Ruminations

Well, despite the fact that it's ever so slightly crept up on me out of the blue, the current OSRIC campaign seems to be going really well. Even before the end of the first session I had a feeling the players wouldn't be satisfied by a simple one-off "pick-up" game. In many ways, the spontaneous birth of this completely unexpected campaign makes it all the more thrilling for me as a DM. Given how easy it is to arrange a compatible gaming time-table when the occupants of just two-households are involved, it looks like I wont need to wait till march to get a regular game going after all.

On the other hand? Well, I have absolutely nothing prepared. I'm basically having to make up the sandbox as we go along. Real "seat-of-the-pants" stuff, especially for a compulsive (near anal) planner like me. Luckily, I've been using the Castle Caldwell chapters from the excellent B1-B9 "In Search of Adventure" module compendium. So I already have a very nice little min-campaign using the Karameikos setting to start me off in. The module compelition suffers from having been "thrown together" from various modules long after they were first written. But hey, isn't that how most sandbox campaigns turn out? A number of pre-published adventure modules crammed, poked, probed and kneaded until they fit into a game setting? The "module" plenty of plot hooks as you can see. While it's adventures are laid out in a "flow-chart" progression leading from one to the next, it hasn't been difficult to adapt it into the beginnings of a proper "sand-box" campaign . Although I'm not very familiar with the Mystara setting, I have all the Gazetteers and Hollow World supplements. Far from being a problem, this makes the experience for me all the better. Not only am I getting to run a campaign, I'm getting to "explore" a new setting, in much the same way as the players are. There are just as much surprises in store for me as there are for them.

So far I've been able to stave off being over-whelmed by player enthusiasm by providing my players with the Grand Duchy of Karameikos supplement. Hopefully that'll buy me some time to do some more prep work before the next game. My major concern is that, given our current rate of play, the head start afforded me by the B1-9 supplement might not be enough to keep me ahead of the players. Limited prep time might result in my running some modules or home-brew scenarios before I've had a chance to properly prepare them or integrate them into the setting.

As a consequence of this, I'm going to have to put the development of my Harn and Hyborian Age sand-boxes on hold for the time being. For the foreseeable future, most of my efforts will be directed to building upon the strong foundations provided by B1-9 to create a proper, working sandbox setting. Most of what I get up to will be posted here, of course, but it does mean a very sudden, near-total shift in direction for the blog thus far. I will certainly finish off the Necromancer series of articles, but I expect they will be the last non-Karemiekos posts for a very long while. At least until I can establish a more comfortable buffer zone of preparedness for the current campaign. I realise that three game sessions in less than a week is rather a lot - frankly, I'm not convinced the players will be able to (or want to) maintain such a pace, no matter how much they're enjoying the game - but with the weather the way it is just now it's not as though we have many alternative sources of recreation right now.

Which means lots of hard work, hard-gaming and fun times ahead.

Which is, frankly, serendipitously, awesome.

Barbarians at the Gates: Rules for the Barbarian in OSRIC

One thing sorely lacking in OSRIC from both a Harnic and a Hyborian perspective is the absence of a solid barbarian class. I've never been too fond of the later concept of the barbarian as a berserker warrior, preferring to take the class back to it's "Cimmerian" routes.

In my opinion, the Barbarian class as designed by Gary Gygax (published in Dragon 62 (I think) and Imagine magazine issue 2) probably comes closest to the ideal of the barbarian as noble savage, rather than frothing-mouthed berserker.

However, in my opinion, the Barbarian class as first-presented by Gary has some major flaws. For one thing, the class was not conceived with the usual Old School min/max stat requirements. Instead, players were allowed to roll a a variable amount of dice for each stat (up to 7D6 for strength) and choose the best three. So, instead of limiting the number of characters possessing this more powerful "sub-class" of fighter (as with the Ranger and Paladin) essentially anyone could roll up a barbarian and be assured of pretty good stats. It also included a number of secondary skills listed in the class description, assuming that the secondary skills system had already been adopted into the campaign.

The following home-brew character class, then, is my take on this flawed by otherwise exciting first incarnation of the Barbarian. It follows the usual format of minimum scores to qualify to the class, keeping the numbers artificially low when compared to fighters and does away with some of the secondary skills, likewise amending or deleted some other class features. it is my hope that this home-brew adapt ion stays true to the spirit of the original concept, while making a playable class that won't come to dominate an entire campaign.THE OSRIC BARBARIAN:

Barbarians are tribal warriors, equally at home in nature as they are upon the battlefield. Though often considered "backward" by their "civilised" cousins, the brave but superstitious warriors of Cimmeria, Pictland, the Black Coast and the Frozen North are mighty and knowledgeable in the arts of war. Putting knowledge of nature and terrain to good effect, the oft times poorly armoured and heavily outnumbered barbarians continue to turn back incursion after incursion from the armies of the civilised lands.

While the warriors of Aquilonia, Nemedia and Stygia are often professionals, trained and employed solely for war, the vast majority of Barbarians, though trained as warriors from birth, are farmers or hunters first and soldiers second. They may not march into battle, wheeling and changing face at the command of a drum roll, but each man knows that his kin fight beside him. And that should he fall, his wife and children will retain honoured places within the tribe.

This fierce bond of loyalty is often enough to drive individual barbarians to mighty, near legendary feats of heroism. Such hero's often feel the need to grow beyond the small, wooden palisade that encloses their home to venture out into a larger, more troubling world.

The Barbarian Character:

Minimum Scores: Str: 14, Dex: 10, Con: 14, Int: 3, Wis: 6, Cha: 3

Hit Die Type: D12 (max 8)

Alignment: Any

Experience Bonus: Str and Con 16+

Armour/Shield Permitted: Any non-magical up to (but not including) plate-mail. Some cultures impose limits on the options available to beginning characters (Cimmerians shun metal armour, for example, at least until several near-death experiences have taught them the value of adaptation).

Weapons Permitted: Any non magical weapons selected from the following categories: 1H or 2H Sword, Any Axe, Any 1H or 2H Bludgeon, Spear, Longbow, Shortbow, Oil, Throwing Weapons. May not use the optional specialisation rules.

Weapon Proficiencies: 3 + 1 every two levels. Barbarians may not specialise.

Penalty to Hit for Non-Proficiency: -2Class Abilities:

Magic Intolerance: Barbarians hate and fear arcane magic, and will (if given the chance) attempt to destroy any Magic-User or Illusionist based magical item if given half the chance. Barbarians do not hate and fear clerical or druidic based items however, though will be reluctant to take advantage of any permanent items of this nature themselves. They have no compulsion against drinking potions or using other, similar, one use items however. Provided, that is, their companions can convince them that the items providence is divine rather than arcane.

Barbarians may (reluctantly) fight and work alongside Magic-Users and Illusionists. They will, however most likely take every opportunity to convince these companions of the error of their ways. Even going so far as attempting to divest them of their spell-books and familiars, in some cases.

Magical Armour, Shields and Weaponry: Barbarians fear and detest magic. No Barbarian will ever willingly (or knowingly) equip himself with a magical item of this nature except in the direst of emergencies. Should a character be forced by circumstance to use such a weapon (say, when fighting against gargoyles or similar, mundane-weapon immune creatures) then he gains no XP whatsoever from that encounter, whether from combat xp or treasure xp. This penalty will continue until he has divested himself of these unclean items and undergone an hour long purification ritual in penance for his misdeeds.

