Reskinning DDA1 Arena of Thyatis By John Nephew For Old School 'Sorcery & Planetary' Campaigns.

"And simply everyone is going to the magnificent Villa Osteroplus, home of the wealthy old senator, Helenites. Raucous fun, exotic food, and even advanced betting on the upcoming Arena games are expected. Even adventurers just in from the outlands may meet the powerful here. So don your festive togas, for in Thyatis City there are important connections to be made and deeds to be done, duels to be fought and fame to be won."




'Welcome adventurers! You who are about to take your first steps on to the blood sands!  Adventurers! Do you want to become gladiators and fight in arena? You have no choice! We will teach you to fight, to bleed, & to entertain the crowd!'

I've stated it before if I was going to run a new 'Sorcery & Planet 'campaign coming up I'd do a gladiatorial combat themed one. And the perfect module doesn't exist to do such a campaign?!? Oh wait it does in the form of DDA1 Arena of Thyatis By John Nephew. So not only did I use this module with a Sword & Planet theme but I used it with a both a Mars & an old school Dark Sun module in the past. 
At present the fact that this module series can easily be reskinned hasn't been lost on me as a dungeon master. The Adventurer,Conqueror, King System's Barbarians of Kanahu is perfectly for all barbarian/gladiator  campaign.



Add in Carcosa & we've got the beginnings of a nasty little mutant gladiatorial campaign. In fact I printed out the arena from the Forgotten Realms wiki entry to great effect. 

In fact this goes back into the campaign harmony that I've done with Venger's Cha'alt by taking many of the adventure locations from Adventurer,Conqueoror, King's adventures & using them as stand in for Cha'alt's various locations. 

One of the aspects of this arena combat that's come up again & again has been the idea of various giant monsters vs mecha. This goes back into my memory of comic books of the late 70's that sported ads for the Shogun Warriors toy line. Check this ad out. 

And before I have all of the D&D diehards on my back I'd like to remind you that Hanna Barbera's Herculoids was doing this in Sixty Six before Dungeon & Dragon's was a thought in Arneson & Gygax's heads. The Herculoids AD&D files has it all for adding in many Hanna Barbera bits of alien goodness into your games! 

Let's say you want a completely  different OSR rpg system to handle all of the setting details?! The Castles & Crusades rpg could & will easily handle this campaign setting! The whole cloth details are already embedded in the Castle Keeper's Guide with blasters, space craft, etc. all there for the converting. 

So let's say that you've been using DDA1 Arena of Thyatis  & some of the gladiators have slipped their bonds or worse have been sold across planar borders into say into the Victorious rpg?! Could the heroes of a steampunk New York stand it to not slip their dimensional bonds & travel across the gates of reality to free an alien world from under thrall of such heinous villains?!

Could any right minded gadget loving hero resist the temptation of a mini humanoid Dragun armor which would be armor class 3, damage 1d8 per buzz saw swipe, 2d6 fire attack from mouth once per 2 rounds,  atomic power cell good for 100 years, +2 strength, & constitution. Special thanks Plaid Stallions 


But we all know that the hard core agents of Cha'alt: Fuchsia Malaise's city of A'agrybah are going to be scouting for local talent within the DDA1 Arena of Thyatis. So its only a matter of time before PC's might wind up within the grip of some gladiatorial traders! 

Deeper Cuts into DDA2: "Legions of Thyatis" (1990), by John Nephew,

"REVOLT OF THE GLADIATORS!

The corrupt Thyatian senator, Helenites Osteropolus, his latest scheme smashed by the adventurers and their gladiator allies, hatches a new plot to destroy the influence of the Order of the Sands (even, perhaps, to attack the Emperor himself!). Yet greater dangers lie ahead. If his plot succeeds, it will remove the guardians that protect the city from the creatures that lurk in the caverns and catacombs below. Can the players block his gambit? Will the wheels of justice grind small, or will the greasy palm of political corruption reach out and save the senator once again? YOU decide, in the chaotic swirl of the Thyatian capital's politics."
DDA2: "Legions of Thyatis" (1990), by John Nephew, is an adventure for the Basic D&D game. It was published in August 1990. Taken as a whole this is a module that's like a ticking time bomb with a campaign coupled with DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990), by John Nephew. These  two books should have been one product in my humble opinion.
But back to the blog entry because what DDA2: "Legions of Thyatis" (1990) represents is a mini campaign waiting to happen. I've used this series of modules with Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Astonshing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, and many more. But for the moment let's concentrate on Mystara.



