[BLOG] Towards Fomalhaut – and What It Is

The City-State of Pentastadion
(as depicted in a 1932 university yearbook)

“OK, but what actually is Fomalhaut?” is not a question I get asked specifically, but it is one which seems to deserve an answer due to other questions about the setting which come up – “Is Erillion part of Fomalhaut?”, “Are all the campaigns in Echoes from Fomalhaut set in the same world?”, “Do you have a blog post that’s like a guide to your settings?” – and which come back to this question.

Over time, I may have contributed to the confusion by not clarifying the matter in an accessible post, and just assuming all this would be self-explanatory. To compound the problem, I named this blog “Beyond Fomalhaut”, and my zine “Echoes From Fomalhaut”. These choices were intentional, since at the time, I was not actually running a game in the Fomalhaut setting, so the names were hints this would be something different (the “beyond”), it would just have some vague stylistic similarities to it (the “echoes”). Both were initially aimed at a small circle of friends I have known since the mid-2000s who would presumably know this, but rapidly grew beyond that scope to draw new readers who presumably wouldn’t. The original setting guide was published in Fight On #03 in 2008, and that wasn’t yesterday either (more time has passed since that time than between OD&D and 2e). To add insult to injury, when I started publishing materials for the Isle of Erillion, I didn’t have a good name for the broader setting, and didn’t really need any, so a lot of people just rationally assumed it would be the titular Fomalhaut. A few years later, the mixup persists and grows, and well, much of it is my fault. It also happens to be that I have published a hardcover last year that described a corner of Fomalhaut (Khosura), and am planning a players’ setting guide for early next year, making it a good opportunity to clarify things.

So here it is: a post about what isn’t Fomalhaut, what is Fomalhaut, and what makes Fomalhaut distinct from “just old-school D&D”.

We Will Speak of this No More
(an Unholy Khosura/Erillion Hybrid by Grützi)

Drifting Lands: What Isn’t Fomalhaut

Let’s start with the simple part. The Isle of Erillion, the Twelve Kingdoms, and Kassadia are unrelated to Fomalhaut. All of these places are regions of the Drifting Lands, a more traditional adventure fantasy setting which is more or less in line with the implied setting of the AD&D rulebooks. Of these, Erillion is sort of standard Gygaxian high fantasy (and would fit neatly into Greyhawk somewhere east of the Great Kingdom and north of the Lendore Isles); the Twelve Kingdoms is a northern archipelago divided among tiny rival kingdoms (mainly inspired by Jack Vance's Lyonesse and Mike Singleton's Lords of Midnight); and the fallen Empire of Kassadia is a mixture of late Roman and mediaeval Italian influences about a land where the local equivalent of the Roman Empire never fell, just decayed into competing polities still nominally linked by shared culture and tradition. Other regions in the settings are sketched out but unexplored, since we have not had adventures there.

The Drifting Lands just assume that all of the common assumptions about AD&D’s implied setting are valid, and if something is there in the three rulebooks, you could also find it here. (Conversely, I have never had much of an interest in expansions like the UA, although our campaigns have adapted some stuff from T. Foster’s much better Heroic Legendarium.) The Drifting Lands is more humanocentric than canonical AD&D tends to be; it is slightly lower on the power curve (it doesn’t get too deep into the high-level end of AD&D, and assumes a lower level of magical treasure); and it has a slightly stronger sense of fantasy realpolitik than most AD&D materials (assuming its internal conflicts mostly stem from human-level ambitions vis-à-vis a battle of cosmic forces and alignments – to be fair, Greyhawk comes fairly close in these sensibilities). These are differences of degree, but not of kind. It also explains why I didn’t worry too much about defining the setting beyond the regional level, since materials written for it are plug-and-play, and easily adapted to most old-school campaigns.

Now This Is More Like It
(Updated Overview Map)

What Fomalhaut Is

Fomalhaut is a different setting: a coherent sword & sorcery take on the D&D baseline, with strong sword & planet elements. While the Drifting Lands are defined by their adherence to the AD&D canon, Fomalhaut is defined by its distinction from modern RPG fantasy – it highlights that which is specific and peculiar about old-school D&D, eliminates the “elfie-welfie” (my phrase from 2006), and makes a setting out of it. At the time of its creation in 2006 (apparently, right before Christmas), it was inspired by the rediscovery of the Judges Guild materials, particularly Wilderlands of High Fantasy; the exploration of “Appendix N” books; a growing interest in OD&D; and the stranger aspects of old-school play. Thus, Fomalhaut is still D&D through-and-through, but it focuses on the game where it connects to earlier traditions of pulp fantasy. This is not old-school gaming as it was, since it was always a mixture of influences, but old-school gaming as it could at least theoretically be – self-consciously sword & sorcery while keeping the structures of play as they are.

