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Chaosium Digest Volume 15 Number 06
Chaosium Digest Volume 15, Number 6
Date: Sunday, July 14, 1996
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Adventures in Bakshaan (Shannon Appel) ELRIC!
Editor's Note:
This week, an article full of adventure ideas for Bakshaan, based on
the material recently published in _Atlas of the Young Kingdoms,
Volume I_.
Following this issue, The Digest is going to go on hiatus for two
weeks, since I'll be vacationing in Ye Olde Englande. For those of you
attending Convulsion 3D, I'll see you there. The Digest will return to
its normal schedule on August 4, following my return.
Although I'll be away, and the Digest won't be going out for a few
weeks, your submissions will still be very welcome. I've got some rule
variants for Stormbringer and Elric! coming up, but besides that the
submission queue is bare. Have you Nephilim, Call of Cthulhu and
Pendragon players got anything interesting percolating in your brains?
I'd love to have submissions for articles related to those games
sitting on my machine when I return home.
In the meantime, I'll see you all in a few weeks.
Shannon
RECENT BOOKS OF NOTE:
Thanks to Fred Schiff for the following information.
* Pendragon - _The Secret Tradition in Arthurian Legend_ (Samuel
Weiser Inc., $16.00, ISBN 0-87728-861-5), listed in the Bibliography of
Pendragon First Edition, has recently been reprinted. It traces
mystical interpretations of the major plot lines in the Arthurian
tradition.
--------------------
From: appel@erzo.org (Shannon Appel)
Subject: Adventures in Bakshaan
System: Elric!
The recently released _Atlas of the Young Kingdoms, Volume 1: The
Northern Continent_ provides a wide variety of information on the
lands of the Northern Continent, including: Vilmir; Ilmiora; the
Weeping Waste; Nadsokor; Org and the Forest of Troos; the Sighing
Desert; and Tanelorn. This article builds on (a small portion of) that
book, by providing some specific adventures hooks to be used against
the Atlas' vivid background.
The NPCs, Locations and Items in this article are intended to be set
in the city-state of Bakshaan, in the country of Ilmiora (see _Atlas_
pg. 41-43). With some level of work, they could be moved to other
locations within the Young Kingdoms
** ADVENTURES IN BAKSHAAN **
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Bakshaan is a rich mercatile city-state located in the South of
Ilmiora, near the Forest of Troos. It is a center of commerce and
trade for the region, and also the site of the yearly Bakshaan Fair.
Unknown to most, Bakshaan also is home to the Mereghn, a secretive
order of assassins. See _Atlas_ pg. 41-43 for more complete notes on
Bakshaan, and _Atlas_ pg. 55-60 for notes on Ilmioran society in
general.
NPCS OF NOTE
This section includes notes on a few minor NPCs located within
Bakshaan who can help provide interesting adventure hooks. Also take
note of the following NPCs detailed in _Atlas_: Deinstaff (pg. 60),
Senator Farrat (pg. 61), Lady Vanozza Farrat (pg. 61), Kelos the
Merchant (pg. 62), Nikorn of Ilmar (pg. 62-63), Pilarmo of Bakshaan
(pg. 63) and Tormiel of Bakshaan (pg. 65).
Nepovilo Sellspell
When Nepovilo first came to Bakshaan, it was to sell his magical
talents in the great markets. Because of the Ilmioran tolerance for
magic, Nepovilo was able to do so with only minor trouble, and his
business became mildly prosperous.
Unfortunately, some ten years ago, Nepovilo made an unwise choice,
accepting a rare herb from Troos in payment for his services. The herb
was alledged to increase the magical powers of he who consumed it. In
actuality, it did, but not in the way that Nepovilo expected.
Now, Nepovilo is constantly possessed by the magical spells that he
knows. They fill his entire essence, and although they do not submerge
his personality, they do influence it heavily. Whenever Nepovilo is
encountered, roll on the following table to determine what spell is
influencing him. Nepovilo will be under the influence of that spell
for the next 0-2 days, which has the following effects: he is
constantly treated as if the spell were cast upon him (if
appropriate); his personality traits are modified as is noted; and
whenever he casts the spell for the normal cost, it doubles in
strength.
