Otherlands (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dragonlance Accessory DLR1)

106 Pages·1990·4.48 MB·English

by  Scott Haring

O t h e r l a n d s
BY HARING, BENNIE, AND TERRA
T C
ABLE OF ONTENTS
CHORANE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32 The Irdanaiath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
The Land. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Bolandi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
The People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ogre, Mischta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
The Ameshites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ogre, Nzunta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
The Yaluu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Spirit, Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
The Vodar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Non-Human Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 WATERMERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64-96
The Monsters of Chorane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Dargonesti Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Funno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Geography and Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Razhak ............................. 31 Daily Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Ursoi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Flora and Fauna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Dargonesti from Cradle to Grave . . . . . . . 75
SELASIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-63 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Prelude: The Decline of the Irda . . . . . . . . 33 The Dargonesti Army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
The Spine of Taladas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Relations with Undersea Folk . . . . . . . . . . 83
Features of Selasia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Relations with Surface Folk . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
The Mischta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The Mahkwahb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
The Bolandi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Dargonesti as PCs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Anaiatha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Dragon, Brine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
CREDITS:
Design: Scott Bennie, Scott Haring, and John Terra Cartography: Supvr./Designer: Dave Sutherland
Editing: Mike Breault Artist: Dave Sutherland & Linda Goehre
Cover Art: Fred Fields Typography: Angelika Lokotz
Interior Art: David Simons
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ISBN 0-88038-829-3 9278XXX1501
CHORANE
To many people on Krynn, Chorane is vasses that are known to lead to the vast
T L A
HE AND OF MESH
a myth. Everyone knows that nothing underground caverns and tunnels that
could possibly live in the frozen wastes make up this land (see the map on page
(cid:147)Sing out all you people, beyond the Ice Wall south of Ansalon; 3). Other than Amesh(cid:146)s Rent, however,
Of that long-ago day Chorane is a romantic notion, to be sure, there are only two other frequently-used
When Amesh the Brave One but with no basis in reality. entrances: The Little Crack and Three-
Led our fathers away Right. Mile Gorge (see map). Of the other 15,
Those who dismiss the possibility of five are too dangerous or connect with ar-
(cid:147)The land had grown harsh, life or(cid:151)even more unlikely(cid:151)civilization eas of Chorane that are too remote to be
And our enemies strong; beneath the southern ice cap of Krynn do useful. The other ten are Dragonholes.
Soon none would be left not adequately understand the geology With only minor variations, all the
To sing our tribe(cid:146)s song. of this very unusual planet. Nor do they Dragonholes are the same(cid:151)perfectly
Amesh the Brave One, take into account the ability of Krynn(cid:146)s round, perfectly smooth holes anywhere
He rode out alone. various inhabitants to endure great hard- from 30 to 50 feet in diameter, headed
He swore he would find ship and to adapt to nearly any environ- straight down with only a hint of a spiral
His people a home. ment. For not only is there life beneath for over two miles. Eventually, the Dra-
the ice, but in Chorane there is a complex gonholes veer sideways into various laby-
(cid:147)Sing out all you people, civilization of many different intelligent rinthine passages that lead to huge
Of that long-ago day races, interacting in all sorts of peaceful underground lairs and (it is rumored) vast
When Amesh the Brave One (and not-so-peaceful) ways. treasure chambers. No one has ever re-
Led our fathers away. turned with any of this treasure, however.
In fact, very few people who explore the
T L
HE AND
(cid:147)(cid:145)In a year and a day Dragonholes have ever come back at all.
Brave Amesh returned. It is a long, dangerous trek across (For more on dragons in Chorane, see
He told of a land nearly a thousand miles of frozen ground Page 29).
