The Selenica Pass

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 

Source

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

1d8+1d12	Encounter
2	DM's Choice
3	Griffon
4	Ogre
5	Cave Bear
6	Mountain Lion
7	Wolf Pack
8	Dwarf Patrol
9	Goblin Bandits
10	Merchant Caravan
11	Human Soldier Patrol
12	Herd Animals (d6: 1-3 wild goats, 4-5 Ibexes, 6 Yak)
13	Human Bandits
14	Adventuring Party
15	Wild Boar
16	Giant Hawk
17	Wyvern
18	Frost Giant
19	Stone Giant
20	Dragon (d6: 1-3= Red, 4-6= Blue)

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.  

A Journey from Karameikos to Ylaruam

Cartography by Mark Howard (source)

Revisiting the Rules for Overland Travel

It is possible to hand-wave journeys from one nation to another, and DMs are entitled to do so. One session the PCs are finishing their adventures around Castellan Keep and the Caves of Chaos, and the next session they have arrived at Cinsa-Men-Noo.  However, in many epic quests in legend, film and literature the journey is the bulk of the adventure. The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Odyssey, King Solomon’s Mines, Apocalypse Now and others have travel to a destination as most of the story. These are good for world-building and verisimilitude - making the campaign world seem more real, with geography, inhabitants and events going on around the PCs.  

Traditionally the idea is that Basic adventures (levels 1-3) happen around the dungeon, while Expert adventures (levels 4-13) involve venturing out into the wilderness. The X-series of modules (X1: The Isle of Dread etc) often have large sections of wilderness with dungeons often taking a secondary role. And so wilderness travel is principally addressed in the Expert rulebook. 

If the PCs stick to roads, I don’t bother with chances of getting lost and journey time is improved, as well as the reduced likelihood of hostile encounters.  If they decide to go off the beaten path , then things become more difficult and risky, and the rules for checking if the PCs get lost will apply. 

This particular journey from Karameikos to Ylaruam is more of an example than a concrete event that must happen. It is my way of considering how such expeditions might take place and how the DM can approach them. 

Motive & Hooks

The meta-reason for getting PCs from Karameikos is because I have envisioned Karameikos hosting low-level, Basic adventures - once the PCs reach 4th level or more they can venture further afield, either south into the Sea of Dread (which inevitably involves ship journeys) or staying on land they can travel to Darokin or Ylaruam. If the DM is happy with a true sandbox campaign, the PCs can venture anywhere they want, if they have the means and the motivation, but as a DM I find it better to prepare adventures in geographical clusters (e.g. northern Ylaruam or north coast of Norwold’s Great Bay) and to guide PCs towards that area if not towards a specific adventure. But of course trying to explain this to players might break the mood - why would their PCs, brave adventures in search of fame and fortune, want to travel to a far-off land like the Emirates of Ylaruam?  

• Treasure: Gnarl Vorggonson from far-off Ostland talks to the PCs in a tavern about the Emirates of Ylaruam. There are great pyramidal tombs filled with the burial treasures of the ancients. Whatever the risks of whatever guards it, the rewards are certainly worth while. The following morning Gnarl is found dead with a Ylari dagger in his back. The Holy Killers of the Eternal Secret have struck again. 
• Employment: A new notice is pinned on a wall of the inn at Castellan Keep: “ Caravan Guards wanted for journey northwards. Some combat experience preferable, payment is reasonable. See Beldorphix the Dwarf Merchant at the Griffon Shield Inn in Penhaligon”. 
• Magic Items: Zashell of the Magician’s Guild in Specularum has come across old papyrus scrolls inscribed with spells not seen in centuries. After investigating their provenance, she is sure there are more such scrolls in the ancient ruins of northern Ylaruam and she is willing to pay well for them if brought to her intact.   
• Academic Study: Ganahellion, an elf associated with Specularum College of Sages, wants to investigate the stories of ancient civilizations that once dominated northern Ylaruam. But he needs bodyguards as he has heard the land can be quite dangerous. 
• Entrepreneurial Trade: The garrison at Duke’s Road Keep has run out of oil for both lighting and for pouring on besiegers (after a recent and brutal battle). Anyone who brings five large barrels from Tel Al Kebir will be well paid. 
• Religion and Philosophy: Sister Alpadina, a junior cleric in the Order of the Griffon, has been asked by her superiors in Kelvin to see if there are suitable allies against the forces of Chaos in other lands. The Order has heard of the Eternal Truth and its followers but don’t know much about it. They know even less about the mysterious dervishes that inhabit the deserts of Ylaruam but Sister Alpadina wants to investigate, though she cannot do it alone. 
• Pursuit of Justice: The chaotic priest who has infiltrated Castellan Keep has fled after adventurers find evidence implicating him on his colleague in the Caves of Chaos. Will he take a riskier route into the wilderness or will he flee by safer though more circuitous roads and trails? PCs who pursue him may need to investigate and ask questions at the various settlements he might have passed through. 

Route and Distances

Here the hex maps I have used in these blog posts become really useful. The one at the top of this post was chosen because it shows the entirety of the journey as I expect it, with Karameikos in the southwest quarter and the Emirates of Ylaruam in the northeast quarter, with Cinsa-Men-Noo near the northern edge of the map. At 8 miles per hex it is simply a matter of counting the number of hexes between points and multiplying by 8 to get the distance in miles. It could be argued that the town, castle or village featured in a hex actually only takes up a small proportion of what is inside a hex (an 8 mile hex is actually 55 square miles in area) and thus distance may not be an exact multiple of 8, but I don't feel the need to be that accurate. 

My suggestion for this would be:

• Penhaligon to Duke's Road Keep: 7 hexes or 56 miles by road
• Duke's Road Keep to Reedle: 4 hexes or 32 miles by road
• Reedle to Selenica: 5 hexes or 40 miles by road
• Selenica to Parsa: 15 hexes or 120 miles by road (Update: I have written about the Selenica Pass here)
• Parsa to Sulba: 8 hexes or 64 miles by trail
• Sulba to Ylaruam City: 7 hexes or 56 miles by trail
• Ylaruam City to Cinsa-Men-Noo: 9 hexes or 72 miles by road

This gives a grand total of 55 hexes or 440 miles if the PCs stick to the main roads and trails. Whether or not the PCs stop at the various locations for rest and resupply is up to them. Generally speaking a travellers' inn, even a poor quality one, is better and safer than camping out on the side of the trail. These locations could well have their own adventures, side treks and NPC schemes going on as the PCs pass through. 

Speed of Travel

This one is explained in the Expert Rulebook and is the group's slowest traveler's movement per turn divided by five as miles per day. This is then further modified by what terrain they are travelling through although trails and roads cancel out any hinderance from terrain. I understand that this results in a daily distance that is only rarely divisible by 8, so it won't be a convenient matter of treating hexes as simple discrete stepping stones - we will be dealing in fractions of hexes (although probably not fractions of miles). 

