Ever since I bought the boxed set for Birthright©™, I've been in love with it. I have spent hours poring over the maps, reading through the rules, searching through the domain guides, all to build up my knowledge and understanding of the game. I think that the Birthright©™ Campaign is the best campaign published by TSR Inc.©™, and I have purchased every item released, except the novels, to show my appreciation. Of course, I've been a long time supporter of TSR©™, having bought my first D&D©™ books in 1982, and can say this from experience.

When TSR published the Tribes of the Heartless Wastes©™ accessory, I was ecstatic, because now I had the entire continent of Cerelia at my fingertips. The mixture of information and mystery was wonderful, stirring my imagination to fill in the blank spaces. The first space I targeted: Timoshev, the hidden city of Icemarch. There is little information found in Tribes, just enough to make the reader want more. I sat down and made up a campaign extension for my own personal use. After I set up my Vosgaard©™ Play-By-EMail (PBEM), I decided to formally write up my notes and maps. So, here it is. I hope you like it and that it adds to your campaigns.

Of course, many of you reading this are probably playing in my PBEM, and will attempt to use this for your benefit. Rest assured, dear players - the PBEM version is quite different from this. Enjoy!

Benjamin Loebick, AKA Karvenith
25 February 1998

Legal Notice

I wrote this campaign extension for the Vosgaard©™ region of the Birthright©™ Campaign of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons©™, published by TSR, Inc.©™, a division of Wizards of the Coast©™. I in no way intend to infringe upon TSR's or Wizards' copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property, or other rights. Both the Skuhlzecki and Zagreki are monster concepts wholly owned by TSR, Inc.©™ and are included in this product only limited detail (full details are listed in the Tribes of the Heartless Wastes©™ accessory). This product is no way supported, accepted, or acknowledged by TSR, Inc.©™ or Wizards of the Coast©™. All rights of TSR, Inc.©™ and Wizards of the Coast©™ are retained by those companies.

You have permission to distribute this for personal use only. You may not charge or otherwise accept recompense for distribution of this material. You also may not make changes to this document and redistribute it afterwards. Insofar as I respect the copyrights and trademarks of TSR, Inc.©™ and Wizards of the Coast©™, this document is copyright by Benjamin "Karvenith" Loebick, 1998.

Conversion

I've taken the liberty of writing this document using the metric system of measure. Although I live in America, I've tried to use metric as much as possible, because the English Imperial system sucks. If you don't know how to convert back and forth from one system to the other for the official AD&D©™ rules, here are some gross approximations to use in this product:

10 feet ~ 3 m
1 mile ~ 1.5 km or 1 km ~ 2/3 mile
1 pound ~ .5 kg or 1 kg ~ 2 lbs.

Introduction

The farthest reaches of Northeast Cerelia are dominated by the Klessberg, a glacier of unimaginable proportions. Stretching for hundreds of kilometers, the Klessberg is a nightmare of ice, snow and wind. Its surface is uneven and treacherous, unseen chasms abounding beneath a thin overlay of snow. Broken sheets of ice protrude at uneven angles, forcing torturous routes across its surface.

Spanning from Drachenward to The Battle Fens, the Klessberg even spans a great river bay, leaving only an eerie cave through which the quiet waters flow. The penetrating cold and relentless wind bite even the most warmly protected of bodies. Little can live in this region, yet those few feral creatures that do are deadly in the extreme. Visitors almost never pass beyond the very edges. Penetrating to the interior is folly, for only legends speak of returned expeditions.

Yet these same legends speak of a hidden city, the home of a great and powerful wizard, built upon the Klessberg. No one has ever found this city, but the rumors persist. Will your bones be lost to the ice as so many before?

Travelling the Klessberg

The Klessberg glacier is intimidating and dangerous to any party. The wind blows fiercely across its surface, whipping up grains of ice that dig into exposed flesh. The temperature stays well below freezing on the warmest of days, and plunges to unbearable cold at night. The only shelter from the wind is blocks of broken ice sticking up from the glacier, but these often break due to wind erosion and sublimation. Thin layers of snow that collapse under the slightest weight hide deep schisms within the glacier. Even the smooth portions of the glacier have sharp ice points bulging upwards to stab the unwary.

In game terms, anyone travelling beyond 24 km of the Klessberg's edge begins to suffer from exposure beyond that listed in the Tribes accessory. At this point, anyone with exposed flesh must make a saving throw vs. breath weapon at -2 every hour. Failure indicates that frostbite has set in, causing 1d6 hit points damage. A second save vs. death must be made or the character will lose of 1 point of CON or DEX (50% either one). If a character is reduced to a score of 3 in either one, hypothermia sets in, causing death in 1d10 turns. Hypothermia can be prevented by warming the character to normal temperature for no less than 8 hours (1/2 of lost points are recovered after 8 hours of warming).

At night, the cold becomes unbearable. Unless a party has protection from the cold (a very thick tent with a fire, an ice cave with a fire, an igloo with a fire, or magic), they will suffer 2d10 hit points of damage and lose 2 points of CON or DEX (50% either one). Varsks left out at night must save vs. poison or suffer the same fate. A fire sufficient to warm 4 people (or 1 varsk) for a single night will require 20 kg of wood.

Additionally, travel itself is dangerous because of chasms hidden beneath windblown snow. For each turn of movement, a saving throw vs. death magic must be made. Failure indicates that the individual has stepped onto a covered chasm and broken through the covering. The character will fall 3d4 meters before becoming lodged in a narrow section (30% chance) or hitting bottom (70% chance). Normal damage of 1d6 per 3 meters fallen is suffered. If a character becomes lodged, some extra actions must be done to free the character. If an attempt to simply lift the character free, double the character's weight for determination of the strength required.