he called (cid:145)Ice That Burns.(cid:146) and sheets of ice before any sign of The Crack is over 7,000 feet deep, and
South they all traveled, Chorane can be found. And even that it leads down to a lake of crusted-over
And then south some more, sign shows no outward evidence of being molten rock. This lake, and several other
Over the Ice Wall the gateway to a vast underground civili- exposed lava flows, provide the heat and
and through Amesh(cid:146)s Door. zation; it is a 175-foot-wide crevasse in steam necessary for life in Chorane. Start-
the tundra that is nearly half a mile long ing at just over 500 feet down, a series of
(cid:147)Sing out all you people, and seemingly bottomless. Rising from tunnels, fissures, and caves opens out
Of that long-ago day the crevasse is a constant flow of steam into Amesh(cid:146)s Rent, providing a surpris-
When Amesh the Brave One that warms the area along both sides for a ing amount of space. Once you get any
Led our fathers away dozen or so yards from each edge. significant distance away from The
Growing along the lip of the crevasse Crack, however, caves this near the sur-
(cid:147)Twas a hard trip and long, and down along the sides for as far as the face are far too cold to live in. And of
And many were lost, eye can see are all sorts of fungi, clinging course, the opposite problem exists if you
But for a new home and freedom, vines, small flowering plants, and even get too close to the molten lake. The vari-
It was well worth the cost. the occasional gnarled tree. The edge of ous peoples of Chorane, therefore, all live
Down into the ice, the crevasse is very slippery because of the between 2,000 feet and 3,400 feet below
In molten rock domes, fungi and the constant condensation the surface of the ice.
Amesh led his people from the steam; many explorers have ap- There are five different groups of peo-
To this, our new home. proached the edge too enthusiastically ple, including three tribes of humans,
and fallen to their deaths just as they were living in Chorane. Four of the five groups
(cid:147)Sing out all you people, on the brink of their greatest discovery. live in their own distinct areas of
Of that long-ago day Chorane, as shown on the map on pages
When Amesh the Brave One 4-5.
Led our fathers away(cid:148) GEOGRAPHY Most of the caverns, chambers, and
Actually, Amesh(cid:146)s Rent (as it is called tunnels in Chorane were formed natu-
(cid:151)Excerpt from by the Ameshites), or The Crack (as it is rally early in the history of Krynn. Only a
Song of Amesh, called by the other peoples of Chorane), very few of the areas have been carved out
Anonymous is not the only way to get to Chorane. by the inhabitants. Earthquakes, lava
There are at least 17 other, smaller cre- flows, and other seismic upsets are fortu-
2
3
4
5
CHORANE
nately very rare, but they tend to be very Getting around in Chorane is more of a face is above freezing only during the day
devastating when they do occur. The last three-dimensional exercise than it is on in the summer), and much hotter as you
recorded serious earthquake in Chorane the surface. With 1,400 feet or so separat- approach the lava lake at the bottom of
was 133 years ago. ing the highest and lowest habitable ar- Amesh(cid:146)s Rent.
eas, getting up and down is just as Choranians have not moved any far-
important as getting back and forth. By ther down than the 3,400-foot level be-
TERRAIN
using Chorane(cid:146)s many natural sloping cause there are few habitable caverns in
When Chorane was formed long ago, passageways and stairways that have been the next 500 to 1,000 feet. Below that,
it was a land of rock and ice. Since then, cut into the steeper tunnels, it is possible there are more good locations, but the
however, millennia of steam, volcanic to walk to any elevation in the area(cid:151) temperatures are well in excess of 140(cid:176)
heat, and hardy plants gaining tenuous eventually. To get any great distance up or Fahrenheit. Hunting parties occasionally
footholds have worked on the rock where down quickly, however, takes other venture into these hotter areas to hunt
it meets the warm, humid air, forming a means. animals and to harvest rare plants and
shallow (three inch or so) layer of dirt in There are over a dozen nearly vertical fungi, but it is a dangerous foray that is
many places. Until magic-using creatures shafts traversing the entire height of not to be taken casually.
found Chorane, of course, it was too dark Chorane, including one over 40 feet As you move away from the steam
for plants to grow (except for certain types across. These are of very great strategic vents (at any level), the temperatures
of fungus) anywhere but very close to di- importance to the various tribes, so these drop dramatically. Only a few hundred
rect passages to the surface, so in the are very difficult to use without someone feet from any of the major vents, the tem-
darker recesses of Chorane(cid:151)that is, most noticing. Several of the shafts have hand- perature drops 15 to 20 degrees from
of it(cid:151)the surface is still solid rock. Since and footholds for climbing, while others what is (cid:147)normal(cid:148) for that depth.