If the slowest member of the party is travelling at 60ft/turn in a dungeon then they are travelling at 12 miles per day in the wilderness, assuming they are on relatively open and easy terrain, including trails. In fact if on roads the speed is increased by 3/2, so that character can travel at 18 miles per day on road. Such a character could therefore theoretically complete the route given above in  28 days (320 miles by road / 18 miles per day on roads = 17.8) + (120 miles by trail / 12 miles per day = 10 days).  Even a party riding mules will travel twice as fast as that (mules have a base speed of 120ft/turn) and could ideally complete the journey in 14 days. 

Random Encounters

I'm okay with random encounters as long as DM discretion applies both with regard to challenging the party and also whether it makes sense within the campaign world. Also remember that encounters need not be violent - either side may wish to parlay or avoid the other altogether. For some civilised encounters they are simply passing each other on their respective ways. Page X57 in the Cook rules gives guidelines for how often for each type of terrain random encounters are met. The number of checks per day is not entirely clear but I would suggest 2 - one during the day (presumably while travelling) and again at night (while camped) but I understand if the DM would rather keep it to just once per day. 

If the DM has enough time and motivation then custom random encounter tables are a great way to keep PCs on their toes - otherwise the encounter tables in the Expert Rulebook should be fine, especially with a bit of DM discretion. 

Weather

Weather is not actually addressed in the Expert rulebook but DMs can still make rulings about it. Harsh weather including hailstorms, downpours, blizzards and sandstorms can all hamper a party's movement and possibly get them lost if they insist on pushing on along a poorly marked trail. If already off-road, it is very difficult to navigate when the sun and stars are obscured by storm clouds. Actually damaging  weather such as lightning storms, tornadoes and the like should be rare and perhaps not random (i.e. only occuring when the DM needs the PCs to take shelter).  

The seasons will be important as well: winter travel in subarctic climes (such as Norwold) is not to be taken lightly. Similarly in hot deserts (such as Ylaruam and the Great Waste) the summer months can be unbearable.  

Provisions

Assuming the PCs have no magical way of creating food and drink, they will have to bring their own. Travelling along a river at least provides plenty of water and in temperate climes water should not be too scarce but in deserts such as Ylaruam it is a precious commodity. Since the B/X rules do not have classes dedicated to the wilderness, foraging is difficult and by no means reliable (although if using expanded rules, druids and elven rangers could be useful in this regard). Food and water for mounts may be necessary as well, especially in deserts and barren lands. The Rules Cyclopedia does offer guidelines on foraging in p89. 

Interestingly neither Moldvay Basic nor Cook Expert rules give the encumbrance for normal or iron rations. It's all lumped together with other miscellaneous equipment as 80cn/8lb. However, the Rules Cyclopedia is much more specific - a pack of one week's normal rations is 200cn and a week's iron rations are 70cn. A full waterskin (a quart) is 30cn and is probably going to last a day of travelling, two days if strictly rationed. 

As far as B/X rules are concerned there are no specific consequences for hunger, thirst or exhaustion. I would suggest for every 2 days without food or half day without water each PC suffers -1 to Str and Con (temporary - lost point are restored at 2 points per day once the character can eat and drink). If either score drops below 3 they are incapacitated (cannot move or fight and are barely conscious), and if either score drops to 0 they die. Clearly this is not scientifically accurate - most humans cannot survive more than 3 days without water to drink, even less in hot deserts - but I think it is sufficient for my purposes. If you prefer to work out your own rules for hunger and thirst, go for it. There is a brief section on p32 of Gaz2 Emirates of Ylaruam about heat exhaustion, but this is not really the same as dehydration. 

The Selenica Co-operative

 

source

The Selenica Co-operative is a network of merchants who have agreed to work together to stay in business and protect themselves and their goods. As the name suggests, the group is centred on Selenica in eastern Darokin and as such is on a crossroads between various nations including Karameikos, the Five Shires, Ylaruam and Rockhome. The merchants are all travelling traders, moving goods and money around between cities and countries, and generally do not maintain static shops, though they often trade with those that do. 

The four main functions of the cooperative are

1. Mutual defence. Members of the co-operative will often band together into large and well-guarded caravans when travelling to the same destination, or at least travelling the same road for a distance. Given how dangerous some of the mountain passes and hills can be, this is a sensible precaution. Bandits and monsters are less likely to raid a large caravan than a sole trader. 
2. Trade and financial information. There is a general understanding in the co-operative that news about trade and economics is important for finding the best deals and avoiding difficulties. As such members of the cooperative will tell each other about the ebb and flow of commodities, the activities of rivals who might compete with the cooperative, and laws and taxes in the places the cooperative might do business.
3. Avoiding competing with each other. Merchants don't like cutting prices simply because somebody else is selling similar wares cheaper. Although there is some disagreement and arguing within the co-operative, it is considered a safe place to sort out potential rivalry and help merchants find alternative markets. 
4. Loans at reasonable rates of interest. Admitedly what counts as reasonable can be subjective, but as long as both lender and borrower are in agreement, this has kept various merchants solvent and in business when they might otherwise have been ruined by the ups and downs of life as a travelling merchant.

Darokin is a land famous for its merchants including the great merchant houses that employ dozens or even hundreds of workers, and a head of the house overseeing all of its business, with junior merchants often acting under instruction. The Selenica Co-operative is far less hierarchical, and all members are at least in principle equals (though richer members are more equal than others). Each merchant in the co-operative is considered an independent trader looking after their own business and making their own deals. Most members are from Darokin but in the fifty years since it started in Selenica, more merchants from other places have joined, including:

• Ylaruam. This includes Parsa and Ylaruam City. The co-operative avoids Abbashan as they have had bad experiences with the theocracy there. In Cinsa-Men-Noo there is Maerell Dhambor, who is not a member but has had friendly dealings with the co-operative. 
• Karameikos, including Specularum, Kelvin and Penhaligon. Specularum is also a trading port for members who wish to trade further across the sea. In Penhaligon there are two members - Beltorphix and Maddrasso.  
• Rockhome. Though there are great opportunities to trade between Darokin and Rockhome, currently the only safe route through the mountains is into Ylaruam’s Parsa and then north through the Ust-Urt valley and through Karrak Castle. Nonetheless, merchants of the co-operative consider this long way round to still be worthwhile and in Greenston there is Meribidus Silverbrow   
• Athenos in the south of Darokin is the nation’s main port, and as such many merchants will either sell to foreign merchants here or else hire ships to trade overseas. 
• Corunglain in the north of Darokin is both a large city of customers and also the jumping off point for merchant caravans braving the dangerous routes to Glantri and Ethengar. There are several members of the co-operative based here. The mutual defense clause of membership is frequently invoked and the co-operative makes sure that caravans heading north into the Broken Lands are as well protected as they can afford to be. 
• Ierendi City. Note that the members are quite cautious about trading here - the city itself may be safe but the surrounding seas are patrolled by pirates from Vlaad. No sane member of the co-operative will trade actually in one of Ierendi’s pirate ports. 
• Thyatis City and Kerendas. The Empire of Thyatis is a great opportunity for trade, and the co-operative has several merchants based there. Goods will often be loaded onto a ship at Specularum and make the short trip past Minrothad. 
• No direct trade with Minrothad City occurs, primarily because of the Minrothad Guilds’ policies and insistence on maintaining a near-monopoly in their homeland. But sometimes Minrothad merchants will trade with members of the co-operative either in Kerendas or Specularum. 

