Experience, Motivation and Murder-Hobos

Art by Dave Trampier, source

Allow me to deviate from my usual additions and suggestions for Mystara. I feel the need to write down some ideas that have been fermenting in my head. Note that these ideas are not entirely original to me - they have been inspired (and maybe explained better) by other, more eloquent bloggers. 

So what motivates adventurers? Why do they bother getting out of bed in the morning and heading to the dungeon for a day of violence and near-death experiences? Generally this is a matter of acquiring more power, principally in levels of experience. To gain levels as a character you need to gain experience points. How do you do that? 

According the the B/X rules there are 2 main sources of XP: monsters and treasure. Treasure is expected to make up the bulk of XP awards, and I have created adventures on this blog (both the more recent Scenarios and also the older Dungeons of the Month) with a ratio of 1 monster XP : 3 treasure XP. This may seem stingy, but DMs using my adventures are always welcome to increase the treasure amounts as they see fit. 

3E and 5E D&D don't offer XP for finding treasure. In both games XP is expected to come from a combination of defeating monsters and completing story goals. 

The idea of quest or story-based XP tentatively emerged in later 1st Edition AD&D material and was formalised in 2nd Edition AD&D. This started out as XP for rescuing prisoners as if they had been defeated by the PCs (so a party of PCs would get more XP for rescuing a high level NPC than a 0-level peasant). It has now become a matter of "Award the PCs 1000xp each if they return the stolen crown to the king". 

The 3E DMG suggests awarding XP for successfully resolving non-combat encounters, such as evading or neutralising traps, solving tricks & puzzles, and successfully negotiating with NPCs. In B/X the assumption is that these are not goals in themselves but merely obstacles (sometimes metaphorical, sometimes very physical) in the the path to gaining treasure. Successfully getting through a trap-based encounter means that the PCs are another step closer to their real goal - treasure and the XP that comes with it. This shows to me that B/X rewards are more about the end goal rather than how the PCs get there.  

XP can also be awarded for things like good roleplaying, though this is associated with later editions. Although not stated in the B/X rules, these are up to individual DMs. Although not suggested in D&D, some games (particularly MMORPGs) reward PCs with XP for exploring their world and visiting regions for the first time. 

1st Edition AD&D also had the idea of gaining XP for finding magic items. 2nd Edition AD&D changed this to gaining XP for creating magic items. 3rd Edition D&D completely flipped this around with requiring XP to be spent to create magic items, but also had a thriving magic item economy where PCs could often buy the weapons or armour they could afford  - an alternative reason for gathering lots of money. 

In my games magic items neither give nor require XP. Magic items can be seen as a form of power that is not linked to XP or levels. Interestingly, unlike MMORPGs, magic items in D&D generally do not have character level requirements (though some do have class requirements). A 0-level normal human can use many magic items if they know how to wield them. Acquiring magic items can be a powerful motive in itself. Although many items are distributed as part of treasure hoards along with coins, gems and the like, it is possible that a character will set out on an adventure with the goal of acquiring a famous magic item for their own personal use. S2: White Plume Mountain is a classic example of this. 

Here's something I was vaguely aware of but it took other bloggers to clarify  it. The behaviour of PCs is heavily influenced by how XP is awarded. They will generally behave in a way that gets the most XP according to their assessment of risk vs reward. 

If most of their XP comes from treasure then they will become avaricious treasure hunters, looting tombs, dragon hoards, and possibly merchant caravans and town banks. The DM may wish to adjudicate what sort of treasure gives XP and whether robbing peasants of their copper coins will help PCs gain levels. 

Although not part of the B/X rules, some groups have house rules where PCs can convert gold into XP only if it is spent on training - usually with a willing NPC of at least 2 levels higher and the same character class as the PC. The duration is typically 1 week per PC level. Although I personally like this idea (it makes becoming better at fighting, casting spells or turning undead more plausible than just looting a dragons' hoard and hey presto the wizard can now cast more spells), I don't expect other groups to use it. 

There are other reasons for gathering loot besides XP - you can buy stuff with it. Purely B/X campaigns will find that once the PCs have a ship, horses, wagons and the like they start to run out of useful things in the equipment lists to spend money on. But beyond the B/X rules there are 2 major expenses - firstly in the Companion Rules there are details about being granted land and building one's own stronghold. Creating and maintaining a castle or temple with all its soldiers, hirelings and servants will be expensive. Secondly as alluded to above in 3E D&D it is possible to buy magic items if the right marketplace can be found. Both of these (strongholds and magic items) are reasons to get as much loot as possible from dungeons and monster lairs. Forward-looking PCs may well start saving for these quite early on in their careers. 

If they get most of their XP from killing monsters, then that is what they will seek out. This seems to be the expected norm in 3E and 5E.  Note that rules in different editions say that XP is awarded for defeating monsters, not necessarily slaying them. This means capturing and subduing generally counts, while avoiding or sneaking past is up to DM discretion (personally I don't think that counts as "defeating" because the monster is still a threat if encountered again). 

It helps here if the DM clarifies whether 0-level normal humans count as monsters (they may be only 5xp each but killing a whole village could be worth 1000xp if the DM allows it). DMs are well within their authority to say that killing friendly folk and livestock does not give any XP awards. This reduces the likelihood of the infamous murder-hobos running around the fantasy countryside behaving worse than bandits or orcs. If the PCs still persist with this then the players concerned may be less interested in acquiring levels & XP and more involved in a deranged power fantasy. I've seen it happen - It's not pretty.

If they get most of their XP from quests and heroic achievements then that is what they will do (though perhaps sticking to the letter rather than the spirit of the completion). In 3E it is suggested that story-based XP awards do not exceed XP for defeating monsters, while 5E seems much more vague. It does remind me of MMORPGs like World of Warcraft where characters keep picking up and completing quests and have a list of currently active quests - to-do lists with XP rewards every time one is ticked off. Personally I do not have any problems with XP awards for completing quests as long as DMs are sensible about it. I think the one thing I do raise my eyebrow at is the idea of "once the party reaches this stage of the story/campaign, they all automatically go up 1 level". It just seems lazy, both in terms of adventure design (the next chapter in the mega-adventure is for the next level so lets just increase everyone up 1 level so they can get on with it) and also the gaming experience, feeling entitled to gain a level without regards to earning XP. If I was DMing that sort of adventure, I would not automatically award levels, but I would provide side quests and mini-dungeons as opportunities to earn the required XP so that they have properly gained sufficient XP and therefore levels to take on the next part of the campaign.    

