Five Shires Gazetteer Alternate Edition

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Five Shires Gazetteer Alternate Edition

Editor: John Biles Primary Author: John Biles Vaults of Pandius and Wizard's Community Mystara Materials and Concepts Used in this Gazetteer Creators: DM@Wizard's Community--Mystara (Write-ups on the High Heroes) Marco Dalmonte (Suggested list of Shires Immortals) Håvard (Shadowdeep name and Races of the Shadowdeep) Thorfinn Tait (Map of the Five Shires as of 1000 AC, which I then added to) Andrew Theisen (Various ideas involving Halflings, Blackflame, and Glaurants, Regions of the Shadowdeep) Beau Yarbrough (Hin Master Prestige Class)

Table of Contents

DM's Guide to the Five Shires - 2 Welcome to the Five Shires, Alternate Edition - 2 History as the Immortals Know It - 4 A DM's Shires Almanac - 9 The Sacred Mysteries - 15 Halflings, Heroes, and Highwayhin - 16 A DM's Guide to the Five Shires - 29 Highshire - 29 Eastshire - 32 Seashire - 34 Heartshire - 38 Southshire - 40 Shireton - 42 Shire-Related Locations Outside the Shires - 43 Adventures - 43 Player's Guide to the Five Shires - 56 What Everyone Knows About the Shires - 56 History as the Hin Know it - 59 Peoples of the Shires - 64 Clan Life - 65 Shire Government, Law, and Justice - 67 Rules and Miscellanea - 69 Hin Master Prestige Class - 74

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Welcome to the Five Shires, Alternate Edition

Why an Alternate Firstly, agricultural countries Thus, as the Five Shires undergo a boom/bust cycle which periodically becomes full of too Edition? is driven by population growth many people for everyone to have and the limits of the ability of the six meals a day, the inhabitants The standard version of the Five land to sustain such growth. It become progressively more Shires is a fine enough place to begins with a small population suspicious, protective of their come from, but it suffers the farming only the best lands. As relatives over strangers, problem of not giving adventurers the population grows, they spread quarrelsome, sneaky, and even much to do. The folk of the Five out to begin farming more violent. The population pressure Shires are largely happy and marginal lands. Eventually, all the must be relieved either by content with little internal conflict land is taken, and further expansion or by civil war which and not even much external population growth is only possible cuts the population down to size. conflict. Its inhabitants live quiet, if you either conquer more land. happy fulfilled lives unless This can lead either to bursts of This interlocks with a third cycle, something invades, and even that colonization and expansion or else the cycle of growth and shrinkage doesn't happen all that often. to bloody war as everyone begins of the population of the region of killing each other to take control the Shadowdeep located under the In other words, it's a great place to of the best land. Five Shires. Manipulated by the live, but not a place for Deep Glaurants, the humanoids adventurers. Even the magical Secondly, this interlocks with the and other creatures which dwell paradise of Alfheim has some nature of halflings (postulated for below the land periodically erupt conflicts, problems, and dangerous this supplement). When food is upwards, seeking to seize the places to form a basis for readily available, halflings eat like Crucibles of Blackflame and to adventures. The Five Shires pigs and are happy and content rule the land for themselves. deserves the same. and good natured. They become a While the monsters outstripping peaceful folk, able to fight if their resources follows a cycle Thus, this edition seeks to make survival is necessary, but inclined similar to that of the Halflings, the Five Shires a place to have to strongly lawful and good their cycle is timed differently, adventurers, as well as a place for behaviours. However, when and thus has different results, bored adventurers to take their starvation sets in, they become depending on its intersection with leave of to make trouble increasingly sneaky, cranky, and the Halfling psychological and elsewhere. quarrelsome, as their survival agricultural cycles. instincts begin to override their good natures. Halfling It is of course in the nature of The Twin Driving adventurers tend to be a lot things that all three cycles are now Dynamics of the sneakier and dangerous and theft- starting to peak simultaneously in Alternate Five Shires inclined than normal halflings in the year 1000 AC, when the player part because they don't have time characters step onto the scene... The history of the Alternate Five for meals six times a day. Or the Shires is driven by several money to pay for it. Until they interlocking cycles. steal it.

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The Final Goal of a Five own limits on population, which is improve production.) This would why its inhabitants periodically bring about the most changes in Shires Campaign invade the Shires.) There are the Shires, and may not be to those within the shires currently everyone's taste in a fantasy game. The Five Shires are, in a sense, advocating this path. It is probably the easiest (at least doomed to repeat themselves in an in some ways) to bring to pass, endless cycle of growth, The second major possibility is though the solution most likely to prosperity, overcrowding, and perhaps the hardest, the lead to external conflict with new slaughter, unless they break out of transformation of the Shires into a trade rivals. It would also horrify this cycle. The ultimate goal of a magical land like that of the Elves, some halflings who are very fond Five Shires campaign would be to tapping into the power of the of their traditional ways, despite end this repetition and open up Blackflame. It is hardest because the problems inherent in them. new vistas which would enable the the Halflings, with good reason, Shires to overcome the limits of an are not fond of Wizards and The final possibility is the agricultural lifestyle in a restricted Sorcerors, associating them with conquest of new surface lands and area. This product proposes Glantri and Alphatia. However, it the planting of colonies. This is a several possible methods by which would be possible to combine the task well suited for wandering player characters could bring this powers of the clan Crucibles with heroic adventurers (as players tend to pass. And, of course, players the naturally occurring fonts of to be) who now want to found being what they are, they no doubt Blackflame found in the caverns their own dominion. Fort Doom is will think of six other solutions, below to massively increase the ripe for conquest by heroes; other then someone will fumble a land's fertility while restraining land expansion would have to go crucial roll during the one they that of the halflings themselves further afield, though. The Five choose and everything will go to somewhat. This would be a huge Shires is increasingly hemmed in hell, requiring death-defying project, requiring the cooperation by civilized lands, making this a improvisation to avert ecological of many Masters, Clerics, Druids, potentially difficult task, unless apocalypse. Wizards, Sorcerors, etc, etc, but one can convince enough halflings would greatly lengthen the cycles to move to Norwold or the Savage Or maybe that's just how my plans and moderate their effects. A few Coast or Davania. But then, fail when I'm playing. within the shires look to this path, players specialize in making the but tend to keep it quiet for fear of impossible happen. A fair number The first major possibility is being lynched. of Shire folk support this solution. expansion into the Shadowdeep. Especially if it's other people who In the past, the halflings have The third major possibility may or will have to do the leaving. tended to try to expand on the may not be to the tastes of DMs surface, which has sometimes and players in a game such as this. And, of course, the players will no worked and sometimes not. While A commercial and/or industrial doubt come up with solutions of halflings do like living semi- revolution would enable the their own to the problem, once underground, they have long Halflings to become traders and they understand it. No solution forgotten how to live in caverns. manufacturers, buying raw should be easy, but in the end, it's Properly instructed and with the materials, processing them, and the player's job to outsmart the major underground menaces turning them into manufactured DM, and the DM's job to take it defeated, there is room for them to goods on a larger scale, then using gracefully. massively expand into the the profits to import enough food Shadowdeep, relieving population to feed a hungry Halfling pressures, if only for a time. population. (And to continue to (After all, the Shadowdeep has its 4

History as the Immortals Know It

Around 1300 BC, the Serpent- undead or put to work as slaves. then pass on quietly. Furthermore, Men, created so long ago by the But when Taymor was destroyed their few children oft proved too now long imprisoned Carnifex, by a massive earthquake in 1750 adventuresome for their own engaged in their final round of BC, with the help of their good, growing up bored in a safe empire building, led by the Lord Immortal patrons, the Gentle Folk land and seeking excitement they of the Golden Throne, possessor had escaped slavery and purified proved unable to survive. And of an ancient artifact created by a the forests and hills of the Shires, increasingly, the land was full of now dead Immortal of Conquest. turning them into a refuge and hungry Halflings, and the lands of The Hin of Davania were unable renouncing violence and force the Gentle Folk shrunk, leaving to stop them; some of them against others. They worked great little room for population growth. formed an army to defend the feats of Arcane and Divine magic, others as they built a fleet to flee. sealing the entrances to the Finally, the Immortals, fearful They succeeded, enabling a third Shadowdeep and keeping out they would die out, whisked away of the population to escape. many of the monsters which dwelt the last of them to the Hollow Another third perished at the in the lands to the north and east World around 1000 BC. This left hands of the Serpent-Men and the of them through great workings only the Halflings to maintain the final third were enslaved by them. empowered by their own purity. defences built by the Gentle Folk. Many years later they would Thus, they were willing to share successfully revolt against the their lands with the Halflings, who Unfortunately (for the Hin), the Serpent-Men, but that is a story came in peace. Gentle Folk were withdrawn by for another time and place. the Immortals just as the great For centuries, the two nations humanoid tide of 1000 BC swept And thus it was that the ancestors dwelt in peace, the Gentle Folk south. To make matters worse, the of the modern Shirefolk left the gradually withdrawing into the huge growth of the halfling continent of Davania, seeking a deep forests as their population population had led it to hit the new home. Hin tradition asserts boomed. They taught rites to the overcrowding phase of the cycle they all came in a single ship, the Clan masters, enabling them to just as the humanoids arrived. Dawn Hope, but in actually, it was help maintain the land's defences. Clans began to quarrel and failed a small fleet of ships of various Unfortunately, because the Hin to cooperate to maintain the sizes, none of them very well did not themselves maintain the traditional rites. The defences made. Nearly a third never made full standards of purity of the began to decay and the Orcs it, sinking or being destroyed in Gentle Folk, these defences began poured in. storms. Arriving in the modern to waver. Shires, they found them inhabited Hinhome, as the Hin now called it, only by the Gentle Folk, a clan of Furthermore, the Gentle Folk fell swiftly to the Orcs. Elves the Halflings (who called themselves went into decline. Quarrelsome clans failed to themselves the Hin) referred to as Their long enslavement by the cooperate and the Orcs picked off 'Masters'. undead had somehow made it many on their own. In the end, the harder for them to reproduce and last clans stood together, but it many of them were old and tired was not enough. Hinhome now The Gentle Folk had once been of life. They had redeemed their came under the rule of the Orcs. enslaved by the Taymoran empire land and found new guardians for at the height of its evil, many of it, and most of them were ready to Othrong, High King of the Orcs, their number turned into hideous relax and enjoy their last years, put the Halflings to work, creating 5 a powerful Orcish kingdom where down to the point where the Hin What followed was a period of the halflings were put to work could overcome them, though at relative peace and quiet, but also doing all the menial tasks. It was grave cost. of slavery and submission. The essentially a feudal state with Dwarves restored order, halfling serfs, Orcish nobles, and By the winter of 964, the Hin were rationalized food production, and priests of Karaash blessing the free, but now there were other enabled the Halfling population to whole affair. (Those who work, problems to deal with. Namely, begin to recover after centuries of those who fight, and those who much of the old lore which internecine warfare and invasion. pray, you see.) Othrong's plans to maintained the Gentle Folk's Furthermore, the Hin bred faster create a permanent Orcish empire defences of the land had been lost than the Dwarves, and by the mid- might have worked if he'd chosen due to the Orcs slaughtering the 7th century, the Hin were now to rule over humans. lorekeepers. Furthermore, a new much more numerous than their Unfortunately, one of the side government had to be constructed, masters and ripe for revolt. And effects of his empire was to slowly and all the hostile humanoids of revolt they did. drive the halflings more and more the mountains and the towards the feral, sneaky, vicious Shadowdeep had to be dealt with. The Dwarves put up far more of a side of their natures. fight than the Orcs had; the Dwarf For two centuries, the Hin War lasted from 663 to 638 BC, Many young halflings fled into the struggled to try to build a before finally the remnants of the wilderness; many of those died, functional government which Dwarven Army fled east, while others went out into the could overcome the old quarrels eventually finding refuge with the world and made contact with other which had opened the land to Dwarves of Highforge in halfling settlements. They grew invasion. But these old quarrels Traladara. The military leaders strong in adventures, then returned undercut efforts to build a central who emerged in this war became to lead their people to freedom. government ruled by a council of known as the Lords, and they Elders. Furthermore, the formed a feudal state, creating a Their chance came in 965, when Shadowdeep and the mountains military class of permanent Othrong died and his less continued to periodically gush warriors to defend the new intelligent son Raurgh took the forth with invasions of humanoids. Kingdom of Shaerdon from throne. Raurgh's generation had Many halflings continued to go invasion. grown up fat and lazy, living off hungry, keeping them more feral the work of increasingly lean and than peaceful. For a century, things worked well; hungry halflings, halflings who the Lords drove out the invaders increasingly saw their choice as It was around 750 BC when the and slowly expanded the dominion one of either risking death in Dwarves came, attracted by of the Hin, pushing beyond the revolt or dying of overwork. reports of gold in the land. Led by mountains to the north and over Loktal Ironshield, the Dwarves the lands of the modern Baron von That winter, the land froze over, carved out a powerful kingdom Hendriks in the east and into the and the Hin seized their chance. (The Glittering Land) based in the Malpheggi swamp in the west. Led by returned heroes, they mountains and highlands, forcing Unfortunately, the Lords were ambushed and slew Raurgh and the Hin into submission in the proud and quarrelsome and prone the other major Orc lords, then led lowlands, required to pay food to violence, and the Ruling a massive slave break into the tribute to the Dwarves and to help Council suffered in effectiveness forests along with the supplies, work the mines. as each sought to promote his own then sat back and let the orcs clan above the others. Many of slaughter each other for food the old clans ceased to exist, 6 fusing with others to form the new who discovered the secret of Gunzuth divided the land into five clans led by the Lords. Blackflame in the Shadowdeep. shires, each itself divided into They created the first Crucibles of 'townships' (territories surrounding Finally, a continuing feud erupted Blackflame and used them to the home of a particular clan). in violence between two major make special weapons for the day Each clan governed itself as it saw lords. The murder of Lord of liberation to come. fit, while each township elected Blacktoes at a Council meeting two representatives for the marked the beginning of the Finally, in memory of the first Assembly of that shire and one Kinstrife in 522 BC. For the next rising against Orcish rule, they representative for the Assembly of ten years, the Lords slaughtered struck in the dead of Winter in 408 the Shires as a whole. Each each other and rival clans BC, assassinating many major Shire's assembly elected a Sheriff mercilessly, until finally, in 512 Orcish leaders with Blackflame for that shire, and the five Sheriffs BC, the border defences collapsed weapons, using Blackflame would rule as an executive council and bands of humanoids poured artifacts to pass as other Orcish with the Assembly of the Shires into the land, led by Orc King leaders, so as to turn them on each serving as a legislature. Each Thrail. He was joined by bands of other. The Orcs now turned on township was required to place a humanoids from the Shadowdeep each other in an orgy of certain number of warriors at the as well. Unable to unite, the destruction, the Orcstrife, and service of its Sheriff in peacetime Lords fell, and by 503 BC, he when the time-travelling Thrail and to provide a levy of warriors ruled unchallenged. tried to stop this, Gunzuth hacked in wartimes. The city of Shireton him into small pieces and Alfron was now built to serve as the For a century, a series of Orc cast his soul into the Nightmare capital of the shires. Kings ruled over the land, some Dimension, where his patron treating the Hin abominably, could not even find him to try to Once all was in order, Gunzuth others easing up on the treatment. bring him back as a Titan. and Alfron descended into the The stability of the Kingdom was Shadowdeep to begin their quests unusual; only the Immortals know By 400 BC, the Orcs had been for Immortality in which they both that Thrail sought Immortality on defeated, and Gunzuth emerged as succeed, Alfron on the Path of the the Path of the Dynast and the leader of the Hin, take the title Paragon and Gunzuth on the Path travelled through time, enabling of Sheriff, with Alfron as his main of the Dynast. his kingdom to survive through a advisor. Alfron trained a new series of generations of rule. (He class of halfling loremasters, who Meanwhile, life in the Shires was was sponsored by would study and master the quiet for several centuries; powers of the Blackflame, as well periodically, creatures erupted out Thrail might have succeeded in as gathering what lore of the of the Shadowdeep or out of the creating a permanent, or at least Gentle Folk still survived, and mountains or oceans or the very long lasting Orcish empire, if tasking another group of Malpheggi Swamp or the forests not for the intervention of two loremasters, the Masters of the of Traladara, but it was nothing halflings who would become the Shires, with perfecting it. the Shire government couldn't first of the High Heroes, the Gunzuth set out to design a system handle. During this time, the Immortals of the Shires. Gunzuth of government that would provide population of the Shires remained the Clanless, who would become strong leadership without it fairly static, due to steady attrition Brindorhin, and the loremaster becoming another engine for the from humanoid invasions. During Alfron, who would become Hin to kill each other. this period, the first halfling Coberham Shadowglint, were part pirates begin to operate along the of a small band of would-be rebels waters of the Shires, though there 7 was not yet a lot of commerce for bad weather, the liberal use of domination magics and them to raid. blackflame, and the successful doppelgangers to replace key bribing of a Thyatian squadron figures. The crowning of the First Emperor commander to 'not arrive in time of Thyatis marked a watershed in for the battle'. This victory She might well have gotten away the life of the Shires. Coastal inspired the Ierendi to revolt in with it if not for the Halfling hero trade now greatly increased as the 600 AC, and the Thyatians proved Nob Nar. Nob had fallen in love Thyatians reached out to trade unable to put down that revolt, with Navilstar, the daughter of one with the Makai of the Ierendi fight the Shires, AND fight of Regia's puppets, the Baron of Isles, with the Atruaghin Clans, Alphatia at the same time. Halag (now Fort Doom today), a Sind, and with the rising Nevertheless, the war dragged on Traladaran noble. Regia had taken communities at the southern end until 623, when the Thyatian control of him so as to ensure the of the Malpheggi Swamp. This Emperor mysteriously fell down eastern borders of her new colony led to rising piracy, but also to a the stairs, onto a pile of knives that would be defended by a buffer growing naval presence of the Hin someone had left lying around, zone. The Ballad of Nob Nar themselves, who had to ensure that resulting in 23 stab wounds. relates the tragedy which followed the Hin pirates didn't get out of Furthermore, some clumsy person when her father tried to marry her hand. had spilled poison all over the off to another western Traladaran knives. The cleaning staff had to noble who Regia hoped to bring Seeing the population rising, the be sacked. This resulted in a under her sway. Navilstar was Sheriffs planted colonies in what change of dynasty, and the new slain, and Nob Nar slew the Baron is now Minrothad and the Ierendi ruler made peace with Ierendi and in turn. Regia tried to kill him isles. Unfortunately, this led to the Five Shires in order to focus when he took Navilstar to be conflict with Thyatis. The on fighting the Alphatians. buried in the legendary caern of Minrothad colony was conquered Everwake Way. This led him into and enslaved by the Thyatians in A little over a century of relative the tangle of her plots, and finally the 4th century AC, while Thyatis peace and quiet follow, punctuated led to him exposing her took over the Ierendi Isles in the only by the occasional Orc conspiracy and slaying her. He late 6th century AC. This helped invasion. The Shadowdeep was went on to follow the Path of the to turn the Hin against Thyatis and strangely quiet (in part due to a Hero to immortality. the Sheriffs began their policy of civil war among the Deep implicit toleration of piracy Glaurants in their subterranean Combined with the rise of Glantri against Thyatians. kingdoms). and its wizards mounting raids on the Shires to steal halflings for The Thyatians were not the types The Eighth century, however, is experiments, the Shires came to to take such things lightly, and in noteworthy for Alphatians going take a dim view of wizards from 593, they began the Thirty Years' out and trying to colonize various this incident. Any halflings who War against the Shires, a places at the fringes of Thyatian display any such talents are prolonged naval conflict. This influence, as part of a strategy of shunned at best, exiled or even proved an expensive mistake. encirclement favoured by the lynched at worst. Only the Thyatis was also at war with Emperor of the time. The Shires Blackflame loremasters remained Alphatia and could only put forth were claimed by the subtle and immune to this. a portion of its strength. The cunning Regia, third cousin to the Battle of Hingulf in 599 smashed Emperor of Thyatis. She began The last few centuries have been a up the main Thyatian fleet in the working to quietly take control of time of peace and prosperity. area, thanks to a combination of the government, using charm and While there is always naval 8 skirmishing, the lands around the 1900-1750 BC: The Gentle Folk 750-745 BC: Loktal conquers Shires grow increasingly civilized are slaves in the Taymoran Hinhome. and the influx of humanoids has Empire. 745-663 BC: Loktal and his been slow. Even raids from the 1750 BC: An earthquake sinks descendents rule over The Shadowdeep were low for many much of the Taymoran Empire. Glittering Land. years. Trade and commerce has The Gentle Folk escape, settling in 663-638 BC: The Hin revolt and increased, and in Shireton, new the Shires, which they purify and crush Loktal in the Dwarf War. methods of manufacture are being defend. 638 BC: The Lords of Shaerdon pioneered. The result is that the 1300 BC: The Serpent-Men begin meet and select the first Decennial population has boomed and now their war on the Hin homeland in King in the new city they build, the lands are growing Davania. Shaerdon City. overcrowded. The Sheriffs begin 1298 BC: The Hin build a 638-522 BC: The Kingdom of to look for solutions, for they can ramshackle fleet to enable a Shaerdon expands to claim see signs of the Shires starting to portion of the population to Southern Darokin and eastern go sour, as the negative effects of escape, while the rest remain Karameikos. But the Lords overcrowding impinge upon home to fight off the invaders long quarrel frequently with each other. traditional halfling customs and enough for the fleet to escape. 522 BC: Lord Blacktoes is life. Furthermore, their scouting 1297 BC: The Hin armada lands murdered at a Council meeting. reports show the Shadowdeep is in the Southwestern shires, near 522-512 BC: The Kinstrife. way overdue for another eruption. modern Tothmeer. Many clans wipe each other out in 1296 BC: First Contact with the bloody war. And finally, the Black Eagle Gentle Folk 512-503 BC: Orc King Thrail Baron is eyeing the Shires and 1296-1200 BC: The Gentle Folk overruns the land, crushing the must be dealt with, one way or help the Hin establish their new remaining Lords. another. He's mounted two large homeland. 503-408 BC: Thrail and his scale raids (989 and 995), and it's 1200-1000 BC: The Gentle Folk descendents rule over the land; expected he'll seize the chance to withdraw to the woods and go into Thrail time travels to help his invade whenever the Shadowdeep decline. kingdom survive. next erupts. And since Stefan 1000 BC: The Immortals take the 421 BC: Gunzuth the Clanless Karameikos is too weak or corrupt Gentle Folk to the Hollow World. and Alfron the Loremaster to stop him, it'll be up to the Hin The Hin are falling out with each discover the secrets of to take matters into their own other as the land becomes full. Blackflame; they are not aware the hands. 1000 BC: The Beast-Men overrun Deep Glaurants led them to this. Traladara and Hinhome. 408-400 BC: Gunzuth and Alfron It always is. 1000-993 BC: High King lead the clans in revolt, Othrong conquers the Shires and slaughtering the leaders of the It is a time for adventurers, when a founds the Kingdom of Othrong. Orcs with Blackflame, then aiding peaceful land stands on the knife 965 BC: Othrong dies and Orcs in killing each other in the edge of disaster, when the actions Raurgh, his son, takes the throne. ensuing Orcstrife. of heroes will determine the future 965-964 BC: The Hin rise up and 406 BC: Gunzuth and Alfron slay of the shires for centuries to come. destroy the Orcs. Thrail, casting his soul into the 964-750 BC: The Hin clans Nightmare Dimension. Chronology squabble over the land. 400 BC: Gunzuth creates the 750 BC: Loktal Ironshield and his modern system of Shire dwarves arrive in Hinhome. Government; Alfron begins 9 further training of Keepers of Late 6th century AC: Thyatis in an underwater art collection of Blackflame. takes over the Ierendi Islands. Hin the DM's choice. 378 BC: Gunzuth and Alfron pirates unleashed on Thyatians. 623 AC: Thyatian emperor head into the Shadowdeep to 593-623 AC: Thirty Year's War Felonious XI falls down the stairs, begin their Quests for Immortality. 595 AC: Famous Hin Pirate lands on knives, takes 23 poisoned 0 AC: Crowning of the First Galassar builds the Money Pit as a stab wounds. New Emperor Emperor of Thyatis leads to an defence for his treasure. Marcus III ends the war. increase in trade along the coast 599 AC: Thyatian fleet crushed in 8th century AC: Alphatian and in the ocean. Battle of Hin Gulf wizardess Regia tries to subvert 250 AC: The Sheriffs plant 600 AC: Ierendian Independence the Shires, but is defeated by Nob colonies in what is now Minrothad Revolt. Nar. and Ierendi. 608 AC: Hin Pirate Galassar is 989 AC: Black Eagle Baron Early 4th century AC: The turned to stone at the Battle of invades the Shires, defeated at Minrothad colony is enslaved by Five Bulls and sinks to the bottom Rollstone Keep. Thyatians. of the ocean, never to be seen 995 AC: Black Eagle Baron again. His stone body now resides invades again, defeated at Fire Rock.

