Cortacus - the Wild Land

Cortacus is a large island off the north-west coast of Toutus. As far as islands go, it is big, measuring 600 miles or so from east to west, and 150 miles from north to south, and it sits on the west side of the Walrus Freehold, north of the Vareshiss Islands. 
Unlike quite a few regions where I have gone into detail and mapped the relevant area, I shall leave Cortacus unmapped, at least for the time being. The thinking behind this is that even before the Summoning, Cortacus was mostly wilderness. The parts that have been mapped - the eastern end with Najask, Fjordport and the Orgrist Hills, and the southern edge abutting the Varreshiss Islands - are mapped because they are relatively close to civilised areas and towns where human cartographers and explorers may gather. 
The central and western part are almost unknown to humans. They know that it exists, and the Toutatians have sailed round the coast so they know its dimensions, but its interior is almost total mystery. 


Nonetheless, there are rumours and third-hand accounts of what could be found in central Cortacus - some of these should be taken with a pinch of salt:

• A civilization of stone giants who have excavated and hollowed out entire mountains into giant-sized strongholds
• Tribes of fire giants and frost giants who war with each other and use human barbarians and ogres as proxies
• A red dragon ruler who dominates human barbarians, forcing them to mine for gems and gold on pain of being eaten
• An entire citadel of chaos cultists who have been established from way before the Summoning, who have allies and emissaries all over Toutus including the Red Hand and the Traitor Legion
• A race of winged centaurs calling themselves Pegataurs 
• The ruins of the Turrokoth Despotship of hobgoblins, mentioned in the book "The Histories of the Ancients", containing the Despot's lost treasure gathered from decades of raiding human cultures
• A tribe of amazon women who keep their menfolk in chains and ruthlessly cull sick or crippled men. 
• A rookery of large rocs, dominated by the biggest giant roc ever seen
• A tower of untarnished white metal reaching a mile up into the sky, where an incredibly powerful wizard has mastered the secrets of immortality but prefers academic research to conquest or physical wealth
• An underground cavern network (perhaps connected to the Underworld?) where reptilian humanoids domesticate and herd dinosaurs and giant lizards. 
• The remains of a failed Toutatian colony on the western end. The ruins of the town are haunted by various undead creatures as well as the evil spirits that brought about the colony's demise

Dungeon of the Month February 2012

The Giant Caves of the Twisted Hills

A short adventure using B/X D&D or Labyrinth Lord rules for characters of levels 6-9

These caves are in the Twisted Hills, in the stretch of hills between the coast of the Walrus Channel and the Grulven Mountains. The six giant-sized chambers (rounded walls, wide passages) all have ceilings about 20-25' from the floor, while the human-sized areas (square and rectangular rooms, 10' wide passages) have 10' high ceilings. 

The caves have become the lair of a clan of hill giants who have allowed smaller creatures to live in the areas that the giants find too cramped to be comfortable. Note that if they have a mind to, the hill giants can stoop down and fit into the 10' high x10' wide corridors  but they suffer a -2 to hit and a +1 penalty to AC as it is similar to a 6' tall human fighting in a 5' tall passageway. The other creatures in the human-sized rooms give the giants a wide berth - they know the giants are the rulers of this dungeon.


The Giant-Sized Caves - all the areas 1-6 have high ceilings
1) 2 hill giants (hp 24, 29, stats as per rulebook) + 2 cave bears (hp 32, 20, stats as per rulebook). In the middle of the room there is a pile of 5 boulders (range 20'/40'/80' dam 2d6)  which the giants will pick up and throw one each on the first round if they have the opportunity. The giants and bears are on sentry duty and watching for trouble.
2) 4 hill giants (hp 38, 22, 30, 27, stats as per rulebook) + 2 hill giant young (hp 15, 24, stats as per ogres in rulebook). To one side of the room there is a pile of 7 boulders (range 20'/40'/80' dam 2d6)  which the adult  giants will pick up and throw one each on the first round if they have the opportunity.
3) 3 hill giants (hp 39, 44, 26) + 1 hill giant young (hp 10, 15, stats as per ogre in rulebook). At the south-east side is a pile of 5 boulders (range 20'/40'/80' dam 2d6)  which the giants will pick up and throw one each on the first round if they have the opportunity.
4) 1 hill giant Chief (AC 4, Move 120' HD 10, hp 55, THAC0 11, Att 1 mace for 4d6 dam, Save as F10, Ml 11, Align Chaotic, XP 1000) + 2 hill giants (hp 48, 47, stats as per rulebook).
The hill giant chief has a large chest (5'x5'x5') that contains a massive weight of treasure: 120,000sp, 21,000gp, 1,200pp, a finely wrought golden sceptre worth 3,200gp, a silver and iron helm with fine enamelling worth 1,800gp and a set of 6 matching emeralds worth 1000gp each  (50,000gp total)
5) 1 hill giant (hp 34, stats as per rulebook)  +3 cave bears (hp 27, 22, 35, stats as per rulebook)
6) 3 hill giants (hp 40, 40, 35) + 1 hill giant young (hp 18, stats as per ogre in rulebook). On one side of the room there is a pile of 5 boulders (range 20'/40'/80' dam 2d6)  which the giants will pick up and throw one each on the first round if they have the opportunity before closing for combat.


The Forgotten Rooms
7) Empty
8) A patch of Green slime (hp 11, stats as per rulebook) is dripping off the ceiling and will try to drop onto anyone who simply enters the room without checking. If someone announces they are checking for traps or other suspicious things before entering, they will detect the slime and can avoid it.


