Nuwmont 13, 998 AC: Kor Karrest, The Ringway

It was nearly, but not quite a run, for us. The twins hurried, and I noticed occasional glimmers from beneath the hood or drape of their borrowed cloaks: the white dragonstones at Aurora’s tiara and at Silva’s throat were at work, pulsing with each footfall. A dull but steady shadowlight gleamed between the fingers of their clasped hands; Aurora augmented the healing with a black. I did not fail to notice the shrike’s grip firm at each attempt of Silva’s to pull her own hand free.

Nuwmont 13, 998 AC: Kor Karrest, The Ringway

If the portion of the city we’d seen so far was a twisting, ramshackle ramble, the portion Grellk and his mercenaries led us through was equally labyrinthine, but the buildings crowded to each side were of a more permanent nature: made of fitted, mortared dark stone blocks. Most were streaked with an oddly greenish tracery. Some that we passed, though, exhibited beautiful branching wispy patterns, almost... tree-like.

DM's Workshop: Dragonstone Nacelle powers

Gnomish lapidaries categorize the fragments used to create dragonstone nacelles into five general categories: inferior, minor, middle-grade, major, and near-perfect. This very rough grading determines how much magical output a given nacelle is capable of, and ultimately, just how re-usable it is.

Nuwmont 13, 998 AC: Merchant's Warren, Kor Karrest

For all the concealment afforded the broad, deep hoods, they did no favors for our vision.

“Only first-timers wag their noses back and forth,” Grellk said.

Magitech of Blackmoor: Dragonstone Nacelles, part 2

The magewrights of the Glittering Empire have fashioned a host of devices capable of interfacing with a dragonstone nacelle in order to take advantage of the stones’ magic, despite their users not having inherent magical ability or blood. Helms, torcs, gloves, bracers, boots and greaves are the most commonly seen, though it is said that the Eternal Emperor owns a suit of plate mail festooned with nacelle sockets. Arms as well as armor have been socketed. In most cases, they are usually situated at the weapon’s base or pommel.

Magitech of Blackmoor: Dragonstone Nacelles, part 1

 Though the decorations on the housings may differ slightly depending on the gnomish metal crafting, dragonstone nacelles all consist of an oblong canister-like enclosure of blown glass enclosed in a brass housing, containing either one imperfectly-cut dragonstone or one to three dragonstone fragments amidst a tangle of thin wires of various precious metals. One end is usually domed, or conical, or tapered in some other fashion, while the other ends in either a toothed or grooved socket, depending on its estimated usage expectancy.

The nacelle is a crude extrapolation of the ancient Blackmoor magitech used to power, maintain, and operate a warforged and soulbound construct’s body shell. While the originals used a delicate tuning and harmonization process to regulate and enhance the enclosed dragonstones’ abilities fore use by the shell, the Eternal Emperors researchers found that their larger versions could stabilize a dragonstone otherwise made useless by imperfect cutting during harvesting or damage on the battlefield. That this was a result of stripping the safety and limiting functions found in the originals’ designs was of little consequence to the Emperor and his ministers of defense. The fact that this made the magitech suitable for weaponization in addition to its being used for physical enhancement only increased the funding for the ministry to eke out every means of use of the magitech of the enemies of the Glittering Empire.

From the Netbook: The Gravewall

The Gravewall

This long curtain wall of gray marbled stone stretches across the nearly 10-mile length of the Grand Cavern, from Rak Kuldrest to Rak Surest. The exterior of the wall, facing Karhr-Syharwehrf and its surrounding Blasted lands, is etched with intricate, interlocking runes and glyphs which radiate a skin-tingling potency, even to those who lack the gift of magical senses. Along the interior, the stones are bordered with similar runes, the center of each bearing glyphics — a dwarven family name, followed by the epitaph “Defender of the Empire, even in death.” Originally a soldier’s monument, after the Glittering Empire began to crumble, it became compulsory for all citizens to be interred within the monument.


When any of the twelve horns at the watchpoints along the top of the wall are blown three times, the sorceries laid on the wall activate, animating the corpses — mostly as skeletons, but occasionally as zombies, for the freshly-interred. Those of high nobility, who could afford the special rites associated with the passing of the head of a noble family — animate as wraiths, or in the case of those of the highest class, specters.

While engaged in battle within five miles of the wall, the animated undead reduced to 0 hit points will re-form within 1d6 rounds, taking up arms to fight again(and again, and again….). 

When the all-clear is sounded from the horns atop the wall, the undead turn, and march back to their graves, to sleep again until needed by the Empire.

Humanoid remains not removed from this five-mile expanse will likewise be claimed by the wall after nine days (the traditional length of a Dwarven mourning), rising up and marching to find rest in the catacombs beneath the Wall, where the dwarves interred criminals and those who could not afford burial within the wall itself.

Nuwmont 13, 998AC: Full Measure

Despite the high ceiling and multiple ventilation slits cut across the roofing panels, it was still painfully obvious to my nose and eyes that Tamac was a tanner. Shadowy figures moved about behind canvas partitions, their movements becoming more agitated as our gnomish host began to bark orders. Several shorter gnomes, their hair more gray than white, appeared from the gloomy depths of the tent, squares of slate and chalk in their hands, scratching at them as Tamac called out measurements.

