Artan

Artan, son of Drogun, of the Mrenbar Dwarves of the Crimson Atoll

Born in the Year of Dragon's Reverence, during the 6th year of the 190th King's Age

Background Brief

Born on the Crimson Atoll, the dwarf is a scion of the Mrenbar clan. The Crimson Atoll is home to a culture set deep into the Silt Sea, which knows almost nothing of the outside world. Solid land they hold in fear and mystery, for if they have any contacts it has been with the Dragon's domain in the center of the Silt Sea. Ruled by a hetman assisted by the various ship captains and clan heads, they have held for centuries on the silt, buoyed eternally by psionicists trained in shipfloating. Zhor the Half-Elf brought gold, steel and change.

Artan was initially trained in psionics by Melenarchus, an ancient human clairsentient, who helped spur the dwarf's interest in a world beyond his own. Artan's strict father is Drogun, an able seaman aboard the Dragon's Crest. Artan's maternal uncle is Rokur the One-Eyed, who is 1st Mate aboard the Crimson Drake, and it is he who taught Artan how to fight, and it is he who pushed Artan to become a shipfloater/psionicist for the Atoll, as this is a respected profession aboard the atoll.

Mranen, Zhor's half-elf agent who deals with the Crimson Atoll, picked Artan out for special note, noticing that Artan's shadow would lengthen and come alive as he neared the mysterious gate to Dantareth lodged in an rock outcropping from the middle of the silt. Zhor soon came, to exploit the young dwarf and open up a gateway to another, far richer, world. In the following several years, Zhor took riches from the other world, and Artan learned more about his strange and powerful nature. The episode ended with Zhor leaving seemingly permanently for Dantareth, and with Zhor's enemies attacking the Crimson atoll.

Years later, after he had returned to Athas, Zhor sent after Artan, and so he was brought over the Silt Sea on a great journey to General Xyestes' old citadel, whereat Zhor claimed the Trident of the Navarch, and found psionic enchantment scroll magic written on a wall. Knowing this powerful divination magic would be useless against Nibenay or any other of his great enemies, he used it to find Warrior God.

Family

Father: Drogun, able seaman aboard the Dragon's Crest (N fighter)

Mother: Arta

Siblings:

Drogar, eldest brother, sailor, KIA (silt horror)

Norda, eldest daughter, priestess of silt, powerful, betrayed the Crimson Atoll

Drendar, wood merchant, moderately successful

Yorgan, sailor, burned badly in Alteric's attack on the Atoll

Yalda, sister with very powerful psionic powers, sailor, captured by Alteric's marauders

Norgod, punished thief and sailor

ARTAN

Dravar, sailor

Nelda, young sister showing psionic potential

Maternal Uncle: Rokur the One-Eyed, first mate aboard the Crimson Drake (LN, good tendencies, strong fighter)

Paternal Grandfather: Draven, former pirate with lost hand

Mrenbar Clan

The Mrenbar dwarves of the Crimson Atoll are one of three dwarven clans there, the others being the Randor dwarves and the Urzgot dwarves.

The Mrenbar dwarves are the largest clan, and before Alteric's attack on the atoll, they number roughly 250. The Mrenbar dwarves, like the other clans, are highly suspicious of strangers. In their history, the Mrenbar recall that they fled hardland so as to escape great evil that was occurring there, but this was so long ago they do not remember what it was.

The Mrenbar dwarves hold the focus of accumulating enough wood, stone, and most importantly obsidian floater domes so as to construct their own, strictly dwarven atoll, and before the attack of Alteric, they nearly had enough material to do this.

The leader or uhrnomus of the Mrenbar is Nado, a powerful earth cleric and psionicist. He survived the attack of Alteric's ships. Nado was once captain of his own ship, the Mrenbar, but it was sunk in the battle. It is thought that Nado will become a dwarven banshee for allowing this to happen without dying himself.

Mrenbar and Randor Dispute

The second largest dwarven clan on the atoll, the Randor dwarves, have their focus being the creation of a settlement along a silten field of reeds far to the south. Unlike the Mrenbar, they worship silt, and train their youths with a legendary being called the Old Man of the Sea, who is in fact a kreen of some sort.

Artan's Past

Dreams and Nightmares of Artan's Youth

Artan has an instinctual fear or phobia of the night, especially totally darkness. His eldest sister Norda apparently figured out that his wailing would stop if a candle was lit. A candle or oil lamp was thus always lit in Artan's room at night, and kept lit, as a matter of course.