The Thoul Lair (if you're playing with LL rules, use Thoghrins, which are thouls with different names)
9) Empty
10) 8 thouls (hp 19, 10, 15, 16, 13, 12, 17, 14, stats as in rulebook) are making a terrible noise as they are ripping apart a deer carcass.
11) 5 Thouls (hp 15, 12, 16, 24, 20, stats as in rulebook), plus a troll (hp 35, stats as in rulebook) as their leader. There is a sack hanging from a hook on the wall, and this sack contains 1220gp, 560pp, a jewelled platinum dagger and scabard worth 1100gp, a silver and tourmaline necklace worth 680gp and 3 small topazes worth 200gp each (6500gp total)
12) Empty apart from a crossbow trap. Anyone opening the door triggers several crossbows set to the side of the door (3 crossbow bolts, THAC0 10, dam 2d4 each). The thouls know about this trap and can reset it or disable it to get into the room. Any thief trying to find or disable traps has normal chance of doing so.


The Abandoned Hideout - the giants know that there are scavengers in these rooms, and will often throw waste and leftovers into these rooms to be devoured.
13) 5 carrion crawlers (a.k.a. carcass scavengers in LL, hp 20, 17, 12, 19, 11, stats as in rulebooks). Among the decaying bones in this room is a single sapphire worth 2000gp
14) Empty
15) Empty apart from in the middle of the room are two metal plates, 5'x5', one on the floor, one on the ceiling directly above the first. Anyone stepping in between these plates gets 3d8 damage of electricity shooting through him. If they are wearing metal armour they suffer an extra 1d8 damage.


The Minotaur Den - After the previous minotaur boss was killed in a battle with the hill giants the minotaurs here have had to tread very carefully around the giants and pay them a large sum of loot. Also because of the threat of the hill giants, the minotaurs have banded together in an unusually large group of ten. They have recently attacked and looted a trade caravan.
16) Empty
17) 4 minotaurs (hp 22, 32, 24, 28, stats as in rulebook)
18) 5 minotaurs (hp 30, 30, 22, 10, 17, stats as in rulebook) plus three terrified humans who have seen their colleagues killed and eaten. The humans are:
    Obremm, human male F2, hp 5 (normally 10), align Neutral, merchant-trader
    Murdork, human male F2, hp 4 (normally 8), align Lawful, caravan guard
    Merria, human female, NM, hp 2 (normally 4), align Neutral, mule-handler
19) 1 minotaur boss (hp 57, stats as in my previous post on minotaurs) with a pile of treasure in one corner  15 rolls of silk worth 200gp each, 40 jars of rare spices (each weighing 1lb and worth 20gp), 10 ingots of dwarven mithril worth 300gp each,  a leather sack with 1300pp and a chest of 2700gp (16000gp total)
20) Empty


The Haunted Rooms - These rooms were abandoned by living things a while ago
21) 1 Spectre (hp 19, stats as in rulebook)
22) Empty
23) 1 Invisible Stalker (hp 44, stats as in rulebook) stands over the decayed body of a wizard who was killed by the spectre emerging from room 21. The invisible stalker is still following the instructions to "watch my back" - nothing about protecting his summoner from attacks by undead. The wizard's body still has a ring of protection +3, a wand of illusion and 2 potions of extra-healing.
Of course, when the PCs enter the room, all they will see is the wizard's body unless they are currently detecting invisible creatures.
24) 6 shadows (hp 13, 12, 14, 17, 12, 9, stats as in rulebook)
25) Empty
26) Secret Room


The Nagpas's Haunt - These creatures have reached an understanding with the giants and will advise them on matters of intellect and knowledge. In return, the giants let the nagpas study here without too much disturbance. 
27) Empty
28) 1 Nagpa (hp 48, memorised spells: Detect Magic, Invisibility, Dispel Magic, Confusion and Feeblemind, stats as in my previous post on nagpas). The nagpa has a locked chest with the key around his scrawny neck. Inside the chest is the nagpa's collected treasure - 20,000sp, 4,800gp, a pouch of 12 gems worth 100gp each (3 amethyst, 3 jade, 3 amber and 3 and 3 chrysoberyls) and 6 silver-wrought 12" high statuettes of heroes and deities worth 500gp each  (total = 11,000gp)
The nagpa also has his personal spellbook with his known spells in it - this can include whatever spells the DM thinks are appropriate but should include the spells the nagpa currently has memorised and Explosive Rune. The DM may introduce new spells to magic user PCs via this book. 
29) Empty apart from a book on a table. This book was a spellbook now ruined, and is trapped with an Explosive Rune spell on the inside first page - anyone opening the book to look inside unleashes the explosion that causes 6d4+6 damage to all within a 10' radius. Anyone in the radius except the reader gets a saving throw vs spells to take only half damage, the reader gets no save. 
30) 1 lesser nagpa (hp 36, memorised spells: charm person, phantasmal force, hold person, stats as in my previous post on nagpas) and two displacer beasts (known in LL as phase tigers, hp 24, 20) as guards
31) 2 lesser nagpas (hp 30, 26, #1 memorised spells: detect magic, web, dispel magic, #2 memorised spells magic missile (3 missiles per spell), Mirror Image, Protection from Normal Missiles, stats as in my previous post on nagpas)
32) Empty apart from desks, chairs and bookshelves. The books on the shelves belong to the nagpas and they are very old, on arcane and magical topics. There are 68 books, each worth 2d6x10gp and weighing 1d6 lb. The entire collection is worth 4700gp and weighs 238lb. There is also one other book, hidden among these less valuable books, which is the lesser nagpas' shared spellbook, which they use to refresh their memorised spells. The exact contents are:
1st level: Charm Person, Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Sleep, Ventriloquism
2nd level: Locate Object, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force, Web
3rd level: Dispel Magic, Fly, Hold Person, Protection from Normal Missiles, 


