Category Archives: Labyrinth Lord

Posts about, related to, or featuring content for Labyrinth Lord and related games such as Basic/Expert D&D, Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC, and so on.

The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Queen Shalma Shalmallah

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Shalma Shalmallah (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 60′ (20′)
Armor Class: −3
Hit Dice: 96 hp (22 HD)
Attacks: 3 (2 fists, 1 bite)
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d12
Save: F22
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: IX (x2), X
XP: 21,250

Shalma Shalmallah, the Demon Empress, wife to Demon Lord Ashur-eb Asa and mother to Demon Princes [link id=’1336′ text=’Tusag-eb Alm’] and [link id=’1335′ text=’Ehur-eb Alm’], is an indolent, gluttonous and slovenly thing. She would readily abandon her station, children, husband and any other responsibilities she has in exchange for a life of ease and gratification if offered. Of course, gratification for a creature such as Shalma Shalmallah takes many dark and dubious forms.

Shalma Shalmallah’s physical form is that of a 9′ tall, filth-covered and corpulent pig-headed human woman. She is capable of altering her appearance, but seldom chooses to expend the effort to do so. Her eyes are vacant and staring like those of an drugged cow. She lolls about listlessly in her chambers in the Halls of Dust and Darkness, where she is constantly attended by sixteen [link id=’675′ text=’Banzu Mugaam’]. Only a direct threat to her life or those of her children will move her to engage in combat.

Victims of Shalma Shalmallah’s bite must save vs. Poison or acquire a rotting disease that will prove fatal within 2d10 days. This disease cannot be cured by anything other than a Cure Disease spell. Damage done by her claws never heals and results in a permanent loss of hit points.

Shalma Shalmallah has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Animal Growth , Blindness, Cause Fear, Create Food & Water, Curse, Death Spell (2/Day), Dispel Magic, Drain Energy, Hold Person, Insect Plague, Mind Blank, Polymorph Self, Sleep (1/Day), Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, Telekinesis (1,000 lbs.)

Additionally, Shalma Shalmallah possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

  • Infravision (90′)
  • Half damage from cold-based attacks
  • Half damage from electrical-based attacks
  • Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
  • Half damage from gas-type attacks
  • Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
  • Teleport without error

Shalma Shalmallah can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though she is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. She may Gate (80% probability of success) 2d6 [link id=’1101′ text=’Dgaan’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Shalma Shalmallah is an indolent creature that may be bribed to cease tormenting them with an offering of the blood of a dozen infants served in the skulls of their mothers.

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Happy Blogday, Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets!

It seems impossible to me that anyone who willingly wastes their time reading this blog (and thank you for doing so!) wouldn’t already be familiar with Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets, by everyone’s favorite flying mammal, the man called bat. But if by some chance you aren’t (or are, but don’t read it regularly), go there now!

bat’s been doing daily posts of high quality spells, magic items, monsters and other yummy goodness for Labyrinth Lord for two years as of today. And there’s great flavor with these delicious tidbits, too, which is all the more impressive.

Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets was one of the key inspirations that got me off my tail and putting out what little content I (by comparison) have given to the world. The creativity and quality we get – for free, no less – from bat’s efforts should be trumpeted from the rooftops and embraced by every single person who is even remotely interested in RPGs of a certain vintage (and all the others, too!). Publishers who put out a fraction of the material (and charge good money for it, no less) should be downright ashamed in the face of the awesome that bat brings. Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets just plain rocks, people!

So let’s all have a piece of imaginary internet geek cake in honor of this grand anniversary. Three cheers for Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets and the man who brings them to us daily!

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The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Queen Jebel Jebelah

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Jebel Jebelah (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 120′ (40′)
Armor Class: −4
Hit Dice: 103 hp (23 HD)
Attacks: 5 (5 bites)
Damage: 3d4 each
Save: F23
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: VIII, IX, XV
XP: 23,500

Jebel Jebelah, the Queen of Lust, is the Demon Emperor’s official Concubine, though as much as he lacks any loyalty to her, she possesses even less for him. She will slake her unquenchable desire with any creature she chooses and not even the Dark God Nergal himself dare interfere. As the mother of the [link id=’1334′ text=’Bastard Prince Durruk-eb Bel’], Jebel Jebelah works to further her son’s influence within the structure – such as it is – of the Demons who are described in the Tablets of Adad Untash. She knows that she herself will never supplant the Demon Queen, but if her son were to be elevated to Emperor, her own power would be nearly unrivaled. Never one to play only one side of the field, Jebel Jebelah is also engaged in an affair with [link id=’1336′ text=’Prince Tusag-eb Alm’], thereby assuring her position regardless of what transpires.

