Three of Swords

Zone Writer:[]

Modified for JediMUD by Valaria, 1997

Directions:[]

Scraggly Trail d*w*w*w*w*w*w*w*n*n*w*n*nw*ne*e*ne*nw*e*ne*se*e*ne*ne*n*ne*ne*e*se*sw*u (from Bluto, New Thalos)

Intersection e*d*e*e*e*e*s*s*e*e*e*e*e ((from Scraggly Trail)

Dragon's Lair w*w*w*w*w*w*w*u*w*w*w*sw*ne*sw*u*s* (from Intersection)

Story / History:[]

The Darkspine Mountains, a massive range southwest of New Thalos, divides the sunny valleys of King Welmar's Midgaard from the wastes of the Great Eastern Desert. Within its range are numerous peaks, as well as a walled town currently overrun with dragons referred to as "Dragon City" and a remote village called "Three of Swords." Rumors abound concerning Aglandiir, a great golden dragon who inhabits one of the volcanic peaks of this range. Brave adventurers daring enough (or foolish enough) to seek out this dragon should consult the villagers of Three of Swords for more information.

The town known as Three of Swords is a small quest area based very loosely upon an unpublished short story written by Builder_5. The original area consisted of 76 rooms, 20 mobs, and 26 objects. The area a good mix of multi-level challenge.

There are clues that lead to the Singing Sword (b!) here. Brother Samuel is carrying a burnt manuscript that reads:

There is as much impossibly charred parchment on these pages as readable
text, but you can make out a scattering of words: "...Aeolian harp and....were used to capture....of melody itself...in conjunction with....harp into the hilt....a powerful resonance will be established....wisest and most skillf..."

Mobs of Note:[]

Aglandiir (kender hoopak - drops on death), Colin (knife - weapon/dagger), Meg the Herbalist (lumpy grey -armor- potion), Brother Samuel (burned manuscript), Mark (diary). Robert the Black (undelivered invoice)

Mobs and Mobs:[]

This little mountain town plays host to a plethora of characters that the zone writer has gone to great lengths to provide a well-considered backstory:

