Tethys Campaign: Great Mastiff

GREAT MASTIFF

Large Animals

Hit Dice: 6d8+24 (51 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+17
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+12)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+12)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Trip
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +6
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +0, Listen +7, Move Silently +5, Spot +7, Survival +2*
Feats: Alertness, Run, TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite), Improved Natural Attack (bite)B
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pack (5–8)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7–18 HD (Large)

The Great Mastiff is a very powerful dog, which was bred from into its present state by the warriors of Machimos. Originally bred to find and eliminate Deinonychus and their nests, this breed has immense stopping power and ability to work in coordinated attack. These enormous dogs are extremely loyal to their masters, and are excellent with children.

Great Mastiff are a shade of brindle, black, fawn, or red, and have enormous jaws. They are about 7-8 feet long and weighing some 800 pounds.

Combat
Great Mastiff prefer to attack in packs, surrounding and flanking a foe when they can. When accompanying its master on a hunt or in war, the great mastiff will work seamlessly with human allies.
Trip (Ex): A great mastiff that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent (+13 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the great mastiff.
Excellent Learner: A great mastiff can learn a maximum of eight tricks, and the DC for all Handle Animal checks involving a great mastiff is reduced by 2. In addition, the time required to train a great mastiff for a purpose is reduced by 1 week (to a minimum of 1 week).

Skills: A great mastiff has a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot checks.
*It also has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Tethys Campaign: Eusebes City Map

City Regional Guide
The city of Eusebes is one of bustling activity at all times, with the gates of this town nearly choked with streams of people, animals and carts laden with products for the cities markets. The many temples and shrines here stimulate a never-ending series of parades, prophets and sooth-sayers of every sort. A few highlights are as follows:

The Laws of Eusebes

The temples all have their own dedicated soldiers who patrol their own grounds, while the wealthy of the High Ward have their own guards, all of whom patrol their respective regions. The lower ward is patrolled by several gangs, who keep their own laws (see Avertine Court below). Beatings, dismemberment, execution and slavery are common penalties for criminals.

Library of Izanar

The highest point in the city is the great Library, which holds in its grounds a great observatory, the Council Chambers, The Shrine of Abrasax and the Library itself. The library is run and occupied by a small army of scribes and apprentice wizards, who tend the libraries needs and deal with those seeking knowledge.

Shrine of Izanar: Izanar is an artifact lord (machine cult) who is a great compiler of knowledge. This being has no other goal, and as such is not considered a competitor of other cults. Its clerics, known as Archivists, are recorders of knowledge and must remain impartial in all of their dealings, avoiding politics.
Cleric Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Domains: Law, Knowledge, Magic

Preferred Weapon: Dagger

Portfolio: Language, History, Libraries.

Temple Ward

This ward contains the greatest temples of the city, as well as many small shrines to lesser religions. The great temples of Tethys, Oceanus and Cybele have large temples and a great many adherants here. Competition between these faiths varied through the year, with not all such rivalries being friendly. Still, fear of other faiths taking advantage keep open conflict between faiths nonexistant (so far).

The temples here all maintain and guard underground storehouses of grain and other foods (Honey for the Cybele) for the Long Night. These storehouses are all well guarded and magically warded against vermin and rot.

Court of Mystics: The court of mystics is a noisy region of the city where all manner of sooth-sayers keep small shrines and shops for the selling of good luck charms, fortunes and potions.

Garden of Ifom: A beautiful garden located near the grounds of the Temple of Tethys in Eusebes, and considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Lovers and nature lovers come here to take in the sights and smells of the gardens, while the worshipful come to connect with their god(s).

High Ward

This ward houses the wealthiest of citizens of the city, and a number of excellent shops where the best equipment, jewelry and medicines might be purchased. No open markets are in this ward, with all shops being independant and well guarded.

Lower Ward

The region of the common folk of Eusebes, this ward host a wide number of small courtyard markets, roadside stalls and the busy workaday life of the city.

Arena: The arena of eusebes host a great many gladiatorial events for the populace, as well as some of the more spectacular religious events.

