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Goldchester: More adventures in high fantasy

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This is the last product in the High Fantasy role-playing game series.

It has several sections. It has author's notes for the background of Dillow's game world and what is left of the base town (Goldchester) that was used. It also has 4 other scenarios/modules/adventures: Castle Knot, Quest for the Champion, Quest for the Heart of Set Te Mu, and the Dehysic Canyon.)

This review will be in two basic sections. The first section is from the view of a Judge/Game Master who wants to use the information to upgrade the second edition rules to a third edition-like form. The second section is from the view of Judge/Game Master who wants to upgrade/run the setting/adventures and one example of how players (somewhat strange) can act ("PCs actions:").

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It is recommended to scan and covert to text (for words) the whole book so that the information can be easily manipulated and incorporated in upgrading information in the rest of the High Fantasy rules.

The information in the Goldchester section should be sorted and copy-pasted into the equipment and services section of the High Fantasy rules. This actually includes such things as the costs of alchemist weapons and ammo and what happens if they are used by others that lack their skills. Note that some of the costs differs from the rules due to the circumstances in the book (a conquered and damaged town with some services like the healers squeezing every last copper out of customers that can pay).

There are mentions in the Castle Knot section and the Quest for the Champion that magic items could be made even by second plane wizards (though at risk and unfortunately no rules are actually given). There is also mention that (for the Champion's sword) that magic items could be made by allowing them to be possessed by spiritual or demonic beings.

In a vault of the Castle Knot section and a magic sucking room in the Dehysic Canyon section (with the trapped dragon) there is some interesting references to iron and magic. Basically iron's presence can interfere with the flow of aether. This has no effect on manna itself. This interference in aether is not absolute as magic can manipulate iron (such as making magic items or many spells). If a room (or container) is lined in a solid layer of iron, then it can block all flow of aether into an area creating an effect like an Exhaust Aether spell or negative nexus point. There is a disagreement on how fast aether can flow to fill an artificial low point and how fast aether can be used up. At times it seems to make them seem to move very slowly, and other times moving at super-sonic speeds (and effects). The Judge will need to decide which is correct. In the Dehysic section there is an interesting implication that psychic powers do not use aether as the dragon was able to use them. An intriguing idea is to make a localized non-magical Exhaust Aether spell effect by using a box of iron.

The Quest for the Champion includes example mercenary groups for use in the Lords of Conquest rules and an alternative battle rules that uses a concept called battle factors.

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For Judges that plan to use the adventures/setting more directly there are a number of considerations to update/upgrade/edit the adventures. It is suggested to scan everything and convert to text for easier editing/copy-paste to other areas. The adventures are laid out roughly chronologically. Judge's should only introduce the adventures when the player characters are at least the beginning of the Fifth Plane and preferably at level 20 as the point of the adventures is to have the characters establish a permanent base(s) and fix the messes left behind by the original players (who were apparently fifth plane). If seasons are used, it is suggested that the beginning of the Castle Knot adventure be done in early Spring as the events in the Champion adventure is set during that time (and occurs about a week after the Castle).

The continental map may need to be altered to match the Judge's needs. The text make most of the locations in this book within several days travel of Goldchester. One physical feature that "fixes" the others is that the Dehysic Canyon was an old river bed for the large river to the North-West. The area surrounding Castle Knot should be labeled as Alms (a religious/pilgrimage town set up by the former owner of the Castle). Somewhere South of Goldchester is where the Toros are from and a day travel or so is where the wind tunnel hills are located. Nautpolis should be noted as existing during the First Age and was a capital city during the Second Age that fought the budding empire in the Dehysic Canyon. Jerican should be noted as being a "merchant city". The "Shattered Rose Kingdoms" should be noted as being conquered, but by how much is uncertain. The Eastern Empire is also named as the Confederacy and the Blessed Kingdoms though only by those people and both labels are lies. Page 38 has the picture of a typical Western soldier and the symbols on the chest and shield are the general Western kingdom's symbol.

Religion comes up a lot and may need to correlated with everything else. The Moorguard religion has a follower (who was at the Moorguard temple during the Second Age) appear in the Set Te Mu adventure. Some of the information is a bit buried. One part that needs to be considered is that one of the players could end up the center of a cult ("The Champion"). There is also the priests of the Set Te Mu who have some unusual powers. The Eastern Lords seem to have a cult relationship with their Master (who might be a demon or god).

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Goldchester section should be re-organized and have the map printed out on a larger piece of paper and labeled. Judge's may want to consider how supplies (including water and food) move in and wastes move out (it is noted in one of the "blood pit" encounters later that Goldchester has sewers).

