20 Questions for Troy

Nano is going well and I am currently only a little bit behind word count but I’m keeping up ok. Feel free to add me, I am Davetrollkin on the NaNo site. Also, follow my progress here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/davetrollkin/novels/troy-mega-dungeon

This post is inspired once more by this post from Jeff Rients (and by being a quick way to add to my word count): http://jrients.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html

Here are 20 Questions for Troy and the larger Thracia setting.

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion?

The most common clerics in the area worship the Greek Pantheon from the back of the DnD Next PHB. However all the mythical pantheons are active in the world to one degree or another so, if you are from a distant land you can follow that pantheon. The Celtic, Egyptian and Norse pantheons are the most common alternatives.

2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment?

There is a general goods (recently rebranded as Adventuring goods) store in town run by Gremag (a thin waspish man) and Rannos Davl (a fat, clumsy and abrasive man). The dungeon market on level 2 also has a “Secondhand Adventuring gear” stall run by a dark dwarf.

3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?

Formosos the Blacksmith in Canakale is excellent at most armour smithing. However full-plate is only made by dwarven followers of Hephaestus (some of whom live in the dungeons under Troy).

4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?

There is a chap named Merlin in Breton. The Master of the Diviners Guild is pretty high up but his name is shrouded in secrets. The Headmaster of the University in Alexandria also a contender.

5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land?

Good question.

6. Who is the richest person in the land?

Dianakous the Legate is making a shit ton of money taxing adventurers that emerge from the dungeons but no one is sure where that money is going.

7. Where can we go to get some magical healing?

Charito the Alchemist sells healing potions and other cure alls. The less reputable House of Fragrant Dreams also offers a selection of potions including some healing ones. The temple in town has some low level acolytes and Dianakous is a powerful cleric (if you are willing to accept the blessings of Hades)

8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?

Dianakous is your best bet. Otherwise it would need a trip to Constantinople.

9. Is there a magic guild my Magic User belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?

There are guilds across the failing Roman empire for each of the colleges of magic. The most influential is the Diviners Guild: http://projectmultiplexer.com/2014/10/11/on-the-great-divination-wizards-guild-and-the-black-chamber/  There is also a massive university connected to the library at Alexandria.

10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?

Valthrun the Sage has a short tower on the outskirts of Cannakale. Charito is an odd looking ex-druid who runs an apothecary in town.

11. Where can I hire mercenaries?

A bunch of hirelings and hhugs hang around the arena. The next town East Bandimar also has a reputation for ne’er-do-wells so might be a good place to hire unscrupulous thugs.

12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?

Clerics and priests are outlawed in Constantinople.

13. Which way to the nearest tavern?

The old half finished arena in Cannakale has been converted into an Adventurer's Tavern. It has the old table map and the dungeon loot scoreboard.

14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?

The undead lords of levels in Troy. A beholder lairs somewhere in the thracian mountains. A white dragon (far from home) is occasionally seen over the Black Wood mountains. Something has made a lair (and a lake) out of the former site of the Temple of Elemental Evil.

15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight in?

Yes. The Empire has campaigns of conquest in Gaul, The germanic forests and Breton. Meanwhile closer to home Greece has fallen back to petty kingdoms at war with each other.

16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?

The hippodrome in Constantinople is apparently the biggest and most prestigious in the world.

The colosseum in rome is still running games even while the rest of the city falls apart.

While in Gaul the largest arena outside of Rome has recently been finished in Lutetia (Paris).

17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?

Yes. Most of the Gods have a mystery cult. There is supposedly a titan cult operating in secret in the town. Rumours point to the emperor being in league with the Temple of Elemental Evil.

18. What is there to eat around here?

Rations? Seafood. Plenty of wine.

19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?

Relics of the gods and fragments of the palladium are secreted throughout Troy. Along with hoards of treasure.

20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?

Troy or see monsters terrorising the countryside above.