The Chain of Tears Revealed!
We knew that we'd never be able to include everything we wanted in the Spelljammer: Shadow of the Spider Moon game in Polyhedron Magazine. But the two sidebars here weren't intended to be victims of space--in the end, they just didn't quite fit into the layout.
But that shouldn't stop you from learning more about the mysterious region of space known as the Chain of Tears. So here, for the very first time, I present bonus material on the rough-and-tumble City of Discord, as well as information about the pirates that are all-too-common in the asteroid belt.
I'm always looking for more ideas for new Spider Moon material. If there's something you'd like to see, drop me a line!
The City of Discord
Discord (metropolis): Nonstandard (LN), Magical (N); 100,000 gp limit; Assets 155,000,000 gp; Population 31,000; Integrated (37% gnome, 20% dwarf, 18% human, 10% half-orc, 7% half-elf, 5% halfling, 3% elf).
Authority Figures: Tommasi, “Prince of the City,” human Ari14, N; Avic Hammerforge, Master of the Craft Guilds, male dwarf Exp11/Clr7 (Moradin), LN; Wrenfeather, “Lady of Secrets,” female halfling Rog17, CN; Giles of the Many Paths, male half-elf Clr15 (Fharlanghn), N; Vola, Master of the Guild of Blades, female half-orc Ftr18, N; Yaeleene, Master of the Arcanists, female elf Wiz15, CG.
Discord is ruled primarily by its business interests, as represented by the guilds. Virtually every trade has its own guild, including the Craft Guilds (which control metalworking, tailoring, and shipbuilding, among others), the Guild of Blades (which handles mercenary and spacehand contracts), the Arcanists (whose membership is composed entirely of wizards, sorcerers, and a few other arcane spellcasters), and many others. Even Discord’s version of a thieves’ guild—the Keepers of Secrets—has a role in the city’s “government.”
The guilds select a spokesperson (called sarcastically the “Prince of the City”) to function as their public face, someone easily replaced should the guilds see need for political “changes.” This current figurehead is Tommasi, though many in the guilds are pushing for someone less preening.
Various religious interests also have influence on the city’s politics. Perhaps none is more prominent than the Church of Fharlanghn, widely revered as the god of wanderers. The faiths of Boccob, Garl Glittergold, Moradin, Olidammara, and Pelor also have significant presence here (with presiding clerics ranging from 7th to 14th level)
Pirates of the Chain of Tears
Many pirate bands take advantage of the general populace’s fear of the region to hide themselves within the asteroid belt. Others simply conceal their treasures here, counting on the area’s natural hazards to keep their loot safe.
One of the most famous of these bands calls itself the Bloody Dregs. The captain, a half-orc named Grawl, rules his ship (the Dire Hag) with the twin promises of great reward and violent punishment. His reputation of success has drawn an elite crew of outcasts from across the system: half-elves without a society, elves deemed too cruel by their people, dwarves who have turned their back on their homeworld, and so on. Every individual aboard the Dire Hag would lay down his life for his captain, so intense is their loyalty to Grawl. His current first mate is a kyton named Shroud, but commonly called “The Jangler” by the crew (usually out of Shroud’s hearing).
Another dreaded ship is the Darkskull, crewed entirely by bloodthirsty ghouls. Reports claim that this band is ruled by a powerful necromancer, death priest, vampire, or lich (or some combination thereof).