The
Chaos
Scar
The Chaos Star is a sandbox campaign setting for D&D 4e. It is designed in the spirit of Keep on the Borderlands, the famous AD&D 1e sandbox setting.The Chaos Scar has no overarching plot line. Instead, it consists of a number of short adventures (heroic and early paragon tier) set in the Valley of the Chaos, where an evil meteor landed a long time ago. The official description of the background story can be foundhere and a map of the valley with the sites of the first adventureshere. Like Keep on the Borderlands, The Chaos Scar also has a stronghold that can serve as a refuge and home base for the heroes. The official description of the Keep on the Chaos Scar can be foundhere. Unfortunately, Wizards of the Coast does not offer a complete list of all Chaos Scar adventures published inDungeon. However, a complete list can be found below.
Complete List of Chaos Scar Adventures Adventure
Number
Level
Dungeon Issue
Stick in the Mud
1A
1
171
Den of the Slavetakers
1B
0-1
171
The Brothers Gray
1C
1
171
Death in the Pincers
1D
1-2
172
The Tainted Spiral
1E
1-3
173
A Chance Encounter
1G
1
174
Eyes in the Forest
1H
1
177
Elves of the Valley
1I
1-4
178
The Lost Library
1F
2-4
173
Sliver's Call
2A
2-4
174
Glass-Spire Forest Shire
2B
2-5
175
Dead by Dawn
2C
2 - 4+
176
The Hammer Falls
2D
2-3
179
The Crossroads
-
2-3
176
Down the Goblin Hole
-
2-4
180
The Crawling Fane
3A
3-5
178
The Splintered Spring
3B
3-6
179
Wayward Wyrmling
-
3-5
182
Glowstone Caverns
4A
4-5
177
The Pillar of Eyes
-
4-6
180
Vanguard Tower
-
4-5
182
The Slaver's Stone
-
5-8
181
Scarred for Life
-
5 - 9+
192
The Radiant Mourn
-
6 - 10
183
Rumble in the Valley
-
6 - 10
193
Head in the Clouds
-
7 - 10
184
Scarblade
-
7-9
189
Reflections of Ruin
-
7 - 10
196
The Runecutter's Ruin
-
8 - 14
186
Pit of Delirium
-
8 - 11
190
Heart of the Scar
-
9 - 11
190
The realms of humans, dwarves, and elves are forever beset by a rising tide of evil. Demons claw at the planar firmament, eager to spread destruction across the cosmos. The dead stir within their tombs, called forth by wielders of shadow magic to slay the living and recruit them into their moldering legions. Orcs, trolls, and giants descend from mist-shrouded mountains to maraud and pillage. In the realms of the Feywild, hags and dark fey plot to corrupt and enslave the world.
The Keep on the
Chaos Scar By Mike Mearls illustration by Craig J. Spearing cartography by CrazyRed
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Here and there, standing on the narrow edge between civilization and the hungry dark, stand a few bastions of justice and law. Restwell Keep, so named by its current inhabitants, is one such edifice. Founded ages ago by a long forgotten lord, Restwell has kept a sentinel’s post over the Chaos Scar for time out of mind. It has served as a hobgoblin warlord’s fortress, a bandit gang’s hideout, and now as an outpost of civilization in a monster-infested wilderness.
BACKGROUND Based on conversations a visitor might overhear at t he Stumbling Giant, the residents of Restwell Keep rank arguing about the keep’s history right behind gossip and ahead of the weat her when it comes to topics of conversation. Everyone agrees on the basic gi st of its srcin and most notable inhabitants, but those agreements serve as little more than a common battleground for long debates on the veracity of a legion of rumors and legends. The long list of the keep’s residents is a rambling collection of heroic crusaders against the Chaos Scar, would-be dictators eager to carve a fiefdom out of the wilderness, and monsters seeking a defensible lair (including, for a time, the blue dragon Fafnar). The keep has stood empty for years at a time, claimed by wild animals , weeds, and little else. While the world around the keep shifts and changes, its walls abide.
Origin The keep’s first known inhabitant was a hobgoblin king known as Grim Eye for the few carvings of his scowling, angry visage found here and there in bas relief carvings above some doorways in the keep. His true name and the stories of his deeds are lost to
antiquity. Yet, the keep’s craftsmanship is obviously of dwarf manufacture. Most folk believe that Grim Eye enslaved the dwarves, but a few believe that free dwarves srcinally built and used the keep. That fact—that dwarves built Restwell Keep—is now unquestioned. No other race could build a stone edifice that could last as long. Aside from wooden structures inside the keep, nearly every stone structure remains from the srcinal construction. The dwarves’ talent for stonework is also plainly evident in the secret doors found in some chambers. Detectable only by an expert dungeon explorer, secret chambers and passageways may exist beneath the keep that have yet to be uncovered.
Hidden Treasures The keep’s other notable, past resident lends an added layer of intrigue to such rumors of hidden chambers. The famed dwarf bandit Greysen Ramthane was a scourge of Nerath’s borders for many long years. He and his coterie of t hieves looted untold wealth from the empire. Eventual ly, Nerath dispatched a small army that tracked Greysen to the keep. After an extended siege, the soldiers stormed t he keep and slew the bandits to a man. But what happened next became the source of countless rumors and legends. The task force’s commanding officer, a half-orc named Bertak, claimed to find only a tiny portion of Greysen’s stolen wealth within the keep. Stories claiming that Bertak and his cronies pocketed much of the treasure persist to this day, but others believe that Greysen’s wealth is still hidden somewhere in the keep, protected by traps and mechanical guardians.
RECENT EVENTS For several years, Restwell Keep served as the base of operations for a band of evil adventurers known as the Six Blades of Fortune. While the Blades fought monsters in the Chaos Scar, they also preyed on other, weaker adventuring bands, and even raided a few caravans. As they were content to keep their depredations far from their base of operations, in time the keep became a small outpost of civilization. Wanderers, refugees, and other folk in search of a safe harbor settled within the keep. The Blades saw a benefit in the growing community within their walls. They taxes they collected paid the mercenaries who guarded the keep, and within five years, a small vi llage stabilized with in its wal ls and beca me a center for adventur ers heading to the Chaos Scar. Despite the Blades’ nature, they believed the safe harbor and profit offered by the keep was worth preserving. In time, though, the Blades’ criminal ways caught up with them. After stealing a holy icon of Erathis, they were tracked to the keep and defeated by Lord Peridin Drysdale, a human paladin of Erathis. Lord Drysdale and his followers slew four of the Blades and drove off the remaining two survivors. While he had planned to leave the keep and its inhabitants to their own devices, he saw that doing so would leave the inhabitants vulnerable without the Blades’ protection. Assessing the threat posed by the Chaos Scar, he decided to remain in the keep as its new ruler. The guards and administrators who ran the village under the Blades’ rule are still in place, and Drysdale plans to organize expeditions into the Scar to defeat the evil that dwells there.
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While Drysdale’s battle with the Blades never involved the common folk or even the bulk of the mercenary guards, the transition to his rule has caused some friction. The Blades were content to give the folk of Restwell Keep free reign of the place, as long as they kept out of the Blades’ business. Drysdale’s approach, while far from tyrannical, is more involved. He plans to turn the keep into a bastion of Erathis, much to the disgust of the freebooters, adventurers, and merchants who populate the place. They find his morality tiresome and his intent on meddling in the Chaos Scar alarming. He has irked those of the keep’s many inhabitants who pay little mind to religion. Those who are of a religious mindset tend to favor Avandra, whose love of freedom stands in st ark contrast to Drysdale’s push for order and civilization.
LOCATIONS Restwell Keep consists of an outer wall with a n interior bisected into northern and southern ends by an inner wall, called the inner bailey a nd outer bailey respectively. The inner bailey is home to Lord Drysdale and h is coterie of soldiers and advisors. He dwells within a small fortress, the keep’s final line of defense, nestled against the northern wall. A large, open area betwee n the for tress a nd the interior wall hosts a parade ground and stables for Drysdale’s cavalry.
The outer bailey is home to the bulk of the keep’s civilian residents, most of whom settled here during the rule of the Six Blades of Fortune. Crowded with small buildings, this area hosts an inn, a tavern, a bank, and other businesses, along with private apartments for long-term visitors to the keep. A small marketplace serves the merchants and farmers who visit the keep to sell their wares, though the everpresent threat of monsters from the Chaos Scar (and the presence of theCrossroads black market business) prevents Restwell from becoming a thriving hub of commerce. Still, the locals make enough profit from adventurers and the treasures they recover from the Scar to maintain a healthy living. The folk of the keep are by no means wealthy, but neither are they destitute.
1. Main Gate Two 30-foot-tall towers flan k the 20-foot-tall gatehouse that watches over the keep’s entrance. A drawbridge, usually raised, spans the 40-foot-deep crevasse that surrounds the keep and leads into the gatehouse and the keep beyond. A host of daunting obstacles greets anyth ing that attempts to storm the gate. Guards armed with bows and crossbows watch the entrance from the towers above, a portcullis provides an additional barrier against intruders, and arrow slits in the gatehouse allow the guards to fire at creatures that make it past the drawbridge. Visitors to the keep must first provide names, professions, and business in the keep to the guards. Only after hearing satisfactory answers do the guards lower the drawbridge. Security is a matter of life and death here. Flippant responses draw stony silence and a tightly shut drawbridge.
Those adventurers granted access to the keep are escorted by guards to the entry yard beyond the gatehouse. Fallek, the corporal of the watch, and Syradon, a scribe, meet them there along with a contingent of four guards. Visitors must escort their horses to the stables, while all weapons other than daggers must be turned over to Fallek for safe keeping. Fallek: The corporal of the guard is a male human warrior clad in plate mail, shield, sword, and dagger. His black, long hair is turning gray, and a scar runs across his right cheek. Over 40 years old, he has seen a number of battles and considers his post here something of a retirement. Grouchy and pushy, he’d rather be sitting and relaxing than dealing with visitors, but he has a soft spot for a pretty face or a tough, battlescarred veteran. If he takes a liking to a newcomer, he gives them directions around the keep and might even take a particularly lovely visitor for a tour. Otherwise, he tries to get visitors out of his hair as quickly as possible. Syradon:This male human wears typical workman’s clothes and carries a battered leather book he uses to record visitors’ names and any weapons left with Fallek. He wears a holy symbol of Ioun on a silver chain, but usually conceals it beneath his shirt. At a young age, he received a strange blessing from Ioun. He has perfect recall of everything he sees and hears, but will lose this gift if he ever speaks a word. Instead, he commits the history of Restwell Keep, as he witnesses it, to his book. Syradon loves to hear stories of distant places. His quiet, unassuming nature causes other folk to underestimate him, and he keeps his gift of memory a secret. Strangers to the keep tend to think of him as deaf and dumb, and he has overheard many interesting stories not meant for his ears.
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2. Towers
light catapult. Ten warriors, whether drawn from the watch or the guard of the in ner bailey, live in barracks on the third floor. The first and second floors have chambers for the storage of food, water, arrows, and other supplies. A few of the towers also house officers of the watch and guard, as noted in their descriptions below.
In addition to the towers that flank the gatehouse, seven others fortify the keep’s walls. Four towers connected to the inner bailey are manned by warriors who serve Lord Drysdale, while the rest are staffed with the mercenary warriors of the outer bailey’s watch. Each tower is 30 feet tall, crowned by battlements, and equipped with a ballista and a
2 2 2
14c 14d
11
2b
14a
9
14
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14b
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7a
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1 2a
2a. Bailiff’s Tower Perched at the keep’s southeast corner, this tower replaces the typical storage chambers found on the first two floors with personal space for the bailiff, Kendon, and the scribe Syradon (see area 1). Offices for both can be found on the first floor, and their private apartments are on the second floor. Kendon Longstrider: A veteran warrior who once served the Blades, Kendon is in charge of the outer bailey. He commands the guard, serves as a mediator between Lord Drysdale and the folk of the outer bailey, and collects taxes from adventurers and merchants. Nearly 60 years old, he keeps his gray hair cut short and his long moustache carefully waxed and trimmed. Kendon is genuinely concerned by Lord Drysdale’s rule. While he acknowledges the paladin’s good intentions, he preferred the rule of the Blades. True, the Blades were criminals, but they left the people of the keep alone and avoided arousing the ire of the Chaos Scar’s monsters. Rumors abound that all folk in the keep must soon convert to the worship of Erathis, that Drysdale plans to press everyone into an army he plans to march into the Scar, and that the keep will soon become little more than a military base for Drysdale’s crusade. While these rumors are untrue, Drysdale’s aloof nature and Benwick’s machinations (see area 7b) keep such stories alive. Kendon has also fallen under Benwick’s sway. At the priest’s urging, he has made contact with the surviving Blades. They are eager to avenge themselves against Lord Drysdale, and if the situation becomes dire enough, Kendon might betray the keep’s lord.
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2b. Captain’s Tower The second floor of this tower serves as the private chambers of the captain of the watch, the dwarf Gorn Hammerfall. Gorn serve s as the bailiff’s second-in-command. Gorn Hammerfall:Gorn was elevated to the captain’s post for his skill in siegecraft and engineering. He is responsible for maintaining the catapults and ballistae that protect the keep. In his free time, he works to restore the keep’s srci nal stonework and fortify its already formidable defenses. Gorn has recently come into some money, although almost no one is aware of where or how. He wears a jeweled ring and loves to gamble at the
STATISTICS FOR KEEP RESIDENTS
Very few of the Keep’s residents are likely to pose a threat to the characters. That said, if the characters do start a fight inside the keep, it’s likely to be with Benwick or his acolytes, and will shortly thereafter be likely to include the keep’s guards. Use the snaketongue celebrant (Monster Manual, page 273) for Benwick, but drop Benwick’s level to 8. This will reduce his attack and defense numbers by 3 each, and all his damage by 1. Use the snaketongue warriors ( Monster Manual, page 272) for Benwick’s acolytes. Use the human guards ( Monster Manual, page 162) for the typical town guar d.
Stumbling Giant (area 11). Rumors abound that, with his skill at stonework, he found a long-forgotten secret chamber filled with the treasures of Greysen Ramthane. The truth is far worse. Gorn is Ramthane’s last, living heir. He came to the keep long ago to find the hidden treasures and only recently unearthed a trap-filled cache directly beneath his tower. He recovered a small amount of the treasure, but several traps and mechanical guardians—and even more treasure— remain untouched. Unfortunately, Gorn chose to disclose his discovery only to the priest Benwick. Gorn worried that natives to the keep and anyone close to Lord Drysdale would insist on a share of the treasure. Benwick , as an outsider who intends to stay for but a short while longer, could be more easily bought off. Once he leaves, Gorn believes his secret will be safe. Unfortunately, Benwick insisted on a detailed tour of the keep’s defenses as part of the agreement to keep his silence, which the dwarf actually found flattering. As a result, Benwick has learned much that could prove useful should the followers of Zeh ir he works for need to besiege Restwell Keep at a future date. The treasure horde beneath the tower is defended by traps and homunculi, and totals 1,000 gp in coins and gems. Gorn has recovered 200 gp worth of treasure. When the time is right, Gorn and Benwick plan to delve into the place to seize the rest. If Benwick can manage it, he plans to kill the dwarf, take the treasure for himself, and conceal what he has learned of the keep’s defenses. Gorn’s secrecy has worked against him once more, as nobody suspects the two are linked as anything more than casual acquaintances.
3. Stables Stables are available here for the characters to keep their horses, mules, and other mounts. Space on the roof is set aside for the occasional flying mount. The stables cost 2 sp per day per mount. A staff of six, all human, takes care of the mounts.
4. Warehouse Merchants and travelers with wagons filled with goods keep their wares here while they remain in the keep. Fallek (area 1) has the key to the large, i ron padlock used to secure the warehouse’s entrance.
5. Smithy This 20-foot-tall tower doubles as an interior redoubt, as the battlements on its roof allow archers to fire down upon intruders that manage to breach the outer bailey. The first floor is a smithy. While the smith, Bergen, typically crafts horseshoes and other goods, he is also a skilled weapon- and armorsmith. He and his family dwell in quarters on the second floor. Bergen:This slender, slight male human looks more like a scholar than a smith. A devotee of Moradin, he relies on his knowledge of metals rather than brute strength. He particularly loves a challenge, and he has a great knowledge of dwarven rituals and lore. If given enough residuum, he can make any magical weapon or armor of up to level 10, subject to the DM’s permission.
6. Provisioner and Trader These two buildings serve as the center of trade within t he outer bailey. The eastern building houses the provisioner Grelda, an elderly human woman who deals in herbs, food, and other perishable goods. She does much of her business with the few farmers and homesteaders who live near the keep. Ma rc h 201 0
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The western half is given over to the trader, Bosco Heldam. Bosco is an overweight human who is eager to expand his business in the area. He deals almost exclusively with adventurers, and can offer almost any mundane good of up to 100 gp at a 10% markup. Bosco and Grelda have something of a rivalry. Grelda has lived in the keep her entire life, and her shop has passed from one generation to the next . Bosco is a newcomer, an opportunist hoping to make a killing selling gear to adventurers who venture into the Chaos Scar. Their shops’ proximity makes shouting matches and arguments between the two a daily occurrence, leaving their befuddled customers caught in the middle. Grelda has begun to import adventuring gear to muscle in on Bosco’s business, and she offers her goods without his markup. For his part, Bosco has started speaking with Millen Silvereye at the Crossroads about a possible business arrangement that might allow Bosco to act as the tiefling’s agent and partner in Restwell Keep.
7. Private Apartments A number of buildings within the outer bailey serve as private apartments. Adventurers, travelers, and merchants that visit the keep can rent an apartment at a rate of 10 gp per week. Most of the apartments consist of a bedroom, a sitting room, and a storage area, but a pair of larger ones have two stories, complete kitchens, and two additional bedrooms. Both of the larger apartments are occupied, while the rest are currently empty.
7a. Jewel Merchant’s Apartment The jewel merchant Quint Spiregleam dwells here. The young gnome is eager to buy up jewels and art objects recovered by adventurers and sell t hem to
collectors in the larger towns to the south. He aggressively approaches adventurers new to the keep in hopes of buying such items from them. He can be a handy source of adventures, as he regularly sends messages to and from the civilized lands. He might seek out adventurers to find traces of a missing caravan, commission the search for a specific type of gem or item, and so forth.
7b. Traveling Priest The itinerant priest Benwick, along with his two acolytes, dwells here. Benwick has hosted many of the important people of the outer bailey here, serving fine food and drink while discussing matters of Restwell Keep and the Chaos Scar. He is charming, with a moon face, twinkling eyes, and round belly that cast him as a mirthful friar. He plays up this act with perfect charm, using humor and self-deprecation to win his way into the trust of the outer bailey’s residents. The folk of the keep believe that he is a priest of Sehanine dedicated to wandering the land in search of new experiences. In truth, he is an adept of Zehir who seeks to overthrow the keep and claim it as a fortress for the snake cult. Benwick: The evil priest represents perhaps the gravest, most immediate threat to the keep’s security. He plans to slowly convert the folk of the outer bailey to the worship of Zehir, primarily by playing on their anger toward Lord Drysdale. T he most ardent among them, those whose anger and hatred show the most promise, will be inducted into the inner cult. When the time comes, the rest will be either enslaved or slain. Benwick is utterly charming. He takes great pains to maintain his cover, and if the party is alert or otherwise suspicious, he gives them a wide berth. If they appear to pose a significant threat to his efforts, he
might then try to ally with them on an expedition to the Chaos Scar. There, he would attempt to betray and slay them. Benwick’s long-term plans are simple. A growing contingent of lizardfolk dedicated to Zehir gather near the keep. He plans on remaining here for another few months, sowing discord and finding converts to his cause. When the time is right, he will return, rally the converts, and strike in the dead of the night as the lizardfolk launch their attack. With any luck, he can seize the keep and convert it to a bastion of Zehir in one blood-soaked night. With this bastion in hand, Benwick plans to slowly expand his influence outward, gathering recruits from the Chaos Scar and setting his sights on nearby settlements. With enough territory under his control, he can found a kingdom dedicated to Zehir where the yuan-ti and their allies can f lourish.
8. Loan Bank The loan bank is an important par t of the keep’s nascent economy. The banker, Ferdinand Ronnik, is a retired human adventurer who decided to pursue his fortune by taking an economic, rather than physical, risk. He can loan up to 200 gp at a time, with a 10% interest rate per week. Any loan requires collateral worth at least the full value of the loan. Ferdinand Ronnik:An ex-thief who made a small fortune by looting a temple to Zehir, Ferdinand is short, slim, and wiry. He keeps a neatly trimmed goatee and has black hair. B enwick knows of Ferdinand’s robbery and hopes to avenge the loss by either murdering Ferdinand or framing him for some crime against the keep. His current plan is to stoke unrest in the keep by planting letters to an unnamed, evil power in the Chaos Scar, along with maps of the keep’s defenses, on Ferdinand shortly before alerting Ma rc h 201 0
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Kendon of the “plot” to destroy the keep. With Ferdinand out of the way, Benwick can then sponsor one of his minions to take the banker’s place, giving him another way to bring the keep under his thumb.
9. Fountain Square A large fountain stands in the middle of this cobblestone square. During holidays and at harvest time, farmers and tradesmen from throughout the region gather here to sell their wares. Merchants from distant lands also set up shop here while they dwell within the keep, offering goods from across the region. The square is also a popular meeting place for adventurers, and many gather here to swap tales of the Chaos Scar, sell magic items, or seek out companions for expeditions. The fountain is one of the most important landmarks in the keep. It has never run dry, and as far as anyone can tell, it is a magical source of unlimited water.
11. The Stumbling Giant In contrast to the cheap, crude accommodations at the Travelers Inn, the Stumbling Giant is the social center of the outer bailey. Unfortunately, it is also a sign of the growing rift within the keep. Under direct orders of Lord Drysdale, the warriors of the inner bailey are not allowed to enter the Stumbling Giant
for fear that they may overindulge in alcohol and embarrass themselves. Here, in the social heart of the keep, their absence speaks volumes. Most folk of the outer bailey can be found here at least once a week, gat hered over mugs of Mother Aran’s Stout and swapping tales, spreading gossip, and arguing about the topic of the day. A huge fire-
10. Travelers Inn This long, low struc ture has five sm all, pr ivate rooms for rent and a large common room that can fit up to a dozen guests. A private room sleeps four and costs 1 gp per night, while a night in the common room costs 1 sp. Nerrin Silverhand: The innkeeper, a human named Nerrin Silverhand, is cheap, greedy, and easily angered. The beds are old, broken down, and shoddy, while the blankets are full of holes. He has a bad reputation for allowing the fires in the inn to die down before midnight, leaving guests to resort to their own gear to remain warm. He guards the stock of firewood like a snarling dragon, but will gladly add a log to the fire if paid a few silver.
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place heats the common room, while a few booths offer space for private discussions. Mother Aran:Following in the footsteps of her parents and their parents before her, Mother Aran runs a tight ship at the Stumbling Giant. Her secret family recipes for both food and drink have kept residents and visitors to the keep well fed for many years. Generous and friendly, she sees herself as a grandmother to all who come into her tavern. Mother Aran serves to keep the folk of the keep unified, despite their differences. She sees no evil intent in Lord Drysdale’s actions and is one of his biggest supporters in the outer bailey. If anything happened to her, the keep would be thrown into chaos and suspicion.
12. Saruun Guildhouse Hailing from the distant Seven-Pillared Hall, a settlement founded amid the dungeons of Thunderspire i n the Nentir Vale, the mages of Saruun are a secretive order of wizards that combines arcane knowledge with trade and business acumen. The mages are renowned for seeking trade with creatures of distant or dangerous realms. None can guess at their ultimate goals, but their trade posts deal in rare, exotic, and profitable goods. The guildhouse is a two-story building. The lower floor features offices for the master of the guildhouse, a mage named Citirian, and his two assistants. Four human mercenaries serve as guards, while a large, brass construct called a bronze warder stands guard outside the guildhouse. At night, the warder walks a silent path around the place. The second floor has quarters for the mages, the mercenaries, and a few spare rooms for visitors to the guildhouse.
The Saruun mages have a sinister reputation in town, but thus far they have yet to engage in any actions remotely damaging to the keep. They pay a hefty tax to Lord Drysdale, and at times have supplied him with magical items useful for defending the keep. Still, the mages keep to themselves. Drysdale’s detractors point to their presence in the outer bailey as another sign that the paladin cares only for his own business. After all, if he likes the mages so much, he could take them and their mysterious affairs into the inner bailey. Citirian: This wizard wears a silver mask and long, sky blue robes. He speaks in a tone barely louder than a whisper, while his similarly clad assistants have never been known to speak. If Citirian hears news of treasures brought out of the Chaos Scar by adventurers, he dispatches one of his assistants with a note inviting the adventurers to dinner at the guildhouse. He lavishes his guests with excellent food and at the end of the meal, makes an offer to buy whatever item or object t he explorers found. These offers are usually 10% above the item’s market price, but sometimes he offers far, far more than the baseline price. At other times, Citirian uses a similar method to commission expeditions to specific areas of the Scar. Such commissions are seen as easy money, as the mage usually asks only for samples of soil, plants, and other mundane features from the Scar. Citirian’s true secret is far less sinister than the folk of the keep suspect. In truth, a rotating series of mages take on the role of Citirian, depending upon the needs of their research. The mages have taken a keen interest in the Scar and wish to study it. They are especially interested in Chaos Shards—fragments of the fractured meteor that purportedly have a
myriad of powers and effects. Thus, they send adventurers forth to return with samples of beasts, earth, water, shards, and so on. A teleportation circle hidden in the cellars of the guildhouse allows for quick transportation to and from the order’s headquarters in the Seven-Pillared Hall.
13. Chapel of Avandra For many years, the chapel to Avandra was the spiritual center of the keep. Before Lord Drysdale’s arrival, and even before the Blades claimed this place, the folk of the keep paid respect to the goddess of freedom and adventure. Many of the people who sett led in the keep were outcasts, wanderers, and refugees. They saw this place as a safe harbor i n a chaotic world. That spirit of independence and adventure still thrives here, though Lord Drysdale’s more regimented, orderly methods grate against the inhabitants of the outer bailey. The high priestess of Avandra, the half-elf Chendera, is one of Drysdale’s loudest critics. The chapel consists of a long stone building. Its interior consists of a single open chamber. A statue of Avandra, in her halfli ng form, stands at the far end of the structure. Most of the time, adventurers and other folk come here to offer sacrif ices to Avandra and beseech her for good luck. During holy days, most notably the last day of the year, the chapel becomes the center of activity in the outer bailey. Games of chance, most notably dice, take place in the chapel. Those who seek to curry Avandra’s favor for the year gamble away 10% of their profits from the past year, sharing their good fortune in hopes of enticing more of it to come to them. The less fortunate attend in hopes of gaining Avandra’s attention and garnering better luck.
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Chendera:Short for a half-elf, with striking, long black hair, Chendera sees to the outer bailey’s spiritual health. She spends much time at the Stumbling Giant, and is usually found there or in the chapel. She sees Lord Drysdale as an intruder and conqueror who is no better than the Blades. She is the one responsible for spreading ru mors of forced conversions to the worship of Erathis. She and the others faithful of Avandra have dubbed Drysdale and his followers “empire builders,” more intent on their un feasible crusades than in managing the day-to-day needs of the keep. While Chendera has a good heart, at the root of her discontent is her fear of losing control of the keep. She worked long and hard to mold the keep into it s current form, and she would be crushed if it became an armed camp of Erathis worshipers. She responds to Drysdale with anger and discontent in hopes of convincing him to keep his attentions focused on the inner bailey. Unfortunately for the keep, Chendera has fallen in with Benwick. T he priest provides a sympathetic ear, and his advice to her has only deepened the rift between the inner and outer bailey. He hopes to use her as a driv ing force to sunder the keep’s social order.
14. The Inner Bailey The inner bailey is the seat of Lord Drysdale’s power. It is divided into several areas, described below.
14a. Inner Gatehouse
14b. Inner Courtyard
The inner gatehouse is much like a miniature fortress perched in the middle of t he keep. Should invaders breach the outer bailey, the inner gatehouse serves as another line of defense. It consists of an outer, southern wall that is 15 feet tall. The northern wall rises to 30 feet in height. This arrangement allows archers perched along both the northern and southern walls to fire upon enemies that enter the outer bailey. A passage connecting the inner and outer baileys runs through the middle of the gatehouse. Two heavy doors, one on each end, are kept closed most of the time. It slopes steeply upward, while arrow slits along the passage allow the defenders to take a heavy toll on an attacking force.
This large, grassy f ield serves as a parade ground for Drysdale’s forces. His men train here during the day, working through weapon and formation drills to the tune of drummers and pipers.
The first floor of the gatehouse is an armory, while the second floor consists of barracks. Garrick Blackoak:The sergeant of the guard, Garrick is a tough veteran of many battles against evil. He is absolutely loyal to Lord Drysdale. His temper, however, has proven his undoing. In the early days of Drysdale’s rule, Garrick and his men frequented the Stumbling Giant. With his quick temper, Garrick touched off several brawls after overhearing insults against Lord Drysdale and his men. Since then, Garrick has suffered a miserable reputation among the people of the keep, and Drysdale’s men are rarely allowed free access to the outer bailey as a result. Garrick usually questions those who seek entrance to the inner bailey. Rude and easily angered, he rarely allows quick or direct access. At best, Garrick might dispatch a messenger to Lord Drysdale to set up a meeting at a later date.
height, while the main door to this place is crafted of solid iron. The first floor consists of a great hall where Lord Drysdale hosts meetings and feasts, along with kitchens and living quarters for servants. The second floor has a number of private quarters, including several spare chambers for visitors. The third floor hosts Lord Drysdale’s private quarters, along with the chambers of his second in command, the captain of the guard Elessan, and a small temple to Erathis. The outer towers attached to the fortress, while impressive from a distance, serve a basic, defensive function. The guards assigned to the fortress have quarters there. A grand cellar beneath the fortress holds emergency reserves of food, weapons, and other supplies. If necessary, the keep can hold out for three months without outside support.
14c. Stables Lord Drysdale plans on building up a formidable cavalry force. He has built stables in the western side of the inner courtyard, though they are only about half filled at this time.
14d. Fortress This heavily fortif ied structure is the f inal line of defense for the keep. Its t owers reach 60 feet in
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The Keep on the Chaos Scar
Lord Drysdale:The ruler of the keep, Lord Drysdale is a nearly 50-year-old human paladin of Erathis. His iron gray hair and tanned, weathered skin point to many long years spent wandering the wilds in search of evil foes to defeat. In his old age, Drysdale has decided to settle down while continuing to do what good he can. He sees the keep as a seed that, with the right attention, can bloom into a gleaming bastion of civilization. He dreams of amassing enough warriors to draw settlers and merchants to the region. In time, he hopes to defeat the evil of the Chaos Scar and turn the entire region into a civilized realm. Drysdale’s key weakness lies in his long militar y experience. While an excellent warrior and a skilled tactician, he has little experience as a politician. The concerns and worries of the folk of the outer bailey strike him as mere complaints. If he could, he would remove them from the keep and relocate them to a safer land. He cannot understand why such folk would want to dwell in the shadow of the Chaos Scar. Lord Drysdale keeps a keen eye out for promising adventurers. As part of his long-term strategy for reclaiming the region, he wants information on the Chaos Scar. Adventurers that defeat evil creatures within the Scar earn his respect. If such adventurers prove themselves over time, he eventually invites them into the fortress for a banquet. He asks many questions of his guests, carefully sizing them up before extending support to them. He can offer a place to stay in the fortress, command of some of his soldiers on missions, and information he has uncovered about the Chaos Scar to set them against increasingly powerful enemies.
Elessan:Drysdale’s second in command is an elf cleric of Erathis. A kind and just man, Elessan provides a useful foil to Drysdale’s militarist ic nature. He understands the concerns of the folk of the outer bailey, and he sometimes moves among them disguised as a mercenary warrior. He distrusts the priest Benwick, but does not yet have any solid evidence of his intentions. Elessan is deeply troubled by the growing rift between the residents of the inner and outer bailey, but thus far he has yet to convince Lord Drysdale of the threat it poses. He worries that Drysdale will act too late to address the problem. He sometimes contacts heroic adventurers via a messenger to arrange a meeting with them. He would love to set someone to spy upon Benwick, but he is worried that any open move against the priest would only further the tensions within the keep. Ideally, a band of adventurers could insinuate themselves into Benwick’s favor to keep tabs on him.
About the Author Mike Mearlsis the Lead Designer for the D ® D roleplaying game. His recent credits include Player’s Handbook ® 3, Hammerfast™, and Primal Power™.
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S M A Chaos Scar Adventure By Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel illustrations by Drew Baker cartography by Sean Macdonald
TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Stick in the Mud” is a short adventure for five 1st-level characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar, near the King’s Wall. It pits the PCs against a tribe of evil bullywugs that have taken up residence in a long-ruined keep. The keep, once the abode of a goliath sorcerer, holds a powerful magic item, the staff of earthen might. The staff has been damaged and is hemorrhaging magic. This leak has ripped open a small portal to the Elemental Chaos. A tide of mud has been steadily flowing through the portal and into the cellars beneath the ruins, creating a muddy wallow that is ideal for bullywugs. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
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Background Centuries ago, a powerful goliath sorcerer named Voran Earthmane constructed a keep in the middle of a rank swamp where he could conduct his arcane research in peace. Voran conducted many experiments in the laboratory beneath his keep, mostly centered on the creation of magic items that harnessed the power of the Elemental Chaos. One of his achievements was a staff that drew strength from earth, and he called it the staff of earthen might . When the great meteorite fell from the heavens and plowed the Chaos Scar, it destroyed Voran’s keep, along with many other features of the terrain. The
swamp drained away, leaving only a desolate, dry ruin in its wake. Only the ground floor of the keep and the laboratory beneath it escaped destruction, but even these meager remains were buried in the wake of the meteorite’s fall. Voran himself escaped the obliteration of his home, but with his life’s work in shambles, he collected those of his belongings he could find and departed the area for lands unknown, and his name and legacy faded into history. A few weeks ago, a t ribe of bu llyw ugs called the Muckrakers, drawn by the evil siren song of the meteorite, uncovered the ruins of Voran Earthmane’s keep and moved in. The bullywugs’ poisonous and corruptive inf luence has hastened
the ruined keep’s deterioration and damaged Voran’s staff of earthen might . The damaged staff has opened a small portal onto a sea of elemental mud in the Elemental Chaos, allowing a steady tide of t he muck to fill the ruins. Over the past few weeks, the mud has filled much of the laboratory beneath the ruins with a thick layer of sludge; creating a sticky wallow that is ideal for swamp-dwelling bullywugs. Content with their new home, the bullywugs have begun to look to the lands beyond the valley. A rich bounty of loot and murder lies just beyond the King’s Wall, and the rapacious bullywugs will certainly not be able to resist such a temptation for long.
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getting the PlayerS involved
back to the warlock or 500 XP for harvesting the bile from all four bullywug types.
Hook 3: Bullywug Bounty “Stick in the Mud” takes place in the Chaos Scar. You can use one of the hooks below to get the PCs into the valley and into the ruins of Voran Earthmane’s keep. These hooks also come with a minor quest that, if completed, can net the PCs some extra experience.
Hook 1: Ancestor’s Legacy Oneus Earthmane, a local goliath sorcerer and a descendant of Voran’s, believes he has discovered the location of his ancestor’s ancient abode. He hires the PCs to find the ruined keep, and if possible, bring back Voran’s greatest creation, thestaff of earthen might. Oneus knows little about the valley, but can give the PCs information on Voran, his keep, and the staff of earthen might (see Background, above). Quest XP: 500 XP for bringing the staff back to Oneus.
Hook 2: Warlock Ritual A local tief ling warlock, Ny ron Darkspell, needs a sample of bullywug mud for a ritual. He believes that by virtue of being surrounded by the mud of their wallow, bullywugs impart certain properties to the mud that cakes onto their skin—properties he believes will aid him in his ritual research. He knows that a tribe of the humanoids lives in the Chaos Scar, not far from the King’s Wall. He hires the PCs to bring back some mud samples, offering a bounty of 30 gp each for a sample of croaker, mucker, twitcher, or mud lord mud. Quest XP: 100 XP for harvesting the mud from at least two of the four bullywug types and bringing it
The ruins of Voran Earthmane’s keep are close enough to the King’s Wall that the bullywugs have been attacking merchants and travelers. A local constable, Uther Ironhelm, hires the PCs to find and kill the marauding tribe of bullywugs, offering a 5-gp bounty on each bullywug killed. A survivor of the bullywug attacks can point the PCs in the general direction from which the bullywugs came. Quest XP: 100 XP for killing at least half the bullywugs in the keep or 500 XP for killing them all.
getting Started Regardless of the hook you used to get the PCs into the Chaos Scar, read or paraphrase the following when they reach the ruins of Voran Earth mane’s keep: The barren stretch of valley before you suddenly becomes a chaotic jumble of shattered masonry. In the center of the mess, on a low hill, stands the ruined foundation of a keep or tower. Only the lower section and a few walls still stand; however, enough remains intact to cast ominous shadows that could hide nearly anything.
Treasure Preparation “Stick in the Mud” uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Ma ster’s Guide ®. The PCs should gain a total of four treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find parcels and what those treasure parcels might consist of. The magic items should come from the players’ wish lists; do not count thestaff of earth might +1 as part of the treasure in this adventure. Parcel
Item
Parcel 1: The Ruins
One level 2 magic item
Parcel 2: The Study
100 gp in gems and
one level 1 scroll potions Parcel 3: Chamber of the Frog 100 gp and two of healing Parcel 4: Vault of the Staff
One level 3 magic item
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a1: the ruinS Encounter Level 1 (XP 526)
Setup 2 bullywug croakers(C) 2 bullywug muckers(M) 2 bullywug tw itchers(T) The PCs enter the ruined ground floor of the ancient keep and must find their way into the remains of the laboratory below. The PCs can enter the ruins through the intact main doors or can attempt to sneak through one of the many gaps in the walls. The bullywugs in this area are not taking great pains to hide, but the partially intact walls, rubble, and the various mud wallows in the ruins grant them some concealment from intruders. Lazy, inattentive, and confident, the bullyw ugs might not notice the PCs approaching if the heroes exercise some caution and attempt to sneak up to the ruins. However, if the bullywugs catch sight of the PCs (the PCs can attempt a group Stealth check if they approach together, opposed by the bullywug twitchers’ passive Perception of 13), they attempt to ambush the heroes. In the latter case, make Stealth checks for each of the bullywugs and compare them to the PCs’ passive Perception checks.
When the PCs enter the ruins, read: A soggy gloom fills t he crumb ling ruin s of this kee p. The few intact wall s cast thick p ools of shadows that obsc ure the jumbled m ess of debri s that covers t he spong y wooden floor. A wet, bogg y stench sat urates the inte rior of the ruins, likely from the th ick pits of mud t hat bubb le up from some hidde n reservoir below, creating wallows of slimy muck. When the PCs see the bullywugs, read: Squatting in muddy wallows amid the ruined keep are half a dozen froglike humanoids. Some of them grip cr ude spears and javelins, while the others are naked save for a coating of filthy mud. A chorus of deep, reverberating croaks echoes off the walls of the ruins when the creatures see you. 2 Bullywug Croakers (C)
Level 3 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 38 each Initiative+3 SensesPerception +0 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 14; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Resist 5 poison Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 4 m Claw (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 7 damage. C Foul Croak(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Close blast 2; +4 vs. Fortitude; 4 poison damage. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullywu g croaker regains 3 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +6 Str 10 (+1) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 6 (–1) Cha 5 (–2)
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2 Bullywug Muckers (M)
Level 1 Brute
2 Bullywug Twitchers (T)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 100 each Initiative+2 SensesPerception +0 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 12; Fortitude12, Reflex 12, Will 10 Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 4 m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage. M Bullywug Rush(standard; usable only in place of a melee attack when charging; recharge 5 6) +5 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Miss: The bully wug mucker takes 3 damage and is knocked prone. Bully A bullywu g mucker’s attacks deal 1d6 extra damage against prone targets. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 125 each Initiative+7 SensesPerception +3 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 7 (swamp walk), swim 5 m Javelin(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. r Javelin(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. M Spasmodic Hop(standard; encounter) ✦ Reliable, Weapon Marks on the bullywu g twitcher end, and it shifts 4 squares before the attack: +7 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –4 penalty to attack rolls against the twitcher until the end of the twitcher’s next turn. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullywu g
Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullyw ug mucker regains 3 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +8 Str 16 (+3) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 6 (–2) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentleather armor, spear
twitcher regains 4 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +8 Str 14 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 14 (+3) Con 10 (+1) Int 10 (+1) Cha 8 (+0) Equipment5 javelins
Tactics The bullyw ugs have no goals in this encounter beyond killing the PCs and looting their corpses. In addition, being very chaotic and fairly greedy, they do not even bother to warn the rest of their tribe in the laboratory below the ruins if combat breaks out here. Once combat begins, the bullywug croakers and muckers charge into melee. The bullywug muckers making use of bullywug rush in the opening round of combat, and the bullywug croakers fire off foul croak whenever they can catch two or more PCs in the blast, even if it means hitting one of the muckers. The bullyw ug twitchers each move to the center of a mud wallow and support the croakers and muckers
Features of the Area Illumination:Exposed to the elements, the ruins are brightly lit in most areas. However, the intact walls do cast long shadows that provide areas of dim light. Collapsed Walls/Rubble:These piles of stone and debris are difficult terrain. Mud Wallows: The mud here is roughly kneedeep to a Medium creature, and the wallows are considered difficult terrain. The bullywugs’ swamp walk ability al lows them to move through the mud wallows without hindrance. Trapdoor:Obscured by rubble and debris, this trapdoor opens onto a stairwell leading down into the laboratory beneath the ruins. The trapdoor can be found with a DC 12 Perception check.
with thrown javelins. The t witchers try not to engage the PCs in melee outside of a mud wallow if possible, preferring to draw heroes into the mud where their swamp walk ability gives them an advantage. The twitchers save spasmodic hop to finish off a wounded PC; they can reach a PC up to 11 squares away with this attack.
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a2: the Study Encounter Level 1 (XP 550)
Setup 3 bullywug muckers(M) 1 bullywug twitcher(T) 1 hidden quagmire hazard The PCs move down a stone staircase into the firs t room of the ruined laboratory beneath the ruins. This room once served as a Voran Earthmane’s study, although time and the deleterious presence of the bullywugs have left little but a mud-choked ruin. The mud in this room can be treacherous, and the shallow pit in the center of the room appears as just more mud-covered stone, making it hard to detect and avoid. The bullywugs in this room are not on alert, and are unlikely to be prepared to ambush the PCs. If the PCs move quietly, they might be able to sneak up on the bullywugs and gain a surprise round. Combat in this room does alert the mud lord in the next room; however, the mud lord doesn’t send any of t he giant frogs or croakers that serve it to aid the bullywugs in the study, preferring instead to set its own ambush for the heroes.
3 Bullywug Muckers (M)
Level 1 Brute
Bullywug Twitcher (T)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 100 each Initiative+2 SensesPerception +0 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 12; Fortitude12, Reflex 12, Will 10 Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 4 m Longspear(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Reach 2; +4 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage. M Claw (standard; at-will) +4 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. M Bullywug Rush(standard; usable only in place of a melee attack when charging; recharge 5 6) +5 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Miss: The bully wug mucker takes 3 damage and is knocked prone. Bully A bullyw ug mucker’s attacks deal 1d6 extra damage
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 125 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +3 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 7 (swamp walk), swim 5 m Javelin(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. r Javelin(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. M Spasmodic Hop(standard; encounter) ✦ Reliable, Weapon Marks on the bullyw ug twitcher end, and it shifts 4 squares before the attack: +7 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –4 penalty to attack rolls against the twitcher until the end of the twitcher’s next turn. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullywu g
against prone targets. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullywu g mucker regains 3 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +8 Str 16 (+3) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 6 (–2) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentleather armor, spear
twitcher regains 4 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +8 Str 14 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 14 (+3) Con 10 (+1) Int 10 (+1) Cha 8 (+0) Equipment5 javelins
When the PCs enter this room, read: This stone chamber is bathed in a greasy, yellow glow f rom a pair of smoking braziers in the northwest and southeast corners of the room. The floor is covered in a thick viscous mud that adds a swampy stink to the pungent smoke issuing from the braziers. Toppled tables, bookshelves, and other bits of furniture thrust up from the muck in various places lik e islands in a muddy sea . Four loath some, f roglike humanoids squat in the mud on the east end of the room, near a pair of double doors that are slightly ajar.
Perception DC 15 You also notice that the mud in the center of the room seems much deeper and stickier than that in the rest of the chamber.
Tactics The bullywugs here are aware of the hidden quagmire hazard in the center of the room and attempt to use it to their advantage. The bullywug twitcher begins combat by throwing javelins at the PCs, while the bullywug muckers hang back and hurl bits of debris (harmless) and taunt the PCs in Primordial. The bullywugs hope to lure the PCs into the quagmire hazard, so that the muckers can use longspears they keep nearby to stab at heroes that become stuck in the mud.
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When one or more PCs becomes immobilized in the quagmire, the bullywug muckers usebullywug charge to dash forward and attack a trapped PC without entering the quagmire themselves. The muckers continue to stab trapped PCs, focusing on those knocked prone by bullywug charge . If forced into close melee combat, the muckers drop their longspears and attack PCs with their claws. The bullyw ug twitcher continues to use its javelins at range during the combat, targeting PCs trapped in the quagmire at first, and then switching to those that escape or avoid the hazard. It prefers to stay out of melee combat as long as there are two or more muckers still standing. When only one mucker remains, the twitcher usesspasmodic hop to enter melee, targeting a wounded PC if possible. Hidden Quagmire Hazard Hazard
Level 2 Obstacle XP 125
A shallow pit filled with thi ck mud blends in with t he muddy stone floor of the study. Hazard:The 2 x 4 section of the muddy floor hides a shallow pit filled with thick mud. Perception DC 15:The character notices that the mud is much deeper in this area. Trigger:When a creature enters or begins its turn in one of the hazard’s 8 squares, the hazard attacks that creature. Immediate Reaction Melee Targets:The creature that triggered the trap. Attack+5 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is immobilized (save ends). Countermeasures: A character who makes an Athletics check (DC 11, or DC 21 without a running start) can jump over the pit.
Features of the Area Illumination:A pair of braziers burning a pungent fungus provides illumination in this room. The braziers provide bright illumination out to 4 squares, with spaces beyond this ranged counting as dim light. Ceiling: The ceiling in this area is 15 feet high. Bookshelves/Tables:A character can jump onto a toppled bookshelf or the table with a DC 20 Athletics check (remember the –2 penalty to Athletic checks imposed by the muddy squares). Anyone under t he table has superior cover (–5 penalty to attack rolls against him). A character can flip over the table or topple one of the standing bookshelves with a DC 12 Strength check; both can be tipped over to provide cover. Braziers:If tipped over, each brazier creates a burst 1 zone of greasy smoke that provides total concealment to those within it. The zone lasts until the end of the creature’s turn that tipped over the brazier. Muddy Squares:Although not deep enough to hinder movement, the elemental mud t hat covers these squares is treacherously slick. Any Acrobatics, Athletics, or Stealth checks made in a muddy square take a –2 penalty. Bullywugs and any creature with swamp walk do not take the penalty to skill checks.
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a3: chaMBer of the frog Encounter Level 2 (XP 676)
Setup 1 bullywug mud lord(L) 3 giant frogs(F) 2 bullywug croakers(C)
When the PCs enter thi s room, read: This large room is lit by more of the stinking, smok y braziers and seems to be even muddier than the previous room. A pair of large, L-shaped tables and a number of tall bookshelves, all made of stone and strewn with the b roken remains of ancient alchemical equipment, m ark this room as having once been some kind of laboratory. The center of the room is taken up by a shallow pit filled with thick mud, and within this filthy wallow are two of the most enormous frogs you have ever seen.
This area was once the main alchemical and magical laboratory of Voran Earthmane. The large L-shaped stone tables and tall book shelves were magically hewn from the surrounding stone, and thus have withstood the march of centuries and the residence of
Perception DC 10: There is a bulky stone door, barred and shut, in the south wall. A steady river of thick mud flows from beneath the door.
the bullywugs far better than those in the study. The ruins and shards of old alchemical equipment can be found scattered on the tables and the floor here. The noise of the combat in area 2 alerts the bullywug mud lord and its giant frogs and croaker minions in this room. When the PCs enter the room, the giant frogs are in the mud wallow, while the croakers and the mud lord hide beneath the large stone tables that dominate the center of the room. Make Stealth checks for the croakers and mud lord and compare them with the PCs’ passive Perception checks.
2 Bullywug Croakers (C)
Level 3 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 38 each Initiative+3 SensesPerception +0 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 14; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Resist 5 poison Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 4 m Claw (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 7 damage. C Foul Croak(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Close blast 2; +4 vs. Fortitude; 4 poison damage. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullywu g croaker regains 3 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Athletics +6 Str 10 (+1) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 6 (–1) Cha 5 (–2)
3 Giant Frogs (F)
Level 3 Controller
Medium natural beast (aquatic) XP 150 each Initiative+5 SensesPerception +6 HP 44; Bloodied22 AC 18; Fortitude15, Reflex 16, Will 13 Speed 4 (swamp walk), swim 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and a Medium or smaller target is swallowed. A swallowed target is stunned, takes ongoing 5 damage, and can’t be targeted by any effect (save ends all effects). A giant frog can have only one target swallowed at a time and cannot make bite attacks as long as the swallowed target is alive. R Grasping Tongue(minor; at-will) Ranged 3; +7 vs. Reflex; the target is pulled 2 squares. Prodigious Leap(move; at-will) The giant frog shifts 4 squares. It can shift through enemy squares as long as it ends its movement in an unoccupied space. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +9 Str 14 (+3) Dex 17 (+4) Con 12 (+2) Int 2 (–3)
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Bullywug Mud Lord (L)
Level 3 Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 150 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +9 Rancid Air (Poison)aura 2; each enemy that spends a healing surge within the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. HP 39; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 16 Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 5 m Quarterstaff(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage. C Electric Reflux(standard; recharge 6 ) ✦ Cold, Lightning Close blast 3; +6 (+8 with necessary sacrifices) vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 4 cold and lightning damage, and the target is dazed until the end of the bullywug mud lord’s next turn. Miss: Half damage. A Fiery Croak(standard; at-will) ✦ Fire, Thunder Area burst 1 within 20; +6 (+8 with necessary sacrifices) vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 4 fire and thunder damage. Necessary Sacrifices If a bullyw ug mud lord includes at least one ally in the area of its area or close attacks, each of its rolls with that attack gains a +2 power bonus. Nature’s Release ✦ Healing Any attacker who scores a critical hit against a bullyw ug mud lord regains 5 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Skills Arcana +6, Nature +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 16 (+4) Con 15 (+3) Int 11 (+1) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentquarterstaff
Tactics The giant frogs attack as soon as the PCs enter the room. Each frog uses grasping t ongue to snare the closest PC and pull him into its maw. Once a giant frog has swallowed a PC, it uses prodigious l eap to escape any fur ther combat; however, if cornered, it continues to attack. The bullyw ug croakers and mud lord wait until the PCs engage the giant frogs before unleashing their own attacks. Directed by the mud lord, the croakers move in close and unleash their foul croaks en masse, attempting to catch as many PCs as possible in the blasts. The bullywug mud lord augments this assault with fier y croak, trying to catch at least one of the croakers or giant frogs in the burst to gain the benefit of necessary sacrifices. The bullyw ug croakers continue to use foul croak until engaged in melee by a PC. The mud lord moves around the room, using the mud wallow to keep the PCs from closing with it, and using fier y croak each round. It saves electric reflux for when one or more PCs engage it in melee.
Features of the Area Illumination:A trio of braziers burning a pungent fungus provides illumination in this room. The braziers provide bright illumination out to 4 squares, with spaces beyond this ranged counting as dim light. Ceiling:The ceiling is 15 feet high. Bookcases/Shelves:The large bookcases and shelving units in this room are 10 feet high and have been magically shaped directly from the surrounding stone of the walls. They cannot be toppled over, but they can be climbed with a DC 15 Athletics check. Braziers:If tipped over, each brazier creates a burst 1 zone of greasy smoke that provides total
concealment to those within it. The zone lasts until the end of the creature’s turn that tipped over the brazier. Vault Door:The large stone door in the south wall leads to the vault containing the malfunctioning staff of earthen might. It is not locked, but the door is heavy and the thick mud flowing beneath it makes it difficult to open. A DC 15 Strength check is required to push open the vault door. Mud Wallow:The mud here is roughly knee-deep to a Medium creature, and the wallow is considered difficult terrain. The bullywugs’ and giant frogs’ swamp walk ability allows them to move through the mud wallow without hindrance. Muddy Squares:Although not deep enough to hinder movement, the mud that covers these squares is treacherously slick. Any Acrobatics, Athletics, or Stealth checks made in a muddy square take a –2 penalty. Bullywugs and any creature with swamp walk do not take the penalty to skill checks. Tables:A character can jump onto a table with a DC 20 Athletics check (remember the –2 penalty to Athletic checks imposed by the muddy squares). Anyone behind a table has cover (–2 penalty to attack rolls against him) and anyone beneath the table has superior cover (–5 penalty to attack rolls against him). The tables are solid stone and are bolted to the floor; they cannot be tipped over.
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area 4: vault of the Staff Encounter Level 3 (XP 750)
Setup Staff of earthen mightskill challenge(S) 4 mud men The large chamber was once a storage room where Voran kept his creations, including thestaff of earthen might. While poking around in here, one of the bullywugs cracked the staff, opening the rift to the Elemental Chaos. The staff has been spewing mud from the Elemental Chaos for weeks now, and the area around the staff is a swirling mire of churning mud. The bullywugs avoid this room because it has recently become the lair of four mud men, minor elementals whose malleable body allowed them to squeeze through the tiny portal to the Elemental Chaos opened by the staff of earthen might . The mud men are within the thick mud around the staff, and are, for all intents and purposes, invisible to the PCs until they attack. In order to retrieve the staff of earthen might , the PCs need to defeat the mud men and complete a ski ll challenge to close the portal to the Elemental Chaos.
When the mud men attack, read: Suddenly, the roiling mud rises up in vaguely anthropomorphic shapes that flail and batter at you with lashing, muddy appendages. 4 Mud Men
Level 2 Brute
Small elemental magical beast (earth, water) XP 125 each Initiative+2 SensesPerception +7 HP 43; Bloodied21 AC 14; Fortitude15, Reflex 13, Will 13 Immunedisease, poison Speed 5 m Slam (standard; at-will) +5 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage. R Mud Ball(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +3 vs. Reflex; the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends). Amorphous Body(immediate reaction, when hit by a melee attack; encounter) The mud man shifts 3 squares. Relentless Assault The mud man gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against slowed or immobilized creatures. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial SkillsStealth +7 Str 16 (+4) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 13 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 6 (–1) Cha 8 (+0)
Tactics The mud men do not attack until a PC moves into the thick mud around the staff, at which time they rise up and attack the nearest intruder. When combat begins, two mud menwith attack anyattacks, PCs in while the thick mud around the staff slam the other two use mud ball to keep the other PCs at bay. After the f irst round of combat, the mud men focus their melee and ranged attacks on any creature that is slowed or immobilized to take advantage of relentless assault . The mud men do not use any sophisticated tactics beyond those described above and fight to their destruction to protect their new home.
When the PCs enter this room, read: This stone vault is lined with shelves holding many strange devices. Some of them even appear to be intact and might be valuable. However, your most pressing concern lies at the southern end of the room, in a small alcove, where a thick, stone staff juts out from a s wirling vortex of mud and spews forth a ste ady deluge of el ementa l muck.
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Stem the Muddy Tide Skill Challenge
Level 2 Features of the Area XP 250
Your skill and knowledge are required to close the portal to Elemental C haos. The PCs must use their knowledge of the arcane arts and the natural world to close the portal to the Elemental Chaos that has been opened by the malfunctioning staff of earthen might. Complexity 2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills Arcana, Nature. Arcana DC ( 15, standard action, 1 success, no maximum) With practiced gestures and muttered arcane phrases, you seek to exert your will over the malfunctioning magic item and close the portal to the Elemental Chaos. Nature DC ( 15, standard action, 1 success, no maximum) Your knowledge and control over the natural world extend into the primordial realm of the Elemental Chaos. You exert your will over the in an attempt to seal of the staff of earthen might portal it has opened.
Secondary Skills Acrobatics, Athletics. AcrobaticsDC ( 10, move action, or no action if made as part of a move, no successes) Your natural agility allows you to keep firm footing in the thick mud, making the task at hand easier to accomplish. You gain a +2 bonus to your next Arcana or Nature check made as part of this skill challenge. Athletics DC ( 10, move action, or no action if made as part of a move, no successes) You might notbe skilled inesoteric knowledge, butyou can use the strength of your body to brace your companion against the slick tide of elemental mud. You grant a +2 bonus to one ally’s next Arcana or Nature check made as part of this skill challenge. Success The PCs close theportal to the Elemental Chaosby repairing the staff of earthen might, which can then be retrieved. Failure The flow of mud from the Elemental Chaos continues. You cannot retrieve the staff until it is closed. In addition, if the flow continues unabated it could submerge the ruins in elemental mud and allow more mud men to pass through, as well as larger, more dangerous creatures from the Elemental Chaos. You can attempt the skill challenge again after a short rest.
Illumination:The staff glows with a dull yellow light, providing dim light. Ceiling:The ceiling is 15 feet high. Muddy Squares:Although not deep enough to hinder movement, the elemental mud t hat covers these squares is treacherously slick. Any Acrobatics, Athletics, or Stealth checks made in a muddy square take a –2 penalty. Bullywugs and any creatures with swamp walk do not take the penalty to skill checks. Shelves:The large shelving units in this room are 10 feet high, have been magically shaped directly from the surrounding stone of the walls, and cannot be toppled over. However, they can be climbed wit h a DC 15 Athletics check. Thick Mud:The squares around the staff are filled with thick mud and are challenging terrain. A skill check is not required to move into a square with thick mud; however, it requires a DC 10 At hletics check to move out of a square with thick mud; a failed check means the PC is immobiliz ed (save ends). Treasure:If repaired and retrieved, the staff is a staff of earthen might +1. D
aPPendix: new Magic iteM Staff of Earthen Might
Level 3+
This staff channels the power of the earth to add strength to your limbs and weight to your blo ws. Lvl 3 +1 680 gp Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 8 +2 3,400 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp Implement (Staff) Enhancement:Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical:+1d6 damage and the target is knocked prone. Property:When you are standing on a surface of stone or earth, you gain a +2 item bonus to Athletics checks and Strength ability checks (but not Strength-based attacks). Power (Daily):Free Action: Use this power when an attack with this implement hits. The target feels as if its weight has tripled, and it is slowed until the end of your next turn.
About the Author Aeryn “Bla ckdirge” Rudel is a staf f writer and editor for Goodman Games, a freelance writer and RPG designer, and the editor-in-chief of the 4E magazine Level Up . He has been a professional game designer since 2005, and his recent author credits include Blackdirge’s Dungeo n Denizens , Critter Cache: Daemons, and Hero’s Handbook: Tief ling . Aeryn currently lives in Modesto, California with his wife Melissa, a non-gamer whose tolerance for her husband ’s geekery borders on the supernatural.
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A Chaos Scar Adventu re By Rob Heinsoo
d Ss illustrations by Drew Baker
✦ cartography by Sean Macdonald
TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Den of the Slavetakers” is a short adventure for five 1st level characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar. A slavetaking operation run by a one-armed gnoll turns out to have a truly sinister purpose: victim-gathering for death rituals performed by an underground cult of Torog. The priest of the temple on the far side of the cavern, a female halfling named Morgana, uses a small shard of the meteor to draw mutated homunculus servants out of the valley’s rock. Not content with homunculus servants, she is now using gnoll magic borrowed from her henchman to turn halfling victims into flawed but deadly witherlings. In the mushroom-choked depths of the central chamber, myconids prepare for an assault on the temple to take the meteorite from whoever is left standing after the PCs interrupt the cultists’ rituals. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
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Background The pivotal figure in the secret Torog cult is a female halfli ng magician who took the name Morgana when she entered Torog’s service. Having come into possession of a shard from the meteor, Morgana took over a previously occupied underground lair and set it up as a well-defended underground temple where she could pursue experiments to learn the extent of the shard’s powers. Morgana has two main lieutenants: a human torturer named Scalpel and a one-armed elderly gnoll known as the Hand of Torog. Scalpel, a heavily muscled and tattooed degenerate who sleeps hanging from hooks in his cell in the temple, gets his name from his favorite tool. The Hand of Torog fled a chief’s challenge in his pack instead of fighting to the death. Faith in Torog gave him new purpose, and Morgana gave him a home on the front line of her defenses. The Hand doesn’t have t he social perspective to understand that his name is more sardonic wit than an honorific. As the adventure begins, the Hand of Torog and cultist accomplices have succeeded in tak ing six new slaves, two male humans and four halflings, two male and two female. Seven human Torog worshipers have preceded the PCs into the area, arriving for a r itual in which Morgana has promised great pain, great pleasure, and magic that draws on the power of the Chaos Shard to create more homunculus and undead servitors for the temple. Beneath the temple in a great mushroom chamber, a circle of myconids drawn toward the Chaos Shard’s energies are secretly creating a great fungal tower that will enable them to climb to the top of the cavern and take Morgana’s shard as their own. Although unaware of the myconid’s plans, Morgana is a dedicated
survivor with an elaborate escape plan. The PCs may end up facing the myconids even if Morgana escapes with the shard.
getting the PlayerS involved “Den of the Slavetakers” takes place in the Chaos Scar. Use one of the hooks below to get the PCs into the valley and on the slavetakers’ trail. These hooks also come with a minor quest that can provide the PCs with some extra experience.
Hook 1: A Family Kidnapping Four members of Jangi Blackstream’s family were kidnapped last week, in two separate incidents. Jangi, a halfling trader who operates near the valley, is desperate to recover his kin: Nebin, Wayan, Shaena, and Lani. Survivors of one of the kidnappings, which turned into a short and almost lethal brawl, reported that the Blackstream cousins were taken by flying blue demons and a one-armed gnoll. Jangi hasno solid information on what has happened to his relatives, but he has a nasty hunch. Some years ago, another family member discarded her old name (Nedda Blackstream), renamed herself Morgana, and moved into the Chaos Scar, if such a thing can be believed. Jangi thinks that Nedda/Morgana’s vindictive streak might explain an otherwise inexplicable assault on the Blackstream family, and he knows she is somewhere in the area of the valley that contains the temple. Jangi will pay 50 gp and provide a 25% discount on two 1st- through 5th-level magic items if the PCs can follow-up on his hunch. Quest XP:100 XP for finding Morgana, 100 XP for finding the missing Blackstreams, and another 300 XP for rescuing one or more halflings alive.
Hook 2: Smite the King that Crawls It’s said that a cult devoted to Torog operates somewhere in the valley near the King’s Wall. A nearby temple of Avandra has never been able to cope wit h the worst problems presented by the C haos Scar, but it certainly understands how to deal with Torog. The temple announces that it will pay anyone who can find and eliminate the temple 300 gp. As a start, Avandra’s followers point the heroes toward the area in which the Hand of Torog operates. Quest XP:50 XP for finding the temple, another 250 XP for erasing the temple from existence, and 200 XP for making sure that none of its priests or servants escape.
Treasure Preparation Den of the Slaves uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Maste r’s Guide. The PCs should gain a total of four treasure parcels in this adventure, though parcel 3 below is deliberately small. Listed below are the most likely places to find parcels and what those treasure parcels might consist of. The magic weapon should come from the players’ wish lists. Parcel 1: The Hand’s Arsenal
Parcel 2: Cultist’s Bodies Parcel 3: Treasure Heap Parcel 4: Morgana’s Desk
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One level 4 magic weapon (not a battleaxe) 20 gp 220 gp and 800 sp Two 100-gp gems and alchemical formulae (see below)
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GETTING STARTED Regardless of the hook used to get the PCs into the Chaos Scar, read or paraphrase t he following when they reach the vicinity of the slavetaker’s lair.
A depression in the valle y floor leads to a w ide cavern that slopes gently downward. You don’t have to be a tracker to tell that many people have walked in and out of this cavern recently, following a single-file trail —tracks from boots and tracks from small feet, likely children or halflings. The cavern slopes gently down, turning into a wide corridor.
concluSion If the PCs obtained thefind Chaos Shard, willuse theyit later destroy it or keep it to out if they can on? A DC 12 Arcana check reveals that the meteor shard might have properties that would make it useful later on, when the PCs have more power and are confronting other beings possessing shards. But the same check also reveals that the shard could be pounded into dust and destroyed with no ill side effects, and that the world would probably be a better place. Does the mushroom forest’s tra il lead to a myconid stronghold, or some weirder cavern? If the Ha nd of Torog escapes, there’s no telling where he’ll turn up next. And if Morgana escapes, she is likely to join a band of murderous halflings who infest a cave nearby in the valley.
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S1: entryway and the firSt cave Encounter Level 1 (550 XP)
Setup 2 clay scouts(C) Hand of Torog(H) Mutant arbalester(M) The area marked as the entryway is the end of a tunnel that runs for another hundred feet or so to the cavern at the surface. Light filters in from the surface and from holes in the ceiling. Two of the arrow slits (marked in red on the map on page 25) looking out into the entryway are guarded by clay scout homunculi created by Morgana’s meteor-twisted rituals. The homunculi don’t stir or attack until someone comes within 3 squares of the door. As indicated in the tactics notes, the mutant arbalester is chained up beside the inner door and is unable to move. Meanwhile t he Hand of Torog is out of position, running across from the other side of the rope bridge.
The keys to running this encounter are: ✦ Flit the clay scouts between the arrow slits and then out of sight as they use their mind touch attack from behind the arrow slit’s superior cover. ✦ Remember to let PCs roll an Acrobatics or Perception check to treat the rubble-strewn entry room as clear terrain that round, rather than as difficult terrain. ✦ Choose a dramatic moment for the Hand of Torog to get the inner door open to provide the chained-up mutant arbalester with a clear shot into the entryway.
2 Clay Scouts (C)
Level 2 Lurker
Small elemental animate (construct, homunculus) XP 125 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +6; darkvision HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 15 Immune disease, poison Speed 6, fly 3 (clumsy) m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +3 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the homunculus makes a secondary attack against the same target.Secondary Attack: +2 vs. Fortitude; the target is slowed (save ends) R Mind Touch(standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic Ranged 10; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends) Guard Object The clay scout gains a +4 bonus to at tack rolls against targets adjacent to or carrying its guarded object. When the PCs approach the outer door and trig- Limited Invisibility✦ Illusion The clay scout is invisible to dazed creatures.
ger the clay scouts, read: You see a flash of motion from the arrow slit and a probe of psychic energy erupts in your mind a s a misshapen winged creature made of blue stone tries to catch your eyes and pry into your mind.
When the PCs first get a good look at the clay scouts, read: There’s something wrong with these homunculi. They’ve been altered by weird magic—they glow with blue light and their parts don’t fit together properly.
Redirect(immediate interrupt, when targeted by a melee or ranged attack; at-will) The clay scout makes an att ack against the att acker: +4 vs. Will; the triggering attack targets a creature adjacent to the clay scout instead (as chosen by the clay scout). AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +8 Str 10 (+1) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 10 (+1) Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 16 (+4)
When the inner door opens and the PCs can see the mutant arbalester chained to the wall ahead of them, read: (Read the first sentence only if the Hand opens the door.) A gnoll opens the door at the end of the chambe r and dodges aside. Behind him, you see a twisted construct made of glowing blue rock. It looks like a giant crossbow on wheels and it seems to be screaming as it looses a bolt.
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The Hand of Torog (H)
Level 3 Brute
Medium natural humanoid, gnoll XP 150 Initiative+2 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision HP 52; Bloodied26 AC 14; Fortitude15, Reflex 12, Will 12 Speed 6 m Battleaxe(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage, or 1d8+8 while bloodied. M Quick Bite (at-will; free, when gnoll marauder hits a bloodied enemy with a melee attack) The Hand of Torog makes a bite att ack against the same target; +4 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, or 1d6+4 damage while bloodied. Desperate Loner The Hand of Torog deals 5 ext ra damage on melee attack s when 2 or more enemies are adjacent to it. AlignmentChaotic Evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common SkillsEndurance +7, Intimidate +5 Str 18 (+5) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 7 (–1) Cha 5 (–2)
Equipmentleather armor, battleaxe
Mutant Arbalester (M)
Level 3 Artiller y
Medium immortal humanoid (construct, homunculus) XP 150 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +8; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied18 AC 15; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 14 Immune disease, poison (and push, pull, slide when chained) Speed 6 (0 when chained) m Slam (standard; at-will) +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage r Bolt (standard; at-will) Ranged 20/40; +10 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage (standard; recharge 4 5 6) R Perverse Double Shot The arbalest er makes two bolt att acks, each agains t a different target. The targets must be within 5 squares of each other. If an ally of the mutant arbalester is within 5 squares of its first target, there is a 50% chance that it will target that ally with its second shot. Guard Self At the start of the arbalester’s turn, if an enemy is within 2 squares, the arbalester recharges its double shot power. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 14 (+3) Con 12 (+2) Int 4 (–2) Cha 7 (–1)
Tactics When the clay scouts see a hero approach within 3 squares of the door, one of the scouts attacks the PCs with mind touch while the other flies to ring the alarm bell (marked “b” on the map) and rings it (a standard action). On its next turn, that clay scout returns to an arrow slit, where it has superior cover against attacks from outside, joining its comrade and attacking the intruders with mind touch . The clay scouts aren’t smart enough to execute a perfect defense. They stall enemies by dazing them with mind touch and use redirect whenever possible. The clay scouts are assigned to guard the Hand of Torog. If he shows himself through the inner door, the surviving clay scouts fly to his side, so long as they can do so without taking attacks of opportunity. Penetrating the cave’s defenses would be much harder for the PCs if the Hand of Torog hadn’t abandoned his post to bask in the sounds and smells of worship. The one-armed gnoll’s assigned role during the ceremonies is to guard the entryway alongside the clay scouts and the mutant arbalester. Going by the book, he’s supposed to lead the fight against any intruders or hapless travelers, while sending one of the clay scouts to the temple to warn Morgana. But because the Hand was lurking with his ears pressed to the temple wall, he runs for the entryway upon hearing the alarm bell without revealing his dereliction by warning those within the temple.