Avertine Court: Located at the gate seperating the High and Low Wards, the thieves guild of Eusebes operates within the knowledge of the high council. This court is expected to control the local gangs and to serve the council, keeping outlaw activity within acceptable limits and aiding in the defense of the city when necessary.

Avenue of Sighs: A long avenue of low-rent brothels and the nastiest sort of inns, where any flavor of debauchery might be negotiated. Though between the high, low and beggars ward, it is considered within Avertine law.

Eguz Market: An enormous open-air market surrounding a great fountain (wherein children play). This is a loud place, with the locals loudly hawking their wares. The market is designed for its purpose, with storefront shops being delegated to other areas.

River (Beggars) Ward

The lowest section of the city is situated along the Kanor river, and as-such is where much of the sewage from the higher wards leaves the city. The "River" ward is home to the poorest of the poor, brutal cutthroats and assorted riff-raff. Even the Avertine is cautious here.

Shrine of Agdistis: This shrine has its own courtyard on the edge of the Beggars Ward, where all manner of weird and much whispered about rituals take place.

Tethys Campaign: Eusebes

The great city of Eusebes is a wealthy city-state whose people are a diverse mixing of cultures. Academic pursuits are of the highest order here, with all who honestly seek knowledge being welcome.
Its potent occupants make this city "off limits" in regards to raids by other city-states. Many of the priesthoods maintain their own small armies, all of whom contribute to the defense of the city itself.
The city is ruled by a council of elders, each coming from the major temples, and two powerful wizards. The main interests of these masters is to pursue greater knowledge.


Areas of InterestSome regions around Eusebes are of interest to adventurers.
Dolym Swamp: Miles of muck and tall marshweed make this swamp tricky to traverse. And the many types of monstrous vermin make even dinosaurs rare. Tales of bat demons stealing travellers are common.
Ncar Forest: The Ncar forest is a large forest that is dotted with numerous small shrines and spirit houses. Penetrating deeper than the outskirts of this forest is very difficult, as a great many plant monsters hunt here.
Shrine of Enek-zsan: Rumor has it that the burial place of the phanaton prince Enek-zsan is located somewhere within the Ncar forest. This shrine is said to contain many treasures.

Cults of Interest
As Eusebes is a city of intellectuals, many clerical groups hold great influence. Below are a few of these groups.

Tethys
Worship of the life-force of tethys herself is widespread. The Oracles of Tethys have many regional varieties, but there are certain doctrines that exist amongst all sects. The cycles of birth, marriage and death are of primary concern, and thus mothers, young and old are revered. Cycles of life, and their reverence are strongly promoted. Society is primarily matriarchal, with all women seen as manifestation and representation of Tethys herself.Those oracles who claim to have had visions of Tethys claim that she is a beautiful and statuesque woman of immense proportions. She is often described as having mixed human, reptilian and piscian characteristics in her form such as a tail, scales and other features mixed with that of a human.
The temple of Tethys in Eusebes is a vast dome, featuring a huge courtyard pool. The temple hosts a great many festivals and ceremonies where great feasts and concerts are common. Art and culture is of particular interest to this cult.
Cleric Alignment: Any non-lawful, preferring good.
Domains: Animal, Healing, Plant, Water.
Favored Weapon: Dagger.
Portfolio: Sea, Jungles, plants, agriculture, childbirth.

Oceanus
The male aspect of Tethys is known as Oceanus, and is given reverence primarily in the long night, as this is a time of frequent battle as the nights predators emerge. Cultists dedicated to the male aspect are trained in battle and survival, prizing physical power and tests of strength as well as ones ability to sire offspring. Oracles dedicated to Oceanus claim that he appears as a ferocious man with a wild beard and features of crustacean, reptile and fish, and that he stands well over 60ft in height.
The temple of Oceanus in Eusebes centeres around a huge ziggurat of stone and capped with electrum. This temple and its surrounding buildings trains and houses a sizeable army and stockpiles of grain and weapons.
Cleric Alignment: Any non-Chaotic.
Domains: Animal, Strength, War, Water.
Favored Weapon: Trident.
Portfolio: Sea, Sea Monsters, Shipwrech, Storms.