When she appears to the people of Umaab, Jebel Jebelah manifests as a stunningly beautiful woman of perfect proportions whose skin, hair and eye color match the colors most desired by each of those who view her. She is the most active of the Demon Lords of Adad Untash with regard to attempting to corrupt humanity, whom she views as a readily available resource to be used towards her own ends. In this form, Jebel Jebelah avoids direct combat whenever possible, relying upon her hellish magical abilities to deal with any threats to her person.

If pressed into combat, she will revert to her true form – a writing mound of hair, flesh and sex organs, covered in biting mouths and standing 20′ high. Those bitten by one of her mouths must save vs. Spells or be subject to one of the following spell-like effects, rolled at random:

1. Feeblemind
2. Sleep
3. Blindness
4. Confusion
5. Hold Person/Monster
6. Irresistible Dance
7. Amnesia
8. Deafness

These effects are not cumulative and may be replaced by a new effect upon a subsequent bite from the Queen of Lust.

Jebel Jebelah has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Cause Fear, Charm Monster, Cone of Cold, Darkness (10′ Radius), Detect Invisible, Dimension Door, Dispel Magic, Limited Wish, Magic Jar (1/Day), Mass Charm, Maze (1/Day), Mirror Image (2/Day), Passwall, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Sleep (3/Day), Slow (1/Day), Spectral Force (Permanent), Suggestion (2/Day), Symbol of Conflict, Symbol of Pain, Wall of Ice.

Additionally, Jebel Jebelah possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

  • Infravision (90’)
  • Half damage from cold-based attacks
  • Half damage from electrical-based attacks
  • Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
  • Half damage from gas-type attacks
  • Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
  • Teleport without error

Jebel Jebelah can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though she is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. She may Gate (75% probability of success) 3d8 [link id=’296′ text=’Uszu Anang Kal’] or 1d6 [link id=’1102′ text=’Iszirisur’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Jebel Jebelah is a sinful and wicked thing whose lust can never be sated and whose dominion over the weak and foolish of the world can never be truly defeated.

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The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Prince Tusag-eb Alm

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Tusag-eb Alm (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 150′ (50′)
Armor Class: −4
Hit Dice: 138 hp (24 HD)
Attacks: 2 (weapon)
Damage: 2d10/2d10
Save: F24
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XXII
XP: 23,500

The firstborn son of Demon Emperor Ashur-eb Asa and Queen Shalma Shalmallah, Prince Tusag-eb Alm enjoys the favor of his father, endures the saccharine and ultimately artificial affections of his mother, and is amused by the jealousy and hatred he engenders in his brothers Ehur-eb Alm and Durruk-eb Bel. More than anything, though, he delights in his “special” relationship with his father’s concubine, Jebel Jebelah. The one thing that the powerful and dangerous Prince does not know – though he would relish it if he did – is that he is not the Emperor’s true son. He is, in fact, the product of his mother’s rape at the hands of the dark god Nergal himself.

Like his father, Tusag-eb Alm is far too vain ever to appear in any form other than his own natural one, which resembles a 17′ tall, well-muscled human male with the head of a horned viper. Tusag-eb Alm is never seen in a state of repose, and always goes about armed with his giant flaming sickle-sword – with which he can make two attacks per round – and wearing the armored cloak and bone crown of his station. He shuns attendants and will only call upon others for assistance in the most dire of circumstances.

