In a previous post I discussed how I would go about gaming an overland journey from Karameikos to Ylaruam. The route I suggested involved going through the mountain pass between Selenica and Ylaruam, which is a vital trade road but with very little detail given in the Gazetteers. So here are my ideas about the Selenica Pass.
Formation of the Selenica Pass
The Selenica Pass is unusually straight and consistent, providing a fast overland route through the Altan Tepes mountains from Selenica in Darokin to Parsa in Ylaruam. Initially this was a massive crack that opened up in the crust of Mystara when Blackmoor was destroyed in the Great Rain of Fire. Yet even this does not fully explain the straightness - some clerics have speculated that immortal intervention may have guided the initial chasm opening up. Further earthquakes, both during the Great Rain of Fire and also when the polar holes were opened meant that rubble from convulsing mountains of the Altan Tepes filled in most of the chasm, leaving a shallow scar across the mountain range.
Since then mortals have worked to make the pass more navigable, particularly dwarves living in the mountains using their engineering and stonecrafting skills and also Nithians, using a combination of slave labour and powerful sorcery. The remnants of Nithian civilisation can occasionally be seen along the pass while the dwarves still maintain a small presence (see Torrag Gullonor below).
Current Use of the Pass
For trade between nations in the Known World, the Selenica Pass is vital, being the only clear route through the Altan Tepes mountains. Caravans from Darokin, Ylaruam, Alfheim, Karameikos, the Five Shires, Rockhome and further afield all take the Selenica Pass. The only realistic alternative is by sea, sailing around the Thyatian peninsula between the Sea of Dawn and the Sea of Dread. Some merchants in fact prefer the maritime route, considering the overland route to be slower and more dangerous in terms of monsters and bandits. Nonetheless, for land-locked regions who wish to trade there is little alternative. There is the Thyatian route from Fort Nikos to Ctesiphon but even this is a lot rockier and steeper, not always suitable for wagons and for Darokin and Alfheim it is too far away anyway.
Ylaruam and Darokin, particularly the government of Selenica, realise how important the pass is and have come to an understanding. Most of the length falls under Darokin’s borders and jurisdiction , so it is Darokin army patrols setting out from either Selenica or Fort Hobart that keep the pass relatively safe. Once caravans leave the mountains to the east and enter the foothills they are in Ylaruam and Ylari patrols from Parsa will be encountered. Karameikos has no official role as the pass is not within Karameikian territory but both the Grand Duke and traveling traders of Karameikos recognise the importance the route is to the Grand Duchy's prosperity.
Caravans and other civilised travellers can be encountered along the road and most of the time there is no more exchange than polite acknowledgement. Those who travel this route regularly understand that little interaction is needed. Those in distress by the side of the road are sometimes treated with caution, even suspicion as bandits have sometimes used such situations as bait to get other caravans and travellers to stop and lower their guard, though most requests for help are genuine enough.
Locations of Note
Parsa is the capital of Makistan, the west-most of the Emirates. Parsa has 2,000 residents but its population is often higher (around 3000) due to the traders and caravans regularly stopping off before heading into the mountain pass. Parsa also does its own trade, both in wool and horses as well as caravan supplies.
Selenica is the eastmost city of Darokin and an important trade centre, with a population of 39,000, detailed in Gaz11 and discussed in this post.
Orstinel: A fortified village with a substantial inn and manor house halfway between Selenica and Parsa in the mountain pass, popular as stopping point for caravans and other travellers. There are 120 long-term residents but the population is often double that when caravans are staying the night. There is also a chapel and shrine to a lawful minor immortal, Saint Thoria, manned by 4 dwarf clerics.
Torrag Gullonor: A dwarven stronghold set into the mountainside overlooking the pass. There are 320 dwarves here. They are quite cautious about letting non-dwarves in but will often do business with merchants in either Selenica or Orstinel. Torrag Gullonor has both coal and iron ore seams nearby and does its own smelting, exporting iron ingots and buying food and drink. There are some older dwarf residents who remember fleeing Tarrag Duun when they were young.
Doomskull Shrine: Just off the trail is a goblin shrine with a massive goblin skull carved into the mountainside. The nearby goblin tribes are occasional caravan raiders but will launch all-out war if adventurers commit sacrilege in their shrine.
Nehirill’s Tower is a wizard’s tower, still occupied by the Glantrian exile, Nehirill (15th level mage, human female, chaotic). She is unpredictable and some say quite mad, but she tends to leave other folks alone. She has three human apprentice mages who also act as servants, as well as various golems, living statues and conjured elementals who serve as guards, fending off the monsters that roam the mountains as well as foolish uninvited visitors. Nehirill is rarely seen but her apprentices often visit Orstinel to buy food and other supplies.
Possible Encounters
Ambush with ogres supported by hobgoblins led by a red ogre. Hobgoblin archers are behind walls while ogres have set up a road block with boulders and tree trunks,
A passing merchant and his caravan are convinced they are being preyed on by something - guards keep disappearing. They are right - a doppelganger is killing then impersonating guards. One of the guards offers to join the PCs party as he thinks it is safer. He is of course the doppelganger.
A damsel in distress is being pursued by an undead monster. The undead is a revenant and the damsel is not so innocent, having slain her tutor in magical arts and stolen his spellbook. The master has returned for vengeance with combined powers of a revenant and an 8th level magic user.
Two dragons dwell near the Selenica Pass.
Naxavorious is small male red dragon, nearly always hostile and predatory though his hunting has no pattern and is hard to predict. He is liable to attack caravans first and fly off with loot rather than making demands.
Sestarinia Skyscale is a large female blue dragon. She is served by a band of stone giants who sometimes set up a toll point along the pass. The fees are reasonable and if travellers pay and don't fight the giants Sestarina let them through without problems. She is sometimes seen watching over her stone giant minions from a vantage point high above the pass. Darokin authorities are reluctant to challenge her because they reckon she keeps the Frost Giants to the south in check.
Random Encounters in the Pass
This table is loosely based on the ones at the back of the AD&D Monster Manual II. Clearly DM discretion is advised and if a party of PCs is not ready to handle some of these encounters then the DM can choose a different encounter or say that there was no encounter. Similarly there are various possible encounters that could not fit on this table (hobgoblins, hippogriffs, trolls) that the DM can introduce as they wish.
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