Random Spell Possession Table
1. Babble [Half of what Nepovilo says is nonsense]
2. Breath of Life [Nepovilo is ENERGETIC]
3. Chaos Warp [Nepovilo is ARBITRARY and highly chaotic]
4. Guile of Cran Lire [Nepovilo is DECEITFUL]
5. Heal [Nepovilo is MERCIFUL]
6. Liken Person [Nepovilo acts like those around him.]
7. Make Fast [Nepovilo is LAZY]
8. Make Whole [Nepovilo is utterly sane, and aware of his problem]
9. Obscure [Nepovilo talks in riddles]
10. Wisdom of Slortar [Nepovilo is PROUD]
Nepovilo's changing personality has caused many to label him a madman.
This has hurt his business somewhat, but many still come to the
sellspell to take advantage of his chaotic talents.
Description: Lean, hunched and balding, Nepovilo is the archetype of
an aged man who has dealt too long with Chaos. Still, a strange energy
frequently fills him. Many are discomforted by Nepovilo's mismatched
green and blue eyes, which frequently fail to focus.
Chaos 107, Balance 6, Law 5
STR 8 CON 7 SIZ 10 INT 19 POW 25
DEX 11 APP 6 HP 9
Damage Bonus: none
Weapons:
Brawl 51%, Damage 1d3
Dagger 49%, Damage 1d4+2
Armor: None
Runes: Rune of Benign Purity* (2) [TBG pg. 10], Rune of Invisibility*
(varies) [TBG pg. 12-13], Rune of Redaction* (1-4) [TBG pg. 13], Runic
Cloak of Cran Liret* (4) [TBG pg. 16], Runic Hell's Armor* (4) [TBG.
pg 16], Runic Hell's Bulwark* (4) [TBG pg. 16]
Spells: Babble! (1) [TBG pg. 31], Breath of Life* (1) [Elric! pg. 77],
Chaos Warp! (4) [Elric! pg. 78], Deftness of Cran Liret* (1-4) [TBG
pg. 32], Guile of Cran Liret* (1-4) [TBG pg. 34), Heal* (2) [Elric!
pg. 79], Liken Person! [TBG pg. 35], Make Fast* (1) [Elric! pg. 80],
Make Whole* (3) [Elric! pg. 80], Obscure* (2) [TBG pg. 35-36],
Portent* (3) [TBG pg. 36], Quick Healing* (4) [TBG pf. 36], Wisdom of
Slortar* (1-3) [Elric! pg. 83]
* Nepovilo regularly offers these spells for sale
! Nepovilo occasionally offers these spells for sale
Notes: Nepovilo's spells last 25 Combat Rounds, or about 5 minutes,
thus the more time important spells must be requested when there is a
fairly immediate need. This is less relevent for the permanent spells
and runes. Nepovilo typically charges 50 bronze per magic point he
expends when casting a spell, although this varies depending on his
daily personality.
Skills: Bargain 89%, Change Topic Randomly 79%, Conceal Object 44%,
Evaluate 66%, Fast Talk 75%, Insight 31%, The Million Spheres 12%,
Oratory 73%, Own Language 95%, Scribe 40%
Story Ideas:
* While sane, Nepovilo organizes an expedition into the nearby Forest
of Troos, searching for another herb which may cure his affliction.
Even if the party is successful, they may have to deal with a
Nepovilo who acts dramatically different when they return.
* The Mereghn, a group of assasins, often gain spell aid from Nepovilo
before conducting jobs. However, of late they have become suspicious
of his madness, and decided he is a liability. Thus, they are
planning to assassinate him. Nepovilo has gained knowledge of this
plan, and hires the players to guard him. Overly zealous players may
try to seek out the Mereghn on their own.
* Nepovilo's spells begin escaping and possessing others. Nepovilo may
hire the adventurers to get them back, Senator Farrat may hire the
adventurers to investigate the problem, or the players may find
themselves in the middle of a strange magical brawl in the Market.
Captain Guisso
Once a sailor of the seas of the Young Kingdoms, Guisso settled in
Bakshaan after he was introduced to the Temple of the Straasha there
by the previous high priest. He quickly became one of Straasha's most
devout followers, and when the last priest passed away, he took up his
position.
Unfortunately, Guisso is still haunted by his past. His career began
as a sailor on a Purple Towns brig. The Captain, Heorsin Harddeal, was
a poor merchant and a worse sailor. When he placed his ship in grave
danger during a storm, an altercation erupted between Guisso and the
Captain. In the rough-and-tumble fight, Guisso managed to gouge out
one of Heorsin's eyes before subduing his Captain and taking command
of the ship. It was only through Guisso's decisions that the ship
survived the storm; if Heorsin had been at the helm, his ship would
have joined Pyaray's Chaos Fleet at the bottom of the sea.
