1. INTRODUCTION [2.1] Who should see the map during an Encounter Check); and Encounter Table Modification (a number which is The Frontiers of Alusia is the first in a Clearly, player characters entering the added to the chances of an encounter when series of adventure maps designed for use frontier area for the first time would have no using this package in conjunction with the with SPI's DragonQuest. The enclosed map way of knowing much about the frontier. It DragonQuest rules). was developed to fulfill the functions outlined can be presumed, however, that some information would be available in the form of in 77.3 of the DragonQuest rules, and the old diaries of the first settlers or explorers, [2.3] Area Borders and Multiple enclosed folder describing the features on the map is keyed to those rules. The Frontiers of rough maps, and so on. Bearing these points Terrain Features Alusia is fully compatible (with some in mind, GM's are advised not to show the enclosed map to the other players, but to In most cases, the map makes it clear alteration) with all currently available Fantasy where one area ends and another begins. In Role-Playing games, but it is not a stand alone provide them with the names and descriptions of known features provided in this folder as those cases where two areas or types of terrain product. You must have DragonQuest or infringe on each other, the GM should feel some other FRP game to use the map. they would normally acquire such knowledge in the course of the adventure. Further, GM's free to call the hex in which the two meet The area portrayed in The Frontiers of either one or the other. Alternatively, he may Alusia is a semi-explored border area between may wish to roughly sketch out certain areas on a sheet of scratch paper and make these wish to average the characteristics of the two the Confederated Baronies to the north and areas to reflect the fact that terrain the ancient and decadent kingdoms of the unscaled sketches available to the players to represent the sort of primitive maps of the classifications and area borders tend to be south. To the east lies the great Sea of Grass, a arbitrary at best and usually a gradual change vast steppe inhabited by savage nomads, and frontier which might be available to the characters. is experienced when moving from one type of to the west is the limitless Alusian Ocean. terrain to another. Subsequent maps in this series will portray Players whose characters attain the use of these areas and will connect directly with the the limited research facilities at a major holding (Castle Chilton and Castle Brastor [2.4] River Encounters map showing the frontiers. Eventually, SPI hopes to portray an entire continent in this being the only such holdings actually River encounters should occur only when manner and to include in future booklets portrayed) might be given a look at the part of characters are actually near a river, not when information on the history, religions, the GM's map most likely to be well known at they occupy a hex containing a river but are economies, political systems, and social that holding. For example, a player who visits some miles from that river. The same is true structures prevalent on that continent. Castle Chilton would probably obtain fairly (though less important) in the cases of oceans The complete Frontiers of Alusia accurate information concerning Carzala, and lakes. package contains these rules printed on the Swithan's Roughlands, part of the Fastness of coversheet, a Travel Guide comprising Girwyllan, The Sweet Riding, part of the [2.5] Terrain Key descriptions of the areas portrayed on the Wilderlands of Gilarni (as far east as, say, (see back of coversheet) map, and the map of Alusia itself. Finn's Waste), part of the Artusian Hills, and Ildrisholm and the Brastor Holding. These areas of the map might be shown by 3. THE GENERAL REGION 2. HOW TO USE THE MAP backfolding the map against the creases to The region portrayed in The Frontiers of The map included in this package is show only two of the eight panels formed by Alusia is a thinly settled, semi-explored designed for use by a GM to plan out his the folds and by covering with pieces of paper wilderness. The only significant population campaigns and adventures in a semi-settled any part of the panels shown which the GM centers are the Brastor Holding and the and vaguely civilized portion of a fantasy wished to keep secret. Barony of Carzala, which conduct trade with world. These rules and the descriptions in the each other via the Sweetwater (downriver to enclosed folder provide a general framework [2.2] Using the Danger Table Carzala) and across the Sweet Riding (upriver describing that area and include significant The enclosed 4-page folder, the Travel to the Brastor Holding). The Castellan of details on some better known features, but Guide, contains a description of each of the Brastor is bound by fealty to the Baron of much of the land portrayed can be presumed areas shown on the map. Each description Carzala, and the two form a single economic to be terra incognito (named, but not really contains a summary of the area's salient and political unit. explored, let alone settled). Accordingly, the characteristics in five main categories The remainder of the region is thinly GM has been left a great deal of latitude in followed by a short text detailing what is settled by humans along the coast and the determining the actual nature of many areas of generally known (or believed) about the area. more accessible stretches of river. Small tribes the map. While an effort has been made to The five categories shown are all derived of Fairy Folk, Earthdwellers, and Giants are provide all manner of terrain typical to a from the Danger Table (Section 63.1) in the also scattered throughout the frontier, and the fantasy world, there is certainly nothing to DragonQuest rules. They include: Terrain area abounds with all manner of game prevent a GM from placing lost cities in (including many fantastical creatures). The Type (the basic type of terrain or feature appropriate places, locating previously Wilderlands of Gilarni are lightly populated prevalent in the area); Danger Level (a undiscovered fords, ferries, or footbridges by small family groupings of Elves, and the one-word description of how much danger of (which may have been left by the same people Hills of Aldri are generally considered sacred an unpleasant encounter the characters face in who built those lost cities), populating forests to their kind, but no major Elf kingdom exists the area); Encounter Frequency (the and mountains with all manner of horrible in the region covered by this map. average length of time between Encounter and/or exotic entities, etc., etc., etc. Checks in the area); Encounter Chance (the percentage chance of experiencing an encounter of some sort The region to the north, separated from the mapped region by the Wilderlands of Gilarni, From the Third Book of includes the Kingdom of Elfholm, with which DragonQuest little commerce is held, and the Confederated Baronies, of which Carzala is the southernmost. [63.1] DANGER TABLE The human settlers of Carzala conduct a brisk sea DANGER trade with their northern neighbors, and most LEVEL Low Small Moderate High Extreme adventurers are likely to begin their forays on the Frequency 168 72 24 6 2 frontier from the riverport of Seagate, the Cavern - 10% 20% 30% 45% southern terminus of Confederation trade. Crypt* 2% 17% 27% 37% 52% South of the region portrayed on the map are Field 25% 40% 50% 60% 75% the kingdoms of Shorapur, Izmiraldi, Ajepbar, Marsh 5% 15% 30% 40% 55% Kirkuhl, and Sukhekorrum, the fabled "Five Plain - 10% 20% 30% 40% Sisters," most of whose history has been lost in Ocean - 10% 25% 35% 55% the mists of time. Rich and decadent, the Five Rough - 3% 13% 25% 40% Sisters have refrained from expanding northward Ruin - 10% 25% 35% 50% during the last millennium mainly out of a Waste - 5% 15% 25% 40% cultural malaise, but also because the vast Gatar Woods - 15% 25% 40% 50% Depression forms a barrier against the march of large armies. Encounter -25 -10 +5 +10 +25 To the east lies the Sea of Grass, the westernmost marches of which appear on the KEY: Danger Level = The relative chance of an encounter with map. Popular legend has it that the sea goes on potentially hostile NPC's or monsters, given in five increments in forever, but old maps show mountains and forests ascending order of danger from Low to Extreme. Frequency = the almost a thousand miles inland from Panjari, frequency (in hours) with which the GM must make an Encounter though no man except the savage nomads has Check depending upon the Danger Level of the area occupied by the penetrated that far inland since the great city fell characters. Cavern, Crypt, etc. = The 10 major terrain types in which the 1200 years before in the Wars of the Kinslaying. characters may adventure. The percentage found by indexing the terrain The Brastor Holding is the major contact point type with the Danger Level is the Base Chance of any encounter (of any between the Confederation and the tribes of the type) occurring when the characters are in that type of terrain. Cavern interior, and there is an annual spring trade includes all caves, tunnels, natural caverns, and other underground areas festival at the Chapel Crossing on the Swan which are not part of an inhabited dwelling. Crypt includes all barrows, where the Horsepeople come to trade furs and crypts, burial mounds, graveyards, and other places of internment of the buffalo hides for tools and weapons of cold iron. dead. Field includes all cultivated fields, vineyards, moors, heaths, etc., At other times of the year, the Castellan's (usually near inhabited areas). Marsh includes all swamps, meres, Borderers patrol the Choth Gap to keep small ponds, etc. In addition, small streams and rivers are included herein, but bands of nomad raiders from reaving in the 10 is subtracted from the Base Chance if checking for an encounter as a Brastor Holding, and at these times the way into result of a stream or river crossing when other terrain of this type is not the Sea of