The Hand enters initiative the round after the alarm bell is rung (most likely to be round 2 of combat). His first order of business is to reach the mutant arbalester. The arbalester remains chained to the wall, but undoing the locks that bind the arbalester’s firing mechanism requires a standard action on the Hand’s part, consuming his actions in the second round of the fight. Cursing loud enough to be heard through the thin doors, the Hand uses his next turn to throw open the inner door, hoping to give the mutant arbalester an enemy target. If there are no enemies in the entry room yet, the Hand leaves the door open so the arbalester has an open field of fire and dodges back toward his quarters out of the arbalester’s sight while it deals with enemies. Unlike savage gnolls addicted to the frenzy of the pack, the Hand is a survivor first. When bloodied, he tries to escape. If he still has over 25% of his hit points when he gets clear, he runs back through the open doors into the main cavern and across the bridge, where he gathers the forces from the second encounter by running to the door of the temple, before the PCs have a chance to take a short rest or fully search that side of the cavern. If he is already below 25% hit points when he runs, the Hand abandons all thoughts of continuing the fight, runs south past the double doors leading to the rope bridge, and plunges through the curtain of dried mushrooms (marked “e” on the main map, page 25) leading to his privy/bolthole (marked “f” on the map, page 25). After diving through, he tries to take his chances cutting away from the cavern along the strip of mushroom forest, but see the notes on the privy below.
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Features of the Area Clay Scout Overlook:The east end of the entry room has a 10-foot wall, easily scalable (DC 5 Athletics check) that leads to a 6-foot-tall section where the clay scouts fly to use the arrow slits. The scouts aren’t quite smart enough to retreat there on their own, but the Hand can order them to do so if he can see them. Double Doors:The double metal doors are presently wide open so that the Hand can hear the alarm bell. Outer Door:This poorly-made wooden door is barred on the inside with an iron wedge made of rusty old swords. If Morgana paid attention to the outside world, she would have noticed that the door is no longer up to the sta ndards of her defense plans, but t he Hand of Torog is left to handle such maintenance tasks. The door can’t be opened with Thievery, but a DC 10 Strength check will smash it open enough for small characters to slip through, while a DC 15 Strength check will force it all the way open. Chokepoint Rubble:The entryway is full of jumbled rocks and rubble, but regular trips through by the slavetakers and cultists have resulted in more stable foot ing and a couple of wellworn tracks. As a free action at the start of their turn, a PC can attempt his or her choice of a DC 10 Acrobatics check or a DC 15 Perception check. Success allows the PC to move in the room as if it was normal terrain until t he start of his or her next turn. Failure means the floor counts as rubble for the PC until the start of his or her next turn.
The Hand’s Arsenal:This is a collection of castoff and leftover weapons. The disturbing genius of the collection is that the Hand contrives to arrange each of the dozen or so weapons in his collection so that they rest in the dismembered hand of a victim of the temple. The Hand doesn’t actually use any of these weapons, so the collection is something of an art installation. It’s also a guilty secret. Morgana doesn’t know about it, hence the possibility that a garbagecrusted but otherwise splendid magic weapon (but not a magical battleaxe) rests in the skeletal hand of one of the temple’s victims (Treasure Parcel 1). The Hand’s Furs:These lice-ridden sleeping furs sit next to a keg of nasty liquor, both of which could be induced to burst into flames if they’re subject to any fire damage. The only unusual items are piles of hyena skulls and antelope horns, jumbled together in heaps around the furs. If the furs catch fire, a creature in the area or an adjacent square is subject to an attack: +4 vs. Reflex, 1d6+1 fire damage.
Inner Door:If the Hand doesn’t manage to get to the door himself, this rickety wooden door can be opened with either a DC 10 Thievery check or a DC 5 Strength check. Privy and Bolthol e:Anyone living (other than the Hand) must make a DC 15 Endurance check to venture any portion of their body into the pit. It’s large enough to offer a slimy slip-and-slide down into the mushroom cavern detailed in area 2. Barring unusual circumstances, any creature passing through this bolthole lands in the mushroom forest below, unharmed, except for the 1d6 poison damage for landing in the mushroom forest. Covered in filth, the creature suffers a –5 penalty on all Charisma-based skills for the remainder of the encounter. If the Hand has fled here, it’s possible he’s already under attack by myconids as soon as he lands in the mushroom forest. It’s up to you to decide whether the myconids ignore the fleeing Hand (they’re used to his smell) or leave hiding and try to kill him.
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S2: MuShrooM cavern
Setup
& roPe Bridge
The dividing line between these two encounter areas is more a matter of pacing than of physical space. The doors to the cavern are wide open, and nearby, the PCs can find an arrow slit (marked in red on the map) to peer through first if they’re leery of hanging out near the open doors. The monsters in the main cavern have no immediate interest in crossing over or climbing up to confront the PCs. The cultists are busy with a torture ritual to create new homunculi and botched witherlings. The myconids are planning a later assault to capture the meteor fragment. One likely course of events is that the PC search this side of the cavern thoroughly and take a short rest before determining how to cross to
Encounter Level 1 (350 XP) Clay scout(C) Stonefist defender(S) 4 cultist archers(A) In addition, the heroes have a chance to trigger an additional encounter
Encounter Level 1 (500 XP) Myconid rotpriest(R) 2 myconid guards(M)
the other side of the cavern. If the PCs surprise you, use the elements of t he encounters that follow to improvise. The fight with the cu ltist minions and a couple homunculi isn’t meant to be particularly challenging if the PCs cross using the bridge to confront the cultists directly. If the PCs make things difficult for themselves by avoiding the rope bridge and crossing the floor of the cavern, they’re likely to encounter the myconids, which might or might not lead to a fight. The myconids warn the PCs away, gesturing that the PCs should go back and come no further. If the PCs ignore the warning and advance closer to the hidden fungal tower, the myconids attack. If the PCs end up fighting the myconids, they also have to deal with the cultis ts in the middle of the myconid fight. If the PCs do fight with the myconids, skip encounter 5 later in the adventure.
When the PCs first look out across the cavern, read the following: The symbol of Torog glares at you from the other side of a large cavern. Painted on the wall in dark pigment, this 15-foot-tall symbol graces the stone wall of a building. There’s no sign of motion in the cavern, except for the pulsing green light that comes f rom the bottom of the chasm filling the cave. From what you can see, the chasm is filled with mushrooms of a ll sizes, many of the m glowing with phosphorescence . It smells terr ible. As you peer across, you hear a muffled scream from the building feat uring the symbol of Torog. It has no doors or windows you can see, but a coarse rope bridge stretches across the chasm. When the PCs first step onto the wooden platform above the cavern, read: Now that you’re close r, you can see pieces of c orpses and skeletons scattered on and through the mushrooms at the base of the far wall, as if someone had thrown bodies off the edge. After a P C gets hal fway across t he bridge, or set s foot on the temple-side of the cavern after climbing the walls, read the following: You hear a scrape from the south side of the rough stone building with the Torog symbol burned on it. Another blue homunculus flaps awkwardly into view, along with a lurching blue creature made entirely of blue stone, all making directly for you. Humans in blood-splattered gray robes bearing the symbol of Torog follow around the south corner of the building, carrying longbows. One screams, “Turn back fools! Torog gives us strength, and you can never defeat our might. We are invinc…”
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If the PCs haven’t alreadyinterrupted and killed the screaming cultist, another gray-robed figure cuffs his fellow, taking a moment to yell “Shut up! Just shut up!” before firing his own bow at the PCs.
Clay Scout (C)
Level 2 Lurker
Small elemental animate (construct, homunculus) XP 125 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +6; darkvision HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 15 Immunedisease, poison If a PC climbs or fal ls to the mushroom floor and Speed 6, fly 3 (clumsy) enters a square within 3 squares of one of the m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +3 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the homunculus makes concealed myconids’ positions, read: a secondary attack against the same target.Secondary A large mushroom ahead of you shakes itself back and Attack: +2 vs. Fortitude; the target is slowed (save ends) forth, throwing off the d ebris that cove red it. It rises to R Mind Touch(standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic reveal arms and legs. Once on its feet, it lifts its arms and Ranged 10; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends) gestures that you shou ld go back the way you came. Guard Object The clay scout gains a +4 bonu s to attack rolls again st If the PCs turn around, away from the fungal tower, targets adjacent to or carrying its guarded object. Limited Invisibility ✦ Illusion the myconid that gave the warning watches them go The clay scout is invisible to dazed creatures.
and then returns to hiding. If a fight starts, the other two myconids emerge and attack. See encounter S3 for the myconids’ statistics. If a PC enters a space adjacent to the hidden fungal tower, read: There’s something buried in the debris here—some sort of structure, lying on its side, which appears to have been constructed of mushrooms. Still under construction, it seems to be a tower waiting to be raised.
Redirect(immediate interrupt, when targeted by a melee or ranged attack; at-will) The clay scout makes an att ack against the att acker: +4 vs. Will; the triggering attack targets a creature adjacent to the clay scout instead (as chosen by the clay scout). AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +8 Str 10 (+1) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 10 (+1) Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 16 (+4)
Stonefist Defender (S)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Small elemental beast (construct, homunculus) XP 125 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 14 Immune disease, poison Speed 8 m Spiked Fist(standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage . Guard Creature A stonefist defender gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any enemy adjacent to its guarded creature (see Tactics, below). Synchronized Flank While a stonefist defender is flanking an enemy with its guarded creature, its attacks deal 1d6 extra damage against the flanked enemy. Tumble(move; at-will) The stonefis t defender shifts 3 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Skills Acrobatics +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 17 (+4) Con 14 (+3) Int 11 (+1)
4 Archer Cultists (A)
Wis 17 (+4) Cha 7 (–1)
Level 1 Minion Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 25 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +0 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 14; Will 13 Speed 6 r Shortbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +8 vs. AC; 3 damage, or 5 damage if an ally is adjacent to the target. m Shortsword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. Archer’s Dodge The archer cultist ha s +4 to AC vs. opportu nity att acks. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon Str 10 (+0) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0) Int 10 (+0) Cha 10 (+0)
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Tactics
Features of the Area
Cultist Fight:The two homunculi focus mindlessly on the nearest enemies. The stonefist defender is currently guarding the clay scout, so the two fight near one another. The defender tries to stay near the clay scout, which prefers to use mind touch over its bite , but will engage if provoked by ranged attackers. At that point, the clay scout moves with it, flying and landing to stay near t he defender. Clever PCs might have no trouble luring t he stone defender onto the bridge or near the edge where it could be pushed off into the mushroom cavern. The archers have no intention of closing to melee; they spread out as best they can around the temple. They might try to retreat after loosing a couple arrows
Illumination:Sickly green light from the mushrooms fills the cavern. It counts as normal light. Central Cavern:The floor of the central cavern is 35feet below the ledges and cavern f loors on either side. A fall from either side of the cavern to the floor below deals 3d10 damage, and subjects the creature to an attack for falling into the poisonous mushrooms: +4 vs. Fortitude, 1d6 poison damage (see the mushroom forest below). The walls are moderately difficult to climb, a DC 10 Athletics check. Fungal Tower:Until later in the adventure, the myconid’s fungal tower lies lengthwise along the west edge of the cavern, waiting to be raised when the myconids are ready to assault the temple to seize the
apiece, but they find the door they emerged from shut against them.
meteor shard. The Mushroom Forest: Dank and poisonous mushrooms ranging from normal size to man-sized giants sprout everywhere on the floor of this cavern. If you move carefully in the mushroom forest, treating the ground as difficult terrain, you can avoid brushing against poisonous mushrooms and their drifting spores. Any non-plant creature that moves faster is subject to an attack: +4 vs. Fortitude, 1d6 poison damage. A creature can only provoke this attack by moving, but is subject to it only once per turn.
Myconid Fight:The th ree myconids concentrate their attacks, when possible, on the PC who is nearest their hidden fungal tower. If all the PCs manage to climb or ascend back to the temple level, the myconids break off combat and return to hiding, biding their time for their later assault. If the PCs begin fighting the myconids, wait a couple turns, then bring the bow-armed cultists to the edge of the cavern. The cultists aim mostly at the PCs instead of the myconids, though they may take a shot at a myconid or two. The two homunculi do not join the fight until PCs come to the level of the temple, either by climbing or taking the rope bridge.
Rope Bridge:At its central and lowest point, the rope bridge hangs only 20 feet above the floor of the mushroom forest. Consider rope bridge squares to be difficult terrain. The bridge is anchored solidly at either side by deep-set wooden posts. The quickest way to destroy the bridge would be to cut it apart on one side. Each of the thick ropes supporting the bridge has an AC of 5 and 30 hp on each end. The bridge won’t collapse until two ropes were cut. The cultists have no interest in cutting themselves off by destroying the bridge. Anyone on or adjacent to the bridge can use the following at-will terrain attack.
Shake the Bridge
At-Will Attack
This rickety bridge spans a deep gap. One sudden move, and it sways perilously, threatening to put anyone on it over the side. Standard Action Requirement:You must be on or adjacent to the bridge. Check:Athletics check (DC 10) to sway the bridge. Success:The bridge sways. Target:Each creature standing on the bridge (including you, if applicable) Attack:Level + 3 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is knocked prone.
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S3: the lower teMPle Encounter Level 1 (XP 525)
Setup Morgana, halfling priestess of Torog (M) Scalpel, human torturer(S) 2 botched witherlings(B) 3 evil ritualists(E) Opening the door to the inner temple isn’t difficult (DC 10 Thievery or Strength check), though the cultists inside won’t open it themselves. They have attempted to finish their ritual, but they are ready to be attacked. They prefer to fight inside the temple, where the terrain suits them, but only Morgana has ranged attacks that can pull PCs inside, so if the PCs try to fight from outside, they might eventually get their wish. The ceremony underway in the temple is slightly more than a sadistic torture session, thanks to the power of the meteor fragment embedded in a 30-pound boulder Morgana lugs with her as she moves about the room. Of the six slaves who were brought into the room, the two humans are dead and piled in a corner. Two of the halflings survive. One is locked into a small cell on the west side of the building.
The main feature of this fight is the biza rrely low ceiling that honors the King Who Crawls, “so that all who come into Torog’s presence must crawl like the god.” The low ceiling forces most creatures to fight hunched over or kneeling. See the jagged ceiling feature in Features of the Area. The witherlings deal more damage to any creature they have combat advantage against, so the low ceiling is potentially lethal, rather than just a nuisance. The other ongoing feature of the fight is the eddying smoke (again, see Features of the Area). Most of the creatures in the temple fight to the death, but Morgana bolts through the door at the top of the stairs toward her escape route, lugging the boulder with her, as soon as one of the nonminions in the fight is eliminated, she is bloodied herself, or when two of the nonminions in the fight are bloodied.
At some point du ring t he fig ht, read: Two male human slaves appear to be dead, shoved in a corner. Of the halflings who were taken as slaves, one is cowering in a cell on the west wall and one is half-dead and chained in to the floor by the stairwell. The other two seem to have been turned into the hyena-headed monsters that When the PCs f irst look inside the temple, read: are attacking you. The inside of the building is a macabre murder scene. The ceiling is jagged and low, so that anyone taller than Once the PCs are fully in the room they can make a halfling must stoop or kneel. Hunched in the flickering Perception checks to notice one more feature. light of torches on the walls are a motley collection of thickly tattooed humans with long daggers, glowing blue Perception (DC 10): The floor here is unsteady, and you’ve just realized why. monsters, and prone victims. Two of the creatures are horrid, featuring the skulls of hyenas stitched onto the still Chunks of the floor are missing, magically pulled straight bloody shoulders of recently slain halflings. The creatures’ from the solid rock. Looking closer, you realize each missing eyes, and their bodies where skull meets neck, glow the same piece is the exact shape of one of the sma ll constru cts you fought earlier. weird blue as the homunculi you killed earlier… and the same blue as the big chunk of rock in the arms of the female halfling in red robes on stairs at the back of the room. She booms “Kill them quickly, blessed ones!” in a bass voice that must be augmented by magic, since it shakes the walls and makes the thick, toxic-smelling smoke that eddies around the room surge forward.
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Morgana, Priest of Torog (M)
Level 3 Controller
Scalpel, Human Torturer (S)
Level 1 Brute
Small natural humanoid, halfling XP 150 Initiative+1 Senses Perception +1 HP 43; Bloodied21 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 15, Will 16 Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. A Blinding Bomb(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Area burst 1 within 10; +6 vs. Reflex; the target treats all nonadjacent creatures as having concealment until the end of your next turn. Creatures that do not rely on sight to detect other creatures are immune to this effect. R Torog’s Wrath(standard; at-will)) ✦ Necrotic Ranged 5; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 3 necrotic damage, and the next attack made against the target has a +2 bonus. C Kneel Before Torog(standard; recharges when bloodied) ✦ Psychic Close blast 3; +8 vs. Will; 1d8 + 3 psychic damage and the target is knocked prone
Medium natural humanoid XP 100 Initiative+1 Senses Perception +0 HP 32; Bloodied16 AC 13; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 12 Speed 6 m Scalpel (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Skills Acrobatics +6, Intimidate +5 Str 16 (+3) Dex 12 (+1) Wis 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Int 10 (+0) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentscalpel
(immediate interrupt, when Morgana takes Sacrifice Underling damage from an attack, and only while she is adjacent to her meteorite shard; recharge 4 5 6) Morgana takes half the damage of the attack, and an ally within 5 squares takes the rest of the damage. AlignmentEvil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Skills Intimidate +9, Religion +6 Str 11 (+1) Dex 11 (+1) Wis 11 (+1) Con 11 (+1) Int 11 (+1) Cha 17 (+4) Equipmentrobes, Chaos Shard (sliver of the meteor), 6 blinding bombs
m Claw (standard; at-will)
2 Botched Witherlings (B)
Level 1 Skirmisher
3 Evil Ritualists (E)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 25 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +0 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 6 m Sacrificial Dagger(standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC, 4 damage Unholy Vigor(free action) When an evil ritualist, or an ally within 5 squares, scores a critical hit, this creature makes an immediate melee basic attack against an adjacent enemy. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 10 (+0) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0) Int 10 (+0) Cha 10 (+0)
Small elemental magical beast (undead) XP 100 Initiative+5 SensesPerception –1; low-light vision HP 30; Bloodied15 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6, climb 6 +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends)
M Double Attack(standard; usable only while bloodied; at-will) The witherli ng makes two claw att acks Combat Advantage A witherling deals 1d6 extra damage on attacks against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Blood Dance(minor; usable only while bloodied; at-will) The witherli ng shifts 2 squa res. Pack Attack A witherling’s melee attacks deal 2 extra damage against any enemy that has two or more of the witherling’s allies adjacent to it. AlignmentEvil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 9 (–1) Con 14 (+2) Int 5 (–3) Cha 10 (+0)
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Tactics
Features of the Area
Unlike the half-hearted minions who fought outside, Scalpel and his similarly tattooed evil ritualist minions are crazed with a lust for blood. They fight to the death, gloating over damage they deal, particularly if one of their number lands a critical hit. The witherlings focus on characters who are providing the creatures wit h combat advantage. As mentioned above, Morgana flees when things go bad, but until then she fights all-out. Once Morgana runs, she heads through the door at the top of the stairs, pauses to open the door to the garden room if she has time, then runs for her chambers and the secret door. She might pause to throw a blinding bomb or two from the top of the stairs as a final part-
Illumination:The temple is lit by the glow of the meteorite, torches on the walls, and luminous blood stains sprayed on the walls and floor. Eddying Smoke:The torches on the wall put out belches of foul smoke, stoked to toxicity by some of Morgana’s herbs. The smoke surges out of the temple and covers nine squares outside the south wall of the temple. Any creature that ends its turn in one of those squares takes 2 damage from the toxic smoke. Jagged Cei ling:In honor of the King Who Crawls, the lower temple has a low and jag ged ceiling that forces Medium or larger creatures to fight hunched over or on their knees. Such creatures grant combat advantage to all attackers unless they make a
ing gift, but only if some of her allies are still standing.
DC 15 Acrobatics check at the start of their turn as a free action. Scalpel’s Room:The door to Scalpel’s disgusting den does not lock. Torture implements festoon every surface. He sleeps dangling from some of his hooks. Small Cells:These cells are more like cages with narrow bars and doors that lock with keys that Scalpel carries. One door is locked, containing the intact halfling kidnap victim. The other doors are open. Attacks through the bars of the cages are possible, but grant targets on the other side cover.
Blinding Bomb When thrown, this fist-sized ceramic sphere explodes in a blinding flash. Level:3 Price:30 gp Alchemical Item Power (Consumable): Standard Action. Make an attack: Area burst 1 within 10; +6 vs. Fortitude; on a hit, the target treats all nonadjacent creatures as having concealment until the end of your next turn. Creatures that do not rely on sight to detect other creatures are immune to this effect.
Stairs and Door:The stairs (and ceiling) rise 10 feet to a door that locks. Sacrificial Victim:The other still-liv ing half ling in the room will not remain that way for much longer. He’s bleeding from the wounds of Scalpel’s ministrations, and will die in 3 rounds unless stabilized with a DC 10 Heal check. A creature who makes a DC 15 Perception or Heal check (a free action) from the entrance realizes that the halfling is still alive and can be saved.
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S4: the uP Per teMPle Encounter Level 0 or 1 (XP 0 or 100)
Setup 1 botched witherling(B) Unless other fights spill into this area, the upper temple isn’t likely to be the sight of a long fight. Morgana attempts to flee through here with her meteor shard. Escaping means a lot more to her than winning the fight, so she only attacks as a last resort.
If the PCs get control of the rock containing the shard, read: The shard is a chunk of blue rock about the size of a fist protruding f rom a black boulder. You can sense immediately that the shard is a source of potent magic—and equally potent evil.
Botched Witherling (B)
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small elemental magical beast (undead) XP 100 Initiative+5 SensesPerception –1; lowlight vision HP 30; Bloodied15 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6, climb 6 If Morgana died in the room below, when a PC m Claw (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, and the target is slowed (save enters or looks through the door at the top of the ends)
stairs, read: You see a door to your left and a door straight ahead. To your right, you also see a pile of gold an d other coins spilled out on the floor in a heap.
Attack(standard; usable only while bloodied; at-will) M Double The witherli ng makes two claw att acks
Combat Advantage A witherling deals 1d6 extra damage on attacks against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Blood Dance(minor; usable only while bloodied; at-will) If Morgana preceded the PCs up the s tairs, read: The witherli ng shifts 2 squa res. Pack Attack Bright sunlight spills ou t of a door on the lef t. The room is A witherling’s melee attacks deal 2 extra damage against full of plants in pot s and in long planters. Whe n you can any enemy that has two or more of the witherling’s allies pry your eyes away from the sun light, you see another door adjacent to it. AlignmentEvil LanguagesAbyssal, Common straight ahead. And on your right, down the corridor, are 9 (–1) Str Dex 17 (+3) Wis 9 (–1) piles of gold coins, ju st heaped up on the floor. Con 14 (+2) Int 5 (–3) Cha 10 (+0)
If the PCs open the secret door while pursuing Morgana, read: A small figure with claws reaches for your throats. It’s another of the twisted little witherlings, crouched behind the door waiting for you.
Features of the Area Illumination:The upper temple area, and Morgana’s room, are both lit with candles. The escape tunnel is dimly lit by small glowing pebbles that Morgana would normally pick up as she goes, but with the meteor boulder in her arms she can’t take the time to pick them up. The blue meteorite provides light as well, depending on how far the PCs are behind the priest.
Tactics As mentioned earlier, when Morgana gets to the top of the stairs, she first opens the door to the Garden Room. Then she lugs the meteorite toward her room and the escape tunnel behind the secret door.
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The Escape Tunnel:The tunnel behind the secret door eventually leads up to the surface of the valley. Somewhere near the first bend in the tunnel, Morgana has set up a panel on the wall and seven buried spearpoints thrusting up from the ground slightly covered by dirt. A passive Perception check (DC 10) reveals what looks like a spear trap. An active Perception check (DC 15) reveals that the supposed trap is entirely fake, nothing more than spearpoints in dirt and a metal panel attached to the wall. Speeding over the “trap” may not reveal it as fake, but the trap won’t fire. Garden Room:This small room is full of rows of herbs and flowers and edible plants in pots, all basking in the light of three sun rods, so that light shines out of the door glari ngly when the door is opened into the much darker upper temple. If Morgana has escaped past the room and opened the door, the light spilling out might be distracting, and will certainly illuminate the sizeable pile of gold down at the south end of the chamber. If you like, and one of the characters expresses an interest in going through the plants to find out if there’s anything useful, you could reward their diligence with a couple species used to make the blinding bombs and greenbane whose formulas are located in her desk. Those plants might be worth 20 gp if taken back to civilization or an herbalist. Otherwise, the room is simply an ex pression of Morgana’s fondness for gardening and fresh vegetables. Morgana’s Bed:This is a halfling-sized bed with fur blankets. The secret door is located above the bed on the wall where someone normal might have hung a work of art.
Morgana’s Escape Sled: Morgana intends to speed down this difficult slope on a sled she has set on rails. The rocky slope on the other side of the sled’s rails is difficult terrain for anyone else. When Morgana moves into the square containing her sled, she ends her move action boarding it. Her next minor action takes her all the way down the slope. She makes a DC 10 Acrobatics check t o land on her feet at the bottom; otherwise she is prone in the square past the rails. If Morgana can get off the map, she enters a maze of corridors too small for Medium creatures, which should enable her to escape and reach the surface without further risk of being caught. It’s an area the PCs probably shouldn’t be interested in exploring unless they all attempt to run away from the myconids in encounter 5, and even then the size of the tunnels makes this escape route awkward. Morgana’s Desk:This desk is a sophisticated, darkwood, halfling-sized desk. The papers include the alchemical formula for a blinding bomb like the one that Morgana likely threw earlier (seeAdventurer’s Vault 2, page 26) and the formula for a new alchemical item called greenbane that Morgana used to keep the creatures from the lower cavern at bay (worth 160 gp). If the PCs search the desk at their leisure, the discovery of the greenbane formula could be followed immediately by the schlurping sound of the myconid’s fungal tower coming up to t he temple level, triggering encounter S5.
Greenbane
Level 4+
This stick of fast-burning incense creates a haze of smoke that keeps plant creatures from closing on the user. Lvl 4 160 gp Lvl 19 9,400 gp Lvl 9 320 gp Lvl 24 42,000 gp Lvl 14 1,600 gp Lvl 29 210,000 gp Alchemical Item Power (Consumable✦ Zone):Standard Action. Make an attack: Close burst 1; targets beasts only; +10 vs. Fortitude; the burst creates a zone, and targets that are hit slide to the closest square outside the zone. The zone lasts until the end of the encounter, and beasts that move into an affected square or begin their turn in an affected square are subject to the same attack from the beastbane. Level 9: +15 vs. Fortitude. Level 14: +20 vs. Fortitude. Level 19: +25 vs. Fortitude. Level 24: +30 vs. Fortitude. Level 29: +35 vs. Fortitude.
Secret Door: Spotting the door takes a DC 15 Perception check. If Morgana is in the act of escaping, model the frenzy of the chase by letting the PC with the highest Perception roll every round, with a +1 for every PC helping. The first sur prise in the tunnel is a final botched witherling, made in a previous batch, waiting on the other side of the secret door to attack anyone who comes through. Roll initiative rather than using a surprise round. Treasure:Morgana leaves her gold lying around, figuring that some assailants might be distracted by money. The heap contains 220 gp and 800 sp.
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S5: riSe of the fungal tower Encounter Level 1 (XP 500)
Setup 2 myconid guards (M) Myconid rotpriest (R)
moving at their normal speed and do their best to take or pursue the fragment of the meteorite. Along the way, any PCs who approached within 3 squares of the meteorite within the past hour are treated as potential meteorite holders. PCs who avoided coming within 3 squares of the meteorite might be ignored, provided they don’t attack the myconids. Negotiating with the myconids isn’t likely. If the PCs possess the meteorite, drop it where the myconids can get it, and back off, the myconids will pick it up and seek to withdraw to their cavern. Any subsequent attacks will result in a fight to the death. Read the following when the PCs confront the myconids: Fragments of the mushroom chamber see m to have acquired arms and legs and murderous beady eyes. Three mushroom people are advancing on you, one taller creature with a wide cap and a st aff and two smaller specimens people with mighty fis ts. 2 Myconid Guards (M)
The PCs can be forgiven for thinking their work is over. But if they failed to fight the myconids in an earlier encounter, or if you think the adventure could be improved with a final desperate encounter, the myconids raise the giant fungal tower they have been gluing together with spittle and ooze. The fungal tower acts as a ramp to the temple level. The myconids march up to seize the meteor fragment. The first sign of trouble will be when the fungal tower erupts to the temple-level with a giant schlurping sound, audible no matter how far away the PCs might be. The myconids proceed up the fungal tower
Level 4 Soldier
Medium fey humanoid (plant) XP 175 Initiative+5 Senses Perception +3; tremorsense 10 HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 18; Fortitude17, Reflex 16, Will 14 Speed 6 m Spiny Strike(standard; at-will) +11 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage. C Pacification Spores(standard; encounter) ✦ Poison Close burst 1; +9 vs. Will; 1d6 + 3 poison damage, and the target cannot take a standard action until the end of the myconid guard’s next turn. (free, when the myconid guard is hit by an Roots of the Colony attack while a myconid ally is within 5 squares of it; at-will) The myconid guard takes half damage from the attack, and the myconid ally takes the same amount of damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 18 (+6) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 12 (+3) Con 16 (+5) Int 8 (+1) Cha 10 (+2)
Myconid Rotpriest (R)
Level 3 Brute (Leader)
Medium fey humanoid (plant) XP 150 Initiative+2 Senses Perception +3; tremorsense 10 HP 48; Bloodied24; see also life burst Regeneration5 AC 15; Fortitude16, Reflex 13, Will 16 Vulnerableradiant (if the myconid rotpriest takes radiant damage, regeneration does not function until the end of the rotpriest’s next turn) Speed 5 m Stipe Staff(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 2d10 + 3 damage. C Decomposing Spray(standard; at-will) ✦ Necrotic Close burst 3; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 necrotic damage. C Life Burst(when reduced to 0 hit points) ✦ Healing Close burst 1; targets living creatures; the target regains 10 hit points. (free, when the myconid rotpriest is hit Roots of the Colony by an attack while a myconid ally is within 5 squares of it; at-will) The rotpriest takes half damage from the attack, and the myconid ally takes the same amount of damage. (free, when a myconid ally uses roots of Sacrifice for the Colony the colony to deal damage to the myconid rotpriest; at-will) The rotpriest takes the damage dealt to the ally, and the ally takes none. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 10 (+1) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 15 (+3) Con 18 (+5) Int 10 (+1) Cha 18 (+5) Equipmentstaff
Tactics The myconids guards try to use their pacification spores as quickly as they can. Meanwhile the rotpriest slams away with its stipe staff and decomposing spray. All of the myconids cooperate to use roots of the colony to funnel damage where it can be dealt with best. D
About the Author Rob Heinsooled the design of the 4th Edition D&D® Roleplaying Game. His 4th Edition design credits include Martial Power™ and the Forgotten Realm s ® Player’s Guide . His other game designs include Three-Dragon Ante™ and Inn-Fighting.
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A Chaos Scar Adventu re
Bs g By Greg A. Vaughan illustrations by Patrick McEvoy
cartography by
Sean Macdonald
“The Brothers Gray” is a short adventure for five 1st-level characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar, near the King’s Wall. “The Brothers Gray” takes the PCs into the ruins of an abandoned mining outpost, where they must contend with a trio of murderous halflings. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating it into any existing campaign situated near a wilderness area that had mining operations at some point in the past. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley. TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Background
adventure SynopSIS
The Brothers Gray is a gang of cutthroats and murderers led by a trio of villainous halfling brothers—Finneus, Lambert, and Moseley Graybairn. The depraved brothers prey upon those homesteads and travelers that venture too near the valley of the Chaos Scar. Survivors have been few and far between, and an entire posse of guardsmen sent from a nearby barony disappeared without a trace while following the halflings’ trail toward the valley. (Whether these disappearances were due to an ambush by Brothers or other monsters wandering free of the valley is not known.) Whatever the case, as long as the Brothers Gray can strike targets with impunity and melt back into the hostile wilderness, their depredations are likely to continue.
The nearby constabulary is not the only group with an interest in seeing the Brothers Gray gang permanently disbanded. The success of the gang lies not only in the bloodthirstiness of its members to ward away intruders but in the security of their hideout. Through intimidation, negotiation, and blind luck, the gang has managed to forge a truce with other denizens of the valley—most recently the halfling priestess of Torog, Morgana—and locate an abandoned and well-concealed mine from which they can plan their raids and retreat back to rest and recuperate. The Brothers Gray have lived in their mine stronghold for a couple of months now and have grown confident in its secrecy and the dangers of the surrounding area to ward off pursuers. As such, they have become lax in their vigilance, and the party has the opportunity to catch the majority of the gang off guard. From there, the heroes can head into the old mine structure and encounter two of the three halfling brothers. If the PCs are perceptive, they will note that not all the gang members are present—one of the brothers is missing—and will have the opportunity to ambush the returning brother and his compatriots when they arrive home from a scouting mission. If the party doesn’t take precautions, though, then they find themselves ambushed in turn. Finally, the old mine works that the gang inhabits provides opportunities for future exploration in the form of an old, seemingly bottomless mine shaft and a mysterious tunnel that departs from it as a secretly cut drift.
gettIng the heroeS InvoLved “The Brothers Gray” takes place in the Chaos Scar. You can use one of the hooks below to get the PCs into the valley and to the mine works. These hooks also come with a minor quest that, if completed, can net the PCs some extra experience.
Hook 1: Kobold Plea In the process of making a name for themselves in the valley, the Brothers Gray haven’t made allies of all their neighbors. In one case in particular, they stepped on the toes of a local tribe of kobolds, the Fireclaw Clan. The kobolds are a cowardly lot and have been keeping an eye out for someone who might help rid them of the Brothers Gray, who ambushed and killed three of their weaker members. The kobolds are now convinced the Brothers Gray are very powerful and fear to cross them. If the heroes have already defeated some foes in the C haos Scar, the kobolds send an emissary to ask for their aid in defeating the brothers. The kobolds are hungry for vengeance, and are willing to trade information about points of interest deeper in the valley in exchange for the heads of the brothers. Quest XP:100 XP for each halfling brother the heroes slay.
Murder! The reason the nearby barony sent guards after the brothers is more than just a general interest in preserving the peace. The Brothers Gray ambushed a merchant caravan leaving the barony just a few weeks ago, and killed everyone traveling with the merchant.
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The merchant was actually a cousin to the baron, and he wants his kinsman’s killers brought to justice. The baron has put a bounty on the heads of the killers, and will reward the PCs via an emissary if they show proof that the deed is done. Quest XP: 100 XP and 50 gp for each halfling brother the heroes slay.
Treasure Preparation “The Brothers Gray” uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Ma ster’s Guide . The PCs should gain a total of three treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find parcels and what those treasure parcels might consist of. The magic items should come from the players’ wish lists. Parcel 1: Bandit Encampment Parcel 2: Upper Works Parcel 3: Homecoming
200 gp 100-gp gem and 200 sp Magic item, level 5
gettIng Started If the PCs do any research into the Brothers Gray, they can uncover the following information with the appropriate skill checks: History (DC 10):The Brothers Gray gang is notorious for its bloodthirsty and merciless raids on isolated farmsteads and small groups of travelers. They’re number anywhere from a half dozen to ten or more, and it’s said they use an old mine works as their base of operations. History (DC 15): The Brothers Gray gang is named for its leaders, halfling brothers named Graybairn, orphaned from a troll raid on a distant vil lage years ago. T hey’re said to b e completely insane— overcome with bloodlust for their lost family and friends whose deaths they blame on a nearby baron who did not defend their v illage. Streetwise (DC 10):No one is sure exactly how many halfling brothers there are. Some say the gang is nothing more than a single halfling using multiple disguises, while others claim the band is led by twins. Streetwise (DC 15):The half lings are actual ly a trio, but they lead a group of other bandits, who follow them thanks to the profitability of the brothers’ attacks—and because the halflings have cowed the rest of their band through their sheer ferocity.
tIeS to other adventureS In the Scar
As mentioned, Morgana from “Den of the SlaveTakers” (Dungeon #171) might have fled here if the PCs failed to capture or kill her after playing that adventure. If that’s the case, you can use her in “The Brothers Gray” in a couple of interesting places. If the heroes are trouncing the brothers in encounter G2, Morgana could be concealed in the upper level of the mine works near the massive winch. Otherwise, perhaps Morgana accompanied Moseley. This makes an already difficul t encounter (due to Moseley’s level) much more treacherous, so do this only with an experienced or well-rested group.
When the heroes are ready to begin, read the following aloud: The Brothers Gray have terrorized the region for the last time. In the distance, and still within sight of the King’s Wall, you see the rundown remains of a mine complex— exactly as described. This must be it.
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4 Human Rabble (R)
g1. BandIt encampment Encounter Level 1 (550 XP) 1 human bandit (B) 4 human rabble (R) 1 goblin sharpshooter (G)
Setup Once the PCs have learned the location of the mine encampment of the Brothers Gray gang, they can seek out the bandits. How the party approaches is up to the players, but the following description assumes that the PCs approach after nightfall when the bandits are least active and that they take measures to be stealthy Human Bandit (B)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid XP 125 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +1 HP 37; Bloodied18 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6 m Mace (standard; at-will) Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, and the human bandit shifts 1 square. r Dagger(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. M Dazing Strike(standard; encounter) Weapon Requires mace; +4 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, the target is dazed until the end of the human bandit’s next turn, and the human bandit shifts 1 square. Combat Advantage The human bandit deals an extra 1d6 damage on melee and ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Skills Stealth +9, Streetwise +7, Thievery +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 11 (+1) Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, mace, 4 daggers
Level 2 Minion
Medium natural humanoid XP 31 Initiative+1 SensesPerception +1 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 11, Will11, see also mob rule Speed 6 m Club (standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 4 damage. Mob Rule The human rabble gains a +2 power bonus to all defenses while at least two other human rabble are within 5 squares of it. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Str 14 (+2) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 10 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 11 (+0) Equipmentclub
in their approach. If they choose to do otherwise, modify the description accordingly. While the bandits in the camp are not particularly alert, the goblin sharpshooter atop the mine’s roof is. His passive Perception check is 12. If the PCs beat that with their Stealth checks, they can approach the camp unnoticed all the way to the edge of the map. The bandits in the camp are not alert and can be easily surprised. The adventurers cannot initially see the human bandit, the human rabble by the stream, or the goblin sharpshooter. As the advent urers reach t he edge of the wood s at the base of the canyon wall, read: Firelight flicke rs through the trees ahead . Built agains t the side of the canyon is a ramshackle mining operation, its head frame and hoist house built onto a wide l edge above and formerly powered by a water wheel in a stream-fed pool. Ricke ty stairs cl imb the out side of this s truc ture. At its base a group of bedrolls have been laid out around a campfire. Three rough-looking men lounge about and talk among themselves.
Goblin Sharpshooter (G)
Level 2 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid XP 125 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +2; low-light vision HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 11 Speed 6; see also goblin tactics m Short Sword(standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage. r Hand Crossbow(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 10/20; +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage Sniper When a goblin sharpshooter makes a ranged attack from hiding and misses, it is still considered to be hiding. Combat Advantage The goblin sharpshooter deals an extra 1d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against. Goblin Tactics(Immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The goblin shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin
Skills Stealth +12, Thiever y +12 Str 14 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 13 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 8 (+0) Cha 8 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, short sword, hand crossbow with 20 bolts, pocket flask of whiskey
Perception Check DC 10:A precariously leaning outhouse stands at the base of the cliff not far from the ore shed. DC 15:The footfalls of a lone individual can be heard walking back from the n earby stream . DC 22:A single, small figure, clothed in black, sits high atop the framework tower above the mine house. It is almost invisible against the night-dark sky.
Tactics The three human rabble at the main camp are likely to be surprised by the attack of the PCs. They are cowardly but know a hangman’s noose awaits them if brought back to civilization in custody and fight with a desperate ferocity, usingmob rule as much
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the Graybairn brothers within. A DC 20 Perception check is necessary to hear this telltale alarm from outside the mine building. He then makes sniper attacks, using Stealth to stay hidden on the head frame and maintain combat advantage after successful hits. The sharpshooter does not call down to his allies below, selfishly choosing to maintain his own element of surprise rather than give the humans a chance to react.
as possible. If not also surprised, the human rabble coming back from the stream with a bucket of water immediately charges in to join his comrades. The human bandit is indisposed in the outhouse and doesn’t join the battle until the third round. He attempts to use Stealth to sneak into the trees and throw daggers from concealment to gain combat advantage. He charges in to use dazing strike against a badly wounded foe or a spellcaster that hangs back and isn’t as well defended. The goblin sharpshooter sits atop the head frame sipping whisky from a tin cup. Upon spotting the PCs or when the attack begins, he drops it among the girders and braces of the head frames where it clatters all the way down the mine shaft alerting
Escarpment and Waterfalls: The sides of the canyon are steep and rocky. The first escarpment is 15 feet high. The second, atop which the hoist house and waterwheel sit, is 10 feet high (a 25-foot drop to the west of the mine). The last escarpment is 20 feet high. They can be scaled with a DC 15 Athletics check. Attempting to scale them through the waterfalls requires a DC 25 Athletics check, but the falling water provides concealment to those doing so. Development Bedroll: The brigands sleep on filthy bedrolls. As long as the human bandit and goblin sharpshooter They have no effect on movement. live, the human rabble continue to fight. If both are Mine Buildings: These are constructed of timekilled, the rabble attempt to scatter into the benighted silvered, vertical wooden planks—some missing woods to find happier hunting grounds. altogether. Climbing these walls requires a DC 25 Athletics check. The roof is made of wooden shingles Features of the Area and sloped at a nearly 45-degree angle, requiring a Illumination:Bright light within 10 squares DC 10 Acrobatics or Athletics check to move across around the campfire. Dim light elsewhere (quarter at normal speed. Doors are wooden and have a Break moon waxing). DC of 16, AC 5, Fortitude 10, Reflex 5, and 20 hp. Trees: Squares containing trees are difficult terThey can be barred from within . rain and provide concealment to anyone standing in Waterwheel and Gears: This assembly has been frozen in place with rust and corrosion. Climbing the them. A t ree’s trunk provides cover (–2 to attack rolls) to anyone standing adjacent to it. waterwheel requires a DC 10 Athletics check. The Stream and Pond:The stream is 2 feet deep, and gear enters the hoist house through a hole, cut to size, each square is difficult terrain. It is ice cold. The pond in the plank wall. Head Frame:The lower course of this is shallow (5 feet deep) within 5 feet of the bank and deep (10 feet deep) beyond that. Creatures in the water framework—10 feet high—is composed of horizontal gain cover (–2 to attack rolls) except against submerged planks and requires a DC 15 Athletics check to enemies. Fighting in the water imposes a –2 penalty to climb. Above that, the remaining 20 feet of its height is composed of heavy crossbeams bolted together attack rolls except with spears and crossbows. Shallow water squares are difficult terrain. Creaand requires only a DC 5 Athletics check to climb. tures in deep water require an Athletics skill check to Anyone positioned among these timbers has cover (–2 move, and powers that have the fire keyword take a –2 to attack rolls). Chains dangle from the pulleys at the peak of the head frame and can be scrambled down penalty to attack rolls. A creature that moves from an area of shallow water into a deep water square ends its with a DC 10 Athletics check. movement in that square un less already swimming.
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g2. upper WorkS Encounter Level 1 (425 XP) Lambert Graybairn, halfling slinger (L) Finneus Graybairn, halfling thief (F) 2 stirges (S)
Setup This encounter takes place inside the mine buildings. These struct ures are set up on two different levels of the canyon wall. The lower level is the old ore shed, where ore brought up from the mine was loaded into carts and hauled away for separation and processing. It is now being used as a stable for the gang’s mounts (the horses are indicated on the m ap by H tags). The ceiling of the lower level is 15 feet at the south end and rises to 25 feet at the north end. The second level consists of the housing for the mine shaft as well as the hoist house. The mine shaft lies directly below the head frame. The hoist in the hoist house once controlled the lift and the ore skip that descended into the mine by pulleys from the head frame. The gears and drums are all frozen now with rust and ti me and no longer function. The ceilings of these two chambers are 20 feet high, though that above the mine shaft opens up into the buttressing of the head frame above so that it is open to the sky. None of the occupants of the building are in plain sight. Only reveal them as the party succeeds on Perception checks or are attacked.
If the PCs enter by way of the lower doors into the ore shed, read: This rickety structure is occupied by four horses that shuffle nervously at your entry. Portions of the room have been sectioned off into stalls, and the norther nmost portion is open to the mine buildings above, a railed balcony looking down and the scored wood of an old chute descending from it. A portion of the shed ’s ceiling has collapsed above one of the stalls leaving a gaping hole. A sharp odor permeates the chamber.
Perception Check DC 19:A small form huddles in the shadows of one of the stalls, the glint of steel in its h and. The Brothers Gray keep a pair of stirges as pets. They are only half trained and as a result the brothers have hit upon a foul-smelling salve that repels stirges and have spread it upon the horses. A DC 10 Nature check identifies the smell as some sort of herbal repellant, but it takes a DC 15 check to recognize it as useful against stirges in particular.
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If the PCs enter by way of the upper doors into the hoist house, read: Water drips from a framework of heavy beams above that look up into the night sky. Heavy chains descend from ancient pulleys into the yawning mouth of a mine shaft encased in a wooden railing. One chain suspends a castiron ore skip, but the other descends into the darkness of the shaft. To the south, a balcony overlooks an ore chute into the shed below. To the north is the heavy, chain-wrapped drum of the mine’s old hoist. Perception Check DC 15:The flutter of tiny wings can heard from behind the hoist drum. DC 19:Dangling from the chains above is a small, dark form. It s wings some thing in its h and.
Tactics Alerted by the goblin sharpshooter or the sounds of battle, Lambert hides in one of the stalls in the ore shed, while Finneus climbs the lift chain to a point 20 feet above the mine shaft opening and hides in the shadows among the head frame. If the party enters the ore shed, Lambert uses mobile melee attack to sneak among the horses and gain combat advantage. While the horses are not combatants, they allow Lambert to duck through their squares. The horses do not view the heroes as allies, and will not allow them to simply move through their spaces. Lambert then makes his escape through the hole in the roof to regroup with Finneus above. Finneus makes sniper attacks. From his perch, he can sling his stones down over the balcony at targets in the ore shed.
The stirges doze from perches on the side of the hoist drum but awake once individuals enter the building. In the second round after the adventurers enter, they swoop to attack. Lambert Graybairn, Halfling Thief (L)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid XP 125 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +1 HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 15, Will 14; see also nimble reaction Saving Throws+5 against fear effects Speed 6; see also mobile melee attack m Dagger(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Dagger(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +7 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. M Mobile Melee Attack (standard; at-will) The halfling thief can move up to 3 squares and make one melee basic attack at any point during that movement. The halfling thief doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of its attack. Combat Advantage The halfling thief deals an extra 1d6 damage on melee attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. Nimble Reaction Halfli ngs gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against opportunity attacks. Second Chance(immediate interrupt, when the halfling would be hit by an attack; encounter) The halfling thief forces the attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Skills Acrobatics +11, Stealth +9, T hievery +11 Str 12 (+2) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 11 (+1) Con 10 (+1) Int 10 (+1) Cha 14 (+3) Equipmentleather armor, 4 daggers, thieves’ tools
Finneus Graybairn, Halfling Slinger (F)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid XP 100 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +5 HP 22; Bloodied11 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 15, Will 13; see also nimble reaction Saving Throws+5 against fear effects Speed 6 m Dagger(standard; at-will) Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d4 + 4 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. R Stone Rain(standard; recharge 5 6) Weapon The halfling slinger makes three sling attacks , each with a –2 penalty on the attack roll. Combat Advantage The halfling slinger deals an extra 1d6 damage on ranged attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. Nimble Reaction Halfl ings gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against opportunity attacks. Second Chance(immediate interrupt, when the halfling would be hit by an attack; encounter) The halfling slinger forces the attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result. Sniper A hidden halfling slinger that misses with a ranged attack remains hidden. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Skills Acrobatics +6, Stealth +9, Thievery +11 Str 12 (+1) Dex 18 (+4) Wis 11 (+0) Con 10 (+0) Int 10 (+0) Cha 14 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling with 20 bullets
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2 Stirges (S)
Level 1 Lurker
Small natural beast XP 100 Initiative+7 Senses Perception +0; darkvision HP 22; Bloodied11 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 13, Will 10; see also bite Speed 2; fly 6 (hover) m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d4 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape) and takes ongoing 5 damage until it escapes. An attached stirge doesn’t make attack rolls while grabbing a target and gains a +5 bonus to its AC and Reflex defenses. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0) Int 1 (–5) Cha 4 (–3)
Development Once the bandits and stirges have been dealt with, the adventurers can search the mine buildings at their leisure. If they search the ledge in the mine shaft or possibly through questioning of prisoners, A DC 15 Perception check reveals that one of t he Brothers Gray is missing. Encounter 3 occurs whenever you deem appropriate, though allowing the PCs at least a short rest to recover is appropriate. T heir level of preparation will depend on how carefully they investigate this area of the mine.
Features of the Area Illumination:Dim light in the ore shed and beneath the head frame where some moonlight can seep in. Dark elsewhere. Mine Shaft:This shaft drops 300 feet before ending in a gallery below that opens into numerous mine drifts that are beyond the scope of this adventure. The shaft’s walls are rough-hewn and damp and require a DC 25 Athletics check to climb. The ledge occupied by the Brothers Gray is 30 feet below the lip of the shaft. The lift is suspended at this level. A rope tied between the ledge and the lift allows it to be swung over to allow access to the ledge. Ore Skip and Lift:These conveyors are frozen in place unless the hoist is somehow made operational
Hoist Winch:This massive iron drum is wrapped in chains and was once operated by gears entering through the side wall from the waterwheel outside. It is not rusted and corroded into mobility. The floor beside it is covered in bloody droppings beneath where the stirges nest. The hoist drum provides cover to anyone behind it. Bedrolls:The three halfling brothers have bedrolls that are much cleaner and in better shape than those of the other bandits. They have no effect on movement. Secret Door and Tunnel: This secret door requires a DC 20 Perception check to locate. Beyond it is a played-out drift tunnel shored up with timbers. It is explored further in a future adventure. The brothers are unaware of its existence.
again. Their chains can be climbed with a DC 5 Athletics check. The ore skip provides cover and concealment to anyone crouching inside. Railings and Chute:The railings around the balcony and mine shaft are made of wood and are 3 feet high. They are still sturdy but do not provide cover. The ore chute can be climbed with a DC 20 Athletics check. Support Posts and Horse Stalls: The support posts in the ore shed run from floor to ceiling and provide cover (–2 to attack rolls) to a nyone standing adjacent to it. The northeastern post has subtle handholds cut into it, allowing it to be climbed with a DC 5 Athletics check to reach the hole in the ceiling. The stalls have wooden walls 4 feet high that provide cover and concealment to anyone behind them.
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g3. homecomIng Encounter Level 1 (550 XP) Moseley Graybairn, halfling prowler 1 human berserker 1 gray wolf
Setup Run this encounter after the PCs have explored the mine buildings and dealt with the bandits and had a chance to take a short rest and recover somewhat, but before they depart. If they are aware of a third halfling brother, they are likely to be alert to his possible return. If they wait for him to show up, allow the heroes a Perception check to detect his return as described below. Otherwise, the remainder of the gang returns from scouting while it is still dark and learns that something is amiss as soon as they are within sight of the fire and f ind that their companions are dead or gone. No map is provided for this encounter as it can occur anywhere you see fit. The exterior of the mind building is a likely spot for the PCs to set up their ambush, if they choose to do so, in which case you could use the map f rom G1.
Perception Check DC 15: The faint clop of a horse’s hoof sounds on the forest floor, followed b y a whicker an d jingle of har ness as a horse and rider quietly make their way toward the mine. When the remaining bandits attack, read: A burly huma n with an ugly scar across his face charge s into battle with a greataxe. Behind him, a halfling in leather armor stands beside a snarling wolf and raises a small crossbow.
Tactics If the bandits are aware of the PCs’ presence, then they remain in the shadows of the woods while trying to scout around and discern where the intruders are. Otherwise they ride into camp and dismount before realizing anything is wrong. Each rides a horse, but both dismount before fighting and the horses remain as noncombatants. The human berserker charges the most likely looking foe with his greataxe. Moseley hangs back and fires poisoned crossbow bolts, trying to remain in the concealment of shadows as much as possible. I f forced into melee, his wolf always remai ns adjacent to him to allow him to use his crowd shield unless they are able to catch someone in a flank and gain combat advantage.
Moseley Graybairn, Halfling Prowler
Level 6 Lurker
Small natural humanoid XP 250 Initiative+11 SensesPerception +8 HP 52; Bloodied26 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 157, Will 15; see also crowd shield and nimble reaction Saving Throws+5 against fear effects Speed 6 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) Poison, Weapon +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage, and the halfling prowler makes a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 3 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). r Hand Crossbow(standard; at-will) Poison, Weapon Ranged 10/20; +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage, and the halfling prowler makes a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 3 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). Catfall If the halfling prowler falls, reduce the distance it falls by 20 feet when determining how much damage it takes. Crowd Shield The halfling prowler gains a +2 bonus to its AC and Reflex defense if it has one creature adjacent to it, or a +4 bonus if two or more creatures are adjacent to it. Nimble Reaction Halfling s gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against opportunity attacks. Second Chance(immediate interrupt, when the halfling would be hit by an attack; encounter) The halfling prowler forces the attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +9, Stealth +12, Streetwise +10, Thievery +14 Str 12 (+4) Dex 18 (+7) Wis 10 (+3) Con 10 (+3) Int 10 (+3) Cha 15 (+5) Equipmentleather armor, poisoned short sword, hand crossbow with 10 poisoned bolts, thieves’ tools
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Human Berserker
Level 4 Brute
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +2 HP 66; Bloodied33; see also battle fury AC 15; Fortitude15, Reflex 14, Will 14 Speed 7 m Greataxe(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d12 + 4 damage (crit 1d12 + 16). M Battle Fury(free, when first bloodied; encounter) The human berserker makes a melee basic attack with a +4 bonus to the attack roll and deals an extra 1d6 damage on a hit. R Handaxe(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +5 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Skills Athletics +9, Endurance +9 Str 17 (+5) Dex 12 (+43) Wis 11 (+2) Con 16 (+5) Int 10 (+2) Cha 12 (+3) Equipmenthide armor, greataxe, 2 handaxes
Development This is potentially a diff icult fight. Moseley is the toughest of the three brothers. If the PCs aren’t up to a battle of this difficulty, you might allow them an extended rest before Moseley and his crew returns to the mine. Moseley and the human berserker fight to the death, knowing that a hangman’s noose awaits them if captured. If Moseley is killed, the gray wolf flees into the woods. If the Brothers Gray gang is destroyed and proof is presented to whomever hired the heroes, the PCs will be rewarded with 150 gp for destroying this serious threat to the area.
Features of the Area Gray Wolf
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast XP 125 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +7; low-light vision HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 8 m Bite (standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage, or 2d6 + 2 damage against a prone target. Combat Advantage If the gray wolf has combat advantage against the target, the target is also knocked prone on a hit. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 13 (+2) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 2 (–3) Cha 10 (+1)
Depending on where the fight takes place, use the Features of G1 or G2.
About the Author Greg is a lifelong gamer who has been writing adventures for the past half-dozen years. He received his first ENnie award last year, leaving only the Heisman Trophy and Nobel Prize on his list of lifetime goals. He considers himself to be well ahead of schedule.
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d i pis A Chaos Scar Adventu re By Rob Heinsoo illustrations by Patrick McEvoy
cartography by Sean Macdonald
“Death in the Pincers” is a short adventure for five 1st-level characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar, near the Ki ng’s Wall. It star ts as a f ight with dra kes modif ied by a Chaos Shard , tur ns into a batt le in the m iddle of shifting magical terrain against giant ants that are try ing to steal the drakes’ treasure-laden bodies, and ends with a second battle against giant ants fixated on eating the characters instead of the drakes. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use t his adventure by integrating it into any existing campaign situated near a wilderness area that had mining operations at some point in the past. Unlike some Chaos Scar adventures, it features a great deal of interaction with an active chunk of the meteor. If you use the adventure somewher e other than the Chaos Scar, you’ll want to invent your own explanation for the meteorite’s magic. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Background Near the King’s Wall, a cavern with an exposed chunk of the Chaos Meteor jutting from its wall has been taken over by a rage drake and a pack of drake followers. The rage drake has been altered by proximity to the Chaos Shard, while the rest of its pack has yet to feel the meteor’s effects. The rage drake has been weakened by the shard as its evolution takes place, but also granted a higher intelligence. Its innate cunning now supplemented by a growing intelligence, the drake is on the verge of regaining its potent melee form and drawing even more drakes to its pack. Each of the lesser drakes has patches of glowing and bumpy purple skin caused by exposure to the meteorite. The lesser drakes’ mutations have not yet altered their abilities, though each has features that su rface when bloodied or after it has been slain (see “Tracking Bloodied Spaces and Drake Corpses,” below). The rage drake has been substantially altered, wit h boosted intelligence and a bite that enrages its targets so that they revert to the most rudimentary attacks. When not leading a hunting foray into the world beyond the cavern, the rage drake spends its time coiled around the meteorite, muttering and cooing to it. The other drakes bask as close to the meteorite as they can get or prowl restlessly in circles if they have come too close to the meteorite and been cuffed away by the rage drake. Meanwhile, in the rock walls surrounding the cavern, a newly established colony of giant ants has been drawn to the drakes’ meteorite. The ant colony and a small group of stirges that feed off the ants’ leavings, have made two attempts to rush the drakes, coming in through the main tunnel first, and then through a hole the ants dug out in the ceiling 40 feet
above the cavern floor. The drakes have defeated both attacks, aided by magical bolts from the meteorite triggered by its link to the rage drake. Now low on hive soldiers and warriors, the giant ants wait for their next chance. They have prepared two other holes in the ceiling of the chamber that are ready to collapse. Now they have pulled back, waiting for the drakes to go raiding or for any other favorable circumstances. The party’s elimination of the drakes will provide just such an opportunity; t he ants gather their forces from throughout their colony and assault the chamber a few minutes after the characters have confronted the drakes.
adventure SynopSIS The characters track the drakes to their lair and enter. They must contend with the drakes and their meteorite fragment, which contributes to the battle through its link with the rage drake reaver. Once the characters have dispatched the drakes, the ants, lurking in the ceiling above, begin their assault, trying to claim the Chaos Shard for themselves. The characters must repel two waves of giant ant attacks or flee. If they prevail, however, they can profit quite a bit. And then they must decide how to deal with the Chaos Shard now in their possession.
gettIng the pLayerS InvoLved “Death in the Pincers” takes place in the Chaos Scar. The adventure hooks that follow provide information and motivation that could put the characters on the trail of the drakes. If you want to use both hooks together, cut each quest’s XP in half.
The adventure might work best if the characters have already encountered another piece of t he meteorite or are otherwise clear t hat pieces of the meteorite are dangerous objects that should probably be destroyed. A Chaos Shard has already been encountered in “Den of the Slave-Takers,” and more Chaos Scar adventures featuring the shards are on the way.
Hook 1: Hunt the Residuum Drakes A human hunter named Jarek who venture d too close to the Chaos Scar while hunting in the woods had his prey, and nearly his life, taken by a pack of drakes that were covered with glowing blue scales. Jarek escaped while the drakes killed his horse. Jar ek had lost a friend a few weeks before to drakes colored like these, so when the drakes that attacked him wandered back into the Chaos Scar, Jared followed and picked off one with his bow before it could disappear into a tunnel with the rest of its pack. The drake Jarek slew was already injured. A few minutes after he killed it, the drake’s corpse developed weird blisters on its skin. One broke open and blew into fine si lvery powder. Jarek isn’t sure, but he’s heard that folk proficient with magic use a similar substance. When the hunter shows the characters the corpse of the drake, it still has three un-popped blisters. If the characters pop a blister, they find their hands or weapon covered with a small puff of residuum, the raw stuff of magic. Each blister seems to yield about 50 gp worth of the stuff! Quest XP:150 XP for discovering whether the rest of the glowing drakes also manifest residuum blisters when slain, or 200 XP if the characters give Jarek some form of reward for letting them in on this windfall.
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Hook 2: Revenge & Rewards
BetWeen encounterS
One of the party’s friends or acquaintances has been slain near the Chaos Scar by a pack of glowing drakes. The friend slew one of the drakes before dying. Use the effects described in the first hook to describe the oddities of the drake’s skin. When revenge and greed coincide, can characters resist for long? Quest XP:100 XP for avenging their friend. 100 XP for getting every last jot of residuum.
Dealing with the Chaos Shard
Each of the encounters in this adventure takes place in the same cavern, though the second and third encounters have features the first encounter does not. As DM, the question of pacing will hinge on the characters’ motives for remaining in the cavern instead of turning around: greed and a desire to deal with the meteorite chunks.
Treasure Preparation
Greed
“Death in the Pincers” distributes treasure slightly differently from other D&D® adventures. Characters find coins worth a varying amount of gold in the rock spikes surrounding the low daises in the drake’s
The characters’ main motivation for staying in the cavern to rest could be greed. First, they were told that it takes a few minutes for the residuum blisters to appear on the skins of the drakes. Mechanics for gathering the residuum from the blisters can be found in encounter D2, since the blisters take about 5 minutes to manifest, approximating the moment the second encounter begins. Second, the spiky rocks around both daises (see “Features of the A rea” in encounter D1) are littered with a surprising amount of coins, a gem or two, and possibly even a magic item (see “Treasure Preparation,” above). Unlike most treasure reward situations, use the treasure in the spiky rocks to reward high Perception checks, so that the characters feel like they are actually managing to find treasure other heroes might have missed. It takes a minute to search each square thoroughly. Lump the areas into 5-square sections and assume that it takes about 5 minutes for a character to gather the treasure in a section. Each section holds an average of 20 gp, and one holds the level 3 magic item above. The first character to make a DC 20 Perception check searching a 5-square area finds it.
The f lickering meteorite chunk in the south wall can be destroyed with a single blow of a weapon, and it crumbles into dust if any attempt is made to remove it from the wall. The magic it once possessed, except for its purple glow, was long ago exhausted. The glowing chunk in the north wall is another matter. It seems to be physically and magically invulnerable. Weapons, spells, and prayers neither damage the chunk nor affect the wall to which it is attached. After observ ing a failed attack against the meteorite, an adventurer who succeeds on a DC 15 A rcana or Religion check perceives a flaw in the meteorite’s supernatural defense. An impromptu ritual requiring
cavern. They also find a level 3 magic item in the rock spikes, though not all groups will find it. Draw the item from the characters’ wish lists. Depending on their success at driving off the giant ants, t he characters can also gain raw residuum from the drake’s corpses, though they might not be able to gather that treasure u ntil encounters D2 and D3 are over.
gettIng Started Regardless of the hook used to get the characters into the Chaos Scar, read or paraphrase the following when they reach the vicinity of the drake’s tunnel. This is the place. The tunnel slopes down steeply at first but is high and broad. It’s dark, but even those of you who read only books, not tracks, can see the footprints of man-sized reptiles in the debris and mud outside the tunnel mouth.
roughly an hour and 25 gp of residuum will be sufficient to drive a wedge in the aura of invulnerability surrounding these meteorite chunks. Unlike most other rituals, the ritual is sped up considerably for each other character who helps by chanting alongside the ritual caster; each ally who helps reduces the time necessary for the ritual by 10 minutes (to a minimum time of 30 minutes total). Encounters D2 and D3 will interrupt such efforts, at least at first. A few groups might debate the point and decide that Chaos Shards capable of creat ing residuum-laden monsters should be preserved rather than destroyed. As DM, you could be grateful, since they will be providing you license to create bizarre and catastrophic consequences of their attempt to harvest future residuum-blistered monsters.
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d1. gLoWIng drakeS Level 2 Encounter (700 XP)
Setup 1 guard drake(G) 1 needlefang drake swarm(N) 1 rage drake reaver(R) 2 spitting drakes(S) The broad tunnels leading to the drakes’ cavern are lit by the last rays of the penetrating sun during the day, which counts as dim light. At night, the tunnels are entirely dark. Characters who make a DC 12 Dungeoneering check notice scrape marks along the walls that appear to have been left by giant scales; characters whose check result equal s or exceeds 16 notice that the scrape marks are ancient, far older than the claw prints on the floor. About 60 feet from the 15-foot cliff that marks the edge of the drake’s cavern, compare the characters’ passive Perception to DC 15. A character who succeeds hears a rasping, scratching noise deep within the walls. The sounds do not repeat. The sounds are ants from t he new queen’s colony, preparing to break through the walls to initiate encounter D3, but at this point in the adventure, the scratching in the walls is a paranoia-enhancer, not a threat. If the characters travel with light sources of their own, the gently glowing needlefang drake swarm atop the cliff will be alerted when the party’s light reaches the cliff. If t he characters travel in the dark, compare their Stealth check to the drake swarm’s passive Perce ption of 12 as soon as they are wit hin 30 feet of the cliff. When the drake swarm senses the characters, the drakes squeal and growl and
trackIng BL oodIed SpaceS and drake corpSeS
This encounter requires you to keep track of two unusual elements. First, whenever a drake becomes bloodied, mark the square it is in and all adjacent squares as blood rock—creatures in these squares score critical hits with a natural attack roll of 19 or 20. When a creature attacks from such a square, describe the attack as magically vicious, aided by the mag ic of the spilled blood. The effect last s until the end of the adventure, significant since later encounters are likely to be fought in the same area. Second, keep track of the square in which each drake is reduced to 0 hp. It’s probably better to keep track of the squares in which the drakes’ bodies lie rather than marking the squares on the board, since the zones created by these meteorite-altered drakes’ death auras won’t come into play until encounter D2.
cascade back toward the cavern to warn the rest of the pack. The res t of the drakes r oll init iative t he tur n aft er the swarm begins screaming. Except for the guard drake, the drakes are buried in purple dreams from the meteorite, and they are slowed in the f irst round of combat. If the characters stealthily evade or eliminate the guard drake, the drakes other than the guard drake have a – 4 penalty on Perception checks to detect the characters as they enter the main cavern.
When the characters approach the 15-foot cliff, read: At first it looks like th e tunnel ends ah ead of you, but t hen you see that it’s a 15-foot wall of boul ders. It l ooks like it would be eas y to climb, but smalle r boulde rs and pil es of bones are jumbled in the heap, complicating your steps. There’s a faint purple glow m oving about somewhere above the top of the cliff. If the characters enter the main cavern before the drakes can reach them in the t unnel, read: The cavern is lit by a brightly glowing purple chunk of rock in the north wall and a smaller flickering chunk on the south wall, both set on raised daises surrounded by spiky, glowing rock. Hissing w ith fur y, drakes spit and claw t heir way toward you from the n orth . The drakes h ave crust y purpl e growths on their sk in, but t hese growth s glow pur ple like the rock, as do the drakes’ eyes. When the rage drake reaver first hits a character with its claws or a bite, read : As its at tack draws blood , the rage drake m eets your gaze with its gl owing rept ilian eyes. It lets out a r umbling growl, licks its lips, and speaks! “More!” it bellows, and comes toward you again. The first t ime a character bloodies a drake, read: As your att ack hits hom e, the drake ’s blood expl odes from its eyes and the growths on its skin, staining the rock nearby a glowing purple. The first t ime a character slays a drake, read: The drake goes down in a fountain of blood and an explosion of magical energy. It’s hard to be certain in the rush of the fight, but there’s no sign yet of the residuum you’re hoping for.
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Guard Drake (G)
Level 2 Brute
Small natural beast (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +7 HP 48; Bloodied24 AC 14; Fortitude15; Reflex 13; Will 12 Immunefear (while within 2 squares of an ally) Speed 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage, or 1d10 + 9 damage while within 2 squares of an ally. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 12 (+2) Con 18 (+5) Int 3 (–3) Cha 12 (+2)
Rage Drake Reaver (R) Large natural beast (reptile) Initiative+2 SensesPerception +2 HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 15; Fortitude15, Reflex 13, Will 13 Immune fear (while bloodied only)
Level 3 Brute XP 150
Speed 6 m Claw (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. M Raking Charge(standard; at-will) When the rage drake reaver charges, it makes two claw attacks against a single target. M Enraging Bite(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage, and the rage drake reaver makes a secondary attack. SecondaryAttack: +5 vs. Will; until the end of its next turn, when it attacks, the target can only make a melee basic attack. Reaving Rage(while bloodied) While bloodied, the rage drake reaver gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls (and triggers the meteorite’s attack, if it is nearby). AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Str 18 (+5) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 16 (+4) Int 7 (-1) Cha 11 (+1)
Needlefan g Drake Swarm (N)
Level 2 Soldier
Medium natural beast (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +7 Swarm Attackaura 1; the needlefang drake swarm makes a basic attack as a free action against each enemy that begins its turn in the aura. HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 18: Fortitude15; Reflex 17; Will 14 Immune fear; Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable5 against close and area attacks Speed 6 m Swarm of Teeth(standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage, or 2d6 + 2 against a prone target. M Pull Down(minor 1/round; at-will) +3 vs. Fortitud e; the target is knocked prone. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 15 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 12 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 2 (–3) Cha 10 (+1)
2 Spitting Drakes (S)
Level 3 Artiller y
Medium natural beast (reptile) XP 150 each Initiative+5 SensesPerception +3 HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 15: Fortitude14; Reflex 16; Will 14 Resist10 acid Speed 7 m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage. R Caustic Spit(standard; at-will) Acid Ranged 10; +8 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 4 acid damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 14 (+3) Con 14 (+3) Int 3 (–3) Cha 12 (+2)
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Tactics The spitti ng drakes attempt to stay on the low dais , spitting at characters in the rock spikes or beyond the rocks. The guard drake and needlefang drake swarm fight to keep the characters stuck in the cavern where the spitting drakes can hit them. The rage drake holds the line in front of the spitting drakes unless it takes damage from a ranged or area attack, in which case it attempts to charge into combat against a lightly armored target. Unlike most rage drakes, the reaver fights cannily, avoiding flanks, dodging away from too many attackers, and trying to use its bond with the glowi ng meteorite chunk to its advant age (see “Features of the Area”). The other drakes fight like blood-crazed beasts, but all are familiar with the Blood Rock effect that occurs around them when they become bloodied. All the drakes, particularly the rage drake, try to launch melee attacks from such blood rock squares, though they’re not canny enough to try and keep the characters off the squares. The guard drake is assigned to guard the rage drake reaver.
