"Make no mistake about this. Although the fullness of our objectives was not met, because
of some meddlesome adventuring fools, I submit to you that the spirit of the first phase of our
Plan was nonetheless achieved. Indeed, our target area did suffer hardships as well as some
degree of instability. Hence, not only is it ripe for the second phase regardless, but I have already
made the necessary arrangements to enact this!"
-High Praetor Primus Ankh, Overlord
Some six full moons have come and gone since your adventuring band defeated a trio of Overlords which, as part of an Inner Council of Nine, were conspiring to weaken the Sword Lands in order to conquer them. But the Inner Council of Overlords aimed at much more than such a simple conquest; indeed, their aim was to turn the Sword Lands into a power base from which they would conquer all of the Realmz continent, and establish an empire ruled by psionic beings such as themselves.
So, it was quite understandable when everyone breathed a sigh of relief after you had defeated the trio of Overlords that operated in the Sword Lands. Indeed, from the simple peasant to the richest Merchant Lord, all rejoiced and sung praises to you and the fates, being all too happy at returning to their normal lives, such as they were.
But you, and your adventurer's instincts, knew better.
Aye, you remembered well the conversation with a fourth Overlord through one of their communications globes, after the final battle in the lost temple of Graaz'z, which promised the coming of all-out war in the Sword Lands. And you had found out as well that Anthraxus Storm, the Warlord of Sharranth and the last known ally of the Overlords, had assembled a mercenary army which stood poised to swarm from the Western Lands into the Heartlands and beyond. Yet no one would heed your warnings, not even the High Council of Tanirith. Thus, you had taken upon yourselves to watch Sharranth and it's army for any signs of dangerous activity.
So it came to pass that, a mere sevenday ago, you were sadly proven right: with deadly swiftness and efficiency, Sharranth's mercenary army invaded the Heartlands through the tradeway town of Aranys, rapidely overtaking the mining town of Sparklestone, and now already laying siege to the port city of Wailsrond. Battered, bloodied and tired after fighting and evading countless Sharranth warbands, you have finally made it back to the Eastern Lands, near Tanirith. Only one thing drives you and forces you to go on:
You must warn the Lord Paladine of Tanirith that there is now War in the Sword Lands!
War in the Sword Lands (WiSL for short) is an official Realmz scenario for 6 characters begining at an average 12th level (i.e. 72 levels party). This second installment of the Sword Lands Trilogy was released in August 2000. The main features of WiSL are the following:
The scenario is a huge scenario, even bigger than its predecessor, Trouble in the Sword Lands (TiSL). Indeed, it includes 4 complete regular land levels, 3 island/sea levels, 1 desert level, 1 snow level, 1 volcanic level, 1 sewer level, 6 indoor levels (castles, inns, shops, taverns, ruins, etc.), 3 underground levels (including 1 shadow elf undercity!), and 2 dungeon levels;
Some 330 monsters (most of which are new) for about 500 possible battles, along with 95-odd new items, 20 available special characters (NPC's), around 50 major villainous personages/beings to contend with, and countless other characters (from fishermen and bartenders to Great Kings and Queens) for the players to interact with;
The scenario can adjust itself (in terms of story, NPC's, and dialogs) whether you have played TiSL previously or not (note that the synopsis presented above is from the context of the characters having already gone through TiSL);
The scenario has all the features which made TiSL popular (i.e. complex plot and rich story, no skimming on the details and dialogs, good drama, great battles, extended freedom of choice for the players, numerous land levels, buildings and dungeons to explore, riddles and puzzles to solve, etc.);
The scenario allows the players to make actual strategic decisions before entering some of the major battles, and thus influencing the outcome (i.e. easy, normal, or difficult) whether the decision was right, inconsequent, or dead wrong;
While there are obviously bigger and more battles in WiSL than in TiSL, the motus operandi remains the same: "Durn good brains AND a good sword required; otherwise, ye need not apply"!
And plenty more neat things to do and explore ... many of which are likely to surprise ya aside from a far-reaching, main plot!
If you wish to know more about War in the Sword Lands, use the following links:
Some screen shots of WiSL
Read here what the beta-testers have been saying about WiSL
Here's what folks have been saying about WiSL since its release.
Wonder what the Sword Lands will look like in WiSL? Well then, view the WiSL map online!
And for good measure, here's a couple more maps from WiSL!
Stuck too often in WiSL and tired of e-mailing me for hints? Then view the online WiSL spoilersheet Sword Lands: War Journal! Or simply get it by going to the download area!
Grab a copy of the Bestiary of the Sword Lands in the download area!
If you always wanted to know all about the magic items of the Sword Lands Trilogy and Prince of Death Cycle, then grab a copy of the Arcanum in the download area! Or, view it on-line!
Realmz and Divinity are © and ® products of Fantasoft LLC and Tim Phillips.