Movement across the Klessberg is slow due to the torturous routes required to bypass blocks of ice, snow drifts, and open chasms. All movement is at ½ speed. Horses and other pack animals will not be able to travel on the glacier at all because they will slip easily on the ice and break a leg. Varsks can be ridden without movement penalty, and they will naturally avoid or step across small covered chasms, allowing characters to forego that difficulty (characters riding varsks need not perform the saving throw each turn, but any characters walking with a varsk will still need to). However, there is a 5% chance each day that a varsk will mistake a covered chasm as deep snow, plunging both rider and animal into a very deep and wide chasm (10d8 meters deep and 4d4 meters wide). Varsks, should they live, will be crippled from such a fall and not be able to escape the chasm or be withdrawn by any means. Crossing such a chasm will require some thinking (or magic) on the characters' part.

There is no food to be found on the Klessberg, and no fuel whatsoever. Both must be carried by explorers. Humans will eat 4 rations a day (cost and weight as listed in the Players Handbook) and varsks will eat 20 rations per day. Characters on half rations must make a CON check (don't forget to add frostbite CON reductions!) at -1 for each day on half rations. Failure causes movement to slow to ¼ speed on the glacier. Characters without food must make a CON check at -2 for each day without eating. Failure causes ¼ movement and frostbite saves are made at -4. Double rations for 5 days are required to regain normal speed and cancel any other starvation effects.

Varsks that suffer from ½ rations for more than 2 days become unruly. They will move at ½ speed and will attempt to grab food packs off other animals. They will also be more likely to mistake covered chasms as snow drifts, increasing the chance of a catastrophic fall to 15% per day. Varsks that go without any food for more than 2 days refuse to be ridden, will attempt to grab food packs, and will run away at the earliest chance.

Even though the weather is deadly, the sheer volume of wood and food required to travel on the Klessberg is the limiting factor as to how far a group can venture. Of course, magic will greatly help an expedition's success. Fortunately for the DM©™, though, supplies and the elements aren't the only hazards a party will face.

Creatures

A variety of deadly and cunning predators inhabit the Klessberg. Because of the climate and terrain, these are always the toughest and most intelligent of their species. [The DM©™ must play these monsters keeping this in mind! Adventures on the Klessberg are to be filled with danger and carry a real threat of character death!] These creatures will often strike from hiding, or at opportune moments when attention is distracted elsewhere. Travelers must beware, for ambushes are easy to arrange amongst the scattered blocks of ice. Wide chasms are a favorite location for attack, because the prey has fewer directions in which to flee. Covered chasms also make wonderful abodes as they provide shelter from the cold. Also, any victims which fall into a chasm are usually weakened or killed by the fall, making the predators hunting easier and safer.

Any creature found upon the Klessberg is of maximum hit dice and ferocity, for the weak and timid soon perish. Creatures found upon the Klessberg include the following:

Ape, Snow
Bear, Polar
Dog, Devil
Dwarf, Arctic, Inugaakalikurit
Fox, Hoar
Frost Man
Ghoul, Nehwon
Giant, Cerilian, Ice
Giant, Frost
Goblin, Ice
Hag, Bheur
Hydra, Cryohydra
Lizard, Ice
Lycanthrope, Wereseal
Owlbear, Arctic
Pudding, White
Remorhaz
Snake, Furred, Snow Serpent
Spirit, Ice, Orglash
Taer
Toad, Ice
Troll, Ice
Troll, Snow
Wolf, Winter
Yeti (Sasquatch)

Special creatures found only in Vosgaard©™ on the Klessberg are the zagreki, humans who turned to cannibalism to survive. Zagreki are so vicious and aggressive as to make even Vos warriors tremble in fear.

Zagreki

Climate: Arctic
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Pack or Individual
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivore (cannibal)
Intelligence: Average (9-12)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
No. Appearing: 1-6
AC: 6
MV: 12
HD: 3+2
THAC0: 14
No. Attacks: 2 or by weapon
Damage/Attack: d4+2 or by weapon
Special Attack: Fear
Special Defense: None
Magic Resistance: None
Size: M (1.75 m)
Morale: Fanatic (16)
XP Value: 225

When fighting a zagreki, players must make a save vs. petrification when first encountering a zagreki or run in fear for 2d4 rounds. There after characters must save whenever an individual is felled in combat with zagreki, as they will stop fighting to rip flesh from the fallen victim and feast upon it (+2 to AC when eating) for 2 rounds. A failed saving throw vs. paralysis at this point causes characters to become sick, retching upon the ground and unable to fight for 2-6 rounds.

Another creature found only in Vosgaard©™, both on the Klessberg and tundra surrounding it (especially The Battle Fens), are skuhlzecki, or ice borers.

Skuhlzecki

Climate: Arctic to Subarctic
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Pack
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Treasure: (O)
Alignment: N
No. Appearing: 5-10
AC: 5 (10)
MV: 1, Br 9
HD: 2+2
THAC0: 19
No. Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2d4 (bite)
Special Attack: Superheated blood
Special Defense: Resist Cold
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: S (1 m long)
Morale: Average (8)
XP Value: 175

Skuhlzecki look like large worms with a red-hot plate on their head that they use to melt ice tunnels. This bony plate is filled with superheated blood. When someone kills a skuhlzecki, its body explodes, splattering this hot blood on all within 1.5 meters, causing 2d4 points of damage (save vs. death for half damage). Skuhlzecki are attracted by vibrations caused by walking, and attack in packs from below ground, causing +4 to the surprise of their victims. Since they remain mostly hidden in the ground, they are hard to hit. However, if pulled from their burrows, their flesh is soft and easily damaged.