Illiteracy: Barbarian characters who wish to begin the game able to read and write their native tongue must spend a bonus language slot in order to do so. Characters may also spend such a slot if the opportunity to learn this skill occurs through roleplaying and game-play. However, they must spend one such slot for every language they learn to read. Learning to speak (and read) Kushite would therefore cost the barbarian character two bonus language slots.

Wilderness Lore: In their natural environment, Barbarians can move silently, hide and climb walls as a thief of the same level -provided they are not wearing metal armour. However, they can ONLY do this in their natural environment (mountains for Cimmerians, tundra for Vanir, woods for Picts and so forth). They can learn to apply these skills in a different environment only after having spent a month of game time in the environment in question. For example, a Cimmerian who spent a month living in the Purple Lotus Swamps of Stygia would be able to climb, hide and move silently in Swamps as though they were his natural habitat. Potential habitats include: Dungeons, Urban, Forest, Hills, Mountains, Marsh, Tundra, Desert, Jungle, Arctic, Swamp and Shipboard.

Tracking: Barbarians may track with the same reliability as a ranger of the same level. However, this skill only applies in their natural habitat. Tracking in other habitats can be learned with time as for Wilderness Lore above. However, a Barbarian will never be able to track in a Dungeon, Urban or Shipboard setting.

Surprise: Barbarians in their natural habitat surprise on a D6 roll of 1-4, unless accompanied by non-barbarians within 60'. If accompanied by non-barbarians, they use the lowest surprise roll chance present in the group.

Weary: Barbarians have a base 20% chance (+5^ per level) to detect an incoming backstab. Thieves or Assassins whose back-stab attempt is detected do not gain an attack modifier against the barbarian and, if there attack is successful, do not obtain a damage multiplier.

Sixth Sense: Barbarians have a base 50% (plus 2% per level) to detect “unnatural” magical energies such as magical items, powerful spell-casters and even demons within a space they occupy. This aura extends out to 60ft unless blocked by stone walls or thick doorways. They will be unable to pinpoint the location of the source. They will only know it is "close". Likewise, the barbarian cannot identify the nature of the supernatural presence. The prickling of thumbs or hairs-raised on the back of the neck warns the barbarian that something "uncanny" is present. Nothing more. This ability functions at all times, even when asleep and unlike a Paladins detect evil ability, does not require concentration. If the Barbarian character is asleep while a supernatural creature moves into the radius of this effect, the Barbarian has a chance of awakening equal to his chance of detecting the new supernatural presence when awake.

Note that the presence of familiar magical items (such as those carried by the party) and specific creatures (such as a rangers companion or magic-users familiar) will not trigger this sixth sense after a sufficient period of acclimatization has passed (DM's fiat but one game-week is suggested).

This ability allows a barbarian to detect the presence of a magical effect such as that which creates an illusion, without being able to identify that an actual illusion is present.

Saving Throws, Attack Rolls, Attacks per Melee and so forth are as per the Fighter Class. XP progression is as per the Paladin class.

Sandbox Locations Part IV

GM's LOCATION NOTES:

This page will likely be updated or amended regularly as I develop the campaign. I like to have about a dozen major plot threads for the characters to stumble across. Generally, I use so many because you never know which ones the players will bite on. At the moment, I have major threads revolving around Trobridge Inn politics, Gwadira, the Missing Earl and Star-Crossed lovers (I'll write a post about these plot threads later). These location entires will change as I get round to adding more.

Note to Players: This next post is full of spoilers which will potentially ruin your game experience. Silv, I'm particularly looking at you here. I know how much you love to know what's coming next, to heighten your anticipation. Read this if you wish, but bare in mind you'll get more enjoyment out of this game if you don't know what's coming to you. If you do read this and plan on playing, please keep the information to yourselves.

1: TROBRIDGE INN Level 1-10

The PC's home and campaign starting point. I'll be using the adventure that comes with the Trobridge Inn source book very early on in the campaign. In fact, I'll be using it as the first “Campaign Event”. The Inn itself will also be the starting point for many other Campaign Events, including the scenario from the Evael: Kingdom of the Elves book (which will start the “Star-Crossed Lovers” thread). As the only permanent settlement in the Chelni Gap it will also be the location where characters are approached by patrons seeking their services in the early part of the campaign.

2: THE WATCHTOWER CATACOMBS

Depending on the character's relationship with the local Brigand, the characters might never explore this site, which lies beneath their very feet. Ondailis won't be pleased if the characters kill his men to gain access to the catacombs where he hides his treasure and even less pleased if they stir up the things that lurk below. However, the first campaign event might afford PC's the chance to explore the tower with the Brigands blessing, provided they play a very clever game.

I'll use the Dungeon in B-1 In Search of the Unknown (with some modifications) for the catacombs.

3: THE RUINED FORT. Level 1-3

I've been toying with the idea of using Horror on the Hill, but I'd much rather create my own small (one level and upper works) dungeon from scratch. Regardless of whether the PCs explore here of their own volition or because of Campaign Even 1 it will very likely be one of the first adventure/dungeon sites they visit.

4: HILL OF THE DARK GROVE Level 1-3

Another location I'll be designing myself. This barrow is going to be an absolute den of undead. Alas, being so far away from Trobridge, it might never be explored by the party unless they escort a caravan to Taztos. Another one level dungeon.

5: KOREGO Level 3-10

Oh boy, what plans for this place. Gwadira has the Gargun King well and truly under her thumb and is well on her way to creating an alliance of Gargun tribes that has not been seen since Lothrim. An early campaign event adapted from the Orcs of Harn supplement will lead the characters to investigate this site eventually (should they bite). If not, so much the better (for them at least). This will be a very deadly site for low level characters to explore, and a huge challenge even at mid to high levels. I plan on using the maps for Korego from Orcs of Harn, but I'll also be using StoneHell dungeon to expand the site considerably.

6: ANISHALevel 1-4

I'll be using the maps from Kingdom of Kaldor. However, I plan on expanding the dungeon site with some maps from the Greyhawk Ruins set.

7: ELKALL-ANUZ Level 1-10

Greyhawk Grognard's Dungeon Module 13 Castle of the Mad Archmage (download it here) will the basis for this, the campaigns main mega-dungeon. The module itself doesn't provide any sort of upper works and leaves the first dungeon level for the GM to design. However, I'll be using the Korego maps from Trobridge Inn to represent both the Upper Works and the First Level of the Dungeon. Which suits me fine. The great thing about Harn maps is that they give you the rooms and (for the most part) leave you to populate them. I'm really looking forward to filling the Korgo rooms, almost as much as I'm looking forward to creating my own dungeons.

I'll also be creating a number of small 1-3 room dungeons to represent the various ruins, cairns and barrows in the surrounding “Plain of Towers”.

8: PESINO Level 4-7

Again, Pesino maps are provided in a supplement, this time Evael: Kingdom of the Elves. However, I want to build on the legend of a “faerie court” beneath the ruins as described in the HarnPlayer supplement. So again, another opportunity to populate dungeon rooms as a I wish and add a few more levels of my own.

9: TASHAL Level 1-10

An ideal spot for the characters to sell off low level magical items and other treasures. Also a good spot to drop hints about the coming Succession Crisis (for the planned move to a political/military campaign at name level). Also a good setting for a few side-trek adventures.

10: TAZTOS Level 1-10

An out of the way spot. I don't imagine it will feature much in the campaign but one can never be sure with any players. Even so, it will likely only be used as a very occasional base camp for forays into the most western locations and a place to dispose of bulky treasure items.

11: DWEOMERDEEP Level 4-6

I'll be using a commercially available map for Dweomerdeep, but populating it myself. Still have to find the right map though. Depending on time constraints I might just cheat and use the castle dungeon from Haunted Hill with a few Harn-Centric modifications.