Growing up, Artan was treated harshly by many of those on the Crimson Atoll, and was in fact shunned. Some of the people said that he was evil, or even a sorcerer. His parents seemed to ignore this treatment, and attempted to condition Artan to ignore such treatment as well. For the critical years of his childhood, Artan never new why exactly he was treated this way, even by some of his siblings, and would not know until more recently.

When he was older and well into his tutelage with his kind and old psionics mentor Melenarchus, Artan learned that it had been one night when Artan was very young that had sealed his reputation at the Atoll. As was not terribly unusual, Artan would not cease his night wailing. Drago, a powerful fighter and a pirate as well as his paternal uncle, who had recently returned from the Deep Silt, became infuriated by the toddler's crying. Although Drago was warned by Artan's sister Norda that the child would cry even more horribly if the light was turned out, Drago cursed the family for mollycoddling the child, stormed into the children's room, and snuffed out the solitary candle. Artan screamed with such intensity, that it was as if his soul were being ripped away. A minute or so later Drago seized a torch to give the boy fire, but in a violent way, and so returned to the room to deal with the cacophony with his rough hands. According to Norda, who was alone in watching the child, it was at this point that Drago suddenly called out in terror and disappeared himself. Norda ran into the room to investigate, only to find that Drago was gone, that the room had turned a bitter cold, and that the older children had awoken and were terrified. Norda saw why, and herself being terrified, backed away from the child, who had stopped screaming, but who now exhibited himself in some horrifying fashion. The toddler Artan then wandered out onto the atoll dock carrying Drago's torch, and apparently many of the people saw him looking like some type of demon. At last more adults came, but several of them disappeared themselves upon their approach. At last, a silt cleric named Gornehric summoned a great whirlwind of silt which overwhelmed the child and at last subdued the situation. Artan passed out and the torch was snuffed. When Artan's parents reached his unconscious form, they found that his body was bone cold. Apparently the Atoll had a council that night and nearly resolved to have Artan thrown into the silt. The Mrenbar clan of dwarves refused this, taking that such a determination was just part of other clan feuding, and so Artan was spared. Drago, nor either of the other two adults, were never found.

Melenarchus has told Artan that the people of the Atoll said his eyes were spilling trails of pure black mist, and that he had expelled from his breath a great cloud of blackness that had consumed his uncle and the two others.

Ever since this event, Artan has been treated with great suspicion in the Atoll by all those other than the Mrenbar clan of dwarves, and is all but ostracized. The dwarves have ignored this aspect of him, and hated Drago enough that they care little that Artan seems to have been responsible for his permanent absence from Athas. In any case, a light of some sort has always been available to him when the sun sets.

What Artan Knows

Melenarchus, a potent clairsentient and captured shipfloater from a royal Balican schooner, was the slave who comforted Artan in is ostracism and taught him much of what he knows about psionics and the outside world. When their relationship was well-developed, Melenarchus at last informed Artan about his past and nature.

According to Melenarchus, Artan bears no personal aura, which the old clairsentient is particularly adept at seeing. Melenarchus says that eventually he realized that it is Artan's shadow that bears the aura.

Melenarchus explains this condition as being that Artan's soul does not reside in his person, but rather in his shadow. As long as a shadow exists, no matter how small or faint, Artan remains himself. Melenarchus speculates that at night when all lights go out and Artan has no shadow whatsoever, his spirit-self in his shadow leaps into his body lest it be snuffed out with the darkness.

Artan has long speculated that his parents know more as to why he is the way that he is, and he has heard hints from extended family and clan members that something indeed did happen when Artan was conceived. His gruff father Drogun and even his mother Arta have always scolded Artan with impatience whenever the subject is brought up, telling him to return to his work.

The Trilith and Artan's Living Shadow

Artan also knows that his shadow grew in size whenever he approached the Trilith, an odd outcropping of huge boulders in the silt sea some miles away from the Crimson Atoll. His maternal uncle Rokur the One-Eyed, who has always been kind to and supportive of Artan, was the first to realize this when he took him out as a boy on the atoll's best ship, the Crimson Drake.

