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  DIAMOND EYES 
  A TRUE WORLD TALE OF BETRAYAL 
   
  TWM1 
  
   
   
   
  CREDITS: 
   
  Lead Designer:  Jon Hild 
   
  Contributing Authors:  Seer of Yhog, 
  PNutRaygs, and Sean "Azaghal" Pennington 
   
  Cover Art:  Skyrawathi 
   
  http://skyrawathi.deviantart.com/ 
   
  Watermark:  Zeezee Canning 
   
  http://zeezeeazc123.deviantart.com/gallery/ 
   
  “Maztica Alive!” Logo:  Cliff Wolter  
   
  http://yardarkwood.deviantart.com/gallery/ 
   
  Special Thanks: 
   
  Thank you once again to the whole Piazza 
  community and David Shepheard in particular – 
  who seems to bring me back to the gaming 
  world every time I, for some strange reason, get 
  distracted by the real world! 
    
   
  _______________________________________ 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
  INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 1 
  WHAT IS IN THIS BOOK? ........................................ 1 
  MAZTICA ALIVE ................................................... 1 
  DIAMOND EYES ....................................................... 2 
  LEGEND ............................................................. 2 
  MAGIC ITEMS ..................................................... 5 
  ARTIFACT ........................................................... 5 
  LOCATION .......................................................... 6 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DIAMOND EYES 
  A TRUE WORLD TALE OF BETRAYAL 
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the 
  dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product 
  names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in 
  the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses 
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the 
  copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited 
  without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. 
  Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. 
  Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, 
  Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  1 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
   
  Diamond Eyes is a myth from the land of 
  Maztica that has only grown in popularity since 
  the coming of Cordell and his Golden Legion.  
  Before that fateful day in 1361 DR, the True 
  World knew nothing of the pale faced men who 
  lived a whole world away.   
   
  Or did they? 
   
  Diamond Eyes is a tale of magic and betrayal 
  not among men, but rather among the gods 
  themselves!  If it is true, it undeniably proves 
  that even if the mortals of the very different 
  cultures were unaware of one another – the same 
  could certainly not be said of the gods.  Faerun 
  may have had much more of a hand in shaping 
  the fate of Maztica than previously believed.  
   
  WHAT IS IN THIS BOOK? 
   
  TWM1 Diamond Eyes – A True World Tale 
  of Betrayal is as its title in part suggests, simply 
  a myth.  However, to accompany the myth, there 
  are 5th edition “crunch” materials that 
  accompany the story. 
   
  The TWM tag stands for “True World Mini,” 
  since this product is neither a fully developed 
  rulebook, adventure nor other product.  Rather, 
  it is a small collection to whet a DM’s appetite 
  for adventure in the True World.   
   
  MAZTICA ALIVE! 
   
  In the 1990 Maztica Boxed Set, the name 
  “Maztica Alive” was given to the game book 
  designed solely for the dungeon master.  In 
  2010, when a name was needed to represent the 
  legion of remaining fans and the community that 
  they were slowly forming, there was in truth no 
  name that could have been more appropriate.  
  Fittingly, this community began exactly two 
  decades after the introduction of Maztica.  
  “Maztica Alive!” therefore, has come to 
  represent a growing community of game 
  enthusiasts who are determined to see Maztica 
  survive in each new game incarnation.  
  Currently, the group is most active in the Yahoo 
  Group of the same name.  To join the group, 
  simply follow the link provided: 
   
  https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Maztica
  Alive/info 
   
  Also, discussions are actively growing in the 
  community known as The Piazza: 
   
  http://thepiazza.org.uk/bb/index.php 
   
  Though the intention of this netbook is to draw 
  in new fans, the group itself is always looking 
  for new authors, artists and contributors.  Please 
  feel free to join us at either site and participate in 
  the conversation.  Perhaps your material will 
  shape the events in countless campaigns for 
  future fans! 
   
  Keep an eye out for future products from 
  “Maztica Alive!” under the following tags: 
   
  TWC – “True World Core.”  A Maztica Alive  
  Core Setting Sourcebook.   
   
  TWA – “True World Adventure.”  A Maztica  
  Alive! Adventure book. 
   