Not Quite Fomalhaut,
But Close Enough

Fomalhaut’s TL;DR pitch is “Mediterranean city-states in a world built atop the ruins of an earlier, more advanced age, surrounded by a vast wilderness dotted with strange enclaves, fallen (or all-too-successful) utopias, and pockets of weirdness.” Its main sources of inspiration in tone are Leigh Brackett (the Skaith trilogy in particular), Jack Vance (more Planet of Adventure and even Demon Princes than the Cugel stories), Clark Ashton Smith (mostly Hyperborea and Zothique), H.P. Lovecraft (Dream-Quest, but not Cthulhu), Harold Lamb’s historical pulps, various swords & sandals movies like Harryhausen’s Sindbad films, and Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon comics (the original, crazy 1930s strips, of which the 1980 movie is a worthy adaptation). To sum up from the intro of the forthcoming gazetteer: “This is a setting of bold sword & sorcery, where the Techno-Hellenic age fell in destructive interstellar wars, and was succeeded by one of iron and bronze. Here, the descendants of Man have fractured into a myriad strange societies in a changed world, some warlike, some reclusive, and some surprisingly civilised. Philosophy, religion, and cultural variety are rife with exception and local colour. But ‘in every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same’ – and for all its strangeness, this setting, and the adventures you can find therein, should be immediately recognisable to fans of sword & sorcery.”

One major difference with strong implications down the line is that where D&D’s implied setting is mostly mediaeval (with Old West and modern influences), Fomalhaut draws its aesthetics and social settings from Ancient Greece and the surrounding Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilisations. It is thus a setting with vast seas and lots of seafaring; mainlands covered with wilderness and lots of barren wastelands; and small pockets of civilisation dominated by commercial city-states (leaning into the points of light concept). It assumes fantasy polytheism a bit beyond D&D’s understanding, and a set of limited petty gods with massive character flaws. It also adds a layer of weirdness, which informs its ideas of the fantastic: lost high technology, crashed UFOs, ideas plundered from pseudo-archaeology, the kind of strange magic you may find in 1930s pulps, and all kinds of odd thought experiments (“but what if… someone tried to set up an ecological utopia in a sword & sorcery setting around the wreckage of a flying saucer?”). The setting also assumes NPCs and PCs who are shrewd, pragmatic, and often a little morally dubious by modern standards – more Odysseus and Conan than Robin Hood and Frodo. Conversely, it is not a grimdark setting: it is intended to be violent and morally complex, but not nasty or cynical. It is about as edgy as a mid-century hardboiled story – that is, “somewhat” but not beyond good taste. If Leigh Brackett would write it, it would fit Fomalhaut.

Above all, Fomalhaut leans into the idea of the hex-crawl, as expressed most purely in Wilderlands of High Fantasy: the setting is meant to be a sandbox where wilderness exploration and sea-faring are important pillars of play. (Although our City of Vultures campaigns were mostly city-centric, and our ongoing online game is more site-based.) It stretches over nine hex maps, two of which have been published so far (one in Echoes #08, and one in Khosura), and altogether three of which have seen extensive play since 2007 (not counting connected otherworlds, of which there were some).

The Tridentos
(Regional Hex Map ca. 2006, Players' Version)

Setting specifics

(This section is excerpted from the forthcoming players’ gazetteer.)

Campaigns on the world of Fomalhaut generally conform to the rules and style of play found in old-school systems, but by default (as we have played our campaigns), they feature some departures as well. The following is not immutable dogma, and may be altered or disregarded at the Gamemaster’s discretion, but it makes for a cohesive, sword & sorcery-flavoured take on the old-school playstyle that has worked out fine in our games.

Humanocentrism: Only human descendants of old Terra are found on the world of Fomalhaut. The likes of dwarves, elves, gnomes or halflings are entirely absent, unless they are brought in through a magic portal, found in cryogenic storage, summoned by a magic-user, etc. During character generations, players may select from Terrans (general humans) and other human sub-groups. Likewise, Fomalhaut does not have goblinoids (orcs, goblins, ogres, most giants) or dragons, but features an abundance of degenerate cavemen, a few mutants, dinosaurs, and rarely, high-tech killing machines. In many cases, the GM can simply substitute appropriate results on random encounter tables (e.g. cavemen or ape-men for orcs, or dinosaurs for dragons). [The original setting concept had gnolls, but they were subsequently removed. Our first campaign also featured a dragon despite my sincere promises that “there are no dragons on Fomalhaut”. Fortunately, the dragon was killed by the characters, so there are no dragons on Fomalhaut. You can trust me.]

Class range: Not all classes fit campaigns on Fomalhaut. Fighters, clerics, thieves, magic-users and illusionists are excellent; others may be adopted on a case-by-case basis. In a campaign played with Seven Voyages of Zylarthen, fighting-men, thieves (SVoZ’s excellent variant) and magic-users were sufficient, and clerics were not particularly missed.

You Will Worship the Benevolent
Giant Slug God of Hedonism
And You Will Be Happy
(NO EDGED WEAPONS
OR SALT ALLOWED!)

