5th Edition Rules,

1st Edition Feel Necromancer

fifth Edition
compatible Games
 Quests of Doom=

Quests of Doom
Volume 1
Authors: Casey W. Christofferson, J. Collura, Michael Curtis,
Matt Finch, Scott Greene, Ed Greenwood, Clark Peterson,
James M. Ward, Bill Webb, Skip Williams, Steven Winter
Layout ,Typesetting, Cover Design: Charles A. Wright
Cover Art: Rowena Aitken
Cartography: Robert Altbauer, Ed Bourelle, Conan Venus
Developer: Steven Winter Interior Art: Chris McFann, Andrew DeFlice, Brian LeBlanc
Editors: Steven Winter, Merric Blackman

Necromancer Games is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast™.

We make no claim to or challenge to any trademarks held by Wizards of the Coast™.

Necromancer Games, Inc., 2015, all rights reserved.

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Necromancer Games Inc.’s Product
Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Game Content:
product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures;
characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols,
designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other
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or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity. Previously released Open Game Content is
excluded from the above list.

Necromancer
Games
5th Edition Rules,
1st Edition Feel

1
 Quests of Doom=

Table of Contents
Credits.................................................................................................p. 1

Bugs & Blobs

Noble Rot by J. Collura.......................................................................... p. 4
Hidden Oasis by Matt Finch & Bill Webb................................................... p. 18

Demons & Devils

Ra’s Evil Grin by Casey W. Christofferson & Bill Webb............................... p. 38
Sorcerer’s Citadel by Casey W. Christofferson & Bill Webb...........................p. 46

Giants & Dragons

The Dead From Above by Michael Curtis.................................................... p. 56
Emeralds of Highfang by Ed Greenwood..................................................... p. 75

Lycanthropes & Elementals

Bad Moon Rising by Steven Winter..........................................................p. 92
Death in Dyrgalas by Skip Williams.........................................................p. 106

Men & Monstrosities

Deep in the Vale by James M. Ward.........................................................p. 120
Irtep’s Dish by Casey W. Christofferson....................................................p. 133

Vampires & Liches

Pyramid of Amra by Bill Webb & Clark Peterson........................................ p. 162
Sewers of the Underguild by Bill Webb & Clark Peterson.............................. p. 178

Legal Appendix..................................................................................... p. X

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Bugs
&
Blobs
3
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs

The Noble Rot By J. Collura

The Noble Rot is a location-based adventure for characters of 5th to 8th assassin’s guild. Whichever way you play it, there are no wrong choices.
level. This adventure can be played in one or two sessions of reasonable One final note is that the Author would caution against making this a
length. It is a straightforward, haunted house-style adventure. brewery. There is a particularly vile and wretched brewmaster that may be
The story revolves around Le Chateau Gluant, a vineyard and winery of found in a future Necromancer Games book that would take an exception
repute. Vintages of its famous white (chardonnay) and red blend (cabernet to making a winery into a brewery.
sauvignon) are sought throughout the land. Some vintages can bring up to
200 gp per bottle from the right buyer. A case (twelve bottles) of the wine
in pristine condition can fetch up to 1,500 gp. Unfortunately, the winery
fell upon dark days and the prized wine has not flowed from its cellars for
Background
a few years. This adventure begins when characters enter the vicinity of Le Chateau
Approximately five years ago, the head winemaker, Malcolm Roth, Gluant. The chateau can be placed in any remote area. Obviously a small
hired Tobias Suey as an apprentice. Unfortunately for Roth, Suey was a estate full of ooze and undead is unlikely to be right around the bend from
member of the Cultus Limus (Cult of the Ooze). The Cultus Limus makes
a busy town. Thus a remote area is necessary.
sacrifices to its demonic master Lumaszu in her faceless form. Lumaszu
The climate and geography can be any temperate clime. It would not be
or “she who erases” is an ancient demoness who preys upon travelers
by drinking their blood. She is the cause of nightmares, pestilence,
infestation of pure water, and a bringer of disease, sickness, and death.
Her worshipped form in Cultus Limus is that of a gigantic ooze.
Suey turned the field hands who tended the vines against the winemaker.
Rumors
Then the new cult turned its attention to the Gluant family. Eventually the 1. The chateau has been abandoned for at least three years.
cult members started preying on each other. With each sacrifice to the 2. The chateau produced wines for over 200 years.
ooze, Suey’s power grew—until there was no one left but Suey. 3. The red and white wines the chateau produced are equally
The whim of demons is fickle. Suey was blighted and corrupted for his prized.
work. Now he deep in the cellars under the chateau as a minor ooze demon. 4. The chateau sourced its oak barrels from a cooper who lived
His handiwork, however, remains. The chateau is now the abode of its on the property.
former residents and workers, in undead form. Also slimes, molds, fungi, 5. The chateau is the hangout of a gang of highwaymen. [False]
and other foulness fester in the fields, buildings, and cellars. The riches 6. Beware of the vines around the chateau. Some of them move
of the Gluant family remain undisturbed; would-be thieves and robbers like snakes.
quickly fall prey to the current residents. Besides normal valuables, cases 7. The family that owned the chateau was very wealthy.
of wine remain undisturbed and waiting to be plundered. 8. The Gluant family that owned the chateau were demon
The title The Noble Rot refers to a few factors in this adventure. The worshippers. [False]
first is the rot that befell the Gluant family in the form of the Cultus Limus. 9. The undead walk in the night around the chateau.
Another is actual noble rot disease that may aid the PCs in overcoming 10. Under no circumstance should you open the old crushing
the challenges posed. The phrase also refers to a real-world gray fungus, tank.
Botrytis cinerea, which in the right conditions creates world-class dessert 11. Bring fire and oil with you. The dead and muck are both
wines such as French sauternes. In the wrong conditions, it destroys alive, but fear fire.
grapes and is known as gray rot. 12. Brimstone (sulfur) is good for killing rot.
13. Some winemakers used sulfur to kill rot and preserve wine.
14. If you go to the chateau, bring a priest who can turn away
Notes for the GM the unliving.
15. Deep beneath the chateau are the cellars where the most
The Noble Rot is a straightforward location-based adventure. Each prized wines were stored.
location operates fairly independently of the others. The slime in one area 16. A cult of demon worshippers caused the downfall of the
is not going to communicate with creatures in other areas. This is a good chateau.
adventure for a new GM, because of its simplicity. 17. The Gluant family collected silverwork and kept it hidden
The GM is strongly recommended to make this adventure his or her in their quarters.
own. For example, there are rooms in the upper Chateau that are available 18. A cult of demon worshippers met secretly in the caves
for the GM to script. Also a bit of knowledge about winemaking is not below the chateau.
only recommended but also highly encouraged! For those of legal age, 19. In one of the wine bottles, the Gluant family kept a djinn.
sampling some of the types of wines discussed in the adventure might [False]
help to bring certain scenes to life. Also, you may never look at certain 20. There is a secret entrance to the caverns from the upper
wines the same way after the Crushing Room encounter. level. It is a ladder built into the walls.
So before you start rolling d20s, put the dice down, grab a goblet of 21. If you find sulfur, be sure to not mix it with water. That will
wine (or grape juice) and read this adventure thoroughly before starting to make a witches’ brew that can melt anything.
play. Make notes, change names, understand the situation in the chateau, 22. There was a cult called the Cultus Limus. The fall of the
and take ownership of the adventure. It may be that instead of a winery, the chateau appears to be its handiwork.
chateau specialized in producing herbalist concoctions or poisons for an
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 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
logical to place a vineyard in an icy fjord or on a tropical island. A remote is overrun with the gray fungus that causes noble rot disease. This can
hillside location is ideal. be both an obstacle and an opportunity for the characters. There are no
In some campaigns, it may be the adventurers are desperately seeking descriptions in the adventure of where or when characters must check
money. The liquid treasure in the cellars might be just the type of treasure to see whether they succumb to the disease. A good rule of thumb would
that suits the GM better than the characters. Sometimes it’s good to be that at the end of every hour spent within the walls of the chateau,
replace easily-spent gold with items that are not fungible so the GM has characters must make a successful DC 10 Con check or contract noble
more control over the adventurers’ cash flow. Each bottle found in this rot. You can make this check easier or more difficult, and make it more or
adventure is an opportunity for a side adventure, as characters seek out less frequent, depending on how badly you want the characters to get sick.
reputable (or disreputable) merchants to buy the wine. Some bottles have A character who becomes infected with noble rot loses 1d3 points of
spoiled, and if the spoilage goes unnoticed, a wine merchant who bought Constitution, but he or she also gains 1d6 points in the prime attribute of
faulty merchandise is likely to come looking for his money back—or their class (other than Constitution). Both effects last 2d6 + 12 hours or
possibly seeking bloodier revenge—and always at the worst possible time. until the character is cured of the disease magically.
The chateau grounds have three areas. The first is a low wall and the The signs of the disease are a gray pallor to the skin, profuse sweating,
vineyard. This also includes a few outer buildings where the former and terrible body odor. Everything the diseased character tastes, including
workers used to live and work. The second area is the chateau itself. This water, is exceedingly sweet. The disease is not contagious from person to
is a large manor house with three levels. The third area is the cellars, a person. It can only be acquired by being in contact with the gray fungus.
cave system that expands into the bedrock below the chateau. Deep in the There is no mundane cure other than to let the disease run its course.
caves is the lair of Suey, the ooze demon. Magical cures work normally. A character who recovers from the disease
The entire area is permeated with corruption and evil. Any attempt to becomes immune to it.
detect evil registers evil all around, which is generally useless information.
The weather is up to you. It would be very appropriate for the chateau
to be experiencing a mild storm with random lightning strikes. Visiting Descriptions and Searches
the chateau in the evening or night would also increase the ambiance of
this haunted house. Each encounter begins with a description for the GM. This is not meant
Local knowledge about the chateau is sparse. Locals are aware that the to be read aloud to the players. It lists the bare essentials for running
chateau has not been producing its famous vintages for a few years. It is the encounter with a few items of flavor. You should paraphrase this
also rumored that something vile befell the chateau. But because of its information to your players, using your own words and style.
remoteness, no one has bothered to check on it. The Rumor Table provides Some encounters also include a paragraph labeled “Search.” This
snippets of information about the chateau, with more useful pieces of describes additional features or items that can be found by characters who
information being higher on the table. invest a few minutes in an active search, not just a quick scan of the area.
A paragraph labeled “Fine” describes features that will be found only by
the most diligent searchers. Characters don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes,
Adventure Hooks but they do need to spend at least ten minutes conducting a thorough
Search: You can call for a Perception or Investigation skill check during
these searches if you like, but we prefer to rely on the players’ diligence
The most obvious way to begin the adventure is also the easiest: the
and care in these cases rather than on their luck with dice.
PCs simply happen upon the “abandoned” chateau as they’re traveling in
a remote area. Perhaps it offers respite during a storm. Maybe the PCs are

The Vineyard
familiar with the wines of Chateau Gluant and want to explore the ruins
for a bottle. If that doesn’t work for your campaign, several alternatives
are offered below.
• Someone hires the PCs to recover a case of Chateau Gluant. This
could be a merchant guild that is looking to make a small pile of gold, or
it could be a benefactor who the PCs have worked with in the past and to
A. Outer Wall and Entrance
whom they owe a favor. A simple cobblestone wall surrounds the entire estate and vineyard. It
• Characters hear a tragic story about someone who visited the chateau is only 4 feet high, so characters can climb over it easily at any location.
and was never seen again. This could be a farmer’s wife who made it to The wall has fallen into disrepair. There are loose stones in many places
a walled town and is pleading passersby for assistance against whatever and a few locations where the wall has collapsed completely. At the main
befell her husband. Or it might be a princeling and his retainers who went entrance, a rusted signpost proclaims “L Ch t au luant—Vin Sup ior.”
missing, or a distant relative of one of the characters. Many of the letters have fallen to the ground. There is also a side entrance
• A third hook is that the PCs are on the run from the law, from a that once had a wooden gate. All that remains of the gate are two rusty
local band of thugs, or from the assassin’s guild or some other underworld hinges. If, after you’ve described the dilapidated condition of the wall,
element, and they need a remote spot to lay low until the heat blows over. anyone climbs it without first checking its solidity, then roll 1d6; on a 1 or
This hook is particularly promising for unsavory parties. The chateau with 2, the wall collapses on that reckless character and does 1d4 bludgeoning
its reputation for being haunted is a good hideout. damage.
• Perhaps a cleric character has a vision of abject horror, along with Search: A stretch of wall can be found where some previous intruder
instructions from his or her deity to destroy it and an inkling of where to scratched or chalked a dwarven rune onto the stone that signifies safe
find it. Alternatively, a priest at a local temple could have the vision but passage. This 40-foot section of wall is perfectly solid.
lacks the courage, stamina, or ability to do something about it.
Whatever the hook, be mindful of what motivates your players. Some
players enjoy roleplay, some focus on combat, and some just want the
loot. Use those desires to your advantage.
B. Living Vines
Originally the area within the low wall held orderly rows of vines.

Noble Rot Disease

To the west were vines with varieties of red grapes (“black berries,” in
the parlance of winemakers). This included cabernet sauvignon, merlot,
cabernet franc, and petite verdot. To the east were vines with varieties of
At many places throughout the adventure, characters will come into white. These vines were exclusively chardonnay.
contact with various aspects of winemaking, including the vines, the barn, Today the vineyard is one tangled mass of grapevines and brush. Where
the crushing facility, and the wine itself. Everything inside the chateau once there were hand-pruned vines and cleared, gravelly rows, now there
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 the Noble Rot
is only wild, untended growth. The vines no longer produce the noble buyer, the unspoiled wine is worth up to 125 gp per bottle. The zombies
varietals. Instead the berries are putrid green. Some are shriveled while and olive slime have no treasure, but one of the zombies has the key to the
others are overly large. Instead of the sweet juice of what Galileo called lock for Area D in a rotting pouch on its belt.
captured or trapped sunshine, the berries contain a foul-smelling fluid
similar to pus. (Olive Slime Zombie x8: AC 9, 26 hp; +3 to hit, 1d8 + 1
The chateau and its surrounding buildings can be reached only by bludgeoning damage and the target must make a
plowing through the mass of vines. The low wall contained the sick vines successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the olive
within the property, but in some places, they grow up to 15 feet high. slime smeared on it. If the olive slime is not noticed and
To get through this extremely dense, tough tangle, characters must removed within two minutes, the creature loses 1 point of
either use magic (freedom of movement, gaseous form, flight) or they must Constitution and is infested with olive slime; collapses into
hack a path through. The plants won’t burn; they’re too slimy. A character a full-strength pool of olive slime when slain)
cutting a path must have a suitable slashing weapon. The character can
advance a number of feet per minute equal to his or her Strength modifier (Olive Slime Zombie Horse x2: AC 8, 30 hp; +4 to hit, 1d8
+ proficiency bonus; for example, a 5th-level character with Strength 16 + 2 bludgeoning damage and the target must make a
can advance 5 feet per minute. Hacking creates a path 2 feet wide. successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the olive slime
Fine Search: Exceptional eyes may find the remains of former smeared on it; if olive slime is not removed within two
adventurers who tried to traverse the vineyard. Rusty weapons or an minutes, the creature loses 1 point of Constitution and is
old, dented helm might be found, but the real prize is a sack of small, infested with olive slime; collapses into a full-strength pool
semiprecious stones worth 115 gp and a potion of lesser restoration. of olive slime when slain)
Living Vines: For every 10 minutes characters spend in the vineyard,
roll 1d6. On a result of 5 or 6, they are attacked by a living vine. These (Olive Slime: AC 11, 14 hp; +3 to hit, target creature must
creatures are described fully in the “New Monsters” appendix at the make a successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice
end of the adventure. Whether each living vine has the remains of other the olive slime that dripped onto it; if olive slime is not
adventurers and their belongings scattered around it is up to you. removed within two minutes, the creature loses 1 point of
Constitution and is infested with olive slime)
(Living Vine: AC 12, 33 hp; +6 to hit, 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning
damage and the target is grappled [tendril], plus +6 to
hit a grappled creature, 2d4 + 3 piercing damage [bite],
plus automatic hits against up to 3 creatures grappled at
D. Cooper House and Workshop
the start of the vine’s turn, 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning damage This modest three-room house and workshop is near the stable. It was
[constrict]) the former home of the Gluant family cooper. The cooper is an important
person in the running of any winery. The Gluants used fine oak from a

C. Barn
nearby forest to make barrels for aging their wines. While most wines
in the area were not aged, the Gluants developed techniques to control
oxidation that could ruin the wine. A key factor in these techniques was
The barn is a rickety wooden structure. It is two stories tall. There are the skill of the master cooper and his apprentices.
no windows. The roof of the barn is thick with a sickly green moss. The That is all in the past, as the master cooper was one of the first to be
moss is actually a mass of olive slime. The olive slime won’t move to sacrificed to the demon. An apprentice named Rall betrayed him. This
attack the PCs—unless the barn itself collapses. led to the deaths of the master cooper and his family. Rall was richly
The barn has a single set of double doors. The doors are chained rewarded for his treachery; Suey slit his throat and practiced his power
together with a fairly simple lock (can be picked with a successful DC by raising Rall as a ghoul and then locking him inside the cooper’s house
12 Dex check and a set of thieves’ tools). Written in Common in blood and workshop.
(which may be difficult to see at night) are the words “DO NOT OPEN.” The house has a double-door entrance with a normal lock (can be
The inside of the barn used to house the tools and carts that were used in picked with a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 10 Dex check).
the vineyard. During the downfall, some of the field hands used the tools The key for this lock can be found on one of the zombies in Area C. The
to fend off attack and carted away what they could as they escaped. The door is below an overhang that functioned as a porch for the residence.
barn was left empty except for two draft horses. Later, the Cultus Limus There are shuttered windows adjacent to the door on the side that served
members found having undead wandering around was a nuisance, so they as the master cooper’s residence. The shutters are stuck shut; they can be
rounded up the slime zombies and caged them in the barn. forced open with a successful DC 12 Strength check.
Along with the eight slime zombies are what’s left of the draft horses: The door opens into the former cooper’s workshop. The workshop
two slime zombie horses. None of these zombies has had anything to eat was ransacked before Rall was locked up. There are a few metal tools, an
for years, so they are lethargic when characters first enter the barn. The anvil, and a brazier. Hanging from the ceiling are many loops of metal that
prospect of fresh meat quickly rouses them. the cooper used when forming his barrels. In one end is a pile of sawdust
The barn is so near to collapse that fighting inside it is very dangerous; and wood scraps. Making their home in the debris pile is a swarm of rats.
every melee attack and concussive spell has a chance to bring it down. Adjacent to the cooper’s workshop is the large room where the cooper
Every attack roll that results in a 2–5 causes damage to the barn; a natural lived. All of the furniture was smashed to bits by Rall when he realized he
1 on an attack roll is a critical hit against the barn. Roll damage normally was trapped. A single set of drawers survived. It is propped against one
for these attacks; when accumulated damage on the barn reaches 20, of the walls.
it collapses, doing 3d6 bludgeoning damage to everything inside. This A small bedroom is connected to the cooper’s room by a half-open door.
also brings the olive slime on the roof down onto the combatants. Each This room contains a single chair and a bed with a moldy mattress. There
character has a 1-in-6 chance of being hit directly by falling olive slime, is a misshapen lump on the bed, under a torn blanket. This is the rotting
and another 1d6 randomly-located patches of it drop into the ruins of the corpse of one of the cooper’s adult sons. Rall is beneath the bed. He is
barn. almost certain to hear them in the main room, unless the characters take
Search: A search of the barn will find a small crate in the corner of extensive precautions against making noise. When a character approaches
a former stall. In the crate are three vintages of the chateau Gluant red within a few feet of the bed, Rall springs up and dumps the mattress and
blend. The bottles have the famous red wax seal with the Gluant crest (the corpse onto the unsuspecting characters. This trick earns him tactical
head of an eagle) emblazoned in the wax. Unfortunately, two are spoiled. advantage on his initiative roll.
One is obviously spoiled, with a large crack down the neck of the bottle. Search: Beneath the refuse pile in the workshop is a small sack of 20
The other is not noticeable, as the crack is along the red seal. To the right cp. However, these are rare coins that could be sold to the right seller for
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 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs

100 gp! In the set of drawers in the family room are a silver mirror and a vineyard, thanks to the spell cast on it by a previous group of adventurers
leaky flask of oil. seeking a fresh water source. That’s what caused the faint magical residue.
Fine Search: The cooper was a stingy man who hoarded his earnings.
He stuffed his money into a secret alcove in the wall between his bedroom
and the workshop. The cache can be found with an extensive search and a F. Huts
successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check. The hiding spot behind a loose
board in the paneling contains 196 gp in a flour sack. Behind the chateau are seven huts where field workers and other staff
lived. Originally these had individual garden plots for the families of the
(Rall [Ghoul]: AC 12, 22 hp; +2 to hit, 2d6 + 2 piercing workers, but the vines have taken over the entire area. Within the huts
damage [bite]; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage and are meager possessions that are unlikely to interest any PC. Feel free,
the target must make a successful DC 10 Con saving however, to flesh out this area and add extra monsters or traps to suit
throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute or until it makes a yourself and your players. Alternatively, if you don’t want the players to
successful save at the end of its turn) waste time investigating an area where there’s nothing to be found, the
huts could all be collapsed, burned, or destroyed by some other means.
(Swarm of Rats: AC 10, 24 hp; +2 to hit, 2d6 piercing
damage, or 1d6 piercing damage if the swarm has 12
or fewer hp [bite]; can enter and remain in another
creature’s space and move through tiny openings) Chateau, Ground Floor
E. Well 1-A. Entry
Outside of the chateau is a circular stone well. It has no bucket or pulley. The chateau itself looks like a small castle. It is two stories tall and
There is a faint residue of magic around the well that can be detected with has tall, narrow windows that resemble arrow slits on all sides. Where a
a successful DC 10 Int (Arcana) check. The well is 40 feet deep and has window is wide enough for a person to squeeze through, there are metal
clear water at the bottom. If light is shined down the well, something can bars that make entry impossible for all but the smallest of PCs (Small
be seen twinkling under the water. characters of Str 9 or less, stripped of all armor and gear). There are small
Climbing down the inside of the well should be easy because of the minarets and faux stone towers at each end. These towers don’t serve any
large stones lining it, but the stones are slimy and slippery; climbing down purpose other than decoration.
or up without a rope requires a successful DC 15 Dex check. Falling into A row of six gargoyles perches along the front of the building. One
the shallow water does one-half the normal falling damage. gargoyle is alive, and the other five are stone carvings. The living gargoyle
The reflecting item under the water is merely a shiny tin cup. The water is impossible to distinguish, but a careful search of the bushes along the
is fresh, however, and clear of any taint from the slimy evil infecting the front of the building reveals the original stone carving that the gargoyle
8
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 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
toppled from the roof so it could take that spot. If the party contains a If characters free the pulley, the platform crashes down to this level. It’s
gnome character, the gargoyle is sure to attack and try to fly off with such immediately followed by a gelatinous cube that was trapped in the shaft by
a tasty morsel. The gargoyle has no treasure. the cult. The cube oozes through the opening like jell-o before bouncing
The main entrance to the chateau is up a set of wide stone stairs. On back to its typical size and shape. Because it’s entirely transparent, only
each side of the stairs are statues of griffons. They’ve been broken and those characters who make a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check
defaced with filth and muck. The double oaken doors are unlocked. One is see the ooze. Everyone else sees a human skeleton that appears to “float”
stuck tight, but the other opens easily. through the opening and hover before them. It wears a silver necklace (10
Beyond the door is a two-story foyer. A curved staircase leads to the gp) that also appears to float around its neck.
upper level. The staircase is rotten. There is a 1-in-4 chance that a character
weighing over 200 pounds (most Medium characters in armor meet these (Gelatinous Cube: AC 6, 84 hp; +4 to hit, 3d6 acid damage;
criteria) crashes through the staircase, taking 1d4 bludgeoning damage. can enter another creature’s spaces as it moves, and that
If the stairs break three times, the entire staircase collapses, causing 2d6 creature must make a successful DC 12 Dex saving throw
bludgeoning damage to everyone on it. or take 3d6 acid damage and be engulfed; engulfed
There is evidence of combat in the foyer: broken arrows, an axe handle, creatures take 6d6 damage at the start of the cube’s
blood stains, and scorch marks. It was here that Master Gluant made his turns, are restrained, and can’t breathe; an engulfed
last stand before being dragged off to the sacrificial pit. creature can escape or be pulled free with a successful
On either side of the foyer are double doors. One leads to the parlor DC 12 Str check)
(Area 1-B) and the other to the ballroom (Area 1-D).
Search: Beneath the stairs is a small room where the porter slept on
a cot. The porter pilfered two bottles of the white Chateau Gluant wine. 1-D. Ballroom
Both are in good condition (65 gp each to the right buyer).
The ballroom was once an architectural marvel. The entirely wooden
(Gargoyle: AC 15, 52 hp; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 piercing damage structure, from the floorboards to the tall ceiling, was made without the
[bite] and +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 slashing damage [claws]) use of a single nail, touch of cement, or stone. It was appropriately made
of fine oak stained a rich, dark brown. A relief carving of the Gluants
still stands proudly over a large marble fireplace. The ballroom cost the
1-B. Parlor Gluants a small fortune.
Now, boards are leaned across the narrow windows, with benches and
The parlor adjacent to the foyer is in fairly good shape. There are bookcases pushed against them to hold them in place. Ruined furniture is
long couches, a large marble bar, and numerous stuffed animals. The thrown about the room. A patina of dust covers everything. Some cultist
trophies include a buffalo head, a moose head, a complete brown bear, thought it would be a good idea to burn a pile of furniture in the center of
many rabbits, a woodchuck, and a beaver. This was a tasting room of the room but it was extinguished by Suey, leaving a burn scar and a heap
sorts for the Gluants. Here they would entertain merchants and passing of smashed, blackened chairs.
aristocracy. The trophies from Gluant’s hunts would be the usual and Search: Disturbing the remains of the bonfire also disturbs a swarm of
boring conversation topics. rats that made the pile their home.
In the fireplace is a mostly-burned but still recognizable stuffed lynx.
One of the less intelligent cult members tried to burn it for heat but gave (Swarm of Rats: AC 10, 24 hp; +2 to hit, 2d6 piercing
up partway through when he discovered it didn’t burn very well. Lurking damage, or 1d6 piercing damage if the swarm has 12
in the ashes is a gray ooze. It quivers slightly when characters enter or fewer hp [bite]; can enter and remain in another
the room, causing the burned lynx and the ashes to move visibly. Any creature’s space and move through tiny openings)
character who decides to stab their weapon into the ash might regret it.
Fine Search: Within the stuffed bear’s head cavity are a couple of large Fine Search: There is a silver locket worth 20 gp under an overturned
rubies (75 gp each) that Master Gluant kept in case of emergency. table. The locket contains a silhouette of the winemaker and his wife.

(Gray Ooze: AC 8, 22 hp; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning

damage plus 2d6 acid damage and metal armor loses 1-E. Winemaker’s Quarters
1 pt. of AC; nonmagical metal weapons that strike the
ooze gain a cumulative –1 penalty on damage and are Near the stairs to the cellar level are the winemaker’s quarters. The door
destroyed if the penalty reaches –5). is locked and the key was dissolved into Suey the Ooze Demon, but the
lock can be opened with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 10 Dex check.
The room is covered in cobwebs and dust but largely untouched by the
1-C. Kitchen cultists. There is a large down bed, a desk, and a rickety wooden chair. The
chair has a 5-in-6 chance of breaking if anyone sits in it.
Unlike most of the chateau, the kitchen saw service for many months Suey used the room briefly during the early stages of the takeover, when
after the fall of the Gluant family. The Cultus Limus used the kitchen as he still had ideas of spreading chaos and terror across the surrounding
a commissary and meeting place. Thus there are a number of outdoor countryside. A crude map of the surrounding area is pinned to the tabletop.
wooden tables and benches wedged into the room. The oven is fairly Search: The desk is locked (DC 10 Dex check to open) and is trapped
clean. The room has been cleared of any cleavers, knives, or means of with a poison needle (DC 15 Wis [Perception] check to notice and avoid).
making fire. A character jabbed by the needle must make a successful DC 12 Con
At one end of the kitchen is a crude dumb waiter. It has a 5 foot by 2 saving throw against poison. If the saving throw fails, the character takes
foot opening covered by a wooden door on sagging hinges. Alongside 2d6 poison damage immediately and must repeat the saving throw at the
the door is another opening in the wall containing two ropes; pulling end of every long rest. If the saving throw fails, the character takes another
on one raises the dumbwaiter, and pulling the other lowers it. The shaft 2d6 poison damage and does not recover any hit points or hit dice from
rises to the master’s quarters (Area 2-A) on the floor above. The platform that long rest. The poisoning ends when the character makes a successful
is currently between floors. The pulley is jammed with muck and both saving throw or when it’s neutralized by magic. Inside the desk is a diary
ropes are coated with slime, so it would take either a successful DC 15 written in Abyssal. The journal details how Suey tricked the winemaker
Str check or 15 minutes of rather icky cleaning work to make the dumb to gain Gluant’s confidence, then turned most of the workers to his cause
waiter operational. and took over the winery. It ends with descriptions of how Suey turned
10
the Noble Rot

11
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
on the cult members and killed them, one by one, until only he remained. The metal plate that’s hanging in the air above the first bucket won’t
Fine Search: Under a floorboard is a large jug of Chateau Gluant wine. move unless a rudimentary brake is loosened. Unless characters with
It is in pristine condition and to the right buyer is worth 200 gp a combined Strength modifier of +4 or more are holding the capstan,
the plate smashes down, doing 5d6 bludgeoning damage to anyone
in the bucket. At the same time, the capstan spins wildly and its long

Chateau, Upper Floor wooden handles do 2d6 bludgeoning damage to anyone who’s standing
next to it.
If the metal plate is lifted (with the capstan) from the second bucket,

2-A. Master’s Quarters or its spigot is turned, or the bucket is smashed or cut open, then the wine
slime lurking in the second bucket bursts out and attacks. This wine slime
is pinkish in hue (it began its existence as a white zinfandel).
The master’s quarters were looted after his demise. Most of the furniture
has been shredded or torn apart. There is a large bed in the middle of the (Wine Slime: AC 8, 52 hp; +4 to hit x2, 3d6 + 2 bludgeoning
floor. It is at an off angle as if it was pulled to the center of the room and damage and the target must make a successful DC 12
forgotten. The sheets are missing, as are three of the four corner posts. In Con saving throw or be intoxicated [poisoned] for 1 hour
the far corner are a small desk and a stool. [pseudopod])
Sitting on the stool is a skeletal form with long, slimy, gray hair. The
skeleton’s back is to the entry. The form is the former Lady Gluant.
She looks rotted and frozen. She holds a large silver brush as if she is
brushing her hair. The cultists brought her body here after her demise.
3-C. The Barrel Room
Suey positioned her doing what he thought was her favorite pastime. A At the end of the long ramp in the crushing room is another stone
close inspection reveals that bits of twine and wire are propping the body archway that leads into the barrel room. At one time, dozens of barrels
in position. sat for years on racks in the storage area, gently adding notes of oak to
The dumbwaiter from Area 1-C terminates here. The opening is covered the wine.
by two shutters. If the shutters are opened, the gelatinous in the shaft does
Unfortunately, with the cult drinking most of the wine and the damp
nothing; it is a few feet below the opening. Anyone foolish enough to
conditions introduced by their activities, the barrels in the room have
jump into the dark shaft gets what coming to them. There is no way to
almost all spoiled into vinegar. While the vinegar is not acidic enough to
raise or lower the dumb waiter from this room.
do damage a weapon, it is very unpleasant tasting.
Search: The silver brush Lady Gluant holds is worth 70 gp. On the
Search: If PCs search the barrels for good wine, they have a 1-in-20
back of the desk is a compartment that can be found only if the desk is
chance of finding a barrel of acceptable wine. Only two barrels out of the
pulled away from the wall. Inside is a large sapphire worth 50 gp.
50 in the room are still drinkable. Each barrel could fill 300 bottles and
has a value of over 30,000 gp to the right buyer! You can adjust this price

Chateau Cellar
up or down to suit your campaign. Finding an NPC who’s prepared to
spend that kind of cash on a barrel of wine should be a challenging quest
in itself. It is possible that in the process of opening and tasting the barrels,
PCs allow too much oxygen in, which oxidizes and ruins the wine by the
3-A. The Gathering Room time they find a buyer. A character who has a background in winemaking
knows this automatically, and others can realize the risk with a successful
The rear entrance to the chateau is down an earthen ramp. The entrance DC 15 Int (Nature) check.
is two large barn doors that easily slide open. Within the cobbled stone Set in the north wall of the room is a wide, heavily-rusted metal gate
room, the field workers would bring carts of grapes for sorting. Ironically, sealing off a natural cavern. A successful DC 15 Str check is needed to
the field workers and their wives would spend hours removing any grapes force it open.
with the faintest taint or rot. Once sorted into large wooden baskets, the
grapes would be taken through an archway to Area 3-B, the crushing
room. 3-D. The Bottling Room
Currently there are a number of overturned carts and smashed baskets
in this room. The smell of mold and must is more prevalent here than in In this room, aged barrels would be placed on a raised wooden platform
the upper parts of the chateau or outside. In the corner of the room are four so that bottles could be filled through a spigot. The bottles were sealed
skeletal remains. This is a party of adventurers who succumbed to noble with wax in this room, but the master winemaker added the Gluant
rot. The adventurers have a few torches, some moldy clothes, and a few insignia later.
rusty weapons. The room today has a few cases of smashed bottles sitting next to a
Search: One of the dead adventurers is a halfling with a large satchel. couple of empty barrels on the platform. A few bags of cheap red wax sticks
Within the satchel are three bottles of white Chateau Gluant that are in are nearby. The most important item here is the pile of yellow powder in
fairly good shape (75 gp each). the corner. A character with a background in winemaking or explosives
recognizes it instantly as brimstone (sulfur); anyone else recognizes it
with a successful DC 15 Int (Nature) or Wis (Medicine) check, but only
3-B. The Crushing Room characters with training in those skills can make the attempt.
A secret of the Gluant’s winemaking was the slight addition of sulfur
This long, narrow room slopes downward 15 feet. Near the archway to the wines. The sulfur preserved the wine and acted as an antioxidant to
entrance are two large wine presses. The presses are wooden buckets that prevent the ruining effect of oxidation.
are 5 feet wide and 4 feet tall. A large metal plate hangs above the first Sulfur is toxic. A character who handles it carelessly (inhales it or gets it
bucket; an identical metal plate sits in the second bucket, unconnected to on exposed skin or in clothing) takes 1d4 poison damage per ten minutes
any ropes. Between the buckets is a capstan large enough for four men of handling. It shouldn’t be carried in the hands, pockets, a spare canteen,
to turn. The heavy metal plates could be connected by hooks to pulleys or anywhere it can filter into the character’s clothing or food. Because of
and ropes so they could be raised and lowered by the capstan, one at a its toxicity, a handful of brimstone does 2d6 poison per round to all of the
time. Juice squeezed from the grapes flowed through a spigot into a barrel, slimes and oozes in this adventure, including Suey. It’s up to you how
which could then be rolled down the long ramp to the barrel room (Area many handfuls the characters can safely take with them, but there’s more
3-C). than enough of it here to kill every slime and ooze on the estate.
12
 the Noble Rot
other side. Be sure to mention to whoever opens the door that it resists
3-E. Natural Cavern Entrance when pushed and that it will close again when they let go of it. Unless
characters specifically look behind the door as they push it open, they
Beyond the gate in the barrel room is a natural cavern that winds deep won’t realize that there’s no handle on the other side. A simple spike will
into the bedrock below the chateau. The cavern is 10 feet tall. It has a hold it open, or a quick search and a successful DC10 Int (Investigation)
worn path down the middle of the passage. A rancid stench wafts up from check spots the latch that the cultists used to secure it. If the door closes
the cavern below. If the gate is forced open, ten slime zombies that are behind the characters, it can be opened again only with thieves’ tools and
hidden in shadows along the uneven walls (DC 12 Wis [Perception] check a successful DC 20 Dex (Sleight of Hand) check. Alternatively, it can be
to spot) lurch forward and attack. broken down with 50 points of bludgeoning or force damage.

(Olive Slime Zombie: AC 9, 26 hp; +3 to hit, 1d8 + 1

bludgeoning damage and the target must make a 3-G. Hidden Alcove
successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the olive slime
smeared on it. If the olive slime is not removed within two Beyond the secret door described in Area 3-F is this natural chamber. A
minutes, the creature loses 1 point of Constitution and is narrow passageway wends down the middle between a forest of stalactites
infested with olive slime; collapses into a full-strength pool and stalagmites. The curve to the walkway prevents the tight northern
of olive slime when slain) passage from being seen from the secret door.
This entire room is coated with thick yellow mucus that decreases
speed by half unless a character makes a successful DC 15 Dex saving
3-F. Temple of Lumaszu throw. If failed, the character falls prone and is covered in the disgusting
but harmless ooze.
The temple was a natural cavern that was crudely enlarged into a domed Fine Search: Hidden under a foot of hardened mucus next to a wall is
chamber that arches 40 feet above the floor. Many stalactites remain, a bag of jewels. Inside the bag are many gemstones with a total value of
dripping with toxic ooze. The sludge from the stalactites forms slippery 1,500 gp.
pools around the floor. Normal movement is unimpeded, but any move
over 10 feet during the distraction of combat requires a successful DC 12
Dex (Acrobatics) check to avoid slipping and falling prone. The denizens 3-H. The Slime Demon
of this chamber aren’t affected by its slipperiness.
The floor was roughly cut into a round theatre. Three concentric circles The final chamber is a circular room 30 feet across. The ground is level
surround a central stage. Each circle is 5 feet lower than the next outer and the natural features of the cavern have been hewn away to a slick
circle. The circles were where worshippers of Lumaszu congregated to smoothness. At the entrance is a step down into a pool of slimy, yellow
observe their obscene rites. liquid. The slime is perfectly still. In the middle of the chamber, a small
A stone stage stands 5 feet higher than the lowest circle. The stage stone platform rises above the liquid. On the platform sits a golden idol
is a square platform 30 feet on a side. The stage is covered with arcane (5,000 gp) representing a creature with the body of a human woman, the
symbols and Abyssal script written in blood. Much of the script has been head of a lioness, donkey ears, and lower legs like a bird’s.
scuffed off or washed away by the dripping from above. Rising from the At the feet of the idol are a number of offerings. The dust covering
stage is a massive stone bowl, slightly larger across than the stage and everything makes it apparent that these offerings were placed long ago.
nearly 5 feet tall. The bowl has no markings and appears to be hewn from The offerings include a skull with a large ruby (150 gp) inside it, sacks of
the same stone as the stage. coins (750 gp), a dagger +1, two tomes (Fine Wines and Winemaking by
Above the bowl hang long rusty chains. The chains are connected Robin Peeker worth 115 gp, and Fungi and I by Jay Suchling), a golden
to a pulley high overhead. Near the wall in the northeast corner of the wine goblet encrusted with semiprecious stones (500 gp), and a spellbook.
chamber is a rusted and inoperable winch. The cultists lowered their The contents of the spellbook are up to you.
human sacrifices on chains into the bowl as ecstatic worshippers watched. If anything touches the liquid, it slowly pulls away from the entrance.
Within the bowl are the remains of the winemaker, the Gluants, the Over the next three rounds, it shifts and transforms into an anthropomorphic
workers, a few adventurers, and most of the Cultus Limus. That is to say, shape next to the idol. During this transformation, it has AC 10, but it
the bowl contains a giant ochre jelly. The jelly grew with each sacrifice, also regenerates 20 hit points per round with no reduction for taking cold
but it hasn’t been fed for years. This has the stats of a normal ochre jelly damage. After three rounds, the vestigial wings of the slime demon unfurl
but maximum hit points and three pseudopod attacks per round, making and it attacks. Complete stats for the slime demon can be found at the end
it CR 3 (700 XP). of this adventure.
The ooze is semi-intelligent. When characters approach within 20 Anyone who carries away the idol is plagued by horrible nightmares
feet of the bowl, the ooze thrusts out a pseudopod and attacks someone. for as long as they possess it (they must make a successful DC 15 Wis
Brimstone or sulfur is the safest way to dispatch the ooze. The ooze saving throw at the end of every long rest to gain any benefit from the
would like characters to approach close enough for it to strike them with rest). Additionally, the character makes saving throws against poison and
pseudopods. The bowl provides it with one-half cover from the highest disease with tactical disadvantage while they keep the idol.
level of the chamber and three-quarters cover from everywhere else,
unless the ooze withdraws completely into full cover. If characters can (Slime Demon: AC 16, 105 hp; +7 to hit x2, 3d6 + 2
still attack it while it has full cover (with fireball spells detonated above bludgeoning damage plus 1d8 acid damage
the bowl, for example), the ooze won’t simply hide in its bowl and let [pseudopod] and the target must make a successful DC
itself be killed; it counterattacks to the best of its ability. 13 Dex saving throw or take 1d8 acid damage at the
start of each of the demon’s turns until an action is spent
(Giant Ochre Jelly: AC 8, 72 hp; +4 to hit x3, 2d6 + scraping off slime [acidic slime])
2 bludgeoning damage plus 1d6 acid damage
[pseudopod]; lightning or slashing damage cause the jelly
to split in half)

Search: A ten-minute search of the area finds tracks that lead to secret
door to the hidden alcove (Area 3-G). The door is weighted to spring
closed if it’s not held open, and it’s almost impossible to open from the

13
Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs

14
 the Noble Rot
Skills: Stealth +5

New Monsters Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft.

TRAITS
Olive Slime Defenses: The armor class and hit points listed above
Living Vines are for a Large patch of olive slime in its native environment.
Olive slime on a victim has the victim’s AC and hit points
XP 450 (CR 2) equal to the number of Constitution points the victim has lost.
Unaligned Large plant Olive Slime Infestation: Any amount of olive slime that
Initiative +2 remains in contact with a potential victim for more than
two minutes charms the victim and alters his or her thinking
DEFENSE patterns so that the host’s main concern becomes
AC 12 feeding and protecting the olive slime—including keeping
hp: 33 (6d10) the slime hidden from companions. If anyone tries to
Immunity: Psychic damage; charm, fright, prone, stun, remove the olive slime from the host, the host does
unconsciousness whatever is required to protect the slime, whether it’s
running away or fighting back. As long as the host is alive
OFFENSE and conscious, it will do everything in its power to protect
Speed: 10 ft. the slime, including knocking out or even killing its friends.
Multiattack: A living vine attacks once with a tendril, bites An infested creature suffers the following effects.
once, and constricts up to three times. It can grapple up • It loses 1 point of Constitution immediately when the
to three targets and still make tendril attacks. infestation begins and another 1d6 points of Constitution
Melee Attack—Tendril: +6 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one creature). at the end of each 24-hour period, as the growing olive
Hit: 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning damage and the target is slime replaces the creature’s skin, muscle, and organs
grappled. with olive slime. The olive slime gains hit points equal to the
Melee Attack—Bite: +6 to hit (one creature grappled by the number of Constitution points lost by the victim.
living vine). Hit: 2d4 + 3 piercing damage. • The host must double its normal food intake or lose 1 extra
Melee Attack—Constrict: automatic hit (one creature point of Constitution after each 24 hours. Also, the host
already grappled by the living vine at the start of the does not recover hit points or hit dice after a long rest if it
vine’s turn). Hit: 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning damage. didn’t double its food intake.
• If the host’s Constitution drops to 0, the host dies. Five
STATISTICS minutes later, its body reanimates as an olive slime zombie.
Str 16 (+3), Dex 14 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Olive slime can be burned, cut away, or frozen. Anything
Int 0 (–5), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 3 (–4) that damages the olive slime deals half damage to its host
Languages: None (before doubling for vulnerability in the case of acid, cold,
Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft. or fire damage). Greater restoration ends the olive slime’s
charm effect for two minutes; during that time, the victim
ECOLOGY can cooperate with attempts to remove the slime.
Environment: Temperate or tropical forests or hills
Organization: Solitary or patch (2-12) ECOLOGY
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or colony (2–5)
Olive Slime
XP 0 (CR 0) Olive Slime Zombie
Unaligned Large plant (fungus)
Initiative +1 XP 100 (CR 1/2)
NE Medium plant
DEFENSE Initiative –1
AC 11
hp: 14 (4d10 – 8) DEFENSE
Immunity: Lightning, piercing, and psychic damage; charm, AC 9
fright, prone, stun, unconsciousness hp: 26 (4d8 + 8)
Vulnerability: Acid, cold, and fire damage Immunity: Lightning, piercing, and psychic damage; charm,
fright, stun, unconsciousness
OFFENSE Vulnerability: Acid, cold, and fire damage
Speed: 0 ft.
Melee Attack—Drop: +3 to hit (reach 30 ft.; one creature OFFENSE
beneath the olive slime). Hit: target creature must make a Speed: 20 ft.
successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the olive slime Melee Attack—Fist: +3 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
that dripped onto it. If the olive slime is noticed and removed 1d8 + 1 bludgeoning damage and the target must make a
immediately, it has no effect. If the olive slime is not noticed successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the olive slime
and removed within two minutes, the creature loses 1 point smeared on it. If the olive slime is noticed and removed
of Constitution and is infested with olive slime; see below. immediately, it has no effect. If the olive slime is not noticed
and removed within two minutes, the creature loses 1 point
STATISTICS of Constitution and is infested with olive slime; see below.
Str 1 (–5), Dex 12 (+1), Con 6 (–2),
Int 1 (–5), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 4 (–3) STATISTICS
Languages: None Str 12 (+1), Dex 8 (–1), Con 14 (+2),
15
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
Int 3 (–4), Wis 6 (–2), Cha 4 (–3) removed immediately, it has no effect. If the olive slime
Languages: None is not noticed and removed within two minutes, the
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. creature loses 1 point of Constitution and is infested with
olive slime; see below.
TRAITS
Death Throes: When a slime zombie is reduced to 0 hit STATISTICS
points, it collapses into a full-strength puddle of olive slime. Str 15 (+2), Dex 6 (–2), Con 14 (+2),
Telepathic Bond: A slime zombie is linked telepathically with Int 2 (–4), Wis 6 (–2), Cha 4 (-3)
the patch of olive slime that created it and with all other Languages: None
slime zombies linked to that patch of olive slime. This link Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
has a maximum range of 20 miles. The slime zombie and
olive slime must be on the same plane of existence. TRAITS
Olive Slime Infestation: Any amount of olive slime that Death Throes: When a slime zombie is reduced to 0 hit
remains in contact with a potential victim for more points, it collapses into a full-strength puddle of olive slime.
than two minutes charms the victim and alters his or Telepathic Bond: A slime zombie is linked telepathically with
her thinking patterns so that the host’s main concern the patch of olive slime that created it and with all other
becomes feeding and protecting the olive slime— slime zombies linked to that patch of olive slime. This link
including keeping the slime hidden from companions. has a maximum range of 20 miles. The slime zombie and
If anyone tries to remove the olive slime from the host, olive slime must be on the same plane of existence.
the host does whatever is required to protect the slime, Olive Slime Infestation: Any amount of olive slime that
whether it’s running away or fighting back. As long as remains in contact with a potential victim for more
the host is alive and conscious, it will do everything in its than two minutes charms the victim and alters his or
power to protect the slime, including knocking out or her thinking patterns so that the host’s main concern
even killing its friends. An infested creature suffers the becomes feeding and protecting the olive slime—
following effects. including keeping the slime hidden from companions.
• It loses 1 point of Constitution immediately when the If anyone tries to remove the olive slime from the host,
infestation begins and another 1d6 points of Constitution the host does whatever is required to protect the slime,
at the end of each 24-hour period, as the growing olive whether it’s running away or fighting back. As long as
slime replaces the creature’s skin, muscle, and organs the host is alive and conscious, it will do everything in its
with olive slime. The olive slime gains hit points equal to the power to protect the slime, including knocking out or
number of Constitution points lost by the victim. even killing its friends. An infested creature suffers the
• The host must double its normal food intake or lose 1 extra following effects.
point of Constitution after each 24 hours. Also, the host • It loses 1 point of Constitution immediately when the
does not recover hit points or hit dice after a long rest if it infestation begins and another 1d6 points of Constitution
didn’t double its food intake. at the end of each 24-hour period, as the growing olive
• If the host’s Constitution drops to 0, the host dies. Five slime replaces the creature’s skin, muscle, and organs
minutes later, its body reanimates as an olive slime with olive slime. The olive slime gains hit points equal to the
zombie. number of Constitution points lost by the victim.
Olive slime can be burned, cut away, or frozen. Anything • The host must double its normal food intake or lose 1 extra
that damages the olive slime deals half damage to its host point of Constitution after each 24 hours. Also, the host
(before doubling for vulnerability in the case of acid, cold, does not recover hit points or hit dice after a long rest if it
or fire damage). Greater restoration ends the olive slime’s didn’t double its food intake.
charm effect for two minutes; during that time, the victim • If the host’s Constitution drops to 0, the host dies. Five
can cooperate with attempts to remove the slime. minutes later, its body reanimates as an olive slime
zombie.
ECOLOGY Olive slime can be burned, cut away, or frozen. Anything
Environment: Underground that damages the olive slime deals half damage to its host
Organization: Mob (1–20) (before doubling for vulnerability in the case of acid, cold,
or fire damage). Greater restoration ends the olive slime’s
charm effect for two minutes; during that time, the victim
Olive Slime Zombie (horse) can cooperate with attempts to remove the slime.

XP 100 (CR 1/2) ECOLOGY

NE Large plant Environment: Underground
Initiative -2 Organization: solitary, pair, or herd (3-12)

DEFENSE
AC 8 Slime Demon
hp: 30 (4d10 + 8)
Immunity: Lightning, piercing, and psychic damage; charm, XP 2,900 (Challenge 7)
fright, stun, unconsciousness Chaotic Evil Huge fiend
Vulnerability: Acid, cold, and fire damage Initiative +2

OFFENSE DEFENSE
Speed: 30 ft. AC 16 (natural armor)
Melee Attack—Hooves: +4 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). hp: 105 (10d12 + 40)
Hit: 1d8 + 2 bludgeoning damage and the target must Resistance: Bludgeoning and slashing damage from
make a successful DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the nonmagical weapons
olive slime smeared on it. If the olive slime is noticed and Immunity: Piercing and poison damage; charm, disease,
16
 the Noble Rot
fright, poison, prone, unconsciousness

OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.
Multiattack: A slime demon attacks twice with pseudopods.
Melee Attack—Pseudopod: +7 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one
creature). Hit: 3d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage plus 1d8 acid
damage. The target must make a successful DC 13 Dex
saving throw or be affected by Acidic Slime (see below).

STATISTICS
Str 18 (+4), Dex 14 (+2), Con 19 (+4),
Int 5 (–3), Wis 9 (–1), Cha 10 (+0)
Languages: Abyssal, telepathy 90 ft.
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.

TRAITS
Acidic Slime: Every hit by a slime demon leaves gobs of
acidic slime on the target. A creature that fails a DC 13 Dex
saving throw after being struck by a slime demon takes 1d8
acid damage at the start of each of the demon’s turns until
the creature spends an action scraping off the slime. The
slime has no effect on weapons or tools.
Regeneration: A slime demon heals 10 points of damage at
the start of each of its turns, unless it took cold damage
since its previous turn.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair

Wine Slime
XP 450 (CR 2)
Unaligned Large ooze
Initiative –2

DEFENSE
AC 8
hp: 52 (7d10 + 14)
Resistance: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
from nonmagical weapons
Immunity: Psychic damage; blindness, exhaustion, fright,
paralysis, poison, prone, stun

OFFENSE
Speed: 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Multiattack: A wine slime attacks twice with pseudopods.
Pseudopod: +4 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one creature). Hit: 3d6
+ 2 bludgeoning damage and the target must make a
successful DC 12 Con saving throw or become intoxicated
(with effects identical to poisoning) for 1 hour.

STATISTICS
Str 14 (+2), Dex 6 (–2), Con 15 (+2),
Int 2 (–4), Wis 6 (–2), Cha 1 (–5)
Languages: None
Senses: Tremorsense 30 ft.

TRAITS
Amorphous: A wine slime can move through gaps as small
as 1 square inch without penalty.
Split: If a Medium or Large slime takes slashing or fire damage,
it splits into two new slimes, each one size smaller than the
original and with half the original’s hit points.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Subterranean
Organization: Solitary
17
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs

Hidden Oasis -
Temple of Thoth By Matt Finch and Bill Webb
The Hidden Oasis-Temple of Thoth brings the characters to a hidden
temple of Thoth, god of knowledge, magic, and travel, where they are
confronted with a force of invading extra-dimensional locust creatures
The Final Battle Looming
and the chance to get their hands on an ancient artifact. What band of Now, after centuries, the last resources of the High Priest, Thoth-
heroes could resist the challenge? The adventure is designed for characters Antef, are failing. Thus far he has kept the ceaseless crawling of evil
of levels 7 to 9. from traveling through the sacred gates he protects. His magic items are
spent or worn out, and many of his priests have been killed in the frequent

Background
incursions by those who travel the far dimensions, intending malice and
harm. Now, an ancient peril—sinister beings known as planehoppers—
have broached the arcane wards of the Oasis-Temple from one of their
Deep in the desert sands of lie the ruined remnants of the Hidden own planes of existence. The planehoppers are an insectlike species with
Oasis-Temple of Thoth, once a thriving center of trade and magic, a bizarre caste system, exploring outward to find new colonies and slaves
now abandoned and forgotten. If you are playing this adventure in the for the hive.
Frog God Games Lost Lands world setting, the temple is found in the
Maighib Desert, 300 miles west of the Gorge of Osiris. This sand-swept
region is far from the more familiar environs of Bard’s Gate and the The Cry for Help
Stoneheart Valley, but the characters are brought here (and might even
return from here) by magical means. Since the entrance to the adventure The high priest used his last of three commands to a genie, ordering it to
is a magical portal, the adventure can be used in any campaign without deliver a letter to suitable adventurers. The genie’s letter has already been
difficulty. rejected by several adventuring parties, and the genie is growing desperate.
On a whim, it selects the characters for its next attempt to recruit help for
the priests of the Oasis-Temple. As its own petty bit of vengeance for its
The Wax Plague long servitude, the genie will not offer a piece of information the High
Priest forgot to order it to say. As a result, the characters will most likely
In centuries gone by, the Oasis-Temple of Thoth was a gateway not know that the High Priest of Thoth in the Oasis-Temple, Thoth-Antef,
between worlds, used by the priests of Thoth to travel between various is a massive, transparent slug the size of a horse, with a brain suspended in
strongholds and libraries of the god, even on different planes of existence the middle of its body. Or that the living priests of Thoth are now nothing
and in strange, foreign worlds. Calamity struck, though, in the form of more than barely-intelligent gelatinous cubes.
a deadly curse brought down on the temple by a desert-cult known as

The Adventure Begins

the Sickness Dancers. Their curse infected the entire oasis with a body-
melting disease, the “wax plague,” so called because the features and the
bodies of the afflicted run like melted wax as time passes. The priests of
Thoth, dissolving into formlessness, cast mighty wards upon the temple
to ensure that the plague would not spread through the planar portals and
dimensional gates contained in the temple complex. A great dome formed A tall man dressed in desert robes approaches you and hands
over the oasis, coalescing from the very air as the dying priests chanted you a letter. He holds up three long, thin fingers, and says, “Ask
the mystic words of their final, greatest spell. three questions, and then you must give one answer.”

The Changing of the Priests The letter is a papyrus scroll, which (if tested) has a definite magical
aura, but not an evil one. Eight strange runes are scribed across the top,
The creation of the quarter-mile dome over the entire temple complex almost like a decoration. The symbols are in order:
prevented the wax plague from spreading across the sand and through the 1. A sun
portals of many dimensions, but it could not save the priests of Thoth from 2. A moon
the curse. Utterly changed in mind and body, they fought to maintain the 3. A circle
temple, preventing it from being used by dark forces as a way to move 4. A diamond
from one plane of existence to another, from one world to another, from 5. A book
one dimension to another. Only the High Priest of Thoth retained his mind, 6. A sphinx
for he was not human; the others of the priesthood could only follow his 7. A pyramid
orders as best their broken minds could manage. 8. An ankh
18
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth

The rest of the letter, after the runes, reads as follows. answer the first three questions he is asked. After this, he simply asks the
characters if they accept or decline. If they decline, he holds out his hand
to take the letter back, since he cannot be free until he finds rescuers for
Thoth-Antef. Unless he is specifically asked a question about the shape,
I, Thoth-Antef, once the High Priest of the Great Oasis-Temple
form, condition, or appearance of the priests, he will not mention that the
of Thoth, beseech your help.
High Priest is a giant slug and the ordinary priests are reduced to semi-
The Oasis-Temple of Thoth was once a thriving gateway to
many worlds and dimensions, a place of study and rest, where intelligent skeletons whose flesh has swelled into gelatinous cubes.
travelers could exchange knowledge and trade. The characters may have some knowledge of Sekhmet, Thoth, and even
Then came the Sickness Dancers. They brought the tallow the Scorpion of Sekhmet. If they do not, they might ask the genie.
plague, melting flesh and changing those it did not kill. The Sekhmet is the healer of the gods, a woman with the head of a lioness.
plague would most certainly spread into more planes of existence, Her symbol is a sun disc with a serpent twined around it, and she is
peeling diseased new realities into the multiverse. To prevent this, worshiped by healers. However, the goddess has a darker side as well. She
we sealed the temple, calling on great forces to create a massive came into being as part of a great vengeance of the gods upon humanity,
dome of spells and stone, woven into a net that the tallow plague and it was she who slaughtered the humans and drank their blood. In
could not sneak through. And so the plague died alongside us, addition to her healing side, she is a goddess of retribution, pestilence, and
leaving only the changed ones. searing heat. Her breath is the hot desert wind, and she slays her enemies
We have worked to protect the sealed sanctuary of Thoth, as the with arrows of fire. In fact, it was Sekhmet who sent the Sickness Dancers
wards and protections have worn down through the years. The to Thoth’s temple, in retribution for taking two Scorpions.
portals are constantly being tested by those who would venture Thoth is, as stated in the letter, a god of magic, travel, and knowledge.
through them looking for prey, or for new lands to conquer. Since He has a human body with the long neck and head of an ibis (a bird similar
the days of the temple’s greatness, the worlds outside the gates to a crane or stork). In addition to being the messenger and record-keeper
have changed. Some are new and unmapped, some have gone of the gods, Thoth is the creator of magic and of speech. His temples
bad. It would not be good for the portals to reopen all at once, usually contain libraries, and are rumored to contain portals from one
as they once were. plane of existence to another.
The planehoppers of the Kharn Drauk are at the portals. My The Scorpion of Sekhmet was thought to be legend, but the letter of
resources are spent. Aid me in keeping them back, and I will give Thoth-Antef certainly indicates that it might be a real artifact. It is said to
you a great gift in the name of Thoth—the Scorpion of Sekhmet. be a hollow iron shell in the shape of a scorpion, large enough for several
Go to the arch and speak the words, “Orthanu, Thoth, Orhaptu.” people to sit in. From inside, the scorpion follows the orders it is given,
— Thoth-Antef walking and even attacking things as directed by the controller. As the
characters will discover, there are actually two of the scorpions in the
Oasis-Temple.
The djinni’s name is Periaptes, and he is anxious to fulfill this last If the characters speak the words, “Orthanu, Thoth, Orhaptu,” they are
mission and be free. Nevertheless, he will fairly and scrupulously immediately drawn into the Plane of Shadows (see below).
19
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
Realm of Shadows
You feel a sudden, powerful twist, and find that you are
standing six feet from a ghostly image of yourself. It glows with
what looks like reflected light, but this place is dark, with no
visible source of light to reflect. It is the darkness of shadows,
not the dark of night, but the sun seems to have disappeared. The
only sign of it is the light that somehow reflects on those bright
shadows of yourselves.

The “bright shadows” are the characters’ actual bodies, as seen from
the shadow plane they have entered. They can see the reflected sun on the
bodies because sunlight is indeed shining on them—but in the Material
Plane, not here. If they want to return to the Material Plane, all they need
to do is step into the images, and they will return. If they step into the
wrong image, they will have switched bodies. The physical characteristics
of the new body remain, but the mental characteristics will be those of the
body’s new inhabitant.
The genie does not follow them into the Plane of Shadows. Once the
characters say the magic words, the genie is freed from servitude and
disappears.
Read the following when characters survey what is around them.

Everything appears in shades of gray rather than colors, and

you can see vast, forbidding pyramids in the distance as black
silhouettes against a dark gray horizon. Clouds roll like octopus
ink in the strangely low sky of this place. Directly in front of you
stands an archway.

present on the letter with bare flesh. A creature desiring to use the gate
The characters might be discussing various possibilities at this point. must first touch each symbol from the letter where it’s inscribed on the
Exploring the Plane of Shadow is a bad idea, although not impossible. archway. Once touched, the runes glow a deep red. If touched out of order,
This particular area is infested with shadows and other creatures of the the runes (all of them thus far touched) cease glowing. When all eight
dark, and explorers begin encountering them with some frequency if runes are touched in the correct order, the teleportal effects of the gate are
they set out from the archway in a random direction. The Sword of Air activated. Speaking the activation words then causes the interior of the
adventure from Frog God Games has a significant level of detail on the archway to glimmer with an opaque, silvery sheen. The sheen remains
Shadow Plane. Most likely, even a determined expedition will turn back active for three minutes. Stepping through the archway while the sheen is
from this point. If not, then you’re running an adventure in the Shadow present teleports the individual to the Oasis gate.
Plane and we at Frog God Games salute you as the type of referee who
isn’t afraid to wing it!
Eventually characters should reach the point where they are ready to
inspect the archway. The Oasis
After stepping through the archway, the player characters find
This is a strange, 10-foot-tall metal archway. It is smooth to themselves in an entirely different place, having been teleported to a
the touch and feels slightly warmer than the ambient air. There lush oasis in the desert. Behind them is a gate identical to the one that
is enough room in it for two humans to stand abreast. The metal brought them here. To get back to where they came from through this
itself has an odd-looking bluish tint and is covered in dozens gate, a character must touch the symbols from the letter in reverse order.
of crisp, unweathered hieroglyphs and runes of a strange and Otherwise, the gate operates identically from both sides.
ancient design. No rust or other damage appears to have affected A large expanse of hot, green space now surrounds them. The area is
the metal, although you somehow feel that it has been here for covered with a myriad of palm, date, and olive trees, as well as a sundry
a long time. of large grasses around its edge. Beyond the greenery, a vast expanse of
tan, sandy desert can be seen in all directions. In the center of the oasis is
a pool of water 200 feet wide and 650 feet long. The water of the lake is
Any attempt to damage the archway fails, short of cutting at it with a clean and clear, and quite safe, although it does contain a wide diversity of
+4 or better magical weapon. Doing so creates a large, magical explosion, small invertebrates, insects, and fish. The lake is spring-fed, and the water
teleporting all within 20 feet to a random plane. The whole structure is refreshingly cold (60 degrees Fahrenheit).
radiates strong conjuration magic, and the structure also seems unaffected The temperature in the oasis ranges from high 80s at night to over
by any magic cast at it. 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, which is very uncomfortable for
This archway is in fact a gate to the Oasis-Temple of Thoth. Careful anyone wearing medium or heavy armor. Dotting the area are the remains
inspection of the runes reveals that eight of the symbols match those on of what appears to have been a village of perhaps 100 souls, although
the letter the characters received from the djinn. Speaking the words on the fallen and ruined nature of the structures makes it clear no one has
the letter does nothing, unless first the symbols are touched in the order occupied the village for generations, if not centuries. The buildings are
20
hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth

21
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
constructed of mud bricks. The roofs of palm fronds are long gone, and seen inside its head, but what it is or how it was put inside the crystal
most of the buildings are at least partially collapsed. is unanswerable. If divination spells are used on it, it radiates magic. A
Tiny jerboas (desert mice) hop around the fallen bricks and through the character carrying the carving has a +1 bonus on saving throws once
grass. Occasionally a dung beetle can be seen, rolling its load toward the attuned to the item.
north. A brick path leads in a circle around the lake. The path is completely Golden Cameo: This cameo can be of any relevant Khemitian god or
safe, but if characters travel off the path through the brush, roll 1d20 per goddess, or it could be a scarab beetle or cat if you prefer. It is worth 30 gp.
minute. Someone encounters a horned viper (poisonous snake) on a roll Copper Bead Necklace: This necklace has large beads not only of copper
of 1, or a deathstalker scorpion (scorpion, but with more toxic venom) but also small seashells and semiprecious stones. It is worth 1d6 x 5 gp.
on a roll of 2. Both of these nasty vermin live around the oasis in large Copper Knife: This knife is both sharp and durable. It is a +0 dagger,
numbers. Because of the covering foliage, they surprise characters with +4 vs. extraplanar creatures. The bone handle is engraved with an image
passive Perception scores of 15 or less. of Ptah, the creator god, as well as stars, moons, and other symbols.
Stone or Clay Amulet: Unusual but worthless.
(Horned Viper [Poisonous Snake]: AC 13, 2 hp; +5 to hit, 1 Gemstone Amulet: Two of these can be found, with an equal chance
piercing damage plus 2d4 poison damage, or half poison for either. The first is in the shape of a scarab beetle and is carved from
damage with a successful DC 10 Con saving throw [bite]) pure rose quartz (worth 50 gp). The second is a perfect sphere of an
unidentifiable red mineral that feels slightly warm to the touch, but it’s not
(Deathstalker Scorpion [Scorpion]: AC 11, 1 hp; automatic magical. The sphere is a charge crystal, which is used to power a Scorpion
hit, 1 piercing damage plus 1d8 poison damage, or half of Sekhmet. It is fully charged. The scorpions are parked in the temple.
as much poison damage with a successful DC 9 Con
saving throw [sting]; if the saving throw fails, the character
is poisoned and must repeat the saving throw every 24
hours until the character recovers or dies; the character
2. Granary
recovers with a successful save, but consecutive failures This large, mud-brick building is almost completely intact except for
result in incapacitation, paralysis, and death) its wooden door, which has long since rotted away. This building and the
temple have roofs of stone shingles. The building stands 20 feet high and
1. Random Houses measures 50 feet x 120 feet. The doorway is in one of the short walls,
directly in the center of the wall.
Unlike most of the buildings here, this one is inhabited—by scorpions.
Characters almost certainly will investigate at least a few of the old The building contains thousands of normal-size scorpions and a nest of
houses. Most have only one or two rooms. They’re made of mud brick and emperor scorpions that grow up to 3 feet long. These creatures lurk in the
have no roofs. There are 22 of these huts within the oasis. None of them is old granary to keep out of the hot sun. Normally they emerge at night to
of particular interest, but each contains 1d3 of the following items. hunt in the open desert, but when characters approach within 30 feet of
the structure, the scorpions perceive them as food and move out to attack.
1. Horned viper The swarms go unnoticed in the brush, but make a Stealth check for the
2. Pottery shard
emperor scorpions and compare it to the characters’ passive Perception
3. Grave
scores to determine whether characters notice the creatures or are
4. Intact glassware or pottery
surprised. A total of 10 emperor scorpions and three scorpion swarms
5. Rotted and brittle tools with copper fittings
are here. They have no devious tactics, but they are very dangerous
6. Bone fragments and skeletal remains
because they rush and overwhelm the closest target instead of spreading
7. Strange carving of a sluglike being (once only)
their attacks between targets.
8. Golden cameo (once only, worth 20 gp)
9. Copper bead necklace
(Emperor Scorpion [CR 1/2]: AC 12, 7 hp; +3 to hit, 1d4 + 2
10. Copper knife (once only)
piercing damage plus 2d8 poison damage, or half poison
11. Amulet of stone or fired clay
12. Amulet or small statue with semiprecious stones (twice only) damage with a successful DC 10 Con saving throw [sting])

Horned Viper: These creatures attack if they gain surprise. Otherwise (Scorpion Swarm [CR 1]: AC 12, 22 hp; +3 to hit, 4d4 piercing
they retreat from anything that notices them, disappearing into the brush. damage plus 2d8 poison damage, or half poison damage
Pottery Shards: These are worthless, but could at your convenience be with a successful DC 10 Con saving throw [sting]; 2d4
used to convey clues or other relevant details about the slug (see below) piercing damage plus 1d8 poison damage if the swarm
or invaders. has 11 or fewer hit points; the swarm can enter and
Graves: These contain the mummified remains of a human (01-80%), remain in an enemy’s space, and can only attack an
a cat (81-90%), or some other animal (91-00%) of your choice buried enemy whose space it occupies)
under 4 to 6 feet of sand and marked by a stone marker. If a human corpse
is indicated, it wears beads and jewelry worth 1d6 x 100 gp. Cats are
typically covered in beaten gold worth 4d6 gp. Defiling the grave of a 3. Lugal’s House
cat brings a 10% chance of being noticed by Bast, the cat goddess; If the
violation is noticed, the desecrater must make a successful DC 12 Wis The lugal (chieftain) of the village once lived here. From the nature of
saving throw or have tactical disadvantage on all saving throws for two the building, it is apparent that it was something of an important structure,
weeks. as it is far larger than the other huts, with six rooms. The building itself is
Intact Glassware or Pottery: These containers occasionally (10%) are in the same dilapidated state as the others, but it has 10-foot-high walls.
sealed and contain either grain (01-50%), wine (51-80%), cooking oil (81- The structure contains a grand entry hall (40 feet long by 25 feet wide)
90%), internal organs (yuck!, 91-99%), or gold dust (00%, worth 1d6 x that connects to five smaller rooms: four sleeping chambers and a kitchen.
100 gp). The vessel itself is worth 1d6 x 1d10 gp if opened without being Sleeping chambers open to the sides of the entry hall, and the kitchen at
damaged. the right side of the back wall. The rooms are all 20 feet square.
Old Tools: Nothing of value. A carved stone chair sits at the far end of the grand hall, directly opposite
Bone fragments: See “Old Tools.” the entrance. The chair is plain, without any carvings or paint. It is solid
Strange Carving of a Sluglike Being: This carving is 3 inches long granite and weighs about 500 pounds. If the chair could be transported, its
and made from polished quartz. A reddish-white discoloration can be fine workmanship makes it worth 700 gp.
22
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth
The walls of the entry chamber are painted and carved with numerous and lapis necklace under a baked clay death mask. The lugal has been
hieroglyphs and pictograms. Careful inspection or translation (magical or dead for over 600 years. The death mask is painted with his image (worth
mundane) of the writings reveals that most of the writings are prayers 20 gp), and the necklace is woven with gold thread (300 gp). Wrapped
to various deities (Ptah, Ra, Horus), complete with curses and pleas for inside the mummy is a long rod of meteoric iron, topped with a large piece
protection against the evil god Set. One prayer praises the god Thoth for of amber that has an insectlike creature trapped inside it. The rod is a +1
sending a guardian to defend the village against the evils of the night god mace of rot grubs. Its command word is utterly forgotten and lost in time;
and his servants, and references the “guardian of the temple.” it can be recovered only through magical means of your choosing.
The pictograms associated with this prayer show a gray circle within
an oval; the inner circle is “lumpy,” rather like a brain. This is of course s
reference to the slug-being in the temple. Other pictograms show the god
Thoth teaching the people about many things, portraying their ascent from
4. Alabaster Wall
hunter-gatherer nomads to civilization, thanks to this deity of knowledge. Unlike the other structures present in the oasis, this 30 foot long, 4 foot
high wall is made of alabaster blocks. The wall is intricately painted and
The Sarcophagus carved, with hundreds of inscriptions and pictograms. Trying to decipher
all of them would take weeks, unless one knew what they were looking
If the chair is moved, it will be noted that the bricks under it are different
for. Should the player characters inquire about the runes present on the
from those covering the rest of the chamber; they’re larger, and there’s no
letter, or if they look for any references from the lugal’s house associated
mortar between the joints. If these bricks are pried up, a 3-foot-by-3-foot
with a “temple guardian” or “Thoth,” they can locate what look like
passage is revealed. The passage drops down to an 8-by-6-foot chamber
several inscriptions of a large, sluglike creature providing food, teaching
with a 5-foot-high ceiling, containing a 7-by-3-foot stone sarcophagus;
people how to grow grain and work metal, and fighting a battle against
in other words, there’s not much room to move around. The sarcophagus
insectlike minions of the evil god, Set.
isn’t centered in the chamber; there’s a 2-foot space on the right where
Medium-size characters can almost stand upright.
Opening the sarcophagus is a challenge in these tight surroundings;
there’s no room to use a pry bar. Wedges can be hammered in only along 5. Sphinx
the right side, where there’s enough room to swing a hammer; that will
lift an edge. From there, a successful DC 21 Str (Athletics) check is This statue stands 10 feet high, and is inscribed on both sides with
needed to lift the lid. The check must be repeated every round unless the ancient writing that can be deciphered with a successful DC 20 Int
lid is propped up with something very sturdy. Alternatively, with wedges (History) check or with a comprehend languages spell. At its base are the
inserted, ropes could be slung around the lid and up through the entry words, “Those who seek the gods must show the wisdom to see them first.”
hole, allowing the lid to be lifted from above; this reduces the DC of the Translation of the writing on the sides of the sphinx reveals two riddles
Str check to 16, and using pulleys reduces it to 11. Resourceful characters that allow the player characters to select the correct icons to activate the
might come up with alternative plans; judge their success based on how gate on the island and gain egress into the collapsed temple. On one side
cleverly they apply the principles of leverage in tight surroundings. the writing reads:
Inside the sarcophagus is a wooden coffin carved in the portrayal of I am what all men seek, yet many will never gain
a kingly-looking individual, with unfamiliar hieroglyphic writing. The I serve the wise, and punish the foolish
writing can be deciphered magically or with a successful DC 20 Int I make men strong, yet strengthen only their minds
(History) check; it states “Disturb not the rest of the Lugal, lest you join Without me all things that wither to dust are forgotten
the dust of the desert forever.” The lid is sealed with a waxy, fragrant resin The answer is knowledge—associated with Thoth, the god of
(myrrh). knowledge.
If the myrrh is removed and the seal broken, every character in the The riddle on the second side reads:
sarcophagus chamber or standing next to the opening in the chamber I protect the wise, and slay the evil
above must make a successful DC 15 Con saving throw or be affected by I am not a god, yet protect them and their house
mummy rot (loses 3d6 hit points every 24 hours and can’t regain hit points I serve the teacher and teach the servants
by any means until the curse is lifted). Characters in the chamber below The answer is the guardian—the sluglike creature depicted in the
have tactical disadvantage on the saving throw. lugal’s house as well as on the alabaster wall.
Inside the coffin is the mummified corpse of the lugal. He wears a bone Armed with these bits of knowledge, characters should be able to enter
the Temple of Thoth.

Mace of Rot Grubs 6. Boathouse

This magical mace is carved from meteoric iron and contains a This rickety wooden structure sits on stone piles near the edge of the
large chunk of amber at its tip. A prehistoric insect is trapped in lake. The wood is old and brittle and cannot support more than 30 pounds
the amber; because no one alive has ever seen such a bug, it can of weight. Anything stepping on the remaining portions of the wooden,
be recognized only with a successful DC 20 Int (Nature) check. over-water deck in excess of 30 pounds crashes through the structure into
The mace functions as a magical +1 mace. If its command word 1d6 + 2 feet of water after a 6-foot fall (no damage). It also creates a great
is spoken, then the next time it strikes a living target, the mace deal of noise, alerting the beasts in the lake that dinner has arrived.
implants a single rot grub in the target’s flesh. This power can be Adjacent to the structure, an ancient boat still floats, wedged between
used once per day. The rot grub causes 1 piercing damage at the two of the support columns that hold up the structure. The boat is 20 feet
start of each of the infected character’s turns until it is killed or long and 4 feet wide, and holds up to eight human-sized creatures. It’s old
removed. During the first two rounds of infection, the rot grub and dry, but it was treated with lacquer and oils, so it still floats, although
can be killed with fire or cut out with a slashing weapon; a torch it’s alarmingly fragile.
inflicts 1d6 fire damage to the infected character, while cutting
inflicts 1d2 slashing damage. After the end of the second round
of infection, the rot grub has burrowed too deep for these simple
measures to work, and it can be killed only with magic, such as a
7. Lake
lesser restoration spell. The lake is over 200 feet across and four times as long. Its edges are
completely vegetated with thick growths of bulrushes and other aquatic
23
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
plants. Frogs, crawfish, and insects are present everywhere, creating a The entire domed temple is protected by the field of magical force
great deal of noise at night. Many species of fish live in the lake. These invoked by the priests more than a century in the past. Although
fish are extremely colorful and create darting patterns as small schools the characters can see into the temple through the open gates, they
react to stimulus (like splashing or swimming). cannot get in. Touching the force field is unpleasant, and it is an
The lake itself is spring fed, and is cooler by far than the surrounding impenetrable wall. The characters cannot touch the doors, the bodies
air. It is over 100 feet deep in the center, with its edges dropping off inside, or even the wall, since the field is placed about 1 foot to the
rapidly from the shore. The water is clear to a depth of about 20 feet, and outside of the temple’s structure. Walking around the temple tells
rocks can be seen dotting the shallows. the characters that there are no entrances other than this one. There
Also living in the lake are six crocodiles and one giant crocodile. are no breaks in the walls, although some of the stones look a bit
They only attack if the water is disturbed (e.g., by splashing and other crumbled.
noisy activity). Skilled, unarmored swimmers have a 50% chance of The characters will likely try peering into the temple to see as
attracting 1d3 crocodiles. Boating across gives only a 10% chance of far as they can, but the force field does not prevent this. They can
attracting crocodiles. Use your judgment about how much noise the see 120 feet (4 hexes) into the unlit shadows, but beyond that all is
party makes, unless players indicate they’re trying to be quiet. If they darkness. What they see is a broad hall leading in, the walls on the
say they’re being extra careful about handling and paddling the fragile
sides painted with pictures from top to bottom. There is a double
boat, that’s a good reason to assume they aren’t making much noise,
row of columns, rising high to the dome above, beginning not far
either.
beyond the point where the hallway opens to the wide chamber. The
If crocodiles attack, 1d3 show up initially. They are joined by one
double line of pillars goes farther than they can see into the building,
more every other round until all six are involved. At the start of the
crocs’ second turn after the last one arrived, all six turn and swim away. disappearing into darkness.
Characters then see an immense shape swimming toward them under

Oasis-Temple of Thoth
the water. If they’re still on the lake five rounds later, the giant crocodile
arrives and attacks.

(Crocodile: AC 12, 19 hp; +4 to hit, 1d10 + 2 piercing

damage and the target is grappled and restrained)
A. Portal to the Outside World
(Giant Crocodile: AC 14, 85 hp; +8 to hit, 3d10 + 5 piercing
damage and the target is grappled and restrained When the first of the adventurers comes through the portal into the
[bite], and +8 to hit, 2d8 + 5 bludgeoning damage and a Oasis-Temple, this is where the character arrives. The character is looking
creature must make a successful DC 16 Str saving throw or southward, and the first, immediate items of interest are statues of the
be knocked prone [tail]) ibis-headed priests.

8. The Island You reappear in a dimly-lit place, with a vast, open space in
front of you and large figures looming behind you. Suddenly one
This 60-foot-diameter island sits near the center of the lake, and rises of them moves. Roll initiative.
about 4 feet above the water. The island is heavily vegetated (like the
rest of the oasis), and a large grove of olive trees stands near its center,
completely obscuring vision beyond a few feet. Access to the center of Just kidding. It’s actually just a statue, but it shifted mechanically when
the island requires moving through this heavy vegetation, although the the portal activated.
scorpions and snakes present in the rest of the oasis are absent here (there The figures looming over the character are three statues: ibis-headed
were no frogs to carry them across on their backs). In the center of the olive priests of Thoth. This is the first Lotus-Portal of Thoth the characters will
grove is an archway, similar to the one that brought the player characters encounter. The movement was one of the ibis heads moving from the
to the oasis in the first place. The area is so overgrown that unless a major “on” position to the “off” position. Until the heads are reset to the right
ruckus is made, anyone on the island is ignored by the crocodiles. positions, the gate will not function.
The archway is a gate to the inside of the temple of Thoth. It requires Characters will encounter this portal-statue arrangement—three ibis-
the same speaking of words as the previous two archways, but the runes priests standing behind a lotus platform—in several places throughout
present on those two are not present here. Only by touching the symbol the Oasis-Temple. See the sidebar for general information about their
of Thoth and the symbol of the guardian (two symbols among hundreds functioning and construction.
inscribed on this archway) and then speaking the activation words from Once characters get a look at the surroundings and get over whatever
the letter can this gate be activated. Once activated, its surface shimmers, surprise the statue gives them, the following describes what is seen
and anyone stepping through is teleported into the Old Temple. looking south from the Lotus-Portal.

9. The Old Temple Somewhere overhead is a ceiling, although it’s so high

that it’s barely visible. A hundred feet or so ahead of you
are two massive statues, which have their backs turned to
This building is a vast dome, over 250 yards across. The you. Beyond them, you can make out two parallel lines of
walls are made of monolithic blocks of stone, and the domed incredibly tall columns that seem to reach all the way to the
roof appears to be metal of some kind—an impossible feat of high ceiling of this epically-proportioned place. Far to your
architecture without the use of tremendous magic. As you draw left and right are curving walls that must rise to the top of
closer, you can see that the entire building shimmers with some the chamber.
kind of energy. It almost seems to ripple like slow-moving water.
Enormous double doors 20 feet tall stand open, and you can
see two desiccated corpses just inside the dome, people who At this point, Thoth-Atef, the High Priest, makes contact with
apparently died while trying to push the doors closed. the characters’ minds, but it will be a weak nudging at the characters’
consciousness. He begs them to come to Area B, and to hurry.
24
hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth

25
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
examined with divination spells if the party wishes to do so. If characters
B. Statues of Thoth and Sekhmet attack him, he uses his mind blasts to quiet some of them while he tries to
persuade others that he means no harm. He is being entirely truthful, and
he truly does need the party’s assistance.
Thoth-Atef explains that his power has weakened over the centuries,
These two south-facing statues are 50 feet tall, with a diameter and he has spent so much of his energy holding back the invasion that he
of 10 feet. One is of a man with the head of an ibis, holding a is near death. He further explains that the player characters can use two
scroll in one hand and a quill in the other hand. The other statue artifacts—scorpions of Sekhmet—to assist in the battle. Finally, he tells
is of a lioness-headed woman wearing a red dress and holding them that not only can he instruct them on the use of the scorpions, but
four scorpions in her clasped hands. Between the two statues is that should they succeed in fending off the invaders, as a reward they can
a massive, translucent slug, 20 feet long. It is reared upward so take one of the machines with them, along with a fully charged power
that the front half of its body is upright, and you can see a brain crystal (the fuel for the scorpions).
pulsing in the almost-transparent flesh of its chest. Should they persist in attacking him, he fights to the best of his ability.
If slain, it takes the player characters one month to figure out how to
effectively use the scorpions, and they must fight the planehoppers
The translucent slug is Thoth-Atef, high priest of Thoth. He is a giant without the aid of the gelatinous cubes or the amazing mechanical/
slug of P’Nakh; a rare, largely benevolent example of his kind, having no magical scorpions.
knowledge of his home plane. He was hatched in a forgotten basement Should all else fail, Thoth-Atef offers the party the temple treasure as
under a temple of Set in a long-destroyed city, and was given no knowledge well, a total of five small chests of iron.
of his forebears. If the characters kill him, they will face the assault of • The first chest holds a green linen sack with a carved ivory comb (32
the planehoppers without assistance from the changed priests and they sp) and an elegant silver and pink necklace. The necklace has lengths of
may have significant trouble getting back to their homeland. Nevertheless, delicate silver chain connecting clusters of pink pearls set between pairs
given the tendency of some characters to slaughter anything that looks of rose quartz beads. There are nine such groups of gems on this necklace
monstrous, it’s a definite possibility. (1,335 gp).
Thoth-Atef communicates telepathically with the characters, informing • The second chest holds a polished oak box (8 sp). Inside the box lie
them that he is the high priest of Thoth, and he means them no harm. He two pieces of jewelry. A shimmering necklace with a triple strand of silver
thanks them for answering his plea and begs them to stay and help him holds a sparkling rose quartz oval set in a silver frame. From this hangs a
fight off an invasion of the evil planehoppers. He explains that he will lustrous gray pearl. Beside this a faceted stone of deep burgundy (garnet)
reward them with a great artifact held here in the temple if they assist. is held in a plain silvery frame (platinum). The stone, an oval the size
Of course, any adventurer worth his or her salt is likely to distrust a of a lady’s thumbnail, hangs on a double chain of platinum. The whole
giant slug with a pulsing red brain, so the creature allows itself to be necklace is worth 1,530 gp.
• The third chest contains a small black wooden box. Inside, on linen
padding, rests a silver pendant strung on a set of five thin silk cords. The
pendant is roughly diamond shaped but its frame is made of swooping
lines rather than straight. In the center of the frame dangles another

Lotus-Portals of Thoth
There are several of these portals throughout the Oasis-Temple
of Thoth. They all look the same, and they are all portals to
different dimensions, realities, and planes of existence.
An unbroken lotus-portal is a single marble statue of a large, flat
lotus blossom on the ground, with a 5-foot diameter. Three priests
with ibis heads stand behind the lotus. The heads are mounted on
a metal armature, allowing them to be pivoted on the neck to look
up or down. The center head moves directly up-down, and the
ones at the sides look either in and down at the lotus, or up and
sideways at the sky.
The correct placement of the statue heads, in order to make the
gate function, is to have the central priest looking down at the
lotus and the two priests at his sides looking up and sideways.
When the heads are pointed in the correct directions, a blue haze
forms in the bowl of the lotus flower. Anyone stepping into the
flower and remaining there for a full minute will emerge from
some sort of portal on the far side. Not all of the destination portals
resemble the lotus-portals.
Once the gate has been used, the armature inside the statues will
move the heads back into one of the “off” positions.
At the present time, all but two of the lotus-portals are broken,
either by invaders or by the priests of Thoth themselves, before
the Oasis-Temple fell to the wax plague of the Sickness Dancers.
The gates could conceivably be repaired, but the details of such
repair would lie with the Game Master. It would certainly require
assistance from powerful priests of Thoth, possibly all the way
from the city of Hermopolis.

26
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth

Giant Slug of P’nakh

GIANT SLUG OF P’NAKH 1d4 Effect
XP 1,100 (CR 4)
CE Large fiend Paranoid rage; the character attacks its nearest
2
Initiative –1 allies.
Self loathing; the character drops any held
DEFENSE 3 items and claws at his or her body, inflicting 1d4
AC 11 (natural armor) slashing damage per round.
hp: 76 (9d10 + 27) Awe of P’nahk; the character drops all held
Saving Throws: Con +5, Int +6 items, falls prone, and grovels in worship of the
4
Resistance: Piercing and slashing damage; acid damage slug and all things P’nahki. The character is
Immunity: Bludgeoning damage; blindness, deafness, paralyzed.
prone
Smothering: When a giant slug of P’nahk hits a
OFFENSE creature with its crushing attack, it drops its body
Speed: 20 ft. onto the creature, pinning it to the ground. Treat
Multiattack: A giant slug of P’nahk bites once and this as being grappled and restrained, but the
crushes once, or uses its mind blast. creature must also make an immediate DC 14 Con
Melee Attack—Bite: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). saving throw. A successful saving throw indicates
Hit: 2d10 + 4 slashing damage. the creature inhaled a lungful of air before being
Melee Attack—Crush: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one trapped; a failed saving throw indicates the air was
creature). Hit: 2d10 + 4 bludgeoning damage and the forced from the creature’s lungs and it is suffocating.
target is knocked prone, grappled, restrained, and A suffocating creature can act normally for a
smothered (see below). number of rounds equal to its Con modifier (minimum
Area Attack—Mind Blast (recharge 6): automatic of 1 round). Once those rounds expire, the creature
hit (range 60 ft. cone; creatures in cone). Hit: drops to 0 hit points at the start of its next turn and it
every creature in the affected area must make a must make death saving throws.
successful DC 14 Int saving throw or be affected by Telepathy: Giant slugs of P’nahk are telepathic,
the insanity of P’nahk (see below). Characters with so they can communicate with all creatures within
Int 16 or higher have tactical disadvantage on the 100 feet.
saving throw. Transparency: Because of its transparent body,
a giant slug of P’nahk always has tactical
STATISTICS advantage on Stealth checks and it can attempt to
Str 18 (+4), Dex 8 (–1), Con 16 (+3), hide anytime it is lightly obscured, such as when it is
Int 19 (+4), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 4 (–3) in dim light.
Languages: Abyssal, Deep Speech, Primordial
Skills: Arcana +6, History +6, Stealth +3
ECOLOGY
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft.
Environment: Any, but especially ancient ruins and
underground
TRAITS
Organization: Solitary or pair
Insanity of P’nahk: A giant P’Nahki slug can produce
a momentary mental blast that transmits subliminal
P’Nahki slugs are massive creatures with bodies so transparent that
images of the nightmarish realm of P’nahk. All
they are almost invisible. The only part of the slug’s anatomy that can
creatures in the affected area that fail a DC 16 Int
be clearly seen is its disturbingly human-looking brain, which appears
saving throw recall these images and must roll 1d4
at first glance to be floating in the air. Their soft, thick hide gives them
to determine how they are affected (see below).
excellent protection against melee weapons.
In addition, affected characters repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of their turns; the effect These creatures originated in a forgotten place called P’Nahk;
ends with a successful save (indicating the character whether this was an alien city now in ruins, a lost world, or an entirely
managed to forget the images). Characters with Int different dimension is not known. It’s entirely likely that even the
scores of 16 or higher are peculiarly vulnerable to this slugs themselves don’t know the full answer to the mystery of their
attack; they make the saving throws with tactical origin.
disadvantage. The giant slugs of P’Nahk are highly intelligent, although this
intellect is seldom put to use in a way that can be related to human
motivation or logic. They are most commonly encountered in remote
1d4 Effect
subterranean realms or in the ruins of ancient civilizations, where they
Paralyzed; the character strikes back instinctively sift through the rubble in search of forgotten tomes and lost relics.
with a melee attack or a cantrip (as a reaction) They have been known to possess startling knowledge about the
1
against anything that attacks him or her, but distant past and about magical artifacts, if one can persuade them to
can take no other action and can’t move. share.

27
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
diamond-shaped piece of silver, in which is set a gleaming black opal the medical background to discern that the melting of the flesh resulted from
size of a man’s thumbnail (1,790 gp total). a disease.
• In the next chest lies a polished, flat box with a reddish hue (2 gp). The runes and symbols on the door are all focused on the god Thoth,
Inside the box, a small piece of pink silk (1 gp) is wrapped around a multi- who is shown in many of his different functions as a god of Khemit. In
strand necklace of hundreds of tiny freshwater pearls with accents of color particular, he is shown in his capacity as a traveler and as one who teaches.
provided by small, faceted garnets and rose quartz (2,522 gp total). Studying the door allows the characters to find a series of pictures that
• The final chest holds a blue silk pouch (2 gp) with a double-strand show the same scene, one on top of the other, all the way down one part of
necklace made of small matching garnet beads (2,246 gp). Instead of a the door. The scene is simple: Thoth stands in front of a person wearing an
pendant, the necklace is accented with a cylindrical silver filigree slide. ibis medallion, holding his hand over the person’s head. The last of these
pictures is strange, because instead of a person wearing the ibis medallion,
it is some sort of formless shape with a circle in the center. It does have the
C1-10. Broken Portals ibis medallion draped around it, though.
The figure being blessed by Thoth is of course the High Priest Thoth-
Antef, whose species is far from human.
A white marble lotus-flower rests on the floor like a petaled
bowl 5 feet across. Three statues of ibis-headed men stand behind
the lotus, holding hands. The one in the center looks into the sky,
F. Chapel of the Other Gods
and the other two look down at the lotus.

This is an enclosed area the size of a cathedral. A statue at

These ten portals have been deactivated or in some cases physically the very back of the long chamber holds aloft a disk of bright
broken by the priests of Thoth to prevent the wax plague from spreading white light, which illuminates the entire area. The statue is
through them into other realities or planes of existence. When the almost too bright to make out the details, but from the shape of
planehoppers invade the temple, their interdimensional tunnels emerge it, it looks like a statue of the god Ra, since it is a hawk-headed
at these portal locations; see the section on “The Planehopper Assault” man. The 60-foot-wide aisle leading to the statue of Ra has four
for details. side-chambers, 20 feet or so deep. These also contain statues,
although the shadows from Ra’s blinding sun disk make them
hard to see from the entrance of the room.
D. Columns
This temple contains statues of gods other than Thoth. The statues here
allowed visiting priests and dignitaries to give offerings and blessings to
A double colonnade, six pillars long, proceeds from south to their own patron deities. The large statue at the back of the temple is Ra.
north. The pillars are massive, 10 feet in diameter, spaced 20 There are four other statues in alcoves along the side walls of this temple:
feet apart, and rising over a hundred feet to the domed ceiling. Isis, Osiris, Sekhmet, and Set.
They are painted with scenes of fabulous beasts and people with • The statue of Isis shows a woman holding an ankh, her hair arranged
animal heads. The paint is quite faded, and you cannot make out on her head in a shape the looks like a chair, or perhaps a throne.
details without stepping closer. • The statue of Osiris shows a man holding a shepherd’s crook and a
flail, wearing a tall crown with two ostrich feathers. His skin is painted
green.
Most of the scenes feature the ibis-headed god Thoth, to whom this • The statue of Sekhmet depicts a woman with the head of a lioness.
temple belongs. He is shown sitting in front of souls in the underworld, The entire statue is painted red, as if with blood.
apparently asking questions and writing down the answers on a scroll in • The statue of Set is an enormous, coiled, black snake.
his lap. He is also shown stepping through portals that apparently have
one world on one side, and another world on the other.
If the characters spend 10 minutes checking the pillars for details, or
almost immediately if they are specifically looking for pictures of lotus
G. Storehouse
flowers, they find an interesting picture. It shows Thoth standing on a
white lotus flower, with three other ibis-headed people—possibly priests
or priestesses—standing behind him. The central priest is looking down at A few large support walls remain from what must once have
the lotus, and the others look upward and to the sides. been a warren of smaller rooms and chambers. There are
remnants of a fallen staircase, and some toppled statues.

