Xenix is a small spherical world of size class D. The diameter along the equator (or the poles, it's a complete sphere) is some 2500 miles, making it about a third of Toril's size (equator length ~7900 miles). The planet rotates quite slowly for its' size, completing a turn in 42 hours.
Xenix has a single, very small moon on a close orbit. The Peeper is a lightweight ice globe, that has almost no tidal effect, but looms very effectively on the sky (it reflects nearly all light, and on nights with full moon the light is bright indeed). Tectonically Xenix seems to be dead, it's a flat land whose mountains have long since eroded. This also means that there's no volcanic activity nor any earthquakes here.
A normal-looking earthworld, ground has a certain yellowish tinge, large polar seas and icecaps. Cultivated fields near lakes. A single moon, a very high tower-structure on the equator, with ships docking at the top.
No-one's managed to exactly find out why the Xenixan humans are so stupid—they just are. Most of them are either totally uncultured country hicks living the same day again and again on the farm or city artisans almost incapable of getting new ideas. Fortunately the competition wasn't that rough here, and the humans just assumed a secondary position for the real big boys on Xenix—the Orcs. Their ancient allies, the ogres are faring quite well too, halflings live their placid lives here like on seventy-three other worlds. All was well and nice until the Unhuman War began a millennia ago, the local orcs were persuaded to join in the action—and everybody knows how the war ended on goblinkin fronts.
However, the elves didn't crush the Xenixan orcs who had fought quite honorably even by elven standards, instead they just decided to ground the orcs for good (not that much of a disadvantage since they didn't take to space at all as well as their persecuted brethren in other spheres). The elves rightly assumed the humans to be unable to keep the orcs in check—so they decided to garrison the planet to "keep Lahsphere safe" (and reap huge profits from trading). They live on the planet as well-liked policemen, stationed on largest town Kaljibakr, but they have some landable ships available. These ships, sometimes called "caterpillars," look somewhat like a Tsunami (but much smaller), but are constructed from ceramic plates and are armed with bombards. They are generally powered by a furnace helm.
All in all the weather patterns around the planet are mild, rains last only rarely more than an hour, gales occur only once in a lifetime.
During the centuries here the elves have learned to trust the orcs, who have behaved really well (LG with a heavy guilt complex). The ogres too differ from the common brutes hated throughout the Known Spheres: these 8' tall beauties (LN, very loyal to those they consider friends) are quit rare and with the aid of their orcish allies have educated themselves to a quite civilized state. They find employment commonly as bouncers or bodyguards in the cities and as heavy labor in the countryside, they tend to be a much safer proposition to their employer than giff, since they dislike the use of firearms. The orcs are an integral part of the cities (with the exception of A.Q.), mingling with the other populace, the ogres gather in ghettoes where there's proper-sized doors and huge outdoor eating arenas.
In the orbit encircling Xenix are a lot of ships that were deserted during the last days of the First Unhuman war. Most of these were systematically mangled by the elves, but there are a few prizes up there awaiting to be discovered (some haunted or monster-inhabited ships too—a popular legend among space captains tells of the gigantic slimeship, an ontalak plasmoid). The orcs themselves have no vessels (their ships in the War were supplied by other goblinoids), leaving any trade to the hands of otherworlders, the humans own a few ships, but don't much use them expect for cruising or fast travelling on the planet.
As stated, the elves maintain a very hefty presence here. Their garrison in Kaljibakr usually has over 3000 elves stationed there, the towertop has some 500 more and in the ships there are easily a thousand more.
Alijv Quali - the Quali Place is a retreat of the Qualinesti elves from Krynn. The place was founded by a patriarch of the race just 20 years ago when the first escapade began. It is situated in a ravine cleft into the surrounding rocky tundra by some ancient river or icestream, on the very bottom of the ravine are volcanic vents giving the ravine a much higher temperature than the surrouning areas have. The place is far from ideal, but the elves have terraced the sides and a nice agricultural operation is now in full motion. The city is still ruled by Lianthil, the elf-king that possesses the last of Krynnish Dragon Orbs. His palace is a traditional Quali castle hewn from marble that commands the entire valley from its high place.
Orcs are very rare in A.Q. Even if these elves do not automatically dislike them, the orcs just feel out of place here. The Quali elves have settled well in their valley, trading about a third of their food products in the southern cities. The artificial lake crafted on the largest terrace works as a harbor, but the place demands a lot more of the spelljammer than the usual landing spots.
Behemanstaat: When the trading really got going, this is the place that profited. Before just a sleepy market-town located at a nexus of roads, now the most important spaceport on the planet. But that isn't saying much, most of the ships are nothing but crophaulers that stop for just two days to load up. Only rarely does a space merchant or a intraspheral passenger ship touch down. The spaceport is an ex-corn field, that now, after lack of irrigation is letting loose itself as clogging brownish dust. The other port is the local lake, whose only redeeming feature is the lack of storms and any "monsters", the docks are lousy and a fire in the warehouse district is a regular occurrence.
