords
of this small isle. Despite their mercantile power, the denizens of
the Purple Towns still hate and fear sleeping Melnibone, their master
of old. Whether such hate is justified is questionable, as travellers
from the Dragon Isle have not been seen in Menii for decades. It seems
almost unreal, therefore, that the Church of Goldar should contact you
to oversee the transport of a Melnibonian noble to a place of
righteous imprisonment. You have accepted this task, both out of
deference to the Church and pure curiosity concerning your exotic
charge. Could he truly be Melnibonian? If he is, what does he seek in
Menii?
The Church of Goldar must fear this man greatly. Why else would they
hire priests and mercenaries to supplement what is already a
formidable complement of guards? The Melnibonian in question is
somewhat of disappointment. His long raven hair is dirty, his once
fine robes torn and begrimed. His head hangs limply and his feet
shuffle as he walks. He is hardly strong enough to raise his lips to
the water flask. Only his eyes seem alive - red-rimmed orbs that
follow every movement with a feline attentiveness. The man is bound
and hand and foot with bonds provided by the church of Goldar, bonds
that are said to resist Chaos and demon magic. So far they have proved
effective; or perhaps he has not bothered to test their strength. His
possessions have been slung across the saddle of your pack mule. You
notice nothing unusual among them, save for a long wooden case with
metal bindings. The warriors of Goldar seem little inclined to discuss
either the man or the extent of his belongings.
The journey has been slow and uneventful. From Menii you have
travelled to Kariss to re-stock supplies. You are now skirting the
northern coast of the Isle and hope to reach the Fortress of Evening
by sunset, where you will be glad to collect your reward and forget
you have ever seen a man of Melnibone."
PART 3: IN THE PALM OF CHAOS
The party is presently moving at a brisk pace along the roadway that
hugs the northern coastline of the Isle of the Purple Towns. It is
late afternoon and the weather is overcast. Waves can be heard
crashing against rocks some 30 metres below the level of the road.
Firian Kais turns to the party and announces that it will take some 4
hours of travel to reach the gates of the Fortress of Evening. He
urges everyone to step up the pace, as he does not wish to travel in
bad weather. Perceptive characters will notice a brief flash of light
along the coastline, some 3 kilometres distant. If asked about the
light, Firian will indicate that it is probably the beacon of the old
lighthouse that serves the northern shipping routes around the Island.
Allow the group to travel for a few more minutes, but indicate that
the weather is becoming progressively more overcast: the wind picks
up, light rain begins to fall and white spray can be seen on the rocky
beaches below the road. Suddenly a powerful lightning flash will
strike the largest object near the party (probably a tree), splitting
it asunder. The resultant thunder is deafening, and all characters
fall to the ground involuntarily and cover their ears. The pack horse
panics and flees back down the road, dropping the large wooden case as
it goes. The characters will not be able to react in time to prevent
this, and the horse cannot be recovered. As soon as the party collects
itself, another lightning bolt arcs downward, striking one of the
warriors of Goldar directly. The poor unfortunate screams once and
then dies, charred to a black pile of steaming bone. Characters should
realise that normal lightning, however powerful, does not cause this
kind of effect. Before anyone can prevent him, Elric kneels be the
body and examines it briefly. He then rises and says one word:
"sorcery". Firian calls to the party to begin moving and the entire
group breaks into a wild dash down the road. If none of the characters
think to retrieve the wooden case, one of the remaining warriors of
Goldar does so.
The party runs doggedly for a few hundred metres as lightning bolts
crash into the ground around them. If they weave from side to side, or
take other appropriate precautions, nobody else is hurt. If not, one
of the characters (select randomly) is caught on the edge of a
lightning strike and suffers 1d8 points of damage. The game master
should continue to assault the group with lightning as long as is
necessary for them to realise that they cannot remain outdoors if they
wish to remain alive. As they are beginning to get really desperate,
have them see the tall stone lighthouse on a narrow promontory of rock
some 300 metres distant. Firian points wildly at the lighthouse and
leads his men towards it. The characters would be wise to follow. Make
these last few metres as suspenseful as possible by adding strange
noises (growls, howling) and smells of sulphur and burning foliage to
the continued barrage of lightning. As the characters cross the
promontory towards the lighthouse they can see huge waves crashing
against the cliffs below them, illuminated by strange phosphorescence
and the occasional lightning flash. The door to the lighthouse is open
and Firian bursts into the building without slowing down appreciably.
The characters are swept along and find themselves in the ground floor
entrance hall. The supernatural storm continues unabated outside, with
occasional bursts of light and thunder indicating that lightning is
still striking the area regularly.