Monster XP summaries (Hill giants xp 560 cave bear 440 young hill giant 140)
#1 560+560+440+440 = 2000xp
#2 560 x4 + 140 x2 = 2520xp
#3 560 x3 + 140 = 1820xp
#4 1000 + 560 x2 = 2260xp
#5 560 + 440 x3 = 1880xp
#6 560 x3 +140 = 1820xp
#8 38 xp
#10 80 x8 = 640xp
#11 80 x5 + 680= 1080xp
#13 135 x5 = 675xp
#17 320 x4 = 1280xp
#18 320 x5 = 1600xp
#19 1000xp
#21 820xp
#23 1060xp
#24 59 x6 = 354xp
#28 1700xp
#30 570 +570 x2 = 1710xp
#31 570 x2 = 1040xp

Mercenaries of Toutus

This is not a complete list, but just the most notable and famous of the mercenary bands around the west coast of Toutus. You may notice that Teiglin does not feature much - as a large kingdom with its own army, it does not need mercenaries, though they may be found around the borderlands along side adventurers. 

Tancrad's Motley Mariners - Tancrad Anchorhead (12th level fighter, unaligned) is a mercenary fleet commander with 5 ships at his disposal. He is based in Trislem in the Walrus Freehold, and usually has one or two of his ships there. He also does business in and around the Varreshiss Islands, and there is often one of his ships in that area.
Each ship is a caravel with a crew of 50, made up of many different nationalities, appearances and a few different races (a number of dwarves and halflings are among the ratings). They are all combat trained (1st level fighters minimum) and none are obviously chaotic - some discipline and standards of behaviour are required. Many are legitimate sailors, but some are reformed or refugee pirates and buccaneers either turned honest or just lying low.
Tancrad usually hires his ships out for exploration, trading in dangerous waters or amphibious raids. Anti-piracy patrols and other dangerous tasks will require extra hazard pay.

Sterin Clerical Services - 20 clerics of Partheusa are based in Sterinport and on hire on a daily basis, either the whole company or a contingent of 3-5 (never fewer - they like to watch each others' backs). They usually dress in chain mail, with surcoats and shields bearing Partheusa's emblem (a blacksmith's hammer on an orange background).
As befits followers of a goddess of trade and craftsmanship they are professional and detached about their work and generally offer the range of clerical spells up to 4th level, including healing, divination and protection. They often work along side more combat-oriented mercenaries as combat medics, or dealing with limited outbreaks of disease or undead.

Svarrien's Company - These are a relatively conventional mercenary company of 200 men split into 4 platoons of 50 men each. They are all human fighters of at least 2nd level and are equipped with plate mail and either wield spears, shields and swords, or swords and light crossbows. They fight in formation, with the crossbowers firing over the heads of the spear and shield men who are braced to fend off cavalry charges.
Svarrien's Company are based in Sturnornel Fort, and are based around a core of survivors from the Urdus Ducal army who fled eastwards during the Summoning. There is still some sort of loyalty towards the humans in the area, though since the duchy has collapsed they are now interested in money rather than feudal obligations.

Uldur’s Scouts - a company of human light cavalry with studded leather and fur armour, lances and maces who are based in Walrus City and go out on patrols on the Icemud Tundra, visiting trading posts and trappers. Like Svarrien's Company, they have some loyalty to the city, and are unlikely to betray Walrus City or attack its citizens and traders, but they do expect to get paid, and will often moonlight  in side jobs when things are quiet around Walrus City itself. Uldur himself was killed during a battle in the Wars between the Empires when Bursian forces attacked Walrus City, but the company still carries his name. There are believed to be 75 in the company, which is often split into patrols of 12 each. 

Grundil's Quarrellers - In Stalim in the Walrus freehold among the 550-strong militia are Grundil’s Quarrellers, 150 dwarf crossbowmen originally from the Grulven Mountains who now act as mercenary guards. They are paid by the city council and as such are relatively loyal to the city as a whole. The dwarves are used in defensive duties, including manning the city walls and assisting the other militia and city officials at the city gates checking visitors and traders going in and out. There is the unofficial role that it keeps the dwarves of the Grulven Mountains on good terms with Stalim and there is a turnover of dwarves coming to join the company for a 3 or 4 year "tour of duty" and going back to the mountains to tell the other dwarves what their human neighbours are like ("Alright I suppose, and their ladies are leggy, but they don't have proper skill with metal and their beer is like watery yak pee")

Elkhorn Island

Elkhorn Island, just north of the Godsblood Straits, is sparsely inhabited with no major settlement. Before the Summoning it was claimed by the Duchy of Urdus. However, it is generally accepted that what went on there was not accurately recorded. Some say that there was a cult of chaos on the island that performed some sort of unspeakable rite, while others say that a flaming green star crashed to earth there three hundred years ago.

These days the biggest population is the shrine of Adonor which sits on an old site that contains ruins that predate the Toutus Empire. There are five clerics here, one of whom is always a high priest. They will not say why a shrine is maintained here, and especially why a high priest is required, but they are friendly and helpful to visitors. Visitors are warned not to stray too far from the shrine, as the clerics do not patrol the woods.

The woods of Elkhorn Island include a selection of wildlife, including a clan of werebears (most of whom are true-breeding, not infected). The werebears have a truce with the lawful clerics of the shrine, and the two groups do not interfere with each others' business.

