Event: Aengmor warns Rafielton (the nation of Aengmor) not to ally themselves with the former elves of Alfheim as they will only try to get their homeland back and cause disention among the shadow elves.

Meaning: A growing cult of Atzanteotl is gaining more power in the city of Aengmor, and it wishes to spread it's influence to the other shadow elves. They fear that if they learn of the inherent goodness of the surface elves, it will be harder to convince them to worship Atzanteotl.

The cult of Atzanteotl was introduced by the various artifacts/religious icons left behind by the humanoids, as well as the old shadow elf wanderers living in the city who also took to the rules of Atzanteotl. The wanderers would rather see Atzanteotl in charge than Rafiel, as Rafiel's shamans will only force them to leave once more when discovered, and they have come to regard Aengmor/Oenkmar as their home.

Event: Despite warnings from Aengmor, after several small meetings between elves representing King Doriath and Princess Tanadaleyo, the shadow elves and elves of Alfheim agree to work together to save the Canolbarth forest, and perhaps learn to live together in one elven nation.

Several surface elven mages and Tree Keepers move back to the forest, joining the Norwold (Foresthome) elves and shadow elves in working out magic to save the trees. Among them is Jorodrin Feadiel, the former Tree Keeper of Clan Feadiel (from GAZ 5: The Elves of Alfheim).

Meaning: Princess Tanadaleyo truely desires to save the forests of her nation, as she wants a beautiful surface nation for her and her people. She finds it unlikely that the shadow elves and surface elves will ever manage to live together, so does not see her offer of letting the elves move back in as something too dangerous for her people.

The elves of Alfheim do not see much hope in peaceful coesxitence either, but they also truely care about their forest. They would rather see their forest still alive and in shadow elf hands than dead and belonging to them.

Event: The elves of Alfheim are mystified as their magic spells fail to bring back water to the Canolbarth Forest. Some of the spells even missfire and cause minor injuries. Tension begins to mount between the shadow elves and surface elves, as each suspects the other of sabotage.

After a couple of weeks of research, the elves discover that some strange magic is starting to overwhelm the forest and is preventing the elve's magic from working. The exact nature of this magic remains a complete mystery.

Meaning: Although each sub-race of elves blaims the other, in fact neither are directly responsible for preventing the magic from working. The former nation of Alfheim has always been a strong magical place. Most of the magical energies of the nation focused into areas that became known as Magic Points (see GAZ 5; The Elves of Alfheim) When the shadow elves unleashed their great magic against the forests of Alfheim, that magic eventually disipated and merged into the existing magic points, currupting them as it once corrupted the now dying forest. At this point, the magic points are causing more nightmares, madness and insanity then ever before, and they are releasing never before seen monsters onto the world of Mystara.

As a side effect, they are beginning to influence and cause the strongest/largest magical effects (such as nation-wide weather magic) to go wild or not work at all.

Event: A patrol of Heldannic Knights bringing gold (taxes and treasures from captured lands) back to Freiburg is ambushed by a large group of armed peasants. The peasants manage to grab the wagon with the gold and get away. The rebels, knowing the surrounding forests better than the Knights, manage to split up and lose their pursuers. The use of magic prevents the knights from using their own clerical magic to track down the traitors.

The Heldannic Knights believe that Geoffrey of Grunturm is behind the daring raid. The loss of money causes a serious blow to the war funds of the nation.

Meaning: The Heldannic Knights were never truly loved by the commoners of the Heldann Freeholds, but were tolerated because life manage to go on more-or-less as usual. However, last year, Wulf von Klagendorf declared an Inquisition against the non-believers in Vanya (JA, Nuwmont 1, AC 1013). Too many sons and daughters have been executed in that Inquisition, and many of them only to gain land/property for the Lord leading the Inquisition more than for any religious herecy. Many Heldanners have had enough, and are ready to start a rebellion against their oppressors. This raid is just the first of many skirmishes and was as much intended to show insperation to the commoners as to deal a severe blow to the Knights's coffers.

