CM9 "Legacy of Blood" (1987) by Steve Perrin and Katharine Kerr is a D&D adventure for a party of "lawful adventurers" of levels 15 to 19.
CM9 "Legacy of Blood" (1987) by Steve Perrin and Katharine Kerr. Cover illustration by Clyde Caldwell.
One of the PCs inherits a dominion in the Republic of Darokin, although must quickly prove his worthiness to rule (with a little help from his friends).
Creative Team:
CM9 "Legacy of Blood" was co-written by Steve Perrin and Katharine Kerr.
Perrin, of "the Perrin Conventions" and Chaosium's RuneQuest, was a freelancer for TSR at the time. He also wrote GAZ 5 "The Elves of Alfheim" (1988).
Kerr was a regular contributor to Dragon magazine. "Daggerspell" was published in 1986, the first of the Deverry Cycle, launching her career as a successful novelist.
The cover illustration by Clyde Caldwell "A Princess in Peril" originally appeared in TSR's 1986 Amazing Stories Calendar* (the full painting is featured in this interview)
*the painting was titled "Maiden's Vengeance" in "The Art of the D&D Fantasy Game" (1985)
Interior illustrations are by Eric A. Gehlin, with cartography by Jon Jacobsen.
Thanks to Playtesters: Alan Cohn, Douglas Friedman, Dawn Friedman, Steve Henderson, Barbara Huguley, Howard Kerr, Heather Mace, Devin McKinney
Republic of Darokin:
The Republic of Darokin is an oligarchy, or plutocracy, governed by an Outer Council of 37 individuals, members of wealthy merchant families, and an Inner Council of Six, chosen from among those in the Outer Council.
The Republic is divided into two areas, the Heartland and the Borderlands.
The Heartland law is administered by appointed officials who are directly responsible to the Inner Council, while the Border law is administered by a special class of hereditary rulers, the Magistrates of the Borders (equivalent to barons in a feudal system).
The PC inherits the dominion of Fenhold, in the Borderlands on the road to Selenica.
Darokin City:
The heir to Fenhold must first travel to Darokin City in order to claim his dominion.
Schematic flowchart for Darokin City.
Fenhold:
Map of the area around Fenhold.
The dominion of Fenhold is fully detailed, with descriptions and stat blocks for important NPCs, and a keyed map of the lord's manor house.
Location of area around Fenhold in CM9.
Fenhold does not appear in GAZ 11 "The Republic of Darokin" (1989), and was relocated eastwards in Thorfinn Tait's updated fan map of Darokin (see this thread on the Piazza).
The focus of gameplay is based on the Confidence Level mechanic described in the DMs Companion:
...the DM should remind the players about the basic focus of a dominion game: earning Confidence Points. Actual Experience Points are no longer important. What the player needs for his character is Confidence Points.
Confidence Points are earned by ruling well and reacting well to crises. They reflect the confidence both the citizens of the dominion and the ultimate rulers (the Darokin Councils, in this case) of the dominion have in the ruler. Confidence Points are totalled at the end of the game to determine the Confidence Level of the dominion. A high Confidence Level means the dominion is doing well and the Councils of Darokin are pleased. A low level means that Darokin will find someone else to rule the dominion.
CM9 "Legacy of Blood"
The Sunken City:
The deep swamp south of Fenhold hides a secret - an ancient, sunken city.
Details are left up to the DM to create, although this would serve as a fitting location for K1 "The Sunken City" by Rob Kuntz.
The Known World:
The first few modules in the CM series were set in Norwold.* The last few, starting with CM7 "The Tree of Life" were set in the Lands and Environs of the D&D Wilderness, paving the way for the Known World of the Gazetteers.
*one of the NPCs in CM9 "Legacy of Blood" is "a famous bandit chief on the run from Norwold, where King Ericall has placed a price of 25,000 gp on his head".
GAZ 1 "The Grand Duchy of Karameikos", GAZ 2 "The Emirates of Ylaruam", GAZ 3 "The Principalities of Glantri" and even the forthcoming GAZ 5 "The Elves of Alfheim" are all referenced in the module.
New Monsters:
Giant Swamp Eel, Giant Freshwater Slug, Swamp Velya, Giant Swamp Snapping Turtle, Nekrozon*
*from Master DM's book
Pre-Generated Characters:
Athel the Deep One, Lawful 18th level Magic-User
Alys the Cheerful, Lawful 16th level Cleric
Iorg Quickwrist, Neutral 15th level Thief
Dariel Sundancer, Lawful 10th level Elf; attack rank E
Meadowrock Barberry, 8th level Halfling; attack rank D
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