XP for role-playing can result in either interesting or annoying attempts to play their characters outside of combat. Sometimes it is entertaining, other times horribly forced. 

I was thinking about motivations for protagonists in the stories that inspired D&D. Bilbo Baggins, Conan the Barbarian, Cugel the Clever, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser and many more heroes of Appendix N were all mostly motivated by money and treasure, and so this is what the creators of D&D (particularly Gary Gygax) expected. 

But others had other goals. Frodo Baggins setting off on his epic quest to destroy the One Ring was motivated by trying to save his world. Elric of Melnibone may have enjoyed treasure but was caught up in the wars between Law and Chaos. Drizzt Do'Urden (once he reached the surface world) was often helping his friends around Icewind Dale. The Companions of the Lance were engaged in epic quests to save the world of Krynn from the evil Dragon Armies. Turjan the Magician was interested in knowledge, particularly of arcane matters. 

Finally I think alignment should play a part here. I'm not sure which should come first when creating a character, alignment or motivation but I certainly think they inform each other. In the 3-alignment system of B/X D&D, I can well imagine lawful characters being more willing to go on epic quests to save the kingdom, while neutral characters are more interested in personal power and wealth. Chaotic characters are usually similar to neutral ones in motivation but are more likely to become the infamous murder-hobos that are the worst sort of chaotic characters - they have far less restraint or scruples as to how they acquire money and power. 

So what is the right way of doing this? Honestly my opinion is whatever works for your group. Different players and DMs will have different ideas and hopefully each group will find a combination of the above that they are comfortable with. I'm not going to lay down any rules or strong opinions (apart from automatically gaining levels....).  Although by the book B/X offers only treasure and monster XP, D&D is a game that is wide open to modifications and additions. 

Adventures and Dungeons around Cinsa-Men-Noo

Based on original map by Thorfinn Tait, source

The town of Cinsa-Men-Noo, in the western part of the Emirate of Nithia, northern Ylaruam, is close to a number of places adventurers may be interested in exploring, and is well-suited as a base from which expeditions can be launched. Adventures within the town are certainly possible, with traders, the local garrison, the local thieves, adventurers, rival religions and the like all rubbing shoulders in a small town.

Then there are the ruins underneath the town, which is built on top of the old Nithian settlement of Cinz-Amen. Crypts, cellars, passageways and the like buried for over a thousand years still contain the possessions and the bodies of the ancient Nithians themselves (both dead and undead), as well as numerous vermin. Dealing with these when they are encountered by construction workers and the like is one way of introducing the ancient Nithians to novice adventurers. 

The Ruins of Allaktos are described here. They sit among the dry rocky cliffs of the escarpment where the Great Salt Basin meets the Northern Highlands of Nithia. 

The Shrine of the Dervishes is a spiritual centre for the dervishes of Ylaruam. It is a simple village and stronghold set against the escarpment of where the desert meets the hills. It is not exactly home to the dervishes because they are nomadic, but they view this as a holy place and will visit when in need of guidance, meditation or  discussing matters with their fellow dervishes. As well as the desert druids themselves there are also bands of fanatical nomadic fighters, the Followers of the Dervishes. These are sometimes mistakenly called dervishes themselves. These  Followers of the Dervishes both protect the druidic dervishes themselves and also carry out missions and tasks ordained by the dervishes. 

The Pleasure Palace of Kithannis is described here. 

The White Palace of Sindhara is described here

The Citadel of the Bleeding Blade is the headquarters of the dreaded Holy Killers of the Eternal Secret. 

The Temple of Thanoth-Ra is an ancient Nithian temple complex, with about 10 actual temples and numerous dwellings, storerooms, mastaba tombs, offices and workshops within the complex. It dates back to the same time as Allaktos but is mostly above ground whereas Allaktos is much more of an underground dungeon. It has only recently been discovered by dwarven prospectors and has not been plundered yet. But there are those who warn against such rash greed - these Nithian sites are often cursed and nobody now knows what sort of deities were worshipped, or what guardians remain to watch over the Temple of Thanoth-Ra. 

Shaddranath Silver Mine is ancient, at least as old as the ancient Nithian Empire, and some sages speculate it may go back to the Mogreth lizardmen. It is very extensive, with many chambers, passageways, shafts and junctions going miles underground. Yet it keeps yielding enough silver for it to be worthwhile. The really odd thing is that new silver veins sometimes appear in old chambers and faces that were supposedly exhausted - it is as if the silver keeps growing back. A company of 70 dwarves currently holds the entrance and upper levels and will send weekly caravans of pack mules with silver to Cinsa-Men-Noo. But the lower levels are not claimed by civilized folk and are far more dangerous. Yet the temptation to explore further and deeper is strong, especially since those dwarven explorers who have survived the deepest levels believe they have seen veins of Mithril in the walls. 

Ya'argrakk, the Fortress of the Gnolls, is still very much in use by gnolls and their kobold slaves. Gnolls are not very good at recording history, but it seems that this was originally a Nithian border fort that was then taken over and improved by a mad mage. Gnolls took over about 100 years ago and they have held onto it ever since. The surface structures are quite impressive though not in good repair - one can only speculate what underground levels may be like. Ylari scouts who have returned to tell their tales say that about 900 gnolls and perhaps the same number of kobolds live there, including leaders, shamans and specialist troops, including hyaenodon riders who charge into battle on giant prehistoric hyenas. What nobody outside the fortress knows is that the gnolls are coordinated and assisted by a small cabal of 20 hutaakans, all of whom have strong clerical powers. The gnolls are ostensibly led by the gnoll king Rathnaguul but the hutaakans are the power behind the throne. 