Petty gods: Fomalhaut’s gods are not impersonal cosmic forces, but powerful and arbitrary individuals. Few consider them a reliable moral compass, and those who do are often dangerous fanatics. But most average denizens, and even priests and other followers see them in a practical light, resulting in a more transactional relationship. However, player character may easily come into contact with the gods from the outset, who can act as both patrons and antagonists in the course of play.

Power range: It is suggested to start campaigns at level 3 (or an XP value where most classes are at that point) where characters are hardy and capable enough to face the world’s challenges. No campaigns in the setting have reached levels far beyond name level (12-13 was the highest), and that is more or less where the setting itself caps out. Magic has also been limited in our campaigns, with no spells available beyond level 5, and no magic items beyond +3 (mostly in keeping with OD&D’s original range, which was similar). Magic items were generally more scarce. All this results a world of sword & sorcery that is slightly lower-powered than the old-school default, but where characters can also expect the same restraint from the setting itself.

XP for squandering: Treasure-based experience is awarded not for winning treasure, but squandering it in hedonistic excess (at the same rate of 1 XP/gp). Squandering may mean expensive drugs, lavish entertainment, fancy clothing, sponsoring gladiatorial games, or anything that has no direct or indirect gameplay benefit. Therefore, money spent to curry favour with the rich and powerful, direct sacrifices to the gods, or bribes to achieve some concrete aim do not count, but investments in larger personal projects (including the construction of temples and strongholds) do. Alms to orphans and widows, or money spent on other acts of senseless altruism also qualify, since these actions are ultimately just as ineffective and meaningless as vapid debauchery. No training rules apply, as characters are assumed to be competent enough to learn during their adventures.

Hellenism and barbarism: The cultures, attitudes and development level of the setting reflect humanity during late antiquity instead of a truly mediaeval milieu. This is not just an age of barbarism, but also one of sophistication and sometimes decadence; of bold ideas and advanced commerce in a violent world. This is not a grim and dark milieu, but one with wide conceptual horizons. Magic and fantastic elements are not pervasive, but they do shape the possibilities and mindset of Fomalhaut’s societies, and the powerful use them on a par for the course basis. The legacy of the lost Techno-Hellenic age also means the setting may be more modern in its thinking than it could first appear, and both the players and some NPCs may be behaving like modern men dropped into pre-modern societies. Of course, applying modern ideologies or utopian philosophies to the basic layer of fantastic “realism” also introduces an inherent tension, with many possibilities for conflict and failure. This element is excellent fodder for ongoing campaigns.

High technology: The clash of a sword & sorcery setting and advanced technology is a prominent feature of adventures on Fomalhaut, which feature a strong sword & planet element. Devices from the world’s ancient history do not turn up often in the daily life of an average person, but they are a lot less rare in the hidden corners of the wilderlands, the deep levels of dungeon complexes, or in the possession of NPCs. By outwards appearance, the devices and architectural remains of the old Terran civilisation generally follow neoclassical, art deco, and high modernist / brutalist influences.

Foreign planes and strange worlds: Boundaries are thin between the plane of Fomalhaut and other dimensions. Adventurers who lose their way may easily find themselves in another world, or be dragged into strange settings by hostile forces, from which they must escape with their own might. It is left open to interpretation whether these worlds are truly different planes, foreign planets, a form of time travel, dream-worlds, or all of these.

Exoticism and colour: As conceived, Fomalhaut strives to be a world of colourful, mosaic-like cultural variety; eccentric and sometimes outré local customs; with a helping of fanciful thought-experiments and surrealism. This is also a setting where wild ideas may be tried in some corner of the world to see how they unfold to their logical conclusions, which is how many of the specific details of this gazetteer came to be.

Keep it adventurous: Ultimately, this is a setting for classic adventure gaming with the usual old-school rulesets, not an exercise in world-building for its own sake, or an attempt to come up with the most bizarre world imaginable. Where a lot of Fomalhaut is colourful, the adventures therein should be immediately familiar. It is a broad canvas to have adventures with a specific flavour, and the needs of the game always come first.

The Sea of Emerald Idols
(as Depicted on a 1988 SF Magazine Cover)

What Is Out There and What Is Yet To Come

At the present time, two main bodies of work for Fomalhaut are available in up-to-date editions: Khosura, King of the Wastelands (a regional sandbox setting which has a bit of everything – city, dungeons, wilderness, and more), and various pieces of The City of Vultures campaign that have been published in Echoes From Fomalhaut. There have been a few others, and there were earlier materials elsewhere (mainly in Fight On! and Knockspell, although many of these have been republished).

Hex-crawl materials:

• Khosura, King of the Wastelands: Includes the writeup of the wilderness setting surrounding the city-state of Khosura, encompassing the south-eastern quadrant of the Batrakasz.
• Thasan: A hex-crawl treatment of the western half of this region, centred around the City of Vultures and extending to the Sea of Kroitos. Published in Echoes #08.

