FREE NEW PHLAN!

The New Phlan City Council is leading the fight to free their captive city. Heroes are retaking the
city block by block from the evil hordes.

RICHES & FAME!

The council is looking for soldiers and rogues, mages and clerics, heroes of all kinds, to come to
New Phlan. The wealth and land of an ancient city await those willing to reach out and take it.

GLORY!
Legends will be written about the heroic struggle to free New Phlan! Ships depart twice monthly.
When you arrive, see the New Phlan City Council for the latest news and information.

MAKE YOUR FORTUNE IN NEW PHLAN!

The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt

whether one may not be going to prove one's self a
fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and
the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to
be resisted, and when it be obeyed.

Whether bards sing

Pagetales
Pool of Radiance Player’s Guide
1 of your heroics or your
foolishness is a tale not yet written…
 Introduction

he city of Phlan? Let me give you my thoughts…Next time the city

“T
is rebuilt, I think the natives should just knock the buildings right
down again and save the next invaders the trouble.” Orgil,
Captain of the Devawing

You have answered the call from the ruined city of Phlan, offering riches, fame, and
glory to those who can help retake its city blocks from the monsters that overran it a generation
ago. The greatest of these lost treasures is said to be the mythical Pool of Radiance whose
waters legends hold can cure the
ravages of time and grant insight into
the mysteries of the universe, hence the
saying that when one unexpectedly
receives a sudden windfall or riches,
they have “visited the Pool.” You begin
your journey as the sun dips low on the
horizon atop the deck of the Devawing,
a flat-bottomed one-masted cog
destined for the ancient ruins of the
once-great jewel of the Moonsea, Phlan.
By dawn, you will reach your
destination and from there…only the
fates know. The famed jongleur Ezra,
from Phlan before its fall, has taken to The city of Phlan has seen centuries of conflict.
the top deck for a rare performance.
The cold waters of the Moonsea grow calmer, and the crew pauses for a moment to listen. The
bard’s fingers nimbly work colored balls of glass into a dancing blur, and once most of the
travelers have gathered, he begins his tale:

“The people of the North say the end of a dark night will be a shining day, but the wings of a
dragon are large enough to block out the sun. The first a dragon I saw was on my tenth
birthday, the day Phlan died. My parents had just given me a wooden sword to slay imaginary
creatures until I earned my place with a real blade. I was the hero Milsor the Valjevo, cutting
my way through the monsters to free Phlan once again! I paid no mind to the refugees who
huddled in the town square or the panicked look on a merchant’s face who had just lost
everything. Children’s imaginations are not for such ills of the world.”

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Ezra keeps his eye on the crowd, the colored balls moving in rhythm as he adds another, his sing-
song voice providing cadence to his story.

“I saw a rainbow that day, a cursed rainbow of red, blue, and green. I stood rooted to the spot
as the sky dimmed, the hypnotizing beat of wings overhead. They circled the city, a parade just
for me, just like the stories. I was the mage Rimon now, Valjevo at my side, and my spells
controlled the beasts of old. When the fire and lightning began to raid down and those souls in
the square began screaming, I awoke from my dream. I was not Valjevo or Rimon, I was the
child, the child who dropped his wooden sword and ran home. Like most, father and mother
were militia, donning leather armor to make a stand. Phlan did not emerge from its dark night,
not this time. The battle was lost long before it ever began.

“The drums of war thrummed dark music upon the Gates, beating for blood. Obscene machines
of war pulled by even obscener beasts moved into range. I saw it all from the deck of my ship,
crowded at the rail with my new family of refugees. The Council sent my parents to the walls, a
futile act in a futile time. The Council knew what was coming, knew when the trade stopped and
the bodies poured in seeking succor. Appease them, negotiate, charge, call for help – the great
plans of men meant nothing to the gathered horde. We ask now what organized them, what
united them, and perhaps it was simply hate, or simply love for destruction. The battle ended
overnight. Anyone who failed to flee died. By the break of dawn, Phlan died as well.

“All that was 34 years ago. Things change and the wheel of fate turns. The dragons came again,
as we all know, two years ago. Yulash was annihilated; a dragon’s body blocked the harbor of
Hillsfar for a month. But for Phlan, the Flight of Dragons rained destruction on the beasts that
hold the old ruins, weakening them. And when the air cleared, some people began to remember
Phlan, and began to think the city could now be retaken. Valjevo, Rimon, and Alonius did it
before, and the descendants of the old city united their resources.

“With mercenary might the harbor was taken, and with the last fortunes of these descendants,
reinforced with walls. The Council is replicating a plan formulated by the Valjevo, clearing the
city block by block with small, specialized forces. The Old City holds the lure of great treasure
for those who are willing to risk life and limb. A new Council of Ten calls for champions to aid
them, some with swords, others with words and coin. This is why I am here; I will honor my
mother, my father, my aunt, my uncle, and the family of people I never knew who were the heart
of Phlan. Someday, someday, maybe I will see my home again. A shining day from the dark?
For Phlan, hope has not yet died.

