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HD3 The City of the Spider-God - Hyborian Age - Xoth

HD3 The City of the Spider-God - Hyborian Age - Xoth

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<strong>HD3</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Spider</strong>-<strong>God</strong><br />

Prelude: <strong>The</strong> Rose <strong>of</strong> Khorusun<br />

This introductory section assumes that <strong>the</strong><br />

player characters start out somewhere in<br />

<strong>the</strong> western parts <strong>of</strong> Turan.<br />

To travel into Zamora from <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

Turanian Steppes, <strong>the</strong> player characters<br />

must cross <strong>the</strong> Kezankian Mountains (<strong>the</strong><br />

alternative is a lengthy detour through <strong>the</strong><br />

passes <strong>of</strong> Khauran, and <strong>the</strong>n past <strong>the</strong><br />

unpredictable lands around Shadizar <strong>the</strong><br />

Wicked). Although <strong>the</strong> route through <strong>the</strong><br />

Kezankian mountains is hazardous, it is<br />

relatively quick compared to <strong>the</strong> alternatives.<br />

<strong>The</strong> only problem is that <strong>the</strong> hidden<br />

passes are a closely guarded secret.<br />

Through initial investigation, <strong>the</strong> PCs have<br />

learned that a certain Kozaki banditleader<br />

can be bribed to reveal <strong>the</strong><br />

location <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mountain passes that cut<br />

across <strong>the</strong> mountains into Zamora.<br />

THE CAMP OF THE KOZAKIS<br />

<strong>The</strong> Kozaki are a horde <strong>of</strong> outlaws, also<br />

called “Free Companions”, that roam <strong>the</strong><br />

Turanian Steppe west <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vilayet Sea.<br />

<strong>The</strong> word means “wastrel”. <strong>The</strong>y are a mix<br />

<strong>of</strong> many nationalities. Infighting and feuds<br />

are common among <strong>the</strong>m, although <strong>the</strong>y<br />

stand united against <strong>the</strong>ir primary enemy,<br />

<strong>the</strong> Turanians.<br />

A band <strong>of</strong> Kozaki, led by Vazek <strong>the</strong> Swift,<br />

has recently kidnapped a Turanian princess<br />

in a raid on a caravan en route from<br />

Khorusun to Yaralet. Vazek intended to<br />

claim a great ransom from her family, but<br />

Page 6<br />

in an ironic twist <strong>of</strong> fate, his prize was<br />

snatched from him by a band <strong>of</strong> manapes<br />

coming down from <strong>the</strong> slopes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Kezankian mountains.<br />

Vazek knows <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> secret passes across<br />

<strong>the</strong> mountains into Zamora and Yezud,<br />

and is perhaps willing to reveal it for <strong>the</strong><br />

right price, but before he will send any <strong>of</strong><br />

his men as guides for <strong>the</strong> player characters,<br />

he demands that <strong>the</strong>y help him by<br />

going after <strong>the</strong> man-apes and bring back<br />

<strong>the</strong> Turanian girl. If <strong>the</strong> PCs refuse, and<br />

force Vazek into revealing <strong>the</strong> secret<br />

passes at swordpoint, <strong>the</strong> wily Kozak<br />

pretends to cooperate, but instead directs<br />

<strong>the</strong> party straight into man-ape territory.<br />

Vazek’s band currently consists <strong>of</strong> 23<br />

Kozaki raiders. <strong>The</strong>y have 15 light warhorses<br />

and half a dozen dirt-stained silken<br />

tents <strong>of</strong> Turanian manufacture.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Turanian noble girl, Fathiyah, can be<br />

found several miles from <strong>the</strong> Kozaki camp.<br />

She sits on <strong>the</strong> damp floor <strong>of</strong> an 80-feet pit<br />

(Climb DC 20), while a band <strong>of</strong> five manapes<br />

roam <strong>the</strong> boulder-strewn mountain<br />

slopes nearby. <strong>The</strong> man-apes are dressed<br />

in ragged clothing and jewelry (worth a<br />

total <strong>of</strong> 323 sp) <strong>the</strong>y stole from <strong>the</strong> Kozakis.<br />

Fathiyah (female Turanian Noble 1) wears<br />

a torn yellow and white silken dress, three<br />

thin gold rings (worth 50 sp each) and a<br />

silver pendant in <strong>the</strong> shape <strong>of</strong> a crescent<br />

(worth 120 sp) between her breasts. At 23,<br />

she is <strong>the</strong> oldest daughter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bey<br />

(governor) <strong>of</strong> Khorusun.

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