Adventure hooks for the individual areas that pertain to other areas (like the Dehysic Canyon) should be noted and only occur when it chronologically makes sense and to send the players to them.

Note that some areas are left for the Judge to develop.

PCs actions: They (10 characters. 5 warriors. 3 wizards. 1 animal master. 1 alchemist.) did not want to have anything to do with it initially as the town is behind enemy lines and even as 20th level characters they would die against an army. It took an NPC that they befriended earlier (Tancred from Fortress Ellendar) and relayed the Castle Knot mission to do it. They disguised themselves and treated every entry into town as if entering a hostile territory that they had to conceal any action that might get the Eastern forces to attack them. Familiars were loaded with spells like Control, Illusion, ESP, Detect, Transmutate, Invisibility, Wall, etc.) (This depends on how the Judge handles the Familiar spell). The alchemist had previously rented laboratory space for making healing potions and acid potions. Treasure is stored in extra-dimensional space backpacks for portability.

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Castle Knot. It needs a map of the surrounding area of Alms and its own outer territory and how the Temple of Eg is physically located in Alms. The territory of Castle Knot should be about 5 miles radius around the castle (important to note for the Champion adventure) and without the earth demon would support about 900 people in food (crops and livestock) and with the demon the food growing section should be able to at least support 1000 people. The whole point of Alms was to support the productivity of the land so there should be significantly more secured area for growing food than temple/religious area within that 5 mile limit (though Alms could include land beyond that 5 mile limit). The Eg temple is currently about 400 feet from the castle (If changed the Judge should consider how far Zarit is willing to walk back and forth, probably less than a mile). This further complicated by how there is apparently an opening a few hundred feet away from the Eg temple to a large group of trolls (given that they eat humanoids and would raid the surrounding area for food, this makes placement difficult). The Judge may also want to consider the logistics of how food, water, air, equipment, and wastes gets into and out of Alms, Castle Knot, and the priests of the Champion, the trolls, etc. There is also the additional complication that ambush area (which is reversed in East-West orientation) in the Champion adventure would have to be at most an hour or so travel to the West from Knot (a little over 5 miles). Some additional barns and storage areas would be needed to hold farming and harvesting equipment. The Castle and the other areas would need to be changed for ways to get things in (air, light, water, food) and get things out (wastes). All this information will be important for the Champion adventure if they end up with the castle and ruling over the area.
One possibility could be to layout the Alms/Knot area like a spoked wheel with Knot at the hub and the wheel edge being at 5 miles distance. There would be a clear/growing area of about 300 feet around the castle, also every other space around the spokes would be castle farm/forest lands. the spokes and wheel edge would be roads. Every other space around the spokes and beyond the wheel edge could be temple and support areas. The trolls could have the tunnel entrance in one of the forest areas (done secretly for a raiding base).
Another more simple layout would be to have it drawn as a circle (castle in the center, 5 mile radius) and split in North and South side. The North side would be for growing food. The South side would be more forestry for wood product. The split would be the location of the main roads. The West side would have a walled "slot" that holds the main area of Alms (temples and related) and extends from the outside to inside up to 300 feet from the castle and about 300 feet wide with the Eg Temple being in the Southern innermost corner of the slot. Additional roads can be added and a wall around the circle made with the rest of Alms being around it. The temples should also sell minor minor magic items and blessings and religious items.

The Judge will need to decide the truth and lies of the background information. What are the numbers of the Champion Priests? (100 to match the Fanatics). Were the Priests volunteers or were they brain washed from their original religions and will they also be fanatical followers of the Champion? (Yes). Were the Fanatics truly "wicked" before and why are their combat ratings at first level? (Disturbingly they could have undergone a more thorough brain washing that changed their identities to Fanatics and loaded with skills needed by the Champion for taking care of the castle and the lands in the future. The Old Woman probably chose them based on no one would caring enough about them to cause to cause problems for the Champion in the future.). This information is needed for Encounter 19. The maps also need to add ways for the priests to handle supplies and wastes and maybe sleep.

The Judge will need to determine if the demons and their tests make any sense and what the priests know about them if the PCs interrogate them. After all, presumably the demons and tests would be part of their "scripture".

Page 101 has a cross-section of the castle that is incorrect though still interesting.

A Detect spell can be used to re-activate the security magic items in encounters 31 and 41.

Area 22 needs to correct the value of the electrum tams to being 1000 silver tams each, not 2000.

The Judge will need decide about Denoir. At times he is described as an Animal Master and others he seems to have Alchemist skills (for making the Penoi) and Wizard (for the defective way of making magic items).

