The Land: This thickly forested domain lies in the southwest region of the Core, east of Valachan and south of Verbrek and Invidia. Massive trees crowd out the sun, plunging the forest floor below into darkness. A tangle of mottled ivy and gray ferns hides the earth from sight, providing perfect cover for snakes, rodents, and insects. The lowlands are filled with bubbling springs and shallow pools. Most travelers stick to the main roads that lead to the domain's principal cities, Mal-Erek, Hroth, and Har-Thelen. These wind their way through narrow valleys or hug the edge of crumbling cliffs.
To natives of Sithicus, its night sky is a reminder of Krynn, the world they are forever isolated from. The sky is apparently moonless, filled with cold pinpoints of light. Natives of Krynn note that the constellations are similar to those of their home world, but with a few important differences. The "platinum dragon" constellation representing the god Paladine has been torn asunder, its stars scattered throughout the sky. The stars in the "five-headed dragon" constellation representing the goddess Takhisis shine brighter than before. Constellations of the other gods of Krynn have dimmed sharply.
Although it is not easily seen, Sithicus actually does have a moon in its curious sky. Mamed Nuitari, this orb is black and can only be seen by characters of evil alignment. These characters can see by its dark light about as well as normal humans can in moonlight. Characters of other alignments can "see" the black moon only by observing which stars wink out in the sky. Nuitari becomes full every eight days.
When the characters enter Sithicus, roll 1d8 to determine the phase of the moon, since its phases affect wizardly magic in Sithicus. Nuitari remains in each phase for twenty-four hours - one day and one night.
| Roll | Phase | |
| 1 | New moon | |
| 2 | Waxing crescent moon | |
| 3 | Waxing half moon | |
| 4 | Waxing gibbous moon | |
| 5 | Full moon | |
| 6 | Waning gibbous moon | |
| 7 | Waning half moon | |
| 8 | Waning crescent moon |
When the black moon is half full to full, wizards of nonevil alignments suffer penalties to their spellcasting, while evil vizards receive bonuses. These effects are similar to the "sinkhole of evil" effects experienced by priests in Ravenloft. (See Appendix Three: Character Classes.)
Waxing/waning half or gibbous moon - Nonevil wizards suffer a -1 penalty to saving throws vs. spell. Evil wizards receive a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. spell.Full moon - Nonevil wizards suffer a -2 penalty to saving throws vs. spell and cast nonevil spells at one level lower than normal. Evil wizards receive a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. spell and cast nonevil spells at one level higher than normal.
In addition to these modifications, special conditions apply whenever an evil wizard spell (any that requires a Ravenloft powers check) is cast during a full moon. Regardless of the caster's alignment, these spells work at two levels higher than normal. Player characters who cast an evil spell incur a powers check increased by 2%.
Only wizards are affected by these changes. Because Lord Soth is not a wizard, his spells are not affected.
The population of Sithicus is almost exclusively elven. Mal-Erek, Hroth, and Har-Thelen are mediocre and have none of the beauty of elven cities elsewhere. The stonework has large gaps, potholes dot the streets, and statues and other works of art have a rushed, half-finished look. The concentric walls that separate the various elven castles are crumbling, books in the city libraries are moldy, and the enchantments that normally hide the entrance to elven cities have been allowed to wane.
Soth's castle, Nedragaard Keep, is hidden between two arms of an eerie ridge, resembling his own Dargaard Keep on Krynn. The castle is a gift from the dark powers of the land. He is joined by the shadows of spirits and undead warriors who also haunted his castle on Krynn.
Cultural Level: Medieval.
The Folk: Most natives of Sithicus are elves. However, a number of human and half-elf children, fathered by Kartakan merchants living in Har-Thelen, have been born of late, and a small group of Vistani (called the Wanderers) live here. In addition, several kender communities are hidden deep in the domain's forests.
Sithican elves have a general air of apathy about them. Characters familiar with Krynn will recognize their clothing as similar to that favored by the Silvanesti elves of Ansalon a few centuries ago, but their clothing is drab in color and their armor dented and unpolished. Instead of riding proudly into battle on the backs of griffons or hippogriffs, their warriors use horned stag beetles as mounts.