Adventure modules and campaign materials from the EMDT catalogue:

• The Lost Valley of Kishar (levels 6–8): Wilderness adventure set in a small valley populated by strange wildlife.
• Trail of the Sea Demon (levels 3–5): Three interconnected city adventures involving a mysterious cult.
• The Nocturnal Table: Although more broadly usable, the nighttime encounters in this book were originally developed for the City of Vultures.
• People of the Great Wheel: A doomsday sect worshipping an enormous, rolling stone wheel. Published in Echoes #03.
• Terror on Tridentfish Island (levels 3–5): Former island resort gone to ruin. Blood, death, and tourism! Published in Echoes #03.
• The Technological Table: Various high-tech devices from Fomalhaut. Published in Echoes #04.
• Arfel: City-State of the Charnel God: A smaller city-state close to the City of Vultures, ruled by the followers of Ozolba, the zombie god. Published in Echoes #04.
• The Enchantment of Vashundara (levels 3–4 ): A small extraplanar adventure set in the giant-sized palace of the eponymous hero-god. Published in Echoes #05.
• The City of Vultures: A primer to the city-state, with its customs, conspiracies, gods, and places of note. Published in Echoes #06.
• The Gallery of Rising Tombs (levels 4–6+): One of the major dungeon complexes beneath the City of Vultures. It goes deep and gets progressively more dangerous. Published in Echoes #06.
• The Hecatomb of Morthevole (levels 1–4): Mini-dungeon beneath the City of Vultures. Published in Echoes #07.
• The Tomb of Ali Shulwar (levels 4–6+): Another larger dungeon complex beneath the City of Vultures. Published in Echoes #07.
• The White Hand: One of the minor conspiracies in the City of Vultures. Published in Echoes #07.
• Oom the Many: A more prominent conspiracy in the City of Vultures. Published in Echoes #10.
• The Temple of Jeng: The city’s most powerful religion, including their heavily fortified temple. Published in Echoes #10.
• Urmalk the Boundless (levels 3–5): The necropolis of Pentastadion, a place of burial since time immemorial. Published in Echoes #12.
• Catacombs of the Pariahs (levels 3–7): Yet another large dungeon complex beneath the City of Vultures. Published in Echoes #12.
• Tower of the Thief (levels 3–5): A mini-adventure describing an abandoned tower inhabited by a master thief. Published in Echoes #12.

Earlier adventure modules, some to be revised, and excluding those that have already been:

• Black Blood (levels 3–5): A dark prophecy, a scared serving girl, and a nobleman’s villa where things have gone very-very wrong. The opening adventure to our first campaign. Published in Fight On! #05.
• Pentastadion: Large city-state, one of the setting’s main maritime powers. Published in Fight On! #05.
• The City-State of Dusal Dagodli: A very small, eccentric city-state inhabited by various philosophical schools. High Vancian. Published in Fight On! #12.
• Isles on an Emerald Sea (levels 5–10): A series of island scenarios, often fairly broad-strokes in their presentation. Published in Knockspell #01, #02, #04 and #06. I would like to update these, and add some material that saw play, but not publication.
• Systema Tartarobasis (levels 4–6): A larger adventure in a fallen technological utopia. Available here. [A minor note: the module introduction describes Fomalhaut's history as 8000-years long. This was subsequently shortened to a more sensible 4000 years.]
• In the Name of the Principle (levels 5–7): Tournament scenario set in a prosperous city-state known for its Autumn mysteries. A bit over-the-top compered to the setting baseline, but possibly the best thing I have written, so no regerts. Available here.

This is where things stand. My next  project is A Voyage to Fomalhaut, which will serve as the updated and expanded players’ setting gazetteer to replace the one that appeared in Fight On! #03, and should hopefully see release in February. I would like to release more material in the future, especially from our online campaign, which has produced a lot of stuff over three years of play. Even more importantly, I really wish to do a Fomalhaut boxed set with all the hex maps (counting player versions, that would be 18 of them, which is a bit scary to think of), and hex descriptions for the three major explored regions. This will need some work.

Until then, in the spirit of Christmas, here is a preview of A Voyage to Fomalhaut. Since my first post ever on Fomalhaut was a writeup of the deities, this will also be about half of the same chapter – now updated and expanded, with art by the late and great Virginia Frances Sterrett, the Antique Alumni, and yours truly.

A Voyage to Fomalhaut – Preview (2.3MB)

Onwards!

[CAMPAIGN JOURNAL] News on the March! Episode IV.

This post continues the series of brief play reports I have been posting on Discord. This does not cover every single session (sometimes, recon and setup is what happens), but it covers our ongoing games. Alas, I wrote no reports of Cauldron Con II - it was too much of a good thing, and the post ended up not happening. Here's the rest.