"The player's PC's have to venture into a labyrinth of catacombs to prevent the senator from eliminating the wards that protect Thyatis City from the monsters in the subterranean realm beneath it." And this is where things get very interesting because DDA2: "Legions of Thyatis" (1990) catches, codifies, & twists the expectations of the setting of The Empire of Thyatis like a rag doll. There are monsters below the empire & all of this ties directly into the history of the empire. According to the Thyatis wiki entry;

"Karameikos is ruled by a Thyatian nobility, but the Empire's territories consist of the western half of the Isle of Dawn, the island realms of Ochalea and the Pearl Islands, and the Thyatian Hinterlands on the southern continent of Davania, in addition to its mainland territories on Brun, which are the smallest of the Empire's territories by geographic size, but the most heavily populated and developed of them. The total land area of the Empire is approximately 800,000 square miles (2,100,000 km²). Because of its political geography, Thyatis can best be described as a thalassocracy.

In its long history, Thyatis has ruled other lands, including Traladara (which became Karameikos), the islands of Ierendi, the southern half of Ylaruam, and the city of Oceansend in Norwold. Thyatian settlers have colonized part of the Savage Coast and also the Heldannic Freeholds, which are ruled by a religious order devoted to the Thyatian-descended Immortal Vanya.

Thyatis has a historic rivalry with the Alphatian Empire, and the two imperial powers devote much of their energy and attention to each other. At the start of the official timeline (AC 1000, or thousand years after the crowning of the first Emperor of Thyatis, in the Thyatian calendar), they are locked in a struggle resembling that of the Cold War, and several published high-level modules have their territorial disputes as a backdrop (notably CM 1, M1, M2, and M5)." This struggle ties directly into the material of the Hollow World itself.


So what happens if the events Wraith of the Immortals box set  never happened?! Well the Wiki entry hints at that much & possibly more saying; "The adventures of the boxed set Wrath of the Immortals takes place within the context of a great war between the two, climaxing in the weakening of Thyatis and the sinking of the continent of Alphatia. Subsequently, Thyatis conquered a few formerly Alphatian territories, suffered setbacks and plague, and by the final official publication that made much mention of Thyatis (Joshuan's Almanac) seemed to be on the road for a gradual recovery. Many campaigns did not use Wrath of the Immortals and the development of their versions of Mystaran countries, particularly Thyatis and Alphatia, may have diverged greatly. In particular those who used earlier published modules, such as CM1 Test of the Warlords or M5 Talons of Night, which involved different conflicts and possible resolutions, could have ended up with very different versions of the Empires than what occurred in the Wrath timeline.

In a review of the adventures Arena of Thyatis and Legions of Thyatis, game designer Ken Rolston called Thyatis "a D&D-game version of ancient Rome", and the city of Thyatis itself an "ancient Roman city", saying: "You have your basic criminal syndicates, debauched and corrupt senators, sinister intrigues, big parties, and lots of hearty Spartacus-style gladiators.""
All of this is wrapped up with a spectacular issue of Threshold magazine #11v2 that addresses this & several other issues tied in with the altering of the Mystara timeline 

The real issue is the strong adventure connections between Arena of Thyatis and Legions of Thyatis, with 'The Milenian Empire' of the Hollow World. What if the same basic criminal syndicates, debauched and corrupt senator's network extends down into the Milenian Empire. Could it actually be that the Merry pirates are working with the this corrupt network & thieves guild in disguise?! Think I'm kidding?! Think again.