PC actions: When getting the mission, they asked about pay as their mission was supposed to be just information gathering and fighting an army to get their treasure was undesirable and attract too much attention. Pay was offered at 100 gold tams total upon completion of the mission. PCs asked for as complete maps as possible and description of locations and security as it is known of the area and the castle and expected occupants' descriptions.
When approaching the Eg Temple and throughout the adventure, the familiar with the ESP and Detect abilities were used to help map and identify enemies/traps. The one with the Wall ability was used to make stone bridges and block off areas as needed. Transmutate was use to either turn the ground into liquid and back to trap opponents or petrify enemies to immobilize them. Control spell effect was used interrogate anyone for any information of the area and themselves and remove memories (learned from Moorguard).
They approached the temple from the side. After making maps and identifying opponents/traps, they went in a surprise immobilized the priests and thoroughly interrogated them. They decided they needed to deal with the whole Champion thing and the trolls before entering the castle as they did not want to deal with them on the way back. They kept the priests alive, though Controlled, and kept interrogating everything. The trolls were all killed. Some of the minor demons were also captured and interrogated, especially on the nature of the blood pit demons and how to pass the tests. They passed the tests (which they considered to be strange and not solvable if they did not cheat). They decided to deal with Champion issue now rather than later and gave the sword to a warrior that is proficient with it (the PCs were underwhelmed by its properties) and used one of the priest's necklace to talk/gather information to the Old Woman after she disappeared by telling her their decision and to get information about her plans and how that would affect them. They asked and received support from the priests and the fanatics to secure the temple and underground areas outside of the castle.
They quietly infiltrated the castle (using familiar abilities as needed including Control to make people forget and ignore them), gathered information/bypassed traps/sabotaged Penoi fluids, and got to Denoir's room. They waited and watched security check the room and making sure they left, used Negate to turn off the security, entered and took the glove, got the document, used Duplicate to make a copy of the document and the board with the symbol, replaced the originals with the duplicates, poisoned the potions with Penoi fluids, went back into the secret corridor, used Detect to turn the security back on, and went back to complete their mission and collect payment. The reasoning for taking the glove and poisoning the potions is that since their was only one document in the trapped box, Denoir would only touch it only rarely so if he ever needs the document and/or the potions then he could kill himself which would be another blow to the Eastern empire (possibly worth experience points). It is up to the Judge if during the later escape, Denoir kills himself.

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Quest of the Champion: The Judge will need to make sure on the continental map to note where the encounter areas actually are and to have a small community around/near area 5. The ambush map needs to be reversed on its East-West directions. The general relationships of the areas might also need to be added by the Judge if the players are likely to go back to those areas.

PC actions: PCs reiterated to the Old Woman that they are going through with the mission and wanted more details. They kept a communication necklace. They later got complete information on the ambush area. The PCs got the Toros by healing their "owner" themselves (used the rules for healing poison to deal with infection). The PCs had the mercenary captains in separate rooms and interviewed them by going room to room (with Psychic abilities to determine truth). Agreements were reached with Urick's Irlans, Archer's Arquebusiers, and Elria's Longbows; the agreement included marching onto Castle Knot and that all enemy equipment was to become property of the PCs (the Fanatics were brought along for that gathering purpose). The missile units were positioned on opposite sides of the cliffs at the best locations to fire down into the enemy, with priority in order being missile units, pole arm units, and melee units. The melee units were positioned near the missile units with orders to wait until an enemy unit moves up to the half way point to the units then charge the enemy flank to protect the missile units. The wizards' familiars included Illusion, Invisibility, Fly, Temperature (Cold) (for taking the castle intact) spells, and would invisible repeatedly create illusions of 12-headed hydras attacking the rear of the enemies. The priests were told about the hidden passages in the Castle and upon contact with them, or the Old Woman, would attack the castle from the inside starting from the prison area on up (and given advice of optimum spells and tactics such as using a familiar to use the suicide fireball ring and not themselves). The PCs won the battle, told the priests to invade as they approached, used the hidden passageways to access the burning area (on the assumption that there might a last ditch stand and to attack from an unknown direction), claimed the castle and lands, etc. The PCs never actually considered the castle home as it is ultimately under the Old Woman's authority and they were just managers for a powerful charity that they were allowed to openly embezzle as long as they have the approval of the Old Woman. The identity of the PCs were concealed behind a "faceless" Champion. The priests were used to establish and recruit others for the Champion cult by re-doing the Eg Temple and any other temple that is abandoned then and the future and set up schools and so forth. The area further out (West) was developed into an gladiatorial arena based on Hero's Den (Terra Ash) for money (less payback for betters, but open to more people) and training areas. The secret entrances to the castle were re-secured. Wizards attempted to cast Restore Magic on the Champion Sword after the demons left to try have it regain its powers (Judge allowed it given how some other magic items worked though it lacks intelligences after that). For the charity aspect, others are given at least one free night (depending on lack of ability to pay and other considerations) but after that if they can work they will be put to work even if it is working in the fields and other labor under the Fanatics' supervision. The priests would also serve as counselor for those in need of mental therapy.

