''Fate of Istus'' is a multipart adventure for the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...

roleplaying game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...

, taking place in the ''

World of Greyhawk Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''— Dave Arnes ...

campaign setting A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and c ...

. The module is designed for characters of any class or level, and was published as an in-game vehicle to explain the transition from the game's first to second edition. This is accomplished by goddess

Istus This is a list of deities from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Al'Akbar Al'Akbar is the Baklunish demigod of dignity, duty, faithfulness, and guardianship. His symbol is a cup and eig ...

's re-evaluation of the inhabitants of

Oerth Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''— Dave Arneso ...

and making changes to the abilities of each

character class In tabletop games and video games, a character class is a job or profession commonly used to differentiate the abilities of different game characters. In role-playing games (RPGs), character classes aggregate several abilities and aptitudes, ...

Plot synopsis

''Fate of Istus'' is a collection containing a series of 10 adventure scenarios, each of them designed for player characters of a different

, and all of them dealing with a plague created by the goddess

affecting a different city in the world of Greyhawk. A deadly plague has stricken civilization; the players suspect this is a sinister test of some sort and venture out to stop it.

Notable nonplayer characters

* Cymbelline:

Half-elf A half-elf is a mythological or fictional being, the offspring of an immortal elf and a mortal human. They are often depicted as very beautiful and endowed with magical powers; they may be presented as torn between the two worlds that they inha ...

9th Level thief / 10th level bard * Alaric: Human 7th level fighter * Morgorath's Beastman Avatar: deity can appear as anything * Arlina: 12th level cleric * Narlond the white alchemist and the Prophet of

Boccob This is a list of deities of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', including all of the 3.5 edition gods and powers of the "Core Setting" for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') roleplaying game. Religion is a key element of the D&D game, since it is require ...

: 18th level magic user

Publication history

WG8 ''Fate of Istus'' was written by

Nigel Findley Nigel D. Findley (July 22, 1959 – February 19, 1995) was a Canadian game designer, editor, and an author of science fiction and fantasy novels and role-playing games (RPGs). Biography Nigel Findley was born in Venezuela in 1959 to Canadian par ...

, Dan Salas, Stephen Inniss, and Robert J. Kuntz, with a cover by

Daniel Horne Daniel Horne is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Early life Daniel R. Horne was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1960. Works Daniel Horne has produced interior and cover illustrations for role-playing game books since ...

and interior illustrations by

Karl Waller Karl Waller is an American artist whose work has appeared in comic books and roleplaying and collectible card games. Early life and education He graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Art in 1987, with a diploma in communication arts. Career ...

, and was published by TSR in 1989 as a 128-page book. The book's title appears as ''The Fate of Istus'' on both the title page/table of contents and in the Introduction.

Credits

Authors:

, Dan Salas, Stephen Inniss, Robert J. Kuntz
Coordinators: Bruce Heard, Karen S. Broomgarden Editing:

Kim Mohan Kim Rudolph Mohan (May 4, 1949 – December 12, 2022) was an American author, editor and game designer best known for works related to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Early life and education Kim Mohan was born in Chicago, Illinoi ...

Typography: Betty Elmore
Cartography: Diesel
Cover Art:

Interior Art:

Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR UK Ltd.

Reception

References and footnotes

External links

''Fate of Istus''
at the TSR Archive Greyhawk modules Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1989 {{D&D-stub