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D&D 5e The Aesthetics Guide To Ansalon The War of The Lance Vol2

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100% found this document useful (2 votes)
686 views117 pages

D&D 5e The Aesthetics Guide To Ansalon The War of The Lance Vol2

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cdza3lvl43
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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v2

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual,
Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of
Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or
unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the
Coast.

©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800
Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.

_______________________________________________

CONTENTS

2 Playing the War of the Lance

4 Autumn, Winter and Spring

5 18. Tarsis

15 19. Icereach

21 20. Icewall Castle

24 21. Southern Ergoth

29 22. Foghaven Vale

36 23. Eastwatch

37 24. Sancrist

43 25. Solamnia

45 26. Palanthas

48 27. Tower of the High Clerist

53 28. Battle of the Reaper

60 29. Knight’s Council

63 30. Plains of Dust

68 31. Silvanesti

80 32. Flotsam

93 33. The Perechon

98 34. Karthay

103 Narrative Options

_____________________________________

Written by Stephen Bull


Original Art and Maps by Stephen Bull
Additional Art and Maps courtesy of DM’s Guild

Based on the Dragonlance setting for Dungeons and


Dragons, updated for Fifth Edition.
_______________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
PLAYING THE WAR OF THE LANCE
The WAR OF THE LANCE is a major war between the The gods eventually decided that the Kingpriest had gone
forces of good and evil, mortals and dragons fighting for the too far, and that his ambition was too wild and would lead
gods – the good returning to the world after a long absence the world to ruin. They sent warnings to the Kingpriest and
and the evil trying to conquer it once again. the people of Krynn to stop their current actions, but the
The setting is the continent of ANSALON, on the world of Kingpriest refused to comply. He shouted to the gods of
KRYNN. Light that they had failed to defeat the gods of Darkness,
The world's major gods are the High God and his children: and so he was taking on the fight himself. He began making
good Paladine, neutral Gilean, and evil Takhisis, opposed demands of the gods, commanding them to support him
by Chaos, who seeks to destroy Krynn. Evil chromatic and and grant him gifts to fight the evil gods.
the good metallic dragons are things of legend, and tied to When the warnings of the gods were ignored, the entire
the gods as their incarnations, agents in the world and tools pantheon at last chose to act, infuriated by this act of hubris.
of warfare. They withdrew their power from the world, and sent a
Humans are Krynn's most common humanoid race, but flaming mountain from the sky to destroy Istar entirely, the
Elves, Dwarves, Kender, Gnomes, and Minotaurs occupy impact breaking many areas of the world.
the world as well. Clerics derive magical powers from their
gods, and wizards derive their power from the three goods Divine magic was lost as the gods no longer granted their
who also represent the world’s three moons. blessing, but Wizards and Sorcerers retained their powers.
Some say this was an act of atonement from the gods for
At this point in history, it has been three hundred years ignoring the persecution of the mages for so long.
since the Cataclysm obliterated the great empire of Istar and
changes the entire surface of Krynn. The Age of Despair THE AGE OF DESPAIR
followed, during which the gods were entirely absent, having The fallout from the Cataclysm lasted centuries. The land
left behind the world they felt had abandoned and shunned was broken, plague and famine became common, and
them. The disrespect of the Kingpriest went on, ignoring lawlessness ran rampant. New religions founded by
the thirteen warnings sent, convinced by his own hubris that charlatans rose and took over the major nations, and war
only he – a mortal – could defeat evil. became commonplace as people moved about searching for
The gods sent a “fiery mountain” to completely destroy Istar food and shelter. Every group of people about Krynn
and the Kingpriest, the impact shattering other areas of breaks and splinters into new groups, founding new
Ansalon, drowning some areas and raising new mountains. settlements away from their cousins.
Following that, contact with the gods was cut off entirely.
This is the current age, in which old brotherhoods and
THE CATACLYSM friendships are broken, and the true gods are absent from
In the early ages the gods were keen to involve themselves the world.
in the mortal world, offering blessings and boons in Into this world Takhisis comes again to conquer.
exchange for prayer and faith. _______________________________________________
Then came the rise of the Holy Empire of Istar. The
Kingpriest, devoted to the gods of Light, decided that all
arcane spellcasters were evil and a danger to the entire
world. He sought first to limit them, believing to have the
blessing of the gods of Light, and the protests of the gods of
magic fell on deaf ears.
Eventually the Kingpriest destroyed the Tower of High
Sorcery at Daltigoth, and demanded that the Wizards
abandon the towers of Palanthas and Istar.
The black robed Wizards wanted war, the whites
understanding but feeling that though they may win battles,
they likely would not win a war. Most of the population
supported the Kingpriest through religious fervor, and any
victory for the orders would come at the expense on many
lives.

The Conclave eventually decided to surrender the towers, _______________________________________________


removing their books and artifacts to their last outpost at
Wayreth, and the gods of magic were incensed that their RACE AND CLASS RESTRICTIONS
followers were being treated this way. They went before the The War of the Lance is a pivotal moment in the history of
pantheon to urge action against the Kingpriest, their rage Krynn, as it marks the return of the true gods – though
shaking the heavens when the Kingpriest took residence in whether this is for good or ill is down to the actions taken by
the Tower of Istar. the heroes of the age.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
When setting up characters for this adventure, a few notable
restrictions should be taken into account – partly because
some races simply do not exist in the lore of Krynn (though THE ORIGINAL COMPANIONS
you are free to add them) but also because some races and A question that may be asked, given that this
class archetypes themselves have important roles to play in adventure is heavily based on a series of novels, is
the story as originally written. what becomes of the original characters from
Though a DM should feel free to make what alterations those novels? Are they involved in some way, or
they wish, a few important rules should be adhered to when absent? A few options are available:
preparing new characters for this adventure:
THE COMPANIONS ARE PLAYABLE
• Lizardmen and Dragonborn should be prohibited as There is no reason why a group of players could
playable races. In Krynn there are no such creatures, but not play as the actual Companions themselves.
servants of the dark goddess Takhisis will create them in This means taking on the specific personality
the form of her Draconians to serve as the core of their traits and abilities of the original characters and
army. Their arrival in Krynn is new, and part of a greater limiting freedom in character creation, but it
mystery that unfolds over the course of the adventure. resolves the question in the neatest way.
• Kyrie (Aaracokra), Dargonesti (Sea Elves) and
Phaethons (Aasimar) are very rare and reclusive peoples THE COMPANIONS ARE IN THE BACKGROUND
in Ansalon, and should be played only with a good The characters can still be part of the story, but
reason why they would walk the lands of other peoples. act as background characters rather than the leads
in their own narrative. The player characters
• No magic or magic-like special abilities can be used to instead step into the role of protagonists, with the
heal (including a Paladine’s Healing Hands). For three Companion’s individual stories serving as
hundred years the gods have been absent, and healing additional material for side quests and world
magic has come only from them. Bringing the gods back exploration.
and returning healing magic is a miracle to the people of In this version of events, the Companions can
Krynn, and an event the party should have an active either be allies who travel with the party, or can be
hand in causing. scattered across Ansalon as quest-givers or sources
• Levels can not be taken in the Cleric class for the same of exposition.
reason as above, as there are no gods to grant them their
powers. Only after the true gods properly return during THE COMPANIONS ARE ABSENT
gameplay can levels be taken in Cleric again. The simple solution is merely not to mention the
_______________________________________________ Companions at all. Have them absent as though
they never existed, and allow the players to take
PLAYING THE ADVENTURE on the story with fresh characters. This of course
Details on locations, what can be found there and how to creatures an alternate history to the one given in
get around can be found in the other Aesthetics Guides the novels, but still allows the party to play the
guidebooks. This module focuses purely on the story adventure unrestricted by canon.
elements that make up the War of the Lance.
The story elements given here are presented in the order RAISTLIN’S GAMBIT
they were originally given – both in the Dragonlance novels Author’s Note: This is the version I opted for
and older modules for previous editions of the game. when I ran this adventure for the first time, thus
beginning the project to create these guidebooks
As a party progresses through the story, there is a good for the War of the Lance. In this sequence of
chance that they will want to do things in different orders, events, it was assumed that all of the events of the
skip sections entirely, or go off in entirely other directions to novels took place, except that in the final
follow new leads into a variety of side quests or goose moments the Companions failed and Takhisis
chases. The Aesthetics Guides try where possible to present prevailed.
the setting and adventure in an open-world way so that a Raistlin Majere, having accessed the Tower of
player party have the freedom to chose their own path, so High Sorcery in Palanthas, therefore did the
the DM should not feel restricted to follow the exact order unspeakable and reversed time, removing his
of adventures and story elements given here. They should allies from history so that a new band of heroes
rather feel free to mix and match, reorder and improvise could attempt to win the war.
whatever they think is necessary to make the game as By doing this, Raistlin became a useful NPC who
enjoyable as possible for everyone. could tell the party what was going on, and where
they needed to go in order to start their
STARTING LEVEL adventure. He would lend no direct help, but
The Aesthetics Guides start the player party off at level four, when my party was lost Raistlin could reappear to
assuming that they have had some previous adventures of exposit, give important historical information on a
their own, and are now reconvening during one of person or location, and otherwise fill in what the
Ansalon’s darkest hours. party’s characters “should” know themselves.
_______________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
AUTUMN, WINTER AND SPRING
The core adventure is divided into three parts as the original novels were, and as the narrative of the war itself is.
These parts begin in the Autumn of the year 351AC (After Cataclysm, Ansalon’s current calander) continue in
Winter, and then conclude in Spring.

These adventure modules are designed to work in conjunction with the other Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon books –
those books giving all of the information for a location whilst this one adds only the narrative information and
important changes for the War of the Lance.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

VOL 2. WINTER
Where Autumn set a narrower path, Winter allows the party to leave Abanasinia and explore Ansalon at their
leisure, although it strongly suggests that the party make for the city of Tarsis if they wish to follow the specific story
arch of the Companions in the War of the Lance. It is in this city that the party will find some of the foundational
plot hooks that the Companions of the novels also found, and lead them into the grander adventures the war offers.

AUTUMN
18. TARSIS
19. ICEREACH 30. PLAINS OF DUST
20. ICEWALL CASTLE 31: SILVANESTI
21: SOUTHERN ERGOTH 32. FLOTSAM
22. FOGHAVEN VALE 33. THE PERECHON
23. EASTWATCH 34. KARTHAY
24. SANCRIST
25. SOLAMNIA
26. PALANTHAS
27. TOWER OF THE HIGH CLERIST
28. BATTLE OF THE REAPER
29. KNIGHT’S COUNCIL

SPRING

Author’s Note: The various adventures that make up the war during Winter can be mixed and matched if the party
decide to approach them in a different order to the original material. For example in the novels the Companions
split after Tarsis, with some heading for Icereach whilst the others made for Silvanesti. If the player party chooses
not to divide themselves (more than likely given they will probably be one group of players) they might decide to
travel together. They may go to Silvanesti and then turn south to Icewall and continue through Ergoth. On the other
hand they may opt to visit Icewall first, then turn to Silvanesti and on to the Blood Sea.

Such freedom of choice should be encouraged, though whatever path they take should eventually come to the end
of the season either at the Battle of the Reaper, or on Karthay where the party will meet Berem The Everman.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
18. TARSIS PARTY LV7
In the months before the party would come to Tarsis, new INN OF THE RED DRAGON
visitors have come though, not of any nation or race that Three Knights of Solamnia - Derek Crownguard, Aran
Tarsis has seen before. Tallbow and Brian Donner – are staying here under false
These are the draconians, and with no concept of who and names, having concealed their identities. They return here
what they are, having received no news of war in other each evenings, but spend their days in the Library of
lands, Tarsis has welcomed them as friends. Lord Khrystann.
Waythorn has been a strong advocate of allowing them into
the city, having been promised many opportunities for GILDENTONGUE
wealth by their ambassador - an aurak named Gildentongue. Lawful Evil Draconian (Aurak) Male
Those working with the Dragonarmies are therefore An ambitious Aurak Draconian, Gildentongue
presented with a positive attitude based on ignorance, whilst was sent into Abanasinia long ahead of the rest of
those who speak or act against them will be considered the Dragonarmies to start laying the seeds of the
hostile to Tarsis. coming invasion.
When he came to haven, it was under the claim
When the party come, they will find the city unaware that that he was an emissary for the coming
war is spreading over the continent, and tricked into Draconians, offering peace to the local Seekers in
believing that the Draconians are a new and friendly people exchange for them finding the thing he truly
to Ansalon. sought – the Blue Crystal Staff.
______________________________________________ In person Gildentongue tries to present himself as
a friend to the local population and willing to help
GOVERNOR’S PALACE where asked, but his keen mind is towards the
Along with the five contingents of guards and the governor, coming destruction and conquest, and his goal of
the palace has become home to a standing force of the red ascending the ranks of the Dragonarmies.
Dragonarmy led by the Aurak emissary Gildentongue.
▪ “Why of course I am willing to help. I am but
Having befriended Waythorn, Gildentongue has instructed here as your friend and emissary to a people
his soldiers to dress in Tarsian colours, though they wear you merely did not know were here.”
their own red uniforms beneath their Tarsian tabards. This ▪ “Time I think, to make my move.”
force occupies the rooms around the central chambers, and
will attempt to subdue or incapacitate anyone who comes to
them uninvited. LIBRARY OF KHRYSTANN
The dragonarmy soldiers will comply with the city guard If they find the hidden library, the party can research a wide
and hand over any prisoners, denying any claims made array of topics, but some may be of specific interest by a
against them. For now they play the role of allies, and hand party following the War of the Lance campaign, setting up
prisoners over to the guard for trial in the Hall of Justice. new paths and new adventure options.

If the Governor or Gildentongue discover that a party of Any research into the dragonorbs will attract Lillith’s
adventurers is seeking an audience with Waythorn, then interest, and eventually come across references to five
Gildentongue advises the Governor to grant the request, but magical orbs created by the combined powers of the Orders
to do what he can to string the party along. of High Sorcery during the Age of Dreams. Most were lost,
Waythorn will give advice that attempts to keep the party in with three being in Istar at the time of the Cataclysm
Tarsis for as long as possible. This might mean a promise of (though it is believed that one was stolen before the fiery
help which will “take time to organize”, or a provocation to mountain hit the world). One is presumed lost somewhere
some action that he can have the party arrested for. The in Solamnia, whilst another was housed in the Tower of
Governor does not truly understand why Gildentongue gave High Sorcery in Wayreth, but was stolen by an Elven wizard
this advice, but is willing to follow the advice from his new named Feal-Thas, and taken to Icewall Castle.
trusted advisor.
Gildentongue’s intention is quite simple - to keep the party The history of the ancient dragonlances can be discovered,
in Tarsis until the Dragonarmies arrive. If it his hope that a though certain information on where some might be found
party of adventurers will simply be swept aside by an is far less likely. References to dragon metal being needed,
advancing army along with any other defenders the city can as well as a magic hammer to craft the lances can be found.
muster.
Any other historical information should be accessible here,
INN OF HAPPY RETURNS including details on the gods, the history of Krynn, and
Most of the rooms in this inn are currently occupied anyway references to other historical artifacts that the party may be
by Draconians who have come in service to Gildentongue. searching for. This could include the Disks of Mishakal,
These have been drinking the Inn of Happy Returns dry, relics of Fistandantilus, and stories of ancient heroes such as
but the innkeeper has been happy to take their coin. Huma Dragonbane or Waylorn Wyvernsbane and where

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
they were buried.
ARAN TALLBOW
At this point in the War of the Lance, the library is also
being used by a trio of Knights of Solamnia - Derek
Lawful Good Human Male
A Knight of the Crown from the isle of Sancrist,
Crownguard, Aran Tallbow and Brian Donner - whom
Tallbow is the descendant of a long long of
Lillith Hallmark has been helping. They have come to
knights and is immensely proud to follow in his
Tarsis to seek the library hoping to find their own clues as
family’s tradition of service to the knighthood.
to the location of dragonorbs, but can also be a source of
Tall and lean, he is considered by some to be the
information about the state of the war with the
greatest archer in all of Solamnia, being one of
Dragonarmies and what is going on in the western part of
the few knights to specialize in archery. He also a
the continent - across Ergoth and Solamnia. That is, they
travelling companion of great humour with an
could be good sources of information, if the party can
easygoing nature.
befriend them and convince Crownguard that they are
Aran shares a close friendship with Brian Donner
worthwhile and honourable allies.
and Derek Corwnguard, having been raised near
them and tutored by Brian’s father. Despite this
DEREK CROWNGUARD close bond to Derek however, Aran supports the
Lawful Neutral Human Male claim of Gunthar Uth Wistan to the title of
A lord of the knighthood and respected member Grand Master.
of the Knights of the Rose, Crownguard is the
figurehead of the traditionalist faction, believing in ▪ “We have been advised not to stay too long in
the strict application of the measure in all things. Tarsis. It was also suggested that we should
He will never deviate from it, bend rules, nor keep the fact that we’re Knights of Solamnia
accept any suggestion of changing existing rules to ourselves. The Tarsians have no love for
(outside of adding new ones). Nothing matters us, it seems.”
more to Crownguard than the survival and ▪ “The Measure states that a knight should walk
honour of the knighthood, holding the concept of openly in the sunshine, proudly proclaiming
the organization more sacred and more vital than his nobility to the world, but perhaps we could
it’s actual members. find a loophole. Perhaps the Measure makes
Coming across stiff and stubborn, he is an upright some provision for such a delicate political
moral figure even if he does lack any kind of tact situation.”
and is sometimes thought of as vain and power- ▪ “I’m not going to allow this mission to fail
hungry by his detractors. Derek Crownguard was because Derek cares more about adhering to
raised at and eventually became lord of Castle some moldy old code of antiquated laws than
Crownguard, just south of Solanthus in central he does about saving our nation.”
Solamnia. His family were forced from it when it ▪ “Prior to the Cataclysm, the knights made
was one of the first places attacked by the Tarsis a Lord City of Solamnia, despite the
Dragonarmies, being partially destroyed by an fact that the city was hundreds of miles away.
attack by the blue wing and then occupied. That way, the knights could protect the city
from enemies. Then came the Cataclysm and
▪ “If I am at fault, it is simply that I go by what is the knights couldn’t protect themselves, much
written in the Measure.” less a city far from Solamnia. The knights who
▪ “I have more faith in my sword than in an old had lived in Tarsis— those who survived—
man and his god,” returned to Palanthas, leaving the Tarsians to
▪ “Do you realize the trouble this world is in fight their battles alone.”
now? The dragons drove the Elves from their ▪ “When the three of us were squires, we
homeland. They are approaching our decided to prove ourselves by going to
homeland now! Unlike the Elves, we do not Nightlund to seek the death knight Lord
intend to run. We will stand and fight!” Soth.”
▪ “By one heroic act, I will have the Knights in ▪ “We rode three days into what we fancied was
my palm. By tomorrow night, my name will be Nightlund, though in truth we never got close,
legend!” and then we came to an empty castle and we
▪ “Gunthar has become an old woman. When thought we’d found it — Dargaard Keep.”
he hears the enemy is on the march, he cries ▪ “All of us were scared out of our wits, but we
‘Alack-a-day!’ and dives under the bed!” would none of us admit it and so we went
▪ “The Measure provides the means to form a forth. Derek gave the signal, and we charged
Grand Circle in such dire circumstances as we inside and we were met by a dwarf who’d set
now find ourselves. Gunthar is deliberately up an illegal spirit distillery inside the keep!”
blocking the formation because he knows that ▪ “We gallant knights ran off in three different
if a Grand Circle was convened this day, I directions with him shouting he was going to
would be elected Grand Master.” chop off our ears!”

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
inscribed with arcane runes and the red moon mark of the
red-robed mages - one of which can be used for a single
BRIAN DONNER
casting of greater invisibility, and the other a single casting of
Lawful Good Human Male
enlarge/reduce.
A young Knight of the Sword and a descendant of
Lillith will usually not want anything removed from the
the last High Clerist Yarus Donner, Brian is an
library, but will allow these scrolls to be taken so long as the
ally of Derek Crownguard and presents himself
party have not upset or annoyed her, or given her any
with a quiet, emotional strength.
reason to find them suspicious.
Though of noble birth his family holds no lands
for themselves, Brian having grown up in Castle
THREE DRAGONS TAVERN
Crownguard while his father acted as Derek
A handful of Human Dragonarmy officers are currently
Crownguard’s tutor. The two would grow as close
staying in the Three Dragons, and seem simply to be seeing
as brothers, entering the knighthood as squires
the sights and enjoying their time in Tarsis. In truth these
together. The two differ when it comes to religion
are Sivak Draconians disguised as Human officers, and use
however, as like his ancestor Brian has a strong
their rooms as offices to coordinate their patrols around
leaning towards the worship of the true gods than
Tarsis.
Derek would be. He can be more forgiving, and
_____________________________________________
has been known to bend rules just a little when it
serves the cause of good and justice.
DRAGONARMY PATROL
Though the Council of Lords and the city guard are
▪ “I find something about this war very strange.
officially in charge of Tarsis, the red Dragonarmy have
They say the dragonarmies go into battle with
effectively taken control of the streets and send routine
prayers and hymns to their dark goddess. I
patrols around all areas of the city. These tend to be made
find it strange to think the forces of evil march
up of a small number of Baaz Draconians who keep
under a banner of faith, while we, who are on
themselves cloaked and hooded to limit the attention their
the side of good, deny the gods even exist.”
draw. They will be led by a Sivak shapeshifter disguised in
▪ “The Measure speaks of faith. The role of the
the form of a human Dragonarmy officer. They will often
High Clerist is as important as that of the High
also be accompanied by small bands of hobgoblins. The
Warrior. Knights of the Rose, such as yourself,
entire patrol will be dressed in Tarsian colours, though have
could once cast divine spells, or so history tells
the red emblems of the Dragonarmy emblazoned on their
us. The Measure speaks of how knights of old
chests.
could use their prayers to heal those wounded
in battle.”
Creatures: 4x Hobgoblin, 2x Baaz Scout & 1x Sivak
▪ “I don’t agree with Gunthar’s views, but he’s
Legionnaire
not a coward. He’s cautious. Perhaps too
[Medium] 3125xp
cautious ...”
The hobgoblins tend to swagger and jeer at locals, whilst the
The Knights have come seeking information on the orbs, Baaz professionally stop any group they think looks
but also intend to follow through if they find any suspicious or dangerous. If they see anything that looks like
information regarding them. The three consider themselves a Knight of Solamnia they are likely to start a fight, the
on a quest - Crownguard most of all as he intends to hobgoblins throwing taunts similar to those already in the
perform a grand deed that will secure the title of Grand hearts and minds of Tarsian locals.
Master - and are fully equipped for a long journey. If Should a fight break out with a Dragonarmy patrol, the
information is discovered on dragonorbs, they will intend to hobgoblins will carry most of the fight whilst the Draconians
go and claim one in the name of Solamnia. If the party support. Once the majority of the hobgoblins are defeated,
choose to keep such information from the knights, it is the patrol will make a retreat, the Sivak particularly trying to
likely that Lillith, who believes that all knowledge should be keep out of harm’s way and going for reinforcements.
freely accessible, will tell them. Should a patrol be defeated, there is a high chance that the
If offered a choice, they will choose to try to claim the orb next patrol encountered will be larger in size.
that was supposedly taken to Icewall Castle rather than risk
going to Silvanesti. This could mean the knights offering to UNRULY MOB
accompany the party to Icereach, or meet them there at a The party come across a small gathering of disgruntled
later time, but they will not allow anyone to dissuade them Tarsian locals. Rumours have been spread amongst them by
from the journey. Gildentongue’s agents that there are academics working in
the city in league with the Knights of Solamnia, and the
Any search through the library has the potential for the crowd has quickly turned into a mob determined to make a
party to uncover a few useful secrets. With a successful search for where the academics might be hiding. This will
DC18 Wisdom (Perception) check, creatures searching the be a half-hearted effort, as the intention is more to show
library may find three scrolls marked with the infinity displeasure in a group than actually find something and do
symbol of Mishakal. All three bear strong magic within anything.
them, and can each be used once to cast prayer of healing. The mob will assume that a band of adventuring outsiders
In the same search, the party might also find two scrolls will also be in league with the academics and the Knights of

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
Solamnia, and will have no interest in hearing otherwise. escape after a little while and return to the Red Dragon Inn
They simply wish to vent, and will attack. to gather her things and make ready to leave the city at the
first opportunity. Her timing will be poor however, as she
Creatures: 15x Commoner will still be in the inn when the Dragonarmies arrive and
[Easy] 600xp attack Tarsis.

Widespread death or destructive magic is likely to attract ALHANA STARBREEZE


attention, and word of it will spread through the city. This
Lawful Good Elf (Silvanesti) Female The only
will have the consequence of making the party’s time in known child of Lorac Caladon, Speaker of the
Tarsis much more difficult, with guard and Dragonarmy Stars and lord of the Elven realm of Silvanesti.
patrols actively searching for and hostile towards them. Having lived a pampered life, she is a lean figure
Merchants may be less likely to trade, or raise their prices with long black hair and porcelain white skin,
significantly, and citizens will be far less likely to offer aid or thought of as quite beautiful by other other Elves,
support if others amongst them have been harmed. though she can come across as cold and aloof to
_____________________________________________ many.
She is well regarded by her people as a good
PRINCESS OF SILVANESTI leader, and has traveled to humans lands to seek
There is one further unusual visitor in Tarsis besides the out champions who can help her to breach the
party and the three Knights of Solamnia, and this is Princess nightmare to save her homeland and her father.
Alhana Starbreeze, the lady of night, daughter of Speaker of
the Stars Lorac Caladon, and heir to throne of Silvanesti. A ▪ “I am Alhana Starbreeze, daughter of the
terrible plight has fallen on her homeland, and so she has Speaker of the Stars. Princess of the Silvanesti
come to Tarsis first as the closest large human settlement Elves.”
not in enemy hands, to seek help. ▪ “You ask why I came to Tarsis? I came
seeking aid. I must return to Silvanesti to
Alhana Starbreeze initially came to Tarsis having travelled search for my father.”
across the Plains of Dust in the company of a flock of ▪ “The evil that forced our cousins to leave
griffons from the eastern forest. The refugees continued to Qualinesti came to us as well. Long we fought
the coast whilst Alhana diverted and entered the city under this evil, but in the end we were forced to flee
a heavy cloak and hood, concealing her identity at first out or perish utterly. My father sent the people,
of prejudiced distrust of humanity. under my leadership, to Southern Ergoth. He
Having been raised on stories of ancient heroes who stayed in Silvanesti to fight the evil alone. I
travelled as adventurers, she first walked the streets looking opposed this decision, but he said he had the
for such people - those who stand out as skilled warriors or power to prevent the evil from destroying our
perhaps potential heroes of story. Taking a top-floor room homeland. With a heavy heart, I led my
at the Red Dragon Inn under a false name, the princess has people to safety and there they remain.”
walked all over the city, but her own attempts to stay hidden “But I came back to seek my father, for the
from the Draconians on the streets have kept her from days have been long and we have heard no
finding anyone who matches what she thinks she is looking word of him.”
for. Sneaking in and out of the inn, Alhana has even ▪ “There were many warriors who offered to
completely missed that three Knights of Solamnia are escort me, but when I said I led my people to
staying in the very same inn. safety, I spoke rashly. Safety no longer exists in
this world. The warriors stayed behind to
Eventually however, she will make for the Governor’s guard the people. I came to Tarsis hoping to
Palace, intended to follow proper procedure and announce find warriors to travel into Silvanesti with me.”
her arrival in the city to it’s rightful rulers. Extremely wary, ▪ “I presented myself to the Lord and the
she hopes to both seek help from the Governor and to warn Council, as protocol demands. To do
him that the Draconians in the streets of Tarsis are not to be otherwise would have been to come as a
trusted, for they have attacked even Silvanesti and brought barbarian. When the Lord refused to aid me,
calamity to the Elves. I told him I intended to seek help on my own.
The Governor is not so inviting however, as the aurak To do less would have not been honorable.”
Gildentongue tells him that not only is she not to be trusted,
but that there is a great reward on offer for her capture.
Gildentongue tells Governor Waythorn that the wealth of The chronology of Alhana’s movements can be interrupted
Tarsis could be restored to it’s former glory merely by at any time by an encounter with the party, and should be
handing Alhana over to the Dragon Empire. Magically timed so that key events might coincide with each other. If
enchanted, Waythorn completely believes this, and orders any members of the party are imprisoned for example, they
Alhana to be arrested. She is imprisoned in the Hall of may find Alhana already in one of the basement cells, or the
Justice and left under a lazy watch. party members can watch her being imprisoned. Likewise a
watchful party who are staying in the Red Dragon Inn may
Alhana will not stay there long however. If not rescued by notice a suspicious patron skulking in and out on occasion
others who have discovered her presence in Tarsis, she will and choose to investigate, encountering Alhana as they track

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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the culprit. ▪ “The trees are now warped, and evil spectres haunt the
forest. What people remained have been overcome with
Should the party make a nuisance of themselves or be madness or despair, and once holy sites have become
noticed about town, there is a good chance that this will also places of evil. Strange monsters now walk the forest, as
bring them to the attention of Alhana Starbreeze, who may though emerging from our very worst nightmares. It
watch in the shadows for a little while to assess them before is….difficult….to put into words.”
introducing herself. ▪ “For now the Dragonarmies have withdrawn, unwilling
Wherever the party encounter Alhana Starbreeze (if they do to risk entering the nightmare for themselves, but a force
at all), she will want to make sure that they can all speak in does wait north of our borders.”
private. She will ask that they meet in her rooms on the top
floor of the Red Dragon Inn, but will reluctantly accept an ▪ “There is no time for me to seek aid from my own
invitation to the Library of Khrystann if given no other people. What friends came with me to Tarsis have
choice. moved on already to join the camp in Ergoth. I need
your services in my kingdom immediately.”
SPEAKING WITH THE PRINCESS ▪ “I want you to help me reach SIlvanost, the city at the
Once Alhana Starbreeze is satisfied that they are safe and in heart of Silvanesti. There my father must be. If we can
a quiet place, she will haippily speak to the party, tell her reach him, we can break the enchantment, I am sure of
story, and make her request of them. She does with it.”
reluctance, and clearly believing that she is taking a risk not ▪ “I require strong arms and strong wills to assist me
only by making the offer at all, but doing so to outsiders of through it to find and rescue him.”
her woodland realm. Only if there is another elf of
Silvanesti present will she be more comfortable. ▪ “If you will come, then I can offer some reward for your
efforts. The gods know I would not expect humans,
▪ “I am in need of assistance from warriors and dwarves or Kender to do anything simply for altruism.”
adventurers. From what I was able to gather from the ▪ “At the heart of my kingdom is something you seek.
way you defended yourselves against the Dragonarmy Relics from ancient ages, including dragonlances. If you
invasion, I can see that you are capable warriors. help me find my father they will be yours.”
Besides, that town was full of nothing but peasants and ▪ “If you are truly seeking dragonorbs, then I believe one
bickering human nobles.” may be in Silvanesti as well. My father spoke once of
▪ “My homeland, beautiful Silvanesti, has become a possessing one, though I do not know where it is
corrupted place, under a dark spell that has forced my hidden. If we rescue him, he can tell us.”
people to flee.”
▪ “When the attacks on Ansalon began, my father sought ▪ “I have travelled to Tarsis with the aid of a flight of
to protect our lands, but reckoned without the hatred griffons loyal to my family. If you will come, they can
possible from all humans, for it is a human who leads bear us to Silvanesti in only a few days.”
the dread drake-spawn. We sent envoys to the one
called Ariakas, and my father was convinced that a trcue Speaking with Alhana opens a new adventure - the journey
had been established. We were promised non- to Silvanesti and the exploration of the horrific nightmare
aggression.” that has afflicted that realm, however Alhana is not willing to
▪ “We should have known better of course, for we were be patient and wait for the party to make other plans. If the
quickly betrayed. When the truce was established those party agrees to help her, she will insist on heading directly
who marched under the red banner withdrew and we east to Silvanesti as soon as possible, and will accept no
believed that the Dragon Empire would honoru their diversion. If the party do not travel with her when they leave
word, but then fresh attacks came from soldiers under a Tarsis, she will go elsewhere and seek other champions, or
green banner and a fleet of minotaurs from Mithas who she will return directly to Silvanesti on her own to try to
have allied with them.” rescue her father.
▪ “My father ordered our people to flee Silvanesti when
the Dragonarmies attacked. Most fled, crossing the In this latter case, she will more than likely fall victim to the
plains and making for a camp we have made in Southern nightmare and be consumed by madness somewhere within
Ergoth.” the forest, to be found by the party should they eventually
travel there.
▪ “My father had a plan to protect the kingdom from the _____________________________________________
armies, but somehow everything did not go as planned.
He did not share these details, but I knew that as a DRAGONARMY ATTACK
powerful mage he would likely be casting some great The Aurak Gildentongue has infiltrated Tarsis and been
spell to keep the forest protected.” here for many weeks, bringing more and more of his own
▪ “He ordered an object of power brought to him from his people from the red Dragonarmy to start patrolling it’s
private vault, which he used to cast a spell that I believed streets, all under the lie that they are here make friends with
at first was a shield around our borders.” the rulers of the city. In truth, this was all a prelude to a full
▪ “A dark enchantment quickly took hold however, the attack. Whilst the main bulk of the red wing has moved
shield turning inwards and causing a malignance to afflict through Abanasinia and recently focused their attentions on
the trees and people.” Qualinesti and Thorbardin, a separate detachment has

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
come through the New Coast and met up with a force from watcher realises that the larger blue dragon is wearing a
the blue wind under direct command of the blue Highlord. saddle, on the back of which sits a humanoid figure in black
Together, they approach Tarsis. armour edged in blue, a plume of black hair flowing from
the top of their fully-masked helmet.
PANIC IN TARSIS
The attack will come suddenly and without warning. The larger makes for the Governor’s Palace, unleashing it’s
After a couple of days in Tarsis, as the sun starts to set on electric breath on the building and causing devastation to
another day, the party will suddenly become aware of a the eastern wing. The two smaller dragons fly in at the
commotion in the streets. A sudden panic has gripped many palace’s flanks and start to destroy the corner towers and the
people who start running through the streets. Children larger one lands itself on top of the central dome, letting out
scream, mothers wail, and warriors cry out for all who can to a terrifying roar as though it had claimed a great seat of
find shelter, escape, or arms with which to fight. power.
The panic spreads quickly, washing over the city like a wave.
INSIDE THE PALACE
“The governor has turned to evil!” Within the halls of the palace, matters took a swift turn for
“The city is betrayed!” Governor Waythorn. As soon as the first cries had gone out
“Dragons are coming!” in the streets and Waythorn had gone to a window to
investigate, he felt a sharp stab in his back. The aurak
Plumes of smoke start to drift into the air as the city guard draconian who had come as a friend - Gildentongue - had
race towards the walls. Draconians stationed all over the city driven a dagger into his back. Leaving the governor dead on
have struck suddenly, taking control of all of the wall towers the floor of the main audience hall, Gildentongue then
around the wall and opening the gates. The city guard gathered his own people and secured themselves in the
rushes to frantically to close them again, but already an army governor’s residential wing until the attack was concluded.
is marching into view across the plains - Draconians under _____________________________________________
red and blue banners, a trio of blue dragons flying above
them and bearing down on Tarsis. THE FALL OF THE RED DRAGON INN

If they walk out into the streets, the party are now in direct
The original story has this event taking place in
danger of attack as the Dragonarmies have come with the
the Red Dragon Inn, however it could be played
sole goal of conquest. Their previous claims of friendship
out in any other inn that the party have been
are gone now, and the Draconians will try to kill anyone
staying in. The Red Dragon Inn is the most
they think is a threat.
likely as one of the only places that accepts
Encounters with Dragonarmy groups are now likely to be
outsiders as guests, but the option should remain
infiltrating bands, or Baaz, Sivaks and hobgoblins, invading
open.
red wing Baaz, or invading blue wing Kapaks.

Creatures: 4x Hobgoblin, 2x Baaz Scout & 1x Sivak The two smaller blue dragons sweep over the city as the
Legionnaire Dragonarmies march in through the open gates, and what
[Medium] 3125xp little defence there is crumbles.
Soon enough, one of them unleashes their lightning breath
Creatures: 8x Baaz Scout and it strikes a row of buildings, including the Red Dragon
[Medium] 4000xp Inn. With a bright flash and an arc of electricity the inn in
ripped apart, wood and stone erupting from the roof and
There is also a good chance that the party might encounter second floor. The lightning ignites furniture and
groups of people fleeing the city who are actually disguised floorboards, and soon enough further strikes come, utterly
Sivak shapeshifters. They will try to lure the party into traps destroying this section of the city and reducing the row or
and ambushes. buildings (inn included) to rubble.

Creatures: 5x Sivak Legionnaire The first blast primarily damages the building, but any
[Hard] 4500xp character on the top floor has a 50% chance of being struck
by a piece of debris, taking 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
THE PALACE FALLS Creatures in the inn then have only two rounds before the
Grim shadows pass overhead, a group of three blue dragons second strike comes, when anyone on the exposed upper
sweeping over Tarsis with lethal grace. The people in the floor will need to make a DC15 Dexterity save, taking 5d10
street immediately give in to terror, the dragonfear gripping lightning damage on a failed save or half as much on a
even the hearts of the few who have armed themselves to successful save.
defend the city. Total chaos ensues, as the entire population This blast will also destroy the remaining floors, requiring
of Tarsis attempts to flee. every creature in the inn to make a further DC15 Dexterity
save, taking 2d10 bludgeoning damage on a failed save or
DC14 Wisdom (Perception): One of the three dragons half as much on a successful save. Regardless of whether this
seems larger than the others, and bears a strange brace on second save is failed or not, any creature still in the inn at
it’s torso. It takes a moment to account for it, but a careful this time is caught as it collapses.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Following the collapse, creatures who were on the top floor urge the beast to move faster. The man seems kind though,
will find themselves stunned for 1d4 rounds, and partially urging the beast but not once using the lash at his side.
buried in easily cleared rubble. Creatures on any other floor
will be stunned for 2d10 rounds, and will fall into the inn’s As the party watch the cart trundle alone, a burly man
basement pantry. The ground floor will will be buried, but suddenly jumps out from an alley and onto the cart, sending
the actual floor will remain mostly intact, leaving those the old man falling to the stone floor and his wife scrabbling
creatures trapped in an unlit space under the ruins of the to help him. Two further thugs, their eyes wild with both
Red Dragon Inn. malice and fear, emerge from the alley and jump on the
cart, one of them pushing the woman down to join her
ESCAPING THE INN husband whilst the other picks up the lash and starts trying
Party members who awake to find themselves in the ruined to spur the ox forward at speed.
basement of the inn have a 40% chance of also having a
heavy section of debris - perhaps a piece of stone wall, roof Creatures: 3x Berserker
timbers of a heavy piece of furniture, resting on top of them [Easy] 2700xp
and pinning them down. They are restrained until it can be _____________________________________________
moved, which requires a successful DC16 Strength check.
A CRY FOR HELP
The basement will be buried underneath 20ft of stone and Just beyond the walls of the city, the party hear a cry for
wood, likely still on fire in places. Getting out will be help. As more and more refugees flee the Dragonarmy
difficult, and likely comes with great risk. Whilst the attack, some are taking advantage of the situation and taking
basement’s ceiling is mostly intact, the stairs leading up to what they can.
the ground floor have been buried by a pile of debris from
above. The party will need to dig their way out, which will In a nearby alley, an old woman on a concealing shawl is
require both physical effort and fortitude. being mercilessly beaten by a gang of youths. They have
already taken her most valuable possessions, and now just
seem to be beating her for the sack of it, enjoying her cries
There are many ways the party could dig or find of pain.
other routes out, which can vary depending on
individual skills and whether they are digging If the party chose to intervene, their approach is met with a
from below to escape, or from above to rescue quick counter-charge as the gang turn on the party with
their comrades and allies. disturbing speed and skill. There is an oddly professional
For a character simply digging with their hands skill to the way they pair up to strike at the weakest
or what tools they have to hand, have them roll members of the party, spending the first round targeting
both a Strength and Constitution check (with those who look like spellcasters in the first round.
advantage if another creature is helping them).
Both of these checks will be at DC12. In the second round things take a turn for the worst, as the
beaten woman throws aside her shawl and reveals that she is
If the Strength check is successful, then the a teen as well, dressed the same way as the rest of the gang.
creature is able to start clearing rubble at a rate This whole situation is an ambush, and the party are their
of 1ft, increased by +1ft for every two points over target!
the target number that is rolled.
This occurs at a rate set by the Constitution Creatures: 8x Spy (One disguised as an old woman)
check, a successful save meaning it’s per thirty [Medium] 4000xp
seconds (accounting for rubble falling back in
and undoing previous work), with that time Each of these thugs carries a dagger coated in scorpion
reducing by one round (six seconds) for every venom. On the first successful hit with a melee weapon
two points over the target number. attack any of the ambushers makes with their dagger, the
target must make a DC12 Constitution save, taking 4d10
For example, a character could roll an 18 on the poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a
Strength check, meaning a rate of 4ft. They also successful save.
roll a 16 on their Constitution check, meaning a
rate of eighteen seconds. Thus this character is If one of the ambushers is kidnapped, they will at first
clearing rubble at 4ft per three rounds. refuse to reveal anything about who they are, but may slip
that they were hired to stage this ambush. If forced through
_____________________________________________ magic of aggressive threats they might eventually reveal that
they were paid by a “blue dragon-lady” to eliminate any
A CHOICE knights or mages in Tarsis, and that there might be other
As they get caught up in the throngs try to flee Tarsis, the contracts for them in the future. Oddly, the surviving
party come across an old couple on a wagon being pulled by ambushers seem more disappointed at their failure than
a tired old ox. It lurches slowly, pulling the small cart that anything else.
carries a frail old man, His grey-haired wife and a few bags
and boxes of their worldly goods, both desperately trying to

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
path. To the south of the city, Alhana’s griffon mounts wait
in the concealment of a cave amongst a broken, rocky area
If the party have not yet encountered any Sivak of terrain. Her plan is to take the party there, mount up on
draconians, then this ambush might serve the griffons and to turn east immediately towards her forest
instead as a good way to introduce some, giving home, flying over the Plains of Dust at the fastest speed
the party their first look at a new kind of possible.
draconian. In this case there will be less If the party try to dissuade her they will meet a stone wall of
ambushers, but the fight will still be harder as stubbornness and commitment to a plan, and if they try to
the ambushing teens shapeshift in their first use the griffons to head in a different direction they will find
turn to spring their ambush, and the old woman the beasts to be intelligent, sentient creatures who owe both
shapeshifts the round after as normal. friendship and loyalty to the Silvanesti crown. They will
obey Alhana only, who will turn them east regardless of
Creatures: 5x Sivak Legionnaire what the party want.
[Hard] 4500xp
If the party do accompany Alhana Starbreeze, she leads
_____________________________________________ them through the Harbour District, and half a mile south to
where the griffons wait. They have become agitated by the
LEAVING TARSIS attack, but stayed where the princess instructed them to, and
The red and blue Dragonarmies press into Tarsis without are relieved when she approaches.
mercy, the reds capturing the north and west gates, whilst There will be enough griffons for the party, but not the
the blues secure the east gate an the Governor’s Palace. The knights who refuse to ride east anyway. As the party take
Draconians and hobgoblins making up these armies then flight, they leave the smoking ruin of Tarsis behind them,
start moving door to door in every building searching for fires and flashes of lightning-breathe lighting the night sky,
survivors and those who thought to hide. Any who are the roars of dragons and the screams of fleeing Tarsians
found are thrown out into the streets, sometimes from filling the air.
upper floors, and executed.
On Alhana’s order, the griffons will make first for the
The immense weight of the army is going to be far more settlement of Stone Rose to rest. They will then take flight
than a party of adventurers can handle at this stage, and so again in the morning, stopping occasionally to rest but
the only route is escape. A few options have been given to making camp on the second night in the ruins of Wallach.
them for such an escape, but they are not all compatible, On the third night the griffons land to camp alongside the
forcing thee party to chose their new path quickly. ruins of Elial, on the forth near the Grimwater Coulee, and
finally on the fifth night they rest next to the Black Stain.
WITH THE KNIGHTS This is the furthest the griffons will go however, and the rest
Derek Crownguard, Aran Tallbow and Brian Donner have of the way to Silvanesti the party will have to travel by foot.
their path set to the south, to Icewall Castle and the
dragonorb they believe is there. Crownguard at first JOURNEYING ALONE
demands that they stay and fight, as the Measure clearly The party should have the option to travel in any direction
states that no Knight of Solamnia shall ever retreat from they wish, choosing if they wish to ignore both the knights
battle against an enemy. Donner meekly concedes, feeling and Alhana and forging their own path.
he lacks the authority to speak against his superior, but As the attack on Tarsis commences, the red Dragonarmy
Tallbow takes up the argument that the fight here is already has swept south and occupies much of the land directly
lost, an that the mission must take priority. north of the city, whilst the blue Dragonarmy has come
All are open to arguments from the party, but in the end from the east and set up several camps in those lands.
Crownguard should be convinced (by Tallbow at the least) Travel through these areas carries a high risk of
to abandoned Tarsis and to focus on the dragonorb. The encountering Dragonarmy Draconians, Hogoblins and
knights then will don their cloaks and plan to escape human mercenaries.
through the southern Harbour District. If the party also
plan to go that way the knights will join them - Tallbow Wherever the party choose to go, both the knights and
offering to join the party on their journey, whilst Alhana set out on their own paths, and may still be
Crownguard clearly believes it is the party joining him. encountered along the road. Each may reach the end of
Given the nature of the mission however, Crownguard will their roads - Zeriak and the Black Stain - and find obstacles
not accept any detour or deviation from the path south. to further progress that prevent them completing their
personal goals without the help of the party, should they
Crownguard will suggest heading into the southern hills, and come at all.
then turning east to the town of Bazin. From there, they can
take the road south to Zeriak, the southern-most settlement CAPTURE
before Icereach. There is a chance of defeat for the party in any of the
encounters in Tarsis, especially if they decide to try to fight
WITH ALHANA STARBREEZE the invading Dragonarmies. If the party are incapacitated
Princess Alhana Starbreeze came looking for champions to within Tarsis or in the surrounding lands, those who survive
return to Silvanesti, and will accept not deviation from that will be captured and imprisoned in makeshift cells mounted

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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on the backs of wagons in the Dragonarmy camps just not even the smallest clue as to what the building that used
beyond the north-eastern wall. to stand here was used for. Some Draconians have been
bringing the bodies of any slain city guard they find to this
Here they will be kept for at least a day as the invasion is spot and throwing them onto a single large pyre.
completed, the last resistance crushed, and the city secured
for good. After this they will be brought before the blue GOVERNOR’S PALACE
Highlord, who has temporarily taken up residence in the The palace is quickly overrun during the attack,
Governor’s Palace. Seated upon a makeshift throne of Gildentongue and his infiltrators slaying all of the guards
treasures looted from around the palace (and the party’s and families within and holding the palace until the Blue
own equipment), the Highlord will not reveal her identity to Lady arrives to claim it. When she does arrive it is on the
the party just yet, but will stage a taunting interrogation of back of Skie, a mighty blue dragon, who lands on top of the
the collective party. She will be heavily guarded by domed ceiling of the audience chamber, breaking a large
draconians, and an odd man - large and muscular with a section of it and covering the floor in rubble. At the same
dark yet velvety blue tint to his hair - sitting nearby watching time, the younger dragons destroyed the four corner towers,
the party intently. leaving the palace a broken box of a building.
The Highlord doesn’t really seem very bothered by the Once the attack is complete, Gildentongue orders his
party at all, asking very vague questions of little importance, servants to loot the palace and to bring any treasure or
and would find news of their exploits (including the defeat valuable they find into the main audience room where they
of Verminaard) quite amusing. are piled up and, on the orders of the blue Highlord,
fashioned into a mockery of a throne. The body of the
Eventually she will tire of them however, and ordered the former Governor Waythorn sits trapped under the throne.
party returned to their cells, to be taken to Sanction the
following day. Creatures: 24x Kapak Skirmishers
That night, the party will be taken out of their cages again [Deadly] 19,200xp
under heavy guard, though this time they are separated and
taken to different parts of the city. There they are made to LIBRARY OF KHRYSTANN
stand amongst the rubble, mass funeral pyres burning in the As soon as word reaches Lillith Hallmark of the attack on
Lower City and riches being looted from everywhere else. the city, she seals the hidden entryway and activates further
The Blue Lady then comes to them one by to conduct a seals that close and fill in the stairs leading down to the
calm, personal interrogation of each. She asks what they library. under her wardenship the library becomes
know of knights who were seen in the city recently, or completely enclosed with no way in or out, and manages to
rumours of an Elven princess. She tells each party member evade detection by the Dragonarmies.
that not only is there a grand reward for either of these Lillith will willing lock herself inside the library, waiting for
people, but that it is not too late to change sides and work the day she believes the forces of Good will drive the enemy
for her, if only they will tell her something useful. Motivated out of Tarsis. She will continue her research, and has
by carnal desires, she might even try to seduce any male and enough supplies to last at least a year on her own.
human members of the party, offering a place directly at her
side if only hey will swear loyalty to Takhisis. MARKETPLACE
_____________________________________________ The attack completely clears the marketplace, destroying
most of the stalls and forcing the merchants to either flee or
OCCUPATION be killed. There are many bodies amongst the debris of
Following the Dragonarmy attack, much of Tarsis will be merchants who tried to fight back for their city, and
changed. Some areas will be ruined entirely, finally falling Draconians now pick through the ruins on the slim chance
down after three centuries of neglect ended in brutal that something valuable may have been left behind in the
fashion. confusion.

TARSIAN GATES Creatures: 10x Baaz Scouts


The usual lazy guards at the north, east and western gates [Hard] 5000xp
are replaced by squads od a dozen Kapak skirmishers from
the blue wing each. They are under orders to block the HARBOUR DISTRICT
gates and to only allow Dragonarmy forces in and out. if The two smaller blue dragons began to wander through the
they see any outsiders, they are under orders to kill them, or Harbour District once the horns of victory were sounded,
subdue if they find a mage or Knight of Solamnia, as the hunting for anyone who might be hiding within the land-
Highlord wants these for questioning. locked ship hulls. They have been destroying every ship,
leaving nowhere a creature could conceal itself, and having
Creatures: 12x Kapak Skirmishers some sport with a few people and pets they find in the
[Deadly] 7200xp rubble.
A squad of baaz have also been following them and
HALL OF JUSTICE gathering the debris of the dragon attack, piling it in three
The Hall of Justice is entirely destroyed during the attack. spaces in the middle of the Harbour District. Other
One of the younger blue dragons takes special care to level draconian squads throughout the city are bringing all bodies
if with their lightning-breath, leaving just a pile of rubble and here - both enemies and their own - and making piles on

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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the ship debris, making ready to light them as mass pyres.

Creatures: 2x Young Blue Dragon PATH OF THE COMPANIONS


[Deadly] 15,000xp The Companions arrive in Tarsis hoping to find
ships to take the refugees of Abanasina, having
Creatures: 12x Baaz Scouts not realized that it was now land-locked. So
[Deadly] 7200xp distant was the city and with so little reason for
anyone to travel there, word had not reached
INN OF THE RED DRAGON the Companions that Tarsis was no longer away
The blue dragons destroy the Inn of the Red Dragon, from the coast.
collapsing it into it’s own basement. Nothing remains of the Entering the city, they met with Derek
building or anyone who was inside it when it was struck my Crownguard and his fellow knights and
multiple bolts of lightning. The owners thankfully did discovered the library, where Tasslehoff
manage to escape, but there is no sign of them. Draconians Burrfoot used his magical glasses to discover
pick through the rubble looking for survivors and valuables. texts that point to a dragonorb in Icewall Castle.
At around the same time, some of the group are
Creatures: 10x Baaz Scouts arrested whilst trying to introduce themselves to
[Hard] 5000xp the Governor, and in the cells meet Alhana
Starbreeze who asks for their help.
THREE DRAGONS TAVERN
This tavern was being used as officers for sivaks disguised as By the time the Dragonarmy attacks, they are
dragonarmy officers, and continues to be. The innkeepers still undecided as to their route, but the attack
are dead and their stores looted, every room available made mostly settles matters for them. Half of the
ready for more officers who have come in with the army. Companions find themselves trapped when the
The best room the Three Dragons has to offer has also Red Dragon Inn collapsed, whilst the others,
been made available for the Blue Lady, though she has having little options, accept Alhana’s offer of
chosen to take up residence in what remains of the palace. using her griffon mounts to escape the city.
They take flight, but quickly realize that Alhana
INN OF HAPPY RETURNS is not turning back to help rescue the others.
Half of this building still stands after the attack, and is being She orders the griffons to Silvanesti despite the
looted by a band a baaz who are trying to rescue it’s large objections of the Companions.
stores of dwarven ale. There are no signs of any bodies The trapped half meanwhile manage to escape
here, as most inside managed to escape before half of the and meet back up with the knights, from there
inn collapsed. heading south to Icewall Castle.