Mranen, an outboarder (stranger) to the atoll in recent years, heard about Artan's strange shadow, and decided to take Artan on his own ship to the Trilith. Arriving upon the rocks, Artan saw strange symbols carved into the forbidden rocks (it was local legend that a monster dwelt on the isolated outcropping), but more than this, Artan's shadow took on enormous proportions, and upon actually setting foot on the rocks, Artan's shadow took on a three-dimensional nature and seemed to have a life of its own. With the approach of Artan's shadow, the great arch formed by the two great rocks flashed a golden light, and on the other side of the huge boulders the cloudy blue skies, great waves and sea spray of a mighty and true ocean was beheld. More than this, the great portal so opening seemed to cause the symbols on the rocks to glow with a golden light, and there came forth from a perch of rocks a great and shadowy being much like Artan's own shadow. Mranen was aghast, for the shadow giant seemed coming to attack them. Before it did however, Artan's own shadow interceded, and the two forms wrestled amongst the rocks, both of them spewing clouds of inky black darkness. Mranen seized Artan from the rocks and they fled back to the atoll. The shadow giant on the rocks did not follow them.

Although highly disturbed by these events, although they had returned to the atoll, the half-elf Mranen kept Artan in the cabin of his small ship, not allowing him to tell his family or Melenarchus what had happened. Later that night, with a candle lit in the small silt schooner's cabin, Zhor appeared. Struck by the presence of the tall, scarred and incredibly charismatic half-elf, the sorcerer-psionicist calmed Artan's mind, told him that what he had seen was very special, and that they must return to the Trilith in the morning to see this wonder.

Upon sailing to the Trilith once more, once again the shadow giant appeared with their approach. Zhor attempted to treat with it, trying many languages. It at last responded, and Zhor and the black shadow giant spoke for a time. At last the shadow giant had enough, and spewed forth an enormous wall of black clouds to overwhelm them, which Zhor countered with an equally enormous wall of rainbow. Next, the shadow giant suddenly manifested from the shadow of the schooner's mast and seized Mranen, who was at the floater's dome. Zhor blasted off the shadow's arm with a great blast of lightning, freeing Mranen. From the stub of the arm, a billowing blood-cloud of shadowy blackness poured forth, and overwhelmed much of the crew, sucking them away into blackness, never to be seen again. Artan had stood where many of the vanished crew members had been standing, but was unaffected. Zhor was then seized by the monster himself. With Zhor thus affixed, Artan instinctually mustered his own great shadow, and fought once again with the monster. As his assailant had but one arm, Artan managed to loose Zhor from the shadowy grip, but in the struggle the half-elf was thrown into the silt. Artan/his shadow was then overborne by his opponent, and wrestled into the rainbow wall, which caused Artan enormous pain. In that moment, Artan feared both his shadow's and thus his own death. But the great shadow strangely relented for some reason, and simply held Artan in place. The shadow giant even spoke to him through his blue mouth in an unknown language for a few moments, seemingly in a language of sadness and even sympathy. By this time however Zhor had teleported up from out of the silt, and sent mighty black thunderbolts into Artan's opponent. This nearly slew the shadow giant, and allowed Artan to gain the upper-hand and maneuver him into the rainbow wall instead. The shadow giant howled in pain, then in a pathetic voice said something else to Artan, still in the unknown language, as if a plea for mercy. Zhor called for Artan to hold the monster in place, and with Artan so doing, Zhor cast more magical bolts upon the monster, which at last caused it to fall into an inky black and massy cloud which may have overwhelmed the ship had not Artan thrown the body completely into the prismatic wall, which caused it to disappear.

Not to be deterred by such a guardian, Zhor nonetheless compelled Artan's now manifested shadow to near the great arch, and upon going underneath it, the natural archway flared once again with golden light, and the ocean on the other side was revealed. Zhor stood in wonder.

Zhor and Artan on the Crimson Atoll

For the next several years, this event spelled Artan's fate. Zhor took Artan under his wing at the atoll, and showering presents upon the people there, along with veiled threats, Zhor became the master of the Crimson Atoll. Zhor completed Artan's training in the Way, and told Artan that as he was somehow attuned to the Trilith which was between two worlds, so it was that Artan himself was the child of two worlds, yet wholly belonged to neither. Zhor told Artan that only he could provide the young dwarf with the path through life, for unlike almost all others on Athas, Zhor had been to other worlds and universes, and could guide Artan when he was strong enough. Bound by Zhor's charisma and power, Artan fell heavily under Zhor's sway.

Using Artan, who alone seemed to be able to open the gate to the world of the ocean, Zhor made many other trips to the Trilith. Having brought many outborder men to the Crimson Atoll from far across the Silt Sea, Zhor set about building rafts, and at length, going alone, Zhor set sail on the seas on the other side of the mysterious gate. Zhor would go for days at a time at first, and then would go for weeks.

