Difference between revisions of "Kyuad's Lorebook Questions"

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=== The Gray Realms ===
 
=== The Gray Realms ===
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* '''Check''' +22 =  ''28'' - What is the realm in which we travel while in the Paths of Dal Colia?:  Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.  <br>  The Grey Lands
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[[Kyuad's Lorebook#The Grey Lands|The Grey Lands in Kyuad's Lorebook]]
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There exists a place outside the boundaries of mortal eyes. A world, layered on top of our own. To the Dorns, it is the Middle Land where spirits dwell for a time after death, awaiting the test of valor which will allow them into the great paradise beyond. To the Sarcosans it is purgatory, where the souls of the outcaste or the unworthy are forced to remain instead of being allowed to ride into the sky with the great heroes and gods of old. To the Halflings it is the Spirit World, the original home of the Wogren. To the Dwarves it called Dol Kraggen Khor, the Skin the Land. In their stories it is the place where the Father Sun and Mother Moon sleep when they are away from the sky.
 
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Perhaps closest to the truth are the elven legends. The Elves refer to this place as Eltharyth, the Old World, at one time it was accessible to them by the Old Ways, ancient gateways which bridge the world of Aryth with it's ghostly twin. Elven scholars believe that the Old Ways were originally built by the Elthedar, and that the First Fae may have actually lived in both worlds, crossing between them at their leisure. The oldest stories describe the old ways as something of a buffer or middle ground between the world of the living and the lands of the dead. It was a place where the living could go to speak with the dead one last time, and a place where the dead could continue to observe their former home. It was once described as a bright and timeless place, uncluttered by the problems of the mortal realm, where things shown brightly and clearly with the light of their spirits.
 
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Everything changed with the Sundering. With the doors to the heavens firmly shut, Eltharyth became a place of madness as the spirits of the dead began to pile up with nowhere to go. Ancient priests, cut off from their gods sought answers from the Middle Lands. Though warned against it, the zealous and frightened priests would not listen. With powerful magics they projected their spirits into the Middle Lands and traveled the spirit realm trying to find some trace of the Lost Gods. Their efforts proved fruitless. Some ancient scholars believed that it was the spirits of those priests returning to their bodies, carrying the infection and hunger and madness of the Old World, who became the first Fell.
 
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The last record of a physical journey to the Spirit World today exists in the library of Five Towers. It is an ancient scroll which has been translated and transcribed dozens of times. Now only a few know of its existance. It was originally written by the apprentice of a powerful magic-user who took it upon himself to enter Eltharyth bodily to look for clues as to the nature of the Sundering. The spell he used to open such a portal has been lost, and lucky too, for the images projected to his apprentice through a crystal ball showed visions of horror. Where once the world was clear and bright, all was now shrouded in mists. Color seemed to be leached from the land, leaving everything muted and dull. Sound was dampened, and muffled. The great wizard described hearing moaning and screaming in the distance all around him. The air was cold in a way which seeped in through any and all protection, including the magical warmth the mage shrouded himself in. It sapped his strength by the hour. He occasionally saw what he believed to be the spirits of the dead wandering through the swirling mists, those that noticed him became hostile. The Mage's wards held them at bay, but the mists themselves continued to drain his strength. Just when the great mage was thinking that his endurance was about to fail him and that he should cast the spell to return home, he cried out and dropped the crystal he was using to communicate. The poor apprentice watched as his master was attacked by some unseen force which caused his master's skin to shrivel to leather, bleaching and cracking in areas shaped strangely like bite marks. Twisted bodiless faces seemed to be outlined in the mists swirling around the mage. His magics and wards failed him, and in the end the mage's whitened, desiccated body collapsed to the ground without a visible wound on it. The mass of faces began to fade back into the mists, but the apprentice swore that before they vanished, he saw his master's tortured face swirling among them. The apprentice continued his vigil at the crystal, shaking with sadness and terror, but hoping to learn something from watching the area where his master's crystal had fallen. Some time later he watched in horror as a spirit made of smoke and shadowstuff came upon his master's corpse. With a motion that the apprentice described as steam escaping a teapot, only in reverse, the shade entered his master's corpse. It then rose smoothly to it's feet, leaking dark smoke from it's eyes and from the cracks in it's skin. The creature then looked directly at the crystal, picked it up and spoke to the apprentice. What was said is not written, but the apprentice has written that the crystal was destroyed for the good of the world.
 
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The apprentice's account also coined the term which is now used among spirit adepts to describe the spirit world. He called it the Grey Lands, describing the colorless, foggy place of sadness and cold.
 
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The Elves quickly realized that Eltharyth was not the place it had been. They closed or destroyed the Old Way portals to keep the spirits from pouring back into the mortal world. They told themselves they would worry about this trouble once the others had been dealt with. Much time passed.
 
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Today the Grey Lands are a place which most have only heard of in ancient legends. Even fewer know that the place described in the Halfling tales of the First Wogren is the same place that the rituals of the Dorns call to in order to honor their ancestors.
 
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The ways to travel to this place are barely remembered, and the dangers for doing so are many, but should any brave soul find the way, travel in the Grey Lands may not be any more dangerous than other forms of travel in the Last Age, and while the danger of getting lost in the mists would be great, the old stories say that the Old Ways were the fastest form of travel ever concieved. To some, the speed may be worth the risk.
 
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The Spirit Reflection
 
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Everything has a spiritual reflection in the Grey Lands, but not everything is around long enough for the reflection to "solidify". It seems to be that the longer a thing is in one place the more "real" it's reflection becomes. Living creatures move around to much for their spirit reflections to be anything more than faint outlines, which desolve into nothing when they are moving quickly. Ancient structures or trees may be nearly identical in the Grey Lands as they are in the mortal world. Newly erected buildings may be translucent, and even able to be walked through. In some cases, structures which have been destroyed still maintain their spirit reflection long after they are rubble. Long ago, scholars believed that because time passes differently in the Spirit World, it simply takes longer for it to "catch up" to the rapidly changing mortal realm.
 
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Additionally, things which are normally hidden are plain in the Old World. Magic is visible to everyone, and emits a muted haze of a color which corresponds to the kind of magic it is. Living things as well emit a dim light. When observing from the spirit world, all living things seem to glow faintly from within. This illumination seems to be the only light which can illuminate their form and features to an observer in the spirit world. Some people's glows are brighter than others, though why has never been understood. This glow is almost always a pale whiteish blue, and is referred to as 'Spirit Light' by those who can see such things. Strangely, living things appear to those in the spirit world almost exactly the way spirits appear in the mortal world. When they can be seen at all they are only spectres.
 
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It seems that Izrador's taint is reflected in the light of the spirits of his worshipers. To the truly pious, their light is dimmed and nearly invisible, it also can become stained with red or deep purple. To those who receive His gifts, such as Legates, their inner light is replaced by a spreading darkness which fills their Spirit Reflections from within like oil in water.
 
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Demons and other Outsiders glow brightest of all, but never with the pale light of mortals, and never from within. Outsiders appear as solid creatures of one single color, as if they had been painted from head to toe with paint. Their Spirit Reflections are always in the shape of their true selves, never the forms they often take in the land of the living. Any traveler would do well to avoid such creatures, for many of them seem to be able to see clearly in both worlds at the same time.
 