The truth about the island is disturbing. There was an ancient temple of Bhael on the site where the shrine of Adonor now stands. Chaotic cultists flocked to it from all over Toutus until BY 1312 when the Toutus Army invaded and put a stop to the cult. However, in its final hours when the cultists saw the army approaching, they appealed to their dark overlord Bhael to assist them, and a powerful demon fell from the sky. This demon slew many Toutatian soldiers and a few cultists as well (the forces of Chaos do not care about collateral damage). The force of soldiers had come prepared, and advising and assisting the commanders were some powerful clerics of Adonor. They used powerful clerical magic as well as divine assistance from their patron - first they tried to banish the demon back to the Planes of Chaos, but somehow it resisted. They did manage to imprison it deep under the cultists' unholy gathering place and put it into a deep slumber.
As the Toutatian soldiers gathered their wounded, buried their dead and finished off the cultists who were trying to flee, the clerics decided to maintain a vigil over the imprisoned demon, and thus a shrine was established on the site. The strong aura of Law from the shrine counteracts and suppresses any malign influence the buried demon might have on its surroundings - the clerics know and encourage this as they do not want the island to become more tainted by chaos than it has been.
The one relatively accurate description of what happened in Elkhorn Island is written down in a book called "The Abominable Cults of Chaos Worshippers", but very few copies of this still remain.

Forces of Chaos might well seek to unleash the demon, but getting past the lawful clerics would be a problem. If it were unleashed, it would cause as much death and destruction as a mobile Chaos Portal, and creatures and worshippers of chaos would flock to the demon as the most powerful leader of Chaos on Kaelaross. Certain members of the Traitor Legion know this, and the contingents of Traitor Legionnaires both in the Salty Forest and on the Island of Lost Souls are well-placed to sail to Elkhorn Island if they could overcome or bypass the clerics of Adonor.

Kaelaross and the Monster Manual

Although my intentions earlier in the blog were to keep Kaelaross clearly B/X D&D, separate and distinct from AD&D, I have decided to relax a bit. If I were to allow monsters from 1st Edition Monster Manual into Kaelaross, which ones would I use? Note that I don't expect those who read this blog to necessarily have the book, and I won't make them central to any adventures on this blog without giving them B/X D&D stats. If you do want B/X D&D stats for these, you could try Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion.

Boar, Giant - Although not as common as their lesser cousins, giant boar are known to inhabit the warmer areas of Toutus, including the Howling Forest (near the Godsblood Straits).

Brownie - These fey creatures related to sprites and pixies have been touched by the powers of Law. Although very shy and wary of bigger folk, brownies are nonetheless useful allies against Chaos. They have been known to ally with powerful lawful mages as familiars, and also found in both the Shorgan Forest and the Talloak forest.

Couatl - These agents of Law, when not on the Planes of Law, are found in warmer, tropical climates and rarely in Toutus.

Demons, all - All these demons could be found in the Planes of Chaos, and could travel to the Material Plane either through a Chaos Portal or individual summoning

Dragon, Silver - Silver dragons are as rare as gold dragons and, like them, can disguise themselves to blend in with lesser races. Silver dragons are known to be friendly with lawful clerics and deities but, unlike lammasu and shedu, are not in servitude or owe any great loyalty. Tales of silver-bearded dwarves transforming into silver dragons have occasionally been heard both in the Grulven Mountains and the Ten Peaks.

Ghast - These stinking undead are primarily found in Narvellis, in the Varreshiss Islands, but apparently some clerics of Storshin have discovered a ritual to transform normal ghouls into ghasts and are travelling from one region to another looking for ghouls to transform.

Ghoul, Lacedon  - These undead are found in the waters around the Varreshiss Islands, particularly the cursed and haunted Narvellis Island with its undead masters.

Golem, Flesh, Stone & Iron - These constructs are among the most powerful that a magic user can create.  The students of Gerontium in Maquosmouth would be most impressed if they found out how to create these.

Irish Elk - These huge majestic herbivores are found in northern climates, including the hills and plains of the Walrus Freehold, and on some of the Varreshiss Islands.

Ki-Rin - These heavenly creatures are very rarely seen except on the Planes of Law. When they do appear on the Material Plane, it is to oversee the fight against some terrible evil foe. Ignore the psionics and give them 1 clerical spell from each level from 1st to 7th

Koalinth (aquatic hobgoblin) - These creatures are believed to have come through the Chaos Portal created in the sunken city of Urdus, and now have set up bases around the Godsblood Straits. They often clash with their main rivals, the Sahuagin.

Lamia - These chaotic deceivers are found in ruined, desolate areas including the Twisted Hills and the Godsblood Hills. They are also found on the Planes of Chaos, and most of the lamias on the Material Plane came through the Chaos Portals.

Lammasu - These noble creatures of Law will sometimes be sent by Lawful deities to assist or advise their mortal followers. They are also found on the Planes of Law.

Leucrotta - These strange predators are definitely chaotic in nature, and are found near some chaos portals, including Maquosmouth and Aerisport in the Godsblood Straits.

Lurker Above - These strange ambushers dwell underground. They have evolved in the Underworld, but have adapted and thrived in deliberately created dungeons.

Morkoth - These strange underwater predators are not common, but can be found in deep waters, including off the western coast of Toutus such as around the Vareshiss Isles and Godsblood Straits. Sages believe, based on survivors accounts, that these are not natural creatures but evil monsters of Chaos.

Ogre Mage - Rather than being a separate species, on Kaelaross, Ogre mages are ogre leaders who have made a dark pact with a powerful chaos god (usually Bhael) and been transformed. They may either be on their own or else among a band of normal ogres either as leader or as lieutenant to an ogre chief.