The Dog

19/09/2024

News from the fallen empire of Kassadia! The company overheard a conversation in their pub between two lowlives, speaking of a hidden stash left in one of Pellagris’ back alleys. They decided to nab it before they could return to it, and did find a pack... with a dead cat inside. A crossbow bolt came from the rooftops, almost killing Diomedes Fulmino – The Dog has struck, fleeing through the roofs after he has sent his message. And a message it was, affixed to the shaft: a letter from the dread pirate Stormy Asmodeo, demanding back the bounty of jewels they have stolen from his agent, Umberto Gatto.

Disregarding the warning, they instead ventured into the hills of Frabotia, to steal a herd of price horses from the manor of Lippo de Albuxis, one of the local noblemen. They visited the manor after some travel, meeting Lippo and his hunter, the elf Elentar. Both seemed good and hospitable company, and they decided against the theft. The Sir was looking for noble hunting quarry, particularly griffins (which were preying on his price horses), and dragons (which was his dream to hunt). After two days of hospitality, they continued through the hills, avoiding a large group of gnolls, discovering an empty crypt, then meeting another group of local servants, gathering herbs for Benozzo Garzoni, another local noble who was using these for dyes. These locals were very respectful to the company’s druid, as they were of the old faith. Continuing on, at a cluster of bushes, thick vines attacked the travellers from the undergrowth. In pitched combat, they were slain, but Axem Borbatuk (Cleric 4 of Irlan) was strangled and killed. Here, the heroic halfling was buried in a grave with respect, by the plant monsters he had fought.

Library of the Immaculate Reflection

29/09/2024

News from ULTRAREALITY! A new expedition set out from the Viridian Star to the City of the Ape-Men. Following the same route as previously, they made it to the mountain trail up to the island plateau, but were awaited by several ape-men. Although the ambush was detected, they hurled boulders from the cliffs above, sweeping Ixion off the path – he survived, but unconscious, and with two broken legs. The others retreated to a place offering shelter, and the apes followed in pursuit, swearing to destroy the enemies of GODDESS. A pitched battle played out above the yawning abyss, where three could hold up many; and 30 ape-men were slaughtered, the rest fleeing into the jungle.

Ixion was sent back to the ship with the amazons while the others pressed on, rejoining Bocephus the Magic-User, who had spent his time with certain plants he has discovered. He spoke of a vision, sensing that deception and cruel tricks ruled the city, with the apes mere pawns in the game. This was not enough information, so for further knowledge, they continued to the sealed Library of the Immaculate Reflection they had scouted previously. The entrance was walled up, but yielded to a battering ram improvised from a tree and some rope. Inside, the place was derelict and destroyed by putrescence; and shambling, horrifying undead monks came forth to destroy the intruders. Here, Malakos III had his throat ripped out by a monstrosity, but most were destroyed by two subsequent fireballs hurled by Bocephus. Further exploration discovered the library’s books were mostly too decayed, but two magic books and a mysterious tome were found intact. A reliquary hid a secret chamber with more rotted works and  two magic scrolls, but it was beneath the stones that the true valuables were found: gold bars, jewellery, and a magical tome of special exercises. With this haul, the company decided it has pushed its luck enough for now: and they returned to rest in one of the city’s crumbling palaces...

The Painter and his Wife

03/10/2024 

News from the fallen empire of Kassadia! The expedition continued through the hills of Frabotia. The Lion Pack was soon joined by a blond, blue-eyed half-orc who named himself Maximus, champion of Keora, who had heard of their spreading fame. They continued to the manor of Benozzo Garzoni, an artist fond of visionary paintings, opium-dreams, and illusionist magic. This was a good opportunity for Trupo Gizmegas to exchange spells, with the promise to help the farmhands, who were spooked by dangerous creatures and disappearances. They also met Benozzo’s beautiful, radiant young wife, Gianetta, who struck them as either an illusion herself, or some sort of witch; and they decided to avoid her.

Continuing to the farmhands’ stone cottages, populated by an archaic people who were overjoyed by Arden Oakbark’s visit, as they had long lost the druid who had ministered to them. They told of night-birds carrying off prey, and a young hunter who disappeared in the enchanted forest after following a dream. They also gave directions to a druidic circle, where – after defeating a goblin raiding party – Arden and Jovial Faustulus performed a rite, Arden gaining a one-use commune, and Faustulus some spells he could learn. Seeking out the night-birds, they found them in a tower ruin from an archaic age; 3 giant owls defending their nests ferociously. Romulus, one of Faustulus’ wolf companions, was killed, and the party suffered heavy wounds – but the birds were killed and two eggs captured. This settled the debt with Benozzo Garzoni.

But there was another rumour, of a dragon lairing in a quarry at the edge of the western mountains that drew them in. They visited the site, where stood giant blocks of marble with partially carved statues – and there was an enormous cave up among the cliffs, with ominously large footprints leading into the mountain. This was good news for Lippo de Albuxis; and leaving the beast be, they travelled back through the hills, to the abandoned crypt where they hunted and made camp.

Alliance with the Ape-Men!