Nuwmont 13, 998AC: Merchant's Warren, Dockside

It took three platinum coins, but that price also got us off the barge ahead of Imperial Brass cargo inspectors. It involved a leap from the connecting joint just before reaching the docks, and was nearly worth the price, to watch Grellk’s smirk fade after his off-color remark about Sera and I getting entangled in the collar-and-lead. The strange connection the device forged made the jump easier. Sera’s sense of space and timing is much better than my own. The briefest of nudges of woven Thought helped a bit, as well.

Nuwmont 13, 998AC: The City of Crystal Splendors

The great whistle at the front of the iron barge gave a long wail, and below, as well as behind and in front of us, wheels began to grind and shriek. Bright orange and yellow sparks leapt forth, some of which tried to jump through the gaps in the planked flooring. Orange and red pinpoints showered the sandy ground to either side of the metal lines on which the barge rolled, quickly fading to coal black specks. Between the scalding steam belching forth from the massive boiler tank at the front of the line of barges and the cascades of sparks from the grinding wheels, there wasn’t all that much to be seen through the square windows. I, for one, was not keen to lean out and catch any of the sparks or cinders in my teeth, or eyes.

Nuwmont 10-13, 998 AC: Towards Kor-Karrest

First Half Moon (on or about Nuwmont 10-13, 998AC)

“This will never work,” Ana muttered, tugging the tattered cloak tighter about her shoulders.

“It’ll work,” Gilliam said. “It’ll work better if you slouch more.”

“And scratch,” Demarra said. She brought her hand up, clad in a too-big leather glove, and worked at the back of her hood.

Magic of Thorn's Mystara: Blackflame Lanterns

While the use of magic is tightly regulated by the Special Council of the Ministry of Guilds and Services, there are those who practice their shadow craft for coin, rather than the good of the empire and blessing of the Karrnath. Knowing what their brethren are capable of, the magecaptains of the Imperial Army have developed a number of devices with which to minimize the chaos sewn by rogue bahrthron.

Another New Year?

Happy New Year, blog-o-sphere.

It would seem last years' resolutions were a bit... ambitious.

TC2 and 3 are still in holding patterns. Ideas are well in place, but there is still very much left to do with the plot lines and encounter building.

Thorn & company are having way too much fun in Kurest Hurgon. The last vestiges of Loktar's Glittering Empire are taking a bit more time to explore than I'd thought....

The Handmaidens' adventures are a bit on hold as I work on some pre-Mistamere backstory amongst them. Will those tales see the light of day? It depends on how many want to see them, I suppose...

Act 2 of the Throne of Stars is nearly finished. Will the heroes finally manage to dock with the First Throne? What will they find there?

The play test of TC1 is technically still going. I think the players may need a kick, though...

I eagerly await the re-starting of Havard's Vales campaign, as well as reading what LFC material Rafe finally manages to cough up.

I look forward to working with the Threshold Magazine editors in fleshing out a couple levels of the Koskatep megadungeon.

And lastly, yes, dear sister(s), I do hope to get back to that other story some time this year. And maybe the other one, as well...

Realm of the Karrnath: Townships of the Eastern Empire

A waystation approximately midway between Kurest Hurgon and Vilch consists of a three room hostel, a well of barely-drinkable water, and a supply of firewood and/or coal, depending on the season. The corroded mechanisms for restocking a smoke-belcher sags in disrepair, and bins of replacement parts gather dust and cobwebs in the corners of the tool shed alongside the building.

Realm of the Karrnath: The Fungal Forests of the Glittering Empire

The warm, moist caverns beneath the Cruth Mountains have given rise to great tracts of fungi, of the normal and giant varieties. Some formed naturally, others were the result of untended fungal gardens left to run amuck. It is not known if the rapid growth of the fungi is the result of magical tampering by dwarven magewrights, a property of the caverns themselves, or something else entirely.

Nuwmont 7, 998 AC: Kurest Hurgon

First Quarter Moon (on or about Nuwmont 7, 998AC)

The dwarf slid from the back of the mule, landing with a heavy, metallic jangle punctuated by a snarled curse as he staggered, favoring his right leg.

Thorn's Mystara: Bestiary: Dragonstone Lich

Blackmoor University did not get the soulbound technology right on the first try. Before settling on synthetics, they made many attempts to bind a soul into a “normal” material body beyond its natural bounds, most of which resulted in utter failure. The bonds were not strong enough to keep the soul from dissipating across the mortal boundary. The wizard-priests were only partially successful in calling the souls back. Some returned out of a sense of duty to the Empire. Very few, either twisted by the experimentation, or simply evil to begin with, returned bent on vengeance against the scientists, and the Empire that sponsored such abominable research.

Thorn's Mystara: Kor-Karrest, the City of Crystal Splendors

They say a dragon sleeps beneath Kor-Karrest. They say the Karrnath defeated it in single combat, and when it refused to serve him, he cast it down into the deeps, bound in chains forged from the gold and silver of the dragon’s own horde. The Karrnath built his fortress of brass from the melted-down copper coins of the dragon’s hoard.