Palace of the Silver Princess - Part 2

Both version of Module B3 - Palace of the Silver Princess

In Part 1 wrote about my reactions to both versions of the Basic D&D Module, B3 - Palace of the Silver Princess. After reading both of them, I concluded that the Jean Wells original (Orange B3) was far more interesting and suitable for the type of adventure that I like to run, though with some elements from Moldvay’s rewrite, as well as other sources.

However, Orange B3 was not a complete module, and left a great deal up to the DM to fill in. In this article, I’ll discuss how I do this. In the article Creating Situations, not Plots, I covered how I approach adventure design using three of the four main elements of a story: Setting, Characters and Conflict. I will use this way of thinking to prepare this adventure.

Setting

Orange B3 is an interesting little piece of history. All of the published Basic modules until B6 - The Veiled Society, were not placed in a particular setting, and essentially left it up to the DM to adapt it to their own world, should they choose. This includes the Green B3 rewrite. All of these were later retconned to be set in The Known World, later known as Mystara, the official setting of BECMI modules. The first published module to mention this setting was the Expert module X1 - The Isle of Dread.

What is interesting about Orange B3 is that it is placed in The Known World. The southeast part of the region map shows “Princes of Glantri”, short for the Principalities of Glantri. This is one of the nations in The Known World setting, described in great detail in the Gazetteer GAZ3. See the following image.

Since this version of the module was never published, it was not included in the later Gazetteers, including GAZ3. Yet it is quite clear that Jean Wells intended this module, and its primary barony, Galluvia, to be placed to the northwest of Glantri. The Atlas of Mystara project has even taken efforts to place it in The Known World Map, even though the later Wrath of the Immortals “overwrote” this area with the Adria Varma Plateau.

What I find fascinating about this, was that even at this early stage (1980-81), there was enough awareness of The Known World for Jean Wells to have an idea of where to put Galluvia. The area northwest of Glantri may not yet been “claimed” by any other materials, so it makes sense for her to place it there.

GAZ1 would later place the area known as Haven in The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, but this was for Moldvay’s rewrite, which did not contain the region map provided by Orange B3.

Since I don’t yet have much of a purpose for the Adri Varma Plateau, and I’d like to stick to Jean Wells’ vision as much as I can, I’m going to place it where she does. I’m putting the Master in Dungeon Master.

Updating the Map

The map has a few shortcomings that I will update.

First is that the rivers diverge instead of converge. Except for river deltas, it is very rare for a river to split in two. More often, rills, creeks, streams and rivers coming down off mountains and hills feed into each other downstream, converging as they get larger.

So I’m updating rivers to be converging, and I’m adding multiple others coming out of mountains, through the forest and along settlements. Along the way there will be a few more lakes and waterfalls.

Second is that it’s not a hex map. I was able to find a transparent overlay online and apply it to the existing map, allowing for better overworld exploration.

A Fairytale Adventure

Both versions of the module have elements of a fairytale adventure: a beloved princess in a shining castle, dwarves, elves, gnomes and fairy folk, palace residents turned to stone, and much more. The Wells original even speaks of the Abaddon Woods as

a desolate place inhibited by evil beings, but was once believed to be filled with unicorns, elves, faeries and other fair creatures.

In reading the opinions of other bloggers (something I always do when preparing a classic module), many of them got the same “fairytale” impression, including Dungeon of Signs. Like the author of that article, I intend to embrace this impression and go full steam ahead with making this as much of a fairytale as possible.

There is a BECMI supplement called Creature Crucible: Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (PC1) that covers woodland and fairy folk in great detail, including centaurs, dryads, treants, brownies, redcaps, sprites, pixies, leprachauns and more. These are the very sort of creatures that would have populated the Abbadon Woods.

Inspiration from Films

For some reason, this all made me think of the 1985 Ridley Scott film, Legend. I know this isn’t exactly a highly rated film, but I have always enjoyed it. In this film, the Lord of Darkness (played by the venerable Tim Curry) desires to bring the land into eternal night by killing the two Unicorns protecting the land and taking their horns. The goblin Blix manages to wound one of the unicorns and steal its horn, but not both of them. This is enough to bring the land into a perpetual winter. The film then tells the story of the heroes retrieving the stolen horn, and stopping the Lord of Darkness, before anyone has the chance to get the second unicorn.

I’m also reminded of the Neverending Story, as well as Jim Henson films, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. I really love the dark fantasy tone, whimsical characters and settings, and that sense of “otherworldliness”. I love those moments where it’s obvious that the characters “aren’t in Kansas any more”.

I think Palace of the Silver Princess is an excellent starting point for that type of dark fairytale tone.

What I’m Keeping from Moldvay

As stated before, I’m building this campaign from Jean Wells’ original, and not including most of what Moldvay changed, including the whole framing story regarding the evil being Arik, and his influence on the adventure/dungeon. However, there are some fun elements from Moldvay’s adaptation that I think would work well and are perhaps even memorable moments for those who played B3 back in the day. Here is what I intend to keep from Moldvay, along with possible adaptations.

• Haven - this could still be the name of the valley in the mountains where the Palace is located, and similar to the story, it now lies in ruin, overrun by dark creatures.
• The Red Glow - this is a memorable element for players who remember the published module, and I think it could be a fun puzzle/trap. But instead of it enveloping the whole castle, and being some sort of corruption from Arik, it could be isolated to a particular area or room in the castle, and caused simply by magic.
• Petrified People in the Palace - I think this is a perfect addition that lends to the fairytale, mysterious feel that I’m going for.
• The Legendary Bard, Rowena - this is a really fun character and a part of the past of this region that could add a lot of character and even have some adventure hooks involving her lost Ice Harp.