E. The Gate In this area, in addition to the broken portal of Thoth, there is a great deal
of potentially usable material. If the characters are willing to scavenge,
they can find the following:
Two dried-out human bodies lie next to a huge pair of doors • Huge quantities of clay bricks and wall fragments
that the dead men were apparently trying to close when they died. • Smaller quantities, but still several tons, of cut stone (blocks that are
The doors are covered in thousands of pictograms and runes, but 1 ft. x 1 ft. x 2 ft.)
many of them have been hacked and damaged. • 30 wooden beams (sound and not rotten)
• 200 wooden beams in various stages of rot
• 30 covered, sealed clay drums of water (40-gallon containers with 20
The two bodies are priests of Thoth who died in the early days of the gallons of water remaining in each)
plague. Investigation will find that their flesh was starting to melt and • 30 covered, sealed clay drums of flammable oil (40-gallon containers
change when they died. What they were melting into cannot be guessed with 5 gallons remaining in each). This oil will burn, but it’s not as volatile
from the dried-out corpses. Anyone versed in medicine or anatomy can as alchemist’s fire or explosive like gasoline; it can’t be used to make
tell that the melting was fatal, and that the edges of the melted areas seem bombs.
to be a bit translucent. It is also possible for character with some sort of • 30 covered, sealed clay drums of olive oil (40-gallon containers with
28
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth
30 gallons in each). are occupied. In that case, someone must get out of the scorpion to make
• 1 ton of cloth, rotted room for others to swap positions. It takes one round to climb out and one
• 16 dried-out human bodies (priests of Thoth or temple guests) round to climb back in.
• No rope
Defenses
H. Teleportal A scorpion is heavily armored, but it has openings so those inside can
see out and launch attacks with spells or personal weapons. Creatures
inside the scorpion have three-quarters cover against attacks from
outside. The cover bonus (+5) applies to all saving throws, not just Dex
A pattern of colorful, bird-shaped tiles is set into the floor to saves.
create a huge circle 30 feet in diameter. Everyone inside the scorpion is immune to fire, cold, and lightning.
Sonic attacks (like the song and the chirp abilities of planehopper
Channelers) affect those inside the scorpion normally, although the
This circle of tiles is a teleportal. Anything stepping onto it (including carapace grants its bonus to saving throws.
one of the scorpions of Sekhmet) will instantly be teleported to Area I.
Charge Crystals
I. Teleportal Charge crystals power these artifacts. These crystals act as a fuel source
for the scorpions, and appear as perfectly cut rose quartz crystals that
glow slightly in the dark and are pleasantly warm to the touch. Currently,
one scorpion has 26 charges left and the other has 55 charges left. The
This is a circle of fish-shaped tiles, 30 feet across. crystals found in the oasis (the gemstone amulets) are fully charged charge
crystals (1000 charges each). When a charge crystal reaches 0 charges, the
scorpion ceases all functioning. Crystals can’t be recharged by any known
This circle of tiles is a teleportal. As with the opposite teleportal, (mortal) means.
anything stepping onto it (including one of the scorpions of Sekhmet) will
instantly be teleported to Area H.
Operations
The scorpions have physical limits on what they can do, and the more
J. Garage the characters push the limits, the harder it is to make the device do exactly
what they want. To keep track, the character in charge of movement must
move the scorpion one hex at a time, and the other characters (turning,
clawing, firing) can interrupt at any time to turn the scorpion, make an
Inside this long chamber, you can see two giant scorpions made attack with the claws, or fire a sun-bolt from the tail.
of metal. Each one is 15 feet long, and they have bodies that are
taller and wider than the proportions of a real scorpion.
Movement and Turning (seats 1 and 2)
Each 100 miles of overland movement uses 1 charge of a charge crystal.
These are the artifacts guarded by the temple, the Scorpions of Sekhmet. Tactical movement uses no charges unless characters push the speed over
90 feet per turn (move 4 or more hexes). Movement requires checks as
follows:
Scorpion of Sekhmet • Moving up to 90 feet per turn (1–3 hexes): Automatic success.
• Moving 120 feet per turn (4 hexes): After the scorpion moves 3
The Scorpions of Sekhmet resemble iron scorpions, 15 feet long, with a hexes, the character controlling the legs can try to move one more hex.
thick body and a proportionally short tail, weighing 11,000 pounds. They The character makes a DC 11 Wis (Animal Handling) check. If the check
are vehicles created by the goddess Sekhmet, granted to six of her most succeeds, the scorpion moves the extra hex and can keep moving (see
devoted warrior-servants in the distant past. Two of these artifacts have, below). If the check fails, the scorpion doesn’t move, and it can’t move
over the centuries, fallen into the hands of the Priests of Thoth, who stored any farther this turn. Rolling a natural 1 or 20 has no special effect.
them in Thoth’s great Temple-Oasis. There is a hatch on the right side, Moving this extra hex costs 1 charge from the crystal.
allowing people to enter. Each of the scorpions can hold up to four people • Moving more than 120 feet per turn (5-8 hexes): The character
(provided that no one is much larger than a human). The hatch can be controlling the legs makes a DC 11 Wis (Animal Handling) check for
locked from the inside (treat as a wizard lock spell if anything tries to force each additional hex the scorpion tries to move. These checks are made
it open when locked). It takes a full round for a single person to enter or with tactical disadvantage. Success allows the scorpion to move 1 hex,
leave the hatch. Each of the four seats has a periscope that can be raised to and it can keep going if desired. Each extra hex moved costs 1 charge
see what is happening outside. from the crystal. Failure ends the scorpion’s movement for this turn. A
Being gifts from a goddess, the scorpions are effectively immune to any natural 20 is a success, and if the scorpion tries to move another hex, the
sort of attack that can be mounted by mortals. They can run out of power next roll won’t have tactical disadvantage. A natural 1 means the scorpion
and become inert. They are not water or gas proof, and just because the stops moving and a roll must be made on the Legs Critical Failure table,
vehicles can’t be hurt doesn’t mean the people inside can’t be. below. A scorpion’s maximum speed is 8 hexes/turn (240 ft./turn, or about
27 mph).
• Turning: After each one-hex move, the scorpion can rotate 60 degrees
Seating (one hexside) left or right. Steering is controlled by the character in the
Each scorpion has four seats, arranged roughly in a Y pattern. The left right forward seat (operating the claws), not the character controlling the
seat controls the legs (movement forward and backward), the right forward legs. These two need to cooperate to maneuver the scorpion effectively. If
seat controls steering (turning left/right) and the claws, and the rearmost the scorpion moves more than 3 hexes, the right-seat occupant must make
seat controls the tail. The seat located directly behind and between the two a successful DC 11 Wis (Animal Handling) check to turn the vehicle;
forward seats (at the junction of the Y) is positioned so its occupant can failure indicates the vehicle doesn’t turn in this hex, but it can try again if
assist the occupants of the forward seats in their tasks. It takes 1 round it keeps moving. If the roll is a natural 1, however, a roll must be made on
to get into an empty seat, and it is not possible to switch seats if all seats the Legs Critical Failure table, below.
29
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs

activate the weapon.

Attacking with Claws (seats 2 and 3) The Vengeance of Sekhmet can be fired every other round, and it uses 1
Claw attacks do not use up charge crystals. Claws can be used to attack charge of a charge crystal per shot.
or, with a bit of care, to lift and manipulate large objects. The attack roll • Fire while Stationary: automatic hit (range 450 ft. line; all creatures
for a claw attack is an Int (Nature) check, with the operator’s Strength in line). Hit: 6d6 radiant damage, or half damage with a successful DC 15
modifier added as an extra bonus, against the target’s AC. Lifting objects Dex saving throw.
requires a simple DC 11 Int (Nature) check. • Fire Tail while Moving: automatic hit (range 450 ft. line; all creatures
• 1st Claw Attack while Stationary: Int (Nature) check + Str modifier in line). Hit: 6d6 radiant damage, or no damage with a successful DC 10
(reach 15 ft.; one creature). Hit: 2d10 bludgeoning damage and the target Dex saving throw.
is grappled.
• 2nd Claw Attack while Stationary: Int (Nature) check + Str Command Position (seat 3)
modifier, made with tactical disadvantage (reach 15 ft.; one creature). Hit:
2d10 bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled. If the target was Originally, the third seat (at the junction of the Y) was the commander’s
already grappled by the scorpion, there is no tactical disadvantage on the seat. The person in seat 3 can take over the legs, the claws, or the steering,
as needed. Alternatively, this person can control just the second claw,
attack roll. A natural 1 means the claws become entangled with each other
allowing two claw attacks to be made against different targets without
and no claw attacks are possible for one round.
the second one having tactical disadvantage. The person in this seat can
• 1st Claw Attack while Moving: Int (Nature) check + Str modifier also aid one of those tasks by taking a Help action, per the normal rules
(reach 15 ft.; one creature). Hit: 2d10 bludgeoning damage and the target
for helping.
is grappled. A natural 1 means a roll must be made on the Claw Critical
Failure table. Only one claw attack can be made on turns when the
scorpion moves. Legs Critical Failure Table
1d10 Problem
Vengeance of Sekhmet (seat 4) Scorpion stalls and moves no further this round.
The tail of the scorpion launches a bolt of true sunlight to a range of Next round, the scorpion can move only 60 feet (2
450 feet (15 hexes). It can fire in a 120-degree arc forward (60 degrees to 1-4
hexes) automatically; moving farther requires Wis
the left and right of straight ahead, or across its three front hexsides). It (Animal Handling) checks.
cannot fire to the rear or flanks. These sunlight bolts only affect creatures
that are not Lawful (any Chaotic or Neutral alignment, and unaligned). To Scorpion flips over. It can be righted on its next
fire the Vengeance of Sekhmet, the operator must make a successful DC turn if the character controlling the legs makes a
5-6
11 Dex (Sleight of Hand) check. If the check fails, the operator failed to successful DC 11 Wis (Animal Handling) check, but
it can’t move that turn.
manipulate the highly sensitive controls in the precise manner needed to
30
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth
1d10 Problem

7-8
Scorpion skitters out of control. Move it 1d8 hexes
in a random direction.
City of Hermopolis
Fire in the mechanisms. Someone outside the The city of Hermopolis is a major city of Lower Khemit. With
scorpion must spend 1d3 rounds putting out a population of 115,000, the seat of the High Temple of Thoth,
the fire. On the third and all subsequent rounds, a major library called the Thocaenum, and a major university at
everyone inside the scorpion takes 1d6 fire the temple, Hermopolis is a center of learning and sophistication
9
damage if the fire is still burning. The scorpion known throughout the Kingdom of Khemit. Its university
can continue its normal activities while the fire is produces scholars highly sought by the Royal Court of Khemit
burning and someone on top is putting out the and by administrators throughout the kingdom, and its library
fire; it’s just on fire while doing so. rivals the one at Pharos, though its content is more religiously
Scorpion flips over and rolls. Each character inside oriented. It sits at the confluence of the River Stygian and the
must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw seasonal Bakhari tributary. During flood season, the river is a
or be knocked unconscious for 1d6 rounds. Roll muddy expanse over 2 miles wide in which tens of thousands of
1d6 to see how many times the scorpion rolls; it storks and flamingos cavort and feed, creating a cacophony heard
10 lands on its feet if the roll is even, or on its back if more than a mile from the banks.
the roll is odd. If on its back, it can be righted on
its next turn if the character controlling the legs quickly explain that a plague struck the temple and that the priests closed
makes a successful DC 11 Wis (Animal Handling) it off magically to keep the plague from spreading through the temple’s
check, but it can’t move that turn. magic portals into other dimensions. The plague killed many and turned
the rest into gelatinous cubes that never die of old age. He himself
Claw Critical Failure Table has not reached the natural end of his lifetime and was not affected by
the plague. If the characters inquire further, he can tell them about the
1d10 Problem Sickness Dancers and that this was centuries ago, and other details from
No claw attacks are possible until the round the background, but these details will be of little interest to most players.
1-4 after the claw operator makes a successful DC • The attackers are a species known as “planehoppers,” because not
11 Int (Nature) check. only do they resemble locusts, but they behave like locusts too, ravaging
the worlds they invade and enslaving entire populations. Their own word
One claw is disabled and unusable. It can be
for themselves is not pronounceable. They have been psychically drilling
5-6 fixed if the claw operator makes a successful DC
through the substance of the planes of existence, and they are at the verge
20 Int (Nature) check.
of breaking through one of the portals of the Oasis-Temple. He doesn’t
One claw is disabled and unusable. It can be know which one of the portals. Unless the characters use some divinatory
7-8 fixed if the claw operator makes 3 successful DC powers of their own, they will not know that the planehoppers are working
20 Int (Nature) checks. through three portals at once until the drilling breaks through.
9
One claw is permanently disabled (chopped in • Thoth-Antef himself is already so stricken by his efforts to hold back
half by the other claw). the planehoppers that he can no longer do much more than broadcast the
characters’ instructions to the changed priests. He can still bite, but using
Both claws are permanently disabled (the a mind blast leaves him needing a week’s rest.
10 operator manipulated them so they miraculously
cut each other in half).
• There are four former priests” in the temple: the lucky (or perhaps
unlucky) servants of Thoth who were changed into gelatinous cubes by
the wax plague instead of being killed by it. As long as the characters
K. The Gate of Hermopolis
Changed Priests of Thoth
A white marble lotus-flower rests on the floor like a petaled
bowl 5 feet across. Three statues of ibis-headed men stand behind When the wax plague infected all the priests of the Oasis-
the lotus, holding hands. The one in the center looks into the sky, Temple of Thoth, the first infected were the priests most vulnerable
and the other two look down at the lotus. to the plague, and these died before the true horror of the wax
plague showed itself in them. The priests who were not killed by
the disease were the unlucky ones, for they were irrevocably and
This gate leads to the city of Hermopolis, a major city in the Material horribly changed.
Plane. More importantly, as far as Thoth-Antef is concerned, Hermopolis The changed priests are now immortal gelatinous cubes, the
is the seat of the Temple of Thoth. If the planehoppers get through this final stage of the curse brought to Thoth’s temple by the Sickness
portal in force, the entire presence of Thoth’s priestly hierarchy on this Dancers. The priests’ skeletons still hang motionless inside
world will be threatened. Defending this gate has been Thoth-Antef’s the translucent flesh of the cube: flesh that was once their own.
main priority during his centuries of defending the ruined temple from Around the neck of each skeleton shines the necklace of Thoth’s
those who manage to get through the gates from the outside. priesthood, the symbol of an ibis.
For all intents and purposes, the changed priests are gelatinous
cubes, but they have Intelligence 3 and they can “hear” the voice

Thoth-Antef’s Briefing
of Thoth-Atef through the necklace. They follow his orders to the
best of their limited abilities. They can be told to go places in the
temple, and they understand and obey. They can be told to attack,
Provided the characters give him a chance, Thoth-Antef briefs the and they can be told to wait in a particular place. Their reduced
characters on the following points. mental abilities cannot handle anything more complex.
• Thoth-Antef is the last high priest of Thoth in this temple. He will
31
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
have Thoth-Antef to communicate mentally with the cubes, they can give From that point on, things happen according to the timetable below.
the cubes instructions. The original skeletons of the changed priests are
visible in the gelatin of the cubes, and they are wearing holy symbols of
Round What Happens
Thoth. Without the holy symbols, they can’t “hear” Thoth-Antef’s mental
commands. Randomly determined portal explodes with the
1
The player characters can decide where Thoth Antef and the changed force of psychic tunneling (Breach #1).
priests start the battle (e.g. the players decide where all the allied pieces 1 laborer, 1 overseer, and 1 channeler emerge
start). 2
from Breach #1.
(Gelatinous Cube: AC 6, 84 hp; +4 to hit, 3d6 acid damage; 3 2 laborers emerge from Breach #1.
can enter another creature’s spaces as it moves, and that 4 3 warriors emerge from Breach #1.
creature must make a successful DC 12 Dex saving throw
or take 3d6 acid damage and be engulfed; engulfed 2 laborers and 1 warrior emerge from Breach #1.
creatures take 6d6 damage at the start of the cube’s 5 Randomly determined portal explodes with the
turns, are restrained, and can’t breathe; an engulfed force of psychic tunneling (Breach #2).
creature can escape or be pulled free with a successful 1 overseer and 1 channeler emerge from breach #1.
DC 12 Str check) 6 2 warriors, 1 overseer, and 1 channeler emerge
from Breach #2.

The Planehopper Assault

7 1 warrior emerges from Breach #1.
8 1 warrior emerges from Breach #2.
The main event of this adventure is a battle to keep the planehopper 9-17 Nothing emerges, no new breaches formed.
horde (their scouts, anyway) from taking control of the Oasis-Temple of Randomly determined portal explodes with the
Thoth. Should the planehoppers capture the temple, they will fortify it and 18
force of psychic tunneling (Breach #3).
use it as a staging area for the imperialistic expansion of their hive into
many planes of existence, including the Material Plane. 19 1 overseer and 1 channeler emerge from Breach #3.
20 3 warriors emerge from Breach #3.

Time 21 3 warriors emerge from Breach #3.

1 governor emerges from a randomly determined
22
From the point when the characters arrive, the planehoppers will arrive breach (roll 1d3), carried by 4 laborers.
in 72 hours (three days). Assuming Thoth-Antef survives meeting the

Battle Roster of the Planehoppers

characters, he predicts that the time frame is 30 to 80 hours. Thus, the
first phase of the adventure inside the temple is preparation for the assault.
It may be that the characters want to root around in the wreckage, build
traps, and make complicated plans. If not, and they just want to let the These planehoppers are a reconnaissance-in-force, led by a governor in
battle roll, let it roll. Don’t force the pace to slow down if players want to charge of three overseers, 10 warriors, six channelers, and nine laborers.
jump straight into the fight. Since they are exploring, no investigation will follow their disappearance;
If they want to prepare, emphasize that they don’t know exactly how at least, not for some time.
much time they have. Give them the player map and let them plan.
Experienced referees know that whenever players are given a map and a
Random
lot of stuff to work with, no final plan will ever emerge until you announce Breach #1 Breach #2 Breach #3
Breach
that they have (for example) two minutes before everything begins, ready
or not. An hour of real time is more than enough time to give them; 30 Overseer x2 Overseer x2 Overseer Governor
minutes is probably better. Channeler x2 Channeler x2 Channeler
Warrior x4 Warrior x3 Warrior x6
Where the Planehoppers Emerge Laborer x4 Laborer x4

Once 72 in-game hours have passed, roll 1d10 to see which portal the
planehoppers break open. Find the numbered location on the temple map
(C1-10) that correspond to the die roll; that’s where the planehoppers
open their first breach. The portal initially used by the characters to enter
Planehoppers
the Oasis-Temple is not one planehoppers can invade through because it The planehoppers are an intelligent insectlike species with a bizarre
doesn’t connect to a dimension the planehoppers can tunnel from. caste system. They are rapacious conquerors relentlessly expanding their
strange empires across many dimensions and planes of existence. Their
sprawling cities, with high spires, curving ramps, and countless thousands
Timetable and Psychic Shockwave of inhabitants, can cover entire worlds and moons in the realities and
dimensions that the planehoppers have seized.
The first effect when a planehopper tunnel breaks through into the The basic form of a planehopper resembles a locust without wings, but
temple’s reality is a blast of magical and psychic energy. This is the with an upright torso section. Thus, they are similar to centaurs in shape:
outward explosion of all the planar residue being pushed in front of the a large, grasshopperlike, horizontal segment with four legs, supporting an
psychic tunneling, like rubble in front of a drill bit. The drill bit itself upright torso segment with two arms, and the head-segment atop the torso.
packs quite a wallop when it suddenly breaks through into the Material All the castes of planehoppers share this underlying body form.
Plane. Any physical other than the portal that is in the portal’s hex or one Planehopper eggs are either male eggs or queen eggs, laid in a ratio
of the surrounding six hexes disintegrates. If a living creature is in one of of at least a hundred to one. Originally, perhaps, there was no more
those hexes, it takes 6d10 force damage, or half damage with a successful differentiation between the males than this, but a caste called the
DC 15 Dex saving throw. “vivisecters” developed at some distant point in planehopper history to
32
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth
adapt young planehoppers to the hive’s needs. The vivisecters use surgical
procedures—a combination of their innate magic, instinct, learning, and
tools—to shape young planehoppers into members of the various male
castes. The vivisecters do not hesitate to practice their arts upon other
species conquered by the planehoppers, with varying degrees of success.
Planehoppers communicate by telepathy among themselves, in a
symbolic language that can actually be transcribed onto paper and
translated by use of a comprehend languages spell. Most overseers can
vocalize speech quite easily in more than one language, but most members
of other castes do not bother to learn the art. Being able to speak aloud is
not considered an honorable achievement, although it is a necessary one
if the hive is to communicate with the slaves it employs, or trade with
civilizations that are currently too strong to enslave or pillage.
Raiding parties are usually led by a single governor. Queens only
arrive once the raiding party secures an area. Planehoppers are implacable
enemies of the antlike formians.
Different castes of planehoppers are described below.

Planehopper Channeler
XP 25 (CR 1/8)
LE Large fiend
Initiative +1

DEFENSE
AC 14 (natural armor)
hp: 38 (4d10)
Immunity: Psychic damage

OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft.
Area Attack—Chirp: Automatic hit (range 60 ft. line;
creatures in line). Hit: 4d6 + 1 thunder damage, or half
damage with a successful DC 11 Dex saving throw. the proximity of the planes being joined, and on whether
Area Attack—Repulsion: Automatic hit (range 60 ft. cone; it’s being commanded by an overseer or a governor.
creatures in cone). Hit: 2d6 + 4 force damage and the Repulsion: This psychic emanation is a 60-foot cone of
target must make a successful DC 14 Str saving throw physical pressure that slams all living beings away from the
or be pushed 60 feet; if it strikes a solid object before it’s channeler. Creatures weighing up to one ton each are
been pushed the full 60 feet, it takes 1d6 damage per 10 affected.
feet that the distance was shortened. Song: A channeler’s song is actually a psychic frequency
Area Attack—Song: Automatic hit (range 60 ft. radius rather than a true sound, but it “sounds” like a high-
centered on the channeler; creatures in radius). Hit: 2d6 pitched whistle in the minds of creatures who are
+ 4 psychic damage, or half damage with a successful subjected to it.
DC 14 Wis saving throw. A creature that fails the save also
drops everything from its hands and is stunned (failed by ECOLOGY
1-5 points) or driven to attack its closest ally (failed by Environment: Any land
6+ points); a creature that’s stunned or attacking allies Organization: Always part of a large, mixed force; usually 1
repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, per overseer or governor
and recovers on a successful save. Planehoppers are
immune to this effect. Planehopper channelers resemble warriors but they have much larger
heads and long antennae. They are able to receive mental bursts from
STATISTICS an overseer or a governor and amplify that energy it into a much more
Str 10 (+0), Dex 12 (+1), Con 18 (+4), powerful, focused projection. The channeler itself is not exhausted
Int 5 (–3), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 6 (–2) or depleted by focusing mental power, but the originating governor or
Languages: Telepathy (with other planehoppers only) overseer has limited stamina (represented by recharge rolls). More
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. than one governor or overseer can focus mental power through a single
channeler, but the channeler can serve as a conduit only once per round,
TRAITS no matter how many overseers and governors are nearby.
Chirp: This projection is a needle-thin line of cohesive sound
emanating from the channeler.
Planar Excavation: This emanation digs through the Planehopper Governor
fabric of different planes of existence or dimensions. It XP 200 (CR 1)
creates a tunnel from one reality into the next, and it LE Large fiend
is through these tunnels that the planehoppers spread Initiative –1
their rapacious empires, conquering and enslaving the
civilizations they find on the far sides of their constant DEFENSE
tunneling. The amount of time needed to excavate AC 14 (natural armor)
a planar crossing is entirely up to the GM; it can take hp: 38 (7d10)
minutes or years, depending on prevailing conditions, on Saving Throws: Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +5
33
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
A planehopper governor is mostly brain. It looks like a giant locust head
floating in the air, 5 feet in diameter, with spindly legs and a rudimentary
body dangling beneath it. The head’s carapace is too small to contain
the massive brain, so the back is split open like flower petals, allowing
the pulsing yellow brain to overflow the cranium. Six whiplike antennae
emerge directly from the brain and undulate slowly in the air.
Governor planehoppers can levitate to a height of 30 feet, but they
cannot move horizontally without help. They are usually assisted by two
to four laborers, who push the governor where it directs.
Governors are the commanders of a planehopper horde. They can
communicate telepathically with overseers at a distance of 1 mile,
with channelers at distances up to 500 feet, and with other castes of
planehoppers and other types of creatures at a range of 60 feet. Their
telepathy is blocked by a half-inch of lead.
Planehopper governors cannot attack: they have no natural weapons.
They can, however, amplify and focus their mental energy through a
planehopper channeler (see the description of channelers for details) to
attack or to create pathways between dimensions. The governor must be
within 500 feet of the channeler to use this power.

Planehopper Laborer
XP 100 (CR 1/2)
LE Large fiend
Initiative +0

DEFENSE
AC 15 (natural armor)
hp: 19 (3d10 + 3)

OFFENSE
Speed: 40 ft.
Melee Attack—Claws: +4 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
Hit: 1d10 + 2 slashing damage.

STATISTICS
Str 14 (+2), Dex 11 (+0), Con 12 (+1),
Int 6 (–2), Wis 8 (–1), Cha 4 (–3)

Immunity: Psychic damage

OFFENSE
Speed: 10 ft., levitation
Psychic Attack—Chirp (recharge 5, 6): see Channeler for
attack specifics
Area Attack—Repulsion (recharge 5, 6): see Channeler for
attack specifics
Psychic Attack—Song (recharge 5, 6): see Channeler for
attack specifics

STATISTICS
Str 8 (–1), Dex 8 (–1), Con 10 (+0),
Int 18 (+4), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 16 (+3)
Languages: Telepathy 60 ft.
Skills: Insight +5, Deception +5, Intimidation +5
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft.

TRAITS
Levitation: A planehopper governor is unimpeded by
difficult terrain.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, and always part of a large, mixed
force
34
 hidden oasis ­- Temple of thoth
Languages: Telepathy (with other planehoppers only)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Any land
Organization: Crew (2-12) or as part of a large, mixed force

A planehopper laborer is the basic, fundamental form of male

planehoppers. They resemble locusts without wings, but with an upright
torso section. They are similar to centaurs in shape and size: a large,
grasshopperlike, horizontal segment with four legs supporting an upright
torso segment with two arms and a head-segment atop the torso.
Planehopper laborers are the bottom rung of the planehopper hierarchy.
They are sentient but dull-witted, easily fooled if not mentally linked
with a member of one of the higher castes. Left to themselves, they will
happily drink and gamble away their money, psychologically incapable of
seeing themselves as oppressed. The uncontrolled celebrations of worker
planehoppers have leveled entire blocks of captured cities.
Workers are able to communicate telepathically with other planehoppers,
but not with members of other species. Although they have organs that can
vocalize words, most worker planehoppers never learn a spoken language
at all, since they have no contacts beyond their own hives. Planehopper
workers are not combatants; their most effective attack is to drop any tools
and fling themselves at an enemy, scratching with their short claws. In
some cases they might be ordered to do exactly this, simply to delay or
block the enemy. Actual fighting, though, is left to the warriors and the
channelers.

Planehopper Overseer
XP 200 (CR 1)
LE Large fiend
Initiative +1

DEFENSE
AC 15 (breastplate)
hp: 51 (6d10 + 18)

OFFENSE Overseers are the squad- and platoon-level officers of a planehopper

Speed: 40 ft. fighting force. They have a mental link with all the warrior planehoppers
Multiattack: An overseer planehopper attacks three times under their command: each warrior can see what the overseer sees and
with shortswords, or it can use one of its psychic attacks. what all the other warriors see. This hive-bond between overseers and
Melee Attack—Shortsword: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one their warriors is what makes the planehoppers such a terrifying threat to
creature). Hit: 1d6 +3 piercing damage. civilization whenever they appear through their planar gates. Fortunately,
Area Attack—Chirp (recharge 6): see Channeler for attack the link is not unlimited: an overseer cannot link to more than four warriors
specifics at a time, and warriors cannot switch in and out of different overseers’
Area Attack—Repulsion (recharge 6): see Channeler for control. Once established, the link lasts until the planehopper’s death.
attack specifics New warriors can be added to a squad to replace casualties, but none can
Area Attack—Song (recharge 6): see Channeler for attack leave once bonded to a particular overseer.
specifics In addition to four warriors, an overseer can control a single channeler.
As long as the overseer is not more than 500 feet from the channeler, it
STATISTICS can command the channeler to project its chirp, repulsion, or song; see the
Str 16 (+3), Dex 13 (+1), Con 17 (+3), entry on channelers for details about these attacks.
Int 10 (+0), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 12 (+1)
Languages: Telepathy (with other planehoppers only)
Skills: Perception +2 Planehopper Warrior
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. XP 450 (CR 2)
LE Large fiend
TRAITS Initiative +1
Hive Mind: Overseer planehoppers make Perception checks
with tactical advantage, because they have the benefit DEFENSE
of being linked to many planehoppers’ senses at once. AC 15 (breastplate)
What one sees, they all see. hp: 51 (6d10 + 18)
Leap: An overseer planehopper can make a horizontal jump
of 30 feet. OFFENSE
Speed: 40 ft.
ECOLOGY Multiattack: A warrior planehopper attacks once with a pike
Environment: Any land or twice with longswords.
Organization: 1 per 4 warrior planehoppers Melee Attack—Pike: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
35
 Quests of Doom: Bugs and Blobs
1d10 + 3 piercing damage.
Melee Attack—Longsword: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
creature). Hit: 1d8 +3 piercing damage.

STATISTICS
Str 16 (+3), Dex 13 (+1), Con 17 (+3),
Int 10 (+0), Wis 8 (–1), Cha 6 (–2)
Languages: Telepathy (with other planehoppers only)
Skills: Perception +1
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.

TRAITS
Hive Mind: Warrior planehoppers make Perception checks
with tactical advantage, because they have the benefit
of being linked to many planehoppers’ senses at once.
What one sees, they all see.
Leap: A warrior planehopper can make a horizontal jump
of 30 feet. If it makes a pike attack immediately after
jumping, it has tactical advantage on the attack roll and
a hit causes an extra 1d10 damage.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Any land
Organization: Squad (1-4), platoon (4-24), or as part of a
large, mixed force

Warrior planehoppers are more intelligent than the workers; their

thought processes are quite alien, but they are approximately as intelligent
as the average human. Planehopper warriors are telepathically tied to a
governor in the same way that the workers are connected to overseers.
Each one shares perception, through the queen, with all the other warriors
she commands.
Planehopper warriors wear breastplates and plumed helmets into battle,
and they fight with weapons, favoring pikes and swords.

36
Demons
&
Devils
37
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils

Ra’s Evil GrinBy Bill Webb and Clark Peterson

Ra’s Evil Grin challenges adventurers of at least 11th level who are Arden, greatly reduced in number and power, were unable to recover the
seeking a powerful magic item—the globe of Arden. If a different item globe, and it fell out of all human reckoning.
suits your campaign better, another appropriate powerful item can be After the passage of countless years, the sands of the eastern deserts
substituted as the final objective. This dungeon culminates in a battle with have long since consumed the civilization that once thrived there, while
Dendorandra, a lesser marilith known as a dark daughter. men and elves inhabit what were once the unpopulated foreign lands of
As a lead-in to this adventure, the GM may use a map from another Arden’s time.
treasure hoard showing the location of the globe (detailed more fully Across the ages, however, an ancient map that allegedly depicts
in “The Legend of the Globe of Arden,” below) or a priestly tome a possible location of the island on which the globe was hidden still
describing Arden, the long-dead avatar of Ra, and the wondrous powers of survives. The coastline of that distant land bears a strong resemblance to
an unknown artifact called the globe of Arden. Such a tome might mention an area of the currently civilized world, though no other maps refer to this
that the globe emits rays as intense as those of the sun, destroying all island, nor have sailors spoken of it. The map also features these cryptic
they touch. In any event, characters should need to consult with sages and words, written in a long-forgotten language:
oracles to determine the location and history of the globe and dungeon.
A sage could also provide a map to the dungeon’s location, referenced in On an island within an island,
the “The Legend of the Globe of Arden,” below. We set the dungeon on a Beyond a door that is not a door,
small, remote island far across the sea, but you can relocate it to suit your Shielded by the grin of the hated sun,
campaign. Lies the globe of Arden, the eye of a dead god,
This dungeon provides numerous puzzles, a few traps, and only two Stolen long ago by the traitor Asari.
monsters. Those monsters, though few in number, should challenge and
threaten even the most combat-hardened party—particularly after the Perhaps this map holds a key to locating the ancient and powerful globe
party encounters all the vicious creatures that inhabit the Island of the of Arden…
Globe. It’s unlikely that player characters know much about Arden; those with
training in History can attempt a DC 21 Int (History) check to recall vague
references from ancient texts; they know just enough to be tantalized.
The Legend of the Globe of Arden They really need to consult with specialists or with divine oracles to get
more substantial information.
Using divination or consulting sages uncovers the following Arden was once worshiped on this plane of existence as a lesser avatar of
information about the god, Arden, and the globe of Arden. GMs should the sun god, Ra. He was commonly depicted as a hawk-headed, muscular
read this information to their players. man, wearing a short skirt of precious metal and jewels. He projects searing
In days long past, the people of the eastern lands worshiped the sun beams of sunlight from his eyes. His staff is tipped at one end with a bronze
god, Arden. Legend says that the gods of darkness destroyed Arden during sphere representing the sun and emblazoned with an ankh, and at the other
divine combat. Arden’s followers gathered their slain god’s remains and end with a bronze hawk head. Arden also wields a bronze short sword. Evil
stored them in his temples. deities—including Tsathogga the frog-demon—murdered and dismembered
Legends tell that one such relic, the globe of Arden, was in fact the Arden, but his worshipers gathered and treasured his remains as relics. All of
left eye of the god himself—ripped from its socket by Tsathogga, a vile this happened so long ago that it has been ages since Arden was worshiped
frog-demon, during Arden’s final, hopeless battle. The eye retained the by anyone; the fact that he ever even existed is all but forgotten.
power of the sun; demonic servants of Tsathogga, attempting to steal it,

Arriving at the
were disintegrated by the power it contained. Priests of Arden eventually
recovered the eye, which had solidified into a sphere seemingly made of
cloudy, white glass, and renamed the divine artifact the globe of Arden.
With Arden’s destruction, his following waned. Yet the preserved
relics—elements of his divine being—prevented Arden’s foes from
overcoming his temples. What the relics could not prevent was the
Island of the Globe
treachery of Asari, a high priest of Arden at the temple where the globe The party may have acquired the ancient map from a previously looted
was stored. Asari grew jealous and bitter over his loss of personal power, treasure hoard or from the sage who related the globe’s legend. Obtaining the
which followed the destruction of his deity. With his spell powers failing map might also constitute an adventure in its own right. Such an adventure
and followers dwindling, he entertained the overtures of the frog-god is encouraged, though not detailed here. The map depicts an island located
Tsathogga, who promised to restore Asari’s earthly power. As his final act south of normal trade routes, off the coast of a sparsely populated area north
of betrayal, Asari stole the globe of Arden from the temple’s inner sanctuary of a southern jungle. In the Lost Lands campaign Setting of Frog God
and fled before the other priests detected his treachery. He delivered the Games, this island lies at the edge of Great Oceanus, the main world-ocean
globe to the demon-priests who took the relic and hid it in a foreign and of the planet, just north of where it becomes the Razor Sea in the vicinity
unpopulated land—a remote island, legends say—in a structure designed of the Razor Coast. For more information on this area, see Razor Coast by
to hide the globe from Arden and his followers. Rumors suggest that the Frog God Games. Thick jungle and swampland cover the island. A large
demon-priests of Tsathogga, a god of water and darkness, fashioned the mountain, rising from the center of the island, is reflected in the waters of
complex’s entrance to mock Arden, a god of air and light. Legends also a lake to its south. Within that lake, a stone outcrop rises above the water’s
caution that Asari, the fallen priest, received great rewards from the gods surface. On that inner island lies the entrance to the dungeon.
of evil: renewed earthly power and the gift of unlife. The followers of This module presumes that characters have gained the map and traveled
38
 Ra's evil grin

overland to a coastal city near the island. From the denizens of this city, when the sun reaches its zenith.
skirting the northern border of a vast jungle, PCs can hire a boat to convey At noon, the sun’s intense rays strike the central ruby and trigger the
them to the island. GMs should spend multiple game sessions detailing trap: the ruby-refracted light bounces around the reflective, bead-encrusted
this epic journey, foreshadowing trials yet to come. depression, instantly heating it to an incredible temperature. Any person in the
If you wish to avoid the above trek, you may instead simply begin the depression when the trap is triggered takes 3d6 fire damage per round spent
module with the PCs having arrived at the island of the globe, passed in the depression. The intensified sunbeams lance around the depression for
through the perils of the island and found the inner lake and the rock five rounds, after which the sun’s angle changes and the heat rays subside.
outcrop on which the dungeon entrance is located. If so, proceed to “The The only way to defeat this effect and enter the dungeon is to solve the puzzle
Dungeon Entrance,” below. of RAS EVIL GRIN. Tsathogga’s priests created this trap to mock Arden, the
sun god—harnessing the power of the sun to destroy those followers of Arden
attempting to liberate the globe hidden within the dungeon.
The Dungeon Entrance Solving the Puzzle:
“RAS EVIL GRIN” is an anagram for “A SILVER RING.” Once
Once characters reach the lake’s central island on the Island of the
characters figure this out, the rest of the solution should follow easily
globe, they immediately notice a depression ringed with 10-foot-tall, rune-
from the riddle. The PCs need only “toss” a silver ring in the “center
covered stone pillars—the only evidence of humanoid presence on the
island. The pillars, heavily worn, have endured the passage of what must of stone”—that is, place a silver ring inside the letter “O” of the word
have been millennia. The runes are no longer legible. The pillars surround “stone,” since that letter is the center of the word “stone.”
a deep hole, 30 feet in diameter and nearly 20 feet deep. Approaching the
edge of the depression, more evidence of humanoid craftsmanship can be Helping the Players Along:
seen: the depression, lined with reflective tiles, has thousands of crystal If players can’t figure out this puzzle, encourage them to read the inscription
beads set into its surface. PCs descending into the depression notice an closely. A successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check allows someone to notice
inscription encircling a tiny ruby set in black stone. The inscription, a fine, silvery dust in the letter ‘O’ of the word ‘stone.’ Failing to grasp this
shimmering in the sunlight, reads: obvious a clue, the PCs don’t deserve the globe of Arden.
“Beware the noontime sun if you know not the puzzle behind RAS EVIL The Gems and Beads can’t be pried out or removed in any way. PCs
GRIN, which is tossed in the center of stone.” attempting such a theft must make a DC 15 Dex saving throw, adding +1
Everyone perceives the inscription as being written in their native if they’re using a magic tool or weapon and +2 for each magical plus on
language. Strangely, the inscription has not eroded over time. the weapon. If the save fails, the item breaks.
You should write out the inscription and demonstrate how it fully
encircles the small ruby; carefully capitalize all the letters of “RAS EVIL Opening the Phase Door:
GRIN” to assist the PCs in solving the puzzle. If the party does not solve Having solved the puzzle, the players must still wait until noon. If
the puzzle by noon, determine whether anyone remains in the depression characters have properly placed a silver ring in the “O” of “stone,” then
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 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
when the sun reaches its zenith, a small crystal cylinder rises from the Initially, block C fills the corridor at the area marked C. When the button
floor of the tiled depression. The noon sunlight strikes the ruby set in the is pushed, the block rises until it’s flush with the ceiling. This takes five
depression’s center, and a dazzling beam of energy immediately shoots rounds; unless someone looks around the corner at A the moment block B
from it, striking the crystal cylinder and refracting into a multicolored is clear, characters won’t know what was making the grinding sound to the
shower of light. This rainbow strikes the far wall of the depression and south, because block C is fully risen to the ceiling before block B finishes
creates a shimmering doorway—a passwall effect that penetrates 10 feet traveling to the northern half of the hallway.
of solid stone and opens into the catacombs below. The blocks always move in tandem. They are always either “closed”
Once it’s created this way, the passwall door remains for 24 hours (until (blocking the southern half of the hallway) or “open” (allowing access to
noon on the next day). No other means can create such a doorway or Chamber 2).
allow entry into the dungeon. At that time, the cylinder drops back into
its housing and the depression again heats like an oven. Any characters Finding Block C:
still inside the dungeon complex are trapped there until someone outside If characters venture down the hallway when the blocks are in the
reopens the magical passage. Teleporting out is impossible, even to a open position, someone might spot block C (it takes a successful DC 20
known teleportation circle. It’s up to the GM whether characters could Wis [Perception] check). Characters who search the southern 20 feet of
escape by traveling through the Astral or Ethereal Planes; we recommend the corridor specifically for shifting stonework find it with a DC 10 Int
against it. Only the globe of Arden’s disintegrate power is capable of (Investigation) check. They can note automatically, however, that the
blasting through the enchanted stone back into the circular pit, where the scrape marks from B don’t appear on the last 20 feet of the corridor, but
stone there is only 10 feet thick. there is a lot of stone dust where the floor meets the walls.

The Dungeon of the Globe

Getting Caught:
If someone triggers the pressure plate at area “D” (see Room 2, below),
the blocks return to the closed position. If the blocks are in the closed
The passwall penetrates 10 feet of solid stone, extending from the position when the plate is triggered, there is no effect. It is therefore
depression to this location. From this point, characters can return to the possible that characters may be caught between the moving blocks if the
depression. When living matter passes through the passwall passage, an plate is triggered when they are trying to escape the room.
alarm spell triggers in Rooms 3 and 9, alerting Asari and Dendorandra, After triggering the pressure plate (see below), characters hear the
respectively, to the presence of intruders. sound of stone grinding on stone, which they recognize (having just heard
it a few minutes ago) as block B scraping down the corridor. If a player
immediately says, “I’m running for the exit,” then their character is in
1. The Shifting Hallway motion immediately. If players hesitate, they can make DC 12 Dex saves
to see whether their characters react instinctively or waste a few precious
When characters first come to this area, what they see is the corridor seconds thinking about the situation.
making a 45-degree turn to the east followed almost immediately by a The southern half of the corridor from room 2 to the three-way
90-degree turn to the north. There’s no obvious clue that the corridor intersection is 60 feet long. Most characters can cover this distance in
extends to the south. a single round by dashing. They might have started somewhere inside
The floor leading north, however, large scrape marks, as if a huge room 2, however, which means they won’t quite get out of the southern
stone block had been dragged over the hallway’s paving stones. Anyone corridor during the first round. And if they hesitated, they can’t dash; they
entering this corridor recognizes that a block within this corridor shifts, wasted their “action” deciding what to do, and all they’re left with is a
and anyone who spends 10 minutes (three minutes for a dwarf) inspecting normal move. Block B will seal off the exit to the northwest corridor a
the stonework can figure out that the “sliding block” is essentially the few moments into the second round. Characters who can reach the gap in
entire southern wall of the corridor, which is carved to resemble fitted a single move (without dashing) can dive through by making a successful
stones but is actually a single, massive block. Apparently, it is rigged to DC 12 Dex check—but if this check fails by 5 or more (the adjusted roll
slide from south to north, but how? is 7 or less), the character gets caught between the corner and the moving
stone and takes 1d100 bludgeoning damage. Low damage on this roll
Stone Trigger: indicates the loss of a few fingers or toes; high damage indicates they were
Characters can find a stone trigger or button set in the north wall, cut in half or ground to paste between the wall and block B. Anyone who
about 4 feet up the wall at “A” on the map, with a successful DC 13 doesn’t get out and doesn’t get killed is cut off by block B moving south,
Int (Investigation) check. The “button” is a 1-foot-square stone block and will be pushed back toward room 2.
set flush with the wall. Pushing it inward sets the blocks in motion. The The second source of danger in this situation is being caught between
button resets itself, flush to the wall, in one round. Pushing the button a block B moving south and block C descending from the ceiling; characters
second time causes the blocks to move in the opposite direction. If the might not even know about block C if they didn’t search for it previously.
blocks are moving when the button is pushed, the blocks stop for one The corridor is 10 feet high and block C descends 2 feet per round. It
round, then move backward to their last position. There is no limit to the drops to 8 feet of clearance on the first round (when characters probably
number of times the button can be pushed, but there is a 1% chance (non- are racing north), drops to 6 feet of clearance on round 2 (when characters
cumulative) each time the button is pushed that the button sticks and the realize they’ve been cut off and trapped), and drops to 4 feet of clearance
mechanism malfunctions. on round 3 (probably the point at which characters turn around and head
The pressure plate at area “D” also triggers the blocks, as described in back toward room 2 to get away from block B). Small characters can still
Room 2, below. move under block C with no difficulty, but Medium characters must make
a successful DC 10 Dex (Acrobatics) check to move at full speed; failing
Shifting Blocks: the check means they treat the floor under block C as difficult terrain. On
Once the trigger at “A” is pushed, two blocks in the corridor shift. the fourth round, characters of any size can only crawl. If anyone is still
Block B is 10 feet wide, 10 feet high, and 60 feet long. It moves from under block C on the fifth round, they take 1d100 bludgeoning damage;
its southern position (marked on the map with the letter B and a solid you can interpret the result colorfully to indicate how much of themselves
outline), sliding 10 feet per round northward until it has cleared the three- they dragged out before the block crushed everything under it.
way intersection. The block’s stopping position is marked with the letter
B and a dashed outline. Caught in the Middle:
Block C, positioned south of block B, is 10 feet by 10 feet by 20 feet. It’s possible that someone, seeing the ceiling descending and block B
Unlike block B which slides north and south, block C moves up and down. cutting off their escape to the north, might decide to take the chance that
40
Ra's evil grin

41
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
when both blocks stop moving, there’s enough dead space left between behind it. A glowing globe sits upon the altar. Cautious PCs might feel as
them for a character to survive. They are wrong. Block B doesn’t stop though this quest has proved too easy, and their suspicion is warranted;
moving until it’s tight up against block C. Anyone caught between them this is a trap. The globe, enhanced with Nystul’s magic aura, radiates
is crushed to death. evocation and abjuration magic. Some of that comes from the false aura,
and some of it comes from the glyph of warding trap on the globe; the
Stopping the Blocks: glyph is detectable with a successful DC 16 Int (Arcana) check.
Physically preventing the blocks’ movement is impossible, but pushing The trap is triggered by moving the globe or by trying and failing
the stone “button” at A stops them for one round, then reverses them. They to dispel the glyph. It unleashes a chain lightning spell that strikes the
don’t actually stop moving until the end of the current round, however, so character who set off the trap and the three closest characters. Each of
it’s possible for someone to still be killed or seriously injured on the round them takes 10d8 lightning damage, or half damage with a successful DC
the button is pushed. 16 Dex saving throw.
All that’s needed for the party to survive this trap is a single character
escaping back to the northwest corridor, to push the button and reopen the Pressure Plate:
exit from room 2. Players who keep their wits about them should have no Located in front of the altar at area D on the map is a pressure plate
trouble with it. Those who panic might pay a high price. (noticeable with a successful DC 17 Int [Investigation] check or a DC
22 Wis [Perception] check). A weight of 100 or more pounds triggers
the blocks in the corridor to the north, as described in the description
2. False Globe and Block Trap of Room 1.

Dozens of skeletons are piled in this room. Several wear scraps of rusty
armor; all have parts missing. Writing and hash marks scratched on the 3. Evil Chapel
walls seem to indicate that some people might have been trapped here for
a long time. Some bones show tooth marks. The door opens to reveal an evil chapel with an altar carved in the
These skeletons are the remains of adventurers who came to retrieve the form of a many-armed snake woman. Thirteen white stone pillars
globe, but also of servants of the priests of Tsathogga who were entombed stand in a half circle in front of the blood- and skull-covered altar. A
here after they finished constructing the labyrinth that houses the globe, so single priest chants arcane words as a silver glow envelops his body.
that no one could learn its hiding place. Then all goes black.
The priest is Asari, the fallen high priest of Arden who long ago stole
False Globe: the globe of Arden and delivered it to the priests of Tsathogga. Tsathogga
At the eastern end of the room, an altar sits atop a platform. Symbols of rewarded Asari’s treachery with eternal life as a mummy lord, making him
the demon frog-god Tsathogga adorn the platform, the altar, and the walls a consort to Dendorandra, the dark daughter.

42
 Ra's evil grin
(Asari [Mummy Lord]: AC 17, 97 hp; Asari can attack with Alternatively, you can simply pick two spots on the map where the jellies
both its dreadful glare and rotting fist; +9 to hit, 3d6 + are located and let characters stumble onto them naturally.)
4 bludgeoning damage plus 6d6 necrotic damage,
and the target creature must make a successful DC 16 (Ochre Jelly: AC 8, 45 hp; +4 to hit, 2d6 + 2 bludgeoning
Con saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot [can’t damage plus 1d6 acid damage [pseudopod]; lightning or
regain hps, hp maximum decreases by 3d6 every 24 slashing damage cause the jelly to split in half)
hours—rotting fist]; one target within 60 ft. that can
see the mummy must make a DC 16 Wis saving throw Section 4C of the maze leads to the secret door into Room 5.
or become frightened until the end of the mummy’s
next turn [dreadful glare]; failure by 5 or more means
the target is also paralyzed for the same duration; a 5. Traps and Keys
target becomes immune to this effect once it makes a
successful save against it; has tactical advantage on A secret stone door, locked and trapped, bars entrance to this small
saving throws against magic; spell attack +9, save DC room. Opening the secret door without disabling the trap triggers it. The
17; [at will] sacred flame, thaumaturgy; [1st level, x4] DC for all checks (finding the door, noticing the trap, disarming the trap,
command, guiding bolt, shield of faith; [2nd level, x3] unlocking the door) is 12.
hold person, silence, spiritual weapon; [3rd level, x3] The trap launches three spears from the wall at the southern end of this
animate dead, dispel magic; [4th level, x3] divination, corridor, straight up the corridor. They attack the first three targets at +8 to
guardian of faith; [5th level, x2] contagion, insect hit and do 1d8 + 4 piercing damage.
plague; [6th level, x1]; harm; can use 3 legendary Behind the secret door, on the far wall of this area, are four hooks. Four
actions/round [rotting fist, dreadful glare, blinding dust keys—one each of silver, bronze, lead, and brass—hang from the hooks.
(each creature within 5 ft. must make a successful DC These keys are needed to open the iron doors into Area 8.
16 Con saving throw or be blinded until the end of its
next turn), blasphemous word (2 actions—every non-
undead creature within 10 ft. must make a successful
DC 16 Con saving throw or be stunned until the end of
6. The Second False Globe
the mummy lord’s next turn), channel negative energy A secret stone door, locked and trapped, bars entrance to this small
(2 actions—creatures within 60 ft. can’t regain hp until room, which holds a second false globe. Opening the secret door
the end of the mummy lord’s next turn), whirlwind of without disabling the trap triggers it. The DC for all checks (finding
sand (2 actions—the mummy lord moves up to 60 ft. as the door, noticing the trap, disarming the trap, unlocking the door)
a whirlwind of sand immune to all attack)]; is 14.
The trap launches three spears from the wall at the western end of this
Tactics: The alarm spell triggered by characters when they opened the corridor, straight east along the corridor. They attack the first three targets
passwall warned Asari of their arrival. This is his lair, so in addition to at +8 to hit and do 1d8 + 4 piercing damage. Note that someone standing
the abilities listed above, he can use any of a mummy lord’s lair actions. in front of the secret door isn’t in danger; they’re “around the corner”
Typically, he chooses to restrict the use of spells of 4th level and below by from the trap. Characters lined up in the “safe area” around the corner
non-undead creatures. from the door, and particularly those at the back of the group, are in the
most danger.
The Altar: Opening the secret door reveals a small chamber. Its walls are
If Asari is destroyed, the face on the altar (of a many-armed snake barren and crudely worked, and the chamber’s floor is packed earth.
woman) animates, and a female voice intones: Rudely placed in a stone basin set in the east wall, shrouded by a
black cloth covered with evil runes, sits what appears to be an orb.
The vile black cloth cannot mask the light emanating from the orb
“Little creatures, your powers are nothing to me. I would beneath.
have destroyed all of you long before this, but I enjoy breaking The writing on the cloth, in Abyssal, appears to be a curse of darkness.
such miserable creatures as you with my bare hands. Humans However, this is all a ruse (again), as the cloth is enhanced with Nystul’s
beg so wonderfully, shrieking and crying as I slowly pull them magic aura and another glyph of warding to detect as magic. The glyph can
apart!” Looking at a spellcaster in the group, the female voice be detected with a successful DC 16 Int (Arcana) check. Touching the cloth
adds, “Perhaps I shall choose you as a replacement for my last triggers a poison spray spell; everyone in the chamber takes 3d12 poison
companion—the one you so thoughtlessly destroyed.” damage, or half damage with a successful DC 16 Con saving throw.
The orb beneath the cloth glows with a bright holy light, as if radiating
a daylight spell. This globe, like its predecessor, is enhanced with Nystul’s
The statue then re-solidifies amid distant laughter. magic aura, a permanent light spell, and yet another glyph of warding
trap that’s triggered by moving the globe or by trying and failing to dispel
the glyph. It unleashes a chain lightning spell that strikes the character
4. The Maze who set off the trap and the three closest characters. Each of them takes
10d8 lightning damage, or half damage with a successful DC 16 Dex
It should be obvious to characters standing at the entrance to this area saving throw.
that they are about to enter a maze. Navigating this maze ultimately leads If the orb is moved a second time, it sets off a second glyph of warding
to Area 8. The maze does not present much difficulty and can be navigated trap, this time triggering a phantasmal killer affecting the character who
by normal means. Note, however, that to pass through the doors at 7, the set off the glyph. The triggering character must make a successful DC 16
secret door at Room 5 must be discovered and opened. Wis saving throw or become frightened. While frightened, it repeats the
The maze is divided into three sections, according to which of the three saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 4d10 psychic damage
paths characters take at the entrance. if it fails or ending the effect if it succeeds.
Section 4A leads eventually to the doors at 7. No monsters roam this At the north end of the chamber, a second secret door, this one unlocked
section. and untrapped (except for the false orb), opens into a passage that leads to
Section 4B leads nowhere; 2 ochre jellies wander around this section. the iron portals at Area 7, below. The door can be found with a successful
(There is a 1-in-6 chance per minute of to encounter one of the jellies. DC 13 Int (Investigation) check.
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 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
7. Riddles at the Gate 8. The Gloomy Cavern
A set of great iron portals bars the way. The two doors, constructed of This cave contains large piles of bones, loose rocks, rusty swords, armor,
the finest iron, are engraved with arcane writings. In the center of each and the rotten remains of packs and other soft goods. An eerie, howling
door is an elaborate, rune-etched lock with several keyholes. wind blows through this place, and an otherworldly light emanates up
Each door is built from 4-inch-thick magical iron with 1-inch- from Room 9. There are no monsters here. The demon in Room 9 can
wide channels that run both horizontally and vertically, through which create animated servants from these bones.
adamantine bars have been inserted. The bars can’t be seen while the Treasure: In one of the piles of bones, a detect magic spell reveals a
doors are closed and locked; characters can hear the bars retracting, and wooden +2 shield beneath a large pile of rusty metal.
they can see the horizontal channels through the doors when the doors
are open. The bars slide away when the locks are disengaged. The lock
on the right-hand door causes the vertical bars to retract, and the lock on 9. The Guardian
the left-hand door causes the horizontal bars to retract, thus unlocking the
door as explained below. The locks can’t be opened any other way besides A set of stairs, hewn from the red stone of the living rock of the cave
correctly using the keys; any attempt to pick one of the locks triggers an itself, descends about 30 feet to a room of roughly worked stone. Strange
electrical jolt that does 2d6 lightning damage, as does every attempt to use crystals are set into its walls. A huge pile of silver and gold glitters and
the keys incorrectly. The doors are impervious to magic such as passwall shines in the center of the room.
and disintegrate; nothing short of a sphere of annihilation can penetrate The monster in this room reveals herself and attacks once characters
the doors’ magical defenses. get close. Tsathogga commissioned Dendorandra, the Dark Daughter
Each door has four keyholes and a riddle that explains how to unlock it. to guard the globe of Arden. She knows that she will suffer eternal torment
Once both halves are opened, the doors can be swung wide into the cave should she fail in her task. Dendorandra is a marilith with slightly lower
at Area 8. than normal hit points.
The Riddle on the Right-hand Door: Four colored metal plates in
symbolic shapes comprise the lock in the door’s center. The shaped plates, (Dendorandra [Marilith]: AC 18, 160 hp; Denrorandra makes
each with a keyhole at the center, are as follows: a brass table, a lead six longsword attacks and one tail attack; +9 to hit x6, 2d8
sword, a bronze coffin, and a silver diamond. Each lock appears designed + 4 slashing damage [longsword]; +9 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
to accept a normal-sized key. Surrounding the locks is the following 2d10 + 4 bludgeoning damage and a Medium or smaller
inscription written in magical runes, readable with comprehend languages target is grappled and restrained [tail]; a target grappled
or a successful DC 12 Int (Arcana) check. by the tail is hit automatically by the tail attack; as an
action, can teleport up to 120 ft.; has tactical advantage
on saving throws against magic; 1/turn, can add 5 to AC
against a melee attack)
“One man makes me, does not need me.
One man buys me, does not use me.
Tactics: Dendorandra relishes combat. She fights with six longswords,
One man uses me, does not see me.”
but one is a sword of wounding named Xpatias (literally “frogsticker”
in Abyssal; see the Appendix). If characters are still very strong when
they reach this chamber, Dendorandra can be upped to normal hit points
The answer to the riddle is “coffin.” When the bronze key is inserted into
(189). If characters quickly gain the upper hand in the fight, allow her to
the coffin-shaped bronze lock and turned, the bronze panel slides back to
summon additional demons (50 percent chance to summon 1d6 vrocks,
reveal a second, coffin-shaped silver lock. If this is in turn opened with the
1d4 hezrous, 1d3 glabrezus, 1d2 nalfeshnees, or one other marilith). She
silver key, it reveals a coffin-shaped lead lock, which when opened in turn
attacks lightly-armored individuals first and concentrates on one victim
reveals a coffin-shaped brass lock. Each lock must be opened with the key
until that person is dead. If defeat seems certain, she can teleport into
of the same metal. Using the keys in any other manner causes 2d6 lightning Room 8 and try to escape from there.
damage. Once all four locks are opened, the characters hear a grinding sound Treasure: Other than Dendorandra’s magic sword, the pile of gold
as the vertical adamantine bars within the doors slide away. PCs cannot yet and silver consists of 4,000 gp and 20,000 sp. Under the pile of coins, a
open the doors unless the left-hand door has been unlocked. secret hatch opens into a passage—a 3-foot-diameter crawlspace of tiled
stone—leading to Room 10. The hatch can be found with a successful DC
The Riddle on the Left-hand Door: 15 Int (Investigation) check or a DC 18 Wis (Perception) check.
Four square plates comprise the locks in the door’s center—one each
of silver, lead, bronze and brass. Surrounding the locks is the following
inscription, written in magical runes, readable with comprehend languages
or a successful DC 12 Int (Arcana) check.
10. The Treasure Room
A dim glow can be seen at the end of the tiny passage leading to this
room. Characters emerge into a 5-foot-square room containing a chest
“I fall first the heaviest, and then heaviest from a man’s purse.” and a silver coffer. Both vessels look to be thousands of years old and are
covered with ancient and arcane runes and hieroglyphs beyond anyone’s
ability to translate; even the languages are unrecognizable. Fine locks of
The answers are “lead” (because it is the heaviest of the four metals) ancient construction on both items look untouched, as though undisturbed
and “silver” (because coins are made of it). Only by inserting and turning for centuries.
the lead key in the lead lock and the silver key in the silver lock does this Both vessels are locked and trapped.
half of the door unlock. The bronze and brass keys aren’t needed on this The chest, made of iron, is worth 1,000 gp intact. The coffer, made of
door. Using the keys in any other manner causes 2d6 electrical damage. mithral, is worth 4,000 gp intact. Their value drops to 1/5 the estimate if
Once both locks are opened, the characters hear a grinding sound as the they are broken open.
horizontal interlocking adamantine bars within the doors slide away. The
doors can’t be opened unless both have been unlocked. The Iron Chest:
Once both doors are unlocked—both sets of adamantine bars have The DC to discover the trap, disable the trap, and pick the lock is 16.
withdrawn—they swing open freely, all traps disabled. The trap goes off if it hasn’t been disabled when the chest is opened. It
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Ra's evil grin
releases a cloud of poison gas that fills this chamber and the narrow passage
leading to it, doing 8d8 poison damage, or halve damage with a successful DC
16 Con saving throw.
The chest is worth 1,000 gp intact but only 200 gp if it’s broken open. It
contains 10 gems: an uncut corundum sphere (10,000 gp), a ruby (1,000 gp), a
sapphire (3,000 gp), an emerald (6,000 gp), a garnet (2,000 gp), an opal (8,000
gp), a topaz (6,000 gp), an aquamarine (4,000 gp), a large chunk of jade (4,500
gp), and a black opal (2,500 gp).

The Silver Coffer:

The DC to discover the trap, disable the trap, and pick the lock is 18. The
trap goes off if it hasn’t been disabled when the coffer is opened. It unleashes
a lightning bolt that hits the person who opened the coffer and everyone in
the narrow corridor, if possible, doing 10d6 lightning damage, or half
damage with a successful DC 18 Dex saving throw. The coffer cannot
be unlocked magically.
The coffer is made of mithral and is worth 4,000 gp if intact and
undamaged, or 800 gp if broken open. The coffer holds what at
first appears to be an unidentifiable, glowing gem about 12 inches in
diameter, made of a milky, glasslike substance with a dark splotch the
size of a human’s palm on the side that’s turned up. It is, in fact, the globe
of Arden—a powerful relic! See the Appendix for more information on
the globe of Arden.

The Globe of Arden

Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement to a Good-aligned
cleric or druid)
The globe of Arden is a minor artifact, being an actual eyeball from
the slain deity Arden. It has the following powers.
• Once attuned to an owner, the globe floats around that person
(like an ioun stone). The globe’s owner gains 5 temporary hit points
at the end of each long rest, and benefits from a +1 bonus on ability
checks, skill checks, and saving throws.
• The globe continuously sheds light as a daylight spell. This
light can’t be switched off, but it can be shielded by placing the globe
inside a sack, box, or other lightproof container. Unfortunately, the
globe provides its other benefits only while floating around its owner
unfettered.
• Its owner can cast guiding bolt three times per day.
• Its owner can commune with the dead god Arden once per month.
• Its owner can cast banishment and dispel evil and good once per
day.
• Evil creatures that touch the globe willingly take 5d6 radiant
damage.
Each time a spell is cast with the globe, however, the globe’s owner
must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or gain one level of
exhaustion.

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 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils

Sorcerer’s Citadel By Bill Webb and Clark Peterson

Designed for a party of five characters of at least 9th level, this just reaching this desolate part of the world should require a night or more
adventure will challenge players seeking a powerful magic item of the of roleplaying. In the Lost Lands campaign setting by Frog God Games,
GM’s choosing. A sphere of annihilation has been provided and is woven Crane’s Tower is located among the mysterious Lost Mountains, far across
into several elements of the adventure, but any appropriately powerful the Haunted Steppe and standing above thrice-cursed Lake Hali.
item can be substituted if something else suits your campaign better.
Though the adventure is designed to test every type of character class, a
rogue who can deal with traps is essential, as is a wizard or sorcerer of at
least 9th level. Larger groups will have an easier time; parties of four or The Tower of
Crane the Sorcerer
fewer characters will be in for a very bad time unless you mitigate some
of the tower’s more lethal traps and encounters. This adventure culminates
in an encounter with devils and a sphere of annihilation.
The sphere of annihilation is hidden deep within the tower-and-dungeon
complex of Crane the Sorcerer. Originally set atop a high mountain in The Tower of Crane the Sorcerer stands shrouded in a chilling, damp
a secluded and wild part of the world, the tower and dungeon can be mist. The cylindrical tower, made of a smooth, dark stone, tapers gradually
relocated to meet the situation in your campign. Crane, an introvert, from the base to its peak, where it is crowned with three sharp spires of
stayed as far away from civilization as possible, as is detailed below. The uneven height. There are no openings of any kind in the dark walls of the
tower.
tower above the dungeon doesn’t present many difficulties for a group of
Some 100 or more feet from the tower is a depression of worked stone,
powerful characters or alert players. It might lull PCs into a false sense of
set into the surrounding earth and accessed by a downward-sloping ramp.
security before they enter the areas where they’ll really be put to the test.
Inside the depression is what appears to be an archway that leads to the
tower’s interior.

The Legend of
The black stone of the tower’s exterior is not native to this plane, but
was imported by Crane’s infernal servants. The tower itself measures over
160 feet tall at the tip of its tallest spire. The walls are almost perfectly

Crane the Sorcerer smooth and extraordinarily difficult to scale (requiring a successful DC
30 Str [Athletics] check). The walls of the tower and the floors between
each level are 5 feet thick and have been enhanced with immunity to
Crane, a lawful-neutral sorcerer of great power was obsessed with all spells of any type, except those spells specifically cast by Crane himself.
things lawful. He paid homage to the gods of law, whether evil or good. He The stone also proves impervious to any physical weapon or tool with an
was a great scientist and created numerous constructs, such as golems and enhancement bonus less than +5. Nonmagical weapons or tools striking
homunculi. His other interests ran to the diabolic. Crane studied the use the stone forcefully shatter on impact and the wielder suffers damage
of extraplanar creatures as servants and messengers. He also developed a equal to a strike from that weapon. Magical weapons and tools of less
firm knowledge of trap building and alchemy. He acquired and learned to than +5 enhancement suffer the same fate if the wielder fails a DC 15 Con
control a sphere of annihilation, with which he carved a dungeon beneath saving throw; if the save succeeds, the magical weapon or tool does not
his mountaintop tower. shatter but the wielder still takes damage as noted above.
About 100 years ago, Crane set off to do battle with a group of Chaotic A unique magical ward prevents entering or exiting the tower by magic
Evil sorcerers known as the Violet Brotherhood, whose black arts were of any kind; that option is reserved for Crane and those to whom he gave
linked to the foul demon frog-god Tsathogga. Though mightier than permission (which, because of his death, can no longer be obtained).
any individual evil sorcerer, Crane could not prevail against all of them Anyone attempting magical entry into the tower is stricken as per a maze
working in concert. Overcome by his foes, he cursed his own arrogance spell. When freed from the maze, the person reappears on this plane in the
with his final breath. Yet he had taken a great precaution: fearing that, middle of the Poisoned Corridor (see below).
in magical combat, his foes might seize control of his sphere and turn it Five levels comprise the tower’s interior—four above ground, the fifth
against him, Crane had decided not to use his magical globe of blackness below. The upper levels contain various living spaces appointed with the
against the Violet Brotherhood. Instead, he sealed his sphere within his requisite creature comforts. Everything within the tower’s interior lies
tower and protected it with powerful magic. It awaits discovery there shrouded beneath a thick layer of dust. All doors and trapdoors within the
today, its former master now long dead. tower are locked and of average make and, unless otherwise noted, have
Sages consulted by the PCs offer the following cryptic warning: “Far the same surprisingly pedestrian characteristics detailed below.
up in distant mountains lies the Tower of Crane—master of darkness, lord Unless noted otherwise, all doors in the tower are made of wood, have
of nothingness. Long is the path, and dangerous. Beware, adventurer, for AC 15, and 22 (5d8) hit points. Likewise, locked doors can be opened
peril lies both inside and out, both in between and beyond.” with thief’s tools and a successful DC 15 Dex check or broken down with
a successful DC 20 Str (Athletics) check. Whether picking the lock or
forcing the door, a check determines whether a character is capable of the

Reaching the Tower feat; if the check fails, the door is beyond the character’s power to bash
open or the lock is beyond his or her skill to pick; they can try again only
after gaining a level.
Crane the Sorcerer’s tower rises above the mist-shrouded summit of When a secret, locked, or trapped door is followed by a DC in
a distant mountain embedded within a faraway mountain range. The parentheses [for example, “there is a locked and trapped secret door in the
surrounding area is wild, and finding the tower is an arduous undertaking; north wall (DC 13)”], the DC applies to finding a secret of hidden door,
46
 The Sorcerer's Citadel
noticing the trap, disarming the trap, avoiding the trap, and unlocking the three hours spent near the tower of encountering the golems, plus an
door. It doesn’t apply to breaking down the door; that’s covered by the additional 25 percent chance (3-7 on 1d20) of hearing the golems’ distant
preceding paragraph. If the text gives a different DC for a specific task, use (or not-so-distant) shrieks and howls through the mist.
the specific DC. A door is spotted at a glance by a character whose passive Both golems have an amulet stitched into their flesh bearing the rune
Perception equals or exceeds the door’s DC. Otherwise, searching takes of Crane the Sorcerer. The amulets are not magical, but they prevent the
five to ten minutes and a successful Int (Investigation) check. Opening invisible door’s cloudkill trap from triggering (see below). The amulets
a lock always requires thief’s tools; disarming a trap usually does, but can be seen easily, but they must be cut out of a golem’s flesh after the
sometimes it can be done just as easily with a sword, a pole, or a hammer creature has been killed.
and a few spikes. Inventiveness should always count for more than dice
rolls in these cases. (Flesh Golem: AC 9, 93 hp; +7 to hit x2, 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning
damage [slam]; has tactical advantage on saving throws
against magic and is immune to any magic that would
Wandering Monsters alter its form; has tactical disadvantage on attack rolls
and ability checks for 1 round after taking fire damage; is
The tower contains no wandering monsters, because creatures that have immune to lightning damage but instead heals hp equal
tried to enter died in the poisoned corridor. Local monsters have learned to the lightning damage; when reduced to 40 or fewer
of the poisoned corridor by hard experience and do not venture near the hp, has a 1-in-6 chance of going berserk and attacking
tower. Thus, the party can camp within 100 yards of the tower in relative the nearest creature, checked at the start of its turn)
safety. But don’t tell the players that. Stress the darkness and lack of
vision caused by the cold mists of the mountain top and the eerie shadow
cast by the spires of the tower.
The only threats to a party camped outside the tower are 2 flesh golems,
Entrance Passage
created long ago by Crane to guard the archway leading to the poisonous The stone-lined ramp descends 12 feet to a flat-bottomed depression.
corridor. With Crane’s death, the golems went berserk. They now wander Set into the far wall of this depression is a simple, unadorned archway
the surrounding wilderness, though they approximately 5 feet wide and 8 feet high. The cold, swirling mist collects
never stray more than five miles from the at the bottom of this depression. From the top of the slope, shapes can be
tower. They can be encountered together seen lying just inside the archway, on the floor of the corridor beyond. Just
or individually, and they attack any inside the archway lie several animal and humanoid skeletons of all sizes.
creatures they see. Debris surrounds them, some of which is typical adventuring equipment
If you prefer to leave this encounter that has long since rotted or rusted. The passageway beyond seems to
to fate, then characters have a 10 be constructed entirely of seamless white stone. The walls are perfectly
percent chance (1-2 on 1d20) per smooth and show no chips or tool marks. The corridor stretches beyond
the range of normal vision, sloping downward slightly.
Crane created this corridor using his sphere of annihilation. The
corridor extends 180 feet, but the skeletal remains of birds, animals,
monsters and humans litter the first 60 feet: creatures slain by the poison
of the corridor, as described below. All mundane equipment has long since
rotted or rusted beyond usefulness.

Poisoned Corridor
The citadel’s entrance is the most deadly element of the fortress’ defense
system, which Crane set up to protect his treasures. The floor, walls, and
ceiling of the corridor comprise a magical poison trap. Anyone touching
these surfaces must make a successful DC 15 Con saving throw or become
poisoned and take 2d12 poison damage. A poisoned creature repeats the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns; the condition ends with a
successful save, but a failed save causes another 2d12 poison damage
and the poisoning continues.
Any contact with the walls, floor, or ceiling of the corridor
is enough to cause poisoning, no matter how characters try to
insulate themselves against it. The two most obvious ways to
safely travel through the corridor are to fly or be carried
by something that’s immune to poison (when Crane
lived here, he had flesh golems carry guests through the
corridor). Characters might come up with other workable
solutions—but if it involves contacting the corridor, even
through heavy boots or multiple layers of wood, stone, or
lead, then it’s not a solution. Even flying, however, doesn’t
overcome the invisible wall at the end of the corridor.
A careful search of the debris near the entrance turns
up a few interesting items of treasure. Touching the items,
however, triggers the magical poison trap, even if they’re
just pulled with a pole or scooped with a net. They can
be retrieved safely with mage hand and similar magic.
The items include a scroll of hold monster, a potion of
heroism, and a potion of invulnerability.
47
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils

who isn’t wearing his amulet (an amulet can be obtained from either of
Invisible Wall and Door the flesh golems). The cloudkill instantly fills the bottom 20 feet of the
corridor in front of the invisible wall, then rolls up the corridor at 10 feet
The bottom end of the passage ends at a stone wall (identical to the other per round. It reaches the entrance archway in 13 rounds (78 seconds),
walls of the corridor) with a mundane-looking wooden door with iron clears the corridor four rounds after that, and clears the entire sunken
bindings. Placed 30 feet in front of this wall, however, is an invisible wall of entryway in another three rounds.
stone pierced by a similarly invisible stone door. This wall and door are not The trap on the invisible door is permanent, resets instantly, and can
part of the corridor’s poison trap. The invisible wall and door can’t be seen, be triggered an unlimited number of times. Being magical, it can’t be
but characters might notice the dust, stones, and other debris that have piled up disabled mechanically, only dispelled.
along the wall’s base over the years; this clue is spotted with a successful DC Once they get past the invisible door, characters can safely travel the
18 Wis (Perception) check, assuming characters are watching for such things remaining 30 feet of the corridor to the visible door at the bottom—the
in the corridor and not fixated on the visible wall and door farther ahead. entrance to Level 1 of the tower. This last stretch of corridor is not part
Simply colliding with the invisible barrier isn’t likely to cause any of the corridor’s poison trap. The door is locked, but can be opened with
damage, unless characters were moving at very high speed (most thief’s tools and a successful DC 15 Dex check.
characters can’t move fast enough under their own power to come close
to the speed of falling, for example). Slamming into the barrier at a full
run or head-first while flying does, however, call for a DC 10 Con saving Tower Level 1
throw to avoid being stunned for one round and falling to the floor, which
triggers the corridor’s poison trap. The tower’s basement is a large, circular room 40 feet in diameter.
The door in the wall can be found automatically by anyone who feels Set in the center of the room is a spiral, wooden staircase, which leads
across the wall with his or her hands. The door isn’t locked but it is rigged to a trapdoor in the ceiling. Barrels and boxes fill the room. A thick
with a cloudkill trap—a fact that can be ascertained with a successful accumulation of dust has settled on the room’s contents. This level contains
DC 15 Investigation check, made with tactical disadvantage because of various barrels, boxes and preserved foodstuffs stacked neatly along the
the door’s invisibility. The trap is triggered if the invisible wall or door walls of the room. A wooden staircase leads up to a locked trapdoor and
are damaged or when the door is opened by someone other than Crane Level 2 of the tower. Nothing of value is present here.
48
 The Sorcerer's Citadel
diminution; oil of slipperiness; and an unfamiliar black talisman with a
Tower Level 2 delicate chain of pure adamantine.
This talisman, a ruby-eyed, silver-tongued dragon twined around a ball,
This level appears to be a sitting room. Several pieces of beautifully weighs four ounces and is exquisitely crafted of stone similar to that of
crafted furniture tastefully appoint the room, which is further accented by the tower’s exterior. It could be sold for as much as 1,000 gp. It detects
rich tapestries. Again, a layer of dust covers everything. The beautifully- faintly as magical but does not reveal its true nature until the party reaches
made furniture can be removed by ambitious adventurers and sold in a Room N of the dungeon. It is a talisman of the sphere, which characters
city for 3d6 x 100 gp per piece. The magical fireplace, constructed of will find very useful when trying to control the sphere of annihilation. In
the same stone as the exterior walls, causes perfect combustion, so a fire addition, this talisman is the key to freeing the sphere from the forcecage
produces no smoke. A wooden staircase leads up to a locked trapdoor and that contains it.
Level 3 of the tower. Nothing else of great value is present here.

Tower Level 4
Tower Level 3 This room appears to be Crane’s bedroom, and it is lavishly furnished
This level of the tower is Crane’s alchemical workshop. Opened and with tapestries, silk curtains and incense burners. The curtains around
stoppered vials, jugs and bottles; pots, bowls, mortars, pestles and crucibles; the canopied bed have been drawn back, revealing a beautiful woman
many rusted tools, like pliers, scoops and tongs; braziers, censers, candles, of about 25 years, clothed in a fine red, silken robe, nestled amid the
oil lamps and bits of coal; a scale with weights; parchment, quills and bedclothes. Pots of strange plants rest on tables around the room, filling
inkpots; and glass piping, brass fittings and support apparatus litter four the space with strange and exotic fragrances. Well-tended pots of blue
tables. Six locked cabinets stand against the walls, lined with shelves. lotus flowers clutter every table surface. Pollen from these flowers
Materials present in this laboratory would require several wagons to permeates the room, and any sudden or violent movement or disturbance
transport. There are, however, a number of rare, valuable items here, and stirs up a pollen cloud.
the total setup would fetch well over 25,000 gp if sold to a wizard or The beautiful woman is in reality a polymorphed erinyes. She answers
alchemist. Another wooden staircase leads up to a locked trapdoor and to Melissa (her real name is Vaa’rankariziaalia). Melissa, once Crane’s
Level 4 of the tower. consort, was summoned to this plane and bound to this room by Crane.
A secret, locked compartment (DC 12) behind one of the cabinets She cannot leave the room. Her beauty is flawless, and she is friendly if
hides a locked, trapped safe (DC 15). This safe contains some of Crane’s approached.
money as well as a few potions. Hearing the approach of the PCs, Melissa disturbed the blue lotus
A single check unlocks the safe and disables its trap; if it fails, the safe flowers, filling the entire room with their narcotic pollen (which she is
remains locked and the poison trap goes off, spraying poison in a 15-foot immune to); all characters entering the room are subject to its effect.
cone that does 6d6 acid damage, or half damage with a successful DC 15 Melissa engages the party in a dialogue, biding time until the pollen
Dex check. takes effect. She rises from the bed and pretends to tend the potted plants
Treasure: The safe contains 12,200 gp; six matched 100 gp gems as she speaks to the party, releasing more clouds of blue lotus pollen
(aquamarines); potions of greater healing, resistance (cold), and every round.
All characters entering the level must make a saving throw against
the blue lotus poison. Since veteran players should be immediately
suspicious of the “trapped maiden” gag, this can be a tricky encounter
Alchemical Roulette to run. It’s unlikely that characters will have any means of detecting

Randomly sampling alchemical materials can be very

dangerous. If a PC does so, roll 1d100 with the following results.
Blue Lotus
1d100 Result Creatures exposed to blue lotus toxin must make successful DC
Deadly poison (6d10 poison damage, or 16 Con saving throws or suffer hallucinations lasting 2d6 rounds.
01–12 half damage with a successful DC 15 Roll 1d4 to determine the nature of the hallucination.
Con saving throw).
Imbiber loses all body hair, and fingernails Roll Hallucination
13–25 and toenails grow 100 times faster than The character sees a party member as a
normal for two weeks. 1
devil who intends to kill them all.
Imbiber becomes delusional (believing he The character is filled with lust for the person
26–35 is invisible, can fly, or some other delusion nearest to him or her. If the target of this
chosen by the GM) for 2d4 hours. 2 desire spurns their sudden advances, the
Mild poison (3d6 poison damage, or half hallucinating character goes berserk and
36–50 damage with a successful DC 10 Con attacks.
saving throw). The character is filled with despair and is
51–80 No effect. stunned while under the influence of the
3
lotus gas. They curl up in a ball on the floor,
Tastes great! Imbiber is immune to fear for hug themselves, and cry.
81–95
2 hours.
The character goes into a tranquil trance
Imbiber gains 3d6 temporary hit points until lasting 1d4 + 1 hours. The individual sits on
96–99
after their next long or short rest. 4 the floor and sees incomprehensible visions
Imbiber permanently gains an increase of 1 of things going on in the tower as they did
00 before Crane disappeared.
in a randomly-chosen ability score

49
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
real alignment, but if they do, Melissa reads as Lawful Neutral, thanks
to Crane’s magic. Second, players are much less likely to immediately
attack and kill an NPC who is interesting. Don’t fall back on the
“helpless, seductive woman lying on a bed” stereotype. Though Melissa
The Dungeon of
is beautiful, she is fully clothed and neither flirting nor vamping with
the party. Instead, play her as pissed off when characters barge into Crane the Sorcerer
her chamber. Think Princess Leia, not Mata Hari. She might voice her
doubts about the party’s power or competence: “Oh great. A group of To protect his sphere of annihilation, Crane hid it in a magically sealed
adventurers finally gets past the poison corridor, and this is it. Dumb chamber (Room N), to which he bound three devils as guards. Opening
luck, judging by the looks of you. I think I’d rather spend the rest of my the seal to this chamber requires a fully assembled medallion, the four
life trapped here than let you get me killed in a hare-brained escape.” pieces of which Crane hid among the trapped and construct-populated
She may even aggressively grab one of the PCs, saying “I need you to corridors of his dungeon. No other way of opening the sealed chamber
free me from this place!” will succeed.
She tells the party that she is Crane’s consort and that he extended There are no wandering monsters in Crane’s dungeon.
her life with magic, but she hasn’t seen him for more years than she can
count. She explains that she was a rival sorceress who lost a
magical duel to Crane, and his prize was her servitude. Entering the Central
Chamber
Now that Crane is dead, her debt has been met,
and she demands that the party free her from
captivity.
Of course, Melissa is just biding her Crane dispersed the medallion’s
time until the hallucinations begin. four parts throughout the dungeon,
After one minute of real time, the thus securing the central chamber’s
fun starts. Melissa, familiar with integrity against intrusion—
the onset of the pollen-caused however unlikely the possibility.
hallucinations—having seen Fitting together tightly, the four
Crane’s reaction many times— pieces form a 10-inch-high
knows which PCs have been flaming-sun-shaped medallion.
affected. Each magically sealed door
to the central chamber bears
(Melissa [Erinyes]: AC an indentation into which
18, 153 hp; +8 to hit the assembled medallion fits
x3, 1d10 + 4 slashing perfectly. Arcane runes on
damage plus 3d8 the medallion give a magical
poison damage phrase that must be spoken
[longsword]; +8 to hit aloud to activate the medallion,
x3, range 150 ft./600 ft., causing it to glow with a blue
1d8 + 3 piercing damage light. This glow lasts 90 seconds,
plus 3d8 poison damage during which time the medallion
and the target must make must be placed in the door. The
a successful DC 14 Con runes can be deciphered quickly with
saving throw or be poisoned a successful DC 20 Int (Arcana) check;
[longbow]; poisoning can be otherwise, any character with training in
ended only by magic; as a reaction, Arcana can translate them with an hour of
can increase AC by 4 against a melee study.
attack; has tactical advantage on saving If a medallion is placed in a door when it’s not
throws against magic) glowing (either the magical phrase wasn’t spoken or the 90
seconds elapsed), the character holding the medallion takes 6d6 force
Treasure: Melissa wears a collar of finest gold and rubies worth damage.
11,000 gp, but whoever possesses it will be visited by a barbazu in one Three doors leading to Room N are false doors (those from Rooms
month’s time, at night, while asleep and helpless. Otherwise, the bedroom E, I, and J); placing the medallion into one of these doors also causes
furnishings are worth over 3,000 gp if transported and sold. 6d6 force damage, even if characters observed the proper procedure. Only
This room contains no stairs. A secret trapdoor (DC 15) in the ceiling, the door from Room L opens into the central chamber. If the medallion
8 feet above the floor, leads to Level 5 of the tower. is used correctly on that door, the glowing blue light engulfs the entire
door, and it opens. The medallion can be activated twice, but after the
second activation, it doesn’t respond to the magical phrase again until it
Tower Level 5 has “rested” for 12 hours.
The central chamber’s walls and associated doors, like those of the
The walls of the tower’s top level slope inward to meet at a pinnacle, tower’s exterior, are immune to spells and to weapons and tools of less
creating a pyramid-shaped room. In the north wall, a trapped secret than +5 enhancement. The only way to enter Room N is by placing the
door (DC 14) opens into a 5-foot-by-5-foot room with a glowing crystal assembled medallion into the one, true door.
archway on the back wall. Opening the secret door without disabling the

A. The Door Below

trap sucks all the air from Level 5, turning it into vacuum, and triggers
an arcane lock (DC 25 to force open) on the trapdoor back to Level 4.
Everyone in the chamber begins suffocating.
The crystal archway at the back of the secret compartment is a two-way A magically sealed stone door, runes scratched across its surface, looms
portal that teleports anyone entering it to the dungeon of Crane. Those before the PCs. It is sealed with an arcane lock which can be defeated
passing through this portal emerge through a similar portal in Room A of magically. Alternatively, tracing the runes on the door with a finger causes
the dungeon. the runes to glow brightly, unlocking the door.
50
 The Sorcerer's Citadel

6]; gains temporary hp equal to acid damage; has tactical

B. Guardians at the Gate advantage on saving throws against magic and is immune
to any effect that would alter its form; when reduced to 60 or
Beyond the locked door is a corridor leading into an irregularly- fewer hp, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can see)
shaped room, its walls and floor constructed of red-veined, white marble.

