Tabot

by Jay Batista
 

Geography	Climate	Cities	Architecture	Social Customs
Languages	Religion	Conflicts	History	NPCs
Items of Interest	Suggested Adventures	-	-	Oriental Adventures

?I have had little traffic with Tabot over the many
years,? Meilung wrote to Elminster, ?and other than
that magic tome I had given to the warrior monks at
Ko?Chung for safe keeping, it seemed that I had lost
contact with the people of the land. Yes, it?s true I can
tell you the history of the land, the coming of the High
Lama, the battles with Shou Lung, but I didn?t know
the people and their culture, and I believed that I was
missing the essence of the land, so I sought an opportunity
to visit Tabot and observe.

?Surprisingly, within a year, an ambassadorial delegation
from Tabot opened communications and a treaty
of peace was proposed! We were honored by the
invitation to an important Tabotan ceremony in the
Temple of Heaven?s Heart on the top of Mount
E?kwong, close to the Shou Lung border. The religious
ceremony was in my jurisdiction and, rather than
send one of my men, I decided to accept the duty
myself. It was to be a pilgrimage up the mountainside,
and the number of worshipers was curtailed to a
select few of the thousands of the Tabotan faithful
that wished to attend. I soon discovered what a tedious
journey I had undertaken, and if it hadn?t been for
a young monk, the entire trip would have been a
dreary bore.




?When we reached the base of Mount E?kwong,
grim and foreboding as most of this stark country, our
escorts told us we would have to continue the 60-mile
journey on foot, as is the custom of the supplicants. It
would have been impossible to ride, as the narrow
roadway was choked with people of all description:
monks and old men, girls and babes and warriors. My
companions and I watched a regiment of warrior.
priests wearing brass skullcaps topped with the ?eye?
of a peacock feather march past us, and nine important
women dressed in strange headgear resembling
rainbows wrapped around their heads, a group of
servants outfitted in gray-black woolen garments
swarming in their wake. All of Tabot was passing
here, and I decided to stop my entourage and watch
the procession.
?Alas but all of Tabot gets very dull! After two days I
was beginning to believe there was no one in the
crowds of importance, so we might as well begin the
climb, and I began to ready my men, when a young
Tabotan monk stepped up to me, dressed in an orange
loincloth and holding an ornate green and gold
umbrella, and proclaimed, ?You look important
enough!?

? ?Important enough?? I asked, but the young man
ignored my question and introduced himself.
? ?I am Pang, nu cho of the great and powerful monastery
Pokarr, chosen by the enlightened abbot Mo
Kin to represent my brothers in the great festival in
the Temple of the Heaven?s Heart, above. You appear
to be a guest from Shou Lung, and I beg your worthy
company on the journey that lies before us. I, who
have not spoken for the last eight years, am released
from my vows of silence as a scribe of the monastery,
by virtue of my choice for this favored march of holy

supplication to the Celestial Heart. Will you travel
with a humble servant of Pokarr and his men to the
shrine?? Behind him stood five temple guards, dressed
in dark green pants and blouses, and armed with
scimitars hung on their belts.
?Pulling my hood forward to keep out the rain and
hide my eyes, I agreed to accompany Pang, who proceeded
to give a wide and varied description of his
homelands. The following notes are in his words,
culled from our discussions during that pilgrimage up
Mount E?kwong?s jagged slopes. Listen with the wisdom
of age, Elminster, for youth colors the truth with
certainty, and Pang?s biases masquerade gaps in his
knowledge. Here are the words of Pang of Tabot.?
Tabot is a holy land, first and always, but while the
dzong-pon rule in the districts, the High One sits with
the Celestial Emperor and watches over his chosen
land. We are a stable and committed nation, ruled sensibly
by the hands of the gods. . . . It is a place for prayer
and ceremony and scholarly learning, a restful
place.

Geography
The land is poor but workable, and the mountains
play host to thousands of goats and sheep. Tabot mainly
imports rice, grains, and steel, while we export copper,
furs, and ice. You from Shou Lung like the glacier
ice. Phutan is surrounded by a thick bamboo forest,
but the remainder of our lowland is rough hills and
grassy fields, and few trees save those we tend. It is a
wild land, with freezing winds off the glaciers, avalanches
and mud-slides, dust-storms and the insurmountable
peaks of the Wu Pi Te Shar Mountains.
Many of our people are nomads, moving with their
herds. The local wild yaks have been domesticated
over the years. There are white snow apes and downy
snow birds throughout the mountains, and the white
tiger hunts in our realm. Most horrible of our fauna is
the yeti, the huge snow men that have plagued the
monasteries since their inception.