12: HALLS OF HERPA

I had a module all picked out for this, now I can't remember which one it was. Dangnabbit!

AHA1 Just remembered. Here be “Idol of the Orcs” from Goblinoid Games.

13: PALACE OF ARGENT REPOSE level 1-3

B3 Palace of the Silver Princess. The main difference being that the Palace was sacked by Atani, and not by a single man on dragon-back. I haven't yet decided if this will be located on the Plain of Towers, the outskirts of the Shava Forest or even somewhere in Pesino.

14: BALDHILL level 1-2

Bald-hill was my “go-to” location for any small dungeons I want to insert into the Sandbox. Being riddles with tunnels makes it an ideal seat for caves, barrows, tombs and so forth. THEN I remembered the Plain of Towers around Elkall_Anuz. So, honestly, I don't really need it any-more. However, I think I will use this for the location of the brigand camp from J1 The Jade Hare. A nice, easy, beginners level dungeon. Another alternative site for the party;s first adventure (the others being the Watch Tower Catacombs and the Ruined Fort).

15: THE GHOST TOWER OF ELKALL-ANUZ Level 5-7

Another possible site for the location of the Questing Earl. Obviously, this is going to be the Ghost Tower of Inverness module (shame on you if you hadn't realised). I don't really see the need for many changes to be made, though this may change when I re-read the module.

16: THE BARROW CAVES Level 1-3

These came about because I was beginning to notice a scarcity of adventure locations on the western part of the board. So, for the sake of fairness, I'll be using the most excellent Caves of Chaos from B2 Keep on the Borderlands for the Barrow Caves, replacing the Chaos Temple with a hidden Temple of Morgath and replacing the Keep with Taztos.

17: SKULL KEEP

I'll be using the ruined castle dungeon from L1 The Secret of Bone Hill. By the way, Castle Restenford is an excellent Castle Map for those of you who want one. In my opinion, the town itself rivals the village of Hommet as a base for adventurers. Alas, neither will make an appearance in this campaign.

18: THE SCHOLAM OF NIHLUSS Level 6-10.

This is the headquarters (or one of them anyway) of Gwadira, the renegade Grey Mage who seeks to carve out an empire to rival Lothrims. Use pages 20+ from the module X5 Temple of Death, replacing all descriptions and stat blocks for “The Master” with those of Gwadira.

19: THE MIRROR STONE Level 5-10.

The Mirror Stone will be inactive until a certain campaign event (the Kidnapping of Lysa). Up until this point is will only show random glimpses of events elsewhere. Following the kidnapping, it will act as a portal to another world.

Use the “Through the Looking Glass” section of X-12, The Mirror of Skarda, replacing the kid-nap victim with Lysa. Also swop-out Skarda for Gwadira or one or her henchmen.

20: MOUNT SERTU Level 5-10

S-2 White Plume Mountain.

21: THE LINOR BOG Level 5-7

Uses the dungeon from I-2 Tomb of the Lizard King and use the various swamp wilderness locations as special “keyed” encounters in the swamp.

22: BALTRONS BEACON Level 4-8

Uses the dungeon and swamp encounters from Baltron's Beacon 4-8

23: THE SHAVA FOREST

Tales of Enchantment GA3. Use the many keyed Wilderness encounters for encounters in the forest.

The missing Earl might be found here, perhaps as a prisoner of a Dryad?

24: LOST SHRINE OF ELIOS Level 8-10.

Uses RAHESIA B7. Why did the Clan Elios hide the shrine away? What dirty secrets (if any) does it contain? Did Elios accept the Shadow and become an Amorvrin?

25: LOST CAVERNS OF KJALD Level 6-8

S4 Lost Caverns of Tjocanth I'm considering using the modules mountain Wilderness Map should the players attempt to find the Caverns. I need to remember to re-dress the dungeon itself as a forge complex.

26: CRYSTAL CAVE Level 4-7.

I'll be using UK1 Beyond the Cystal Cave for this. If all goes well, the two lost lovers will be the characters from the Star-Crossed Lovers campaign plot. Also a possible location for finding the Questing Earl. In one article on the Kadlor Succession crisis in the excellent Thronahexus magazine (issue number 9) Edward Barach suggests that Sederis Maleken, the Questing Earl of Osel, might be gay. If so, it would explain his year long absence chasing after a murderer. Perhaps the murderer killed his lover? Or perhaps the “murderer” is his lover, and killed a man purely to protect his (and the Earl's) secret. If this is true, where better to find the Earl than here?

27: ELSHAVEL

Will serve mostly as a location for the Star-Crossed Lovers plot and a place to buy and sell expensive items, pick up rumours about other adventure sites and so on. It might very well become the party's new base camp should the focus of play away from Trobridge.

28: ULSHAVEN

Will perform a role similar to that of Elshavel. However, it's location and purpose makes it an excellent spot for some espionage-based adventure hooks.

Sandbox Locations Part III

Part I dealt with the official, canon, adventure locations in the Osric-Harn campaign sandbox, regardless of challenge level. Part II outlined low-level adventure locations which I have inserted into the Sandbox. Here, in Part III, mid-level non-canon adventure locations receive the same treatment.

18: THE SCHOLAM OF NIHLUS

Said to be located somewhere on the shores of Direna lake, deep within the Felsha Mountain Range. This ancient temple to forgotten magical knowledge was once a school for wizards, some say, the very school where Lothrim learned his dark arts. The Scholam has long been sought by those who wish to uncover arcane lore, but those few who survive the journey -overland or by water- ever speak of the lore they have gained thereby. In recent years, none are known to have returned at all.

19: THE MIRROR STONE

Located in the Plain of Towers, a barrow, cenotaph and ruin-ridden landscape surrounding the ancient city of Elkall-Anuz for a league in every direction, this mirror-like stone is said to offer glimpses of the past, present and future to those with the will to seek it.

20: MOUNT SERTU

Also known as White Plume Mountain, Mount Sertu is the highest peak in the Flesha Mountains. Said to be uncomfortably close to the most likely location for Korego, it is known to have an intricate cave system. Local Chelni and Tulwyn legends claim the mountain is not named for it's snow covered peaks, but for the terrible streams of foul smelling smoke and occasional belching flames that spewed from the mountain top long ago.

21: THE LINOR BOG

For centuries, since the armies of Lothrim swept through the mire, the Linor Bog has been a quiet, dreary and empty place. Now though, the Pegaelin and Chelni who once hunted frogs and eels in its murky depths refuse to return. Something is stirring in the Linor Bog. Something dark and evil.

22: BALTRONS BEACON

In years long past, before the Linor Bog north east of Tuleme Falls grew to it's present size, the tower known as Baltrons Beacon marked the last navigable water-way through the mire to the mouth of the River Kald. Now, centuries after the last keepers demise at the spells of Lothrim, it's magical, ever burning light is still whispered off in tall-tales from Trobridge to Tashal.

23: THE SHAVA FOREST

The ancient forest home of the Sindarin has many secrets of its own, for those brave enough to risk the wrath of the Sindarin -and darker things- in their wanderings.

24: LOST SHRINE OF ELIOS

A shrine to a fallen martyr from the War of Sorrows, Elios once said to have once been the greatest of Sindarin poets and lore-keepers. Though the location was kept and warded by the Clan Elios for many years, it's last scions are said to have long since departed this world for another, taking the secret of it's location with them. Located deep within the Shave forest, it should represent a fine prize for any who dare to seek it.