Image by postapodcast, source

The Mogreth Sites date back to even before the rise of Nithian civilization when a culture of reptilian humanoids dominated the area when it was lush and verdant. These were predominantly an advanced form of lizardman, though their mages and leaders were serpentine. The Mogreth ruins near Cinsa-Men-Noo are mainly towards the west, and include Ithkesp, Akil and Akha-Sstalazhat. However, known to very few still alive, Cinz-Amen, the Nithian city that Cinsa-Men-Noo is built on, is itself built on top of primordial Mogreth ruins. No living human has ventured that for into the dungeons and returned to tell the tale. 

Beyond these major sites there are other forms of adventure:

Humanoid tribes, including gnolls, kobolds and ogres, live in the Nithian hills, preying on isolated farmsteads and unwary travellers. Prospectors, traders and missionary clerics could all ask adventurers for protection as they go on their various journeys. Some of the gnolls will have set out from Ya'argrakk but others are based in smaller lairs dotted around the hills. 

Desert Rakastas are sometimes seen wandering the wastes. They are dressed in a way similar to human desert nomads, and are distinct from other rakastas by their slender builds, long limbs and cheetah-like markings, with golden-yellow fur with black spots and distinctive "tear marks" from the inner corner of their eyes down to their mouths. Although generally shy and reclusive around humans and demihumans, they can be fierce if provoked. Even worse are rumours that some desert rakastas have been seduced by the forces of Chaos and have become man-eaters, preying on travellers in the wastelands.  

The Nithian folk are not the most friendly or outward-looking of humans. Banditry, worship of ancient Nithian idols and even the worship of Chaos all occur among them. Outsiders and even government officials need to be careful when dealing with them. Even dervishes are cautious around Nithians, and some will only travel here with a squad of the Followers of the Dervishes. They are only barely part of the Emirates.

Centaurs dwell in the hills - They have respect for the dervishes and their followers, but contempt for the greedier, less honourable humans found in towns and cities. The Tharaddi tribe is the biggest and strongest with 60 members - their warriors prefer skirmish tactics using shortbows to harass slower opponents while using their speed to keep a safe distance. Most of the time they just avoid civilized humans but occasionally they retaliate if they feel wronged, or even ask for help when facing a threat they cannot handle by themselves.

There are stories of a floating castle on a massive cloud island that moves around northern Ylaruam. It is believed to be inhabited by a trio of cloud giants who have also come to an agreement with a band of djinn. The djinn share the castle, and in return assist the cloud giants. It is also believed that one of the giants occasionally uses a giant-sized Censer of Air Elemental control so there is often at least 1 (12HD) air elemental on the cloud island as well. 

There are known to be at least 6 blue dragons around western Nithia and in the nearby mountains. One of these is the large blue male Razzlask the Magnificent. He has kept his lair well-hidden as a precaution against thieves and adventurers wanting to make a name for themselves. He is a spell-caster and will often fly around with an invisibility spell active. He does not often resort to violence, but may demand tribute in the form of gold and livestock. He has even visited Cinsa-Men-Noo to exact vengeance on a trio of human adventurers who had slain his mate - he slew each of the three but killed no townsfolk or soldiers, and then explained to terrified townsfolk why he had killed these adventurers, and that he had no grudge against the rest of them, and then he turned invisible and flew off. 

The Pleasure Palace of Kithannis

Image by Mohammed Noureddini, source

In the baking dry foothills of the Emirate of Nithia among the rocky cliffs there is a palace, a hidden retreat for sheiks, beys, emirs and their closest friends and lovers. The Pleasure Palace of Kithannis was created over a hundred years ago by Sheik Kithannis Al'Deraani, a local ruler who paid lip-service to the Eternal Truth but was actually put off by the constant emphasis on moral rectitude, temperance and chastity. So Kithannis maintained his upright appearance while at his main palace in Tel Al Kebir but could let his hair (and various items of clothing) down when at this pleasure palace he created. He also invited trusted friends including fellow nobles of Ylaruam and soon it became an open secret among courts of the various Emirs. 

In the palace are harem chambers, often occupied by beautiful women, bed chambers, swimming pools, feasting halls and kitchens, as well as rooms with art, books, scrolls and musical instruments. Kithannis took a broad view of pleasure, and considered a well-cooked meal or a hilarious jester just as part of his pleasure palace as the more obvious pleasures of the flesh in the harem. He often brought bands of musicians along to play for him and his guests. There is a room converted to a gallery that holds pictures by the Alphatian artist Derrisari who used magical illusions to either make pictures seem three-dimensional or even moving (though in a short, preset pattern, like a magical GIF). Although food needs to be brought in from outside, there is a well in the central courtyard that brings fresh water. The well is extremely deep, and it connects to an ancient subterranean river. This keeps the guests and the courtyard garden watered. 

One thing that Kithannis excluded was religion. There are no shrines, religious books or holy symbols here - this palace was built as an escape from what Kithannis saw as oppressive bossiness of religion. Some say he may have been influenced by his stay in Glantri.  However, he was no lover of violence or sadism, and he did not want people hurting others, so the pleasure palace is patrolled by 4 amber golems in the form of huge leopards. There is believed to be a silver and ruby rod that enables the wielder to command the golems, but even without specific instructions the golems will approach and try to intervene if someone is hurting someone else, using lethal force as a last resort. 

These days the palace is run by an enterprising wizard, Tar'Shaan Al'meria (human female, 14th level MU, Neutral). She hires all but the basements out to noblemen for parties or personal rest and recreation. The basements are her own domain - no visitors allowed. Although she never lets on, she now has the rod that commands the amber golems. She also has a number of human staff for housekeeping, cooking and gardening. None of them are armed or armoured - they leave the guarding to the golems. 