Features of the Area Unless stated otherwise, each of the features below also applies to encounters D2 and D3. Illumination:Steady purple light from the large meteorite chunk and flickering purple light from the defunct rock on the south wall amount to normal illumination. Defunct Meteorite: The chunk of meteorite on the south wall is about the size of a halfling’s head. It flickers with purple light but has otherwise expended its magic.
Cliff: The 15-foot-tall wall of boulders is an extremely easy climb (DC 5 Athletics). Glowing Meteorite Chunk:A jagged, glowing, purple Chaos Shard protrudes from the north wall of the cavern. The meteorite is tuned to the rage drake’s blood. While the rage drake is bloodied, each of the rage drake’s attacks that hits also causes the Chaos Shard to target two different random enemies within 20 squares with flashing blue rays (+6 vs. Reflex; the target falls prone; see Rock Spikes, below). Hole in Ceiling:This is the hole the giant ants came through on their first attempt against the drakes. It’s 40 feet above the ground and is unlikely to have any impact on this battle. Low Daises:The two meteorite chunks are at the center of natural plateaus raised 5 feet above the cavern floor. Moving from the cavern floor to the top of the plateau requires 2 squares of movement. It is not possible to shift from the cavern floor to the top of the plateau. The edge of the plateau makes an excellent defensive position since enemies wishing to move to the top must move instead of shifting. Rock Spikes:These unnatural protrusions from the cavern floor seem to be reactions to the meteorites’ magic. These squares count as difficult terrain. In addition, any creature knocked prone or that drops prone in a rock spikes square, or that crawls into a rock spikes square, takes 5 damage. Each time a character enters a rock spikes square during combat, he or she can make a DC 10 Perception check. Success indicates that the character notices gold and silver coins scattered th roughout the rock spikes along with bones. A thorough search after the fight turns up a good deal of treasure from the drakes’ earlier victims.
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d2. antS from aBove Level 1 or 2 Encounter (550 or 800 XP)
Setup 2 armorcutter ants(A) 10 hive worker ants (H) 2 stirges (S) As 1d6 residuum blisters final ly manifest on each of the dead drakes, two new holes open in the ceiling. (If you don’t want to roll randomly, distribute 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 blisters on the drakes as you like.) A stirge flies through each, followed by giant ants, clambering across the ceiling and down the walls to swarm the bodies of the dead drakes. This encounter is meant to frighten the characters at the moment they were hoping to collect the residuum they are due. T he encounter looks more 2 Armorcutter Ants (A)
Level 4 Brute
Medium natural beast XP 175 each Initiative+2 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 68; Bloodied34 AC 16; Fortitude17, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6, climb 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d10 + 5 damage. M Shred Armor(standard; requires combat advantage against the target; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 2d10 + 5 damage, and the target takes a –4 penalty to AC (save ends). C Thrash (immediate reaction, when first bloodied; encounter) Close burst 1; targets enemies; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d10 damage, and the target is knocked prone. Miss : Half damage. Hive Armorcutter Frenzy (when any giant ant within 10 squares of the armorcutter is reduced to 0 hit points) The armorcutter makes a bite attack. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+5) Dex 11 (+2) Wis 11 (+2) Con 18 (+6) Int 2 (–2) Cha 4 (–1)
threatening than it really is, because the ten hive workers aren’t concerned with attacking the characters. In this encounter, they’re focused only on trying to drag the bodies of the drakes up into the ant holes and back to the colony. The f ight is complicated by the fact that each of the dead drakes has an aura surrounding its body (a side effect of the magic of the meteorite), and by the fact that attacks around the drakes’ corpses might destroy some of the residuum. Given the complexity of the encounter and the threats to their treasure, give your characters full XP for the hive workers they defeat even though the workers aren’t principally concerned with fighting. When the residuum blisters manifest on the dead drakes, read: As you’ve been waiting for the blis ters to for m, you’ve sensed that the bodies of the drakes have begun to manifest some sort of magic, as a gradually rising glow of different colors surrounds each of the bodies. Blisters surface on the skin of the drakes, just as you’d hoped. But before you can begin to truly harvest the residuum, you hear scratchin g overhead. Stone falls from two h oles in the ceiling and two bat-winged insects fly down out of the dust and debris, followed by waves of giant ants! 10 Hive Worker Ants (H)
Level 1 Minion
Medium natural beast XP 25 each Initiative+0 SensesPerception –1; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 13, Will 10 Speed 6, climb 6, burrow 2 (tunneling) m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 4 damage. (free, when any giant ant within 10 Hive Worker Frenzy squares of the hive worker drops to 0 hit points; at-will) The hive worker shif ts 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+3) Dex 15 (+2) Wis 9 (–1) Con 14 (+2) Int 2 (–4) Cha 4 (–3)
Tactics Rather than passing through the rock spike areas, the giant ants climb along the walls to get at enemies or drake bodies on the low daises. The stirges wait until the armorcutters are near the cavern floor before attacking, t hen focus on enemies near the larger creatures. Quick characters might be able to pick off a st irge before it attacks. In order to use theirshred armor ability, the armorcutters attack characters grabbed by the stirges or use the hive workers to gain a flanki ng position. The hive workers don’t attempt to cooperate with the armorcutters. The hive workers focus entirely on removing the bodies of the slain drakes. It takes a move action for each hive worker to pick up a drake’s corpse or join a carry. An ant carrying a corpse alone is slowed. Two ants moving together can carry a drake’s body in one of their spaces and have speed 4 while moving the body. Three ants cooperating to move one drake’s body can move at speed 6. The hive worker frenzy ability enables workers to make even better speed with a drake’s corpse when a member of their colony is slain. A worker that exits through a hole in the ceiling won’t return. 2 Stirges (S)
Level 1 Lurker
Small natural beast XP 100 each Initiative+7 Senses Perception +0; darkvision HP 22; Bloodied11 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 13, Will 10 Speed 6, fly 6 (hover) m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape) and takes ongoing 5 damage until it escapes. An attached stirge doesn’t make attack rolls while grabbing a target and gains a +5 bonus to its AC and Reflex defenses. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0) Int 1 (–5) Cha 4 (–3) No ve mb er 20 09
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In order to attack, ahive workerhas to let go of the corpse it is carrying. The worker ants use opportunity attacks if they have not already picked up a drake, but otherwise the workers attack only in two cases: If they are immobilized or otherwise prevented from approaching, grabbing, or moving with the corpse of one of the slain drakes, or if an i ndividual hive worker survives an attack against it af ter the two armorcutters have been eliminated.
purple and red haze. Squares in the cloud are lightly obscured. When a burst or blast created by a fire, force, lightning, psychic, or thunder power touches a square of blast cloud, the size of t he burst or blast is increased by 1. Death Shadow Zone (Needlefang Drake Swarm): Shadows of swirling drakes seem to wash over the area. All att acks in this zone deal an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Whenever a creature within 5 squares of the zone is reduced to 0 hp, the zone moves to center on Features of the Area that creature’s square. Many of the features of the cavern are the same as t he Death Crescendo Zone (Guard Drake): Devotion in features from the first encounter. The glowing meteorlife turns to venom in death. Each time a creature is reduced to 0 hp in this zone, all attacks in the cave ite chunk no longer attunes attacks with the bloodied rage drake reaver and the characters are likely to have during the next turn gain a +2 attack bonus. When spotted the treasure in the rock spikes, but otherwise a creature within 5 squares of the zone uses a healthe features of the cavern are pretty much the same. ing surge, the zone moves to center on that creature’s square. Additional features are as follows. Cavern Ceiling:The ceiling is 40 feet above the Rage of the Wild Zone (Rage Drake Reaver): The rage floor. Ants climbing out of the holes in the ceiling gendrake reaver’s blood infuses th is area with a zone that erally aren’t able to move to the f loor and attack in the forces each non-beast creature that starts its tur n in the zone to make a melee attack on that turn or take 5 psysame turn. Drake Death Zones: The corpses of the drakes chic damage. killed in encounter D1 create magical zones in a burst Residuum Blisters: Each of the drakes slain in the 1 (creating a 3-square by 3-square space t hat the zone first encounter has man ifested 1d6 residuum blisters. When broken by an adjacent character and gathered occupies, or 4 by 4 for the Large rage drake reaver), which manifest fully 5 minutes after the end of that into a vial (a standard action), each blister provides 50 encounter (which is why it’s important to keep track of gp of residuum. where each drake fell in battle in the first encounter). A character who wants to use a minor action to scrape a residuum blister must make a DC 15 Thievery Each of the drake t ypes creates a different zone; all zones cover the square in which the drake was slain or Arcana check. Success indicates that the character and each adjacent square, though a couple of the zones gathered the residuum successfully. Ot herwise half the leave the bodies and move elsewhere. As usual, zones residuum from that blister was lost. For dramatic effect, feel free to scrape away a blister can overlap. Blast Cloud Zone (Spitting Drakes): The blood of or three as the ants drag a drake toward their holes. the spitting drakes spirals into the air, creating a
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d3: march of the hIve Level 1 Encounter (500 XP)
Setup 1 hive warrior ant(H) 1 hive soldier ant(S) 9 hive worker ants(W) While the characters catch their breath from the attack of the armorcutters, the ants digging through the walls of the tunnel to the surface announce their arrival with a thunderous crash. The ants march up the 15-foot cliff and into the cavern to claim the meteorites for the colony. There’s nothing fancy about this fight. At t he DM’s option, the death auras of the drakes might linger after the residuum blisters have been scraped away, or you can end the auras, whichever suits you. The hive has already b een depleted by earlier attacks against the drakes, so if this attack fails, the worst the cha racters wi ll see af terward are hive worker antennas twitc hing occas ionally on t he far side of the holes.
Hive Soldier Ant (S)
Level 3 Soldier
Medium natural beast XP 150 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 18; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 12 Speed 6, climb 6 m Grasping Mandibles (standard; usable only while the hive soldier does not have a creature grabbed; at-will) +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target is grabbed. M Acid Sting(standard; at-will) Acid Targets a creature grabbed by the hive soldier; +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 acid damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends). C Death Convulsion(when the hive soldier drops to 0 hit points) Close burst 1; targets enemies; +8 vs. Reflex; the target is knocked prone. (free, when any giant ant within 10 Hive Soldier Frenzy squares of the hive worker drops to 0 hit points; at-will) The soldier gains a +2 bonus to attack rol ls until the end of its next turn. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 9 (+0) Con 14 (+3) Int 2 (–3) Cha 4 (–2)
When the characters have had a couple minutes to wipe off the ichor and catch their breath, read: There’s a huge crash from the north tunnel, the way you came in, and dust puffs into the room as if a big mass of stone had been displaced farther up the t unnel.
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Hive Warrior (H)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast XP 125 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +4; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 36; Bloodied18 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 15, Will 11 Speed 8, climb 8 m Piercing Bite(standard; at-will) Acid +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. The hive warrior’s attack deals 1d10 extra acid damage to any target that already has ongoing acid damage. (free, when any giant ant within 10 Hive Warrior Frenzy squares of the hive worker drops to 0 hit points; at-will) The warrior is no longer marked or cursed, and it shifts 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 9 (+0) Con 12 (+2) Int 2 (–3) Cha 4 (–2)
10 Hive Workers (W)
Level 1 Minion
Medium natural beast XP 25 each Initiative+0 SensesPerception –1; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 13, Will 10 Speed 6, climb 6, burrow 2 (tunneling) m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 4 damage. (free, when any giant ant within 10 Hive Worker Frenzy squares of the hive worker drops to 0 hit points; at-will) The hive worker shifts 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+3) Dex 15 (+2) Wis 9 (–1) Con 14 (+2) Int 2 (–4) Cha 4 (–3)
Tactics When the soldier stings a character and delivers ongoing acid damage, the hive warrior attempts to follow up with its caustic reaction attack. These hive workers are angered by the smell of all the previous ant deaths in the cavern. They ignore the drakes’ bodies and attack the characters. If the characters are dealing with the encounter easily, add more hive workers, from the tunnel or ceiling, one or two at a time.
About the Author & Rob Heinsooled the design of the 4th Edition D ® D Roleplaying Game. His 4th Edition design credits include Martial Power ™ and the FORGOTTEN R EALMS ® Player’s Guide . His other game designs include Three-Dragon Ante ™ and Inn-Fighting ™.
Features of the Area The features are the same as those in encounter D2, with the following exception. Rockfall: The area indicated as t he rockfall i s now a narrow passageway that requires Medium creatures to drop prone to crawl through, but it is not impassable. D
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lb “The Lost Library” is a short adventure for five 2nd-level characters that takes place in a remote cave near mouth of the Chaos Scar. Through thethe course of the adventure, the PCs encounter a tribe of kobolds that has recently unearthed an ancient arcane library that predates the valley. The PCs have the opportunit y to explore the library, uncovering a portal to a sorcerer’s abandoned inner sanctum. By Peter Lee illustrations by Chad King, Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai cartography by Jason A. Engle TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
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If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating it into any exist ing campaign situated near a wilderness area that features the remains of an ancient, lost library. Background Before the violent birth of the Chaos Scar, the goliath sorcerer Voran Earthmane mastered elemental magic in his isolated keep. (More information on Voran Earthmane can be found in the adventure, “Stick in the Mud.”) For his most dangerous experiments, he built isolated underground chambers that could be accessed only through magical methods. He was able to experiment for several years in peace, but when the meteor what struck, lost all access his kwork. After recovering hehe could, Voran left,toand nowledge of his work faded. Hesskin Flamebrow, a dragonborn treasure hunter drawn to the power that lies in the valley, arrived at the Chaos Scar a few weeks ago. He and his associate met a small group of kobolds that have been abandoned by their tribe, Clan Fireclaw. In such a weakened state, these kobolds were forced to pledge their allegiance to the dragonborn. As part of the bargain to save their lives, the kobold leader Nibbik claimed he knew a powerful ritual that could detect piles of gold. While this was a lie, he did know of a dragon that recently moved into the area, and it was Nibbik’s hope that by leading Hesskin to the d ragon’s cave, Nibbik could defeat two potential enemies at once.
Unfortunately for the kobolds, the dragon Kethendtir and the dragonborn Hesskin formed an alliance. Nibbik was forced to continue his treasure detecting ruse, and he and his tribe were forced to excavate further into Kethendtir’s cave. Much to the wyrmpriest ’s surprise, his miners uncovered one of Voran’s lost chambers. In the few hours before the PCs arrive, Hesskin has discovered the secret of a floating lantern and opened an arcane portal that leads to Voran’s inner sanctum.
advenTure SynopSiS The adventurers make their way to the lair of the brown dragon wyrmling Kethendtir. There, they must face the dragon almost as soon as they arrive, along with a number of kobold miners serving of the dragon. Afterward, the characters can make their way deeper into the complex, eventually finding the site of the kobolds’ excavation. They must face Gravash and Hesskin, the two dragonborn who initially forced these kobold outcasts into service, along with some hostile defenses Voran left to ward his library. The characters have an opportunity to negotiate with the kobolds through Nibbik, their wyrmpriest, and make an alliance with the kobolds to provide them with intelligence on future explorations of the Chaos Scar.
geTTing The playerS involved Here are a few story hooks to draw the PCs into exploring Kethendtir’s cavern and the recently uncovered library.
Hook 1: Stolen Gear Thorgrim Spinehammer is a dwarf in charge of a small mine close to the Chaos Scar. He recently suffered the theft of his mining equipment and tracked the thieves as far as the King’s Wall. Not willing to risk his own life by entering the valley, he offers to pay the characters 75 gp to follow the kobolds to the cave and recover twelve stolen picks. Thorgrim will pay as much as 125 gp to avoid purchasing replacement gear, but a DC 15 Diplomacy check must be made to convince the miserly dwarf to part with his money. Quest XP:500 XP for bringing back Thorgrim’s stolen equipment.
Hook 2: Wyrmling Raider Local farmers have been losing livestock to raids performed by a brown wyrmling dragon (Kethendtir). The farmers know that this problem will only get worse in the future, so they have banded together to solve their problem. A quiet halfing farmer named Karrie Buttonquail approaches the characters with all the money the farmers could amass: 2,618 cp. If the PCs try to bargain, she’ll reluctantly throw in her prize sheep worth 100 sp. Quest XP:500 XP for bringing back proof of Kethendtir’s death.
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Hook 3: Sage’s Death Last night, Hesskin broke into a sage’s study and stole several tomes dealing with the history of the valley before the crash of the meteor. The eladrin sage Emeranith was slain during the robbery. Witnesses saw Emeranith teleport into the street to escape, but he was struck in the back by a red feathered bolt fired from Hesskin’s crossbow before the eladrin could flee. The village’s mayor, Quinn Nanith, offers a 200 gp bounty to hunt down Hesskin and bring justice to the murderer and recovering the stolen goods for Emeranith’s widow, Mirianna. Quest XP:100 XP for capturing or slaying Hesskin, 100 XP for the recovery of the tomes, or 500 XP for both.
Treasure Preparation “The Lost Library” uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Master’s Guid e ®. The characters should gain a total of three treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find parcels and what those treasure parcels might consist of. The magic items should come from the players’ wish lists. Parcel
Item
Parcel 1: The Wyrmling’s Cave One level 5 magic item Parcel 2: The Lost Library Two vials of alchemist’s acid (Level 1, 20 gp each) and 50 gp of Alchemical Reagents Parcel 3: The Inner Sanctu m
neW magic iTemS
geTTing STarTed
This adventure features a pair of new magic items, which are presented here. Both are simple variants of existing items from Adventurer’s Vault.
Once the characters get to the cavern, read or paraphrase the following description of the wyrmling’s cave entry:
Voran’s Ete rnal Chalk
Level 1
Vandals, scholars, and explorers alike appreciate the magical longevity of this short stick of chalk. Wondrous Item360 gp Property:A stick of eternal chalk never breaks or wears down with normal use. Any writing or drawing made with this chalk cannot be erased for one week by anyone except the srcinal artist or author. Voran’s eternal chalkis red. Special:If the eternal chalk is used to drawn anything inside the magic circle in the inner sanctum, a portal opens to Voran’s Study in his ruined keep. The portal lasts until the wielder takes an extended rest.
Voran’s Fl oatin g L anter n
Level 3
This silver lantern floats in midair under your control. Wondrous Item680 gp Property:This lantern never needs lighting or refilling. When you let go of the lantern, it continues to hang in the air where you leave it. If weight in excess of 1 pound is applied to the lantern, it falls to the ground. Power (At-Will):Minor Action. While you hold the floating lantern or are adjacent to it, you can set its light to be bright (10-square radius), dim (5-square radius), or off. Power (At-Will):Move Action. The last creature to hold the lantern can mentally command it to move up to 10 squares in any direction, but not more than 10 squares from it. Special:If Voran’s floating lanternilluminates the magic circle in either the library or the inner sanctum, a portal appears allowing travel between the two rooms. The portal lasts until the lantern no longer illuminates either portal. The lantern can travel through the portal with no ill effect.
Small reptilian tracks disturb the fine sand that spills out of the secluded cave before you. A nearby pile of sharp, jagged rocks has been haphazardly piled outside of the cave. When the characters enter the cave, read:
The grass grows sparse as you approach the cave, revealing a sand-covered stone floor. A well-trodden trail leads into the darkness. The sound of metal on rock reverberates throughout the cavern. Characters examining the tracks outside of the cavern can make a Perception Check: DC 15 Perception:The characters find multiple kobold tracks, a couple of larger reptilian prints as wide as a dragonborn’s foot, and small tracks that appear to belong to either a drake or dragon.
220 gp and 400 sp
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concluding The advenTure If the characters decide to spare Nibbik, you have the option of introducing kobolds as companion characters to the party. (For more information on companion characters, see page 27 of Dungeon Master Guide 2.) Three potential kobolds can join the group, depending on what the party needs. Nibbik, Kobold Wyrmpriest (Controller) Minnock, Kobold Slinger (Striker) Krun k One-Ear, Kobold Dragonshield (Defender) These kobolds are all members of the Fireclaw tribe. Nibbik is an opportunist—he sees potential in the characters. His loyalty is not absolute, and if the PCs ever face an opponent that seems able to defeat them, Nibbik will switch sides to save his own hide. He also seeks the power that a shard of the meteor would grant him—should he find one, he will attempt to seize it without a second thought. The PCs might choose to use Voran’s sanctum as a base of operations in t he valley. No map is provided for the space below the Portal chamber, but the space should have the basic necessities for resting. If the players start using this area as a base of operations, they might be interested in outfitting the base with wondrous lair items as described on page 79 of Adventurer’s Vault 2.
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l1: The Wyrmling’S cave Encounter Level 2 (725 XP) This encounter establishes the kobold tribe, Kethendtir’s home, and the entry to the cavern.
Setup 2 kobold dragonsh ields(D) 5 kobold miners (M) 1 kobold slinger(S) Kethendtir , brown dragon wyrmling (K) Collapsing rock pile (T) Kethendtir doesn’t enter the battle until the start of the third round of combat. Two kobold dragonshields stand watch at the mouth of the first chamber. Any character that moves into the cavern must succeed at a DC 12 Stealth check (to beat the kobolds’ passive Perception) or alert the kobolds. If the characters that enter the cave succeed, the kobolds are surprised. If a hero succeeds at a DC 21 Perception check within 3 squares of where the wyrm ling has burrowed into the sand, read the following:
The ground at the cave mouth is disturbed, as if something has recently been buried below the sand. When Kethendtir enters the combat, roll initiative, place him at the cavern entry where indicated on the map, and read or paraphrase the following:
2 Kobold Dragonshields (D)
Level 2 Soldier
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense Resist 5 fire Speed 5 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the kobold dragonshield’s next turn. (immediate reaction, when an adjacent Dragonshield Tactics enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The kobold dragonshield shifts 1 square. Mob Attack The kobold dragonshield gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
5 Kobold Miners (M)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 25 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude11, Reflex 13, Will 11; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Pick (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 4 damage (crit 6). r Small Rock(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square as a minor action. TrapSense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 8 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (-1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, war pick, backpack
Tactics
AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, short sword
The kobold dragonshields hold their ground while the kobold slinger fires at the PCs from a distance. Any PC with a passive Insight 12 or greater can tell that the dragonshields are surprisingly brave—they know that the wyrmling will soon come to their rescue. Sand scatters as a brown dragon the size of a small dog The miners avoid combat, but if a target move near launches itself out of the ground. Bellowing, the dragon the rock pile trap, a miner attempts to push the rock says, “A swift death comes to those that interfere with the pile on to the PCs. With an Athletics check of –1, it is creation of my home.” likely the miner will fail the attempt—describe what Collapsing Rock Pile Single-Use Terrain the kobold is doing to give the characters the chance to do the same thing in return. A precariously stacked pile of rocks is ready to fal l with a single strong push. If the battle turns sour, some of the kobold miners Standard Action flee by either moving deeper into the cavern or by Requirement:You must be adjacent to the rock pile. leaping into the hole in the floor. If a character moves Check:Athletics check (DC 15) to collapse the rock pile. next to a fleeing miner, the miner shifts away as a Success:The pile of rocks falls, crushing nearby creatures. minor action on its turn and flees. If any kobolds Target:Each creature in a close blast 3 next to the rock pile. Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude escape through the tunnel (which is likely), the PCs Hit: 2d8 + 1 damage, and the target is knocked prone. cannot gain surprise in any encounter for the rest of Effect:The area where the rocks fall becomes difficult terrain. the adventure unless they take an extended rest.
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Kobold Slinger (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the typ es listed below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
Kethendtir has the arrogance of youth, and at the beginning of the combat he believes he is assured of victory. When he leaps out of the ground, the wy rmling engulf the party with his breath weapon and follows up with a sand cloud attack. If none of the characters are blinded, he tries to use his kobold allies and flanking partners as he resorts to melee attacks. Once his hit point s have been reduced to 15 or below, he burrows through the sand and flees into the cave, attempting to get help from his dragonborn allies.
Kethendtir, Level 2 Elite Lurker Brown Dragon Wyrmling (K)
Features of the Area
Medium natural magical beast (dragon) XP 250 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +3; darkvision, tremorsense 10 HP 64; Bloodied32 AC 19; Fortitude19, Reflex 16, Will 16 Resist5 fire Saving Throws+2 Speed 7, burrow 6, fly 4 (hover) Action Points1 m Bite (standard, at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage. m Claw (standard, at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage. M Double Attack(standard, at-will) The dragon makes two claw attacks . R Sand Spray(immediate reaction, when an enemy targets the dragon with a ranged attack, at-will) The wyr mling attacks t he triggering enemy ; ranged 10; +6
Illumination: Hesskin has commanded the kobolds to illuminate the entire cavern because he has no natural ability to see in the dark. Several torches are crudely bolted to the walls throughout the chamber, providing bright light. Rock Piles: The kobold’s mining operations has resulted in many rock piles throughout the cavern. These piles of stone are difficult terrain. O ne rock pile is precariously stacked and might fall with some encouragement. The location of this single-use terrain is marked on the map (T). Sinkhole:In the middle of the room is a sinkhole that leads to a network of tunnels below the ground. Small creatures can squeeze through the tunnels,
vs. Refl ex; 1d6+1 damage, and the target is blinded unti l the end of the dragon’s next turn.
and creatures that are Tiny or smaller have no movement penalties. A multitude of tunnels grant fleeing kobolds many opportunities to hide, but an energetic halfling or gnome could attempt to track the miners down. For each kobold that escaped down t he hole that an adventurer chases, have that character attempt a DC 10 Dungeoneering check to determine if they can catch up to a miner. Success indicates the character finds a kobold and combat ensues; if the character fails, he or she manages to find a kobold as well, but loses a healing surge during the hunt. Each attempt takes 10 minutes.
A Breath Weapon(standard; recharges when first bloodied, encounter) Close blast 4; +6 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+2 damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). Sand Cloud(move, recharge 6 ) ✦ Polymorph The wyrmling transforms into a cloud of sand and shift s a number of squares up to its speed. It can move through occupied squares but must end in a legal space. Any creature whose space the dragon enters takes 1d6 + 4 damage and is blinded (save ends). The wyrmling returns to its normal form after this move. Combat Advantage The wyrmling deals 1d6 extra damage against any target it has combat advantage against. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDraconic SkillsEndurance +8, Stealth +7 Str 19 (+5) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 14 (+3) Con 14 (+3) Int 12 (+2) Cha 10 (+1)
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l2: The loST liBrary Encounter Level 2 (725 XP) Setup Gravash, dragonborn swiftblade (G) 1 kobold dragonsh ield(D) 2 kobold miners (M) 2 kobold slinger(S) Warded desk trap The PCs continue down a recently excavated passage and discover a well-crafted room carved out of the bedrock. Piles of rock lie by the entry to the cavern where the kobolds broke into the chamber. When the PCs enter the room, read:
As you turn the cor ner, the natural walls of the pa ssage abruptly transition into well-crafted stonework. A rock wall that sealed off the tunnel has been pushed down and now lies scattered on the floor, allowing access to a chamber illuminated by a soft blue glow. Two ransacked bookshelves lean against the walls of the room. The contents of the shelves have been thrown into a moldering pile on the floor. An antique desk sits near the middle of the room, surrounded by glowing dwarven runes carved into the floor. Behind the desk is a woode n table covered in alchemical equipment. In the far corner of the room, a humming arcane portal hovers a few inches above a glowing circle carved into the floor. As a small clutch of kobolds turn to face you, a dragonborn clad in leather armor unsheathes a longsword and nimbly advances, snarling.
Tactics Gravash is overconfident and does not see the PCs as a threat. He takes tactically poor decisions to show off his training: He won’t concentrate on one foe, but instead leap over one foe with end-over-end strike , and then follow up with a longsword attack against a different target.
The kobold dragonshield reluctantly joins Gravash in combat, moving into a flanking position when possible. The kobold slingers attack the PCs from behind the warded desk, using it to gain cover against the characters. The miners cower in the hallway, only emerging if they can strike at an opponent without provoking an opportunity attack. Gravash and the kobolds all know about t he trapped desk and won’t willingly t rigger it.
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Gravash, Level 2 Elite Skirmisher Dragonborn Swiftblade (G) Medium natural humanoid XP 250 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +2 HP 74; Bloodied37 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 16, Will 13 Resist 5 fire Saving Throws+2 Speed 6 Action Points1 m Longsword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC (+8 while bloodied); 1d8 + 4 damage M End-Over-End Strike (move; at-will) Gravash makes a longsword attack and then shifts up to 3 squares to a square adjacent to the target. Gravash can shift through the target’s square during this movement. C Dragon Breath(minor; encounter) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +5 vs. Reflex (+6 while bloodied); 1d8 + 4 fire damage Roll with the Blow(immediate reaction; at-will) Trigger: Gravash is hit by a melee or ranged attack. Effect: Gravash shifts 1 square. Tumble(move; encounter) Gravash shifts 6 squares. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 13 (+2) Dex 19 (+5) Wis 13 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 7 (–1) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentleather armor, longsword
Kobold Dragonshield (D)
Level 2 Soldier
2 Kobold Slingers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense Resist 5 fire Speed 5 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the kobold dragonshield’s next turn. (immediate reaction, when an adjacent Dragonshield Tactics enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The kobold dragonshield shifts 1 square. Mob Attack The kobold dragonshield gains a +1bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the types li sted below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save
AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, short sword
ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
2 Kobold Miners (M)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 25 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude11, Reflex 13, Will11; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Pick (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 4 damage (crit 6). r Small Rock(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square as a minor action. TrapSense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 8 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (-1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, war pick, backpack
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Warded Desk Trap
Level 1 Warder XP 100
Trap: A 4-by-4 section of the floor is ringed with runes. Perception No check is necessary to notice the glowing runes. Additional SkillArcana : ✦ DC 15:The character notices that anyone crossing the runes is attacked by a sonic pulse that can temporarily disable them. Trigger The trap attacks when a creature enters one of the trap’s four squares. Attack Immediate Reaction Close Burst1 Attack:+4 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target takes 1d6 damage and is dazed until the end of its next turn. Countermeasures ✦ Saying the command word makes the trap ignore a character for 24 hours. ✦ ✦
An adjacent character can disable the trap for 5 minutes with a DC 15 Thievery check. An adjacent character deciphers the runes and discovers the trap’s command word with a DC 20 Arcana check.
Features of the Area Illumination: The glowing runes around the desk and magic circle illuminate the room with dim light. Collapsed Wall:The wall the kobolds broke through lies in pieces on the floor and now counts as difficult terrain. Pile of Books: The books are in very poor condition due to centuries of abuse by the elements, but with some study it can be determined that these books deal with esoteric arcane knowledge, such as the creation of magical items or the history of the Elemental Chaos. A PC could repair the books with a Make Whole ritual, but doing so would take over 3 hours to repair all twenty books. Each repaired book is worth 10 gp to a historian. (After including the cost of the ritual, the PCs gain 160 gp, approximately one
treasure parcel.) This is a good opportunity to introduce alchemical formulas or ritual books if desired for your campaign. If hired to recover Emeranith’s stolen books, they are found here. The books include information about the history of the local lands, especially the period before the meteor hit. Desk: the desk contains Voran’s eter nal chalk and a few scraps of paper written in a goliath dialect of Dwarven. The paper is yellowed with age, but some writing can be deciphered, including a fragment from a journal:
Caved-In Passage:The short passage collapsed when the meteor struck, isolating the library from outside. Clearing out the tunnel would be as much work as digging a new tunnel. The end of the passage counts as difficult terrain. Alchemica l Bench:Most of the ingredients on the bench are dried up and useless. PCs searching the desk find two vials of alchemist’s acid ( Adventurer’s Vault, page 24) and 50 gp of alchemical reagents. Portal: The portal in the corner leads to the final room in this portion of Voran’s library, and encounter L3.
It is fitting that the lantern’s elemental flame grants access to my library; only the thesethe books has granted me knowledge the power tointame elements. My mastery o ver earth and stone continues to grow. I excavated the Tomb in record time and the portal opens perfectly when I blow the whistle. I wish I did not need a tomb, but I’ve chased off too many grave robbers over the past few months. I could not risk Locantra’s body being stolen. I moved entire blocks of earth at once, but the y are now safe deep und erground—the dead shall lie in peace. I have only one chamber left to build, but it will be the most difficult of all. I am almost finished with the key—just one final enchantment and the battle standard will be complete. De ce mb er 20 09
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l3: T he inner SancTum Encounter Level 4 (875 XP) Setup Hesskin, dragonborn hunter (H) Nibbik, kobold wyrmpriest(N) 2 kobold slingers(S) 1 arbalester (A) This is Voran’s inner sanctum, t he heart of his distributed laboratories buried deep underground. Hesskin and Nibbik only recently started exploring this chamber when the PCs interrupt them. When the PCs enter this room, read:
As you step through the port al, you feel your bodies shifted through miles of rock in a moment that feels both instantaneous and endless. You feel your form coalesce in a rocky chamber standing in a glowing yellow circle. A hovering lantern stands a short distance away, illuminating the room. Before you is a wooden staircase leading up to the rest of the room. At the top of the stairs stands a dragonborn clad in scale next to a small ballista that swivels, of its volition, in your direction. If any of t he kobolds escaped from encounter L1 and the party hasn’t taken an extended rest, Hesskin immediately fires a crossbow bolt at the first character that comes out of the portal, beginning combat.
Perception DC 15:The character spots the rest of the kobolds. If the adventurers are unaware of the kobolds, the creatures have combat advantage when they make their first attack.
Three kobolds skirt the perimeter of the room, getting ready to attack!
Tactics Hesskin prefers to start the combat by firing his crossbow from the top of the stairs, defending the arbalester from attack. Hesskin is patient—he won’t rush into melee until the kobold slingers, the arbalester, or Nibbik are overwhelmed.
The arbalester’s guarded area is the 4-square by 4-square magic circle in the middle of the room; if any PC is in that area at the start of the arbalester’s turn, the arbalester recharges its double shot power. The arbalester moves only when necessary. The kobold slingers are crafty—t hey use their gluepot special shot against enemies in the magic circle, providing the arbalester ample targets for its attacks. Nibbik is a coward and tries to keep Hesskin between himself and the PCs. Nibbik usesincite faith early in the encounter to protect his slingers. Once Hesskin is defeated, Nibbik surrenders. He prefers to surrender to a dragonborn PC if possible, pledging himself and the remaining kobolds to do the heroes’ will.
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Hesskin, Dragonborn Hunter (H)
Level 4 Elite Brute
Nibbik, Level 3 Artiller y (Leader) Kobold Wyrmpriest (N)
Medium natural humanoid XP 350 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +3 HP 138; Bloodied69 AC 16; Fortitude18; Reflex 16; Will 15 Saving Throws+2 Speed 5 Action Points1 m Longsword(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 6 damage. r Crossbow(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 4 damage. M Cleave(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 6 damage, and another enemy adjacent to Hesskin takes 6 damage M Powerful Slice(standard; recharge 6 ) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square and knocked prone.
Small natural humanoid XP 150 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied18 AC 15; Fortitude13; Reflex 15; Will 15; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 damage. R Energy Orb(standard; at-will) ✦ Fire Ranged 10; +6 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 3 fire damage. C Incite Faith(minor; encounter) Close burst 10; kobold allies in the burst gain 5 temporary hit points and shift 1 square. C Dragon Breath(standard; encounter) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 fire damage. Miss: Half damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense
Breath(encounter; minor) ✦ Cold C Dragon Close blast 3; +7 vs. Reflex ; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 3
The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses again st traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic SkillsStealth +10, Thiever y +10 Str 9 (+0) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 17 (+4) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmenthide armor, spear, bone mask
cold damage. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic SkillsEndurance +11, Intimidate +6 Str 17 (+5) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 19 (+6) Int 12 (+3) Cha 9 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, longsword, crossbow, 30 crossbow bolts
2 Kobold Slingers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the types li sted below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
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Arbalester
Level 4 Artiller y
Medium immortal humanoid (construct, homunculus) XP 175 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +9; darkvision HP 43; Bloodied21 AC 16; Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 15 Immune disease, poison Speed 6 m Slam (standard, at-will) +11 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage. r Bolt (standard, at-will) Ranged 20/40; +11 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage. R Double Shot(standard, recharge 4 5 6 ) The arbalest er makes two bolt att acks, each agains t a different target. The targets must be within 5 squares of each other. Guard Area At the start of the arbalester’s turn, if an enemy is in its guarded area, the arbalester recharges its double shot power. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Str 15 (+4) Con 13 (+3)
Dex 18 (+6) Wis 15 (+4) Int 5 (–1) Cha 8 (+1)
Features of the Area Illumination:The floating lantern (L on the map) provides bright light to al l squares on the lower platform and the stairs, but the rest of the chamber is dim light. Lower Platform:The 8-square by 8-square platform with the magic circle is 2 squares below the rest of the room. The walls count as a rough surface (Athletics DC 20 to climb.) Stairs: The stairs count as difficult terrain. Portal Circle:This circle is a link to all of Voran’s chambers. While Voran’s floating lantern illuminates the circle, the portal to the library remains open. If a character that searches the circle succeeds at a DC 15 Perception check, they notice the ground around
Hatch:The hatch requires a DC 20 Athletics check to open. Below the hatch is a set of circular stairs that lead to a small living area that provides enough room for the characters to take an extended rest. The hatch can be bolted from within (Thievery DC 20 to open). The living area is enchanted, providing individual resting chambers for up to ten creatures. The name of each of the PCs is written on one of these doors. Items left in the chamber will be there when the owner returns.
About the Author Peter Leeworks as a game designer for Wizards of the Coast, where he splits his ti me between RPG design a nd leading the design for D&D Miniatu res.
the circle is covered with a fine red chalk dust. Once the lantern no longer illuminates the circle, the portal closes. If another one of Voran’s item keys is used by the circle, a portal opens allowing access to another chamber. Voran’s floating lantern creates the link to the library. If Voran’s eternal chalk is used to draw a red line in the circle, a portal is opened to Voran’s study, area A2 in the Chaos Scar adventure “Stick in the Mud”. (If the keep has not been explored, describe a thick mud slowly coming through the portal if it is activated.) The portal remains open until the party takes an extended rest.
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A Chaos Scar Adventure
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lb “The Lost Library” is a short adventure for five 2nd-level characters that takes place in a remote cave near mouth of the Chaos Scar. Through thethe course of the adventure, the PCs encounter a tribe of kobolds that has recently unearthed an ancient arcane library that predates the valley. The PCs have the opportunit y to explore the library, uncovering a portal to a sorcerer’s abandoned inner sanctum. By Peter Lee illustrations by Chad King, Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai cartography by Jason A. Engle TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
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If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating it into any exist ing campaign situated near a wilderness area that features the remains of an ancient, lost library. Background Before the violent birth of the Chaos Scar, the goliath sorcerer Voran Earthmane mastered elemental magic in his isolated keep. (More information on Voran Earthmane can be found in the adventure, “Stick in the Mud.”) For his most dangerous experiments, he built isolated underground chambers that could be accessed only through magical methods. He was able to experiment for several years in peace, but when the meteor what struck, lost all access his kwork. After recovering hehe could, Voran left,toand nowledge of his work faded. Hesskin Flamebrow, a dragonborn treasure hunter drawn to the power that lies in the valley, arrived at the Chaos Scar a few weeks ago. He and his associate met a small group of kobolds that have been abandoned by their tribe, Clan Fireclaw. In such a weakened state, these kobolds were forced to pledge their allegiance to the dragonborn. As part of the bargain to save their lives, the kobold leader Nibbik claimed he knew a powerful ritual that could detect piles of gold. While this was a lie, he did know of a dragon that recently moved into the area, and it was Nibbik’s hope that by leading Hesskin to the d ragon’s cave, Nibbik could defeat two potential enemies at once.
Unfortunately for the kobolds, the dragon Kethendtir and the dragonborn Hesskin formed an alliance. Nibbik was forced to continue his treasure detecting ruse, and he and his tribe were forced to excavate further into Kethendtir’s cave. Much to the wyrmpriest ’s surprise, his miners uncovered one of Voran’s lost chambers. In the few hours before the PCs arrive, Hesskin has discovered the secret of a floating lantern and opened an arcane portal that leads to Voran’s inner sanctum.
advenTure SynopSiS The adventurers make their way to the lair of the brown dragon wyrmling Kethendtir. There, they must face the dragon almost as soon as they arrive, along with a number of kobold miners serving of the dragon. Afterward, the characters can make their way deeper into the complex, eventually finding the site of the kobolds’ excavation. They must face Gravash and Hesskin, the two dragonborn who initially forced these kobold outcasts into service, along with some hostile defenses Voran left to ward his library. The characters have an opportunity to negotiate with the kobolds through Nibbik, their wyrmpriest, and make an alliance with the kobolds to provide them with intelligence on future explorations of the Chaos Scar.
geTTing The playerS involved Here are a few story hooks to draw the PCs into exploring Kethendtir’s cavern and the recently uncovered library.
Hook 1: Stolen Gear Thorgrim Spinehammer is a dwarf in charge of a small mine close to the Chaos Scar. He recently suffered the theft of his mining equipment and tracked the thieves as far as the King’s Wall. Not willing to risk his own life by entering the valley, he offers to pay the characters 75 gp to follow the kobolds to the cave and recover twelve stolen picks. Thorgrim will pay as much as 125 gp to avoid purchasing replacement gear, but a DC 15 Diplomacy check must be made to convince the miserly dwarf to part with his money. Quest XP:500 XP for bringing back Thorgrim’s stolen equipment.
Hook 2: Wyrmling Raider Local farmers have been losing livestock to raids performed by a brown wyrmling dragon (Kethendtir). The farmers know that this problem will only get worse in the future, so they have banded together to solve their problem. A quiet halfing farmer named Karrie Buttonquail approaches the characters with all the money the farmers could amass: 2,618 cp. If the PCs try to bargain, she’ll reluctantly throw in her prize sheep worth 100 sp. Quest XP:500 XP for bringing back proof of Kethendtir’s death.
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Hook 3: Sage’s Death Last night, Hesskin broke into a sage’s study and stole several tomes dealing with the history of the valley before the crash of the meteor. The eladrin sage Emeranith was slain during the robbery. Witnesses saw Emeranith teleport into the street to escape, but he was struck in the back by a red feathered bolt fired from Hesskin’s crossbow before the eladrin could flee. The village’s mayor, Quinn Nanith, offers a 200 gp bounty to hunt down Hesskin and bring justice to the murderer and recovering the stolen goods for Emeranith’s widow, Mirianna. Quest XP:100 XP for capturing or slaying Hesskin, 100 XP for the recovery of the tomes, or 500 XP for both.
Treasure Preparation “The Lost Library” uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Master’s Guid e ®. The characters should gain a total of three treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find parcels and what those treasure parcels might consist of. The magic items should come from the players’ wish lists. Parcel
Item
Parcel 1: The Wyrmling’s Cave One level 5 magic item Parcel 2: The Lost Library Two vials of alchemist’s acid (Level 1, 20 gp each) and 50 gp of Alchemical Reagents Parcel 3: The Inner Sanctu m
neW magic iTemS
geTTing STarTed
This adventure features a pair of new magic items, which are presented here. Both are simple variants of existing items from Adventurer’s Vault.
Once the characters get to the cavern, read or paraphrase the following description of the wyrmling’s cave entry:
Voran’s Ete rnal Chalk
Level 1
Vandals, scholars, and explorers alike appreciate the magical longevity of this short stick of chalk. Wondrous Item360 gp Property:A stick of eternal chalk never breaks or wears down with normal use. Any writing or drawing made with this chalk cannot be erased for one week by anyone except the srcinal artist or author. Voran’s eternal chalkis red. Special:If the eternal chalk is used to drawn anything inside the magic circle in the inner sanctum, a portal opens to Voran’s Study in his ruined keep. The portal lasts until the wielder takes an extended rest.
Voran’s Fl oatin g L anter n
Level 3
This silver lantern floats in midair under your control. Wondrous Item680 gp Property:This lantern never needs lighting or refilling. When you let go of the lantern, it continues to hang in the air where you leave it. If weight in excess of 1 pound is applied to the lantern, it falls to the ground. Power (At-Will):Minor Action. While you hold the floating lantern or are adjacent to it, you can set its light to be bright (10-square radius), dim (5-square radius), or off. Power (At-Will):Move Action. The last creature to hold the lantern can mentally command it to move up to 10 squares in any direction, but not more than 10 squares from it. Special:If Voran’s floating lanternilluminates the magic circle in either the library or the inner sanctum, a portal appears allowing travel between the two rooms. The portal lasts until the lantern no longer illuminates either portal. The lantern can travel through the portal with no ill effect.
Small reptilian tracks disturb the fine sand that spills out of the secluded cave before you. A nearby pile of sharp, jagged rocks has been haphazardly piled outside of the cave. When the characters enter the cave, read:
The grass grows sparse as you approach the cave, revealing a sand-covered stone floor. A well-trodden trail leads into the darkness. The sound of metal on rock reverberates throughout the cavern. Characters examining the tracks outside of the cavern can make a Perception Check: DC 15 Perception:The characters find multiple kobold tracks, a couple of larger reptilian prints as wide as a dragonborn’s foot, and small tracks that appear to belong to either a drake or dragon.
220 gp and 400 sp
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concluding The advenTure If the characters decide to spare Nibbik, you have the option of introducing kobolds as companion characters to the party. (For more information on companion characters, see page 27 of Dungeon Master Guide 2.) Three potential kobolds can join the group, depending on what the party needs. Nibbik, Kobold Wyrmpriest (Controller) Minnock, Kobold Slinger (Striker) Krun k One-Ear, Kobold Dragonshield (Defender) These kobolds are all members of the Fireclaw tribe. Nibbik is an opportunist—he sees potential in the characters. His loyalty is not absolute, and if the PCs ever face an opponent that seems able to defeat them, Nibbik will switch sides to save his own hide. He also seeks the power that a shard of the meteor would grant him—should he find one, he will attempt to seize it without a second thought. The PCs might choose to use Voran’s sanctum as a base of operations in t he valley. No map is provided for the space below the Portal chamber, but the space should have the basic necessities for resting. If the players start using this area as a base of operations, they might be interested in outfitting the base with wondrous lair items as described on page 79 of Adventurer’s Vault 2.
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l1: The Wyrmling’S cave Encounter Level 2 (725 XP) This encounter establishes the kobold tribe, Kethendtir’s home, and the entry to the cavern.
Setup 2 kobold dragonsh ields(D) 5 kobold miners (M) 1 kobold slinger(S) Kethendtir , brown dragon wyrmling (K) Collapsing rock pile (T) Kethendtir doesn’t enter the battle until the start of the third round of combat. Two kobold dragonshields stand watch at the mouth of the first chamber. Any character that moves into the cavern must succeed at a DC 12 Stealth check (to beat the kobolds’ passive Perception) or alert the kobolds. If the characters that enter the cave succeed, the kobolds are surprised. If a hero succeeds at a DC 21 Perception check within 3 squares of where the wyrm ling has burrowed into the sand, read the following:
The ground at the cave mouth is disturbed, as if something has recently been buried below the sand. When Kethendtir enters the combat, roll initiative, place him at the cavern entry where indicated on the map, and read or paraphrase the following:
2 Kobold Dragonshields (D)
Level 2 Soldier
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense Resist 5 fire Speed 5 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the kobold dragonshield’s next turn. (immediate reaction, when an adjacent Dragonshield Tactics enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The kobold dragonshield shifts 1 square. Mob Attack The kobold dragonshield gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
5 Kobold Miners (M)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 25 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude11, Reflex 13, Will 11; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Pick (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 4 damage (crit 6). r Small Rock(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square as a minor action. TrapSense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 8 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (-1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, war pick, backpack
Tactics
AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, short sword
The kobold dragonshields hold their ground while the kobold slinger fires at the PCs from a distance. Any PC with a passive Insight 12 or greater can tell that the dragonshields are surprisingly brave—they know that the wyrmling will soon come to their rescue. Sand scatters as a brown dragon the size of a small dog The miners avoid combat, but if a target move near launches itself out of the ground. Bellowing, the dragon the rock pile trap, a miner attempts to push the rock says, “A swift death comes to those that interfere with the pile on to the PCs. With an Athletics check of –1, it is creation of my home.” likely the miner will fail the attempt—describe what Collapsing Rock Pile Single-Use Terrain the kobold is doing to give the characters the chance to do the same thing in return. A precariously stacked pile of rocks is ready to fal l with a single strong push. If the battle turns sour, some of the kobold miners Standard Action flee by either moving deeper into the cavern or by Requirement:You must be adjacent to the rock pile. leaping into the hole in the floor. If a character moves Check:Athletics check (DC 15) to collapse the rock pile. next to a fleeing miner, the miner shifts away as a Success:The pile of rocks falls, crushing nearby creatures. minor action on its turn and flees. If any kobolds Target:Each creature in a close blast 3 next to the rock pile. Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude escape through the tunnel (which is likely), the PCs Hit: 2d8 + 1 damage, and the target is knocked prone. cannot gain surprise in any encounter for the rest of Effect:The area where the rocks fall becomes difficult terrain. the adventure unless they take an extended rest.
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Kobold Slinger (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the typ es listed below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
Kethendtir has the arrogance of youth, and at the beginning of the combat he believes he is assured of victory. When he leaps out of the ground, the wy rmling engulf the party with his breath weapon and follows up with a sand cloud attack. If none of the characters are blinded, he tries to use his kobold allies and flanking partners as he resorts to melee attacks. Once his hit point s have been reduced to 15 or below, he burrows through the sand and flees into the cave, attempting to get help from his dragonborn allies.
Kethendtir, Level 2 Elite Lurker Brown Dragon Wyrmling (K)
Features of the Area
Medium natural magical beast (dragon) XP 250 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +3; darkvision, tremorsense 10 HP 64; Bloodied32 AC 19; Fortitude19, Reflex 16, Will 16 Resist5 fire Saving Throws+2 Speed 7, burrow 6, fly 4 (hover) Action Points1 m Bite (standard, at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage. m Claw (standard, at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage. M Double Attack(standard, at-will) The dragon makes two claw attacks . R Sand Spray(immediate reaction, when an enemy targets the dragon with a ranged attack, at-will) The wyr mling attacks t he triggering enemy ; ranged 10; +6
Illumination: Hesskin has commanded the kobolds to illuminate the entire cavern because he has no natural ability to see in the dark. Several torches are crudely bolted to the walls throughout the chamber, providing bright light. Rock Piles: The kobold’s mining operations has resulted in many rock piles throughout the cavern. These piles of stone are difficult terrain. O ne rock pile is precariously stacked and might fall with some encouragement. The location of this single-use terrain is marked on the map (T). Sinkhole:In the middle of the room is a sinkhole that leads to a network of tunnels below the ground. Small creatures can squeeze through the tunnels,
vs. Refl ex; 1d6+1 damage, and the target is blinded unti l the end of the dragon’s next turn.
and creatures that are Tiny or smaller have no movement penalties. A multitude of tunnels grant fleeing kobolds many opportunities to hide, but an energetic halfling or gnome could attempt to track the miners down. For each kobold that escaped down t he hole that an adventurer chases, have that character attempt a DC 10 Dungeoneering check to determine if they can catch up to a miner. Success indicates the character finds a kobold and combat ensues; if the character fails, he or she manages to find a kobold as well, but loses a healing surge during the hunt. Each attempt takes 10 minutes.
A Breath Weapon(standard; recharges when first bloodied, encounter) Close blast 4; +6 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+2 damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). Sand Cloud(move, recharge 6 ) ✦ Polymorph The wyrmling transforms into a cloud of sand and shift s a number of squares up to its speed. It can move through occupied squares but must end in a legal space. Any creature whose space the dragon enters takes 1d6 + 4 damage and is blinded (save ends). The wyrmling returns to its normal form after this move. Combat Advantage The wyrmling deals 1d6 extra damage against any target it has combat advantage against. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDraconic SkillsEndurance +8, Stealth +7 Str 19 (+5) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 14 (+3) Con 14 (+3) Int 12 (+2) Cha 10 (+1)
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l2: The loST liBrary Encounter Level 2 (725 XP) Setup Gravash, dragonborn swiftblade (G) 1 kobold dragonsh ield(D) 2 kobold miners (M) 2 kobold slinger(S) Warded desk trap The PCs continue down a recently excavated passage and discover a well-crafted room carved out of the bedrock. Piles of rock lie by the entry to the cavern where the kobolds broke into the chamber. When the PCs enter the room, read:
As you turn the cor ner, the natural walls of the pa ssage abruptly transition into well-crafted stonework. A rock wall that sealed off the tunnel has been pushed down and now lies scattered on the floor, allowing access to a chamber illuminated by a soft blue glow. Two ransacked bookshelves lean against the walls of the room. The contents of the shelves have been thrown into a moldering pile on the floor. An antique desk sits near the middle of the room, surrounded by glowing dwarven runes carved into the floor. Behind the desk is a woode n table covered in alchemical equipment. In the far corner of the room, a humming arcane portal hovers a few inches above a glowing circle carved into the floor. As a small clutch of kobolds turn to face you, a dragonborn clad in leather armor unsheathes a longsword and nimbly advances, snarling.
Tactics Gravash is overconfident and does not see the PCs as a threat. He takes tactically poor decisions to show off his training: He won’t concentrate on one foe, but instead leap over one foe with end-over-end strike , and then follow up with a longsword attack against a different target.
The kobold dragonshield reluctantly joins Gravash in combat, moving into a flanking position when possible. The kobold slingers attack the PCs from behind the warded desk, using it to gain cover against the characters. The miners cower in the hallway, only emerging if they can strike at an opponent without provoking an opportunity attack. Gravash and the kobolds all know about t he trapped desk and won’t willingly t rigger it.
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Gravash, Level 2 Elite Skirmisher Dragonborn Swiftblade (G) Medium natural humanoid XP 250 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +2 HP 74; Bloodied37 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 16, Will 13 Resist 5 fire Saving Throws+2 Speed 6 Action Points1 m Longsword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC (+8 while bloodied); 1d8 + 4 damage M End-Over-End Strike (move; at-will) Gravash makes a longsword attack and then shifts up to 3 squares to a square adjacent to the target. Gravash can shift through the target’s square during this movement. C Dragon Breath(minor; encounter) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +5 vs. Reflex (+6 while bloodied); 1d8 + 4 fire damage Roll with the Blow(immediate reaction; at-will) Trigger: Gravash is hit by a melee or ranged attack. Effect: Gravash shifts 1 square. Tumble(move; encounter) Gravash shifts 6 squares. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 13 (+2) Dex 19 (+5) Wis 13 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 7 (–1) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentleather armor, longsword
Kobold Dragonshield (D)
Level 2 Soldier
2 Kobold Slingers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 125 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense Resist 5 fire Speed 5 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the kobold dragonshield’s next turn. (immediate reaction, when an adjacent Dragonshield Tactics enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will) The kobold dragonshield shifts 1 square. Mob Attack The kobold dragonshield gains a +1bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the types li sted below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save
AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, short sword
ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
2 Kobold Miners (M)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 25 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude11, Reflex 13, Will11; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Pick (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 4 damage (crit 6). r Small Rock(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square as a minor action. TrapSense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 8 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (-1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, war pick, backpack
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Warded Desk Trap
Level 1 Warder XP 100
Trap: A 4-by-4 section of the floor is ringed with runes. Perception No check is necessary to notice the glowing runes. Additional SkillArcana : ✦ DC 15:The character notices that anyone crossing the runes is attacked by a sonic pulse that can temporarily disable them. Trigger The trap attacks when a creature enters one of the trap’s four squares. Attack Immediate Reaction Close Burst1 Attack:+4 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target takes 1d6 damage and is dazed until the end of its next turn. Countermeasures ✦ Saying the command word makes the trap ignore a character for 24 hours. ✦ ✦
An adjacent character can disable the trap for 5 minutes with a DC 15 Thievery check. An adjacent character deciphers the runes and discovers the trap’s command word with a DC 20 Arcana check.
Features of the Area Illumination: The glowing runes around the desk and magic circle illuminate the room with dim light. Collapsed Wall:The wall the kobolds broke through lies in pieces on the floor and now counts as difficult terrain. Pile of Books: The books are in very poor condition due to centuries of abuse by the elements, but with some study it can be determined that these books deal with esoteric arcane knowledge, such as the creation of magical items or the history of the Elemental Chaos. A PC could repair the books with a Make Whole ritual, but doing so would take over 3 hours to repair all twenty books. Each repaired book is worth 10 gp to a historian. (After including the cost of the ritual, the PCs gain 160 gp, approximately one
treasure parcel.) This is a good opportunity to introduce alchemical formulas or ritual books if desired for your campaign. If hired to recover Emeranith’s stolen books, they are found here. The books include information about the history of the local lands, especially the period before the meteor hit. Desk: the desk contains Voran’s eter nal chalk and a few scraps of paper written in a goliath dialect of Dwarven. The paper is yellowed with age, but some writing can be deciphered, including a fragment from a journal:
Caved-In Passage:The short passage collapsed when the meteor struck, isolating the library from outside. Clearing out the tunnel would be as much work as digging a new tunnel. The end of the passage counts as difficult terrain. Alchemica l Bench:Most of the ingredients on the bench are dried up and useless. PCs searching the desk find two vials of alchemist’s acid ( Adventurer’s Vault, page 24) and 50 gp of alchemical reagents. Portal: The portal in the corner leads to the final room in this portion of Voran’s library, and encounter L3.
It is fitting that the lantern’s elemental flame grants access to my library; only the thesethe books has granted me knowledge the power tointame elements. My mastery o ver earth and stone continues to grow. I excavated the Tomb in record time and the portal opens perfectly when I blow the whistle. I wish I did not need a tomb, but I’ve chased off too many grave robbers over the past few months. I could not risk Locantra’s body being stolen. I moved entire blocks of earth at once, but the y are now safe deep und erground—the dead shall lie in peace. I have only one chamber left to build, but it will be the most difficult of all. I am almost finished with the key—just one final enchantment and the battle standard will be complete. De ce mb er 20 09
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l3: T he inner SancTum Encounter Level 4 (875 XP) Setup Hesskin, dragonborn hunter (H) Nibbik, kobold wyrmpriest(N) 2 kobold slingers(S) 1 arbalester (A) This is Voran’s inner sanctum, t he heart of his distributed laboratories buried deep underground. Hesskin and Nibbik only recently started exploring this chamber when the PCs interrupt them. When the PCs enter this room, read:
As you step through the port al, you feel your bodies shifted through miles of rock in a moment that feels both instantaneous and endless. You feel your form coalesce in a rocky chamber standing in a glowing yellow circle. A hovering lantern stands a short distance away, illuminating the room. Before you is a wooden staircase leading up to the rest of the room. At the top of the stairs stands a dragonborn clad in scale next to a small ballista that swivels, of its volition, in your direction. If any of t he kobolds escaped from encounter L1 and the party hasn’t taken an extended rest, Hesskin immediately fires a crossbow bolt at the first character that comes out of the portal, beginning combat.
Perception DC 15:The character spots the rest of the kobolds. If the adventurers are unaware of the kobolds, the creatures have combat advantage when they make their first attack.
Three kobolds skirt the perimeter of the room, getting ready to attack!
Tactics Hesskin prefers to start the combat by firing his crossbow from the top of the stairs, defending the arbalester from attack. Hesskin is patient—he won’t rush into melee until the kobold slingers, the arbalester, or Nibbik are overwhelmed.
The arbalester’s guarded area is the 4-square by 4-square magic circle in the middle of the room; if any PC is in that area at the start of the arbalester’s turn, the arbalester recharges its double shot power. The arbalester moves only when necessary. The kobold slingers are crafty—t hey use their gluepot special shot against enemies in the magic circle, providing the arbalester ample targets for its attacks. Nibbik is a coward and tries to keep Hesskin between himself and the PCs. Nibbik usesincite faith early in the encounter to protect his slingers. Once Hesskin is defeated, Nibbik surrenders. He prefers to surrender to a dragonborn PC if possible, pledging himself and the remaining kobolds to do the heroes’ will.
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Hesskin, Dragonborn Hunter (H)
Level 4 Elite Brute
Nibbik, Level 3 Artiller y (Leader) Kobold Wyrmpriest (N)
Medium natural humanoid XP 350 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +3 HP 138; Bloodied69 AC 16; Fortitude18; Reflex 16; Will 15 Saving Throws+2 Speed 5 Action Points1 m Longsword(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 6 damage. r Crossbow(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 4 damage. M Cleave(at-will; standard) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 6 damage, and another enemy adjacent to Hesskin takes 6 damage M Powerful Slice(standard; recharge 6 ) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; +8 while bloodied; 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square and knocked prone.
Small natural humanoid XP 150 Initiative+4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 36; Bloodied18 AC 15; Fortitude13; Reflex 15; Will 15; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 damage. R Energy Orb(standard; at-will) ✦ Fire Ranged 10; +6 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 3 fire damage. C Incite Faith(minor; encounter) Close burst 10; kobold allies in the burst gain 5 temporary hit points and shift 1 square. C Dragon Breath(standard; encounter) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 fire damage. Miss: Half damage. Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shif ts 1 square. Trap Sense
Breath(encounter; minor) ✦ Cold C Dragon Close blast 3; +7 vs. Reflex ; +8 while bloodied; 1d8 + 3
The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses again st traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic SkillsStealth +10, Thiever y +10 Str 9 (+0) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 17 (+4) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmenthide armor, spear, bone mask
cold damage. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic SkillsEndurance +11, Intimidate +6 Str 17 (+5) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 19 (+6) Int 12 (+3) Cha 9 (+1) Equipmentscale armor, longsword, crossbow, 30 crossbow bolts
2 Kobold Slingers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid (reptile) XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot. Special Shot The kobold slinger can fire special ammunition from its sling. It typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the types li sted below. A special shot at tack that hits deals normal damage and has an additional effect depending on its type: Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to at tack rolls (save ends). Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage (save ends). Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends). Shifty (minor; at-will) The kobold shifts 1 square. Trap Sense The kobold gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling
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Arbalester
Level 4 Artiller y
Medium immortal humanoid (construct, homunculus) XP 175 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +9; darkvision HP 43; Bloodied21 AC 16; Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 15 Immune disease, poison Speed 6 m Slam (standard, at-will) +11 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage. r Bolt (standard, at-will) Ranged 20/40; +11 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage. R Double Shot(standard, recharge 4 5 6 ) The arbalest er makes two bolt att acks, each agains t a different target. The targets must be within 5 squares of each other. Guard Area At the start of the arbalester’s turn, if an enemy is in its guarded area, the arbalester recharges its double shot power. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Str 15 (+4) Con 13 (+3)
Dex 18 (+6) Wis 15 (+4) Int 5 (–1) Cha 8 (+1)
Features of the Area Illumination:The floating lantern (L on the map) provides bright light to al l squares on the lower platform and the stairs, but the rest of the chamber is dim light. Lower Platform:The 8-square by 8-square platform with the magic circle is 2 squares below the rest of the room. The walls count as a rough surface (Athletics DC 20 to climb.) Stairs: The stairs count as difficult terrain. Portal Circle:This circle is a link to all of Voran’s chambers. While Voran’s floating lantern illuminates the circle, the portal to the library remains open. If a character that searches the circle succeeds at a DC 15 Perception check, they notice the ground around
Hatch:The hatch requires a DC 20 Athletics check to open. Below the hatch is a set of circular stairs that lead to a small living area that provides enough room for the characters to take an extended rest. The hatch can be bolted from within (Thievery DC 20 to open). The living area is enchanted, providing individual resting chambers for up to ten creatures. The name of each of the PCs is written on one of these doors. Items left in the chamber will be there when the owner returns.
About the Author Peter Leeworks as a game designer for Wizards of the Coast, where he splits his ti me between RPG design a nd leading the design for D&D Miniatu res.
the circle is covered with a fine red chalk dust. Once the lantern no longer illuminates the circle, the portal closes. If another one of Voran’s item keys is used by the circle, a portal opens allowing access to another chamber. Voran’s floating lantern creates the link to the library. If Voran’s eternal chalk is used to draw a red line in the circle, a portal is opened to Voran’s study, area A2 in the Chaos Scar adventure “Stick in the Mud”. (If the keep has not been explored, describe a thick mud slowly coming through the portal if it is activated.) The portal remains open until the party takes an extended rest.
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Cas Sca: A Cace Ece A Chaos Scar Adventure By Robert J. Schwalb Ill ustra tion s by Jorg e Lace ra Cartography by Jason A. Eng le
“A Chance Encounter” is a single combat encounter for a group of five 1st-level characters set in the Chaos Scar. The adventurer s find a wagon sinking into a hole despite the best efforts by the struggling horse pulling it. Yellow-r obed attendants fight to pull the wagon free, but the wagon’s slide and the horse’s screams suggest their efforts are futile. Should the PCs lend a hand, ho wever, they find their good intentions met with cold steel, bitter curses, and a wild three-way fight. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating it into any existing campaign on a road through a remote wilderness area. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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BACkground In a village not far from the Chaos Scar, a simple trader named Pung made a poor investment. A curious glass box came i nto his possession by way of a grubby adventurer. It was curious, but a crude piece compared to the jewels and other items the seller offered. With the adventurer a few gold pieces richer, Pung went about his business, the box nearly forgotten. But that night, unsettling images plagued his dreams, and they continued each night thereafter, growing more disturbing, until his fraying sanity unraveled altogether. Each dream was unique, but each featured one common element: the strange glass box he’d purchased. A god was speaking to him, Pung was certain. And it was speaking to him t hrough the cube. So Pung shut the doors to his general store, sold all of his possessions except for the glass box and a few yellow robes, and set out to make a new life for himself as a prognosticator—there was no doubt the visions portended the future. H is predictions grew stranger and more sinister until his fellow visitors urged him to f ind some other home—at the point of pitchfork and with f lames from their torches licking the back of his wagon. Pung and the few unstable fellows who saw something special in him abandoned civilization for the wonders of the Chaos Scar, for t he prophet was convince the god in his dreams slumbered somewhere in the valley. A tragic development, however, has derailed his plans, for his wagon has fallen afoul of a pit. If he and his fellows don’t act quickly, his wagon, his horse, his possessions, and his dreams will disappear.
The Glass Cube The glass cube is behind Pung’s madness, for it imprisons an otherworldly entity known as a fell taint. The creature wants to be freed and has been working on its prison for years until now; the slightest jostle will break it. Once a resident in the Chaos Scar, lurking with several others of its kind (see “The Tainted Spiral” in Dungeon #173), the fell taint was captured by a curious mage passing nearby, imprisoned, and studied. The mage learned all he could, however, and sold the box as a curio as a (admittedly cruel) joke. The monster was able to exert some inf luence from its prison, however, and has gradually passed through many hands, each urging the bearer to bring the box back to the Chaos Scar. Now, nearly free from its
PCs might leave some or all of the loot behind. Should this be the case, add the missing value to the treasure they find when they next gain a parcel.
Conclusion Once Pung and the other creatures are defeated, the PCs are free to go about their business. However, you might expand this encounter into a full adventure. The ant tunnels might lead to the hive, wherein the PCs can fight giant ants to their hearts’ content. Or, they might access one of the many dungeons littering the valley. There’s also the matter of the glass cube. Who sold the cube to Pung and why? Where did it come from? Is there some conspiracy behind its sale or is it just some strange trinket recovered from the Scar?
prison, it is almost home.
gEtting thE ChArACtErS involvEd You can use this encounter at any point while the adventurers explore the lands just outside the valley proper. The heroes might stumble on the wagon while heading to a dungeon or on their way out, returning from a successful mission. You can use the following text to draw the PCs into the encounter. A horse’s shril l scream split s the air, followed b y panicked shouting and the sound of splintering wood. You think it came from just behind the trees ahead.
Treasure Preparation “A Chance Encounter” rewards a party with parcel 8 (see “Treasure Parcels” in the Dungeon Ma ster’s Guide ). Since the 120 gp worth of treasure is composed of a riding horse, wagon, and sack filled with silver, the
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Sinking FortunES Encounter Level 1 (600 XP)
Setup Pung (P) 4 Pung’s believer s (B) 1 hive soldier (S) 5 hive workers (A) 1 fell taint lasher (F) Pung led his companions off the trail and into an open field. He didn’t have the prophetic ability to note the ant tunnels riddling the earth beneath the grassy terrain. When his wagon rolled overtop a tunnel, the rear wheels dropped through the thin earth into the tunnel just below. Pung stands on top of the wagon. His believers work to pull the wagon free from the hole. Don’t place the giant ants or the fell taint yet (see Tactics, below). When the PCs come upon the scene, read: Through the trees, you spot a wagon sinking into the ground. T he horse t ied to the wagon screams and th rashes as it is pulled back to the hole. Several men and women dressed in yellow robes and matching round, brimless hats run about in panic. Climbing on top of the wagon and helping the situation not at all is a wild-eyed lunatic wielding a l ength of ch ain with a chunk of stone at th e end. He looks aroun d, spot s you, and scream s, “I ha ve foreseen this! A trap! Kill them! Kill them all!”