25: LOST CAVERNS OF KJALD

Kjald was among the greatest of the Dwarven smiths. His mighty workshops were located close by the Codominion settlement and silver mine of Lazhul, now thought to be the Gargun hive Korago. The Caverns themselves were hidden from all but a few trust merchants, to better ward the secretive dwarf and his valuable creations. None now know where it may be found.

26: THE CRYSTAL CAVE

A site sacred to Halea. Depending on the legend in question, it said to be a haven for those fleeing a bad or loveless marriage or lese a place of welcome refuge for star-crossed lovers; runaways who seek to spend their lives together, regardless of the cost. (Tunnel of Love jokes will get your xp docked. Honest.)

Note: The following two locations are part of the Harn Canon. They are included here in the “mid-level” encounter section because, prior to a certain campaign event, reaching these locations will be all but impossible.

27: ELSHAVEL

The fabled Kingdom of the Elves is perhaps the greatest centre of magic outside the Kingdom ofMelderyn and home to the most skilled craftsmen outside Azadmere. Astride the banks of a mighty river, few outsiders are ever permitted to reach this most sacred of Sindarin clan-holds. It is said that almost any magic or treasure can be bought or sold here, for the right price and with sufficient patience.

28: ULSHAVEN

A Sindarin port on the Kald River, only the barest few human merchants are ever permitted to dock and exchange their wares, which thereafter are transported west to Elshavel by the people of Evael themselves. Ulshaven is a port-town much like any other, meaning it can be a rough place. However, foreigners are restricted to a certain quarter of the city, beyond which the settlement is as serene and calm as any other in Evael.

Sindarin: The Elves of Harn

“The Sindarin mostly live within the confines of the Shava Forest. Outsiders regard them with awe. Sindarin culture is aesthetic and efficient. peaceful and gentle. Individual elves can be both magnificent artisans and formidable warriors.”

• Evael, Kingdom of the Elves, © 2002 N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc.
  

Appearance and Psychology:

The Sindarin, the elves of Harn, appear little different than men, at least to the eyes of men themselves. Near-immortal, they rarely die of disease or old age although many meat their end at the point of a sword. Over-time, the Sindarin forget skills once mastered and no longer practiced, so that a Sindarin who was once a mighty swordsman in the distant past might become little more than a fumbling amateur in later life. They also tend to forget events of long ago, recording them in song and verse for the very purpose of recalling their own history. Indeed, when a Sindarin living today claims to remember the Battle of Sorrows, many centuries ago, he is actually recalling the events as recorded in song, rather than as recalled by actual memory.

The elves of Harn can live for thousands of years, rarely appearing to age beyond early adulthood in all that time. Their rapid healing rate allows Sindarin to recover quickly from wounds that might slay a human, and as such they rarely scar even from serious wounds. However, they can die from thirst, starvation and grievous wounds. Nor can they regenerate lost eyes or limbs. While they do not visibly age as they grow older, the repeated erasure and replacement of distant memories can lead to bouts of insanity or psychosis. Even the youngest elves tend to forget seemingly unimportant details very quickly and can be very absent minded. While a human might recognise an acquaintance from years before and even recall his name accurately, a Sindarin is likely to forget even the face of a good friend or family member after a certain period of separation.

Sindarin rarely allow themselves to display extremes of emotion. It is not that they do not feel rage or anger, simply that the choose to hide them. After all, time is on their side. They can afford to out-wait an enemy rather than confront him directly. For similar reasons, a Sindarin will think nothing of spending three of four days studying a blade of grass even when his travelling companions are in a hurry. They simply do not feel the pressure of time's passage the way a human might.

When a Sindarin wearies of their existence, they board ship and sail to new plans of existence. Some human sages conjecture that this is little more than a metaphor for suicide through the medium of drowning at sea.

Sindarin History and Culture:

The Sindarin are a dwindling folk -only 5000 or so remain on Harn from the multitudes who once followed their God, Seim, to this world. When their god, Siem, departed Harn, he summoned the Khazdul, the dwarves of Harn, to ward and watch over his chosen children, so beginning the epoch known to history as the co-dominion, when Khazdul and Sindarin ruled over Harn jointly and in peace.

In time, the Sindarin and Khazdul welcomed the humans peoples known today as the Jarin to Harn, though in time they grew alarmed by the swift growth of the Jarin and their despoiling of the land. Yet before bloodshed could ensue, a second race of men, the Atani, invaded the islands. For a time, Jarin, Khazdul and Sindarin alike warred against the invaders, but with the death of their King, the Sindarin retreated into the Shave forest, abandoning their dwarf and human allies. They have remained there, living in isolation with only a few thousand Jarin servants, ever since.

The Sindarin are divided into family clans, all of which are considered freemen by the standards of Harn's human kingdoms. Clan councils are often called to discuss internal matters, but most problems are resolved through negotiation – there is very little crime in Sindarin society. What little there is of it is judged by a legal system derived from that the of the Khazdul, based on the concept of Vendetta. Society as a whole is governed by King Aranath and the Vulparen, his thirteen member advisory council.

The inhabitants of Evael are not taxed, and the economy exists on a basis of barter rather than currency exchange. The system is one based on trust, the exchange of favours and ties of kinship. In any human land such a system would fall apart immediately. It works for the Sindarin primarily because of their attitude to wealth (they rarely concern themselves with acquisition except for items they actually need – although even the simplest tools will be works of art in and of themselves) and also because such transactions are so few. Almost every Sindarin clanhold is entirely self sufficient save for a few imported minerals such as metals and gemstones.

Sindarin Adventurers:

It is considered almost a rite of passage for young elves to spend fifty to a hundred years travelling Evael, visiting every clanhold in turn. Some, a significant few, extend this journey further to an exploration of all Harn. Such individuals often make Trobridge Inn, a relatively well known crossroads frequented by travellers from many lands, their first stop. The Inn is an excellent place for a Sindarin youth to blend into the greater mass of humanity without revealing his true origins.

Sindarin: Game System Information

OSRIC-HARN SINDARIN:

Summary of Racial Abilities:

• +1 Dex
• +1 Con
• Regain twice as many hit points through rest as humans.
• Cannot be Raised from the dead: Sindarin souls cannot make the transition to the realm of their God without a living, physical body to carry them there.

Any Pulled Bow: +1 to hit
Any Sword: +1 to hit

Infravision: 60ft

Detect Secret Doors: 1 in 6 chance to notice secret doors when passing within 10ft. 2 in 6 to discover secret doors when searching. 3 in 6 chance to discover concealed doors when searching.

Multi-Class Restrictions: The less restrictive of any two class requirements applies with the following exceptions: Thieving abilities can only be used when wearing armour permitted to that class. Multi-classed magic-users may cast spells without penalty while wearing any armour permitted by their other classes up to and including chain mail.

Permitted Class Options: Cleric (Siem only), Fighter, Illusionist, Magic User, Ranger, Thief, Fighter/Magic User, Fighter/Thief, Magic User/Thief, Fighter/Magic User/Thief

Movement Rate: 120ft

Starting Ages: Cleric (150 + 5d10), Fighter or Ranger (130 + 5d6), Magic User or Illusionist (150 + 5d6), Thief (100 + 5d6)

Racial Limitations:
Maximum/Minimum ability scores (after adjustment for race) are as follows. If the ability scores fall outside of these ranges then the elf is not a valid character.
Strength 3-18, Dexterity 7-19, Constitution 8 -19, Intelligence 8-18, Wisdom 3-18, Charisma 8-18.

