Name: Hp'Xyn
Type: Spherical Air Body
Size: G
Escape Time: 12 turns
Satellites: 9
Distance from Primary: 90 million miles
Day Length: 14 hours
Year Length: 350 days
Population Analysis: unknown
The next true world out from Thrikos is Hp'Xyn, a great gas giant. It is a massive, bloated world with a deep red hue. Thousands of storms race across its surface, swirling and spinning about. Lightning is easily visible from orbit as bursts of light. In any light, Hp'Xyn does not appear to be an inviting world.
Hp'Xyn is a vast world with a diameter of 80,000 miles, nearly as big as some fire bodies. This huge diameter gives the world an equatorial circumference of over 270,000 miles. There is considerable polar flattening due to the high rotational speed. It has a polar circumference of about 240,000 miles.
The core of this world is a mammoth water world about 25,000 miles in diameter (size F). The surface of this water world is normal liquid water, but the depths are impossible to explore due to the crushing pressure. The tremendous pressure has had some bizarre effects on the water, namely causing it to be compressed such that it is as solid as any diamond. This core of water-diamond is over 24,000 miles across, and it has strange magical effects on nearby space, detailed later. Samples of this diamond core have been taken to the moons through use of ethereal explorers, but such samples were extremely expensive and dangerous to procure, even from the ethereal plane. Most attempts end in utter failure.
This planet has a powerful gravitation pull, such that it has six times normal gravity. This gravity is so dangerous that spelljammers that enter the atmosphere are often lost as the crew blacks out due to the gravity. A helmsman entering the atmosphere must make a save vs. death with a -2 penalty to avoid blacking out. Usually, if the helmsman makes his save, he immediately takes his ship out of the atmosphere and head back into deep space.
The atmosphere of Hp'Xyn is utterly poisonous to humans and their ilk. Sulfur and carbon dioxide are the tamer gases in Hp'Xyn's air, while most of the air is comprised of various gases completely unknown to the admittedly limited science of men. Many of these gases are corrosive, and anyone travelling in the atmosphere takes 2d8 points of damage per round of exposure to the atmosphere. Ships take 2d4 hull points of damage per round of exposure as the hull is corroded and burned.
The storms on Hp'Xyn are simply off the scale of the standard charts. Wind speeds can exceed 600 miles an hour, easily destroying any spelljammer caught in such winds. There is no actual rain on Hp'Xyn, as there is no liquid water. Instead, there are massive windstorms that rage across the surface. These storms dwarf any hurricane possible on most standard earth worlds with speeds that can destroy even the greatest stone citadels of the dwarves. These storms exist about 35 miles down the atmosphere; the air above those storms is thin and fairly calm. However, the air is still very deadly to those who would dare to enter the atmosphere.
Temperature is fairly uniform at about 90F. It gradually increases as one travels down the atmosphere, to about the boiling point of water when one reaches the surface of the core. However, the great pressure keeps the water from boiling; instead it is completely still. No wave nor breaks stir in the ocean, and it is a perfectly round sphere of water. The temperature at the center of the core is unrecorded, but probably around 1000F or higher.
None.
There are no known life forms in Hp'Xyn. There may be some truly bizarre creatures dwelling in some of the cloud layers of the planet or deep in the sea, but these remain unknown to all but the gods.
None.
None.
Hp'Xyn has a complicated satellite system. The first two worlds are small void moons ravished by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. They are lifeless and mostly useless bodies in space. Third out from Hp'Xyn is a ring of water spheres, each about 5' in diameter. This ring is harvested for the fresh water that is found here and the water is shipped to drier ports around the inner system. The next moon out is Maradun, a grassy plains world dominated by prehistoric animals, dracon cities, and fantastic magic. It is now the heart of a growing empire that now threatens the illithids for dominance in the sphere. The powerful magic that the dracon herds have uncovered on this world is truly frightening, rivaling the power of the greatest of human mages. Another ring of water encircles the inner three moons, this one thicker and broader than the first ring. It is also heavily harvested for water to be exported to other planets. The outer two major moons are small forested bodies from which the dracons glen the lumber they need to build their spelljammers. The remaining moons are small void bodies with little to interest passing spelljammers except for the dracon citadels they have built into them. The most important satellites are given greater detail below.
