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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

Legends of the Ancient World


presents

The Sorcerer's
Manor
Story by: Bret Winters

Cover:
Ted Chesky

Artwork:
Suzanne Winters
Dario Corallo

Playtesters:
George Dew
Karen Duke
Alec Groathouse
Sean Groathouse
Tony Groathouse
Todd Johnson
Aaron Keisch
Sean Mathews
Jerry Meyer Jr.
Kat Shults

Copyright © 2011 Dark City Games

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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

Redpoint is in upheaval. Gomar has broken Options


from Demetrian rule and declared himself to be While reading an entry, you will find options
king. A series of alliances with certain upland directly followed by numbers in parentheses. If
despots and beast-man nations has given him you decide to take an option, turn immediately to
power, which he is now consolidating in the corresponding entry number. Continue
campaigns to the south of the city-state. playing from that point.
With King Gomar’s attention focused elsewhere, Plot Words
several groups have gained power. The slavers Occasionally, an upper case word in
guild has doubled their traffic through the port; a parentheses follows a sentence or phrase. This
rise in illicit trade has generated two additional indicates that you have now acquired this plot
thieves guilds to compete with the ancient word. Retain all plot words until specifically
original; killers in dark robes have been spotted instructed to discard them. Plot words have an
all over the city; and hideous beings terrorize impact on your fate.
neighborhoods neglected by the watch. Game Board
The Maul is an old region of the city, in the Letters correspond to locations on the game
common district and swept by decades of slaves board. For example, you might read that “You
and other immigrants. It is now a series of slums, are at A in a Type III room.” Find the Type III
and a low priority of the city watch. room on the game board and place your
There is a new evil with the Maul as its home. characters on the hexes marked A. If all A hexes
Murders and abductions are at an alarming high, are full, place your characters immediately
and those responsible seem to be the robed adjacent.
men, perhaps aided by grotesque minions. It is Making Observations
beneath the notice of the government, and the Any option preceded by a tilde (~) requires that
people are powerless and scared. one character in the party attempt a 3/IQ check.
You are raw adventurers, ready to make your If the character passes, turn immediately to the
way through the world with your steel and your corresponding entry. If the character fails, the
wits. Despite all the martial and criminal activity option is not available.
ongoing throughout the city, it is seemingly Encounters
impossible to find work as independent blades. Whenever the party selects the attack option,
But then you hear old rumors of a sorcerer's the party has the initiative. Whenever the party
treasure somewhere in the Maul. Considering selects the talk option, players must decide what
your lack of prospects, you decide these are they will say before proceeding. Unless
worth investigating. otherwise stated, adversaries fight to the death.
You learn the location of the Sorcerer's Manor Dead adversaries do not rejuvenate upon
from Honest Alzander, a crazy map-seller in the subsequent visits. Only once all adversaries are
bazaar of the Maul. It is an ancient structure that defeated can the party loot bodies, search the
pre-dates the current civilization in Redpoint, that location or leave through a different entrance
at one recent time housed a strange man of than the one used to enter.
great power. He has not been seen in decades, Checking at Encounters
but none who have tried to burgle or collect taxes When the party is asked to pass a check at an
from the manor have returned. Now it is the encounter, the party elects one character. That
rumored home of ghosts and demons. And some character has one chance to pass the check, or
odd comings and goings… he fails and the party suffers the consequences.
Even though you are inexperienced, you are Characters
confident in your abilities. So it is in the pre-dawn All characters are fully provisioned with food
darkness that you climb over the wall and drop to and water. Normal characters begin with a
the courtyard beyond. The great stone house is weapon, armor up to Chainmail, and either a
fairly a fortress. But the central doors hang ajar, shield or an additional weapon. Magic characters
and with the first light you will enter. start with a staff of capacity equal to the
character's ST. Each character begins with 10S
(silver shillings).
THE ADVENTURE Leaving Characters Behind
Entries A party may leave companions behind, but upon
The adventure comprises a series of numbered returning to that entry, one player rolls one die.
entries. Do not read the entries sequentially, they On a one or two, the companion is still there in
are intentionally scrambled. As you play, you will the same condition as before. Otherwise the
be directed to the different numbered entries. companion is gone, never to be heard from
again.
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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