Peryton - Bizarre stag-headed predators. They could only be a creation of Chaos, and their vicious behaviour confirms this. A few have been sighted around the Chaos Portal in Aerisport, while others are seen in the Twisted Hills south of the Walrus Freehold

Quasit - These demonic imps are often found in areas where other demons are found. Also they may ally themselves to a particularly chaotic and unpleasant magic user.

Rakshasa - Originating in Pelepton's home plane of Aegothis, these tiger-faced shapeshifters have slipped through chaos portals and have now infiltrated surviving cities around Kaelaross such as Ironmarket and Trislem.

Remorhaz - These giant polar worms are found on the icecap north of the Walrus Freehold. They are not natural creatures but are thought to have come through a portal from Noreesis Vale (change alignment from neutral to chaotic).

Roper - Sages believe that although these creatures may have started off as natural creatures in the Underworld, they have been touched by Chaos and are found in some planes of Chaos as well as dungeons and the underworld.

Sahuagin - These violent sea raiders are the bane of both other sea creatures and shore-dwelling land folk. They are thought to have originated in the Planes of Chaos, but several outposts have been established around the chaos portal in Urdus where they clash with both the Koalinths and the mermen in the area.

Satyr - these wild and unpredictable fey are notorious for their appetites for wine, music, dancing and women. They are found in small groups in the largest forests, including the Shorgan Forest, the Talloak Forest and even the Twilight Forest.

Shedu - Along with Ki-Rin, Couatls and Lammasus, these are the messengers and agents of the Lawful gods sent to assist and advise their mortal followers in their battle against the forces of Chaos. Ignore the psionics and give them spellcasting as if 7th level magic users.

Slithering Tracker - These amorphous predators may be related to less intelligent slimes and oozes. They are found in both dark dungeons and also the sprawling caverns of the Underworld.

Toad, Ice - These creatures are found in the far north, on the ice floes and icecap north of the Walrus Channel. They only come onto human lands during the bitterest winter, though there are records of a band of ice toads causing trouble among trappers and hunters north of Walrus City a few years back.

Umber Hulk - These huge monsters are creatures of chaos, placed in the Underworld by dark powers (such as Havok) to cause as much disruption and death to miners and explorers as possible.

Water Weird - These malevolent creatures are found in the Elemental Plane of Water, but have been tainted by Chaos, giving them an evil urge to kill. They rarely occur in bodies of water such as seas, rivers, lakes, underground pools or even village wells.

Winter Wolf - These chaotic predators originated from the Chaos Plane known as Noreesis Vale, but have slipped through a chaos portal and now roam the northernmost reaches of Kaelaross, including the Icemud Tundra and Twilight Forest as well as the island of Cortacus in the Walrus Freehold.

Xorn - These creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth don't often occur on the Material Plane, but when they do it is either at the beckoning of a powerful spellcaster or else deep in the Underworld.

Others, which I have not had time to comment on, include:
Aerial Servant
Ankheg
Axebeak
Barracuda
Beetle, Giant Rhinoceros
Catoblepas
Eagle, Giant
Frog, Giant
Frog, Killer
Gar, Giant
Gargoyle, Kopoacinth
Groaning Spirit
Hippocampus
Hippopotamus
Ixitxachitl
Jackalwere
Larva
Leech, Giant
Leprechaun
Lich
Lizard, Giant Fire
Lizard, Giant Minotaur
Locathah
Mimic
Mindflayer
Naga, Spirit & Guardian
Night Hag
Nightmare
Nymph
Otyugh
Owl, Giant
Pike, Giant
Porcupine, Giant
Sea Hag
Shambling Mound
Slug, Giant
Sphinx, Andro
Sphinx, Hieraco
Triton
Will-o-Wisp
Wind Walker
Wolverine, Giant
Yeti

Adventure Seeds on Klantorr Island

Klantorr Island is, on the surface, not very interesting - too stable, rigid and peaceful for adventurers to fit in - and many clerics of the theocracy would readily agree. Nonetheless, things do happen that the Theocracy is not prepared for and adventurers are better-suited to dealing with.

1) The PCs are accused of sorcery and chaos-worship by a cleric and several townsfolk. The PCs can either try to run from overzealous soldiers, junior clerics and townsfolk, or try to prove their innocence to a higher-ranking cleric, preferably a sane one. The problem is caused by a mischievous mage who has found a spell that tampers with dreams, allowing him to make people dream whatever he wants them to. Among faithful folk like those of Klantorr, this can easily be misinterpreted as divine guidance. The PCs have a slight advantage in that they are not the first to be framed, and there are several suspects in the town jail who have been set up by fraudulent dreams.

2) A senior cleric in Berranport is actually a chaos-worshipping cultist with an amulet of non-detection. He seeks to create a Chaos Portal underneath Berranport in its sewers, and he believes the ritual to do this requires a number of human sacrifices. Although a proper Chaos Portal is well beyond his means, he has been contacted by creatures from the Planes of Chaos and has summoned some of them into his lair in the sewers. These have been used to kidnap certain townsfolk in Berranport and take them down into the lair ready for sacrifice. The chief cleric of Berranport is eager to stop these monstrous kidnappings, while his newly-appointed deacon (the chaotic cultist) will happily give advice that will steer the party into all manner of dead ends and wild goose chases.

3) The miners in the Valhorrian Heights have dug into a network of caverns connected to the Underworld, and troglodytes and grey goblins are causing havoc in the mines. This has put a dent in the local economy, and merchants are looking for mercenaries and adventurers willing to go in and make the mines safe. A band of five miners were captured by goblins in the initial battle, and they have been taken into slavery. Any captured goblin can tell the PCs that slaves are usually held for a while at an outpost near the surface before being taken down into the bowels of the Underworld - perhaps the PCs could rescue the miners?