After arriving safely upon land, Guisso fled for his life. He
continuing doing so for two decades, jumping from one ship to another,
until he finally felt safe. It seemed that either Heorsin was dead, or
the old wound forgotten. However, since settling in Bakshaan, and
taking up the mantle of Priest, Guisso has heard some disturbing
inquiries concerning himself.
Description: Though 43, Guisso is still a broad, stout man. His black
hair and beard are both spotted with white, but he shows no signs of
slowing down.
Chaos 27, Balance 33, Law 8
STR 14 CON 16 SIZ 15 INT 7 POW 16
DEX 13 APP 9 HP 16
Damage Bonus: +1d4
Weapons:
Brawl 74%, Damage 1d3+db
Sea Axe 81%, Damage 2d6+2+db
Net 53%, Entangles
Armor: Soft Leather 1d6-1
Spells: Bounty of Straasha (4) [Elric! pg. 77], Breath of Life (1)
[Elric! pg. 77], Guide Water (4) [TBG pg. 33-34], Heal (2) [Elric! pg.
79], Straasha's Hold (4) [TBG pg. 37], Summon Elemental (1) [Elric!
pg. 83], Wings of Lassa (4) [Elric! pg. 83]
Skills: Appear Inconspicuous 3%, Climb 73%, Natural World 51%,
Navigate 92%, Oratory 43%, Repair/Devise 78%, Sailing 90%, Swim 65%,
Young Kingdoms 41%
Story Ideas:
* A Priest of the Church of Goldar in Bakshaan spots Captain Guisso,
and recognises him from a description given by Heorsin, now a fellow
priest in the Purple Towns. The players become a pawn in one side of
this conflict, as the considerable financial powers of the Church of
Goldar are turned towards Guisso's downfall.
* Guisso introduces players to Straasha's Temple (see below).
PLACES OF NOTE
_Atlas_ already notes several important places within or near
Bakshaan, including: Mereghn Headquarters (pg. 53) and Nikorn's Palace
(pg. 54). This section details one more, Straasha's Temple.
Strasha's Temple
Numerous churches to the gods of Law dot the city of Bakshaan.
However, only a few know that there also exists a Temple to the
Elemental God Straasha, deep beneath the streets of Bakshaan. Although
the elemental gods are weakly worshipped in much of Ilmiora, only in
Galeazzo is there a public church. If Bakshaan's semi-secret church
were made public knowledge, it is likely there would be some strife
with the temples of law.
Straasha's Temple is reached through a labyrinth of connecting
passages and sewers beneath Bakshaan. Unfortunately, these passages
are the same ones which ultimately lead to the Mereghn headquarters,
and so the occasional worshipper of Straasha disappears beneath the
streets.
The actual temple is located in a huge natural cavern, several hundred
feet across and thirty feet high. The majority of the cavern is filled
by a lake of fresh water. It connects to both the Barlimm and Vador
Rivers, and so the water is kept constantly circulating.
Residents of the Temple:
The high priest of Straasha here is Guisso, a 43 year-old ex-Sailor
(see above). On any day, he leads 3d6 natives of Bakshaan and 1d6-3
foreigners in worship of Straasha (use assorted stats for the
foreigners; most of the natives are Sailors [Elric! pg. 112], Peasants
[Elric! pg. 113], or Merchants [Use Decadent Noble Stats, Elric! pg.
112]).
Very notably, the Temple also regularly has 1d6-3 Undines (Elric! pg.
98-99) in attendence. These Undines are very loyal to Guisso, and
bring him word on happenings all along the Ilmar, Barlimm, Vador and
Miniato Rivers. If Guisso wished to take advantage of this knowledge,
he would have considerable clout in Bakshaan politics.
Properties of the Temple:
* Water spells are easier to cast in the Temple. All fixed cost
water-related spells cost one less MP, to a minimum of 1. All
variable cost water-related spells act at one point higher than the
number of magic points expended, to a maximum of 1 higher than the
normal limit.
* Drinking water from the lake in the Temple imbues the drinker with
Breath of Life [Elric!, pg. 77] for 4d6 minutes. If water is removed
from the lake, it will retain these properties for 4d6 minutes.
* Water elementals can be summoned at the Temple even if the caster
does not know the water elemental pathway spell (Bounty of
Straasha). Each of the water elemental's stats will be at +1 when
rolled.