Getting There

Getting to the Klessberg can be a fairly challenging adventure in itself. Along the south central border of the Klessberg lies Tuar Annwyn, an ancient elven kingdom. Just as all elven kingdoms, outsiders, especially humans and humanoids, are not welcome. Attempts to infiltrate the forest are usually met with sharp reminders to stay away, provided the target of the arrows survives.

The eastern end of the Klessberg lies in The Battle Fens where undead and other horrors live. Not only do fell monsters inhabit that area, but a strange side effect of an ancient battle distorts reality, causing expeditions to become hopelessly (and eternally) lost almost immediately.

South of The Battle Fens lie the lands of the Sword Rust Tribes. These clans of fierce orogs attack all intruders. Not only are the orogs a threat, but the mountains in which they live are steep and treacherous, offering little sympathy to the unprepared.

To the west of Tuar Annwyn is a vast lake which lies to the south of the Klessberg, whose outlet flows through a vast ice cave. The western shores of this lake are home to the Gnoll Fens. The gnolls have been organizing over the past years, and now pose a great threat to anyone in the area. Some careful (others say insane) merchants ply their trade with the gnolls, but few others are welcomed.

To the west of the Gnoll Fens lies Hjorig, an old, weary kingdom. The ruling dynasty's bloodline has begun to run thin, and its rulers paranoid and selfish. Some provinces have already succeeded in throwing off the yoke of tyranny, and others may attempt to do the same in the near future. Expeditions mounted from this area are sure to be attacked as a rebel force by the royalists, or as a royal occupation force by the rebels.

To the north of Hjorig is the ancient kingdom of Drachenward. This sparsely populated land is slowly drifting downward into oblivion and anarchy, its regents seemingly unable to stem the tide of destruction. It would be difficult at best to mount any expedition from these lands, as there simply aren't enough materials and supplies to be found outside the major cities. Unfortunately, those cities happen to be far from the glacier itself. Additionally, Drachenward is caught in a perpetual animosity with The Hag, an awnsheghlien. A large expedition mounted from Drachenward might draw her attentions.

Finally, the entire north side of the Klessberg is ice-filled ocean. In the winter the ocean freezes over with pack ice, and in summer icebergs are common. Additionally, the Leviathan prowls the waters that bear its name, swallowing up ships and crews with fierce abandon. Ships fortunate enough to avoid the Leviathan find steep ice cliffs where the glacier breaks off into the ocean, making ascent impossible.

Obviously there is no easy way to reach the Klessberg should someone attempt it. Small parties supported by lots of magic have a much better chance of success than a large, well-supplied expedition. A large force is sure to attract unwanted attention by one of the very inhospitable forces neighboring the glacier. Regardless of how it is attempted, getting onto the Klessberg should be as challenging as staying alive there.

Finding Timoshev

The City of Timoshev, if one could call it that, is almost impossible to find. First of all, no one has any clue as to its location on the Klessberg, so any combination of randomly chosen paths across its surface is unlikely to come even close to it. The constant blowing of the snow and ice cuts visibility down to only 2 km at best. Divination spells will fail, since no true knowledge or proof of the city exists, and Nondetection spells were liberally used in its construction. Additionally, the city is protected by a Permanent Illusion masking it from sight. Only Truesight or Wish, cast by at least a 20th level wizard, has any hopes of penetrating the illusion. Even the blood ability of Detect Illusion has an 90% chance of failing, and even then the scion is only aware that an illusion is at work. Only upon the city plateau does the illusion vanish.

A party's best hope of finding Timoshev is to become hopelessly lost, run out of food and supplies, give up hope completely, and then be found by one of the city's patrols. Occasionally (20% of the time) a patrol leader will feel sympathetic towards a group of adventurers who are on the absolute verge of death, especially if one of the party is fairly attractive (Charisma of 14 or more, increases the change to 40%). Of course, this will only happen if the party manages to collapse within the 10 km radius of Timoshev in the first place. The patrols are well versed in all deceptive ploys, both mundane and magical, and will know if a group is simply pretending to be near death when actually well supplied. If all these conditions are met, they will be taken to Timoshev.

Timoshev patrol guard, male or female Vos warrior, level 2
Str 12, Int 7, Wis 9, Dex 9, Con 11 Cha 10
AC 5, THAC0 18, #AT 1, #App 20 total, Dam by weapon, MV 12, hp 12 each

A Visitor's Welcome

If found by a patrol and not left to die, the party will have numerous Sleep spells cast upon them. They will then be taken to the city where the wizard will decide their fate. Most often the wizard will simply use a Teleport spell to send the party to the northern forests of Lutkhovsky before they wake up, remembering nothing of their journey. If the party is obviously very powerful, or has a number of powerful magical items, though, he may be intrigued enough to forego the usual treatment.

In this case, the party will awaken in a warm room, the walls apparently made of ice. Plenty of warm, nutritious food and water will be supplied. All the party's magical items will be missing, as well as their spell books and holy symbols. Priests and priestesses of Kriesha and Belinik will be sent away at all times (their memory also removed), so a party may awake missing members. There will be no exit to the room, although one wall will be clear ice overlooking the blasted glacier. From here the party will be able to look over Timoshev, weather permitting.

The party will be left to wait for 2-12 hours after awakening before being visited, giving them time to recover from their ordeal. A short note (or Magic Mouth, if none can read) will explain that the food is safe, that they are welcome guests, and will be visited shortly by the Master of Timoshev. The note will say they are not yet allowed out in order to observe their actions and determine if they present a threat to the safety of the populace. If the party does not attempt to break out and does nothing to arouse suspicion of evil ways, the wizard will pay a visit (covered later under The Wizard section). Otherwise, they will fall asleep and be Teleported to northern Lutkhovsky.

