RuneQuest - 4E - The Smoking Ruin & Other Stories

RuneQuest thanks them, pays them handsomely, but their return truly doesn’t have much importance to her vis-à-vis the holy day celebration on the 24th. Her role is only important if for some reason the adventurers show her the Mirror first. Outcomes The gamemaster should evaluate which the most likely outcome for this adventure is, based on what has previously transpired, what the adventurers have accomplished, and who they see upon their return to Clearwine. Returning to Daravala If the adventurers are working for Daravala, and return directly to her first (prior to Leika, most importantly), Daravala is astonished at being handed the Mirror, and the main challenge at this point is to determine the proper way to handle the political fallout. Assuming they have the Mirror, Daravala is at dinner when they return, dining with Ereneva and Asborn in the Earth Temple residences as they go over last-minute details for the celebration tomorrow. If Treya passed on, Daravala ‘felt’ her death and feared the worst. She assumed the adventurers had met with an ignominious end as well, and while she hadn’t communicated her concerns to Ereneva— best leave that news until the Ceremony has come to a fruitful end—she had already mentioned what she believed had occurred to Asborn, who promised his support once the dust settles tomorrow. If Treya is with the adventurers, no doubt it is she who barges into the dining room, bursting with the happy news. The adventurers can lead with a presentation of the Mirror to the dinner party, full of proper respect and reverence. Certainly, whichever adventurer had been chosen to carry the Act 5: Return to Clearwine Unless there is a compelling reason to play through events during the return (the adventurers may wish to accompany Thinala to Queen’s Post against her wishes; or they may wish to veer off and find Dappled Light), as soon as the adventurers have successfully escaped the clutches of Vamargic, the gamemaster is recommended to cut directly to their return to Clearwine. Upon arrival, the adventurers might first take care of any urgent personal business (for example, if Treya died, finding Asmara to tell her, etc.), but following that, the adventurers should report to either Daravala, Asborn, Sora, or Leika, depending on how events played out while they were on the road. Arrival Unless it is otherwise contradicted by their actions, the adventurers arrive on the 23rd of Sea Season, late in the day (Waterday of Fertility Week). Whoever the adventurers try to see be unavailable for this reason (“Everyone’s very busy; the goddess’ holy day is tomorrow, don’t you know! Much must be done!”), putting the adventurers in the position of having to barge in wherever the non-player character might be found if they wish to be seen that night. If they do so, the gamemaster is advised to have them interrupt something important, allowing them to make a dramatic entrance, regardless of what they might be bringing back. The only situation where the timing of their return results in a “Ho hum, glad to see you” sort of reception is if they were working for Sora and return with bits and bobs of troll trinkets. Sora has no particular role in the ceremonies, which rankles her, but is happy to see the adventurers. She

The Smoking Ruin 101 direction, the gamemaster should adjust the description of the Mirror’s reveal. After the holy day has finished, all the folk of Clearwine declare the adventurers as heroes. Leika is irritated that she was cut out of the acquisition of the Mirror (unless the adventurers visit her as well, see below). If Leika’s agents ordered the adventurers to return directly to Leika, things don’t quite go as smoothly as this initial ‘welcome back’ (see below). Consequences of Treya’s Demise If Thinala has gone to seek out the Feathered Horse Queen, this scene does not occur. If Thinala chooses to return with the adventurers, this leads to an encounter between Leika and Thinala in which Thinala gets to refute in a clear and pointed way all the misconceptions Leika has about this noble warrior. If neither Treya nor Thinala are with the adventurers, all those who knew Treya are genuinely saddened by her passing. Thinala’s return is the source of much wonderment and conjecture, but the sadness for Treya is washed away by the surprise and joy generated by the Mirror. The gamemaster should encourage the adventurers to seek out Asmara if Treya is gone. The gamemaster should evaluate any specific circumstances to determine if they alter some details of the adventurers’ return. These may be true in various combinations: the gamemaster needs to apply the specifics in a flexible manner. Returning Without the Mirror This depends on whether the adventurers discovered anything related to Ernaldan worship in the ruins. Helping trolls and trollkin return to their goddess is all well and good, but if Daravala has nothing to show tomorrow, she is indeed disappointed. This leads to a confrontation between Daravala and Ereneva—especially of Treya has passed on—in which Daravala must confess to her plan, the design of which was to convince Ereneva of her competence. Depending on how upset she is, Daravala needs to be persuaded that the adventurers actually discovered the ruined temple. This is based partly on any interpersonal skill roll they attempt but also whether they have any other physical evidence (for example, a detailed sketch of the well, troll artifacts, Storm Age artifacts, or the actual appearance of Thinala if she chooses to accompany them back). Interestingly, in the latter case, Ereneva is the adventurers’ advocate, as she assures Daravala that she does have Ereneva’s support and is Mirror should have the honor of presenting it to Daravala and Ereneva. As was described when the adventurers first held the Mirror, scenes from Orlanth’s and Ernalda’s wedding in the Ruin appear as if out of the Mist in the mind of the holder once the Mirror is in their hands. Whether Daravala or Ereneva first holds it, she absolutely believes this to be a shard of the true Mirror. There certainly is no ‘proof,’ but to both these women, priestesses of Ernalda as they are, there is no doubt. It is real; it is tangible. Their teeth vibrate and songs to Ernalda resound in their heads as if sung by the Goddess herself. At this point, Daravala begins to sing the very melody both she and Ereneva hear. Now, as she sings, all the adventurers hear the melody. Is it the priestess, or is it the goddess? Daravala was never known for her ability to sing in a more than perfunctory way. This is more than a revelation; it is a miracle. She reaches a glorious climax, her now divine voice filling the room, attracting an amazed audience outside the window. The voice has a bit of the flavor of Treya, in fact, and during conversation about this moment in later days, there are those who swear the voice they heard emanating from the temple’s dining room was none other than Treya herself. Conversation now turns to tomorrow. If the adventurers were encountered by Leika’s agents, now would be the time to bring up that little detail. The political ramifications of that are described below. The planned sequence of events for the celebration are described (also below) and Daravala, Ereneva, and the adventurers discuss the best way to unveil the Mirror during the ceremony. Both Daravala and Ereneva believe the most dramatic presentation would be for the adventurer who transported the Mirror to present it to Ereneva, who, as High Priestess, would then present it to the crowd. Daravala supports this; in fact, she suggests it, being so overcome with reverence and love for the goddess at this moment that whatever petty squabbles had existed between herself and Ereneva are forgotten. Ereneva, in return, suggests that Daravala reprise her singing of the melody just performed, giving her a moment of glory. The conversation continues until a decision is made. No one is really in favor of letting Leika know in advance; Asborn is scheduled to play Orlanth in the procession, and Leika won’t be present until the culmination anyway. Note that the descriptions of presentation options below assume that Daravala presents the Mirror to the crowd and that Leika is not told of the Mirror until it is shown to the crowd. If the adventurers drive the decision in a different

RuneQuest 102 interested parties in Clearwine. Asborn and Leika are two obvious possibilities. Returning to Hastur with the Mirror If the adventurers have the Mirror and show it to Hastur first: . Hastur knows the lay of the land from a political point of view. He suggests that the adventurers take the Mirror directly to Daravala and Ereneva, and if the adventurers suggest anything else, he escorts them to the Earth temple himself. . Hastur examines the Mirror and concludes it is genuine. Returning to Asborn There are a few easily predictable outcomes to the adventure: . If the adventurers have the Mirror, Asborn sends them directly to Leika, not wanting to stand in the way of Leika deciding on the proper course of action. Asborn senses the extremely political nature of the Mirror, and, while he is sensitive to the Earth temple’s potential claim to the Mirror, he would rather not be in the middle of this. . He then travels to Queen’s Post to interview Thinala, inviting the adventurers to accompany him. . If they don’t have the Mirror, Asborn sends the adventurers to Hastur to report what they now have discovered about the Ruin. He then travels to Queen’s Post to talk with Thinala. Returning to Leika with the Mirror, as Advised Unlike with Daravala and Ereneva, the adventurers cannot bully their way into a meeting with Leika the night before the Holy Day. Their meeting with the queen is thus delayed until first light, regardless of how much the adventurers try to convince Leika’s bodyguards. This remains true even if the adventurers proffer the Mirror itself, for no temple functionary wishes to disturb the queen so late at night. When the adventurers are shown in the morning of the celebration, Leika is preparing for her’ role in the upcoming ceremony. Given the hour, with the procession due to begin shortly, there is no time for any significant alteration which, once the adventurers reveal the story of the Mirror, may require some improvised solutions. Refer to the description of the procession below wherein Leika’s role is described. Given that the adventurers were working with Treya and they now have the Mirror, she consults with the adventurers moved that Daravala and the adventurers risked their lives to discover something in the ruins. Daravala decides that, even though nothing of great value was uncovered, the trip was worth it anyway. Killing Vamargic This assumes they have the eye necklace as proof. In addition to any other circumstances they might accrue based on the Mirror or not, the adventurers would be hailed as powerful warriors, and almost immediately sent back out to further explore the ruin (now that its main horror has been defeated). While Vamargic’s bones and, perhaps, fragments of the necklace are great treasure, neither alone satisfies Daravala’s political goals, but Leika would be overjoyed and the adventurers would be asked to join her elite scouts. If they have the necklace, certainly Sora would want to broker it for the adventurers. Assisting One-Eye to Free Trolls The adventurers receive Reputation as if they had performed a heroic deed (+1D6%) for helping the trolls. However, this act may be viewed differently, depending on one’s feelings toward trolls. Discovering the Orlanth Shrine In the palace courtyard, the adventurers may have found the remnants of an old shrine to Orlanth. Daravala did not mention any idea of such a shrine, so she won’t be asking about it. The adventurers could keep this under their hats. Or they could offer that information to other potentially

The Smoking Ruin 103 half-brained Treya in the first place, and whatever losses the adventurers might have experienced (which includes Treya’s demise), were, while unfortunate indeed, only their own fault in the end. She does not punish the adventurers in any way, allowing them to keep whatever meager trinkets they might have recovered. She sends them to Hastur to report all their findings regarding the Ruin itself and what might be found there. Once the adventurers have done as Leika asks, she asks that they return after the holy day’s ceremony so she might interrogate them herself, and perhaps (if that meeting goes well), employs them on a return journey to further explore the Ruin in search of anything else of value (which, of course, would still include the Mirror—although the players themselves wouldn’t know that). Disobeying Leika’s Orders If the adventurers were told by Leika’s agents to return directly to Leeika, but instead returned to Daravala first, then Leika after that, they are risking Leika’s ire. If they had the Mirror but have now surrendered it to Daravala prior to visiting Lekia, this is tantamount to an insult. Unlike with Daravala and Ereneva, the adventurers cannot bully their way into a meeting with Leika the night before the Holy Day. Their meeting with the queen is thus delayed until first light, regardless of how much the adventurers try to convince Leika’s bodyguards. When the adventurers are shown in the morning of the holy festival, events unfold much as described above in Returning to Leika With the Mirror, as Advised (above). Since Leika does not have the Mirror, she is in somewhat of a passive role, which makes her feel extremely uncomfortable. She listens to the adventurers’ advice, but in the end dismisses it and suggests that one of the adventurers hurry to the Earth temple before the procession begins and try to communicate with Daravala to gain some insight as to how the Earth temple intends to proceed with the revelation of the Mirror. They are not be able to do this, so what Leika does later is a surprise to them. Since in this instance, the Mirror is in Daravala’s possession, Leika’s hands are tied. She dismisses the adventurers, and if pressed about what she plans to do, she tells them to attend the ceremonies and watch for themselves. Returning Emptyhanded This combination is probably the absolute worst outcome for the adventure. To botch things this badly, the adventurers need to have done all the following: for advice about how those plans might be altered with the adventurers’ advice. Leika listens to their counsel, and if it all works, takes the adventurers into her inner circle to help her navigate the increasingly complicated political situation with the Mirror’s presence in Clearwine. As the adventurers are shown into the queen’s presence, she first reminds them that it was only through the overly sympathetic nature of her scouts that they were allowed to continue on their journey. The queen asks for details about the ruins. With a pointed reminder of her dual role as the High Priest of Orlanth in addition to her role as queen, she commands the adventurers to disclose everything they accomplished and recovered. The adventurers should describe the temple to Orlanth (what better time to do so?). If they vanquished Vamargic, that would be good to bring up now as well (Leika respects heroic deeds). The stories concerning One-Eye clearly seem to the queen as just a bit of fluff, exaggerated a bit by the adventurers to embellish their encounters. Asborn is much more curious about One-Eye but reconvenes with the adventurers out of Leika’s hearing. Treya’s demise elicit a gruff expression of “That’s too bad” which fools no one. Then, there’s the Mirror. Upon hearing the adventurers recounting the story of the Mirror’s discovery, Leika is put in a bit of a quandary. Having recently proved herself queen, her throne has only just barely become comfortable, and she cannot afford a misstep. Her feelings about Treya were not a well-kept secret, and many citizens of Clearwine grumbled about how the queen was a bit too hard on the popular performer. Combined with the strong passions of the Ernaldan worshippers in Clearwine, there are multiple ways this could go badly if Leika mishandles the discovery of the Mirror. Returning to Leika Without the Mirror This combination is probably the second-worst outcome for the adventure. To achieve this unfortunate turn of events, the adventurers have managed all the following: .They have not found the thing Daravala desperately desired (even though she didn’t actually know of its existence). .They ignored explicit instructions to keep secret things Daravala told them in confidence. .They followed Daravala’s wild scheme and increased Leika’s enmity toward the Earth temple (already frayed a bit in the current political atmosphere). Upon their return, Leika issues a rebuke to the adventurers, explaining (in turn) that they were fools to follow the

RuneQuest 104 Returning to Asmara Finding Asmara is not necessarily be easy unless they remember the connection she had with Hastur. Hastur knows where to find Asmara, who lives in a small group of ramshackle tents on the far end of the vineyards (Location 3 on the Clearwine map). Regardless of the time of day or night, if Hastur tells the adventurers she is there, she is. Otherwise the adventurers encounter her begging in the market during the daylight hours. When the adventurers report Treya’s passing, Asmara appears stoic, but she twirls the ends of her dirty, rough-cut hair repeatedly as the full story of what Treya did, why she did it, and how heroic she was is recounted to the young girl. A successful Insight (Human) roll allows an adventurer to clearly perceive that Treya was more than an occasional benefactor to this girl, but a combination of older sister and mentor. What the adventurers do with this information is up to them. If Thinala is alive, present, and is made aware of Asmara, she adopts Asmara as her daughter. .They did not find the thing Daravala desperately desired (even though she wasn’t aware of its existence). .They have ignored explicit instructions to keep secret things Daravala told them in confidence. . By following Daravala’s wild scheme, the adventurers have increased Leika’s enmity toward the Earth Temple in the current political atmosphere. .Worst of all, they ignored the Queen’s direct instructions to return to her first before anyone else. In this case, Leika does not want to hear any of the adventurers’ stories or excuses. She has her bodyguards escort the adventurers to the doors of her hall, telling them beforehand that “If you trust Ereneva and Daravala more than your queen, I suggest you see if they would take you in.” Returning to Dappled Light Given Daravala’s schedule as communicated to the adventurers, the meeting with Dappled Light most likely occurs after the dust has settled with the Mirror’s return to Clearwine. They could, however, stop on the way back. If the adventurers still have Make Scratches’ map, the following might occur, depending on how they act: . If they offer the map fragment to Dappled Light, it should be treated as an extraordinary deed (an increase of +1D6% Reputation) for the adventurer who hands the map to Dappled and a notable deed (+1D3% Reputation) for the other adventurers. . If the adventurers simply show the map to Dappled Light, treat this as a notable deed (+1D3% Reputation) for the adventurer who has the fragment in their possession. . If they helped release One-Eye’s grandmother and tell that tale to Dappled Light, treat that as an extraordinary deed (+1D6% Reputation) for all the adventurers. . If they return with any item from the Arachne Solara shrine, they gain enmity from the Beast Men and are told to leave immediately (no Reputation gain). They should have left the shrine untouched. . If they report having visited the shrine (defined as climbing to the top) and can describe what they saw there, treat it as an extraordinary deed (+1D6% Reputation) for all the adventurers. . If they report having visited the shrine and left a sacrifice or offered prayers at the shrine, treat it as a notable deed (+1D3% Reputation). The Ceremonial Presentation of Ernalda’s Mirror to the Faithful of Clearwine There are four possible outcomes of the adventurers’ decision vis-à-vis the Mirror which could affect the procession on the Holy Day and the Mirror’s big reveal. They are numbered for reference in the Ernalda’s Holy Day Procession and Ceremony section (page 105). . Outcome #1: The adventurers were not stopped by Leika’s scouts and return with the Mirror. They give it to Daravala and Ereneva. . Outcome #2: The adventurers were stopped by Leika’s scouts and return with the Mirror, first to Leika as instructed, and they give the Mirror to Leika, not to Daravala. . Outcome #3: The adventurers were stopped by Leika’s scouts. They return to Daravala and Ereneva first, giving them the Mirror, and only then go to see Leika, thus disobeying Leika’s instructions. . Outcome #4: The Mirror was not recovered at all, or its whereabouts are not revealed. The way the procession unfolds depends on whether Leika or Daravala has the Mirror in their hands at the beginning of the procession, and whether the other knows that the Mirror has returned (see above). This affects who is surprised, and when the surprise occurs. The procession’s planned order of events is described below, and whether that event sequence occurs depends on what the adventurers did and when they did it. Each section of the procession is proceeded by a number referring to the list above; only use that specific event if the situation dictates it.

The Smoking Ruin 105 The crowd gathers at the foot of the steps to the Lightbringer’s Temple (Location 9). They can first see a drummer standing within the shadow of the temple entrance, carrying a large wooden drum, one end covered in stretched cowhide. The drummer is always the first member of the procession, and their appearance evokes a cacophony of singing and chanting from the crowd, accompanied by the blare of trumpets, flutes and bagpipes. The drummer begins a steady thrumming bea, and starts down the steps, accompanied by initiates, priests, and God-Talkers from the temples of Orlanth and Ernalda. The crowd presses against the first members of the procession, crowded around against the bottom row of steps, and the procession begins to move down the street. As the drummer takes each step, the crowd parts to allow the convoy to slowly pass, and the music, shouts and singing grow in volume, which, build up a celebratory cacophony. As the last members of the procession approaches the temple entrance, the crowd can see the priest of Orlanth, dressed in full ceremonial regalia, holding a statue of Orlanth Rex above their head. . Outcomes #1 or 4: Orlanth is portrayed by Asborn. The crowd sees this as business as usual. . Outcomes #2 or 3: Orlanth is portrayed by Leika. The crowd lets out a screech of surprise and delight as Leika appears. The crowd around the adventurers chatters about how surprising it is to see Leika in the procession carrying the statue. Following Orlanth comes the priestess of Ernalda, clothed only in a simple loin cloth, representing how she was the least of Asrelia’s daughters. Whoever performs as Ernalda holds aloft a statue of the Mother. She is then joined by a dozen children who dance and spread flowers ahead of her as she follows the procession into the Marketplace. As a symbol of the gifts Ernalda received, when she reaches the bottom of the steps, she begins to dance with children who accompany her. Asmara may be one of these children, at the gamemaster’s discretion. . Outcomes #1 or 3: Ernalda is portrayed by Ereneva. The crowd screeches in surprise and delight as Ereneva appears (they were expecting Daravala). The crowd around the adventurers clamors about how delighted they are to see Ereneva. . Outcomes #2 or 4: Ernalda is portrayed by Daravala. The crowd sees this as business as usual. They like Daravala, but Ereneva is loved. If, for some reason, the adventurers choose to seek out Asmara before Leika or Daravala, the others are mollified when they learn this, regardless of their feelings toward Treya. Giving the Mirror to Amsara, while unorthodox, would have wide-ranging consequences, depending on if the adventurers let anyone know about its disposition. If so, this gift begins a heroic story for Asmara. She grows into a famous priestess of Ernalda and eventually becomes known all throughout Dragon Pass for her fertility magic. Ernalda watches over Amsara and ensures that no harm comes to her so long as the Mirror remains in her possession. Ernalda’s Holy Day Procession and Ceremony This Holy Day celebration is a recreation of Orlanth’s and Ernalda’s courtship and wedding. After the re-enactment, many Clearwine couples are blessed at their own weddings. The procession begins at the Lightbringer’s temple in the upper city, proceeds down through the lower city, and ends at the Earth temple. There, an Ernaldan priestess (previously planned to be Daravala) performs a ritual wherein Orlanth’s stand-in (normally Asborn) and Ernalda’s stand-in (normally Ereneva) reenact the union between the gods, including the ritualistic exchange of gifts. This year, assuming the Mirror is present (either with Ereneva/Daravala or Leika), there are unexpected alterations in both the people playing the parts and the culmination of the reenactment (the gift exchange). The sequence is described below, with possible alterations based on the decisions the adventurers have made. All numbers refer to the Clearwine map. Various circumstances are presented in The Ceremonial Presentation of Ernalda’s Mirror to the Faithful of Clearwine sidebar (prior), using the numbered outcomes for reference. Normally, Leika does not walk the procession acting as the High Priest of Orlanth, she is queen and feels as if the role should be played by Asborn, which it has been in the past. However, in options #2 and #3, Leika herself performs that role, much to everyone’s surprise and delight. The Procession Begins—Lightbringer’s Temple It is a brilliant day filled with Yelm’s light; the shadows appear etched into the stone where they fall. Moving from sunlight to shadow or back causes a moment of disorientation. During those instances, one can see almost see an ‘after image’ of the gods themselves instead of their stand-ins or their statues as carried by lesser priests. Through this glorious display, Yelm seems happy to bless the couple on this day

RuneQuest Just before Ernalda passes under the Gate, a priest of Donandar approaches in a carefully woven, over-large costume. This is Yelm, a swirling figure wrapped in robes of red and yellow embroidered with golden threads. This dancer performs a pantomime, trying to bar Ernalda from passing through the gate to head into the Lower City. Old Gate Now Orlanth returns through the gate, and he moves Yelm away from the gate. This allows Ernalda to slip by the two gods, gaining access to the Lower City. While she is beneath the arch of the Old Gate (Location 11), the priestess’ The Market As the procession passes through the marketplace (Location 8), the vendors proudly display all their produce and animals, proof of Ernalda’s importance in the world and the fecundity that comes with worshipping the Mother. The procession winds its way through the market and passes through the Old Gate. As Ernalda heads toward the Old Gate, a mixed group of teenaged dancers (male and female) join the children proceeding the priestess. These dancers perform the parts of the vermin in the kitchen, scurrying around in front of the priestess.