  TWN – “True World Novel” A Maztica Alive!  
  Novel 
   
  TWM – “True World Mini” A Maztica Alive!  
  Mini-Sourcebook 
   
  Affiliated Products: 
   
  TWC1 The Maztica Campaign Guide 
   
  http://www.dmsguild.com/product/171534/TWC
  1Maztica-Campaign-Guide 
   
  TWN1 Azure Skies 
   
  http://www.dmsguild.com/product/173183/TW
  N1-Azure-Skies 
   
  
   
  2 
   
  DIAMOND EYES 
   
  The “History of Maztica” section of TWC1 The 
  Maztica Campaign Guide describes a moment 
  in the deity Qotal’s immortal existence where he 
  performed a terrible act upon his sister Kiltzi.  
  This deed eventually led to him leaving the land 
  in shame, with only a prophecy promising of his 
  return.  This legend fully details the events that 
  led up to Qotal’s guilt-driven departure and is 
  accepted by many Mazticans as the literal 
  history of one of their most benevolent deities.  
  Qotal’s priests do not hide from, nor suppress 
  this myth – fully believing that not even the 
  divine are infallible.  
   
  THE LEGEND 
   
  Long before he fled the True World in shame, 
  the great god Qotal fell in love with a woman 
  and lavished upon her great gifts of pluma.  
   
  The woman’s black eyes sparkled like diamonds 
  and were unlike any seen before.  Upon his first 
  sight of her vast beauty, Qotal realized that he 
  must have her. 
   
  Qotal knew that if he wished to win over the 
  mortal woman he would have to come to know 
  her and he could not use his divine grace to 
  simply take her as his own.  His sister, the 
  goddess of love Kiltzi, had taught him of the 
  finer points in love and he chose to play by her 
  rules. 
   
  Qotal decided to take a number of forms in order 
  to learn of the woman and make have her return 
  his love.   
   
  First, Qotal took the form of a beautiful 
  butterfly, but she paid the creature little heed. 
  Next, he tried a multihued macaw. In this form 
  she found his call to be irritating. Finally, he 
  chose the form of the great couatl, but she ran in 
  fear from his serpentine form.  
   
  Even the beautiful anklet and headdress of 
  pluma the couatl offered could not earn her trust.   
   
  In desperation, Qotal turned to the stone god 
  Plutoq and from this brother he begged advice.  
  Qotal had been too embarrassed to go to any 
  other – Kiltzi in particular, after his display of 
  amateurish ineptitude. 
   
  Plutoq told him. "Brother, if you really want her 
  to love you, you must go to her as one of her 
  own.”  
   
  Qotal heeded the advice of his brother and took 
  the form of a great Eagle Warrior.  Qotal stood 
  nearly as tall as a stalk of mayz and his body 
  was as unmovable as a mountain.  
   
  As he began to approach the woman, Plutoq 
  intervened and warned, “Wait brother! It is true 
  that you appear as one of her kind, but do you 
  not see the obvious nature of your divinity? If 
  you truly wish for her to consider your love, you 
  must stand with her as an equal.  It is not only 
  your face that you must hide.” 
   
  Qotal pondered Plutoq’s words and saw wisdom 
  in them.  He was thankful; but also ashamed for 
  not realizing this truth himself. 
   
  Qotal took much of his divinity and power and 
  hid it in a beautiful necklace of pluma which he 
  wore around his muscular human neck. 
   
  When Qotal finally approached the woman he 
  called her Diamond Eyes, for he did not know 
  her name.  Those sparkling, impossibly black 
  orbs of hers pierced his soul in a way none had 
  before. He knew that there was nothing that she 
  could ask of him that he would not give and his 
  longing was infinite. When her eyes settled on 
  his pluma necklace and she held out her hand as 
  if to take it, Qotal knew that he must resist. 
   
  Without his pluma necklace and its sequestered 
  divinity, Qotal knew he would be vulnerable to 
  the predations of his dark brother Zaltec. 
  Certainly, Zaltec had expressed his jealousy of 
  the goddess Maztica’s favored child before 
  when he had beheaded her with his dark 
  mācuahuitl! If Zaltec were to know of Qotal's 
  temporary weakness or worse yet, seize the 
  necklace from Qotal's beloved, their age long 
  enmity could come to an abrupt and violent end. 
  
   
  3 
   
   
  Qotal was faced with a choice. Would he choose 
  love and accept its accompanying vulnerability? 
  Was his love for Diamond Eyes potentially 
  worth his own immortal existence?  
   
  Qotal gazed longingly at Diamond Eyes and 
  threw caution to the wind as he placed the 
  talisman upon her neck.  
   