Layout of Timoshev

The city of Timoshev is located on a raised portion of the glacier. The ice mesa is approximately 460 meters in length, 300 meters in width and 40 meters in height. The walls of the mesa are perfectly smooth and exceptionally hard. The top of the ice cliffs extends out over the base by 10 meters, making climbing impossible. A party trying to find the city will see the mesa as a large block of ice 15 meters in diameter protruding 20 meters into the air and leaning over precariously. Even if the party has been in the city, the illusion takes over as soon as they leave. Only in the presence of the patrol will the party see the cliffs.

One section the cliff has been cut away, making a gradual slope up to the top. A narrow path of packed snow leads from the glacier up this slope. As soon as a person steps onto the path, the wind slows to a gentle breeze, no longer carrying grains of ice and snow. The calm air will also seem to be much warmer, although any exposed flesh will still be numb from the blasting wind previously experienced.

The path proceeds up the slope, where it is crossed by another path that leads left and right. A large building stands on the left, where the City Guard lives. Twenty members of the guard will be out on patrol at any given time, 10 will be standing watch around the plateau, and the rest will be resting, eating or socializing here.

To the right of the path live 4 Ice Trolls in their own home, sworn to defend the city. Two trolls stand silent watch over the path at all times of day. They have built special blinds which allow them to see the entire entry slope without being seen, giving +6 to surprise on their attacks. The trolls will attack anyone not escorted by a member of the City Guard that climbs up the path. Their attack will sound an alarm, bring everyone in the guardhouse running in 2-4 rounds.

Beyond the Guardhouse, the path leads directly to a large tower made of ice. The tower is 60 meters in diameter and rises 100 meters above the plateau. This is the home of the great wizard that made and controls Timoshev. The path proceeds to a plain section of wall, then splits. The second path leads away from the tower to a set of five cubic buildings, 10 meters in length and height on each side. The buildings all face a common courtyard, and the main path splits five ways to lead to each building, ending at a sturdy door. The buildings and doors all appear to be made of opaque ice. Escorts will tell players that the wizard's servants and their families live in these homes.

Map of Timoshev

The rest of the plateau is empty. Oddly enough, only a gentle breeze blows across it, even though the winds around the mesa howl. The air also seems to be warmer on the plateau than it is on the glacier, feeling to be just below freezing. Observant players will notice that the calm region extends to about 12 meters above the ground, after which the wind furiously blows.

A well-marked path leads along the edge, allowing the guards to patrol and stand watch for dangers. The last five meters to the edge are very smooth, polished ice. Anyone stepping onto this must save vs. death at -4 or slide off the mesa. The City Guard wear special footwear that allows them to walk upon this edge without danger so that they can observe the base of the cliffs. There are no other items of interest on the plateau.

Eventually the party will probably wish to leave Timoshev, either to explore the nearby area of the Klessberg or to return home. Servants will obviously shy away from this topic, and will not respond to any coercion for an answer. When broached with wizard, he will tell the party they may wander about the plateau of Timoshev freely (provided the party has been honest and trustworthy), but may not leave it. He will explain that they are not prisoners, but welcome guests; however, he cannot allow the knowledge of Timoshev to be released to the world, else the temples may try to destroy him. If the party insists they leave, the wizard will use his magic to remove their memories of the city, lay a deep suggestion or Geas on them causing fear of the Klessberg, and then return them to the forests of Lutkhovsky. All items taken from the party will be returned to them in this case.

Should the party attempt to sneak off the plateau they will be attacked by the ice trolls guarding the path, as well as the patrols. If the party leaves the path leading to the plateau, they will become subject to the illusions, losing the way back. Without proper food, clothing and supplies, they will soon perish, especially with the patrols attacking them at every chance. The rooms where the party's magical items are hidden, known only to the wizard. They are kept magically sealed in many ways, impossible to open without the wizard's consent. Attempts to find or break into the rooms will result in the entire party being sent back with their memories cleared.

The Wizard

Timoshev is the home of the wizard Tumnzhi Vyykhat. A tall, pale skinned Vos, Tumnzhi has light blue eyes, the color of slightly opaque ice. His long hair has turned bluish gray, and is braided down his back, reaching to his waist. He wears a short, pointed beard on his chin, and a long, narrow mustache, both of which are silver gray. Tumnzhi usually wears a long, flowing white silk robe with gold embroidery. It is magically enhanced to deflect normal as well as magical missiles, and can issue a blinding light, causing all within 60' to go blind (save vs. spell at -4 or be blinded for 4d4 rounds; if succeed, blinded for d6 rounds). Tumnzhi wears a simple silver circlet upon his head (which may or may not be magical), symbolizing his position of leadership.

Tumnzhi is very old, but appears to be around 45. His elven heritage is obvious, as he is impossibly beautiful for a human. He has studied magic, especially magic relating to ice and cold, for more years than he can remember. He created Timoshev to serve as a simple retreat after he angered a priestess of Kriesha centuries ago, and has slowly developed it into a comfortable abode. Tumnzhi's converted Timoshev into his primary abode over 150 years ago so that he could be study the Klessberg and its deep, powerful magic.

Tumnzhi is a devout follower of Lirovka, the god of magic. This, coupled with his less than friendly encounters with followers of Kriesha ages ago, causes him to Teleport away any priests or priestesses of Kriesha and Belinik (whom he believes to be in league with Kriesha) that are brought to Timoshev. Tumnzhi is quite confident he could defeat any force that the temples could bring against him, but he is loath to suffer such a disturbance to his studies. He has even been known to convey others who openly wear the symbols of either those two gods for fear that they would report to the temples upon their eventual return. While not openly hostile to followers of Kriesha and Belinik, Tumnzhi is suspicious of them, and reacts negatively towards them (-3 to reaction).