The Smoking Ruin When the procession rounds any corner, and the High Priests of Orlanth and Ernalda appear, a frenzy of shouts and stamping feet, and from the women, shrill ululations, ring out to announce the arrival of the bride. In the Lower City, at the Temple of the Tribe When the procession passes in front of the Temple of the Tribe (Location 13), men and women, representing all the nearby clans and tribes, greet Orlanth and Ernalda. Children, elders, animals, and birds all join in on the glorious song. They are all happy, laughing, and singing, hymns being intoned by the priests, dancers and performers swirling through the crowd. It feels as if the entire population of handmaidens perform a quick costume change and Ernalda emerges from the gate into the Lower City resplendent in the first layer of her ceremonial wedding regalia. Orlanth has slipped into a pass-through in the wall and remains ahead of Ernalda in the procession. Here the procession picks up the pace, led by the drummer pounding out a double-time beat. These streets are narrow, and the walls act as an amplifier, echoing the glorious cacophony into the heavens, clearly sounding throughout the city. When a narrow street would open into a courtyard, instead of the open air dissipating the processional volume, it somehow intensifies the sound, as if the mixture of the sound with Orlanth’s breath doubles the singing voices.

RuneQuest 108 Clearwine has gathered in front of the Temple. Almost everyone sings or plays an instrument of some type as they walk and run and dance. Here, near the altar where bulls are sacrificed to Orlanth, the priests playing Ernalda and Orlanth re-enact a pantomime of Orlanth’s reveal of the Becoming. At the height of this scene, the priests accompanying Orlanth create a screen of smoke through which Orlanth strides to reveal his transformation. . Outcomes #2 and 3: Leika is playing Orlanth, a reveal that elicits a roar from the crowd, as it reminds the people of Leika’s return to power. An Ernaldan chorus sings a refrain announcing Ernalda has at last revealed her name to Orlanth. The choral odes evolve, Orlanthi priests and Ernaldan priestesses sing to one another, verses and choruses passing back and forth between them. Just Prior to Exiting the Lower City Before Orlanth and Ernalda exit the Lower City, a two dozen dancers—men and women—enter from the side in front of the couple. These dancers enact a storm in the which the wind (played by the men) brings forth the snakes (played by the women) from any hiding place (alleyways, building interiors, and so forth) to join the procession down the ramp. On the Ramp Down from the Gate Here the procession increases speed again (seemingly pushed by the dancers representing the wind) and becomes slightly chaotic as they descend the ramp. Upon exiting the main gate, this procession is joined by smaller processions from nearby villages, each of whichh had begun their own version of the procession with couples from their clan who is married this day at the Earth temple. By the time they reach the path leading to the Earth temple (Location 2), it slows and turns to the left, allowing Ernalda to join with Orlanth. They walk together toward the temple. Earth Temple As the priests portraying the gods approach the front of the temple, everyone can feel a sense of energy, as if a huge charge of lightning was building up within a thundercloud. Members of the crowd, joined by priests of both gods, can be heard murmuring. This kind of feeling has never happened in any procession before. Here, at the foot of the steps leading up to the temple entrance, Orlanth and Ernalda are greeted by a priestess of Ernalda who performs the ritual re-enactment of the wedding. The Wedding Re-enactment As Orlanth and Ernalda approach the steps, both stand-in priests hold up the statues of the gods they have been carrying and the chanting and singing from the crowd reaches a frenzied pitch. Assistants take the statues off to the side as Ernalda’s handmaidens add the final touches to her wedding regalia. Each priest now holds in their hand a sistrum which they use to add a counter-beat to the words of the ritual, which are half-spoken, half sung. The Ernaldan priestess officiating the ceremony begins the ceremony. Once at the door to the temple, the crowd spreads out and sits on the grounds of the temple. When the point in the ceremony is reached where the priests re-enact the exchange of gifts between the gods, normally Orlanth gives Ernalda a ‘prop’ gift, which acts as the climax to the joining. After this, the couple enters the temple together, symbolizing their marriage. Depending on who has the Mirror, one of the following sequences may replace this step: Outcome #1: Orlanth is Played by Asborn, Ernalda is Played by Ereneva Daravala has the Mirror. Prior to the arrival of the procession, Daravala met with Leika. Daravala, flush with new confidence, pointedly explains that there had been a change in plan and Ereneva walked the part of Ernalda today. Leika is unaware that Daravala reveals the Mirror by interrupting the ritual to unveil it. This occurs when Ereneva steps in front of Asborn as the gift would normally be given. Boldly walking in front of the couple, she reveals the Mirror by holding it high above her head. The crowd roars. As she does, an otherworldly ululation rises from her throat and all who see her would later swear that Ernalda herself switched places with the priestess and it was the Goddess’ voice, not Daravala’s, they heard at the Earth Temple that morning. Just as she steps forward, a shaft of Yelm’s light reflects off the burnished copper and everyone in attendance sees the Goddess herself present in the reflection, which burns into their eyes with a soft, comforting warmth, filling their soul with the everlasting presence of the Goddess. Outcome #2: Orlanth is Played by Leika, Ernalda is Played by Daravala Leika has the Mirror. She gives no hint of this until the moment of the Gift, at which point she holds the Mirror

The Smoking Ruin 109 up, revealing she has it, and then hands it to Daravala, who immediately understands that it is indeed the Mirror. Just as she steps forward, a shaft of Yelm’s light reflects off the burnished copper and everyone in attendance sees the Goddess herself present in the reflection, which burns into their eye with a soft, comforting warmth, filling their soul with the everlasting presence of the Goddess. Outcome #3: Orlanth is Played by Leika, Ernalda is Played by Ereneva. Leika knows Daravala has the Mirror. Daravala reveals the Mirror by interrupting the ritual to hold the Mirror up as Ereneva steps in front of Leika right when the gift would be given. Leika steps around Ereneva to join hands with Daravala as they both hold the Mirror aloft. Just as they step forward, a shaft of Yelm’s light reflects off the burnished copper and everyone in attendance sees the Goddess herself present in the reflection, which burns into their eyes with a soft, comforting warmth, filling their soul with the everlasting presence of the Goddess.’ Outcome #4: Orlanth is Played by Asborn, Ernalda is Played by Daravala The Mirror was not returned by the adventurers. The pantomime plays out, the prop Gift is given from Orlanth to Ernalda, and the couple retire into the depths of the Temple. After the Ceremony Whichever priestess officiated at the ritual now performs a group wedding for all the couples who showed up that day to have their union blessed by the Goddess. Boons for the Adventurers Each adventurer gains the following boons if they brought the Mirror back: . Honor +5%. . Passion: Loyalty (Daravala) +30%, if they were working for Daravala. . Passion: Loyalty (Ereneva) +15%, if they returned the Mirror to the Earth temple. . Reputation +12%. If any of the adventurers are invited to take part in the ceremony, in addition to what they may have already gotten, they also receive: . Passion: Loyalty (Daravala) +5%. . Passion: Loyalty (Ereneva) +5%. . Reputation +5%. If any adventurer is an initiate, God-talker, or Rune Master of Orlanth: . Free training in Climb, Jump, Orate, Sing, and any cultural weapon. . May learn Enchant Iron, Earth Shield, Leap, Wind Words, the 100 L fee is waived in honor of their achievement. If an initiate or greater of Ernalda: . Free training in Animal Lore, Insight (human), Orate, and Plant Lore. . May learn Absorption, Arouse Passion, Charisma, Command Snake, Earthpower, Heal Body. the 100 L fee is waived in honor of their achievement. Additionally, shortly after their return, Daravala nominates them as the leaders of a return expedition to the Smoking Ruin to do the following: . Explore the ruined parts of the old city looking for other artifacts. . Hunt down and kill Vamargic (assuming he still roams the place). . Fully explore the shrine to Orlanth. . Fully explore the bottom of Ernalda’s Well (which has them discover the Temple). . Lastly, find Korol’s Tomb. All these should be fleshed out by the gamemaster, if desired. They are now famous within Clearwine and won’t need to pay for a room or any meals until Earth Season.

110 The Lost Valley eemingly forgotten by the rest of Dragon Pass, the area known as the Lost Valley has its own unique history, untouched by many of the grand events that transpired around it. As with the other areas described in this book, the Lost Valley contains ample opportunities for adventure, with many dangerous regions to explore and potential exploits to be had. Though the civilized parts can be idyllic, it is in fact a precarious peace, hostile beings sharing the valley with its human inhabitants. This area is featured in the adventure Urvantan’s Tower on pages 124–158. Though knowledge of the surrounding Lost Valley and its environs is not essential for the use of that adventure, it is recommended for reference, should the adventurers journey beyond the village of True Ford and the nearby Urvantan’s Tower, where it is set. Early settlement Sometime around 1330, human settlers from Esrolia and Tarsh began to enter Dragon Pass after many centuries away. They found lush forests and broad pastures inhabited by horse barbarians, dragonewts, trolls, ducks, and Beast Men. Some of the new settlers managed to carve out holdings that became settlements, villages, and, eventually, small cities. Others found the cacophony of many races too much and retreated to the hills, seeking untrammeled spaces to settle in. One such group of settlers from Tarsh settled in a long, narrow, winding valley in the foothills nestled between the Grazelands and Dragonspine Ridge, near Spirit Mountain. The valley seemed to be empty of civilization. The ruins of previous civilizations were minimal and easily missed. After a few run-ins with the Grazelanders they submitted to their terms and settled into a secluded life as vendref (“Farmer People”) away from the turmoil still roiling Dragon Pass in general. They named their land Long Home and developed a farming and herding economy. They were among the first vendref communities to pledge themselves to the Feathered Horse Queen and are under her protection. As a result, the inhabitants of the Long Home are largely left alone by the ruling Grazeland Pony Breeders. When the Kings of Sartar rose to unify most of the Pass, the heralds passed Long Home by, which was the way the Long Home folk liked it. Similarly, when King Pharandos of Tarsh gifted Sir Ethilrist with Muse Roost and the surrounding territory, the valley’s inhabitants simply avoided the Black Horse Company tax collectors. There is still conflict with the wild trollkin of the Dragonspine, occasional strange ghostly incursions that stray from the Smoking Ruin, and the werefolk of the Telmori, who think of the valley as their seasonal hunting grounds. The older and more respected members of the community govern, a body informally called the Elders. The Long Home’s small militia of hillfolk foresters, known as the Wardens, defend the valley from incursions. These Wardens also provide support whenever the Elders require it. While the valley is isolated, traders occasionally find their way there, and sometimes folk of other tribes hear of it and think it a good place to retire. Young people of the valley occasionally venture out on trading expeditions or just looking for adventure, and some return with good military experience. Recent History The people of Long Home first learned of the advancing Lunar Empire when Urvantan, a great sorcerer from the West, arrived in 1575. An old but spry, swarthy man

The Lost Valley 111 of middle height, Urvantan brought only a few servants with him. He came looking for a certain ruined tower that exploratory scholars had discovered and described centuries before, finding reference to it in an ancient manuscript about Arkat in a Malkioni archive in Esrolia (for more about the Malkioni, see page 389 of the RuneQuest core rules). The Elders and the Mother Priest of the Earthshaker, the major repository of local history, had no idea what he was talking about, but with a few days of investigation in the hills above the True Ford, Urvantan performed a ritual that seemed to untwist trees and scattered dirt and logs and apparent veils of illusion to reveal portions of a stone tower that actually did not look much like a ruin at all, though much of it was still buried in a hill. Urvantan moved in and in time, the structure became known as Urvantan’s Tower. Among the information Urvantan brought with him was a description of the Red Moon Empire’s steady march southward. Scouts sent from the valley confirmed that the Glowline was really very near. The Wardens looked to their defenses and recruited more members into their ranks. There was much discussion whether the valley should pledge itself to Sartar and join its ranks in defense of the Pass, but the isolationists among the Elders won out. In late 1605 a regiment of Lunar soldiers came to the head of the valley. Rather than march up the slope to the valley proper, a Lunar herald called for the Elders to bring forth their representatives. The ambassadorial party, consisting of a few Elders and a Warden escort approached the herald warily, wondering just how much the Empire knew about Long Home. “Your valley is now part of the Lunar Empire,” said the herald. “For now, you shall be left in your isolation, for the Empire is tolerant of many ways of life. There will be no regent, no taxes, nothing. If you wish to hear the Word of the Seven Mothers, priests shall be sent to instruct you. Of course, if you wish to join the comity of the Lunar Empire, we will be happy to bring you into the fold. “Know, however, that in a few years the Reaching Moon shall encompass you within its embrace, will you or nil you.” And the herald turned and left, the Lunar regiment falling in behind. They came and left so quickly Urvantan did not respond, and he did not seem overly concerned about this visit. In the many years after, many citizens of the valley suggested they join the Empire, and others fervently refused

RuneQuest to be so persuaded. Nothing was settled, no one was sent anywhere, though individuals began to leave the valley on scouting trips to determine where the right of things stood. Some never returned, others came back shortly, mostly counselling caution and withdrawal. A previous Elder of the valley sent an emissary to the Lunars, who returned with a Seven Mothers priestess, who set up a simple service shrine that passively accepts converts but does no unsolicited proselytizing. She has been there for years and no one seems to mind. Traders and others who come to the valley are fiercely questioned about current events. Some find it profitable to tailor their stories to the prejudices of their audience, leading to a political situation with each side equally misinformed. Typical Warden of Long Home Orlanth Adventurous Initiate. Long Home denizen. STR 13 CON 13 SIZ 12 DEX 14 INT 13 POW 14 CHA 13 Hit Points: 13 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Air 75%, Earth 30%, Fire/Sky 50%, Harmony 65%, Movement 60%. Rune Points: 3 (Orlanth Adventurous) Rune Spells: All common knowledge Rune spells, plus Dismiss Air Elemental (small), Shield, Wind Words. Spirit Magic: Bladesharp 2, Demoralize (2 pts.), Detect Enemies (1 pt.), Heal 1, Mobility (1 pt.). Magic Points: 14 Passions: Love (family) 60%, Loyalty (Long Home) 60%, Loyalty (Wardens) 70%. Armor: Leather hood (1 pt.), light scale hauberk (4 pts.) cuirboilli vambraces (3 pts.), heavy leather trews (2 pts.). (Armor imposes a –20% penalty to Move Quietly.) Skills: Customs (Long Home) 45%, Dodge 45%, Hide 50%, Move Quietly 60%, Orate 40%, Scan 50%, Survival 40%, Track 50%. Languages: Speak Heortling 30%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 30%, Speak Tarshite 75%, Speak Tradetalk 50%, Read/Write Theyalan 25%. Ransom: 750 L Typical Warden Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 2/5 Left Leg 05–08 2/5 Abdomen 09–11 4/5 Chest 12 4/6 Right Arm 13–15 3/4 Left Arm 16–18 3/4 Head 19–20 1/5 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Self Bow 40 1D6+1 S/MR 5 Broadsword 50 1D6+1D4 6 12 1H Axe, Held 40 1D6+1+1D4 8 6 1H Axe, Thrown 40 1D6+1D2 S/MR 6

The Lost Valley 113 lONG hOME The Brook Hurts River (so named because there are several deceptive rapids and mobile fords that claimed limbs and lives of the early settlers) enters the valley from a waterfall spilling down the steep cliffs at the end of the valley near Spirit Mountain and snakes through the valley it has carved since the God Time and then disappears in a sinkhole just before the valley debouches into the rolling plains of the Grazelands. It obviously was a tributary of what becomes the Oslir River, but at some point, it wore down the thin rock beneath it and the sinkhole claimed the river. Whether the river goes from there to feed some dwarf redoubt or troll warren, some unknown denizen of the dark’s habitat, or just proceeds to the World Ocean, is entirely a mystery. However, Chaos monsters occasionally fight the current and appear in the valley. Without evidence of the river, most passerby are unlikely to enter the valley to find the lush fertile vale that supports the farms and pastures of Long Home. There are still many forested areas that break up the view from above; only the most careful observation reveals the area’s population. Near the Brook Hurts is the fortified settlement of Wolf Heads Fort. Telmori claim the valley as part of their hunting lands and sometimes launch attacks against the residents. The Wardens of the valley keep the fort manned and ready and base their own patrols out of it. The fort is also the refuge when tribes of trollkin decide to descend from the mountains to loot and grab what they can. No larger trolls have been part of these raids for centuries. In the approximate center of the valley is the village of True Ford, which gets its name because the ford it adjoins is reputed to be the only safe crossing of the river year-round. It is a peculiarity of the river that other fords may be usable one day and deadly the next due to suddenly-appearing pits of quicksand and/or legbreaking holes. True Ford With some 400 residents, the village of True Ford is the largest settlement in Long Home. It straddles the only allseason ford on the Brook Hurts, probably because the brook widens out after making a 90-degree turn. The buildings are squarish adobe structures, with highpitched roofs made of wood or thatch. The buildings are coated with lime and often gaily painted. The floors are wood covered in clay. On the high ground above the ford are the village’s two largest buildings. The village hall, where the elders meet and deliberate, is a rectangular building, brightly painted with ochre. The village’s minor temple to Ernalda is a square stone building with shrines to Orlanth, Barntar, Humakt, and Issaries. Half of the temple is underground, where the rituals to Ernalda are held. Between these buildings is the clearing used as the village’s weekly market. The village is surrounded by a low wall made of field stone. It has been centuries since True Ford was attacked, and the walls are in bad repair.