Level Limitations:
Assassin (NA), Cleric of Siem (7), Druid (NA), Fighter (7 with Str 18, 6 with Str 17, 5 with Str 16 or less), Illusionist (unlimited), Magic User (11 with Int 18, 10 with Int 17, 9 with Int 16 or less), Paladin (NA), Ranger (11 with Wis 18, 10 with Wis 17, 9 with Wis 16 or less), Thief (8 with Dex 19, 7 with Dex 18, 6 with Dex 17, 5 with Dex 16 or less)

Ivashu: The Eaters-of-Eyes

The Vlasta, or Eaters-of Eyes, are amongst the most common (and the most feared of Ivashu). Hunting in packs, the Vlasta roam throughout Harn, attacking intelligent prey and animals alike. Feared for their sharp beaks, their ability to leap great distances and penchant for devouring eyes and sexual organs, Vlastu are hunted wherever, whenever, they are found.

These small beasts rarely exceed a height of two feet, yet their powerful tail and muscular legs allow them to move at great speed and leap distances of up to twenty feet from a running start.

Most often encountered in caverns or subterranean ruins, they hunt at night, emerging on the surface to find and devour prey. Though they mainly subsist on small rodents, they view man-flesh as a delicacy and have been known to pursue fleeing men great distances in search of a special meal. Luckily, they are light boned. Even a glancing blow can leave A Vlastu crippled and easy prey for its companions.

In combat, the Vlastu leap upwards to attack their foes, oft times using weight of numbers to overbear a foe and bring them to ground. Their preferred targets are the eyes of their foes: when rolling a natural twenty on their attack roll, a Vlastu will inflict maximum damage and has a chance to pluck a randomly determined eye from it's socket. The victim must save vs spells in order to prevent this. Only characters wearing full, face enclosing helms are immune to this effect. Upon plucking an eye, a Vlastu will immediately break of it's attack to spend a round savouring (and devouring) it's prize.

Note: Vlastu may be summoned by a Cleric of Ilvir (ie: a druid) using the Animal Summoning spell.

OSRIC-Harn stat-block:

Frequency: Uncommon, Number Encountered: 2D6, Size: small, Move: 120ft, Armour Class: 8, Hit Dice: 1/2, Attacks: 1, Damage: 1D4 + 1 Special Attacks: Eye Pluck (see above) Special Defences: None, Magic Resistance: standard, Lair Probability: 50%, Intelligence: Semi, Alignment: Neutral Evil, Level/XP: 1/5+1hp

Treasure (Lair Only): 1d4 x 500cp (80%), 1d4 x 100 sp (75%), 1d4 x 10 gp (50%), 1d4 gems (50%), 1d4-1 jewellery (50%),

Tactics: Vlastu will attack using pack tactics, often with one member acting as a lure or distraction. They will swarm a single target if possible, overbearing it and savaging it with their sharp beaks. Once a foe is slain they will attempt to attack anyone approaching the corpse. If left in peace to devour their prize, they will not pursue for 1d4 hours while they feast.

Money Matters

Exchange Rates:

As an established game world, Harn has it's own currency system that doesn't quite jib with that of 1st AD&D or OSRIC. For one thing, Harn currency is based entirely on one type of coin: the silver penny. Only a very, very rare few gold coins ever make an appearance.

Alas, this doesn't quite work with OSRIC, where the difference between gold, silver and copper coins is often quite important to the gameplay. Luckily, although Harn only has one denomination of silver coin, it does have certain terms which are ascribed to a certain amount of these coins.

For example:
HARN PRICES

• 4 farthings = 1 penny 1d

• 12 pennies = 1 shilling 12d

• 20 shillings =1 pound 240d

So one pound is 240 silver penny's. A farthing, by the way, is just a quarter of a penny. Quite literally, a penny that has been cut into four. In the real world, a pound, was (apparantly) the number of silver penny's that could be made from a pound of silver. But don't quote me on that one.

For OSRIC-Harn, I'm going to extrapolate the above model, but instead of a penny representing 1 silver piece, a single penny is actually going to be a copper coin. A shilling will be represented by a silver coin and the pound will be represented by a gold coin.

However, the term “pound” sounds too modern to British ears (we still use pounds and pence over here after all) so we'll change the term “pound” to something more evocative of the past. Crowns are made of gold, so we'll call a gold piece a crown.

So:

OSRIC-HARN ECHANGE RATE:

• 1 penny = 1 cp

• 1 shilling = 12cp = 1 sp

• 1 crown = 240cp = 20sp = 1 gp

Of course, this doesn't quite match up with the OSRIC system, meaning that some items will become relatively cheap and others relatively expensive. Iron Rations, for example will cost 480cp per day. Enough to buy a ridiculous number of candles. On the other hand, the price lists in D&D have been askew for years, and no-one's game has been ruined by them yet. So, the standard price list in the OSRIC rulebook will remain unaltered, even if the relative value of the coins concerned has changed quite a bit.

Coins and Encumbrance:

One thing that will be greatly effected is XP progression. I may have mentioned before that in OSRIC-Harn I want to encourage an Old School style of game play; where characters actually avoided random encounters rather than wringing their hands together in glee at every sighting (as many do now). Therefore, I will either only be awarding XP for loot (at the rate of 1GP=1XP) or else I will drastically reduce the amount of XP gained in actual combat.

Needless to say then, this new currency system will make the humble copper piece even more of an encumbrance nuisance than it is now. I fully intend to abandon the old rule that 10 coins weigh one pound. Instead, 100 coins will weight one pound while still taking up 10 pound's worth of carrying capacity in any given container. A small pouch, which has a carrying capacity of 2.5lbs, could therefore hold 25 coins (and nothing else). However, these coins would add only 1/4 of a pound to the characters encumbrance value. A large sack, with a carrying capacity of 40lbs, could therefore hold a total of 400 coins. These coins would take up the entire volume of the sack, while still weighing a mere 4 pounds for encumbrance purposes.

Obviously, this means that the money carried by a PC will have far less of an effect on his encumbrance value than it once did. It will not, however, allow a character to carry more coins that he could normally, because these coins will still take up the same amount of space in his containers. A character can (realistically) only have so many pouches or sacks on his person at one time. What it will (hopefully) help to prevent is the ridiculous situation where an armoured character of average strength, carrying only a plain wooden staff, a dagger and a few hundred coins (and remember, ancient coins were the size of a pinkie nail) can be so encumbered as to slow his movement to a crawl.

So, to recap:

• 240 coins (any denomination) = one pound of weight for encumbrance purposes.

• 10 coins take up one pound of carrying capacity.

A Plea for Help

As you may have noticed, the campaign sand-box thus far is frankly overflowing with low level adventure sites. Mostly, this is for three reasons.

1. I want to be able to re-use this sandbox in later years with other player groups while keeping it as fresh for me as possible.
2. Lets face it, the risks are good for a TPK or two along the way. More adventure locations means more variety for players who don't want to explore the same old dungeon again and again.
3. It would be nice to have enough room for two or three different player groups (sometimes with the same player in more than one group) without having the various party's tripping over each other all the time.

However, I now find myself at the stage where I have to populate the sandbox with some low to mid level adventure sites and, frankly, I'm struggling. Much as I would love to create a half-dozen (or more) mid level sites from scratch, I simply don't have the time to do so. So, while I'll probably look to create one or two of my own devising, I need some suggestions for published modules to add to the Sandbox.