The Selenica Co-operative is quite open-minded about its membership. A certain level of trustworthiness is required, so no theft from or assaulting other members is tolerated. Fraud and getting into trouble with law enforcement is likewise frowned on, and slandering other merchants (especially those within the co-operative) is discouraged. These basic rules mean that most of the cooperative are Lawful or Neutral in alignment - Chaotic types tend not to fit into the co-operative’s ethos. However, a range of races and nationalities are represented, and female merchants are welcome as well. This is primarily a matter of professionalism - the ability to do business and make money is the most respected attribute. 

Although not hierarchical, the co-operative does have leadership of sorts in the form of the Board of Directors, who are the 9 most senior or wealthy merchants in the co-operative who are asked to set the rules, welcome or expel members and deal with disputes between members. Although there is a certain amount of political manoeuvring both by those on the board and those seeking to ascend to the board, it does generally work fairly well, partly because of the ever present competition of the big merchant houses.  Those on the board who are particularly selfish, incompetent or greedy will find themselves outvoted on decisions and possibly voted off the board if the other eight directors would rather have someone different. Nonetheless, the board has run into trouble when one or more directors have been magically influenced (usually involving Charm or Suggestion spells) and there was one period when a rival major merchant houses was using a mage to scry on the board of directors meetings. 

Logos Location #10: The Dungeons of Kalaxar

Introduction and Background

Thanks to Dyson Logos' generosity, he has made a large number of his high quality maps available for use. I have decided (with his approval) to incorporate these into locations within Mystara. This is a B/X D&D adventure for a party of  characters of levels 3-4 set in the southeast of Darokin.

House Kalaxar was a merchant house to the south of Selenica in eastern Darokin until twenty years ago. The family members, although ostensibly respectable merchants, used underhand and violent methods to deal with competitors. Ten miles to the south of Selenica they had a secret base, with a farmer’s cottage on the surface but dungeons excavated underneath. This they used to launch bandit raids against the caravans of rivals and then having the audacity to sell the looted goods as their own. House Kalaxar came undone and was disgraced, with its members no longer allowed to do business in Darokin, and most of their property was seized by the authorities once their banditry was uncovered. The farmer’s cottage and dungeon were abandoned but not properly searched by the authorities. This has frustrated surviving victims of the bandits as they are sure there is evidence within the ruined cottage that would explain more about Kalaxar and the bandits’ activities. 

After two decades the dungeon has now been taken over by the Cragged Maw tribe of bugbears. However, the bugbears have resumed banditry, attacking merchants and other travellers on the road between Selenica and the Grand Duchy of Karameikos. It is this that the PCs get involved in - maybe they are with a caravan that gets ambushed by bugbears or else they are in Duke’s Road Keep when survivors of an attacked caravan arrive and ask for help and taking the PCs to the site of the ambush, with tracks leading to the farm cottage. 

Cartography by Dyson Logos, source

Surface Level:

1) Empty. The whole of the surface level is intentionally kept as abandoned and uninteresting as possible. However, the inhabitants have not hidden the stairs going down. 

Dungeon Level 1

2) Guard Post. This room has 4 bugbears guarding it.

3) Home to a pet grizzly bear kept here by the bugbears.

Grizzly Bear: AC 6, Mv 120ft, HD 5, 25hp, THAC0 15, Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d4/1d4/1d8, Spec Abil: Hug for 2d8 dam if both claws hit, Ml 8, Save F2, Align N, 175xp 

4) Bear-keeper's lair. The bear keeper is a bugbear who also has a whistle carved from ivory (worth 60gp) that produces a distinctive tone that calls the bear's attention. 

5) Empty apart from rubble from a partial ceiling collapse in the southeast corner. 

6) Bugbear leader quarters. This Bugbear Leader is an oversized brute who also has 2 normal bugbear companions. He wields a magic two-handed sword and has an iron-bound chest containing much of the tribe's treasure, and has the key to this chest around his neck on a leather cord. The chest contains 7,500sp, 1250gp and 800pp and an emerald worth 1000gp.

Bugbear Leader: AC 5, Mv 120ft, HD 5+2, hp 27, THAC0 14, Att 1 sword for 1d10+2, Spec Abil: Stealth (surprise opponents on 1-3 in 6), Ml 9, Save F5, Align C, 225xp, equipment: Bugbear armour (large scale mail), Two-Handed Sword +1, 2 throwing axes, key to treasure chest. 

7) The Upper Pit. This area drops down into the pool in #21 30ft below. However, there are 3 alcoves with ledges that overlook this drop. Getting to the ledges could require some magic or problem solving or thief skills. 

    a) North alcove: There is a plank from the west side to the north alcove. What look like four large leather sacks hanging from the ceiling are in fact 4 giant bats that will awaken and attack if disturbed. 

Giant Bat: AC 6, Mv Fly 180ft/crawl 30ft, HD 2 (9hp each), THAC0 18, Att 1 bite for 1d4, Ml 7, Save F1, Align N, 20xp

    b) East alcove: This is home to a roost of 10 stirges. They will fly up and attack anyone who tries to cross the gap to get to any of the alcoves, or if they are otherwise disturbed.  There is a ladder from this alcove down into the water in room 21.

Stirge: AC 7, Mv Fly 180ft/crawl 30ft, HD 1 (4hp), THAC0 19, Att 1 beak for 1d3, Spec abil Swooping strike (+2 to first hit roll), Blood drain (automatic 1d3 damage/round after successful hit), Ml 9, Save F2, Align N, 13xp

    c) South alcove: This has a statue of an immortal, Loki, although with all the guano on the statue it is not easy to recognise. The statue has no magical properties but behind it out of sight is a wooden box with 250gp and 1600sp.  

8) Stairs down. This is guarded by 2 bugbears. 

9) The Crypts. The bugbears don't go in here and the door is bolted on the outside. The bugbears have written in Goblinish "Don't go in. Dead Danger."

Inside is a passage with 5 alcoves, each with a stone sarcophagus. The last on the right (the north eastern alcove) holds an angry wight that will attack anything including PCs or bugbears. There are also 4 zombies, each in one of the other alcoves, that will follow the wight. The wight used to be the bandit chief hired by the Kalaxars, and the zombies some of his fellow brigands. In the wight’s alcove in his sarcophagus is his treasure: 4800sp, 240gp and a silver and gold ceremonial sword worth 900gp and a gold and steel ceremonial helmet worth 600gp (both are non-magical).