Climate
Tabot is harsh in climate. Its crop season is six to
eight weeks, even in the river valleys. Prevailing
winds and high altitudes keep the glaciers alive in the
Po Yul Dzayul Range, and Nad Ho Ting Lake only
thaws for a few months per year The landscape is
very stark for the majority of the year?gray hills,
hunched with boulders, gravel slides, and lichencovered
stones. Fields of tough grasses and thick
brush stretch along the rivers, and bandits hide in the
shadows. This is a desperate land, and it is a wild
place. In winter, the snow grows deep and the glaciers
gain back the ground they lost the previous summer.
The roads outlined on various maps of Tabot are no
more than trails through the cold, rocky land.

Cities
The cities of Tabot are still recovering from thousands
of years of misrule by the nobility, and there are
still wild places. Not many of them have mastered the
two story dwelling, so most ?towns? are made of tents
and yurts and sod-brick long-houses. The twin cities
of Motra and Joya are nothing more than confused
laymen, allowing the out-laws of T?u Lung and Shou
Lung free passage. Their streets are rife with bandits,
thieves, and murdering scoundrels. People say they
worship the frog and snake there, and that the night
assassins are real in those frontier towns. The monasteries
have preserved the culture and riches of Tabot.
I can tell you all about the important monasteries.

U'chan Gompa
U?Chan Gompa, where the Lord of Oceans presides,
is our most famous monastery and the capital city of
Tabot. The common people persist in calling the city
by its former name, Koko Nur. The magnificent stairs
to its gate are just a prelude to the palace of the High
One. The complex houses 1,200 men, 230 women, 700
children, 400 horses, and 200 goats. It has 45 towers,
each topped with an onion dome of gold-leaf, and 12
minarets standing twice as tall, where a lama can
meditate for days undisturbed. You?ve probably seen
paintings of it, long and white against the black mountains
of the Po Yul Dzayul Range, Mount Shun all craggy
and mysterious in the distance. The monks have
honeycombed the ancient fortress with secret passages
and hidden rooms, and it?s said that in their
libraries are the war treatise of Chu and the crucial
tome, Puvarna, the great holy teachings of the first
High One in his own handwriting. Of course, no one in
all of Tabot will raise his arm against the Staff of the
Oceans, and the High One is usually near his treasures,
so they are well protected.
The councils all meet in U?Chan, and the city is
crowded with guests and supplicants throughout the
year The last census puts 22,000 people in U?Chan,
with about 4,000 transients, all crowded in a sprawling
city without a single building over three stories
talk Yes, that's the biggest city in Tabot, rivaling some
in your own land.
There are four temples in the city, with towering
pillars and statues of marble. Tin dragons hang from
the rafters and adorn all the roof peaks, for the
dragon is the symbol of U?Chan. Traffic is heavy on the
road to Ji, and caravans leave daily on this relatively
safe and well-traveled route. And I know you?ve heard
of the temple on Mount Shun, where the Holy Mysteries
of our faith occurred, where demons have been
conquered and the lances of Tabja Rung were forged.
U?Chan is a place a man is lucky to see.

Ko'Chung Gompa
In the north lies Ko'Chung Gompa. This gompa has
always been a fortress, known for its high, thick walls
and the huge siege tower that houses the only
entrance into the compound. The monks are studied
and professional, although they tend to be a bit savage,
as they are challenged regularly, and battle

hardens the soul. But Ko?Chung has a fresh water
spring on its grounds, and flowering vines creep amid
the battlements, so in the time of growing, Ko?Chung
Gompa has a stark beauty that has brought many
lamas to understanding the Way of Enlightenment. I
hope to visit that holy place.

At Ko'Chung is the magnificent E?soa Hochi, the Herald,
a magical history of the world that writes itself as
you watch! It is said that the man who reads can use
the book to seek particular histories, like a lost love or
an old foe, but not many see the tome with their eyes,
save by special permission of the Lord of Oceans. The
Herald is coveted by many powerful men, and this has
made the abbots of Ko?Chung Gompa strong-willed
and cautious. Ko?Chung has been our northern bulwark
against the plains raiders and the heathens of
Shou Lung who continually attempt to invade tranquil
Tabot. The militia there numbers 800 trained
warriors and the kicugun, an elite cavalry numbering
250.

M'Tsin Gompa
In the northwest, just northeast of Lake Nad Ho
Ting, is M'tsin Gompa, a small retreat famed for its
natural wells and koi (sacred multicolored carp) pools.
The lamas contemplate and tend the beautiful fish,
and the compound covers a terraced mountainside
with many shrines and devotion poles raised among
the pools. Only 340 lamas are on the roster of M?tsin,
but their quiet and harmony has brought to them
great magic. As they have shown in battle, the lamas
of M?tsin control the elements and the weather with
ease. They mine gold north of Nad Ho Ting Tso, and
some think that they are the richest of the gompas,
but if they are, they are the stingiest as well.