Economics passing 3/ST+CLIMBING (016). However, each


Money is denominated into Copper Pennies (C), failure results in the character taking 1D6
Silver Shillings (S), Gold Crowns (G) and damage, no armor.
occasionally, Gold Royals (R). There are 10C to 003
1S, 10S to 1G, and 20G to 1R, which is more of
“The Worm God hungers, my loves,” one of
a bar than a coin.
them states. “We are the Dwargs. You people
Time
call us ‘sewer dwarves.’ We will fight for our
Since the adventure takes place over the span
rightful place in the world--and you must know
of one day, there is no opportunity for wound
what that is. Softening the Earth with blood, for
recovery.
its return. Surely you recognize our might, and
Special Notes
see your destiny as worm food.” The Dwargs
The six grey circles on the board denote
attack with initiative (014).
columns. These spaces are completely off-limits.
The columns block all movement, sight and 004
missile weapons fire. Unless otherwise noted, There is a gas canister behind the panel that
these columns are always in play. activates the secret door. Now that you have
Conversely, the stairway in the middle of the found it, it is an easy task to disarm it.
board is non-existent unless otherwise noted. You may head south, down the short hallway
Begin beyond the secret door (010), or leave to the
Go to (000) and begin. east (040) or west (001).
000 005
The pre-dawn cold chills you to your bones. The At one time, this was probably an opulent
eastern glow brightens to reveal the time- bedroom. Now it is burned, but not by fire. An
ravaged manor, an intricate house of gothic alchemist will recognize acidic action on the
splendor. The weight and scars of time have only ancient furniture and the walls. Holes eaten
accented the dark grandeur. You cross the through the paneling let light pour in. But at the
courtyard, coming upon a small porch. Before the center of the room lies a pool of shadow. As you
fractured doors, flies buzz over the putrid body of enter the room, two slimy worms, each over a
a Tigran; she has been eviscerated. Weapons meter in length, crawl out of this darkness and
and spells ready, you push aside the remains of flail toward you.
a once stout portal, and enter the sorcerer's You are at B on the board; two worms are
manor through the North door (001). adjacent to “column” Y, which is the pool of
shadow. A is north. Every five turns, if the worms
001 live, two more sewer-worms emerge from the
This is the entrance hall to the sorcerer's manor.
pool. If you survive, you may search the room
Light-beams, stabbing through rotted holes in the
~(008) or depart to the east (025).
walls, reveal a once-regal room decayed by time
• Sewer-worms (2): ST6 DX11 IQ3; Acidic Bite
and violence. In the middle of the room lie many
2 damage (no armor); Hide 1/0. Missile weapons
bodies: a dwarf, two humans, three Orcs, and
are -2 to hit these writhing worms.
five unidentifiable. You can tell these are victims
of different combats, given the range of 006
decomposition. Reddened rats scurry away as “And jusst what would we have to ssay?” He
you enter. hisses in the common tongue. “Ssoon, you will
You can go down hallways leading east (020) or be dead. All peopless. Praisse Set.” You wonder
west (045). To the south a hallway extends if these creatures account for some of the
beyond a pair of open doors (011). If this is not sightings and violence in the Maul. He pauses as
your first time here, you can leave the manor if ready to strike, then speaks. “Thiss iss older
through the north door (049). You may also than your race. You are innocent of original ssin,
search the room ~(018). but you musst sstill pay.” The serpent attacks
002 with initiative (SERPENT) (017).
There are several bodies cocooned here. Now 007
drained husks, they have long ago been looted. This is the diary of the elven wizard Myseere.
As you look up, you see a backpack webbed to Evidently, he came with a companion to search
the ceiling. There seem to be enough handholds the manor for spell books, twelve years ago
in the decayed wall to reach it. according to last entries. You read the final lines,
You may leave down the stairs (011), go north written with the precise elven characters but by a
(025) or you may try and retrieve the pack by frail hand.