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Spirits which dwell in the land of the living, such as Ghosts or Astiax, always have a spiritual thread which connects tehm to the Grey Lands. Most often this appears as a tiny prick of light or darkness leaving a slight trail as it travels. To those able to see clearly into the mortal realm from the Grey Lands, they might see this trail disappearing into the creature's form. Were it ever discovered how to cut this spiritual tether, it may destroy the spirit utterly. It may also free it completely.
 
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Corporeal undead creatures, including Fell, have no Spirit Reflections at all, and are all but undetectable from the Spirit World. One of the theories as to why is that their souls are actually cut off from the spirit world. They exist fully, and unnaturally, in the mortal realm. This causes thier spiritual energy to slowly dwindle, requiring replenishment. Different undead have different means of doing this. For vampires, blood is the conduit for their spiritual sustenance, for Fell it is living flesh. For creatures like Mummies which seem to have no need of outside sources of spiritual energy, it is theorized that they simply absorb small amounts of energy from their surroundings. Normally this sapping is not enough to effect the world, but over long periods of time this may cause devistation to the surrounding lands. This theory was once popular due to the fact that most mummies were found in areas mostly devoid of life. The exception to this rule is the Lich. Somehow, the Liching ritual separates the body and soul, attaches the soul to an object which acts as an artificial conduit for their spiritual replenishment and also allows the soul to inhabit it's former vessel. In regard to it's spiritual nature, a Lich is far closer to a ghostly spirit than a corporeal one.
 
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Strangely, a living traveler in the Grey lands bears many things in common with corporeal undead in the mortal realm. While the corporeal undead is a creature who's spirit (and body) exists fully in the Spirit World, a living traveler is a creature who's spirit and body exist fully in the Spirit Realm. Where the undead require a way to replenish their spirits, living travelers find their bodies being slowly drained of strength while in the Spirit World. They too mush find a way to halt or replenish their lost strength if they are to have any hope of survival.
 
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Creatures capable of seeing normally invisible spirits, see such creatures only if they exist primarily on the mortal world. The spirits which live in the Grey Lands are invisible to all but the most powerful Spirit Adepts, who tend not to want to delve that deeply. When you look into the abyss, it may look back into you. This means that living travelers are undetectable by nearly all means while they are in the spirit world. That does not mean that the two places cannot effect or detect each other, it just means that the effects may not be immediately obvious. For example, if a living traveler were to cut off a branch of a tree in the spirit world for use as a torch, it's real world counterpart would slowly wither and die. If a building is burned down in the real world, it's spiritual counterpart would slowly fade away to nothingness. When a creature dies in the real world, it's Spirit Reflection is temporarily caught between two worlds. Most of the time it is pulled fully into the Grey Lands where without a heaven to go to it is doomed to an existence of perpetual madness and eventually to lose it's consciousness and be sucked into the pull of the Maelstrom. Should it go the other rout and manage to remain in the mortal realm, this spirit becomes cut off from it's source of spiritual recovery and is doomed to some fashion of feasting on the living. In some rare cases, the soul is being pulled to the Grey Lands, but it's will is strong enough to resist this pull. In these cases the poor creature is caught between the two worlds, existing in perpetual torture and in danger of being pulled apart. Usually these rare creatures have some object or person which is the anchor for their drive to remain, and this can make them quite powerful, but unable to stray far from their spiritual focus. We call these creatures Ghosts.
 
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Black Mirrors are strong visible presences in the Grey Lands. Normally the landscape is a thick pea-soup fog. As one approaches a Black Mirror, the fog begins to darken, turning more to smoke. Eventually it becomes so thick and dark that only the strongest, brightest lights will shine at all, and even then only a few feet of illumination is possible. Within this gathering darkness, entropy seems to be greatly increased. Wounds taken will bleed more, metal will begin to rust in minutes, hunger and thirst begin paining the stomach and even simple breathing becomes harder, like a heavy weight has settled on the chest. There are dangerous creatures which live in this darkness that no living person has seen. Spirit Reflections touched by this darkness begin reflecting terrible versions of themselves. Stone apears cracked and seeping black oily ooze. Trees and plants appear dead and rotten. Metal turns red with rust, leather and cloth rots away leaving only the framework of what it once was. Spirits (and mortal travelers) begin to appear how they be once death has taken them. It may be that this twisting of a thing's Spirit Reflection may actually cause a change in the mortal world, somehow corrupting from within a thing's very essence.
 
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If a traveler could somehow clear the mist far enough to be able to see the sky, they would not see the stars of sun they left behind. Instead they would see the Maelstrom. The swirling mass of crazed spirits which completely surrounds the whole world. In the mortal realm, only the most powerful spirit adepts are able to see this terrifying sight. In the Grey Lands, it is plain to see where the fog is driven back.
 
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Effects of the Grey Lands
 
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Mortal creatures are not meant to travel in the Grey Lands, and the mists quickly take their toll. A cold seeps in which cuts through all protections and immunities. It saps the strength and spreads a debilitating numbness. After an increment of time equal to 1 hour x a character's Con modifier, they take 1 point of Str and Dex damage. Nothing is able to counter or heal this damage other than total rest.
 
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Unfortunately, rest is also impossible in the Grey Lands. The cold mists seem to stop natural healing entirely, and no matter what a creature does it will find itself unable to sleep. This means that while a creature is in the Grey Lands, they are unable to heal naturally or recover lost spell points.
 
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To make things worse, magic is also effected. All magic which channels light or Positive Energy (such as any Cure Wounds spell) automatically fails as if the caster had failed a concentration check. Spells which channel darkness, shadows, or Negative Energy (such as and Inflict Wounds spell) are automatically Empowered (as the Metamagic feat.)
 
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Within the effected area of a Black Mirror, spell points are lost as normal, but there are additional effects in the Grey Lands. Should a character take any physical damage, that damage is increased by an amount equal to the amount of additional spell energy that the mirror drains from casters. Furthermore, objects and equipment begin to break down. Every hour an object must succeed at an Object Saving Throw (as described in the DMG) at a DC equal to the amount of spell energy the mirror normally drains + the number of hours the object has been in the mirrors area of effect. (maximum of a +25 DC increase.) Lastly, living creatures must succeed at a Will saving throw every hour as well. This Save is identical to the one required by objects. Failure indicates that the creature has become Fatigued. A second failed save indicates the creature is now Exhausted. A third failed save causes the creature to collapse into a sleepless, staring coma-Like state which it will only wake up from if it is returned to the mortal world and receives  a Remove Curse spell and one full day of rest.
 
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Travel in the Grey Lands is extremely rapid. The actual amount seems to vary, but over time it seems to average roughly 10 times as fast as travel in the mortal world. This speed increase is difficult to notice due to the fog, and the fact that a creature does not seem to be visibly moving any faster than normal.
 
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Lurkers in the Mist
 
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Although the Grey Lands themselves are extremely dangerous by nature, there are things worse yet that dwell in the churning mists. The most common are the Lost Souls.
 