4) A caravan of merchants and pilgrims travelling from Guntharn to Charventown have a doppelganger in their midst. As the caravan progresses the PCs and others notice that people have gone missing or turn up dead. In some cases this seems impossible as someone else was talking to the murdered person at the same time as others discover their corpse. It is a race against time to find out who the doppelganger is impersonating now, and to stop it before more people are killed.

Reanimating Other Species

Most animated skeletons and zombies are either human or close enough to human bodies that there is no significant difference.
However, there may well be situations where a caster wants to animate something else, something definitely not human.
According to the Labyrinth Lord rules for Animate Dead:

"These creatures are unintelligent, and do not retain any abilities they had in life. All skeletons have an AC of 7 and hit dice equal to the creature in life. Zombies have an AC of 8 and the number of hit dice of the living creature +1"

Beyond this I expect the DM/Labyrinth Lord would use his judgement in deciding the rest of the animated creatures' stats.
My guidelines that I would use are:

• I would slow down any movement of zombies by half, to a minimum of 30' per round. Skeletons move at the same speed as they would in life.
• Swimming and burrowing are possible. Flight is possible (but slow and unmanoeuvrable at half speed, minimum 90' per turn) for zombie creatures, but not skeletal ones as feathers for birds or skin for bat-like wings would decay away with the rest of the flesh. 
• Attacks and damage I would keep the same as the living creature, except that zombie creatures always attack last. If fighting PCs with slow weapons that mean they would attack last, the zombies and PCs roll for initiative after the normal-speed creatures have resolved their actions. 
• Saving throws are for fighter levels of half the original creature's hit dice - for unintelligent beasts this may mean no change from when they were alive.
• Morale is always 12 - animated dead are fearless
• As undead creatures, animated skeletons and zombies are immune to sleep, charm, hold and other mind-affecting spells. They are also immune to poison and death magic.  
• Organic poisons deteriorate along with the rest of the creature's body. Only zombie creatures freshly animated can use poison at full effectiveness. After the first day, victims of possible poison attacks gain +1 to their saving throws per day after the creatures death until after 19 days the poison has become completely ineffective. Skeletal creatures don't have the fleshy venom sacs to hold the poison. 
• Although the animated creature is mindless (intelligence 0), its alignment is chaotic, as dark magic infuses its being, giving it an intuitive urge to kill the living. 
• Treasure is irrelevant to these mindless creatures, so they won't have any of their own, though they could be placed as guardians or there may be incidental treasure in their area. 
• Creatures with obvious hard natural armour could retain their armour class, but this is DM judgement call. 
• Creatures with less than 1 HD become 1 HD zombies, or 1/2 HD (1d4 hp) skeletons

Although not explicitly stated in the rules, I think I would restrict Animate Dead to deceased animal things - no animated undead plants, oozes or fungi. As for invertebrates (giant spiders, purple worms, giant beetles, carrion crawlers) I would say that they could be reanimated as zombies, but not skeletons (chitinous exoskeletons decay too quickly to be left after the rest of the flesh has gone, and soft-bodied worms don't even have that). Elemental creatures don't have organic bodies, neither do ethereal creatures.

Here are a few examples from the Hideout of the Gang of Three: (rooms 18 and 26)
Minotaur zombie (AC 8, Move 60' HD 7, THAC0 13, Att 1 horn/1 bite for 1d6/1d6, always attacks last, Ml 12 (fearless), Int 0, XP 440)
Ogre zombie (AC 8, Move 60', HD 5+1, THAC0 14, Att 1 club for 1d10, always attacks last, Ml 12 (fearless), Align Chaotic, Int 0, XP 260 each)
Ogre skeleton (AC 7 Move 90' HD 4, THAC0 16, Att 1 club for 1d10, Ml 12 (fearless) Align chaotic, Int 0, XP 80)

And some commonly encountered species
Giant rat zombie: AC 8, Move 60'/Swim 60', HD 1, THAC0 19, Att 1 bite for 1d4, always attacks last, Ml 12 (fearless), Align Chaotic, Int 0, XP 10
Wolf skeleton: AC 7, Move 180', HD 2+2, THAC0  17, Att 1 bite for 1d6, Ml 12 (fearless), Align Chaotic, Int 0, XP 35
Giant hawk zombie: AC 8, Move 30'/fly 210', HD 4+3, THAC0 15, Att 1 bite for 1d6, Ml 12 (fearless), Align chaotic, Int 0, XP 150
6-headed hydra skeleton: AC 7, Move 60', HD 6, THAC0 14, Att 6 bites for 1d10 each, Ml 12 (fearless), Align chaotic, Int 0, XP 570
Rhagodessa zombie: AC 8, Move 90', HD 5+2, THAC0 14, Att 1 bite for 2d8, Ml 12 (fearless), Align chaotic, Int 0, XP 260
Purple Worm zombie: AC 8, Move 30', HD 16, THAC0 8, Att 1 bite/1 sting for 2d8/1d8, Ml 12 (fearless), align chaotic, Int 0, XP 1500
Centaur Skeleton: AC 7, Move 180', HD 4, THAC0 16, Att 2 hooves/1 weapon for 1d6/1d6/1d6, Ml 12 (fearless), align chaotic, Int 0, XP 80

Klantorr Island

For a brief overview of Klantorr Island see the description in the Map and Overview of the Varreshiss Islands. Klantorr was once part of the Toutus Empire, but after the Summoning it has become an independent realm ruled by a Theocracy of the lawful clerics of Rhondus.