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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

“Jubal is dead, and I bleed beyond hope in this may talk to them (003), or attack with initiative
hall. Such is the fate of Myseere. To whoever (014).
finds this journal, deliver it to my family in the 012
Everbleak marshes. As a reward for the task, I
It is difficult to tell whether the tunnel is roughly-
have hidden a spell under a loose floor stone in
hewn or crumbling with age. There are caged
the kitchen. “
fire-bugs in sconces along both walls. It goes on
There is no more. The bodies on the floor are
for 100 meters or so before you come to a room
obviously more recent than Myseere’s death.
reeking of mud and venom. It appears empty at
You leave the room (001) (MYSEERE).
first, but then you make out a form slithering
008 upright. “Vissitorss,” it says. “Good.”
You find a small metal case that has survived You may flee back down the tunnel (040), attack
the acid of the worms. There is nothing inside, the serpent-man (017), or try to talk with him
but this is a durable container! It is big enough to (006).
contain several documents. In the ruins of the 013
bed, you find a blue metallic torch. There is no
You have shown the small, strange idol to
obvious way to light it (005).
several sages, but none are able to ascertain
009 anything about its origins. On a tip, you visit a
Before you can effectively strike, a small wise woman among the Shod, a local human
lightning bolt 1D6 zaps the attacking characters. ethnic group that still maintains a sense of
“Please be careful my friends, there is no point in identity. She is cold and uninterested until you
violence here.” The apparition pauses and says display the idol.
“Now, what may I do for you?” (025). “By Thanatos’ grim scythe! That is a
010 representation of Bosk, an ancient hero.” She
touches it with trembling fingers. “So much of
You find yourselves in a bizarre antechamber,
what we were as a people is gone, first through
with a host of horrific artwork arranged about a
enslavement and then assimilation.” A few tears
bench. These paintings and sculptures depict a
run down her age-seamed face.
variety of tortures and perversions. The scenes
“Obviously, we are poor and I cannot pay you
are uncannily graphic. You are repulsed--but
for this. But I will instead give you a half-dozen
there is a hideous, hypnotic power here. From a
vials of Mashu (a concoction made by the Shod,
painting at the opposite end of the room, a
healing 3 hits per vial), and I will sing your
shadow emerges and drifts toward you.
praises to our people.” You may accept or
Each character must win an IQ check against
decline (049).
IQ11 to resist a Mind Control spell. If they fail,
they are initially helpless during the upcoming 014
fight, until hit in combat the first time, when they They yell and charge you, with froth, blood, and
regain their senses. curses flying from their lips.
You are at A on the room board; the shadow is You are at A on the room board; the enemies
at C. The stair in the middle of the room is are at C. A is north; the stairwell in the middle of
actually a bench; it cannot be moved through, the board is a solid obstacle for this fight. The
though you may fire missile weapons or spells Dwargs fight to the death. If you survive, you
over it. The shadow has initiative. If you survive, may search ~(021), leave to the north (001) or
you may search ~(023) or leave to the north take the staircase to the upper level (030).
(020). • Sewer-dwarves (Dwargs) (2): ST11 DX12(9)
• Shadow: ST12 DX9 IQNA; Unholy Touch 1D6 IQ8; axes D6+2; Chainmail 3/3, Small Shield 1/0.
(no armor); Shadow Form 3/0. 015
011 You discover an odd parchment in a corner of
This dim area stinks of decayed flesh, and you the room. It depicts a strange door, and
hear low noises. You come to a large room with pictographically elaborates on how to open it.
a staircase in the center, leading upward. Your You investigate the tunnel leaving this chamber,
eyes momentarily water as you step into the long enough to know that it stretches on for many
room. When your eyes adjust, you see madness. miles – too many to explore now. You decide to
Two gore-spattered, degenerate dwarves are leave (040).
hunched over a gasping, vivisected humanoid, If you run through the Sewers of Redpoint, you
feasting. The humanoid quivers in its death may use these instructions to open a certain
throes. The dwarves look up at your entrance, door. If you find yourself at instruction (10) during
and emerge from red pools and clumps. You the course of that adventure, you have the option
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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