Geoffrey of Grunturm is behind this particular group of rebels. His own lands in Norwold having been overrun and conquered (and his people enslaved by the priesthood of Vanya) by the Heldannic Knights, Geoffrey has decided that he has had enough with the clerics of Vanya. He has returned to his homeland, having vowed not to give up until the Knights have been defeated so that they can no longer harm and persecute anyone else. He has managed to inspire several peasants who have also decided that enough is enought.

Event: A heavily armed, trained, and magical group of mercenairies break into Chateau Morlay and attack Prince Malachie. The castle defenders are unable to stop the intruders, and several guards are killed. When Malachie himself is cornered by the assailants, another mage arrives and joins to the defense of the Prince. This unknown mage uses several powerful spells and manages to chase of the attackers. Once the danger is gone, the man disappears as mysteriously as he arrived.

None of the attackers are captured.

Rumors spread from the incident claim that Etienne d'Ambreville returned to help Prince Malachie just as he did two summers ago to help his successor against Henri d'Ambreville. Some begin to claim that his ghost is watching over his former allies during his life.

Meaning: Synn discovered that Malachie gave Jaggar one of her scales and has decided that she has had enough with the interfering Prince. She used her vast treasure horde to get the best mercenairies she could find. Through several contacts so no trail could be lead back to her, she hires them to eliminate her opponent without further delay. Unfortunately they failed.

The mysterious mage that saved Malachie was indeed Etienne d'Ambreville. Rumors of his return have been going around since the summer of AC 1012, but the former Prince has decided he would rather stay in hiding until he can recouperate and regain all the power he once had (either attain Immortality again or avoid being detected by the other Immortals until he is ready for them if he is Immortal once more, depending on the outcome of Mark of Amber). When he does return, Etienne will need all the allies he can get to help him reestablish his political power, and therefore could not afford for Prince Malachie to be defeated. He was forced to come out of hiding to help his ally.

The other Princes of Glantri, upon hearing the rumor, will begin to once more search and try and discover Etienne d'Ambreville as they did when rumors left Chateau Sylaire about his return. As during their previous search, all means mundane and magical will reveal nothing of his presence.

Event: Pressured by his various Jarls, King Ragnar once again leads his men into the Hardanger Mountains to chase out the humanoids that have been harrassing his people for the past couple of years.

This time, as well as his normal army, several bands of mercenairies and adventurers march into the mountains as well, hoping to get their share of the 1,000,000 gp offered in bounties in the Humanoid Defense Fund established by the Nordhartar Defense League (JA, Sviftmont 28, AC 1013).

Finally, Vestland has also begin to coordinate attack plans with Soderfjord as they too are being harassed by orcs (instead of Kobolds) and it would be best for both nations to be rid of all humanoids.

This time, they march straight for the Falun Caverns which where discovered two years ago by his scouts (PWA3, Eirmont 26, AC 1012) but he had never been able to attack because of the constant raid and harassment between the kobolds and humans armies last year.

Meaning: This is basically a straight-foward human vs. humanoid military campaign by the men of the Soderfjord Jarldoms. Ragnar, having lost many men and battles in the mountains the past couple of years, had hoped to end the fighting before losing more face to his people, and hence helped establish the Humanoid Defense Funds. But it was too late; he had already lost the respect of several Jarls when he withdrew and declared the war over. Determined to prove once again that he is a great warrior, he leads for the third year in a row another army up into the mountains to find and defeat the kobold horde.

Event: During a talk between the shadow elves and elves of Alfheim over the magic influencing the forest, a shadow elf assassin attempts to kill Tree Keeper Jorodrin Feadiel. The forest elves retaliate and about a dozen are wounded and/or killed on both sides before the elves of Alfheim manage to retreat and lose their pursuers. After several days of fleeing and occasional skirmishes with the shadow elves, the elves manage to leave the Canolbarth forest and return to safety in Darokin.