Type: Spherical Earth Body
Size: 3500 miles
Population: 250,000+
Primary Inhabitants: Dracons, lizardmen
Natural Resources: Food, wood, gems
Exports: Food, building materials, gems, tools
Imports: water, jewelry, metal ores
By far the largest moon of Hp'Xyn is the small world of Maradun, a new homeworld of the dracon race. It is very much like the dracon rumored homeland, warm and dry. The moon has a diameter of 3,500 miles, making small for an earth world. It has a equatorial circumference of just over 11,000 miles and a surface area slightly under 40 million square miles. Maradun has two moons of its own, both artificial, created by the dracons.
The moon has a composition like most other earth worlds. It has a thick crust of granite and basalt above a layer of partially melted mantle of molten rock. The mantle goes to the core, which is a huge and heavy orb of iron and nickel. The crust is riddled with caves, but lacks a true "underdark" that is so common on other worlds. The caves of Maradun, while extensive, are not interconnected in any way and each is its own cavern system.
Maradun is blessed with fairly mild weather. It has warm summers and cool, rainy winters, but only at the poles or in alpine locations does it cool enough for ice to freeze. The winters are marked by rain, often for weeks at a time. Roads become impassable as they become choked by mud, and rivers overflow their banks. The summers are dry, often turning many plains areas into deserts. Storms are rare in any season, but such storms are quite spectacular. Very violent storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes do no form on Maradun.
Temperature averages around 75F, with variations in the winter and summer. In the winter, temperature drops down to 40F in most areas, sometimes dipping as low as 30F. In the summer, it can rise as high as 115F in some areas. The poles are colder, dropping down to 10F in winter months and only rising to 50F in the summer. The weather is not cold enough, even in the poles, to create ice caps or icebergs. The only ice bergs that drift in the oceans are small and are formed by breaking off alpine glaciers and falling into the seas.
Maradun has but two major continents and more than one hundred tiny specks for islands. Both of the continents are large, and combined they cover about 75% of the world's surface area. The two continents are divided by the Steaming Sea and the Dragonflow, a narrow seas that winds across over half the planet. There are two ribbons of land that connect the continents, so travel between the two is quite possible. The south western continent is known as Andresurr, the Vast Waste, a wide area of deserts and dry plains and is know to be the homeland of many brass dragons. The north eastern continent is Clughrurr, the Good Grass, is greener and more habitable. Vast open plains and narrow forests are the distinguishing features of this continent, and it is the home for the majority of the dracons as well as several bronze dragons. The dracon cities are said to be the home of a few greyhawk (steel) dragons. Both continents are rugged in many places, rising into low mountain ranges where dragons lair.
Maradun is thick with wild life, especially that which is common to temperate forests and mountains. Forests of pine, oak, ash, elm, hickory, and beech trees. Fruit trees are also common, while grape vines are especially popular throughout the planet. Dangerous plants are rare, but include hangman trees and thornslingers. There are few if any unique plant species to Maradun.
Animal life is likewise unremarkable. Deer, wild cats, wolves, rabbits, and other rodents are most common. Yet, much of the wildlife on Maradun is much more prehistoric than normal. The plains are the wandering grounds for axebeak birds, balucitherium, hyenaedons, phororhacos, and titanothere. Woodlands and hills are home to cave bears, dire wolves, irish deer, megatherium, and spotted lions. While mammal life dominates the planet, normal reptiles are completely unknown despite a favorable climate for such creatures. Amphibians are rare, but include many species of frogs a few fish-like creatures that live part of their lives on land. Brightly feathered birds are common, filling the skies with a rainbow of feathered fliers. The seas are home to many species of dolphins, but no other type of whales are found. The seas are thick with fish, so much so that despite centuries of fishing, there are few signs of areas being over fished.
The most dangerous predator found in the seas is the blackfin leviathan, a distant relative of the orca. The blackfins are a dangerous breed of orca that is twice as big as normal orca. These beasts are known to have destroyed small boats and kill sailors. These monsters are greatly feared and hunted extensively. Unfortunately, the beasts are very intelligent, and elude all but the most tenacious hunters.