But here's the kicker, they would have to be plausible to the setting. By which I mean, temperate climate, not based around a permanent civilised settlement (Trobridge is the only one in the immediate area, and even it can't have too much going on at once.) and largely free of "non-feudal" flavour. I'd consider any published 0ed or 1st/2nd ed module, classic or otherwise, even ones from the pages of White Dwarf, Dragon Magazine. There are simply hundred out there, but I'd rather not simply re-use the same half dozen or so modules I've played again and again. I want something fresh.

Suggests in a comment please, to Dangerous Brian. All advice given gratefully received and appreciated.

Sandbox Locations Part II

The following sandbox creations and non-canon for the Harn setting. Many are derived from published adventure sites adapted to the world of Harn, some more obviously than others. These are the low to mid level locations. A third article will cover the mid to high level locations and a fourth will consist of my notes for each location (what lives there, what module it's based on, local politics in the location, that sort of thing) and will be full of spoilers for my players.

11 DWEOMERDEEP

An ancient trading settlement built by dwarfs in the years prior to the coming of men on Harn. Situated between the two Dwarven Kingdoms of Azadmere and fallen Kiraz and only a few days travel north of Elvish lands, the Deep gradually declined after the coming of the Atani. With the invasion of these fierce humans, roads became dangerous and in time the Sindarin abandoned the land of Harn to men,secreted themselves away in their woods. Dweomerdeep continued to see trade between the two Khazdul Kingdoms, however, yet it was one of the first Khazdul settlements to be sacked during Lothrim's's war against the dwarves of Kiraz.

12 HALLS OF HERPA

A temple to the God Agrik, founded by followers of Lothrim near the zenith of that wizards power. When the dwarfs defeated Lothrim, his empire fell apart, affording the Tulwyn and Chelni an opportunity to rid themselves of the hated sect and their tithe of child gladiators.

13 PALACE OF ARGENT REPOSE

Another ancient site, built by elves and dwarfs, the site had been plundered and left in ruins by the invading Atani, who treated it with a certain reverential awe, shunning it thereafter. Lothrim built atop the network of cellers and storage rooms which remained in the foundations, creating his infamous Palace of Repose, a dwelling place for his lovers and concubines and a place of reward and relaxation for those of his followers who served him well.. Rumoured for many years to lie in close proximity to Trobridge, if any travellers have found it, they have kept it's location secret as yet.

14 BALDHILL

A craggy hill overlooking the Salt Route, Bald Hill is home to a number of small caves, sanctuary to brigands, Gargun and worse. Many of the caves are unoccupied at various times of the year, but the lie uncomfortable close to Trobridge. Both Terlin the Innkeeper and Kurson Ondailis the would-be knight of Trobridge regularly send expeditions to the Hill to clean out the caves.

15: THE GHOST TOWER OF ELKALL-ANUZ

The Ghost Tower of Ekall-Anuz is said to move regularly from one world to the next. Certainly, it often stands in the ruined city of the same name, but travellers insist that on other visits, sometimes as little as a week later, the Tower has vanished from the ruins, only to appear again at some later date. Seemingly without pattern.

16: THE BARROW CAVES

A series of caves once used by the Jarin to bury their dead, now shunned as a haven for undead, Ivashu and worse, Some of the caves are said to be connected, Most have been sealed and resealed over the decades and centuries by adventurous Tulwyn, but at any given time at least half a dozen seals lie broken and open, the contents defiled or stolen.

17: SKULL KEEP

The ruins of a an outpost overlooking the pass. Dates from the Tyranny of Lothrim period. Though remarkably intact, its gate-less entryway , twisted portcullis and two large rents in the north (Salt Route facing) wall of the keep make it appear uncomfortably like a skull. Once a common (and popular) camp site for caravans, those who once used it began to report a number of disturbing disappearances over the last few years and have since taken to giving the site a wide berth.

The Clerics of OSRIC-HARN

One of the major issues encountered when integrating a game world into a specific D&D rules-set (or, more commonly, when creating a home-brew setting) is how to integrate Gods and divine spell casters into the rules.

Religion, or rather, religious detail, is one of the many great strengths of Harn as a setting. It's relatively small number of Gods when compared to many other settings (less than a dozen) mean that the designers have been able to detail (in a single supplement) all the many religious orders, fighting orders, rituals and holy days of Harn's deities.

Here, I'll go through each of the God's in turn (also dealing with the animistic religions of the various human barbarian tribes) detailing the various OSRIC rule variants that will apply to their clerics clerics on Harn.

Agrik:

Agrik is a fiery, evil God of war, the breeder of violence for its own sake. He is favoured by those who enjoy rapine, pillage, cruelty and destruction. He is worshipped by dozens of squabbling clerical sects each sponsoring one or more fighting orders. His faith is illegal throughout most of Harn, but is legal in the nearby Thardic Republic. In OSRIC-HARN Agrik is Lawful Evil. His clerics may be lawful evil, lawful neutral or neutral evil. Clerics of Agrik can only use weapons which inflict great pain and suffering on their foes: Morning Star, Whip, Battle-Axe, Crossbow, Daggers, Flaming Oil and (barbed) Javelins

Halea:

The Goddess of Wealth and Pleasure, she demands unswerving devotion from her adherents. Only women can enter her clergy but her temple guards are most often male. She is popular among the merchant classes and those who revel in decadence. Halea is Chaotic Neutral. Her clerics can be of any non-lawful alignment. Helea prefers that he worshippers avoid violence through honeyed words and bribery rather than engaging in combat. As a result, her clerics are permitted the use only of daggers, slings, staffs and clubs.

Ilvir:

The creator of the Ivashu (monster-kind). His followers are individualistic, creative and mystical. Dozens of sects worship Ilvir, although his adherents are few and mostly found in distant Orbaal. However, many pass through Trobridge on pilgrimage to the most sacred site on Harn: the home of the God himself. Ilvir is True Neutral. Unique amongst the Gods of Harn, Ilvir has no clerics. His worshippers are led by Druids who must share his True Neutral alignment. The Druids of Harn are closer in temperament to the ancient druids of the Celts than they are to modern druids or druids as portrayed in later editions of D&D. All normal rules restrictions apply.

Larani:

The Lady of Paladins is the goddess is chivalry and battle, favoured by the feudal nobility and their men-at-arms. She is served by many saints who embody the ideals of chivalry and who are counted as masters of one knightly weapon. Larani is Lawful Good. Her clerics may be of any lawful alignment, even lawful evil. Her clerics are restricted to knightly weapons such as the longsword, the lance, the dagger and any weapon designed to be used from horseback. All Harn's paladins are worshippers of Larani. Larani has no church in Trobridge, though the village's Peonian priest has requested that a cleric or Paladin of Larani be despatched to the town.

Morgath:

Morgath is the master of chaos, evil and the undead; who despises all things fair and noble. His church is dour and ruthless and infamous for it's rituals of human sacrifice. Having been corrupted by the Shadow, Morgath is Chaotic Evil. His clerics must either share his chaotic evil alignment or else follow the path of neutral evil. His clerics prefer to let their undead servants (and in some cases, masters) fight on their behalf. They follow all the normal restrictions for clerical weapons but add the dagger to their list. They may not cast any curative, healing or resurrection spells. Morgath will not grant them.

Naveh:

A god of darkness, best known as the Bringer of Nightmares, worshipped by thieves and assassins. His fanatical clerics have been known to commit suicide as a sign of their devotion. Naveh is Neutral Evil. His clerics may be of any evil alignment and may freely multi-class as Assassins following the rules for demi-humans. All clerics (whether multi-classed or not) follow the assassin class restrictions for weapons and armour.