Meaning: The shadow elves had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. It was actually an elf of Alfheim using his magic to impersonate a shadow elf who fired the arrow at the Tree Keeper. The elf, a member of the Alfheim Avengers, purposely missed as he did not want to kill one of his own. The whole event was to make it look like the shadow elves cannot be trusted and to polarize the opinion of the surface elves against the Shadow Elves. It seems the attempt worked.

Event: Lenard Doverson, an adventuring priest of Vanya from Thyatis is arrested in Freiburg for heresy against the Heldannic Knights and Vanya. At his trial in the Star Chamber, he denounces everything the Knights stand for and says that they have lost the true meaning of Vanya, which is to conquer, not to persecute and enslave. The man is executed for such blasphemy, as "only the Heldannic Knights know the true will of Vanya."

Afterwards, throughout the Territories, the Knights spells and magic begin to fail. Many Knights are stripped of their most powerfull spells, while some even lose all their spell-casting abilities.

Meaning: Vanya has always been the patroness of War and Conquest, and she has upheld the Heldannic Knights as her favored as they were always ready to seek glory in battle and war. Yet last year, when the Knight turned inwards rather than to continue conquering, and started their persecution of others, Vanya was dismayed. She gave them leeway as it is the right of the conquerers to dictate how the conquered will behave, to gain time to rest and gather troops/intelligence, as well as to bring new followers to her flock of worshipers. But then many of the Knight Lords began using the Inquisition as means of disposing of their rivals and gaining more lands/money/power rather than for her glory. She has been disapointed ever since, and the execution of one of her own faithful priest trying to return them to the path of conquest was the last straw. The arrogance at the trial of declaring that only the Heldannic Knights know her desires have cost most of them her blessings, as well as the magical support they once had.

Event: The Cult of Atzanteotl in the city of Aengmor has managed to gain a large amount of political power in short time. The shadow elf priests of Atzanteotl, working with the wanderers in the city that they have managed to locate, begin working on a spell to raise Oenkmar back to the surface of the world.

Meaning: Atzanteotl has always been interested in the activities of the shadow elves, and now that they are back in his city, he has become particularly active in trying to convert them to his way. Unfortunately for Rafiel, he seems to be succeeding very well as many have become disillusioned with the Way of Rafiel, finding that it is outdated and too restrictive after having had their taste of life on the outer world. The cult in the city point out that the ancient elven relics show that they once worshiped Atzanteotl in the city and must have abandonned him when the city sank. They claim the city of Aengmor was the golden age of the shadow elf culture and that perhaps they should return to Atzanteotl's worship to restart a new golden age. And such claims seem to be finding more and more acceptance amongst the elves in the sacred city.

The wanderers have been convinced to join in raising the city and supporting Atzanteolt since it will bring them out of reach of the shamans of Rafiel and they will no longer have to be wanderers; they can continue to live in Aengmor for the rest of their lives. And since most of the wanderers of Aengmor were use to the rules of the humanoid shamans of Atzanteotl, they don't really see anything wrong with the shadow elves following the same philosophy. It's no more cruel then Rafiel's forcing of elders or disfigured new-borns out of your own communities!

The shadow elf behind everything is Xatapechtli, the Spymaster and Feathered Serpent, his mind having been slowing corupted to the Azcan way of life (and hence Atzanteotl) by the magical cloak he wears. He has been pulling the strings behind the scenes to bring back the glory of the way he now sees as the true way of life of shadow elves (See GAZ 13: The Shadow Elves for Xatapechtli's stats).

Question: I have been debating on whether or not Kanafasti would join the elder wanderers in raising the city to the surface or not. His dislike of the shamans and Rafiel as well as Xatapechtli's influence on him might cause him to help, but he is also loyal to the Royals and doesn't want them to lose power either. Any opinions on the mater?