Grass is closed. present. Plain refers to all plains, steppes, and other more or less open West of the frontier is the Alusian Ocean, and flat or rolling terrain. Ocean includes oceans, seas, and large lakes. which is sailed by only the bravest men since it is If the adventurers are on a lake the Base Chance for this type of 'terrain a wide gray sea subject to sudden storms that can is reduced by 10. Rough refers to both hills and mountains, but 20 is last for weeks. Like the Sea of Grass, the Alusian added to the Base Chance if the characters are in mountains instead of Ocean is said to be endless, though myth says hills. Ruin includes all abandoned dwellings (cities, castles, monasteries, that beyond the ocean is the birthplace of man. villages, etc.). Waste includes all deserts, wastelands, salt fiats, etc., Detailed descriptions of each of these areas where life is not likely to be found in profusion. Woods refers to all are provided in the enclosed Travel Guide. wooded glens, forests, brush land, etc., where large amounts of common wildlife are likely to be found and where few humanoids dwell. If the NOTE: To locate a particular hex on the map area is deep forest, add 10 to the Base Chance of an encounter. (e.g., hex 39-095), read straight across the hex Encounter = The number added to the dice roll on the Encounter Table row (indicated with a bold numeral) and read diagonally down the hex column (indicated with which is used to determine exactly what type of NPC or monster is an italic numeral) to the intersection of row and encountered. #% = The Base Chance of an encounter in the terrain type column. the adventurers occupy at the current Danger Level. - = No chance of an encounter occurring in this type of terrain at this Danger Level. NOTE: Inhabited dwellings, cities, towns etc. have not been included on this chart, since the GM will almost always prefer to inhabit these with Monsters/NPC's of his own choice. *Double the base chance of Crypt encounter at night. THE SWEETWATER RIVER CARZALA hostile entities who might be a threat to Carzala, TERRAIN TYPE: River TERRAIN TYPE: Fields all encounters with humanoid non-humans DANGER LEVEL: Small DANGER LEVEL: Low ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY:72 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 168 should be changed to -10 Human encounters. ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 5% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: - 10 ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -25 FASTNESS OF GIRWYLLAN Named for its unique taste, the The Barony of Carzala is bounded on the TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) Sweetwater is said to run from the very center east by the East Warding, a series of low wooded DANGER LEVEL: High ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 of the Sea of Grass all the way to hills which give into the Wilderness of Gilarni, ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% Confederation Bay. It is fed within the region in the west by the Fastness of Girwyllan and ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 portrayed by the Swan, the Wandle Rithe, the Swithan's Roughlands, in the north by The Fastness is a semi-mountainous area Gilder Rithe, the Champion, and Rithe Regar. Confederation Bay, and in the south by the from which originates the fast running Rithe Sweet Riding. The Barony is an area of rich Regar and the Unicorn River. High in the Over a mile wide through most of its course, pastures and fruitful plowed fields which has fastness above remote Tiana Falls is an area of the Sweetwater is uncrossable except by ferry grown up around the market town of Seagate and High Mana which has never been thoroughly or at one of the few fords where a horse can explored due to the ruggedness of the terrain. the Castle Chilton. In all, about 12,000 people be swum across. The old maps show the make their homes within the Barony, 3000 Here, as in all rough areas, the presence of actual Sweetwater as the Schilkarsi River with its within Seagate and the Castle itself. The largest mountains in a hex increases the Encounter origin in a mountain chain deep in the interior towns outside of Seagate are Stonesboro (pop: Chance by 20. of the continent. 1100), Monck's Corners (pop: 1400), Seacroft (pop: 1300), Crystal Spring (pop: 1200), and SWITHAN'S ROUGHLANDS THE SWEET RIDING Venture (pop: 900). Slippery Rock, Arn's Ferry, TERRAIN TYPE: Rough TERRAIN TYPE: Plain DANGER LEVEL: Small DANGER LEVEL: Moderate Bolton, Southgate, Northfield, and Gugnir's ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY:72 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 Hope each have a population of 400-600. Castle ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 20% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 Chilton is strongly built, moated and garrisoned First explored by the famous Ranger, This wide valley of fertile grassland is by about 400 Housecarls and 60 knights. Regar's Swithan, the Roughlands have long been the main communications and trade route