RuneQuest 114 Rune Spells: All common knowledge plus Ban (1 pt.), Command Darkness Elemental (any) (2 pts.), Control Lune (any) (2 pts.), Dismiss Darkness Elemental (any) (1–3 pts.), Dismiss Lune (any) (1–3 pts.), Enchant Silver (1 pt.), Madness (2 pts.), Mindblast (2 pts.), Reflection (1 pt.), Regrow Limb (2 pts.), Summon Darkness Elemental (any) (1–3 pts.), Summon Lune (any) (1–3 pts.). Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.), Countermagic 2, Darkwall (2 pts.), Detect Life (1 pt.), Distraction (1 pt.), Glamour (2 pts.), Heal 3, Protection 2, Second Sight (3 pts.), Sleep (3 pts.). Magic Points: 32 (20 + 12 in magic point crystal) Passions: Devotion (Seven Mothers) 90%, Loyalty (Dunstop) 70%, Loyalty (Long Home) 75%, Loyalty (Lunar Empire) 75%, Loyalty (Red Emperor) 75%, Loyalty (temple) 85%. Reputation: 18% Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3 Armor: Priestess robes (1 pt.), silver skull cap (3 pts.). Skills: Celestial Lore 35%, Cult Lore (Seven Mothers) 75%, Customs (Lunar Provincial) 55%, Customs (Long Home) 30%, Dodge 50%, Intrigue 55%, First Aid 75%, Insight (human) 55%, Manage Household 75%, Meditate 50%, Move Quietly 30%, Orate 75%, Plant Lore 35%, Scan 45%, Spirit Combat 60%, Worship (Seven Mothers) 80%. Languages: Speak New Pelorian 85%, Speak Sartarite 55%, Speak Tarshite 75%, Speak Tradetalk 50%, Read/ Write New Pelorian 75%, Read/Write Theyalan 35%. Ransom: 1,200 L Magic Items: POW storage crystal (12-point capacity), sacred iron dagger (+5% skill chance, double hit points). Treasure: Sacred garments, jewelry, and accoutrements worth 300 L; roughly 2D100 L in funds from donations at any given time. Hawarin’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 1/6 Left Leg 05–08 1/6 Abdomen 09–11 1/6 Chest 12 1/7 Right Arm 13–15 1/5 Left Arm 16–18 1/5 Head 19–20 3/6 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Iron Dagger 65 1D4+2 8 9 Kopis 35 1D8+1 6 12 True Ford serves as the capital of Long Home and the source of crafted goods. About a quarter of the population are crafters, the rest are farmers. The bronze-smith, the cooperage, the pottery makers, etc. are all located within its walls. Important Citizens of True Ford The following figures are of significance within the village of True Ford and may play a role in the events described in Urvantan’s Tower (pages 124–158). Some have been provided with full writeups due to their potential for involvement with the adventurers. For others, a gamemaster desiring such information is encouraged to devise it beforehand or use the writeups for equivalent non-player characters from other sources. Elder Ovardul Barrelmaker Ovardul has been the senior Elder for ten years and has settled into the position. His daughter runs the cooperage from whence he gets his name. He tends to be officious and nosey, but he is also convivial and most of the villagers like him. He approaches 60 years of age and his days with the Wardens are long behind him. He has never been outside the valley. Mostly he tends to be isolationist in policy. Hawarin Moonsister, Seven Mothers Priestess Rune Priestess of Seven Mothers. Female, age 43. Lunar Tarshite. This Seven Mothers priestess came to the valley 12 years ago at the invitation of the previous senior Elder. She is Lunar Tarshite in origin and this gives her some connection with the villagers, though she has almost no authority outside the walls of True Ford. In proper Lunar fashion she does good works, heals those who come to her for healing, and ministers in other ways to the few villagers who have embraced her faith. She and the priestesses of the Ernalda temple have a cool but cordial relationship. Should it become relevant, the gamemaster is encouraged to determine the time of the moon cycle if Hawarin becomes active, as this affects her spellcasting abilities (see page 303 of the RuneQuest core rules). Hawarin Moonsister STR 13 CON 15 SIZ 11 DEX 14 INT 15 POW 20 CHA 16 Hit Points: 16 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Chaos 35%, Death 50%, Fertility 50%, Moon 90%. Rune Points: 8 (Seven Mothers)

The Lost Valley 115 Spirit Magic: Countermagic 2, Detect Life (1 pt.), Heal 5, Ignite (1 pt.), Repair 2, Second Sight (3 pts.), Slow (1 pt.). Magic Points: 40 (21 + 19 in crystals) Passions: Devotion (Ernalda) 90%, Fear (Chaos) 75%, Loyalty (Long Home) 80%, Loyalty (temple) 90%. Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3 Armor: Leather smock (1 pt.). Skills: Animal Lore 35%, Charm 55%, Craft (baking) 75%, Cult Lore (Ernalda) 65%, Customs (Grazelander) 60%, Customs (Long Home) 75%, Customs (Tarshite) 50%, Dance 75%, Dodge 35%, Farm 75%, First Aid 90%, Homeland Lore (Long Home) 85%, Insight (human) 85%, Intimidate 40%, Listen 65%, Manage Household 60%, Meditate 75%, Move Quietly 30%, Plant Lore 50%, Orate 75%, Sing 80%, Scan 50%, Spirit Combat 75%, Spirit Dance 35%, Survival 50%, Treat Disease 60%, Worship (Ernalda) 110%. Languages: Speak Earthtongue 75%, Speak Esrolian 55%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 35%, Speak Sartarite 40%, Speak Tarshite 75%, Speak Tradetalk 50%, Read/Write New Pelorian 65%, Read/Write Theyalan 25%, Ransom: 1,500 L Magic Items: Pot containing 10 scoops of sacred earth (any plant will grow in it); two POW storage crystals (8-point and 11-point capacity); pot containing four doses of woad (Bless Woad, 4-point potency, page 322 of the RuneQuest core rules); necklace containing a 2-point spell matrix for Protection 2. Treasure: 5D100 L in temple coffers; small votive image set of Ernalda and her husbands (+10% to Worship skill); sacred garments, jewelry, and accoutrements worth at least 350 L. Allied and Bound Spirits: Jorendona keeps a bound medium-sized earth elemental called Umber. Hulking and reddish in hue, it serves as the temple’s wyter and guardian. It dwells in the earth near the temple. If needed, the gamemaster should refer to the writeup in the Glorantha Bestiary (pages 179–180) or on page 87 of the RuneQuest core rules. Jorendona’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 0/6 Left Leg 05–08 0/6 Abdomen 09–11 1/6 Chest 12 1/7 Right Arm 13–15 1/5 Left Arm 16–18 1/5 Head 19–20 0/6 Jorendona Earthspeaker, Ernalda Chief Priestess Chief Priestess of Ernalda. Female, age 70. Long Home resident. Jorendona has been the Ernalda Chief Priestess for the last 45 years. She is a small woman, wizened and white haired, her years as the voice of the Earth emblazoned in the wrinkles on her face—not to mention the tattoos on her body. She is not a combatant and, if threatened, will instead cast Inviolable and call upon her earth elemental for aid. Unlike most of the people of Long Home, Jorendona has left the valley many times on pilgrimages to Esrolia and the site of Sacred Ezel. She has three acolytes who serve at the temple, though they are often elsewhere: .Arinna Windrunner, an initiate of the associated cult of Orlanth. She often goes on patrol with the Wardens. . Sandene the Serious handles the Fertility side of the temple. She is usually in Wolf Heads Fort, taking care of healing chores for the Wardens and casting Fertility spells for the local farmers and herdsmen. .Weresting Earthguard is an initiate of Babeestor Gor, and generally guards the temple when Jorendona is away. Traditionally, the Ernalda temple remains aloof from political discussions, but Jorendona is an Elder and thus is not shy about expressing her opinion about Long Home’s future. She would rather it remain isolated and not allow it to be drawn into the troubles of the outside world. Jorendona Earthspeaker STR 11 CON 14 SIZ 9 DEX 13 INT 15 POW 21 CHA 18 Hit Points: 16 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Earth 95%, Fertility 90%, Harmony 95%, Man 75%, Stasis 65%. Rune Points: 18 (Ernalda) Rune Spells: All common knowledge spells plus Absorption (1 pt.), Bless Crops (1 pt.), Bear Fruit (1 pt.), Bless Pregnancy (2 pts.), Charisma (1 pt.), Comfort Song (1 pt.), Dismiss Earth Elemental (any) (1–3 pts.), Earthpower (3 pts.), Heal Body (3 pts.), Inviolable (1 pt.), Regrow Limb (2 pts.), Reproduce (2 pts.), Restore Health (1 pt.), Shake Earth (1 pt.), Summon Earth Elemental (any) (1–3 pts.).

RuneQuest 116 meetings, which is not very often. The secrets of Urvantan’s Tower are revealed on pages 132–146. Brook Hurts This small stream runs through the valley. Some know that it is the home of a river spirit, though it has never had an interest in any shaman or priest that tried to talk to it. What the spirit does seem to be interested in is making the Brook almost impossible to cross. Fords appear all the time, but they invariably become trapped with sinkholes and quicksand, particularly after the spring floods when it carries the snow runoff from the mountains to the sinkhole at the end of its course through the valley, previous fords become death traps and new fords appear, beckoning and friendly, but deadly by Dark Season. Numerous seasonal streams act as tributaries to Brook Hurts and none of them seem to be affected by the river spirit’s general capriciousness. Spirit quests to find the capricious spirit have all been misdirected and futile. Her name is Nilusa, though none but the animals of the area know it, as she rarely interacts with humankind. The Aldryami of the nearby Elf Woods know of her, but do not know her name, either. Nilusa is a landscape spirit, a type of genius loci as described in the Glorantha Bestiary on pages 170–171. Brook Hurts is navigable by shallow boats in several portions, but one cannot take a boat from the initial falls to the sinkhole without portaging around shallow fords and some rapids and small falls. Nilusa of the Brook River spirit of Brook Hurts. Female, ageless. POW 16 INT 14 CHA 12 Move: 16 Runes: Movement 50%, Water 100%. Rune Points: 6 (a regional and long-forgotten variant of Engizi) Rune Spells: Breathe Air/Water (2 pts.), Command Water Elemental (2 pts.), Increase/Decrease Wind (1 pt.), Rain (1 pt.), Summon Water Elemental (all, 1–3 pts.). Magic Points: 16 Spirit Magic: Countermagic 2, Dispel Magic 2, Mobility (1 pt.), Second Sight (3 pts.), Slow (1 pt.), Spirit Screen 3. Special Abilities: Affect Environment, Elemental Form, Rune Magic. Skills: Spirit Combat 75%. Languages: Speak Boatspeech 25%, Speak Seatongue 90%, Speak Spiritspeech 50%. Elder Brindle Traveler Brindle is an initiate of Issaries who came to the valley as a wandering trader. He married a local girl and settled down. He runs the local market. He is in his 40s and, while he was occasionally called upon to defend himself when he was a wandering merchant, he has not touched a weapon for 20 years. He is an advocate for union with Sartar. Captain Danbar Beasttracker Danbar is the leader of the valley Wardens and had a career as a mercenary before he came home to the valley to put his experience to work for his birthplace. He is known as a fierce fighter, an excellent hunter, and a strong advocate of isolating the valley from the outside world. Danbar is described fully on page 128 and plays a large role in the events chronicled in Urvantan’s Tower (pages 124–158). He is a worshipper of Orlanth Adventurous. Elder Maroftoor the Stout Named for his girth as well as his determination—both of which are admirable in their size—Maroftoor has the largest ranch in the immediate vicinity of True Ford, and he likes to make a place for himself in the village’s politics. He is an advocate for opening up the valley to the rest of the world, sure that his produce and animals would get better prices if not funneled through middlemen like the Grazelanders. He really doesn’t care whether his trade is with the Lunar Empire or Sartar, so long as he is paid the same. Maroftoor plays a small role in Urvantan’s Tower, appearing on page 128. He is a corpulent, 63-year-old man with little interest in fighting. He is a lay member of Issaries, though not particularly devout unless a deal can be sweetened by appealing to the god. Urvantan’s Tower Many residents of True Ford look to the Tower and its mysterious inhabitant for succor in times of crisis and take comfort in the sorcerer’s presence, even in times of relative quiet. Since he came to the valley and uncovered the Tower, Urvantan has sometimes been very involved in the life of the village, and sometimes disappears into his Tower for a couple of seasons. During this time his servants take up residence in True Ford with their families, as all are recruited from the valley’s populace, replacing his long-deceased original servants who came with him from Esrolia. Urvantan has been given the title of Elder, though he is not from the village of True Ford or even Long Home. He is generally quite involved when he bothers to show up for

The Lost Valley and minus one arm. Despite this, she strikes an imposing figure and insists on discipline, even when the militia itself is a ragtag assembly of farmers and their offspring. Captain Terentha, Daughter of Heredar Initiate of Humakt, Initiate of Vinga Adventurous. Female, age 55. Long Home denizen. Terentha is a tall, severe-looking woman in her mid-50s, covered with scars, Runes of Death and Truth, and showing all the signs of lifetime of battle. She left the Lost Valley for many years and served as a mercenary in adjoining lands before returning to her home, where she became a Warden. She then served among them, first as a soldier, and then as their leader, for 20 years before being pressured by the Elders of Long Home into accepting responsibility for the militia in Wolf Heads Fort. Terentha has been in the fort for several years and dislikes the duty, missing the freedom to roam the wilderness on patrol. Terentha is missing her left arm, striking in a world where limbs can be reattached or regrown. It was bitten off by a Lunar-summoned Chaos demon, an instance she speaks little of. Despite multiple attempts, the lost limb is unable to be restored due to some Chaotic property the demon possessed. The loss of her left arm has not impaired her one whit, as those who have seen her fight can attest. Treasure: Nilusa keeps no personal treasure, but she has many, many items of value plundered from sunken boats or dropped within her river. The nature and worth of these items should be determined by the gamemaster, if relevant. She is generally unwilling to trade. Wolf Heads Fort This is the only other settlement of any size in Long Home, and it nestles up close to the cliffs at the end of the valley. It is the site of the first major conflict between the Long Home farmers and the Telmori hunters. Observers on the walls of this fort can see all the favorite trails used by the Telmori and can give information to the Wardens by smoke signals (several farms between the fort and True Ford are also stations for smoke signals). The fort got its name from all the wolf heads that have decorated its walls in the years since that first battle. On average, there are roughly 40 full-time members of the militia, mostly parents and sons and daughters of the residents of Long Home, eager for military training and serving as is their due. A few veteran soldiers from outside Long Home have joined their ranks and serve as officers in the informal militia. The fort can hold 200 defenders easily and as many as 700 have been crammed into it at one time (fortunately, the fort was relieved quickly during that siege). The fort consists of a three-meter-high palisade of wood on top of a three-meter-high berm of soil and stone. There is a central wooden and plaster three-story keep built over the stables. The fort’s captain, Terentha, is a native of Long Home who fought in the outside world and returned, bearing many scars

RuneQuest 118 Skills: Animal Lore 25, Battle 50, Cult Lore (Humakt) 65%, Cult Lore (Vinga) 25%, Customs (Long Home) 45%, Dodge 65%, Farm 35%, First Aid 50%, Homeland Lore (Long Home) 80%, Intimidate 75%, Jump 65%, Move Quietly 85%, Orate 60%, Plant Lore 35%, Scan 70%. Ride (horse) 45%, Sense Assassin 25%, Sense Chaos 20%, Spirit Combat 55%, Survival 85%, Track 65%, Worship (Humakt) 55%, Worship (Orlanth) 35%. Languages: Speak Esrolian 35%, Speak Heortling 45%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 50%, Speak Tarshite 75%, Speak Tradetalk 50%, Read/Write Theyalan 25%. Ransom: 1,200 L Magic Items: Magic point storage crystal (12-point capacity), enchanted iron broadsword (+10% skill bonus, no modifier to chance of casting spells). Treasure: Necklace containing an emblem of a silver wolf’s skull, worth 400 L. Terentha’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 6/5 Left Leg 05–08 6/5 Abdomen* 09–11 5/6 Chest* 12–14 6/7 Right Arm* 15–18 6/4 Head 19–20 4/5 * Adjusted to reflect her missing left arm. Weapon % Damage SR Pts Broadsword, Iron 120 1D8+1+1d4 5 18 Dagger 90 1D4+2+1D2 7 6 The Elf Woods A tribe of Aldryami live in a thick forest near the falls that start the Brook Hurts river. They are the reason that there are several copses of timber still intact within the valley. They are almost never seen and Long Home officials wanting to speak to them must come to the Woods. The two populations get along by leaving each other alone. If trollkin, Telmori, or other wanderers enter the forest, they do not come out again. The exception has been a few Long Home children who have been escorted out of the forests after wandering into them. No children have wandered into the forest in the last 30 years, so these stories are mostly considered legends and cautionary tales. Should the adventurers wander into the Elf Woods, the gamemaster can use the descriptions of green elves from pages 20–21 of the Glorantha Bestiary. Unfortunately for the people of Long Home, the elves are utterly uninterested Captain Terentha STR 14 CON 14 SIZ 16 DEX 15 INT 15 POW 16 CHA 15 Hit Points: 15 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 1 Runes: Air 65%, Death 90%, Earth 55%, Fire/Sky 50%, Movement 40%, Stasis 60%, Truth 85%. Rune Points: 6 (Humakt), 3 (Vinga Adventurous) Rune Spells: All common knowledge spells, plus Detect Truth (1 pt.), Fearless (2 pts.), Leap (1 pt.), Morale (2 pts.), Oath (2 pts.), Shield (1 pt.), Summons of Evil (3 pts.), Sword Trance (1 pt.), Truesword (1 pt.), Wind Words (1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Bladesharp 3, Demoralize (2 pts.), Detect Enemies (1 pt.), Fanaticism (1 pt.), Fireblade (4 pts.), Heal 2, Parry 4, Protection 2, Strength (2 pts.), Vigor (2 pts.). Magic Points: 28 (16 + 12 in a magic point storage crystal) Passions: Devotion (Humakt) 70%, Devotion (Vinga) 60%, Fear (Chaos) 50%, Hate (Chaos) 50%, Hate (Lunar Empire) 65%, Hate (Telmori) 70%, Honor 75%, Love (family) 75%, Loyalty (Long Home) 75%, Loyalty (Wardens) 80%. Reputation: 38% Armor: Bronze plate cuirass (6 pts.), bronze plate greaves and vambrace (6 pts.), heavy scale skirt (5 pts.), and open helm (4 pts.). (Armor modifies Move Silently by –65% while worn.)

The Lost Valley 119 of this warren are the product of one dark troll they call ‘Granny’ who cannot produce any offspring but trollkin. Granny has a very un-Uz-like regard for her offspring and seems to think that with just a bit of the proper care, her progeny can turn into real dark trolls. Since her compatriots were not of this opinion, and insisted on treating the trollkin normally, including eating them if they felt peckish, Granny decided to take her newest litter away from the menace of other trolls. So far, this experiment has not been successful in generating any dark trolls, but many of her get have been very excellent trollkin. All Granny’s original children have been killed, but she encourages her female grandchildren to produce as many younglings as possible. A writeup for trollkin raiders follows, and if encountered for some reason, Granny is a dark troll nurse as described on pages 73–75 of the Glorantha Bestiary. Typical Trollkin Raider STR 12 CON 11 SIZ 12 DEX 15 INT 12 POW 7 CHA 9 Hit Points: 11 Move: 6 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Darkness 40%. Rune Points: 0 Rune Spells: None. Spirit Magic: Disruption, Speedart. Magic Points: 7 Passions: Loyalty (Granny) 60%. Armor: Tough skin (1 pt.); leather greaves, vambraces, tunics, helmets (2 pts.). Skills: Darksense Scan 20%, Darksense Search 50%, Dodge 25%, Hide 25%, Listen 35%, Move Quietly 25%, Scan 15%, Search 25%. Languages: Speak Darktongue 50%, Speak Tradetalk 15%. Trollkin Raider Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 3/4 Left Leg 05–08 3/4 Abdomen 09–11 3/4 Chest 12 3/5 Right Arm 13–15 3/3 Left Arm 16–18 3/3 Head 19–20 3/4 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Short Spear 35% 1D6+1 5 10 Short Sword 35% 1D6+1 7 12 Small Shield 35% 1D3 7 8 Sling 35% 1D8 2 — in supporting any resistance against the Company of the Manticore, nor are they eager to shield refugees who the Company might pursue into their woods. The Other Woods The wooded area near the sinkhole is often called the Chaos Woods because chaotic creatures like dragonsnails, walktapi, and jack o’bears sometimes crawl out of the Sinkhole. The Wardens patrol the area aggressively and most of the monsters are killed, but some are powerful or lucky enough to make it into the nearby woods. Their influence has affected some of the trees and shrubs as well. The Wardens patrol the rim of these woods but rarely enter unless one of the Chaos beasts is raiding outside the woods. The other wooded areas are near areas of the surrounding cliffs that are not impossible to descend, though getting back up can be very difficult. For this reason, more common dangerous creatures, such as rock lizards and the occasional dinosaur, appear in the valley from time to time—giving the Wardens yet another situation to deal with. Descriptions of any of these creatures described above are provided in the Glorantha Bestiary, though such encounters fall outside the scope of this adventure. The Trollkin Tunnels Ever since the first settlers built their farms in the Long Valley, they have been plagued by trollkin who apparently live in the caverns of the Dragonspine Mountains. Trollkin attacks were the instigation of the creation of the Wardens. Trollkin gangs have swarmed down the mountain sides and attacked every three years or so, which not too coincidentally is about the time it takes a trollkin to mature. Generally, they are destroyed six times over when the Wardens get enough members together and scour the trollkin from the valley. In the cliffs at the head of the valley are numerous tunnel openings used for the ongoing trollkin raids. All the known entrances have been sealed off, but some of those sealing efforts have decayed over the years and the trollkin always seem to be able to dig another opening. No one has ventured into those tunnels and returned to tell anyone what they found. The surviving trollkin (roughly 40% of each invasion force) stagger back to their tunnels and spend their time raising and training the next generation. The quality of the invading trollkin has improved over the years. Luckily, so has the quality of the Warden defenders. So far, no other type of troll has been seen on these raids. The trollkin occasionally use war cries like “For Granny!”, but no ‘granny’ troll has been seen. That said, she does exist, but never leaves the labyrinth of tunnels. All the trollkin

RuneQuest 120 Typical Telmori Hunter STR 14 CON 11 SIZ 13 DEX 12 INT 13 POW 13 CHA 10 Hit Points: 11 Move: 8 DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Beast 75%, Chaos 20%. Rune Points: 1 (Telmor) Rune Spells: Wolf’s Head (1 pt., transforms target’s head into that of a great wolf; see Glorantha Bestiary, page 87). Spirit Magic: Dispel Magic, Dullblade, Heal 2, Ironhand. Magic Points: 13 Passions: Love (companion wolf) 60%, Loyalty (pack) 60%. Armor: Leather tunic (2 pts.), fur on head (1 pt. when Wolf’s Head Rune spell is cast). Skills: Dodge 50%, Move Quietly 40%, Scan 40% (65% with wolf head), Search 40% (65% with wolf head), Spirit Combat 40%, Track 60% (85% with wolf head). Languages: Speak Beastspeech 15%, Speak Tarshite 40%, Speak Telmori 50%, Speak Tradetalk 15%. Telmori Hunters A pack of the Telmori werewolf tribe also hunts in the hills around the Long Valley. Occasionally, when the hunting has not been satisfactory, war bands try to infiltrate the valley and take domesticated beasts since there aren’t enough wild ones available. The nomadic Wolf Runners and their dire wolf companions claim the valley as their hunting ground, but rarely stay to fight it out since the battle of the Cropped Wolf Head, when an entire hunting band and their wolves were wiped out. The Wardens planted Telmori and wolf heads on pikes on a couple of the known approaches to the valley to warn the Telmori off. Now the young Telmori hunters and their special wolves make singleton raids to prove themselves to their clan. Some have even found friends instead of prey and just come for a visit. Only a few Telmori hunters in this tribe know the advanced Rune magic allowing for full transformation into wolf form. Most only know Wolf’s Head. For more information on Telmori, see the Glorantha Bestiary, pages 84–87.