Population
Klantorr island has the largest population in the Varreshiss Archipelago, with 45,000 humans and 4,000 halflings. There are a few other races but none more than in the hundreds.

Before the Varreshiss Islands were taken over and incorporated into the Toutus Empire, they were colonised by the Ferdenmen, a human tribe who were adept at sea-faring. Many of the lower classes of Klantorr Island are still Ferdenmen, either pureblooded or mixed with Toutian blood. Ferdenmen are short and stocky for humans, with reddish, blond or light brown hair and fair skin. Ferdenmen are very rarely seasick, so they find other folks' heaving and puking over the side of ships quite amusing.

Settlements
Charventown (population 5,300) is the capital and largest settlement - the only one that can be called a city. It is the heart of the theocracy, and the cathedral that towers over the city is the religious, political and legal heart of the realm.
Guntharn (population 1,400) is primarily a fishing village, though there are miners who set off into the Valhorrian heights every day. Because it is relatively isolated, the Theocracy is not taken quite so seriously here.
Berranport (population 2,000) is the main naval base, as well as a trading and fishing port. Because of its ease of access, Berranport is where a lot of visitors to Klantorr stay and do business.
Pikefish (population 1,900) is a market town for farmers and herdsmen that also serves as a stopover for river traffic passing to and from Charventown.
Hierarch's Retreat (population 1,300) has a country residence for the clerics away from the business and politics of Charventown. The town also has a cell of 5 doppelgangers who have evaded detection so far.

There are other smaller villages and hamlets (of less than 500 people each) dotted around the meadows and plains of Klantorr which are not shown on the map.

Physical Geography
The Charven River: This is the main artery for Klantorr Island, and it carries most of the trade goods and many passengers to and from Charventown.
Lake Ammorin: With the town of Pikefish on its southeast bank, this lake is noted for its large fish, including giant pike and gar. Not safe for swimming in.
Lake Lucian: High tides sometimes wash salt water into Lake Lucian, giving it an estuarine air about it. Giant frogs and toads are found around the shores.
Valhorrian Heights: A small but rugged area that reaches up to mountainous altitudes in places. There are significant deposits of both copper and tin ore, so miners find this range moderately profitable. There are wild boar, sheep and goats in the hills, while giant eagles and griffons compete against each other on the mountain tops and crags.
Wastell Woods: This woodland is not very safe - bands of both gnolls and kobolds have been encountered here over the centuries despite various attempts to clear them out - perhaps they have hidden hideouts.
Trellseed Woods: This is the largest woodland in the Varreshiss Islands, and it has a range of wildlife, including stags, wild boar, wolves, brown bears and wild cattle.
Gangrel Woods: Although there used to be a problem with kobolds and giant weasels here, the previous barons have effectively eradicated them, making the Gangrel Woods popular with woodcutters, berry pickers and pig herders.
Lellmar Woods: Another patch of woods that has been made safe for human use. However, this has been disrupted by the arrival of a boatload of gnolls who are fast-moving and evasive, raiding small farms and attacking travellers then moving before the Theocracy's troops can respond.

Military
The island realm is protected by 10 battalions of  200 troops each, plus 5 warships harboured at Berranport. Each of the battalions is commanded by a Major (6th level fighter) supported by a Commissar (6th level cleric), and each company of 50 men has a Captain (4th or 5th level fighter) supported by a Chaplain (4th or 5th level cleric) so the army is closely controlled by the church of Rhondus. Similarly, each warship has a complement of 50-70 men, commanded by a Captain (4th or 5th level fighter) and a Chaplain (4th or 5th level cleric).
The battalions are:
4 heavy infantry (chain mail, sword, spear, shield)
2 heavy crossbow (chain mail, sword, heavy crossbow, 20 bolts)
1 heavy cavalry (banded armour, lance, shield, sword, warhorse, barding)
2 light cavalry (leather armour, scimitar, lance)
1 engineer (chain mail, sword, tools such as hatchets, pick axes & shovel)
The warships are named The Righteous (flagship), The Valiant, The Redeemed, The Scrupulous and The Meritorious.

Economy
Klantorr is mostly self-sufficient, and given its circumstances it needs to be. Crops, livestock and fish provide plenty of food, while the tamer parts of Gangrel and Lellmar woods provide a supply of timber for housing, fuel and boat-building. The Valhorrian Heights can be mined for copper and tin, which can be smelted for bronze, but iron, gold and silver need to be brought in from outside. Bronze tools and weapons are therefore cheaper and more available than iron ones on Klantorr.
Klantorr also brews Viskey, a strong alcoholic drink brewed from barley and oats. The Theocracy is generally disapproving of this, though to make it illegal would invite insurrection. This is both popular with the locals and also exports well.

Trade is primarily with the Walrus Freehold. Although the Theocracy does not agree with the cities of the Freehold and their mercentile, materialistic attitude, nonetheless they recognise that trade is necessary. Klantorr can grow crops, fruit and vegetables (particularly on the broad grasslands between Pikefish and Berranport) that won't survive in the harsh cold of the Walrus Channel. In return the Walrus Freehold provides all-important iron (particularly from Najask) as well as ivory and furs.

Though it is further, Teiglin is also a trading partner. Teiglin is warm enough for wines to be brewed, and in return, Klantorr can sell its Viskey in Teiglin.

A few thoughts on the 5E announcement and nerd rage.

