Friday, March 18, 2022

Hyperborea rpg Commentary On I2 Tomb of the Lizard King By Mark Acres For Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition

 "The southlands of Eor are being despoiled. Merchants will no longer run their caravans on the main highway past the quiet village of Waycombe. The peasants are fleeing their lands, and all are demanding protection from the powerful Count of Eor. The goodly count has sent a troop of his trusted fighters to exterminate the brigands believed responsible for these outrages, but weeks have passed, and still there is no word from this force."

 

































"Now John Brunis, Count of Eor, has turned to you for aid. After taking counsel with the High Priest of Eor, he believes that a small party of cunning, bold adventurers may succeed where armed might has failed. You find yourselves faced with many mysteries!"
 
"Why has robbery suddenly erupted in the peaceful southlands? How could mere brigands be as powerful as the foes described to you by their numerous victims? Is this really mere robbery? Or is there some truth to the rumors, told only in hushed whispers, about the beginnings of a hideous plot being hatched by an ancient, vile, and evil foe of all mankind?"

One of the modules that I've been mulling on running again for the Hyperborea rpg is I2 Tomb of the Lizard King By Mark Arces an adventure for players 5-7 level. Transporting this module from Greyhawk to Hyperborea is going to present some challenges to the DM. First is the fact that it should be run in the mid beginning of Spring on Hyperborea. And secondly it should be run with either a Norse or Keltic bent. And for myself I'd go with a Keltic kingdom not too far from the capital of Hyperborea presenting a real Sword & Sorcery threat to the heart of the campaign setting. Bandits are attacking the roads outside of Swampgate and 
John Brunis, Count of Eor is responsible for maintaining these roads. So his head is on chopping block of the merchant guilds, traders, slavers, etc. So he's put out a call for adventuring parties. 
 There will be rival adventuring groups of NPC's until the party is brought into the presence of 
John Brunis, Count of Eor. And PC's should be offered lands & a minor title to go along with the high stakes of this adventure. Waycombe is a place with a lot of history & danger around it. And its really the key to running this adventure on Hyperborea. Waycombe used to be the seat of the lizardmen empire on Hyperborea. Especially the area around the villages, ruins, etc. all around the ancient lands. The key here for running this is the sleight of hand set up of the module;"Tomb of the Lizard King is a three-part adventure involving a wilderness trek, a battle against brigands, and a foray into the tomb of the Lizard King" The lizard men are forth ring down servant races of the ancient Serpent Men and so Waycombe was really a vassel area. 
























This vassal area is a part of the old Serpent Men empire that now extends down into Underborea. And so the lizard king himself is actually carrying out the will of his former masters the serpentmen. The cult of the Serpent Men is ancient & old extending back into the capital of Hyperborea and all of the way out to the steppes. This area is where the ancient  serpent men had the seat of their empire and because of I2 Tomb of the Lizard King's deep Greyhawk connections I've had several star gates connecting back into the old school classic campaign.  Continuing what I said in my review of N1, The reptile cult should be a thinking man's enemy, they play for keeps & fit right into the Robert Howard/Clark Ashton Smith mold.
 

I2 Tomb of the Lizard King By Mark Acres  isn't for the faint of heart players of old school games. And it could well be the follow up to N1 Against the Reptile Cult By Doug Niles. On Hyperborea this is all a part of a grand plan by the Serpent People to restore part of their empire and hold on Hyperborea. The Hyperboreans themselves ages ago threw off the yoke of the serpentmen & their attendant races. This makes  
I2 Tomb of the Lizard King By Mark Acres a follow up to these events in its own right. Is I2 Tomb of the Lizard King By Mark Acres no it has its own flaws. 

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