Keep is, if anything, even stronger, being built maintained in a virgin state by the Carzalas as between the Brastor Holding and Carzala and high on an open hill with an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. The Keep is served a hunting preserve. The coastal brushland is used by the Barons of Carzala as an open which makes up the eastern part of the by 150 men-at-arms and a dozen knights drawn range on which graze large herds of the Roughlands abounds in Wild Boar while the in rotation from Castle Chilton. It is a base for famous Carzala Beeves and much smaller (but wooded hills of the main Roughlands offer mounted troops who patrol the Sweet Riding and infinitely more valuable) ramudas of Artusian the Artusian Hills as protection against brigands. some of the best stag hunting in the Warhorses. A series of foot paths connect Regar with the rest Confederation. The ghost of Swithan, who of Carzala through the Fastness of Girwyllan and disappeared in the region 125 years ago and THE ARTUSIAN HILLS TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) lead to a number of secret caves which have has never been found, is said to travel the DANGER LEVEL: Moderate been provisioned and fortified in case of pressing Roughlands assisting lost hunters and ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY:24 need. The Encounter Frequency for Carzala does ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% travelers. ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 not include encounters with peasants and Outlaws inhabit these rugged hills soldiers. On the average, such encounters will CONFEDERATION BAY occur every 2 hours. TERRAIN TYPE: Ocean through which travelers must pass between DANGER LEVEL: Moderate the Brastor Holding and Carzala unless they ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 go by river. The outlaws survive by raiding THE EAST WARDING ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% TERRAIN TYPE: Rough ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 trade caravans moving through the hills and DANGER LEVEL: Small The Bay extends off map to the north and ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY:72 sometimes even by raiding into the Sweet ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% is the main means of communication with the Riding for horses and beeves. The GM should ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Baronies to the north. The water is smooth modify the Encounter Table so that all The East Warding has been lightly settled here and the Bay suffers few storms even in humans encountered in the hills will be either by retired men-at-arms from Carzala who eke winter. Confederation Bay is not inhabited by Merchants, Soldiers, or Brigands. out a precarious existence by homesteading the Merfolk, and all encounters with them should hills under a grant and subsidy from the Barony. be changed to encounters with Confederation Since the Warding has long been cleared of most merchant ships. THE PLAIN OF DESAI ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: + 10 partake through these feeders some of the TERRAIN TYPE: Plain Like the Pallisades, these are coastal hills magic of the hills. DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 with some semi-mountainous areas. These ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 20% hills are inhabited by an ancient tribe of THE LESSER SYLPHS ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 neanderthal-like cannibals who will stalk and TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) This great plain was first explored by DANGER LEVEL: Small eat trespassers. ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 Branden Ab Lyr a century before the settling ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% of Seagate. Branden named the plain for his FOREST OF ARLYNN ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 wife, Desai, who accompanied him on the TERRAIN TYPE: Woods These hills are inhabited primarily by DANGER LEVEL: Moderate Sylphs (from whence comes their name) who expedition. Most of the surrounding features ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 were also named by Branden either for ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% are vaguely allied with the nearby Elves as ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 well as the monks of Ildrisholm. Results on himself or his relatives. The Forest of Arlynn As per DragonQuest, add 10 to the the Encounter Table should be modified so was named for a daughter; Bolton Bay for his Encounter Chance for all hexes which are that all encounters with Humans are first-born son; the Ford of Girwyllan and the Forest instead of Woods. The Forest of encounters with -6 Sylphs and all other Fastness of Girwyllan (which blocked his Arlynn is only lightly explored by men and is humanoid encounters are +10 Elves. attempts to explore eastward) after his brother a trackless wilderness said to be inhabited by who accompanied him as a captain; Lyr's large numbers of Unicorns. All rolls of 