Villager	Location	Description	Equipment
Chloe	corral	This tall woman might be quite pretty if she wasn't frowning. Chloe regards you with suspicious dark eyes, and tries to comfortone of the burros who has become frightened by your presence.
Jared	Jared's General Store	Jared is a short, stocky man with blonde hair. He looks well-fed and happy. He wears a leather apron around his chubby girth, and quickly slips a half-eaten sandwich into its pocket when he notices your entrance. He smiles at you in a jolly way and asks, 'Can I show you something particular today, stranger?'	Hours: 6am - 6pm
Caliban (sitting)	The Mountain Tavern	Caliban is one of the miners who calls Stanneg home when he is not camping out in the mountains by his claim or wandering the hills, prospecting. He is a short, stocky man with craggy features. His soft hazel eyes twinkle as he shares a joke with Joseph, the cook.
Callista (bartender)	The Mountain Tavern	Callista nods, smiles, and asks you what you would like to drink. As you decide, she slowly polishes a glass with an old bar rag. The glass is completely clean, but she polishes it anyway.	Hours:
Joseph (rotund man)	The Mountain Tavern	Joseph is old and greying, but seems to have been able to keep his mental faculties through the years, and smiles and jokes with his patrons. He has a large woolen sweater wrapped about him for warmth. His blue eyes dance with amusement as he notices your weapons, but he doesn't seem too terribly startled.
Nicholas (hunter)	small cottage	Nicholas has obviously just returned from a successful hunting trip -- he has a small string of brownish speckled birds hanging from his broad leather belt, and a satisfied smile on his face. A supple bow is tucked under his arm, and he whistles a soft tune as he strides through the village.
Sophie (young girl)	small cottage	Sophie is the oldest daughter of Caleb and Emma. She often goes to work at the Farmer's Market with her father, and runs errands for her parents during the day. She looks like a happy little girl.
Anna (tired woman)	small cottage	Anna has just had a new baby, and had convinced her husband to sit with the children for a few hours while she visits the village shops. She walks along the street, enjoying the sites and sounds that she misses when she is home with the children all day.
Malcolm (short, bald man)	small cottage	Malcolm has been in Stanneg for as long as anyone can remember. He has also been bald for an equally long period of time. One of the most experienced miners and mountain guides in the region, he charges a hefty fee for advice and travel directions.
Sally (sitting)	small cottage	Sally is the middle daughter of Caleb and Emma. She is a pretty little girl with curly blonde hair. She looks up as you burst into her home and hugs her doll close to her.
Sarah (sleeping)	vegetable garden	Baby Sarah is only a few months old. Although Caleb was hoping for a boy to help with the farm, he and Emma love their healthy, new little girl.
Emma (woman)	vegetable garden	Emma is a plump, young woman with a pretty round face. Her hair was once pulled back neatly into a braid, but the day's labors have caused several wisps to escape. She wears a practical linen blouse and a denim skirt. Her bare feet are covered with drying mud, as is the hem of her skirt.
Farmer Caleb	Caleb and Emma's Market	Caleb is a tall, dark-haired man. He isn't much for words, but his quiet ways charmed the daughter of the visiting tax collector -- he and Emma were married and now have three pretty daughters. He nods at your entrance and asks, 'Would you like to buy something?'	Hours: 4am - 6pm
Peter	private home	Peter is the son of Nicholas and Molly, and his mother has decided that he is finally old enough to stay by himself while she goes off to work in the Bakery and his father goes hunting. Peter is a shy, nervous boy, who waits patiently for his Uncle Samuel's visits. Samuel brings the boy books -- his favorite pastime!
Jake	small cottage	Baby Jake is sucking on his hand as he sleeps peacefully in his cradle. His father Colin adores him, and even though he is only a few months old, takes him into the tavern to show him off whenever he can.
Jade	small cottage	Jade is startled and scrambles to hide behind a chair. You catch a glimpse of her dark auburn hair and the brilliant green eyes that inspired her parents to name her as they did. Right now, she is looking at you with fear in those pretty eyes.
Colin (man)	small cottage	This has to be one of the biggest men you've ever seen. He is a full seven feet toe to head, and weighs a good three hundred pounds -- mostly on his biceps and pectorals it appears. An ornate scabbard slaps by his side, with the pommel of a silvered dagger sticking out...a tiny weapon for such a large man!
Meg (the herbalist)	Chloe's Cottage	Meg is a beautiful raven-haired woman with piercing blue eyes. She is dressed in a functional brown woolen robe and wooden clogs. Around her waist is a pouch-laden belt. She looks up at your abrupt entrance and asks, 'Can I help you, stranger?	Hours: 9am - 5pm
Brother Samuel	The Alpine Inn	Brother Samuel grew up in Stanneg and after he completed his training at the Thalosian monastery, asked to return here to minister to his community. Samuel is a traveling monk, and passes through Stanneg twice a month.
Mark	Innkeeper's Room	A gaunt shadow of his former self, Mark's clothes hang on his wasted frame. This man has obviously had a very sad life, filled with tragedy. He looks up at your entrance, his bloodshot eyes filled with fear and confusion. 'You've taken away all that I love,' he wails. 'You can't possibly be back for more!?'
Rose (sleeping)	Molly's Bakery	Molly was anxious to return to work at the bakery, so she decided to bring baby Rose to work with her on those days that her husband Nicholas is out hunting. Baby Rose is little trouble to her mother and spends most of her days napping quietly.
Molly	Molly's Bakery	Molly is a tall, strong woman with short, fluffy red hair. Her pert nose has a smudge of flour on it. She dusts her hands off on her apron when you walk in, and looks at you expectantly. 'Is there something I can do for you?' she asks.	Hours: 6am - 8pm
Edgar (sleeping)	Miner's Quarters	Edgar has been prospecting his entire life, with various degrees of success. He usually strikes it rich, and then spends his money on bad ale and even badder women. From the smell of him, he's sleeping off a particularly nasty drinking binge right now.
Daisy (sleeping)	whitewashed cottage	This little girl is the reason Brianna is no longer a huntress. After marrying Jared, the General Store owner (an unlikely match!), she continued to go on overnight hunting trips until this little one came along. She hopes to practice her craft again, when Daisy is a little older.
Brianna	whitewashed cottage	Brianna is a stunning woman, all hair and eyes, it seems. Her clothing is of the same tawny brown of her skin and hair. Her blue eyes look at you appraisingly, seemingly to show great intelligence. Her mouth twitches into a small frown.
Toby	Cave Passageway	This large, dark-haired man doesn't notice your presence, so intrigued is he by the small crystals he has discovered in the outcropping. He is dressed in sturdy leather breeches and tunic, and carries a small mining pick
Robert the Black	Cavern	It seems you have interrupted Robert the Black during one of his numerous daily meals. Slippery grease drips down his chin and onto the front of his stained black tunic. To say that Robert is obese is to miss the point -- he is downright grotesque. It is amazing that he can shift his colossal bulk on the two stumpy legs that sprout from under his rotund torso. He unleashes an enormous belch and struggles to his feet.