As well as its primary role as somewhere for the rich and noble to relax and enjoy themselves, the palace has also become something of a neutral meeting place where important matters can be discussed away from the prying eyes of courtiers and functionaries. Trade deals, peace treaties, arranged marriages and the like have all been hammered out here, and the presence of the amber golems makes assassinations unlikely. There is a story of a nobleman who hired a mage to summon an invisible stalker to slay a guest staying at the palace. Amber golems can see invisible things, and the invisible stalker was intercepted and destroyed by the golems - the first the guests knew about it was two of the golems pawing at something invisible that was shrieking like the desert wind. At the request of the guest, Kithannis used the rod to order one of the golems to find and kill the mage that summoned the stalker (the intended victim knew who the summoner was). It did so, returning a few weeks later with the body of the mage in its amber jaws. 

Although the pleasure palace does not contain a great deal of coins, it has many luxury and artistic items that could be valuable on the market. The amber golems are also instructed to stop anyone from taking any of these items off the premises - only the wielder of the silver and ruby rod can overrule this instruction. Furthermore the current owner, Tar'Shaan, has a spell given to her by a grateful Alphatian mage, Greater Locate Object (6th level MU spell), which functions much like the 2nd level spell but with a range of 10 miles per level. If she knows an item is missing from the palace, she can generally track it down quickly and deal with the thief. 

Holy Killers of the Eternal Secret

source

Background

 These are a combination of Islamic Assassins and the Medjai (chaps from Brendan Frasier's Mummy movies who were determined to keep Imhotep and Hamunaptura a secret). They are devotees of the Eternal Truth who are fanatical about keeping Nithia as secret as possible. They are a variant of thieves and prefer mundane skills to magical illusion to stay hidden until they strike. 

Founded long before the rise of Al-Kadim and the spread of the Eternal Truth, they are the most dedicated opponents of ancient Nithia and anyone who tries to bring ancient Nithia back to Mystara. The Holy Killers' most common targets are treasure hunters seeking to unearth forbidden Nithian artefacts to sell to unscrupulous dealers, both native Ylari and those from other nations looking to make their fortune. However, a sinister new enemy has emerged, Nithian cultists intent on resurrecting their destroyed religion.

The Holy Killers' current base is a fortress high in the hills near the border mountains where they train and receive their orders, known as the Citadel of the Bleeding Blade, referred to by members as "the Citadel" . They are led by the mysterious Old Man of the Hills, a cleric of considerable power and charisma who  can convince recruits of the importance and sincerity of the mission so well that many become willing to die for his cause. These recruits come from the urchins, orphans and unwanted children of slaves in the various towns and cities around the Emirates, offered food, shelter, purpose in life and maybe excitement and adventure. 

There are those who have drifted away from the true faith, and now sell their skills to the highest bidder. The holy killers might be in the service of the greater good but they have very marketable skills, and being motivated by the prophet can easily turn into profit motive. Some of these are loners but in Ylaruam city itself there is a shadowy group of them calling themselves the Guild of Assassins. They are even more paranoid and ruthless than the holy killer of the Eternal Secret, and have the dreaded mantra "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted". 

The Bead of Oblivion only affects a 24-mile hex outside Surra-Man-Raa. This is only a small part of the Emirate of Nithia. Anyone approaching Nithia from another direction (such as Cinsa-Man-Noo or Ylaruam City) won't be anywhere near the bead. The Order of the Holy Killers are aware of the Bead of Oblivion's effect (if not the bead itself), and most stay away from the area outside Surra-Man-Raa. Even if they do enter it (either knowingly to chase a target or accidentally), they only forget about Nithia, not that they are members of the sect and what their target is (though they may magically forget why they are hunting the target). They can always be re-educated as necessary once back at their base. In fact, some of them may not even need to be told the details about ancient Nithia, just that tomb-robbing in the hills of Nithia is a crime against Al-Kalim and the immortals because it risks unleashing terrible evils.

The Holy Killers of the Eternal Truth are a backup if the tomb-robbing intruders avoid the area of effect of the Bead of Oblivion. Immortals may send supernatural agents to cause certain followers to forget about Nithia. But the Holy Killers are a more thorough, less gentle way of dealing with those who have avoided the Bead of Oblivion. And they believe they are doing the work of the Immortals and of Al-Kalim (which they are, in a bloody sort of way).

Game Rules

For these holy killers I am going with the AD&D version of Backstabbing (from 1E AD&D PHB):

Back stabbing is the striking of a blow from behind, be it with club, dagger, or sword. The damage done per hit is twice normal for the weapon used per four experience levels of the thief, i.e. double damage at levels 1-4, triple at 5-8, quadruple at levels 9-12, and quintuple at levels 13-16. Note that striking by surprise from behind also increases the hit probability by 20% (+4 on the thief’s “to hit” die roll).

Holy Killers like B/X thieves can use any type of weapon. But they can only backstab while using a normal sword, shortsword or dagger as their back stabbing technique involves thrusting the blade between certain ribs, which cannot be done with axes, maces or clubs. Backstabbing against non-humanoids (such as animals, magical beasts, constructs and undead) only does double damage as anatomy is not the same. 

Holy killers can and sometimes do use poison, either ingested or insinuated on a blade, though they do not get any special bonuses when using it.  

Holy killers of the Eternal Secret can use most of the standard thief skills. However, they have swapped the thief's ability to find and disarm traps with the new ability to disguise themselves. This is not the same as impersonating a specific individual. but can either be used to look like a specific job, role or the like, such as a palace guard, a merchant or a housewife (base 10% + 3% per level) or simply not appear as the holy killer normally does, so that those who know the holy killer's face are less likely to recognise him (base 15%, +5% per level). Situational adjustments may be applied by the DM (e.g. if in a crowd the holy killer might get a bonus, if being stopped and questioned by a sergeant of the town watch there may be a penalty. Similarly time spent practicing a role and observing those he tries to imitate will give a bonus (noticing how palace guards salute and march, or the accents people in a particular town use).

Ostensibly Holy Killers can be any alignment though most are neutral - they may be killers but they target those who they believe are threats or deserve to die. Some however are chaotic, and enjoy killing too much. These are more likely to abandon the order and join the guild of assassins. 