C. The Sword Room

Dominating the room are two awe-inspiring statues of large cats, sculpted
from black stone. The southern and southwestern walls feature doors. If
either unlocked door is opened, the 2 statues come to life as 2 clay golems
and attack until slain, at which time they become statues again. The statues A brightly-glowing animated flying sword of wounding floats in
pursue the PCs if they run, though the statues cannot open doors. midair in this room, which is carved entirely from black stone. The sword
immediately attacks anyone entering the room. It can’t leave the room
(Clay Golem: AC 14, 133 hp; +8 to hit x2, 2d10 + 5 bludgeoning while animated. This animated object is identical to a normal flying sword
damage and the target creature must make a successful DC but for its wounding property. As with any flying weapon, by the time it’s
15 Con saving throw or its maximum hp are reduced by the reduced to 0 hit points, it’s destroyed.
same amount [slam]; as an action, the golem can gain +2 A 10-foot-by-10-foot pressure plate at the room’s center activates a
AC, tactical advantage on Dex saves, and can attack as a poison gas trap (DC 13).
bonus action until the end of its next turn [haste, recharge 5, A secret door (DC 12) on the east wall leads to Room D.
51
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
(Flying Sword of Wounding: AC 17, 17 hp; +3 to hit, 1d8 + 1 matter emit curling wisps of pale red gas every time a surface is touched
slashing damage [longsword]; damage from this weapon or subjected to vibration. The walls are so sensitive that even loud speech
can be regained only by resting; the sword becomes causes the material to pump out vision-obscuring quantities of this
unconscious for 1 minute if it fails a Con saving throw dreadful gas.
against dispel magic) Inhaling the gas has a single, terrible consequence: insanity! Characters
who breathe in this hallway must make a successful DC 16 Con saving
throw or be driven insane. Those who are affected grasp their heads, fall
D. The Statue Room to their knees, and begin screaming endlessly (characters are stunned for
the duration of the madness). The victim’s skin takes on a red tinge. The
Two minotaur statues, 10 feet apart, occupy this room. A 5-foot- madness lasts 1d10 hours, but if the result is 10, it’s permanent until cured
diameter circle of red stones surrounds each statue. The south door by greater restoration or comparable magic.
features glowing runes. The west wall also contains a door. Both doors

H. Hall of Pools
have intricate locks (DC 18). The minotaurs are just what they appear to
be: statues. The glowing runes read “Hall of Pools,” if someone translates
them with a successful DC 14 Int (Arcana) check.
This long chamber is dotted every few yards with pools of bubbling,
blue-green liquid. A huge set of double doors at the hall’s far end
E. Gone Forever seemingly bleeds this liquid; it drains into the various pools through a
series of channels carved in the floor. Strange writing and a bas-relief
In the center of the corridor, an apparently bottomless pit trap plunges carving of a scepter, covered in gold leaf with small ruby chips simulating
PCs down a chute linked to the astral plane. Magic has no effect after the dripping blood, ornament the door. A hollow sconce, next to the bas-relief
100-foot mark—meaning characters have only a few seconds to react. scepter, appears large enough to receive an object of a size similar to the
If a player takes more than about five seconds to decide what a falling bas-relief scepter. The doors are sealed by a wish, making them effectively
character does, that character has already fallen too far and risks being lost impossible to open unless characters can cast dispel magic as a 9th-level
forever on the Astral Plane. Rescuing people thusly trapped requires plane spell.
travel abilities. A secret door (DC 15) past the pit leads to Room F. The Writing in Celestial decorating the door states, “None shall pass till the
door at the corridor’s west end is a false door to Room N; the medallion curse of the earth god is lifted.”
won’t open it, and the person who puts the medallion into the depression While the liquid’s surface ripples only an inch or so below the level
takes 6d6 force damage. of the floor, the pools themselves measure over 8 feet deep. This strange
liquid actually constitutes some odd form of Earthpower, welling up from
the depths. Any mortal touching so much as drop of this potent fluid must
F. The Big, Mean Golem make a DC 18 Con saving throw. If the saving throw fails, the character
falls unconscious for 1d6 days. If the save succeeds, the character
Large iron statues, fully 10 feet tall and shaped as warriors, line this room is poisoned and they find it difficult to walk (everywhere is treated as
on all sides, surrounding a raised dais in the center. Upon the dais rests a difficult terrain) for one hour.
rune-encrusted golden triangle, intricately carved, its center accented with a A golden scepter lies at the bottom of the westernmost pool, 8 feet
jewel. The golden triangle is the first piece of Crane’s medallion. below the surface. It can be seen—barely—through the translucent liquid.
A single flesh golem, standing near the east entrance, guards against If the scepter is fished out, placing it into the sconce beside the bas-relief
the piece’s theft. The amulet piece is trapped with a lightning bolt trap. carving opens the western doors. The scepter then vanishes, returning to
Touching either the amulet or the dais triggers the trap, which does 5d6 its resting place at the bottom of the pool. The scepter has no other power
lightning damage to everyone in the chamber, or half damage with a or function.
successful DC 14 Dex saving throw. The lightning bolt trap can be spotted

I. The Pit
with a successful DC 14 Int (Arcana) check, but it can’t disabled, only
dispelled.

(Flesh Golem: AC 9, 93 hp; +7 to hit x2, 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning Centered in the room is a 15-foot-square pit surrounded by a stone lip
damage [slam]; has tactical advantage on saving throws that rises about 1 foot above floor level. The pit is covered by an immense,
against magic and is immune to any magic that would single sheet of leather that’s pulled taut and lashed down securely.
alter its form; has tactical disadvantage on attack rolls Although the leather is astounding for its size, it’s nothing more than it
and ability checks for 1 round after taking fire damage; is appears. There are no traps, magical or otherwise. Characters can easily
immune to lightning damage but instead heals hp equal loosen the straps that hold the leather in place and uncover the 5-foot-
to the lightning damage; when reduced to 40 or fewer deep pit. It’s apparently empty, but there’s a secret, locked trapdoor (DC
hp, has a 1-in-6 chance of going berserk and attacking 14) at the bottom; opening it reveals a 2-foot-long mahogany box with
the nearest creature, checked at the start of its turn) beautifully detailed carvings covering its entire surface. Within the small
casket is hidden the second piece of Crane’s medallion.
Tactics: When the golem has taken more than 20 damage, it touches the The north wall’s unlocked door leads to one of the false doors to Room
dais and triggers the lightning bolt trap to heal itself. The golem is facing N. The medallion won’t open it, and the person who puts the medallion
the eastern hallway; characters sneaking into the chamber through the into the depression takes 6d6 force damage.
secret door from Room E might be able to grab the medallion (triggering
the trap) and get out before the golem can attack. It won’t chase characters
beyond this chamber. J. Seven Years’ Bad Luck
When characters open the door from Room B, they hear the tinkling and
G. Corridor of the Red Madness jangling of glass, as though the room beyond were full of wind chimes.
Multiple shiny objects reflect light back to the PCs, like a room full of
When characters penetrate the paltry lock (DC 10) of the simple twinkling stars. Dangling from the ceiling by long strands of thread are
wooden door to this corridor, they enter a zigzagging hallway with walls thousands of shards of glass—as though a huge mirror had been broken and
and ceiling composed of a red, spongy material. Small holes in the red its remnants hung in this manner. From the ceiling 15 feet above, the shards
52
 The Sorcerer's Citadel
dangle to every level of the room, to just about 2 feet above the floor. them and consider leaving the 2nd wraith out of the encounter. Or not.)
If a shard is broken, it shatters violently, producing a tiny shockwave The pudding, wraiths, and Meldeth attack immediately when they’re
and a thin wisp of acrid smoke. The tiny shockwave causes nearby shards released from the mirror. Toth A’Karon is stunned from the poison in his
to explode, which sets off a chain reaction through the entire room. The veins and dies within a few minutes of being released. He survives just
explosions are too small to cause any damage to characters, but the smoke long enough to pass characters the third piece of Crane’s medallion and
is dangerous. Everyone in the chamber when the shards detonate must whisper a fragmentary clue about its use.
make a DC 14 Con saving throw; those who fail are blinded for 2d4 days, The command word for the mirror is Seriwog.
while those who succeed are blinded for 2d4 minutes. The blindness can
be removed by greater restoration. (Black Pudding: AC 7, 85 hp; +5 to hit, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning
The shards are very fragile and easily broken; just bumping into one can damage plus 4d8 acid damage and the AC of
shatter it. Characters who walk through the room must make a successful DC nonmagical armor is reduced by 1 [pseudopod];
13 Dex (Acrobatics) check to avoid bumping into any shards with enough attackers within 5 ft. take 1d8 acid damage when they hit
force to set them off. Small characters get tactical advantage on this check. the black pudding with a melee attack, and nonmagical
The only safe way to move through the room is to drop to the floor and crawl. weapons of metal or wood take a cumulative -1 penalty
There is a secret door in the ceiling. Spotting it takes a successful DC to damage; lightning or slashing damage cause the black
20 Wis (Perception) check while the shards are present, but the DC drops pudding to split in half)
to 15 if the shards have been detonated. The door opens up into a small
chamber where a silver pedestal supports a red crystal staff. Characters (Wraith: AC 13, 67 hp; +6 to hit, 4d8 + 3 necrotic damage
can use the staff to form a crystal bridge in Room M. An image of a bridge and the target must make a successful DC 14 Con
spanning a river is inscribed on the staff. saving throw or its maximum hp are reduced by the
A corridor behind the pedestal heads southwest. This corridor leads to same amount [life drain]; as an action, can reanimate a
one of Room N’s false doors; the medallion won’t open it, and the person creature slain within 1 minute, within 10 ft. as a specter;
who puts the medallion into the depression takes 6d6 force damage. can move through solid objects and other creatures as
if they were difficult terrain but takes 5 force damage if it
ends its turn in a solid object)
K. Final Guardians (Meldeth [Mage]: AC 12, 40 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing
Daggers, swords, and shards of metal lie piled in the room’s center. PCs can damage; spell attack +6, save DC 14; prepares
feel a slight breeze blowing from Room K toward Room J. As they enter, the the following spells: [at will] fire bolt, mage hand,
prestidigitation; [1st level, x4] detect magic, mage armor,
breeze stiffens and a whirlwind forms, lifting the metal shards and weapons
magic missile, shield; [2nd level, x3] misty step, suggestion;
from the pile and setting them spinning through the air. Two humanoid
[3rd level, x3] counterspell, fireball, fly; [4th level, x3]
creatures draped in cruel, barbed chains advance through the wind.
greater invisibility, ice storm; [5th level, x1] cone of cold)
Crane called forth these, his final guardians—2 chain devils— to
protect the entrance to the strange Earthpower cavern (Room M). These
Once the PCs assemble all the parts of Crane’s medallion, they can
creatures will not leave the room.
open the door to Room N.
A secret door (DC 16) leads to the north. The southwestern door, made
of iron, is locked and trapped with a poison needle (DC 14). The poison
does 2d6 poison damage and causes paralysis for a number of minutes
equal to the damage, or half damage and no paralysis with a successful
M. Earthpower Cavern
DC 14 Con saving throw.
The secret door leads to a small cavern through which flows a stream of
weird, shimmering blue-green liquid. Across the river towers a huge statue
(Chain Devil: AC 16, 85 hp; *8 to hit x2, reach 10 ft., 2d6
of a 20-armed man with a sword in each hand; inscribed onn his chest is a
+ 4 slashing damage and the target is grappled and
rune symbolizing a long-forgotten Lawful Good earth diety of battle called
restrained[chain]; only one target can be grappled at a
Mocham. In front of the statue is a 20-foot-diameter pool of red liquid.
time; a grappled creature takes 2d6 piercing damage
Crane discovered this natural cavern while carving out his dungeon. This
at the start of its turns; 1/day, can animate up to 4 chains
cavern, linked to a now-unknown earth god, was once sacred to clerics of
with AC 20, 20 hp, to make additional chain attacks;
that sect. The river that winds through this cavern is 2 feet deep and can be
as a reaction at the start of another creature’s turn, the
crossed easily (though at great cost). It radiates a strange antimagic effect;
creature must make a successful DC 14 Wis saving throw no magic functions within 20 feet of either bank. Spellcasters innately
or be frightened by an illusion of a loved one until the end notice this antimagic aura. The red crystal staff, found in the secret
of its turn [unnerving mask]; has tactical advantage on chamber above Room J, forms a crystal bridge fording the river if waved
saving throws against magic) over the liquid. The staff is the only magic item immune to the liquid’s
antimagic power. The liquid loses this antimagic ability when removed
L. Central Chamber from the stream. Characters crossing the river by any means other than the
red crystal bridge have all ongoing magic effects ended, and all of their

Entrance Hallway magic items fail to function while within 20 feet of the stream.
The giant statue—natural rock carved into the form of a 20-armed man—
bears the weight of the ages upon his brow. Its expression inspires knee-
Mirrors line the walls from floor to ceiling along the corridor, but the bending humility, sadness, and awe. At the monolith’s feet is a 2-foot-deep
view they offer is strangely distorted. A large rune-etched door marks the bowl of opaque, dark-red-brown liquid that is very poisonous; simply touching
hallway’s far end. At the corridor’s 30-foot mark, a mirror of life trapping it causes 6d4 poison damage, or half damage with a successful DC 18 Con
is affixed to the ceiling. A successful DC 15 Con saving throw is needed to saving throw. The poison loses its potency outside this sacred chamber.
avoid the effects of the mirror. Shattering the mirror from the outside releases Any characters moving to within 10 feet of the monolith notice that the
everything trapped inside. Crane imprisoned a black pudding, 2 wraiths, a statue’s eyes quickly pulse with blue light. If the warning is not heeded
wizard named Meldeth, and a poisoned and severely wounded wizard (the character doesn’t back away within three seconds), the statue fires
named Toth A’karon in it before placing it here. No one knows how Crane two eldritch blasts at the floor between the transgressor’s feet. Should the
ensnared the wraiths, as undead cannot normally be trapped by such an item. character persist, the statue fires directly at them (+8 to hit x2, 1d10 force
(If characters are in especially bad shape at this point, you might take pity on damage) once every three rounds. Good-aligned clerics can approach the
53
 Quests of Doom: Demons & Devils
statue without being attacked. robes stand near it: 2 bearded devils and a Large horned devil called Ignus.
The fourth piece of Crane’s medallion lies hidden in the pool of When they see the PCs, one of the Medium figures approaches cautiously.
poison. Fishing the piece of the medallion out with a physical tool requires When it gets within 20 feet, it shouts, “These are not our master!” All three
a successful DC 20 Dex check, making one attempt per round. then throw off their cloaks, revealing their true forms.
Crane bound these three devils to this room to guard his sphere of
annihilation. Ordered to destroy all who enter the room but Crane, they
N. Central Chamber neither negotiate nor bargain. A bearded devil targeted by a banishment spell
or similar magic doesn’t resist with a saving throw, and the spell’s duration
When the medallion is properly inserted in the door, the door ignites with is permanent; they’re happy to be freed from Crane’s interminable service.
searing blue light; its shape alters, becoming a misty archway. The archway Because of the magically burning brimstone, everything in this chamber
reeks with the stench of sulfur and brimstone. is lightly obscured. Furthermore, living characters can become fatigued from
The room beyond is carved from living breathing the toxic, sulfurous fumes. During rounds of combat, every living
rock. Smoke and haze fill the room, character (the devils are immune) must make a successful DC 10 Con saving
making the whole area lightly obscured. throw at the start of its turn or gain one level of exhaustion. Resistances and
In the southern half of the room is immunities to poison apply. Every die of magical healing received removes one
a glowing cube. level of exhaustion also, and a character can remove one level by spending an
Three figures action controlling his or her breathing and clearing their lungs. When there’s no
in black fighting going on, characters need to make the saving throw once per minute.
These devils are smart and cruel, but like all horned devils, Ignus enjoys
bullying weaker creatures more than fighting adventurers who might be
his equal in combat. If characters manage to gain the upper hand quickly,
Ignus can try to summon another horned devil (30% chance). All of the
devils prefer to gang up on one enemy until that creature is out of the fight.
The devils make no attempt to use the sphere of annihilation.
The Sphere: Hovering in the center of the room, 10 feet above the floor,
is a permanent forcecage containing Crane’s sphere of annihilation—a two-
foot-wide ball of absolute nothingness. The forcecage can be destroyed with
a wish or similar magic more powerful than dispel magic. The forcecage
doesn’t need to be destroyed, however, because it can’t actually contain
the sphere; the cage just keeps everything else away from the sphere. Any
character within 60 feet of the sphere can try to command it by making a
DC 25 Int (Arcana) check (and if the character is holding the talisman of
the sphere from Tower Level 3’s hidden safe, their Arcana proficiency
bonus is doubled when making this check). Success lets the character
mentally move the levitating sphere 5 feet x their Int modifier
(minimum 5 feet). Failure causes the sphere to drift 10 feet toward
the character. Being essentially nothing incarnate, the sphere passes
through the matterless forcecage as if the cage wasn’t there.
Obviously, the sphere can be a terrific weapon against the
devils, who fear it greatly. Any creature that touches it or is
touched by it must make a successful DC 13 Dex saving throw
or take 4d10 force damage. Owning such a thing, on the other
hand, can be problematic, but characters are sure to try.
The chamber contains no other treasure.

(Ignus [Horned Devil]: AC 18, 178 hp; attacks twice

with fork and once with tail, and can substitute hurl
flame for any one attack; +10 to hit x2, 2d8 + 6 piercing
damage [fork]; +10 to hit, 1d8 + 6 piercing damage
and target creature must make a successful DC 17
Con saving throw or take another 3d6 damage at
the start of its turns until it or an ally spends an action
to make a successful DC 12 Wis (Medicine) check
or it receives magical healing [tail]; +7 to hit, range
150 ft., 4d6 fire damage [hurl flame]; has tactical
advantage on saving throws against magic)

(Bearded Devil: AC 13, 52 hp; attacks with beard and

glaive; +5 to hit, 1d8 + 2 piercing damage and the
target must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw
or be poisoned for 1 minute [beard]; poisoning ends with
a successful save at the end of the creature’s turns; +5
to hit, reach 10 ft., 1d10 + 3 slashing damage and target
creature must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw
or take another 1d10 damage at the start of its turns until
it or an ally spends an action to make a successful DC
12 Wis (Medicine) check or it receives magical healing
[glaive]; has tactical advantage on saving throws against
magic; can’t be frightened while allies are within 30 ft.)
54
Giants
&
Dragons
55
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons

The Dead from Above By Michael Curtis

Dead from Above is intended for use with four to six player characters
of levels 6 to 8. It will likely take two game sessions to complete. The
adventure is set in (and above) a hilly region at the outskirts of civilization,
presumably one near the base of a mountain chain. With a little work,
Starting the Adventure
the GM can place Dead from Above wherever he or she desires in the The GM can introduce Dead from Above in one of two ways. The first is
campaign world. to have the party approached by local authorities to deal with the problem.
This gives the characters a chance to prepare and plan their course of
action. The second method is to thrust the adventure on them without

Background warning, dropping the adventure—literally—onto the party! This section

covers both possibilities.

For centuries the forbidding western mountains were the demesne of the
Stormbreaker Clan, a family of evil cloud giants. These giants long ago
turned their backs on the path of righteousness and embraced the worship
Method 1: Hired Troubleshooters
of the evil god Drahltuz, practicing dread arts and conducting foul rites in This method works well if the characters are established adventurers
his honor. Despite their wicked ways, the Stormbreakers seldom troubled in the region and have a reputation for thwarting evil. If they’ve done
those dwelling outside the mountain region. They were content to remain contract adventuring for local authority figures, so much the better.
in their high aeries and hold dominion over the lesser races that dwelled The party is approached by a representative of the local ruler who
among the peaks. informs them that a terrible evil is destroying the kingdom’s holdings in
In recent decades, however, the boundaries of mankind pushed
the mountains. The potentate is hiring brave adventurers to root out and
closer to the mountains as civilization continued its march into
destroy this evil before the death toll grows larger. In return, the ruler is
the frontier. Many small villages arose in the foothills of the
offering a reward of 1,000 gp in gemstones (or other appropriate payment
mountains, their growth spurred by discoveries of veins of precious
as the GM sees fit).
ore and other resources. The Stormbreakers see this incursion into
The agent knows the following information and freely presents it to
their ancient holdings as an infestation of lesser vermin that needs
the party:
exterminating.
1. A floating keep fashioned from bones and constructed in the shape
The cloud giants banded together to work an act of black magic and
of a rough humanoid skull has appeared over outlying villages in the past
blasphemous ritual. First, they scoured the jagged mountains for the
hidden burying grounds of their giant kin and great wyrms, prying the week. Wherever it appears, it brings destruction and terror.
yellowed bones of dead titans from the earth and carting them back 2. The occupants of the bony fortress have never been seen, but their
to their high peaks. The Stormbreakers called upon a long-forgotten attacks are terrifying and effective. Animated undead in the form of giant
ritual to tear the top from a mountain, transforming it into a floating zombies and skeletal dragons are launched from the aerial holdfast onto the
island adrift on the winds. The collected bones were then used to build settlements below. These animated undead cause wholesale destruction,
a mighty citadel on the broken peak, formed into a gleaming structure both by landing atop buildings and by tearing apart the villages’ buildings
the giant necromancers dubbed “the Ossuary.” This magical holdfast and inhabitants.
would serve as their engine of vengeance against the encroaching 3. Adding insult to injury, a flight of wyverns appears to be following
wave of mankind. the floating fortress like scavengers, feasting upon the dead and dying left
The Stormbreakers stocked the floating keep with the supplies their in the wake of the attacks. It’s not known whether they’re allied with the
campaign required: rotting corpses of giants and dragons plundered from fortresses’s inhabitants or just taking tactical advantage of an opportunity.
the secret cemeteries; reagents and concoctions of darkest magic; and as 4. The fortress has never been seen to touch down on the ground,
many of their blasphemous kin as the Ossuary would hold. They then making it impossible to lay siege to. Daring adventurers are needed to
departed from the mountains, drifting down over the lands of mankind infiltrate the keep, identify who is responsible for the attacks, and end the
with hatred in their eyes. threat before more lives are lost and more villages are destroyed.
The first villages had no inkling of the doom that awaited them. As the If the party has its own means of flying (spells, magical items, etc.),
residents went about their business, the sun was suddenly blocked out by the characters should be able to begin the adventure without difficulty,
the floating Ossuary. The villagers watched in horror as giant zombies, traveling to the western foothills and seeking out the Ossuary. Proceed to
the animated remains of the bodies unearthed in the graveyards, were “The Wyvern Attack” below.
dropped down upon their settlement, where they destroyed buildings and If the characters lack the means to take to the air, the local ruler can
murdered the inhabitants. The Stormbreakers’ chosen means of conveying assist them. The potentate possesses a small flight of griffons, complete
their message that humanity was not welcome in the mountains was with trained handlers. The ruler will loan the use of his flying mounts,
terrifyingly effective. along with their guides, to the party to aid their search and assault on the
The giant necromancers are continuing their campaign of bombardment aerial fortress. He stresses that the mounts and their handlers will only
and destruction, intent on driving every last human out of the hills. help locate the holdfast and land the party on it, but will not engage in
Word of the attacks is spreading out of the hills and measures are being battle other than in self-defense. Once the characters are in place, the
implemented to stop this terror before every town and village in the griffons are to retreat to a safe distance until the party calls them back
kingdom suffers from its predation. It is at this point that the adventurers with a prearranged signal. The flying mounts are too valuable to risk in
become embroiled in the scheme to end the Stormbreakers’ war on battle and, should the party fail, they’ll be needed for subsequent attacks
humankind. on the keep.
56
 The dead from above
its objective completed. When the skeletal dragon is reduced to zero hit
Method 2: The Call to points, it collapses, its bony body emitting a pulsating, greenish glow for
several minutes.
Adventure Comes from Above
This option plunges the party directly into the events of the adventure
without warning, forcing them to think fast and respond to an unexpected
Reaching the Ossuary
threat. It also provides a way to get a party without the means of magical Once the battle is over, villagers return to the hamlet, praising the party
flight up to the Ossuary to complete the adventure. Although this method for their valor. If the party is unaware of the recent attacks, the villagers
is the author’s preferred means of starting Dead from Above, some gaming inform them that this assault was just the latest in a series of similar abrupt
groups respond poorly to being dragged into an adventure this way. You bombardments of settlements in the area and that the local ruler is offering
must determine how your players would react to this sudden immersion in a 1,000 gp reward to whoever ends the attacks. The locals know all the
events and whether it’s right for your group. details of the attacks as documented in Method 1 above. This should
The adventure begins while the party is engaged in mundane business inspire the party to investigate the Ossuary and stop its menace, but if not,
in a small village in a hilly region along the border of civilization. The the villagers plead with the characters to take the fight to the strange keep
adventurers might be resting overnight as part of a prolonged journey or and avenge the deaths of the locals who died in the attack.
have arrived at the village for other reasons (seeking out the services of If the adventurers lack a means of flying in pursuit of the Ossuary, one
a local weaponsmith, sage, wizard, etc., or they might be following up possibility lies nearby. If characters investigate the still-glowing form
rumors of a lost dungeon in the hills). It’s ideal if you can seed rumors of the battered but still relatively intact dragon, they discover the web
about recent attacks on nearby villages into whatever adventure the of control veins laced through its body. If characters avoid the dragon
characters were on just prior to this one, but that isn’t strictly necessary to or simply ignore it, some of the village children climb onto it and their
begin the adventure. At some point during the day while the characters are curiosity impels them to start yanking cords, making the dragon’s form
inside a building, the Ossuary drifts over the village, having chosen it as respond to their plucking.
the next target in its campaign of evil. Read the following:

Aloft on Dead Wings

A tremendous crash echoes from outside, accompanied by an
earth-shaking tremor and the sound of screams. A moment later, An examination of the skeletal dragon reveals a network of long,
the foul scent of decomposition and death washes over you. You veinlike cables running throughout the interior of the dragon. This web
see villagers rush past the open doorway, obviously fleeing for of cables extends from the skull to the wings, legs, and tail, forming a
their lives. skein of thick cords. The veins glow softly with a corpselike green color.
As you emerge outside, you are confronted by a startling Pulling on one of the veins causes the great skeletal beast to shudder as it
vista. A building lies in ruins, a tangle of shattered timbers and responds to the tugging. One cord causes its wing to unfurl, another tucks
scattered thatching. Rising from the ruin is the walking, rotted in a skeletal leg, etc. A successful DC 10 Wis (Medicine) roll identifies
corpse of a dead giant. The massive zombie has many broken which veins connect to what portion of the dragon. A successful DC 10
bones, and cracked rafters protrude from its putrefying flesh. The Int (Arcana) check suggests that, if two heroes worked in concert, it’d be
creature must have plummeted from above! possible to make the skeletal dragon take flight once more—perhaps a
Looking skyward, you see other horrors overhead. The skeletal useful way to pursue a certain drifting Ossuary!
form of a dragon swoops about on tattered wings, its eyes With about an hour’s worth of trial and error, two or more adventurers
burning like corpse candles. A network of glowing strands are can get the dragon aloft, but it quickly becomes apparent that the magic
interlaced throughout its bony form, twitching and vibrating as holding the dragon together and empowering the vein network is slowly
it soars above you. Floating directly above the village is what failing. A successful DC 15 Int (Arcana) check estimates the dragon has
appears to be the top of a mountain, somehow sheared off its less than a day remaining in its useful life. If the party wishes to pursue the
base and set adrift. A building fashioned from titanic bones rests Ossuary, they need to go now.
atop the stony platform. As you watch, another immense figure So long as one or more characters succeeds in the Wis (Medicine) check
steps from the edge of the drifting stone and plummets to earth, and two heroes spend an hour practicing getting the dragon to fly, the
smashing a second building to flinders. skeletal craft takes to the air without problem, and can pursue the Ossuary.

The village is in chaos as residents flee in terror. The shock and awe of
undead giants dropping atop them breaks their morale, and even the few
armed militia panic and run. The heroes find themselves alone, facing
The Wyvern Attack
three undead threats. Regardless of which method you use to introduce the adventure, the
The first stone giant zombie strides toward the party to attack while the characters should ultimately close in on the Ossuary’s location. If the
skeletal dragon swoops down on them. The second stone giant zombie heroes were hired by the local authority to seek out the fortress, a day or
smashes into the ground, and it takes two rounds for the corpse to climb to two of searching the skies above the hills (and surviving whatever random
its feet and extract itself from the wreckage of the building. encounters you wish to add) locates the aerial keep flying through the sky
in the distance. If the characters pursued the Ossuary after surviving the
(Stone Giant Zombie: AC 8, 29 hps; +8 to hit, 2d8 + 6 attack on the village, either via the skeletal dragon or through other flying
bludgeoning damage) measures, the party has little difficulty locating the fort, approaching it
within an hour after beginning the pursuit.
(Skeletal Red Dragon: AC 12, 75 hps; +8 to hit, 3d10 + 6 As they approach the Ossuary but while it is still a few miles away, the
piercing damage AND +6 to hit x2, 2d8 + 6 slashing party encounters a challenge that must be surmounted before they can begin
damage) their assault on the flying citadel. A pair of wyverns have taken to following
the Ossuary as it travels, trailing it like sharks shadowing a ship seeking
The stone giants have only one-half their normal hit points because the scraps. The small wyrms feed on the injured and dead the giants leave in their
damage suffered in their drop from the floating citadel. All three undead wake, and they soon spot the flying adventurers. They swoop down from out
attack until destroyed. As the combat rages, the Ossuary slowly flies off, of the sun, requiring a DC 20 Wis (Perception) check to notice them.
57
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons

(Wyvern: AC 13, 110 hps; +7 to hit, 2d6 + 4 piercing damage

AND +7 to hit, 2d6 + 4 piercing damage plus 7d6 poison
Flying a Skeletal Dragon damage [half damage from poison with a successful
DC 15 Con saving throw]; either of those attacks can be
The dragon can hold six Medium-sized creatures, with up replaced with +7 to hit, 2d8 + 4 slashing damage)
to three inside the dragon and another three riding atop it. Two
Small creatures count as one Medium-sized passenger. The two Note that casting spells while engaged in aerial combat can be taxing on
“pilots” (the characters tugging the skein to keep the dragon spellcasters. If the spellcaster is mounted on a diving griffon or a skeletal
aloft) must be inside the dragon, nestled within its ribcage. dragon engaged in combat with one of the wyverns, the GM may rule
The dragon has flies at a speed of 100 feet per round. It that a DC 10 Con saving throw is required to maintain concentration on
can move 20 feet per round on the ground, but it’s ungainly. spells. This is especially important if the spell being concentrated on is
Making the dragon fly in a relatively straight line is easy with one holding the character or an ally aloft!
some practice, but if the pilots try to perform more intricate

The Ossuary
maneuvers (banking to attack the wyverns in the next encounter,
for example), a DC 10 Dex (Medicine) roll is required. The two
adventurers piloting the dragon each make a roll with tactical
advantage; if both succeed, the dragon moves as they desire. If The flying citadel known as The Ossuary is a squat structure fashioned
one or both fail the check, the dragon continues on its present from a humungous mass of bones. These bones range from small human
course. femurs to the massive rib bones plundered from dragons, all assembled into
The pilots can also cause the skeletal dragon to bite an a shape reminiscent of a humanoid skull. A parapet roughly resembling an
opponent. Doing so requires an action by one of the two pilots extended jaw bone encloses a rocky courtyard set in front of the bony
and a Dex (Medicine) check. The result of the check is used as the building.
bite attack roll. The bite inflicts 2d10 points of piercing damage The building rests atop a mass of rock that bears a truncated and upside-
on a successful hit. Note that the dragon cannot maneuver and down teardrop shape. The stone foundation tapers to a point at its bottom
attack in the same round, because both pilots are required to and is flat at its top (it’s the sheared-off top of a mountain, rotated upside-
work in concert to move the dragon in anything other than a down), providing a firm and level base for the keep to rest upon. The
straight line. Ossuary floats a constant 400 feet above the ground and moves at a speed
Landing the dragon requires a DC 10 Dex (Medicine) check as of 0-80 feet per round.
if the pilots were maneuvering the skeleton. If one or both pilots The only obvious entrances to the Ossuary are via the great double
fail the check, all aboard must make a successful DC 12 Dex doors visible in the courtyard and through the barred cavern mouth in
saving throw or take 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage (half the back of the fortress’ rocky base. There are no apparent windows into
damage with a successful save) as the dragon lands hard. the Ossuary, but some sections of bone are slightly translucent to allow
sunlight to illuminate the interior.
58
The dead from above

59
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons

The Ossuary’s pilot, Morgosun, the cloud giant seated in the navigator’s and arm of a large humanoid are spaced throughout windowless inner
chair (see Level Three, Area 3), has a mental view of the area directly in chambers and lower levels of the fortress, and hill giant servants replace
front of the Ossuary and up to 90 degrees to the left and right. The fortress the brands as necessary.
is effectively blind to creatures approaching from the rear, so a sneaky Furnishings: All furnishings in the Ossuary are constructed for giants.
party can easily reach the cavern’s mouth (Level One, Area 1) undetected. The seat of a chair, for example, is 5 feet above the ground, and tabletops
Heroes deciding on a direct frontal assault are automatically seen, and the are located an average 9 feet in the air. Beds and similar accoutrements
Ossuary’s inhabitants immediately prepare to repel the attackers. are also anywhere from 6 to 10 feet high. As such, man-sized and smaller
creatures may not be able to see what lies atop certain furnishings and
must make a successful DC 10 Str (Athletics) check to climb up onto

Ossuary General Features tables, bunks, bookshelves, and similar objects.

Potions and Other Consumables: Any potion vials encountered inside
the Ossuary or in the possession of one of the flying citadel’s inhabitants
The entire fortress is fabricated from bones that are magically are sized for giant consumption, making them three times larger than a
strengthened to the same durability as stone. Floors, walls, and ceilings standard vial. They effectively contain three doses each when used by
of the fortress are constructed from hundreds of intertwined bones that Small or Medium creatures, two doses if consumed by a Large creature,
form a solid, if somewhat uneven, surface. Ceilings average 25 feet in and a single dose if drunk by a Huge or larger creature.
height and most corridors are 20 feet wide. The lower level of the Ossuary Alarm: The Stormbreakers are intelligent foes who react to invaders
consists of room and hallways carved out of solid rock intermixed with using the best tactics available to them. If an alarm is sounded, by the
natural caves and tunnels. The ceilings are slightly lower here, averaging guards in Level Two, Area 2, Level Three, Area 1, or by an Ossuary
20 feet in height. crew member who encounters the party and flees for reinforcements, the
Doors: Doors inside the Ossuary, on the lower and upper levels, are following steps are taken by the Stormbreakers.
fashioned from wood reinforced with metal and bone. Locks, when • The hill giants from Level One, Area 4 are summoned to reinforce
present, are integral parts of the door and not separate padlocks. Because specific areas. If the alarm gong sounds in Level Two, Area 2, four giants
of the large size of the locks, picking them is easier for Medium or smaller are sent to the hallway outside the kitchen and dining areas (Level Two,
size creatures, requiring only a DC 12 Dex check. The doors are very Area 6 and Level Two, Area 9). They engage intruders encountered in the
sturdy, however, so a DC 25 Str (Athletics) check is needed to bash them halls of Level Two or lie in wait to ambush invaders coming down the
in. Even when unlocked, pushing open one of the great valves requires a north-south hallway leading past the lounge and the kitchen (Level Two,
DC 10 Str (Athletics) check. Area 4 and Level Two, Area 6).
Illumination: During daylight hours, sunlight shines through • Xurgal (Level Two, Area 14), Jezsyl (Level Two, Area 16), Oblugrim
semitransparent sections of the walls to provide bright illumination on (Level Three, Area 2), and the remaining two hill giants from Level One,
the upper levels. Huge torches set in sconces resembling the skeletal hand Area 4 head directly to the last known location of the intruders.
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• The three young giants in the lounge (Level Two, Area 4) return to The gate is locked by a tremendous padlock, but unfortunately for the
their quarters (Level Two, Area 10). giants, the size of the lock makes it easier to pick by man-sized or smaller
• Tathhylia and her serpent (Level Three, Area 2) move to reinforce the creatures (a successful DC 12 Dex check springs the lock). Also, while
guards in the Bridge (Level Three, Area 3). the bars are spaced far enough apart to keep out human-sized or larger
• Bregucar and Chandylbor continue their work, but they instruct the intruders, Small creatures can squeeze through with a successful DC 15
Dex (Acrobatics) check.
fire giant zombie in Level One, Area 7 to patrol the main corridor on Level
One. The bomb bay cavern is empty when not in use. It contains only six
The GM’s judgment has final say over how the Stormbreakers react. burning torches that light the large space and the faint smell of rotting
The above directions should be used as a guideline. Stormbreaker flesh. A single door stands in the north wall.
casualties might mean some of the indicated NPCs aren’t available to act

2. Sanguine Terror
as specified, leaving the GM to determine how the survivors act in the
face of invasion.

Wandering Monsters A heaving mass of partially coagulated flesh writhes in what

A check should be made every 30 minute to see whether characters appears to be a curved tunnel. The gelid heap struggles to rise,
encounter a random occupant of the Ossuary. There is a 10% chance for assuming a vaguely humanoid appearance. It slouches toward you.
an encounter on Level One and a 20% chance for a random encounter
occurring on Levels Two and Three every half-hour. If one occurs, the
creature encountered depends on the adventurers’ current location. A The creature is the result of an experiment by Bregucar, who wanted
random encounter on Level One is always 1d4 hill giant guards (see to see if the coagulated blood of corpses could be chemically granted life
Level Two, Area 2 for details). Encounters on Levels Two and Three are and form, and thus utilized in the giants’ campaign. The experiment was a
determined with a roll on the following table. A named NPC encountered success, giving birth to a unique monster, an abomination fashioned from
and defeated during a random encounter will not be met again at its blood: the sanguine terror. It is currently contained in this circular room
keyed location or in subsequent random encounters. Defeating unnamed, to serve as a security measure protecting the Necrolofter (Area 3), but the
randomly encountered monsters does not affect the number of giants giant necromancers plan to put it to evil use in the near future. Bregucar
aboard the Ossuary. has a modicum of control over the sanguine terror and it responds to his
commands, allowing the giants to access Area 3 when necessary.
The room surrounds the necrolofter chamber. This area contains nothing
Ossuary Levels Two and Three Random Encounters
but the sanguine terror and a few discarded bones of hill giant servants fed
1d10 Encounter to the creature to keep it appeased.
1-5 1d4 hill giant guards (as Level Two, Area 2)
(Sanguine Terror: AC 8, 75 hps; +6 to hit, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning
6-7 1d3 cloud giants (per Fifth Edition) damage and the target must make a successful DC 12
8 Xurgal (see Level Two, Area 14) Con saving throw or take 2d6 poison damage)
9 Jezsyl (see Level Two, Area 16)

10
Tathhylia and feathered snake (see Level Three,
Area 2) 3. The Necrolofter
The door to this room is locked. Bregucar (see Area 7) has the key.

Level One—Lower Level

This rough-hewn cavern is dominated by a sizeable piece of
Formed from the stony top of a mountain, the lower level of the odd statuary. Fashioned from dark marble with striations of red
Ossuary houses chambers for the creation of the zombie “bombs” the throughout the stone, the statue depicts a figure that appears
Stormbreakers use against humanity, the holdfast’s weird engine, and angelic at first glance. Large, feathered wings stretch from the
living quarters. Prudent intruders will begin their infiltration of the robed figure’s back. Its face is hidden by a shadowy cowl. The
Ossuary by sneaking in through the barred cavern in the rocky base of the statue emerges from a large piece of rectangular stone, seemingly
fortress rather than via a direct assault against the fortresses’ front doors. carved from the block. Haze hangs about the statue, making it
difficult to pick out further details. What appear to be bones and
clothing lie scattered about the area.
1. Bomb Bay
This statue is in truth a portion of a titan’s gravestone plundered from an
ancient cemetery. The headstone was magically altered to serve as a focus
A large cavern pierces the side of the rocky mass that serves for necromantic power to be harnessed to levitate and drive the Ossuary.
as the base of the floating bone citadel. A massive row of bars This mystical engine is known as the Necrolofter.
with a closed double gate seals the cavern mouth from intruders. The Necrolofter draws its power from living souls fed to the hungry
Beyond the great steel barricade, you can see burning torches spirits surrounding the device. These indistinct souls are the haze
that illuminate an apparently empty area. encompassing the device. The Stormbreakers hurl a captured prisoner or
poorly-performing servant in here once a week to keep the necromantic
artifact energized. The inside of the door leading to this room bears
The giants lead their animated dead to this area when approaching a numerous scratches and bloodstains as the “fuel” helplessly beat on it in
new target, then open the gates and command the giant zombies to step out an attempt to escape.
and plunge to the ground. When not preparing to bomb a target, the gates Creatures: Four hungry spirits are tied to the Necrolofter. They drain
are closed and locked to keep aerial pests and intruders out. hit points from the victims forced into this room, channeling the siphoned
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life into the device. The power of the Necrolofter keeps them contained The Stormbreakers subdued and conscripted a tribe of hill giants to
within the confines of this room, ever-hungry and angry. These hungry serve as underlings and cannon fodder. The tribe is bunked on the lower
spirits are identical to wights, but they always make one claw attack level of the Ossuary, where they can pursue their rough entertainments
(identical to the wight’s longsword attack) and one life drain attack. without disturbing their masters.
Creatures: If the Ossuary isn’t in a state of alarm, there are six
(Hungry Spirits/Wights: AC 14, 45 hps; +4 to hit, 1d8 + 2
hill giants present in this room, relaxing with dark ale drawn from the
slashing damage AND +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 necrotic damage
and the target must make a successful DC 13 Con saving hogsheads and physical roughhousing.
throw or its maximum number of hit points is reduced by
an amount equal to the necrotic damage) (Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning
damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5
If the spirits are destroyed, the Necrolofter cannot be refueled without bludgeoning damage [thrown rock])
removing the headstone and engaging in a new, prolonged ritual to repair
the magical engine. Such a process takes at least two weeks to perform. The giants respond poorly to being interrupted during their rest
Without the hungry spirits feeding the engine power, it slowly runs down. and relaxation, but quickly decide beating the characters to death
After seven days, the Ossuary drifts down from the sky, coming to rest with their greatclubs provides ample entertainment. Two of the hill
wherever it is currently located. The descent is gradual (a safety measure giants, a little deeper in their cups than their friends, grab barrels
inherent to the Necrolofter) so no damage is suffered by the Ossuary or
from the row of six lining the wall and hurl them (as rocks) at the
its passengers.
Characters wishing to damage or destroy the device must first party.
overcome the hungry spirits. Once the spirits are gone, the Necrolofter The room contains a dozen beds, six footlockers, and six open
can be attacked directly. While the spirits exist, damage done to the wardrobes. The wardrobes contain spare boots and crude shoes, dirty
Necrolofter is automatically repaired as the spirts shunt necrotic tunics, and fur vests. The footlockers hold a variety of dirty clothes and
energy into the device. The engine has an AC of 6 and 400 hit points. It other items. Treat each footlocker as a giant’s bag, rolling randomly to
automatically fails saving throws. If reduced to 200 or fewer hit points, determine the unusual contents of the container.
safety protocols kick in and the Ossuary begins descending at a rate of The six barrels hold a dark, rich ale of vastly superior quality than what
40 feet per round, reaching the ground after 10 rounds. If the Necrolofter the hill giants are used to (thus they don’t mind their servitude so much).
is reduced to zero hit points before the Ossuary reaches the ground, the Each barrel holds 54 gallons of ale. The brew is worth 4 sp per gallon
entire structure crashes to the ground catastrophically. All aboard must
(21.6 gp per barrel). Thrown barrels break on impact and their contents
make a DC 20 Con check or be killed in the crash as bones, rock, and
are lost.
rubble collapse atop them. Those that make the save suffer 10d10 points
of bludgeoning damage instead.

5. Stairwell
Any direct attack on the Necrolofter (not the hungry spirits) is detected
by the pilot, Morgosun, in Level Three, Area 3. He feels the disturbance
in the Ossuary’s energy field and alerts his fellow giants. Three cloud
giants and six hill giants (assuming all the giants on the upper level
haven’t been slain) are immediately dispatched to investigate, arriving
1d4 + 4 rounds later. Unsurprisingly, they are displeased with intruders An open area beside the corridor form a broad, rocky alcove
attempting to crash the Ossuary, and they counterattack with brutal here. The alcove holds a large spiral staircase carved from the
force. native stone and winding upward clockwise through a hole in the
ceiling. A single torch burns in a sconce at the base of the stairs.
(Cloud Giant: AC 14, 200 hps; +12 to hit x2, 3d8 + 8 piercing
damage [morningstar] or +12 to hit, range 60/240,
4d10 + 8 bludgeoning damage [thrown rock] or innate The stairs measure 15 feet wide and rise 40 feet to connect with the
spellcasting: detect magic, fog cloud, light, feather fall, upper level of the Ossuary at Level Two, Area 8.
fly, misty step, telekinesis, control weather, gaseous form) If combat occurs on the staircase, creatures battling from the upper
position have tactical advantage on attacks against lower opponents.
(Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning
damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5
bludgeoning damage [thrown rock])
6. Storage
4. Hill Giant This chamber is roughly-hewn from the surrounding rock and

Servants’ Quarters is densely packed with giant spools of rope and forged chain,
crates and barrels, and other assorted containers. The smell of
grease, oil, and other pungent scents mix together to tinge the air
Any hero with passive Perception 11 or better automatically hears the with a potpourri of mundane, household odors.
sound of physical scuffling and deep, bass laughter coming from behind
this door.
This chamber is an unassuming storage area holding various everyday
supplies used in the operation and maintenance of the Ossuary. Among the
Large beds and crude furnishing fill this room. Rugs of animal goods here are 2,000 feet of hemp rope, 500 feet of chain, ten barrels of
pelts line the floor and great hogshead barrels stand against one goose grease, assorted mops and brooms, bales of straw for bed ticking,
wall, a rack of tankards and drinking horns above it. The smell of 20 five-gallon kegs of lamp oil, sacks of lye, bags of sand, bolts of canvas,
body odor and stinky feet fills the air with a foul miasma. and other household goods. The contents of the room are flammable, but
a set blaze will not spread beyond this room.

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zombie as one of the alchemist’s fire containers inside it spills its contents

7. Animatorium from the wound. If the damage came from a melee attack, the attacker
must make a successful DC 14 Dex saving throw or take 1d4 fire damage
at the start of each of its turns, until it uses an action to extinguish the
flames with a successful DC 10 Dex (Acrobatics) check. If the damage
Shelves bearing jars, retorts, beakers, and other oddly-shaped came from a ranged attack, the alchemist’s fire splashes onto one character
vessels of glass and ceramic line the walls of this room. A titanic who is adjacent to the fire giant zombie and on the same side of it as the
stone slab occupies the center of the space, and the ghoulish ranged attacker; in this case, the saving throw to avoid the splash has a
corpse of an ice-blue giant sprawls on the tabletop. Crouched DC of 10 instead of 14.
over him with long needles and thread are a pair of giants dressed The containers on the shelves hold various chemicals and reagents used
in tattered black robes and high, pointed hoods. A second giant to preserve dead flesh or retard its decay. They have no intrinsic value but
corpse, this one with rotting skin colored such a deep red that it’s can be treated as a spell components pouch for necromantic spells that
almost black, stands upright and unmoving in the corner. don’t require monetary components.

The two robed giants are Bregucar and his apprentice, Chandylbor,
cloud giant necromancers and scholars of the funeral arts. It is their 8. Morgue
duty to produce the giant zombie “bombs.” They are preparing another
specimen now.
The corpse on the slab is not yet animated, but the fire giant zombie in The stink of rotting meat is overpowering in this large space.
the corner is. The animated fire giant is a new prototype the necromancers Piled in haphazard fashion are at least a dozen decaying corpses
designed to increase the destruction of their bombardment campaign. of giants. The dead creatures range in size, indicating that these
Before animation, the fire giant corpse was cut open and its body was corpses are of varying types and ages. Clouds of black flies fill
stuffed with containers of alchemist’s fire. The intent is to create a zombie the air, and swarms of maggots writhe on the exposed flesh.
that explodes into flames upon impact, spreading fire as it shambles
through a settlement. By using a fire giant corpse, the necromancers hope
to prolong its “lifespan” and increase the destruction it causes. The stench is so strong that each character who enters the chamber
Bregucar is a standard cloud giant with the spellcasting ability of an must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or become nauseated
8th-level wizard. His arcane tradition is necromancy. His attack bonus (poisoned condition) for as long as they remain in the room and for 10
with spells is +6, and saving throws against his spells are DC 14. Bregucar minutes after leaving.
prepares the following spells. There are 15 giant corpses here in total: six hill giants, four stone giants,
Cantrips (at will): light, chill touch, ray of frost, shocking grasp three fire giants, and two frost giants. All are in a state of great decay and
1st level (x4): detect magic, cause fear, false life, magic missile dressed in rotting funeral garments or winding shrouds. One of the fire
2nd level (x3): ray of enfeeblement, Melf’s acid arrow giants still bears a piece of funereal goods on its body, overlooked in the
3rd level (x3): animate dead, protection from energy, sleet storm grave robbers’ haste: a beaten gold bracelet bearing three fire opals (500
4th level (x2): Evard’s black tentacles, ice storm gp value). Finding this piece of jewelry requires a search of the bodies that
Bregucar carries a potion of healing; a dagger; a key ring with keys to stirs up the colony of rot grubs in the dead.
the gate in Area 1, the doors to Areas 3 and 10, and the trunk in Area 10;
and a pouch containing 76 gp, a moonstone (10 gp value), and a silver (Rot Grubs: A character digging through rot-grub infested
ring (25 gp). material must make a successful DC 12 Int (Nature) check
Chandylbor is a standard cloud giant with the spellcasting ability or become infected by 1d6 rot grubs. Each rot grub inflicts
of a 5th-level wizard. His arcane tradition is necromancy. His attack 1 piercing damage at the start of the infected character’s
bonus with spells is +6, and saving throws against his spells are DC 14. turn, until the rot grubs are killed or removed. During the
Chandylbor prepares the following spells. first two rounds of infection, rot grubs can be killed with
Cantrips (at will): light, chill touch, ray of frost, shocking grasp fire or cut out of the flesh; a torch inflicts 1d6 fire damage
1st level (x4): cause fear, false life, magic missile to the infected character and kills 1d4 rot grubs, while
2nd level (x3): hold person, Melf’s acid arrow, ray of enfeeblement cutting inflicts 1d2 slashing damage to the character and
3rd level (x2): animate dead, slow kills one rot grub. After the end of the second round of
Chandylbor carries a dagger; keys to the trunk and spellbook in Area infection, the rot grubs have burrowed too deep for these
9; and a pouch containing 18 sp, 67 gp, and a well-worn and ancient gold simple measures to work, and they can only be killed with
coin (1 gp face value, but worth up to 100 gp to collectors because of its a lesser restoration spell.
antiquity).

(Cloud Giant: AC 14, 200 hps; +12 to hit x2, 3d8 + 8 piercing
damage [morningstar] or +12 to hit, range 60/240, 9. Chandylbor’s Quarters
4d10 + 8 bludgeoning damage [thrown rock] or innate
spellcasting: detect magic, fog cloud, light, feather fall,
fly, misty step, telekinesis, control weather, gaseous form) A giant bed dominates this room, turning the otherwise
spacious area into a cramped living quarters. A writing table and
The fire giant zombie has stats identical to the stone giant zombie (in chest clutter one corner of the room, and a high shelf littered
the New Monsters appendix) but with the addition of resistance to fire with jars, boxes, and other containers hangs high overhead on
damage and the trait “Filled with Alchemist’s Fire.” the north wall.

(Fire Giant Zombie: AC 8, 29 hps; +8 to hit, 2d8 + 6

bludgeoning damage) These are the quarters of Chandylbor, the apprentice cloud giant
necromancer. His room is not nearly as spacious as his master’s but, like
Filled with Alchemist’s Fire: An attack that causes slashing or piercing Bregucar, he spends much of his time in the animation area preparing new
damage to the fire giant zombie also triggers a burst of flame from the undead.
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 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
The shelf is affixed directly to the wall by bolts, hanging 15 feet above value);
the floor. Characters wishing to inspect its contents must climb the rough • A giant-sized ivory comb fashioned from a mammoth tusk (200 gp
wall with a successful DC 15 Str (Athletics) check or utilize magic to value);
ascend. • A leather sack containing 756 gp;
The shelves contain: • A battered book. This text is a manual of golem construction.
• six jars of ashes, bone fragments, teeth, and fingernail pairings; The carpet is worn and dirty but still worth 50 gp, if characters can find
• a glass beaker holding a clear liquid (concentrated acid equal to four a way to cart it away.
vials of the substance);
• a box containing weathered and sweat-stained giant-sized tarot cards
(no special properties, but worth 100 gp as a curiosity);
• an ogre skull turned into a candle holder. Inside the wax-sealed Level Two—Main Level
cranium is a scroll of invisibility that Chandylbor keeps as an escape plan
should things ever fare poorly for him. This “ground level” of the Ossuary contains living quarters, food
The writing table holds several jars of ink, a dozen large quills stored in preparation and dining areas, storage, and an evil chapel, all of which
a cup, and a box with a dozen sheets of foolscap. cater to the Stormbreakers’ day-to-day activities. Random encounters are
The trunk is locked and trapped. Chandylbor’s key safely unlocks it, but more likely to occur on this level than on the lower one, and result in a
picking the trunk triggers the trap: a spray of acid that strikes all targets in more varied array of occupants moving about the fortress (see “Random
a 15-foot cone in front of the trunk. Those caught in the cone must make a Encounters,” above).
successful DC 20 Dex saving throw or suffer 3d6 acid damage.
The trunk holds a spare pair of low, soft boots, three sets of black robes
with peaked cowls, a jar of hair pomade, a chased silver flask (50 gp
value) holding three doses (or one giant-sized dose) of potion of flying, 1. Courtyard
a leather sack with 378 sp and 297 gp, and a dagger in a brass sheath.
Everything is giant-sized. It also holds Chandylbor’s spellbook. A lock
keeps the book sealed and requires either a successful DC 20 Dex check A rocky courtyard lies exposed to the sky before the great bone
to pick or the key from Chandylbor’s pouch (see Area 7). The spellbook building. The courtyard is encircled by a 40-foot-high rampart of
contains all of Chandylbor’s prepared spells plus identify, darkness, and fused bone on three sides and by the building itself on the fourth
protection from energy. side. A pair of skeletal dragons patrol the courtyard and scour the
sky with glowing eyes. A set of huge, double doors leads out of
the courtyard and into the bony structure.

10. Bregucar’s Quarters

The doors are locked and of great size. Even unlocked, a DC 12 Str
The door to this room is locked. Bregucar (see Area 7) has the key. check is required to push them open.
Creatures: Two skeletal dragons defend the courtyard from intruders.
These specimens are improved versions of the cannon fodder set loose on
A simple bedchamber carved from the surrounding rock, the village. Each has been modified by the necromancer giant to possess
this room contains a large bed, a gigantic table, solid wooden a breath weapon of razor-sharp bone shards with which to decimate foes.
wardrobe, and a massive iron trunk. A carpet of ebon hue and Use the stat block in the New Monsters appendix but with the Bone Shard
decorated with a pattern of white skulls covers the stone floor. Breath trait added.

(Skeletal Red Dragon: AC 12, 75 hps; +6 to hit x2, 2d8 +

This room is Bregucar’s chamber, but his duties give him little time to 6 slashing damage AND +8 to hit, 3d10 + 6 piercing
rest. The wardrobe contains a half-dozen dark, tattered robes with high damage, or the skeletal dragon can use its bone shard
pointed cowls and two pairs of giant-sized, high, soft boots. The table breath)
holds an assortment of writing implements, a score of giant sheets of paper
measuring 10 feet square, a mighty tome, and a trio of long scroll tubes. Bone Shard Breath (Recharge 5, 6): The dragon exhales jagged,
The tome is Bregucar’s spell book, and it is sealed with an arcane lock splintered bones in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area takes 4d6 +
spell. The spellbook contains all of Bregucar’s prepared spells (see Area 2 slashing damage, or half damage with a successful DC 13 Dex saving
7 above) as well as alarm, arcane lock, web, and dispel magic. The scroll throw.
tubes contain a blank scroll waiting to be inscribed, a scroll of protection
from undead, and a scroll of animate dead.
The trunk’s lid is inscribed with runes, but these are difficult to see
unless a character climbs atop the large chest. The trunk is enchanted; a 2. Foyer
detect magic spell reveals both an aura of conjuration and necromancy
about the box. It is locked and requires Bregucar’s key to open. However,
if the lock is picked or even if the key is used and the opener does not Beyond the doors lies an entry hall fashioned from polished and
press down on a certain rune on the trunk’s lid (noticing the rune can be interlaced bones of myriad sizes. Hanging from the east and west
depressed requires an inspection of the writing and a successful DC 15 walls are unusual decorations. The west wall bears a massive
Int (Investigation) check), a trap is sprung. Incorrectly opening the trunk plaque fashioned from bones and shaped into the semblance of a
causes a ghost to coalesce around the trunk and attack. The ghost prefers giant skull. A skeletal serpent is intertwined through the skull’s
to possess a victim and cause it to walk off the ledge in Area 1 (if the gate eye sockets and nasal cavity. The east wall holds a gigantic shield
is unlocked). The ghost relinquishes control as the victim steps off the decorated with the symbol of a fist grasping a turbulent storm
ledge, laughing hideously as the again-conscious subject plunges to its cloud. There are three exits from this room: single doors in the
doom. The ghost then moves on to possess another victim. east and west walls, and a pair of double doors in the south wall.
The trunk contains the following treasures:
• A satin pouch (10 gp value) containing three garnets (50 gp value
each), five sapphires (100 gp value each), and a blue diamond (500 gp Creatures: There are three hill giant guards stationed here, charged
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with defending the Ossuary and alerting its inhabitants in case of attack.
If the heroes engage in battle with the skeletal dragons in the courtyard,
these guards automatically hear the battle and sound an alarm. The alarm
is sounded by one of the giants banging on the great shield hanging on the
3. Audience Hall
wall, putting the inhabitants on alert (see Alarm under “General Ossuary
Features” above). They then prepare to resist invaders. Beyond the doors is a vast hall. Four skeletal column support
If the party avoids battle with the courtyard dragons or approaches a 40-foot-high cathedral ceiling. A raised dais stands against
this area from within the Ossuary, the giants may be surprised. If taken the far wall, a pair of bony thrones sized for giants resting atop
unaware, one of their number attempts to sound the alarm on the first round it. Illumination comes from a half-dozen burning brands set in
of combat that the guards are able to react. Each of these giants also carries scones made from skeletal hands. The hall is otherwise empty.
a skull bombard. These weapons are the skulls of large creatures (ogres are
preferred) filled with clay containers of alchemist fire and weighted with
lead. These hill giants use their skull bombards as ammo in their ranged Creatures: The pillars are more than what they appear to be. Hidden
attacks. On a successful hit, the skull bombard does 3d10 + 5 bludgeoning in the skeletal patterns that decorate the columns are four necromantic
damage (a stronger giant could do more). In addition, the skull bursts open constructs known as bone guardians. These constructs resemble oversized
when it hits a solid object and splashes alchemist’s fire in a 5-foot radius skeletons with three arms and two skull heads. The guardians respond to
area around the point of impact. Targets caught in the area of effect are set Oblugrim’s commands, serving to defend him and his consort when court
afire and take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns until they is in session and to protect the hall from intruders when Stormbreakers
spend an action making a successful DC 10 Dex check to put out the flames. are not present. The bone guardians step from the columns to attack any
The giants have no coinage, but the squad leader wears a gold chain unauthorized creature (e.g., the characters) entering this room.
with a polished bone medallion (100 gp value) as a mark of his position.
The skull-headed plaque is the symbol of Drahltuz, the giants’ god of (Bone Guardian: AC 15, 45 hps; +6 to hit x2, 1d6 + 3 piercing
fear and death, and patron of the Stormbreaker Clan. The fist-and-cloud damage AND +6 to hit x2, 1d8 + 3 slashing damage)
plaque is the clan heraldry of the Stormbreakers. Neither item has any
special property or value. The bone thrones are used when Oblugrim and his consort, Tathhylia,
hold court for the clan. Each contains a secret compartment in the left
(Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning armrest. Locating the hidden cavity requires a successful DC 15 Int
damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5 (Investigation) check. Each compartment holds two glossy black vials,
bludgeoning damage plus alchemist’s fire [skull bombard]) one with a white stopper and the other ith a green stopper. The vials with
65
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
white stoppers are potions of healing, while those with green stoppers are pummeling arm always targets a creature that is grappled by the other arm,
potions of mind reading. if possible. Both arms are AC 8, and they have 50 hit points each. They are
immune to piercing damage but vulnerable to bludgeoning damage. They
automatically fail saving throws.

4. Lounge Pummeling Arm: +5 to hit (reach 20 ft.; one creature). Hit:

2d10 + 5 bludgeoning damage. A creature grappled by
the grappling arm is hit automatically by this attack.
A plush rug of vibrant, sky blue covers the bone floor of this
brightly lit room. A large settee and three massive upholstered Grappling Arm: +6 Str check vs. target’s Str (Athletics) or Dex
chairs are arranged around a low, dark-stained wooden table. Grand (Acrobatics) check (reach 20 ft.; one creature). Success:
portraiture depicting picturesque landscapes and mountainscapes target is grappled.
adorn the walls. Oversized candles mounted on mirror-backed

Archway 5B
holders hanging from the walls illuminate the room.

Creatures: Unless an alarm has been sounded, the lounge is occupied Failing to speak the word “tromuldah” (the Giant word for decay) before
by the three cloud giant youths, Tranimyz, Wylkun, and Sylzak. They entering the archway causes the skeletal snake to animate and strike at intruders.
enjoy the freedom and space of the lounge compared to their own cramped Skeletal Snake Trap: Can be detected with a successful DC 20 Int
quarters. Being young, they have stats identical to fire giants, but without (Investigation) and disarmed with thief’s tools a successful DC 20 Dex
fire immunity and with the cloud giant’s fog cloud trait. Sylzak also has a check. If triggered, a skeletal snake animates and attacks. The animated
giant-sized longbow and 40 arrows. snake is AC 11 and has 60 hit points. It is vulnerable to bludgeoning
damage and automatically fails saving throws.
(Tranimyz, Wylkun, and Sylzak: AC 18, 162 hps; +11 to hit x2,
6d6 + 7 slashing damage [bastard sword] or +11 to hit, Skeletal Snake Bite: +8 to hit (reach 20 ft.; one creature).
range 60/240, 4d10 + 7 bludgeoning damage [thrown Hit: 1d10 + 8 piercing damage and the target must make
object]) a successful DC 14 Con saving throw or take 2d6 poison
damage.
Tranimyz has a gold earring (100 gp value), 57 gp, and a rough opal
(250 gp value).
Wylkun has a gold-and-silver torc (250 gp value), 78 gp in coins, and a
charm braclet with pieces of polished and shaped petrified wood hanging 6. Kitchen
from it (150 gp value).
Sylzak has a silver circlet (200 gp value), matching gold and sapphire
earrings (500 gp value), and 48 gp. The fixtures and furnishings of this sizeable kitchen were
There are 12 candles and candle holders on the walls between the designed for the use of large beings. Bubbling pots of stew
pictures. Six pictures hang here, each done with accomplished skill. They rest atop the hot oven. A great tabletop is covered with diced
are worth 250 gp each, but they measure 10 feet long, 5 feet high, and vegetables and sliced meat awaiting their turn on the stove.
weigh 50 lbs. each.

Creatures: A pair of hill giant servants toil here preparing supper. They
5. Decorative Archway are present even if a state of alert is in progress, as they don’t wish to anger
their larger masters by delaying a meal. The stew is rich and tasty, and in
sufficient quantity to feed up to eight giant appetites. The other prepared
ingredients are normal and without interest or value.
A decorative archway bisects the corridor at this location. Like the
rest of the fortress, the archway is constructed of bones and assembled (Hill Giants: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning
to depict a humanoid skull with a greatly exaggerated mouth. The damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5
skull’s open mouth serves as the archway, requiring walkers to enter bludgeoning damage [thrown pot])
through the mouth to continue down the corridor. The long skeleton
of a great serpent has been threaded through the skull archway’s eye
sockets to hang pendulously down over the corridor.
7. Pantry
There are four of these archways on the upper level of the Ossuary. Two
are simply decorative, while the other two are traps intended to slay or Foodstuffs, both fresh and preserved, fill this cramped room.
impede invaders lacking knowledge of the proper passcode. Smoked sausages of unusual size hang from hooks in the ceiling.
Jars of pickled fruits and vegetables line the shelves. Crates of

Archway 5A
potatoes, cabbages, and turnips sit beside sacks of flour and
meal. Clusters of garlic, onions, and dried peppers add their own
aromas to the melody of smells that perfumes the room.
Failing to speak the word “gulgrotha” (the Giant word for boneyard)
before entering the archway causes a pair of humungous skeletal arms to
emerge from the surrounding walls of the corridor and attack the intruder. Most of the ingredients for the meals prepared in Area 6 come from here.
Skeletal Arm Trap: Can be detected with a successful DC 20 Int Given the palettes of the diners, the array of viands is rather surprising and
(Investigation) check, and disarmed with thief’s tools and a successful DC consists of quality goods. The pantry contains enough food to feed the
20 Dex check. If triggered, two Large skeletal arms emerge from the walls equivalent of 50 men for one month.
and attack each round. One arm grapples and the other arm pummels; the Mixed in among the normal foodstuff is a small coffer containing
66
 The dead from above

ten vials of spices, including cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, and The statues are 15 feet tall and weight 1,000 lbs. each, but they are
saffron. The coffer’s contents are worth 200 gp to gourmands or spice worth 2,000 gp each for their artistic merit.
traders. Finding the coffer requires a specific search of the shelves and a The cabinets hold a collection of giant-sized plates and eating ware,
DC 15 Wis (Perception) check because of its small size. all of excellent fabrication. The eating ware is mostly pewter, but there
are two silver spoons and three silver forks (50 gp value each) mixed in
amongst the utensils. Each utensil weighs 10 lbs.
8. Stairwell The tablecloths are linen trimmed with silver and gold thread and
weigh 100 lbs. apiece. Their manufacture makes them semi-valuable (25
gp each).

The floor of this chamber is rough stone as opposed to the

intertwined bone that makes up the walls and ceiling. An open
spiral staircase descends through the floor, vanishing as it curves
out of sight into the gloom.
10. Tranimyz’s, Wylkun’s,
and Sylzak’s Quarters
The stairs terminate at Level One, Area 5 on the lower level.

9. Giant Dining Hall

A trio of large beds occupies much of the floor space of this
chamber. The massive divans are piled high with course woolen
blankets of drab color. Two chests, one tremendous and the other
merely huge, stand in opposite corners of the room. A table
bearing a great silver decanter and washing bowls rests between
Two titanic tables and many chairs occupy this room, providing two of the beds.
seating for up to twelve giant humanoids. Each of the tables
is covered with a woven tablecloth the size of a tapestry. The
tables and chairs are carved with great skill from honey-colored This room is the sleeping chamber of the three youngest members of the
wood. Six marble statues of exquisite fabrication, depicting nude Stormbreaker clan. The relatively cramped confines of the room means the
male and female giants, are placed about the room in ascetically three are seldom encountered here, usually occupying the lounge or dining
pleasing locales. A pair of humongous, open cabinets rest against hall instead.
the southeastern wall, and a door stands in the northeast corner The chests hold clothing for the three. The largest trunk contains
of the room. masculine garments for the brothers Tranimyz and Wylkun, while the
smaller chest holds feminine clothing for their cousin Sylzak. In addition
67
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
to clothing, the large chest has two random giant’s bag items and the small This privy is positioned over an open shaft that exits the bottom of the
trunk has a single random object from the same table. Ossuary and allows waste to fall freely to the land below. The shaft is 3
The decanter is worth 100 gp and the washing bowl has a 50 gp value. feet in diameter and has a very nasty iron grate at the bottom to prevent
animals (and intruders) from entering the ship via the latrine shaft. The
spigot draws water from a rainwater-collecting cistern located at the top
11. Xurgal’s Quarters of the keep (not detailed).
Several of the items here have value. The silver spigot is worth 100 gp
if extracted from the wall (which subsequently causes a torrent of water to
pour into the basin). The decanter is worth 200 gp, and the four hand towels
The walls of this room are lined with finely made weapons suited are worth 15 gp each. The mahogany toilet seat could fetch 50 gp as a curio.
for giants. Bearded axes, long spears, greatswords, and a flanged
mace hang in X-shaped patterns across the bone walls. A simple
bed with an iron frame sits beside a closed wardrobe. The wardrobe
bears a shield-shaped plaque across its doors. The floor is covered 14. Chapel
with woolly hides taken from the backs of unknown beasts.

The bones that form the walls, ceiling, and floor of this room
This is the chamber of Xurgal, the Stormbreakers’ master-at-arms, but he are colored a glossy ebony, turning the boundaries of the chamber
is seldom here; Xurgal spends most of his time in the company of Vyjelmot into a reflective, starless night. At the opposite end of the room is
the Grim (see Area 14) discussing matters of death. He is here only if not a circular depression filled with roiling mist. Rising from the mist,
encountered in the chapel and there is no alert underway (see Area 14 for stats). like an island in a stormy sea, is a column of white bones. These
The weapons are all high-quality arms fashioned by cloud giant smiths of pale bones form a statue depicting a leering skull with a skeletal
great skill. There are two greatswords, three great axes, four long spears (treat
snake intertwined through its eye sockets and nasal cavity. A bowl
as halberds), and a large mace. Each weapon is sized for Huge creatures, but
of cloudy liquid rests beneath the statue’s eyeless gaze.
man-sized creatures can wield them two-handed at tactical disadvantage.
The shield-shaped plaque is a metal plate covered in dents and gouges. It
hangs positioned over the wardrobe’s handles so that it must be removed to
open the door. The underside of the plaque is lined with needle-sharp barbs This sanctum is dedicated to the worship of Drahltuz, the Giant god of
coated with deadly toxin (10d6 poison damage; DC 20 Con saving throw fear and death, and the personal deity of the Stormbreaker clan. The statue
negates). The barbs are easily noticed if the plaque back is examined before rises 30 feet tall to scrape the ceiling and measures 15 feet in diameter.
grabbing it. Once the barbs are noticed, they can be avoided easily. Anyone The statue is surrounded by a circular moat that is 15 feet wide and
who grabs the plaque without caution is automatically jabbed by the barbs. 5 feet deep. Acrid, gray smoke from seven lit braziers placed along
The wardrobe contains tunics, breeches, and boots. In addition, a spare suit of the moat’s bottom fills the depression. A minor enchantment keeps the
giant-sized chainmail hangs from a T-shaped post, and a gargantuan, fur-lined, braziers burning and the smoke contained within the moat.
silk dressing robe (300 gp value) is draped over an iron box. The box is locked The idol is enchanted to produce an unholy aura that defends the
but not trapped; it holds two giant-sized potions of healing (three doses each), worshippers of Drahltuz from specific magic. Any spell that requires
a suede bag containing 10 amethysts (50 gp value) and 2 sapphires (100 gp an attack roll to affect a target is at tactical disadvantage when targeting
value), and a decorative helmet inlaid with gold wire and pearls (500 gp value). Vyjelmot or Xurgal while they are within 30 feet of the statue. The cloud
The floor is covered by three rugs made from wooly mammoth hide giants also have tactical advantage on saving throws against spells or
worth 250 gp each. other magical effects while in that radius. Vyjelmot’s summoned specters
do not gain these benefits.

12. Armory
The dark bones have been treated both magically and with natural dyes
to produce their coloration and veneer, but they have no special powers
or properties. The cloudy water in the bowl is magical and radiates both
The door to this room is locked. Both Xurgal and Oblugrim have keys. divination and necromancy auras. Pouring 4 oz. of the liquid into the
mouth of a creature that’s been dead no more than one week allows the
corpse to be questioned as if it was under the effect of a speak with dead
spell. The font holds enough liquid to question five corpses.
Racks of weapons and stands bearing suits of armor fill this Creatures: The priest, Vyjelmot the Grim, is always present here. There
room. Several large, square crates are piled along the eastern is a 75% chance that Xurgal, the master-of-arms, is also here engaged in
wall. The air smells like leather, steel, and oil. discussion with the cleric.
Vyjelmot the Grim is a standard cloud giant but also an 8th-level
cleric. His attack bonus with spells is +6; saving throws against his spells
This room contains 20 halberds, 15 greatclubs, and 10 suits of chain are DC 14. Vyjelmot prepares the spells listed below. If attacked, his first
mail sized for large creatures. There are also ten crates, each of which action is to use his bracers to summon a pair of specters in defense of the
contains two skull bombards packed in straw and wool batting. chapel.
Cantrips (at will): guidance, resistance, sacred flame

13. Lavatory
1st level (x4): cause fear, healing word, inflict wound, shield of faith
2nd level (x3): hold person, silence, spiritual weapon
3rd level (x3): animate dead, dispel magic
4th level (x2): death ward, guardian of faith
Gear: Bracers of Specters (see the “New Magic Items” appendix),
An oversized privy is located beyond the door. Comprised of a unholy water sprinkler with 4 vials of unholy water, ivory and pearl
single-seater with a mahogany seat lid and a marble washing basin, unholy symbol (250 gp value), polished bone prayer beads (50 gp value),
this lavatory appears designed not only for functionality but with keys to the door to Area 15 and the coffer in Area 2-X.
a touch of class. A gleaming silver spigot protrudes from the wall Vyjelmot uses his bracers to summon the specters to assist in the
above the marble basin and a large cut-glass decanter rests beside defense of the chapel. He casts spells on subsequent rounds.
the sink. Plush, sky blue towels hang from a rack on the wall.
(Specter: AC 12, 22 hps; +4 to hit, 3d6 necrotic damage
68
 The dead from above
and the target must make a successful DC 10 Con
saving throw or its maximum hit points are reduced by an
amount equal to the necrotic damage) 16. Jezsyl’s Quarters
Xurgal, if present, hurls his bombards before closing into melee range
with intruders. Besides standard cloud giant stats, Xurgal has one alternate The delicate scent of jasmine incense wafts over you, flowing
attack (Shield Bash), one additional trait (Improved Critical), and special from the room beyond the door. Woven hangings depicting storm-
gear. wracked mountaintops and whirlwind-torn forests decorate the
Shield Bash: +5 to hit (reach 15 ft.; one creature). Hit: 2d8 + 8 walls, and the floor is covered with a light cloth carpet. A small
bludgeoning damage and the target must make a successful DC 15 Str table holds smoking incense sticks and a dark idol. A simple
saving throw or be knocked prone and stunned until the start of Xurgal’s sleeping pallet covered by a thin blanket rests in one corner.
next turn.
Bonebreaking Critical: Xurgal scores critical hits on rolls of natural
18, 19, or 20. Damage from Xurgal’s critical hit can only be restored with Creatures: If not encountered elsewhere, Jezsyl, a cloud giant monk, is
magical healing; it cannot be healed by taking a short or long rest. found here meditating before the small table shrine. She swiftly responds
Gear: +1 maul, shield +1, two skull bombards, potion of healing, gold to intruders, leaping to her bare feet and using her monkish skills to
bracers with chased platinum storm cloud engravings (300 gp value), belt incapacitate as many of the characters as possible while shouting for
of tanned leather worked with polished bloodstones (200 gp value), keys assistance. There is a 75% chance the occupants of the chapel come to her
to Area 12 and to box in Area 11. aid (if they are still able) and a 50% chance that a trio of hill giant guards
respond to her cries in 1d4 + 2 rounds.
(Cloud Giant: AC 14, 200 hps; +12 to hit x2, 3d8 + 8 piercing Jezsyl has the stats of a standard cloud giant plus the additional traits
damage [morningstar] or +12 to hit, range 60/240, listed below.
4d10 + 8 bludgeoning damage [thrown rock] or innate Improved Flurry of Blows: Jezsyl makes two extra unarmed attacks
spellcasting: detect magic, fog cloud, light, feather fall, per round. A creature struck by one of these unarmed attacks is pushed 20
feet, or 10 feet with a successful DC 14 Str saving throw.
fly, misty step, telekinesis, control weather, gaseous form)
Stunning Strike: If Jezsyl scores a critical hit with an unarmed attack,
the target must make a successful DC 14 Con saving throw or be stunned

15. Rectory
until the end of the target’s next turn.
Gear: 2 kris fighting knives, sarong.

The door to this room is locked. Vyjelmot the Grim has the key. (Cloud Giant: AC 14, 200 hps; +12 to hit x2, 3d8 + 8 piercing
damage [morningstar] or +12 to hit, range 60/240,
4d10 + 8 bludgeoning damage [thrown rock] or innate
spellcasting: detect magic, fog cloud, light, feather fall,
This secluded room is spartanly furnished and holds little fly, misty step, telekinesis, control weather, gaseous form)
ornamentation. A bed consisting of an iron plate resting atop four
large, metal-plated skulls occupies much of the space. A ghastly- The idol is a representation of Drahltuz, the giant’s god of fear and
looking iron maiden, its features stained brown with old blood, death. It is depicted as a squat, obese creature with a face resembling
rests in the corner. A lectern fashioned from yellowed bones a serpent’s skull. It is carved from rare black marble and weights 100
holds crumbling pages of smeared and stained parchment. lbs. (50 gp value). The incense is pleasant-smelling but has no special
An open spiral staircase ascends to the ceiling, vanishing into a properties.
shaft leading upward. Beneath the sleeping pallet is a long, low wooden box containing a
number of giantess-sized kimonos of simple manufacture and a spare pair
of large kris fighting knives.
The iron maiden has been converted to a wardrobe. It holds spare sets The four woven tapestries measure 15 feet long by 8 feet wide, and
of vestments, sandals, and other personal objects. A locked coffer rests each weighs 150 lbs. They are skillfully made and worth 150 gp each.
atop a high shelf inside the maiden’s head. Fashioned from rusted iron, the
coffer contains a mummified finger nearly as large as a human forearm.
This is an unholy relic—the ring finger of one Drahltuz’s first apostates. If
handled by a nonfollower of the evil god, the person touching it becomes
cursed. The curse manifests as rapid bodily decay similar to a supernatural
17. Stairs to Upper Level
leprosy. The victim suffers 3d6 points of necrotic damage and loses 1
point of Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution every 24 hours. If reduced An open spiral staircase ascends to the ceiling, vanishing into a
to zero hit points or if an ability score drops to zero, the victim dies. A shaft leading upward.
greater restoration spell removes the curse.
There are 10 pages on the lectern, comprising a religious treatise penned
centuries ago by a high priest of Drahltuz. A DC 20 Int (Religion) check These stairs lead 40 feet upward to Level Three, Area 1. The occupants
identifies the god and rites mentioned in the writings. Additionally, a DC of the Ossuary know to announce themselves before ascending. See the
20 Int (Arcana) check discerns veiled passages relating to the construction description of Level Three, Area 1 for the consequences of failing to do so.
of the Necrolofter (see Level One, Area 3). Although not detailed enough If combat occurs on the staircase, creatures battling from the upper
to be used to actually create a device, they do provide hints as to where to position have tactical advantage on attack rolls against lower opponents.
begin researching the process, at the GM’s discretion. The final page of
the treatise is actually a scroll of speak with dead.
The bed is horribly uncomfortable and has no special value or properties.
18. Treasury
The door to this room is locked, trapped, and alarmed. Bypassing the
lock requires either the proper key (possessed by Oblugrim Stormbreaker
69
 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
in Level Three, Area 2) or a successful DC 25 Dex check with thief’s damage in the fall). Any individual on the oil-coated stairs when they are
tools. A DC 20 Int (Investigation) check notices the trap: a spring lever set alight suffers 10 points of fire damage every time they begin their turn
that will break a pair of small vials, one containing a clear liquid and in the burning oil, for up to six rounds.
the other containing a green liquid. The trap is triggered by any attempt After setting the stairs alight, one of the guards pounds the shield alarm
to open the lock without the proper key, unless the trap is first disarmed gong, alerting the giants in Area 2 and the guards in Area 3 that intruders
with thief’s tools and a successful DC 20 Dex check. If the trap is sprung are on their way.
and the vials are broken, their contents mix to create a flesh-devouring
gas that fills a 20-foot-square space in front of the door. All creatures in (Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning
the gas area can attempt a DC 20 Dex saving throw. Success indicates the damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10
character quickly jumps clear of the gas cloud. Those who fail the saving + 5 bludgeoning damage plus alchemist’s fire [skull
throw get a lungful of gas; they take 3d8 + 3 acid damage at the start of bombard])
each of their turns until they use an action to make a successful DC 20 Con
saving throw against acid. A successful save stops further damage, as does
any cure spell or other healing magic.
2. Oblugrim’s and
Large iron chests stand along the walls of this room besides
statuary, rolled cloth, and raw timber. Despite the contents, the
Tathhylia’s Quarters
room is largely empty, holding but a small portion of what it
could contain.
This opulent chamber features a carved bedstead of rare wood
situated on a plush carpet. Skillful portraiture and tapestries hang
The Stormbreakers planned to fill this treasury with loot plundered from the walls, and a large fireplace burns brightly in the bone
during their campaign, but so far their targets have been small agricultural wall. A table covered with jars and boxes stands before a large
villages possessing little that the giants desire. The contents of this oval mirror on the north wall. A 15-foot-tall, serpentine-shaped
chamber were won from early conflicts with the hill giants and other post with a crossbar stands in the southwest corner of the room.
The delicate scent of mountain flowers hangs in the air.
opponents in the mountains during the Ossuary’s shake-down flight.
There are six iron chests here, all unlocked. Four are empty; the other
two each hold 100 lbs. of unrefined gold ore (1,000 gp value).
This chamber is home to the Stormbreaker patriarch, Oblugrim, and
The rolled cloth is actually two woven wool tapestries worth 100 gp
his consort Tathhylia, as well as their pet. All three are found here if not
each. There are three carved stone statues depicting large and grotesque
already encountered randomly elsewhere and there is no alarm underway.
humanoid faces weighing 500 lbs. each. These idols are ancient and
Their feathered snake pet usually rests on its post, entwined around the
weathered, but they’re worth 300 gp apiece to collectors, historians, or
crossbar.
sages (they might hold clues to lost mysteries, at the GM’s choosing).
The piled timber is all rare hardwood. The lumber weighs 1,000 lbs. and
Oblugrim uses standard cloud giant stats but with an altered Multiattack
is worth 500 gp.
trait and an additional Shield Bash attack.
Multiattack: Oblugrim attacks twice with his greatsword and once

Level Three—Upper Level

with his shield bash ability.
Shield Bash: +5 to hit (reach 15 ft.; one creature). Hit: 2d8 + 8
bludgeoning damage and the target must make a successful DC 15 Str
This small level contains two important rooms: the quarters of saving throw or be knocked prone and stunned until the start of Oblugrim’s
the Stormbreaker leader and his consort, and the Ossuary’s bridge. next turn.
Adventurers seeking to end the cloud giant threat to the region will likely Gear: +1 frost brand greatsword, +2 shield, 2 skull bombards, 2
find this level to be the site of the final battle. potions of healing, keys to armory (Level Two, Area 12) and treasury
(Level Two, Area 18)

1. Guard Post Tathhylia uses standard cloud giant stats but she is also a
9th-level wizard. Her attack bonus with spells is +8; saving
throws against her spells are DC 16. Tathhylia prepares the following
spells.
Cantrips (at will): light, message, ray of frost, shocking grasp
At the top of the winding stairs is a simple space containing a
1st level (x4): burning hands, gust of wind, mage armor, magic missile
table, three large chairs, and a hanging shield dangling from a
cross brace on a wooden stand. A barrel stands near the staircase, 2nd level (x3): scorching ray, sound burst, web
and a large candle burns on the tabletop. 3rd level (x3): dispel magic, fly, lightning bolt
4th level (x3): confusion, ice storm
5th level (x1): cone of cold
Creatures: A pair of hill giant guards are always stationed here, Gear: wand of storms (see New Magic Items appendix), ring of
charged with defending this level. Standard protocol is for any occupant protection +1, gold circlet with diamond chips (500 gp value).
of the Ossuary to call out his or her name before climbing the staircase.
If the guards detect creatures ascending that do not announce themselves, (Cloud Giant: AC 14, 200 hps; +12 to hit x2, 3d8 + 8 piercing
one of the guards pours the barrel of oil down the stairwell while the damage [morningstar] or +12 to hit, range 60/240,
second stands by, preparing to hurl a skull bombard filled with alchemist’s 4d10 + 8 bludgeoning damage [thrown rock] or innate
fire into the stairwell on the following round. spellcasting: detect magic, fog cloud, light, feather fall,
The barrel holds sufficient oil to coat the uppermost 30 feet of the fly, misty step, telekinesis, control weather, gaseous form)
stairwell, making the steps both slippery and flammable. A creature
wishing to climb the slick stairs must make a successful DC 10 Dex check (Feathered Mountain Snake: AC 13, 45 hps; +6 to hit, 1d8 + 3
to avoid slipping and falling down the stairs (suffering 2d6 bludgeoning piercing damage and the target must make a successful
70
 The dead from above

DC 11 Con saving throw or take 2d6 poison damage)

The paintings are oil portraits of the Stormbreaker Clan’s former

patriarchs. Each of the four paintings is worth 250 gp. They are sizeable,
3. The Bridge
however, measuring 10 feet long by 5 feet high and weighing 50 lbs.
each. The tapestries are detailed landscapes of secluded mountain valleys This area is a massive, conical-shaped chamber with a
surrounded by clouds and fog. Each of the three wall hangings is worth cathedral ceiling. Dominating the chamber is a titanic, thronelike
150 gp. chair bearing a giant occupant. The seated individual wears
The table contains personal grooming items and jars of makeup, only a white loin cloth, leaving the majority of his sky-blue skin
perfume, and other hygiene products. One of the bottles is fashioned exposed. Many riblike bones and venous tubes protrude from the
from a cut jasper (50 gp value) and contains a delicate perfume that chair and are embedded in the flesh of the seated giant, effectively
seems to change its scent depending on the person sniffing it. This binding him to the seat. Five smaller giants dressed in mail armor
perfume bears a slight enchantment and, when worn, increases the and bearing large spears stand guard nearby.
wearer’s Charisma score by 1 for one hour. There is enough perfume
for three uses.
Beneath the bed is a large iron chest. It has no lock and appears Creatures: The chair is the Ossuary’s helm, and the figure attached to it
to be opened by simply pulling the knurled steel handle protruding is Morgosun Stormbreaker, the pilot of the Ossuary. Morgosun was not the
from the lid’s top. The chest is trapped, however. Unless the opener
most gifted or liked of the Stormbreaker clan, and when it was decided that
touches the handle with a shocking grasp cantrip before pulling the
someone needed to make the sacrifice to merge with the fortress to serve
lid, a blast of electricity leaps from the chest, catching all creatures
as its eternal captain, Morgosun was forcibly “volunteered” by Oblugrim.
in a 10-foot-radius around the box. Those in the blast take 8d6 +
8 electrical damage, or half as much with a successful DC 14 Dex The only thing that has kept him from crashing the Ossuary and dooming
saving throw. Closely inspecting the handle and making a successful his clan to death is Oblugrim’s promise that once the humans are driven
DC 15 Int (Investigation) check reveals tiny runes etched along the out of the mountains, Morgosun will be freed from his duty and restored
handle’s bottom, and anyone with training in Arcana can identify them to a normal life (this is a lie; Oblugrim considers the flying citadel far too
as pertaining to electricity or lightning. There is no way to disarm the valuable to give up). Nevertheless, as a precaution, Oblugrim stationed
trap other than with the cantrip. four hill giant guards here, not only to protect the pilot but also to slay him
The chest contains Oblugrim and Tathhylia’s personal wealth. Inside should he ever try to crash the Ossuary.
are 1,046 cp, 768 sp, 477 gp, a large harp with electrum inlay (350 gp
value), a robe of winter wolf fur (200 gp value), Tathhylia’s spellbook (Gurgulash, Hill Giant Leader: AC 15, 130 hps; +9 to hit
(contains all her prepared spells), and an oversized crown of gold and x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning damage [greatclub] or +8 to
sapphires (1,000 gp value). hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5 bludgeoning damage plus
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 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
alchemist’s fire [skull bombard])
Gear: Belt of bones (see New Magic Items appendix),
+1 greataxe, chain shirt +2, two skull bombards, silver
bracelet (100 gp value), gold bracelet (250 gp value),
The Ossuary in the PCs’ Hands
silver snake-shaped ring (100 gp value), and small sack It is likely that if the characters defeat the Stormbreaker giants,
containing 200 sp, 178 gp, and 54 pp. they’ll end the adventure in possession of the Ossuary. Not all
GMs may want their players to own such a formidable base of
(Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning operations, but luckily, being the sole entities left standing inside
damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 the aerial holdfast does not automatically bestow command of the
+ 5 bludgeoning damage plus alchemist’s fire [skull Ossuary on the party.
bombard]) Firstly, the Ossuary requires a living creature in the role of
Gear: Hill Giants wear chain shirts and carry halberds and the pilot. This is not so much an honor as a doom, because the
one skull bombard apiece. pilot becomes permanently bonded with the magical helm in area
3-3. Not many beings are willing to give up their freedom and
Morgosun Stormbreaker cannot physically attack the party; he is embrace such a ghastly existence to simply operate an artifact.
restrained by the Ossuary’s helm. He can, however, defend himself with NPCs will certainly refuse unless magically compelled. If charm
the necrotic energy field that powers the fortress under his command. He spells are used to encourage an NPC to become the pilot, he will
uses the standard cloud giant stat block, but his only means of attack is seek revenge once the enchantment wears off, likely crashing
the Necrotic Blast. the Ossuary into the first convenient mountainside as suitable
Necrotic Blast (Recharge 5, 6): Morgosun calls down a blast of punishment for those who damned him!
withering energy that strikes a single target inside the bridge. The victim If one of the characters volunteers to become the pilot, he (or
hit by the blast takes 4d8 + 4 necrotic damage, or half damage with a others) need to first determine the proper way to connect a new
successful DC 14 Con saving throw. pilot to the chair. This requires successful DC 20 Int (Arcana)
If Morgosun is slain, the Ossuary immediately ceases moving. It and DC 20 Wis (Medicine) checks. Divination spells can also
continues to hang in place 400 feet above the ground until it runs out help determine the proper process. Once the process is deduced,
of power or the Necrolofter is destroyed (see Level One, Area 3). If the the would-be pilot suffers 8d6 points of piercing damage as the
helm is attacked directly, it has AC 8 and 200 hit points. It fails all saving various bone spurs and tubes are inserted into his flesh. This
throws. Destroying the chair kills Morgosun instantly in a blast of necrotic damage can be halved if the person connecting the pilot to the
energy, and the Ossuary comes to a dead stop. chair makes a successful DC 15 Wis (Medicine) check. Lastly, the
This room contains only the helm, which is a huge seat fashioned from adventurer must make a DC 20 Con saving throw to successfully
bone and rising 20 feet above the floor. A dozen bone spurs and veinlike integrate his mind and body with the Ossuary. If the save fails, the
tubes protrude from the chair, each ending in a sharp, hollow barb that can pilot dies, slain by necrotic energy feedback that tears his body
be inserted into skin and muscle. A living creature connected to the chair apart. If the pilot survives the process, he gains full command of
gains the ability to fly the Ossuary as well as to view its surroundings with the Ossuary—including the ability to mentally see outside the
limited clairvoyance. For more information on the role of the pilot, see the Ossuary’s confines and the power to summon the necrotic blast
section “The Ossuary in the PCs’ Hands.” defense detailed in Area 3-3.
Even with a living pilot on the bridge, the Ossuary requires

Concluding the Adventure

constant refueling with souls, and this step should not sit well
with characters who are not evil-aligned. As noted in Area 1-3, the
Necrolofter requires the stolen life of living beings to operate. At
The characters succeed in stopping the cloud giant’s campaign of evil least 8 HD of intelligent, living beings must be fed to the hungry
if they either kill the tremendous occupants of the Ossuary or incapacitate spirits connected to the Necrolofter each week or the citadel loses
the flying citadel. The local ruler accepts either circumstance as a victory power, settling to the ground until refueled. No other power source
and gratefully rewards the party the promised fee of 1,000 gp. will suffice.
Should the adventure conclude with the Ossuary captured intact and While the characters might have moral issues with keeping
operational, the potentate, seeing the military advantage of owning such the Ossuary running and under control, many NPCs suffer no
a useful fort, offers to buy the flying citadel from the party. The exact such compulsions. If it becomes common knowledge that the
amount he is willing to part with is left to the GM’s discretion, but should party possesses the Ossuary, they can be certain that they’ll find
not exceed 15,000 gp. Understandably, the party may wish to hold onto themselves targeted by all manner of bandit kings, evil wizards,
the keep for their own purposes. Refer to the section “The Ossuary in the foul priests, and other such ne’er do wells intent on claiming the
PCs’ Hands” in this case. Ossuary for themselves. The GM should make life very interesting
If the GM desires, the events of Dead from Above can lead to additional for the characters for as long as they own the holdfast.
adventures. The Stormbreaker Clan may not be the only cloud giant clan
wishing to see humanity driven out of the mountains. Other giants might
be planning their own vendetta against mankind, requiring the heroes to
venture into the high peaks to stop these other campaigns before they
begin.
If the characters successfully identify the important passages in the
ancient texts found in Level Two, Area 15, they might be interested in
learning more about the creation of fortresses like the Ossuary. This quest
could spur numerous new adventures as the party tracks down lost lore
or seeks out reclusive sages and wizards who possess the power and skill
needed to tear mountains apart and make them fly.
And, of course, if any of the Stormbreakers survive the attack on
the Ossuary, the characters should find themselves the target of giant
vengeance, a revenge that begins with hurled boulders and powerful spells
when they least expect it!

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 The dead from above

Appendix New Monsters

Bone Guardian
New Magical Items
XP 1,100 (CR 4)
NE Large undead
Initiative +2

DEFENSE
Belt of Bones AC 15 (natural armor)
Very Rare Wondrous Item (requires attunement) hp: 45 (6d10 + 14)
This object is a wide girdle fashioned from crudely-tanned leather of Immunity: Piercing damage; charm, fright, poison,
undetermined origin and decorated with aged, yellowing animal bones unconsciousness
sewn to the leather backing. The belt rattles when worn, and the rattling
increases in volume when the wearer calls upon the object’s power. The belt OFFENSE
of bones provides the benefits listed below only when worn by a barbarian; Speed: 30 ft.
it is simply a decorative accessory in the possession of other classes. Multiattack: A bone guardian attacks twice with claws and
• Up to three times per day, the bones can instantly expand to cover the bites twice.
wearer’s body and create a protective shell that functions exactly as the Melee Attack—Bite: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
shield spell. 1d6 + 3 piercing damage.
• The wearer’s Strength is increased by 1 while the belt is worn. This Melee Attack—Bite: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
bonus cannot raise the wearer’s Strength above 20. 1d8 + 3 slashing damage.
• The owner gains one extra rage per day if the belt is worn the entire day. STATISTICS
Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+2), Con 15 (+2), Int 6 (-2), Wis 10 (+0),
Bracers of Specters Cha 5 (-3)
Very Rare Wondrous Item (requires attunement) Languages: understands Common and Giant but can’t speak
These ornamental brass bracers are covered with a patina of verdigris Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
indicating their great age. Imagery depicting tombs, open graves, and
plundered sarcophagi are inscribed on their surfaces. Leather straps hold ECOLOGY
Environment: Any
them in place. Like many magical objects, the bracers of specters resize
Organization: Solitary or band (2-7)
to fit their wearer.
Description: The bones encircling the pillar suddenly
The bracers of specters have a pair of undead spirits bound to them, assemble themselves into the horrid form of a two-
forced to unerringly serve the bracers’ owner when commanded. headed, three armed skeletal creature with eyes that
The owner can call upon either each specter to appear once per day, burn with an unholy black-blue light.
individually or together. When summoned, the specter(s) appear to leap
from the bracers, manifesting before the wearer. The specter(s) follow
any command spoken by the bracers’ owner to the best of their ability Feathered Mountain Snake
for up to one hour. After that time, a spirit returns to the bracer until the XP 450 (CR 2)
following day. Unaligned Large beast
A specter that suffers damage while manifested is fully healed by resting Initiative +3
in the bracers for 24 hours. If summoned before the period elapses, the spirit
manifests in its damaged state and does not regain lost hit points until at DEFENSE
least 24 hours have passed without it called forth. If a specter is destroyed AC 13
while manifested, it is permanently lost and the owner cannot replace the hp: 45 (6d10 + 12)
destroyed spirit. Should both specters ever be destroyed while manifested, Saving Throws: Dex +6
the bracers lose their enchantment and become ordinary objects.
OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 30 ft.
Wand of Storms Melee Attack—Poisonous Bite: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
Very Rare Wondrous Item (requires attunement) creature). Hit: 1d8 + 3 piercing damage and the target
This is a 6-foot-long wooden rod tipped with a smoky white quartz must make a successful DC 11 Con saving throw or take
that resembles a thunder cloud. Although technically a wand, the wand 2d6 poison damage.
of storms was created by giants and is scaled for use by Huge creatures.
Creatures of Medium size or smaller must use two hands when wielding STATISTICS
the wand, as if it were a staff. Str 15 (+2), Dex 16 (+3), Con 15 (+2),
The wand has seven charges. As an action, you can expend up to three Int 2 (-4), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 6 (-2)
charges to cast gust of wind, thunderwave, or lightning bolt. Expending Languages: None
one charge casts the spell at its base level. Each additional charge adds Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
one level to the base slot. For example, expending three charges when
casting thunderwave gives the effect of thunderwave being cast with a TRAITS
level 3 spell slot. Lightning Blast (Recharge 5, 6): The feathered mountain
The wand regains 1d6+1 expended charges each day at dawn. If you snake discharges a blast of lightning at a single target up
expend the wand’s last charge, roll 1d20. On a 1, the wand cracks with a to 30 ft. away. The target takes 3d6 + 2 lightning damage,
thunderous crash and falls to splinters, forever destroyed. or half damage with a successful DC 12 Dex saving throw.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Temperate or cold mountains
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 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
Organization: Solitary or band claws and bites once.
Description: A coat of colorful feathers covers this 10-foot- Melee Attack—Bite: +10 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one creature).
long serpent. It rustles, and the scent of ozone grows Hit: 3d10 + 6 piercing damage.
strong in the air. Moments later, the snake unleashes a Melee Attack—Claw: +10 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
blast of lightning at you! Hit: 2d8 + 6 slashing damage.

STATISTICS
Sanguine Terror Str 25 (+7), Dex 10 (+0), Con 15 (+2),
XP 450 (CR 2) Int 6 (-2), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 3 (-4)
Unaligned Large ooze Languages: understands Common and Draconic but can’t
Initiative -2 speak
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
DEFENSE
AC 8 ECOLOGY
hp: 75 (10d10 + 20) Environment: Temperate
Saving Throws: Con +6 Organization: Solitary or band (2-7)
Immunity: Psychic damage; blindness, charm, fright, Description: With the sound of clattering bones and
paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, unconsciousness creaking, withered wings, the great bony wyrm descends
upon you, its eyes burning like the candles lit at a dead
OFFENSE
man’s wake. A skein of corpse-green veins twine about
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
the dragon’s body, thrumming in time to the creature’s
Melee Attack—Pseudopod: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
movements.
creature). Hit: 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning damage, and the
target must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or
take 2d6 poison damage. Stone Giant Zombie
XP 450 (CR 2)
STATISTICS NE Huge undead
Str 16 (+3), Dex 6 (-2), Con 15 (+2), Initiative +0
Int 1 (-5), Wis 6 (-2), Cha 1 (-5)
Languages: None. DEFENSE
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. AC 8
hp: 57 (7d12 + 12)
TRAITS Immunity: Charm, fright, poison, unconsciousness
Amorphous: A sanguine terror can move through gaps as
small as 1 square inch without penalty. OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft.
ECOLOGY Melee Attack—Fist: +8 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one creature). Hit:
Environment: Any 2d8 + 6 bludgeoning damage.
Organization: Solitary
Description: A huge mass of partially congealed blood rises STATISTICS
up to assume humanoid form. It reeks of rotting plasma as Str 22 (+6), Dex 6 (-2), Con 15 (+2),
it lurches toward you. Int 5 (-3), Wis 6 (-2), Cha 5 (-3)
Languages: understands Giant but can’t speak.
Skeletal Red Dragon Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
XP 2,300 (CR 6)
CE Huge undead TRAITS
Initiative +0 Zombie Fortitude: If the zombie suffers damage that reduces
it to zero hit points, it makes a Con saving throw with a DC
DEFENSE equal to 5 + the damage suffered. If the saving throw is
AC 12 (natural armor) successful, the zombie has 1 hit point left.
hp: 76 (9d12 + 20)
Immunity: Charm, fright, poison, unconsciousness ECOLOGY
Vulnerability: Bludgeoning damage Environment: Temperate
Organization: Solitary or band (2-7)
OFFENSE Description: The rotting corpse of a giant shambles slowly
Speed: 60 ft., fly 150 ft. toward you, its flesh gray and bloated and its eyes milky
Multiattack: A skeletal red dragon attacks once with its white.