Event: There is celebration in Thyatis City as Emperor Eusebius I's daughter is born. Eusebius names her Valentia after the famous Empress of Thyatis that ruled the Empire of Thyatis in the year AC 20 and held it together after Zendrolion's death. (See Dawn of the Emperors boxed set for Thyatis' history)

Meaning: There is no hidden meaning in this event. Of special note, Demetrion Karagenteropolus, the Magist to the Emperor of Thyatis, has noticed that Valentia seems very magicaly inclined and could one day become a powerful wizardess if trained correctly.

Event: In Mirros, Davinos (a Traladaran man of Kelven) gains an audience with King Stefan and proposes that there be lesser taxes for a few Traladaran merchant families who were criminaly hurt during the Thyatian's takeover of Traladara 40 years ago.

Davinos is later slain in the streets of Mirros by Karameikans of Thyatian descent and tensions mount between the Thyatians and Traladaran of Mirros. A civil war almost breaks out as the Traladarans begin to believe that the Thyatians are once again trying to enslave them.

The violence will ebb when Lord Yuschiev, a Traladaran landed-lord, and his men discover and prove that Davinos' murder was orchastrated by Traladarans of the Veiled Society hoping to stir up anti-Thyatian feelings, and not by Thyatian Karameikans.

Even with the end of violence, the tension that has risen between the Karameikans of Thyatian and Traladaran descent unfortunately remains.

King Stefan is very gratefull to Yuschiev and his men for helping stop a possible civil war before it started.

Meaning: Davinos' Complaint is an adventure detailed in GAZ 1: The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, p.17. A minor change for those who would play it out with their PCs is that Lord Yuschiev and his men also happen to be on the scene when Davinos is murdered. Instead of Emilio the Great then hiring the PCs to find out who is behind it, Yuschiev would himself ask them to help him find out the ring leader as he does not want to see a civil war start between his people and the Thyatians. Even though he dislikes Thyatians, he knows such a war would only kill his people and make them worse off then before. So Yuschiev, his men-at-arms, and perhaps the PCs he also hires (since they knew the murder was going to take place and must have some useful information) track down and pin it on the Veiled Society of Mirros.

Another reason Yuschiev is involved is to introduce the character of the novel "Dark Knight of Karameikos" into the setting of a Karameikan campaign. This event helps the Traladaran Lord gain the attention of the King who will reward him with the title of Baron next year (AC 1015). Perhaps one of his men in the adventure is Grygory (the main hero of the novel), who will be knighted once Yuschiev becomes a Baron. The novel "Dark Knight of Karameikos" takes place in the year AC 1018 as it mentions its the 12th year on the throne for the King of Karameikos. The tension created by this adventure also helps explain the tension between the two Karameikan cultures that is very appearant in that novel. Basically, this just helps make the Mystara novel "official."

Also, more than likely any PCs involved in this adventure will receive the title of Court Lord from King Stefan as a reward.

Event: Throughout the Heldann Territories, many villages of Heldanners revolt against their cruel masters, the Heldannic Knights.

None of the minor revolts or rebellions last very long, and many of the peasants are executed for treason afterwards.

Meaning: The people of the Heldann Freeholds see that without their spells to back them up, now is the best chance to overthrow the Knights. Unfortunately, the commoners are badly organized, trained, and equiped, while the knights still have their discipline, weapons, and military training. Result: The Knights squash the majority of the rebellions, and only a few cause any real trouble to them.

Still, this is only the beginning as most peasants are still too afraid to try and strike at their masters. With time, more will join in the rebellion, and then the Knights will have a large problem to deal with.

Event: Earthquakes shake northern Darokin and southern Glantri, as well as western Ethengar. Soon enough, adventurers and merchants coming out of the Broken Lands report the source of the tremblings: A city has risen out of the depths of the Broken Lands.