Creatures: 10x Baaz Scouts From here on, the story of the Companions
[Hard] 5000xp diverges into two groups - one on the eastern
coast of Ansalon and the other on the western
DROWNING SAILOR TAVERN coast.
The stills in this drinking hole were unstable at the best of
times, and blue dragon lightning was more than enough to
ignite them, causing the entire tavern to explode. Charred
bodies of humans and draconians alike lie in a crater where
this ship’s hull building used to be.

TUNNELS
There are a few secret tunnels beneath Tarsis in which very
few of the city’s defenders have been able to conceal
themselves. if they are still around, Steward Porkall and
Captain Fenstaff will be there with barely a dozen allies,
planning a resistance movement which so far seems highly
implausible.
_____________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
19. ICEREACH PARTY LV7
A visit to Icereach during the War of the Lance will be a few turns.
perilous, as the Highlord Feal-Thas will be charged with As they rampage through Zeriak, it is possible that the party
clearing the icefolk from the ice. Though the arktos may be may be able to stay out of sight, or fight only a small handful
beneficial allies, the party must contend with a coming of the attacking Dragonarmy mercenaries as they find their
attack on their village. way safely out.
______________________________________________ The two attacking forces can also be staggered and assault in
large groups rather than splitting if the players want a bit
ZERIAK more of a challenge. First the Baaz can attack to startle the
The southern-most town of Zeriak is filled with all find of town’s few defenders, and then the Minotaur charge can
bandits and brigands who believe that they have security burst through the gates to cause the real mayhem.
from the Dragonarmies. That idea is about to be shattered.
The Baaz during this battle will prefer to pick off weaker
THE DEAL WITH FEAL-THAS targets over strong ones, whereas the Minotaurs will favour
Galeswept maintains good relationships with her three armoured opponents. Neither side really gets on with the
daughters who all married into Icefolk tribes, and through other, so the two sides won’t work together very well. This
them has learned of the buildup return of dragons to the rivalry could be put to use if the party can find a way to
region. Having seen the white dragon Sleet for herself provoke in-fighting, but the party will still need to deal with
soaring through the skies, Galeswept began making plans whoever comes out on top.
and dispatched an emissary south as soon as she was able to
find somebody stupid Defeating the attackers rather than escaping will win the
enough to do it for the low sum of coin she was offering. party some favour amongst the people of Zeriak, who by
By making contact with Feal-Thas, she has brokered a deal this point will be cursing Galeswept for being so foolish as to
with the Dragonarmies in order to keep her own little trust the Draconians and their Highlord. A panic may set in
corner of the world secure when the war eventually reaches based on fears that the Draconians will come again –
this region. In return for providing the White Wing with possibly with their dragons – and raze Zeriak to the bones.
furs and pelts for their armies, Feal-Thas has promised that Before people pack up and leave however, the favour the
Zeriak will be under his protection. party have gained may make it easier for them to acquire
furs and warm clothing. Some merchants may even give
As the Dragonarmy invasions of the north began, Galeswept some fur blankets to them for free.
has made no secret of this deal to those within the town,
and most have cheered her strength and quick-wits. Not LEAVING ZERIAK
being the most moral of people anyway, what happens in The party are free to leave Zeriak at any time, finding
the north seems to be their own business, and perhaps these difficulty only when the White Wing mercenaries attack.
outlaws could find a place within the Dragonarmies or their
new world. If they helped to defend the town however, an honestly
thankful local will offer to guide them a little way. They
WHITE WING MERCENARIES know a route that will take them directly to the glacier, right
At some point, the White Dragonarmy will shows its true beneath the castle. Alternatively, the scout knows of several
colours. They never planned to protect Zeriak, and used routes that the Icefolk use from time to time, and they can
the notion of a deal to keep them from preparing a defence take the party that way to find the Arktos. These routes
against them. could take the party past the Signs of the Ancients, the Peat
At some point the White Dragon highlord will have decided Mines, or to the Iceboat Wreckage.
that the town had served its purpose, and give the _______________________________________________
mercenaries under his command free reign to take what
they want from Zeriak and destroy the rest. THANOI RAIDERS
Two groups of White Dragonarmy mercenaries will come, The origin of these strange walrus-men is a mystery, but it
Draconians from the west and Minotaurs from the east, known that they appeared in the Icereach region towards
striking quickly and under cover of darkness. the start of the War of the Lance and were in the service of
the Dragon Highlord Feal-Thas and his White
Creatures: 8x Baaz Scouts and 2x Baaz Soldiers Dragonarmy.
[Hard] 7500xp Raiding parties of Thanoi can be found all over the region,
scouting to keep the area safe or heading towards a staging
Creatures: 10x Minotaurs ground for an attack against one of the Icefolk settlements.
[Deadly] 17,500xp If such a raiding party catches sight of unwelcome visitors,
such as the party, they are likely to attack.
Both forces will spread themselves out to attack the town in
groups of two or three, but will remain within close enough Creatures: 6x Thanoi
proximity that they can reinforce their own comrades within [Hard] 5400xp

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Thanoi tend not to be overly bright nor skilled strategists, A MYSTERIOUS SAIL
but they are very aggressive and persistent. They will target At some point during their journey through Icereach, the
the largest and strongest believing them to be the biggest party may catch sight of a large shape moving on the
threat. Should a party member cast spells however, they will horizon. It will seem indistinct at first, and then emerge
alter their pattern and target the caster instead. much like a large fin moving towards them at speed over the
ice and snow.
Perhaps the party have just emerged weary and pained from
ICEBOAT WRECKAGE the snowstorm of the Winter’s Rage, or come out of the
Despite being covered in front and snow, the party catch Iceboat Wreckage after exploring it and trying to get it
sight of an odd shape ahead. Rising from the icy plain, they working again, and now they see this large white shape
see what looks like the hull of a small ship lying crashed coming at them.
against the ground. The ship is broken in many places, and
the mast lays broken, but on examination it appears to be a The shape is in fact the sail of an iceboat sailed by Icefolk
small skiff modified with two long rails (also broken) that act from a nearby tribe. Specifically, it is the flagship of Harald
as skis upon the snow. These two long lengths of wood lay Haakan, leader of the tribe of the bear. It greatly resembles
broken nearby, and from its splintered mast the remnants of the wreckage the party may already have encountered, and
a white sail flaps, just about hanging on to the last ropes in fact is out now searching for their lost vessel and its crew.
keeping it connected to the vessel. Harald’s ship sails directly up towards the party, as soon as it
This is the wreck of one of the nomadic Icefolk’s iceboats, sees them turning to make an elegant circle around the
having fallen afoul or disaster and crashing here. party before slowing to a stop 180ft away.
A crew of rugged, hand-picked crew leap down from the
Should the party approach, they will find themselves in deck, led by Harald himself wielding a Frostreaver. They
danger. Five Thanoi wait inside the hull, including one advance rapidly over the snow, appearing quite gruff and
champion wielding a Frostreaver. Having attacked the ship aggressive like old sea raiders, all clad in heavy furs and each
and causing its crash, they now wait inside to ambush carrying a glistening Frostreaver.
anyone who comes along to rescue its former crew.
Creatures: 1x Harald Haakan and 12x Icefolk Housecarls
Creatures: 5x Thanoi [Deadly] 6900xp
[Hard] 4500xp
Harald’s crew consists of his housecarls – his personal
The Thanoi are not remarkably intelligent, and just about bodyguard – a one other – Raggart Knug, the revered cleric
understand the basics of remaining hidden for an ambush of Harald’s tribe. Raggart remains behind on the ship whilst
to work. Once the trap is sprung though they attack Harald and the housecarls approach the party with weapons
whoever is closest first, and then direct their efforts on the drawn.
biggest most armoured-looking opponents. Unless they are attacked first, the Icefolk stop 40ft from the
party, and Harald steps a few feet further forward to stand
If the Thanoi are defeated, the party have a chance to look ahead of his warriors and project his already booming voice
around the ship and possibly use it as shelter should a storm so that the party can hear him clearly.
come in. The hull is not sea-worthy, but does not need to
be as the shop is never intended to sail upon the water. ▪ “You! You do not belong here! Name and explain
There are five bodies on-board, all of whom come from the yourselves!”
Arktos and bear talismans.
Harald and his men put on an aggressive show, but they are
DC15 Intelligence (Nature): The talismans all bear images not truly intending to fight. They are merely defending their
and are made from fur from polar bears. territory and establishing whether or not the party are
travelers, potential allies, or servants of the Dragonarmies.
The vessel contains several sealed barrels filled with peat, as They keep their weapons checked unless they are attacked
this crew had just been on a gathering expedition before first, in which case they fight only to defend themselves and
they were attacked. Otherwise the ship is mostly empty, their ship. If they lose either Harald of half of their number,
other than a few items of spare clothing, digging tools and a they will retreat taking as many of the wounded with them as
small iron stove. possible.

The ship is not entirely beyond repair, but it will If the party do take the opportunity to talk to Harald, they
take some time and effort. Pieces of the hull are can learn that he and his people are only looking for their
scattered about, the skiing rails are scattered, and missing ship and mean no ill will.
the mast entirely snapped, not to mention much Further, if the party mention the Iceboat Wreckage
of the rigging broken free and flapping in the (assuming they have found it already, and that it is not
wing. It will take roughly 4d4 hours to fully fix where Harald finds the party) or mention having saved the
the ship and make it sea-worthy, many of the Great White Bear from his Minotaur captors, the Icefolk
breaks being too large even for a Mending spell will become much more friendly towards them (the bear
do fix quickly. being a powerful omen in their culture).
If the party are able to befriend Harald, then he will happily

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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offer them the hospitality of his people’s camp. Not only
can a party find rest there, but also warm fires, good food
FLIGHT MARSHALL RONOX DE-JASKA
and strong liquor.
LE Male Minotaur
A political rival of the Minotaur Emperor, de-
If the party accepts then Harald will ask them to boat his
Jaska was one of many such rivals sent on far
ship – the Ice Drake – and they will be on their way. If they
away missions for the Dragonarmies to get them
decline, he will instead warn them of more bad weather
away from the homelands.
brewing. Harald will give directions both to Icewall Castle
A brilliant general, he was sent into effective exile
and to Ice Mountain Bay, and leave the party with a few
having been conscripted by the Emperor into the
provisions including a little meat and peat.
White Dragonarmy where he was made Flight
Marshall of the 1st White Flight.
ICE-BOAT RIDE
Vicious and uncompromising, de-Jaska still
The party find the deck of the Ice Drake much like any
resents his posting, especially as it means taking
small sailing vessel, with solid planks underfoot, a hold
the orders of a vile elf. Despite this attitude, he
below for supplies and shelter from the elements, and a
stands a good chance of promotion once the
large amount of rope either forming part of the main mast’s
White Dragonarmy’s deal with Daltigoth is
rigging or just laying around in looped stacks.
confirmed.
As they board the vessel, Harald Haakan barks orders to his
crew who get to work turning the ship and hoisting the main
▪ “It is regrettable that I have no future back
sail.
home in the north. If I did, be assured I
would have killed the elf by now.”
Suddenly the canvas sails snaps tight as it catches the breeze,
and those Icefolk who were pushing the ship into position
leap on to the side of the hull quickly as the vessel starts to COUNCIL WITH THE CHIEFTAIN
move on its own. The party are given the full hospitality of the Icefolk Village,
The heavy vessel gains speed surprisingly quickly, and including free reign to explore the village, but they are asked
Harald barks more orders to turn south-east and make to return to the Chieftain’s Tent for an evening meal and to
towards the glacier where his people are currently camped. speak with Harald Haakan.
_______________________________________________
The chief is curious about the outside world, and is only
vaguely aware of the danger of the Highlords, his knowledge
DRAGON HIGHLORD FEAL-THAS mostly extending to the immediate threat Feal-Thas poses
CE Male Silvanesti Elf to his people. He listens intently to whatever news and
Formally of Silvanesti before the Cataclysm, this stories the party can tell him as other members of the tribe
Elven wizard was falsely accused of a crime of bring hot meat and drinks for them all.
passion and exiled from his home. It was this
action which led him to despise his own people, ▪ “I have received scant reports from scouts sent north,
and pushed him towards the darkness of the who tell me that they have spoken to refugees from
black-robes. northern settlements, and tell me they have even seen
dragons in the air.”
Despite having taken the Test, he does not ▪ I am disturbed by the presence of Minotaurs in our
regard himself as under allegiance to the Orders lands. Never before have they come this far south, as I
of High Sorcery, but has never been declared as a understood that they disliked the cold.”
renegade mage. Indeed, when the Kingpriest ▪ “We hear that all of the lands of the north are hard
threatened the Towers of Sorcery, the conclave pressed by these Dragonarmies. I fear that soon these
asked him to take one of the fabled dragon orbs rolling plains that for so long have known naught but
to a place of hiding. He chose Icewall, a place he freedom shall fall, and only one hope will be left for the
was familiar with. peoples of Krynn.”

Since the Dragonarmies started their attacks on ▪ “I have heard of the fall of Tarsis. They say it was the
Ansalon, Feal-Thas has sworn himself to their Blue Lady who conquered that once great city. She is a
cause solely in order to see his former homeland force to be reckoned with, so I hear.”
of Silvanesti burned to the ground. At heart he ▪ I have heard reports that a council of sage and powerful
would rather remain isolated and continue his peoples plan to gather on the knightly isle of Sancrist.
studies, but now finds himself actively having to They meet at the sacred Whitestone, spiritual birthplace
take action in the war, including securing an of the Knights of Solamnia, with the goal of ending the
alliance with the ogres of Daltigoth. depradations of the Dragon Highlords and restoring
peace to Krynn.”
▪ “Why must I tolerate these constant ▪ “If an Orb is your intent, perhaps Sancrist is where you
interruptions?! Leave! Leave now or else I should take it. Maybe those learned leaders will know
shall be forced to kill you!” how to best use it to defeat the dragons.”

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Harald is also very interested in where the party plan to go The descendant of a long line of clerics, he is familiar with
from here, and what they want in Icereach. He is able to all of the ancient symbols and medallions
offer a little advice based on their plans, such as a way to the As the revered cleric of an Icefolk tribe, Raggart alone
castle and a way out of Icereach if the party eventually need knows how to craft Frostreavers, great and powerful
it. weapons made from magical ice. Should a true Cleric come
before him (or a spell-casting Paladin) Raggart could be
▪ “I have myself seen white drakes in the sly, and heard awoken as a true Cleric himself.
the news of what happens beyond Icereach. I sense an In exchange for such knowledge of the true gods, the old
evil hand behind these events.” man would be willing to make a Frostreaver for a member
▪ “If the castle is your destination, I can advise that there is of the party before they continue on their quest.
a fissure in the ice directly below the castle. It is often
watched, but it is the easiest and safest place to climb.” WORDS OF WAR
▪ “I was once told that there was a cave below the castle, During their time in the Icefolk camp – possibly after they
and that a secret passage led up to its courtyard. I speak with Harald and hear his advice, or the next morning
believed it to be under the castle, but have never seen when they prepare to leave - members of the party may be
it.” present when one of Harald’s scouts rushes into the camp
▪ “In Icemountain Bay, there be a sight that has intrigued calling the chieftain’s name.
me for years. In the ice around the shore are dozens of The young man rushes in and then staggers, his breathe
ships, large and small, caught by the might of the heavy, ice coating his small beard and his face darkened
Cataclysm before they could make open sea. As the land with frostbite.
rose and the seas washed away, the ships became He has the strength to relay a message though, of fast
stranded on dry land and then locked in ice as the approaching danger.
glacier expanded.
To be sure, many of them are smashed and worthless ▪ “My chief, great danger threatens our people. The
now; even more are so solidly cloaked in ice that it wretched Thanoi have joined forces with a savage race of
would take years to free them. The waters have come monsters that wear the head of a bull upon the body of a
back some, though, and a few of these ships are in fair man. These bull-men have the strength of three! My
shape, not too far from the water’s edge. fellows were rended by the beasts as if for sport.”
What damage the hulls have suffered in over 300 ▪ “I managed to elude the monsters and return here to tell
winters is unknown to me, for I have never climbed that an army has gathered less than two day’s march west
down the icy cliff that separates the glacier from the sea. of here. At least 200 of the bull-men and perhaps 500
If you care to make the climb, and if you’re lucky Thanoi have mustered, along with dozens of their
enough to find a good ship, and if you have something fearsome ice bears. Their intent can be nothing other
to make a sail, and if the gods smile on you — then than an attack on our camp!”
maybe you could sail away from Icemountain Bay”
All other considerations are ignored now as Harald calls for
THE CLERIC’S PRIZE the watch to be doubled and the camp to be dismantled.
Like all Icefolk clerics, Raggart Knug is committed to the Some Icefolk start to dig 20ft deep pits on the western side
idea that the true gods will return. He is welcoming, and of the camp between the camp and the snowy plain, whilst
offers blessings to all, and will be pleasantly shocked if he otheers hastily pack down what they can and start to load
discovers a spell-casting Cleric amongst the party. He takes the iceboats with essential supplies.
such news as a miracle and a sign from the gods.
The party have the choice of whether to take some supplies
and depart, making their way from here, or to join the
FROSTREAVER efforts to defend the Icefolk from the coming attack. Harald
Uncommon understand either position, but personally hopes that the
These magical blades can only be crafted by the party will lend their strength to his and help to save as many
priests of the Icefolk tribes who live in the frozen of his people as possible.
south, the secret passed down only from priest to Without their help, the coming attack could be a disaster
apprentice and kept a jealously guarded secret. for Harald and his tribe.
_______________________________________________
+2 Greataxe or Battleaxe
The weapon is made from enchanted ice, and ATTACK OF THE ICEFOLK VILLAGE
retains it’s enchantment so long as it remains in Dark lines appear on the horizon as forces of the
temperatures below 40°c. In temperatures above Dragonarmies approach having finally found Harald’s
40°c they become mundane weapons with no camp. Under the command of the Minotaur Flight Marshall
enhancement bonus. Ronox de-Jaska, they come with the simple strategy of using
overwhelming numbers to surround and exterminate any
Frostreavers are destroyed should they come into Icefolk caught between them.
contact with fire, or spend more than 48 hours in
temperatures above 40°c. According to scouts, there is a large force of nearly 200
Minotaurs and 500 Thanoi approaching, but their advance

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
vanguard are much closer. Harald’s plan is to break down Only after the Minotaurs are finished do the Thanoi arrive.
as much of the camp as possible and evacuate before the Each Polar Bear pulls a sled that can be ridden by two
main force arrives, but to do that he needs the party to hold Thanoi, who count as being mounted upon the bear. They
off the vanguard forces. For each wave they can defeat or will try to circle around for the first couple of turns to
hold back for a little while, more of his people can be through barbed spears at the wall’s defenders before
evacuated and saved. charging in directly.

The Minotaurs and Thanoi who attack are intent on causing 2. REPEL THE FLANK
as much damage as possible, but unfortunately do not work Using a herd of bears to distract the party, a pair of Thanoi
very well together. They can use effective strategies amongst try to get to the iceboats from the west and set them alight,
their own kind, but break apart and fight only alongside making escape much harder for the icefolk.
their own where possible.
Creatures: 2x Thanoi and 6x Polar Bears
1. HOLD THE NORTH WALL [Hard] 9000xp
The first Dragonarmy force comes at the camp from the
north, charging headlong into the snow fence the Icefolk The Thanoi come charging alongside the bears, but as soon
erected there. Two units come – first one of Minotaurs and as the bears are close enough to tie up the party, the Thanoi
then the other of Thanoi riding on sleds pulled by bears. run around the back of the melee to make directly for the
ships. If they can get within 5ft of an iceboat, than as an
Creatures: 4x Minotaurs action then can set part of it alight. The tribe only have four
[Hard] 5600xp iceboats remaining, so the loss of even one could be
devastating.
The first wave of Minotaurs rush headlong towards the
snow wall intending to gore through it and clear a path for 3. GUARD THE RETREAT
other incoming troops. If any characters get in their way, The third wave comes as soon as the last bear is slain,
they will redirect to attack the strongest opponents they can regardless of whether the Thanoi have reached the ships or
see. If half their number are slain however, they will attempt not. The Icefolk will have been able to send people to
to withdraw to rejoin other forces. dispatch the Thanoi by then, but calls come that a large
force is approaching the eastern snow fields.
Creatures: 4x Thanoi and 2x Polar Bears Horns can be heard sounding from that direction, and
[Hard] 5400xp Icefolk are panicking at the sound.

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• If defeated whilst they Guard The Retreat, then 30% of
the tribe will be lost.
The icefolk will have hastily dug a series of 20ft
deep pits along the eastern side of the village to
FINAL FLIGHT
help defend their camp that the party can make
If the party continue to fight up to Guard The Retreat, then
use of. Any creature that falls into one will take
Harald Haakan will be ready with the Ice Drake to bear
2d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall, and will
them away and escape what remains of the camp before the
require a successful DC12 Strength (Athletics)
main Dragonarmy force arrives.
check to climb back out again.
As the ship starts to make speed however, a dark shadow
passes overhead and a roar is heard. The Ice Drake pulls
The first group who comes towards the camp are a band of away with the figure of a large white dragon circling
Thanoi, spears lowered to skewer any in their way. overhead. The crew are momentarily gripped by terror until
harald shakes them loose and forces them to man the ropes
Creatures: 6x Thanoi and increase speed by any means despite being overloaded
[Hard] 5400xp with supplies and evacuees.
_______________________________________________
These Thanoi have been sent ahead begrudgingly to test the
defences of the eastern side. They are dull-witted and lack
proper strategy, and can be easily tricked or PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
outmaneuvered. The Companions had recently split into two
These are followed quickly by a better organized group of groups at this point in the story, half heading
Minotaurs. south to Icereach to follow stories of a Dragon
Orb having been taken to Icewall Castle.
Creatures: 4x Minotaurs
[Hard] 5600xp Their journey to Icewall and battle with Feal-
Thas – which would become known as the
These arrive five turns after the Thanoi and charge in a line Battle For Icewall Castle – is not recorded in the
with horns lowered to gore anything in their path. Their novels themselves, but it is known that the group
initial attack is reckless, but afterwards they right themselves who travelled to Icereach recovered the white
and act on rehearsed strategy, two of their number trying to dragon orb, defeated Feal-Thas and fled by sea,
occupy the largest characters whilst the other two back away sailing through Ice Mountain Bay towards
and try to get space to charge again, this time aiming for any Southern Ergoth.
spellcasters they find amongst the defenders.
Their efforts are designed to weaken the party, as six turns The white dragon Sleet followed and attacked
later the final force moves in. them them at sea, causing the Companions to
abandon ship, washing ashore in Harkun Bay.
Creatures: 1x Ronox de-Jaska and 2x Minotaurs
[Hard] 6400xp

The Flight Marshall himself comes as part of the vanguard


force, flanked by his two best bodyguards. They will charge
much like the previous wave, but once they have made their
initial attack they will remain in a cohesive unit, the
bodyguards never more than 5th from their Flight Marshall
and taking opposing flanks of him whenever possible.

De-Jaska himself with try to fight the biggest opponent he


can, calling out a challenge ton any he deems to be a warrior
and mocking any warrior who can not or does not fight him
alone.

OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE


The final outcome and the survival of the tribe depends on
the party’s success in defending the camp. The people are
either scattering or trying to load the iceboats for a hasty
escape, but not all of them will be able to find safety.
• If the party are forced to withdraw or do not successfully
Hold The North Wall, then around 20% of the tribe will
be unable to escape and will be lost.
• If the party do not Repel The Flank, the for each iceboat
destroyed, 5% of the tribe will be lost.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
20. ICEWALL CASTLE PARTY LV7
At any other time, Icewall Castle will be guarded, but’s it’s into his library as a group before casting whatever spell he
primary occupant – Feal-Thas – will be absent. During the feels will do the most damage.
War of the Lance however, Feal_Thas will be the Highlord He can fight well with a sword, but he will attempt to back
of the white wing of the Dragonarmies, and remains in his away and cast spells where he can. The one exceptions is if
castle whilst orchestrating the movements of his armies and attacked by an elf, his hatred for his own kind enraging him
servants. and sending him into a berserk rage.
______________________________________________ If he is in great peril, Feal-Thas’ instinct for survival will take
precedent over all other matters. He will try to escape, first
GARRISON by reaching his steed Sleet, or failing that by casting fly upon
Feal-Thas and his pet Winter Wolves usually keep to his himself and taking to the skies.
chambers in IC9: Dragon Highlord’s Chambers.
Two squads of minotaurs are barracked in IC7: Minotaur Feal-Thas had already thrown his journals into the fire
Barracks, and two squads of Thanoi are in IC8: Thanoi before the party burst into his chamber, and it is mostly
Caves. The Thanoi’s bears are kept in IC5: Bear House. destroyed. Only a few fragments remain giving some clue as
to his plans.
Minotaurs and Thanoi do not work well together, and will
try to keep to their own squads where possible. Likewise the ▪ “The enemies of the Highlords are rumored to gather at
bears are kept by the Thanoi, and do not work well with the Sancrist Isle.”
Minotaurs. ▪ “The secret of the Dragonlances is (illegible passage)…..
______________________________________________ Foghaven. Is there…...place or…...legend?”
▪ “Must gain the…...of the lance before the…...Solamnia!”
IC3: COURTYARD “Orb safe…...lower reaches.”
If any of the courtyard guards are able to raise an alarm or
warn their Highlord that they are under attack, Feal-Thas On top of the desk are the Highlord’s spellbook which he
will immediately hurry to burn some of his notes and books has not yet had time to collect or destroy.
to prevent them falling into the wrong hands.
THE SPELLBOOK OF FEAL-THAS
IC9: FEAL THAS’ CHAMBER
If recovered from his library, then the spellbook
Two white wolves lay on a fur rug in front of the fireplace. If
of the Elven wizard Feal-Thas is found to be
a party enters the room, they are alert immediately and
incomplete, some of the pages having been
ready to attack.
destroyed in the fire. What remains of the book
contains the following spells:
Having been alerted to the presence of an attacking party,
Feal-Thas will have already gathered some if his possessions
Cantrips: all wizard cantrips
and carried them into IC10: Library.
1st — alarm, comprehend languages, detect
The wolves, the loyal companions of Feal-Thas, are
magic, disguise self, false life, feather fall, unseen
aggressive to any intruder, especially if they smell blood
servant,
upon them. Their growls will no doubt alert Feal-Thas that
2nd — locate object, mirror image, see invisibility,
his time is short.
shatter, warding wind;
3rd — blink, clairvoyance, dispel magic,
Creatures: Feal-Thas & 2x Winter Wolves
protection from energy, summon lesser demons,
[Deadly] 7400xp
tongues,
4th — arcane eye, confusion, fire shield,
Though he is in the next room, the Highlord will remain
leomund’s secret chest, scrying, summon great
alert to what is happening in his chamber, and be ready to
demon,
assist his wolves in a fight. As the wolves battle the party in
5th — conjure elemental, telekinesis,
the bedroom itself, Feal-Thas will fire spells from the
teleportation circle,
doorway into IC10: Library, opening the door to cast and
then closing it again immediately.
IC13: EGG ROOM
IC10: LIBRARY With a very simple examination, they discover a set of eggs
Feal-Thas will be ready if a party enter his library, drinking a hidden in the snow. These are Sleet’s eggs, and she has
potion of invisibility as soon as he hears the door being entrusted their care to a great of her younger offspring.
forced.
Creatures: 4x White Dragon Wyrmlings
Though he wishes escape, Feal-Thas’ fury will be great both [Medium] 3600xp
at this invasion and the deaths of his pet wolves. Unseen, he
will try to catch the party unawares, allowing them to move The dragons hiss menacingly and attack anyone who

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
intrudes or threatens their charges. They are young, and ill-
versed in tactical combat, but they do know how to gang up
THE DRAGON ORBS
on an enemy if they need to.
Requires Attunement. Sorcerer, Warlock or
They try to stay mobile, loathe to commit to a full attack,
Wizard only.
but they will remain and fight out of fear for what Sleet will
Created by Orders of High Sorcery for use in
do if they abandon her eggs. They will also not pursue any
the Third Dragon War, this magical orb swirls
enemies further than the entrance to the tunnel.
with a coloured mist inside its fragile crystal shell
– each of five orbs coloured to match one of the
The room contains 37 White Dragon eggs, all about six
kinds of chromatic dragon. Just below the
months from hatching.
surface, arcane runes drift about describing to
those who can discern them how to use the orbs,
IC16: ICE CAVE - SLEET’S PANTRY
but they are dangerous things.
Humanoids hang from the walls in this chamber, limbs
Each has an intelligence of its own matching the
trapped in ice. They would seem to be sleeping if not for
personalities of the kind of dragon it represents.
the severe blue-whiteness of their skin and the layer of frost
These intelligences can give advice or visions of
that covers them.
the future, but will also lead their wielders astray
and seek to either destroy or control the weak-
DC15 Wisdom (Investigation): Some of the bodies are
minded.
dressed in the manner of Icefolk, others are soldiers of
Tarsis. Some are still fairly fresh.
The orbs are said to be able to cause confusion
amongst lesser dragons, or to summon dragons
IC17: ICE CAVE - SLEET’S LAIR
of their colour to them.
Waiting in the darkness of this room, curled upon the floor
It is said that they have other powers, but the full
but awake, alert and expecting company, sits the white
list has never been fully accounted for.
dragon Sleet.

Creatures: 1x Adult White Dragon


[Deadly] 10,000xp Usually, Sleet would be fast enough to barge her
way through the catacombs and find the exit.
Waiting on top of an impressive pile of gold, silver and
jewels, with its neck arched and wings folded, Sleet is aware This could however be turned into a chase in
of coming trouble and hisses a challenge as soon as she is which Sleet forces moves from tunnel to tunnel,
aware that the party have arrived. taking shelter in various caves before making a
Behind her a waterfall cascades down onto the stream , final run towards the exit.
concealing IC18: Catacombs Exit behind the running water The party can chase her through the caves
and a series of stalactites which have formed am0oongst the seeking to finish her off.
falling water.
_______________________________________________
Sleet initially cocky and arrogant, knowing that she has a
way to escape behind her, and opens the fight by filling the SLEET’S PURSUIT
tunnel with her icy breathe weapon. She will hold any future If Sleet has survived her encounter with the party and
use of her breath weapon to cover her escape, which she escaped the catacombs, then she will take flight and make
will immediately try to do once down to one third of her plans for attacking the party soon after.
starting hit points. At this point she turns and makes for Now that she knows where the party are, she will keep a
IC18: Catacombs Exit, crashing through the stream and ice close eye on them and try to strike while they are travelling.
walls to find a way out of the caves and back to open air. If the party make for Zeriak for example, she may attack the
town during the night while the party are resting. If they
Sleet’s hoard contains a trove of treasures, including the make for Silvanesti, she may strike their camp part of the
white dragon orb. way there.
Likewise, if she sees the party make for Ice Mountain Bay,
In addition, the party can find +2 bracers of armour, she may hold back and wait to see if the party do try to free
7350gp, 4 freshwater pearls (8stl each), deep blue spinel one of the ships locked in ice there. Sensing that the party
(400stl), 3 alexandrites (500stl), 2 golden yellow topazes might be trying to make for the sea, Sleet will plan to attack
(700stl each), a boar-skin cloak (80stl), a silver domino mask them upon the water where they have nowhere to run or to
with onyx inlay (110stl), cloak of gold cassock with ermine hide.
trim (130stl), a pair of matched crystal candelabra (400stl), a
carved vallenwood chest with velvet lining (500stl), a brace Her attacks will come in strafing runs, swooping down over
of three silver daggers with lapis lazuli pommels (600stl), a the party and spraying them with her icy breathe. With that
set of ivory and obsidian chess pieces (1200stl), a gold advantage, she will fly in wide circles, turning to strafe across
bracelet set with blue sapphires (3000stl), and a crystal statue the party again only when her breathe weapon is recharged.
of a trio of prancing porpoises (6000stl). Sleet will land only if the party are fully out of sight or in
protected places, then using her claws to try to dig them out.

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If enough time has passed she will have recovered some of
her health, but not all of it, and this time she will fight to the
death inspired by her own rage and fear of Takhisis. SLEET (TERRISLEETIX)
_______________________________________________ CE Female Old White Dragon
A truly impressive specimen of its kind, Sleet is
extremely agile despite her size and years.
PATH OF THE COMPANIONS She was one of the first to be awoken by
The Companions had recently split into two Takhisis in preparation for the new war, and was
groups at this point in the story, half heading at first happy to serve as the steed of the wizard
south to Icereach to follow stories of a Dragon Feal-Thas, She was impressed with his schemes
Orb having been taken to Icewall Castle. at first, but soon came to resent and then loathe
Their journey to Icewall and battle with Feal- him for his arrogance.
Thas – which would become known as the
Battle For Icewall Castle – is not recorded in the Sleet remains loyal however, and serves Feal-
novels themselves, but it is known that the group Thas out of fear of Takhisis. She has no great
who travelled to Icereach recovered the white desire to conquer Ansalon, but she does have an
dragon orb, defeated Feal-Thas and fled by sea, aggressive nature that revels in combat. Sleet is
sailing through Ice Mountain Bay towards known to sometimes charge directly into a fight,
Southern Ergoth. so Feal-Thas does his best to remind her to
make use of proper tactics.
The white dragon Sleet followed and attacked
them them at sea, causing the Companions to ▪ “Ah, tasty morsels. Come, let me eat you.”
abandon ship, washing ashore in Harkun Bay. ▪ “Silence little thing. I know what I am doing.”
▪ “You have killed the Highlord. For that, I
grant the mercy of a small head start. Best
hurry, it won’t be much of one.”
______________________________________

FLIGHT MARSHALL ODENKEER


LE Male Human
This disgraced knight serves directly under Feal-
Thas Odenkeer commanding the White Wing
forces currently in Southern Ergoth, including
Sivak, Baaz and other Draconians whom he has
come to prefer over any other kind of soldier.

Odenkeer is currently overseeing efforts to form


an alliance with the Ogres of Daltigoth, so it is
unlikely that the party will encounter him in
Icewall Castle. He does make occasional trips to
the castle to report to the Highlord and receive
new orders, but otherwise keeps to his base in
Ergoth.

Odenkeer has no love for Feal-Thas or Elves of


any kind, but respects the need for military
obedience so will follow the Highlord’s orders to
the letter.

▪ “You have a choice. Follow my order, or face


my sword.”

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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RECOMMENDED
21. SOUTHERN ERGOTH PARTY LV8
At some point in their journey, the party will likely hear that
both of the mainland Elven realms – Silvanesti and SILVART
Qualinesti – have been abandoned and the majority of Chaotic Good Elf (Kagonesti) Female
Elven refugees have made their way to Southern Ergoth to Silvart presents herself as a Wildspeaker of the
seek shelter with their Wild Elf cousins – the Kagonesti. Kagonesti, a wise leader amongst the wild Elves,
Arriving at Southern Ergoth though, they find as much though she has recently come into the service of
danger and suspicion as they ever would – the two Elven the Silvanesti as many of her kind have, acting as
peoples long feud being brought to the fore by being forced a servant to the Speaker of the Stars.
to live so close to each other. Both the Silvanesti and Recently, she has discovered that she is able to
Qualinesti have carved homes for themselves out of call on druidic powers which she has used to act
Kagonesti lands, and continue to hold themselves to high, as a spy amongst the Silvanesti to help her kin
superior standards, despite their predicament. escape the cruelty of the other Elven nations.
______________________________________________
There is a good chance that Silvart will be
ELFREALMS IN EXILE D’Argent in disguise, and given the opportunity
As the party either move through or try to avoid the exiled she will want to guide a party of adventurers
colonies of the Silvanesti and Qualinesti, the chances are towards Foghaven Vale.
high that they’ll become embroiled in local politics and the
feud between the Elven nations, but also that they’ll come to
the attention of a young woman with a lot to hide. This ER1: SOUTHERN SILVANESTI LANDS
young Kagonesti maiden seems to be a servant, but is If the party encounter Merathanos and her Silvanesti
actually keeping an eye out for heroes such as the party to hunting party whilst approaching Silvamori, they find that
see if they are worth of a great gift. the group is also accompanied by a single young Kagonesti
woman named Silvart who rides a small stag at the rear of
MEETING D’ARGENT the group. She does not involve herself in any combat, but if
A key character the party will meet in Southern Ergoth is any of the nobles are wounded she will sneak forward to
D’Argent – a Silver Dragon who has long been the guardian help them with druidic healing spells, claiming to merely be
of Foghaven Vale and the Tomb of Huma, walking Elven using herbal salves.
lands in the disguise of a Kagonesti maiden. Through this Silvara will also step in to save any member of the party who
disguise she gathers news of the world beyond and does is mortally wounded, ideally wanting to avoid anyone dying
what she can to protect the Elves from outside influences. at all.

The party will first encounter her in the Elfrealms in Exile, Following the fight, Silvara will be alone and detached from
using her disguise and the name Silvara. Upon discovering the hunting party, and introduces herself peacefully. She
the party she will be keen to gather more news from the holds her hands to her sides in supplication and begs to not
mainland, and to judge whether or not they are worthy of be harmed.
the great gift she guards in Foghaven Vale.
▪ “I will do as you command. I will serve.”
▪ “Silvart is what they call me. My true name, Silvara,
D’ARGENT meaning silver-haired.”
Chaotic Good Dragon (Silver) Female ▪ “Please, I want you to call me Silvara”
D’Argent is an ancient and powerful creature
who fought alongside the mighty Huma Silvara offers to guide the party through the local lands,
Dragonbane during the third dragon war. She claiming that she grew up amongst these forests. Whether
has lived amongst the Kagonesti for centuries, she is asked to or not though, Silvara will start to follow the
and now moves about the new elfrealms party around and shows no fear at all if threatened.
gathering information on the developing war.
If at any time Silvara discovers that the party are carrying a
D’Argent will always act in a lawful fashion and dragonorb, she will show concern and remark on it.
will never kill if she can manage it. She fears
nothing except other dragons and draconians, ▪ “I know you carry a dragon orb. I heard the Silvanesti
and will do whatever it takes to remain hidden talking. My people have stories about it.”
from them. Discovering the arrival of a party of ▪ “I know it is important to end this war. If that happens,
adventurers, D’Argent will watch them for a time the Elves can all go back to their homes and let the
and then do what she can to direct them towards Kaganesti live in peace.”
Foghaven Vale, so that the dragonlances there ▪ “Nothing must happen to the dragon orb. Above all, it
can be found. must not fall into the hands of the Elves. That is why I
helped you escape!”

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ER2: EASTERN SILVANESTI LANDS Creatures: 4x Silvanesti Forest Guard
In this area the party are attackewd by two groups of [Easy] 1600xp
Silvanesti, one after the other – but the second group is
intercepted by a band of Qualinesti youths who call Creatures: 4x Qualinesti Warden
themselves the Youngbloods. [Easy] 1600xp
______________________________________________
If the party decide to go with the Youngbloods to Qualimori
then Silvara will continue to accompany them. She may If the party have any dragonorbs or dragonlances in their
jump into one of the Youngblood’s boats regardless of possession when they are imprisoned, these are also taken
whether she is invited to or not, and it could be that her and kept separate from the rest of the party’s equipment.
presence simply going unnoticed until someone turns They are taken to a Woodshaper’s hut, again close to the
around and finds her there. If questioned why she followed Speaker’s Hall, where they can be properly examined by
them, Silvara claims the Silvanesti to be cruel, and she skilled Elven mystics.
thought that following the party might be safer, or more These items will be kept locked away at night in a single
interesting. In truth she is continuing to keep a close eye on large chest with a secure padlock (DC22), the key to which
the party. is kept on one of four Woodshapers who either live, work
or stand guard around the hut at all times.
ER3: HEART OF SILVANESTI LANDS
If the party are captured by the Silvanesti and taken to Creatures: 4x Woodshaper
Regent’s Hall, Silvara will simply depart or disappear at this [Medium] 3600xp
point, blending into a crowd of servants or slipping into an ______________________________________________
unsuspecting opening. No-one will notice her leaving.
A FRIENDLY FACE
ER10: CENTRAL QUALINESTI LANDS On early evening of the first day of captivity, the party will
If the party are taken to the Qualinesti’s leaders, Silvara will no doubt be planning a form of escape, but they will hear
simply depart or disappear at this point if she is with the voices outside that suggest someone approaching.
party, blending into a crowd of servants or slipping into an The guards move aside, and suddenly the front door is
unsuspecting opening. No-one will notice her leaving. being unlocked. As it opens, the party find a familiar face
______________________________________________ greeting them, carrying as small crate of food, with some
filled waterskins. Evidently, they convinced the guards to let
ESCAPE them in to feed the prisoners.
Travelling through the Elfrealms of Silvamori and
Qualimori, the party may find themselves captured and The identity of the friendly face can vary, but it should be
imprisoned by the Elves. Their weapons and equipment will someone that the party are familiar with. This would be a
be taken from them, and they will be left either in a domed good time for Silvart to return to the party having earlier
stone hut or a wooden lodge. The south side will be departed, or to make her first introduction to them. She acts
guarded by four Elves, with two at the door at all times and friendly, yet subservient as she acts in the role of a servant to
other two patrolling the outside at five minute intervals to the Elven settlement.
make sure the party do not try to escape by some other way.
Other potential characters on the Qualinesti side who might
Creatures: 4x Silvanesti Forest Guard be friendly towards the party and willing to help them might
[Easy] 1600xp include princess Laurana, or one of the Youngbloods if the
party have helped them already. If the party made his
Creatures: 4x Qualinesti Warden acquaintance in Solace, then it could also be Theros
[Easy] 1600xp Ironfeld, the treehouse city’s former blacksmith, who comes
to them with a tale or two to tell.
These guards are well trained, and no fools. Each carries a
horn, and if attacked will try to break free so that they can On the Silvanesti side Silvart is likely the best choice, but
summon help. Mages will also have their hands bound and any ally of Alhana Starbreeze who knows that the party
gags placed over their mouths to prevent spellcasting. helped her will also serve well. The youngbloods leader
Aliona may also be able to make it to the party in disguise to
The front door to these structures will also be locked offer his aid, if only to annoy the Silvanesti.
(DC18), the key being kept by one of the guards outside.
______________________________________________ On the first night, the person who arrives bring food and
water, but is hesitant to do more. They might be convinced
The party’s equipment and weapons will be taken to a hut to help the party to escape, but they will say that they can
close to the Speaker’s Hall in either respective settlement not do more until the next evening.
where it is divided randomly and locked in four secure
chests (DC18). The keys to these chests are kept by the four ▪ “I can’t stay long. The guards will be suspicious.”
guards stationed outside this tent, each guard holding the ▪ “I don’t know where your equipment is, but I can find
key to one chest. out.”
▪ “I think the guards hold the keys to the door. One of

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
them opened the door so that I could enter, and waits discussed and then silence.
now for me to leave.”
▪ “I won’t be able to come to feed you again until If the party do not have their own plan in motion to escape,
tomorrow evening. Can you wait that long?” then at this point the familiar face who came to the party the
previous night will come again. They are once again
delivering food, but this time they have better news from
If the party made his acquaintance in Solace,
their exploration of the settlement.
then it could be Theros Ironfeld, the treehouse
city’s former blacksmith, who comes to them
▪ “The tension between the Elves is getting worse, and I
with a tale or two to tell. Since their last meeting
fear the threat of the nearby ogres at Daltigoth is making
(or even if this is the first meeting, the party will
things more tense.”
be fascinated by the man having an arm made of
▪ “I found your equipment. There are two huts close to
silver.
the Speaker’s Hall. Your gear is kept locked in one, and
the dragonorb and lances in the other.”
▪ “I struck out against the dragonmen once, at
▪ “Both huts are guarded – your equipment by warriors
the cost of my arm.”
and the special items by some of their mystics.”
▪ “The Qualinesti were good enough to take
▪ “I’m due to take some drinks to the guards of the first
me in, feeling that a one-armed smith could
hut soon. I could slip something into the drinks if you
be of some use in their exile. I accompanied
want?”
them to the edge of the channel, where we
built boats to cross, crude ships that now rot
The friendly face is now willing to help the party more
on the beaches.”
directly, and can help them escape this very evening if they
want. After, they will want to come with the party as it won’t
▪ “At that time I was far afield, searching for ore
be safe for them to stay.
to forge bolts and fasteners. What I found
Regardless of who the friendly face is, Silvart should return
was a ruined place, a temple toppled by the
from wherever she was hiding, or use this chance to
Cataclysm and overgrown with ivy.”
introduce herself to the party, asking that they take her with
▪ “Thinking to salvage weapons or armour, I
them.
went in. What I found was this silver arm.”
▪ “It was in a small alcove, bare, as if it was a
ALARMS
shrine. I picked it up, thinking it part of a suit
It is now up to party to escape by whatever means they wish,
of armour, but found it solid. I placed it
however if they don’t take care then they’re likely to attract
against the stump of my arm and it bonded
some attention. Elven guards patrol everywhere during the
tight. I could move it as if it were my own.”
day and at night, and whilst normally they can be evaded
▪ “It was then that I heard a deathly howl, and
with simple DC12 Dexterity (Stealth) checks, if any alarm is
saw this hell-beast with green glowing eyes. I
sounded by a guard at the party’s hut or either of the
ran, feeling it hot behind me, and did not stop
equipment huts, then every guard will go to high alert and
until I reached the beach.”
be actively searching for trouble. At this point all Dexterity
▪ “Porthios was amazed at my discovery, more
(Stealth) checks will be at disadvantage.
so because it could not be removed.”
▪ “We searched for the temple briefly, but
Regardless, once the party escape the settlement alarms will
found nothing. Then we sailed, landing here
be raised, and before long hunting parties will be sent out
seven days later in leaky ships.”
into the wilds to search for the escaped prisoners.
▪ “We found the Silvanesti here already,
DEVELOPMENT
haughty, proud Elves who seem a little too
Whoever the friendly face, they don’t approve of what is
cool for my taste. Still, they allow me to walk
going on in the Elven settlements, but they also disapprove
through their lands.”
of killing any of the Elves during the escape.
▪ “This arm has been an aid. It is as natural as
They will definitely want the party to decide on a route from
my own, and I can hammer from dawn to
here, as without a destination it is likely the party may just
dusk without resting. It seems to know what I
run directly into more danger. To provoke or assist such
need to make.”
discussions, they can offer some suggestions.
▪ “One thing bothers me, though. I’ve been
asked to make a lot of weapons. I’m afraid
▪ “I am familiar with the surrounding area, but I do not
the Elves aren’t getting along too well, and it
know what lies north of the mountains.”
will soon be coming to a head. I really would
▪ “Reportedly there is an outpost of the Knights of
rather not be here when it does.”
Solamnia to the north-east, and the island of Sancrist
further beyond that. A Solamnian lord rules there, so we
THE SECOND NIGHT might find shelter with him.”
Shortly after sundown on the second day, the party will hear ▪ “There is a fog-filled valley closer, to the north, known as
a changing of the guards outside. This comes with a small Foghaven Vale. We might find shelter and a place to
amount of talk during which the status of the prisoners is hide there.”
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Silvara will be keen to direct the party towards Foghaven Elves who have been sent out to search for the escaped
Vale, so will tell a story that makes it as enticing a prospect prisoners. Their leader is Theros Ironfeld, a human with a
as possible. silver arm, and they are also accompanied by Silvara, a
Kagonesti servant.
▪ “This is a legend among my people.”
▪ “Long ago there was a mortal man, a warrior named Creatures: 8x Silvanesti Forest Guard
Huma, who fought and gained great fame for his [Medium] 4000xp
kindness and honesty and skill. At that time there was a
war with evil dragons who ravaged the land, and Huma Creatures: 8x Qualinesti Warden
did wish to drive the dragons from this land.” [Medium] 4000xp
▪ “And so Huma went to a hidden valley, a pass between
three mountain ranges, where there lived a wise dragon. This is the ideal opportunity for the party to once again
The dragon appeared to him in female form, and was meet, or meet for the first time, the characters of Theros
taken by his kindness and honesty and brave heart. They Ironfeld and Silvara. Both will be seeking escape from the
fell in love, but Huma did not know his lady was a injustices and the attitudes of the two Elfrealms, and have
dragon. The dragon went to her people, and with the accompanied one of the search parties so that they can get
help of many races forged a great dwarven hammer and out as well.
a magic arm, and delved deep into the earth to find the Before the party reach the group, Theros orders the Elves
dragonmetal. And they forged the Lances of Doom.” with him to split into two teams and to scout separate areas,
so that he and Silvara can escape north, but coming across
▪ “The evil dragons heard of the lances, and attacked the the party they are more than happy to go with them.
good dragon’s people. Huma rode to warn them. Then
the good dragon revealed her true form and, mounted Neither will participate in a fight if the party choose to
on her back, the warrior Huma took to the air against engage the Elves (or the Elves find the party), and instead
the evil dragons, carrying a Lance of Doom. The evil take cover until they have a chance to speak to the party
creatures were driven back to their foul holes, but not without danger.
without cost, for the brave warrior was wounded unto
death, and the dragon wept for him.” If they haven’t met or seen Theros in some time, then this is
▪ “The good dragon and her people took the dead warrior a good time for the party to learn his story and about his
up into their hills, and laid him to rest beneath a shroud new silver arm, as well as a chance for Silvara to try to direct
of fog, with his Sword, his Shield, and his Lance of them towards Foghaven Vale for her own ends.
Doom. The good dragon sickened and soon died as ______________________________________________
well. The Tomb of Huma was known until the great
upheaval that you call the Cataclysm, and was a place of WE3: KAGONESTI HEARTLANDS
pilgrimage. But Huma’s body disappeared from its Silvara will be able to tell the party that the current
locked vault, and it is said that he and his love dance population of the central Kagonesti lands is half their usual
beneath the trees in the fog.” number, as many Kagonesti have fled north or west to safer
lands, whilst others have been enslaved by the southern
▪ “I know this to be true. I have seen the Tomb of Huma Elfrealms.
beneath the Dragon’s shadow, and seen strange lights Any Kagonesti who question the party will also ask Silvara
dancing beneath the trees. You shall see it too, for it lies about her presence, but will allow the party to go on, though
along the path over the mountains to the lands ruled by they do ask that the party leave their village quickly.
humans.”
WE7: WESTERN KAGONESTI LANDS
FRIENDS INDEED If the party are attacked here and Silvara is with the party,
If the party managed to escape the Elfrealms without help, there is a 40% chance that at the end of the second round a
then as they travel through the wilderness they are bound to group of four Kagonesti braves will come across the battle
meet some new or familiar faces. and enter the fray to help their kinsman (and therefore also
the party).
When the party first feel safe enough to make camp, their
rest will be interrupted by the whisper of movement in the WE8: THON-SORPON, THE SILVER ROAD
trees around them, and then the sudden glare of half a When the kagonesti funerary boat passes, Silvara suggests
dozen lantern lights moving in the darkness. If the party allowing it to pass undisturbed. She shows disappointment if
have set a campfire of their own then these lanterns will be the party do disturb it.
heading directly for them to investigate the light. If not, then _____________________________________________
the lanterns seem to move to bypass the party, but stop
about a 100ft away where they set up their own camp.

As the unknown group and the party come closer together,


the party start to hear whispers in Elven, one voice in
particular telling others to scouts the bushes ahead.
The lanterns are being held by an alert yet weary group of

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PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
The Companions fled Icewall in the company of
Derek Crownguard and his knights, but were
pursued by the dragon Sleet. Their ship is
wrecked, and the party find themselves washing
ashore in Harkun Bay close to Qualimori.

Led at this stage by Laurana of the Qualinesti,


she is surprised to find a cold reception from her
father the Speaker, and more shocked when he
tires to take the dragonorb from them, claiming it
as Elven property.

The party meet Silvart, who aids their escape


with the help of Theros Ironfeld, and together
they escape north and make their way to
Foghaven Vale. There the Companions meet
Fizban again, and through his argument with
Silvart discover that she is truly D’Argent – a
silver dragon and sister to the lover of Huma
Dragonbane.
Fizban then departs, and D’Argent gives Theros
the power to create dragonlances.