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 emeralds of highfang

Emeralds of Highfang By Ed Greenwood

Wise rogues join the government, where their larceny has the cover of the travelers to seek a safe refuge.
“legality” and the cash comes in heaps and piles from deceitful receipts In short, the characters must find shelter or face dire peril—and they
and pocketed procurements rather than in small, bloodstained purses from find area 1, the Cavern of the Club.
breaking windows, scaling walls, and risking traps and long-fanged guard Alternatively, characters who begin the adventure in an urban setting
dogs. or a rural town find, in some dark alley, shed, or vacant warehouse, one
Wise rogues do not, by choice, go up against towering giants armed shattered end of a gigantic club—as thick as a tree trunk, battered into
with clubs larger than the tallest rogue in the guild. Nor do they try to nick roundness, hardened by fire, and studded with iron spikes. It is lying
treasure from dragons without a group of powerful fellow adventurers abandoned, apparently discarded and forgotten, and pulsing with a faint,
behind them, who can hurl mighty spells, hack and hew toe to toe with eerie, purple-white magical glow.
an angry wyrm, heal the injured, and (when things go as they usually do), If the club is touched, moved, or even approached too closely, it triggers
resurrect the dead. a teleport effect that relocates all of the characters and the club fragment
There are wise rogues, and then there are player characters. Emeralds to area 1 of the giants’ warren.
of Highfang awaits them with open arms, offering special challenges
and rewards to rogue characters—but as always, the prospects are much
better for a party of adventurers from a variety of classes, with wide skills
and experience, and of high level. Some might find that a broad base of
experience is not only helpful, but essential for survival.
Giants’ Warren
1. The Cavern of the Club
Foreword Characters espy a dark opening in the mountainside, a tall, narrow
crack in Highfang Peak. It leads into a huge, irregularly-shaped cavern
Emeralds of Highfang leads characters into the caldera of an extinct that’s lit faintly by patches of phosphorescent fungus on the walls and
volcano that has become the lair of an ancient red dragon. The dragon, ceiling—furry, amorphous, jellylike masses that emit a steady, pale,
however, isn’t alone; it is allied with a clan of fire giants, who in turn have brownish-white glow.
hill giants and ettins in their service. The volcano, therefore, is every bit
as dangerous a place after its death as it was while it was actively spewing
lava.
The potential reward for defeating an ancient red dragon and a clan Glowflow
of giants is immense, but so is the risk. This adventure should prove
particularly rewarding for rogue player characters, both because the These mindless, harmless fungi range in size from the span of a
grandest treasure in the dragon’s hoard is especially valuable to a rogue, human hand to about as large as the top of a dining table; whatever
but also because there’s more opportunity—and more need—here for their area, most are about as thick as a human adult’s wrist. They
stealth, scouting, and sneakiness than in most adventures. All too often, can join and divide at random or in response to attacks. They are
rogues who’d like to be out front performing reconnaissance are forced to ambulatory, creeping very slowly toward sources of warmth and
walk in the middle of the marching order while paladins and barbarians movement. When no such sources are present, they flow slowly
lead the way. In Emeralds of Highfang, brash warriors who barge into over stone, readily sticking to walls and ceilings, to reach the
chambers relying on their armor and their hit points won’t survive long. highest points in an area or the apex of a cavern ceiling.
After one or two encounters, they’ll be glad to let the rogues lead from If characters sleep in a glowflow-infested cavern without a
the shadows. sentinel, or if they try to remove the fungus (it can be scraped
A party of adventurers can be introduced to this adventure in several from the stone easily with a stick or a shield), they might awaken
ways. The events take place in a remote mountainous area. The most with the fungus on them. The fungus likes to cover the faces of
natural manner to begin the adventure (i.e., the least suspicious) is for living creatures because of the warm breath, but it won’t suffocate
characters to innocently draw close to Highfang Peak, a long-dormant the sleeper.
volcanic caldera that from below looks like a rounded mountain soaring to Glowflow tastes rather like beef fat, and it does no harm at all if
a high, narrow spike on one side (somewhat like a splinter jutting upward ingested. It does cause the skin of the ingester to glow softly with
from one side of an immense, sawn-off tree stump). If viewed from the lip the same steady, faint, brownish-white luminosity of the glowflow
or from the air, Highfang is revealed to have a deep, verdant green crater for 1d6 + 2 days. Glowflow avoids areas of rushing or open
at its heart, where wild cattle roam and cascading streams are plentiful. water but can be found just about everywhere else underground,
Characters can be pulled into the area with the usual rumors of throughout all subterranean areas in Highfang Peak and the
unplundered tombs or wealthy bandits, or they can be pushed in by severe surrounding mountain range.
weather. In winter, you can rely on a howling blizzard with bad visibility,
slick footing under deep, wet snow, and the threat of severe frostbite or
hypothermia if they spend the night exposed to the elements. In summer, a Strewn around the cavern lie the crushed and rotting bodies of six orcs
blinding, pelting rainstorm with lightning crashing all round, wind tearing who were felled by the blows of a huge, blunt weapon—perhaps a giant’s
trees from the ground, and hailstones the size of cockatrice eggs can do club. Amid them are the two halves of the broken giant’s club that slew
the trick. In either case, a pack of dire wolves or other hungry, desperate them, dropped by the disgusted giant when it broke. (If the characters were
creatures shadowing the characters is a nice bit of added motivation for brought here magically by a glowing, broken club, it is one of the halves.
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Quests of Doom: giants & dragons

76
 emeralds of highfang
It flashes brightly upon arrival, then goes dark, its magic exhausted.) potential to crush anyone foolishly standing in front of it when it breaks
The dead orcs have a few weapons and some treasure. free. Everyone in its path must make a successful DC 20 Dex saving
• Orc 1: Lice-ridden, rotting hide armor, leather belt with crude, rusty throw to avoid 20d6 bludgeoning damage. Characters who are trained in
dagger in sheath, and pouch containing 6 cp and an orc tooth (his) wrapped Acrobatics can add twice their proficiency bonus to the saving throw.
in a scrap of bloody cloth; greataxe with broken shaft. The first character who climbs to the top of the boulder comes face to
• Orc 2: Hide armor in good condition, leather belt with good dagger in face with a giant wolf spider. It pounces and attacks without hesitation.
sheath (salvaged from past human victim), and pouch containing 1 sp and
4 cp; greataxe in good condition. (Giant Wolf Spider: AC 13, 11 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing
• Orc 3: Hide armor in good condition, leather belt with good dagger damage plus 2d6 poison damage [bite]; DC 11 Con
in sheath (salvaged from past human victim), and pouch containing 3 sp saving throw for half damage; creatures poisoned to 0 hp
and 1 cp; intact javelin. are paralyzed for 1 hour)
• Orc 4: No armor but has black metal shield, brittle and pounded flat
by club (orc’s arm, still strapped to shield, is shattered) and starting to Beyond the boulder, the cleft becomes a passage with a rocky, uneven
rust, good leather belt with empty sheath (dagger missing, nowhere to be floor covered by fallen and wedged boulders. Moving along this floor is
found in cavern), and pouch containing seven 2-foot-long leather thongs, more akin to climbing than to walking; the entire stretch is difficult terrain.
an ornate leather garment button, and 2 cp; greataxe in good condition. The route is roomy enough for giants to traverse, though it’s difficult
• Orc 5: Lice-ridden, rotting hide armor that was poorly made to begin terrain for them, too. The rough-walled, irregular passage bends to the
with (many gaps spanned by knotted, crisscrossing leather thongs), rotting right, then curves left again, for 70 feet.
leather belt with crude but not rusty dagger in sheath, and pouch containing
2 cp and a fist-sized bundle of soft leather tied up with thongs (inside is a
deep red, faceted gemstone about the size of a man’s thumbnail, that looks 2. Bats and the Drift
valuable: it’s a rose-cut ruby worth 3,000 gp); javelin in good condition.
• Orc 6: Hide armor in good condition, leather belt with good dagger in At this point, the rough, rocky floor becomes strewn with scattered
sheath (salvaged from past human victim), and pouch containing 6 sp and human and demihuman bones, the remains of unfortunate earlier intruders.
1 cp; greataxe in good condition. Two giant bats roost here on the passage ceiling, above a ledge high up
At the back of the cavern is a huge cleft, about 50 feet tall and 20 feet on the right side (relative to creatures moving inward along the passage,
wide. It is blocked by a boulder that is wedged into the cleft and is a little deeper into the mountain). They swoop to attack anything smaller than a
more than 20 feet tall. The boulder was placed here by the giants to keep giant that enters the passage.
out wolves and casual intruders. The boulder can be climbed over easily,
or it can be dislodged by characters if the combined Strength modifiers (Giant Bat: AC 13, 22 hps; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 piercing damage
of everyone working on it totals 10 or higher. If the boulder tumbles into [bite])
the cavern, it makes enough noise that every creature in the next two
encounter areas is alerted to the presence of intruders. It also has the The bats are jet black with blazing red eyes, large fangs, long tails, and

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 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
wide black leathery wings that make them resemble manta rays, though are also under orders to strike the gong hanging from the ceiling with their
they are simply a rare subspecies of bat. They will shriek as they attack, clubs whenever they see an intruder. This alerts the stone giants to (very
their wide and many-fanged maws gaping wide. These cries are so high- unhurriedly) come and check the situation.
pitched that they are like needles in the ears of those nearby, but are almost To keep the hill giants from bashing the gong into smithereens out of
inaudible more than 70 feet away. anger or boredom, the dragon long ago reached agreement with some
The bats are hungry, so they attack intruders to slay and feed, but they wizards to enchant it, so the gong now emits a weak lightning bolt
flee to high ledges or out into area 1 to roost high up when down to 3 or whenever struck, in a line straight toward whoever struck the gong. The
fewer hit points or when one of the bats is killed. Surviving bats might hill giants know this and hate it, so they strike the gong only if they decide
attack again if characters pass through this area later on their way out. they’re losing this fight and could use some help. They’re smart enough
to stand where the lightning bolt will hit a few enemies in addition to the
giant who triggers it. (Lightning Bolt Trap: line, 5 ft. wide x 50 ft. long;
4d6 lightning damage; DC 14 Dex saving throw for half damage)
The Drift
When characters enter the area of bones, they will disturb an 4. Fang Cavern
ancient magical effect called “the Drift,” a gentle reverse gravity-
like field that causes bones to ‘fall’ slowly but steadily upward From the widening occupied by the hill giants, the passage runs another
to the roof of the passage, remain there for four or five minutes, hundred feet to a similar widening that’s untenanted, then descends gently
and then gently descend again. Characters who struggle against for 80 feet to another widening of the passage, and then rises a further 90
the effect can remain grounded with a successful DC 10 Wis feet beyond it to open out into this large cave.
saving throw. Characters who relax and let the effect take hold This rough-walled natural cavern has a ceiling 90 feet up that’s
of them can ride it as if they’re affected by a levitate spell. Going dominated by many stalactites (none more than 12 feet long). Most have
aloft makes them easier targets for the bats, which get tactical been crudely pierced so small oil-lamps can be hung from them. Over 40
advantage when attacking “drifting” targets. By using ropes with such lamps are burning in the chamber, giving off smoke that has coated
grapnel hooks, 10-foot poles, or just by pulling themselves along the stalactites with soot, making the room oppressively hot, and seeming
the walls and ceiling with their hands, characters can reach various to carpet the ceiling in flames. The cave’s many stalagmites have all been
high ledges (varying from 7 feet wide to just over 2 feet) that run smoothly cut off to form seats or the supports for stone tabletops. The
along the passage walls. From these ledges, they can fight giants tables formed this way resemble large, flat-topped, stone mushrooms.
in the passage and in the Fang Cavern, beyond at giant-head-level. One huge central stalagmite has been left alone. It sweeps up from the
The Drift was established by magic long ago. Now it prevails floor in a thick, sharp, tapering curve that echoes the shape of the lower
only in a 40-foot-long stretch of the passage, as shown on the map. fang of a gigantic feline.
The boundaries are ‘soft’; characters who leave the Drift while Here sit six fire giant guards. At any time, two are sleeping, two are
aloft don’t plummet to the ground but float gently down. cooking and cleaning, and two are on guard duty (which usually means
they’re sitting with weapons ready and playing stoneguard, a simple dice
game; three rolls against three rolls, highest total wins, difference between
3. Passage Sentinels totals is how many spaces the winner can advance the Dead Giant marker
along a straight track of twenty spaces; whenever the marker reaches one
end of the track, the giant sitting at that end loses the game).
Some 80 feet beyond the Drift, the passage widens briefly, creating an
alcove in both walls. A large, round brass gong hangs from the center of
(Fire Giant: AC 18, 162 hps; +11 to hit x2, 6d6 + 7 slashing
the ceiling on a massive chain that vanishes up between ceiling-boulders damage [greatsword] or +11 to hit, range 60/240, 4d10 + 7
to an unknown anchoring. Under it sit two male hill giants. They are bludgeoning damage [thrown rock])
mean, nasty, smelly individuals clad in uncured and reeking hides of
various mountain beasts, and they’re are armed with great clubs like the The two on-duty guards sit on cut-down stalagmites, with a stone table
broken one in area 1. (also formed by a stalagmite) between them. The stoneguard board is
carved into the top of the table. They’re playing for gold coins; an open
(Hill Giant: AC 13, 105 hps; +8 to hit x2, 3d8 + 5 bludgeoning sack containing 448 gp sits on the floor beside the table. The two stoneguard
damage [greatclub] or +8 to hit, range 60/240, 3d10 + 5 players might not notice someone pilfering coins at first (passive Perception
bludgeoning damage [thrown rock]) 16), but a second trip to the sack by anyone will be noticed.
Behind the fang is a stone table (a socketed slab placed atop three
The hill giants have orders to kill any intruders. For every intelligent lopped-off stalagmites), a bench (massive rectangular stone block laid
creature or large and dangerous monster (not the giant bats nor anything beside the table), and in a slight depression in the cavern floor, a cooking
smaller) whose body they display to the fire giants who dwell deeper hearth full of smoldering charcoal surrounded by a ring of ready firewood
inside Highfang Peak, those giants reward this pair of brutes by letting (short but, to humans, quite large and heavy logs). Above the hearth is a
them move “closer to Highfang,” which the hill giants have been led to blackened metal frame of heavy roughcast iron on which rest three spits,
believe is a paradise where they can gorge themselves on all they can eat, each transfixing the carcass of a whole bull now partly roasted, sizzling
in the company of friendly female hill giants. They are under orders never and dripping fat into the fire. Each spit has six metal wedges that can be
to both sleep at the same time. placed on the frame at either end to hold the spit and its meat in a particular
They have been at this wide spot in the passage for almost a year, and position. To humans, these metal wedges are each about the size of a large
it reeks of their dung. (They trudge huge buckets of the stuff out of the chair, and are very heavy (requiring a combined Strength modifier of 9
caverns to dump, as seldom as possible; three huge buckets occupy one or higher to lift). Near the hearth is a reeking bucket (about the size of a
alcove, with massive slabs of stone laid across them to form a bench or human bathtub) of eel oil, which the giants use as both a firestarter and
table.) The fire giants bring them food (usually roasted bull carcasses), a baste. Above the hearth, the cavern rises in a natural chimney, a shaft
and they drink water from the natural spring that trickles down the wall that rises for fully 240 feet beyond the 90-foot height of the cavern to
behind the dung buckets and seeps away through the floor. emerge high atop one of the rising arms of Highfang Peak. The chimney
The giants are dim-witted but enthusiastic in a fight—so much so that is never less than 20 feet wide, and its walls are caked with soot and
they might comically injure each other or bump and stumble over each slippery grease, making it nearly impossible to climb. A successful DC 25
other, trying to move into positions from where they can better smear Str (Athletics) check is needed at the beginning, middle, and end of the
enemies over the rock walls, floor, and ceiling with their huge clubs. They climb to ascend the chimney.
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Three arch-topped, lockless, giant-sized doors of fitted, sculpted stone
are set into the back wall of this cavern, spaced well apart. The doors
swing into this cavern when opened.
5. Hot Cavern
The door on the left leads to a huge hot cavern where the fire giants live, From the door, a 20-foot-wide irregular passage (a natural cleft, long
the one in the center to a privy, and the one on the right opens into a long ago chiseled wider) runs 60 feet into the solid rock of Highfang Peak
passage that penetrates deeper into Highfang Peak. The tunnels behind before it is joined by a side passage to the right. Beyond that junction, the
these three doors are all linked, about 0 feet in, by a cross-passage. tunnel continues for 80 feet more until it opens out into this huge cavern,
The fire giants all have crimson beards and eyebrows and jet-black hair. where the majority of the fire giants of Highfang dwell.
They wear well-oiled black armor over hide jerkins and breeches, and Mindful of the possible wrath of the dragon, the giants, who are all of
have armored boots and black metal open-face helms. They are: the Narlohrind tribe, have brought no children or pregnant tribal members
• Horlond (awake, on duty, winning at stoneguard, jovial): Paunchy to Highfang. There are elders and wives, not just male fire giants in the
and the possessor of a wide smile, large and merry eyes, and crooked prime of life. Counting the six guards in the Fang Cavern (area 4), there
teeth; over his armor, wears a baldric with three metal knives (to humans, are 38 fire giants in Highfang. When not working the quarry or forges, on
greatswords) ranged down it in sheaths with pommel straps (loops of thick guard duty, or cooking or dining, they dwell here.
leather sewn to the baldric, that the pommels of the knives are confined
within, to help keep them falling free of the sheaths), pouch sewn to (Fire Giant: AC 18, 162 hps; +11 to hit x2, 6d6 + 7 slashing
baldric under chin that contains scrap muslin sacks of 17 gp, 33 sp, and 12 damage [greatsword] or +11 to hit, range 60/240, 4d10 + 7
cp. Horlond’s principal weapon is his greatsword, scabbarded at his hip. bludgeoning damage [thrown rock])
• Marl (awake, on duty, losing at stoneguard, testy): Broad-shouldered
and burly (even for a giant), with an ugly slab of a face and a flattened
At any given time, the typical job roster for the fire giants has four
nose (looking rather like the stone faces of real-world Easter Island);
giants cooking, six working the quarry, six on guard duty, two at the forge,
garbed and equipped identically to Horlond, greatsword and all, except
and six in the mill, leaving fourteen giants in this room. If weakened
that Marl’s pouch holds sacks containing 6 gp, 14 sp, and 27 cp (he loses
characters try to hide or take refuge here, you might decide that twelve of
at stoneguard a lot).
the fourteen have gone to dine.
• Haelath (awake, cooking, slow and methodical): Handsome for a fire Aside from sixteen young mothers and children dwelling in deep
giant, with weathered features and a perpetually stern expression; garbed
magma-warmed caves far from Highfang, these Narlohrind are the last
and equipped identically to Horlond, but his helm, sword, armor, baldric,
remnants of a once numerous and powerful fire giant tribe that was almost
and jerkin lie in a neat pile on the bench by the table. Haelath’s pouch
wiped out in a terrible war with frost giants. Facing extermination and
contains sacks of 22 gp, 4 sp, and 11 cp.
desperate, they agreed to serve the red dragon Haeraglondrar in return for
• Gararl (awake, cutting up vegetables and fetching spices from a row the wyrm’s protection. Thus far, they haven’t regretted doing so.
of jars along two neat ledges carved into the wall): Ugly and with snarled,
The ranking tribal elder is Klarrouth, who stands a head taller than the other
curly, light-hued hair and a nose that was badly broken in the past; garbed
and equipped identically to Haelath, his helm, sword, armor, baldric, and fire giants, has 200 hit points, and wears two greatswords, one scabbarded on
jerkin lie in a neat pile on the bench by the table beside Haelath’s. Gararl’s a baldric down his back and one scabbarded at his hip. He wears the same
pouch contains sacks of 8 gp, 29 sp, and 15 cp. armor and helm as his fellow Narlohrind. Klarrouth is a veteran tactician
who is far less hot-tempered and more prudent and far-sighted than most fire
• Kalikh (asleep on the floor to one side of the cavern, wrapped in a giants, and he has little time for flattery, courtesy, or deference.
dusty blanket of many sewn-together overlapped hides, initially hidden
from characters by stalagmites unless characters are up on a wall ledge): This cavern was named for its warmth, which fire giants find comfortably
Hook-nosed, scar-faced (cut by at least two swords), and ugly to start hot (and most other races consider uncomfortably so). The warmth comes from
with, Kalikh has a sour, sarcastic disposition to match his looks; garbed magma flows beneath the floor and behind the western wall of the cavern.
and equipped identically to Haelath (except that his boots are off, and The northern, western, and southern walls of the room have been dug
standing beside his gently snoring head); his helm, sword, armor, baldric, out to form stone bed-shelves for the giants. Rows of small cubbyholes
and jerkin, wrapped in a second blanket, serve him as his pillow. at floor level are used for storage. In these the giants keep changes of
• Loruth (asleep on the floor to one side of the cavern, wrapped in a clothing and footwear, dice and cards for idle time, walking sticks, vials
blanket, initially hidden from characters by stalagmites unless characters of oil and sharpening stones for the maintenance of their weapons, tools,
are up on a wall ledge): Youngest of the giants and with a handsome baby armor, sewing kits, and the rest of their belongings.
face and soft-hued brown hair and eyes; garbed and equipped identically This cavern was once two smaller side-by-side caves, but the wall
to Kalikh; boots off and helm, sword, armor, baldric, and jerkin, wrapped between them was carved down to form two immobile benches with
in a second blanket, serving as his pillow. backs, with a stone table (a continuous pedestal that supports a tabletop,
(If the characters never learn the names and traits of these giants, you all carved out of solid, unbroken stone) between them. These occupy the
can use them to flesh out any other fire giants encountered later in their center of the cavern.
explorations. Feel free to adjust the giants’ hit points up or down for A dozen braziers of welded metal fashioned by the fire giants stand
variety.) around the room. They each have a 5-foot-square metal base supporting
The giants are likely to catch sight of anyone walking along the wall a 15-foot-tall straight metal column about as thick around as an average
ledges, which are near their typical eye level. It’s also become a habit adult human’s thigh, topped by a stone bowl with a 1-foot-high lip that
for them to frequently glance down the passage to area 3 (toward the holds sarduik (subterranean fish oil) about 8 inches deep, in which floats a
hill giant sentinels). The slope of that passage, however, could enable a flaming wick. These braziers give off more smoke than heat and more heat
Medium or Small creature crawling on the floor to reach the lip without than light, but their massed effect in this cavern is bright and hot.
being seen. From there, any intruder will note the stony forest of lopped- The air stinks of sarduik, a smell like overheated copper, underlaid by fire
off stalagmites that begins, on the intruder’s left, right where the passage giant sweat, which smells like overheated, impure iron. It is hot enough to
enters the large cavern. Quiet, stealthy characters who crawl up the make humans sweat after a few seconds of exposure. After two minutes or so,
passage and immediately slip into the field of stalagmites have a good a typical human will be slick with sweat, which causes tactical disadvantage
chance to avoid being noticed by the stone giants (passive Perception 16). on Str and Dex checks related to climbing, gripping, and catching.
All six fire giants, like most of their kind, are expert rock hurlers. Just

6. Fire Giant Kitchen

because this cavern has been cleared of loose rocks doesn’t mean they
don’t have things they can throw: on the floor behind the bench are stacks
of stone platters (two piles of eight each) and plates (five stacks of twelve
each). These platters and plates are thrown just like stones but cause less From area 5, a 20-foot wide passage bends and twists a further 120
damage (2d10 + 7). feet back into the rocky heart of the mountain, then opens out into this
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combined kitchen and larder. is trapped. A weight of 40 pounds or more on the floor causes a block to
The back of this cave is a huge roasting hearth containing three fall from the ceiling. The giants simply hold the block in place with their
parallel, horizontal metal spits, each held up on its own pair of metal hands over their heads as they pass; once they step off the trigger plate, the
stands. The 30-foot-long spits rest in a “Y” at the top of a 15-foot- block is again locked in place.
tall vertical column welded to a 10-foot-square base; each spit has a
pointed end and a “T” end with crossbar handles. In a pinch, the spits (Falling Block Trap: 4d6 bludgeoning damage; DC 10 Dex
can be used as improvised spears by the giants, doing 4d4 + 7 piercing saving throw for 0 damage)
damage.
Above the hearth is a natural chimney extending up through Highfang The trap can be spotted with a successful DC 10 Wis (Perception)
Peak to the sky above. It rises 210 feet beyond the 60-foot height of the check, or automatically if someone sees a giant walking through the
cavern, to emerge between two pinnacles of one of the rising arms of passage. Both the floor plate and the ceiling block are rather obvious, as
Highfang Peak. The chimney is 30 feet in diameter and the walls are caked such things go, but they fill the full width of the passage and extend for
with soot and slippery grease, making it nearly impossible to climb. A 20 feet, making them difficult to avoid. When the trap is triggered, four
successful DC 25 Str (Athletics) check is needed at the beginning, middle, 1-ton stone blocks drop from the ceiling on chains; the chains halt the
and end of the climb to ascend the chimney. blocks 6 inches above the floor. The rattling chains give plenty of warning
On the right side of the cavern is a larder consisting of twenty huge that a trap has been triggered, and the long drop of the stone accounts for
sacks of flour (each sack is three times the size of an average adult the relatively easy avoidance saving throw. If, however, characters are
human and weighs close to a ton); eighteen barrels of sarduik (whole burdened in a way that prevents them from quickly exiting the 20-foot-
fish, orange and eyeless, naturally blind, and exuding their own oil; long danger space—if they’re carrying heavy sacks of dragon loot or the
each barrel weighs well over a ton, and they have been sealed on the body of a fallen comrade, for example—they have tactical disadvantage
outside by being dipped in mortar that coats them with crumbling on this saving throw.
concrete that they constantly shed as deposits of grit). Thirty-five iron
hooks are hammered into the rocky ceiling, where hang the smoked
carcasses of everything from wolves to captured humans to horses to 9. Emerald Mine
cattle. If any characters are captured, they are likely to be hung up by
their ankles from these hooks, alive, until Klarrouth gets around to Here the passage intersects with a dark gray vein rich in emeralds,
questioning them. When characters see first see this cavern, only five which the giants have been digging out for the dragon for a year or
hooks are empty. so—until they encountered a problem they haven’t yet summoned up
At the end of the larder, the cavern sidewall vanishes behind a ceiling- the courage to tell the dragon about. Klarrouth is pondering starting
high stack of split firewood that covers much of the cavern walls. a side tunnel from the upper reaches of this cavern to dig around the
The left-hand wall of the cavern is home to a stone shelf or counter problem, but he fears the dragon will suspect the giants of stealing
where many large, soot-covered skillets sit, alongside blackened iron emeralds if they dig for any length of time without yielding up more
cooking racks for placing over the spits, above the hearth. The shelf ends gems. If the vein is as narrow as it looks to be, a side tunnel will
before the hearth begins, and in the space between stand a sarduik oil traverse a long stretch of gem-free bedrock. So no giants will be found
press and two empty sarduik barrels used as trash cans. Characters might at work here.
not immediately recognize the press for what it is. The device resembles The inner passage (area 8) crosses a huge, giant-dug cavern before
an enormous metal hinge with drainholes in the bottom plate. It’s welded vanishing into a tunnel mouth on the other side. The crossing is 120 feet
to four legs that straddle a square catch-bucket with a pour spout. Oil is long, with a ceiling 120 feet up, and the passage running on from the
squeezed from fish into the bucket, then poured into the braziers. On close cavern is 45 feet wide by 70 feet tall. To the right of someone entering the
inspection, characters will see the orange fish scales and clotted blood mine cavern from the inner passage, the mine has a level floor that and
coating the press. extends only 100 feet, narrowing toward its end.
In the center of the room is a stone dining table with stone benches on To the left of such a traveler, the mine cavern descends steeply and is
almost 100 feet wide; it ends 80 feet below the floor level of the passage.
both sides. Unlike those in the Hot Cavern (area 5), these were carved
Torches and lanterns won’t illuminate the far end of the cavern from the
elsewhere and brought into this room, not carved in place from the solid
passage, and even most creatures with darkvision can’t see that far.
bedrock.
At the lower (left) end, the diggings broke through into an ancient
cavern that suffered a ceiling collapse long ago, entombing an Iron
7. Giants’ Privy Golem on its back under tons of boulders and stone rubble. The
giants uncovered its head, chest, and one arm, and in doing so—as it
perceives—“attacked” it with their prybars, picks, and hammers. Its
The reek from this open latrine isn’t bad, because it drains into a magma ancient instructions, given to it by a long dead and forgotten mage,
flow far beneath that chars everything that goes down it. The privy consists were to defend the cavern against intruders, and it still considers that its
of two adjacent caverns at the end of the passage, one for females and one mission. It belched poison gas onto the giants trying to dig it loose and
for males. Flush is by buckets of water, a dozen of which line either side fought them with its free arm.
of the wall that divides the two caverns. The privy will likely be empty The giants retreated, leaving the golem lying there, trapped on its
when characters investigate it. back beneath the rubble as it had been for ages. Since then, it is ever-so-
slowly digging itself free by clawing with its one arm. Its head, chest, left

8. Inner Passage shoulder, and left side down to its waist are now bare; its right shoulder
and side, sword arm, and its lower body are still pinned.
Characters entering the mine won’t at first see the golem, which will
This natural crevice has been chiseled out to form a tunnel 40 feet wide be lying still, in the dark, with its face turned toward the passage (facing
and 70 feet high. The irregular walls are studded with small storage niches the approaching characters). Its upper arm lies flat and motionless on the
at waist to shoulder height for a giant. The giants keep things such as unlit rubble, but bent 90 degrees at the elbow so the forearm points straight
oil lamps on them. None of the niches join with ledges or “go anywhere,” up, its hand balled into a fist. The iron golem looks like a full-body suit
so although a stealthy human could hide here, they are of little use for of black plate armor, with a full-face helm pierced only by two thin, dark
traversing the length of the passage by avoiding the floor. The passage “eye” slits above four vertical “breathing” slits.
descends slightly as it travels some 400 feet from the Fang Cavern (area The moment anyone gets within 15 feet of it, the golem exhales a cloud
4) to the Emerald Mine (area 9). of poison gas. If any character gets closer, it lashes out with its arm in a
Starting 10 feet beyond the door from the Fang Cavern, this passage sideways punch.
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(Iron Golem: AC 20, 210 hps; +10 to hit x2, 3d10 + 7 exceptions” orders to the giants that it is to be informed of the presence
bludgeoning damage [fist]; poison breath in 15-foot cone, of any sentient intruders or large and dangerous creatures of any kind.
10d8 poison damage, DC 19 Con saving throw for half Characters pursuing the giant see that it races past areas 11 and 12 to
damage, recharge 6) area 13, where it first stammers, hems, and haws for several moments
before finally blurting out a warning about “humans in our halls.” The
No one who gets within 50 feet of the golem will fail to notice that a dragon is asleep, so the giant’s first attempt at a message awakens it, but
dozen raw, uncut emeralds as large as a dwarf’s fist are heaped on its chest. it doesn’t hear the message properly; a fast-moving character who uses
They were gathered there by the golem as it lay in the darkness. ; its orders the side opening to get into the speaking tube can completely block the
tell it not to damage emeralds). Uncut, each is worth about 200 gp; once giant’s second attempt, so all the dragon will hear is muffled rumblings.
expertly cut and polished, each would be worth 4d4 x 100 gp. It will assume it’s hearing the mumblings of a drunken giant rather than a
warning and will go back to sleep, in a sour mood.
If characters don’t stop the giant before it reaches area 13 or block its
10. Quarry message, they’ll likely reap the consequences in area 11.
Unbeknownst even to the giants, a mimic has crept into this cavern
Here the passage from the Emerald Mine crosses one end of a vast cavern from the wilds of Highfang. It is posing as part of the rough stone around
where the fire giants are quarrying out large, rectangular blocks of stone for the edges of the cavern, near the passage crossing, where the giants
the Mill (area 12). The ceiling of this cavern is studded with the broken-off haven’t yet gone in their cutting. It will stalk characters if it gets the
roots of stalactites, and the floor is entirely smooth where block after block chance, drawing closer (as a stone) when it thinks it isn’t being watched.
has been removed. The fire giants are neat, methodical stonecutters.
At work in the quarry, as far away from the passage crossing as it’s (Mimic: AC 12, 58 hps; +6 to hit, 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning
possible to get, are six fire giants without helms, armor, or swords, but damage and the target is grappled or 1d8 + 3 piercing
armed with mattocks, hammers, picks, and huge prybars that they swing damage plus 1d8 acid damage [pseudopod]; anything
like greatswords. that touches the mimic becomes grappled by it, and
ability checks to escape from the mimic’s grapple are
(Fire Giant: AC 18, 162 hps; +11 to hit x2, 6d6 + 7 slashing made with tactical disadvantage)
damage [greatsword] or +11 to hit, range 60/240, 4d10 + 7
bludgeoning damage [thrown rock]) If characters defeat or drive off the giants and then decide to sleep or
rest here, the mimic becomes immobile and waits until the maximum
If the giants notice intruders, they rush to attack. One giant tries to number of characters are asleep, or when it can catch someone alone,
thunder past the characters and on down the passage toward area 11 to before it attacks. If characters suddenly move to depart, it immediately
warn the dragon. After past incidents, the dragon has issued firm “no attacks the rearmost character.
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the sixth is using a huge stone paddle to deflect some of the falling water onto
11. Forge the stone at the spot where the cutter is at work, to cool the stone and wash
away what would otherwise be blinding clouds of rock dust.
A side-passage branches off the inner passage to the left. This tunnel is The giants are slowly transforming the rectangular blocks they quarried
45 feet wide by 70 feet high, and it runs 80 feet (descending slightly) before in area 10 into smooth, cylindrical stone columns. These are sold for cash
opening into a natural cavern 100 feet across and 140 feet long. The air in to merchants, who market them as roof supports for massive palaces and
this chamber stinks of hot metal, and is hot enough to make humans sweat public buildings.
after only a few seconds of exposure. After two minutes or so, a typical Finished columns are loaded onto high-sided sledges and dragged up
humanoid will be slick with sweat and will have tactical disadvantage on Str the slope out of this cavern and on to area 15 by teams of captive ettins.
and Dex checks related to climbing, gripping, and catching. No ettins are in the mill cavern when characters first see it; ettin teams
The heat in this cavern comes from a hole in its western wall, farthest are brought here only when a sledge is filled with four columns securely
from the passage, which opens into a magma flow. Magma slides slowly lashed into wooden cradles. At the moment, one sledge sits off to the side
and endlessly past this cavern, from right to left as seen by someone of the milling area with just one finished column loaded. A glance at the
standing facing the hole. sledge confirms that this is what wore the grooves into the floor.
This “hot hole” serves the fire giants as a forge fire. They work here Any character who examines the water wheel closely notices that the
with tongs, hammers, and long iron bars that end in flat paddles, moving side of the turning wheel nearest the wall has something welded to it:
continually between the hole and a gigantic, scarred, flat-topped slab of metal fan blades that turn with the wheel, between it and the stone wall.
nickel-iron (“starmetal,” a fallen meteor) which serves them as an anvil. These blades drag air down into this cavern from the passage above to
Here the fire giants forge, repair, and temper their weapons and mining push air through a tunnel behind the turning water wheel, in the cavern’s
tools (picks, hammers, mattocks, and prybars). end wall. This gently ascending tunnel is oval in cross-section, about 15
Two fire giants are working the forge when characters first peer into it, feet across and 30 high, and carries fresh air up into the dragon’s lair (area
including Toroth, the fire giants’ most talented smith. 19). This air channel is the stealthiest way into the lair.
This cavern has a small but almost straight natural chimney to the
surface, a 170-foot vertical shaft that begins as a 10-foot-diameter hole in
the center of the ceiling in the side passage that links the forge cavern with 13. Speaking Tube
the inner passage (area 8).
If characters were spotted in the quarry (area 10) and a giant fled The passage widens here into a natural, rough-walled alcove, roughly
from there and alerted the dragon, then while characters are scouting or 50 feet long and 20 feet wider than the rest of the passage, with the same
exploring this chamber, the dragon has left its bed and is sitting on a lesser 70-foot ceiling as the adjoining passage. Long ago, emerald delvers of
pinnacle of Highfang right beside this chimney, listening intently. If it much smaller stature than the giants (probably dwarves) bored a long
hears talking or whispering that isn’t coming from a giant (the dragon shaft high up in one wall that ascends steadily into the Dragonslumber
can easily tell the difference, and the chimney acts like a megaphone for Cavern (area 19) of the dragon’s lair.
sounds from below), it breathes fire down the chimney. The chute confines It is currently used as a speaking tube; the pipe amplifies what the giants
and focuses the flames so they reach past the bottom of the shaft and flood shout, speak, or whisper into it, so the dragon can hear them clearly in its
out into a 30-foot stretch of the side-passage centered on the shaft. All lair. If a giant flees from the quarry to here, he will use the speaking tube
creatures in this area take 25d6 fire damage, or half that with a successful to warn the dragon. The speaking tube’s creators also cut a second hole
DC 26 Dex save. into the wall below and to the left of the larger one the giants use. This
secondary hole connects to the main sound passage after a climb of about
15 feet. A human can fit through either one.
12. Mill The speaking shaft is not just a narrow crawlspace. It is 5 feet tall and 3
feet wide; an adult human can squeeze through it easily, but can also block
Here the Inner Passage branches to the left in another side passage 60 it with their body, clothing, and gear sufficiently to muffle any sounds
feet wide, 70 feet high, and 100 feet long, with a smooth, downward- coming through. Blocking the tube this way won’t stop all sounds, but it
sloping ramp for a floor that has been worn slippery-smooth by the will utterly garble any speech through the tube that is more complex than
endlessly repeated passage of something that created two parallel grooves single, short, simple words (such as “Help!”) shouted by a giant.
or “slides” (which are sized more like troughs). The cavern descends and

14. Ettin Pens

widens out into a long chamber. A deep, ceaseless, rumbling, groaning
sound comes up from below, overlaid fairly often by high-pitched
screechings.
A character who sets foot in either groove in the floor must make a DC This large, irregular, natural cavern contains a spare, empty sledge (a
22 Dex saving throw; failure indicates the character slips, falls, and slides duplicate of the one in area 12) and a dozen massive cages made from
helplessly down the groove, the full length of the passage, alerting the welded iron bars. Slave teams of captive ettins are kept imprisoned here,
giants in the mill space below. three to a cage, permanently wearing welded iron harnesses. The room
A strong, steady breeze blows from the passage down into this cavern; reeks of ettin dung, which is heaped knee deep (to a human) throughout
the rumbling and screechings would be much louder throughout other the cages. Mixed in are the bones of the cattle carcases thrown to the ettins
areas inside Highfang if it didn’t. by their fire giant captors.
This cavern has been denuded of stalactites and stalagmites. It houses The giants select ettins when needed and drag them out, one by one,
the main coin-earning industry the fire giants are running for the dragon. clip their harnesses together by means of the rings that are part of each
Characters who look down into this cavern from the side passage see an harness, beat any uncooperative ettins into near-senseless submission,
underground spring gushing high out of the cavern wall on their right, then drag the assembled teams to area 12, hitch them to a loaded sledge,
at the end of the cavern. It plunges into the buckets of an undershot mill and force them to drag the tons of stone up the steep slope and to area 15.
wheel made of welded iron, mounted sideways to the observer on a

15. Raft Sally Port

massive stone axle. The turning wheel is the source of the rumbling sound,
as it turns endlessly under the goad of the constant fall of water.
A metal axle protrudes from the wheel to jut into the room, where it powers
a spinning, tapered-point cutting drill. Six fire giants work in the chamber, Here the Inner Passage turns left and descends, to end in this large
manipulating one of the blocks from the quarry by brute strength as the cutter cavern studded with the stumps of broken-off stalactites and stalagmites.
slowly grinds away at it. Five giants are holding and turning the stone, while From where the passage turns to where it enters the wider cavern is a
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 emeralds of highfang
descent of 20 feet. The walls, floors, and ceiling are made of smooth stone quiet). It can still be dropped instantly by pushing the button on the south
blocks with large seams between them. The floor is paved with ten-foot- wall. Jamming a normal weapon or tool into the wall below the portcullis
long paving stones, and the ceiling and walls are covered with 4-foot- won’t accomplish anything other than destroying the tool if the portcullis
square blocks. drops; it is far too heavy to be held up by anything smaller than giant-sized
Several small springs weep down the walls of this cavern and join implements, and large ones at that.
together in a pool where a dozen rafts wait. Each raft is fitted with a trio
of wooden cradles into which a single stone column can be lashed; the
giants push loaded rafts out into the pool and let the current flowing from
the pool carry the columns downriver to human merchants who work for The Dragon’s Lair
the dragon.
Spare cradles, rope for lashing (as thick around as small barrels, to a The red dragon Haeraglondrar (which is an “it” to the giants, not a he or
human; a very short length of rope could serve as flotation for one person), she) is an adult red dragon, a “she” masquerading as a “he” in all dealings
a cleaver (treat as greatsword) for lopping off lengths of rope, and the with nondragons. Although Haeraglondrar is every bit as arrogant and
chopping block that the cleaver rests in, all wait here for the giants’ use. vain as others of her kind, her world-view is that accepting her superiority
The descending stretch of the Inner Passage into this cavern is fitted as a given means that she shouldn’t waste her time preening and doing
with traps and guarded by a portcullis, to keep intruders out and enslaved nothing, nor in assailing lesser creatures (including other red dragons)
ettins in. to take what they have amassed, when she could be fulfilling her innate
The first trap (from the viewpoint of someone entering the chamber, superiority by creating wealth for her hoard and at the same time steadily
moving east to west) is located just where the Inner Passage completes increasing her influence and dominance among nondragons by trading
its turn and starts to descend. An obvious button for deactivating the trap with them.
can be seen in the ceiling; it is easily reachable by a fire giant, but anyone So she treats with the most sly, enterprising, and energetic human
else must climb the wall and somehow cross 30 feet of ceiling to reach it. merchants, to sell emeralds (in tiny amounts, to discerning buyers, firmly
If someone moves through this area without pressing the button, a row of controlling supply and therefore maintaining high prices) and stone
iron stakes springs out from the walls and the ceiling 10 feet farther on. building columns. She will pounce on, slay, and plunder the wealth of
The stakes imperil a 30-foot-long stretch of passage and the trigger is in merchants who try to swindle or deceive her, of course.
the final 10 feet, so many characters might be in the area when the trap Haeraglondrar won’t hesitate to use violence when it seems the best
goes off if they are sticking close together. The spikes spring out from the tactic, but prefers to know what talents and expertise she’s destroying,
seams in the walls and ceiling to their full length. The ceiling spikes drop rather than slaying first and discovering what she’s lost and wasted
65 feet, so someone less than 5 feet tall in the danger area will be safe afterward.
from them. The wall spikes thrust out far enough so that they leave only She has a healthy respect for adventurers, and she will happily avoid
a 1-foot-wide safe lane between their points. Pushing the button sets off direct battle with them when she can use the properties of her lair and
audible whirring and ticking sounds (cogs spinning behind the stone). The the strengths of her underlings to reduce or even shatter such potentially
sound continues for five minutes, during which time the trap is safe; then dangerous foes for her.
it resets with a loud click. (Impaling Stakes Trap: 2d20 piercing damage to At the center of Highfang Peak is the caldera or bowl-shaped heart of
everyone in the area; DC 20 Dex saving throw for half damage) the slumbering volcano, where the giants keep a herd of cattle as food for
The second trap is a 30-foot-deep pit that fills the corridor from side to themselves and for the dragon.
side, covered with a hinged lid that blends seamlessly with the real floor.

16. Dead Dragon Cave

Pushing a specific spot on the wall locks the lid closed for five minutes.
The spot is discolored by grease and soot from the fire giants’ hands, so
it can be noticed with a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check. When
a body strikes the floor of the pit, a puff of poison gas is released from This large natural cavern is a forest of stalactites and stalagmites, many
the floor. (Pit Trap: 3d6 falling damage plus 3d6 poison damage and the of which have joined into stone columns that stretch unbroken from the
affected character becomes poisoned for 1 hour; DC 20 Con saving throw irregular stone floor to the jagged stone ceiling.
halves poison damage and negates poisoned condition) The mouth of the cave is the lowest end of the cavern. Water that
The third trap is similar to the trap in area 8. It consists of a pressure percolates through the stone and drips down the many stone “teeth” here
plate and ceiling sections concealing spike-studded stone blocks on drains out through the cave opening, into the central caldera of Highfang
chains. The stones plummet down, imperiling a 20-foot stretch of passage Peak, in a trickle that keeps the rockface perpetually wet and slick. The
across its entire width. This trap is better hidden; it can be spotted with a entrance is a huge, irregular opening large enough for Haeraglondrar to fly
successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check. The rattling chains give plenty through with wings fully spread. Such openness means the front cavern is
of warning that a trap has been triggered, and the long drop of the stone difficult to defend, so it’s never a preferred spot for Haeraglondrar to rest
accounts for the relatively easy avoidance saving throw. If, however, or bide time, particularly in cold or wet weather.
characters are burdened in a way that prevents them from quickly exiting Intruders wanting to enter the dragon’s lair from the caldera, or vice
the 20-foot-long danger space—if they’re carrying heavy sacks of dragon versa, need to climb about 80 feet of rockface. Despite the trickling
loot or the body of a fallen comrade, or if they’re trying to move up the water, it’s an easy DC 10 Str (Athletics) climb thanks to plentiful ledges,
slope rather than down—they have tactical disadvantage on this saving handholds, and crevices—unless, of course, an angry dragon on the wing
throw. (Falling Block Trap: 7d6 bludgeoning damage; DC 10 Dex saving catches an intruder in mid-ascent.
throw for 0 damage) The most striking feature in this area fills the smooth floor at the center
Finally, a portcullis can close off the passage at the bottom of the slope of the cavern: the charred skeleton of a white dragon. Haeraglondrar
where it opens into the cavern. It is made of massive welded iron bars in defeated and slew this wrym long ago to claim this lair. She left the
a lattice with 1-foot-square openings. Heavy gouge marks can be seen carcass here both as a trophy and to lull intruders into wondering whether
readily on the floor where the portcullis slams when it drops, and the the dragon that lived here has already perished. The skeleton is burned and
portcullis itself is not camouflaged against the ceiling. On both side walls, strategically crushed to make it almost impossible to confirm what type of
just east of where the portcullis drops, there are two identical, unmarked dragon it was; a successful DC 25 Int (Nature) check is needed to identify
buttons, one above the other (two on the north wall and two on the south the bones as having been a white dragon rather than some other kind.
wall). The upper button on both walls causes the portcullis to winch itself The skeleton lies twisted amid a deep drift of black ash. Visible in the
back up into the ceiling (noisily, by clockwork). The lower button on the depths of these ashes is a ruby-red glow. Upon closer examination it can
south wall causes the portcullis to crash down immediately, whereas the be seen to be a faceted, clear gemstone as large as a human’s head, and the
lower button on the north hand wall causes the portcullis to stay up for 15 glow is coming from within it! This gemstone is an illusion, and it’s part
minutes before dropping (a ticking sound can be heard if characters are of a glyph of warding trap that’s triggered by touching, poking, lassoing,
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 emeralds of highfang
or otherwise moving the gem through mundane or magical means. (Glyph (Stirge: AC 14, 2 hps; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 3 piercing damage
of Warding Trap: 20-ft. radius; 8d8 fire damage; DC 16 Dex saving throw and stirge attaches to victim [bite]; while attached,
for half damage) stirge automatically inflicts 1d4 + 3 damage per round;
A family of four giant bats roost on high ledges near the cavern maximum damage from 1 stirge is 10 hps; victim can
ceiling. They swoop to attack anything smaller than a giant that examines remove 1 stirge automatically per action)
the dragon skeleton or that passes through the central area of the cavern
floor. The bats are jet black with blazing red eyes, large fangs, long tails, At the far end of the cavern from the Wyrmcrawl, this cavern opens
and wide black leathery wings that make them resemble manta rays, directly into another vast cave: the Dragonslumber Cavern. The natural
though they are simply a rare subspecies of bat. They shriek as they attack, archway between the two caverns has a floor of crushed and strewn stone
their wide and many-fanged maws gaping wide. These cries are so high- rubble, and a ceiling of jagged stalactites.
pitched that they are like needles in the ears of those nearby, but are almost It, too, is a trap, which Haeraglondrar can trigger at will, causing
inaudible more than 70 feet away. the stalactites to plunge to the floor. She triggers this trap when
the characters she judges most formidable are passing through the
(Giant Bat: AC 13, 22 hps; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 piercing damage archway. If the dragon thinks the intruding characters are powerful and
[bite]) largely unscathed, she uses her fire breath on them at the same time.
The trap can be noticed with a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception)
The bats attack characters to slay and feed, but will flee to high ledges check under normal circumstances; if the check is made in the midst of
or out into the caldera if injured to 6 hit points or less. The death or retreat a battle against the dragon, characters have tactical disadvantage on it.
of one bat won’t affect the others. (Stalactite Trap: 10d6 bludgeoning damage; DC 20 Dex saving throw
Warm, fouled water with a strong mineral aftertaste collects in several for 0 damage)
small, shallow pools scattered across the cavern. Intruders who drink this
water will vomit it in minutes. The “air duct” tunnel from area 12 opens
up in a corner of this cave, bringing a strong rush of air and the rumbling,
screeching din of the mill with it.
19. Dragonslumber Cavern
The highest end of this cavern becomes a natural passage leading This large, irregular natural cavern has been cleared of stalagmites and
farther into Highfang. This “Wyrmcrawl” passage is roughly oval, being stalactites. Even their broken-off stumps have been worn down and smoothed
about 80 feet wide and about 100 feet high. Although it’s a natural tunnel, over the years. The ancient red dragon Haeraglondrar customarily
it shows obvious claw gouges where the dragon enlarged it and smashed slumbers here on a heap of gold and silver coins (39,667 gp in all).
out stalagmites and stalactites over the years. The cavern floor has been graved with claw marks to divide it into
more-or-less regular 10-foot squares. Some of these lines bisect the roots

17. Wyrmcrawl
of shorn stalagmites. By counting lines, any intruder can see at a glance
that this cavern is big—large enough for the dragon to move with ease,
slap with its tail, spread its wings, and so on. Another huge, dark opening
Whenever Haeraglondrar thinks there may be intruders in Highfang at the rear of the cavern suggests that there’s another cave beyond this one.
(thanks to a warning from the giants or from hearing the sounds of fighting The dragon naps lightly, awakening in an instant if voices come up the
or of intruders whispering through the air vent or speaking tube), the red speaking tube from area 13 that opens in one corner of this cavern.
dragon goes on the defensive at the north end of this tunnel. When intruders Atop her heap of coins, one of the dragon’s hindclaws dangles down an
enter the passage, it retreats backward along the passage, watching the open “well” amid the coins, where it rests on a final trap control. By means
intruders and taking lair actions to trigger magma eruptions or tremors or of it, Haeraglondrar can open any 10-foot square on the surrounding floor
spheres of poisonous volcanic gas in area 17. It can’t cause the same effect in a 20-foot-wide oval ring all around the heap of coins, plus a 30-foot-
in successive rounds. Its preferred defensive routine is to use tremors and wide swath of floor leading from that ring to the mouth of the passage
gas clouds to immobilize or slow intruders, hit them with magma eruptions, from area 18. Every one of these 10-foot sections covers a pit trap. The
then repeat the process, wearing them down as they advance. fact that the floor is trapped can be noticed with a careful inspection and
a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check. (Pit Trap: 4d6 bludgeoning
damage; DC 20 Dex saving throw avoids the fall)
18. The Spending Hoard Haeraglondrar loves her treasure but not to the point that she will die for
it. If she judges the characters too formidable after she’s worn them down
This cavern, minus the dragon skeleton and the resident bats, is similar on the way here, tried to catch them in these pit traps, and breathed fire on
in appearance and properties to the Dead Dragon Cave (area 16), right them a few times, she’ll shift her effort to flying away. The intruders will
down to the shallow pools of water. Haeraglondrar retreats slowly need time to pack up all this treasure, after all, and she might be able to
through this cavern, using the plentiful stone columns and stalagmites for get it back soon by arranging a second battle more to her liking. Perched
cover, and continue wearing intruders down with lair actions. Advancing on a promontory on Highfang, she can swoop down on the characters at
characters can’t help but notice a large alcove that opens to the left, where her leisure while they are climbing down the cliff at the entrance or rafting
thirty sealed chests are clustered. These are large, hooped, brassbound, away on the river. Anyone who plunders her hoard must die, but she is
locked chests in the classic “pirate” style, all with end-handles and large patient. She is vain and greedy, but not stupid or suicidal.
enough that it would take two strong people to carry them.
These are one big trap. The chests are all locked and bolted (from the
inside) to the floor. The locks are intricate and sturdy; one can be opened 20. Hoard Cavern
with a set of lock picks and a successful DC 20 Dex check or with a
successful DC 25 Str check (allow tactical advantage if characters use a This small, innermost cavern is veiled by a curtain of darkness: a
prybar). Only one attempt can be made per chest, but there are thirty to magical field of chill air that drinks all light, permitting no radiance to
work on. A character who inspects just one chest needs a successful DC 25 pass through and no light to function within it. The curtain also confines
Wis (Perception) check to notice the trap, but if characters inspect several two giant bats inside its area of effect. They are ravenous, and will swoop
chests beforehand, the DC drops to 15. at and viciously attack any creature other than the dragon that enters the
Raising the lid of just one chest releases the lids on all of them, allowing 50-foot-thick curtain.
the starving stirges inside (eight per chest, or 240 stirges in all!) to fly out.
Slamming a lid back down has no effect on any other lids. There is no (Giant Bat: AC 13, 22 hps; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 piercing damage
treasure here; aside from the stirges, the chests are empty. [bite])
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 Quests of Doom: giants & dragons
The veil also magically foils all teleport, dimension door, and similar
translocation magic through it and into or out of area 20.
Beyond the veil lies the dragon’s real hoard: a huge heap of coins and
gems (450 rubies, each worth 2,000 gp; 144,000 gp; 210,000 sp; and
1,600 cp that the dragon didn’t bother to throw away while sorting out
more valuable coins.
Around the entire heap is an ominous fence: a continuous ring of human
bones, all jumbled together and including scraps of rusty armor, weapons,
and adventuring gear (but no magic items).
Two items float above the heap: a ragged, dirty, moth-eaten purple
cloak floats upright, obviously empty, and a smooth, ovoid stone nearly as
large as a person’s palm that gives off a soft, beige glow. The gem appears
to be lighting the entire cavern with dim light: an illumination radius of
more than 250 feet!
Neither of these floating items responds to the presence of intruders.
The stone is simply an ordinary, polished stone on which has been cast a
modified continual light spell. It could be useful as a lantern or a signaling
device, with the proper housing. Its light can’t be dimmed or quenched by
magical means, but it can be shrouded by metal, wood, or heavy cloth. It
illuminates a radius of 300 feet with dim light, and it can be seen as a soft,
beige speck in the darkness for many miles.
The cloak looks like cloth, but anyone who touches it immediately
understands that it is actually a suit of armor. It is glamered leather armor
of the shadows, highly useful to rogues or anyone else with stealthy
intentions. The armor acts as leather armor +2, with the added benefit
that the wearer can double his or her Proficiency bonus when making
Stealth checks.
This precious hoard is not unguarded; the ring of bones animates if
disturbed or crossed over, rising in a whirling cloud of bones that quickly
resolves into 18 skeletons wearing the scraps of armor and wielding the
rusty weapons that were intermingled with the bones. These skeletons are
not undead, so they can’t be turned or destroyed by clerics. Rather, they
are animated objects. Treat them in every way as animated armor, except
for how you describe them to players.

(Skeleton/Animated Armor: AC 18, 33 hps; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 +

2 bludgeoning damage [slam])

A Last Gasp
If characters begin shifting or digging into the heap of coins and gems,
something large suddenly stirs from beneath the pile, rising ominously
and shedding coins and gems in all directions: another dragon!
Or rather, the skeleton of a dragon. It rears up, opens its jaws, spreads its
wings, reaches with its claws for the characters—and then collapses into
its component bones, puffing dust from every joint as it tumbles into ruin.
This was a half-finished project of Haeraglondrar’s, another animated
object intended to someday be a last-ditch guardian of the hoard, not an
undead dragon, but she never got around to perfecting it.

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&
Elementals
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals

Bad Moon Rising By Steve Winter

This adventure is meant for characters of levels 4 to 6. The default for those of one of the dead men who was mangled beyond recognition.
setting is the Barony of Loup-Montagne, but any remote, heavily wooded As Paschal rode away with news of the Baron’s “death,” the bleeding
principality with highly superstitious residents will do. Baron dragged himself into the woods. With his wounds healing rapidly,
The Barony of Loup-Montagne is a remote region of densely forested his blood trail soon petered out. He headed for the ruins of St. Ulrich
hills cut by steep-banked streams, rocky outcrops, and darkly shadowed Abbey, where Moreau was to meet him later. Nicodeme has been living in
dales. Any similar area in your campaign world can fill in, with or without the vicinity of the abbey ever since, growing more evil and bloodthirsty
the French-sounding names used here. with each passing month. Moreau visits him occasionally, when he thinks
The center of Loup-Montagne is the town of Roulune. It is home to he can do so without being discovered.
about five hundred residents in roughly eighty households. Roulune Nicodeme raised Ghislain after Renard’s death, but he never liked his
is hardly a metropolis, but it is the biggest town for miles around, grandson. He thinks Ghislain’s rule will bring ruin to the Barony and stain
thanks largely to the remoteness of the region. Only a few roads of the family name. He has decided to murder Ghislain, since that will clear
any consequence pass through the town: the main route is a trade road the way for Jules Brisbois to claim the mantle.
through the tangled, wooded hills that dominate this region. Baron
Chaput exacts a toll on traders who use the road, in exchange for
keeping it safe from bandits and monsters. The toll is not excessive
and most traders pay it willingly, because the road is considered safe,
Renard Chaput
by and large. Incidents of robbery and violence along the highway are The only son of Baron Nicodeme. Renard should have succeeded
rare within the barony. Nicodeme to be the Baron now, if he’d lived long enough
What’s Told: Renard was handsome, dashing, and lively. He would

What’s Going On
have made a good baron, if he’d outlived his father, but he died 12 years
ago in a tragic incident. Renard, his wife Seraphine, and their son Ghislain
were riding in the forest when they were attacked by wolves. Only seven-
year-old Ghislain survived; he was found unconscious beneath the bloody
As is normal in a gothic horror tale, the true situation in Roulune is bodies of his parents.
different from what it seems. Figuring out the real story and the real What’s True: The common story is true, but it’s only part of the story.
connections between people will be key to the player characters’ success
Renard was a philanderer with one illegitimate son (Jules Brisbois) whose
in this adventure. For the GM’s convenience, this section lays out the
existence was publicly acknowledged, and probably others he didn’t
straight facts.
acknowledge. The existence of a bastard son is a problem because of the
legend concerning the Barony of Loup-Montagne (see “The Legend”

Key NPCs in
below). Renard was popular among the young men of the barony because
he enjoyed popping into taverns, buying drinks for everyone, and turning
the evening into a raucous party, but he was strongly resented by the many

Loup-Montagne married men he cuckolded.

Renard and Seraphine really were killed by wolves, but if characters
dig into this story, they hear persistent rumors that the wolf attack was
a cover-up, and that Renard was assassinated by a conspiracy of jealous
Grandfather Nicodeme husbands who were fed up with his behavior; it was simply bad luck for
Seraphine that she was riding along at the wrong time.
This evil old man is the ultimate source of all the trouble.

Ghislain Chaput
What’s Told: Baron Nicodeme ruled the barony for more than 40 years,
and they were good years. The Baron had a reputation for being strong-
willed and pitiless, but not unnecessarily cruel. He was harsh toward those
who broke his laws, but his laws were clear and generally considered Ghislain is the current Baron Chaput.
fair. A year ago, while hunting, Nicodeme was attacked by wolves. The What’s Told: Ghislain is liked well enough by the citizenry, but
Baron’s lieutenant (Paschal Moreau) managed to fight his way through he’s very young (19 years old) and has been Baron for only a year. It’s
the wolves. According to Moreau’s account, the baron ordered him to common knowledge that the former Baron (Ghislain’s grandfather) didn’t
ride out on the only surviving horse and bring help. By the time help like Ghislain and was trying to arrange for Jules Brisboi to become his
arrived, Nicodeme and two other men-at-arms were already dead. With heir, but Nicodeme died before such an arrangement could be formalized.
his legs torn apart so he couldn’t walk, the Baron had put his back to a Hence, tradition had to be followed and Ghislain was anointed the new
tree and fought heroically to the end. Only two bodies were recovered. A Baron.
blood trail indicated that one of the men-at-arms was dragged away by the Most citizens of Loup-Montagne like Ghislain well enough, but they
wolves, and his body was never found. also know the legend—that tragedy will follow if the Barony doesn’t
What’s True: The baron and his three companions were attacked pass to the eldest surviving son. A heated debate erupts anytime this topic
while hunting. The attackers were wolves led by a werewolf. The hunters comes up in a tavern or public place. One side argues that Ghislain is
fought off the attack, but both men-at-arms were killed and the Baron the legitimate heir, so everything is fine. The other side argues that Jules
was badly wounded by the werewolf. Knowing what would happen to Brisboi is Renard’s eldest son, legitimate or not, so trouble will follow if
him, the Baron and Moreau switched the Baron’s clothing and belongings he doesn’t carry the title. This camp is already blaming the recent surge in
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wolf attacks on flouting the legend. face value. A man like him never would have left the Baron willingly under
Ghislain’s right leg was severely mangled in the attack that killed his those circumstances unless the Baron ordered it directly, and leaving the
parents. No magical healers were on hand and Nicodeme refused to allow Baron to ride for help must have been the hardest thing Moreau ever did.
doctors to amputate it, but the boy surprised everyone by surviving the What’s True: Moreau is every bit the rock of determination and
wound. He needs a crutch to walk, and walking or riding a horse are strength that people believe him to be, but his account of what happened
extremely painful. He is carried in a chair most of the time, walking or to the Baron is false. He is the only person in Loup-Montagne (who is
riding only when he goes out in public. not also a werewolf) to know that Nicodeme, in werewolf form, is behind
What’s True: Ghislain is a decent young man who takes his position the recent killings. Moreau is genuinely conflicted about the secret he’s
seriously. He trusts his half-brother Jules and places no credence in the hiding, but his unswerving loyalty to Nicodeme blinds him to the great
legend. Even if he did, Ghislain’s attitude is that he is Renard’s eldest evil the old Baron is committing.
legitimate son, so whatever power the legend has (which he believes
is none), it should be satisfied. Ghislain is greatly troubled by the wolf
attacks, but he believes they are the work of hungry wolves and nothing Absalon Dufort
more.
Ghislain vehemently denies the rumor that his father was murdered by Dufort serves as the barony’s treasurer. He also manages the Baron’s
angry husbands, if asked about the incident. He was only seven, but he household and runs the manor as both superintendent and castellan. He is
clearly remembers being attacked by wolves, and he angrily strips off his in his 60s, with wild hair, a wispy beard, and a slight but noticeable twist
stocking to show his withered, mangled right leg. Anyone with training in to the left caused by an injury to his spine when he was a young soldier.
Nature can confirm that they are the bites of large canines. Anyone with Everyone calls him simply Dufort. He is the only person besides Moreau
training in Medicine will be amazed that a child survived such a wound to have a key to the treasury, where Moreau stores all the town’s silver
without magical healing. collected through taxes.
The treasurer has an incredible head for numbers, but his thinking
about most other topics is muddled and confusing at best. Dufort
Jules Brisbois has noticed the preponderance of silver in the treasury and has been
meaning to ask Moreau about it for months, but he’s a busy man with
Baron Ghislain’s half-brother is an important officer in the barony. His many things on his mind and Moreau is never around when Dufort is
position is informal, but he acts as an advisor and confidante to Ghislain thinking about it.
and as a lieutenant to Moreau.

The Legend
What’s Told: Brisbois is something of an enigma in Roulune. He is
boisterous and lusty like his father, and he’s well-liked by the young men
of the town for the same reasons Renard was liked. If characters press for
more information than that, they are mostly met with stony silence; the
people of Roulune are obviously reluctant to talk about Brisbois in too A legend has circulated through the Barony of Loup-Montagne for
hundreds of years concerning the order of inheritance for the title of baron.
much detail, other than to say things like, “well, you know how men like
The legend holds that if the title is passed to someone who is not the eldest
him can be.” Residents are more willing to talk about Brisbois’s role in
heir, the spirits of the forest will lash out against the people of the barony.
the legend than about any dark aspect of his personality. About a third of
Citizens of Roulune can cite any number of historical incidents to “prove”
the town would prefer Brisbois as Baron over Ghislain. If the wolf attacks
this claim. All of them happened before any living person in Roulune was
grow worse, that percentage is bound to grow.
born, and most of them are highly dubious if not completely spurious.
What’s True: The “secret” that townsfolk are reluctant to discuss is that
The few citizens who aren’t overwhelmingly superstitious see this
Brisbois has a vicious temper, and when it gets out of control, he becomes
legend as nothing more than a story meant to ensure that every baron sets
dangerous. He has come close to killing people with his bare hands while
up a clean transfer of power upon his death—an outcome greatly desired
in a fury, including a few of his friends. Because of his position in the
in a world where any doubt about the line of accession can lead to bloody
barony, people who get hurt in his rampages are paid off in gold and the
murders between brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and grandchildren.
incidents aren’t spoken of. The innkeeper at the Wolf’s Pelt tavern is one
In this regard, Renard Chaput’s philandering created a problem. Jules
of the few locals who will open up to characters about this, but only if he
Brisboi is older than Ghislain, and Renard acknowledged Jules as his
can’t be overhead by other locals.
son. The custom of the barony is that a legitimate son has primacy over
Brisbois’s temper is a red herring, meant to mislead characters into
an illegitimate one, but this is only a custom, not an explicit law, and
suspecting that he is the werewolf. If characters raise that possibility
illegitimate offspring have ruled on other occasions.
around any townsfolk, even in jest, at least a few are bound to nod their
Because the exact form of retribution the forest spirits will seek isn’t
heads in dark agreement. specified, any unfortunate incident that happens in or near the woods
Brisbois’s real offense against the barony is that he’s fallen in league can be blamed on the legend. Likewise, people who oppose or dislike a
with a group of poachers and occasional highwaymen. In exchange for a cut particular baron can point to any unusual death or injury and claim it as
of the profit, he provides them with information about where the Baron’s proof that a different person should hold the title. If fate doesn’t cooperate
foresters plan to patrol for poachers each week and when particularly rich by providing mysterious mishaps, it’s easy enough for clever schemers to
or vulnerable merchants are traveling through the barony. These bandits arrange a few and blame them on the legend.
can be encountered at Travers Castle, and if handled properly, they might Current events have stirred up plenty of talk about the legend and
implicate Brisbois in their crimes. motivated Jules Brisbois’s circle of friends to mumble about replacing
Ghislain with Jules. A minority of citizens supports this idea, but most

Paschal Moreau believe that Ghislain is the proper heir. Only a small group blames
Brisbois for causing the trouble, and they do so quietly and mostly in
private out of fear for his temper.
Moreau was the former Baron’s right-hand man. Ghislain considers
him a trusted family deputy and employs Moreau as head of the militia
and as an advisor.
What’s Told: Moreau is “the last of the old breed,” a gentleman warrior
who can be relied on to always do the right thing. A few people whisper
Silver
accusations of cowardice over him leaving Baron Nicodeme when the Paschal Moreau knows that silver is one of the few things that can harm
wolves attacked, but most accept Moreau’s account of what happened at Nicodeme. To protect the werewolf, Moreau has made it his mission to
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keep silver out of the hands of the people of Loup-Montagne. This was
done mostly through taxation. People who paid their taxes in silver rather
than copper were given a small discount. Silver items such as jewelry
and plate were accepted in lieu of coins at greater than their face value.
Wolf’s Pelt Tavern
Moreau doesn’t care about a few silver coins or lockets; he was concerned The Wolf’s Pelt is not the only tavern in Roulune, but it is the only one
about larger items such as silver plates, pitchers, picture frames, mugs, with rooms for rent to travelers. It’s also the biggest and most welcoming
and other articles that contain enough silver to turn into knives, spear to outsiders, and it’s where the locals come when they want to hear news
blades, or swords. from the outside world.
Roulune is a poor town, and taxes are collected door-to-door personally The proprietor is a friendly young man named Hugues who will do
by Moreau (with a militia backup). The process involves a fair amount everything he can to make strangers feel welcome. His wife Lilou is
of haggling under any circumstance, so the slow disappearance of almost twice his age and is seldom seen by customers. She is painfully
silver has gone unnoticed by most people. The jeweler (a dwarf named shy, so she spends most of her time in the kitchen. If someone tries to talk
Beaumont) is curious why less silver jewelry is crossing his table for to her, she becomes flustered and calls for Hugues.
repair than in years past, and innkeepers and shopkeepers who are paid Fewer travelers come through Roulune these days, thanks to news of
in silver will stare at the coins for a few moments before making offhand the wolf attacks, so the inn will have plenty of room available if characters
comments such as “don’t see many of these anymore” or “you are new choose to stay here.
around here.” If a character questions the scarcity of silver in a public
place, it sets off the usual round of arguing and superstitious theorizing
common in Roulune.
The silver is stored under lock and key in the treasury at Chaput Manor. The Church of the Forest
Only Moreau (as chief tax collector) and Dufort (as treasurer) have keys
to that chamber. This temple can serve whatever good-aligned deity is most appropriate
in your campaign, or several at once. The cleric of the temple is Frere
Emilé. He can cast cure wounds twice per day, but he expects strangers

Roulune to make a donation to the church’s coffers in return (at least half the
cost of a potion of healing in your campaign). He keeps two scrolls of
lesser restoration and one of greater restoration in a secret compartment
Roulune is a medium-size town filled with typical homes and shops beneath the altar in case of emergency. Again, he expects the church to be
for bakers, cobblers, bowyers, candlemakers, potters, ropemakers, compensated if they must be used to benefit outsiders.
blacksmiths, tailors, and all the other businesses a Medieval town “Nicodeme’s” body was brought to Frere Emilé after the attack.
requires. Four locations stand out among the rest, being of special interest Everyone accepted it as the Baron’s, based on the clothes and Moreau’s
to traveling adventurers. testimony. But Emilé knew Nicodeme well, and in preparing the corpse
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 bad moon rising
for burial, he saw the body of a much younger man. That weighs on his Candle: Friends
mind, and he will talk to the characters about it if they establish a level of Length: 30 mins
trust with him. Price: 20 gp
Everyone within 15 feet of the lit candle has generally positive feelings
toward the person who lit it; that person gets tactical advantage on Cha skill

Gervaise the Astrologer checks (not Cha-based attacks) that target humanoids in the candle’s radius.
These candles are very popular among storytellers and romantic young men.

Gervaise the Astrologer is the most educated person in Roulune. The Candle: Light the Path
more she learns, the more she abandons the town’s traditional superstitions. Length: 30 mins
It’s getting to the point where she even has doubts about astrology. Price: 5 gp
This dwarf is neither a spellcaster nor an alchemist. She doesn’t sell If the person holding the lit candle thinks about a place he or she has
magic items, potions, or magical services. What she has is an amazing store been to, the flame flickers toward the direction of that place. These are
of knowledge on almost any subject the characters have questions about. popular among folk who must travel at night and are anxious about losing
You can use Gervaise as a reliable source of information, a skill bank, a their way back home. Hugues keeps a box of them at the Wolf’s Pelt
rumor source, and as the characters’ general sounding board in Roulune. tavern for revelers who overindulge.
Gervaise can give accurate directions to any location in the barony,
along with basic background information about it. Most importantly, Candle: Mending
she can direct the characters accurately to Travers Castle, St. Ulrich’s Length: 30 secs
Abbey, and the Witches’ Den. Directions to the Witches’ Den come with a Price: 15 gp
warning that the site still has magical power. For further details, see “The If the wax from this rapid-burning candle is dripped onto a broken
Witches’ Den,” below. object, the object repairs itself exactly as it would if a mending spell had
Gervaise puts no stock in the legend about the eldest heir. She doesn’t been cast on it. One candle can repair one object.
know what’s behind the recent attacks, but based on the bodies she’s
seen and the reports she’s heard, she’s pretty sure a werewolf is involved. Candle: Message
She hasn’t shared that opinion with other townsfolk because, given how Length: 1 min
superstitious they are, talk of a werewolf would be sure to set off ridiculous Price: 30 gp
behavior if not outright panic. A message is whispered to the candle while it is lit, then the candle
In light of that, Gervaise advises the characters to arm themselves with is extinguished. The next time the candle is lit, it repeats the message
wolfsbane before venturing into the deep forest. The only spot she can verbatim. The total burning time of the candle is one minute, so a message
be certain where wolfsbane grows is Duval’s Meadow. The best time to that’s more than 30 seconds long will be truncated on delivery. The candle
harvest it is under the light of a full moon (which is, of course, tonight works only once, regardless of how short the message is.
and the following two nights). She offers characters two pieces of advice
regarding wolfsbane. First, Gervaise cautions them that they should wear Candle: Restfulness
gloves when handling it and avoid inhaling the flowers’ scent; too much Length: 1 hr
exposure causes fatigue (characters who ignore this precaution must make Price: 30 gp
a successful DC 10 Con saving throw at the end of an hour’s exposure or If a character lights this candle at the start of a short rest and spends an
gain one level of exhaustion). Second, wolfsbane is also prized by hags, hour basking in its light, he or she recovers from one level of exhaustion.
so characters should be on the lookout for those vile creatures when they Only the character who lit the candle gets the benefit, and the benefit can
visit Duval’s Meadow. be gained only once in a 24-hour period.
Wolfsbane: Wolfsbane smeared onto a piercing or slashing weapon
gives the weapon a +1 damage bonus against lycanthropes. Even a weapon Candle: Witching Hour
that lycanthropes are otherwise immune to (nonmagical, nonsilver) causes Length: 8 hrs
1 point of damage if coated with wolfsbane. Also, a lycanthrope with a Price: 10 gp
Wis modifier of 0 or less must make a successful DC 10 Wis saving throw The flame of this candle turns blue for one minute precisely at sunset,
before attacking someone who prominently displays a bunch of wolfsbane midnight, and dawn. It is popular among witches, astrologers, and diviners.
(wearing it as a garland, tucked into a belt, waving it in the hand, etc.). Yannick usually keeps these under the counter, because they upset some
Once the werewolf makes a successful save, it can ignore the wolfsbane of the most superstitious residents of Roulune.
for the rest of that encounter.
Candle: Wolfsbane
Length: 1 hr
Yannick’s Candle Shop Price: 40 gp
This candle fills a 30-foot radius with the scent of wolfsbane. The
components harmful to people have been refined out; only those that
Yannick is a very rare breed: a mix of halfling and elf. He looks like irritate lycanthropes remain. All lycanthropes must withdraw from the
most other halflings at a glance, but anyone who spends more than a few candle’s radius unless they make a successful DC 10 Con saving throw.
moments conversing with him notices the delicate features, slender grace, This is an experimental item, not yet available for sale. Yannick offers it
and musical speech of a half-elf. only if characters mention werewolves, wolfsbane, or that they plan to go
Yannick’s shop is famous for its “infused candles.” These are mildly hunting wolves.
magical items that produce minor magical effects when lit, similar to a
cantrip. A few types that adventurers might find useful are listed below; feel

Superstition in Roulune
free to expand this list with any other types you like, at comparable prices.

Candle: Drifting Light

Length: 30 mins The people of Roulune are tremendously superstitious. They interpret
Price: 10 gp every little occurrence as an omen of good or bad tidings based on
The person holding the candle can cause its light to drift away at a speed centuries-old traditions that no outsider has much hope of understanding.
of 5 feet/turn, to a distance up to 60 feet from the candle. The drifting Every conversation with villagers should be peppered liberally with
flame casts dim light in a 10-foot radius. superstitious declarations like the suggestions below. If two or more
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals
villagers are involved, it’s common for arguments to break out about the rooms have plaster walls and exposed timber beams. The stable and the
meaning and interpretation of omens. barracks are similar, but much plainer. The whole compound is enclosed
• “The last fort-moon was blood red, and I saw the shadow of a rabbit inside an 8-foot-high stone wall.
on it clear as a bell. Bad times are coming for sure.” Unless they reach some arrangement with the Baron to inspect his
• “My Gran’ tripped on the lintel three times last week. Now I’m afraid home, characters have no good reason to wander unescorted through the
to keep a fire burning in the hearth for fear that the house will burn down.” manor. If they do so, or if a guest disappears for an unusual length of
• “I heard a raven call while I was milking the cow this morning. Had time, it will rouse suspicion. Guests in an aristocrat’s home are expected
to dump the whole pail of milk. Can’t have it poisoning the baby.” to behave appropriately.
• “All the flowers on the ivy were facing north this morning. I’m
keeping my doors and windows locked until after the harvest.”
• “The worst time to be confronted by wolves is at midnight. You can 1. Main Entrance
tell when that is because the flame from a candle turns blue at the witching
hour.” (This bit of myth is true for the candles from Yannick’s shop, and it The main entrance hall is a grand chamber designed to impress visitors.
may be useful to characters during the adventure.) It’s two stories tall, paneled in oak, and paved with flagstones. Portraits
• “A hare chased a cat across my path last week. There’s a witch of former barons and their families line the walls, along with close to a
prowling these woods, that’s now a proven fact.” hundred weapons: mainly polearms but with a score of swords, maces,
• “I heard hedgehogs whining at dusk. They were telling our secrets to and morningstars mixed in. The most arresting of the portraits is one that
witches. You can’t trust anybody these days.” shows a man in his thirties with piercing silver eyes and a halo of unruly,
• “When I was hunting, I saw a wolf staring at me from the brush, and gray-streaked hair: Baron Nicodeme in his prime.
it was missing its left ear. There’s always something like that wrong with
a werewolf, you know. Always.”
• “I stopped my brother-in-law from cutting down a thorn tree last 2. Great Hall
week. He would’ve angered the faerie folk even more and brought bad
luck on us all.” Most of the entertaining and business of the barony are conducted in this
• “If you’re concerned about ghosts or werewolves, bring a rooster chamber. Tables are put up when needed from smooth planks laid across
with you, and be ready with a needle to make him crow. Ghosts and trestles, and taken down and stored along the walls with their benches
werewolves hate the crowing of roosters; it drives them away.” (This when not needed; most of the time, the hall is empty. A low platform (one
belief derives from the fact that ghosts and werewolves tend to cease their step up) lines one wall for the table of the Baron and honored guests.
activity at dawn, which is coincidentally when roosters start crowing. A
rooster crowing in the middle of the night has no supernatural effect.)
• “Johann ate three eggs for breakfast last week, and his horse died, just 3. Kitchen and Storage
like I warned him it would. Eating an odd number of eggs is just inviting
death into your home.” During the day, two cooks and a half-dozen teenage helpers work in this
chamber. At night, the helpers sleep here.

Key Locations 4. Treasury

in the Barony of Most of the Baron’s wealth is stored here: coins, jewelry, and plate are
the most common, with silver predominating because of Moreau’s policy

Loup-Montagne
of collecting taxes in silver whenever possible. Only Moreau and Dufort
have keys to the massive lock that seals the heavy door. The lock can be
picked with a set of thief’s tools and a successful DC 20 Dex check. If
The locations described below play important roles in the adventure, the Dex check fails, a magic mouth appears above the lock and shouts
and characters are likely to visit most of them in the course of resolving “thieves at the treasury! Thieves at the treasury! Thieves at the treasury!”
events in Loup-Montagne. Everyone knows where the Baron’s manor is, for 30 seconds, which is sure to bring Moreau, Brisbois, the Baron, and an
of course, at the edge of town. Likewise, everyone knows that Travers armed escort to investigate.
Road on the south of town leads to the ruin of Travers Castle, but no one If someone succeeds in breaking into the treasury chamber, it contains
goes there anymore. Residents of Roulune give conflicting accounts about a total value of 20,000 gp: 1,800 gp (18 lbs), 80,000 sp (800 lbs), and
the location of St. Ulrich Abbey—those who hunt or travel are more likely 10,200 gp worth of silver plate, silver candlesticks, silver picture frames,
to get it right than those who farm or run shops in town. The Witches’ Den silverware, jewelry, and other items with a total weight of 1,000 lbs
is little more than a legend, and any group of three or more people won’t (average of 1 pound per 10 gp value, but with considerable variance;
be able to agree on whether it even exists. jewelry has much higher value at low weight, while silver hair brushes
Moreau and Gervaise know all three hidden locations, but only Gervaise and mirrors are heavy for their value).
gives correct directions to all three. Moreau’s directions to the abbey and
the Witches’ Den lead characters to a random point along the river, since
he doesn’t want them to find those spots. Dufort claims to know all three 5. Trophy Room
locations if asked, but characters realize that his muddled directions are
impossible to follow even as he’s giving them. This resembles a room in a hunting lodge, with dozens of trophy heads
of wild boar, elk, bears, and many wolves (including a few dire wolves and
worgs) mounted on the walls. Rugs of bear and wolf pelts are scattered

Baron’s Manor on the floor.

The baronial manor is a grand home, but that’s “grand” on a Medieval 6. Baron’s Chambers
scale. It is not a palace or a mansion. It’s a large, well-appointed half-
timber construction. Important rooms (entrance hall, great hall) and family A comfortable sleeping chamber adjoins a writing chamber (the Baron’s
sleeping rooms have wood paneling for warmth and for appearance; other office).
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around the floor. Three men and one woman of the militia share this
7. Family and Guest Chambers chamber. All four are werewolves infected by Nicodeme and under his
control. Moreau is aware of their state and tolerates it because of his
Baron Ghislain has no wife or children, so most of these chambers are loyalty to Nicodeme, but other members of the militia resent what they
empty. Only Jules Brisbois has a permanent room here, and he uses it only see as a handful of Moreau’s favorites being given special privileges (they
about half the time. If characters are invited to stay at the manor, they’ll don’t know the four are werewolves). They’ll share their complaints with
be assigned rooms in this area. PCs if asked in private. They feel the situation is becoming intolerable,
and they’re beginning to question Moreau’s leadership because of it. If
characters search this room (not just examine it from the doorway) after
8. Servant’s Quarters Enzo’s murder, they find a pair of blood-stained, embroidered gloves of
the type Enzo was transporting.
Dufort and the household staff (one butler, two maids, two cooks)
reside in these rooms.
11. Stables
9. Day Rooms Twelve horses are stabled here, along with all their riding tack and a
primitive coach that is seldom used. Four stablehands sleep in a cozy
These airy rooms are available for whatever purpose the family needs corner of the hay loft.
at the time. They’ve served as children’s play rooms, sewing rooms,
school rooms, work rooms, and many other functions. because Ghislain
is unmarried and has no family as yet, they’re used chiefly as work rooms
by the servants on the ground floor and as sitting rooms on the upper floor. A. Travers Castle
Many generations ago, the original barons of Loup-Montagne ruled the
10. Barracks barony from Travers Castle. The castle was sited to control an important
river crossing, and the barons grew rich on the tolls they charged to use the
Paschal Moreau and the twenty men and women who make up the full- bridge. When the bridge was washed out in a flood, wagon traffic diverted
time core of the Loup-Montagne militia live in this structure. It is divided to a ferry crossing upstream. By then, the baronial families had relocated
into several dormitory-like sleeping and living chambers, an armory, and to the more comfortable manor in Roulune anyway, and the decision was
a private room for Moreau. made not to rebuild the bridge.
Most areas of the barracks are neat and tidy, but one stands out for its The castle has been abandoned for almost a hundred years. No one has
almost animal-like squalor: beds are unmade and covered with reeking much reason to make the trek there, so both the castle and the road to it
animal skins instead of blankets, belongings and leftover food are strewn are overgrown by the forest. The walls of the castle still stand, but the
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 bad moon rising
thatched roofs of the buildings have collapsed and the gates sag on their
hinges.
The pile is not entirely forgotten, however; a group of poachers and
4. Great Hall
sometime highwaymen use it as an occasional hideout. The gang consists The great hall lost its roof decades ago, so it’s now just four walls and
of one bandit captain (Thibault Voclain), twelve bandits, three scouts, a skeletal staircase to a mezzanine that rings the hall 10 feet above the
and two mastiffs. They are present when characters come to investigate. floor. Weeds grow profusely between the old flagstones, and a great fire
They post guards, but since they don’t expect visitors, their sentries aren’t pit dominates the center of the floor. A few poachers sometimes sleep here
especially alert. under the stars in fine weather, but most prefer to sleep in the chapel.
The stairs up to the mezzanine are rotted from exposure. Anyone
(Thibault Voclain, Bandit Captain: AC 15, 65 hps; +5 to hit x2, climbing them must make a successful DC 8 Dex (Acrobatics) check to
1d6 + 3 slashing damage [scimitar] AND +5 to hit, 1d4 + reach the top safely. On a failed check, the staircase collapses, dropping the
3 piercing damage; Voclain can add 2 to his AC vs. one character 10 feet to the ground. Everyone in the castle hears the collapse.
attack per round)

(Bandit x12: AC 12, 11 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 slashing

damage [scimitar] OR +3 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., 1d8 + 1
5. Chapel
piercing damage [light crossbow]) This is the poachers’ chief residence when they stay in the castle.
They repaired the roof by covering it with canvas looted from merchants’
(Scout x3: AC 13, 16 hps; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing wagons. It leaks in heavy rain, but most of the time it stays warm and
damage [shortsword] OR +4 to hit x2, range 150 ft./600 ft., comfortable enough for their purposes.
1d8 + 2 piercing damage [longbow]) During daytime, 2d4 bandits and Thibault Voclain are here, resting and
planning their next robbery or poaching expedition. At night, the entire
(Mastiff: AC 12, 5 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing damage gang including the mastiffs is here asleep, except for the two guards on
and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving the wall and one scout who got up to relieve himself from atop the east
throw to avoid being knocked prone [bite]; has tactical wall. If fighting breaks out, he tries to ambush someone from behind if it
advantage on Wis (Perception) checks relying on hearing might make a difference in the outcome; otherwise, he slips away into the
or scent) forest. If this adventure is taking place during summer in your campaign,
1d4 bandits could be sleeping in the great hall instead.

1. Overgrown Clearing
6. Stables
Long ago, this was a cleared space around the castle. Now it’s heavily The bandits’ four riding horses, four draft horses, and two mules are
overgrown with brush and trees, although it’s obviously not old-growth stabled here. They pay no attention to anyone who enters.
forest like the rest of the surroundings. The poachers take few pains
to conceal their presence, so their tracks toward the castle are plain to
see. Someone can discern their numbers to be between 12 and 18 with a
successful DC 15 Int (Nature) check. B. Duval’s Meadow
Two bandits are always on watch, both of them standing above the main
gate and looking north. Characters sneaking through cover toward the This is a small clearing in the forest, unremarkable in all ways except
castle go unseen if their Dex (Stealth) checks are better than the guards’ for the wolfsbane plants that flourish here. Their blooms stay open during
passive Perception scores of 10. the day, but they are at their fullest under the light of a full moon. See
the entry “Gervaise the Astrologer” above for information on wolfsbane’s
effect against lycanthropes.
2. Main Gate If characters come here during a night of the full moon, they encounter
a green hag named Savine on the same mission as them (harvesting
wolfsbane). Disguised as a human druid, she does her best to persuade the
The gate sags on its hinges and doesn’t close all the way anymore.
characters that she also intends to find and slay the werewolf. She offers to
People at the gate can’t be seen by the guards above because of the
join the characters on their quest. If the characters fall for this ploy, Savine
overhanging wall. A character trying to slip silently through the slightly
does indeed join them and help in their fight against the werewolves, but
ajar gate must make a successful DC 10 Dex (Stealth) check. A failed
the moment it appears that the werewolves are beaten, she turns against
check indicates that the character brushed against the gate and caused
the characters. Savine is accompanied by a swarm of poisonous snakes
it to squeak. The first time this happens, the guards assume it was the
that should be treated as invisible until they attack.
wind and don’t bother to investigate. The second time it happens, they
become suspicious; from their perch atop the wall, one starts scanning
(Savine, Green Hag: AC 17, 82 hps; +6 to hit, 2d8 + 4 slashing
the courtyard carefully and the other scans the area before the wall. If it
damage [claws]; spellcasting +4 to hit, save DC 12; Savine
happens a third time, they raise a cry of alarm. can turn invisible at will as an action)

3. Courtyard (Swarm of Poisonous Snakes: AC 14, 36 hps; +6 to hit, 2d6

piercing damage plus 4d6 poison damage [bite]; poison
damage is halved with a successful DC 10 Con saving
This area is mostly bare ground. Depending on the weather, it might be throw; the swarm can enter and occupy the same space
hard-packed dirt or churned mud. A disintegrating wagon with a broken as another creature)
wheel is tipped against one wall. Two tables and four benches have been
thrown together by placing planks across barrels and stumps. A fire pit
sits between the tables. During daytime, 2d4 bandits and one scout are in
the courtyard, butchering a deer that they poached a few days before and
preparing the evening meal, with the two mastiffs lying nearby, waiting
C. St. Ulrich Abbey
for scraps. At night, the courtyard is empty except for the deer carcass Nicodeme and his small coterie of werewolves use the abandoned
hanging from a post. abbey as a gathering place. They don’t spend all their time there, but it’s
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals
the one place they return to regularly between hunts. reborn as a werewolf.
Physically, the Witches’ Den is just a clearing in the woods about 80
feet in diameter and with a stone stele or column at its center. The stele
A century ago, the area around the abbey might have been a is 12 feet tall and 3 feet across at the base, but it tapers to 2 feet across
larger clearing, but the encroaching forest has swallowed it at the top. It has six roughly-cut sides. The druids and witches carved
and crept nearly to the ancient building’s walls. An overgrown mystic runes into the stone, but now those are completely hidden by a few
cemetery with headstones tilting at all angles stands outside the centuries’ growth of moss and lichen. Not even Nicodeme is aware of the
crumbling, roofless, fieldstone walls. The structure must have runes or their power, or of what’s concealed inside the stele.
been impressive in its day, but now the leaning, moss- and vine- The clearing sits in a natural bowl surrounded by some of the most
covered walls form a small maze in the forest. tangled forest the characters have ever plowed through. The clearing can
be considered open ground, but the paths around it are treated as difficult
terrain. The surrounding forest is nearly impassable; creatures of Huge
All areas of the abbey are essentially the same: open, roofless spaces and Medium size can move just 5 feet per turn off a path, Small creatures
surrounded by crumbling walls with large, arched doorways. The doors can move 10 feet per turn, and Tiny creatures are unimpeded.
are long since rotted away. Only the old chapel has a flagstone floor; all
other areas have packed dirt floors spotted with patches of waist-high
grass, weeds, and thin bushes. Only a few saplings have taken root inside Finding the Witches’ Den
the structure.
The remains of several of the werewolves’ victims are strewn around. It would take months of searching to find the Witches’ Den without
They consist mainly of gnawed bones, torn and blood-stained clothing, directions. Aside from the werewolves, only Gervaise and Moreau know
and a few meager possessions such as copper coins, rusted knives, tacky its location. Moreau, if asked, is likely to give false directions that lead to
jewelry, and tarnished belt buckles. Little is left to identify the victims, a random point along the river, then apologize later, saying he must have
but if everything is gathered up and brought back to Roulune, Frere been mistaken about where it is. He gives accurate directions only if he’s
Emilé at the Church of the Forest will do his best to figure out who the been able to arrange for Nicodeme to ambush the characters when they
werewolves killed and devoured here. If characters search for bodies, each arrive.
area contains the remains of 1d6 – 3 victims. If characters search this area Gervaise gives accurate directions to the player characters if asked,
after Enzo’s murder, they find a pair of blood-stained, embroidered gloves along with a brief history of the place and a warning that although it was
of the type Enzo was transporting. abandoned long ago, it still has magical power. If characters ask her to
If characters come here at night, the abbey is abandoned (the explain what that means, Gervaise asks for 24 hours to conduct some
werewolves are out hunting). During the day, characters encounter two research. Characters with training in Arcana, History, or Investigation
or three ragged-looking humans. They are filthy, their clothing is tattered can help Gervaise plow through her books and scrolls; each helper can
(if they wear anything at all), and their hair is matted with twigs and mud, make one DC 15 Int (Arcana, History, or Investigation) check, and each
creating an appearance of desperate poverty, and that’s the story they tell; successful check cuts five hours off the research time. At the end of that
they are peasants who were kicked off their land, now trying to eke out a time, Gervaise can tell the characters about the runes on the stele, what
subsistence living in the forest by scrounging for roots and nuts. If asked they do, and how to activate them. She suspects there may be more to the
about the bones, they claim that wolves sometimes bring their prey here. story, but that’s all she could uncover from the available resources. She
When that happens, these humans flee into the forest for a day or more doesn’t know about the Fearsome Mask of Lo-Athard inside the stele or
before returning. A character who examines them closely and makes a how to release it.
successful DC 10 Wis (Medicine) check recognizes that despite their The paths into the Witches’ Den begin at forest landmarks that are
apparent destitution, beneath the filth and rags, these people appear very largely forgotten (since no one comes here anymore) but are not difficult
healthy, muscular, and well fed. to find if the searcher knows what to look for. Gervaise tells characters
Scratched on one of the interior walls of the abbey is a crude how to find “the great oak on the bluff,” so characters enter the clearing
representation of a six-sided stele in a forest clearing, with wolflike along path 1 if they got directions from her. If Moreau gives accurate
creatures prancing around it beneath a full moon. The rendering is almost directions, they will be from “the boulder that resembles a skull” (path 2,
life-size, judging from the figures. If the scene is described to Gervaise, where they’ll more easily be spotted). The paths can be found easily from
Frere Emilé, or Moreau, they recognize it as the Witches’ Den. Any either of those landmarks.
other resident of the barony has a 50 percent chance to guess that it’s the
Witches’ Den, based on stories they’ve heard. Otherwise, there’s an even
chance that they’ll guess something else or admit that they don’t know.
The Runes On the Stele
(Werewolf: AC 11, 58 hp; in humanoid or hybrid form,
werewolf bites and uses either claws or spear; in wolf Although they’re completely overgrown by moss and lichens, the runes
form, it only bites; +4 to hit, 1d8 + 2 piercing damage and carved into the stele have lost none of their power. Because of the runes,
humanoid target must make a successful DC 12 Con anyone touching the stone column can cast the spells banishment, bestow
saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; +4 to curse, enthrall, and hypnotic pattern as if he or she were using a scroll.
hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage [claws]; +4 to hit, range 20 Each spell can be cast once per week. If a casting attempt fails, the spell
ft./60 ft., 1d6 + 2 piercing damage [spear]; shapechanger) is still available in the stone and the casting can be attempted again, but
the character who failed to cast the spell must make a successful DC 15
Con saving throw to avoid being stunned for one round by backlash from

D. The Witches’ Den the stele.

As soon as one of the spells is cast, the stele begins vibrating softly but
audibly in a toneless drone that sounds almost like many distant voices
The Witches’ Den is the site of an ancient, pagan altar where renegade chanting in an unknown tongue. If two spells are cast in a 24-hour period,
witches and evil warlocks performed sacrifices. The warlocks and witches the droning grows louder and the words become more distinct (but remain
who used the altar were killed or driven out of Loup-Montagne long ago, unintelligible). If three or four spells are cast in a 24-hour period, the runes
but the altar hangs onto its evil power. Nicodeme uses it for much the carved into the stone glow with an orange light that can be seen through
same purpose—when he wants to bring someone new into his troop of the covering of moss. The droning and the glow become gradually weaker
werewolves, the recruit is brought here to be ritualistically “killed” and as the hours go by until both disappear after 24 hours.
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The wolf pack contains one worg and two or three wolves per player
The Treasure in the Stele character, depending on how tough you judge the characters to be. The
worgs aren’t actual worgs; they’re just bigger, tougher wolves (with worg
If the patterns of the glowing runes are traced with a finger across the stats) that lead the pack. Surviving wolves flee into the woods when all the
stele while it is glowing and vibrating, the stone splits in half, then shatters “worgs” are slain or when half the entire pack is down.
into dozens of pieces that tumble to the ground. Hovering in the air where The merchant is Enzo Martel, and the boy Eric is his grandson. They are
the stele stood is a mask of beaten silver and bronze, sculpted to resemble on their way to towns farther east with a load of nails, mirrors, embroidered
an ugly, scowling human face. This is the Fearsome Mask of Lo-Athard, a gloves, and fine saddles to sell. They plan to spend the evening in the next
long-dead warlock who worshiped in this grove centuries ago and whose town up the road, which is Roulune. Right now, they could use some help
followers erected the stele. When a character dons the mask, it becomes replacing their broken wheel with one of the spares. Enzo explains that the
almost invisible, but the wearer’s face gains a more threatening aspect horses shied violently when the wolves appeared, twisting the wheel in a
than it had before. The wearer’s Charisma score increases by 2 while rut on the road and snapping it.
the mask is worn, and the wearer can use the warlock class ability Fey There’s nothing nefarious about these two. They are grateful for
Presence as if he or she was a warlock. A character who already has the whatever help the characters give them. As payment, they offer a ride on
Fey Presence class ability gains one extra use of it between rests. their wagon into Roulune, which is still several miles ahead. A ride would
be a big improvement over walking in the mud.