Wight: AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 3 (16hp), THAC0 17, Att 1 claw for Energy Drain, spec abil Energy Drain (1 level per hit), Immune to normal weapons (magic or silver weapons needed to hit),Undead properties, Ml 12, Save F3, Align C, 65xp 

Zombie: AC 8, Mv 120ft, HD 2,  THAC0 18, Att 1 weapon for 1d8, spec abil: undead properties, attack last in combat, Ml 12, Save F1, Align C, 20xp

10) Family quarters. Here are 8 bugbears + 6 bugbear young. There are numerous mattresses on the floor. 

Bugbear Young: AC 8, Mv 90ft, HD 1+1, 5hp, THAC0 19, Att 1 bite for 1d2, Spec Abil: Stealth (surprise opponents on 1-3 in 6), Ml 5, Save F1, Align C, 15xp

11) Kitchen and storeroom. This has 2 normal bugbears  + 1 bugbear novice who also doubles as the cook. There is a big fireplace on the east wall and cooking cauldron in the middle of the room The west side is raised up by several steps and has over a dozen boxes and barrels of food and drink, most of which the bugbears have looted from raided caravans. 

12) The Old Dining Room. This still has two huge dining tables. However, these days it is more used as an armoury and training room. There are 3 normal bugbears in here sparring. At the south end there is an upturned table with a humanoid figure drawn on the table top now serving as a target - there are 3 hand axes and 2 javelins stuck into the table. 

Laid out on the big dining tables are 

• 3 morning stars
• 2 bastard swords
• 2 heavy battleaxes (2d4 damage)
• 4 sets of bugbear armour (equivalent of scale mail but too large for humans)
• 6 hand/throwing axes
• 4 javelins
• 4 throwing hammers

Dungeon Level 2

13) This large chamber is empty though to the south there are wooden screens between slim pillars. There are also two unoccupied beds. 

    a) This cordened off section has 3 alcoves each with a bed. This is the quarters of 3 bugbear novices. 

14) Bugbear Shaman quarters. The shaman in charge of the novices is usually found here. Underneath his bed is a large box. Inside is the shaman's pet Pit Viper which is never happy about being disturbed.  Next to the viper is a silk bag with the shaman's treasure (1800gp, 120pp and a walrus-ivory statuette of Huggrek worth 200gp). Note that the shaman always wears his Periapt of Poison Protection as his pet viper is not entirely tame. 

Bugbear Shaman: AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 5+2, (20hp), THAC0 16, Att 1 weapon for 2d4 or by spell, Spec abil: Stealth (surprise opponents on 1-3 in 6), Clerical spells, Ml 9, Save C5, Align C, 400xp, equipment: bugbear armour (large-size scale mail), morning star, unholy symbol, Periapt of Poison Protection (see below), prepared spells: Cure Light Wounds, Darkness, Hold Person, Aura of Shadows 

Pit Viper: AC 6, Mv 90ft, HD 2, hp 12, THAC0 18, Att 1 bite for 1d4 + poison, Spec Abil: Always wins initiative, infravision (heat sensing pits), poisonous bite (save vs poison or die), Ml 9, Save F1, Align N, 25xp

15) Shrine of Huggrekk. There is a crude stone altar set up in the east side of this room. This place is usually unoccupied though the shaman and his novices occasionally come in here for daily rituals. 

16) The old chief's quarters. Here is an old bugbear chief called Shalkneeth, although he does not get involved in the leadership of this tribe. According to the shaman (in room 14, the only one he confides in), he was expelled from another larger tribe of bugbears, narrowly escaping with his life, and found his way here to recuperate and reconsider his options. The current bugbear leader (room #6) respects this chief but is also wary - what if the chief's ambition reawakens and decides to take over this tribe? There is a set of shelves on the west wall that hold various trinkets and trophies, most of which are worthless (coloured feathers, severed hands, helmets etc). However, there is a skull of a slain ogre enemy that has a removable top. Inside the braincase is the chief’s treasure: 200pp and a small but perfect ruby worth 800gp.  

Shalkneeth the Bugbear Chief: AC 3, Mv 90ft, HD 7+3, 30hp, THAC0 12, Att 1 weapon for 2d4+2, Ml 10, Save F7, Align C, Equipment: Morning Star, large-size chain mail, Shield +1

17) Bruldoo the Cave Bear lives here. He came with the chief and is his loyal pet. The area is split between the excavated part and the natural cavern part by a large wall of iron bars. There is no normal way through within this room. 

Bruldoo the Cave Bear: AC 5, Mv120ft,  HD 7, 38hp, THAC0 12, Att 2 claws/1 bite for 1d8/1d8/2d6, Spec abil: hug for 2d8 if both claws hit, Ml 9, Save F3, Align N, 450xp

18) Empty. This is a natural cave with steps leading up to room 13.

19) Cavern junction. There is a steep drop here in the passage from areas 17 & 18. This stops the gelatinous cube in room 20 from getting into the rest of the dungeon. 

20) A Gelatinous Cube lives here. The bugbears are careful to keep the door to the corridor shut, so the cube wanders into areas 19, 21 and 22. Suspended in the body of the cube are 23gp, 40sp and 2 gems (an aquamarine worth 50gp and a polished sardonyx worth 30gp)

Gelatinous Cube: AC 8, Mv 60ft, HD 4, hp 22, THAC0 16, Att 1 slam for 2d4 + special, spec abil: transparent (surprise opponents on 1-4 on d6), Paralysing hit (opponents must save vs paralysis or be paralysed for 2d4 turns), Ml 12, Save F2, Align N, 125xp

21) This pool is about 10ft deep. Anyone falling from any of the alcoves in area 7 (30ft above) will only take 1d6 fall damage but swimming and drowning rules apply. Furthermore the creatures in area 7 (the giant bats and stirges) will be disturbed by the splash and may swoop down to attack. The west side is a raised dry platform, and anyone falling from the west ledge in area 7 takes the usual 3d6 falling damage.  The gelatinous cube in area 20 will sometimes pass through this.

22) This small cave is guarded by a carrion crawler. It has a locked chest left by the previous residents that contains a series of letters written by the head of the Kalaxar merchant house to the former master of this dungeon (the bandit chief), informing about potential targets for robbery and also explaining that House Velasquer, another merchant house, has provided this information and therefore their caravans are not to be attacked. This evidence that House Velasquer was involved in House Kalaxar’s criminal activities would be of great use to the Darokin City and Selenica authorities. The key to this has long since been lost but  a thief could pick the lock or a Knock spell would work. Also in the chest are 800gp and 4 spinel gems worth 100gp each. 