Pokarr and Lii Gompas
Pokarr and Lii Gompa are called the Right and Left
Hands of U'Chan, and both monasteries house 1,000
or more lamas and novices. Pokarr is my home.
Pokarr's dread cavalry has repelled invaders many
times, and our three wide, stone gates can swing open
or closed in an instant. The original fortress was dug
deep into the mountainside, and miles of tunnels lie
abandoned today. It is known that during 2267 Zife
Yur the warrior disappeared in the catacombs deep
under the old keep centered in today?s monastery and
never came out. Of course, no one?s allowed in there
now.
Pokarr has the wisest of all abbots, Mo Kin, my benefactor.
We have four libraries that include masterworks
by Ischan and Doka'zar, the religious treatises
of Wang Tcu Lor, and the natural histories and journals
of Soo Enlahm. The lamas are educated in calligraphy
and swordsmanship and may indulge in one
other art, so as to praise the gods. Many of us work
the clays from the lands south of the city Rokstang,
and our pottery has become known throughout the
realm. Our best potters can infuse magic into their
vessels.
Pokarr Gompa has three separate treasure rooms
for keeping our relics safe. I have seen the holy remnants,
the bones of stone, and the four golden Eggs of

Ghastar, but I?ve only seen one egg?s power, when Mo
Kin used the egg with ruby snakes to stop the flood of
Rokstang six years ago. There is a magical tapestry
that will mesmerize those who watch it and five holy
volumes from the hand of the first Lord Of Oceans.
These are just a few of the treasures of Pokarr Gompa,
the Left Hand.
Lii has all those bells and two big festivals.

Frekang Gompa
Frekang Gompa has the Gates of Ocean, created by
the High Lord to protect the brotherhood after the
Kume Sa Yeti of 2339, the yeti pack hunt that killed or
carried off 280 of the 400 lamas. The gate has spoken
to the pious and advised them, it has set fire to unbelievers,
and I have seen paintings of it depicted as an
ivory and jeweled entrance with the waters of a great
sea under its arches. All unbelievers who attempt to
pass through the gate fall into the sea and drown. The
symbol of the Frekang is the horse, and they often
wear scarves and colored prayer shawls.

Hoshki and Buchan Do Gompas
Near Hoshki Gompa, real water spurts out of the
base of the Marnu Cliffs, and the Nam River starts its
rush down to Nam Tso below. Hoshki Gompa itself
views the misty trails of the Wohani River as it drains
into Nam Tso from the northern reaches of Phutan.
There are rumors of Nam Tso, like men who are truly
fish, and that locals fish with a trained bird wearing a
brass collar to keep it from swallowing the fish.
Hoshki is always at war with the Phutanese, as is
Buchan Do Gompa on the southwestern edge of Tabot.
Phutan is a lawless haven for notorious criminals of
Shou Lung, T?u Lung, and Tabot, and lamas and holy
men are murdered on sight by decree of their heathen
king.

Do?dzin Gompa
Of the remaining Gompa, Do?dzin is important, and
Pokarr sends delegations to four festivals there each
year. It is the place where the High Lord was taught,
and that is commemorated through the yearly presentation
of the Whi-yeu Nohg, a play of the life story of
the High One. There are 600 lamas and a city of 1,400
laymen that takes its name and protection from the
monastery. The trees in the center of the compound
bear figs which the lamas brew into a very strong
drink called mujahroom, and this is drunk on the eve
of Penance Day, when the revelers are released from
all vows. Of course, the next day they pay for their
night of indiscretion. Do?dzin?s symbol is a hawk, and
they have a solid gold hawk with outstretched wings
above their holiest shrine. It is said that a ghost haunts
Do?dzin, a fearful shade that is the harbringer of evil
fortunes for the lamas.
They possess a map to the Valley of Wings, a mythical
hidden valley far in the Peerless Mountains. And
I've heard that a bath in a certain pool that collects
beneath the altars can bring more years to your life,
as the abbots of Do?dzin grow to 130 to 176 years old!

Architecture
Most peasants live in tents, but some have houses
made of tamped dirt walls, a few beams of wood and
thatched roofs, which are flat because of the low
amount of rainfall. The nobility live in two or three
story houses made of tamped dirt walls, rough-hewn
beams, and tiled roofs. The roof is raised from the
building and under it is storage, a wide, open attic,
housing supplies and a few birds. The first floor is
usually reserved for the animals, a sure sign of
wealth, and the family lives on the second and sometimes
third levels.