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Set Te Mu (STM): This adventure answers some of the mysteries of the Moorguard adventure while leaving other questions. It involves the PCs getting involved in the feud between the followers of Moorguard and Set Te Mu while encountering some First Age magics.

There are things the Judge should edit and note.
Copy the information on the followers of STM their items and Clandel and Zonda (Area 12, grave 3) into one file so the information can be recycled. The Judge should decide if Clandel really can fly in the last encounter or whether it means he runs or slithers away. The Judge should decide what process is involved in becoming a priest and the religion and practices as the PCs are likely to ask. Note that they apparently do not use spell books though they do act as wizards otherwise. The Judge will have to determine how the priests created the magics in the adventure and how they imprisoned Zonda (suggestion: special rituals). The Judge will have to determine where the other temples, if they still exist or their remains, are like where Zonda was kept for a time. The Judge will have to determine how STM died and where the body is located.
The introduction is likely to be too railroading. Leanon (11th level Wizard/Historian) should be introduced earlier who attempts to be friends with the PCs. He knew Cars Marath and the Moorguard temple about a 1-1/2 century ago when Cars Marath was still sane. If they already have Moorguard's items then he will approve if they use it as heroes and lets him occasionally touch them. If they passed the Champion adventure, he should be living in a small temple in Alms and seek them out from information given by Sebastobol's followers, and his death can be at Alms or Goldchester where the PCs are and actually run through as an adventure not just narrative. His son is Penrod in Ole Armory (Area 10 in Goldchester). Penrod is crucified with spikes, not pikes. The other people there are killed with the special daggers and Penrod's body left as a threat to others. The Judge will need to decide if there are other followers of Moorguard or if Leanon is the last.
Area 8 needs 2 corrections. In paragraph 2, the plateau is located to the West, not East. The elevator-like shaft gem takes users to area 7, not 8.
Area 12 needs to be labeled for the location of each grave. Suggestion: Start from South and label sequentially going North, going from East to West for those in the same North-South axis.
The Judge will need to decide if Zonda will deviate from the script, particularly if the PCs ask to be friends.
Area 11 implies that Illusion spells have a psychic/Sensitive aspect and can duplicate spells 1 Plane less. It can also bypass the level resistance if others do not regard it as an illusion for some reason.

PC actions: Upon encountering the attack on Leanon, the healers treated him immediately for poison while the others listened and readied defense. They went to Ole Armory and the healers brought his son back to life and took them back to recover while promising to continue his quest (more for their interest in First Age magic and eliminating a potential threat). They pretended to be interested and loyal pilgrims and pestered Clandel about all aspects of the STM religion, while their familiars were invisibly flying making maps and notes with ESP and Detect and using telepathy. They came back a few hours before dawn's light to empty the temple of everything then invisibly fly to the top of the keep sighted. While there, the familiars were used to map and analyze the entire contents of the keep. The wizards removed the emerald rod by using Transmutate on its stand and they hoped to duplicate its magics later. After noting the effects of sunrise for marking the grave site and the strange moving statues around the plateau, they invisibly flew off to retreat. They returned to the mid-way point between the keep and the plateau right after nightfall alert for illusions, traps and guardians. After defeating Clandel, they went to the chosen grave then used Detect and ESP to analyze all the graves for their magics for future research. When checking Zonda's grave, they started getting uncomfortable and proceeded to start digging when she frowned at them and started banging against the coffin. After digging her up, they apologized and asked to become friends and went with her, though she said maybe later. After Zonda blasted the area, the PCs later returned to the tower site with "land burrows" from "Terra Ash" to excavate out the treasure.

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The Dehysic Canyon: This adventure involves the PCs looking for a dragon, dealing with Eastern forces and sympathizers, encountering cursed lands, undead, and the remains of Second Age wizard.