A few days later, Princess Tanadaleyo of Rafielton announces that the Shadow elves have risen their sacred city of Aengmor to the surface of the Broken Lands from where it sank to several centuries ago.

Meaning: The wanderers and worshipers of Atzanteotl have accomplised their goal: raise Aengmor to the surface. The effect of the sunlight of the surface is to destroy the soul crystals of the shamans of Rafiel, therefore weakening their control over the city of Aengmor.

Many nations of the world begin to worry about this constant move and take over by the shadow elves. The Western Defense League agrees that their main concern now is more the shadow elves than the Empire of Thyatis, as the shadow elves have both taken over the Broken Lands and used evidently powerful magic to raise a city from the depths of Mystara to the surface, a city which could easily be used as a base to invade anywhere else around. Although no one declares war on the shadow elves or accuses them of hostilities, everyone decides to wait and see what these elves will do with their new surface city, all the while preparing their defenses.

The decision isn't made easily as two forces lobby for action against the shadow elves, notably the former elves of Alfheim (thanks to the Alfheim Avengers) and the dwarves of Rockhome, yelling out to everyone that they are about to invade all of Mystara as they predicted before.

The dwarves are surprised that their only allies in this seem to be elves. Will Kagyar's wonders never cease?!?!

The final ramification is to the humanoids of the Broken Lands. The shadow elven military immediately gets to work at purging them from the area. Many flee to the Great Crater and join Kol's forces, while some stay behind to join a couple of brave humanoids leaders who plan on driving the shadow elves out of their lands. Unfortunately for those planning on eliminating the shadow elves, they are badly trained, equiped, and lead, and suffer almost total destruction clashing with the shadow elves.

Event: Hulagu Khan of the Uighurs leads his clan out of the Ethengar steppes and into the Heldann Territories to start the invasion ordered by the Great Khan. After a brief skrimish with patrols of the Heldannic Knights, Hulagu returns to Ethengar and the Golden Khan sends a message to Wulf von Klagendorf stating his apologies over a mix-up he will correct immediately.

Meaning: Oktai Khan and his Glantrian agents sent a false message to Hulagu Khan, who has well known desires to invade the Heldann Territories. The message claimed that the Great Khan decided to invade Heldann because the sacred white stallion has been roaming in those lands and that was a divine sign to conquer them. Not caring about anything except attacking the Heldanners, Hulagu did not even bother to verify the autencity of the message and started the invasion. Before he could get to far, however, real envoys of the Golden Khan manage to stop him and convince him to return to Ethengar. The fake messengers are captured and they are discovered to be Taijit warriors.

Moglai Khan, now having had the last straw of Oktai's plots, has decided he will eliminate this rival once and for all. He sets in motion a plan to reveal Oktai Khan's secret alliance with the Glantrians so he can gain the support of his people to destroy the rival Khan.

Those with GAZ 12: The Golden Khan of Ethengar, can find the information on the various Khans and tribes, as well as the above plot in the sub-plot Trouble in the North (p. 61), of the adventure In The Service of the Golden Khan. It could now be a good time to play out that adventure with the PCs.

Event: From the 15th to the 28th of Fyrmont, the World Games take place in the city of Ylaruam. As before, athletes from various nations (and independently) compete against each other to see who is the best at what they do.

The games go rather well except for two things: First, during the opening ceremonies, a fight breaks out in the crowds between the Ylari and foreign visitors over their blasphemies and disrespect toward the Way of Al-Kalim. The other difference is the lack of aquatic competitions this year as the Ylari officials refuse to allow the use of their precious oasis to swim in: water is too important in the desert for such foolishness.

Also, many athletes have trouble competing in the intense heat of Ylaruam, so many clerics are present to help those that collapse before any permanent harm (or even death) can come to anyone. Create water spells come in very handy during these two weeks.