Social Customs
Each year is begun with a special ceremony of burning
a tortoise shell to divine the future. A question is
posed, the shell is placed in cherry red coals, and the
priests of U?chan read the answer in the markings
that appear. The shell is inscribed with the information
and hung on the walls of the temple to aid the
people and lamas to plan for this new year. Many
questions are put to the gods in this manner and many
answers are gained. Influential people have had their
questions asked of the oracle as well.
Clothing is fashioned from yak and sheep wool, and
from pounded leather, often dyed a bright red or forest
green. Many men have hand-stitched caps that
they wear for festival days, and heavy fur caps with
earflaps for the cold. Others wear plain white caps of
linen that cover the tops of their ears. Women are usually
wrapped tight in black or gray woolen dresses,
and cover these in multi-colored scarves and elaborate
head pieces for ceremonies. While the noblemen
dress in somber silk gowns and style their hair in jeweled
knots, their women wear elaborate dresses decorated
with bells and chimes. All children and the
ever-present lamas have shaved heads.
Tabotan men love to gamble and enjoy games of
physical skill, like wrestling, yak roping, and breaking
horses to Tabotan bare-back riding. They drink a
stong drink made from tubers called co?wii, the ?cow?s
kick.? They are barbaric nomads, even when gathered
in cities for convenience and trade.
Average Tabotans, educated by the monks and
raised on legends of the first Lord of Oceans, are
fiercely loyal to their religious convictions and support
the government because it is strong and betters
their lot.

Languages
Tabotan common is easily learned: ?la? means
mountain pass, ?tso? means lake, ?chu? is a river, and
the word ?gompa? means monastery. The language
and the people have remained a simple lot.
They speak a common Tabotan language with thick
local accents and know very little of the trade tongue.
An interpreter is needed for more than superficial
conversation. There is an 80 percent chance to find an
interpreter in any of the larger cities, and a 60 percent
chance in smaller villages; these men commonly
charge 10 to 30 yuan per day for their services; prices

are always higher in the smaller towns where service
is at a premium.
Their paltry common tongue has held together
these barbarian people, and they share common
superstitions such as these: A man?s soul passes into
the closest rocks upon death; spirits of great power
dwell in the mountains, and they must be acknowledged
and appeased; a storm with rain brings bad
luck, but a storm that passes by with no rain brings
good luck; the Wind Spirits rule the Peerless Mountains;
and the myth of Hignog the badger, used to
frighten children with stories of the horrible animal
masquerading as a man and stealing bad children to
eat.

Religion
The true flowering of our culture is in the 15 gompas.
The religious holidays and festivals rival Shou
Lung?s in size and spectacular artistry commended to
the gods. Our parades seem to continue every day of
the year, with pomp and glory, bringing joy to the dull
lives of the peasants.
Tabot is known for its wisemen of the mountains,
but many are charlatans, and only five are considered
to be true oracles by the brotherhoods. Those five
are: Smirnk of the Willows of Hokla Mountain; the
Forgotten One, whose name is lost, living on Pojah
Mountain; Morka Fooztang from Noko-Ji (the ?blow
high over Ji?) Peak; Tzu Wan, the Entrusted, who sits
above the Marnu Cliffs where the source of Nam Tso
Lake issues; and old Ti Horr of Mount Wiz?tcu Tan.
These five have foretold events and raised dead
heroes in answer to just pleas. They are the hermits of
Tabot, and there is a legend that when a true hermit
dies, all the bells at Lii Monastery ring themselves nine
times to aid his soul?s passing into the Celestial Heavens.
These wisemen have mighty visions and reveal
the future of mankind, and some guard precious
relics of arcane origin.

Conflicts
Now, I want to stress that Pokarr strictly follows the
true and holy laws of the High Lord, not like those
south of the Haraki Ridge, the jungle retreats of
Nafeen and Zotung, who are rumored to be harboring
the outlaw ?Baron? Phen Do of Khampo. Those types
are very vocal in their disagreements in the yig-tsang
(monk council), often creating a disturbance and
grumbling with the tithings decreed by the high lord.
We disdain these renegades and the High One has told
us to beware a separatist movement. The fools don?t
realize that He could destroy them at any time?only
the wisest holds back his hand as the Lord of Oceans
has. Jo?nai, Mafensea, Lo?S?sem, they?re all alike, hot
and muggy and lots of insects! And I?ve heard that
their ceremonies are primitive and gaudy.
(Pang does not provide details about Lii, Pokarr?s
chief rival, or discuss the southern monasteries and
their radical stance in the yig-tsang which is paralyzing
the monastic council. His biases also leave a gap in
h i s k n o w l e d g e o f t h e l a y m e n o f T a b o t a n d t h e
landscape?Meilung.)

