Where Chaos Reigns
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A Companion adventure from the UK for 6-10 characters of levels 17-19 by Graeme Morris TABLE OF CONTENTS WHERE CHAOS REIGNS Other Worlds; The Nexus 2 The Adventure; Using this Module 3 HERE AND NOW IN THE BEGINNING (Maps A1-A3) The Beginning 6 Forest and Swamp; Wandering Bands 7 Storyline: Graeme Morris Water, Ice and Fire 8 Jim Bambra & Phil Gallagher The Parting 9 Production & Design: Phil Gallagher FORGE OF POWER (Maps B1-B3) 10 Editing: Jim Bambra, Tom Kirby The Oracle of Kol 10 Luke Renouf Voyage to the West; Anvil of the World 11 Cover Art: Brian Williams The Dwarves 12 Internal Art: Jez Goodwin BRONZE AND IRON (Map C) 13 Cartography: Paul Ruiz Bara 13 The War Looms 14 The War 15 Distributed to the book trade by Random House, Inc. and in Victory 16 Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby industry by regional distributors. Distributed in the SampleISLAND fileOF SORCERERS (Maps D1-D3) 17 United Kingdom by TSR UK Ltd. The Guesthouse 17 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are registered trademarks The Bibliotheca 18 owned by TSR, Inc. After the Storm 20 © May 1985 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA. THE ENTROPY BUBBLE (Maps E1-E3) 21 This adventure is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other un- Edge of Chaos 21 authorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is City of the Oards 22 prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. The Bubble Collapses 24 PULL-OUT SHEETS between pages 12 fc 13 TSR, Inc. TSR UK Ltd. MapC I POB 756 The Mill Monster Rosters II-VI Lake Geneva Rathmore Road WI 53147 Cambridge CB1 4AD New Monsters VII USA United Kingdom. Oard Devices VIII LIST OF MAPS AND TABLES Table 1: Averaged Damage of 10 Elves/Humans vs. AC Pull-out Sheet II TSR, Inc. PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION" Table 2: Cijal Random Encounters 23 Maps A1-A3 (In the Beginning) Inside Cover 0-88038-243-0 Maps B1-B3 (Forge of Power) Outside Cover ISBN 394-54889-2TSR06O0 Map C (Bronze and Iron) Pull-out Sheet I 9158 Maps D1-D3 (Island of Sorcerers) Inside Cover Printed in the USA Maps E1-E3 (The Entropy Bubble) Inside Cover This module is for use with the DUN- GEONS fc DRAGONS® Role-Playing Game Companion Set rules, and takes a group of 6-10 characters (of levels 17-19) from their own world and time, and into the chaotic history of ihe parallel world of Aelos. As with any module designed for high level characters, it is impossible to predict exactly how powerful they will be in any given campaign, or how they will react to the situations with which they are faced. With this in mind, much of the information has been presented in a form which describes the essential features without resorting to unnecessary detail. Further- more, the statistics of all monsters and non- player characters have been gathered to- gether on the Pull-out Sheets (between pages 12 and 13). As a result, the DM should be able to adapt the adventure to the logical empire. Aelos' inhabitants could in the history of Aelos where they will be needs of the parly concerned within the never have been defeated, however, and the able to thwart the oards, the Immortals main framework, with particular reference oard empire could never have been founded, created the Nexus. to the strengths of the encounters. if the major races and the power of magic had developed fully there. The oards' empire is founded on their technologically- The Nexus Other Worlds based ability to send small groups of agents back to critical times and places in Aelos' Have you ever walked into a room and had The prime plane in which the adventurers past, there to nip in the bud the major races the feeling that you'd been there before, live is but one of the teeming planes and their powers, and thus pave the way for even when you couldn't possibly have scattered through the multiverse. Yet, the oard conquest. been? Just for that moment, before the within itself, the prime plane encompasses feeling vanishes, it seems as if two places, another whole universe; a universe in separated in time and space, are the same which many different, parallel worlds The Immortals place. Well the Nexus is something like follow their own courses — sometimes that... only much more. moving in step with one another and at The Immortals are immensely powerful other times diverging. beings who watch over and influence The Nexus will link a series of six points in events in the multiverse (see CP2). In