Amesh and his followers found their bur- have had climbing ropes and ladders Humidity is very high throughout
ied refuge some 700 years ago, however, (made of rope, leather thongs, and cured Chorane, and this is a good thing; the
their use of magical light spells and items funno hides) built in them. One shaft, steam rising from the lava flows far below
has greatly extended the areas in which controlled by the Yaluu, has a crude condenses on the cool ice and rock walls
fungus and plants can be grown. As a re- elevator-type contraption in it for the and forms the foundation of the entire
sult, more and more rocky surfaces are be- convenience of the ruling elite; it is pow- food chain down here.
ing broken up. In some areas, almost one ered by slave labor. The wind blows constantly in Chorane.
inch of topsoil has developed. All Choranians are accomplished It rushes up the major vents toward the
What is not rock in Chorane is ice. climbers and mountaineers (though they surface, drawing air through the corridors
There are many chambers and corridors do not use the word (cid:147)mountaineer(cid:146)(cid:145)(cid:151)in and caverns of the land as it goes. The
in this underground kingdom that are fact, they have no idea at all what a wind patterns are very well known by the
made entirely of ice, but very few people mountain is) practically from birth. In a natives, but they may take newcomers by
inhabit them except out of necessity. A pinch, one could climb the wall of surprise; it would not be unusual to step
fire or other source of heat can be built in Amesh(cid:146)s Rent all the way to the surface out of a small cave with hardly any wind
a rock chamber; the effects in one of ice and make it look as easy as walking. Acci- into a cross corridor with a wind strong
can be very, well, wet. In some places, ice dents still happen, of course, but a new- enough to knock an unaware man to the
runs in veins through the rock. This type comer to Chorane would find it ground.
of formation is rare and much prized by impossible to safely move around at even
the Choranians, as it provides an easily a fraction of the speed of the natives.
accessible source of water.
Getting around in Chorane is fairly
CLIMATE
easy, if you stay within one tribe(cid:146)s area.
(Moving from one tribe(cid:146)s area to another Seasonal variations are nearly nonexist-
has perils all its own, as will be explained ent in Chorane(cid:151)at 2,000 feet below the
later.) The caverns and large chambers are surface, it(cid:146)s hard to tell even the differ-
all connected by a crazy quilt of tunnels, ence between day and night. Tempera-
slides, and corridors; there are usually at tures, along with most other climactic
least three perfectly good ways to get conditions, remain constant year round.
from one place to another. One of the At the top of Chorane, closest to the sur-
leading pastimes among Choranians, in face, temperatures stay near 45 degrees,
fact, is arguing over which of the many while at the bottom it is a more comfort-
available routes between two places is ac- able 65 degrees or so. It is colder farther
tually the best. up, of course (the temperature on the sur-
6
THE PEOPLE
THE PEOPLE had always lived in a remote section of It was during the clean-up and repair
Chorane, or had just discovered it after process that the first rumblings of what
In The Song of Amesh, the song cycle extensive underground exploration from would become the Great Rift were felt.