Pung (P)
Level 2 Artiller y (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 125 Initiative+1 SensesPerception +0 Ecstatic Furyaura 3; any ally that starts its turn in the aura slides 1 square and gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the start of its next turn. HP 31; Bloodied15; see also wild swing AC 13; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 16 Speed 6 m Flail (standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d10 + 1 damage. r Bitter Epithets(standard; at-will) Fear, Psychic Ranged 10; +7 vs. Will; 1d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target takes 3 extra psychic damage if it ends its next turn closer to the mad prophet than where he began. R Perilous Order(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; targets one ally; the target makes a charge attack and deals 3 extra damage. C Incite Bloodlust(standard; encounter) Close burst 5; targets allies; the target makes a melee basic attack and deals 3 extra damage on hit (6 extra damage against prone targets). C Wild Swing(standard; requires flail; recharges when first bloodied) Weapon Close burst 1; targets 1d4 random creatures in the burst; +5 vs. AC; 1d10 + 1 damage, and the target is knocked prone. M Rise Fool!(minor; recharge 4 5 6) Healing Targets one dead ally; the target regains 1 hit point and stands up as a free action. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon SkillsEndurance +7, Intimidate +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 13 (+2) Int 8 (+0) Cha 16 (+4) Equipmentrobes, flail
4 Pung’s Believers (B)
Level 1 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 25 each Initiative+1 SensesPerception -1 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 13; Fortitude15, Reflex 13, Will 12 Speed 6 m Kukri (standard; at-will) Weapon +4 vs. AC; 5 damage. C Pung! (when a Pung’s believer drops to 0 hit points) Close burst 5; target’s Pung; Pung shifts 1 square toward the minion and rolls to recharge rise fool! AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon Str 16 (+3) Dex 12 (+1) Wis 8 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Int 8 (-1) Cha 10 (+0) Equipmentyellow robes, kukri
Hive Soldier (S)
Level 3 Soldier
Medium natural beast XP 150 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 46; Bloodied23; see also death convulsion AC 18; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 12 Speed 6, climb 6 m Grasping Mandibles (standard; usable only while the hive soldier does not have a creature grabbed; at-will) +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target is grabbed. M Acid Sting(standard; at-will) Acid Targets a creature grabbed by the hive soldier; +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 acid damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends). C Death Convulsions (when the hive soldier drops to 0 hit points) Close burst 1; targets enemies; +8 vs. Reflex; the target is knocked prone. Hive Soldier Frenzy (when any giant ant within 10 squares of the hive soldier drops to 0 hit points; at-will) The soldier gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls until the end of its next turn. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesStr 17 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 9 (+0) Con 14 (+3) Int 2 (-3) Cha 4 (-2)
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Fell Taint Lasher (F)
Level 1 Soldier
Small aberrant magical beast XP 100 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +8 HP 20; Bloodied10 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 12, Will 14 Resist insubstanti al; Vulnerable5 psychic Speed 1, fly 6 (hover) m Tendril Caress(standard; at-will) Psychic +5 vs. Reflex ; 1d6 + 4 psychic damage. M Tendrils of Stasis (standard; at-will) Psychic +5 vs. Will; 1d4 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of the fell taint lasher’s next turn. (standard; at-will) Healing Fell Taint Feeding Targets a helpless or unconscious creature; the fell taint lasher loses insubstantial and its fly speed until the end of its next turn, and it makes a coup de grace against the target. If the lasher kills the target, it regains all of its hit points. Flowing Tendrils(free, when the fell taint lasher makes an opportunity attack; at-will) The lasher shifts 1 square. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesStr 11 (+0) Dex 12 (+1) Wis 16 (+3) Con 13 (+1) Int 4 (-3) Cha 10 (+0)
Tactics The encounter is composed of three groups of enemies: Pung and his believers, the giant ants, and the fell taint. Each group regards the other as an enemy. Pung’s Group:Pung holds his position atop the wagon until he falls off (see Wagon, below). He uses perilou s order to hurl his allies against the PCs, while peppering the adventurers withbitter epithets. Once his minions are engaged, Pung usesincite bloodlust . Pung can restore dead minions to life with rise fool! When a believer is slain, don’t remove its miniature from the battlefield until Pung himself is dead. Pung fights to the death. When he drops, his surviving minions flee.
5 Hive Workers (A)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Medium natural beast XP 25 each Initiative+0 SensesPerception -1; low-light vision, tremorsense 10 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 13, Will 10 Speed 6, climb 6, burrow 2 (tunneling) m Bite (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 4 damage. (free, when any giant ant within 10 Hive Worker Frenzy squares of the hive soldier is reduced to 0 hit points; at-will) The hive worker shifts 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesStr 17 (+3)Dex 15 (+2) Wis 9 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Int 2 (-4) Cha 4 (-3)
Giant Ants:The hive soldier and hive workers join the fight starting at the beginning of round 2. The hive soldier comes out first , entering an u noccupied square adjacent to t he wagon. Each round t hereafter, add one hive worker until you account for all five of t hem. The hive soldier uses grasping mandibl es against the closest creature it can reach, targeting a PC before a believer or Pung. The soldier focuses its attacks against a single target at a time using acid sting when possible. The hive workers attack the closest enemy they can reach. Whenever a hive worker starts its turn adjacent to a dead or unconscious creature, it uses a minor act ion to pick up the creature and then moves to the hole with its meal in tow. All ants f ight to the death. Fell Taint:The fell taint only joins the combat when the glass cube shatters or when the wagon falls in the hole (thus shattering the cube). It appears in an unoccupied square adjacent to wherever it was released. The fell taint attacks the closest creature, giving preference to Pung. It never attacks the ants. Start with tendrils of stasis to keep an opponent pinned down and then follow up with tendril caress until it can use its fell taint feedin g power.
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Features of the Area Panicked Horse (H):On the fourth round during initiative count 10, the horse slips and falls, pulled after the wagon into the hole. It and the wagon take 20 damage. Adjacent characters can prevent this by succeeding on three checks using the Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Insight, or Nature skills (DC 10). Each time a character fails a check, the horse makes a kick attack as an opportunity action: +4 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. If the characters make three successful checks before the start of the fourth round, the horse is loosed from the wagon, which falls into the pit alone, automatically killing any hive workers still in the tunnel below. Once freed, the horse runs off to the battlefield’s edge. Wagon (W):The wagon is a Large vehicle with an enclosed bed. It has AC 3, Fortitude 10, Reflex 3,
and 100 hit points. Entering the wagon’s space costs 2 extra squares of movement. Each square in the wagon’s space counts as difficult terrain . A creature can climb inside the wagon’s enclosed interior by entering t he wagon’s space and succeeding on a DC 5 Acrobatics check. Each round after the first, the DC increases by 5. At the end of each round, the wagon shifts in the hole, forcing each creature on the wagon to make a DC 10 Acrobatics check. A failure means the creature falls prone in the wagon’s square, while a failure by 5 or more means the creature falls prone in an unoccupied square adjacent to the wagon. Ant Tunnel: Below the wagon is a 2-square wide tunnel that extends away from the hole in the direction of the Chaos Scar, and also a short way off to the east. The tunnel is tall enough to allow a Medium creature to stand. Climbing out from the tunnel requires a DC 10 Athletics check (DC 5 if the wagon has fallen). Treasure:The characters can calm and claim the horse with a DC 5 Nature check. It is a riding horse worth 75 gp. The wagon is worth another 20 gp. Inside the wagon is a modest leather sack containing 250 sp. A DC 20 Arcana check made on the remains of the glass cube reveal it is the product of a Binding ritual. Success by 5 or more also reveals that when broken, the creature it contained was freed.
About the Author is an award-winning game designer Robert J. Schwalb whose more recent work can be found in Martial Power ™ 2, Draconomicon : ™ Metallic Dragons , and Primal Power ™. Robert lives in Tennessee.
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eys i t Fst A Chaos Scar Adventu re
By Robert J. Schwalb illustrations by Kieran Yanner
“Eyes in the Forest” is a single combat encounter set in the Chaos Scar for five 1st-level characters. The Chaos Scar lures the bold and foolhardy alike to test their mettle against the perils it presents. While some find success, many fall victim to the monsters and traps that lie in wait. W hile the characters embark on their own expedition, they stumble onto a trail left by other would-be heroes. Should the characters follow it, they discover what waits for anyone without the st rength and courage needed to sur vive the menacing valley.
For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
Background An adventuring part y ventured into the Chaos Scar about a week ago. Not far i nto their journey, goblins ambushed them. Although the heroes gave as good as they got, they fell beneath the enemies’ black arrows and notched blades. The attack was prompted by the goblin warband leader’s enduring interest in eyeballs.
cartography
by Jason A. Engle
While the goblins proved victorious, they did so at great cost to themselves. The band has withdrawn to a ruin tucked in the woods to pick over the dead and harvest their ocular organs. Boontah developed his unhealthy obsession of eyes after he was caught trying to steal from the lair of a gauth. Upon his capture, the fearless goblin showed a fascination with its eyes. Tha gauth, impressed by the brazen goblin’s audacity and recognizing a potentially useful tool, took the creature to meet its master,
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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a powerful beholder that lurks much deeper in the Scar. The beholder agreed with its minion’s assessment of Boontah, and gifted the would-be warchief with a pair of functioning eyesta lks all his own, wit h the promise of more for ser vices rendered. Since then, Boontah, and a band of goblins he cowed into submission, has been an excellent resource for the beholder. He routinely sends information about new
inhabitants that arrive in the Scar, from adventurers to other monsters, back to his lord. To further honor his new master, Boontah has also taken to mounting the eyes of slain enemies on an ornate headdress he wears and never removes.
Involving the Characters “Eyes in the Forest” is an incidental encounter, best used to add a complication for heroes bound for one of the dungeons found in the Chaos Scar, or returning from one. Use the following hook to draw the heroes to the encounter.
Minor QueSTS
Lone Horse Consider a minor quest from the following to strengthen the encounter hook.
I Know that Horse!The horse might have once belonged to the PC before he or she became an adventurer. The PC remembers selling the horse to an adventurer who was friendly and taught the character a fair bit. Discovering the hero’s fate would be important to such a character (100 XP). Missing Companion:A character’s relative might be an adventurer who has gone missing during an expedition into the Chaos Scar (100 XP). Stolen Goods:The characters were robbed in a village and have tracked the thieves to the Chaos Scar, where it becomes clear the thieves were dealt with by goblins (125 XP). Vanquish ed Heroe s:If the players lost a party during an expedition into the Chaos Scar, their replacement characters might head into the valley to recover the bodies of their lost advent urers only to find they were taken by opportunistic goblins (150 XP).
A white mare crops g rass in an empt y field. S he limps wh en she moves. You make out blood flecking her flanks and oozing from an arrow wound in her leg.
While t raveling t hrough the v alley and it s environs, the adventurers come upon an injured horse. The saddle, bag s, and supplies s uggest t he steed belonged to someone. You can let the adventurers follow the horse’s tracks back to the battlefield and ruin without trouble or you might require a skill challenge. Conside r a complexity 1 skill challenge (4 successes before 3 failures) involving DC 10 Athletics (overcome obstacles), Nature (find clues, sense disturbances), and Perception (follow tracks) skill checks. If t he characters succeed on the challenge, they begin the encounter below with a surprise round against the goblins. If the characters fail, t he goblins gain the advantage of the surprise round.
Master ’s Guide). These parcels consist of equipment and a magic item (chosen from the characters’ wish lists) salvaged from the adventuring party killed by the goblins. If the characters missed treasure from a previous adventure, this encounter is also a good way to put it in their hands.
Conclusion Defeating the goblins doesn’t have to be the end of the adventure. Boontah and his goblins work for a much more powerful creature. His beholder allies, while not necessarily hu ngry to seek out those who have slain their pet, might well seek revenge when the characters least expect it. If you dislike the beholder angle, consider making Boontah’s warband an advance raiding party for a much larger group of goblins. In such a scenario, Boontah might be the son of a powerful goblin warchief, who swears a blood oath to avenge himself on those who have murdered his offspring. Player characters might also use Gentle Repose to preserve the dead adventurers until they can be raised. When they succeed, the adventurers might be grateful or angry. Also, the adventurers might not be what they seem: They could be ter rible villa ins who reward the heroes for their efforts by wreaking havoc in the countryside and beyond.
Treasure Preparation “Eyes in the Forest” rewards a party with two parcels, #4 and #6 (see “Treasure Parcels” in the Dungeon
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BoonTah’S redouBT Encounter Level 1 (593 XP)
Setup Boontah the goblin champion (G) 1 goblin acolyte of Maglubiyet (A) 1 goblin blackblade(B) 2 goblin thorns(T) 3 goblin crazies(C) The goblins hunker down in a ruin tucked away in the small wood. The srcinal occupants abandoned this outpost decades ago and now much of it has fallen in or collapsed. The goblin thorns watch the surrounding woods, so characters moving into their line of sight will need to make DC 11 Stealth checks if they would remain hidden. When the PCs can see the ruin, read: A ruined ke ep rises f rom the grass y clearing , looking m uch like a rotting tooth. Moss, creepers, and lichen cling to the walls. Rubble-strewn cavities lead inside to a gloomy interior. Perception DC 5: You hear soft voices coming from within the ruin. Characters who speak Goblin can make out nonsense punctuated with the following phrases: “Boontah itches. Cream not work.” “I take eyes. Elf eyes best.” “I hate Boontah.” “Good fight, eh?”
Boontah the Goblin Champion (G)
Level 2 Elite Brute
Goblin Acolyte of Maglubiyet (A)
Level 1 Controller
Small natural humanoid XP 250 Initiative+2 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision HP 90; Bloodied45; see also wild goblin frenzy AC 14; Fortitude16, Reflex 14, Will 13 Saving Throws+2 Speed 6 Action Points1 m Flail (standard; at-will) Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d12 + 3 damage, and the target slides 1 square. R The Eyes Have It(minor; recharge 4 5 6) Weapon Boontah makes an eye ray attack chosen randomly from the following list. Using an eye ray does not provoke opportunity attacks. Ranged 5; +4 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 fire 1—Fire Ray (Fire): damage. 2—Exhaustion Ray (Necrotic): Ranged 5; +4 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened until the end of Boontah’s next turn.
Small natural humanoid XP 100 Initiative+0 SensesPerception +3; low-light vision Life Scourgeaura 2; each creature within the aura cannot regain hit points. HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 12, Will 14 Speed 6 m Slashing Shroud(standard; at-will) Illusion, Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage, and the goblin acolyte of Maglubiyet becomes invisible to the target until the end of the acolyte’s next turn. R Hand of Maglubiyet(standard; at-will) Force Ranged 10; +5 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 5 force damage, and the goblin acolyte of Maglubiyet chooses either to slide the target 3 squares or to immobilize the target until the end of the acolyte’s next turn. R Maglubiyet’s Fists (standard; recharge 5 6 ) The goblin acolyte of Maglubiyet makes two hand of
Chain(standard; requires flail; at-will) Weapon C Slashing Close blast 2; one or two creatures; +5 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3
Maglubiyet attacks, each against a different target. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when the goblin acolyte of Maglubiyet is missed by a melee attack; at-will) The acolyte shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Skills Diplomacy +6, Intimidate +6 Str 11 (+0) Dex 10 (+0) Wis 16 (+3) Con 13 (+1) Int 13 (+1) Cha 13 (+1) Equipmentbattleaxe
damage, and Boontah shifts 3 squares to any unoccupied square within or adjacent to the blast. C Dizzy Goblin Strike(standard; recharge 6 ) Weapon Close burst 1; targets enemies; +5 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square. Effect: Boontah shifts 1d4 squares and makes the following melee secondary attack, but cannot use goblin tactics (save ends). Secondary Attack: +5 vs. AC; 2d10 + 3 damage, and the target is stunned until the end of Boontah’s next turn. Wild Goblin Frenzy(while bloodied) Boontah automatically recharges dizzy goblin strike at the start of each of his turns, but gains a –1 penalty to attack rolls and a +1 bonus to damage rolls. This penalty and bonus are cumulative. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when Boontah is missed by a melee attack; at-will) Boontah shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 17 (+4) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 8 (+0) Con 15 (+3) Int 8 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmenthide armor, flail
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Goblin Blackblade (B)
Level 1 Lurker
3 Goblin Crazies (C)
Level 2 Minion Brute
Small natural humanoid XP 100 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision HP 25; Bloodied12 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 11 Speed 6; see also goblin tactics m Short Sword(standard; at-will) Weapon +5 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage. Combat Advantage The goblin blackblade deals 1d6 extra damage to any target it has combat advantage against. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The goblin shifts 1 square. Sneaky When shifting, a goblin blackblade can move into a space occupied by an ally of its level or lower. The ally shifts into the blackblade’s previous space as a free action. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin SkillsStealth +10, Thievery +10
Small natural humanoid XP 31 each Initiative+3 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 12 Speed 6 m Battleaxe(standard; at-will) Weapon +5 vs. AC; 5 damage. M Crazed Charge(standard; at-will) The goblin crazy charges and makes the following attack in place of a melee basic attack: +6 vs. AC; 6 damage, and the target is immobilized and grants combat advantage until the end of its next turn. The goblin crazy drops to 0 hit points. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 8 (+0) Con 14 (+3) Int 7 (-1) Cha 6 (-1) Equipmentleather armor, spiked helmet, battleaxe
Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (-1) Equipmentleather armor, short sword
The goblins might be diminished by their encounter with the fallen adventuring part y, but they are also heady from their victory. The goblin thorns send arrows into characters they can see, shifting after each hit to adjust their positions to benefit from cover if possible. The acolyte supports the thorns with hand of Maglubiyet to pin down a character or drag him or her out from cover. The thorns and acolyte switch tactics if engaged. If pressed into melee, the thorns withdraw to resume their barrage from deeper in the complex, while the acolyte uses slashing shroud to cover its retreat. The crazies are less cautious. They lower their heads and charge out from the ruin to impale the closest enemy they can reach. If a crazy fails to kill itself (with a hit), it eases its disappointment by hacking at its target. Boontah follows a crazy, charging the closest enemy. On his next turn, he uses dizzy goblin strike to
2 Goblin Thorns (T)
Wis 12 (+1) Cha 8 (-1)
Level 1 Minion Artiller y
Small natural humanoid XP 25 each Initiative+2 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 14; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 3 damage. r Shortbow (standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 15/30; +8 vs. Reflex ; 4 damage. Skittering Goblin(free, when the goblin thorn hits with a ranged attack; at-will) The goblin shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 10 (+0) Dex 15 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Con 11 (+0) Int 8 (-1) Cha 8 (-1) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, shortbow, quiver with 15 arrows
C B A
T
C C
G T
Tactics
give himself some room, and then directs his flail at his nearest enemies with slashing chain. Finally, the goblin blackblade hides in the ruins, surveying the battlefield from his position. He then sneaks around to hit a soft PC—a controller or ranged striker—from behind. Once engaged, the lurker works with its allies to use sneaky and get combat advantage where possible. All goblins here fight to the death.
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Features of the Area Trees: Squares containing trees grant cover. The canopy is heavily obscured and characters can climb into it, up to 4 squares above the ground, with a successful DC 10 Athletics check. Rubble: Squares containing rubble count as difficult terrain. Corpses and Flies:The adventurers’ eyeless bodies are heaped in a pile. Squares containing the corpses count as difficult terrain and any creature entering the square causes black flies to erupt in a burst 1. The burst creates a zone of buzzing insects that lasts until the end of the encounter. Squares inside the zone are lightly obscured and living creatures in the zone take a –1 penalty to attack rolls.
About the Author Robert J. Schwalbis an award-winning game designer whose more recent work can be found in Martial Power™ 2, Draconomicon™ 2, and Primal Power™. Robert lives in Tennessee.
Treasure:The goblins stripped any valuables they could find on corpses. Boontah carries a level 2 magic item (preferably hide armor or a magic weapon), a bronze nose ring worth 40 gp, and a small pouch containing 5 gp and 14 rotting teeth (his own). Boontah also has glued harvested eyeballs to sticks and mounted them in his headdress to accompany the eyestalks his master gifted him with. The eyestalks cease functioning upon the goblin’s demise. The acolyte of Maglubiyet carries a potion of h ealing, and 5 gp and 34 sp in a leather pouch. The goblin cutter has a pouch filled with 30 sp, 18 cp, an augmenting whetstone (level 6, Adventure r’s Vault, page 190). Scattered between the remaining goblins are 112 cp. If the characters keep the horse (a riding horse), remove the augmenting whetstone. D
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vall A Caos Sca At By Robert J. Schwalb illustration by Tyler Jacobson ✦ Cartography by Jason A. Engle TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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“Elves of the Valley” is a short adventure for five 1stlevel characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar, in a wood not far from the King’s Wall. “Elves of the Valley” pits the adventurers against fey bandits corrupted by a demonic entity recently escaped from deeper within the valley. To defeat the growing evil, the adventurers must confront the bandits, navigate an enchanted wood, and confront the darkness staining the copse’s heart. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can tie the adventure to any wilderness setting not far from a frontier settlement. For more details on the Chaos Scar, be sure to read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out its map.
BACkgrOund The darkness within the Chaos Scar waxes and wanes, and from time to time, when evil is at a peak, some malign intelligence slips free, scuttling through the ruined landscape to visit trouble and mayhem onto the surrounding countryside. Many months ago, such an entity quit the valley’s depths at great cost and traveled some distance before its strength ran out. It took refuge in a small copse not far from the Old Gate and has spent the days and weeks since trying to recover its spent energy. Although much diminished, its presence alone has poisoned the land around its lair, twisting the hearts and minds of those who live in the wood. With their corruption complete, these new thralls look through insane eyes beyond their lairs and carry forth their master’s dark message.
The presence in the woods, known as the Voice in the Darkness, compels the corrupted elves and other villain s to strike at travelers, caravans, and even into the surrounding countryside. Burned-out farms and bloated corpses reveal the sort of mercy one might expect at their hands, so local militia from Restwell Keep has been roused to combat the threat. The trouble is that the brigands attack with no rhyme or reason, and often take nothing from their victims, leaving valuables where they lay amid ashes and cooling blood. The militia’s impotence spreads a chilling fear throughout the adjacent lands, and the common folk now look to heroes with t he pluck and courage to confront the raiders and put an end to their depredations.
AdvenTure SynOpSiS While the corrupted brigands are at large, the characters pick up a trail left by the raiders near a burned-out farmstead and follow them beyond the King’s Wall and into the untamed wilderness surrounding the Chaos Scar. As they near the woods where the evil festers, the heroes are caught in an ambush, where they get their first glimpse of the killers. Defeating these enemies carries the adventurers into a macabre and strange world where all is illusion. Cunning and determined characters may find their way through these pitfalls to face the terrible Voice in the Darkness and his dark champion.
invOLving The herOeS “Elves in the Valley” takes place in the Chaos Scar. You can use a presented hook to get the characters into the valley and to the first encounter. These hooks also include minor quests that can provide an extra incentive.
Hook 1: Rescue Mission A character’s mentor, sibling, friend, or loved one was swept up in an attack and has now gone missing. As there is no one else with the wherewithal to rescue the abducted, it falls to the party to undertake the mission. Alternatively, you can easily turn this into a revenge scenario by having the NPC killed rather than taken. Any prisoners the raiders take can be recovered in the “Eyes in t he Forest” encounter. Minor Quest XP:125 XP
Hook 2: A Second Mission If the PCs defeated the Brothers Gray (seeDUNGEON Magazine #172) they might have come to the attention of a noble in a nearby barony. After the heroes’ success against these renegades, the noble funds their expedition to wipe out these ruthless killers. Minor Quest XP:100 XP plus 200 gp (parcel 5).
Hook 3: Happenstance While on the way to or from another expedition into the Chaos Scar, the characters run afoul of the ambush. Perhaps one of the blackleaf snipers steals something from the characters and flees into the woods, or maybe the adventurers simply recognize the threat these killers pose. Minor Quest XP:100 XP
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Treasure Preparation The characters should gain a total of four treasure parcels in this adventure. You can place these parcels wherever you like or you can use recommendations on the following table for placement and composition.
Parcel Location
Composition
1
Eyes in the Forest
potion of healing 10 gp,
2
Voice in the Darkness
Level 3 magic item
3
Voice in the Darkness
Level 2 magic item
4
Voice in the Darkness
1,500 sp, 3,000 cp
geTTing STArTed The adventure assumes the characters pick up the trail at a burned-out farmstead a few miles from the King’s Wall, but you can use a different opening that fits better with your campaign. If you want to jump into the action, begin withTactical Encounter .1
The farmstead’s smoldering remains fills the air with acrid smoke. Bloated cows litter the fields around. A few corpses, some burned, reveal only that the attackers were wanton and merciless villains. The house is ruins and ash. No survivors remain, as every man, woman, and beast was put to the sword or filled w ith arrows. T he muddy ground, however, holds prints, and characters searching the area find them easily. Following the prints requires two DC 15 Perception checks, one made just outside the farmstead and the other just across the King’s Wall. The killers didn’t use the Old Gate, instead climbing over the wall and resuming their journey into a small copse. A successful check by 5 or more also reveals the attackers included four quadrupeds, likely wolves, and four lightweight humanoids. Should the characters fail
either check, they can still follow the tracks, but the enemies in “Eyes in the Forest” automatically have surprise against the characters. Tactical Encounter 1: “Eyes in the Forest,” see page 8.
Navigating the Woods The inoffensive sma ll copse is but a façade for the brooding darkness haunting this place, a fact revealed when travelers cross its borders to enter a realm of madness and shadow. Paths shift and change, landmarks vanish, while laughter fills the air. For the heroes to reach the malign presence, they must enter the woods and survive the many perils awaiting them. The following skill challenge describes the journey to the dark heart of the forest. The journey should take about 6 hours. Each hour, the characters must overcome a new challenge, usually resolved th rough a group skill check. The characters make progress whether they succeed or fail on the check, but each accumulated failure allows the Voice in the Darkness to make an attack against each character that failed the check. (when the characters fail a group skill Maddening Whispers check made during the “Enchanted Wood” skill challenge) ✦ Psychic Targets each PC in the woods; +5 vs. Will; 1d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty on all skill checks until the party makes a successful skill check during the skill challenge. Penalties don’t accumulate.
Enchanted Woods Distances s tretch, t rails shift, trees mo ve, rocks dance: Finding your way through this wood will not be easy. Level: 1 Complexity:2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures) Special: The characters can attempt a maximum of two skill checks each hour, except in hour 3, which is a separate encounter that can earn them a success toward completing this skill challenge. But they can earn only a maximum of 1 success each hour. This means they have the option to make a second attempt in an hour if they fail at the first, but they still need 1 success each hour of their trip through the woods to successfully complete the skill challenge. Primary Skills:Acrobatics, Arcana, At hletics, Endurance, Insight, Nature, Perception, Stealth, other Hour 1:Arcana or Insight Arcana, Insight (DC 15): The woods’ strange character reveals itself in haunting laughter and flitting shadows. The party makes a group skill check using Arcana (to perceive the magical effect) or Insight (to rely on instinct), with a success gained if at least half the PCs succeed on the check. If at least two characters succeed by 5 or more, the party gains a +2 bonus on skill checks made during the next hour. The characters can earn only one success, and a maximum of 1 success, in this hour during this skill challenge. Hour 2:Acrobatics or Athletics Acrobatics, Athlet ics (DC 10): Thorn bushes, bracken, and small trees block the party’s progress. The party ma kes a group skill check using Acrobatics (to wriggle through the tangles) or Athletics (to bull through the tangles), with a success gained if at least half the characters succeed on the check. In addition to counting as a failure, if half the party fails
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the check, every character loses 1 healing surge from injuries sustained from the hostile environment. Hour 3:Other Other: The party comes upon a bog in the forest. Proceed with Tactical Encounter 2: “Boggy Down,” see page 11. If the party defeats the enemies, they gain 1 success. If they retreat, they gain 1 failure. Hour 4:Endurance or Nature Endurance, Nature (DC 10): Bloodsucking midges attack the party. The characters make a group skill check using Endurance (to resist t he insect clouds) or Nature (to use a balm or some other protection that repels the vermin), with a success gained if at least half the characters succeed. If half the characters fail, the characters take a –2 penalty on all skill checks made for the remainder of t he encounter in addition to counting as a failure. Hour 5:Perception Perception (DC 15): Several paths through the woods reveal themselves to the party. The characters make a group skill check to find the tracks and identify false ones. The party gains a success if at least half the characters succeed. Hour 6: Stealth Stealth (DC 15): The adventurers close in on the heart of the woods. If they would approach undetected, they must be quiet. The characters make a group skill check with a success gained if at least half the party succeeds. Success:The characters overcome the woods’ strange magic and proceed to Tactical Encounter 3: Voice in the Darkness (see page 13). The characters have surprise for this encounter. Defeat: The characters are thoroughly confused by the wood’s strange magic. They proceed to Tactical Encounter 3, as above, but are themselves surprised.
reSTS
The characters can take short rests in the woods without trouble, but extended rests beneath the strange canopy invite danger. Each hour the characters spend in one place, there’s a cumulative 10% chance per hour that something finds them. In the event that this occurs, you should run a level 1 encounter using a mix of creatures drawn from this adventure. A sample encounter would be:
Level 1 Encounter (XP 550) ✦ 1 blackleaf sniper (level 1 artillery, see page 9) ✦ 3 elf scouts (level 2 skirmisher, see page 11) ✦ 4 hunting wolves (level 1 minion skirmisher, see page 9)
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1. eyeS in The fOreST
Tactics
The bandits have surprise against the charact ers unless they succeeded on both Perception checks. With surprise, they are also hidden from any charSetup acter with a passive Perception score of 17 or less. Phystal (P) During the surprise round, Phystal usesraining arrows 3 blackleaf snipers(S) against obvious defenders, while the snipers useblack4 huntin g wolves(W) leaf arrows against any targets they are hidden from. The hunting wolves join the fight during the Cruel bandits take positions in the forest and watch second round. They protect Phystal first, but if he’s for intruders. The bandits and wolves are all hidden not adjacent to any characters, they target isolated until they attack or are detected. characters instead, such as ranged strikers and conWhen the characters near the woods’ edge, read: trollers. The wolves flank their opponents to knock them prone. The tracks end not far from the woods’ edge. Birch, elms, For the rest of the combat, the snipers choose difand maples combined with underbrush and bracken Encounter Level 1 (575 XP)
conceal much of what the grove contains. If the enemies have surprise, read: Black arrows hiss out from the foli age signaling an at tack! Perception DC 15:You notice three concealed pits in the clearing along the forest’s edge. DC 18:Faint movement reveals a slim humanoid’s shape in the foliage.
ferent targets, makingshortbow attacks against any dazed targets. They switch toblackleaf arrows only when primary targets save against the dazed condition or when an individual sniper faces a dif ferent enemy. Phystal follows a similar pattern. Once he contains the defenders, he uses shortbow attacks or blackleaf arrow attacks to slide dazed enemies together until he can use raining arrows again. Like the snipers, Phystal makes Stealth checks to hide whenever he can.
Phystal (P)
Level 2 Controller (Leader)
Medium fey humanoid, elf XP 125 Initiative+3 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision Watcher of the Woods aura 10; all allies in the aura gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against targets from which they are hidden. HP 35; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude15, Reflex 15, Will 16 Speed 7; see also wild step m Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. r Shortbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage. If Phystal has combat advantage against the target, he can slide the target up to 3 squares. R Blackleaf Arrow(standard; requires shortbow; 3/encounter) ✦ Poison, Weapon Phystal makes a shortbow attack. On a hit, Phystal makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude; the target is dazed and takes ongoing 3 damage (save ends both). A Raining Arrows(standard; requires shortbow; recharge 5 6 ) ✦ Weapon Area burst 1 within 10; targets enemies; +6 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 2 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Elven Accuracy(free; encounter) The elf can reroll an attack roll. It must use the second roll, even if it’s lower. Wild Step The elf ignores difficult terrain when it shifts. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Elven Skills Stealth +8 Str 14 (+3) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (+1) Con 11 (+1) Int 11 (+1) Cha 16 (+4) Equipmenthide armor, scimitar, shortbow, quiver with 20 arrows
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3 Blackleaf Snipers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Medium fey humanoid, elf XP 100 each Initiative+7 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision HP 32; Bloodied16 AC 15; Fortitude12, Reflex 15, Will 13 Speed 7; see also wild step m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. r Shortbow (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage. R Blackleaf Arrow(standard; requires shortbow; 3/encounter) ✦ Poison, Weapon The sniper makes a shortbow attack. On a hit, the sniper makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude; the target is dazed and takes ongoing 3 poison damage (save ends both). Elven Accuracy(free; encounter) The elf can reroll an attack roll. It must use the second roll, even if it’s lower. Wild Step The elf ignores difficult terrain when it shifts. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Elven Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8 Str 9 (—1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 10 (+0) Int 10 (+0) Cha 11 (+0) Equipmentleather armor, short sword, longbow, quiver with 20 arrows
Concealed Pit The ground gives way and drops you into a pit. At-Will Opportunity Action Melee Trigger:A Medium or smaller character enters a square containing a pit. Target:The triggering creature Attack:+4 vs. Reflex Hit: The target falls 10 feet into the pit, takes 1d10 damage, and is knocked prone. A target can climb out of the pit with a DC 10 Athletics check Miss:The target returns to the square it last occupied and its move action ends.
Interrogating a Prisoner The elves prove uncooperative if captured, but persistent characters might be able to ferret out information about their purpose and master. Phystal, however, cannot be interrogated.
Interrogating the Prisoners
To learn something from the prisoner, you must get past the defiance revealed in its soulless black eyes. Level: 1 (100 XP) 4 Hunting Wolves (W) Level 2 Minion Skirmisher Medium natural beast XP 31 each Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +7; low-light vision failures). HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Primary Skills:Arcana, Diplomacy, Insight, AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 8 Intimidate m Bite (standard; at-will) Arcana (DC 15, 1 success, maximum 2 s uccesses): The +7 vs. AC; 4 damage (5 damage against a prone target). first successful check identifies the magical curse If the wolf has combat advantage against the target, the afflicting the prisoner as having an elemental srcin. target falls prone. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Success by 5 or more also grants the character a +2 Str 13 (+2) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) bonus to the next Arcana check made. A second sucCon 14 (+3) Int 2 (–3) Cha 10 (+1) cessful check lifts the curse. In addition to counting as a failure, a failed Arcana check also deals 5 psychic damage to the character that made the check.
Diplomacy (DC 10, 1 success , requires 2 successes from Arcana, maximum 2 s uccesses): The first successful check calms the prisoner. The second successful check helps the elf set aside the crushing guilt for the crimes he or she committed. Diplomacy checks attempted before gaining the requisite number of Arcana checks result in automatic failures. Insight (DC 10, 1 success, ma ximum 1 success): A successful check reveals the elf is ensorcelled and opens up the Arcana skill. Intimidate (DC 17 or 5, 1 success, ma ximum 4 successes): Use the higher DC if the PCs have not yet accumulated 2 successes from Arcana. Each successful check breaks down the prisoner’s will. Victory: The characters lift the enchantment corrupting the prisoner’s mind. The freed elf reveals, “There is evil in these woods, ancient and abominable. It whispers in the darkness, poisoning our minds with its vile words. Beware, friends, lest you succumb to the same corruption.” The elf warns the adventurers that others haunt the woods. All is not as it seems in the forest, and it’s easy to become turned around. The elf offers to lead the characters to the Voice in the Darkness, granting the characters a +2 bonus on any skill checks related to the “Enchanted Woods” skill challenge. However, the elf flees at the start of any combat encounter. Defeat:The elf explodes in a burst of harmless, disgusting black filth.
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Features of the Area
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Light Forest:Underbrush and low-hanging branches make light forest squares lightly obscured. An attack that deals 5 or more points of fire damage to a lightly obscured square clears away the foliage. Underbrush:Squares containing underbrush are difficult terrain. Conceal ed Pits (T):Three pits protect the forest’s edge. Treasure:Phystal carries a leather belt pouch containing parcel 1, which consists of 10 gp and apotion of healing.
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2. BOggy dOwn Encounter Level 1 (550 XP)
Setup 1 mud lasher (M) 3 elf scouts (E) The three elf scouts hide in dense forest squares. The mud lasher lurks beneath the black scum covering the bog. Do not place hidden enemies on the map unt il they attack or are detected. When the characters enter this area, read:
Pockets of dense forest mingle w ith the rest of the woods but you can still make out a s mall clearing containing a bog in its center. Perception DC 20: Slight movement reveals a slim form hidden in the trees.
Tactics
Elf Scout
The mud lasher emerges from the bog when any creature enters the clearing. It usesdrowning slam and slam against any enemy it can reach, switching tomud ball when there are no nearby enemies. The elves remain hidden until the characters are within attack range of the mud lasher. Once the elemental attacks, they leap from their perches in the trees and attack with surprise, unless they were spotted. They use wild step to shift through the thick, cloying mud of the bog, makingtwo-weapon rend attacks as often as possible, and trying to flank with one another and them mud lasher. Mud Lasher (M)
Level 4 Brute
Medium elemental magical beast (earth, water) XP 175 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +9; low-light vision HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 16; Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 15 Immune disease, poison Speed 5 m Slam (standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 2d8 + 4 damage. M Drowning Slam(standard; encounter) +5 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 4 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage. R Mud Ball (standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +5 vs. Reflex; the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends). Amorphous Body(immediate reaction, when hit by a melee attack; encounter) The mud lasher shifts 3 squares. Relentless Assault A mud lasher gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against slowed or immobilized creatures. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial Skills Stealth +9 Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 13 (+3) Int 8 (+1) Cha 11 (+2)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium fey humanoid, elf XP 125 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +10; low-light vision Group Awarenessaura 5; non-elf allies in the aura gain a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks. HP 39; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 15, Will 13 Speed 6; see also wild step m Longsword(standard, at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. m Short Sword(standard, at-will) ✦ Weapon +7 vs AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. M Two-Weapon Rend(standard, encounter) ✦ Weapon The elf scout makes a longsword attack and a short sword attack against the same target. If both attacks hit, the elf scout deals an additional 4 damage. Elven Accuracy(free; encounter) An elf can reroll an attack roll. It must use the second roll, even if it’s lower. Combat Advantage An elf scout that has combat advantage deals an extra 1d6 damage on its attacks. Wild Step An elf ignores difficult terrain when it shifts. AlignmentAny LanguagesCommon, Elven Skills Nature +10, Stealth +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 14 (+3) Con 15 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmentchainmail, longsword, short sword
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Features of the Area Dense Forest:Squares containing dense forest are heavily obscured and count as difficult terrain. Light Forest:All other forest squares are lightly obscured. Bog: A small bog covered in foul scum stands in a clearing. Squares containing the bog are difficult terrain. A character knocked prone in the bog cannot stand unless he or she first succeeds on a DC 10 Acrobatics or Athletics check.
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3. vOiCe in
When the characters enter this area, read:
The dArkneSS
You emerge from the malicious woods and find yourselves in a wide clearing littered with ruins. Evil radiates from a large tree with black bark and bare branches that rises from a depression in the clearing’s center. Tangled, thorny vines twitch and creep around the tree. Across the clearing, an old monolith crawling with runes stands atop a bare hillock.
Encounter Level 4 (950 XP)
Setup Anise (A) 1 fey panther (P) 3 bloodtho rn vines(B) Voice in the Darknes s(V)
When the characters see the fey panther, read: A sleek panther with tuf ted ears and striped f ur fixes you with baleful e yes.
A clearing in the woods’ heart is home to the diseased entity behind the area’s corruption. The Voice in the Darkness is a demonic entity which recently escaped from deeper within the Chaos Scar. It hid in a mighty
When the characters see Anise, read:
tree but was so weak thattoit escape. becameThe bound to thesuits wood and is now unable situation it, however, as it can work its evil through the fey creatures that serve it. Anise and the fey panther are hidden behind the ruined walls, so don’t place them yet. The bloodthorn vines and the tree, however, are visible.
around him.
A pale warrior comes into vi ew wielding t wo blades and wearing black mail. His face i s twist ed into a hatefu l mask. He screams shrilly, causing the air to be nd and waver When the characters see the tree, read:
Swirling mist issues from a dark crevice in the tree’s trunk, and from with the stinking expulsion you hear a faint and terrible voice. Arcana DC 10:Strange portals hang in the air. Moving through them will teleport you to a random location. DC 15:Magical energy wells up from the monolith, power that could aid you in the struggle here.
Anise the Chaos Warrior (A)
Level 1 Elite Brute
Medium fey humanoid, elf XP 200 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +9; low-light vision Destructive Wake aura 5; any enemy in the aura takes a –5 penalty to saving throws against ongoing damage. HP 70; Bloodied35 AC 13; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Resist5 variable (1/encounter) Saving Throws+2 Speed 6; see also wild step Action Points1 m Longsword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 7 damage. m Short Sword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage. M Two-Weapon Rend(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Anise makes a longsword attack and a short sword attack against the same target. If both attacks hit, Anise deals 4 extra damage. C Destabilizing Breath (standard; encounter) ✦ Varies Close blast 5; +4 vs. AC; 2d6 + 2 cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage of that type and a –2 penalty to AC and Fortitude (save ends both). Elven Accuracy(free; encounter) Anise can reroll an attack roll. He must use the second roll, even if it’s lower. Combat Advantage Anise’s deals 1d6 extra damage on all attacks against targets he has combat advantage against. Devastating Assault When Anise hits with a charge attack or hits a creature granting combat advantage to him, the attack also deals ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Wild Step Anise ignores difficult terrain when he shifts. AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Elven SkillsNature +9, Stealth +13 Str 12 (+1) Dex 18 (+4) Wis 14 (+2) Con 15 (+2) Int 10 (+0) Cha 12 (+1) Equipmentchainmail, longsword, short sword
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Fey Panther (P)
Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium fey beast XP 175 Initiative+8 SensesPerception +8; low-light vision HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 18; Fortitude16, Reflex 18, Will 15 Speed 8, climb 6; see also fey step m Bite (standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage, and the fey panther shifts 1 square. Charging Pounce When the fey panther hits with a charge attack, it deals 1d6 extra damage and knocks the target prone. Fey Step(move; encounter) ✦ Teleportation The fey panther teleports 5 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +11 Str 14 (+4) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 13 (+3) Con 14 (+4) Int 2 (–2) Cha 11 (+2)
3 Bloodthorn Vines (B)
Level 2 Soldier
Medium natural beast (plant) XP 125 each Initiative+3 SensesPerception +3; blindsight 10 HP 41; Bloodied20 AC 18; Fortitude15, Reflex 12, Will 14 Speed 5 (forest walk) m Striking Vine(standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage. M Impaling Thorn(standard; recharges when the bloodthorn vine doesn’t have a creature grabb ed) ✦ Healing The vine impales the target’s flesh with a thorn: +9 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is grabbed. Sustain Standard: The vine sustains the grab, the target takes 2d8 + 4 damage, and the vine regains 5 hit points. Pulling Vines(minor; at-will) The bloodthorn vine shifts 1 square, pulling any creature grabbed by it into a space adjacent to it. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+4) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 14 (+3) Con 17 (+4) Int 2 (–3) Cha 6 (–1)
Voice in Level 1 Elite Controlle r (Leader) Blightborn Twig Blight the Darkness (V ) Small fey humanoid (plant) Large elemental magical beast (blind, plant) XP 200 Initiative–1 SensesPerception +2; blind, blindsight 10 HP 60; Bloodied30 AC 15; Fortitude14, Reflex 13, Will 15 Immuneblinded, gaze, sleep; Vulnerable10 fire Saving Throws+2 Speed 0 Action Points1 m Grasping Roots(standard; at-will) Reach 3; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is grabbed. The voice can grab up to two creatures at one time. R Twisted Nature(minor 1/round; at-will) Reach 10; targets a twig blight ally; the target makes a melee basic attack with a +2 bonus to the attack roll. C Psychic Lance(standard; at-will) ✦ Psychic Close burst 10; one or two creatures in burst; +5 vs. Will; 1d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn.
C Insidious Whispers (standard; recharges when the voice has no spawned twig blights) ✦ Psychic Close burst 3; enemies in burst; +5 vs. Will; 1d6 + 3 psychic damage, and the target makes a melee basic attack against a creature the voice chooses. A Blightborn Calling (minor; recharge 3 4 5 6 ) Close burst 5; The voice spawns four blightborn twig blights in unoccupied squares within the burst, and the twig blights act immediately. The twig blights remain until destroyed or until the end of the encounter. The twig blights act on the voice’s turn. The voice can have up to six twig blights at a time. C Abyssal Cry(free, when damaged by an attack; recharges when a bloodthorn vine drops to 0 hit points) Close burst10; targets non-minion allies; the target gains 10 temporary hit points and a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of its next turn. (while bloodied) Fear of Annihilation The voice gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls. Threatening Rea ch The voice can make opportuni ty attacks against all enemies within its reach (3 squares). AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal Str 13 (+1) Dex 8 (–1) Wis 14 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 12 (+1) Cha 17 (+3)
Level 1 Minion
XP — Initiative+3 SensesPerception +6 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude11, Reflex 15, Will 13 Speed 7 (forest walk), climb 5 m Claw (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +6 vs. AC; 2 poison damage (3 poison damage with combat advantage). AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesElven SkillsPerception +6, Stealth +16 Str 7 (–2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 7 (–2) Int 5 (–3) Cha 10 (+0)
Tactics The creatures regard the characters’ intrusion as the worst affront and fight to the death to protect the tree. The Voice in the Darkness uses blightborn calling on its first action, then follows up withpsychic lance. On its next turn, it uses psychic lance and then spends an action point to use insidious whispers, provided several characters are in range. The voice can make opportunity attacks against enemies within 3 squares thanks to threatening reach, and it directs its minions to target grabbed melee strikers. Whenever it rechargesblightborn calling , it refreshes its minions. Should it become imperiled, it uses desperate cry to invigorate its allies. The bloodthorn vines protect the tree, usingimpaling thorn to grab and drag attackers away from the tree and then move back to stay within 3 squares of the hazard. Anise and the fey panther close on the characters, using twisted space squares (see Features of the Area) to attack the characters from unexpected directions or simply closing the distance through movement. They focus on characters that hang back, the panther charging when possible, and Anise hitting groups with destabilizing breath and then charging.
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3
Twisted Space:The demonic entity’s mere presence has weakened reality in places, opening u nstable portals around the batt lefield. Whenever a creature enters a square containing warped space, roll 1d6. T he creature teleports to a n unoccupied square adjacent to the portal corresponding to the result on the die. Sinking Pit:The massive tree holding the Voice in the Darkness rises from a shallow depression in the clearing’s center. All squares in the depression and around the tree count as difficult terrain. Creatures with eart h walk or forest walk ignore this difficu lt terrain. Treasure:Scattered among the roots at the base of the tree are three parcels including two magic items (level 2 and 3), 1,500 sp, and 3,000 cp.
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Features of the Area Hillock: A small hill rises from the clearing. Slope squares leading up the hill are difficult terrain. Monolith:A stone monolith stands atop the hill, a vestige from another time. The first cha racter to touch the stone regains the use of an expended encounter attack power. Ruins: Pitted and crumbling walls still stand in this clearing. The walls count as blocking terrain. The
walls are 8 feet tall. A character can climb a wall wit h a successful DC 10 Athletics check. A square of wall has AC 5, Reflex 5, Fortitude 10; hp 40. Warped Trees:The Voice in the Darkness corrupted the few trees in the clearing, giving them fleshy bark, leathery leaves, and blood for sap. Any creature starting its turn in a square adjacent to a warped tree is slowed until the start of its next turn.
Upon destroying the Voice in the Darkness, the woods return to a normal and natural state. The remaining bands still at large in the countryside separate in confusion as the enchantment breaks. Many are overcome with shame and grief at what they have done. Some return to the Chaos Scar to seek vengeance against the more powerful terrors and others leave the region altogether. At your discretion, the contamination might linger in a few elves. Such enemies would undoubtedly seek revenge on those who destroyed their master.
About the A uthor is an award-winning game designer Robert J. Schwalb whose work can be found in nu merous roleplaying sourcebooks and accessories. His most recent work can be found in the Dark Sun Campaign Sett ing, Dark Sun Creature Cata log, Monster M anual 3, and the Player’s Handbook 3. Robert lives in Tennessee.
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Se’s Ca A Cha os Scar A dventure
By Stephen Radney-MacFarland illustration by David Rapoza
cartography by Jason A. Engle
TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Sliver’s Call” takes place in the Chaos Scar, near the King’s Wall. The characters become entwined in the r ivalry of a pair of arcane scholars searching for a long-lost treasure. The wizard Casaubon hires a group of adventures to help him achieve his destiny. The characters must confront mercenaries, warlocks and an ancient evil as they unseal the final barrier imprisoning this powerful treasure.
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“Sliver’s Call” is a short adventure for five 2nd-level characters that takes part in the Chaos Scar, near the King’s Wall. The characters become entwined in the rivalry of a pair of arcane scholars searching for a long-lost treasure. Both rivals are under the influence of psionic commands from a sliver of the Chaos Meteor that compel them to uncover it. The wizard Casaubon is on the verge of finding the sliver and hires a group of adventures to help him achieve his destiny. The characters first confront a mercenary force hired by his rival, then come upon her with her warlock associates as they unseal the final barrier imprisoning the sliver. Finally they must contend with the ancient evil as it takes control of their employer. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating the Cave of Dark Whispers into any existing campaign, in a stretch of wilderness where a meteorite fragment fell long ago. If you use t he adventure somewhere other than the Chaos Scar, you’ll need to invent your own explanation for the sliver’s malign influence. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the [link] Chaos Scar introduction [/link] and check out the map of the entire valley.
BACkground The promise of riches and adventure has called many to the Chaos Scar over the centuries, but other voices literally summon the gullible and the greedy with sinister and seductive words. Five years ago, the half-elf wizard Casaubon heard one of those voices in an unlikely place. While a student at the renowned White Lotus Academy of the arcane arts, the mage stumbled upon a githzerai
memory crystal in a forgotten corner of the academy’s Lost Secrets Library. Casaubon read the memory crystal’s contents, which described the final days of Xor-Souf, a longdead githzerai. Xor-Souf had spent the last part of her life chasing a strange meteor streaking through the heavens toward the world—the same one that ultimately carved the Chaos Scar. She knew the cosmic stone was an artifact of evil and rightly feared it, but she was also drawn by its immense power—and by a psionic call issuing from it. As she followed the rock’s path, she stayed ever vigilant for a sliver of the main mass—the one issuing the psionic call—to break away. Foolishly, she believed that she could harvest some of the meteor’s power from such a shard without succumbing to its evil. When the meteor made landfall, a fragment did break away to embed itself in the ground not far from the main impact site. The next-to-last memory stored within the cr ystal was of Xor-Souf landing her planar vessel near the Chaos Scar and leaving it to excavate the shard.
MEMory CryStAlS
These psionic crys tals come in many sizes, bu t none larger than a short sword. Creatures trained in Arcana can access the crystal as a standard action and then scan its memories, much like reading a book. The smallest crystals hold one to ten pages’ worth of information; the largest can contain the equivalent of 10,000 pages. Memory crystals can serve as both ritual books and as scrolls.
The crystal’s last entry was a disjointed and confusing jumble of emotions and thoughts. Some of them were Xor-Souf’s, but others came from an indescribable being wielding potent psionic power. The telepathic voice raged that Xor-Souf was and unsuitable vessel for its gift. It called out to Casaubon by name to come to the Chaos Scar, find the sliver, and claim true power. A brilliant but f lawed scholar, Casaubon was instantly seduced by the sliver’s call. Xor-Souf had died hundreds of years before his birth, yet the voice spoke his name. He became convinced he found his true destiny, one written in the stars long ago—maybe even before the Dawn War. In other words, Casaubon took the first steps toward delusion, obsession, and insanity. The half-elf academic’s obsession with the sliver grew each day. He spent every moment of free time researching the Chaos Scar, Xor-Souf, and the meteor. His studies developed into plans for an e xpedition, and those grew into a conspiracy with a fellow student—an earthsoul genasi swordmage named Ediza. Ediza came from a family of means, unlike Casaubon. He struck up a romance of convenience with the genasi, leading her on with the promise of power in return for funds and materiel to supply his expedition. Although he was careful not to share all his secrets with Ediza, in the end Casaubon was the one manipulated. His evasiveness piqued the genasi’s curiosity. She eventually found and read Xor-Souf’s memory crystal, but the strange voice in the crystal’s last entry called her name, not Casaubon’s. This revelation hit Ediza like a punch in the gut. Not only was she being used for her wealth (which she had always suspected), but Casaubon wanted to
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cheat her of her rightful destiny. Ediza secretly left the academy and mounted her own expedition to the Chaos Scar. Now, nearly a month later, Casaubon is struggling to catch up to her. The sliver saw in Casaubon the ideal qualities for a servant but was content to lead Ediza on to hasten its release. Once Casaubon arrives at the excavation site, the sliver moves to embrace its chosen one.
AdvEnturE SynopSiS Casaubon approaches the characters with a plan to explore a site in the Chaos Scar known as the Cave of Dark Whispers. Outwardly the half-elf seems an eccentric and slightly befuddled wizard looking for some long-lost bit of arcana. Insightful characters might suspect that Casaubon is not being entirely honest about his quest, or even gain a clue as to his true mental state. If the characters take the job, they accompany the wizard to the Chaos Scar and eventually approach the Cave of Dark Whispers. There they encounter Ediza’s mercenaries, who are guarding the excavation. Casaubon urges bloody battle, but if the characters defeat the mercenaries by other means, they can learn more about Ediza, Casaubon, and the history of the cave. Beyond are the lower ruins, once the temple and base of operations for the long-dead Cult of Dark Whispers, dedicated to the malevolent sliver. The characters find Ediza and a pair of half ling warlocks attempting to open the f inal seal on t he sliver’s resting place. Once they open the door, the swordmage and warlocks are aided by sliver wraiths, servants of t he whispering shard, but only until the wraiths are destroyed. Then their essence empowers the whispering sliver’s true chosen, Casaubon, to help him defeat his rival.
Once the characters reach the inner temple, they are attacked by more wraiths—as well as by Casaubon, who has bonded with t he sliver and does not intend to share its power with anyone.
Dungeon Tiles All of this adventure maps were constructed with one set each of the following D&D Dungeon Tilesets: Halls of th e Giant Kings (DU1), Caves of Carnage (DU3), and Sinister Woods (DU5). The map for encounter W1 uses tiles from the Caves of Carnage and Sinister Woods sets. The maps for encounters W2 and W3 draw on t he Halls of th e Giant Kings and Caves of Carnage sets.
Treasure “Sliver’s Call” uses the treasure parcel system described in the Dungeon Ma ster’s Guide. The characters should earn a total of five treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find treasure and what each parcel should contain. (When placing magic items, you should consult your players’ wish lists, if any). If appropriate, you can have a monster use a magic item in an encounter, making changes to its stat block as needed to reflect the item’s abilities.
gEtting StArtEd “Sliver’s Call” starts when the characters meet Casau-
Parcel 1: Two potions of healing and 190 gp (carried by Casaubon) All encounters Parcel 2: One level 3 magic item (carried by a mercenary) Mercenaries at the Mouth Parcel 3: 100 gp gem (amber) and 70 gp (carried by a mercenary) Mercenaries at the Mouth Parcel 4: One level 5 magic item (carried by Ediza or one of the warlocks) The Sealed Doorw ay Parcel 5: One 250 gp art object (buried in the rubble in the old temple) Call Heeded
bon. The circumstances of the meeting depend on the current needs of your campaign. The mage introduces himself. “I’m Casaubon, a wizard and ex plorer. I recently finished my apprenticeship and, as a parting gift, my master gave me a scroll detailing the location of an ancient—and likely undisturbed—treasure trove in the Chaos Scar. I hired a group of adventurers to help me procure it, but I was betrayed. Their leader, a treacherous genasi named Ediza, stole the scroll and left me for dead. I seek help to continue searching for the treasure, as well as to get revenge on those who betrayed me . I’m willin g to pay well .” Casaubon’s behavior can give the characters a clue that the situation is not quite as it seems. Insight DC 12 The wizard fidgets and looks away when he talks about Ediza and h er treache ry. You get the impressi on that he ’s holding something back.
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Arcana D C17 In addition to fidget ing, Casau bon exhibit s odd tics th at suggest symptoms of prolonged psionic suggestion. Such exposure often causes insanity, usually in the form of delusions of grandeur, but it can manifest as full-blown sociopathicbehavior. If the characters ask for any payment up front, Casaubon tries to delay them. In truth, he is broke and has been for weeks, t hough he has some residuum and alchemical reagents at his disposal. (Over the years spent studying the memory crystal and planning the expedition, he carefully stole small quantities of ritual components from t he academy’s stores.) Since Ediza’s betrayal, Casaubon has been using the
CASAuBon
Casaubon is not unattractive, but he is by no means handsome. A tall and lanky man with dark blond hair, curly on top and shorn at the sides, he is often sullen, sometimes terse. The wizard wears long blue robes and usually keeps his face hidden under a voluminous hood. He displays a number of strange physical habits, such as twiddling his fingers and rubbing his face. Though he insists on coming along, Casaubon does not participate in encounters unless forced. The wizard stays at the back of the party, providing light and verbal guidance, but he stays out of combat unless the characters get into serious trouble. In such a circumstance, he provides token spellcasting (typically magic missile or misdirected mark), but if the situation gets too hot, he uses expeditious retreat to flee, retur ning only when the coast is clear.
Fool’s Gold ritual (Arcane Power, page 155) to fund the more expensive parts of his expedition, traveling in disguise to different towns so as to avoid pursuit by bilked merchants. He has 50 gp worth of ritual components left, which he can use to create 500 gp of illusory gold. Since the ritual takes only a minute, and the fake gold lasts for only 4 hours, the wizard prefers to hand it over only after reaching the Cave of Dark Whispers. He insists on accompanying the party to the excavation site. With a successful DC 24 Arcana or Perception check, a character can identify the gold as false.
Digging Deeper The characters might not trust Casaubon, especially if they notice his odd behav ior. The unexplained holes in his story and his insistence on coming along should be red flags. Cautious characters might research Casaubon or the excavation site to lear n more about both before they join the wizard’s expedition. Before they leave town, the PCs can ask the locals about the cave and its history. Townsfolk point them to the shrine of Ioun, the god of knowledge, skill, and prophecy.
Scribers of Ioun The shrine is little more than a small librar y tucked into an alleyway near the town’s marketplace. It is run by two aged human brot hers named Peer and Poul Revet. Identical twins, the two are hard to tell apart. Both have shaggy gray hair tucked under scriber’s caps; they wear the same color, style, and cut of robes; and they speak in the same low grumble. The only obvious difference between them is in the style of the handlebar mustaches that both affect: Peer wears his curled upward, while Poul’s curls down.
Casaubon
Level 3 Elite Controller
Medium natural humanoid, half-elf XP 300 Initiative+2 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision HP 88; Bloodied44 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 14 Saving Throws +2 Speed 6 Action Points 1 m Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d4 + 1 damage. r Magic Missile(standard; at-will) Force, Implement Ranged 20; +6 vs. Reflex; 3d4 + 4 force damage. R Misdirected Mark(standard; encounter) Implement Ranged 10; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is marked by an ally of Casaubon’s choice within 5 squares of him until the end of his next turn. R Light (minor; at-will) Ranged 5; targets one object or unoccupied square; the target sheds bright light that fills the square and all squares within 4 squares of it. The light lasts 5 minutes and can be put out with a free action. Casaubon can have only one light active at a time. Illusion,
A Maze of Mirrors(standard; encounter) Implement
Area burst 1 within 10; + 6 vs. Will; until the end of Casaubon’s next turn, the target is immobilized and takes a –4 to attack rolls. (move; encounter) Expeditious Retreat Casaubon shifts twice his speed. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Draconic Skills Arcana +10, Bluff +6, History +10 Str 11 (+1) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 9 (+0) Con 12 (+2) Int 18 (+5) Cha 16 (+4) Equipmentrobes, dagger, wand, spellbook
The twins can provide some useful information in response to the characters’ inquiries. They frequently interrupt each other, each finishing the other’s sentences as though sharing his thoughts.
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What can you tell me about Casaubon?
ApproAChing
“We have heard the name. An earthsoul genasi woman warned us h e might be comin g this way. We think they are rivals or maybe more—” one adds with a wink—“if you know what I mean .”
thE CAvE oF
What did Ediza want? “She came in looking for information about the Cave of Dark Whispers. We warned her about its danger, but we don’t think she was listening. It is a terrible place better left alone.” What is the Cave of Dark Whispers? The brothers let out a sigh in unison. “Long ago, before we were born, the cave was hom e to a cult th at revered a whisper ing thing said t o dwell in its de pths. A t the cult ’s height, half the town was under its sway. Its sole purpose seemed to be to locate some ‘chosen one.’ Eventually the enemies of the cult crushed it and caved in its subterranean temple, but some folk say they can st ill hear dark whispers from ben eath the ear th. T he cave is dange rous and sh ould remain buried.” If the characters ask for advice, the brothers suggest finding out what the wizard is up to. If Casaubon or Ediza plans to uncover the Cave of Dark Whispers, finding out why might let the characters halt any threat that might be awakened. Such research might involve retracing the wizard’s movements, which could reveal the existence of the memory crystal and its disappearance from the academy’s library.
dArk WhiSpErS Casaubon leads the characters to the ruins at the mouth of the cave. The area is guarded by a group of Ediza’s mercenaries. At the far en d of the clearin g, crum bling walls front a cliff face. Strange s ymbol s are carved into th e weathered gray stone of the ruins. Beyond is a recently excavated cave mouth, its ne wly cleared passage stabilize d by wooden scaffolding. In front of th e cave mouth sit s a motle y group of five humans eating around a fire. Most wear simple leather jerkins a nd carr y maces, b ut one large l out is clad in b ear furs and he fts a greata xe over his sh oulder. He b ullies th e others aside to grab chunks of venison. Above the hu mans, a cl oak-garbed dwarf perches atop a ruined wall, watching the clearing with a loaded crossbow at his side. His gray clothing and skin almost blend into the crumbling stonework. “They are the genasi’s hirelings. We must kill them,” Casaubon whispers. If the characters question the wizard’s bloodthirsty suggestion, he attempts to sway them with wild stories of Ediza’s treachery. His claims are largely fictional but, in his madness, he has convinced himself they are true. A DC 14 Insight check allows a character to recognize the wizard’s fabrications. Tactical Encounter: W1. Mercenaries at the Mouth (page 14).
Beyond the cave mouth is a 100-foot-long winding tunnel, scaffolding lining its walls. The passage ends at a steep flight of stairs descending to the lower temple complex. A DC 12 Perception check reveals signs of a larger labor camp not far from the entrance ruins. The camp was home to two dozen laborers camped there until very recently.
Finding Ediza Beyond the stairs, the characters find the gateway to the inner sanctum of the Cult of Dark Whispers. The temple has been blocked by cave-ins for a century, and Ediza’s team broke through the last barrier only a few days ago. Since then, she and her warlock assistants have been working to defeat the arcane seals on a door guarding the inner chamber, where the sliver lies. They are on the verge of doing so. Little do the excavators know that their actions will release the remnants of souls ensnared by the shard that now seek to merge with its chosen servant. Tactical Encounter: W2. The Sealed Doorway (page 16).
The Whispering Temple Once the inner chamber has been breached, the characters have to deal with the power of the sliver and its servants, as well as an empowered Casaubon intent on keeping its power to himself. Tactical Encounter:W3. Call Heeded (page 19).
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W1. MErCEnAriES At thE Mouth Encounter Level 5 (XP 1,100) Setup 4 human bandits (H) 1 human berserker(B) 1 dwarf bolter (D ) 2 gnome skulks (G) The gnome skulks star t hidden behind the crumbling walls. Do not place them on the map until they attack or a character notices them. Perception DC 17 You catch a slight movement among the ruins from the corner of your eye. Small cloaked figures raising hand crossbows lurk amid the crumbling stone. The mercenaries have been warned by Ediza that a wizard matching Casaubon’s description might try to disrupt the excavation. They’re also worried because they have not heard from t he expedition’s leader for some time. They are ready to defend themselves, but only to a point.
Tactics The mercenaries know the importance of a fortified position and take advantage of their superior terrain. The humans start t he battle behind the cover of the central collapsed wall. They throw daggers and handaxes at enemies in an attempt to draw them through the bottleneck, where the berserker lunges to attack. Once the characters close, the bandits use the terrain to gain combat advantage wherever possible.
The gnome skulks stay in fortif ied positions behind the walls, allowing the humans to draw enemies into the courtyard. They fire hand crossbows with combat advantage until melee is joined, then use fade away to disengage. The dwarf bolter fires down from atop the ruined wall, preferring to target enemies that don’t have cover. He has anchored himself to the wall with a leather strap, strengthening the effect of hisstand your ground ability. Dwarf Bolter (D)
Level 4 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +8; low-light vision HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 17; Fortitude16, Reflex 16, Will 14 Saving Throws+5 against poison effects 5 Speed m Warhammer (standard; at-will)
Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d10 + 2 damage.
R Crossbow(standard; at-will)
Weapon Ranged 15/30; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage. Aimed Shot With ranged attacks against creatures that don’t have cover, the dwarf bolter gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and deals 1d6 extra damage on a hit. Stand Your Ground When a dwarf is pulled, pushed, or slid, it can move 1 fewer squares. Wh en an attack would kno ck the dwarf prone, it makes a saving throw to remain standing. See also stabilizing restraints. Stabilizing Restraints The dwarf bolter reduces forced movement by 2 squares instead of 1 and gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against any effect that would knock it prone. However, it is also immobilized. The bolter can release the restraints by taking a minor action. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Dwarven SkillsDungeoneering +10, Endurance +7 Str 14 (+4) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 12 (+3) Con 16 (+5) Int 11 (+2) Cha 10 (+2) Equipmentchainmail, warhammer, crossbow with 20 bolts, leather strap
4 Human Bandits (H)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid XP 125 each Initiative+6 SensesPerception +1 HP 37; Bloodied18 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6 m Mace (standard; at-will) Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, and the human bandit shifts 1 square. r Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage. M Dazing Strike(standard; encounter) Weapon +4 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, the target is dazed until the end of the bandit’s next turn, and the bandit shifts 1 square. Combat Advantage The bandit deals 1d6 extra damage with melee and ranged attacks against any creature granting combat advantage to it. AlignmentAny LanguagesCommon Skills Stealth +9, Streetwise +7, Thievery +9 Str 12 (+2) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 11 (+1) Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, mace, 4 daggers
Human Berserker (B)
Level 4 Brute
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +2 HP 66; Bloodied33; see also battle fury AC 15; Fortitude15, Reflex 14, Will 14 Speed 7 m Greataxe(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d12 + 4 damage (crit 1d12 + 16). M Battle Fury(free, when first bloodied; encounter) The human berserker makes a melee basic attack with a +4 bonus to the attack roll and deals 1d6 extra damage on a hit. R Handaxe (standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +5 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. AlignmentAny LanguagesCommon Skills Athletics +9, Endurance +9 Str 17 (+5) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 11 (+2) Con 16 (+5) Int 10 (+2) Cha 12 (+3) Equipmenthide armor, greataxe, 2 handaxes
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2 Gnome Skulks (G)
Level 2 Lurker
Small fey humanoid XP 125 each Initiative+8 SensesPerception +2; low-light vision HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 5 m War Pick(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage (crit 1d8 + 11). R Hand Crossbow(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 10/20; +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. Combat Advantage The gnome skulk deals 1d6 extra damage with melee and ranged attacks against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Fade Away(immediate reaction, when the gnome skulk takes damage; encounter) Illusion The gnome skulk turns invisible until it attacks or until the end of its next turn. Reactive Stealth If a gnome has cover or concealment when it makes an
Development Characters taking a closer look at the strange markings on the ruined walls notice a repetition of symbols related to Ihbar, a dark nebula revered by some star pact warlocks.
Features of the Area Illumination:Daylight illuminates the area. The mercenaries’ campfire sheds bright light if they are encountered at night. Campfire (Night Only):Any creature that enters or starts its turn in the campfire’s square takes 1d6 fire damage.
Fallen Tree:A large tree has fallen to the side of the cliff. It provides cover, and its squares are difficult terrain. Forest: Squares containing forest are difficult terrain and provide cover. Rubble:Piles of rubble from the excavation litter the area. Squares containing rubble are difficult terrain. Ruined Walls:The walls are 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide. A creature can climb to the top of a wall with a DC 20 Athletics check. It can walk along the top, treating those squares as difficult terrain.
initiative check at the start of an encounter, it can make a Stealth check to become hidden. Shadow Skulk A hidden gnome skulk that misses with a melee or a ranged attack remains hidden. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Elven Skills Arcana +10, Stealth +11, Thievery +9 Str 8 (+0) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 12 (+2) Con 16 (+4) Int 14 (+3) Cha 13 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, war pick, hand crossbow with 20 bolts
Surrender Is an Option Ediza has paid the mercenaries well to this point, but her long absence has softened their resolve. For purposes of Intimidate checks to compel surrender, the bandits, bolter, and skulks are considered unfriendly (+5 Will defense modifier), and the berserker is hostile (+10 Will defense modifier).
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W2. thE SEAlEd doorWAy Encounter Level 3 (XP 750) These lower ruins once served as temple to the Cult of Dark Whispers. Rocks are piled almost to the ceiling, nearly blocking the passage to the chamber beyond. The characters can make their way through, gett ing a glimpse of the activity inside as they do so.