Ezra winds down his juggling, the colored balls vanish into various pouches and pockets. He
swigs a mouthful of ale from a nearby skin and leans forward.

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 “And what about all of you? Why do you travel to
Phlan?”

Player’s Town Map

You obtained a dated map of Phlan before embarking.. A prior visitor to Phlan on the Devawing
points out where your map is outdated, thanks to ongoing construction:

10.) The Dwarf House was sold and is a tavern called Nat Wyler’s Bell now.

16, 17, 19.) Unified into one building as the justice center.

30.) Two buildings down from #10 (Nat Wyler’s Bell) is the construction for a new temple to
Gond the Wondermaker.

31.) North of #5 (Port Authority) Jerome of Melvaunt has opened a general store.

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The area around Phlan is largely untamed, roamed by daring nomads, tribes of kobolds, and far
more dangerous denizens. The Quivering Forest was planted by elves an eon ago and magically
regrows itself over time. The Dragonspine Mountains are aptly named, and only the foolish
venture to its higher peaks. The Grass Sea spans nearly to Zhentil Keep with endless waves of
waist-high grass and the occasional ruin attesting to civilizations long ago, and not all of men.
The “Barren River” entering Phlan was once known as the Stojanow, but its waters have long
since poisoned, leading to its more appropriate name. Those who venture to the Sorcerer’s
Island rarely return and it was once the home of an undead wizard.

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 How to Use this Guide
T his guide assists creating and role-playing characters who have answered the call to aid Phlan.
The more your character is immersed into the setting and contributes to the richness of the world,
the more enjoyable the game will be as a whole, and the campaign presumes players will generate
their own story lines and pursue personal goals outside of the campaign framework, whether it be forming
alliances, politics, or even a family.

Getting Started: Make sure you have access to our website at https://sites.google.com/site/gategoers/ .
This site will host files, character descriptions, updates, quests, and allow characters to role-play off-table
or enrich the world with journals, poems, etc. Make sure the DM has your email to ensure you can add
material and post. If you do not have a Google Sites account, you can make one with any existing email
address.

Required Materials:

 D&D Player’s Handbook. Players should strive to be familiar with the game system they play
and own a player’s handbook. There is no OGL, so players cannot retrieve rules for free.

 Character Sheets. D&D sheets are in our online library courtesy of WoTC. There are various
versions to fit your style.

 Journal. A sandbox campaign is based heavily off character interaction with the rest of the
world. Players should take notes of people they’ve met, places they’ve been, goals, and use this to
enrich the game and refresh when needed.

 Dice, pencil, scrap paper, miniature. The DM and likely other players have extra of these
should you forget. We will use a grid-map to keep track of where everyone is during a battle,
hence the miniature.

Expectations:

 Timeliness. Strive to be on time and ready to game. If you cannot make a session, please provide
notice as far in advance as possible. We will always strive to go with at least 3 players and 1 DM.

 Immersion. A good RPG depends on players interacting with the game world and creating the
story as plots unfold. Even experienced roleplayers should brush up on the Player’s Handbook
for some tips.

Character Creation
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Character creation largely follows the Player’s Handbook except as below. You should strive to make a
concept that fits in the Moonsea and has incentive to venture to Phlan. Basic origin stories will be
available to give players a head start on connections to the campaign, and players should roleplay these
rather than reveal them. Play begins presuming the characters all have a pre-existing connection to one
another and a common goal of reaching Phlan.

Choose a Race
See the DM if you have your heart set on playing a “dragonborn” or “tiefling” as these will be
more difficult to fit into the region and connect with the setting. Our campaign is set before the
Spellplague which brought dragonborn to Toril. Neither are remotely native to the region and special
consideration would be needed for their origins.

Choose a Class

All classes and character options are available. If your background or class requires a Deity or
you would like your character to worship a deity, you can choose one from the list of Forgotten Realms
deities in Appendix B of the Player’s Handbook. Commonly worshipped good and neutral deities in this
region include: Tyr, Tempus, Sune, and Gond. Ilmater used to have a temple in Phlan. Although it is
useful to select a religion from these as they have locations of worship in Phlan, it is not required. The
setting is before the Time of Troubles, so see the DM if you select a deity outside these four as some
deities may not exist yet or exist in a different form.

Determine Ability Scores

You may take the standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) or use the 27 point buy option in Chapter
1. Note, the standard array is the same as a 27 point buy. After your scores are selected, apply racial
benefits. We will not be rolling ability scores. Remember that scores, before racial modifiers, can be no
higher than 15 and no lower than 8.

Describe Your Character

Select the following additional details to help define your character. The origin stories may
provide some inspiration for the below. It is recommended but not required you use the plethora of
backgrounds provided in the PHB rather than invent one.