of going to instruction (82) and continuing from 021


there. On one of the Dwargs’ bodies, you find a
016 cameo, with a miniature painting inside, of a
In the backpack you find a stone flask, a bag of beautiful woman (CAMEO). There is nothing else
40 silvers, and an odd blue gem that glows of note in the room, aside from the precisely
faintly. dissected body (014).
Pass 3/IQ against SCHOLAR or ALCHEMIST to 022
determine what the stone is (022). Pass 3/IQ This is a power stone. Each day it allows the
ALCHEMIST, HERBALIST or MEDIC to identify wielding mage an extra three fatigue, in the same
the potion (019). You may leave by the hallway manner as a staff (016).
to the north (025) or down the stairs (049).
023
017 You find the body of an adventurer in the
You are at C on the room board; the serpent corner, stuffed under a hollow pedestal. There
man is at A; A is north. The serpent-man has are two stone vials in a pouch at his belt, and
initiative. The first turn, he successfully casts the nothing else of value.
Stone Flesh spell. If you survive, you may search If you pass 3/IQ ALCHEMIST, MEDIC, or
the room ~(015) or depart (040). HERBALIST, you identify the potion in the stone
• Serpent-man: ST14(10) DX11 IQ13; Broad vial as Mashu, a concoction made by the Shod, a
Sword 2D6; Hide 1/0, Stone Flesh 4/0. local ethnic group here in Redpoint. It heals 3
018 hits per vial. Otherwise, you deem it a bad idea
On one of the bodies, you find a purse with 20 to sample it now, and save it for later. You now
silver pieces. Under a pile of wood and plaster, leave the room and head north (020).
against a wall, you find a small book. You can 024
read it if you are literate in Elvish (007) or you There are a half-dozen more skeletons strewn
move on from the room (001). about the floor, but none are moving. Among the
019 debris, you find a pair of silver candlesticks that
This is drang, a powerful but vile concoction of should fetch a nice sum at any market (200S). In
some forgotten culture. By drinking it and the middle of the south wall, you find the outline
passing 3/ST, a character is healed of all poison of a door in the stones.
and disease, and eight hits of damage. There is If you pass a 3/IQ+TRAPS, go to (004).
enough here for two doses (016). Otherwise, as you find the panel that activates
the door, a jet of dark gas sprays from the wall.
020 Everyone who fails a 3/ST check takes 2 hits of
This was a dining hall. The once-elegant table is internal damage as their lungs are burned! When
fractured and decayed, and rotted tapestries still able to continue, you may head south, down the
cover parts of the walls. A long table, still short hallway beyond the secret door (010), or
standing after these years, divides the foul- leave to the east (040) or west (001).
smelling room. On the floor, you make out more
bodies. There are two fairly recent corpses, and 025
a dozen or so skeletal forms. As you watch in the You come into a room lit by series of small
dim light, some of them stir and begin to rise: two gems set into the ceiling, and at several desks
skeletons wielding axes and shields. Their jaws spaced out about the room. Every possible
are clacking, as if they are taunting, as they available measure of space along the walls has
advance upon you! been covered by shelves, stacks of books and
You are at D on the room board; the skeletons scrolls. There are a trio of recent bodies on the
are at B. A is north; the stairway in the center is ground, and several skeletons as well. A
the table (it cannot be moved through, though luminous being appears before you, not quite
you may fire missiles and spells over it.) If you substantial. “Yes?”
survive, you may search the room ~(024), head You may attack (009), reach for one of the
down the eastern (040) or western (001) manuscripts (038), speak with the being (029),
hallways. leave to the south (030), the west (005) or the
• Skeletons (2): ST14 DX9 IQ9; Axe D6+2; east (042).
Shield 1/0; Skeletal Body 2/0 against piercing 026
weapons, or 0/0 against swinging weapons. “That is indeed her likeness,” Honest Alzander
says through his gap-toothed grin. "And I heard
of who it was that took her. Maybe even where