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RECOMMENDED
22. FOGHAVEN VALE PARTY LV8
Silvara – secretly the Silver Dragon D’Argent – will try to ▪ “Their joy was brief, for the woman had a terrible secret
guide the party towards Foghaven Vale so that they can — she was not born of woman, but of dragon. Only by
learn more about the story of Huma Dragonbane and her magic did she keep the shape of womankind.”
receive the gift of dragon metal – the mystically imbued ▪ “But she could no longer lie to Huma. She loved him
material need for crafting dragonlances. too much. Fearfully she revealed to Huma what she was,
______________________________________________ appearing before him one night in her true shape — that
of a silver dragon.”
ARRIVAL AT THE VALE ▪ “She hoped he would hate her, even destroy her, for her
When the party reach the entrance to Foghaven Vale, pain was so great she did not want to live. But, looking at
Silvara will tell them more about, including it’s purpose and the radiant, magnificent creature before him, the knight
how to proceed forward. saw within her eyes the noble spirit of the woman he
loved. Her magic returned her to the shape of woman,
▪ “This is Foghaven Vale.” and she prayed to Paladine that he give her woman’s
▪ “Long years ago, before the Cataclysm, it was one of the shape forever. She would give up her magic and the long
most beautiful places upon Krynn...so my people say.” life span of the dragons to live in the world with Huma.”
▪ “Like much else in this world, the beauty of Foghaven ▪ “Paladine granted her wish, with a terrible condition. He
has vanished. Once the fortress of Foghaven floated showed them both the future. If she remained a dragon,
above the mist as if floating on a cloud. The rising sun she and Huma would be given the Dragonlance and the
coloured the mists pink in the morning, burned them off power to defeat the evil dragons. If she became mortal,
at midday so that the soaring spires of the fortress could she and Huma would live together as man and wife, but
be seen for miles. In the evening, the fog returned to the evil dragons would remain in the land forever.
cover the fortress like a blanket. By night, the silver and Huma vowed he would give up everything — his
the red moons shone on the mists with a shimmering knighthood, his honour — to remain with her.”
light. Pilgrims came, from all parts of Krynn.” ▪ “She saw the light die in his eyes as he spoke, and,
weeping, she knew the answer she must give. The evil
▪ “When you cross the Bridge of Passage, you will stand dragons must not be allowed to stay in the world. And
before the Monument of the Silver Dragon. It guards the silver river, it is said, was formed from the tears shed
the Tomb of Huma, Knight of Solamnia.” by the dragon when Huma left her to find the
▪ “Do not fear. The crossing is difficult only for those who Dragonlance.”
seek to enter the Tomb for evil purposes.” ______________________________________________
▪ “There is no evil here, unless evil is brought from
outside. If you bring evil with you, you will see the faces FV2: EASTERN ENTRANCE
of your worst enemies within the stone statues. The Following the trail, a group of large forms start to emerge
horror and fear they generate would not allow you to from the mist – a set of baluchitherium used by Ogres as
pass.” mounts.
▪ “But if you see only your friends, then you may pass
safely.” Creatures: 3x Baluchitherium
[Hard] 6600xp
THE STONE DRAGON
When the party first catch sight of the great Stone Dragon These mounts were used by the giant Thunderbane and his
monument at the back of Foghaven Vale, Silvara will relate Ogre band to enter the vale, in pursuit of an escaped
more of the tale of Huma. prisoner. If the party linger here more than a few minutes
then Thunderbane is bound to be scouting the nearby area
▪ “According to the Kagonesti, in the last days of the and may return to resupply from their steed’s packs. If left
terrible dragon wars, Huma travelled through the land, unchallenged, Thunderbane and his ogres will mount their
seeking to help the people.” steeds and head deeper into the valley.
▪ “He realized, to his sorrow, that he was powerless to stop
the desolation and destruction of the dragons. He Creatures: 1x Hill Giant & 4x Ogre
prayed to the gods for an answer.” [Hard] 6600xp
▪ “The Stag led Huma, after many trials and dangers, to a
quiet grove, here, in the land of Ergoth. In the grove he FV3: THE STAIRS OF FOGHAVEN
met a woman, beautiful and virtuous, who eased his As the party ascend and reach the halfway point, a small
pain.” voice will shout out of the fog from high above them.
▪ “Huma fell in love with her and she with him. But she
refused his pledges of love for many months. Finally, ▪ “Hallo the bottom of the mountain! I’ll throw you a
unable to deny the burning fire within her, the woman rope!”
returned Huma’s love. Their happiness was like the
silver moonlight in a night of terrible darkness.” Another rope will then fly down the mountain and it’s end

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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will land nearby. ▪ “I’m an explorer, well, not an explorer, but an
adventurer, well, really a discoverer, and a scientist too I
A gnome is sitting on the top step, just in front of FV4: guess...”
Ruins of Foghaven, a small saber-toothed kitten sitting next ▪ “I’m from Sancrist. Do you know where that is? I was
to him. This is Theodenes, or “Theo” to his friends - a adventuring in the west, and found all sorts of fascinating
gnome currently engaged in a “climb” of Foghaven Vale, items and stories that I’m going to have published, that is
whilst also being on the run from a vile band of ogres from if I get back to Sancrist.”
whom he has escaped. The kitten is Star, his pet and ▪ “I was enroute back to Sancrist when pirates attacked
travelling companion. and I, thinking of a contraption I had, a multi-purpose
Theo is extremely interested in hearing of other people’s expeller-pressed soybean furnace compaction
adventures, and their reasons for being in Foghaven Vale, integrator…well I pulled it out of my bag and let loose
and asks if he can join the party if they plan to go farther in. with an attack, though I think it blew a hole in the
bottom of my boat.”

THEODENES ▪ “Anyway. I washed up on shore near a ruined city and


Chaotic Good Gnome Male was summarily gnomehandled or kidnapped or waylaid
Known as “Theo” to his friends, this gnome by these ogres and taken before a big giant who asked
considers himself an explorer and scientist. Many me who did I think I was washing up on his beach and I
other gnomes consider him an authority on told him and he threw me into prison and took my bag.”
almost any subject, though the gnomes of Mt. ▪ “I was assigned to make big rocks into little rocks,
Nevermind also think of him as a known mad- menial labor if you ask me, inconsequential and highly
gnome, often happy with the way things are and inefficient, and even though it wasn’t really my fault the
occasionally inventing things that actually work as quarry wall caved in, perhaps because of the corrections
intended! I made to the support beams, and the tracks, and the
Theo’s life quest is to build the “ultimate tool quarry carts, and. . . yes. Well.”
chest”, and will not be satisfied until he is able to ▪ “I escaped but not before I grabbed miscellaneous items
construct something that can hold every tool that were clearly abandoned or unidentified. Not in a
conceivable. Kender sort of manner, but purely analytical, and I got
my bag back too but I think the big giant’s son is angry at
Theodenes is friendly, attentive, and insatiably me.”
curious, and carries with him souvenirs from all
over the world, though he couldn’t say where they Amongst the items Theodenes acquitted on his way out was
are all from. a singing statue, a golden figure in the image of Mishakal
Theo had originally intended to head for Sancrist, that were once commonly found in temples all over
having decided that the growing war on the Ansalon, but were lost during the Cataclysm.
mainland was going to make travel difficult, but
his ship was attacked by pirates along the way. He
SINGING STATUE
washed ashore near Daltigoth and was captured
by ogres. Forced to work in a quarry, he managed
Common
to escape and, coming across a mist-covered vale, Statues crafted in the form of Mishakal are a
thought that this would be a good place to hide for common find from the pre-Cataclysm days, many
a little while. of which are blessed by the goddess.

Theodenes travels with a saber-toothed tiger Three times per day, a blessed statue of Mishakal
kitten named Star – his pet, companion and can be activated by pouring clean water over it. As
the water flows, the statue hums a tranquil tune for
friend. Star is quite intelligent, and any creature
4d6 minutes, preventing any undead from coming
capable of talking with animals finds him quite
within 30ft.
open and able to hold a conversation on
The tune also unlocks any locks within 30ft, even
numerous topics.
dispelling magical locks. Each lock opens one at a
In combat, Theodenes utilizes a set of devices of time, and reduces the play time by 1 minute
his own invention called grenades. These (chosen at random if there are multiple locks).
effectively work as alchemist’s fire, though once
per day, with proper concentration, he is able to Once a day, whilst the statue is singing and has at
make one that deals damage of a any other type least 1 minute of time remaining, a prayer can be
instead of fire. spoken to Mishakal to heal 1d8 hit points to all
_______________________________________ creatures within 10ft. This drains the statue’s
remaining play time.
If the party have not met Silvara yet, then
Theodenes (or Star) can be D’Argent in disguise THUNDERBANE
instead. Unless they have already been encountered and defeated,
the hill giant Thunderbane and his ogre band will catch up

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with the party shortly after they meet Theodenes for the first the party, Silvara would protest at any thievery, arguing that
time. This may be as the party are standing at the top of the it is unwise to steal from a Dragon whatever their colour.
stairs giving them the advantage of the high ground, or as She takes no action to stop the party from taking whatever
they start to head into the ruins. they want though.

The first the party are aware of danger is by a rushing sound If the party do take anything from this pile of
as though an object were flying through the sky. Then a treasures, then when D’Argent does eventually
massive boulder emerges form the fog and lands directly reveal her true identity, she will ask for those
behind a randomly determined creature (in the direction of treasures to be returned.
the bottom of the stairs). Every creature within 5ft of the
landing spot must succeed at a DC15 Dexterity saving
throw, or else take 2d10 bludgeoning damage as a boulder FV9: THE COOL LAKE
lands and shatters, sending fragments flying. The Pixies show great respect for Silvara/D’Argent without
giving her identity away.
A booming voice then echoes up from towards the centre of ______________________________________________
the stairs.
THE COMING SQUALL
▪ “By the blood of Stormogre, I, Thunderbane, demand After crossing FV7: Bridge of Passage and approaching the
the return of my property!” Stone Dragon, they will see a modest structure much like a
mausoleum just ahead of them directly beneath the dragon
A second boulder comes a few moments later, again landing statue. Before they can come closer however, a piercing
south of a randomly determined party member. shriek resonates through the vale, and a dark shadow passes
Thunderbane and his ogres then charge up the stairs, overhead. Suddenly, a white dragon bursts through the fog
weapons ready. right on top of the party.

Creatures: 1x Hill Giant, 4x Ogre & 3x Baluchiterium This is Squall, the personal mount of Flight Marshall
[Deadly] 17,2500xp Odenkeer.

Thunderbane is willing to let the party go free so long as Creatures: 1x Adult White Dragon
they surrender Theodenes. Otherwise the ogres will stay [Deadly] 10,000xp
back hurling javelins as Thunderbane rushes forward to kill
everything in his path. Squall is without his rider, whom he dropped off in the vale
If victorious, the ogres strip the party of their possessions a few days ago. Having returned to check on Odenkeer, he
and leave them for dead, tasking Theodenes with them for has caught the scent of the party and decided to test and
punishment. antagonize them. Squall has no great interest in a drawn-out
fight or putting his own health in danger. He will circle
If the party are successful, then it will be roughly two days around once in order to frighten the party, and then dives in
before an ogre war-party comes looking for Thunderbane. on the second round to attack with his breath weapon.
This will likely be led by one of the giant’s brothers. Squall then stays to fight for one further round, and in the
next he will take to the air once more and fly away.
FV5C: THE WELL ______________________________________________
This pool of dragon metal has been corrupted, and very
recently. Flight Marshall Odenkeer has already passed this THE TOMB OF HUMA
way in the last day or two and poisoned the well, making it Silvara treats the Tomb of Huma with great reverence, and
impure. will grow upset at any damage or disrespect shown to it.

Weapons and equipment made from corrupted FV11C: THE TOMB’S INTERIOR
dragon metal will shatter the very first time that After the party find the tomb empty, Silvara will know that
they are used. there were once dragonlances here – though she makes no
reference to it unless asked, and then she seems
Corrupted pools normally can not be cleansed, unconcerned about their absence and the absence of a
especially not after a significant amount of time. body.

If D’Argent is with the party, she acts shocked at seeing the If the sword and shield are taken and Silvara is with the
pool corrupted. She seems to know something, but rather party, she will watch carefully, and later when she has
than give direct answers she claims to merely have an innate revealed her true identity the dragon will request that the
sense that something evil has happened to the pool. sword and shield be returned to the tomb.
As such, she speaks of legends “of such things” amongst the ______________________________________________
Kagonesti, and urges haste towards the Stone Dragon.
THE STONE DRAGON (EXTERIOR)
FV5D: THE DRAGON’S HOARD Silvara/D’Argent will be able to tell the party that the climb
Regardless of whatever form she has taken to hide amongst up the outside of the Stone Dragon is the only optio

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If the party want to get inside, as there is a secret entrance the secret entrance, but overconfidence has led them to
hidden between the dragon’s wings. Silvara and Theodenes believe that nothing can possibly follow them. They have
are also aware of this passage, though they claim not to have therefore started to play dice games on one of the benches,
tried to reach it yet. and will only be alert to possible danger if they heard the
party opening the secret entrance.
DC14 Wisdom (Perception): There are a few pitons are
large intervals up the stone surface, and several footprints Creatures: 2x Sivak Legionnaire
from booted feet around the base of the dragon. This [Easy] 1350xp
suggests that somebody else has made this climb, though
they took up any ropes that were used. The Draconians, once aware of intruders, will first try to
capture the party, but will return lethal force with lethal
FIRST CAMP force.
At the level area after the first stage of the climb, the party Each draconian, if reduced to half of it’s starting health, will
find a spot in which someone has previously set a camp. attempt to retreat to SD5: Priest’s Room East, to call on the
The camp is now gone, but the remains of a campfire further Draconians there for support.
remain.
SD5: PRIEST’S ROOM EAST
DC14 Wisdom (Survival): The fire is perhaps three to four Three Draconians are posted here awaiting further orders.
days old, and a few cast-off supplies can be found in the Two of them are preoccupied with trying (without success)
bushes, including 1d3 short swords in draconian style, 1d4 to unlock the door to SD4: Treasure Room, whilst the third
bundles of warm clothing, and 1d4 small parcels of trail berates it’s companions for poor equipment maintenance.
rations.
Creatures: 1x Sivak Master & 2x Sivak Legionnaire
This camp was made by a group of Sivak Draconians who [Medium] 4000xp
had previously disguised themselves as adventurers who
travelled with a human named Vanderjack, whom the party SD8: STONE GUARDIANS
may have encountered in Southern Ergoth. The pile of rubble is a fifth statue that has been broken. On
a casual examination, it appears to have been in the form of
THE ARCHWAY a Draconian when it was destroyed.
The Giant Bats in this area do not approach or harm
Silvara. SD11: GALLERY OF DRAGONWARS
Thirty feet on from the windpipe, the body of a humanoid
SECOND CAMP in olive-coloured robes lies against the steps, it’s body
There is another dead campfire at this branch in the path. contorted and twisted. As the party approach, it is obvious
that the body is that of Fizban, the old wizard they have
DC14 Wisdom (Survival): Again, the fire is about three to likely previously encountered.
four days old. There are some scattered crumbs of ration
packs amongst the rocks. As the party check over the body, they realize that another
______________________________________________ prone form lies a little further along the stairs. Disturbingly,
it is also Fizban.
STONE DRAGON (INTERIOR)
Silvara knows where the secret entrance to the Stone A little after that body, there is a third body – also Fizban.
Dragon is, so the party do not need to deal with or appease
the Kyrie if they do not wish to. Finally, a fourth Fizban body lies at the top of the stairs,
propped against a pillar. As the party start to pass or
SD1: SECRET ENTRANCE approach this fourth body though, it suddenly starts as
Once the secret entrance is, it will be obvious that it has though waking from a deep sleep. He acts extremely
recently been slightly damaged by something forcing it’s way confused at first, suspicious of these new arrivals, but slowly
in. This break was caused by the same group of Draconians starts to recognize the party.
who the party have been finding camps for, and who were
recently disguised as Vanderjack’s adventuring companions. ▪ “Oh, hello. Do you have breakfast ready?”

The break in the door is large enough for any small or tiny Realizing that there are three other dead Fizbans nearby,
sized creatures to squeeze through, but anything larger will this Fizban (who is the real one) will try to prove his identity
first need to pull the stone door open by making a by pulling a moose from his hat, but instead produces a
successful DC16 Strength check. Each attempt to pull the large coat rack.
door open comes with a 20% chance that the Draconians in
SD2: Temple will hear the noise of grinding stone, causing ▪ “Well, of course it’s me! I think. Well I must be. I can’t
them to come and investigate. be anyone else. Who else can produce an entire
ani….uh….piece of furniture from their clothing?”
SD2: THE TEMPLE ▪ “Yes yes, on my way here I was attacked by four of
Two Draconians have been posted in the temple to guard those….what do you call them…..sivaks? Yes, sivaks.”
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▪ “Huh? You know, sivaks. The dragon-men. Or at least cover is blown. There is a chance though that the party will
the shapeshifting ones anyway.” end up with Fizban amongst them, and he will quickly
▪ “Yes, I said four. What? There are only three? Oh, I become little help in solving the immediate mystery. As
must have miscounted. Silly me.” soon as Silvara leaves, Fizban returns to his befuddled self.
He offers no explanations, and instead mumbles something
▪ “Is that a silver arm? My, my, what a coincidence.” about a gambling debt if pressed.

If the party disbelieve and attack Fizban, then on his first SD15: GUARDIAN OF THE LANCES
turn he whips his hand into his hat, screams the word As well as the Guardian, two Draconians stand close to the
“fireball”, and produces a white flag, which he then foolishly western wall, weapons ready against the dragon-headed
waves around in any attempt to stop the fighting. warrior but alert to the arrival of the party.
The only other forms here are bodies, all medium-sized,
If left in peace and accepted, Fizban believes that the party but exactly resembling the large bronze-skinned figure.
could not have reached this point without some help. He
says nothing if the party are alone, or in the company of
other companions who are not Silvara, but if a Silvara is with The bodies are those of four Sivaks, shapeshifting
them (whether she is disguised, shapeshifted or revealed) Draconians who take on the form of their killer
the old wizard recognizes her immediately and begins to when they are slain. These four were killed by the
berate her. bronze-skinned, sword wielding Guardian.

▪ “Silvara, what have you done?” Creatures: 2x Sivak Master & 1x Guardian of the Lances
▪ “What have you done, Silvara? You have broken your [Deadly] 24,400xp
oath! Do you realize how much you have put at risk?”
▪ “You have walked the world in another body, meddling As the party arrive on the scene, Guardian has just slain four
in the affairs of men. That alone would be sufficient. But Sivak Draconians, and is standing guard at thew door ready
you brought them here!” to kill the other two. One of the doors is open though and
starting to close, as though something had made it through.
Silvara’s response is that any oath make under duress is no
oath at all, but the two seem badly at odds with each other. The Guardian will stay close to the bronze doors and
Fizban and Silvara are extremely hostile to one another, attacks anything that comes close. It’s objective is to prevent
though without a desire to actually do each other great anyone from touching the dragonlances or progressing
harm. through the doors towards the Heart level, and attacks
anything that tries with lethal forces.
D’ARGENT VERSUS FIZBAN
As their argument escalates, Silvara steps forward and tries The Sivaks meanwhile have worked out the Guardian’s
to drive Fizban back, but the old man stands his ground. In tactics at the cost of their allies and keep their distance,
response, Silvara abandons her disguise and shifts into her turning their immediate attention to the party.
true form – a Silver Dragon.
The two come to blows, the Dragon swinging a claw at DC15 Wisdom (Perception): Close to where the Sivaks
Fizban, and the mage protecting himself with a magical were standing when the party first arrived in the chamber,
shield. there is a small glass vial on the floor. There is still as little
bit of blue liquid inside, which a successful DC14
If the party choose to subdue Fizban, they will find this to Intelligence (Arcana) check can identify as a potion of
be the much easier option given his frail form. He will invisibility. There is not enough left in the vial to be
squirm and resist, but will not be able to break free. Silvara effective, as it was drunk by Flight Marshall Odenkeer not
meanwhile will take the opportunity to transform into a too long ago.
smaller form and flee into the windpipe under the mural.
Silvara will act the same way – magically shapeshifting and SD20: THE WINDPIPE
fleeing into the windpipe – is she herself is attacked. The When the party arrive in this area, Flight Marshall
first time she is attacked she will attempt escape, not wanting Odenkeer will be hiding close to this windpipe entrance,
to harm those she believes can help her to turn the tide of having chosen to inspect it as a possible escape route. He is
the war. If defeated or contained before she can escape invisible having drunk a long lasting potion, and waits until
though, Fizban ignores any questions the party has and an opportune moment to make his way towards SD23: The
commands that she leave. She complies as soon as she can. Pool of Dragon Metal.

Finally, if somehow both Fizban and Silvara are SD22: THE BASILISK
incapacitated or stopped from fighting any further, Fizban If Silvara is still with the party, she will command the
will utter speak a spell that teleports both of them away, Basilisk to stand aside, and it will comply, stepping to one
leaving the party to continue finding their way through the side of the chamber and becoming completely motionless,
Stone Dragon alone. attacking only if it is first attacked.
Without Silvara’s interference however, the Basilisk
Silvara will try to escape one way or another, fearing that her immediately attacks.

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Odenkeer remains hidden and unmoving close to SD20: oily black liquid.
The Windpipe, waiting for his chance to move. He sees his
chance either when the party attack the pool’s guardian, or Without hesitation, Odenkeer uses his action to pour the
when the guardian moves aside at the order of Silvara. In corrupting agent into the pool of dragon metal, and then
each of his turns after, he moves a little further towards stands to defend the pool against the party while the
SD23: The Pool of Dragon Metal, reaching the opening to corruption agent does it’s work.
the alcove in the second round.
D’ARGENT
If she is not already with the party, the disguised Silver
Though Odenkeer is effectively a non-combatant Dragon Silvara reemerges at the same time as Odenkeer
at this stage, and he is being careful not to attract reaches the opening of the alcove. She stays back, towards
attention, it is possible that the basilisk may catch the centre of the chamber, and does not take part in any of
him with the area effect of it’s petrifying gaze. If the fighting.
so he must make the save as normal, becoming
visible if he is petrified. If Odenkeer succeeds in pouring the corrupting agent into
______________________________________ the pool, then Silvara will be paralyzed during this time, the
corruption weakening her as it destroys the dragon metal.
If the DM wishes to make Odenkeer possible to This will not kill her, and she will recover afterwards, but
detect, then have him make Dexterity (Stealth) she will be unable to act other than to give the party advice.
checks each round he moves, comparing the
check to the passive perception score of any CORRUPTION OF THE POOL
creature within 15ft. Odenkeer’s agent expands through the molten metal like a
virus, dulling it’s vibrant sheen and rendering it useless as
forging
FLIGHT MARSHALL ODENKEER material. It will take three rounds to become entirely
Lawful Evil Human Male effective however. After that, any object crafted from the
Odenkeer is a high ranking member of the metal will shatter the first time it is used.
Dragonarmies – an army leader and general of During those three rounds, the agent can be nullified by
the white wing serving directly under Highlord casting any spell charged with positive energy (deals radiant
Feal-Thas. damage or restores hit points).
A disgraced Knight of Solamnia who has turned
his skill to the service of evil, Odenkeer is If the agent is not nullified, the pool will be fully corrupted
ambitious and has long sought power – the very at the end of the third round. After that, only the willing
reason he was strayed from the Measure and by sacrifice (and final death without chance of resurrection) of
doing so was condemned. He has been highly a pure-souled (good alignment) creature within the next few
irritated therefore, by Feas-Thas refusing to minutes will restore it.
promote anyone under his command for fear of The creature will need to dive into the pool, giving their
creating a rival. Odenkeer could and should have body and spirit to Paladine, in order to fully cleanse the evil
easily attained the rank of Highmaster by now. corruption. Silvara will know this, and tells the party that it is
the only way.
Odenkeer has no love for elves, but serves Feal-
Thas loyally out of a strict sense of military ODENKEER FLEES
discipline. He much prefers his draconian troops After three rounds have passed, whether the pool is
to any other race that serves under him, and cleansed or not, Odenkeer will attempt to break free and
greatly wishes that he had more authority to bring makes a fighting retreat towards SD24: Exit to the Human
order and discipline to the white wing’s new ogre Lands. He will attempt to kill any divine spellcasters, or to
allies. take one prisoner if he can.
He will then leave the stone dragon, and hopes to find his
▪ “Orders are orders.” steed Squall nearby.
______________________________________________

SD23: THE POOL OF DRAGON METAL SPEAKING WITH D’ARGENT


At the end of his second round after the party engage the If the pool of dragon metal has been saved and Odenkeer
Basilisk or Silvara dismisses it, Odenkeer will be at the driven away, Silvara finally feels that the time has come to
entrance to this alcove, and at the end of his third he will be reveal her true identity.
standing next to the pool itself.
▪ “I am Silvara, yes, but also….D’Argent.”
Creatures: 1x Flight Marshall Odenkeer
[Hard] 8400xp ▪ “I am a silver dragon. My sister was the very same Silver
Dragon who loved Huma and fought the final great
The following round, Flight Marshal Odenkeer becomes battle alongside him. It is in my sister’s image that this
visible as he produces and uncorks a small bottle of foul, great monument was constructed.”
The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Now revealed D’Argent can also answer some other shelter and to prepare themselves for the fight. Squall’s
questions about her kind. escort then descends to attack first.

▪ “There are many metallic dragons still in the world, but Creatures: 2x Young White Dragon
we can not fight this war. There is an Oath.” [Hard] 6900xp
▪ “I can not reveal too much, for there are some lines I
am still unable to cross. But we metallics were coerced These smaller dragons fight to weaken the party, and then
into giving our word of honour not to join the fight.” break away when reduced to one third of their starting hit
▪ “What I have done is bad enough. I will no doubt be points, returning to the mountains.
punished for breaking the Oath. But I had to do Squall then descends himself, and fights to the death.
something! I could no longer live in this world and see
the suffering of innocent people!” Creatures: 1x Adult White Dragon
[Deadly] 10,000xp
▪ “I thought perhaps I could help, so I took Elven form,
and I did what I could. I worked long, trying to get the If the party encountered Squall earlier, then he
Elves to join together. I kept them from war, but matters should have had the opportunity to take a short
were growing worse.” rest, though won’t be at full health for this battle.
▪ “Then you came, and I saw that we were in great peril, _______________________________________
greater than any of us had ever imagined. For you
brought with you the dragon orb!” This may be the party’s first opportunity to use
▪ “I knew then I had to make a decision. You had the orb, dragonlances or other weapons made of dragon
but you also had the lance. The lance and the orb metal in battle, so the fight may be easier than
coming to me! Both, together! It was a sign, I thought, expected.
but I didn’t know what to do. I decided to bring the orb
here and keep it safe forever.”
▪ “Even I do not understand the dragon orbs. They were If Fizban is with the party, he will likely start to cast an
forged long ago by the most powerful of magic-users.” extremely impressive looking spell, but then steps
▪ “It is true that the orbs could be used to control dragons. backwards, trips, and gets caught in a hedge. He will be
It is too true, as I fear you may discover to their bitter stuck there for the remainder of the battle.
regret.” ______________________________________________

Finally, D’Argent will be satisfied that by defending the


PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
pool, the party have worked against the Dragonarmies, and
Led by Laurana, half of the Companions meet
if there is a blacksmith amongst them D’Argent will give
Silvara in Qualimori, and are led to Foghaven
them the knowledge required to forge dragonlances.
Vale under the pretense of escaping capture by
the Elves. Once there Silvara magically puts them
▪ “I have brought you here to give one of you the power to
all to sleep, except for the Kender Tasslehoff.
forge the dragonlance.” Doubting her own actions, Silvara is confronted
by Fizban, who berates her for breaking the oath,
D’Argent will then be available to speak with the party for a
but in the end leaves her to decide her own fate.
little while, and answer any questions they have about her
and her history. The two things she does not comment on
Fizban departs with Tasslehoff, leaving Silvara to
are the Oath and the identity of Fizban, including how she
wake the Companions, and to give Theros
knows him. After, when the party leave, D’Argent will say
Ironfeld the power to forge dragonlances. The
her goodbyes and remains in the Stone Dragon.
others depart for Sancrist, leaving Theros to his
______________________________________________
work.
SD24: EXIT TO THE HUMAN LANDS
There is no mentioned of Odenkeer in this
If Flight Marshall Odenkeer escaped from the party, his
original version of the story.
tracks will descend the mountain from this cave, into the
ruins.

Creatures: 1x Flight Marshall Odenkeer


[Hard] 8400xp

RETURN OF THE SQUALL


As the party descend the mountain and approach the ruins,
a familiar shadow passes over them, a piercing cry echoing
across the mountain range. It is shortly followed by more
shadows, as a flight of white dragons descends on the party.
Led by Squall – Flight Marshall Odenkeer’s mount – the
flight circles overhead giving the party a little time to seek

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RECOMMENDED
23. EASTWATCH PARTY LV8
Scouts keeping a close eye on the Elfrealms carefully watch A
their southern border for visitors from the Elfrealms, and
will send word to Easthwatch if they spot or encounter any
groups of adventurers entering their domain. They have
somehow been forewarned (by Fizban) that such
adventurers would be coming.

As a result, an hour or two after the party arrives in the


settlement of Eastwatch they will be approached by a group
of plate-armoured men on horseback led by Lord
Broadblade himself. He will greet the party cordialy, and
shows proper recollection and respect to any Solamnic
character who can briefly recite their family history.

Broadblade’s first interest is whether or not the party found


anything of value that may be of use in the war. Broadblade
was told (optimistically) that those who came would be
bearing a great treasure, so is disappointed if the part have
nothing, and highly reverent if the party are able to produce
a dragonlance.
______________________________________________

It is the party’s choice if they tell Broadblade about


dragonlances, the Stone Dragon or Foghaven Vale, but if
they do Broadblade is quick to offer them what help he can.
If the party are willing, he will dispatch soldiers and workers
to secure and begin working in the foundries as fast as
possible. He is an honourable man however, and considers
this the party’s choice to make.

Broadblade sends out an order for his people to provide the


party with whatever mundane supplies they require, and he
is also happy to provide the party with a small ship and
manpower to sail it over a short distance. He imagines that
the party will need the ship for a short journey to the
mainland, though he is happy for the ship to bear them
anywhere within the western islands so long as it comes back
once the party are delivered.
If the Whitestone Council on Sancrist is soon, Broadblade
will suggest that as a possible destination.
________

If he is not already with the party, then on the


party’s arrival in Eastwatch they find Fizban the Fabulous.

▪ “You again! We have to stop meeting like this!”


▪ “I was trying to get to Tarsis, but the teleportation spell
went wrong and left be here.”
▪ “No no, I can’t teleport again. I used up all of the
ingredients.”
▪ “Teleport? Oh no, that doesn’t sound like something
that I would do…”

Fizban makes no reference to D’Argent or any recent


conflicts or battles, and directly asks that the party not
mention her to him ever again. He flatly will not respond to
questions or statements about her.
______________________________________________

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RECOMMENDED
24. SANCRIST PARTY LV9
As the war rages across Ansalon and the side of good is have earned their friendship, might even ask the party to
forced to retreat again and again, Lord Gunthar Uth Wistan escort them to the meeting.
of the Knights of Solamnia calls a council of the continent’s
leaders to address the Dragonarmy army threat and to try to However the party learn that the meeting is happening, the
build the kind of alliance needed to fight back against the actual event should be timed for however long it takes the
darkness of Takhisis. Believing that the knighthood can not party to reach Sancrist, so that whatever else happens they
stand against the darkness alone, Uth Wistan hopes that by are able to take part in this pivotal moment in the history of
talking the nations of Ansalon can at least temper their Ansalon. Unless the party have explicitly stated that they do
personal disputes for a time in order to work together for not want to attend the council, they should always have the
common survival. opportunity to do so.
Unfortunately, even in these dire times, ancient grudges ______________________________________________
come to the fore, and it will take persuasion both delicate
and brutal to convince them to work together in a ATTENDEES
meaningful way. Many come to the council, some for their own ends and
some because they actually think the knighthood can
This is primarily a social event, requiring the party to learn organize an effective defence. Some have a few retainers
about the delegates, the arguments for different strategies, and guards with them.
and to try to convince the various peoples from around
Ansalon that they are stronger together. The goal should be There are some delegates considered to be voting members
to secure new allies, develop new opportunities and learn of who have the right to sway the final decision of the council,
potential new adventures. but Uth Wistan’s goal is to built an alliance of unit with all
those present, and so will give some deference to those not
Though a party playing through the War of the Lance may recognized as voting nations – these being the dwarves, elves
have encountered Knights of Solamnia a number of times and Kender. These may still speak freely, but are not
beforehand, the first Whitestone Council should be their typically permitted to vote.
first taste of the leadership of the knighthood.
Ideally this event should be a midway point in the KNIGHTS OF SOLAMNIA
adventure, directly preceding the battle for the High The knighthood themselves are represented by Gunthar
Clerist’s Tower, and should be an option for the party after Uth Wistan, and there may be a few others in attendance
they have travelled Ansalon for a little time and met with such as Willis, Uth Wistan’s seneschal.
some of the world’s key leaders. There could also be other important figures from the
knighthood such as Alfred MarKenin, but Gunthar Uth
The best time for the party to first hear of the Whitestone Wistan will speak on behalf of the knighthood.
Council will be after they have made an attempt to secure
an item of power, or made headway in advancing one of the NORTHERN ERGOTH
key story arcs of the adventure. Before word first comes to Mir KarThon comes as a representative of Northern
them, the party should have either: Ergoth, and has recognized that if the Knights of Solamnia
• Secured a dragonorb. fall then his lands will be next. He therefore sees that it is in
• Secured or located true dragonlances. his interests to make sure that the Dragonarmies are
• Discovered the identity, location or mystery of Berem stopped before they reach his homeland.
the Everman. Grey haired, KarThon has the strong arms of giant, having
______________________________________________ spent his life as a warrior, as skilled with a sword as he is
with his words.
BRINGING THE PARTY TO THE COUNCIL
The first Whitestone Council takes place in the Whitestone SOLAMNIC EXILES
Glade, close to Castle Uth Wistan on Sancrist Isle. As the Dragonarmies advanced into Solamnia, many people
were displaced and forced into exile. Many of these refugees
The party can reach that isle of their own accord, but will can to Sancrist and settled in camps or and villages around
need to know about the meeting beforehand in order to the western coast, and have sent Serdin MarThasal, former
make it. Duke of Vingaard Keep, as a representative to the council.
They should therefore have the opportunity to hear of the Himself a Knight of Solamnia, Serdin is defeated and feels
meeting from some of the other characters they meet whilst shame for his failures, but is keen to press back against the
travelling Ansalon. Anyone group or national leadership Dragonarmies in order to regain both his home and his
that has been invited will be able to tell the party that the honour.
meeting is happening, as can any of the Knights of
Solamnia, though some might disagree with Uth Wistan GNOMES
acting without the involvement of Derek Crownguard. From Mt. Nevermind comes Gnosh III
Some dignitaries, if they think it will be safer and the party (Gnoshoshallamarionininillisyylphanitdisdisslishxdie), a

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junior executive assistant to the head of magical research. that city’s senate and asked them to send someone so that a
His life-quest, having been handed down through his family common defence could be organized, but no-one has come.
line, has brought him to the council in the hopes of being
able to examine a dragonorb. Some of these names and characters will of course
Highly inquisitive, his eyes are constantly moving as though need to be changed if the party have seen these
he is reading a book, and the sight of any magic item excites characters die in previous adventures, however the
him greatly. attitudes described should be retained,
QUALINESTI ______________________________________________
Speaker of the Sun Solostaran attends on behalf of his
people, escorted by his son and heir Porthios. By this time PREJUDICES
Solostaran has become weak, and is weary of the suffering Though they have come to the meeting with a common
inflicted upon his people. Porthios meanwhile comes cause in defeating the Dragonarmies, it will be extremely
arrogant and proud, his quick temper being of some hard for the attendees to ignore centuries and even
concern to others. millennia of grudges and prejudices. Many decisions will be
decided by whether or not the party can convince the
SILVANESTI delegates to put aside their distastes for each other and work
From the nightmare forest comes princess Alhana towards the common good.
Starbreeze, who holds little hope for the meeting but is
fearful of an alliance between humans and Qualinesti that • Both Qualinesti and Silvanesti distrust humans, and to
may come at the expense of her own people. this day blame them for the Cataclysm. This will sit apart
Lord Quinath also attends having not known that the from humans if they can, and closer to each other, acting
princess, his own betrothed before the war, would be there. under their own counsel and to their own agendas.
He is as arrogant and proud and many of his people, but • Despite have some common cause, the Silvanesti are a
lacks the experience and intelligence of other elven rulers. little distrustful of the Qualinesti, and fear an alliance
between the humans nations and the Qualinesti, much
MOUNTAIN DWARVES as there was after the Kinslayer War.
Thorbardin sends their honoured captain Arman Kharas, • The hill and mountain dwarves (Neidar and
son of the thane of the Hylar and with an innate belief that Thorbardin) have an ages old hatred, the ill-will of the
he is destined to become a great leader of his people – Dwarfgate War still as fresh as the day it happened. This
perhaps even king. grudge will make it extremely difficult for anyone to
He is an upstanding and honour-motivated dwarf who will convince them to work together, let alone get along long
defend even the smallest insult to his home and people. enough to have a reasonable conversation.
• Kender are distrusted by all, their reputation for
HILL DWARVES inquisitiveness often being thought of as a form of
Duncan Hammerrock of the Neidar comes to speak for the kleptomania.
hill dwarves across Ansalon, and is greatly concerned for ______________________________________________
those displaced from Abanasinia. He is stern, stubborn, and
does not easily back down from centuries old prejudices. AGENDA
There are numerous topics likely to be raised throughout
KENDER the meeting, and if the party have been successful in their
An unexpected arrival, Kronin Thistleknot arrives from adventures it is likely that they, their deeds, and objects of
Kendermore to speak on behalf of his people. Appointed power they carry with them will be the primary talking
Grand Marshall, he has been leading the resistance against point.
the black Dragonarmies since the invaded the Balifor region
and the Desolation. Listed here are just some of the possible talking points, and
His appearance shocks some, as he is rugged and scarred the starting positions of the delegates. The party should be
having fought many battles, and his is known to take a open to talking amongst them and using their individual
moment to assess situations before diving headlong into the, talents to convince delegates to lend their aid to the effort
not at all like a Kender. and to accept common plans.

FIZBAN THE FABULOUS Some of these, such as the fate of Dragonorbs or Berem
Also not invited and a surprise participant is a bumbling old The Everman, will only come up if the party have actually
wizard calling himself Fizban. No-one really knows where brought them to the meeting and talk about them, but
he came from, or even if he has come as a representative of otherwise there is bound to be a member of the council
the Conclave of High Sorcery. who raises the subject.
He talks in riddles, but seems primarily concerned with
ending disagreements and shouting down “abject stupidity”. TRUE CLERICS
For much of the meeting, he will seem to be asleep. On the subject of the gods, true divine magic and new
clerics walking Krynn, most will be in agreement that this is
Not represented, much to the annoyance of Gunthar Uth a positive sign, and will all will be open to the concept or
Wistan, is the city of Palanthas. He had sent a message to awakening new clerics amongst their factions. Indeed many

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will directly ask for this. to explain precisely what the orb is and where they acquired
it for those members of the council not fully aware. Once
• The reaction of the elves will depend on who has come this is done, before Uth Wistan has time to respond,
before them as a newly awakened cleric, as for a long Speaker Solostaran will immediately stand before anyone
time they have all blamed humanity for the loss of their else can respond and make the position of the elves clear.
clerics and the deaths caused by the Cataclysm.
If a new cleric before them is an elf, then this to both the ▪ “The Silvanesti, the Qualinesti, and the Kaganesti have
Quainesti and Silvanesti is a sign that the elves have a met in council. It is the first time the members of the
place of superiority in the eyes of the gods, and that it is three communities have met since the Kinslayer wars.”
they and they alone who can lead the world to victory ▪ “We have decided to set aside our own differences in
against darkness. Speaker Solostaran will use this fact as our perfect agreement that the dragon orb belongs in the
the council goes on to press for elven leadership in hands of the elves, not in the hands of humans or any
future efforts. other race upon Krynn.”
If however a new cleric is not elven, the elves will be ▪ “Therefore, we come before the Council of Whitestone
stubborn on the subject, refusing to accept that the gods and ask that the dragon orb be given over to us
have chosen any other race than theirs. They will insist forthwith. In return, we guarantee that we will take it to
on hearing the full story, and on hearing about the Blue our lands and keep it safe until such time - if ever - it be
Crystal Staff will believe it was mere coincidence that a needed.”
non-elf found it. Solostaran will insist that elven priests
be awakened as true clerics, that they might properly Solostaran is direct that he believes that only the elves have
heal the damage humanity caused. the power, wit and will to use a dragonorb correctly and
• The dwarves all accept the return of true clerics and will wisely, and does not back down from this request. If he is
ask for help in awakening new clerics of Reorx. Upon denied, then on behalf of the three elven nations he will
hearing that each other wants such clerics however, both declare war on the entire council.
Mountain and Hill dwarves will switch to demanding
new clerics, arguing that they are more deserving. This has the immediate effect of sending the entire council
The Neidar will claim that they have suffered most, into turmoil, everyone first shouting and the elves and then
whilst the dwarves of Thorbardin proclaim that only by at each other. Everyone wants the orb, but no-one is willing
healing the sacred land of the Valley of the Thanes with to let the others have it. Even Uth Wistan shouts that he
true clerics of Reorx can the dwarven people ever would rather see the elves in the abyss rather than give them
discover the strength to fight this war. the orb, claiming they would never allow the knighthood to
use it even at their most desperate.
Overall the subject of true clerics is not a key issue of the
council, but if the party includes one it will give them a This argument will greatly dismay the gnome delegate
stronger position from which to speak during the council. Gnosh III, as he has prepared a report on the dragonorb
A true cleric might also be permitted to break ties in any based on generations of his family researching them, and
votes that occur, the inherent respect their position implies now fears that he will not be able to give it. He desperately
giving them a small amount of authority that no-one here is wants to take the dragonorb for study, but nobody is paying
capable of denying. any attention to him.

BEREM THE EVERMAN At this point, the argument becomes chaotic to the point
No-one at the council has any previous knowledge of where the council risks fracturing. If something is not done
Berem or his story, and none believe from the start that this quickly, the council will end here.
single person could possibly be useful to the war effort. Any character capable of detecting magic or who has
attuned to the dragonorb will now sense that the orb is
Should his story be told in fill, many will not believe it, active and beginning to pulse with an inner light that the
believing the gemstone to instead be some magical device, majority of the council seem completely unaware of. The
or a thing of Takhisis that should be destroyed. malicious mind within seems gleeful as it’s influence spreads
over the council, fanning the flames of distrust.
Such will be the disagreement and dismissal by the council
that Gunthar Uth Wistan will have to step up at some point Even the party themselves will need to make DC16
and suggest that the council move on to another topic. Wisdom saves to resist being drawn into the chaos, their
minds influenced towards their deeper prejudices against
DRAGONORBS other races and factions as though under a spell of Mass
If the party have brought a dragonorb to the council, this Suggestion pushing everyone assembled towards
will be, for many, the key topic of conversation, as the isolationism and greed.
fabled dragonorbs were said to be mighty weapons that were
once used to battle the dragons of Takhisis. Those who succeed at the save may notice that some effect
As the subject is raised, the party will be asked to present has tried to influence them though won’t immediately know
the orb and to place it upon a table that is provided for it. it’s source, while those who fail won’t notice the influence at
all.
Gunthar Uth Wistan will open the topic by asking the party
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children.”
▪ “Where was I? Oh, yes.”
What happens next should reflect the party’s
▪ “Now I want everyone to take his seat. Yes, you, too,
actions, with the player characters being given the
Lord Gunthar. Come along, Solostaran, I’ll help. We
primary opportunity to respond to the orb
old men have to stick together. Too bad you’re such a
influencing the council.
damn fool.”
▪ “Yes, I’m going to lecture you. You deserve it, every one
If however the party are unable to find their own
of you — so don’t sit there looking self- righteous. That
resolution to the argument and stop the in-
Kender has more brains beneath that ridiculous topknot
fighting, then the following events involving the
of his than the lot of you have put together. Do you
Kender representative and Fizban will take place.
know what would have happened to you if the Kender
hadn’t had the guts to do what he did? Do you? Well,
If the argument goes on without the party discovering the I’ll tell you. Just let me find a seat here....”
source or being able to do anything about it, it will be the ▪ “Ah, yes, there ...”
Kender representative who stands and shouts above the
others. With an impassioned speech he talks about how his Fizban then leans against the whitestone like a chair, causing
kind are not often taken seriously, and also about how the yet more fury as the stone is considered sacred by many.
orb seems to be causing chaos. Gunthar rises again and shout.

▪ “You’ve never taken us Kenders very seriously, you “No mortal can touch the Whitestone!”
know, and I can’t say I blame you much. We don’t have
a strong sense of responsibility, I guess, and we are Incredulous, Fizban responds.
probably too curious for own good—but, I ask you, how
are you going to find out anything if you’re not curious?” ▪ “One more word, and I’ll make your moustaches fall off.
▪ “We cause lots of trouble, I suppose, without meaning Now sit down and shut up!”
to, and occasionally some of us do happen to acquire ▪ “Where was I before I was interrupted?”
certain things which aren’t ours. But one thing the ▪ “Oh, yes. I was about to tell you a story. One of you
Kender know is we should be fighting dragons. Not each would have won the orb, of course. And you would have
other.” taken it — either to keep it ‘safe’ or to ‘save the world.’
And, yes, it is capable of saving the world, but only if you
As he speaks, the Kender is subtly approaching the know how to use it. Who of you has this knowledge?
dragonorb, until at the last makes a quick sash towards it, Who has the strength?”
grabs hold of it, and then hurls the orb against the ▪ “The orb was created by the greatest, most powerful
whitestone. mages of old. All the most powerful — do you
understand?”
The dragonorb shatters, and those capable of either casting It was created by those of the White Robes and those of
divine or arcane magic feel a pulse of energy race along with the Black Robes. It has the essence of both evil and
a cry of pain that quickly dissipates. The Kender looks good. The Red Robes brought both essences together
oddly happy with the outcome. and bound them with their force.”
▪ “Few there are now with the power and strength to
This act causes a moment of stunned silence, and then an understand the orb, to fathom its secrets, and to gain
uproar as the other delegates turn all of their frustrations, mastery over it. Few indeed, and none who sit here!”
prejudice and anger towards the Kender all at once. ▪ “One of you would have taken the orb and used it, and
you would have found that you had hurled yourself
▪ “What have you done?” upon disaster. You would have been broken as surely as
▪ “You have brought death upon us all!” the Kender broke the orb.”
▪ “You have destroyed our only hope!” ▪ “As for hope being shattered, I tell you that hope was
▪ “And for that, he himself will be the first to die!” lost for a time, but now it has been new born.”

It is this furor that eventually wakes the sleeping wizard Whether any member of the council wants to respond or
Fizban, who commanding voice booms out over the council not, this settles all talk of the dragonorbs. Such is the speech
and silences everyone. of Fizban that it seems to put all others to shame, as those
his words held some power unseen even to those with a
▪ “Now, now, now ... sense for magic.
▪ “No one’s going to die! At least not at this moment. Quit
waving that sword around! Someone’ll get hurt.” OPEN WAR AND DRAGONLANCES
▪ I said quit waving that sword around! You’re a fine The conversation will turn next towards Gunthar’s goal –
young man, but you should have been taught some securing alliances that will send troops to aid in the defence
respect for your elders. I said to put that sword down of Ansalon and the defeat of the Dragonarmies.
and I meant it! Maybe you’ll believe me next time!”
▪ “And you, Solostaran, were a good man about two At this time, there is still little unity amongst the different
hundred years ago. Managed to raise three fine races and even amongst the members of the council itself.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
Each delegate speaks for their race or nation, and each have yet been shown to actually work.
nation still holds to the isolationist idea of keeping itself safe. • Kronin Thistleknot of the Kender is keen to go to war,
The Knights of Solamnia lead the fight however, and are but regrets that most of his people are unlikely to be
desperate for aid from all the peoples of Ansalon. Gunthar useful when it comes to pitched battles. They are
Uth Wistan’s hope is that he can convince the majority, if effectively defending their own borders, but are
not all, of the nations assembled at his council to join the effectively under siege.
war at the side of the knighthood. Only this way, he Thistleknot will ask that the council consider coming to
believes, can victory be achieved. his peoples aid, but holds no allusions that the other
nations are able or willing to cross the continent for the
• The Solamnic Exiles remain sworn to the knighthood Kender.
and Solamnia, and will take provide forces to fight
alongside other human armies, but their defeats make
them distrustful of non-humans who so far have lent no As with the dragonorbs, there is an event
aid in the war. possible during this conversation dependent on
• Ergoth is willing to commit troops to attacking the the party’s past actions.
Dragonarmies, but requires some small assurance that
victory is possible. So far the Knights of Solamnia have If the party have already found and explored
suffered many defeats, and so Mir KarThon advocates at Foghaven Vale, discovered and secured the
first that all available forces withdraw from the mainland pools of dragonmetal, and if they have left
and fortify Northern Ergoth, preparing to strike back someone behind to begin the work of creating
once their strength is restored. dragonlances, then the following event takes
Giving him some news or promise of a great victory – place just as the conversation on open warfare
such as the defeat of a Highlord – might help to sway reaches an impasse. The various delegates will at
him towards committing to a open war now. some point reach one inevitable conclusion –
• The elven nations are highly reluctant to go to war. that they need some sign that victory is possible.
Many amongst them do not believe that humanity are
capable of winning the war or leading an alliance to This event allows for that that possibility.
victory, and there are even some who consider the
defeat of the human nations as an inevitable judgment As the council reaches the impassable point of requiring
on their past actions. some proof that the Dragonarmies can be defeated, or
It will be extremely difficult, though not impossible to some sign or weapon that will put the gods on the side of
convince them to join the war effort. They have looked the whitestone armies, a sudden gust of wind brushes over
only to their own borders for so long they know no other the glade. Fizban’s hat is blown from his head, causing him
way of being, and having just completed one exodus, the to chase after it.
stubbornness of the elven delegation may see them
pondering a second very soon. A break in the clouds then suddenly allows the sun to shine
• The Neidar are willing to wage war alongside Solamnia down onto the whitestone itself, but then a with a crack like
straight away, but the dwarves of Thorbardin require thunder and a blazing flash of silver, the ground is rocked
more convincing. Like the elves they have been in and the whitestone is cut in two, the pieces falling in
isolation for a long time having learned to distrust the different directions.
surface dwelling peoples of Ansalon. In their mountain There is a gasp of shock at the destruction of the sacred
halls they have had their own kind of peace, and are stone, but slowly any loss of sight caused by the flare recedes
shaken out of them now only because their homeland and the gathered council realize that there are new figures
was attacked and betrayed from within. standing in the middle of where the whitestone once stood.
Glade Hornfel of the Hylar, currently leader of
Thorbardin’s council of thanes and father of Arman The members of the group now standing in the Whitestone
Kharas, is sympathetic and wishes to reopen relations Glade can vary, including anywhere between a single person
with the wider world, but he can only do so if his people and a up to four.
are united. Only if he is in possession of the Hammer of At their head will always be the character the party left
Kharas can he do that. behind in Foghaven Vale to begin working on new
As king, Hornfel could order the gates of Thorbardin dragonlances. They will announce themselves by name to
opened and his people to war, though they will still be the council, and then in one hand lift up the fruits of their
reluctant to fight alongside the treasonous Neidar. labour – the first new dragonlance to be crafted in many
• The gnomish representative knows little of war, but if centuries.
asked can think of many other gnomes who have been
building bizarre weapons of war. He will begin listing off In a confident, commanding voice they address the council,
a number of contraptions that are currently “work in holding the lance aloft and capturing their hopes and
progress” that the gnomes of Mt. Nevermind might be dreams.
able to rush for field tests, including the
bigrollerforcuttinguplotsoflittlethings and the ▪ “I have come from the sacred tomb of Huma, where for
swordthatsreallyanaxebutgoesboom. a little time I have been forging these!”
If questioned, he will admit that none of these devices ▪ “I have taken molten silver from the well hidden deep

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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within the heart of the Monument of the Silver Dragon.”
“With the silver arm given me by the gods, I have forged
the weapon as legend foretold. And this I bring to you —
to all the people of Krynn — that we may join together
and defeat the great evil that threatens to engulf us in
darkness forever.”
▪ “I bring you — the Dragonlance!”

With that the lance-wielder thrusts their dragonlance into


the ground where it now stands like the banner of a new
hope.

The assembled council are shocked, but the realization


comes upon them that here is the sign that they needed.
This alone – the arrival of dragonlances – is enough to
convince most of the nations of Ansalon that victory is
possible.

