"IM22 Earl Aubec and the Iron Galleon" - an AD&D1st module published on TSR's Imagine Magazine January 1985 issue for two pre-generated PCs of 12th and 7th level.
Musical Theme: Saga of the Eternal Champion
"...Even the Melniboneans had heard the tales of Lormyr's hero of ancient times, Aubec of Malador, who was said to have carved new lands from the stuff of chaos that existed at the World's Edge..."
The Sleeping Sorceress - Michael Moorcock
"For ten thousand years did the Bright Empire of Melniboné flourish. Ten thousand years before history was recorded - or then thousand years after history ceased to be chronicled, reckon it how you will. Only Melniboné ruled the earth for a hundred centuries..."
The Chronicles of the Black Sword
The Eternal Champion, a Hero who exists in all dimensions, times and worlds, is the one who is chosen by Fate to fight for the Cosmic Balance; however, he often does not know of his role, or, even worse, he struggles against it, never to succeed. Since his role is to intervene when either Law or Chaos have gained an excess of power, he is always doomed to be surrounded by strife and destruction, although he may go through long periods of relative quiet.
All the incarnations of the Eternal Champion are facets of each other, and the Champion may also be aided by a Companion, who, like himself, exists in various incarnations. Likewise the Champion is often associated with a romantic interest that is possibly an aspect of an eternal figure.
And thus the Spheres of the Multiverse turn...
The Young Kingdoms, centuries before Prince Elric the White Wolf and the destruction of the very world at his hands, are the setting for the adventures of Earl Aubec of Malador. In this age the Bright Empire of Melniboné is still strong. Gadric XI, son of Terhali the Green Empress, sits on the Ruby Throne, a close consort of the Dukes of Hell. Disdainful of the human affairs of the Young Kingdoms that have grown up like weeds around them, the near-human Melnibonéans still exert a terrible influence around the world. The power of the Dragon Princes of Imrryr is felt everywhere, through their fearsome battle-barges and fearsome flame-spittled dragons.
The sorcerous Melnibonéans also have a long association with the Lords of Chaos and Entropy, powerful demonic beings who seek to bring the world under their total domination, and release Chaos Unbound. All this serves to make the human of the Young Kingdoms fearful - and respectful in their fear - of Melnibonéans and their works.
Earl Aubec is the champion of Lormyr, one of the southern Young Kingdoms. As Champion he was also Queen Eloarde's consort and the father of her child, Prince Haminak. The boy is the one thing in all the world that Aubec cares about.
Nearly everything has changed since the revolt of Eloarde's half-brother, Aradard. Aubec is now an exile from Lormyr, pursued by Aradard's assassins wherever he journeys. After witnessing the brutal murder of Eloarde by Aradard, and then smuggling Haminak to apparent safety, Aubec has found himself deprived of his lands, his Queen and (indirectly) his son.
Aubec lives only for vengeance. He is willing to rob and murder in order to destroy Aradard and his minions and recover his lost son. He wanders the world, his only companion The Cat, a feline who is psychic-sensitive to danger and his trusty sword, selling his skills to the highest bidder until he can raise an army and return to Lormyr. And, at times, he meets Myshella of Kaneloon, a sorceress determined to involve him in the affairs of Fate, affairs if an altogether more weighty nature.
At the present, Aubec has already has some experience with sorcery, the powers of Chaos and the machinations of Fate and Law. Once, he assaulted castle Kaneloon under direct order from Queen Eloarde, hoping to make it part of the kingdom of Lormyr. At Kaneloon he fought and defeated creatures from his own imagination. In rising above the darkness of his own mind Aubec won the right to go beyond the World's boundary and create new lands from the Chaos-stuff that existed beyond. Here too, he first encounters Myshella, the Dark Lady, and refuses the "rights" that she offered him...
Jhary-a-Conel is the ubiquitous, self-proclaimed "Companion-to-Champions". A sophisticated, world-wise dandy who tolerates the intransigence of heroes with patience and skill. He is able to recall many incidents from his other incarnations, but whether this helps or hinders him is opento doubt. Jhary-a-Conel is an accomplished warrior with some familiarity with sorcery and make use of magic scrolls and items as if he were a wizard. Like Aubec, Jhary has a cat familiar, a winged feline named Whiskers with the power of flight.
The winds of fate now find Earl Aubec, with Jhary-a-Conel tagging along, riding towards the Port-city of Cadsandria in Argimilliar, the oldest enemy nation of Lormyr, seeking news from its neighbor and gainful employment; for the rumors say Cadsandria is teeming with mercenaries and that some war is expected soon...
Earl Aubec and the iron Galleon bears the distinct honor of being the only AD&D module in which author Michael Moorcock participated in making. To put it in his own words:
"We're going back about twenty years to the days of the magazine Science Fantasy. At the time I thought about writing a series of novels and stories about Earl Aubec, and about the Young Kingdoms. When IMAGINE magazine asked for the game scenario, I thought it a good idea to use the Aubec material as it relates to Elric, and readers will be familiar with the lands on the map - they are the same ones which feature in the Elric stories. The scenario is based on one of the stories, but Elric doesn't appear in it - though there are references to him."
This module shall be mauled into an unrecognizable form by yours truly and milked for all its worth. The adventure uses AD&D1e rules as-is with the following changes:
- Alignment: represents solely the supernatural faction (if any) that the PC is allied to. It bears no influence on behavior and "Good" and "Evil" have no real relevance.
- Money: among the Young Kingdoms the standard metallic coins are minted and used interchangeably. One other coin note exists, the melnibonéan Wheel. Said to represent the Wheel of Chaos, these coins are carved (rather than minted) from the purest gold. They are extremely rare and valuable (worth at least 250 gp). Some humans are reluctant to handle "tainted" Melnibonéan money, and Wheels in particular.
- Ability Checks: at certain points during the adventure Ability Checks may be required. These are done successfully by rolling 1d20 equal or under the relevant Ability Score.
- Fate Points: these represent abilities beyond the normal scope of the rules that tie in eith the forces controlling the setting; mainly Fate (of course). Players do not know how many Fate Points their character have to spend, and some special NPCs may have FPs of their own.
Pictorial uploads and godawful metal and rock music will be provided when possible for increased entertainment (or excruciation) and immersion (or eye-rolling despair) of the players (or victims).