The place grew up almost overnight, so that the local constabulary is not able to cope with the increasing level of crime here. A far cry from the sophisticated Thieves Guilds on places like Alra or even Bral, the local guild consists mainly of bravos and cutpurses thrown out from passing ships. Nonetheless they have done considerable damage to the trading here, so much that there's now some orcish vigilante squads ("Bat Orc", "The Four Gauntlets" and other larger than life figures) patrolling the most heavily hit areas: the warehouse district and hostelry lane (the elves' methods tend to be too destructive for city areas, and as such they're called only to quell the most violent and prolonged battles). The city streets are largely deserted at night, due to prowling gangs.
Kaljibakr: this old orcish capital is the site of the magnificent Xenixan Tower (qv. The Six Wonders of Known Spheres) and a large elven garrison. The ground here is not as good for a shipzone as in Behemanstaat (bumpy hills and a river as opposed to pastureland and a large lake), so the local station has seen its' traffic rapidly diminish, most of the captains are willing to pay the higher docking fees in the Towertop than risking a landing. However, the town is in much better shape than its upstart counterpart on the opposite side, there's more orcs here than in Behema and they're running their city effectively (actually working sewer system, paved streets, street lights). The elven garrison was built anew on top of the ruined orcish palace (almost the only structural damage inflicted here during the Unhuman War). It is a three floored brick-encampment, built in just a month with no fanciness whatsoever. There's a raised walkway to the tower originally restricted only to the military personnel for quicker access, but nowadays it's filled with musicians, artists and peddlers of all kinds.
Tower: An unique sight indeed are the 16 thick threads in two groups of eight that disappear into the clouds. The threads do not resemble any known rope materials and inspection is hindered by the thick layer of white paint. Actually the ropes are the thinnest pieces found and cut from the huge starwebs of Mozra. The ropes are connected to ground by means of huge metal screws worked tightly to the bedrock on a small knell some half a mile outside the city limits. The groundstation built as an afterthought is nothing more than a glorified cargo ramp and a queuing spot. The station is a busy place, filled with travellers and traders waiting for their turn, countryboys just ogling at everything and young, very serious orcish "shipspotters" who collect data on all ships they see and tend to drive any obvious spelljammers up the wall by their fanboyish, ever questioning attitude.
The elevators themselves are about like six-story metal buildings: able to take in about 1500 elves or 2000 tons of cargo. The elevators travel at amazing speed, a journey up takes only 45 minutes while a downward trip can be completed in only 20 minutes—in case of an emergency the both times can be halved, but the elevator needs a through checkup afterwards. The "engines" of the elevator are contained in the "top floor", Juna tow winches operated by the select few geometricians in the elven navy.
The knitting ships that created the ropes in space are stored in an off limits area in the Towertop. The four ships are heavily modified hammerships, having an immense (diameter 6 meters) spool spanned over the cargo hold.
Towertop: A small asteroid whose tetherings keep the Tower taut. Very carefully being hollowed out to become the largest naval base in the Spheres. Some shipping lines and trading companies pay a lease to use the facilities and save the costs and time of landing on Xenix. The Elven High Command of Lahsphere resides in Towertop, having commandeered themselves spacious quarters at the very top. The place is quite empty still, even after twenty years there's hardly enough traffic to warrant this big a space—but the elves are patient and each architect here is constantly engrossed in thinking up more and more elaborate plans for the base (the likes of which are on planning stage in many spheres). The ships unable to land at all are connected to the main ropes with long tethers (remaining in zero-g), the crews are usually transported to Towertop by normal ships.
Wolfling stats: Normal halflings, who look a lot furrier than their cousins on other worlds. All halflings on tundra are in fact lycanthropy carriers and during the full moon the entire region becomes the scene of a massive hunt, when the tribes slaughter scores of deer (and some hapless travellers)—they never resort to cannibalism, starving rather.
The snow elves: Leather-clad, bone-bow using nomadic savages. They have shamans and herbalists to keep them safe from the wolflings.
The local agriculture got a big boost when the elves garrisoned the place, and the Xenixan fruits have gained themselves quite a name. The orcish landowners of course get the majority of trading profits since the humans are satisfied with their self-sufficiency production. Other resources are weak: miningwise the planet is very poor (only iron and copper in meaningful quantities).
As there are no seas apart from the two polar water regions (which, too, are fresh) there's but one huge continent, divided to parts only by rivers large and small. The Arcane presence: There's indeed a healthy presence of the Arcane on the planet, but only in a few select places: Towertop/Kaljibakr and A.Q., other cities they find too boring (and rightly so). The Arcane have a quite passive role here, after all who's going to need ships here when there's a healthy shipping line spherewide and the Imperial Navy practically living on the doorstep.