Daughters of The Cybele
The Cybele are a Matriarchal people with a tradition of Sacred Sun-Kings. This Sun King is chosen from the people, and becomes the pampered consort of the high priestess, who in turn slays him after a full day and night (Tethys time) to ensure the coming of the dawn. Male Oracles of the Cybele are castrated so as to serve their goddess. Giant Bees are commonly kept as pets amongst the Cybele, and are sacred to them.
The temple of the Cybele in Eusebes is a beautiful beehive-like structure located near the great gardens of Eusebes. This building is adorned with gold plate that reflects the light. The temple itself is home to a large hive of sacred bees whose humming can be interpreted by the priestesses to discern prophecy.
Cleric Alignments: Any Lawful
Domains: Sun, Fire, Protection, Law
Preferred Weapon: Dart
Portfolio: Bees, Civilization, Honey, Prophecy

Artifact Cults (Construct Cults)
The machines of the ancients are many, some of whom continue to maintain the artificially maintained conditions of terraformed worlds. As many such robots are busy with maintaining and protecting planetary life forces, Planetary Oracles are often drawn to work with them, becoming half-mechanics in their own right. Such specialized clerics are called to gain proficiency in Craft (Mechanism) and Knowledge (Technology) or Knowledge (Architecture/Engineering).
There are many artifact cults operating in Eusebes, who maintain the magical mechanisms of the city itself, and seek to serve the laws passed down by their patrons. Good relations exist between the different artifact cults, but all maintain their own shrines and structures.
Alignment: Any Lawful
Domains: Law, Knowledge, Magic, Protection.
Preferred Weapon: Club

Acolytes of Isonont (Gardeners)
Followers of the Artifact God Isonont, charged with the maintainance and health of Tethys plant life. They maintain the lunar beacons (towers that emit soft light to help invigorate plants) during the Long Night, and preserve seeds and cuttings of endangered plants.
The acolytes have a large temple that features large gardens, including fascilities that maintain artificial sunlight during the long night. These gardens are used for meditation as well as for future planting.
Cleric Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Domains: Knowledge, Law, Plant.
Favored Weapon: Sickle


Followers of Olaust (Tamers)
The followers of Olaust watch over the beasts of Tethys. This cult maintains feeding zones, medical treatment and egg-collecting and incubation. The rearing and training of animals is also of interest to this cult, and as such they are much sought for concerning veterinarean and animal breeding purposes.
The followers of Olaust have no temples per se, but maintains impressive hatcheries and incubation fascilities. Most of these are in the surrounding areas, but there is a Olaust-runmanagerie in Eusebes itself.
Cleric Alignment: True Neutral
Domains: Animal, Healing, Knowledge.
Favored Weapon: Whip


Agdistis

A cult centered in and around the Ncar Forest, but maintaining a temple in the city. This cult challenges the Acolytes of Isonont in their role as overlords of the green and growing world. This cult engages in orgiastic rituals inolving powerful narcotics, sex and wild dancing. Their patron Agdistis (a xenogen demon) sometimes attends these gatherings in person.
This cult is indescriminate towards its selection of victims, stealing high and lowborn alike, and thus it is much feared. Wealthy and poweful persons will often approach this cult for assasination purposes and to take part in their rituals.
Cleric Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Domains: Chaos, Plant, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff (see Poisontree Staff below).


Poisontree Staff
The Tree of Death is a tree found in the lowland swamps, from which staves can be cut that will deliver a poisonous death to any victim touched. Any successful strike with the staff deals normal damage and poisons the creature hit. The poison deals 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage immediately (Fortitude negates DC 14) and another 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage 1 minute later (Fortitude negates DC 14).
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: Craft Rod, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, poison; Market Price: 19,000 gp.

Strange Eons: Tethys Campaign

To start a good campaign, we need a solid and interesting region in which the player characters might wander. At this stage, it is important to not fall in love with every detail, as this will get in the way of a good story.

