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Sorcerer Island  

An  Introductory  Adventure  for  

Five Ancient Kingdoms  

BECKER    

Published  by  Running  Beagle  Games   Copyright  2013  

  ISBN  978-­‐0-­‐9845932-­‐5-­‐5

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IMPORTANT  NOTE:  READ  THIS  FIRST!    

UNLESS  YOU  PLAN  TO  RUN  THIS  ADVENTURE  AS  THE  DRAGON  MASTER,  YOU  SHOULD   STOP   READING   IMMEDIATELY!   This   booklet   provides   the   notes   for   an   introductory   adventure  scenario  of   the  5AK  adventure  game  and   is   intended  only   for   the  eyes  of   the  player  who  plans  to  act  as  Dragon  Master  (DM)  during  the  game.  If  you  want  to   run  a  player  character  (PC)  through  the  adventure,  it  may  spoil  the  entertainment  to   know  the  secrets  of  the  scenario  ahead  of  time…part  of  the  fun  of  an  adventure  is  the   gradual   unfolding   of   events   and   encounters   in   the   course   of   play   and   adapting   to   challenges   as   they   arrive.   However,   once   you’ve   had   a   chance   to   play   it,   you’re   certainly  welcome  to  read  the  adventure…hopefully  it  gives  you  ideas  for  crafting  your   own  adventures  when  it’s  your  turn  to  take  the  part  of  DM.    

SORCERER  ISLAND:  Setting  Introduction    

Nearly   five   hundred   miles   west   of   Bagdabha   lies   the   ancient   Assygarian   city   of   DAMOSCENAS,   one-­‐time   capital   of   the   Salamaic   Empire,   prior   to   the   foundation   of   magnificent  Bagdabha.  Since   it’s  removal  as  the  home  of  the  caliphate  and  Salamaic   power,  Damoscenas   is  but  a   shadow  of   itself  with  a  population  somewhat   less   than   50,000,  despite  its  renown  as  a  manufacturer  of  high  quality  weapons  (“Damoscenan   steel”  is  a  phrase  well-­‐known  through  all  the  Five  Ancient  Kingdoms).      

Still,   it   remains   the   seat   of   governorship   for   the   Syranian   province,   and   there   are   emirs  of  Assygarian  descent  who  would  like  to  see  Damoscenas  returned  to  its  former   glory,   a   sultanate   independent  of  Bagdabha.   The   religion  of   Salama  has  never  quite   taken  hold  in  Damoscenas,  with  nearly  half  the  population  being  of  the  Chisholm  faith   and  the  other  half  worshipping  the  old  pagan  gods  of  Assygaria.  For  the  most  part,  it  is   the  rulers  who  pay  lip  service  to  the  Salama  religion,  and  they  tread  lightly  so  as  not  to   stir   the   region   into   armed   revolt.   So   long   as   the   poll   tax   is   observed,   people   are   allowed  to  go  about  their  business  as  they  have  for  the  last  several  centuries.    

Such   is   the   case  with  most   of   the   province   as   one   travels  west   to   the   great  Sea   of   Rhyma.   Less   than   seventy   miles   lie   between   Damoscenas   and   the   coast,   an   exceptionally  rough  and  mountainous  land  peopled  with  hardy  folk  inclined  to  follow   the   “old  ways”   now   that   the   capital   has  moved   farther   inland.   Even   so,   some  have   embraced  both   the   teachings   and  philosophy  of   the   Prophet,   and   a   follower   of   the   True   Faith   will   not   feel   terribly   out-­‐of-­‐place   (Damoscenas   itself   boasts   several   beautiful  mosques  constructed  within  the  last  century).  But   it   is  a  wild  territory,  and   dark  stories  filter  out  to  other  parts  of  the  empire,  luring  adventurers  of  every  stripe.    

25  miles  off   the  coast,  perhaps  half  a  day’s   travel  under  sail  with  good  winds,   lies  a   dark  outcropping  of  storm-­‐drenched  stone  –  a  black  mountain  of  ominous  rock  rising   from  the  sea,  daring  sailors   to  step  ashore  and  face   its  danger.  Old  maps  give   it   the  

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name   “Devil’s   Point”   and   legends   say   the   isle   was   once   a   peninsula   joined   to   the   mainland   (till   vengeful   gods   destroyed   its   bridge   of   stone   in   their   rage).   The   locals,   however,  call   it  SORCERER   ISLAND,  and   it   is  believed  to  be  the  final   resting  place  of   XUTHUS  OF  DELOSI,  a  wicked  sorcerer  who  lived  centuries  before  the  coming  of  the   Prophet.    

Delosi  was   an   ancient   island   kingdom,   revered   as   the   birthplace   of   the   twin   sibling   gods  Dia  and  Deus,  similar  in  many  respects  to  the  Holy  City  of  Chem…until  the  Rhyma   Empire  decided  to  destroy  it  five  centuries  ago  as  a  point  of  “naval  strategy.”  It  is  not   known  if  Xuthus  was  actually  of  Delosi,  nor  whether  he  was  born  there  before  or  after   it  was  razed,  but  it  is  always  cited  as  his  place  of  origin.  What  is  known  is  that  he  was  a   decadent  magician  that  trucked  with  demons  and  creatures  of  infernal  origin  and  that   his   black   magic   was   the   scourge   of   the   coast   prior   to   his   destruction.   What   the   legends  do  not  say  is  how  exactly  the  sorcerer  met  his  end,  and  some  whisper  Xuthus   might  one  day  rise  again,  such  was  his  power.    

Regardless  of  the  truth,  Sorcerer  Island  is  considered  a  haunted  place  (at  best)  or  the   lair   of   demons   (at  worst).   It   is   believed  pirates   and  brigands  use   it   as   a   hideout   for   coastal   raids   and   if   there   are   not   still   artifacts   of   Xuthus   to   be   found   in   its   caves,   perhaps  there  is  buried  treasure  to  be  unearthed  by  enterprising  adventurers.    

PLAYER  CHARACTER  MOTIVATIONS    

For   any   game   of   5AK,   it   is   important   to   consider   the   motivations   of   the   player   characters   and   the   reason   they   might   embark   on   a   journey   into   perilous   danger.     Giving  the  players  reason  for   their  characters’  adventure  not  only  helps  put  them  in   the   proper   mindset,   but   leads   them   to   make   choices   based   on   that   motivation,   allowing  them  to  reap  the  rewards  of  doing  so  (XP  bonuses)  and  enriching  the  game   play  experience  for  all  participants.    

The  following  possible  motivation  tie-­‐ins  are  given  for  the  adventure:    

Excitement/Curiosity:  “Who  wouldn’t  want  to  know  if  the  island  is  really  haunted?”   Fortune:  Pirate  loot  or  the  sorcerer’s  buried  treasure.   Knowledge:  Is  the  island  really  haunted?  Historic  knowledge  and  fact-­‐finding.   Family:  As  per  fortune,  but  for  the  PC’s  family.   Glory:  Make  a  name  for  yourself  by  braving  the  infamous  site.   Duty:  Destroy  the  pirates  that  use  the  island  as  a  base  of  operations.   Love:  A  chance  to