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A DM's Shires' Almanac

Climate round, though in the depths of tobacco, and sugar for sale at winter, it sometimes plunges to the market, in order to raise money,

fifties. It is always just a little whether to make the clan leaders The Five Shires tend to be either humid. The Land of Black Flame rich, to help pay debts, or to cool and wet or warm and wet. is chillingly cold, warming up to generally improve the wealth of Winter is fairly moderate, with the fifties in summer, dropping to the clan. Urban merchants have snow only common in the the thirties in spring and fall, and encouraged this trend, as it gives highlands and the mountains, plunging down into the twenties them more to sell to foreigners to though it will snow several times a and tens in winter. Many areas are make a profit thereby; the clans year even in Southshire. coated with black ice. also benefit if the profits are However, it rains like crazy, shared fairly, as food can be nearly every day, as wet air blows imported for distribution to the in from the oceans, hits the Agriculture clan members. Unfortunately, the mountains, rises, chills, and profits are not always shared dumps its load of water. The fairly, leading to conflict... mountains block cold air from The Five Shires is good for flowing south easily, and thus growing anything that doesn't Everyone in a clan is expected to winter has bursts of mind humidity or need consistent help work the fields, unless they freezing/snowy weather, but can't high heat. In general, the do other work for the clan-- sustain it. Temperatures limp predominant shire food crops are craftswork, taking care of along in the forties with bursts of wheat, rye, oats, corn, beans, children, etc. No one is fifties or thirties or twenties. tomatoes, potatoes, and various unemployed in the countryside, as kinds of melons. Just about every there's always a need for people to Spring and Fall are fairly wet and kind of grain, fruit, or vegetable work the fields. cool, with average temperatures in that will grow in the Shires is the fifties, shading towards the probably grown by some clan, The Five Shires is hitting the sixties at the start of Fall and the however. limits of its agriculture; end of Spring. Rain becomes increasingly, clans have to cut more erratic, though it is still Land is held communally by the rations, making everyone common. clans in most of the Shire; this increasingly crabby. Wiser clans means everyone gets a share of the have begun to find other sources Summer is warm to hot, in the crop. It has the disadvantage that it of income, but many traditionalists seventies and eighties, and the tends to slow or prevent any kind frown on these expedients, while shires turn hideously humid, with of innovation, and people don't others are simply jealous. And only periodic bursts of rain to work as hard as they would if they some clans mismanage their knock the humidity out of the air. personally profited by it directly. resources and are heading towards A few days, the temperatures Which is fine with most halflings, disaster. surge into the nineties and who aren't fond of workaholics everyone takes the day off if at all anyway. (Mind you, anyone less ravenous possible. than Halflings would still get by Some clans have begun to grow well on what is being grown...) In the Shadowdeep, Zarak Kash cash crops lately, producing tends to remain around 60-65 year various kinds of spices, cotton, 11

A Few Notes on Sheriff, but they answer to him basis, but in practice, only about and him alone once supplied. 5% of the population is Geography Krondar man forts and act as sufficiently well drilled to be police forces in peace time, and useful outside immense crises. The Shires can be divided into act as the core of the army in times three regions. The highlands are of war. Krondar typically wear Finally, there are roving bands of the mountains and hills which run chainmail and are armed with adventure-seekers who wander the along the northwestern border of shortbows or crossbows, axes or fringes of the Shire, attacking the nation. They are full of rich swords, and often shields. Most threats real and imagined. At sea, ores and also entrances to the have warponies to ride as well. they become pirates; on land, they Shadowdeep. are known as Hornets, swarming The second level is the militia; down on intruders and stinging From the highlands, the land each clan is required to maintain a them to death. Or sometimes slopes downwards to the south militia; in peacetime, most of the dying en masse. As the Shires east, across a broad area, militia is demobilized, while small become overcrowded and the originally forested, known as the militia groups help to man small Halflings grow more cranky, lowlands. At times, the lowland defence posts, respond to increasing numbers of halflings, rises in ridges, but for the most emergencies, and watch for especially youth, join the Hornets. part it slopes gently towards the trouble. In wartime, anyone of There are perhaps as many as a sea. There is not much mineral military age can be called upon to thousand of them, raiding wealth here, and entrances to the help defend the Shire, though the everything in sight and generally Shadowdeep become rarer. sheriffs try to avoid calling out too raising hell against enemies of the many people, so as to avoid Shire. Some of them like to raid The coastal plain extends about leaving only the elderly and into the Shadowdeep. The ten miles inland from the sea; this children at home. In wartime, the Sheriffs disavow any official area is frequently flooded by bad Sheriffs group clan militias into connection to the restless youth, storms and is just barely above sea units of 10, 100, and 1000, but quietly help direct their level in many places, requiring the commanded by sergeants, activities, or snuff out bands who elevation of coastal villages on lieutenants, and captains appointed degenerate into bandits, as artificial mounds. There are very by the Sheriff. Militia are usually sometimes happens. few entrances to the Shadowdeep armed with leather armour, slings here, and what few exist are or shortbows, and spears. The Hin maintain a small navy, usually flooded often enough to but mainly rely on pirate activities chase away would-be inhabitants. Currently, about 1,000 militia men to shield the coastline; as with the are mobilized around the Shires, Strikers, pirates are quietly The Defence of the some supplementing fort defences, coordinated by the Sheriffs so and others positioned to watch for long as they attack no Hin vessels. Shires trouble or acting as local police. The Pirate Life The Shires maintains three levels In a crisis, the Sheriffs will call of defence. Each Sheriff out 10-20,000 militia if necessary; As in the canon, Hin pirates are an maintains a force of 400 full-time they can call on far more if they important safety valve for professional soldiers known as feel truly desperate, though the potential troublemakers whose Krondar. Each clan has the more they call out, the more the trouble is directed outwards onto responsibility to supply a certain quality drops. In theory, everyone enemies of the Shires. Most number of Krondar to their is supposed to drill on a regular pirates operate in tacit alliance 12 with the Sheriffs, directing their Shires and bring the often Shire. If that means full scale war energies at enemies; some, expansionist Barons of Halag to with Karameikos, so be it. This however, are also on the take, and heel. Now they long for those number is still only a subset of take bribes from various days. those who wish to simply ambassadors to avoid another surgically deal with the Baron, but nations' shipping as well. Instead, Stefan seems to have if a full scale war erupts, many given his cousin a free hand to Hin will likely swing over to this The pirates vigorously support the harass the Shires. The humanoid view. idea of war with Karameikos, as raids are more frequent and better several major pirates have been organized than before, and the In the meantime, the Hin continue tossing around a plan to sack Black Eagle Baron makes the old to trade with Karameikos, Specularum for years now, and Barons of Halag look like kindly supplying the metals which would like to test it out. saints. Stefan's failure to stop this Karameikans need, and cotton to has led many Hin to conclude that make nicer clothing, and buying he has ambitions of conquest on food, especially grain and seafood. Relations with the Shires and is using his cousin (Though the Hin do supply to soften them up for attack, that Karameikos with coffee and tea Specific Nations and he and Ludwig are simply doing a also.) Peoples good cop, bad cop routine. Stefan is, after all, a Thyatian, and he's Alfheim: The Hin have a

demonstrated a willingness to fondness for Elves and while there Darokin: Darokin is the closest trample the laws and customs of is little direct trade, the Hin trust ally the Shires have; trade the Traladarans under his Elves more than any other race; relations are extensive, and armoured heel. So why would he more Elves dwell in the Shires Darokin's existence has helped the do nothing about Ludwig unless than any other non-Hin race. Hin Shires to prosper both through he approves of it? loremasters interested in the old trade and by shielding the Shires lore of the Gentle Folk have an from the worst threats on its There is not yet a majority in the especial interest in dealing with Northern and Western frontiers. Council of Sheriffs or in the Elves. Most other trade involves Darokin and the Shires have a free Assembly of the Shires for a the exchange of metals for rare trade agreement, and Hin pirates declaration of war, but matters are elven foods or for timber and don't raid Darokin ships. A tending that direction, though in Elven craft-work. handful of Halfling lunatics wish accordance with the usual practice to restore ancient Shaerdon and of the Shires, the Hin continue to Ierendi: Halfling relations with reclaim the rest of the Cruth chide Stefan, but will not threaten Ierendi are mixed. Ierendi needs mountains and the vicinity of war. Rather, when the time for metal and timber from the Shires. Athenos, Hinmeet, and Mar. But war comes, they will simply strike Ierendi can supply food from they have little influence. and eliminate the Black Eagle like foreign lands, as well as other

they would a band of orcs. products the Shires can't produce Karameikos: Hin opinion itself. However, the pirates of increasingly turns against What comes after that is another both nations are firm rivals and Karameikos. The Hin were question for debate...A growing this leads to constant tensions. cautiously optimistic when Stefan number of Hin, especially those in Furthermore, the small fringe of Karameikos stepped in thirty years Eastshire, wish to see the Hin who wish to restore 'Ancient ago, hoping that he would crush annexation of western Karameikos Shaerdon' also tend to look at the humanoids who constantly and its conversion into another Ierendi as part of the natural raided from the area into the 13 patrimony of Halflingkind. They Thyatis: Relations with Thyatis Loremasters are in quiet contact are only fringe lunatics, but they are poor, shaped by the Thirty with the Council of Preceptors, are sometimes rather...loud. Years' War. Thyatians are seen trading lore and offering council basically as violent and well- in return for fine Ylari clothwork, Minrothad Guilds: The Hin find armed monkeys who will steal art, and architectural assistance. the Minrothad Guilds to be rather anything not nailed down, and Among wealthy Hin seeking to suspicious. Ierendi tends to even then, they may have a claw show off, Ylari style architecture control the western ocean trade hammer. The Thyatians return the has a great deal of cachet due to its routes and the Hin buy most of compliment by viewing the Hin as elaborate ornamentation and their eastern goods through moronic, lazy children. Trade is exoticness. There is little trade Ierendi. The efforts of the minimal in directness; most of it is otherwise. Minrothad Guilds to change this funnelled through Ierendi. Hin state of affairs tend to involve pirates really love sinking Ethengar Khanates: The Hin methods the Sheriffs can't approve Thyatian ships. regard the Ethengars as orcs on of in the hands of non-Hin, and horses. There is no direct trade, sometimes come at Hin expense. Rockhome: Dwarves face and not even ambassadors. While the Guilds are not so lingering prejudices which are (Ironically, the current Great Khan disliked as Glantri or Alphatia, gradually fading with time. For has several halflings in his employ they are seen as not much more all the trouble he caused them, and has visited the Shires during trustworthy than the Thyatians. Loktal's kingdoms' eventual his youth and is said to have a The Sheriffs keep an eye on any failure discouraged dwarves from taste for Halfling cooking.) Guildsmen in the Shires; trying again, and the long nevertheless, the Guilds maintain distances between the lands has Alphatians: The Hin would like a trade consulate which can't be kept contact minimal. As time to treat the Alphatians like Glantri, infiltrated as all its employees are passes, while Dwarves continue to but view Alphatia as simply too loyal guildsmen, even the Hin be seen as greedy and addicted to potent to provoke. Only Thyatis from Minrothad. This strikes the precious metals, they're also could save the Shires from Sheriffs as just a little unnatural... recognized as hard workers, and Alphatia and that would likely their merchants are honest. The result in falling under Thyatian Glantri: Glantrians are illegal in Shire sells coffee, tea, and spices rule. So there are careful, the Shires. Those who visit must to Rockhome in order to get high conciliatory relations with pose as natives of another land. quality metalworking. Individual Alphatia. Tiny amounts of trade While not formally at war, in Dwarves will be kept an eye on, happen with Strongfellow, the practice, both nations periodically but can usually, with some effort, Alphatian kingdom of Dwarves, raid each other and then disclaim gain trust from those they deal Halflings, and Gnomes. Eriadna any knowledge or responsibility. with. has been wise enough to appoint a In theory, Glantrian presence in Halfling ambassador to the Shires, the Shires is punished by hacking Emirates of Ylaruam: When who has been able to slightly off the hands of said wizard so as dealing with the Ylari, the Hin are improve relations. to hamper future spell casting, torn between a fundamental then shipping him back to Glantri. sympathy for the Ylari dream of Vestland: The Vestlanders have In practice, a fair number won't making their land green and had relations with the Shire for live to have their hands hacked growing and the fact that the Ylari several centuries, though there is off. are very judgmental and try to little direct trade. Still, they've cram the Nahmeh down gained a reputation for honest everyone's throat. Hin dealing and fairness and bravery. 14

The Vestlanders most commonly the Heldannic ambassador is have no particular effect beyond come to buy tobacco, tea, and watched like a hawk. the psychological. A few customs coffee. have been quietly spread by the Sind: The Sindhi are regarded as Loremasters so as to heighten the Soderfjord Jarldoms: This bizarre, but no threat. Sindhi ties between the Hin and their nation reminds the Hin of the merchants are honest, but hard to land. And a few have taken on Kinstrife, which the Hin never, deal with due to their many caste- potency of their own in ways not ever tire of reminding the related practices. They also well understood (in part due to the Soderfjord merchants and usually utterly fail to understand dearth of Hin Wizards and Ambassadors of. After a while, the social structure of the Shires. Sorcerors). this tends to lead to an increased Still, they are a major source of chance of berserker gang. There food and clothing; Sindhi clothing The Birth Blessing is common to is only minor trading at best, styles have some of the same all the Shires, though its form though Soderfjord mead is popular cachet among the wealthy as Ylari varies. The Clan Loremaster or a in the Shires when they can get it. architecture and art. In general, Master of the Shires is summoned Sindhi are regarded like an when a child is born; he blesses Ostland: Ostland has no eccentric uncle--not dangerous, the child in a rite which involves ambassador and seems to see the but you need to keep an eye on the use of earth, water, Hin as chiefly useful as victims. them to avoid them hurting blackflame, and perfume (for air), Thankfully, raids are rare due to themselves. binding the child to the land (in the distances involved. Hin theory. In practice, it ties the child pirates love few things more than Humanoids: The Hin hate and to the power of Blackflame, thus swarming and destroying Ostland fear the humanoid races and tend enabling the child to potentially raiders. to treat them as SHOOT ON eventually learn to tap its power.) SIGHT. Those Hin who have not Atruaghin Clans: The Hin trade undergone the Birth Blessing with the Children of the Turtle, The Calendar and cannot learn Denial. A variant of supplying them with tools, gems, this rite is used when Hin are and metals in return for the Hin Customs adopted into a clan, whether due produce of the sea. There is little to changing clans for some reason contact with the other groups and The Calendar and holidays given or because they came from outside no exchange of formal in The Five Shires Gazetteer are the Shires. ambassadors. just fine for this alternate. Some words are necessary, however, on The Rite of Blessing the Ill is Wendar: The Hin are aware more localized Hin customs. used by the Loremasters to speed Wendar exists, but not much else the recovery of clan members and there is little trade. Hin culture is marked by a huge from injury or illness. Said person number of rituals whose origins must be brought within the Heldann Freeholds: The are forgotten, and which have operational range of the Crucible Heldannic Knights are regarded as become distorted over the years. of Blackflame or else the a potential major threat to the Once upon a time, these rites and Loremaster must absorb some into Shires, as they seem fond of practices purified the Hin and his body to use on the ill or injured conquering hard-working farmers helped to maintain the wards of target. Properly performed, the and turning them into slaves and the Gentle Folk. But with the rite takes about fifteen minutes, serfs. There is no real trade, and passage of time, they have been and doubles the recovery rate of shifted and changed and often the target for a number of days 15 equal to the Loremaster's level. There are certain places where (And adds his level to any saving Hin practice several purification violence is punished more sternly throws against disease.) rituals which are the degenerate than others, as these spots are seen remains of old Gentle Folk rites. as sacred (usually they were Most rites, however, do not have Before a meal, they carefully wash meeting sites where the Gentle supernatural power, or if they do, their foreheads and hands Folk could be found.) only do so in a particular place. whenever possible and mumble a Burning the Wicker Orc is a prayer to the immortals. Planned In Southshire, the arrival of the common ritual, carried out at the violence has to be preceded with a Hin from Davania is re-enacted on beginning of Spring. The Wicker prayer of apology to the Gentle its anniversary; elsewhere, Hin eat Orc is stuffed full of remnants Folk and the Immortals and when sea food and try to go to sea if from last year's harvest, as well as possible, followed by acts of possible. things symbolic of past sins that charity. A portion of food is set Hin wish to repent (chosen in aside at each meal for the Gentle It's considered bad luck to cook consultation with the Clan Folk, "should they come among meat in the same pot as anything Loremaster). The burning of the us"; it is then given to the needy else; Hin stews, soups, and Wicker Orc consumes the sins and afterwards, or to any unexpected gumbos are either meatless or asks the immortals to bless this guests. eaten with meat on the side, or year's harvest. (It is to be noted cooked meat is added once that in times past, the Hin have A small portion of each harvest is cooking is done. sometimes stuffed and burned set aside for the Gentle Folk as actual Orcs. But Orcs are not so well; it is then distributed to the Many Hin clans practice several easily come by these days. Not on needy once the ritual week has yearly ritual dances. In their a scale of one for each village, passed. original forms, these drew magical anyway.) energies to the sacred locations, Halflings of mystical bent usually reinforcing the ward network. A common form of Hin protest is refrain from meat consumption, Now, they generally just are making a mock-up effigy of except in certain ritual contexts, entertaining to watch. Many other someone and burning it. This is though milk is acceptable. (But local rites of similar provenance copied from the Wicker Orc rite. not eggs). Those Hin who follow from ritual meals to sacred theatre Some clans burn effigies of this practice gain the ability to had a similar origin. Glantrians on the annual open certain hidden Gentlefolk anniversary of some raid. But it is doors and containers, if they hold more commonly used as a political to it for at least a year. protest.

16

The Sacred Mysteries

All of the material from the Five could not leave the lower caverns It has imbued the Hin race with Shires Gazetteer in this section for long, as they were ill-adapted more magical resistance to Normal can be used in this alternate Five to the Normal Dimension. Dimension Magic; ironically, it Shires, but some additional makes them more adept at material is added here. One intelligent race came through Nightmare Dimension Magic, in large numbers, the Glaurants, should they ever have the chance The Origins of an expansionistic race from the to learn any. Nightmare Dimension. They have Blackflame repeatedly tried to turn other races Unknown to almost anyone, the into patsies to conquer the surface Normal Dimension is also leaking As noted in the history section, world for them, and even tried to through into the Nightmare Blackflame is the Nightmare turn the Halflings into their slaves. Dimension, imbuing the area Dimension equivalent of the around the breach with the powers Normal Dimension Sphere of Many Halflings today would find of Normal Energy. The Immortals Energy. In the current age, it themselves questioning everything of both Dimensions are very leaks through in various fonts in they know if they realized that curious to see what the results will the deeper regions of the Gunzuth and Alfron were led to be in each world. Shadowdeep beneath the Five the Blackflame by the Glaurants, Shires. who hoped to use their mastery of (Some predict the result will be it to control them. equalization in which both kinds During the time of Blackmoor, the of magic become functional in upper caverns were home to But once again, they both worlds, opposed to each ordinary cave creatures, and the overestimated their ability to other, and probably with a lower lower caverns were largely void of dominate people, and Gunzuth and overall potency level, but with life except for the hardiest of Alfron found ways to use the more breadth. Others think the creatures, as it was unnaturally Blackflame with minimal risk of two will eventually neutralize each cold there. At times, a few control by the Glaurants. other, ending all arcane magic. creatures slipped through from the Furthermore, they descended into And some thing an oscillating dimension of nightmares, for the the depths again and devastated cycle will emerge with eras of walls were thin here. the Glaurant cities with it. Nightmare Magic followed by low-to-no magic, followed by The Rain of Colourless Fire, in This was thanks, in part, to the Normal Magic, then back through addition to the damage it did intervention of the Immortals of low-to-no magic to Nightmare elsewhere, triggered explosions of Time and Energy, who backed Magic again.) Utherite deposits in the area, Gunzuth and Alfron for creating more caverns and ripping immortality, then made them the But whatever happens, it looks the fragile fabric of reality. Tears first High Heroes, guardians of the like it will take a long time. opened between the Nightmare Blackflame. Although some wonder if Delune's Dimension and the lower caverns, project might well accelerate leading to Blackflame leaking The continued leaking through of whatever process takes place, due through and the arrival of things the Blackflame is slowly changing to the need to draw huge amounts from the Nightmare dimensions. the Five Shires, imbuing it with of Blackflame to power it. However, many of these creatures the powers of Nightmare-Energy. 17

Halflings, Heroes, and Highwayhin

This section presents the characters within in 3E terms; the 0D&D stats from the original Gazetteer can generally be substituted for what is found here, although some new characters are presented. Adapt those however you see fit; I won't cry.

The Government of unacceptable losses. He is He's also taken an interest in currently sponsoring expeditions finding the tomb of Loktal the Shires to map it out and to bring him Ironshield, rumoured to hold intelligence on the area, and is powerful magical treasures and Jaervosz Dustyboots, Sheriff of collaborating with Multhim some source of hidden lore which Seashire (male Halfling Fighter Greybeard in this venture. drew Loktal to the Shires in the 15, LG) He's also starting to lean towards first place. Jaervosz is probably one of the the idea of pre-emptive war on the Multhim has, perhaps, become a toughest people in the Shire, Black Eagle Barony being urged little too obsessed with Dwarves. known for his abnormally high by Maeragh. However, he sees He's the leading proponent of strength for a Halfling (some of this in terms of removing a threat, conquering the Shadowdeep and which, unknown to most, is due to not in terms of his colonization using it for further expansion of a strength-enhancing belt). His projects. Should Stefan make the population. Just look at how personal fighting prowess and his enough of an impression on him as beautiful it is! He has been skills at military organization a threat to the shires in response to working with Jaervosz to map out (Profession (General) 13) have led such a war, he is likely to come to the upper caverns and determine the other Sheriffs to defer to him see Western Karameikos as a plans for how to potentially in organizing the military of the necessary area to form a buffer colonize it. He rejects the idea of Shires. He views his perpetual colony in. He would not support foreign colonization; why send efforts to keep the military ready the idea of conquering all of Hin away when they can stay in for anything in a time of relative Karameikos unless military their homeland and still have room peacefulness as key to avoiding necessity seemed to dictate it. to live properly and still produce any future disasters of the kind enough food? Fungus can be good which have often afflicted the Hin Multhim Greybeard, Sheriff of for you! when peace lasted too long. Highshire (male Halfling Fighter Multhim also has an interest in Jaervosz has noticed the problems 6 / Expert 6, LG) technical innovation born out of afflicting the Shires, and believes Eldest of the Sheriffs, he is in his engineering training. He is that colonization is the answer. charge of both mining related friendly to the idea of building the He tends to look towards both the activities (Craft: Mine technical and craft skills of the Thanegioth Archipelago and Engineering 15) and dealing with shires and shifting over to a more Davania beyond it as potential the Shadowdeep (Knowledge: commerce and manufacturing targets. Surely it's time to check Shires Shadowdeep 12). He has economy. Works for the dwarves, in by now on the old Motherland. devoted many years to these tasks, after all. He has toyed with the idea of and has come to understand the Multhim is very wary of invading cleaning out and occupying part of mind of Dwarves better as a result. Karameikos because he fears the Shadowdeep, but is uncertain He works quietly against anti- Thyatian intervention, and is well whether this can be done without Dwarf sentiments in the Shires. aware the Shires are not nearly up 18 to the power level of the 3) a breeding ground for vampires of any irredentist projects, as she Thyatians. Unless possible and werewolves. They would be has warmed to them due to Thyatian intervention is blocked better off under Shire rule anyway. Leethila's self-sacrificing nature.) somehow, he be very reluctant to Maeragh will not act without solid mount any major attack on the support from the other Sheriffs, Delune Darkeyes, Sheriff of Black Eagle. though, as she knows her Shire Heartshire (female Halfling alone can't handle it. She has been Ranger 9, LG) Maeragh Littlelaughs, Sheriff of trying to convince Multhim that Delune Darkeyes takes the roads Eastshire (female Halfling Thyatis is unlikely to intervene to and forests of the Shires as her Ranger 11, LN. Favoured Enemy save an area they neglected for special interest, devoting her +3: Goblinoids, Favoured Enemy centuries. She's sure that Thincol efforts to preserving the forests +2: Magical Beasts, Favoured got what he wanted from Stefan and maintaining the roads. She is Enemy +1: Humans) and no longer cares. (She's a very traditional kindly, helpful Maeragh is the least friendly of the contemplated finding some way to halfling who wishes to preserve Sheriffs; she acts as the head judge pay him off, just in case, though.) the old ways. (She is a proud of the Shires in any case where Maeragh thinks trying to colonize member of the Daughters of the she has no personal interest. She the Shadowdeep is too dangerous Dawn Hope, a conservative loves the Shires intently and wants and would only force heritage society, described later in to protect them; she has no confrontation with nastier things this document). As a result, she is tolerance for ill behaviour by non- living below. She is open to opposed to the sorts of innovations Hin, and will generally, given the Jaervosz's colonization proposals, which Sildil and Multhim take an choice between blaming a Hin or though as a project to be followed interest in. She doesn't want to anything else, blame the other AFTER the Karameikan menace is see Hin leave the lands and move thing unless evidence is strong. dealt with. The nation will need to the cities or to see the Hin 'turn She is the most likely of the its full strength to deal with into dwarves' as she would put it. Sheriffs to direct Hornets or Karameikos. So for now, such She also rejects the idea of living Pirates against outsiders. things must wait. in the Shadowdeep; that would (Maeragh was herself a Hornet in Maeragh's deepest secret is that definitely turn the Hin into her youth for a time, and she endorses the Lords of dwarves and force them to leave considered Piracy, only to Shaerdon, the Hin irredentist behind the beauty of things green discover to her embarrassment that movement. In her case, she comes and growing. She doesn't like she got too easily seasick.) to it from a viewpoint of military colonization, either, as it would Maeragh has been calling for an security; these outlying areas must require either forcing people to invasion of the Black Eagle be reclaimed in order to better leave or bribing them, and why Barony ever since the 989 defend the heartland. She keeps leave the best land in the world? invasion. She wants to wipe out this secret because its exposure And who knows what might the Black Eagle and claim the would make her political position happen to the colonists once whole area for the Shires. The untenable; even Darokin would they're too far away to be helped? Karameikans have always been not tolerate having one of the (Delune would not actually try to trouble for the Shires. Indeed, in Lords of Shaerdon as a leader of stop any colonists leaving; people her heart, she wouldn't mind the Shires and the Shires cannot should be allowed to choose their simply conquering the whole afford to have Darokin turn on it. own path. But she's not willing to nation, as centuries of history (Though it can be noted that her use the Shire's government's show the inhabitants of the lands personal friendship with the resources to promote it.) east of the Shires are 1) trouble, 2) Ierendi ambassador has convinced Delune thus opposes most possible incompetent to govern themselves, her that Ierendi should be left out solutions to the Shire's problems; 19 however, she's one of the largest is starting to slow down a little. in. She's still contemplating advocates of transforming the While she spends little time at sea, solutions here. Shires into a Hin equivalent of Sildil oversees the Shire's navy Sildil is also the friendliest to Alfheim. Surely the old wards can and is the other Sheriff to have Wizards and Sorcerors of the five be reactivated for defence and the major dealings with Hin pirates Sheriffs; their powers can be land made magically bountiful and (besides Maeragh). She also is useful, and the Shires ought to fertile as in Alfheim. The Hin studying land warfare, as she find a way to tap that power, not could then live in greater harmony expects to get Jaervosz's military waste it. with nature and have fewer oversight duties once he retires. Sildil is cautiously open to the worries. She consults extensively Her work leads her to a lot of idea of delving into the with the loremasters and trades exposure to outsiders, in the form Shadowdeep, but believes not with any Elves she can find for of traders and visitors from many Hin would want to live like Elven lore she hopes can be Darokin. Sildil has come to Dwarves. However, it might be adapted. The Blackflame is the appreciate the role of commerce useful as a military measure for key; once it can be tapped more and manufacturing in building troop training and to perhaps efficiently (200 years for a Web of Darokin's power, and wishes to create a buffer against raids from Shadows? Even Dwarves can do capture that for the Shires. Thus, below. better than that!), then it can be she actively supports various Sildil is divided on invading used as a power supply. innovators with Shire funds and Karameikos; she'd like to see the Delune opposes any invasion of has advised her local clans to Black Eagle Baron taken down, Karameikos unless the Black begin refocusing towards such but is more aware than Maeragh Eagle Baron cannot be stopped in matters. Southshire has the worst that Karameikos has far more any other matter, as she thinks it is overcrowding problems of the people than Maeragh seems to wrong to invade other nations, five, but her measures are think and is more sanguine about especially one which has mostly beginning, slowly, to move the possibility of victory. Still, it tried to be friendly to the Shires, towards solutions. However, would be useful to create a unlike when the Thyatians ruled. they're also transforming the Hin protective zone. She is likely to Does everyone want to go back to way of life, arousing Delune's waffle until something provides those days? She especially thinks displeasure and that of the more evidence of either easy victory or that Maeragh is probably a little traditional elders. of the necessity of taking the cracked, given her fervent Sildil is open to colonization, and offensive. advocacy of invasion of the Black finds Jaervosz's ideas to be Eagle Barony. She would not reasonable. Indeed, creating such support an all out conquest of colonies could secure valuable Karameikos unless the resources which could be shipped Karameikans tried to conquer the to the Five Shires and then Shires (or appeared to try), and processed into goods to be sold for Ambassadors maybe not even then. a profit. So why aren't we doing