Key Events (Worg: AC 13, 26 hps; +5 to hit, 2d6 + 3 piercing damage

and the target must make a successful DC 13 Str saving
throw or be knocked prone [bite])
Three incidents set off the events of Bad Moon Rising. Once the three
lead-in events are over, characters have complete freedom to investigate (Wolf: AC 13, 11 hps; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 piercing damage
the strange occurrences around Roulune however they choose. If characters and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving
turn down Ghislain’s request for help, they could be approached afterward throw or be knocked prone [bite]; a wolf has tactical
by Gervaise, by a committee of citizens or merchants concerned about
advantage on attack rolls if at least one active ally is
the wolf attacks, by Frere Emilé from the Church of the Forest, or even
adjacent to the target)
by Jules Brisbois if they look like the sort of scoundrels who’d be good
additions to his band of highwaymen. (Marauding wolves in the forest

Tax Collectors
motivate merchants to rout their wagons around Loup-Montagne, and
that’s bad for the highway robbery business, too.)

Wolf Attack
Characters arrive in Roulune about 30 minutes before sunset. Read the
description to players when they arrive.

The characters get their first taste of wolves while on the road to
Roulune. Trigger this event when they are on the road through the forest. Roulune looks much like other towns you’ve visited in this part
of the world. The single road you’ve been traveling on branches
out into a small network of roads that wind through a maze of
homes and shops. On the outskirts, the houses stand apart and
Arching branches of ancient trees form a continuous roof over
have fenced gardens and animal pens. Farther into town, the
the narrow roadway you’re on, locking it in eternal twilight. The
buildings lean against one another and overhang the street. But
surrounding forest is a tangle of closely spaced tree trunks with
the streets are wide and the forest stops at the town’s edge, so at
low branches, boulders, fallen trees, thorny brush, and twisting
least you can see the sky again.
vines. The road twists like a serpent; you haven’t seen a straight
“Ahead is where we’re bound,” says Enzo, pointing to a
stretch longer than 50 yards since you entered this forest. The
pleasant-looking inn with an enormous, shaggy wolf’s pelt
mood isn’t improved by the cold, thin drizzle that’s been misting
draped like a sign above the doorway. “I’ll stand you each an ale
down through the trees all day. Picking your way along the
if you join us later.”
muddy, rutted surface is an exhausting way to travel.
He drops his voice before adding, “There’s a piece of
Thoughts like those are interrupted by shouts of “Help! Help!”
misfortune.” With a slight nod of his gray head, he indicates a
from beyond the next bend in the road, followed by animal
knot of men-at-arms farther up the street. “I was hoping we might
snarls—quite a few snarling animals, from the sound of it.
miss the tax collectors, but today has not been a lucky day—other
than meeting you, of course.”
About 100 yards ahead is a merchant’s wagon with a broken wheel.
Characters can’t see it from their current location because of the dense
trees and the winding of the road. They need to advance another 80 The tax collectors are Paschal Moreau and four men-at-arms of the
yards to bring the wagon into view. When they do, you can read the next town militia (guards) on a routine patrol of Roulune. Moreau is fulfilling
description to players. his role as a combination of tax-man and town sheriff: collecting tolls
from merchants on their way through and taking the measure of strangers
to decide whether they’re peaceable travelers or troublemakers.
Before the characters can hop down and get their gear off Enzo’s
A wagon with a broken wheel blocks the road. Two terrified wagon, Moreau and his soldiers march up. They aren’t threatening, but
draft horses rear and buck in the traces while an old man and a they are professionals with plenty of practice at this drill.
young boy try to keep their balance atop the barrels and crates Moreau looks over Enzo’s wagon and tells him that the toll on the load
stacked in the wagon box. They are using spears to fend off a is 500 cp, with a 20 percent discount on any portion he pays in silver.
pack of wolves that’s circling the wagon, but the wolves seem Characters should know that this is a reasonable toll for use of private
more interested in the horses than in the passengers. roads; Enzo isn’t happy to pay it, but he doesn’t complain that it’s unfair.
If characters try to make an issue out of this with Moreau, Enzo makes
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it clear that he’d prefer they not make trouble for him. If, however, they
bring up the wolf attack on the road as a reason why the toll should be
reduced or waived, Moreau drops the toll to 200 cp as recompense for
Enzo’s trouble, provided the merchant spends some of the savings getting
Dinner with the Baron
the broken wheel repaired at the local wainwright’s shop. Baron Ghislain hopes to find adventurers from outside his domain who he
After that business is taken care of, Enzo bids the characters farewell can trust. His household militia has proven itself incapable of stopping the
while he tends to his horses and wagon, with a promise to meet them later wolf attacks that plague the barony, so it’s time to bring in outside experts.
in the inn. Moreau invites the characters inside the Wolf’s Pelt for food The dinner scene can be as extended or as abbreviated as you like,
and conversation. depending on whether your players enjoy roleplaying this type of social
None of this should seem suspicious, nefarious, or threatening. Moreau interaction. It will be a small gathering, not a large party: just Ghislain, the
comes off as a reasonable man, going about his job in a professional way. characters, Jules Brisbois, and a few servers wandering in and out of the
He admires freelance adventurers. It’s his job to know why they came to Great Hall. Moreau is not present, since the Baron can’t discuss the wolf
his town, but he isn’t looking for trouble; there won’t be a confrontation problem without talking about Moreau’s failure to solve it, and he sees no
unless the characters start it. reason to embarrass his lieutenant that way.
Moreau answers most questions frankly, unless they’re impertinent.
Read the following when characters arrive at the baronial manor.
Characters can learn quite a bit about the barony, the Baron, and the current
problem with wolves simply by conversing with Moreau. As long as they
aren’t rude or antagonistic, Moreau invites them to come to the Baron’s
manor for dinner; the Baron is always interested in meeting educated The Baron’s manor is not palatial, but it’s clearly the home of
travelers with stories to tell. If characters’ behavior toward Moreau is not someone powerful and important. The two-story structure sits
the sort that leads someone to invite strangers to dinner, then they receive inside a walled enclosure—not a castle, but a well-tended, fortified
an invitation to dinner direct from the Baron the following day, brought by estate. You’re greeted by a servant and shown immediately to the
a young page from the manor. great hall, which is mostly empty. Tables are disassembled and
stacked along the walls. Only the head table is prepared, standing
(Paschal Moreau, Knight: AC 18, 52 hps; +5 to hit x2, 2d6 across the front of the room on a low platform. The servant asks
+ 3 slashing damage [greatsword]; once per round as you to seat yourselves. As he’s filling your goblets with wine, two
a reaction, Moreau can increase his AC by 2 against a men of noble bearing—one barely more than a lad and walking
single melee attack) with crutches—enter the hall and join you at the table.

(Guard x4: AC 16, 11 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing damage

[spear]) The younger man welcomes the characters to his home, introduces
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himself as Baron Ghislain and the other man as “his brother, Jules Thibault Voclain’s band, from Travers Castle, but no one will be able to
Brisbois,” and joins them at the table without ceremony. During dinner, identify him. The killers were Nicodeme and a few of his werewolves.
he reveals all of the following information, however you care to impart If characters subsequently search St. Ulrich Abbey or the barracks room
it. Jules allows the Baron to do most of the talking, but he answers direct used by members of the pack, they find a bloody pair of embroidered
questions and adds clarifications to the Baron’s statements as you see fit. gloves that they recognize as similar to those Enzo was hauling. Gloves
• “My father died when I was young, so I was raised by my grandfather, should be found in one location or the other, but not both.
Baron Nicodeme. He was blessed with a long life, but when he died in a Leader of the Pack: One of the Baron’s woodsmen brings the corpse
hunting mishap about a year ago, I inherited the barony.” of an immense wolf to town and displays it in the square. He claims that
• “Jules is older than I—very astute of you to notice—but my father’s it must be the pack leader, and many townsfolk agree with him. It truly
wife was not his mother. That leaves me as the most direct line of accession is a monstrous wolf, with a body six feet long. If someone thinks to cut
in the Chaput family, hence I hold the title. Jules is my brother and my it open and examine its stomach contents, it will be found to have eaten
right hand. I trust him completely.” only rabbits and deer meat in the last 24 hours. That doesn’t prove it’s not
• “Yes, there is a legend about tragedy befalling the barony if the oldest the killer, of course, just that it hasn’t killed anyone in the last day or two.
heir doesn’t inherit the title. Like any legend, it’s mostly nonsense—a Home Besieged: A teenaged boy comes to the Baron’s manor asking
parable meant to keep the baron honest and ensure a smooth transfer for help. He is the son of a hunter who lives in the forest four miles west
of power. I’m told that a few people have pointed to recent trouble as of Roulune. Their home was besieged by wolves, or wolflike creatures,
evidence that Jules should have inherited before me, but our most learned for two nights and a day. When his father tried to slip out to the stream to
scriveners agree that the legend must refer to the oldest legitimate heir. fetch more water, the creatures attacked him and dragged him away into
Otherwise, the laws of accession would be meaningless.” the forest.
• “For the last several months, the barony has been plagued by wolf The cabin is four miles due west of town. The wolves’ trail away from
attacks. There have always been wolves in the forest, and there have the farm is easy to follow because they were dragging the bleeding body
always been wolf attacks, but the current situation is worse than ever. of the hunter. They dragged him about two miles west, then stopped and
These wolves don’t just take sheep and cattle; they attack people, too. ate him. The grisly remains are easily found.
They seem almost to prefer people over other prey. They’ve even broken By examining the area around the cabin and around the hunter’s body,
into remote farms and slaughtered entire families. Some people are killed a character who also makes a successful DC 12 Int (Nature) check can
outright, others simply disappear. We can only assume that they, too, are determine that three creatures were involved, and they were larger than
victims of this pack.” typical wolves. They split up when they finished with the body: one went
• “My huntsmen conclude this is the work of a single pack that has south, one went southeast, and one went northeast. This behavior is highly
become uncharacteristically aggressive.” uncharacteristic of wolves. Unfortunately, their trails become impossible
• “My huntsmen and soldiers have conducted massive hunts and set to follow after a quarter mile.
numerous traps, to no avail. The attacks continue unabated. My citizens Omens: If characters haven’t uncovered rumors and become curious
are becoming greatly upset, and tales leaving the barony are beginning to about St. Ulrich Abbey or the Witches’ Den on their own after a few days,
disrupt trade, on which we rely.” they are called to one of the day rooms in the Baron’s manor. There they
• “I’ve concluded that for this job, I need people with . . . special skills. find Ghislain, Moreau, and Brisbois awaiting them, along with Gervaise
Adventurers such as yourself. I don’t imagine these creatures are any more the Astrologer and Frere Emilé. Gervaise and Emilé approached the Baron
supernatural than this table, but they’ve proven exceptionally wily. They with startling news: omens in the sky and elsewhere make it clear that a
don’t follow the predictable patterns wolves follow, and they don’t fall for werewolf is plaguing the barony, and the best place to catch it would be at
the tricks wolves fall for. That’s why I believe hunters with experience the Witches’ Den during a full moon (which should occur this night or the
battling unnatural foes might succeed where normal fieldcraft has failed.” next). Gervaise can provide all the pertinent astrological details, but this
• “If you’re up for such a challenge, I offer you 10 pounds of gold is pure smokescreen. Gervaise and Frere Emilé pieced the clues together
apiece (500 gp). You can discuss it among yourselves, or sleep on it if you on their own and decided that this story was the best way to frame their
like and give me an answer in the morning.” findings to the Baron.
The characters are offered comfortable lodging in the Baron’s manor The Baron is less superstitious than his subjects, but he understands the
for the night. If they accept his offer, they can stay in the manor during power of such beliefs in the barony. He also respects Gervaise and Frere
their entire sojourn in Loup-Montagne. Emilé as the town’s two most educated citizens; he concludes that they’re
trying to tell him something important without revealing everything, and
he wisely plays along.

The Situation Worsens The problem in the room is Paschal Moreau. The details of any plan
that’s discussed in his presence finds its way to Nicodeme (probably
through a message passed to one of the werewolves in the militia). Even
After their meeting with the Baron, characters are free to investigate the if he’s excluded from planning, he alerts his master to be on his guard,
wolf attacks however they choose. Brisbois and Moreau are available to because hunters are closing in.
answer questions and to provide some material aid, such as guides to the Like the Baron, characters should have the opportunity to sense that
forest and a militia escort if characters want more muscle backing them Gervaise and Frere Emilé aren’t telling the whole truth in this meeting.
up. But the deeper characters dig, the more suspicion will be thrown on One of the NPCs might surreptitiously pass a note to a character, or you
those two. could slyly convey something through your roleplaying. Alternatively, a
During their time in Loup-Montagne, any of the following events can character might make a DC 12 Int (Arcana) check to realize that Gervaise’s
occur, spurring on the characters’ investigation. astrological reasoning is subtle nonsense, or a DC 12 Wis (Insight) check
Murdered Merchant: As Enzo Martel and his grandson are leaving to realize that the pair’s statements are highly guarded.
the barony, they are attacked on the road east of Roulune. Eric straggles
back to town with an arrow in his arm. He claims that their wagon was
set upon by bandits. His grandfather argued with the bandits, but the
robbery was interrupted by the howling of wolves nearby. That seemed to
frighten some of the bandits terribly, and the boy took advantage of their
Bad Moon Rising
distraction to run away. One of the bandits loosed an arrow that caught Ultimately, through their own investigation or someone’s advice,
him in the arm, but he kept running, hoping to bring help from town. characters should wind up at the Witches’ Den. What happens there
If characters head east along the road, they find the ambush spot depends on when they come and whether Nicodeme is expecting them.
about four miles from town. Enzo is dead, along with both horses and If characters are unexpected and arrive during the day, they find
one bandit; all were apparently killed by wolves. The bandit is one of one or two werewolves plus 2d3 wolves sleeping around the column.
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 bad moon rising
Nicodeme is not among them. adjacent to the target)
If characters are expected and arrive during the day, the area is
abandoned. (Paschal Moreau, Knight: AC 18, 52 hps; +5 to hit x2, 2d6
If characters are unexpected and arrive at night, they find Nicodeme, + 3 slashing damage [greatsword]; once per round as
two or three other werewolves, and 2d3 wolves prancing and howling a reaction, Moreau can increase his AC by 2 against a
around the stele in the clearing. single melee attack)
If characters are expected and arrive at night, they find one werewolf

Resolution
and 1d3 wolves prancing and howling around the stele. Nicodeme,
another werewolf, 1d3 wolves, and Paschal Moreau are hidden in the
forest, waiting in ambush for characters to arrive.
If Nicodeme is killed, the barony’s wolf problem ceases, even if
(Werewolf: AC 11, 58 hp; in humanoid or hybrid form, other werewolves are still on the loose. Without Nicodeme to hold
werewolf bites and uses either claws or spear; in wolf them together, surviving werewolves fall to bickering and fighting
form, it only bites; +4 to hit, 1d8 + 2 piercing damage and among themselves, and the pack disintegrates. If the pack is wiped
humanoid target must make a successful DC 12 Con out but Nicodeme survives, the problem appears to go away for a few
saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; +4 to months, but eventually it resurfaces—probably long after the player
hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage [claws]; +4 to hit, range 20 characters have moved on. In either case, having one or more of the
ft./60 ft., 1d6 + 2 piercing damage [spear]; shapechanger) vengeful werewolves cross the characters’ path months later will make
a memorable encounter.
(Wolf: AC 13, 11 hp; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 piercing damage As long as the problem seems resolved, the Baron gladly pays the
and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving promised gold. If Moreau’s role in events was uncovered, it leaves a
throw or be knocked prone [bite]; a wolf has tactical vacancy at the head of the barony’s militia that Ghislain offers to one of
advantage on attack rolls if at least one active ally is the characters.

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Death in Dyrgalas By Skip Williams

In ancient times, the area now known as the Dyrgalas Fens was home in the Dyrgalas, and the once proud building has degenerated into a
to a flourishing civilization of nature worshippers who wrested a living crumbled ruin, half flooded, and shrouded in moss, creepers, vines, and
from the forest around them, built open-air temples, and generally did even a few trees. A handful of the ruin’s trees have become truly immense.
well. Over the centuries, a series of natural disasters (some say a series The weretiger Gavriil finds the tumbledown pavilion a convivial place
of foolish magical experiments) led to a rising water table and turned the to live and work. He’s made the place his personal stronghold and he’s
forest into a vast swamp. gathered a formidable collection of fierce animals, rogue elementals, and
As the water rose, most of the people left. Today, a few stalwart humans fellow lycanthropes to help him defend it.
remain in the fens, living off the land through hunting, fishing, trapping,
and even some agriculture. In addition to these honest folk, the Dyrgalas
has some less savory residents, including both black and green dragons, Conditions and Features
trolls, hags, escaped criminals, and a host of lycanthropes. Most of these Although above ground, the pavilion’s crumbling walls, decaying
creatures prey on travelers foolish or unlucky enough to enter the fen, and roofs, leafy trees, and flowing water make the place as dark and damp as
sometimes raid both inside and outside the fen. any dungeon. Whenever a condition or feature requires a save or check,
This adventure, intended for characters of levels 6 to 8, deals with pavilion residents have tactical advantage on that save or check thanks to
one group of raiders who make their lair in the Dyrgalas. A weretiger long familiarity with the place and its quirks, even when the text specifies
called Gavriil has formed a group of assorted lycanthropes into a band tactical disadvantage for a visitor.
of cunning brigands. The lycanthropes favorite caper involves infiltrating Doors: The pavilion’s original wooden doors rotted away long ago.
a merchant caravan while posing as travelers, merchants, or swords for Gavriil had them replaced with new doors made from rough planks. The
hire, then attacking it from within. Gavriil and his servants also take on unfinished wood warped and swelled in the humid atmosphere, and it
kidnappings, murder for hire, and any other unsavory tasks that come their takes a successful DC 15 Str check to shove one open. These doors are
way. hung so that they tend to swing shut on their own. A door opened and not
deliberately closed remains ajar for 1d4 + 1 rounds before closing itself
again.
Adventure Hooks Foliage: Though vines and creepers cover almost every inch in the
pavilion that is not flooded, in some places the growth is taller and thicker.
An adventuring party might have any number of reasons for tangling Creatures or objects in these areas have heavy obscurement and three-
with Gavriil and his minions. quarters cover against most attacks. The cover value drops to half against
• The party is traveling with a merchant caravan when Gavriil’s attacks coming from above. Movement costs are doubled in foliage and
lycanthropes attack. A group of lycanthropes posing as merchants or the dash action is impossible.
travelers attack the caravan one night. After dealing with the infiltrators, Floors: When new, the pavilion’s floors were smooth marble. Today,
the group can track them back to the fens. the marble floor slabs remain mostly undamaged, but the land subsiding
• A merchant or aristocrat hires the group to recover a stolen robe under the stonework on the ground floor has played havoc with them.
of blending. The medusa Theronia actually stole the robe, but Gavriil’s They now tilt crazily in random directions and creepers sprout from every
brigands have captured her in turn. crack. Running or dashing calls for a successful DC 15 Dex check. Visitors
• Someone hires the group to help recover a person Gavriil’s group have tactical disadvantage on this save. If the save fails, the character can
kidnapped. The PCs might be charged with delivering a ransom and still move, but only at normal speed. Floors on the upper stories are flat.
recovering the victim, or simply with making a rescue. There’s a very Light and Sight: There’s plenty of shade inside the pavilion, thanks
good chance that the lycanthropes will try to seize the ransom without to the walls, trees, and partial roofs. Even on a bright day, the interior is
releasing the captive. dimly lit and lightly obscured unless otherwise noted in an area description
• The local authorities find Gavriil’s presence intolerable and hire the (or if someone provides artificial light). When twilight falls outside, the
pavilion’s interior is completely dark.
party to smoke him out.
• A sage, antiquarian, or spellcaster wishes to acquire a detailed map Pools and Flooded Areas: Springs deep under the pavilion keep up a
of the ruins where Gavriil has made his lair. This person might seek the sluggish flow that keeps the water from becoming completely stagnant,
knowledge for its own sake or might need the information for some ritual though a thick layer of leaves, twigs, and other floating debris blankets
or experiment. most wet areas. Geothermal activity in the area keeps the water at about 82
degrees Fahrenheit year round (fairly warm to the touch for most warm-
blooded creatures). Characters can easily wade in water that is less than

Ruined Pavilion waist deep (no loss of speed). Movement costs are doubled for wading in
water more than waist deep, and characters must swim in water that’s at
least as deep as they are tall. Characters wading or swimming have tactical
The ancients built the pavilion as a place where the faithful could rest disadvantage on Stealth checks unless they have swim speeds.
and find serenity. It was once a stately edifice of butter-colored limestone, Rubble: Heaps of loose rubble fill many areas within the pavilion.
filled with tranquil pools and ringed with soaring spires. Much of the Movement costs are doubled in rubble, and running or dashing requires
complex was open to the sky, but a series of partial roofs provided shade a successful DC 20 Dex check. Visitors have tactical disadvantage on
(and modest shelter from the weather) for meditating visitors. In times of this save. If the save fails, the character moves 5 feet, then falls prone,
peril, clerics used the pavilion as a site for summoning elementals, which suffering 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
they sent forth to meet any approaching threat. Walls: The pavilion’s stonework has become heavily weathered. Here
Today, the low mound where the pavilion stands has become an island and there, a patch of the original, cheerful yellow remains, but on the
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whole the walls have darkened to a muddy brown streaked with black and
gray. The weathering makes plenty of handholds, but the covering moss Off to the left stands a massive tree whose wide canopy presses
and vines make climbing tricky. Scaling the walls requires a successful hard against the nearest tower, a span of 20 feet or more.
DC 20 Str (Athletics) check. Those pesky vines and moss make the walls A low portico of gleaming marble slabs fronts the place. It
uncannily resistant to grappling hooks; they tend to either slide off the has its own freestanding roof that looks as tattered as the onion
moss or get caught in the vines, where they tear loose at the slightest pull. domes above it.
The portico’s stonework might once have lain flat and smooth
Approaching the Pavilion as a dining table. Now the paving stones look more like a deck
A road of sorts winds through the fens, crossing many islands, causeways, of cards haphazardly spread in a single layer and left to subside
and decaying bridges. Some of the locals can direct the party to the ruin. randomly into the soggy ground. No two slabs seem to meet on
They don’t visit the place, thanks to the elementals that still prowl the the flat. Tangles of creepers grow in the spaces left between the
grounds, but they know where it lies. A reconnaissance from the air reveals slabs and snake their way over the stonework. Just a few paces
the pavilion’s towers rising from amid the trees from several miles away. from where the pavement begins lies a pool of water cloaked
under a thick mantle of floating debris.
The ruin’s stone facade rises behind the pool. Four archways
1. Main Entrance and Facade pierce the facade, and an open space seems to lie beyond.

The following text assumes the party approaches the area from outside
the pavilion. Adjust accordingly if the group first sees this area upon
leaving the ruin. 1A. The Pool
A weedy trail of crushed stone leads to a massive pile of mud- Very little open water remains visible in the pool. A layer of
colored stone as large as any provincial temple. The facade twigs, leaves, lily pads, and a few waterlogged branches obscures
looks to be at least 30 feet high and composed of crumbling, the surface. The whole pool smells of soggy leaves, with a hint of
vine-covered blocks. Round towers, each at least twice as tall as rotting meat. A weak current sets the lighter debris astir, and a thin,
the main structure, mark the facade’s ends. Onion domes well winding rivulet exits through a crack at the pool’s near right-hand
punctured with irregular holes and gaping cracks cap the towers. corner and meanders away toward the surrounding fens.
Two banks of narrow, glassless windows are visible in each
tower. The lower bank is perhaps 25 feet above ground, with the
second bank an equal distance above that. The pool is about 5 feet deep, with a bottom covered with waterlogged
twigs, leaves, and branches (the weak current here isn’t strong enough to
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 death in dyrgalas
carry away everything that falls in). At the pool’s east end is a sinkhole 40
feet deep. At the sinkhole’s bottom lies a 10-foot passage that connects to Beyond the arch lies another expanse of pale, broken pavement.
the south sinkhole in area 8. A decaying roof rests on a double row of slender pillars. Piles
Three crocodiles spend their days floating, mostly submerged, among of rubble and thickets of young trees, vines, and brambles lie
the twigs and leaves covering the pool. Gavriil brought them here as part everywhere. Just north of the covered area lies a somewhat
of a group of more than two dozen hatchlings taken from a distant nest. He turbulent pool covered in a thin mist.
released the youngsters into the pool and left them to fend for themselves.
These three are the only survivors. They’ve vicious and always hungry.
From time to time, Gavriil comes here to talk with them and feed them The rubble and foliage here has accumulated more or less naturally,
just enough to keep them healthy. The pavilion’s other denizens know though Gavriil and his crew have made a few additions. At each area
enough to toss the crocodiles a few morsels and hurry away if they need marked with a “T” they have bent saplings that resemble the trap in Area
to pass by here. 2, except that a creature struck must make a successful DC 15 Dex saving
throw or be knocked 15 feet to the north and into the pool at Area 8.
(Crocodile: AC 12, 19 hp; +4 to hit, 1d10 + 2 piercing Afterward: The wererat guard in Area 4 keeps an intermittent watch
damage and the target is grappled [bite]) over this area (Gavriil has ordered the wererats to watch constantly, but
their attention wavers if the weretiger isn’t on hand to keep them focused).
Tactics: Whether they’re fed or not, the crocodiles lunge out of the Still, the guard notices intruders here unless they’re intentionally being
pool and attack anyone who remains within their reach for more than a stealthy (make Stealth checks and compare them to the wererat’s passive
few seconds (except for Gavriil). They have tactical advantage on Stealth Perception). If anyone triggers one of the traps here, the wererats in Areas
checks to remain unnoticed and attack with surprise if their foes don’t see 4 and 5 notice automatically, as does the medusa in Area 7. Any other
them coming. loud or flashy activity, such as ranged combat, spellcasting, or an extended
When attacking, they try to grab the nearest creature and haul their prey conversation among several characters also alerts the neighbors.
to the bottom sinkhole, where the crocodiles can hold their breath for 15
minutes.
If badly wounded (fewer than half hit points) or if attacked from a
distance, they retreat down the sinkhole and through the passage to area 8
4. West Tower Ground Floor
and from there to Area 8A. The staircase rises 25 feet to Area 5. The text below assumes characters
Afterward: The wererats in Area 5 and the medusa in Area 7 quickly are viewing the chamber from Area 3.
notice a combat here, especially if the crocodiles are splashing in the
pool or if their foes use any flashy spells. They make no attempt to
intervene (the roof over the pool tends to make ranged combat against
anyone fighting the crocodiles difficult), though the wererats might A narrow arch pierces a curved section of wall here. A circular
attempt to sneak out a window and into Area 2 to get a better look. chamber lies beyond. A staircase spirals around the wall and
See the appropriate area descriptions for other actions these creatures vanishes into darkness overhead. An untidy mass of twigs, grass,
might take. fur, and who knows what else fills the chamber’s whole floor and
rises taller than a peasant cottage.
Above the arch, perhaps 25 feet above the floor, is a pair of
2. Sentinel Tree barred windows, with a second pair about 25 feet above that.

The “untidy mass” is the resident wererats’ nest. The whole construction
The tree standing here looks like a true giant. It has a trunk is about 15 feet wide and 9 feet high. Eight wererats call this place home,
wider than a hogshead and a crown that tops out at least a but only three are present at any given time. Two of the current occupants
bowshot overhead. Many of its branches push hard against the rest while the third keeps a lazy eye on Area 3.
ruined tower several yards away. The windows above the chamber entrance lead into Area 5.

(Wererat: AC 12, 33 hp; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing

The tree is nothing special, just very large. It takes a successful DC 15 damage [shortsword] or +4 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6
Str (Athletics) check to climb the trunk. A character could easily toss a + 2 piercing damage [hand crossbow]; one attack can
grapple into the tree’s lower branches and find a firm anchor point. be replaced by +4 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing damage and
The lower branches reach all the way to a window in Area 5, and humanoid target must make a successful DC 11 Con
anyone who can climb up there can walk along a thick limb and step right saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; 1/
into the chamber beyond. Gavriil and his allies know about the connection turn, an attack deals an extra 1d6 damage if wererat has
and have arranged an unpleasant surprise for anyone who tries to enter tactical advantage on the attack or has an active ally
the pavilion by this route. They’ve stripped, sharpened, and bent several adjacent to the target; shapechanger)
branches to act as a battery of maces. Someone entering through the
window is assailed by four of these attacks. Tactics: When a wererat notices intruders in Area 3, he quickly rouses
his companions and resumes his watch on Area 3. Unless the intruders
(Bent Sapling Trap: +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage trigger one of the traps in Area 3, one of the wererats quietly slips up
and the target must make a successful DC 10 Dex saving the stairs to warn his companions in Area 5. The two remaining wererats
throw or be knocked backward and fall 25 feet to the hunker down in the nest, where they have light obscurement and tactical
ground) advantage on Stealth checks. The pair waits until foes enter the chamber,
then pop out of the nest and attack. If intruders spot them and attack from

3. Entry Hall
outside the chamber (with spells or ranged attacks), the wererats fire their
crossbows once each, then retreat up the stairs to Area 5.
If a party manages to catch all three wererats unawares, the trio fights as
This area resembles Area 1 and 1a. It sports a freestanding roof but has well as they are able. They’ll maneuver to use their sneak attacks as best
no pool. The text below assumes the party enters through one of the arches they can and try to hold out until help arrives from Area 5.
leading to Area 1. Afterward: If the party defeats the wererats, they can tear apart the
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals
nest and find the wererats’ treasure (Gavriil has allowed the wererats to caught drunk—but they hardly keep a vigilant watch.
accumulate a few trinkets).
Any fighting here alerts the wererats in Area 5 after two rounds (or (Wererat: AC 12, 33 hp; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing
sooner if a wererat escapes up the stairs). Once alerted, the wererats in damage [shortsword] or +4 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6
Area 5 join the fight here; see the Area 5 description for details. + 2 piercing damage [hand crossbow]; one attack can
If a fight starts in Area 5, the wererats here notice the ruckus after 2-3 be replaced by +4 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing damage and
rounds. Once alerted, all three wererats scramble upstairs to join the battle. humanoid target must make a successful DC 11 Con
If the party captures and questions a wererat, the prisoner is reluctant to saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; 1/
answer any questions and claims to be a mere slave. If the PCs win a Cha turn, an attack deals an extra 1d6 damage if wererat has
(Persuasion) or (Intimidation) contest opposed by the prisoner’s Charisma, tactical advantage on the attack or has an active ally
the prisoner reveals the following in response to the appropriate questions: adjacent to the target; shapechanger)
• A weretiger called Gavriil lords it over this place.
• Gavriil lives in the northeast tower, along with two companions, Tactics: If forewarned, the wererats hide; one or two duck under the
Inessa and Zhanna (they’re weretigers, too). table and the rest take to the rubble.
• Gavriil can do some magic and spends a great deal of his time talking If a fight develops here, the wererats try to attack their foes from as
to animals and other beings. He even talks to the water in the central pool many different directions as they can. They use melee or ranged weapons
(Area 8). as necessary.
Note: Gavriil has been talking to the water elemental in Area 8, but the If they detect a threat outside their chamber, two wererats move to
wererats don’t really understand what the weretiger has been doing. The the windows and fire their crossbows. The barred windows overlooking
wererats know that Gavriil uses magic, but they’re not sure what kind. Area 8 provide them three-quarters cover. The unbarred windows facing
• Gavriil keeps his mistress/personal assassin in the west tower (Area outside provide half cover. The remaining wererats rush down the stairs to
7). If someone offends Gavriil, the poor fool visits the tower and is never Area 4 and on out to meet the threat. If the threat is in Area 4, two wererats
seen again. Her name is Theronia, and she’s probably some kind of de- use the stairs and the others open the windows and use ropes to rappel
mon. down to Area 3.
Note: Theronia is a medusa Gavriil has conscripted. Theronia usually Afterward: The wererats here notice any traps triggered or combat in
keeps herself masked, both to conceal her true nature and to keep from Areas 3, 8, or 9 the round after the action happens. They notice a fight in
petrifying too many of Gavriil’s servants. See Area 7 for more details. Area 4 after two rounds (or sooner if a wererat from there comes up here).
• Gavriil has collected all manner of creatures to serve as raiders. The If a fight starts here, the wererats in Area 4 notice the ruckus after two
weretiger is making a fortune robbing caravans, kidnapping merchants, or three rounds and scramble up the stairs to join the battle.
and all manner of other foul deeds. Of course, everyone here would be The wererats eventually notice fighting in Area 1a; however, they do
happy to be mere hunters, woodsmen, and even farmers. little to intervene beyond going to Area 2 so that they can get a better look
• Note: The wererats and other lycanthropes here fear Gavriil, but serve at intruders.
him more or less willingly. If any of these wererats are captured and questioned, they react as noted
in the description for Area 4.

5. West Tower Upper Floor

6. East Tower Ground Floor
The staircase here descends 25 feet to Area 4.
This area once was one of only two upper floors in the tower. Today, The staircase rises 25 feet to Area 7. The text below assumes characters
most of the tower interior has collapsed, leaving this chamber open all the are viewing the chamber from Area 3.
way to the tower’s decaying onion dome.

A narrow arch pierces a curved section of wall here. A circular

Mounds of rubble choke most of this wide, circular, dusty space, chamber lies beyond. A staircase spirals around the wall and
though the center seems clear. A crumbling staircase corkscrews vanishes overhead. A substantial mound of mossy rocks and
around the outer wall. The steps leading down seem fairly intact, dirt fills most of the chamber. Masses of brambles, vines, and
but the set leading up quickly dwindle away to mere shards. At saplings grow from the dirt. Here and there among the stones and
about floor level are two sets of windows looking southwest and leaves, a metallic gleam or crystalline sparkle is visible.
northeast. The northeast pair are barred, but the southwest pair Above the arch, perhaps 25 feet above the floor is pair of barred
gapes open. There are two pairs of windows, identical to the pairs windows, with a second pair about another 25 feet above that.
at floor level, about 25 feet up the walls. Above that soars a great
but ragged dome.
The chamber’s clear space contains a rough table with few The foliage growing here gets light from the open archway and also
crudely woven wicker chairs, a few casks and barrels, and a from two gratings in the ceiling 25 feet overhead.
brazier filled with dying coals. The pile of stone and dirt here is home to an earth elemental. Gavriil
recruited it to serve as a combination jailer and guardian for the medusa
in Area 7.
The bars in the northeast windows are hinged and swing outward like The gleams and sparkles come from several bits of iron pyrite
doors. The wererats keep the bars padlocked shut. A key to the locks hangs (essentially worthless) plus a scattering of coins (22 gp, 38 cp) and 8 bits
from a hook under the table. of polished quartz (5 gp each). Gavriil scattered these odds and end here
Five wererats are always on duty here. Gavriil has tasked them with both to please the elemental and to tempt and delay intruders.
keeping watch over Area 8. The wererats, however, treat this chamber
as their place to indulge in some human vices, such as gambling and (Earth Elemental: AC 17, 126 hp; +8 to hit x2, 2d8 + 5
drinking. Usually, a single wererat hides in the rubble next to a window bludgeoning damage [slam]; can burrow through stone
and keeps watch over Area 8 (this guard occasionally waves at the and earth without leaving a trace)
weretigers watching from Area 17). The other four sit at the table, playing
knucklebones and sipping liquor from their supply of casks. They’re Tactics: The elemental spends its time blended into the mound. It can
careful not to become inebriated—they’d never survive Gavriil’s wrath if detect anyone setting foot inside the chamber, on the stairs, or trying to

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climb the walls. It rears up and slams away at any trespassers, gaining DC 14 Con saving throw; if the save fails by 5 or more, the
surprise. Thanks to its ability to glide through earth, it ignores the effects creature is instantly petrified; if the save fails by 4 or less,
of the debris in here. It fights to the death. The elemental won’t notice the creature is restrained and repeats the saving throw at
anyone flying through the chamber, unless the intruder touches something. the end of its next turn; if the second saving throw fails, the
Afterward: Neighboring creatures don’t pay much attention to what creature is petrified; if the second saving throw succeeds,
goes on in here, except for the medusa in Area 7. The medusa notices a the restraint effect ends; an unsurprised creature can
battle here immediately. Once alerted, she quietly observes the action for avoid this effect by averting its eyes, but until the start
one round by peering through the gratings or down the staircase. After of its next turn, it treats the medusa as an unseen target;
that, she looses a few spells. spell attack +4, save DC 12; [at will] fire bolt, friends,
The elemental ignores everything going on outside its chamber except mage hand, shocking grasp; [1st level, x4] color spray,
for Area 7. The elemental notices in one or two rounds when the medusa mage armor, magic missile, thunderwave; [2nd level, x3]
is involved in a fight or even if her usual pattern of movements changes. It cloud of daggers, hold person, misty step; [3rd level, x2]
charges upstairs and attacks as quickly as it can. counterspell, lightning bolt)

(Basilisk: AC 15, 52 hp; +5 to hit, 2d6 + 3 piercing damage

7. East Tower Upper Floor plus 2d6 poison damage [bite]; creatures that start their
turn within 30 ft. of the basilisk and able to see it must
The staircase descends 25 feet to Area 4. make a DC 14 Con saving throw [petrifying gaze]; if the
This area is similar to Area 5. It’s open all the way to the ruined dome save fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified;
60 feet overhead. It also has windows overlooking the pavilion’s exterior if the save fails by 4 or less, the creature is restrained and
and interior as noted in the Area 5 description. The medusa Theronia calls repeats the saving throw at the end of its next turn; if the
the chamber home (at least for the moment), and her living arrangements second saving throw fails, the creature is petrified; if the
are considerably different from what the wererats in the neighboring second saving throw succeeds, the restraint effect ends;
tower have. an unsurprised creature can avoid this effect by averting
its eyes, but until the start of its next turn, it treats the
basilisk as an unseen target)
Colorful rugs cover most of the floor in a wide, circular space. Tactics: When possible, Theronia attacks from a distance, using
Metal grates lie in the stone floor at two places where there are her magic missile, fire bolt, or lightning bolt spells as she deems most
no rugs. A crumbling staircase corkscrews around the outer wall. appropriate. She uses her basilisk as a distant guard, watching the stairs
The steps leading down seem fairly intact, but the set leading up or windows.
quickly dwindle away to mere shards. At about floor level, there If foes manage to close to melee range, Theronia uses misty step
are two sets of windows looking northwest and southeast. The and thunderwave to keep them at a distance. She also doffs her mask,
northwest have bars. The southeast windows have no bars but unleashing her gaze attack. If necessary, she fights with her dagger and
are covered by thin curtains. There are two pairs of windows, snakes.
identical to the pairs at floor level, about 25 feet farther up the If reduced to 10 hit points or less, Theronia surrenders, covering her face
walls. Above that soars a great but ragged dome. and begging her attackers to have mercy on a poor slave; see “Afterward”
The chamber’s furnishings include a canopied bed, a desk of for more information.
brightly polished wood, several shelves of books, a pair of divans, Theronia mostly ignores disturbances outside her chamber, except
a loom draped with many skeins of yarn, and a massive bronze in Areas 3 or 8, where she uses her spells to attack anyone fighting the
brazier flanked by two big amphorae. The crumbling steps leading elementals in those areas.
up hold an assortment of art objects, including vases, delicate Afterward: The wererats in Areas 4 and 5 notice when Theronia begins
lamps, and realistic sculptures of birds and small animals. slinging spells, but they don’t intervene. The weretigers in Area 17 also
notice any disturbances here, but they use the time to prepare their own
defenses.
The windows are just like the windows in Area 5, right down to the Likewise, Theronia notices any fighting in Areas 4 or 5 or if someone
hinged bars. Theronia keeps the key to the windows in her desk. triggers a trap in Area 3, but she does nothing to intervene except ready
The gratings in the floor pull out easily, allowing movement (for a her own defense. Theronia also notices any fighting in Area 8 and begins
Medium or smaller creature) or attacks into Area 6. The gratings are made her ranged spell assault against any intruders there as soon as she can.
of soft steel and actually somewhat flimsy. If someone weighing more She uses the barred windows in her chamber for three-quarters cover.
than 50 pounds steps on one, roll 1d6. On a roll of 1, the grating gives way, Likewise, she notices if someone triggers the trap in Area 9 and attacks
dumping the character 25 feet into Area 6 (2d6 bludgeoning damage). A intruders with her spells as they emerge from the passage there.
character can attempt a DC 20 Dex check to leap clear (even roll) or grab If the party loots the chamber, they find Theronia’s spellbooks on the
the opening (odd roll) and avoid the fall. If the grating does not give way, bookshelves. The collection of art objects on the ruined staircase includes
it groans and bends. Repeat the die roll each round a character steps on or six rare vases worth 150 gp each and one gold lamp set with amber and
remains atop the grate, increasing the chance it will give way by 1 each rubies (750 gp). The small sculptures are real birds and little animals that
round, to a maximum of 1-5. Theronia petrified (she’s fond of doing that). The petrified creatures might
Theronia spends all her time here. Her only companion is a pet basilisk. have some value as curiosities, at the GM’s option. Eight of the rugs are
She studies her books (including her spellbooks), works at her loom, and valuable; each weighs 18 pounds and is worth 150 gp.
keeps watch over Areas 3 and 8. When awake, she usually goes masked. If the party captures Theronia or induces her to surrender, the medusa
She sleeps during the darkest part of each night, leaving her pet basilisk to claims to be a mere slave. She has much the same information that the
stand watch and taking off her mask when she takes to bed. wererats in the West Tower do, plus additional tidbits as noted in the list
that follows. She’s careful about revealing what she knows and tries to
(Medusa: AC 15, 127 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing damage bargain with the group. Theronia is mostly interested in escaping the
plus 4d6 poison damage [snake hair], and +5 to hit x2, 1d6 confrontation alive, but she’d also like to get the magical robe Gavriil took
+ 2 piercing damage [shortsword]; OR +5 to hit x2, range from her. Theronia might reveal the following to her captors in response
150 ft./600 ft., 1d8 + 2 piercing damage plus 2d6 poison to the right questions (if the party catches any of her omissions, Theronia
damage [longbow]; creatures that start their turn within claims to have simply forgotten to mention the missing details).
30 ft. of the medusa and able to see her must make a • Theronia came to serve here after being captured when a horde of
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lycanthropes attacked the caravan in which she was traveling. The other have mostly collapsed, transforming the original rectangular pool into
captives were either ransomed or sold, but the lycanthrope leader decided an irregular shape (the dotted line on the map shows the pool’s original
to keep her here. shape, which matched the roof line). During the day, this area is well lit.
Note: This is partially true. In fact, the lycanthropes infiltrated the
caravan and cut a deal with the medusa to attack the caravan from within.
Theronia was to receive a cut of the spoils. Later, Gavriil double crossed A pool that looks about as long and wide as a village square
the medusa by insisting that her property was part of the spoils. Theronia lies here, its water lapping against the weathered stonework
is now working to get her things back—in particular, a robe of blending. surrounding it. In several places, the remains of pavement that
Theronia was returning to her lair after a quest to recover the robe of must have once formed a sort of veranda round the pool remain,
blending when Gavriil attacked her caravan. but the water reaches all the way to the walls in some places. The
• The weretiger Gavriil is the mastermind behind all the activity around remains of short roofs with gentle slopes surround the pool on
here. He seems to be some kind of cleric, and favors spells involving the all four sides, and here and there the stumps of broken support
elements. He’s friendly with all the elementals lurking around here and pillars stick up like rotten teeth.
talks to animals. Many piles of rubble form tiny islands all over the pool, and
Note: Theronia has it nearly right. Gavriil is a druid who speaks one very large pile of debris near the center sprouts a massive
Primordial. tree that rises past the old roof line.
• Gavriil lives in the large tower at the ruin’s northeast corner. He has a
pair of weretiger bodyguards. A spiral staircase leads up to the weretigers’
chamber to the south of their tower. Gavriil likes to watch the pool (Area The original pool was about 3 feet deep. Today, the pool’s bottom has
8), however, so it would be hard to sneak up on him. broken up and subsided, leaving an uneven bottom of hard and jagged
Note: This is mostly true. Theronia knows about the guardian tigers in stones; an accumulation of debris and silt about a foot thick covers it all.
Area 14, but does not mention them to the party. The combination gives the pool a varying depth, as shown by the contour
• Gavriil uses the idol at the north side of the pool (Area 8) to store his lines on the map.
ill-gotten gains. In addition, there are two sinkholes in the southeast and northeast
Note: This is true as far Theronia knows. She has neglected to mention corners. The southeast sinkhole is about 40 feet deep, with a 10-foot
the fire elemental that erupts from the idol. passage at the bottom that leads to the sinkhole in Area 1A. The northeast
sinkhole is about 20 feet deep.
Two water elementals reside in the pool. They spend most of their
8. Central Pool time resting at the bottom in the northern sinkhole, rising occasionally to
speak with Gavriil.
Originally, the pool served as a place where the faithful could wade
or simply lounge at the edges. Short roofs projected over the pavement (Water Elemental: AC 14, 114 hp; +7 to hit x2, 2d8 + 4
surrounding the pool, with the pool itself open to the sky. The pool’s edges bludgeoning damage [slam]; elemental can enter and
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remain in another creature’s space; a creature in the mound’s north side) if they escape a fight in their pool. The apes don’t like
water elemental’s space must make a successful DC 15 that, but they do nothing.
Str saving throw or take 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage and If the crocodiles are here when characters approach the mound,
be grappled, restrained, and unable to breathe [vortex]) they attack again. The apes watch the fight, waiting for a chance to
catch someone unawares when they reach the mound.
Tactics: Though out of sight and underwater, the elementals notice A few trinkets lie beneath the water just off the mound (discarded gear
any activity near the pool (such as fighting in one of the adjacent from the apes’ victims).
areas) or when anyone does anything in or with the water in the pool
(such as swimming, wading, tossing something in, or just checking the
temperature). They prefer to attack foes touching water. If no such target
is available, an elemental tries to knock someone into the water. Anyone
9. Side Entrance
standing on rubble and adjacent to water is vulnerable. The elemental Priests and pilgrims once used this doorway to enter the pavilion from
moves within reach of the rubble and uses a slam attack to jostle the their quarters. The priests’ quarters have sunk into the fen, but the ruins of
rubble. This attack automatically hits, and the target creature falls the pilgrims’ hostel still stand. The remains of a path running from here
into the adjacent water unless it wins a Strength or Dexterity contest to Area 1 at the hostel are faintly visible. It takes a successful DC 15 Wis
(with tactical disadvantage because of the bad footing) opposed by the (Perception) check to locate the path. If the PCs search for the path, they
elemental’s Strength check. If there is more than one space where the have tactical advantage on the check and can use Int (Survival) instead,
target could fall into the water, the elemental decides where the target if they prefer.
falls. After a fall, the target is prone in the water and must swim or wade The text below assumes the party is viewing the area after opening the
during its next turn. door from the west.
An elemental uses its slam attack against single opponents and its
vortex attack when it faces multiple foes that have entered the pool.
The elementals fight to the death.
Afterward: The water elementals’ treasure is hidden in the silt at the A passage, some 10 feet wide, with walls of cracked rock
bottom of the north sinkhole (mostly things Gavriil tossed into the water extends east from the door. The corridor has an arched ceiling
for safekeeping; there are no magic items). of stone. Enough blocks are missing up there to show patches
All the pavilion residents in Areas 5, 7, and 17 notice a fight with the of sky.
elementals, and most make ranged attacks against foes they can see, as the Some 20 feet in from the door, a thicket of saplings and vines
terrain and the combatants’ relative positions allow. seems to grow from the very stones of the floor.

8A. Tree Island The foliage is natural; it grows from dirt-filled cracks in the
floor.
Gavriil had his servants add a deadly trap in the corridor. Anyone
A tree has taken root in a big pile of debris here and grown to massive
passing through the foliage triggers the trap. The narrow rectangle on the
size.
map shows where the trigger lies. The trap has two effects. First, the rock
falls into the four spaces that border the trigger, dealing 4d6 bludgeoning
damage to anyone in those spaces. A successful DC 15 Dex saving throw
A substantial mound of rock and organic debris rises from the reduces the damage by half. Second, the character triggering the trap is
water here. trapped in a net unless the character makes a successful DC 25 Dex saving
A massive tree with a trunk at least as wide as a human is throw. A netted character winds up wrapped in the net and suspended from
tall grows from the mound. It has a crown wider than a village the ceiling.
street and nearly as tall as the domed towers that ring it. A Afterward: Triggering the trap alerts the residents in Areas 4, 7, and
layer of moss makes the trunk look shaggy and green. Some 17. These creatures watch the passage’s east end. If nobody emerges after
of the tree’s lower branches are thicker than a man’s leg and a round or two, two weretigers from Area 17 go to see if anyone has been
a few of those droop low to hang just a few feet above the caught in the net. If intruders emerge from the passage, the residents
rocks or water. attack, as noted in their area descriptions.

The mound is the remains of a tower, now utterly collapsed. As

shown on the map, the mound has a fringe of rubble that forms its
10. Larders
shoreline. Near the center, the mound is soggy dirt, covered in creepers
Through some trick of nature (or perhaps an extraplanar connection),
and ferns.
these chambers remain at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit around the clock.
Three apes have made the tree home. Gavriil struck an uneasy truce
with them. He tosses them food now and then, but generally leaves them The pavilion’s original staff opened the room’s doors from time to time to
alone. provide a cool draft for anyone using the central pool’s (Area 8) west side.
Gavriil merely uses the chambers as larders.
(Ape: AC 12, 19 hp; +5 to hit x2, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning
damage [fist] or +5 to hit, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning damage
[thrown object]) A wave of shivery cold, laced with the stench of blood and
sudden death, rolls over you as the door opens. A dozen or more
Tactics: The apes lie in the tree’s lower branches and stay hidden (they skinned and dressed carcasses of large animals hang from the
have heavy obscurement and three-quarters cover in the foliage). They ceiling in the chamber beyond.
emerge only if someone comes within reach or touches their island or tree.
The immediately attack such trespassers, hanging down from the tree and
flailing away with their claws. The carcasses are from animals Gavriil’s servants killed in the
The apes notice most of what goes on near the pool but do not break fens: deer, swine, and large lizards. The smell comes from the
their cover or intervene at all. carcasses, which are not very well cleaned, though they are mostly
Afterward: Wounded crocodiles from Area 1A retreat here (to the unspoiled.
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals
it occurs right on their doorstep—in Area 14 or right outside the door
11. Storage connecting this room to Area 8.
The wereboar hustles the women out if he notices any disturbance in
These areas, too, once were very cold, though now their temperature the pavilion. He herds them through Area 14 and into Area 16 unless the
stays near 60 degrees. Gavriil uses them to store beverages and dry goods. trouble seems to be in Area 14, in which case he ushers them through Area
3 and outside. If caught unaware, the wereboar pretends to be just another
kidnapped servant. Add the following text if the cooks are still here when
the party enters.
A cool, somewhat dry, puff of air washes over you as the door
opens. The draft carries a faintly pleasant scent. The chamber
beyond the door does not seem to contain anything except crates
and barrels. Three bedraggled looking humans stand between the fire and
the table—two women and a man. They’re all dressed in soiled
smocks, and their faces and arms are smeared with grease. When
The crates and barrels contain supplies for Gavriil and his servants. the door opens, the trio freezes in place, to stare at you with wild
There is salt, spices, and beverages, plus some preserved food (smoked eyes.
meat and dry fruit and vegetables) and some butter, lard, and flour. A few
crates contain trade goods stolen from caravans, including 100 square
yards of very fine cotton cloth (worth 500 gp) and 200 square yards of silk The kitchen holds nothing of interest or value, except the trio of cooks.
(worth 2,000 gp).
(Cook [Commoner]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4 bludgeoning
damage [club])
12. Hall (Wereboar: AC 10 or 11, 78 hp; +5 to hit x2, 2d6 + 3
bludgeoning damage [maul]; one maul attack can
The chamber here was once one of several small chapels provided for
be replaced by +5 to hit, 2d6 + 3 slashing damage and
the faithful. An altar and idol once stood at the east end, but Gavriil had
humanoid target must make a successful DC 12 Con
them removed. Today, the residents use the place as a dining area (when
saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [tusks]; if the
they have a taste for cooked food) and meeting hall. It usually stands
wereboar moves 15 ft. straight toward a target and then
empty.
hits it with tusks, the attack causes an extra 2d6 slashing
damage and the creature must make a successful DC 13
Str saving throw or be knocked prone; 1/hour, an attack
The odor of stale smoke fills the air. A table of rough planks causing less than 15 damage drops the wereboar to 1 hp
with wicker chairs lined up alongside it fills much of the space in instead of to 0 hp; shapechanger)
this narrow chamber. Solid-looking chests are pushed against the
north and south walls. At the back of the chamber is an uneven Tactics: The humans don’t fight, and merely shriek and cower if
dais covered in ash and bits of half-burned wood. Firewood is attacked. The wereboar follows suit, initially. He tries to bluff the party
stacked near the circle of ash. into leaving him behind, along with his two charges. If that doesn’t work,
he looks for a chance to throw open the door to Area 14; thereafter, he
changes form and attacks the closest foe. If characters pay particular
The dais is where the altar and idol once stood. The residents use it as attention to either of the women, someone who makes a successful DC 10
a crude fireplace now. The firewood is nothing special, and is somewhat Wis (Insight) check notices one of them darting her eyes quickly toward
green. The chests were taken from a caravan. They’re not locked. Inside the wereboar in a frightened manner, as if trying to signal something.
are several sets of pewter and silver plate. The whole lot weighs 55 pounds Afterward: Once the party deals with the wereboar, they can question
and is worth 500 gp. There also are a few bottles and casks of wine and the women (they won’t talk in the wereboar’s presence). They have the
liquor, all drinkable but of no particular value. same information as the wererats in Area 4. The women are terrified of the
tigers in Area 14.

13. Kitchen
14. Guardpost
Like the hall (Area 12), this chamber was once a chapel. Now the
residents use it as a kitchen. Like Areas 12 and 13, this chamber was once a chapel.

A smoky fire atop a raised, open hearth at the eastern end of This chamber reeks with an overpowering, musky smell. Soiled
this small chamber fills the air with haze. A few covered pots and rushes cover the floor. There’s a deeper mound of rushes at the
clay vessels lie in the smoldering coals. Closer at hand, there is a chamber’s east end, or perhaps that area is raised a bit. There’s
sturdy table that you see is actually an overturned cart or wagon. not much time to study the architecture, however; a veritable
It holds an assortment of bloodstained wooden slabs, crusty pride of striped, shaggy felines, each almost as big as a pony,
knives, and scraps of food. A few slabs of meat, both cooked and regard you with hungry eyes.
raw, and several bunches of herbs hang from the smoke-stained
ceiling. There’s one other exit, a door to the north.
Gavriil keeps four tigers here to guard Areas 15 and 16.

Three servants always stay in here, cleaning game or preparing food. (Tiger: AC 12, 37 hp; +5 to hit, 1d8 + 3 slashing damage
Two of the servants are human women, kidnapped from one of the villages [claw] or +5 to hit, 1d10 + 3 piercing damage [bite]; if tiger
in the fens. The third servant is a male wereboar; he’s nominally the head moves 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with
cook, but he’s really here to keep an eye on the women. claw, the target must make a successful DC 13 Str saving
The cooks are busy and tend not to notice any fighting elsewhere unless throw or be knocked prone; if target is knocked prone, the
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 death in dyrgalas
tiger can immediately make a bonus attack with bite) Gavriil and his two weretiger bodyguards, Inessa and Zhanna, spend
nearly all their time here. Usually one keeps an eye on Area 8 (through the
Tactics: The tigers attack anyone entering here except lycanthropes or barred windows) and another watches the archway to the staircase outside
visitors accompanied by lycanthropes. The tigers aren’t much for thinking (Area 15).
in combat. One or two tigers attack the nearest foe while the others try to
circle around to the flanks. (Inessa and Zhanna [Weretigers]: AC 12, 120 hp; in
Afterward: The tigers don’t pay attention to what’s going on elsewhere humanoid form, attacks are either +5 to hit x2, 1d6 + 3
in the pavilion. Any disturbance alerts the wereboar in Area 13 and the slashing damage [scimitar] or +4 to hit, range 150 ft./600
weretigers in Area 16. ft., 1d8 + 2 piercing damage [longbow]; in tiger form,
attacks are +5 to hit, 1d8 + 3 slashing damage [claw] or
+5 to hit, 1d10 + 3 piercing damage; in hybrid form, can
15. Spiral Stairs attack with scimitar x2, longbow x2, or claw x2; if the
weretiger moved 15 ft. straight toward a creature before
These stairs rise 25 feet to Area 16, then a few more feet before they hitting with a claw, the creature must make a DC 14 Str
crumble away to broken shaft, with the top open to the elements. save or be knocked prone and bitten; shapechanger)

(Gavriil [Weretiger]: as above, but with additional druid

16. Northeast Tower Ground Floor abilities—can wild shape into a nonflying creature up to
CR 2 as a bonus action; while transformed by wild shape,
This chamber once served as a bath; today Gavriil uses it as a prison. can expend a spell slot as a bonus action to recover 1d8
hp per level of the spell slot; spell attack +5, save DC 13;
[at will] produce flame, resistance, thorn whip; [1st level,
x4] cure wounds, entangle, jump, thunderwave; [2nd
Faint light filters down into this circular chamber through level, x3] heat metal, hold person, spike growth; [3rd level,
gratings in the ceiling. A round pit mostly filled with leaves, x2] call lightning, conjure animals)
twigs, and masonry debris takes up most of the floor. A cage of
blackened iron bars hangs from the ceiling over the pit. Tactics: When possible, Gavriil and his guards attack from a distance.
Gavriil uses spells such as produce flame, heat metal, or call lightning as
he deems most appropriate. The bodyguards stand at the windows firing
The pit once served as a bath; it’s about 4 feet deep and filled nearly to their bows.
the top with leaves and other detritus. Two giant poisonous snakes have If foes manage to close to melee range, Gavriil uses entangle and
moved in. Gavriil keeps them here with regular offerings of live prey. conjure animals to slow up foes. Inessa and Zhanna do their best to protect
Gavriil added the iron cage to hold valuable prisoners; he keeps the Gavriil from melee. Gavriil supports them with resistance and even cure
key. The combination of locked cage and venomous snakes discourages wounds spells. If forced to fight, Gavriil uses his natural weaponry.
escape attempts. Inessa and Zhanna fight to the death, at least as long as Gavriil is still
alive and kicking. Gavriil fights as long as both bodyguards are still on
(Giant Poisonous Snake: AC 14, 11 hp; +6 to hit, 1d4 + 4 their feet. If forced to fight alone, Gavriil fights for a round or two, then
piercing damage plus 3d6 poison damage, or half poison dives out a window and into the pool in Area 8 (the barred windows here
damage with successful DC 11 Con saving throw [bite]) are unlocked). Once in the water, Gavriil tries to escape by swimming
through the south sinkhole and out the pool at Area 1A.
Tactics: The snakes have heavy obscurement in the pit. They lie quietly Afterward: Gavriil and his guards keep little here except personal gear,
unless someone disturbs their nest or the cage. with one important exception. The robe of blending Gavriil took from
Afterward: The snakes pay no attention to what’s going on outside Theronia the medusa (Area 7) is spread out atop the bed canopy. It’s above
their chamber. Any fighting alerts the weretigers in Area 16. eye level, so characters need to search the chamber thoroughly to find
The wereboar in Area 13 might come here if flushed out. The wereboar it. One of the cushions holds 18 red garnets worth 10 gp each (Gavriil
knows about the snakes and gives them the widest possible berth when “feeds” these to the idol at Area 18).
sheltering here. If captured, Inessa and Zhanna say nothing if they think Gavriil is still
alive. If convinced Gavriil is dead, the pair will answer questions. They
17. Northeast Tower Upper Floor know the area fairly well, though they don’t know where Gavriil keeps
his loot.
If Gavriil fails to escape, he’ll try to bargain for his life by revealing
This chamber looks much like Areas 5 and 7. It has windows in the where he concealed his treasures. He insists that he cannot call off any of
same configuration as Area 5 (though the weretigers keep the lower set his guards. He offers to help the party with some of the combat, but only
of bars unlocked) and a floor with gratings similar to Area 7. Gavriil uses as a cover for another escape attempt.
the place as a living space for himself and his weretiger bodyguards, and If characters ask Gavriil about the idol in Area 18, Gavriil says he’s
as a guard post. hidden many coins and gems in a hollow space below the idol. In fact,
Gavriil drops a gem in there from time to time to keep the gate open—see
the Area 18 description. If he thinks he can get away with it, Gavriil offers
A quartet of metal grates lie in the circular chamber’s stone to “open” the idol for the group. In reality, he plans to summon a fire
floor. At about floor level, two sets of windows look southeast and elemental to attack the party.
northwest. The southeast windows have bars, but the northwest In addition to his gear, Gavriil carries keys to all the locks in the
windows are open and bare. Two more pairs of windows, pavilion and the hostel.
identical to the pairs at floor level, are set about 25 feet farther up

18. Idol
the walls. Above that soars a great but ragged dome.
The chamber’s furnishings include a very large canopied bed, a
jumble of cushions, at least a half dozen low planters overflowing
with flowering vines, and a few brightly colored rugs. The hollow bronze shell of some forgotten, ancient deity stands here.
The people who built the pavilion used it as a focus for summoning
elementals.
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals

fights to the death, or until all its foes retreat into the water. In the latter
Water laps against a low stone apron that’s still mostly intact. case, the elemental waits one round, then returns to its home plane if no
A semicircular dais rises above the rippling water. A wide bronze one exits the water to continue the fight.
shell, green with verdigris, sits atop the dais. The shell’s outside

Pilgrims’ Hostel
resembles some kind of birdlike—or perhaps amphibious—
creature. Apparently, the shell was once a hollow bronze statue.

The ancients built the hostel as a companion to the pavilion. Pilgrims

When the pavilion was new, the idol served as a summoning device for
who came from afar to visit the pavilion were housed here.
elementals of all kinds. Today, with the idol broken, the idol can summon
The hostel lies about a quarter mile west of the pavilion. The faint
only a single fire elemental once a month. To stay active, the idol must
receive a live coal each day and a red gem worth at least 10 gp each remains of a path that once connected the two can still be seen. The path
month. If these offerings stop for even a day, the idol becomes inactive for connects Area 9 in the pavilion with Area 1 in the hostel.
a year. If the elemental the idol summons is killed, the idol likewise falls Gavriil uses the hostel as a prison for captives and as a hiding place for
inactive for a year. Once inactive, the idol must receive offerings each day some of his loot.
and month to become active again.
If red gems worth at least 50 gp are placed in the idol, a fire elemental Conditions and Features
erupts from the hollow interior. The hostel has architecture similar to the pavilion and is as decayed and
Gavriil has been keeping the idol active, and a look inside reveals a pile overgrown as the pavilion. Conditions inside are identical to those within
of gray ash and half-burned coals. the pavilion.
(Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp; +6 to hit x2, 2d6 + 3 fire
damage and a flammable object ignites, taking 1d10 Approaching the Hostel
fire damage at the start of its turn until an action is used The party can reach the hostel by hacking through the undergrowth on
to extinguish flames [touch]; enemies that hit the fire the island or by using the path leading from the pavilion. If they don’t use
elemental with melee attacks from 5 feet away take 1d10 the path, the island’s guardian earth elemental attacks them. In either
fire damage; can enter and remain in an enemy’s space, case, the trees on the island tend to screen the group from view if they’re
causing 1d10 fire damage and igniting flammable objects traveling overland. The guard in Area 6, however, might see them as they
as above) enter. Each character must make a Stealth check and compare it to the
guard’s passive Perception (14) as the group enters the hostel. See Area 6
Tactics: Gavriil has gotten to know the elemental from the idol, and the for more details.
creature attacks anyone else it meets, regardless of who summoned it. In If the party tries to climb the hostel’s walls or approach from the air,
battle, the elemental tries to set as many foes afire as it can. The elemental the air elemental in Area 6 notices them and attacks unless the group is
116
 death in dyrgalas
invisible. The guard in Area 6 also sees visible aerial visitors. 5) and the kennels (Area 4), but insist that they hold only mangy dogs.
• They know about the air elemental in Area 6, but not about the water
(Earth Elemental: AC 17, 126 hp; +8 to hit x2, 2d8 + 5 elemental in Area 2.
bludgeoning damage [slam]; can burrow through stone • They tell the party that Areas 5 and 6 house human mercenaries.
and earth without leaving a trace.) They know these people are werewolves, but conceal that information if
they can.

Entrance
2. Courtyard
A weedy trail of crushed stone leads to a tumbledown pile of
mud-colored stone as large as an aristocrat’s villa. The place Beyond the gates lies a smallish courtyard paved with muck-
seems to have a walled compound with three towers: two of covered stones. Here and there, cattails and other water-loving
those are square and flank a narrow gateway that looks to be the plants grow in the pavement’s gaps. At the courtyard’s center
only entrance. It’s hard to tell how tall these entrance towers once stands a burbling fountain with a basin covered in lily pads.
were. All but the ground floors have fallen away. The third tower
is round, and it rises from the compound’s southwest corner. It
seems to be two floors high, with a tattered roof over the upper The fountain is home to a water elemental.
floor.
(Water Elemental: AC 14, 114 hp; +7 to hit x2, 2d8 + 4
bludgeoning damage [slam]; elemental can enter and
remain in another creature’s space; a creature in the
1A. Entrance Towers water elemental’s space must make a successful DC 15
Str saving throw or take 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage
Priests and guards once used these chambers to keep an eye on the and be grappled, restrained, and unable to breathe)
place. Gavriil’s servants use them now for much the same thing. Visitors
can get a look inside by opening the doors or peering through the windows. Tactics: The elemental lies concealed in the basin and attacks anyone
except a hostel resident or someone in a resident’s company. When the
elemental attacks, the fountain spews water all over the courtyard (that’s
what has left the yard soggy and covered in muck). While the fountain
The space here is a square chamber with windows facing the
sprays, everyone in the courtyard is considered touching water for
complex’s gateway and courtyard. Inside is a crude wooden table
purposes of combat with the elemental. The spray also gives anyone light
with a couple of wicker chairs and a few crates and barrels. There
concealment at a distance of 10 to 20 feet and heavy concealment at a
seems to be a spiral stair leading upward, but it’s blocked with
distance of 25 feet or more. The elemental fights to the death; the fountain
rubble. Opposite the stair lies a big mass of leaves, twigs, and
stops spewing one round after the elemental is killed or stops fighting.
old rags.
Afterward: Everyone in the hostel notices when the fountain sprays.
They avoid the blinding spray, but prepare for ranged combat against the
invaders if they defeat the elemental.
it’s now entirely gone.
A pair of wererats lives in each tower. The pair in one tower rests while
the other pair keeps watch. It’s possible to duck past the guards (Stealth
check opposed by the wererat’s passive Perception of 12); however, the 3. Tower Ground Floor
guard in Area 6 also might see the intruder.
The piles of leaves and rags are wererats nests. When resting, the This area was once a bath similar to Area 16 in the pavilion. Gavriil’s
wererats hide themselves in their nests. When “on duty” the wererats sit at servants have turned it into a barracks of sorts. Gavriil fitted the current
the tables, glancing out the windows and occasionally rising to take longer door and fitted it with an arrow slit. The text below assumes the party is
looks out the windows. peering through the slit or through the opened door.

(Wererat: AC 12, 33 hp; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing

damage [shortsword] or +4 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6 Faint light filters down into this circular chamber through
+ 2 piercing damage [hand crossbow]; one attack can gratings in the ceiling. A round pit in the floor’s center looks
be replaced by +4 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing damage and mostly filled with rock. A dying fire smolders atop the rocks.
humanoid target must make a successful DC 11 Con Four crude bunks are arranged around the pit. Each bunk has
saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; 1/ a crude chest with a flat top at its foot. An open arch to the left
turn, an attack deals an extra 1d6 damage if wererat has reveals a spiral stair going up.
tactical advantage on the attack or has an active ally
adjacent to the target; shapechanger)
The stairs rise 25 feet to Area 6.
Tactics: The active wererats attack the moment they see intruders. Four werewolves live here, but one is on guard duty in Area 6 at any
They spread out as much as they can, trying to use their sneak attacks. given time. Two of the three werewolves snooze in their bunks or pass the
The resting rats join the fray one round later. time gambling, using a chest as a table.
Afterward: The guard in Area 6 notices any fighting here after two
rounds (and might see intruders even before a fight; see “Approaching (Werewolf: AC 11, 58 hp; in humanoid or hybrid form,
the Hostel”). If alerted, the guard does not intervene, but sees to his own werewolf bites and uses either claws or spear; in wolf
defenses. form, it only bites; +4 to hit, 1d8 + 2 piercing damage and
If captured and questioned, the wererats can reveal much the same humanoid target must make a successful DC 12 Con
information as the wererats in the pavilion do, plus the following: saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite]; +4 to
• They know the hostel’s layout and denizens but not about Gavriil’s hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage [claws]; +4 to hit, range 20
caches of treasure (Area 4). They’ll reveal the location of the prison (Area ft./60 ft., 1d6 + 2 piercing damage [spear]; shapechanger)
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 Quests of Doom: lycanthropes & elementals
Tactics: If forewarned, one werewolf runs up the stairs to Area 6 to make
ranged attacks at any intruders. The remaining two try to hold the door.
They keep their door closed, and one uses the arrow slit. If foes manage to
6. Tower Upper Floor
breach the door, they switch to melee attacks. After the werewolves fight
for a round or two, the dire wolves from Area 4 break out of their kennels
(Encounter Level 8)
and join the fray. In battle, bloodlust quickly overcomes the werewolves The staircase descends 25 feet to Area 3.
and they fight to the death. If intruders break into Area 4 and attack the The people who built the hostel used this area as a space for quiet
dire wolves there, the werewolves from here join the fight after a round. reflection and meditating. Gavriil’s servants use it as a guard post.
Afterward: The guard in Area 6 notices a fight here immediately, and
makes ranged attacks against any foes he can see.
If captured and questioned, the werewolves have the same information
as the wererats in Area 1. If asked about the pavilion, they can reveal This area is mostly open to the air. A circle of arches supports a
much the same information as Theronia the medusa has (see Area 7 in the badly damaged roof. There’s a stone seat under each arch.
pavilion), though they try to bargain for their lives and freedom before
revealing it.
A werewolf stands guard here all the time. He keeps watch on Area 1
and the courtyard. An air elemental also hovers here, near the peak of
4. Kennels the roof.

These areas once served as dormitories for visiting pilgrims. Gavriil’s (Werewolf: AC 11, 58 hp; in humanoid or hybrid form,
servants have converted them into kennels (none too clean) for three dire werewolf bites and uses either claws or shortbow; in wolf
wolves. form, it only bites; +4 to hit, 1d8 + 2 piercing damage
and humanoid target must make a successful DC 12
Con saving throw or be affected by lycanthropy [bite];
+4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage [claws]; +4 to hit,
Tiers of wooden bunks, sans mattresses, line the walls in this range 80 ft./320 ft., 1d6 + 2 piercing damage [shortbow];
dank, stinky chamber. An uneven layer of twigs and soiled rushes shapechanger)
covers the floor.
(Air Elemental: AC 15, 90 hp; +8 to hit x2, 2d8 + 5
bludgeoning damage [slam]; can enter and remain in
One dire wolf lies in each of the three kennels, snoozing until a an enemy’s space, doing 3d8 + 2 bludgeoning damage,
disturbance elsewhere in the hostel awakens it. hurling enemy 20 ft. in a random direction, and doing an
extra 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 ft. thrown if enemy
(Dire Wolf: AC 14, 37 hp; +5 to hit, 2d6 + 3 piercing damage hits a solid object [whirlwind]; enemy creature takes half
and the target must make a successful DC 13 Str saving damage and is not thrown if it makes a successful DC 13
throw or be knocked prone [bite]; has tactical advantage Str saving throw)
on attack rolls if an active ally is adjacent to the target)
Tactics: The werewolf uses his bow against foes he sees approaching
Tactics: A dire wolf confronted in its kennel attacks the closest foe. As the hostel. The elemental has orders to attack anyone approaching the
the battle continues, the wolf tries to knock down as many foes as it can, hostel from the air or trying to scale the walls. The elemental stays out of
attacking foes still on their feet when possible. Any fighting in a kennel any other fight unless someone takes to the air or climbs the walls, or if it
or in Areas 3 or 6 brings out all the dire wolves (they can easily burst the is attacked itself.
doors). When fighting in the open, the wolves try to surround a foe so they Once in combat, the elemental fights to the death, as does the werewolf.
can get the benefit from having allies adjacent to their targets. Afterward: If the party manages to capture the werewolf, he has the
Afterward: The dire wolves and the werewolves in Areas 3 and 6 same information as his comrades in Area 3.
support each other as noted in the Area 3 description.
Gavriil has buried one-third of his treasure under the floor in each
kennel. Each cache is a standard treasure for a CR 4 creature.

5. Storage
This area once served as a meeting and dining hall for visiting pilgrims.
Now it serves as a storage room similar to Area 11 in the pavilion. It’s not
cold as the pavilion’s storage area but it has a similar collection of trade
goods.
If the party has come to the area to rescue captives, any commoners
who are not likely to bring ransom payments are imprisoned here. Gavriil
keeps them manacled and chained to rings set into the floor. He carries the
keys with him.

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 Men
&
Monstrosities
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities

Deep in the Vale By James M. Ward

This adventure is for beginning characters, with a bias toward fighters. and Deep in the Vale is their first adventure. The Vale is a humble
Player characters should start Deep in the Vale at 1st level with zero place where military and adventuring gear is rare. There are no suits of
experience points. As they complete each encounter, give them the armor or war horses for sale in the local area. If characters want that
experience points they earned immediately instead of waiting until the material, they must wait until they have a chance to visit a bigger city,
adventure is over. Ideally, characters should gain a level or two (and the which is many miles away. The equipment that can be purchased in
hit points and other benefits those levels add) before the characters wrap the Vale must be what could be found in the farms, homes, and shops
up the adventure. of simple folk. Things like daggers, pots and pans, unusual leather
All of the player characters should have been raised in the Vale. items, and other uncommon goods might be bought from Keuffel,
The pleasant valley is a peaceful place where few problems bother the the tinker who peddles his wares throughout the Vale in an oxcart.
inhabitants. Twenty to thirty years ago, there were wars against orcs and A handful of tradesmen in the village make backpacks, fur cloaks,
goblins; oldsters of the village still tell stories about those times. But lanterns, and similar goods. These can be bought at the market in the
now, life is easy for the people of the Vale—or it was. That is about to village square. The blacksmith player character can make shields and
change. simple weapons, but martial weapons and metal armor are beyond his
This adventure is not about acquiring gold and magical treasure. Deep or her skill. The leather worker can make leather and hide armor, but
in the Vale presents many situations where fighting is the characters’ best nothing more complex. Those two characters working together could
option, but there are many others where characters will be smart to do make studded leather armor.
some roleplaying before resorting to their weapons. At all times, reinforce It’s reasonable for characters to already have the types of things
the idea that the characters’ decisions are affecting the story and that what that village blacksmiths make and that farmers or humble tradesmen
they do is affecting the lives of people in the Vale. use regularly. Each of the player characters should have a job in the
Events of Deep in the Vale should be spread across many days or even village. Players can choose jobs or you can assign them however you
weeks. The villains of this adventure aren’t launching an all-out offensive like, but be logical. The character with the highest Strength score, for
against the Vale; they are raiding, seizing opportunities, and acting on example, is a good candidate to be the blacksmith, while the character
impulse rather than following some master plan. with the highest Intelligence might be the village’s only scribe (or be
Give players time to think about and discuss the situation between apprenticed to a scribe). A cleric would tend the shrine to Thor at the
encounters and to make plans for how they should meet the threat. Since entrance to the Vale.
days may be passing between encounters, you don’t need to put time Be sure everyone has a job. Players and characters don’t need to love
pressure on players. Keep the game moving, but don’t push players to their jobs (not everyone does!). Suggested jobs include dairy farmer,
make rapid decisions or rash judgments unless the immediate situation orchard farmer, shepherd, innkeeper, leatherworker, wood carver, hunter
calls for it. Between encounters, let players enjoy the usually idyllic life of (or poacher), and healer’s apprentice. A character’s job doesn’t need to
the Vale. The blacksmith is going to make horseshoes, shields, weapons, be identical with or even related to the character’s class; there’s nothing
and tools. Hunters are going to track deer in the woods to the north. The wrong with someone playing a rope maker who aspires to become a great
rhythms of life should continue in the Vale, no matter what problems
sorcerer or a farmer who tells tales, sings, and practices playing a hand-
come to the villagers.
me-down lute in the evening. All characters should be in their late teens or
At the end of all of these encounters, the Baron over this territory
the equivalent age for their race. All of them are successful at their jobs,
could summon the characters to his castle (in the nearest large town,
even if it’s not the job of their dreams.
about 20 miles away) to receive a reward and to be offered a new
The central figure in the adventure is the blacksmith. This character
quest dealing with a problem the Baron is having in another part of
should be a fighter or a similar class. He or she has a greatclub that the
his barony.
character’s father carved from a piece of oak that was struck by lightning.
Every other character starts with a backpack and a quarterstaff or a club.

Introduction
An arcane spellcaster has a dagger and 2d4 darts. Anyone can have a sling.
Their backpacks contain things like a mirror, flint and steel, a canteen, a
small tin pot, a wooden plate and a gourd cup, an oiled tarp to serve as a
In any game for beginners, the Game Master needs to help new players ground cloth or small lean-to, a heavy cloak, a change of clothes, a few
learn how to roleplay and how to react to the descriptions the GM provides. bandages, and a skin of wine.
Deep in the Vale includes many battle encounters, but characters shouldn’t As the Game Master, one of your tasks is to describe people, places,
just be dropped into a situation and told to roll initiative. Arrange things so and things so well that they come alive in the minds of your players. If
the players’ and characters’ decisions can lead them into situations where players enjoy themselves, they come back for more, and everyone around
fighting is the best (or only) option. Nonplayer characters (the villagers of the table has more fun. One of the most important things you can do as
the Vale) are your best tools in this regard. Their advice, news, requests a GM is maintaining a sense of excitement. Keep the action moving and
for help, or screams in the distance can motivate characters into doing all don’t punish characters unduly; try to always leave a means of escape for
sorts of things. characters who get into trouble. We don’t encourage babying players or
If you’re a new Game Master, you should know the Fifth Edition letting characters survive when they do foolish things that ought to get
combat rules and experience rules. You don’t need to be an expert, but if them killed. With new players in their first few sessions, however, it’s best
nothing else, you should be intimately familiar with the rulebook’s table to give their characters every opportunity to survive—if only because a
of contents and index so you can find answers quickly as questions come player who’s rolling up a new character isn’t actively participating in the
up during play. adventure. If your players have more experience with fantasy roleplaying
The player characters are all 1st-level adventurers from the Vale, games, then there’s less reason to pull your punches.
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(Boxer, King, Malek, and Predo [Mastiffs]: AC 12, 5 hp; +3 to

The Vale hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing damage and the target must make a
successful DC 11 Str saving throw to avoid being knocked
prone [bite]; has tactical advantage on Wis (Perception)
The Vale is a prosperous place. Everyone works and enjoys life in the checks relying on hearing or scent)
peaceful valley.
All the player characters know exactly what is useful in any given
cabin and have no problems asking to borrow these items. As the GM,
you might suggest they ask to borrow some of this equipment to fight the
D. Dairy Farmer’s Cabin
Vale’s battles. The dairy farmer’s cabin is large with two rooms and an adjoining milk
barn. His name is Drixell, and other workers in the Vale help him milk thirty

A. Amber’s Cabin
cows. He then gets more help making butter and cheese. Drixell keeps sixty
cows in a large, penned pasture. A group of five teenagers take batches of
cows out each day to let them graze around the north end of the Vale. All of
Amber is eighteen years old and the true beauty of the Vale. She has these boys carry slings and river stones, with which they are quite accurate.
always had a liking for the blacksmith of the Vale. Everyone figured she In a battle in the Vale, they could stand along a ridge and hurl sling stones
would marry him when she turned eighteen. Her log cabin is the largest down at an enemy. They would never stand and fight in melee.
in the Vale. This vintner’s cabin has six large rooms and a loft above. She
and her father live there. Her father grows grapes on the hillside at the (Drixell [Commoner]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4 bludgeoning
eastern edge of the Vale. His red and white wines age in barrels in the root or slashing damage)
cellar of the cabin.
Amber can, of course, be changed to any race or gender that best suits the (Herd Boys (Commoners]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, range 30
romantic interests of the blacksmith, who isn’t necessarily human or male. ft./120 ft., 1d4 bludgeoning damage)
Amber spins wool from her sheep to make warm clothing and blankets.
She is skilled with a sling, using iron sling bullets the blacksmith made for
her. She is a useful nonplayer character (NPC). She is perfect for giving
suggestions that move the adventure along. She is also going to be the
E. Worker’s Cabin
focus of a quest during the adventure. Each of these cabins has two rooms and a loft above. These are the
Her father, Hector, was in the King’s army twenty years ago. He has a workers of the Vale, who do whatever jobs are needed. Each family has
halberd and a dented breastplate that he wears when there’s time to gear two or three children of all ages. In times of danger, the children hide in
up for battle. He is an old man now, however, and wouldn’t be much use the root cellars of the cabins while the mother and father stay above to
in a real combat situation. protect the cabin. The common weapon of all workers is a quarterstaff.
The people are adept at using these weapons, as there are village practices
(Amber and Hector [Commoners]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4 every Thor’s Day on the village green.
bludgeoning or slashing damage) All of these workers keep beehives. Honey from the Vale is famous for
reported healthy properties. Besides its food value, the honey is cooked

B. Farmer’s Cabin
into mead and sold. When Flinn goes into town on his wagon, he always
brings several bottles, jars, and small casks of honey and mead to sell for
the workers.
This farmer grows corn, beets, and beans in three large fields. He can
be a player character or a nonplayer character run by the Game Master (Workers [Commoners]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4
(GM). If he’s an NPC, his name is Flinn. His home is a large, four-room bludgeoning damage)
log cabin. Behind it is a corral for a pair of plow horses. His root cellar is
the largest in the Vale; he uses it to store crops he doesn’t sell in the large
town twenty miles away. The farmer has a big wagon for hauling produce Red Apple Inn
to town. Above the mantle in his cabin are two shortswords. These were
weapons used by the farmer’s two grandfathers in the Great War thirty The Red Apple Inn is a large, two-story building. The upper story has
years ago. The weapons are a tad rusty but could be made battle-ready six bedrooms and a bath chamber. The lower floor has a large meeting
with a little cleaning and sharpening. room with a bar, a large kitchen with pantry, and a large bed chamber
for the innkeeper and his wife. The inn is famous for apple ale as well as
(Flinn [Commoner]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4 bludgeoning meat pies. The five children of the innkeeper and his wife help run the inn.
or slashing damage) There is a small stable at the side of the inn and a fenced paddock behind.
At any given time, the innkeeper has four good horses for sale.
Lunchtime at the inn is when people get together and talk about the
C. Sheep Herder’s Cabin events of the day. Everyone in the Vale comes to eat there at lunch time.
It’s a little-known fact that the innkeeper (Immett) and his wife (Kathla)
While Amber helps turn the sheep’s wool into yarn, the sheep herder are expert shots with light crossbows. They have also taught their sons and
tends the sheep and moves them around the hillsides to munch on grass. daughters this skill. The entire family is capable of sitting on the roof of
He can be a player character or a nonplayer character run by the GM. If the inn and launching bolts into an advancing enemy.
he’s an NPC, his name is Samwel. His cabin has two large rooms and an
adjoining shed where he stores the wool after the shearing. Samwel has four (Immett, Kathla, and five children [Commoners]: AC 10, 4
sheep-herding dogs that obey his commands and might actually be useful in hp; +2 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., 1d8 piercing damage)
a fight. There are 100 sheep that spend the nights in a large, fenced pasture
east of the cabin. Every morning the sheep are taken to a different section
of the gently sloping hills and allowed to crop the grasses in those areas. Village Green
(Samwel [Commoner]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, 1d4 The village green is the social center of the Vale. Every Thor’s Day is
bludgeoning or slashing damage) weapon’s practice, where adults use quarterstaffs and children practice
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with slings. At the end of the week, if the weather is pleasant, music is
played on the green. When there is danger in the area, everyone comes
to the green to band together and plan how they will protect their homes,
farms, and businesses.
A Run Around the Valley
The adventure begins with the player characters all gathering for
their customary, once-a-week foot race around the valley. They’ve been
Thor’s Shrine and Blacksmithy doing this every Thor’s Day morning since they became teenagers. This
encounter provides a chance for the characters to prove their courage and
The shrine has stood at the entrance to the Vale for as long as anyone to gain some valuable status—and armor.
can remember. Maintaining the shrine has customarily been the job of Formatting Note: Wherever you encounter text framed the way the
the Vale’s blacksmith. Once a day, the stones of the shrine are wiped next passage is, it’s meant to be read aloud to players.
down with raw wool. Mistletoe is spread evenly on the marble arch. If the
hammer bell isn’t ringing because there’s no wind, the caretaker chimes
the bell a few times a day.
You live and work in the Vale. Each of you has been on your
The blacksmith shop with its anvil and furnace are in a large, one-
own for several years; you have your own homes and make a
room cabin behind the shrine. The smith should be a player character, good living. The Vale has been good to you, and you like the
preferably the strongest character in the group. In one of the encounters, land and the people who live in this area. You have a group of
the blacksmith will be gifted by the gods with the ability to make battle friends that you like to tip a few ales with at the local inn. As
hammers quickly. He also can make stout shields. teenagers, you all dreamed about being brave heroes like those in
the legends the old folk tell at the inn.
Wizard’s Tower Today is Thor’s day, and you and your friends are up before
dawn. Thor’s day falls in the middle of every week. You’re
gathered with weapons in hand at the shrine of Thor, at the top of
The tower is the home of Agamemnus St.-Cyr, a human wizard who’s a hill near the village. You wait for the sun to peak over a ridge
now over 300 years old and looks it. For most of those years, Agamemnus to the east. To the west, behind you, are the Vale and your homes.
has secretly and not-so-secretly protected the land around his tower. He As the blacksmith, you are the strongest person in the group.
isn’t as capable anymore as he was a hundred years ago. There’s still As the son [or daughter] of a blacksmith, you have been shaping
plenty of power in the old spell tosser, but he relies more and more on metal for most of the seventeen years of your life. Among your
magic items he’s created. friends you see farmers, herders, and simple tradesfolk. You get
Despite his great age, Agamemnus is still a little over 6 feet tall, together for this run every Thor’s Day. Your friends all want to
but he looks much shorter because he’s so bent by age. He uses a staff beat you in this race, but none of them have been able to do that
with an eagle’s head atop it (pick one character and have the eagle in the last five years.
head wink at him or her, but only when no one else is looking; even As dawn’s light comes over the hill, you shout “Go!” Heading
Agamemnus won’t believe it). When the wizard gets angry, however, north, you all enjoy the feel of your muscles working. The first
the eyes of the eagle glow with a pale blue light. The wizard dresses in part of the run is five miles to the ridges on the west side of the
black silk robes and wears two ruby rings. A faintly glowing medallion valley. Before the race is over, you’ll have jogged around the
of a scarab beetle hangs on his chest, and a green glass dagger hangs valley three times as fast as you can. From the ridgetops, you can
at his hip. look down at all the farms and cabins in the Vale.
This wizard and his tower can be very useful to you. Agamemnus will In minutes, you and your friends run past the corn, bean, and
pay a good price for anything magical the characters acquire and want beet fields along the western side of the valley. One of your
to sell, including any of the goblin shamans’ totem staffs. He can also companions rushes past, and you laugh. Everyone can see that he
cast many spells that are beyond the power of the PCs. He can neutralize has pushed ahead way too early.
poison, restore characters who’ve been polymorphed or petrified, and he’ll As the group jogs past the black tower in the southwest end
even sell a few useful potions, provided he likes the buyer. Whenever the of the valley, every one gives that mass of magical stone a wide
characters encounter a magical or mystical problem that’s beyond them, margin. A wizard lives in that tower. As children, you dared each
they can get help from Agamemnus—provided they offer him something other to slap the door of the tower and run away. That stopped
in return (he’s kind-hearted but not running a charity). The best way to pay when Devon slapped the door and turned to stone until the
him is to give the wizard his pick of the treasure and any magic items the following sunrise.
characters acquire. This also helps to keep the game balanced. The south end of the valley is filled by the dark forest. Even
If there is a spellcaster in the group, Agamemnus might find a way hunters avoid that place. Instead, you jog east past the huge apple
to reward the young mage with a magic item that’s useful to protect the orchard. The red apples are large and thick on the trees. Stomachs
people of the Vale. His tower is a ramshackle construction of stone and grumble at the thought of the apple pies that will soon be baking
timber that looks as if it’s held together as much by ivy as by mortar and in cabins all across the Vale.
nails, and it might tip over at any moment. The appearance is misleading, The reason for bringing weapons on this run becomes clear as
of course, since that’s the way of wizards; the tower is perfectly sound. Its the howls of wolves and bleats of sheep hit your ears. Everyone
inside layout is confusing, however; there are no straight walls, no main races forward to see four large wolves tearing apart several dead
corridor or central staircase, and every room seems to be at a different sheep. The beasts aren’t paying any attention to your group.
level from every other room. If characters ever follow Agamemnus from
room to room (that being the only way to navigate this maze without
getting lost), they’ll eventually find themselves back where they started, The group is running for exercise when they have come across wolves
although they’d swear they went up a lot more steps than they went down. that are feasting on sheep in a pasture. The wolves are hungry, so they
won’t be scared away easily. They ignore the player characters unless
(Agamemnus [6th-level wizard]: AC 12, 23 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 they’re attacked; then the wolves fight to keep the carcasses of the sheep
+ 2 piercing damage [dagger]; +6 to hit with spell attacks, they’re eating. Characters can get a surprise round if they rush straight
save DC 14; prepares the following spells: [at will] fire into the fight without hesitating. There is one wolf per player character.
bolt, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation; [x4] detect Wolf pelts are valued as cloaks in the Vale, because they’re warm and
magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield; [x3] misty step, they show that the wearer had the courage to fight a wolf. A leather worker
suggestion; [x3] counterspell, fireball, fly) can fashion any number of wolf pelts into heavy cloaks in two weeks.
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Such a cloak is equivalent to leather armor. (Characters who can’t wear This is an experience with no explanation. Thor knows that the Vale will
leather armor can still wear the cloak as a status symbol, but they won’t soon be under attack by several different forces, so he’s giving the blacksmith a
receive the +1 AC benefit from it.) high quality warhammer. The glow vanishes from the shrine when the hammer
is picked up. The weapon glows dully when within 100 feet of any type of
(Wolf: AC 13, 11 hp; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 piercing damage monster, but the character won’t know this until a monster approaches. From
and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving now on, the blacksmith can make similar warhammers, but they won’t glow.
throw or be knocked prone [bite]; a wolf has tactical As the GM, you need to create a sense of danger that wasn’t present
advantage on attack rolls if at least one active ally is before in the Vale. As the characters work at their various jobs, they get a
adjacent to the target) sense they are being watched. Every once in a while, the hackles on the
backs of their necks rise for no apparent reason.
The villagers begin gossiping about crops being stolen in the night.