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Lost Souls
 
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This is a dead creature existing in the Grey lands  that has not yet succumbed to the pull of the Maelstrom. They are almost never aware of their surroundings, too caught up in their own madness and internal struggle. If left alone, they are mostly harmless, but should they be roused or confronted, their crazed minds will only see other creatures as the source of their suffering. Sometimes this takes place as a delusion, with the poor soul thinking that the creature confronting it is some person or thing from their past life, other times it may be an incoherent violence. Lost Souls are incorporeal, even to other incorporeal creatures and will often wander directly through each other (or any other creature) without even noticing. Their icy strength draining nature and their ability to project their memories into the minds of mortal creatures that they come into contact with makes even accidental contact with these creatures dangerous.
 
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This is a Template that can be added to any sentient creature that is not an Outsider, Undead or Aberration.
 
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Lost Souls use all of the statistics of the base creature, except where noted below.
 
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Initiative: Same as base creature -2, a Lost Soul's weak grasp of reality causes them to be slow to react.
 
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Special Qualities: Same as Base Creature; plus Undead traits.
 
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Improved Incorporealness: Lost Souls have no physical form. They are able to pass trough solid objects, and even other Incorporeal creatures. They have no way of effecting a physical object, barring some special ability possessed by the Base Creature or their Touch of the Lost ability. There is some danger to physical creatures that come into "contact" with a lost soul, but this is in no p[art due to any conscious effort on the part of the Lost Soul. It's damaging effects are purely accidental, and often unrealized by the Lost Soul itself. The Ghost Touch ability effects Lost Souls normally.
 
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Touch of the Lost: Whenever a Lost Soul comes into contact with a physical object (usually the Spirit Reflections of ancient buildings or trees, they pass through them. Where they pass through becomes frozen to the touch, as all warmth is leeched out of the object by the Lost Soul's passing. This often appears as a spreading frost across the effected area. Water will freeze, metal will chill, and living creatures may be greatly injured. Living creatures which come into contact with a lost soul take Cold damage equal to half the Hit Die of the base creature x1d6. In addition, creatures touched by a Lost Soul take 1 point of Strength damage. (This attribute damage is not based on the cold, but something more of a spiritual leeching. Cold Resistance will not protect against it.) Any metal which comes in contact with a Lost Soul is affected by a Chill Metal spell fo a number of rounds equal to the Character Level of the Lost Soul.
 
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Gaze of the Lost: A creature making eye contact with a Lost Soul may be overcome by a flood of fragmented, tortured memories projected by the creature. Treat this as a Gaze Attack which causes it's victims to make a Will Save (DC is 1/2 the base creatures Character Level+ their Charisma modifier.). Failure indicates that the victim is affected as though they were under the effects of a Confusion spell for a number of rounds equal to the Lost Soul's Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
 
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The Lurking Madness
 
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None are sure where these creatures come from or why they exist, but they seem to be a conglomeration of the remnants of Lost Souls which have given into their own madness and become creatures of pure rage and suffering. They swirl together in a seething mass of spirits feeding off of each other's tortured memories and projecting their own into the chaotic cacophony. Though it seems to be made up of many individuals, these creatures behave as one entity, much like a swarm of locusts. The creature's soul desire seems to be to feed on the souls and memories of creatures they encounter, and in doing so, collect even more souls into their hopeless throng. Is seems as though these creatures should spread like a plague throughout the Grey Lands given their abundance of Lost Souls to feed on and thier strange way of breaking into smaller masses once they have reached a certain size, but they are actually quite rare. They may dimply disintegrate over time, like a dust devil on the plains, or they may actually be the source of sustenance for an even more dangerous creature.
 
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The Hearts of Darkness
 
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Everything has a Spirit Reflection. Even things that we wish didn't. In the mortal world, Black Mirrors are one of the greatest sources of suffering in existence. Their Spiritual Reflections may be even worse.
 
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In the Grey Lands the heart of every Black Mirror pulses with a malevolent, quasi-sentiant creature of pure evil. If one could make them out in the dark miasma that surrounds them they would appear as a seething, inky cloud of darkness with psudopod like extensions which occasionally writhe out from it's center grasping at the air around it. They are basicaly immobile, which is lucky, but they have a surprising reach and are able to draw creatures, objects and energy towards themselves with a powerful gravitational pull. They exist to feed on life and magic, and pursue that goal with a single-minded ravenousness.
 
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These entities vary in size and power depending on the strength of their Mirrors. The hearts of newer mirrors might not be any more than 2 feet across, while the Heart of a Grand Mirror, such as the one in Highwall may be as wide as 30 feet.
 
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The Waykeeper
 
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An ancient construct who's purpose has long since been lost. It is one of the few things that exists physically within the Grey Lands that has never had a reflection in the Mortal Realm. It seems to be made of a translucent smoked glass, mostly dark grey in color, and harder than steel. A glowing red spark illuminates it's chest, somewhat like the glow which emanates from the Spirit Reflection of Living things.
 
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The Revenant
 
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The Faded
 
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The Skin Thief
 
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There are those creatures which have been deprived of form since before the time of the Sundering. Once they were imprisoned within the Spirit World for some ancient crime against the gods. With the Sundering they became loose in the Grey Lands ever searching for a physical form. To the living, they are weak and easily rejected. Corpses have no such resistance. Should a creature of flesh and blood die while in the Grey Lands, their bodies may become the vessels for an unfathomably evil creature. Able to wear the dead like a glove, and greatly empowered once they have a body, their goal at that point becomes finding a way into the mortal world where their presence alone may cause incredible suffering. Luckily to this day this has not occurred.
 
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Crossing Over
 
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There are not many ways of reaching the Grey Lands. The primary one in history was by casting spells or enacting rituals which would allow a person to transfer their consciousness to their Spirit Reflection and range away from their body like a ghost. many cultures had such practices, often called a Spirit or Vision Quest.
 
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Other ways include the great mystical gates called the Old Ways. Nearly all of them have been destroyed or cut off from their sources of power, but should a working one be found, or a way found to re-power a deactivated gate, this would provide an individual to travel physically to the Grey Lands.
 
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Other, more powerful spells are rumored to have once existed which were capable of creating a temporary rift between the two worlds which would allow passage from one to the other. If any still live who are capable of such a feat they are keeping it to themselves.
 
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Other legends tell of places where the two worlds join or overlap. In the tales, such places are only accessible when certain conditions are met, such as a rare alignment of heavenly bodies, or the right person bringing the right object to the right place at the right time. In such places it may be possible to simply walk across the boundary between the worlds, perhaps without even noticing the change. Halflings believe that such a place was how Wogren came to the world of mortals.
 
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Some extremely rare creatures seem to be able to cross the boundary naturally. If one of these creatures had the capacity to bring others with them (and be convinced to do so) or if such a power could be stolen or duplicated, it may provide a way to the Grey Lands.
 
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In any case, getting to the Grey Lands would be extremely difficult and dangerous, but more dangerous and difficult still would be surviving once the journey had been made, and then getting back again.
 
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The Old Road:
 
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The air is heavy and still, bringing no relief from the oppressive heat.  Overhead, the clouds dip low and are menacingly dark, filtering out most of the sun’s life giving light.  What little solid ground there is, is covered in marsh grass or the tangled roots of cypress and mangrove trees.  Carefully picking their way across the morass is a small well-armed group that bears signs of recent combat.
 