Peoni:

The Goddess of agriculture and healing. She is worshipped by most rural folk. Her clergy are divided into celibate (and chaste) male and female orders. Both maintain many hospitals. Temples are always situated close to areas of poverty. Peoni is Neutral Good.

She is the most commonly worshipped deity on Harn, the patron of the common folk. Her clergy are technically superior to those of Larani, just as the Goddess Larani serves as the protector of Peoni herself. In practice, the two faiths are independent, but allied, temples; with no one faith having control of the other. Her clerics can be of any good or True Neutral alignment. They are expected to be pacifists. In OSRIC-HARN, this is reflected by their weapon choice. They are restricted to using weapons that do not (technically) shed blood. For conservative clerics, this means club or staff. Those less concerned with the spirit of the law use any weapon normally permitted to the cleric class.

Sarajin:

The God of Battle-lust. He demands honour and bravery from his adherents, mostly humans of Lythian descent. His sport is war. He has been known to join in human battles. Sarajin is Chaotic Neutral. His clerics must be chaotic in alignment, though few are chaotic evil. They are allowed only two weapon: choices: the warhammer and any variety of axe. There is a small temple to Sarajin in Trobridge. However, the priests are often out among the barbarian tribes, performing missionary work, and can rarely be found there except scheduled ceremonies.

Save-K'Norr:

The God of knowledge and seeker of enlightenment, The Sage of Heaven. His adherents believe that a safe and ordered society precludes evil behaviour. They are devoted to providing guidance to the powerful, furthering knowledge, and spying on political and religious groups in the furtherance of the former two goals. Save-K'Norr is Lawful Neutral. His clerics may be any lawful alignment or True Neutral. His clerics prefer to avoid combat and are permitted only the staff, club and dagger as weapons. They may not wear metal armour.

Seim:

The benign God of mystery, magic and dreams. He is the special deity of elves and dwarves. Siem's worshippers favour a personal approach to the deity, communing in private rather than through organised worship. Most Harnic rangers are followers of Seim. Seim is Chaotic Good. His clerics must be chaotic good or neutral good. They may not wear metal armour but add the longbow, short-bow and spear to their list of permitted weapons.

Tribal Priests:

The many human barbarian tribes worship a variety of deities and minor spirits, apparently capable of granting some magical power. Those few barbarian clerics who follow one of the true gods of Harn follow the rules for their deity listed above. All others count as either a Shaman or a Witchdoctor. Both varieties of spell-caster may be found in any given tribe, they are not automatically mutually exclusive.

Sand-Box Locations: Part I

I've been giving a lot thought to some of the adventure sites I'll be using in my Sandbox campaign. Here are a few initial concepts and ideas. This first part of the article lists adventure sites that are canon or semi-canon (fanon) locations located near the Trobridge Inn. Those appearing in the second part of the article will be my own additions.

1 TROBRIDGE INN:

The Inn is itself is a possible (indeed, likely) site for adventure. With two “canon” factions striving for control of the village (see my earlier post, here) and a third, somewhat more passive faction of my own devising (Lyra) there will be plenty of opportunity for conflict and intrigue. The Trobride Inn supplement includes an adventure that introduces a (possible) fourth faction into the mix, but it's longevity depends on the patience and temperance of the PC's. Both of which are traits adventurers notoriously lack.

2 THE WATCHTOWER CATACOMBS:

“Everyone” knows there are haunted tunnels beneath the ruins of the old Watchtower. Which is exactly why no-one but Kurson's heavily armed Brigands are willing to go near it. Rumoured to be the location where Kurson stores all his all-gotten “tribute” from the villagers and tolls from the ford.

Likely to be one of the first sites explored by the party. There is a small map provided in Trobridge Inn, but it leaves plenty of room for expansion. And oh, do I intend to expand it.

3 THE RUINED FORT

Located in the wilderness around 15 leagues west of the Inn, the ruins represent a failed attempt by the Thardic Republic to extend their sphere of influence further along the Salt Route. Few people in the region are said to know exactly where it is located (it is not visible from the road) but all who speak of it insist the place is haunted by Morvin and frequented by Ivashu.

Also likely to be among the first sites explored by the party. While this location exists in canon, it has never (to my knowledge) been fully developed. So this will be one of the first dungeons I have free reign to create as I wish.

4 HILL OF THE DARK GROVE

A barrow near haunted Taztos, said to have been opened and explored by Lothrim himself. The garrison have yet to discover its location, though few have been foolish enough to try. They might not take kindly to strangers riling up the restless spirits of the dead.

5 KOREGO

The largest and oldest hive of Gargun known to exist on Harn. It's territory extends for many leagues in every direction, with smaller settlements known as “Warrens” scattered throughout the region. It is said to be led by the most cunning and wicked of the Gargun kings, who, almost unique among his kind, seems to possess at least some powers of both magic and statecraft.

I doubt the players will ever end up here. At least, not before they reach name level. Not unless they are very, very stupid. Or very, very, clever.

6 ANISHA

An ancient Cython (as the Earth-masters are called in my campaign. Purely because it sounds better to modern ears) ruin approx. 30 Leagues north of Trobridge. The surrounding area is said to be heavily forested and mountainous but with many well preserved buildings and extensive passages beneath. A village of humans who treat the site as a Holy Place can be found along a game-trail to the west of the ruins. They claim descent from the original inhabitants.

I'm likely going to use a published module to represent this site and its surrounds. I simply haven't quite settled yet on which one.

7 ELKALL-ANUZ

Only twenty leagues t the North West of Trobridge, in an area of otherwise flatland known as the “Plain of Towers,”Elkall-Anuz was once the great capital of the wizard-tyrant, Lothrim. It may even have been the birthplace of the Gargun, who are said to have been created by Lothrim's magics. 600 years old, the site includes many unexplored barrows in the surrounding area and (in my version of Harn) three massive towers that once housed his Gargun army. The site is deep within Chelni territory, but the tribes folk avoid it as though it harboured plague.

This will be one possible location for the campaign's Mega-Dungeon. At the moment I'm leaning towards using the maps from the Ruins of Greyhawk or (only slightly less likely) Stone-Hell Dungeon for this one. On the other hand, creating a mega-dungeon of your own from scratch is a fun and rewarding experience. In the end, I think my final decision will come down to whether or not I have the time to create my own computer -generated maps before the players get here.

8 PESINO

Another Cython site, 25 leagues Southwest of Trobridge. The site lies within the confines of the demon-haunted Shava forest, inside the territory claimed by the Sindarin Kingdom of Evael. The site is said to be guarded by more than just the army of the Elf King. Those who enter the forest and are not turned back by the elves often return so terror-stricken, that they can never discuss the experience nor approach these dark woods ever again.

Way, way to many spoilers to discuss my plans for this place here.

9 TASHAL

The capital of Kaldor, Tashal marks the eastern end of the Salt Route, though JEDES (farther South) is almost equidistant in terms of travel. 60 Leagues North East of Trobridge along the Salt Route, it is home to Kaldor's king for much of the year. Said to be the second largest city on Harn, there are few things on Harn that cannot be bought or sold here.

I don't really intended to use this location as an adventure site as such, I envision Tashal as being one of the party's “go-to” sites when they need to trade in a lot of treasure or make a big purchase and can't afford to wait for the next suitable merchant to come along. I fully intend to run a few side-trek adventures at this location however, but there's a reason it more or less marks the Eastern edge of the “low-level party” sand-box.

10 TAZTOS

A fortified camp of the Thardic Legion, Taztos marks the easternmost extent of Thardic territory and the westernmost extent of the campaign map. Too small to be of much use to character seeking to divest themselves of loot, it will likely see use more as a final stopping point on the Salt Route for any west-bound caravans escorted by the players.