In History of the Thyatian People by James Ruhland the secrets are laid bare for all to see. The corruption & horror of the gladiatorial game of the Thyatian people is laid bare. The Merry Pirates line their pockets with the gold of the Milenian Empire while new gladiators are brought into the capital. While above on the surface a minor gladiator revolt revolves around the empire of Thyatis? No this isn't going to end trade at all because the pirates are part of the smugglers of Mystara. That tight network has been ferrying goods, contraband, slaves, etc. for centuries.
What does any of this have to do with Mentzer edition BECMI Dungeons & Dragons? Everything because the Expert set's rules build on wilderness & sea adventures. This raises the stakes a bit if the PC's are going to carry the fight & revolt into and about the Thyatian empire.


Taken as a whole these two modules make an excellent start to a mini campaign that can lead to epic campaign lead ins.  Arena of Thyatis and Legions of Thyatis, are classic BECMI Dungeons & Dragons adventures that expose the dirty underside of the Thyatis empire & remain a favorite of mine. 

Taking a Deeper Slice of DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990), by John Nephew

"And simply everyone is going to the magnificent Villa Osteroplus, home of the wealthy old senator, Helenites. Raucous fun, exotic food, and even advanced betting on the upcoming Arena games are expected. Even adventurers just in from the outlands may meet the powerful here. So don your festive togas, for in Thyatis City there are important connections to be made and deeds to be done, duels to be fought and fame to be won. 

This module is designed especially for the DM who want to sharpen his interactive skills."
DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990), by John Nephew is one of those modules that puts the PC's at the far end of Thayatis. For Mystara Thyatis a major player think late & early Roman empire with lots of decadence & dark issues. There is a solid Wiki entry that fills in some of the gaps; "Thyatis (the city) is the capital of the Empire and the largest city on Mystara. It is on the southeastern coast of the continent of Brun, situated between the trade lanes of the Sea of Dread to the south and the Sea of Dawn to the east, alongside a canal ("Vanya's Girdle").

Conceptually, Thyatis is a mixture of different parts of the various historical Roman empires. It is governed by an Emperor and an Imperial Senate as per the classical Roman Empire, but enfranchises a feudal noble class similar to that of the Holy Roman Empire. The Emperor himself is akin to that of the Byzantines (as is the capital city's placement on a major strait). The Imperial Bureaucracy as described in Dawn of the Emperors is clearly inspired by that of the British Empire, as is, at least in name, one branch of the Thyatian Armed Forces, the "Retebius Air Corps" (RAF), which consists of cavalry on flying mounts (Pegasi, Hippogriffs, Griffons, Sphinxs, Rocs, and Dragons).

Karameikos is ruled by a Thyatian nobility, but the Empire's territories consist of the western half of the Isle of Dawn, the island realms of Ochalea and the Pearl Islands, and the Thyatian Hinterlands on the southern continent of Davania, in addition to its mainland territories on Brun, which are the smallest of the Empire's territories by geographic size, but the most heavily populated and developed of them. The total land area of the Empire is approximately 800,000 square miles (2,100,000 km²). Because of its political geography, Thyatis can best be described as a thalassocracy."

What this module does is puts the PC's center stage into the role of gladiators & not unlike Conan they begin to deal with the ranks of that & "Arena of Thyatis" is strongly  tied to Dawn of the Emperors: Thyatis and Alphatia (1989),



This module isn't going to put the PC's center stage instead its going to put the PC's on the edges of the empire with the themes of  "political corruption &  drug abuse taking center stage." There is a Spartacus feel to the adventure. Survival is dependant on being clever & cagey in the backdrop of this corner of the empire. Yesterday's blog post put the PC's square in the middle of the Mystara urban kingdoms. But what happens if you want to bring the action on the outskirts of civilization? The PC's are going to have to navigate NPC's, opportunities, & a refinement of the rake class. Indeed many of the advantages of DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990), is that it takes full advantage of Mentzer's Dungeons & Dragons Basic. 