Tusag-eb Alm has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Animate Dead, Cause Fear, Charm Person (saves at −2), Cloudkill, Detect Magic, Feeblemind, Haste (1/Day), Hypnotism, Levitate, Limited Wish (1/Day), Mass Charm, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph Self, Power Word: Kill, Produce Flame, Read Magic, Slow (1/Day), Speak with Animals, Speak with Dead, Suggestion (1/Day), Symbol of Insanity, Symbol of Pain , Telekinesis (900 lbs.), Wall of Fire

Additionally, Tusag-eb Alm possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

  • Infravision (90’)
  • Half damage from cold-based attacks
  • Half damage from electrical-based attacks
  • Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
  • Half damage from gas-type attacks
  • Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
  • Teleport without error

Tusag-eb Alm can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though he is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. He may Gate (70% probability of success) 2d6 [link id=’779′ text=’Agara Muun’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Tusag-eb Alm is an extraordinarily cruel being who, once loosed upon Umaab, can only be returned to his hellish domain by the slaughter of all male children in the largest city of the world.

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The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Prince Ehur-eb Alm

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Ehur-eb Alm (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 30′ (10′)
Fly: 90′ (30′)
Armor Class: −4
Hit Dice: 123 hp (21 HD)
Attacks: 1 (energy bolt)
Damage: 3d8
Save: F21
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XIII, XIX
XP: 19,000

The second son of Demon Emperor Ashur-eb Asa and Queen Shalma Shalmallah, Prince Ehur-eb Alm seethes with jealousy towards his older brother, Tusag-eb Alm, who is clearly his father’s favored son. Ehur-eb Alm is dimwitted, shortsighted, and incapable of playing the political games required to rule the Halls of Dust and Darkness in any but the most inefficient and, ultimately, failing fashion. He is despised by the Demon Emperor, who is convinced that this disappointment of an heir cannot possibly be his son – so much so that he secretly believes the Prince to be the result of a dalliance between some arrogant and overreaching [link id=’832′ text=’Harra Lal’] and his bloated and useless wife. Shalma Shalmallah, however, knows the truth: Ehur-eb Alm is in fact the Emperor’s son while firstborn and favored Tusag-eb Alm is not. It is for this reason that Ehur-eb Alm’s mother loves him better than she does her other offspring, since Ehur-eb Alm represents the only productive union between her and her beloved husband.

Ehur-eb Alm’s only physical form is that of a large (10′ per side) pyramid of necrotic flesh, each face of which shows a twisted, screaming visage: an infant, a child, an adult, an elder. Ehur-eb Alm’s faces – which are of the same person at various stages in their lives – are always those of the most beloved person of the individual(s) who encounter him. The demon prince fights by blasting his foes with an beam of concentrated sorrow so intense that it mortifies flesh, crumbles stone, and rusts metal. Further, living creatures damaged by this attack must save vs. Death (at −3) or lose 1 energy level.

Because he literally possesses eyes that face in each direction, Ehur-eb Alm may not be surprised in combat, nor is he subject to the increased damage from a thief’s backstab ability.

Ehur-eb Alm has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Animal Growth, Clairaudience, Clairvoyance, Darkness (10′ Radius), Death Spell (1/Day), Detect Magic, Mirror Image (2/Day), Plant Growth, Pyrotechnics, Read Languages, Read Magic, Sleep (3/Day), Symbol of Despair, Ventriloquism

Additionally, Ehur-eb Alm possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

  • Infravision (90’)
  • Half damage from cold-based attacks
  • Half damage from electrical-based attacks
  • Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
  • Half damage from gas-type attacks
  • Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
  • Teleport without error

Ehur-eb Alm can only be damaged by +3 or better weapons, though he is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. He may Gate (66% probability of success) 4d4 [link id=’684′ text=’Turul Dgag’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Ehur-eb Alm is a gullible and guileless demon who can be driven from the world by a chorus of 10,000 prayers delivered beneath a solar eclipse.

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The Demons Of Adad Untash: Demon Prince Durruk-eb Bel

Far beyond the great desert, one will find the troubled land of Umaab. The people of this once proud kingdom are oft beset by demons who serve the dark god Nergal. The characteristics of these demons are described in the holy Tablets of Adad Untash.