that tells of the history of the Ameshite some other part of Krynn. One group of Choranians felt that the
people, it says that when Amesh brought While the Ameshites got along with the Cataclysm was proof that the people had
his people to Chorane, at first they met Kendar much better than they did with turned away from the gods. They felt that
no other peoples, and they thought the the Theiwar (the latter being very posses- the solution was to rededicate themselves
entire of Chorane was uninhabited, ex- sive of their own holdings and somewhat to the old rituals and beliefs that Amesh
cept for various wild animals and the oc- covetous of everybody else(cid:146)s), there was lit- brought with him from Ansalon. These
casional monster. This did not turn out to tle cause for strife(cid:151)both the Theiwar and people became known as (cid:147)Ameshites.(cid:148)
be entirely true. the Ameshites were busy exploring and ex- Another group believed the exact
The first people the Ameshites met panding their territories, and the Kendar opposite(cid:151)that the Cataclysm was proof
were the Kendar (as they called them- weren(cid:146)t interested in warfare. It was only that the gods had turned away from the
selves), a lost offshoot of the kender race after the Great Rift that affairs degener- people, and that the solution was to find
that still spoke an obscure dialect related ated into their current state. new gods. They ridiculed the Ameshites
to the kender tongue. The same size and The Great Rift was a direct result of the for their tired, old beliefs, and called
general appearance of kender, the Ken- Cataclysm that struck Krynn some 300 themselves the (cid:147)Yaluu,(cid:148) which is the
dar share their cousins(cid:146) great curiosity years ago. While not as devastated as Choranian word for (cid:147)seekers.(cid:148)
and carefree attitudes, though they are many other parts of Krynn, Chorane was And there was a third group of Chora-
quieter and less demonstrative than their severely damaged by the Cataclysm. En- nians with yet another set of beliefs, the
surface-dwelling cousins. tire caverns were collapsed or cut off, (cid:147)Vodar.(cid:148) The Vodar were most interested
It was only a few score years later that while new passages and living areas in keeping all the humans of Chorane to-
first contact was made with the Theiwar, a opened up. There was no place to hide gether, emphasizing their common back-
race of dwarves that had not seen the sur- during the Cataclysm and its many after- ground and heritage. The Vodar sought a
face in several millennia. It was not (and shocks. Thousands of Choranians died, compromise between the Ameshites and
still is not) known whether these Theiwar and thousands more were never seen the Yaluu, suggesting that some of the
again and were presumed dead. old traditions and rituals be maintained
7
THE PEOPLE
while new answers were also sought. of Chorane are as high as ever. An uneasy the way things have always been. In many
Extremists in both camps ignored the truce exists between the Ameshites and of the stories and oral histories of the
Vodar(cid:146)s offer of reconciliation, each the Yaluu, though either group would ea- Ameshites and Yaluu, new and more hei-
group accusing the Vodar of being in gerly exploit any opportunity for gain. nous charges than simple religious
league with the other. It did not take The Vodar continue to be stuck in the unorthodoxy(cid:151)cannibalism, genocide,
long, in the enclosed spaces of Chorane middle, mistrusted and disliked by both and much worse(cid:151)have crept in. Most of
and under the great stress of recent disas- sides. them are not true (though one can never
ters, for the philosophical disagreements While this hatred is more intense than be sure about the Yaluu) and are repeated
between the peoples of Chorane to esca- ever, its nature has changed. The reasons solely for their propaganda value.
late into violence and bloodshed. for the dispute have been forgotten by What follows is an outline of each of
Fueled by constant feuding and skir- many; while the government and reli- the five major humanoid races living in
mishing over the past 300 years, the ten- gious leaders remember, most of the peo- Chorane. This is common knowledge, for
sions between the three human factions ple hate the other side simply because it(cid:146)s players and DM alike.
8
THE AMESHITES
THE AMESHITES the religious leaders. The Ameshite reli- nies, records, and musical training,
gion does not worship Amesh, though among others(cid:151)is under the direct con-
While all three human tribes of the tribal leader who brought them to trol of a Second Singer.
Chorane are descended from the legend- Chorane some 700 years ago has been ele- Below the Second Circle is the Chorus,
ary Amesh and the people he brought vated to a demi-god status in the hearts of the priesthood of the Ameshites. Mem-
with him from southern Ansalon, it is the many Ameshites. The Ameshites worship bers of the Chorus are known as Singers;
Ameshites who follow Amesh(cid:146)s teachings Paladine, though that is not what they that honorific is used the same way other
the most scrupulously. The Ameshites call him. In Chorane, Paladine is known cultures use (cid:147)Reverend(cid:148) or (cid:147)Minister.(cid:148)
consider themselves the (cid:147)true followers(cid:148) as Parthenu, The First Singer. Parthenu is There are anywhere from 250 to 500 Sing-
of Amesh; the Yaluu and the Vodar are most frequently depicted as a tall, perfect ers among the Ameshites at any time;
heretics and blasphemers, traitors to the Ameshite young man, clad in religious they are the ones who get the govern-
memory of their common ancestors. vestments and strumming a lute. Other ment(cid:146)s work done. The Singers collect the
This attitude does nothing to make the popular icons of Parthenu show him play- taxes, manage the farms, teach the chil-
Ameshites popular with the other two ing several other instruments, including dren, perform the religious ceremonies,
Choranian tribes; indeed, relations be- flute, trumpet, drum, harp, lyre, trian- lead the skirmishers, write the chronicles,
tween the Ameshites and the Yaluu and gle, and recorder. compose the songs, and tend to the peo-
the Vodar are downright hostile. The Music, especially singing, is the back- ple of Chorane.