 Helenites Osteropolus, a Thyatian senator, is the pig that makes makes life for the PC's utter Hell. DDA1 is worth the price of admission because of the extensive details on the gladiators of Thyatis. They can play an important role in the PC's lives in the days of the campaign yet to come. DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990) is one of the key modules for Mystara's Hollow World. The ancient caverns beneath the collusium directly tie into the Hollow World itself. In fact in recent years I've had these tunnel systems & ancient lava tubes connect with 'The Milenian Empire' book's setting  by  Anthony Herring from 1992. This gives the material a nice sly but contemporary connection between these two very different empires with common ground.


The NPC's of DDA1: "Arena of Thyatis" (1990) are well thought out & clever to cause the NPC's trouble. This is literally their reason for being & keeping an eye or two on the issues plaguing the PC's is a fantastic idea. 

Review & Commentary On DDA 1 Arena of Thyatis By John Nephew For Your Old School Campaigns

"DDA1 Arena of Thyatis  is designed especially for the DM who want to sharpen his interactive skills. * Presenting the detailed layout of a Thyatian noble's mansion and maps of the multi-level Coliseum of Thyatis * For four to six characters, levels 2-3 * Brief guide to Thyatis legal system * New optional class, the Rake * Fast unarmed combat system, including disarming attacks * Special appendix on creating Thyatian names * Featuring The DM's Guide to Winging It""
If I asked if you knew about a BCMI adventure that centered around gladiators, corrupt senators, desert kingdoms, & ancient legacies most likely someone would point me to the second edition Dungeons & Dragons Dark Sun setting. But what if all of the above actually was connected with the ancient late Greco Roman lands from the Dawn of the Emperors setting?

Well DDA1 Arena of Thyatis has all that & the charm of the pit fighter days of the Conan film when Conan was coming up through the ranks to win his freedom. The idea here is that PC's are gladiators & more dealing with the ins & outs of the world of  Thyatian senator and end up fighting in the Coliseum of Thyatis.


DDA1 is a classic but a flawed one because this module should be run by an experienced dungeon master. He or she will be juggling lots of balls with this module from the relationship of the PC's with the senator to the ins & outs of pit life in gladiatorial area. I ended up modifying this module to expand out the origins for several PC's over the years when dealing with the Dawn of the Emperors gazetteer setting material. Getting involved with the affairs of the senator in DDA1 left a very sour taste in the PC's mouths for the faux Rome of the campaign. The incredible history of Thyatis and Alphatia are on full display here & the party gets a full dose of it scattered throughout Arena of Thyastis.



The PC's become embroiled in the comings & goings of the gladiatorial life as well as all it holds. While not an adult title. I had several fans of the show Rome scattered among our players & there were several indiscretions that happened off screen during the running of DDA1. These weren't simply adds on but events strongly connected with the royal senatorial affairs of Thyatis and Alphatia.  Stephen Fabian's style of the Dawn of the Emperors box set really adds a certain something to the over arching Greco Roman weirdness of the setting. As I said even though Arena of Thyatis isn't an adult title the cruelty of the adventure is there written in blood between the lines. There's lots of potential to really embroil the PC's in some real trouble. Echoes of a Roman style adventure with blood & the dark decadence of Rome is right there.



DDA1 Arena of Thyatis is the gateway drug for low level PC's to get themselves into the dangers of Thyatis life right from the start. DDA1 Arena of Thyatis isn't a classic but its a solid module for beginning PC's who have an experienced DM who wants to run the player's PC's through a whole blood bath of a module without simply knocking off the player's PC's with a simple pit trap.
There are even a few little world building bits thrown into DDA1 to set the stage for Thyatis life such as a name guide, maps of the  colosseum, & even the new class the Rake which actually fits the nasty side of Thyatis life. All in all DDA 1 Arena of Thyatis By John Nephew is a very underappreciated module in my humble opinion. If your looking a BCMI module that has a strong Roman flare then DDA 1 Arena of Thyatis By John Nephew just might be up your alley!