Image by Zvonimir Grbasic (source)

Magical Wonders of Alphatia

 Alphatia has been around for a long time. At this campaign's current time (1000AC), Alphatia has been colonized and developing for 2000 years. During that time major non-magical threats (humanoid tribes, dragons, giants and problematic non-magical humans) have been dealt with by the numerous archmages. This has left generations of thousands of wizards to experiment, construct and transform things across the continent. Alphatia has become a wizards' giant laboratory and play-pen. 

The motivations for creating these wonders varies but can include defence and security,  attacking enemies and expanding borders, academic curiosity, part of a quest for immortality (especially the Path of the Paragon and the Sphere of Energy), generating trade and wealth or  maybe pure entertainment (some wizards just like to keep themselves occupied). Similarly the size and form of these wonders can vary widely, from magic rings to floating cities. Constructed creatures, magical castles, enchanted weapons, staffs and wands, flying ships (cliched but still popular) and miscellaneous magic items are all the creations of wizards through the centuries. 

Image by Keith Parkinson, source

As time moves on these may become inherited by their creators' successors, or destroyed, or abandoned. Perhaps their function or the way they are activated has been forgotten. If they are still functional, other wizards are unlikely to just leave it lying around. Sometimes these magical wonders just wander off on their own. 

If the wizard has an interest in biology then modifying species or creating hybrids could become an interesting hobby. Rumour has it that this is how owlbears, thouls and bulettes came into being. Making monsters bigger is also a common experiment, and Alphatia is the home of the gargantuas (from the Companion Set).  For those with a more constructive approach to creating monsters there are numerous constructed creatures that wizards can put their minds to crafting. Golems and living statues (also known as animated statues) are also popular, but there are also rarer ones including drolems, iron cobras, bronze minotaurs, caryatid columns and stone guardians. What happens to these constructs after their masters die can vary wildly. Some can be commanded by whoever wields some controling item (such as a ring or amulet linked to the construct) while others simply cease to respond to anyone elses' command and just stand there, and a few may run amok without a master to control them. 

For those who are not interested in putting in the work of actually making a servitor, there is the option of summoning. Usually this is for the duration of a battle but some mages can bring creatures from elsewhere to serve for much longer periods, such as until a task is complete. Such creatures are generally either elemental (including Invisible Stalkers) or from the Planes of Chaos. Over the course of the history of Alphatia thousands of such creatures will have been summoned, and not all of these will have been destroyed or dismissed back to their planes of origin. More recently twisted summoners have added a whole new range of potential minions, though at the cost of the summoner's soul. Even if the twisted summoner dies, the summoned creatures still remain. 

Gates and portals are sometimes created. These may go anywhere, from the Elemental planes, Ethereal, the Planes of Chaos or Law, or even other worlds on the Material Plane. It could even take people to somewhere else on Mystara or even someWhen else - such as back to the golden age of Blackmoor or forwards to the far future of the Known World. And of course the portals are usually two-way, so creatures and characters can come through to Mystara. 

Excavating dungeons is often part of this - though usually the dungeon is a means to an end and where further experiments and projects are conducted. Dungeons can provide a secretive and secure place where intruders can be kept out, captive and created creatures can be contained and the wizard can have some peace and quiet for serious concentration on their work. The actual number of dungeons across Alphatia is unknown but at least in the thousands. Having said that, wizards may well hand their dungeons on to apprentices who know the traps, guards and should have any passwords and keys necessary for safe access. The apprentice may well add to the dungeon - think of Undermountain in the Forgotten Realms where Halaster Blackcloak the Mad Mage created the bulk of the main levels but his apprentices created their own sections and sublevels. Another prime example is Castle Greyhawk, created by the Mad Archmage Zagyg. And if you think the monikers are similar, think how many mad archmages have been lived in Alphatia over the last 2000 years, where there is a Grand Council of 1000 archmages, many of whom are various shades of Chaotic. Not all of these will have created dungeons (let alone megadungeons) but they all will have had some sort of stronghold as their home, either solitary or shared. The mage does not even need to be maximum level - Wall of Stone, Rock to Mud and Disintegrate are three spells that allow wizards of only 12th level to single-handedly create a basic dungeon, given enough castings of each spell.  

Finally there are spells. There are the standard spells of the magical colleges that nearly every mage has access to (once they reach sufficient level) - there are 12 spells per spell level. These are widely known from Norwold to the Savage Coast, and even non-mages have at least heard of them, and often seen mages cast them (many ordinary folk can recognise a Magic Missile or Fireball when cast). But when a nation the size of Alphatia has wizards researching spells every year over the course of its history, it is no surprise that there are hundreds of non-standard, rarer spells in the personal spellbooks of various mages of Alphatia. These include Greater Mirage (which the Alphatian mage Zembrig used to hide Tandallos Fortress for a number of centuries) and World Portal. Other wizards will go to great lengths to acquire written copies of these spells. 

In short, in Alphatia the threats to civilized folk and opportunities for adventures tend to come from the results of magic and the efforts of wizards, rather than natural or military situations. Whether it be a matter of destroying an out of control elemental, or retrieving a long lost spellbook or reclaiming a dead wizard's stronghold on behalf of his next of kin, the arcane arts and their effects and consequences are found everywhere in Alphatia. 

Safari Island has gone Wild

 As a sort of follow-up to my ideas about the Kingdom of Ierendi, I have thought a little bit about Safari Island. In Gaz4 it is described as a mixture of managed wilderness and arenas where mock adventures can be played out. Personally I'm not keen on the latter - I'm not interested in "adventures" where neither the threat nor the rewards are real even for the characters. In Gaz4 Safari Island gets several pages so I'm not going to quote it all here. 

Cartography by Thorfin Tait, source

My ideas about Safari Island

The set-up described in Gaz4, with the arenas with the arranged adventures was put together about 50 years ago by the archmage Dhammon who partly viewed it as a business venture, but also enjoyed thrilling guests and audiences, and for about 40 years this worked well. Powerful enchantments kept the captive monsters in the arenas and adventure parks well behaved. The villages of Kodos and Calatupos were renowned destinations for thrill-seeking tourists. Connections with Ierendi island were strong and business was good. There was even a demand for captured monsters from distant lands, particularly dinosaurs from the legendary Isle of Dread, which some brave adventurers attempted and a few even succeeded. The Velociraptor exhibit would always draw large crowds. 