this already? Ambassador Lord Brin Sildil Seaeyes, Sheriff of However, this would raise a major Domthiir (Darokin. Male Noble Southshire (female Halfling problem; how to keep Minrothad 4, LG) Fighter 12, LN) and Ierendi pirates from He can be treated as in the canon-- Sildil has a fiery temper and a interfering? Ierendi has tended to the original Mr. Nice Guy who mountain of energy; she's perhaps be friendly, but Minrothad and likes the Shires because they are a the hardest working of the possibly Thyatis might try to butt fellow democracy of good-hearted Sheriffs, in part because Jaervosz folk. He is friendliest with Sildil, 20 since she handles naval matters Jaervosz finds him useless and and has an interest like him in Delune pities him audibly in a way commerce and manufacturing. He which tends to make him angry. Leethilla Barburgh (Ierendi. treats Multhim with a great deal of Multhim is sympathetic to him, as Female Human Fighter 3/Expert 2, respect because of Multhim's he knows what getting old is like, NG.) engineering skills. He gets on and Sildil tries to work with the Largely as in the canonical well enough with Jaervosz. He man, but he seems to have a knack supplement. It can be added here thinks Maeragh is likely to lead for even antagonizing her that she is friendliest with Sildil the Shires to disaster if she gets supporters with his stiffness and due to their mutual interest in her way, and he and Delune butt general inability to show he likes naval matters. She has quietly heads because he is everything she anyone. urged the development of tourist doesn't want the Shires to become, facilities as a road to the though it's a gentle head butting Sire Milaster (Alfheim. Male development of the Shires to because they are basically both too Elven Duskblade 4/Bard 4, NG.) Sildil. However, her general nice to go for the throat when the Sire Milaster is a friendly, open kindness and demonstrations of other person is so polite, kindly, individual who has very little real willingness to risk herself to and generous. But clearly insane. work to do, so he spends much of protect Hin despite her own his time partying. Enough so to injuries has made her one of the Sir Guldahan Cordelius worry the female Sheriffs about few non-Hin who Maeragh has (Karameikos. Male Fighter what he might do with the young opened up to. Should Maeragh 3/Noble 1, TN. Change Original Hin ladies. learn of Leethila's infatuation with Gazetteer Charisma to 8 (the way He gets on well with all of the Lord Dom, she will be torn he is described there, he is clearly Sheriffs; even Maeragh has not, because of her past conflicts with a Charisma penalty kind of guy.) over time, been immune to his him, but will ultimately support Sir Guldahan is what happens charms, though his relations are Leethila in it. (Not that Maeragh when diplomats are not chosen on cooler with her than the others. is exactly an expert on romance...) the basis of interpersonal skills. He is friendliest with Delune, His real talent is as a soldier, but finding her charming, sharing her Lord Caine Malaric (Thyatis. he's getting too old for the love of the forest, and finding her Male Human Rogue 8, LE.) battlefield, and so he was given a project of enchanting the Five As in the canon, Caine is a nasty well-paying ambassadorship as a Shires to be an intriguing idea. He piece of work. Part of his job is to reward, so he could take better has devoted a fair amount of his sabotage the Shires, which Thyatis care of his family. Unfortunately, personal resources to assisting her, does not wish to see grow strong; he's poorly suited for the job (with whether through providing books Thyatis has enough strong rivals his 'mighty' Diplomacy of 4, or helping her to meet Elven already. He has noticed the dropped to 3 by his low loremasters. He has an interest in problems induced by the rising Charisma.) and faces a difficult the Blackflame, and while Delune population and has quietly set situation. won't give away the Shire's himself the task of aggravating Sheriff Maeragh has been secrets, she trusts him enough to these problems, using his wealth pressuring him to end the Black have allowed him some chances to to try to encourage corruption Eagle's raids. Since Stefan is observe more than is usually among clan leaders and either unable or unwilling to do allowed. Fortunately for her, he is discouraging the Sheriffs from anything, all he can do is stall, and worthy of that trust, so long as no seeking solutions he thinks would so he has virtually no pull in the one mugs him and beats it out of work (such as more commerce and Shires to secure the favourable him, anyway... manufacturing) by making it look trade deals that Karameikos wants. like such solutions are things 21

Thyatis WANTS, as he knows He is much as in the canon. Rockhome ambassador to they instinctively distrust anything Special notes for this version Karameikos' life difficult. he says (unless it aligns with their follow. prejudices). His manipulation Thrildor is a member of the Master Tomba Quickfingers works best on Maeragh (as he tells Wyrwarf clan, as they have more (Minrothad. Male Halfling her what she wants to hear--that interest in the Shires than most of Merchant Prince 5/Expert 4, TN. Thyatis won't mind if the Hin the other clans, though it wasn't Int 17, Cha 16, Appraise 13, Bluff invade the Black Eagle Barony or easy getting him the 12, Diplomacy 14. Not in all of Karameikos so long as ambassadorship. (It helped that Original Gazetteer) Thyatis gets a payoff) and on most Dwarves don't want to go to Master Tomba is a sandy-haired Delune (who distrusts anything he the Shires, since they'll be kept halfling, thinner than the average says and thus can sometimes be away from everything they find Shire Hin (i.e., average of build induced to do the opposite), and interesting there.) instead of pudgy), blandly average least well on Multhim, who Thrildor is closest to Multhrim of in height, with distinctive violet understands Thyatians better than the Sheriffs, and spends a fair eyes (the result of a magical the other sheriffs. amount of time discoursing to him backlash some years ago. He has It must be noted that Caine does on all things Dwarven, the art of twice the normal low-light vision not actually dislike halflings, stonecarving, etc. He has strongly of a halfling) except in so far as he tends to urged Multhrim towards the Master Tomba has been more regard all other living things as creation of underground Hin successful than past Minrothad existing to do what he wants. cities, as he hopes the experience ambassadors, which admittedly Caine views the starvation reflex will make more Hin favourable to would not be difficult. Oran of the Hin as something that Rockhome. He also has some Meditor, after having several actually makes them more like interest in engineering and new ambassadors nearly run out of the Thyatians, which is a good thing; ways of making things and has Shires on rails, and one of them their gradual loss of what he sees provided some funding to Hin having mysteriously decided to as false morality reinforces his inventors, as he hopes to copy said drink a big old glass of tasty own conviction of the inventions for the use of Dwarves cyanide (all evidence pointed to acceptability of his own actions. back home. Glantrian agents, no really), He would probably seduce even His own interest in agricultural decided to appoint a halfling, in more Hin women than he does if matters has made the Shires a very hopes he would be better received. he only had cheaper access to enjoyable place for him to be And he has been. growth or diminution potions (and living in and he's observed some While Master Tomba continues to his amnesia drug, see the canon ideas he's sent home for testing; manage the network of spies and Gazetteer). He also has a great his clear enjoyment of the forests agents inherited from past deal of empathy for the Hin and fields has helped to endear ambassadors, and continues to pirates, some of whom he quietly him to Delune, despite his seek the secrets of Blackflame sponsors, directing them away advocacy of Multhrim's plans. (lost by his own ancestors after the from Thyatian shipping, especially Thrildor quietly agrees with Thyatians enslaved them), he has any venture of his own. Mearagh that the Black Eagle toned things down a bit, and tried Baron needs to be dealt with, but to focus on mutual interests of the Thrildor Blackhammer has carefully avoided any public two countries. As the Shires have (Rockhome. Male Dwarf Fighter comments on the issue because he begun to struggle to feed 4/Expert 4, LG.) feels it isn't his business and he themselves at the HIGH level to wants to avoid making the which they are accustomed, he has worked to open the food market to 22

Minrothad traders. He's also 6, Knowledge (Five Shires) 6, reinforce Maeragh's irritation with turned his spy network towards Ride 13. Not in Original Karameikos by endlessly talking learning when Thyatian ships will Gazetteer) about how such a rebel lord would sale, and tipping off pirates in Lord Asoka is the tall, muscular, never be tolerated in his own return for them leaving his ships bald, dark-skinned ambassador homeland and how Stefan alone. He can only afford to bribe from Sind. Lord Asoka was Karameikos is clearly unfit to rule. some pirates, but it helps. chosen ambassador at his own The Sindhi hope to make both Master Tomba has especially request, as he had made a hobby nations more dependant on trade worked on trying to sell the of studying the Five Shires and with Sind if they go to war with Minrothad way of life to Sildil, wished to see it first hand. He is a each other. He disapproves of who he knows has an interest in distant relative of the Rajadhiraja. Multhim's fascination with mines manufacturing and commerce. In Lord Asoka spends a lot of time and engineering (a clear violation the process, he's earned Delune's struggling to reconcile his own of caste!), and finds Delune nearly hatred, though. He's found caste practices with his knowledge incomprehensible (as she violates Maeragh strangely friendly, and of Shire customs and lore, though her caste all the time by doing has the feeling she's trying to find it helps that he can see the Sheriffs things like stopping in her pursuit out something about him, but can't and their Krondar as members of of her law-enforcing duties to help figure out what. It almost seems his own caste, thus reducing the someone dig a ditch!!!). like she's trying to seduce him, but amount of inter-caste interaction Lord Asoka does not spy on the he's not arrogant enough to think customs which have to be Shires at all, except to the limited that could really be the case. (As followed. Nevertheless, he always degree that Mohan keeps tabs on he's blissfully unaware of her seems eccentric to the Sheriffs and mercantile affairs for him. Spying connections to the Lords of their agents. (In Asoka's mind, the is dishonourable and Lord Asoka Shaerdon, who hope to get the Krondar and Sheriffs and Clan tries very hard to meticulously Minrothad halflings to defect to Elders are Himaya, the Masters of obey all the laws of the Shires, the Shires.) He finds Multhim the Shires are Rishiya, the Clan relying simply on studying public amusing, while Jaervosz treats Loremasters are Jadugerya, the news, his own study of lore of the him with mild suspicion. average Hin are Prajaya, and what shires, and his personal relations When he goes out, he is usually few Hin act as servants to others with the Sheriffs to influence being watched, which he knows, are Kuliya.) The Sheriffs have events. (This flows in part from a though not as watched as the quietly assigned a few agents to failure to fully appreciate the Thyatian ambassador. He is follow him around and clean up degree to which the Clan Elders vaguely working on a plan to any social disasters, as he clearly influence events.) discredit the Thyatian ambassador, means well. Many of the other ambassadors so as to hurt Thyatian trade and to Lord Asoka wants to ensure the baffle him, as they're clearly try to establish his own bona fides continued flow of goods and food Prajaya (Brin, Tomba, Leethilla all as a good guy, as he knows that into the Shires and the flow of fall in this category) or act in the Sheriffs are often driven as metals out of it to Sind. He avoids strange ways (A dwarf who likes much by perceived morality as by direct interaction in business forests, an Elf whose caste is the actual interests of the Shires in matters, leaving that to his Prajaya completely unclear, etc.) Even judging ambassadors and their assistant, Mohan, who ends up though he's working against nations. doing much of the actual Karameikan interests himself, he ambassadorial work as a result. personally likes the Karameikan Lord Asoka Chandragupta This leaves him a lot of time to ambassador, who he respects as an (Sind. Male Human Knight 10, talk military affairs with Sildil and old warrior. He does not trust LN. Str 16, Wis 16, Diplomacy Jaervosz. He has tended to 23

Caine at all and tries to avoid the their nations bloom. Maeragh Summary: The Adventurer's man. distrusts him and most other Ylari, society is very old, dating all the fearing they may try to achieve way back to the Shaerdon period; Emir Salah Muyyid (Ylari. their dream of a green land by it has grown and shrunk in Male Human Cleric 9, LN. Int taking the Shires by force. importance over the centuries. In 15, Wis 17, Craft (Calligraphy) Jaervosz has little interest in its current form, it's basically a 11, Diplomacy 9, Knowledge parables; he has some dealings social club for retired adventurers (Nahmeh) 12. Not in Original with Sildil in the lines of his and a place for young Hin seeking Gazetteer) efforts to protect Ylari mercantile adventure to meet and form Emir Muyyid is a short, wiry man, interests. He thinks Multhim is groups to get in trouble together. with short black hair, a thick black slightly crazy and quietly avoids Many a band of Hornets formed in moustache, and sun-darkened him when possible. the lounge of the local branch. skin. He wears bright Ylari robes, Salah has a great deal of hate for Moon Hill, Tothmeer, Obur's and usually a blue turban. Salah is the Thyatian ambassador and Mimbur, Thantabbar, and Shireton LOUD and likes to TALK. He Thyatians in general, and is have the five permanent facilities, can be very polite when he quietly trying to collect enough but many local communities will remembers to, but usually looks dirt to get the man expelled. He have a monthly or biweekly like he's waiting impatiently to tends to assume that Karameikos meeting of members in some local talk whenever someone else is is just another Thyatian colony, tavern. The major facilities store speaking. and thus it must be thwarted also. trophies, provide short-term Much of this talking is comprised He finds Asoka fascinating, housing for members visiting the of his efforts to apply the Nahmeh though he thinks Sindhi religion is area, and constantly have lots of to everything. He's diplomatic completely insane--the man needs food and drink and relaxing space enough not to directly tell people to be converted for his own good! for members to sit around and 'Convert now'; he just tries to do swap tales and tell lies. There's so by showing its wisdom to be always a few old Hin ex- applicable to ALL THINGS. This Shire Organizations dragonslayers (or so they tell it) eventually drives many Halflings hanging around the place. crazy, though the Clan Elders and of Note Membership is cheap, only a few Loremasters often enjoy giving gold a month, though prominent him the same treatment with Hin Hin love to form clubs, societies, members are expected to share customs and lore. (He actually and associations. There are some of their gains with the enjoys a good argument, so the dozens more not listed here as society so long as they are active lesson isn't quite sinking in...) many of them (like the Flagonford adventurers. In return, one has Despite the clear need for better Knitting Circle) are of little access to the records, the lounges, organized religion, Salah mostly interest to adventurers. and the collective memory of enjoys the Shires. They are an many old Hin who have seen orderly, good-natured and friendly many things. Young Hin need folk, and he likes people. He is Adventurer's Society, Halfling meet no special requirements to very curious about the lore of the Heroes and Wannabes join; anyone else must provide Masters, but his preaching tends to Status: Minor, Legal some proof of adventure. Many make them crazy quickly, so they Goal: To talk incessantly about Hin join up before going on avoid him. He and Delune have the good old days, to show off Yallara, to find out about places traded some lore about how to one's trophies, and to coordinate they could go. make places more fertile, as they and inspire active adventurers The Sheriffs provide some funds, have a mutual interest in making in return for being able to tap the 24 membership for knowledge or for finally acts. Set Jac's level as a They also blow a lot of energy on adventurers. Cleric to challenge the PCs. His trying to convince Hin to give up Adventure Hooks: One could cult may get up to all sorts of foreign fashions, etc, instead of spend a lifetime tracking down all trouble which could lead to addressing real problems. the rumours and opportunities that adventures. The Sheriffs are Many of the members are Clan float around a single Adventurer's unaware of the cult, but if alerted Elders or their families, and thus club meeting. If one is looking to to it, they will shut it down with the society wields a great deal of sell off a magical item, this is extreme prejudice. political weight in the Shires. probably one of the best places in Indeed, Sheriff Delune is an the Shires to try doing it. Daughters of the Dawn Hope, influential member of this Halfling Conservatives organization. Club Club, Ill-Adjusted Violent Status: Major, Legal This organization has some Halflings Goal: To conserve the ways of sympathy for the goals of the Status: Fringe, Legalish the Shires and prevent it being Lords of Shaerdon (and this Goal: To work out their inner contaminated by too many foreign society forms an important violence by beating each other up / ideas recruiting ground for that society, to serve as Entropic patsies (Not Summary: The Daughters of the which has some influence within publicly known) Dawn Hope are a society of Hin the Daughters as a result), but in Summary: As the number of who claim to be descended from general, opposes its imperialistic clanless increases, an increasing those who rode on the Dawn tendencies. The Hin should not be number of Hin are unsatisfied with Hope, out of Davania, to settle the conquerors in their view; leave their lives and unable to channel Shires. In some manner, this gives that to Orcs and Dwarves. Sheriff their aggression productively. A them the delusion they are more Meargh was a member for a time, charismatic Hin named Jac Taylor important than anyone else and the but has left the society because it is the leader of this society, conviction that the old ways are won't support her war aims. founded in Shireton in the tunnels best. Not that their picture of the Adventure Hooks: The under the city, but now spread to old ways is always all that Daughters of the Dawn Hope are every major community and some accurate. (For one thing, it's always on the look for what is left of the growing lesser ones. debatable if any ship by that name of the ancient past, so as to bolster Groups of mostly male Hin get was in the ancient fleet of ships their genealogies and prove their together to beat each other which brought the Hin to the arguments. And in some cases, unconscious with clubs. This Shires, and it was certainly more hiding things which don't fit their physical violence brings them than one.) At their best, the claims. This often means tapping emotional release from their Daughters of the Dawn Hope have adventurers for help. difficult, unrewarding lives. Most helped to preserve halfling of them actually function a little traditions of courtesy, generosity Five Deep Shadows, Halfling better in normal society with this and sharing; they have worked Mafia outlet. hard to help those Hin who are Status: Significant, Illegal Adventure Hooks: Unknown to suffering under current conditions Goal: To Expel all Foreign most club members, however, Jac of slowly rising overcrowding and Thieves and Monopolize Crime; to is slowly recruiting the craziest food production difficulties. At avenge the injustices of the and most violent into an inner worst, they oppose any change in powerful circle which worships Orcus. He the ways of the Shires and seek Summary: The Five Deep is still trying to decide what to do always to return to a past which Shadows originated as a with his rising cult, but it's likely doesn't really offer any answers revolutionary organization during to be...destructive...when he for the problems of the present. one of the past conquests of the 25

Shires, probably during the period Status: Minor, Legal Odo Nimblefingers, a Halfling of Dwarven rule. It has gradually Goal: DEATH TO GLANTRI adventurer (Rogue 6/Expert 4), evolved into a combination of Summary: In most countries, this who visited Serraine and decided crime syndicate and justice for group would be Fringe at best. it was THE BEST THING EVER. hire. The Sheriffs tolerate it so However, the Shires have built up He returned to the Shires and long as it remains within limits, a lot of Glantri hate over the years, began trying to build his own because it has vigorously pursued and it's continual open-season on flying machines. He gathered and crushed outsider criminal Glantrians. This means that many many young, enthusiastic Hin who organizations and because it Hin give a certain amount of didn't have anything else to do and passes any intelligence it finds backing to this group, even if they they're still working on it. relevant to national security to the don't want to risk THEMSELVES The Society has managed to build Sheriffs. (Rather like the in its efforts to DESTROY several hot air balloons and is tolerating of pirates and Hornets) GLANTRI. currently trying to build a blimp It focuses on 'victimless' criminal Most of the members are young which doesn't explode or crash activities--loan sharking, Hin who mount crazed raids into into the Fishtickle bridge, smuggling, gambling, prostitution, Glantri ( a difficult proposition, levelling it. (They had to spend etc., and punishes those who steal, given distances and the Broken half a year helping to repair the murder, etc. Lands), and the rest are groups bridge after that.) (The society It also has an odd role--justice for who prepare for the chance to was originally the Heartshire hire. When the law cannot touch quick respond to Glantrian raids Avionics Society; Delune threw someone, you can turn to the Five with lethal force. This group often them out of Heartshire after that.) Deep Shadows, and they may makes the lives of any visiting Multhim quietly provides them carry out rough justice for you. wizards difficult. with a small amount of funding, as This can be rather expensive, The Sheriffs try to restrain them he finds them intriguing. Several though some FDS leaders have from lynching visitors, but really halfling merchants who see a way been known to do it for free for generally approve of killing for the Shire to take the lead in a those who strike them as Glantrians, who are all evil and new area also back the society. particularly in need of help. In crazed, in the eyes of the vast The Avionics Society has also this capacity, the FDS also can be majority of Hin. taken it upon themselves to watch hired to pursue those who have Adventure Hooks: If you want the skies for unusual flying things, robbed Hin and escaped the Shire. to raid Glantri and kill Wizards, so that flying Glantrians, winged If rumour can be believed, they've these are your boys. They're Orcs, or other threats don't sneak recovered goods all the way from always looking for help with in through the air. This would be Glantri and the Heldann lunatic schemes like replacing a more valuable service if they Freeholds. Jagger's Crystal Ball with a glass didn't sometimes mistake bird Adventure Hooks: Outsider sphere full of magic-triggered flocks for incoming dragons... thieves may find themselves in explosives... Adventure Hooks: In addition to conflict with the Five Deep needing people with engineering Shadows, especially if they steal Highshire Avionics Society, skills or who are crazy enough to something important and flee the Halfling Would-Be Fliers try piloting one of their vessels, Shires with it. Others may not be Status: Fringe, Legal they also have an interest in so inclined to tolerate a crime Goal: TO TAKE TO THE studying magical flying devices to syndicate as the Sheriffs are. SKIES! WHERE A HIN see if they can use and abuse the SHOULD BE!!!! principles therein somehow, and Glantri Destruction Society, Summary: The Highshire have been known to hire Halfling Glantri-Haters Avionics Society was founded by adventurers to gain such things for 26 them. And at times, they have exposed and the central cell can be scholars and young adventurer- been known to show up in the destroyed. So the Lords will do scholars who are trying to compile middle of a flight test gone wrong their very best to keep this an accurate history of the Shires when one is engaged in other concealed. and to study the past of the Hin. activities--romance, theft, trying to Adventure Hooks: The Lords are This is complicated by the fix the damage from the last time constantly trying to collect repeated conquest of the Shires, they appeared... magical items, influence usually resulting in loss of records. politicians, sponsor pirates, and Furthermore, oddly, surviving The Lords of Shaerdon, Halfling spread pro-war with Karameikos ancient lore always seems to be in Irredentists propaganda. They have agents in the middle of some sort of deadly Status: Fringe, Illegal Darokin, Karameikos, and Ierendi. set of traps, monsters, and undead. Goal: Recovery of 'lost Hin lands' Any of these can lead them into Or in a Dragon's personal Summary: The Lords of conflict with adventurers. collection. Or concealed under Shaerdon are a Hin secret society Alphaks' throne. Thus, they are dedicated to the idea of reclaiming The Shires Delving Society, constantly having to hire the 'lost lands of Shaerdon'. At its Halfling Cavers adventurers to try to break into height, Shaerdon controlled Status: Minor, Legal 1500 year old tombs or to conduct portions of Darokin (to halfway Goal: To explore and map the expeditions across the sea to into the Malpheggi in the west and Shadowdeep Davania in search of the birthplace to the Helleck in the north) and of Summary: The Shire Delving of the Hin. Karameikos (to the headwaters of Society is made up mainly of Hin Unknown to its general the four northwestern Karameikan adventurers and ex-adventurers membership, several members of rivers and eastward from the west who still want a little excitement the Society are Lords of Shaerdon, Karameikan shore to about 72 sometimes. This group wants to hoping to use its findings to justify miles inland). The Lords of explore and map the Shadowdeep, their dream of a return to the days Shaerdon hope to reclaim these finding all the ways in and out. of Shaerdon. areas and work covertly to build Multhim sponsors them with a Adventure Hooks: The society support for Hin expansionism. little cash and has provided them has learned to hire adventurers to For centuries, they were an illegal with the built up lore of the recover its ancient lore for it, as fringe society, but now they have sheriffs in this area. noted above. a Sheriff for an ally (Maeragh) and Adventure Hooks: They're many more Hin are open to their always looking for people willing Tothmeer Inventor's Society, claims, due to increasing anger at to join them on dangerous trips Halfling and Gnome Inventors the Black Eagle Baron and into the Shadowdeep, especially Status: Fringe, Legal Karameikos. those who bring skills (arcane and Goal: To pursue knowledge of The Lords are organized in a cell divine magics) which the Hin improved technologies structure and are directed by the often lack. Summary: Thirty years ago, a Quintet, five Hin, one from each group of gnome and halfling of the contemporary Shires. The Shires Historical Society, adventurers with a shared interest Maeragh knows one of them, her Halfling Scholars in technology founded this patron in the Society, Clan Elder Status: Minor, Legal society. It has received Kari Longshadow of the Goal: To compile an accurate sponsorship from Sildil of late, Longshadow clan, who is also a history of the Shires and to gather enabling it to increase its pursuit member of the Assembly of the all lore possible about Hin origins. of technological and scientific Shires. If Maeragh's connection is Summary: The Shires Historical knowledge. Its members avidly found out, Kari will likely be Society is a collection of old seek new ways to do things, 27 usually involving alchemy or experiences in Glantri. He Mainly as in the canon. Joam is engineering. Some projects work; sometimes suffers at the hands of one of the most prominent figures many fail spectacularly, giving it the Glantri Destruction Society, in the Adventurer's Society, and an aura of insanity. But they but the Sheriffs have come to trust frequently draws on its resources persist, anyway. A few members him enough that they always make whenever he thinks he'll need help have taken an interest in the Society back down. Lathsyr is for some venture. Blackmoorian devices as well. horrified by the rumours of war Adventure Hooks: The society against Karameikos, as war leads always needs help testing and to death on a large scale, which he Ulaam Belchiir (Male Halfling building things; its alchemy hates. Rogue 8, CN.) sometimes requires adventures to Mainly as in the Canon. Ulaam is collect rare ingredients. And the Biss Araum (Male Human Cleric an agent of the Five Deep Blackmoor fans in its ranks 8, LG.) Shadows, and mainly directs his sometimes mount expeditions to Mainly as in the canon. Biss is activities at foreigners. His dangerous places which can blissfully unaware that he has actions push the boundaries the always use a little more been gradually racking up a huge Five Deep Shadows set for fodder...help. enemy list through his tendency to themselves, but so long as he fink on everyone in sight who victimizes foreigners, they accept doesn't stay home and mind the it in return for the use of his skills farm. While this has endeared and his contact network. The Shires Historical Society, him to the Daughters of the Dawn Halfling Scholars Hope and other conservative Hin Sintyr Bulorno (Male Human Status: groups and especially to Rogue 11, CE) Goal: Clanleaders, Keepers, and the Mainly as in the Canon. Sintyr Summary: Sheriffs, many Hin youth hate heads the largest gang not Adventure Hooks: him, the Hornets dislike him, and controlled by the Five Deep the Adventuring Society really Shadows. As a result, they're hates him (though they won't do always looking for ways to wipe Other People of Note, anything about it). His him out, and love to tip off Hin and Non-Hin involvement in exposing past adventurers that he's behind their Thyatian plots means that the woes, whether he is or not. The Alike Thyatian ambassador has him on Sheriffs know of his crimes but the list of people to die if it can be don't know his name...yet. He'll done without being caught, and be in big trouble when they do. Lathsyr Albrondur (Male further, the Five Deep Shadows (The Five Deep Shadows could tip Human Wizard 9, LG.) and the Lords of Shaerdon have off the Sheriffs, but they know Mainly as in the canon. He spends grudges as well. They're all that if they can't enforce their a lot of time doing work for planning to try to frame each other crime monopoly without help various Halfling societies who can for the crime, along with the from law enforcement, they'll fall use the talents of a Wizard for Thyatians. So it's likely to get apart.) some task, whenever he needs messy around him one of these money. One of his goals is to get days... Spiira Quickmagic Coppertoes accepted into the Adventuring (Female Halfling Rogue 8, TN.) Society, which is, like most Hin Joam Astlar (Male Halfling Mainly as in the canon. She was societies, rather wary of Wizards. Fighter 12, LG.) more of a 'general adventurer' kind Which, ironically, makes him feel of rogue, and thus has no all the better about it after his 28 connection to the organized crime knows how ruthless the Sheriffs This may also be complicated by of the Shires. She is a noteworthy, can be. But he hopes he may find the fact that Meargh is certain he's though not very active, member of something among the caverns a Karameikan spy and is the Glantri Destruction Society. below, and if nothing else, it independently trying to set him up She is also a member of the provides him with funds for other to be exposed. Adventurer's Society, though she experiments as well. And the Hin no longer adventures. are decent companions.) Shandysar Lollos (Female Halfling Fighter 3, TN) Ammagil Dundershields Oglentyr Hillhallow (Male Mainly as the canon. (Female Halfling Rogue 7, LG.) Halfling Rogue 6, TN) Mainly as the canon. She has Mainly as the canon. Oglentyr is a Jalassa Longwinkle (Female recently joined the Adventurer's travelling agent of the Five Deep Halfling Fighter 9, CN. She has Society in hopes of finding a Shadows, who will make sure to the feats Weapon Focus, Weapon group to hook up with. She can spring him from jail if he is Specialization, and Improved often be found in one of their main caught. Aside from fund-raising, Critical with the Whip. She also society halls, exploiting the free he also keeps an eye out for likely has a feat which allows her to use food and drink to keep her recruits. her whip to grapple without finances afloat. drawing opportunity attacks) Mainly as the canon. She Armillian Duirmuir (Female Meermeera Jollybars (Female maintains quiet contact with Sildil, Human Wizard 9, TN.) Halfling Fighter 4, CG) but has no interest in Shire Mainly as the canon. Armillian Mainly as the canon. She is very politics. has evaded the notice of the typical of the younger members of Glantrian Destruction Society so the Adventurer's Society. Arcathae Mellothrin (Female far, but the combination of them Human Druid 11, TN) and her fear of attack from Glantri Sperren Jurhindar (Male Human As the canon. She has consulted has led her to not join the Cleric 5, LN) with Delune on the issue of Adventurer's Society for fear it Mainly as the canon. It is enchanting the Five Shires and has will help her foes find her. She unfortunate for Sperren that he is taken an interest in the project. makes a fair amount of money in some ways a perfect patsy for She also has an interest in the doing jobs for various other the Lords of Shaerdon. They plan Gentle Folk, who she believes to societies, which can use her to set him up to blow the details of have been potent druids. talents. his mission to the Shires before as large an audience as possible, so Loberlin Mulgor (Female Irmir Higenblot (Male Human as to paint him as another form of Halfling Fighter 14/Hin Master of Wizard 15, TN, Sense Motive 18.) Karameikan aggression against the the Shires 10, CG) Mainly as the canon. Irmir has Shires. They have done so by Mainly as the canon. Loberlin can affiliated himself with the Shires creating a proxy society of people be noted to be perhaps the most Delving Society to provide an 'interested in Karameikan culture', powerful halfling in the Shires and excuse for his constantly being who will reveal themselves to him probably one of the most potent on about the Shires. (Unlike in the and hopefully manipulate him into the planet. Her Quest for canon, Irmir probably could find a a situation where he will be Immortality, however, has kept Hin or ten who would take a big exposed. Whether he'll fall for it her too busy on epic quests for her enough bribe to tell him some of is up to the DM and the PCs, but to focus on the Shire's real the secrets, but he's too cautious to plans never do survive contact problems, though she has take the risk of a sting, as he with the Players... consulted some with Delune. She 29 is not part of the problem, but it Beace Nildahar (Male Human Mazintor Treeshadow Seashire also seems likely she won't be part Fighter 6) (Male Halfling Ranger 8/Master of of the solution... (OOC This class Mainly as the canon. He has the Shires 7, LG) level choice is using a 10 level joined the Adventurer's Society in Mainly as the canon. Master prestige class version of Master of hopes of finding fellows to Mazintor is one of Delune's the Shires I found online, written adventure with before his money confidants and is deeply involved by someone named Beau runs out. in her plans to enchant the Shires. Yarbrough.)