Setup Ediza, genasi swordmage (E) Jargo ( J) and Rey mol (R), hal fl ing st ar pact warlocks 2 sliver wraith seekers Do not place the sliver wraiths on the battle map initially. They are released once the seal is broken (see below). When the characters get a look at the cleared chamber, read: A pair of mal e halfling s in robes—one bald, th e other wit h short-cropped silver hair— intently study a large, ironbound double door at the far end of the chamber. Behind them a female earthsoul genasi paces ner vously. The warlocks are having some difficu lty with the last seal, but Jargo (the silver-haired halfling) is on the verge of cracking it.
Arcana or R eligion D C 15 The halflings are studying a mass of melted silver, engraved with Super nal hierog lyphics , that seal s the two doors together. Traces of six similar seals, n ow broken, line the seam between the doors. This last one appears to be giving the pair trouble.
Ediza (E)
HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 14 Saving Throws+5 against fear effects Speed 6 m Dagger (standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d4 damage. r Eldritch Blast(standard; at-will) Implement Ranged 10; +6 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 3 damage. R Dire Radiance(standard; at-will) Fear, Implement, Radiant Ranged 10; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 +3 radiant damage, and if the target moves closer to this character on its next turn, it takes 1d6 +3 extra damage. C Arms of Hadar(standard; encounter) Implement Close burst 2; +6 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target is pushed 4 squares. Second Chance(immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter) The attacker mus t reroll the trig gering attack and take th e new result. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon SkillsArcana +8, Thievery +7 Str 10 (+0) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Cha 16 (+3) Equipmentleather armor, dagger, rod
C Aegis of Assault(minor; at-will)
Level 2 Elite Soldier
Medium elemental humanoid (earth), genasi XP 250 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +2 HP 74; Bloodied37 AC 18; Fortitude15, Reflex 14, Will 14 Saving Throws +2 Speed 6 Action Points 1 m Longsword (standard; at-will) Weapon If the characters hesitate, do not make their +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. presence known, or wait to see what is going on, M Swordsnare(standard; encounter) Weapon read: +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of Ediza’s next turn. Ediza can use this power “Eureka! I finally have it!” The silver-hair ed halfling in place of a melee basic attack when charging or using her shrieks. He then mumbles an arcane phrase, and the silver aegis of assault. R Lightning Lure(standard; at-will) Implement, Lightning seal warps and cracks. Ranged 3; +7 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 6 damage and Ediza pulls the target 3 squares to a square adjacent to her. Reymol (R) and Jargo (J) Level 1 Artiller y C Sword Burst(standard; at-will) Implement, Force Small natural humanoid, halfling XP 100 each Close burst 1; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 6 force damage. Initiative+3 SensesPerception +5
Teleportation Close burst 2; no attack roll; Ediza marks the target, and the target remains marked until Ediza uses this power on another creature or this mark is superseded by another mark. If a creature marked by this power makes an attack that does not include Ediza, is within 10 squares of Ediza, and hits the creature with the that attack, Ediza can, as an immediate reaction, teleport to a square adjacent to that creature, and make a melee basic attack against it. C Earthshock(minor; encounter) Close burst 1; targets enemies in burst touching the ground; +7 vs. Fortitude; the target is knocked prone. Mythal Recovery(minor; encounter) Ediza makes a saving throw against one effect that a save can end. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Primordial Skills Arcana +9 Str 17 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 12 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 16 (+4) Cha 13 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, longsword, githzerai memory crystal
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2 Sliver Wraith Seekers (S)
Level 3 Controller
Medium aberrant humanoid (undead) XP 150 each Hypnotic Form (Charm) aura 2; each enemy that ends its turn in the aura is slowed and takes a –2 penalty to Will until the end of its next turn. Initiative+4 SensesPerception +2 HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 15; Fortitude14, Reflex 15, Will 14 Immunedazed, disease, poison; Resist10 necrotic, insubstantial Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing m Maddening Touch(standard; at-will) Psychic +5 vs. Will; 1d6 + 2 psychic damage, and the target is knocked prone and can’t stand up (save ends). C Seeker’s Calling(standard; recharge 6 ) Psychic Close burst 5; targets one creature in burst; +5 vs. Will; 2d6 + 2 psychic damage and the seeker slides the target 5 squares to a square either adjacent to the seeker or within its hypnotic form aura. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech Str 6 (–1) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 15 (+3)
Tactics
Sliver Wraiths and Casaubon
When the PCs make themselves known, Ediza moves to block them so that the halflings can continue working on the seal. She marks defenders or strikers in the group, and uses her lightning lure to pull in a leader or a controller (targeting Casaubon if possible). Her fi rst priority is protecting the halflings; after they have opened the seal, she fights to the death, dealing as much damage as possible to all who dare get between her and her perceived desti ny. If the characters attack before the halflings have opened the final seal, they both continue their efforts as long as they are protected. Each round, each halfling adjacent to the door can attempt a DC 15 Arcana check as a standard action. On a success, the seal
The wraiths’ real goal is to fall in batt le and have their dying essence meld with Casaubon, who has been chosen by the sliver.
breaks. Once they are free to join the fight, the warlocks use dire radiance and arms of Hadar to support Ediza and keep the characters at a distance. Once the seal is broken, the sliver wraiths phase through the door and scream into the room. They attack only the characters, apparently to aid Ediza. Casaubon keeps out of the fight for the most part, although he takes action to defend himself against attacks from Ediza or the warlocks.
merges with Casaubon counts toward his ultimate transformation (see page 19).
When a sliver wraith drops to 0 hit points, read the following: The strange wraith implodes into a mote of purplish light that streaks toward Casaubon, striking him square in the chest. The wizard stumbles at the impact but seems unhurt. Each time a sliver wraith dies and merges with Casaubon, it grants the wizard a benefit. These benefits might not have much effect as long as Casaubon avoids combat but become much more important in the final encounter. In addition, each sliver that
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Features of the Area Ceiling:10 feet high. Illumination:The excavators’ lanterns shed bright light that fills the chamber. Fallen Rocks: Rocks fill the 2-square-wide area directly in front of the stairs. A character must climb up the rocks (Athletics DC 5), squeeze through the space they occupy, and then drop 8 feet to enter the main chamber. A creature gains cover while squeezing in squares filled with rocks. Rubble:These squares are diff icult terrain. Sealed Door: The door is impossible to open, and the sliver wraiths cannot pass through, until all the seals have been defeated. If the halflings do not break the seal, the PCs can attempt to do so. This is a complexity 1 skill challenge (4 successes before 3 failures) requiring DC 15 Religion or Arcana checks as standard actions while adjacent to the door. On a failure, all creatures within 5 squares of the door lose a healing surge. A failed skill challenge can be retried.
Development After Ediza is defeated, Casaubon searches her body and tries to pocket the memory crystal (Perception DC 12 to notice). If a character manages to retrieve the crystal and access its stored memories, he or she experiences the same thing that Casaubon and Ediza did. However, the psionic voice calls the character’s name instead. Again, the sliver seeks release by any agent but prefers to merge with Casaubon as soon as the opportunity arises.
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W3. CAll hEEdEd Encounter Level 4 (XP 975) Setup 3 sliver wraith guardians (G) 2 sliver wraith seekers (S) Once the doors are unsealed, Casaubon is eager to enter the inner temple where rests the object he seeks. It lies in the bottom of a pit dug though the years by the destructive energy of its own malice. The sliver is guarded by a pair of sliver wraith seekers and a trio of sliver wraith guardians. As in the previous chamber, the wraiths try to merge with Casaubon. After three of them do so (including those from the outer chamber), he is transformed into an aberrant servant of the sliver. When Casaubon is transformed, read: The wizard screams and falls to his knees; his hands clutch his head in pain. Then his right hand stretches grotesquely and begins to bubble with violet pustules, transforming within mom ents int o a sickly pur ple tent acle. W hen the transformation is complete, the wizard rises, his eyes aglow with a weird green lum inescence . He smiles wickedly. “Fools! The sliver is mine,” he hisses. “And I will share its power with no one.”
Whenever a sliver wraith drops to 0 hit points, its essence melds with Casaubon. Once he has transformed, the wizard enters the fray on the wraiths’ side. He attempts to grab one character with histentacle arm while hurling spells at the others.
3 Sliver Wraith Guardians (G) Level 2 Soldier Medium aberrant humanoid (undead) XP 125 each Hypnotic Form(Charm)aura 2; each enemy that ends its turn in the aura is slowed and takes a –2 penalty to Will until the end of its next turn. Initiative+4 SensesPerception +2 HP 26; Bloodied13 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 13 Immunedazed, disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic, insubstantial Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing m Dizzying Touch(standard; at-will) Psychic +5 vs. Will; 1d6 + 2 psychic damage, and the target is marked and grants combat advantage until the end of the guardian’s next turn. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech Str 6 (–1) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 15 (+3)
2 Sliver Wraith Seekers (S)
Level 3 Controller
The sliver wraiths dart forth to att ack the characters. As in the outer chamber, they leave Casaubon alone until they are destroyed, then try to merge with him. The seekers hover near or on the aberrant circles, hoping to lure characters into them withseeker’s calling. By keeping them in range of theirhypnotic form auras, the wraiths force the characters to provoke opportunity attacks if they try to leave a circle. The guardians protect the seekers, marking characters
Medium aberrant humanoid (undead) XP 150 each aura 2; each enemy that ends its turn Hypnotic Form (Charm) in the aura is slowed and takes a –2 penalty to Will until the end of its next turn. Initiative+4 SensesPerception +2 HP 31; Bloodied15 AC 15; Fortitude14, Reflex 15, Will 14 Immunedazed, disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic, insubstantial Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing m Maddening Touch(standard; at-will) Psychic +5 vs. Will; 1d6 + 2 psychic damage, and the target is knocked prone and can’t stand up (save ends). C Seeker’s Calling(standard; recharge 6) Psychic Close burst 5; targets one creature in burst; +5 vs. Will; 2d6 + 2 psychic damage and the seeker slides the target 5 squares to a square either adjacent to the seeker or within its hypnotic form aura. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech Str 6 (–1) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 13 (+2)
snared by seeker’s calling.
Con 14 (+3)
Tactics
Int 10 (+1)
Casaubon, Sliver’s Servant
Level 3 Elite Controller
Medium aberrant humanoid, half-elf XP 300 Initiative+2 Senses Perception +0; low-light vision HP 88; Bloodied44 AC 18; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 14 Saving Throws +2 Speed 6 Action Points 1 m Tentacle Arm(standard; only while not grabbing a creature; at-will) Reach 2; +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage and the target is grabbed. The target does not need to be adjacent to Casaubon for him to sustain the grab, but must be within Casaubon’s reach. Casaubon can have only one creature grabbed at a time. r Magic Missile(standard; at-will) Force, Implement Ranged 20; +6 vs. Reflex; 3d4 + 4 force damage. M Soul Drain(standard; only while grabbing a creature; encounter) +6 vs. Fortitude; targets the grabbed creature; the target is dazed (save ends) and loses 1 healing surge. Implement Ranged 10; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target is marked by an ally of Casaubon’s choice within 5 squares of him until the end of his next turn. A Maze of Mirrors(standard; encounter) Illusion, Implement Area burst 1 within 10; + 6 vs. Will; until the end of Casaubon’s next turn, the target is immobilized and takes a –4 penalty to attack rolls. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Draconic Skills Arcana +10, Bluff +6, History +10 Str 17 (+4) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 9 (+0) Con 12 (+2) Int 18 (+5) Cha 16 (+4) Equipmentrobes, dagger, wand, spellbook
R Misdirected Mark(standard; encounter)
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Features of the Area Ceiling:10 feet high. Illumination:The aberrant circles glow with eldritch power, dimly lighting the area. Aberrant Ci rcles:Any nonaberrant creature that ends its turn in a circle is dazed until the end of its next turn. Rocks: Squares containing rocks are blocking terrain. Rubble:These squares are diff icult terrain. Pit and Sliver:The pit is 15 feet deep, and at its bottom is the meteorite sliver. This black metal shard is about 2 feet long and radiates malignance. When any creature other than Casaubon ends its turn holding or carrying the shard, it takes 15 psychic damage.
Development Once the characters defeat Casaubon, they have to figure out what to do with the sliver. It’s too dangerous to move, but given enough time and with help, they should be able to collapse the cavern once more. The party might also seek out arcane specialists or priests to reseal the temple’s entrance.
About the Aut hor Born on a stormy Christmas day, in our nation’s capital, during the Nixon administration, the stars were definitely wrong when Stephen Radney-MacFarland came screaming into the world. Spending most of his impressionable years as a vagabond and ne’re-do -well, Stephen eventually sett led in the Northwest to waste his life on roleplaying games. Stephen teaches a class on roleplaying design for the Art Institute of Seattle, molding the minds of young and upcoming designers. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
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There are many strange places beyond the great wall, that edifice which has spawned a thousand stories. But perhaps none are so strange as the place that adventurers call “the glass forest.” Those few who have returned from journeys in the great valley tell of the keening that arises near this strange locale when the wind blows to the east, as if a thousand wind chimes had been set in motion. Some stories even speak of a strange shrine within this glass forest, but those are only whispers told to someone who’s willing to buy the next pint.
t S glss-Sp fs
A Chaos S car Adventure for 2nd-level characters.
By Cal Moore cartography by Sean MacDonald TM & © 2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“The Shrine of Glass-Spire Forest” is a Chaos Scar Side Trek/adventure designed for five characters of 2nd level. This scenario consists of a skill challenge and two encounters, so you can run it in the Chaos Scar campaign or as a short stand-alone adventure.
aDventure BackgrounD Long ago, a meteor fell f rom the heavens and crashed into the world, carving a long valley into the earth in its fury. The energies released warped the valley, leaving bizarre terrain along with shards of meteorite scattered in its wake before finally coming to rest at the head of the valley. The meteorite’s energies attracted many powerful creatures. The region became a place of terror and warfare, for the those who controlled the meteorite or its shards gained great power. For this reason, an ancient king had the valley walled off to contain the horrors. The seal was not perfect, and over millennia the land changed, allowing monsters to continue entering the valley or to range out from it and raid nearby lands. In time, the area was seen as a proving ground and an opportunity for adventurers, whether by destroying the monsters or gaining fame and wealth from the hoards such c reatures acquired (or, for a lucky few, by acquiring a meteorite shard). Eventually, the bravest adventurers began going beyond the wall, and a few even returned alive with basic maps of the
land beyond and tales of fierce creatures and strange places. One such story tells of the Glass-Spire Forest. Not far from the wall, near one of the existing gaps leading into the valley, the meteorite caused the earth and stone of the valley floor to undergo a transformation as it passed, pulling the land upward into spires of sharp -edged brown- and gray-colored glass. In this location, a shard broke away from the meteorite to land among the newly formed glass spires, where it burrowed into the ground. After settling, the shard’s alien energies were such that the glass spires continued to grow, slowly like living trees, and thus the Glass-Spire Forest was created. In time, a dolgaunt sorcerer named Xennul discovered the place. Sensing the power of the shard, Xennul used a magic ritual to construct a domed, glass shrine around the shard within the center of the glass forest. The shard continued to support the forest but also allowed Xennul to tap into its power for foul purposes. To that end, Xennul used the shard’s energy to warp a nearby nest of insectoid creatures
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into aberrant glass guardians to protect the forest and shrine. They were inadequate, however; soon after, more powerful creatures arrived, and they took the shard and killed Xennul within its own shrine. With the shard removed, the Glass-Spire Forest stopped growing, but traces of the shard’s power still remain in the area. The forest has become a maze of standing and shattered spires, making travel through it difficult and dangerous. The glass guardians have also survived, and they attack any who intrude upon the shrine. In addition, although Xennul was killed, it handled the meteorite shard long enough that a measure of its essence was imprinted within the shrine. This foul presence still lurks there and is drawn to the shard in the hope of being reunited with it; this essence calls out in whispers to those who might hear, seeking to draw potential slaves to it who it can use to retrieve the shard.
Involving the characters Any of the following adventure hooks are suitable for involving the characters in the adventure. The Calling:While t raveling near the strange old wall, one of the characters hears the sound of glass wind chimes that none of the others can hear. Mixed in with the chimes are whispers that speak of powerful magic, ancient lore, and power to be found. If followed, the whispers lead the character to an entrance in the wall and from there to the Glass-Spire Forest. The Whispering Shard:An adventurer who managed to return from the Glass-Spire Forest brought back a piece of one of the glass spires as a memento. The chunk of brown glass comes into a player character’s possession, and that character begins having dreams of the forest while whispers in his or her mind speak of a priceless treasure con-
cealed there. The character gains the knowledge of how to reach the Glass-Spire Forest. Tale of the Glass Forest: Stories of a shrine among a “glass forest” beyond the wall have existed for a long time. Recently, a pair of adventurers returned from beyond the wall with a tale of a strange forest of glass spires that shriek like giant glass chimes when the wind blows. They have no wish to return to the forest but are willing to provide the location for a price.
Treasure As a shorter adventure, the characters should get only two parcels of treasure. This adventure grants parcels 3 and 7 f rom the 2nd-level list (Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 127). One parcel comes in t he form of residuum from the remains of the glass guardians equal to parcel 7’s value (170 gp), which can be sold or used for rituals or item creation. Parcel 3 should be a level 4 magic item drawn from the players’ wish lists. Modify the treasure as needed for your party’s level.
Starting the Side Trek/Adventure After crossing beyond the great wall, a half-day’s travel brings the characters to the Glass-Spire Forest as dusk sets in. When the characters see the forest, read:
Ahead, you see a st range sight. The late -aftern oon sun glints off the tops of many t all glass spires of variou s earthy colors standing at different angles. The land has been warped and twis ted, forming a forest of gla ss spires. As the wind swirls among the s trange formation s, a soft but highpitched keening rises. Sharp glass shards carpe t the ground, making travel through this “forest ” difficult.
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General Details The forest covers a few square miles. Because of the shattered glass littering the ground, as well as the strange reflections given off by the oddly angled spires, navigating the forest to the shrine is a difficult and dangerous process. Doing so safely and without drawing the attention of nearby predators requires a skill challenge and takes several hours. Level: 2 (XP 525) Complexity:3 (requires 8 s uccesses before 3 failures) Primary Skills:Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Nature, Perception, Stealth Acrobatics(DC 10): Balance on broken sections of glass, move through narrow spaces between sharp fragments, and use acrobatic maneuvers to avoid scraping against sharp shards. This skill can earn a maximum of 2 successes. Arcan a(DC 15): Extend your senses outward to notice the taint of the meteorite shard still within the glass spires of the forest, sensing the direction that this energy is emanating from (the shrine). This skill can earn a maximum of 1 success. Athlet ics(DC X): Leap over piles of shards, safely climb spires to see the path, and help party members get through tight spaces in the path. This skill can earn a maximum of 2 successes. History (DC 15): Use knowledge of the history and stories of the Glass-Spire Forest to identify the reputed location of the shrine. This skill can earn a maximum of 1 success. Nature (DC 10): The Glass-Spire Forest has similarities to a real forest. Use nature knowledge to choose the best path and avoid dangerous places. This skill can earn a maximum of 2 successes. After the second failure, if a character has made a successful
Perception check to detect pursuit, Nature can also be used to try to throw off pursuit (DC 15), which removes the glass guardian nestlings from the combat encounter. This check can be used only once and counts as 1 success. Perception(DC 15): Find safe paths and the best route to the shrine. This check is more difficult because of the way the glass spires warp the light, as well as the fact that the spire edges appear smooth but are actually very sharp. This skill can earn a maximum of 2 successes. After the second failure, a secondary Perception check is opened (one check only) to hear the sounds of the pursuing glass guardian nestlings ( DC 10). Success opens up Stealth or Nature to throw off pursuit (no success/failure to overall challenge). Stealth (DC 15): Opens up after the second failure when a secondary Perception check is successful to notice pursuit. A character can gain 1 additional challenge success and remove the glass guardian nestlings from the combat encounter. This check can be used only once. Secondary Skills:Dungeoneering, Heal Dungeoneering(DC 12): Because of the alien landscape, which has some resemblance to the Underdark, this skill can be used in place of a Nature check, with a harder DC. Heal (DC 15): Successfully pad hands and feet, or bandage minor wounds during t he journey (one check, can be aided at DC 10). This check doesn’t count toward the skill challenge success or failure, but if successful, it adds a +5 bonus to each character’s Endurance check if the challenge is failed. Success: If the characters earn 8 successes, they find their way to the shrine without alerting a nearby glass guardian to their presence and manage to
avoid causing themselves undue injuries from brushing against the sharp shards (no Endurance check required). The dome of the shrine comes into view shortly thereafter, and the characters will enter a combat encounter with the glass guardians when they arrive. Failure: With each failed skill check, the characters make mistakes in their journey, causing them harm and/or alerting glass guardians in the area to their location, which will create a more dangerous combat encounter when they arrive at the shrine. First Failure:The character failing the check accidentally causes a nearby spire to shatter, sending shards flying in all directions. Each character loses 1 healing surge. Second Failure:The character failing the check alerts a pair of glass guardian nestlings to the group’s presence. The nestlings will track the characters back to the shrine and join in the combat encounter there. This failure opens up Perception to notice (hear) the guardian’s pursuit, potentially allowing the use of a Stealth check or Nature check to throw the glass guardian nestlings off the trail. Third (total) Failure:Each character must make a DC 10 Endurance check or lose 1 healing surge to injuries sustained while picking their way through the deadly glass shards. Additionally, an extra glass guardian notices the group’s presence and joins the combat encounter at the shrine. The dome of the shrine will come into view shortly thereafter, and the characters will enter a combat encounter with the glass guardians when they arrive.
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encounter 1: gLaSS
Tactics
guarDian attack
The nestlings will cli mb nearby spires to reach positions where they can use spire leap. The adult glass guardians use piercing shard to fire glass shards at the group before engaging the nearest enemy with lancing claw attacks. They fight to the death, since they were bred to guard the shrine.
Encounter level 4 (886 XP), or Encounter level 5 with the 2 nestlings (948 XP), or Encounter level 5 with extra guardian if the characters failed the skill challenge (1,123 XP).
4 Glass Guardian (G)
Level 4 Brute
Medium aberrant magical beast XP 175 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3; low-light vision, tremorsense 4 Setup Piercing Sliversaura 1; an enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 2 damage. 4 glass guardians(G) HP 65; Bloodied32; see also death burst. 6 glass guardian nestlings(H) AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 15, Will 13 Speed 6 The glass guardians emerge from the spires and m Lancing Claw(standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage. attack when the characters approach the shrine. If r Piercing Shard(standard; at-will) the party failed the skill challenge, there will be an Ranged 5; +8 vs. AC; 1d8 damage, and ongoing 5 damage additional glass guardian, and there may be two addi(save ends). C Death Burst(when the glass guardian drops to 0 hit points) tional glass guardian nestlings if they weren’t thrown Close burst 2; +5 vs. Reflex; 2d6 damage, and ongoing 5 off the party’s trail. damage (save ends). Languages— When the characters enter the grounds near the AlignmentUnaligned Str 17 (+5) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 12 (+3) shrine, read: Con 15 (+4) Int 4 (–1) Cha 8 (+1)
Erected in the cente r of a small clear ing ahe ad of you is a shrine of opaque glass. Its smooth dome is formed from a single piece of light blue glass t hat ca ps a se ries of fus ed spi res of va riou s eart hy colo rs. A d ark archway to your le ft pre sent s the only e ntrance , but before you can investigate further, scorpionlike creatures made from the same stuff as the spires dart into the clearing and advance on your position.
gLaSS guarDianS
Glass guardians are aberrant creatures created from giant scorpions but with a carapace made from a glasslike substance. They walk on six segmented legs and have a single “arm” ending in a shar p, glassy point instead of a claw. Like scorpions, they have an overhanging tail, but instead of a stinger, adults have many glass shards loosely attached at the top that can be whipped at an enemy.
6 Glass Guardian Nestlings- (N)
Level 2 Minion Skirmisher
Small aberrant magical beast XP 31 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision, tremorsense 4 1; an enemy that ends its turn in the Piercing Slivers aura aura takes 2 damage. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion; see also death burst. AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 15, Will 12 Speed 8, climb 6 m Lancing Claw(standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 4 damage. m Spire Leap (standard; at-will) The glass guardian ne stling must be on a sur face above the target. The nestling shifts 3 squares (it can jump during this move) before the attack; +7 vs. AC; 5 damage. Effect: The nestling doe sn’t take falling damage from using th is attack power. C Death Burst(when the glass guardian nestling drops to 0 hit points) Close burst 2; +5 vs. Reflex ; 4 damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills:Stealth +9 Str 13 (+2) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 10 (+1) Con 13 (+2) Int 4 (–1) Cha 6 (–1)
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Features of the Area Illumination:Bright. The party enters the clearing at dusk, but the spires enhance the fading light. Entrance to the Shrine:A large glass door sits within the recessed archway. The door is closed but has a single, rectangular pane of purple glass set into its center. Striking the pane with a fragment from any of the glass spires will cause the pane to resonate with a high pitch for 20 seconds (3 rounds), and then t he door will open. The door can also be forced open with a DC 18 Strength check or a DC 17 Thievery check. Shrine: The outer shrine walls are constructed of sharp, ridged glass spires. They extend upward 15 feet to the edge of the dome, which climbs another 10 feet to its apex. Climbing the walls requires a DC
Terrain Outside t he Clearing: All terrain outside the clearing and the path is difficult terrain because of the broken spires littering the area. Treasure:Being aberrant creatures, some of the glass guardians’ organs have value as residuum for rituals and item enchantment. A total of 170 gp in residuum can be collected from this group.
15 Athletics check; with any failure, the character takes 1d6 damage from the sharp edges in addition to falling damage. Movement on the slick domed roof requires a DC 10 Acrobatics check t o avoid slipping and falling off the roof. Spires: The freestanding spires in the area rise to a height of between 10 and 20 feet (see map). Climbing the spires requires a DC 10 Climb check; with any failure, t he character takes 1d6 damage in addition to any falling damage. The nestlings can automatically climb these surfaces. Shattered Spires(S): These areas within the clearing are difficult terrain. Any character moving through the square must make a DC 10 Acrobatics or Athletics check or take 1d6 damage from the sharp shards.
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encounter 2:
Features of the Area
SharD SLave of
Illumination:The pair of magical fonts filled with glowing water provide bright, bluish-white light out to 15 feet. Elsewhere, the last light of the day seeping through the glass walls creates dim light in the main chamber. Magical Fonts:The power of the meteorite shard still infuses the shrine, creating the lighted water. If a character douses his or her weapon or i mplement in the water (a minor action), his or her next attack made before the end of his or her next turn deals radiant damage in addition to its normal damage types. Depression:A series of four na rrow steps leads to the bottom of a six-foot depression within the main chamber. Set at the bottom is a circle of thick glass
the gLaSS Shrine Encounter level 5 (1,000 XP)
Setup 1 shard slave(S) The shard slave, a remnant of Xennul trapped in the shrine, waits in the main room, hoping to dominate one or more of the characters so that it may use their body to search for the shard that was taken from Xennul. A depression in the center of the room and patches of treacherous flooring present terrain obstacles and hazards for the characters.
with a 2-inch by 6-inch by 1-inch impression within it. This once housed the meteorite shard. Each square in the depression is difficult terrain. A character can When the characters enter the shrine, read: make a DC 10 Athletics check or Acrobatics check The ceiling of the shrine’s dome glows with a faint to treat these squares as normal terrain during his blue radiance, illuminating the structure slightly. An or her turn while moving through these squares. On antechamber with glass basins set on either side opens into a failure, the character falls prone in the first such the main chamber. There, narrow steps descend about 6 square entered. A DC 10 Arcana check or Religion feet down into a recta ngular depression in the floor with check reveals that something of great power (the some sort of glass disc at its center. Beyond the depression, a shard) once resided within the impression, and mempair of the strange glass guardians wait unmo ving. ories of it still linger throughout the shrine. Statues:Each statue resembles a glass guardian When the characters move into the main room, but is simply inert glass. A statue has defenses of 4 read: and 3 hit points. Reducing a statue to 0 hit points You sense movement from a shadowed alcove beyond the causes it to explode: close burst 2; +5 vs. Reflex; 1d6 motionless guardians, which appear to be glass statues. damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). The statAn ethereal humanoid figure float s forward, whispering in ues provide cover. your minds of its precious s hard as it reaches toward you with long, wis py tendrils. Although humanoid , its gaunt features, gaping orifice s, and wormlike tongu e resemble nothing familiar. Such an abomination could only have been spawned in some alien realm.
Walls: The walls are 15 feet high and merge into the domed ceiling. They are relatively smooth, with the only holds provided by sharp protrusions, so that a DC 15 Athletics check is required to climb. On a failure, the character takes 1d6 damage in addition to falling damage. Treasure:A third font stands at the back of the shrine. Instead of holding water, it contains a pane of purple glass. Lying on top of or against this font is the other treasure parcel; a level 4 item from the party’s magic item wish list. Also, see the Scrying Font sidebar at the end of this adventure. Fe br ua r y 20 10
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Treacherous Flooring: Three types of hazardous terrain within the main chamber may cause the characters difficulty. Each type fills two squares (see map) and looks similar to the surrounding flooring, making it difficult to detect. The shard slave is unaffected by this terrain. Spiked Flooring(X): Small, sharp glass spikes stick out of the floor. Sticky Flooring(Y ): The floor is strangely tacky, gripping at anything that comes in contact with it. Smooth Flooring(Z): The floor is extremely smooth and slippery.
Tactics The shard slave uses dominating tendril to tr y to dominate or kill one or more characters. Dominated characters hear the shard whispering in their minds that they must retrieve the shard of power for Xennul while it’s attached. It will try to use call of the shard early in the fight when at least two characters are in range, and then spend an action point to use double attack on two different characters if its tendrils are unattached. If it’s surrounded, it will either use shard reflection to escape or use shard burst to push away enemies and then spend its action point to make a tendril attack. The shard slave will direct any character it’s dominating to attack arcane spellcasters or those who have the ability to move its dominated victim s away from it. The hazardous terrain in the shrine doesn’t affect the shard slave.
Treacherous Floor Hazard
Level 2 Obstacle XP 125
This section of floor is different from the rest. As you step on it, you realize that the floor isn’t safe. Hazard:Six squares in the main chamber contain one of three types of hazardous terrain: spiked, sticky, and slippery. Perception DC 15:When adjacent to one of these squares, a character with a passive Perception of 15 or higher will notice the true texture of that square. DC 15:Any character can make an active Perception check to notice all hazardous terrain within 3 squares of him or her; DC 13 if the area is brightly lit. Trigger The hazard attacks whenever a character enters one of the hazard’s six squares. Attack(Spiked Flooring) Immediate Reaction Melee Target:The creature that triggered the hazard. Attack:+6 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d6 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Attack(Sticky Flooring) Immediate Reaction Melee Target:The creature that triggered the hazard. Attack:+6 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is immobilized (save ends). Miss:The target is slowed until the end of its next turn. Attack(Smooth Flooring) Immediate Reaction Melee Target:The creature that triggered the hazard. Attack:+6 vs. Reflex Hit: The target falls prone. Countermeasures : A character who makes a successful Athletics check (DC 6 or DC 11 without a running start) can jump over a single square of hazardous flooring. An adjacent character can disable a hazardous square with a DC 15 Thievery check if that character has some sort of covering that can be placed over the square. A character can attack a hazardous square (AC 12, other defenses 10; Hp 20; resist 5 all). Destroying a hazardous square removes the hazard and changes it to difficult terrain.
what if a character iS kiLLeD By the SharD SLave?
If the shard slave manages to kill a character, at your option, it will inhabit that character’s body, pushing the character’s soul into the background rather than killing him or her. At that point, the next attack that hits the shard slave (and that doesn’t reduce it to 0 hit points) will seem to shatter its body and vaporize it. In actuality, it has entered and taken control of the dead character’s body. If appropriate, get that character’s player to go along with the ruse. Give him or her the shard slave’s key motivations toward the goal of retrieving its shard. If the ruse is later discovered and the shard slave is forced out of the character through a ritual or other means, the character resumes control.
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Shard Slave
About the Author
Level 4 Solo Controller
Medium aberrant humanoid (undead) XP 875 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +8; darkvision HP 148; Bloodied74 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 18, Will 17 Resist 5 necrotic; insubstantial (if the shard slave takes radiant damage, it doesn’t benefit from being insubstantial during its next turn); Vulnerable5 radiant (and see insubstantial) Saving Throws+5 Speed 6 Action Points 2 m Dominating Tendril (standard; at-will) Charm, Psychic Reach 3; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 1 psychic damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends).First Failed Save: The target instead takes ongoing 5 psychic damage and is dominated (save ends both). The tendril remains attached until the target saves. m Double Attack(standard; encounter) The shard slave makes tw o dominating tendril attacks. C Call of the Shard(standard; recharge 6 ) Charm, Psychic Close burst 5; +7 vs. Will; 1d10 + 3 psychic damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to saving throws (save ends). C Shard Burst(standard; encounter) Force Close burst 2; targets enemies; +7 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 3 force damage, and the target is pu shed 3 squares. Shard Reflection(immediate reaction, when the shard slave takes damage; encounter) The shard slave shifts 6 squares. AlignmentEvil Languagestelepathy 10 Str 4 (–1) Dex 19 (+6) Wis 12 (+3) Con 13 (+3) Int 14 (+4) Cha 8 (+1)
Scrying font
Use of the scrying font is at the DM’s discretion. It is an excellent springboard to further adventures, but if you don’t want to create those adventures or have nothing prepared for the clues to lead to, then the font can simply be dead or inoperable. If you choose to utilize the font of purple glass in the back alcove, then it still holds some power. Any character trained in Arcana or Religion who comes within 10 feet of the font will sense the power held within it. With investigation, a DC 10 Arcana check or DC 12 Religion check will reveal that the font will operate as a limited scrying device. Determining its
Cal Moorejoined Wizards of the Coast in 2000 as an editor for the Showdown line of sports TCGs. He has contributed to a wide range of trading card games, miniatures games, and Avalon Hill ga mes while at Wizards . In 2009, he joined the RPG side of the business and hasn’t looked back. Cal has been part of an ongoing Thursday night game with the same core players, both as DM and player, since he joined the company.
operation requires another check: DC 15 Arcana, DC 17 Religion, or DC 15 Thievery (fooling about with i t). Success indicates that a character must make contact with the purple stone and channel energy into it (a healing surge). Doing so reveals either the general location of the shard slave’s meteorite shard (this can lead to further adventures devised by the DM) or a gigantic fortr ess at the head of a valley (also with details to be supplied by the DM).
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Dead by Dawn An a dventur e for 2nd-level c harac ters
By Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel “Dead by Dawn” is a short adventure for five 2ndlevel characters. It takes place in a small forest near the Ki ng’s Wall, in a long-abandoned temple dedicated to the worship of the demon prince Orcus. The temple has been given a new and dire purpose by a Chaos Shard from the great meteor. This shard radiates dark energy capable of reanimating the dead, and its power has been strengthened by the lingering evil of the demon prince’s temple. Each night, the
Illustration by C raig Spearing
shard fills the surrounding forest with the siren call of dark power, causing the many corpses in the Chaos Scar to stir. So far, only a few of the restless dead have risen from their graves, but now a group of brave adventurers have discovered the abandoned temple, just as the shard’s call grows to a new peak, and the dead across this corner of the scar are about to walk the world once more.
BACKGROUND Long ago, a misguided cleric of Erathis named Tyrik Gerithson built a small temple to his deity in the wilds of the Chaos Scar. Foolishly, Tyrik believed he could bring civilization and order to the savage land beyond the King’s Wall. Unfortunately, Erathis does not suffer fools lightly, and the goddess did not intervene when a band of cultists devoted to the demon
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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lord Orcus swooped down and slaughtered Tyrik Gerithson and his followers. After annihilating the followers of Erathis, the cult of Orcus claimed the temple and rededicated it to the worship of the demon prince of undeath. The cult was led by a grizzled priest named Garvus Harbane who maintained his position through the power of a meteor shard he had discovered. The shard radiated strong necrotic energy, and Garvus called his prized possession the “necroshard.” After leading the cult for many years, Garvu s sought to prolong his life t hrough a dangerous necromantic ritual a few years ago. However, he foolishly used the necroshard as the ritual’s focus and unleashed a wave of raw energy that killed him and every living creature in the temple. Although a catastrophic and lethal failure for Garvus, his ritual increased the potential power of the necroshard tenfold. Each night since, the shard has slowly been growing in power. The necroshard’s power is at its strongest at night, when it saturates the surrounding area with the power of death. This necromantic energy has been slowly building, feeding on the many deaths in the Scar over the years. Tonight, the corpses of the Scar will rise as an army of zombies.
GETTING THE CHARACTERS INVOLVED “Dead by Dawn” takes place i n the Chaos Scar. You can use one of the hooks below to get the characters into the valley and the temple of Orcus.
Hook 1: Farian’s Fee Farian Blackhand, a mercenary and scoundrel, asks the characters to enter the Chaos Scar and locate a group of mercenary adventurers cal led Doran’s Daggers. Farian fears that Doran and his group have met a bad end, and since Farian has not been paid for his last job with the Daggers, he asks the characters to find Doran Underhelm, dead or alive, and collect the 100 gp owed to him. Farian tells the characters that Doran often carries large sums of coin and gems on his person, and since the mercenary leader is likely dead, the characters can keep whatever they find on his corpse, less what is owed to Far ian. However, if Dorian is alive and the characters can collect Farian’s fee, he agrees to split it with them. Doran can be identified by a tattoo of crossed axes on his left forearm. Farian believes Doran’s Daggers set out to explore an abandoned temple they discovered on a previous excursion into the Chaos Scar. If the characters agree to help him, Farian can tell them exactly where it is. Quest XP: 250 XP for finding Doran dead or alive and returning with Farian’s fee.
Hook 2: Pit Stop Use this hook after the characters f inish an adventure within the Chaos Scar. While traveling through a small forest on their way out of the Chaos Scar, the characters stumble upon the temple of Orcus late in
the day. Should they decide to explore the temple, they quickly lose track of time, and before they know it, the sun is setting and ominous moaning and shuffling noises fill t he forest beyond the temple walls…
TREASURE PREPARATION The following treasure parcels are available in Dead by Dawn. Since the encounter area remains the same throughout the adventure, two of the four treasure parcels can be found on the bodies of attacking zombies. Parcel 1: Temple Interior Level 3 magic item 100 gp, two 100-gp gems Parcel 2: The Rectory Two potions of healing, Parcel 3: Zombie Siege: First Wave one 100-gp gem, 60 gp Parcel 4: Zombie Siege: Level 4 magic item Second Wave
PLAYER INTRODUCTION Read or paraphrase the following when the characters reach the temple of Orcus:
The trees of the forest suddenly give way to a large, bare clearing dominated by a weed-choked temple. Its peaked roof, festooned with demonic gargoyles, is largely intact, although its windowless walls are cracked and crumbling. The main entrance to the temple, two mammoth, ironbound doors, yawn open, exposing nothing but darkness beyond. Although obviously abandoned and in disrepair, the structure exudes a quiet malevolence made all the more haunting by the waning light of the setting sun.
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AREA 1: TEMPLE INTERIOR When the characters enter the temple, it is late in the day and the sun is setting. Allow the characters to explore the temple interior and the rectory beneath it during the last few minutes of daylight. When the characters enter the temple interior, read:
You step from the fading sunshine into the surprisingly cold darkness of the temple interior, gloomy and shrouded in shadow. The temple’s floor is smooth, polished stone. The ceiling has collapsed in some areas and littered the ground with fallen debri s, and in one sect ion, the floor has collapsed, leaving an open pit. The interior walls feature fading murals depict ing scenes of butcher y, cannibalism, and other profane acts. The temple is divided into two sections by a row of tall, ornate bookshelves filled with crumbling scrolls and tomes. In addition, you notice a number of egresses beyond the main door, and two sets of smaller doors along the eastern and western walls. The murals depict scenes of the Abyss. In addition to the demons in the murals, various types of undead are prominently depicted. Characters studying the mural closely see hi nts of an older, even more faded mural beneath the existing one. This older mural depicts scenes of vibrant cities; robed, stern-faced clerics preaching to a rapt audience of half-naked savages; diplomatic negotiations presided over by more robed clerics; and in the center of it all, a tall, statuesque woman in blue and silver. Characters who make a DC 10 Religion check correctly identify these images as iconography of the church of Erath is, goddess of civilization.
The older mural is more than a simple depiction of events and images important to the faithful of Erathis. The mural contains clues to the location of an old treasure cache containing items that could prove immensely helpful to the characters later in the adventure. Finding this cache requires two successful DC 15 Perception or Religion checks by a character or characters who seek a deeper meaning in the faded mural devoted to Erathis. If the characters are successful, they discover the location of the hidden cache behind the statue of Orcus at the northern end of the temple (see Features of the Area).
other unsavory subjects. A character can climb on top of a bookshelf with a DC 15 Athletics check. Braziers: If lit, the two large braziers provide bright illumination out to 8 squares. The two smaller ones provide bright illumination out to 4 squares. Debris: Squares with debris are considered difficult terrain. Doors: Including the main doors, there are two sets of doors along the east and west wall, for a total of five doors in all. All the doors are jammed except the main doors, swelled and rusted with age. Opening one of these doors requires a DC 15 Strength check. Pit: The pit is 10 feet deep. Climbing into and out When the characters reach the northern end of of the pit requires a DC 10 Athletics check. the temple interior, read the following: Smaller Statues:The two smaller statues along the This end of the temple is similar to the other, save it is east and west walls depict a male and female demon, dominated by a massive statue of a horrid de mon. The winged and horrible. Creatures adjacent to a statue floor around the st atue is st ained with the rus t-colored have cover. A character making a DC 10 Perception patina of old blood . The stat ue is flanked b y a pair of huge check notices that the statues have been repurposed, braziers, each standing five feet high. and were once depictions of the goddess Erathis and what was likely a cleric or paladin in her service. It should be obvious to the characters the statue is a Sarcophagi:A sarcophagus is difficult terrai n that representation of Orcus, Demon Lord of Undeath. A provides cover. Both sarcophagi are empty, having DC 15 Perception check reveals that the statue is a long ago been plundered. more recent addition to the temple. The crumbling Trapdoor:The trapdoor opens easily and leads to base of another statue is barely visible beneath the the temple rectory. current one. Treasure:Behind the great statue of Orcus, hidden in a hollow beneath a loose stone in the floor, Features of the Area lies a cache of holy items secreted by the faithful of Illumination:The temple interior is unlit, Erathis long ago. If the characters succeeded at the although sunlight from the doorway filters through Perception or Religion checks from examining the and fills the main chamber with dim light. mural of Erathis, they learn the exact location of the Ceiling:The ceiling in this area is 30 feet high. cache. If they failed the skill checks, they might still Book Shelves:Each bookshelf is 10 feet high, find the cache of items after The Siege Begins encounconstructed of thick hardwood, and holds scrolls and ter (page 31). The cache contains four vials of holy books on the subjects of demonology, undeath, and water (level 1) and two potions of healing .
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AREA 2: RECTORY
When the characters enter the temple rectory, read:
Encounter Level 1 (XP 550)
The trapdoor opens easily with a gentle tug, unleashing a blast of violent purple light followed by the charnel stench of death. A short spiral staircase leads down 10 feet into a small rectory. The room below contains two sets of tables and chairs, a moth-eaten bearskin rug, two unlit braziers similar to those in the temple above, and two small beds with footlockers in an alcove . A small altar sits a gainst the northern wall, and a pair of double doors stands in the center of the west wall. Three rotting corpses lay in a heap near the two beds in the southern end of the room. Each is dressed in leather armor, now tattered and crusted with dried gore, and they all appear to have been half-devoured. A fourth corpse sits before the altar, legs curled beneath it, head bowed as if in prayer. This corpse is little mo re than a mummified husk, and its moth-eaten clerical robes bear the dire skull symbol of Orcus. Around its neck hangs a large, black gem on a crude leather thong. The gem glows brightly with a dire purple light that fills you w ith queasy dread .
Garvus (G) 3 zombie adventurers(Z)
Setup The trapdoor in the northern end of the temple interior leads to a small rectory that once served as the personal quarters of the temple’s high priests. It was here Garvus Harbane performed the ritual that claimed his life and the lives of his followers so many years ago. His corpse, withered and all but mummified, is still here, the necroshard hanging from its shriveled neck. Alt hough the corpse s in the forest will a nimate tonight for the first time, the corpse of Garvus Harbane, due to its close proximity to the necroshard, has been animating each night for the past few weeks as a death lock wight . Garv us, however, is not alone in the rectory. Doran Underhelm and his mercenary group Doran’s Daggers decided to spend the night in the temple rectory after a fr uitless exploration of the temple. When night fell, the necroshard’s power was unleashed and Garvus’ a nimated corpse slew them all.
Tactics The zombie adventurers attack the nearest character with zombie grab. At first, Garvus stays clear of melee and attacks the characters with grave bolt or horrific visage when it can avoid catching the zombie adventurers in the blast. When two of the zombie adventurers have fallen, Garvus uses reanimate and then enters melee. The undead in the rectory fight to their destruction.
As the characters begin to examine the room, t he sun sets and the power of the necroshard is unleashed. The first clue that the characters are in real t rouble is the animation of the corpses of Garvus and Doran’s Daggers. When the corpses animate, read:
The rectory is suddenly filled with a low, guttural moaning. To your horror, the four corpses, no longer simply inert flesh, climb unst eadily to their fee t. The ge m around the neck of mummified cleric pulses brightly as the four undead horrors lurch to the attack.
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3 Zombie Adventurers (Z)
Level 2 Brute
Medium natural animate XP 125 Initiative–1 SensesPerception +0; darkvision HP 40; Bloodied20 AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 9; Will 10 Immune disease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 2d6 + 2 damage M Zombie Grab(standard; at-will) +4 vs. Reflex; the target is grabbed (until escape). Checks made to escape the zombie’s grab are made with a –5 penalty. Zombie Weakness Any critical hit to the zombie reduces it to 0 hit points instantly. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 6 (–1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 10 (+1) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
The characters should recognize the black gem around Garvus’ neck as a meteor fragment. They can learn more about its function and purpose with a DC 15 Arcana or Religion check. For each successful skill check the characters make, give them one of the following pieces of information. This shard radiates staggering amounts of necromantic energy, easily enough to animate the dead within the rectory. The shard’s power is likely strengthened by the lingering energy in the temple of Orcus. The shard’s power, like many evil items and creatures, is stronger at night. Undead may be drawn to t he energy produced by the shard. Now that the characters have the necroshard and likely understand its dire potential, what they do with it based on this knowledge could have serious consequences during the zombie siege. Below is a list
Garvus Harbane (G) (Deathlock Wight)
Level 4 Controller
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 18; Fortitude15; Reflex 16; Will 17 Immunedisease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 6 m Claw (standard; at-will) Necrotic +9 vs. AC; 1d6 necrotic damage, and the target cannot spend healing surges until the end of its next turn. R Grave Bolt(standard; at-will) Necrotic Ranged 20; +6 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). R Reanimate(minor; encounter) Healing, Necrotic Ranged 10; affects a destroyed undead creature of a level no higher than the deathlock wight’s level + 2; the target stands as a free action with a number of hit points equal to one-half its bloodied value. This power cannot affect minions. Fear Close blast 5; +7 vs. Will; 1d6 damage, and the target is pushed 3 squares. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Skills Arcana +10, Religion +10 Str 10 (+2) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 9 (+1) Con 14 (+4) Int 16 (+5) Cha 18 (+6)
C Horrific Visage(standard; recharge 4 5 6)
of possible actions the characters might take and the consequences of those actions. Bring it Along:If the characters take the necroshard from the rectory, the character carrying the necroshard on his or her person becomes the center of attention during the ensuing zombie siege. Whenever the character carrying the necroshard fails a primary skill check in the Zombie-Proofing the Temple and Shoring Up the Defenses skill challenges, add an additional zombie rotter to the number of zombies breaching the defenses. Destroy It:If the characters decide to destroy the necroshard, they can do so, as detailed
in the Destroying the Necroshard section at the end of the adventure. However, if the necroshard is destroyed at night, at the height of its power, it unleashes one final, mammoth burst of necromantic energy. This massive infusion of power keeps the zombies animated until sunrise and sends the undead horde into a berserk frenzy. Whenever the characters fail a primary skill check during the Zombie-Proofing the Temple and Shoring Up the Defenses skill challenges add an additional zombie rotter to the number of zombies breaching the defenses. Leave it Alone:If the characters simply leave the necroshard in the rectory, events proceed as normal in the adventure. In this scenario, there are no significant changes to the adventure as written. Let Them Have It:At some point, know ing the zombies are drawn to the necroshard, the characters might decide that letting the zombies have the damnable thing is the best course of action. Tossing the necroshard out an open door, however, does little to dissuade the hungry undead from their secondary goal: eating the characters. In addition, the zombie that ends up with the necroshard is instant ly transformed into a shard zombie (see Zombie Siege: Second Wave) and is added to the number of zombies breaching the characters defenses the next time they fail a primary skill check in the ZombieProofing the Temple or Shoring Up the Defenses skill challenges.
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Features of the Area Illumination:The necroshard provides dim illumination. Ceiling:The ceiling in this area is 10 feet high. Altar :The small altar here is dedicated to Orcus. However, a DC 15 Perception check reveals t hat it was once dedicated to Erathis and later desecrated. Beds: The beds are difficu lt terrain that provides cover. Braziers:If lit, the two braziers provide bright illumination out to 4 squares. Doors: The doors along the east wall are jammed, swelled and rusted with age. Opening these doors requires a DC 15 Strength check. Beyond the doors is an impassable, rubble choked passageway that may lead to other parts of the temple. Footlockers:The footlockers are locked, but can be opened with a DC 10 Thievery check. They contain rotting clerical vestments and objects used in the worship of Orcus. Tables and Chairs :The tables and chairs are difficult terrain. Treasure:If the characters search the adventurers’ corpses, they can identify Doran Underhelm by a tattoo of two crossed axes on his left forearm. As Farian promised, Doran has the rogue’s 100-gp payment and a pair of small diamonds (worth 100 gp each) in a large pouch on his belt.
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ZOMBIE SIEGE: THE SIEGE BEGINS Encounter Level 2+ (XP 614+) Zombie-Proofing the Temple 3+ zombie rotters 1+ zombie soldiers
Setup The sun has set and darkness has fallen over the temple. Now that the characters have dealt with the zombies in the temple and identified the necroshard, the real fun begins. Right after the characters identify the necroshard (see area 2), they hear a terrific commotion above them and outside the temple interior. At this point, they should race up the stairs to investigate. When the characters reach the temple interior, read:
Outside the temple, the forest is filled with a cacophony of agonized moaning and screaming that turns your blood to ice. Through the main entrance of the temple, you see a t ruly horrific sight. The forest, lit by shafts of pale moonlight, is alive with rotting corpses clawing their way f ree from shallow graves. You try to count their numbers, but soon realize there is little point. The undead horde appears to approach several hundred, if not several thousand, members. The re is nowhere to run; st iff, shambling forms fill the landscape as far as you can see in every direction. The dubious safety of the temple is now your only hope of survival.
Zombie-Proofing the Temple The zombies and other undead animated by the necroshard are sluggish at first, and many of them
must claw their way free from the earth. This gives the characters a few precious minutes to barricade the doors and set up their defenses. Use this skill challenge to represent fortifying the temple. Level: 2 (XP 375). Complexity:3 (requires 8 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills:Athletics, Dungeoneering, Religion, Theivery.
Athletics (DC 15, standard action, 1 success, no maximum): The character realizes finesse is no trade for quick and effective physical labor. The character pounds nails, carries heavy objects, and uses brute strength shove invading zombies back through the doors.
Dungeoneering (DC 15, stand ard action, 1 s uccess, no maximum): The character’s k nowledge of stone and underground construction lets him or her see how the temple might best be fortified using the meager supplies available.
Religion (DC 15, standard actio n, 1 success , no maximum): The character offers a prayer to Erathis, asking her to lend her strength to the characters’ endeavor and slow the tide of undead seeking to further desecrate her temple.
Thievery (DC 15, standard action, 1 success, no maximum): The character has spent a lifetime getting into places he or she is not wanted. It’s not terribly difficult to turn that concept on its head and use those skills to craft sturdy barricades. Secondary Skills:Perception. Perception (DC 5, minor action , no successes): The character’s keen eyes help more skilled companions find the best materials to aid in fortifying the temple. A successful check grants a +2 bonus to one ally’s next Dungeoneering or Thievery check made as part of this skill challenge.
WE CAN MAKE IT! At some point, the players might think fighting their way through the zombie horde is a better option than remaining in the temple and enduring an undead siege. If this option comes up, let the players get a good look at what they’re facing. You look out upon a nightmarish scene. Hundreds of animated corpses crowd around the temple, three and four rows deep. Humans, dwar ves, elves, and ever y conceivable race, both civilized and savage, are represented among the shambling horde. Worse yet, the corpses of dinosaurs, dire animals, and even more fantastic beasts add their mass and strength to the zombie assault. Despite the zombies’ numbers, there are still gaps in their ranks; gaps the f leet and nimble among you might use to escape the multitudes of undead. However, as if the gods were reading your thoughts, a stag suddenly bursts from cover and runs a bounding course through the advancing zombies. Hope soars within you as the stag easily dodges the clumsy blows of the first few undead it encounters … before the great, animated corpse of a tyrannosaurus rex surges from the mass of undead bodies surrounding the temple and snaps the stag up in its colossal jaws. The stag utters a single bleat of pain and surprise before the zombie T-rex’s jaws slam down, stifling the stag’s cries in a gout of blood. A wriggling pile of smaller zombies quickly forms around the undead dinosaur, eager for the gobbets of flesh falling from its mouth. The stag provides only a momentary distraction for the zombie horde. In seconds, there is little left of the poor beast beyond a crimson smear on the ground. But there is fresher fare still to be had, and the masses of undead press in, clawing at your hastily erected defenses and creating an impassable wall of rotting flesh.
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Zombie Soldier Medium natural animate Initiative+2
Level 2 Soldier XP 125 SensesPerception +2; darkvision
HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 18; Fortitude15; Reflex 13; Will 13 Immunedisease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 6 m Longsword(standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage. M Protective Strike(immediate interrupt, when an adjacent foe attacks a zombie rotter; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –4 penalty to the triggering attack. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+4) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 10 (+1)
Success:The characters succeed in fortifying the temple and buy themselves some time before the next wave of zombies. Failure:Each time the characters fail a primar y skill check, a group of three zombie rotters and a single zombie soldier breaks t hrough the characters’ hastily erected defenses. This encounter uses only the six visible entry points in the temple (numbered 1 though 6): the main door, the two sets of doors along the east and west walls, and the pit in the floor. Roll 1d6 to determine which entry point t he zombies break through.
3 Zombie Rotters
The zombie soldier remains close to a zombie rotter during combat, using protective st rike to hamper the characters attacks against the zombie minions. The zombie rotters simply attack the closest character, flailing away with slam attacks.
XP 38
SensesPerception –1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 9; Will 10 Immune disease; poison Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 5 damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 6 (–1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 10 (+1) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
The characters can’t really fail here; otherwise, they would be overrun by zombies and massacred. Instead, a failure represents bad timing and sloppy execution. They still erect the defenses; they just have to fight off more zombies while doing so. See the “Man the Defenses” sidebar for more details on this skill challenge. Special:The ski ll challenge simulates the characters fighting off zombies while fortifyi ng the temple’s defenses. Note that these two events happen simultaneously. On any round that the characters do not attempt at least one primary skill check, it counts as a failure and more zombies breach the characters’ defenses.
Tactics
Level 3 Minion
Medium natural animate Initiative–1
MAN THE DEFENSES! The Zombie-Proofing the Temple and Shoring Up the Defenses skill challenges are only peripherally concerned with the manual labor of fortifying the temple or repairing barricades. They’re mostly concerned with getting the temple barricaded or getting the defenses repaired before the zombies overwhelm the heroes. A primary skill check failure does not mean the character didn’t use the proper materials orflawless construction techniqu es. Rather, it represents bad timing: A zombie manages to squirm through a hole in the wall before the character can nail a board over it; a zombie slams through a door before the character can throw his weight against it. In addition, failing the skill challenge doesn’t mean the zombies overwhelm the heroes; it means the characters were less efficient than they could have been, and they had to fight more zombies as a result.
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ZOMBIE SIEGE: FIRST WAVE Encounter Level 3+ (XP 702+) 2 gravehounds 4 zombie rotters 2 zombie soldiers
Setup Not long after the characters erect their defenses, the zombie horde, now at full strength, makes a serious push to gain entrance into the temple. When this encounter begins, 2 grave hounds, 4 zombie rotters, and 2 zombie soldiers have managed to break into the temple. The characters need to fight off the zombies that make it inside while repairing their breached defenses. When the attack begins, read:
The temple is filled with a cacophony of thick, horrid moaning and the staccato rhythm of hundreds of undead fists beat ing against the temple d oors. Sudde nly, a sharp cracking noise echoes through the temple, and you realize your defenses have been breached ! For this encounter and the next one, there are eight numbered entry points into the temple, although only six are visible to the characters: the main door, the two sets of doors along the east and west walls, and the pit in the floor. The remaining two entrances are tunnels dug by the zombies that open up in the floor of the temple, creating a pit just like the one currently visible. If one of the tunnel entrances is rolled, replace the rubble square with a pit, which remains visible for the rest of the encounter.
When the encounter begins, spilt the initial group of zombies into two groups of 1 g rave hound, 2 zombie rotters, and 1 zombie soldier, and then roll a d8 twice (reroll duplicate rolls) to determine which two entry points the first wave of zombies breaches.
Shoring Up the Defenses During the battle, the characters need to repair their defenses to prevent more zombies from breaking into the temple. Level: 2 (XP 125) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills:Athletics, Dungeoneering, Religion, Thievery.
Athletics (DC 15, stan dard action, 1 success, no m aximum): The character realizes finesse is no trade for quick and effective physical labor. The character pounds nails, carries heavy objects, and uses brute strength shove invading zombies back through the doors.
Dungeoneering (DC 15, stand ard action, 1 s uccess, no maximum): The character’s k nowledge of stone and underground construction lets him or her see how the temple might best be fortified using the meager supplies available.
Religion (DC 15, standard actio n, 1 success , no maximum): The character offers a prayer to Erathis, asking her to lend her strength to the characters’ endeavor and slow the tide of undead seeking to further desecrate her temple.
Thievery (DC 15, standard action, 1 success, no maximum): The character has spent a lifetime getting into places he or she is not wanted. It’s not terribly difficult to turn that concept on its head and use those skills to craft sturdy barricades.
Secondary Skills:Perception.
Perception (DC 5, minor action , no successes): The character’s keen eyes help more skilled companions find the best materials to aid in fortifying the temple. A successful check grants a +2 bonus to one ally’s next Dungeoneering or Thievery check made as part of this skill challenge. Success:The characters succeed in repairing their defenses, and only face the initial number of zombies.
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Failure: Each time the characters fail a primary skill check, two more zombie rotters enter the combat (roll 1d8 to determine which entry point they breach). If the characters score three failures (a complete failure), an additional zombie solider enters the fray from one of the breached entr y points (roll randomly). The characters cannot accrue failures by failing ski ll checks. Instead, a failure represents bad timing and sloppy execution by the characters. They still repair the defenses; they just have to fight off more zombies while doing it. See the “Man the Defenses” sidebar on page 32 for more details. Special: The skill challenge simulates the characters fighting off zombies while fortifying the temple’s defenses. Note that these two events happen simultaneously. On any round that the characters do not attempt at least one primary skill check, it counts as a failure and more zombies breach the characters’ defenses. 2 Gravehounds
Level 3 Brute
Medium natural animate XP 150 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 14; Fortitude14; Reflex 12; Will 11 Immunedisease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 8 m Bite (standard; at-will) Necrotic +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends) and is knocked prone. M Death Jaws(when reduced to 0 hit points) Necrotic The gravehound makes a bite attack against a target within its reach. Zombie Weakness Any critical hit to the zombie reduces it to 0 hit points instantly. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+4) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
4+ Zombie Rotters
Level 3 Minion
Medium natural animate XP 38 Initiative–1 SensesPerception –1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 9; Will 10 Immunedisease; poison Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 5 damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 6 (–1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 10 (+1) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
2+ Zombie Soldier
Level 2 Soldier
Medium natural animate XP 125 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +2; darkvision HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 18; Fortitude15; Reflex 13; Will 13 Immunedisease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant
Speed 6 m Longsword(standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage. M Protective Strike(immediate interrupt, when an adjacent foe attacks a zombie rotter; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –4 penalty to the triggering attack. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+4) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 10 (+1)
Development If the characters fight off the zombies and complete the skill challenge, they buy themselves another few hours of reprieve. However, the zombie horde is not done with the characters yet, and another, stronger push is on the way.
HEY, I KNOW THAT ZOMBIE! If your players have played through other Chaos Scar adventures, you might want to have a villain from the past show up as a zombie. Zombified versions of The Hand of Torog from Den of the Slavetakers, the halflings from the Brothers Grey, or bullywugs from Stick in the Mud all work well. In addition to serving as a fun Easter egg for your players, the appearance of these villains clearly demonstrates the far-reaching power of the necroshard.
Tactics The zombie rotters attack the closest living creature with slam attacks, whi le the zombie soldier remains close to the rotters, granting them the benefits of its protective str ike. The grave hounds also attack the nearest living target, bearing characters to the ground with their bite attacks.
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ZOMBIE SIEGE: SECOND WAVE Encounter Level 4+ (XP 927+) 2 2 1 6
corruption corpses hobgoblin zombies shard zombie zombie rotters
Setup After a short reprieve, the zombie horde makes a stronger push to overrun the characters. This encounter is handled much like the previous one and uses the Shoring up the Defenses skill challenge while the characters battle zombies. However, the second wave encounter includes a few significant changes: The initial group of breaching zombies includes a new type of zombie unique to the necromantic energies of the necroshard. The shard zombie is both intelligent and powerful, and would be an ideal candidate to insert a familiar face, as mentioned in the “Hey, I K now That Zombie” sidebar. In addition to the shard z ombie, 2 corruption corpses, 2 hobgoblin zombies, and 6 zombie rotters comprise the initial group of zombies the character face in this encounter. Like the first encounter, divide the zombies into two groups, and then roll 1d8 twice to determine the two entry points the undead breach.
2 Corruption Corpses
Level 4 Artiller y
Medium natural animate XP 175 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +3; darkvision Grave Stenchaura 1; living enemies in the aura take a –5 penalty to attack rolls. HP 46; Bloodied23 Regeneration5 (if the corruption corpse takes radiant damage, regeneration doesn’t function on its next turn) AC 17; Fortitude16; Reflex 14; Will 14 Immunedisease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. R Mote of Corruption(standard; at-will) Necrotic The corruption corpse hurls a black glob of necrotic filth: ranged 10; +7 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 3 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). C Death Burst(when reduced to 0 hit points) Necrotic The corruption corpse explodes: close burst 1; +7 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 3 necrotic damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+5) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 12 (+3) Con 16 (+5) Int 4 (–1) Cha 3 (–2)
Run the Shoring up the Defenses skill challenge again. However, this time, when the characters fail a primary skill check, three zombie rotters break through and join the combat. If the characters completely fail the skill challenge (earn three failures), an additional corruption corpse breaks through and joins the combat. Remember, even if the characters fail the skill challenge completely, they still manage to repair their defenses and hold off the zombie horde. They just have to fight a lot more zombies to accomplish the same goal.
2 Hobgoblin Zombies
Level 2 Brute
Medium natural animate XP 125 Initiative–1 SensesPerception +0; darkvision HP 40; Bloodied20 AC 15; Fortitude15; Reflex 11; Will 12 Immune disease; poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 2d6 + 2 damage. M Zombie Grab(standard; requires a free hand; at-will) +4 vs. Reflex; the target is grabbed (until escape). Checks made to escape the zombie’s grab are made with a –5 penalty. Zombie Weakness A critical hit to a hobgoblin zombie reduces it to 0 hit points instantly. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+4) Dex 6 (–1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 10 (+1) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
Shard Zombie
Level 4 Controller (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +10; darkvision HP 57; Bloodied28 AC 18; Fortitude15; Reflex 15; Will 15 Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant Speed 6 m Slam (standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage. R Claw of Doom(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +9 vs. Fortitude; a shadowy claw slides the target 3 squares, and one zombie ally adjacent to the target after the slide makes a melee basic attack against the target. C Speed of the Damned (standard; at-will) Close burst 10; up to four zombie rotters; targets make a melee basic attack. Arise, Corpse(standard; encounter) Four zombie rotters appear in unoccupied squares adjacent to the shard zombie. Undead Tenacity When a zombie rotter within 2 squares of the shard zombie hits a creature, it grabs that creature . AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Str 15 (+4) Dex 11 (+2) Wis 16 (+5) Con 17 (+5) Int 17 (+5) Cha 11 (+2)
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6+ Zombie Rotters
Level 3 Minion
Medium natural animate Initiative–1 SensesPerception –1; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 9; Will 10 Immunedisease; poison Speed 4 m Slam (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 5 damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 6 (–1) Wis 8 (+0) Con 10 (+1) Int 1 (–4) Cha 3 (–3)
XP 38
Tactics The hobgoblin zombies and zombie rotters attack the closest characters with slam attacks. The corruption corpses begin combat at range, hurlingmotes of corruption at characters until the heroes engage them in melee. The shard zombie remains within 2 squares of the zombie rotters so they can benefit from undead tenacity . It uses claw of doom to drag characters using ranged attacks or spells into melee and speed of the damned when three or more zombie rotters surround a single hero. The shard zombie uses arise, corpse when half the initial zombie rotters have been destroyed.
Development If the characters can survive this last assault, they are witness to a glorious sight after the last zombie falls. When the characters defeat the last zombie in this encounter, read:
IS THAT ALL YOU GOT? If the characters have had an easy time of it, and the zombie assaults have not proved sufficiently challenging, simply throw another Zombie Siege encounter at them before dawn’s arrival. However, each time you run a Zombie Siege beyond the two presented in the adventure, use progressively tougher zombies, or even other types of corporeal undead, such as ghouls and wights.
When the characters exit the temple, read:
The clearing around the temple is littered with hundreds of bodies, from tiny, shrunken goblin corpses to the behemoth carcass of what appears to be a dragon. Corpses are stacked up against each of the temple doors ten and twenty high, and the stench of rot and death fills the air in a nauseating miasma
The zombie shudders and collapses as the energy animating its rotting body dissipates from your attack. You turn toward the main doors, expecting another wave of fiendish unde ad. Instea d, the te mple interior is s uddenly filled with shaft s of pale, morning s unshine, burst ing through the cracks and holes in the doors and walls. You then realize the forest outside the temple walls has become still and quiet. Dawn has come, and the power of the necroshard fades in the light of the morning sun. The characters have survived the night. However, when they finally exit the temple, one more horror awaits.
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CONCLUSION: WHAT TO DO WITH THE NECROSHARD? The characters could simply leave the necroshard in the temple, but its power would continue to grow, and eventually an unstoppable horde of zombies would sweep out of the Chaos Scar and into civilized lands. This is certainly reason enough to destroy it. However, if certain precautions are taken, the power of the necroshard can be harnessed and used by the characters.
Destroying the Shard If the characters decide to destroy the necroshard, they find it is almost impervious to attacks. However, surviving the zombie horde earns them the favor of Erathis, especially if one or more characters managed to beseech aid from the goddess during the zombie siege. A simple DC 10 Religion check grants the characters divine insight on how the necroshard can be destroyed.
Destroying the Necroshard The altar in the temple rectory can be reconsecrated, and once the altar is again a divine conduit for the power of Erathis, the necroshard can be destroyed by placing it on the altar and performing a ritual, represented by this skill challenge. Level: 2 (XP 250). Complexity:2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skill:Religion. Religion (DC 10, 1 success, no m aximum): You call upon the power of Erathis to destroy the necroshard.
You gain a +2 bonus to this check if you received divine aid from Erathis during the Zombie-Proofing the Temple and Shoring Up the Defenses skill challenges. Other Skills:Diplomacy, Dungeoneering. Diplomacy (DC 10, no successes): Erathis is the goddess of civilization and community, and is known to be both diplomatic and reasonable. You’re no cleric, but your silver tongue might sway the goddess to aid you in your endeavor. You grant a +2 bonus to one ally’s next Religion check made as part of this skill challenge. Dungeoneering (DC 15, no successes): You use your knowledge of stonework to remove all traces of evil iconography from the altar. On a success, all Religion checks made as part of this skill challenge gain a +2 bonus. Success:Erathis lends her divine power to the characters, the altar is reconsecrated, and the necroshard is destroyed in a blast of white light. The characters gain an additional 250 XP for destroying the necroshard. In addition, Erathis’s followers hear of the characters’ deed, and their favorable opinion of the heroes could take the form of a number of future benefits. Failure: If the characters fail the skill challenge, allow them try again with a –2 penalty to all checks. However, if they fail the skill challenge a second time, they fail to destroy the necroshard, and in the process, they offend Erathis. Until they can divine some way to destroy the necroshard—perhaps by beseeching aid from a high priest of a good-aligned deity—they receive a –1 penalty to all Diplomacy checks.
Keeping the Shard If the characters decide to keep the necroshard, they can harness its power by placing it in the hilt of a weapon. Encasing the shard in metal is the only safe way for it to be handled; however, even if the characters take this precaution, the necroshard can still be dangerous to its owner and his or her allies.
Necroshard Weapon This large black gem can be placed in the hilt of on imbuing the weapon with necrotic power.