HARN: Lysa of Amael

Lysa of Amael, the Glassworker of Trobridge Inn, is something of a mystery. The Trobridge Inn book describes her as a purveyor of glassware, gems, art and other fine goods. It also goes on to say that the Sindarin merchants who visit the town generally trade only with her.

So what's so special about her? Well, for one thing, I have to wonder where she gets the sand to make her fine glassware from. She could fetch it from the nearby river, I suppose, but I fancy that river sand is too course and unrefined to make good glassware. So why would a glass-blower settle at Trobridge Inn, so far from the sea and good quality, fine sand?

It's my expectation (and therefore, the way it's going to be in Osric-Harn) that Lysa is in fact a spy for Evael, the elven Kingdom just to the south of Trobridge Inn. Her position on the Salt Road places her in the ideal spot to monitor any developments in either the Thardic Republic or Kaldor that might effect the affairs of the elven homeland. For one thing, given that Kaldor and Tharda both lack a sea port, a land invasion is their only likely means of attacking Evael (not that a land invasion would be much of a threat, but that's a spoiler for another day). More relevant however, is that her location allows her to gather news from both western and eastern Harn, living, as she does, on the only reliable land route between the two civilised southern regions of the island. She is also in an excellent position to monitor the Korego Gargun and observe two of the three barbarian tribes that neighbour Evael.

Happily, this also makes her an ideal third local patron (with Tirson the Innkeeper and Kurson the Brigand) for the PC's to interact with.

Moreover, while she may be human (Evael also has a small human population) Harnic elves are nearly indistinguishable from humans. The two species can also, on occasions, produce children from unions of elf and human (rare, but not quite to the same extent as on Tolkein's Middle Earth). So, by making Amael an elf or a half-elf, I have a handy relative, mentor or friend for any Sindarin PC's in the party. Perhaps her “glass-blowing” helps hide the fact that she is secretly a mage or alchemist of some sort, merely selling surplus glass-ware brought by Sindarin merchants rather than making it herself. Or, it could just simply be that she is a simple, modest glassworker who just happens to be friendly with a few Sindarin merchants. Where's the adventure in that?

OSRIC-HARN Appendix N

Following on from a number of other Bloggers, I've decided to create an Appendix N listing all the gaming and non-gaming influences for my forthcoming campaign. This list is by no-means complete. I'll be working on it over the course of the next few weeks, gradually adding more items until it stand reasonably finished. But for now, here's a sampler:

Gaming:

The Harnmaster Rules and Harn Setting (of course)

Red Box D&D:

My introduction to the hobby.

OSRIC (naturally)

WFRP 1^st edition;

The grim setting, gritty humour, irony and the sheer futility of the characters (my first character was beggar with a walking stick, a bowl, some fleas and nothing else) struggling against something as all encompassing as the settings vision of Chaos has left me with a love of the Old World that none of GW's later meddling could ever completely destroy. I mean, Brettonians on GRAIL QUESTS? Come on.

Runequest/Glorantha:

Another incredibly detailed, well realized setting. I truly think that Harn and Glorantha between them are the main influences on all my gaming campaigns, my fiction writing and my world building. Over the last twenty years, my home-brew setting (200,000 words or so and counting) still aspires to their level of detail.

Artesia RPG and Comics:

A newer setting, Artesia's sexuality, realism, well developed politics and engrossing setting (in turn influenced by such books as Mary Gentle's Ash) are truly inspirational. Alas, the Fusion system leaves a lot to be desired, but there's a lot to be said for rules that list different game effects and protection values for better than two dozen different types of plate armour.

Film:

Conan the Barbarian:

The whole film screams “Old School Gaming”. It has everything from a proper party of adventurers, an EHP (Evil High priest), a Wizard, a Quest from a King, A Princess in need of Rescue, a Raise Dead Spell, Player Character Death, Henchmen, Mooks, TWO Evil Temples (including one tower), Giant Snakes and an honest-to-god dungeon. Like it or hate it, you can't deny this film is very Old School.

The Lion in Winter:

Politics and Intrigue involving the family of King Henry II, Eleanor of Acquitaine, and three of their children: Richard the Lionheart, John and Geoffrey of Britanny. Delicious. Demonstrates rather well the danger or “family disputes” over inheritance in a feudal setting. Excellent inspiration for the second half of the campaign (hopefully starting about 7-9^th level) when I plan on drawing the characters into politics and the Kaldor Succession Crisis.

Fantasy/Science Fiction:

Mary Gentle, “Ash”

The story of a female mercenary captain in the late medieval period, Ash melds factual European history with a slight “alternate reality” flavour and a “magic rare” alchemy/ritual based magic system where a company of priests preying for divine intervention really can change the weather. Again, in common with all my influences; gritty, realistic, non-cinematic violence and excellent battle scenes abound.

George R.R. Martin, “A Game of Thrones”

Not as gritty, dark, grim or “realistic” as I first thought (certainly not when compared to the likes of Ash or the Penman books) the world and the politics are still engaging. Some of the characters are a little too stereotypical for my tastes, but when you have a cast as large as George's you can forgive him for relying on tropes a little too often. Still not sure where its going, but the multiple plot lines, intrigues and loose ends very much jibe with my style of writing and Gming.

Erikson, Stephen, “Malazan Books of the Fallen”

A D&D world as it was meant to be, with battles won (or lost) on the strength of magic, mortals with power to rival the gods, evil Empires, brave heroes, prophets, demons, an ancient race of vengeful undead. Divine, animistic and arcane magic. Elves, Orcs, Trolls, Giants and other races all (very convincingly) disguised as something else through the weaving of an authentic seeming culture and language. Dozens of concurrent plot lines, multiple groups of protagonists and antagonists (reminiscent of when a GM runs several different groups of players through the same sandbox campaign at the same time). If anything, the books can be guilty of being too detailed. Subtle hints dropped two or three books before only resolve themselves into answers much later (and often involve two or three different groups of protagonists stumbling o to different facts, allowing you, the reader, to peace together the truth while leaving most of the characters stumbling around in the dark.

Bedlam. Simply wonderful, marvellous, engrossing, engaging bedlam. What George was aiming for (but never quite suceeded in reaching).

Historical Fiction:

Sharon Penman:

Sunne in Splendour (Richard the III) is a little too “late” in the Medieval period for the true “Old School” feel. But “When Christ and his Saints slept” covers the Anarchy Period (the war between Stephen and Empress Matilda), “The Devils Brood” covers the reign of Henry II and the various civil wars his sons and wife fought against him (ties in nicely with the Lion in Winter) and “The Reckoning” covers the reign of Edward I (of Braveheart fame). All very well researched and historically accurate with a gritty, old school feel. Fantasy fucking 'nam? Try seeing how frequently important figures dropped like flies for silly mistakes in real life, then complain to me about Fantasy Nam.

Elizabeth Chadwick:

“Lords of the White Castle”. Not as gritty and close to the bone as Penman's work, but just as inspirational. This particular book tells the true story of Fulke Fitzwarin, King Johns childhood companion, who ended up fighting a more-or-less single-handed rebellion against John for the better part of his reign. Good example of how a “robber baron” could exist in an otherwise lawful Kingdom, although Chadwick's Fulke is portrayed more as a “wronged man” than a brigand.

Non-Fiction:

I can think of about forty titles that have influenced the realism and authenticity of my gaming/writing style but right about now I'm too damn tired to write a paragraph on any of them. Additions to this appendix will come later, and be announced on the blog.