30

A DM's Guide to the Five Shires

The canonical Gazetteer presents a lot of information on Shire towns. This seeks to add to those descriptions in light of the changes and additions made here, and to point out some non-town locations.

Highshire

Highshire is the most dangerous sometimes arguable which is 40,000 hin, far more than the Shire, due to raids from the worse. population of the town, could be mountains and its plethora of hidden below and fed for weeks if entrances to the Shadowdeep. Ober's Mimbur (Canonical necessary. This facility also Multhim's Krondar are very Location) serves to test various amenities for effective, however, at fighting off Ober's Mimbur is the most heavily underground living which most raids. Every hex has at least fortified of the Shire seats. There Multhim has an interest in. It does one entrance to the Shadowdeep, are several large ex-mines under NOT connect to the Shadowdeep, most of which have either been the town which have been as it's intended to be secure. The sealed or guarded if possible. converted into emergency housing facility is supposed to be a state Strangely, it never seems to do and food production facilities by secret, but the necessity of training much good. Multhim. Several exit tunnels run locals to be ready to use it has The wise traveller is always armed miles away to hidden locations; pretty much blown that, though and watches the skies, to avoid the town is walled, and if it falls, the precise details of most of it any unpleasant surprises, whether they can withdraw down into the remain secret. it be flying Glantrians or the mines, seal them, and hide until Highshire Avionics Society. It is help comes, or evacuate by the Launchpoint Tower (Non- hidden routes if need be. Up to Canonical Location) 31

This facility is of recent taverns double as gambling dens mind a ballad or three about how provenance. Located near the and brothels. awful the other clan is... headwaters of the Wardle, the This has driven Alma Highshire Avionics Society has Trencherman, Clanmistress of the Cruth Tower (Non-Canonical built itself a facility which Trencherman Clan, based here, to Location) includes a watch tower and a the point of despair. She wants Cruth Tower is an ancient launching field from which flying someone to come and clean up the watchtower of unknown devices can be sent out across the town, but the Town Council keeps provenance. Rumours range from countryside...or crash into Obur's talking about 'urban growth' and a Nithian outpost to some Mimbur. Unknown to the society 'rising wealth' and refusing to call Blackmoorian wizard's home. members, one of them is an in the Sheriff. Perhaps some Whatever its exact origin, it is infiltrator from the Glantri adventurers could do something... known to be much larger on the Destruction Society, who uses the inside than on the outside and to tower to watch for flying Aercruth (Canonical Location) contain many wonders and Glantrian raiders. Not that any As the need for metals increases monstrous guardians. However, it have shown up yet, but if they do, and as Hin look for work to get has a quirk which has kept most the semaphore system in the tower enough food, people have flocked hin out of it--only left-handed will be used to spread the word to to Aercruth. Where Bridle is people can enter it; everyone else members in Obur's Mimbur. suffering from crowding and bounces off the entrances. While crime, Aercruth resembles a boom there is probably some way to town of the Old West, where change this, the lack of arcane Bridle (Canonical Location) everyone is hard working but also magic users in the Shires has As the population of the Shires pugnacious and sometimes rather meant that only a few expeditions grows, some towns are booming. violent (if mainly in bar brawls). have ever gotten inside. Lately, Bridle has become a focal point The two local clans (Swiftfeet and however, strange lights have been for the transfer and distribution of Zursannich) are trying to take seen inside it, and many wonder goods and is on its way to control of the town, but since their what has taken up residence... becoming the second largest town Clanmasters (Anya Swiftfeet and in Highshire; from here, roads and Odo Zursannich) hate each other, waterways lead to most of the result is an ongoing feud and Ringrise (Canonical Location) Highshire's towns and into intrigue made more complex by The Ringrise stone circle was one Eastshire. Barges full of ores and the fact that many local miners of the crucial components of the metal come down the river here owe allegiance to merchants who Gentle Folk's wards. It still works and are moved to caravans or float had the capital to open new mines, well enough to repel any Undead on down the Wardle to Nob's rather than to the local clans. Of which draw too close (It turns any Boots. As the town grows, course, opening a mine means Undead who come within 12 miles buildings have hastily gone up, convincing a local clan to let you of it, as if it was a 15th level creating a shantytown around the dig, so it gets complicated... cleric. It attempts this once a much nicer inner core of Old As part of the ongoing rivalry, the minute, until the undead leaves or Bridle. two clans have opened rival dies.) Its powers are otherwise The town suffers an increasing theatres / taverns and are trying to faded, especially since the mining crime problem as the Five Deep see who can draw the most activities have disrupted the local Shadows have moved in and taken patronage, to sway people to their web of the old wards. up ore smuggling (and other side with a mix of entertainment The four clans of Ringrise remain smuggling) and strongly influence and propaganda. Bards can earn well fed, thanks to their the Town Council. Several good money here if they don't metalworking and mining profits. 32

Visitors will find this a very adopting the increasing number of travellers, traders, and welcoming location. hungry halflings which are starting adventurers. The town is basically Members of the Highshire to be seen on the roads of the a subsidiary of the local Avionics Society like to launch Shires. Many are desperate Quaeromore clan, who have from this vicinity, as they believe enough, they don't mind very hard promoted its growth to bring in the stone circle is lucky for them. work in return for steady food and wealth to buy more food to keep housing. their booming clan afloat without Longflask (Canonical Location) All three clans support Sheriff too much hunger. They strive Longflask is everything that Maeragh's call for war on vigorously to maintain traditional Delune fears about converting the Karameikos, as they expect it will customs and a general aura of Shires into a manufacturing and cause demand for weapons and polite law-abidingness. Many commercial giant. The three clans thus for their ores and locals talk loudly and often about of Longflask work their members metalworking. They're also open how they pity the folk of to the bone, using the threat of to Multhim's plans for creating Longflask, unless they're sure their being cut off from the clan to keep underground refuges and cities; customer is from Longflask, in their noses to the wheel. Since they already virtually live which case it's a fine, fine place. most employment in the Shires is underground anyway. clan-based, this is a serious threat; There is an option for this town in Loktal's Tomb (Non-Canonical, other clans don't generally hire the Adventures section. It's not Non-Specific Location) outsiders unless they have to. The made standard here so players Somewhere in Highshire, Dwarf clans do keep their members well can't know for sure if you're using King Loktal was buried with a fed, but they work them to the it. huge pile of grave goods. Anyone point of exhaustion; Multhim had who could find the tomb would be to step in to ensure days of rest to filthy, filthy rich. Every so often, keep people from being worked to Waymeet (Canonical Location) maps surface and the Hornets collapse at an early age. These As Bridle grows wildly, so does swarm to try to find it, with no clans (Fernshiver, Nixnoddle, Waymeet, favoured by those who luck as of yet. One can expect Raggedleap) may well be in wish to avoid diving into the less very hideously nasty traps and trouble in the long-term, though, savoury aspects of Bridle. The automatons as its defences. as many of their young are starting town is home to only a few to not come back from Yallara. hundred people, but they all This has made them more open to provide support services for

33

Eastshire

Eastshire is the second most them...Black Dragons are tasty for war is very strong here, strong dangerous Shire, as the Black too. enough that some angry Eagle Baron raids it and so do Eastshire is facing an economic Clanmaster may well just start it various unaffiliated humanoids, crisis; as population grows, people himself if things continue. human bandits, commando dwarf push into the harder to defend squads, etc. Well, not so many areas, forcing a rise in taxes to pay Wereskalot (Canonical dwarves as the locals sometimes for more defenders for the region. Location) think. Visiting non-Hin had better But the marginal areas don't give Wereskalot used to be a major have their papers in order and a the same agricultural yields as the trade centre; now trade has largely good reason to be here, unless areas of old settlement, as they're bypassed it for the ports, thanks to they like Hin wave assaults and often rockier. At the same time, the Black Eagle Baron and the jail cells. (Or dying if they run trade with Karameikos has cheapness of sea travel. The town into Hornets). Many bands of plummeted; increasingly trade struggles to stay afloat; much of Hornets use this as a base to raid flows from Shireton Port or its wealth comes from adventurers into Karameikos. Thantabbar to Karameikos and coming to town and spending their It also doesn't help that the Black vice versa, though the increasing loot. This has produced a boom in Dragons of the Blight Swamp shipping of metal down the businesses intended to separate sometimes decide Hin are very Wardle has helped some. No one them from their money--casinos, tasty. Of course, it doesn't help wants to get their caravan raided dancing girls, taverns, etc. The them that there are so many by the Black Eagle. Five Deep Shadows have a very Krondar and Hornets waiting for The populace is increasingly fed strong presence here. As noted in up with the Black Eagle; support the canon, local homes tend to be 34 miniature fortresses, for defence built massive breweries, while the clan's war faction is Clan Elder purposes. Shindlewoods and Quiverjumps Kari Longshadow (Ranger 7), who run competing mills and is also secretly one of the Quintet Rollstone Keep (Canonical restaurants. All three clans are who lead the Lords of Shaerdon. Location) also involved in various kinds of Her clan is likely to get in serious As the Canon. craftwork. However, the more trouble if this ever comes out. The conservative Stoneplow and Longshadows have managed to Mallowfern (Canonical Tumblebrook clans don't like all get by in recent years by adding Location) these changes and have used their boating and fishing to their normal Mallowfern is a bustling trade political power to try to slow the corn, tomatoes, and bean town, growing slowly in size as town's development. Both clans agriculture, though they're starting Hin from elsewhere in Eastshire are headed by members of the to financially struggle; many hope come here seeking work. The Daughters of the Dawn Hope, and to gain new land and plunder from local clans (Boldnose, Hoefurrow, can call on aid from other clan Karameikos to make up for this. Rallytongue) control the town leaders who belong to it. As their rather thoroughly, but they are own clans grow too large for the Nob's Boots (Canonical fairly benevolent, run by wise Hin clan resources, they've both turned Location) who hold to the old ways; while to Meargh's idea of expansion into Nob's Boots was, for centuries, a they don't adopt the clanless who Karameikos; it's not like the sleepy fishing village. But now, come to town, they do try to take Karameikans respect Hin as the metal trade flows down the care of their clanless employees as sovereignty, after all... Wardle to the sea, it's turned into a best they can. They have Most of the time, Wardlystone is a major port for the trade, as well as successfully kept the Five Deep quiet place, but political struggle an inlet for food from Karameikos. Shadows presence minimal, and at times generates its own share of The town is a giant mess, though police the town well. Visitors can underhandedness and petty local Mearagh has tried to put it into rest assured that they are safe here. intrigue. To make matters worse, some kind of order as it grows. Conversely, not much exciting Mina Shindlewood, daughter of The result is that as you move usually happens here, unless there Alva Shindlewood, the from the harbour to the outskirts, is a major invasion of Eastshire, at Clanmistress, is having a covert it moves from orderly to chaotic which point this is where the love affair with Dorvic then back to order. The militia units will initially rally. Tumblebrook, son of Ammagil Trundlestump clan has made big (Or if you want to buy Halfling Tumblebrook, the Keeper of Clan money from renting out land for Arts and Crafts). Tumblebrook. If their parents find houses to be built on, and has built out, sparks will fly. up a much larger fishing fleet. Wardlystone (Canonical The influx of money has made Location) Longshadow (Non-Canonical many of them just a little reckless Wardlystone is in the process of Clan Hold) with their cash, as they spend like semi-controlled growth. The local The Longshadow clan are an old, there is no tomorrow, following clans have increasingly moved prosperous Hin clan of great the mad fads and fashions. The towards processing of goods and ancientness. Much of their result is that many of the craftwork, and so import large leadership are members of the Trundlestumps now have Ylari amounts of food through Nob's Daughters of Dawn Hope, though style houses, wear Sindhi style Boots or from Shireton and unlike most members of that clothing, and eat Vestlander Thantabbar by road; they then society, they have come to dishes, causing them to look a process the food in the local mills. embrace the idea of a war on little ludicrous compared to the One of the clans, the Alehill, have Karameikos. The leader of the rest of the Hin in town. But when 35 you're loaded, it's just jealousy if genealogical studies, trying to genealogical lore would find people look at you funny. The prove he is related to a Dawn themselves well rewarded. And Clanmaster, who now dubs Hope descended family, so he can possibly riding a Ylari stallion himself 'Emir' Assal join the Daughters of the Dawn while dressed like a Sindhi and Trundlestump, has been spending Hope, not that they want him. having a big plate of sausage and a ton of money investing in Any PCs who can bring him sauerkraut as a snack.

Seashire

Seashire is home to nearly half the endured for over a thousand years, though this city has a higher population of the Shires, making it and those interested in older styles percentage of non-Hin than most rather...crowded. However, it also of Hin architecture often visit it to other places in the Shires. has lots of trade and several major see examples of how Hin lived The four major clans of the area cities, which help somewhat. It is long, long ago. The Shires dominate the city, but can't control also home to the Shires central Historical Society has one of its it, as the merchants and craftsmen government (such as it is), and to a two main chapter houses here, who owe fealty to no clan (or at huge amount of farming. Despite exploiting the chance to have a least no local clan) are too wealthy its size, it has less entrances to the home as old as what they often to be denied a share of political Shadowdeep than any other Shire, study. They are always looking to power. Right now, the Leafshine and thus is not very frequently hire adventurers to go find various and Quicksilver clans are allied raided. Its pastoral calm is the old things for them. against the Standfast and Stormhin image many have of the Shires, Because it is not politically clans. All four, however, would though there is trouble bubbling important, it lacks the level of stand united against those within under the surface... trouble which sometimes infests the Shires who oppose increasing Shireton; political conflicts among commerce and manufacturing, as Thantabbar (Canonical locals just don't have the same their home grown rivalries come Location) weight as the game of nations out of personality and petty local Thantabbar is one of the three played in Shireton. Nor does the issues, not any strong ideological great cities of the Shires. It has city get as many non-Hin visitors, disagreements. Also, all four have 36 a strong feud with the Daughters And here it is that the Lords of they would never advertise it, of the Dawn Hope, for these clans Shaerdon meet in secret once a there are several Hin sorcerors are all less than a thousand years year to renew their commitment to among their ranks and a few old, founded to replace clans their cause. They alone can walk wizards also. (In editions other devastated by past wars. They unmolested by the dead in this than 3E, the Refuge clan should be strongly back Jaervosz's place. They see this as a sign of treated as essentially short elves in colonization plans, in hopes of holy righteousness. Others might terms of access to classes, level opening new markets for their ask if the dead hope to soon have limits, etc.) goods and new sources of raw company... The Refuge clan has lost a lot of materials. They don't like pirates the Gentle Folk lore, but preserve and don't really trust Hin pirates Last Refuge (Non-Canonical more of it than almost anyone else any more than any other pirates, Location) in the Shires, and Delune expects so pirates rarely dock here. Once this was Calamar, the them to play a crucial role in her The Five Deep Shadows have a Shining Home of the Gentle Folk, plans. However, they are very strong, but not dominant presence their Capital and home to their pacifistic and thus vulnerable, so here, quietly operating their Tree of Life. Now its glory has she keeps some Krondar in the casinos, brothels, and taverns for faded and the Gentle Folk long area to protect them, in case the the many dockworkers and visitors fled. But Aldaron, child of their wards prove insufficient. to the town. Every so often, some Tree of Life, still stands sentinel other gang will rise to try to over this beautiful tree city and Deepmoss (Canonical Location) challenge them, and then a gang maintains the local defence wards Deepmoss is a flourishing war follows. They have kept the with the aid of the Refuge Clan, a crossroads community next to city largely crime-free...if you mixed clan of Elves and Hin who several clans facing serious don't count them. have dwelt here since the problems. The town is dominated Kinstrife. The defence wards, by clanless Hin who have more or Shaerdon Ruins (Non-Canonical maintained through ritual practices less formed an unofficial clan and Location) and performances, repel any evil govern themselves; they are It was here that the Lords of being who enters the hex and flourishing off the trade which Shaerdon once met in assembly, anyone who is not a Hin or an Elf. rolls through and the services they where they elected the Decennial All those effected must make a provide to travellers and traders. King (Rather than choosing a Will save at difficulty 25 or flee, Lord Mayor Helga (Expert 9) of permanent king, they elected one once every 10 minutes. (In other the North (originally from from their ranks each decade), and D&D editions, save vs. spell with Soderfjord of all places!) rules the here it was that everything came a -10 penalty.) Undead who come town with an even hand; she has a crashing down when the Kinstrife within a mile of the city will take knack for soothing irritated began. Here it was that Orc King 1d6 damage every minute. tempers and finding compromises Thrail killed the last of the The Refuge Clan has no crucible (Diplomacy 12). Meanwhile, the Decennial Kings, Lord Babbas of Blackflame; Aldaron is their Bristlebur, Streamford, and Manytoes, and here it was that the relic. The Hin members are Treeshadow clans have outbred families of the Lords were roasted notably tall and slender for their land's capacity to support alive by King Thrail when he halflings and have some elven themselves, but their leaders are burned it. features. They also tend to be too conservative to move away And now it is a ruins, haunted by calmer. They are very friendly from their traditional food crop ghosts and shadows of things past. with Delune and support her production and so many of their Every so often, the Sheriffs clean project. They also welcome all youth drift away (some to it out, but the dead always return. Hin Masters to visit them. While Deepmoss, most heading down the 37 road to Thantabbar or Shireton); of remaining caches of money, local tavern can probably take on a this will eventually correct the goods, and lore hidden in places troll by herself and win. When the overpopulation, but may then where only strong magic can Sheriffs need high firepower, they cause the population to plunge. extract it. The rumours are come here. Conversely, when The clan elders are trying to assert enough to bring a fair number of they need someone's services on a claims to the land on which the adventurers through. long term basis, they offer them a town sits, but Sheriff Jaervosz is The three local clans, Belnoise, place here. unfriendly to their efforts and they Mouldwalk, and Proudstride all have failed. It seems likely they frequently pick over the ruins in Burny (Canonical Location) may try more desperate measures desperate hope of finding some From the outside, Burny appears to increase their clan revenues wealth to augment their over- to be a quiet little fishing town soon. (Gorgo Treeshadow, stressed income. All three clans with some shipping business. The Clanmaster of Treeshadow, is have good lands, but they are fields around the town are full of beginning to support war with reluctant to change their ways and grains and fruit and odd flowers. Karameikos in hopes of moving shift to cash crops. Mori Lots of ships come here, his clan to better or at least Proudstride, Keeper of apparently to avoid the congestion LARGER lands there. The Proudstride, is a proud member of of Shireton. Streamford and Bristlebur clans the Daughters of the Dawn Hope, However, the town is actually mutter darkly about taking what and loudly opposes changing their totally controlled by the Five Deep rightly belongs to them, but are ways. However, he is pragmatic Shadows and constitutes one of waiting for you, the DM, to come enough to support Jaervosz's their major bases. All three local up with a better plan for them.) colonization project, as he realizes clans--Quizzinglas, Vindlewalk, The Deepdell Inn is a meeting that the clans are getting too big Woodword--are not just affiliated place for local members of the for their lands. He opposes with the Five Deep Shadows, but Adventurer's Society; they meet Maeragh's calls for war, however, have traditionally provided much the second night of the week, as he sees self-defence instead of of its top leadership. The local twice a month, to swap stories and aggression as a key part of Hin cliffs are riddled with caves tell lies about their adventures and heritage. He also thinks Multhim holding stolen and smuggled show off old trophies. is utterly insane, wanting to make goods, forging operations, everyone live in caves like prisoners, etc. Their farms grow a Leafkindle (Canonical Dwarves and Goblins. lot of food, but also produce huge Location) amounts of alcohol and drugs and Leafkindle is an unusual town; the Moon Hill (Canonical Location) chemicals useful for making local woods is home to a fair Moon Hill is a small community poisons and other alchemical number of Elves, and so is the completely controlled by the concoctions. The town itself is a village, which thus has more Adventurer's Society and the major centre for smuggling and resemblance to a settlement of the Sheriffs. Many of the most for those pirates sponsored by the big folk than most Hin powerful members of the Society Five Deep Shadows themselves. communities. The town itself was maintain homes here, and the Outsiders are watched carefully, once used, long ago, as a meeting small group of human and elf but only actually harassed if they place to meet with the Gentle wizards called upon by the seem likely to stumble on things Folk, and there are ruins only a Sheriffs to provide necessary they should not. You know the few miles away of one of the last magical services dwell here as drill. Gentle Folk communities. It has well. You can hardly shake a stick largely been picked over by without hitting someone high in Stillpool (Canonical Location) adventurers, but there are rumours level. Even your waitress at the 38

The past and a possible future are old traditional housing. One of Wreck of the Grand Fleet (Non- in conflict in Stillpool. The four the major craftmasters, Corgo Canonical Location) local clans (Battlebur, Leirshine, is secretly one of the During the Thirty Years' War, one Brambleshun, Littleglade, Lords of Shaerdon and runs his of the major Thyatian initiatives Woodgrott) focus on food enterprises to funnel money to that was destroyed in 608 by a storm. production and are more society. He has tried to blame The Grand Fleet sank in a hideous conservative, dedicated to the Karameikan and Darokinian disaster and took a huge pile of traditional ways of the clans. But competition for the economic treasure and equipment to the they're hitting the limits of their woes of the clans and has had bottom of the ocean. Now an ability to feed themselves, and an some success, though the Aboleth has moved into the increasing number of clan Littleglade clan is more enchanted wreckage, turned various local sea members end up having to work with Multhim's proposals for life into his flunkies and is making under harsh conditions in the exploitation of the Shadowdeep. preparations to use his newfound workshops of Stillpool in order to (They fear the human kingdoms wealth to begin infiltrating and earn extra money for the clan. are too powerful to fight now, as controlling coastal towns. It may Meanwhile, the merchants and some members of the clan have either greatly aid him or be a craftmasters of Stillpool live the returned from yallara with stories disaster that his first target is high life off their profits, adopting of the size of Specularum, Darokin likely to be Burny... foreign fashions and building City, etc.) elaborate houses that outshine the