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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

she is--an old church, converted to a • Spiders (2): ST6 DX12 IQ5; Bite 1D6-1;
warehouse.” 20S later you have purchased a Special – poison: On an attack that penetrates
map from him of the late Gothic period of armor, if the defender fails 3/ST, he takes an
Redpoint’s architectural history. With Alzander’s additional 1d6-1 poison damage (armor does not
commentary, you pinpoint several possibilities. protect against this poison damage).
That night you get to work, and the first one you
investigate, belonging to the Drake shipping
031
You place the torches in the appropriate
family, is empty. Save for a single prisoner. As
brackets. They suddenly flare to life, and the wall
you approach the bound woman, there is
between them becomes dark and then opaque,
movement in the darkness about you.
as if you are looking through a membrane. You
You are within three hexes of X on the room
realize this is a mystic gate. You may step
board; two Dwargs are at A and two cultists are
through (035) or leave to the west (025).
at C. A is north. If you survive, you have rescued
fair Saelia! You return her to her father – who is 032
now under house arrest, being held for ransom. You find the loose stone. Underneath you find a
Nonetheless, he gives you 500S, and she gives scroll case. On the scroll is the Rope spell. After
you a kiss (049). the adventure, you may learn the spell, provided
• Sewer-dwarves (Dwargs) (2): ST11 DX12(9) you have sufficient IQ (040).
IQ8; Axe D6+2; Chainmail 3/3, Small Shield 1/0. 033
• Cultists (2): ST12 DX12(10) IQ8; Broad Sword “This does match the description of jewelry she
2D6; Cloth 1/1, Large Shield 2/1. wore. Where did you find this?” The sergeant
027 seems earnest about his work. You describe the
You find a sloppily-concealed trapdoor in one fight with the Dwargs--including the body, but
corner of the room. It is well-oiled; the serpent- without the vile feasting.
men must travel this way. You carefully lift it and “I see. Well, as long as she has been missing, it
see a short drop to a tunnel running south. Foul is unlikely they would have just killed her, so that
vapors drift toward you. You may investigate the probably wasn’t her body. Dwargs? There have
tunnel (012) or leave to the west (020). been reports in certain areas of the city, of
strange dwarves living in the sewers. But I
028 always thought that Gomar had this lassie
The first wound Ximon takes, he curses you and kidnapped. Huh.”
teleports on his next action. You cannot trace With no more information, if you pass
him. You have made a powerful enemy (XIMON) 3/IQ+STREETWISE you can gather more
(035). information from street contacts (026), or you can
029 look for further employment (049).
It is talkative. “I am the sorcerer's librarian. Very 034
important, you know. Though he hasn’t asked for The serpent-man’s words about the dark god
my assistance in a while. May I help you find a Set resurface on in your mind. You make
spell?” inquires and learn of a sage named Moffitt.
A magical character may receive a scroll with “Interesting…though it may be a hoax. A few of
any single spell he has the IQ to cast; after the those are going around.” He glances at your
adventure, he may study it and gain that spell, sword. “Nothing personal.” He looks at the map
without having to pay experience points. You you recovered. “This appears authentic. Some of
have the plot word (LIBRARY) (025). these hieroglyphs I recognize. Hmm… Maybe
030 you could scout one of these locations for me?”
The stairs from the first floor meet this dank, Yes (044) or no (049).
moldy room. The ceiling is lost in blackness; 035
there is an archway to the north, and a hallway You experience a sudden nausea, but it passes
beyond. The room is empty. As you cautiously and you find yourself in a cold chamber of black
pass through, there is movement from above. stone, the gate to your back. In the center of the
Spiders… big spiders… room is a large, blood-drawn pentagram. Within
You are at C on the room board; the spiders are it, dark forces swirl and seem to be coalescing.
at A; A is north. The stairway in the middle of the On the opposite side of the pentagram from you,
board is a solid obstacle for this fight. If you a man in black robes chants and gestures, his
survive, you may search ~(002), or exit either to concentration being on the events in the
the north (025) or down the stairs (011). pentagram. Beside him are two skeletons. As