06/10/2024 

News from ULTRAREALITY! Exploration continued in the City of the Ape-Men, although without Lilith, who stayed behind. The first target was the derelict library, which held more secrets: it seems the monks were displeased with a rival sect based around the city’s pyramids, who had misled the people of Linquar the Eternal, and revived the use of the ruins on the island’s highest peak. They also spoke to levitating, telepathic monks who were not hostile; they were very bitter about their rivals, and suggested exposing them as charlatans.

They then visited the shrine of GODDESS, who advised them to leave the monks to their seclusion, but visit the good apes of Lon-Tar and Lath-Orn, based in a tower and an oval building, respectively – while killing those of the evil Lath-Lar in the northern ruins.  Exiting the temple, they found five fishing ape-men, just being attacked by frog-lizards; and recognising potential allies, helped them. Now they were more amenable: they were the followers of Lath-Lar, trying to find a crown of power which GODDESS has told them was lost in the pool. They also considered themselves faithful followers of GODDESS, and foes of the imposter roaming the city (Lilith, fortunately, was not in the group). The apes invited them to visit their chief as well. They then tried to seek audience with Lath-Orn in his tower, but were immediately denounced as the companions of the False Goddess, and driven off. The apes in the oval building turned out to be the same they had fought previously. So they went north instead, first investigating an eerie compound populated with illusions, then visitng Lath-Lar in the northern ruins. The mighty ape warrior received them, and an alliance was made to help destroy his rivals to let him rise to rule the ruins in exchange for his treasures. Afterwards, a temple desecrated with ape poop was cleaned and hidden treasures found. Thus ended the current foray to the ruined city.

How it Started...

11/10/2024 

News from the fallen empire of Kassadia! The Lion Pack brought news of a dragon’s nest to the great hunter, the noble Lippo de Albuxis, and the Sir immediately decided to launch an expedition to slay the beast he had always been looking for. Accompanying him was Elentar, his elven hunter, and four handpicked men. The company set out across the hills to ride to the abandoned quarry beneath the beast’s cave. On the following dawn, they climbed the precipice on a narrow ledge leading up to the cave, when they heard the whoosh of massive wings – the dragon, a sleek green beast, had been awakened! It swooped down and swept one of Messer Albuxis’ men off the ledge after stabbing him with its spiked tail. Trupo conjured a wall of fog to shield the company while they could climb from the treacherous ledge to more solid ground. Wounded from multiple bowshot, the dragon then stabbed poor Elentar, who succumbed to poison, and then Messer Albuxis himself, before a gust of wind spell smashed the dragon against the cliffside, breaking its bones.

...How it's Going

The two noble hunters were dying of the terrible venom. With his last breath, Elentar beseeched his comrades to tell of his demise to all the pretty girls he had loved, and bequeathed his spellbook to Trupo (who tried to heal him with an illusionary cure poison potion). Messer Albuxis’ words were darker, referring to man-hunts he had enjoyed in the company of Basilius Antonius Proculus at his forest retreat! The dragon cave hid electrum and gold, although in less quantity than might be assumed. The two surviving henchmen, Lancilotto Balsamo (a rider) and Aristeo Guarini (a bowman) joined the company as new partners, agreeing to lie to the Sir’s servants and claim he had left his price racing horses to these valiant adventurers. Thus they returned to Albuxis Manor, where a feast was held in the noble hunter’s memory, and the next day, several fine stallions were driven to Pellagris, and the palace of Crimson Catullo.

(This adventure was rather lucky, at least after the beast – actually a wyvern – was awakened. I was selecting targets randomly, and they were all NPCs, so there were no PC casualties.)

PYRAMIDS PYRAMIDS PYRAMIDS PYRAMIDS

27/10/2024

News from the Land of 49 Pyramids! A band of adventurers trying to steal a precious item from a revelry of the rich and influential were transported by weird forces into a wild jungle of ancient, crumbling ruins, wild beasts, and a war of elimination between savage cavemen and the barely civilised warrior people of a megalithic city. Multiple small pyramid-tombs dotting the land were explored for smaller treasures, another group of survivors met, and eventually, contact was made with the people of the city, who hailed the newcomers as the messengers of the gods!

They sailed across a large lake into the city of Tli-Atla-Teli, where they well received as the guests of the rulers, the divine Prince Ar-Liarak and Princess El-Liaren. Unfortunately, two of the characters were cavemen, but even more unfortunately, they made multiple uncouth and suspicious statements at court that threw their status as divine messengers into complete doubt, and aroused the terrible suspicion of their hosts. At night, when all was still, they tried to sneak into the nobles’ quarters and abscond with pricy valuables, but they encountered the Princess and a group of armed warriors on the hunt for them. In the ensuing melee, the princess, a werejaguar, was commanded and decapitated, but the rest were rushed by the soliders,  the Prince, and his ferocious jaguars. So died Krond the Stonesmasher, caveman Cleric of Mereskan; Ugbus, Collector of Spleens, caveman Cleric of the God of Peace; Richard Flameheart, a bold Fighter; and Rafar the Fox-faced, a wily Thief. Only Krogen the Barbarian could fight his way out, nearing death but snatching away the raging Prince’s meteorite iron longsword +1, and escaping through the lake back into the upland jungles...