Then something went wrong - horribly wrong. The enchantments that held the captive monsters in check somehow dissipated or maybe were dispelled. A hill giant in a hill-shaped arena that should pretend to capture and devour a young boy actor suddenly lost its temper and flung the poor boy down the steep hill, killing the poor lad. Trolls that were in the same arena and should just scare visitors decided to tear one "adventurer" apart, and almost did the same to his terrified colleagues. 

Monsters that had not previously been recorded on the island started to turn up. Foul play was suspected, and they were right. One of Dhammon's apprentices, Irden, became resentful at always being bossed around by Dhammon and being treated worse than the exhibits (at least in his eyes). He became a Twisted Summoner and one fateful summer he undid all the safeguarding enchantments using Dispel Magic, while unleashing his own chaotic minions. Safari Island descended into chaos and destruction, with boatloads of tourists fleeing the island. Another of Dhammon's apprentices, Arnoth, and his bodyguard the fighter Rogar of Muldune were killed while trying to rescue tourists from the dinosaurs. 

No-one is sure what happened to Irden - some say he was killed by rampaging monsters but others say he still survives in his fortified hideout, guarded by chaotic minions still under his control. 

Ten years later and some stability has come to the island. Calatupos and Kobos are both inhabited but also a lot more fortified to fend off wandering monsters. Pupami has been abandoned as it was considered too isolated and vulnerable. There are tourists and visitors, but the rules and atmosphere have changed considerably. Any visitors have to sign numerous liability waivers and disclaimers of responsibility - anyone leaving the safety of the two fortified compounds is taking their lives in their own hands. Hunting licenses are for sale if the tourists want to take trophies. Killing monsters in self defence is understandable but if killed without a license the island authority claims any treasure and the monster's body. 

The villages are home to both hospitality staff, local guides, fishermen, merchants (some of whom sell tabards for tourists with the motto "I visited Safari Island and survived") and a garrison of well-trained mercenaries (all fighters of at least 3rd level) whose job it is to defend the village and occasionally rescue tourists from trouble. The local guides are mostly reliable but are definitely not heroic - if they see an angry or hungry monster coming for them, they will yell a warning but will still try to run faster than the tourists. The more ruthless guides are generally not so brutal as to actually kill a lone tourist but may well let them be killed by a monster, then loot the tourist's body. 

Despite the proliferation of large predators, there are still a lot of wild herbivores roaming the island including giant boar and aurochs as well as various herd animals and even some rhinos. These support the predator population (and also the humans - local guides will often hunt antelope for food). The island has a range of habitats and as such a wide range of monsters. Close to the villages the monsters are not too dangerous (relatively speaking), and include carnivorous apes, lizardmen, rock pythons and giant chameleons. Further afield, particularly in the mountainous areas, there are more serious threats including wyverns, manticores, hill giants, trolls and of course dinosaurs. Most of the local guides have their limits (regardless of how much money is offered) and will only venture within 10 miles or so from each village. 

The Cliffs of Para on the southwestern coast have many coves, inlets and tidal caves. These have become hidden havens for pirates who have gradually developed some of these harbours into sophisticated bases. They use these to launch expeditions against Thyatis, Karameikos and further afield even into the Sea of Dawn. The pirates do need to be careful when sailing around this coastline for wyverns, pteranodons and small rocs, all of who will pick pirates out of the crows nest or off small rowing boats. These pirates will often visit the ports of Vlaad, Nula and Jortan where there are fewer monsters, but more rivals and less privacy than these secluded coves. Some of these pirate bases are believed to include slave pens - although slavery is officially outlawed in Ierendi, these pirates don't care. They will sometimes raid coastal settlements around the northern Sea of Dread and then sell the slaves to Thyatis or further afield.  

The village of Calatupos often encourages its tourists and visitors to enjoy the warm, clear, calm seas that surround it. This has been popular since the days of Dhammon, but recently a spate of shark attacks has made everyone afraid to go in the water. This is bad for business. At first the village authorities tried to dismiss this but then  several tourists in rapid succession were killed in sight of people on the shore. One particularly large great white shark is suspected, and the authorities would appreciate it if adventurers would hunt it down and bring evidence of its demise. A local fisherman did offer the use of his canoe, but the mercenary captain said "We're going to need a bigger boat".  The shark is not a natural predator but actually a wereshark, a local islander who lives in Calatupos but who goes missing on moonless or new moon nights and returns (resurfaces?) a few days later. 

Sindaba tower is not a tourist destination but a fortified lighthouse maintained by soldiers to guide tourist ships safely into Kobos. It can act as a safe haven for visitors fleeing from monsters in emergencies but this is rare. Similarly North Tower performs a similar function for Calatupos. North Tower used to be the home of Dhammon, Irden and Arnoth and functioned as the headquarters of Safari Island's management. Although it still works as a lighthouse, there are no resident wizards here trying to keep the monsters under control, though rumour has it there are secret passages leading to laboratories and libraries where biomancy research was conducted years ago by Dhammon, Arnoth and Irden while the island parks were being set up. 

Ideas about Cinsa-Men-Noo

Image by lathander1987, source

Cinsa-Men-Noo is a town in the Emirate of Nithia in Ylaruam. It has a population of 4100 and sits on the inland trade route through the mountains between the Emirates and the Soderfjord Jarldoms.  Its main source of water is the cluster of oases that well up from below the desert - Cinsa-Men-Noo is at the north-east end of this cluster and the town of Tel Al Kebir is at the south-west end. Although governed by different Emirs (Tel Al Kebir is in the Emirate of Alasiya ) the two towns generally cooperate and get along, particularly in matters of defence and security - in matters of trade and commerce they can afford to be a bit more competitive.   