Artan saw the secret that he was not supposed to know: that Zhor was returning with large amounts of strange gold and silver coins, and even with steel weapons and armor. Such treasures, kept hidden on the Crimson Atoll, were eventually shipped to overseas on foreign schooners.

Zhor's interest in Artan became ever less as he disappeared for longer and longer trips to that other world. On one or two occasions, Artan asked to be allowed to go with Zhor to the other world, but Zhor explained that given Artan's nature, he was not sure what would happen, or if Artan would even would survive, in another world, and said that for the time being, until Zhor was sure, Artan would have to remain on Athas. The trips continued. One day, yet another outboarder arrived on the atoll. Named Ktandeo, he was a gruff and strange looking blonde man, whom Artan only met for a minute or so. With Ktandeo's arrival, once more Artan opened the gate, and Zhor and for the first time a companion, this Ktandeo, ventured through. Zhor never returned to the Crimson Atoll.

Not long after Zhor's final disappearance, a flotilla of pirates arrived at the Crimson Atoll. A great battle between them and Zhor's minions, who had grown quite numerous over the years was waged, but without Zhor their ships were sunk. The Crimson Atoll itself was nearly sunk, and Melanarchus was killed. They took what remained of Zhor's treasure house, and Artan was seized by their leader, an unarmed rogue named Alteric. Artan was forced to show them the Trilith, and Alteric beheld the ocean from the other world. Confirming that Zhor always returned through the gate only through Artan's presence, Alteric was about to kill Artan, until the young dwarf used his psychoportation to escape. Alteric then instead used his large ships and destroyed the Trilith, pulling the great stones into the silt, and thus collapsing the gate forever.

The Return of Zhor

For two years, Artan picked up the pieces of his life. Although he hid successfully from the mercenaries of Alteric, the Crimson Atoll had suffered greatly in the battle. Many of their people had died, and several of their very precious silt schooners and their invaluable obsidian floater domes had sunk to the bottom of the sea. Artan's uncle Rokur had been killed, and about one third of the atoll had been burned and sunk.

Artan was blamed for nearly all of this, and even his own dwarf clan was about to let him be sacrificed to the anger of the atoll, but the atoll hetman intervened, saying that too many of the mindbenders responsible for keeping the atoll afloat had been killed, and so therefore they needed Artan. The young dwarf was thus allowed to live, but he was now shunned more than ever. These would have been dark times for Artan, for all three of his mentors, uncle Rokur, Melenarchus and Zhor were gone, the gateway the could have been his path to another life was destroyed, and he could see little future for himself save for a virtual slave to the atoll.

Two years after Zhor's disappearance, Mranen, who had escaped from the battle, returned to the Crimson Atoll. He brought word that Zhor was not dead but had in fact returned to Athas, and was on the other side of the Silt Sea, and in Balic. Mranen offered Artan a way to leave the Crimson Atoll, and so the dwarf did in the middle of the night. Roughly a month later, they arrived at Balic, the first time Artan had ever seen the continent, and once again Artan was in the presence of Zhor of Tyr...

Artan in the Astral

Artan projects his spirit into the Gray from a tiny fortress of solid rock in the high red stone hills many miles to the west of Balic, and at the edge of that city-state's traditional borders. The tower is manned by the mercenary soldiers of House Wavir, the great merchant house which proved pivotal in Xal'gren's conquest of the city. Zhor made special arrangements with House Wavir for Artan's presence there to be a secret, and for him to remain well-guarded regardless of how long he might be in meditation.

Artan is kept high up in the fortress in its highest perch, which overlooks the great Athasian wilderness of harsh hills and boulder fields. The sun is able to shine in upon him each day, but for at night, a perpetual oil lamp is kept lit for Artan.

Game Mechanics: That part of Artan's soul which is bound to the Black cannot leave the bounds of Athas, and thus his shadow life-force remains in shadow form on Athas, or more correctly, in the Black. Artan's intellect however can separate itself if Artan attempts to go into the Gray, which automatically occurs if Artan does this. If Artan were to be truly killed in the Gray, in the Astral or in any of the Outer Planes beyond the Astral, all that is of Artan's personality would be destroyed. His shadow soul might however remain on Athas, but it would likely be primeval and mindless, and would therefore be a monstrous NPC if anything at all.

