Scales of War

Greyhawk Source

Scales of War
Type:	Adventure path
Code/Abbreviation:	SoW
Edition:	Fourth edition
Author(s):	Various
Editor(s):	Various
Cover Artist(s):	Various
Interior Artist(s):	Various
Publisher:	WotC
First Published:	2008
Class:	Official content

Though the Scales of War adventure path is not set in the World of Greyhawk, it relates to the githyanki and githzerai, and impacts their history.

Publisher's blurb

"The Elsir Vale has known a decade of peace following the rise of the Red Hand. The valley, as well as the town of Brindol, has flourished after adventurers defeated the threat posed by the hobgoblin armies. But now, from out of the hills to the north, a new threat has emerged. Natives of Brindol have been abducted, and the town’s war museum—dedicated to those fallen in the war against the Red Hand—has been raided and desecrated.

Meanwhile, beyond the Vale, the rumbling rumors of more trouble have begun to surface. Warbands forming in the mountains… Monsters crawling forth from the dark bowels of the world… And people everywhere have begun waking up at night in a cold sweat, uncertain where their feelings of dismay and panic come from…

The Scales of War Adventure Path will premiere in Dungeon #156, July 2008, with the 1st-level adventure “Rescue at Rivenroar,” by Wizards of the Coast designer David Noonan. Scales of War will continue each month in Dungeon, taking characters from 1st level all the way to 30th over the course of 18 adventures, spanning 18 months. This is the most ambitious Adventure Path in Dungeon’s history, and will take full advantage of the versatility of the new 4th Edition D&D rules. Support articles will appear regularly in Dragon, beginning with issue #366, August 2008."

Plot Summary

During the Scales of War adventure path in Dungeon #156- #175, after Vlaakith CLVII (157th) was assassinated (with the help of PCs, in the "Incursion" storyline Dungeon #100), many of her former underlings sought to claim the throne for themselves. Ultimately, the most successful incumbent was a githyanki warlord named Zetch'r'r, who had been in a critical position: after all, he had provided aide to the assassins (the PCs) who brought down the Lich-Queen in the first place! A member of the Sha’sal Khou, a secret society dedicated to forging peace between the githyanki and githzerai, Zetch'r'r found himself stymied because of his beliefs. Desperate to cement his ill-gotten power, he reluctantly sought the aide of Tiamat to reforge the pact between the Red Dragons and Githyanki. Amid the ruins of Vlaakith’s old palace, Tiamat’s dark priests crowned Zetch’r’r emperor.

During the power struggle, the soul of Gith was inadvertently released from the Nine Hells. Gith masqueraded as Vlakith CLVIII (158th) and eventually destroyed the Scepter of Ephelomon ending the pact and control of the red dragons. Her first order of business after securing the city was to extend a hand of peace to their githzerai cousins. Those githzerai who accepted the proffered peace eventually made the journey from the Elemental Chaos to find new lives amid their age-old enemies. A reunited people, they surrendered their old identities of githyanki or githzerai and embraced a new culture as the gith.

Because the adventure refers to "only ... those githyanki under Vlaakith’s (Gith's) command", it is presumed that not all githyanki (and/or githzerai) will follow this group of "Seperatists" and does not impact the races overall. This group eventually became known as Sah'sal Khou. The outcome of such events is left to speculation at the conclusion of the adventure path.