The Lost Valley 121 Long Home dENIZENS The residents of Long Home are mainly Tarshite in background, but the last 500 years have made them as different from Old Tarsh residents as Old Tarsh is from Lunar Tarsh. Over the last few decades, the population has been expanded by immigrants from virtually every region in Sartar, but the following descriptions are still mostly appropriate. The total population of Long Home is about 1,200 people. The community maintains 30 full-time Wardens; in a crisis the community can muster another 200 militia. Stereotype The common citizen of the valley is close to the earth and in sync with the seasons of Dragon Pass. To foreigners they are friendly but cautious, and particularly curious about anyone not immediately recognizable as Grazelander or Telmori. Common Attitudes Long Home has its hazards and enemies, so the residents are tough, hardy, and ruthlessly practical, just like their cousins in Old Tarsh. As vendref, the residents of Long Home are viewed as servile peasants by the Grazelanders; however, they enjoy the protection of the Feathered Horse Queen and the Grazelanders are forbidden from robbing, injuring, or otherwise abusing them. As a result, most Grazelanders ignore Long Home except when it is time to collect their tribute. Religion The people of Long Home are mostly devoted to Ernalda the Earth Mother, though they also worship Orlanth and Barntar the Plowman. The Wardens worship both Orlanth and the Hiia Swordsman subcult of Humakt. Politics Long Home is a more-or-less autonomous tributary of the Grazelands, who allow the elders of the village to rule themselves, a group known as, prosaically, ‘the Elders.’ This essentially means that the major landholders and those of a certain age may help make decisions for the good of the community. In theory, all residents can become Elders, but in practice the only people claiming the title are those who do the work of managing the community. The primary functions of the Elders are to resolve disputes within the community and to collect the annual tribute to the Grazelanders and the Feathered Horse Queen. Telmori Hunter Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 0/4 Left Leg 05–08 0/4 Abdomen 09–11 0/4 Chest 12 0/5 Right Arm 13–15 0/3 Left Arm 16–18 0/3 Head 19–20 0 or 1/4 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Javelin w. Atlatl 60 1D10+1D6 1/MR 6 Javelin 1H 55 1D6+1D4 7 8 Medium Shield 55 1D4+1D4 8 12 Bite* 36 1D8+1D4 3* — * When the Wolf’s Head Rune spell is cast, the Telmori’s head becomes a great wolf’s, able to perform a Bite attack, in addition to normal attacks, parries, and dodges, at 3 SR, apart from any other attack. Typical Dire Wolf Companion STR 18 CON 15 SIZ 19 DEX 17 INT 9 POW 14 Hit Points: 17 Move: 12 Base SR: 2 Magic Points: 14 Armor: 3-point fur. Skills: Dodge 35%, Hide 25%, Move Quietly 50%, Track 80%. Dire Wolf Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Hind Leg 01–02 3/5 Left Hind Leg 03–04 3/5 Hindquarter 05–07 3/7 Forequarter 08–10 3/7 Right Foreleg 11–13 3/5 Left Foreleg 14–16 3/5 Head 17–20 3/6 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Bite 35 1D8+1D6 6 —

RuneQuest 122 In the event of a dispute between Long Home and the Grazelanders, the Elders send a delegation to the Feathered Horse Queen. As stated elsewhere, current political tensions revolve around whether the valley should: . Continue the isolationist policy of avoiding contact with anyone other the Grazers, who leave them alone so long as the tributes are paid. . Embrace membership in the Lunar Empire and try to take advantage of its benefits. . Pledge fealty to the new King of Sartar and work to throw off the yoke of Lunar oppression. There are no elections or even formal votes among the Elders. In general, they just argue until all but one policy has lost all of its adherents through boredom or exhaustion. When the Company of the Manticore arrives, the discussion still has many adherents for each faction and is not even close to resolution. Family and Personal History When generating a new adventurer from Long Home, the gamemaster may allow rolls for family history if the grandparent and parent were exceptional and left the region in search of experience (roll as per Tarshites, Grazelanders, or Sartar0ites, player choice). If otherwise, the most likely event to have affected a Long Home adventurer’s family was the Great Winter (pages 38–39 of the RuneQuest core rules). The folk of the Lost Valley have enjoyed relative peace while the rest of the region roiled with war. They have not suffered as others have, but thus have also gained little in the way of experience from this isolation. Names The following names are provided for player use when generating new adventurers from the region, or for the gamemaster when needing to create non-player characters outside those described in this adventure. Female: Arintha, Dorlinee, Ernaldan, Harsha, Inkalne, Jorendo, Terentha, Orianee, Sandenee, Yaranber, Yeneste. Male: Arim, Barterm, Danbal, Halifijer, Jornk, Maroftoo, Ovardee, Palasee, Pigemstoo, Varsto. Cultural Skills Customs (Long Home) (45%), Customs (Tarshite) (15%), Farm +25%, Herd +15%, Speak Own Language (Tarshite) (50%), Speak Tradetalk +15%, Spirit Combat +10%, Battle Axe (2H) +20%, Bow +15%, Broadsword +15%, Dagger +10%, Javelin +15%, Large Shield +15%, Medium Shield +15%, Short Spear +10%, Sling +20%.

The Lost Valley 123 Favored Passions Loyalty (Long Home) 60%, Love (family) 60%. Rune Modifiers Earth +10%. Important Cults Ernalda is the primary religion of Long Home. Other gods, such as Orlanth and other Lightbringers, are considered part of her pantheon, as is Humakt. The Seven Mothers cult has some adherents, mostly among recent immigrants to the valley. Common Starting Adventurers Those starting their careers with this adventure may be members of the Wardens. The Wardens are warriors of the light infantry type (see page 71 in the RuneQuest core rules). They use self bows and either broadswords or battle axes. Their primary cults are Babeester Gor, Humakt, and Orlanth Adventurous. Most wear light scale torso protection (4 pts.) thanks to the village’s redsmith. At the gamemaster’s discretion, a female starting adventurer can instead be a Babeester Gor guardian of the Temple. These fierce warriors use two-handed axes and otherwise fit the description in the core rules. Other professions found in the valley include crafter, entertainer, farmer, fisher, healer, herder, hunter, and merchant. Almost all these will have also served a couple of years as Wardens. Typical Long Home Denizen Worshiper of Ernalda, Orlanth, or Barntar. Farmer or tradesperson. STR 13 CON 12 SIZ 13 DEX 11 INT 13 POW 11 CHA 12 Hit Points: 12 Move: 8 DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Earth 70%, Fire/Sky 40%, Harmony 60%, Man 60%, Stasis 60%. Rune Points: 0 or 1 if an initiate (Ernalda, Orlanth, or Barntar). Rune Spells: None for lay members, all common Rune spells and Bless Crops (Ernalda or Barntar) or Increase/ Decrease Wind (Orlanth). Spirit Magic: Heal 1, Protection 1. Ernalda initiates also get Ignite (1 pt.). Magic Points: 11 Passions: Love (family) 60%, Loyalty (Long Home) 60%. Armor: Leather apron and cap, if any (1 pt.). Skills: Craft (by trade) 60%, Customs (Long Home) 60%, Customs (Tarshite) 30%, Dodge 35%, Farm 50%, Herd 50%, Homeland Lore (Long Home) 40%, Move Quietly 35%, Scan 30%, Worship (deity) 30%. Languages: Speak Earthspeech (Ernalda and Barntar initiates) or Stormspeech (Orlanth initiates) 40%, Speak Tarshite 65%, Speak Tradetalk 50%. Ransom: 100 L Treasure: 1D10 L in coins or trinkets of value, but generally they carry no money. Typical Denizen Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 0/4 Left Leg 05–08 0/4 Abdomen 09–11 1/4 Chest 12 1/5 Right Arm 13–15 1/3 Left Arm 16–18 1/3 Head 19–20 1/4 Weapon* % Damage SR Pts Knife 35 1D4+2+1D4 9 6 Fist 30 1D3+1D4 9 — 1H Club 30 1D6+1D4 9 4 Small Axe 30 1D6+1+1D4 9 6 Short Spear, Held 35 1D6+1+1D4 7 10 Short Spear, Thrown 25 1D6+1+1D2 1/MR 10 Self Bow 25 1D6+1 2 10 Sling 20 1D8 S/MR — * Most go unarmed or with a belt knife. If ready for a fight, the average denizen will have one additional weapon from this list.

124 Urvantan's Tower ired as escorts to the Wardens, a group of guardians in the village of True Ford in the Lost Valley, the adventurers are caught up in an attack by the Company of the Manticore, an invading Lunar force made up of Beast Men and other mercenaries. True Ford has a secret, however, in that it is adjacent to the site of an ancient Golden Age ruin, a tower inhabited by a sorcerer named Urvantan. He has long acted as True Ford’s guardian. Unfortunately, he is missing, the calls for aid unanswered, and those who have entered his tower have not returned. The adventurers must venture into this mysterious sorcerer’s even stranger redoubt and learn what fate has befallen him, and if the Lost Valley can be saved. The Tower’s History In the Golden Age of Glorantha, many millennia ago, a magnificent tower of black stone was built at the base of the great mountain Kero Fin, its purpose as inscrutable as its makers. Who they were and what they were like is lost to all but the gods themselves, and whatever clues to their identity remained were expunged by time and mortal wroth, new inhabitants seeking to rewrite the tower’s history, claiming themselves as its builders. For a period during the First Age it was held by the powerful and enigmatic Golden Empire, who were followers of Nysalor, god of Chaos, but in 437 ST it was captured by the hero named Arkat. Either the Golden Empire or Arkat and his companions exploited its magical possibilities to construct a great and powerful artifact, a stone gate set into one wall, like any other doorway. To the untrained eye it was merely a particularly decorative entrance, carven with glyphs whose meanings had long since passed from mortal memory. However, this gate allowed a limited sort of access into the God Time, making new mythic experimentation possible. Arkat left Dragon Pass for good in 445 ST. He never returned, but left behind a complicated network of obligations and cult, backed up by the Arkat cult and their troll allies. Arkat’s Black Tower (as it was called) became a center of his cult and of the brotherhood that kept his secrets hidden, but within a few generations the local population turned on the Arkati. By 490 ST, the Arkati departed the Black Tower and sealed the portal to the God Time with a magical ward to alert them to any interference. They buried the tower under thousands of tons of dirt, and then joined their brethren at Arkat’s Hold in Esrolia, which eventually became the Black House of Arkat (see the sidebar on page 136), and the brotherhood became known as the Black Arkati. As ages passed, the Black Arkati still monitored the sites associated with their Hero Founder, passing down the responsibility from one generation to the next, a sacred and secret order whose dictates grew increasingly unclear. Current Situation Though the Lost Valley has remained largely outside the events raging beyond its borders, the major occurrences transpiring in the lands surrounding it have nonetheless had some influence in True Ford. Recently, the conflict in the outside world intruded dramatically into the valley, initially causing great concern, and more recently, changing life there forever. 1625 The past year was full of portents and disasters. A kilometerslong Great Dragon flew at the Red Moon and was driven off at the last minute. The Temple of the Reaching Moon on the Dragonspine Mountains was said to be destroyed (many stories said eaten) and the Dragon again slumbers,

125 Urvantan's Tower surrounded by ruins. The Glowline is said to be flickering, much of the Lunar administration of Dragon Pass is thought to be dead, and the Lunar Empire’s power has been reduced greatly in Dragon Pass. At the same time, Kallyr Starbrow, newly proclaimed Prince of Sartar, is rumored to have been slain (or almost slain) by Jar-Eel the Razoress while attempting a Lightbringer Quest near the end of the year. Others say that Argrath the White Bull, recently crowned King of Pavis, is assembling an army to march on Sartar and assume the crown since Starbrow is unable to act as king. Argrath had already attempted to take Boldhome in 1624 but was beaten back by the Lunar occupiers. He is thought likely to try again. Early 1626 In the Lost Valley, the Wardens reported that a large company of troops, accompanied by monstrous auxiliaries, arrived at the mouth of the valley. They said that the company consisted primarily of centaurs, minotaurs, and satyr magicians, all in formations alongside heavily armed and armored humans. Moreover, there were beasts never seen before, lionlike with humanoid heads and scorpion tails. The banners flying above the company displayed representations of this beast. This group had obviously been in some heavy combat. The formations had gaps at their flanks and rear where soldiers had obviously been promoted to a front rank, with no cadre to recruit new back rankers from. Armor was polished, but assorted holes and slashes went unrepaired. Many soldiers limped and were bandaged, and articles of armor were missing. Many were badly scarred, as happens when a wound was repaired with an inadequate Heal spell and was left afterward to heal naturally. The Plea Fearing the worst, Danbar, captain of the Wardens, urged a mission to Clearwine to petition assistance from Queen Leika, believing her to be the most powerful of the Sartarite warlords (and most likely to provide assistance) – especially if Prince Kallyr is dead or grievously wounded. Though the Elders argued with themselves about the cost of such assistance, prudence won out and Danbar went forth. The company’s allegiance at that time was unknown, whether they were merely mercenaries or in service of the Lunars, and Warden spies could not determine the answer from a distance. Thus, Danbar arrived in Clearwine with little concrete information. Caught unprepared with a plea for undefined assistance from an unallied community she was barely aware of, facing a military with unknown allegiance, Queen Leika did the most prudent thing she was capable of. She sent a small group of trusted observers to the site with instructions to get answers and report back. In this case, the trusted few are the adventurers. The Arrival of the Black Arkati Unbeknownst to most of the folk of True Ford, their defender, Urvantan, has had his own problems to deal with. His experimentation with the portal allowing entry into the God Time activated a still-extant ward and signaled to the Black Arkati that their former master’s works were being interfered with. They dispatched a small team to travel to the half-buried black tower and investigate. Their goal was to stop the gate entirely, destroying it that none might meddle with their master’s works again. When the Black Arkati arrived, they saw that Urvantan had partially cleared a large portion of the tower. They introduced themselves as fellow seekers of knowledge, perhaps with insight into the nature of Arkat’s work, and were able to catch Urvantan off-guard, restraining him. The Black Arkati have bound the sorcerer to a sacrificial frame, continually draining him of magic points, forcing him to drink an extract of dreamweed (Glorantha Bestiary, page 198). This keeps him in a drugged stupor, physically weakened, his mind lost to prophetic dreams and visions. They rouse him periodically for questioning but have learned little. At this point, the Black Arkati have decided that the tower cannot be left as it is, so they have been systematically destroying all Uvantar’s work, as well as preparing any remaining artifacts to take back to their home. Caught up in their own concerns, the Black Arkati have yet to notice the arrival of the Company and have ignored pleas at the door for assistance (described below). They are few and do not wish to incur an angry mob of villagers. The Proclamation One day ago (prior to the adventure beginning), at the entry of the main road into the valley, a mercenary in battered armor read a short proclamation aloud to any who would hear it: “Residents of True Ford, know that the Company of the Manticore, captained by the mighty Korof, Son of Ironhoof, has come to claim this territory in the name of the Lunar Empire, as granted by King Pharandos, Lunar Satrap of Dragon Pass and its environs.”

RuneQuest 126 This was proceeded by the arrival of the Company itself, which formed into a marching column. Behind the mounted vanguard are several centaurs, including one of great stature who is well armored on every limb as well as body, seemingly its commanding officer. The Company set out scouts and advanced into the valley. The Wardens fell back from the advance as the Elders argued amongst themselves as to the proper response. Finally, the Company marched around a spur of the surrounding hills and found most of the Wardens drawn up in a clearing, protecting a half dozen Elders who had come to negotiate. Only Danbar, captain of the Wardens, was absent from the Elders, as he had been sent to Clearwine and was yet due to return. The Elders protested. The leader of the Company signaled the attack, and the Wardens were destroyed several times over by arrow barrages from the Company’s archers and the satyrs’ magic. Several Elders were killed and others, including the High Priestess of the Ernalda Temple, were captured. Maroftoor the Stout was carried away by the Wardens, fighting a desperate rear-guard action, and remains on the run. Though the Wardens are proficient hunters and scouts, they could not—cannot—stand against the heavy cavalry and heavy infantry of the Company. Many who were not killed were captured, and only a handful remain free, roaming the woods and trying to regroup. Occupying the village of True Ford The Company marched on to True Ford, the main village of Long Home. With no effective opposition, the Company quartered soldiers in some houses, kicked the Elders out of their homes to provide lodging for the officers, and took over the stable area for the cavalry horses and centaurs, including the centaur captain. They then began fortifying the stable. Patrols marched out to surrounding farms to collect a tax and impress the locals with the power and ruthlessness of their new ‘governor.’ There was no attempt to win the hearts and minds of the populace, and in truth, most of the Company could not even speak the local language. They took what they wanted and killed any unarmed farmers who tried to stop them, apprehending or killing as many Wardens as they could find. After a couple of days, their leader forbade any further killing, though assaulting and battering any who opposed them was perfectly fine. Ultimately, the commander of the Company, Koros Ironhoof, views the Lost Valley as the reward for his service to the Lunar Empire. His troops are long overdue the land they were lured with when they were recruited, and they are warweary and need respite. They have not seen anywhere near the level of plunder or spoil they were promised, and at this point the quiet, prosperous valley is looking like their best course for retirement. Spending the next few years collecting taxes from meek peasants and wealthy landowners is a far step above fighting Orlanthi and Tarshites hell-bent on reclaiming their homelands. If the Company is defeated here, they are both humiliated in the eyes of the Lunar Empire and lose what they view as their rightful plunder. And here begins the situation the adventurers find themselves in. Other Paths into the Adventure Alternately, the gamemaster may begin the adventure differently than having the adventures arrive as envoys of Queen Leika. If they are from outside the valley with no connection to Danbar, they might be in the village on their own business, perhaps trading, recuperating from a recent adventure, or even seeing relatives. Depending on how intimate they are with the villagers, the adventurers may or may not have any idea of the situation until the Company pours through the open gate of the neglected fortifications. In this case, the adventurers must then defend themselves against an overwhelming force of trained mercenary soldiers, likely being captured or forced to surrender. The gamemaster may offer a player needing a new adventurer the chance to play one of the Wardens, part of Danbar’s escort (as described above). Long Home Denizens (page 121‒123) includes rules for creating an adventurer native to the region. Opening Scene The adventurers have been sent by Queen Leika to observe the situation in Long Home and to determine what to do. They have traveled to the Lost Valley with Danbar and his Warden escort as their guides. As they cross the hills surrounding the Valley, they see streams of black smoke and eventually hear the clamor of conflict. From the hilly vantage point, the adventurers recognize immediately that they have arrived too late to save Long Home from the invasion, which is wrapping up. An army made of all manner of beings—humans, minotaurs, centaurs, satyrs, and others—moves through the town methodically, rounding up people and shoving them into homes, which

Urvantan's Tower 127 are then guarded. The banner of this strange force stands high in many places, displaying a beast with a human head, a lion’s body, wings, and a scorpion tail. A successful Beast Lore roll identifies it as a manticore. A successful Battle roll reveals that the distribution of soldiers indicates that a portion of this mixed company is deployed occupying the village and managing the residents, while a majority have likely been deployed elsewhere, and are still in the process of moving on. Danbar points this out if none of the adventurers succeed in this roll and observes that the company must be heading to Wolf Heads Fort to engage the militia that serves the Lost Valley. Initially, Danbar strongly dissuades any adventurers from going into the village, as they will be highly noticeable and the villagers may not trust them, thinking them part of the invading army. They need to have a plan or else they’ll all be killed, pincushions for the mercenaries’ bows or ridden down by the centaurs.

