S1 - Eleven Baneful Gates Session 1

## Introduction

“Eleven Baneful Gates” is designed for a party of midlevel characters (5th-7th level). Despite this, I in my wisdom will run it at level 1. The adventure starts in Muluk, but takes place in the ruins of Al-Anwahr, which can be located in the Haunted Lands on the front of card 3.

Recently, a clay tablet bearing the seal of Al-Anwahr was uncovered by nomads and sold for a princely sum in Muluk. The tablet tells of *the Eleven Baneful Gates*, a scroll containing the secret to immortality, as discovered by the ancient sultan Azaltin. The tablet’s owner, a priest named Haroushin, sent a large expedition to excavate the site and search for *The Eleven Baneful Gates*. No news was heard from them for months, and Haroushin assumes something has happened to them. As the players are on call, Haroushin has contacted them to determine the fate of the initial party, and to find the sacred scroll.

## Starting the Adventure

Haroushin is a priest of Kawkaba, the Father of Stars, and is devoted to the acquisition of knowledge and directs historical research in his mosque’s libraries. Haroushin sends an acolyte to invite the PCs to his office in the library, where he asks them to hunt for *The Eleven Baneful Gates* in the ruins of Al-Anwahr.

Haroushin's study is richly decorated, with white tile, shelves with books and scrolls, a green window and murals stars on the wall, a writing desk adjacent to the window. He will be happy to see the party, and ask for their introductions. He is an older man, but excitable and passionate about history and geography, so will likely be interested in the background of Artemir.

Haroushin will be able to give this information about Al-Anwahr:

> *In the distant past, when Al-Anwahr was a rich and proud city, it was ruled by King Azaltin, an intelligent man well versed in poetry, astrology, and the ways of magic. As the Awakener wandered Zakhara, teaching the ways of the Father of Stars to men of all lands, he is said to have stopped in Al-Anwahr and been a guest of Azaltin for 11 days.*
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> *Azaltin honored his guest daily with lavish celebrations and exquisite gifts of silks, gold, and perfumes. After each night of entertainment, the king would ask his guest the same question: “How can a man live forever?” The Awakener warned Azaltin about the danger of such knowledge, but in the end could hardly insult his gracious host by refusing to answer. Each night he told the king about the obstacles that prevent man from achieving immortality.*
> Azaltin’s scribes labored furiously to capture the Awakener’s parables and cryptic riddles, which were set down in a legendary scroll titled The Eleven Baneful Gates. According to legend, the Awakener departed Al-Anwahr, leaving the equivocal scroll in Azaltin’s care. Azaltin pondered the scroll for a decade, ignoring his people while trying to unravel its secret.
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> *After months of fasting and meditation, he abandoned the kingdom to his brother Amakim and left to ponder the scroll in the solitude of the wilderness. Ancient legends say he returned a dozen years later, an inhuman creature of hideous appearance, to reclaim his kingdom. Before long, Amakim led a revolt to topple his monstrous brother. Some members of court remained loyal to their undead king, however, and a bloody battle ensued throughout the city. Ultimately, Amakim’s forces triumphed, but when they reached the king’s palace, they found that Azaltin had vanished. Amakim and his forces departed Al- Anwahr and eventually founded the city of In’aash. Centuries past, the city was renamed Muluk, while Al-Anwahr and Azaltin passed into history…*
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Haroushin offers the PCs 200 gp to accept his quest to find *the Eleven Baneful Gates*, from which they can equip themselves and keep the balance as profit. If the party pushes for more, he reluctantly adds up to 100 gp more and up to four potions of healing as well. Should the party bring *The Eleven Baneful Gates* back to Muluk, the priest promises a reward of 500 gp plus a bonus for any other writings discovered.

Some of the clues in this adventure are written in Chun, an ancient language used in Muluk’s former capitol. Haroushin will provide the party with a Chun dictionary to help decipher any writings they may discover on the expedition. It will otherwise be extremely useful if at least one member of the party is proficient in that ancient language or has magical items or spells which allow its comprehension.

As the party is being given their briefing, they are interrupted by a man named Hakim, an assistant to Haroushin, who will insist on being included on this venture, as he wishes to uncover the knowledge of the lost city. Haroushin doesn't really know Hakim, only treating him as an employee with no true familiarity, and after a moment to think, will agree to send Hakim. If the party doesn't take him with them, Hakim will simply follow them as they make their way to Al Anwahr.

### Hakim

Hakim is, unbeknownst to anyone, a descendant of the traitor vizier Zeenab, and carries a *rod of call ghost* (Action, summon ghost from place where spirit is connected, spirit is limited to broad area of summon, effect ends only through dismissal through the rod), inherited from his ancestor. Hakim is confident and charismatic, well spoken and clearly well educated, but there should be something off about him, his behavior a little forced, to foreshadow his betrayal later. He can speak/read the ancient Chun language. and otherwise knows some of the cultural practices of that people. He has skills in history, and is an overall intelligent and competent person, though brash, petty and immature underneath his facade.

Hakim has knowledge passed down from his ancestors, and believes himself to have been cheated out of the inheritance of immortality that Zeenab may have found if not for Azaltin's trickery. He seeks to claim *the Eleven Baneful Gates* for himself, and rise to his birthright. He has been an assistant in the mosque in the hopes of discovering the scrolls secrets one day.