Level 5+ a melee weap-
Lvl 5 +1 1,000 gp Lvl 20 +4 125,000 gp Lvl 10 +2 5,000 gp Lvl 25 +5 625,000 gp Lvl 15 +3 25,000 gp Lvl 30 +6 3,125,000 gp Weapon (Any One-Handed or Two-Handed Melee Weapon) Enhancement:Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical:+1d10 necrotic damage per plus. Property:Weapon attacks made with the weapon against living creatures gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls vs. Fortitude. Power (Daily Necrotic):Free Action: Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target takes an extra 1d8 necrotic damage and is weakened until the end of your next turn. Level 15 or 20: 2d8 necrotic damage. Level 25 or 30: 3d8 necrotic damage. D
About the A uthor Aeryn “Bla ckdirge” Rudel is a staf f writer and editor for Goodman Games, a freelance writer and RPG designer, and the editor-in-chief of the 4E magazine Level Up . He has been a professional game designer since 2005, and his recent author credits include Blackdirge’s Dungeon Den izens, Crit ter Cache: Daemons , and Hero’s Handbook: Tief ling . Aeryn currently lives in Modesto, California with his wife Melissa, a nongamer whose tolerance for her husband ’s geekery borders on the supernatural.
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t hamm Fa A Chaos Scar A dventu re By Corwin Riddle illustration by Slawomir Maniak cartography by Jason A. Engle “The Hammer Falls” is a short adventure for five 2ndlevel characters that takes place in the Chaos Scar. The characters enter an abandoned metalworking refinery under the control of a clan of duergar who have given their souls to infernal forces in exchange for power. Inside, they work tirelessly to u ncover the secrets within a river of lava corrupted by a shard from the meteorite. Taskmaster Barulg and his duergar clan use their expertise of mining and smelting in an attempt to infuse weapons with the lava’s power, while Sleed, an imp who has discovered that the corrupted lava can be twisted into powerful and obedient elemental servitors, supervises the progress. T he characters enter the refinery and encounter an ambush, followed by
a battle in the metalworks where they must contend with unstable fu rnaces and workers. Finally, the characters descend into the heart of the refinery, where Sleed and Barulg await. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating the metalworking refinery into any existi ng campaign, where you can choose an alternative magical force that has altered the lava. If you use the adventure in a location other than the Chaos Scar, you’ll need to create your own reasons for the infernal interest in the duergar’s affairs. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar introduction and check out the map of the entire valley.
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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BACkground The malign inf luence and corruption found within the Chaos Scar cannot always be traced to a tangible piece of the meteorite. Though many shards remain scattered throughout the valley or claimed by its covetous denizens, some have dissipated, dissolved, melted away, or been consumed by other forces. These shards are never fully destroyed; the meteor’s destructive essence endures within the power that absorbed it, slowly spreading its corruption and perverting its new incarnation with the meteorite’s evil. One such shard, separated at impact, slowly burrowed deep into an expanse of rocky terrain, where it found its way into a vein of magma. Liquidated by the intense heat, the shard—along with its corruption and essence—was absorbed into the molten rock. Over time, it rose to the surface as a river of strange lava which glows with an unnatural, bluish hue. This lava followed the channels created by older magma flows, which led it into the underbelly of a long-abandoned metalworking refinery. Brought back to life under the cruel direction of taskmaster Barulg and his duergar clan, the refinery’s metalworking resources were used to forge weapons for duergar raiding part ies. However, soon after arriving and activating the furnaces, the duergar discovered that the stra ngely colored lava contained latent magical properties, and they began to experiment in an attempt to harness its power. The lava is nothing if not unpredictable, and after many failed attempts—and casualties—the duergar smiths were able to use the lava to craft a single magical weapon: a monstrous warhammer imbued with a fiery essence. Baru lg immediately claimed the hammer as his own, forcing the duergar to work
the furnaces night and day in hopes of creating more such armaments. These magical experiments drew the eye of Sleed, a clever imp with a strong interest in the lava’s strange properties. Sent by his master to observe the meteor’s influence and effects, Sleed easily took advantage of the duergar’s infernal associations to seal a pact for their souls, promising power to Barulg and his duergar when greater devils come to stake a claim in the valley. Sleed then took over the operation, bringing in other devils to help expand and escalate the experiments to create more powerful magic items. As the experiments continued and the lava was exposed to rituals, an unexpected side effect occurred: Pieces of the lava and magma began to come alive as elemental servitors, under the control of the ritual caster—namely, Sleed. Seeing the potential in an army of fiery warriors, Sleed began to catalog his experiments, hoping to find a consistent way to create such elementals—or a way to bring even more powerful elementals into being.
Sleed Sleed is clever, and the imp excels at surviving. If threatened, he tries to bargain for his life while planning an escape. He’s installed a trap door at the bottom of the refinery—large enough only for a creature of his stature—that leads back to the surface. He has no loyalty to Barulg or his clan and won’t hesitate to leave them behind.
Barulg A cruel brute, Barulg knows litt le but blood and violence, and he enjoys inf licting pain and suf fering on others. Believing that Sleed’s masters will protect him, he becomes angered if the imp abandons him. Barulg has little to say, preferring to let his warhammer converse with the characters.
synopsis The characters enter the refinery and are immediately met with resistance from duergar sentries who attempt to warn their allies in the adjacent metalworking room. Depending on whether a sentry escapes and how the characters enter the metalworks, they might walk into another ambush or catch the duergar smiths unaware as they work the furnaces. Bolstering their numbers are an imp and an elemental servitor. Following the tunnel down from the metalworks brings the characters to the bottom of the refinery, a fiery pit where Sleed and Barulg wait. Once the battle begins, Sleed summons an escort of elemental servitors to assist. Depending on how the fight progresses, Sleed may attempt to escape through a tiny trap door leading to the surface, leaving Barulg and the elementals to fend for themselves. It’s up to you whether he tries to flee and if the characters have a chance to pursue him.
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Dungeon Tiles This adventure’s map was constructed with one set each of the following D&D Dungeon Tile sets:Arcane Corridors (DT2), Hidden Crypt s (DT3), and Fane of the Forgotten Gods (DT7). Each room can be constructed simultaneously to save time while the adventure is being played.
Treasure The characters should earn a total of three treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find treasure and what each parcel should contain. The magic items should come from the players’ wish lists. Do not count Barulg’s hammer as part of the treasure parcels. Parcel 1: 200 gp and potion a of The Entrance healing(carried by a duergar scout) Parcel 2: One level 3 magic item The Metalwork s (found near the furnaces) Parcel 3: 170 gp and an Enchant Sleed’s Sanctum Magic Item ritual (found on Sleed’s desk)
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getting the plAyers involved “The Hammer Falls” takes place in the Chaos Scar. The following adventure hooks provide information and motivation that could send the characters to the metalworking refinery. These hooks include minor quests that can net the characters some extra experience.
Hook 1: Bring Down the Hammer Lord Drysdale of Restwell Keep has tasked guardsman Rikter Idrisil, a sturdy human bearing many scars, with maintaining the peace near a section of the King’s Wall that lies dangerously close to Barulg’s refinery. Every few nights, Barulg and his clan emerge from their hideout, cross the wall, and raid nearby settlements for food, supplies, a nd even slaves on occasion. Rikter and his guards have had enough of this aggression and are determined to drive the duergar completely out of the valley. Rikt er has sent several patrols into the refinery to deal with the duergar, but no progress has been made. Rikter has begun to suspect that more than duergar lurk in the caverns, but he is confident that Barulg holds them all together; killing him should disperse the rest of his clan. Lacking the proper manpower to penetrate the refinery, Rikter hires the characters to enter and kill Barulg and bring back his giant warhammer as proof of his demise. Quest: 625 XP and 300 gp for returning with Barulg’s warhammer.
Hook 2: No Dwarf Left Behind A trio of dwarven brothers, miners by trade, saw smoke and steam billowing from a long-dormant metalworking refinery near the King’s Wall, and they decided to investigate. Upon entering Barulg’s refinery, they were a mbushed by a group of duergar, and only one of the dwarves managed to escape. The dwarf, an obstinate and ornery fellow named Balidor Cragbottom, knows a bit about duergar and their ways, and he believes it’s possible that his brothers are being kept alive as slaves, or worse, sacrifices for one of the duergars’ infernal altars. Balidor is unwilling to leave his brothers to die but admits that he isn’t much of a fighter and wouldn’t get far on his own. Seeing the characters as capable adventurers, he offers them gold if they’re willing to investigate and return with any information regarding the fate of his brothers. Quest: 125 XP and 200 gp for bringing back information about Balidor’s brothers.
Hook 3: A Small Sample Ruana Lorewise, an eccentric elven wizard with an interest in geological phenomena of a magical nature, was out exploring some volcanic rock formations when she detected a trickle of strange lava which pulsed with an odd, bluish hue. Following it, she found that it led to an old refinery. Unfortunately, when nearing the building, a group of small, fiery elementals appeared, scaring her off before she could properly investigate the area. More fascinated than ever, Ruana hires the characters to bring back a sample of lava from within the refinery, convinced that potent magic can be found at the heart of the lava flow that runs below. She offers a reward for the sample, and provides a magical vial capable of holding the lava. Quest XP:125 XP and 100 gp for bringing back a sample of the strange lava.
getting stArted Regardless of the hook used to get the characters into the Chaos Scar, read or paraphrase the following when they reach the me talworkin g refi nery: An overpowering st ench of sulfur lingers in the a ir as you approach the refinery. It’s evident from the decay and debris that the facility has not been used in many years. One of the upper walls has collapsed, and rusty tools lie scattered around the entrance, yet steam and smoke billow out from the broken chimneys, rising above the faint sound of hammers on anvils that echo within the broken walls.
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AreA 1: the entrAnCe Encounter level 2 (XP 700) The only room at ground level, the entryway shows the age of the building; its walls are crumbling and partially collapsed, and with the debris scattered on the floor, each step is uncertain. The duergar intentionally leave the room dark, extinguishing the only two braziers when the scouts spot potential intruders. They prefer to capture any intruders to use as slaves, but their first priority is to deny entrance to the lower levels of the refinery.
Setup 2 duergar guards(G) 2 duergar scouts(S) The duergar scouts start on the top of the wooden balcony at opposite sides, hiding in t he shadows. Do not place them on the map until they attack or a character notices them (see below). When the characters enter the refinery, read: As you make your way down a gentle ramp, the air becomes warm and thick and the tas te of ash sett les on your tongue. A tunnel at the far end of th e room glows a pale orange, carrying light and the rhythmic tempo of pounding hammers into the room. Light from the tunnel leaves the walls and corners o minously dark. You can make out a rickety wooden balcony near the rear of the room, which overlooks an uneven stone floor covered with debris and holes.
2 Duergar Guards (G)
Level 4 Soldier
2 Duergar Scouts (S)
Level 4 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid (devil) XP 175 each Initiative+6 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 58; Bloodied29 AC 21; Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 15 Immuneillusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard, at-will) Weapon +11 vs. AC; 1d10+3 damage. R Beard Quills(minor, encounter) Poison Ranged 3; +11 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and ongoing 2 poison damage and -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). Infernal Anger(minor; recharge 5 6 ) Fire Until the start of the duergar guard’s next turn, it deals an extra 4 fire damage when its melee attacks hit, and if an adjacent enemy moves or shifts during this period, the duergar guard can shift 1 square as an immediate reaction. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +9
Medium natural humanoid (devil) XP 175 each Initiative+8 Senses Perception +9; darkvision HP 48; Bloodied24 AC 18; Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 16 Immune illusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard, at-will) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d10 + 2 damage. R Crossbow(standard, at-will) Weapon Ranged 15/30; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. R Infernal Quills(minor, encounter) Poison Ranged 3; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 2 poison damage and a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). Shadow Attack A duergar scout’s attacks deal 2d6 extra damage while the scout is invisible. Underdark Sneak(minor; while in dim light or darkness and adjacent to an object or a wall that occupies at least 1
Str 14 (+4) Dex 15 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Equipmentchainmail, warhammer
square; at-will) The duergar scout become s invisible until t he end of its next turn or until after it hits or misses with an attack. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +9, Stealth +9 Str 15 (+4) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 14 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Cha 7 (0) Equipmentchainmail, crossbow, crossbow bolt x10, warhammer
Wis 15 (+4) Cha 8 (+1)
Though prepared for intruders, it is possible for the characters to sneak into the room and detect the duergar’s presence before being seen. The scouts have passive Perception of 19; if the characters beat it with their Stealth checks, they can enter the room unnoticed. If the characters bring a light source, they are noticed immediately. If they are discovered, the duergar scouts and guards attempt to sneak into advantageous positions (make Stealth checks for each duergar and compare them to the characters’ passive Perception checks). The Perception check results below assume that the duergar are aware of the characters’ approach and have extinguished the braziers accordingly. If that isn’t the case, the braziers are still lit (see the readaloud text below the Perception check results).
Perception DC 10 The two braziers flanking the entrance are unlit, but the coals within are slightly warm and glow a faint red—the fires were recently extinguished . Perception DC 15 Between the clanging sounds of metal o n metal, you hear the soft, subtle creak of weight on wooden boards. Glancing toward the source of the noise, you see a shadowy figure atop the balcony and the glint of metal in its hand.
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If the characters successfully sneak i nto the room, read: As the rear hallway flickers with fi ery light, you can make out the silhouettes of two stout figures standing just inside, their shadows flowing into the room. They don’t seem to be looking in your direction.
Tactics The duergar start the encounter with two goals in mind: take live prisoners, and keep intruders away from the inner workings of the refinery. They start the fight looking to weaken and capture the characters, but attempt to kill them as soon as they realize the heroes are a significant threat. Once combat begins, the duergar guards move into range and use beard quills to weaken the characters, following up with warhammer attacks and making use of infernal anger whenever possible. The guards do their best to keep the characters in the center of the room, allowing the duergar scouts a clear line of sight for their ranged attacks. If still unnoticed, the duergar scouts enter combat a round later, hoping to surprise any characters that have already entered the room. Since the scouts should be hiding in darkness, they can make immediate use of shadow attack . If the characters start to focus on the scouts, they will to fade into the darkness atop the balcony, using underdark sneak to change location while preparing anothershadow attack . When a character first closes the distance, the scout usesinfernal quills. If the battle is going poorly for the duergar and only two remain, at or near their bloodied values, one of the duergar attempts to flee the room through a secret door atop the ba lcony, hoping to warn their
allies in the adjacent room. If a duergar does make it out alive, add him to the next encounter.
S
Development If a duergar managed to escape, he runs ahead to alert his allies in the next room, joining them in the second encounter. The escaping duergar assumes that the characters will not be able to find the secret door into the metalworks, and he has set an ambush near the main stairway entrance. The characters can surprise or disorient the ambushers if they take the secret tunnel or split up and approach via both entrances.
G G
S
Features of the Area Braziers:The braziers can be tipped over with a DC 5 Athletics check, spilling the coals onto an adjacent square and dealing 1d6 fire damage to any creatures within a close burst 1. Giant Hole:A creature stepping onto the square drops 10 feet and is knocked prone. Hidden Door:Located atop the wooden balcony, the door opens into a tunnel leading to the metalworks. A character can discover the door with a DC 15 Perception check. Illumination:The bottom f loor is lit by light escaping from the furnace room, which qualifies as dim light. The wooden balcony and most corners are shrouded in darkness. Wooden Balcony:Elevated 15 feet above the floor, the balcony is sturdy enough to support a lot of weight and any climbing on its sides, but could be brought down if two or more supports are broken, dropping anyone on the balcony to the g round and knocking them prone. Each support has 25 hp, AC 2, and Fortitude 12.
If a character finds the secret door atop the wooden balcony, read: Cleverly disguised as a ventilation shaft, the small door slides open. Peering inside reveals a narrow tunnel, filled with the familiar glow of the nearby f urnace room.
Treasure If the characters light the braziers, either during or after the fight, they can easily spot some gold and a potion of healing dropped by one of the duergar; ot herwise, finding them in the dark requires a DC 10 Perception check.
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AreA 2: the MetAlworks Encounter level 2 (XP 650) The corrupted lava flows into this room, where the weapons are created and the bulk of the experiments performed. Several duergar work the furnaces with one of Sleed’s imps, preparing another attempt at creating a lava-infused magical weapon. With the noise from hammers, steam, and the roaring furnaces, it’s difficult for them to hear anyone approaching. They expect the sentries to alert them to any potential problems.
Setup 1 duergar guard(G) 3 duergar miners(M) 1 imp (I) 1 magma hurler(H) The magma hurler starts hidden in the river of lava until its allies are in trouble. Do not place it on the map until it attacks.
Another Ambush If the characters prevented the duergar from escaping the previous room, the entire party gains a surprise round, regardless of which entrance they take; none of the workers are expecting company, and with the level of noise, it’s almost impossible for them to hear the characters arrive. The guard is relaxed and inattentive, while the miners and the imp are focused on the furnaces. Enemies should be set up as shown on the map.
If one of the duergar managed to escape from the previous encounter and warn his allies in the metalworks, the characters could be walking into a second ambush. The escaped duergar—along with the guard, miners, and imp—will hide behind the furnaces and on either side of the main door, expecting the characters to use the main hallway entrance. Readjust their setup positions to reflect the situation. Characters entering from the hidden doorway will likely enter unnoticed in this scenario, gaining a surprise round. If a duergar escaped to the metalworks from the previous encounter, read the following as they near the room: The always-constant sound of hammers on anvils comes to an abrupt stop, leaving an eerie silence that is soon replaced by loud chatter. Regardless of their entrance, read the following when the characte rs enter the meta lworks: As you descend dee per into the refiner y, you are met with a sudden wall of hot air and ash. The hallway opens up into a giant metalworking facility, which is in surprisingly good condition compared to the rest of the refinery. Stretching toward a tall ceiling of stonework and rock, two giant iron furnaces s pout fire and shake viole ntly. Many discarded weapons are scattered around the flo or, warped and melted beyond recognition. Near the back of the room is a river of lava, but of a bluish hue, glowing and surging with energy.
If the characters enter the metalworks unnoticed, read the following: Several small duergar surround the furnaces, adjusting valves and heating a large sword. An imp rests nearby, floating casu ally while looking bored. A stou t guard leans against one of the walls, his helmet pulled down over his eyes—he looks to be asleep. Perception DC 10 The furnaces seem dangerously erratic, spouting fire and the blue lava onto the floor nearby. Perception DC 15 The lava flow near the back of the room erupts and splashes with volatile waves. W hat seems to be a he ad of molten rock rises above the lava for a second, glaring with fiery eyes before falling back into the channel. When the magma hurler appears, read: Emerging from the river of lava is an elem ental of magma and smoldering rock. When a furnace spews lava, read: The furnaces shake violently, their metal walls and grates screeching as they strain to hold together. A geyser of lava erupts from inside, throwing flaming slag and magma in every direction.
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Duergar Guard (G)
Level 4 Soldier
Imp (I)
Level 3 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid (devil) XP 175 Initiative+6 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 58; Bloodied29 AC 21; Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 15 Immune illusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard, at-will) Weapon +11 vs. AC; 1d10+3 damage. R Beard Quills(minor, encounter) Poison Ranged 3; +11 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and ongoing 2 poison damage and -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). Infernal Anger(minor; recharge 5 6 ) Fire Until the start of the duergar guard’s next turn, it deals an extra 4 fire damage when its melee attacks hit, and if an adjacent enemy moves or shifts during this period, the duergar guard can shift 1 square as an immediate reaction. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +9
Tiny immort al humanoid (devil) XP 150 Initiative+8 Senses Perception +8; darkvision HP 40; Bloodied20 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 15, Will 15 Resist15 fire Speed 4, fly 6 (hover) m Bite (standard, at-will) Reach 0; +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage. M Tail Sting(standard, encounter; recharges when the imp uses vanish) Poison Reach 0; +8 vs. AC; 1d8+3 damage, and the imp makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack:+5 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and a –2 penalty to Will defense (save ends both). Vanish(standard; at-will) Illusion The imp becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it attacks. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Supernal Skills Arcana +9, Bluff +9, Stealth +9
Str 14 (+4) Dex 15 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Equipmentchainmail, warhammer
Str 12 (+2) Con 16 (+4)
Wis 15 (+4) Cha 8 (+1)
Dex 17 (+4) Int 16 (+4)
Magma Hurler (H) 3 Duergar Miners (M)
Level 5 Minion
Medium natural humanoid (devil) XP 50 each Initiative+5 Senses Perception +4; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 20; Fortitude17, Reflex 14, Will 17 Immune illusion; Resist 10 fire, 10 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard, at-will) Weapon +3 vs. AC; 4 damage. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven SkillsDungeoneerin g +11 Str 17 (+5) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 14 (+4) Con 20 (+7) Int 10 (+2) Cha 7 (0) Equipmentchainmail, warhammer
Wis 14 (+3) Cha 16 (+4)
Level 4 Artiller y
Medium elemental humanoid (earth, fire) XP 175 Initiative+8 SensesPerception +4 HP 41; Bloodied20 AC 18; Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 13 Immune petrification; Resist 10 fire; Vulnerablecold (a magma hurler that takes cold damage is slowed until the end of its next turn) Speed 4 m Slam (standard, at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. R Magma Ball(standard, at-will) Fire Ranged 15; +7 vs. Reflex; 1d6+6 fire damage. Miss: Creatures adjacent to the target take 1d6 fire damage. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial SkillsEndurance +7 Str 18 (+6) Dex 22 (+8) Wis 14 (+4) Con 11 (+2) Int 5 (–1) Cha 8 (+1)
Tactics Regardless of how the battle begins, the imp immediately vanishes and attempts to hide until it sees a good opportunity to attack withtail sting or bite, preferring to flank when possible. If caught in a dangerous position, the imp gives priority to usingvanish and retreating rather than attacking. The imp will not hesitate to hover over the lava flow to stay out of a melee character’s reach. The guard and miners try to corner the characters near the furnaces, hoping to inflict as much fire damage as possible as the furnaces erupt each turn. The miners have no real tactical prowess but do their best to surround and flank characters when able. The guard uses infernal anger immediately and upon each recharge, saving beard quills for a character who has moved beyond reach. Appearing in the most advantageous part of the lava flow, the m agma hurler enters combat when either the imp or duergar guard is bloodied or when all three duergar miners are killed, whichever comes first. The magma hurler can stay within the lava flow if within range of the characters but is likely to move out to use magma ball against any characters in a clump.
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Development
Features of the Area
After a quick search of the metalworks, the characters find many piles of warped and useless weapons—remnants of failed experiments—though they can also find the treasure noted below. A DC 12 Arcana check reveals that the bluish lava contains strong magical properties and almost appears to have a life of its own. If the characters are looking for a sample of lava for Ruana, they can obtain it here; Balidor’s brothers, however, are nowhere to be found. Although the characters might think they have the element of surprise as they continue, a small fire elemental from the lava flow in the metalworks has already seen and reported the intruders to Sleed, who has started gathering his notes and summoning
Illumination:The room is well lit by the furnaces and lava, pulsing with red and blue hues. Elevation:The ceiling is 30 feet high, made of stonework built into the underside of the rocky terrain. Furnaces:Each furnace is 10 feet tall, and deals 1d6 fire damage to any creature that enters or begins its turn in one of its squares. At the end of each round, the furnace spews flames and lava, dealing 1d4 fire damage to any creature adjacent to it, which also gains vulnerable 5 fire until the end of its next turn. Lava Flow:The lava flow is a combination of rock, lava, and magma slowly flowing from the west through a slightly recessed stone channel 5 feet below
elemental servitors in preparation for a battle and possible escape.
the floor. A creature falling into the lava takes 1d6 fire damage upon falling in and 1d6 fire damage when starting its next tu rn in the lava.
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Treasure Scattered among all the worthless items on the floor of the metalworks is one intact level 3 magic weapon.
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AreA 3: sleed’s sAnCtuM Encounter level 3 (XP 725) The characters continue down another set of stairs and hallways, finally reaching the bottom of the refinery and Sleed’s den, where t he corrupted lava broke through the ground and the magical potency is at its peak. Here, Sleed works to perfect his process while Barulg stays nearby to protect him. They have been expecting intruders after hearing the commotion above and have summoned three elemental servitors to assist them in battle.
Setup Sleed, imp(S)
Perception DC 15 Some of the stones have been removed from the floor near the rear of the chamber and been replaced with a small wooden trap door.
Level 5 Controller
Tiny immort al humanoid (devil) XP 150 Initiative+8 Senses Perception +8; darkvision HP 40; Bloodied20 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 15, Will 15 Resist15 fire Speed 4, fly 6 (hover) m Bite (standard, at-will) Reach 0; +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage.
Medium natural humanoid (devil) XP 200 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +11; darkvision HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 19; Fortitude16, Reflex 16, Will 18 Immune illusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard, at-will) Weapon +10 vs. AC; 1d10 + 1 damage. R Hellbolt(standard, at-will) Fire Ranged 10; +9 vs. Reflex; 1d10 + 4 fire damage. R Infernal Quills(minor, encounter) Poison Ranged 3; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 2 poison damage and a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). C Wave of Despair(standard, encounter) Psychic Close blast 5; +9 vs. Will; 1d8 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is slowed and dazed (save ends both). A Brimstone Hail(standard, recharge 5 6 ) Fire Area burst 2 within 15; +9 vs. Reflex ; 3d6 + 4 fire damage,
M Tail Sting(standard, encounter; recharges when the imp uses vanish) Poison
C Hammer Strike(standard, recharge 4 5 6)
Arcana DC 15 The chasm here emanates the strongest magical aura in the refinery and appears to be the source of the lava flow. Sleed, Imp (S)
Level 3 Lurker
Reach 0; +8 vs. AC; 1d8+3 damage, and the imp makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack:+5 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and a –2 penalty to Will defense (save ends both). When the characters enter Sleed’s sanctum, read:Vanish(standard; at-will) Illusion The imp becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or The sheer heat of this room tells you that you’ve reached the until it attacks. heart of the refinery. Much of the floor’s stonework has been AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Supernal Skills Arcana +9, Bluff +9, Stealth +9 removed, revealing a small fissure. Inside, the strange bluish Str 12 (+2) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 14 (+3) lava seeps out of the rocks, pulsing as it flows through the Con 16 (+4) Int 16 (+4) Cha 16 (+4)
Barulg, duergar theurge(B) 3 magma runners(R)
Barulg, Duergar Theurge (B)
and the target is knocked prone. Fire Close burst 1; +9 vs. Reflex ; 3d6 + 5 fire damage, and each creature in the burst is pushed 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven SkillsArcana +7, Dungeoneering +13, Religion +7 Str 13 (+3) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 18 (+6) Con 16 (+5) Int 15 (+4) Cha 11 (+2) Equipmentwarhammer
channel below into the metalworks. Near the chasm is a trio of small magma elementals, smoldering as they await an order from their master. The corner of the room hides a small imp, who eyes you suspiciously before nodding to a duergar, who approaches carrying an enormous warhammer. Waves of the corrupted lava seem to flow beneath the metal surface of the hammer, which glows and pulses with a familiar blue hue. “I assu me you’ve come for this,” he mocks, ges turing to his weapon . “Don’t worry, you shall have it.”
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3 Magma Runners (R)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Small elemental humanoid (earth, fire) XP 125 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3 HP 37; Bloodied18 AC 16; Fortitude13, Reflex 15, Will 14 Immune petrification ; Resist5 fire (a magma runner that takes fire damage gains +2 speed until the end of its next turn); Vulnerablecold (a magma runner that takes cold damage is slowed until the end of its next turn) Speed 8 m Slam (standard, at-will) Fire +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage plus 1d6 fire damage. M Molten Rush(standard, recharge 5 6 ) Fire The magma runner moves at half speed, and can make a slam attack against each creature it moves adjacent to. Any creature that attacks the magma runner during this movement takes 5 fire damage. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +6 Str 10 (+1) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 14 (+3)
Con 13 (+2)
Int 6 (–1)
R R R
B
Cha 8 (0)
Tactics With their shared fire resistance, Sleed, Barulg , and the magma runners will not hesitate to use the lava chasm to their advantage, running over it and attempting to keep the characters on the other side of it when possible. The magma runners have been summoned by Sleed as protection, so they engage any character that damages or threatens the imp. They intentionally walk in a nd out of the lava to take fire damage, giving them a speed boost to make maximum use of molten rush , charging t hrough the characters’ party in the small room. If Sleed tries to escape, all remaining magma runners move between the imp and the party to intercept the characters and buy him some time. Barulg begins combat by using infernal quills on the first character to deal a significant amount of damage to him, otherwise usinghellbolt or warhammer against
S
whichever character he believes to be the biggest threat. Although not extremely intelligent, Barulg is a capable fighter and excels in combat. He will always look to flank targets with the elementals while keeping excellent position. The room is quite small and Barulg has several area attacks which he will use when characters bunch up and provide multiple targets. Barulg prefers to savehammer strike for when he is surrounded and needs to reposition, but if it’s possible to damage any of the magma runners with this or brimstone hail while also hurting the characters, he does so. Sleed’s first priority is to stay alive. He uses vanish immediately and whenever engaged. He usesbite or tail sting only when he has a tactical advantage and
room to move. Otherwise, he prefers to hover invisibly above the lava pit and make Arcana checks to trigger the lava’s attack when a character gets too close. Sleed isn’t certain that the characters are strong enough to defeat Barulg and his elementals and won’t stick around to find out if things look bad. He flees immediately when Barulg dies or when all three elementals are defeated. Sleed is clever and will not announce his escape; the imp simply turns invisible and makes a run for it when the characters are disabled or distracted. It’s possible the party won’t notice the devil is gone until after the battle. Sleed intends on using the trap door, but if the characters are aware and seem to be guarding it, the imp heads up the stairs and out of the refinery through the metalworks.
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Development If Sleed escapes, the characters find charred remnants of notes made in Infernal, which could lead to a future adventure in the Chaos Scar. If decrypted, the notes detail a process for creating powerful elemental servitors even more powerful than the magma hurler and magma runners. If Sleed is captured, he attempts to bargain with the characters for his release. He’s unwilling to give up any information about his masters and their plans but will freely talk about the strange lava and Barulg’s clan. Though the devil in charge is never mentioned, it should be clear that for Sleed and his masters, the refinery was merely a test. Found on Sleed’s desk is the treasure. If the characters take time to explore the rest of the chamber, they will discover broken mining picks and light armor bearing the Cragbottom name. The brothers themselves are not here, possibly sacrificed, burned to a crisp, or transferred to another location. That’s up to you to decide. The question of their fate could launch another adventure.. Barulg’s hammer is still intact and can be taken by the characters. Although guardsman Rikter wants to see the weapon as proof of t he duergar’s demise, he doesn’t want it, and actually prefers that the characters take it far away.
Features of the Area Illumination:The room is well-lit by lava and torches, but the corners are dim with shadows. Ceiling:The room has a 10-foot-high ceiling of solid rock.
Lava Chasm:The 4 squares at the center of the chasm contain lava. The surface of the lava is 5 feet below the level of the floor. The 1-square-wide perimeter of rock surrounding the lava is rough stone which acts as difficult terrain. A creature falling into the lava takes 1d6 fire damage upon falling in and 1d10 fire damage when starting its turn in the lava. The lava itself can be controlled by nearby creatures and used against enemies as a terrain power (Dungeon Maste r’s Guide 2, page 62). Sleed already understands how to use the Lava Pit terrain power and attacks with it whenever possible. Characters who see the pit used to attack can make Arcana checks as indicated to figure out Trap Door:A trap door, barely big enough for a n imp, leads up to the surface. Sleed’s Desk:This sma ll wooden desk is covered with charred papers. Lava Pit
At-Will Terrain A fiery blob of l ava launches itself at a nearby target.
Minor Action Requirement:You must be trained in Arcana and must have seen a creature be attacked with this terrain power. Check:Arcana check (DC 13) to u nderstand how to control and attack with the Lava Pit. Success:You can use this terrain power automatically until the end of the encounter. Each use counts as a standard action. You must be within 3 squares of the lava to trigger the attack. Target:One creature within 3 squares of the lava pit. Attack:+6 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d4 fire damage plus ongoing 3 fire damage (save ends).
Appendix: new MAgiC iteM Magma Hammer
Level 4+
This hammer shifts slowly, as though its surface were gently flowing lava. Lvl 4 Lvl 9 Lvl 14
+1 +2 +3
1,000 gp 5,000 gp 25,000 gp
Lvl 19 Lvl 24 Lvl 29
+4 +5 +6
125,000 gp 625,000 gp 3,125,000 gp
Weapon:Hammer Enhancement:Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical:+1d6 fire damage per plus, and the target takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Level 14 or 19:Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends). Level 24 or 29:Ongoing 15 fire damage (save ends). Free Action. Use when you hit a target Power (Daily, Fire): with the weapon. Each creature adjacent to you takes 5 fire damage, and you push the target 1 square. Level 14 or 19:10 fire damage. Level 24 or 29:15 fire damage.
About the Au thor Corwin Riddle hails from the sunny streets of Austin, Texas, where he works as a freelance wr iter and freelance drea mer. The Hammer Falls is his first published article for the D D game but certainly not the last.
Treasure A small amount of gold and the Enchant Magic Item ritual can be found on Sleed’s desk.
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d t Gb h By Gareth Hanrahan illustration by Empty Room Studios, Jeffrey Lai
cartography by Jason A. Engle
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Down th e Goblin Hol e is a short adventure for five 2nd-level characters. The Goblin Hole is located in the woods near the southeastern corner of the Chaos Scar. While several reasons for the characters to seek out the Goblin Hole are provided in the “Getting Started” section, it’s also possible that the party just randomly encounters goblins from the Hole while traveling in the Chaos Scar. If you’re not running a Chaos Scar campaign, then you can easily remove the distinctive elements of that setting, such as Urgog’s fragment of the magical meteor, and replace them with elements more suited to your game. The meteor fragment could be a st olen drow relic, for example, or perhaps a portal to some outer plane lies at the bottom of the Hole. The adventure’s encounters are designed to upset established tactics and force players to think creatively. The fights themselves are hard enough, but it’s the unusual terrain and the waves of foes that make the combats memorable. Once a fight starts, the players should feel as if everything is spinning out of control and they are about to be overrun. That said, the goblins can also be played for humor in places— there are plenty of absurd elements and opportunities for slapstick in the adventure. Feel free to throw your players off cliffs and dump them into pits full of spiders and slime.
BackGround “What do you do with a lying rogue? Throw him down the goblin hole! What do you do with a damned soul? Throw him down the goblin hole! Oh, the goblin hole, the goblin hole, Hell ’s at the bottom of the gobl in hole!” —Tradition al drinking song east of the King’s Wall
No matter how inhospitable, barren, or simply vile a place is, some creature calls it home. There are monsters who dwell in the depths of t he world, so far underground that the sun is a wild legend and even light is a rarity beyond compare. There are things who dwell in bubbling lava, in the icy wastes of the uttermost north, or in the harshest of deserts. The Goblin Hole is not quite so dangerous as t hose places, but it is a place only goblins could love—a steep-sided pit filled with ordure, strange fungal growths, thousands of nasty spiders, and squirming things with odd numbers of legs. In t he past, adventurers have descended into the Hole and cleared out the denizens, but the goblins always return. The current chieftain of the local goblins and selfstyled ‘King of the Hole’ is Urgog the Mangler, who in his youth was a feared goblin warrior. In those years, he and his marauders raided human villages and put elf-woods to the torch. It is said that Urgog personally slew hundreds and that his tent was made out of the flayed skin of adventurers and knights who tried to stop his rampage. Eventually, the short lifespan of goblin-kind caught up with Urgog. His strength and cunning faded and his warband suffered a series of defeats. They were driven deep into t he Chaos Scar, where most of the goblins perished and there was no
further sign of Urgog the Mangler for years. It was assumed that he had been destroyed by some greater monster. In fact, the goblin survived. In the scar, Urgog found an ugly lump of magical crystal, a shard of the meteor that made the scar long ago. Fearing that some thief might steal his prize, he took the shard to a place where it would be safe and secure—the bottom of the Goblin Hole! Once Urgog took up residence in the hole, other goblins were drawn there. Today, he rules over a t ribe of some fifty goblins. The eldritch influence of the chaos shard in Urgog’s possession has given the goblins a strange affinity with the spiders who also infest the hole. Since Urgog arrived, the spiders have grown larger and more intelligent. The most powerful of these spiders has transformed into an unusually intelligent horror, a feyspitter spider that is now t he power behind Urgog’s throne. At night, the spider whispers into Urgog’s ear, advising him on how to manipulate his followers and expand his influence. For his part, Urgog is quite happy to have a giant, intelligent spider in the Goblin Hole. It’s an impressive pet and a useful ally. He dreams of a horde of spider-riding goblins swarming over the world, conquering everything that stands in their path. Once again, goblin raiders shouting Urgog’s name are attacking human settlements. Once again, brave adventurers must go down the G oblin Hole.
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Dungeon Tiles All of this adventure’s maps were constructed with one set each of the D&D Dungeon Tile setsCaves of Carnage (DU3) and Sinister Woods (DU5). The map for encounter 1 uses tiles from Sinister Woods . The maps for encounters 2 and 3 draw on Sinister Woods and Caves of Carnage.
Treasure The characters should earn a total of five treasure parcels in this adventure. Listed below are the most likely places to find treasure and what each parcel should contain. (When placing magic items, consult your players’ wish lists, if any). Parcel 1: Level 5 item—in Urgog’s hoard Parcel 2: Level 3 item—in Urgog’s hoard Parcel 3: 260 gp—in Urgog’s hoard Parcel 4: 170 gp—on the corpse of a traveler caught in the webs in Encounter 1 Parcel 5: Potion of Healing and 10 gp —buried under the slime in the pit trap in Encounter 2 To make Urgog into a tougher challenge, give him suitable magic items and have him use them in the battle against the player characters.
SynopSiS Urgog’s goblins control the forests around the G oblin Hole, so the characters must first deal with the goblin guards and patrols. Once past this outer line of defenses, the adventurers must make the perilous descent into the Goblin Hole itself, down a web-lined cliff. There, they battle more goblins and spiders before going underground and slaying Urgog and his followers.
Getting Started There are several ways to get the characters involved in this adventure. Pick one of these plot hooks or just have the characters encounter the Goblin Hole as they travel through the Chaos Scar. Goblin raiders were sighted east of the King’s Wall. Traditionally, the goblins have used the Goblin Hole as a base in that area. Someone should investigate the hole and f ind out how the goblins were able to cross the wall so easily. (They scaled the wall on the backs of their spider minions.) Worryingly, some of the goblins were shouting the name Urgog as a battle-cry. Magical divinations by a friendly cleric (perhaps Chendera, the half-elf cleric who oversees the temple of Avandra at Restwell Keep), point to t he existence of some growing threat in the depths of the woods. Unless stopped, this threat may grow too powerful to be dealt with easily, so heroes must put an end to it quickly. The cleric advises the characters to seek out the rumored “Goblin Hole” and begin investigating there.
Another adventurer encountered a band of goblins crossing through the lands east of the Scar. These goblins were pushing a crudely-made cart laden with swords, helmets, and other booty. The adventurer captured one of the goblins and questioned the wretch, who revealed that the cart was “tribute for Urgog the Mangler, King of the Goblin Hole.”
Research A History roll (DC15) or consulting with local greybeards (such as the silver-masked mage Citirian at Restwell Keep) lets the characters find out that Urgog was once a feared goblin warlord, but no one has heard of him in more than ten years.
Down the Goblin Hole After crossing the King’s Wall, the characters travel into the woodlands in the south of the Chaos Scar. The forests here are thick and dark, with few clear trails. In places, the trees are st rangely twisted and mutated by the malign influence of the Scar. Initially, the adventurers do not encounter any t hreatening beasts, but they cannot escape the feeling that they are being watched by inhuman eyes in the dark of the woods.
Goblin Ambush As they approach the Goblin Hole, characters see signs of the goblins—footprints, discarded arrowheads, small paths cut through the underbrush, and the stumps of smaller trees cut down for firewood. If the characters blunder on through the woods, then they automatically run into the goblin ambush (Encounter 1). If they proceed carefully, run the optional skill challenge, Ambushing the Ambushers. Tactical Encounter 1: The Goblin Ambush
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Skill challenGe: aMBuShinG The aMBuSherS
Level: 3 (150 XP) Complexity: 1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills: Nature, Perception, Stealth Nature (DC15):The character notices that there are many fresh goblin footprints and spider tracks in this area. Goblins must be nearby. Perception (DC15): The character spot s some mud and broken twigs on the lower branches of one tree, suggesting that something climbed it recently. Stealth (DC15):The character conceals himself amid the underbrush and advances quietly, thereby avoiding the goblin sentries. Success: If the characters succeed, they are able to avoid being ambushed by the goblins and they do not start Encounter 1 caught in the spider-webs. Failure:The characters stumble into t he trap at the start of Encounter 1.
The Goblin Hole After defeating the goblins, the characters ar rive at the edge of the Goblin Hole. Three sides of the ravine are too steep to climb, but the fourth offers a way down. It’s almost as steep, but that section of the cliff face is covered with a thick carpet of spider webs and vines. The characters can climb down the webs to the bottom of the ravine. Tactical Encounter2:The Webwall Once the goblins in the ravine are dealt with, the characters can descend into the Goblin Hole
proper—the caves under the ravine. The cave walls are covered in fungal growths and more spider webs. In places, the characters must clamber down steep and treacherous slopes, as the caves are arranged one atop the next. Each step brings the characters deeper underground. A quick retreat is impossible. There are signs of goblins everywhere—chewed bones, dirty blankets, discarded trash, and insulting messages or strange ritual symbols daubed onto the walls. The goblins living in the caves dare not confront powerful invaders directly. They will wait for Urgog the Mangler to slay the trespassers.
The Bottom of the Hole After sl ipping an d sliding throug h three smal ler cham bers, you arrive at a large r cave. In the center of t he floor is a large hole which leads into a still deeper cavern. Crude rope ladders are tied to stalagmites that dangle into the hole, and you can see torchlight from below. A voice roars from beneath you. ‘I am Urgog the Mangler, Urgog the war-chief, the King of the Goblin Hole! Come down and fight! Come down and die!’ After a momentary pause, the voice says ‘are you sure they’re up there? I can’t hear anything!’
A Perception check (DC15) lets the characters hear a strange, chittering noise: the speech of the feyspitter spider assuring Urgog that the adventurers are indeed close at hand. It’s impossible to use missile attacks to strike at Urgog or his guards from the upper cavern, so the characters must climb down the ladders to slay the goblin chieftain. Tactical Encounter 3:Bottom of the Hole. Once Urgog and his followers are slain, the characters can loot the treasure trove under the goblin king’s throne.
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encounTer 1: GoBlin aMBuSherS Encounter Level 2 (701 XP)
Setup 4 goblin snipers(G) 2 bloodthorn vines(V) 1 deathjump spider(D) 4 spiderlings(S) The goblin snipers are in the trees, 15 feet above the ground. The deathjump spider also starts in the trees but jumps down to join the fight as soon as battle begins. If the characters failed or did not attempt the “Ambushing the Ambushers” skill check, then read the following aloud before setting up the encounter. As you make your wa y through the forest, you spot something glistening between two trees. It’s a strand of spider web, so thin as to be almost invisible if it were not for some dropl ets of de w. Looking more closely, you realize that there’s a full web stretching between those two trees ... and the trees next to them . You’re hemmed in on all sides by webbing. It’s a trap!
The characters start in t he web-covered area at the bottom of the map. If a character tries to move out of this area, then he must make a DC20 Athletics check or be restrai ned (save ends).
If the characters succeeded in the ski ll check, read the following section aloud instead. Just in time , you spot a cunnin gly hidde n spide r web stretching between two trees. You cautiously make your way around the web and find several other, similar webs between other trees. You came close to falling into someone’s trap ...
In this case, the characters start in the open beyond the web-covered area.
Tactics The goblin snipers stay in the trees and keep firing, targeting characters caught in the spider web if possible. If the characters get too close, they move through the trees to keep out of melee range. The bloodthorn vines stay in the middle of the battlefield and use their impaling thorns and pulling v ines to drag grabbed characters back toward the bottom of the map, away from the snipers. The vines attack melee characters first. The deathjump spider uses its death from above attack to move quickly around the battlefield. Ideally, it knocks down the character nearest to the goblins to give the bloodthorn vines a chance to grab and drag that character. If none of the heroes are close to the goblins, then the deathjump spider tries to set up flanking attacks with the spiderlings and vines. When surrounded, it uses prodigious l eap to f lee back to the safety of the trees. The characters should be outnumbered at least two-to-one in this encounter. Use that initial shock for all it’s worth, because the players will realize quickly that eight of their foes are minions and the situation isn’t as bad as it looks.
Development A clear trail leads off from the ambush site toward the Goblin Hole. Searching the webbed copse of trees turns up the corpse of another adventurer who wandered into t he trap and starved to death. His body has been sucked dry by the spiders, but his equipment is still intact. Characters can salvage a longsword, leather armor, and 170 gold pieces from the corpse. 4 Goblin Snipers (G)
Level 1 Minion Artillery
Small natural humanoid XP 25 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+3 AC 13, Fortitude12, Reflex 14,Will 12 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed 6
T Sniper If the goblin misses with a ranged attack while hidden, it remains hidden.
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage. r Shortbow(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is missed by a mel ee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 13 (+1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, short sword, shortbow, 20 arrows
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Deathjump Spider (D) Medium natural beast (spider) HP 52; Bloodied26 AC 18, Fortitude17, Reflex 16,Will 15 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Resist 5 poison
Level 4 Skirmisher
S
Level 2 Soldier
Webs:One copse of trees is covered in sticky
XP 125 each webs that trap creatures who blunder in, maki ng that Initiative+3 copse into a potential killing ground if characters did Perception+3 not succeed at the “Ambushing the Ambushers” skill Blindsight 10
A
challenge; see above.
m Striking Vine At-Will
T Web Walk The spider ignores di fficul t terrain composed of webs .
S
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage. Rechargewhen the vine doesn’t have a creature grabbed Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the vine grabs the target. Sustain Standard:The vine sust ains the grab, the tar get takes 2d8 + 4 damage, and the vine regains 5 hit points.
G
M Impaling Thorn(healing)
A
m Bite (poison) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Death from Above Recharge4 5 6 Effect:The spider jumps up to 6 squar es. This movement do es not provoke opportunity attacks. After the jump, the spider uses bite, knocking the target prone on a hit.
M
2 Bloodthorn Vines (V)
XP 175 Medium natural beast (plant) Initiative+5 HP 41; Bloodied20 Perception+7 AC 18, Fortitude15, Reflex 12,Will 14 Tremorsense 5 Speed 5 (forest walk)
A
Prodigious Leap Encounter Effect:The spider jumps up to 10 squares. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Skills Athletics +9, Stealth +8 Str 14 (+4) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 10 (+2) Con 12 (+3) Int 1 (–3) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment unaligned Languages—
M
G
S S
D
V
A
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Pulling Vines At-Will Effect:The vine shif ts 1 square, pulli ng any creatures it has grabbed into spaces adjacent to it. Str 17 (+4) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 14 (+3) Con 17 (+4) Int 2 (–3) Cha 6 (–1) Alignment unaligned Languages—
V
G
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Features of the Area
S
Illumination:It’s daylight. Trees:The goblin snipers have concealment 4 Spiderlings (S) Level 4 Minion Skirmisher thanks to the foliage of the trees, giving a -2 penalty Small natural beast (spider) XP 44 each to attack rolls targeting them. They are 15 feet off the HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 ground, so they can only be hit by ranged attacks or AC 18, Fortitude14, Reflex 16,Will 15 Perception+3 weapons with Reach. Climbing a tree requires a DC Tremorsense 5 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) 15 Athletics skill check. Goblin snipers deal extra S A damage against foes when they have combat advanm Bite (poison) At-Will tage, and characters grant combat advantage while Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC climbing. Hit: 2 poison damage, and the target gains vulnerable 5 poison until the end of the spiderling’s next turn. If the The trees are so close together that their branches target already has vulnerability to poison damage, increase have interwoven, allowing characters to move the vulnerability by 2. between adjacent trees without needing to climb back Skills Acrobatics +9 down. This is difficult terrain, so the goblins cannot Str 11 (+2) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 12 (+3) shift using goblin tac tics while in the trees. Con 10 (+2)
Int 4 (–1)
Alignment unaligned
Cha 7 (+0)
Languages— Ju ly 20 10
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encounTer 2: The weBwall Encounter Level 4 (976 XP)
Setup The cave tiles represent the flat bottom of the ravine. Three sides of the ravine are so steep they cannot be climbed. The fourth side is represented by the webbed tile. This tile represents a wall that is perpendicular to the other tiles—the encounter begins with the player characters climbing down this nearvertical clif f. At the start of the encounter, place the following foes on the map: 1 goblin hex hurler(H) 2 goblin warriors(W) There is also a hidden pit at the bottom of the cliff (marked by Xs). When any character comes within four squares of the bottom of the cliff, the following foes emerge from shadowy holes in the cliff wall. A character who ends his turn within four squares of the cliff bottom can spot the hidden enemies wit h a DC15 Perception check. 4 spiderlings(S) 2 deathjump spiders(D) When any character reaches the bottom of the cliff, the following foes emerge: 4 goblin cutters
Tactics The hex hurler begins by shrouding himself and his allies in a vexing cloud , giving himself and the warriors concealment. He then throwsstinging hexes on any characters who are making good progress climbing down the cliff. Keep one warrior or cutter adjacent to the hex hurler at all times so he can use lead from the rear to deflect attacks. The warriors and cutters stay at the bottom of the cliff, moving enough to take advantage of theirgreat position ability as they hurl javelins up at the characters. If they run out of javelins, they form a defensive line and await the characters. If possible, they stay within the hex hurler’s vexing cloud . The cutters join the fight as soon as a character reaches the bottom— and that includes falling into the pit. They try to swarm the characters and set up flanking attacks for any surviving warriors or spiders. The spiders can move freely on the webs thanks to their climb speed, so they can position themselves to best attack the characters. They do not usedeath from above attacks while on the cliff wall but may use those attacks on characters who have reached the bottom of the ravine. While characters cling to the wall, t hey fight at a severe disadvantage against t he spiders (seePlayer’s Handbook , page 182). If they jump down to escape the spiders, the goblin cutters rush out, making this an out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire encounter. As with encounter 1, the characters could wind up badly outnumbered, but most of their foes are minions.
Development There’s a leather pouch in the slime pit, dropped there by some luckless adventurer. It contai ns 10 gold coins and a potion of healing. A character who
searches the pit finds the pouch with a DC 9 Perception check. A character who falls into the pit finds the pouch through dumb luck if you roll a 6 on 1d6. Goblin Hex Hurler (H)
Level 3 Controller (Leader)
Small natural humanoid HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 17, Fortitude14, Reflex 15,Will 16 Speed 6
S
XP 150 Initiative+3 Perception+2 Low-light vision
A
m Staff (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 7 damage, and the goblin can slide the target 1 square. R Blinding Hex At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +6 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 1 damage, and the target is blinded until the end of the goblin’s next turn. R Stinging Hex Recharge5 6 Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +6 vs. Will Hit:The target takes 3d6 + 1 damage if i t moves during its turn (save ends). AVexing Cloud(zone) Encounter Effect: Area burst 3 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the goblin’s next turn. Enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the zone. Sustain Minor:The zone persist s until the end of the goblin’s next turn, and the goblin can move it up to 5 squares.
T
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Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is missed by a mel ee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Lead from the Rear At-Will Trigger: An enemy hits the goblin with a ranged attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt):The goblin can change the at tack’s target to an adjacent ally of the goblin’s level or lower. Skills Stealth +10, Thiever y +10 Str 10 (+1) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 9 (+0) Cha 18 (+5) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather robes, staff
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2 Goblin Warriors (W)
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 17, Fortitude13, Reflex 15,Will 12 Speed 6
XP 100 each Initiative+5 Perception+1 Low-light vision
4 Goblin Cutters
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid XP 25 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 15, Fortitude13, Reflex 14,Will 12 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed 6
T
S
Great Position If, on its turn, the goblin ends its move at least 4 squares away from its st arting point , it deals 1d6 extra damage on it s ranged attacks until the start of its next turn.
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will
S
A
m Spear (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage.
RJavelin (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage.
R Mobile Ranged Attack (weapon) At-Will The goblin moves up to hal f its speed. At any point du ring that movement, it makes one ranged attack without provoking opportunity attacks.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is missed by an at tack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +10, Thievery +10 Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, spear, 5 javelins
A
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage, or 5 if the goblin has combat advantage against the target.
T
2 Deathjump Spiders (D)
Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast (spider) HP 52; Bloodied26 AC 18, Fortitude17, Reflex 16,Will 15 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Resist 5 poison
XP 175 each Initiative+5 Perception+7 Tremorsense 5
T Web Walk The spider ignore s difficul t terrain composed of webs .
S
A
m Bite (poison) At-Will
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is miss ed by an attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, short sword
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Death from Above Recharge4 5 6 Effect:The spider jumps up to 6 squar es. This movement do es not provoke opportunity attacks. After the jump, the spider uses bite, knocking the target prone on a hit.
M
A
Prodigious Leap Encounter Effect:The spider jumps up to 10 squares. This movement Small natural beast (spider) XP 44 each does not provoke opportunity attacks. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 Skills Athletics +9, Stealth +8 AC 18, Fortitude14, Reflex 16,Will 15 Perception+3 Str 14 (+4) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 10 (+2) Tremorsense 5 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb) Con 12 (+3) Int 1 (–3) Cha 8 (–1) S A Alignment unaligned Languages— m Bite (poison) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 2 poison damage, and the target gains vulnerable 5 poison until the end of the spiderling’s next turn. If the target already has vulnerability to poison damage, increase the vulnerability by 2. Skills Acrobatics +9 Str 11 (+2) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 12 (+3) Con 10 (+2) Int 4 (–1) Cha 7 (+0) Alignment unaligned Languages—
4 Spiderlings (S)
Level 4 Minion Skirmisher
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False-Floor Pit
Level 1 Warder
Trap
XP 100
A covered pit is hidden near the center of the room. Timber covered with flagstones is rigged to fall when a creature walks on it, dropping the creature into a 10-foot-deep pit. Trap: A 2-by-2 section of the floor hides a 10-foot-deep pit. Perception DC 20: The character notices the false stonework. Trigger The trap attacks when a creature enters one of the trap’s four squares. Attack Immediate Reaction Melee Target: The creature that triggered the trap. Attack: +4 vs. Reflex; a character who falls off the cliff into the pit trap is hit automatically. Hit: Target falls into pit, takes 1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen, and falls prone. Miss:Target returns to the last square it occupied and its move action ends immediately. Effect:The false floor opens and the pit is no longer hidden. Countermeasures An adjacent character can trigger the trap with a DC 10 Thievery check (standard action). The floor falls into the pit. A character can jump over the pit. A character can climb out with a DC 20 Athletics check.
S
D S
Webwall
S
W X
X
X
X
H
Cutters start here
W
D S
Features of the Area Illumination:While the steep-sided ravine is in shadow, it’s still considered brightly illuminated. Hole:The hole leads to the cavern under the ravine. Web-Covered Cliff:Moving along the cliff requires an Athletics check (DC10) to move at half speed. Remember that characters grant combat advantage while climbing. Characters who are pulled or pushed off the cliff or who are knocked prone will fall un less they make a saving throw to catch themselves. The cliff is 35 feet tall; a character who falls takes 1D10 damage per 10 feet fal len (but see Pit Trap).
Pit Trap:The pit at the base of the cliff is a falsefloor pit trap much like the one described on page 87 of the Dungeon Master ’s Guide. Characters who land in the pit ta ke reduced falling damage—1d6 per 10 feet fallen instead of 1d10—because the deep slime at the pit’s bottom cushions the landing somewhat (but also makes the walls more difficult to climb). This pit can’t be disarmed or disabled.
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encounTer 3—SpiderS
S
Attack: Area burst 3 (creatures in burst); +10 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 +3 damage, and target is knocked prone. Miss: Half damage.
Level 6 Encounter (1,200 XP)
Setup Place the following foes on the map at the start of the encounter: Urgog (goblin underboss) (U) 1 feyspitter spider(F) 2 goblin cutthroats(G) On round four, add the following foes. 4 goblin cutters 1 goblin warrior The player characters start in the middle of the cavern.
Tactics Urgog keeps his two cutthroat henchmen close by at all times. The three gang up on the most dangerous foes, using goblin tac tics to stay in flanking positions so the cutthroats have combat advantage and can use Urgog’s power to grant allies extra attacks. The feyspitter spider keeps moving and attacking When it uses bite or poison sp ittle to slide characters, try to position them in the path of the rockslides. On round 2, 4 goblin cutters and 1 goblin warrior arrive in the upper chamber. They act as follows: Round 2: Push rocks down from above. These goblins working together make a singlerockslide attack as described below. The attack occurs on the slowest of the goblins’ initiative points. It is centered on the square marked X on the map.
A
C Rockslide(zone) At-Will
& GoBlinS & kinGS
Round 3: The goblins make another rockslide attack. Round 4: The goblins swing down on ropes from the upper chamber and attack. The momentum of swinging down on a rope counts as a charge. They move to link up with Urgog if he is still alive. Otherwise, they just attack the nearest enemies.
Development The shard of the meteor discovered by Urgog is lodged in the webs of the spider. The cha racters can cut it free from the webs and take it with them. Its specific properties and hazards are up to you, depending on what plans you have for furt her 4 Goblin Cutters
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid XP 25 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 15, Fortitude13, Reflex 14,Will 12 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed 6
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage, or 5 if the goblin has combat advantage against the target.
T
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developments and what measures the characters take to protect themselves. Urgog’s treasure hoard is in a chest under his throne. It consists of two magic items (Level 5 and Level 3) and 260 gold pieces. Urgog (U) Level 4 Elite Controller (Leader) (goblin underboss) Small natural humanoid, goblin HP 110; Bloodied55 AC 18, Fortitude17, Reflex15,Will 16 Speed5 Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
XP 350 Initiative +4 Perception+8 low-light vision
T Survival Instinct The goblin underbo ss gains a +3 bonus to defenses while bloodied.
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs AC Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage. Miss: An adjacent ally makes a free basic attack.
T
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Superior Goblin TacticsAt-Will Trigger: An enemy misses the goblin underboss with a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The goblin underboss and up to two allies within its line of sight shift 1 square. SkillsStealth +10, Thiever y +10 Str 18 (+6) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 11 (+2) Cha 16 (+5) Alignment Evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipment: chainmail, short sword
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is miss ed by an attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, short sword
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Feyspitter Spider (F) Medium fey beast (spider) HP 80; Bloodied40 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 19,Will 18 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb)
S
Level 7 Controller XP 300 Initiative+6 Perception+5 Tremorsense 5
A
2 Goblin Cutthroats (C) Small natural humanoid HP 30; Bloodied15 AC 15, Fortitude13, Reflex 14,Will 13 Speed 6
S
Level 1 Skirmisher Goblin Warrior XP 100 each Initiative+5 Perception+2 Low-light vision
A
m Bite (poison) At-Will
m Short Sword At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 7 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Each Failed Saving Throw:The spider slides the t arget 3 squares. M Poison Spittle(poison) At-Will Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +10 vs. Will Hit: Ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends). Each Failed Saving Throw:The spider slides the t arget 3 squares.
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage, or 2d6 + 5 if the goblin has combat advantage against the target. In addition, the goblin can shift 1 square. R Dagger At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d4 + 5 damage.
T
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Fey Leap(teleportation) Recharge 6 Trigger: An enemy hits the spider with a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt):The spider telepor ts 3 squares. Skills Acrobatics +11 Str 13 (+4) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 7 (+1) Cha 11 (+3) Alignment unaligned Languages—
M
A
Deft Scurry At-Will Effect:The goblin shif ts up to 3 squares.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is miss ed by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 13 (+1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 14 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, light shield, short sword, 2 daggers
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 17, Fortitude13, Reflex 15,Will 12 Speed 6
XP 100 Initiative+5 Perception+1 Low-light vision
T Great Position If, on its turn, the goblin ends its move at least 4 squares away from its st arting point , it deals 1d6 extra damage on it s ranged attacks until the start of its next turn.
S
A
m Spear (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage. RJavelin (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage. R Mobile Ranged Attack (weapon) At-Will The goblin moves up to hal f its speed. At any point dur ing that movement, it makes one ranged attack without provoking opportunity attacks.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger:The goblin is missed by an at tack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):The goblin shif ts 1 square. Skills Stealth +10, Thiever y +10 Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Alignment evil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, spear, 5 javelins
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F G
U X
G
Features of the Area Illumination:The webs of the phase spider glow dimly on the walls, providing dim illumination. Ceilings:The ceiling of this chamber is 15 feet high. Ropes and Ladders:These aren’t shown on the map. They hang from the upper chamber to the lower one, allowing a character to drop into any of the 16 outlined squares.
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The Crossroads An ad venture for 2nd-level cha racters
By Rodney Thompson illustrations by
Just beyond the remnants of t he King’s Wall, at the edge of the Chaos Scar, a dirt path leads from civilization into the heart of this dangerous valley. Right off the edge of this path sits a place known to travelers as the Crossroads (though, in truth, only the one path passes through this area). Here, at the edge of the Chaos Scar, is where the fringes of civilization and the edge of danger meet. Not coincidentally, this is also the place where those brave enough to venture even just inside t he edge of the Chaos Scar come to meet with some of the more entrepreneurial
Vincent Dutrait
cartography by
inhabitants of the valley. It is just distant enough from the closest settlements and bastions of order that those of less honorable srcin can come to sell their wares and services. And it is likewise just far enough from the Chaos Scar that those seeking such wares and serv ices can come without too much fear of trouble—although this is still a lawless area. It is a rough place, like the Scar beyond it, but this waypoint is used by many adventurers (and the bravest of merchants and traders) as a final stopping place before entering the Chaos Scar proper.
Sean Macdonald
THE GIBBET T REE Riding into the Crossroads, the first sight to greet a visitor’s eyes is the massive structure known as the gibbet tree. This tall, metal structure has a number of bars that branch off from a thick, metal central post, from which hang a number of broad metal cages. Many of the intelligent monstrous races that live within the confines of the Chaos Scar use the gibbet tree as a form of punishment and a warning to anyone who would consider entering their domain.
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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The Crossroads
Hobgoblins, orcs, gnolls, and other races inhabiting the Scar bring live captives to the Crossroads and stuff them within the cages of the gibbet tree, where they are left to die a slow, agonizing death from thirst and starvation. When the characters first ar rive at the Crossroads, they will almost certainly see the gibbet tree immediately, as all visitors entering from civilization do. The gibbet tree serves as a warning that anyone thinking of entering the Chaos Scar had best turn back, because intruders are dealt with harshly.
Cries for Help When the heroes approach, they will find that they have arrived while a prisoner in the gibbet tree is begging his captors for his life. Should the heroes try to intervene, the hobgoblin guards stationed there do not take kindly to their meddling. To give your players more incentive, feel free to have t he prisoner be someone they met earlier in their adventuring careers. If they choose to ignore it, they must listen to the prisoner’s cries for the duration of their stay at the Crossroads. If the characters do come to the prisoner’s rescue, they must deal with the hobgoblins. See the “Hobgoblin Hangmen” encounter below for how to deal with this situat ion. If the characters manage to rescue the prisoner, he is not only very grateful but offers to lead the characters back into the valley to recover the bodies of his former companions.
THE TRADING POST The main struct ure, and the reason why most visitors come to the Crossroads, is the trading post that has been erected there. A two-story building that looks vaguely like a mushroom, with a second floor wider than the first, this building looks old and appears to be in ill repair. Most of the wood has grayed from constant exposure to the elements, and most of the shutters on the windows have large holes punched in them, if they haven’t simply rotted away. A sign above the door depicts a wagon being drawn by oxen, the only indication this is more than just an abandoned building. This trading post is where brave merchants from civilization come to deal with the monstrous races of the Chaos Scar. Many adventurers who meet their end in the Chaos Scar leave behind magic and unique items, which the inhabitants of the valley are only happy to sell or trade to unscrupulous merchants. The traders get their hands on magic items, and the monsters get their hands on contraband smuggled by the traders. All such details occur at the Crossroads
Millen Silvereye One of the only people that can claim to be a real resident of the Crossroads is a tiefling man called Millen Silvereye. According to local rumor, Millen was permanently scarred by a run-in with a mind flayer. The encounter turned one of Mi llen’s eyes to solid silver and gave him amazing prescience, allowing him to see into the future a short distance. The truth, wh ile far less exciting, isn’t that different. Millen, a modestly talented wielder of psionic power, has cultivated his skills and can see beyond the immediate future. He uses this power to predict
what the value of an item might be, looking into its future to see its ultimate destiny, acting as an appraiser for goods brought to the Crossroads for trade. In exchange for a small cut of each transaction, Millen serves as a neutral arbiter of value whom both traders and the inhabitants of the valley have come to trust. His silver eye is merely a replacement he had crafted after the eye was cut out by an orc chieftain who was unhappy with the value he gave an item.
Fulgrim, Pelt Trader Present at the trading post when the heroes arrive is a half-orc scavenger named Fulgrim. Fulgrim deals in the pelts of exotic creatures that live in the Chaos Scar. He waits until others, usually adventurers, have slain a number of dangerous creatures and then comes in behind them to claim their pelts and skins for himself. Many of these pelts are considered to be valuable commodities by traders. For example, one year, owlbear-skin cloaks were all the rage among nobles of a nearby city, and Fulgrim was only too happy to provide pelts to traders who came to the Crossroads. Fulgrim has currently brought a collection of thick behemoth hides to trade with a caravan of dwarves; the dwarves expect to use the hides to make armor before an expedition deeper into the Chaos Scar.
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The Crossroads
Getting Black Market Access Skill Challenge
Level 3 XP 150
You try to convince Millen Silvereye to sell you some of the black market goods hidden at the Crossroads trading post. When the characters arrive at the trading post, they should catch on that more than just pelt trading goes on here. In fact, the dwarves of the caravan seem a bit unnerved by the presence of adventurers, as though afraid of being caught dealing with Millen. He clearly has more to offer than simple appraisal. Complexity 1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Streetwise Other Skills Bluff, Perception
THE BONEYARD Away from the main road is a sunken depression in the earth known as the boneyard. This is where the remains of bodies from the gibbet tree are tossed when a cage needs to be cleaned out for a new occupant. The boneyard is a crude graveyard full of unmarked graves, shallow pits, and mounds of freshly churned earth. The necrotic energy from so many tortured bodies has given unlife to a number of zombies that now roam the boneyard, hungry for the flesh of the living.
Victory The characters convince Millen to let them see his secret wares. Millen offers up two magic items for sale at 90% of market price. These magic items are all level 3 or lower, chosen by the DM. He also tries to trick the characters with his favorite scheme (see “The Treasure Trap” below). Defeat Millen does not offer the characters any of his real wares, but instead only pretends to deal with them, attempting to lure them into his scheme (see “The Treasure Trap” below). Diplomacy(DC 10) The character appeals to Millen’s business sense, convincing him that they will make good (and discrete) customers and that he should deal with them. Insight(DC 10) The character senses Millen’s caution and reluctance, and knows to convince Millen that he won’t bring any trouble to the trading post.
The Treasure Trap One of Millen Si lvereye’s favorite schemes involves using the boneyard as a trap for the greedy. The ruse begins when new traders or naïve adventurers arrive at the Crossroads looking for contraband or black market magic items. If Millen believes he can fool them, he pretends to barter for a number of magic items until he has come to an agreement with the traders. With the deal done, Millen provides the traders with a map of the boneyard, claiming that, to keep from being killed and robbed, he keeps his valuables buried in empty graves in the boneyard. With the supposed location of these hiding places marked on the map, he sends them off to the boneyard, where the zombies waiting there invariably kill the traders. Millen waits until the zombies’ hunger is sated before going into the boneyard to recover any va luables the victims m ight have carried.
Intimidate(DC 15) The character tries to convince Millen that refusing them would be very bad for his health. Millen’s reluctance begins to melt away when he realizes that they could probably just take what they wanted. Streetwise(DC 10) The character recognizes that dealing in black market goods requires a certain attitude and approach, which usuall y involves talking around the subject of the conversation rather than speak of it directly. The character knows the lingo that Millen expects a discrete buyer to use. Bluff or Perception (DC 15) The character notices (or tricks Millen into revealing) that no one expected them to arrive, and that the characters may have interrupted some clandestine trading. This grants the character a +2 bonus to Insight or Streetwise checks for the remainder of the skill challenge.
Millen will try to trick the characters into falling into his trap, even if he has to sell them a few items first to win their confidence. He doesn’t care about giving away a few items, since he plans to reclaim them once the zombies have finished with the characters. See the “Into the Boneyard” encounter, and then the “Inside the Trading Post” encounter if the characters return to confront Millen.
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The Crossroads
HOBGOBLIN HANGMEN Encounter Level 3 (850 XP)
Setup This encounter may occur whenever the characters investigate the gibbet tree and decide to intervene. The hobgoblins have recently captured a human thief who tried to rob their base of operations deeper in the valley. They brought the thief here to face a slow, agonizing death. The captive is still alive, but the three hobgoblin deathwatchers assigned to guard the gibbet tree are tiring of his begging. If the heroes decide to intervene and free the man, the hobgoblins try to stop them. Alternatively, this scene could occur if the heroes are captured in the valley and brought here to be put in the gibbet tree themselves. Gibbet zombies(G) 2 raven swarms(R) 3 hobgoblin deathwatchers (H) When the heroes approach, read or paraphrase the following aloud: The sound of harsh words spoken in a gutt ural language nearly drowns out the cries for mercy coming from ahead. Looming over the path i s what appe ars to be a mass ive metal frame resembling a tree, from which hang a number of metal cages. Rotting corpses occupy most of the cages, though a malnourished human prisoner reaches out from between the bars of one cage, pleading with three sternlooking hobgoblins to set him free.
Tactics
3 Hobgoblin Deathwatchers (H)
Level 3 Soldier
The hobgoblins are deathwatchers, set in place to ensure that prisoners left in the gibbets die the slow, agonizing deaths they deserve. They fight to prevent anyone from intervening in the punishment of captives, and they try and drive enemies away from the cages, or slay them if they are persistent. They have been letting the ravens feed on the corpses, so if anyone starts a fight with the hobgoblins the raven swarms come to the rescue. The hobgoblins are also aware of the gibbet zombies, and if an enemy tries to get close they sometimes allow the zombies to grab those enemies before hitting them withprison er’s lament .