List of Scales of War adventures

Chapter	Title	Authors	Illustrators	Starting Level	Issue	Date
1	Rescue at Rivenroar	David Noonan		1	156	Jul 2008
The Adventure Path kicks off in the town of Brindol. The PCs must locate and rescue some missing townsfolk and find out why a new hobgoblin chieftain is so interested in this region. An adventure for 1st-level PCs.
2	Siege of Bordrin's Watch	Robert J. Schwalb	William O\'Connor and David Griffith, cartography by Mike Schley	3	157	Aug 2008
The PCs, along with other heroes of Elsir Vale, are summoned to the dwarven city of Overlook to help stem the threat of an orc horde massing in the mountains.
3	The Shadow Rift of Umbraforge	Scott Fitzgerald Gray	Dave Allsop, Ryan Barger, Nicole Cardiff, Saejin Oh, and Chris Stevens; cartography by Mike Schley	4	58	Sep 2008
Following a lead from \"Siege of Bordrin\'s Watch\", the heroes pursue dark creepers who were selling weapons and armor to the orcs responsible for trying to attacking Overlook. Their investigation will take them into the darkness beneath the ancient city, and beyond.
4	The Lost Mine of Karak	Greg A. Vaughan	Dave Allsop, Ryan Barger, Nicole Cardiff, Saejin Oh, and Chris Stevens; cartography by Mike Schley	6	59	Oct 2008
The PCs must travel to the long-lost mine of the Karak family of Overlook, in the hopes of securing a steady supply of ore for the town\'s needs in this time of war. But once there, they discover that another party has also discovered the mine, with much more nefarious purposes in mind.
5	Den of the Destroyer	Rodney Thompson	Jason A. Engle, Rob Alexander and Steve Prescott; cartography by Mike Schley	7	160	Nov 2008
The PCs are the heroes of Overlook, but before they can really enjoy the fruits of their labors, they receive a strange summons from Brindol. This summons will send them on an adventure that will dramatically shape the coming conflict in Elsir Vale... and possibly have even more significant repercussions in the near future.
6	The Temple Between	Ari Marmell	Michael Komarck, Rob Alexander and William O'Connor; cartography by Mike Schley	9	161	Dec 2008
The PCs return to Overlook, once again having averted disaster in Elsir Vale, and gaining a potent new ally in the process. But they return to an uneasy city -- and the warm welcome they\'ve grown used to has chilled. And now there are rumors of something strange happening with the city\'s temples and shrines. As the PCs investigate, they uncover another startling truth of Overlook, the real reason the city has become so important in the war, and the nature of their true enemy in the city.
7	Fist of Mourning	Robert J. Schwalb	Gonzalo Flores, Goran Josic, Howard Lyon, and Anne Stokes, cartography by Mike Schley	10	162	Jan 2009
The Cult of Exquisite Agony -- a cabal of insane devotees of the Far Realms -- has grown in power recently, spurred on by a local sect popping up almost overnight in Overlook. Now the cult is looking to expand its sphere of influence, using the recent chaos in the city as a springboard for their own agenda.
8	Beyond the Mottled Tower	Creighton Broadhurst, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan	William O\'Connor, and Chris Seaman; cartography by Mike Schley	11	163	Feb 2009
The heroes have ... earned the deserving accolades of the citizens of Overlook. But a summons from an unexpected ally sends the PCs on a cross-planar adventure to pursue a villain who has plagued them -- and all of Elsir Vale -- for some time. From the mortal realm to the Shadowfell to the Elemental Chaos, the chase is on to catch Sarshan!
9	Haven of the Bitter Glass	Kevin Kulp	William O\'Connor and Chris Seaman; cartography by Mike Schley	12	164	Mar 2009
The characters meet a new ally as a flying ship crashes outside Overlook, setting off a chain of events that take them to the scholarly city of Sayre. There, they meet an old friend and have a chance to shape the defense of the world against the growing githyanki threat. Meanwhile, some dark force in Sayre seems responsible for guiding the githyanki\'s war effort. As the PCs rub shoulders with the city\'s elite, they must also find a way to halt the githyanki\'s uncanny ability to share information, even over immense distances.
10	Alliance at Nefelus	Chris Tulach	Jason A. Engle, Ralph Horsley, William O\'Connor, Steve Prescott, Wayne Reynolds, Lars Grant West and Eva Widermann; cartography by Mike Schley	14	165	April 2009
The characters are dispatched with their deva ally Amyria to the island nation of Nefelus, home of sages and masters of the arcane. The nation is a vital potential ally in the war against the githyanki, but none of the emissaries from the defending nations have returned. As the PCs soon discover, a new enemy has blockaded the nation, and the heroes must end the blockade and help persuade Nefelus to join their cause.