Ameshites believe they are on a holy cru- bone of Ameshite religious life and, to a Becoming a Singer is not easy. Many
sade to return the fallen tribes to the true great extent, their entire society and cul- more want admission to this elite group
way of Amesh, or failing that, to root ture. The Ameshites have a song for every than obtain it. Twice a year, the Second
them out of every last hole in Chorane. occasion, and many more songs for no spe- Circle announces that new Singers will be
Like all descendants of Amesh(cid:146)s tribe, cial occasion at all. Every important event added. Any promising citizens who have
the Ameshites are small of build and in Ameshite life(cid:151)marriages, funerals, been recommended by other Singers are
rarely over 5(cid:146)5)(cid:148) tall. Nearly all Ameshites government meetings, elections, religious invited to apply. Ameshites who are not
have dark hair; blondes (and especially ceremonies, business negotiations, be- specifically invited may still ask for consid-
redheads) are very rare and are treated trothals, trials, and a host of other meet- eration, but their chances are not as good.
with both great suspicion and great fasci- ings(cid:151)is accompanied by singing. The applicants are all interviewed by
nation. The men develop heavy beards at The leader of the Ameshites is known as Second Singers(cid:151)sometimes just one,
a very young age, and very few go to the the Prime Singer; he or she (about half of sometimes the entire Circle, depending
trouble to shave. After 700 years or so in the previous leaders have been women) on how may applicants there are and how
the caverns of Chorane, the Ameshites rules for life. Each Prime Singer is chosen big the Circle is. After the interviews
have also developed very pale skin and from among the ranks of the Second Sing- comes the Festival.
enlarged and sensitive eyes, both as a re- ers, a select circle of a dozen or so leaders of The Festival is part celebration, part
sult of the lack of natural light. the Ameshite people. There is no set num- concert, and part audition. All applicants
There are just over 17,000 Ameshites ber to the size of the Second Circle (as it is for the Chorus perform before the assem-
living in Chorane. They control nearly all known); there have been as many as 35 bled Ameshites in the Great Hall, sing-
of inhabited Chorane at the highest Second Singers and as few as four. The cur- ing before the multitude. As many
levels, but their territory extends no lower rent makeup of 11-14 has endured for people as can get away from their other
than 2,600 feet down or so (see map, nearly 100 years, more out of tradition and duties attend the Festival, which is one of
page 4). They have boundaries with their convenience than anything else. the highlights of Ameshite social life.
allies the Kendar, as well as with the Vo- The Prime Singer and the Second Cir- Most applicants perform traditional
dar. While the border between Ameshite cle share power in their part of Chorane. Ameshite songs, though many sing origi-
and Kendar territory is free and open (in Since the Prime Singer rose from the nal compositions. While the Second Cir-
fact, there is a zone on either side of the ranks of the Second Circle, he or she is cle has final say as to who is accepted, the
border where the two peoples are thor- probably good friends with most of its reaction of the audience to the individual
oughly mixed together), all crossing members; if relations become unbearably performances is an important factor.
points from Ameshite lands into Vodar strained, the Second Circle may replace There is no quota for how many appli-
lands are heavily guarded by Ameshite the Prime Singer, but only by a unani- cants are admitted into the Chorus; all
(and Vodar) troops. mous vote. A wise Prime Singer insures a qualified applicants (in the Second Cir-
long reign by delegating power and au- cle(cid:146)s opinion) are accepted. After some
thority to many members of the Second Festivals, no applicants have been admit-
GOVERNMENT
Circle. Each major aspect of the Ameshite ted; after others, particularly after fierce
The Ameshite government is a theo- government(cid:151)taxes, defense, food pro- fighting with the Yaluu when the ranks of
cracy; that is, the government is run by duction, education, religious ceremo- the Chorus have been depleted, all of the
9