History
Tabot means ?the Roof of the World.? The true history
of Tabot begins in the holy year of 585 by Shou
Lung?s reckoning, when the first of many wrongly
accused temple militias fled their persecution into the
wild and mountainous southwest. Many of these
monks and temple guards were searching for a holy
land, pure and enduring, and the great mountain
ranges provided a sublime answer to their quests for
a remote hermitage. Fifteen different groups founded
outposts in the mountains between 585 and 640,
avoiding contact with the barbarian kings that had
held to this land in the past, hiding from the wrath of
Shou Lung. These were called the Years of Frost, for
the lamas, as we called ourselves, had many struggles,
fighting horrible monsters and fierce ice storms,
starving in the high homesteads, our numbers dwindling
each year.
In the year 646, spurred by an invasion by Ho
Dynasty Shou Lung troops, the remnants of these
brave warrior priests joined forces with the heathens
and tribal chiefs of the lowland cities and successfully
repelled the Shou Lung marauders in the Battle of
Tsagang. A mighty sohei named Ramara led the
monks and Baron Ohn of Han Chao managed his
horde. They founded a new city on the site of their
victory, and the two heroes conferred for 10 days.
The nobles of old Tabot made a treaty with the sohei
leagues. We know it as the Peace Land Treaty, as that
is what was exchanged. The monks legitimized their
mountain keeps and the tribes of the lowlands counted
the monks as a part of their national guard. A new
nation, Tabot, was founded and blessed by all those
gathered, and it became a holy word and a holy place.
There?s an old legend about how the original 19 royal
families were founded, and it?s typical of the level of
the original inhabitants. Thousands of years ago, the
moon came to earth and appeared as a beautiful woman,
wandering the night. All the white tigers of the
land were summoned to her and mesmerized by her
beauty, and she pressed her hand to each of their
foreheads. Each of the cats stood up and became a
man, strong and intelligent. There were nineteen
tigers, and each founded a clan. One is now Phutan
and the others used to control the great lowland cities,
before the High Lord of Oceans began his rule on
earth. The moon, of course, went back to the sky, and
these new men went on to feats of heroism.
The first reported miracle in our holy land was at
Mesku Peak, where seven lamas of the Zotung Keep
found a man frozen solid and covered with ice in
the year 710. When the lamas melted the ice, the
man washed away and a living male leopard cub
was found. The lamas raised the cub to an adult,
and it grew to the size of a horse. One day it spoke,
asking to be set free, and the astonished lamas
opened their gates. The leopard went back to
Mesku Peak where he had been found, but sometimes
the newly appointed abbot of the new monastery
of Zotung could call on the leopard for aid with
decisions. Many devout lamas have been visited by
a huge leopard in their dreams, advising them on

the correct path to enlightenment.
In 837 and 859 Shou Lung invaded our territory,
and in 894 all of northern Tabot, from Ko?Chung to the
Lokar Pass, fell to the Shou Lung army. It appeared
our forces were doomed, so the artisans of Ji cast five
crystalline warriors, and a group of powerful dang-ki
(shukenja) and wu jens animated the warriors and
brought them to life, endowing them with magical
powers. On the third day of the fifth month, the warriors
of stone met the forces of Shou Lung as they exited
from Lokar Pass, and a great battle was waged in
which the tattered armies of Tabot, aided by the magical
warriors, defeated the army of Shou Lung and
recovered all the lost lands that Shou had annexed.
The crystalline warriors disappeared into the mountains
and have never been seen again. We call that day
Crystal Day, a holy day in the monasteries.
It was in the year 2311 that the High Lord of Oceans
was born under the conjunction of the heavenly signals,
and the land flowered again.
His name was H?Dang Li, and he was found crying in
the wastelands just north of the Haraki Ridge by a
shepherd who placed the child in the care of the
lamas of Do?dzin. The monasteries had all recognized
the purity of this young boy, who was born enlightened,
completely one with the celestial heavens. He
possessed magical powers and a high intellect, and
soon he had won over the hearts of the people with
his holiness. The peasants loved the holy boy and
showered him with gifts. Under his banner, the monasteries
were reformed and reasserted their control
on Tabot between 2317 and 2318, creating the wise
Council Kashag that rules today. The boy faced the
armies of the nobility alone and defeated them with
powerful magic-the men found they couldn?t fight a
six-year-old child. The people found their conscience,
and arms were set aside. He was a knowing leader,
prepared for things yet to come. The High One created
the Magical Gates of Frekang and the Staff of the
Oceans and many other wonders during his glorious
82-year reign. Then he chose a successor and wandered
off into the mountains south of Mount Wiz?tcu Tan.
The most important change the High Lord of Ocean
brought to Tabot was its new government. As sole,
benevolent leader, he held council only with the lon
chen (chief ministers), heard petitions from the council
kashag (one monk, three lay peasants) and held
audience with the chi-kyap khempo (lord chamberlain).
The Tabotan nobility had been stripped of everything
except their titles and small estates in their
former kingdoms, and they could only speak with the
High Lama through the chi-kyap khempo. The monasteries
were permitted to disband their armies, and all
contested lands or items were fairly judged by the
Lord of Oceans. The council kashag partitioned the
country into districts very similar to the old baronies
and created a five-armed bureaucracy that provided
for defense, a public forum, police, taxes, trade, and
international relations (here I have drawn a diagram
of the government of Tabot). The decisions of the High
One are final, the Lord of Ocean?s word is law. Notice
how the monasteries each have direct influence on
the Lord of Oceans. As a powerful visitor, it would
behoove you to make friends with one of the influentials
of Tabot, and I could introduce you to Mo Kin, my
fine and wise abbot.