• Human nations will rally instantly behind the lance and


those who wield it. Gunthar Uth Wistan will ask for as
many as can be made, and he will provide wielders from
amongst the knighthood.
• The dwarves of Thorbardin will be enthralled, but are
aware that only with the Hammer of Kharas can true
dragonlances be crafted, and so will join the army only if
the hammer is found. If they have the Hammer of
Kharas is already found, then they can offer it for the
crafting.
• The elves caution that footman’s lances are one thing,
but to use them against dragons requires flying mounts.
They are willing to join the war, if their soldiers can be
equipped with dragonlances, but have little hope for
victory unless the metallic dragons can also be found and
convinced to join the war.
______________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
25. SOLAMNIA PARTY LV9
After the Whitestone Council on Sancrist, the path of the ▪ a piece of the crown in her hand!”
war leads inevitably to one place – the High Clerist’s Tower, ▪ “The thing cut deep into her flesh, and she carried the
where the Knights of Solamnia are building their forces to scars to her final rest, she did.”
mount a defence against the approaching Blue Wing of the ▪ “My dear mother said that the spirits had told her to
Dragonarmies. keep the piece safe from evil until the day the miter
could be united and again crown the dead to save the
The party will be asked to join the defence, but may find living.”
other more useful ways to defend the tower by entering it.
Before this can happen though, they should have a chance ▪ “If you don’t believe me, I can show it to you!”
to pick up an important relic of the pre-Cataclysm world,
and information on where they can find another. If the party show any interest, the captain will happily take
_______________________________________________ any of them to his cabin, and there he retrieves a small
velvet bag from the bottom of a chest filled with his clothes
SEA VOYAGE – THE CROWN OF YARUS and personal possessions.
Unwrapping the bundle, the party see it contains an arc of
This encounter can take place if the party did not platinum fitted with delicate jewels. It is clearly of exquisite
go to the Ghostly Citadel in Southern Ergoth, and make, and worth a fortune. This is a piece of the Crown of
did not recover the piece of the Crown of Yarus Yarus.
from that place.
This encounter takes place on a ship, as the party ▪ “She left it to me when she passed on, and I’ve held it all
are sailing around the coast of Solamnia. these years, keeping it safe just as the spirits asked of
her.”
▪ “If all I gather is true, the time it may be needed is
If out in the Westerhn isles, the party should find it quite coming closer.”
easy to find ships bound for the mainland, transporting ▪ “If you plan to save the tower, perhaps it is better that
Solamnian troops and supplies for the war effort. you have it than I.”
▪ “I’d be grateful if you would return it to the tower.”
On such a voyage, the party will be hosted by a salty and
experienced captain who does his best to cater for the needs The captain puts the piece back in the bag and offers it to
of his passengers. On the first night of the voyage, he even the party, happily parting with it as though he feels that an
invites the party to dine with him. important goal has been achieved.

During this meal the captain will tell many tales of his travels
and adventures, and asks about the party’s intentions, and This is one of three pieces of the Crown of Yarus
whether they plan to join the defence of the High Clerist’s – the other two of which are inside the High
Tower. If the party demonstrate any interest in the tower, Clerist’s Tower.
he has a tale to tell of that place as well.

▪ “My mother was a disciple of the religion of the Clerist _______________________________________________


Tower. O’course, this was many years after the place
had become naught but a home for ghosts and the like.” KORVAL – THE 33RD PIECE
▪ “She would say that she felt the spirit of the Old Ones
and from time to time went to worship in the temple — This encounter can take place in any small
not that the Knights liked it! They don’t allow a soul into settlement in Solamnia, though it directs towards
their edifice, not even themselves, so I hear!” the village of Korval for the meeting with the
Elder.
▪ “Still, I remember when she would tell me about the
great temple and the time she managed to give those
Solamnics the slip and get in.” There are many small settlements where the party can rest
▪ “She said she cried at the altar for the beauty of the for an evening, with fine inns to sleep in and decent taverns
temple, but then angels came and led her to the heart of to eat and drink in.
the tower.” If the party discuss their plans in such a place, and make
▪ “There she saw a piece of the Yarus Miter, the Crown of mention of the piece of the Crown of Yarus, then an
the High Clerist. She lifted it up so she told me and innkeeper may overhear and have some advice to give
heard voices crying out in her head! She didn’t them.
remember more and awoke outside the tower.”
▪ “Pardon me, I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but I’ve heard
▪ “Confused, she looked down and saw that she still had that an elder of Korval had an ancestor who was a

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
steward in the Clerist Keep. He might be able to tell you has never been plundered because of the guards and the
about the secrets of the tower.” terror inside the tower.”
▪ “I’ve heard him mention odd things, such as something ▪ “The southern entrance leads straight to the heart of the
called the 33rd piece.” tower.”
▪ “He is but a day’s travel up the mountain from Korval.” ▪ “My ancestor also mentioned a stair that ascended the
height of the structure.”
THE ELDER
The Elder lives roughly a full day’s climb up the mountains ▪ “That is the end of my knowledge of the tower.”
to the east. There are rough-cut trails that lead past a few ______________________________________________
cottages in the low hills, and ending higher in the mountains
at a small cottage sheltered by high rocks. Rain falls in this
area extremely commonly, so there is likely a light shower in PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
progress when the party arrive. Having taken part in the Whitestone Councils,
Laurana of Qualinesti leads part of the
The cottage is occupied by an elderly man with whitened Companions into Solamnia to take on a role in
hair but bright and clear eyes. He is kind, and welcoming, the war. Having gained a cache of dragonlances
offering tea to visitors and a place by his fire, though his in Foghaven Vale, they made directly for the
cottage is not large enough to accommodate many guests High Clerist’s Tower to aid in it’s defence. Sturm
overnight. Brightblade, having finally being accepted into
If spoken to respectfully he will return that respect in kind, the Knights of Solamnia, takes on a leadership
and tell his story. position and stands on the walls as the blue wing
attacks.
▪ “I had an ancestor who was at the tower at the time of
the Cataclysm.”
▪ “His tale has been passed down the generations in my
family. Now I tell it to you.”
▪ “The tower is a deceptive building. In times of peace,
one could walk from the base of the tower to its
uppermost reaches without ever being hindered in one’s
passage, yet those who knew the ways of the tower could
activate its marvellous defences and make it a terrible
fortress of war.”

▪ “Lord Yarus was the Lord High Clerist of the Knights of


Solamnia in those times — the last of the Lord High
Clerists. He was a good man and the most powerful
cleric of his time.”
▪ “Yarus and his bitter enemy, Kurnos, Bishop of
Sargonnas, often played Khas within Yarus’s chambers.
They would play before the throne of Yarus high above
the Council Chamber in the uppermost reaches of the
tower. So it was on the day of the Cataclysm. Kurnos was
there with Yarus when the world came to an end.”
▪ “My ancestor was outside the tower could not get back
in.”
▪ “Sounds of battle and horror and tormented spirits came
from within. Yet he was confident that Yarus would win
in the end.”

▪ “My ancestor said Yarus must have had the 33rd piece.”
▪ “The 33rd piece was a legend of old Yarus. You see, a
game of Khas has only 32 pieces. When asked how he
always won, Yarus would smile and say he had a secret
33rd piece.”
▪ “The legend grew that it represented Khas pieces from
previous games that returned unseen and swayed the
game in his favour.”
▪ “Now the Knights of Solamnia guard the tower and only
those who can slip past their watchful eyes can find the
way into the inner chambers.”

▪ “The tower’s vast treasury at the end of the Eternal Hall

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
26. PALANTHAS PARTY LV9
The city of Palanthas has chosen to keep itself out of the power thought sacred to the dwarves, and a metal that is
war, thinking instead that they are too valuable a prize for found in one place in all of Ansalon.”
any invading army to simply wish to destroy. As such there ▪ “Seek out the hidden vale in Southern Ergoth. If you are
is little of value the party can gain by visiting and trying to lucky, your approach will be known of, and a guiding
appeal either to the Lord of the Senate of Palanthas, but if hand may present itself to you.”
they travel here before the Battle of the Reaper, then they
may gain some invaluable advice from Astinus, the The arm is found either in a hidden Sla-Mori
Lorekeeper of the Great Library. beneath Qualinesti, or in the possession of Theros
______________________________________________ Ironfeld.
The hammer is the Hammer of Kharas, found in
THE COUNCIL OF ASTINUS King Duncan’s Tomb in Thorbardin.
Despite his professed policy of Neutrality in all things, the The metal is dragon metal, the only known
chronicler Astinus does have his own interests in seeing that surviving source of which is in Foghaven Vale.
the world remains in balance between Good and Evil, and
as the War of the Lance progresses he will be willing to
offer advice to a party of adventurers seeking some way to THE EVERMAN
defeat the Dragonarmies. At any stage in the war, especially towards the end when the
In truth, Astinus is the God of neutrality Gilean himself, party have Neraka in their sights, Astinus can advise the
and he recognizes that Takhisis threatens to upset the party to follow leads they may already have heard about
balance at the heart of reality, and that by helping those Berem the Everman.
standing against the Dark Queen he may help in restoring
the balance. ▪ “His story is not mine to tell, but there is a man the
Dragon Empire seeks out with all their might. Every
If the party travel to the Great Library during the War of draconian knows to seek the Everman, known to them
the Lance, they may receive the special privilege of an as the Green Gemstone man.”
audience with the wizened old history keeper – something ▪ “This man is pursued, and has thus far evaded capture
very few can claim in all of Ansalon’s history. across the south of the continent.”
The Aesthetic Bertrem will meet the party and escort them ▪ “Where is now, it is impossible to say, though if rumour
to his master’s chambers, and there Astinus will offer a few is to be believed the search for him is now focused in
words of advice based on his vast knowledge of Ansalon’s Balifor.”
history.
Berem the Everman’s journey can take him all
Exactly what advice Astinus gives will be based on where in over southern Ansalon, but the most likely place to
the story the party are, and what immediate dangers they find him is aboard a ship called The Perechon,
face. The most likely scenario is that Astinus will advise the which operates out of Flotsam.
location of something – an object or person – that the party
need to accomplish their current goals. Such a thing is likely
to be a lost artifact, or some powerful relic that the DRAGONORBS
Dragonarmies fear or believe destroyed. At any stage in the war, if the party have not discovered the
secrets of the dragonorbs, then Astinus will encourage them
The advice Astinus gives should always be based not on to discover more about them.
certain modern knowledge, but on historical notes the
chronicler will remember writing in times past. ▪ “At the height of the third dragon war, the highest mages
of the Order of High Sorcery came together to conceive
DRAGONLANCES and create new weapons to aid them in the war.”
At any stage in the war, if the party have not yet visited ▪ “Five orbs they made, binding great power within each.
Foghaven Vale, Astinus will encourage them to discover the So much there was, so it was said, that these orbs could
mysteries of that place with stories of the ancient summon and control the great dragons who served the
dragonlances. Dark Queen.”
▪ “One was in Losarcum, destroyed when the tower fell.”
▪ “In ages past, the gift was given to mortals to craft great ▪ “The second was in Daltigoth, also destroyed during the
weapons that could fight against the children of wars with Istar.”
Takhisis.” ▪ “A third was in Istar, stolen away to the forest kingdom.”
▪ “Dragonlances they were called, and those that ▪ “The fourth was entrusted to the conclave, who in turn
remained after the last war were cached and lost when entrusted it to an exile, who fled to farthest southern
the world was torn apart.” reaches.”
▪ “If you wish to discover them once again, three things ▪ “The fifth was lost when the High Clerist’s Tower was
are needed. A Silver arm lost in Ergoth, a hammer of sealed by the gods. There was once a dragon orb in that

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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oddly built tower, although to what purpose it was held THE CROWN OF YARUS
there, none now understand.” If the party are heading towards the High Clerist’s Tower
intending to defend it from the Dragonarmies, then Astinus
will likely advise them that the Crown of Yarus, once
The dragonorb inside the High Clerist’s Tower belonging to the last High Clerist, is a powerful relic that
has been moved about over the centuries, and could turn the tide of battle.
could be in one of multiple places. A location can
be selected, or randomized using the following ▪ “When the gods sealed the High Clerist’s Tower the
list. High Clerist was crushed beneath a pillar where he sat
Once the location is known, Astinus can give playing Khas. His great crown, which held his life, was
more specific advice as to where to find it. sundered into three pieces and taken by his spirit
guardians to places of safe keeping. First one piece, then
1. Altar of the Orb another. Only two pieces do I see within the tower.”
▪ “Even as the lost souls of the Tower wailed in ▪ “One piece was taken away, and now rests in a forsaken
agony, it was placed carefully on a dais at the tower, known to some as the Ghostly Citadel.”
base of a great shaft surrounded by well ▪ “The other two pieces are to be found within the Tower,
secured doors.” though by some magic concealed behind closed doors, I
can not see where.”
2. The Eternal Halls
▪ “A guardian in the tower brought it with his
last breath to a Hall of Eternity that looked The first piece is either in the Ghostly Citadel in
infinitely far in all directions.” Southern Ergoth.

3. The Treasury THE 33RD KHAS PIECE


▪ “It was placed in the most secure place of the If the party are heading towards the High Clerist’s Tower
tower, with all the precious gems and intending to defend it from the Dragonarmies, then Astinus
treasures, suspended over a great shaft.” can also advise them that the legend of the 33rd Khas Piece
holds more to it than is commonly known, and that it’s
4. Nest of the Kingfisher secret could turn the tide of battle.
▪ “It was lifted through the levels of the keep to
the highest room in the tallest tower and ▪ “There was a 33rd Khas piece, made by a wizard from a
locked away.” crystal whose powers were said to be connected with the
Knights of Solamnia of old. It was secreted somewhere
5. Grim Watch in the tower long ago.”
▪ “In Yarus’s own chambers, under the ▪ “This small item was supposedly carved to resemble a
guardianship of loyal and wondrous servants, wizard, though some say that the 33rd piece was no
was it set.” figurine at all, but a man.”
▪ “The man was Virkhus, Lord of the Rose, known as the
6. Testing Room Horn of Dawn and sometimes as the right hand of
▪ “In the depths of an endless hall was a room Yarus.”
watched over by iron and wizardry. Here was ▪ “Find the piece and take it to the game board. Then you
it secured.” shall see it’s power.”
7. Hall of Heroes
▪ “It was taken by a spirit and laid to rest at the The 33rd Khas Piece is lost somewhere within the
feet of a parade of party far in the upper High Clerist’s Tower, though it has been moved
reaches of the Tower.” many times. It’s position is now randomly
generated when the party arrive at the tower.
8. Grand Ballroom
▪ “Surrounded by music and twirling spirits the THE ANVIL OF MIGHT
item now lies in the centre of an endless The party may have come into possession of evil objects, or
dance.” other relics of great power that the Dragonarmies have an
interest in, or they may have already encounter Berem the
9. Chamber of Shadows Everman and are seeking a way to destroy the gemstone
▪ “Dark shadows have taken it and now stand embedded in his chest.
guard over it behind walls of death.” In these cases, Astinus will know of one other relic that may
be of help.
10. Hall of Mirrors
▪ “It was left in a place in the tower that has ▪ “Once belonging to Reorx himself, and housed in one of
multiplied the item threefold, but only one is his temples, it was said that an object could be destroyed
true.” by striking it upon the anvil of might.”
▪ “Reorx’s temple was destroyed, but the anvil was found,

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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and taken into the upper reaches of the Dark Queen’s
own.”
______________________________________________

PATH OF THE COMPANIONS


The Companions only arrive in Palanthas late in
the war, after their successful defence of the High
Clerist’s Tower.
With the threat of war now very obvious to the
city, the knighthood have been begrudgingly
allowed to aid in their defence, and use
properties within Palanthas to plan the coming
counterattack. The Companions have little
contact with the actual rulers of the city, and
depart soon after their arrival to continue fighting
the war.

Meanwhile, the wizard Raistlin Majere teleported


directly into the Great Library, and there
discovered the true nature of Astinus the
Chronicler and learned something of his own
destiny, which led him to take on the black
robes.
Later, Raistlin became the maser of the Tower of
High Sorcery, and from there made his plans to
travel through time.

Some of the Companions would return to the


city after the War of the Lance to defend it when
the Blue Lady launched her attack, bypassing the
High Clerist’s Tower using flying citadels and
laying waste to Palanthas before her eventual
defeat.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
27. TOWER OF THE HIGH CLERIST PARTY LV9
By this poi8nt in the war, the forces of the Dragonarmies ▪ “I’ve heard tell that the tower wasn’t always called the
will be preparing a push against the most heavily fortified High Clerist’s, and that once the elves called it
Solamnian position – the Tower of the High Clerist, a “Lúggarth”. I asked an elf, and they said it means
sacred site that is said to have never been breached. “dragondeath”.
The knighthood has responded by fortifying the position,
and although their morale is faltering they are ready for ENCAMPMENTS
what could be the battle of the age. Well worn tents of every size and description sit in ordered
______________________________________________ rows against the eastern cliff-face leading up to the tower,
belonging to mercenaries who have been recruited to
COURTYARD REFUGEES defend the walls from the Dragonarmies.
Dirty and hungry, refugees from all over Solamnic lands
cradle in the Westgate Pass under the shadow of the High The mercenaries here are low in spirit however, their
Clerist’s Tower, seeking some comfort and safety. Huddled morale having taken a beating. Any attempt to speak with
in tents filling the Tower’s eight courtyards, they are mostly one requires a successful DC18 Charisma (Persuasion)
quiet and grim, knowing full well that danger approaches. check, otherwise the soldier will hurry on past, excusing
themselves and carrying on with their task or personal
All of the refugees here are men and women of fighting age, business.
whilst children, the infirm and the weak have been sent on
to Palanthas already. Those that remain have stayed either Successful checks open a few topics of conversation.
out of a sense of duty to Solamnia, to help protect loved
ones, or to get a measure of vengeance against the ▪ “We’ve been seeing a great deal of discord among the
Dragonarmies for their lost homes and loved ones. Knights. Their vaunted Measure has become a noose by
which all, Knights, soldiers and civilians alike, may be
They are not initiallu willing to speak to the party, but a hung.”
DC15 Charisma (Persuasion) check will convince them to ▪ “The peoples of this region speak of legends of the
speak on one of a few topics. tower’s wealth and power. A few have tried to sneak in,
but were captured and tried by the Knights. They think
▪ “There are folk here from all over. Goodlund, the lace holy, and punish transgression.”
Gaardlund, Lemish, Ergoth. Even Abanasinia. You
name is, there are likely people here who are from ▪ “MarKenin seems undecided as to how to proceed. The
there. other Knights look to him for guidance but he seems
▪ “We’re following orders given by the knights, though a unable to reach a decision.”
fair few here deride ‘em. They fell from some lofty ▪ “Archuran, is a fine man full of tales of the ancient,
heights a whiles back. We follow orders though. We valiant days of the Knights.”
here hate the dragonmen far more than we dislike the ▪ “Jeofrey is ambitious. We’re not sure he holds to the
Solamnics.” Measure like thee others here do.”

▪ “I saw some adventurous teens try to get into the tower. ▪ “We’ve heard unearthly music and laughter from the
They came back all shaken, though I’m sure none tower at night. Its better to sleep out here away from it.”
actually entered inside. The knights say the land is holy, ______________________________________________
and that they sometimes hear singing and wild laughter
from within. I heard that myself once.” TOWER EXTERIOR
▪ “They say that a lot of wealth was kept inside the tower As well as the normal sites from the tower and it’s
before the Cataclysm. I guess its all likely still in there.” surrounding area, there are additional things to see and
▪ “Yarus, the last of the High Clerists, was a most powerful dangers if the party choose the explore the region.
man. If was said that he never lost a contest that he
didn’t want to lose, and that his name struck fear into the VIRKHUS HILLS
hearts of evil-doers.” Rolling foothills can be seen across the flat, grassy plains,
▪ “Yarus the good and Kurnos, bishop of evil. What a roads running through the rocky hills, running past now
pair. Both lost during the Cataclysm so they say. The abandoned homes and farms.
tower sealed up tight, with them inside.” Draconians often patrol these hills at half-hour intervals,
▪ “Apparently only worshippers of Yarus or Kurnos have trying to capture first for interrogation, but killing if this
been inside since the day it sealed up, and even then proves to be impossible. Some Baaz scouts in these kills
they made it only to the second floor temples.” may be disguised as refugees, whilst other Bozak and Sivak
move as military units hunting for enemy scouts and spies.
▪ “I’ve hears a tale of a villain who went in there seeking to
do harm. They say he entered a hall that was endless, SKIRMISHES
and walks it still searching for a way out.” Occasional raids or scouting parties have been seen crossing

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
the Solamnic Plains, and from time to time either the
knights or mercenaries have gone out to meet them. LORD AURIK ARCHURAN
Lawful Good Male Human
It is possible that the party may need to meet a small enemy Known as a fine gentleman full of grand tales and
force head on, or deal with a scouting party who strike at legends from the greatest days of the Knights of
war preparations out of the tower’s walls. In these cases, you Solamnia, Lord Archuran is a leader amongst the
can use any of the following Dragonarmy units. Knights of the Rose,

Creatures: 1x Aurak Mage and 3x Baaz Soldier He is in effective command of the defender of the
[Hard] 8800xp High Clerist’s Tower, but it is feared that his old
age has dulled his wisdom and insight, and the he
Creatures: 3x Sivak Infiltrators (in disguise) relies too much now on how things were in the
[Hard] 6600xp stories he tells than actual military practice.

Creatures: 2x Hobgoblin Captain and 4 Hobgoblins ▪ ”Have you heard the tall of the great knight
[Medium] 5000xp Huma? If so, you’ve not hear the best version
from me…”
Creatures: 5x Blue Dragon Wyrmlings ▪ “That’s not how it happened in the old days.”
[Hard] 7000xp ________________________________________

Creatures: 1x Young Blue Dragon & 1x Kapak Hunter LORD MICHAEL JEOFREY
[Hard] 9150xp Lawful Neutral Human Male
A Knight of the Crown, Lord Jeofrey is keen on
ARMY OF THE BLUE LADY charging into battle and fighting on the front lines.
The tops of tents can be seen from the High Clerist’s Conflict is a means to an end for him – a way to
Tower, forming a line on the landscape that heralds the achieve his own ambitions, and as such he at times
coming battle. Rows of tents used by Draconians, Kobolds seems to stray of outright ignore the Measure.
and the Blue Dragon Highlord known as the Blue Lady sit
at a distance with regular patrols and a watchful guard to ▪ “A knight’s place is in battle, not in a cell
prevent Solamnic allies from infiltrating their camp and signing papers”
sabotaging their preparations. ▪ “A cleric? Truly? We have seen many
charlatans, and it will take more than a
Any character captured outside of the tower will be brought medallion to convince me.”
into this camp and placed before Bakaris, the Blue lady’s ________________________________________
human assistant. This vile creature will demonstrate his
cold-blooded nature by killing any character of rank and LORD ALFRED MARKENIN
stripping away armour and equipment, taking the best for Lawgul Good Human Male
himself. Many knights look to Lord MarKenin for advice
Once he has interrogated and mocked characters well and guidance especially when it comes to matters
enough (to the point where he believes his prisoners to be of battle, but being caught between competing
shamed in front of the Draconians), he will order that the ideals, this Knight of the Sword has come across to
prisoners be bound, loaded on a wagon, and sent back to many as indecisive.
the tower to further demoralize the tower’s defenders.
______________________________________________ At heart he has always disliked war because of the
loss of life, but is a loyal follower of the
THE KNIGHT’S SPUR Knighthood and of the measure.
With battle imminent, the tower is much busier than
normal. Reinforcements having been pouring in over the MarKenin currently serves as High Justice, though
last couple of weeks, with knights and soldiers under their his position is contested given that he is not a Rose
command coming from all over western Solamnia and the Knight as the High Justice usually is.
Western Isles.
▪ “The Dragonarmies have not been trained, not
Three Lord Knights have been assigned command of the like the Knights. There’s every probability we’ll
tower and it’s forces for the upcoming battle, each with their route them with barely a blow being struck.”
own leadership style and their own renown and reputations ▪ “Always before, when a squire has been
within the grander knighthood. These are Lord Aurik brought up before the Council of the Order to
Archuran, Lord Michael Jeofrey and Lord Alfred attain his knighthood, there have been
MarkKenin. witnesses, many witnesses. He is given an
opportunity to explains his reasons for his
HCT1 – THE KNIGHTS SPUR actions. No-one ever questions that he
If the party enter the Spur and find themselves lost, a young committed the acts.”
Knight of the Sword named Narren might approach and

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offer to give them directions. If they have not previously within a set time frame (perhaps 20-30 rounds) then they
reported for duty or do not seem to know their battle can give the party valuable information – perhaps even the
positions, Narren will direct them to the Lords in charge of location of a treasure (generated using the Random
the tower. Treasure table).

HCT3 – ROOMS OF LORDS KENDER WANDERERS


The three private rooms have been taken as private quarters Characters who succeed at a DC15 Wisdom (Perception)
by the three Lord Knights in residence. check hear the sounds of clattering metal and excited
Aurik Archuran’s rooms are to the north, Alfred talking up ahead, and seemingly getting closer.
MarKenin’s room and Michael Joefrey’s room is joined by a From around a corner a group of six Kender emerge,
common area to the west. happily examining bag filled with trinkets they have acquired
______________________________________________ while exploring the tower. When they see the party, they
head over towards them.
ADDITIONAL DENIZENS
As well as the usual collection of spirits and monsters Creatures: 1x Kipper Snifferdoo & 5x Kender Scouts
wandering the halls of the High Clerist’s Tower, there are [Medium] 5400xp
four additional groups or individuals the party may
encounter who are only there shortly before or during the ▪ My name is Kipper Snifferdoo, of Kenderhome, and
Battle of the Reaper. this is Pippen, Flippo, Froglegs, Fairly and Lump.”
▪ “I am in fact a newly appointed Cleric of Gilean, don’t
Four space on the Roaming Encounters usually you know. Just looking around, seeing the temples.”
read “ – None – “, but should be replaced with ▪ “My companions are I were just an inventory of the
these four new groups as follows: tower’s relics. Lots of them, and they’re all over the
place you know!”
1 – Gully Dwarves ▪ “The knights don’t know of course, but I intend to
6 – Kander Wanderers surprise them with it later. As a surprise.”
19 - Stahnk ▪ “Oh, these bags? We just thought we’d clean up a bit
20 – Vikoka Baital and get rid of some of the more superfluous and
bothersome trinkets.”

GULLY DWARVES Like most Kender, this band do not really want to fight, but
The party find themselves walking into a band of squabbling will defend themselves.
gully dwarves. Kipper will do his best to talk his way out of any fight if he
Having befriended the Phlug clan in the nearby Virkhus can, but if it comes to it the Kender are well practiced and
Hills, the dark cleric Vikoka Baital has magically tricked fighting in pairs – aiding one another to overwhelm larger
some of them into breaking into the tower and recovering peoples.
the dragon orb from within. If only one of the Kender falls, the others will immediately
surrender and tend to their comrade.
Creatures: 10x Gully Dwarf Sneak
[Easy] 2500xp The Kender put up no fight if the party try to relieve them
of their current haul (as they will likely just go and find more
Calling themselves Elites Clan Phlug Orb Hunters, this later), which consists of nothing but mundane items (use the
group will freeze as soon as they see any other living Random Treasures table).
characters inside the tower. They stay frozen until one of One of them however, has an accurate map showing how to
the party makes a move. get to HCT29: Eternal Halls and another (highly inaccurate)
If calmed, the Gully Dwarves will speak in a friendly and map showing how to get through the Eternal Halls to the
optimistic manner, and may even be able to give some Treasury. If the Kender are treated with respect and not
information on nearby rooms. If threatened however, they attacked, then they may be willing to show them the maps
will scatter and hide. or trade them for something interesting.

This group can tell the party that there are more of them STAHNK
inside the tower, mostly on the first level, in HCT7: An echoing growl that chills the soul rebounds off the walls,
Herringbone Walls and HCT9: Head Trap Room. None and from the darkness a massive beast rushes towards them.
of them have found the ”shiny jewel” (meaning the dragon Resembling a wingless dragon covered in loose flesh, its ribs
orb) yet, but this group went off looking for food and exposed through its underbelly.
treasure. This creature has been brought into the tower by Vikoka
Baital in order to exterminate any living thing with, thus
Should the Gully Dwarves scatter and hide, you could use doing away with any potential rivals or impediments to his
this as a chance for an elaborate game of Hide and Seek. own searches.
Decide on locations in the surrounding rooms (and only the
surrounding rooms) for each of the Gully Dwarves to hide Creatures: 1x Stahnk
in. If the party can find them all (by coming within 5ft) [Deadly] 18000xp

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The Stahnk at first charges and tries to trample over any of Gully Dwarves of the Phlug clan. The room is total
characters directly in front of it. It may from to time try to disarray, the Gully Dwarves trying their best to erect tents,
snatch a character up and force it into its own ribcage where but not being able to work out where to hammer in the tent
the character can be restrained and cut by its spurs. As it pegs, given the hard stone floor.
tries this for the first time, the body of a Gully Dwarf falls There appear to be nine of them, one of whom is giving
out. orders.

VIKOKA BAITAL Creatures: 9x Gully Dwarf Sneak


A figure in dark clothing approaches, his arms held up in a [Easy] 2250xp
gesture of peace. Unlike most other creatures they have
found in the tower, this human appears to be living. ▪ “We are mighty orb-hunters of Clan Phlug! And I am
the valiant leader, High Phlug the Two!”
Creatures: 1x Vikoka Baital ▪ We are on a secret mission to find the wonder of the
[Deadly] 10000xp tower – the great steel marble!
▪ “The marble is an ancient Phlug artifact, and we have
He claims to be a pilgrim come to feel the presence of the come to retrieve it! Of course it is! Our people made it!
gods. What he does not say is that he is here looking for The cleric Morgion said so, and if you can’t trust a
gods of evil. He is in fact a vampire, and a servant of Lord Cleric, who can you trust?!”
Soth. ▪ “It is a secret mission though, you must not tell anyone!”

He claims he entered the tower through the temples on the These Gully Dwarves pretend to be the world’s greatest
second level, finding the doors there surprisingly unlocked. spies and the bravest of warriors, and will flee at the first sign
He was merely exploring, the spectral figures apparently of danger, from the party or otherwise.
leaving him in peace, and that if they’d have him he would
be most honoured to accompany their party. If asked about any other treasures that might be hidden in
In truth he searches for the Crown of Kurnos for himself, the tower other than a dragon orb, then High Phlug the
and thinks that following the party may allow him to bypass Two has a 40% of having been told about something similar
the defender who prevents access to it. and might be able to give extremely vague or mixed up
If he can ransom one of the other artifacts for the crown, directions. Alternatively he might be willing to lead the party
then he will do so, but one way or another he will attempt to directly to it, but he will take an extremely circuitous route,
encounter or confront the party before they can enter effectively giving a grand tour of the tower.
HCT42: Khas Room.
HCT9 – HEAD TRAP ROOM
If his true nature is discovered, Baital will attack of try to The party find a dozen Gully Dwarves sit around on the
dominate one of the party before fleeing. After striking he floor here murmuring to each other.
will run and try to hide so that he can follow the party. If
outside HCT42: Khas Room, he will fight until he can take Creatures: 12x Gully Dwarf Sneak
the crown. [Easy] 3600xp

The orb-hunters hush anyone who comes close to their


VIKOKA BAITAL, PRIEST OF SARGONNAS room and makes more sound than a whisper.
Lawful Evil Human (Vampire) Male - Deceased
A servant of Lord Soth, he has been sent to the • “Quiet! We are in prayer to the great golden door!”
tower to find a way to turn the undead within • “If we prayer, the sacred doors may answer by opening
into an army under Lord Soth’s control. Vikoka and giving us the great steel marble!”
is loyal to a limit, but has a reason of his own for
coming to the Tower of the High Clerist. He If the party are in the company (or able to go back to) High
seeks the Crown of Kurnos, believed to have Phlug the Two from HCT7: Herringbone Walls, he is
been with the former bishop when the tower was happy to explain what they are doing.
sealed. With it, Vikoka believes that he can be
free of Lord Soth’s control and become the new • “Those mungfungers don’t know what they’re talking
High Priest of Sargonnas. about.”

______________________________________________ High Phlug the Two claims that only he knows the way to
the steel marble, but will continue to lead his band and the
TOWER INTERIOR party around in circles.
Most of the tower interior does not change shortly before
and during the war. Other than to account for the presence HCT19: BATTLEFIELD
of a few trespassers. The looping battle can be made harder if you have already
introduced the vampire Vikoka Baital, and the party have
HCT7 – HERRINGBONE WALLS already discovered his true intentions. Seeking knowledge
This area is currently being used as a base-camp for a band on the location of the Crown of Kurnos, Baital can join the

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evil side in the hopes that victory will enable him to
interrogate the good leader.

HCT42: KHAS ROOM


If Vikoka Baital is still in play at this point, he will likely try
to make his stand against the party before they enter the
room so that he does not have to deal with Virkhus.
If he can somehow manipulate the party into attacking
Virkhus he will do so, otherwise he will attack the party
himself.
______________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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RECOMMENDED
28. BATTLE OF THE REAPER PARTY LV9
Matters at the High Clerist’s Tower will eventually come to
a head, resulting in one of the most bloody and hard-fought
battles of the War of the Lance. If the party are at the tower If the party have not yet entered the tower, or
as it happens, they will witness and take part in it decided against that action and instead choose to
themselves, and help to shape the future of Ansalon. fight the battle for the High Clerist’s Tower on its
_______________________________________________ walls, then they will be in for a long period of
combat, fighting off an oncoming series of
Draconians and Kobolds
The vents listed here also give the dates on which
the original events occurred. These dates can be If this is the case, use the following tables to
reworked for a specific group of players though, determine a minimum of five encounters for the
and need not be strictly adhered to. party to face.

PILGRIMS AT THE GATES First, roll 1d4 for a location:


On Winter Night 7th, 14th and 28th, groups of pilgrims arrive 1. South-West Wall
at the rear gates seeking to worship at the temples within the 2. South Wall
tower. Though they are dressed in a similar fashion to 3. South-East Wall
disguised Draconians, these are true pilgrims who have 4. Knight’s Spur Wall
heard rumours of the returning light of divine magic.
Next, roll 1d4 for a group of enemies:
The knights allow these pilgrims to enter through the 1. Creatures: 1x Aurak Mage and 3x Baaz
western gate and use the temples on the second level, but Soldiers
they are only allowed there during daylight hours. At other [Hard] 8800xp
time they make camp outside of the curtain wall with the
other refugees and mercenaries. 2. Creatures: 3x Sivak Infiltrators
[Hard] 6600xp
They are quiet and respectful people who mostly keep to
their own company, often staying in quiet prayer to either 3. Creatures: 1x Kapak Hunter, 4x Kapak
Kiri-Jolith, Habbakuk or Mishakal. Spies
[Medium] 5750xp
BOGUS PILGRIMS
On Winter Night 21st, another identical batch of Pilgrims 4. Creatures: 3x Knight and 6x Guards
arrive at the gates. The knights are used to this by now and (Undead from Lord Soth’s infantry)
have no reason to question them, so they allow the pilgrims [Medium] 5625xp
through as they have been allowing others. _______________________________________
This group however, have been infiltrated by a group of
Baaz who seek access to the tower so that they can loot for Enemies coming at the walls will be trying to climb
artefacts to use against the knights. over, either using grappling hooks or ladders,
whilst forces striking at the Knight’s Spur will come
Creatures: 4x Baaz Soldiers with a battering ram to try to strike the door down.
[Medium] 5600xp Some, such as the Sivak Infiltrators, may even
have made their way into the courtyards already
If exposed, the Baaz throw aside the costumes and attack and attack from within.
anyone nearby, whether that be knights or civilians. Ideally,
they will make their way towards someone in a leadership This will no doubt prove to be an intense series of
position to assassinate them, or might split into two pairs fights that can push a party to the limit, whilst all
hoping to sabotage more areas of the defences. around more and more Dragonarmy troops will
engage in battle with other defenders (such as
JUGGERNAUT knights and mercenaries).
Distant thunder rolls across the plains on the morning of
Winter Deep 6th, and soon scouts on watchtowers call out This initial assault is not intended by the
in alarm. Dragonarmies to be successful, but to serve as a
Everyone outside the walls starts to make their way inside as means to test the tower’s defences. After some
a wall of Draconians and Kobold archers begins to advance hours of battle they will withdraw and prepare to
for the first full assault. As the outer gates are closed, the their next attack.
Draconians fall against the wall with force, and Kobold
arrows begin to fly over the top landing amongst the tower’s
defenders.

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BATTLE OF THE CLERIST WALL only panic and decline the challenge. This brings shame to
Ten days after the first attack, the Dragonarmies come the knight and the entire knighthood in attendance.
again, this time a wing of Blue Dragons.
If a party member does accept and takes on the fight, they
The alarm goes out from the watchtowers at midday as the will find Vindar a highly skilled warrior who relishes combat
Blue Dragonarmies march again and the defences are greatly. Wielding the mighty sword Joghumitai, Vindar is
prepared. The Dragonarmies attack with even greater force arrogant, cocky and prone to making mistakes, but to date
before now that they have their mighty airborne allies with. has never lost a one-on-one fight.
These airborne menaces attack the walls and the defenders
still huddled in the courtyards, as well as flying around to Creatures: Vindar of Khurman
the rear walls. [Hard] 1650xp

Wining this fight can bring a rousing morale boost to the


Once again the party will have to fight through a
knights, but a loss might be a bitter blow.
series of combat encounters to defend the walls,
their every victory or defeat effecting the final
If Vindar is victorious, then the party also find him to be
outcome of the tower’s defence.
mocking in that victory. After he strikes his opponent down
and takes their last hit point, Vindar laughs mockingly, then
This works exactly as in Juggernaut, except that
turns and starts to walk back towards the Dragonarmy
you roll 1d6 rather than 1d4, and add the
camps. This gives the party time to get to their fallen
following options:
comrade before their death saves are all taken and to save
their companion.
5. North Wall
6. Westgate Camps
_______________________________________ JOGHUMITAI
Legendary
5. Creatures: 1x Young Blue Dragon and The origin of this blade is unknown, but it is
1x Kapak Hunter known to be a sword of life-stealing, and carried
[Hard] 9150xp by a champion of Takhisis.
6. Creatures: 5x Blue Dragon Wyrmlings
[Hard] 7000xp Attunement Required
+1 Longsword
THE CHALLENGE Any natural 20 rolled to hit with this weapon deal
Three days after the second assault – on Winter Deep 9th – an additional 10 necrotic damage, unless the
a challenge comes against the honour of the knights and the target is a construct or undead. The wielder gains
party. temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt.
As evening begins and the sun starts to set, a single knight
approaches the gates of the tower. Its black armour glistens NIGHTFOG
against the dying sunlight despite the dust covering its legs. Beginning with the night following The Challenge, and
A hundred feet from the gate, the knight stops and calls to a repeating for the next three nights, a blinding fog will sweep
sentry in a gruff, course voice suggestive of hardship and ill through the Westgate Pass and over the tower, reaching out
intent. into the plains. This seems to completely obscure the field
of battle between the tower and the Dragonarmy camp.
▪ “Lord Knights of Solamnia! I, Vindar of Khurman seek As night falls, there will be chatter amongst knights,
out Harus of the Knights. He has done me injustice and mercenaries and pilgrims about lights being seen in high
I claim the right to single combat with him, as is my right windows around the tower.
by your Measure. If you be men of honor then I stand Party members are likely to start seeing this as well – lights
ready to fight!” shining in high windows as though the usually blacked-out
tower were suddenly occupied again. As they look to the
There is one knight within the tower named Harus, but he tower and observe these lights, they will hear voices
is a very young man barely initiated into the knighthood. speaking in a variety of languages, all with a similar cadence
His father had the same name, but is long dead having been and tone.
slain in combat. There is a 20% chance that they will personally understand
It is clear that the young Harus is no match for the mighty one of the languages they hear, but even if they don’t the
warrior standing outside he gates, and he tells the party that words are simple enough that they can be repeated and
he is the last of his family line, his only remaining family their meaning learned from others.
being his mother who waits with other refugees in Palanthas.
The Measure allows for another to take on the fight in his ▪ “The answer is within. The time is come. Make haste!”
place as an honorable substitution, and he asks the party if
one of them will fight as his champion. This continues every night from sundown to dawn, starting
from Winter Deep 9th and ending on the 12th, or when the
If nobody steps forward to take on the fight, then Harus can party enter the tower.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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BATTLE OF THE REAPER During this final battle, other events that the party set into
Winter Deep 13th sees the final assault on the High Clerist’s motion may also come to pass and aid in the defence of the
Tower, the Blue Lady herself leading her entire force tower.
against the tower. Run this battle as with Battle of the Clerist
Wall, except that Lord Soth’s forces will have left the field. ▪ The dragon trap can be utilized to great effect if hasn’t
been already, trapping a dragon and allowing it to be
There are a number of factors that will effect how this battle hacked apart not only by the knights outside, but by
plays out, but it should start with a minimum of three good spectral guards still inside.
encounters randomly generated using the same table as with Activating the trap requires a dragon orb of the correct
Battle of the Clerist Wall, except that Lord Soth’s armies colour to be used in the Altar of the Orb. To do this, a
will not take to the field. If their forces are rolled for, character attuned to the orb must pass a DC30 Arcana
instead reroll the dice. check whilst holding the orb.
Success draw every dragon within range (covering at
minimum just beyond the walls) to one of the doors, at
If the encounter rolled for includes dragons, and
which point they try to kill anything between them and
the party have already made use of the lower level
the dragon orb, and find themselves unable to move
dragon trap and the dragon orb in a previous
backwards once inside the tower’s Lower Level.
battle, then these creatures will learn and try to
keep their distance during the opening encounters
▪ If the 33rd Khas Piece was found and placed on the
of the battle. They will make the occasional
Khas Board, then as the party’s second combat
reckless strafing attacks on the wall, but will retreat
encounter begins a gasp is head clearly from nearby
quickly again to avoid falling into the trap.
knights. Behind, at the doors to the tower, the spectral
figure of Virkhus emerges. He raises a sword high, calls
After the initial encounters, the party will face a much an ancient Solamnian battle cry, and then every good
greater challenge as the Blue Lady herself descends to do spectral guard from inside the tower charges out and
battle. defeats the party’s current enemies.
These spectral knights press on to the Knight’s Spur and
Almost simultaneously, two larger dragons will comes out into the open battlefield to attack the enemy directly.
against the wall. The first – Bolt (Bolthanissiar) comes
against the southern wall and attacks any defenders it finds ▪ If the Crown of Yarus was found and restored to its
there, looking to clear out the courtyards. The second – rightful place, then as the party engages in its third
Skie (Khellendros) – lands atop the Knight’s Spur. combat encounter (1d4 turns after the fight begins) a
Skie is the personal steed of the Blue Lady, and after she cold breeze washes over them and other knights who are
lands the Highlord dismounts and starts to do battle with reeling from the shock and pain of battle.
the tower’s defenders herself. Cries of joy sound out from young warriors and old
alike, as a shining figure appears at a high balcony and
Creatures: 1x Adult Blue Dragon (Skie) descended onto the wall, close to one of the temple
[Deadly] 15,000xp doors on the second level of the tower. It is none other
than High Clerist Yarus, returned at the appointed hour
Creatures: 1x Adult Blue Dragon (Bolt) to save his people.
[Deadly] 15,000xp As a young knight nearby whispers the word “miracle”,
Yarus’ light washes over the entire courtyard and wall. It
Creatures: The Blue Lady allows every player character who does not have an evil
[Hard] 8400xp alignment to immediately receive the benefits of as Short
Rest without any time having to pass.
These are given as three separate encounters From then on, Yarus remains in his place and does not
despite being at the same time as the three will move, however any good or neutral creature (who is
likely split off from each other to pursue different specifically working to defend the tower) who ends their
opponents. turn within 15ft of him may regain 1d8 hit points. This
Bolt will attack the courtyards, Skie the Knight’s can not heal Constructs of Undead.
Sour and The Blue Lady the curtain wall. _______________________________________________

Bolt will fight to the death, but if it looks like either are in Whatever the final result, Yarus and Virkhus will disappear
danger then Skie will make towards The Blue Lady and get from the world following this battle. Virkhus and his
the Highlord away from the tower. Skie would rather spectral warriors will fight to the bitter end, and Yarus will
preserve their lives to fight another day. remain only long enough to see the knights cheer in
celebration, or to see his ancient friend Virkhus finally fall
If Skie is caught in the dragon trap however, then The Blue in battle.
Lady will first try to rescue her steed. If that is not possible, _______________________________________________
she will cry in rage and call for a smaller dragon to bear her
away from the tower.

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PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
When half of the Companions reached the
Tower of the High Clerist, they were committed
to battle. Following the lead of a member of their
party who was only recently accepted as a full
night of Solamnia, the Companions fought on the
wall against the invading Dragonarmies.

They had no idea that the Crown of Yarus or the


33rd Khas Piece even existed, and so had no
reason to explore the tower nor encounter
Vikoka Baital. Prior to the battle however, the
IfKender
the encounter rolled
Tasslehoff for includes
Burrfoot dragons,
discovered a wayandinto
the
the tower and discovered the Altar within, thelevel
party have already made use of the lower
dragon trap and
blue dragon orbthe dragon
already orb in
resting a previous
upon it.
battle , then these creatures will
The Companions made use of it as the learn andbattle
try to
keep their distance during the opening
raged, dispatching some of the dragons aiding theencounters
of the battle. They will make the occasional
Dragonarmies.
reckless strafing attacks on the wall, but will retreat
quickly
During again to avoid
the battle fallingthe
however, intoblue
theDragon
trap.
Highlord stepped upon the walls and fought in
person, and it was discovered then that she was in
fact the missing member of their party – Kitiara
Uth Mater, whom they had been searching and
worrying for. She was sworn to Takhisis now, and
killed one of the Companions.

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BATTLE RESULTS
The battle will come to its close after the Blue Lady has landed and had her chance to attack personally, but there
are many other factors to take into account based on the party’s actions thus far, how much help they’ve been in
changing the moral of the knights, and how successful (or unsuccessful their own battles have been.
_______________________________________________

The final result, if you do not wish to come up with a narrative coherent with your party's own plans, can be
determined based on the morale of the Knights of Solamnia – the higher their morale, the better chance they have
of holding the line and therefore holding the tower.

To work out the final morale score for the knights, take their starting score (12) and add the following factors.
Finally, roll 1d6 and add the result to the final total.
Once the final morale score is calculated, determine the final result of the battle by using the table on the next page.

Cumulative, for each combat encounter the party have fought since arriving at the
+1
tower in which no member of the party has been reduced to 0hp.

A player character becomes commander of the forces defending the tower.


+2
Negates any act of disobedience.

The party or the knights successfully used the dragon orb to lure a dragon into the
+3 trap beneath the tower.
Negates the presence of any dragons still in the skies.

+3 A player character risks their own safety for others.

A player character accepts the challenge of and is victorious against Vindar of


+3
Khurman.

+5 A player character sacrifices themselves for others.

+5 Virkhus and his armies return to join battle with the Dragonarmies.

+5 High Clerist Yarus returns to aid in the defence of the tower.

Cumulative, for each combat encounter since arriving at the tower in which any
-1
party members are reduced to 0hp at least two times.

-1 A player character takes an unwise or unheroic action.

-1 A player character deliberately, and against advice, violates the Measure.

-1 A player character actively disobeys or encourages disobedience to commanders.

There are still living dragons in the skies, and the dragon trap has not been
-2
successfully used.

-3 The challenge of Vindar of Khurman is declined, or lost.

So many defeats are suffered and defenders lost that the knights feel they have no
-5 alternative but a reckless charge against the enemy, as befits an honorable act
according to the Measure.

To best keep track of the morale rating, it is suggested that the DM keep a running total of the score from the
moment the party arrive at the Tower of the High Clerist.
This will also help to decide whether or not drastic actions are taken, such as a headlong charge into enemy lines
(which results in a terrible loss for the knights, and the bottom row of the table causing a further -5 modifier to
morale.
Such drastic actions always occur if the morale of the knights drops to 8 or below.

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Knights
Battle Result
Morale
The tower is lost with severe casualties for the Knights of Solamnia. The Dragonarmies
swarm over the outer walls and lay waste to everything they find, though they have no
interest in actually entering the tower for any reason. They only need access to the
Westgate Pass.
The Solamnics irrecoverably lose a minimum of half their forces and have their morale
shattered. The three Lord Knights in command – as well as any other significant knight
4 or less who has come to join the battle – has a 50% chance of having been killed in battle.
Those who survive retreat, believing that with the loss of their strongest citadel there is no
way to defend the rest of the mainland. Many flee to Palanthas hoping to stage a final
defence there, whilst many others make for Caergoth and other harbours, aiming to retreat
to Sancrist for a final stand.
Draconian patrols now sweep across Solamnia and make it a dangerous land to travel in, as
anyone who can now makes for Palanthas as the last place to take refuge.
As above, but the tower falls with roughly 35% losses and a lessened blow to the morale of
5–6
the knights.
The tower falls not to arms, but to cunning. The threat is discovered and the Solamnics
7–8
fight as the rest of the army withdraws. The tower is lost as above, but with only 25% losses.
Pressed hard from all around, the tower stands, but only just. The tower’s defenders loss
9 – 12 10% of their forces, and are painfully aware that their victory was a very slight one, and that
more Dragonarmy forces are still out there.
13 – 14 As above, but with only 5% losses.
The knighthood and their allies hold the tower and the wall, beating the Dragonarmies
15
back. They suffer 10% losses, but importantly their morale holds.
16 As above, but losses are only 5%.
17 As above, except that the defenders suffer no losses.
The Dragonarmies come fiercely, but the defenders of the tower fight them back valiantly.
18
The knights suffer 10% losses, but receive a boost to their overall morale.
19 – 20 As above, but without losses.
The Dragonarmies and the Blue Lady are left reeling at the might and tenacity of the
21 knights. They are forced to withdraw entirely to recover their losses and come back
another day, giving the knights a large boost in morale.
22+ As above, but the Dragonarmies suffer 5% losses that can not be easily recovered.

FRUITS OF VICTORY
If victory is achieved, then the flags of Solamnia still fly over the walls.
A victory it was, but a costly one, and everyone present knows that the Dragonarmies are numerous and will come
again with new forces and new plans. Many knights have fallen but nonetheless victory was achieved. The heads of
dragons slain will be taken to Palanthas to stir the people there into action, and hopefully ring the city into the fight
for the side of good.
A soldier on the wall during the battle will later write poetry about this day, and in one of his most famous will opine:

▪ “The night is not yet ended, but now there is at least a hope of dawn.”

BITTER DEFEAT
Smoke rises from the courtyards of the High Clerist’s Tower as fire continues to spread. The defenders of the tower
now flee along the Westgate Pass planning to seek refuge in Palanthas, as there is nowhere else in all of Ansalon to
go.
The party escapes at great cost, as some knights remain behind to buy time for the evacuation, and painful
nightmares come to mind of what the Dragonarmies can now do to the city of Palanthas.
Some speak of there still being hope, but in this moment it is hard to see.

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ARMY COMPOSITIONS
Though the actual sizes of the armies involved in the Battle of the Reaper will vary in games to better add drama and
make the enemy seem overwhelming, the original narrative and game material gives specific sizes to both forces.

Given below are the compositions of the two armies as given in the original modules, representing the full forces that
invaded the region and might be encountered if a party track the movements of their primary forces.