The Emirate of Nithia is dotted with the ruins of ancient Nithia, including the Ruins of Allaktos . As such, some adventurers use Cinsa-Men-Noo as a base from which to launch expeditions into the Nithian hinterlands. Although the sea-port of Surra-Man-Raa is more accessible, it has a problem in the form of a buried artifact (the Obelisk of Ancient Oblivion, which contains the Bead of Oblivion) placed by concerned immortals that wipes the memories of Nithia from anyone passing through. Adventurers and explorers arrive at Surra-Man-Raa with intentions of plundering ancient pyramids and end up wandering around the desert for a few days, returning back to Surra-Man-Raa and leaving empty handed and confused. Cinsa-Men-Noo has no such problematic artifact. However the authorities disapprove of disturbing the sites of the ancient Nithians - they have some inkling of the evil and power that is contained within the crumbling ruins and they have no wish to see it unleashed by careless tomb-robbers. Anyone trying to openly sell ancient Nithian treasures will have such items confiscated by the town authorities. There are, however, some shady merchants willing to relieve the finders of such awkward goods, for a reduced price of course. 

Nonetheless there is one ancient Nithian ruin that the townsfolk would like to see cleared out - the one directly underneath their feet. Cinsa-Men-Noo is built on the old site of the Nithian city of Cinz-Amen. Although the upper structures of Cinz-Amen have been razed, there are still extensive passageways, chambers, tombs and cellars underneath the town. This is occasionally brought to the town's attention when a new construction project breaks into one of these chambers and undead monstrosities crawl out and attack the construction workers. In such cases, adventurers are more than welcome to deal with the problem - they may keep any harmless treasure such as coins and gems but anything that radiates evil (from a Detect Evil spell) will be safely destroyed by town authorities. 

Image by Charles Robertson, source

Cinsa-Men-Noo is both on a busy trade route and also the hub of a number of mining operations. The Nithian Hills are rich with minerals and prospectors will often set out from this town to find new deposits. The hills are dangerous, however, and prospectors and miners are often attacked by monsters, humanoid tribes and human bandits. Adventurers may be called on to help clear away these enemies from a rich deposit the prospector thinks is worth the trouble. In return, the prospector could point the adventurers in the direction of some Nithian ruins he has encountered. Ores are usually processed close to where they are mined and the refined metals are then transported to town and then onto the trade route. 

Cinsa-Men-Noo has a substantial population of dwarves (15%, or about 620), many of whom are involved in the mining and prospecting described above. This includes two small shrines kept by dwarven clerics - one is dedicated to Kagyar, the immortal patron of dwarves, and the other is to the Eternal Truth and Al-Kalim. The members of these two shrines are wary of each other - although they acknowledge each other, there is a certain rivalry and disagreement about who Ylari dwarves ought to follow. The dwarven quarter has a substantial number of blacksmiths, armourers and workshops and these certainly help Cinsa-Men-Noo's economy. 

Cinsa-Men-Noo has some agriculture around the oases, with wheat, dates, oranges and the like all growing nearby. The town does also trade extensively with Tel-Al-Kebir, with Cinsa-Men-Noo providing metals and minerals, and Tel-Al-Kebir providing food, horses and wine. 

In terms of defence, Cinsa-Men-Noo has a garrison of 100 professional troops (all 2nd level fighters or dwarf warriors or higher) who also act as the town guard, but there is also a militia system and in an emergency about 1 in 10 of the townsfolk can drop their day job and don armour and weapons - about 400 militiamen, mostly normal men though a few 1st level fighters among them). 

Some of the characters found in Cinsa-Men-Noo include:

• Sheik Aldar Allarn (human male, 9th level fighter, Lawful) is the appointed governor of Cinsa-Men-Noo on behalf of the Emir in Surra-Man-Raa. Sheik Aldar is a cautious ruler, and knows he has a good thing here, and doesn't want to mess anything up. He also has genuine concern for the well-being of his citizens and will swiftly react if anything disturbs the peace of his town. 
• Mufti Karrishi Jullana (human female, 10th level fighter, Lawful) is the captain of the town garrison and effectively the chief of police. She gets on well with Sheik Aldar and together they do their best to protect the town from raiders and miscreants. She is cautious around adventurers, and has many different encounters with them, some good, some bad. If adventurers prove trustworthy and reliable, she may have a few jobs for them. But woe betide anyone questioning why the captain of the guard is a woman...
• Iman Nizzar ibd-Dalnari (human male, 10th level cleric, Lawful) is the senior cleric in town and the local leader of the faithful in the Eternal Truth of Al-Kalim. Iman Nizzar is the most knowledgeable person in town regarding ancient Nithia, but he is very closed-mouth and cautious about telling people these secrets. He knows both from stories he has heard and also his own occasional experiences that what lies beneath the sands of Nithia should not lightly be disturbed. But when the problem is already in view (such as undead emerging from beneath the town), he is willing to help resolve the situation.
• Iman Duernor Ironshield (dwarf male, 6th level dwarf cleric,  Neutral) is the chief cleric of the small shrine to the Eternal Truth in the dwarven quarter. His main concern is the well-being of the dwarves in Cinsa-Men-Noo and he will sometimes act as their unofficial spokesman. He is quite relaxed around other races and is even cordial with elves, but he is quite defensive about his faith and does not take kindly to those questioning whether the Eternal Truth is any better than other faiths (particularly dwarf clerics who worship Kagyar). 
• Maerell Dhambor (human female, 6th level fighter/3rd level Darokin merchant, Neutral) is originally from Darokin but she has moved here because of the trade opportunities. and has adopted many of the customs and styles of Ylaruam. She trades across all the emirates and also into Rockhome and the Northern Reaches, and occasionally all the way to Selenica. She is a useful source of all sorts of items and services that can be traded - if she cannot get it herself, she knows a fellow merchant who can. She also knows members of the Selenica Cooperative. 
• Zai'rir the Enchanter (human male, 7th level magic user, Neutral) is the court mage. He may not be the most powerful but he is the one the town government calls on. He encourages all mages to register with him at the Office of the Vouchery of Sorcery and also wear a red sash across their torso that townsfolk knows is a sign of a magic-user. He is also interested in what lies beneath Ylaruman, and he is considering hiring adventurers to explore the bottom of the local oasis to see if there is a vertical shaft through which water upwells from the buried Nithian river. 
• Sharreem Al-Kirkuk (human male, 8th level thief, Neutral) is the landlord of a local inn, the Thirsty Camel, which caters to travellers from outside the Emirates. He is also the leader of an informal network of thieves and robbers. He will often gather information from drunk patrons while serving behind the bar, and pass the information to his partners in crime (for a share of the loot). Any adventurers returning with lots of valuable Nithian loot will definitely attract his attention, and it is not as if they can complain to the authorities...