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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

soon as you enter the chamber, they come to life If you have found two torches in your adventure
and advance upon you. He looks up, startled at through the manor and you wish to place them in
your entry, and he stops his chant. The power the brackets, go to (031). Otherwise, you leave to
that was being concentrated in the pentagram the west (025).
disperses, but a dark tension remains in the 038
room, wanting to integrate.
A small lightning bolt 1D6 leaps out from the
“How did you get in here!” He thunders. His
book before you touch it, hitting you on a 12 or
distinct baritone deepens as his black eyes shine
less. “Next time, the bolt will be substantially
from under the hood. “No matter. Once you are
more powerful, if what I have seen previously is
dead, an avatar of my lord, the Worm God, will
indicative of what is about to transpire.” The
writhe forth. I am Ximon, and you have angered
being seems to grow in stature a bit. “Now, what
me greatly.”
may I do for you?” (025).
You are at C on the room board; X and the six
adjacent hexes constitute the pentagram. The six 039
grey circles represent solid columns; characters You find a silver dagger in the hand of one of
may neither move into or fire through those the statues; it is easily removable, and fit for use.
spaces. The wizard is directly across the You also find a torch of red metal, though there is
pentagram from you. A skeleton stands at B and no apparent way to light it. You do not find the
at D. Any character stepping into the pentagram bell you heard. Return to the east (001).
is sucked into a demonic world and is considered 040
killed. The mage will cast 2F Fireball spells (2D6- At one time, this was used as a kitchen. Old
1), until he is hit for the first time, in melee or by utensils still hang above splintered counters. As
missile/spell, whereupon he reacts unexpectedly your eyes adjust to the new gloom, you see
(028). If you survive, you can look around (047) sinuous movement. “Hu-manssss,” a voice
or step back through the gate (042). hisses from the dark. “Alwayss curiouss. Makess
• Ximon: ST14 DX12(10) IQ15; Staff 1D6; you vulnerable, for our return. Praisse be to Set.”
Leather Armor 2/2; Spells: Fireball; Teleport. Two serpent-men rise and quickly slither toward
• Skeletons (2): ST14 DX9 IQ9; Axe D6+2; you!
Shield 1/0; Skeletal Body 2/0 against piercing You are at D on the room board; the serpent-
weapons only. men are at B. A is north; the circles are
036 impassable columns. If you survive, you may
The stairs are ill defined and worn, as if made search ~(027) or leave to the west (020). If you
and used for serpent bodies. You go down have the plot word MYSEERE, go to (032).
slowly, and at that pace you have little difficulty. • Serpent-men (2): ST10 DX11 IQ11; Bow 1D,
Your torch occasionally wavers, indicating that or Cutlass 2D6-2; Hide 1/0, Small Shield 1/0.
there is some air flow. You eventually come to a 041
landing. Several tunnels join here, forming a kind A week later, after you have healed, you look to
of crossroads chamber. There is a strong odor of sell the cameo. There are a few reputable
scales and venom. You can make out distant jewelers in the Commons, and the one you take
sibilant sounds, though you cannot tell from the cameo to, a dwarf, recognizes the woman in
which tunnel they drift. As you look about, four the picture. “That is the daughter of the
serpent-men, two with blades and two with bows, Demetrian ambassador. I can’t touch this; there
wind into the chamber. “Humanss are bold,” says will be too many questions for one such as
one. "But it ssavess uss having to hunt for food.” myself. You can sell it to someone in the street
You are at D on the room board; the serpent- for 50S (049) or take it to the constable (033); I
men are at B. A is north. The stairway in the don’t care. Nice shoes.”
middle of the board is a solid obstacle. If you
survive, you search (048). 042
• Serpent-men (4): ST10 DX11 IQ11; Bow 1D, Once this was a fantastic laboratory, with glass
or Cutlass 2D6-2; Hide 1/0, Small Shield 1/0. and metal tubes, and beakers, and tools. Now
these are all smashed, and this is apparently a
037 rough barracks of some kind. Two armed men in
You look around the room but find no treasure. robes, who appear to be waiting for something,
You realize you have come to a dead end. As yell at your arrival and draw weapons. You can
you are about to leave, you look at the wall that tell negotiation will not work here, as they charge
the cultists were standing by expectantly. About you!
five meters apart from each other are two torch
brackets, one red and one blue.
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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