time, time and space. The first is now, and on the Throughout its history, the world in which the adventurers may encounter these be- adventurers' own world, and ihe others are the characters live has witnessed the develop- ings, some may even join their ranks, but critical moments and places in the history ment of the powers of magic and the for now the characters may not even be of the parallel world of Aelos, separated by growth of the major races (humans, elves, aware that the Immortals exist. hundreds of years and as many miles — yet dwarves and halflings). Many worlds grow Sample file all are linked so strongly that characters thus, with only minor variations on the The power of the oards is of great concern can actually be drawn through the Nexus normal theme, but in other parallel worlds, to the Immortals, since the existence of from one to another. normality is sometimes swept aside by mundane power reduces the influence of some aberrant influence. their own. The Immortals decided that the The six entrances to the Nexus are all very oards had to be destroyed, but were faced similar. Each is in a room of some sort — a Aelos — where the adventures in this with the problem that, since the entire one-room collage, a hut, a ship's cabin, an module take place — is such a parallel history of Aelos had been changed by lime- underground temple, a turret-room or a world, threatened by a race known as oards. travelling oard agents, Aelos could not be stark chamber — and each has a similar restored simply by using the Immortals' (bul distinctive) set of furniture, and a char- power to destroy the oard empire. No more acteristic smell and sound. The Oards could a flower be brought into bloom by pulling open its bud. The Nexus lakes the adventurers through In order to fully understand what follows, the eras of Aelos' in a set order. Only after the DM should first read the description of Fortunately, the very foundation of the the parly's task in a given era is done, will the oards and their devices (see Pull-out oards' empire was its weakness. Since the the Nexus-link to the next era open. When Sheets VII-VIII). oards had founded their empire by pro- this happens, the adventurers will begin lo ducing particular events in the history of experience a feeling that it is "time to go". The oards are a humanoid race whose Aelos, the empire could be destroyed by The feeling will gTow until sooner or later, power and strength derive from the mun- reversing those events. the adventurers will have to return to ihe dane arts of technology and science — arts Nexus and be taken by it to ihe next crucial which have even given them the power to Such tasks could be performed by mere poini. travel through time. mortals, creatures whose powers would nol be great enough to impose their own The Nexus will only transport the player Their origin is obscure, but their influence distortions on Aelos' history. Thus, in characters and their equipment (including on the world of Aelos is all too apparent order to pluck a suitable group of mortals any inanimate objects they may have since, in the distant future of Aelos, they from one of the "normal" parallel worlds acquired during the adventure). Any other have established a vast and mighty techno- and transport them to the limes and places creatures will be left behind. 2 WHERE CHAOS REIGNS (Other Worlds/The Nexus) Using This Module Monster Rosters The statistics of all the monsters and non- player characters used in this module have been gathered together for ease of reference in the Monster Rosters on Pull-out Sheets II-VI). Oards as NPCs Since they use technology, the oards are very unusual creatures in the context of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® adventure game, and it is essential that the DM reads the details of the oards carefully (see Pull- out Sheets VII and VIII) before running the adventure. It is completely beyond the power of the Just before the emergence of dwarves from In most cases, when they are first en- player characters to control, manipulate or the earth (see Forge of Power - page 10), the countered by the party, the oards will be harm the Nexus. The rooms and their oards will enlist the help of hephaeston (see disguised with image amulets so as not to contents serve only to mark the entrances to New Monsters - Pull-out Sheet VII) to appear out of place. Once they begin to use the Nexus and are in no way necessary for it destroy the newcomers and prevent the their technological weaponry, however, it to operate.