Things I’m Changing

That’s not to say I’m running the remainder of the adventure exactly as written. Eventually I’ll be making major adjustments to the dungeon, perhaps involving some more Moldvay, but I also plan to shift a few other plot points around to give the campaign a consistent narrative setting.

Characters and Factions

Aliegha, the Were-Bear

I think the character of Aliegha, the were-bear wielding the magic Sword of Spartusia, sounds like a fantastic NPC. In both modules, she is an antagonist who fights alongside Cathrandamus, who sort of adopts her as a follower. I much prefer the idea that she could potentially aid the adventurers instead of be their enemy. I also like the idea that she has not yet found the Sword of Spartusia, and is in the region looking for it. This would make for a great side quest if the players decide to aid Aliegha.

The Sword of Spartusia

This makes the Sword of Spartusia an excellent adventure in and of itself. It is one that the players could take on themselves, or they could help Aliegha. Alternatively, if she ends up going with Cathrandamus, the players could be too late.

Lady D’Mhis

In Wells’ adventure, Lady D’Mhis, the Baroness of Galluvia, is ruthless and evil, ruling with an iron fist and a sort of tyrrany. It is clear that she is intended to be a sort of villain. Interestingly, she also happens to be the heir of Princess Argenta. Now that makes things more interesting and opens up the possibility of factions.

I think I would prefer Lady D’Mhis to be a very tough, but fair ruler. She doles out justice swiftly and surely, and does prefer something of a matriarchal society, something enforced in the unpublished module. The people of the region may have a negative opinion about her, and possibly justified in some ways, but she is not actually chaotic or evil and has reasons for her ruthlessness. I may even keep the point where she kills her husband, but perhaps it was for good reasons.

In the module, there is a false rumor that she’s offering a reward to whomever can find My Lady’s Heart. I think I would prefer that this rumor be true, and that it sets off a Holy Grail type quest in the region. The players will not be the only ones looking for it, and everybody has their own idea of where it is.

Cathrandamus

Like both Lady D’Mhis and Aliegha, Cathrandamus is absolutely ripe for making a more developed character.

Lamdomon and Zappora

The Witch of Thunder Mountains

In the original module, the witch of the Thunder Mountains rumor seems to indicate that she’s an antagonist that the players could face in a larger campaign. The Wizard of the Misty Swamp occupies this role very nicely, however, so I’m planning a different take.

Residents of the Galluvia region may think she is an evil witch, but she is in fact a powerful, yet benevolent magic user, should you be lucky enough to actually meet her. Most people never do, and those who do, never realize that she’s really the witch of the Thunder Mountains.

This would make her an interesting NPC who could be encountered anywhere in the region, who could potentially help the players, give them information, and maybe even lend a spell or two. Best of all, I found the perfect character: Ceatitle.

The AD&D supplement The Rogue’s Gallery is filled with pre-rolled characters, and even includes a number of TSR employee’s characters, including stats and descriptions. One of these characters was Jean Wells’ Ceatitle, a Level 10 human magic user. She is described as…

“… a slight, short woman of moderate bearing and beauty… wears worn looking clothing with the colors green, brown and yellow predominating. She usually has a bag of goods, slung over one shoulder and a quiver of wands over the other. Cea is by nature a miser, she buries caches of treasure about the countryside to be used later.

Cea values information, but seldom uses it. She enoys bein curious, is very mischievous, often getting herself or her party into trouble, but may use her dimension door spell to escape the minute things look bad. Cea has a passion for collecting things of rarity not normally seen as useful, such as a singing teacup, an ivory ring carved with bears, a small crystal statuette of a dolphin, a magical portable bathtub, and a singing book.

She also possesses a familiar: a black cat names Light who has a permanent unseen servant to open doors for it.”

Could there be a better NPC character for a fairytale campaign like this? She is whimsical, has her own motivations and flaws, yet is also a strong magic user with an arsenal of wands and spells. She could accompany the party, then suddenly leave. She could dispense some information, but also insist on having certain treasure.

Best of all, having Jean Wells’ own character as an NPC is very poetic, and is my way of adding a tribute to her.

The Wizard of the Misty Swamp

Conflicts

Aliegha The Sword of Spartusia

Aliegha and Were-Bears

Cathrandamus and Aliegha

Cathrandamus and the Seelie Fae

The Unseelie and the Seelie

Lady D’Mhis and …

The Palace Catastrophe

In the rumor table, and pretty much confirmed in the dungeon, is the reason for the catastrophe at the Palace that destroyed a large part of it and ostensibly led to its downfall. It is said that one of the magic users in the Palace accidentally mixed the wrong ingredients when making a potion. This is in major contrast to Moldvay’s take, where it is the corruption of the Eye of Arik that results in the catastrophe.

I really like the idea of a magic experiment gone wrong, but perhaps we can enhance this story a little. We could add a little mystery by asking “What exactly was this potion or experiment?” Maybe it wasn’t mundane, but rather a significant breakthrough that had some major ramifications. Maybe something that someone else didn’t like the idea of, and sabotaged it.

Perhaps that someone could be the cleric, Cathrandamus.