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“Eoawan, Tani’s not going to be able to go much farther and that hunting party can’t be more than a few hours behind us.”
 
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The leader of the group, a slight dark haired warrior turns toward the rest of the group, “Just a little further and we’ll be safe.  They won’t be able to pursue us once we get to the next hummock.  Keep moving; it’s not far.”
 
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The party pushes forward toward a small hill, dominated by an ancient cypress tree.  With effort they climb the hill and collapse at the base of the tree.  While the other warriors rest, the leader Eoawan hacks at branches and vines that cover two small stone pillars, pitted and cracked with age.  With the excitement clear in his voice, he says, “It’s here, just as they said, our path to sanctuary.”
 
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The statement draws stares from the other warriors and one stands to get a closer look.  “What path, there’s only water as far as I can see.  We’re trapped if that hunting party finds our trail, which is likely.  The wargs will have Tani’s scent from his blood. “
 
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A slight smile appears on Eoawan’s face, “we aren’t trapped. Our distant ancestors left us a priceless gift, a path to sanctuary.”  The Danasil places his hands over matching symbols on the two pillars and whispers words in a language that is strange but stirs memories buried deep in the other Danasil.
 
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Eowan stiffens like he was lifting an incredible weight.  The two stones start to glow and the swamp goes silent.  To the south of the small hill, the water froths as if something massive were rising from the depths.  Moments later, where there was once water as far as the eye could see, there is now a perfectly straight causeway of cut stone, covered in algae and mud.
 
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Eowan, clearly weak, turns to his warriors.  “We have to move quickly, raising the road took far more from me that I thought and it wanted more.  I don’t know how long it will stay above water.  By the time the hunting party gets here we and the road will be long gone.”
 
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The Old Road is the remnants of the eldethar roads that crossed much of the Erethor and parts of Eredane.  In past ages, before the coming of the modern fey, when the swamp began to expand, the eldethar built the rune enchanted pillars that could lift the road up from the swamp and provide safe passage. The runes require a key phrase in ancient eldethar and at least 12 spell points.  The amount of spell points expended determines how long the road remains above water.  Most of the old eldethar roads have not survived the ravages of the centuries, but a few are used by the fey to access isolated portions of the Druid’s Swamp.
 
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I've always pictured the Old Ways/Space Between/Shadow World/whatever-you-want-to-call-it place as being a lot like Silent Hill. Basically the same, but empty, quiet, cold and foggy. Easy to lose your way, and hard to see what might be closing in around you. All light sources would be reduced to half, sound would be dampened so that even those next to you sound like they are far away no matter how loud they speak. The cold would seep into the skin no matter how many layers were worn, making simple rest and recovery nearly impossible, and even making the players loose points of Strength or Dexterity the longer that they stayed (No save, one point a day, or a week or something). Positive energy magic would automatically fail, but negative energy magic would be automatically empowered.
 
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3) The effect area of a Black Mirror might be a visible thing. A deepening darkness, like smoke. An area where the haze went from white or grey to black. Light would be even further reduced. Maybe the reflections of real world objects would show dramatic signs of entropy, or even look corrupted somehow. (again with the Silent Hill thing. I think rust and chains and burnt scorches when I picture this) Fallout, like after a nuclear blast comes to mind.The areas where black mirrors are could look like a bomb had been dropped. Complete with ash-fall, rubble and flash-casts of objects on the walls behind them. In the real world, black mirrors drain soul-energy (magic). In the shadow world, they might actually drain physical energy the same way. When the characters take HP or attribute damage, it is amplified as if it was a spell cast in the mirror's range.
 
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4) I have a monster that I use in my game called a Fade (not the one from this site). They are the source of the Sarcosan superstition about fog and mist.  A formerly human creature which is able to instantly become fog, step into a haze and come out in another place, throws lighting from it's fingers, drains energy with it's touch and is generally nasty. I've always thought that when the fog lifts, a Fade is forced back into another place, or at least it is able to go to that other place for quickened travel. It stands to reason that a creature like that would live primarily in the place which your character's spell will take your players, but come into the normal world to feed (or just sew pain and suffering). Were it's prey to be in it's home territory, it would probably be pretty happy, and perhaps even empowered. If nothing else it would have home court advantage.
 
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5) There may be certain Nexus that cross over the boundary, or are only able to be accessed in that other place. Maybe the shadow world itself is some kind of Nexus.
 
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The Master in Grey
 
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He wears a simple grey hooded robe tied at the waist by a black cord. Beneath the hood is a faceless grey mask with the horned skull of Izrador lacquered across the front. The mask has no eye, mouth or nose holes, but the mysterious legate never seems blinded of caught unaware. His voice is a hollow sounding with a slight rasp, and is slightly muffled by the mask he wears.
 
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He is rumored to be one of the founding members of the Order of Shadow. Many high ranking members of the order remember having him as an instructor during their days as an acolyte. None are sure how old he is in truth, or even if the current Master in Grey is the one they recall. What is known is that he is a master Diviner and ruthlessly intelligent. His grasp of the subtleties of the shifting politics within the order have left him unchallenged for as long as any can remember. Strangely, he never seems to take sides in any conflict. His neutrality has often been respected, primarily out of fear that he might take a dislike to a petitioner simply for asking him to take any side at all.
 
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His goals are simple and fairly well known. He seeks out powerful magic for study in hopes of creating new weapons to use against the fae. He is single minded in this pursuit, but strangely passionless. He is almost clinically detached from his life's work.
 
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He spends much of his time lecturing new acolytes and is remembered by nearly every current member of the order as being an extremely relaxed teacher who's subtle wrath is terrifying to behold. It comes without warning or preamble, often with no indication that a student has done anything to upset the Master, but should he be unsatisfied he is known to cause a student to lock up with total paralysis. There seems to be no cure, and the Master is known to inflict this punishment against any who attempt to aid other victims of his wrath. Those that are unworthy in the Master's eyes are left to stand a terrified vigil, alive but unmoving until they starve to death.
 
−
 
 
−
He is rumored to be able to travel vast distances extremely quickly by some unknown trick of magic. A secret which is coveted by many other legates, but one that is as yet undiscovered. He also has a large entourage who dress in similar garb to himself, only without the lacquered skull on the mask. He calls them his "students" and rarely addresses them in public. He will often use them as messengers or errand boys when he cannot attend to a matter personally.
 
−
 
 
−
Records within the order show that he was killed by another legate over 70 years ago. It was witnessed by many. two months later he returned to the High Temple without a word to anyone. The next day, his rival vanished, never to be seen again. He has never answered any questions about this strange return from death, but many speculate that he is in the high favor of the Dark One himself.
 
−
 
 
−
The reality:
 
−
 
 
−
The Master in Grey is an extremely clever Lich. When he completed the research necessary to become undead (over 200 years ago) he was a prominent Legate within the Order of Obsidian. He had made a number of enemies and was becoming well known. He realized that should others learn of his deathless nature he would be at a disadvantage. So he waited. He actually created the persona of the Master in Grey, and fabricated a history for him. He claimed to have transfered to the High Temple as a pilgrimage from Sharuun. He began to make public appearances as both his true self and as his newly created alter ego, and began playing them on opposite sides of the political spectrum. In an elaborate plan involving such powerful spells as Clone and Magic Jar, he managed to create a faximally of himself, dominate it's mind and have it publicly destroy his original body. (little did the masses know that this was actually the last step in his Liching ritual. He maintained his control over his simulacrum and at the same time created a number of fail-safes should his ruse ever be discovered. Two months later he destroyed his simulacrum, and with that his former self was gone. Only the Master in Grey remained, powerful and enigmatic.
 