Carrion Crawler: AC 7, Move 120ft, HD 3+1, hp 13, THAC0 16, Att 8 tentacles, each causing paralysis.Spec Abil: Tentacle hit means save vs paralysis or be paralysed for 2d4 turns, Ml 9, Save F2, Align N, 75xp 

Stats for common monsters

Source

Bugbear (normal): AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 3+1 (15hp), THAC0 16, Att 1 weapon for 2d4, Spec Abil Stealth (surprise opponents on 1-3 in 6), Ml 9, Save F3, Align C, 50XP, equipment: Bugbear armour (large-sized scale mail), morning star, 2 throwing axes or javelins, 2d4gp each

Bugbear Novice: AC 5, Mv 90ft, HD 3+1 (15hp), THAC0 16, Att 1 weapon for 2d4, Spec Abil Stealth (surprise opponents on 1-3 in 6), Clerical spells, Ml 9, Save F3, Align C, 50xp, equipment: Bugbear armour (large-size scale mail), morning star, 2d4gp. Prepared spells: Cure Light Wounds, Vigour  

New Magic Item

Periapt of Poison Protection: This is a green jade amulet often carved into the shape of a venomous creature such as a spider, scorpion or snake. While wearing it once per day the user may automatically succeed on a saving throw vs poison (before the roll is made: it cannot work retroactively after a failed save). After that for the rest of the day the periapt gives +2 to further saving throws against poison but no more automatic successes. 

Jolgruul the Corruptor and other Chaos Cults

Jolgruul the Corruptor 

One of the more subtle and insidious Chaos Princes , Jolgruul prefers temptation over confrontation. Although he and his followers are quite capable of violence, he prefers to inveigle the foolish and unwary into his machinations. He will often use the seven deadly sins, particularly Avarice, Pride and Lust, to lure mortals into his grasp. Although most chaotic creatures do not consider contracts to be worth the paper they are written on, Jolgruul is much more likely to use contracts with mortals, with the end results never being in the mortals' favour. Such contracts are both cunningly written as if by a master lawyer and also magically enforced, and breaking the contract will bring terrible curses or other consequences on the reneger. Unusually for a paragon of Chaos, Jolgruul himself will also stick to his side of the contract, even if it is not in his favour. Whether he is concerned about practical consequences or he has some strange sense of obligation around these deals is not known.

Jolgruul's cultists may well have entered into contracts with him, or else been ensnared and corrupted and then found that their only option was to go along with him. They are typically sneaky, deceptive and occasionally quite charismatic, making everything they do and encourage others to do seem quite acceptable and reasonable. Jolgruul's followers are most often found in and around Thyatis, particularly the large cities, though there are rumours cult cells have made it to Specularum in Karameikos and also the pirate port of Vlaad in the Kingdom of Ierendi. Although not active in Darokin, Jolgruul is impressed with some chaos cults in Darokin City, particularly the Black Rabbits and the Lords in Scarlet and has encouraged his clerics to consider some sort of alliance with them. 

Although most of Jolgruul's followers are humans, there are a few monstrous creatures that are interested in his approach, including some that can shift into human form. Devil swine, mujina and doppelgangers have all been known to be part of Jolgruul's cult. But Jolgruul generally ignores those who cannot be subtle and deceptive. Centipede Demons are also found assisting these cultists - whether the cultists are powerful enough to summon and bind these fiends themselves or whether Jolgruul sent them as a boon to his followers is not clear.  

The Snake Cult of Jaboor

Art by Conceptopolis, source

Underneath the Ylari port of Jaboor there are a network of tunnels that lead down to the caverns that contain the sunken river bed of what was the river Nithia. This is now home to a colony of serpent people and some of their monstrous allies. However, in the last five years they have human allies in the town above as well. The human townsfolk are all expected to follow the official religion of Ylaruam, The Eternal Truth, and the vast majority comply, with many being true believers. But there are a few who resent such dogma and orthodoxy, and seek a different sort of immortal patronage. The serpent people have made contact with these, initially using magical disguises, and introduced these renegade humans to the worship of Apep the Snake God, the bane of ancient Nithia.  Although the cult now has human followers, the serpent people are definitely the ones in charge, though they very rarely emerge onto the surface. Most of the time it is the human followers who go down into the caverns, using an old cave entrance among a cluster of boulders to the west of town. 

Out of the town population of 4500 people, only about 20 are true followers of Apep while another 50 or so are hired by the cult as guards, mages and the like. As with many of these cults they are very selective and careful about who they try to recruit and convert. Some of these cultists want some sort of power and prestige that they cannot gain legitimately, including forbidden magic of ancient Nithia, while others join as angry, blasphemous defiance against what they see as the overbearing and smothering monotheism of the Eternal Truth that holds sway over Ylaruam. For the previous 5 years they were just establishing the cult, gathering trustworthy members, money and information, but now they are getting bolder.  Recently the cult has kidnapped several citizens of Jaboor. Two have already been sacrificed to Apep but another two are being held for the next ceremony, including a visiting cleric of the Eternal Truth. 

The Ravenous Maw

source

This cult is quite unlike the previous two and makes no attempt at subtlety. It is established in various humanoid tribes along the Black Peaks, Altan Tepes and into southern Rockhome, particularly among ogres, gnolls, trolls and hill giants. It is focused on hunting and eating, and since all of its worshippers are naturally carnivorous, this fits in with their primary concerns - finding and killing prey and eating their carcasses.  This cult has relatively few human members, but these are often the worst sort of degenerate cannibals. Even among the humanoid cult members, eating each other is not unknown, though for the sake of cult cohesion and combat strength the shamans only sanction eating other cult members when they have died from other causes such as battle against enemies of the cult. Of course, some of the more hungry members will ignore this rule - they are chaotic after all. 

The Ravenous Maw does not seem to have a coherent personality that the members worship but merely the concept of predation and carnivory. Having said that, shamans will often conflate the Ravenous Maw with chaos princes and minor immortals linked to their race - Yeenoghu for gnolls, Vaprak for ogres and trolls, and Baphomet for minotaurs, all of whom encourage their followers to hunt, kill and eat humans. It is believed from captured members that Maglubiyet the Immortal patron of goblins and hobgoblins holds the Ravenous Maw in contempt, considering it animalistic, disorganised and short-sighted, thus few of those races are found in this cult. 

The Ravenous Maw is quite open minded about who or what can join their ranks - as long as the new member is suitably vicious and hungry but controllable, it will be considered. Ettins, athaches, frost giants and thouls have all been found among them. Predatory beasts are sometimes used as mounts or war beasts, including cave bears, sabertooth cats and giant hyenas. 

The Ravenous Maw is not yet powerful enough to threaten major towns or castles but it has certainly attacked human villages in northern Karameikos, northern Thyatis and southern Darokin around Selenica, devouring villagers, livestock and pets. The dwarves of Rockhome have been threatened but so far have fended off attacks on their strongholds. The folks of Ylaruam have not yet been attacked but they could still be next on the menu. 

The Scuttling Scourge

Developing from a much smaller cult of scorpion-worshippers of Ylaruam who followed a Chaos Prince that had been a manscorpion (referred to as The Scorpion King), the Scuttling Scourge holds vertebrates in contempt and eight-legged arthropods in great respect. Spiders, scorpions, whip-scorpions and rhagodessas are all considered a higher form of life. This cult has spread from its homeland of Ylaruam and now has members dotted across the Known World including Davania, Yavdlom and Sind. Araneas are considered allies, although they are not religious and will not join in the ceremonies. 