You are at A on the room board; the cultists are 048


at C; B is north. If you survive, you look around You find nothing around the room that seems
(037). significant, but on one of the serpent-men, you
• Cultists (2): ST12 DX12(10) IQ8; Broad Sword find an amulet that makes you shudder. Though
2D6; Cloth 1/1, Large Shield 2/1. repulsed, you take it with you to show Moffitt.
043 When you return, you describe to him the deep
When your character wishes to spend XP to crossroads and he is frightened. But when you
acquire a spell, he may do so from the librarian produce the amulet, his eyes bulge. “These are
here at the manor, up to three times. On the no mere Set-worshipping serpents. This amulet
fourth time, the sorcerer has returned--but that is is known to me as a Venom-mark. As I
another tale (049). understand it, only those who have sworn their
lives to killing all for Set, essentially becoming a
044 berserker, are given these by the vile priests. “It
All work, no reward…why were you doing this seems we have enemies below our very feet.”
again? You scout several of the locations Moffitt He gives you 40S, and says that he will pursue
gives you, but they have all so far turned up his studies, and will try to communicate his
empty or non-existent. Maybe the map was a findings to those in Gomar’s court that would be
decoy, or perhaps a plan of what is to be rather willing to listen. He may contact you for further
than what is. Or maybe it marks time-lost aid in the future (049).
locations?
You look at the last spot he gave you, an old 049
municipal building. For the last century or so it You have survived! Congratulations. This is
has been deserted and used as a refuge by the worth an extra XP on its own merits. Likewise, if
homeless. You are somewhat surprised to find a you encountered Ximon and earned his enmity,
hollow space behind a crumbled wall. You see a that is worth another XP. You have put a few
sinuous rune, nearly faded by time, on the panel more coins in your purse, and have a tale to tell.
facing you. You push it open, and foul air wafts You may have acquired some plot words. You
up from descending stairs. You may continue may rest up to your full strength, and then
(036) or leave (049). investigate them: CAMEO (041); MYSEERE
(046); LIBRARY (043); SERPENT (034); IDOL
045 (013).
This large room is a hall of statues. A half-dozen
are spaced about in the gloom, of varied warriors APPENDIX A: RACES
and monsters, all poised for battle. There is the Humans comprise a multitude of sub-races, a
hollow sound of a distant bell, and then one of few native to the Stormreach peninsula, plus a
dozen waves of immigrants and slaves. Thus a
the marble figures creaks to life! It is the statue of
a large, muscled wrestler. It comes toward you Redpoint native human may be of any skin hue.
with surprising agility! Dwarves were dominant here a millennium ago,
You are at B on the room board; the living but were displaced by human invaders. There
are now only several minor, isolated kingdoms in
statue is at Y; A is north. The statue grapples the
closest character. If you survive, you may search the mountainous spines to the peninsula.
~(039) or leave, back to the east (001). The Tigrans originate from the grasslands along
• Living Statue: ST15 DX10 IQNA; Grapple the eastern coast of the peninsula. They are
1D6+3; Stone Skin 4/0. numerous, and Gomar has allied with them
rather than attack them.
046 Elves are rare in this part of the world, though
The Everbleak marshes are far to the southwest there are two established communities on the
of Redpoint, and they are home to Myseere's Stormreach. One is to the southwest in the
elvin tribe. Retain this plot word for use in The Everbleak marshes; the other is far upland, in a
Dark Vale (049). wooded vale to the southeast.
047 Orcs were long ago driven to the marshes along
There is seemingly little of value in this dark the western coast. Over 50 years ago, hordes
room. If you pass 3/IQ against JEWELER, you swept across the reach, but they were eventually
retrieve a perfect opal (300S). If you pass 3/IQ destroyed, and the war was then carried deep
against SCHOLAR, you find a small, curious idol into the marshes. The Orcs have yet to recover,
among others of little worth (IDOL). When ready and are rare outside of their dank homelands.
to leave, you step back through the gate (042). Ursans are bear-men. They live in tribal nations
in the uplands. Gomar has exploited natural
rivalries to become a power among them.
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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor

Gnomes dwell in hills far away from settled


areas. They are generally reclusive, but some
young gnomes get wanderlust before they retire
to their burrows.
Caprians, or goatmen, were believed to be
extinct for the last millennia or so; recently, they
have been encountered in the hills and marshes
and western shores.

www.DarkCityGames.com - Page 9

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