  He moved to embrace his love and at that instant 
  he realized the terrible error of his choice.  
   
  Diamond Eyes laughed in a voice that echoed of 
  emptiness, lies and an endless nothing. Qotal felt 
  weak and somehow hollow.  Vulnerable from 
  the loss of his divine spark, the pain from his 
  betrayal felt almost…human. 
   
  With her necklace, Diamond Eyes allowed a 
  black emptiness to burst forth from her soul and 
  it laid waste to the surrounding jungle.  Her 
  appearance shifted though she still remained 
  cruelly beautiful.  
   
  She was Shar, the Goddess of Loss – and she 
  had made herself known in the True World! 
   
  Shocked at the loss of his divinity and by the 
  horror of what had been unleashed; Qotal fled to 
  the relative safety of the jungle. 
   
  It did not take long for the human Qotal to 
  gather his dignity and plan to right the 
  consequences of his foolishness.  He knew that 
  he could not defeat Shar in battle, yet somehow, 
  he needed to get the necklace talisman back.  
   
  This task – Qotal knew he could not do alone, 
  and so he turned to the only one he knew could 
  help. Defeating one so evil required the 
  assistance of one equally foul. It was time to 
  turn to his dark brother Zaltec.  
   
  Enlisting Zaltec might not be wise, but it was a 
  necessity.  Knowing that Zaltec would first 
  deride Qotal for his foolishness he stilled his 
  temper before calling upon the Bringer of War.  
   
  Zaltec watched his brother approach as he 
  gorged himself on fresh hearts. "Ah brother," he 
  laughed. "It seems as if you are not yourself 
  these days. Could it be that your weakling 
  priests have not been as fervent as they might 
  have once been?  Let me tear out their hearts and 
  we could feast together." 
   
  Qotal could barely hide his disgust as Zaltec 
  took another bite and pinkish drool fell from his 
  lips.  
   
  "Little brother,” Qotal stressed the word little, "I 
  require your assistance, and no, it has nothing to 
  do with my priests. They continue to worship me 
  with love that you could never understand, for it 
  is far more powerful…” 
   
  "You seek my help and yet you insult me?”  
  Zaltec interrupted.  “Come, tell me what troubles 
  you so and explain to me why I should not tear 
  out your own heart right here and now. It has 
  been long since I tasted the blood of my own kin 
  and I'm sure yours would be as delectable as that 
  of our mother's." 
   
  Qotal ignored both the threat of violence and the 
  pain from Zaltec’s casually cruel words.  The 
  mention of his mother’s death from the very 
  being who murdered her was almost too much to 
  bear. Qotal knew the sanctity of the True World 
  and his own divinity hinged on his brother's 
  help, so he stayed his tongue.  
   
  Qotal explained the whole truth of the woman he 
  knew as Diamond Eyes.  He spoke of the loss of 
  the talisman and his divinity, the decimation in 
  the jungle, and the name he heard in a whisper 
  as he fled the wood. 
   
  “Shar.” 
   
  When Qotal said the goddess’ name, Zaltec's 
  entire demeanor began to change, much to 
  Qotal's surprise and cautious delight. 
   
  "She dares!" Zaltec growled with the voice of a 
  thousand jaguars. "Yes brother, I will avenge 
  you!  But know that our alliance has nothing to 
  do with so foolish a notion of love or loyalty. 
  Shar's theft is an act of pure evil, and evil in the 
  True World my dear brother, belongs to me!" 
   
  
   
  4 
   
  Qotal still had much to fear. What if the dark 
  goddess defeated them both? If they did win, 
  what if his brother decided to keep the talisman 
  and its powers for himself? 
   
  Wary but determined, Qotal led Zaltec to the 
  blackened jungle where he last encountered the 
  Lady of Loss. 
   
  There she sat upon a throne of ash and bone; 
  ever the image of pure hatred and despair. She 
  smiled at the approaching brothers, an awkward 
  and fake expression from one that knew only 
  darkness and the cold comfort of the void. 
   
  "Welcome, children of the interloper Kukul. 
  Apparently there is something of yours which I 
  currently have in my possession." 
   
  Qotal began, "Return it to me, Maiden of Loss. 
  These lands are not to be fouled by your 
  presence any longer." 
   
  "Die bitch!" growled Zaltec as he swung his 
  mācuahuitl at her head, interrupting Qotal’s 
  plea. 
   