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

SOLAMNIC DEFENDERS DRAGONARMY 5TH BLUE FLIGHT

ROSE BRIGADE COMMANDER


Lord Aurik Archuran Flight Marshall Kotsam (Baaz)
1st Rose Elite Cavalry (20 knights)
4th Rose Cavalry (60 knights) 4th BLUE DRAGONARMY
3rd Rose Infantry (60 soldiers) Commander Ngith Scaan (Bozak)
41st Draconians (240 Baaz)
SWORD BRIGADE 42nd Draconians (150 Baaz)
Lord Alfred Markenin 43rd Draconians (150 Baaz)
3rd Sword Elite Cavalry (15 knights)
2nd Sword Cavalry (40 knights) 5th BLUE DRAGONARMY
12th Sword Infantry (40 soldiers) Commander Mgagh Oorah (Bozak)
9th Sword Archers (100 soldiers) 51st Dracinians (150 Kapak)
52nd Draconians (150 Kapak)
CROWN BRIGADE 53rd Draconians (90 Kapak)
Lord Michael Jeofrey 1st Ogres (75 Ogres)
4th Crown Elite Cavalry (15 knights)
6th Crown Cavalry (40 knights) 6th BLUE DRAGONARMY
2nd Crown Infantry (60 soldiers) Commander Kreech (Kobold)
7th Crown Archers (100 soldiers) 61st Kobolds (150 Kobolds)
62nd Kobolds (150 Kobolds)
RECRUITED MILITIA 63rd Kobolds (250 Kobolds)
(22 Peasants) 64th Kobolds (250 Kobolds)
____________________________________________
2nd BLUE DRAGONWING
(3 Adult Blue Dragons)
____________________________________________

DRAGONARMY 6TH BLUE FLIGHT

COMMANDER
Flight Marshall Volger

8th BLUE DRAGONARMY


Commander Klar (Sivak)
81st Draconians (180 Bozaks)
82nd Archers (240 Humans)
83rd Cavalry (160 Humans)

9th BLUE DRAGONARMY


Commander Lord Soth (Undead)
91st Cavalry (13 Skeletons)
92nd Chariots (40 Banshees)

3rd BLUE DRAGONWING


(3 Adult Blue Dragons)
____________________________________________

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RECOMMENDED
29. KNIGHTS COUNCIL PARTY LV7
If the knighthood successfully defends the High Clerist’s and their strategy now determines how the knighthood
Tower at the Battle of the Reaper, there is great joy but also prosecutes this war.
great sorrow for all those who were lost in the effort. There
is new hope though, and with that comes a resolution to If neither Uth Wistan nor Crownguard are alive following
unite for the future. the battle for the High Clerist’s Tower, then it will fall to the
knighthood to nominate new candidates in their place.
At this stage in the conflict, the realization will have dawned To make the situation interesting in that case, two potential
that the Knights of Solamnia can no longer afford to be Grand Masters should be put forward whom the party have
fractured or divided by their own petty politics. As such, a already had some contact with. Close allies of Uth Wistan
Grand Circle is called to finally elect a new Grand Master – and Crownguard would best given that they would share the
a single figure to lead the knighthood into battle against the same mindset and potential strategies moving forward. This
Dragonarmies. would give the greatest sense of continuity in terms of what
kind of leaderships are put forward, but this situation would
If the party were involved in the battle, they will find also allow a great chance to a brand new candidate with a
themselves drawn into the debate and the decision, their different way of thinking to be put forward.
presence being welcomed and invited by many who see
them now as heroes of the battle. ELECTORS
______________________________________________ Following the battle, as many high ranking members of the
knighthood as possible will come in answer the summons
CANDIDATES for a Grand Circle. This gathering should number at least
If both are still alive, the two major candidates for the twelve lords from across the three orders of the knighthood,
position are Gunthar Uth Wistan and Derek Crownguard. even divided into four of each order. As the lords arrive,
there will be three supporting Uth Wistan and three
• Uth Wistan advocates for a careful, methodical supporting Crownguard. The other six will ne neutral to
approach to the war, taking back key pieces of territory start, and must be convinced to vote one way or another
and defeating singular foes who pose a risk to victory either in private conversation or through testimony given to
before striking directly at the heart of the enemy. This is the Grand Circle.
why he called the whitestone council in the first place –
to secure alliances that would strengthen the knighthood. If only one of the two prime candidates is alive, then they
He is a reformist, and suggests changes to the Measure start with three supporters whilst any other challenger put
that would allow the knighthood to be a more effective forward starts with no immediate support other than what
fighting force. the party can gather for them.
• Crownguard meanwhile is a more reckless, glory-seeking
figure who advocates direct action. He would not wait The exact names of the twelve (or more) electors who will
for allies to gather their strength as he feels that this gives make the final decision can be taken from any of the
the Dragonarmies time to build their own strength. ancient knighthood families, though should where possible
He is a strict adherent to the Measure, and follows it’s include lords who have had direct contact with the party and
every letter as infallible law. He would change it only to witnessed the party’s deeds – both for good and ill.
add more rules and tenants that require stricter
adherence. Each undecided elector should have their own cause or
strategy for which they are passionate, the discovery of
If only one of the two men are alive, then they would be the which can lead a party to a convincing argument or tale that
de facto choice that most of the knights available for the might convince the elector to vote a particular way. By
council would fall behind. They are the two most noted making promises on behalf of their candidate or telling a
after all. story that fulfills a particular preference, an elector can be
Should the party be unhappy with this option however, they turned one way or another.
have this one opportunity to put forward an new candidate A series of causes should be prepared for each elector
and to argue in their favour. This will be extremely difficult, before this meeting begins, examples of causes including:
as the vast majority of the elder and highest ranked knights
will only vote in favour of other high ranking members. • Staunch traditionalists who will side with whomever most
It is quite possible that the Knights of the Sword – the closely follows the Oath and the Measure.
youngest knights – can be rallied behind particular heroes • Displaced lords whose homes have already been
who have recently done great deeds, but other than by overrun by the Dragonarmies, and who are motivated by
numbers they will have little sway over the final vote. retaking their homelands.
• Knights who feel dishonoured by defeats at the hands of
Without a challenger however, the one living candidate Highlords, Dragonarmy officers, or perhaps even the
between Uth Wistan and Crownguard will take the vote and dreaded Lord Soth, who will side with whoever can give
secure the allegiance of the entire knighthood. Their will them an opportunity for revenge.

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• Knights with tales and troubles of their own including Uth Wistan would also recommend that the party go to the
kidnapped family or lovers, lost family heirlooms or Great Library in Palanthas and speak to Astinus, who
curses put on them by evil beings. Any such knight supposedly records all of Krynn’s history. If anyone will
would serve whichever candidate can offer them a know the location of items of power, lost heroes and
solution to their own problems. legends, or even how to bring the metallic dragons into the
______________________________________________ war, then he will know.

THE PARTY’S ROLE Uth Wistan then plans to march the army east towards the
The party themselves will not usually be granted permission city of Kalaman. This city has so far managed to remain
to vote in the Grand Circle, but will be asked to give intact and unspoiled by the ravages of war primarily by
testimony in support of a particular candidate. obliging any passing Dragonarmies, but it’s people have sent
The knights do not respond overly well to smearing of word that they will warmly welcome liberators and will quite
opponents and words spoken against a candidate, but will happily put their past grievances with the knighthood aside.
respond well to stories the party can tell that paints any
particular candidate in a good light. At Kalaman Uth Wistan plans to gather all of the forces he
can in a second Whitestone Council to plan the next move
They will be expected to tell the truth at all times, even forward. Resting there he can also wait to receive word from
when asked questions about a candidate they do not scouts operating the areas of Sanction and Neraka so that he
support, and if it is feared that they might then a mage might can be fully aware of the enemies numbers, movements and
be called upon to cast a zone of truth that would prevent defences before committing to a full assault on the heart of
deception. the Dragon Empire.

The Grand Circle will also allow for recesses during which Derek Crownguard does not victory well nor lightly
the party are free to speak with each elector, learn their however, believing the election of a reformer to be a death-
stories, and try to persuade them towards one candidate or toll for the knighthood. Upon losing the election he leaves
another. Those acting on behalf of the opposing candidate the tower quickly, taking with him a personal guard and
will be doing likewise however, and the party may find those very few loyal to him alone whom he can convince to
themselves having to compete with greater and greater disobey the Measure this once in the name of honour and
promises. glory.
Crownguard takes his few followers directly south-east,
In the end the party will be invited to witness the final vote planning to march through Lemish and make a direct strike
in which all the assembled lords will make cast their ballots, against the heartlands of the Dragon Empire. Unless
though under normal circumstances they will not vote rescued, it is highly likely that his forces will be defeated
themselves, even if one of them is a Knight of Solamnia. swiftly in an inglorious rout. Crownguard will either be
The one exception will be if there is a true cleric amongst killed there and then, pierced as he called for glory, or he
the party and the vote results in a tie. In this case, the word will be shamed further by being captured and brought to the
of a cleric would be permitted to break the tie in favour of dungeons of the Dark Queen’s Temple in Neraka. As a
either candidate. valuable prisoner, he will be presented to Takhisis as a gift
during the Second Council of the Highlords, most likely by
CONSEQUENCES OF CHOICE the blue Highlord whose lands Crownguard would have
Once the final votes are in, the result is final and the been captured in.
knighthood will have it’s first Grand Master since the
Cataclysm. The results may well dictate the outcome of the DEREK CROWNGUARD IS ELECTED
war, and write the history of Ansalon. (Also applies for any candidate with a similar strategy.)
The election of Derek Crownguard is a bitter blow for
GUNTHAR UTH WISTAN IS ELECTED Gunthar Uth Wistan, who takes it as a sign that his ways are
(Also applies for any candidate with a similar strategy.) no longer wanted within the knighthood. He accepts the
Gunthar Uth Wistan immediately calls for all knights to result, and though Crownguard is boastful and egotistical in
begin assembling, and to ready for war. Word is sent back victory, Uth Wistan opts for retirement. He commends all
to his castle in Sancrist for the remaining forces there to those assembled, asks that his supports put their faith and
make their best speed to the mainland, and messages are loyalty in the knighthood, then steps down and departs. His
also sent to all of those allies who pledged their support at final words are to the party, suggesting that they travel to
the Whitestone Council asking that they too begin to Palanathas to implore the city once again to send troops to
march. aid in the war. He suggests as well that the party go to the
Great Library in Palanthas and speak to Astinus, who
From here, Uth Wistan has a three-step plan. supposedly records all of Krynn’s history. If anyone will
First he intends to secure Palanthas and to once again ask know the location of items of power, lost heroes and
the grand city to send troops to aid the war. With a great legeends, or even how to bring the metallic dragons into the
alliance behind him he hopes to convince the senate that war, then he will know.
victory is achievable, and to save time he may send the party
to make this plea on his behalf. Heroes of the war would be Little fanfare is given as Uth Wistan returns to Sancrist to
very influential with the people, as would a true cleric. wait for news of the war. Instead Crownguard acts as though

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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he always had been Grand Master, and that the position was
rightfully his all along.
He orders an immediate mustering of all knights in
preparation for an attack on the Dragonarmies. He believes
enough time has been wasted on useless talk and prattle,
and that the other nations of the world will either act now
when they see him march or should never have been
trusted to act at all.

Crownguard plans to march east at once towards Kalaman,


to retake the city. There a day or two might be spared to
wait for knights still coming to catch up, but then
Crownguard will turn the Knights of Solamnia south to a
direct attack on Neraka and Sanction.
______________________________________________

PATH OF THE COMPANIONS


One of the Companions was themselves an
aspiring knight – Sturm Brightblade, a member
of an ancient family amongst the knights.
The first encounter other knights in Tarsis
whilst searching for some way to escape the
Dragonarmies. There they learn of the
dragonorbs, and as the Companions split, those
heading south in search of a dragonorb are
joined by Derek Crownguard and his retinue.

Claiming the orb held by Feal-Thas, this group


and Crownguard travel to the Whitestone
Council in Sancrist where Sturm’s actions are
put on trial, Crownguard accusing him of
cowardice for withdrawing instead of fighting an
enemy. Though found guilt, Gunthatr Uth
Wstan punishes him by making Sturm a knight
and giving him command of some of the forces
defending the High Clerist’s Tower.

At the tower, half of the Companions fight


against the Dragonarmies and discover that an
old ally has joined their enemy. There the
newly knight Sturm falls in battle, but Laurana
of the Qualinesti rises as a famed and
honoured general for all the forces of good,
called the Golden General by the knights who
put themselves under her command.

The knights, afterwards armed with


dragonlances and mounted on metallic
dragons, then begin an effective fight back until
Laurana is captured. They assemble at
Kalaman as the Companions heads for Neraka
to rescue their allies and to bring Berem to the
temple.

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RECOMMENDED
30. PLAINS OF DUST PARTY LV7
If the party escape south from Abanasinia, there is a good taken refuge amongst the bandits and brigands who reside
chance that they may have to cross the Plains of Dust to in the former farming village of Stone Ross. A family of
reach safety. Only by crossing this barren wasteland can three adults and two children have taken residence in a
travelers gets from Thorbardin and Tarsis to the distant long-abandoned farmhouse, whilst others camp in fine
realms of Icereach of Silvanesti. Elven tents around the outside of the house, close to the
______________________________________________ stone labyrinth at the heart of Stone Rose. The refugees are
given their space by the others who live in Stone Rose,
QINDARAS though they are willing to trade if approached.
Since the advancement of the Dragonarmies, the rulers of
Qindaras were quick to ally themselves to the Dragon Alhana brings the griffons down on the outskirts of the
Empire under the promise of safety and security, and a village, where she receives a warm welcome from her
small amount of revenge for those renegade mages within people. Weary children look up in excitement at the arrival
it’s walls against the Orders of High Sorcery. of the princess, and the family in the farmhouse - a group of
nobles taking the property by right of their heritage and
As the Dragonarmies have advanced, they have left a status - invite her to in their camp, though they speak only in
garrison from the Red wing in Qindaras, under orders to Silvanesti. Alhana will respond in kind, and will inform the
watch for Elven refugees and to kill them on sight. party afterwards that her people remain wary of non-Elves
______________________________________________ but she has “allowed” the party to join her in the camp.
Alhana clearly demonstrates great concern and love for her
ALHANA’S GRIFFON FLIGHT people as she interacts with them, even speaking with
One of the most likely ways that a party will learn of what is common-looking children without care for her own status,
happening in Silvanesti is from princess Alhana Starbreeze, but the elder Silvanesti will speak only with her whenever
daughter of Lorac Caladon and current heir to the throne. possible and will pay little heed to the non-Elven members
After the evacuation of the forest realm, she heads west over of the party. The children are willing to whisper to outsiders
the Plains of Dust towards Tarsis, unaware that it has fallen in common however, so long as their parents are not
far since it was the heart of the Kharolian Empire. She goes watching. They don't know much, but can tell the stories of
to the city of Tarsis seeking heroes like those who walked what happened in the forest when the nightmare fell and
the world centuries ago - those such as Waylorn they were forced to flee.
Wyvernsbane and the wizard Magius, who would bravely
enter Silvanesti in order to recover the dragonorb and The refugees have little in the way of food, and are tired
rescue her father, the Speaker of the Stars. from a long journey. All they can offer is shelter and
warmth, although there may be a seamstress or metal-
In Tarsis, Alhana stays at the Red Dragon Inn, but ventures worker who can repair simple damage to clothing or
out often searching the streets and markets for such heroes equipment if they are offered something useful in trade.
as she believes must be somewhere in the world. Those are
the most likely place to find her, or for her to find the party, In the morning Alhana will wish to depart early, but before
though there is also a chance to meet princess Alhana in the leaving will discretely hand a pouch of silver to the family.
Halls of Justice after she is arrested by Governor Waythorn. This will be the last of the coin she has on her.
Full details of her movements in the city can be found in the On the flight here, the griffons acted on their own will,
Tarsis module. choosing to obey Alhana in order to help her. From the
next morning the princess gives the party control over their
If the party meet Alhana, hear her story and agree to come own mounts, though the griffons remain sentient and
immediately to help, then the princess tells the party that intelligent. They respond well to requests and partnerships,
she has a team of griffons nearby to fly them all over the and badly to force and aggression.
Plains of Dust, and she will want to depart as quickly as
possible. Such a departure may be delayed however, as the SECOND CAMP - WALLACH
imminent Dragonarmy attack on Tarsis may force the party Alhana steers the party towards the deserted ruins of the old
to deal with more immediate dangers before they can reach town of Wallach for the second night, landing on the
Alhana’s flying mounts. outskirts of the town at the end of a long road that leads to
the abandoned temple of Zivilyn. Looking away from the
Taking flight, the griffons bear the party away from Tarsis city, the party see a single grand vallenwood tree standing on
quickly, and on Alhana’s orders make first for the a hill in the distance known as the World Tree.
settlement of Stone Rose, and then proceed over the barren
plains over the course of a few days making regular stops There seems to be no danger, and no monsters or bandits
along the way. prowling the ruins, so Alhana suggests taking rest within the
ruins themselves.
FIRST CAMP – STONE ROSE
Since fleeing their forest home, a few Silvanesti Elves have If any characters choose to spend the night inside the

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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temple of Zivilyn, or outdoors under the vallenwood tree It was a contingent of the red Dragonarmy that came
away from the town, then one amongst them (most likely through, on their way to meet up with the blue forces before
the character with the highest Wisdom score) will receive a attacking Tarsis, and some of them stayed behind. In a
vision while they dream. In this dream they walk out to the collection of ruined buildings surrounding an old stable
World Tree and begin to climb it, but as they do it grows house the party spy a band of goblins who were left behind
taller and taller until it is the height of a mountain. Still they to act as scouts and messengers. Poorly trained, they have
climb though, until they reach a branch close to the top no scouts or watches set, but will react suddenly and
where they discover an old man with a toothless grin. He violently if they see fires elsewhere in the ruins, or become
offers them a medallion bearing the image of a tree. aware of the party by any means.

DC14 Intelligence (Religion): If the character succeeds at


this check, they recognize both the image on the medallion Creatures: 3x Goblin Boss & 6x Goblin
and the form of the old man as representations of Zivilyn, [Easy] 2250xp
the neutral god of wisdom, insight and enlightenment.
The goblins are not alone in the ruins, as the officers of the
There should be no ambiguity in what the god is offering in red Dragonarmy did not trust them to stay behind on their
this vision - his patronage. If the character rejects the own. As such, they left the young red dragon Smolder to
medallion then no harm is done and the dream ends. It the keep control of them and to make scouting passes over the
medallion is accepted however, then the dream continues Plains of Dust. Smolder nests in the stable house and is an
and the character sees themself climb back down to the effective leader, though he will try to marshal the goblins to
ground and walk away from the tree, new grass and flowers fight on his behalf if he can. If the goblins are defeated or
growing under their feet. They wake in the morning fully forced to flee, the dragon himself will attack, however if
refreshed and having suffered no ill effects from camping reduce to one third of his starting hit points he will retreat,
out in the cold. Otherwise, everything is as it should be, flying to Qindaras to alert the forces there and to seek
except that their gaze is drawn to the high boughs of the tree reinforcements.
for the rest of the morning.
Creatures: 1x Young Red Dragon
DC16 Strength (Athletics): Should any character climb the [Hard] 5900xp
World Tree during this visit, whether they received the
vision of not, then in the highest reaches they can find a DC14 Wisdom (Perception): If the stable house is
leather satchel tucked safely between two branches. Within searched, the party can find two weeks worth of rations for
is a well-preserved tome describing the ways, teachings and the goblin warband (though it is goblin-made food), two
rituals of Zivilyn, as well as a Medallion of Faith exactly like barrels of wine and ten full waterskins. The goblin’s sleeping
the one in the dream. From that point on the character may area also contains six shortswords, six small wooden shields,
choose, if they wish, to take levels in divine spellcasting and goblin-fitting leather armour.
classes so long as they devote themselves to the teaching of A small chest bound in iron requires a successful DC15
Zivilyn. Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to open, and contain
400sp, three jaspers (worth 50sp each) and a potion of fire
THIRD CAMP – RUINS OF ELIAL resistance.
Alhana’s third camp is amongst the abandoned ruins of a Smolder’s nesting area contains an amulet of health.
town once called Elial. The princess descends from her
flight to land towards the southern edge of town and says GRIFFON LOST (OPTIONAL)
that it is best to make camp within the walls, but no sooner Without warning, Alhana’s griffon mounts become agitated
does she start to retrieve her pack from the griffon’s back and started banking left and right, splitting apart and acting
does a horn sound, followed by a menacing growl. It is as though on a hunt. Their heads and eyes dart side to side,
distant, perhaps on the other side of the town, but it is loud and despite all of Alhana’s best efforts, the griffons turn
enough to cause alarm. sharply and start to descend. In the plains below the party
see a collection of dark specks moving around - creatures of
If the party remain where they are and take cover in the some kind controlling a beast, but as the mounts descend
southern ruins, then chances are high that they can remain faster and faster the party realize that they are heading
there for the night unnoticed, however if they light any fires directly for a camp of ogres!
there will be a 40% chance of the occupants of the northern
ruins will see it and come to investigate. The ogres have captured a young griffin and broken one of
it’s wings. Most of the group now have it tied down and are
DC14 Dexterity (Stealth): If the party choose to investigate tormenting it, while one amongst them has started a large
the horn and growl for themselves, they can sneak into the fire and is assembling what seems to be a large spit. They
centre of the town and discover signs of habitation. It looks mean to cook and devour the griffin, and Alhana’s steeds
like a very large number of humanoid creatures passed will not simply pass by and allow this to happen.
through here only days ago (perhaps up to a week) and left a
mess behind them, including discard fire-pits, pots and Such is their size and the volume of their shrieks that the
pans, and scraps of disgusting food. griffins will be noticed on their approach, so the ogres make
ready for a fight.

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Creatures: 7x Ogre THE FOREST’S EDGE
[Deadly] 7875xp Alhana remains mostly silent until they reach the border of
Silvanesti, and there she hesitates for just a moment before
stepping in, expecting the party to follow. Now that the
This is presented as an extremely difficult fight, threshold has been crossed, Alhana speaks up again and
however this is partially due to the added allies elaborates on why exactly they have come to the forest and
the party have in their griffin mounts what she plans to do as she leads the party towards the
Thon Thalas river.
The griffins will act of their own accord, and try to make it
clear that they would rather the party dismount while they “My father is the Speaker of the Stars, the Lord High
see to freeing the wounded griffin. The griffins will attack Speaker for the Elves.” “Three years ago, my people were
ogres where they can, but act primarily to defend the young locked in a desperate struggle against the Dragonarmies
griffin and keep all ogres away from it. invading our land from the north. It seemed for a time that
our efforts would stem that tide. Yet in the pitched heat of
If the ogres are defeated, then the griffins will set to using that battle and the evacuation, something happened. Our
their claws and beaks to sever the ties that keep the young land began to twist into horrible apparitions of our worst
griffin down, but it’s broken wing will prevent it from flying, nightmares. My father was still within the city when this
possibly ever again. Alhana’s griffins will insist on taking it to happened. It is to rescue him and reclaim the land that I
safety, though they are not necessarily certain where there need your aid. I fear he attempted to use the dragon orb to
can go at this point. They may simply refuse to fly from aid our people, but something went horribly
here, wanting to care for their own first and foremost. They wrong.” “Silvanesti remains one of the few places in
will continue to carry Alhana and the party to their Krynn where the Dragonarmies do not go. If we can find
destination, but they will do so on foot to escort their my father and the source of the nightmare, the Dark
wounded comrade, effectively doubling any future travel Queen’s attention would be turned for a time from your
times. precious western freelands. That alone should be worth the
price of your help. But there is one bit of lore unknown to
If the griffin’s wing can somehow be healed, then the griffins many of the wise. There have always been dragonlances in
are thankful and a new member will join the flight, allowing Silvanesti.”
them to carry the party and their equipment more
comfortably. Alhana can answer further questions based on the
information in The Tragedy of Lorac Caladon.
FOURTH CAMP – GRIMWATER COULEE ______________________________________________
Alhana aims the party to a ravine south-east of Purstal, and
advises that nobody go into the ruins. She further advises TROLL HUNTER
that no-one even looks that way, as the town is under a deep A deadly hunter in the service of the Dragonarmies will
curse and is haunted by the long dead. Alhana and the have been tracking the party since they left Abanasinia or
griffins will refuse to go anywhere near the town. Tarsis, having been paid by officers of the red wing to hunt
the party down and return with proof of their elimination.
FIFTH CAMP – BLACK STAIN
With the forest in sight and perhaps only ten miles away, This hunter is far smarter than other trolls, more skilled,
Alhana leads the party to a trio of ruined towers on a hilltop and very familiar with the terrain of the Plains of Dust. It
for their last camp. The griffins land at the foot of the hill, will hide somewhere where it can either find total cover or
and Alhana informs the party that the griffins will be move swiftly over difficult terrain, and then ambush the
departing at this point. They do not wish to get any closer to party when they come near. It could also wait until nightfall,
Silvanesti because of the dark curse that has gripped the and try to sneak into the party’s camp to catch them by
forest, so it is best to unburden the mounts now before they surprise.
leave. Alhana also suggests that the party get a good night’s
sleep, as the final ten miles journey will be on foot. Creatures: 1x Awgmung the Troll Hunter
[Hard] 5000xp
That night, as the party are resting, each character must
make a DC18 Wisdom saving throw. Those that fail find Awgmung does not speak much, and if interrogated will tell
their sleep troubled by nightmares that they simply can’t only that he was hired by the “red dragons” to find and kill
recall when they wake. For the next few hours they find the party, and was specifically told to bring back the heads
themselves continuously tired, and only once they get of any Elves amongst the party. He knows nothing of the
moving again does their strength return. Dragonarmy’s other plans.
Alhana might suggest that being so close to the towers might
have been the cause, but in truth she knows that it is the BLUE WING KAPAKS
result of being close to Silvanesti, and that the effect may get Blue wing Draconians have been sent as scouts into the
worse. Plains of Dust to harass and capture any refugees they can
Those characters who failed the save have one level of find. This particular group has the fortune (or misfortune)
exhaustion, though it wears off after 1d6 hours. of coming across the party.

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There is a 20% chance that the Draconians spot the party about both the red and blue wings operating in the Plains of
first and have a chance to ambush them, gaining the benefits Dust.
of surprise. There is a further 20% however that it is the
party who see the Draconians first, perhaps examining some If antagonized the centaurs will fight ferociously to defend
tracks or harassing a group of refugees. The remaining 60% themselves, though if three or more are slain Phlegraeus will
chance covers the two groups coming across each other and order a fighting retreat.
becoming aware of each other at the same time.
Creatures: 10x Centaur
Creatures: 1x Kapak Hunter & 4x Kapak Skirmisher [Deadly] 11,250xp
[Hard] 5200xp
Each centaur carries weapons, food and supplies for a long
This group of Kapaks will primarily deal nonlethal damage, journey. Phlegraeus also carries three bottles of fine wine,
as they are under orders to bring prisoners back. They have and a ram’s horn used to call his people into battle.
descriptions of the party, and have been especially on the
lookout for Solamnics and Elves. If any three of the group GNOLL HUNTERS
of Kapaks are killed, the other two will attempt to flee. Any A band of Gnolls working with the Dragonarmies have been
that escape will go for reinforcements, and within the next sent out from Qindaras to hunt for refugees and deserters.
1d3 hours will return to this area with an additional larger They will either lay in wait having spotted the party and
force. ambush them quickly, or they will surrounded and
approach the party’s camp from all sides. They do not
Creatures: 1x Kapak Hunter & 8x Kapak Skirmisher attack immediately though, instead they make sure to
[Deadly] 8500xp surround the party and demand their surrender. If they do
not get an immediate surrender however, or face any signs
BLUE DRAGON SCOUT of hostility, the Gnolls will attack.
The blue wing has sent out a number of smaller dragons
with riders to scout the plains for groups of refugees, Creatures: 1x Gnoll Pack Lord & 12x Gnoll
rounding them up and causing such terror in some that they [Hard] 4950xp
are driven into the waiting arms of a draconian patrol.
Such a dragon scout passes over the party, keeping 100ft Each Gnoll is clad in poor quality leather armour and
above the ground. It circles overhead before making three carries a heavy wooden shield seemingly made out half of a
passes over the party, attacking and then flying away again. wooden door. Each is also carrying 3d6+10sp, and the pack
Once it has made all three of it’s passes, the dragon flies leader has a small pouch containing three gems worth 100sp
away to the north to report what it has seen to the larger each.
forces. ______________________________________________

Creatures: 1x Young Blue Dragon & 1x Kapak Skirmisher JUST DESSERTS


[Deadly] 7800xp
This encounter is variable depending on how the
The dragon will try to terrify the party and strike with its party reacted to the encounter A Choice in
claws whilst it’s rider hurls javelins. Tarsis.

CENTAUR BAND There are two possible encounters here that serve as
As the party set up camp, they are spotted by a band of extensions to the encounter A Choice in the Tarsis module.
centaur nomads. Annoyed already that the Dragonarmies They depend on whether not the party chose to help an old
have come into their territory, the centaurs approach to couple who were being attacked by thieves.
investigate these new intruders.
THE PARTY HELPED THE OLD COUPLE
Led by Phlegraeus Northwind, this band of centaur hunters The party hear the creak of old wooden wheels as a pair of
has already slain a few draconian patrols, and are unfriendly refuges passes them by. An oxcart loaded with supplies and
towards any trespassers on their land. They approach personal belongings is driven by a whiskered old man, a
bearing weapons and threaten the party, demanding that grey-haired woman sitting next to him. The party
they state their business. Their intention will be to force the immediately recognize them as the same couple they saved
party to move on immediately, though they can be from thieves as they escaped Tarsis.
convinced that the party have friendly intentions. If this is The couple are friendly and talkative, and quickly ask if the
the case, the centaurs will impose themselves by joining the party would be happy to for them to join next time they set
party’s camp, and will escort the party away peacefully after up camp.
they are rested. They are extremely thankful for the party’s earlier help, and
offer a bit of advice in payment of that debt.
If Phlegraeus does stay with the party during their rest, he
will be very interested to hear about their adventures, and ▪ “A hard job it is that you have before you. Still, if there
shares some stories of his own. He can tell the party where be any in Krynn who can accomplish it, my money will
he has encountered draconian patrols, and what he knows be riding on you.”

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▪ “The glacier calls, doesn’t it? You’ll be on the ice before
too long unless I miss my guess, for that’s where you’re
needed.”
▪ “Some advice for all of you: follow the path of the white
bear, for those you aid shall aid you in return.”

If ask what this means, both shrug and act confused, as


though they don’t remember giving the advice at all.

THE PARTY DID NOT HELPED THE OLD COUPLE


Soon after the party leave Tarsis, their camp is attacked by
the same band of thieves who attacked the old couple
outside of the city.
Two of the thieves use potions of invisibility to sneak into
the camp to steal whatever valuable they can, primarily
trying to get their hands on weapons and magic items. The
others meanwhile stay 60ft away from the camp and will
create a distraction if necessary to draw attention away from
those inside the camp.
The thieves’ plan is to get what they can and then escape
without being noticed, but if the thieves inside the camp are
seen the others will attack to free their comrades. Should
half be killed, the others will panic and flee.

Creatures: 8x Spy
[Medium] 4000xp
______________________________________________

PATH OF THE COMPANIONS


The Companions of the novels spend almost no
time at all in the Plains of Dust, half of them
only passing over on griffon-back in the
company of Alhana Starbreeze, who has
managed to recruit them to save her homeland
of Silvanesti. They stopped only briefly along
the journey to camp for the night before
pressing on, not taking the time to explore the
mysteries or tragedies of the plains for
themselves.

The other half of the group meanwhile blazed a


fast journey south from Tarsis, passing quickly
through Zeriak and then taking the sea-route
back rather than crossing the Plains of Dust
again.

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RECOMMENDED
31. SILVANESTI PARTY LV7
For much of the War of the Lance, the realm of Silvanesti is Silvanost. Each player who wants to should toss each of the
an isolated region entirely cut off by the Nighmare – a coins as it thrown, the results between heads or tails
magical aura of despair caused by Speaker of the Stars dictating the version of the vision they see.
Lorac Caladon. Horror and pain permeate everything – The visions then all start the same way, with the water
from streets to trees, but a party brave enough to enter may rippling to reveal the image of withered trees bleeding from
be able to rescue the trapped Speaker and recover items of horrible cracks in their bark. Dark and loathsome creatures
great power. move in the dense and mangled brushamd then a twisted
If the party have been to Tarsis, they may have met with tower appears standing among the winding streets of a
Alhana Starbreeze there and been recruit for a mission into tortured city. The vision enters the tower and shows the
Silvanesti, or they may reach it’s border themselves and find Silvanesti Speaker upon his throne, his mouth agape in a
that despite it’s danger, the Dragonarmies are just as silent scream. Shadows shift behind him, prodding him,
unwilling to enter as anyone else. tormenting him.
______________________________________________ How the vision concludes depends on the coin tosses.

ALHANA’S PATH THROUGH SILVANESTI Heads – Tails – Tails: Damage by Kin


If the party have come to Silvanesti in the company of A weeping elf woman draws her sword and strikes the
Alhana Starbreeze, then she proposes a direct route she has Speaker. He bleeds, yet all around him fades into mist as
known for all of her life from the western border directly to dawn rises behind him.
the capital city of Silvanost. It is the path she used to leave,
and in times long past would have been a road by which Tails – Tails – Heads: Power of the Gods
visitors could reach the centre of the forest. A woman standing before the Speaker raises her hands.
The events described here are those that follow Alhana’s There is a blinding flash, the Speaker falls from his throne,
path. The party should be free to follow or deviate from it and the evil about him vanishes.
as much as they like, and can encounter any number of
other incidents along their way, the events here detailing Tails – Heads - Tails: Conscience of the Speaker
only the most important milestones. The Speaker stirs fitfully on his throne, as though he hears
voices trying to awaken him. A man in tattered robes,
1. THON-THALAS chained to a wall, can just about be seen in the distance
Any road through Silvanesti will quickly come to it’s first shouting towards the Speaker. His voice cannot possibly be
great hurdle - the Thon-Thalas river. Covered by a vast heard across the void, yet his words seem to reach the
canopy of branches and leaves and runs from the north-west sleeping Speaker. Lorac awakens with a cry, and the evil
of the forest, winding through multiple times until it meets around him vanishes.
the southern sea at an opening flanked by the Towers of Eli.
In most places the river is 100ft wide, and usually quite Tails – Heads - Heads: Love of Alhana
tranquil even though it continues to slowly flow ever A sobbing elf woman falls at the feet of the Speaker. Her
onwards. Since the raising of the nightmare, the water has tears drop on his robe and her hand touches his arm with
become unpleasantly warm, and the air around it has the lightness of a feather. The Speaker screams as the world
become stagnant as though something nearby were slowly about him crumbles.
rotting away.
Tails – Tails – Tails: Damage by Kin
Alhana, or any other elf, will be aware of an old legend A sobbing elf woman raises her weapon above the Speaker,
regarding the river, though those of Silvanesti descent will then strikes. Her blow causes him to bleed. He awakens,
know the legend to be a truth rather than mere superstition. and the world dissolves around him. Suddenly ripples cross
According to the legend, anyone who makes an offering of the water. A figure of light stands over the Speaker. In a
coins into the waters of the Thon-Thalas may see their blur of motion, the Speaker falls lifeless, and the walls
future reflected on it’s surface. Alhana, still bearing some crumble slowly about him.
distrust, will insist that all non-Elves take part in the
superstition, and is quite happy if Elves do as well. By doing Heads – Tails – Heads: Power of the Gods
so, they may reveal a way by which the party can rescue A figure surrounded by light points a finger at the Speaker.
Silvanesti and the Speaker of the Stars. If asked, Alhana says The air wavers, the light splits the darkness and awakens the
she consulted the river on her way out, and it led her to Speaker as the world about him fades. Suddenly, ripples
Tarsis. cross the water. Beside the Speaker is seen a glowing orb
filled with both darkness and light. It falls to the floor and
Three coins must be cast into the river to receive a vision, shatters as the hall fills with evil. The Speaker awakens, and
and each of a different denomination. Once a character has the evil crumbles into dawn.
thrown the coins into the water, the water ripples and an
image resolves itself in the surface that all can see, showing Heads – Heads – Tails: Conscience of the Speaker
them a vision of the final meeting with Lorac Caladon in The Speaker stirs fitfully upon his throne as though he

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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hears voices trying to awaken him. A man in tattered robes, winds into the forest beyond. The bridge seems sturdy and
chained to a wall, can barely be seen in the distance. His undisturbed, and can be crossed without incident, though
voice cannot possibly be heard across the void, yet his words once over it the party will be in the Bleeding Woods and
seem to reach the sleeping Speaker. Lorac awakens with a truly inside the nightmare realm. Anything could happen
cry, and the evil around him vanishes. Suddenly, ripples from here on.
cross the water. A figure of light stands over the Speaker. In
a blur of motion, the Speaker falls lifeless and the walls 3. THE BLEEDING WOODS
slowly crumble about him. In this area, the trees have been hideously changed. Each is
twisted and wracked as though tortured by endless pain, the
Heads – Heads – Heads: Love of Alhana soul of each tree bound arching itself in any attempt to
A weeping elf woman falls at the feet of the Speaker. Her escape the misery and agony. Branches twist, and roots claw
tears drop onto his robe and her hand brushes his arm, her across the ground in a desperate attempt to flee the forest,
touch light as a feather. The Speaker screams as the world and from each blood-red sap flows freely from wounds
around him crumbles. Suddenly, ripples cross the water. along the trunk, the tree bleeding endlessly.
Beside the Speaker is seen a glowing orb filled with both As the party pass through, cries of pain linger in the
darkness and light. It falls to the floor and shatters as the distance, and the smell of blood and death pervades
hall fills with evil. The Speaker awakens, and the evil everything. Dark forms move above in the green mist,
crumbles into dawn. sometimes manifesting as dreamshadows.

The meanings of each vision are as follows: 4. ABANDONED SETTLEMENT


Alhana will take the party through a small abandoned
Damage by Kin : Caladon will awaken if he takes village, it’s buildings crafted from a beautiful rose quartz and
any kinds of damage from Alhana herself. shaped by magic into round, cosy homes with peak roofs.
Some are small towers in their own right, whilst most are
Power of the Gods: Any non-damaging spell cast simple single-storey dwellings. What charm the village might
by a Cleric or Paladin will awaken the Speaker. have had fades quickly however, as the party notices trails of
blood leading out of many buildings as though something
Conscience of the Speaker: Reciting the story of bleeding were dragged out. Red hand and claw marks are
the Dark-Night Child will stir the Speaker’s heart. found all over many of the homes, and inside the walls of
most are splattered with the same blood.
Love of Alhana: A gentle touch from his daughter
has a chance to awaken Caladon, but it not Despite the amount of blood, the party can not find a single
assured. body in the entire village.

These are explained in greater detail in Ending 5. SWAMPMIRE


The Nightmare later in this module, detailing the Prior to the activation of the dragonorb, this area was a
final encounter at the Tower of the Stars. As well simple bog tended to by Silvanesti woodshapers and druids.
as the four possible routes to success given above, Now however it has become an untended swamp, and has
there are two more options which are also expanded out into more of the forest, covering a radius of
explained in greater detail later. These are: many miles.
The murky water varies between one and four feet deep,
Breaking the Orb: Destroying the dragonorb will and counts as difficult terrain.
end the dream.
The water also contains a large number of sudden sinkholes
Death of the Speaker: Caladon’s death means that eight-foot deep into which a creature could easily drop
nothing is powering the orb, and so the nightmare without warning. Any creature that passes through the
will end. swampmire that does not use some method to check the
ground ahead of it as it walks has a 10% chance of dropping
into one of these sinkholes, which must be checked for
It is very likely that, if she is with the party, Alhana will be three times - once when a quarter of the way through, once
highly upset at the prospects these visions offer. She may at halfway, and finally once at the three-quarter mark. Those
need a moment or two to herself, but will soon regain her creatures who step into a sinkhole take 1d6 bludgeoning
composure and commit herself to finding a path to saving damage from the impact, and must make a DC15
her father. Constitution saving throw. If they succeed then the creature
is able to take a breathe before sinking, but those that fail
She concludes by saying that it is best to move on, and that begin suffocating immediately.
there is a bridge a little ways along the river that can see Some creatures who drop into a sinkhole may see
them safely over the waters. dreamshadows below the water, possibly of old friends long-
drowned.
2. BRIDGE OF DREAMS
The road from the eastern border passes over a great stone Here and there, odd black-crystal formations protrude from
bridge which spans the width of the Thon-Thalas and then the swamp. If the party choose to investigate them, they

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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discover that they cast disturbing reflections, showing any growing on their eastern sides towards the river, the likes of
creature reflected in their surface as an undead form of which none of the party will ever have seen before.
themselves, skin decayed and hanging loose. If ingested this fungus is poisonous, and a creature will have
to make a DC16 Constitution save. Should they fail, the
DC14 Wisdom (Perception): After a little while, a creature creature gains the poisoned condition, and must repeat the
may become aware that a small floating light is following save at the end of every hour. Each subsequent failure will
them. It is a will’o’wisp, and it always maintains a safe result in one level of exhaustion, though if the creature can
distance, just out of direct sight. survive until the end of the twelfth hour the poison will have
run it’s course, and the effect will end.
6. RIVER OF TEARS
The Thon-Thalas is usually a pristine crystal-clear river, but From the village, any creature that looks out over the river
the nightmare has started to slowly pollute it. Where the sees two great pillars of rose quartz standing on the opposite
road from the western border starts close to the water at shore, to either side of a jetty and a broken stone road.
their clearest, by the time the river turns north the rot, Beyond that, the black shadow of a city of towers stands in
mould and detritus of the nightmare forest has turned the the darkness, barely visible except by breaks in the glowing
water oily black. Now the only reflections on it’s surface are green mist.
the tortured trees, and the banks are overgrown with slimy
moss. Any attempt to cross the river will be hazardous, as the oily
From here on, though the river continues to move slowly, waters are now also home to a windlass, a predator sea
there are many sudden currents roughly 300ft apart that will creature with barbed tentacles, much like a cross between a
force anything floating on it towards one of the banks. vicious rose bush and an octopus. It will attack any craft that
pass over the river, attempting first to knock creatures
The river is also not firmly under the control of the overboard and then to drag it’s victims into the depths.
nightmare, and will feature many dreamshadows and
dreamwraiths. If such a creature is on the bank of the river, Creatures: 1x Wyndlass
anything floating will inevitable be pushed towards it by a [Hard] 5000xp
current. ______________________________________________

7. TEARS CROSSING SILVANOST ENCOUNTERS


The thick, oily waters of the river slow so much that it barely Once the party reach the city of Silvanost, there are
seems to move at all now. Dead leaves clump across it’s additional encounters that may be has that can expound on
surface, covering shadows of dark shapes that seem to the disaster that has befallen Silvanesti, and provide new
follow anyone who tries to cross the water here. opportunities for lifting the Nightmare.
All around, strange voices call out in a myriad of different
languages, crying out in pain and begging for someone to DARK-NIGHT CHILD
come and help them.
This encounter takes place if, when tossing coins
8. TEARS PARTING into the Thon-Thalas at the edge of the forest, any
The Thon-Thalas splits here to pass either side of Fallon party member generated the result for Conscience
Island. The trees are taller here, creating a tall and of the Speaker.
somehow even more oppressive seeming canopy that
shrouds the area in darkness that even the sickly green fog The cries of a child drift on the wind, echoing amongst the
can’t illuminate. The wind whistles through the branches trees and unsettling all who hear them. The street the party
and leaves of the eastern branch, the words being too are walking then comes to a four-way junction in the middle
indistinct to make out though one randomly determined of which stands a 40ft-high stone pillar, a young Elven boy
character may be certain that they hear their own name. manacled and suspended from it’s top.
He is badly hurt already, and if released the fall is bound to
9. TEARS MEETING kill him.
The two branches of the Thon-Thalas meet again on the
south side of Fallon Island, the joining of water being If rescued, it is quite clear that the boy has been tortured
drowned out by the sobbing and wailing of phantom Elves and beaten, and is unable to move.
that seems to ebb and flow from randomly changing
directions. DC15 Intelligence (Medicine): The boy’s neck has been
partially broken. Though not enough to kill him yet, it has
10. QUINARESTI rendered him paralyzed from the neck down. Even
The road from the western border ends at this small powerful healing magic will take a lot of time to heal these
abandoned village of scattered rose-quartz buildings. wounds.
Quinaresti sits on the western bank of the Thon-Thalas,
across the river from the mighty city of Silvanost, a rotten Once rescued, the introduces himself as Loralon, a priest in
and broken pier jutting out into the oily waters but with only training. He claims to have an extremely important message
a single broken and decayed barge still tied to it. Those to give the Speaker, but in his current state can not possibly
buildings closest to the river have a grey and green fungus make the journey to deliver it himself. He asks the party if

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they will deliver the message for him. thing she has left as payment of the debt – a silver circlet of
charm (which grants advantage to Charisma (Persuasion)
DC15 Intelligence (History): Silvanesti Elves will have checks). With nothing else to say, she departs, using magic
advantage on this roll, and Alhana Starbreeze will pass the to teleport away.
check automatically.
There was once a great Elven cleric by the name of Loralon, RECLAIMING THE HOMELAND
and he too had been paralyzed from the neck down. This is The road passes through a heavy cloud of green mist. As
quite the coincidence, though it may also be a manifestation the party pass through the mist, they become aware of
of Lorac Caladon’s subconscious. massive, monstrous forms on the other side, their shadows
looming over them, though thankfully whatever these
If the party agree to deliver the message, Loralon will recite creatures are don’t seem to be immediately aware of them.
to them the tale of the Dark-night Child.
Slowly, as the party emerge into a wide plaza, they become
▪ “In the Years of New Stars, the Dark-Night child aware of a large green dragon sitting atop a mound of uncut
wandered heedlessly among the Silvan Wood. Soon she gems and nuggets or raw and valuable minerals like gold
was lost, far from her home.” and platinum. Five smaller green dragons sit around it,
▪ “Night came upon the Dark-Night Child, bringing being tended to, fed and cleaned by a collection of Elven
terrible magics with it. The elf-friend trees were tortured servants in loincloths and delicate gold chains.
by the Night Magic and seemed to turn against the
Child.” Suddenly the large dragon jerks it’s head as though aware of
▪ “The gentle forest creatures were suddenly evil and trespassers in it’s realm, and it speaks in a deep, resonating
fearsome. The Dark-Night Child cried in terror, fearing voice.
that the Night Magic would work its evil on her, too.”
▪ “But, as the Child’s tears fell, she saw them glisten with ▪ “You, who would rescue Lorac Caladon from what he
light. Looking up, the Child beheld the Sky-fires burning himself has brought upon this land! Look upon what
in the dark realms above. She knew then that Paladine once was and what shall be again. Look upon the natural
watched over her, and that the Night Magic had no order of things. The Elven slaves and the green dragons
power other than that which her mind had given it.” who are once again masters of the forest that is rightfully
▪ “When she realized this, the Dark-Night Child felt safe. theirs.”
The Night Magic fled. The Dark-Night Child’s family
found her in the brightening dawn, asleep in the peace All of the figures in the plaza – both dragons and Elves – are
of Paladine.” dreamshadows created by Cyan Bloodbane, the largest
being a representation of Cyan himself.
Once the story is done, the boy dies and dissolves into
green mist. The road suddenly seems very, very quiet. Other than the road that the party entered by, there are
three streets leading out of the plaza. The two to either side
TORTURED NYMPH are blocked by smaller dragons however, and the final road
The road comes to a square empty of all save a dead tree, – straight ahead – is on the other side of Cyan Bloodbane.
and the sound of weeping. Following the sound, the party Cyan has no interest in a fight, wanting only to brag about
discover an elf-maid bound to the trunk of the tree with his success and demoralize the party as much as possible.
thick rope, carrion birds circling overhead, waiting for her to His main topics of conversation will be dragon superiority,
die. how the gods betrayed his kind in favour of lesser races, and
Lorac Caladon “willingly” giving his homeland to the
As the party approach, they discover that the woman is not Dragonarmies. Eventually Cyan will tire of this however,
an elf-maid at all, but a nymph, bound and tortured by and tells the party to leave his realm, and to spread word
creatures of the nightmare. If the party come too close amongst the lesser races of his triumph.
however, the vulture will descend and attack.
If attacked Cyan will be happy to oblige, but the other
Creatures: 8x Giant Vulture dragons and Elves will all disintegrate and become part of
[Medium] 4000xp the green mist. As an illusion of Cyan however, this version
will only have half of the normal starting hit points, and will
The vultures primarily try to grapple the smallest members not use legendary actions.
of the party, working together to lift them into the air and
allow gravity to do most of the work. Creatures: 1x Adult Green Dragon
[Deadly] 13,000xp
The nymph will believe the party to be dreamshadows, but
will still try to use her natural abilities to entice and charm THE DEATH OF FIZBAN
them into freeing her. She will suppress this only if the party
can convince her that they are real. For this event to take place, the wizard Fizban
If they can convince her, the nymph introduces herself as should not be with the party. If he was, then he
Ninfa, and offers gratitude if the party can set her free. should have become lost.
Once unbound she thanks the party and offers the only

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The streets suddenly explode in bright light, fire and ▪ “Hearken back to the river Thon-Thalas. The River
lightning spreading from building to building, flashes of never lies when the coins are cast into its waters. In that
orange, green and white lighting the city and the high vision is the key to awakening Lorac and ending the
canopy. nightmare.”
Suddenly two figures emerge directly in the party’s path,
both in semi-flight 20ft above the ground. One is a mage of Fizban then points to the end of the street that had
the black robes, whilst the other is the familiar long- previously been obscured by mist. The mist parts, and there
bearded, olive-robed Fizban the Fabulous. before the party stands the gates to the Garden of Astarin at
The two are engaged in a furious magical duel, hurling all the base of the Tower of the Stars. Finally there is a clear
manner of spells at one another and causing extreme levels path ahead.
of collateral damage to the city of Silvanost, until the black- With that, Fizban disintegrates into green mist.
robe suddenly unleashes a ball of blue flames that strikes ______________________________________________
Fizban hard, sending the old man toppling to the ground.
The black robe quickly lands 5ft away from his fallen TOWER OF THE STARS
opponent as though to deliver a finishing blow, when he The large black silhouette of the Tower of the Stars looms
notices the party And turns on them suddenly. As he does over the entire city of Silvanost, a hard to reach beacon in
his hood opens a fraction and reveals the face beneath. the middle of the nightmare, kept away by illusions but ever
present on the horizon. The once pristine spire has now
twisted in place, reflecting the torment imposed on the city
The identity of the black-robe will be a member
and realm beyond.
of the party. If there is a wizard, warlock or
sorcerer amongst them then the black-robe is
Eventually the party must find their way though, coming to a
them – a dark reflection of themselves, or a
wide plaza with six massive stone columns magically shaped
potential future form.
into the figures of male Elves in agony, their tops having
If there are no arcane spellcasters however, the
long since crumbled into rubble on the plaza floor.
black-robe will instead be a different member of
Beyond these, a curtain of green mist rises and clings to the
the party having taken a different path in life.
base of the tower obscuring everything beyond, and also
creating a 2ft-high carpet of mist over the plaza floor. The
▪ “The circle is complete and the power is mine!” tops of the 10ft-high polished stone doors to the tower are
just about visible through the mist.
The black-robe then attacks the party, utilizing powerful
area effect spells. DC14 Wisdom (Perception): Amongst the rubble and
partially concealed by the mist, the bones of a few dozen
Creatures: 1x Archmage Elves lie scattered. Some are clad in armour befitting the
[Deadly] 8400xp royal guard, others are rangers in leather, and the rest
civilians in the rags of once fine silk clothing.
This mage specializes in area-effect spells, and so GUARDIANS
uses this alternative spell list: As the party cross the plaza, they find the tortured forms of
the columns remarkably oppressive, seeming to draw the
Cantrips (at will): poison spray, shocking grasp, eye of anyone who passes. As the final two are approached
1st level (4 slots): burning hands, colour spray, though they warp again, their pained figures coming to life
thunderwave, and screaming. To the souls trapped in these pillars the
2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, gust of wind, presence of the living is an affront, and must be dealt with.
3rd level (3 slots): fireball, fly, lightning bolt,
4th level (3 slots): evard’s black tentacles, Creatures: 2x Lesser Stone Golem
icestorm, wall of fire, [Hard] 5400xp
5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, wall of stone,
6th level (1 slot): chain lightning, The pillars have been set by Cyan as the last guards before
7th level (l slot): delayed blast fireball, anything can get to the tower. They will defend the area
8th level (l slot): incendiary cloud, until they are destroyed, but due to being rooted to the
9th level (l slot): meteor swarm, ground can not move more than 5ft from their starting
position.
As the black-robe attacks, Fizban lies dying with barely five
turns until he dies. The old man lies groaning on the floor, ILLUSORY DOORS
calling for help, but no amount of healing will help him The doors to the tower are partially concealed behind green
because he and the black-robe are nothing but mist, and are sealed shut both with a mundane lock and
dreamshadows. magical wards.
If the black-robe is defeated (or disbelieved) in time, or if a On a brief examination, the mundane lock seems to twist
character4 can reach Fizban and tries to help him, then the and change form constantly, making it almost impossible to
old man smiles, pats their hand, and offers a final piece of pick the lock without incredibly levels of skill (requiring a
advice. successful DC30 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check at

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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disadvantage). The magical component of the lock requires themselves lost, turning back on themselves continuously
the touch specifically of a Silvanesti elf, any other creature and in places encountering whole new landscapes.
activating a poison needle trap that deals 1d4 poison The doors in the Eternal Halls loop back on each other, the
damage to anything that touches the door, the needles only four that are fixed being the those at the most
shooting magically through the door. northern, southern, eastern and western points. The north
and south doors lead into other as though they were
The original design of the door lock was such connected corridors, and the eastern and western doors are
that it required the presence of Alhana linked the same way.
Starbreeze (or a dreamshadow version of her) to Every other door randomizing it’s end point, each time they
open. Either would possess the key, though only are opened leading to another randomly determined door
a dreamshadow version would be able to use around the outer edge of the halls. When such a door is
their key on the shifting lock without trouble, as opened, it also has a 40% chance of leading to a flat stone
their key would always match the lock. wall.
The real Alhana meanwhile would have a key,
but would have difficulty using it as the lock EH1: LAIR OF THE HIGHLORD
shifts. Touching the door to this chamber cause a cold chill to fall
over the entire party, wherever they are. Ice suddenly starts
For a party that may not have Alhana with them, to form on every surface in the Eternal Halls. In a sudden
disbelieving the illusion in the normal manner flash the party find themselves transported away from the
can negate the disadvantage on the roll, but the Eternal Halls into a massive natural cavern where ice covers
difficult of breaching the door without a key the high walls and snow lines the grounds. Elves line the
remains. walls, frozen into place long ago, their skin frigidly white and
As such, at least encountering a dreamshadow of iced over.
Alhana during their time in Silvanesti will Warriors clad in heavy furs lie dead in the snow, and groups
probably be the best way to make the tower of Elven refugees lie in frozen huddles, a large group
accessible to the party. directly beneath a chilly waterfall that cascades from a crack
in the wall, light streaming from behind and making the
Once unlocked, the doors can be pulled openly fairly easily falling water glow.
as they seem to have no weight to them at all. The passage
beyond leads into the Endless Halls of the Dead Kings. In the far corner, shadows conceal the sinuous figure of a
white dragon, curled up on a bed of gold, silver and jewels,
as well as a collection of strange, glowing devices or unusual
design.
In front of the dragon, apart from it’s horde, a crystal orb
sits in the snow. A gray-cloaked figure standing next to it
dressed in brilliant armour in the design of the
Dragonarmies and lined with gray and white livery. This is
actually the Dragon Highlord Feal-Thas, formally of
Silvanesti and now lord of Icewall Castle.