Heartshire

Like its Sheriff, Heartshire is the to hold together in the face of the beautiful, the harvests are good, most conservative part of the land having filled up, and it has but you can only feed so many Shires. It is home to many long ago used up most of its Hin at the level to which they are farming clans who are struggling mineral resources. The land is accustomed at this level of 39 technology, and the shunning of goods has enabled them to make a into debt to local merchants and Wizards and Sorcerors means a lot of money which keeps them greatly resent the town's lack of common magic to meet afloat and keeps them from prosperity. They have joined the their needs. realizing how much trouble the call for a war on Karameikos, One of the few areas of innovation Shires really are in.) hoping to gain new lands, far from has been the effort to find any way the merchants, thereby. The to increase yields of the traditional Camp Habit (Non-Canonical Summergarth clan have become crops; there has been some Location) merchants and manufacturers and success here in finding better ways Camp Habit has its name from the financiers and have many of the to farm and the creation of fact that over two thousand years other clans in debt to them; they fertilizers through alchemy. of Hin history, would-be bandits are also roundly hated because of have a habit of favouring this this. Sateeka (Canonical Location) excellent camp ground. It is Delune is deeply unhappy with the Like Wereskalot, Sateeka highly defensible with access to current state of affairs, but so long combines trade and military water, thanks to some kind past as no one does anything illegal, defence, not that anything has soul who dug a well. It sits up she is unable to do much other invaded from Darokin in a long atop a cliff, looking down at the than occasionally fine the time (beyond some orc raids out of Flur and includes a tunnel escape Summergarths for excessive loan the mountains). Darokinians are a route through the mountains (with rates. common presence here and access to the Shadowdeep). welcomed. (Most Heartshire Hin Shadowgate (Canonical don't want to BE Darokin, but they Periodically, the Krondar have to Location) like Darokinians, who are honest root out monsters, bandits, etc, In many ways, Shadowgate is a and hard-working.) The amount from this position, another 'habit'. typical Heartshire community. of trade sustains six local clans The local clans (Dappleglade, (Elintel, Forestfar, Hairytoes, Heartwood, Mistwalker) all Kittledance, Lamintar, Fishtickle Bridge (Canonical engage in agriculture as the heart Whisperrun), all of whom are Location) of their clan economy. The prospering through a mix of The Hin of Fishtickle Bridge have Heartwoods are noted for their traditional handicrafts and exploited the combination of woodworking, the Dappleglades agriculture. Their proximity to the strategic positioning and the river are also loggers and the Shireseat has made them very to keep themselves afloat in this Mistwalkers run several wineries influential in the Shire's assembly, time of difficulty. Most imported with some success. All three clans and they are content with things goods and food that come to also have the same basic problem- the way they are. A fair number Heartshire from Shireton come up -too many clan members and no of the clansmen belong to the the Ithypool to Fishtickle, then get easy way to increase income Daughters of the Dawn Hope. sold to local merchants here. without abandoning old customs Sateeka is politically pretty calm, Furthermore, the river is highly and moving into new areas of as the Whisperrun clan have exploited for food processing business. Each clan is dominated local politics for through mills. The Cindertoes and contemplating a different solution. centuries, and seem unlikely to Deepdell clans have taken up The Mistwalkers are in contact lose this position so long as trade growing coffee and tea as well for with Sheriff Delune on her with Darokin doesn't dry up. (All export to the rest of the Shires. enchantment of the Shires project six clans have way too many The more conservative Gullybuck, and their Keeper (Anya) is one of members for agriculture alone, but Ilingall, and Pytchplume clans are her major allies in that endeavour. having first crack at Darokinian slowly sinking further and further The Heartwood Clanmaster 40

(Kavric) is one of the Lords of have overgrazed much of their Orc King Thrail built this fortress Shaerdon and hopes to find new lands (both clans raise sheep and long, long ago, and from it, he lands for his clan to hold them all. then sell the wool to merchants to began his conquest of the shires. And the Dappleglade Clanmaster get other kinds of food and goods. When he began his path to (Donora) is contemplating kicking They do a little clothmaking, but immortality, he used hidden out the least productive members only to meet their own needs.). delvings beneath it as his base and of the clan, though she doesn't Delune has been trying to settle hid his time-travel artifact there. realize exactly how huge a the feud, but both clans need the Now he is long dead and defeated, firestorm this would kick up, as disputed tracts of land enough that but his artifact remains there still, such a thing is just not done in the problem always re-arises. A waiting to be found. No Hin Heartshire. (Not without better Hin Master of the Shires lives in explorer has found it yet, but it's excuses, anyway...) the area (Brondor Forestfar only a matter of Time... Heartshire, Ranger 8/Master 3), Every would-be Orc conqueror of Brookbank (Canonical and is trying to help settle the feud the Shires comes here before Location) before more damage is done to the launching his invasion, so the Brookbank is a small farming local environment from the clans Sheriffs keep an eye on it as an village dominated by the sabotaging each other, but he's early warning system. And Barrowhin and Tallthicket clans. much better at talking to trees than Thrail's long ago sponsor watches They have been engaged in a feud humans and could use some help. over the fortress, so as to ensure over some of the local land for his artifact falls into the right nearly two centuries, and it's only Kuurg Haash (Non-Canonical hands, when the time is ripe... gotten worse now that both clans Location)

Southshire

The past and the future meet in hardcore conservative Hin in the to live in quiet rural peace as their Southshire, leading to increasing Shires live in Southshire. Most of ancestors did. But the forces of social conflict. Some of the most them just want nothing more than change are rising, and they feel 41 they have to resist it, to save the dockworkers, teamsters, etc, mirrors to focus light, supposedly old ways. If the first land of the which doesn't pay hugely well, but to set ships on fire (so far it's only Hin deserts Hin culture and beats starvation. Their leadership caused people to go briefly blind), tradition, where will it possibly has responded to this by playing a giant steam-powered delivery survive? Many worry that the up their heritage as ancient clans. system for Thyatian Fire and other choice of Sildil as Sheriff means All three clans contain many projectiles (so far it's good at the beginning of the end for them. members of the Daughters of the producing lots of steam), and giant Other Hin look to a future of New Hope, and the Vailswash winches to pluck ships out of the commerce and manufacturing, in Keeper (Bordigo) and the water (needs more range and they which the Shires will stop sending Nudgestone Clanmaster (Brisco) can't find a way to let it lift raw materials away for others to are members of the Lords of enough force to actually lift make a profit off, and primarily Shaerdon. They have grown to anything bigger than, say, a make its own goods, then sell the hate the Darokin merchants they rowboat). But they're still trying surplus abroad for a profit. They feel defraud their clans (by not and adding more! They'll need point to the rising levels of paying obscene prices for their help testing them soon...) clanless Hin in need of work. The clan produce and charging what clans are failing, they claim. The the market will bear for goods) Rundegos (Canonical Location) Shires must change or die. And and have grand delusions of Rundegos is another quiet fishing the Sheriff is ultimately on their invading Darokin and claiming the and smuggling town, and like side. old Hin lands there. many smuggling centres, there is a The question, however, is whether The city is thus racked by constant strong presence of the Five Deep or not there's time to make political conflict between the two Shadows. However, they have far changes before society falls apart, factions; at the present, the more less control than in Burny. Part of or if what emerges will be successful clans and their allies the reason for this is the presence recognizable as Hin society at all... hold a narrow margin in the town of a fair number of retired council. The next election is adventurers (see the canonical Tothmeer (Canonical Location) coming soon, and Sildil feels there write-up). The town is also a The main city and Shireseat of will be a lot of skulduggery in it, popular place to pick up supplies Southshire exemplifies the tying up her attention when she quickly for pirates. conflicts within society. Half the has other things to attend to. clans (Hardflask, Idelwise, Adventurers could come in Flagonford (Canonical Knackwell, Nimblefoot) play a handy... Location) major role in commerce and Tothmeer is home to the Tothmeer The juncture of three roads and a shipping and craft manufacturing. Inventor's Society, a joint gnome navigable river have turned (The Knackwells are the finest and halfling society with a focus Flagonford into a bustling, if not shipwrights in the Shires, in fact.) on innovation and inventions. huge town. The Horsetail clan They also quietly fence goods When their projects go wrong, the largely dominates the teamster brought into the port by Hin agricultural clans howl to the business and is in the pocket of the pirates. The Nudgestone, moon; some of their projects have Five Deep Shadows, helping them Vailswash and Yollershield clans, been of great help to the city. to smuggle goods. The Pipesmoke on the other hand, provide the city Right now, they are in the process clan are major tobacco producers, with food; while demand is high, of building various controversial which has made their leaders they have grown greatly in size devices to aid in the defence of the wealthy. They have taken in and are beginning to struggle to harbour. Whether they will work many clanless Hin and turned stay afloat; many of their members is another question... (They them into a labour force for the have had to take on jobs as include a giant device which uses tobacco fields. The Foxfollow and 42

Omblestaff clans, traditional clans here are best described as Ogglemurk raise sheep and cattle, conservative Hin pastoralists 'comfortable conservatives'; the while the Wanderfence clan raises (sheep, goats, cattle) frown on Stormweather and Voluteye clans tobacco, grains, and tea. this, but are themselves struggling have been able to expand their However, the Ogglemurk have, to survive, and many of them now fishing as their population grows, basically, too many cattle and have to work for other clans or enabling them to stick to the old sheep and keep letting them local merchants in their business ways, while the Darkforest clan wander into the Wanderfence enterprises. (The Omblestaff have has always been more of clan's lands, leading them to get bent enough to take up the craftsmen and builders than angry. This is necessary for them, coopering business and make good farmers; they operate all over from their viewpoint, as they need money on it, which helps.) This Southshire as builders and all these animals to support their irritates the local Daughters of the repairers of buildings. However, overly large clan. The Dawn Hope tremendously. They the Stormweather and Voluteye Wanderfences want a stricter are more mellow about it than in clans are now starting to face enforcement of the land more politically 'hot' areas, some resistance from other groups boundaries. It is likely that Sildil however. The Zindlestone clan of fishermen who have done the will rule in their favour, in which run mills and process the food same as them, and there may be case the Ogglemurks will be in grown by other clans and also spin trouble on the horizon. For now, trouble, and things may get wool into thread. Many clanless this is a good place to buy messy... Hin work in the meat processing smuggled goods or study industry dominated by a small genealogy (the Keeper of Deep Delving (Non-Canonical group of local merchants. Voluteye, Harkin, has a huge Location) The Fireswords, a band of human collection of birth and death There is a long and honourable and elf adventurers based in records and a volume tracing his Dwarven tradition of digging too Flagonford, remain neutral in clan back to the first Hin to arrive. deep and unleashing ancient evil political conflicts. They have He is a member of the Daughters upon the world. This old been known to work with The of the Dawn Hope and the Shires Dwarven hold, originally named Shires Delving Society in Historical Society.) Fulbolrast (West Crater Mountain) exploring locations within the As noted in the canon, was carved out of a meteor impact Shadowdeep. They're rumoured Bramblerose Forest, to the west, is crater up in the mountains, with to have some sort of contract with home to recurring monster homes and workshops and mines Sildil, as they seem to come to her infestations. The exact cause all commingled in the walls of the assistance when things need more remains unclear, though there is an crater. Eventually, they dug down firepower than the Krondar can adventure with some suggestions below crater level and found easily bring to bear. in the Adventure section. several tunnels leading into the Shadowdeep. Creatures from Bramblerose (Canonical Rattlecart (Canonical Location) below slaughtered everyone, then Location) Rattlecart is a small market town, fled the cursed LIGHT of the Bramblerose is a flourishing small dominated by the Ogglemurk and surface back down below. This port for those wishing to avoid Wanderfence clans. It is the place happened in the first months of the larger, more congested ones. where everyone in northern uprising of the Hin against the Goods can be transhipped to Southshire comes to buy goods Dwarves. For a time, the Hin barges going up the Flur to and where the produce of the area settled the site, only to have the Flagonford, from which they go flows into the hands of merchants creatures rise up and eat them. It almost anywhere in Heartshire or for sale elsewhere. The two clans was seen as accursed and sealed as Southshire with ease. The three are having an ongoing dispute; the best the Hin could. The Orcs of 43

King Thrail tried to settle here, interest in this ancient wreck if huge trove full of the truth about only to eventually be eaten. they did know. The North Star the origins of the Shires. Finally, the site was abandoned, was one of the three flagships of Should someone finally spot it and the Krondar keep watch here, the rag-tag Hin fleet which way down below on the ocean but whatever eats those who delve founded the Shires; it wrecked in floor, the Adventurer's Society, too deep, it seems disinclined to the last days of the trip in a the Lords of Shaerdon, the risk the light of day... hideous storm, taking hundreds of Daughters of the Dawn Hope, the Hin to the bottom of the ocean and Shires Historical Society, and Wreck of the North Star (Non- many historical artifacts in sealed probably many others will all want Canonical Location) containers. It sits there still, now to find it to see 'who is right'. Though no one knows it is there, home to (some undersea menace many groups would take an appropriate to your PCs' level), a

Shireton

Shireton is the largest city in the The Shires Historical Society has city is riddled with foreign Shires and its capital. It is well one of its biggest chapterhouses fashions and architecture by described in the canonical here, including a museum which ambitious Hin who have ben gazetteer, so only some additional has relics dating all the way back exposed to foreign culture. notes relevant to this version of to Blackmoor. Most are now non- the setting will be made here. functional. One of the librarians, Most Hin politics here is fairly Yoko Flintfoot (Expert 7) is slow-paced and calm and at times Shireton is constructed atop quietly a member of the Lords of somewhat whimsical; there is a several layers of ruins, dating all Shaerdon, involved in 'proving' tradition of embarrassing one's the way back to Blackmoor. For their land claims. enemies more than hurting them. those who know where to look, This light heartedness is used as a tunnels into the Shadowdeep itself The major clans here are heavily mask for other activities by those can be found, though the Sheriffs involved in the business of the city foreigners who engage in heavier have tried to find and seal or guard and largely open to the idea of intrigues. them all (with mixed success). further commerce and Things lurk in the dark below the manufacturing. So instead they The Sailor's Rest, in Shireton Port, city, though anything too squabble over office and petty old is the largest brothel in the Shires, dangerous usually ends up being feuds so long as no outside threat run by the Five Deep Shadows. It killed by Krondar or adventurers. to their business arises. The definitely provides human, elf, Several criminal groups lurk Flintfoot and Janthobell clans are halfling and gnome ladies and below, hiding from the Five Deep heavily involved in trade, while gentlemen, and is rumoured to be Shadows, who mostly control the Longquaffs are teamsters and able to cater to other tastes as well. Shireton Port and watch over dockworkers. The Nogknocks are It also has a stock of devices for Shireton as well, carrying out their builders of buildings and ships, making people bigger or smaller duty to squash petty crime. But while the Plodmoot provide high to avoid size issues. Rumour has the Undercity is just too big for quality servants to the elites of it that a particularly powerful and them. other clans. The Roughleap and perverted wizard is 'on staff', Slowleaf clans engage in many providing various magical forms of craft production. The amenities. If so, he's never been 44 publicly seen, but who knows everyone, even Dwarves, is this town, quite frequently; you when he might be watching... generally welcome if no more never know what you'll wake up misbehaving than the hin guests. with if you're not careful. Shireton is noted for its open (Some nights, the alcohol flows Especially if Bungo Barrelmore or parties; most of the nicer portions like the wind). These parties are Jasser Fullbellow crashes the of the year, there is a party the source and genesis of what party. (See canon, page 53) somewhere every night, and cross-species romance flowers in

Shire-Related Locations Outside the Shire

Westwatch Tower (Non- security to make it nigh in finding ways to try to embarrass Canonical Location. Malpheggi impossible for anyone to recover such agitators into leaving. Swamp) who didn't know the secrets. When Shaerdon fell, the Koriszegy Keep (Canonical Westwatch colony survived for a Then, at the battle of the Five Non-Shires Location. Western time, holding out nearly a century Bulls, he was turned to stone by a Karameikos) before the Lizardmen defeated its beholder and sank to the bottom of Records in the hands of the Lords forces and forced its evacuation. the ocean, never to be seen again. of Shaerdon indicate this keep was In recent years, the Lords of Since then, dozens, maybe built on the ruins of an eastern Hin Shaerdon have reclaimed it and hundreds of people have tried to fortress from the Shaerdon era. turned it into their most secret defeat all the layers of traps, They hope to delve down and base where all the really security, flooding areas, shifting explore these ruins and find dangerous secrets are kept. It is rooms, etc, in order to get his confirmation of the right of the guarded by fanatically loyal treasure. None have yet Hin to rule western Karameikos. members of the society and succeeded, and some property of For once, the lords are correct; contains a substantial amount of the local ores blocks scrying, there is a ruins under it, it does wealth and valuable historical teleportation, planar shifts, and the contain evidence of Hin rule, and artifacts. Were it to be exposed, like. Instead, people have blown the evidence is fairly conclusive. the society would be blown wide immense amounts of treasure, However, no one in Karameikos open. trying to get to his treasure. will take this as proof of the right of Hin to rule there now, the ruins Money Pit Island (Non- And so it has come to be known as of Koriszegy Keep is home to a Canonical Location. Off Money Pit island. His treasure yet vampire who the Hin, lacking Fletcher Reef) awaits some clever soul with a clerics, probably can't deal with, Money Pit Island was, once upon truly immense knowledge of and the old Hin ruins are a time, known as Saasar Island. engineering and traps. And lots of themselves full of the restless dead But now it is known as the Money fools with money to burn. who may well eat any historical or Pit. During the Thirty Year's War, Lords backed expeditions. Local the famous Hin Pirate Galassar Hinmeet (Canonical Non-Shires peasants will try to warn any acquired a huge amount of wealth Location. Southern Darokin) expeditions to stay away, but we from the Thyatians. He took The Lords of Shaerdon have been all know that ADVENTURERS much of it and hid it at the bottom quietly trying to prompt the Hin of NEVER LISTEN TO of a shaft dug into this island, Hinmeet to revolt against Darokin; WARNINGS. Ever. guarded by dozens, maybe the local Hin find this utterly hundreds of traps and layers of ludicrous and take great pleasure 45

Adventures

The canonical Gazetteer has a good list of appropriate encounters in the wilderness for the Shires. It also has many adventures which should still work.

the PCs pursue what it led them to. respond with non-lethal force, the The White Stag This can happen at any level, as Goblins, who are all really rather Adventure Level: Special you can hook it into an adventure scared of what they're doing, will Topic: The High Heroes of whatever level you desire. assume this is some special test Interesting Features: A high PCs who complete the adventure somehow arranged by the elders speed chase across the Shire will gain the favour of the High and will become friendly. Mind countryside. Heroes if they act heroically in the you, most PCs won't want to Campaign Hook: Automatically interest of the Shires. (The Heroes befriend goblins, but there's hooks into another adventure don't mind if the PCs also profit always some guy who wants The Adventure: This begins with by what they do, of course.) funky henchmen... If slain, the the PCs in an Adventurer's Society Anyone they are testing to see goblins have no treasure, unless chapterhouse. Whatever they are about sponsoring for Immortality you count dried fruit and a couple doing is interrupted by Joam will be tested to see if they will of salted squirrel meat jerky Astlar running at high speed into follow the Stag. Loberlin Mulgor, pieces. the building and announcing if talked to by PCs in some loudly that the White Stag of the encounter, can tell them about her Glantri Test Shires has appeared at (point several encounters with the Stag. Adventure Level: 1-3, can nearby the town the PCs are in.) easily be adjusted higher. The Stag appears erratically in the Bad Touch Topic: Anti-Glantri Prejudice Shires, always leading heroes to Adventure Level: 1-3 Interesting Features: A chance fantastic wealth, but often also Topic: Goblin Raids to meet members of the Glantri fantastic danger. Everyone in the Interesting Features: The PCs Destruction Society place drops everything and goes must fight strangely acting goblins Campaign Hook: A chance to after the Stag. Campaign Hook: PCs who figure make long-term allies or many The PCs soon end up part of a out what's going on might actually enemies or to end up in prison, high speed chase across the be able to befriend a goblin tribe. depending on how they handle countryside, assuming they Assuming they WANT to. things. actually join in. If not, this The Adventure: The PCs, who The Adventure: The PCs stop at adventure ends, but you can reuse need to be up in the mountains or an Inn and have the (mis)fortune a similar hook another time. If the hills, encounter a group of goblin to pick one where the Glantri PCs join in, the Stag leads them a raiders. However, the goblins are Destruction Society's local chapter merry chase across the Shires until armed only with clubs and seem is having a meeting. If no one in they reach another adventure you content to whack the PCs once, the group looks like a wizard, they intend to run. It then leads them lightly, then run away. This is will simply overhear the group to the location, and if they take the part of a manhood test where they talking about how much it HATES adventure, it blesses them. This must survive with only clubs and GLANTRI and they can be easily provides the benefit of a Bless touch some foe of goblinkind and approached by anyone willing to spell, but it never ends so long as live to tell about it. If the PCs share the hate-on. Ironically, the 46

Glantri Destruction Society likes Meet the Hornets they lose more than 2 other Dwarves, unlike most Shirefolk, Adventure Level: 1-3 members. so any Dwarves will be Topic: Illustrates how many The group should be sized to be a approached by the GDS members Hornets think and their ideal role threat but not an overwhelming and invited to share a drink and in the Shires one; all members are first level, food with them, so they can Interesting Features: A chance except for a second level leader. commiserate about how wretched to meet a Hornet band and Glantri is. possibly befriend them and a Sind Me An Angel If anyone does look wizardly to demonstration of how Hin fight. Adventure Level: 3-5 the GDS members, they will begin Campaign Hook: Making a Topic: Culture Clash, Sind and talking REAL LOUDLY about favourable impression on one Shires contact how terrible Glantri is, and watch Hornet band will tend to help the Interesting Features: The PCs for a reaction. If they see any PCs with others, and the Hornets get to try to deal with culture evidence he doesn't like this, they tend to know what is going down shock will assume he is Glantrian. They where. Campaign Hook: Handled well, won't actually start anything in the The Adventure: A group of the PCs could make a strong ally Inn if he doesn't start anything, Hornets have decided to test the of the wealthy and powerful however. Instead, they will send PCs. One of their number is Sindhi Ambassador. someone to the local Krondar or injured from an animal attack. He The Adventure: Much to his Clanmaster to have him arrested. will go out in plain sight where the regret, the Sindhi Ambassador is Players who go along peacefully PCs will encounter him, while the having to play host to his cousin, and are not Glantrians will get an rest lurk in the woods to watch. Amardeep Chandragupta (LN apology from the Krondar once He clearly has no significant Knight 4). Amardeep, like his this is established and a warning wealth beyond a few copper coins cousin, is part of the warrior caste. about the society. Glantrians, on and a nice looking axe. If the PCs Unlike his cousin, he has little the other hand, will be in big help him or at least try, the rest of knowledge of the Shires and trouble, but should be given a the group will introduce is...poor...at adapting himself to chance to escape before they are themselves in a friendly manner. realities. He has insisted on a tour sent off to have something If they ignore him, but don't hurt of the countryside, since unfortunate happen to them. him either, they will follow the Ambassador Asoka has lots of free If violence breaks out somehow group and probably try to rob it time. They show up with before that, they will attempt to that night unless they demonstrate followers in some country village grapple the wizard and beat him to heroic/helpful tendencies in some or market town the PCs are in. death with improvised weapons. other manner that day. If they The local Clanmaster(s) wish to Half the group will be first level actively hurt the injured Hin, they meet them, and invite them (and commoners and the other half first will begin sniping the PCs with the PCs, as heroes of modest note) level warriors (or First level shortbows and slings, focusing to eat with them. What ensues is a Halflings flat out, in OE). Scale first on anyone hurting their collision of cultures, as Amardeep the group to be more than a match fellow, then on anyone who rigidly tries to follow his for any low-level wizard, but not a doesn't wear armour. (Assumed to homeland's customs, complaining match for a full adventuring party. be a wizard.) If the injured Hin is about things such as failure of the Other Hin present will hastily killed, they go berserk and will servers to follow purification rites. summon the Krondar, who will fight to the death; otherwise, they He also insists on only eating with probably outmatch the PCs unless flee and spread the news the PCs fellow warriors. Which excludes this is extremely a backwater. are scum to other Hornet bands if one of the Clanmasters, who identified himself as a farmer 47