Unlike the Snake Cult of Jaboor where human worshippers respect snakes and serpent people but do not expect to become one, the human worshippers of the Scuttling Scourge aspire to transform from a feeble four-limbed mammal into a much better form - an eight-legged predator protected by chitinous armour and armed with deadly venom. It is not known how this happens or even if it does happen (are the human cultists being fooled and just used as edible pawns?) but it is what the most fervent cultists desire. There are some manscorpions associated with the cult in its homeland of Ylaruam and on the eastern edges of the Great Waste bordering Sind who encourage this belief and it is possible that they have a way of transforming humans into manscorpions but this has not been confirmed.

Those familiar with a wide range of chaos cultists know that the Scuttling Scourge is not the only cult with an affinity for spiders - certain Arvorians of Norwold follow a spider-like entity called Mohosskith, though it is unlikely to be involved in this cult. 

The Tunnels under Corunglain

“Despite all the precautions which the city guards take against attacks and raids by the inbabitants of the Broken Lands, they seem unable to prevent small bands of them from sneaking into the city. It is believed, though proof is hard to come by, that the earth beneath Corunglain is honeycombed with a twisting maze of passages. If, as is believed, this labyrinth links up with the orc tunnels beneath the Broken Lands then the actions of the raiders are easily accounted for. By moving though the passages which are narrow and prone to periodic collapses, small bands of orcs, goblins and their kin can appear in the city, wreak a little havoc and then melt back into the earth without leaving a trace. 

The government of Corunglain has uncovered many openings which, they believe, lead into this underworld. In each case a demolition team has collapsed the passages and the discoverer given a substantial reward. It is certain that, given time and effort, a dedicated band of adventurers would be able to find additional entrances to the orc tunnels and earn the thanks of the local populace.”

Gaz11 The Republic of Darokin, DM’s book p36

And thus a mini-campaign for novice adventurers is established. Personally I really like this idea, as it means the adventurers are less like bandits themselves, raiding and slaying the humanoids, but actually defending the city from infiltrators. This has similarities with B2 The Keep on the Borderlands (going against various bands of chaotic humanoids) but set in a major city of 31,000 folks instead of a keep with a hundred or so inhabitants. 

This map shows the layout of the tunnels under Corunglain and shows what is underneath the map in this post about the surface of Corunglain. 

As can be seen there are numerous tunnels reaching all the quarters of the city. Note that this map could be just the uppermost level of tunnels - there could be even more deeper underground, and could even be part of a megadungeon. There are a dozen small lairs of three to six chambers each attached to the tunnels - this is where the humanoids rest, prepare for raids, count loot and store weapons and food. Each of these lairs is run by a gang of humanoids, usually a single race. 

There are also tunnels leading away from the city - these are the highways along which the humanoids will travel great distances. It is believed from interrogating captured goblins that there are waystations every 10 miles or so where humanoids can rest and eat. Supply wagons with food, weapons and fresh recruits can be encountered here as well as the occasional messenger. 

The tunnel complex shown here is above the water level of the river and wells, with some of the tunnel entrances opening out outside the city walls onto the river bank or a ledge on the cliffs overlooking the rivers. Only when the tunnel goes under the river does it slope down much further. At least one lair (the bottom right one) connects straight to a well shaft, about 20ft above the water level. The kobolds lodged there have learnt how to climb up the wellshaft into the surface city. 

The tunnels are all left dark, since goblins, kobolds, orcs and hobgoblins all have infravision so can see just fine. Of course these races all prefer the darkness anyway - sunlight is irritating and makes them nauseous.  In fact any light source will indicate human intruders to sentries. The tunnels are generally under 6ft tall so gnolls, bugbears and ogres rarely visit as they would have to stoop down all the time. The human soldiers who have to fight these humanoids are actually very grateful for this restriction.  

The humanoid raiding parties are usually single race, e.g. all kobolds or all goblins, and will typically be 6-10 individuals, led by a tougher, smarter warrior who acts as squad leader. There have been a few occasions of mixed-race raiding parties but these run the risk of rivalries and friction between the races.  The hobgoblins see themselves as the bosses of this tunnel complex and often stop any inter-humanoid fights getting out of hand - the hobgoblins remind everyone that the real enemies are the humans above. 

The big exception to segregation is the large chamber in the north, underneath Cheesemarket Square (#16). This is known as the Gathering Hall and is used as a neutral meeting ground and muster point, as well as a common point for those travelling along the main tunnel to the Broken Lands. Interestingly enough some goblins and hobgoblins have started to imitate the humans of Darokin and have set up market stalls in the Gathering Hall, selling things that goblins, orcs and kobolds might want to buy - roasted rats on a stick, stolen weapons, strong beer, makeshift armour and the occasional kidnapped human. Although the stall owners are unlikely to trade with humans or demihumans, adventurers magically disguised as humanoids could buy things here. One gnome trickster claims to have visited the Gathering Hall several times and even considered setting up shop disguised as a paunchy kobold, but decided it was too risky and too smelly. 

What do the raiding parties get up to? Theft, Murder, Kidnapping, Vandalism, Sabotage, Espionage and scaring the humans. Sometimes these are with a bigger goal in mind, to destabilise the government, terrorise the population and demoralise the army, but usually it is much more small-minded, doing it for food, money and fun - that’s what humanoids are like. Some humanoids join these raids for social standing within their tribes - a warrior who brings back food, loot and slaves to their lair will be seen as more valuable and a potential leader by other members of the gang. 

It is rumoured that some goblinoid leaders are considering a major assault through these tunnels, with bands emerging simultaneously from different tunnel entrance. Espionage was mentioned above because some senior tribal leaders back in the Broken Lands are interested in what the city garrison’s response times are, and who else would oppose the humanoids. The humanoids already have a pretty good map of the city and already know the best routes to and from the tunnel entrances. But given the number of human soldiers stationed in Corunglain the humanoids would probably need twice as many on their side to succeed in overrunning the city. A more realistic prospect is combining an overland assault from the Broken Lands with raiders emerging within the city to distract the garrison and maybe open up the gates or lower ropes down the outside of the city walls

The city’s responses to these raids are with either the army or adventurers:

The XIII legion based in the Bastion includes the Corunglain Combat Engineers Company, also known as the Underminers. They can call upon some friendly mages for support and while the combat engineers provide protection, the mages will cast Wall of Stone or Rock to Mud to seal off tunnels and entrances.  The combat engineers do know of mundane ways of sealing tunnels if mages are not available, but these methods are slow and humanoids may counterattack while the engineers are working. 

Sometimes the army or city council will ask the Adventurers’ Guild to hire some suitable heroes to deal with the problem, especially if fighting underground is expected - the army is better suited to combat in large formations on open fields or city walls. This is particularly likely if the humanoids are believed to have seized captives who need rescuing or valuable items that the leaders of Corunglain want to retrieve - simply collapsing the tunnel is not appropriate. 

Unintelligent monsters, particularly giant rats, giant bats and giant crab spiders are a perpetual nuisance, and the hobgoblins may bully the smaller races into dealing with these vermin before they get out of hand. Nonethelss at least one lair has been taken over by vermin, displacing or killing the previous goblin residents. Corunglain does not have a proper sewage system so at least there are no otyughs to contend with. One arrogant hobgoblin chief brought along his pet carrion crawler - it paralyzed and ate him, then escaped into the tunnels. There are rumours among the tribes and gangs that it is still alive, lurking in the dark corners of the tunnels.