Bereft of his shadow soul which remains in Athas, Artan is not afflicted with his fear of the dark while in the Gray or the Astral, and will suffer no ill consequences if in total darkness there.

Note on Artan's Shadow Soul

Artan is incapable of animating his shadow as a deliberate act, and the only times he has ever been able to do so has been when he was at the Trilith, when the effect happened unbidden. It may be theoretically possible for Artan to learn how to do this, but as of yet, he has no such command over this awesome power. When his shadow did animate, Artan's actual body was unmoving, as his body was at such a time more his shadow than it was his actual body.

Timeline

Artan's Campaign Start: 43rd Year of the 190th King's Age, Free Year 18, the Year of Enemy's Fury

Magical/Psionic Items

As a dwarf, Artan is poorly tuned towards magic. Therefore, many items will have a chance of malfunctioning each time he uses them, or at the beginning of each encounter. Those items identified with an asterix are subject to malfunction 20% of the time. The percentage roll for malfunctioning will be rolled, depending upon the item, either upon each use, or upon the beginning of any encounter.

The Trident of the Navarch

A psionically empowered trident of submission +3 (Prime Material, Athasian make) (prime material damage: 1d6+3/3d4+2)

History/Description: Forged by the Master Navarch and Polemarch Karos, a mighty Balic templar (18th level templar/20th level psychokineticist), it was lost centuries ago when Karos was slain by the Order. Karos created the trident when he was an 18th level psionicist. The claws of an air drake were made into tines bound by leather and the beast's spinal cord. The Order threw the trident into the Silt Sea, as it was corrupted by magic, but it was nonetheless recovered by a Balican templar subordinate to Karos. Seized by Xal'gren from a navarch (admiral) of Balic upon his conquest of that city, the trident was given Zhor and mentally defeated by him at Xyestes' citadel in the barrens outside of Balic.

AL: NE, int 14, Ego:  ?, Personality Score:  ?, Level:  ? Languages: at least Common and Balican... there may be others

Weapon Primary Abilities: deflect silt (+2 bonus on related saving throws), see through silt, detect silt danger (180 ft. range)

Submission: if struck, save vs. spell; if fail, check morale instead of attacking; if failure, hopelessness, cease fighting and surrender for 2d4 rounds

Special Purpose: to slay wizards (bearer receives a +2 bonus on all saving throws regarding wizards and sorcery, and if damaged is caused by sorcery, the damage is reduced by 1 for a minimum of 1 for each damage die rolled)

Extraordinary Powers clairaudience, 30 yrd. range, x3/day, 1 rnd./use; defiler scent, 120 yrd. range, x3/day, 1 rnd./use)

Psionic Summary

MAX PSPS: 124, MTHAC0: 13, MAC: 2, ATTACKS: ID, PsC, PB, DEFENSES: TS, IF, TW,

Sciences: telekinesis, project force, telekinetic barrier, kinetic control

Devotions: inertial barrier, deflect, mass manipulation, momentum theft, control body, control wind, levitation, soften

The Spirit of the Trident: The trident speaks with a harsh and bitter voice. He is usually quiet, but when he speaks it is often with an air of anger and impatience. The spirit of the trident makes it clear that he has endured great amounts of time, and was originally was created by and at the hand of the strongest templar in Balic.

Notes on the Trident:

Zhor himself his psionically conquered the cruel spirit within the trident, and has bound it and commanded it to obey Artan, who normally would not yet be mighty enough to truly wield it.

The Alferez' Bejeweled Bracers*

Steel Bracers of Defense, AC 4

History/Description: Taken from the Alferez of Tarona de la Fierta, a noble servant of the lich Enco Salorini, these bracers are made of solid and heavy steel. They have a heavy molding of the sitting lions of Ishtar upon them. The cat's have yellow gems as part of their eyes, and above them is the six-sided star of Ishtar, with a diamond in the center. A spell in cuneiform magic is set into both bracers beneath the images of the lion, and they are steeped in a film of melted diamond dust.

Earrings of Alferez of Tarona de la Fierta*

Earrings of Protection +3

History/Description: Made of gold, the earrings are rectangular, some 2/3 of an inch high and 1/2 an inch wide. They depict the god Marduk arrayed in armor, and a few cuneiform spells. The observe of the earrings bear a depiction of the Tablet of Destiny. Worn by the Alferez of Tarona de la Fierta, they were used briefly by Erin until Artan put them on.