(though he has militia experience) welcome to join in. There are a into Master Oakenshott's Wine and the Keepers. Etc, etc. half-dozen contestants with a pre- Cellar and dig down to the tomb. Amardeep is not evil (he's brave, roll Perform total of 4, two However, she fears undead, and honest, and generous, but far too contestants with an 8, and one thus has hired the PCs to protect lawful for his own good), but he is very good storyteller with an 11, her crew of diggers. rigid in his ways, and his who is the one to beat (Olga Unknown to her, sewer behaviour increasingly Longbottom, descendent of Keido. construction and smugglers busted embarrasses the Sindhi She is a Bard 5 with 8 ranks and a the tomb open hundreds of years Ambassador and angers the clan +3 charisma bonus). If one of the ago, taking most of its contents, leaders. The PCs must step in and PCs tells the best story, he wins 25 and right now, a gang of settle things. Or perhaps attack gold, a 25 gp pendant of Keido, smugglers uses it to hide goods. Amardeep's ill manners, in which and free beer and food all night. So when they break in, they will case Asoka won't be happy with Second place gets 15 gold and a 5 find crates full of Ylari perfumes, them (even if he knows his cousin GP pewter statuette and five free bolts of silk, and boxes of spices. is being rude and rigid, family drinks. Third place gets 5 free There is about 300 GP worth of matters...) If the PCs can bring drinks. Everyone else gets nada, goods per PC. As they look about, everyone around to a happy but hopefully has fun. the gang shows up. They are first medium, they can make some level Halfling Rogues, with a valuable allies here. Tunnels of Tothmeer second level leader, and they come Adventure Level: 3-5 in fair numbers. Scale them to Also, Amardeep, who has never Topic: Smuggling and the Five give the PCs a stiff but not met real adventurers, may want to Shires Historical Society overwhelming fight. go on an adventure with them to Interesting Features: The PCs Once they win, Tori will want to see what it's like...which could begin what they expect to be a turn the goods over to the lead into another adventure. tomb delving only to find it's Krondar; if this is done, they will actually a gang of smugglers. give each PC a 200 GP reward, The Keido Longbottom Campaign Hook: Doing a good and the PCs will earn some credit Memorial Brag job will guarantee them future with the authorities. Or they can Adventure Level: 3-5, though work with the Historians but the try and make off with it even level 1 could do this safely. enmity of Hin smugglers. themselves. Or throw a wild Topic: Halfling Storytelling and The Adventure: Tori Ylaruam party with it. Up to Bragging Yollershield (Expert 4, History them. In whatever case, though, if Interesting Features: PCs get a (Shires) 10) is a historian for the any smugglers escape or the whole chance to win some gold by telling Yollershield clan and a Society affair goes public, the PCs will BIG LIES. REALLY BIG LIES. member. She's also a member of face future trouble with Campaign Hook: PCs may earn the Daughters of the Dawn Hope. smugglers. a good reputation as storytellers. She's found an ancient diary of The Adventure: The PCs ride Mimbo Bigglestoes, who legend Rule the Skies! into some village just in time for indicates was one of the crew of Adventure Level: 4-8 the annual bragging contest in the Dawn Hope. She's also found Topic: The Highshire Avionics memory of the village hero, Keido a map of where he was buried. Society--threat or menace? Longbottom, who is said to have She wants to dig down and see Interesting Features: A chance once convinced a dragon to kill what historical lore may have been to go on an aerial ride over the himself by bragging about how buried with him. Meticulous and Shires horrible its death would be if it careful, she's arranged all the Campaign Hook: A good messed with Keido. The PCs are necessary permissions to go down performance will make the society 48 your allies and possibly please the Interesting Features: PCs get to Interesting Features: The PCs Sheriffs as well. deal with cattle rustlers and likely find a long forgotten entrance to The Adventure: The Highshire make cowhalfing jokes the Shadowdeep and must fight a Avionics Society is looking to hire Campaign Hook: PCs can build substantial force of experienced adventurers for a flight test and a friendship with a clan. goblins. aerial hunt. Wyverns have been The Adventure: This can be used Campaign Hook: The Goblins wrecking havoc in Eastshire, anywhere rural. As the PCs ride may be an advance force of a fresh probably sent by Bargle, and the or walk or crash into a small invasion; the PCs may take an Avionics society wants to test village, the word in the town is interest in the Shadowdeep their new Zeppelin and deal with that someone is stealing cattle; The Adventure: This works best an aerial menace. They will pay everyone blames goblins, probably in Heartshire or Highshire. As the adventurers 300 GP each to join coming from some cave network. PCs pass through a small village, their flight crew, to act as the The PCs look capable, so the the locals ask for their aid in hunting force. (Or whatever sum Clanmaster of the Cattlechaser dealing with what they fear may will entice your PCs into an clan will try to recruit them to be undead. Local tradition claims experimental zeppelin) The investigate, offering 50 GP per that an old dwarf mine in the area Zeppelin drifts along at a speed of PC, plus 5 gold per cow recovered is sometimes haunted by the one hex per hour from from the thieves. Staking out the ghosts of Dwarven miners, known Launchpoint Tower; the guidance cattle at night, the PCs encounter as knockers. Knockers cannot is fairly, but not perfectly reliable. the cattle thieves--who turn out to help but forewarn others of their Roll a d10 each time it changes be disguised Hin from another presence due to compulsive hexes; on a 1, it drifts in a random nearby clan, the Longwalkers. mining, leading to the 'knocking' direction. They will find the This is a large group of low level for which they are named. Now, Wyverns on the road hex between (1-2 level) Hin in disguises that of late, noises have been coming Wereskalot and Mallowfern. would only work at night, but use from the mine. There is one Wyvern for every 3 special shoes to leave goblin Investigation eventually leads the PCs. Anyone able to tracks. If the PCs can catch PCs to a deep gallery where the communicate with animals may be someone, the Sheriff will come wall makes intense knocking able to find they've been down hard on the Longwalkers, noises. In fact, as they arrive, the enchanted by Bargle to go who have been stealing cattle to wall bursts and a force of goblins rampage in the showers; if they eat because they've outgrown their breaks through, led by a can take one alive back to the food supply and are already deep Hobgoblin. The goblins are third Sheriffs with this proof, it will in debt. They will beg for mercy level warriors, with a small force gain them some credit, especially before the PCs take them to the of fourth level wolf riders, while with Meargh. Even just killing Krondar or the Cattlechasers, their leader is a fifth level fighter. them will gain a little credit. pleading hunger. The PCs must (Those using 0D&D and who have The PCs then have to successfully decide whether or not to turn them Orcs of Thar can use the get the blimp back to Launchpoint in and what to do if they don't, so advancement rules there.) The tower; add random encounters or the whole clan doesn't end up DM should size the group to give bad weather as you see fit. going bandito. his players a very stiff fight, as this is a one-fight adventure, and The Rustlers Knockers they can afford to cut loose with Adventure Level: 4-6 Adventure Level: 6-8 resources. Further investigation Topic: Clan Conflict Topic: Forgotten Entrances to leads down into the upper the Shadowdeep Shadowdeep and eventually leads to a Goblin kingdom, should the 49

PCs choose to further investigate. Topic: The Dragging Holiday, into the Shadowdeep and intrigue Once the menace is ended, it top layer of the Shadowdeep in a town with a dark secret would be wise to alert the local Interesting Features: Chasing a Campaign Hook: Exposing this Krondar. Not that PCs are always band of orcs through the plot will gain the PCs the gratitude wise. Shadowdeep of Multhim, and also cause him to Campaign Hook: Any successful take better security measures in Snuff the Fires rescue will gain you allies and his plans for Shadowdeep Adventure Level: 6-8 credit with the Sheriffs. expansion, so as to avoid Topic: The Lords of Shaerdon The Adventure: Every year, the repetition of this. The DM could and Lord Sulescu of Karameikos Dragging ceremony involves also choose to expand the Interesting Features: The PCs dragging orc corpses across the Elder/Myconid alliance to other must save a nosferatu from being Shires, then burning them. It's a villages as well, giving a longer assassinated. combination of orc-taunting and term goal to follow up. Campaign Hook: The Lords of sin-scapegoating. This year, The Adventure: Longflask is not Shaerdon will hate them if they however, orcs attacked the the most pleasant of places to live, succeed, but they can stave off burning ceremony in Eastshire and unless you enjoy working to the war a while longer. took five Yallaren, one from each point of exhaustion. What The Adventure: The Sheriffs Shire, then escaped into the outsiders don't realize is that the have gotten wind too late of a plan Shadowdeep. The PCs are hired local Clan Elders are in cahoots by the Lords of Shaerdon to by Sheriff Mearagh to rescue with a tribe of Mushroom-Men assassinate the Count of Sulescu, them, as she and her Krondar are (Myconids -- Monster Manual II). in hopes of triggering a war with busy dealing with a lizardman raid The Myconids provide the Elders Karameikos. (Sulescu falls just from the Blight Swamp. with life-extending aganathics and within the old boundaries of The PCs get to take an extended various other kind of fungal Shaerdon.) They send the PCs by tour of the top layer of the potations, in return for the Elders swift courier boat to try to save the Shadowdeep, trying to catch up to providing them with metals and Count, facing pirates and other sea the Orcs, who have decided to helping to protect their home in menaces along the way. If they conduct their own 'dragging' with the Shadowdeep. Several of the get there in time, they can fight off Hin bodies, one for each Shire. potations provided are used to the assassins, who are not aware Add cave encounters, shake, salt basically drug the mineworkers so their target is undead... The Count to taste. The faster they can catch as to be peaceful and pliable. This will reward the PCs for their aid as up to the Orcs, the better. allows more extraction of labour. you see appropriate, and cooperate This has been going on for a long with the Sheriffs in keeping this The Walking Mushroom Walks time, but of course, sooner or hush-hush, as he doesn't want a At Midnight later, this sort of thing always war, either. The assassins are a Adventure Level: 6-9, depending comes out, such as when the group of six Hin Rogues 6, who on how big the Myconid clan is players visit the town and see are fanatical but not suicidal, and how beefy you make the Clan things they aren't supposed to. willing to die to kill the count, but Elders. (Seeing things you shouldn't is in not willing to die fighting Topic: Illustrates how far some the adventurer job contract, after adventurers if things turn against Clan Elders have sunk into all.) them. They run if they have to. corruption and greed as the This was made an optional economy of the Shires tightens in adventure instead of part of the The Dragging the face of population growth. town write-up so players who read Adventure Level: 6-9 Interesting Features: A this won't know if you're using it relatively small scale expedition or not. 50

fight the Blue Blades, who are broken bones is a metal scroll A Fink Too Far equal in power to the PCs. Biss case, which has a map leading off Adventure Level: 8-12 stays out of the fight even when to a point in the western Topic: Biss Araum, wandering rescued, but will heal anyone Karameikan wilderness (4 hexes clerical busybody fighting to maintain law and order. east of Cruth Tower). Interesting Features: PCs face It would be nice to say he'd be Experienced adventurers will dilemma of whether to save grateful in the future, but that's not realize this is a trap; Spiira, too someone who doesn't like people too likely. The town, on the other angry to think, assumes this is her like them. hand, will be. best clue to find those responsible Campaign Hook: Biss has many and deal with them. She tries to enemies; saving him is likely to recruit the PCs to go with her; if gain disfavour from them. A Murdered Princess they don't go, she ends up dying in The Adventure: This can be used Adventure Level: 9-12 the wilderness once she walks into almost anywhere in the Shires. Topic: Spiira Quickmagic an ambush by 'Lord' Antonius, a An adventuring party, a mix of Coppertoes, A Murdered Princess Glantrian wizard (Wizard 12) who Hin and non-Hin, the Blue Blades, Inn, Princess Adrianna of is the younger brother of 'Lord' has been staying in the town the Karameikos, International Trajanus, who she killed some PCs just arrived at (preferably a Relations, Glantrian Wizards years ago, earning her nickname. small rural one). They've been Interesting Features: PCs must He set this whole thing up, doing this because their leader, a figure out why the heir to kidnapping Adrianna during one handsome Elf named Reledas Karameikos blew herself up in a of her trips out into the (Wizard 10), has been having an Hin inn near Nob's Boots, beyond countryside, then hauling her here affair with the wife of the local an overdeveloped sense of irony, and using her as a meat puppet Clanmaster, Yala. Unfortunately, anyway. with magic jar to blow up the one of their magic-aided trysts Campaign Hook: This could restaurant. He hopes to not just was witnessed by Biss, who told ignite a Karameikos/Shires war or kill Spiira, but to get all her the Clanmaster. Now Yala is possibly prevent it. relatives killed in a war with more or less imprisoned and the The Adventure: The adventure Karameikos. If the PCs can take Blue Blades are under strong begins with the PCs in Nob's him alive, then they can get to the pressure to leave town. Reledas Boots or near Spiira's inn. It bottom of this before it's too late. and his allies are angry and explodes in flames and inside, (Once they get past his efforts to basically plan to kidnap Biss, then Spiira can be found, burned and claim Bargle made him do it, burn all his possessions, strip him angry, but okay. Her inn, anyway.) He has a force of strong naked, and dump him in the however, is toast. Furthermore, bodyguards with him, including wilderness. 'Let his god save him she recognized the woman who his pet rust monster, who he likes if he deserves to live'. They then did it--Princess Adrianna of to augment with spells. PCs who plan to rescue Yala and skip town Karameikos walked in, ordered can raise Adrianna from the dead and probably the Shires. food, got angry over its quality, earn her family's gratitude and The PCs stumble upon the then fireballed the place. A hers, and with her alive, it's a lot kidnapping and/or rescue and must difficulty 10 Knowledge easier to avoid a diplomatic decide whether to interfere or not. (Karameikos) or 15 Knowledge incident. The Shires could make If they let Biss be taken, the town (Nobility) check reveals Adrianna an effort to get a cleric to raise will try to hire the PCs to rescue is not known to have any sorcery her, but Mearagh's influence Biss and recover Yala, if they ability, nor to blow up restaurants. probably leads to her body being weren't seen to let it happen. If All that is left behind intact of the sent back to Karameikos with a they try to stop it all, they must Princess, beyond charred flesh and warning to 'not do that again', 51 which could have...adverse conservative Hin members of the of the PCs (assuming your players diplomatic consequences. Daughters of the Dawn Hope. On aren't consistently cowardly), and the trip down, all three groups will will offer them the chance to stay A New Hope listen to any reasonable and serve him and Vanya, Adventure Level: 9-12, higher if suggestions as they wish to make especially if any of them are you add more trouble. it to Davania with minimal clerics of Vanya. If they take it, Topic: The Daughters of the trouble, so they don't face having Davanian adventures of your Dawn Hope, Five Shires to repair it there. The DM may choice, beyond the scope of this Historical Society, Hin history, add sources of trouble--weather, gazetteer, await. and SEA MONSTERS monsters, pirates, Glantrians, to Otherwise, they now get to try to Interesting Features: The PCs taste. shepherd a boat full of cranky Hin get to take a boatful of historians On arrival in Davania, however, back to the Shires. Everyone's and wealthy conservative hin on things turn more sour. The local tempers will be on edge, and the an archaic boat across the Sea of Hin have formed an aggressive Daughters will try to insist on Dread to Davania and back, warrior civilization, following the precisely following the Dawn ideally in one piece. 'Lord of the Golden Throne', who Hope's course back home. A Campaign Hook: The PCs may is a high level priest of...Vanya. string of events will follow which gain some well-connected allies. He has nothing but contempt for eerily match those of the Dawn Or many enemies if the Hin riding the 'cowards of the Shires', who Hope's voyage. (Create problems alone die too much. They also fled the menace of the Serpent- to suit your PC's capacities, from may find it interesting to explore Men, abandoning many of their monster attacks to food shortages) Davania some more. kin to die in the Davanian jungles. However, this culminates in a The Adventure: The Daughters He will gleefully tell them the monster of a storm which requires of the Dawn Hope have teamed up story of how the coast-dwelling extremely difficult sailing checks with the Five Shires Historical Hin abandoned their relatives in or mad PC ingenuity to avoid Society to recreate the voyage of the interior because they feared sinking, exactly where the North the Dawn Hope on its 2300th the Serpent-Men would overrun Star sank. The voice of the Lord anniversary (or so they think). their homes before they could of the Golden Throne speaks from They have built an exact replica of build enough boats, and so they the storm, informing them that the the ship (they hope), and now plan took every boat they had and ran Serpent-Men made a last effort to to sail it to Davania and back to for their miserable lives. Then he wipe out the fleeing Hin with the show a single ship could make the will tell them to run away home to chair's powers, and now he is 're- voyage alone (or to disprove it, as the Shires like their ancestors. enacting' that attack for them. some theorists in the Historical "But know that one day our Isn't he so benevolent as to help Society hope.) However, the vengeance will come, and that day them with their recreation? "The world has changed in many ways will be sooner than you would brave and the strong will live and since then, and the PCs, should wish." Unless they try to fight the weak will die. That is the way they choose to join in, will be him and his armies of experienced of the world. Vanya shine upon hired (for whatever fee is warrior Hin, he will then help you." If the PCs keep the ship appropriate to your game and their them resupply and send them together, the storm will churn up power level) to 'deal with any home. (Though with a sufficiently some evidence of the presence of menace not listed in the original high level party, they might well the North Star on the ocean records', such as, say, Ierendi or be able to take him and his army bottom, possibly leading to a later Thyatian pirates. The boat is apart, if you run this with adventure if the PCs ever set sail crewed by a mix of professional characters more in the 16+ range). again, anyway. sailors, historians, and wealthy The Lord will recognize the valour 52

Once the PCs return home, the treasures. Angry Hin pirates Shadows, who will give the PCs a two groups will reward them round the corner soon after; scale very stiff fight. (Adjust size as handsomely if they did well. If them in numbers enough to be a necessary). If they don't return, too many people die, they will bit of a workout, but not a major the FDS will curse a lot and wait find themselves in trouble with threat. They serve Captain Bari to ambush them if they ever do many Hin, though Sheriff Sildil Gutthunder, a Hin Pirate, captain return. will refuse to allow any of the Morning Thunder. He will prosecution unless PCs were continue to try to recover the map The Pearl of Great Price clearly negligent--she thought this by fair means or foul until the PCs Adventure Level: 9-12 was crazy from square one. leave the port, then will chase Topic: Tothmeer Inventor's The PCs may wish revenge on the them if he can. Society, Hin and Thyatian Pirates, Lord of the Golden Throne. This If the PCs pass the map to the and Deep-Sea Diving opens the door for future Krondar, they will get a 200 GP Interesting Features: The PCs adventures. His Throne is a reward each and the adventure get to test experimental diving powerful artifact of the Sphere of ends. If they choose to equipment while under attack by Time, created by a now perished investigate, the word gets out and sea monsters! Immortal of Conquest. It has been they will find half a dozen pirate Campaign Hook: The PCs can 'adopted' by Vanya's cult, since its ships converging on Money Pit make an ally of the inventors and recovery from the Serpent-Men Island as they arrive. They will possibly find items you want to who once used it to crush and rule have to use their wits to avoid use to link into other adventures. the Davanian Hin. He has a huge being overrun by jealous pirates. The Adventure: The Tothmeer army of well trained warrior Hin The map is itself accurate, secured Inventor's Society wants to test but does suffer from having only long ago by the Five Deep some deep-sea diving equipment Bronze Age technology. Good Shadows, who have been trying to and try to recover a wrecked ship. luck! find some way to use it without A year ago, four Thyatian ships getting overrun by greedy pirates. sank in a heavy storm and couldn't Galassar's Map Once the PCs follow all the be recovered. They're going to try Adventure Level: 9-12 instructions, they will recover five to recover what they can while Topic: The Money Pit, Pirate chests, each of which contains testing the equipment. The diving Treasures, and The Five Deep several thousand copper pieces suits are modified suits of what Shadows painted gold and a taunting looks like platemail (and has its Interesting Features: Who message about how hollow their armouring properties). They doesn't want to follow a pirate success was and how they'll never connect by air tubes to a huge tank map to hidden treasure? find the real treasure. PCs who with several captive air Campaign Hook: The PCs will get the hint may find one of the elementals. The suits reduce likely earn the enmity of many chests has a hollow bottom which dexterity by 4 and halve your base pirates. contains instructions on how to movement. The Adventure: The adventure retrieve the real treasure from Once you descend down to the begins in a major port. As the PCs Fletcher's Reef, where it is tucked wreck, a group of electrical eels walk the streets, a man rounds a away in a grotto. This likely have moved in and will be corner, crashes into someone, then involves more pirate attracted to your shiny metal suits. falls over dead. He drops a folded confrontations. Once they're dealt with and any up map which unfolds as it falls--it Once the PCs recover the treasure, interesting mechanical claims to be Galassar's Map of if they try to return to the Shires, a malfunctions fixed, then you can how to successfully open the squadron of Hin pirates will show easily load the many treasures of Money Pit and recover his up, sponsored by the Five Deep the wrecks into large buckets to be 53 winched up. There should be a The sheriffs always assign him to conducted revenge killings pearl of substantial size among the any investigation where they disguised as theft to get even with treasures in order to justify the couldn't care less if the criminal is merchants who cheated them. adventure name. When the PCs ever caught. Unless the PCs With difficulty, the PCs may also come up, however, rival Thyatian intervene, Barne eventually be able to determine the rest of the and Hin pirates show up to try to concocts a giant conspiracy theory killings were carried out by a steal everything and the PCs will which blames everything on a street gang of angry Hin youth have to win a three-way fight. Or Dwarf-Glantrian alliance to cause under the influence of the Lords of run really well. a war between the Shires and Shaerdon, who had learned of the Thyatis. The lynchpin proof is a Thyatian murder plot and decided The Unsheathing Day Massacre drunken dwarf named Bofur who to use it as cover, then prompted Adventure Level: 9-12 is mysteriously killed by a mob of the gang to act for them. The Topic: Lord Caine, Thyatian angry Hin when charges are about gang's Lords contact is a Hin Intrigue, A Hin Holiday, to be brought against him. merchant, Anna Bellweather Investigation and Diplomacy (Unless the PCs save him.) The (Expert 5/Rogue 8). The rest of Interesting Features: The PCs PCs can be hired by any of several Anna's cell can be exposed and must try to solve a case before the forces to investigate, or perhaps broken up if she is caught; she Official Scapegoat Krondar may lose a relative or friend to the learned of the Thyatian plot from Investigator closes his murder tide--Thrildor has an another cell member, Dora investigation. interest in preventing Dwarves Nimblefingers (Hin Rogue 7), Campaign Hook: PCs can gain being blamed, the Minrothaddans who is also in the employ of the Thyatian enemies, and...befriend know they're innocent and want to Thyatian faction as a spy. Lord Caine? Perhaps a dangerous prove it, Lord Caine himself reward... knows Barne is a moron and may A Wizard Too Far The Adventure: The approach the PCs, or Shireton Adventure Level: 10-14 Unsheathing holiday merchants who fear they may be Topic: Glantrian Destruction commemorates the Thyatian next if the Thyatians were just the Society and Prince Jaggar seizure of the Ierendi colony from first course may hire the PCs. Interesting Features: The PCs the Shires. It is a day of Deeper investigation reveals must try to help the GDS infiltrate remembering to hate Thyatians evidence that the Thyatians died in Glantri to rescue two Yallaren and a day for fighting. This year, a bunch of different ways, from held captive by an evil wizard. If however, things have gotten out of accidents to stabbing to poison. they're not careful, said wizard hand. Every Thyatian except Lord Half a dozen come from a will have a lot more Hin Caine in Shireton are all murdered Thyatian faction which backs Lord experimental subjects... the night of the Unsheathing. Caine's family, and they all died Campaign Hook: The PCs may Lord Caine is understandably by poison. (They were killed off make an enemy of Jaggar, or outraged and demands an by political enemies of his using alternately, impress him by investigation. The Sheriffs are Hin agents.) The other killings all avoiding falling into the trap. The suspicious and think Caine used seem hastier and less well PCs may make a firm ally of the the night as an excuse to wipe out planned. Further investigation GDS or really, really make it mad. some set of political rivals, so they may eventually lead the PCs to Also, lots of GOLEM SECRETS. don't take this very seriously and discover that most of the dead The Adventure: A young hin assign Barne Fifefellow (Hin were not robbed, but four were named Rani Longbottom has Fighter 6) to lead the and they may be able to track the returned from Yallara to the Shires investigation. Barne is a sturdy, loot to a group of smugglers led to get help. Two of her reliable warrior, but not too bright. by mujina in Shireton port. They companions, Tori and Donic 54

Longbottom, were taken captive Otto, than outside it, where cahoots with Minrothad, and thus by the evil Glantrian wizard Otto someone might experiment on don't want to just tip off the von Drachenfels. They need to be them. The two will actually want authorities. They'd rather try to rescued, and she thinks the GDS to stay and work with Otto...yes, take the Demonblight alive, so are the people to do it. The GDS, Yallaren ARE a little crazy... He they can blame Glantri and not completely insane, turns to the will promise their safety on his Minrothad for this. They will PCs for help. Together, they can word as a Prince; so long as the back the PCs up with a strong follow her trail back through PCs keep their word, he will keep force of Five Deep Shadows Darokin and the Broken Lands his. members to deal with any allies and into Glantri to finally reach At some point, the PCs may the Demonblight may have, while the Principality of Aalban and the discover that Rani is actually a the PCs stop the wizard and his golem-filled castle of Otto von polymorphed human hench demons. Drachenfels. Along the way, wizard/rogue (Wizard 6/Rogue 6) Some of her men do turn out to be some of Thar's legion will try to who works for Jaggar and led traitors; one of them claims he is ambush and destroy them in the them into the trap. No hard being blackmailed by a Minrothad Broken Lands, they'll have to feelings, right? merchant over his indiscretions evade border security, they'll with another man's wife. The PCs stumble into the middle of a Shadow Patriots will have to chase the merchant Belcadizan domestic Adventure Level: 10-14 out into the ocean as he tries to squabble...with fireballs, and Topic: The Five Deep Shadows, escape in a boat. If they catch finally reach the castle. If they The Minrothad Thieves' Guild, him, he claims a group of sneak inside, they will find the Thyatian Spies, and Bargle/The Thyatians blackmailed him into two captive Hin...cheerfully Black Eagle Baron organizing this, because they assisting Otto in assembling a new Interesting Features: The PCs knew of his siphoning off of golem made out of Platinum. If must team up with the Five Deep profits from his home guild's they're not careful, they'll end up Shadows to save Sheriff Sildil business. This requires going to swarmed by powerful golems and from assassination. Shireton to catch the Thyatians. captured. Campaign Hook: Saving the They claim Lord Caine ordered it. If they are captured, Prince Jaggar Sheriff will make the PCs heroes Lord Caine claims to have never will attempt to dominate them all of the Shire and give them ties to given those orders...and somehow, with magics and use them as the Five Deep Shadows, but also lie detection magic shows he's disposable agents in Ethengar to make them many enemies. telling the truth! try to assassinate some of the The Adventure: The Five Deep Lord Caine is actually the victim Great Khan's Hakomon, so he can Shadows have discovered that the of Domination by one of Bargle's spy on them with scrying and Minrothad Thieves' Guild has agents, who had him give the learn strengths and weaknesses. hired a Glantrian assassin to slay orders, then drink some of his own No one would ever suspect Glantri Sheriff Sildil. Said Assassin, amnesia poison to forget it! It is of using HALFLINGS as agents, known as The Demonblight, likely to be hard to find this out, after all. favours the summoning of but high level characters are If they evade capture, Jaggar will powerful demonic allies as part of ingenious. They can track the approach them peacefully and try his assassinations. The Five Deep agent to Shireton port, and if they to recruit them for less suicidal if Shadows have thus reluctantly catch him by surprise, they can probably equally nefarious turned to the PCs because they haul him in. If not, they may have purposes. He'll offer to release the feel demons are out of their to chase him at sea, or lose the captives and point out that actually league. They fear there may be trail. they're safer in the castle, helping traitors around Sildil who are in 55

The Doom that Came to of Blackflame, a Web of Night, himself as a Ylari patriot, though Sarnhollow and some Oil as well. Witnesses he also has ambitions of ruling. Adventure Level: 13-16 saw a house fly away from the He is LE because he is quite Topic: Barimoor, Blackflame, scene. The PCs must give chase happy to murder and kill and rob Immortality, Wiping Out of a Clan swiftly and follow the house as it in the name of his nation to Interesting Features: The PCs flies to Karameikos and then is achieve its dream of the desert must save a crucible of abandoned; investigation will find garden.) Barimoor will not Blackflame from being removed horse tracks which can be intervene to save Hassan, but he from the Shires by an immortality followed. Eventually, the PCs will put the PCs on his 'kill later candidate. will catch up to Hassan abd Harid, when I can't be blamed' list. Campaign Hook: Barimoor may a 17th level LE wizard from PCs who recover the Crucible and become a recurring enemy; this Ylaruam who is one of Barimoor's return it to Shire authorities will opens a slot for a PC to found a pawns. Hassan is accompanied by gain huge kudos with the Shire new clan; PCs may earn favour his apprentices (11th level authorities and find it easy to get with the High Heroes wizards) and bodyguards (11th help with almost anything. PCs The Adventure: As the PCs are level fighters). Chose their who keep it for themselves will camping one night (or perhaps numbers to make the fight a very face everything the Sheriffs can staying in a village inn), the nasty one. Hassan will do his best afford to throw at them as they try biggest explosion they have to turn the PCs into dust, but if to recover it. There are many probably ever heard in their lives worse comes to worse, he tries to people who would pay the PCs a has just gone off nearby. escape by flight with his Ring of pretty penny for it. Many of them Investigation shows the nearby Flying. Hassan should be very would also gleefully kill the PCs Sarnhollow Clan has basically well equipped with magical items; for it... been vaporized. (Spellcraft his flunkies have only average difficulty 15 shows that levels for their level. Hassan simultaneous spells hit the town believes he is being sponsored on The Walking Mushroom Walks all at once, all the same fire spell. the path of the Paragon by At Midnight Spellcraft, difficulty 22, shows Rathanos; he actually is being Adventure Level: that five simultaneous Meteor used as a chump by Barimoor, Topic: Swarms of equal potency hit the who wants some blackflame to Interesting Features: clanholding from all sides. This serve as his impossible component Campaign Hook: was done by Hassan and his for the new magical item he is The Adventure: apprentices by means of everyone building. Hassan thinks he's doing using a scroll he made for them, that himself--He hopes to use while he cast on his own.) blackflame's reconstitutive Everyone is dead and their clan properties to create something that artifacts have been stolen-- can reconstitute the old fertility of blackflame weapons, the Crucible Ylaruam. (Hassan thinks of