NPCs

Mo Kin, Abbot of Pokarr:
12th level monk;
LG, human male.
A devout follower of the High Lama, Mo Kin is a
member of the Lon Chen, the chief ministers who
advise the spiritual and political leader of all Tabot. As
abbot of Pokarr Gompa, he is responsible for the
patrol of the eastern border north of Mount E?kwong,
and so is commander of a powerful militia. He is a quiet
and thoughtful man, considered a fair and good
administrator by the lamas, and is well-known for his
slow decisions, extreme patience, and sound advice.
At 78 years of age, Mo Kin is surprisingly agile and
travels to other northern monasteries to enjoy their
festival celebrations four or five times a year

Baron Phen Do of Khampo: ?the Outlaw;?
9th level barbarian;
LE, human, male.
Bent on the overthrow of the Lord of Oceans and
reinstatement of the noble class as rulers of Tabot,
Baron Phen Do has bribed the Chi-Kyap Khempo and
influences the Nafeen and Zotung Gompas through
gifts and spies. He has started a revolt, causing three
divisions of the army to be stationed in Khampo by the
nervous officials of the mag-Chi le-Khung, the military
office. Hidden in the mountains east of Nafeen Gompa
is his secret army known as the ?Raccoon-dogs." There
they maintain a base and ninja-type school.
A strong man, the baron has long black braids that
hang down his back. He wears a glove to cover the
scars that mar his left hand and arm. He carries a magical
battle-ax dipped in poison. The dzong-pon, or
sheriffs, carry pictures of him, and there are always
rumors of his newest notorious escapade.

Ning D?Ahn, Abbot of U?Chan and the seventh
High Lama, Lord of Oceans:
17th level monk;
LN, human, male.
The sixth high lama chose Ning D?Ahn as his successor
when Ning was only eight years old, and in the tradition
of the High One, the previous Lord of Oceans
wandered off into the mountains, leaving the boy to
his new position. His reign has been difficult, including
the attempted revolt of Baron Phen Do and the
southern monasteries actions that have undermined
the government south of the Haraki Ridge. The yigtsang,
monk council, is divided on most issues, and
their delegates to the chief ministers, the tse-khor, are
corrupt and untrustworthy. Through various means,
the Lord of Oceans has replaced all the Lon Chen with
monks he trusts from north Tabot, which has further
alienated the south. There have been two attempts on
his life, each by a ninja masquerading as a lama, and so
the high lama is very paranoid.
A tall, thin man with a shaved head, Ning D?Ahn
always carries the Staff of the Oceans, which gives
him various wondrous powers, attributed to His Holi
ness by his followers. The high Lama is currently 64
years old. His robes are stitched with gold and silver
and jewels. His personal guards, the ?No-Haree," are
fanatical and suicidal in their protection, and dress in
white robes and furs, and carry white enameled
shields. Twice a year the Lord of Oceans presides over
two outdoor festivals, the Wona Chu?ing in the dead of
winter and the Dui?yu, the celebration of the harvests.
These are the only times he is seen by the general public.

Pag Hou Ling, dzong-pon of Chophon:
7th level barbarian;
LN, human, male.
Pag?s mother was a refugee of T'u Lung, and he
bears a resemblance to the people of that land, having
thinner cheekbones and being taller than the average
Tabotan. Pag wears a copper mask into battle and a
copper do-maru type of armor, with his long hair tied
in a knot at the back of his neck for luck. He is deaf in
his right ear from a magical spell, and he never drinks
alchoholic beverages or allows women in the same
room, strictly adhering to the lamas? dictates.
Working for the council kashag since he was 15
years old, Pag Hou Ling served The dzong-pon of Tsetu
as an assistant deputy for 10 years, and then spent
six years as a traveling secretary in the southern districts.
Two years ago he was rewarded for bravery in
a battle with Shou Lung bandits, and the council reassigned
the stewardship of Chophon to him. A fanatic
follower of the Lord of Oceans, believing the most
incredible of the legends about the first high lama,
and a frequent visitor and benefactor of Do?dzin Gompa,
Pag Hou Ling has a firm grasp on his district and
embodies the religious fervor that inspires Tabotans.
As dzong-pon of Chophon, Pag is well respected as a
shrewd leader and an excellent police chief. His men
are well disciplined and ready, constantly keeping vigil
against invasion as well as domestic problems.
Chophon has the reputation of a safe place, well
patrolled with no tolerance for thieves or crime.