As it is obviously unsafe to venture outside again, characters will
probably opt to explore the various levels of the lighthouse. Allow
them to investigate each level thoroughly. Stress that the lighthouse
was recently inhabited (this much is obvious from the items strewn
around), but there is no sign of anyone has been here at recently,
except for the dead body in the upper level. This unfortunate was left
here while his companions went for supplies and was subsequently
killed by falling wood and masonry dislodged by a direct lightning
strike to the tower roof. (see the statistics section for a more
detailed description of the lighthouse)
Allow the characters approximately 10 minutes of real time to conclude
explorations, move objects and discuss theories regarding the
lighthouse before moving to the next section. Remember to stress that
the chaos storm still rages outside - nobody should be allowed to
escape at this time. If questioned, Elric will repeat that the storm
is of sorcerous origin and that the party has been targeted for attack
by a powerful chaos force. He will also ask characters to release him
so that he can oppose the chaos force more effectively. He will not
answer any questions regarding himself or his thoughts on the reason
for this chaos attack. It is unlikely that anyone will oblige Elric
and free him at this point, but his request does serve to sow
uncertainty in the character's minds.
After the 10 minutes have elapsed, characters will hear a voice
calling from outside the lighthouse. Those on the balconies of the
upper story will see several figures standing on the promontory, some
50 metres from the entrance to the lighthouse. These are the followers
of Pyaray, led by the priest Ha'kesar. Setting his weapons aside and
striding to within 20 metres of the lighthouse, Ha'kesar addresses any
characters he can see on the balconies. He requests them to hand over
the relic of Chaos that they have in their possession. If asked to be
more specific, he will say that the relic takes the form of a
rune-carved greatsword. If questioned about his motives, he will
laughingly tell characters that they have been misled by the church of
Goldar regarding the nature of the man and the artifact they are
guarding. He will argue (quite persuasively, if characters give him
some leeway) that Goldar has far more interest in the sword than the
Melnibonian. The priests, according to Ha'kesar, wished to transport
the sword to a place of safekeeping without attracting undue attention
to their prize. They therefore recruited mercenaries who would be none
the wiser regarding the true value of what they were transporting. If
any of them were to fall under the power of the sword, well ... they
were expendable.
Ha'kesar takes great pains to stress that the characters are in danger
from uncontrolled magical forces and that he merely seeks to save them
from lingering death by removing an artifact that rightfully belongs
to Chaos. He may even suggest that the bearer of the artifact stole it
and has already fallen under its destructive influence. If Ha'kesar is
questioned about the chaos storm he will indicate that summoning it
was a "regrettable necessity". He will also stress that the effects of
the storm are nothing compared to the destructive capability of an
uncontrolled Chaos artifact. The game master may add anything else
that is likely to make Ha'kesar's story believable - the aim is to
confuse what seemed to be a straightforward situation and to have
characters question the motives and allegiances of everyone, other
characters included.
If Firian is present and hears this monologue he orders his men to
launch a missile attack against Ha'kesar. Arrows are unlikely to harm
Ha'kesar through his demon armour and he retires slowly to his
previous position 50 metres from the lighthouse. He then calls out
that he will give the party 5 minutes to hand over the artifact before
he, regretfully, has to take it by force. Firian flatly refuses to
relinquish the artifact and readies his warriors to resist an attack
on the lighthouse. If questioned about Ha' kesar's accusations Firian
will repeat that he has been entrusted with safe delivery of both the
Melnibonian and the artifact to the Fortress of Evening. He will argue
that the characters were not told about the runesword in order to
reduce the chances of the escort party being intercepted by Chaos
forces eager to acquire such a powerful weapon. Regardless of
counter-argument, he will not allow Stormbringer to leave the
lighthouse, nor will he apologise for what he believes to be
justifiable action by the Church of Goldar, given the circumstances of
the mission. The characters may then use whatever remains of the 5
minutes to make preparations they feel are appropriate - conflict
seems inevitable at this point.
If the characters are unwise enough to hand the sword over to
Ha'kesar, a few interesting events could unfold. Firian will obviously
do anything in his power to prevent the sword from leaving the
lighthouse. He will even lead an attack on the characters, if the
situation gets that desperate. While Ha'kesar will use all means
available to secure the sword, it is important to the conclusion of
this scenario that he never actually succeeds. Even if the characters
relinquish the sword or it is taken from them, the game master should
make use of Stormbringer's innate powers to prevent Ha'kesar from
completing his mission. A quick strike by Stormbringer itself, say to
shear off the hand that is carrying it outside or to slay a poor
follower of Pyaray who might be picking it up, will both prevent
Ha'kesar acquiring the blade and instill a satisfying fear of
Stormbringer among all individuals present.
INTERLUDE: FREEING ELRIC
Immediately before the conflict, or perhaps even during the action,
characters are likely to question Elric regarding his identity and the
nature and powers of the runesword. Elric will again suggest that the
characters free him, this time adding that sword could easily win the
battle for them if he wields it against the attacking Chaos force. He
will vehemently oppose any other character using the sword, arguing
that it is attuned only to one person and would be useless, and
perhaps even dangerous, to another. He will remain tight-lipped about
his own identity, saying only that he has extensive power over
Melnibonian artifacts such as the runesword. It is likely that a
disagreement will break out at this point as to whether the prisoner
should be freed or not. Firian will immediately voice his support for
those who want to keep Elric captive. He will remind characters that
Melnibonians care nothing for Young Kingdoms mortals and that the
prisoner would most likely use the sword to save his own life, while
dooming the rest of the group to an unpleasant demise.