Sithican elves find neither joy nor beauty in the tangled forests and boulder-choked streams. Their songs are mournful dirges, accompanied by low-pitched, droning instruments that evoke a sense of loss.
Despite these failings, they still look down on other races and, to a lesser degree, on elves who are not of Silvanesti stock. In many subtle ways, they make nonelf characters feel unwelcome in Sithicus. Characters are overcharged for supplies, told that no rooms are available at the inns even though there are obvious vacancies, and served last at taverns. Everywhere they go, nonelf heroes receive rude stares. Small children throw mud at them, and residents coincidentally choose to empty slop buckets into the street just as they pass by. The rare elf who actually smiles at the heroes or extends them a helping hand seems a godsend beside the rest.
This attitude reflects the treatment elves of Sithicus get when they leave their own domain. In most other domains of the Core, it is the demihumans who are treated with contempt.
A small, but significant, Vistani population thrives in Sithicus. These Vistani are called the Wanderers, and Soth keeps them trapped in his domain, closing the border whenever he senses these Vistani approaching it. He feels their leader Magda betrayed him when he was first drawn into the Demiplane and wants them to suffer the same imprisonment that he does.
Although Soth destroyed most of the kender that existed in the domain by turning them into kender vampires through dark experiments, a few survived and now live in the woods. They have the reputation of being some of the most violent and xenophobic people of the Core. Natives avoid the areas of the forest that have been claimed by the kender. Visitors to the domain can recognize the boundaries of kender territory by the rotting heads that are spiked to the trees at its edges; the kender of Sithicus thus turn trespassers into "No Trespassing" signs.
Native Player Characters: Typical native heroes are elves. They may belong to any class allowed in Ravenloft, as well as any multi-class combination allowed to elves. However, the magic of elf mages is affected by the dark light of Nuitari, as detailed above. Heroes from Sithicus are generally not plagued by the racist attitudes of their fellow elves, although there are exceptions. Half-elf and half-Vistani player characters are also found in Sithicus.
Personalities of Note: Mason, the Lord Speaker of Har-Thelen is an elf thief/mage who appears to be a bit more ambitious and upbeat than other Sithican elves. He continues to bully and manipulate the craftsmen of his city to produce decent goods that can be traded with Kartakass, and he has even pressed stonemasons into the city's service so that it may be repaired and maintained. Mason is fighting an uphill battle, though, and rumors have it that his activity is annoying Soth's seneschal, Azrael. He prefers the elves to be docile, or at least direct all their efforts to helping him locating Kitiara Uth Matar, a woman his master seeks.
The Law: Although each of the cities of Sithicus has its own caste of elf nobles - headed by the hereditary ruler knows as a Lord Speaker - all acknowledge the rulership of Lord Soth. They see him only rarely, but all fear his wrath and cringe at the mention of his name. An invitation to visit the High Lord at Nedragaard Keep is generally considered a death sentence. Because Soth can literally raise the remains of the dead to do his bidding, no corner of Sithicus is safe.
Soth's seneschal, Azrael the dwarf, receives careful respect even though he is not an elf. Discourtesy to this servant of the High Lord is sure to have dire consequences.
The laws made by the Lord Speakers are few and typical of what one would expect to find in an elven community.
Encounters: Most creature encounters involve banshees and other undead. Characters have a 33% chance for one incidental encounter during the day, and the same chance three times during the night.
Further Reading: The novel Knight of the Black Rose details Soth's fall from grace and the creation of Sithicus. The adventure When Black Roses Bloom features Soth's attempt to escape the misery of Sithicus.
Dungeon Masters who want to run a game with Sithican natives might wish to examine the Tales of the Lance boxed campaign set. This product details the world of Krynn, upon which Sithicus is based. This boxed set also provides rules for creating and playing kender characters, although the Sithican kender are not the same cheerful lot as on Krynn.