When first meeting Tumnzhi in the room where they have been kept after awaking, the party will probably demand their items and equipment be returned. Tumnzhi will quietly listen to their pleas, weighing their arguments. He will return mundane items easily, including holy items of Lirovka, to all that request (but not thieves' tools!). However, he will not return weapons or magic items, saying he must be cautious of his people's safety and will do so after he trusts the party. The safety of the people that depend upon him for their lives is first and foremost in his mind, and Tumnzhi will not disregard this duty.

Should the party attack, Tumnzhi will retaliate first with the light blast from his robes and summon his guards. If the party continues to resist he will use spells that do not injure the party. A Wand of Cold in each hand will serve as his final offensive should he require it. The guards are armed with nets and clubs. They wrap up fighting characters and beat them senseless. Any characters that fight will be sent away.

To others, though, Tumnzhi can be hospitable, but cold and aloof. He is very devoted to his work, and will speak about it eagerly, explaining his desire to master ice and snow. In fact, he can be quite boring, speaking monotonously about many theoretical aspects of magic. A true mage might find this partly interesting, but will understand very little, for Tumnzhi's experience and expertise is second to none, and he talks more to himself than to any listeners. If away from his work for more than two hours, Tumnzhi will become irritable, clearly wanting to leave but not wanting to insult the party. Eventually he will create some odd excuse to leave, scampering off to his laboratory.

During the evening meal is when Tumnzhi is most talkative. Here he listens to the daily reports of his patrols, settles any disputes which may have arisen between his servants or their families, and administers his small domain. During the meal musicians play and entertainers perform a myriad of acts. These artists are all quite bad, but try very hard to please. Tumnzhi always praises each in turn, congratulating new performance, admiring new music, and congratulating individuals on their work. The servants all beam at his appreciation, showing devotion to their regent. In private, each will acknowledge that they have little skill, but truly believe that Tumnzhi is pleased by their attempts.

Any party which succeeds in getting to Timoshev must have some tales to tell, and Tumnzhi is quite curious to hear them. Having been out of contact to the rest of the world for over a century, Tumnzhi eagerly wants to know what is happening in the world. Each evening he will ask a different party member, calling everyone once before asking them a second time, to speak of recent events. The entire citizenry of Timoshev will fill the dining hall to listen. Any events that entail the temples of Kriesha or Belinik being snubbed or curtailed will bring booming approval from Tumnzhi and the audience, while victories will bring hisses from the crowd and a deep frown from the wizard. Anyone attempting to drum up support for either of these temples will be booed. Other skills, such as singing or instrument playing, will be well received by all. A Bard character will find an astute patron, quite knowledgeable of his or her art. Tumnzhi will profusely thank each player that speaks, admiring their skills as he would any of his servants.

All things taken into account, Tumnzhi will be a good, but strict, host. He does not allow discord within his followers or guests, nor does he permit a wide range of freedom. If someone violates a rule, they will be punished immediately, ranging from heavy chores for minor transgressions to death for major incidences. The people are happy because they are provided for, but they do not have opinions on many subjects, never having been allowed to think of them. Tumnzhi will fly into a fiery temper should anyone attempt to enlighten his people, shouting that it is for their own protection that he keeps dangerous ideas from them. If player characters continue to resist his leadership or inform the people of outside matters, Tumnzhi will have them locked in a room until he can send them away.

Tumnzhi Vyykhat
½ Elven Mage, level 21
Vorynn, major, 47
Unreadable Thoughts (minor), Character Reading (major), Protection from Evil (major), Long Life (great)
Str 11, Int 18, Wis 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Cha 16
AC 2, THAC0 15, #AT 1 or 2, Dam varies, MV 12, hp 42
2 wands of frost, bracers AC 2, robe of protection, boots of the north

Ancient History (Battle Fens), language (elven), language (Vos), read/write (elven), read/write (Vos), spellcraft, singing, musical instrument, artistic ability (sing and instrument), survival (arctic), religion (Lirovka), weather sense, engineering, varsk riding

Typical Spells: Freezing Hands, Sleep, Grease, Chill Touch, Wall of Fog, Unseen Servant; Blur, Fog Cloud, Forget, Shatter, Tumnzhi's Freezing Arrow; Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Iceball, Lightning Bolt, Slow, Wind Wall; Ice Shield, Hallucinatory Terrain, Ice Storm, Stoneskin, Wall of Ice; Advanced Illusion, Cone of Cold, Conjure Elemental, Ice Shape, Teleport; Control Weather, Geas, Glassee, Otiluke's Freezing Sphere; Delayed Blast Iceball, Limited Wish, Prismatic Spray, Sequester; Incendiary Cloud, Monster Summoning VI, Permanency; Elemental Aura (water), Wish.

NOTE: Tumnzhi is specialized in ice and cold magic, thus some spells have been altered to reflect this; i.e. Iceball is a Fireball spell that uses cold, not fire.

Battle Spells: Charm Unit, Glittering Shower, Flying Troops, Slow Unit, Stoneskinned Army, Wolf in the Fold
Realm Spells: Alchemy, Scry, Subversion, Royal Facade, Summoning, Transport, Protect
Source, Feign Destruction, Stronghold, Warding

Important People

There are few people of any importance in Timoshev outside of Tumnzhi Vyykhat. Most have lived their entire lives in Timoshev, yet others are outsiders who have stayed. They work very closely with the wizard, keeping Timoshev running smoothly and safely. Anything spoken to them will very quickly be heard by Tumnzhi. These people have acquired his trust, and work hard to maintain it.