Meaning: There is no hiden meaning here. Both the Empire of Thyatis and Ierendi makes claims to have the World Games in their nations next year. The Western Defense League, who created and sponsored the games, however, prefer to have the games in each of their nations before going to any other nation. Shiretown, the capital of the Five Shires, is therefore given the honors of hosting the games next year.

Question: Did they at any point announce where the games were to take place in the year 1014 AC in JA? I remember the PWA3 telling us the games would be in Mirros during AC 1013, but I can't remember if any place was given for the next year. I assumed there wasn't, so I decided on Ylaruam.

Event: Moglai manages to catch Oktai Khan's messengers to his Glantrian allies (Prince Jherek, at least who he thinks is his allie; the Prince simply uses him as a pawn). With that, Moglai Khan moves the Keshak (Ethengarian equivalent of Royal Army) and the Murkit warriors after the traitorous Khan. Oktai's tribe, the Taijit, defend their Khan at first, but when they learn that he was a traitor, they desert him. Oktai Khan is eventually captured, and beheaded by the Golden Khan.

Afterwards, Moglai Khan declares that the Glantrians have caused much trouble between them and the now submissive Heldannic Knights (or so he keeps telling his warriors), hoping to get them to waste time fighting between them. They nearly succeeded because of the traitor, Oktai Khan. But now the Ethengar warriors are aware of the treachery, and they shall have their revenge. Moglai Khan promises that Glantri's time is nearing it's end as it shall be the first to fall to the glorious Ethengar Empire that shall be formed.

Meaning: This event serves two grand purposes for the Golden Khan. First, it eliminates one of his rivals among the Khans (Oktai).

Second, by declaring that the Ethengar hordes will ride again to war, against their hated enemy Glantri at that, Moglai is taking care of the moral problems brought up by the truce made with the Heldannic Knights. Now, instead of fighting each other or complaining about Moglai's rule, they are preparing themselves for another war. Moglai begins the planning of the battle he expects to start next year.

The Glantrian spies in Ethengar manage to learn of the plan and warn the Council of Princes about the upcomming invasion.

The above can be played out as the adventure "The Fall of Oktai Khan" as given in GAZ 12: The Golden Khan of Ethengar.

Event: A few survivors of a massacred colony on the Great Escarpment on the Isle of Dawn make it back to West Portage. They claim their village was attacked and destroyed by huge spiders. Adventurers/military patrol are sent in to see what happened.

Meaning: The colony was attacked and wiped out by the residents of the plateau: arena. The arena use to worship Arachne Prime, and had an evil culture based on the beliefs of this Immortal of Entropy. However, Arachne Prime was defeated by adventurers a couple of decades ago and the arena have since been on their own. Despite losing several of their number to a war with phanaton and other forest creatures, the culture of evil arena survived, and they have decided that they have taken enough trespassing on their territory of the Great Escarpment. (The arena, phanaton, and Arachne Prime are all detailed in the D&D adventure module M5 Talons of Night, and probably took place during the years AC 990-1000). Regardless, there is a culture of evil arena on the Great Escarpment, and they are now attacking the "invading" Thyatian colonists.

Event: The armies of Thar and Psa'gh are crushed by the human forces of the Northern Lords of Soderfjord and Vestland after a huge battle in a deep valley within the Hardanger Mountains. The fates of Thar and Psa'gh remain unknown.

Meaning: The humanoid forces of the Northern Reaches have just been dealt a cripling blow. After this, they should no longer be much of a threat to the norsemen.

Ragnar returns victorious to his people, having regained most, but not all, of his prestige of being a great warrior and King.

Question: Anyone out there want to make a more detailed description of the war between King Ragnar and the humanoids? Also, if Thar and/or Psa'gh survive, where do you think they would go now?

Event: Prince Jaggar von Drachenfels ends his affair with Dolores Hillsbury and the two seem forever opposed in Council meetings.