Another common danger is the aquatic dragons (from Dragon Issue #134) that menace the shipping lanes. Powerful and intelligent, the aquatic dragons have sunk more ships than war and have built their undersea lairs with the wreckage of ships they sink. An aquatic dragon's lair is very difficult to discover and even more dangerous to approach. Many use giant eels, blackfins, and sharks as guardians to warn them of approaching danger. The aquatic dragons are powerful spellcasters, and can cast spells as per a mage equal to their hit dice.
There are two major races on Maradun: dracons and lizardmen from Shazzel. Both races are new to the planet, arriving a mere century and a half ago. Since that time, they have built a vast world empire that has reached into space and has claimed many of the choice territories in the inner Banesun system. Even so, Maradun remains the stronghold of the Dracon Emirate.
The majority of the dracons (about 60% of the total population) wanders the plains of Maradun in herds of 2-500 dracons. These wanders are simple nomads, migrating from region to region. They seek out the best grazing lands, which often causes the dracons to conflict over the best grasslands. These conflicts are usually resolved through a rough and tumble game of kick ball, with the losers leaving in peace. The nomads usually don't have much of value, but make regular stops at dracon cities for trade goods that they need to survive. Well-known dragon lairs are also a popular stopping point as the dracons pay homage to the gods' chosen messengers. Many dragons reward these faithful dracons with words of wisdom, treasure, and even performing great magic.
Of more importance, at least from a space traveler's point of view, are the dracon cities. Unlike human cities, which tend to grow along rivers and coastlines, dracon cities are found along major migratory routes. Most of these cities are not large as most cities have less than 1,000 residents. During migration season, these cities can grow up to ten times as big as they swell with wandering dracon herds. The core of the cities is made up of one-story buildings, usually make of brick, that dracons dwell and work within. The largest cities are found along major rivers that migration routes cross, which attract dracons from hundreds of miles around. These river cities are where the lizardmen dwell with their dracon friends and where dragons are sometimes found. Each city is ruled by a kaba, who is always the wisest leader and usually a powerful warrior.
Of particular note is the dracon herd mages, a special class of mages that are unique to dracons. Thus far, herd mages have only been encountered on Maradun, and are unknown to the rest of Known Space. The few sages that know of these creatures speculate that these mages can be found on the dracon homeworld as well, and given the particulars of their magic, need large numbers of dracons to be supported. Dracon herd mages are much like normal mages, but draw their power from the rest of the herd. Much like preserving magics, they seem to tap into the life force of the dracons in their herd to perform incredible feats of magic. The exact nature of this magic is unknown to all but the dracons and perhaps dragons.
There are four major cities on Maradun larger than 10,000 permanent residents, but the dracons prefer that the ships of other races do not land at those cities. Instead, they are invited to trade and deal at Zyreir, the orbital asteroid city of the dracons. Any ship not of dracon origin will receive a frosty (at best) welcome at any dracon city or town.
A dracon herd mage may rise to be as high as 9th level, but most are of lesser levels. However, their power is dependant upon the presence of dracons. A herd mage, when alone, cast spells as if she were a mage two levels lower than her actual level. For every 10 dracons in the herd, she can cast spells as if she were one level higher than her actual level, to a maximum of 20th level. For every addition dracon herd mage that joins in any casting, that maximum level raises by 2 levels. Adding a dragon gives considerable power, upping the maximum level by 1 level and counts as 10 dracons for every age category of the dragon. The dragons are able to serve as herd mages, lending them incredible power. When this magic is fully employed, there is little that cannot be done by the dracons. Most dracon herd mages are female, but can be males as well.