Medium natural humanoid XP 150 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +2; low-light vision HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 19; Fortitude16, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 6 m Deathwatcher Pike(standard; at-will) Weapon Reach 2; +10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the hobgoblin deathwatcher’s next turn. M Pinning Pike(opportunity action, when a marked target makes an attack that does not include the hobgoblin deathwatcher; at-will) Weapon Reach 2; targets the triggering creature; +10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of the deathwatcher’s next turn. M Prisoner’s Lament(standard; at-will) Weapon Targets grabbed, restrained, or immobilized targets only; Reach 2; +12 vs. AC; 1d10+8 damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to skill checks and saves until the end of the
Features of the Area Illumination: During the daytime, there is little
C Clearing Pike(standard; when first bloodied)
to obscure the sunlight, so the area around the gibbet tree is well lit. At night, light from the trading post (and the moon, if present) illuminates the gibbets, casting the entire area in dim light. Gibbet Tree: The gibbet tree is a massive metal structure designed to hold the gibbets in the air, keeping them around 5 feet off of the ground. The tree’s frame is made of thick black iron, and has lasted for many years without bending or rusting appreciably. Ground: The ground below the gibbet tree is covered in filth and muck, but, like the rest of the area, should provide no significant impediment.
deathwatcher’s next turn. Weapon Close burst 2; targets enemies in burst; +10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares. Hobgoblin Resilience (immediate reaction, when the hobgoblin deathwatcher suffers an effect that a save can end; encounter) The hobgoblin deathw atcher rolls a saving throw ag ainst the triggering effect. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Skills Athletics +9 Str 17 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 12 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 8 (+0) Cha 7 (–1) Equipmentdeathwatch pike, scale armor
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2 Raven Swarms (R)
Level 2 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast (swarm) XP 125 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +8; low-light vision Swarm Attackaura 1; each enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 5 damage. HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed6 fly m Beaks and Talons(standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 2d4+4 damage. M Feasting Ravens(standard; at-will) The raven swarm shifts up to its speed, can shift through squares occupied by enemies, and makes the following attack once against each enemy whose square it enters: +5 vs. AC; 1d4+4 damage. Blur of Black(move; at-will) The raven swarm moves up to its speed, and can move through squares occupied by enemies. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 12 (+2) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 14 (+3)
Con 10 (+1)
Int 2 (–3)
Gibbet Zombies (G) Hazard
G
G
G R R
H G H
G H
Cha 10 (+1)
Level 3 Lurker XP 150
These gibbets hang like fruit from a large metal tree. Inside, rotting corpses—some fresher than others—lean against the bars of the cages. Hazard: Corpses in gibbets animated by undeath reach out to grab the living. Perception : No check is necessary to notice the gibbets. Trigger: A creature ends its turn adjacent to a gibbet. Attack Opportunity Action Melee Target: The triggering creature. Attack: +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target i s grabbed until escape (Acrobatics or Athletics, DC 10) Countermeasures If any gibbet takes more than 10 points of damage, the zombie inside is destroyed and creatures no longer trigger this hazard for ending adjacent to that gibbet.
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INSIDE THE TRADING POST Encounter Level 3 (800 XP)
Setup This encounter takes place if the heroes try and bully Fulgrim and the dwarves into letting them in on the black market dealings, or it could occur when the heroes confront Millen after he tries to direct them into an ambush in the boneyard. Since the dwarves and Fulgrim have business together, they fight together, and they will defend Millen if the characters try to rough up the tiefling appraiser. Fulgrim (F) Millen Silverey e(M) Dwarf caravan master(D) 4 dwarf caravan guard(G) When the characters first enter the trading post , read or paraphrase the following: The inside of this building looks to be only marginally cleaner than the wilderness outside. T he ground floor of the building is host to a wide open area where severa l benches are arrayed for the display of wares. A group of dwarves is picking th rough what looks to be anim al hides on one tabl e, while a weath ered half-orc watch es them cl osely. A lithe tiefling man with the hood of his robe pulled up turns to look at you as you enter, gazing at you with what appears to be one eye made completely of silver.
Fulgrim (F)
Level 3 Lurker
Millen Silvereye (M)
Level 2 Controller
Medium natural humanoid, half-orc XP 150 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +8 HP 40; Bloodied20 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 12, Will 14 Speed 6 m Handaxe (standard; at-will) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage. r Axe Throw(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +8 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage. M Hook and Hold(standard; at-will) Weapon Requires handaxe; +6 vs. Fort; 1d6+3 damage, and the target is grabbed. The target grants combat advantage to Fulgrim while grabbed. Hostage Strike(immediate interrupt, when hit by a melee or ranged attack; at-will) A creature Fulgrim is grabbing takes the damage from the triggering attack. Combat Advantage Fulgrim’s attacks against creatures granting him combat
Medium natural humanoid, tiefling XP 125 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +3 HP 37; Bloodied18 AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 4 Speed 6 m Quarterstaff(standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 1d8+5 damage. r Hurl Object(standard; at-will) +6 vs. Reflex; 2d4+4 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Millen’s next turn. A Kneel! (standard; recharge ⚃ ⚄ ⚅) Psychic Area burst 1 within 10; +4 vs. Will; 1d6+6 psychic damage, and the target is knocked prone. Psionic Augment(free, when Millen hits with a quarterstaff or hurl object attack; recharge when first bloodied) Psychic Millen’s attack deals an extra 1d8 psychic damage. (immediate interrupt, when hit by an Vision of the Future attack; encounter) Millen shifts 2 squares.
advantage deal an extra 1d6 damage on a hit, and the target is pushed the target 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Giant SkillsStealth +7 Str 13 (+2) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 15 (+3) Con 16 (+4) Int 10 (+1) Cha 14 (+3) Equipment4 hand axes, leather armor
AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Elven Skills Arcana +9 Str 10 (+1) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 14 (+3) Con 13 (+2) Int 17 (+4) Cha 11 (+1) Equipmentquarterstaff, robes, belt pouch
Tactics
Illumination: The interior of the trading post is kept lit at all times by a variety of lanterns, candles, and a fire in the hearth. It is brightly lit throughout. Ground: The ground is little more than a dirt floor covered in a layer of dry straw. An errant torch or broken lantern could set the floor, and the rest of the trading post, on fire. Second Floor: A single set of stairs leads to a second floor, where a number of pallets are kept for travelers who need to stay overnight. The second floor is two squares up from the ground floor.
When a fight breaks out, the caravan guards move into positions where they can use focused guard on Fulgrim, Millen, and their caravan master respectively. Millen tends to stay near the rear of the conf lict or ascend to the second floor, psychically hurling small objects such as lanterns, pewter mugs, and coins like projectile weapons at the characters. Fulgrim tries to catch any characters that stay too close to the edge of the fight with his hook and hold attack, using them as a human shield while letting the dwarves do the bulk of the fighting. If t he caravan guards get too far from their charges, the caravan master uses caravan driver to get them back into proper position.
Features of the Area
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4 Dwarf Caravan Guards (G)
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M
Level 1 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid, dwarf XP 100 Initiative+3 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision HP 32; Bloodied16 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 13, Will 12 Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard; at-will) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d10+3 damage M Shield Bash(opportunity action, when an enemy makes an attack against the dwarf’s focused guard power; at-will) +6 vs. Fort; 1d6+3 damage, and the target takes a –3 penalty to the triggering attack. M Skullcracker(standard; encounter) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 2d10+3 damage. Miss: Half damage. Focused Guard(free action 1/round; at-will) Targets one adjacent ally. Until the end o f the encounter or until the dwarf caravan guard uses this power again, if the target starts its turn adjacent to the dwarf caravan guard the target gains 4 temporary hit points. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Dwarven
Str 13 (+1) Dex 13 (+1) Wis 12 (+1) Con 16 (+3) Int 9 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentwarhammer, scale armor, buckler
Dwarf Caravan Master (D)
Level 2 Skirmisher (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, dwarf XP 125 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +2; low-light vision HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 5 m Greataxe(standard; at-will) Weapon +7 vs. AC; 1d12+3 damage (crit: 1d12 + 15 damage). M Mobile Strike(standard; at-will) Weapon The dwarf caravan master can shift 1 square both before and after making this attack; +7 vs. AC; 1d12+3 damage (crit: 1d12 + 15 damage). M Leaping Fury(standard action; recharge when first bloodied) Weapon The dwarf caravan master jumps up to his speed before making this attack, and this jump does not provoke opportunity attacks; +7 vs. AC; 2d12+2 damage. Caravan Driver(move; at-will) Each dwarf ally within 5 squares can shift 2 squares.
AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Dwarven Skills Insight +7 Str 17 (+4) Dex 11 (+1) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 13 (+2) Cha 12 (+2) Equipmentgreataxe, scale armor
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INTO THE BONEYARD Encounter Level 4 (900 XP)
Setup This encounter takes place if the characters are enticed into trying to investigate the boneyard. Several undead creatures reside here, and they lurk underground most of the time (hiding in shallow graves filled with dirt). These undead are mindless and brutish, and want only to extinguish any life that enters the boneyard. 2 boneyard zombies(B) 3 grave hunger zombies (G) Shallow Graves When the heroes enter the boneyard, read or paraphrase the following: Scattered piles of earth and occasional small pits are all that distinguishes this pitiful graveyard from the surrounding terrain. The majority of the unmarked graves are down a slight slope, concentrated in a bowl-shaped depression in the valley.
Perception DC 10The character notices that some of the bodies that lie stacked in open graves are occasionally moving of their own accord. DC 15The character notices that some of the mounds of earth are shifting, and that something might be lurking beneath.
Tactics The three grave hunger zombies begin in hiding, lurking in the mounds of earth and making Stealth checks to remain unnoticed. Once the characters are within the area, they emerge from hiding and try and drag characters into shallow graves. The boneyard zombies use feed the hung ry to push the characters adjacent to grave hunger zombies, who then in tu rn use drag to the grave with the attack granted by the boneyard zombies.
Features of the Area Illumination: During the daytime, there is little to obscure the sunlight, so the boneyard is well lit. At night, light from the trading post (and the moon, if present) illuminates the graveyard, casting the entire area in dim light. Ground: The ground here is soft and covered in mounts of dirt. All squares filled by these dirt mounds count as difficult terrain. Shallow Graves: A number of shallow graves leave holes in the ground throughout the boneyard. Each of these three shallow graves is marked on the map as an empty hole in the ground, and is 1 square deep.
2 Boneyard Zombie (B)
Level 3 Brute (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 150 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +3 HP 57; Bloodied28 AC 15; Fortitude15, Reflex 11, Will 13 Speed 6 m Claws (standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d10+6 damage. M Driving Slam(standard; at-will) +6 vs. AC; 1d10+6 damage and the target is pushed 3 squares. M Feed the Hungry(standard; recharge when first bloodied) +4 vs. Fort; 1d10+6 damage, and slide the target 3 squares. One ally adjacent to the target can use any at-will melee attack power against the target as a free action. M Parting Shot(when reduced to 0 hit points; encounter) +6 vs. AC; 2d10+5 damage, and the target is pushed 3 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Athletics +7
Str 13 (+2) Con 17 (+4)
Dex 13 (+2) Int 4 (–2)
Wis 15 (+3) Cha 8 (+0)
3 Grave Hunger Zombie (Z)
Level 3 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 150 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +2 HP 35; Bloodied17 AC 17; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 13 Speed 6 m Slam (standard; at-will) +8 vs. AC; 1d8+5 damage. M Drag to the Grave(standard; at-will) +6 vs. Fort; 1d6+2 damage, and the grave hunger zombie shifts up to its speed and pulls the target the same number of squares. The target is grabbed, and as long as the target remains grabbed the grave hunger zombie gains a +4 bonus to AC and Reflex. M Rend (standard; at-will) Grabbed targets only; +10 vs. AC; 2d8+5 damage, and the grab ends. Cast Off (immediate reaction, when a grabbed creature escapes from the grave hunger zombie; at-will) The grave hunger zombie shi fts up to half i ts speed. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Athletics +9, Stealth +8 Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) Con 11 (+1) Int 4 (–2) Cha 6 (–1)
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Shallow Grave Hazard
Level 3 Obstacle XP 150
The land is dotted with shallow pits, just deep enough to keep the rain from washing away the dirt covering fresh corpses inside. Hazard: Shallow graves throughout the area quickly fill with a layer of foul-smelling dirt when anyone falls inside, making it hard to get out or make attacks. : Perception No check is necessary to notice the shallow graves. Trigger: A creature ends its movement or ends its turn adjacent to a shallow grave. Attack No Action Melee Target: Triggering creature Attack: +10 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is pulled 1 square into the shallow grave and restrained (save ends). The target does not get to save against being pulled over the precipice into the shallow grave. Countermeasures Athletics (DC 15) : A creature restrained by a shallow grave can spend a move action to tr y and escape with an Athletics check. With a success, the creature is no longer restrained by the shallow grave. D
About t he Author Rodney Thompsonis an RPG developer and designer at Wizards of the Coa st. Orig inally fr om Chattanooga , TN, his ® game include the credits for the D D Eberron ® Campaign Guide and Martia l Power II, and he is the lead developer for the campaign setting books. Rodney is also the lead designer and developer of all of the Star Wars Rolepla ying Game Saga Edition books.
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T Cawl fa By Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel illustration by Raoul Vitale ✦ cartography by Jason A. Engle TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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“The Crawling Fane” is an adventure for 3rd-level characters. It takes place in a ruined temple of the dwarven god Moradin within the Chaos Scar. The adventure pits the characters against the machinations of a crazed duergar cleric devoted to an alien deity with dominion over giant insects and other crawling monstrosities. The heroes must recover the weapon of an ancient dwarven hero, reclaim Moradin’s temple, and thwart t he emergence of a new and terrible evil within the Chaos Scar.
BACkgrOund Hargash Bitterblade is a rather eccentric duergar. He has forsaken the worship of the proper duergar gods and instead worships a bizarre entity he calls Chitteruk, which claims dominion over vermin and all things that creep and crawl. Years ago, Hargash f led a large duergar city to escape certain death for his heresy and devotion to his alien god. He and a few of his more fervent followers traveled many years through the Underdark until, f inally, the entity t hat Hargash serves sent him a dream. The dream provided the location of a long-forgotten temple dedicated to the dwarven god Moradin. Hargash was commanded to re-sanctify the temple in the name of Chitteruk. Although Hargash’s vision was sent by an evil entity, it did not come from Chitteruk—because no such creature actually exists. The dream was sent by the great meteorite in the Chaos Scar, which has deluded Hargash and his followers into its service. The temple to Moradin is within the Chaos Scar. In the last few months, Hargash and his small band of followers have moved into the temple. They have been slowly remaking the temple into a place suitable for the worship of Chitteruk. For his endeavors, Hargash
has been gifted with uncanny power over verminous monsters. This power comes from the meteorite and not from Hargash’s imaginary god, but it is real power nonetheless. Hargash has filled his new home with all manner of creeping, crawling monstrosities. This includes a small group of ettercaps, also drawn to the area by the meteorite. Recently, Hargash has been receiving waking visions from the meteorite in the guise of Chitteruk . In these visions, Chitteruk shows Hargash a band of heroes, a meddling group of do-gooders who intend to thwart Chitteruk’s plans for the fane. Through Chitteruk, the meteorite commands Hargash to destroy these heroes and remove their influence from the area. It just so happens that the heroes are currently in the Chaos Scar; in fact, they are right above Hargash’s head . . . .
Getting the Characters Involved “The Crawling Fane” takes place in the Chaos Scar. You can use one of the hooks below to get the adventurers into the valley and exploring the lost temple of Moradin, or any other of your own devising. Hook 1: The Hammer of Ivak Stoneblood. Torak Banehammer, a dwarven cleric of Moradin, is searching for a lost relic sacred to his faith. The relic, the Hammer of Ivak, was lost when the temple of Moradin in the Chaos Scar was destroyed. Torak believes he knows the location of the lost temple of Moradin and asks the heroes to seek it out and recover the Hammer of Ivak. To aid the characters in their endeavor, Torak offers up his own magical hammer, a +1 thunder ing warhammer to any hero who can wield it. Quest XP: 250 xp for finding the Hammer of Ivak and returning it to Torak.
Hook 2: Big Bugs.Giant, venomous insects and other monstrous vermin have attacked and poisoned people near the King’s Wall. A druid asks the characters to obtain the venom sacks from five venomous giant bugs (centipedes, scorpions, or spiders) so she can produce an antivenin. She offers 10 gp for each venom sack obtained and promises the adventurers two doses of antivenom (Adventurer’s Vault page 25) if they bring back at least five venom sacks. A venom sack can be recovered from a slain bug with a DC 10 Nature check. Quest XP: 250 xp for collecting five venom sacks. Hook 3: We Aren’t Going to Take It! The characters could witness bug attacks against innocent people and decide to do something about it i nstead of waiting for someone to ask. Or, they themselves could come under attack by giant bugs on their way into or out of the Scar and rightly conclude that the bugs represent a larger problem . . . or that their lair probably contains treasure. Quest XP: 250 xp for seizing the initiative. In the last two cases, finding the temple is relatively easy. The characters need only watch for the bugs and follow them back to their nest.
Treasure Preparation The following treasure parcels are available in “T he Crawling Fane.” Parcel 1: Temple Ruins One potion of healing + 25 gp Parcel 2:The Rectory One level 4 magic item Parcel 3:Hall of the Two 100-gp gems + 250 sp Honored Dead Parcel 4:The Profaned One level 6 magic item Chapel
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SynOpSiS
of Ivak Stoneblood—has so far defeated all of Hargash’s attempts to open it. In fact, Moradin himself has prevented the duergar from tampering with Ivak’s resting place and gaining access to the mighty 1. Temple Ruins treasure within. Read or paraphrase the following when the char- Hargash’s minions use this room as a holding pen for the giant insects and other vermin he commands. acters reach the above-ground temple ruins: Currently, the room houses t wo deathjump spiders, Before you, the cr umbling shape of a long-a bandoned three fire beetles, and their ettercap handler. ruin juts from the wild landscape of the Chaos Scar. The Tactical Encounter 3: The Hall of Honored Dead ruin stands open to the sky, and its once sturdy walls are (page 12) now little more than weed-choked rubble. Two towering statues, each so weathered and eroded that its features 4. The Profaned Chapel are impossible to make out, flank what was once the main This grand chapel was once the primary center of entrance. It is hard to imagine this sad, forgotten structure worship in the temple. It is also where Hargash and was once sacred to th e faith of Moradin. his minions first entered the ruins from the UnderTactical Encounter 1: Temple Ruins (page 7) dark, tunneling up from the subterranean darkness as directed by Chitteruk. Hargash’s power is slowly 2. Ancient Rectory growing as the great meteorite, in the guise of the In order to access the lower levels of the temple vermin god Chitteruk, st eadily transfers a small porcomplex, the characters need to climb down tion of its unholy energy to the crazed duergar. the gaping chasm created by Hargash’s ritual in Hargash spends the majority of his time in the encounter 1. There they get ambushed by Hargash’s chapel, praying continuously to Chitteruk. T his fanatical followers. unceasing devotion strengthens the great meteorite’s Tactical Encounter 2: Ancient Rectory (page 9) power within the temple and further erodes Moradin’s influence in his own place of worship. Soon, the temple 3. The Hall of will be a dedicated place of worship for Chitteruk— Honored Dead meaning the great meteorite itself. This would increase This room once housed the remains of dwarves who the meteorite’s power and inf luence in t he Chaos Scar died performing a vital service for Moradin, includvalley unless Hargash can be defeated here. ing the great dwarven hero Ivak Stoneblood. It has When the adventurers reach this room, Hargash suffered at the hands of Hargash and his minions; is kneeling before the great statue of Chitteruk and the large stat ues of Moradin have been defaced just chanting in Infernal. A duergar shock trooper bodylike the images on the altars in the rectory. In addiguard and some of Hargash’s favorite vermin are also tion, Hargash has opened three of the sarcophagi, here at the ready should their master need them. disturbing the remains and looting their valuables. Tactical Encounter 4: The Profaned Chapel The last sarcophagus—the one holding the remains (page 15) The adventure occurs in four encounters.
Wrapping Up With the death of Hargash, the nascent cult of Chitteruk dies and the great meteorite’s influence in the Chaos Scar is lessened, if only by a fraction. The temple of Moradin is still tainted with the evil of Hargash and his followers. The heroes can gain favor with the deity if they take the steps necessary to expunge all signs of Hargash’s evil from his temple. Repairing the disfigured images of Moradin and performing the proper funeral rites for the dwarven heroes whose sarcophagi were violated can earn the characters another 250 XP. In addition, if one of the adventurers is a worshipper of Moradin, the deity grants him or her the level 3 divine boon Moradin’s Blessing of Iron (Dungeon Maste r’s Guide 2 page 151). Completely reclaiming the temple may be beyond the ability of the characters at their current level. The rubble-choked passageway in area 4, however, is the route by which Hargash and his disciples entered the temple from the Underdark. It can lead to further adventure in the ruined lower levels of the temple, where more powerful dwarven relics could be waiting for adventurers brave enough to claim them.
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1: TeMpLe ruinS Encounter Level 3 (XP 800)
Setup 1 ettercap webspinner 2 ettercap fang guards 2 centipede swarms Thanks to his many insect spies, Hargash is aware whenever intruders approach the temple ruins. As soon as the heroes enter the ruins, Hargash completes a powerful ritual that shakes and cracks the earth. The ritual opens a chasm in the ground that connects with the subterranean sect ions of the ruined temple. From this chasm climb ettercaps and poisonous centipedes, servants of Hargash and his god Chitteruk. When Hargash completes his ritual, read:
The air is su ddenly filled with the g rating rumble of rock. The earth splits into a gaping chasm not far from where you stand. Th e ground beneath your feet bucks like some colossal, angry beast, and you must struggle to keep your balance. Each character must make a Dexterity check (DC 9) to avoid being knocked prone. The shaking stops on the following round, a nd moments later, ettercaps and centipedes swarm out of the chasm created by the ritual to attack the adventurers.
Tactics In the first round of combat, the ettercap fang guards and centipedes focus their attacks on characters who were knocked prone by the earthqua ke. The ettercap webspinner uses webbed terrain to fill the area around the heroes with webs, even if it means catching the centipede swarms in the burst.
As battle continues, the centipede swarms gang up on a single hero to increase the damage output of their swarm aura. The ettercap fang guards use web tangle to immobilize characters and increase the damage from their melee attacks. In the first rounds of combat, the fang guards try to flank adventurers in order to use their spider bite attack, switching to their greataxes after a successful bite. The ettercap webspinner tries to keep the characters within the radius of itswebbed terrain and in melee with the fang guards and centipedes. It attacks characters along the edges of thewebbed terrain with its longspear and uses web net on any hero that attempts to close to melee range with it. 2 Centipede Swarms
Level 2 Brute
Medium natural beast XP 125 each Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision Swarm Attackaura 1; each enemy that starts its turn within the aura takes 3 damage plus 2 extra damage per centipede swarm adjacent to the enemy. HP 44; Bloodied22 AC 14; Fortitude14; Reflex 15; Will 10 Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable10 against close and area attacks Speed 6 , Climb 6 (spider climb) m Swarm of Mandibles(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +4 vs. AC; 1d6 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends); a creature already taking ongoing poison damage is also weakened (save ends). The centipede swarm’s attack deals 1 extra damage for each centipede swarm adjacent to it. Survival Instinct(immediate reaction, when hit by an area or close attack; at-will) The centipede swar m shifts 3 squar es. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9 Str 9 (+0) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 1 (–4) Cha 6 (–1)
2 Ettercap Fang Guards
Level 4 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 each Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3 HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 20; Fortitude17; Reflex 16; Will 15 Resist 10 poison Speed 5, Climb 5 (spider climb) m Greataxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +9 vs. AC; 1d12 + 5 damage (crit 1d12 + 17). M Spider Bite(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Requires combat advantage; +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. If the attack hits, the ettercap makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude; the target is stunned until the end of the ettercap’s next turn and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Web Tangle(standard; at-will) +7 vs. Reflex; the target is immobilized (save ends). Web Reaper The ettercap fang gu ard gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and deals an extra 2 damage against restrained or immobilized creatures. Web Walker An ettercap ignores movement effects of spider webs and difficult terrain related to spider swarms. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9 Str 16 (+5) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 16 (+5) Int 5 (–1) Cha 11 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, greataxe
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Ettercap Webspinner
Level 5 Controller
Medium natural humanoid XP 200 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +9 HP 64; Bloodied32 AC 18; Fortitude17; Reflex 16; Will 16 Resist 10 poison Speed 5 , Climb 5 (spider climb) m Longspear(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Reach 2; +10 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage M Spider Bite(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Requires combat advantage; +10 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the ettercap makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). R Web Net(minor 1/round; at-will) Ranged 5; +9 vs. Reflex; the target is restrained (save ends). A Webbed Terrain(standard; recharge 6 ) Area burst 2 within 10; +9 vs. Reflex; the target is immobilized (save ends). The zone is filled with spider webs and is considered difficult terrain until the end of the encounter. Web Walker An ettercap ignores movement effects of spider webs and difficult terrain related to spider swarms. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9 Str 16 (+5) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 16 (+5) Int 5 (–1) Cha 13 (+3) Equipmentleather armor, longspear
Developments When the adventurers approach the crevasse, read:
The chasm drops 30 feet to the floor of the temple ruins below. It is fairly easy to climb, requiring only a DC 10 Athletics check; there is, however, a 10-foot drop from the rectory’s ceiling to the floor, so heroes with no training in Acrobatics need to lower a rope or take 1d10 damage from the fall.
Features of the Area Illumination:Daylight Chasm: The chasm plunges 30 feet down to the floor of the rectory. The walls can be climbed with a DC 10 Athletics check. Rubble:The rubble in this area is difficult terrain. Statues: The statues are blocking terrain and provide cover to adjacent creatures. Walls: The walls range from 5 to 8 feet in height. They can be climbed with a DC 10 Athletics check. The tops of the walls are narrow and crumbling; characters moving atop the walls must succeed at a DC 10 Acrobatics check; the character falls prone atop the wall with a result of 6-9, or falls to the ground with a result of 5 or less.
The ground has split open, revealing a deep chasm that descends into darkness. A faint glimmer of light is visible at the bottom, but it is impossible to gauge the distance from the light to where you stand at the top of the rift. The walls of the chasm are jagged with protruding stones and the gnarled roots of trees; ce rtainly enough handhold s to make for a fairly easy climb.
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2: AnCienT reCTOry Encounter Level 4 (XP 900)
Setup 2 duergar scouts (S) 2 ettercap fang guards (F) Covered spiked pit trap The two piles of rubble mark where the characters land if they drop straight down from the chasm opening. They might be concerned about landing in the loose stone, but it presents no danger (it is difficult terrain). The danger here comes from the ettercaps and duergar waiting to attack. When the first character reaches the bottom of the chasm (but hasn’t yet dropped into the room), read:
The chasm ends in the ceiling of a large, brightly lit room. Directly beneath you is a pile of stones and d ebris that mu st have tumbled down when the chasm opened. When the first character drops into the room, read:
The room appears to be an ancient rectory filled with decrepit furniture, including rickety tables and chairs and a trio of beds covered with rotting blankets. A moth-eaten rug lies in the middle of the floor. Two braziers at the northern end of the room are lit and provide ample illumination. Between th em stand four mon strous human oids; t wo are the same as the insectlike horrors you fought above, and the other two resemble fiendish dwarves with bristly beards and glowing red eyes. That’s all you see before one of the dwarves kicks over a brazier and they all attack!
Tactics
Development
The duergar and ettercaps aren’t going to hold back until all the characters have gathered in the room. Ask for initiative rolls as soon as the first character drops in. Then the fight begins with the two duergar scouts acting immediately (they had prepared actions). The duergar on the eastern side of the room kicks over the brazier (a standard action), dousing it. The other duergar launches a crossbow bolt at the lone character in the room. Follow the normal initiative order from there. The other characters need to get down the chasm as quickly as possible. With half the room in shadow, the duergar scouts both use underdark sneak whenever possible. The ettercaps do not charge into battle immediately; instead
An ettercap verm in handler is stationed in t he hallway beyond the ironbound doors (see tactical encounter 3 for details). It is reasonably alert (Perception +9) but not especially inquisitive. Make a Perception check (DC 20) for this ettercap at the start of each combat round, beginning with round 2. If the check succeeds three times, the ettercap finally grows curious and comes to investigate the noises from this room, which draws the creatures from area 3 into this fight. Once the fight ends, characters can examine the room. The short hallway leading to the ironbound doors is flanked by a pair of altars. Even a rudimentary
they try to draw the heroes across the room and into the spiked pit trap beneath the rug. If the adventurers discover the pit trap or seem di sinclined to engage the ettercaps in melee, then the ettercaps charge into melee. They rely on their greataxes until the invisible duergar join the fight, at which time they maneuver to gain combat advantage on a character in order to use spider bite. If a character ventures near the edge of the trap, an ettercap will try to bull rush him into the pit. The duergar prefer to snipe at heroes with their crossbows while invisible and save their infernal quills to hamper the attacks of enemies with powerful melee attacks. The scouts use underdark sneak as often as they are able, sticking to the shadows and staying close to a table or a bed. If forced into melee, the duergar switch to their warhammers and double-team injured characters.
examination shows that they were once dedicated to Moradin but have been grotesquely defaced. Moradin’s noble features have been replaced with a repulsive, insectoid visage that includes antennae and sharp mandibles. Extra, multi-jointed limbs have been crudely grafted to the deity’s torso. Because Chitteruk exists only in the mind of Hargash, Religion checks made to determine the identity of the insectoid deity reveal no information. The ironbound doors are thick and heavy but unlocked.
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2 Ettercap Fang Guards (F)
Level 4 Soldier
2 Duergar Scouts (S)
Level 4 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 each Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3 HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 20; Fortitude17; Reflex 16; Will 15 Resist 10 poison Speed 5 , Climb 5 (spider climb) m Greataxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +9 vs. AC; 1d12 + 5 damage (crit 1d12 + 17). M Spider Bite(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Requires combat advantage; +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage. If the attack hits, the ettercap makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude; the target is stunned until the end of the ettercap’s next turn and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Web Tangle(standard; at-will) +7 vs. Reflex; the target is immobilized (save ends). Web Reaper The ettercap fang g uard gains a +2 bonus to attack
Medium natural humanoid XP 175 each Initiative+8 SensesPerception +9; darkvision HP 48; Bloodied24 AC 18; Fortitude18; Reflex 16; Will 16 Immuneillusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Speed 5 m Warhammer(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d10 + 2 damage. R Crossbow(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Ranged 15/30; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage. R Infernal Quills(minor; encounter) ✦ Poison Ranged 3; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 2 poison damage and a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). Shadow Attack A duergar scout’s attacks deal 2d6 extra damage while the scout is invisible. Underdark Sneak(minor; while in dim light or darkness and adjacent to an object or a wall that occupies at least 1
rolls and deals an extra 2 damage against restrained or immobilized creatures. Web Walker An ettercap ignores movement effects of spider webs and difficult terrain related to spider swarms. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9 Str 16 (+5) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 16 (+5) Int 5 (–1) Cha 11 (+2) Equipmentleather armor, greataxe
square; at-will) The duergar scout becomes i nvisible until th e end of its next turn or until after it hits or misses with an attack. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +9, Stealth +9 Str 15 (+4) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 14 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Cha 7 (+0) warhammer, crossbow, Equipment hainmail, c crossbow bolt x10
Covered Spiked Pit Trap Trap
Level 1 Elite Warder XP 200
Trap: A moth-eaten rug covers a 10-foot-deep pit. Jagged spikes coated with poison have been placed at the bottom of the pit. Perception DC 17: The character notices that the center of the rug droops, as if there is a hollow space beneath it. Trigger The trap attacks when a creature enters any of the 8 squares occupied by the rug. Attack Immediate Reaction Melee Attack:+6 vs. Reflex Hit: Target falls into the pit, takes 2d10 damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends), and falls prone. Miss: Target returns to the last square it occupied and its move action ends immediately. Effect:The rug falls into the pit and it is no longer hidden. Countermeasures ✦ An adjacent character can push the rug into the pit (standard action) so it is no longer hidden. ✦ A character can jump over the pit. ✦ A character can climb out of the pit with a DC 10 Athletics check.
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Features of the Area Illumination:Bright within 5 squares of the western brazier (which burns as a torch); dim everywhere else, from light filtering down through the chasm. Dim illumination provides concealment against characters and creatures that don’t have low-light vision, darkvision, or some other sense. Ceiling:The ceiling is 10 feet high. Beds, Tables, and Chairs:The furnitu re is difficult terrain and provides cover. If a creature of Medium size or larger jumps onto a bed, table, or chair, it collapses and the creature must make an immediate Acrobatics check (DC 10) to avoid falling prone. Braziers: The eastern brazier is dumped over and
F S
F
S
extinguished at the beginning of the encounter. If the remaining brazier is toppled (standard action), then the whole room is left in dim illumination. Doors: The ironbound doors at the northern end of the room are not locked. Footlockers:The ancient footlockers are still in good shape and their locks are sturdy. They can be opened with a DC 15 Thievery check. One of the footlockers contains the treasure parcel for this area. Rubble:The rubble is difficult ter rain.
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3: The hALL Of hOnOred deAd Encounter Level 4 (XP 825)
Setup 2 deathjump spiders(S) 1 ettercap vermin handler (E) 3 fire beetles(B) If the ettercap vermin handler didn’t respond to the battle in area 2, it is not expecting trouble now. Opening the ancient doors to this room makes an awful, screeching racket, however, so the adventurers ca n’t surprise the ettercap. ettercap three fire the northern endThe of the room and are making nobeetles effort toinhide. The deathjump spiders are clinging to the ceiling, one above each of the large statues. With their passive Stealth score of 21, there is a good chance they go unnoticed and gain combat advantage against the characters when battle begins. When the characters enter this room, read:
A large pool on a stone da is sits in the ce nter of this room . Soft blue light spilling out of the pool fills the room with a dim radiance. The first things you see in that dim light are four sarcophagi arranged in a square around the pool. Three have been smashed open, but the fourth appears intact. Before you can take in anything else, movement at the far end of the room catches your eye, and you spot another of the insectlike humanoids. This one grips a metal rod and is surrounded by a trio of beetles, each the size of a large dog. The beetles’ abdomens glow a cherry red, and you can feel heat from the ir bodies from across the room.
2 Deathjump Spiders (S)
Medium natural beast Ettercap Vermin Handler (E)
Level 4 Skirmisher XP 175 each Initiative+8 SensesPerception +9; tremorsense HP 55; Bloodied27 AC 20; Fortitude17; Reflex 18; Will 16 Resist 5 poison Speed 6 , Climb 6 (spider climb) m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +6 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). M Death from Above(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison The deathjump spider leaps at its prey, shifting 6 squares and making a bite attack. On a hit, it deals an extra 1d6 damage and also knocks the target prone. Prodigious Leap(move; encounter) The deathjump spider shi fts 10 squares. Soft Fall The deathjump spider ig nores the firs t 30 feet when determining damage from a fall. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Skills Athletics +10, Stealth +11 Str 17 (+5) Dex 18 (+6) Con 15 (+4) Int 1 (–3)
3 Fire Beetles (B)
Wis 14 (+4) Cha 8 (+1) Small natural beast
Level 1 Brute XP 100 each Initiative+1 SensesPerception +0 HP 32; Bloodied16 AC 13; Fortitude13; Reflex 12; Will 11 Resist 10 fire Speed 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) +5 vs. AC; 2d4 + 2 damage. C Fire Spray(standard; recharge 5 6) ✦ Fire Close blast 3; +4 vs. Reflex ; 3d6 fire damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+2) Dex 12 (+1) Wis 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Int 1 (–5) Cha 8 (–1)
Medium natural humanoid
Level 4 Controller (Leader) XP 175 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +9 HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 17; Fortitude15; Reflex 14; Will 16 Resist 10 poison Speed 5, Climb 5 (spider climb) m Venom Goad(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon, Poison +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Spider Bite(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison Requires combat advantage; +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the ettercap makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). R Web Net(minor 1/round; at-will) Ranged 5; +8 vs. Reflex; the target is restrained (save ends). Verminous Urging(minor; recharge 4 5 6 ) An adjacent allied natural beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or any creature with the spider keyword gains one of the following benefits: ✦ The target natural beast gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls until the end of its next turn. ✦ One of the target natural beast’s rechargeable powers recharges and the target uses it immediately. ✦ The next successful melee attack made by the target natural beast inflicts ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Web Walker An ettercap ignores movement effects of spider webs and difficult terrain related to spider swarms. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9, Nature +9 Str 16 (+5) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 16 (+5) Int 6 (+0) Cha 18 (+6) Equipmentleather armor, goad
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Tactics
Development
When combat begins, t he death jump spiders use death from above against heroes who failed to detect them, gaining combat advantage for the attack. The fire beetles move forward and unleash theirfire blas ts on the characters; they aren’t particularly careful and may catch the deathjump spiders in the blast. The ettercap vermin handler delays its action until the fire beetles have attacked. It then moves up, making sure to move adjacent to one of the fire beetles, and uses web net on the nearest adventurer. It then uses a minor action for verminou s urging and goads one of the fire beetles into using its fire spray attack as an immediate action. As the battle continues, the death jump spiders
When the adventurers take the time to explore this room, describe its features fully. The pool is a type of scrying device. It only shows images of the lives of the dwarven heroes interred here. A character making a DC 15 Arcana or Religion check while studying the pool can learn how to activate its magic. All that’s required is dipping a finger into the pool and speaking aloud the name of one of the dwarves buried here. The names of the heroes laid to rest in this room were inscribed on their sarcophagus lids, but sadly, three of them were destroyed by Hargash and his minions. Only one remains Any character who speaks dwarven can read the name “Ivak Stoneblood” inscribed into the lid of the
attack characters with theirbite attacks until bloodied, at which time they useprodigious leap to leap straight up and cling to the ceiling. From the ceiling, they reenter the fray with another use ofdeath from above . The fire beetles attack the characters in melee with bite attacks and usefire spray as often as it recharges. They are fairly indiscriminate with their targeting and may catch allies within the blast. The ettercap vermin handler attacks the heroes in melee with venom goad and spider bite . It remains adjacent to a fire beetle or deathjump spider so it can use verminous urging when the power recharges.
intact sarcophagus. If Ivak’s name is used to activate the pool, it shows the following scenes:
keeping Hargash from violating the dwarven hero’s tomb, Moradin is not about to let a group of untested adventurers claim the hammer, whatever their intentions. If they wish to open the sarcophagus, characters must prove their worth to Moradin in some fashion. Until they do so, the sarcophagus can’t be opened; the power of Moradin prevents it. Happily, a DC 15 Religion or In sight check reveals at least two ways the adventurers can prove their good intentions. ✦
The characters can rededicate one of the altars in the rectory to Moradin. This requires one use of the holy water found in the two fonts in this room and a complexity 1 skill challenge (Religion only, DC 13, 4 successes before 3 fa ilures).
✦
A dwarven warrior in batte red, scarred armor batt les a group of duergar in the lightle ss reaches of the Unde rdark. He wields a might y hammer with de vastating skill. Each time its anvil-shaped head strikes a foe, it releases a flash of brilliant blue light and the duergar falls dead. The image fades and is replaced with a somber scene of dwarven priests interring the hammer-wielding warrior in a carved stone sarcophagus. The warrior is laid to rest with great reverence, and his h ammer is laid across hi s chest before the lid of the sarcophagus is sealed in place. The crypt seen in the pool is obviously the same room where the characters stand. A DC 15 History check reveals a little more about Ivak Stoneblood. He was famous for battling the duergar, and his hammer was reputed to be blessed by Moradin himself. If the heroes decide to open Ivak’s sarcophagus, it is not as easy as simply tipping off the lid. After
The characters can restore one of the statues in the Hal l of Honored Dead to its former condition. This requires a complexity 1 skill challenge (Dungeoneering only, DC 13, 4 successes before 3 failures). If the heroes complete either or both of the skill challenges, they can then open the sarcophagus of Ivak Stoneblood. When the characters open the sarcophagus of Ivak Stoneblood, read:
The heavy lid of the sarcophagus slides away with a gentle push, revea ling the body of a dwarven warrio r dressed in crumbling, rust-pitted chainmail. Despite the decrepit state of the corpse’s armor and clothing, the stout warhammer lying across its skeletal chest looks as new as the day it was forged. The hammer’s head is sh aped like an anvil and the steel gleams with a bluish tint. The Hammer of Ivak Stoneblood is a +2 devilblind warhammer.
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Devilblind Weapon
Level 5+
This weapon gleams with holy energy that devils find intensely painful. Lvl 7 +2 2,600 gp Lvl 22 +5 325,000 gp Lvl 12 +3 13,000 gp Lvl 27 +6 1,625,000 gp Lvl 17 +4 65,000 gp Weapon:Any Enhancement:Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +1d6 radiant damage per plus, +1d8 radiant damage per plus against devils. Property:You gain a bonus to saving throws against the attacks of devils equal to the enhancement bonus of the weapon. Power (Daily✦ Radiant):Free Action: Use this power when you hit a devil with the weapon. The target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage and is blinded (save ends). Level 12 or 17: 2d8 radiant damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). Level 22 or 27: 3d8 radiant damage, and the target is blinded (save ends, with a -2 penalty to the saving throw).
Features of the Area Illumination:The pool provides dim illumination to the entire room. Ceiling:The ceiling is 20 feet high. Holy Water Fonts:Two holy water fonts are mounted on short stone pillars in the northeast and northwest corners of the room. The power of Moradin is still strong enough in this area to prevent Hargash from turning the holy water into unholy water. A DC 15 Arcana or Religion check when examining the fonts reveals that each contains a single use of level 1 holy water. This holy water has the unique property that it is effective against duergar; it inflicts damage on the tainted dwarves as if they were demons or undead.
Pool: The dais the pool is mounted on is 4 feet high. It and the pool provide cover. The water in the pool is normal; the glow comes from the pool itself, which is enchanted in a manner similar to the Dark Light ritual. Sarcophagi:The smashed sarcophagi are difficult terrain. The intact sarcophagus is 4 feet high. All provide cover. A character can jump on top of the intact sarcophagus with a DC 15 Athletics check. The three opened sarcophagi contain yellowed bones and tattered vestments in disarray. The fourth, unopened sarcophagus has the carved image of a resplendent dwarf warrior on its lid. Statues: The statues are blocking terrain and provide cover to adjacent creatures. Each is 10 feet tall. They once depicted dwarf warriors, but they have b een remade to resemble great insectlike humanoids, with mandibles, multifaceted eyes, and many multi-jointed limbs.
B E
B B
S
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4: The prOfAned ChApeL Encounter Level 5 (XP 1,025)
Setup 1 deathjump spider(D) 1 duergar shock trooper(T) Hargash Bitterbla de(H) 2 stormclaw scorpions(S) Hargash’s loud, monotonous chanting makes it difficult for his minions to hear the approach of intruders, and Hargash himself is completely tuned out of his surroundings. If the characters are careful, they can enter the chapel unnoticed and gain a surprise round. If they try to enter with Stealth, the shock trooper and vermin suffer a -5 penalty to their passive Perception thanks to Hargash’s chanting. Hargash won’t hear anything until someone attacks. When the characters enter this room, read:
This cavernous chapel is dominated by a towering statue srcinally crafted as a representation of the dwarven deity Moradin. It has been cr udely transform ed into an image of the bizarre insect deity you’ve seen throughout the temple. Smaller statues of dwarven gods and heroes, similarly disfigured, stand against the walls. Four basins on raised platforms st and in the four corne rs of the chapel. A rubblechoked passage leads away to the north. Kneeling before the great stat ue of the insec t god is a stout duergar in green robes. He is flanked by pair of scorpions the size of wolves, and a monstrous spider clings to the towering statue above him. Another duergar arrayed in chainmail and armed with a maul stands protectively at his back. The kneeling duergar is praying loudly in grotesque utt erances of some unholy language.
Hargash Bitterblade, Level 5 Elite Controller (Leader)R Infernal Quills(minor; encounter) ✦ Poison Chosen of Chitteruk (H) Ranged 3; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes
Medium natural humanoid XP 400 Initiative+2 SensesPerception +11;darkvision aura 5; Natural beasts with an Shroud of Chitteruk Intelligence score of 1 or any creature with the spider keyword within the aura gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws. HP 126; Bloodied63 AC 19; Fortitude16; Reflex 16; Will 18 Immune illusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison Saving Throws+2 Speed 5 Action Points1 m Envenomed War Pick(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison, Weapon +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 3 damage, and Hargash makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +9 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 5 poison damage and the target is weakened (save ends both). R Web Bolt(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +9 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 4 damage and the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Save: The target is immobilized (save ends).
If Hargash becomes aware of the characters before they attack, read:
The chanting stops suddenly, and the kneeling duergar leaps to his feet and turns toward you. His gaunt face is twisted in a rictus of hatred and madness. He raises a twitching finger, points at you, and shouts in Common, “Slay them in the name of Chitteruk!”
Tactics In the first round of combat, Hargash uses verminous blast to create another insect ally and injure as many heroes as possible. The stormclaw scorpions and the duergar shock trooper advance to engage the cha racters in melee. The shock trooper uses itsbeard quills before closing. The deathjump spider closes with its chosen target with a combination ofprodigious leap
ongoing 2 poison damage and a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both).
R Curse of Chitteruk (standard; recharge 5 6 ) ✦ Poison Ranged 10; +9 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 4 poison damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). If the target is already suffering ongoing poison damage, the ongoing poison damage increases by 5 and saving throws made to end the ongoing poison damage take a -2 penalty. Curse of Chitteruk can increase the ongoing poison damage taken by a target only once, even if the target is struck multiple times by Curse of Chitteruk. A Verminous Blast(standard; encounter) ✦ Poison Area burst 2 within 15; +9 vs. Fortitude; 2d6 + 4 poison damage, and one centipede swarm appears in any unoccupied space within the burst. T he centipede swarm treats Hargash as an ally and takes its turn on his initiative. The centipede swarm remains until the end of the encounter. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +13, Arcana +7, Religi on +7, Nature +11 Str 15 (+4) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 18 (+6) Con 16 (+5) Int 15 (+4) Cha 16 (+5) Equipmentwar pick
In the following rounds of combat, Hargash moves just out of melee range to ensure his verminous minions can benefit from aura of Chitteruk. He targets melee-oriented adventurers withweb bolt to hamper their movement and uses curse of Chitteruk as often as possible on heroes suffering ongoing poison damage. Hargash does not shrink from melee, although he uses beard quills before entering close combat with his envenomed war pick. The duergar shock trooper targets characters in combat with t he scorpions, spider, or centipede swarm, attempting to flank characters to increase its chances of hitting with its maul. When bloodied, it uses expand and then moves adjacent to Hargash, using its reach to protect its master.
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The stormclaw scorpions and centipede swarm attack the closest heroes in melee, relentlessly biting and stinging until slain. The deathjump spider leaps about the chapel, targeting random adventurers with death from above as often as possible. When Hargash is bloodied, he and his remaining minions retreat to the pools in the northern end of the room to make use their healing powers. Hargash makes his last stand there, fighting to the death to protect the temple of his imaginary god. Duergar Shock Trooper (T)
Level 6 Brute
Medium natural humanoid XP 250 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +7; darkvision HP 84; Bloodied42 AC 18; Fortitude19; Reflex 18; Will 18 Immuneillusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison 5 (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon Speed m Maul +9 vs. AC; 2d6 + 6 damage.
R Infernal Quills(minor; encounter) ✦ Poison Ranged 3; +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target takes ongoing 2 poison damage and a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). Expand (when first bloodied; encounter) ✦ Polymorph The duergar shock trooper becomes Large, occupying 4 squares instead of 1. Any creatures in the squares that the shock trooper comes to occupy are pushed 1 square. The shock trooper als o gains reach 2 and a +5 bonus to its melee damage rolls. The shock trooper remains Large until the end of the encounter. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Skills Dungeoneering +12 Str 19 (+7) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 16 (+6) Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 8 (+2) Equipmentchainmail, maul
2 Stormclaw Scorpions (S)
Level 1 Soldier
Centipede Swarm
Level 2 Brute
Medium natural beast XP 100 each Initiative+3 SensesPerception +0; tremorsense HP 32; Bloodied16 AC 16; Fortitude14; Reflex 12; Will 11 Resist 10 lightning Speed 6 m Claws (standard; at-will) ✦ Lightning +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and a Medium or smaller target is grabbed (until escape). A grabbed target takes 5 lightning damage at the start of the stormclaw scorpion’s turn. M Sting (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d4 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and is immobilized (save ends both). The stormclaw scorpion can use this attack against a target it has grabbed. M Reactive Sting(immediate interrupt, when an enemy grabbed by the scorpion escapes; at-will) The stormclaw scor pion makes a sting attack against
Medium natural beast XP — Initiative+4 SensesPerception +1; darkvision Swarm Attackaura 1; each enemy that starts its turn within the aura takes 3 damage plus 2 extra damage per centipede swarm adjacent to the enemy. HP 44; Bloodied22 AC 14; Fortitude14; Reflex 15; Will 10 Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable10 against close and area attacks Speed 6 , Climb 6 (spider climb) m Swarm of Mandibles(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +4 vs. AC; 1d6 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends); a creature already taking ongoing poison damage is also weakened (save ends). The centipede swarm’s attack deals 1 extra damage for each centipede swarm adjacent to it Survival Instinct(immediate reaction, when hit by an area or close attack; at-will) The centipede swar m shifts 3 squ ares.
the enemy. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+3) Dex 12 (+1) Wis 11 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Int 1 (–5) Cha 10 (+0)
AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Stealth +9 Str 9 (+0) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 1 (–4) Cha 6 (–1)
Deathjump Spider (D)
Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast XP 175 Initiative+8 SensesPerception +9; tremorsense HP 55; Bloodied27 AC 20; Fortitude17; Reflex 18; Will 16 Resist 5 poison Speed 6 , Climb 6 (spider climb) m Bite (standard; at-will) ✦ Poison +6 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). M Death from Above(standard; at-will) ✦ Poison The deathjump spider leaps at its prey, shifting 6 squares and making a bite attack. On a hit, it deals an extra 1d6 damage and also knocks the target prone. Prodigious Leap(move; encounter) The deathjump spider shi fts 10 squares. Soft Fall The deathjump spider ig nores the firs t 30 feet when determining damage from a fall. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Skills Athletics +10, Stealth +11 Str 17 (+5) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 14 (+4)
Con 15 (+4)
Int 1 (–3)
Cha 8 (+1) Ma y 20 10
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Features of the Area Illumination:The four pools in this area glow with soft red and blue light, providing dim illumination to the entire chapel. Note that all of the foes except the stormclaw scorpions have darkvision. Ceiling:The ceiling is 30 feet high. Columns: The columns are blocking terrain. Statue of Chitteruk:The statue of Chitteruk exudes a palpable evil. Good creatures adjacent to it suffer a -1 penalty to saving throws. Blue Pools: The crysta l-clear water in these pools is still blessed by Moradin. A character that drinks from one (a standard action) can i mmediately spend a healing surge and regain an additional 5 hit points. The water loses this property if removed from the temple. Red Pools: The murky, red water in these pools has been cursed by the dread power of the great meteorite. If Hargash drinks from one of these pools (a standard action), he regains 31 hit points. If a character drinks from one of these pools, he or she suffers the following attack: +9 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+4 poison damage and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Pit: This shallow pit is only 5 feet deep. A creature the falls into it suffers no damage but falls prone. Climbing out of the pit requires a DC 5 Athletics check. Statues: The statues are blocking terrain and provide cover to adjacent creatures.
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s s By Scott Fitzgerald Gray illustration by Ben Wootten cartography by Mike Schley An adventure for 3rd-level characters TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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“The Splintered Spring” is a short adventure for five 3rd-level characters, taking place in and around a connected pair of aboveground and u nderground lakes. A plague of ghostly spiders is responsible for the theft of magic items in the lands around the King’s Wall. As the characters investigate, they discover a force of dolgaunt-led foulspawn holed up in a dark lair—the outpost of an aberrant cult drawn to the Chaos Scar. For details on the Chaos Scar and its environs, read the Chaos Scar Introduction and check out the map of the entire valley. If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure by integrating it into any existing campaign situated near a wilderness area. The sinkhole of the splintered spring can be the result of an earthquake, an ancient Underdark site, or whatever else suits your campaign. The foulspawn cult will appear again in later adventures set deeper in the ruined valley.
BACkground When the great meteor fell, a fragmenting cloud of deadly debris tore countless rifts and sinkholes into the earth at the mouth of the Chaos Scar. As one such fragment cut its way through the surrounding landscape, it tore open an underground spring and carved a deep chasm beneath it. That spring now forms an unusual lake on the surface which conceals a pair of connected caverns below. Aberrant energy fills these caverns as a result of the meteor’s destructive passage. A foulspawn cult has been drawn to this area of the Chaos Scar. Their center of power is deeper in the valley, but a group of low-level foulspawn dolgaunts,
dolgrims, and dolgarrs has been driven out of that sanctum and into exile. The dolgaunt monk leader of this exile band dreams of returning to the cult in triumph. To that end, he has used his aberrant power to take control of a pack of phase spiders he and his cohorts discovered beneath the splintered spring. These phase spiders have begun roaming the countryside around the King’s Wall in search of magic items—valuable relics with which the dolgaunt monk hopes to buy his way back into the cult’s good graces.
Adventure Synopsis As part of a search for missing magical items, the characters make their way to a scarred landscape where a shattered spring fills a misty lake. The heroes fight their way past water serpents ridden by foulspawn guardians before crossing the lake and discovering that its center is a crater plunging down into darkness. The characters’ descent leads them through two large caverns. The first of these is a noxious elemental mire where the main foulspawn encampment is set. Beneath that is a black lake that is the lair of the phase spiders and the foulspawn monk that controls them.
Getting the Players Involved You can use one of the hooks below to get the characters into the adventure, whether they are entering the Chaos Scar for the first time or have had previous adventures in the area. Each of these hooks has an accompanying minor quest with bonus XP.
Hook 1 A religious relic has been stolen from a temple in a town east of the King’s Wall, or from a group of wandering priests on a pilgrimage if the adventurers are already in the area of the Chaos Scar. Those who witnessed the theft speak of a swarm of ghostly spiders that entered the temple (or the priest’s camp) past armed guards. These spiders targeted and stole the relic with almost humanoid cunning. Quest XP: 150 XP for returning the relic.
Hook 2 A noble named Megoras recently purchased an expensive ritual book in a distant city for research purposes. While being brought to his estate east of the King’s Wall by well-armed couriers, the book was stolen. One wounded courier crawled to the nearest village, where he spoke only of being swarmed by “ghost spiders, spawned of the underworld,” before dying. Megoras offers a reward of 100 g p to anyone who can find and return the book. Quest XP: 150 XP for returning the ritual book to Megoras.
Hook 3 The town of Rhya lies along a trade road a few leagues east of the King’s Wall. The folk there are l iving in fear after a pack of monstrous “ghost spiders” swarmed the town a few days before. A reti red adventurer named Ulrika stood against them and was killed, and they hauled off her body in t he dead of night. Quest XP: 150 XP for finding and properly burying Ulrika’s remains, then returning to Rhya with word that the threat of the spiders is ended. The characters are given a description of a unique amulet worn by Ulrika.
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Treasure Preparation
the splintered
The characters gain three level-2 treasu re parcels in this adventure; parcels 2, 3, and 7, shuffled around a bit.
spring
Parcel A: The Foul Mire One potion of h ealing Parcel B: The Black Lake One level 4 magic item Parcel C: The Black Lake One level 5 magic item, 20 gp, 100 gp gem
Whichever adventure hook you use to get the characters into the adventure, the party is taken to the last place the spiders were seen by witnesses. From there, the creatures’ trail can be followed easily, either over the King’s Wall or within the area of the Chaos Scar.
The relic or ritual book is also found at the black lake if the heroes are looking for it. The other magic items were stolen by the spiders on previous raids, and the characters can claim them with no consequences. (If you are using adventure hook 3, one of these items was worn by the adventurer Ulrika, inspiri ng the
When the characters pick up the trail, read:
spiders to drag her body back to the foulspawn.) If you have used adventure hook 2, the 100 gp gem (or its cash equivalent) noted above is the reward promised by Megoras, payable when the characters return the ritual book to him.
stride defies easy explanation.
Even with the t ime that ’s passed, th e distin ct tracks of th e so-called “ghost spiders” are easy to follow on the open ground. Ever y ten paces or so, huge clu sters of sp iked footprin ts slash th e ground. You est imate the n umber of creatures at a dozen or more, but their impossibly long
The phase spiders use their teleport speed to move on the run, touching down only every 30 feet. When the characters follow the spiders’ t rail to a dry streambed that leads to the splintered spring, read: A twist ing course cut s its way through wil d grass and scr ub trees rustling in the wind. This was a streambed once, but no trace of water runs between its overgrown banks now. Its course break s slowly to th e southwest , and the t racks continue along it.
An hour ’s walk brin gs the cha racters wit hin sight of the splintered spring. When they arrive, read: The breeze from ahead carries the faint scent of water. Spikes of upthrust rock surround the streambed on all sides, providing cover as you advance to within sight of a hissing haze of mist. A powerful underground spring bursts from the surface of the ground, surrounded by shards of splintered stone that stand like a crown around it. The spring which once fed the stream has been forcefully redirected into a small lake. T he lake is dotted by islets of rock rising just a few feet above the surface. The tracks of the spiders point straight toward the closest of these islets before disappearing. The rocky islets form a maze across the surface of the lake, each 15 to 20 feet across and 20 to 30 feet apart. The phase spiders teleport from rock to rock when they cross the lake. The heroes are free to explore the shores of the lake. They can judge its size as approximately 500 feet in diameter. The fractured networkof chasms that have filled to become the lake was caused by a fragment of the meteor tearing through this area, as was the upheaval that caused the spring to be rerouted. If the characters circumnavigate the lake completely, they notice that although the spring flows into it at a fast rate, there is no sign of where it flows out again. Moreover, the center of the lake remains shrouded in mist at all times. The characters need to cross the lake to pursue the spiders. Swimming is an option, but adventurers who circumnavigate the lake f ind a crudely built but sturdy raft with six poorly carved paddles on the far shore. The foulspawn use this and a matching raft currently at the center of the lake to cross the water. As the characters approach the center of the lake, go to Encounter S1. Ju ne 201 0
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ConCluding the Adventure Once the threat of the foulspawn is ended, the characters can investigate the black lake cavern to discover its secrets. At the farth est corn er of the l edge, a foul n est of muck an d bones is the dolgaunt monk’s lair. The same unearthly sigils seen in the cavern above cover the walls here, scribed in filth and dried blood. From beneath a pile of cracked and wellgnawed bone s comes the g leam of gold . The symbols here have the same effect on a character that studies them as those in encounter S2. They have meaning only to the aberrant minds of the foulspawn, but anyone who looks at them for more t han a few seconds feels noticeably uneasy. A character who insists on studying them or trying to read the symbols takes a –2 penalty to Will which lasts until the party takes an extended rest. In addition to treasure parcel C, the dolgaunt has cast aside the gear of the creatures whose magic it has stolen, including a fragment of an adventurer’s map. The map shows part of a series of caverns and is annotated with cramped handwriting. This cryptic introduction to a wider foulspawn cult worshiping the power at the heart of the Chaos Scar connects to upcoming adventures.
FrAgMent (FrAgMent)
(illegible) the foulspawn’s cults. They worship the power that lingers in the heart of the Chaos Scar, and (illegible) their madness is increased. The unholy site they seek to build (illegible) Those they seize are transformed (illegible) voices of the damned and the dead. I seek the monk cast out from the enclave of Night’s Heart, the one they call master of spiders. He is greedy for magic, they say, hoping to buy his way back to the cult’s good graces. His plots are the first step” (fragment ends)
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s1. serpent strike Encounter Level 3 (XP 750)
Setup 2 dolgaunt dark-hailers (D) 2 blackwater serpents(S) 1 water dervish The first hal f of the characters’ passage across the lake is uneventful. When they cross, read: The wind scatters waves through the narrow channels between rubble-strewn islets but does nothing to clear the roiling mist at the center of the lake. No sign of the bottom can be seen, though dark schools of fish dart past occasionally . As you approach the mist, a distant hissing can be heard. When the characters reach the halfway point represented by the tactical map, read: Suddenly a keening wail rises from ahead. The dark shapes of two enormous water serpents race out into the channel beyond a distant islet, a pair of foul and howling humanoids riding them. The skin has been flensed from their glistening bodies. Their sightless eyes and the tentacles writhing from their backs and shoulders seem to seek for you. It takes 2 rounds from the time the serpents and their dolgaunt riders appear until they reach the top of the tactical map. The party has time to put in the raft at one of the rocky islets if they do not wish to fight from the raft or on the water. The water dervish is not allied with the foulspawn, but it has learned to fear their power and to feed on their leavings. It lurks unseen beneath the water. It attacks in the fourth round of combat.
2 Dolgaunt Dark-Hailers (D)
Level 3 Artiller y Water Dervish
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 150 each Initiative+5 SensesPerception +2; blindsight 20 HP 34; Bloodied17 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 14 Speed 6 r Foul Lash(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +10 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage and the target is slowed until the end of the dolgaunt’s next turn. R Dark Hail(standard; at-will) Psychic Ranged 10; targets a slowed creature; +8 vs. Fortitud e; 1d8 + 6 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn. A Flensing Hail(standard; recharge 5 6 ) Area burst 1 within 20; +8 vs. Reflex; 1d8 + 6 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage and is slowed (save ends both). AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Str 14 (+3) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 13 (+2) Con 10 (+1) Int 12 (+2) Cha 8 (+0)
2 Blackwater Serpents (S)
Level 3 Brute
Large natural beast (aquatic, mount) XP 150 each Initiative+3 SensesPerception +2 HP 53; Bloodied26 AC 15; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 14 Speed 5, swim 10 m Bite (standard; at-will) Poison Melee 2; +8 vs. AC; 2d8 damage, and the serpent makes a secondary attack against the same target. Secondary Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude; 2d4 poison damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). M Tail Slap(immediate reaction, when the serpent is hit by an attack; encounter) Melee 2; +8 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage. Waterborn While in water, the serpent gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against creatures without a swim speed. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 17 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 2 (–3) Cha 9 (+0)
Level 3 Skirmisher
Small elemental magical beast (air, earth) XP 150 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +1 HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 17; Fortitude14, Reflex 16, Will 14 Immunedisease, poison Speed 8 m Waterspout(standard; at-will) Melee 1; +6 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 4 damage. M Fury of the Storm(move; recharge 5 6 ) The water der vish shift s 5 squares and attack s each enemy it moves adjacent to during the movement: +8 vs. Fortitude, and the dervish slides the target 2 squares and knocks it prone. A creature in the water when it is knocked prone takes 10 damage instead. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial Skills Stealth +10 Str 10 (+1) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 10 (+1) Con 14 (+3) Int 5 (–2) Cha 14 (+3)
Tactics The first round after t he dolgaunts appear, they are 30 squares away from the edge of the tactical map, too far to use their attacks. In round 2, the dolgaunts are 10 squares away and use fl ensing h ail against any heroes on the top half of the tactical map. The characters can return fire in either round. All creatures attacking at this distance take a –2 penalty to attack rolls for the cover of the islets. Once the dolgaunts appear on the tactical map, they and the serpents break for the characters. The blackwater serpents swim alongside adventurers on the raft, on an islet, or in the water, making charge attacks with reach. A dolgaunt makes foul l ash or dark hail attacks at the same t ime, sending a horrid shower of its own f lensed flesh against the target. It uses f len sing h ail each time that power recharges. The dolgaunts st ay on the serp ents to remain safely out of melee.
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The water dervish enters combat 2 rounds after the other combatants appear on the tactical map. It rises from the water in the midst of the characters to make a fury of th e storm attack, then uses waterspou t while fury recharges. It slides foes off an islet or the raft whenever it can, leaving them for the serpents. The dolgaunts and the serpents fight until destroyed. The water dervish flees if reduced to 10 hit points or fewer.
Into the Mist Once the guardian creatures are disposed of, the characters can continue on into the mist.At that point, read: The hissing sound grows louder; the mist wraps around you as you approach. Visibility is cut to nothing and a damp gloom set tles across th e scene. Su ddenl y, a wall of black rock looms ahead, curving away to vanish into the mist to the left and right. There is no shore here, but the heroes can easily lash the raft to the 15-foot-high rock wall. The wall can be climbed with a DC 7 Athletics check, revealing a remarkable sight beyond. When the heroes reach the top of the rocks, read: Even through th e mist, you can see that the sheer rock wall encloses the center of the lake in a rough circle. This is n o island but a crater approximately 50 feet across. You stand on the rim, which extends onl y 5 feet before plunging down again. A quarter of the way along the crater’s edge, a deep gash in the rock allows th e water of the l ake to pour over in a misty torrent, then disappear into a dark rift below.
This waterfall is the outf low that balances the splintered spring. Characters who spend any time exploring the area can see clear signs where the spiders alighted along the rim of the crater, then climbed down alongside the hissing falls. If the characters circumnavigate the entire crater wall, they find another raft lashed to the rock on the far side. The crater wall is rough and easily climbable (Athletics DC 9), but the rift is dark beyond 20 feet down. The adventurers see no sign of other creatures as they descend.
The rubble-strewn surface of an islet is diff icult terrain. A creature that moves off the islet goes into the deep water.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright during daytime; dark at night. Raft: The characters’ raft is 3 squares on a side and moves at a rate of 1 square per round per character paddling. The raft is sturdy enough that it cannot be attacked. It floats in place if no one is paddling it. Deep Water:The lake is approximately 30 feet deep. Creatures in deep water must use Athletics skill to move (DC 10; move at half speed; Player’s Handbook page 183). Creatures in deep water gain cover except against attacks from submerged enemies. Fighting in the water imposes a –2 penalty to attack rolls except with spears and crossbows, and powers that have the fire keyword take a –2 penalty to attack rolls. A creature in the water can move onto a rocky islet or onto the raft by spending 1 extra square of movement. Rocky Islet:The small islets that break the surface of the water are the tops of sheer pinnacles of rock plunging straight down. The islets are spread across the entire surface of the lake, each 15 to 20 feet across and 20 to 30 feet apart. (The phase spiders teleport from rock to rock when they cross the lake.)
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s2. the Foul Mire Encounter Level 4 (XP 950)
Setup 1 dolgarr berserker(B) 3 dolgrim warriors(W) 1 mud lasher(M) The characters descend 60 feet into a rough chasm punched into the earth by a fragment of the great meteor. As they cl imb down, read : The chasm walls narrow as they slope slowly inwar d. Damp mist rises from the the waterfall crashing past. Rough handholds make the climbing easy despite the damp stone. A broad cavern opens up below; th e falling wate r has worn a wide stream through it. Patches of glowing fungi dot the walls and g ive rise to a pu ngent scen t of decay. There is no illumination in the shaft above, and any light carried by the party alerts the creatures here. The dolgarr berserker is anxious to fight, so it continually peers out from its hiding place. It can be spotted with a DC 13 Perception check. The dolgrim keep much better hidden. If the characters are not carrying illumination and they pause to let their sight adjust to the dim light, they spot the dolgrim with a DC 18 Perception check. If they carry lights or rush into the gloom, the Perception DC is 23.
A grotesque crea ture lurks in th e shadows of th e cavern below. Its face is split by two gaping maws that slaver soundlessly, and four arms extend from its squat torso. Its body is slathered in black mud that all but hides it in the shadows.
The mud lasher uses its drowning slam early, then alternates its slam against nearby foes with mud ball attacks against characters targeting it from range. All these creatures fight until destroyed. When either dolgrim is bloodied, it begins shrieking a warning that will be heard by the dolgaunt monk in the cavern below.
When the characters descend to the cavern floor, read:
Dolgarr Berserker (B)
If the characters see the dolgrim, read:
Blackene d scrub t rees clutch at the rock y walls and fl oor of the cavern, inexplicably growing despite the lack of light. A foul mire of rottin g muck sprea ds in patches across the floor. The wide stream surges through it, then plunges over the edge of a sinkhole at the center of the cavern. The heroes startmap. in any squares along thethe start area marked on the Any creatures that characters did not spot will attack with surprise. The foulspawn have a rough alliance with the mud lasher that inhabited this cavern before they arrived.
Tactics If the creatures here have surprise, the dolgarr charges the nearest adventurer. The mud lasher uses mud ball while the dolgrims make crossbow attacks from behind cover. Once combat begins in earnest, the dolgarr berserker wades into combat, targeting heavily armored foes with both of its foe-hurler attacks. While that power recharges, it makesclub or meaty fist attacks against lightly armored foes. The dolgrim warriors snipe with their crossbows from behind cover for as long as possible, making double action attacks and trying to force foes through foul muck to reach them.