Pie +2

03/11/2024

News from the Porphyry Sea! News of a dungeon revealed at low tide spread through the port town of Bescanum, and five adventurers (Brother Julianus the Blue-Robed, and his companions Palladio the Exalted, Agaricus Plumbus, Alfredo Talivius and Gaunt Gerhard), heeded the call, bringing a band of henchmen and hired men. One of these fellows drew our attention to a buried treasure on a nearby island, which became our first target. We suspected an ambush, and that’s what it was: we ended up massacring some 50-60 concealed bandits, and their leaders Doom-Bringer Wilfred and “Onions” Holger. The bandits’ hideout held a randomised type A treasure, with 32,700 in gems and 32,000 more in jewellery! We returned to Bescanum in triumph, easily levelling up before setting out for the actual adventure.

The dungeon was only accessible at low tide, with a window of 3 hours before flooding completely. Right at the entrance, we were ambushed by the giant crabs of doom, who killed our followers, the elf Talomir Lightfoot and August the Magic-User. Exploration proceeded deeper into the complex, finally finding the half-flooded temple of a bull-god. Ghasts and ghouls rose from the water, and a brutal battle unfolded with most characters ending up paralysed, and a few winning the day. However, the undead were slain and the idol’s gemstone eyes and heavy golden horns looted – and a treasure chest found in a secret underwater room. With this, we returned to our ship to rest a night. The second expedition was less lucrative: we encountered an undead king (possibly a spectre) who believed us to be his servants, and whom we retreated from; one of his lieutenants (whom we fooled); and finally a nest of I don’t know how many ghoul-stirges, who proved almost TPK-worthy. However, by great luck, we defeated them, and withdrew again with some smaller treasures.

(Note the pie made by the GM’s wife! We felt guilty cutting it up and eating it, but such is the fate of desserts.)

Into the Blue Mausoleum!

21/11/2024 

News from the fallen empire of Kassadia! After resting two weeks, the Lion Pack decided to pursue a lead from Lario Bondi, a minor noble: to retrieve a family heirloom, an ancient horn taken from the Bondis by their mortal foes, the Alarus family. The extinct lineage was buried in a secret tomb in the Blue Mausoleum, an antique catacomb system. Lario wanted the horn, while the company could keep the rest, sharing what he knew of the tomb’s probable location on the mausoleum’s upper level.

Riding to the mortuary, the adventurers descended into its vast, echoing halls. They were ambushed by a band of ragged, hunchbacked mutants, but prevailed after an initial volley of barbed javelins. Diomedes Fulmino joined shortly afterwards, although not before triggering a magical trap the others had avoided. The explorers made their way to the upper level, a place of both common and individual tombs. In a tomb belonging to one Cassius Pulcherius Ludens, they found a strange bronze machine guarded by two suits of armour. A cunning trick to lasso one of their swords ended up with Diomedes being yanked inside and almost butchered by the animated armour. After fruitlessly trying to defeat them, the company made an orderly retreat and slammed the door. The next tomb held marble sarcophagi covered by a weird drape, and wizened corpses. After opening the door, it was closed just as swiftly. After further exploration, but failing to locate the Alarus tomb, they found an octagonal chamber with a mosaic pool in the middle, and an access to the surface above. However, this was a nest of several ghoul-stirges. An improved phantasmal force was used to web 2/3 of them, but the rest proved strong foes. In the melee, Remus, the wolf companion of Jovial Faustulus, was accidentally killed by its own master. Finally, the ghoul-stirges defeated, precious gemstones were recovered from the pool, and the surfce access used to return to the top of the hilltop above the Blue Mausoleum.

Barbarian Might!

23/11/2024 (reports from Society of Adventurers XII Con) 

News from the barbarous wastelands of the Batrakasz! Five adventurers embarked on an expedition to mighty Velkos Vel, megalithic fortress of the wasteland barbarians, to free Ylnissa, a kidnapped Amazon princess before she would be sacrificed to the barbarians’ dark gods. In the caverns beneath the fortress, they made their way upwards, fighting a prismatic spider (suffering considerable damage due to firing into melee, and hurling burning oil into melee), and discovering a tomb from a lost technological age. Alas, Elnan (Thief 5) was killed by a small spider. Further up, they discovered a scroll contained in an impenetrable circular force field; using an unseen servant to open up the case and read magic through the wall to decipher it gained them a conjure elemental spell, used at once to gain a powerful ally. With this, the fortress dungeons were stormed and Ylnissa freed, along with Gordag the Beastmaster (a nomad) and Kleides of Ooldar, a fat merchant (Thief).