−
 
 
−
His students are actually other undead who see without the need of eyes. No real students or acolytes are a part of his entourage, though many of his "students" are intelligent undead who serve his intrests. The Master in Grey is able to project his mind into undead he has created, even over vast distances, and often keeps them stashed in important locations in case he needs to make a public appearance. This projection is taxing, but he finds that encouraging confusion as to his whereabouts and his true capabilities benefit him greatly. Even if his secret were discovered, it would be extremely difficult to tell if one was speaking with the true Master in Grey or a simple skeleton which is being used as a mouthpiece. A simple switch of a mask, or mental projection allows him to act mostly unnoticed by taking on the role of a lowly servant.
 
−
 
 
−
His main project these days is the use of an ancient factory in the Kaladrun mountains he discovered which is capable of creating Stone Golems. he has created a fortress above the factory and spends much of his time there, though his doubles keep up appearances in other key locations. he has a force of orcs, a company of human mercenaries who act as his scouts, informants everywhere, a coven of Shadow Adepts who serve him, a small family of Black Blood dwarves and a growing force of Stone Golems at his disposal, but his favorite servants are intelligent undead. He offers eternal life to his most favored servants, but into the ritual he weaves magics which allow him to usurp their bodies, see and hear through their eyes and otherwise control them easily. most are unaware of this, but a handful of his most trusted lieutenants are a quartet of Orc Death Guards who feel that being possessed by The Master in Grey is akin to being touched by the Dark One himself. One even believes that the reason the Master wears his shroud is because he is secretly an Orc.
 
−
 
 
−
He is currently sending a lone golem in the company of his "students" across the continent to Grial the Fae Killer's army. He hopes to strike a deal with the legendary general for use of his golems against the elves. Should he acomplish this, he will have gained a powerful ally.
 
−
 
 
−
His Phylactery is hidden inside a secret compartment built into a Stone Golem. nearly every golem built has such a compartment, and he fills them with boxes identical to his phylactery, enchanted with terrible curses and contagions to condemn any that open or destroy them. He hope is that anyone who discovers what he is, where he is and where his phylactery might be would be slain by the decoys.
 
−
 
 
−
The Master in Grey is best described as a creature of layers. He creates deceptions and stacks others on top of them. His ultimate goal is simply to live to see the resurrection of his god. he does that by being incredibly careful, secretive and trying not to draw attention to his exploits. He has no ambition for power and no particular enemies within the Order, mostly because anyone who asks the wrong questions simply vanishes, or dies in a tragic accident.
 
−
 
 
−
From his fortress in the Kaladruns, he reaches out with masked decoys and manipulates the whole of the occupied lands, as well as the minds of the next generation of Legates. If any knew the true extent of his influence, it is likely he would be hunted down and destroyed.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
  
 
=== Denizens of the Gray Realms ===
 
=== Denizens of the Gray Realms ===
Line 302: Line 121:
 
=== Ulterior Purpose of the Arrows ===
 
=== Ulterior Purpose of the Arrows ===
 
* '''Check''' +22 =  ''[http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1538074/ 36]'' - We know that they are headed for the Blood Tower, and we know that it's entirely likely (virtually a sure thing) that one of their reasons for doing so is to enchant weapons at the nexus there.  One of the reasons Kyuad is looking into this further is that it doesn't really fit that they'd stop to enchant weapons that aren't detectable by astiraxes since this kind of thing will take weeks, and we know they are slowly being killed off by the plague.  Is there something or some one so important and protected by legates/a mirror that they determined that the loss was acceptable? (Extremely obscure, known by very few. ''Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world'')
 
