Anarea 1-off D: Breaking the Law 7 to 26 Aval 2000
Scenario 12A. (X)
Version A: Into the Underworld
The Questors may wish to track down Namaja, reputedly the World's greatest ChaosMaster, and quite possibly still alive. But his trail is three years cold. He was last commonly heard of in Valdrea at the massacre of Lake Zarak. Questioning of the surviving rebels should elicit the information that he walked off into the Lake, and possibly that he headed straight on down into its depths. The Questors may also have picked up the fused, glassy trail left by his passing on the bed of the Lake.
He is not susceptible to any means of Location, including Demon Summoning. His trail may be followed by means of those who saw him pass: either by Communing with their Gods or by speaking to them in person. Demon Summoning may also help follow his trail, where it is still traceable.
The first point that needs to be appreciated is that Lake Zarak connects by an underwater passage to Lake Karaz in the Underworld. The glassy trail can ultimately be traced to the entrance to this passage. This leads to the logical conclusion that Namaja went that way to the Underworld.
The obvious place to start looking in the Underworld is Guzak, which as capital of the Lesser Orcish Empire is the largest town on the shores of the Lake. It should not be too difficult to learn that the Empire has been at war with the Land of Hulmo for 500 years (although humans will have difficulty operating freely here at all), and that Hulmo is famed for its ChaosMasters.
In Hulmo it is easily learnt that ChaosMasters dwell in the Mountains of Cloud. Namaja's name is fairly well-known here, and the nearer one gets to the Mountains the more likely one is to hear of his disappearance into those Mountains.
Mount Griht (22,000 ft) is a dormant volcano in the Mountains of Cloud, with tracks leading to it from both sides of the front line. For The Academy of ChaosMasters, which is located here, see separate Scenario "Chaos Goes to War".
Chaotic incidents have been on the increase in Hulmo and the Mountains of Cloud since last year. But since 1 Aval 2000 the boundaries between Reality, Chaos and the Dream Kingdoms have been breaking down, and another former volcano, Mount Kharmus (c27,000 ft) has erupted again. It has been shining with strange lights and spitting out odd bits of Chaos. These events are visible across the War Zone and further afield, and have prompted foretellings of Doom by those ChaosMasters of a Prophetic bent.
Mt. Kharmus is a Sacred Site of the Mountains of the Underworld. Its runes are now open Gateways into Chaos (see separate Scenario "Tripping into Chaos"). Other temporary Gateways may also be encountered on its slopes.
Encounters along the way will depend on how the Questors travel, whom they question, and what disguises they adopt.
The passageway between the Lakes is guarded by Sahuagin and sharks (L). They have Magic-Users, and the Ethereal and Astral are warded by Symbols of Stunning (which give a more powerful Symbol and are equally effective, as the guardians can quickly go Ethereal / Astral to take on intruders). A Balrog is also on duty at each end of the passage - for these bases are under direct Hellish command.
The Lesser Orcish Empire (L/N) will treat humans as slaves or escaped slaves, or as spies from Hulmo. Guzak is ruled by the Imperial Guard, which is split into various factions. The Thievish Brotherhoods are also powerful, and factionalised, but still hate humans. Only spies from Hulmo will be friendly, and these are few and self-interested. Beyond the capital the Army rules.
Hulmo (N/C) is also a military dictatorship, but a human, anti-Orcish one. Their language is still a dialect of Orcish. They have extensive dealings with Chaotics, but Lawfulness is not banned.
The Mountain-dwellers (C) are a mix of Chaotics and draft-dodgers. The Chaotics and ChaosMasters support Hulmo against the Lawful Empire, and receive considerable rewards for their services.
Wandering Monsters (L/N/C) may be encountered in the depths of the Lake, on the Ethereal / Astral or out in the wilderness of the Underworld. They scavenge in the War Zone, and are prevalent in the Mountains (though most will have scattered from Mt. Kharmus).
Bits of Chaos (C) erupting from Mt. Kharmus may manifest as small Stars, Chaos-Beings or random effects. They may seek to climb back into the sky to rejoin the Stars, wander off randomly, dissipate into the increasingly-Chaotic environment or even interact with the Questors.
The party may be left to draw their own conclusions from where the trail leads.
Back to Scenario 11: The Betrayed
Go to Scenario 13A: Chaos Goes to War
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