Meaning: Last year, Prince Malachie brought Jaggar some scales of a dragon and wanted to learn which type of dragon they were. Jaggar has been intruigue because despite being the master Dracologist, he has never seen that type of scale/dragon before. After a few more talks with Malachie and sending his spies out to discover where the Prince of Morlay-Malinbois found these scales, Jaggar has eventually discovered that Dolores has something to do with them. (Malachie did not tell him directly as he finds it would be more believable if Jaggar finds out for himself) After examining everything he has done since taking up with Dolores, including supporting the Kol and his kobolds over the elves of Erewan, Jaggar becomes dismayed at the fool he has been. He has vowed to destroy Dolores for the choas she has caused in Glantri, and for the evil he has unknowingly done in her name. But he knows better than to try and confront her directly. As all Princes/mages do in Glantri, he begins to use his influence and political power to destroy her on the political level since a direct confrontation between Princes is not allowed without sufficient cause (personal hatred does not count, nor does not being human, in Glantri).

Also, he has more pressing matters of planning the defense of his nation against Ethengar's invassion, which could come at any time. This is a battle he has been waiting for a long time and wants to make sure everything is perfect.

Event: Princess Tanadaleyo of Rafielton again invites the former elves of Alfheim over to discuss peace and help save the forest. She states that the attempted assassination was not at all sanctioned by her, and that they are still looking for the individual shadow elf who fired the first arrow so he can receive proper punishment. She claims that elf must have been one of the discontent of her nation who are paroinoid of the surface elves, just as the Alfheim Avengers who have been constantly raiding them the past year or so are paranoid of shadow elves. Tanadaleyo wishes to prove that only a minority, on BOTH sides, wishes for war, while most want to live together in peace.

Unfortunately, after the last incident, the former elves of Alfheim are rather insecure about returning to the land of their enemies. A few of the more adventurous ones do go back, but they are always on the edge, expecting a trap, and discussions go very slowly.

Meaning: Princess Tanadaleyo's statement is more or less true. Although she has no love for the former elves of Alfheim and couldn't care less what they do, she does need them. First, they have the magic necessary to save the Canoldbarth forest, which she and her people have come to see as theirs, especially since they are the ones who caused its present state of near-destruction.

Even more important now, she needs them for the influence they can have on the Shadow elves of Rafielton. She has noticed the steady entrance of worshipers of Atzanteotl into her nation from the city of Aengmor and believe it to be rather dangerous. Her own spies report that the Atzanteotl elves are preparing a rebellion against the shamans of Rafiel. Although Tanadaleyo herself dislikes the shamans and wants to get rid of them, she would rather keep the power for herself rather than simply replacing the control of the shamans of Rafiel with the control of the shamans of Atzanteotl. That is why she would like her people to see the way of the elves of Alfheim as there was no religious control in their nation. Admitedly, the priests/Tree Keepers of Ilsundal were respected, but they did not have the political power shamans do in the shadow elf lands (more accurately, they did have the power, just rarely used it beyond advising the Clan Leaders, but the shadow elves don't know that). She would therefore rather see her elves become more like the surface elves than those of the city of Aengmor.

Event: The commoners of the Heldann Freeholds start a massive riot/rebellion in the city of Hockstein. Unlike other revolts, this one is well lead, planned, and funded (by the gold stolen several months ago). Geoffrey of Grunturm has been in the city for a while, making the plans and providing magical support to the revolt. After a few days of fighting with the garrisons of Knights present in Hockstein, the peasants manage to take over the city while the Knights barracade themselves in the central keep. By this stage, most of the commoners of the city has joined sides with the rebellion seeing that their is actually the chance that they might win.

Geoffrey immediately sets men to watch the city walls, now heavily fortified thanks to the rulership of the Knights for the past several decades. He prepares plans for surviving the siege that is sure to follow by the reinforcements sent by Freiburg.

As predicted, forces from Freiburg and Grauenberg arrive to help the Knights in Hockstein, but are kept outside by the peasants who are driven to ridding their lands of the Knights. A long siege starts.