RuneQuest 128 Hell Comes Running Danbar is wracked with indecision. Though he’s a seasoned Warden, he has never fought against hardened military forces. Generally, he and his men fight unruly bands of trollkin or the occasional Telmori, leaving most serious defense of Long Home to the militia at Wolf Heads Fort. He will listen to the adventurers’ counsel if it is offered, but any discussion the adventurers are having is disrupted by the sound of a Warden’s horn sounding three short blurts to the east of the town. Danbar recognizes it as a distress signal. He tells his two Wardens to remain and asks the adventurers to accompany him to answer the horn’s call. If they agree, he urges them to hurry and heads after the sound, saying it is coming from “near Urvantan’s Tower!” If they do not wish to go with him, he reacts scornfully, cursing Queen Laika’s indifference and saying that the people of Long Home would best be served by the Grazelanders. He then departs with the other two Wardens and leaves the adventurers to their own devices. Assuming the adventurers are honorable and follow the instructions of their queen, Danbar leads them rapidly away a half-kilometer to the mouth of a gulley that cuts through the hills, a jagged and bent crevasse. There is no sign of any tower, if any adventurers think to ask. At the mouth of this gulley the adventurers see a small squad of skirmishers from the Company of the Manticore. The mercenaries are rough-looking men and women in a variety of armors and weapons, with no features in common, no emblem or unified appearance. Some are bloodied and bandaged, and all have the grime of long travel and hard life writ upon them. There are seven in total, though the gamemaster can adjust this number based on the number of adventurers. Three have entered the gulley, holding to the walls with spears and shields at the ready, while the rest hang back with bows, providing cover. Some of their shields have arrow shafts sticking out of them. When the adventurers arrive, the mercenaries do not notice them, so intent they are on the prey which they believe they have cornered. Danbar pulls the adventurers close and whispers to them “That gulley ends in a small cave, a defensible position, but not for long. It is a dead end, though. They will be slaughtered. We must act now!” In the small cave at the end of the gully, indeed, are three surviving Wardens and Elder Maroftoor the Stout, exhausted and wounded in their flight from the attack on True Ford. The mercenaries plan to advance until they are certain it is not a trap, then continue to advance with shields locked until they crush any resistance inside and drag Maroftoor Captain Danbar of the Wardens Initiate of Orlanth Adventurous. Male, age 32. Long Home denizen. STR 13 CON 13 SIZ 12 DEX 14 INT 13 POW 14 CHA 13 Hit Points: 13 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Air 75%, Earth 30%, Fire/Sky 50%, Harmony 65%, Movement 60%. Rune Points: 3 (Orlanth Adventurous) Rune Spells: All common knowledge skills, plus Dismiss Air Elemental (small), Shield, Wind Words. Spirit Magic: Bladesharp 2, Demoralize (2 pts.), Detect Enemies (1 pt.), Heal 1, Mobility (1 pt.). Magic Points: 14 Passions: Love (family) 60%, Loyalty (Long Home) 60%, Loyalty (Wardens) 70%. Armor: Leather hood (1 pt.), light scale hauberk (4 pts.) cuirboilli vambraces (3 pts.), heavy leather trews (2 pts.). (Armor imposes a –20% penalty to Move Quietly.) Skills: Customs (Long Home) 45%, Dodge 45%, Farm 50%, Hide 50%, Homeland Lore (Long Home) 65%, Move Quietly 60%, Orate 40%, Scan 50%, Search 35%, Survival 40%, Track 50%, Worship (Orlanth) 50%. Languages: Speak Heortling 30%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 30%, Speak Tarshite 75%, Speak Tradetalk 50%, Read/Write Theyalan 25%. Ransom: 750 L Danbar’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 2/5 Left Leg 05–08 2/5 Abdomen 09–11 4/5 Chest 12 4/6 Right Arm 13–15 3/4 Left Arm 16–18 3/4 Head 19–20 1/5 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Self Bow 40 1D6+1 S/MR 5 Broadsword 50 1D6+1D4 6 12 1H Axe, Held 40 1D6+1+1D4 8 6 1H Axe, Thrown 40 1D6+1D2 S/MR 6

Urvantan's Tower 129 Their preferred tactics are hit and run, driving any foes into range of the heavier-armed-and-armored infantry. They rarely use Multimissile and Firearrow spells except when specifically ordered. They fight defensively whenever possible and depend mostly on the Dodge skill and Shimmer spells for protection. In the event that any of these skirmishers survive their encounter with the adventurers, their squad leader is named Azabel (female spearwoman) and the others are Tarkaradar (male archer), Haniliss (female archer), Isharum (male spearman), Haldin (male archer), Sironur (male spearman), and Lurelana (female archer). Skirmisher STR 13 CON 11 SIZ 11 DEX 15 INT 10 POW 13 CHA 10 Hit Points: 11 Move: 8 DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Earth 30%, Fire/Sky 60%. Spirit Magic: Firearrow, Heal 2, Multimissile 2, Shimmer 2, Speedart 2. Magic Points: 13 Passions: Hate (Sartarites) 60%, Loyalty (Company of the Manticore) 60%. Armor: Light scale hauberk (4 pts.), cuirboilli greaves and vambraces (3 pts.), open helm (4 pts.). (Armor reduces Move Quietly by –20%, already adjusted.) Skills: Climb 50%, Dodge 45%, First Aid 25%, Hide 25%, Jump 35%, Listen 35%, Move Quietly 5%, Scan 45%, Spirit Combat 45%, Track 25%. Languages: Speak Beastspeech 15%, Speak Dara Happan 25%, Speak Heortling 20%, Speak New Pelorian 35%, Speak Tarshite 60%, Speak Tradetalk 30%. Ransom: 250 L Skirmisher Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 3/4 Left Leg 05–08 3/4 Abdomen 09–11 4/4 Chest 12 4/5 Right Arm 13–15 3/3 Left Arm 16–18 3/3 Head 19–20 4/4 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Self Bow 60 1D6+1 S/MR 5 Shortsword 50 1D6+1 8 12 Short Spear, Held 50 1D6+1 7 10 Short Speak, Thrown 50 1D6+1 1/MR 10 Small Shield 50 1D4 8 8 out as a prisoner. The Wardens they will happily slay, despite their commander’s admonition, as they have been playing shadowcat-and-rubble-runner across the countryside for the past few hours and are determined to make someone pay for it. If the adventurers try to ambush the mercenaries at the mouth of the gulley, they must succeed in Move Quietly rolls to get within melee range. Engaging with missile weapons first does not require this roll. Danbar does not have his bow with him and will rush to engage the mercenaries in melee combat, along with any adventurers who choose to join him. The four closest mercenaries fight back to the best of their ability, joined by the others from within the gulley in the next combat round. They are hardened soldiers and survivors, however, and surrender if the alternative is death. They expect to be ransomed back by Korof, son of Ironhoof, their commander, just as much as they expect the Company of the Manticore to kill their captors once they’re turned over. Any mercenary given the chance to escape takes it, racing back to town to warn the rest of the Company of the Manticore about the adventurers and Danbar. If taken prisoner, the mercenaries throw down their weapons and allow themselves to be bound, asking first to be given the chance to cast Heal or use First Aid upon their wounds. If desired, the gamemaster can have the two Wardens inside the cave with Maroftoor emerge and join in the fracas. Typical Wardens are described on page 112. Maroftoor is not a fighter and will remain in hiding until the battle is over. He’s described on page 116. Manticore Company Skirmishers These seven are from a group of around forty skirmishers attached to the Company of the Manticore, generally deployed in small squads to scout the area before, during, and after battles and to round up escapees. Most are Lunar Tarshite, but some are from lands even more afield. Dragging their Heels If for some reason the adventurers held back and didn’t follow Danbar to the gulley to rescue Maroftoor, the Warden captain returns, sorrowful. He is in a foul mood, telling the adventurers that two of his people were killed and that Maroftoor, a village Elder, was captured and taken into town. Danbar emphasizes that they need to go to see Urvantan, the protector of the valley. He leads them to the tower (see page 132) but they’ll be unable to gain access without the key. That means going into the village to find Lagariman, Urvantan’s chief servant, who lives in town with his family when the tower is empty.

RuneQuest 130 Urvantan and his servants—along with many villagers hired as laborers—dug the tower out of the hillside over the years, but now it seems to have returned to its former buried state. Maroftoor listens to this discussion and removes a long chain from around his neck, on which hangs a curiousshaped key of rough, time-darkened bronze. He hands it to Danbar, saying that it was given to him by Lagariman, Urvantan’s chief servant, who asked that it be taken from the None of the mercenaries are especially cautious about what they say, as even the sudden appearance of a group of armed adventurers will make little difference to the fate of True Ford and the whole of Long Home. If questioned, they’re happy to identify the Company and its leader, and describe his goals: to take the village and the entirety of Long Home for their own, to pillage it, and to move on after they’ve grown bored with the place. The Lunar Empire bade them pacify and claim it, not to occupy it indefinitely, and that’s what they’re going to do. From the end of the gulley, if they have not already done so, Maroftoor and two Wardens emerge, grimy from their flight and their refuge within the cave. The two Wardens with Maroftoor are both women, named Ziradona and Jarinna. They are all relieved to see Danbar and tell him everything they know. Maroftoor is described fully on page 116. News from the Front Maroftoor and the two surviving Wardens relay the story of what happened to Danbar and the adventurers. If the adventurers ask questions about the disposition of troops and their locations, the gamemaster should use the information provided in Occupying the Village of True Ford (page 126). Maroftoor and the Wardens volunteer the following information: .The actual invasion started yesterday, led with the proclamation (see page 125). .The villagers and outlying farmers were overwhelmed. Many were captured, confined to their homes, or are being rounded up and held in the village hall. . Many Wardens and Elders were killed, some captured, some fled into the woods. . Urvantan has not answered any calls for help, and two Wardens sent to his tower have not returned. At this last bit of news, Danbar peers off into the distance, his brow furrowing as if looking at something he can’t see, obscured by the hills and surrounding high ground. If asked, he explains that the hill he’s looking at—he points at one not that far away—is new, though it looks natural. It stands exactly on the spot where Urvantan’s Tower once loomed. Urvantan, Danbar says, is a foreign sorcerer who long ago adopted Long Home as his own. Though the sorcerer comes and goes according to his own schedule, he’s well-known to the villagers and has enlisted them from time to time in excavating his tower and its surroundings. The sorcerer is an Elder of the village, but rarely attends their meetings. Help From Outside Adventurers might consider seeking greater numbers outside Long Home, given its relative nearness to potential sources of allies. This is entirely possible, but not advisable, and if this comes up, both Danbar and Maroftoor have something to say about each of the options: . Queen Leika of Clearwine: The adventurers could return to Leika to obtain additional military support. This is probably the least desirable option, as she sent the adventurers as her envoys, and returning to her seeking more troops without any promise of fealty from the leaders of Long Home is a risk she might not wish to take. While she could ride forth at the head of a column of Orlanthi warriors far in excess of the Company’s forces, she does not want to venture so much without a guarantee that the Elders will pledge their loyalty to her. . The Feathered Horse Queen: The queen of the Grazelanders views Long Home as somewhat of an interesting case. The region is far enough outside her primary domain that it is formally a protectorate, but its people have not pledged any especial vow of mutual support or fealty. To seek help from her would be essentially surrendering their autonomy. This is looking like an increasingly good option, however. . Old Tarsh: To the north is Old Tarsh, a land full of staunch enemies of the Lunar Empire. Though they despise even the thought of a Lunar toehold to their south, the Lost Valley is far from their concerns. They simply do not have the will or the reach to spare on behalf of a place with little strategic importance. . The Lunar Empire: This is the most unusual of the choices and the most unlikely. The Company of the Manticore are their subjects and have been given the valley to do as they please, so long as they are able to exact suitable taxes. Intervening on behalf of the people of the valley against the Company is out of the question. In any case, the offer of aid must inevitably be returned with a formal pledge of fealty, which the adventurers might need to address with Maroftoor, speaking on behalf of the other Elders. That may be above their station, and Maroftoor does not impress anyone with his hedging and equivocating.

Urvantan's Tower 131 . Hawarin Moonsister, Seven Mothers Priestess: Hawarin is initially willing to cooperate with the Company—even though none of the leaders or Beast Men are real followers of the Red Moon. When the adventurers arrive, she has already thrown her lot in with the Company and is offering them healing assistance and information, both to guarantee her safety and to ensure that deaths of the villagers are minimized. Though a Lunar through and through, Hawarin is also a human being and has spent several years caring for and living amongst the folk of Long Home. She is described more fully on page 114. .Jorendona Earthspeaker, Ernalda Priestess: Captured by the Company of the Manticore and held in the town hall, along with many other villagers. Her assistant, Weresting, is with her, and the other two— Arinna and Sandene—are at Wolf Heads Fort (page 117), having been visiting there to tend to injuries from a recent battle with Telmori. The Company of the Manticore has the fort surrounded, so they’re stuck there for the time being. . Elder Brindle Traveler: Killed in the initial assault. Where is Urvantan? Where indeed? Urvantan is, unfortunately, trapped within the tower, victim to his own curiosity and what he doesn’t know. He only recently began to suspect the true nature of the tower’s greatest secret, the magical gateway to the God Time. Thus far Urvantan has only been able to breach the threshold chamber, a lobby of sorts, caught between the Mundane World—this world—and the eternal God Time. In the past, the sorcerer had gone missing for long stretches of time because of his imperfect understanding of the chamber, spending great spans of time in there without realizing how much time had passed in the Mundane World while he was in the threshold chamber, trying to open the village and delivered to Wolf Heads Fort where it would be safe and out of the Company’s hands. The servant is among those held within the village’s main hall. What Next? Now the adventurers must choose what to do next, though the most obvious course of action advised by Danbar and Maroftoor is to go to Urvantan’s Tower and find out what has happened there. The Warden captain plans on scouting the area around True Ford in search of any surviving Wardens and villagers and sending a runner to Wolf Heads Fort to determine what is happening there. The adventurers are illsuited for this task because they don’t know the village, they don’t know the Wardens or their hideouts, and they aren’t known by the villagers, who might suspect them of being part of the invading army. The Surviving Elders As described on pages 114–116 of The Lost Valley, the following figures are of significance within the village of True Ford and may play a role in the events described within this adventure. Should any of the surviving Elders be rescued, they eagerly join the adventurers and the remaining Wardens to help strike back at the Company, or at the very least, they allow themselves to be protected and escorted to safety outside Long Home. Unless the gamemaster wishes to make use of certain Elders for special storylines, here is how they fare after the attack: . Elder Ovardul Barrelmaker: Killed in the initial assault unless some intervention spares him. His body has been thrown into the pile of dead villagers and burned by the occupying forces of the Company. Avoiding a Massacre It is highly advisable that the gamemaster encourage the adventurers to follow the course of this adventure as described, seeking out the missing sorcerer Urvantan, rather than involving the adventurers into a lengthy series of skirmishes for unachievable goals (i.e., saving the entire village). Charging down to battle even a depleted force of the Company of the Manticore is suicidal, and likely not much fun for the players or gamemaster. Heading to Wolf Heads Fort puts them in the middle of a siege by the Company against a well-defended stockade, a battle in which they may not have much effect. Should the adventurers wish to fight versus helping find Urvantan, they can accompany Danbar to round up missing Wardens and even enter True Ford to engage in house-to-house fighting (there are not that many houses), leave the valley looking for help from the Grazelanders or Sartar, or even join the Company of the Manticore. If further combat is required, the gamemaster should consult the statistics for the Company’s members on pages 152–158. However, the key to solving the problem of this invasion is to find out what’s happened to the Lost Valley’s chosen protector, Urvantan, and the only place to start is at his tower.

RuneQuest 132 that extend in an arch, one atop each other, the uttermost tips of their longest branches touching the ground. Careful examination of the trunk of the tree reveals a long, vertical slot in the trunk in the middle of a patch bare of bark. The hole is wider at the top and resembles a key-slot. The key Danbar provided looks like a perfect match. Should the adventurers have spoken to anyone about the tower’s interior (perhaps a Warden or Maroftoor) they know that the villagers have never been higher than the first floor of the tower’s living space, where Urvantan has hosted occasional entertainments and where his servants live. The other three floors are mysteries. If the adventurers place the key in the tree-trunk slot, it turns with some slight effort. As they do so, much of the slope of the hill before them shimmers, then slowly fades from sight, revealing a stark and windowless tower of black stone, its ground level expanded somewhat to a longer hall with a carved wooden door standing open where the three branches met the ground, filling the shape perfectly. Any adventurer trained as a sorcerer may make an INT×5 roll to recognize this is a massive usage of the Create Image sorcery spell (RuneQuest rule book, page 392). If an adventurer, before trying the key, attempts to use spirit or Rune magic, or sorcery, to see through or to banish the illusionary hillside, the gamemaster is encouraged to determine what happens. The spell was an epic undertaking requiring a considerable amount of work on Urvantan’s behalf and is not to be dismissed lightly. As for the tower itself, it is difficult to say exactly from outside, but the height of the tower is either four or five stories. Much of the ground level is still covered with earth, and the hill’s surface has been excavated away so that the upper floors are mostly uncovered and free from the hillside. The top of the tower ends in an unceremoniously abrupt taper, with long vertical slots to allow light. At its base, the tower is roughly fifteen meters across, narrowing to almost ten meters near the top where it tapers. The Guardian Af lame Beyond the open door is a long, unlit corridor leading into the structure, and should the adventurers look down into that dark hallway, they see something spark into life far off in the distance, increasing in size and taking on solid form as it nears them. It seems to grow from a small ball of flame, extending limbs and a head until it is a human-shaped figure made entirely of fire, a long wavy-bladed sword in either hand, blades also aflame. Its features are indistinct, but from the determined nature of its march it clearly means to confront the adventurers. gate to the Hero World. Eventually his meddling activated a long-dormant but still active ward set by the Arkati, whose heirs came to see what was going, as described above in The Tower’s History (page 124). The people of True Ford, imprisoned within their own homes, believe that Urvantan is their only hope of rescue. In turn, Urvantan, a prisoner within his own tower, has only a single hope of rescue: the adventurers. Urvantan’s Tower Many residents of True Ford looked to Urvantan’s Tower for succor while running from the Company of the Manticore’s attack. To their distress, they found that the tower had adopted its previous appearance as a lightly forested hill. No one seems to know when this happened, but some of the older folk in town remember that this is what the hill looked like before Urvantan came and had the tower excavated, removing much of the surrounding hill. Since he came to the valley and uncovered the tower, Urvantan has sometimes been very involved in the life of the village, and sometimes disappears into his tower for a couple of seasons. During this time the servants take up residence in True Ford with their families. Urvantan has been given the title of Elder and has been very involved when he bothers to show up for meetings, which is not very often. The tower normally employs three servants and living in town are a couple of older former servants who retired. His original servants died many years ago, though one of the retired servants and one of the active servants are descendants of a servant who found a spouse in the valley; the other servants were recruited from the valley’s populace. When the Company of the Manticore moved into True Ford, the servants were caught in the village and tried to keep a low profile so as not to be caught up and questioned by the Company. Danbar readily hands the key to whichever adventurer seems to be the leader (highest Reputation, CHA, etc.) and bids them go at once to the tower and see if the sorcerer can be found. The tower is roughly a ten minutes’ walk and is easily found as the uttermost peak of the hill is visible from almost anywhere in the area. The Tower in the Hill When the adventurers arrive, they see a simple, steep and lightly forested hillock with a faintly-trod trail leading alongside a tree and then vanishing into the steep swell of the hill. The tree is oddly shaped, with three nearly bare trunks