  Before the mācuahuitl could make contact, Shar 
  disappeared and much to the brothers' surprise, 
  left behind the necklace containing Qotal's 
  divinity.  
   
  Not understanding why, but quickly overcoming 
  their shock, both brothers grabbed for the 
  necklace. Success dissolved the truce and the 
  temporary allies regained their relationship as 
  mortal enemies. 
   
  Upon grasping the necklace, the brothers were 
  given a vision. Their sister, Kiltzi, was revealed 
  to them tending one of her many vast gardens. 
  At first the vision was from such a distance that 
  her features were hidden to them. As the 
  moments passed the image grew closer and 
  clearer until she finally turned to face them both. 
  Kiltzi was shockingly beautiful and both 
  brothers flushed with lust. Most startling of all, 
  Qotal noticed a feature of his sister's that he 
  never noticed before…her sparkling black 
  diamond eyes. 
   
  With the vision spent, Qotal’s divinity returned 
  to him from the talisman.  Zaltec howled in rage 
  at the unfairness of it all and swore revenge 
  upon his brother before returning to his dark 
  realm and grisly feast.  
   
  Qotal quickly forgot Zaltec's threat, Shar's recent 
  appearance, and even the destruction she had 
  wrought during her brief tenure in the True 
  World. His mind became uncomfortably focused 
  on his sister Kiltzi and the beauty in her eyes. 
  How he had not recognized her from the start, he 
  did not know, nor did he care to; for now he was 
  of only one mind. 
   
  He must have his sister! He must have Diamond 
  Eyes! 
   
  From her dark realm, Shar laughed at the sight 
  of it all. Lady Loss had succeeded in bringing 
  her particular brand of emptiness to the so called 
  True World with unreasonable ease.  
   
  As she watched Qotal exile himself from the 
  world after his dark deed she consumed the great 
  loss felt by both mortal and divine. 
   
  "Amateurs," she mused.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  5 
   
  MAGIC ITEMS 
   
  The following magic items were mentioned in 
  the legend of Diamond Eyes.  Perhaps your 
  players may come across one or both of these 
  items, but they are unique and quite powerful – 
  though not so powerful that they have the same 
  campaign altering effects of an artifact. 
   
  The tags “hishna” and “pluma” may be added to 
  an item’s description in the True World, but they 
  have no special rules of their own.  Rather, the 
  tags are added to determine if certain spells have 
  effects on the said item (for example, should 
  there be a zone where hishna magic does not 
  function). 
     
  THE ANKLET OF DIAMOND EYES 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  [pluma] 
   
  This beautiful anklet is a masterwork in 
  plumaweaving.  Its delicate features disguise an 
  unbreakable band of featherwork, golden fibers, 
  and small precious stones. 
   
  The wearer of the anklet has a Charisma score of 
  19 while the item is worn.  It has no effect if the 
  wearer already has a Charisma of 19 or higher, 
  or if the anklet is removed.   
   
  The anklet also increases the wearers walking 
  speed by 10 feet. 
   
  If the wearer is also attuned to the headdress of 
  Diamond Eyes they may also cast  charm person 
  (spell save DC 13) on a humanoid within 30 feet 
  once between short and long rests. 
   
  THE HEADDRESS OF DIAMOND EYES 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  [pluma] 
   
  The headdress of Diamond Eyes is a beautifully 
  multihued head piece of feathers and stands of 
  golden fibers.  Its patterns match the anklet of 
  Diamond Eyes perfectly.   
   
  The wearer of the headdress has a Wisdom score 
  of 19 while the item is worn.  It has no effect if 
  the wearer already has Wisdom of 19 or higher, 
  or if the headdress is removed. 
   
  The headdress also increases your awareness 
  acutely and you cannot be surprised while it is 
  worn. 
   
  If the wearer is also attuned to the anklet of 
  Diamond Eyes they may also cast chromatic orb 
  once between every short and long rest.  The 
  wearer must still make a ranged attack, but the 
  material components of the spell are 
  unnecessary. 
   
  ARTIFACT 
   
  Artifacts in the True World are rarely created by 
  even the greatest of artisans.  If a plumaweaver 
  or hishnashaper were to construct one, it would 
  certainly be the stuff of legends.   
   
  The gods, with Qotal and Zaltec in particular 
  however, are responsible for many.  The artifact 
  below was intentionally crafted by Qotal, but it 
  only gained the vast majority of its power when 
  it held the divinity of the Plumed Serpent. 
   