* Fire elements may not be summoned in the Temple.
Story Ideas:
* A greedy merchant has heard of the magical properties of the water
in Straasha's Temple. He wishes the players to gain a sample by
whatever means then deem appropriate.
* The Mereghn have grown tired of Straasha worshipers tromping through
their tunnels, and hire the players to wipe out the Temple. The
ensuing battle will involve melee with Guisso, undines and innocent
worshipers. The Mereghn will move in to clean things up when the
melee has died down.
* The waters of the Lake have begun to foul due to industries
upstream, at Barlimm's dam. Players are hired to destroy Barlimm's
dam, and return the river to its natural state. Clever players might
gain aid from Raalston, who also has reason to hate the Barlimm dam.
ITEMS OF NOTE
The Pyramid of Law
Located in the very middle of the City Square is a solid pyramid, two
meters on a side, composed entirely of an unknown silverish metal. An
ornate barricade of wood sets the pyramid off, protecting it from the
throngs. Two ceremonial guards stand at the entrance to the pyramid's
enclosure, collecting a 10 bronze fee from any who wishes to enter and
commune with the pyramid.
Little is understood about the pyramid except for the fact that it
seems to be strongly tied to the Patrons of Law. Because of its most
prominent property, the fact that those who touch the pyramid seem to
be unable speak untruths, the Pyramid has become a focus of interest
to the mercantile community. Many deals, oaths and promises are struck
while touching the Pyramid, to take advantage of this property.
The Pyramid was first found by the Bakshaans a hundred years ago, when
an expedition travelling in the Forest of Troos accidently unearthed
it. It was dragged back to Bakshaan, appropriated by the City Council,
and placed in the City Square, where it sits to this day.
[Use CITY GUARD stats, Elric! pg. 111, for the two Ceremonial Guards]
Secrets of the Pyramid:
The Pyramid was once truly an item of Law, but shortly after it was
flung into the world before the Young Kingdoms, it was found by the
Doomed Folk, who experimented upon it. They corrupted the Pyramid.
Now, its heart is a foul, fetid mass of darkness. Only the exterior is
pure and untouched.
Properties of the Pyramid
Citizens of Bakshaan are aware of the first property of the Pyramid,
though only a few realize that some can lie. The City Council is
awware of the third property of the Pyramid.
* Anyone who touches the pyramid can not tell a lie unless their Chaos
Affiliation is at least 10 points higher than both their Law and
Balance scores.
* Anyone who touches the pyramid gains one Chaos Affiliation point if
their Chaos score is lower than their Law score, and they have not
already gained a point from the pyramid in the last season (3
months).
* Anyone who meditates upon the pyramid for an entire week will have a
vision if they succeed at a POWx5% roll. This vision will be mildly
prophetic, and often have revelence to what the meditator
concentrated upon. The vision is always surrounded by the trappings
of law, but in actuality, due to the corruption of the pyramid, the
visions sometimes arise from the planes of chaos, and suggest a
future that favors that force (for any vision, roll. There is a 50%
chance the vision was related to law, and a 50% chance it was
related to chaos).
* The metal of the pyramid is particularly light. Any armor made out
of it encumbers at one level lower than normal. Weapons made out of
it add +10% to the wielder's skill, due to the ease with which they
can be used. Unfortunately, the metal can not be forged by normal
means. Fire elementals, specific demon breeds or specific magical
spells would be needed to generate flames hot enough. The Council
would, of course, not approve of melting the pyramid down.
* The pyamid acts as a beacon, occasionally attracting chaos monsters
towards Bakshaan.
Story Ideas:
* A corrupt merchant who understands the properties of the Pyramid
cheats the players after swearing a seemingly true oath upon the
Pyramid.
* Cardinal Garrick, in nearby Vilmir, has grown jealous that heathens
should control such a powerful artifact of law. He hires the players
to steal away the huge pyramid from the city of Bakshaan.
* The corruption within the Pyramid finally bursts out. The pyramid
shatters apart, and the darkness within is revealed. Monsters
steadily emerge from the darkness. Initially, there is a surge, but
afterwards only a few appear every day. After dealing with the Chaos
demons, and fighting their way to the Pyramid, the players will have
to determine what to do with the lawless gateway.
CREATURES OF NOTE
The civilized city of Bakshaan is not the home to any particularly
malicious creatures of legend.
--------------------
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