Urvantan's Tower It stops ten meters away from the adventurers and bellows at them in Tradetalk: “Who are you to hold this key?” This imposing figure is Ahazu, Urvantan’s door-guard spirit. It is assigned solely to this corridor, tasked with warding the door and checking to be sure the user of the key is one of the tower’s servants or a trusted ally. If not, Ahazu’s instructions are to bar the way, demanding to know who possesses and uses the key. The spirit is intelligent and can be persuaded, but it is wary and attacks any belligerent visitor. Spirit powers are described on pages 165–167 of the Glorantha Bestiary. Ahazu, Guardian Spirit POW 18 INT 13 CHA 12 Move: 18 Magic Points: 18 Base SR: 4 Runes: Fire/Sky 90%, Movement 65%. Rune Points: 3 Rune Magic: Lock (1 pt.), Spirit Block (1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Countermagic 2, Detect Life (1 pt.), Fireblade (4 pts.), Ignite (1 pt.), Light (1 pt.), Repair 2, Spirit Screen 1. Powers: Elemental Form, Rune Magic, Search, Spirit Magic, Spirit Weapon. Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1 Skills: Spirit Combat 90%, Spirit Dance 45%. Languages: Speak Spiritspeech 65%, Speak Tarshite 35%, Speak Tradetalk 30%. Weapon % Damage SR Pts Flame Swords 90 1D8+1* 6 6 * Damage is either against magic points or hit points (spirit’s choice). Against foes that it does not want to kill, it does damage in magic points but switches to hit points if the foe proves hostile. The adventurers can fight Ahazu outright or can negotiate with it, perhaps attempting to convince it of their good intentions and the honorable purpose of their visit. They are acting on behalf of Danbar and the people of True Ford and have been given the key by an Elder of the village, so they have every right to proceed. As noted, the spirit is intelligent and can be Fast Talked easily (at double the skill chance). If for some reason the adventurers choose to fight, the spirit defends itself, directing most of its attacks at the adventurer who used the key. If it is overwhelmed, it retreats, returning quickly with a second guardian spirit, Namuru, who normally dwells elsewhere in the tower’s ground floor. The gamemaster should pay attention to the players to see if any of them mention their adventurers closing and/ or the door behind them. Locking the door reactivates the illusion, leaving it unlocked leaves it down. The Ground/First Floor The ground floor, like those of many towers, is essentially a stable and storage area dug into the supporting hill—mostly storage, as Urvantan has no animals currently. Strangely, the floor of the stable and storage area is a hard, textured black substance, with time-worn decorative patterns showing evidence of an unknown cultural origin. When the illusion is not hiding the entrance to the ground floor, anyone can enter the unlocked doors. Other than the stairs leading up, there are no other doors. The storerooms are full of barrels of wine and beer, dried foodstuffs, bags of grain, tools, and a small wagon. A cistern sits in the center of the chamber, the source of the tower’s water. One small chamber immediately to the side of the corridor leading into the tower is a cloak room, with pegs for cloaks and other garments, shelves for weapons,

RuneQuest 134 staff. If Ahazu has allowed someone to pass without incident, it remains in the mirror and lets them go without making its presence known. If it does manifest, it steps out of the mirror, a two-dimensional reflection in human shape. It has no physical body and is instead a living reflection of whatever it is facing. Namuru, Guardian Spirit POW 17 INT 11 CHA 12 Move: 17 Magic Points: 17 Runes: Illusion 85%. Rune Points: 3 Rune Magic: Dismiss Magic (1 pt.), Hallucinate (1 pt.), Reflection (1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.), Countermagic 2, Dispel Magic 2, Distraction (1 pt.), Protection 1, Shimmer 2, Visibility (2 pts.). Powers: Elemental Form, Rune Magic, Search, Spirit Magic. Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1 Skills: Spirit Combat 85%, Spirit Dance 50%. Languages: Speak Spiritspeech 65%, Speak Tarshite 35%, Speak Tradetalk 30%. The Second Floor A staircase leads to the second floor of the tower. It is protected by Akamu, Urvantan’s third guardian spirit, which appears as an ethereal wisp. This spirit has strict instructions to allow no one into the second floor. Yet, it is an intelligent spirit, and it is concerned because it knows that Urvantan has not used his bed for several weeks. Akamu knows Urvantan has been gone overlong because the second floor is made up of the sorcerer’s living quarters. Besides a plain, utilitarian bed, there is a desk covered with loose sheets of vellum containing notes in Western, Urvantan’s native Seshnelan tongue, and only a Lhankor Mhy initiate is likely to be able to even identify what language they are in. Should one of the adventurers be able to decipher the notes with a successful Read/Write Western roll, they realize that the notes are all about mundane topics. Urvantan’s working journal has been taken by the Black Arkati, though there is no way for the adventurers to know that. There is also a partially walled-off cubicle featuring a cooking station and a sink, with a water bucket so that, on occasion, the sorcerer can fix a meal without bothering the servants. There is a sparse larder. An ornate armoire (obviously local work) holds several changes of robes and sandals. Another open staircase against the opposite wall from the downward staircase leads upward. and a plain wooden staff in the corner. Other than the staff and a well-worn cloak, there is no other clothing or gear. Right next to the entry from the outside is a modest plate of bronze with a keyhole, the same size as the one in the tree outside. If an adventurer thinks to put the bronze key into the lock and turn it, the illusion outside will be restored, as well as re-locking the doorway in the tree from the outside. If the door was left open, from the outside it appears as a doorway next to a tree standing next to a hill, leading into a curious passage that should not be there. The illusion remains off and the door is unlocked. It is also possible for the adventurers to have closed the door but not locked it. If Ahazu remains after the adventurers pass through, the spirit will close the door for them and restore the illusion. Inside, Urvantan has hung assorted wall hangings on every floor over the years. Some he obviously brought with him, and the rest are the product of local weavers. Under the hangings the walls and ceiling of all the floors of the tower are covered in a strange black substance that seems incredibly durable. There are cracks resulting from the tower settling. The substance covers a stone wall, just like the outside wall. The only item apparently of any value is a large mirror upon one wall next to the cloak room, cloudy and in a frame of greenish copper. The floor was left alone by the Black Arkati, as they had little interest in anything here, and like Ahazu the door guardian, the guardian spirit of this floor is unable to leave so it is unaware that its master has been captured and is unconscious on the floors above. Namuru, like Ahazu, is confined to a specific area, and rests within the room’s mirror. If alerted, it emerges and engage any who pose a threat to Urvantan or the tower’s

Urvantan's Tower 135

RuneQuest 136 Akamu, Guardian Spirit POW 16 INT 11 CHA 11 Move: 16 Magic Points: 16 Runes: Air 80%, Illusion 60%. Rune Points: 5 Rune Magic: Detect Honor (1 pt.), Illusory Sound (1 pt.), Mist Cloud (1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.), Countermagic 2, Dispel Magic 2, Distraction (1 pt.), Protection 1, Shimmer 2, Visibility (2 pts.). Powers: Active Possession, Elemental Form, Healing, Rune Magic, Search, Spirit Magic. Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1 Skills: Spirit Combat 80%, Spirit Dance 60%. Languages: Speak Spiritspeech 55%, Speak Tarshite 35%, Speak Tradetalk 30%. The Third Floor The third floor is Urvantan’s laboratory, and it is clear that the place has been ransacked. Tables have been pushed aside, scrolls are strewn open on the floor, pulled from their cases. Tablets of clay and bronze are scattered haphazardly, and pots and glass jars that one held various substances, wet and dry, are broken and left on the floor, their contents emptied unceremoniously, mixed and ruined. Many other bottles and bowls are left undisturbed, however, and a successful Plant Lore roll reveals that there are quite a few rarities here from all over Genertela and even other continents. The durable floor covering has been peeled up to expose the black, slate-like substance below, inscribed with various designs and sigils in metallic and colored paint. There is no trace of magic having been performed there in the last week or so. Draped over the back of a chair is a heavy bronze necklace containing a series of half-egg sized crystal orbs, each a full magic point matrix, with a combined total of 24 magic points (see Urvantan, pages 138‒139). Against the opposite wall from the other staircase is one going up to the top floor. There is no guardian spirit in this room: it was destroyed when the Black Arkati confronted Urvantan and defeated him. If the adventurers spend any time searching this room, the gamemaster should have the most active of the group make a Luck roll. If the roll is successful, nothing happens. If it is unsuccessful, one of the Black Arkati (see page 140) comes into the room, drawn by the commotion or perhaps just passing through on the way to get some food (gamemaster’s choice). If are expecting trouble, the Arkati are fully ready for battle, spells cast and weapons at the ready. If not, they are The House of Black Arkat Arkat is perhaps the most significant hero in Glorantha’s history. His battle with the Chaos god Gbaji ended the Dawn Age and ushered in the Second Age. He learned how to perform heroquests and taught this knowledge to his many followers throughout the world. For years his cult controlled all access to the Hero World, but eventually the cult of Arkat lost power and was outlawed. Despite this, the cult survived into the Third Age and is still present, though secretive and scattered. The cult is centered at Arkat’s Hold, a fortified city in northern Esrolia in the foothills of the Sky Reach Mountains. It squats below a dark stone fortress atop an artificial hill. Both the hill and the fortress were raised by Arkat’s magic during the Gbaji Wars. The dark fortress is called the House of Black Arkat and its priests are sorcerers who maintain the forbidden lore of Arkat, despite centuries of persecution. Despite the suspicion and distrust of the surrounding tribes the Black Arkati have survived some twelve centuries by becoming a secret society. Only at the House of Black Arkat can the cult operate openly. Adherents (Lay Members) A candidate for adherent of Black Arkat must be an initiate in any other Lightbringer or troll cult. They must swear loyalty to the cult and are expected to carry out any order given from a Companion or higher-ranking member without question.  Adherents receive no magic, but they can receive training in weapons, Dodge, Listen, Martial Arts, Move Quietly, Read/ Write Theyalan, and Read/Write Western. Along with their training they also receive training in Illumination. Companions of Arkat (Initiates) A candidate for Companion must be an Adherent who has achieved Illumination. Companions may enter the House of the Black Arkat. They are sworn to absolute loyalty to their Keepers and to the Grand Headmaster. Upon initiation, Companions may learn the elements of sorcery (starting with the Magic Rune and Command Technique), although most do not. As illuminates, they can join cults that normally do not permit sorcerers. Keepers The Keepers are the priests of Black Arkat. They must know at least four sorcerous Runes and techniques (meaning they must have at least an INT 15+). Keepers rarely leave the House of Black Arkat.  Grand Headmaster This is the head of the cult, enjoying the total devotion of the cult members. 

Urvantan's Tower 137 and inside his hat are his magical items of jewelry (see page 139)—the Black Arkati want none of them, distrusting zzaburi sorcery. Most significantly, the room is occupied by the Black Arkati, three figures clad head to toe in dark leather garments, hoods covering their heads. If they have not been alerted to the adventurer’s presence by now, two are here, tending to Urvantan. One of them is holding a bowl and spoon with some sort of greyish-green liquid (dreamweed) in it, as if it is being fed to the unconscious sorcerer. The other is sitting on one of the stone benches that lines the wall, reading a leather-bound folio of some sort, tearing out pages and dropping them into a bronze brazier at her feet, letting the flames take them one by one. When they realize the adventurers have entered the floor, they turn slowly to look at them, revealing round staring eyes tattooed onto their foreheads. The Black Arkati These mysterious scholar-assassins are drawn from the lowest ranked members—Adherents—of the House of Black Arkat. Nonetheless, they are dangerous enough to be taken seriously. All are native Esrolians. Led by a Keeper of the House of Black Arkat named Zindaulo, they are eager to prove themselves and advance beyond their initial station. Each is marked with a tattoo signifying their devotion to Black Arkat and Arkat’s hold: a round eye in the center of the forehead, pupil black and eternally staring. They are a bit frustrated by this mission, however. While they expected to confront a meddling Malkioni zzaburi daring to transgress upon Arkat’s sacred work, they encountered a mild-mannered middle-aged man barely able to understand that which their founder had wrought. Rather than a sorcerous caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of a group of armed and armored trespassers. The Fourth Floor The stairwell enters what can only be the final floor, with a high, vaulted ceiling set with long vertical slots roughly five meters up, allowing for light and fresh air. Depending on the time of day, light shines through these and illuminates the chamber. At high noon, the beams of sunlight shine like pillars. Some sleight of magic must be in place to keep dust and rain out, for the chamber floor beneath these window slots is clean. The most prominent feature of the room is a large round wooden trellis almost three meters across, from which stand five arched wooden pillars, curving inward, the ends of which hold metal rings. Tied to those rings are thick ropes woven of black hemp and silver thread, and those ropes are affixed around the ankles, wrists, and neck of a middle-aged man with a long beard. He slumps as if unconscious, roughly head-height above the room, only a breechcloth about his loins. An egg-shaped crystal hangs from the rack above his head, emitting an unsteady glow that brightens and dims in synchronization with the man’s breath. This is Urvantan, victim to one of the strange artifacts of the Tower. The frame taps his magic points as they regenerate, using his own power crystal as the channeling object. Urvantan recognized the purpose of the frame from notes he found within the tower but set it aside once he realized its purpose. He had little interest in putting it to use against unwilling volunteers. The Black Arkati, however, were specifically in need of something to keep a dangerous sorcerer pacified and drained of magical potency, so they put it to use against the tower’s upstart master. One unusual feature catches the eye: a wide, circular stone gateway set into one wall as if opening to another chamber. Thousands of tiny glyphs are etched into the surface, covering every centimeter in strange patterns. The curious aspect of the doorway is that it is impossible given the tower’s structure. Set into the wall, it should simply be a round hole in the side of the tower, open to the outside world. Instead, on the other side of the circular ring is another room, also made of dark stone. In this room the air seems slightly strange, refracting light strangely as if the entire chamber is filled with a massive crystal. There may or may not be people inside, or they may be reflections of those in this room. It is difficult to tell. In one corner of the room is a pile of cloth and a tall hat lying on its side. These are Urvantan’s robe and hat, New Sorcery Spell See Rune Magic Variable Self, Temporal, Stackable [Command + Magic Runes] While this spell is in effect, the caster can sense Rune magic in others. With 1 point of strength, only the presence or absence of Rune magic is detectable. At 5 points of strength, the caster learns the total Rune points possessed by the user. At 10 points of strength, the caster knows the target’s exact Rune spells. The spell does not detect Rune magic while it is in effect, only revealing those spells known by the target, whether the spells have or have not been cast.

RuneQuest 138 Urvantan Rokari Zzaburi. Male, age 105 (current body age 40). Urvantan was born in Tanisor in 1520, more than a century ago. A good Malkioni zzaburi, Urvantan left Seshnela after trolls devoured King Lofting III in 1552. He traveled the Ralios Road to Nochet, arriving there in 1553 and continuing his studies. There in one of the city’s many markets, he discovered a scrap of a map that mentioned a mysterious black tower in the Lost Valley, said to be destroyed. When he deciphered the cryptic notations, Urvantan realized that it was associated with Arkat, piquing his interest considerably. In 1556, Urvantan came to Dragon Pass and found the Lost Valley and its secret, Arkat’s abandoned black tower, buried in a hill. Using his command of magic and with the assistance of some earth elementals, he cleared the interior of the tower, making it habitable. Less dramatically, he hired laborers from True Ford to dig the rest of the tower free, but later he concealed the tower within an illusion of undisturbed earth that could be turned on and off, making it seem as if the tower were untouched. Inside, he discovered that the only remaining item of interest was the circular stone doorway upon the topmost floor, and he has spent decades deciphering the inscriptions covering it. He has largely secluded himself to his studies into Arkat’s heroquest magic, coming out occasionally to aid the people of Long Home or to trade for necessary supplies. Every eight years or so, Urvantan brews an unaging potion that prevents him from aging for eight years. The potion requires very rare ingredients and a sacrifice of POW to create, which is one of the reasons he avoids the attention of any who would threaten him. When the Black Arkati came to visit him with information about Arkat, he was so enthused that he dropped his guard, and they overcame him. Now he is at their mercy, bereft of magic points and kept in a drugged stupor while they destroy his life’s work. His sorcery spells are divided into those memorized and known. Memorized spells can be used immediately, while those known he must clear some Free INT to memorize, removing others. Additionally, he has many other sorcery spells bound into items and can use them freely if possessing the item, so long as he has adequate magic points.

Urvantan's Tower 139 Urvantan STR 11 (1) CON 12 (1) SIZ 12 DEX 11 INT 20 POW 19 CHA 14 Hit Points: 13 Move: 8 DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Air 20%, Earth 75%, Fire 75%, Illusion 75%, Movement 75%. Caste Restrictions: Do not engage in physical combat; do not perform manual labor; do not negotiate or bargain with other castes or outsiders (he presents things as “take it or leave it” or as simple demands); be celibate; always appear as “Zzabur” (tall hat, long beard, heavy robes, etc.). Sorcery Techniques Mastered: Fire Rune, Illusion Rune, Magic Rune, Movement Rune, Spirit Rune, Combine Technique, Command Technique, Dispel Technique, and Summon Technique. Sorcery Spells (Memorized): Create Hallucination 65%, Create Wall of Flames 50%, Dominate Discorporate Spirit 50%, Dominate Fire Elemental 50%. Sorcery Spells (Known): Urvantan knows but does not usually have memorized the following spells: Bind Elemental 25%, Bind Spirit 35%, Conflagration 25%, Enhance INT 25%, Logical Clarity 25%, Summon Fire Elemental 35%, Summon Guardian Spirit 35%. Additionally, he knows the following spell, but it costs double magic points because he lacks mastery of the Rune or technique: Identify Otherworld Entity 25%. A further spell, Brew Unaging Potion 25%, was devised by Urvantan and is known to him alone. Magic Points: Currently 0, normally 116 (19+97 in spirits, matrixes, crystals, etc.) Passions: Fear (Trolls) 70%, Hate (Ethilrist) 60%, Loyalty (Long Home) 90%. Reputation: 45% Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3 Skills: Alchemy 90% (Brew Immortality Potion), Celestial Lore 45%, Dodge 40%, Golden Age Lore 50%, Library Use 45%, Listen 75%, Malkioni Lore 70%, Meditate 95%, Move Quietly 50%, Orate 50%, Plant Lore 75%, Scan 75%, Spirit Combat 75%, Worship (Invisible God) 50%. Languages: Speak Esrolian 30%, Speak Heortling 65%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 50%, Speak Seshnelan 65%, Speak Tarshite 60%, Speak Tradetalk 75%, Read/Write Western 95%, Read/Write Theyalan 55%. Magical Items: POW storage crystal (17-point capacity, used in the framework he is held in); sorcery spell-strengthening crystal (+3 to spell strength); ruby ring with bound fire elemental (taken and in pouch of Black Arkati leader); bronze necklace with magic point matrices (24-pt. capacity, left on the back of a chair on the tower’s third level, page 136); an onyx bracelet with a special Teleportation spell matrix, allowing this spell to be cast for 6 magic points instead of 3 Rune points hidden among his personal effects in his bedchamber. Inscribed Items: Urvantan has inscribed the following sorcery spells into items so that they can be used without affecting his Free INT: Create Image 90% and Disappear 90% (these are bound into the tower itself, allowing it to appear and disappear); a silver bracelet set with gold, orange, and red garnets inscribed with Finger of Fire 70%; two rings of black and white stone, inscribed with Neutralize Spirit Magic 75% and Neutralize Magic 60%, respectively; a diadem of twisted gold and copper wire set with a pale blue stone inscribed with Spirit Warding 65%, and a pot of silvery paint “inscribed” with Protective Circle 25% and 8 additional points of POW. The magical jewelry is in a pile on the floor of the fourth floor and the pot of paint is among the items on the third floor. Ransom: 2,000 L Urvantan’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 0/5 Left Leg 05–08 0/5 Abdomen 09–11 0/5 Chest 12 0/6 Right Arm 13–15 0/4 Left Arm 16–18 0/4 Head 19–20 0/5 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Finger of Fire 80 1D6* 5 — * For an additional +5 points of spell strength, he can add +1D6 to damage or create an additional tendril. See the description of the spell on page 395 of the RuneQuest rule book for more information.