The dragon – known as Sleet - arches it’s head up as it looks


at the party and hisses towards them.
______________________________________________
Creatures: 1x Adult White Dragon & 1x Feal-Thas
ENDLESS HALLS OF THE DEAD KINGS [Deadly] 27,600xp
The space inside the tower on the ground floor was
previously a single open hall much like the Tower of the Though an illusion, this will be an extremely deadly
Sun in Qualinesti – an audience and meeting hall for the encounter with the potential to do great harm to the party.
Speaker that could hold several dozen people. Sleet will not use her breath weapon until at least the third
Now however, the space has been transformed into a round, and also will not use any legendary actions during
illusory space of solid walls of dwarven design creating an this encounter.
elaborate labyrinth. On the fifth round, both Sleet and Feal-Thas will turn and
As the party enters, a scream resonates down the twisting retreat through the waterfall, taking the crystal orb with
corridors then suddenly stops, replaced by the distant sound them if they can.
of weeping and whimpering.
If any other creature manages to reach the waterfall and
The party enter these halls from the west side, the doors escape through it then the entire scene suddenly dissolves,
closing behind them and locking themselves again. If and the party find themselves right back where they started
opened again, the party will find that they no longer lead in the Eternal Halls before they were transported away. No
outside, but instead open into the eastern side of the Eternal treasure they took from Sleet’s hoard returns with them,
Halls. except for the crystal orb if they were able to get their hands
Moving around this area, the party can very easily get on it. This has been transformed into a globe of ice

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however, which immediately starts to slowly melt.

EH2: MINOTAUR JUSTICE


As a creature opens this door they feel compelled to take
the first step inside, and the entire party are suddenly
overcome by a bright flash or light. As it recedes, the party
find themselves standing in a great arena under a warm
summer’s sun. As the party’s vision clears, a great roar from
an audience of thousands resonates around them, risking
deafening the entire party. Looking closely, the entire crowd
appears to be made up of minotaurs too.
Across the sandy arena, a cry goes out as an elfmaid flees
from a bad of minotaur gladiators. She is carrying a
shortsword, but clearly has no skill with it and is badly
outmatched. The crowd cheers as the minotaurs toy with
her though, taking perverse delight in the unfolding scene.
If they come close to the attacking minotaurs, the party
realize that they are partially skeletal, their flesh barely
clinging on to their bones. The audience are much the
same. Two green lights hang in the dark ceiling, like a pair of
massive, menacing eyes staring down on the chamber
Creatures: 6x Minotaur Skeleton creating an emerald spotlight that reveals two things of
[Hard] 5400xp interest. On the far wall at the back of the chamber, two
racks holding mighty lances – nothing less than
If she is with the party, Alhana will recognize the elf as dragonlances - stand against the walls to either side of a dark
Selohna, one of the tower’s caretakers. The minotaurs are doorway, whilst in the centre of the area rests the broken,
playing with her to start, but as soon as they are aware of the fractured remains of a bronze statue.
party will turn and attack them.
The crowd continues to cheer, roaring furiously over any Behind the statue, a solitary figure lies curled up on the
blood spilled, but after three rounds will grow restless and floor. This is Silvart, a young kagonesti elf with silver hair.
start chanting specifically for elf blood. At this points the
minotaurs engaged in combat will turn back and aim to kill She weeps, and if shaken cries out in terror and pain,
Selohna, which any of them can easily do with a single hit. claiming that the “holy” dragonlances prevent her from
leaving.
The illusion will end as soon as the minotaurs are defeated, Like everything else in the room, the dragonlances are
the vision suddenly dissolving back into the stone walls of dreamshadows. If any creature reaches to touch one or tries
the labyrinthian Eternal Halls. to leave through the doorway, the dragonlances all come to
If Selhona is still alive at this point, she will return to the real life and attack, acting in unison to surround the party and
world with the party, and is found curled up in the corner of strike at them as swiftly as possible.
the room where the vision was activated. She is in fact real!
Selhona is badly shaken and confused, but elated when she Creatures: 14x Animated Dragonlances
discovers that she has been rescued. She will willingly [Medium] 4200xp
accompany the party from here, but has no expertise of
information that help the party, other than by saying that As the first creature manages to make it through the
how the halls look now is not how the tower is supposed to doorway, they break the dream and the party all find
be. themselves back in the room where they started.
If any of the party managed to have a dragonlance in their
EH3: DRAGONLANCES hands when the dream ended, they find it still in their
The door opens to reveal a set of wide stone stairs that rise possession after the dream is broken. Though they may
far upwards to a landing, and are splattered with a black, think it is still a dreamshadow, it is in fact a real lesser
oily liquid that trails from the body of a sivak draconian on footmans dragonlance.
the top step. The landing extends to the left and right to
house dragon-headed sphynx statues, two further staircases EH4: TOWERS IN SOLAMNIA
that double back above the first stairs to a cavernous round The party are suddenly blinded by a bright light as they step
chamber, completely unlit except for a dim green light that into the courtyard of a mighty fortress, the sun just breaking
beams down two points in the ceiling. the horizon and washing the walls in warmth and radiance.
Stairs rise to either side, and a mighty wall separates the
This area is a dreamscape version of the areas party from a great, grassy plain that stretches far into the
SD13, 14 and 15 in Foghaven Vale – the distance.
Staircase, Upper Gallery and Guardian of the Behind them, an enormous tower reaches high into the sky,
Lances. a single spire surrounded by six smaller towers that rise
halfway up it’s full length.

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Other than the party, the fortress is deserted. weeping and talking to itself. From both it’s appearance and
voice, the party discover that the figure is a familiar face.
The party have found themselves in a dream
version of a courtyard at the Tower of the High The kneeling figure should be someone known to
Clerist. the party, such as a valued ally or a close friend to
them all, but who is not currently present. The
The harsh blaring of trumpets suddenly catches the party’s figure should be someone who has fought with the
attention, alerting them to a great mass of bodies marching party and earned their respect, and ideally has not
beyond the wall. been seen for a little while.
Climbing the walls and looking out onto the plains, the party
are greeted by the sight of the Dragonarmies having come in ▪ “I should have died with them…”
full force, blue banners waving amongst spears and ▪ “I should have died with them…”
greatswords. Ladders rise from amongst the army and start
to fall against the walls, Draconians clinging to them ready to If the party make any attempt to communicate or interact
attack. with their friend, they discover quickly that they have
become incorporeal (or at least they believe that they have).
Creatures: 4x Baaz Scout If any creature tries to touch anything in the room –
[Easy] 1600xp including the bodies, walls or doors – their hand passes right
through it, but the effect is such that it is the other object
Every turn, a fresh batch of Draconians will reach the top of that looks more real. Even touching the walls, the party find
the wall. If any ladders are thrown down, a new one will they pass right through, visibly becoming hazy and moving
start to raise the following turn ready to release another through solid stone, granting them the ability to explore the
draconian in the following turn. entire Endless Halls without restrictions, though they don’t
trigger any of the other illusions as they move about).
After five rounds a shadow falls over the party as a blue Moving about in such a fashion though, the party can not
dragon passes overhead, the blue Highlord on it’s back. progress to any other area, Should they attempt to enter
The Draconians continue attacking as the dragon swoops EH6: The Twin Doors or any of the outer doors, they find
around to face the party, coming to hover just away from the themselves right back to the room where there weeping
walls in the sixth round. friend kneels amidst their bodies.
The Highlord, in a heavily concealed voice beneath their The party feel solid to each other, and can physically touch
helm, calls on the party to surrender, telling them that their their weeping friend.
fight is completely hopeless.
In the following round the dragon lands on the wall where it The only way to escape their current state is to grant the
sits passively whilst the Highlord dismounts and attacks, figure of their friend their wish.
heading straight for the most skilled fighter from that
perspective and challenging them to a duel. If there is one ▪ “I should have died with them…”
in the party, the Highlord will target members of the
Knights of Solamnia. Only by killing them will this illusion be broken, and they
can be killed with a single attack.
Creatures: 1x The Blue Lady As they die, they speak a final time, blaming the party
[Deadly] 15,000xp member they were closest to for everything that happened…

If the Highlord is defeated, their armour falls to the ground EH6: THE TWIN DOORS
completely empty as though it had been magically animated. A set of double doors carved with floral patterns and with
The dragon then roars a challenge and moves to attack, but silver and gold gilding stands in the centre of the Eternal
before it’s mouth clamps down around one of the party the Halls. By opening them, the party are bathed in white light
dream suddenly ends, the party finding themselves back in that transports them to the corridor at the southern end of
the Endless Halls. the Throne Room.
______________________________________________
EH5: THE DEATH OF THE PARTY
As a creature lays their hand on the door to this room, a THRONE ROOM
sudden chill grips them all. The door opens to a regular The party are teleported to one of five corridors that leads
stone room that matches the rest of the Endless Halls, but it into a vast hall of smooth, light stone, a wide arena sitting
is filled with bodies of the dead. before a two-tiered dais at the northern end, a magnificent
It does not take long for the party to realize that the bodies throne of wound branches standing on the top level
are themselves, each the murdered corpse of one of their overlooking the hall. The wide arena is dark, lit only by the
own party members, all killed in a different way. Some have familiar glow of the green mist that rolls down the stairs,
weapons wounds, others seem to have been poisoned, some seemingly pouri9ng out from underneath the throne itself,
bears burns from fire or acid, and any number of other on which sits the figure of Lorac Caladon, drained and
potential ways to die. emaciated, a glowing green orb sitting in his hands. His
body wracked by convulsions, the aged Elven Speaker is lit
A single living creature kneels amidst the bodies, slowly from above by a shaft of white light that, despite it’s purity,

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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has an odd sickening feel to it. BATTLE FOR THE SPEAKER
The opening of this battle can be confusing for the party,
Surrounding the throne, the party will be alarmed to see not not least because they won’t be sure who is who, but also
one but five large, sinuous green dragons, each with it’s because they won’t be sure where their real enemy is.
head hovering close to the Speaker, whispering new
nightmares into his fragile mind. Their hisses echo through The five dragons starts by moving away from Lorac, one
the hall, though they are to indistinct at a distance to make staying back to protect the Speaker and the dragonorb,
out, and would likely be maddening if someone were to whilst the other four start to prepare to attack the multiple
hear them clearly. parties who have entered the throne room.
The players meanwhile should be called first to make DC16
CYAN BLOODBANE Charisma saving throws, as their characters strain to hold on
Only one of the five dragons is real, the other four being to their mental faculties and assert their sense of selves.
dreamshadows projections created by the real Cyan Those who succeed can have the choice (decided in secret
Bloodbane. They all act and speak in unison, being then revealed to all) as to which version of themselves in the
controlled by a single powerful mind. room they are. Those who fail must randomize which
instance of their character is the true them.
MULTIPLE PARTIES
Over the course of their time in Silvanost and the Eternal Those who fail this save should be called to repeat
Halls, the party will have been separated and reunited it on each of their turns, their control jumping
multiple times, and without knowing it will have come between those versions of their character that are
across multiple dreamshadow versions of each other. By the still alive until such time as they can assert their
time they arrive in the throne room, they will have been sense of self.
completely separated without even realizing it, and will each
arrive by a different entrance accompanied by two Though the party won’t immediately be able to tell which
dreamshadows with all of the same attributes, abilities and dragon is the real Cyan, it will be the four dreamshadow
equipment as their regular allies. These might be of player dragons who attack the most, coming forward to form a
characters, or NPCs who have been travelling with the party barricade so that no-one can reach the Speaker.
through Silvanesti.
There will be a lot of confusion amongst them to start as to The real Cyan will stay back to hover over the Speaker’s
which is actually which of them are the real party members. throne, and attacks only if approached and directly
threatened. The real Cyan of course is the only person in
Even the players might not be entirely aware of which of the the room who knows exactly who is real and who is an
characters who entered the room is actually their real illusion, though he still takes damage when the
character. dreamshadow party members attacks him. He will try to
attack real party members first though, and will enjoy
These dreamshadows will have the hit points and spell slots inflicting as much pain and as much terror as possible.
the party had when they entered the city, as recorded at the
time. Creatures: 1x Adult Green Dragon
[Deadly] 13,000xp

Counting all of the dreamshadows, this encounter


can be considered far above deadly.

Creatures: 5x Adult Green Dragon


[Deadly] 130,000xp

As the battle progresses, the party will be battling multiple


confusing elements. They have to work out who their real
selves, and who the real Cyan Bloodbane is, and then they
have to fight the battle whilst trying to save Lorac Caladon.
It may even be a much harder fight if the party don’t
respond to the dragons thinking that some are
dreamshadows, as they may not take the time to try to
disbelieve their existence and focus only on what is real.

Of course, the party’s dreamshadows selves being


horrifically burned by acid breathe or eaten whole by green
dragons won’t help. There will be clues for the party to spot
of course – the real Cyan hanging back, dreamshadows
preferring to attack other dreamshadows, etc.

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The following methods of ending the dream can also always
Another option for this encounter is for each be achieved, regardless of visions gained from the river.
player to control very version of themselves in the
hall, treating each as a separate but identical Breaking the Orb: The dream can be ended immediately if
character. Only the DM will know which of them the dragonorb can be destroyed. As with all dragonorbs, this
is real however, and therefore which of them will one is invulnerable to all powerful or magical attacks. Only a
be alive or dead at the conclusion of the battle. strike from a mundane weapon can shatter, or the impact of
being thrown against a wall or floor.
Whenever the orb comes under attack however, it
Dreamshadow dragons will evaporate into green mist when summons to it one of the dreamshadows of Cyan
defeated, though the body of the real Cyan Bloodbane will Bloodbane to defend itself. The dreamshadow may have
remain in place. Defeating the real Cyan does not end the the opportunity to get in the way, or to attack once to try to
dream though, as it is still powered by the arcane skills of save the orb, but will not be able to actually touch the
Lorac Caladon and the dragonorb. dragonorb itself.

SAVING THE SPEAKER Death of the Speaker: Killing Lorac Caladon will sever the
At any time, the entire battle and the dream itself can be link between him and the orb as surely as destroying the
ended by the successful rescue or demise of Lorac Caladon, orb. Lorac has few hit points and no ability to defend
though this will be difficult given that Cyan Bloodbane himself, so any attack directed against him will enough to
guards and protects him. kill the Speaker.
The Speaker can only be saved in a few ways however, as As he dies, the orb goes dormant and the dream, ends,
determined by the fates at the Thon-Thalas river. As the Lorac whispering a final, inaudible word before dying.
party entered they would have come to the river and
hopefully been encouraged by any Silvanesti among them to
The event of Lorac Caladons death should be
cast coins into the river to receive a vision of the future, and
devastating to Alhana and likely any other
by doing so lock in place a path by which they could end
Silvanesti in the room. It is best to say afterwards
this nightmare.
that because of the trauma he went through, his
spirit will afterwards be unwilling to return,
Depending on how you chose to ran it, the party making any form of magical resurrection
may have come away with one vision between impossible. The intention here is to make the
them, or one vision each that only they could decision to kill have consequences and not be an
accomplish. If no vision were gained, the only easy way to end things quickly and easily.
options the party will have are Breaking the Orb
______________________________________________
or Death of the Speaker.
THE DREAM ENDS
The following methods of ending the dream are only However the dream is ended, the hall is suddenly plunged
possible if a character received them as a vision whilst into total darkness. The spotlight from above the throne
looking into the Thon-Thalas. disappears, and the green mist stops glowing entirely. A
sudden gust of wind rushes across the hall and snuffs out all
Damage by Kin: If Lorac Caladon were to be struck with a mundane light sources the party had on them at the time,
melee attack by the real Alhana Starbreeze, then he would and even somehow dispels any magical light they were
immediately wake and release hold of the dragonorb. using.
Damage caused by any other creature does not provoke any
kind of reaction from the entranced Speaker. When the party are able to restore light to the hall, they find
that all of the dreamshadows and dreamwraiths have gone.
Power of the Gods: Any non-damaging spell cast by a Cleric All that remains are those creatures that are completely real
or Paladin onto Lorac Caladon will be enough to shake the – Lorac Caladon, the party themselves, any allies who were
Speaker from the dream and cause him to release his hold with the party such as Alhana Starbreeze, and of course
on the dragonorb, but doing so requires the caster to Cyan Bloodbane (alive or dead).
overcome the power of the dragonorb now in control of It is only at this point that the party will know for certain
Lorac’s mind. This requires them, as well as the successful which of them is alive or dead. A note should have been
casting, to succeed at a DC26 Wisdom save. kept on which characters were real and which were
dreamshadows, but the party may not have worked it out by
Conscience of the Speaker: Reciting the tale of the Dark- this point. As such, the lights may come back up to reveal
Night Child, as told to the party by the child Loralon, within that a player’s character is suddenly dead, even though they
hearing of Lorac Caladon can be enough to shake him from were controlling a dreamshadow a mere moment ago.
his dream and causes him to release the dragonorb.
In such cases, it will be best to give any character still unsure
The Love of Alhana: Simply the touch of his true daughter (or wrong) about which of their characters is real a final
(and not a dreamshadow) will awaken the Speaker and chance at making a DC16 Charisma saving throw to assert
cause him to release the dragonorb. their true selves.

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Alternatively (or as well as) you can have the characters only AFTERMATH
begin making their death saving throws from the moment of With the end of the dream caused by Lorac Caladon’s use
discovery, giving the rest of the party time to save their allies. of the dragonorb, the green mist continues to linger on the
floor but no longer glows, nor does any more of it come
If Cyan is still alive, then the party will need to finish the from beneath the Speaker’s throne. What remains
fight before the danger is truly over. Having lost his power throughout the tower and across the forest will now most
over the dream Cyan will be enraged, but still incredibly likely dissipate over an extended period of time.
cunning and smart enough to be able to outmaneuver most
opponents. He will fight with strategy and skill, and will not Every illusion in the forest and the Tower will have been
waver when it comes to destroying the weak and injured. dispelled, including every single dreamshadow or
dreamwraith, but all of the physical manifestations and
If the party linger in darkness for a little while consequences remain.
without creating a new light source, or if one of There are still Elves of the Silvanesti, driven to madness,
them manages to activate or use a form of prowling the streets looking for friend and foe alike to
darkvision before light is provided, then have the slaughter.
living Cyan break the moment by smashing a Some creatures of the forest remain mutated, and others
nearby wall, allowing sunlight to pour into the will stay roused to anger over what has happened.
hall. The mighty trees remain twisted and in some cases still
bleeding a blood-like sap, buildings remain deformed or
The end of the dream allows sunlight into the crumbling, and the river is still polluted though the flow of
forest again, and this can serve as a dramatic way clean water from the source of the Thon-Thalas will
to remind the party that they are still in a fight for eventually clear this effect away.
the lives. The way is clear however, and new life can return to the
forest without fear of falling victim to the nightmare.
Once calm has been restored to the hall, a gasping breathe
will be heard from Lorac Caladon, and attract the attention HONOURING THE DEAD
of those assembled. Alhana will rush to his side (if she is not As soon as she is able, Alhana Starbreeze honours her
already there) and kneel before him, reaching for his hand. father’s wishes and buries him in the soil beneath a tortured
tree just outside of the city gates.
If he is already dead, it is a spectral image of What few Elves remain in the city and are able to think
Lorac that appears in the place where his body clearly lend their help to Alhana, asking outsiders to stand
still sits. aside and not involve themselves.

Lorac looks around in dazed silence, trying desperately to DC14 Intelligence (History) or Intelligence (Religion):
regain his mind and memory. He is shocked by what has Burying the dead is generally regarded as barbaric by the
befallen his throne room, but slowly he remembers that more uptight Elves of Silvanesti, but none will argue with
outside the tower is much, much worse, and he is the cause. the Speaker’s last wish.
The Speaker suddenly screams in horror and then quickly
falls into a silent whimper. The sound is such that it can As the funeral concludes, Alhana sits weeping beneath tree,
break even the strongest heart. when she is disturbed by a miracle. The tree under which
her father was just buried suddenly moans, and groans, and
His head raises again and his set onto the party, tears then starts to move. The trunk turns and twists, but actually
streaming down his face as he speaks to them. stretches upwards and straightens. It’s bark stops bleeding,
cracks in it’s trunk magically heal, and it’s leaves turn green
▪ “My pride, my weakness...” again. Alone in all of Silvanesti this tree stands healthy – a
▪ “I wanted to be the one! I wanted to save my symbol of hope for the Elven homeland.
nation...alone! Now my pride is turned against me, my
greatest fears become reality.” After, Alhana commits to returning to her people wherever
▪ “I have taken so much from the land of my ancestors. I they have gone to tell them that they can come home. It will
have much to return.” be difficult for them, as the forest will not be fully habitable
▪ “I give myself to the land. Bury my body in the soil. As or safe for many years, but the cause of the danger has
my life brought this curse upon it, so, perhaps, my death passed and now they make think of restoring their home.
will bring its blessing.”
LEAVING SILVANESTI
With those final words, Lorac Caladon passes, his spirit Alhana’s griffon allies will now risk coming to the tower and
leaving his body and making it’s final journey to sit alongside are able to take the party to the outer border of Silvanesti,
E’li. though they will not too travel far as there are still many
______________________________________________ other dangers out in the wilds.
The Dragonarmies continue to gather in the west to secure
Assuming it has not been destroyed, the party are now able their footholds in the Plains of Dust, whilst the ogres of the
to take possession of the green dragonorb if they so wish. Khalkist Mountains remain an ever-present danger,
______________________________________________ bolstered by their alliance with the green Dragonarmies that

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
hold the lands of Khur.
Fleets of minotaur ships still sail the northern and eastern
seas, and may at any time risk landing on Silvanesti’s shores Path of the Companions
again should they discover that the curse has been lifted The Companions entered Silvanesti in the
from the land. company of Alhana Starbreeze having been
forced to split their group in Tarsis.
The griffons will go to nay border of the forest however, and Led by Tanis Half-Elven, the group entered not
may be convinced to go as far as the southern coast of knowing that it was a dragonoirb responsible,
Balifor, though only under the cover of night. but having been promised that there was one in
______________________________________________ the Tower of the Stars. No sooner than they
had crossed the river though, did a legion of
Finally, before the party leaves, Alhana will honour her own undead Elves ride into them on the backs of
word and reward them for their efforts. misshapen beasts, the warrior Caramon being
impaled straight away. His twin brother, the
After a little time to walk the tower, find the Speaker’s and mage Raistlin, seemed about to help but instead
her own rooms, and access the Speaker’s vault, she gifts the began talking to an invisible force and accepting
party with a collection of items. an unknown offer. Suddenly his robes
These include a brooch of imog, a golden circlet, a flute of discoloured, changing from red to the black of
wind dancing, and the sword Wyrmsbane (also known as evil.
Redeemer. Raisltin finds Tanis and tells him that the forest
If the party have not already found one in the tower, Alhana is trapped in an illusory nightmare, and on the
also presents them with a long object wrapped in fine silks advice of his patron tells Tanis that they must
and leather. Unrolling these binidngs, the party find they get to the tower quickly. Only then does he go
have been gifted with a lesser footmans dragonlance – the to Caramon to heal his brother.
only one that could be found in the tower.
______________________________________________ Slowly fractures and distrust grew amongst the
party though, and they all became lost or
separated, many having their own visions of
horrific possible futures or of mistakes from
their past.
Tanis and the knight Sturm meet with their
missing ally Kitiara and reach the tower together
to find Raistlin there, but his brother dead.
Sturm sought to avenge Caramon, but the mage
has grown strong in this new black-robed form,
and the knight hesitated long enough to be
lured away by a Solamnic battle horn, only for
the dragon Cyan Bloodbane to kill him.

Tanis and Raistlin made their way inside, the


mage sure in himself and Tanis struggling
against the dream, finding Alhana along the way
and managing to get her to the throne room.
There it is her touch and her love that shakes
Lorac Caladon from his dream and releases the
hold of the dragonorb, but the toll on his spirit
and body has been too much. The nightmare
ends, Cyan Bloodbane is banished, and the
Speaker dies.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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RECOMMENDED
32. FLOTSAM PARTY LV8
If the party travel along the eastern coast of Ansalon, they
will quickly find themselves in and very close to lands KITIARA UTH MATAR
controlled firmly by the Dragonarmies. In this Neutral Evil Human Female
circumstance, it wouldn’t be too hard to realize that Known to some as The Blue Lady, Kitiara has
acquiring a ship is the fastest way to get back to the north- risen to power through her strength as a military
west where the forces of Good are gathering. leader, supplanting the former Highlord of the
The two best options for this are Port Balifor which offers a blue Dragonarmy. She is a wild and passionate
longer route with a higher likelihood of encountering the spirit with drastic mood swings, keen both on
Minotaurs of the Blood Sea Isles, or sailing from Flotsam – personal combat and any physical pleasures she
the safer and shorter of the two routes. can gain access to, and as a Highlord she has the
______________________________________________ power to claim anything she desires on a whim.
Kitiara is merciless, self-assured and highly
THE BLUE LADY competitive, never satisfied for long and always
If the party come to Flotsam at this point in the War of the looking to the next highest accolade she can
lance, they will quickly discover that they are right under the attain.
nose of a much greater threat than they would have As a Highlord she is almost at the pinnacle of
previously realized – The Blue Lady, Highlord of the Blue ambition, but there is still a title higher she can
wing of the Dragonarmies. aspire to.

Kitiara has come to Flotsam for one purpose


By this point in the story, the party are likely only
only – to hunt down Berem the Everman, whom
to know the Blue Highlord by the moniker “The
she believes may well be in the town.
Blue Lady”, and not by any true name.
▪ “My plans are succeeding much better than I
In the original stories, this was because it was
had hoped.”
only now in Flotsam that the Companions
▪ “The Queen demands that a human called
discovered that The Blue Lady was none other
Berem, the Everman, be turned over to her
than Kitiara Uth Matar, elder half-sister of
immediately.”
Caramon and Raistlin, and former lover of Tanis
▪ “I could interrogate you, and you would talk.
Half-Elven.
You would tell me all I wanted to hear, and
In a game that does not include the original
then you would beg to tell me more. Not
Companions, The Blue Lady can instead be a
only do we have those who are skilled in the
character the player party are formally
art of torture, but they are passionately
acquainted with, or she can simple be Kitiara –
dedicated to their profession.”
another name for another villain the party have
▪ “Lord Soth? Let us say, we agree to serve
no direct link with.
each other.”
▪ “Be off with you, or you’ll feed my dragon.”
When the Blue Lady arrives in Flotsam, she takes over the ______________________________________
Inn of the Saltbreeze – the finest establishment in town. She
has kicked all of Lord Toede’s subordinates out and given SKIE
many of the remaining rooms to her own Blue wing officers. Lawful Evil Dragon (Blue) Male
The top floor is now entirely occupied by the Blue wing, Lnown as Khellendros in the language of the
and the second by a combination of white and black wing dragons, Skie is the mount and partner of The
officers, along with a few Dark Elf mercenaries in The Blue Blue Lady. He considers Kitiara the perfect rider
Lady’s employ. The first floor – the tavern and restaurant – and a true partner in war, and so serves her with
remain open to the public, but few locals are willing to eat absolute loyalty and lethality.
there anymore.
While The Blue Lady is in residence, many are also put off Skie can often be seen perched atop the Inn of
approaching the Saltbreeze by the presence of Skie, a the Saltbreeze, though also often accompanies
fearsome Blue Dragon who serves as the Highlord’s mount. Kitiara through the streets or on excursions
He will often perch on the gable atop the inn, either outside of Flotsam disguised as a blue-robed
watching over the area or sleeping. wizard, calling himself Ariumus.

What exactly The Blue Lady is doing in Flotsam is a ▪ “Fools. All I’m waiting for is a signal from the
mystery yet to be discovered, but Toede rankles under the Highlord to attack – to light the skies and
watch of a superior officer, having finally believed that he burn the cities.”
had been given a position of importance.
______________________________________________

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SILVER FOX’S PLAY ▪ being kept from any lower level officers. They have
As the party travel the road towards Flotsam, they come merely been told to report any strange activity that
across a poster nailed to the trunk of a large tree. It features occurs in town.”
a generic sketch of an elf, with text offering a reward. ▪ “Getting into the town is easy. You could probably just
walk right in posing as merchants or mercenaries. I often
▪ “REWARD! For capture of elves and their kin. have my people pose as officers. They have so many
Captured: 15 steel, Dead: 1 steel. Claim from the gate walking around down there that there are new faces all
guards in Flotsam.” the time.”
▪ “Thistleknot gave you my ring? That rascal! I thought I
A little further up the road, not yet in sight of the town walls, had lost it, well then again maybe I did and he found it.
the party will see a small commotion – a Dragonarmy patrol The kender are good people and can be trusted in a
accosting a merchant wagon on the road. There are eight pinch. I’m glad to hear he is doing well.”
Dragonarmy soldiers, harassing a group of six merchants ▪ “If you want someone to stay, there is an inn called the
including an elf dressed in the fashion of the wilder tribes of Jetties at about the center of the town. It’s a trusted safe
the Kagonesti. house that we use. They are willing to keep an eye out
What is not immediately apparent is that this scene has for agents of the Dragonarmy and will notify you if
been staged for the party’s benefit. These are not soldiers anyone is asking around about you.”
and merchants at all, but rebels from Flotsam in disguise. ▪ “I’ll have someone contact you - Erewan the Shaggy. He
can assist you in finding things around town or getting
Creatures: 14x Spy supplies. He will probably put you in touch with a man
[Deadly] 8400xp named Sevil-Draanim Rev. He has a lot of connections
in town and for the right price he can get you just about
The scene has been set up by Silver Fox, who has been anything or any information.”
expecting the party’s arrival. He wants to test what they do
in this situation, and whether or not they act to save the lives ▪ “If passage by sea if what you want, here are two ships I
of the merchants, or the elf. can warn you about that are currently in the harbor. I’d
stay away from the Bloodhawk. Captain Maccaby, also
The merchants will have been forced to their knees while known as “the Scar,” runs that ship. He’s a pirate
two of the soldiers pretend to search the wagon. If through and through and wouldn’t have any problem
approached the soldiers will order the party to move on. with hauling you out to sea and dumping you overboard.
They not accept a bribe, and will throw it back if one is Also stay away from the Silver Spear, that ship works for
offered. Highmaster Toede. I don’t think you’ll find much help
on it. There should be a few good ships coming into
The rebels remain in character until they see a definite port soon. The Perecheon has a good captain that may
reaction from the party. If the party move to attack or take you provided you have enough steel.”
threaten an attack, then the rebels drop their characters ▪ “Highmaster Toede? I’m doing whatever I can to ensure
immediately and reveal themselves as agents of Silver Fox. that he stays in power. He’s incredibly inept. It makes
The “merchants” confirm the story, and congratulate the things much easier for me if he remains in power. The
party for their actions. They will offer to escort the party to Highlord has other things to worry about so she leaves
Silver Fox himself, who waits nearby in hideout hidden by a the running of the town to Toede.”
maze of thick brambles. In a seep slough the party are taken ▪ “To be honest I don’t know much about the Blue Lady
to a collection of small caves with multiple exits out in the yet. She usually stays cooped up in the Saltbreeze Inn.
wilderness, and there the elven rebel leader greets and We haven’t seen much of her at all.”
welcomes them.

If the party have already met with Silver Fox elsewhere and BADGER
been set a task by him, he will gladly accept whatever proof Chaotic Good Dwarf (Neidar) Male
they can offer of the task’s completion now. Even if no such One of the few surviving hill dwarves in Flotsam
proof is offered though, Silver Fox will say that he has heard Badger was quick to join with the rebels so that
stories of the party’s deeds and believes that they can be he can take revenge for those lost. A surly figure,
good allies in the fight against the Dragonarmies. he dislikes all non-dwarves and only stands those
Silver Fox will conclude by pointing the party towards who are actively fighting with him against the
Flotsam if they wish, and can even offer black Dragonarmy Dragonarmy. He is prone to running off to
officer uniforms if they want them. attempt reckless missions however, especially if
he hears that a Highlord is nearby, as he has
Silver Fox can also offer vital intelligence on the area. taken to sacred vow to Reorx to kill one of the
Highlords, though he cares not which one he
▪ “Like Port Balifor, Flotsam is occupied by the Black slays.
Dragonarmy, but a couple of weeks ago the Blue
Dragon Highlord arrived.” Badger’s only friend is Gouger, a dire boar he
▪ “It appears they are searching for someone, but I haven’t has tamed and trained as a mount.
been able to determine who yet. That information is
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As soon as any fight starts, Toede will flee into Flotsam
while his hobgoblin guard stay to fight the party, reinforced
SILVER FOX by the human guards on the gate.
Lawful Good Half-Elf Male
Handsome and dashing, Silver Fox is the leader Creatures: 8x Thug, 5x Hobgoblin & 1x Hobgoblin Captain
of the rebels of Flotsam, doing everything he can [Hard] 6000xp
to harm and disrupt Dragonarmy movements
through Balifor by recruiting locals for guerrilla Creatures: 1x Highmaster Toede & 1x Amphidragon
raids on enemy encampments, assassinating local [Hard] 6900xp
officers, or stealing valuables to pay local
smugglers. He is shrewd and clever, but also a
The Aurak being spoken to by Toede is
realist, knowing full well that his few small rebels
Gildentongue, a skilled mage partially responsible
have no chance of actually winning against the
for the fall of Tarsis.
Dragonarmies, or even holding them back for
very long. All he can do is cause as much
If the group is attacked while he is present he will
nuisance as possible in the hopes that the
spent two rounds casting spells to cover Toede’s
distraction allows for other heroes to win the
retreat before withdrawing back into the town
war.
himself.
Silver Fox will aid anyone who opposes the If a fight is started, further reinforcements will arrive at the
Dragonarmies, but not at the expense of lives. start of the fifth round, and then another unit every 1d4
He has even been known to do what he can to rounds after that.
aid Lord Toede, the hobgoblin’s ineptness often
being a greater hinderance to his own army that Creatures: 5x Thug & 2x Veteran
the rebel’s raids. [Medium] 4750xp

If the party do not help the merchants however, then Silver Creatures: 1x Bozak Elite & 6x Thug
Fox will go disappointed, and for the duration of the party’s [Hard] 6000xp
time in Flotsam they will receive no help from the rebels
unless they first perform an act of great heroism and do If the party are overwhelmed, they will be given a chance to
harm to the Dragonarmies. surrender. If they do, all of the equipment will taken away
and put in the vault in F5: Highmaster Toede’s Manor. The
The same will be true if the party decide to continue their party themselves will be taken to F9: The Prison, to be tried
attack on the “soldiers” even after the deception is revealed. within an hour, found guilty of trying to kill the Highmaster,
If this is the case, then all of the rebels will band together to and executed an hour later.
defend themselves.
______________________________________________ One party member may be locked in a gibbet on the roof.

TOEDE IN THE MUD If captured, the party could have a chance of


An odd sight greets the party when the approach the gates escape if an agent of Silver Fox helps them.
of Flotsam for the first time – a band of hobgoblins Alternatively, the execution should be delayed
surrounding a squat, obese dragon-like creature upon which overnight to give the party a chance to form their
sits a fat hobgoblin. This is Highmaster Toede, and as the own escape plan.
party watch they see a draconian come out of the town and
speak to him. The two seem to argue, and the draconian
withdraws back into Flotsam. Whatever the party choose to do, once Toede and his
The obese dragon then steps forward, and the Highmaster guard are no longer in the area there is a chance that the
begins berating one of the human gate guards quite loudly party may find something of interest in the mud outside of
for the mucky condition of his boots. Toede becomes more this town gate.
and more animated in his yelling, and soon slips off of his It seems that when Toede fell, he dropped something in the
saddle and into the mud. He quickly stands up, brushes mud. The human gate guards will be too preoccupied with
himself down and climbs back onto his steed, and then their duties to have noticed it, so the item will remain there
starts moving towards the gates, his hobgoblin guards until found.
following.
If the party have visited the Oracle in Goodlund,
If left alone, the Highmaster, dragon and hobgoblins will
then this moment will have been prophesized.
march into Flotsam and make for The Rock, at which point
Toede will leave his guard behind and return to his manor.
Sitting in the muds will be a scroll, bound with a black
There is a short opportunity to attack however, but if taken ribbon and sealed with a wax mark and the image of a black
the party will be revealed and the guards around Flotsam dragon. It contains a message written in goblin by Toede,
will be on the lookout for them for the rest of their stay. and intended for the black Highlord – Lucien.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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▪ “Victory is nearly ours, Highlord! The secret of the ▪ “There’s a man in town named Rev. Sevil Rev. If you
spring gives us command over the watery domain! An need information, he’s the best source, if you can pay his
alliance has been forged with my people’s counterparts hefty prices.”
and the dragons of the deep. Istar will fall and the prize
in the ancient temple will be ours! None can stop us
EREWAN
now!”
Chaotic Good Human Male
Often called “the Shaggy”, Erewan is one of
If Toede is allowed to pass and no fight occurs, the guards
Silver Fox’s most trusted lieutenants. He has set
will be annoyed at the dressing down the Highmaster gave
up a secret hideout in a room at The Jetties,
them, and pay no attention to the party picking anything out
where he looks for criminal elements with the
of the mud. In fact they pay little attention to anything else
skills and the mindset to help the cause of the
for the next few hours, too angry at having been spoken to
rebels.
that way by Toede of all people.
Many who have met Erewan think him insane,
The party are even waved through the gates without any
especially those who have seen him fight as
trouble, the guards wanting the area cleared quickly so that
though caught in a fierce battle-rage. In truth he
they can start bad mouthing Toede without being seen.
simply has a heightened survival instinct.

GILDENTONGUE Erewan does not speak of his own past if he can


Lawful Evil Aurak Male help, nor of why he joined with the rebels.
Gildentongue has had many roles in the
Dragonarmy to date, including being responsible _______________________________________________
for convincing the governor of Tarsis to welcome
the Dragonarmies with open arms. A highly HIGH STAKES CARD GAME
ambitious Aurak draconian, he now wanders the If the party meet with Sevil Rev at any point, he may invite
Balifor region, passing from Flotsam to Port them to a “friendly” game that night at A Friendly Tavern. If
Balifor and back disguised as a fisherman named there was no opportunity during the meeting, or if the party
Dorn Spirrow. asked Erewan to put them in contact, then the invitation will
be delivered by a street urchin with a toothless smile.
Officially, Gildentongue has been appointed as In this case the invitation comes in the form of a note.
an advisor to Highmaster Toede, the hobgoblin
leader responsible for the sacking of Solace. This ▪ “Interested in a game of Bounty Hunter? There’s a lot
is not a role that suits him however, as in truth of steel involved. Space for one only. Tonight at A
Gildentongue truly despises Toede, thinking him Friendly Tavern. S.D.R.”
an extremely weak leader, but Gildentongue
considers himself the natural replacement when Almost immediately after sunset, A Friendly Tavern is
the hobgoblin inevitably fouls up. Gildentongue closed by it’s Half-Ogre owner Goram Gutcruncher and it’s
is therefore always on the look out for evidence patrons kicked out for Rev’s game. Gutcruncher has been
of Toede messing up paid quite well for closing up shop, and to greet anyone who
has been specifically invited to the game.
______________________________________________ These include:

SAFETY AT THE JETTIES • a dark-skinned man in brightly coloured clothes,


If the party have been directed to The Jetties by Silver Fox, • a red haired woman in a blood-red dress,
then they are expected by Hilda Alesworthy, a large • a dwarf who looks like he came straight from his smithy,
matronly-looking woman currently serving behind the bar. • and two black wing officers.

As soon as the party enter she tells them that she has been As soon as everyone is settled, Goram locks the door, and
expecting them, having received a message with the party’s Sev appears from a room upstairs and joins in. He doesn’t
descriptions from the rebels not too long ago. She sets them bother making introductions, but goes straight to covering
up with rooms free of charge, explaining that the rebels the rules of the game and setting up the first round.
often use her tavern as a meeting place, and so their debt
will no doubt be paid at some point when Silver Fox asks He announces that the first round will have a pot made of
for a favour. 100gp per player. The others throw in their wagers straight
Hilda will subsequently introduce the party to Erewan the away, with curious eyes waiting to see if the participating
Shaggy, who will be somewhere in the bar, who will in turn party member does the same.
be happy to show the party around town.
The game is based on wagering tokens, and for each of the
▪ “In case you need it, there’s a secret hiding space under first two rounds the other invited players will wager either
the Jetties. You’ll find a trapdoor in the storage room. five or six tokens, and mock anything lower. From the third
We tend to hide down there when the Dragonarmy round on they wager ten to twelve tokens. The fourth round
make their inspections.”” will be all in.

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At the conclusion of the game, the players disperse quietly,
and the party have an opportunity to speak to Sevil Rev if
SEVIL-DRAANIM REV they wish.
Lawful Evil Human Male ______________________________________________
A somewhat newcomer to Flotsam, this
mysterious scarred man mostly keeps to himself, AUCTION
and has managed to both avoid having any During one of their conversation with Sevil Rev, the
friends, but also no enemies. He keeps his ear mysterious information broker may make mention of an
very close to the ground however, and has underground auction taking place very soon. Up for bid is a
become known as someone to go to for any local book of private reports stolen from none other than
information. His knowledge always seems to be Highlord Lucien of the black wing himself.
accurate, though he does not always give
complete details, saving some information for This information could be invaluable to the war effort, and
himself. promising patrol schedules, resource allocations and troops
He seems very happy to lend help to any cause movements throughout the area. These may be fake of
that embarrassed Toede in particular. course, but Rev claims that they have been thoroughly
authenticated.
Sevil is actual the disgraced and presumed dead
Highlord and priest of Takhisis known as The auction is taking place at an abandoned warehouse in
Verminaard, thought dead for some time. the northern wharf, and Rev has invited a diverse group to
come and bid, including pirates, smugglers, thieves and
smugglers who want to know how to get out of Flotsam.
Only three will come to the fore during bidding though:
BOUNTY HUNTER
The game Sevil Rev has invited the party to is
• Marlonna Dashbrook, a local noble who wants to
called Bounty Hunter.
blackmail the Highlord. She is the same red haired,
crimson-dressed woman who joins Rev’s card game.
Each player begins with forty tokens, and is dealt
• Captain Piras, a pirate captain who wants to see ship
a hand of six card.
movements so that he can sail the Blood Sea
The round then opens with players putting one
untroubled.
more tokens into a pot as a bet on how lucky or
• Fasfar Glimmersteel, a theiwar (dark dwarf) merchant
skillful they believe that they are.
and arcanist with a plan to rob the Highlord.
Each player then makes either a Charisma
(Deception) check or a Wisdom (Insight) check,
The auction begins at sundown, and the bidding starts at
with the player who rolls highest holding the
150stl.
highest trump card for the round.
Marlonna will go as high as 650stl and tut if goes any higher,
Captain Piras will go to 725stl and leaves as soon as he is
Each player then has the opportunity to buy
overbid, and Fasfar will stop at 900stl, though he squeals at
another player’s next roll with some of their
unfairness if defeated.
tokens, the usual purchase rate being offered at
the player’s previous bid plus 50%. Everyone has
If the party win, Sevil Rev hands them the book, and then
the option of refusing or accepting, and trying to
departs.
bargain for a higher rate.