11	Throne of the Stone-Skinned King	Logan Bonner	John Stanko, cartography by Sean MacDonald	15	166	May 2009
The characters travel to the Feywild with the Seed of Winter, a powerful artifact recovered from a powerful foe. There, they discover a plot among the retinue of a mad fomorian king, as more alliances to the githyanki invaders reveal themselves.
12	Garaitha's Anvil	Scott Fitzgerald Gray	William O’Connor, and Empty Room Studio artists - Vince Chui, David Hammond, Jeffrey Koch, Adam Paquette, Wayne Reynolds, James Ryoun, and Frank Wall; cartography by Mike Schley	17	167	Jun 2009
The githyanki are on their heels after suffering losses on the mortal world and in the Feywild. The PCs have the opportunity to strike a telling blow for their world as they undertake a mission of certain death at a githyanki stronghold and planar nexus. But how can a small group of adventurers possibly hope to defeat a fortress filled to the brim with angry, fighting githyanki?
13	A Tyranny of Souls	Robert J. Schwalb	William O’Connor and Kekai Kotaki, cartography by Robert Lazzaretti and Mike Schley	19	168	Jul 2009
The player characters, heroes of their world, have now all but driven the githyanki from the mortal realm. To strike a final blow to the threat posed by the invaders, they travel to the githyanki city of Tu\'narath. There, they find unlikely allies, a chance to secure a lasting peace from the githyanki threat, and have a chance to finally end the menace posed by the githyanki.
14	Betrayal at Monadhan	David Noonan	Chad King, Empty Room Studio, Jason A. Engle, and Mclean Kendree; cartography by Mike Schley, Sean Macdonald	21	170	Sep 2009
The characters are visited by an enigmatic new ally who sends them on a quest to the Shadowfell, to hunt down a lich working for Tiamat. But their journey must first take them to Monadhan, a Domain of Dread ruled by a powerful undead dragon dark lord. The characters must locate the entrance to the lich\'s lair, defeat the dark lord, and deal with an unexpected enemy straight from the pages of legend.
15	Grasp of the Mantled Citadel	Creighton Broadhurst	William O’Connor, cartography by Mike Schley	22	171	Oct 2009
The characters continue their quest to find a well-hidden ally of Tiamat, in a pocket domain hidden within Monadhan, the domain of betrayal. As the PCs enter the lair of a foul and corrupt enemy, they learn the full scale of Tiamat\'s agenda, and defeat a pair of powerful foes before the full horror of her plans can be revealed.
16	Legacy of Io	Daniel Marthaler	William O’Connor; cartography by Mike Schley	24	172	Nov 2009
Bahamut has fallen and the war seems lost. But a long-time ally of the PCs comes to them with an urgent request for escort—to the Astral Sea!
17	Those Once Loyal	Robert J. Schwalb	William O’Connor; cartography by Mike Schley	25	173	Dec 2009
The brave heroes continue their quest to return Bahamut to life. But another player on the grand stage of deities and demigods reveals himself, hoping to usurp the power of the Platinum Dragon before he can be brought back. As the PCs voyage through Moradin\'s forge to the very heart of creation, they must fend off this new threat, as well as deal with more agents of Tiamat and her allies.
18	Test of Fire	Scott Fitzgerald Gray	William O’Connor; cartography by Mike Schley	27	174	Jan 2010
The ... adventurers have saved their world from the githyanki and brought a dead deity back to life. But now they face their most difficult task to date. The adventurers must break the siege on Tiamat’s last stronghold -- the City of Brass. All that lies between the heroes and success is Tiamat’s blue exarch and the labyrinthine ways of the City’s efreet-run society.
19	Last Breath of the Dragon Queen	David Noonan	Lucas Graciano & William O’Connor; cartography by Sean Macdonald and Mike Schley	30	175	Feb 2010
The Scales of War Adventure Path concludes! The ...adventurers have beaten and scattered Tiamat\'s army. The Dragon Queen is reeling as her throng splinters and turns against itself. The heroes must smash their way through the remnants of her dying host and confront Tiamat herself in the heart of her fortress. The fate of the world is about to be decided!

Related Dragon magazine articles

The following articles are tagged in relation to Scales of War:

• "Characters of War"
• "Creature Incarnations: Gnolls: The Get of Yeenoghu" (Related: Den of the Destroyer)
• "Tu'narath: City of Death"

References

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic	Type	Description	Product	Page/Card/Image