The Shrine’s Warning

Farm animals are killed and parts of them are carried away toward the
Dark Forest. Fall comes a bit early, and all the crops are ready for picking.
Dark clouds come out of the south. The clouds blot out the sun and
make things very dark in the Vale. Thunder and lightning fill the sky day
and night. The goblin shaman has called the clouds, to make things easier
Clerics put the shrine to Thor at the top of the rise hundreds of for the light-hating goblins when they raid the Vale. If there is a cleric in
years ago. The shrine is a white marble arch with mistletoe growing the player group, that person knows the dark clouds are an evil sending.
over the sides and top. There is a small bell in the shape of a hammer Introduce the charming daughter, Amber, of the wine maker. Amber is
hanging from the top of the arch. A white marble bench is below romantically interested in the blacksmith. When she hears the blacksmith
the arch. People can rest on the bench and enjoy the view down describe the warhammer and the glowing shrine, she insists on being
into the Vale. The creators of the shrine hoped the gods would look taken there. When she urges the blacksmith to sit with her on the bench,
favorably on the valley and give the people their blessing. she begins glowing, too. This scares the wits out of her and she rushes
As the blacksmith, you’ve come to the shrine to look for the home. This is a foreshadowing of her being kidnapped in a later encounter.
tinker and his cart. He’s been expected for several days. On your

Zombies Smashing
own time, in the last week, you started making shields, and you
wonder whether the tinker could try and sell some of them for
you. As you neared the shrine, you sent up a prayer to Thor, the

in the Door
deity of combat and strength—and the shrine started glowing!
On the shrine’s bench appeared a large warhammer. You can’t
help but wonder what sort of message this is. You have never
seen anything like this before. In the middle of the night, there is a pounding on the door of the blacksmith’s
cabin. If the blacksmith makes a successful DC 10 Wis (Perception) check,
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 deep in the vale
he notices that his warhammer is glowing before he hears the knocking at No one can find any unusual tracks around the wagon, but none of the
the door. Outside are two zombies bent on killing whoever is inside the villagers are willing to search very far from the presumed safety of the
cabin. Depending on how the blacksmith responds and the zombies’ luck, the Vale. If anyone is going to conduct a wider sweep for signs of the orcs, it
zombies might be easy to destroy, or they might prove very tough. If things will need to be the characters.
are looking grim for the blacksmith, another character can arrive to help,
having heard the sound of fighting from down in the Vale.

(Zombie: AC 8, 22 hp; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning Danger at the

damage [slam]; when an attack reduces a zombie to 0
hp, the zombie makes a Con saving throw with DC = 5 +
damage from attack; if successful, zombie has 1 hp) Heart of the Forest
After the battle, tell the blacksmith that he can hear the sounds of
more zombies attacking other houses in the night. There are six more All the villagers talk about the murder of the tinker. Suddenly,
zombies attacking other cabins. Thor’s hammer glows in the darkness as everyone is convinced the Dark Forest is crawling with orcs, and
the wielder of the hammer comes within 100 feet of the monsters, but it someone must go in there to scout the area and find out what’s
displays no other magical properties. happening. As the village folk talk and the innkeeper serves up
The zombies were sent by the goblin shaman. Creating the zombies apple cider, suddenly the door opens and a stranger walks in—an
was a lot of effort for the shaman, and he must rest for several weeks elf warrior in a tightly-wrapped cloak of dire wolf fur.
afterward. There will be no more attacks during that time.

This is Saradus, an elf scout and a nonplayer character for you to control.

The Tinker’s Demise He is useful to stir action in the adventure and help the player characters
survive. You should think about how you want to roleplay this character.
Think of a movie character you like who is aggressive and quick-witted,
and make Saradus like that character. The elf’s quest is to find a very
On another Thor’s day, you’re all waiting at the top of the rise special wolf. He’s hunted this creature for years. When he describes the
for the dawn to start your race. All anyone in the Vale can talk beast, Saradus gets a faraway look on his face. His description makes
about is the zombie attack two nights ago. No one could find a the wolf sound very dangerous: it’s a huge wolf with white fur, icy blue
trail, to learn where the zombies came from. As the sun rises, in eyes, and breath so cold it can freeze the blood in your veins (a winter
the distance you can all see the wagon of Keuffel the tinker on wolf, though Saradus never calls it that). Sounding very sad, Saradus
the King’s Road, but the wagon isn’t moving. The horse is dead, explains that the wolf killed his younger brother. When characters go into
and a body is sprawled on the ground. the forest, they see many wolves. Whether they glimpse this one is up to
you, but it’s not wise to let them catch it; a winter wolf is far too tough for
beginning characters (or Saradus) to fight.
Assuming characters go to investigate, continue reading. After hearing about recent troubles in the Vale, Saradus suggests setting
traps all along the edge of the Dark Forest. He’ll make suggestions, but
the characters should be the ones driving the decisions about what type
of traps would be best against orcs. The player characters should lead the
The horse and the tinker were killed by dozens of orcish
arrows. The tinker’s head is stuck on a pole near the wagon. way in any endeavor like this.
Unrecognizable runes are carved on the blood-drenched pole,
and raven claws are tied to it with leather strings. Goods from the (Saradus [Elf Scout]: AC 13, 16 hp; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2
wagon are strewn all around the area. piercing damage [shortsword] or +4 to hit, range 150
Orc arrows are over three feet long and are painted in the colors ft./600 ft., 1d8 + 2 piercing damage [longbow]; Saradus
of a specific orc tribe. They are fletched with raven feathers and has tactical advantage on Wis [Perception] checks based
tipped with obsidian arrow heads. There hasn’t been an orc raid on vision or hearing)
in this area for years. The people of the Vale must be warned.
When characters near the Dark Forest, read the following text.

There are many fun roleplaying situations around this discovery. Once
characters begin spreading the word, the entire population of the Vale Chills go down your spine as you near the Dark Forest. This
meets on the village green. Use the people of the Vale to present options is a place of frightful legends for you. All your life, your family
for the player characters to consider. and friends have filled you with stories about the dangers of the
Do the player characters pack up everything and take the wagon and forest. Even Saradus seems nervous, and no one is talking. Then
the body down into the Vale? There are many useful items in the wagon; everyone hears twigs snapping and brush being pushed aside.
do they plunder the wagon, since Keuffel doesn’t need any of his goods Not thirty yards inside the woods, you see the shapes of four
anymore? These materials include, but are not limited to: throwing goblins approaching. They don’t seem to have noticed you yet,
daggers, axes, lanterns, oil for the lanterns, holy symbols, trail food, and since you were standing still. They appear armored and geared
kitchen items like cups, plates, and cutlery. There are enough items to for war. The elf signals the group with a question: attack the
supply all the player characters with useful equipment. goblins, or duck out of sight and see what they do?
There is much debate over telling the wizard of the tower this news.
Some believe he should be summoned immediately, others that he
shouldn’t be bothered yet in case this is an isolated incident. Is there If characters attack immediately, they surprise the goblins. If characters
a need to set up a night watch? Should someone travel 20 miles to the try to hide, they must make Dex (Stealth) checks. Compare their results to
Baron’s castle for help? What is the significance of that strange pole the the goblins’ passive Perception scores of 9; anyone whose Stealth check
orcs left behind? No one knows what the people should do, but after the is 8 or lower is seen by the goblins, and if these goblins see a potential
PCs’ successful fight against those wolves, they continually look to the victim, they attack. If no fight breaks out, the goblins proceed quietly up
player characters for advice. the valley and try to steal a pair of sheep.
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(Goblin: AC 15, 7 hp; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 damage [scimitar] or +4 to It would be foolish for the characters to attack an organized group
hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., 1d2 + 2 piercing damage [shortbow]; of over twenty goblins. If players don’t realize that, Saradus absolutely
can disengage or hide as a bonus action on its turn) refuses to take part. As long as they don’t do anything foolish, characters
can watch the cave for as long as they like before slipping away again.
After the goblins are dealt with, Saradus is all for pushing into the If Characters Don’t Trail the Goblins
Dark Forest to see where they came from. He suspects a raiding party, or If characters choose not to follow the goblins, Saradus leads them
possibly an entire tribe, has set up camp in the forest. in another direction. Hours later, they discover a big orc tower under
construction. They can find a safe, secure place to watch from.
If Characters Trail the Goblins
Once in the forest, Saradus finds plenty of goblin tracks. He can lead the
group to the goblin camp easily. The tracks lead to a well-hidden cave opening
At least twenty orcs are working around the tower, and they’re
on the side of a hill. Characters can watch the cave from a dense thicket that
being supervised by a pair of orcs that are even bigger, uglier, and
gives excellent cover; there’s no chance they’ll be spotted if they keep quiet.
crueler than the rest. The tower is built mostly of logs, but the
base is stone, and it’s clearly a powerful defense. Several goblin
shamans are here, too, casting spells and splashing animal blood
At any one time, you can count about twenty goblins outside the onto the walls of the tower.
cave, maintaining a large fire with wood dragged from the forest. The tower is near a low cliff with a waterfall plunging into
Goblins continually enter and exit the cave, too, and there’s no a large pool. The orcs are quarrying stones from the cliff and
way to tell how many are inside. Several goblin shamans are with cutting trees in the forest.
the group, each of them holding a pole just like the one that was
left near Keuffel’s wagon (minus the tinker’s head, of course).
Keuffel and his horse were killed by orc arrows; does that pole Back in the Village
mean the goblins and orcs are working together? Back at the village, everyone who hears this news is certain the goblins
The shamans seem to be building some sort of altar of heaped and/or orcs pose an immediate danger to the Vale. Saradus suspects
stones. Prayers are spoken to each stone, and as it’s added to the the goblins are preparing to make an important sacrifice—probably the
pile, it glows briefly with an ugly green light. When a goblin type they perform before launching a major raid. The orcs obviously are
brings a live rabbit or squirrel out of the forest, one of the shamans building a secure base from which to launch raids, hoping to lure people
splits it open and splashes its blood onto the stones. Once it’s of the Vale into making suicidal attacks against the tower.
bled out, the carcass is thrown into the fire. The shamans seem After this exploit, the people of the village look to the player characters
especially pleased by the way the smoke from the fire is curling as leaders. Talk continues long into the night about how best to defend the
and drifting low over the forest. Vale if bands of monsters come. This is a perfect roleplaying opportunity.
NPC villagers ask difficult questions of the player characters, such as:
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1. How many goblins can the village expect to beat in a fight? inside so that a group of villagers could get into the middle of the webs with
2. What sorts of spells can a goblin shaman cast? a chance of achieving surprise. The elf knows that giant spiders (assuming
3. When will these creatures attack? that’s what created these webs) track victims by sensing vibrations in their
4. Should the village send someone to the Baron to ask for help? webs. If the webs are moving everywhere, the spiders won’t know which
5. What type of battle plan are the goblins or orcs likely to use? way to look. After some debate, the villagers are willing to move ahead with
If player characters can’t answer these questions, that isn’t a problem. this plan, if the characters agree to form the team that goes into the orchard.
It’s best if they’re honest with the townsfolk about what they don’t know; There are three large spiders in the webbing. Characters see dead
being caught making things up will undermine their credibility. sheep as they make their way into the webbing, but the spiders are easy
In any event, the orcs and goblins aren’t yet ready to launch their attack. to surprise because of the shaking webs. The spiders are on the ground
Many days will go by before that happens. in shallow holes, with hundreds of webbing strands going into the holes.

(Giant Wolf Spider: AC 13, 11 hp; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing

A Spider in the Apples damage plus 2d6 poison damage [bite]; DC 11 Con
saving throw for half poison damage; creatures poisoned
to 0 hp are paralyzed for 1 hour)

In the morning there is a stirring of the villagers. A large section

of the apple orchard is covered in thick webs. The webs are
so dense that it’s impossible to see past them into the webbed Talk to the Wizard
section of the orchard. A 3-foot-wide section of webs extends
from the orchard to the sheep pens. A quick count of the sheep
reveals five are missing. After the spider attack, most villagers think the wizard of the
The villagers are terrified and hysterical. Amber is especially tower should be called on to help defend the Vale. The oldest
upset about the missing sheep, and she hopes the characters can villagers remember the wizard helping the last time orcs attacked
figure something out. from the Dark Forest, and they believe he’ll help again.
Naturally, they want you to talk to the wizard and ask for his
help. There is some danger in this, since the last time the wizard
Saradus suggests the easiest thing to do would be to burn the webs made his presence known, it was to turn a prank-playing child to
and kill whatever comes out to escape the fire. Most of the townspeople stone for 24 hours.
object, however, since they depend on the apples for food and cider.
Saradus then makes another suggestion, if necessary. If everyone pokes
at the sides of the webbing with long poles, it could distract whatever is Saradus wants nothing to do with a possibly crazy human wizard, so

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he refuses to go with the PCs to the tower. Instead, he says he’ll wait for
them at the inn.
Agamemnus is aware of the wolves, giant spiders, and goblins coming
into the valley. He’s not aware of Keuffel’s death and will be saddened to
Amber is Kidnapped
hear that news; they sometimes played chess together. The wizard protests
that he’s too old to venture into the Dark Forest anymore, even with the Many wolves were killed, and the surviving beasts have
characters for protection, but he does want to do his part for the defense of retreated from the Vale. Wounded cows, sheep, and people are
the Vale. Instead, he offers the group five potions, free of charge: 2 potions bandaged. Dead livestock is butchered, and the smokehouses are
of healing, 1 potion of invisibility, 1 potion of frost giant strength, and 1 filled with fresh meat.
potion of neutralizing poison. Suddenly, a cry of anguish splits the night. Neighbors have
As the characters prepare to depart, Agamemnus tells them, “If discovered Hector slain in his home! The door is smashed in, and
you get your enemies to follow you to the Vale, I can still shoot it looks like a desperate battle was fought inside. The old man is
fireballs at them,” and he holds up a withered, scorched wand of ash. dressed in his dented breastplate and his halberd lies at his side;
If there’s a spellcaster in the group, the wizard gives that character it looks like he gave as good as he got, but that wasn’t enough.
a wand of sleep spells with five charges; when all five are used, the A goblin totem like the one left at Keuffel’s wagon is driven into
wand is depleted. the ground next to the front door. Worst of all, Amber can’t be
When the player characters report back to the inn, Saradus is amused at found, dead or alive.
their account of the wizard. He suggests that if the wizard will fight only
if the monsters come near his tower, maybe the villagers should erect a
fence to force infiltrating monsters close to the tower. Surprisingly, quite The kidnapping has the villagers in an uproar. The goblins who took
a few townsfolk think this is a great idea, and they resolve to get to work Amber away hid their trail expertly by riding wolves; their paw prints
building the fence in the morning. They should be able to finish it in about blend in with the hundreds of others throughout the Vale.
a week. Whether it will actually work as they hope, or if the orcs and Amber is clever, however; she dropped one of the large amber stones
goblins will just go over it, remains to be seen. from her necklace at the forest edge to show where the goblins entered,
and characters will spot it if they search along the treeline. She dropped
nine more stones along the game trail the goblins followed back to their
Wolves in the Night cave.

In the middle of the night, when the full moon is at its highest, Goblins of the Dark Forest
the night fills with the howls of wolves. Moments later, the
cows and sheep begin moaning and shrieking in fear and pain. It Assuming characters follow the trail left by Amber, read the text below.
sounds as if dozens of wolves are attacking the Vale! You’ll need to adjust a few words if they wait for daylight before entering
the forest, or if the characters never visited the goblins’ cave before now.

Saradus leads one group of villagers to fight off the wolves attacking
the cows and sheep. PCs can go with Saradus or strike out on their own; You follow quietly behind Saradus as the elf moves through
wolves are racing everywhere through the Vale and even attacking cabins the darkness. It quickly becomes clear that this trail leads to the
in an effort to get at the families inside. During the course of the battle, goblin’s cave. Saradus leads you to a dense thicket where you can
characters notice that the fur on the backs of many of the wolves is singed; see what’s going on before making a plan of attack.
these wolves were driven into the Vale from the Dark Forest by goblins A large fire is burning outside the cave. The forest has been cut
and orcs hitting them with lit torches. If none characters come to that back and a large stockpile of wood is nearby; teams of young
conclusion on their own, Saradus suggests it after the battle. The wolves goblins are using it to continually feed the fire.
generally favor killing livestock over people, because it’s safer and easier, The cave is a strange sight. Above it, the goblins have heaped
but there’s plenty of peril to go around. up a high mound of boulders. There may be goblin sentries on
The exact number of wolves in this attack doesn’t matter. Characters should that mound; it’s hard to tell in the darkness. Goblins are entering
face several wolf attacks. The first can be easy, the second a bit harder, and the and exiting the cave constantly. Those coming out are carrying
third should be desperate; you don’t need to kill anyone, but if one or more food to crude tables near the cave entrance, almost as if they’re
characters drop to 0 hit points in the last battle and need to make a few death preparing for a banquet.
saving throws, they’ll know they were in a fight for their lives. Flames from the fire illuminate a second mound of stones in the
During one of the fights, a winter wolf appears in the distance, almost cleared space in front of the cave. These stones are splashed with
as if it’s surveying the damage being done by the other wolves. The beast dried blood and ringed with more of those goblin totems. Amber
watches for a short time, then turns and lopes away. It moves generally lies top the stones, tied with leather ropes. Four goblin shamans
in the direction of Amber’s home from wherever the characters saw it, are chanting around the mound, and a sickening, green mist is
but don’t make that connection for them; just tell them it’s moving north, gathering in the air above it. A hideous face is slowly taking form
or west, or whatever direction is appropriate. If Saradus sees it, he gives in the mist.
chase, but he’ll lose the beast quickly when clouds cover the moon. Having gotten a good look, Saradus motions for everyone to
This is all a diversion. The real reason for the wolf attack is to create back away to a safe distance, where you can make a plan without
a distraction while a team of goblins kidnaps Amber. Her father (Hector) danger of being heard.
is killed in the attack, and a goblin totem is left at the door of their cabin.
There’s no sign of Amber.
The group needs a plan of action to save Amber. There is a need for
(Wolf: AC 13, 11 hp; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 piercing damage haste, because the characters don’t know when the magic of the goblin
and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving shamans will reach its peak. If players don’t come up with these ideas,
throw or be knocked prone [bite]; a wolf has tactical Saradus can suggest them. Possibilities include the following; use these as
advantage on attack rolls if at least one active ally is guidelines to react to whatever the players come up with.
adjacent to the target) 1. Topple the Fire: The huge fire is tall enough that it could be toppled
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over, and flaming logs would roll everywhere through the clearing. In the (Goblin Shaman: AC 17, 21 hp; +4 to hit, 1d4 + 2
confusion, someone could rescue Amber from atop the mound of stones. bludgeoning damage [totem staff]; spellcasting +4 to hit,
Characters with bows or spells can increase the chaos by firing into the save DC 12; prepares the following spells: [at will] acid
goblins from the forest. splash, poison spray, shocking grasp; [x2] ray of sickness,
This is an excellent plan. The goblins will be thrown into complete witch bolt)
confusion, giving the characters 1d4 + 3 rounds in which they can run through
the area without meeting any resistance from the goblins. At least one shaman
at the altar will keep his wits about him and fight back when someone tries
to rescue Amber, but the plan should succeed if characters don’t waste time.
Up to 40 howling goblins chase the characters through the forest,
Orcs of the Dark Forest
occasionally getting close enough to throw a javelin or shoot a shortbow.
They’ll chase characters right into the village, unless PCs think to run past Orc Scouts
Agamemnus’s tower; the wizard easily drives the goblins off with fireballs
from his wand.
With their plans completely foiled and their confidence in the shamans
A quiet week has passed since “the night of wolves and
shaken, the goblins pack up and leave the Vale that night. If characters go
goblins.” But this morning, two cattle herders found two dead
back to the cave and destroy the altar, the Vale will have no trouble with
orcs in a pit trap at the edge of the forest. They were killed by the
goblins for many years. If they leave the altar intact, goblins will become
sharpened stakes at the bottom of the pit. They were well-armed
a regular nuisance in the area, stealing livestock and occasionally burning
with shortbows, arrows, bronze shortswords of surprisingly good
crops.
construction, and bronze breastplates and helmets. Each of them
2. Topple the Boulders Above the Cave: Two goblins are guarding the
also had 11 silver coins. Common consensus in the village is that
boulders above the cave. If they aren’t killed silently, dozens of goblins
they were scouts for a bigger attack that’s undoubtedly coming.
come scrambling up the cliff, shrieking and howling for blood. Once the
guards are dealt with, the stones can be toppled with a successful DC
15 Str (Athletics) check, or automatically by multiple characters whose
Strength bonuses add up to 6 or more. The tumbling stones almost block
off the cave entrance. This is a great diversion; many goblins are crushed Orc Band
by the rocks, and the rest assume that the rockfall was an accident, not an
attack, since the sentries didn’t sound an alarm. All of the goblins except
the shamans outside the cave start digging furiously at the heap to clear It’s been nine days since the two orcs fell into the pit trap.
the cave mouth. Sneaking into the camp is easy, because no one is paying Nine quiet days. But tonight, you’re awakened by pounding on
attention to the forest. Two shamans are still standing guard over Amber, your door. The person pounding is one of the workers who’s
however, and they must be dealt with before she can be rescued. been standing night watch along the forest. He informs you that
As before, up to 40 goblins chase the characters through the forest all another orc is caught in one of the traps, and three others are
the way back to the village, unless they’re stopped by Agamemnus. trying to rescue it. The guards want to attack them, but they’re
With their plans completely foiled and their confidence in the shamans afraid to do so without the characters in the lead. These orcs are
shaken, the goblins pack up and leave the Vale that night. If characters go much bigger than goblins!
back to the cave and destroy the altar, the Vale will have no trouble with
goblins for many years. If they leave the altar intact, goblins will become
a regular nuisance in the area, stealing livestock and occasionally burning There’s a full moon, so treat this fight as if it’s happening in dim light.
crops. The trapped orc is just being lifted out of the pit as characters arrive. After
3. Attract the Goblins’ Attention and Lead Them to the Wizard’s two orcs are killed, the other two try to run away. The forest is pitch dark;
Tower: It doesn’t take much to get the goblins to chase the characters. All be sure players understand that before deciding whether to follow.
someone needs to do is launch a spell from the treeline, or just stand up These orcs are well armed with greataxes and armored with hide armor.
and holler an insult. Unless someone goes back ahead of the pack to warn They definitely aren’t hunters; they were ready for battle.
Agamemnus about what’s coming, however, 1d10 + 10 goblins get past
the tower before the wizard can react; they chase the characters right into (Orc: AC 13, 15 hp; +5 to hit, 1d12 + 3 slashing damage
the village and attack whoever they meet. If Agamemnus is warned, his [greataxe] or +5 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6 + 3 piercing
fireballs and the villagers’ traps slaughter many goblins and force the rest damage [javelin]; can use a bonus action to move 30 ft.
to retreat quickly. toward an enemy in sight)
Most of the goblins at the cave join in this chase. One goblin shaman
remains to watch Amber and keep the ritual going. Once the goblins have
left their camp, it would be easy for one or two characters to rescue Amber.
The goblins pack up and leave within a day, and they stay away for
Unexpected Aid
many years if the altar is destroyed.
4. Charge the Goblin Shamans: This approach is unlikely to work.
There are 60 adult goblins and four shamans in and around the cave, and A few days after your fight against the orcs, an unexpected
they all join in if a fight breaks out. After a few rounds, it should be clear visitor rides a wagon into the village. The Baron heard of the
that a frontal attack was a bad idea. Saradus suggests retreating into the troubles in the Vale and sent Sergeant Rollins to investigate.
forest if no one else does. Dozens of goblins pursue. Amber probably Rollins arrives with a wagonload of weapons and armor. There
will be killed while the characters are running away. Such is the price of are twelve halberds, twelve steel breast plates, ten crossbows,
failure. If you are feeling generous, you might let the failure of this plan and two hundred crossbow bolts. This equipment is a gift from
naturally morph into plan 3, but 1d10 + 10 goblins will still get past the the Baron to the people of the Vale, to aid their defense. Sergeant
tower and into the village. Rollins was ordered to stay and train the people of the Vale how
to use their new weapons and armor.
(Goblin: AC 15, 7 hp; +4 to hit, 1d6 + 2 damage [scimitar] Rollins explains that the Baron is sorry he can’t send more
or +4 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft., 1d2 + 2 piercing damage soldiers, but there’s also trouble brewing with giants along the
[shortbow]; can disengage or hide as a bonus action on far border of the barony. The army is defending that territory.
its turn)
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Player characters can use some of this equipment, if they need it. The people of the Vale respect Sergeant Rollins, but ultimately they’ll be
Between Saradus, Agamemnus, and Rollins, the characters have three swayed by the player characters’ opinions. Don’t allow the players to turn
valuable NPC allies. When roleplaying the crusty old sergeant, think of this decision over to an NPC. Whatever the PCs decide is best, the villagers
a no-nonsense, never-say-die person you know or that you’ve seen in back them up. If they decide to take the offense, see “Attacking the Tower.”
a movie and use that person’s mannerisms and accent. The sergeant is If they choose to go on the defensive, see “Defending the Vale.”
a veteran of many wars and an excellent leader, but he’s not a patient
man and he expects the people of the valley to work hard readying their
defenses against the orcs. Attacking the Tower
(Sergeant Rollins [Knight]: AC 18, 30 hp; +5 to hit x2, 2d6 + When the decision is made to attack the orcs, read the following aloud.
3 slashing damage [greatsword]; 1/round as a reaction, Adjust the text appropriately if characters haven’t seen the orc camp before.
Rollins can increase his AC by 2 against a single melee
attack; has tactical advantage on saving throws against
fear; 1/round Rollins can grant an ally within 30 ft. a bonus The people of the Vale agree with you that, despite the risks, the
of 1d4 on an attack roll or saving throw) best plan is to surprise the orcs by attacking. First, someone must
scout the orcs’ camp and see what preparations they’ve made.

People of the Vale Must Choose Your group is the obvious candidate for this mission.
At dawn the next day, you move out. As you travel through the
Dark Forest, Saradus points out signs that small groups of orcs
have been moving through these woods regularly, probably to
The people of the Vale are gathered at the inn. Their discussion spy on the Vale from the forest’s edge.
deals with what to do about the orcs. Everyone is certain bands By noon, you reach the southern edge of the forest, where
of orcs are massing to attack the Vale. The defenses along the you can see the orcs’ camp. They are building a tower of stone
edge of the Dark Forest are as strong as the people of the Vale and timber near a waterfall that plunges into a large pool. The
can make them. Sergeant Rollins is explaining that this situation lowest level of the tower is completed, with stone walls and one
demands a decision, and only the people of the Vale can make very large door, but the upper levels aren’t finished. The orcs
it: they have limited resources, and they must concentrate them are quarrying stone from the cliff, and they’ve built a wooden
on either offense or defense. If they split their effort, they only crane atop the cliff to help move the stones. It appears that one
increase the odds of failure. wall of the tower might have suffered damage in an accident—
Concentrating on defense protects the village and the Vale maybe a stone fell from a crane—but it’s hard to be sure, since
against damaging orc raids. It also lets the villagers fight from orc construction is a bit sloppy to begin with.
behind fortifications that will protect them and magnify their This being mid-day, only a few orc sentries can be seen: one
power. On the negative side, it lets the orcs pick the time and is atop the cliff, and one is atop the tower. The other orcs must
place to attack and guarantees that the village will wind up be resting inside the partially-built tower, out of the sunlight that
fighting the entire orc force all at once. they hate so much.
Concentrating on offense lets the villagers pick the time and
place to attack and forces the orcs to react. If the attack is launched
correctly, the villagers could catch a small portion of the orcs and If anyone wonders about the “very large door,” explain that it’s 10 feet
destroy them, then catch another small portion and destroy them, high and 6 feet wide. Orcs are more massive than humans, but they don’t
and they’d never need to face a large force of orcs at one time. On need doors nearly that tall or wide.
the negative side, taking the offense leaves the Vale exposed to Characters who try to examine the damaged stonework of the tower (from
orc raids that will almost certainly cause significant damage and the safety of the treeline) can make DC 15 Int (Investigation) checks. Dwarfs
more than a few deaths. If the spoiling attack is launched at the add twice their proficiency bonus to the check because of their stonecunning
wrong time or place, it could end with the whole attacking force ability. Characters who make successful checks realize that the damaged wall
being wiped out and the Vale left defenseless against the orcs. could be toppled into the tower if it was hit with a ram. The falling stones
Rollins ends his speech by saying, “I’ve only been in your Vale would kill or injure many of the orcs, and the rest could be cut down as they
for a short time, but I see why you love this place. If I wasn’t the rush out through the tower’s one door. If no one makes a successful check and
Baron’s lieutenant, I’d want to live in a place like this. I admire no players come up with that idea on their own, Saradus can suggest it.
you folks. Another option is to wait until the orcs come out at nightfall and split
“But I wasn’t sent here to be your friend. I’m a warrior who’s into smaller work parties. Then characters could try to isolate those
seen many battles, and I’m here to give you the best advice I can. smaller parties and attack them individually.
If you were professional soldiers, I’d say ‘take the fight to the Or, characters could go back to the village with the information they’ve
orcs and stick it to ‘em’. But you’re farmers and herders with gained and come back with reinforcements.
halberds you barely know how to use. Don’t get me wrong— What the characters can’t know unless they wait for nightfall, when
you’ve learned a lot about fighting over the past few days—but the orcs come out of the tower, is that there are 20 orcs in the camp.
that doesn’t make you soldiers. In this situation, I’d say build up Characters also don’t know that the orcs are led by an ogre; that’s why the
your defenses and aim to crush the orcs in one big battle. door had to be made so large.
“But this is your home, and it’s your decision. I’m just here to Toppling the Wall: A makeshift ram is easy to get from the forest. Any
advise.” large, sturdy log will do. Every time the wall is rammed, let one of the
players roll 1d20 and add the combined Strength modifiers and Athletics
bonuses of all the characters wielding the ram. The wall collapses if the
Sergeant Rollins’s assessment of the situation is correct, but his result is 16 or higher. Collapsing stones kill 1d6 + 4 orcs inside the tower.
assessment of the village militia is lower than they deserve. Rollins has It takes the survivors 1d4 rounds to figure out what happened and get
served with professional warriors for so long that he has an ingrained themselves sorted out in the tower. Then they come charging out the door
pessimism about part-time militias. After Rollins’s speech, many people at the rate of 2d4 orcs per round, angry and ready to fight. The ogre is the
in the inn look to the player characters to see their response. This is a last one out. It took 3d6 damage from the falling stones.
perfect time to encourage someone to give a rousing speech to build up For obvious reasons, it would be a good idea to kill the two sentries
the people’s spirit and help them make their decision. before attacking with the ram. The sentry atop the cliff can see the sentry
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 deep in the vale
on the tower, but the tower sentry hardly ever checks the cliff top. Assuming the orcs attack at night (they usually do), the light should blind
Attacking Work Parties: When the orcs are working at night, they divide them temporarily, and when they cross the fire lane, their dark silhouettes
into four groups. The first group consists of six orcs cutting stone from the cliff against the flames will make them easy targets for crossbows.
face; the second group is eight orcs on the tower, doing construction; the third Sergeant Rollins has drilled the people of the Vale to assemble quickly
group is four orcs atop the cliff, operating the crane; and the fourth group is one at the village green when a guard rings a gong there. According to his plan,
sentry atop the cliff, one at the base of the tower, and the ogre, who paces around defenders with slings move to the eastern ridge and the apple orchard;
the camp aimlessly and occasionally bawls at the orcs to work harder. those with halberds and breastplates line the center of the wall, where
Orcs on the tower can get down and reach the quarry area in eight the attack is expected to be heaviest; and those with crossbows line up
rounds. Orcs in the quarry area can reach the tower in six rounds, or they behind the halberdiers, ready to launch bolts between them. Because of
can climb up to the cliff top and the crane in eight rounds. Orcs at the their experience, player characters and Saradus are free to roam the battle
crane can climb down to the quarry area in four rounds. Characters who
as a “flying column” to reinforce wherever there’s trouble.
watch the orcs working for a while can estimate these times pretty closely
All that’s left to do is for someone to go talk to Agamemnus and make
by making a successful DC 12 Int check.
The tower would be difficult to attack directly; characters would need sure he knows the plan. As usual, that task is given to the player characters.
to get to the second level to fight the orcs, either by going inside and
climbing the stairs or by climbing one of the two ladders. (Slinger [Commoner]: AC 10, 4 hp; +2 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft.,
The quarry area is a poor target for the first attack because reinforcements 1d4 bludgeoning damage [sling])
coming from the tower and the cliff top will arrive at about the same time,
giving them a chance to overwhelm the characters. (Crossbow [Guard]: AC 13, 11 hp; +3 to hit, range 80 ft./320 ft.,
Attacking the crane first is a better option; it has the smallest number of 1d8 + 1 piercing damage [light crossbow] or +3 to hit, 1d4 +
defenders, and reinforcements will be strung out, giving the characters a 1 piercing damage [dagger])
chance to defeat them piecemeal as they arrive. The weakness of this plan
is that it doesn’t take advantage of the orcs’ morale rule (below) by killing (Halberdier [Guard]: AC 16, 11 hp; +3 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
the ogre first. The ogre will reach the cliff top the round after the orcs from 1d10 + 1 slashing damage [halberd])
the quarry get there.
Orcs’ Morale: No matter how the fight begins, the orcs will be
surprised and dismayed that the villagers are attacking them in their own
base before their tower is finished. At the end of every round when at least
Talk with the Wizard
one orc or the ogre is killed, count the number of surviving orcs. Add 5
if the ogre is still alive. Then roll 2d10; if the result is higher than the
number of surviving orcs, they turn tail and run for their lives. If the result The old wizard comes to his tower door looking extremely
is equal to or less than the number of surviving orcs, they keep fighting. angry. Before you can even say hello, he starts shouting.
The ogre fights to the death regardless of what the orcs do. Once the orcs “I see no reason to help this Vale. No orcs can get into my
retreat, they aren’t seen again at this base or in the Vale for many years. tower. Why should I help the people of this valley? What have
they done for me?”
(Orc: AC 13, 15 hp; +5 to hit, 1d12 + 3 slashing damage
[greataxe] or +5 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6 + 3 piercing
damage [javelin]; can use a bonus action to move 30 ft.
toward an enemy in sight) The situation with the wizard is meant to be a roleplaying challenge.
Players must use their best roleplaying skills to persuade Agamemnus to
(Ogre: AC 11, 59 hp; +6 to hit, 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage help in the coming fight.
[greatclub] or +6 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 2d6 + 4 Agamemnus isn’t really mad at the villagers. He has a terrible toothache,
piercing damage [javelin]) and it’s making him angry at the whole world. A character who makes a
successful DC 12 Wis (Insight) or Wis (Medicine) check recognizes what
Villagers in the Fight: If characters bring villagers along as the problem is. Otherwise, they’ll need to rely on their wits.
reinforcements to help in this fight, you have two options. First, you can It doesn’t take much to win the wizard’s help. If someone can ease
use the villagers’ stats and conduct the fight with the full rules. In this case, his toothache, he changes his position immediately. One of the healing
it’s best to divide the villagers into squads, put a PC in charge of each potions Agamemnus gave the characters earlier will do the trick, as will
one, and let the player commanding that squad roll attacks and damage any curative or restorative spell of 1st level or higher. Otherwise, just
for those NPCs and keep track of their hit points as if they were his or her some friendly conversation, a cup of lukewarm tea, a few reminders of
characters. Players might suggest this on their own, since it’s fun to handle how long the wizard has lived in the Vale and how much everyone here
a big battle this way. It makes the fight take quite a bit longer, however.
respects him, and how desperate the situation is, will bring him around.
The villagers’ stats are listed below, under “Defending the Vale.”
A quicker option is to handle the villagers with a simplified system
that relies only on attack rolls. Ignore the attacker’s bonuses; this system
is only concerned with the unmodified number showing on the die. A Attack in the Night
villager attacking an unwounded orc kills the orc if the attack roll is 16 or
higher. If the orc is already wounded by a PC, it’s killed with an attack roll
of 10 or higher. An orc kills a halberdier with an attack roll of 13 or higher, The growls in the night testify to that the orcs are moving in.
and kills a crossbowman with an attack roll of 10 or higher.
The clang of the warning gong brings everyone to their position
In any case, villagers won’t fight the ogre; it’s too frightening.
along the wall well before the orcs reach the edge of the forest.
When he hears twigs snapping, Saradus launches a fire arrow
Defending the Vale into the line of tinder. Within moments, flames are leaping to the
sky, and the howls of orcs signal their surprise. The flames don’t
stop, them, though; the hulking shapes of orcs lurch through the
By this time, there are deadly traps 50 yards thick at the edge of the Dark flames, and the sound of twanging crossbows indicates they’re
Forest: a long trench lined with sharpened stakes, tangles of tree branches excellent targets. Traps and obstacles are taking a toll as well. To
and thorny vines to slow down the orcs where they can be picked off with
escape them, a handful or orcs shift their line of approach too far
crossbows and fireballs, and covered pits for them to fall into. A stout wall
to the west, and they pay with their lives when the first fireball
of stones and logs that defenders can fight behind runs from the east ridge to
sizzles down from the tower and explodes among them.
near Agamemnus’s tower; the wizard insists he can take care of any monsters
coming near his home. Ten yards into the forest is a thick line of leaves, twigs, The battle is on!
and dry wood. When orcs approach, this can be set aflame with fire arrows.
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
In this battle, you’re only concerned with what the player characters do.
Assume the villagers take care of themselves.
Let the characters fight a few orcs along the wall; orcs are pretty tough,
so don’t throw too many of them against the characters at once. Describe
the shouts, growls, and clanging sounds coming from left and right in the
battle.
When players have the feeling that they’re winning, describe the massive
shape of the ogre suddenly leaping through the flames and charging
toward the wall. It crashes through the defenses, scattering halberdiers
and crossbowmen left and right. The orcs redouble their attacks, and the
villagers are wavering. Unless the ogre is stopped quickly, the villagers
are likely to panic and run. Sergeant Rollins is somewhere else out of the
characters’ sight, and the ogre is too far from the tower for Agamemnus to
attack it with a spell. Only the characters are capable of fighting this ogre.
The orcs’ and ogre’s stats are given above, under “Attacking the Tower.”
When the ogre dies, a howl of alarm spreads up and down the line of
battling orcs. With their champion dead, the rest aren’t willing to press a
losing battle. They flee back into the forest and quickly disappear in the
darkness.
A cheer goes up from the people of the Vale. The player characters are
hailed as heroes and treated to a great welcome at the inn. Agamemnus
comes out of his tower for the first time in decades—a hush falls over the
room when he hobbles unannounced into the common room of the inn,
and then the people break into cheers all over again. He rewards each
of the characters with 250 gp and a potion or scroll of your choice; pick
things you know the characters can use.
A few days after Sergeant Rollins rides back to the Baron’s castle, a
messenger arrives from the Baron. He wants the characters to join him
at his castle, to be honored again with a feast—and to be offered a new
mission. It seems there’s a village in another part of the barony that needs
help fighting off monsters, and Sergeant Rollins assured the Baron these
characters were the right people for the job.

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 irtep's Dish

Irtep’s DishBy Casey W. Christofferson

additional material by Scott Greene
Irtep’s Dish is an adventure for characters from 6th to 8th level. This these die rolls yourself, behind your screen. That way, players won’t know
adventure requires the skills of a rogue or some other expert at traps, a whether they got an especially high or low roll, and they’ll need to use
cleric or character that can heal allies and offer beneficial bonuses to the some judgment when deciding what to believe.
team, a wizard or other master of the arcane arts, and a fighter to take care Another option is to have all characters make a Cha (or Int) check
of “the heavy lifting.” without telling them what the roll is for. Instead, use their rolls as a secret
check, adding their proficiency bonuses where appropriate and relaying

Background
the information to the players afterward.
Either of these methods helps avoid the “I rolled a 20, so we know my
rumor is true” effect.
Irtep is an eccentric wizard, recently as well known for his issues
with wine, women, and gambling as for his skill at wizardry, which is
substantial. His marker at the Fortune’s Fool gambling house in Bard’s Result Rumor
Gate has been rescinded by Fat Julie, and he has even been banned from There’s nothing going on in town. If it were any
10 or
the tables at Blazing Bones. The bookies are now hot on Irtep’s heels. more boring in Bard’s Gate right now, the place
less
His tower appears to be guarded by unmanned arcane defenses. There is would be abandoned. (FALSE.)
speculation (and wagering) that Irtep is no longer in the city at all but has
An old friend of Irtep the Wizard hired killers to
pulled a disappearing act to a different city, country, or even dimension.
assassinate him over an old grievance (Osgood
Despite his personal and moral failings, Irtep is an important wizard
Flumph, Faisal Dhaken, or Michalena Goddeau
whose closely guarded research is sought after by high-ranking officials 11
are named as the hiring NPC). (FALSE, but
in the Dominion Arcane. It was widely believed (within narrow wizardly
assassins are actually claiming to have been
circles) that Irtep was on the verge of a huge breakthrough prior to his
hired by these people.)
collapse into the dens of ill repute. Dominion and independent magic
users are desperate to learn the spells Irtep was allegedly working on, and “When the wind blows, we’re all going to die.
many are willing to pay any price to discover his secrets. I don’t know what it means but I heard some
Even now assassins, bounty hunters, thieves, wizards, and creditors of wizard rambling about it.” (NEUTRAL—This rumor
12
every stripe are hot on Irtep’s trail, though none have managed to infiltrate is most effective when it’s uttered by a blind
his tower and recover their money or his secrets. hobo who reappears at odd times to repeat the
At the start of the adventure and at various points during it, player message.)
characters are contacted by any number of sources seeking to hire them Tuvio at the Blazing Bones hired someone to
to discover Irtep’s whereabouts. Their investigation eventually leads to kill Irtep over bad debts. (FALSE—Tuvio is owed
Irtep’s tower, which they explore in search of the missing wizard or some 13
money, but he’s leaning toward giving the
clue to his whereabouts. thieves’ guild a finder’s fee to recover his money.)
In the course of their exploration, the characters are transported to the
Minzoa—a tiny world created by Irtep and hidden within “Irtep’s Dish,” The Dominion Arcane is actively hiring
where they must battle the elements, strange microscopic creatures, and mercenaries. Inquire at the Wizard’s Familiar
other assassins and bounty hunters who are also striving to locate Irtep. for more information. (FALSE—Asking about this
Through their explorations, characters discover what truly happened to 14 attracts the Dominion’s attention, which is not
Irtep, for good or ill. necessarily a good thing. The Dominion typically
summons its aid. The rumor is likely perpetrated by
the Society of Arms to annoy the Dominion.)

Part 1: The Missing Wizard Gamblers who show a little skill can get
themselves a no-interest line of credit in most of
15 the gaming houses in the city. (NEUTRAL—Credit
A variety of methods can be used to involve characters in the quest to is usually available, but there is always interest on
locate Irtep and his hidden magic. The most straightforward are rumors, it.)
or direct contact from Irtep’s friends, colleagues, or debt collectors. Use
whatever method is most likely to hook your players’ interest to get the Fat Julie is offering a reward for Irtep the Wizard’s
adventure started. head, over excessive gambling debts. (FALSE—
16
Julie is looking for Irtep, but his own gang is doing
the legwork. He offers no reward to outsiders.)
Rumors Irtep racked up massive gambling debts. Even his
17 favorite good luck charm, Michalena Goddeau,
Rumors are most useful for motivated parties of experienced players refuses to speak to him. (TRUE.)
who enjoy pursuing leads on their own. When handing out initial rumors,
Several gangs have already tried to break into
have each character make a Cha check (players can use Int instead, if they 18
Irtep’s tower. Nobody has seen them since. (TRUE)
make a good case for it) and consult the table below. Consider making
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
campaign in the Stoneheart Mountains. Michalena has visited Irtep’s
Result Rumor
tower on occasion, and it is suspected that she might know the password.
“Irtep is a Minzoologist, whatever that means. Unfortunately, Michalena went missing within hours of Irtep’s
I heard him brag about it once.” (TRUE—A disappearance.
19
successful DC 15 Int (Arcana) check reveals that She might approach the characters through an intermediary. Her
a Minzoologist studies tiny life forms.) desire is to get the assassins and thieves off her back. Without much
Irtep was romantically involved with Michalena money of her own, she figures the only way of doing that is to
Goddeau, but she hasn’t been seen since his get an item from Irtep’s laboratory to pay the hunters off with, so
disappearance. The lowdown is that when he ran that they leave her alone. She is agitated beyond belief, angry with
out of money, she ran off with a charming sell- Irtep, and annoyed that his problems are interfering with her life
20 and livelihood.
sword. She used to frequent the Fortune’s Fool.
She spent a lot of time at his tower while they Michalena is currently hiding out with her boyfriend at the Pride of
were together, so she might know some of its Waymarch. This knowledge can be gained after questioning her associates
secrets. (TRUE.) at the Blazing Bones or Fortune’s Fool and making a successful DC 12 Cha
(Persuasion or Intimidation) check and/or some believable roleplaying.
Irtep used to drink with Osgood Flumph at the If contacted, or if Michalena seeks out the characters, she asks that they
Wizard’s Familiar and the Blazing Bones till they bring her an enchanted bowl from Irtep’s laboratory. She tells them they
had some sort of falling out. Some say it was over can keep and sell anything else that they find; she only wants the bowl. If
a woman, others that it was over Irtep’s arcane characters agree, she gives them the password that gets them in the front
21
studies. Either way, Osgood has spent plenty of door.
time inside Irtep’s tower. Since their friendship fell If characters take Michalena up on her offer but then don’t deliver the
apart, Osgood’s been holed up at the Wizard’s bowl to her, she puts out a “harlots all-points bulletin” on the characters.
Familiar. (TRUE.) Bounty hunters and assassins within 200 miles will make the characters’
Sources within the Dominion and among lives miserable until the characters are dead or Michalena has received
several of the temples who have been asked to 5,000 gp worth of compensation for her trouble. As they say in the
investigate Irtep’s disappearance are reasonably business, “that’s a lotta chedda.” Fortunately for the player characters,
22 sure that he has not fled the city. Attempts to most of the bounty hunters who respond to such a call are wannabes, has-
locate him magically keep pointing toward his beens, and other low-rent hoods.
tower, though there’s no sign that anyone is
there. (TRUE.)
Osgood Flumph
Irtep made enemies with a wizard named Faisal Osgood is a doughty, overweight wizard known to have shared similar
Dhaken by beating him at a game of cards, lusts for wine, ladies, and rich food when Irtep was on his long winning
stealing his woman, and co-opting his research. streak, mostly as a hanger-on or toady. Since Irtep’s fall from grace in the
(NEUTRAL—Irtep might have beaten Faisal at gambling community and his subsequent disappearance, Osgood has lost
23
cards at some point, but the other two items his main source of free food and drinks.
are incorrect. Faisal has a strong dislike for Irtep, He is currently hiding out at the Wizard’s Familiar, where he worries
however, arising from years of jealousy over that assassins, kidnappers, or powerful members of the Dominion Arcane
Irtep’s successes.) may seek him out and work him over for knowledge of Irtep’s research
All this drinking and gambling is a recent thing and whereabouts.
for Irtep. He used to be a stable, sober guy. Osgood could use magic to contact the characters and ask them to meet
Maybe his research put a curse on him or him at the Wizard’s Familiar. Once there, he makes a case, begging the
24 something. (TRUE—Irtep was cursed by Osgood characters to help him avoid the assassins by retrieving the Minzoa sextant
Flumph, who hoped that Irtep’s downfall from Irtep’s secret laboratory. Osgood helped Irtep craft the sextant and
would gain him access to Irtep’s secret figures that he could trade it to the Dominion Arcane for their protection,
laboratory.) or at least for a promise that they won’t harm him. Osgood is unsure of
the actual password to enter Irtep’s tower, but he is familiar with the trap
on the first floor.
Irtep’s Associates If the characters take Osgood’s deal, he expects to receive the sextant,
and he insists on using a scroll inscribed with a special geas spell on it to
It is always possible that no matter how deeply the Game Master make sure the characters remain on the up-and-up with him. He offers the
attempts to set the hook of adventure in his players, they refuse to take characters the following magic items to help them in their task: a potion of
the bait. In this event, introduce the player characters to associates of Irtep fly, a scroll of lightning bolt, 1,000 gp apiece, a 500 gp diamond, a wand
as a way of moving the plot along and engaging the characters in the of magic missiles (10 charges), a potion of invisibility, and a +1 weapon
story. Hearing rumors at the onset of the adventure about a bounty on Irtep of the group’s choice. He also suggests that they help themselves to any
can lead characters directly to associates of Irtep and a glorious quest for of the antiquities Irtep may have collected, which he keeps crated on the
treasure. Players are typically skittish about unverified rumors, however. sixth floor of his tower. (This is a lie; there are no treasures there, only a
This can be especially true if they’ve played other Necromancer Games charmed troll.)
adventures! In this case, a more direct approach is sometimes needed to Osgood is particularly suspicious of Faisal Dhaken (an old associate
kick the adventure into high gear. If characters don’t follow up on any of his and of Irtep), and he warns the characters against meeting with the
rumors, have the characters be approached by hunters in search of Irtep or wizard. He complains that Faisal is one of the reasons Osgood is hiding
by associates of Irtep who are looking for a hand in solving the wizard’s in the Wizards Familiar, since the inn offers protection against magical
disappearance. assault.
Folk who know Osgood from the bars and gaming halls might suggest
that he is hiding at the Wizard’s Familiar with a successful DC 13 Cha
Michalena Goddeau (Persuasion or Intimidation) check. As Osgood is aware he is being
Goddeau is a girl who frequently works the Blazing Bones. Irtep sought by bounty hunters, assassins, and guards, he might reach out to the
considered her his lucky charm until his luck (and money) ran dry characters on his own, desperate for protection.
and she moved her affections to a mercenary flush with cash from a Osgood’s statistics are located in the appendix to this adventure.
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 irtep's Dish

Osgood is not who he presents himself to be. In fact, Osgood The Blazing Bones
is the one who placed the curse on Irtep, by blending a curse
into the sextant that was specifically set to geas poor Irtep into This establishment is a generic, rectangular gaming hall. No special
destructive behavior. Faisal suspects that Irtep was cursed and map or floor plan is needed.
he further suspects that Osgood is behind it, but he has no proof If the characters head off to the Blazing Bone,s they arrive at a darkened
with which to trap the treacherous Osgood. If Irtep is brought to establishment. The harlots and streetwalkers normally found near its
Faisal, the foreign wizard can break the curse. busy front door are absent. A sign on the door reads “Gone fishing, come
back tomorrow. The Mgt.” Attempting to peer through the place’s filthy
windows reveals that the inside is indeed dark and empty.
The door is locked with a stout lock, and careful inspection (or picking
Faisal Dhaken the lock) reveal that it’s also barred from the inside. If the characters
Faisal is a foreign wizard with exotic features and a forked beard. He wears persist at trying to get through the door, a half-orc opens the door from
a brilliant black turban with a precious ruby affixed in its center and carries inside and tells them to beat it. If asked about Irtep or Michalena, the half-
a twisted staff inlaid with silver magic symbols. Faisal has a reputation for orc grins and says. “Don’t worry, the boss is out lookin for em!” He then
dark deeds. Whether this reputation is warranted remains to be seen. He is slams the door in their faces, bars it again, and goes back to whatever he
caustic, haughty, and quick to anger. Faisal was an associate of Irtep in both was doing before.
gambling and magical research. He assisted Irtep in enchanting the pipes of
Minzoa but was horrified by the demonstration of their use. He begged his
friend to destroy the pipes. Irtep refused, and the two parted ways.
Some weeks passed before Faisal found Irtep gambling at the Fortune’s
Fortune’s Fool
Fool. He joined the table to play a hand, hoping time and their mutual Fortune’s Fool is a massive casino and entertainment parlor in the
love of gambling would allow him to broach the subject of the pipes once Thieves Quarter of Bard’s Gate. It features a renowned indoor theater and
more. Irtep again refused to destroy them, and the two had a loud and outdoor unarmed fighting arena. Further details on the exact floor plan
vocal argument that everyone assumed was over gambling. Because of of the Fortune’s Fool can be found in Bard’s Gate from Necromancer
Faisal’s dark reputation, many observers have assumed that Faisal hired Games, but we provide enough information here for you to use the
assassins to slay his former friend over the incident. Faisal has quietly location.
offered a substantial reward for finding Irtep, but he wants his friend
brought back to safety, not murdered. Faisal may approach the characters
and offer them 1,000 gp each, a potion of invisibility, a potion of haste, Gathering Information
a potion of strength, and a potion of spider climb, as well as a scroll of If characters wander through Fortune’s Fool, talking to patrons and
lightning bolt and a scroll of slow. He asks that the characters find Irtep eavesdropping on conversations, you can use the rumors table from above
and bring him back alive and unmolested. to determine what additional tidbits they gather. Their efforts should lead
Faisal is not hiding. He can be found at his apartment in Turlin’s Well. eventually to a suggestion (friendly or otherwise) that Ayelyln the Barkeep
Faisal’s statistics are in the appendix to this adventure. is the best source of information in the place.
Assuming that the characters ask the barkeep about Irtep, Faisal,
Michalena, or other characters they’ve encountered during their
Gynnen Valzoe investigation, they are directed to a back room guarded by a pair of
Gynnen is a skilled musician and member of the Bard’s College. menacing half-orcs (Choli Bonesnapper and Colic) dressed in fine doublets
Gynnen, probably more than any other associate or panderer of Irtep’s and brandishing greataxes. If the characters don’t seem interested in
favor besides Faisal, is honestly worried about Irtep and his well-being. checking out the back room, a squad of four or more half-orcs surrounds
Gynnen and Irtep became drinking buddies during Irtep’s winning streak, them and insistently escorts them to the back room.
when Gynnen performed regularly at the Fortune’s Fool. Irtep insisted on
taking lessons in pipe playing from Gynnen. Eventually Irtep persuaded
Gynnen to craft a set of pipes for Irtep from mithral, silver, ivory, and rare
hardwood. Gynnen understood that Irtep meant to enchant the pipes, but
he knows nothing about the specific nature of the enchantment. The bard
Public Brawling
is afraid that the pipes were enchanted with a malevolent purpose. He Starting a bloody battle in Bard’s Gate’s largest casino is a very
would like to see them turned over to the authorities or destroyed. rash idea. Fortune’s Fool is a popular place, and its customers
Mostly, though, Gynnen just misses his drinking buddy and wants to don’t want to see it wrecked up. Such shenanigans attract the
make sure that Irtep is alive and safe. If the characters can bring Irtep to guard, sheriffs, and wandering adventurers of comparable level
him alive, he intends to smuggle the wizard out of the city, to start over to the player characters, who harry and assault player characters
again in another city with a new identity. foolish enough to do start trouble here. Characters won’t be killed,
Gynnen Valzoe’s Statistics are in the appendix to this adventure. but they’ll be pummeled into unconsciousness and handed over to
Fat Julie to deal with.

Location Scouting Fat Julie

and First Contacts If the player characters meet with Fat Julie, he greets them in a back
room and offers to pay them to track down Irtep and relieve the wizard of
at least 15,000 gp worth of property; that’s what the halfling bookmaker is
Somehow, characters must be set on the path of locating Irtep. Rumors owed by the deadbeat spellcaster. Fat Julie is polite to characters (unless
and NPCs set the stage for locations that the characters should visit in the they started trouble in his place), but he’s absolutely clear that Irtep owes
course of the adventure as well as suggestions of locations that the player him a debt and no one welches on Fat Julie. That’s just good business.
characters might visit on their journey to Irtep’s tower. Listed here are brief Characters can take Julie’s deal or leave it. Taking the deal may give
descriptions of the likely locations that the characters might visit in their the characters an added ally or contact in the city who the Game Master
search for Irtep and his associates. Each location also includes a potential can use when setting up further adventures. Refusing Julie’s offer won’t
first contact with an NPC that can get the characters access to Irtep’s tower. necessarily earn the characters an enemy. Either way, Fat Julie sends his
135
Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities

136
 irtep's Dish

agents to tail the characters through the city to see which other contacts fills with the smell of roses and manure. Immediately the orcs lose the
they end up making. characters’ scent.
If characters take the deal, they are directed to track down Irtep’s
one-time girlfriend at the Pride of Waymarch, or his old buddy Osgood
Flumph at the Wizard’s Familiar. Julie’s agents haven’t been able to make
much progress at either establishment because of the Pride’s low tolerance
Faisal’s Offer
of any being with “half” in their name, and the Wizard’s Familiar’s low Faisal admits that he was an ally of Irtep, and that Irtep is being sought
tolerance of nonmagicians. not only by Julie but also by members of the Dominion Arcane and by Red
If the characters end up meeting more than one additional contact Blades Assassins. He begs the characters find a way into Irtep’s Tower and to
without accepting Fat Julie’s deal, a second meeting with Julie’s gang recover the pipes of Minzoa before they fall into someone else’s hands and
of half-orcs happens just after the characters leave Irtep’s Tower. See the cause even more trouble. He offers to pay the characters 1,000 gp apiece,
“Conclusions” section of this adventure for more details. plus a few select magic items from Irtep’s collection (but nothing outrageous).
If questioned about the rumor that he is the one who wants Irtep killed,

Leaving the Fortune’s Fool

he explains that he is Irtep’s friend and that their falling out was his
reaction to the evils that the pipes could have been used to commit.
If characters take Faisal up on his offer, he suggests that they visit the
Upon leaving the Fortune’s Fool, the characters are approached by Pride of Waymarch to track down Michalena Goddeau. Faisal is certain
a dark figure in a turban. He asks the characters to quickly follow him that Irtep gave her a special password that reveals the door of his tower.
into a nearby alley across from the Fool, where he introduces himself as Faisal is unaware of the ground floor trap in Irtep’s Tower, as the trap
Faisal and tells the characters that they are in great danger. If they follow was devised by Osgood and Irtep. Osgood does not have the password to
him into the alleyway, he directs their attention to the front door of the enter the tower, because this was given only to Irtep’s concubines.
Fortune’s Fool just as a pair of half-orcs leave the place. A successful DC If Fat Julie learns that the characters accepted Faisal’s offer after turning
10 Int check allows the characters to recognize them as some of Julie’s his down, he won’t be interested in pursuing any further deals with them.
thugs that they encountered in the casino. If the characters say no to Faisal, he is annoyed and refuses to offer them
As the characters watch, the half-orcs begin sniffing at the air and turn any help. He suggests that if they are unwilling to help, they should steer
almost immediately toward the alley where Faisal and the characters far clear of him and forget they knew the name of Irtep or Faisal Dhaken.
are hiding. Faisal quietly casts a spell, and the air around the characters See the section “Conclusions” for further details on Faisal’s actions.
137
 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
The entrance is flanked by a pair of statues of grim-faced wizards

At The Wizard’s Familiar whose features are hidden by the brims of their broad hats. The statues
are enchanted to trigger a magical fear trap on any being who is not an
arcane spellcaster. Those who step onto the stairs must make a DC 14 Wis
A map is provided of the ground floor for the Wizard’s Familiar. saving throw or become frightened of the entire building for 24 hours.
Rumors may have set the characters on the course of the Wizard’s Those who succeed are allowed entry to the Grand Parlor of the Wizard’s
Familiar in search of Osgood Flumph. It is also possible that the characters Familiar, though they are not allowed access to any chamber beyond save
have already encountered Faisal Dhaken, Fat Julie, or Michalena Goddeau, by permission of the proprietor, Folsum Judduk.
and one of them might have put the characters on the trail of Osgood.
The Wizard’s Familiar is a grand Inn and landmark in the Turlin’s
Well District of Bard’s Gate. The Familiar, as it is called, is an exclusive Gathering Information
establishment, open to arcanists or by invitation only. The inn is covered
in illusions to make it appear as nothing more or less than high class The Grand Parlor of the Wizards Familiar is a combination taproom,
apartments common in the area. meeting lounge, and general common chamber one would find in any
Its front stair is guarded with enchantments that steer riff-raff away upscale inn. Here, however, the patrons are all wizards who are sitting and
from the club. Luckily for the characters, the Wizard’s Familiar is well chatting, puffing their pipes, stroking their beards, scratching behind their
known to most locals who are in the know. They typical laborer in the familiars’ ears, or generally ruminating on the mysteries of the universe.
street won’t know its location, but anyone who is more highly placed in If the characters engage them in conversation, you can pull additional
society or who dabbles in the magical arts can direct them to the correct rumors off the rumors table (above). Questions involving Irtep, Faisal,
building, even if most people have never seen the inside of the place. or Osgood attract the attention of a quartet of young but stern wizards
The stairs to the doorway are hidden by an illusion that appears to be in black silk and velvet attire with the design of the Wizard’s Familiar
a permanent wall; a successful DC 14 Wis (Perception) check is needed embroidered on their tunics. The wizards are armed with wands and are
to spot the door. Beyond the illusory wall is a small courtyard leading to quite humorless.
a set of stairs that end at a pair of massive, oaken double doors decorated If characters approach the bar, they are met by Folsum Judduk, who
with carvings of crows, cats, dogs, bats, fish, birds, small dragons, and introduces himself as the innkeeper of the Wizard’s Familiar. He is
other creatures that throughout the ages have served wizards as familiars. aware of Irtep, and has thrown the wizard out for bringing trouble to his

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establishment. He hopes that he will not also have to throw the characters set of fine pipes for the wizard just before Irtep fell head over heels in
out for similar reasons. If the characters are sincere and respectful in their love with Michalena Goddeau. He begs the characters to do whatever
investigation and questioning, Folsum directs them to the Monstrosities they can to find his friend and to bring him secretly to the docks, where
room, just off the main parlor, indicating they may find answers to their Gynnen intends to spirit the wizard safely out of town, perhaps to Reme
questions there. If characters get pushy or try intimidating the bartender or somewhere in the Grand Duchy where he can start over.
or his patrons—well, they’re trying to start something in a room filled Recently, because of his suspicions, Gynnen followed Faisal and saw
with high-level magic-users. That ploy won’t end well for the characters. him entering and leaving known hangouts of “dark” members of the
Dominion Arcane. Around the same time he came across Osgood as he
was leaving the residence of a wizard named Manisool—a man of evil
Monstrosities Room, reputation—with a clutch of papers and scrolls in his hands. When he
approached, Osgood grew agitated and took great pains to prevent Gynnen
Osgood’s Offer from seeing what was on any of the items, but the bard is certain that some
of them were magical scrolls.
The private room is adorned with parts and pieces of various creatures Gynnen is convinced that one or both of those characters have cursed
such as manticores, perytons, and the stuffed heads of a chimera. It has a his friend, and he has spent a goodly amount of the coin Irtep paid him for
view of the street through crystal glass windows and fine velvet curtains. crafting the pipes to purchase a powerful scroll of his own to break what
The walls are lined with bookcases on various supernatural beasts. he assumes is a curse on his friend. This is a specialized scroll of greater
Sitting in one corner smoking a pipe is a portly wizard who introduces restoration, bought with Irtep’s money and associated to him through
himself as Osgood Flumph. He apologizes for all the previous questioning personal possession so that it can automatically break the geas on Irtep
and the subterfuge required to meet him at the Wizard’s Familiar, but even if the caster is not normally able to cast that spell.
indicates that his life may be in danger because of his association with Gynnen can offer little in the way of payment, though he points out that
Irtep. Osgood claims to be a good friend of the wizard, though they aside from Irtep’s notebook and his life, the wizard is unlikely to take any
recently had a falling out over Irtep’s drinking and womanizing. of his possessions with him when he assumes his new identity. Anything
Osgood suspects that Faisal Dhaken had something to do with Irtep’s in his tower might as well go to the characters who saved his life as to the
disappearance, but the only evidence he offers is Faisal’s reputation for scavengers who will inevitably follow.
being devious and a member of an “evil” sect of the Dominion Arcane. Gynnen knows that only Michalena Goddeau has the current password.
He thinks Faisal is trying to steal Irtep’s secrets for himself, and that he He is also aware of a particularly nasty arcane trap allegedly built into the
needs Osgood to get him past a particularly nasty arcane trap located on first floor of the tower, which Osgood Flumph had some knowledge of.
the ground floor of Irtep’s tower. Osgood claims he would go to Irtep’s Gynnen suggests that the characters avoid any of Irtep’s other associates
tower, overcome the trap, and gather the sextant himself, but he does not and “work it out on their own” as the safest policy. The fewer people who
know the password to enter the tower. Each time he entered the tower in know about their mission, the better.
the past, he was accompanied by Irtep.

The Pride of Waymarch

Osgood offers to pay the characters with a potion of fly, a scroll of
lightning bolt, 1,000 gp apiece, a 500 gp diamond, a wand of magic
missiles, a potion of invisibility, and a +1 weapon of the characters’ choice
if they recover an item called the sextant of Minzoa that he helped Irtep
to enchant. He does not go into detail about the item, other than that it The Pride of Waymarch is a simple, square tavern. No map is provided.
looks like a sailor’s sextant, it is located somewhere in Irtep’s laboratory, If rumors or NPC interactions lead the characters to the Pride of
and that unless he can get it into the hands of his allies in the Dominion Waymarch, they find themselves at a tavern in the Market District of Bard’s
Arcane, he may be trapped in the Wizard’s Familiar, a de facto prisoner of Gate catering to military, ex-military, and mercenaries of all stripes. The
a wizards’ power play for the rest of his days. shield of Waymarch hangs above the lintel and a sign indicates “Private
If the characters take his offer, Osgood suggests that Michalena Club—Spellcasters and other undesirables unwelcome.”
Goddeau, a lady companion of Irtep has the password that would gain A pair of mercenaries wearing old campaign badges of the armies in
access to Irtep’s tower; she was frequently seen entering the tower during which they served sit flanking the doorway with tall tankards of ale. They
her and Irtep’s time together. ask anyone who even resembles an arcane spellcaster to move along.
If the characters refuse Osgood’s offer, he tells them that they are making Other newcomers are given the choice of dueling either of the two fighters
a grave mistake and that he will not be able to protect them from rumors for a chance at a membership.
that they are on the trail of Irtep’s treasures. He may allude that the Red Characters who agree are escorted to a courtyard set along the side of the
Blades would not be as congenial as he, and that Faisal certainly would do inn where a series of racks of blunted and practice weapons sit. Characters
“terrible things” should he find the sextant or Irtep’s research notes. From can choose their weapon and proceed to battle. Use the statistics for the
that point on, Osgood is hostile to the characters and interferes with their standard NPC Veteran for their opponent (or any other humanoid NPC in
attempts at gaining access to Irtep’s Tower. See “Conclusions” for further the Challenge 2-4 range, if you prefer). If the character wins the fight, or
details on Osgood’s actions. lasts at least three rounds against the opponent, the character is vouched
for and can join the club for 2 gp.

Leaving the Wizard’s Familiar (Veteran: AC 17, 58 hps; +5 to hit x2, 1d10 + 3 slashing
damage [longsword])
Regardless of the outcomes or their experiences in the Wizard’s
Once inside the pride of Waymarch, the characters find themselves in
Familiar, the characters are eventually approached by a handsome bard
the company of hard-bitten fighting men. Some are retired, others are
who begs their time to play a song for them. The bard is quite persistent to
young sell-swords looking for work. Most are drinking, sharing stories,
the point of annoyance. If the characters pay him off, he draws forth a set
and lying about their exploits to a coterie of attractive trollops.
of pipes and begins performing a song for them.
If the characters start asking questions, use the rumors table (above)
Upon completion, he smiles and introduces himself as Gynnen Valzoe
to see what the “word on the street” is. Should their line of questioning
and indicates that he is aware that the characters are looking into Irtep’s
directly relate to Irtep, Faisal Dhaken, or Osgood Flumph, they are directed
disappearance. He has heard good things about the characters and wants to
to the bar owner, Sergeant Vassale. The sergeant suggests that characters
offer them some advice. Gynnen suggests that none of the former friends
who are seeking wizards should go look in the types of pest-holes where
of Irtep are as they seem. He distrusts Osgood Flumph and Faisal Dhaken
wizards hang out; otherwise, they should shut their traps and enjoy their
equally. He claims he was Irtep’s best friend, and that he fashioned a
whiskey and ale. If characters ask for directions, Vassale tells them how
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to find the Wizard’s Familiar, the Tower of Irtep, and the apartment of He introduces himself as Tuvio, proprietor of the Blazing Bones. He
Faisal Dhaken. If trouble develops, Sergeant Vassale is a standard human knows that the characters have managed to get an audience with Michalena
Veteran NPC. and would like to know what they learned about Irtep and whether or not
If characters inquire about Michalena Goddeau, a burly young fighter Michalena gave up the password.
stands up and demands to know who is asking and why. The fighter is Tuvio explains that Irtep owes him a cool 5,000 gp, and that if the
Gustas, Michalena’s new sugar daddy. He just returned from an expedition characters are looking for Irtep, they are “de facto” looking for his money.
to the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon with a nice sack of gold. Gustas gets Since the characters are hunting for Irtep anyway, there’s no reason why
mouthy with the character(s) asking questions about his girl. While Gustas they can’t cooperate for mutual benefit. Tuvio isn’t even angry at Irtep—
keeps the characters occupied, his girl is slipping out the back exit from he likes the wizard and understands that gamblers have up times and
the taproom. Characters who make successful DC 10 Wis (Perception) down. The 5,000 gp isn’t even everything Irtep owes him; it’s what Tuvio
checks notice a young brunette woman sidling toward the rear exit. is willing to settle for.
Gustas is hot-blooded and may want to go to blows over people making Tuvio’s kind feelings toward Irtep (which are at least partly genuine)
any disrespectful comments about his girl. This, of course, leads Sergeant don’t extend to Michalena, Osgood, or Fiasal. He considers the first two to
Vassale to suggest they “take it outside” to the courtyard to settle their be worthless sponges and the last to be a dangerous meddler in dark arts.
issue. Gustas is a standard human Berserker NPC. Like everyone else, Tuvio wants the characters to get inside Irtep’s
(Gustas [Berserker]: AC 13, 67 hps; +5 to hit, 1d12 + 3 slashing damage tower, find out what became of the wizard, help him if they can, and
[greataxe]; at the start of its turn, the berserker can opt to have tactical retrieve Tuvio’s debt. For payment, Tuvio will extend the characters 1,000
advantage on its attack, but then all attacks against it also have tactical gp each in credit at the Blazing Bones and offers to introduce them to
advantage until the start of the berserker’s next turn) some of the best and most important folk of local society. He sweetens the
If a character ends up dueling Gustas and appears poised to win the deal by offering to fence anything they retrieve from Irtep’s tower at top
fight, Michalena returns immediately and tries to stop the beating. She value, so long as he gets his 5,000 gp cut from the deal.
agrees to talk to the characters if they don’t hurt Gustas any more. Gustas If the characters refuse Tuvio, he informs them that they are making
is humiliated, but he stops fighting for Michalena. He insists on being a mistake and that he has friends that shouldn’t be crossed. See
present for any questioning and continues to hold a chip on his shoulder “Conclusions” for possible attention from Tuvio and his associates at the
against the characters. (See the section “Conclusions,” below.) end of this adventure.

Pursuing Michalena Part 2:

On To Irtep’s Tower
Michalena is easy to track with a DC 10 Wis (Perception) check. She
simply found a hiding spot in the alleyway and is waiting for the characters
to leave the Pride so that she can return to her boyfriend. If cornered, she
threatens to scream for the constables. She can be calmed down with a Eventually the characters should have enough material and information
DC 10 Cha (Persuasion or Intimidation) check or a bribe of at least 50 gp. to make a go at entering Irtep’s Tower.
Michalena is a golddigger who was only interested in Irtep’s money. The use of the password is important in entering the tower but is by no
When she met the younger Gustas and his sack of gold, her heart and her means the only means of entry. A few enterprising thieves and members of
avarice followed. She wants nothing more to do with Irtep or his crazy the Red Blades have already found alternate entrances. What isn’t widely
ways, and she’s willing to sell the password to his tower for 1,000 gp and a known (because the Red Blades and the thieves’ guild aren’t talking) is that
crystal dish that Irtep owns. She figures that he spent more time with “the none of these experts have managed to leave the tower once they got in.
dish” than he spent with her, so it would be ironic justice if she get the dish
and he had nothing but his debts, the bounty hunters, and a broken heart.
She finds Osgood “creepy” and feels that Faisal is definitely a villain. Her
opinion of Gynnen is that he is “dreamy” but broke, and therefore not
Tower Features
worth wasting her time on. Doors: All doors are locked with arcane lock spells unless otherwise.
If the characters make a deal with her, she gives them the password and Picking such a lock requires a set of thief’s tools and a successful DC
reminds them that if she doesn’t get the dish, Gustas’s mercenary friends 25 Dex check (that includes the 10-point penalty for arcane lock), and
will come looking for them. It should be noted that taking Michalena’s deal breaking down such a door requires a DC 25 Str (Athletics) check, unless
means crossing Fat Julie, which becomes important in the “Conclusions” noted otherwise.
section of the adventure. Windows: Windows line the sides of the tower on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th,
The password can also be gotten from Michalena through a successful 5th, and 6th stories. The outdoor windows are locked with arcane locks
DC 15 Cha (Persuasion or Intimidation) check, a 5,000 gp bribe, or and require the same rolls as doors to open, unless noted otherwise.
through use of a spell such as charm person. Electricity Trap: The windows are trapped. Anyone touching a
Should any character be heartless enough to get into a duel with window and everyone else within 15 feet takes 3d8 lighting damage, or
Michalena, she uses the stats of a standard human Commoner NPC, but half that much with a successful DC 15 Dex saving throw. This trap can be
fights with a dagger instead of a club. discovered with a DC 15 Wis (Perception) check and bypassed with a DC
20 Dex check, but failing the Dex check sets off the trap.
(Michalena [Commoner]: AC 10, hps 4; +2 to hit, 1d4 Light: The tower is brightly lit by sconces of magical flame placed at
piercing damage [dagger]) 10-20 foot intervals unless otherwise noted.

Leaving the Pride of Waymarch

Upon leaving the Pride of Waymarch, the characters are stopped by a
Outside the Tower
trio of half-orc ruffians led by a thin, shifty human male with dark hair and The tower sits in a decent area of the Old Temple District not far from
a wicked, fine-handled rapier in his belt. The man asks if he can buy the the Kings Bridge.
characters a drink from a local wine cart while they walk and talk. If the It is an octagonal tower for the most part, with six stories, standing
characters refuse, his half-orcs crowd around and try to look intimidating, roughly 80 feet high. The roof tapers to a point. The tower is surrounded by
but the man waves them back. a decorative moat with a bridge that leads to the doors of the ground floor.
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Patrolling the moat are a group of four Lyreguards with four guard patrol, or to pass off one of their members as a town officer who has
dogs under the command of a no-nonsense veteran, Officer Gralme. official clearance to access Irtep’s property. This requires a successful
The guardsmen steer folk away from the tower and are serious about Cha (Deception) check opposed by Officer Gralme’s Wis (Insight)
pursuing any would-be thieves. The tower is currently considered check.
something of a public hazard, and the guardsmen aret here to safeguard Organized Distraction: Characters could come up with a plan to
the citizenry. stage a distraction that pulls the guard patrol away from the doorway long
Because this is a unique situation, this guard detachment is accompanied enough for characters to slip inside. This could involve hiring a troupe
by a specialist named Finly, a 9th-level wizard who often works with of performers or beggars, an illusion of a rampaging monster, a fire that
the Lyreguards on jobs that are likely to meet magical foes or to need threatens a nearby building, or some other pressing event. Use your best
magical backup. Finly obviously is not a soldier—he isn’t wearing armor judgment to determine whether Gralme falls for the trick, remembering
or carrying military weapons—but nothing immediately identifies him as that he’s a seasoned officer of the law who used to be an adventurer
a mage. He finds that going incognito often gives him an essential edge himself.
when dealing with troublemaking spellcasters. Characters who’ve lived Windows: Someone is bound to have boots of flying, a ring of
in this town for several months might know who Finly is by reputation if invisibility, a scroll of passwall, and a willingness to leave all of his or her
not by sight. Newcomers will assume he’s just a citizen chatting with the friends on the sidelines and go it alone inside the tower. Such characters
guardsmen. create a welcome addition to the official Necromancer Games rolls of the
If characters approach the tower without first attempting to scout dead. Characters can feasibly fly up to a window, overcome the trap, open
it stealthily, they are stopped by Officer Gralme and his special lock, and get inside without being noticed by the guards. Surviving to fly
squad. Officer Gralme asks what the characters’ business is near back out the window again is another question entirely.
the Tower of Irtep. If he doesn’t care for their answer, he orders The Bridge: The bridge is a simple stone arch that crosses the decorative
them to leave the area immediately, and he’ll send a few soldiers to moat. It’s not meant for defense. There are no railings or sidings to hide
escort them away. Obviously, if the soldiers don’t come back in a behind.
few minutes, Gralme knows that evil is afoot, and he’s not a fool. The Moat: The moat surrounding the tower is filled with koi fish and
Where adventurers are concerned, he always calls for backup first lily pads. The water is 10 feet deep and 10 feet wide around the entire
and then plans his attack. circumference of the tower. A grate at the bottom of the pond on the north
Officer Gralme uses the stats of a standard human Knight NPC, his side of the tower could be forced opened with a successful DC 15 Str
Lyreguards use the stats of standard Guard NPCs, their guard dogs use check. Characters could then swim through 50 feet of culvert and find
the stats of Mastiffs, and Finly uses the stats of a human Mage NPC (with themselves below the drain in the fountain in the center of the first floor
altered spells). of Irtep’s Tower.
Drain: The drain is clogged with pieces of at least three bodies and
(Officer Gralme [Mage]: AC 18, 52 hps; +5 to hit x2, 2d6 + 3 some items of thiefly gear. The equipment includes a broken rapier, a +1
slashing damage [greatsword]; has tactical advantage shortsword, a +1 light crossbow, 10 quarrels, two sets of thieves’ tools,
on saving throws against fear) and three waterlogged black leather masks of the type commonly worn by
members of the Shadowmasks. The bodies have been bitten and clawed
(Lyreguard [Guard]: AC 16, 11 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing savagely and also are singed.
damage [shortsword]) A secret button slides the fountain to the side affording access to the first
floor, and activating the first floor trap. The button requires a successful
(Finly [Mage]: AC 12, 40 hps; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing DC 15 Wis (Perception) check to notice.
damage [dagger]; +6 to hit with spell attacks, save DC 14;
prepares the following spells: [at will] fire bolt, mage hand,
shocking grasp; [x4] burning hands, fog cloud, mage
armor, magic missile; [x3] hold person, suggestion, web;
[x3] counterspell, fireball, fly; [x3] greater invisibility, ice
Front Door
storm; [x1] cone of cold) The front door to Irtep’s estate is carved in an image that looks like
a willow tree surrounded by leaves. On close examination or with a
(Mastiff: AC 12, 5 hps; +3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing damage successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check, the tree appears to be eating the
and the target must make a successful DC 11 Str saving leaves, and the leaves appear to be eating smaller leaves.
throw to avoid being knocked prone [bite]; has tactical The door is reinforced with steel and locked with an arcane lock and a
advantage on Wis (Perception) checks relying on hearing very complicated mechanical lock that requires a successful DC 25 Dex
or scent) check to pick. Picking the lock requires several minutes, and unless the
lockpicker is invisible, covered by an illusion, or some other distraction
is keeping the guardsmen from doing their jobs, the lock picker is easily
Getting Into the Tower spotted. A DC 20 Str check can force the door in, but this ruins any chance
for getting in unnoticed. A knock spell suppresses the arcane lock normally
Some form of subterfuge or magic is needed to get across the bridge (lowering the DC for picking the lock by 10), but the sound from the spell
to Irtep’s Tower without being noticed by Gralme, Finly, and the soldiers is certain to attract the guards’ attention.
and dogs. Possibilities include but are not limited to a charm effect, The best and easiest way in is by using the password (“Irtep is a love
invisibility, stealth, or an especially clever distraction (tossing a rock into machine”), known only to Irtep and Michalena.
the bushes won’t do it). Additionally, the door is protected by a mechanical trap. It can be
Talking Their Way Past Gralme: A Cha (Deception or Persuasion) spotted with a successful DC 17 Wis (Perception) check. If the lock is
check opposed by Gralme’s Wis (Insight) check. picked or the door is forced or knocked without first disarming the trap
Stealth: A DC 20 Dex (Stealth) check coupled with a thorough with a successful DC 17 Dex (Sleight of Hand) check, a large, yellow,
description of how the characters are going to dodge the patrols to make 500-pound iron ball attached to a gigantic chain drops from the top story
it to the tower undetected. of the tower onto anyone in the doorway. Each creature near the door
Charm: A charm person spell might be used to persuade Gralme to let takes 8d6 bludgeoning damage, or no damage with a successful DC 15
the characters past, though casting a spell is likely to start a fight with the Dex (Acrobatics) saving throw. The ball also smashes the bridge and gets
Lyreguard patrol if it’s noticed. This could land the characters in jail if it the attention of everyone within 300 feet. Afterward, an automatic winch
doesn’t pan out. drags the gore-smeared ball back up the side of the tower. Characters
Disguise: Characters could use a disguise to dress as a relieving notice a cruel, smiling face painted on the ball.
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 irtep's Dish
pillars orange and one pillar green.

Irtep’s Tower: This puzzle will be much more enjoyable for everyone if you draw
the four pillars on a sheet of paper or on your battle mat and label the
colors or indicate them with colored markers. Use colored beads or dice to
Ground Floor represent the candles, swapping them for different ones when their colors
change. Without this visual aid, everyone (including the GM) is likely to
become hopelessly confused.
This large chamber is octagonal and 40 feet in diameter. The doors are
flanked by a pair of stone statues of coppery koi fish. A circular inscription The “correct” method is listed below.
is inlaid in silver in the polished marble floor. The circle of the inscription 1. Remove the candle from the blue pillar and hold it.
connects four pillars that surround a fountain. Each pillar is a different 2. Move the yellow candle to the blue pillar, turning that pillar green
color and has a sconce affixed to it with a different colored candle. As the 3. Replace the white candle on the black pillar with the blue candle,
last character enters the dimly lit chamber, a voice calls down from high turning the blue candle into a second white candle.
above.
4. Move the newly-made white candle to the yellow pillar, turning that
candle yellow.
“If intruders to my home are thee, be dissuaded from my property.
5. Replace the red candle on the red pillar with the newly made yellow
If thou art friend then know the score—match the hue of yon stair-top door.
candle, turning that pillar orange.
Pillar to candle, candle to wick, hurry now and make it quick,
6. Replace the yellow candle on the yellow pillar with the red candle,
For if water touches flame, your days are ended, down the drain.”
turning that pillar orange. At that point, there are two orange pillars, one
green pillar, and one black pillar, and someone should be holding a yellow
When the voice ends, the fountain begins bubbling, and a gurgling,
candle.
flushing sound can be heard as water spills over the fountain’s edge onto
the floor. 7. Place the remaining yellow candle on the black pillar.
The door at the top of the stairs is brown. To open it, characters must
match its shade of brown by swapping candles around the pillars. Placing Placing the last candle on the black pillar causes the new colors in the
a candle on a pillar of a different color changes the color of the pillar or the chamber to mix in the air and create a dark brown color that matches the
candle. Creating two orange pillars and one green pillar solves the puzzle. door at the top of the stair, at which point the door opens. When the door
If characters took the deal from Osgood Flumph, he told them the opens, the fountain slides to the side and the water quickly drains through
correct matching of colored candles to colored pillars to produce brown, a grate in the floor.
and they should be able to deactivate the trap easily. If they have not, their Moving the candles around should take a party of four no more than
options are trial and error, magic, or death! two rounds to accomplish. Obviously, players who remember what they
Water is filling the room quickly. When it reaches the top of the sconces learned about color in third grade will have an easier time of it than
on the pillars, none of the candles can be lit, and the characters are likely others. If players insist on applying skills to get a clue (or are floundering
to drown. hopelessly and need all the help they can get), then with a successful DC
When characters trigger the trap, the arrangement of candles and pillars 15 Int check, a character recalls learning that brown paint is made up of
is as follows: two parts orange pigment and one part green pigment.

Pillar Pillar Color Candle Color The Flow of Water

1 Red Red
2 Blue Blue and Other Dangers
3 Yellow Yellow Water is being sucked out of the moat and into the ground floor quickly.
4 Black White Exactly how quickly is up to you. The decision should be based on how
well your players deal with these types of puzzles. Rather than trying to
Moving candles to different pillars has the effect of blending those adjudicate the situation with game rounds, we recommend real time. Even
colors, as listed below. a slow, deliberative group should be able to find a solution in five minutes.
Two minutes should be enough for most groups, and those that thrive
on such puzzles might be done in less than one minute. If you’re unsure
Candle on Pillar Changes how much time to give, you can play it by ear, describing the water rising
Red Blue Pillar turns Purple faster or slower as you get a better grip on how quickly your players will
find the solution. The key is to keep the situation exciting and to give the
Red Yellow Pillar turns Orange
characters a near-death thrill without needlessly killing everyone because
Blue Red Pillar turns Purple you misjudged their color-mixing capability.
Blue Yellow Pillar turns Green For descriptive purposes, by the time the water is 1 foot deep, the floor
is difficult terrain for Small or smaller creatures. When the water is 2 feet
Yellow Blue Pillar turns Green deep, it is difficult terrain for everyone.
Yellow Red Pillar turns Orange When the water’s depth reaches 4 feet, the copper koi statues animate.
They dive into the water, crackling with electricity, and attack the
White Any Candle matches Pillar characters from under the water.
Any Black Candle turns White When the water is 6 feet deep, everyone must begin swimming.
Swimming with a lit candle and keeping the wick dry requires a successful
No matter what color a pillar is at the moment, it always reacts to DC 15 Dex check.
the presence of a new candle as if the pillar was its original color. For If the characters have not managed to fix the candles by the 8th round,
example, assume that a red candle was placed on the blue pillar, turning there is no way that they can keep the candles lit as the water puts out the
the pillar purple. Characters then experimentally replace the red candle flame. In 18 rounds the water reaches the ceiling. Unless characters can
with a yellow candle. The yellow candle turns the pillar green, the same breathe underwater, drowning and suffocating rules apply. Water stays at
way it would have if it had been placed there while the pillar was blue. the top of the ceiling for five rounds at which point the fountain slides to
To produce brown and unlock the door, characters must make two the side and the water drains back into the moat outside the tower.
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Copper Koi Statue Upstairs Door
XP 450 (CR 2)
N Medium construct The upstairs door is built like the entrance. It is a steel reinforced door
Initiative +2 that prevents any of Irtep’s things in his storage area from getting wet.
The door can only be opened by arranging candles in the proper sequence
DEFENSE as described above, but powerful magic such as passwall can bypass the
AC 16 (natural armor) doorway.
hp: 45 (6d8 + 18)
Resistance: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
from nonmagical weapons not made from adamantine
Immunity: Cold, lightning, poison, and psychic damage;
2nd Floor: Storage
charm, fright, paralysis, petrification, poison, prone, stun, This dark, octagonal chamber is similar in size and shape to the floor
unconsciousness below. It is filled from floor to 15-foot-ceiling with crates and boxes that
must barely fit through the doorways or windows. A staircase opposite the
OFFENSE 1st floor landing leads to a door and the floor above.
Speed: Swim 30 ft. There are several leather-bound and wooden trunks and cases here, as
Melee Attack—Bite: +4 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit: detailed below.
2d6 + 2 piercing damage plus 1d6 lightning damage. Crate A: The largest crate in the chamber is about 8 feet long, 5 feet
tall, and 5 feet wide. The lid is partially stove in and a pair of legs are
STATISTICS sticking out of the broken section, with dried blood on the floor.
Str 13 (+1), Dex 15 (+2), Con 16 (+3), Within the case is a mummy, partially unwrapped from a ceramic urn,
Int 2 (-4), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 2 (-4) and the mummy’s victim, an unfortunate member of the Red Blades
Languages: None assassin’s guild who made the mistake of looking for a little loot. He
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. broke the seal of protection keeping the mummy in suspended animation.
If characters investigate the crate or the corpse sticking out of it, a mummy
TRAITS bursts free and attacks.
Electrical Aura. The copper koi generates electricity in a
5-foot radius around its form. Creatures take 2d6 lightning (Mummy: AC 11, 58 hps; +5 to hit, 2d6 + 3 bludgeoning
damage each round they are within 5 feet of the copper damage plus 3d6 necrotic damage, and the target
koi. A successful DC 13 Con saving throw reduces the must make a DC 12 Con saving throw or be cursed with
damage by half. A creature wearing metal armor has mummy rot [can’t regain hps, hp maximum decreases
tactical disadvantage on its save. by 3d6 every 24 hours—rotting fist]; also, one target within

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60 ft. that can see the mummy must make a DC 11 Wis ago. Activating the ring has the effect of casting the invisibility spell, only
saving throw or become frightened until the end of the concentration isn’t required to maintain the effect for up to 12 hours. The
mummy’s next turn [dreadful glare]; failure by 5 or more ring has five charges remaining. Tradie’s other gear includes a pair of +1
means the target is also paralyzed for the same duration; daggers and a hand crossbow with 20 bolts.
a target becomes immune to this effect once it makes a The cupboards and shelves contain enough ingredients to make any
successful save against it) potion based on a level 1, 2, or 3 wizard spell, up to two times. Another
cupboard contains 100 pages of vellum and ten pots of ink, enough to
Hidden within the desiccated wrappings of the mummy are various scribe a full spell book or write 100 scrolls containing spells of level 4
baubles and amulets that were precious to the mummy in life. Among or below.
them are 10 golden amulets of various Khemitian gods worth 25 gp each, Three devices that look like sextants are lined up on one of the shelves.
a gold bracelet with inset agates worth 200 gp, and a turquoise inlaid Several glass dishes sit beneath the sextants. The dishes are filled with
pectoral of an ibis that is an amulet of armor +2. a variety of filthy liquids that look and smell like sewer water, or water
The corpse belongs to Ralek Marn, a Red Blades assassin, which is with something unpleasant growing in it. Peering into the sextant devices
obvious from the tattoo that can found on the fellow’s ankle. His neck is reveals nothing unless a light source is placed beneath them, as the objects
broken and his face is purple from the stranglehold the mummy placed are in fact microscopes. A DC 15 Int check reveals the purpose of the
upon him. He has a scroll of dispel magic, a scroll of knock, a potion of “sextants” and that a light source is helpful. None of the items tests as
protection from poison, 2 vials of poison (target must make a DC 12 Con magical, but the microscopes are worth 300 gp each. Peering into them
saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour), a poisoned +1 saber, a with a light beneath reveals a world invisible to the naked eye, including
potion of invisibility, and a potion of levitate in his pack. protozoan creatures swimming around in the filthy water. Characters
Crate B: This crate is marked “Inner Water Sample.” who saw the sporozoan on the 2nd floor recognize its similarity to these
Within the crate is a ceramic cask, its lid sealed with thick tar. If the creatures.
cask is opened, every character within a 10-foot radius must make a DC
15 Con saving throw against poison as foul liquid and gas splatter from
the jar. Those that fail their save are nauseated for 1d2 days (they gain
the poisoned condition). A lesser restoration or similar magic can end 4th Floor:
the effect.
Crate C: This crate is filled with a large amount of earth. It is labeled
“Minzoa Experiment 2, Graveyard Dirt—Contagious.” The crate is Irtep’s Love Den
roughly 5 feet by 5 feet. Disturbing or digging in the dirt rouses a
sporozoan buried in a cyst in the dirt. The cyst breaks open if the dirt is This room is plush and contains all of the creature comforts one could
disturbed, and 1d4 tentacles lash out, seeking a target. Roll randomly to imagine. The ceiling is a polished silver mirror, there is a tub sunken into
determine which nearby party members are attacked. Stats for the giant the floor filled with warm bubbling water, a private bathroom, and a huge,
sporozoan are in the appendix to this adventure. heart-shaped bed on a slowly revolving turntable in the center of the room.
Characters recognize immediately that this creature is unlike anything The walls are adorned with naughty paintings of cherubs, nymphs, elven
they have encountered before. It has the aspects and characteristics of an maidens, and the like cavorting with centaurs, minotaurs, and middle-
ooze, but also the characteristics of other creatures with limbs or at very aged wizards. The paintings are incredibly tacky; all five together might
least tentacles. fetch 100 gp from a collector with no taste and/or a ribald sense of humor.
Crate D: This crate is filled with several crystal bottles of water listed
from various locations throughout the Lost Lands. One names Blood
Creek, others the Stoneheart River, and even the Ice River in the distant Irtep’s Commode
Northlands. The water is of no special value, but the names of far-off,
exotic places might stir the characters’ curiosity. The restroom off the bed chamber is a complex affair of carved,
Crate E: This crate is filled with pieces of mechanical equipment, polished marble. A foot pedal on the floor pumps water for the bidet, and
including powders for grinding and polishing glass, plus various glass a second pump flushes into the moat outside the tower.
lenses about the size of a silver coin and metal tubes of varying lengths. A side table next to the commode holds a notebook titled My
The bits and sundries have a total value of 400 gp and a street value of 250 Experiences in the Minzoa, by Irtep. The notebook details the construction
gp if fenced through the proper channels. of the Minzoa sextant and its use to enter a vaguely defined “inner world”
Irtep calls the Minzoa. Irtep’s first explorations led to the death of some
hired hands, and Irtep barely managed to escape the Minzoa with his

3rd Floor: life. The wizard next commissioned his friend Gynnen to fashion a set of
pipes with which to charm the Minzoan creatures and later, to summon
them to our world. The summoning terrified his friend Faisal, whom Irtep

Irtep’s Laboratory describes as weak-willed and lacking in understanding of the potential

power that the Minzoa could unleash.
Most other entries in the notebook are love poems dedicated to various
This laboratory holds the bulk of Irtep’s scientific and arcane equipment. harlots, including lengthy opining for the love and attention of Michalena
The walls are lined with test tubes, beakers, vials, potion bottles (empty), Goddeau. Other entries detail his collapse into drunkenness and gambling,
jars of unguents, reagents, other components, and many books on arcane with lists of his many debts and the threats made against him by Fat Julie
theory. and Tuvio. Irtep has spent his entire fortune on Michalena Goddeau, the
A DC 10 Wis (Perception) check notes a breeze blowing in from the Minzoa sextant, and the pipes of Minzoa. Like any gambling addict, Irtep’s
open southern window, carrying the smell of charred flesh. Lockpicks are writing is filled with excuses on how just “one big win” will set him up for
scattered on the floor in a cone-shaped pattern expanding into the room from life, if only someone will advance him the necessary cash.
the windowsill. A careful search of the area or a DC 19 Int (Investigation)
check locates the invisible corpse of a halfling woman hanging across
the sill, head and shoulders inside the room and legs dangling outside. A
ring on the halfling’s left hand is the source of her invisibility. The body
is Traedie Jane, who was an up-and-coming halfling burglar until she was
5th Floor: Irtep’s Library
electrocuted on her way through Irtep’s window. Traedie inherited the ring Irtep’s library stands on the second-to-highest story of the tower.
and her career from her mother Gwennie Jane, who passed away a year The walls are lined with books from floor to ceiling. Found here are
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
many spellbooks, each containing 2d6 cantrips, 1st-, or 2nd-level
spells. Other books contain 1d8 spells of 3rd and 4th level. A single
book contains the remainder of Irtep’s spell collection: 1d4 5th-level
spells.
6th Floor: Top Floor
Each spellbook is trapped with a curse that blinds and deafens the The top floor of the tower is accessed by a trap door at the top of the
reader unless the reader is Irtep, or the reader is studying from the books stairs from Level 5. There is little here except the chain and winch system
with Irtep’s permission as an apprentice or other student. A DC 15 Wis attached to the giant yellow iron ball trap. A trap door in the ceiling leads
saving throw negates the curse, and a remove curse spell cast on the target to the roof of the tower.
ends the curse. The iron ball trap is maintained by Beagle, a charmed troll kept by
Other books lining the walls of the chamber cover all manner of Irtep who dines on rats and thieves. As far as Beagle is concerned,
life, including a detailed, illustrated treatise written by Irtep himself anyone who enters this chamber (other than Irtep) is a thief, which
on a hidden realm called “ the Minzoa.” Locating this book requires equates to dinner.
a successful DC 18 Wis (Perception) or Int (Investigation) check, or
30 minutes spent browsing the shelves. Illustrations in the book show (Troll: AC 15, 84 hps; +7 to hit, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage plus
nightmarish creatures that resemble oozes with tentacles and hooks, +7 to hit x2, 2d6 + 4 slashing damage [claws]; the troll
and dripping with slime. Most of the creatures are shown in water or regenerates 10 hps at the start of its turn unless it took fire
some other liquid. The illustrations portray a broad, shallow sea with or acid damage since its previous turn)
bits of land rising from the water. The sky appears very bright and the
horizon is very flat. Few land masses larger than low hills can be seen The remains of a pair of second-story men who thought to come
anywhere. The plant life depicted is bizarre and alien, seeming to be through the roof are strewn about the room. Among their leavings are a set
mainly composed of vines or growths resembling seaweed snaking out of lockpicks, a scroll of dispel magic, and a gold ring set with an imitation
of the water. (but excellent quality) ruby worth 60 gp.
Beneath a loose floorboard is a locked treasure chest. The chest is
trapped with a poison dart trap that requires a successful DC 12 Wis
The Study (Perception) check to notice and a successful DC 15 Dex check to disarm.
If the trap is triggered, a hail of darts attacks every target within 5 ft. of
A locked chamber within the library faces the south wall. A the chest. (Dart Trap: +10 to hit, range 5 ft.; 1d4 piercing damage plus 2d8
wizard’s mark written above the door reads, “It ain’t the size of the poison damage, and struck targets must make a DC 14 Con saving throw
boat ...” or become poisoned)
The door is trapped to deal 8d6 lightning damage to anyone who touches The chest contains a pile of IOU’s and gambling vouchers from the
the door knob. A successful DC 16 Con saving throw reduces the damage Fortune’s Fool and the Blazing Bones.
by half. The trap can be discovered with a DC 16 Int (Investigation) or
Wis (Perception) check, and disarmed with a DC 16 Dex (Sleight of
Hand) check.
Beyond the door is a small chamber containing a desk, and on the desk
is a “sextant” like those in the lab, but with several notable differences.
Part 3: Irtep’s Dish
This sextant is made from silver, platinum, and gold, and it is inlaid with
arcane inscriptions. An enchanted disk of light glows from the sextant’s and the Minzoa
base. Sitting in front of the disk is a fine crystal dish filled with fetid water.
A chair has been knocked onto its side behind the desk. In this section, the characters find themselves within the Minzoa that is
The dish is etched with the family crest of Irtep and is emblazoned with held inside Irtep’s Mother’s candy dish. The Minzoa is a miniature world
a tree whose roots dig deep into the earth and whose leaves blow freely where protozoan creatures loom huge in relation to the player characters.
in the wind. The dish has special sentimental meaning to Irtep; it was his Within this forbidden world, the characters seek Irtep for good or ill and
mother’s favorite candy dish. try to wrest from him the means to return to their own world.
If any character looks through the sextant at the bowl of water, he

Basic Features
and anyone within 10 feet of him are instantly teleported into the fungus
forest of Irtep’s Dish (See “Part 3. Irtep’s Dish and the Minzoa”) unless a
successful DC 20 Wis saving throw is made.
Light: The Minzoa is lit as if by midday sun all the time, but the light
provides little heat and seems to originate from every direction.
Wet: Everything in the Minzoa is moist. A vast lake occupies a
The Sextant of Minzoa broad expanse of the Minzoa, and living bodies of matter float on the
lake. Nonmagical equipment of iron and steel rusts quickly if not oiled
When aimed at a dish of water, this sextant allows for the regularly. Most metal equipment will have a patina of rust after the first
microscopic viewing of life forms smaller than the eye can see. day in the Minzoa. Within two weeks, these items become pocked with
Through arcane forces, the sextant can also serve as a conduit rust. Within two months they become brittle, and within a year they are
from the normal world into the tiny world viewed through rusted through.
the microscope. In effect, it allows travel into the Minzoa, the Minzoa Lake: The lake is 50 feet deep across its entirety. The bed
microscopic world of protozoan life forms. Use of the sextant of of the lake is a clear, crystalline substance that is extremely hard and
Minzoa offers a number of other startling possibilities. It could be seemingly unbreakable.
used to shrink creatures to such a tiny degree that they could hide Walls: Player characters traveling to the edge of the Minzoa find
in a flask of water or carefully packed box of soil, allowing a thief themselves facing a crystalline wall 100 feet high that is completely
or assassin (for example) to be smuggled into almost any location, smooth. Normal climbing methods are useless against it; it can be
then released with a word by the carrier of the sextant or the bearer scaled only with a spider climb spell or similar means, or it can be
of the Amulet of Minzoa. The sextant can also be set as a trap to flown or levitated over. At the top, a climbing, flying, or levitating
capture unwitting creatures and teleport them into the Minzoa by character must make a DC 14 Int saving throw to avoid being
leaving the lens open and its eye-cap uncovered—as is about to teleported back to the Fungal Forest. Those who make a successful
happen here. saving throw escape from the Minzoa, but they remain at their
microscopic Minzoa size!
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
Giant Protozoan Orb: 1d4 of these ticklike creatures smell the player

Minzoa Lake characters and attack.