* '''Check''' +22 =  ''[http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1538074/ 36]'' - We know that they are headed for the Blood Tower, and we know that it's entirely likely (virtually a sure thing) that one of their reasons for doing so is to enchant weapons at the nexus there.  One of the reasons Kyuad is looking into this further is that it doesn't really fit that they'd stop to enchant weapons that aren't detectable by astiraxes since this kind of thing will take weeks, and we know they are slowly being killed off by the plague.  Is there something or some one so important and protected by legates/a mirror that they determined that the loss was acceptable? (Extremely obscure, known by very few. ''Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world'')
 +
 +
 +
 +
==DRAGONS  (general)==
 +
The known varieties of true dragons fall into three broad categories: Shadow-aligned, Enslaved and Hidden. There are NO known resistance aligned dragons that survived the onslaught of the Shadow's last battle that ended the third age.
 +
 +
In general true dragons gain more abilities and greater power as they age, however this is more attributed to survivability than biology. They range in length from several feet upon hatching to more than 100 feet as a great wyrm. The size of a particular dragon varies according to age, magical/divine alteration and experiences.  A dragon's metabolism operates like a highly efficient furnace and can metabolize even inorganic material. Some dragons have developed a taste for such fare.
 +
 +
Although goals and ideals vary among individuals, all dragons are confident of their race being above any other on Aryth. Each dragon across Aryth has developed as distinctly as any man could from his culture.  In ancient times status among dragonkind was supported in hoarding wealth, collecting mounds of coins and gathering as many gems, jewels, and magic items as possible.  While the need/want for such things died out long ago as dragons became less of a culture and more individualistic, a very few will still retain their treasure troves of latter day – the nature of keeping such hoards has grown near impossible with survival surpassing greed, pride or lust.  The nature of this attitude great toward the greed for power to be won for supremacy over dragonkind, however since the loss of Xirci and the utter domination of Zardrix… even this nature has fallen to the wayside.  The one single truism of all dragons is that no two will be alike...
 +
 +
 +
Anaximath was at the Vanguard of Izrador's forces when they drove south during the Last Battle and was responsible for the death of hundreds of elves during that day of slaughter. Ever since that day, he has taken up residence on the eastern outskirts of Erethor, making skirting the Sea of Pelluria to the west a dangerous endeavor. He had patroled the forest constantly under cover of his spells, killing off elves and other travelers with impunity and feeding on the dire animals that call the forest home, more and more over the past decades he's grown frustrated with his inability to gain stature and purpose and has since become complacent. Anaximath is a cruel creature who lives for nothing more than to serve the Shadow by killing his enemies, so perverted has his will become. He is known to have two lairs, one in a moss-covered cave in the forest and the other a submerged cavern along the western shelf of the Pelluria.
 +
 +
===Anaximath  (approximation)===
 +
 +
The Vanguard (sometimes known as the Skull Dragon because of his skeletal face, adding to the skeletal impression is the gradual deterioration of the hide around the base of the horn and the cheekbones. This deterioration does not harm the dragon) Anaximath's dragon's scales are larger, thicker, and dull, helping it camouflage itself in swamps and marshes.  Currently his scales have been covered in "hide carved" magical runes that seem to offer various forms of protections and resistances beyond normal dragon kind.
 +
 +
::  Gargantuan Dragon
 +
::  male dragon
 +
::  Hit Dice:  20-27  (250-350 hp)
 +
::  Initiative: not known for being exceptional, probably doesn't have the Improved Initiative feat.
 +
::  Speed: above average speed, and pretty good at flying (maybe 150')
 +
::  Armor Class: 25-35 (penalty due to size, lots of natural AC, average Dex, unknown AC mods)
 +
::  Attacks: +25 to +30 melee;  claw, claw, bit, tail slap, wing
 +
::  Space/Reach: 20 ft./15-20 ft.  (long)
 +
::  Special Attacks: Breath weapon, crush, frightful presence, spell-like abilities; spells(?)
 +
::  Special Qualities:  damage reduction 5-15/??, 3-4 immunities, Observed:  Blindsense,  Hide-carved (PrC)
 +
::  Saves: Fort (first - high), Ref (third), Will (second)
 +
::  Abilities: Str 25+, Dex 10-ish, Con 20-25, Mental stats: all are above average for human, average to lower than average for dragons
 +
::  Skills:  All dragons have skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (Hit Dice + 3). Most dragons purchase the following skills at the maximum ranks possible: Listen, Search, and Spot. The remaining skill points are generally spent on Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device at a cost of 1 skill point per rank. All these skills are considered class skills for dragons. (Each dragon has other class skills as well, as noted in the variety descriptions.) very knowledgeable, devious, intimidating, and perceptive
 +
::  Feats:  All dragons have one feat, plus additional feats based on Hit Dice just like any other creature. Dragons favor Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (claw or bite), Wingover, and any metamagic feat that is available and useful to sorcerers. Many combat-oriented feats, many dragon oriented feats.  Told to be the only creature in the last battle to have made his way to reach and damage Aradil on the line.  Combat Reflexes, an Improved Natural Atk ability, Cleave, Power Attack is possible.  Observed:  hover, Spring Attack and/or Fly-By Attack, the use of at least one Quicken Spell-like Ability
 +
::  Environment: Warm forests
 +
::  Organization: Solitary
 +
::  Challenge Rating: 13-25
 +
::  Alignment: chaotic evil
 +
 +
:  '''DRAGON COMBAT'''  (general)
 +
A dragon attacks with its powerful claws and bite, and can also use a breath weapon and special physical attacks, depending on its size. Many prefer to fight on the wing, staying out of reach until it has worn down the enemy with ranged attacks – however some have adapted other tactics to survive their fellow dragons of more powerful means. Some dragons are adept at sizing up the opposition and eliminating the most dangerous foes first, others avoid them while picking off weaker enemies.
 +
::  Bite: Bite attacks deal the indicated damage plus the dragon's Strength bonus. A dragon also can use its bite to snatch opponents if it has the Snatch feat.
 +
::  Claw: Claw attacks deal the indicated damage plus 1/2 the dragon's Strength bonus (round down). The dragon also can use its claws to snatch opponents if it has the Snatch feat. Claw attacks are secondary attacks, requiring a –5 penalty on the attack roll. (Many dragons choose the Multiattack feat to lessen this penalty to –2).
 +
::  Wing: The dragon can slam opponents with its wings, even when flying. Wing attacks deal the indicated damage plus 1/2 the dragon's Strength bonus (round down) and are treated as secondary attacks.
 +
::  Tail Slap: The dragon can slap one opponent each round with its tail. A tail slap deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down) and is treated as a secondary attack.
 +
::  Crush (Ex): This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents). A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon's body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon's breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don't escape. A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down).
 +
::  Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows a dragon of at least Gargantuan size to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 30 feet (or 40 feet for a Colossal dragon), extending from an intersection on the edge of the dragon's space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A tail sweep automatically deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down). Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC equal to that of the dragon's breath weapon).
 +
::  Grappling: Dragons do not favor grapple attacks, though their crush attack (and Snatch feat, if they know it) use normal grapple rules. A dragon can always use its breath weapon while grappling, as well as its spells and spell-like or supernatural abilities, provided it succeeds on Concentration checks.
 +
::  Breath Weapon (Su):  Acid cloud that condenses to liquid;  fireball blast. Through divine or magical means, some dragons have adapted to multiple breath weapon options.  Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can't breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. If a dragon has more than one type of breath weapon, it still can breathe only once every 1d4 rounds. A blast from a breath weapon always starts at any intersection adjacent to the dragon and extends in a direction of the dragon's choice, with an area as noted on the table below. If the breath weapon deals damage, creatures caught in the area can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage; the DC depends on the dragon's age and variety, and is given in each individual entry. Saves against nondamaging breath weapons use the same DC; the kind of saving throw is noted in the variety descriptions. The save DC against a breath weapon is 10 + 1/2 dragon's HD + dragon's Con modifier.
 +
::  Breath weapons come in two basic shapes, line and cone, whose areas vary with the dragon's size.
 +
:::  Anaximath's Breath Weapons  (maximum)
 +
:::  Dragon Size:  Gargantuan
 +
:::  Line* (Length):  120 ft.
 +
:::  Cone** (Length):  60 ft.
 +
:::  * A line is always 5 feet high and 5 feet wide.
 +
:::  ** A cone is as high and wide as its length.
 +
:: Frightful Presence (Ex): dragons can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons DONOT ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.  Observed:  DC 23.
 +
::  Spells: many dragons (but not all) know and cast arcane spells as a sorcerer of the level, there's been word that at least one dragon has been known to cast as a Legate.
 +
::  Spell-Like Abilities:  Dragons have various spell-like abilities based on their experiences and age.  All spell-like abilities are usable once per day unless otherwise noted.  Anaximath (like all dragons) has developed a variety of other Spell-Like abilities…  These vary greatly between dragons and are not completely known.  Observed:  Anaximath has at least one ability Quickened, use/calling storm of Locusts, attempted to control Eranon, disappeared from the battlefield (invisible?? illusion??)
 +
::  Spells:  it is unknown if Anaximath can cast spells.
 +
::  Damage Reduction: most dragons have damage reduction. Their natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
 +
::  Immunities (Ex): many dragons have immunity to sleep and/or paralysis effects. Many dragons have immunity to 3-4 forms of attack, as given in its description.
 +
::  Spell Resistance (Ex): Most dragons, are more resistant to spells and spell-like abilities, as indicated in the variety descriptions.
 +
::  Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 feet. Opponents the dragon can't actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.
 +
::  Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.
 +
::  Water Breathing (Ex): Anaximath can breathe underwater or hold his breath for a very long time.

Latest revision as of 17:31, 16 April 2008

Kyuad's Lorebook

RESULTS GUIDE[edit]

This guide shows the information found in the Midnight book, plus implied levels of knowledge to fill in gaps and the higher-end range of results. These don't have to be used, and in fact could be changed entirely, but they represent options for the GM. The DCs 15, 35, and 40 are not found on the standard chart.