Yenlo Marnaya, Steward of the Tower

Yenlo takes care of the day-to-day operations within the tower of Timoshev. He ensures the rooms are cleaned, furniture arranged, food sent to where it is needed, and oversees the coordination of servants. He also manages Tumnzhi's audiences, allowing people access to the wizard during the day. He is a short, nervous man, always rubbing his hands together, and twitching slightly. He is easily startled, but not easily frightened. In fact, he grows more resistant the more pressure put on him. He feels the need to protect the wizard from intrusion, answering questions and making decisions himself that people ask him to take before the wizard. This occasionally goes against the true desires of the wizard, but are often accurate, so no one can be sure if the decision came straight from Tumnzhi or from Yenlo.

Yenlo, male Vos, unblooded
Str 9, Int 13, Wis 14, Dex 8, Con 10 Cha 11
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, Dam d4, MV 9, hp 5
administration, law, read/write Vos

Yenlo controls all the servants in the tower except those that work in the kitchen.

tower servant, male or female Vos
Str 8, Int 6, Wis 9, Dex 9, Con 8, Cha 10
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, #App 25, Dam d2, MV 9, hp 3 each

Tower servants all wear white robes with gold embroidery.

Yenlo also tentatively leader of the families of the servants and guards that live in the small village on the plateau.

Timoshev citizen, male or female Vos
Str 8, Int 7, Wis 8, Dex 9, Con 7 Cha 10
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, #App 250 total, Dam by weapon, MV 12, hp 2 each

Dinay Oskiyar, Head Cook

Dinay runs the kitchen of Timoshev from which all the people are fed. She mothers all her workers, watching over them lovingly, and terrorizes anyone who doesn't belong. She is often seen carefully explaining what she wants done to the kitchen staff, giving them explicit directions. Even the slowest learner never feels pressured by Dinay. This isn't to say she doesn't demand speed, only that she is very patient while you learn what to do. Once you do learn it, she moves everything along like a well-built machine, serving out great feasts in a short time. She even orders Tumnzhi around when he enters her kitchen! If you try to sneak food, though, you will end up getting the smallest portions, the coldest meals, and the worst food possible.

Dinah, female Vos, unblooded
Str 7, Int 11, Wis 10, Dex 9, Con 10, Cha 12
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, Dam d3, MV 12, hp 3
cooking, brewing
kitchen worker, male or female Vos
Str 7, Int 8, Wis 7, Dex 9, Con 8, Cha 10
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, #App 10, Dam d2, MV 9, hp 3 each

Stanov Tamalgansk, Guard Master

Stanov is an old adventurer that was forced to flee onto the Klessberg by the priestesses of Kriesha for an imagined insult, years ago. Through luck, skill and his magic items, he was able to survive the wilds. He eventually found a refuge in an ice cave where he lived for a number of years until approached by Tumnzhi. Glad to be warm and safe again, Stanov quickly agreed to join Timoshev. Stanov wears only a loincloth, preferring to show off his many scars and tattoos. It is also terrifying to see a nearly naked Vos filled with battle rage attacking, and all intelligent monsters within 30 kilometers of Timoshev flee his sight.

Stanov, Vos Berserker, level 11
Str 18(61), Int 8, Wis 10, Dex 16, Con 16, Cha 9
AC 5, THAC0 5, #AT 2/1, Dam by weapon + 7, MV 12, hp 75
saber +2 (specialized), ring of warmth, ring of protection +3, boots of sure footing

Stanov commands a total of 120 guards that patrol the region around Timoshev and protect the city. Guards walking around the plateau put on special Boots of Sure Footing that prevent slipping on snow and ice. At all times, ten guards will be walking on the plateau, twenty out on patrol in the region, twenty will be in the guard house resting and practicing, ten will be at the tower, and the rest will be with their families in the village.

Timoshev guard, male or female Vos warrior, level 2
Str 12, Int 7, Wis 9, Dex 9, Con 11 Cha 10
AC 5, THAC0 18, #AT 1, #App 80 total, Dam by weapon, MV 12, hp 12 each

Tilana Greskhutkov, Priestess of Lirovka

Tilana is a rare individual born in Timoshev that showed great promise at a young age. Taking her under his wing, Tumnzhi taught her about Lirovka. Eventually, Tumnzhi sent her to far off Mairada to study in the Temple of Rilni so she could become a true follower of Lirovka. When she completed her studies, she returned to Timoshev to tend to the souls of the citizenry.

Tilana, Female Vos Priestess of Lirovka, level 3
Vorynn, tainted, 2
Str 9, Int 12, Wis 16, Dex 10, Con 11, Cha 14
AC 6, THAC0 19, #AT 1, Dam by weapon, MV 12, hp 14
religion (Lirovka), healing, read/write Vos, read/write Khinasi, varsk riding

Tilana has two acolytes that work in the temple with her and assist her during services.

Acolyte, female Vos
Str 7, Int 8, Wis 11, Dex 9, Con 8, Cha 12
AC 10, THAC0 20, #AT 1, #App 2, Dam by weapon, MV 12, hp 4 each
religion (Lirovka), read/write Vos

The Wizard's Tower

The ice tower created by Tumnzhi is the dominant feature of Timoshev. It is 60 meters in diameter and 100 meters in height. From the exterior it appears to be translucent ice, blue-white in color. The surface is jagged and rough, exactly as a natural ice spire would be. There are no features to be seen otherwise, including an entrance. The two paths along the plateau meet at plain location on one side of the spire. If it weren't for the paths and the footprints, this section would appear as the rest of the tower, unexceptional in every way. Even the most detailed and meticulous searches will find nothing. However, a door appears and opens for anyone who lives in Timoshev when they near this portion of the tower, revealing a doorway 4 meters wide and 6 meters tall. It closes and vanishes within seconds after the people have entered or exited.