### The Immortal King

The immortal king Azaltin now waits in the ruins of his former city, hoping that the truth about its history will at last be rediscovered:

After years of wandering Zakhara and hearing his name vilified, Azaltin has finally decided that the world deserves to know the truth about him and Al-Anwahr’s past, not what was invented by his long-dead brother. Contrary to popular legend, the rebellion against Azaltin was orchestrated not by Amakim, who was a weak-willed man, but by the court’s treacherous arch-vizier, Zeenab, who coveted *The Eleven Baneful Gates* for himself. Azaltin was faithfully recording the history of Al-Anwahr when the rebellion, led by Amakim under the direction of Zeenab, captured the royal palace. Before leaving his city, Azaltin hid his histories within the palace, cloaked by magical wardings which prevented their detection by Zeenab. The vizier, thinking that *The Eleven Baneful Gates* was still hidden within the palace, buried the structure out of spite, so no one else could ever learn the secret of immortality.

At first, Azaltin thought it would be an easy matter for his histories to be rediscovered without his direct intervention. He arranged for desert riders to discover some clay tablets describing the location of the ruins, but was horrified to witness the destruction of Haroushin’s first expedition by the deadly traps placed within the palace by Zeenab. Azaltin now realizes that he will have to take a more direct role in the rediscovery of his own writings.

### Preparing to Leave

The party is free to explore Muluk, and is likely to visit stores to get food, water, tents, clothes, camels, and such, which can be provided at a few places. Be prepared to accommodate other purchases as well, such as adventuring gear or weapons.

The city is a thriving one, the farthest one from the deep desert, and closer to the greener and colder lands beyond. The city is bustling with life and trade, where musicians and performers ply their trade in the streets, vendors call out their goods and beckon people to buy. The buildings are of adobe and and many are whitewashed, with even a few colored windows to be seen. The party have to pay attention in order to not be separated, as the crowds can be thick. The people are wearing robes and abas, turbans and kefiyas of nicer quality than seen elsewhere.

There are a few specific stores available to consider, such as:

* **Rations Vendors**: Can prepare dried foods and food stored in mud pies.
* **Alchemists**: Can provide potions, or oils, or paints. They can also provide many components for spellcasting.
* **Curiosities**: All kinds of random junk, of differing value and utility, from knock-off jewellery to exotic weapons, to good luck charms, and sculptures and artworks (painted, mosaics, clay/wood tablets) of various regions, even one or two Kusan weapons, though those are particularly expensive.
* **Smiths**: A dwarf who can provide any weapons or metal armor needed, as well as any repairs to such. Another smith might be able to provide basic smithing services outside of weapons.
* **General Suppliers**: Can provide torches, lamps, etc, inks, ropes, ball bearings, and other adventuring gear.

## Getting to Al-Anwahr

The wilderness separating Muluk and the ruins of Al- Anwahr will require a long and hard trek. The journey involves crossing the Furrowed Mountains and traveling for weeks through the Haunted Lands. Before that, their first stop is the town of Talv. To get there, the party can cross through temperate areas, passing shepherds, farmers, the occasional merchant and such. The Furrowed Mountains are a constant sight as they move south-east, the gentle wind pleasant with the scent of grass and trees.

### Talv

Soon after leaving Muluk (1 and a half day's normal travel), the party arrives in Talv, nestled at the base of the Furrowed Mountains. If the PCs stop in town, the chief will ask the PCs if they plan to continue to the mountains. If so, he will ask if they will take a delivery to a hermit (named Muhir) that lives there, a cart of foodstuffs preserved in mud pies. He will write a note for them to take, asking the hermit to reward the PCs should they do so.

During their stay, they can receive the hospitality of any number of people, probably a conversation can/will be struck with a villager. This villager is a potter whose family will wish to interact with the PCs, asking questions about where they are going, and can give them information about the mountains ahead, telling them of the man-jackals that live there, and will seek to rob the party.

Talv is not as wealthy as Muluk, but it reaps some benefits due to proximity. The buildings are less likely to be painted, and no windows to be seen, but good stucco, and hard work clearly went into the homes here. There are children playing by a well as a couple of women are chatting as they fetch from it. There are two middle aged men in front of a house discussing wedding arrangements for their respective children, while a third tries to mediate their negotiations.

### Furrowed Mountains

As the PCs move further into the mountains, the air begins to get dryer, the trees and grass less plentiful, and the terrain more rocky and with hard earth. The mountains loom over them, the sounds of the wind muffled by the mountain, the sounds of birds the only animal life they can easily hear, though there are lizards and insects in plenty.

### Muhir's Hut

The party can also find the Hermit Muhir's shack in the mountains, and if they deliver the goods, will be offered an item or service that seems appropriate to the party. Muhir is a withered looking old man, shriveled but with eyes that shine with intellect. He will be unwelcoming at first (he has been harrassed by the desert bandits in the recent past, and been seeing jackal-men on some nights), but will be very friendly to the PCs if they tell him their business.

He will sit them down for tea if they allow it, and can tell them more about the jackal-men and bandits, as well as what food can be hunted and foraged in the mountains and how to get it, and the locations of streams.

His hut is a humble one, lit by two lamps.

#### Potential Rewards from Muhir

* A richly woven carpet, worth 50gp.
* A clay tablet, with a mural depicting a kusan magi, clad in skirt and golden helm, with light emanating from his hand as spirits surround him. The tablet is worth 10gp.
* A set of tools or piece of gear a player has realised they might have wanted before leaving.
* A telescope, worth 500 gp.
* A written song for a musician in the party (may come in handy later).
* A potion (any effect).

### The Haunted Lands

Try to cultivate a mood of stark beauty and barren isolation in descriptions of the dazzlingly bright salt flats, red rock canyons, natural rock arches, sun-baked plateaus, and tall granite spires that make up the varied topography of the Haunted Lands. This leg of the journey will be uneventful save for basic survival, and running into a group of outriders from the desert bandits. If the PCs saved Kasim earlier, he will vouch for them, and enable them to travel safely through the rest of the region.