The lich Meltherrion is a potential disaster for anyone who encounters him, though diplomatic and respectful humans should escape with their lives.  This could be a valuable lesson for low-level adventurers - not every monster is there to be defeated in combat.  The known part of his lair is marked in pale pink on the map, though given the magical tools he has access to this is probably not the whole of his domain.  He does not like being disturbed but he really hates humanoids - as such he could be a powerful but unpredictable ally. 

 

The Adventurers’ Guild of Corunglain

The city of Corunglain sits at the northern edge of Darokin, dangerously close to the Broken Lands with their tribes of chaotic humanoids that are always eager to raid and plunder. The city is heavily fortified with a strong garrison, but additional help from adventurers is often welcome, especially when the adventurers carry out specific tasks that the conventional Darokin army is not suited for. Given that much of central Darokin is quite peaceful and far from enemy forces, it is not surprising that many adventurers of Darokin gravitate towards Corunglain to find fame, fortune and action, so Corunglain has considerably more adventurers than other cities of that size. There are enough of them that the Corunglain authorities have found it necessary to organise these heroes and freebooters into a guild, to point them in the right direction and perhaps keep them in contact should an urgent situation arises. 

The Corunglain Adventurers’ Guild currently consists of 15 senior staff and about 60 regular guild members. The guild also helps manage transient adventurers who are not proper members, and may have their own ideas about what they can do within the city. The guild does not act as a police force to keep renegade adventurers under control - that is really for the city garrison. But the guild will give advice to those visiting adventurers willing to listen, and hopefully keep conflict within the city to a minimum. Those who maintain the notorious murder-hobo mindset will find that the garrison is more than capable of handling criminal activity by powerful adventurers, and the consequences can be severe.  

Emirikol the Chaotic goes full murder-hobo in Corunglain...
Art by Dave Trampier from AD&D 1st Ed DMG

The senior staff include:

• Guildmaster: Astorbius Herenka, 12th level mage, human male, align N. Astorbius was born and raised in Glantri and knows the Glantri ways of wizardry well. He has had a long and profitable adventuring career that saw him do battle against lizardmen of the Serpent Peninsula, pirates of Ierendi and tombs of undead sorcerers in Ylaruam. He has settled down in Corunglain and has taken up the position of guildmaster of the Adventurers' Guild mainly because he likes coordinating and organising people and projects - he sees himself as a natural administrator.
• Deputy Guildmaster: Tallasania Whetstone: 15th level fighter, human female, align L. Tallasania is a retired adventurer from Darokin City. Unlike Astorbius Herenka she has done most of her adventuring within the Republic of Darokin. She knows the Orclands and the wilds around Selenica well. She has become the deputy guildmaster mainly out of a sense of duty towards Darokin - this is her way of helping to protect her homeland. 
• Treasurer: Strombold Steelsplinter, 11th level dwarf warrior, dwarf male, align L.  Strombold is a very strict and uptight keeper of guild money - some say he fits the stereotypical miserly gold-loving dwarf. But he also likes order and follows laws and procedures, and if the correct paperwork is filled out with the appropriate endorsements he has little problem giving money to others, usually as rewards for services rendered. As with many dwarves, Strombold has a hatred of chaotic humanoids, and he is happy to help employ adventurers to kill goblins and orcs. 
• Religious Liason: Maghelli Truthsayer, 10th level cleric, human female, align L. Maghelli has been on missions for the Church of Law all over the Known World, including the mountains of Karameikos, Jaboor on the Ylari coast and the woods around Selenica. In achieving her missions she has hired and associated with many characters, some of whom were unsavoury but she developed the skills to motivate them and keep the peace among disparate party members. She now helps organise adventuring parties for missions that are requested by the Church of Law in Corunglain or further afield.
• Military Liason: Sir Reginald Carruthers, 13th level fighter, human male, align N. Sir Reginald is an aristocrat and knight, the third son of a nobleman of Glantri who, on realising he had neither inheritance nor magical talent, set out on an adventuring career. He still maintains his high-class bearing and can be insufferably condescending and arrogant if he takes a dislike to someone, but he has been on enough adventures with a wide range of companions that most of the time he gets on well with all sorts, including thieves, wizards and halflings. These days he talks to senior commanders of the garrison of Corunglain, including the general of the 3rd Army headquartered here, mainly to discuss missions and tasks that might be suited to adventures. He also helps smooth things over when adventurers go rogue within Corunglain, as it is usually the army garrison who deals with them. Sir Reginald tries to establish if the adventurers were misguided but well-intentioned or if they really deserve what's coming to them and advises the garrison commanders accordingly. 
• Magical Liason: Melmarris Trueshot, 11th level spellsword, elf female, align N. Originally from Alfheim, Melmarris has travelled far and wide, wherever there are spellcasters, including Glantri, Norwold and Alphatia. During her travels she has made contacts with friendly mages and magical societies including Glantri's Great School of Magic and Karameikos' Magicians' Guild. She has decided to stay in Corunglain for a decade or two to help out with the problems coming from the Broken Lands. 
• Trade Liason: Tarminax Rethis, 10th level fighter/2nd level Darokin merchant, human male, align L. Tarminax has spent much of his life as a caravan guard, working his way up through the ranks as corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and now captain. He sees his job at the moment as matching merchants seeking guards for their caravans (usually heading towards Glantri or Ethengar) with willing and trustworthy adventurers of appropriate experience. He has picked up some business skills himself and knows more about running businesses and conducting trade than some of the merchants who approach him. 
• Espionage Liason: Morthos Swiftslice, 9th level thief, human male, align N. Morthos is a partially reformed thief. These days he does not directly engage in criminal activity but he still talks to those who do. Corunglain's rulers do not allow or recognise a formal thieves guild but there is one that still hides in the shadier parts of town, and Morthos was once a member. Although his title indicates he helps coordinate espionage missions, his most common role is as a link between adventurers and the criminal underbelly of Corunglain. 

As well as senior staff there are about 60 adventurers, some of whom operate solo, but others have formed bands that function as tight-knit teams - a few of these have been adventuring together for years. The most prominent of these bands are:

The Red Eagles have been together for five years and specialise in anti-humanoid operations. They have made numerous forays into the Broken Lands and the Orclands to the east. They suspect there is a headquarters of Chaos somewhere in the mountains but have not been able to pinpoint it. 

• Barthys the Brave: 6th level Dwarf Warrior, dwarf male, align L, from Greenston in Rockhome
• Marshia Hammershield: 6th level Dwarf Cleric, dwarf female, align L
• Nornexos: 7th level Mage, human male, align N. Born in Alphatia, wary of Glantri wizards
• Mebbillon: 7th level Thief, human male, align N, born in Darokin City. In it for the money. 
• Sarbion Wildwalker: 6th level Fighter, human male, align L, Lost an eye and gained a scar after a battle with gnolls.   