Xenix is a rich and boring planet. The only thing stopping the "heist of the century" is the presence of the elves. They work as a very efficient militia and give out harsh sentences to any caught offenders: a typical punishment is a "voluntary" 10-year enlistment in the elven navy either in a maximally boring or much too lively a planet/sphere. But there indeed is a chance for an enterprising crook on the planet (orcs and especially ogres take a very dim view on hustlers and con men, and in such circles the whole planet has gained a very bad reputation)—the large orc ranches spread out throughout the tempzone usually have safe filled to the brim. But the selfsame ranches have ogres as employees that are very much home at using any farming implements—nobody has bodyguards, the planet is a quiet one. The few banks in the largest cities are almost beyond hope to any but the most determined and well-equipped thief; containing a multitude of restraining and lethal traps, the banks have lost not a single coin in a burglary during the last decade, however, violent heists could be fruitful as long as the perpetrators leave the city/planet quickly.
Gnomish Cropper: AC 3; HD 12; #AT 3; D: 3d6 (x3); B% 10
Gnomish Weedpicker: AC 5; HD 6; #AT 6; D: d8 + held; B% 20
Pitchfork: Sp: 4; D: d8+2; -2 to hit
Scythe: SP: 12; D: 2d6; -2 to hit (2 persons can be attacked, 3 if
ogre)
Batorc (aka Brushk Wann)
Lawful good human male
Age: 38
6th level noble warrior
STR 17 INT 12 AC: 0/4 DEX 15 WIS 14 Hp: 51 CON 16 CHA 11 Al: LG
180 cm, scrawny, wears a mask, clad in tight black leather;
Cloak of the Bat, Vest of Useful Items, Ring of Spell Storing (CSW,
Strength, Light), Leather + 1, some potions; Tumbling +4, Merchant,
Tactics, Blindfighting; Fists (specialist), thrown knives, club;
A self-appointed vigilante of Behemanstaat, a merchant-warrior (with some space-experience as a mercenary) whose profits were cut by bandits once too many times. Now a silent one man legal system, prowling the warehouse district (and sometimes the whole city), apprehending all suspicious individuals. Unshakably courageous, calculating schemer who can always justify his actions (at least to himself) no matter how unnecessarily violent they may seem. Doesn't care for business any more, crime fighting is a lot more challenging endeavor. A hero, whom the public likes more and more. The elves wish to teach him a lesson since he has on occasion beaten them to solving a crime.
Magic is a rare thing on the planet, the humans are a pretty atheistic lot (the global missionaries are having a ball here, since most people flock to the tent ceremonies), and not intelligent enough to master the intricacies of magic. The orcs have some wizards and druids, but they too have no affiliation with the "common orcish gods". The halflings are quite happy without any magic at all, the snow elves are a very small minority and never come down to the temperate areas to show off with their savage spells. So the imperial elves are the undisputable masters here when it comes to arcane arts.
Scenario ideas, pick 'em apart, combine freely, do what thou wilt:
What is in the moon? Is it really hollow as some sages postulate, the elves would like to know since the moon effects a slight stretching in the tower-ropes when passing right overhead.
Lianthil, the Qualinesti ruler, still carrying his curse from the early wars succumbs to his madness. The dragon orb takes control of him, summoning some nasty greens to A.Q. Instead of slaying everybody the dragons take control of the city, establishing a mock-court in Lianthil's palace. Untended, the careful arrangements for gardening (water spouts, steam tunnels) deteriorate and soon the lake overflows into the open volcanic chimneys, covering the entire valley with warm cloying mist. The populace lives in fear, the dragons and their allies (some elves were practical enough to 'change sides') are tyrannic rulers. Since the elves did most of the trading themselves—not a lot of traders come to see what's wrong. The dragons have removed (and destroyed most of them) the helms to dissuade elves from escaping—so far the idea of crossing a third of the world on foot across hostile winter terrain has kept the elves here.
When the PCs visit Behemanstaat they are called to deal with a hostage situation. A desperate group of thieves was surprised by the owner of a warehouse and he is being held captive. How the PCs deal with the score of gangsters is left for them to decide—do they conduct a SAS-style raid /try diplomacy or hide in the ship given to bandits and have a magnificent combat at an altitude of 1000'.
The PCs try something illegal and meet the business end of urban vigilantism.
Kaljibakr is a very civilized city—it has a lot of offworlders and smart orcs among inhabitants. Its culture life is far more advanced than in, say, Bral or Waterdeep. There's a fancy concert hall, several competing theater companies, art galleries and of course countless street performers. The theater-adventure from Dungeon#39 fits here perfectly, just tinker some NPCs to orcs.