Lady Holang Of Pim Tung:
7th level barbarian/ninja;
CN, human, female.
Lady Holang was stolen from a rich family in T'u Lung and sold in Motra before she was old enough to
marry. Because of her beauty, she was bought by the
Baron Mukow Jian of Pim Tung to be a house slave,
but he liked her so much that he made her his third
wife. Lady Holang soon discovered the secret life her
husband led. Against the warnings of the other women,
Lady Holang spied on the baron until she was discovered.
Her education in T?u Lung and outspoken
opinions saved her from death, because her defense
was solid advice the baron had not heard from any of
his other advisors. The baron began to consult her in
private, and he began to prosper from her ideas. The
lady joined his secret army (the Vian-chi) disguised as
a man and learned to fight like a ninja. By the time she
was 34 years old, she was the Baron?s favored wife,
and her son was designated heir to the estates.
Lady Holang rules Pim Tung with an iron fist, the
dzong-pon is her puppet, and she has spies in all levels

at Jo?nai Gompa. She is taller than most women and
still attractive, with long black hair and doe eyes. Her
men frequent Joya and Motra, and she often will
exchange free passage to Phutan by river for money.
She wants the Lord of Oceans overthrown so that her
husband can be emperor of Tabot, as in T?u Lung and
Shou Lung. To this end, she sends spies to U?Chan and
confers with Baron Phen Do of Khampo. Her men
curtly interrogate all who pass through their territory.
These men can be identified by the sign of Pim
lung?a burning arrow?and the warriors are further
distinguished by a red cord they use to tie their
scabbards to their belts.

Nako Nang, merchant of Talung:
5th level wu jen;
CG, human, male.
Nako Nang lives for caravans, and he has traveled all
of Tabot and most of T'u Lung trading furs and ice for
timber and steel (and an occasional new spell). He is a
true adventurer, full of tales of his exploits and legends
of the land of Tabot. He is a relatively dependable
guide, and he has respect for the Lord of Oceans and
his men. Nako owns a small house in Talung. A well
paid and happy servant watches the place when he?s
gone.

Moo Kalai:
4th level barbarian;
NG, hengeyokai carp man.
Moo Kalai lives in Nam Tso with his brothers and sisters
? swimming in the depths of the deep lake and
hibernating through the winters. Moo Kalai is very
short, has big eyes, very pale skin, and shaves his head
smooth in the style of the lamas. No human has ever
seen him eat or sleep. A careful creature, Moo occasionally
visits the markets of Bidnop So to trade his
people?s lake rice and opals from the lake bed for a
variety of items the carp people can?t make themselves.
The carp people have saved a few fishermen?s
lives and rescued a little girl, so the people of Bidnop
So respect and protect the ?lake folk? (as they are
called).

Items Of Interest

E'soa Ho-chi
E?soa Ho-chi, ?the Herald,? was given to the lamas of
Ko?Chung by Mei Lung as a chronicle to verify history
in case the dragon had an unforeseen accident. The
tome is very large and thick and it is always open,
with writing on the right side and unfinished script
appearing magically on the left. A lama must stand
vigil and turn the page to keep the magic flowing, but
any one can do the job. This book records history as
the events unfold. The person who turns the page can
direct the book?s recounting of current events to the
people and places about which the reader wishes to
learn, or he could read the book?s reports on the
important events of Kara-Tur as decided by the book.
Occasionally, mentions of the western barbarians
appear on the pages. The herald weighs more than
one man can lift and is adorned in gold and blue and
green jades.

Clearly, this is a very powerful instrument of the
Celestial Heavens. The guards are fanatical about its
safety, willing to die protecting it. Should it be stolen,
all of Tabot (along with interested parties of T'u Lung and Shou Lung) would seek the tome. Some would
seek to return it to the Gompa. Others would only
want it for their own use. Once word of the theft was
out, there would be virtually no peace for the thieves.