100 or THE BRASTOR HOLDING Crossing after Branden's father; and, of greater on the Encounter Table should lead to TERRAIN TYPE: Fields course, Mount Branden and Loch Branden DANGER LEVEL: Small encounters with Unicorns. Within the forest is ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 after the great man himself. The Carzalas a pond known for its color as the Ruby ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% maintain a path between their holding and the ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Waters. This pond is said to have healing Plain of Desai and have, on occasion, hunted Established three score years before, the properties, and knights and their ladies often on the plain, but have shown no real interest Brastor Holding has prospered beyond all come from Carzala to bathe in its waters. in exploring the area more thoroughly. expectation as both a trading center and a Rising out of the forest to the north is Mount farming area. Running for 70 miles along the THE PALLISADES Branden which, curiously enough, is Champion River, the Holding is home to 5000 TERRAIN TYPE: Rough snowcapped year round. The Unicorn River DANGER LEVEL: Moderate souls, 1200 of whom reside in Brastor which flows through the woods is a small wild ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 Landing, which serves as the point of origin ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% river which can be navigated only with great ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: + 5 for all river trade with Carzala. Charity, difficulty along most of its length. The Pallisades are a chain of hills which Emmitsburg, Lewiston, and Hugler's Ferry bound the western shore of Alusia, often THE WILDERLANDS OF GILARNI each have populations of 600-700. dropping a sheer 300 feet or more to the TERRAIN TYPE: Woods (Forest) Tobintown, Westgate, and The South Lending DANGER LEVEL: High are lesser towns with populations of less than ocean. They have never been explored, though ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 Branden did name the highest point of the ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% 400 each. A small garrison of 120 ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 men-at-arms and five knights is always region, which is visible for scores of miles, The Wilderlands of Gilarni is a vast, assigned to Castle Brastor. In addition, an after his wife. At the foot of these hills is heavily timbered area separating Carzala and elite unit of 90 Rangers (the Castellan's Loch Branden, a deep clear lake which is the frontier from the Confederation proper. Borderers) under a captain are stationed in believed to originate from a spring-fed stream The Forest hexes in the area have an The South Lending in a trio of log barracks. on Mount Desai. The portion of the shore Encounter Chance 10 greater than the The Rangers have the responsibility for which is not part of the Pallisades is marshy Encounter Chance for the Woods hexes. All patrolling the Eastmarch, an open plain and covered with a curious spongy moss. The Human encounters in the area should be between the Holding proper and the Swan Pallisades are bounded on the north by changed to Elf +20 encounters since the River, and for keeping nomad raiders out of Swithan's Cove and on the south by Bolton Wilderness is claimed by Elves and generally the Choth Gap. They maintain small, Bay, both of which provide gentle shingle inhabited mainly by them. Included in the irregularly used encampments by Lake beaches for landings and sheltered region are a number of High Mana areas and Cordon, at the Chapel and Pardeau Crossings, anchorages. one Low Mana area, Finn's Waste. The Waste and in the South Downs. They also maintain a ISLE OF GARAX is held by the Arkanians, an obscure religious barracks in Tobintown as a base for TERRAIN TYPE: Rough sect, to be consecrated ground, and they hold expeditions against the brigands in the DANGER LEVEL: Small ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 quarterly festivals there lasting several days. Artusian Hills, though they are seldom called ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% Lake Gordon, on the fringes of the upon to mount such operations. A vigorous ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Wilderness, is a favorite camping area of the militia usually does a passable job of guarding The island was once an outpost of Castellan's Borderers and the place they hold the Holding and the grasslands of the Panjari, but has long since been haunted by induction ceremonies for new recruits. Westmarch from rustlers and thieves. some horrible menace which seems to appear regularly, according to some mystical or THE HILLS OF ALDRI ILDRISHOLM magical instruction. Recently, the island has TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Forest) TERRAIN TYPE: Rough DANGER LEVEL: Extreme become the abode of a reclusive Illusionist ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 2 DANGER LEVEL: Small ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 and his