Meaning: There is no hiden meaning here. The people of the Heldannic Territories are once again trying to free their land of the rulership of the Heldannic Knights. This time, the revolt has been well planned, and the Knights are lacking in their magical (clerical) support they normally have, giving the rebels the best chance they have had in decades.

Event: The leaders of the city of Aengmor declare themselves independent from the City of Stars and the Way of Rafiel. A civil war breaks out in the city as the factions fight for control.

Soon after, a the civil war spreads into the neighboring Rafielton and nation of Aengmor, as the cult of Atzanteotl strive to dominate the shadow elves on the surface world.

The City of Stars sends loyal troops to help squash the rebellion.

Meaning: This is a battle for control of the shadow elven nations on the surface. The other nations of the world will pay very close attention to see who takes over this as of yet still unknown force represented by the shadow elves.

Question: Who would be on which side of the rebellion? Mainly, Kanafasti, as I am not sure which side he would take, although I am leaning on the side of Rafielton. If so, he would now be considered a wanderer and forced to leave, something he does not wish to do.

Also, who would be leading the shadow elves of Atzanteotl? I figure Xatapechtli is probably the one pulling the strings, but it seems he would prefer to stay in the shadows and have someone else as a puppet ruler. Should we make a new NPC for this? Or would it be Kanafasti, who has decided he no longer wishes to stay on the side of the Royals?

If Kanafasti stays to help out his friend Tanadaleyo, then odds are, she will banish the rule of wanderers in Rafielton... perhaps that is something she does to get the much needed help of the wanderers in the civil war... any suggestions?

Event: Having started to feel the loss of power she once had in Glantri, Synn decides to try and cause trouble elsewhere in the Known World. She sends a powerful lich called Deimos to work on harrassing Darokin to the South. Using her connection with Prince Kol, Synn sends several humanoid forces with Deimos to the Broken Lands. She also sends one of her shadow elf agents to act as Deimos' general of the humanoids.

Once in the Broken Lands, the lich uses his magic to create a tower to act as his headquarters while his humanoids roam the area, gathering all the humanoids still alive and hiding on the shadow elves. These humanoids, still afraid of the shadow elves, are eager to join what appears to be a powerful horde in the making.

Meaning: As mentioned, with the loss of Jaggar, Synn in losing her political pull as Dolores Hillsbury in Glantri. Since she just has to cause chaos, she has decided to send some of her forces elsewhere to inflict chaos in other lands. Darokin has now become one of her targets.

The shadow elves sent with Deimos will help keep the Shadow elves of the city of Aengmor away from the tower, hiding the humanoid forces there from the elves. The civil war of the shadow elves also helps. These shadow elf agents were originally spies on Glantri, but came to love the power, magic, and cuthroat politics of the human nation and decided to stay in Glantri rather than return to the City of Stars. Dolores Hillsbury learned of them and hired most of them to work for her. The spies, having been trained by Xatapechtli, were already evil since they are assassins without any compassion for their enemies. They got along rather well with Synn.

Anyone who recognizes the names will know that Deimos and the above plot comes from the arcade game "D&D: Tower of Doom." The adventure of the arcade games are rather good and can easily be made into a standard rpg-module type game and even a complete campaign plot. It is my belief that the events of the arcade game take place in the year AC 1015, while those of the follow up game "D&D: Shadow over Mystara" take place in the year AC 1017. The actual details of the plot can be given in the AC 1015 version of this on-line Almanacs, if we continue to make them...

Question: I forget the name of the Shadow Elf and the name of Deimos's tower in the game "Tower of Doom." I know there is an arcade game lover out there mapping down all the possible outcomes of the game, so could you please give the names to me, as well as any other NPC involved.

Event: on the 28th, the Day of Dread takes place once again. No one has yet been able to solve this problem and eliminate the curse or magical effect that seems to cause the day without magic.