(D) delete this one, Jeremy

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Soviet
>Sent: Thursday, 5 August 1999 11:36
>
>I've been considering buying this scenario, could tell me the main plot ?
>
>Complete Systems wrote:

>> Recently, I picked up 'The Shattered Circle' by Bruce Cordell,
>expecting to
>> do some heavy editing out of magic items and non-BR monsters, but
>very little
>> was needed to make this suitable for a BR adventure situated either near a
>> Shadow World entrance, or near the Spiderfell. It's designed for low level
>> characters but very experienced players.

The (unedited) plot is at a couple of levels. In short, a recently unearthed
artefact is attracting evil creatures, corrupting them further and then turning
them loose on the local country-side.
The artefact is a large stone slab that is active when uncovered, it is an
oracle for those that would use it, but with each use it extends its influence
into the mind of the user, it also gates in creatures on command or by it's own
whim.
Several thousand years ago, a wizard finds the artefact and begins
experimenting on it in his dungeon. {there seems to be a plot hole here, or
I've misread something, as there is no connection between the stone circle
itself and the dungeon except for location, yet there is a carved stairway
leading to it}. The artefact destroys him, but before it's influence spreads,
a small cave-in deactivates it.
Time passes.
A race of critters called Chitines that are basically humanoid spiders (but
not to be confused with Driders), burrowing from the Underdark towards the
surface in an effort to escape the Drow, happen across the dungeon and settle
it. They are there for generations before one of them uncovers the stone,
setting it working again - this is a couple of months before the party finds
evidence of summoned creatures.
The title comes from a Stonehenge-like circle that sits atop the hill that
contains the dungeon, one of the stones has fallen over revealing a stairwell
down to the dungeon proper.
Without giving a detailed timescale, the module describes the artefact's
effect if no action is taken by the PC's, over first the local area, followed
by the entire country. Basically the problem increases in stages, so if you
have a higher level party, just allow more time to have passed :~)

The adventure does encourage problem solving skills, diplomacy and 'thinking
before thumping'. Few modifications were needed to make it BR compatible; the
removal of a couple of minor magic items, changing the (2) Drow for Orogs, the
gnome becomes a dwarf and then the placement. Recalling a horror story I'd
once heard, I decided to add to the Spider's early history, where in his early
years after Diesmar, while the change was still happening to his body, with the
help of a goblin shaman, he tried many experiments, interbreeding spiders with
goblins to see what he may eventually become. Most of these failed, but some
lived and he kept them as pets for a while, then had them destroyed. A small
handful escaped, finding a natural cavern that took them deep within the earth
where they and their descendants hid for over a thousand years. The Chitines
under the circle (placed in Ghoried, Roesone) are the descendants of these
escapees that found a way up to the surface for whatever reason (perhaps
escaping something else). Some were sent onto the surface itself to report
back on what was to be found there. The Spider saw some of these scouts,
decided that the race was offensive to him (a spider form that he had no
control over), and moved troops into Roesone to find and destroy the nest.
Baroness Roesone has naturally taken this as a declaration of war. Enter the
PC's to save the day.

hope this helps :~)

Dubhghaill (Doyle)
Victoria, Australia,
613 9563 5085, 0409 232 885, enq@completesystems.com.au
dexlisia lures, KO!
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