Love Change

Body Part to be Found - The Feet

Soul Part - Love of Change

Prime Material Location - Kopeta

Outer Plane Location - Concordiant Opposition

The feet of the god Gaga is located in the Far Eastern portion of Kopeta. It is worshipped as a symbol of the Tan Dynasty god (Ch=ing Ka). The item lies in the ancient city of Kuo Melian (KaraTur Vol 1 pg. 3) which was the central city of the Chu=ta Te (The Great) Empire.. This ruin lies in the far north of the East in the Province of Chukei. Located near the middle of the cursed Chukei Plateau, the city was destroyed at the begining of the Black Millenium but is known to have existed as the center of the Empire for 1500 years before that. It is a place of greater antiquity than any the party has yet seen.

The Chukei Plateau has been stripped bare of life as a result of the terrible energies released in the terrors of the Tech War. There is a considerable amount of technological information and devices in these ruins, only a few of which work. The plane of the Plateau is a vast winds and draught swepts desolate place. The only remaining signs of the one great civilization that thrived here 3500 years ago are some wind blown ruins, mile markers, the abandoned roads and the regular appearance of the guard towers. Water is sparce here. There are no rivers that survive the rainy season and even oasis are few and very far between. Many travelers across this plain tell of whispered voices in the deep night and haunting crys taht echo across the desloation. One merchant party was driven mad by AThe Scream@ a haunting that would wait until the people were preparing for sleep and then scream loudly preventing them from getting any rest. The closer to the center of the destruction (Kuo Melian) the more often strange changes begin to appear occasionally in the scraggly grasses that is the only flora which is common. Twisted and un-natural animals will rarely be seen here as well.

Kuo Meilan was originally named Ten Mor Shou, but was renamed before the war to Kuo Melian.

This city was the most civilized portions of Kopeta when the Tech War began. It was hit hard by battle beasts, gene bombs (Mubombs) and kinetic weapons (guided meteors of great size). Thus the area around the city is blasted with craters from 3' to 450' across. The city also suffered terrible damage in the barrage.

Legends tell that any traveler who spends the night in Kuo Melian will be dead by morning. They also speak of the Large White Pile which is as high as the Great Wall (50') that is made from the bones of visitors. Perhaps worse are tales of spirits of the evil dead who possess the libing to walk the earth in mens flesh. The evil spirits will then attack the fellows of the possessed one to Abring new company in the lands of the dead@.

The city is mostly circular with four great roads that lead off from the city in the cardinal directons. The now all lead to nowhere except for the road to the east which eventually links up with the mining city of Fukiow. The city has 8 concentric walls and in the center is the Palace of the Invincible Su. It is a 3 strory high structure and is made of strenthened glass (temperd glass) and concrete. It is one of the few buildings in the city center that is intact. The glass bricks are incredably strong and although there are spots where the glass has shattered revelaling the metal beams that run inside. Under this building are the tunnels that lead to the undercity and the vast crypt which encloses the Stone Armies of Shih. It is a long standing legend that these warriors once found and after casting the correct spells would arise and assue life to put into power over the empire the one who commands them.

The maps and any detail of the city layout currently are not known. No one penetrates far into the city and lives to take much information away. Also the size of the city is daunting to any who try to tell about it. The ruins spread over an area of 6 sq. Mi. It is about 5 times the size of Waterdeep. Tens of thousands of buildings are enclosed within the walls. The outer wall is 20 miles long and is of uniform construction. It is 50' high and 25' thick. It is pierced by 20 gates (roughly spaced out 1 every mile of wall) and innumerable passage ways. A race of rat man has grown up occupying the Great Wall. They are apt to swarm out of the walls and surround parties passing through the gates and holes. There are 3 breaches in the great wall and all of these are as heavily guarded as the gates.

