HD3 The City of the Spider-God - Hyborian Age - Xoth
HD3 The City of the Spider-God - Hyborian Age - Xoth
HD3 The City of the Spider-God - Hyborian Age - Xoth
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<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.