The Rod of the Alferez of Tarona de la Fierta

Rod of Smiting +3

History/Description: Taken from the Alferez of Tarona de la Fierta, the rod is quite heavy, weighing some 35 pounds, and is made of a polished yellow-red ceramic material. The rod is carefully decorated with religious iconography of a dizzying array. The depiction is split into 18 levels or layers, and display a divine warrior and his conquests.

Powers The rod is a +3 magical weapon that inflicts 1d8+3 points of damage (speed 6). Against golems, the rod causes 2d8+6 points of damage, and any score of 20 or better completely destroys the golem. Any hit upon a golem drains one charge.

The rod causes normal damage (1d8+3) versus creatures of the Outer Planes. Any score of 20 or better draws off one charge and causes triple damage (1d8+3)x3. The rod cannot be recharged.

Scarlet Blue Sphere Ioun Stone

Description: The ioun stone grants (Int +1) whirls 1d3 feet from the character's head. The stone is AC -4, with 10 hit points. It saves as hard metal (+3 bonus).

The Onyx Dog*

Description: A tiny statuette of polished onyx roughly 1 1/2 inch in height, it is a carving of a noble looking high sitting hunting dog with sleek limbs and a sleek snout.

Command Word: "Nerago"

Powers: When commanded, this statueete changes into a creature with the same properties of a war dog... the rest remains unknown to Artan at this time.

Alferez's Bronze Ring of Fire Resistance*

Description: Inset with a polished oval deep-red gem, the ring is made of dark bronze. Cuneiform spells dedicating the ring to the god Nusko-Girru wrap themselves crudely and chaotically around the deep-red gem.

Powers: as normal

Enco's Silver Flask*

Description: Inset with strange cuneiform, filled with a ghostly substance.

Powers: Unknown.

Gnarled Bone Ring Set with a Great Misshapen Diamond

Ring of Psionic Defense +3

Translucent and Smooth Obsidian Teardrop

Given to Artan by Zhor.

Psionic Enhancement Stone (10 PSPs)

Powers: The stone slowly generates PSPs throughout the day when exposed to sunlight or magic. While a psionicist or wild talent sleeps or meditates, the PSPs slowly transfer into the character's personal psionic strength pool at the rate of 2 PSPs per hour. After this, the stone is without PSPs until recharged by the sun or magic during the next day. The PSPs remain with the psionicist until he uses them, but he can only ever add 10 PSPs to his psionic pool total--he can never at the same time benefit from more than 10 PSPs from this stone.

Kar'Nathem's Short Sword of Quickness

Steel Short Sword of Quickness +2

Description: The short sword's blade is slim, and might be a dagger save for that front third of the blade is slightly wider. It is made of a silvery steel. The hilt is made of two intertwined silvery snakes, whose heads face in opposite directions at the base of the hilt, one smiling, the other frowning. A smooth oval black gem of unknown kind is set into one side of the hilt. The opposite side bears a rune of power traced in a black rock-like material. There are no hilt guards. The very base of the blade has a band of small runes written with gold.

Kar'Nathem's Obsidian Long Sword

Obsidian Long Sword +2

Combat Statistics: Obsidian weapons normally suffer a -2 to attack and -1 to damage. The weapon was well-crafted before it was enchanted, decreasing the penalties to -1 to attack and -1 to damage. As the sword is a +2 weapon, the weapon's actual combat bonuses work out to be +1 to hit and +1 to damage.

Description: Kar'Nathem's blade is pitch black obsidian, and is crafted in the fashion of the Obsidian Runner elf tribe, having an unusually long and thin blade. The wrist-guard is made of obsidian as well. The tines are fairly long, and flair outward at their tips, where there are symbols of power. The center of the cross-guard is sealed with a piece of white obsidian on either side. On one side is the withered Burnt Tree, stenciled in with black ash. On the other side is the Burning Tree. The grip is wrapped tightly in leather, which is sealed with blood-etched symbols of fire warding. The base of the grip ends in a flanged piece of pumice.

Background: The weapon appears to have been made by Kar'Nathem himself, and is the sister sword of Kar'Nathem's cousin, the chief of the Obsidian Runners, Ar'Nievel.

Chief Ar'Nievel's Obsidian Long Sword

Obsidian Long Sword +2 (3 lbs.)

Combat Statistics: Obsidian weapons normally suffer a -2 to attack and -1 to damage. The weapon was well-crafted before it was enchanted, decreasing the penalties to -1 to attack and -1 to damage. As the sword is a +2 weapon, the weapon's actual combat bonuses work out to be +1 to hit and +1 to damage.