Unless otherwise noted, each room is 9 meters in height and the exterior walls are 1 meter in thickness. Each exterior wall has a 4 meter high band that circles the entire tower starting 1 meter above the floor. This region is perfectly clear, like fine crystal, allowing people on the inside to look out easily. There is no distortion effects from the wall on light passing through it. From the outside, the tower is uniform in color and shape along its entire surface. Most interior walls are 1 meter thick opaque blue-white ice. A few interior walls are only a decimeter in depth.

Refer to this map for room locations.

1. Entrance Hall - The entry is decorated with various statuary and art, and is warmly lit by a large crystal chandelier. A circular stair leads up to the next level.

2. Storage Room - This room serves as food and equipment storage for any animals kept in the tower.

3. Animal Pens - Goats and varsks are kept here in individual pens. The goats are used for milk and food. The two varsks are used by Tumnzhi and Tilana only.

4. Pantry - The food for the kitchens is stored here. There are a wide variety of meats, vegetables, wines and ales.

[insert tower.gif in lieu of this line here]5. Kitchen - This is the kitchen. Three large hearths line the interior walls.

6. Dining Hall - This is where the citizens of Timoshev congregate for the evening dinner. Tumnzhi's chair is centered along the interior wall on a small dais.

7. Servant's Quarter's - This is where the tower servants and their families live. The steward and the cook have large quarters here. The small room at the end of the north hallway is a garderobe.

8. Temple of Lirovka - This is the main temple to Lirovka in Timoshev. Morning services are held here weekly. A garderobe can be found at the back of the temple, and confessionals along one wall.

9. Chapel - This is a small chapel where people may observe their faith at any time of day.

10. Acolyte's Quarters - The two acolytes to Tilana live here. The room has a private garderobe in a corner.

11. Tilana's Quarters - Tilana lives here in very spacious quarters. The room has a private garderobe in a corner.

12. Storage - Items required for services are stored here, as well as decorations for the various holy days and observances.

13. Weaver's Room - This room is devoted to weaving wool. Equipment needed to wash, clean, brush, spin and weave the wool into cloth can be found here. Wool in various states, from raw bundles to cloth, is stored here.

14. Blacksmith Room - This is the blacksmith's shop where various metal items are made for citizens. Since demand is low, this room is left unused for months at a time.

15. Carpentry Room - This room is devoted to carpentry. Equipment needed to repair daily items and make new wooden objects can be found here. Chairs, bowls, tables and statues can be found scattered around the room.

16. Arts Room - This room is devoted to the study of art in all its forms. People can be found playing instruments, singing, painting, dancing, and much more. The materials and instruments necessary for these activities are also stored here. Creating of statuary is performed in the carpentry room.

17. Monster Exhibit Room - Tumnzhi and Stanov have placed the stuffed remains of various monsters in this room. They have collected over many years, and feature at least one of every creature found on the Klessberg. Creatures from far away have also been collected.

18. Equipment Exhibit Room - Various mundane household items are shown here, as well as everyday work items. These have been collected from all parts of Cerelia, and are shown more for their beautiful craftsmanship rather than their use.

19. Weapons Exhibit Room - This room exhibits at least one of every kind of weapon known, ranging in size from darts to ballista. They are separated by ethnic origin. The door to this room is Wizard Locked in addition to the excellent quality lock on the door.

20. Art Exhibit Room - Here are kept various works of art from the citizens of Timoshev and masters from across Cerelia. Timoshev is quite a collector, and has many great masterpieces. Paintings, statues, tapestries, jars, and ornate furniture are elegantly placed throughout the room. As a sign of respect, Timoshev has mixed the works of his people freely with other items he has collected, although an experienced eye will distinguish the difference in quality quite easily.

21. Apprentice's Quarters - This is where Tumnzhi's apprentice would live, if Tumnzhi had one. The room has a stupendous view, and is plainly decorated.

22. Tumnzhi's Quarters - The rest of this floor is devoted to Tumnzhi's quarters. It is separated into 4 sections. The door is Wizard Locked and has an excellent quality lock upon it. Tumnzhi will allow people into the sitting room only when he is present, and will not allow them further into his quarters.

22a. Sitting Room - This is where Tumnzhi holds private audiences with important visitors and guests. Very comfortable chairs with side tables sit around a brazier. The archway into the rest of the rooms has Hold Portal cast upon it.

22b. Study - This large room holds many tables covered with various items: artwork, half written scrolls, broken equipment, and more. This room serves multiple purposes, acting primarily as Tumnzhi's personal display gallery, office and workshop for mundane items. It is quite a mess.

22c. Greenhouse - This is Tumnzhi's private greenhouse. He grows a wide variety of rare plants, as well as raises small animals and insects, that are needed for his spell research. Characters with the Herbalism proficiency will be shocked to see the large size of the plant species present.

22d. Bedroom - This serves as Tumnzhi's bedroom. A large poster bed sits along one wall, beautiful thick carpets cover the floor, and rich tapestries cover the interior walls. A large, ornately carved desk holds Tumnzhi's notes letters, ledgers and records. The staircase in the middle of the exterior wall is invisible and has Hold Portal cast upon it, as well as numerous magical and mundane alarms placed upon it.