RuneQuest 140 Adept Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 2/5 Left Leg 05–08 2/5 Abdomen 09–11 2/5 Chest 12 2/6 Right Arm 13–15 3/4 Left Arm 16–18 3/4 Head 19–20 1/5 Weapon % Damage SR Range Pts Rapier 80 1D6+1+1D4 6 — 7 Throwing Stars (×3) 75 1D6 2 20 4 Fist* 75 1D3+1D4 8 — Arm Kick* 65 1D6+1D4 8 — Leg Grapple* 60 Special 8 — Arm * Any roll beneath the Martial Arts skill does double damage (roll twice). Arms and legs can be used to parry, blocking 6 points of damage (remainder is inflicted on limb). Off the Rack Urvantan’s 17-point power storage crystal is part of the framework holding him—the Black Arkati use it to siphon magic points from him as they regenerate, keeping him at 0. The drained magic points go from the crystal then back into the framework itself, which keeps him imprisoned: a closed circuit. Taken from the frame, it is empty. The frame itself has roughly 12 hit points per leg, but it will only deactivate if Urvantan is removed from the rack or if the channeling crystal is removed. Once he is removed f r o m t h e r a c k , Urvantan’s eyes open and for a moment he shows clarity, grasping at anyone nearby. “I… understand! It is all… clear…to me now!” he gasps out, eyes wildly darting to the stone circle set in the wall. “Let me…!” and at this last bit, he slumps once more, deeply throwdown, they simply knocked him on the back of the head and have been keeping him doped up on dreamweed, racked and impotent while they searched his tower and make ready to destroy the gateway to the God Time. Keeper Zindaulo, on the other hand, has been quite busy in the threshold chamber, trying to determine for himself a means of entering the God Time and attaining some of the enlightenment that Arkat withheld from his followers. His mission was a simple one—slay the one who dared interfere with the tower and recover or destroy all Arkat’s workings there—but he is unwilling to do so, hoping to show merit with his initiative. Thus, Zindaulo has stalled while he explores the workings of the threshold chamber. He is aware that his four apprentices are growing tired of the delay and are increasingly suspicious of his actions, so he is now weighing his options. Perhaps he will return to Arkat’s Hold alone, with a terrible tale of battle against the renegade zzaburi who could barely be stopped. Black Arkati Adept Initiate of Black Arkat. Age 25. Esrolian. STR 14 CON 14 SIZ 12 DEX 15 INT 13 POW 15 CHA 14 Hit Points: 14 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Death 75%, Illusion 70%. Rune Points: 3 (any Lightbringer cult) Rune Magic: All common knowledge Rune spells plus one of the following: Mind Read (Lhankor Mhy, 2 pts.), Passage (Issaries, 1 pt.), Reflection (Eurmal, 1 pt.), Summon Air Elemental (Orlanthi, small, 1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Countermagic 1, Heal 1, Protection 2, Strength 1. Magic Points: 15 Passions: Devotion (Black Arkat) 75%, Devotion (Lightbringer) 65%, Loyalty (Arkat’s Hold) 80%. Armor: Leather hooded hauberk (1 and 2 pts.), cuirboilli vambraces (3 pts.), heavy leather pants (2 pt.). Skills: Battle 30%, Climb 50%, Cult Lore (Arkat) 35%, Cult Lore (Lightbringer) 30%, Dodge 55%, First Aid 40%, Hide 45%, Illumination 20%, Jump 50%, Listen 50%, Martial Arts 30%, Scan 40%, Search 45%, Spirit Combat 50%, Worship (Black Arkat) 40%, Worship (Lightbringer) 35%. Languages: Speak Esrolian 65%, Speak Tradetalk 35%, Read/Write Theyalan 55%, Read/Write Western 45%. Treasure: 2D20 L apiece.

Urvantan's Tower 141 She has dwelt in True Ford for several years and likely is well aware of the location of Urvantan’s Tower. See Rescuing Urvantan, page 145 for more information. Arkat’s Gate The stone ring set into the wall is a means of gaining access to the Hero World, covered with magical glyphs and Runes of his own making. It is roughly half a meter thick and would, under normal circumstances, be a big circular window set at floor level, but instead it looks into a room roughly the same size and shape as the one in the tower, but inside, the light is murky, almost as if set behind a thick sheet of crystal or glass. On the other side of the barrier, amorphous shapes move slowly, highly distorted, their exact natures difficult to determine. A successful Scan roll reveals that there are two humanoid figures inside, clad in dark clothing. A special or critical success reveals that it is a man and a woman, both clad in a similar fashion to the Black Arkati. They are moving, conducting some sort of elaborate ritual and speaking, but no sound passes through the barrier. They have not noticed anything that has transpired on the other side of the gate. Arkat’s Gate can be destroyed (it has an armor value of 12 and 88 hit points), or it can be left intact for further exploration of the threshold chamber beyond, and potentially the part of the Hero World that room is supposed to be able to access. If they destroy it, it is sealed forever, and anyone inside the chamber is trapped in this strange, artificial place between the Mundane and the God Worlds. Perhaps they can be rescued or make their way to the Hero World… but that is beyond the scope of this adventure. Walking through the gate initiates Spirit Combat with its bound guardian spirit Imbaris, summoned and bound to the gate to protect it when the Black Arkati left the tower, dozens of centuries ago. It attacks anyone other than the Black Arkati —which means Urvantan, the adventurers—who tries to go through the gate in either direction. Stepping away from the gate, however, stops the combat. If Imbaris manifests, it steps out of the blurry space between the rooms, its body seemingly fashioned out of that strange non-stuff. Its physical form is amorphous, with many tendrils that seem to dissipate into thin air. The guardian spirit can be destroyed or banished: Urvantan just didn’t think the effort was worth it. asleep. No amount of easy prodding (slapping, pinching, etc.) revives him. The sorcerer remains unconscious until more serious measures are taken. Unfortunately, it is not so simple as merely waiting for his magic points to regenerate. He has been drugged with a steady supply of dreamweed of POT 12 (see page 198 of the Glorantha Bestiary), draining him of STR and CON (currently at 1) and keeping him in a stupor where his mind roams the infinite. Each characteristic point lost to dreamweed—11, in his case—takes two hours to recover. Thus, it will take 22 hours of rest and recuperation for these characteristics to return to normal, and roughly the same for his magic points to return, unless other measures are taken. His POW storage crystals will supply him with an adequate source of instant magic points, should he be roused enough to use them. Any adventurers with skill in Plant Lore or Treat Poison can attempt to use the materials in Urvantan’s laboratory on the third floor to concoct an elixir that might help flush the dreamweed from his body. See page 162 of the RuneQuest core rules for more information on the use of this skill. At the gamemaster’s discretion, each point of POT lowered reduces the recovery time to one hour per characteristic point vs two. Unfortunately, the adventurers may not have that much time. If they have dispatched or otherwise rid the room of the Black Arkati, the gamemaster should ask all of those in the top floor for a Listen roll. Success means that they hear a procession echoing from the surrounding area—armor clanking, hooves clattering, voices calling, and creatures roaring—echoing from the hills outside the tower, coming through the big window slots above. A successful Climb roll lets an adventurer scramble up the interior wall and peer out one of the window slots. It requires no roll to see that some distance away, a large group of over two dozen soldiers, Beast Men, and monsters are moving through the surrounding countryside, somewhat in the direction of the tower. A more careful observation shows them combing the area, looking for something. However, a successful Scan roll lets the adventurer see a woman in the robes of a Seven Mothers priestess accompanying the motely party. As the adventurer watches, she looks directly at the hill where the tower is concealed, pausing for several seconds. She then looks away and gestures in another direction, which the group follows, detouring away from the tower’s hill. If anyone is familiar with the denizens of True Ford, they recognize her as Harawin Moonsister, a Lunar priestess tolerated by the community.

RuneQuest 142 The two inside the chamber look at the adventurers as they enter, as their entry is incredibly obvious. They immediately scramble to act, leaping to attack as soon as possible unless the adventurers do something to give them pause. Zindaulo the Keeper Keeper of the House of Black Arkat, Illuminate. Male, age 47. Exiled Esrolian noble. A noble-born son out of Helerdon, in Esrolia, Zindaulo sought truth and wisdom beyond that which his station could afford him, his ambition driving a wedge between him and his family, who sent him away. He fled to Nochet and there entered the cult of Lhankor Mhy, serving within the Great Archive there. After many years as an apprentice scribe, a scholar, translator, and a budding sorcerer, Zindaulo demanded from the Sages of the temple of Lhankor Mhy more than they would provide him: access to their innermost mysteries. Though the temple encouraged such curiosity, the Sages saw in him a dangerous lack of wisdom: he sought knowledge and the power it brought, but not Truth and the prudence to use that power well. Thus ended his engagement with the cult of Lhankor Mhy. From there, Zindaulo traveled throughout Dragon Pass and beyond, learning many things and expanding his sorcerous capabilities. Eventually he returned to Esrolia. There, in the House of Black Arkat, Zindaulo found what he sought, his ruthless ambition welcomed, his path to Illumination open. So immersed were the scholar-sorcerers Imbaris, Guardian Spirit POW 14 INT 11 CHA 6 Move: 14 Magic Points: 14 Base SR: 4 Runes: Air 70%, Stasis 55%. Rune Points: 3 Rune Magic: Absorption (1 pt.), Mist Cloud (1 pt.), Wind Warp (1 pt.). Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.), Countermagic 2, Demoralize (2 pts.), Glue 1, Slow (1 pt.), Spirit Screen 1, Visibility (2 pts.). Powers: Elemental Form, Rune Magic, Search, Spirit Magic, Telekinesis. Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6 Skills: Spirit Combat 70%, Spirit Dance 35%. Languages: Speak Spiritspeech 65%. Weapon % Damage SR Pts Telekinetic Hurl* 70 1D4 or 1D6 8 — * May throw objects as weapons (1D4 for small, 1d6 large) or use its POW as STR in a resistance roll to push or throw opponents. The Threshold Chamber Getting past the guardian spirit and going through the gate is like moving through a wall of thick gelatin the thickness of the surrounding stone (about half a meter thick). It is neither wet or slimy and has no smell, it is simply as if the air is thicker through there. Firing a missile weapon or spell through the barrier is impossible. Physical weapons go awry and simply drop to the ground and directed magic spells seem to go off in unexpected directions. Once through, the adventurers enter a chamber almost identical to the one they have just left, though the doorway in the floor does not exist, the chamber having no apparent exits and no window slots. Despite the lack of any means of light entering the room, it is not dark and seems to have a dim, constant illumination that comes from no apparent source. The air still seems as if it is a physical thing: clear currents move through it and it causes blurriness and distortion, distances are hard to estimate, sound is curiously muffled, and other senses are peculiarly dulled or confused. Within the room are two people, both in the garments of the Black Arkati but with some differences: the garments of one are more elaborate than those worn by Urvantan’s tenders, and the other inhabitant has the appearance of a warrior, a massive, muscled woman, armored and beweaponed. The first of them is Zindaulo the Keeper, one of the elite priests of the House of Black Arkat, and the second is Vroluxa, an Esrolian mercenary-turned-believer, sworn to serve as Zindaulo’s bodyguard. Inside the Chamber This extraordinary place is the result of magical activity by Arkat and his followers dedicated to creating a workspace where they could explore the Hero World, the grander and divine world in which heroquests are reflected. It is identical to the room it links to because it is indeed a copy of that space, a replica of the uttermost floor of Arkat’s tower existing in the Hero World itself, sealed from detection there. This is a pocket of the Hero World, working under different principles of time and space, and thus it is difficult to process for mortal minds. Eventually, hopefully, the adventurers will be manifest here, but this is not that time, and thus their presence as Heroes in this place is nominal or nonexistent. Due to the weird and heightened mythical nature of Arkat’s chamber, anyone who is not Illuminated (possessing the skill) will find that any skills relating to perception are at –20% while they are in the chamber. This extends to any missile weapons. The air warps and feels as if currents are moving through it. Spirit magic spells have their normal effect, assuming they strike the target. On the other hand, Rune usage, including for Rune or sorcery spells, is at a +20% modifier while in the chamber, though this effect is limited to the chamber itself.

Urvantan's Tower 143 Illumination Illumination is a mystical state of consciousness first brought to mortals by Nysalor, a Chaos God. Until someone achieves Illumination, the skill does nothing but express the yearly chance they have of becoming Illuminated. Once a that person has achieved Illumination, the skill can be used for various Illumination powers. Skills: Alchemy 20%, Charm 35%, Conceal 35%, Cult Lore (Black Arkat) 35%, Cult Lore (Lhankor Mhy) 45%, Customs (Esrolian) 65% Dodge 50%, Evaluate 40%, Fast Talk 55%, First Aid 30%, Homeland Lore (Esrolia) 60%, Illumination 75%, Insight (human) 45%, Intimidate 35%, Intrigue 50%, Library Use 60%, Listen 55%, Manage Household 35%, Meditate 50%, Move Quietly 35%, Orate 30%, Ride (horse) 25%, Scan 55%, Search 40%, Spirit Combat 55%, Spirit Dance 30%, Spirit Lore 20%, Spirit Travel 40%, Worship (Lhankhor Mhy) 30%. Languages: Speak Esrolian 90%, Speak Heortling 40%, Speak New Pelorian 35%, Speak Pure Horse Tongue 20%, Speak Spiritspeech 35%, Speak Tradetalk 80%, Read/ Write Theyalan 90%, Read/Write New Pelorian 30%. Illumination Abilities: Zindaulo may use his Illumination skill to overcome his own Runes and Passions and can ignore all cult restrictions. He can also sense Illumination in others. Magic Items: Two POW-storing crystals (8-pt. and 10-pt. capacity); enchanted iron rapier with 3-pt. Bladesharp spell permanently bound into it. Bound Spirits: (in 8-point crystal) POW 15, CHA 12; knows Detect Enemies (1 pt.), Detect Magic (1 pt.), Detect Spirit (1 pt.), Dispel Magic 2, Glamour (2 pts.), Lantern (1 pt.), Protection 2, Shimmer 2; (in 10-point crystal) POW 23, CHA 5; knows Heal 3, Visibility (2 pts.). Treasures: 120 L in coin; writing implements and materials; family signet ring (worth 60 L). Zindaulo’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP Right Leg 01–04 2/4 Left Leg 05–08 2/4 Abdomen 09–11 2/4 Chest 12 2/5 Right Arm 13–15 3/3 Left Arm 16–18 3/3 Head 19–20 1/4 Weapon % Damage SR Pts Iron Rapier* 65 1D6+1+3+1D4 7 12 * Bladesharp 3 damage and skill bonus included. Vroluxa, Black Hand of Arkat Initiate of Black Arkat and of Argan Argar. Female, age 37. Esrolian of House DeArn. Vroluxa was born to a once great but now disenfranchised Esrolian noble family, House DeArn. Fallen out of favor, exiled and barely tolerated in Nochet, the seat of Esrolian power, she grew up in Valadon near the Shadow Plateau, her of that place in their own esoteric studies that Zindaulo’s selfish aims remained unmasked. He studied alongside them, his own agenda furthered, always knowing eventually his path would diverge from that of the Black Arkati. The significance of Arkat’s gate and the threshold chamber intrigues Zindaulo, as he would very much like to extend his sorcerous abilities through experiments such as Arkat wrought, using nascent heroquests as a short-cut to the powers they offer. Like the other Black Arkati, Zindaulo wears all black and has a staring eye tattooed upon his forehead. Zindaulo STR 13 CON 11 SIZ 12 DEX 17 INT 20 POW 18 CHA 15 Hit Points: 12 Move: 8 DEX SR: 1 SIZ SR: 2 Runes: Air 60%, Disorder 75%, Fire 60%, Harmony 70%, Man 75%, Truth 60%. Rune Points: 0 (Lhankor Mhy, excommunicated from the cult) Rune Spells: Not applicable. Sorcery Techniques Mastered: Combine Technique, Command Technique, Tap Technique, Disorder Rune, Magic Rune, Man Rune, Truth Rune. Sorcery Spells: Bind Spirit 25%, Castback 40%, Dominate Human 25%, Identify Spell 35%, Magic Point Enchantment 50%, Pierce Veil 20%, Tap Body 35%, Ward Against Weapons 30%. Spirit Magic: Binding Enchantment (1 pt.), Countermagic 3, Detect Magic (1 pt.), Disruption (1 pt.), Distraction (1 pt.), Heal 2, Magic Point Enchantment (1 pt.), Second Sight (3 pts.), Spirit Screen (2 pts.). Magic Points: 36 (18 + 18 in crystals) Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3 Passions: Devotion (Black Arkat) 60%, Loyalty (Black Arkat) 60%. Armor: Leather hooded hauberk (1 and 2 pts.), cuirboilli vambraces (3 pts.), heavy leather pants (2 pt.).

RuneQuest 144 Armor: Enchanted black iron segmented plate (9 pts.), cuirboilli greaves and vambraces (3 pts.), leather bodysuit under-armor (1 pts.), and composite helm (3 pts.). (–0% to Move Quietly, see below.) Skills: Battle 30%, Climb 50%, Conceal 35%, Cult Lore (Argan Argar) 25%, Cult Lore (Black Arkat) 15%, Customs (Esrolian) 40%, Customs (trolls) 35%, Dodge 50%, Elder Race Lore (trolls) 25%, Fast Talk 45%, First Aid 30%, Homeland Lore (Esrolia) 40%, Illumination 35%, Insight (human) 40%, Insight (trolls) 30%, Intimidate 55%, Jump 50%, Listen 45%, Martial Arts 35%, Meditate 20%, Move Quietly 60%, Scan 50%, Search 45%, Spirit Combat 20%, Worship (Argan Argar) 35%, Worship (Black Arkat) 25%. Languages: Speak Darktongue 50%, Speak Esrolian 75%, Speak Tradetalk 40%, Read/Write Darktongue 25%, Read/Write Esrolian 35%. Magic Items: Enchanted black iron segmented plate cuirass (contains a 1-pt. matrix for Silence, no modifier to spellcasting). Treasure: 75 L in coins. Ransom: 600 L Vroluxa’s Hit Locations Location D20 Armor/HP* Right Leg 01–04 4/6 Left Leg 05–08 4/6 Abdomen 09–11 10/6 Chest 12 10/7 Right Arm 13–15 4/5 Left Arm 16–18 4/5 Head 19–20 4/6 * If able, Vroluxa casts Vigor on herself, increasing her hit points to 20 and adding +1 per location. Weapon % Damage SR Pts Quarterstaff 80 1D8+1D6 3 8 Singlestick 85 1d6+1D6 7 5 Dart (×3) 65 1D6 S/MR 4 Cestus, Heavy* 85 1D3+2+1D6 7 8 * She wears the heavy cestus on her left hand, using it to parry. Dealing with the Black Arkati The adventurers can potentially negotiate with Zindaulo and Vroluxa, assuming they are willing to do so. Neither of them is particularly interested in dying, and they are not technically guilty of anything other than imprisoning a squatter in a tower that belongs to the demigod founder of their order. If the adventurers agree to let them go, they’ll depart without difficulty, even if the other Black Arkati tending to Urvantan have been killed. Should any of the family clinging to scraps of dignity but mostly forced into a mercantile role—primarily trading with the dark trolls of the region. Her friends as a child were trollkin, and she excelled in their rough and tumble sports and brutal games, earning many scars and broken bones in the process. When she came of age, she embraced the cult of Argan Argar, and served as a mercenary within several dark troll companies, fighting for the Shadow Plateau when threatened. Eventually, Vroluxa tired of trollish ways and sought something deeper. She found it in the House of Black Arkat, where she became an initiate, and eventually a servant of the Keepers themselves, providing valuable war-craft to defend the House against mortal threats. For this, Vroluxa earned the title of ‘Black Hand,’ a specialized role indicating someone of status within the cult alongside—but not equal to—Companions (see page 136). She may not yet enter the House of Black Arkat but is regarded more highly than any mere Adherent (lay member). Unlike the other Black Arkati, she does not have the eye tattoo upon her forehead, having not yet earned that right. The devout mercenary was sent to safeguard Zindaulo and the other Black Arkati as they investigated the tower and to ensure that its mysteries would not fall into meddling hands. Since arriving, she’s been growing increasingly suspicious of Zandaulo’s designs on Arkat’s gate and the threshold chamber. The matter should have been taken care of immediately with a quick murder, some hammer-work, and several judiciously applied torches, so every day they linger makes her wonder about the delay. Vroluxa STR 16 CON 15 SIZ 17 DEX 14 INT 12 POW 14 CHA 13 Hit Points: 17 Move: 8 DEX SR: 2 SIZ SR: 1 Runes: Darkness 70%, Death 60%, Harmony 60%, Illusion 60%. Rune Points: 4 (Argan Argar) Rune Spells: All common knowledge plus Create Shadow (1 pt.), Dark Walk (1 pt.), Safe (2 pts.). Spirit Magic: Darkwall (2 pts.), Detect Magic (1 pt.), Protection 3, Vigor (2 pts.). Magic Points: 14 Passions: Devotion (Argan Argar) 65%, Devotion (Black Arkat) 60%, Fear (fire) 60%, Hate (Queen Samastina) 65%, Honor 60%, Loyalty (House DeArn) 70%. Reputation: 14% Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1