Every player then rolls their checks again, with DRAGONARMY REPORTS
purchasing players able to use the roll of the Spending some time studying these reports
person they bought from if they want. should allow the party to move through black
This is followed by a second purchasing phase in wing controlled lands – including Balifor and
which prices for the next roll can be as high half Goodlund without encountering any Dragonarmy
the value of the roll. patrols.
It would also give them an opportunity to know
The rolls are then made for a third and final time, where such patrols are and to set ambushes.
and once again purchased rolls can be used. In
this round of the game, whoever rolls highest wins If the party choose to give these reports to Silver
the pot, with the pot being split in the event of a Fox and their rebels, they are immensely thankful
tie. and offer what help they can. If desired, Silver
________
Fox and his people will be willing to stage a
If time is short, then the game can be played diversionary attack to allow the party to escape
quickly by only playing a single round, with the Flotsam.
winner taking all.
______________________________________________

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ASSASSINS Furcoat gives his profound thanks, and insists that he must
Whilst out in the town, the party stumble on an attempt to reward heroism. He hands each party member a dark green
assassinate a local gnome, though it is better to say that the velvet pouch, each containing a sapphire worth 1500stl, plus
attempt stumbles into them. two emeralds worth 600stil each.
The gnome runs down an alley besides a taxidermy shop
and straight into the party, three black-robed men (one Furcoat will be highly reluctant to part with the medallion
mage and two thugs) hot on his trail. They are intent on willingly, as he sense a greater mystery that must be solved,
killing the gnome as quickly as possible, and will attack and he wishes to pursue it.
anyone who tries to stop them. ______________________________________________

Creatures: 1x Mage & 2x Gladiator DRAGONARMY PATROL


[Deadly] 11,800xp Regular patrols walk the streets of Flotsam, stopping
random passers by to question them. This is a recent
If the party intervene on the gnome’s behalf, then the mage development, as Toede was too lax to organize such a
begins by attacking them all with a fireball, and then his two search, but on orders of The Blue Lady the entire
associates charge them directly. The assassins try everything Dragonarmy garrison is on alert and expected to question
they can to attack the gnome, and once he is dead they everyone they see, sometimes multiple times.
focus on reaching the body so that they can recover a small
medallion of platinum and gold from his jacket pocket. Creatures: 5x Thug & 2x Veteran
If the gnome and the assassins are killed, this medallion can [Medium] 4750xp
be found in the gnome’s coat by the party, and they find it
shaped like two intertwined dragons. Creatures: 1x Bozak Elite & 6x Thug
[Hard] 6000xp

The medallion is magical, but the original material There is a 30% that any party out on the streets will be
does not list specific powers for it. stopped and questioned, and a further r30% chance on top
The DM should feel free to apply any powers or that they will see someone else being questioned.
abilities they wish to. The Dragonarmy patrols are looking for information on
Silver Fox and the location of the rebellious underground’s
headquarters, but they are still just complacent enough that
If the gnome is rescued, he introduces himself as Furcoat, a only a successful DC10 Charisma (Deception) check is
long standing resident of Flotsam, and incredibly grateful for needed to convince them that anything the party say is true.
the rescue. He has been living quiet peacefully for many
years, practicing his chosen art of taxidermy and selling his When questioning a group, the patrol’s leader will focus in
wares to local nobles and wealthy merchants. He has even on one party member whom he takes to be a leader, giving
sent his goods across the eastern region, and as far west as them a baleful look and accepting no hostility.
Neraka. Normally he has worked through intermediaries If the party become aggressive, then the patrol leader will
though, to keep a sense of privacy, and this disturbance has attempt to arrest them, strip them of their equipment, and
greatly shaken him. escorts them to F9: The Prison for a quick and merciless
He has an idea as to why he was attacked, but is unsure of trial.
the specifics. If there is violence, the patrol will try to summon
reinforcements using horns and whistles, and 1d4 more
▪ “A week ago a package was delivered by what I assumed patrols of the same size will arrive at the start of the fourth
was an employee of my latest customer. It contained round.
something frightful - the corpse of a small black dragon!”
▪ “I really, really should never have opened it.” Giving the patrol actual information that leads to the capture
▪ “I had a look at it though, and hidden inside the small of Silver Fox will make the party enemies of the rebels, and
corpse was a small medallion made of platinum and the likely target of assassination attempts.
gold, shaped to look like two dragons whose tails have ______________________________________________
intertwined.”
▪ “It was most unfortunately that the package ended up at CRAZED ELF
my doorstep, and I wish I knew how that came to be.”
▪ “And tonight, I was closing up shop, and there was this This encounter only takes place is some of their
Black Robe wizard, claiming to be a servant of the owner members are disguised as Dragonarmy officers.
of the medallion He called himself Rimasalas Qoutathas.
A dark elf I would wager.”
▪ “He said that he had come to kill me!” Not everyone opposed to the Dragonarmies is working
▪ “His others two stood by as he came at me and knocked together, and some disguises can cause more issues than
me down, but just as he is about to strike the killing expected.
blow, I kicked him and broke free, bolting from the If the party are walking about the town with either some or
house...and straight into you. And what good luck that all of them disguised as Dragonarmy soldiers, they will be
was!” attacked. This will more than likely be at night, and the

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attacker is likely to jump lone wanderers from an alley current orders. She may stop and stare for a little while,
rather than charge a large, heavily-armed group. deep in thought, but then allows the party to go on their
way.
A crazed, red-eyed elf launches himself out of a dark
alleyway with his blade pointed squarely at a disguised If there is an attractive medium-sized humanoid amongst
character, mad with loss and desperate to kill anything them (high Charisma score, and not a Dwarf, Kender, Half-
working with the Dragonarmy. He can not be reasoned with Ogre or the like) then Kitara may take a liking to them, and
unless his mind can be stilled with magic. so she asks that character to come and visit her at the
Saltbreeze to continue the interview. If the character tries to
Creatures: 1x Gladiator decline, Kitiara makes it an order. Further refusal
[Easy] 1800xp disappoints her, but Kitiara takes no further action other
than to promise to see them later.
The elf’s name is Piaras Silverbreeze, and his madness
comes from grief at the loss of his young daughter. She was If a character does go to see Kitiata at the Saltbreeze, then
brutally murdered by a Dragonarmy officer, and so Piaras they are welcomed into a fine lounge attached to Kitiara’s
become blood-thirsty in his quest for revenge. He will not own chambers and plied with excellent food and strong
stop until all members of the Dragonarmy are dead. This wine, all the while asking questions to test their loyalties.
includes the party right now, as he refuses to believe that It seems obvious that Kitiara is attracted to the character,
they are anything other than what they seem – lackeys of the and may soon ask them to stay the night, but it is not this
Dragonarmies. night. As the hour grows later, Kitiara announces that she
His skill with a blade is undeniable though, Clearly he is a has a mission in the morning to prepare for, but she will be
well trained and wealthy warrior to wield such finery. back in a few days.
Kitiara sees no problem with saying that she is going to
If defeated, Piaras is found to be wearing a +1 chain shirt, oversee preparations on the eastern border of Solamnia,
and is wielding a beautiful sword of Silvanesti make. It has and that she is leaving Higmaster Ettel Rense in charge with
the name Eriach-Theel engraved on it’s bone pommel, and Gildentongue the Aurak to advise him.
it’s slender blade is made of a strange green-tinged steel with When the character leaves the Saltbreeze, they will be
elven runs embedded using platinum. It is a +2 longsword followed by Gildentongue in his fisherman disguise.
that does an additional 2d6 slashing damage to dragons. Attempts to escape him will require a successful DC12
______________________________________________ Dexterity (Stealth) check. Otherwise the draconian will see
where they go and who they meet with, though
UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER Gildentongue will not act on this knowledge straight away.
He is still laying his own plans within plans.
This encounter only takes place is some of their
members are disguised as Dragonarmy officers. ETTEL RENSE
Neutral Evil Human Male
The first lieutenant to The Blue Lady, Rense is a
If the party walk the streets during the day, there is a good
firm and serious military officer with a mind for
chance they may run across the Blue Highlord – Kitiara Uth
discipline, thinking that combat can solve pretty
Matar – on one of her regular tours around the town.
much any dispute. He has deep respect for his
A group of guards clears a path through busy streets as The
Highlord, and will follow her orders to the letter.
Blue Lady passes, and then she suddenly stops having
His orders in Flotsam are to hunt down Silver
caught sight of a group of officers – the disguised party.
Fox and his rebels, and to specifically try to bring
She turns and heads directly towards them, accompanied by
the rebel leaders in alive so that an example
her guards.
might be made of them. He has also been tasked
with meeting with the local ogre tribes to bring
Creatures: 1x The Blue Lady & 4x Veteran
them into the Dragonarmies.
[Deadly] 35,600xp
Rense is partnered with a female blue dragon
The Blue Lady hails the group as she approaches, and
named Stroak – a hot-tempered creature, but
expects deferential respect correct for her status in return.
Rense enjoys the challenge of trying to control
If the party attempt to run then Kitiara orders her guard to
her.
pursue, and soon enough more Dragonarmy patrols will
join the chase. Given that the order came directly from the ______________________________________________
Highlord, the entire town will go into lockdown and high
alert until the traitors are found. HIGHLORD’S MISSION
The same will happen if the party become violent at any
time during the encounter, though Kitiara may attempt to
keep one of the party alive for later questioning. If a party member went with Kitiara to the
Saltbreeze after An Unlikely Encounter, then this
If the party stay though, Kitiara politely asks for their names event occurs the following morning.
and ranks, and quizzes the party on their superiors and

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One morning, there is a sudden commotion in the early best Rev claims he could find that would not attract
hours, the shrill cry of a dragon echoing over Flotsam and attention. An old sea-dog captains the vessel, and swears
waking everyone. that although she is a little leaky the boat has survived a few
Those who go outside to see the cause witness Skie taking decades so far and hasn’t fallen apart yet.
flight with The Blue Lady on his back. They climb steadily Rev recommends that if the party have Dragonarmy
into the air, heading north. uniforms that they bring them along just in case, but he also
insists that everyone make ready quickly so that they can
Rumour about the Dragonarmies is that she has been called depart without delay.
to make sure that her forces are ready for the assault on
Solamnia, but that she will be gone only a day or two thanks The journey up the coast takes the rest of the night, arriving
to a teleport nexus in a place called Ogreshield. at Ogreshield by the middle of the next morning.
Some suggest that the timing is poor, but most officers have ______________________________________________
faith that Ettel Rense and Gildentongue can complete the
talks to cement the alliance with the ogres. OGRESHIELD
______________________________________________

A RUMOUR OF HOPE This encounter takes place if the party have


By mid-morning after The Blue Lady departed, Erewan the travelled with Erewan to Ogreshield in order to
shaggy will be out looking for the party, having heard some sabotage the Dragonarmy alliance with the ogres.
excellent news that could be used to the rebellion’s
advantage. After an entire night aboard a leaky, barnacle encrusted
ship, with each wave and swell causing the ship to sway
▪ “Tomorrow, a meeting will be taking place norther of precariously, the sun starts to rise and reveals a squat
here at Ogreshield.” fortress sitting on the edge of a steep hill in the distance.
▪ “It’s an old fortress from before the Cataclysm, occupied The shore beneath the fortress is lined with withered plants
and expanded upon by the Khalkist Mountains ogres.” and impaled trespassers who have been caught and left out
▪ “The Dragonarmies have been trying to form up that as a warning by the ogres. It is clear that uninvited guests are
alliance for a while, and Ettel Rense will be meeting the not made welcome.
ogre chieftain not do just that.”
▪ “The last thing I want is ogres walking these streets along Rev directs the captain towards a sheltered cove roughly
with the filth that already does, so I want this meeting 300ft from the fortress walls where it shouldn’t be seen, and
stopped, or somehow sabotaged.” warns that there are likely guards in the hills looking over
▪ “The ogre leader is called King Vogor Stoneshaker of the water who will need to be dispatched before the party
Bloten, and there’ll be another there to represent the can reach the keep.
green wing – Khan Gruugar of Kern.” __________

▪ “I lack the manpower to do anything myself, but I was There are multiple ogres arrayed around the coast at 50ft
thinking that maybe it was something you could do if you intervals. Most are careful and actually watching out for
have the time?” intruders, but there is a 20% chance that any one of them
▪ “We can get you up to Ogreshield tonight if you’re might be a little more complacent, and if found either
willing, and when the meeting happens we cause some eating, sleeping or urinating.
confusion, and ideally leave the outside world thinking
that the talks ended in violence. That should be they’re Creatures: 6x Ogre
alliance done.” [Medium] 5400xp
▪ “What do you say? I’ll come of course, and Sevil Rev
has arranged a way for us to get there.” The party should have the opportunity to try to take each
▪ “If you’re onboard, we plan to leave at sundown. Meet Ogre out one by one, and each will try to fight anything that
Rev and me at the eel vendor’s booth in the attacks it for at least one round before thinking to try to call
marketplace.” for reinforcements. If they run though, the other Ogres in
the area will head towards the commotion.
The party have the choice as to whether or not to take on __________
the mission, but if they do then Sevil Rev and Erewan will
await them at sunset. Once the coast guards are defeated the party can head
Rev has been paid well by Erewan to arrange transport on a further up the hills towards the fortress itself, a high-walled
fishing vessel that has a license to leave the harbour (and it bastion regularly patrolled by up to three full units of ogres
doesn’t hurt that Rev has also bribed some of the harbour under orders to keep their king and the delegates inside
guards to not notice their leaving). Rev himself also plans to safe.
go along, wanting the alliance to fail for his own reasons, and
agreeing to this stipulation without questions was apparently Creatures: 5x Ogre
part of the cost for his services. [Medium] 4500xp

Rev takes Erewan and the party to a rickety old boat, the The main gates to the keep are protected by a group of elite

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Ogre warriors who have been ordered not to let anyone somewhere in the keep, so as soon as the party breach the
except the Dragonarmy guests to pass, though they are not outer walls he will, in full view, drink a potion of invisibility
the smartest branches on the tree. and disappear from view. He will then wander off on his
own without saying a word to anyone, and won’t be seen
Creatures: 3x Ogre Bastion again until the party return to Flotsam.
[Hard] 6600xp He is in essence using the party and the rebels as a
distraction
The fortress is mostly thick walls and a single large hall __________
containing a massive table covered in meats and wine.
Seated around the table arguing the final points of their The party can decide that their work is done at any time,
alliance are Ettel Rense, Gildentongue and Khan Gruugar and make their escape as they see fit. Erewan plans to go
of Kern representing the Dragonarmies, and King Vogor back the way they came, and then back to Flotsam, warning
Stoneshaker of Bloten with his personal guard for the ogres. that an ogre city lies further inland.
As the party arrive the talks have progressed to a heated The party may still have coastal guards to deal with though
topic – the boundary between ogre lands the Khur. As King and as they reach the cove where their ship was docked they
Stonechaker would have it, anything above sea-level should find two ogres standing on the shore with a pile of spears
be considered part of the Khalkist Mountains and therefore nearby. The ship is half-sunk and it’s captain floats face
the territory of Blode. Khan Gruugar disagrees of course, down near it.
stating that all lands currently held by the tribes of Khur is
and always will be theirs. Creatures: 2x Ogre Bastion
The talks are heated, but remain cordial under the careful [Easy] 3300xp
direction of Ettel Rense.
Unless the party left the conference entirely undisturbed,
Creatures: 1x Ogre Chief, 2x Ogre Bastion & 6x Ogre there will be more trouble coming. Horns will start to blare
[Deadly] 18,000xp across the countryside, and from the sounds it will be clear
that hundreds of ogres are on the way.
Creatures: 1x Highmaster, 1x Aurak Archmage & 1x __________
Gladiator
[Deadly] 18,200xp As the party seek to escape, they will see one other hope for
immediate flight – a ship sailing south just off the coast, it’s
Staging a direct attack on the conference is likely to be crew watching the party as they try to get away from
extremely dangerous, as these enemies uniting as one force rampaging ogres.
would more than likely be more than one party could This ship is The Perechon, and the party may have seen it
handle. docked in Flotsam before.
Rev and Erewan will stress though that the objective is to
sow discord and to make sure that the alliance does not The ship seems very interested in the party, and if they’re
solidify. However the party can work out how to do that will close enough to the shore The Perechon will start to shout
be just fine with them. and wave the party over, yelling that they’ll take the party
away from the ogres.
The party will need to swim about 100ft out to reach the
Erewan’s ideal plan would be for the party to
ship, all the while evading ogre-thrown spears, but if they
attack King Stoneshaker in disguise as
can then they find strong arms reaching down to help them
Dragonarmy officers. This would leave the ogres
onto the ship.
thinking that the alliance talks had been a trap all
______________________________________________
along.
A RIDE BACK TO FLOTSAM
The party should be free to come up with their
The Perechon will want to get underway again as soon as
own plan, though they should have the
possible before anything worse than ogres catches sight of
opportunity to work out that a direct fight against
them, so as soon as the party are onboard the captain will
all of the assembled delegates might be suicide.
start yelling orders, the sail will be unfurled, and the ship
will start heading back to Flotsam.
__________
Whether the party have met her yet or not, captain
If violence does break out then both sides will likely try to Maquesta Kar-Thon will greet her unexpected passengers
escape, the ogres wanting to get their king to safety whilst the with a wide smile. Her crew are also welcoming and jovial,
Dragonarmy representatives want both to save their own with the exception of the mute helmsman who focuses on
skin and to report to their Highlords that something went manoeuvring the vessel safely back to port. He acts almost
wrong. oblivious to everything happening on deck.
__________
Maquesta ultimately has no love for the Dragonarmies, so if
Sevil Rev’s true reason for coming along on this adventure the party as in disguise and she finds out that it is a ruse, she
was to investigate rumours of a stash of treasure kept will be overjoyed and happy to hear tales of the

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Dragonarmies being made fools of. long journey.
If the party try to maintain the disguise, then Maquesta will Soon enough she will learn about what happened in
insist on a payment of at least 600stl per person, though can Ogreshield.
be haggled down to 300stl. ______________________________________________

If asked, Maquesta explains that Flotsam wouldn’t be her UNINVITED GUEST


first choice, but she is desperately in need of both supplies
and work, and it’s the best place around for that. This event occurs the morning after Highlord
Kitiara returns, and then only if a few different
The journey back to Flotsam will take most of the day, The circumstances have been met.
Perechon coming into dock just before sundown. • The party travelled to Ogreshield and caused
a disruption, whether it was successful or not.
• Gildentongue is still alive.
MAQUESTA KAR-THON • A character was previously invited to spend
Neutral Half-Elf Female some time with Kitiara in the Saltbreeze, and
The captain of The Perechon is an north was followed afterwards.
Ergothian half-elf with a fiery temper, and just as
much of a pirate as she is a merchant. She
considers her ship the fastest in all the Blood The day after Kitiara’s return, the draconian Gildentongue
Sea, and her crew the finest and most loyal. also returns from Ogreshield (assuming he is still alive) to
She currently works for the Dragonarmies, report on what happened, and he will immediately begin a
transporting cargo back and forth between their search for the party, believing that they returned to Flotsam.
strongholds, but does so
primarily because she knows that she and her Wherever the party are staying, they will return to their
crew would be killed if they didn’t obey. rooms to find a cloaked figure looking through their
Maquesta is quite happy to play both sides possessions. As the party make themselves known, the
against each other however, and puts her loyalty figure turns to then, revealing itself to be a golden-scaled
first and foremost to the ship rather than to any draconian. He is searching for some clue or evidence to
employer. To this end Maquesta has even implicate them in what happened at Ogreshield, and if
launched raids on slaver ships, and many times caught he will use magic to try to escape out into the streets.
agreed to smuggle refugees out of Balifor. If prevented from doing do, he will instead make for the
closest window and jumps out into the street instead, taking
In private, Maquesta has also expressed rage 2d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall.
over what the Dragonarmy have done to
Silvanesti, and vowed to exact revenge on those Creatures: 1x Bozak Elite & 6x Thug
responsible. [Hard] 6000xp

▪ “The name’s Maquesta Kar-thon.” Given the opportunity to reach the streets, Gildentongue
▪ “Let me guess — you’re not with the will call for reinforcements, and a patrol will respond,
dragonarmy. Not unless they’re hiring elves arriving in 1d3 rounds.
these days.”
▪ “I’ve got a lot of work to do. You coming? Or Creatures: 1x Bozak Elite & 6x Thug
you gonna gawk at a guy stitching a sail?” [Hard] 6000xp
▪ “All right, we have a deal. I’ll buy the
supplies. We sail when the ship’s ready. If captured, Gildentongue refuses to talk, and instead
That’s in about four days.” threatens to report them all to the Highlord.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
AN ODD SIGN
BLUE LADY’S RETURN Close to midnight on the evening after Kitiara Uth Matar
returns to Flotsam, some of the party may be startled awake
by the sudden sound of broken glass, followed by a shill cry
This event takes place either the morning after
and a strong chill.
the party return to Flotsam from Ogreshield, or
A seagull has just flown straight through their room’s
three to four days after The Blue departed for
window, and now lies dead on the floor.
her own mission.

If the party have visited the Oracle in Goodlund,


On an overcast day, with the threat of a storm breaking at
then this moment will have been prophesized.
any moment, a flap of wings announces the return of the
dragon skie and his rider – Highlord Kitiara Uth Matar.
The blue dragon lands right next to the Saltbreeze, and The If the party were warned that this would happen by the
Blue Lady dismounts and enters the inn to rest after her Oracle, then they should be able to work out that this is an
The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
omen of a coming battle. be met with a hinderance. They will come to the ship to
find Maquesta furious and refusing to leave despite the
The party have only ten minutes before the event Raid on pleading of her crew. As she sees the party approach she
the Jetties occurs. turns to them for help, exclaiming that her helmsman
______________________________________________ Berem has been kidnapped.

RAID ON THE JETTIES ▪ “He’s gone! The finest helmsman my ship ever had has
Highmaster Toede will launch an audacious raid on the been abducted!”
tavern known as The Jetties, having received intelligence ▪ “You have to find him! I swear to the gods by every
telling theme exactly where to find the rebel’s secret name they’ve ever been known by all peoples, I will not
hideway in the basement. He has specifically waited and leave this place until he is safely back on this ship!”
watched for a time when Erewan was there and had called
in a number of rebels for a meeting, and now he has sent ▪ “It was that shady fellow – Sevil something. I know it.”
dozens of troops in to bring the rebellion to an end. ▪ “Look here, I found a letter in Berem’s cabin asking for
a meeting on the wharf. It is signed S.D.R.”
Creatures: 12x Baaz Scout ▪ “I asked around, but nobody saw Berem there.
[Hard] 7200xp Someone saw Sevil though, speaking to a sailor, and
then disappearing down an alley in the southern
Creatures: 1x Bozak Elite & 6x Thug wharves. That sailor could have been Berem, so I
[Hard] 6000xp checked the alley too and found nothing.”
▪ “Neither Sevil or Berem have been seen leaving town,
Creatures: 5x Hobgoblin Captain I’m sure of that.”
[Hard] 7000xp
▪ “Please, just find him. I’ll even wave your passage fee if
Multiple units of hobgoblins will surround the building you can. But I can’t and won’t leave without him.”
while the Baaz enter through the front and back doors and
secure the trapdoor to the concealed basement. The Bozak If the party want to leave soon, then they may have no
and humans meanwhile will make their way upstairs and choice but to take Maquesta up on her request.
start to drag people out of their beds for questioning. As far ________
as Toede is concerned, everyone inside the inn is a suspect
at this point. A successful DC16 Wisdom (Survival) check at the alleyway
may reveal that two men entered, the gait telling that one of
With time to prepare the party might be able to get out of them was occasionally been pushed forward by the other.
The Jetties before Toede strikes, and perhaps even warn There is no sign of them here now though, and no sign that
the dozen or so rebels in the basement that trouble is they left.
coming. By this time though the soldiers will already be
coming so escape will need to quick and quiet, needing a There is an entrance into the sewers in that alleyway, and
successful DC25 Dexterity (Stealth) check from every once below a successful DC14 Wisdom (Survival) check
creature trying to get out into the streets. allows the party to follow slime trails, scraped sludge and a
Erewan knows of a route through the sewers, but the hatch torn piece of cloth along a series of dry tunnels that don’t
to access it in the basement has been long rusted, and see much use.
requires a successful DC30 Strength check to open. ________

If the party have disguises they may be able to get away with The party eventually come to a 10ft high spillage chamber
a reprimand from Toede for not realizing that they were with iron grating covering dry reservoirs that cross the wide
staying in an inn with rebels, though even this will require at space. There is another passage out of this chamber on the
minimum a DC25 Charisma (Deception) check to convince opposite side and rusty chains hanging from the ceiling, as
the hobgoblin that the party are actually Dragonarmy well as several small alcoves around the lower wall. Most of
officers. these alcoves have assorted pieces of broken furniture
littering them, but only one is completely blocked by a large,
If the party are captured, their equipment is taken to F5: old table. Another alcove is oddly filled with crates of fresh
Highmaster Toede’s Manor where it is locked in the vault. food and water, as well as a large wicker basket.
The party themselves are taken to F9: The Prison and at
least one of them is left in a gibbet on the roof. They will be Sevil Rev is hanging on one of the ceiling chains, his foot
tried in the morning. poised on a loop, gently drifting back and forth. Berem
And rebels captured in the basement, including Erewan, will meanwhile can be heard whimpering in the alcove blocked
be swiftly executed. by the table where he has been tied up.
______________________________________________
Creatures: 1x Gladiator, 6x Slig & 2x Giant Constrictor
BEREM KIDNAPPED Snake
If the party secure passage out of Flotsam on The [Deadly] 9750xp
Perechon, then shortly before they are due to leave they will
The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
DC14 Wisdom (Perception): There are six additional
creatures in the room hiding beneath slime and furniture in
EXCERPTS FROM KITIARA’S JOURNAL
the alcoves. Their exact natures can’t be told until they
20th Phoenix ’51
reveal themselves.
▪ “16 days I have waited and still no results. This
is not a soldier’s fare. I should be back with my
As the party enter the chamber, Sevil firmly demands that
troops crossing the Vingaard.”
they leave and allow him to claim his prize. If the party
▪ “Bakaris is a good man, but at times he forgets
refuses, he whistles, and on this cue the hiding sligs emerge
to think before acting. Let someone else sit out
and attack. The basket close to the fresh food supplies also
this secret duty! “
topples over, and the snakes inside slither out, seemingly at
▪ “Has Ariakas perhaps grown tired of me that
the command of Sevil.
he should convince the Dark Queen to post
me here? Perhaps I have overestimated our
If things look bad for Sevil he will attempt to escape by
alliance. is I must think on how best to serve
running towards the far exit, and once there he will pull on a
the Lady and myself.”
chain that collapses part of the chamber, blocking the
passage and allowing him to get away.
▪ “This little beast who calls himself Lord Toede
— how apt! How such a sniveller reached the
If captured or questioned, he becomes far more friendly,
ranks of Dragon Highmaster is beyond my
warning them out of true-sounding concern that he has
understanding.”
already sent a message to the Blue Highlord telling her that
▪ “That fool Verminaard let a group of
he has what she is looking for.
barbarians defeat him and now his lackey
claims his mantle. True, Toede commands
If victorious the party are able to search the chamber, and
our armies from rot, and those grunts worship
amongst the gathered supplies they can find a blue leather-
him. So rewarding him with an office to keep
bound journal. From a brief glance, it appears to belong to
him under our thumbs may be worth it. But a
Highlord Kitiara Uth Matar. Highmaster ?! What next, one of the five
Highlords?”
Berem seems thankful for the rescue but still does not talk.
If brought back to The Perechon he walks straight for the
▪ “This war worries me. These damned Knights,
wheel and acts ready to leave immediately.
stirring up resistance among the peasants,
trying to cling to their precious titles and lands.
Can they not see we are trying to drag these
BEREM idiots up out of the chaos that has claimed this
Neutral Human Male land since the Cataclysm?”
Known by some and “the Everman”, and ▪ “I will create order and rebuild this world to
hunted by others as “the green-gemstone man”, the glory it once knew even if I have to split the
Berem has led a life on the run having fled his skull of every Knight to do it.”
home as a teen to escape the growing power of
Takhisis. His is a tragic tale that weaves into the ▪ “But there are fools everywhere, even here.
very beginning of the War of the Lance and There seem to be dissidents in every dung
may decide the destiny of Ansalon. heap, and this butchering elves sickens me. At
least we finally have agents among them.”
Berem is both hunted and haunted by
memories of ill deeds, and has become ▪ “The Queen’s own Gildentongue is a prize.
reasonably adept at hiding his presence even in He can go anywhere and none suspect. We
an empty room. He can be identified by a large will bend them to our own ends whether they
fist-sized green gemstone that is irrevocably know it or not. Still something about that
planted in his chest, though he keeps this Aurak bothers me.”
covered at all times and takes great pains to ▪ “Then again, where would I be without the
keep anyone from ever even seeing it. fools who first called themselves Dragon
A few months ago, Berem managed to find Highlords? Petty little men! What they needed
work about a ship called The Perechon, was a leader and someone to weed out the
thinking that he could evade capture by moving dross. It was a lucky day when I joined the
around as much as possible. He keeps to dragon alliance at Lemish.”
himself, never speaks and never goes ashore,
but after taking the wheel in emergency has
proven himself a highly skilled helmsman, so
the captain has come to respect his behaviour
and want to keep him around.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
21st Phoenix ’51 PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
▪ “Finally Ariakas and the Queen have revealed Half of the Companions had found themselves
my true goal! They speak of invincibility for press-ganged into traveling to Silvanesti, and
our forces once I complete my task. And the afterwards made their way north eventually
Queen’s scrying has predicted that the goal I ending up in Port Balifor. Their time here was
seek will bring itself to this pest ridden town mostly uneventful, but they found themselves
and will be ripe for the plucking.” drawing attention and without the coin to afford
▪ “So I receive a respite from this dread waiting. food and shelter.
Since we know the day of its arrival. I am
called back to command my forces in the The Companions, led by Tanis Half-Elven,
taking of the High CleristTower and the decided to put their other talents to use and
crushing of these disorganized Knights of disguised themselves as a troupe of entertainers,
“Solamnia. This will be glorious indeed! “ the mage Raistlin performing simple magical
▪ “This must be very important that a tricks to entertain small tavern crowds. Gathering
Highlordhas been tapped to oversee its enough in Port Balifor to afford some warm
success. Again my star shines. If it is this clothing, they quickly moved on, heading for
important, there must be more to it than I am Flotsam.
being told. If it is our strength, might it not also
be a weakness in the right hands? I must think Flotsam was not so safe as they had hopde
on all this and Ariakas’s future.” however, being under the firm control of the
▪ “To think that all rides on a man with a green Dragonarmies.
gemstone... “
While the others hid in The Jetties, Tanis Half-
Elven and Caramon Majere ambushed a pair of
Dragonarmy officers and stole their uniforms,
allowing them to move about unrestricted, but
this also caused them a significant problem when
they came to the attention of The Blue Lady.
Tanis was ambushed by her, only to discover her
identity as Kitiara – their old friend and his
former lover! Kitiara meanwhile was shocked to
discover Tanis, but overjoyed when she
mistakenly believed that Tanis had joined the
Dragonarmies just like her, and was now under
her command.

Tanis kept this ruse going whilst hastily trying to


find passage out of Flotsam, finding an ally in
Maquesta Kar-Thon. When he discovered that
her helmsman Berem was the very man the
Dragonarmies were looking for he confided in
the captain, and together agreed a plan to escape
the town.
The Perechon fled suddenly when Berem was
discovered, the Companions onboard and with
The Blue Lady in pursuit.

Panicking at the sight of the dragons, Berem


turned The Perechon into the storm, and sank it
beneath the whirlpool.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RECOMMENDED
33. THE PERECHON PARTY LV8
The best ship the party could hope to find themselves on FRITZEN DORGAARD
whilst leaving Flotsam is The Perechon, technically a pirate Chaotic Neutral Half-Ogre Male
ship but with a captain and crew who actively oppose the A half-ogre and relatively new member of the crew, Fritzen
Dragonarmies (though they like to keep that secret). joined up out of a love of adventure, and has become well
The Perechon is a sleek two-masted vessel with a graceful liked for his jovial nature.
bow similar in style to a schooner of caravel, though it is a Fritz doesn’t talk much about his background, but his
tad tarnished by a few cracks, peeling paint and patched commanding nature and knowledge of strategy and proper
sails. It’s upper railing is mahogany, with posts carved like deck maintenance suggest that he has served on military
flutted temple columns, with a hardened walnut bowsprit vessels. His only really weakness so far as the crew are aware
and stained oak deck. is a terrible fear of fire, Fritzen having explained once that
his ogre father had burned his human mother’s village to
Once it was a light military escort ship, no more than 120ft the ground when he was still a child.
long and 20ft wide, but it has since been fitted with a
gnomish rowing engine and new ballistas – one mounted on LENDLE CHAFKA
the bow and two on the stern castle. Neutral Good Gnome Male
A close friend of Maquesta’s father, this white haired, blue
These days The Perechon only hauls cargo and passengers, eyed gnome tinkerer left his home on Karthay decades ago
but has developed a reputation for fast work as it’s engines when The Perechon ran aground on the island. Having had
make it one of the fastest ships in the Blood Sea. It’s top troubles of his own, Lendle helped Maquesta’s father to
speed is somewhere in the region of 3.5 miles an hour when repair the ship and installed the rowing mechanism that he
light in the water and about 2 miles an hour when fully now maintains and operates.
laden. None of the crew ever learned when Chafka decided to
leave his home behind, but it can be hard to get a straight
At the moment, the cargo hold is about half full, allowing it answer, even when he launches in long drink-fueled
to reach a maximum of 2.5 miles an hour. sentences.
______________________________________________
BEREM
MAQUESTA’S CREW Neutral Human Male
The Perechon’s crew is made up of ??? souls, all serving Maquesta took on Berem as a deckswab only a few months
under captain Maquesta Kar-Thon. ago. The fact that he never spoke nor came ashore or even
interacted with passengers in any way disturbed some at
MAQUESTA KAR-THON first, but he came to be accepted and even greatly valued
Neutral Half-Elf Female when the ship’s helmsman was killed during an altercation
Known as “Maq” to her friends and crew, Maquesta is an with Mandragore the Reaver.
ergothian half-elf, though she never knew her elven mother. Berem immediately took the helm and steered The
She was raised on the sea by her loving father, and inherited Perechon away to safety. He has since been thought of as
The Perechon at the age of eighteen when her father was the best helmsman the Perechon has ever had.
poisoned by a minotaur lord.
She in now renowned on the Blood Sea as a woman with a Though it may not be immediately evident from
fiery temper but a good heart, and for fueding with the a first meeting with Berem, he is in fact the
minotaur pirate lord Mandragore the Reaver. Though Everman, also known as the Green-Gemstone
stories would have people believe that the two clash often, Man whom the Dragonarmies have been hunting
Maquesta knows that Mandragore’s ship The Butcher is for since the start of the war, and the very reason
one of the few that can outperform hers, so when she sees Highlord Kitiara is in Flotsam.
his flag on the horizon Maquesta usually chooses to flee For this reason, he is fearful about keeping his
rather than fight. identity and presence a secret at all times. He is
aware that he can not die, but the threat of being
BAS OHN-KORAF discoivered and captured by the servants of
Neutral Minotaur Male Takhisis can send him into a frenzy.
Often called “Kof” by Maquesta, Bas is The Perechon’s first
mate, and a rebel from the minotaur empire, a six foot tall His story is told in full in the module The
muscular example of his kind with short brown fur and Everman.
long, curved horns. He comes across as rough and
belligerent, but is one of the most refined and gentle
minotaurs a person is likely to meet, and holds his captain OTHER CREW
in high regard. Neutral Human Male
Bas has a quick temper, and rumour has it he has thrown There are six other members of the crew – typical rogues
many people overboard for disrespecting his captain. and scoundrels who might be expected on a pirate ship.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
They are typically superstitious for sailors, and jump at very cover.
loose piece of cloud of flock of birds as an omen of disaster. This ballista is usually manned by Fritzen Dorgaard.
Magic makes them nervous, and those who truly look like
outsiders may get odd looks or be avoided altogether. PC8: OAR BAY
______________________________________________ The middle deck is mostly taken up by twenty oar benches
with ten hatches to either side. Odd metal poles extend
MAQUESTA’S CREW down the chamber, gripping the oars in place of a usually
The Perechon has five sections – a fore castle, a rear castle, large crew and connected to PC15: Gnomish Engine Room.
the upper deck, mid-deck and lower deck. Two traps doors lead down into the hold, and a large grate
leads up to the top deck.
PC1: MAIN DECK
Sitting 15ft above the water, the main deck nis where most The crew usually take meals on these benches, and use the
of the ship’s activity takes place. There is one longboat areas for games and meetings.
stowed in the centre of the deck between the two masts.
PC9: CREW QUARTERS
PC2: MAQUESTA’S CABIN Most of the crew stay here. With ten hammocks hanging
Maquesta keeps her personal room quite austere, despite it across the ship’s beams and ten duffel bags hung on hooks
being the largest on the ship. Only Maquesta and Bas have on the walls.
keys to the door, and it is usually kept locked, but a The crew will usually work in three shifts through the day
successful DC6 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check will open and night, so there will always be roughly one third of the
it. crew sleeping at any time, though in summer the crew may
prefer to sleep on the top deck.
A hammock hangs to the side of the door, whilst a cabinet
against the back wall and divided into multiple segments Fritzen Dorggard and Berem sleep in here with the rest of
holds charts, maps, logs and cargo manifests. the crew.

Two locked chests sit under the hammock to which only PC10: MATE’S CABIN
Maquesta holds a key, though both can be unlocked with This is Bas Ohn-Koraf’s private room, and it tends to be a
successful DC16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks. cluttered mess.
Combined the chats will hold around 2000stl in coins and Bas finds that no hammock on the ship can support his
gems, plus whatever the party have paid for passage. weight, so he sleeps on a pile of straw in the back corner.
Across the room from there are some scattered clothes and
PC3: GALLEY a large chest that Bas keeps the only key to, though it can be
Shelves line the walls covered in pots, pans and trays of unlocked with a successful DC16 Dexterity (Sleight of
foodstuff, and a small stove sits at the back near a couple of Hand) check. The chest’s contents are almost entirely
barrels of fresh water. Lendle is often in here during the day sentimental, including keepsakes from his former home in
making meals for the crew. the Blood Sea Islands, though by digging down to the
bottom some one could find a pouch of 380stl and two
PC4: ARMOURY sapphires (worth 750stl each) that Bas has been saving.
A collection of weapons are kept here, along with large
crates of ammunition for the ship’s ballistae (including a PC11: ENGINEER’S CABIN
collection of flaming bolts). Inside are racks holding pieces Lendle Chafka keeps his own room strictly organized,
of leather armour, swords, spears and bows, plus a healthy except for any flat surface on which he can spread out all
collection of arrows. sorts of sketches and diagrams for new designs and
The anchor chain from the forecastle runs through a hole in improvements to The Perechon’s gnomish engine. Pens
the ceiling and is bound into a ring fixed to the floor. and inkwells are found all over, as well as a number of small
whirling gizmos that Lendle has built over the years.
PC5: AFTCASTLE
The raised deck at the stern holds the ship’s wheel and two PC12: PASSENGER’S CABIN
ready-loaded ballistae that tend to be covered in canvas This cabin contains six large hammocks, two tables and four
tarps when not in use. benches, plus a large built-in immoveable, lockable chest
under the window provided to allow passengers to stow their
PC6: FORECASTLE belongings.
The raised deck at the front of the ship houses a single
ready-loaded ballista on a combat turret kept under a canvas Most of the time this room is used to storage, or when a
tarp when not in use. The ship’s anchor and chain is kept particular crew member really just needs some privacy.
here, as well as a spare, unchained anchor. Often, when there are no passengers, Fritzen will sleep
here.
PC7: COMBAT TURRET
The forecastle ballista is mounted on a turret allowing it to PC13: CARGO HOLD
swivel in all directions. Large shields are mounted to either Large crates will commonly be stacked and strapped to
side to protect the ballista and it’s user, giving them partial either side of the centre beams, as well as barrels of fresh

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
water and packed provisions for long journeys. reach the edge of the fog cloud.
Visitors to this deck often have to duck beneath an array of ______________________________________________
steel bars and gears that form part of the ship’s rowing
mechanism. This is even more hazardous when the engine DRAGON FLIGHT
is running, as the bars move up and down, back and forth, After The Perechon escapes from the Dragonarmy galleys
and it can be tricky not getting caught up in them. For this that pursued it, it will have a short reprieve before
reason Maquesta orders the cargo hold off-limits to something else comes after them – a flight of blue
passengers while the engine is in use. Dragonarmy officers on dragon-back.

PC14: BRIG Any character that opts to keep a watch as the sun starts to
Maquesta rarely has need to actually imprison anyone, go down one evening can make a DC15 Wisdom
except when a new member of crew crosses a line or when (Perception) check, and if successful is one of the first to
she has need to question captured pirates. spot flying objects heading in their direction from Flotsam.
Most of the time the brig is used to store live cargo such as They at first seem to be clouds, they don’t move like any
wild animals. cloud anyone has seen before.
This dank little room can only be bolted from the outside. If no player characters see anything, then it will be a
crewmember who sees it, but much later when the danger is
PC15: GNOMISH ENGINE ROOM almost on top of them.
A massive metal furnace dominates this room, powering a
system of turbines and gears that pull the oars back and It is Highlord Kiara, The Blue Lady who approaches on her
forth and propelling the ship onward. Multiple pipes and dragon Skie, alongside here lieutentant Ettel Rense on his
valves run about the room, and a metal tube runs directly dragon partner Stroak.
upwards to the wheel so that the crew at the PC5: Aftcastle
can shout instructions down. Creatures: 1x The Blue Lady, 1x Highmaster & 2x Adult
Blue Dragon
The furnace needs fuel to operate, and for this reason four [Deadly] 94,600xp
half-barrels of whale oil are kept nearby.
If Ettel Rense has already been killed, then he will
While the engine is active, Lendle will be in the engine be replaced by another lieutenant named Beyla,
room monitoring the furnace, making constant adjustments. riding Rumble.
______________________________________________

FLIGHT FROM FLOTSAM The dragons will not immediately attack, but instead make a
few passes over the top of the sails before Skie comes
This scene takes place if the party escape Flotsam alongside, allowing Kitiara to shout over to the crew.
onboard The Perechon, with the Dragonarmy in
pursuit. ▪ “Give me the Everman! Give me the man with the green
gemstone, and I won’t sink your worthless vessel!”

The Perechon sails away from Flotsam at speed, but If the party refuse, Skie will drop back, rejoining the other
moments after they leave the bay the sounds of alarms ring dragon in sky. Maquesta will shout for everyone to take
out over the town. Dragonarmy officers and sailors start to cover and to secure the deck, as not long after both blue
swarm over the wharf. Sails are raised, and a small fleet dragons will begin descending. They take it in turns to make
quickly starts to move out in pursuit of the fleeing party. strafing runs on the ship, their lightning breath rippling
across the side and starting small fires on the deck.
Five galleys set out, the closest ten minutes behind The
Perechon, each holding a crew of twenty soldiers and two Maquesta immediately orders Berem to turn the ship
officers. towards the Maelstrom, hoping to lose the dragons at the
edge of the terrible storm that rages directly above the great
Creatures: 2x Veteran & 20x Thug whirlpool. There the skies will be more difficult to fly in,
[Deadly] 13,600xp and the currents faster allowing the ship to move faster.

The first ship will catch up in ten minutes time, and the Berem turns the ship and The Perechon speeds towards the
others at two minute intervals after that. storm, getting faster and faster as it hits the already turning
The party will need to work out what to do about each ship waters.
as it comes close, with fully half of it’s contingent on the top The party will be more or less at the mercy of the ship now,
deck and the other half below manning the oars. As it but three rounds after the ship approaches the edge of the
comes alongside though the first half will begin boarding storm the crew will warn that the dragons are approaching
The Perechon while the second half will stow their oars and again for another pass. The dragons will strafe the ship with
make their way to the top deck. their breath weapons again, this time doing damage to the
Maquesta will suggest that fog along on the southern coast main mast.
may hide them, but at least ship will reach them just as they

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
The sudden explosions of lightning around him causes unimaginable fury. Venturing into the waters directly
Berem to panic, and he enters a bizarre frenzy that no beneath the storm is a near death wish, both because the
amount of shaking or calming can break him out of. The waters are impossible to escape and end in disaster, and
man who has never talked to anyone since joining the crew because the leviathan who claims dominion of these waters
suddenly starts screaming at the top of his lungs, catching will be immediately attracted to the presence of a ship
the attention of the entire crew. sailing above it.

DC16 Wisdom (Perception): As the dragons circle again in The King of the Deep is a truly titanic creature who lives at
the distance, Berem responds by turning the wheel hard the very bottom of the vortex at the heart of the Blood Sea,
and driving the ship further and further into the storm. and when something disturbs it’s waters it will reach up with
Anyone who tries to wrestle him free from the wheel finds impossibly long tentacles to start grabbing at potential
his grip supernaturally strong, the attempt needing a victims.
successful DC30 Strength check to rip Berem away and a Over the space of twelve rounds, the King of the Deep will
subsequent DC30 check to pull the ship away from the make six attacks with a massive tentacle, once every second
storm and out of it’s current heading directly into the round at initiative step one. Tentacles will swing onto the
swirling whirlpool at the centre of the Blood Sea. ship and swipe at random creatures on the top deck or one
of the castles. These attacks use the following profile:
If no-one notices, the party’s attention remains locked on to
the approaching dragons, and the first they’ll realize that Tentacle: Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach
they’re in imminent danger will be when the ship rocks 30ft., one target. Hit: 2d6+10 bludgeoning
suddenly, caught in the storm’s winds. The pursuing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16).
dragons will start to have a much harder time keeping up, Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained.
and call out in terrifying roars their anger at their prey going
somewhere where they can’t. The King of the Deep makes two attacks each turn, either
to grab a new target (randomly determined) or to deal
The party will now find themselves in The Nightmare Sea. 2d6+10 bludgeoning damage to a creature it has already
_______ grappled.
Once a target is grappled, the tentacles will be able to
If the party are able to pull Berem away from the wheel and straighten into the air, holding their victim 30ft up until they
steer The Perechon out of the storm then they can entirely die. Though also a little way away from the deck of the ship.
avoid being pulled into the whirlpool, but this means that
the dragons will be able to follow. They will continue to Each individual tentacle starts roughly 10-20ft asway from
make strafing runs against the ship every five rounds as long the ship and has AC16. If any one tentacles is hit and takes
as the ship is out of the storm, and will stop only if one of 30 or more hit points in a single turn, then the next attack it
them is somehow slain, or both are reduced to half their makes will be at disadvantage, and damage that tentacle
starting hit points. deals in it’s next turn will be halved.
Driving the dragons away allows The Perechon to move
back out into safer waters, but it may be so damaged that it’s
speed is halved, and it may be in waters that are carefully This encounter can be complicated by many
watched by Blood Sea Pirates. other factors, including strong winds and violent
waves.
Berem however, will not sit idly by. Having been pulled Any check made to move about or perform any
away from the wheel he will do what he can to break away physical feat – including making a Concentration
from any restraint he is on him, and will dive overboard. check – will be at disadvantage.
Given his background, he would much rather risk the
endless void of the bottomless sea that allow himself to be There will also be a 50% chance at the end of
captured. each round that the ship is struck by a strong
wave. Any creature not using at least one hand to
hold on to something firm will have to make a
Though he may seem lost now, another DC14 Strength save or be knocked prone. If a
opportunity to find Berem should eventually creature fails and is within 5ft of the edge of the
present itself. If the party are also drowned then ship, it will be knocked overboard.
Berem may well be in the Ruin of Istar, or on
the Isle of Kathay, where a drowned party may All the while the King of the Deep is attacking, The
encounter him later having been left on the Perechon is moving closer and closer towards the centre of
island by the dargonesti. the whirlpool, entering the Heart of Darkness at the end of
the twelfth round.
______________________________________________ At this point the King of the Deep’s tentacles retreat into
the water, and any grappled player characters have a final
THE NIGHTMARE SEA chance to attempt escape before they are pulled into a
The maelstrom roars in the skies above the whirlpool – a watery grave.
giant, turbulent storm that continuously erupts with ______________________________________________

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HEART OF DARKNESS
If there is anyone still on deck after the last few attacks, they
will become aware of a continuous thunderous roar that PATH OF THE COMPANIONS
somehow manages to drown out even the storm above. The time the Companions spent in the Blood
Looking ahead the reason becomes clear, as The Perechon Sea was very short. They made their way to
has passed a point of no return, and now it is staring to Flotsam disguised as Dragonarmy officers, and
descend into the whirlpool itself – where water has rushed quickly found themselves needing to flee from
downwards for three centuries to fill a terrible void left when the ire of Highlord Kitiara.
the gods obliterated the city of Istar.
Aboard the Perechon they discovered the Green
As the party look on, the ship passes over the lip and they Gemstone Man – a man named Berem. They
can at last see the spiral of water that funnels down, a sailed away from Flotsam, but a frantic Berem
massive black space at it’s centre. This is a sight very, very took the helm and turned them directly into the
few have seen and survived to tell of. Maelstrom. Kitiara’s dragons attacked and
Berem jumped overboard, leaving the Perechon
What crew remain panic as The Perechon is dragged down, to sail into the centre of the vortex and to go
with the only thing capable of saving it being a miracle. down with all hands.
As it descends, horrifying visages of the long-lost at sea
emerge from the water and start to swarm over the deck, The Dargonesti – thought to be only a myth even
attacking any who remain and trying to drag them into the by the elven members of the group – rescue the
water quicker than they would otherwise. These faces taunt Companions and take them to Zebulah’s Refuge
and torment the living on their final voyage before where they at last have a chance to stop and
Maquesta’s ship plunges into the depths and breaks apart. speak to Berem, learning of his past and the
potential he holds for ending the threat of
Every creature onboard is then pulled down into an endless Takhisis. The Companions have a relatively
watery void, eventually suffocating, or losing consciousness relaxed time in the deep learning of Berem, and
due to the water pressure. they do not encounter the King of the Deep nor
any underwater battle.
The are eventually taken back to shore by the
Though this seems like a very definitive end, this Dargonesti, and left on the island of Karthay.
is not the conclusion of the party’s story.
The wizard Raistlin chooses not to wait for
Creatures that are knocked overboard or go down rescue of the chance of the Dargonesti taking
with the ship may seem to be swept away and them all ashore however, and chooses now to tap
drown, but in this place there is instead a good into the powers of a dragonorb and transport
chance that the party will be unexpectedly himself across the continent to pursue his own
rescued, and find themselves waking up in the agenda.
Ruins of Istar.

______________________________________________

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RECOMMENDED
34. KARTHAY PARTY LV9
If the party spend some time trying to find Berem the
Everman in and around the Blood Sea, they are most likely The Minotaurs have actually been duped.
to find him aboard The Perechon – a ship that routinely Though they fight honourably to the finish, they
moves through the area. Berem is currently serving as it’s do not fully know what is going on, nor who their
quiet helmsman – but trouble with the Dragonarmies may prisoners are. They know that they were
cause him to panic and try to escape by driving The approached by an agent of the Emperor on
Perechon directly into The Maelstrom, or simply diving Mithas, and told to transport the prisoners to
overboard to escape. Karthay. Once there, they were told to wait for
three days, and to keep an eye out for a Human
If the party end up in the water they are likely to be taken to with a green gemstone embedded on his chest.
the Ruins of Istar, but Berem is instead taken away, the This person they were told is extremely valuable,
Dargonesti wanting no part of the trouble he is in or the and there would be a reward if they retrieved
gemstone attached to him. him.
Berem is instead taken (or is washed away) to Karthay. Any The Minotaurs expected another ship to come to
attempt to find him afterwards leads there. pick up the prisoners, but none has yet come.
______________________________________
If the party find a lead on Berem the Everman whilst in the
Blood Sea or it’s surrounding regions, they will point the LADY LENGSTREIN AND THE BLUE WIZARD
party towards a mountain on the east coast of Karthay. This Presenting themselves as a simple noblewoman
is the home of a Bronze Dragon named Clarion. and mage, the Minotaur’s prisoners are actually
Alternatively the party may learn of a device hidden on the disguised by powerful true polymorph spells.
island of Karthay that may help in their search for Berem They are The Blue Lady and the Dragon Skie in
the Everman or anyone else of interest. Supposedly this disguise, following through on a vision the Blue
device could find anyone, and was built by a Gnome named Lady received from Takhisis.
Lendle Chafka – also a current crew member aboard The
Perechon. These visions showed many things – a Minotaur
ship, a band of adventurers, a tower and a cave,
Regardless, the path towards Berem leads to Karthay. and then finally the Green Gemstone Man who
______________________________________________ the Dark Queen has sought since the start of the
war.
NIGHT FIRES She believes that she needs a group of
On their first night on the island of Karthay, the party spot adventurers to get her to Berem, and so has laid
camp fires in the distance/ Someone has made camp not this trap expecting them to arrive.
too far away, and lit a large bonfire to keep themselves
warm and monsters away. If scanned magically, both can be seen to be
As the party come closer however, they discover that these under the effects of a powerful transmutation
are no simple travelers but a Minotaur raiding party with a spell. If asked about it., the Blue Wizard pauses
pair of captives in chains – a wealthy looking noblewoman for a moment as though insulted by the question,
and a mage dressed in blue robes. glances to Lady Lengstrein, then responds that he
a cast a long-lasting protective spell on both of
DC14 Wisdom (Insight): As a general rule Minotaurs do them before leaving Palanthas, and it is likely this
not like to stay on Karthay overnight, believing the island to that is being sensed. He will happily share it once
be cursed and haunted. As a result, this group are anxious they leave the island.
and on alert. If the spell is dispelled and the pair’s true
identities discovered, Skie will transform
Creatures: 8x Minotaur immediately to Dragon form, the Blue Lady will
[Deadly] 14,000xp mount him, and they will fly away.

Two of the raiding party keep a watch by patrolling the Lady Lengstein is a sleight woman dressed in pal blue
perimeter of the camp while the others watch over the traveling clothes. She wears a wide-brimmed hat with a veil
prisoners. If attacked, two will stand by the prisoners to over her face to protect her from “biting bugs”. She comes
keep them secure while the others rush forward to attack. across very friendly and also extremely naïve.
The Blue Wizard dressed in robes of varying blue shades,
Once the Minotaurs are defeated, their prisoners can be and sports a typically Solamnian moustache. If he can help
freed and the party are met with thankful praise. The it he will speak only to Lady Lengstrein, whispering in an
noblewoman introduces herself as Lady Lengstrein of ancient dialect of Solamnian
Palanthas, and her companion as her close friend and
companion Ariumus the Blue Wizard. ▪ “I am Lady Lengstrien and this is Ariumus the Blue

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Wizard, my personal companion, protector and dear setting out for or into Karthay the Gnome will call a halt to
friend.” the journey with a heavy sigh. Wringing his hands, he will
▪ “We were traveling to Saifhum on a ship called The tell the group that he thinks he knows of something that can
Hightide to meet my betrothed when we were set upon help in the search for Berem, though it means going
by minotaur pirates. They brought us here.” somewhere he does not want to.

▪ “Their captain said that he wanted to keep us here for a ▪ “I have something to tell you. I may have something that
few days. Then he and two more minotaurs left could lead us to Berem.”
yesterday.” ▪ “He is a friend of mine and I don’t want him to be lost
and hurt.”
▪ “I promised myself that I would never return to
▪ “The captain said they were looking for a human that Karthay, but since I’m here and Berem is lost I may as
had a green gem of theirs or something.” well see what I can do to help.”

▪ “The Minotaurs said they were going to ransom me, but ▪ “I lived here long ago before I joined the Perechon
then they received word that they could get even more with Maq’s father.”
for finding this other gentleman.” ▪ “Once I had a good life here with my wife, Whixey. We
▪ “I overheard them grunting about some merchants had a small tower home in a secluded valley about two
spotting the man on the shores of Karthay, but by the day’s journey from here.”
looks of it they entered the jungle. I can show you ▪ “I met Maq’s father shortly after leaving, and I told him
direction they headed if you like.” my story. I vowed never to return.”

▪ “I’m not actually from Palanthas. I’m from Elmwood on ▪ “But I what’s important now is that I left something
the Lemish border. My father arranged a marriage for hidden away in my tower — a crystal ball that could be
me to a man in Saifhum. I met him once and he proved used to find Berem.”
to be a decent fellow. Lord Hemrick is his name, have ▪ “If you follow me I can lead you there and we can
you heard of him?” retrieve it, provided that my home has not been
ransacked while I have been away.”
Everything Lady Lengstrein says rings true to those with ▪ “It has been many, many years.”
knowledge of Solamnia and it’s nobles. Elmwood is a real
place, and there is a young Lord Hemrick on the isle of He won’t elaborate further right now, but if the party are
Saifhum (though he has no knowledge of any betrothal). willing to follow Lendle to his former home, then he will
take them to Chafka’s Tower, where he claims there is a
Subsequently, Lady Lengstrein insists on staying with the device that can find anyone.
party for their time on Karthay. She insists that it is the only
way to ensure her safety, and will open negotiations to offer
If the party are not with Lendle, then the story of
the party a substantial amount of coin in exchange for their
a Gnome who “murdered” his wife and fled can
protection, even if they are on another mission.
be related by Lady Lengstrein instead. She can
If the party are willing to bring her along though, she can
tell the party that he possessed a legendary
lead them to Chafka’s Tower, claiming that the Minotaurs
artefact that it was said could find anyone, and
headed in that direction.
herself lead them to the tower.
If the party refuse, she follows them regardless, insisting that
she feels safer close to them than alone on some beach
somewhere. CT0: WHIXEY’S GRAVE: LENDLE’S SECRET
If Lendle accompanies the party to his former home, then
If Ariumus is asked about his membership of the Orders of upon arriving at it’s base he will immediately run forward to
High Sorcery, he responds bluntly with a heavy Solamnian pull the lever and activate the cleaning mechanism. Once
accent. the grave is cleaned he will kneel besides it for a few
moments and mumbles to it softly. With tears in his eyes he
▪ “Belonging to the Order does not dictate the clothes you will then stand and rejoin the party.
wear, the food you eat, or the way you live your life. I
honour the Veiled Maiden in my own way.” If asked about the grave, Lendle will tell the rest of his story.

▪ “I never told anyone is why I left.”


“The Veiled Maiden” is a old name used for ▪ “Once I had a good life here with my wife, Whixey. We
Lunitari – patron of the red robes. were happy.”