daughter. The Illusionist's household ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 servant makes infrequent appearances at ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Much of the Hills of Aldri is a High Named for one of the greatest mages of Seacroft to purchase supplies, but is unwilling Mana area which is sacred to the Elves and is the College of Air Magics (and a heroine of to answer questions or supply information accessible only from their kingdom via the Sylphs), Ildrisholm is a region of rugged concerning the island or his master. established paths. All encounters with non- hills (partially forested) and cliffs. A small THE HILLS OF THE HALFBORN animals in the hills should be read as monastery housing a sect of Air Magicians TERRAIN TYPE: Rough encounters with Elves +20. The Wandle Rithe and known to the locals as "the Cloister" is DANGER LEVEL: High ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 and the Gilder Rithe both originate in these located high in the hills and may be reached ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% hills and feed the Sweetwater, which is said to by a trail through the Greenwood. A small VALE OF MORIN THE EAST BOUNDERS/ TERRAIN TYPE: Plain THE WEST BOUNDERS amount of commerce passes along this trail DANGER LEVEL: High TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) from the Brastor Holding. The Cloister and ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 DANGER LEVEL: High ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 30% most of the immediate vicinity (including a ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% mountaintop reached by footbridge across the Nestled in the Vale at the foot of the ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 gorge of the Sweetwater) is a High Mana area passes through the Mountain Wall from the The Bounders (both East and West) are donated to the sect by the Sylphs in memory Gatar Depression are five ruined outposts composed of massive limestone hills and of Ildris. (Pariegos, Angbar, Resmaldi, Korsepolis, and mountains heavily spotted with caves which Jungbar) which formerly served to guard the serve as nesting areas for Gryphons. All THE GREENWOOD humanoids avoid the areas, and humanoid TERRAIN TYPE: Woods trade city of Sumaldi from the depredations of DANGER LEVEL: Small the Horsepeople. But that was a millennium encounters in either of the Bounders should be ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 read as encounters with Gryphons instead. ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 15% past, when fair Panjari still stood and furs ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 from the north were carried through the desert to grace the bodies of noblewomen in the GRYPHON VALLEY TERRAIN TYPE: Plain THE SOUTH DOWNS cities of the Five Sisters. Now, only broken DANGER LEVEL: Extreme TERRAIN TYPE: Rough stones remain, and the Vale itself is said to be ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 2 DANGER LEVEL: Small ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 haunted by the ghosts of generations of ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +25 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% soldiers who perished in the wars against the This shallow valley is named for the ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Horsepeople. Even the Horsepeople today beast which inhabits it in such large numbers shun the area. Treat all Human encounters in that men seldom go there despite its fertile EASTMARCH the Vale as encounters with ghosts. soil and pleasant fruitfulness. All non-animal TERRAIN TYPE: Plain DANGER LEVEL: Small encounters in the region should be read as ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 THE MOUNTAIN WALL encounters with Gryphons. The pass known as ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 10% TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 DANGER LEVEL: High Gryphon's Gate is a part of this valley and All Human encounters should be with ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 subject to the same treatment. ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% soldiers. ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 The Mountain Wall is a jagged barrier THE MUCKLANDS TERRAIN TYPE: Marsh WESTMARCH wall of naked stone which drops hundreds of DANGER LEVEL: High TERRAIN TYPE: Plain feet into the Gatar Depression. It is barely ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 DANGER LEVEL: Small ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY:72 habitable, and all non-animal encounters in ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 10% this area (and in the nearby Mountains of The River Miramar, which wends its way ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 Marbak) should be re-rolled. through Gryphon Valley, eventually spreads out into a score of channels which twist CHOTH GAP THE MOUNTAINS OF MARBAK through the low-lying Mucklands producing a TERRAIN TYPE: Plain TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) DANGER