Lord Soth
Death Knight, Chaotic Evil
| Armor Class | 0 (-3 with plate mail) | Str | 18/99 | ||||
| Movement | 12 | Dex | 14 | ||||
| Level/ Hit Dice | 9 | Con | 17 | ||||
| Hit Points | 89 | Int | 10 | ||||
| THAC0 | 5 | Wis | 9 | ||||
| No. of Attacks | 3/2 rounds | Cha | 17 | ||||
| Damage/ Attack | 1d8+6 (sword of wounding plus Strength bonus) or 1d6 (cold touch) | ||||||
| Special Attacks | Spells | ||||||
| Special Defences | Fear aura | ||||||
| Magic Resistance | 75% (see below) | ||||||
Lord Soth, a death knight, speaks with a hollow, chilling voice. His eyes glow red behind the visor of his helm, and he wears black plate mail +3 (which reduces his AC to -3). His emblem, a black rose, can be seen embroidered on his clothing and embossed on his shield.
Background: Soth was a fallen knight of the Solamnic Orders on the world of Krynn. When the Kingpriest of Istar was about to call down a cataclysm, the gods gave Soth a chance to redeem himself by saving the world. Soth, however, was distracted from his quest by petty jealousy, and the resulting destruction killed untold millions. Soth himself died in the calamity as well, but he rose again, a fire-ravaged mockery of his former self, cursed to live the length of each life that was lost because of his inaction. Soth existed in an unfeeling, uncaring state for centuries, until the inner fire of a warrior woman named Kitiara Uth Matar stirred something within him. His manipulation of events to cause her death, and his subsequent attempt to make her his eternal companion ultimately doomed him to become a darklord of Ravenloft.
Current Sketch: Lord Soth now reigns from Nedragaard Keep. A gift of the dark powers, the castle taunts him mercilessly, for it constantly changes size and shape so that he cannot maintain the flawless military order to which he is accustomed. Further, boredom presses hard on Soth's eternal soul. No conquests remain for him in Sithicus, and thirty-five years of nothing to do but torment the elves and intimidate Magda the Wanderer has left Soth depressed and despondent. Only the stirring of the dukkar in neighboring Invidia has lifted Soth's spirits even slightly. He hopes war is brewing, and he hopes to have an army ready to participate.
Soth's greatest desire is still to possess Kitiara, and it would appear the dark powers have granted him the opportunity to do so. Soth has heard rumors that a dark-haired warrior woman who matches Kitiara's description exactly is wandering the hills of Sithicus. Whether she is Kitiara recreated in the flesh or a spirit is unclear. Soth pursues her endlessly, yet never catches more than echoes of her passing.
Closing the Borders: On Krynn the death knight was compelled to remember his sins each night in song. In Ravenloft he can seal his borders by repeating this dismal ballad. As he sings, he is joined by the voices of other sinners. The sound, rising from the borders, is so horrid that no mortal can withstand it. All must return to Sithicus or fall hopelessly mad.
Combat: Soth enjoys all traits ascribed to death knights as outlined in the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome. He generates fear in a five-foot radius and can cast detect magic, detect invisibility, and wall of ice at will. Twice per day, he can cast dispel magic. Once per day, he can use a power word (as per the spell) of his choice. He can cast a symbol of fear or symbol of pain, as well as a 20-die fireball, once per day. All of his spells function as if he were 20th level. In addition, he can shadow walk to any point in Sithicus. He merely steps into one shadow and emerges from another at the desired location.
Soth has a magic resistance of 75%. Additionally, on a roll of 11 or less, he reflects the spell back at the caster. In his castle, he need roll only a 22 or less to reflect a spell.
Soth can exert complete control over any lesser undead in his domain and can control other undead of up to 8 HD as if he were a 6th-level evil cleric. Although he is undead, Soth himself cannot be turned or controlled.
If he should ever be slain, Soth's body turns to mist and dissipates. He reforms on his throne in Nedragaard 2d6 days later. During that time, the borders remain open.