Giant Sporozoan: If this encounter occurs on water, it is with 1d4
sluglike giant sporozoan swimming by. If this encounter occurs on land, it
Random Encounters is with a single sporozoan cyst that bursts open as characters pass.
Red Blades Assassin Squad: These are 1d2 + 1 Red Blade assassins who
found their way into the tower and through the sextant. They are floating
Roll for a random encounter for every 10 miles traveled on the lake. haplessly on a fungus cap that they fashioned into a raft. The assassins have
lost most of their companions to the creatures of the Minzoa, and they are
1d12 Encounter terrified and desperate for a means of escape. They are willing to make a
truce with the characters in exchange for the greater protection of a group
1 Giant Hydrazoa and help in finding a way home. They will honor the truce until they find an
2 Giant Nematode exit back to the normal world; what they do after that is up to you.
Giant Amoeba: The amoeba floats through the Minzoa lake devouring
3 Giant Tardigrade anything in its path.
4 Giant Protazoan Orb Stats for these creatures are in the appendix to this adventure.
5 Giant Sporazoan
6
7
Red Blades Assassin Squad
Giant Amoeba
1. Fungal Forest
8-12 No Encounter This is the initial landing place of player characters who are teleported
into the Minzoa. The “forest” is comprised of massive fungal structures
Hydrazoa: This is an encounter with one giant hydrazoa. If the that resemble giant mushroom trees. Most of the fungi is benign, with
hydrazoa is over the lake, it languidly strikes out with its tentacles as it some exceptions.
floats languidly past. The broad caps of the mushroom trees can be eaten raw (bland) or
Giant Nematode: This encounter is with 1d4 giant nematodes. The roasted (less bland). Large ones are big enough to hollow out and use as
creatures assume the player characters are food and attack mindlessly (the coracles. One large cap can be made into a boat in an hour, and it holds
only way they can). up to four passengers. Other mushroom stalks are easily carved into crude
Giant Tardigrade: This encounter is with 1d4 giant tardigrades. paddles.
These great swollen beasts might ignore the characters altogether unless A mushroom coracle can navigate the waters of the Minzoa at a rate of
approached too closely or annoyed. If surprised or frightened, they attack. 1 to 4 miles per hour; the actual speed equals the number of rowers.

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 irtep's Dish
Fungal Forest Random Encounters 3. Algae Islands
Roll for a random encounter once every 10 miles, or every eight hours
if characters are stationary. These two islands are comprised of dense colonies of protozoan
algae cells. In the Minzoa, the cells are the size of a rhinoceros and are
slightly sticky, so that everywhere on the algae islands is considered
1d12 Encounter difficult terrain. The islands are home to hydrazoa, giant tardigrades, and
1 Spore Cloud sporozoan cysts. The ground is reasonably solid, and the algae itself can
be sliced up from the “ground” and eaten as a reasonably nutritious food,
2 Giant Tardigrade although the flavor leaves much to be desired.
3 Giant Sporozoan Cyst
4 Giant Hydrazoa The Algae Islands Random
5 Shadowmasks Thieves Band
6 Giant Protozoan Orb Encounters
7 Carnivorous Fungi Roll for random encounters once every hour.
8-12 No Encounter
1d12 Encounter
Spore Cloud: Characters disturbed the nearby fungi into releasing
a defensive cloud of choking spores. The cloud is 50 feet in radius. 1 Giant Tardigrade
Characters within the spore cloud who fail a DC 15 Con saving throw 2 Giant Hydrazoa
are overcome with choking and wheezing, and unable to breathe. 3 Sporozoan Cyst
Such characters take 1d6 poison damage immediately and begin
suffocating, and continue suffocating until they get out of the spore 4 Dominion Arcane Enforcer
cloud. 5 Giant Amoeba
Shadowmasks Thieves Band: This is a band of 1d4 + 1 shadowmask
thieves who made their way this far in their search for Irtep. The band may 6-12 No Encounter
attempt to separate and capture individual characters to use as hostages in
an attempt to force the entire party into surrendering. Their goal is to find Dominion Arcane Enforcer: This is an encounter with a 5th-level
Irtep and get the hell out of the Minzoa, a world they find terrifying in the wizard who was sent to find and capture Irtep and return him to the
diversity of its life. Unlike the Red Blades assassins, these NPCs aren’t Dominion for questioning. The enforcer is alone, as his allies were killed
interested in teaming up with the characters except to use them as porters, by creatures of the Minzoa. He is desperate to complete his mission and
bait, or meat shields. has no reservations about joining forces with the characters (unless they
Carnivorous Fungi: This is an encounter with a large patch of give him one). See this adventure’s appendix for details.
carnivorous fungi. See the appendix to this adventure for details.

1a. The Ruined Campsite 4. The Rock

This towering, cliff-sided, stony island is no more than a bit of pebble that
The ruined campsite was set up by a small band of Shadowmasks who found its way into Irtep’s Dish. It is contested territory in a three-way feud
gained access to the Minzoa. Unfortunately for them, they were set upon between Shadowmasks and Red Blades. The assassins and their rivals hide
by a pod of tardigrades and were torn to pieces and devoured. Nothing within fissures and cracks in the stone, defending themselves against beasts
remains of their bodies except a few blood smears on the ground and on that crawl up the stone from the lake and from one another. Their fungus cap
the trunks of mushroom trees. Among the wreckage of the camp, however, boats were eaten by amoebas and nematodes long ago, stranding them here.
is a bounty poster image of Irtep. The image is an illusory likeness, so it
is entirely accurate. The poster reveals a man with a thin moustache and
goatee, and hair that might once have been stylish but has gone a little
crazy. The image is complete with a black eye and blood dripping from
Tully’s Fort
the left nostril from a recent beating. Tully’s Fort is a fissure in the Rock that Tully and his assassins have
Also scattered on the ground are a +1 rapier, three potions of cure fortified for keeping watch on the Shadowmasks and for protection against
wounds, a potion of invisibility, and a torn pouch containing a clay the creatures of the Minzoa while the assassins search for a way to escape
pipe and good tobacco. A short distance from the camp is a site where the Minzoa.
the thieves worked mushroom caps into boats. Mushroom chips and
cuttings are scattered around between the felled trunks of several capless
mushroom trees. Tully Smooth
XP 700 (CR 3)
NE Medium humanoid

2. Carnivorous Fungi Islands Initiative +3

DEFENSE
Growing along the side of one wall of the dish is a massive colony of AC 16 (studded leather +1)
carnivorous fungi. These areas occupy the equivalent of 100 square miles hp: 52 (7d8 + 14)
each. The islands are full of carnivorous fungi; another group of 1d4 will Saving Throws: Dex +5, Int +3
be encountered every 100 yards or so, making them all but impassable.
Characters who try to explore these areas will be attacked continually OFFENSE
until they leave. Speed: 30 ft.
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 irtep's Dish
Melee Attack—Rapier +1: +6 to hit x2 (reach 5 ft.; one Multiattack: Delayne makes one attack with her longsword
creature). Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage. and one attack with her dagger.
Ranged Attack—Light Crossbow +1: +6 to hit (range 80 Melee Attack—Longsword +1: +4 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
ft./320 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage. creature). Hit: 1d8 + 2 slashing damage.
Ranged Attack—Dagger +1: +7 to hit (range 20 ft./60 ft.; one
STATISTICS creature). Hit: 1d4 + 5 piercing damage.
Str 12 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 14 (+2),
Int 13 (+1), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 15 (+2) STATISTICS
Languages: Common Str 13 (+1), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2),
Skills Deception +6, Intimidation +4, Sleight of Hand +7, Int 12 (+1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 15 (+2)
Stealth +5 Languages: Common
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. Skills Deception +6, Insight +3, Stealth +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
TRAITS
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, Tully deals an extra 3d6 TRAITS
damage to one creature he hits with an attack if he has Ambusher. Delayne has tactical advantage on attack rolls
tactical advantage on the attack roll. Tully can also sneak against a surprised creature, and if she hits it, the target
attack if an ally is not incapacitated and is within 5 feet of takes an extra 3d6 damage from the attack.
the target, and he doesn’t have tactical disadvantage on Read Thoughts. Delayne can read the thoughts of one
the attack roll. Tully must use a finesse or ranged weapon living creature within 60 feet. The effect is blocked by
to claim this bonus. any amount of lead shielding, by 2 inches of other metal,
Gear: +1 rapier, +1 light crossbow, 30 bolts, +1 studded by 2 feet of stone, or by 3 feet of dirt or wood. While
leather armor, boots of speed, potion of invisibility, 3 vials concentrating on reading the target’s mind, Delayne has
of poison (2d6 poison damage; DC 15 Con save for half). tactical advantage on Wis (Insight) and Cha (Deception,
Intimidation, and Persuasion) checks against the target.
See this adventure’s appendix for details on Tully’s four Red Blade Shapechanger. Delayne can use an action to polymorph
assassins. into a Small or Medium humanoid she has seen, or back
Tully is glad to see the player characters arrive, because the into her natural form. Her statistics, other than her size, are
Shadowmasks have been assassinating his team slowly but surely; Tully the same in each form. Her equipment is not transformed.
is convinced one of the Shadowmasks must be a shapeshifter. He suggests If slain, she reverts to her natural form.
joining sides to clear out the Shadowmasks and then to find a way out of Gear: +1 longsword, ring of protection +1, thieves’ tools, +1
this “tiny world or horrors” that they find themselves trapped in. If the dagger, scroll of knock.
characters side with Tully and his band they find Tully and his crew intent
on killing Irtep and collecting the bounty which they themselves have See this adventure’s appendix for details on Delayne’s three
falsely laid. Shadowmask henchmen.

Delayne’s Fort Isle of Irtep

Delayne, a doppelganger agent of the Dark Brotherhood and master of
the Shadowmasks, is stuck in her makeshift fort with her squad. Delayne A clump of earth and sand smudged into the northern part of the dish
tried to infiltrate the enemy camp disguised as an assassin; the ruse worked serves as Irtep’s Lair. Irtep has formed a defensive cavern where he hides
until recently, but now she suspects that the Red Blades have caught on to in relative luxury, assuming that nobody will ever find him within the
the trick and gone on high alert. confines of his beloved Minzoa. The cavern atop the “island” affords Irtep
Delayne and her band of three Shadowmask rogues now seek only to a grand view of the area. He can see approaching figures from miles away
escape the Minzoa. They need a boat to get across the lake, and strong and prepares any defenses he deems necessary to defend himself from
swords and powerful magic to survive the trip. Delayne offers to cut the approaching enemies or assassins sent after him. Characters might need to
characters in on a percentage of whatever they can steal from Irtep’s tower. get clever to approach the Isle of Irtep safely, such as disguising themselves
Even as she makes this offer, she knows perfectly well (as the characters as creatures of the Minzoa, turning invisible, or some other ploy.
probably do, too) that, outside of the laboratory, Irtep is broke.
At this point, Delayne could not care less about the Red Blades
anymore, but her murderous nature still drives her to kill them off as a Encountering Irtep
defensive measure. If the characters arrived with at least one mushroom
boat, she may try to trick the characters into heading over to the Red Blade If the characters simply press forward on a fungus raft, Irtep sends a
camp while she steals their boat. magical message that reaches the approaching characters a mile from
shore. He demands that they return at once to the “big world” or face the
wrath of his minions of the Minzoa. If the characters exclaim that they do
Delayne not know how to get free of the Minzoa, Irtep offers to send them, so long
XP 700 (CR 3) as they swear never to return. He is not above using a geas spell of his own
N Medium monstrosity (shapechanger) to force this point home.
Initiative +4 Irtep is reluctant to negotiate or talk to anyone. If necessary, he uses the
pipes of Minzoa to summon creatures of the Minzoa to defend his position.
DEFENSE
AC 15 (ring of protection +1)
hp: 65 (10d8 + 20) Irtep’s Hill
Immunity: Charm
Irtep defends himself from a cave and bungalow he has crafted at the
OFFENSE top of an 80-foot high hill that affords him an excellent vantage point from
Speed: 30 ft. which to rain down magic and to summon creatures to fight for him.
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 irtep's Dish
The hill has a 40 degree slope, meaning it is steep enough that everywhere Michalena, other than a proclamation that she regrets leaving Irtep and
on the slope is difficult terrain. A successful DC 10 Dex (Acrobatics) check longs for him to take her back, will cast the wizard into a deep funk.
is necessary for characters to move and take a combat action on the same In short, Irtep needs to hear that he has a chance to recover his fortune,
turn. Characters must make the roll before attacking if they’ve already to reclaim his good reputation, and to win back his lover Michalena,
moved, and vice versa. Failure on the roll ends their turn immediately. whether or not such things are true. Intimidation won’t get the characters
anywhere unless they knock Irtep unconscious and take him away by
force. Charming him makes him friendly but won’t make him want to
Battle leave Minzoa. Removing the geas opens his eyes to the real situation and
lets him remember that it was Osgood Flumph who enchanted him out of
It should be apparent at the onset of any conflict with Irtep that the wizard jealousy over Irtep’s research and growing power. Irtep is horrified about
is not well. He looks gray, shaky, drawn, and emaciated. This is a far different the betrayal and determined to make amends to those who he owes. He
Irtep from his wanted posters or the portraits in his home. The change came immediately begins planning to file a censure with the Dominion Arcane
about from ignoring the compulsion of Osgood’s geas upon him. against Osgood for his betrayal, or to take revenge after his own fashion.
If Irtep’s summoned creatures are defeated and the wizard appears to However they persuade Irtep to leave Minzoa, he asks the characters to
be losing the battle, he surrenders. He swears that he will not return to gather near as he withdraws the passkey: a pair of green dice that shakes
his creditors in Bard’s Gate, because they mean to kill him. He begs the in his hand while uttering the command phrase, “Get big, baby!” With
characters to become his agents and to act on his behalf in the outside that, characters find themselves back in Irtep’s private study on the 5th
world, offering them a way out of the Minzoa in exchange. He is oblivious floor of his tower.
to how ill he is or how terrible he looks, and he speaks frequently of the
desire to see his beloved Michalena again. He would like her brought here,
so they can start a new life in his “mountaintop bungalow.” He admits he Killing Irtep
has no money, but he could craft scrolls, potions, and magic items for the
characters if they bring him the raw materials. If the characters kill Irtep, they can either leave his body behind in
Any attempt at negotiating with Irtep fails if any Red Blades assassins Minzoa or bring it back to the world, where they can deliver it to someone
are in the mix. They intend to take Irtep’s head and trade it to Big Julie or for a bounty or even have him raised. If Irtep stays dead, they need merely
Tuvio, and to trade any of his magical belongings to the Dominion Arcane deliver the items of interest to his creditors and collect their pay. Or so
for whatever profit they may can make. they hope. See “Conclusions” to determine how to play this series of
events. Only Irtep knows the passkey and its command phrase to escape

Avoiding Battle
from Minzoa. If characters kill the wizard without first discovering that
information, and they don’t have the means to extract it from the dead
wizard, they could be trapped forever.
Because of the geas placed on Irtep by Osgood Flumph, Irtep is unable
to refuse an offer to engage in a game of chance. If challenged to a wager,
he must accept, but he can and will negotiate the stakes. For example, if a
burly fighter challenges Irtep to a stone-throwing contest, he will accept the Pipes of Minzoa
contest but will argue that, because the fighter’s obviously greater strength
gives him or her an advantage, Irtep should win 5 gp from the characters These pipes of ivory, platinum, silver, and gold are as finely
for every 1 they would win from him, or something similar. He will conjure crafted as one could imagine. Three magical songs can be played
up a gaming table, a deck of cards, or a bag of dice on command. If the on these enchanted pipes.
characters schmoozed with Michalena Goodeau or allied themselves with 3/per day: Summon Minzoan Creature: The pipes can be played
Gynnen Valzoe, they are aware of this quirk of Irtep’s personality and might over a vial of plain water to summon a number of creatures from
be prepared to use this to their advantage against Irtep. the Minzoa whose total HD equal 12 or less. These creatures obey
As soon as Irtep plays a game of chance, he is immediately invigorated the summoner’s commands and remain for one minute, or until
to his full health. This makes him more demanding about the characters’ destroyed, or until dismissed by the summoner.
need to depart from his hidden domain. Characters need to talk themselves 1/per day: Charm Minzoan Creature: The pipes can be played
out of any dangerous situations they get into with Irtep, or figure out some to charm a Minzoan creature for a number of days equal to the
way to break his geas. Cha bonus of the character playing the pipes. A charmed creature
remains loyal to the character so long as the character or one of its
allies doesn’t attack the charmed creature. The creature affected
Persuading Irtep to Leave can make a DC 15 Wis saving throw with tactical disadvantage
to negate the effect. The pipes are effective on Minzoan creatures
Either through gambling or battle, eventually the characters should even though most are immune to charm effects.
bring Irtep to a point where he is willing to talk. Persuading Irtep to leave 1/per day: Invisibility to Minzoan Creature: This song causes
and return to the outer world is not an easy task. Characters might point all creatures of the Minzoa to ignore the character for up to one
out that invaders have already made their way into his home and it is hour. This effect is broken if the character or one of its allies
only a matter of time before others such as themselves make contact attacks an affected creature.
with him and are less than friendly. Worse, intruders in his tower might Special: A bard can use each power of the pipes one additional
inadvertently or intentionally destroy Minzoa in its entirety. It may be time per day.
time for Irtep to face the consequences of his actions after all and figure
out some way to pay back his creditors.
Irtep doesn’t want to hear these things. He is quite ill, however, and Irtep’s Passkey
is beginning to suspect that he needs help. Suggestions that his creditors
might be willing to take one last double-or-nothing bet with him Irtep’s passkey for leaving the Minzoa is a set of six-sided dice
have the best shot at winning his confidence. Characters who can talk given him by his aged master. When Osgood and Irtep crafted the
knowledgeably about Irtep’s debts, the people he owes money to, and Minzoa sextant, they tied the dice into the effect. The dice need
gambling in general will hold his attention. Speaking positively about his only be rolled in the palm of the hand while the password (“Get
friendship with Faisal and Gynnen or about Tuvio’s respect for him (a bit big, baby!”) is spoken to reverse the sextant’s effect.
of exaggeration will be helpful here) will perk him up. Any mention of
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these examples to adjudicate what happens in your specific situation. Feel

Part 4: Conclusions free to add additional NPCs if appropriate, such as bartenders and wizard
guards at the Wizard’s Familiar.

At some point, characters must leave Irtep’s Tower. How they leave and
what conflicts follow are dependent on who the characters allied with and
the care they take in leaving the tower.
Confrontation: The Trio
If the characters simply walk out the front door, they find the guards

Allies
asleep. Once they cross the moat, they are confronted by Osgood, Faisal,
and Gynnen. The trio approach at the same time but separately from
different directions. Everyone’s hands are on wands or weapons, and it’s
Regardless of who the characters allied with prior to taking the quests clear none of them trust each other or are happy to see each other.
of Irtep’s Dish, their previous allies are lying in wait for their exit from the
tower. Each of the allies has their own agenda. Amidst this conflict are the
wild cards presented by the guard and the half-orc trackers employed by
If Irtep is Alive
If Irtep is alive but his geas has not been broken, he is leery of Osgood
Big Julie and Tuvio. and Faisal and appears humiliated in the presence of Gynnen.
When the characters leave the tower, they are immediately confronted Osgood demands Irtep relinquish the magic items to him so that he
by Osgood, Faisal, and Gynnen Valzoe—or all three. The wizards each
can continue their research. He points out that it would be best if Irtep
demand the items that the characters gathered from the tower. At first, they
left town and never came back since his gambling problem has cost him
attempt to out-bid one another for the items. If that doesn’t work, they
so dearly.
try to persuade the characters why they deserve the items. Depending on
Faisal demands that Irtep give the items to him so that he can turn them
the characters’ actions or reactions, this can lead to a battle between the
over to the Dominion to be destroyed.
wizard they side with and the other parties who are angered at being cut
out of the deal. Gynnen begs Irtep to leave the wizards to their toys and come with him
to get help for his failing health and for his gambling problem. Gynnen
accuses Osgood of placing a geas on Irtep and claims that he has evidence

Leaving the Tower the scroll was bought from the wizard Manisool.
If the geas has not been broken, Irtep gains a new saving throw against
it (Wis DC 14) as he realizes what Osgood has done to him. If he breaks
If the characters leave the tower by flying, by swimming, invisibly, or the spell, an angry Irtep attacks Osgood, and Faisal joins in. If the saving
by somehow just sneaking out, they notice that the guards that were so throw fails and the characters never received the scroll of remove curse
abundant and alert before all seem to be lying asleep at their posts. From from Gynnen, then Gynnen unrolls the scroll to cast the spell now. During
there on, the situation develops according to the guidelines below. Use this attempt, he is attacked by Osgood!

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 irtep's Dish
The wizards avoid using spells that would cause mass destruction to the characters as they exit the tower. In this case, both Faisal and Osgood
the neighborhood and further raise the ire of the city watch, who arrive 10 demand the sextant, the passkey, and the pipes of Minzoa. If the characters
rounds after the first spell is cast. Gynnen pleads with the wizards to cease are contracted under one or the other of the wizards, he reminds them
fighting; he joins in the melee only to defend himself or to protect Irtep. openly of their deal. If the players choose Faisal over Osgood, Osgood
Irtep does everything in his power to defeat Osgood, with the assistance of attacks Faisal, intending to kill him before he can take custody of Irtep’s
Faisal, though Faisal does not allow Irtep to kill Osgood; he’d rather see treasures.
Osgood turned over to the Dominion Arcane for a private trial. Gynnen is only concerned about the fate of Irtep, not his creations.
The player characters can take any actions they wish during the wizards’ If the characters tell him that Irtep is dead, the bard is visibly sad and
and bard’s duel, coming in on whichever side they favor or standing aside departs.
completely. They’ll be ignored while the combatants have each other to Shortly after Gynnen leaves, the half-orcs arrive and demand Irtep’s
worry about. treasures as payment to their bosses. It is up to the players and Game
During the fight, the half-orcs hired by the casino operators also arrive. Master to determine how this plays out.
Two pairs of half-orcs work for Big Julie and Tuvio respectively. The half-
orcs arrive in the midst of the fight. They use the battle as a distraction
while they make a beeline for Irtep. These two teams of leg-breakers are
not allied: one set works for Tuvio and the other for his rival, Big Julie!
Their goal is capturing Irtep and bringing him back to their respective
Tying Up Loose Ends
masters, so they fall to fighting one another as soon as all four close in on It is possible at the end of the adventure that the characters are outlaws
the wizard. in Bard’s Gate. They may have made enemies or allies of the Red Blades,
When the half-orcs make their grab for Irtep, Gynnen steps in to stop Shadowmasks, Dominion Arcane, Big Julie, Tuvio, Faisal, Osgood, or
them. Player characters are free to take any actions they deem appropriate, Irtep if he survived.
including aiding or betraying whichever faction they signed on with at the How the characters move forward after this adventure is something to
beginning of the adventure, understanding any consequences that occur be decided between the Game Master and players, based on their deeds
from their actions. and choices!
As if all this isn’t bad enough, Members of the City Guard begin If characters rescue Irtep and bring him to a happy conclusion, he gives
arriving within 10 rounds. The arriving guards also awaken the guards them his dish and the pipes of Minzoa, as his magic has grown enough to
who were put to sleep by Osgood and Faisal, for a total of 14 guards, continue his explorations of other tiny worlds. Irtep goes out of his way
Officer Gralme, four guard dogs, and the wizard Finly on the scene. to make amends with his debtors, paying them off with a cache of scrolls
Killing Lyreguards is a serious crime, of course. and other treasures he has hidden away in the Minzoa.
In this event also award the characters each an additional 1,000 XP for
their hard work. Irtep remains an ally to the characters for the duration
If Irtep Is Dead or Not with the Party of their careers, offering what advice and help he can and thanking them
If Irtep is dead or absent from the party, his former associates still meet always for saving him anytime their paths cross.

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Appendix:
NPCs and Monsters
Stat blocks for NPCs and monsters that can be encountered in multiple
locations are listed here. Only new or unique creatures are included. Faisal Dhaken
Abbreviated stat blocks are included for monsters and NPCs that are XP 700 (CR 3)
covered in the core book of monster stats, but GMs are directed to that CN Medium humanoid (human)
book for full details on those creatures. Initiative +2

DEFENSE

Irtep and His Associates AC 14 (bracers of armor +2)

hp: 34 (7d6 + 10)
Saving Throws: Int +6, Wis +4
Irtep OFFENSE
XP 2,900 (CR 7) Speed: 30 ft.
CN Medium humanoid Melee Attack—Staff of Fire: +2 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
Initiative +1 creature). Hit: 1d8 – 1 bludgeoning damage plus 1d8 fire
damage.
DEFENSE Ranged Attack—Light Crossbow: +4 to hit (range 80 ft./320
AC 14 (bracers of defense +2, ring of protection +1) ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d8 + 2 piercing damage.
hp: 45 (10d8)
STATISTICS
OFFENSE Str 8 (-1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1),
Speed: 30 ft. Int 17 (+3), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 10 (+0)
Melee Attack—Quarterstaff: +3 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one Languages: Common, Giant, Sylvan
creature). Hit: 1d8 bludgeoning damage. Skills: Arcana +6, History +6
Ranged Attack—Light Crossbow: +4 to hit (range 80 ft./320 ft.;
one creature). Hit: 1d8 + 1 piercing damage. TRAITS
Spellcasting. Faisal Dhaken is a 7th-level spellcaster who
STATISTICS uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (attack +5, save
Str 10 (+0), Dex 12 (+1), Con 11 (+0), DC 13). Faisal Dhaken knows the following spells.
Int 18 (+4), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 14 (+2) Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, ray of frost, shocking grasp
Languages: Abyssal, Common, Giant, Infernal 1st Level (x4): fog cloud, sleep, thunderwave
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Investigation +6 2nd Level (x3): hold person, suggestion, web
3rd Level (x3): dispel magic, haste, lightning bolt
TRAITS 4th Level (x1): greater invisibility
Spellcasting. Irtep is a 10th-level arcane spellcaster who uses Gear: Wand of magic missiles (7 charges), bracers of armor
Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (attack +7, save DC +2, staff of fire (12 charges), 2 potions of cure wounds, 1
15). Irtep knows the following spells. potion of haste; 300 gp in gems and jewelry in a pouch
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, fire bolt, mage hand,
prestidigitation, shocking grasp Osgood Flumph
1st Level (x4): burning hands, detect magic, magic missile, XP 2,300 (CR 6)
sleep NE Medium humanoid (human)
2nd Level (x3): blur, hold person, suggestion, web Initiative +1
3rd Level (x3): dispel magic, fireball, protection from energy
4th Level (x3): ice storm, stoneskin DEFENSE
5th Level (x2): cone of cold AC 12 (ring of protection +1)
 Gear: +2 bracers of defense, ring of protection +1, pipes hp: 43 (9d6 + 12)
of Minzoa, sextant Passkey, wand of lightning bolt (14 Saving Throws: Int +6, Wis +4
charges), 3 scrolls of charm person, ring of swimming,
broom of flying. OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft.
Melee Attack—Quarterstaff: +4 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one
creature). Hit: 1d8 bludgeoning damage.
Melee Attack—Dagger +1: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft. or range 20
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 irtep's Dish
ft./60 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d4 + 2 piercing damage.

STATISTICS
Str 10 (+0), Dex 13 (+1), Con 12 (+1),
Irtep’s Creditors
Int 17 (+3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 14 (+2)
Languages: Common, Dwarvish, Giant
Fat Juliello Broad-Toe
Fat Julie uses the standard NPC Spy stat block.
Skills: Arcana +7, History +7
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
(Fat Julie [Spy]: AC 12, 27 hps; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing
damage [shortsword] OR +4 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., 1d6
TRAITS
+ 2 piercing damage [hand crossbow])
Spellcasting. Osgood Flumph is a 9th-level spellcaster who
uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (+7 to hit with
Being a halfling, he has the following additional traits.
spell attacks; spell save DC 15). He knows the following
Lucky: When Fat Julie rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or
spells.
saving throw, he can reroll the die, but must keep the new result.
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, minor illusion
Nimble: Fat Julie can move through the space of an enemy creature
1st Level (x4): burning hands, mage armor, thunderwave
that’s larger than he is.
2nd Level (x3): flaming sphere, hold person, suggestion
Advantageous. Fat Julie has tactical advantage on saving throws
3rd Level (x3): fireball, fly, lightning bolt
against poison and on saving throws against being frightened.
4th Level (x3): greater invisibility, stoneskin
Gear: Shortsword, shortbow, 30 arrows, ring of protection +1, 2
5th Level (x1): cone of cold potions of cure wounds, 2 potions of invisibility
Gear: Wand of lightning (7 charges), boots of levitation,
ring of protection +1, brooch of shielding, scroll of dispel
magic, scroll of geas, +1 dagger, 3,500 gp worth of gems Fat Julie’s Brute Squad
and coins in a small bag of holding Fat Julie has many half-orcs working for him as all-purpose leg-
breakers. The toughest of them are Choli Bonesnapper, Colic, Pinkeye,
and Blister. Use the standard NPC Berserker stat block for these four.
Gynnen Valzoe Many other half-orcs work under these bruisers, all of which use the
XP 1,100 (CR 4) standard NPC Thug stat block.
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +3 Choli Bonesnapper, Colic, Pinkeye, and Blister [Berserkers]:
AC 13, 67 hps; +5 to hit, 1d12 + 3 slashing damage
DEFENSE [greataxe]; at the start of their turns, these half-orcs can
AC 17 (+1 chain shirt) opt to have tactical advantage on their attack, but then
hp: 35 (6d8 + 8) all attacks against them also have tactical advantage
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Con +4 until the start of the half-orc’s next turn.

OFFENSE Half-Orc Thug: AC 11, 32 hps; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2

Speed: 30 ft. bludgeoning damage [mace] OR +2 to hit, range 100/400
Multiattack: Valzoe attacks twice with his rapier, or once ft., 1d10 piercing damage [heavy crossbow]; thugs have
with his rapier and once with his hand crossbow. tactical advantage on attack rolls when at least one
Melee Attack—Rapier +1: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one other active thug is within 5 feet of the target.
creature). Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage.
Ranged Attack—Hand Crossbow +1: +6 to hit (range 30
ft./120 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d6 + 4 piercing damage.
Tuvio
Tuvio uses the standard NPC Bandit Captain stat block.
STATISTICS Tuvio [Bandit Captain]: AC 15, 55 hps; +6 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2
Str 14 (+2), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), piercing damage [scimitar] AND +6 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing
Int 14 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 17 (+3) damage [dagger]; when Tuvio is hit by a melee attack
Languages: Common, Elvish, Dwarvish from an attacker he can see, as a reaction he can roll 1d4
Skills: Performance +7, Persuasion +7, Sleight of Hand +5 and add it to his AC
TRAITS
Countercharm: Through song and speech, Gynnen can Tuvio’s Torpedoes
grant allies within 30 feet of him tactical advantage on Like Fat Julie, Tuvio has half-orcs working for him as musclemen and
saving throws against being charmed or frightened. leg-breakers. The toughest of them are Fleaface and Hogbreath. Use the
Gynnen must use his action to perform this ability, and the standard NPC Berserker stat block for them. Many other half-orcs work
effect is broken if he does anything else until the start of his under these two, all of which use the standard NPC Thug stat block.
next turn. Allies must be able to hear Gynnen to gain the
benefit. Fleaface and Hogbreath [Berserkers]: AC 13, 67 hps; +5 to hit,
Spellcasting. Gynnen Valzoe is a 6th-level spellcaster who 1d12 + 3 slashing damage [greataxe]; at the start of their
uses Charisma as his spellcasting ability (attack +6, save turns, these half-orcs can opt to have tactical advantage
DC 14). He knows the following spells. on their attack, but then all attacks against them also have
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, minor illusion tactical advantage until the start of the half-orc’s next turn.
1st Level (x4): burning hands, mage armor, thunderwave
2nd Level (x3): flaming sphere, hold person, suggestion Half-Orc Thug: AC 11, 32 hps; +4 to hit x2, 1d6 + 2
3rd Level (x3): fireball, fly, lightning bolt bludgeoning damage [mace] OR +2 to hit, range 100/400
Gear: Rapier +1, hand crossbow +1, +1 chain shirt, scroll of ft., 1d10 piercing damage [heavy crossbow]; thugs have
remove curse, 500 gp in coins and gems. tactical advantage on attack rolls when at least one
other active thug is within 5 feet of the target.
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
hp: 67 (9d10 + 18)

Giant Protozoans Immunity: Blindness, charm, deafness, fright, prone

OFFENSE
The following are a class of creatures known to inhabit the hidden Speed: 10 ft., swim 10 ft.
Minzoa which lies just beyond the sight of men and beasts. Alchemists, Multiattack: A carnivorous fungi attacks four times with
scientists, madmen, druids, and dabblers in the arcane arts have long tentacles.
suspected the existence of minute beings, pointing to creatures such as Melee Attack—Tentacle: +4 to hit (reach 10 ft.; one
lice and ticks as evidence of a world much smaller than our own. The creature). Hit: 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage and the
wizard Irtep found a way to enter this world, where he encountered and target is grappled and restrained. A grappled creature
categorized the following creatures. takes 2d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage at the start of each of
its turns until it escapes. A grappled creature escapes by
making a successful DC 14 Str (Athletics) check.
Amoeba, Giant
XP 700 (CR 3) STATISTICS
Unaligned Large ooze Str 14 (+2), Dex 6 (-2), Con 14 (+2),
Initiative –1 Int 2 (-4), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 3 (-4)
Languages: None
DEFENSE Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
AC 9
hp: 45 (6d10 + 12) TRAITS
Immunity: Bludgeoning damage; blindness, charm, Pheromones: The giant carnivorous fungi emits pheromones
deafness, fright, prone in a 30-foot radius centered on itself. A living creature
within or entering the area must make a successful DC
OFFENSE 14 Wis saving throw or be charmed and forced to move
Speed: 20 ft., swim 20 ft. within reach of the fungi’s tentacles (10 feet) and stay
Melee Attack—Slam: +2 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). there. The effect lasts until the charmed creature uses an
Hit: 4d6 bludgeoning damage plus 1d6 acid damage, action to make a successful DC 14 Wis saving throw, or for
and the target must make a DC 12 Str saving throw or 1 minute.
be engulfed. An engulfed creature is grappled and
restrained and takes 3d6 acid damage at the start of ECOLOGY
each of the giant amoeba’s turns. An engulfed creature Environment: Temperate (Minzoa)
can attempt a DC 12 Str (Athletics) check on its turn to Organization: Forest
escape. The giant amoeba can engulf up to one Large or
four Medium or smaller creatures at a time. These plantlike beings thrive in the Minzoa, in areas with plenty
of moisture and humidity. They resemble copses of clear, reedlike
STATISTICS staves rising from a pool of primordial goop 15 to 30 feet in diameter.
Str 10 (+0), Dex 8 (-1), Con 15 (+2), Carnivorous fungi feed on other living beings of the minzoa, trapping
Int 1 (-5), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 3 (-4) them in their sticky strands where they are slowly devoured.
Languages: None Carnivorous fungi lie in wait for the nearly mindless creatures of the
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) Minzoa to swim or crawl through their primordial goop in search of food.
There the creatures become trapped in the fungi’s gluey excretions as the
TRAITS reed staves wrap around their prey and squeeze it to death.
Transparent: The giant amoeba is difficult to spot. A creature
must make a successful DC 12 Wis (Perception) check
to spot a giant amoeba. A creature that enters a giant Hydrazoa, Giant
amoeba’s space is automatically engulfed. XP 2,300 (CR 6)
Unaligned Large beast
ECOLOGY Initiative +0
Environment: Water (Minzoa)
Organization: Solitary DEFENSE
AC 13 (natural armor)
The Minzoan amoeba is a large creature which could easily fill a 10- hp: 102 (12d10 + 36)
foot cube if contained in that shape. The creature is semi-translucent and Resistance: Bludgeoning damage
therefore difficult to see or distinguish from water save for its slightly Immunity: Blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, prone
sticky wet exterior.
Minzoan amoebas live in water and die if they are away from liquid OFFENSE
water for more than one hour. Speed: 10 ft., swim 20 ft.
Amoebas are voracious eaters and may even try to devour smaller Multiattack: A giant hydrozoa attacks six times with tentacles
amoebas. They attack by slamming their body onto their prey. and bites once.
Melee Attack—Tentacle: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
Hit: 1d6 + 2 bludgeoning damage, and a Medium or
Carnivorous Fungi, Giant smaller target is grappled and restrained. The target must
XP 1,100 (CR 4) make a DC 15 Con saving throw or be paralyzed for 1
Unaligned Large plant minute. A paralyzed creature can attempt a new save as
Initiative –2 an action on its turn to end the effect early. A grappled
creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage at the start
DEFENSE of each its turns until it escapes. A grappled (but not
AC 11 (natural armor) paralyzed) creature can escape by making a DC 15 Str
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 irtep's Dish
(Athletics) or Dex (Acrobatics) check. into their victims, injecting them with an acidic gastric substance, and
Melee Attack—Bite: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature sucking the creature’s liquefied nutrients into their body.
grappled by the giant hydrazoa). Hit: 1d8 + 2 piercing
damage.
Protozoan Orb, Giant
STATISTICS XP 450 (CR 2)
Str 15 (+2), Dex 10 (+0), Con 16 (+3) Unaligned Medium beast
Int 1 (-5), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 3 (-4) Initiative +0
Languages: None
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) DEFENSE
AC 11 (natural armor)
ECOLOGY hp: 39 (6d8 + 12)
Environment: Temperate (Minzoa) Resistance: Bludgeoning damage
Organization: Solitary Immunity: Blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, prone

Giant Hydrazoa are humongous protozoan creatures brought from OFFENSE

the world in miniature by mad science and arcane magic. These horrid Speed: 0 ft., swim 30 ft.
creatures appear as a slender tube 10 to 30 feet long. The creature fuses Melee Attack—Bite: +2 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
one end of the tube immovably to a floor or to the ground with pseudopods, 2d6 piercing damage plus 1d6 acid damage, and the giant
typically in a watery area such as a lake, stream, river, or shallow sea. The protozoan orb attaches itself to the target. While attached,
creature uses its tentacles to snatch prey, injecting them with paralytic the giant protozoan orb doesn’t attack with its bite. Instead,
venom before drawing the meal whole into its maw, where it is digested at the start of each of its turns, the target loses 1d6 hit points
by powerful acids. from blood loss and takes 1d6 acid damage. The victim or
Giant hydrazoa move either by drifting with the current or by propelling another adjacent creature can use its action to make a
themselves with a looping, somersaulting-type motion. DC 10 Str check to detach the giant protozoan orb. After a
giant protozoan orb has drained 9 hit points from a target, it
detaches and moves away to digest its meal.
Nematode, Giant
XP 700 (CR 3) STATISTICS
Unaligned Medium beast Str 11 (+0), Dex 10 (+0), Con 14 (+2),
Initiative +1 Int 2 (-4), Wis 6 (-2), Cha 1 (-5)
Languages: None
DEFENSE Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
AC 11
hp: 45 (7d8 + 14) ECOLOGY
Resistance: Bludgeoning damage Environment: Salt water (Minzoa)
Immunity: Blindness, charm, deafness, fright, prone Organization: Solitary

OFFENSE Protozoan orbs are common in brackish waters of the micro-verse.

Speed: 20 ft., swim 30 ft. They typically resemble ticks with four to six limbs, but they are 3
Melee Attack—Bite: +3 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit: to 6 feet across. They have hooked jaws just below the beginnings of
3d6 + 1 piercing damage plus 2d6 acid damage. their insectlike eye. Their carapace is clear, revealing the juices of their
primative cellular structure within.
STATISTICS Protozoan orbs feast on carrion and vegetable matter, though they are
Str 10 (+0), Dex 12 (+1), Con 15 (+2), not above attempting to devour small, live prey that crosses their path.
Int 1 (-5), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 3 (-4) Their primary form of travel is by slurping water in through their mouth
Languages: None and jetting it out through their hind end, which gives them a jerky, flitting
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) movement. They are common prey of hydrazoa and giant nematodes.

TRAITS
Transparent: The giant nematode is difficult to spot. A Sporozoan, Giant
creature must make a successful DC 12 Wis (Perception) XP 700 (CR 3)
check to spot a giant nematode. Unaligned Medium beast
Split. If a giant nematode or at least Medium size takes Initiative +0
slashing damage, it splits into two identical giant
nematodes, each one size smaller and each with half the DEFENSE
original’s current total hit points, rounded down. A giant AC 10
nematode with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split. hp: 48 (6d8 + 12)
Resistance: Bludgeoning damage
ECOLOGY Immunity: Blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, prone
Environment: Temperate (Minzoa)
Organization: Solitary OFFENSE
Speed: 10 ft., swim 20 ft.
Giant nematodes are man-sized flatworms that inhabit the world Multiattack: A sporozoan attacks four times with tentacles.
in miniature, thanks to arcane magic and the experimentations of mad Melee Attack—Tentacle: +3 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
scientists. These creatures are nearly transparent, making it difficult to Hit: 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled
spot them until it is too late. and restrained. A grappled creature can make a DC 12 Str
Giant nematodes are always hungry; they are driven entirely by the (Athletics) check to escape. A creature hit by a tentacle
desire to eat and reproduce. They attack by spearing their frontal portion must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or contract
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 Quests of Doom: men & monstrosities
a virulent, fast-acting disease. A diseased creature repeats Multiattack: A tardigrade attacks four times with claws and
the saving throw at the end of every long rest and recovers bites once.
naturally when it makes its second successful save. If it Melee Attack—Claw: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
doesn’t recover at the end of a long rest, its maximum hit Hit: 1d6 + 2 slashing damage plus a possible rend (see
points are reduced by 5; reductions are cumulative. The below).
disease can also be cured with a lesser restoration spell or Melee Attack—Bite: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature struck
comparable magic. The creature’s hit points return to their by a claw this turn). Hit: 1d8 + 2 piercing damage.
normal maximum when the disease ends.
STATISTICS
STATISTICS
Str 15 (+2), Dex 10 (+0), Con 15 (+2),
Str 12 (+1), Dex 10 (+0), Con 15 (+2),
Int 2 (-4), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 6 (-2)
Int 2 (-4), Wis 6 (-2), Cha 1 (-5)
Languages: None
Languages: None
Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)

ECOLOGY TRAITS
Environment: Temperate (Minzoa) Rend: If the giant tardigrade hits a Medium or smaller target
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-5) with two or more claw attacks on the same turn, the
target takes an extra 2d6 slashing damage.
These foul creatures of the minzoa appear as man sized blobs of
gelatinous matter, surrounded by four tentacles. The tentacles are used ECOLOGY
both for mobility and to attack. They are typically found near the corpses Environment: Any (Minzoa)
of creatures that have died recently from the sporozoans’ disease or in Organization: Solitary
filthy, dead matter, as such corpses are breeding grounds for sporozoans.
The creatures hibernate in a hardened cyst until agitated or roused by Giant Tardigrades, also known as water bears look like a cross between
proximity to other living organisms. a hairless bear and a caterpillar. The creatures stand 10 feet tall and weigh
1,400 lbs. The body of the giant tardigrade is a grayish pink, though some
Tardigrade, Giant run to grey green. Their body is slightly segmented and has eight legs,
four of which may be used to attack their prey. Their skin is thick and
XP 1,700 (CR 5)
loose after the fashion of the rhinoceros and sloughs off damage easily,
Unaligned Large beast
affording them an excellent armor class.
Initiative +0
Commonly they are found in water, though they can be found in almost
DEFENSE any extreme of climate. Giant tardigrades have been brought to the world
AC 13 (natural armor) through a mixture of alchemy, mad science, magic, and the occasional
hp: 75 (10d10 + 20) druid gone wrong. Tardigrades are some of the hardiest creatures on the
Resistance: Cold and fire damage planet. They seem to hardly notice extreme heat or extreme cold. They can
Immunity: Blindness, charm, deafness, fright lie dormant for years without food or water.
Tardigrades eat almost anything, though they are slow to provoke and
OFFENSE hard to anger. When engaged, they attack with their four front claws and
Speed: 30 ft., swim 20 ft. their circular maw filled with razor-sharp teeth.

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Vampires
&
Liches
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches

The Pyramid of Amra By Casey W. Christofferson and Bill Webb

The Pyramid of Amra is a challenging adventure designed for characters face any obstacle, although they should not be given the whole story. Best
of at least 12th level. Due to the nature and numbers of undead enemies to keep secret some of the lore provided on these pages and let them plan
(vampires), having a cleric on hand with the ability to cast raise dead and and prepare for the worst on their own.
greater restoration is advisable. The PCs should be rounded out with a The Pyramid of Amra sits on a small island in the middle of a lake
wizard or sorcerer and a pair of front-line fighters. within a desert oasis. On the shore of the lake sits the Palace of Celestial
In this adventure, the PCs travel to the Pyramid of Amra and the Flowers.
ancient Monastery of Night, where they face one of the most dangerous of
opponents they are likely to meet, C’nosretep the Champion of Set.

Palace of Celestial Flowers

Legend of the Pyramid and Monastery of Night
of Amra and the A large walled structure amid gently swaying palm trees sits exposed

Monastery of Light
to the sands. Almost hidden beyond the tall date palms lies a silvery lake
amidst the desert. The point of a pyramid rises above the greenery like a
yellowed claw, its very top covered in red gold leaf.
For several millennia the monks of the Monastery of Light trained in The top of the pyramid is in fact the Pyramid of Amra. However, as
the deepest mysteries of meditation and unarmed combat. Their master,
Ozykathalin, was said to have penned the sacred tome of mind and body, a
tome containing many of the most cunning and devastating of all martial
arts maneuvers. Their reign ended nearly a century ago, when C’nosretep,
the Iron Fist of Set, deposed Ozykathalin and placed himself upon the
Lotus Throne.
Now reigning supreme within the Step Pyramid of Amra, C’nosretep
sits in sole possession of the tome of mind and body, much of which he
has re-written or embellished. Surrounding himself with fell followers
the Champion of Set now presides over pilgrimages of worshippers and
slaves who trek across the desert wastes by the thousands. These foolish
pilgrims come to witness the power of the Iron Fist of Set. Many hope to
gain immortality, if first they can impress C’nosretep with their skills at
unarmed combat.

Getting to the Step

Pyramid of Amra
The Step Pyramid of Amra should be contained in a deep desert location
with an “ancient world” flavor. In the Lost Lands of Frog God Games,
the Pyramid of Amra is located at a remote oasis in the desert land of
Khemit, although any desert location will do. The journey should be half
of the challenge, fraught with dangers both natural and monstrous, with
hints as to the actual location of the Pyramid and the hidden oasis of Amra
sprinkled throughout.
Characters could possibly have heard tales of the pyramid and the
tome of mind and body. The tome itself is treasured by monastic orders
throughout the world for its ancient techniques. Through careful study of
its venerable pages, students of the tome learn the secrets of a completely
unique new martial arts move, usable only by the most experienced of
masters.
Alternately, a monk’s sect may have sent him questing for the tome
of mind and body to return to their cloister for further research by the
Grandmasters. For whatever the reason, the PCs should be motivated to
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 The pyramid of amra
mentioned above, it sits on an island in the middle of a lake. Before the invisibility, and a mask of the monkey.
characters, and on the shore of the lake, is the Palace of Celestial Flowers, The doppelganger monks are identical to standard doppelgangers but
which may be explored before the PCs access the Pyramid and in fact with the addition of the monk’s ability to deflect missiles and to inflict
provides the means for the players to get to the island—a secret passage stunning strikes. The asswere monks are in hybrid form when characters
and a boat. Some PCs possessing magical means of transport may wish to enter.
simply bypass the Palace. See below.
(Relthren Surret [Doppelganger Monk]: AC 14, 78 hp; +8
to hit x2, 2d6 + 5 bludgeoning damage [slam]; as an
Bypassing the Palace action, can read the thoughts of a creature within 60 ft.;
PCs could, if they have the means, simply swim, fly, or use a boat has tactical advantage on attack rolls against surprised
to reach the island containing the Pyramid or use some other means to creatures, and does an extra 3d6 bludgeoning damage
bypass the Palace. However, once in the Pyramid, there are several areas with attacks that hit surprised creatures; as a reaction,
where the amulet of the lotus master —which can only be obtained within can reduce damage from missiles that hit it by 1d10 + 12;
the Palace—benefits them. It is for your players to decide how they wish 3/day, target of slam attack must make a successful DC
to proceed. The adventure can be completed even if the Palace is never 14 Con saving throw or be stunned for 1 round [stunning
entered. strike]; shapechanger)

1: Palace of Celestial Flowers (Doppelganger Monk: AC 14, 52 hp; +6 to hit x2, 1d6 + 4
bludgeoning damage [slam]; as an action, can read
the thoughts of a creature within 60 ft.; has tactical
Fine bronze double doors cast with images of a great and mighty god advantage on attack rolls against surprised creatures, and
surrounded with rays of sunlight and showering lotus blossoms upon a does an extra 3d6 bludgeoning damage with attacks that
single child grace the front of this majestic edifice. Beyond the locked hit surprised creatures; as a reaction, can reduce damage
bronze double doors is an entrance chamber that must have once been from missiles that hit it by 1d10 + 9; 3/day, target of slam
an awesome sight but is now degraded with filth. Torn tapestries flutter attack must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or
in the wind ominously. The PCs’ nostrils fill with the smell of old death be stunned for 1 round [stunning strike]; shapechanger)
and an uneasy decay. A second set of locked double doors beyond the
first open into Area 8, Great Hall of the Brotherhood of the Fallen (Asswere Monk: AC 15, 33 hp; in hybrid form, +5 to hit, 1d8
Star. The outer doors can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Str + 3 bludgeoning damage [bite] plus +5 to hit, 1d8 + 3
(Athletics) check, or they can be finessed open with a set of thief’s tools piercing damage [spear]; in human form, attacks twice
and a successful DC 12 Dex check. The inner doors are heavy, but anyone with spear; in donkey form, bites once; as an action, can
can open them with determined pushing. force all creatures within 30 feet to make successful DC 12
Wis saving throws or be affected as by a confusion spell

2: Great Hall of the Brotherhood

for 1d4 + 3 rounds [bray]; shapechanger)

of the Fallen Star If Characters Enter During the Night

They instead face C’nosretep himself! He does not wish to fight with
As the PCs enter from beyond the locked entrance portals, they can the characters at the moment, but converses with them instead to assess
see a great amount of dust and darkness beyond. This was once a place of their intelligence and ability to resist his powerful charms. Secretly he has
great majesty and serenity. Ornately carved wooden pillars featuring great 6 vampire spawn hiding atop the invisible bridge in Area 14, waiting
battles between celestial and infernal forces stare ominously at the PCs as to pounce upon the PCs. C’nosretep dominates the strongest warrior or
the breeze from the outside wafts into the room, creating a slight fog of rogue and instructs them to slay the weakest PCs while he parleys with
dust. Braziers suddenly light from the corners of the room and the party a monk or paladin. He is arrogant and boastful of his powers and thanks
see a figure sitting atop a throne before you, beckoning them to approach. them for coming to join the eternal army of undead that he is building
The Great Hall has a domed ceiling that rises about 40 feet above the here at the oasis. As soon as the trap is ready to be sprung, or as soon
floor, and is lined with eight massive carved pillars. There are doors in the as anyone attempts to cast a spell or attack C’nosretep in any way, he
northeastern and northwestern walls leading to Areas 3, 4, 6 and 7. There attacks that individual mercilessly for one round before using his great
is a flaming brazier in the southeast and southwestern corners of the room speed and powers to turn to vapor and retreat to a random room within
that cast a strange and eerie light. Play up this spooky effect prior to the the Palace or Pyramid. Most likely C’nosretep’s subsequent ambushes are
ambush of the PCs. sprung within a room or chamber the PCs have recently passed through
and cleared of traps and monsters as they backtrack through the palace.
C’nosretep only fights to the “death” when defending his sarcophagus or
If Characters Enter During the Day the tome of mind and body.
If characters enter the throne chamber during daylight hours, they are
faced with Relthren Surret masked in the guise of C’nosretep, and a pack (C’nosretep [Vampire]: AC 16, 144 hp; attacks twice, with
of 3 doppelganger monks and 3 asswere monks hiding atop the invisible only one bite; +9 to hit, 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage
bridge in Area 14, waiting to pounce upon the PCs. If the battle begins or the target is grappled [unarmed strike], and +9 to
to go against the doppelgangers, they all change shape into C’nosretep. hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage plus
Relthren Surret enters the combat if he is threatened or if things are going 3d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces
badly for his allies. In the confusion, Relthren shape-changes into one of the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and
the weakest PCs and attacks that individual until Relthren has lost 30% of the vampire gains the same number of temporary hp;
his total hit points, at which point he attempts to flee to safety. The asswere regenerates 20 hp at the start of its turn unless it took
monks begin the fight in hybrid form. radiant damage or damage from holy water since its last
Relthren Surret is a standard doppelganger, but with more hit points turn; one humanoid within 30 ft. must make a successful
and more dangerous slam attacks. He is C’nosretep’s chief lieutenant, DC 17 Wis saving throw or be charmed by the vampire;
and is in charge of guarding the vampires during daylight hours. He and 3/day, can choose to succeed on a saving throw it just
his doppelgangers are skilled monks, bound in service to C’nosretep by failed; 1/day, can call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats; can use
their god Set. Surret carries 3 potions of greater healing, 2 potions of 3 legendary actions/round [move, unarmed strike, bite (2

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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
actions)]; transforms to mist at 0 hp; shapechanger) center. If the sarcophagus were to be removed, it would make room to seat
about seven individuals. There are two intact oars in oarlocks at the front
(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw and back of the barge. Anyone with a nautical background can discern that
and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target this barge is water-worthy and narrow enough to fit through the door at
is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 the end of the hall. The boat is very heavy and requires a total combined
+ 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; Strength modifier of +12 to move it out of the room.
necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by The sarcophagus on the barge emanates a powerful fear aura. Every
an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same character who approaches within 10 feet of it must make a successful DC
number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start 14 Wis saving throw or be frightened of it and the barge permanently. This
of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from effect can be removed as a curse (by greater restoration or comparable
holy water since its last turn) magic).
Treasure: The funerary barge is very valuable; it would be worth
Searching the Throne 30,000 gp to a collector due to the ebony and mahogany hardwood in its
construction. The boat, although extremely heavy, actually sails extremely
Anyone making a successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check while
well and is very easy to handle.
examining the throne discovers that the sliding plate beneath the seat of
the dragon-footed Throne of the Lotus Master has an inlay the exact size
and shape of the amulet of the lotus master. Placing the completed amulet
into the depression opens a secret staircase in the floor below the throne 5: Meditation Chamber
that leads to Area P1 of the Pyramid of Amra.
This is a second meditation chamber, similar to Area 10, except this
one is completely white and the star symbol on the floor is completely
3: Purification of Body black.
Hiding within this chamber, blending completely with the white of the
This chamber was once used to purify the body through massage, steam walls, are 4 doppelganger monks. They wait for a moment while the PCs
baths, plunge pools, and the like, though it is now fouled. There is some are examining the black star in the center of the floor, then they strike out
sign that horrible death once visited this room. The walls are chipped and from the shadows. All attack a lightly armored target at the same time,
cracked in places, and broken weapons lie in disarray around the room. and all transform into this target on the following round to add chaos and
The shattered remains of several urns, ewers, and basins crack and break confusion to their assault. If the doppelgangers are losing the fight, they
under the PCs’ feet. An unlocked door in the northwest corner of the room prefer to flee rather than die.
opens to reveal a staircase leading to Area 9. A monk of Lawful Evil alignment that spends three full rounds
Treasure: Anyone making a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check contemplating the white star in the center of the chamber gains tactical
uncovers the skeleton of a slain monk, stuffed into a hole in the floor that advantage on his next attack or his next use of Acrobatics or Athletics
once released natural steam. Upon his person are 200 pp and a +2 dagger. skill.

(Doppelganger Monk: AC 14, 52 hp; +6 to hit x2, 1d6 + 4

4: Meditation Chamber bludgeoning damage [slam]; as an action, can read
the thoughts of a creature within 60 ft.; has tactical
This is a simple room with pure black walls and no visible markings advantage on attack rolls against surprised creatures, and
whatsoever. The door to the room, when closed, perfectly blends with the does an extra 3d6 bludgeoning damage with attacks that
wall to make it appear as if there is no door at all. A white star-like shape hit surprised creatures; as a reaction, can reduce damage
dominates the center of the floor. An unlocked door in the eastern wall from missiles that hit it by 1d10 + 9; 3/day, target of slam
leads to Area 5. attack must make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw or
Hiding in this chamber are 4 vampire spawn of C’nosretep, hanging be stunned for 1 round [stunning strike]; shapechanger)
from the ceiling and walls and waiting to drop like spiders on unsuspecting
PCs. The spawn strike at lightly armored individuals such as wizards and
rogues first before moving on to the fighters. 7: Massage Chamber
Several tables line the walls of this room, along with small-wheeled
(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw carts containing bottles of various oils, unguents, mud, and herbal wraps.
and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target Artwork inlaid in enamel upon the walls depicts monks practicing the art
is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 of massage upon one another to work out the soreness of intense physical
+ 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; and mental training. Waiting within the room are 2 invisible clay golems.
necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by Each golem remains invisible until it is hit by a direct attack (not an area
an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same effect).
number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start The golems don’t attack; instead, they grab the first two characters who
of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from enter the room, slam them onto the table, and begin giving them a serious
holy water since its last turn) massage. These golems were specially created to be invisible masseurs. In
the long years since their creation, the elemental spirits that animate them
A monk of Lawful Good alignment spending three full rounds have gone quite mad. They spare no ounce of their strength when giving
contemplating the white star in the center of the chamber gains tactical a massage, which usually reduces to putty the unfortunate person in their
advantage on his next attack or his next use of Acrobatics or Athletics care. The character being “massaged” is considered grappled, and each
skill. round of massage inflicts 2d10 + 5 bludgeoning damage. If attacked, they
respond in kind.
An unlocked door in the northeastern corner of the chamber opens to a
5: Barge of the Darkstar staircase leading upward to Area 13.
This chamber has a door in the center of the north, east, and west walls.
A large funerary barge made of black wood and inlaid with silver celestial (Clay Golem: AC 14, 133 hp; +8 to hit x2, 2d10 + 5
symbols and images dominates the room. The barge is 25 feet long and bludgeoning damage and the target creature must
about 5 feet wide, with a paddle and a sarcophagus attached across its make a successful DC 15 Con saving throw or its
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 The pyramid of amra
maximum hp are reduced by the same amount [slam];
as an action, the golem can gain +2 AC, tactical
advantage on Dex saves, and can attack as a bonus
action until the end of its next turn [haste, recharge
5, 6]; gains temporary hp equal to acid damage; has
tactical advantage on saving throws against magic
and is immune to any effect that would alter its form;
when reduced to 60 or fewer hp, the golem attacks
the nearest creature it can see)

Treasure: There are enough herbal wraps and oils are to assemble
three healer’s kits.

8: Rear Gatehouse
The door from Area 11 enters into gatehouse a with a 10-ft.-wide
iron portcullis at the far end. Doorways to the left and right of the
room lead up staircases to each of the guard towers. It is dark and
cobwebbed in the gatehouse area and looks as if it has not seen a
living soul in centuries. The closed iron portcullis leads to the stone
quay, where rowboats were once taken by the faithful brothers to
work the grounds of the renamed Monastery of Night. The portcullis
can be lifted with a DC 20 Str (Athletics) check, or bent open with a
DC 25 check.

A: Left Gatehouse
A lever on the second floor of the gatehouse must be switched to set
the mechanism to lift the portcullis. It is guarded by 4 wraiths—former
monks killed by C’nosretep.

(Wraith: AC 13, 67 hp; +6 to hit, 4d8 + 3 necrotic damage

and the target must make a successful DC 14 Con
saving throw or its maximum hp are reduced by
the same amount [life drain]; as an action, can
reanimate a creature slain within 1 minute, within
10 ft. as a specter; can move through solid
objects and other creatures as if they were
difficult terrain but takes 5 force damage if it
ends its turn in a solid object)

These wraiths are vengeful and spiteful, but if

they are confronted by an individual bearing
the amulet of the lotus master, they back
away and allow the lever to be switched
without a fight. They bow before the PCs
and say:

“Slay the beast and free us

in the name of the true master,
so that we may become one
with enlightenment and fade
from view.”

If attacked, they seek out paladins

and clerics first, attempting to
eliminate them before moving on to
other targets. They use darkness and
fade into walls and floors to maximize
their effectiveness.

B: Right Gatehouse
This gatehouse is dust-filled and
devoid of valuables, as if it has been
stripped for other uses.
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
Treasure: The amulet within the box, the amulet of the lightstar,
9: Training Room exudes a sense of power and glows with a bright light when held clasped
in the hand. See “New Magic Items” for details.
Padded walls and bamboo mats decorate this darkened room. Within
the room are several wooden training dummies that stand in the four
corners, motionless and covered with dust. 11: Chamber of the Lotus
By night, 4 vampire spawn take up residence within this chamber; during
daylight hours it is occupied by 2 asswere monks who spar with one another This is a cross-shaped chamber with a beautifully rendered lotus flower
to keep boredom at bay. They attack intruders who enter the chamber. mosaic in the center of the floor. The flower appears to change colors
depending on the angle at which it is viewed. This room was once the
(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw private meditation chamber of the Master of the Lotus.
and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target A trapped secret door is in the center of the northern wall. It can be
is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 found with a search and a successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check.
+ 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; Placing the shimmering lotus flower from the upper balcony into the center
necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by of the petals opens the door to Area 16 automatically and safely. Opening
an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same it without the shimmering lotus flower triggers a gas trap; all creatures in
number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start the room must make successful DC 16 Con saving throws against poison or
of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from be affected by blue lotus insanity (see the sidebar for details on this toxin).
holy water since its last turn)

(Asswere Monk: AC 15, 33 hp; in hybrid form, +5 to hit, 1d8

+ 3 bludgeoning damage [bite] plus +5 to hit, 1d8 + 3 Blue Lotus
piercing damage [spear]; in human form, attacks twice
with spear; in donkey form, bites once; as an action, can Creatures exposed to blue lotus toxin must make successful DC
force all creatures within 30 feet to make successful DC 12 16 Con saving throws or suffer hallucinations lasting 2d6 rounds.
Wis saving throws or be affected as by a confusion spell Roll 1d4 to determine the nature of the hallucination.
for 1d4 + 3 rounds [bray]; shapechanger)
Roll Hallucination
10: Bed Chamber of the Light Master 1
The character sees a party member as a
specter who intends to kill them all.
An ornately carved door features the holy symbol of Arden carved The character is filled with lust for the person
into its paneling. The symbol is shining brightly, and the PCs must take a nearest to him or her. If the target of this desire
moment to let their eyes adjust to the light. 2
spurns their sudden advances, the hallucinating
The door requires a set of thief’s tools and a successful DC 15 Dex character goes berserk and attacks.
check to open. Once unlocked, the door swings open to reveal a small
room holding the dusty belongings of the former Master of the Lightstar. The character is filled with despair and is
stunned while under the influence of the lotus
His belongings have been left undisturbed for centuries, as the holy 3
symbol carved into his door has a permanent daylight spell worked into gas. They curl up in a ball on the floor, hug
it. C’nosretep and his vampire minions keep away from this area, and themselves, and cry.
C’nosretep sees no reason to send his doppelganger and asswere monks The character goes into a tranquil trance lasting
here to see what’s in the room. 1d4 + 1 hours. The individual sits on the floor and
The interior is covered in a thick layer of dust. There is a small mat on sees things going on in the monastery as they
4
the floor with a wooden neck-board, a sconce, brass incense burner on a did before C’nosretep’s conquest. This vision
brass chain, and a small strange-looking box about 6 inches by 6 inches. gives a glimpse of the master of the Lightstar
The sides of the box have numerals in a strange language, with 9 numerals and a hint as to how to reach his chamber.
and 10 spaces upon the top of the box arranged in a square of 3 by 3 with an
additional location connected on one of the sides. Next to the 9 numerals
and the empty space there is a button that does nothing if depressed while
the numerals are in their original scrambled positions. Anyone who speaks
Celestial or who is trained in Religion skill recognizes that the numerals
are in Celestial script. The numerals on the top of the box, 1–9, are all 12: Bed Chamber of the Dark Master
scrambled, but the number 15 is repeated six times along two sides of the
perimeter of the box. A stout locked door bearing signs of shadow and darkness requires a set
The box number panels slide if they are oiled and reconfigured into any of thief’s tools and a successful DC 20 Dex check to open. This room has
combination of numbers from 1 through 9. a strange sense of dread within it. Dusty and dark, the room seems to dim
When all of the numbers are slid so they equal 15 across the bottom, all light sources. A low growling can be heard from the corners.
side, and each diagonal of the box and the button is pushed, the box opens Guarding this room from intruders are 5 shadows, which move to
to reveal an amulet with a large clear gemstone of unknown origin on a attack from the darkness. They instantly concentrate their attacks first on
golden chain. If the numbers are arranged in any other combination and the party’s cleric, followed by paladins.
the button is depressed, keen adamantine blades stab outward and slice
the holder’s hands, causing 2d6 slashing damage, or half damage with a (Shadow: AC 12, 16 hp; +4 to hit, 2d6 + 2 necrotic damage
successful DC 20 Dex saving throw. and the target loses 1d4 Strength.)
A possible solution to this puzzle looks like this:
Any character who searches the room and makes a successful DC 14
8 1 6 Wis (Perception) check finds a small chest. It is trapped with a poisoned
3 5 7 needle. The trap can be spotted if the chest is checked for traps and a
successful DC 12 Int (Investigation) check is made. Once spotted, the trap
4 9 2 is easy to avoid. If it’s not avoided, the person opening the chest takes 4d8
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 The pyramid of amra

poison damage and is poisoned for 30 minutes, or takes half damage and hang from the walls in shadows or they use their spider climb ability to
is not poisoned with a successful DC 14 Con saving throw. attack with surprise.
Inside the chest is a dark amulet that absorbs light; it is the amulet of the
darkstar (see “New Magic Items”). (Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw and bite;
+6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target is grappled
[claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 3 piercing
13: Smashed Training Room damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage
reduces the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and
Within this room are the remains of several practice dummies, all the vampire spawn gains the same number of temporary hp;
shattered and broken beyond repair. A set of stairs in the northwest of the regenerates 10 hp at the start of its turn unless it took radiant
room leads downward to the first floor. damage or damage from holy water since its last turn)
Anyone who examines the ceiling or who makes a successful DC 15
Wis (Perception) check notices a trapdoor in the ceiling to the southwest
of the room. The trapdoor can be hooked with a 10-foot pole. Pulling 15: Lower Balcony
down the trapdoor opens a wooden ladder staircase that leads to the floor
above and Area 17. A balcony juts out from the lower portion of the dome of the Palace of
Celestial Flowers. It was once used by the Master of the Lotus to address
the disciples as they went through exercises in the courtyard. Now it
14: Locked Door and Invisible Bridge serves as a lookout spot during the nighttime hours for vampire spawn
that serve C’nosretep.
The locked door is not trapped, but it requires a set of thief’s tools and a

16: Sanctuary of the

successful DC 15 Dex check to unlock and open. Behind the locked door
is a walkway through the center of the palace. It leads to the lower balcony.
The walkway is permanently invisible. Characters attempting to cross the
invisible walkway must make a successful DC 12 Dex (Acrobatics) check
to cross the walkway safely. Those failing the check fall 20 feet to the
Master of the Lotus
Great Hall, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage. This chamber served as the private sanctum of the Master of the Lotus.
If the 6 vampire spawn that were waiting to ambush the PCs earlier It is a simple room devoid of most comfort items one would associate
have not yet done so, they are waiting here to attack. The vampire spawn with a great leader. Instead it merely contains a dry rotted sleeping mat,
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
meditation rug, neck board, several scroll cases, manuals of various sorts, desert beyond the oasis when not blocked by clouds of sand. Growing
dried writing inks, reed brushes and a small locked chest. amongst the weeds in a pool of disgusting looking water is a shimmering
The chest has an intricate lock requiring a thief’s tools and a successful lotus flower. A character making a successful DC 10 Wis (Perception)
DC 20 Dex check to open. check notices these strange flowers (see “New Magic Items”).Each planter
Within the chest is an amulet made in the shape of a lotus blossom with contains one shimmering lotus flower.
an odd piece of engraving upon the back. There is a diary within the chest
as well, and diagrams showing an individual grasping the amulet of the
darkstar in one hand and the amulet of the lightstar in the other, with the 19: Dome of the Lightstar
medallion of the lotus about their neck, all while under a curtain of stars.
A perfect lotus flower is at his feet. This chamber has no windows or doors and can only be accessed
Treasure: The amulet is the medallion of the lotus, which is currently by using the amulet of the lightstar. The room has a beautiful golden
incomplete. It is missing the rose diamond that is the centerpiece of the dome lined with diamonds. There is a floor mosaic featuring a
item. The medallion does not function to open the secret passage beneath brilliant shining sun. As the adventurers enter the room the amulet
the Lotus Throne without this central diamond. One of the books is the of the lightstar glows brightly and the shimmering form of Master
History of the Monastery of Light, by Ozykathalin, worth 5,000 gp to a Seung appears. The apparition smiles to the adventurers and begins
collector who understands its value. to speak.

17: Third Floor Dome and “Master Seung, called Solaris I am and you have called me

Chamber of Celestial Light across the depths of time and space; long has the time been since
I have had fortune to send my form into this place. Cursed is the
One who betrayed the Order of Stars. Blessed be those that seek
and Darkness enlightenment that would heal his harms. Through the Halls of
Night to walk where bloodless fiends do hide and stalk. Seek you
Two features stand out as most impressive about this chamber, there the candles’ flames and light them in Lotus Masters Name.
the first being the intricate mosaic patterns of a comet, moon, and a Place them at the points of the celestial eye and closer to the
sun with an all-seeing eye in the center of it. The second impressive ground will be the sky.”
feature of this chamber is the domed ceiling that reflects the light with
diamonds. The diamonds are set in the ceiling so as to appear as the
sky and constellations of over 4,000 years ago. Characters who make After reciting his oracle, the spirit of the Master of the Lightstar
successful DC 12 Int (Nature) checks recognize the difference in the dissipates into nothingness and the PCs is teleported back to the Chamber
stars. of Celestial Light and Darkness.
Any character examining the mosaic and making a successful DC 14

20: Dome of the Darkstar

Wis (Perception) check discovers ancient writing in a lost language upon
the floor. The words can be read with comprehend languages. The word
hidden within the sun and eye is “Solaris.” Hidden within the moon is the
word “Eclipsis.” The word hidden within the comet is “Ozykathalin.” A Upon teleporting into this chamber the PCs are filled with a sense
successful DC 15 Int (History) check lets a character recall that this last of dread. The room is terribly hot and it seems to drain the light from
word is the traditional name of each Master of the Lotus that is born into all light sources; lights illuminate only half their normal radius here,
the Order. and vision distances are reduced by half (e.g., darkvision 60 ft. can
The center of each mosaic acts as a teleportation disk if the following see only 30 ft.). Mi’Tang the Efreeti dwells here, along with 12
requirements are met: Holding the amulet of the darkstar in one’s hand shadows. Mi’Tang arrogantly taunts the PCs as they arrive in his
while standing over the moon and reciting the word “Eclipsis” teleports prison.
the user and anyone within 10 ft. of her to Area 20. Holding the amulet of
the lightstar in one’s hand while standing upon the mosaic of the sun and
repeating the word “Solaris” instantly teleports the individual and anyone “At last fools have gathered the darkstar, and I, Mi’Tang, shall
within 10 ft. of her to Area 29. once again bring death to the land of mortals!”
Standing over the comet with the amulet of the darkstar, amulet of
the lightstar, medallion of the lotus, and one of the shimmering lotus
blossoms causes the room to be bathed in a golden light. Should the He then attacks. Mi’Tang taunts and berates the PCs, directing
PCs complete these actions, uttering the name of Ozykathalin, the his undead minions to attack clerics as he strikes at the character
shimmering lotus rises up into the air above their heads and the room grasping the amulet of the darkstar and hoping to seize it for himself.
is bathed in a golden light. As the PCs watch, the shimmering lotus The shadows take advantage of the dim lighting to flit in and out of
begins to spin and prismatic rays spray about the room. Spinning ever vision.
faster, the lotus blossom begins to transform until a beautiful rose Mi’Tang has been trapped within the Dome of the Darkstar for about
diamond appears where the flower once was. The perfect diamond 500 years and is thrilled that he may have the opportunity to escape this
slowly drops from the ceiling and fuses with the medallion about chamber with the stone.
the neck of the PC who completed the ritual with a brilliant flash of
white light. (Mi’Tang [Efreeti]: AC 17, 200 hp; +10 to hit x2, 2d6 + 6
Treasure: The medallion of the lotus master (see “New Magic Items”). slashing damage plus 2d6 fire damage [scimitar]; +7 to
The medallion is also the key to triggering the secret trapdoor hidden hit x2, range 120 ft., 5d6 fire damage [hurl flame]; spell
beneath the seat of the Throne of Lotus Master in Area 8. attack +7, save DC 15; [at will] detect magic; [3/day]
enlarge/reduce, tongues; [1/day] conjure fire elemental,
gaseous form, invisibility, major image, plane shift, wall of
07 : Upper Balcony fire)

This upper balcony has two planters that are overgrown and filled with (Shadow: AC 12, 16 hp; +4 to hit, 2d6 + 2 necrotic damage
weeds. A stone bench overlooks the courtyard and gives a view of the and the target loses 1d4 Strength.)
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 The pyramid of amra
If defeated, Mi’Tang cries out before fading from existence: Equal in nearly every way to C’nosretep, he was master of the darker
sects of the Monastic order. When C’nosretep brought his armies to the
Monastery of Light, Mi’Tang instructed his own personal minions to
“I am Mi’Tang the mighty! How dare you slay… me?” stand down and fight only if attacked. Mi’Tang figured that C’nosretep
and his allies would grind themselves down fighting Master Seung and
others faithful to Ozykathalin. Mi’Tang would then instruct his disciples
A character who makes a successful DC 18 Int (History) check can to strike down the survivors of the battle and take his place as master of
provide some insight into the life of Mi’Tang, prefect of the House of the oasis of Amra.
Dragon, and Master of the Darkstar. Failing in his scheme, Mi’Tang was slain by C’nosretep. Set returned
Mi’Tang was once human, and he was a rival of C’nosretep in life. Mi’Tang to this realm as an efreeti, imprisoned in the Dome of the

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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
Darkstar until such time as the amulet of the darkstar is returned to him. acid damage per round for four rounds, with no saving throw. A disabling
As a further insult, Set turned many of Mi’Tang’s most loyal disciples into mechanism located on the bas-relief can disarm the trap and drain the acid
non-corporeal undead. They lurk now on the fringes of the Monastery and through hidden holes in the floor to some unknown repository below the
Pyramid, forever reminded of their failure, and inferiority to his chosen hallway. The trap can be noticed by a searcher with a successful DC 15 Int
champion. (Investigation) check. The disarming mechanism can be spotted quickly
Mi’Tang loathes and despises C’nosretep with half of a millennium’s with a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check—but only by someone in
worth of hatred. This may be to the PCs’ advantage, for Mi’Tang has the eastern half of the corridor. Once the disarming mechanism is spotted,
complete control of noncorporeal undead within the monastery and the trap can be shut off easily by anyone.
pyramid of Amra once he is freed from the Dome of the Darkstar. Mi’Tang
can be bargained with, if his rage can be abated. Clever PCs could suggest
that Mi’Tang and his minions take out the assweres and doppelgangers
within the monastery and pyramid. This would leave the party to handle
P-3: Tomb of Skulls
the vampires that he and his ilk are all but powerless to harm. Hundreds upon hundreds of skulls stare out at you from blank black
Treasure: If the players defeat Mi’Tang, they find some of his former sockets as you open the stone slab that seals this chamber. Behind each
belongings with a successful DC 16 Wis (Perception) check. An unlocked skull is a set of canopic jars containing the innards of the monk whose skull
chest contains 4,000 gp and a ring of mind shielding. is displayed with care within the niche. Dark figures—8 flameskulls—
suddenly flare up and fly from the corners into the air as the characters

The Isle of the Pyramid

advance.

(Flameskull: AC 13, 40 hp; +5 to hit x2, range 30 ft., 3d6

fire damage; has tactical advantage on saving throws
The Pyramid of Amra rests upon an island in the center of the mountain’s against magic; spell attack +5, save DC 13; [at will] mage
crater. A lake of pure blue water surrounds this island and strange mists hand; [1st level, x3] magic missile, shield; [2nd level, x2]
cover its view most of the time. The Step Pyramid structure sits upon blur, flaming sphere; [3rd level, x1] fireball)
a plateau in the center of the island, the lower half made of cyclopean
blocks, the upper half held suspended by four stone statues. The faces
appear to have been re-carved and set with different stone to take the
likenesses of a snake, an ass, an insect, and a crocodile. Below the plateau,
P-4. Mausoleum of
shrouded in mist of the lower island, stand phalanxes of terracotta monks
staring out from the cardinal points of the Pyramid. the Thirsting Ones
The PCs may reach this island by the secret passage under the throne
at Area 2 in the Palace. If so, they begin at Area P-1. If the PCs reach the This roughly rectangular room is lined with nine sarcophagi. If the PCs
island by using the barge from Area 5 or by other above-ground means, explore this area during daylight hours (if the GM is feeling particularly
they encounter the island detailed in the map above and may proceed to kind to the player characters) the 8 vampire spawn that hide throughout
the above-ground entrance to the Pyramid at Area U-1. the Palace and Mausoleum are found resting here. Vampire spawn
The PCs may have tried to bypass the Palace, as detailed above, and may encountered and destroyed in the palace should be taken from the numbers
simply fly or use other means of transport to the island. They will quickly in this area of the dungeon. Hidden behind the eighth sarcophagus is the
discover, however, that they lack the amulet of the lotus master, and thus secret entrance to Area 6.
will need to investigate the Palace despite their intent to bypass it.
(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw
and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target

Pyramid of Amra: is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6

+ 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite];
necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by

Lower Chambers an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same
number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start
of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from
holy water since its last turn)
P-1: Entrance from the
If characters enter this room during daylight hours, 1d4 vampire spawn
Throne of Lotus Master are already awakened in the chamber, as they need little sleep. The others
are resting or regenerating in their sarcophagus. If the encounter occurs
A long subterranean pathway leads from the tunnel beneath the Throne at night, subtract the number of vampire spawn already defeated from the
of the Lotus Master onwards and up several flights of carved and little number originally found within the room. These remaining vampires hide
used stone stairs until finally you reaching the base of what must be the within the chamber as they hear the PCs approach, usually spider climbing
lower pyramid. Ancient hieroglyphics along the walls feature the great along the ceiling or next to their sarcophagus waiting to spring a trap.
heroes of the Brotherhood, as they are interred respectfully for all time. They target priests and spellcasters first, rogues and bards second, saving
up for the fighters last. They gang attack, seeking to overwhelm casters
quickly. If Nestrij has been encountered and forced to flee, she organizes
P-2: Trapped hallway the spawn that are within this chamber.
Treasure: Hidden in the crypts are 10,174 sp, 4948 gp, and a wand of
This small hallway is covered from floor to ceiling in gold leaf bas- mirror image (20 charges).
relief of the ancients instructing their human subjects in the proper

P-5: Chamber of the Hand

preparation of the dead for transportation into the afterlife. The images
show mummification techniques and herbal knowledge.
A trapped pressure plate closes the secret door to Area 1, and ceramic
nozzles in the ceiling spray the gold lined hallway with acid as soon as A mosaic of a large hand dominates this chamber within the heart of
two Medium-size characters are in the corridor (for purposes of this trap, the Lower Pyramid.
two Small characters equal one Medium character). The spray causes 2d6 Anyone making a successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check
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The pyramid of amra

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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
recognizes a depression in the palm of the hand that is the exact shape (Eshtartha [Lich]: AC 17, 135 hp; +12 to hit, 3d6 cold
and size of an amulet of lotus master. Placing the sacred amulet into the damage and the target must make a successful DC
palm depression causes a great rumbling and grinding sound to begin. 18 Con saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute or
The floor rises, moving the hand upward toward the ceiling. Players until they make a successful save at the end of their
have two rounds to either get out of the room or get onto the palm and turn [paralyzing touch]; spell attack +12, save DC 20;
ride it up to Area 4, the Upper Chambers. Those remaining within the prepares the following spells: [at will] mage hand,
room but not standing upon the hand must make successful DC 15 Dex prestidigitation, ray of frost; [1st level, x4] detect magic,
saving throws or be crushed against the ceiling for 6d6 bludgeoning magic missile, shield, thunderwave; [2nd level, x3]
damage. detect thoughts, invisibility, Melf’s acid arrow, mirror
If characters place the disk within the center of the palm, after much image; [3rd level, x3] animate dead, counterspell,
complex grinding and turning of gears that have not moved in centuries, dispel magic, fireball; [4th level, x3] blight, dimension
the palm they stand upon turns in a spiral ever upward looking as if they
door; [5th level, x3] cloudkill, scrying; [6th level, x1]
will be crushed against the ceiling. Just at the last moment a circular
disintegrate, globe of invulnerability; 3/day can
opening twists above their heads; they are now in a new chamber. The
succeed on a saving throw it just failed; has tactical
mosaic below the party’s feet is now of a different pattern, the hand has
become a great celestial eye, and the Amulet of Lotus Master a strange advantage against being turned)
glowing iris within its center.

P-6. False Crypt of C’nosretep Pyramid of Amra:

This chamber is filled with the dust of a millennium. Its dark diorite
walls reflect little light. At one end of the chamber is a 9-foot-long
Upper Chambers
sarcophagus, also of dark diorite stone. The top is carved in the likeness Secret doors in this part of the pyramid can be found with careful
of C’nosretep, grasping a lotus within his hands and wearing a headband searching and a successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check, or at a glance
with a serpent upon his brow. with successful DC 20 Wis (Perception) checks. They are not trapped or
Touching the diorite sarcophagus sets off the teleport trap; the locked unless text indicates otherwise. Locked secret doors can be opened
triggering character is teleported inside the sarcophagus unless he or she with thief’s tools and a successful DC 15 Dex check.
makes a successful DC 18 Wis saving throw. Inside the sarcophagus, a
character is magically incapacitated. They are awake and aware of the
passage of time, but unable to take any action other than to lie there and
stare at the sealed lid above them. Unless released from outside, they
U-1: Portal of the Eye and the Test
will die of thirst in three days. When a character is teleported into the
sarcophagus, anyone inside the sarcophagus is simultaneously teleported
of Hospitality
out; the two figures swap positions.
Dominating this room is a 10-foot-wide by 10-foot-tall arched doorway
Unfortunately, sealed inside this sarcophagus is Eshtartha, a lich
inlaid with an eye set into the center of a triangle. Inscribed upon the Portal
and former advisor and lover of C’nosretep. He wanted her to join him
of the Eye are words in a long forgotten script. They can be read with magic
in eternity as a vampire, but she defied him and instead transformed
or by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Int (History) check.
herself into a lich to increase her power as a spellcaster. For her audacity,
C’nosretep tricked her and caused her to set off the teleport trap,
imprisoning her.
The sarcophagus is sealed with resin. It can be opened only if metal “When come unbidden to our rest, politic and manners serve
wedges are hammered into the crack between the lid and the case to break you best. In order to proceed thus shall be the first test. Where
the seal. If characters don’t have wedges in their gear, their only recourse rings of metal doth fail the fist may do; thus shall this wisdom
is to smash the lid open. Smashing the lid takes 60 points of bludgeoning then guide you.”
or force damage, but only attacks that do 15 or more damage at a blow
have any effect; weaker attacks simply bounce off.
Eshtartha was imprisoned so quickly that she never had time to fully Opening the door requires a simple knock loud enough to cause an
develop her power as a lich. Because of this, her spells top out at 6th level echo, which is easily done, as the door is hollow. Should there be more
and she can’t take legendary actions. These limitations drop her CR to than one knock or a knock that is loud, i.e. pounding on the door or trying
16—which is still high enough to be frightening to a party of level 12 or to break it down, the glyph of warding placed on the ceiling bestows a
13 characters. curse on the triggering character, who has tactical disadvantage on saving
Tactics: The only thought in the mind of Eshtartha is for revenge throws and ability checks made with their primary ability until the curse
against C’nosretep. To this end, as she appears before the PCs, she raises is removed. A successful DC 16 Wis saving throw prevents the curse from
her hands and begs them not to attack her. If they press the attack she taking hold.
has no choice but to defend herself, but her goal in combat is to escape.
She uses the spells at her disposal to affect her escape. Should the PCs
listen to her, she tells them the sad tale of a love betrayed and countless
years of imprisonment. Then, much to the surprise of the PCs, she asks
U-2: The Test of Friendship
if she might join them as they venture further into the Pyramid so that The second chamber is lined with hieroglyphics depicting various
she may help them defeat C’nosretep. Should they agree, they have aspects of hospitality and preparation for the afterlife to the recently
gained a somewhat unusual ally, but an ally nonetheless. Although she deceased. Runes on the door, when deciphered, pose the basic question
is truly evil through and through, Eshtartha keeps her promise to help to those who would pass its lapis portal. Reading the hieroglyphs requires
the PCs against C’nosretep and the other dangers in the remainder of magic or a successful DC 15 Int (History) check.
the Pyramid. After the adventure, should Eshtartha survive, she parts
company with the PCs, but promises to remain their ally should they
desire such.
Treasure: Hidden within the diorite sarcophagus are a 1,000 gp ruby “What is the greatest treasure that anyone could have?”
necklace and a staff of the adder.
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 The pyramid of amra
Answering the word “friendship” automatically disables the glyph of (Wraith: AC 13, 85 hp; +6 to hit, 4d8 + 3 necrotic damage
warding trap and the great lapis slab slides open, revealing the third test. and the target must make a successful DC 14 Con
Uttering any other word triggers the glyph. The affected character must saving throw or its maximum hp are reduced by the
make a successful DC 16 Wis saving throw or be cursed with paranoia; same amount [life drain]; as an action, can reanimate a
until the curse is lifted, they don’t trust their companions. In game terms, creature slain within 1 minute, within 10 ft. as a specter;
they can’t receive benefits from or give benefits to other characters that can move through solid objects and other creatures as
rely on terms such as “allies” or “willing target.” This includes moving if they were difficult terrain but takes 5 force damage if it
through the spaces of “allies.” ends its turn in a solid object)

Treasure: A careful search of Cie Tzu’s crypt combined with a

U-3. The Test of Bravery successful DC 20 Int (Investigation) check uncovers a staff of frost.