LEVEL: Moderate DANGER LEVEL: High fertile (but lethal) delta and two areas with a ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 particularly evil reputation: Insel Garsi ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 20% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 ENCOUNTERTABLE MODIFICATION: +10 (reputed home of a band of particularly See The Mountain Wall. vicious Suarime) and the Tarn of Sarsh (home THE SEA OF GRASS of an unnamed horror). Gryphons prowl the TERRAIN TYPE: Plain THE GATAR DEPRESSION area from the valley to the north and all DANGER LEVEL: High TERRAIN TYPE: Waste ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 DANGER LEVEL: Low humanoid encounters (except Suarime) should ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 30% ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 168 be read as encounters with Gryphons. ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 1% All Human encounters in the Sea of ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: None Once a lowland sea, the Gatar Depression VALE OF AVOCA Grass should be with Reavers. The Reavers TERRAIN TYPE: Plain is now an arid waste of sand and salt flats cut by DANGER LEVEL: High dislike all Woods and are especially afraid of ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 a small number of trails which follow gravel the Thornewood, and they will not enter it ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 30% beds and ridge lines. Three oases are shown in ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 willingly. the part of the Depression on the map: Tuath's The Vale, like Gryphon Valley and the Rest, Korvin's Wells, and Sumaldi. The first two Mucklands, is a nesting and hunting ground THE THORNEWOOD are nothing more than small seasonally dry for Gryphons and is avoided by men (except TERRAIN TYPE: Woods springs which permit a small amount of DANGER LEVEL: High for other adventurers). Accordingly, all non- ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 vegetation. The last is a major area of greenery animal encounters should be read as ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% in the desert and contains the ruins of the once ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 encounters with Gryphons unless they involve great trading city of Sumaldi, the northern The wood is named for the large number other adventurers. terminus of the caravan routes from the Five of Thorneapple trees which grow throughout Sisters. The ruins are generally uninhabited it, making passage difficult for anyone not on THE FILGISO FOREST except for animals and Undead. All non-animal TERRAIN TYPE: Woods (Forest) foot. encounters should be treated as encounters with DANGER LEVEL: High ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 an Undead of the GM's choice. Above Sumaldi ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% THE ANGARWOLD is Argon's Watch, a towering pinnacle of stone ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 TERRAIN TYPE: Woods from which one can observe the surrounding The Filgiso is a dark and unpleasant DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 desert within a radius of almost 120 miles. The place which has never been explored. Since it ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% now disused caravan routes to the south pass is trackless forest for the most part, players ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 beneath the shadow of the watch. should never see a map of the Filgiso. SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS THE HILLS OF SKOSHI M'NOR TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) TERRAIN TYPE: Island (Rough) DANGER LEVEL: Low DANGER LEVEL: Moderate DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 168 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 1% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 Formed of huge slabs of limestone, the Also known as the Standing Island, Superstitions are almost impassable except by FOREST OF KARSHARAK M'Nor is unexplored, and no one has yet TERRAIN TYPE: Woods (Forest) boat through the gorges of the Rumble, Snake, DANGER LEVEL: High found a landing site on it. The steep-sided Thunder, and Loflar Rivers. A single path ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 cliffs are a haven for seabirds who nest in the ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 40% does run through the southern reaches of the ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 caves. mountains near the Barren Hills. As in the case of the Filgiso, the Karsharak (sometimes rendered as Harsharak) THE ALUSIAN OCEAN/ THE BARREN HILLS THE GULF OF BRUNEI TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) has never been explored. The Encounter TERRAIN TYPE: Ocean DANGER LEVEL: Small Chance for Forest should be 10 higher than DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 3% for Woods in this area. ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 ENCOUNTERTABLE MODIFICATION: +5 The soil in the area is unusually dry and RIVER RUNNING The Alusian Ocean is actually more TERRAIN TYPE: River lifeless, much like the Barrens of Sith and DANGER LEVEL: High dangerous from the standpoint of storms than probably for the same reason that the Barrens ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 random encounters, and there is a 20% chance ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 35% exist. ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 that anyone sailing the ocean will face a storm The same numbers apply to all feeders of some duration once every 168 hours. The SITH'S REVENGE for River Running, including the Snake, storm will last for D-2 days at least. There are TERRAIN TYPE: Marsh DANGER LEVEL: Small Thunder, Rumble, Loflar, and Wolf Rivers. no major differences between the Alusian ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 Ocean and the Gulf of Brunei. ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 5% ENCOUNTERTABLE MODIFICATION: -10 DOLPHIN BAY TERRAIN TYPE: Ocean THE UNICORN RIVER Once a fertile plain containing the rich DANGER LEVEL: Small TERRAIN TYPE: River trading city of Panjari (a colony of Shorapur), ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 72 DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 10% ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 Sith's Revenge was created during the ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: -10 ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% Kinslaying when the wizard Sith punished the The Bay is fairly calm except where the ENCOUNTER 7ABLEMODIFICATION: +5 inhabitants of the city for rebelling against reef called the Surf borders the south shore. It All random encounters with non-humans their lord by sinking much of the plain. Now takes its name from the fact that large schools should be with Unicorns which have come to Punjari is a rotting ruin surrounded by a of Dolphins (attracted by the calm waters) drink at the river. stinking marsh. All Human encounters should congregate there. All Human encounters be read as Suarime for this area. CHUB'S BAY/HAVEN/LANDFALL should be read as Dolphin encounters. TERRAIN TYPE: Ocean DANGER LEVEL: Low THE BARRENS OF SITH THE ROOKERIES ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 168 TERRAIN TYPE: Waste TERRAIN TYPE: Islands (Rough) ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 1% DANGER LEVEL: Low DANGER LEVEL: Moderate ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: None ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 168 ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 These areas are sheltered enough to be ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 1% ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: None ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 largely unaffected by storms (though Landfall The Barrens of Sith were created by Sith These five islands take their name from is less sheltered than the others) and there will in the cataclysm which destroyed Panjari. the large number of birds which make their be few random encounters here, but Haven's Once a forested valley, only a few broken home in the caves and beneath the tumbled Peril, the Spithead Needles, and Lareth's Reef game trails remain in the wasteland created boulders of the coastline. The area between will be dangers to navigation. when Sith wrought his great magic. the islands is a shallow bay known as the Sweetbread Passage after a famous mutiny KESTREL RIDGE that began in that bay two centuries ago over TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) DANGER LEVEL: Moderate the quality of shipboard food. Three of the ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 24 five islands are entirely uninhabited except by ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 13% ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +5 birds. The Isle of Songs has never been explored, and most sailors (being a THE ROCKLANDS superstitious lot) refuse to go ashore on it due TERRAIN TYPE: Rough (Mountainous) to the mysterious and achingly beautiful DANGER LEVEL: High FRONTIERS OF ALUSIA singing which can be heard from it. Goldry's ENCOUNTER FREQUENCY: 6 DESIGN CREDITS ENCOUNTER CHANCE: 25% Island is populated by a small tribe of ENCOUNTER TABLE MODIFICATION: +10 Design: Rudy Kraft fishermen, descendants of the mutinous crew The Rocklands are a spur of shale, scree, Physical Systems and Graphics: that sank their ship in the Sweetbread Passage. and giant boulders (some as large as houses) Redmond A. Simonsen One curious element of the island is that the which descend from the Kestrel Ridge to form Development: David James Ritchie natives tend to live two to three times as long Production: Lareth's Reef at the mouth of the Bay of as normal human beings. This fact is Ted Koller, Manfred F. Milkuhn, Brunei. The region is an extremely High attributed to the High Mana level present on Michael E. Moore, Bob Ryer, Ken Stec Mana area and all encounters with Humans the island. should be read as encounters with some form of Fantastical Monster or Avian.