Judge's edits and notes:
Copy all notes on Saradan to one file for ease of use.
Make a note on the continental map that the area of the lake to the North-West is at a higher altitude than the Dehysic Canyon and has the appropriate slopes downward at least in the past and might have been raised slightly if Saradan made a failed attempt to create a volcano to the South when he went berserk. The river is named Elta. The dry river bed from the lake through the canyon and down in separate rivers to the body of water (Long Bay) can be sketched out including the size of the "Field of Rage".
The judge will need to decide which Dark Lord is assigned to the area.
The overland map should be rotated slightly so that what was the East riverbed is North-East, and its scale scale for hexes and legend is 250 feet. It is suggested that the map be laid out from top view and not the angled view. Check to make sure location areas make sense and their numbers like the multiple "10"s. Swamp and lake areas define the boundaries of where the city of Sol used to be, though now the second town of Kemp is now there. What looks like stream in the swamp are the paths and remains of the streets of Sol. The swamp and the lakes are magically maintained and do not drain into the old river bed despite being at a higher altitude. The lakes are magically kept free of poisons and sediment.
Saradan's castle original state/functions and map should be made to correct the existing descriptions. Suggestions: Castle and keep walls be made with stone at least 10 feet thick. The outer castle walls are roughly square about 750 feet in lengths and 20 feet tall and corner towers with a gate at one of the paths and the other sides surrounded by the lake as a moat. The keep is about 40 feet high with the front room being a wooden roofed room/meeting area. The main part of the keep is solid stone with solid stone peaked roof. The upper rooms are 20 feet high. The "throne room" has a stone throne that is art of the keep and with magically maintained personal quarters (bed, toilet, etc.) and study as this is his personal area and not a meeting area. The keep itself is kind of magical device that sucks up aether (from the cage area) in a controlled fashion to be channeled in particular ways by its owner. If there is no existing owner linked to the keep, a wizard can do so by casting a Familiar spell on the throne to establish a link (even if the wizard already has a familiar). The linked wizard while sitting on the throne can use a form of ESP and Detect to look and sense at a point anywhere within 10 miles and cast spells that are augmented like the emerald rod from the STM adventure. The linked wizard can also set the controls of the keep to determine what is or is not affected by the teleport trap cage (1 mile range limit, with default being Size 5 creatures with magic resistance of greater than 50 and a skill level greater than 9) and even when not on the throne can turn the aether drain on or off and the cage opening and teleporting things in and out of the cage (1 mile range limit). There could be some planar gate ability given the dinosaurs in the swamp. The cage should be 20 feet x 20 feet x 20 feet with only 3 inch openings, with the aether sucking globe being outside of the cage and in the middle of the room (the iron has been modified to act as conduit to help conduct aether to the globe). The defenses with a linked throne have their "innate" match the owners rather than the un-linked 50.

PC actions: After hearing about the dragon, the PCs used the Historian's information of the area and a map. Their priority was to look over the area to see if the dragon was found then help but otherwise they would check the story of Saradan for Second Age magics. Given the expected opposition, they used flying invisibly to head to the canyon, using Control magics on possible enemies as needed to get current information of the area and made a Symbol on a shield with Sleep on it. Upon encountering bandits (the PCs invisibly approached them and Controlled them all for interrogation), they angrily stripped the bandits of everything and made them forget the encounter while sending them running spread out opposing directions with orders to attack any Eastern soldiers they see. After some other encounters, they got to the canyon area. They had a familiar invisibly fly high up while they updated their maps. They noted the location of the Field of Rage and the swamp and lakes and compared with the legends to guess that any ruins by Saradan would likely be the part of the swamp that is sticking out into the lake. They cautiously flew invisibly over the lake to the area and found the keep and checked for signs of magic with Detect and ESP. They used Negate to defeat traps while carefully mapping and studying the magic of the area. A wizard claimed the throne and freed the dragon, with the PCs accompanying the dragon with offers of friendship. The PCs pointed out that another way to free the dragon could have been to use a Wall (Iron/4th plane) outside of the room to create an iron jar large enough to completely cover the globe and an iron ladder to climb and slowly position the jar to temporarily and gradually block off the effects of the globe to cause the cage to release the dragon and can then later remove the jar to restore the globe functions. The PCs later returned to Saradan's keep to claim it with the hope of making more, and repaired and re-did the castle such as putting the outer walls further out. During that time they also periodically attack all the Eastern forces with illusions of an irate gold dragon and claiming the treasure and freeing prisoners and collecting creatures for the Animal Master in the group. They figured that if the Eastern Kingdom sent a large force to the area (hundreds) then while the Eastern soldiers are resting at night in range, the PCs would teleport them to the Fields of Rage then teleport any treasure to themselves.


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This review is now complete.