23. Library - This is Tumnzhi's private library. It holds thousands and thousands of books and scrolls. The bookcases are all 2.5 meters in height, made of ornately carved mahogany. Spells have been cast upon the shelves to ensure that any materials placed on them will never decay or burn. Tumnzhi has organized the texts by subject, and is able to research almost any subject easily (85% chance for finding a text on any given subject). There are a great number of unique books here, as well as books dealing with powers best untouched by mortals. Tumnzhi has protected his property well, placing colorful and otherwise eye-catching books and scrolls lying about, each with Explosive Runes or Fire Trap spells upon them.

24. Laboratory - This is Tumnzhi's laboratory. He has built small, sturdy rooms throughout, allowing him to test various items without endangering the rest of his lab. Each of these rooms is locked with a lock of excellent quality. The stairs are protected with a Symbol and Alarm spells, warning Tumnzhi of intruders. A garderobe exists in the northwest section of the laboratory. The small room next to the garderobe is where Tumnzhi stores the items taken from characters. It is guarded with a Wizard Lock as well as the regular lock. This particular room is hidden by an Advanced Illusion, making it appear to be a cluttered work desk.

25. Roof - The stairs open onto the roof of the tower. The roof is perfectly smooth ice, gently sloping towards the edge. Anyone stepping onto the tower without sufficient means to prevent slipping must save vs. paralysis at -4 or fall off the tower. When not standing on the stairs, they are nearly impossible to find, being protected by an Advanced Illusion and Invisibility. Even if discovered, the trapdoor to the stairs is warded with Wizard Lock, Hold Portal and Contingency Iceball. Creatures attempting to land on the roof from flying are in for a surprise - a Contingency Lightning Bolt protects from this invasion. Permanent Protection from Evil, 3 Meters spells blanket the roof, preventing other worldly intruders. The wind around the tower blows furiously, but is calm on the roof itself. A bubble of warm air exists around the roof to a height of 3 meters. This bubble ends at the roof edge.

Holdings of Timoshev

Tumnzhi has been very careful over the centuries to not draw attention to himself. When he is unable to magically provide materials, he Teleports himself to some far-off city in Brechtur or Khinasi to buy what he needs, then returns. He rarely visits the same location twice in fifty years, further preventing discovery.

He has followed this theory in regard to his holdings, as well, controlling only the province in which Timoshev lies. He has had sufficient time to develop an expansive network of holdings and ley lines over the centuries, but has decided not to in order to remain secretive. This has allowed him to remain completely anonymous to the outside world. It is highly doubtful that anyone knows of him, living or dead. The only possible exception to this rule is Firosk Slecktra, who controls most of the magic in The Battle Fens, and maybe even some upon the Klessberg itself. If she does know of Timoshev, she has decided it is not a threat, and no animosity exists between her and Tumnzhi.

Province	Law	Guild	Temple	Source
Timoshev (0/7)	Tm (0)	-	TG (0)	Tm (7)

Tm - Tumnzhi Vyykhat TG - Tilana Greskhutkov

Closing Notes

The Hidden City of Timoshev is a rare place - a community where everyone works for the benefit of their neighbors, where greed is unknown, and strife is scarce. Each individual knows that their actions are important for the survival of their companions, and strives hard to make a better life. Tumnzhi knows this, and fosters this feeling, proving by example that Vos do not have to be warlike and bitter. He challenges the people by creating a land just able to support life, leaving the rest up to them. He watches over his people like a loving father, wishing them well and giving them moral support whenever needed. He will not, however, make things effortless for them, as he is afraid the evil ways of their ancestors will return should their lives be easy.

To outsiders, Tumnzhi may seem like a tyrant. To his people, he is a savior and a king, the giver of life and bringer of justice. They only have to see the zagreki roaming upon the ice to know how much they owe their regent. Theirs lives are happy, even if simple. Players should have this fact explained to them so they try to understand (if they find they city to begin with).

Reaching Timoshev should be the culmination of a great epic, and not lightly undertaken or achieved. Most people should never find it, even if they manage to survive the dangers involved. Just because a party is looking for Timoshev is no reason to find it. The city hasn't escaped discovery by the outside world through luck, but by design. Also, any intrusions to the city are liable to upset the careful balance maintained by the wizard, causing the people to want to leave and thereby destroying the city. Tales and descriptions of the outside world could cause a wanderlust in the sheltered citizens. Should even a quarter of the people leave the city there will not be enough left to adequately protect and serve it, and Timoshev will quickly fall into ruin. By the time a party finds the city, they should be extremely grateful for the protection and warmth that Tumnzhi offers and realize this danger that their presence involves. Do not let them destroy it casually.

This is not to say that characters can't enjoy themselves there. Should a party decide to spend the rest of their lives in Timoshev, Tumnzhi is more than happy to have them stay. Quick Permanent Non-Detection and Geas spells to ensure they will never leave or be found, and they will have their items returned and given free reign to come and go as they wish. Many adventures upon the Klessberg, fending off monstrous attacks or tackling formidable social issues faced by an isolated community can challenge a party for a long time. Maybe they can even convince Tumnzhi to increase his population and spread his influence, although this would be truly difficult to achieve.

Finally, don't forget that any party that does manage to find Timoshev may leave at any time they desire. A Limited Wish spell followed by a Geas will ensure they retain no knowledge of Timoshev and have no further desire to ever again face the dangers and horrors of the Klessberg. Thus, a party that grows bored staying in Timoshev can still return to the world and attempt to carry on where they left off. Of course, all sorts of drastic changes have occurred in their realms during their long absence….The author of this accessory can be reached at bloebick@juno.com. For more information about Vosgaard©™, visit http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2329/vosgaard.htm.