Durruk-eb Bel (Demon Lord)
No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
Movement: 120′ (40′)
Armor Class: −2
Hit Dice: 136 hp (22 HD)
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: 2d6
Save: F22
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XV, XX
XP: 21,250

Durruk-eb Bel, the Bastard Prince, is the son of Demon Emperor Ashur-eb Asa and his royal concubine Jebel Jebelah, the Queen of Lust. As such, he possesses no firm claim to the throne of the Emperor of the Halls of Dust and Darkness, but a niggling little detail like that is unlikely to hold this ambitious demon back. He plots with his mother – whom he despises, but who is his only influential friend in the upper echelons of power – to lead an uprising of Higher and Standard Order Demons to depose his father and the “legitimate” sons born to the cow called Shalma Shalmallah. Durruk-eb Bel is eager to begin his revolution, but his mother maddens him with her continual cautions to bide his time and wait for the truly opportune moment to strike. In the meantime, the Bastard Prince busies himself with his work tormenting the people of Umaab much the way a bored and sociopathic child tortures ants, flies, and other lesser forms of life.

Though he may take nearly any form, Durruk-eb Bel frequently chooses to appear to the people of Umaab as a humble beggar wearing a tattered red robe and a cracked and chipped crown of clay. He wanders the breadth of Umaab disguised this way at the urgings of his mother, who insists that he will find useful assistance amongst the pathetic creatures who dwell there. The Bastard Prince favors this form even when traversing the Halls of Dust and Darkness – though he will rise up to his true height of 13′ in that hateful realm, as a way of maintaining close to even footing with his relatives.

Durruk-eb Bel wields a copper-bladed axe that carries with it the sting of all of the scorpions of the desert. Anyone wounded by this dread weapon must save vs. Poison at −8 or die instantly.

Durruk-eb Bel has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will (unless noted otherwise): Animate Dead, Animate Objects, Blink, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Create Food & Water, Darkness (5′ Radius), Detect Magic, Fly (240′ per round), Gaseous Form, Haste (2/day), Hypnotism, Magic Jar (2/Day), Power Word: Kill (1/day), Project Image, Snake Charm, Speak with Dead, Sticks to Snakes, Telekinesis (800 pounds), Time Stop

Additionally, Durruk-eb Bel possesses all of the abilities of a typical Demon Lord:

  • Infravision (90’)
  • Half damage from cold-based attacks
  • Half damage from electrical-based attacks
  • Half damage from fire-based attacks (all)
  • Half damage from gas-type attacks
  • Telepathy (allows all languages to be understood)
  • Teleport without error

Durruk-eb Bel can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons, though he is susceptible to damage from non-magical weapons made of pure iron. He may Gate (66% probability of success) 3d6 [link id=’206′ text=’Tummahu Anang Gar’].

The Tablets of Adad Untash tell the faithful that Durruk-eb Bel is a rash and foolish demon who will gamble nearly anything on the outcome of a sporting event or other game of chance.

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LL/AEC Rogues Gallery PDF Download

In case you haven’t noticed the Downloads page I added a couple of days ago, take a look up there at the end of the navigation bar and click. This is the page I’ll use for corralling the various PDFs that I occasionally put together out of blog material and other sources.

To help launch this section of the site officially (the unofficial launch came with the release of G-Man’s adventure for Barbarians of Lemuria) I’ve gone and made a PDF of the project I’ve been poking at off an on for a year now.

This PDF contains only the “by class” entries and not the “adventuring parties” I’ve done. If I do enough parties I’ll put together a PDF for those on their own. I may also decide to do another batch of “by class” entries for higher level NPCs. But for now, here’s your chance to snag a bunch of first level mooks in one handy volume.

Now maybe I can get myself off this rock my creativity seems to have run aground upon and produce something new within a couple of days 🙂

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LL/RoCC Antagonist: Othoghu, The Knife Of Shub-Niggurath

Wherein your humble scribe presents an antagonist for use with Labyrinth Lord and the brand new Realms of Crawling Chaos. Three appropriately Lovecraftian artifacts are included below. Each is the result of rolling on the Random Artifact Tables contained within RoCC, which I believe is OGC.