The City of Shiell, Alphatia

 

Image by Lathander1987, source

The City of Shiell is the capital of the kingdom of Frisland (summary here) and has a population of 15,500 of various races, mostly human. Shiell is a fairly typical Alphatian city, filled with bold and wondrous architecture, often designed by wizards and created by magic. It sits just off from Shiell Lake which acts as a trade route and a source of fresh fish. There is plenty of surrounding farmland where non-magical commoners grow food and raise livestock. There is a small industry for crafting wagons, carriages and carts. 

The city has a long city wall that encloses more than just the built-up areas - the walls also include quite a few fields, gardens and copses. There are many wizard towers and mansions dotted around both inside and immediately outside the city walls - these often have eclectic and eccentric architecture. It is difficult to persuade a 36th level wizard to stick to town planning rules. 

The city skyline is dominated by the Royal Palace, the grandest of buildings in the city, with its two huge statues of Coatls (magical feathered serpents) towering over the palace and the heart of the city. This is the home to the king, Edjer the Twisted. This unfortunate epithet is not because of his character but because of his body - as a young boy he was involved in a horrible riding accident that smashed his pelvis and spine, so he now walks with the help of walking sticks and has a crooked, almost crippled gait.  Edjer is now 24 years old and competent wizard in his own right (17th level M-U, Neutral) but since this is Alphatia, he is by no means the most powerful.

King Edjer has his own "Privy Council" of 6 archmages, (36th level each) plus a general (General Gordolphus, human male, 26th level fighter, Lawful), a master merchant  (Maqueston, human male, 20th level M-U, 6th level Darokin Merchant, Neutral), a high priestess (Matriarch Delmina, human female 30th level cleric, Neutral) and his mother, Ellissia the Dowager Queen (human female, 25th level M-U, Lawful). There had been a spymaster but he was dismissed when it was realised that his skill at subterfuge and stealth could just as easily be accomplished with the right spells. 

The Magical College of Shiell is considered adequate for a small city, with 125 arcane members of staff (the dean of the College is an archmage and one of King Edjer's privy council). There are 1500 magic users of various levels of power registered at the college, most of whom are city residents, though some live further away across Frisland, usually in their own isolated towers or strongholds. There are believed to be another 500 unregistered mages resident in Shiell. 

As well as mages, there is a small force of 200 soldiers who keep the peace among the non-magical population. In the event of unruly mages causing problems, it is often members of the Magical College of Shiell who intervene. There is also the Cathedral of the Wondrous Book, a church of Neutrality that happens to revere exalted magic users - there are 7 particular neutral archmages who have ascended to minor immortality and venerated at the cathedral. The cathedral has 160 clerics of various levels associated with it, though not all these clerics will be in Shiell at any one time. The clerics are often sent out to towns and villages to administer to the lay folk.

There are other archmages in the city, including Derrobbar the Proud who took part in the war against Thyatian barbarians and who helped take the citadel of Newkirk thus securing the city, and also crippled the upstart Thyatian mage Ethanion with a Feeblemind spell. Derrobar feels he has done his duty to his Empire and now wishes to retire in peace, tinkering with various methods of creating constructs, including animated statues (also known as living statues) and golems. 

Gilgarreth the Unrepentant is an archmage that everyone else keeps an eye on. He does not obviously cause problems but his attitude is unpleasant and mean, and there are rumours that he secretly admires the forces of Chaos. Those rumours are correct, and Gilgarreth has now become a Twisted Summoner. (36th level!). He has been creating a dungeon underneath his mansion and is developing it into a combined laboratory, treasure vault, prison and barracks for his monstrous minions. The only monstrous minions that he allows to be seen are the kobolds - as well as excavating and maintaining his dungeon he also uses them to do some of the housework around the mansion. Gilgarreth's plans are uncertain - he has not attempted to attack the city but twisted summoners do not build up a dungeon filled with hordes of chaotic beasts without intending to do something with them. 

Marriselli the Wanderer (human female, 30th level MU, Neutral) is a nice lady when she is around but is often away on her travels. She has made extensive use of World Portals and has used powerful alchemy to create mithril-based portal frames that do not bend or break over multiple uses, so there is no chance of the World Portal closing prematurely. Her mansion sitting on the shore of Lake Shiell is filled with artefacts and trophies from different worlds. She currently enjoys visiting a city called Greyhawk in a world known as Oerth. as well as a very old world she calls "The Dying Earth" which she believes is the original home of how wizards of Mystara memorise and cast spells. 

 Barryabbla is another archmage (human female, 36th level MU, Lawful) who has invented a number of enchantments that can be placed on carts and wagons. There is an industry crafting these vehicles in Shiell, and she will sometimes place enchantments on them as favours to merchants.These include:

• Wagon of Heavy Hauling: reduce the weight and encumbrance of any non-living cargo placed on it. Any cargo on the Wagon of Heavy Hauling weighs only a third as normal. Once unloaded the cargo resumes its normal weight. 
• Cart of Swiftness: This cart can travel twice as fast as normal (120' per turn) without ill effects on the horses pulling it. 
• Wilderness Wagon: This wagon travels at the usual 60' when pulled by horses or mules but can travel through difficult terrain (deserts, mountains, forests & swamps) without any road. As long as the horses or mules can get through, the wagon will effortlessly follow. 
• Buoyant Cart: This cart will always float in water as long as it is not overladen. Most horses and mules can swim, and if they are harnessed to this cart, they can pull the Buoyant Cart across deep water as long as it is relatively calm (high waves will sink the Buoyant Cart). Oars or paddles can also be used by people on top of the Buoyant Cart.