Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 6:AN EPICSETTINGThe Material GateThe Material Gate is the public connection to the MaterialPlane. The schedule of connections changes from timeto time, but it is posted near the gate itself. The gate“visits” most of the major cities of various worlds on theMaterial Plane, some of them more frequently thanothers. For example, a huge metropolitan area that cansupport large amounts of trade is the connection pointabout once a year, while other, smaller cities are only visitedrarely, or even only once.The Planar GateThe Planar Gate visits with other planar metropolises,most of which cannot be found on the Material Plane.For instance, cities such as Sigil, Tu’narath, the City ofBrass, and even the mind flayer city llkkool Rrem(thralls act as representatives of the mind flayers—nary an illithid is seen) show up on the circuit. Othercities of lesser status found on various Outer and InnerPlanes are also visited. The schedule of connectionsremains constant, cycling through a predeterminedlist of cities over and over again. Each city remainsaccessible for two to four weeks before the cyclemoves on. Of course, some of the connections seemore traffic flow than others, due to the varied andsometimes inimical natural environment of some ofthe stranger locations visited. Occasionally, the mercaneshave had to cut short or bypass entirely a locationwhose conditions had changed for the worsesince the last visit.EXTENDED QUARTERSThe mercanes keep lists of all the islands that float inthe void around the core city of Union. Those within atwenty- to thirty-mile radius are considered a part ofUnion. Common knowledge places the number ofislands at somewhere around one hundred. Dozensare visible to the naked eye, as are the skyships andfliers that constantly travel to and from and betweenthe islands of the extended quarters and the core(sometimes the term used to identify the twelve connectedislands).The islands of the extended quarters are primarilyused for residences. Some islands are home to palatial,magically maintained estates, while others containheavily settled neighborhoods. Some are restricted;others are park expanses open to all visitors.Many extended quarter islands are composed whollyof tilled ground for crops and range land for livestock.While a good portion of Union’s foodstuffs comes via thegates, more comes from “local farmers” who sell theirwares in neighborhood markets of the extended quartersas well as in the Market Quarter.Of course, there are magically guarded warehouses,factories, and even prisons among the extended quarters.Some of these are off limits to casual visitors and areguarded by special detachments of Union Sentinels.PylosPylos is a palatial estate maintained on one of theislands of the extended quarters. The estate and itsgrounds completely cover the land mass of the island.Madwand (CN male death slaad Wiz20/Loremaster11)is a creature that uses its awesome spellcasting abilitiesto appear completely human, under most circumstances.Madwand seems as crazy as his name implies.No one knows exactly what he is up to, but his nameoften comes up in the core when unexplained happeningsare afoot.The palace features several courtyards, storage areas,workshops, and laboratories. Its library is famed for itsmany one-of-a-kind texts on a strange branch of magicknown as “chaos channeling.” Several independentbuildings are clumped around the central block of thepalace. Pylos boasts a banquet hall comparable to thosefound in the finest lodges of the Perfumed Quarter.The place has ample rooms for sleeping, preparingfood, galleries, and gaming, and a well-stocked armoryon the basement level. Below the armory is a series ofvaulted subterranean chambers opening off a longvaulted corridor, the so-called “Chaos Galleries.” Theseunderground chambers house particularly dangerousworks of art (including relics and artifacts set protectivelyin glass) that Madwand has collected fromaround the cosmos.Madwand protects the lower levels of Pylos with fearsomewards, traps, and a contingent of true-breedingmonstrosities created using an epic spell of his owndevising. Called “piliforms,” these creatures vary in sizeand ability based on their age, much as dragons do(becoming more dangerous the older they get). Madwanddutifully protects the true nature of his piliforms(and that which they guard); thus, no reliable descriptionof their abilities has yet reached Union. Even theservants and mercenaries that serve Madwand in theaboveground sections of his palatial estate know not ofwhat lurks below.ENEMIES AND ALLIESBelow are described a few additional personalities whoeither call Union home or find their way to the city fromtime to time. They can be easily dropped into any adventurelocale or plot point, whether or not you use Union inyour campaign.BELDW1N FIRVALBeldwin is a halfling cat burglar of the keenest ability. Hestays in a small second-story apartment in the MagicQuarter, where he keeps to himself. Very few people inUnion even know he exists, and that’s just the way helikes it.Beldwin has made a career of stealing rare and wondrousmagic items and selling them to a couple of lessthan scrupulous members of the Gleaners. He gets ahandsome fee for tracking down and swiping the items,268