  THE NECKLACE OF THE PLUMED 
  SERPENT 
  Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement) 
  [pluma] 
   
  Even more so than the Cloak of One Plume 
  (TWC-1 Maztica Campaign Guide), it is 
  believed that the necklace of the Plumed Serpent 
  is Qotal’s greatest feat of plumaweaving.  The 
  necklace’s appearance has been known to 
  change appearance at its wearer’s whim, but in 
  its raw form, the necklace is a stunning mix of 
  feathers from creatures that have not been heard 
  from since the dawn of time.    
   
  Qotal crafted the necklace for the goddess Shar 
  when he mistook her for a beautiful human 
  woman and he fell in love.  He sequestered 
  divinity within the necklace in order to please 
  the goddess and when she took it from him, she 
  corrupted its magic.  Qotal’s divinity was 
  eventually returned but his interaction with the 
  
   
  6 
   
  goddess and her corrupted necklace eventually 
  drove him to commit a terrible deed. 
   
     Random Properties.  The necklace of the 
  Plumed Serpent has the following random 
  properties (DMG pg 219-221). 
   
  • 
  2 minor beneficial properties 
  • 
  2 minor detrimental properties 
   
     Spells.  The necklace of the Plumed Serpent 
  has 7 charges when found and regains 1d4+3 
  charges every morning as the sun rises.  An 
  attuned wearer can use an action and expend 1 
  or more charges to cast the following spells 
  (save DC 18): breathsense (TWC-1, 1 charge), 
  conjure animals (5th level version, bird or snake 
  beasts only, 2 charges), elevate (TWC-1, 1 
  charge), great screech (TWC-1, 3 charges) or 
  Kiltzi’s love (TWC-1, 1 charge). 
   
     Great Beauty.  An attuned wearer’s beauty 
  amplifies greatly.  This effect does not increase 
  the wearer’s Charisma, but any word spoken by 
  the wearer causes humanoids of the opposite sex 
  to react to the wearer as if they were a 
  suggestion (Wisdom save DC 18). 
   
     Covetousness.  Shar intentionally left a portion 
  of her malevolence within the necklace before it 
  was returned to Qotal.  Those who wear the 
  necklace become increasingly covetous of 
  members of the opposite sex.  This curse is 
  unavoidable and can even affect a deity or other 
  being normally immune to charms and 
  enchantments.  The wearer will begin to act 
  irrationally around members of the opposite sex.  
  Jealousy, pettiness and even violence can occur 
  at any moment as determined by the DM.  The 
  only way to stop this curse is to destroy the 
  necklace, either permanently or temporarily (see 
  below).  It affects any who attempt to wear the 
  necklace, not just those who are attuned. 
   
     Destroying the Necklace.  The Necklace 
  cannot be destroyed except through an 
  agreement between Qotal and Shar allows for it.  
  It can be thrown willingly into the fires of 
  Mount Zatal, however, and this will cause the 
  necklace to disappear for 1d100 years.  The 
  necklace will reform somewhere in the True 
  World.  
   
  LOCATION 
   
  The Black Jungle (Far Payit):  All know and 
  avoid the region of Far Payit’s jungles known as 
  the Black Jungle. 
   
  The goddess Shar briefly held Qotal’s divinity 
  when it was contained within the Necklace of 
  the Plumed Serpent and she unleashed her own 
  power through it to decimate a five mile swath 
  of jungle.  All life but the divine perished within 
  the confines of her blast and when the trees 
  eventually grew back, they were literally the 
  color that gave the jungle its name. 
   
  No living creatures dwell within the Black 
  Jungle, but that does not mean it is uninhabited.  
  Undead inhabit the area in the hundreds and 
  while most are well known types; there are 
  others never before seen.  
   
  At the current time, the undead stay within the 
  confines of the wood as they have for centuries, 
  but some say the being known as Camazotz has  
  taken an interest in the region.  Activity has 
  certainly increased and the occasional wandering 
  zombie or skeleton has had to be put down by 
  the jaguar and eagle knights of Tulom-Itzi. 
   
  What will become of the jungle and its undead 
  inhabitants in the near future remains to be seen. 
   
     Game effects.   All undead in the Black Jungle 
  gain advantage against turning attempts and to 
  magic with the pluma or hishna tags. 
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Maztica 5e/TWM1 - Diamond Eyes - A True World Tale of Betrayal [5e].pdf