TSR 2420 DSS1 City State of Tyr.pdf

Official Game

Accessory

The City-State of Tyr

Walter M. Baas

Credits

Design: Walter M. Baas

Editing Dale A. Donovan

Project Coordinator: Dori Jean Watry

Cover Art: Brom

Interior Art: Tony DiTerlizzi and Tom Baxa

Cartography: Diesel

Typography: Angelika Lokotz

Production: Paul Hanchette

TSR, Inc.

POB 756

Lake Geneva

WI 53147

U.S.A.

TSR Ltd.

120 Church End

Cherry Hinton

Cambridge CB1 3LB

United Kingdom

Special Thanks to:

Gary W. Watkins, for his invaluable help, and

Curtis Scott, who encouraged my writing, and inspired me in times of need.

Thanks to:

Tim, Troy, Bruce, Rich, Nora, and Dori whose guidance and support made this project possible.

Dedicated to the memory of

Curtis Scott.

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Introduction .......................................... 3

The Observation Tower ........................ 5I

The Tower Bridge .............................. 52

The Golden Tower .............................. 52

Chapter One: Life in Tyr ........................... 4

History ............................................. 5

Timeline .......................................... 6

The Government ................................. 7

Crime and Punishment ........................... 9

Trade and Commerce ........................... I0

Water ............................................. I2

Chapter Five: Under Tyr ........................... 55

The Sorrows .................................... 55

The Crimson Shrine ........................... 57

The Poison Sting ................................. 57

Elven River ....................................... 57

Belly of the Noble .............................. 58

Mercur Fountain ................................. 58

Tembos Teeth .................................... 58

The Crawl ....................................... 58

Farias Passages ................................. 58

Chapter Two: Environs of Tyr ..................... I4

The Iron Mines of Tyr ........................... I4

Agriculture ....................................... I8

Chapter Three: The City of Tyr .................. 2I

City Culture .................................... 2I

Tradesmens Districts ........................... 22

Merchants District .............................. 30

Nobles Quarter ................................. 34

The Warrens .................................... 36

Bards Quarter ................................. 42

Gladiatorial Gate .............................. 43

The Stadium .................................... 43

Arena Market .................................... 44

Beast Market .................................... 46

Slave Pens ....................................... 46

Gladiatorial Games .............................. 47

Kalaks Ziggurat ................................. 43

Chapter Six:

Psionics, Magic, and Religion in Tyr ............ 60

Psionics .......................................... 60

The Order ....................................... 64

Magic ............................................. 65

Religion .......................................... 66

Chapter Seven: Personalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Chapter Eight: Campaigning in Tyr ............ 79

Character Kits .................................... 79

New Character Kit .............................. 8I

Character Interaction ........................... 83

Adventure Suggestions ........................ 84

Last Words ....................................... 70

Encounter Tables .............................. 90

Tyrian Trade Goods Cost Table ............... 93

Chapter Four: The Golden City .................. 50

The Grand Gate ................................. 50

The High Bureaus .............................. 50

The Kings Gardens ........................... 50

Templars Quarters .............................. 5I

Tyr City Maps

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

After a score of days beneath the burning sun, the

sight of the great walled city meant trading the stench

of beasts for that of beggars. My tongue rasped over my

cracked, dry lips in anticipation of the Tyrian ale Id

soon be drinking. The stories heardslaves freed,

Kalak dead, and magic wild in the streets. The truth

would soon be known. Such information would fetch a

high price with the templars of Nibenay, perhaps an

audience with the Most High Concubine of the

Palace might even be in order! This was my first trip to

Tyr, and I planned to drink my fill of the city.

Some things never change though, like the black

heart of a templar. The scrawny vulture at the gate ran

his jaundiced eye over our cargo, sizing up the bribe he

could extort from honest traders. I played the game,

passed him some ceramics, and entered the city. A

vagrant breeze swirled the dust as we emerged from the

caravan gate and, when Id wiped my eyes, a colorfully

dressed, wrinkled man stood before me.

You paid too much, he declared.