As with all of Tethys, the region is tropical, though enjoying steady winds from the sea, keeping the humidity from getting too oppresive. The central regions where the settlements are) is mostly mixed grasslands with some rocky regions mixed in.

Local wildlife is a vibrant mix of herd animals and predators. Of course, as this is Tethys, many of these creatures are dinosaurs. Herd creatures often seen are Camarasaurs, Kentrasaurus, Plateosaurus, Iguanadon, and an occasional Triceratops herd. These large herbivores attract attention and thus Predators often seen are packs of Coelophysis, Deinonychus, Megolasaurus, and an occasional Albertasaurus as well as many small raptor species. Monstrous insects such as giant beetles, scorpions, spiders and centipedes are common in caves and in thick vegetation.

Though the map may lead one to think that these lands are tidy settled country, this is not the case. The lands between the city-states are lawless places, full of violent predators and bandit tribes. Evil spirits, undead and capricious godlings abound along lonely paths and will snare mortals who are foolish enough to be at ease. So adventures; consider yourselves warned.

City-States
These fortified human communities are all self-reliant, though they do trade with each other. Each city-state (a rough term here, as some mentioned here are quite small) is its own power, keeping its own territories, soldiers and laws. Bickering, raiding and outright war are rather common between states, though Eusebes is considered off-limits due to its spiritual nature (and fear of supernatural reprisal).
A list of the city states found on the map are listed below:

Boric: Boric is a trading city between the coastal towns and the Ciconi barbarians inland. The town itself is largely a walled marketplace situated amongst rugged grassy hills. The locals are a tough, independent people that produce many excellent traders, scouts and craftsmen.
Population: 3,910 (roughly half are passing through)
GP Limit: 3,000gp
Community Wealth: 586,500gp.

Eusebes: Eusebes is a city-state of priests and intellectuals, numbering a dozen major temples and many smaller ones. It is a place of introspection and the study of ancient knowledge. The lords of this city-state are Clerics and Monks, leaving the day-to-day running of the city to acolytes and their many vassals. Eusebes is considered neutral in political matters amongst the local lords. Major Temples: Agdistis (xenogen cult), Cybele (bee worshippers), Dawn Singers, Oceanus, Tethys.
Population: 16199
GP Limit: 40,000gp
Community Wealth: 3,2398,000gp.

Maetaro: This town is basically a large fort with a small village of fisherfolk attached. The two families that rule Maetaro (the Gdon and Umus families) watch the coastlands for raiders, monsters and shipwrecks.
Population: 876
GP Limit: 200gp
Community Wealth: 8,760gp.

Maeonith: Maronith is ruled over by the immediate family of the wizard Photh the Unflinching and is known for its breeding of riding bats (domesticated Dire Bats). The island itself is inhospitable for farming, being largely rocky cliffs riddled with caves. The locals maintain a fishing fleet and small trading port.
Population: 1881
GP Limit: 800gp
Community Wealth: 75,240gp.

Solodet: Solodet is a solid trading port with a sizeable shipyard. The lords of Solodet are very political and have agents everywhere money is being made. Rumors of evil practices are common.
Population: 9456
GP Limit: 15,000gp
Community Wealth: 7,092,000gp.

Strange Eons: Adventures on Tethys

Well, I am finally going to run a DnD campaign in my homebrew setting of Tethys. Its a big world, full of danger and adventure, but we need to start of small(ish). As stated before, Tethys is the far-future planet Venus, brought to life by the efforts of mankind. Mankind has lost sight of his history, and now lives a primitive existence on the now-vibrant planet.
MAP: The map above is still in the early stages, and will be detailed in the future. Its a big world, with lots of places to explore.

Gaming Details
Some things need covering...

Races: Humans are preferred, though some Template races will be allowed.

Character Level: As life is quite hard on Tethys, all characters will begin at 3rd level. This is largely due to the daily struggles of the setting causing most folks to be tougher and more adventurous. NPCs will also start at 3rd level due to the same reasoning.