Description: Ar'Nievel's blade is pitch black obsidian, and is crafted in the fashion of the Obsidian Runner elf tribe, having an unusually long and thin blade. It is even longer than most Obsidian Runner long swords, and is slightly thicker, in measure with Ar'Nievel's great size. The wrist-guard is made of gray obsidian, which is thick and heavy for heavy sword-play. The tines of the wrist-guard are fairly long, and flair outward at their tips, where there are symbols of power. The grip is wrapped tightly in black leather, which is sealed with blood-etched symbols of fire warding. The base of the grip ends in a pommel of pumice, which is deeply carved with the symbol of the Burnt Tree, which is colored white.

The Gray

Planar Boundaries and Prohibitions

The astral plane does not touch upon Athas or any of its boundary planes, and thus planar travel completely beyond Athas to the astral or outer planes is all but impossible. The Ethereal Plane shares some ties to the Prime Material Plane in Dark Sun, as Ethereal conduits to and from the Elemental Planes extend via Ether Cyclones through the Gray, allowing elemental spells to be granted, elemental spirits to take shape and travel to the Elemental Planes easier through these conduits.

The Border Gray

Very similar to the Ethereal, the Border Gray is hazy, and reduces all other colors to shades of gray. Clear vision into the Prime Material is reduced to 12 feet in daylight, 6 feet in torchlight and only three feet in candlelight. Sound passes from the Prime Material and to the Border Gray, but these sounds are muffled and difficult to make out clearly. Complex conversations from the Prime Material are impossible to discern. Emphatic and simple statements such as “help!” or “look out!” are audible in the Border Gray at up to ten feet. No light or sound from the Border Gray will ever spill into the Prime Material world, regardless of how intense. Vision within the Border Gray itself is usually some 120 ft.

Movement on the Border Gray is as the normal movement rate of the traveler, which is accomplished simply by willing it so. As long as the traveler’s encumbrance is such so that he would normally have at least a movement of 1, in the Border Ethereal he is counted as being unencumbered. Movement is possible in all directions, including up and down, as if flying. Being in the Gray allows one to travel through solid objects on the Prime Material, although exceptions to this rule are that it is impossible to travel through living beings, and that certain magical spells, glyphs and also heavy metals may prevent passage via the Border Gray. Travel to the Deep Gray from the Border Gray is achieved simply by willing it (wisdom check for newcomers), which takes a full round.

The Border Gray is not as powerful as the Deep Gray, and thus if anyone is trapped in the Gray, the Border Gray is safer, for it only drains one point of constitution per day.

The Deep Gray

Tactical Movement in the Deep Gray The maximum speed possible is 10 yards per minute (30 feet per melee round) per intelligence point. Sudden stops and changes in direction can occur at will with no ill effects. Encumbrance slows down the traveler in the Deep Gray by a 10 ft. per round penalty for every 10 lbs. carried. Intelligence determines additional carrying capacity. Magical items have no encumbrance.

Anchors in the Gray: The Mindscape When utilizing astral projection on Athas, the individual in question appears on a spiritual anchor or mindscape, which is to say a representation of the place which is of most importance to the projector. This mindscape may be of most any size or dimension, but it is not something over which the projector has control. The best example of this is the manifestation of the Pristine Tower when Sadira of Tyr is spiritually pulled into the Gray by wraiths loyal to Borys of Ebe, as detailed in The Cerulean Storm:

“The sorceress was far from panicked. While she would not be as comfortable in the Gray as her foes, she knew more about this place than the wraiths realized. If they expected her to assume they had killed her simply because she found herself in the Gray, they were badly mistaken. The Pristine Tower serve as ample evidence that Sadira was alive. A reminder of the most significant event in her life, the spire of white rock acted as a lodestone for her spirit, holding it together and preventing it from dispersing into the haze. Before they could destroy her, the wraiths would have to drive her off its steps.” –The Cerulean Storm, The Gray, p. 74

In game terms, the mindscape of a projecting character loosely acts as the silver cord for the character. While upon it, the projector may stay within the Gray indefinitely, being immune to the draining effects of the plane. For every 24 hours spent on the Gray outside a mindscape, a full level is permanently lost, restorable only through the use of powerful magic.