Lorebook Checks
DC Type of Knowledge Examples
10 Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the local population. A legend about a spirit that haunts the nearby forest; the local lord's tax collection schedule, or what other burdens he places on the people.
(15) Common, known by a local minority (does not exist on the chart, it's existence is implied). Realization that elements of a local legend actually point to real events; the reason the local legate is furious with the town's farmers; identify a CL 5 or lower magic item.
20 Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area. Legends of a lost city sunk in a nearby swamp; the fact that the town's healer also brews potions; identify a CL 10 or lower magic item.
25 Obscure, known by few, hard to come by. The fact that the town's healer is an insurgent; that the town was once the site of a mass destruction of the Fell; identify a CL 20 magic item.
30 Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. That the elves refer to the town's orchard as elluinel; identify an artifact.
(35) Secret knowledge, facts new to the world (does not exist on the chart, it's existence is implied). The identity of a dangerous foe prophesied in an old tomb; accurate weather prediction; an outsider's true name; identification of a creature never before seen.
(40) Secrets lying behind great mysteries, dangerous information (does not exist on the chart, it's existence is implied). A secret from the history of one of the Night Kings; the ultimate plan of a powerful demon; the nature of how magic functions in Aryth; inferred but likely theories as to the true heir to the throne of Erenland; a Night King's weakness.


Lorebook References[edit]

Note: most of these came from the dream that was played to us by Zal'Kazzir. Y'aught ta reference that if something doesn't seem entirely familiar.
Also, these questions were asked more than a level ago. If the results are coming now, we should use Kyuad's current modifier, which means that everything before "The Gray Realms" gets a +2 bonus to the result. This won't change most of them, but the subject that will be boosted to the next-highest level of information is the "Arunath Peaks".

Moonstruck Clan[edit]

  • Check +22 = 37: Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


the Highwood Forest[edit]

  • Check +22 = 40 - Highwood (nat 20, homie): Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secrets lying behind great mysteries, dangerous information)


Lolth, sister of Aradil[edit]

  • Check +22 = 36 - Lolth: Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


Arunath Peaks[edit]

  • Check +22 = 39 - Arunath Peaks: Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world, but might be bumped up to the 40 range, if that is used at all)


Terrod Host[edit]

  • Check +22 = 37 - Terrod Host: Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


Sunken Palace[edit]

  • Check +22 = 27 - Sunken Palace: Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.


The Gray Realms[edit]

The Grey Lands in Kyuad's Lorebook

Denizens of the Gray Realms[edit]

  • Check +22 = 38 - What "lives" or is found within the realms in the Paths of Dal Colia?: Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. (Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


Finding/Avoiding Denizens of the Gray Realms[edit]

  • Check +22 = 29 - What might attract and not attract the Shadow of Izrador while in the Paths of Dal Colia?: Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.


Echo's Splinter[edit]

  • Check +22 = 24 - What other higher level spells may be on the staff, Echo's Splinter?: Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area.
    • NOTE: This wasn't intended to be a Lorebook check. The staff's information says that someone can spend an hour studying the staff to get all of the spells recorded of a specific spell level. If there was a number written down on the board, it was Eranon's Spellcraft check, because he was the one doing the work.


Priest-Slayer[edit]

  • Check +22 = 31 - From Durgaz, Kyuad knows that this is an orc who was sent out on patrol with a legate, and who slaughtered the legate after being on the road with him mere hours, being fed up with being ordered around. What else is known about this figure? Potential ally? (Extremely obscure, known by very few)

Weather in the North[edit]

  • Check +22 = 37 - How should we prepare to deal with the weather (coldness, food, wind, etc) in the north as we go to the tower? (Extremely obscure, known by very few - Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


Covenant Items[edit]

  • Check +22 = 26 - Any leads to covenant items in the region where we're going? (Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.)


The Arrows[edit]

  • Check +22 = 32 - What does Kyuad know about Ossion's abilities, and the abilities of his Arrows? (Extremely obscure, known by very few)


Creatures of the Northern March[edit]

  • Check +22 = 33 - What kinds of creatures are found where we're going, what should we look out for, and what's the most troubling danger, and might we find any allies? Will we be encroaching on eransil territory? If Kyuad were to recommend that Durgaz set his weapon to be bane versus a creature type, what would be the best? (Extremely obscure, known by very few)


Foundlings[edit]

  • Check +22 = 22 - Is there any historical reference to something else that might also be a Foundling? Keep in mind that this is something that's befuddled Kyuad throughout his life. (Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area.)


Belal/Nazzif[edit]

  • Check +22 = 36 - What is his vulnerability? (Extremely obscure, known by very few. Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


Iban-Suul[edit]

  • Check +22 = 33 - I don't know the spelling, but the creature that lords over the great demon city in the Aruun. Specifically, what Kyuad is looking for is another tie-in with the hybridization techniques of Ardherin, et al. (Extremely obscure, known by very few.)


Polymorph as Protection vs. Plague[edit]

  • Check +22 = 42 - Kyuad has a plan to polymorph Durgaz and Eranon into humans so that they cannot be susceptible to the fey-killing plague. According to straight rules, the spell changes their type so that they are Humanoid (human) rather than Humanoid (orc/elf) - see the reference to type in the wildlander/ranger favored foe ability. However, even though this aught to work, I'm eager to make sure as much as possible. If they come in contact with the plague, what steps must be taken to cleanse their clothing/bodies before they change back to ensure that they don't re-infect? Is there anything that Kyuad knows about the plague creators that would inform him of the plague's nature? If so, what are the chances that a human can be a carrier without being affected by the plague? And for that matter, how could it be cured? (wow, nat 20! Extremely obscure, known by very few. Optional: Secrets lying behind great mysteries, dangerous information.)


Ulterior Purpose of the Arrows[edit]

  • Check +22 = 36 - We know that they are headed for the Blood Tower, and we know that it's entirely likely (virtually a sure thing) that one of their reasons for doing so is to enchant weapons at the nexus there. One of the reasons Kyuad is looking into this further is that it doesn't really fit that they'd stop to enchant weapons that aren't detectable by astiraxes since this kind of thing will take weeks, and we know they are slowly being killed off by the plague. Is there something or some one so important and protected by legates/a mirror that they determined that the loss was acceptable? (Extremely obscure, known by very few. Optional: Secret knowledge, facts new to the world)


DRAGONS (general)[edit]

The known varieties of true dragons fall into three broad categories: Shadow-aligned, Enslaved and Hidden. There are NO known resistance aligned dragons that survived the onslaught of the Shadow's last battle that ended the third age.

In general true dragons gain more abilities and greater power as they age, however this is more attributed to survivability than biology. They range in length from several feet upon hatching to more than 100 feet as a great wyrm. The size of a particular dragon varies according to age, magical/divine alteration and experiences. A dragon's metabolism operates like a highly efficient furnace and can metabolize even inorganic material. Some dragons have developed a taste for such fare.

Although goals and ideals vary among individuals, all dragons are confident of their race being above any other on Aryth. Each dragon across Aryth has developed as distinctly as any man could from his culture. In ancient times status among dragonkind was supported in hoarding wealth, collecting mounds of coins and gathering as many gems, jewels, and magic items as possible. While the need/want for such things died out long ago as dragons became less of a culture and more individualistic, a very few will still retain their treasure troves of latter day – the nature of keeping such hoards has grown near impossible with survival surpassing greed, pride or lust. The nature of this attitude great toward the greed for power to be won for supremacy over dragonkind, however since the loss of Xirci and the utter domination of Zardrix… even this nature has fallen to the wayside. The one single truism of all dragons is that no two will be alike...