Adventure Notes - The party will be tracked as soon as they let their destination known. The Legon of the Old Emperor still seeks to bring the descendants of the Tan=s back into command of the New Empire. They will tarack the party into the city and watch them to see if Local 509 finds the Stone Army. They will help the party if there is a way to do it without revealing their presence.

The Feet form a part of the great tomb to the Emperor Tan Chan who is known as the ATerminal Tan@ as he was the last of the Tan emperors who was buried in the Old Way with All Honors until the passing of the dark millenium and the first of the New Emperors rule began. His tomb is located with the other 14 Emperors of Tan who rest in the catacombs located under the central building of the city the APalace of the Invincable Sun@.

Under ground has been built a huge and complex series of burial chambers for the 15 Emperors. Each has his own underground area and has hundrads of bodies of persons honored by the emperor to Asleep with the Emperor@ by being buried here. They were not killed (in most cases) but rather are buried here as they die of whatever causes after the death of the Emperor they served.

The actual chambers where the Emperors were buried are protected with many subtle and not so subltle traps. In addition, they were commonly protected by Un-dead dedicated to be the Aservents of the Past Emperor@ and to prrotect him into perpituity. Thus they are dangerous places to approach. The magical wards do not lose their potency, but the un-dead do somewhat. Defending the tomb from robbers may destroy them and they occasionally meet with accidents as well that reduces their numbers. Thus, the oldest tombs are the easiest to enter. Each Emperor built his temple under the tomb of his predecessor, so the deeper the catacomb, the more recient it is, and the more dangerous it is. It was thought by the constructors of the tombs that it was proper for obesence to the already intered should be part of each burial ceremony. So, each tomb may only be reached by passing by the chambers of those already interred. There is no short cut directly to the lowest levels. On each level is a chapple and Idol to an eastern god. If the proper prayer is not made at each one of the alters, powerful guardians will first speak in the eastern tongue and then attack if the proper answers are not made. The proper passwords to be made to the guardians is contained in an obscure book which may only be found in the

The prayers which must be read at each alter are known as the 15 prayers. These can be easily learned as they are a part of the history of the earlier times which is written of in the holy books. However, few people will memorize them. They are contained in a book called AOur Glorious Pre-Telembre@ (pre-dark). Almost every monistary has a copy of this famous book which is used as the basis for many current day ceremonies and prayers. The party should be made aware of this book and a means of translation should be provided to them. No one will be told that this book is necessary. An Augury or other informative spell may reveal this.

The last, lowest level (15th) is intact and still holds not only the fabulous treasure of the last Tan Emperor, but the mythical Clay Soldier Army.

There is however fabulous wealth to be obtained here. Even though 10 of the tombs has been looted already, the 5 remaining (which are the last 5 Emperors)

There are only a few citys of note on the Chukei Plateau. The largest is Fukiow. This is a large mining city withch is supported by a few small clusters of farms trying to eeke a living out of the poor soil. Kangste is a trade town on the Kuangchiu Road to Koryo. Chaoyang maintains a garrison guarding the junction of the Kuangchiu and Spice roads where they meet. Rarely, you will see a hermit living in an abandoned building, but that is all.

Some of the things I want to emphasized in this adventure are related to the title ALove Change@ which is the attribute of the feet which the action revolves around. I can emphasize this by making the party feel uncomfortable with the antiquity of the East and the static conditions of the culture there. Unlike the West where they come from (which changes all the time and a man is able to set his own kind of life) the East will seem stifling and un-free. Their conservitive nature and obsession with geneology will seem silly and inconsequential. Another way of interpreting the ALove Change@ theme is to emphasize the changes that come over a person who is in love. A way to get to this is through Kagar and Broda. Broda is much changed after his marrage to Broda. Also, if a character has a chance to fall in love, emphasize that chars new attitudes and feelings as they change.

ABILITIES OF THE FEET ARTIFACT

Acts as a ring of free action for 100' around the item.

In order to get the Item to take effect, a limb must be removed and the gods body part placed on the stump.