Class: All in the D&D 3E Players Handbook. Though the Paladin will be extremely rare, and the Bard a bad choice away from the larger city-states.

Wizards: Powerful Wizards are considered nobles merely by the fact of their magical might. It should be noted that Wizards dont like to share their power, and will keep an eye out for energetic up-and-coming Wizards and Sorcerers. Assassins can make a tidy living just bumping off young mages.

Mounts: Horses are not often used as mounts on Tethys, as they are considered irresistably tasty by many carnosaurs. Donkeys and the smaller sort of horse (ponies and light horses) are about all a person can get. As mounts, tamed and trained dinosaurs such as the
Camptosaurus (treat as a heavy horse in price and carrying capacity), Plateosaurus and
Trachodon (both treated as Elephants in price and carrying capacity) and fairly widespread. Carnosaurs make terrible mounts, but the smaller (and smarter) sort can be trained as pets.

Dinosaur Armor: Leather and Hide armor is the most common kind of armor. Armor or shields made from the more armored sort of dinosaur (such as an Anklyosaurus) may be used to produce armor or shields of Masterwork quality.
One armored dinosaur produces enough hide for a single suit of masterwork hide armor for a creature one size category smaller than the dinosaur. By selecting only choice plates and bits of hide, an armorsmith can produce one suit of masterwork banded mail for a creature two sizes smaller, one suit of masterwork half-plate for a creature three sizes smaller, or one masterwork breastplate or suit of full plate for a creature four sizes smaller. In each case, enough hide is available to produce a small or large masterwork shield in addition to the armor, provided that the dinosaur is Large or larger. Armored Dino Hide offers 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10. Also, Druids may wear such armor without penalty, as it is not made of metal.

Fun Stuff!
Below is a memorable clip from the movie One Million BC! This movie enchanted me as a boy. Dinosaurs, lots of action and hot barbarian women. What more does a growing lad need?

In Tethys Terms: This scene shows two members of a remote Barbarian tribe encountering a rogue (herdless) Triceratops and a hunting Ceratosaurus. Possibly in a highlands region of the Thunder Range. A bad place to be cought to be sure.

Tethys Map 1

Here is the basic map of Tethys. As you can see, there is much detailing to be done (and which I am looking forward to).

As stated earlier, Tethys is a hot, wet world, with temperatures averaging around 80 degrees, with highs of 110 degrees being common towards mid-day. The long day and night cycle of Tethys (each being 243 Gaian/Earth days long) has resulted in a fierce environment.

Thick fog, rain and storms are common and prone to sudden shifts in intensity. Earthquakes are also common, though the great many volcano's of Tethys (roughly 100,000 in count) are almost all considered asleep.

Most of Tethys consists of shallow seas and islands, but there are two prominent continents:

• Ishtar (at the top of the map, about the size of Australia)
• Aphrodite (at the right of the map, somewhat smaller than Africa).
• Phoebe and Labda, though continents in their own right are far swampier. Though they do host abundant life.

Life on Tethys is savage and vibrant. Plant life is extremely plentiful, with many enormous forests, especially on the continent of Aphrodite, where the 500+ foot tall Derew trees grow in vast numbers. The shallow seas and coasts are thick with kelp and other plants, making large sea vessels difficult to use. Fish of wide variety are more than plentiful.

Animal life is no less impressive, as the lower gravity and high oxygen has allowed enormous creatures. Dinosaurs, re-engineered by ancient wizards stalk the land and sea, as do many strange alien creatures and mixed breeds. Anatotitan and Dimetrodon are commonly seen along the rivers and in the marshes of Tethys. Apatasaurus are seen in large numbers as well, though often in the deep forests. Anatotitan are sometimes domesticated as beasts of burden.
The Giant Capybara is a common herd beast found almost anywhere, and is preyed upon by almost everything.

Human civilization is spread out, with only a few large cultures on Ishtar and Aphrodite. Most cultures lead semi-nomadic lives, traveling the seas and swamps during the day and moving into inland to ancestral cities for the long, cold night.

More and more to come dear readers...