56 Player's Guide to the Shires

What Everyone Knows About the Shires

Tavern Talk in Other Halfling Clans: I've heard there Weirdly, there are hardly any are Halfling clans, but none of the churches; I expect one reason they Lands ones around here seem to belong keep getting conquered is their Halflings: Halflings are stomachs to any, and the insane teenagers failure to revere the Immortals. with arms and legs attached. They who visit from the Shires all get Shireton: It sounds like a fun eat everything in sight and love to thrown out of their clans until they place to visit and do business, basically glut themselves. They'll sober up after a few decades. what with all the parties and do anything for food. They sound kind of like fiefdoms merriment and the wild ANYTHING. They may look like to me, ruled by a Clanmaster and architecture and the giant tunnel children, but they eat like giants. his wizard advisor, the Keeper. network. Though I have to And they love to party wildly, too. Fine if that's what they want. wonder how many people get Once their bellies are full, they're (Don't the Northlanders have clans eaten down there, as giant tunnel hard workers and honest dealers. too?) networks usually are full of You can't count on them in a stand The Shires: From what I hear, it's monsters, right? up fight, as they like to run and a feudal state. The Clans are Other Places of Note: hide and snipe from behind divided into Five Shires, each Wereskalot is the big centre for bushes, but you can count on them ruled by a Sheriff who they pledge land trade with Karameikos. I to do their work, be on time, and fealty to, supporting him with hear it's a giant armed camp. pay what they agreed to. So, good troops and money in return for Sateeka is the main nexus for land business partners, but not very land. The five Sheriffs rule as a trade with Darokin. Tothmeer and impressive warriors. council over the land as a whole, Thantabbar are the two other Yallaren: Teenage Halflings but each is fairly independent. major ports, where you can go and apparently go completely insane, It's pretty peaceful, and the buy stuff. Thothmeer is especially lose all common sense, and run Halflings are pretty friendly, so as good for ships. Everything else is wild making a mess. Why they long as you don't look like a thief, pretty much a small village, I tolerate this, I don't understand at you'll get by okay. Most Halflings think. all. But if you see a skinny are farmers, but you have the How to Get Rich and Famous: Halfling, you should probably usual round of craftsmen and I've heard their original capital is close your shop, lock the doors merchants too. now a ruins full of undead, and and hide under the counter. For a Be careful about showing that there are old Elf holds hidden few days. Just don't accidentally weapons, though, as they've been in the woods and that the lock him inside with you. Unless conquered so many times that they mountains are full of orcs and you LIKE pain. look at all outsiders a little funny. goblins and old mines. And In general, the fatter the halfling, Which really, is probably sensible, there's some Dwarf King's treasure the more trustworthy. Skinny given they don't fight very well. horde that everyone is looking for. Halflings are either adventurers, Which is why they keep getting Also, there's always work for thieves, or insane teenagers. conquered. caravan guards and if you're good at sailing, you can go pirate 57 hunting. You could try robbing with respect and be honest and his possible death than risk their the gemstone mines, if you want they'll do the same for you. Avoid own people. to get rich quick, but unless you any references to height if The Shires: I still don't quite plan to try to flee through orc- possible. understand how their government infested mountains with your Yallaren: You can basically works, other than that you gems, it's a long march to the group Halflings into two shouldn't mess with Clanmasters, border and I wouldn't give you categories. Sensible older adults Keepers, Knight-Heroes, Sheriffs, very good odds, unless you're and wild and crazy youth. Even or Krondar. A lot of the Shires secretly a dragon in disguise, adventurer Halflings can be isn't much use for us adventurers; anyway. divided this way. Young halflings it's very peaceful and quiet. But Hot Tips: If a Halfling wants to will do anything, try anything, as I'll tell you later, there is some eat or drink before doing business, want to be EVERYTHING. I've work for our types. LET HIM. He'll be much more seen them trying to sneak peeks Just remember the Halflings get amenable afterwards. They love a into a wizard's book, trying to nervous about large bodies of good story, so you can soften them figure out how his spells work. armed men roaming the roads, so up with a few jokes and tales. If And I've seen a fair number blow try to look peaceful so the Krondar you know some actual Halfling up that way. Fighting wise, they won't constantly hassle you. Also, stories, they'll usually be stunned, tend to favour direct charges at the keep an eye out for the Halfling then appreciative. Teenage enemy, though they'll use a bow if Thieves' Guild, as it turns up all Halflings are ALL CRAZY. they can't catch up with him. over the place and may rob you at FLEE THEM. If you meet an Which is often an issue, given any time. They like to target actual Clanmaster or Keeper, their leg size. Just so long as you foreigners. I think they're called remember to give them the same remember young Hin have no the Shadow Clan. respect you'd give a Count or a common sense, they can be brave Also, THEY HATE WIZARDS. human Wizard. Ditto for Sheriffs and honest allies. Or useful Or at least Glantrian ones, and you and their deputies. And if there's a cannon fodder, if you lean that know Glantri--no matter WHAT fight, expect them to all run off way. Just don't let word of it get you look like, if you're human, and hide, then snipe; if you want around or you'll have suicide you might be from Glantri. The to fight something face-to-face, halfling assaults coming at you for Elves, they get fairer treatment. you're on your own, buddy. months or years. They're kind of paranoid about Halfling Clans: These are Dwarves too, due to a past From Conversations basically tribal units, ruled by the conquest. So Dwarves have to be Elderly. The result is what you'd on their best behaviour. With a Veteran expect--a mixture of good Also, when planning a trip, Adventurer common sense and mental remember that outside the big inflexibility and rigidity. The cities, the buildings are scaled to

clans try to keep living the same, the Halflings, so you may have

year after year, regardless of what problems with finding an inn or a Halflings: In general, Halflings happens in the world. This works store that can serve you unless you are open, honest folk who are kind well sometimes and sometimes it like crawling or hunching over. of stuck in a rut. You can trust leads to disaster. Never insult a Shireton: Shireton is a great them to do what they're told and to Halfling's clan to his face unless place; there's a ton of clubs and keep their promises, but don't you like making people angry. societies that want to hire or expect flexible thinking out of Clanmasters and Keepers can entertain you, there's ALWAYS a them, except for the young ones, often be a good source of work, as party, there's tunnels to explore, who are usually a little too flexible they'd rather send an outsider to ambassadors to work for or thwart, for their own good. Treat them 58 and most buildings are scaled to and you'll make good contacts and conduct business with them after a allow humans and elves inside. have access to people who know meal when they're most mellow. Other Places of Note: The more about adventuring in the Just expect you'll be getting pretty Shireseats and the three main ports Shires than you. If you're not a much the same products from all have constant work for halfling, the Shire navy will them year after year; they tend to adventurers and usually have almost always do whatever most settle down and do the same thing enough buildings you can fit into. screws you. Just avoid them all day, every day, the rest of their Everything else is not too big, period. If the Krondar stop you, lives, once they work off youthful though some of the hamlets are don't initiate violence, unless you exuberance. starting to get a lot larger. But enjoy being the subject of a They love to eat, so food is always there's a ton of places to manhunt. 95% of the time, they're a good thing to sell in the Shires. adventure, either freelance or for a not after you specifically, they're Yallaren: Imagine if you drank society. just a little paranoid. See if the 50 cups of coffee a day. That's How to Get Rich and Famous: Sheriffs have work that Halflings Yallaren. They will want to do Delve into the caverns below the can't do, especially if you're a business with you, then not show Shire to find monsters and wizard. Get in good with them up because they had to join an treasure. Dig up old ruins for the and you can go anywhere and do impromptu singing contest or had Historical Society. Test your luck anything with a lot less hassle. If to wrestle an alligator and then by raiding old orc holds that you hear the words 'Elven spent two weeks recovering from empty into cavern networks like Princess' in the distance in their injuries. So be careful about Deep Delving and Kuurg Haash. Shireton, whatever you are doing hiring them or even trying to sell Beat up the undead in the ruins of has just been SCREWED and you them anything and be really Shaerdon. Rob pirates, then run might as well give up on it until careful about allowing them to set away from the Hin navy which tomorrow. Also, remember that foot on anything you don't want to mysteriously always shows up and Halflings think all outsiders think see on fire. Though I admit I kind mistakes YOU for pirates. Sell their women are pretty, no matter of envy their freedom. Just flying machine plans to the what the outsider is, so be careful remember, they can say anything Avionics Society. Help mug and you don't give the impression of they want, so don't get mad if they rob Glantrians with the Glantri being some kind of rakewell criticize you. They probably don't Destruction Society. Find Loktal's seducer, unless you enjoy know what they're talking about, tomb--rumour says it is still crossbow-point weddings. but if they do, they might point out stuffed full of treasures. Dredge something you missed. up old treasure wrecks, then run An Ierendi Merchant Halfling Clans: Very reliable away from Halfling pirates, other customers who buy and sell the pirates, and the Shire navy. If you in the Shires same things so consistently you feel really tough, you can try can pretty much plan your stealing some Blackflame and Halflings: They're good business business year around them. taking it to Glantri or Alphatia for partners, honest and hard working. However, I've noticed they are sale. But you'd better be pretty Hin merchants will give you an having a harder time of late good at killing huge numbers of honest deal and so will their meeting payments on a regular halflings or able to run like the craftsmen. There are some basis. Something really needs to wind, as they will stop at nothing dishonest ones, but if you stick to be done. to kill you if you try to make off people who are part of a clan or The Shires: Like Darokin, the with it. own their own shop, you'll do Shires is a good place to do Hot Tips: Join the Adventurer's alright. Remember they like to business, so long as no one kills Society. It's cheap and friendly party, and you should always you on the way there. The 59

Sheriffs really need to do see pirates selling goods they stole back home. Become a master something about those pirates. from your cousin. I hear land storyteller and travel the Shires Shireton: Shireton feels like an merchants do most of their making money off entertaining. Ierendi city that got lost and business in Wereskalot and DON'T GET ROBBED BY moved to the Shires. Its folk have Sateeka. I've heard that Halflings PIRATES. our same relaxed attitude to life; it in Highshire are trying to invent Hot Tips: The Hin navy WANTS feels like home. I can't say flying machines for trade pirates to rob you. They're pretty anything nicer than that. Just stay purposes. That might be worth clearly on the take. And if you try out of those tunnels if you value looking into, especially if they can to fight the pirates, they'll your life. Also, hire a guide or be kept out of pirate hands. Bridle 'accidentally' lob flaming rocks you'll get very, very lost. You is an up-and-coming trade town; onto your ship. Accidentally on wouldn't expect it, but Shireton you may find it useful to sail up purpose, for spite. Watch out for has some of the best brothels in the river and do business directly thieves; Halfling thieves like to the world. Part of that being that with suppliers there. rob non-Halflings by preference. you can trust a halfling prostitute How to Get Rich and Famous: Deal honestly with Halfling to not poison you and sell you into Buy a ton of food and luxury businessmen and they'll deal slavery, unlike, say, Thyatians. goods--silks, perfumes, spices, honestly with you. Unlike the Other Places of Note: fancy foreign craftwork--then sell Navy, the Krondar are pretty Thantabbar is a good place to do the food to the commoners and the honest, so don't try bribing them; business, and Nob's Boots is very luxuries to clan elders and rich it'll only make things worse. good for acquiring ores. Stay out urban halflings. Use the profits to of Tothmeer unless you want to buy ores and tobacco and ship it

History as the Hin Know it

Around 1300 BC, the ancestors of the modern Shirefolk left the continent of Davania, seeking fresh lands for settlement, as their homeland grew overcrowded and quarrelsome. Tradition states they sailed in a single vessel, the Dawn Hope, but some historians assert they came in a small fleet led by the Dawn Hope. Arriving in the modern Shires, they found them inhabited only by the Gentle Folk, a clan of Elves the Halflings (who called themselves the Hin) referred to as 'Masters'.

Because the Hin came in peace, the Gentle Folk welcomed them into their lands and taught them how to live in harmony with nature as they did. The Gentle Folk renounced all violence and consumed only plants. But while the early Hin tried to follow their ways, they were not able to entirely renounce their past. And thus it was that evil came into the land.

For centuries, the two nations dwelt in peace, the Gentle Folk gradually withdrawing into the deep forests as their population boomed. They taught rites to the Clan loremasters, who took up the task of maintaining the health and beauty of the land. Unfortunately, because the Hin did not themselves maintain the full standards of purity of the Gentle Folk, their powers were not the equal of the Gentle Folk, and the Forest began to lose its power.

Furthermore, the Gentle Folk themselves went into decline. They were tired out by their long service to the land and the many burdens they had bourne. Their children were few and the Hin, not realizing the cost to the 60

Gentle Folk, overran more and more of the land with towns and cities and farms. The Gentle Folk had to withdraw into the deep woods.

Warned by the Immortals, the Gentle Folk set out on a great ride into the sky from which they never returned around 1000 BC. This left only the Hin to watch over the land.

But the Hin now had filled the land full to bursting, and heedlessly, they cut down too many trees and began to fight among themselves. And the Immortals saw this, and sent a punishment for the sins of the Hin, for their failure to keep up the work passed to them.

Out of the North, the Beastmen came, ravaging and burning and destroying. They slew the clans and burned the towns and smashed the farms and ate the crops. They harvested the Hin like wheat. Hinhome, as the Hin now called it, fell swiftly to the Orcs. Quarrelsome clans failed to cooperate and the Orcs picked off many on their own. In the end, the last clans stood together, but it was not enough. Hinhome now came under the rule of the Orcs.

Othrong, High King of the Orcs, put the Halflings to work, creating a powerful Orcish kingdom where the halflings were put to work doing all the menial tasks. It was essentially a feudal state with halfling serfs, Orcish nobles, and priests of Karaash blessing the whole affair. (Those who work, those who fight, and those who pray, you see.) If he had chosen to conquer Traladara, his descendants might still rule it. But the Hin will bow to no tyrant forever.

Many young halflings fled into the wilderness; many of those died, while others went out into the world and made contact with other halfling settlements. They grew strong in adventures, then returned to lead their people to freedom. Thus began the custom of Yallara

Their chance came in 965, when Othrong died and his less intelligent son Raurgh took the throne. Raurgh's generation had grown up fat and lazy, living off the work of oppressed halflings, halflings who increasingly saw their choice as one of either risking death in revolt or dying of overwork.

That winter, the land froze over, and the Hin seized their chance. Led by returned heroes, they ambushed and slew Raurgh and the other major Orc lords, then led a massive slave break into the forests along with the supplies, then sat back and let the orcs slaughter each other for food down to the point where the Hin could overcome them, though at grave cost.

By the winter of 964, the Hin were free, but now there were other problems to deal with. Namely, much of the old lore of the Forest which preserved the magic and beauty of the land had been lost due to the Orcs slaughtering the lorekeepers. Furthermore, a new government had to be constructed, and all the hostile humanoids of the mountains and the Shadowdeep had to be dealt with.

For two centuries, the Hin struggled to try to build a functional government which could overcome the old quarrels which had opened the land to invasion. But these old quarrels undercut efforts to build a central government ruled by a council of Elders. Furthermore, the Shadowdeep and the mountains continued to periodically gush forth with invasions of humanoids. Many halflings continued to go hungry, and empty bellies lead always to strife, as they say.

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It was around 750 BC when the Dwarves came, attracted by reports of gold in the land. Led by Loktal Ironshield, the Dwarves carved out a powerful kingdom (The Glittering Land) based in the mountains and highlands, forcing the Hin into submission in the lowlands, required to pay food tribute to the Dwarves and to help work the mines.

What followed was a period of relative peace and quiet, but also of slavery and submission. The Dwarves restored order, rationalized food production, and enabled the Halfling population to begin to recover after centuries of internecine warfare and invasion. Furthermore, the Hin bred faster than the Dwarves, and by the mid-7th century, the Hin were now much more numerous than their masters and ripe for revolt. And revolt they did.

The Dwarves put up far more of a fight than the Orcs had; the Dwarf War lasted from 663 to 638 BC, before finally the remnants of the Dwarven Army fled east, eventually finding refuge with the Dwarves of Highforge in Traladara. The military leaders who emerged in this war became known as the Lords, and they formed a feudal state, creating a military class of knights to defend the new Kingdom of Shaerdon from invasion, electing one of their number every ten years to lead them, the Decennial King.

For a century, things worked well; the Lords drove out the invaders and slowly expanded the dominion of the Hin, pushing beyond the mountains to the north and over the lands of the modern Baron von Hendriks in the east and into the Malpheggi swamp in the west. Unfortunately, the Lords were proud and quarrelsome and prone to violence, and the Ruling Council suffered in effectiveness as each sought to promote his own clan above the others. Many of the old clans ceased to exist, fusing with others to form the new clans led by the Lords.

Finally, a continuing feud erupted in violence between two major lords. The murder of Lord Blacktoes at a Council meeting marked the beginning of the Kinstrife in 522 BC. For the next ten years, the Lords slaughtered each other and rival clans mercilessly, until finally, in 512 BC, the border defences collapsed and bands of humanoids poured into the land, led by Orc King Thrail. He was joined by bands of humanoids from the Shadowdeep as well. Unable to unite, the Lords fell, and by 503 BC, he ruled unchallenged.

For a century, a series of Orc Kings ruled over the land, some treating the Hin abominably, others easing up on the treatment. It remains a mystery as to how Orcish rule lasted so long; it seemed that every time the Hin were about to be ready to fight the Orcs, an Orcish hero would emerge to crush the conspirators and save the Kingdom. But in the end, the luck of the Orcs ran out.

Gunzuth the Clanless, who would become Brindorhin, and the loremaster Alfron, who would become Coberham Shadowglint, were part of a small band of would-be rebels who discovered the secret of Blackflame in the Shadowdeep. They created the first Crucibles of Blackflame and used them to make special weapons for the day of liberation to come.

Finally, in memory of the first rising against Orcish rule, they struck in the dead of Winter in 408 BC, assassinating many major Orcish leaders with Blackflame weapons, using Blackflame artifacts to pass as other Orcish leaders, so as to turn them on each other. The Orcs now turned on each other in an orgy of destruction, the Orcstrife, and Gunzuth and Alfron led the Hin against them all.

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By 400 BC, the Orcs had been defeated, and Gunzuth emerged as the leader of the Hin, take the title of Sheriff, with Alfron as his main advisor. Alfron trained a new class of halfling loremasters, who would study and master the powers of the Blackflame, as well as gathering what lore of the Gentle Folk still survived, and tasking another group of loremasters, the Masters of the Shires, with perfecting it. Gunzuth set out to craft a government which would meet the test of time.

Gunzuth divided the land into five shires, each itself divided into 'townships' (territories surrounding the home of a particular clan). Each clan governed itself as it saw fit, while each township elected two representatives for the Assembly of that shire and one representative for the Assembly of the Shires as a whole. Each Shire's assembly elected a Sheriff for that shire, and the five Sheriffs would rule as an executive council with the Assembly of the Shires serving as a legislature. Each township was required to place a certain number of warriors at the service of its Sheriff in peacetime and to provide a levy of warriors in wartimes. The city of Shireton was now built to serve as the capital of the shires.

Once all was in order, Gunzuth and Alfron descended into the Shadowdeep, promising that the Shires would always have Heroes when they needed them. They were never seen again, but they still watch over the land, until the time when they are needed again.

Meanwhile, life in the Shires was quiet for several centuries; periodically, creatures erupted out of the Shadowdeep or out of the mountains or oceans or the Malpheggi Swamp or the forests of Traladara, but it was nothing the Shire government couldn't handle. During this period, the first halfling pirates begin to operate along the waters of the Shires, though there was not yet a lot of commerce for them to raid.

The crowning of the First Emperor of Thyatis marked a watershed in the life of the Shires. Coastal trade now greatly increased as the Thyatians reached out to trade with the Makai of the Ierendi Isles, with the Atruaghin Clans, Sind, and with the rising communities at the southern end of the Malpheggi Swamp. This led to rising piracy, but also to a growing naval presence of the Hin themselves, who had to ensure that the Hin (and other) pirates didn't get out of hand.

Looking out into the world, the Sheriffs planted colonies in what is now Minrothad and the Ierendi isles. Unfortunately, this led to conflict with Thyatis. The Minrothad colony was conquered and enslaved by the Thyatians in the 4th century AC, while Thyatis took over the Ierendi Isles in the late 6th century AC. This helped to turn the Hin against Thyatis and the Sheriffs began their policy of implicit toleration of piracy against Thyatians.

The Thyatians were not the types to take such things lightly, and in 593, they began the Thirty Years' War against the Shires, a prolonged naval conflict. This proved an expensive mistake. Thyatis was also at war with Alphatia and could only put forth a portion of its strength. The Battle of Hingulf in 599 smashed up the main Thyatian fleet in the area, thanks to a combination of bad weather, the liberal use of blackflame, and the successful bribing of a Thyatian squadron commander to 'not arrive in time for the battle'. This victory inspired the Ierendi to revolt in 600 AC, and the Thyatians proved unable to put down that revolt, fight the Shires, AND fight Alphatia at the same time. Nevertheless, the war dragged on until 623, when the Thyatian Emperor mysteriously fell down the stairs, onto a pile of knives that someone had left lying around, resulting in 23 stab wounds. Furthermore, some clumsy person had spilled poison all over the knives. The cleaning staff had to be sacked. This resulted in a change of dynasty, and the new ruler made peace with Ierendi and the Five Shires in order to focus on fighting the Alphatians. 63

A little over a century of relative peace and quiet follow, punctuated only by the occasional Orc invasion. The Shadowdeep was strangely quiet, and praise the Immortals for that.

In the Eighth century, the Hero Nob Nar lived out the saga which bears his name, the great tragedy of his love for Navilstar, daughter of the Baron of Halag. The Ballad of Nob Nar relates the tragedy which followed when her father tried to marry her off to the Baron of Koriszegy's son. Navilstar was slain, and Nob Nar slew the Baron in turn. He then took Navilstar to be buried in the legendary caern of Everwake Way, only to end up exposing and slaying the wicked Alphatian sorceress Regia, who sought to conquer the Shires. He rode off out of the Shires in sorrow, and is said to now walk among the Immortals as one of their own, one of the High Heroes, with Brindorhin and Coberham Shadowglint.

Combined with the rise of Glantri and its wizards mounting raids on the Shires to steal halflings for experiments, the Shires came to take a dim view of wizards from this incident. Any halflings who display any such talents are shunned at best, exiled or even lynched at worst. Only the Blackflame loremasters remained immune to this.

The last few centuries have been a time of peace and prosperity. While there is always naval skirmishing, the lands around the Shires grow increasingly civilized and the influx of humanoids has been slow. Even raids from the Shadowdeep were low for many years. Trade and commerce has increased, and in Shireton, new methods of manufacture are being pioneered. The result is that the population has boomed and now the lands are growing overcrowded. Yet much prosperity remains.

And finally, the Black Eagle Baron is eyeing the Shires and must be dealt with, one way or another. He's mounted two large scale raids, and it's expected he'll seize the chance to invade whenever the Shadowdeep next erupts. And since Stefan Karameikos is too weak or corrupt to stop him, it'll be up to the Hin to take matters into their own hands.

It always is.

It is a time for adventurers, when a peaceful land stands on the knife edge of disaster, when the actions of heroes will determine the future of the shires for centuries to come.

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Peoples of the Shires

The majority of the Shire populace this is clannishness. Halflings guided strongly by custom as well (96%) are Hin. Another 3% are tend to favour their clan over even as law; violations of custom can Elves. The rest are a mix of other Hin, and when times get lead to shunning; insults to local Gnomes, Dwarves, Humans, and tough, there's a strong tendency to customs can get you a beating. more unusual things, mostly withdraw in on the clan (or other The combination of this and the humans. Roughly 400,000 people in-group) and treat any outsiders security of the clan system tends live in the Shires, so this breaks as rivals or even enemies. This to keep down crime in the Shires, down to 384,000 Hin, 12,000 has often hampered efforts at though there are some outlaw Hin. Elves, and about 3,000 others. cooperation when they are most Most Hin are set in their ways and There are 100 Hin Clans, which needed. can be stubborn and hard to average out to about 3,000 persuade, though not so much so members each. Somewhere 2) A love of food. Halflings love as Dwarves often are. The main around 80,000 Hin are clanless, to eat. When times are good, exception to this is Hin on Yallara which makes their lives much gorging yourself is generally (discussed later). more difficult, unless they are one pretty acceptable. Most halflings of the luckier ones who have become fairly portly as they age, 4) Respect for the elderly. In gotten rich. Which isn't many of often hampering their own general, except for Hin on Yallara, them. functioning. Like Renaissance era Hin tend to defer to their elders; humans, though, they find bulk the clans are led by the oldest Hin Stereotypes attractive. This love of food can members. This tends to combine be a problem when food are with 3 to make change slow and to

scarce, as the Hin of the Shires are keep clans governed according to Not all Dwarves are dour, not all used to eating 4 or more times a the old customs. (Though Elves are merry, and not all day. Halflings who don't get ultimately, each clan is free to Halflings are clannish or hungry. enough to eat often become make changes so long as they But in the Shires, there is a somewhat cranky, though ones don't break Shire law.) Insults to common Hin culture to which any who don't get enough on a regular the elderly won't be tolerated. The individual Hin can be and usually basis (pirates, adventurers, etc) great flaw here is that the elderly will be compared. seem to eventually adapt. often don't respond flexibly

Connected to this is the Hin love enough to changes in conditions, 1) Hin naturally associate and are of merry-making. They love and thus many Hin crises begin clannish. The Hin are not solitary; parties and festivals of every kind with traditional responses that they are sociable. Indeed, most and often adopt foreign ones to prove inadequate. Hin don't like to be alone. The have another excuse to party. Hin like to solve problems by Most Hin keep this in check so 5) Quiet. The Hin enjoy merry- forming clubs, societies, and other they still get enough work done, making, but tend to want to organizations and to work together but some do overdo it, especially otherwise keep things mellow and to overcome problems. Few Hin the young. calm. They don't like trouble- stories revolve around solitary makers and boat-rockers, though geniuses and their hero stories 3) Law-abidingness. Halflings you can get away with a lot more frequently involve groups (such as tend to like to keep things orderly, if you are clearly just being funny Gunzuth and Alfron), though there and obeying the law is part of that. or if you are old and eccentric. Or are such tales as the tragedy of Halfling life in the Shires is living in Shireton, which is almost Nob Nar. The negative side of 65 never quiet. There is a strong always work this way, and the And their preferred lifestyle as separation between work (to be increasing number of clanless hin clan farmers is tied in part to this treated seriously) and merry- may be anywhere from desire to be close to nature. They making (where people get much fantastically wealthy (and loving like to surround themselves with more drunk and wild). to show it) to miserably poor (and plants and animals. And they unable to help it.) especially love their land, the 6) Economic equality. Land is Shires, and most would be owned communally. Clans, in 7) A love of the land. The Hin reluctant to leave it once they theory, distribute their wealth love nature in all its forms, from finish yallara. For the most part, fairly evenly. In theory, everyone mountains to forests to the wide this doesn't have too much ought to be roughly equal in open ocean. While they have to downside, unless one wants to wealth and able to live clear land for agriculture, they try pave Mystara over, anyway. comfortably. In practice, it doesn't hard to preserve natural beauty.