• Name
• Alignment (any non-evil)
• Ideals
• Bonds
• Flaws
• Background

Starting Lifestyles

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 Select a starting lifestyle that best fits your background. You can change your lifestyle at the start
of any week. This covers your accommodations, food, drink, basic necessities, and keeping equipment
maintained. We will pay lifestyle on a weekly basis (10 days in the Realms), in advance. Hence, a
“poor” lifestyle character would subtract 2gp (2sp x10) upon arrival in Phlan.

The DM will rely on player honesty to track this expense.

Choose Equipment

You have one of two options:

 take the starting equipment as determined by your class and background, or

 roll for gold pieces as per Chapter 5 of the PHB and buy your equipment piecemeal.

All players can begin play with 1 trinket as provided by their background, as selected from the Table
in Chapter 5, or as randomly rolled. Trinkets should provide interesting ideas for your character’s
background.

Feats and Multi-Classing (optional rules)

Both are allowed, but multi-classing is heavily discouraged absent a compelling storyline.

Gaining Levels

Players will roll for hit points at the table when gaining levels. XP will be largely assigned for
completing storylines. You will find characters gain levels quickly to 3 rd level and then advancement
slows.

The Setting
Region:  Surrounded by old mountains and ancient forests, and divided by a mysterious deep sea, the
Moonsea area has more than its fair share of strange beasts. In particular, the waters were once called the
Sea of Dragons because of the many dragons that came here to mate; its forests and mountains are still
riddled with dragon lairs. Moonsea folk do not scoff at rumors of monsters -- they tighten their belts,
sharpen their swords, and expect the worst. Monster trophies do not impress them; such things hang in the
main hall of most towns that have managed to survive for more than a few years. Moonsea folk are

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determined to beat the odds, whether by solving a problem or enduring it. The general feeling is that fate
could change any day, and hard work will be rewarded in due time.

The Moonsea is rich, indeed . . . gold and jewels, valuable pelts, and old ruins ripe for
plundering. But it is a hard place to live -- cold, brutal, and dangerous, and it makes the men
who live there into something much the same, tempering the soft iron of their spirits into cold,
sharp steel. The people of the Moonsea are hard and unforgiving because if they weren't they'd
be dead at the hands of monsters, tyrants, or the cruel turns of nature herself."

- Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun

Weather: The Moonsea is located in the northern part of Faerûn. People dress warmly all year round (a
fur cape or cloak is a common article of clothing). Anyone who walks around in light clothing during cold
weather is obviously either a fool or someone who is using magic to stay warm and doesn't care if people
know it (and thus a fool). The lake itself is fed by glacial melt and even in summer it can be cold enough
to kill a swimmer. Because of this, most people who make their living on the water can't swim, since
they've never had the opportunity to practice; instead, they have learned more practical skills such as fire
building and how to not fall out of a boat.

In the winter months much of the lake freezes over, making travel across the ice possible but (due to the
great distances involved) not very common. Ice fishing is common, with fishermen walking to their
favorite spots rather than boating. Moonsea inns usually have a small number of large rooms rather than a
large number of small rooms; this reduces the number of individual fireplaces needed and the overall risk
of fire.

Religion: The common faiths of the Moonsea reflect its dangerous nature; most of the gods worshiped
here are of the "worship me or bad things will happen to you" variety, and the rest fall into the "worship
me or I will do bad things to you" category. Whether overt or subtle, these faiths influence how the local
people think. Visitors who worship bright and noble gods are likely to be scoffed at behind their backs,
while those who worship "frivolous" deities such as Eldath, Lliira, Milil, and Sune are often derided to
their face. Adventurers who proselytize "foreign" religions quickly draw the attention of Banite loyalists
and others who openly serve the evil deities favored here. Most Moonsea folk pay lip service to these
deities just to keep potential threats away, not necessarily fully embracing the dark philosophies of these
deities.

Suspicion: Because of their frontier situation and the many threats in the Moonsea (particularly from
rival city-states), the people of the region are mistrustful of any stranger, since any unknown person could
be a spy or assassin from a rival settlement. Unlike other harsh lands where a culture of hospitality to all
became the norm for the sake of survival, the Moonsea folk have more of a "take care of your own"
attitude. This also makes them reluctant to turn to outsiders for help except under great duress, or when
they have no questions about a person's motivations (for example, even in the Moonsea a paladin of Torm
is someone you can trust to help you without an ulterior motive). Strangers must prove their worth before
earning even a small measure of free hospitality. While the people of the Moonsea are not inherently evil

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or distrustful (any more than the people of the Dales are inherently friendly and good), that is the attitude
bred into them by a culture where survival is hard work and the kind-hearted are usually taken advantage
of.

"Zhentil Keep? Hillsfar? Who can tell which is the lesser of two evils?" - Moonsea saying

"Dare and Beware!" - Moonsea battle cry

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