This large naval base is the headquarters for the Dracon Emirate's fleet. It was built from the shells of three long-dead gammeroids drawn together at the head and a citadel built where they connect. This massive base has three large hangers, each capable of housing more than two dozen vessels of various sizes and styles. At least seven squid ships and four hammerships are based here at all times. The entrances to these hangers are protected by thick metal doors and three heavy ballista crewed by the finest dracon warriors. The citadel is the main barracks for a small legion of dracon soldiers, about 1,500 dracons and lizardmen in all. This army is further bolstered by two companies of hired giff mercenaries, about 200 giff in all. The giff are in charge of manning the base's three great bombards, which point outward along each of the gammeroid shells. Each of these mighty guns has an arc of fire of 120 degrees; the giff protect these massive guns with several ranks of muskets and other fire arms. The base is ruled by Admiral Ardace (LG dracon male F12) who has a flair for genealogy unmatched by anyone else on the base. He keeps careful records of everyone on the base and who is related to who; even his guests are required to fill out complicated forms detailing their family trees. In a way, this helps alleviate his work load, as meetings with beings other than dracons is rare since few have the patience to fill out the forms.
The second dracon base is Zyreir, an asteroid about two miles in diameter. It is remarkable because the asteroid has a large hole in the center of it, within which the dracons filled with a lake about a mile across and over 2000' deep. This lake holds water collected by dracon water harvest ships before it is magically frozen and loaded aboard spelljammers to be hauled out to Gauntlet settlements. The dracons also run a long-distance trade business from Zyreir that has made them very rich. Dracon merchants use tradesmen built on Zyreir to run goods back and forth from the Gauntlet colonies, making regular stops at this city. Most of the colonies in the Gauntlet are now completely dependant upon dracon ships for their trading needs.
The city itself is a fairly large settlement of 7,000 dracons and 3,000 lizardmen. The buildings are short and long, most often with but a single story and large, open spaces. Dracon families are often large and dwell in the same house; a typically residential building will house about 50 dracons. There is very little privacy in dracon buildings, as there are few walls to separate rooms. The city can dock up to 30 spelljammers at a time, and the port is usually very busy. Law enforcement is maintained by 300 dracon civil guards (each fighters 4th level or higher) and 4 herd mages. The city is run by Kaba Kavis (LG dracon female W9, herd mage) an influential leader. She has mated many times and has had a dozen children, but now she is middle-aged and losing much of her fertility. Instead, she is seen as the matronly spiritual leader of the dracons, but her appearance is deceiving. She has spend enough time with other races to learn many of their secrets and tactics, and has become a shrewd businesswoman in the meantime. She uses extensive connections throughout the sphere to keep trade routes open and free of pirates.
Type: Spherical Earth Body
Size: 100 and 150 miles
Population: 3,500 (combined)
Primary Inhabitants: Dracons, lizardmen
Natural Resources: Food, wood
Exports: Food, wood, building materials
Imports: tools, weapons, finished goods, ale
The twin moons of Claugguith and Clauherith are small, forested moons little more than large asteroids. Both are heavily forested with tall pine and oak trees and provide some of the best lumber found anywhere in the sphere. The tree trunks make excellent masts while cut boards are used for ship building. The dracons claim both moons and have set up extensive logging operations. Most of the residents here are lumberjacks, but some have moved into the forest itself. Interesting, some of the dracons that reside here have started developing some of the skills normally used by rangers, but they are not loners like normal rangers tend to be.
Both moons have two lumber camps where spelljammers make regular stops to trade metal goods for wood. The dracons are particularly interested in axe heads, weapons, and ale, of which ships provide plenty of. The ships then take aboard cut wood to be sold elsewhere in the sphere. About two thirds of the dracons work as either as lumberjacks or in the sawmills; the rest prepare food, run the spelljamming docks, or provide other services.
The woods are dangerous to be lost within. Numerous bears, dire wolves, and dangerous spiders haunt the forests. Worst, both moons have a bizarre native life form that closely resembles the cloaker. The difference between the two creatures is that the claug-cloaker has the appearance of hanging moss. In addition to the normal powers of a cloaker, the claug-cloaker is capable of pass without trace and entangle as per a druid.
Between the two moons there are four towns. Each is has been built in clearings created by dracon lumberjacks over the years; the largest clearing is about a mile wide. The towns all have sawmills, at least two taverns, a spelljamming dock, many residential buildings, a warehouse, and a local kaba who keeps order. At night, the town comes alive with drinking contests, stories told by the shella around campfires, and wild singing and partying. Fights are rare but there are occasions when the kaba must step in and bring down the law on offenders.