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Clan Life

About 78% of Hin are clan Most foreign ambassadors are chance of changing clans to go members currently, and in times given the respect shown a Senior into something else. past, this was closer to 90-95%. or Elder (depending on age), Clans control most of the land of unless they seem less respectable Clan Hin who meet the basic work the Shires, especially the land (such as, say, ever Thyatian requirements are free to do good for agriculture, as that is the ambassador ever.) whatever they want with the rest main focus of most clans. An of their time, whether it be more average clan has about 3,000 This system of government work in their field for pay, members. ensures that the leadership of the hobbies, clubs, societies, or even a clans, and thus of the Shires to a part-time job in some other field. A combination of service to the large degree, remains fairly (Many Hin who are born to, say, clan and age determines rank conservative and traditional. sheep-farmers, and want to be, within the clan. Those who serve Halflings on Yallara to some say, cobblers, will take up part- well eventually rise either to extent serve as a corrective, time cobbling work for their clan become Clan Elders, who choose a because they are free to propose with their free time.) Clanmaster to lead the clan, or radical ideas and to point out when else Keepers, who watch over the the emperor has no clothing. In times past, Hin worked fairly Clan relic, a Crucible of Some clans are now beginning to short hours for their clans, then Blackflame. The system given in innovate in various ways, but this were free to use a lot of time for the canonical Gazetteer works just is usually controversial. themselves. Longer working fine for this alternate gazetteer. hours seem to have become more In most clans, the clan specializes common in recent years, though Non-Hin are typically treated as in a few crops and services, then no one is entirely sure why. But equivalent to average Member Hin trades with other clans to obtain the Elders must have some good of a clan. The Hin do not respect other needed services, crops, reason for it... foreign birth ranks, unless it seems goods, or raw materials. Most necessary to avoid unnecessary clans require a certain number of Clans provide security to their bloodshed and violence. A Duke days of work per year in the clan members; you are basically set for is the same as a peasant to them, if fields to receive the basic stipend, life so long as you meet your he inherited his title. However, or a certain number of days of duties and don't violate clan law. those with earned positions of craftwork for the clan's benefit per Their role in raising troops in war rank gain more respect. Foreign year. Most people move into the makes them part of the security of soldiers will be given the respect same line of work as their parents, the Shires as a whole as well. given to an equivalent Halfling but there is always some shuffling Clans enforce their own laws on military rank, and elderly people about. Those who don't want to their land, with the Elders and will tend to be treated as if they follow the clan's ways are out of Clanmaster acting as police and were Seniors. Someone such as a luck--they can either leave and judges. And they ensure, at least Mayor or a member of an elected lose the clan's benefits and in theory, that no one ever goes position in Darokin's government become clanless or hope another hungrier, or at least not any will likely be treated as an Elder clan will take them in because it hungrier than everyone else. or maybe even a Clanmaster if needs more people in their chosen they seem important enough. line of work. Hin returning from The cost is the loss of freedom-- Yallara usually have the best you will stay on the same land, 67 doing the same job for a lifespan never come back, die, become up much of the population of the which will last for over a hundred pirates or Hornets or professional cities and towns. Some of them years. Ambitious hin sometimes adventurers, or end up unable or are people who just couldn't find the rate of slow advancement unwilling to settle down, handle following clan law due to to Elder status stifling, and it's wandering the Shires or other being too much of slackers, hard to accumulate wealth, since lands and doing petty labour/theft instinctively rebellious, or not too the really successful tend to be to survive. bright. Others were too ambitious expected to share with the less and left to make a brighter future fortunate. Hin on Yallara may challenge for themselves. An increasing anything, go anywhere not private, number are being born outside the Thus, some Hin leave their clans and are generally expected to be clans as urban and town Hin form voluntarily, others are thrown out loud and out of control, so long as family households and have because they can't manage to they don't actively break the law. children. The result is an abide by clan laws and duties, and Some will join non-Hin increasing breakdown of almost all go on yallara in their adventuring parties for a time, to traditional Hin culture in the cities youth. learn what other species are like, and the rise of a group of Hin who and most will leave the Shires at are much more ambitious and least for a time. They dabble a radical than their country cousins. Yallara and Clanless little in everything to see what (And in some cases, much more Hin they like and what they don't. starving and disgruntled.)

This forms an important release Most Hin merchants are clanless When Hin become old enough to valve for teenage rebelliousness, or have only thin ties to their take care of themselves, they have enabling most to get it out of their clans, travelling the roads to buy the right to go on Yallara. Such system, then return home, ready to and sell goods, or living in the Hin cut their ties with their clan take up normal Hin life. It also cities where much of the populace and go wandering around the ensures the real troublemakers is clanless. Indeed, the most shires or even outside it, seeking generally won't come back. prosperous Hin are usually either adventure and trying to find what clan leaders or clanless. The to do with their lives. About 85% However, in addition to the Hin on poorest Hin are all clanless, of them eventually return home to Yallara, there are an increasing working jobs like teamsters, their clans, content to take up the number of Hin who are clanless dockworkers, and the like, which life of a normal clan member. the rest of their lives, either by don't pay well. But at least they're Another 10% end up joining choice or by being thrown out of free (for values of free which another clan which better suits their clans. Close to a quarter of incorporate little actual power.) their talents and desired the population is clanless, making occupation. And about 5% either

68

Shire Government, Law, and Justice

In 400 BC, Gunzuth divided the governments, but clamour for it. their shire's assembly; they also land into five shires, each itself Conservative elements resist this, appoint the small group of divided into 'townships' (territories wishing to keep power in the National Judges with the consent surrounding the home of a hands of the clans, in accordance of the national assembly. National particular clan). Each clan with tradition. Judges enforce violations of governed itself as it saw fit, while national law and hear appeals each township elected two Clan governments themselves from the Justice of the Peace representatives for the Assembly have often become more courts. of that shire and one authoritarian as the economic representative for the Assembly of crisis builds; more on this below Justices of the Peace are usually the Shires as a whole. Each in the discussion of Clan Life. elders or else experienced, Shire's assembly elected a Sheriff wealthy Hin from the various non- for that shire, and the five Sheriffs One solution has been the clan towns. They deal with would rule as an executive council formation of Town Councils; offences against each Shire's local with the Assembly of the Shires democratically elected by all adult laws. Each clan has its own serving as a legislature. Each residents, these essentially form standard for how violations of township was required to place a artificial clans or multi-clan Clan law are judged; usually the certain number of warriors at the assemblies for local communities. Clanmaster acts as Judge. service of its Sheriff in peacetime Politics is often very heated in and to provide a levy of warriors these communities, as clans and The Shires only have juries in civil in wartimes. The city of Shireton non-clan Hin compete to trials or if clan law demands it. was now built to serve as the determine the future. Such capital of the shires. politics can get downright Clan law is enforced by the clans; underhanded at times, and some the Sheriffs and Krondar enforce This system still functions today, political leaders need special their Shire's laws and national law. though it's having problems. agents of the adventuring type. When the clans each ruled clearly Though thankfully things haven't Traditionally, Hin politics worked marked distinct areas and no degenerated to the Thyatian level. on a basis of consensus building major settlements arose outside between clans as to a good course clan lands (or were governed by a Yet. of action. Now, there's increasing group of clans cooperating to factionalism and conflict, and in exploit a strategic location), the Each clan makes its own internal some places, rising levels of system provided for a laws through its Clanmaster and underhanded action that make straightforward system of Council of Elders (or whatever conservatives fear treachery representative government. governs it), each Shire's Assembly somehow soaks out of Thyatian Problems have arisen as an makes laws for it as a whole, and goods into their purchasers. But it increasing number of Hin are the Assembly of the Shires makes hasn't hit that level yet, really. clanless and as the clans have national law and works with the Not consistently, anyway. become more territorially tangled Sheriffs to set national policy. together and as more settlements Crimes and Taxation arise which don't belong to any The Sheriffs act as a ruling clan. The clanless essentially have executive council and appoint Every clan has its own laws and no voice in the Shire or National local justices with the consent of regulations, as does each Shire and 69 the nation as a whole. Most of usual business taxes and as the smugglers are Hin. Non- these laws deal with matters not regulations. As the number of Hin smugglers will be stopped very important for PC adventurers. them swells, the Sheriffs and the whenever possible. Theft is usually punished by return Assembly of the Shires are of goods (or forced labour until contemplating ways to tap the The first offence is punished with you produce equivalent value), wealth of the more successful confiscation of the smuggled combined with branding of the ones. goods, a fine of equal value, and thumbs. Repeated theft is branding on one thumb. The same punished with increasing amounts Adventurers are largely free of the for the second. After that, you get of forced labour for the state, fear of taxes. five years forced labour in usually doubling with each addition to the confiscation and conviction. Most clans expel But... fines for each offence. thieves after the first conviction, unless it was extremely petty. Adventurers are expected to use their resources to assist the Shires Forced Labour Rape is punished by clan for free when the Sheriffs call expulsion and castration. Repeat upon them. This doesn't happen Slavery is illegal in the Shires, but offences result in forced labour for too often, but you can expect two you can be forced to work for the life. or three calls a year. And more state as a legal punishment. than that with offers of some (Clans can inflict this punishment, Killing results in branding of the payment. but it can be appealed to the Shire forehead and a decade of forced or national level if inflicted by a labour for murder, five year's Smuggling Clanmaster). Workers get three service for manslaughter. Repeat meals a day (that is a punishment offences of murder double the Smuggling is the number one in and of itself for any Hin), and forced labour each time. If your crime in the Shires; most coastal work 12 hours a day, six days a forced labour requirement for communities are complicit with week. Most are put to work either murder tops 320 years, you are smugglers to some greater or in the mines or in public work executed. Repeat manslaughter lesser extent. Even Clanmasters projects. offences add 10 years each time. (and in some cases, even Sheriffs.

Sheriff Robur Wallpole was The Hin try to avoid corporeal Clan Hin only pay taxes directly if notorious for smuggling wine in punishment beyond branding, so involved in the import/export trade actual Hin naval vessels back in prisoners who won't work simply or certain forms of business. the 8th century.) may be involved. don't get any food. This will Otherwise, taxes are levied on the usually bring them back into line. clans and paid out of the general The Sheriffs don't try very hard to Also, any day you refuse to work funds. Clanless Hin are currently stop it, unless tax revenues drop is not counted towards ending largely tax-free except for paying too much or if actual illegal goods your sentence. property taxes on any land they (such as Glantrians) are being own or any ships, along with the smuggled into the country, so long

70

Rules and Miscellanea

Denial reduced vastly in strength. exaggerated, and fun. There are Damaging effects do the caster's Hin tragedies, but they prefer to

level in damage at most and non- tell outrageous lies, and to tell Denial is a feat available to any damaging effects add the Hin's stories of love and success. The fifth level or higher Halfling who victory margin to any saving major Hin tragedies are mostly has been initiated into a clan later throws. If the Hin wins by 11 to historical and intended to instil in life or who was given the Birth 15 points, then the effect is correct moral behaviour. Blessing as an infant (By default, snuffed completely. And if he any Hin born in the Shires can be wins by 16 or more, the effect is The canon gazetteer presents a assumed to have had the Birth turned back on the caster and only storytelling system; a modified Blessing unless he was born into a the caster. version adapted for 3E is Clanless family, which is rare but presented below. (I will note that growing more common.) It can be Hin facing artifacts have a -5 it's extremely hard for an average taken multiple times; each time penalty. Hin defending someone Hin to tell anything but a fairly you take it, it can be used once per else gain a +5 modifier. Hin lousy story under the Gazetteer day, within the boundaries of the defending clan members gain system, however...) Shires. another +5 on top of that.

Make a Perform check. Most Hin Denial allows you to attempt to have 2 or 3 ranks of Perform due alter the results of a single spell, to the practice of frequent telling weakening it, re-directing it, or Language in the of stories. even turning it back on its creator. Shires The spell need not be directed You can add +2 synergy bonuses directly at you but its effects must As noted in the Canon, the Hin for each of the following which come within your Intelligence + mostly speak Common, but some apply: Wisdom + Level in yards of you. do study Lalor, especially Knowledge (Five Shires or Hin

Keepers, loremasters, Masters, Stories) 5 ranks You and the caster each roll D20, historians and the Lords of Telling a story from personal adding each person's level and Shaerdon. Indeed, the Lords of experience which will have some Intelligence + Wisdom bonuses, Shaerdon are among the few resonance for the audience respectively. If the Hin loses by people who are fully fluent in it, Use of illusions and subtle magics 6 to 10 points, the effect loses one using it as their language of secret to supplement the tale round of duration or one die of communication in conjunction Presenting some artifact relevant damage, as he choses. If he loses with ciphers. to it as proof of the tale by 1 to 5 points, he can either rob Good use of humour it of 3 dice of damage or change The canon Gazetteer has useful Special: Applying other forms of its target by 10-30 feet in a guidelines on Lalor, names, etc. entertainment as part of it. (This random direction. On a tie or if requires a perform check in the Hin wins by 1 to 5 points, he another form of entertainment. can divert the effect 30-70 feet in Storytelling You may add +1 to the a random direction, 11-20 feet in a Storytelling check for every 5 direction of his choice, or rob it of Storytelling is a crucial part of Hin points (or fraction thereof) in your his level in dice of damage. If the culture and entertainment, and is total with that other form. So if Hin wins by 6 to 10 points, it is usually loud, boisterous, 71 you score 23 by accompanying Charisma bonus on any diplomacy contrast, tends to be romance, yourself with music, you can add checks. comedy, and action, with only +5 to your storytelling check). some drama or tragedy. 30+: The Hin are stunned by your Non-Hin suffer a -2 penalty if they sheer virtuosity. They will beg for One recently popular form in the seem respectable, or up to -10 if more stories and you double your large cities is so-called 'reversal' they heavily violate Hin customs charisma bonus on future Perform theatre, in which Hin play all non- and behaviour or come from checks for this audience, as they're Hin roles and imported non-Hin somewhere hated. open to you. They will meet all play the Hin roles. Often this your need for food and drink, and involves parodying some famous Results of the Skill Check: by the end of the evening, you can story or event. The Hin find this 0 or less: You will not just be collect 1d6 Silver pieces * size of hilarious; outsiders often don't booed but outright chased out of your audience. If telling stories to quite get it. the place. influence a group's decision, you 1 to 9: Your story falls flat and gain a bonus equal to your base you get booed some. Perform ranks to any diplomacy Smoking 10-14: Acceptable, but nothing to checks. write home about. Modern Tobacco companies 15-19: Your storytelling is well would love the Shires, as almost received and someone will buy Music of the Shires everyone smokes like a chimney. you a drink or maybe even a meal The Hin might well live even if you seem hungry. As noted in the canon, the Hin longer if they didn't all smoke so 20-24: Everyone is wowed by LOVE to sing, contributing to the much. Those with a knowledge of your story and wants to hear tendency of almost all of them to Blackflame sometimes wonder if another one; you will likely get have 2 or 3 ranks of Perform. the Hin connection to it creates free drinks and food all night and Musical accompaniment is good, some predisposition to putting fire you can double your charisma but not necessary. As with Hin and smoke in one's mouth. (It can bonus on future Perform checks storytelling, most songs are either be noted that the same pinch of for this audience, as they're open romantic or comic in nature, tobacco can be smoked over and to you. If telling stories to though some deal with famous over again if you have access to influence a group's decision, you adventures and others are Blackflame to reconstitute it...) gain a +2 synergy bonus on any cautionary tales. The Shires produces the best diplomacy checks. tobacco in the Known World, but 25-29: You stun the audience most of it ends up being consumed with your skills. Everyone cheers Hin Theatre at home. wildly and wants to hear another one. You're set for food and drink for the night and can collect 1d6 * Hin like musicals and opera. A size of your audience in copper lot. Every city has several theatre Homes pieces. Also, double your companies and small towns have As the canon, mostly. Though charisma bonus on future Perform amateur companies. A lot of clan some Hin are adopting foreign checks for this audience, as they're theatre is customary in nature, a architectural styles these days as a open to you. If telling stories to collection of really old plays about way to flaunt their wealth. influence a group's decision, you the major historical events of the gain a bonus equal to your Shires or else moral cautionary Money and Trade tales. Urban and town theatre, by

72

In times past, the Five Shires were weaver to be precise). In general, ranging from blessing the fields largely self-sufficient. Now, there the Hin will accept any land's before planting to thanking the is a constant need to import food money which follows the system Immortals and the land for the which will likely only grow worse and weighs in properly for its harvest to helping to 'Whistle Up as the population swells. In denomination, though. the Sun' on the Winter Solstice. addition, wealthy Hin import a Karameikan and Darokinian variety of luxury items--books, money is fairly common. However, clanless Hin lack this fine cloths, spices, the fashions of connection to the land built by the other lands, magical items, etc. Larger scale trade is conducted sacred rites. Instead, many of using Trade-Bars; made of silver, them are beginning to turn to The Shires produce and export these come in 25, 50, and 100 GP foreign religions; churches to various raw materials and a few denominations. There are not Asterius, Ixion, Valerias, Kagyar, kinds of foodstuffs which they still many banks, but the major cities Koryis, the Church of Universal produce more than they need-- have banks which will issue letters Harmony, the Church of metals (precious and common), of credit, which are essentially Traladara, and the Church of gems, tea, and especially tobacco. paper money with an expiration Darokin have all sprouted up in Fishing production continues to date. Those of sufficient good the major cities. Clanless Hin expand, but most of the seafood reputation can also issue letters of tend to favour churches related to floods into the Shires to draft, which are essentially prosperity, peace, craftwork, and supplement people's diets. personal checks on an account at love. their bank. One area of deficiency is Knight-Heroes manufacturing; the population is outgrowing the ability of the Hin Religion Those Hin who reach eighth level to process their own raw materials, can petition to become 'Knight- so there is a fair amount of waste The Hin are not irreligious, but Heroes of the Shires'. Knight- with goods being sent abroad, their religious life is largely Heroes must undergo a series of processed, then sent back to the focused around the Clan. For clan tests of skill (since characters level Shires for purchase, though some hin, foreign religions have little is not a concept known in game). Hin are trying to boost the nation's appeal, because the sacred rituals Knight-Heroes are expected to productive capacity. of the clan fill all the purposes of defend the interests of the Shires religion other than spellcasting. and can be called upon by the The Hin follow the Thyatian And the average foreign believer Sheriffs to perform heroic quests. coinage system, but produce their rarely has much access to the In return, they receive a stipend of own coins. Their platinum piece miracle powers of Clerics anyway. a hundred gold a month, a small shows a tongue of blackflame on tract of land with a house to call one side, and crossed blades on The Hin revere the High Heroes, their own, and can stay for free in the other. The gold piece has the Gentle Folk, and their any inn of the Shires and eat and Gunzuth on one side and Alfron homeland. They are basically drink free in any tavern. (The bill on the other. The silver piece nature worshippers, and Hin of a gets sent to the Sheriffs). Many depicts Nob Nar on one side and religious bent typically either Knight-Heroes become military his beloved Navrilstar on the study with the Keepers, or work to officers, and if an opportunity to other. The copper piece has a become Masters. (Or Druids if found a clan opens up, they're at typical male Hin farmer on one using 3E). Every clan performs the head of the line. side and a typical Hin about two dozen rituals a year craftswoman on the other (a which are religious in nature, 73

Hin Masters of the Shires

Hin nature-worship has no formal are devoted to one land in classes. They tend to be quiet, soft priests. Keepers and Witnesses particular: The Five Shires. spoken and seldom seen. They lead clan religious ceremonies, but work apart from other hin as much do not themselves directly serve Their devotion to the Shires is as possible to avoid incurring any immortals. Some Hin, shown in many ways: A new resentment or making other hin however, choose to devote master changes her name from, for dependent on their aid and themselves to a deeper study of instance, "Lidda Heatherfoot" to abandoning self-reliance. the lore of the Gentle Folk and of "Lidda Heatherfoot Highshire," the Shires. They pass into the denoting the Shire in which she Masters battle evil humanoids and forests, hills, and mountains, has lived. Until achieving the rank the evil beings residing in the working to preserve nature and of Higher Master, a master will Shires, they will do whatever is help it to flourish. not willingly leave the Shires necessary and least harmful to unless called upon to do so by a those concerned to protect In many ways, the Hin masters master tutor, Sheriff, involved in halflings from the attacks of such resemble Mystara's seldom-seen war beyond the nation's borders or creatures. druids, and it is possible that both a sign from the High Heroes. rely on handed-down lore from the Masters tend to dress simply, and now-vanished Gentle Folk elves. Hin masters come from all walks have no distinctive uniform, Unlike druids, though, the masters of life, including non-adventuring speech or rune.

The Master Prestige Class (by Beau Yarbrough, from the Mystara Mailing List Archives. Slightly modified by John Biles)

REQUIREMENTS Halfling race, resident in the Five Shires Non-evil alignment Knowledge (local - Five Shires) ranks: 5+ Wilderness Lore ranks: 5+ Feats: Denial The prospective master must undergo an apprenticeship with another master for at least two seasons.

THE HIN MASTER Hit dice: d8

74

Level Att. Fort. Ref. Will Special 1 0 +2 0 +2 Improved Denial, Nature Sense, Turn Undead 2 +1 +3 0 +3 Low-Light Vision 3 +2 +3 +1 +3 4 +3 +4 +1 +4 5 +3 +4 +1 +4 6 +4 +5 +2 +5 7 +5 +5 +2 +5 8 +6 +6 +2 +6 9 +6 +6 +3 +6 10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Higher Master

Spells Per Day Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 1 3 1 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 4 5 3 2 5 5 3 2 1 6 5 3 3 2 7 6 4 3 2 1 8 6 4 3 3 2 9 6 4 4 3 2 1 10 6 4 4 3 3 2

Class Skills: Animal Empathy, representation of a Crucible of Climb, Concentration, Craft, Spells: A master can cast divine Blackflame or actual blackflame, Disguise, Handle Animal, Heal, spells according to the table above where available. A master cannot Hide, Jump, Knowledge (history), and gains and prepares spells in regain her spells outside of the Knowledge (local - Five Shires), the same way that a cleric does Five Shires. Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (although she cannot swap spells (Religion), Move Silently, Speak to cast a cure spell in its place). To Bonus Language: A master Language (Elvish), Spellcraft, prepare or cast a spell, a master knows Lalor, the ancient and Swim, Wilderness Lore must have a Wisdom score of at almost extinct language of the least 10 + the spell's level. The halflings. Lalor is typically used in Skill points at each level: 4 + Int Difficulty Class for a saving throw communication with other modifier. against a master's spell is 10 + the masters, Keepers and some spell's level + the master's Clanmasters when they know they CLASS FEATURES Wisdom modifier. Bonus spells are being listened to and do not for masters are based on Wisdom wish others to know what they are Weapon and armour (see PHB Table 1-1: Ability saying. Lalor has its own alphabet. proficiency: A Hin master is Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page By spending a skill point, a master trained in the use of simple 8). For spells that require a divine may also learn Elvish, of the weapons, light armour and shields. focus, the master may use either a Gentle Folk dialect. 75

may also use denial outside of the Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Hin Master 3, Improved Denial: Masters double Five Shires. Sor/Wiz 3 their Master levels when using Denial. Ex-Masters: Masters who leave As the standard bestow curse, save their calling lose all spells and that Hin masters prefer the Extra Denial: Hin masters may special abilities, such as Improved following curses, rather than those use Denial a number of times per Denial and low-light vision, but given on page 178 of the Player's day equal to their Wisdom bonus retain their nature sense. Masters Handbook: +1. who seek to return to their calling The first blow struck by a must atone (see the atonement cursed creature against a Nature sense: A master can spell in the PHB, page 176). halfling will miss. identify plants and animals with Any lie told to a halfling perfect accuracy and tell if water Master Spell List by the cursed creature will is safe to drink or dangerous. 0th Level (Orisons) -- Create immediately be known by Masters do not hunt creatures for Water, Detect Magic, Detect the halfling. sport, although they will hunt for Poison, Flare, Light, Purify Food Any attempted theft of any food. and Drink, Resistance, Thornspear halfling property by the 1st Level -- Cure Light Wounds, cursed creature will Turn Undead: A master can turn Detect Animals or Plants, Detect immediately be detected. undead as per a cleric of her same Evil, Endure Elements, Magic Any food eaten within the class level (see PHB page 139). Stone, Obscuring Mist, Remove Shires by the cursed Fear, Sleep creature, for the rest of its Extra Turning: As a feat, a 2nd Level -- Animal Trance, life, will taste bad and master may take Extra Turning. Detect Thoughts, Find Traps, Hold cause indigestion and This feat allows the master to turn Person, Produce Flame, See embarrassing flatulence. undead four more times per day Invisibility, Silence, Speak with than normal. A master may take Animals, Web The curses listed in the Player's this feat multiple times, gaining 3rd Level -- Bestow Curse, Call Handbook (page 178) are also four extra daily turning attempts Lightning, Fly, Locate Object, available, although are less each time. Neutralise Poison, Remove commonly used. Blindness/Deafness, Remove Low-Light Vision: Starting at Curse, Remove Disease, Speak Scrying second level, a master gains low- with Plants, Water Walk Divination light vision, and can see twice as 4th Level -- Charm Monster, Level: Brd 3, Clr 5, Drd 4, Hin far in starlight, moonlight, Control Plants, Cure Serious Master 4, Sor/Wiz 4 torchlight or similar conditions as Wounds, Dispel Magic, Scrying, an ordinary halfling can. Shout, Quench, Restoration As per page 247 in the Player's 5th Level -- Animal Growth, Handbook. Hin Masters, like Higher Master: At 10th level, the Control Winds, Feeblemind, druids, use a natural pool of water master's bond with the land is so Insect Plague, Raise Dead, Tree as a focus. now so deep that many of the Stride previous restrictions upon her are lifted, and can freely travel, SPELLS adventure and regain spells outside of the Five Shires. They Bestow Curse Transmutation