Lifting the Shadows
Foreword
Dear reader,
The adventures chronicled here take place in a world unlike any other.
It is a place where fantasy and science-fiction meet and mix into a complete whole.
A place where ships soar among the stars as they do among the waves.
If you are not familiar with this world fear not, for I have done my best to explain its wonders along the story.
If you are to kind to prefer being prepared, well I have included information on the sources I've used in the notes below. However, be aware that these sources can unveil some details and reduce the mystery that drives the story.
I'd also like to thank my friends who participated and still participate in this adventure.
They are my inspiration and hopefully their adventures will amuse you.
Prologue
A very old and wise elf was stargazing.
The skies had long ago been conquered by the elven armadas, but he could not help but stare in wonder at the stars every once in a while. It usually got him thinking of all the possible worlds revolving around those blinking lights, like Perianth around the Pyre. However, the sight that he was observing tonight got him thinking darker thoughts.
Lafual, the moon of Sehanine, now known as the Spider Moon because of the dark elves that resided there for centuries was hanging low in the sky tonight. Instead of soothing the worries and bringing peaceful dreams as it did in times of old, the moon was now a dark reminder of the drow rebellion that lead to their exile.
The elf looked on as the clouds veiled it in shadows and the light it gave off became tinted with red.
"An omen." He thought.
As he squinted he saw that the moon was in alignment with the world of Eryon, the world known to its dwarven inhabitants as Moradin's Forge. As he pondered the signification of this sign, he thought he saw the shadows of the moon move around like it was surrounded with a dozen floating spiders.
The vision hunted the elf to his final days as he tried to make sense of it for nearly half a century without success. And because no one else had witnessed the event, he was believed insane in his old age.
As he was lying in his death bed, Sehanine Moonbow came to visit him in his dreams. She gave him not a vision of the afterlife however. What she did was give him insight into his vision, in hopes of easing his mind from his self imposed burden. As he opened his eyes one last time and the ones beside him saw the milky-white moonbow in them, they were surprised to find fear instead of relief etched on his face as he gasped with his last breath.
"Their shadows are among us!"
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Getting technical…
Setting: Spelljammer: Shadow of the Spider Moon (Revised)
This setting was presented as a 3.0 edition remake of the original spelljammer in the #151 issue of the Polyhedron magazine. I personally revised the mini game material presented there to use it as a setting in a 3.5e game. I mostly use the background information from the magazine and the rules from any 3.5e book if I can find something close. For example, the Eberon Explorer's Handbook helped with airship mechanics and pricing.
Check out Andy Collins web page at andycollins dot net for more info on the setting. You will find the Spelljammer section under Projects.
The Quelyan High Guard is my idea. It's basically a military type guild that charged itself with protecting Quelya.
For the fans of the old setting: I'm not getting into that.
The Book of Aberrations is a must for any Spelljammer game in my opinion, as supported by its web-enhancement. You can get it on the Wizards of the Coast site
( wizards dot com article /?x=dnd/we/20050520a).
For more information on the setting I'm using, contact me. I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.