The letters on this door bear a chilling threat. Characters must use
magic or make a successful DC 15 Int (History) check to read them. U-6. Mausoleum of the Wind
Beyond the locked stone door is a square chamber with a 15-foot-high
“No more riddles for you and I. Gather your courage and ceiling. Suspended in the air in the center of the room is a blue candle with
prepare to die.” a brilliant glowing flame.
The floor of the entire chamber is a wall of stone trap. The first
character who steps into the chamber dispels the floor, exposing a pit 150
Upon reading these words, a glyph of fear is triggered. Every character feet deep. A 6-inch ledge encircles the pit. When the floor disappears,
in the corridor (Areas U1, U2, and U3) must make successful DC 16 Wis the character can make a DC 15 Dex saving throw to grab the ledge and
saving throw or be affected by a fear spell centered on the door to Area prevent a fall to the bottom.
U4. Walking along the ledge without falling requires a successful DC 12
Opening the door requires only that someone press the palm of their Dex (Acrobatics) check. A brave character can try grabbing the candle
hand against the door, and it swings open at the touch, revealing Area while jumping across the pit; they need a successful melee attack against
U–4: The Chamber of the Eye. AC 9 to grab the candle and a successful DC 17 Dex (Acrobatics) check
to stick their landing on the narrow ledge. The candle can be lassoed with
a successful attack roll against AC 9, but if the attack fails, the candle has
U-4: Chamber of the Eye a 1-in-3 chance of falling down the pit. The safest and surest way to get
the candle is to use a net with a 15-foot handle, or magic such as mage
hand, levitation, or fly.
As the PCs enter this large chamber it seems to pulsate with some
Once the candle is moved, characters have 1 round to leave the chamber
unknown power that bears down upon them like a stack of bricks. The
before the door slams shut and locks. Anyone standing in the doorway
feeling continues as they linger, as if someone were continually adding
takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage, or half damage with a successful DC 12
another brick and yet another brick to the stack. After a few moments this
Dex saving throw.
sensation subsides.
As the door slams shut, the ledge also retracts the wall and disappears.
At the center of the room is a large mosaic image of an eye in the center
Anyone standing on the ledge falls into the pit, with no saving throw.
of a pyramid. The pupils are slits like those of snakes and there is a golden
Treasure: The candle is a candle of the wise.
sconce imbedded in each of the three corners of the triangle surrounding
the eye.
If the PCs entered the chamber through the front portals, something
appears to be missing from the center of the eye where the iris would
normally be.
Quest Candles: Candle of the
There are secret doors hidden in the center of the eastern and western
walls. They are not trapped or locked. Wise, Candle of the Faithful,
The sconces at the points of the pyramid are the keys to lowering the
upper pyramid and proceeding to the lair of C’nosretep and the Chamber and Candle of Bravery
of the Book. Close examination of each sconce at the points of the triangle
reveals barely noticeable runes that can be read with magic or with a These three candles are the three marks of success at the
successful DC 15 Int (History) check. challenges presented. They have no magical abilities, but they are
necessary components to access the later stage of this adventure.

“Gathered by the candle flame, bring down the sky but not for
shame, as beyond the sky lie riches true, the master buried in his
tomb, Faithfully guards forever in spirit form, the Tome of Mind U-7: Chamber of the Dragon
and Body borne to us in the worlds fond spring, golden words of
Arden ring the truth which all devout should know, For the Wise Beyond the locked secret stone portal is a single white candle floating
do see their powers grow. Seek its knowledge you who are Brave, 6 feet above a raised dais in the center of the chamber. Coiled around the
to your weakness be not slaves.” dais are 2 giant vampiric constrictor snakes, their scales rasping dully
against the stone as they turn their slitted eyes to face the PCs. These
creatures have stats identical to a giant constrictor snake, but they are
undead, they do necrotic damage, and they regain hit points equal to the
U-5: Chamber of the Monkey necrotic damage.

Once the burial place of all members of the House of the Monkey, this (Giant Vampiric Constrictor Snake: AC 12, 60 hp; +6 to hit,
chamber now houses the Cie Tzu, a former master now become a wraith. 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled
This room has been influenced by powerful evil forces, and Cie Tzu and restrained [constrict]; +6 to hit a grappled target, 2d6
enjoys the benefits of a permanent protection from good spell. + 4 piercing damage plus 1d8 necrotic damage [bite];
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
the target’s maximum hp are reduced by an amount noted summoner Yelseila Warcret. It includes the spells banishment,
equal to the necrotic damage and the snake heals the contact other plane, plane shift, sanctuary, and gate. Each of these
same number of hp) spells has a 15% chance of failing the first time a character tries
casting it, because Yelseila was quite mad and his spidery scrawl is
This chamber is proofed against conjuration magic; conjuration spells suspect at best. If the spell fails, it is unusable forever (or until the
fail automatically here, and the spell slot is expended. Crucially, this character finds a correct version somewhere else). The tome includes
includes mage hand. the true names of six extradimensional entities that can be contacted
Treasure: The candle is a candle of the faithful with the formulae in this book. Each hour spent dabbling in the deep
mysteries compiled in this tome incurs a 1% per hour cumulative
chance of the reader going completely insane (permanently stunned),
U-8: Library of the Ancients with no saving throw. The names and agendas of these entities are
left up to you.
This hidden chamber contains rack upon rack of scrolls and tomes from • One book contains a headband of intellect in a hollow space carved
around the world gathered in times of peace by the Brotherhood of Light. into the pages. This headband only grants its benefit to good-aligned
Now the dusty library is administrated by the Brotherhood of Set, who spellcasters.
fear that destroying the arcane knowledge held within these tomes may

U-9: Chamber of the Hands

bring other powers into play.
A strangely beautiful being with the head of an ass turns toward
the PCs as they enter and begins chanting in an arcane tongue. This is
Rhylon, an asswere mage. He has stats identical to an NPC mage but with A secret door opens into this chamber. At the far end of the chamber is
the addition of the asswere’s bray attack and improved armor class and a 10-foot wide dais. Over the dais, 6 feet in the air, floats a single glowing
hit points. candle.
Twenty feet beyond the entrance to this chamber is a hidden
(Rhylon [Mage]: AC 15, 50 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing pressure plate which when triggered releases a thin layer of quick-
damage; spell attack +6, save DC 14; prepares setting (dries in 6 seconds) sovereign glue across the 40-foot section of
the following spells: [at will] fire bolt, mage hand, floor that lies before the altar. Characters who are still in the affected
prestidigitation; [1st level, x4] detect magic, mage area six seconds later are glued to the floor. At that point, a sprayer
armor, magic missile, shield; [2nd level, x3] misty step, drops from the ceiling and sprays acid throughout the entire 40-foot
suggestion; [3rd level, x3] counterspell, fireball, fly; [4th area in front of the dais. The acid does 2d6 acid damage per round for
level, x3] greater invisibility, ice storm; [5th level, x1] five rounds.
cone of cold; as an action, can force all creatures Characters who are glued to the floor can make a DC 12 Dex
within 30 feet to make successful DC 14 Wis saving saving throw to determine whether only their boots are glued down,
throws or be affected as by a confusion spell for 1d4 + 3 or if the glue penetrated their footwear and glued their feet to the
rounds [bray]; shapechanger) floor. Characters wearing sandals, slippers, or no footwear at all
have tactical disadvantage on this saving throw. Even characters
Rhylon also has the following scrolls ready to use: control water, dispel who get out of the affected area immediately are still coated with
magic, fire shield, legend lore, prismatic spray, protection from energy, sovereign glue, which can be quite a problem; weapons may be glued
and stone shape. He also keeps three vials of universal solvent in a pouch into scabbards or hands, backpacks and pouches and scroll tubes
on his belt. glued shut, hats glued onto heads. Use your imagination to lay some
Rhylon is the only living being allowed in the Pyramid of Amra. He is interesting and amusing challenges in front of the characters who
keeper of the tomes and scrolls within this great repository, and spends were sprayed with glue.
many long hours here studying their wealth of knowledge. This chamber is proofed against conjuration magic; conjuration spells
Tactics: Rhylon despises humans and humanoids, and never fail automatically here, and the spell slot is expended. Crucially, this
assumes his human form—he considers it weak and ugly compared includes mage hand.
to his hybrid form. He undoubtedly hears the characters coming, Treasure: The candle floating above the dais is a candle of the brave.
thanks to their destruction of doors and setting off traps throughout
the Pyramid, and the loud grating noise of the Hand rising from the
bowels of the structure. As characters try to open the door to this U-10. Upper Chamber of the Eye
chamber, Rhylon casts mage armor, and also uses scrolls to cast fire
Characters need to place the three candles (of the wise, of the
shield and protection from energy (choose your energy wisely). He
faithful, and of the brave) into the sconces at the points of the pyramid
casts grease on the floor just inside the door and gets ready to use a
symbol in the center of Chamber 4: Lower Chamber of the Eye and
scroll of prismatic spray on the first characters through the doorway.
light them. As candlelight fills the room, a grating of stone and metal
If hard pressed in combat, he prefers escape by any means over
starts its low rumbling within the deep recesses of the pyramid. The
death. He’s likely to rely on greater invisibility, fly, or misty step to floor the PCs stand on feels as if it is rising to crush them against the
make his escape. dusty limestone ceiling. But then the ceiling vanishes before their eyes
Treasure: The shelves are lined with many books. in a flash, as the top portion of the Step Pyramid of Amra descends to
• 18 of the books contain historical and genealogical data that would meet the lower portion, sealing off this chamber with a new roof of
be of value to loremasters and sages. These books are valued at 3d6 x 100 glimmering blue enameled stone, which replaces the one that stood
gp each. before. Four stone statues now occupy the corners of the chamber,
• One of the books is a vacuous grimoire: It looks like any other their megalithic hands against the roof as if their very eminence
book on a possibly interesting subject, but a character who reads even supports the starred sky above.
one word must make two DC 15 Wis saving throws. The first is to avoid The new chamber is a perfect square with no apparent entrances or
losing 1 point of Intelligence and 1 point of Charisma; the second is exits.
to avoid losing 2 points of Wisdom. All losses are permanent unless If characters placed the amulet of the lotus master within the
restored by magic. depression in the center of the eye before placing or lighting the
• One of the books is a manual of bodily health. candles, the room is bathed with a shimmering light and an orb forms in
• One of the books is a treatise on demonology and summoning by the the center of the room. The image of a gentle-looking man of great grace
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 The pyramid of amra
and indeterminate age gazes at the group with a pure benevolence and sliding downward, pushing everyone on the ramp down toward the trap
begins to speak: door, where they will fall 20 feet to the floor of Area U-10. When the door
reaches the bottom of the ramp, the whole mechanism resets so characters
can try again. Unless characters can find a way to open the door without
“Know that I am Ozykathalin, first and last Master of the Lotus touching it, their only recourse is to keep trying until someone makes the
within this ancient and holy place. I am he who knew the voice save against the trap.
of Arden; I am he who strides in the realms of light, purest of
all energy forever alive beyond the Gates of Wisdom. Wise too U-11C: Second Door
are you who have discovered the secrets of this place, but one This door features the carved image of Set, with C’nosretep sitting on
secret still you do seek. To gain it, you must defeat he who was his lap, rewriting the tome of mind and body with a raven quill feather
the betrayer. Know you that C’nosretep’s worst betrayal was not in his hand. The door is sealed with an arcane lock; unless it’s opened
to those who nurtured him, but to his own soul. Lost in his self- magically, someone with thief’s tools needs to make a successful DC 25
hatred, he did not realize the gifts that friendship and brotherhood Dex check to open it. The door is also guarded with a glyph of warding
offer. As allies, you have gained much and risked much in your trap that triggers a dispel magic spell at 5th level, which affects everyone
journey thus far, and to those who risk all for one another and in Area U-11. The trap goes off when anyone tries to open the door without
their faith are granted the greatest of treasures. I grant you one uttering the key word—which no one among the PCs has any means of
boon before I open the way to you. Ask of me what you will, knowing, but Eshtartha does! The dispel magic affects any protective or
and should it be within the power of light to grant this thing, it is boosting spells characters have cast on themselves preparatory to their
yours. Ozykathalin has spoken.” final showdown with C’nosretep.

Ozykathalin grants the PCs one limited wish (that’s one total, not one
apiece) before lifting his hands to reveal a shimmering staircase that leads
U-12: Tomb of C’nosretep
to a hidden chamber among the “stars’” U-11 A. The shimmering stairs The second door opens into a chamber shrouded in magical darkness
are made of insubstantial light but are easily climbed. and filled with a great aura of evil. A quiet, reserved chuckle reverberates
If characters did not place the amulet of the lotus master within off the low ceiling.
the eye in the center of the eye before placing or lighting the candles The magical darkness in this chamber can’t be dispelled by any
at each point of the triangle, the floor still rises and the ceiling descends means; it’s baked into the stones and saturates every surface. Darkvision
as before. However, much to the dismay of the PCs, two of the statues is useless; light spells are extinguished. A daylight spell casts dim
that supported the upper portion of the Step Pyramid animate as 2 stone illumination for 30 feet. The twilight gloom reveals a golden sarcophagus
golems and attack. set against the middle of the western wall. The unholy symbol of Set
carved into the sarcophagus gives C’nosretep tactical advantage on saving
(Stone Golem: AC 17, 178 hp; +10 to hit x2, 3d8 + 6 throws, reduces the cost of biting as a legendary action to 1 action, and
bludgeoning damage [slam]; each target the golem gives characters who are not Lawful Good tactical disadvantage on saving
can see must make a successful DC 17 Wis saving throw throws against C’nosretep’s charm ability.
or be slowed for 1 minute; a slowed target can repeat A narrow stone staircase in the southwestern corner of the chamber
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending leads upward into the darkness beyond.
the effect with a successful save; the golem has tactical C’nosretep stands to greet the PCs, stripped to the waist. His lips are
advantage on saving throws against magic and no pulled back in a deadly smile to reveal his gleaming white fangs, his head
magic or power can alter its shape) is shaved but for a long braid down his back. His pale, bluish skin ripples
with muscle and a deep inner strength. A cruel voice calls to the PCs as
After defeating the stone golems, allow the PCs to search the chamber. they enter the chamber.
Searching along the ceiling, combined with a successful DC 15 Int
(Investigation) check, discovers a secret panel about 20 feet above the
floor of the chamber. Beyond the secret panel is Area 11A: Stairway into
Darkness. The distance to the secret panel must be crossed by jumping, “So champions, you seek to take the book from C’nosretep?
Very well, let your screams reverberate from the Pyramid of
climbing, flying, or some other inventive means.
Amra for all time. Know as your souls howl toward hell that it
was the Champion of Set who sent you on your path. Just as I
U-11: Three Final Tests defeated Ozykathalin, so too shall your blood slake my undying
thirst!” As he boasts, the dark seal of Set on his magnificent stone
sarcophagus pulses with evil energy.
U-11A: Stairway into Darkness
This 10-foot-long, 5-foot-wide stairway is shrouded in deepest
blackness. (C’nosretep [Vampire]: AC 19, 144 hp; attacks twice, with
The stairway is bathed in a darkness spell. A daylight spell can negate no more than one bite; +9 to hit, 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning
the darkness, which in turn dispels the daylight spell as well, allowing damage or the target is grappled [unarmed strike]; +9
other forms of illumination to work. Dispel magic has the same effect. to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage
plus 3d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage
reduces the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount,
U-11B: First Stone Door and C’nosretep gains the same number of temporary
At the top of the stairs is a stone door set along a 5-foot-wide stone hp; regenerates 20 hp at the start of its turn unless it took
platform. The door is 6 feet tall and is carved with the likeness of a radiant damage or damage from holy water since its last
youthful man of great physical build, kneeling before the dark god Set, turn; one humanoid within 30 ft. must make a successful
who towers over the man with his arm outstretched. The man grasps Set’s DC 17 Wis saving throw or be charmed by C’nosretep;
wrist in both of his smaller hands and appears to be drinking blood from 3/day, can choose to succeed on a saving throw it just
the wrist of the god. Anyone touching the door must make a successful failed; 1/day, can call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats; can use
DC 16 Con saving throw or be affected by a flesh to stone trap. At the 3 legendary actions/round [move, unarmed strike, bite];
same time, the staircase flattens into a ramp and the stone door begins transforms to mist at 0 hp; shapechanger)
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
C’nosretep wears bracers of defense (+2 AC) and a ring of
protection (+1 AC, +1 on saving throws).
Tactics: Because of his legendary resistance and the effect of the
14: Chamber of the Book
unholy symbol of Set, C’nosretep is more concerned about fighters Sitting atop a stone pedestal in the center of this tiny room is the tome
and rogues than arcane spellcasters. The exception is anyone who can of mind and body. See “New Magic Items” for details.
inflict radiant damage to shut down his regeneration; those characters
are his first targets, followed by whoever does the most damage. He
tends to use his charm ability on his turn, saving his unarmed strikes
and bites for legendary actions. If C’nosretep is defeated, he howls in
rage and throws his fists into the air before turning to vapor.
New Magic Items
Sarcophagus of C’nosretep: The sarcophagus in this room is
C’nosretep’s chief resting place, but he has others. He can use any Af ulet of the Darkstar
Very Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
of the coffins in Area P-4, or even the trapped sarcophagus in Area
P-6 (its enervating magic doesn’t affect him, and he can slip in and When grasped or worn, the amulet’s user can see in complete darkness
out through tiny cracks while gaseous). Unless all of those coffins as if they had darkvision 60 ft. If the wearer already has darkvision, the
have been consecrated or destroyed, C’nosretep has a chance to heal range of their darkvision increase by 60 ft. Once per day, the amulet can
and return. He won’t use the sarcophagus in this chamber while it’s be used to cast darkness when the command word “Necrodarkanum” is
surrounded by enemies unless he’s truly desperate. spoken.
This stone sarcophagus, covered in semiprecious jewels and
gold leaf, has the seal of Set placed upon its lid. The seal provides
C’nosretep with the benefits listed above. Destroying the seal
Amulet of the Lightstar
eliminates those advantages; if this happens C’nosretep becomes Very Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
Twice per day the amulet of the lightstar allows the bearer to cast
visibly weaker. The seal is destroyed by a single attack (against AC
daylight. Once per day, the bearer can cast color spray.
8) that deals 25 or more points of bludgeoning or force damage from
a spell or magic weapon; anything less has no effect. A successful use
of dispel magic against 8th-level magic suppresses the seal’s effect Mask of the Monkey
for 1d4 rounds. Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
The sarcophagus is very heavy and tough. Removing the lid A masque of the monkey is a wooden mask carved in the likeness of
requires a successful DC 30 Str (Athletics) check; the DC is reduced a shrieking spider monkey. An individual wearing the mask has tactical
to 20 if characters use wedges, ropes and pulleys, or strong prybars (a advantage on Dex (Acrobatics) checks and Dex saving throws.
sword or spear is not a prybar; weapons will break or bend before they
shift this massive stone). Alternatively, the lid can be smashed open
by 50 points of bludgeoning or force damage, but attacks that do less Medallion of the Lotus Master
than 15 damage have no effect. Of course, if C’nosretep is inside the Very Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
sarcophagus, he’s not likely to stick around while characters smash it This item grants a +2 bonus to armor class against melee attacks and a
or pry it open. He can slip in and out effortlessly through tiny cracks +3 bonus to armor class against ranged attacks.
while gaseous.
Treasure: The lid of the sarcophagus is encrusted with 2,000 gp
worth of precious gems and gold inlay. If characters smash their way Shimmering Lotus Flower
into the sarcophagus, this value is cut in half. Inside the box is a solid Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
gold funeral mask of the first Master of the Lotus worth 5,000 gp. Once per day, this item grants the wearer the effect of a bless spell (1d4
is added to attack rolls and saving throws). The effect lasts one minute.

13: Final Test of Wisdom Tome of Mind and Body

Very Rare Wondrous item (requires attunement)
A plain stone door stands at the top of the staircase. Nearly invisible
The tome of mind and body is a powerful magical text usable only by
hieroglyphics carved on the door can be spotted with a successful DC 20
monks. Studying its pages for one month grants the following special
Wis (Perception) check, or automatically by someone who runs his hand
benefits to the user.
over the surface. Magic or a successful DC 15 Int (History) check can
translate them. • Permanent increases of +2 to Wisdom and +1 to Dexterity.
• The student gains knowledge of the secret Touch of Life and Death.
This is a ki power that can be used immediately after making an unarmed
strike. The monk spends 1 ki, and the target of the attack must make a Con
“The Words of Arden lie beyond this door, ancient tome of the saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, there is no further effect. If the
wisdom bound in stone, to win it you must thwart this poem. A saving throw fails, the target creature’s maximum hit points are reduced
Monkey has it, and so does a Cat. The Merchant often has his by an amount equal to the damage from the attack, and the monk heals the
finger on it; Judges and Monks seek to perfect the art of it.” same number of hit points.
• Due to C’nosretep’s twisting of the words contained in the text, a
monk reading the tome must make a successful DC 15 Wis saving throw
The answer to the riddle is “balance.” If answered correctly, the stone or their alignment permanently changes to chaotic evil. No magic short of
slab slides away revealing a chamber beyond. Answering the riddle a wish can change the alignment back again.
incorrectly sets off a crushing ceiling trap unless it’s been detected and The tome of mind and body can only be studied once in a monk’s
disarmed. Someone searching the door for a trap finds it with a successful lifetime; further study grants no more special powers or ability increases.
DC 15 Int (Investigation) check, and it can be disarmed with thief’s tools Once completed, the book loses its power to grant special benefits to any
and a successful DC 15 Dex check. Answering the riddle incorrectly or other monk for one full year. After that time, another monk may study its
botching the attempt to disarm the trap triggers it. The ceiling descends ancient lore.
in 1 round, doing 13d6 bludgeoning damage to everyone who didn’t flee
instantly from Area 13 (or who didn’t make a successful DC 14 Dex
saving throw, if you prefer).
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 The pyramid of amra

New Monster
Therianthrope, Asswere Monk
XP 200 (CR 1)
LE Medium monstrosity (shapechanger)
Initiative +3

DEFENSE
AC 15
hp: 33 (6d8 + 6)
Resistance: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
from nonmagical or nonadamantine weapons

OFFENSE
Speed: 30 ft.
Multiattack: In hybrid form, an asswere monk makes two
melee attacks, one of which can be with its spear. In
human form, it attacks twice with its spear. In donkey form,
it bites once or can bray.
Melee Attack—Bite (donkey and hybrid form): +5 to hit
(reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d8 + 3 bludgeoning
damage.
Melee Attack—Spear (human and hybrid form): +5 to hit
(reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d8 + 3 piercing damage.
Ranged Attack—Spear (human and hybrid form): +5 to hit
(range 20 ft./60 ft.; one creature). Hit: 1d6 + 3 piercing
damage.

STATISTICS
Str 10 (+0), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 14 (+2),
Cha 11 (+0)
Languages: Common
Skills: Deception +2, Perception +2
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.

TRAITS
Bray: An asswere can utter a loud bray as an action. All
creatures within 30 feet that hear it must make successful
DC 12 Wis saving throws or be affected as by a confusion
spell for 1d4 + 3 rounds. A creature that saves successfully
can’t be affected by the same asswere’s bray for 24
hours.
Shapechanger: The asswere can change from its donkey
form or human form to its hybrid form as a bonus
action. Changing from donkey form directly to human
form or vice versa takes an action. In donkey form, it is
indistinguishable from a donkey.

ECOLOGY
Environment: Temperate and warm land
Organization: Solitary, gang (2–5), or herd (5–8)

Therianthropes (sometimes called anthromorphs or weretherions) are

creatures whose natural form is of a normal animal, but they can also assume
human form or a hybrid form that combines traits of both forms. Although
they are shapechangers like lycanthropes, therianthropes are not cursed or
diseased and they can’t “infect” anyone else with their ability. In human
form, therianthropes have slightly feral characteristics, such as slightly
larger than normal canine teeth, extended fingernails, slightly pointed ears,
or a barely noticeable covering of very fine hair on their entire bodies.
The asswere usually changes into its humanoid form when it detects
the approach of living creatures. It disguises itself as a merchant, peasant,
or similar humanoid in order to lure its prey in. When ready to attack, the
asswere changes into its hybrid form. It almost always assumes this shape
when engaged in combat, because it can use a weapon (they prefer spears)
as well as biting.

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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches

Sewers of the
Underguild
By Casey W. Christofferson and Bill Webb
Sewers of the Underguild is an adventure designed for characters of
at least 11th level, and characters up to 15th level will find plenty of
challenges. Hidden within these narrow passages and filth-filled channels
is a guild of vampiric rogues, led by their master Sangre and his aide,
Dungeon Features
a nycaloth called Ankoz. Deadly traps abound, so a skillful rogue will Doors: Bronze-bound hardwood, 2 in. thick. AC 8, 20 hp; DC
be a lifesaver. Because of the high likelihood of desperate combat with 20 Str (Athletics) check to break open, DC 15 Dex check to open
numerous vampiric and monstrous opponents, it is suggested that a cleric lock (if locked).
and at least two fighters be prepared to beat back the many watchdog
Secret Doors: All secret doors are delicately carved and unless
monsters the guild employs. You can hide the locales in Sewers of the
otherwise noted, require a 10-minute search and a DC 15 Int
Underguild in any ruin or location that fits your campaign purposes. A
(Investigation) check to locate, or a DC 20 Wis (Perception) check
thriving metropolis that just happens to have a large crime and vampire
problem would fit the bill nicely. at a glance. A successful DC 12 Dex check is needed to open a secret
In the Lost Lands campaign setting of Frog God Games, the door.
Underguild is located in the sewers beneath the ruins of Curgantium, Sewer Pipes: All sewer pipes are slippery and filled with
the ancient imperial capital of lost Hyperboria. Located at the edge of fast-moving water. The pipes are 5 feet in diameter and made
the modern Kingdom of Foere, the Underguild still finds itself located of glazed ceramic. The sewer pipes rest at an average 3 to 4
centrally enough to pull the strings of its weblike network running degree downward slope and are 1/2 to 3/4 filled with raw sewage.
throughout the former lands of the Hyperborian Empire. Individuals falling into or purposefully leaping into one of the
sewage pipes are whisked toward the central sewer drains at a
rate of 20 feet per round. Swimming within the pipes requires a
Legend of the Underguild DC 10 Str (Athletics) check to tread water to keep from going
farther down the pipe, and a DC 15 Str (Athletics) check to swim
The site known as the Sewers of the Underguild is the stronghold of against the current. Furthermore, individuals falling into the river
the infamous Underguild, an organized crime syndicate ruled by Sangre, of filth must also make a successful DC 12 Con saving throw
the Hand of Death. From within its sewer stronghold, the Underguild has against poison or be poisoned while they are in the river and for
stretched out its clawed fingers into the highest offices of power in the 20 minutes after they get out.
lands. The Underguild traffics not only in stolen merchandise, but also in Methane Gas: Spells involving fire, such as burning
slaves and information. Their operators, being vampires, have the innate hands, wall of fire, and fireball have a 15% chance of igniting
ability to gather documents both arcane and mundane without leaving pooled methane gas within the sewers. A roll of 15% or less
the slightest trace. Few have attempted to withstand the full might of the (or 1 on 1d6) indicates that the spell sets off the methane gas,
Underguild. Their sewer stronghold, hidden in a remote location of the which in the event of a fireball means instantaneous eruption
world, is so difficult to find as to create an epic in and of itself. at the point of origin of the spell, affording the caster no
Legends tell of the exploits of the Hand of Death, and how he has saving throw against the spell. In the case of burning hands,
acquired an ancient weapon of truly wondrous power. This thin, frail- the spell acts normally for purposes of harming the target, but
looking shortsword, known as the hollow blade, is forged from equal parts the caster takes damage equal to that taken by the target of the
of positive and negative energy, allowing the vampiric guildmaster the spell. Likewise, a successful use of any spell that evokes open
ability to walk amongst the living in broad daylight. The hollow blade itself flame has a 15% chance of dealing 2d6 points of additional
is worth a king’s ransom to those of the roguish profession, for though it damage as it ignites pooled gasses in that area of the dungeon.
grants the undead the ability to move about in daylight as the living, it also When PCs enter a new room or corridor while carrying a torch
grants the ability to cleave the undead as if they were living flesh. or other open flame, there is the same chance that a small
The hollow blade gives undead a taste of life, and in the hands of a pocket of gas ignites. This deals 2d6 fire damage in a 10-foot
rogue becomes a deadly tool for the destruction of the undead. This fierce radius centered on the flame-bearer. An enclosed flame, such
shortsword is in the possession of Sangre himself. Sangre guards the as a lantern, has only a 5% chance.
sword jealously, even from members of his own guild who would wrest it
from his hand. Taking this weapon from Sangre is no easy task.
major city, yet few know of its existence. Perhaps rumors and a hidden map
found within the crypt of a previously defeated vampire lead to the sewers.
Locating the Sewers Quite possibly this vampire has ties to a major organized crime syndicate
in the PCs’ base city, thus setting the wheels of the plot in motion. However
The ruined city where the Sewers of the Underguild are located should you choose to lead the PCs to the adventure’s launching point, they are
take the party some time to track down. The Underguild itself is a highly assumed to have uncovered the secret base of the Underguild and need but
secretive organization with its fangs sunk deep into the pulse of nearly every find the entrance and proceed either to glory or to doom.
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sewers of the underguild

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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
air around it with a brackish stench of salt and brine. The edges of the

Keyed Locations archway are carved in the shape of large lizards, with eyes as black as jet
yet seeming to have a strange aura about them.
Attempting to pry the jet eye stones from the lizards triggers a fear trap
Refer to the Sewers of the Underguild Map. that affects everyone in the chamber and on the steps. The spell can be
resisted with a successful DC 14 Wis saving throw.

1: Entryway and the Silver Skull

PCs crossing into the foul green mist are teleported instantly to the
bottom of the saltwater pool in Area 3.

Seal of the Underguild

2: Chamber of Ankoz
Hidden beneath the fountain is a stone staircase that leads down to this
chamber, roughly 40 feet below the surface. Engraved in the center of the A large inlaid black onyx pentagram dominates the center of this
floor is the symbol of a silver inlayed skull, pierced crossways with two chamber. An altar lays at the far end of the room, upon which stands the
knives. The canine teeth of the skull are elongated and blackened. dark figure of Ankoz the Nycaloth.
Three archways filled with swirling orange, green, and yellow mist are Unless characters enter the lair of Ankoz through the door from Area
found in the eastern, western, and southern walls, respectively. 13A or by some means of teleportation other than coming through the
Living beings that cross over or otherwise touch the silver skull emblem orange swirling mist, he has cast invisibility on himself by the time the
on the floor set off an alarm spell that immediately alerts all vampires PCs enter the chamber. If he is reduced to 35 or fewer hit points, he uses
within the sewers, unless the PCs pour a sacrifice of fresh blood upon the his next action to smash through the wall behind the altar and fly away to
fangs of the skull within two rounds of entering the chamber. Anyone who the south over the river of sewage. He flies to Area 24, where he waits,
examines the chamber from the doorway and makes a successful DC 10 healing (he takes a short rest, if he has an hour) and plotting revenge.
Int (Investigation) or Wis (Medicine) check notices the dried blood that
looks as if it was poured on the silvered skull. The alarm spell and the (Ankoz [Nycaloth]: AC 18, 123 hp; makes two melee attacks;
magical trap (below) can be noted with detect magic. The ceiling trap is +9 to hit, 2d6 + 5 slashing damage and a creature must
also noticed if the Int (Investigation) check scores 15 or higher. make a successful DC 16 Con saving throw or take
Sixty seconds after the first character steps into the room, two things 2d4 slashing damage at the start of each of its turns
happen. First, a wall of stone spell seals off the staircase leading to until it spends an action to make a successful DC 13
the surface. A few words of arcane nature are heard in whispered Wis (Medicine) check [claw]; each additional attack
tones as the spell is activated. Anyone who hears the whispering increases the damage by 2d4 per turn; +9 to hit, 2d12 +
realizes a magical trap is being triggered; a character who succeeds 5 slashing damage [greataxe]; [at will] darkness, detect
on a DC 15 Int (Arcana—trained characters only) check realizes that magic, dispel magic, invisibility (self only), mirror image;
a wall of stone is in the making and has just enough time to attempt has tactical advantage on saving throws against magic;
a counterspell. On the next round, the ceiling begins descending in a can substitute teleporting up to 60 ft. for one attack)
crushing trap. It reaches its lowest point at the end of two rounds, does
12d6 bludgeoning damage to creatures in the chamber, then resets. Anyone searching the altar and making a successful DC 10 Int
Once triggered, the ceiling mechanism can’t be disabled from inside (Investigation) check discovers a trigger device within the carved
this chamber; the pumps must be turned off in areas 12: Eastern Pump hieroglyphics that causes the entire altar to split open, revealing a staircase
Room and 16: Western Pump Room. leading down to a lower chamber. The trigger device is trapped; the trap is
noticed if the Int (Investigation) check result is 15 or higher. The trap can
1A: Archway of Orange Swirling Mist be disarmed with thief’s tools and a successful DC 15 Dex check. Pressing
the trigger without disarming the gas trap ignites a pan of toxic incense
This archway is filled with glowing and swirling orange mist.
that fills the room with lethal smoke, doing 4d8 poison damage, or half
Surrounding its doorframe are several silver skulls embedded in the wall,
damage with a successful DC 15 Con saving throw.
their eye sockets filled with pure amber. Attempts to detect and determine
magical effects indicate that the door acts similarly to a dimension door
spell, and that there is powerful abjuration magic tied to the mists. 2A: Lower Chamber
Individuals entering this swirling portal are teleported bodily and with all This chamber hidden below the false altar of Ankoz holds the
of their possessions to Area 2. yugoloth’s true dark altar, completely covered in gold leaf and encrusted
Attempting to dislodge the glowing petrified amber from the doorframe with gems and jewels. The altar weighs nearly 400 pounds, with a
sets off the glyph of warding lightning bolt trap, resulting in a shocking market value of nearly 4,000 gp in semiprecious gemstones and gold.
blast that strikes the offender and anyone standing in a straight line behind Lining the walls of this chamber are shelves of captured spellbooks
him, doing 8d6 lightning damage or half damage with a successful DC 14 and tomes, as well as rows of scroll cases. Ankoz uses these books to
Dex saving throw. transcribe spells onto scrolls. The books are in very bad shape because
of the damp conditions; anyone handling a book must make a successful
1B: Archway of Yellow Swirling Mist DC 10 Dex saving throw or it disintegrates in their hands. Scrolls kept
in sealed tubes are fine.
This archway of yellow swirling mist looks as unappealing as stepping
into a cloud of mustard gas; sickly vapors of brimstone and offal increase There is also a coffin in the chamber; it is one of Sangre’s spares.
as one takes each step closer to the archway. A series of cow skulls, cast Treasure: Ankoz’s spellbooks, 2 flasks of alchemist’s fire, 5 flasks
in bronze, surrounds the doorframe of this archway. The skulls’ eyes of acid, 1 potion of jump, 1 potion of clairvoyance, an arcane scroll of
glow like pure sapphires. Stepping through the portal instantly teleports 2 spells (haste and cone of cold). A workbench holds a set of jewelry
the individual and all of their belongings to Area 11. Touching the cow making tools. Another table is covered with expensive beakers and jars,
skulls triggers a fireball trap that does 8d6 fire damage to everyone in the likely valued at over 1,200 gp in alchemical equipment.
chamber. The character who touched the skull gets no saving throw. Ankoz’s spellbooks were all taken from slain adventurers. They are
an excellent opportunity to introduce a few new choice spells; perhaps
something long lost to all the active arcane archives in the land. You
1C: Archway of Green Swirling Mist can make any spells you like available to PCs through the books in this
Similar to the yellow and orange mists of the other two archways, this chamber, or rule that they are so near falling apart that none would survive
archway is filled with foul-looking, pea-green mist. The mist chokes the being hauled out of the dungeon.
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hugging the east wall prevents it from being triggered (that’s no protection
3: Crocodiles in the Pool if some fool steps toward the water and sets it off anyway).

6: Hidden Crypt of the Crocodiles

The salty smell of briny yet foul water fills the air of this room. An
archway to the south heads down a corridor as does a second archway to
the west. A narrow walkway along the edge of this room surrounds a pool
nearly as wide and long as the room itself, murky and at least 12 feet deep. Within this chamber are seven crocodile-sized burial jars. Atop each of
Lurking in the depths of the pool are 3 vampiric crocodiles. The vampires the jars is a golden crocodile head encrusted in semiprecious gems. One jar
of the Underguild have groomed these sewer crocs to crave the blood of is nearly twice the size of the rest. The purpose for this jar is immediately
humanoids. Vampiric crocodiles reduced to 0 hit points become gaseous apparent; a very large crocodile with glowing red eyes snaps its jaws at the
and flow toward their funeral jars in Area 6. PCs, inviting them to lunch. This creature is the great Bloodtooth!
Any vampiric crocodiles turned to gaseous form in Area 3 return
(Crocodile, Vampiric: AC 12, 19 hp; +4 to hit, 1d10 + here to their burial jars to heal. If more than an hour has passed, those
2 piercing damage and the target is grappled and crocodiles will be encountered here along with the mighty Bloodtooth.
restrained; if the target is already grappled by the The head caps of the crocodile jars are coated in semi-precious gems,
crocodile, it takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage, its making each jar worth 1,000 gp as an ancient antiquity. They weigh nearly
maximum hit points are reduced by an amount equal to 80 lbs. apiece. The jeweled heads alone are worth 500 gp each and weigh
the necrotic damage, and the crocodile gains temporary approximately 15 lbs. each.
hit points equal to the necrotic damage; CR 1, 200 XP)

There is a chance that one or more of PCs might be teleported into the Bloodtooth
pool. Submerged PCs are allowed a DC 15 Dex saving throw to determine XP 450 (CR 2)
if they held their breath before appearing at the bottom of the pool. NE Large undead
Make a Dex (Stealth) check with tactical advantage for the crocodiles Initiative +2
and compare the result to the characters’ passive Perception scores to
determine whether the crocodiles have surprise. With or without surprise, DEFENSE
the crocodiles attack immediately. AC 16 (natural armor)
A ladder stands in the southern end of the pool. Because it’s coated in hp: 39 (6d10 + 6)
slick concentrations of algae and filth, any character in heavy armor must Resistance: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
make a successful DC 10 Dex check to climb out without slipping back from nonmagical weapons; cold and lightning damage
into the pool. Immunity: Poison damage; exhaustion, fright, poison,
unconsciousness
Vulnerability: Radiant damage
4: Pudding in the Pits! OFFENSE
Approximately 20 feet down the western and southern corridors from Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Area 3 are a pair of covered pit traps, each 40 feet deep by 10 feet across. Multiattack: Bloodtooth bites once and attacks once with its
Each pit contains a black pudding. The black pudding is covered in a tail. While Bloodtooth has a creature grappled, it can bite
permanent minor illusion that gives the appearance of each pit containing only the grappled creature.
a pile of gold, coins, and fine-looking weapons among skeletal remains. Melee Attack—Bite: +6 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
The sight is recognized as an illusion with a successful DC 14 Int 2d10 + 4 piercing damage and the target is grappled and
(Investigation) check. restrained. If the target is already grappled by Bloodtooth,
it takes an extra 2d6 necrotic damage, its maximum hit
(Black Pudding: AC 7, 85 hp; +5 to hit, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning points are reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic
damage plus 4d8 acid damage and the AC of damage, and Bloodtooth gains temporary hit points equal
nonmagical armor is reduced by 1 [pseudopod]; to the necrotic damage.
attackers within 5 ft. take 1d8 acid damage when they hit Melee Attack—Tail: +7 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature). Hit:
the black pudding with a melee attack, and nonmagical 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage and the target must make
weapons of metal or wood take a cumulative -1 penalty a successful DC 14 Str saving throw or be knocked prone.
to damage; lightning or slashing damage cause the black
pudding to split in half) STATISTICS
Str 19 (+4), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1),
Int 3 (–4), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
5: The Dumper Languages: None
Skills: Perception +4
Beyond the secret door outside the western entrance to Area 3 is a Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.
10-foot-wide walkway that runs north and south along an open section of
sewer pipe. The open section runs roughly north and south for about 90 TRAITS
feet, with a strong current pouring from some unknown source to the north Regeneration: Bloodtooth heals 5 hit points at the start of its
before emptying into a circular tube to the south. turn, unless it took radiant damage or was splashed with
Weight of over 600 pounds on the 30-foot section of stone deck just holy water since its last turn.
to the south of the secret door to Area 3 triggers a tilting floor trap Sunlight Sensitivity: Bloodtooth takes 10 radiant damage if it
that dumps all individuals standing on this section of platform into the starts its turn in sunlight, and it has tactical disadvantage
open sewer. The tilting floor can be spotted with a successful DC 20 Wis on attacks and saving throws while it is in sunlight.
(Perception) check. If it’s triggered, a successful DC 20 Dex saving throw
allows a character to jump to a safe section of floor. Individuals failing ECOLOGY
their saving throw are immediately sucked down one of the many sewer Environment: Any warm or temperate
pipes and swept toward Area 22. The trap can’t be disabled, but simply Organization: Solitary
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7: Forked Pathway The Fountain of Blood
This 6-foot-wide stone bowl filled with blood dominating the back wall
The corridor leading south has two branching pathways. A decorative of the chamber emanates a powerful magical aura. The bowl detects as
evil and magical. If characters use detect magic, they learn that it radiates
mosaic of fine-cut glass and enamel forms diamond patterns along the
strong conjuration and necromancy magic. Searching the bowl reveals an
floor, walls, and ceiling of this corridor. A deadly and extremely well
ancient script. A DC 15 Int (History) check (or comprehend languages)
hidden impaling trap awaits those who do not notice the switch (DC
translates the following words.
15 Wis [Perception]) to turn it off. The cunningly hidden wooden stakes
“Through the blood of ancients the passage revealed, darkened path of
spring out at a length of 10 feet from the floor, ceiling, and the southern
nightmares wield.”
wall. Characters in the affected area (the square marked “T”) who fail a
Entering the fountain instantly teleports individuals to Area 15. All
DC 15 Dex saving throw are struck by 2d4 stakes; each stake causes 1d4
individuals passing through the fountain must make a successful DC 14
+ 2 piercing damage. This trap is set here as a test for new recruits to the
Con saving throw or be transformed instantly into a vampire spawn!
Underguild.
Paladins or clerics of lawful good alignment who pass through the pool
of blood without first casting bless on the fountain or on themselves suffer
8: Fountains of Blood, a –2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks for the
duration of their stay within the Sewers of the Underguild.

Passage of Innocence
A large wolf’s-head fountain dominates the western wall of this dank
9: False Crypt Room
chamber. Thick red blood pours from its jaws into a man-sized stone bowl This room contains six stone crypts, their lids etched with writing
at its feet. As the characters enter the chamber of the fountain, 4 vampire in an ancient tongue. Characters that succeed on a DC 15 Int (History)
spawn leap from hiding, hissing and calling to the PCs to join them in un- check easily translate the writing on each crypt. The crypts bear strange
life and bow to the master of the Underguild as they have done. Characters descriptions of their supposed inhabitants, all of it bad poetry of the sort
who scan the room carefully from the entrance can make Wis (Perception) to make bards shudder and wince.
checks to notice the vampires; their Stealth score is 16. Otherwise, only A. Here lies Manco the Moneyed one, man he had a honey tongue, work
characters with passive Perception scores of 16 or higher aren’t surprised he never labored long, in living death does he grow strong.
when the vampires attack. B. Before you rests Syther Cross, upon a job a hand he lost, but pimp he
Each of these vampire spawn has its own agenda. Although they fight could with just one hand, now the blood he does drink all warm and neat,
in concert against the PCs, each of them is aware of the hollow blade and of restless harlots on the streets.
would claim it for their own if they could defeat the Hand of Death. C. Here is the tomb of the malicious F’Huge, he is bold as he is huge,
(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw and bite; +6 fear his might and beware his girth, this tomb filled with his charnel earth.
to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit D. Jandilar is a sneaky sort, within his tomb is a fair retort, seek within
a grappled creature, 1d6 + 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage and you may find, what is hidden a rogue’s delight.
[bite]; necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by an equal E. Hethel is an evil bitch, tortured slave a favorite dish, strange is her
amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same number of temporary hp; priestly mood, a vampire who often cooks her food.
regenerates 10 hp at the start of its turn unless it took radiant damage or F. Memze is a guild mage, drinks blood cold which is quite strange,
damage from holy water since its last turn) buried here or not with wit, surprise! You’re in a room of… (and the last
Jandilar the Safe Cracker is sly and sneaky. He no longer uses word is obscured by some sort of brown substance…)
weapons, preferring to kill his victims outright. Jandilar hates the Hand Any character that makes a successful DC 15 Wis (Perception) check
of Death and covets the hollow blade for its ability to allow vampires to within the first two rounds of entering the chamber notes that the entire
walk amongst the living, almost unseen. If the PCs seem to be winning room is one huge and well-concealed flooding trap. After two minutes,
this fight, Jandilar may attempt to make a deal and clear the way for them the room begins to flood with sewage from Area 20, as stone blocks roll
in return for the sword. Of course, he has no intention of staying true to into place, sealing the exits. The room fills completely within 4 rounds.
the deal, unless of the PCs are about to kill him. The flooding can be stopped with a successful DC 18 Dex check during
Memze the Lame was a wizard’s apprentice in life, but he was turned the first 4 rounds. At the end of the 8th round, a drain opens and everything
into a vampire before gaining significant power. Memze, known as the in the room is flushed down a sewer pipe into Area 20. If the flooding was
Lame because of the limp he bears from a spine twisted from birth, is jaded stopped in the 1st round, characters can resist the pull of the drain and stay
and decadent to the extreme. His perversity knows no limit. In addition in this room if they choose. If the room flooded for 2 rounds, a DC 15 Str
to standard vampire spawn abilities, Memze can use the following spells check is needed to resist the outflow. If the room flooded for 3 or more
(spell attack +5, save DC 13): (at will) chill touch, ray of frost; (1st level, rounds, characters can’t prevent being washed out of the room through
x3) fog cloud, magic missile, ray of sickness; (2nd level, x2) hold person, the open drain.
web. Opening the crypts reveals that each is completely empty and has
F’huge Kneebreaker is a vampiric ogre, a hulking brute who still apparently never been used. Tampering with the crypts sets the trap off
relies on brawn and intimidation to defeat his enemies. He enjoys physical instantly.
combat to such a degree that he prefers beating the blood out of his victims
over drinking it. Instead of a normal claw attack, F’Huge fights with a
weighted net to entangle foes, reverting to his claws only after the net is 10: The Board Room
destroyed.
Hethel, the Acolyte of Thanatos, was once a tall, beautiful elf woman. Characters can reach the boardroom only through secret doors in the
Now she is a hate-filled servant of Ykthool, high Priest of Thanatos. She eastern and western walls. The secret doors are hidden behind life-sized
is the servant of the Fountains of Blood, guarding the passage from the portraits of wealthy, rakish individuals, surrounded by women and riches.
eastern side of the sewer complex to the western areas by means of this The locked secret door in the western wall opens into Area 10A. Dominating
special teleportation device. She is also a spellcaster, with the following the center of the room is a wide table with a polished top that appears to be
spells (spell attack +6, save DC 14): (at will) resistance, sacred flame; carved from a single slab of marble. Paintings of exquisite quality line the
(level 1, x3) bane, inflict wounds, sanctuary; (level 2, x2) blindness/ walls, and the room is lit with a continuous yet dim light source.
deafness, hold person, silence; (level 3, x2) animate dead, bestow curse, Leaning back on a chair facing the group with a sneer on his cruel
dispel magic lips, revealing his gleaming white fangs as the PCs enter, is Syther
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 sewers of the underguild
Cross, a vampire. He has a wicked-looking scythe lying across his lap.
Cross invites the PCs into the room with a gracious flourish of his silk-
sleeved shirt and his wide brimmed and feathered hat. Hiding under
the table is his chief toady, Manco Money-Tongue, Cross’s halfling
vampire spawn.

“Welcome, adventurers, we admit to being amazed that you

have made it this far into the Underguild compound. Surely
you are a dangerous band, and likely we could use you in our
operations. If you would consider joining us in our enterprises,
we can assure you that your conversion will be as painless as we
can make it. I like your style, living ones, and I have a proposition
to make…”

It’s obvious that Syther Cross is a vampire. If characters don’t attack

immediately, he parleys with the characters, both trying to win their
support in his power play and hoping more vampires and vampire
spawn might show up. One minute (ten rounds) after characters reach
the boardroom, 1d3 vampire spawn do arrive. Use the spawns’ Stealth
(+6) and the characters’ Perception scores to determine whether the spawn
arrive unnoticed.
If characters are willing to talk even briefly, Cross offers directions to
the lair of the Hand of Death and suggests that if the PCs take down the
guildmaster and his lieutenant Ankoz, he will see the party richly rewarded
with 50,000 gold pieces worth of booty. All he wants is to take the hollow
blade for himself and establish control of the Underguild, placing it under
newer and younger management (Syther has only been a vampire for
about 30 years). He grows impatient with what he considers the tired and
cautious machinations of the Underguild.
If the parley disintegrates into combat, Cross tries to avoid melee if
possible. He charms the hardest-hitting martial characters first and uses
them for protection. He doesn’t generally use his scythe in combat,
preferring to grab and bite victims instead.
Manco is devious and diabolical; he sometimes lures victims by
pretending to be a human child. He is almost—but not quite—a free-willed 3 legendary actions/round [move, unarmed strike, bite (2
vampire on his own. He won’t hesitate to flee if his master is reduced to actions)]; transforms to mist at 0 hp; shapechanger)
0 hit points or flees.
Even if the only foes here are Cross and Money-Tongue, this is a If the party is 13th level or higher, Cross’s hit points should be increased
dangerous situation for characters, and a potentially deadly one if there are proportionally.
fewer than five characters. The only factor in the characters’ favor is that
both vampires have gone a long time without feeding, so their hit points (Manco Money-Tongue [Vampire Spawn]: AC 15, 82 hp;
are lower than normal, but even a weak vampire is nothing to sneer at. If can claw twice, or claw and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3
more spawn arrive, bugging out might be the characters’ only survival slashing damage or the target is grappled [claws]; +6 to
option—and even that is risky, because characters might not know a good hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 3 piercing damage plus
way out of the dungeon yet! A sure-fire way to escape is to jump into 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces
the sewer and get “flushed” out of the complex, because no vampire will the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and the
follow them into running water (or sewage). The vampires slow down and vampire spawn gains the same number of temporary
lose a turn of movement when they cross over the running sewer line that hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start of its turn unless it took
passes under the corridor between Areas 6 and 12, and under Area 9 and radiant damage or damage from holy water since its
the corridor to its east. Characters might also buy some time by throwing last turn)
garlic, holy water, or other holy objects in the vampires’ path. Other than
that, vampires will chase characters anywhere in their dungeon. Additional Room Details: Amidst the fine paintings are wall maps
detailing various cities and empires of the civilized lands, as well as the
(Syther Cross [Vampire]: AC 16, 92 hp; can claw twice, or names of Underguild operators in these territories. You could use such
claw and bite; +9 to hit, 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage maps to introduce new adventures. The paintings on the walls are of great
or the target is grappled [unarmed strike], and +9 to value to collectors; three are considered lost treasures of the art world. Any
hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage plus characters that succeed on a DC 20 Int (History) check know something
3d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces about one or more of the paintings.
the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and Treasure: Three of the paintings are high art, detailed below.
the vampire gains the same number of temporary hp; • Only by Sunrise by Umberto, a famous painter who weaves illusions
regenerates 20 hp at the start of its turn unless it took into his paintings. The painting shows the majestic sunrise over the
radiant damage or damage from holy water since its last jeweled cityscape of Bard’s Gate. The command word “Cyrillia” is hidden
turn; one humanoid within 30 ft. must make a successful in the painting amongst the crenellations of the keep. This painting is a
DC 17 Wis saving throw or be charmed by the vampire; particular favorite of Sangre, the Hand of Death, who views the illusion
3/day, can choose to succeed on a saving throw it just when holding the hollow blade, as if he were alive. Value: 10,000 gp.
failed; 1/day, can call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats; can use • Cult of Wights, the artist unknown but attributed to T. F. Arcevol, a
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
notorious necromancer. This cult piece has great value to a specialized Opening the door breaks the magic circle that has kept this room’s
group of collectors who enjoy gruesome art. The painting, horrific in its occupant imprisoned for two centuries, however, and the glabrezu
ultra-realism and delicate brush stroke, features a pack of wights feasting immediately tries to fight his way out. If he escapes, Go’Loke tracks
on chained sacrifices as cultists in the black robes of Orcus observe. The down Ankoz to get his revenge. Should a PC enter from Area 1C into the
painting has been copied many times, but this piece is the original. Value: chamber, Go’Loke immediately attacks the party.
1,000 gp, but to the proper collector the painting could net as much as Tactics: During the fight, Go’Loke rattles the dice in his hand while
6,000 gp. Representatives of most Good-aligned churches would prefer pointing to the party members and naming them off by number of the
it be destroyed. individual he is going to kill, calling out such things as “come on baby,
• Queen of Parnuble, artist unknown. The painting features Tuiliar the come on seven, seven come eleven, daddy needs a new soul!” Jo’Mena
Elven Queen of arboreal Parnuble. The theft of this painting is considered chiefly cowers in the corner trying to avoid combat, fighting back only if
one of Sangre’s first great heists. The painting eventually found its way attacked first. If the northern doorway is open, Go’Loke fights until he
to the Museo, in Reme, where it was stolen while on loan from the royal is nearly destroyed before escaping. He stays away long enough to heal
family of Parnuble. Its theft caused quite a scandal and the elves of up and come back to gain his revenge upon Ankoz for his centuries of
Parnuble excised a great tax upon Reme to punish the port city for not imprisonment.
protecting their property. Value: 6,000 gp.
• Other paintings are of excellent quality, but none are as famous as (Go’Loke [Glabrezu]: AC 17, 157 hp; +9 to hit x2, 2d10 + 5
these three. They would fetch 1,200, 900, 750, and 500 gp respectively in bludgeoning damage and a Medium or smaller creature
a market. is grappled [pincer], and +9 to hit x2, 2d4 + 2 bludgeoning
• Wall maps with notes are of unlimited value to authorities, vampire damage; spell save DC 16; prepares the following spells:
hunters, and underworld groups seeking to eliminate spies in their midst. [at will] darkness, detect magic, dispel magic; [1/day]
confusion, fly, power word stun; has tactical advantage
10A. Tilting Floor Trap on saving throws against magic)
The secret door in the western wall opens into a corridor that runs
(Jo’Mena [Ghoul]: AC 12, 22 hp; +2 to hit, 2d6 + 2 piercing
north and south. The southern section of corridor ends after 10 feet in
damage [bite]; +4 to hit, 2d4 + 2 slashing damage and
a collapsed wall, crudely beamed and buttressed with planks of wood.
the target must make a successful DC 10 Con saving
Anyone succeeding on a DC 15 Wis (Perception) check notices flecks of
throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute or until it makes a
gold glinting among the broken stones. The “gold” is only iron pyrite—
successful save at the end of its turn)
fool’s gold. A dwarf recognizes this instantly; others realize it with a
successful DC 10 Int (Nature) check.
Treasure: An inventory of the chamber reveals the following items
The entire 10-foot section is a tilting floor trap. Individuals standing
that Go’Loke has hoarded over the years of his imprisonment. 6,526 gp,
on this section for one round are dropped down a chute and thrown
15 gems worth 600 gp (x2), 500 gp, 400 gp (x2), 200 gp (x3), 125 gp (x3),
into a sewer pipe draining into Area 20. The trap can be spotted with a
and 50 gp (x4), respectively, plus heaps of mundane adventuring gear.
successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check, and a successful DC 15 Dex
saving throw allows a character to leap clear before falling through.
12: Eastern Pump House
11: Prison Chamber of Go’Loke The secret door in the eastern wall of the pump house reveals a damp
chamber filled with many leaking pipes, as well as highly advanced
The door into this chamber opens easily for a character of Good
alignment, but to all others, it is impenetrable. ancient technological marvels that are part of the nerve center for the
A circular chamber 50 feet in diameter is inscribed with silver runes sewer and aqueduct system of Curgantium and its massive hydraulics.
that glow with an unnatural green light. Sitting in the center of the Four large, bronze wheels are mounted in the walls: two in the west, one
circle is a large figure with two huge pincers and a pair of clawed hands in the south, and one in the eastern wall.
sprouting from its chest. Sitting cross-legged before him is a muscular Hidden amongst the maze of pipes along the ceiling are 5 vampire
figure with a deathly pallor. The many-armed beast emanates an unholy spawn who have been assigned by Sangre to guard this pump room from
aura as he turns his horned head to the party, shaking a set of dice in one intruders.
of his clawed hands.
The demon is Go’Loke, a glabrezu. The guild summoned him here (Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw
200 years ago as further protection for its lair. At that time Ankoz crafted and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target
a permanent magic circle etched in silver to lock the demon within the is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6
chamber. Once the circle was in place, treasure seekers entering the + 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite];
archway of swirling yellow mist in Area 1 would have an interesting necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by
welcome to the guild stronghold. Go’Loke has had little to entertain an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same
himself with all these years except for a set of dice left behind as some number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start
cruel joke by Ankoz. Go’Loke has spent the last 10 years throwing bones of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from
with Jo’Mena, his ghoul, whom he treats like a dog most of the time and holy water since its last turn)
never lets win at dice.
Jo’Mena was a spoiled chieftain’s son of the Bu’ulamin tribe. His The Bronze Pump Wheels
mother was a half-hag. Jo’Mena had a penchant for taking things that The four bronze pump wheels control the flow of water and sewage to
were not his. He thought fit to sneak into the ruin and find the secret the sewers, as well as the hydraulic controls of several of the mechanical
entrance to the Underguild’s infamous sewers. That was 10 years ago. traps within the dungeon. If any of the pump wheels are turned clockwise,
Finding the fountain above the sewer entrance, he flipped the switch and the sewage levels remain unchanged in Area 20; however the strength
descended the staircase, entering the room of swirling archways. Entering of the current drops by 1/8th relative to the number of pumps turned off.
the swirling yellow archway, he found himself face to face with Go’Loke,
who offered him a game of chance: the pile of treasure he had collected
from 180 years of dead adventurers wagered against Jo’Mena’s soul. Of Pump Wheel A
course Jo’Mena bet his soul and lost, being transformed almost instantly Turning this pump clockwise until it stops turning shuts off the hydraulic
into the pitiful ghoul that he is today. pressure to the covered pit traps in Area 4. A DC 14 Wis (Perception)
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 sewers of the underguild
check reveals that there is a sound of decreasing water pressure as the the roll if the spell was dimension door, teleport, or plane shift.
wheel is turned. Turning this pump counter-clockwise until it stops
increases the sewage depth in Area 20 by 2 feet.
Roll Result
Caster is teleported to Area 21 to become a snack
Pump Wheel B 1
for Methaloggot.
Turning the pump clockwise until it stops turning shuts off hydraulic
pressure to the impaling trap in Area 7, automatically disarming the trap. Teleported to Area 11, to become the demon’s
2
A DC 12 Wis (Perception) check reveals that there is a sound of decreasing new craps partner.
water pressure as the wheel is turned. Turning the pump counter-clockwise 3 Teleported into the whirlpool in Area 23.
increases the sewage depth in Area 20 by 4 feet and doubles the strength
of the whirlpool in Area 22. Teleported to an empty, locked burial vault in Area
4
14.
Teleported to the Fountain Entrance to the
Pump Wheel C 5–6
Underguild.
Turning this pump wheel clockwise until it stops turning shuts off the
hydraulic pressure to the trap in Area 9; as before, anyone succeeding
on a DC 12 Wis (Perception) check notices a significant reduction in
ambient water pressure noise. Turning the bronze wheel counter- 13B: Hotchka the Medusa
clockwise results in an increased volume of sewage pumping into Area
20, raising its original depth by 8 feet and filling hallways outside Areas This chamber is missing a large chunk of wall in the northwestern
5, 12, and 13 to a depth of 3 feet. If the door to Area 12 has not been corner of the room. It has locked, bronze-bound doors in the northwest
closed by the party after entering the chamber, the foul water begins and southeastern corners. A trio of humanoid figures sits near a flaming
spilling into this room and other opened rooms at this time. The 3-foot- bronze brazier. As the tallest of the figures turns to face the party, her eyes
deep wave of sewage turns everything into difficult terrain and requires glow a demonic blue as she reaches for an arrow from her quiver. A pair
characters who move more than 10 feet to make a successful DC 10 of statues reflects the dancing fire glow of the brazier as the woman draws
Dex save to avoid falling and being dragged by the current into the her bow, her hair waving like a nest of snakes.
whirlpools in Area 22 and Area 23. This area chamber is the lair of Hotchka, a medusa whom Sangre
transformed to the unliving nearly a hundred years ago. Cainbry, a
vampire spawn, and Phryc the Unloved, a half-orc guild enforcer, join
Pump Wheel D Hotchka in her lair. Note that Hotchka has a vampiric bite along with her
Turning this pump clockwise turns off the tilting floor traps in usual medusa abilities.
Areas 5 and 10B; there is a resounding clank when the wheel reaches
the end, as if something large is unlocking to the north. Turning the (Hotchka [Medusa]: AC 15, 127 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing
wheel counter-clockwise fills Area 20 almost to the ceiling with damage plus 4d6 poison damage [snake hair], and +5
sewage, filling the hallways and opened rooms with a 7-foot-high to hit x2, 1d6 + 2 piercing damage [shortsword]; OR +5 to
surge of raw waste, and quadrupling the strength of the whirlpool in hit x2, range 150 ft./600 ft., 1d8 + 2 piercing damage plus
Area 22. 2d6 poison damage [longbow]; OR +5 to hit a restrained
Filling the sewers in this fashion releases Methaloggot from her or grappled creature, 1d4 + 2 piercing damage plus
imprisonment in Area 21. Everyone hears her roar through the murky 2d6 necrotic damage [vampiric bite]; necrotic damage
sewage that now fills the dungeon. reduces the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount,
and Hotchka gains the same number of temporary hp;
creatures that start their turn within 30 ft. of the medusa
13A: The Never-Ending Corridor and able to see her must make a DC 14 Con saving
throw; if the save fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly
The bronze-bound door in the northwestern corner of Area 13A is petrified; if the save fails by 4 or less, the creature is
protected by an arcane lock spell (DC 14). Beyond the door is a dark restrained and repeats the saving throw at the end of its
corridor of polished black diorite, approximately 80 feet long, with a next turn; if the second saving throw fails, the creature
similar door at the far end of the corridor. Even with darkvision, most is petrified; if the second saving throw succeeds, the
characters won’t be able to see the opposite end of this long hallway from restraint effect ends; an unsurprised creature can avoid
the doorway. this effect by averting its eyes, but until the start of its next
When characters feel that they’ve traveled 40 feet along the turn, it treats the medusa as an unseen target)
corridor, characters with darkvision can finally see the southern
door—apparently 60 feet away! If someone turns back to look behind (Cainbry and Phryc [Vampire Spawn]: AC 15, 82 hp; can
them, they find that they can’t see the door they exited (it’s 80 feet claw twice, or claw and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing
behind them). This space-distorting effect becomes worse the farther damage or the target is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a
characters move along the corridor. Moving what they perceive as the grappled creature, 1d6 + 3 piercing damage plus 2d6
full distance to the door gets them only halfway there; when the door necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces the
looks 60 feet away, 60 feet of movement leaves them 30 feet from the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and the
door, then 30 feet of movement leaves them 15 feet from the door, and vampire spawn gains the same number of temporary
so on. Moving north has the same effect. hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start of its turn unless it took
If characters simply keep pushing on, they eventually reach a point radiant damage or damage from holy water since its last
where as they continue walking, the floor and walls continue rolling turn)
past them normally but the door is perpetually about 4 feet away. No
amount of walking brings it any closer. As soon as someone stretches Tactics: Hotchka immediately attempts to catch the gaze of the
out an arm and touches the door, the effect is broken and they can use characters as they open the door, hoping to turn the intruders to stone.
the door normally. Phryc and Cainbry concentrate on keeping enemies away from Hotchka
This corridor is shielded against conjuration, however, to a dangerous while she petrifies enemies and picks off lightly armored targets with
and possibly deadly effect. Should anyone cast any conjuration spell in the arrows.
corridor, roll 1d6 to let fate determine the result. Apply a –1 modifier to This battle is not quite as dangerous as the fight in Area 10 against
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
Syther Cross, but it can be deadly against a weakened party—especially wisdom (reduces Wisdom by 4 points for three hours), a potion of alter
since the most likely escape route, corridor 13A, is so difficult to traverse. self, and a limited cloak of arachnida (functions only under moonlight or
starlight).

13C: Sewer Skiff

15: Western Blood Fountain and
The break in the northeastern wall opens into Area 20. The stench
rising from this river of fouled water and ancient sewage causes all who Vampiric Ooze
smell it to make a DC 15 Con saving throw or be nauseated (identical to
the poisoned condition but not a poison effect) for 2d4 x 10 minutes. The eastern wall of the room is dominated by a large wolf’s-headed
A fine copper chain is looped through a bronze ring set in the ancient fountain, dripping thick red blood from its jaws into a 6-foot-diameter
stone and hangs down into the sewage. The chain is taut, as if it supports stone bowl at its feet. Written in glowing Celestial runes but in the Abyssal
a weight in the sewage. The weight is so heavy that characters pulling on language are the following words:
the slim chain will think that it’s bound to break under so much strain, but “Wield me on the nightmare’s path through the innocence of blood.”
it doesn’t. If the chain is pulled by characters with a combined Strength Characters can translate this message with a successful DC 14 Int
modifier of +5 or more, or a pulling character makes a successful DC 22 (History) check if they don’t know the languages.
Str (Athletics) check, they haul a skiff up from the sewage. The boat is As the last party member steps into the chamber, the blood in the
finely crafted from some unknown metal. Once on the surface, it instantly fountain gurgles and congeals into a gelatinous thickness, pours onto
becomes clean and free of any foulness. The boat has a pair of oars made the floor with a sickly, slurping noise, and immediately attacks. This is
of the same unknown material. The boat holds up to six passengers and vampiric ooze, an undead form of black pudding formed by evil rituals
their gear. It is of ancient craftsmanship and material that allows it to bear that involve pouring a vampire’s blood poured into the creature. It has
weight in excess of 2,400 pounds easily. The odd metal of which it is identical stats to a black pudding, but it causes necrotic damage instead of
made acts as though it had a permanent prestidigitation spell cast on it acid and regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage it causes. It isn’t
that keeps it perpetually clean and shiny. The chain it’s attached to has corrosive, and it doesn’t corrode armor or weapons.
a similar mending spell cast on it, so it can support tremendous weight As the party faces the new horror, they see momentarily within the
without breaking (a sudden jerk, however, can still snap it). rippling of its syrupy surface a reflection of their own darkness.
The skiff can be used to navigate the river of raw sewage (Area 20).
(Vampiric Ooze: AC 7, 85 hp; +5 to hit, 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning
damage plus 4d8 necrotic damage and the pudding
14: Crypts of the Underguild regains hp equal to the necrotic damage [pseudopod];
lightning or slashing damage cause the vampiric ooze to
A locked secret door leads into this hidden chamber, lined from floor split in half)
to ceiling on the northern and western walls with bronze-plated burial
vaults. Several pairs of glowing, blood-red eyes peer out of the darkness. After the vampiric ooze in the fountain is defeated, the blood pouring
Suddenly, 4 vampire spawn slink out of the darkness, their blackened from the fountain transforms to pure clean water, completely potable and
lips parting to reveal gleaming white canine teeth, razor sharp and longing crystal clear. If characters step into the fountain now, it teleports them
for blood. instantly to Area 8 and vice versa with no difficulties.
Guarding the crypt room are the vampire spawn along with any Searching the room reveals a secret door to the right of the blood
vampires previously encountered who have regenerated sufficiently to fountain, which leads to Area 16.
fight off intruders. These vampires do not include Ykthool. Previously

16: Western Pump Room

defeated vampires who have not healed within their vault to at least 1 hit
point are within their vault, helpless.

(Vampire Spawn: AC 15, 82 hp; can claw twice, or claw The secret door from Area 15 leads to the second pump room of the
and bite; +6 to hit, 2d4 + 3 slashing damage or the target ancient sewer system. Large pipes of bronze and ceramic run along the
is grappled [claws]; +6 to hit a grappled creature, 1d6 ceilings and up the walls, which are fitted with four bronze pump wheels.
+ 3 piercing damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage [bite]; Unlike the pump wheels in Area 8, these bronze wheels can be turned
necrotic damage reduces the target’s maximum hp by only if the pumps in Area 12 have been shut off and only if all of them are
an equal amount, and the vampire spawn gains the same cranked simultaneously clockwise. Doing so does three things: it removes
number of temporary hp; regenerates 10 hp at the start the stone block across the steps in Area 1 to reopen the exit from the
of its turn unless it took radiant damage or damage from Sewers of the Underguild; it turns off the whirlpools in Area 22 and 23;
holy water since its last turn) and it lowers the sewer level to a depth of 4 feet.

The vampires’ vaults are closed and locked with a bronze plate scribed
with the name and epitaph of each of the undead. The vaults are 2 feet 17: Ykthool’s Cloister
tall and 4 feet wide, comprising six columns of bronze-plated vaults.
Each column has five vaults, making a total of 30 vaults for vampires and Behind the locked door is a richly appointed chamber with polished
their spawn. Personal possessions and treasure of each vampire are found hardwood paneling and silk wall hangings. A canopied four-poster coffin
within the vaults. Each vault has a spring-loaded bed with finely crafted rests elegantly in the northeastern corner of the chamber. An ornate mirror
wheels, its “slab” pulling out in a similar fashion to a modern morgue with a frame of gold faces the door. Holy symbols featuring a skull pierced
vault. with a bident (also made of gold) hang on the walls, along with unusually
Three of the vaults are Sangre’s spares. They are at the lowest levels of realistic paintings of men and women of all races just as death takes them,
their respective columns, with no names on the outside, and their doors are their pale, drawn faces holding the last vestiges of life.
welded shut. Close inspection (and a successful DC 15 Int [Investigation] Ykthool spends most of his time in the shrine of Thanatos, Area 18B.
check) reveals tiny “air holes” that allow Sangre to enter or exit a coffin Ykthool has little fear of losing this coffin, since he doesn’t believe any
while in gaseous form. It’s up to characters to figure out how to open and enemies can penetrate this far into the Underguild’s lair.
sanctify these coffins to prevent Sangre from regenerating in them. The mirror facing the door is a foul and deadly trick given as gift
Treasure: 2,669 gp; potion of disguise self, a cursed potion of owl’s from Thanatos to one who remembers the old ways. See the end of this
186
 sewers of the underguild
adventure for details on the mirror of abysmal damnation. unarmed strike, bite (2 actions)]; transforms to mist at 0
The locked and trapped coffin in the northeastern corner of the hp; shapechanger; spell attack +7, save DC 15; [at will]
chamber is the resting place of Ykthool, vampire priest of Thanatos. mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost; [1st level, x4]
Touching the coffin in any way releases the glyph of warding trap unless comprehend languages, fog cloud, sleep; [2nd level, x3]
a prayer to Thanatos is intoned immediately beforehand. The glyph can detect thoughts, gust of wind, mirror image; [3rd level, x3]
be noticed with a successful DC 15 Int (Investigation) check. The glyph animate dead, bestow curse, nondetection; [4th level, x3]
triggers a blade barrier spell that fills the entire chamber and does 6d10 blight, greater invisibility; [5th level, x1] dominate person)
slashing damage, or half damage to creatures that make successful DC 15
Dex saving throws. The blade barrier lasts one minute, then dissipates. (Statue of Thanatos [Stone Golem]: AC 17, 178 hp; +10 to hit
Treasure: Fifty diamonds valued at 100 gp each are stitched into the x2, 3d8 + 6 bludgeoning damage [slam]; each target the
silk lining of the coffin. A small bag of holding contains a scroll of finger of golem can see must make a successful DC 17 Wis saving
death. Under the silk lining is 20 lbs. of graveyard dirt, possibly valuable throw or be slowed for 1 minute; a slowed target can
to necromancers and certain sects of priests. The four silk wall hangings repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
are valued at 200 gp each, and the two paintings could garner 200 gp each ending the effect with a successful save; the golem has
from a collector. Last, but not least, is the mirror of abyssal damnation. tactical advantage on saving throws against magic and
no magic or power can alter its shape)

18A: Entrance to Hidden carefully in Abyssal script within the silver pentagram on
the floor are words. Characters who make a successful DC 20 Int
the Shrine of Thanatos (Investigation) check find these hidden words.
“Through the blood of mortal sacrificed is the invitation made, to the
The secret door opens onto a corridor with an elaborately carved ebon master of Underguild, in Death’s fine name, let the living blood be paid.”
wood door in the southern wall. A symbol of a silver skull with two If a character of Good alignment fills the platinum bowl atop the altar
daggers driven through it in an “X” pattern is inlaid upon the floor. The with blood, all living beings in the shrine of Thanatos teleport to Area 24.
floor beyond the locked secret door that leads to the shrine of Thanatos Treasure: Sitting atop the altar is the platinum sacrificial bowl valued
is trapped with three glyphs of warding that cast bestow curse on the at 4, 000 gp, four platinum candlesticks worth 100 gp each, and four black
first three characters that cross the threshold. Those characters are cursed chaotic evil blessing candles (when burning, they have the effect of a
for one minute unless they make successful DC 15 Wis saving throws. A bless spell on Chaotic Evil creatures within 30 feet). The obsidian skull on
cursed character must make a successful DC 15 Wis saving throw at the the floor is a skull of protection; 1/day, a creature who touches it gains the
start of each of his or her turns; if the saving throw fails, the character does effect of a protection from evil and good spell for one minute.
nothing that turn. The effect lasts one minute.

19: Slave Chambers of the

18B: Shrine of Thanatos Underguild
Directly across from the door is a black altar engraved with skulls
of silver, with a white silk cloth draped over it, bearing a bowl and Beyond this locked door lies the passage to the poor souls who serve as
candelabra of pure platinum and a skull of deepest black. Behind the altar blood slaves of the Underguild.
stands an 11-foot-tall statue in dark gray marble of a beautiful and cruel
woman, perhaps an elf. In the statue’s right hand is a solid iron bident,
its two forked prongs a foul black. An obsidian skull resting on the floor
19A: The Trapped Prison Entrance
An L-shaped corridor lined with torches lit with continual flame turns
reflects a glinting and malevolent light within the dimly lit room. A large
southwest to another locked door. The corridor is trapped with a crushing
silver pentagram with a silver skull decorates the floor in the center of the
wall trap that triggers as travelers cross the turn in the corridor. Its
room, and the low sound of chanting can be heard from somewhere in the
disarming device is located in a wall sconce containing a torch that appears
chamber.
to be on the verge of burning out; rotating the torch 30 degrees disables the
Unless characters have been exceptionally quiet in their battles and trap until the sconce is returned to its normal position. The torch is noticed
conversations, Ykthool knows they’re coming before characters open the with a successful DC 12 Wis (Perception) check. If triggered, the walls
door. As soon as the threshold of the chamber is crossed by a character, of the corridor close in two rounds, causing 10d6 bludgeoning damage to
the statue of Thanatos (a stone golem) animates and attacks. The statue is everyone in the corridor.
a gift to Ykthool from Orcus in his guise as Thanatos the Fallen, deliverer
of the dead. Orcus appreciates a high priest who remembers the old ways.
Ykthool is a standard vampire with spellcasting ability. He casts greater 19B: The Slave Cages
invisibility and detect thoughts before characters enter his chamber. Eight iron-barred cells contain the unfortunate blood slaves of the
Underguild. All are charmed by at least one of the guild vampires, and
(Ykthool [Vampire]: AC 16, 92 hp; attacks twice, with only they are pale and listless, their necks and arms and thighs covered in fang
one bite; +9 to hit, 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage or marks and bruises from their nightly bleeding and seduction. Each of the
the target is grappled [unarmed strike], and +9 to hit a two elves and six humans were selected for their beauty and vitality to
grappled creature, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage plus 3d6 serve the Underguild. One of the prisoners, an elf sorcerer named Ayissa,
necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces is willing to join the party if rescued, healed, and outfitted for war against
the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and the Underguild. If her offer goes unheeded, she merely teleports to her
the vampire gains the same number of temporary hp; home. If Manco Money-Tongue was defeated anywhere, he comes here
regenerates 20 hp at the start of its turn unless it took and attempts to charm Ayissa into telling the party he is her servant and
radiant damage or damage from holy water since must also be “rescued” by the party. Ayissa is a standard mage NPC.
its last turn; one humanoid within 30 ft. must make a
successful DC 17 Wis saving throw or be charmed by the (Ayissa [Mage]: AC 12, 40 hp; +5 to hit, 1d4 + 2 piercing
vampire; 3/day, can choose to succeed on a saving damage; spell attack +6, save DC 14; prepares
throw it just failed; 1/day, can call 2d4 swarms of bats the following spells: [at will] fire bolt, mage hand,
or rats; can use 3 legendary actions/round [move, prestidigitation; [1st level, x4] detect magic, mage armor,
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 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
magic missile, shield; [2nd level, x3] misty step, suggestion; to hit, 2d8 + 6 bludgeoning damage [tail]; target within 30
[3rd level, x3] counterspell, fireball, fly; [4th level, x3] ft. must make a successful DC 15 Dex saving throw or be
greater invisibility, ice storm; [5th level, x1] cone of cold) poisoned for 1d3 rounds [splash filth]; 3/day, Methaloggot
can automatically succeed on a saving throw it just
The Brotherhood of Skulls, a pirate band led by the notorious Captain failed).
Cho Sun, took Ayissa prisoner and sold her into slavery. Her beauty and
strength have captivated both Ankoz and Sangre, causing a minor rift Methaloggot can’t fly or make wing attacks (she has no wings). She’s
between the two. Ayissa alludes to wild blood orgies that take place within likely to unleash her acid breath while characters are still trying to figure
the master’s chamber where the guild members gather for their feast. She out whether the reptilian figure is a carving or a living creature. Her chain
tells the party that the slaves are gathered every other night from their allows her to reach halfway across the northern cavern of Area 20 (not
prison and led to a Shrine of Thanatos, where one of their numbers’ blood quite to the whirlpool at 22).
is used to fill a bowl of platinum, teleporting them all instantly to the
chamber of the one known as the Hand of Death, whom she has overheard
Ankoz refer to as Sangre. Altar of Filth
The Altar of Filth generates an aura of absolute evil. Even touching the
altar with one’s flesh requires the individual to succeed on a DC 14 Con
20. The Sewer Cavern saving throw or become infected with the disease slimy doom. The altar
can only be destroyed by casting aura of purity directly onto it, followed
immediately by bless, remove curse, and dispel magic. Once this is done,
This vast, twisting cavern is truly a river of raw filth. The cavern has
the face of Tsathogga shatters and breaks from the altar, and pure water
a ceiling 40 feet high, with the river of filth averaging 20 feet in depth.
begins pouring from the pipe where his mouth once was. Casting aura
Stretching nearly 400 feet from Area 21, the cavern averages 30 feet
of purity onto an object can be done only with a modified version of the
in width, until it reaches its widest part surrounding Area 24 where the
spell on a scroll, which can be obtained from a Good-aligned temple or
cavern is approximately 120 feet wide by 70 feet.
by any other means of your choosing. Characters probably must consult
high-level priests at such a temple just to discover what method is needed
River of Filth to purify the foul altar.
Individuals falling into the river of filth must make a successful DC 10

22. The Big Flush

Str (Athletics) check to keep their head above the putrid water, or a DC
15 check to swim against this dangerous current. Anyone falling into the
current near Area 22 moves at a rate of 20 feet per round, accelerating
by 10 feet per round the closer they get to the whirlpool. Furthermore, The northern whirlpool pulls all who come within 30 feet of it into its
individuals falling into the river of filth must also make a successful DC crushing grasp. A DC 20 Str (Athletics) check is required to escape from
12 Con saving throw against poison or be poisoned while they are in the its clutches; those failing are swallowed by the whirlpool on the following
river and for 20 minutes after they get out. If they fall into the pool below round, taking 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage per round as they are
Area 13A, characters must continue to make Strength checks each round sucked under the foul water to be spewed out four rounds later in Area 2.
as they are drawn toward Area 23. Anyone failing their check by more Individuals thus trapped must make a successful DC 15 Dex saving throw
than 5 goes under water and begins drowning. or they also have no breath and are drowning throughout the ordeal.

21: Altar of Filth 23. The Southern Whirlpool

At the far northern end of the cavern, a cyclopean altar of pure foulness Individuals sucked through Area 22 are vomited forth from the
rises 10 foot above the putrid water. The carved visage of a froglike face whirlpool into this swirling morass of foul water. This whirlpool pushes all
stares out at all viewers, its wide mouth open with a great fountain of things in the vicinity of it toward the walls of the chamber or sends them
filth pouring from it. The filth bathes a large reptilian figure, bound with hurtling toward the stone platform where Sangre’s Tomb lies, causing an
a collar and chains of pure adamantine; most of its great bulk is hidden additional 3d6 bludgeoning damage in either case. This is repeated every
beneath the foul water of the underground river. three rounds until a character either swims out to the channel back to
This is the prison of Methaloggot the Fouler, an adult black dragon. Area 20 (DC 20 Str [Athletics] check), catches hold of the stone platform
Methaloggot has been chained here for 300 years. Lured to the Sewers of of Area 24 (DC 15 Str [Athletics] check), or is sucked down one of two
the Underguild with the scent of easy money in her nostrils, Methaloggot submerged pipes (1-in-6 chance per round spent in the water without
had no idea of the surprise the Underguild had in store for her. After making a successful Strength check) to be eventually swept from the
falling for a sinister trap of treasure and glittering gemstones atop the Sewers of the Underguild and deposited 5 miles from the dungeon along
ancient stone platform, the dragon realized her folly. Ankoz and Ykthool an aboveground waterway.
blasted the young dragon with magic as Sangre slipped the adamantine
noose about her horned head. He then sliced her wings from her back
with the hollow blade. Then, casting a great and powerful ritual, Ankoz 24. Tomb of Sangre
consecrated the altar in the name of Tsathogga, and Ykthool blessed it in
the name of Thanatos. The exterior of the Tomb of Sangre looks much like a 60-foot-by-60-
foot Greek temple with a solid bronze door set in the center of the northern
(Methaloggot [Adult Black Dragon]: AC 19, 195 hp; face of the tomb. The tomb is surrounded by columns carved in the shape
Methaloggot uses frightful presence, then bites once and of robed and hooded figures, each with a shortsword held across its chest.
claws twice; creatures within 120 ft. must make successful The solid bronze door is cast in bas-relief with demonic images that stand
DC 16 Wis saving throws or become frightened [frightful astride carven heaps of treasure.
presence]; +11 to hit, 2d10 + 6 piercing damage plus The door is sealed with an arcane lock spell (DC 15) and guarded
1d8 acid damage [bite]; +11 to hit x2, 2d6 + 6 slashing by a glyph of warding (DC 15 to spot) that triggers on any character
damage [claw]; 60-ft. line, 12d8 acid damage or half who touches the door or who casts a spell on it. The glyph unleashes
damage with a successful DC 18 Dex saving throw [acid a disintegrate spell against the character who triggered it. The character
breath, recharge 5, 6]; can use 3 legendary actions/round must make a successful DC 15 Dex saving throw or take 10d6 + 40
[make a Perception check, tail attack, or splash filth]; +11 force damage; if that’s enough to reduce the character to 0 hit points,
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 sewers of the underguild
the character is disintegrated, along with everything it carries except for radiant damage or damage from holy water since its last
magic items. turn; one humanoid within 30 ft. must make a successful
The interior of the Tomb of Sangre is richly appointed with large DC 17 Wis saving throw or be charmed by the vampire;
pillows, expensive woven rugs, tapestries, and urns full of jewels. A silver 3/day, can choose to succeed on a saving throw it just
pentagram occupies a 10-foot section of the western end of the chamber, failed; 1/day, can call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats; can use
and an ornate coffin sits in the eastern side of the chamber. Carved from 3 legendary actions/round [move, unarmed strike, bite (2
ivory and gold, the coffin looks valuable beyond reckoning. The room is actions)]; transforms to mist at 0 hp; shapechanger)
dimly lit with torches of continual flame, casting shadows throughout the
chamber. In addition to all the normal abilities of a vampire, Sangre has a ring
If Ankoz survives, he has placed a major image of himself (cast from a of spell storing that holds inflict wounds x2, a potion of haste, and the
scroll) between the entrance and the coffin, while he hides invisibly at the hollow blade.
southern end of the room, preparing whatever magic he has remaining. If Tactics: Sangre is well aware that if the characters have delved this
he had an hour to rest since fighting characters in his chamber, he is back far into his lair, the core of the Underguild has been vanquished. With
to full hit points. He attacks as soon as characters are fully in the chamber, this in mind, he uses the hollow blade to wreak as much havoc on his
or as soon as someone attacks his image. foes as he can. If given the opportunity, Sangre seeks to spawn the entire
Ankoz expects Sangre to join in this fight, but Sangre is happy to see party into new servants and members of the Underguild; failing that, he
Ankoz slain. He has come to suspect his loyal lieutenant of the same merely destroys them. When reduced to 0 hit points Sangre transforms
treachery that all his other subordinates harbor against him. Instead, into gaseous form and flees. He knows better than to lay up in the coffin in
he lets Ankoz soften up the intruders, hoping that they will assume the this chamber while victorious adventurers are present. Instead, he heads
nycaloth is the only foe in the chamber. Once they’ve slain the fiend and for the coffin in Area 2A; if it’s not available, he heads to one of the three
begin exploring the chamber at their leisure, that’s when Sangre strikes. sealed coffins in Area 14.
Lying about the room are the riches of the Underguild. Hidden amongst
(Sangre [Vampire]: AC 16, 162 hp; attacks twice, with the items is a scroll that, when read aloud, teleports the party back to Area
only one bite; +9 to hit, 1d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage 1. The wall of stone still blocks the escape route unless the trap has been
or the target is grappled [unarmed strike], and +9 to disarmed in the pump rooms.
hit a grappled creature, 1d6 + 4 piercing damage plus Treasure: 26,742 gp, 5 diamonds (1,000 gp each), 7 rubies (750 gp
3d6 necrotic damage [bite]; necrotic damage reduces each), 12 sapphires (500 gp each), 10 emeralds (250 gp each), potion
the target’s maximum hp by an equal amount, and of mage armor, headband of vast intelligence (increases Int by 2 while
the vampire gains the same number of temporary hp; worn), +1 rapier, +1 composite longbow, scroll of mass healing word, +2
regenerates 20 hp at the start of its turn unless it took shield, gloves of swimming (tactical advantage on Str [Athletics] checks

189
 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
to swim), a fur cloak worth 350 gp, gold death mask (250 gp), fire opal
pendant (1,759 gp), gold efreeti comb with emerald eyes (375 gp), silver
harp inlaid with rubies crafted by Fathilir (3,450 gp), ivory statuette of a
woman covered in butterflies (320 gp), gold ring (220 gp), silver-plated
longsword with jet jewel in hilt (402 gp), and a jewelry box made of ivory
with a platinum frame (678 gp).

New Magic Items

The Hollow Blade
Very Rare Weapon (requires attunement)
The hollow blade is a +3 intelligent undead bane shortsword with the
following qualities.
• The hollow blade has Int 14, Wis 14, and Cha 14; hearing and vision
to 60 ft.; Neutral alignment; and it communicates telepathically with its
bearer.
• In the hands of any character other than a rogue, it acts as a +1
shortsword. It seeks to be owned by a rogue, either through telepathic
contact or force of will. Any non-rogue who possesses the hollow blade
must make a successful DC 12 Wis saving throw every day when the
sword is used or be inadvertently careless with it—leaving it lying about
or displaying it in such a way that it can easily be noticed by thieves.
• The hollow blade causes its wielder to feel charged with life energy.
In the hands of an undead creature, the undead becomes immune to all
channel divinity effects. Just as importantly, it renders vampires and other
undead immune to the debilitating effects of sunlight for up to four hours
per day.

The Mirror of Abyssal Damnation

Very Rare Wondrous Item
Individuals gazing into a mirror of abyssal damnation must make a
successful DC 15 Wis saving throw or their souls are sucked into the
Abyss, where they become lost and wander among hordes of demons.
These individuals are instantly replaced with Chaotic Evil clones of
themselves, bearing arms and equipment that exactly duplicate that
which their other form bore. Individuals who are already of Chaotic Evil
alignment are immune to the mirror’s effect. Characters who observe
the switch can make a DC 15 Wis saving throw to notice the momentary
shimmer that betrays the exchange; they don’t know what happened, but
they know something happened.
Destroying the mirror traps exchanged characters in the Abyss forever.
Nothing short of a wish spell can bring them back. Killing the clone of
the switched character allows the trapped individual a second DC 15
Wis saving throw, this time with tactical advantage; if it succeeds, the
character trapped in the Abyss sees the outline of the mirror hanging in
front them and can step through and escape. If it fails, the character is
trapped forever. Characters who escape might, or might not, return with
all their gear; that decision is up to the GM.

190
 Legal Appendix
This printing of Quests of Doom, Volume 1 is done under version 1.0a or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game
of the of the Open Game License, below, and by license from Mythmere mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines
Games and Necromancer Games. to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is
Notice of Open Game Content: This product contains Open Game an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly
Content, as defined in version 1.0a of the Open Game License, below identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any
(the “Open Game License”). Open Game Content may only be Used work covered by this License, including translations and derivative
under and in terms of the Open Game License. works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity;
Designation of Open Game Content: Other than as set forth in the dec- (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos
laration of Product Identity, below, all text contained within this product and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures;
(including monster names, stats, and descriptions) is hereby designated characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue,
as Open Game Content, with the following exceptions: incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses,
1. Any text on the inside or outside of the front or back cover or on the formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other
Credits or Preface pages is not Open Game Content; visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters,
2. Any advertising material — including the text of any advertising ma- spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and
terial — is not Open Game Content; special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment,
3. Any material contained in the “Credit” section of each monster is not magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic
Open Game Content. See the “Note on the ‘Credit’ Section,” below; designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly
Use of Content from Tome of Horrors Series: This product contains or identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and
references content from the Tome of Horrors Revised, Tome of Horrors which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark”
II and Tome of Horrors III by Necromancer Games, Inc. Such content means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a
is used by permission. Further, some content reprinted here from the Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products
original Tome of Horrors and/or Tome of Horrors Revised contains con- contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor; (g) “Use”,
tent owned by Wizards of the Coast and is used under the Open Game “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify,
License. translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game
Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby des- Content; (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this
ignated as Product Identity as provided in section 1(e) of the Open Game agreement.
License: 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that
Any and all material or content that could be claimed as Product Identity contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be
pursuant to section 1(e), below, is hereby claimed as product identity, Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice
including but not limited to: to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or
1. The name “Necromancer Games” and “Frog God Games” as well as subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself.
all logos and identifying marks of Necromancer Games, Inc. and Frog No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content
God Games, including but not limited to the Orcus logo and the phrase distributed using this License.
“Fifth Edition Rules, First Edition Feel” as well as the trade dress of 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You
Necromancer Games products and similar logos, identifying phrases and indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
trade dress of Frog God Games; 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this
2. The product name Quests of Doom Volume 1, Fifth Edition Foes, License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free,
Tome of Horrors, Tome of Horrors Revised, Tome of Horrors II, Tome of non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the
Horrors III and Tome of Horrors Complete by Necromancer Games, Inc. Open Game Content.
as well as any and all Necromancer Games Inc. and/or Frog God Games 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing
product names referenced in the work; original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your
3. All artwork, illustration, graphic design, maps, and cartography, in- Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights
cluding any text contained within such artwork, illustration, maps or to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
cartography; 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT
4. The proper names, personality, descriptions and/or motivations of NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the
all artifacts, characters, races, countries, geographic locations, plane or COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying,
planes of existence, gods, deities, events, magic items, organizations modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date,
and/or groups unique to this book, but not their stat blocks or other game and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any
mechanic descriptions (if any), and also excluding any such names when original Open Game Content you Distribute.
they are included in monster, spell or feat names, and also excluding any 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity,
of the foregoing if the material is already Open Game Content; including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly
5. Any other content previously designated as Product Identity is hereby licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each
designated as Product Identity and is used with permission and/or pursu- element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility
ant to license. or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in
6. All logos and identifying marks of Mythmere Games and Matthew J. conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as
Finch, any trade dress, identifying words or phrases of Mythmere Games expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner
or Matthew J. Finch products and similar logos; of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity
Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”). All Rights Re- used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in
served. and to that Product Identity.
1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly
owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open
Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works Game Content.
and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish
modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version
compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content
may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to originally distributed under any version of this License.
reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit 10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License
191
 Quests of Doom: vampires & liches
with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Skip Williams.
Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing,
written permission from the Contributor to do so. LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge,
of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob Mc-
Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then Creary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F.
You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor,
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte
to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 Cook, and Skip Williams.
days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the Monstrosities, © 2012, Frog God Games LLC; Authors Andrew Trent
termination of this License. (“the Venomous Pao”), Trent Foster, Salvatore Macri (“Skathros”), Scott
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unen- Wylie Roberts (“Myrystyr”), Sean Stone (“Stonegiant”), Sean Wills
forceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary (“Geordie Racer”), Cameron DuBeers, Matt Hoover (“Random”), Mike
to make it enforceable. Davison, Russell Cone (“Grim”), Mudguard, Old Crawler, Michael
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Shorten (“Chgowiz”), Mark Ahmed, Scott Casper (“Scottenkainen”),
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The Lizard of Oz, James Malizsewski,
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Michael Kotschi, J.D. Jarvis, John Turcotte, Guy Fullerton, Michael
Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on Coté,
material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Thomas Clark, Tanner Adams, and Matt Finch (“Mythmere”).
Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc. Cyclopean Deeps: Volume 1 — Copyright 2014 Matthew J. Finch, Frog
Tome of Horrors, Copyright 2005, Necromancer Games, Inc.; God Games LLC
Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch Fifth Edition Foes, Copyright 2014, Frog God Games, LLC.
Swords & Wizardry Complete Rules, Copyright 2010, Matthew J. Quests of Doom Volume 1, Copyright 2015, Frog God Games, LLC;
Finch Authors: Casey W. Christopherson, J. Collura, Michael Curtis, Matt
Monster Compendium: 0e, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch Finch, Scott Greene, Ed Greenwood, Clark Peterson, James M. Ward,
Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Bill Webb, Skip Williams, Steven Winter

ISBN 978-1-62283-222-4

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