______________________________________________ ▪ “I killed her.”


▪ “Well rather to say one of my inventions did.”
CHAFKA’S TOWER ▪ “It was an accident and such a thing is part of life in my
If the party are traveling with the crew of the Perechon – homeland, but out here in Karthay we only had each
notably the Gnomish engineer Lendle Chafka – then upon other.”
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▪ “I buried her here outside our home, and then I left, “Chafka”, which only Lendle himself knows.
never to return.” ______________________________________________
▪ “Until now.”
DRAGON’S DEN
He will not elaborate further on this topic. Berem The Everman eventually flees to this cave hoping
that the legends of a slumbering dragon may be true and
▪ “The device should be on the fourth of fifth floor – I that the great creature may be able to offer him some
don’t recall exactly where.” protection and sanctuary.
By the time the party come looking for Berem here though,
BETRAYAL the Dragonarmies will be one step ahead, as The Blue Lady
When the party open the front door, Lady Lengstrein chases the Everman with a passion. The Den may be the
coughs and tells them that she would prefer to wait outside. scene of a great confrontation between the party and the
The tower – homey though it may seem to some – looks Highlords.
dangerous to her, but she believes she will be quiet safe here
with Ariumus “keeping watch”. DD1: FIRE TRAP
If the party have come in pursuit of the Blue Lady
In truth, the disguised Blue Lady has been looking around, (previously disguised as Lady Lengstrein, then they arrive at
and in the distance has recognized a mountain from her the cave mouth to find the fireball spell already triggered,
visions. She believes firmly that this is the mountain in though the clairvoyance trap remains as a permanent
which she will find the cave Takhisis showed her, so she no feature.
longer needs the party at all.
DD2: BROKEN BRIDGE
Once the party are inside the tower, the Blue Lady waits a LEFT PASSAGE
few moments and then approaches the door herself, finding The Blue Lady will collapse this tunnel shortly after the
a control panel just inside with a big red button. She slams branch to prevent pursuit. At first it seems like the tunnel is
her hands against it. Triggering an alarm that sounds blocked, but after only a cursory examination the party
throughout the tower, automatically closing and locking discover that only a little rubble needs to be moved to create
every door and window. The alarm bell will continue enough space to climb over it.
ringing, alerting every mechanism inside Chafka’s Tower to
the presence of intruders. DD5: MAZE
DC15 Wisdom (Survival): Wet footprints suggest the route
that The Blue Lady took through this room, eventually
For the greatest dramatic effect, a member of the
leading to a specific iron door on the northern side of the
party should she this happen. Perhaps they have
maze. The wall here shimmers and seems to have an odd,
gone back to check on Lady Lengstrein and
faint glow to it.
Ariumus, or they are waiting patiently for the pair
to enter the tower. Either way they see Lady
DC14 Intelligence (Arcana): This shimmer and glow seem
Lengstrein remove her hat and announce that the
to be an effect of the spell passwall.
need for disguises has ended, and the spell
concealing her true identity it dropped.
A passwall spell has been cast and lingers on this wall,
allowing creatures to pass through the rock directly into
She then triggers the alarm, and escapes.
DD6: Rollerball. As a creature emerges on the other wise,
they are 10ft above the floor and fall. This passwall is also
Lendle is as shocked as the party when the alarms go off, one-way, and closes after the last party member passes
but knows that there is one exit not linked to the alarm through.
system – a hatch on the roof.
DD9: EBONY DEATH
After setting off the alarm and trapping the party, Lady The Blue Lady will already have come this way, and
Lengstrein and Ariumus throw off their disguises and destroyed enough stalagmites to create a clear path through
become themselves once more – the Blue Lady and Skie. them.
They take flight immediately, the Blue Lady laughing as the
head towards a nearby mountain and the Dragon’s Den. DD11: END OF THE LINE
The entire time the party are dealing with Clarion, they can
CT16: DEN likely also see events on DD12: Clifftop unfolding, as the
The hidden compartment in Lendle’s desk contains the open cave gives them a clear view of that area.
device the party are looking for – a crystal ball 5” in
diameter set in a ring of bronze. If the party come seeking Berem the Everman, they arrive a
little too late. The Blue Lady will have reached the den first
The crystal ball can be used to cast the spell scrying once and fought the dragon, with her own companion Skie at her
per week, though it can only be used to find the location of side. Clarion will now wounded, and slowly dying.
a Humanoid creature.
Using the device requires having the activation word ▪ “The dark queen…..must have aided her…..”

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▪ “She had a weapon…..a knife……..and a poison……” If Clarion scouts for ways the party can get off Karthay, he
▪ “I can……feel the poison……in me…..” may spot a Minotaur war galley off the southern shore. This
will be the ship the Blue Lady used to reach the island.
In this state, Clarion is even less likely to believe the party if It currently only has a skeleton crew of seven Minotaurs,
they try to say they have good intentions, and if not and could be captured.
convinced quickly he will let out one last blast from his _______________________________________________
breath weapon against them.

By the time the party arrive, Clarion will be at half his


starting hit points and the poison will be deep in his system,
and will kill him in ten rounds. Curing him will require
healing magic, but will also be highly convincing of the
party’s good nature though.
After being cured, Clarion will still be too weak to lend
immediate aid, but can tell the party about Berem.

▪ “Yes, Berem was here. A very sorry story he has, but it is


his to tell should you find him.”
▪ “I found him starving in the jungle.”
▪ “I thought my seclusion was safe, and that it would serve
him as well as it served me. I was wrong.”

▪ “If you wish to save him, you must hurry!”

From inside the party see The Blue Lady carrying the limp
form of a Human male – Berem – towards the point of the
rock ledge. There the blue dragon Skie awaits his master,
ready to bear her and their prisoner away to Neraka.

Creatures: 1x The Blue Lady


[Deadly] 16,000xp

The Blue Lady is a highly skilled warrior, and a fight with


her is likely to be extremely difficult at this stage. Skie hangs
back to allow his partner to enjoy the fight, but if attacked
will respond. Should he seem to overwhelm the party
however, Clarion may come to their aid and distract Skie
(so long as someone has cured the poison in his system).
the Blue Lady tries not to move around too much however,
as she must keep her prisoner close by to prevent him from
escaping.

Berem is not unconscious, but has rather given up all hope,


and hangs limp as a result. If given the opportunity to
escape though, he will run towards the edge of the ledge and
throw himself off, presumably to his death. Looking down,
his body will be seen floating and being battered against the
mountain.

If The Blue Lady is somehow incapacitated, overwhelmed


or immobilized, Skie will grab her quickly and fly away, his
duty to keep the Highlord safe. He will grab for Berem too
if he can, but his first thought will be to his partner.
_______________________________________________

The fight with the Blue Lady and Skie is likely to be too
much for the party at this stage of their adventures, so the
party’s objective should be driving them away.

For the DM, the objective should be for Berem to find a


way to escape, giving the party an opportunity to learn his
story, and of his important to the plans of Takhisis.

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THE STORY OF BEREM THE EVERMAN
The story of Berem The Everman, known to some as the “Green Gemstone Man”, is one of tragedy and fortune
both ill and inspired. On the one hand Berem would suffer greatly and lose that which he loves most, but on the
other his tragedy would present a opportunity for the heroes of good that they could not have dreamed of – a way to
banish Takhisis once again and prevent her access to Krynn.
_______________________________________________

One hundred and fifty years before the War of the Lance begins, Berem was a youth living with his parents and
sister in a small village in the Khalkist Mountains, close to the ruins of Neraka.
Berem and his sister Jasla would often play in the woods around their village, but on this one fateful day they would
come across a clearing that looked as though it had been blasted by a lightning strike. Burn marks covered the
terrain, and odd ruined buildings that had not been there before lay scattered throughout the new clearing.

Searching these ruins, Berem and Jasla found an object of pure beauty – a stone column embedded with a
multitude of gems of many colours. Both were caught by the beauty of the stone, having no way of knowing that this
was in fact the Foundation Stone, once part of the temple of the Kingpriest of Istar.
Berem approached and started to brush away the dirt and filth covering it, revealing more gemstones whilst Jasla
remarked on finding something so wonderful in a place that felt so evil. Berem ignored her though, obsessed with
the gems, and soon he was using a knife to try to break one of the gems free.

Jasla objected, insisting that he not damage the column that she was convinced must be sacred to some god. This
being the Age of Despair however, Berem scoffed at this remark, the gods having abandoned Krynn a century and a
half ago. Even one of these gems however could make their family rich and comfortable, so Berem continued to
work.
Jasla tried to stop Berem, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away, but Berem became overcome with an
obsessive rage, pushing her back so hard that she tripped and fell, smashing her skull against the bejeweled column
and knocking one of the gems loose.

The ground cracked and a blackness spewed forth, catching Berem in a terror he had never felt before. As the
darkness rose in tall, spiraling columns, Berem grabbed the gem that fallen and fled, clutching the gemstone to his
chest.

He ran for some time before he felt able to stop, grief and panic subsiding for a moment as sorrow for his sister
overcame him, but it was then that he realized that an odd thing had happened. The gemstone that he had held to
his chest had fused there, melding itself into his skin and now being firmly stuck in place. No matter what he did
Berem could not remove the green gemstone, and would have to live with it forever.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

What Berem would not have been aware of at the time is that the column was the Foundation Stone, and that when
she died Jasla’s soul became trapped inside of it. It would be presence of this soul however, filled with compassion
and hope, that would prevent Takhisis from using the stone to once more walk Ansalon.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Berem would go on the run from that day, never staying long in one place and never returning home to face his
family for what he did.
It would not be too long however before Berem would become aware of dark forces walking Ansalon searching for
him, or at least for a man who held a green gemstone such as the one in his chest.

He would be forced to keep running, always staying one step ahead, but often finding himself in mortal danger.
It was very soon after his first encounter with such hunters that Berem learned that he was truly cursed and unable
to die, the power of the gem constantly regenerating him and bringing him back to life each time he was mortally
wounded.
The gem would keep Berem alive for one hundred and fifty years, well beyond a normal lifespan and despite
several fatal wounds and attempts to take his own life.
Now, with the War of the Lance beginning, Berem is in even greater danger as the Dragonarmies are taking direct
control over large areas of the continent and searching for him with impunity.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TARSIS
Hidden Vaults – One way to extend the party’s time in Tarsis and to give them a dungeon-like area to explore would be to
have the Library of Khrystann also contain the entrance to a hidden vault.
By researching the documents in the library, the party can discover the entrance - perhaps with a puzzle lock on the door -
which leads to a passage of trials intended to defend some ancient object of magical power, perhaps even a particular relic
that was hidden below Tarsis centuries ago.
Given the nature of the place as a library, a Bronze Tablet and Stylus of Eons might be very fitting treasures to be concealed
here.

Loyal to the Blue Lady – If the party are captured by the Dragonarmies during or after the attack on Tarsis, then there is
always a chance that in the subsequent questioning they will choose to either switch allegiances, or at least pretend to in
order to save their lives and those of their companions. If such loyalty is offered to the Blue Lady, she will accept it and be
keen to give the party a chance both to prove their abilities and their loyalty.
Her path takes her next to Flotsam on the eastern coast, to take over the search for Berem the Everman. After Verminaard
failed, and now Lucien of the black wing has failed to show results, the Blue Lady will want to follow up on rumours of a
man crossing the Plains of Dust and making for Flotsam.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINS OF DUST
The Blue Wing Moves In – If the party choose to head straight into the Plains of Dust without heading to Tarsis first, then
instead of being in the city when it is attacked they are likely to encounter the amassed forces of the blue Dragonarmy as it
marches over the north of the plains towards the city. In this eventuality, an interesting option would be to have the army
sighted when the party are close to a set of ruins. The ruins would provide cover to hide in as the army marches past, giving
the party a disturbing insight into just how large such an army is. They may also get their first sight of the blue Highlord.

Whilst hiding, the party could also have to deal with scouts sent into the ruins to clear them out, forcing the party to either
hide of fight as quietly as they can lest an entire army turn on them and attack. The ruins might even have their own
dangers, especially if they’re the ruins of Purstal.

The Relic of Purstal – The legends of the ruins of Purstal suggest that a powerful relic of Chemosh can be found within - a
talisman given to the doomed mayor that would enable him to control the undead. This was only given to him after his own
death however, suggesting that a party approaches Purstal and infiltrates into the centre of the city could come face to face
with a singular undead of great power who bears this talisman.
This could be a powerful tool for the party, especially as they will more than likely encounter other undead in the future
who serve the Dragonarmies and Takhisis.

One option for such a relic could be the Eye of Chemosh, and ancient an powerful device that has brought much pain and
misery to the world in the past.

Legacy of the Second Dragon War – The three towers in the Black Stain are a legacy left behind by famous figures who
fought during the Second Dragon War - mages who performed such feats of magic that they rocked the entire world. As
such, the the abandoned towers could house any number of hidden secrets or treasures, or the entrance to a concealed
dungeon in which such secrets or treasures could be won through trials that test every bit of a party’s skills.

A Tower’s New Occupant – The Tower of Tears is a place of poison and curses now, and would, if the party choose to
explore it, be a good place for a party to encounter their first sign of the green wing of the Dragonarmies. The tower may
have found a new inhabitant in the form of a green dragon, or a particularly powerful draconian in service to Highlord
Salah-Khan.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

ICEREACH
Stormogre of Daltigoth – There are some references in novels to Stormogre, the leader of the ogres of Ergoth and lord of
the captured city of Daltigoth, being present and dying during the Battle of Icewall Castle.
If your party are stronger than expected and more enemy forces are needed, or if you want to add some more world
building elements and opportunities to learn about future dangers, you can include a contingent of ogres from Dalitgoth to
fight alongside the minotaurs and thanoi defending Feal-Thas.

The ogre lord Stormogre can lead them, and perhaps serve as a named commander for the castle’s defenders should the
minotaur general Ronox de-Jaska be dead already by the time the party reaches the castle.

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Bringing Stormogre to Icewall Castle also opens the chance for the ogre kingdom of Daltigoth to descends into chaos as his
three sons fight for the throne (to eventually be forced out by Stormogre’s cousin Kthaarx.

The White Wing in Zeriak – The attack on Zeriak by the White Wing can occur at any time. If the party come through the
town on their way to Icewall Castle, then an attack would be a good way to demonstrate the dangers ahead and to introduce
the White Dragonarmies.
Alternatively, if the party went to Icewall by another route, they may use Zeriak as a port of call during their escape.
If this is the case then the White Wing may attack to gain revenge for their fallen master or to reclaim any stolen property.
In this instance, it may even be Sleet who attacks Zeriak, having hunted the party on their way north from the castle.

Miracle Ally - The battle to defend the Icefolk Village may be a very difficult one for the party, but it is possible that their
earlier action could bring them a useful ally. If they saved the Great White Bear from its Minotaur captors and did not
harm it themselves, then it may turn up now when the party are at their most desperate.

It will charge into the fray and attack the Minotaurs first where it can, and do whatever it can to keep the party safe from
harm by placing itself between weaker characters and direct harm, even sacrificing itself if need be.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

ICEWALL CASTLE
Escape – Routes of escape from Icewall are numerous, but there are few places the party can go to reach habitable lands.
The village of Zeriak lies directly south, or if the party head to the north-west they can find ships frozen in ice near Ice
Mountain Bay. With these the party can head out into the water and sail the western coast and islands of Ansalon.
They could likewise head east to The Wound and likely find similar wrecked vessels. From the eastern limits of the glacier,
they can sail the eastern coast and make for either Silvanesti, Balifor or the Blood Isles.

Icefolk Assault – The Battle for Icewall Castle has the potential to become a much larger engagement and the party’s first
taste of warfare by the addition of a great many more warriors.
If the party have visited the Icefolk Camp and aided them against a Dragonarmy attack, the the Icefolk could be convinced
to help them attack the castle itself to end the threat of Feal-Thas for good. The Icefolk can climb the wall alongside the
party and storm into the courtyard to take on Minotaurs and Thanoi while the party deal with great threats.

This can be run as a standard combat encounter , with the party taking control of some Icefolk NPCs. Alternatively the
Icefolk can nullify the threat of the Minotaur and Thanoi defenders, their battles going on in the background of other
events. You can narrate these battles are purely thematic elements while the party bypass them and directly confront Feal-
Thas and Sleet.

Stormogre of Daltigoth – There are some references in novels to Stormogre, the leader of the Ogres of Ergoth and lord of
the captured city of Daltigoth, being present and dying during the Battle of Icewall Castle.
If your party are stronger than expected and more enemy forces are needed, or if you want to add some more world
building elements and opportunities to learn about future dangers, you can include a contingent of Ogres from Dalitgoth to
fight alongside the Minotaurs and Thanoi defending Feal-Thas.
The Ogre lord Stormogre can lead them, and perhaps serve as a named commander for the castle’s defenders should the
Minotaur general Ronox de-Jaska be dead already by the time the party reaches the area.

Bringing Stormogre to Icewall Castle also opens the chance for the Ogre kingdom of Daltigoth to descends into chaos as his
three sons fight for the throne (to eventually be forced out by Stormogre’s cousin Kthaarx.

Feal-Thas Survives – The Elven wizard will want to escape from Icewall if he has the opportunity. If the party are distracted
enough he may be able to reach Sleet and ride her away from the glacier, or failing that run directly out onto the ice. His
available spells include feather fall, so if he has a slot available he can use that to simply jump from the edge and drift safely
to the ground, where he can then call for aid and be picked up by a winged steed.

Magical Treasure – You might decide that the party’s activities of late merit a magical reward – an artifact of power held by
Feal-Thas. If you want to give the party a new magical item, then the two Winter Wolves who serve Feal-Thas faithfully are
in fact a single Figurine of Wondrous Power.

This (rare) white marble figure depicts two wolves, and fits easily into a standard pocket. As an action a character can throw
the figurine to a point within 60ft, and it transforms into two Winter Wolves who are friendly and loyal to their owner. They
both obey their owner’s commands, and remain n wolf form for five hours, though once they revert they can not be used
again for two full days. The Figurine requires attunement, but can not be attuned to a new owner unless its previous one is
dead, or gives the Figurine away willingly.

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A Fallen Highlord Returns – In the original version of the story, his defeat at Icewall Castle was not the final end for the
Elven Highlord Feal-Thas. Furious that Feal-Thas had failed, Takhisis prevented his soul from passing into the next realm
and cursed him to serve her for eternity. Bound in his former body, Feal-Thas returned to Icewall as a Death Knight –
taking the new name Aren Feal-Thas as a symbol of his new unlife. Having lost a portion of himself when he returned,
Aren Feal-Thas has become a feral beast, and becomes known as the Wolflord for his ferocity and compulsion to hunt.
On the orders of Takhisis. Aren Feal-Thas continues to serve the lord of the Dragon Empire, and in later years would
swear himself to serve the son of Emperor Ariakas when it came time for him to invade Ansalon. His part in that war would
see him split Icewall Castle away from the glacier and turn it into a Flying Citadel.

Should the party battle but not slay Feal-Thas, or if the war goes particularly well for the forces of good, this event can be
brought forward in time presented a powerful and ferocious spellcaster atop a flying castle as a new threat to the continent.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

SILVANESTI
Paths of Fate – Though the dreamshadows that the party see in Silvanesti are controlled by Cyan Bloodbane, they are
created based on surface scans of their thoughts and desires, and may reflect potential paths in each character’s future – as
they did with Raistlin Majere when he saw visions of the power he could wield as a black-robe.
The party’s visions may show them as great barbarian kings, knights of high rank or shepherds over a flock, but always there
will be a taint to the visions that suggest that reaching them will require a dark path or immoral deeds. These visions should
be strong enough to tempt each character into maybe walking that path later in their adventure, and specific opportunities to
attain that power can present themselves long after thew party’s time in Silvanesti is over.

Homeland in Ruin – If there are Silvanesti Elves amongst the party, the dreams that haunt them will be especially terrifying
as they will include scenes of their own family and friends, and perhaps Cyan will manipulate the path ahead of the party to
lead them to the Silvanesti character’s home so that they can see what has become of it.

Dragonarmy Left Behind – Many Elves are trapped within the forest, but so too might be some members of the
Dragonarmy who were invading when the Nightmare was raised by Lorac Caladon. These are as tormented as any Elf, as
see everything as their enemy, but if brought to a calm state can be valuable sources of information as they will know the
most about the campaign into Silvanesti. Such soldiers may also be able to identify Cyan Bloodbane as the dragon who
joined their campaign.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

SOUTHERN ERGOTH
Ogre Civil War – There are some inconsistences in the timeline of events around Daltigoth, and the rulership of Daltigoth
and the surrounding area during the War of the Lance might be in different hands.

According to some accounts the strong rulership of Stormogre ends when he supposedly dies in Icereach at an unknown
time during the war. This could have been because of the party encountering him there, or sometime afterwards. After his
death, his three sons Thunderbane, Hammerfall and Strokelightning began to fight amongst themselves for the throne, but
they would eventually be forced out by their father’s cousin Kthaarx.
So it is possible that by the time the party arrive in the wilds of Southern Ergoth, Stormogre could already be dead and the
three brothers could be fighting amongst themselves for dominance. This could create interesting opportunities for the
party to turn differing bands of ogres against one another if they identify different allegiances, or to pick a side and stay long
enough to put that brother on the throne.
They might even find Kthaarx the more reasonable option, and stay in the area long enough to help him become Dictator
of Daltigoth. If they did, Kthaarx might choose to honour the party’s help by expelling the dragonarmies from his lands,
and lending no further assistance. Or at least he might delay the assault on the north.

Theros Ironfeld – Reaching Foghaven Vale and finding a means to make dragonlances is a major component of the story of
the War of the Lance, but part of the requirement for making lances is the Silver Arm of Ergoth.
In the original version of the story, Theros Ironfeld finds the arms and becomes the smith who creates new lances, but he
can be replaced with anyone the party might have met during their adventures. The person in question should be a
blacksmith already and friendly to the party. It should not however be a member of the party themselves, as the work of
creating enough lances for the war will likely keep them out of future adventures, especially the more immediate battles.
If you wish to expand on the adventure, you might also wish to have the party track down the silver arm themselves, finding
it in a hidden crypt on the west coast of Abanasinia and battle the Gray Wraith there.

Late Arrival – If the party come to the Elfrealms later in their story (after the battle for the High Clerist’s Tower) then they
should find both Qualimori and Silvamori under attack by the ogres of Daltigoth.

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The Elfrealms will be in disarray and their leaders in imminent danger, but coming to rescue might make the Elves more
friendly and perhaps even helpful towards the party.

Different Faces – Inconsistences and contradictions in the original narratives, as well as the players actions, can vary who
precisely in in Daltigoth by the time the party arrive here.
Stormogre for example, may not rule in Daltigoth by this point, as in some versions of the story he is in Icewall Castle at the
time a party of adventurers arrives there. As such he has already been slain, and the ogre kingdom could already be in the
middle of a civil war between Stormogre’s three sons, all of whom want the throne. Alternatively, the more reasonable
Kthaarx may have ousted them all.

Similarly, if the party did not travel to Icewall at all, this may be a good time for Highlord Feal-Thas to make an appearance
in the story by replacing Odenkeer in the story.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

FOGHAVEN VALE
Highlord Feal-Thas In Person – If the party have not been to Icewall Castle and encountered Highlord Feal-Thas there,
then he should replace Odenkeer as the primary antagonist of the journey into Foghaven Vale and the Stone Dragon.
In this case it is a powerful spellcaster that the party will come up against instead of the warrior Flight Marshall.

Polluted Metal – If the party fail to stop Odenkeer, fail to purify the pool of dragon metal, or simply do not travel to
Foghaven Vale quickly and only go there after the battle for the High Clerist’s Tower, then the pool of dragon metal is lost,
and so too might be all hope of crafting dragonlances.

If this is the case, then other secret pools should be allowed for, giving the party an additional chance to find some of the
precious material. Rumour exists of lost pools in the Kharolis Mountains, though a pool could be placed anywhere the DM
thinks would an interesting place for an adventure. Given that there are no other reasons to travel to Northern Ergoth, this
could be one good option.

Odenkeer at the Battle of the Narrows – Odenkeer does not turn up when the Companions of the novels reach Foghaven
Vale, but instead features as one of the leading figures of the white wing at the Battle of the Narrows.
A few days after the Battle for the high Clerist’s Tower, Laurana led an army against the white wing along a stretch of the
Vingaard River known as the narrows. Odenkeer was one of the leaders of the White Wing army at this battle, and fell on
this battlefield. The white wing suffered badly at the Narrows, losing most of their forces and supposedly every white dragon
was killed as well.

By some reports, Highmaster Toede was also present for the battle, but he disappeared verry early on, only to reappear in
Flotsman having fled the field of battle.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

NORTHERN ERGOTH
Flying Citadels in Gwynned – Some years after the end of the War of the Lance, Highlord Kitiara Uth Matar launched her
own war – the Blue Lady’s War, and brought ruin to Palanthas. At this time, a flying citadel also attacked the city of
Gwynned.

Though this event is some time in the future, bringing it forward while the party are in Northern Ergoth will give them cause
to help the local people and once again do battle with the Dragonarmies. This can be an opportunity to deal yet more
damage to the armies of Takhisis and to gain new allies in the Empire of Ergoth.

The Medusa Plague – Just prior to the War of the Lance, the lands of the DiThon Feifdom were afflicted with the terrible
Medusa Plague, a magical disease that transformed it’s victims and was later found to be the work of a renegade mage
named Lyim Rhistadt.

To make a visit to Northern Ergoth more interesting, the narrative could be changed to that the plague still exists and the
mage has not yet been defeated. This will mean the party needing to befriend Bram DiThon, perhaps joining him in
learning about his fey ancestry (which could open the possibility of a new ally in the war) and helping to defeat the mage
before the plague can spread any further.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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WESTERN ISLES
Path of the Companions – The Companions don’t visit most of the Western Isles, instead passing from Icereach directly to
Southern Ergoth, and from there to Sancrist having heard from Derek Crownguard that a meeting of the knighthood is due
to take place there.

They detour to Mt. Nevermind where the gnomes are able to help them to understand the dragonorbs, and then make for
Castle Uth Wistan. Upon arrival the Companions meet again with Fizban, and attend the Whitestone Council where they
learn of the latest Dragonarmy movements, and are there for arrival of D’Argent and Theros Ironfeld to announce that the
blacksmith has successfully crafted new Dragonlances.
With these new weapons, the Companions head for the mainland to defend Solamnia.

Return of Sylvyana – Long after the War of the Lance, the time-lost elven queen Sylvyana – also known as the ghoul queen
and the former lover of Waylorn Wyvernsbane – reemerged from the river of time. Under the instruction of Chemosh, god
of the undead, Sylvyana recreated her Wichtlani Ghoul Cult on Cristyne and chose the Tower of the Morning as her new
seat of power.
Converting many Kagonesti and Syvlans to her cause, the ghoul queen orchestrated a plan to lure all elves to heir realm with
the promise of a feast and council. Once they arrive, Sylvyana planned to corrupt them all and become overlord of all elves
in Ansalon, and from there ruler of the continent.

These events can either be brought forward to create a new threat to a party engaged in the War of the Lance or to advance
the story of Waylorn Wyvernsbane. Alternatively the rise of the ghoul queen can serve a bridging adventure between the
Blue Lady’s War and the Chaos War.

Dougan Redhammer and the Greygem – The original events of the Greygem actually take place just over thirty years after
the end of the War of the Lance and the Blue Lady’s War. It is the three sons of Caramon Majere who find themselves in
the company of a dwarf named Dougan Redhammer and traveling to the Isle of Gargath in an effort to retrieve the
Greygem. In the end they succeed, and Dougan takes the gem, but he eventually loses it again and it comes into the
protection of the Irda.
It is the Irda who then break the gem open, releasing Chaos and causing the Chaos War.

These events are supposed to be thirty years later in the timeline of Krynn, but if the party become truly desperate then it is
possible that they may hear stories of the gem and think it a weapon they can use against Takhisis. Perhaps the mere threat
of the party wielding the gem could turn her away from her designs to conquer Krynn, though the other gods – Paladine
included – would definitely not endorse or assist in such a plan. Such a plan could well end the war, but instead cause all the
gods to turn against the party unless the gem is handed over for safety.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

SOLAMNIA
Rebuilding Solanthus – Should the party come to Solanthus, they find it a partially standing ruin. It the original timeline it
would not be liberated until after the defeat of Takhisis, when the Golden General (Laurana) would defeat the several
hundred Hobgoblins and a few dozen draconians who had moved in.
Afterwards however, the knights would be welcomed back, and Solanthus would once again become the capital city of
Solamnia.

If further adventures are wanted after the War of the Lance, the liberation of Solanthus would make for a good battle, it’s
liberation a true moment of heroism. The city’s rebuilding could then serve as a good bridge over the span of a few years
before a new adventure in Krynn takes place.

Solamnic Relics – By the time a party comes to Solamnia, the war will already be encroaching on their border, and a
number of Solamnic strongholds on the eastern border would have fallen.
This means that several ancestral homes would have been taken or destroyed by the Dragonarmies as well, creating an
opportunity for the party to be approached and asked to make their way behind enemy lines and to find these homes.
Descendants of the defenders of those homes may want relics of their family to be recovered, or specific figures avenged.

Call of the Temple – Following the war and the return of the gods, many began to hear the call of the Temple of the Holy
Orders of the Stars. Priests would begin to return there, feeling the call of the gods.
During this time, a group of young heroes would set out from Tresvka seeking to restore the lost memories of their friend
Nearra, unaware that the reason for the memory loss was the bound spirit of a sorceress, placed upon Nearra by a black-
robed mage named Maddoc.
Arriving at the temple, the heroes are attacked by the green dragon Slean and forced to defend themselves. Nearra feels

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herself called to a mosaic of Elethia, and from it withdraws Elethia’s old weapon, an arrow of great power. With it, Nearra
slays Slean.

Rebellion in Potter’s Mill – After the war, many young people returned to Potter’s Mill. Having left as idealistic youths, they
returned as trained warriors able to resist the bandit Gadion.

For the first time, the bandit king found himself denied his prize and his followers beaten back, so he called in a favour
from a black-robed mage named Maddoc who unleashed a creature known as The Beast on Potter’s Mill.
The village’s resident seer – Shemnara – foresaw the arrival of a group of heroes who would defeat The Beast though, and
depending on the timing of the party’s arrival in the area, they could be those heroes.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

DARGAARD KEEP
Dargaard in the Novels – Though Lord Soth plays a prominent role in the Dragonlance Chronicles and other novels as a
key ally of Highlord Kitiara Uth Matar, the fortress of Dargaard Keep is not a place visited by the original Companions
during their travels. Dargaard was used as a key base by The Blue Lady (who had much of the undead within cleared out so
that her own Dragonarmy officers could use it’s rooms) but this lasted only as long as Kitiara was alive.

Following the Chaos War, Dargaard Keep became a prison for Lord Soth, bound there by Takhisis. Other than a brief
period of time in a land in another dimension called Ravenloft, Soth would not have a chance to leave the keep until
approached by Mina, the prophet of the One God. The War of Souls was beginning, and Mina offered Soth command of
her undead armies. By this time however, his imprisonment had given Soth time to reflect on his misdeeds and he had
come to accept responsibility for his crimes. Soth refused Mina.

Enraged, Takhisis restored Soth’s life and mortality, only to then destroy the keep around him, apparently ending his new
life.

Stronghold of The Blue Lady – For a party playing through the War of the Lance, Dargaard might seem an imposing
challenge but also offer great rewards. It is the base of operations for Kitiara Uth Matar. As such it could hold valuable
information regarding the Dragonarmies.
Moreso, it might hold Kitiara herself.

Though likely protected by Lord Soth (a mighty challenge in itself) a arty may reason that killing Kitiara would through the
blue Dragonarmies into disarray, at least for a short while. Such a direct attack against a leader of the Dragonarmies would
be a powerful and inspiring victory for the defenders of Ansalon, and could be used to take two powerful leaders out of the
game.

If the party do opt for this route, they will likely find the keep less occupied in the time running up to the attack on the High
Clerist’s Tower, as both Kitiara and Soth will be on the field leading that assault.
This is the best time to enter Dargaard and steal valuable information, scrolls of equipment, and also to rescue prisoners
who may have been brought to Dargaard Keep for interrogation.
When looking to attack The Blue Lady herself though, the party will find the keep well defended.

Undead or Draconian – The nature of the keep’s garrison might vary, depending on the current status of Kitiara Uth Matar.
In the long years between the Cataclysm and the beginning of the Draconian invasion, the fortress will primarily be
occupied by the undead servants of Lord Soth.
After he forges his alliance with Kitiara however, a lot of the undead inhabitants will move away, leaving spaces for Kitiara
and her Dragonarmy forces to move in. These will remain the primary defenders of the keep (as described in this module).
The only times this will change are:
▪ Just prior to the assault on the High Clerist’s Tower, when defence of the keep is at a minimum, and defenders might
be both Draconian and undead. If successful at the tower, Kitiara will raise her banner there, and Dargaard will once
again be occupied by the undead.
▪ In the lead-up to the dark rites at Neraka, at which point a garrison of Draconians will be left at Dargaard while the bulk
escorts Kitiara and Soth to the Dark Queen’s Temple.
▪ Following the death of Kitiara, whenever that may be. Lord Soth’s interest in the alliance is based purely around Kitiara
Uth Matar, so once she is out of the picture Soth will likely start to bring his undead servants back into the keep,
regardless of whether the Dragonarmy officers and servants are comfortable with it.

Captives of the Blue Dragonarmy – A party of player characters will certainly find themselves in conflict with the blue
Dragonarmy at some point during their adventures. In doing so, they may even bite off more than they can chew.
A party of players the blue Dragonarmy or their highlord finds interesting might be taken to Dargaard Keep as prisoners,

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and find themselves locked in its cells. Dargaard would make an ideal place for the blue forces to keep prisoners, as Pax
Tharkas was to the Red Dragonarmies under Verminaard.

As such a party can be given the opportunity to escape from Dargaard Keep’s cells and fight their way out, or perhaps take
the chance to strike against The Blue Lady or Lord Soth on their own.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

PALANTHAS
Temples of Palanthas – The old, disused temples to the true gods in Palanthas are mostly sealed or kept vacant out of a
sense of taboo. No-one has entered them (with rare exceptions) since the Cataclysm.

This means that if the party are looking for new treasures holy weapons, objects associated with the gods or even just a
challenge, any of them can be a gateway to a short dungeon-like area or adventure. To tie these adventures directly into the
overall narrative, venturing into one of these temples could be taken as a trial to prove one’s worth to a particular god, and
as such become awakened as a cleric to that god.
In lieu of better information regarding the location of Godshome, venturing into one of these temples could also reveal a
passage to the Glitterpalace, and a way to gain direct advice from the gods.

A Dragon To The Core – The gnomish surveyor Gilbestock first appears in the novel A Dragon To The Core, in which
he, nearly penniless, is paid in diamonds by a trio of humans to clear an old mine for them.
After Gilbentongue is mysteriously attacked, the humans rescue him, and the gnome sets off for the mine east of the city
(having to return briefly to find the keys to his iron Dragon contraption).

After being left alone by the humans to clear the mine, the attacker (named Zorlen, and thought dead) reappeared having
smuggled himself in a create on the iron Dragon. He warned Gilbentongue that his employers were in fact sivaks –
draconian shapeshifters. This turned out to be true, as once the mine was cleared the humans went inside and changed to
their regular forms, and there awoke a red dragon who was trapped within (now released by Gilbentongue).
After fighting the draconians, Gilbentongue set the iron Dragon to explode, sealing the mine again.

These events are supposed to take place after the War of the Lance, but if the party make the acquaintance of
Gildentongue, then he may be in the process of preparing for this journey, and could be in the market for a team of security
to accompany him.

If this adventure appeals to the party, the location and events in the adventure Dragon peak of Palanthas could be adapted
to serve as this story.

Master of Past & Present – When Fistandantilus sent Rannoch to Palanthas, his intention was that the “master of past and
present” would be himself. He suspected some great tragedy was coming, and planned and escape from Istar just before it
struck.
Fistandantilus planned to reach the tower years later, after the disaster had subsided, and take control of the tower primarily
so that he could take possession of the Portal to the Abyss.
He turned out to be wrong however, as the true “master of past and present” turned out to be Raistlin Majere, a member of
the Companions who fought the War of the Lance.

In your version of events, the true master could be any arcane spellcaster in your party, especially one that might already
have come to the attention of tutelage of the spirit of Fistandantilus. This could open up a vast repository of arcane
knowledge and lost spells to the character, whilst also creating the potential either to confront Takhisis directly in the Abyss,
or to learn of past events which could be changed if the party have the Device of Time Journeying.
Alternatively, opening the tower could also give Takhisis another route by which to enter the world other than the portal in
Neraka.

The Blue Lady’s War – In the final act of the War of the Lance, a few years after the defeat of Takhisis, the Blue Lady
launches a direct attack on Palanthas using flying citadels to pass over the Vingaard Mountains. As the undead legions of
Lord Soth assaulted the walls, Draconians descended from the citadels to attack the heart of Palanthas. Much of the city was
destroyed before Highlord Kitiara was slain and Lord Soth withdrew, leaving the Draconians to fend for themselves and
eventually be overwhelmed.

If the High Clerist’s Tower fell, or even if the war drags on without an attempt by the party to assault Neraka directly, then
these events can be brought forward to serve as the Dragonarmy’s last grand act, victory in their sights.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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THE HIGH CLERIST’S TOWER
The Turncoat – In the novels, it is upon the walls of the High Clerist’s Tower that the Companions first discover that the
missing member of their party – Kitiara Uth Matar – is not in fact fighting against the Dragonarmies, but is one of their
Highlords. An ambitious warrior, she swore herself to Takhesis from an early point and took command of the Blue
Dragonarmies, earning the nickname The Blue Lady.

Though Kitiara is a strong and formidable character, part of her appeal as a character is the ties she has to members of the
Companions. She is a romantic interest to one, a former lover to another and elder sister to two.

In setting up how the campaign will expand from here, you might want to consider replacing Kitiara with a character your
player party might have more reason to care about, and be shocked at their turn from the forces of good.
This could include a former party member, friend or family member, or a character they have met and liked in previous
adventures – for example should Porthios or Gilthanas be killed earlier in the war, they could return here are a Highlord to
bring vengeance on your own party.

Vindar Victorious – During The Challenge, it is possible that Vindar will succeed and defeat his player character opponent.
In this case, whether the character lives or dies, it would be a good idea to bring Vindar back during the Battle of the
Reaper.
Have him lead a contingent of Draconians into a breach in the outer walls, and come across either the character whom he
defeated, or those who wish to avenge their fallen comrade.

Painful Losses – When the Companions held the wall, they lost one of their number, and this caused great heartache for
them going forward and seeking to strike an equally painful blow against their enemies.
It is suggested that if the party have been travelling with an extended NPC party, that one of them also fall in dramatic
fashion.
If this option is taken, it is suggested that the Blue Lady be the killer, as this gives you the opportunity to set her up as a
hated adversary in later encounters.

Altered Timeline – Some events give specific dates for when they occur, including those events leading up to the battles for
the tower. Depending on when your party and arrive and what actions they choose, you may wish to alter these dates to
make for a more exciting story. For example the Battle of the Reaper does not need to take place on Winter Deep 13th, but
can happen at whatever date the party reach the top of the High Clerist’s Tower.

Every event leading to the siege (with the exception of Nightfog) could also be delayed until after the party finish in the
tower so that the party can take part in everything. This way they can spend as much time inside the tower as they wish, and
the battle they see beginning from the highest level is instead the one described in Juggernaut.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

KNIGHT’S COUNCIL
A New High Clerist – One pivotal way in which a player character may tip any balance of power with the knighthood is to
fill the vacant position of High Clerist.
Normally such a title could not be held by a newly accepted knight, but given that there are no other clerics in the entire
knighthood, it could be claimed by a cleric or paladin who has been accepted into the knighthood. Their ability to cast
divine magic and to heal with magic will mean there is little argument.

To accomplish this, a character must be a divine spellcaster, having awoken as a cleric or a spellcasting paladin. They must
also meet the requirements to be accepted as a Knight of Solamnia, and then choose to join the Order of Clerists.

Grand Master Waylorn Wyvernsbane – If the party are in need of a third option to put forward as a candidate to be Grand
Master of the Knights of Solamnia, one option could be the legendary hero Waylorn Wyvernsbane.

If the party have travelled to the tower of Shalost in Silvanesti and found Waylorn, then they will know that he was an ally of
Huma Dragonbane. This link, and the fact that he was accepted amongst the knighthood of his era, would make him an
acceptable and perhaps lauded candidate, possibly eclipsing both Derek Crowngaurd and Gunthar Uth Wistan.
If asked to lead, Waylorn’s strategy would be an offensive against all chromatic dragons, his own hatred of the creatures
driving him to want their utter destruction. This can make him reckless, though his temper can be eased and the man
brought to reason with careful words. News of his ancient love Sylvyana however can make him lock and hesitate, clouding
his judgment and distracting him from other problems.

In some versions of the story, Waylorn may even be the reincarnation or the successor of Huma Dragonbane as fated by

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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the gods. If this is discovered by the party, then bringing that news to the knighthood would make Waylorn an inevitable
and almost undefeatable choice to become Grand Master.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLOTSAM
Travels with Maquesta – Depending on when the party get to Flotsam and how soon they make the acquaintance of
Maquesta Kar-Thon, it is quite possible that the party may contrive a plan that gets The Perechon out of Flotsam without
anyone ever knowing. Thus there is no pursuit, no danger, and no risk of falling into the Blood Sea.

This gives the party the freedom to sail around a little more, possibly convincing Maquesta to take them anywhere in
Ansalon (if the price is right), though also quite likely bringing the ship and party into conflict with the Blood Sea Pirates.

The Blue Lady’s Lovers – Kitiara Uth Matar is a powerful woman who knows what she wants, and will claim whatever she
desires. She is known to have had a string of lovers – always officers – but she is also known to have discarded them when
they grew boring or moved on without so much as a tear when they died.

At the time she is in Flotsam, Kitiara may well have found a lover from amongst the ranks of the black, white or her own
blue wings (perhaps even Ettel Rense), and this lover could be a weakness to exploit. The Blue Lady does not care for her
lovers in a way that would force her to act to save them, but the lover could be a way of gaining vital intelligence or
misleading the Highlord.

Furcoat’s Mystery – The gnome Furcoat is attacked by assassins because of a magical medallion resembling a gold and
platinum dragon forming a hoop. Furcoat may wish to investigate further, but so too might the party.

There is no official material on this mystery, but a tale could be woven making this medallion a powerful tool. Perhaps by
following the trial of the assassins the party can be led to a sorcerer in the employ of the Dragonarmies trying to secure and
destroy the medallion, and by investigating this sorcerer’s tower/lair the party discover that the medallion an provide
passage
to the Dragon Isles, the home of the metallic dragons. It needs to be activated or charged though, and doing so later in the
story may help to bring the metallic dragons into the war.

Alternatively, the medallion could be replaced entirely with one of the three fragments of the Crown of Yarus, and artifact
that leads them to the High Clerist’s Tower in time for Kitiara’s siege.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

GOODLUND
Toede’s Folly – In the original novels, the hobgoblin Toede is eventually made Highlord of the white wing – albeit
temporarily – after the death of Feal-Thas. The intention had been that Toede would fill the position until after the arrival
of the Dark Queen, but the Hobgoblin’s ineptness managed to foil even that simple plan.

Toede is supposed to be made Highlord sometime after the Companions left Flotsam, and one of his first acts is to go on a
hunting trip. During that trip Toede and his hobgoblin guard come across and chase two Kender (one of whom was Kronin
Thistleknot), who smartly flee into a cave somewhere near Kenderwood. Toede pursues, but discovers too late that the cave
is the lair of a large green dragon. Enraged at being woken from it’s sleep, the dragon kills Toede.

This event could be altered during the party’s time in Goodlund and Balifor to make it a deliberate plan on the part of the
Kender, and one they need the party’s help to pull off. If the Kender can tell the party where the cave is, perhaps the party
could serve as the bait to lure Toede in and finish him off.

Assault on Kendermore – To make the party’s time in Kendermore more interesting, their arrival could coincide with the
arrival of a black wing force determined to root out the Kender once and for all.
This might be the ideal time for the party to have their first encounter with Lucien of Takar, the half-ogre black Highlord.
They can learn more about this Highlord, including his motivations and accomplishments, which could be of benefit when
they finally meet him again at the Dark Queen’s Temple.

Minotaur Battles – The eastern areas of Goodlund are under constant attack, the tribes doing what they can to resist the
Dragonarmies but finding the Minotaurs hounding them at every turn.
By travelling further east, the party may have good opportunities to engage in battle with minotaur forces and find new allies
in the local area.
The north-eastern ports also give a good opportunity for the party to head directly into the Minotaur Empire.

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Beneath Losarcum – Rumour has it that some of the caves beneath the old Tower of High Sorcery in Losarcum may have
survived the tower’s destruction, and could be accessed by finding a secret way in the ruins.

Those tunnels are likely cursed, and haunted by powerful wraiths – the ghosts of the mages who died when the tower was
destroyed – and possibly by surviving Guardian statues. If bold adventurers can get down there however, who knows what
magical secrets and tools are hidden in the tower’s ancient vaults?
___________________________________________________________________________________________

KERN
Definitions of Honour – The events surrounding a minotaur attacking the village of Dragon’s Point come from a short story
set after the War of the Lance featuring a Knight of Solamnia named Torbin.
He sets off to the village having heard of their trouble, seeking to earn acclaim for a heroic deed, however upon meeting the
minotaur he learns the true meaning of honour, and leaves the area with a better understanding of what it means to do what
is right.

As with Torbin, the events at Dragon’s Point can be an opportunity to test a character or the party to see if they act in an
honourable way. If someone is watching and assessing the party, they make take the party’s actions here and judge them
accordingly. Paladine for example, or Kiri-Jolith, may be very interested to see if a character interested in becoming a
Knight of Solamnia is indeed a hero, or a brutal rogue.

Hags of the Dirk – A group of hags live around the area of Hag’s Dirk, but no information is available on this location, or
on the hags. It is known that much later, in the Age of Mortals, the hags come into conflict with the Ogre Titans, and in
order to ensure victory they summon a “great hag” named Chumaz-Hera from a realm she rules on the borders of the
Abyss. Once a handmaiden to Takhisis herself, Chumaz-Hera is more than happy to bring pain and death to the world.

If further adventures are needed in Kern, then the coven of hags in Hag’s Dirk can provide an additional threat, but also an
opportunity. They may still be planning to sacrifice elven slaves to summon Chumaz-Hera in the future, but a party may be
able to find in them an ally against the Ogres.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

NORDMAAR
The Dragonsinger – Once a generation, a mortal is born with such purity of spirit that they are chosen to be a divine
representative – named by the gods as an ambassador between mortals and dragons. Known as the dragonsingers, these
mortals would undergo a series of trials before being permitted access to the Dragon’s Graveyard to receive the final
blessing.

If a party member is interested in a great role (ideally not the same player who is also in the role of the prophet) then giving
that character a chance to become the next dragonsinger would add an interesting new dynamic to the war. The
dragonsinger could be the ideal person to try to convince the metallic dragons to enter the war.

The Shroud – The Shroud of Soul’s Calling has a lot of potential, and gives the player party a powerful tool in the war
against Takhisis and her minions. Though it’s uses are very limited, the shroud could be used to call back anyone from the
realm of the dead.

The most obvious use of the shroud would be to restore life to a fallen party member, but if this is not necessary then the
party could see about bringing back some ancient hero who could help turn the tide. The return of Huma Dragonbane
might be exactly the call needed to rally the Knights of Solamnia behind a single leader, whilst calling on elven heroes such
as Kith-Kanan may be the encouragement needed to unify the elves and bring them into the war.
Riskier or more desperate options may even consider bringing back Fistandantilus, or even fallen Highlords like
Verminaard, using their ties to evil as a way to infiltrate or destroy the Dragonarmies from within.

Resistance – The red wing holds power over the vast majority of Nordmaar, but despite their hold on power there is still a
significant resistance movement across the nation. This is most obvious in the southern reaches where the horselords
continue to fight against the occupation, and in the Sahket Jungle where northern warriors employ guerrilla tactics against
Dragonarmy supply caravans.

If the party venture through Nordmaar, they may find themselves challenged by resistance fighters, and later offered helping
crossing their lands in exchange for dealing a blow against the Dragonarmy occupation.

It should be noted however that despite the red wing governing the area, it is the green wing under the direct command of

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
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Highlord Salah Khan that has been charged with putting down the resistance.

Power of Chemosh – Chemosh is a son of Takhisis and god of the undead, and although he has many stories in which he is
a terrible threat to the world in his own right, he will aid his mother if he can during the War of the Lance.
As the Dragonarmies march across Ansalon, Chemosh may take the opportunity to invade the Dragon’s Graveyard. If he
can pierce the protective barrier around the Isle of Quinari and breach the Sanctuary of Spirits, he can absorb the power
within and became immensely powerful.

If a party have discovers either the Key of Quinari or the Tears of Mishakal, then this play by Chemosh could serve as an
opportunity to add to the danger of the war, or to deal a blow to the forces of evil. Chemosh would be able to use this
power to raise a vast undead army, but if the party can reach the graveyard first they may instead find a way to empower
their own draconic allies.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE BLOOD SEA


Artha’s Treasure – The Treasure Dome of Artha holds a great many treasures, and can also hold a great many more
depending on what the party need to fight their war. Weapons and tools within should be tailored for what is most
interesting for the party’s specific make-up of characters.
The trove could also contain any relics the party may have missed or could do with moving forward. Dragonlances,
dragonorbs, or other important relics could be in these rooms, opening new avenues for adventure.

Destination Istar – For much of their adventure, it is very possible that a party could completely miss the existence of the
Ruins of Istar, being as they are sunken beneath a mighty vortex known to kill anyone who falls into it.

Many dangers a party might face on the Blood Seas could overwhelm them to the degree that death is certain, but the more
interesting path would be for any such death to instead bring the party to the Ruins of Istar, where they can meet the wizard
Zebulah and learn something about Ansalon’s past.

Migerna’s Istaran Lover – One part of the story of Migerna never told is the identity and fate of the Istaran lover who was
the father of her child. It can easily be assumed that the father is long dead, either in one of Istar’s many wars or in the
Cataclysm, however his mysterious identity does open the possibility that he could have been more than he appeared.
Perhaps the father was another god is disguise, or some other hero from the ancient past, and it is this that causes the party
to investigate the Mire.

To tie the Mire into other stories in the War of the Lance, the Istaran father could instead be replaced by characters such as
Waylorn Wyvernsbane, or an ancestor of one of the party.

A Trip to the Moon – Finding a map of Lunitari and the Skyboat in Artha’s Treasure Dome may result in a party following
through and actually visiting Lunitari. There is little reason to during the war, but a simple response might be to allow this to
be one passageway to the Glitterpalace, and a communion with the gods.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE BLOOD SEA ISLES


Minotaur Rebels – The rise of Emperor Chot was not accepted by all Minotaurs, and though the Emperor has many
enemies, none may be more dangerous than Bor Es-Drago.

Bor is a loyal soldier of the empire, and a willing ally of the Dragonarmies, but he has long opposed the rule of Chot Es-
Thalin. It was for this reason that Bor (as with many others) was exiled from the empire. They currently work for the
Dragonarmies near Sanction, but Bor is still a highborn Minotaur and holds a lot of respect within the empire. If anyone
was going to challenge for the throne, the best prospect would probably be Bor Es-Drago.

Rise of an Empire – On Mithas and Kothas, the Minotaur empire has been building it’s strength, and long before the
Dragonarmies started their war the Minotaurs were ready for an expansion of their own.
Whilst traveling these region, a party can come across a great many military camps where soldiers and sailors and making
ready for their war, and perhaps even places where secrets are being kept.

If a party wishes to learn more of the growing Minotaur war machine, they could search the islands and come across
singular champions and heroes, or they may find hidden warehouses where powerful new war machines and siege engines
are being built.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
RUINS OF ISTAR
Berem Underwater – If the party have not yet found Berem the Everman, or were on a ship with him that was swallowed
into the Maelstrom, then there is a good chance of them finding him somewhere in the ruins. If he was with the party when
they sank then he might be in Zebulah’s Refuge with them, however if the party have come to the ruins searching for the
Everman then he could either have been captured by the King of the Deep and left in it’s lair, or Berem could have walked
on, the gem keeping him alive and allowing him to make his way north-east towards Karthay where he hopes to find refuge,
and will eventually come to the Dragon’s Den. Many fish and a few Dargonesti may have seen him on his travels, and can
point the party his way.

Zebulah is the Kingpriest – Though the novels make it somewhat clear that Zebulah is merely a wizard who found himself
in the ruins, there is potential in the idea that he is in fact Beldinas Pilofiro, the same former Kingpriest of Istar who caused
the Cataclysm. He would not be the only creature on Krynn cursed to long or endless life because of their transgressions,
Lord Soth being another good example linked to the same terrible event.

That in three hundred years he has not only learned arcane spellcasting but also found the love of a non-Human could be a
shocking revelation and perhaps a story of redemption, as could the more tragic idea that he used the blue dragonorb and
caused the awakening of the King of the Deep.

The Missing Temple – In ZR11: Old Tower, the party find a device that allows them to look around the city of Istar as it is
being struck by the fiery mountain. This vision of the Cataclysm as it occurs it frightening but also offers a surprising insight
should the party change the angle towards the temple of the Kingpriest. Despite the mountain not yet having fully impacted,
the temple is already gone, a void in space sitting where it should be standing.

This can be the first suggestion the party have that the temple may have been transported away before the impact, opening
the possibility of discovering that Takhisis was able to snatch the temple for herself.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: The War of the Lance by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
Look out for more titles in this series,
updating all old Dragonlance material for
5e, including:

• settings guides for every location in


Ansalon and beyond,
• updates of all old modules for 5e,
• a catalogue of every magic item
described in old material
• and a bestiary of creatures and
characters who appear in those classic
adventures!

The Aesthetics Guide to Ansalon: Taman Busak and Neraka by Stephen Bull
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only

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