TSM PDF
TSM PDF
TSM PDF
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
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Legends of the Ancient World – The Sorcerer’s Manor
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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
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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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