Crystal Warriors
Deep in a hidden mountain sepulcher lie the five
crystalline warriors awaiting the call to defend Tabot
against monstrous odds. They are:
l the Glass Warrior, who turns water to ice and carries
a bow and never-empty quiver ( +3 bow);
l the Porcelain Warrior, who makes water boil and
wields a copper lance and shield that shine like the
sun (each +2, save vs. blindness);
l the Ruby Warrior, who turns water to steam, sets
fire to wood and cloth, and wields a great stone
club ( +4, whispers to owner, grants true sight and
scry to possessor);
l the Jade Warrior, who can change water into
plants, herd trees, and carries a bamboo scimitar
into battle (cuts as a +5 sword of sharpness, casts
wood rot), and;
l the Diamond or Rainbow Warrior, who controls the
weather and the elements of earth and water (can
cast any wu jen earth or water spell), and carries
the famous ?Scythe of Pain? ( +5 and immoblizes
target for 1-3 turns with wracking pain).
All the warriors can be raised by a lama of strong
faith (or by those tampering with their rest). They will
come to the aid of Tabot if an invasion is destroying
the country, and have ignored honest pleas of lesser
magnitude.
Crystalline Warriors: AC -4, 15 HD, 95 hp, MV 9, D
by weapon +8, SA +3 to hit, fly, invisibility, jump (all
at will); individual powers are usable at will and have a
range of 300 feet; SD immune to poison, petrifaction,
charm, hold, sleep, and death spells.

The Staff Of Oceans
This is an ornate staff laminated from many types of
wood and carved into intricate designs of dragons,
hawks, and faces. It was created by the first Lord of
Oceans, who used it to flood a frozen battlefield and
defeat the nobility?s forces. It has the following
powers (all using one charge): spell immunity (one
turn duration), create water, air walk, and cure serious
wounds. For three charges, the staff can raise
dead or cast an ancient curse. It can discharge up to
10 lightning bolts/day (6d6 each, no charge required).
It is the ruling instrument of Tabot, so it is always carried
by the High Lord of Oceans when he is in public.

The Golden Eggs of Ghastar
The Golden Eggs of Ghastar originally numbered
nine, but only four are now known to be in the possession
of the lamas of Pokarr Gompa. They were created
by the ancient craftsmen of old Tabot before the
lamas came, and each was endowed with a different
magical power. Ghastar was the last known man to
have all nine. The four at Pokarr Gompa are:
l the gold egg with ruby snakes which can stop
floods and avalanches;
l the obsidian egg with silver crocodiles which can
cause earthquakes (as per the spell);
l the gold egg with jade elephants supporting it
which can control men?s minds (as per a mass
charm spell);
l and the silver egg with emerald inlays like lace
which can cause a volcanic eruption.
The missing five are just as powerful, but knowledge
as to their whereabouts or powers is lost. The
eggs can be used by a shukenja or monk of 10th level
or higher with a lawful alignment.

Suggested Adventures

This section lists the gossip and rumors that have filtered
through the districts of Tabot over the past year.
These news items can be used as recent history and
reasons for adventures or they can be introduced?
one at a time, into an ongoing campaign. There is no
order to their arrangement, and they are only offered
as springboards for the DM to adapt to his style of
play.

Rumors of Tabot
A diplomatic mission from T?u Lung is passing
through on its way to U?Chan, and they carry many
chests of treasure to woo the High Lama?s favor. The
group includes a princess of the Wai clan and 50
mounted guards.
The lamas of Buchan Do Gompa report that the Phutanese
are gathering an army along the border. The
mag-chi leKhung (military office) is moving troops
into the area, and conscription has been ordered for
the cities of Thok, Darka, Khampo, and Bidnop So.
Mercenaries are being accepted into the forces, and a
number of temple guards from the monasteries are
volunteering.
Yeti have come down from Wu Pi Te Shar and
attacked Nafeen, causing heavy damage and the
deaths of 23 men. A hunting expedition is being organized
by the Thok district dzong-pan, and he has
printed handbills which are distributed as far as the
Bidnop So Bridge. Twenty-five volunteers from Eo?tzi
Gompa have arrived at Nafeen Gompa already. Some
scared people are saying it?s another Kume Sa yeti, the
evil pack-hunt.
While digging a deep irrigation canal in Rokstang,
workers have uncovered a huge cavern system and a
ruined city, all made of brass. The place appeared to
be the site of a terrible disaster, and ever since it was
uncovered, a drought has hit the land and the river is
drying up, perhaps frozen high in the mountains. The
Dzong-pon is searching for brave warriors to accompany
him into the city and quiet the curse that has
now spread to Rokstang.
A fire has swept through fij, and more than half of
the city has been destroyed. The lamas of the closest
gompa have sent emergency workers to rebuild
before the month of Maki begins and the cold claims