Once a devout priest called Simon Aldurn, the man now known as Othoghu, The Knife Of Shub-Niggurath, willingly fell from grace at the urgings of Stelaugha, an uncommonly alluring Young of Shub-Niggurath. Othoghu makes his home in Canton-on-Imisk, where he serves the Black Goat of the Woods as a spy.

Othoghu longs for the day when Shub-Niggurath chooses him as a mate and will stop at nothing to please the Old One. Any who pass through Canton-on-Imisk with ill intentions towards the Black Goat of the Woods or who are in possession of items her cult might desire are certain to be subject to Othoghu’s evil.

Othoghu is currently in possession of three eldritch artifacts that he will employ as needed in his efforts to please and serve Shub-Niggurath. These are detailed below.

Othoghu / Human Cleric/Assassin 4/5 Neutral Evil
STR 14 INT 12 WIS 18 DEX 13 CON 10 CHR 13
HP 36 AC 5 Gold 3,571
+2 Mace, Bracers of Armor (AC 6), Silver Holy Symbol, The Key Of Haathoa, Idol Of Mmnao, The Eye Of Eiculura
Cleric Spells:
1st Level (5) Command, Darkness, Detect Magic, Fear, Sanctuary
2nd Level (4) Hold Person, Silence 15′ Radius, Snake Charm, Spiritual Weapon

The Key Of Haathoa

Carved from a bizarre, ancient stone, in which fossils of creatures never seen by human eyes are occasionally exposed, this key is able to summon a Night Beast to serve the possessor. The Night Beast will faithfully obey every command for 3d12 turns before returning whence it came. The Key of Haathoa can only be used once per day. Additional attempts to use it will result in the appearance of 2d4 hostile, hungry Night Beasts that will seek out the holder of the key.

Idol Of Mmnao

Crafted from a strange green soapstone in the image of a sitting siamese cat, this statue marks its owner as a friend of cats. Any felines who interact with the owner of the Idol of Mmnao are subject to a −2 reaction modifier and will only willingly attack the Idol’s holder in self-defense or to protect their young.

The Eye Of Eiculura

This large gem, which has been heavily etched with tentacle-, or perhaps root-like patterns, can be used to animate 1d3 nearby trees, which will uproot themselves to serve the Eye Of Eiculura’s owner. Treat these animated trees as chaotic treants that do not possess the ability to animate additional trees. Trees found in and near graveyards become particularly fearsome when affected by the magic of this artifact due to their roots having fed on fetid corpses over the ages. Such trees receive a +2 bonus to their Hit Dice. The Eye Of Eiculura can only be used 10 times before it crumbles into dust.

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LL/AEC Rogues Gallery: The Fugitives Of Darlsfort

Wherein your humble scribe presents what might be an Adventuring Party for Labyrinth Lord/Advanced Edition Companion. These characters are all 1st level, were granted maximum HP (Advanced Style), and have a bare minimum of equipment. They were all created with 3d6 for stats, more often than not in order. And, as is now commonplace, they all have some snappy headgear.

Fleeing the frontier city of Darlsfort the night before an onslaught of goblinoid forces led by the evil sorceress Xeriaven, this group of young adventurers are ill-prepared for the challenges that await them in the dungeons and wildernesses they must traverse before they can hope to reach a new place to call home. Bickering, bitter recriminations and quite possibly brutal death await them on their journey.

Will Mad Piotr drag them all down with his unpredictable behavior? Will the pompous know-it-all Hagidox alienate himself from the safety of the group with his lectures and constant upbraiding? Will Sylmira grow weary of her childish companions and leave them to their fates if the opportunity presents itself? And what of the self-centered thief Rallen Pangkit? Are any safe when his turn to stand watch comes up? Only Mats Taldinson, dimwitted priest of Balder, has any chance of holding this loosely-knit group together long enough to navigate their way to a new life.