The mindscape anchor is effectively invulnerable. It bears all the physical characteristics of the location or building being mimicked, and appears substantial and not ethereal. Therefore, the structure can be damaged by great force, as might a normal building, but only a force of the very great power indeed could totally destroy the mindscape. Effectively, the same principle of invulnerability of one’s astral silver cord applies to the mindscape: no normal force may destroy it. If some power truly obliterates the spiritual anchor, the associated spirit(s) has no way of returning to its physical body, and thus it is likely doomed to slowly be level drained until it dissolves into the Gray like every other spirit.

The mindscape anchor acts as the bridge between the Gray and the Prime Material Plane. Appearing in the Gray via psionic astral projection is relatively simple, requiring only the normal one round preparation time of the power, but returning is considerably more difficult. Returning from the Gray while in the mindscape requires 1d100 rounds. During this time, the psionicist spiritually explores the concept of returning to the Prime Material Plane. Usually this manifests in traveling through the mindscape, the boundaries of which flex and mold to suit such a spiritually journey. For instance, if someone’s mindscape anchor is a Tyrian market in the Elven Quarter, the empty Elven Quarter may sprawl for a considerable distance, even beyond the distance it spans on the Prime Material, as the projector searches for that part of the mindscape which is most precious to him, or otherwise serves as the most poignant spot. For example, in the case of Sadira, the very top of her spiritual Pristine Tower was what served as her way of returning to the Prime Material world.

Traveling in the Gray

The Deep Gray exists outside of space, so although objects and persons may appear within visible range, this does not mean that unseen locations are near or far from anyone. Actually arriving at specific mindscapes, locations or to the boundary of the Ethereal Plane or Astral Plane requires great vision of mind, for the traveler must maintain the concept of his destination in his throughout the journey. In the case of attempting to travel to any location which one has never been to before, for which he has no map or magical/psionic spell or power guiding him, the times listed for travel below are multiplied by 1d6.

Skirting the Curtain of the Border Gray to Reach a Certain Location on Athas: 1d10x10 hours

To a Free-Floating Physical Location in the Gray: 1d10x10 turns

To a Specific Mindscape Anchor or Demi-Plane in the Gray: 2d10x10 hours

To the Border Ethereal: 1d10x100 hours

To the Astral Plane: 1d10x100 hours

To the Border Gray: 1d10x100 hours

Leaving The Gray for the Ethereal or Astral Planes

In the case of first-time travel to the Ethereal or the Astral from Athas, this is exceedingly difficult. Once the traveler has successfully traveled the time indicated for achieving either of these planes, it remains to be seen if he has become thoroughly lost in the Gray. This check is most difficult, as it is a wisdom check made on a 1d100 roll. If this is a failure, he must start all over again. If the traveler has made such a journey before, the chance of becoming lost in the Gray is reduced to a traditional wisdom check.

Even if the character achieves reaching the End of the Gray, his mind must be great enough to break the Boundary of Reality that separates Athas from the rest of the multiverse. This is handled as a percentile roll, modified only by an individual’s magical defense adjustment bonus as given by wisdom:

Result Astral Plane Ethereal Plane

Lost 01-15 01-08

Failure 16-95 09-65

Success 96-100 66-100

Lost indicates the character is hurled back into the Deep Gray prematurely, in which case he may attempt the Boundary once more. Failure indicates the traveler must save vs. spell (wisdom bonuses apply) or be slain as his spirit is eviscerated upon nearing the Event Horizon. Even if he survives, the character in question suffers as if slain in the Astral Plane having come from the Gray, as described below.

Astral Projector Slain in the Astral, Having Come from the Gray

If a traveler’s astral form is slain, his spirit is immediately hurled back to the Gray, away from his mindscape anchor. The traveler then falls into a coma for ld4 + 1 days, during which only a full wish or alter reality will awaken him (the level draining effects of the Gray apply during these days). At the end of this time, a system shock roll is made. If it fails, the individual dies. If the system shock roll succeeds, the character regains consciousness with the following restrictions:

-Regains consciousness with 1 hit point.

-No spell casting or psionics until at least half hit points are regained.

-Physical movement reduced by half until half hit points are regained.

-Attacks with a -4 penalty until half hit points are regained.

Healing magic can bring the victim back up to full hit points, but all penalties remain in effect until enough time has passed for the victim to have regained half his hit points without curative magic. (This time is measured in terms of true time.)

If he is still alive, once a traveler awakes from his coma, he may attempt to return to his mindscape anchor. To achieve this, he must travel for 2d10x10 hours, and is otherwise subject to the normal traveling in the Gray rules.

Psionic Powers

Psychokinetic Devotion: Control Body