On the way back while the elemental was wreaking havoc in the fortress, Dorsh the nomad (Fighter 5) was ambushed by a filament monster and exsanguinated, his companions leaving him to his fate. Nearing the exit, they had to fight their way out through the weird little creatures prowling the lower passages, but Kleides (Thief 4) plummeted into a deep pit. With Ylnissa freed, they made their way through the passes of the wasteland mountains. Here, Maleus (Magic-User 5) turned on his companion, Etnus (Cleric 5 of the CE amoeboid god Yol), blasting him with his fireball (the player had drawn a random mission card which tasked him with assassinating the Cleric). The only survivor of the initial party, Bloody Tusk (caveman Fighter 5), and Ylnissa and Gordag joined to subdue the assassin, stripping him of most of his equipment, and leaving him tied up in the wasteland mountains so the Gods might decide his fate. Thus, they returned to the coastal city states!

A Brush with DEATH!

News from the Wastelands of the Standing Stones! Five brave bogatyrs (Damir, my Ranger 4, and his companions, David, Josip, Andrei and Bernard) ventured into the steppes to capture the soul-gem of a demon from beneath a burial mound. It was found in a hexagon of enormous standing stones, decorated with depictions of powerful monstrous beings. This place was sacred to the gnolls, and the dog-heads had an old shaman here, who told the heroes of the dangers beneath the mound. Crossing a moat of boiling water, we descended beneath the mound. We fought an enormous mind-controlling spider and his minions; crossed a room filled with bones constantly generating skeletons, defeated a shadow demon, found silver and gold with gems and magic weapons, braved a room of perpetual darkness, and slew a bunch of tough gnoll skeletons (questions arose whether they should be called “gnollvázak” [gnolletons] or “csollok” [skolls]). Finally, the gem was found in a trapped room, but recovered with a good use of Tenser’s floating disk. We fled from the emerging stone golem, and returned back to civilisation. Alas, the soul gem was a cunning fake, but we were not worried: after all, we gained treasure and magic, losing none of us in the bargain. It was well done, and we should drink to that!

Fiery Destruction!

06/12/2024

News from the fallen empire of Kassadia! The peaceful rest of the wounded and tired company was interruped by a crash, as the balcony door to their inn was broken through, and the hulking shape of a terrible ape demon appeared! The beast caught the resting heroes by surprise, and Skyd the Northman and Lancilotto Balsamo the henchmanm were torn to pieces as the others fled, dragging off an unconscious comrade. Escaping from the burning inn, they saw their ship was also aflame in the harbour; and also a beautiful woman, laughing while looking at the burning building with glee, then flying away on two enormous bat wings!

Striking for the dark wilderness, the survivors discussed the ambush, and decided this was the revenge of the dread pirate Stormy Asmodeo, whom they had stolen from, and to whom they paid no restitution. They travelled to the manor house of Benozzo Garzoni, a friendly landholder and Illusionist, who was currently exchanging spells with Trupo Gizmegas, the party gnome. Benozzo, an avid historian, had heard of an ape-demon, who had once dragged off a nobleman on the island of Sormadium.

After spending a few days at rest, and joined by a replacement PC, the Magic-User Martus the Opiate, they also headed through the wilderness to the nearby druidic circle, where Arden Oakbark made a sacrifice of precious treasures: the valuables were gone, and in their place stood a small goat statuette! He also used his one-use commune ability, learning that

1) the attackers were coming from a ship hidden in a sea cave beneath a mountainous isle;

2) more knowledge on demonology was hidden in the island town of Sormadium;

3) the location of the Horn of Alarus in the Blue Mausoleum;

4) the purpose of the stone goat (essentially a mighty siege engine once activated).

The ride back to Pellagris was not uneventful: they avoided a camp of mighty antler-headed stag-men, but were ambushed by a group of orcs, whose bowmen brought down multiple horses, and captured poor Martus, robbing him of his spellbook, and extorting the party of gold in exchange for Martus’ life.

Beaten, they fled back to town on horseback (having lost multiple fine steeds). Here, they bought new horses, and recruited a young bard, Agesilao Torregrosa. Agesilao proved to be the friend of Bellonex, a drunken hermit outside the town walls, who knew a little of the orcs and their habits of plundering the nearby estates. The adventurers also knew of the orcs’ probable base: two derelict granaries in the wilderness, not far from town. They approached, besieging the structures with the stone goat to draw them out, and using illusion spells, entangle, and web to thin out the orcs. While the orcs attacked, Trupo used change self to turn into an orc himself, sneaking into the granary behind the others’ back and liberating the stolen spellbook, as well as a large gold bowl! The orcish attack broke on a strong shield-wall, and their leader, Grilling Yagar failed his morale check (very badly), legging it – after which the rest chose to flee as well, following their disgraced leader into the wilderness. Thus, with Agesialo’s song to keep them company, and the hard-won prize, they returned to rest and recover in Pellagris.