Piotr Vand / Human Illusionist 1 CN
Head Gear: Four-tasseled Hat
STR 10 INT 16 WIS 4 DEX 17 CON 10 CHR 9
HP 9 AC 7 Gold 104
Dagger, 6 Darts, Spellbook
Illusionist Spells: Hypnotism, Phantasmal Force, Refraction

Hagidox Mystarum / Human Magic-User 1 LN
Head Gear: Beaver-tailed Hat
STR 13 INT 14 WIS 8 DEX 13 CON 11 CHR 10
HP 4 AC 8 Gold 113
Quarterstaff, Dagger, 4 Darts, Spellbook
Magic-User Spells: Identify, Read Languages, Unseen Servant

Sylmira / Elf Magic-User 1 CG
Head Gear: Four-tiered Ziggurat Hat
STR 9 INT 14 WIS 10 DEX 12 CON 14 CHR 11
HP 5 AC 9 Gold 118
Quarterstaff, Spellbook
Magic-User Spells: Detect Magic, Erase, Magic Aura

Rallen Pangkit / Human Thief 1 NE
Head Gear: Short, Hacked Hair
STR 8 INT 12 WIS 10 DEX 18 CON 13 CHR 7
HP 7 AC 5 Gold 24
Shortsword, Dagger, Short Bow & 20 Arrows, Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools

Mats Taldinson / Human Cleric 1 NG
Head Gear: Knit Skull Cap
STR 13 INT 7 WIS 15 DEX 12 CON 13 CHR 13
HP 9 AC 4 Gold 3
War Hammer, Banded Mail, Silver Holy Symbol
Cleric Spells: Cure Light Wounds, Light

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Of Nogoloth And Its Cities

An unfinished letter found among the personal effects of Sakeurn Tarcer, late of the city of Isyr…

The island-continent, called Troqelac on the ancient sea charts I found amongst my grandfather’s papers, but known to those who dwell there as Nogoloth, rests deep within the Black Ocean, far to the east of Nysperé. Ships from Ulrath and Morryn used visit its shores, but rare is the captain who will risk that damned route any longer.

Whether it is a trick of the atmosphere or the curse of some hateful god none will say, but whatever the reason the truth is that it is perpetually twilight across the full breadth of Nogoloth. The sun never shines fully on that island – I know, for I have longed for its full radiant light to relieve the dread I felt every day of the seven years I lived in that accursed land. I fear that even now I may not have shaken the touch of madness that lingers over those who endure that interminable gloaming.

For surely you will think it madness when I speak at last of the terrible things which live and hunt in the umbral spaces between the cities that have grown up, fungus-like, in that dark place. Yes, we of Nysperé have our fair share of dangers in the wilderness – and even our own shadows to face among our fellow civilized inhabitants – but nothing here on our home soil can compare to the horrors I beheld in the murk and gloom of Nogoloth.

But before I drive you to disregard all I have to report with careless talk of Dagon & Hydra and things worse still, I should truthfully and in a steady voice tell you of the rational facts of Nogoloth. I should remain calm, and speak sensibly of the Great City of Khaarm, where the fountains run with crystal waters to nourish the souls of the great scholars and priests who inhabit the bone-white towers that ring the University. I should tell you of old Cwnuihd on the western shore and the raven-haired beauties who stand on the docks and sing songs no human ever wrote to the ebon-skinned crews of the emerald-sailed ships that brave the reef to take on cargoes of rubies the size of human hearts.

I should, no I must speak to you of the eastern port of Oustminnish and the strange, degenerate look that looms like a shadow over some of those who live in the precincts nearest the shore. Few of that city would speak to me of such things, but those who would whispered of the sea devils who sometimes leave their home beneath the waves to consort with the Istholams, the Phaths, the Chac-Langthuses, and several other families of lesser standing within the community.

I ought, though it behooves me not, to tell you of Pnikigystros where the ancient wizard Orazath resides. I am bound by blood oath and implacable geas to ensure that the knowledge I unearthed within the great library of Canton-on-Imisk does not recede into the darkness it seeks as surely as the waters of the river upon which the town sits seek the oblivion that comes with returning to the sea. Will you listen to me? I have search so long for someone who would bear the burden of this terrible wisdom I possess.

The letter was found, along with a hastily scrawled map to the “island-continent” (completely unknown to any within the scholar’s guild) referenced in the letter, on the man’s body which was discovered in an alleyway in one of the seedier portions of Isyr. The unfortunate victim of the sort of violence that happens amongst those who give in to the darker temptations within that city.

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