ARDEN VUL TABLE of CONTENTS General Introduction a Brief History of Arden Vul
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ARDEN VUL TABLE OF CONTENTS General Introduction A Brief History of Arden Vul ..................................................V. 1 P. 7 Sub-Level 1: The Tombs of Light ...........................................V. 3 P. 3 Design Principles ...................................................................V. 1 P. 10 Sub-Level 2: The Hall of Shrines ..........................................V. 3 P. 11 Note on Designation of Keyed Locations ...........................V. 1 P. 11 Sub-Level 3: The Lesser Baboon Caves ...............................V. 3 P. 23 Starting Levels for PCs ..........................................................V. 1 P. 11 Sub-Level 4: The Goblin Warrens........................................ V. 3 P. 33 General Construction Features ...........................................V. 1 P. 12 Sub-Level 5: The Lizardman Caves .....................................V. 3 P. 57 Iconic Locations of Arden Vul .............................................V. 1 P. 14 Sub-Level 6: The Drowned Canyon ....................................V. 3 P. 73 Rumors ....................................................................................V. 1 P. 18 Sub-Level 7: The Flooded Vaults .......................................V. 3 P. 117 Factions of Arden Vul ...........................................................V. 1 P. 30 Sub-Level 8: The Caves Behind the Falls ..........................V. 3 P. 125 Adventure Hooks ...................................................................V. 1 P. 48 Sub-Level 9: The Kaliyani Pits ...........................................V. 3 P. 131 Customizing Arden Vul ........................................................V. 1 P. 58 Sub-Level 10A: The Hold of the Sun-Scarred Knights .....V. 3 P. 153 Sub-Level 10B: The Citadel of the Sun-Scarred Knights ....V. 3 P. 167 Sub-Level 11: The Tomb of Isadora ...................................V. 3 P. 177 Exterior Adventure Locations Sub-Level 12: The Workshops of Kerbog Khan ...............V. 3 P. 187 Burdock’s Valley, The Azure Keep, and Gosterwick (AK) ...V. 1 P. 61 Sub-Level 13: The Lost Chambers of Arden ....................V. 3 P. 199 Exterior: the Long Falls and the Long Stair (EX) ...............V. 1 P. 75 Sub-Level 14: The Chamber of the Beacon ......................V. 3 P. 219 The Ruined City of Arden Vul (AV) ....................................V. 1 P. 81 Sub-Level 15: The Druid’s Retreat .....................................V. 3 P. 225 The Pyramid of Thoth (UP) ................................................V. 1 P. 107 The Tower of Scrutiny (TS) .................................................V. 1 P. 112 Appendices New Monsters ..........................................................................V. 4 P. 2 The Halls of Arden Vul New Magic Items ...................................................................V. 4 P. 71 Level 1: The Basement......................................................... V. 1 P. 117 New Technological Items ...................................................V. 4 P. 116 Level 2: The Howling Caves and the Well of Light .........V. 1 P. 123 Arden Vul Items ...................................................................V. 4 P. 126 Level 3: The Halls of Thoth .................................................V. 1 P. 153 New Flora .............................................................................V. 4 P. 129 Level 4: The Forum of Set ...................................................V. 1 P. 239 New Spells ............................................................................V. 4 P. 132 Level 5: The Obsidian Gates and the Midnight Road .........V. 2 P. 3 Arden Vul Books .................................................................V. 4 P. 141 Level 6: The Troll Lifts and the Arena .................................V. 2 P. 65 World of Archontos .............................................................V. 4 P. 171 Level 7: The Court of the Troll Thegn ...............................V. 2 P. 135 NPC Appendix .....................................................................V. 4 P. 191 Level 8: The Nether Reaches ..............................................V. 2 P. 201 Index of Proper Names ........................................................V. 4 P. 227 Level 9: The Floor of the Great Chasm .............................V. 2 P. 261 OGL ........................................................................................V. 4 P.234 Level 10: The Ziggurat of Kauket....................................... V. 2 P. 317 Sample file Vol. 3 P. 1 Sample file SUB-LEVEL 1: THE TOMBS OF LIGHT This small sub-level differs in architecture and purpose from much of the rest of the level. It was developed in antiquity by the