The game master should always play for maximum uncertainly regarding
Elric's actual allegiance. If the characters recognise his benevolence
too early, the desired emotional conflict between duty and
circumstance will be lost. Remember also that while players may know
Elric by sight and name, none of their characters do. The characters
will, however, have heard rumours and superstitious tales regarding
the kinslayer and his hellsword and are unlikely to release such an
individual without a good deal of prior deliberation. Of course they
may have no alternative, especially if they are being hard pressed by
Ha'kesar and the followers of Pyaray.
The priestess of Donblas's demand for Elric to be delivered up for
execution (see below) raises an additional set of uncertainties,
particularly if Elric has been instrumental in saving the characters
from Ha'kesar. Some characters may favour leniency, while others will
want such a potentially dangerous individual (and his sword) to remain
within their ambit of control. Elric can never actually be handed over
to the priest of Donblas: if this ever looks immanent, Ha'kesar
summons the avatar of Pyaray and triggers the final events of the
scenario.
While Elric wears the bonds of Goldar he is unable to cast spells or
summon elementals. He is still capable of physical action, albeit with
greatly reduced strength and vitality. If Elric is released from the
bonds, he defends himself as best he can. The game master should not
allow Elric to be slain during the conflict. It is essential that he
be present at the conclusion of the scenario. If Elric does not have
Stormbringer, he will avoid combat as far as possible. If Stormbringer
is returned to him, he uses the sword's abilities to slay followers of
Pyaray as they attack him. He does not lead the characters, nor does
he pursue the Chaos agents if they retreat. If the game master is
feeling particularly malicious, or if the characters accept Elric too
readily, Stormbringer could "accidentally" strike one of the
characters of its own accord. If this happens Elric will deny his
involvement, saying that the sword often acts with a will of its own
to slay those important to him. Will the characters believe this?
Probably not, which complicates matters even further.
PART 4: WHITE WOLF, BLACK SWORD
After the 5 minutes have elapsed, Ha'kesar again asks those in the
lighthouse to hand over the Chaos artifact. If he does not receive it,
or if characters try to stall him with further negotiation, he
initiates his attack. Ha'kesar is an experienced tactician and the
game master should ensure that the initial assault on the lighthouse
is well-executed. Ha'kesar is likely to begin his assault by casting
Breath of Death spells at individuals still exposed on the upper
balcony. If he is attacked in return, or if someone seems to be
resisting his spells, he will throw his trident at a likely target and
then command his followers to enter the lighthouse. Three of the
followers will attempt to break down the main door (if the characters
neglected to barricade the door, Firian will do so just before the
attack begins), while the others move around the lighthouse and start
scaling the walls at different points. Ha'kesar remains within 80
metres of the walls and uses his trident to attack anyone who appears
on the balcony.
The followers of Pyaray assaulting the door will first spend a round
to cast Hell's Armour on themselves (for a full 4 points). Once they
begin the attack it will take 3 of them roughly 4 rounds to break open
the main lighthouse door. Add 2 rounds for every follower that is
killed or driven off during this period. If they succeed in breaching
the door they will immediately cast Fury on themselves and engage
anyone they see in hand-to-hand combat. Their objective is to occupy
defenders for as long as possible so that Ha'kesar and the other
followers can locate the runesword and escape. These followers are
fanatical in their support for (and fear of) Ha'kesar and will not
retreat from battle until he commands them to do so.
The followers scaling the walls take 2 rounds to reach the balcony
level. During this time they can be attacked from above without being
able to parry or dodge to defend themselves. The game master should
decide exactly where on the balcony each follower arrives. As soon as
a follower reaches the balcony (and assuming he is not immediately
engaged in combat), he casts Hell's Armour on himself. Half of the
followers also cast Fury. The "furied" followers then enter the
lighthouse through the balcony doors and attempt to engage defenders
in direct combat, while the remainder try to slip past melee and
search the building for the runesword. Note that these rank-and-file
followers are not aware of the nature of Stormbringer. They have been
instructed merely to recover the sword and return it to Ha'kesar. The
priest will involve himself in direct combat only if he decides that
the runesword is best obtained in this manner. If the combat is going
against his followers he will release the demon Sharaseerch (see
below) and command it to attack the defenders of the lighthouse.
In order to prevent the action from becoming slow or static, the game
master should move the followers of Pyaray as quickly as possible, and
encourage players to be similarly adroit in determining their
characters' actions. This is, after all, a battle: something that
hardly ever happens in slow, carefully considered turn sequences. It
is also important that the game master keeps a balance between action
and roleplaying at this point in the scenario. The actual lighthouse
attack is entertaining and should satisfy those who yearn for swords
and sorcery, but it should not overshadow the intrigue surrounding
Elric, Stormbringer and the agents of Law and Chaos.
[continued in V10.9]
--------------------
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