So 5E has been announced today. What has got me writing (and I don't often do opinion pieces) is not so much the announcement as the community's reaction to it. 
Some folks are dismissive of it before they know anything about it. If it's WotC, it must be crap. 
Some folks are contemptuous that WotC is asking the community about what they want - these commentators reckon WotC ought to know what we want without asking. 
The worst excesses of edition wars and nerd rage is resurfacing. 
I want to keep an open mind about this. I don't know what the rules will be like, I don't know what the core classes and races will be, I don't know about the default setting. It could be good. It could be crap. 
If it looks good, I will begin to buy the books, starting with the Player's Handbook. I do not feel obliged to buy more books than I think I will enjoy. If the 5E PHB isn't what I want from a game system, then I'll simply turn my attentions to a game system I do enjoy. If I like the system, then the DMG and MM (or whatever equivalent there is) will be under consideration. 
If it looks crap, I will do what I did with 4E - simply bypass it and stick to the editions I know and like.
My concern is just how angry, defensive and divided the different D&D communities will get over this, usually blowing things out of proportion and claiming WotC is wrecking their game and angry that WotC didn't listen to THEM and THEIR ideas of what a game should be. 
I am not a businessman, so I'm not going to tell WotC how they ought to run their business. I will look at the products, and decide whether I want to spend my money on it. If WotC decides to drop the D&D brand altogether (very unlikely at least for next 5 years) there are other companies and the OSR blogs, small publishers and massive back-catalogue of D&D stuff on ebay. My gaming (and blogging) is sure to continue regardless of what WotC do, but it is entirely possible that their 5E will be part of it. 
Besides, I have not heard of any definite release date, so I won't be shelling out the cash for the new edition for a couple of months yet. When it arrives, then I'll look at it and decide. 
Edition wars aren't as bad as the London Blitz, but there is still the same advice: "Keep calm and carry on". 

A Timeline for Kaelaross

This is a work in progress - as more details are added to the setting, I expect this timeline will expand. The standard timescale in use across Kaelaross is the Bursian Year (BY) reckoning. 

BY -14,000 Rise of the Warrior Kingdoms of Kzuth
BY -6000 primitive humans colonise Toutus and spread over most of the continent
BY -1200s Rise of Cynidean empire in what would eventually become part of  Bellenos
BY -800s First city-states on eastern coast of Bursia
BY -350s "Papyri of Zoth" written in Cynidea
BY -205 City-States of Bursia become a republic
BY 1 Bursian Empire is founded as the first Bursian Emperor is crowned
BY 223 Great dust storms buries what is left of Cynidea, leaving nothing but ruins
BY 300s Human kingdoms form on south coast of Toutus continent
BY 430 In the Grulven Mountains the Dwarven kingdom of Urrugorn collapses
BY 482 Bursian civil War begins
BY 497 Bursian civil war ends, start of Age of the Tetrarchs in Bursia
BY 500s Toutian Kingdoms form an alliance 
BY 561 Start of the Tetrarch War in Bursia
BY 562 End of the Tetrarch War in Bursia, founding of the second Bursian Empire
BY 722 Toutian kingdoms are unified into the Toutus Empire in response to a humanoid threat
BY 820 Urdus Isthmus is colonised by the Toutus Empire
BY 826 Construction of Seaview Keep started
BY 830 Port at Maquosmouth formally starts to accept ships
BY 844 Zelchus takes over ownership of Seaview Keep
BY 850 Toutus Empire invades the Dwarves of the Ten Peaks
BY 860 Teiglin is incorporated into the Toutus Empire as a colony
BY 899 Dwarves of the Ten Peaks form a Confederacy
BY 1050 Dwarves of the Ten Peaks revolt against Duke of Urdus
BY 1067 Ironmarket becomes regular trading place between humans of Urdus and Dwarves of the Ten Peaks
BY 1221 Warlock Harbour built off coast of Teiglin
BY 1312 Chaos Cult on Elkhorn Island is destroyed, shrine to Adonor established on the island.
BY 1322 "The Histories of the Ancients" is written
BY 1330s Human trappers and hunters form settlement on what would become Walrus City. 
BY 1423 Construction of Hurin Fort begins
BY 1432 Walrus City formally established
BY 1456 "Magic Weapons I Have Known and Loved by Snorrvord the Elder" written
BY 1466 Najask City formally established
BY 1483 Walrus City governed as Imperial colony
BY 1501 Walrus City and other cities around the Walrus Channel become the Walrus Freehold
BY 1511 "The Abominable Cults of Chaos" commissioned and written
BY 1550 The Wars Between the Empires begin
BY 1551 "The Noble Families of Toutus" is written
                Vettrel Keep on Kaynor Islands abandoned by Teiglin, taken over by pirates
BY 1557 Weberin Island is sacked by Bursian Forces, resulting in anarchy
BY 1560 The Summoning - for 3 weeks Bhael roams Kaelaross on his own, for another 3 weeks Bhael does battle against Rhondus and Adonor across the face of Kaelaross. Many apocalyptic disasters happen and Chaos Portals are created. 
               Capital of Teiglin officially moves from Erkhart (now ruined) to Thaldion
                The Urdus Isthmus sinks below the sea, forming the Godsblood Straits. Other geographical changes also happen. 
BY 1561 Construction of string of forts to the west of Ironmarket begins
BY 1565 Klantorr Island officially ceases to be a Barony and becomes a Theocracy
BY 1591 A company from the Traitor Legion establish a base on the west of the Island of Lost Souls
BY 1595 Failed attempt to recapture Erkhart in Teiglin. Castellan Keep is reoccupied instead.
BY 1601 Thestor II begins his reign of Teiglin
BY 1610 Current Year