What? Who are you? What business do you have

with me? I asked. I let my hand drop to the hilt of my

scimitar to punctuate my point.

I? I am Ojoba, a draqoman. You are new here, that

is obvious. You have business to do and assisting with

your business is my business. Many are Tyrs wonders,

and many are its hazards. I can help you.

He seemed to expect me to say something. I didnt.

You will want a place to stay, yes? A place for your

mounts? You have no friends here? I am not your

friend, but I can help you. I know this city. I know its

markets, its inns, its streets. I speak several tongues and

know local customs and laws. You want a good price

for your cargo. Maybe you have some trade goods that

require special handling, away from the prying eyes of

the templars, yes? I can help you. You will profit, to be

sure. As for my services, I ask only five ceramics for

every gold you make. Consider my offer. Youll find

none better.

Five for every gold! You mistake me for a nobleman

or a lunatic! I have dealt with your kind before. Even the

arrogant bloodsuckers of Nibenay ask no more than

one silver a day and a ceramic for every gold and hope

to bargain for one or the other. Ill give you five ceramics

for the day, what remains of it, and no more.

Spoken like a true trader, he said, inclining his

head slightly. Obviously you are neither nobility nor a

mad man, but surely you would not value an associate

who would meekly accept a traders first offer. The sun

already begins its descent, so let us not tarry. A silver

for the day and three ceramics for every gold each day

after this. Include a drink of water and a morsel to eat,

and I am at your service.

A silver and two ceramics per gold, and you feed

yourself, draqoman Ojoba. Your first job is to guide us

to the market where we might sell our goods. Then you

can show me which winehouse boasts the comeliest

serving wenches. Have we a deal?

Indeed we do. First things first, now we go to the sta-

dium.

I have business to do, you ugly renk! Are you deaf?

Yes, yes, business, but the stadium serves as the

market in Tyr, except on festival days. It is there that

youll get the best price. Later to Shadow Square,

where your thirst for wine shall soon be sated. You see,

you do profit by me already, though not a coin has

passed between us.

About This Supplement

Tyrs new mantle of freedom sets it apart from the other

city-states of Athas. The citys inhabitants struggle to

survive amid anarchy and turmoil. Assassination, rev-

olution, and reformation have rocked Tyr since it was

first described in the original DARK SUN ® boxed

set. From its clouded past to the painful winds of

reform blowing through the city, Tyr comes alive within

these pages. Additional information is included for

the DUNGEON MASTER (DM) interested

in setting up a campaign in or around the city-state of

Tyr. Remember to watch your back, for Tyr may be free,

but it is never safe.

Tyr lies in a small valley among the foothills of the

Ringing Mountains. Although not the largest city of

the Tablelands, it's considered one of the most impor-

tant due to its political clout, location, and great (by

Athasian standards) reserves of iron ore in the nearby

mountains. A single caravan trading route connects

Tyr to the network of roads that link the major cities

of the Tablelands. This is not to imply that elven

traders do not use other routes of their own devising,

but there is only a single navigable pass for the larger

caravans.

Until recently, the city of Tyr had been ruled by the

great sorcerer-king Kalak. Following the death of Kalak

and the ensuing war with Urik (see History below), the

people of Tyr have begun the reconstruction of their

city amid a storm of change. The government has

undergone sweeping reform. Trade and commerce,

long neglected due to Kalaks obsession with the con-

struction of his ziggurat, are on the rise as iron once

more flows from the mine. The games have begun

again as well, now the province of freemen, not slaves,

where the only deaths are accidental. Even the more

secretive societies of Tyr have emerged from the after-

math with renewed energies.

This is not to say that all is well in Tyr. The city

still faces an uncertain future. Divergent voices sound

within the Councils chambers. Food and water remain

scarce, and many have no work or decent lodgings.

Mobs of looters and thieves roam the city for, as the

saying goes, Freedom alone will not fill yer belly! Fur-

ther, many of Tyrs defenders perished in the war

against Urik, leaving the city vulnerable to outside

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