Urvantan's Tower 145 adventurers try to take the Arkati prisoners for ransom, it’s a long journey to the House of Black Arkat, a trip of roughly 110 kilometers (70 miles) through some rough territory. It’s not out of the question that they can be convinced to help against the Long Home invaders, but this would require giving them a considerable boon in return. The gamemaster should determine the outcome of any successful Fast Talk or Orate rolls or anything more substantial in light of the danger the Black Arkati would face and their relative disinterest in the valley and its fate. Urvantan, should he awaken while his former captors are present, will be more excited than annoyed, and wants to know everything they know about Black Arkat and the history of the tower. If they’re convinced to leave, the remaining Black Arkati will go immediately, leaving the door and the hillside illusion in the state they found it in. Rescuing Urvantan Staying in the tower is almost definitely a bad idea, as a detachment consisting of two centaurs, two minotaurs, Senginnius the satyr shaman, and roughly twenty human soldiers—a mix of skirmishers, heavy infantry, and light cavalry—and worse yet, a manticore, is circling the village, beating the brush and looking for refugees, escaped Wardens, and trying to track those who fought their initial party of skirmishers. The Wardens, however, have helped cover and confound those tracks. Furthermore, the Company has already had trouble with the local trollkin and Telmori, and are wary of them, hence their numbers. From the villagers, the Company knows of Urvantan and has the general whereabouts of his tower, but they do not know precisely, and the directions did not account for a hill in the tower’s place. Some of them think that this mysterious sorcerer killed the skirmishing party that never returned, while others think that they were killed by Wardens. The gamemaster should adjust this based on the outcome of the initial encounter. If the adventurers re-locked the door (see page 132) or dealt reasonably with the tower’s door guardian spirit Ahazu, the spirit has re-activated the illusion that shrouds the tower from view, concealing it again. If the adventurers destroyed the spirit and left the door unlocked, the tower stands revealed, and the Company can find it easily. The sounds of the procession of soldiers outside grows louder. The gamemaster should have the leader of the adventurers attempt a Luck roll every minute they linger in the tower after noticing the Company (see page 141). If the Luck roll fails, the Company finds the tower and either enters the door or begins banging on it. As none of the Company have a key, they will be unable to open the outside door initially, but they are accompanied by the Seven Mothers priestess Hawarin Moonsister, who knows Urvantan and where his tower is. She is, however, keeping this information secret from them, as her loyalties are torn between Long Home and the demands made on her by the Company. Though she is still a loyal citizen of the Lunar Empire, she is not especially fond of the crude Company and their apparent disdain for the people of her adopted home. Hawarin knows that a confrontation with the sorcerer will result in death, likely many deaths. The members of the Company, will, however, have no problem breaking the door down if they find it, setting some minotaurs to work at it with their huge axes. It takes only three combat rounds before they have done enough damage to the door to allow entry, at which point the tower is invaded by minotaurs and a squad of a dozen heavy infantry soldiers. See pages 155‒157 for their writeups. If the door is unlocked and open, they will go through immediately and begin searching the tower for Urvantan and any of his accomplices, the adventurers! If the door is closed and the illusion restored, the adventurers can breathe easy for a while, remaining in the tower and seeing to Urvantan, as well as taking care of any other wounds they may have incurred from the Black Arkati. The Magic Returns Once he is brought to consciousness, Urvantan calls for his garments and thanks the adventurers for helping him. He asks them to stand guard over any of the Black Arkati, if they remain. The wild look in his eyes has disappeared and even weakened and drained of magical energy, he seems to have achieved some sort of inner calm. He asks for a full report on what has transpired in the village and valley, growing tearful at the news of the deaths and hardship inflicted by the Company. Urvantan can guide any adventurers to help restore him via Plant Lore, Treat Poison, or some other method if they have not done so already, and begins preparing himself for his return into the threshold chamber. If asked, he claims he plans to use the magic therein to enact a type of heroquest the likes of which the world has not seen, channeling the God Time itself in the process. The sorcerer is going to enact this grand magical working and defeat those holding True Ford in one fell swoop, but it must be done rapidly, before those besieging Wolf Heads Fort can return. If the adventurers attempt to go after the leaders of the Company

RuneQuest 146 Outside the tower, the adventurers have several options: . First and foremost, they can try to meet up with Danbar and the Wardens again. This should be easy enough, by either returning to the hideout where they rescued Maroftoor or looking for them in the woods surrounding the village. Within an hour or so of leaving the tower, a Warden will spot them in the wilderness (see Finding the Resistance, page 147). In the Warden hideout, the adventurers find that the Wardens have stashed the skirmishers’ bodies and concealed all traces of the fight. . Going to Wolf Heads Fort (page 117) is not an ideal solution as the fort is currently facing a preparatory siege by the Company of the Manticore. Under the cover of darkness or using some ingenious magic, the adventurers could conceivably get into the fort, so the gamemaster should evaluate how possible any such plans are. Inside the fort they’ll find a bunch of refugees from the valley and from True Ford, as well as two of the Ernalda temple’s priestesses. .The adventurers can remain in the woods, hoping to avoid the Company’s scouts, a dangerous proposition. This will put them into the position of needing to make regular Move Quietly and Hide rolls to move without being noticed, Survival to find their way around, and Track to cover their own tracks, concealing them from Company scouts. .They can leave the valley entirely, assuming they can avoid the Company. This might be the easiest but certainly is the least honorable. Where do they go next? Back to Clearwine, looking for support? . Finally, the adventurers can choose to sneak into True Ford itself, a surprisingly reasonable option. The Company of the Manticore has about a quarter of its members still in the village, another quarter outside it looking for the adventurers and Urvantan, and half at Wolf Heads Fort. There are ample houses, and the Earth temple there, all empty, and the Elders and Jorendona are being kept inside the big hall. Under the cover of darkness, they might be able to sneak in easily, finding temporary respite in an empty house, shop, or even breaking into the great hall where most of the people are being held. If they can get to Jorendona and get her free from the Company, she can use her own healing abilities to restore Urvantan in relative haste. at the fort, this leaves the villagers as hostages, and even a resounding victory at the fort might mean many deaths back in the village. His plan, the sorcerer explains, is extremely dangerous, and he needs help from the adventurers. The only way he can rid the village of the invading army is with the help of the townsfolk. They need to spread the army thin, so that they are not grouped together as they are currently deployed, and for this to work he will need the adventurers in the village itself. Urvantan will not tell them any more about what he is going to do, as he is reluctant to jeopardize its chances of success should the adventurers be captured. Due to his zzaburi caste restrictions, he cannot bargain with them— it’s either his way or the pathway. Urvantan urges the adventurers to leave him in his tower and to go find Danbar. Then, with Danbar and his Wardens, the adventurers should try to draw the Company of the Manticore out of the village hall, where there are so many innocents who will be endangered. If the Black Arkati were defeated, he asks for any POW storage crystals they brought. Zindaulo has or had two—the gamemaster should note how many magic points were left in each. If the adventurers have any to lend him, the sorcerer will gladly take them, promising their return. Finally, Urvantan tells the adventurers that when the Company has been drawn out of the hall, they should alert him with a flaming arrow, fired into the air. He will know it for their signal, and they should be ready. Escaping the Dark Tower Eventually, the Company of the Manticore is going to find and enter the tower. The adventurers should feel the urge to escape rather than fighting a desperate battle to defend it. Going toe-to-toe with a group of over twenty-five armed foes—two of which are spellcasters and one pet monster—is a bit more of a challenge than even the doughtiest groups might be up for. If they take the still-unconscious sorcerer and flee the tower, hopefully someone will grab Urvantan’s robe and hat, finding the jewelry casually left inside the hat. Unless they’ve been able to reduce the effects of the dreamweed on the sorcerer and wake him up, he remains unconscious. He has no magic points other than those from his artifacts (the bronze necklace and his personal items). It takes less than a minute to vacate the place with Urvantan, and the adventurers can attempt to disappear into the forested reaches of Long Home and try to meet up with the Wardens or seek some other options.

Urvantan's Tower 147 The gamemaster may have to improvise, using the descriptions of the region in the Lost Valley chapter, depending on what the adventurers plan on doing. Regardless, once Urvantan is awake and coherent, he immediately asks to be taken back to his tower that he can return to the Hero World threshold chamber and enact his God Time heroquest ritual. Finding the Resistance Should the adventurers try to find Captain Danbar and the Wardens, they will be able to meet up with them with little difficulty. A successful opposed Track roll vs. a typical Warden’s Track skill (50%) allows the adventurers to track them from the hideout and find them in their new location, a concealed refuge at the edges of, but not within, the Elf Woods. Alternately, any one of the adventurers (player choice) makes a successful Luck (POW×5) roll and one of the Wardens finds them and escorts them to the others. The refuge is a concealed dugout, a hastily assembled lean-to camouflaged and nestled into a dried creek-bed under a rocky outcropping. The Track roll will lead to it, but not identify its exact location. From the outside, the hideout looks like a vast pile of sticks, leaves, and branches, swept down the creek by waters that no longer flow but a successful Search roll identifies it as something more than that. Outside, within 30 meters (33 yards) of the hideout, two Wardens hide, holding watch with bows, ready to kill any intruders. Either of them can be found with a Scan roll opposing their Hide skills (50%). They know about the adventurers and will identify themselves if they are spotted. Inside the hideout, Danbar, Maroftoor, a handful of Wardens and about a half-dozen refugees from the village and nearby farms huddle together in the cramped quarter, barely more than a beaver’s den in size and relative level of comfort. Parents clutch at weeping children, and the Wardens tend to the injured. The Warden captain wants to know all that happened within the tower and what has become of Urvantan. If the old sorcerer is with them, all are elated to see him, whatever his state. If he is still back at his tower, the Wardens will still take hope that his assistance is a possibility. It’s time to consider options. Danbar asks for the adventurers’ opinions on what they should do. He and his Wardens are far outclassed by the Company, but all are resigned to help fight to their dying breaths. The choices described in Escaping the Dark Tower (page 146) are all presented by Danbar and given due consideration. The Siege of Long Home Another option for the liberation of Long Home is the military solution, which is perhaps the most involved. This would involve the adventurers and denizens of Long Home attempting to drive the Company out of the valley by themselves, in league with the Wardens, the militia in Wolf Heads Fort, and any others they can draw to their cause. This would in and of itself be the foundation of a longer series of adventures in which they, in league with Urvantan and others, form the hub of the resistance movement. Adventurers with strong military backgrounds—soldiers of all sorts, those with battles or wars in their personal histories—would find this an ideal sort of campaign, so it might be the most natural solution to them. Such a campaign would likely mean that they need to pick off Company patrols, fighting a battle of attrition until the Company must withdraw from the valley entirely. The other and more desperate measure is to attempt a big uprising and open battle with the militia and any able-bodied denizen of Long Home. For either approach, the resistance might need to make common cause with the trollkin and Telmori, or the Company may even attempt to parley with them, offering to buy the adventurers off and enlist them with promises of free rein in the area around Brook Hurts, or even give them Wolf Heads Fort if it can be taken. Some possible milestones along the way include: . Hawarin, the priestess of the Red Moon, may get disgusted with the brutal treatment the Company is employing and start surreptitious aid for the resistance. .The Company is trying to add to their remounts by grabbing all the horses in the valley, which means that their cavalry must extend itself to find the horses the herders are trying to keep out of their hands. .Maroftoor the Stout, one of the most prominent surviving Elders, is ready to negotiate with the Company—assuming he can arrange a protocol that allows him to continue to prosper, or even expand his holdings. Danbar is not enthusiastic, but his followers are divided on the subject, mostly between the prosperous ranchers and farmers versus the farm and ranch workers. .The Company is trying to make the Ernalda temple a center of their power, but Weresting is having none of it. She’s keeping the hidden sanctuary for Babeester Gor a secret, along with the Rune magic matrices of Earth Control hidden there. The Company still holds Jorendona in a continuing Sleep spell (the satyrs trade off playing a Sleep tune on their pipe), so concern for the priestess’ welfare keeps Weresting from trying anything on her own. Eventually, such a campaign could lead to a final confrontation with Koros and his chief lieutenants, with the adventurers serving as the vanguards for such a battle. Perhaps Urvantan will play a critical part, or he might be nothing but a figurehead.

RuneQuest 148 player, concealing the result) to determine how well the plan is communicated and understood by those trying to enact it. This can be augmented by whatever abilities seems most suitable. It is advised not to let the planning phase part of the adventure bog down too much. If it drags, have some Company scouts show up outside and need to be chased down else they return to the village and warn the others. Back to True Ford At this point, the adventurers—supported by the surviving Wardens and their captain—should be heading to True Ford with whatever plan they’ve been able to assemble to try to draw the Company out of the village hall so that they can be separated from the captured villagers. This portion of the adventure is necessarily improvisational for the gamemaster, who must accommodate the adventurers’ strategy. The Wardens are there for support and agree to almost any plan that sounds like it has a reasonable chance of success, though none of them want to die. Danbar discourages any plan involving burning the town down to a notable degree, just in case that is suggested. Maroftoor, again, suggests negotiation. Twelve members of the Company are stationed within the village during the daytime, minus any slain during the first encounter. If it is after nightfall, this number increases to 47, given the return of the big scouting party of 25 and the smaller parties (three groups of three, three, and four skirmishers). Most of the Company in True Ford are in or holding guard at the great village hall, while the rest are on the streets with bows ready, making sure the villagers stay in their homes. Usually it’s the centaurs and cavalry who are patrolling the streets, as they can move much faster and have a dramatic advantage on any fleeing villagers. It should not be difficult at all for the adventurers to get into the village and make their way to the village hall, whether through stealth, violence, or by simply marching through town and announcing their presence at the hall. If allowed to escape, at least one of the centaurs or cavalry riders rides to the hall to warn the others, or if not able to, rides to Wolf Heads Fort to warn the rest of the Company that something is happening in the village. As the adventurers and Wardens make their way into the town, one of them looks up and out at the horizon. A trail of smoke is visible—barely so if it is dark. It’s a signal from the direction of Wolf Heads Fort with a simple implication: “Danger is on its way!” Only Maroftoor is the nay-sayer, demanding that the others listen to him due to his status as an Elder. He believes that they should cut a deal with the Company. The Lunars, while prone to invasion, are not unreasonable, and he feels that they could come to some sort of arrangement mutually beneficial to all. Perhaps it’s only a matter of money, either immediate or a cut of future profits. Maybe they can all just swear fealty to the Lunars, give up a few troublemakers, and the mercenaries will go away? None of the Wardens are particularly thrilled with these suggestions. A successful Insight (human) roll, if an adventurer thinks of it, reveals that Maroftoor is not at all onboard with the plan, but is biting his tongue. Should the adventurers be unfamiliar with the area, they are told that this is at the edge of the Elf Forest, but elves want no part of the Company’s attention and do not offer refuge, nor will they tolerate trespassers. If for some reason the adventurers wish to go into the Elf Woods and seek them out, the gamemaster should consult page 118 for that area’s description. Perhaps if one or more of them is an elf-friend and can prove it, they might have a chance getting such assistance, but otherwise they will meet with a cool reception. Time is Running Out As they are discussing the options, a Warden arrives and is escorted into the hideout, out of breath. She tells all assembled there that the siege of Wolf Heads Fort has begun. The Company has been assembling some rudimentary siege equipment (battering ram, ladders, defensive walls, etc.) and have signaled to the fort’s commander, Captain Tarentha, that she opens the gates to the fort or faces the worst. The Warden says that there are an estimated two hundred people inside, about half of whom can fight, but few of them are seasoned soldiers. The rest are villagers, farmers, traders, and tradesfolk from the area. They will likely be slaughtered within a few hours. If any adventurer has presented themselves as a military type (obviously a soldier, used battle terms, etc.) Danbar asks for their counsel specifically. He is inclined to trust Urvantan’s plan: drawing the Company out from the village hall and trying to pick them off with missile weapons, running attacks, and other hit-and-run tactics makes sound sense so long as they have something more powerful in store to deal with the mercenaries when they’re out in the open. The gamemaster is encouraged to let the players come up with whatever plan seems best for their adventurers, perhaps calling for the designated leader of the adventurers to make a Battle roll (the gamemaster should roll for the

Urvantan's Tower 149 the agreed-upon signal that the time is nigh. The arrow arcs brightly, then drops out of sight behind the tree line. A moment later, Urvantan, the sorcerer of Long Home and defender of True Ford, appears suddenly, blinking into existence before the village hall. If one of the adventurers was able to assist him with a Teleportation spell, they are either with him or nearby. If not, he does so alone. With his long white beard, his layered red robes and his high, conical hat he seems to belong to some other age, some figure out of stories or from distant lands. About his neck and hands gleam ornaments of magical power, and gone is the dazed, weakened old man and in his place is something primal, a sorcerer at the pinnacle of his power and not to be ignored. Kingdoms have fallen at the hands of such as he. More so than any of this, however, is the way he appears: a force that is both primal and unreal at once, as if he is not quite in the Mundane World. This peculiar sharpness makes it difficult to see him clearly, as if he is much nearer, or larger…more something. When Urvantan moves it is as if there are many of him for a moment, phantom images left in his wake. He looks about him, eyes darting to fix upon one of the Company of the Manticore. From his hand erupts a stream of flame, lashing at the mercenary like a whip. The man screams and falls to the ground, aflame. Urvantan beckons with the other hand and one of the torches held by a Company skirmisher flares into bright life, grows to great size, dropping to the ground and taking on a fiery shape—that of an urzani, a fire elemental. It roars and engulfs the one who held the torch it was born from, another casualty. The sorcerer looks around to find his next target when suddenly an arrow transfixes the sorcerer, going deep into his chest, quickly joined by another. He slumps to the ground, jerking for a moment. Another arrow hits him and he grows still. Then his body disappears in a flash of bright flame, and a flicker of red across the village square has him standing again, alive and hale if slightly disoriented, looking around to get his bearings once more. No arrows protrude from him now, and it is as if he were never injured. Urvantan looks around once more, exactly as he did before, and his fingers sketch an elaborate pattern in the air, glowing motes dropping from his fingertips. He points and draws a line of fire in the ground, which roars up and bars some members of the Company from approaching him. A minotaur with a great axe rushes through the incendiary wall, unable to stop its momentum. Its fur catches fire and it roars, Back at the Tower If any adventurer remained in the tower with Urvantan, they will see the sorcerer go about collecting his various magical accoutrements and preparing several sorcerous rituals before entering Arkat’s Chamber. If the adventurer(s) assist through whatever means they can, so much the better. He will be meditating and performing other ritual practices to boost the chances for his attempt in the threshold chamber, as well as gathering various Rune-aspected material components (see page 389 of the RuneQuest core rules). To keep this from being too dull, the gamemaster is encouraged to add an element of threat, such as a few Company scouts figuring out the tower’s entry—perhaps having extorted a key from another Elder—and making their way in. This can be as challenging as desired but should add an element of dangerous desperation even for someone hanging back. In time, when all has been readied, Urvantan thanks the adventurer(s) and says he’ll see them in town. He steps through Arkat’s Gate and into the threshold chamber, becoming blurry and indistinct. In a moment, the sorcerer disappears from sight. Let’s Make A Deal Another complication is the wild card of Elder Maroftoor. He believes that this whole situation can be resolved without any threat to the townsfolk, by cutting a deal with the Company. He has never trusted the sorcerer overmuch and believes that the Lunar Empire is a powerful, and inevitable, force to be reckoned with, not avoided. To this end, he slips away after the adventurers make their plans and goes to Wolf Heads Fort. His goal: to thwart the foolish attempt at liberating the village, which will likely get innocent people killed, and as a show of good faith, to turn over the meddlers from Clearwine, the Warden captain, and the outsider sorcerer, all in one fell swoop. When he arrives, he is quickly captured and brought to Korof, son of Ironhoof, where he presents his message and makes his play. The centaur commander orders him brought along and gathers a band of all the cavalry riders and the three centaurs. All ride at great haste for True Ford, bringing Maroftoor along on horseback. The Battle of True Ford As soon as the adventurers can lure some or all the mercenaries out of the hall through whatever plans they have concocted, it is time to alert Urvantan. One of the adventurers (or a Warden) fires a flaming arrow into the sky,