Soul caster generation

[darlis moonbeam]

Setting up character rolls

[wrathgon]

Elvenstar

The origins of the Elvenstar are veiled in the mists of time. The gemstone is however, a very powerful magical item, initially bestowed upon Lord Gylharen by the Sage Bensarian. It was Bensanan who named the stone but offered no account of its history.

Upon receiving the star Gylharen was given a special tome of incantations. By invoking special spells the Wizard-King was able to cast spells through the star itself. The gem acted as a fulcrum or transformer, effec¬ tively amplifying the magic-user’s spells 10 to 50 times their normal effect (range, area of effect, damage, etc). In addition, some spells w ould have a duration of up to a year. Several protections from evil 5,000 feet radius, cast

around the city, have been more than effec¬ tive. At other times amplified versions of dis¬ pel magic: t ice storm , cloudkiU or gust of wind were capable of routing an invading army. Some of the procedures were decisive in the first wizards’ war.

Elvenstar also acted as a sentinel-1 ike crys¬ tal ball, alerting the Wizard-King to the pres¬ ence or encroachment of evil. In effect, the star functioned as an early warning system, accurately detecting and identifying an evil incursion within the bounds of Wendar. (Unfortunately the star did not ascertain the evil intentions of Camla who effectively masked his true aims from everyone. In the end the evil agent substituted a worthless blue stone for the fist-size magical sapphire.)

At the outset Gylharen was fully aware of the importance of Elvenstar* s tome of incan¬ tations so he guarded them so well that Lan¬ dryn Teriak had no clue as to how they might be obtained. Without access to the special spells, Landry n Teriak has little success with his efforts to make the star function. The Shadow Lord has succeeded (accidently) in amplifying a few spells through the star.

Thirty years after the Wizard's War, the Elvenstar has been stolen by the Shadow Lord’s agent in order to eliminate Wendars defensive capability. At the outset of Adven¬ ture I the gemstone is in the Shadow Lord s possession at Gereth Minar. Landryn Teriak has succeeded in putting a limited cloudkiU spell through the star— this effect surrounds the dark tower. The FCs, however, will not be able to cast spells through Elvenstar in this adventure.

Once per month, the Elvenstar can heal up to two characters in mortal danger; however, only a Lawful character can use Elvenstar in this way. Healed characters’ hit points are fully restored. As an option, the DM may instead restore one lost experience level to one or two characters under the same condi¬ tions of mortal danger.

In this adventure, Elvenstarhas additional specific effects against the magic and fol¬ lowers of the Shadow Lord (see area #51). These additional effects stem from his own use of the gem, which made him vulnerable to its magic.

It is harmful to remain in contact with the gem (i.e, with unprotected skin) for a pro¬ longed period. After one turn of exposure, the bearer will feel a slight pain in the heart and gain five hit points over his normal maxi¬ mum. Each susbequent turn, the bearer gains another 5 hit points. When the new hit points total equals the character’s previous maximum, the character dies If the bearer

interrupts the contact before this happens, he immediately loses the “new” hit points. Each subsequent day, the character will perma¬ nently lose one hit point, up to the previous total of “new” hit points. The process can only be interrupted with a remove curse* spell, cast at 10th level. Permanently lost hit points cannot be restored

[wrathgon]

so you need to choose which spells will be able to cast through the gem. Each spell takes 1 turn per spell level to research how to cast through the gem.