Anaximath was at the Vanguard of Izrador's forces when they drove south during the Last Battle and was responsible for the death of hundreds of elves during that day of slaughter. Ever since that day, he has taken up residence on the eastern outskirts of Erethor, making skirting the Sea of Pelluria to the west a dangerous endeavor. He had patroled the forest constantly under cover of his spells, killing off elves and other travelers with impunity and feeding on the dire animals that call the forest home, more and more over the past decades he's grown frustrated with his inability to gain stature and purpose and has since become complacent. Anaximath is a cruel creature who lives for nothing more than to serve the Shadow by killing his enemies, so perverted has his will become. He is known to have two lairs, one in a moss-covered cave in the forest and the other a submerged cavern along the western shelf of the Pelluria.

Anaximath (approximation)[edit]

The Vanguard (sometimes known as the Skull Dragon because of his skeletal face, adding to the skeletal impression is the gradual deterioration of the hide around the base of the horn and the cheekbones. This deterioration does not harm the dragon) Anaximath's dragon's scales are larger, thicker, and dull, helping it camouflage itself in swamps and marshes. Currently his scales have been covered in "hide carved" magical runes that seem to offer various forms of protections and resistances beyond normal dragon kind.

Gargantuan Dragon
male dragon
Hit Dice: 20-27 (250-350 hp)
Initiative: not known for being exceptional, probably doesn't have the Improved Initiative feat.
Speed: above average speed, and pretty good at flying (maybe 150')
Armor Class: 25-35 (penalty due to size, lots of natural AC, average Dex, unknown AC mods)
Attacks: +25 to +30 melee; claw, claw, bit, tail slap, wing
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15-20 ft. (long)
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, crush, frightful presence, spell-like abilities; spells(?)
Special Qualities: damage reduction 5-15/??, 3-4 immunities, Observed: Blindsense, Hide-carved (PrC)
Saves: Fort (first - high), Ref (third), Will (second)
Abilities: Str 25+, Dex 10-ish, Con 20-25, Mental stats: all are above average for human, average to lower than average for dragons
Skills: All dragons have skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x (Hit Dice + 3). Most dragons purchase the following skills at the maximum ranks possible: Listen, Search, and Spot. The remaining skill points are generally spent on Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device at a cost of 1 skill point per rank. All these skills are considered class skills for dragons. (Each dragon has other class skills as well, as noted in the variety descriptions.) very knowledgeable, devious, intimidating, and perceptive
Feats: All dragons have one feat, plus additional feats based on Hit Dice just like any other creature. Dragons favor Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (claw or bite), Wingover, and any metamagic feat that is available and useful to sorcerers. Many combat-oriented feats, many dragon oriented feats. Told to be the only creature in the last battle to have made his way to reach and damage Aradil on the line. Combat Reflexes, an Improved Natural Atk ability, Cleave, Power Attack is possible. Observed: hover, Spring Attack and/or Fly-By Attack, the use of at least one Quicken Spell-like Ability
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13-25
Alignment: chaotic evil
DRAGON COMBAT (general)

A dragon attacks with its powerful claws and bite, and can also use a breath weapon and special physical attacks, depending on its size. Many prefer to fight on the wing, staying out of reach until it has worn down the enemy with ranged attacks – however some have adapted other tactics to survive their fellow dragons of more powerful means. Some dragons are adept at sizing up the opposition and eliminating the most dangerous foes first, others avoid them while picking off weaker enemies.

Bite: Bite attacks deal the indicated damage plus the dragon's Strength bonus. A dragon also can use its bite to snatch opponents if it has the Snatch feat.
Claw: Claw attacks deal the indicated damage plus 1/2 the dragon's Strength bonus (round down). The dragon also can use its claws to snatch opponents if it has the Snatch feat. Claw attacks are secondary attacks, requiring a –5 penalty on the attack roll. (Many dragons choose the Multiattack feat to lessen this penalty to –2).
Wing: The dragon can slam opponents with its wings, even when flying. Wing attacks deal the indicated damage plus 1/2 the dragon's Strength bonus (round down) and are treated as secondary attacks.
Tail Slap: The dragon can slap one opponent each round with its tail. A tail slap deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down) and is treated as a secondary attack.
Crush (Ex): This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents). A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon's body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon's breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don't escape. A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down).
Tail Sweep (Ex): This special attack allows a dragon of at least Gargantuan size to sweep with its tail as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 30 feet (or 40 feet for a Colossal dragon), extending from an intersection on the edge of the dragon's space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are four or more size categories smaller than the dragon. A tail sweep automatically deals the indicated damage plus 1-1/2 times the dragon's Strength bonus (round down). Affected creatures can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage (DC equal to that of the dragon's breath weapon).
Grappling: Dragons do not favor grapple attacks, though their crush attack (and Snatch feat, if they know it) use normal grapple rules. A dragon can always use its breath weapon while grappling, as well as its spells and spell-like or supernatural abilities, provided it succeeds on Concentration checks.
Breath Weapon (Su): Acid cloud that condenses to liquid; fireball blast. Through divine or magical means, some dragons have adapted to multiple breath weapon options. Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can't breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. If a dragon has more than one type of breath weapon, it still can breathe only once every 1d4 rounds. A blast from a breath weapon always starts at any intersection adjacent to the dragon and extends in a direction of the dragon's choice, with an area as noted on the table below. If the breath weapon deals damage, creatures caught in the area can attempt Reflex saves to take half damage; the DC depends on the dragon's age and variety, and is given in each individual entry. Saves against nondamaging breath weapons use the same DC; the kind of saving throw is noted in the variety descriptions. The save DC against a breath weapon is 10 + 1/2 dragon's HD + dragon's Con modifier.
Breath weapons come in two basic shapes, line and cone, whose areas vary with the dragon's size.
Anaximath's Breath Weapons (maximum)
Dragon Size: Gargantuan
Line* (Length): 120 ft.
Cone** (Length): 60 ft.
* A line is always 5 feet high and 5 feet wide.
** A cone is as high and wide as its length.
Frightful Presence (Ex): dragons can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons DONOT ignore the frightful presence of other dragons. Observed: DC 23.
Spells: many dragons (but not all) know and cast arcane spells as a sorcerer of the level, there's been word that at least one dragon has been known to cast as a Legate.
Spell-Like Abilities: Dragons have various spell-like abilities based on their experiences and age. All spell-like abilities are usable once per day unless otherwise noted. Anaximath (like all dragons) has developed a variety of other Spell-Like abilities… These vary greatly between dragons and are not completely known. Observed: Anaximath has at least one ability Quickened, use/calling storm of Locusts, attempted to control Eranon, disappeared from the battlefield (invisible?? illusion??)
Spells: it is unknown if Anaximath can cast spells.
Damage Reduction: most dragons have damage reduction. Their natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Immunities (Ex): many dragons have immunity to sleep and/or paralysis effects. Many dragons have immunity to 3-4 forms of attack, as given in its description.
Spell Resistance (Ex): Most dragons, are more resistant to spells and spell-like abilities, as indicated in the variety descriptions.
Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 feet. Opponents the dragon can't actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.
Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.
Water Breathing (Ex): Anaximath can breathe underwater or hold his breath for a very long time.
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