'Are You Not Entertained?' Commentary On An OSR Combination of DDA1 Arena of Thyatis & Chaosuim's Thieves World 1981 Box Set As Fodder For Old School Campaigns

I got a chance to play catch up over the holiday with some very interesting old school dungeon masters whom I usually catch a beer or two with. We were talking about low level adventures & introducing sword & sorcery PC's into a higher level old school campaign setting without slaughtering them. There were some interesting discussions but one of the more interesting options that came up was using Thieves World Roleplaying Game (Boxed Set)  & DDA1 Arena of Thyatis to introduce the PC's into the urban wilds of the edge of the Rankan Empire. "Thieves' World is a role-playing game published by Chaosium in 1981, based on the Thieves' World series of novels." So its right in that old school Eighties Sword & Sorcery campaign melting pot.


In the original module the plot goes something like this;"the PC's become involved with a Thyatian senator and end up fighting in the Coliseum of Thyatis"
So basically we switch out the Thyatian elements  & insert in Rankan NPC's &  campaign elements instead.Why do this? Because this is a low level adventure & enables the PC's to climb the ranks & come to hate the Greco Roman aspects of the old school campaign world. There are samples of the type of dungeon crawling that one might find in a sword & sorcery world.


Here the PC's have a completely difference focus on a vile villain  and in this case its the Thyatian (Rankan) senator & end up fighting in the Coliseum of Thyatis (The Rankan Empire). By the time they get to the second module in the Legions of Thyatis series they'll be at least 2nd or 3rd level if they survive. Which means the second adventure module  Legions of Thyatis gives them a whole level bridge gap to deal with. "Legions of Thyatis contains a scenario in which the players continue to oppose a corrupt Thatian senator. The players have to venture into a labyrinth of catacombs to prevent the senator from eliminating the wards that protect Thyatis City from the monsters in the subterranean realm beneath it." So this takes the party of adventurers & PC's up to forth level. This is just in time to smuggle them into Sanctuary and its dangerous environs. Thieves World was completely shared world that worked along a Gygaxian NPC ecology. This makes it perfect sword & sorcery fodder by taking the PC's from the lower tier into the ranks of adventurers without whole sale BS slaughter. This is a chance for the PC's to be in the central lime light. It can also become a transition point for AD&D 1st edition adventures later on.

So why use gladiatorial games as a way of introducing PC's into an urban old school campaign box set environment like Sanctuary? There are several reasons for this; the bonding process of the arena is one aspect because it teaches the players to rely on one another even though any of them might die at any time,the stakes of play are higher in a sense, & as PC's they have the juxtaposition of the arena audience with the campaign city itself.

So what does this have to do with Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea? Well quite a bit. Its very easy to add the Thieves World campaign setting as simply another country in the world of Hyperborea. Because the Thieves World campaign setting is humancentric the elements are all there to plug in and get going for play. All of the equipment and elements are there to simply start a game campaign going with the toss of the dice.

So here are ten more reasons why this combination of old school adventure campaign elements would work:

1. Old school pulp play at its Eighties & Nineties best with low level play to start the PC's on their journey up the PC ladder. 
2. Thieves World isn't that well known today among new players and neither is the DDA1 Arena of Thyatis so there's the element of surprise. 
3. B/X & AD&D first edition goodness means that these modules could be used with your favorite retroclones and their easy to adapt. 
4. The Thyatian (Rankan) senator is a great SOB NPC & players love to hate the NPC. It doesn't matter which players I run this one through they loath this guy. 
5. The technological levels of Sanctuary never break the Sword & Sorcery basis of these adventures. 
6. Because of the Greco Roman background these adventures are easy to adapt to the far flung edges of empire ala Dark Albion or Lamentations of the Flame Princess. 
7. The DM can pull from real world history of the Roman Empire for added sword & sorcery punch to move their campaigns along. 
8. There are not nearly enough Gecro Roman old school adventures and no I don't count Dark Sun because of its science fantasy or dark fantasy aspects even though you can pull from those campaign sources. 
9. Thieves World is a rich & vibrate campaign setting but this could also work with The City State of the Invincible Overlord
10. There is a ton of adventure ideas and replay with this old school hybrid campaign.