niravairi Level Key (see new monsters), rivals to the rudishva and noted planar explorers. They located a permanent portal in the Astral plane that SL1-1: Secret Door and Archontean Entrance led to a site here, within Arden Vul (SL1-11). Discovering strange Corridor crystals and new life forms (lumens - see new monsters), they built A secret door in the Well of Light (AV-14, 2-1) leads to a 10’- a small research facility to study the optical phenomena (and added long, roughly hewn rock corridor that opens into a darkened, a few other portals as well). When the Beacon crashed here, the hemispherical chamber (SL1-2). The secret door is located on rudishva discovered signs of their rivals’ activity and, for a while, the shaft of the Well at a point 110’ below the surface. The short occupied the site in the hope that it could aid in their propulsion corridor was dug by the Archonteans who were constructing the dilemma. Eventually the dangers posed by the lumens, as well as Well of Light when they detected worked areas to the south. the drain on resources, caused the rudishva leadership to pull back (although one scientist refused to leave - see SL1-8). Centuries Secret Door (south): The secret door is difficult to find (1 in 8 later, while improving a light well so as to transform it into the Well chance), and difficult to open. It requires twisting one of the of Light (2-1), the Archonteans discovered the nearby complex; dozens of convex mirrors near the door 90 degrees. This causes a they hopefully installed a secret door in the Well and hoped that 5’-tall panel of the well shaft to spring inward, revealing a 5’-tall, the area would yield secrets, but after several disasters (see SL1-6), roughly-carved passage to the south. they abandoned further exploration (thus giving the sub-level its current name). The sub-level is comprised of a hexagonal upper Well of Light: The Well is a 200’-long shaft, 5’ in diameter, which chamber designed for the study of lumens and optics, and a lower descends from the surface (AV-14) to emerge at Level 2 (area 2-1). level for storage chambers and the niravairi portals. Successful From SL1-1, it is another 90’ down the shaft to 2-1. The well shaft navigation of the sub-level requires solving difficult puzzles with is studded with convex mirrors and reflective stones in a carefully regard to light beams, as well as confrontation with the lumens orchestrated manner such that, when it is daylight (and bright) on (and more). the surface, sunlight will be reflected down the length of the shaft. General Construction Notes SL1-2: Niravairi Entrance Chamber Niravairi areas: SL1-2 to SL1-13. Corridors are hexagonal in This chamber is hemispherical, with a 10’ ceiling curving down on shape. All niravairi areas are sheathed in impact resistant, opaque, all sides. All surfaces - floor and ‘ceiling/walls’ - are covered with hexagonal tiles made of colored plasglass. Unless otherwise noted, opaque, impact-resistant, reflective, white plasglass tiles, cleverly ceilings are 12’ tall. molded to fit the contours of the chamber. The tiles are hexagonal Archontean areas: SL1-1. in shape. The chamber is dark, but any light source introduced to the chamber immediately reflects across the surface, shedding light everywhere. Access and Egress The narrow passageway to the east and south ends in a heap To Ruined City: Well of Light at SL1-1, leading up to AV-14 of collapsed rock, masonry, and plasglass shortly after some stairs To Level 2: Well of Light at SL1-1, leading down to 2-1 begin to rise. The corridor and stair once connected SL1-2 with To the Ethereal Plane: portal at SL1-10, leading to the Ethereal SL1-8. The rudishva leaders destroyed the corridor to prevent their Plane scientists from further dangerous experimentation with the tombs To the Astral Plane: portal at SL1-11, leading to the Astral Plane of light. To the Abyss: portal at SL1-12, leading to the GM’s choice of layers of the Abyss To the home of the Order of Planar Explorers: portal at SL1-13, SL1-3: Corridor with Niravairi Light Tiles The 60’-long tunnel leading from SL1-2 to SL1-4 is made from leading to an unmapped base of this group more of the opaque, impact-resistant plasglass. The walls, floor and ceiling of each 10’-long section of the tunnel are formed from scores RandomSample Encounters of smaller plasglass hexagons fit filetogether in an almost seamless There are no random encounters in this sub-level. fashion. Each of the six sections of tunnel features a different hue, in this order (from north to south): yellow-green- blue-purple-red- orange. The display of any light source from the Well reveals the multi-colored nature of the tunnel via a rainbow of flashing colors. Vol. 3 P. 3 Programmed Illusion: If any portion of the walls, floor or ceiling of More careful observation from the doorway might