General Zone Strategy:[]

Watch for the three DTs in this zone, one in a room south of Aglandiir, another along the dead-end cavern route up from the dragon cave entrance, and yet another along the rambling trails that lead up to the village.

The zone will reset occupied.

Note the burned corpse in Aglandiir's Lair, that of the poor Innkeeper's daughter, Lorelei, brought to the dragon by the Corsairs as an offering. (Find clues to the sacrifice in the Innkeeper's diary.)

Aglandiir drops the hoopak (wield/hold mana regen) upon death, a PROC added later in the JediMUD timeline in order to combat locate scouting. The dragon crown worn by Aglandiir is !take once dropped on the ground. It requires a 25 STR to equip.

Aglandiir smacks non-tank party members during melee. Wandering mobs eat corpses and Aglandiir picks up items. Aglandiir should be fully debuffed before attempting. The dragon reflects magic, including mental, which covers brain implosion and petrify/ petrification. Use a warrior class.

And watch the DT 1 s of Aglandiir. This DT has taken many a late-night hoopak campers.

Equipment:[]

ITEM	TYPE	MOB	LOAD %	DISPLAY
short sword	weapon	Aglandiir	60.0%	mL 10 n! !n 6D4 15.0 avg 3 hit 2 dam
zither, a big	instrument	Aglandiir	50.0%	mL 20 !rests
perfume, bottle of	other	Aglandiir	50.0%	mL 0 !rests 1 dam 10 mana this is a .obj file error
vial, dun	potion	Aglandiir	49.0%	mL 0 !rests 1 x pfe 1 x pfg
perfume, barrel of	treasure	Aglandiir	50.0%	mL 0 !rests
knife	weapon	Colin	70.0%	mL 0 t! !g 2D12 13.0 avg 2 hit 2 dam
statue of Aglandiir	treasure	Aglandiir	70.0%	mL 0 !rests
small, decorative kender hoopak	weapon	Aglandiir		mL 20 !n 2 cha 5% mnR
dragon crown	treasure	Aglandiir	80.0%	mL 0 !rests requires 23/100 str
sword, long	weapon	Robert the Black		mL 5 !mctnjrb !e 2D7 8.0 avg 2 hit 1 str
scimitar	weapon	Bandit		mL 5 !mcrb 1D9 5.0 avg 2 hit 2 dam
tunic, black	body	Robert the Black		mL 0 !rests 18 ac -4 cha
pick, mining	weapon	man		mL 0 !rests 1D4 2.5 avg
nail	weapon	slave		mL 0 !rests 1D1 1.0 avg
azure vial	potion	Meg the Herbalist		mL 0 !rests 1 x infra 1 x sense life
clear	potion	Meg the Herbalist		mL 0 !rests 1 x invisible
lumpy grey	potion	Meg the Herbalist		mL 0 !rests armor
Manual of Aspiceret	treasure	Aglandiir		mL 0 !rests
ruby red	potion	Meg the Herbalist		mL 0 !rests detect invis, detect magic
sceptre, iron	light	on ground		mL 0 !rests