The Scorching Torches are named after one of their early quests involved descending into a cavern infested with patches of green slime. The party responded by burning everything and anything within the cavern, using lots of torches, lamp oil and a Wand of Fireballs. These days they are consumate problem solvers, and are often given unusual or complicated missions that are more than just killing orcs. 

• Tehainia: 8th level Mage, human female, align L, always has her Wand of Fireballs ready. 
• Zendax the Philosopher: 9th level Cleric, human male, align L, trained in the Reclusium of Serenity
• Gandari: 7th level Spellsword, elf female, align L, from the Callarii elves of Karameikos
• Bornis Blackblade: 8th level Thief, human male, align N. Reformed assassin from Vlaad in Ierendi.

Alphanor's Madmen are considered unpredictable and reckless, though within the city walls they are sensible enough not to tangle with the garrison. They are skilled at dungeoneering, and have assisted in countering humanoids tunnelling under the city. A former member, Emirikol, has fled Corunglain having got into trouble with merchants and then killed several city guardsmen making his escape. Emirikol's current whereabouts are unknown but Alphanor would welcome him back. The rest of the city would not. 

• Alphanor: 12th level Mage, human male, align N. From Alphatia and contemptuous of non-magical folk. He is aware of a powerful lich underneath the city. 
• Perrion Wildstrike: 12th level fighter, human male, align C, an escaped gladiator from Thyatis and angry with all sorts of authority.
• Darminia: 13th level cleric, human female, align N. The voice of reason in the group
• Markkus Deephunter: 13th level Thief, human male, align N. An exile from Darokin City
• Farathmir: 12th level dwarf warrior, dwarf male, align C. Volatile and bad-tempered, as well as typical dwarven greed for gold and gems. 

A map of Corunglain

Here is a map I’ve done of the city of Corunglain in northern Darokin. This is primarily based on the description of Corunglain in the Gazetteer GAZ11 The Republic of Darokin as well as some information gleaned from the map of Darokin in the gazetteer. A big thank you goes to the folks over at the Mystara forum on the Piazza for offering guidance on some of the more obscure aspects of lore, which I have had a go at incorporating. 

The labeled locations are:

The Bastion: This fortification on the north side includes a tall watchtower in the middle that can see for miles around. Directly underneath the watchtower is a large keep that includes the headquarters of the XIII Legion of the Third Army. The keep and its two neighbouring buildings are also barracks for 400 soldiers of that legion (the rest of the legion are quartered in the northern half of the city). In the event of a major humanoid attack this is expected to bear the initial assault.  Underneath the smaller building on the west side is the city jail, mostly underground. Imprisonment is only occasionally a punishment - more frequently the prisoners are kept here until their fates are decided.  

The Citadel: This is the main fortification of the city. It includes the headquarters of the Third Army of Darokin and also of the II Legion, most of whom are barracked within the Citadel. 

Grand Market Square: This has business from 9am to 6pm every day, though it gets particularly busy around midday. By city law any stalls and goods must be cleared away by 6:30pm so in the night this is a quiet empty city square. 

Corun Park: This walled garden is accessible for a small fee (1sp) and many citizens and soldiers of different classes and walks of life (except those who cannot afford the entrance fee) mingle here.

Corun House: This is the seat of power for House Corun, one of the major trading houses of Darokin and the family whose descendents were instrumental in founding Corunglain (its name was originally Corun's Glen). It is the only private residence in the city that has its own grounds and garden, and is surrounded by an 8' high wall. 

Elfheart Garden: A municiple flower garden with guards at the gates, this is only open to elite and gold-class citizens (i.e. well-to-do members of society).  

Wharf Pool: This bulge in the Vesubia River serves the city in two ways - firstly the docks on the western shore are used for loading and unloading cargo and passengers from river boats. Secondly the docks are also used for the final stages of assembling new river boats (the sections are usually built within the city walls).

The Resting Gardens: This is the city cemetary, and there are thousands of graves here packed tightly. The grounds are regularly patrolled by clerics from the Chapel of Eternal Rest to ensure there are no undead or grave-robbers. 

The Grand Park: This parkland outside the city walls is open to all, and is large enough to hold several herds of deer. It is only lightly managed, and occasionally more dangerous wild beasts can find their way in here. Wealthy citizens and army officers enjoy riding and hunting here. 

The key to the numbered locations are:

1. Temple of Askelon the Healer (Lawful Saint), staffed by 20 clerics of various levels. Popular with many citizens. 
2. Askelon Hospital (includes insane asylum)
3. The Fae-Lord Theatre: Also acts as concert hall. 
4. The Tax Office. The tax officers regularly patrol the city, checking on both shops and travelling traders
5. The Town Hall. This has a large bell on top which can be rung when the city is under attack. 
6. The Municipal Bank of Corunglain
7. House Mauntea's regional office/second home of Corwyn Mauntea
8. The Temple of Bassallia (a Neutral Exalted, a merchant princess of Darokin who became an Exalted by becoming a Polymath - she is considered a patron demigoddess of merchants and traders), 50 clerics of various levels. This is the most popular place of worship in the city. 
9. Corunglain Magicians' Guild, staffed by 30 mages of various levels. 
10. The Adventurers Guildhall. The senior guild members are mostly ex-adventurers turned organisers. They recruit adventurers for missions on behalf of the city. However, there are about 60 regular active adventurers who are also guild members
11. Varania's Tower (Archmage of Cornuglain)(Other mage towers dotted around the southern half of the city)
12. Chapel of Eternal Rest is dedicated to ensuring the dead stay dead. There is a small staff of 5 clerics cloistered here. As well as conducting funerals and comforting the bereaved, they also patrol the Resting Gardens, ensuring there are no grave robbers or undead. Although not as popular as either Askelon or Bassallia, the Chapel of Eternal Rest is held in high esteem, and all the citizens of Corunglain know they will eventually end up here.  
13. Abandoned mine entrance. 
14. The Wharf including docks for cargo and boat-building
15. Streel Berth (includes 2 windmills owned by house Corun). A much smaller dock than Wharf Pool, and sometimes used by those who want less attention, including thieves, smugglers and spies.
16. Cheesemarket Square: Although not nearly as big and important as the Grand Market, this square is occupied by market stalls every fourth day. It is particularly good for foodstuffs (as its name suggests), including fresh and preserved meats, honey, wines, beers, fresh bread and of course cheese. 
17. Tinkers Square, nicknamed Stinkers Square. This neighbourhood has all the unpleasant industries including tanners, abatoirs and renders. The stench here drives the nicer and frailer citizens away. However, somewhere near this square is the Corunglain Thieves Guild hideout. 
18. The Bastion Road, also known as Gallows Way. This is where public punishments are dealt out, including stocks, flogging and, in the worst cases, execution by hanging (hence the nickname).  
19. Multhoon's Trading Post: A tavern and general supplies shop that is often used by those who would rather not enter the city, either to avoid the City Watch or to avoid some of the taxes. .