Level 6 Brute
Large aberrant humanoid XP 250 Initiative+5 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision HP 86; Bloodied43 AC 18; Fortitude19, Reflex 16, Will 17 Immunefear Speed 6 m Club (standard; at-will) Weapon +9 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage. M Meaty Fist(standard; at-will) Melee 2; +7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 7 damage. M Foe-Hurler (standard; recharge 6 ) Melee 2; +8 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 5 damage, and the dolgarr berserker pushes the target 3 squares and knocks it prone; the berserker slams the target to the ground and then throws the target at another creature, making a secondary attack against an enemy adjacent to the primary target after the push. Secondary Attack: +7 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 5 damage. M Berserk Rage(free, when first bloodied, encounter) The dolgarr berserker gains 5 temporary hit points and makes a club attack and a meaty fist attack. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech, Goblin Str 20 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 16 (+6) Con 16 (+6) Int 7 (+1) Cha 9 (+2) Equipmentclub
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Development When combat is done, the characters have a chance to investigate the cavern. On the far side of the cavern, a wide shelf of stone holds a rough camp. A foul reek hangs over the area. Horrid nests of mud and branches mark the sleeping areas of a dozen creatures. The walls are scribed with horrific symbols in dried blood, and shattered chips of bone are set into the rock like mosaic tiles. A h alf-dozen humanoid bodies lie nearby, all partially eaten. The foulspawn in the adventure represent half of the dolgaunt monk’s followers. The others are scouring the countryside for food and supplies (it was their raft the heroes borrowed). The symbols here have meaning only to the aberrant minds of the foulspawn. Anyone looking at them for more than a few seconds feels noticeably uneasy. A character who insists on making a Perception or Insight check in an attempt to decipher the symbols takes a –2 penalty to Will during the next encounter. The bodies are of unfortunate humanoids slain and eaten by the foulspawn. If you used adventure hook 3, the characters can identify Ulrika’s body by the amulet still around her neck. The only way down from this cavern is the sinkhole into which the stream plunges. See “Features of the Area” and the next encounter for more information.
Mud Lasher (M)
Level 4 Brute
3 Dolgrim Warriors (W)
Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium elemental magical beast (earth, water) XP 175 Initiative+4 SensesPerception +9; low-light vision HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 16; Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 15 Immunedisease, poison Speed 5 m Slam (standard; at-will) +7 vs. AC; 2d8 + 4 damage. M Drowning Slam(standard; encounter) +5 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 4 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage. R Mud Ball(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +5 vs. Reflex; the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends). Amorphous Body(immediate reaction, when hit by a melee attack; encounter) The mud lasher shif ts 3 squares. Relentless Assault
Small aberrant humanoid XP 175 each Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3; low-light vision HP 53; Bloodied26 AC 18; Fortitude16, Reflex 15, Will 16 Vulnerable5 psychic Saving Throws+2 against charm and fear effects Speed 6 m Club (standard; at-will) Weapon +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage. r Crossbow(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 15/30; +8 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage. Double Actions At the start of combat, the dolgrim warrior makes two initiative checks. Each check corresponds to one of the warrior’s brains. The warrior takes a full turn on both initiative counts. Its ability to take an immediate action refreshes on each turn. Dolgrim Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will)
A mud lasher gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against slowed or immobilized creatures. AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesPrimordial Skills Stealth +9 Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 13 (+3) Int 8 (+1) Cha 11 (+2)
The dolgrim warrior shifts 1 square. Combat Advantage A dolgrim warrior deals 1d6 extra damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech, Goblin Str 17 (+5) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 13 (+3) Int 9 (+1) Cha 9 (+1) Equipmentlight shield, club, crossbow and 20 bolts
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Features of the Area Illumination:Phosphorescent fungus sheds dim light throughout the area. Ceiling: 20 feet high, opening to a chasm that rises 60 feet to the crater above. Black Trees:Stunted black trees draw on the aberrant energy of this cavern to grow. A tree provides cover. It takes a DC 5 Acrobatics or Athletics check to move through a square containing a black tree; failure indicates the moving creature stops moving in the last square before entering the tree’s space. A creature that starts its turn adjacent to a black tree is slowed until the end of its turn. Foul Muck:Heavy black muck steeped in aberrant energy covers the floor of the cavern and is
Sinkhole:The center of the cavern is a rough sinkhole 30 feet in diameter, through which the stream falls. A creature that moves into the sinkhole gets a saving throw to catch the edge. On a failed save, the creature falls 40 feet to the black lake in the cavern below. Because the churning water of the stream cushions the fall, the character takes half damage from the fall. See the next encounter for details of the black lake.
difficult terrain. Any creature not aberrant or elemental that enters an area of muck or starts its turn there is subject to an attack: +8 vs. Fortitude; the target is slowed and takes a -2 penalty to defenses until the end of its next turn. Rough Pillar:Spires of rock thrust up 10 feet from the cavern floor. A pillar provides cover and is blocking terrain. A pillar can be climbed with a DC 10 Athletics check. Ledges: These ledges stand the indicated height above the cavern floor. Climbing up to a ledge takes a DC 10 Athletics check. Stream: The water coursing down from above forms a fast-flowing 3-foot-deep stream through the muddy cavern. The stream is difficult terrain. A creature that enters the stream or starts its turn there must make a DC 17 Athletics check or be knocked prone. A creature knocked prone in the stream slides 4 squares toward the sinkhole. A prone creature must stand to move out of the stream.
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s3. the BlACk lAke Encounter Level 6 (XP 1,255–1,430)
Setup 1 dolgaunt monk(D) 3 young phase spiders(S) 10 phase spider hatchli ngs (H) This encounter can play out in different ways, depending on how the characters enter the area. Read through the entire encounter to familiarize yourself with the setup of the green slimes and the tactics of the creatures in the cavern below. It is very likely that some adventurers will end up fighting alone in the cavern or the black lake while their allies are still trying to descend through the sinkhole.
The Sinkhole Unlike the descent to the cavern above, the climb down the sinkhole to the black lake is a dangerous one. Moreover, the phase spiders and their dolgaunt master have set up this area as a deadly gauntlet for would-be intruders. Where the stream spills down from the foul mire, mist shrouds the darkness below. Unlike the rough stone of the shaft above, the wet walls of the sinkhole offer only minimal handholds. However, great sheets of webbing cling to those walls, g listenin g with moi sture but offe ring an ea sy means of descent. Anyone who inspects the chasm from above recognizes that the webs are strong enough to hold a climbing character. There is no other sign of immediate danger (if one discounts the giant spider webs)—the green slimes cannot be seen from the top of the sinkhole.
Characters must make Athletics checks to climb down the 30-foot sinkhole to the mouth of the cavern below, then to climb down the final 20 feet to the cavern floor by way of webs or rope. In addition to the rigors of the climb, dozens of deadly green slimes cling to the sinkhole walls, where they are concealed by webs. A character who does not spot a slime is subject to its attack as it breaks free of its web shroud. Each time a character makes a successful Athletics check to move one-half its speed down the sinkhole, have the player make a Perception check to notice the closest slime. On a successful check, the character can avoid the slime, which then stays dormant. On a failed check, the slime attacks. The Perception and Athletics DCs depend on a hero’s method of climbing.
Climbing Method Rope
Athletics DC 10
Perception DC
Green Slime
Level 4 Lurker
Medium natural beast (blind, ooze) XP 175 Initiative+9 SensesPerception +2; blindsight 10, tremorsense 10 HP 47; Bloodied23 AC 20; Fortitude23, Reflex 17, Will 20 Immunegaze; Resist 5 acid; Vulnerability5 fire, 5 radiant Speed 4, climb 4 m Engulf(standard; at-will) Acid +7 vs. Reflex; 1d6 + 3 acid damage, and the target is engulfed (save ends). While engulfed, the target takes ongoing 5 acid damage and is restrained. While a target is engulfed, attacks that target the green slime deal half damage to the slime and half damage to the engulfed creature. While it has a creature engulfed, the slime can make attacks only against the engulfed creature. Rapid Dissolution A green slime’s attacks deal 1d6 extra acid damage to a creature that is taking ongoing acid damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Skills Stealth +11 Str 11 (+2) Con 17 (+5)
Dex 16 (+5) Int 3 (–2)
Wis 11 (+2) Cha 1 (–3)
5
No rope, using webs
5
15
Tactics
No rope, avoiding webs
15
10
The green slime attempts toengulf its victim to prevent it from slipping away. A character not engulfed can make Athletics checks to flee by climbing, but the slime’s climb speed gives an adventurer little chance of escaping. If a character fights while climbing, see the rules in the Player’s Handbook (page 182). The green slimes fight only along the sinkhole walls. They do not descend into the cavern.
Use a battle grid to represent the vertical cavern wall for any green slime encounters. Do not let the players know that there is a chance for combat during their descent until a green slime actually attacks. The XP figures given for this encounter assume that the characters trigger only one full green slime combat. Adjust the XP as appropriate, but the characters should receive experience only for green sli mes that are fought and destroyed. Simply escaping from or avoiding a slime nets no X P.
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Falling or Jumping A character that falls because of a failed Athletics check drops 50 feet minus the distance he or she already descended. The character lands in the fall area indicated on the tactical map. The roiling water cushions the impact so that a fall deals half damage. A character that intentionally jumps into the black lake (most likely in an attempt to escape or avoid the green slime) also takes half damage from the fall. The character can attempt an Acrobatics check to reduce the damage normally, or can do the same thing with Athletics instead (by clutching at and catching nearby web strands to slow their fall).
When the first character drops or steps onto dry The hatchlings spread out to avoid area attacks but ground in the cavern, read: flank with each other and the young phase spiders. If a hero becomes immobilized from a young phase From the darkn ess along th e edges of the caver n comes spider’s bite, the closest hatchlings swarm that target sudden movement. Nearly a dozen pale, human-sized in the hope of a quick kill. spiders swarm along the walls and across the floor, The phase spiders use their ethereal repulsion to suddenly disappearing, then reappearing as they teleport teleport characters into the water if possible. into attack positions. They are followed by three even larger All the creatures here fight until destroyed. specimens clambering along the walls under the direction
The Black Lake
of a humanoid in black robes. The creature appears similar in form to those you fought on the surface of the lake. Neither the dolgaunt nor the spiders can att ack a character in the lake, but the spiders advance along the shore and onto the webs in an attempt to keep the character from leaving the water. Remember that there is no illumination in this cavern; characters
When the characters reach the bottom of the sinkhole with a light source, read:
without a light source may hear the spiders but won’t be able to see them.
A foaming lak e fills a hu ge cavern bel ow the sink hole. A wide ston e ledge sprea ds along it s near side. Heavy she ets of webbing run from one side of the ledge to the other, connected by pillars thrust up from the black water.
Tactics
Once below the ceiling (20 feet above the water surface), a character can climb along the webs to drop harmlessly into any square on the tactical map. The spiders and the dolgaunt then advance out of the darkness toward the positions indicated. A character who falls down the sinkhole, either by failing an Athletics check in this encounter or by being swept down the stream in the previous encounter, ends up in a random square in the tactical map’s fall area.
Development Once combat is done, the characters can investigate the dolgaunt’s lair to discover its secrets. See “Concluding the Adventure.”
The dolgaunt monk trusts its spider servants to take care of the intruders and does not enter combat until a character moves into melee range or one of the young phase spiders is slain. Once in combat, the dolgaunt makes tentacle attacks in an attempt to grab and restrain two adventurers, then attacks a third with its deadly fists. It targets lightly armored characters when it can. The young phase spiders fla nk with each other or with hatchlings, using web tangle against characters lurking at the edge of the fray. Once a foe is immobilized, a young phase spider seeks another target.
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Dolgaunt Monk (D)
Level 8 Controller
3 Young Phase Spiders (S)
Level 3 Soldier
Medium aberrant humanoid (blind) XP 350 Initiative+9 SensesPerception +7; blindsight 20 HP 86; Bloodied43 AC 22; Fortitude20, Reflex 21, Will 20 Speed 8 m Tentacle(standard; at-will) Reach 2; +13 vs. AC; 2d4 + 5 damage, and the target is grabbed. The dolgaunt monk can’t grab more than two creatures at once; see also clutch of death. m Fist (standard; at-will) +13 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage. M Inexorable Drag(minor; at-will) Targets a creature grabbed by the dolgaunt monk; +12 vs. Fortitude; the monk slides the target 2 squares. Clutch of Death A dolgaunt monk can grab with up to two tentacles at a time. While grabbing an enemy, it can act normally, but it can’t use that tentacle for another attack. Enemies can attack the tentacle. An attack that hits the tentacle doesn’t
Large fey beast (spider) XP 175 each Initiative+7 SensesPerception +3; tremorsense 10 HP 45; Bloodied22 AC 19; Fortitude14, Reflex 16, Will 14 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb), teleport 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) Poison +7 vs. AC; 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw:The target is st unned instead of slowed (save ends). M Web Tangle(standard; at-will) Ranged 5; +6 vs. Reflex ; 1d6 + 4 damage and the spider pulls the target up to 4 squares to a square adjacent to the spider and the target is immobilized (save ends). M Ethereal Repulsion (immediate interrupt, when an enemy enters a square adjacent to the phase spider; at-will) Teleportation Targets the triggeri ng enemy; +6 vs. Will ; the spider teleports the target 2 squares. AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
harm the dolgaunt monk, but it causes the tentacle to release the grab. The tentacle’s defenses are the same as those of the dolgaunt monk. Vitality Leech Necrotic A target that begins its turn grabbed by the dolgaunt monk takes 10 necrotic damage, and the dolgaunt monk gains 10 temporary hit points. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech, Goblin SkillsAcrobatics +14, Stealth +14 Str 17 (+7) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 17 (+7) Con 14 (+6) Int 11 (+4) Cha 12 (+5)
Skills Stealth +9 Str 15 (+3) Con 13 (+2)
Dex 18 (+5) Int 5 (–2)
Wis 14 (+3) Cha 9 (+0)
10 Phase Spider Hatchlings (H) Level 3 Brute Minion Medium fey beast (spider) XP 38 each Initiative+4 SensesPerception +2; tremorsense 5 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 16, Will 14 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb), teleport 6 m Bite (standard; at-will) Poison +8 vs. AC; 5 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of its next turn. M Ethereal Repulsion (immediate interrupt, when an enemy moves adjacent to the phase spider; at-will) Teleportation Targets the triggeri ng enemy; +6 vs. Will ; the spider teleports the target 1 square. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 14 (+3) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 13 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 3 (–3) Cha 7 (–1)
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Features of the Area Illumination:Dark. Ceiling:20 feet high; the sinkhole rises 30 feet beyond that. Rubble: These areas of loose scree are difficult terrain. A character who runs, charges, or is forced to move through rubble must make a DC 15 Acrobatics check or fall prone at the end of that movement. Web Bridges:Heavy webs crisscross the cavern, creating bridges 5 feet above the black lake. The webs undulate wildly when anything moves across them. A creature without a climb speed moving along a web bridge must make a DC 17 Acrobatics check or fall into the water. The web bridges sag between their anchor points. With a DC 7 Athletics check, a character can climb from the water to a web bridge at a climb point marked (by an “X”) on the tactical map. The Black Lake:The flow from above fills t his slowly draining chasm. The water here is 5 feet below the adjacent shoreline and 50 feet deep. Creatures in deep water must use the Athletics skill to move (Player’s Handbook page 183). Creatures in deep water gain cover. Fighting in the water imposes a –2 penalty to attack rolls except with spears and crossbows, and powers that have the fire keyword take a –2 penalty to attack rolls. T he spiders and the dolgaunt monk avoid the water if at all possible. A creature in the water can move onto the shore by spending 2 extra squares of movement and making a DC 12 Athletics check. The fragment of the great meteor that created the sinkhole lies at the bottom of the black lake, and its aberrant energy is what drew the foulspawn to this place. Any nonaberrant creature that enters the water or starts its turn there is subject to an attack: +6 vs. Will; 2d6 damage and the target is slowed.
Fall Area: This area marks where an adventurer falling down the sinkhole lands in the water. The turbulence of the stream pouring down from above makes this area difficult terrain. Sinkhole Perimeter:This marks the boundary of the mouth of the sinkhole in the cavern ceiling. Stone Pillars:Pillars of rough stone rise 5 feet up above the surface of the water. A slick pillar can be climbed wit h a DC 17 Athletics check.
Returning to the Splintered Spring If the heroes were adequately chal lenged by this final encounter, let them climb cautiously back up the sinkhole to avoid the green slimes. If this encounter was easy for the characters, let them make Athletics and Perception checks to ascend once more.
About the Author (9th-level layabout, vinScott Fitzgerald Gray dictive neutral) started gaming in high school and has worked as a writer and editor much of the time since then. After belatedly realizing he could combine both vocations in 2004, he’s been making up for lost time as a freelance RPG editor and designer, primarily for Wizards of the Coast. He lives in the Canadian hinterland with a schoolteacher, two daughters, and a large number of animal companions.
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waad wmg A cas Sa adt f 3d- aats By Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel illustration by Wayne England
cartography by Jason A. Engle
“Th e Wayward Wyrmling” is a short adventure for five 3rd -level characters that takes place in the lair of an adamantine dragon in the Chaos Scar. The adamantine dragon Karonzaxus was recently slain b y a powerful group of adventurers, but it lef t behind a single wyr mling. Fireclaw kobolds led by an ambitious wyrmpri est have moved into the abandoned lair and adopted the orphaned dragonling. The kobolds have been training the wy rmling to be a viciou s killer, providing it with humanoid training partners kidnapped f rom beyond the King’s W all. Th e characters have the opport unity to explore the dragon’ s lair, end the kobold menace , and perhaps rescue the adamantine wyrmling from the evil influence of the kobold wyrmpriest.
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Background The adamantine dragon Karonzaxus was recently slain by a group of adventurers near the Chaos Scar, and tales of the mighty deed echo through the land. However, unbeknownst to the victorious adventurers, Karonzaxus was female, and had recently become the proud mother of a single male adamantine wyrmling, whom she named Taloklaxus. After the death of Karonzaxus, her killers looted her lair but did not discover the wyrmling, who was small enough to hide and avoid detection. With no choice but to fend for himself, Taloklaxus left his mother’s lair in the Chaos Scar and ventured out into the world. He would certainly have been killed and eaten by a more powerful monster but instead, the first creatures he encountered were a warband of kobolds from t he Fireclaw tribe. The wyrmpriest leading the group, Varza, an ambitious and progressive kobold, saw the wyrmling as a sign from Tiamat; a sign that it was time to leave her tribe and strike out on her own. Varza persuaded her warband to join her by promising that the adamantine wyrmling was the key to future power and influence in the Chaos Scar. Needing a base of operations, Varza followed Taloklaxus’s tracks back to his mother’s lair, and there began instructing the wyrmling in the finer points of dragonhood. Of course, Varza wished to turn her wyrm ling into a rampaging monster not unlike the chromatic dragons her kind so often serve. In order to do so, however, she needed to expunge the more peaceable inclinations common to metallic dragons from Taloklaxus’s psyche. Preferring a hands-on approach, Varza and her kobolds began raiding local tribes of goblins and even rival kobold clans for suitable ‘teaching aids’ for Taloklaxus. Those taken by the
kobolds were disarmed and forced to battle the adamantine wyrmling to the death. Taloklaxus is not an evil creature, but it now has a child’s loyalty to Varza and follows the wyrmpriest’s commands. Taloklaxus believes that he must slay the helpless creatures Varza forces him to battle in order to sharpen the fighting skills he needs to defend Varza and the kobolds loyal to her. In the past few weeks, Taloklaxus’s natural instinct s have become more prominent, and he has begun to question Varza’s commands. This has not slowed Varza’s ambition, however, and she has b egun to venture beyond the King’s Wall to collect ‘training partners’ for her pet wyrm ling.
Getting the Characters Involved “The Wayward Wyrmling” takes place in the Chaos Scar. You can use one of the hooks below to get the characters into the former lair of Karonzaxus.
Hook 1: Scaling Rewards The characters are approached by a dwarven smith named Ikos Ironbelly who tells them he was recently hired by the group of adventurers responsible for slaying the great adamantine dragon Karonzaxus. The adventurers hired Ikos to craft armor from the dragon’s scales, which he did. He is convinced that there are more dragon scales in Karonzaxus’ lair, and he offers to pay the characters 200 gp if they can collect enough dragon scales to fashion a shield or a suit of armor. I kos knows the location of t he dragon’s lair within the Chaos Scar and gives the characters a rough map if they agree to his terms. Quest XP: 250 xp for fi nding enough dragon scales for Ikos to craft a shield or suit of armor.
Hook 2: Woeful Woodwives It is fairly common knowledge that local woodcutters are crossing into the Chaos Scar to harvest the bountiful forests beyond the King’s Wall. The boldest of these woodcutters, Erim Haverlan and his two grown sons, disappeared over two weeks ago, and their wives fear the worst. The wives approach the characters and ask them to enter the Chaos Scar and search the small forests near the King’s Wall for their husbands. The woodcutters’ wives are poor working folk, but they have managed to scrape together 50 gp to pay the characters if they can locate their husbands, dead or alive. The woodcutters’ wives can provide detailed descriptions of the three missing woodcutters if the characters agree to search for them. Alternatively, the characters could be approached by the priestess Chendera, the bailiff Kendon Longstrider, or another key NPC from Restwell Keep on behalf of the wives and families of the missing woodcutters. Quest XP: 250 xp for finding Erim and his sons, dead or alive. Award the characters an extra 50 xp if they help the woodcutter’s wives free of charge.
Treasure Preparation Characters can find three caches of treasure in the course of The Wayward Wyrmling. These account for treasure parcels 3, 5, and 9 (Dungeon Master’s Guid e, page 126). Kobold Clearing:80 gp The Roaring Cavern:Two potions of hea ling Lair of Karonzaxus:Level 5 magic item, two 100-gp gems, and 110 gp
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wrAppin G up: our
Taloklaxus, Adamantine Level 4 Defende r Dragon Wyrmling (companion)
very own DrAGon!
Medium natural magical beast HP 48; Bloodied24; Healing Surges11 AC 21, Fortitude 17, Ref lex 15, Will 14 Speed 5, Fly 6 (hover) Resist 5 thunder
After the characters defeat Varza, and assuming they succeeded at the Turning Taloklaxus skill challenge, they have the opportunity to gain Taloklaxus as a companion character. At that point, although Taloklaxus no longer considers the characters enemies, he doesn’t yet recognize them as possible allies or friends, either. In fact, the poor wyrmling is in a profound state of emotional turmoil. The recent death of his mother and now the death of the only other creature that has ever been kind to him—even if it was self-serving—has left him confused, depressed, and unsure what to do next. The characters can reassure Taloklaxus and persuade him to join them with a simple complexity 1 skill challenge (Diplomacy, DC 10, 4 successes before 3 failures). Normally, an adamantine wyrmling would be outside the scope of allowable companion characters; Taloklaxus is a unique case. Bereft of the parental training he would normally receive from his mother and unwilling to fall back on the brutal techniques taught to him by Varza, the wyrmling is a bit of a blank slate. The companion character stat block presented here is modified to reflect this fact. It illustrates how Taloklaxus’s abilities are now stunted because of developmental and emotional trauma. In any event, it is unlikely that Taloklaxus will remain with the characters as a companion for more than a level or two. He is a dragon, after all, and will recognize soon enough that his destiny lies elsewhere.
S
XP — Initiative+3 Perception+3 Darkvisio n
A
m Bite (thunder) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage plus 1d6 thunder damage, and the target is marked until the end of Taloklaxus’s next turn. m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Taloklaxus’s next t urn. M Double Attack At-Will Effect: The dragon makes two claw attacks. C Breath Weapon(thunder) Encounter Attack: Close blast 4 (creatures in blast); +6 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6 + 6 thunder damage. Skills Insight +8, plus one more of character’s choice Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 10 (+2) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Draconic
About the Author is a staff writer and editor for Aeryn “Blac kdirge” Rudel Goodman Games, a freelance writer and RPG designer, and the editor-in-chief of the 4E magazine Level Up. He has been a professional game designer since 2005, and his recent author credits include Blackdirge ’s Dungeon Deni zens, Crit ter Cache : Daemon s, and Hero’s Handbook : Tief ling. Aeryn currently lives in Modesto, California with his wife Melissa, a nongamer whose tolerance for her husband’s geekery borders on t he supernatural.
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1: koBolD cleArinG Encounter Level 2 (XP 700) 4 kobold tunnelers (K) 4 kobold quickblades (Q) 2 mantrap patches (T)
Setup Fearing reprisal from the rest of the Fireclaw tribe, Varza has instructed her kobolds to be vigilant for intruders and has ensured the entrance to the lair is well guarded. The kobolds improved their defenses by felling two large trees which serve as barricades and a convenient place from which to snipe at enemies. In addition, the devious humanoids have hidden a number of mantraps beneath the forest litter in the clearing. These spiked mechanical jaws can close with bone-snapping force, holding a victim in place until he or she can pry the jaws open again. The kob olds are not expec ting t rouble, but Varza has commanded they be vigilant. There are currently eight kobolds hunkered down behind the two fallen trees in t he clearing watching for any signs of intruders. The kobolds are taki ng pains to stay out of sight and have a passive Stealth check of 18. Should the characters attempt to sneak into the clearing, t hey must succeed at a DC 12 Stealth check to beat the kobolds’ passive Percep tion. If the characters fail to spot the hiding kobolds, the heroes are surprised.
Read or paraphrase the following when the char- Features of the Area acters reach the clearing: Illumination:Daylight. A narrow, winding path ends in a small forest clea ring. Fallen Trees: Squares covered by the fallen trees The area is quite bare, containing little more than a pair are difficult terrain as shown. The fallen trees provide of fallen trees, a shallow pool, and a small hillock at the superior cover to Small creatu res adjacent to them or southern end of the clearing. A cavern yawns open at the standard cover to Medium creatures. base of the hillock, and you can faintly hear the sound of Pool: The small pool is 2 feet deep and is difficu lt rushing water from the darkness within. terrain. When the kobolds attack, read: Shadowy figures move behind the two fallen trees in the clearing, and the air is suddenly filled with a hail of javelins. You are under attack!
Tactics The kobolds attack almost immediately. They won’t give the characters more than a few seconds to scan the clearing before initiative is rolled—too short a time for active Perception checks. After that, characters must devote actions to making Perception checks, and the kobolds intend to keep them too busy for that. The kobolds remain behind the fallen trees for as long as possible, peppering the characters with javelins until they run out or the characters have closed in to melee with them. Once kobolds are in melee, they use their mobility to gain advantageous positions, to threaten ranged attackers, to keep away from the most dangerous opponents, and to draw characters into the traps, if they haven’t been detected already. Note that each mantrap patch actually consists of four independently-trapped squares. When only four kobolds remain, asingle kobold tunneler tries to break away from combat. Unless the characters can prevent it, the kobold runs into the cavern to warn its friends in area 2.
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4 Kobold Tunnelers (K) Level 1 Minion Skirmisher 4 Kobold Quickblades (Q)
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid, kobold XP 25 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 15, Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Perception+1 Darkvision 6 Speed 6
Small natural humanoid, kobold HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 15, Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Darkvision Speed
S
S
A
m Javelin(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage. r Javelin(weapon) At-Will(3/encounter) Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage.
M
A
Shifty At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square.
T
A
Narrow Escape At-Will Trigger: A close or an area attack hits or misses the kobold. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The kobold rolls a sav ing throw. If it succeeds, it shifts 3 squares. Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+2) Int 7 (–1) Cha 10 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Equipmentleather armor, 3 javelins
XP 100 each Initiative+5 Perception+1
A
m Short Sword(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage. The attack deals 2 extra damage per square the kobold has shifted since the start of its turn.
M
A
Fleet Feet At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts up to 3 squares.
M
A
Shifty At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square. Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 13 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) AlignmentEvil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentleather armor, light shield, short sword
2 Mantrap Patches (T)
Level 1 Minion Trap
Object XP 100 each DetectPerception DC 21 Initiative— HP 26 AC 15, Fortitude13, Reflex 7, Will — Immunenecrotic, poison, psychic, forced movement, all conditions, ongoing damage
T
A
M Attack At-Will Trigger: A creature enters a trapped square. Attack (Opportunit y Action): Melee 0 (creature on the trapped square); +4 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 +3 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).
C Disable:Thievery DC 12. Success: A single trapped square no longer functions. Avoid:Athletics DC determined by distance jumped. Success: The character jumps over the trapped squares.
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2: The roArinG cAvern Encounter Level 3 (XP 800) 4 kobold dragonshields (D) 3 kobold slingers (S) 1 kobold tunneler (K)
When the characters enter the cavern, read: A swift, d ark stream flows through the cente r of this lightless cavern. The water flows to the south before falling into a gaping pit in the floor and crashing down into unseen depths below. The rushing water fills the cavern with thunderous no ise, leaving you all but d eaf to the danger that may lurk in the darkness.
Setup This small cavern is bisected by a swiftly r unning stream that flows south into a shaft in the cavern floor, where it plunges 20 feet before crashing into an underground lake. The falling water makes a terrible noise, and the kobolds here are all but deaf to intruders. Because of the noise, all creatures in this area suffer a -5 penalty to Perception checks. Conversation is possible only with adjacent creatures, and even then only by shouting. If one of the kobold minions from area 1 managed to warn the kobolds in this area, they are on alert and actively looking for intruders. In that event, the kobolds here do not suffer the -5 penalty to Perception for the purpose of spotting enemies entering the cavern but have their full passive Perception score of 18. The kobolds still suffer the penalty for all other Perception checks during the encounter. After the kobold minion from area 1 warned the kobolds in this area, it intended to move on and warn Varza and the kobolds in Karonzaxuss’ lair. At the beginning of this encounter, however, the minion is still present, behind the dragonshields at the southern end of the cavern. It leaves the map at its first opportunity, so characters with high initiative scores may have a chance to kill it with a ranged attack before it can escape and warn Varza in area 3.
When the characters see the kobolds, read: Six kobolds stand on the eastern side of the cavern, using the rushing stream as a natural barrier between them and you. They grip an assortment of melee and ranged weapons and look quite ready to use them.
Tactics When combat begins, the slingers open up on the heroes withspecial shot aimed at obvious barbarians, fighters, or other melee types. The dragonshields stand their ground and wait for the characters to close for melee. In melee, the kobold dragonshields use dragonshield tactics to move into flanking positions. They won’t shy away from trying to bull-rush enemies into the stream or the pit if a good opportunity arises. Their main tact ic, however, is to defend their side of the stream in the hope that the intruders rush across it. The slingers avoid melee when possible, usingshifty to keep away from close combat and their ranged attacks against enemies that seem reluctant to cross the stream.
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Features of the Area Illumination:Darkness. Ceiling:20 feet high. Pit: The pit is a 10-foot-wide vertical shaft, hundreds of feet deep, that eventually connects to a subterranean river. However, it is filled almost entirely with water so that the waterline is only 20 feet below the cavern floor. A character falling into the pit takes 1d10 damage. The water in the pit is quite turbulent, so that it takes a DC 15 Athletics check to tread water and stay afloat. Climbing out of the pit takes a DC 10 Athletics check. Rubble: Squares with rubble are difficult terrain. These rubble piles are large enough to offer cover to adjacent creatures of Small size or smaller. Rushing Stream: The stream is 3 feet deep and flowing swiftly. A character who makes an Athletics check (DC 11, or DC 21 without a running start) can leap safely across it. Any creature that enters the water suffers the following attack as an immediate reaction: +3 vs. Reflex; the target is knocked prone and is pushed 3 squares downstream toward the pit. A creature that star ts its turn in the stream is pushed 3 squares downstream before it can take any other action. A prone creature in the stream must make a DC 13 Acrobatics or Athletics check. A creature dragged into the pit by the current can make a saving throw as normal to avoid falling into the water below.
4 Kobold Dragonshields (D) Small natural humanoid (reptile) HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18, Fortitu de 14, Reflex 13, Will 13 Speed 5
S
Level 2 Soldier XP 125 each Initiativ e +4 Perception +2 Darkvision
A
m Short Sword(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +7 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage. Effect: The kobold mark s the target until the end o f the kobold’s next turn. M Dirty Tricks(weapon) Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +5 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of the kobold’s next turn. Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of the kobold’s next turn.
M
A
3 Kobold Slingers (S)
Level 1 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid HP 24; Bloodied12 AC 13, Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6
S
XP 100 each Initiative+3 Perception+2 darkvision
A
m Dagger(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage. r Sling (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage. R Special Shot(weapon) At-Will(3/encounter) Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage plus one of the following effects (roll a d6): 1 2 Stinkpot: The target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
Shifty Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square.
3 4 Firepot (fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fire damage
T
5 6 Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends).
(save ends).
A
Dragonshield Tactics At-Will Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the kobold shifts or an enemy moves to a square adjacent to the kobold. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The kobold shifts 1 square. Skills Athletics +8, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 14 (+3) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Equipmentscale armor, light shield, short sword
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Shifty At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square. Skills Stealth +8 Str 9 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Equipmentleather armor, dagger, sling, 20 sling bullets, 3 rounds of special shot
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3: lAir oF kAronzAxuS Encounter Level 5 (XP 1,175) 3 kobold tunnelers (K) 3 kobold quickblades (Q) Taloklaxus (T) Varza (V)
When the characters see Taloklaxus, read: In the southern end of the room, near the blood stained corpses of several humans, crouches a dragon the size of a large wolf. Its scales are a dull, iron gray and its large head is armed with a formidable beak. It does not stir when you enter, and only the whip-crack screech of a kobold voice to the east manages to push it reluctantly to its feet.
When the characters see Taloklaxus, they can make a DC 10 Nature check to recognize him as an adamantine wyrmling. This check is sufficient to tell them that adamantine dragons are not usually evil and do not normally associate with kobolds.
Setup This cavern was once the lair of the adamantine dragon Karonzaxus. It has become in many ways a prison for her offspring, the adamantine wyrmling Taloklaxus. When the characters enter the cavern, read: A slow-moving st ream flowing west to east d ivides this large cavern in half. At first glance, the water looks shallow enough to simply wade across. In the southwestern portion of the room, the skeleton of a large dragon lies curled nose to tail. Only shreds of flesh and scales still cling to its bones. Varza has been forcing Taloklaxus to f ight and kill unarmed humanoids from local goblin and kobold tribes, and recently, she has been kidnapping innocent travelers from beyond the King’s Wall to further sharpen Taloklaxus’s fighting skills. Taloklaxus felt no remorse about slaying the goblins, kobolds, and other evil humanoids he was initially forced to battle. However, killing the humans and other civilized folk Varza captured from beyond the King’s Wall has brought about feelings of remorse, leaving the wyrmling confused and depressed. He is for the moment stil l Varza’s creature, however, and follows her commands.
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When the characters see kobolds, read: The dragonling is not the only danger in this cavern. Over half a dozen kobolds lurk in the shadows, including a tall, gray-scaled specimen sho uting orders to the othe r kobolds in the rasping Draconic tongue. The kobolds here may be expecting t rouble if the kobold tunneler from area 2 was able to warn them of the characters’ presence. If this happens, add an additional kobold tunneler to this encounter. Even if they received no warning, the kobold tunnelers and quickblades in the southern end of the cavern are watching the entrance to this area, and the characters need a Stealth check of 12 to enter without being noticed. If they are carrying a light source, the kobolds will notice them automatically in the darkness. Once combat begins, Varza shouts commands to Taloklaxus in Draconic from the eastern side of the cavern, urging the wyrmling to slay the intruders. Taloklaxus, however, is racked by guilt over the humans he killed recently, and so fights only halfheartedly. Until it becomes bloodied, the dragon has a –4 penalty on all of its damage rolls. Every turn on which Taloklaxus attacks a player character, allow that character to attempt a DC 13 Insight check. If the check succeeds, the character realizes that the wyrmling is holding back on its attacks. Once a character has succeeded at one of these Insight checks, the characters can attempt the Turning Taloklaxus skill challenge to win Taloklaxus over to their side against Varza. Let the players come up with this idea on their own! Don’t just tell them, “now you can try a skill challenge.”
Turning Taloklaxus Skill Challenge Level 5 (XP 400) The characters must convince Taloklaxus his true enemies are Varza and her kobold min ions. Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures). Special: Any character that speaks Draconic gains a +2 bonus to all primary skill checks made as part of this skill challenge. Once the skill challenge begins, it is imperative that the characters keep up their arguments to Taloklaxus. On any round that the characters do not attempt a primary skill check, they earn one failure. Once a character damages Taloklaxus on a given round, all subsequent skill checks made as part of this skill challenge during that round suffer a -2 penalty. Primary Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate. Diplomacy (DC 13, standard action; 1 success, no maximum): By appealing to the wyrmling’s intellect and sense of reason, you try to convince him the kobolds do not have his best interests at heart. Intimidate (DC 21, standard action; 1 success, no maximum): Your words carry a subtle threat. You try to convince the wyrmling that fighting you can only result in pain and death. Secondary Skills: Nature, Religion. Nature (DC 13, mi nor action; no successes): You have a keen understanding of dragonkind, and your knowledge can help your companions choose the right words to sway the adamantine wyrmling. You grant a +2 bonus to one ally ’s next Diplomacy or Intimidate check made as part of this skill challenge. Religio n (DC 21, minor act ion, no successes): You invoke the na me of Baha mut, t he great platinum dragon and father to all metallic dragons to
lend weight to the words and actions of your companions. You grant a +2 bonus to one ally ’s next Diplomacy or Intimidate check made as part of this skill challenge. Success: The characters persuade Taloklaxus that they are not his enemies, and his tr ue enemies are the kobolds who forced him to commit atrocities unworthy of an adamantine dragon. How fully he joins in the fight depends on how many failures the characters scored during the skill challenge. 0 Failures: the dragon is enraged. He fights as an ally and causes full damage with his attacks. 1 Failure: the dragon switches sides but is still confused. He fights as an ally but with a –4 penalty on his damage rolls. 2 Failures; the dragon is even more confused than before. He takes wing and tries to fly out of the cavern without attacking anyone. Characters will find him curled up outside after the fight. Failure: If the characters fail to persuade Taloklaxus that they are not his enemies, his confusion turns to blind rage. He attacks the characters with furious aggression and causes full damage with his attacks. The heroes must fight the wyrm ling and may be forced to kill him.
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Tactics In the first round of combat, the kobold tunnelers hurl their javelins at characters, while the kobold quickblades use nearby rubble to hide. Taloklaxus waits for the characters to cross the stream before attacking, while Varza waits for the characters to engage Taloklaxus, then opens up withsonic orb, targeting likely spellcasters. In melee, t he kobold quickblades team up on a single character, using quick blade each round to gain flanking positions and to boost their damage. The tunnelers use similar tactics, relying onshifty and narrow escape. Taloklaxus engages the heroes reluctantly and fights halfheartedly, pulling some of the power from his melee attacks (–4 penalty to damage rolls). He focuses his attacks against characters wearing the heaviest armor, hoping that the armor will turn aside his claws and teeth. He is still too young and inexperienced to realize that his adamantine claws slice easily through armor (the reason why his attacks all target Reflex rather than AC). Taloklaxus does use double attack each round, because he knows how Varza expects him to fight. He does not use his breath weapon until he is bloodied. If the characters fail the Turning Taloklaxus skill challenge, then the adamantine wyrmling fights with every ounce of his ability, coordinating with kobold allies and using his breath weapon as often as possible. While the characters are f ighting Taloklaxus, Varza continues to attack them from afar with sonic orb. If any of the kobold quickblades is bloodied, she uses incite faith to bolster their hit points of and allow them to move into more advantageous positions. Varza uses her breath weapon if one or more characters close into melee range and uses her action
point to finish off a seriously wounded character with another sonic orb. She resorts to melee only when there is no other option, and happily sacrifices one of her kobold tunnelers to keep the characters busy while her breath weapon recharges.
Features of the Area Illumination:Darkness. Ceiling:20 feet high. Corpses:There are six fresh corpses in the southern end of the chamber. They have all been killed by Taloklaxus and bear wounds one would expect from the teeth, claws, and breath weapon of an adamantine dragon. Careful examination of the corpses reveals that three match the descriptions of the missing woodcutters in the Woeful Woodwives hook. Squares with corpses are diff icult terrain. Dragon Skeleton: The remains of Ka ronzaxus lie tumbled in a bony heap against the wall in the southwest corner of the cavern. Her body has been reduced to little more than a skeleton by the adventurers that slew her and the kobolds that now reside in her lair. In their haste to butcher their prize, Karonzaxus’s killers left a large number of scales on the adamantine dragon’s belly. Although it is a grisly task, the characters can collect enough scales for Ikos Ironbelly to work into a shield or suit of armor. Rubble: Squares with rubble are difficult terrain. These piles are large enough to offer cover to adjacent creatures of Small size or smaller. Stream: This stream is slow-moving, but it is 3 feet deep, which makes it difficult terrain.
Varza, Level 5 Elite Art illery (Leader) Kobold Wyrmpriest Small natural humanoid (reptile), kobold HP 100; Bloodied50 AC 19, Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 17 Speed 6 Saving Throws+2
XP 400 Initiative+6 Perception+6 darkvision
Action Points1
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m Spear (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage. R Sonic Orb(thunder) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 6 thunder damage, and the target is deafened (save ends). C Dragon Breath(thunder) Recharge6 Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 8 thunder damage, and the target is dazed until the end of Varza’s next turn. Miss: Half damage.
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Incite Faith Encounter Effect: One kobold ally within 10 squares of Varza gains 5 temporary hit points and can shift 1 square. Shifty At-Will Effect: Varza shifts 1 square. Skills Stealth +12, Thievery +12, Natu re +11 Str 12 (+3) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 18 (+6) Con 14 (+4) Int 12 (+3) Cha 13 (+3) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Equipmenthide armor, spear
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3 Kobold Tunnelers (K) Level 1 Minion Skirmisher 3 Kobold Quickblades (Q) Small natural humanoid, kobold XP 25 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 15, Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Perception+1 Darkvision 6 Speed 6
Small natural humanoid, kobold HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 15, Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 12 Darkvision Speed
S
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m Javelin(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage. r Javelin(weapon) At-Will(3/encounter) Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage.
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Shifty At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square.
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Narrow Escape At-Will Trigger: A close or an area attack hits or misses the kobold. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The kobold rolls a sav ing throw. If it succeeds, it shifts 3 squares. Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 12 (+2) Int 7 (–1) Cha 10 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Draconic Equipmentleather armor, 3 javelins
Level 1 Skirmisher XP 100 each Initiative+5 Perception+1
A
m Short Sword(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +6 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage. The attack deals 2 extra damage per square the kobold has shifted since the start of its turn.
M
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Fleet Feet At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts up to 3 squares.
M
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Shifty At-Will Effect: The kobold shifts 1 square. Skills Athletics +4, Stealth +8, Thievery +8 Str 8 (–1) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 13 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 9 (–1) Cha 10 (+0) AlignmentEvil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentleather armor, light shield, short sword
Taloklaxus, Adamantine Dragon Wyrmling (T)
Level 5 Elite Soldier
Medium natural magical beast HP 126; Bloodied63 AC 21, Fortitude 20, Reflex 18, Will 17 Speed 5 , Fly 6 (hover) Resist 5 thunder
XP 400 Initiative+8 Perception+3 darkvision
Saving Throws+2 Action Points1
S
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m Bite (thunder)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage, plus 1d6 thunder damage. m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 9 damage.
M Double Attack At-Will Effect: The dragon makes two claw attacks C Breath Weapon(thunder) Rechargewhen first bloodied Attack: Close blast 4 (all creatures in blast); +8 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6 + 4 thunder damage. Skills Insight +8 Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 10 (+2) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesDraconic
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gwst cs By Jennifer Clarke Wilkes illustration by Kieran Yanner TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Glowstone Caverns” is a short adventure for five 4th-level characters. It takes place in a warren of goblins in the Chaos Scar. And as with most things in the Chaos Scar, not everything is as simple as it appears. The mission is certainly clear: Clear out a nest of goblins. What could be more straightforward? But these are not your everyday goblins. Something strange has taken hold of the Gnawstubble tribe, and it threatens to spill out like a plague into the surrounding area. Ap ri l 201 0 | DUNGEON
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Background The Gnawstubbles were a goblin tr ibe much like any other living in the cave-riddled hills along the Chaos Scar. They grubbed into the soft, cracked stone in search of shiny gems and tasty subterranean foodstuffs, and they raided the surrounding countryside for other supplies. Their depredations were annoying but rarely fatal, and periodically local residents, usually those who lived near Restwell Keep, would hire adventurers to reduce their numbers. Then the goblins tunneled their way into a strange cave deep inside the valley. Its walls were covered with weird nodules of an unknown metal, and oddly mutated forms of underground life inhabited the oily-looking pond at its center. The metal proved to have interesting properties when used in weapons and other tools. Its iridescent surface was endlessly fascinating to the goblins, who took to carrying the nodules with them, fondling and staring at the shiny objects whenever they could. The goblin chief claimed the new cavern a s her own and moved her dwelling and family there.
The Gnawstubbles did not realize that the Chaos Scar meteorite had tainted this unusual cavern. Its bizarre influence had stained the rock and all the life in the caves for many years before the goblins discovered it. Now that the goblins have taken up residence and are in constant contact with the strange “glowmetal,” as they call it, they too have begun to absorb the bizarre taint. With their otherworldly metal weapons and strange new abilities, they have become a much greater threat. Already they have displaced mundane goblins in the vicinity, domesticated strange new allies, and they grow ever more bold in
their attacks against caravans and travelers outside the Scar. Adventurers who have survived encounters with the Gnawstubble clan have even reported being assailed by goblins riding strange, giant bats. The characters might have been hired by a local authority to deal with the threat, or they might simply be looking for adventure in the notorious Chaos Scar. They soon discover that this is no ordinary goblinstomping session.
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area 1. veSTiBule
Glowmetal Hexer (H)
Level 3 Controller (Leader) 2 Goblin Cutters (G)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid, goblin XP 150 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +3; darkvision Encounter Level 3 (750 XP) HP 46; Bloodied23 AC 16; Fortitude15, Reflex 16, Will 13 Speed 6 Setup m Glowmetal Staff(standard; at-will) Weapon 1 glowmetal hexer(H) +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage. 2 goblin cutters(C) R Eye-Eater Hex(standard; at-will) Ranged 10; +7 vs. Fortitude ; 2d4 + 3 damage, and the 4 goblin warriors(W) target is blinded (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: 1 murk bat cloud(M) The target is also da zed (save ends both). R Stinging Hex(standard; recharge 5 6 ) Sentinels and their trained bats guard the entrance to Ranged 10; +7 vs. Will; the target takes 3d6 + 1 damage if the goblin warren. it moves during its turn (save ends). A Maddening Cloud(standard; encounter) Fear, Zone Place the characters in any squares of the entrance Area burst 3 within 10; the burst creates a zone of tunnel. phantom horrors that lasts until the end of the glowmetal hexer’s next turn. Any enemy within the zone is slowed When the characters first enter the cavern, read: and takes a –2 penalty to Will defense. The zone grants
Small natural humanoid XP 25 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 11 Speed 6 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) Weapon +5 vs. AC; 4 damage (5 damage if the goblin cutter has combat advantage against the target). Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The goblin cutter shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentleather armor, short sword
concealment to the goblin hexer and its allies. Sustain Minor: The hexer can move the zone 5 squares. Madstone(immediate reaction, when damaged by an attack; encounter) Healing The glowmetal hexer regains 11 hit points, or ends one effect on it that a save can end. Lead from the Rear (immediate interrupt, when targeted by a ranged attack; at-will) The glowmetal hexer can change the attack’s target to an adjacent ally of its level or lower. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The glowmetal hexer shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 9 (+0) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 14 (+3) Con 14 (+3) Int 11 (+1) Cha 18 (+5) Equipmentquarterstaff, madstone
HP 29; Bloodied14 AC 17; Fortitude13, Reflex 15, Will 12 Speed 6 m Spear (standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 2 damage. R Javelin(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 damage. R Mobile Ranged Attack (standard; at-will) The goblin warrior moves half its speed; at any point during that movement, it makes one ranged attack without provoking an opportunity attack. Great Position If, on its turn, the goblin warrior ends its move at least 4 squares away from its starting point, it deals 1d6 extra damage on its ranged attacks until the start of its next turn. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The goblin warrior shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentleather armor, spear, 5 javelins
Spear-wielding goblins guard the entrance, while others armed with javelins are positioned on raised portions of the cavern floor. Toward the back of the cave is a swirling cloud of bats that partially obscure the figures behind it. When the characters first see the glowmetal hexer, read:
A deformed-looking goblin raises a glow ing metallic staff and utters arcane words. Arcana C heck DC 10:You feel uneasy, sensing that something is not
quite right in this cavern. DC 15: This area is permeated by emanations from the Far Realm. The goblins are alert and watching for intruders. They make active Perception checks against characters trying to use Stealth. If one or more characters have not been detected before they attack or enter the cave, the inhabitants are surprised.
4 Goblin Warriors (W)
Level 1 Skirmisher
Small natural humanoid XP 100 Initiative+5 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision
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Murk Bat Cloud (M)
Level 3 Skirmisher situation, using lead from the rear to place allies in the way of ranged attacks while it makes a getaway. The goblin warriors try to stay out of melee, letting the bats confound their enemies while the goblins take pot shots. The cutters attempt to gain combat advantage whenever possible. If the fight is going poorly (more than half the defenders are down, or the glowmetal hexer is bloodied or worse), one or more goblins attempt to escape and bring reinforcements from area 2.
Medium aberrant beast (swarm) XP 150 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +6; blindsight 5 Swarm Attack (Fear) aura 1; each enemy takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls while within the aura. An enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 3 damage. HP 49; Bloodied24 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 16, Will 14 Immune gaze; Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable5 against close and area attacks Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 6 m Swarm of Slashing Wings (standard; at-will) Fear +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense until the end of its next turn. M Weird Shift(immediate reaction, when hit by a close or area attack from an enemy; at-will) The murk bat swarm shifts 3 squares to a square adjacent to the triggering enemy and makes a swarm of slashing wings attack against the triggering enemy.
Shriek(standard; encounter) Psychic R Unearthly Close burst 2; targets enemies; +6 vs. Will; 3d6 + 3 psychic damage. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 13 (+2) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 11 (+1) Con 17 (+4) Int 2 (–3) Cha 14 (+3)
Tactics The murk bat cloud is somewhat domesticated by the goblins and works with them in the fight. It swoops into enemies’ faces while slashing with many razoredged wings. It looses an unearthly shriek against closely grouped enemies. If the swarm is reduced to 10 hit points or below and no goblins remain in the fight, it disperses as the bats scatter into the caverns. The glowmetal hexer begins by using maddening cloud around allies and enemies near the entrance, moving it as needed to protect itself and allies during the fight. It then targets an enemy defender withstinging hex and directs its eye-eater hex against foes making ranged attacks. It uses itsmadstone when it first becomes bloodied, then retreats from a dangerous
Madstone
Level 8
This dully glowing lump of metal has a strange, oily texture. It heals wounds but leaves a strange lassitude. Level 8 125 gp Other Consumable Power (Consumable): Immediate Reaction. Trigger: You are damaged by an attack. Effect: You expend a healing surge, or one effect ends on you that a save can end. Until the end of the encounter, you can no longer shift or use a shift granted by an effect.
Features of the Area Illumination:Guttering torches dimly light the area. Ceiling:20 feet high. Flowstone Ledges:These are 5 feet high, with the exception of the larger ledge to the east, which has a 10-foot-high ridge on one side. Moving into a higher square costs 2 squares of movement. Creatures on a ledge gain a +1 bonus to melee and ranged att ack rolls against lower enemies. A creature on top of the 10-foot-high ridge is not considered adjacent to a creature at ground level. Treasure:The hexer carries a staff sheathed in glowmetal. This functions as a +1 magic staffbut is tainted by the inf luence of the meteorite. The first t ime in an encounter that the staff ’s wielder uses an arcane attack power through it, he or she must make a DC 12 Endurance check. If the check fails, t he wielder gains an unsightly disfigurement. If the check fails by 5 or more, the wielder’s mind is strained by the weird emanations of the glowmetal. He or she ta kes a permanent –1 penalty to Will defense; this penalty is cumulative with each such failure. A single Remove Affliction ritual removes all disfigurements and penalties. The hexer also possesses a madstone , a treated nodule of glowmetal.
M W W
W C C W H
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area 2. BaT cave Encounter Level 4 (950 XP)
Setup Specially assigned bat handlers raise and train the mutated shadowhunter bats and murk bat clouds that are native to the tainted cavern. 2 goblin bat handlers (G) 2 murk bat clouds(M) 2 mutated shadowhunter bats (S) When the characters reach the opening (and have a light source or darkvision), read:
This large cavern is entirely dark. A rent in its floor splits the cave nearly in two, armor and stalagmites jut from the side ground. Two goblins in leather stand on the opposite of the rift. Perception Check DC 12:The ceiling on the far side of the cave is encrusted
with stalac tites. DC 19:(If the goblins have not been alerted to the characters) You make out creatures moving among the stalactites.
Tactics
2 Murk Bat Clouds (M)
Level 3 Skirmisher
Medium aberrant beast (swarm) XP 150 Initiative+7 SensesPerception +6; blindsight 5 Swarm Attack (Fear) aura 1; each enemy takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls while within the aura. An enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 3 damage. HP 49; Bloodied24 AC 17; Fortitude15, Reflex 16, Will 14 Immunegaze; Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable5 against close and area attacks Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 6 m Swarm of Slashing Wings (standard; at-will) Fear +8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense until the end of its next turn. 2 Goblin Bat Handlers (G) Level 3 Lurker M Weird Shift(immediate reaction, when hit by a close or area attack from an enemy; at-will) Small natural humanoid (blind) XP 150 The murk bat swarm shifts 3 squares to a square adjacent Initiative+8 SensesPerception +10; blindsight to the triggering enemy and makes a swarm of slashing (see text) wings attack against the triggering enemy. HP 38; Bloodied19 AC 16; Fortitude14, Reflex 15, Will 17 R Unearthly Shriek(standard; encounter) Psychic Close burst 2; targets enemies; +6 vs. Will; 3d6 + 3 Speed 6 psychic damage. m Flail (standard; at-will) Weapon AlignmentUnaligned Languages— +5 vs. AC; 1d10 + 3 damage. Str 13 (+2) Dex 18 (+5) Wis 11 (+1) A Globe of Darkness(minor; recharge 5 6 ) Zone Con 17 (+4) Int 2 (–3) Cha 14 (+3) Area burst 2 within 10; the burst creates a zone of darkness that remains in place until the end of the goblin bat handler’s next turn. The zone blocks line of sight for all enemies. Combat Advantage The goblin bat handler deals 1d6 extra damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The goblin bat handler shifts 1 square. Bat Sense The bat handler gains any blindsight or darkvision of any allied bat within 5 squares. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 8 (+0) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 18 (+5) Con 14 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 10 (+1) Equipmentleather armor, flail
The bats are resting on the ceiling, among the stalactites. Unless the trainers have been alerted to the presence of intruders, they do not begin combat mounted. They direct the murk bats against the nearest foes, then mount up (a move plus a standard action) and take to the air at the start of their initiative on round 2. If the goblins are alerted to intruders in other areas, they mount their bats and move to respond, along with the murk bat clouds.
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2 Mutated Shadowhunter Bats (S)
Level 4 Lurker
Medium shadow beast (mount) XP 175 Initiative+10 Senses Perception +9; darkvision HP 45; Bloodied22 AC 18; Fortitude18, Reflex 17, Will 13 Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 8 m Tail Slash(standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage. In dim light or darkness, the mutated shadowhunter bat gains a +2 bonus to the attack roll and deals 6 extra damage. M Flyby Attack (standard; at-will) The mutated shadowhunter bat flies up to 8 squares and makes one melee basic attack at any point during that movement. The bat doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack. Flittering Swoop(while mounted by a friendly rider of 3rd level or higher; encounter) Mount When a mutated shadowhunter bat makes a flyby attack, its rider can make one melee basic attack at any point during that movement. The rider doesn’t provoke
Features of the Area Illumination:Dark. Ceiling: 40 feet. Crevasse: The f loor is split by a crack about 20 feet deep. In addition to taking falling damage, any creature that falls in becomes wedged into the narrow bottom of the crevasse. It cannot begin to climb out until it extricates itself as a move action (Athletics DC 9). Stalagmites and Stalactites:Stalagmites are 2 to 4 feet high. They are difficult terrain and provide cover. Stalactites provide cover for flying creatures within 10 feet of the ceiling.
S M M S G G
opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack. Burdened Mount While mounted, a mutated shadowhunter bat has altitude limit 2 while flying. AlignmentUnaligned Languages— Str 16 (+5) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 15 (+4) Con 15 (+4) Int 3 (–2) Cha 12 (+3)
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area 3. TraSh heap Encounter Level 3 (750 XP)
Setup This garbage-strewn t unnel leads to the warren’s food preparation area, and what were once living quarters. The inf luence of the meteorite’s corruptive inf luence has bestowed pseudo-life on the m idden heap piled in an alcove. The creature serves as a guardian and does not bother the goblins as long as they continue to provide it with sustenance in the form of more trash and waste. 2 goblin cutters(G) 2 goblin mess cooks(C) 1 trash hulk(T) When the characters see the trash heap, read:
Two burly-looking goblins face a long work table, their backs to you, hacking at an indefinable object with huge cleavers. A couple of ragged-looking goblins assist them, carting about platters and tending to a cook fire. Off to the side is a mound of assorted garbage: offal, scraps of leather and metal, discarded containers, and even a mangled corpse or two. When the characters move within 5 squares of the trash heap, read:
The mound of refuse rears up and lashes out at you! Perception Check DC 17:Glistening slime coats the floor behind the garbage
heap, almost like a trail.
2 Goblin Mess Cooks (C)
Level 3 Brute
Trash Hulk (T)
Level 4 Elite Soldier
Small aberrant humanoid XP 150 Initiative+3 SensesPerception +2; low-light vision HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 15; Fortitude16, Reflex 14, Will 13 Speed 6 m Bloody Cleaver(standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d8 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). m Carving Knife(standard; at-will) Weapon +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage. M Gut (standard; at-will) Disease The goblin mess cook makes a bloody cleaver attack and a carving knife attack. If both attacks hit the same target, it makes a secondary attack against that target.Secondary Attack: +6 vs. Fortitude; the target is exposed to filth fever (MM 211). R Thrown Knife(standard; at-will) Weapon Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee
Large aberrant animate (construct) XP 350 Initiative+1 SensesPerception +1; darkvision Stinking Refuseaura 1; each enemy that enters or starts its turn in the aura takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of its turn. HP 120; Bloodied60 Saving Throws+2 AC 20; Fortitude18, Reflex 12, Will 13 Immune disease, poison, sleep Speed 5; can’t shift Action Points1 m Slam (standard; at-will) Reach 2; +11 vs. AC; 1d10 + 4 damage and the target is knocked prone. M Garbage in, Garbage Out (standard; at-will) The trash hulk makes a slam attack against 2 creatures within reach. If it hits with the first slam attack, it can also pull that target 1 square. If it hits with the second slam attack, it can also push the target 1 square.
attack; at-will) The goblin mess cook shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 18 (+5) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 8 (+0) Cha 8 (+0) Equipmentcleaver, 3 carving knives
(standard; recharge ) Out the Trash M Take 5 6through The trash hulk moves its speed and can4move
enemies’ spaces. When it enters a creature’s space (ally or enemy), the golem makes a slam attack against that creature. It can attack each creature only once during this movement. At the end of its movement, it can slide one enemy adjacent to it into another unoccupied square adjacent to it. 4 Goblin Cutters (G) Level 1 Minion Skirmisher Death Slump(when reduced to 0 hit points) Small natural humanoid XP 25 The trash hulk collapses into a pile of garbage. Until Initiative+3 SensesPerception +1; low-light vision cleared, the space it occupied is difficult terrain, and any HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. nongoblin creature that makes an attack while within that AC 16; Fortitude12, Reflex 14, Will 11 space takes a –2 penalty to the attack roll. Speed 6 m Short Sword(standard; at-will) Weapon Stable Footing The trash hulk ign ores diffi cult terrain. +5 vs. AC; 4 damage (5 damage if the goblin cutter has AlignmentUnaligned Languages— combat advantage against the target). Str 24 (+9) Dex 5 (–1) Wis 9 (+1) Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee Con 20 (+7) Int 2 (–3) Cha 1 (–4) attack; at-will) The goblin cutter shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Str 14 (+2) Dex 17 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 8 (–1) Equipmentleather armor, short sword
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Tactics These goblin mess cooks have developed outlandish appetites. Their jaws can open unnaturally wide, and their teeth have grown long and fanglike. They wait for the trash hulk to engage an enemy, then hack at that target with their cleavers and knives. The goblin cutters attempt to flank enemies, using the trash hulk for cover as much as possible. The trash hulk attacks agg ressively. It does not treat goblins as allies or enemies, but it does not attack them unless they are caught intake out the trash.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright. Fire Pit: A fire blazes in a shallow depression in the cave floor. A narrow crack in the ceiling allows smoke to escape. Any creature that enters or starts its turn in the fire takes 1d6 fire damage. Fleshy Wall:One of the tunnels that must have led to living areas has been sealed with a strangely pulsing, fleshlike greenish stone. This material is 1 foot thick and as hard as stone (AC/Reflex 4, Fortitude 12; hp 120), and it regenerates 5 hit points at the start of its turn if damaged. A nasty greenish fluid spurts from it when it takes damage. If the characters manage to break through this barrier, they find the living areas abandoned. (The wall absorbed the goblins.)
Supplies:Small heaps of bags, pots, jars, and loose foodstuffs are scattered on the floor. These squares are difficult terrain. Work Table:This is a heavy table made of a slab of stone propped on wooden legs. If tipped over, the top slides off into an adjacent space; any creature in that space must make a DC 12 Acrobatics check. If the check fails, the creature takes 1d6 damage. The stone slab can be propped up to form a barrier, providing cover to creatures behind it (or superior cover to prone creatures). A creature can jump onto the table (DC 7 Athletics). Creatures on the table ga in a +1 bonus to melee attack rolls against creatures on the floor. Treasure:Rooting through the heaps of garbage and (including the remains of the trash hulk) uncovers a flask that turns out not to be empty. It contains a potion of healing . In addition, the goblin mess cooks are carrying a total of 35 gp and 90 sp. Nothing in the kitchen is fit to eat, but the cleavers can serve as handaxes and the carving knives as daggers.
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area 4. TainTed cave Encounter Level 5 (1,150 XP)
Setup This is the heart of the corruption, and the creatures that inhabit this place are barely recognizable as the goblins they once were. Glork, corrupt goblin chieftain(G) 2 corrupt goblin cutters (C) 2 corrupt goblin warriors (W) 1 goblin mass(M) 1 tainted pool hazard The goblin mass starts the encounter submerged in the pool. Do not place it on the map until it attacks or a character detects its presence. When the characters reach the cave entrance, read:
This large cave is dimly lit by the lurid glow from a large pool at its cente r and glistening meta llic blobs on the walls. The oily-looking water shines an eerie purple. Several goblins stand about t he pool, altho ugh they have an odd appearance and do not carry weapons. At the back of the chamber, a putri d-looking creature that might once have been a goblin shouts a curse and orders the others forward. A dripping blade protrudes from the end of one arm, and on the other is a fleshy disk.
When Glork claimed this cavern, she moved her family into it along with a few trusted retainers. Long exposure to the emanations of meteorite’s bizarre energy has transformed the cave’s inhabitants horribly. They are now all considered aberrant creatures. Glork has become a bloated, deformed monstrosity, her armor and weapons absorbed into her flesh. The remaining goblins typica lly slept in a heap near the pool; during one sleep period, the entire group became melded into a shapeless mass. It still obeys Glork, however. Perception Check DC 17:The pool’s surface seems to swirl, as though
something had been dropped in recently. DC 22:Beneath the surface is a horrific mass of squirming flesh. Arcana C heck DC 12:A sickly sensation seems to pulse through this
area. It is far stronger here than in previous chambers. DC 17:The source of the corruption seems to be the weird pool in the cave’s center. When the goblin mass attacks or emerges, read:
From the pool lurches a horrific mass of fl esh, seemingly made of dozens of goblins melded together.
Glork (G)
Level 5 Soldier
Small aberrant humanoid, goblin XP 200 Initiative+6 SensesPerception +3; darkvision HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 21; Fortitude19, Reflex 15, Will 17 Speed 5 m Vicious Longsword(standard; at-will) Weapon +12 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage (crit 1d12 + 14), and the target is marked until the end of Glork’s next turn. M Corrupting Strike (standard; encounter) Weapon +8 vs. Fortitude; targets an enemy marked by Glork; 1d8 + 6 damage, and the target is slowed and weakened (save ends both). Afteref fect: The target takes a –2 penalty to Fortitude until the end of Glork’s next turn. C Unearthly Shriek(standard; encounter) Psychic Close burst 3; targets non-aberrant creatures; +10 vs. Will; 3d8 + 4 psychic damage. Spawn Corrupt Minion (move, while within 5 squares of a goblin mass; recharge 5 6 ) Glork causes the goblin mass to spawn a corrupt goblin cutter. The corrupt goblin cutter appears in an unoccupied square adjacent to the goblin mass and makes a melee or ranged basic attack as a free action. Thereafter it acts immediately after Glork’s initiative count. Characters do not earn experience for killing corrupt goblin cutters summoned in this way. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) Glork shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Goblin Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 12 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 11 (+2) Cha 18 (+6) Equipmentchainmail, +1 vicious longsword
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Goblin Mass (M)
Level 6 Elite Brute
Large aberrant animate, goblin XP 500 Initiative+1 Senses Perception +4; darkvision Clutching Clawsaura 1; each enemy that starts its turn within the aura is slowed until the end of its turn. Each enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 5 damage. HP 182; Bloodied91 Saving Throws+2 AC 17; Fortitude20, Reflex 15, Will 16 Resist5 psychic Speed 2, swim 2; can’t shift Action Points1 m Horrific Embrace(standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is grabbed. The goblin mass can have up to two creatures grabbed at the same time. M Many-Armed Horror(standard; at-will) The goblin mass makes a horrific embrace attack against each enemy adjacent to it. M Absorb(standard, usable only while the goblin mass has a creature grabbed; at-will) Healing +7 vs. Fortitude; targets one or two creatures grabbed by the mass; the target is pulled into the goblin mass’s space and takes ongoing 5 damage until it is expelled. If it has a creature absorbed at the start of its turn, the goblin mass gains 5 temporary hit points. The goblin mass can move normally while creatures are engulfed within it.
2 Corrupt Goblin Cutters (C)
Level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Small aberrant humanoid XP 25 each Initiative+6 Senses Perception +0; darkvision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 15; Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 11 Speed 6 m Claws (standard; at-will) Necrotic +6 vs. AC; 4 necrotic damage (5 necrotic damage if the corrupt goblin cutter has combat advantage against the target).. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The corrupt goblin cutter shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech, Goblin Str 16 (+3) Dex 19 (+4) Wis 10 (+0) Con 13 (+1) Int 8 (–1) Cha 7 (–2)
While absorbed, the target has line of sight and line of effect only to the goblin mass, and no creature has line of sight or line of effect to the target. The target can make only at-will attacks. When any target drops to 0 hp or below while absorbed, the goblin mass regains 45 hit points. An absorbed target can escape by succeeding on a DC 20 Athletics or Acrobatics check. If the goblin mass takes 16 or more damage from a single attack, all absorbed targets are expelled into unoccupied squares adjacent to the goblin mass; absorbed creatures are also expelled when the goblin mass drops to 0 hit points. The goblin mass can inst ead absorb a goblin corpse by moving into its space. At the start of its next turn, the mass regains 10 hit points. (move; recharge 5 6 ) Spawn Corrupt Goblin A corrupt goblin warrior appears in an unoccupied square adjacent to the goblin mass and makes a melee or ranged basic attack as a free action. Thereafter it acts on the goblin mass’s initiative count. The goblin mass loses 10 hit points. Death Burst(when reduced to 0 hit points; encounter) Close burst 1; +7 vs. Reflex; 3d6 + 4 damage. The area of the burst is filled with dismembered goblin parts and is difficult terrain. AlignmentEvil Languages— Str 19 (+7) Dex 7 (+1) Wis 13 (+4) Con 21 (+8) Int 2 (–1) Cha 2 (–1)
2 Corrupt Goblin Warriors (W) Level 1 Skirmisher Small aberrant humanoid XP 100 each Initiative+4 Senses Perception +0; darkvision HP 30; Bloodied15 AC 17; Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will 12 Speed 6 m Claws (standard; at-will) Necrotic +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 necrotic damage. R Hurl Flesh(standard; encounter) Necrotic Ranged 5/10; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 necrotic damage Reintegrate(move; only while adjacent to a goblin mass; encounter) Healing The corrupt goblin warrior regains 7 hit points. Goblin Tactics(immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will) The corrupt goblin warrior shifts 1 square. AlignmentEvil LanguagesDeep Speech, Goblin Str 16 (+3) Dex 14 (+2) Wis 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 8 (–1) Cha 7 (–2)
Tainted Pool (P) Hazard
Level 5 Lurker XP 200
The oily, swirling waters of this glowing pool are strangely alluring. Hazard:When creatures come close to the pool, they are struck by a compulsion to enter its waters. The pool saps the strength of creatures in it. Perception No check is necessary to notice the pool. Arcana Additional Skill: DC 17: The character recognizes that the pool and the area around it is hazardous, in addition to being the focus of the concentrated chaos energy suffusing the area. Initiative+7 Trigger The pool triggers when a nonaberrant creature comes within 3 squares of the srcin square (marked on the map). When triggered, the hazard makes an attack against the triggering creature. It is no l onger active after triggering but recharges slowly over time so that it can retrigger in a subsequent encounter. Attack burst 3 Opportunity Action Close Target:The triggering creature Attack:+6 vs. Will Hit: The target is affected by a compulsion to enter the pool’s water (save ends). It moves to the nearest space within the pool as a free action. While under the compulsion, the target remains in the pool and can take no action other than moving to another pool square. Any creature that starts its turn in a pool square loses a healing surge; a creature that has no healing surges remaining instead loses hit points equal to its healing surge value. Countermeasures Arcana (DC 17); standard action; the character suppresses the compulsion effect, allowing the affected creature to make a saving throw. If the creature saves, it can move half its speed as a free action.
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Tactics Nearly mindless, the goblin mass exists only to incorporate more flesh into itself. It lurks in the pool until a living creature gets close enough to attack, then grabs it and absorbs it into its pulsing mass. When threatened or in need of assistance, it spawns a corrupt goblin warrior. Doing so weakens it, so it resorts to this action only when sorely pressed, preferably after it has absorbed a creature. Glork does not hesitate to pull corrupt minions from the mass whenever she can. She usescorrupting strike to weaken enemies and reduce their ability to resist absorption by the goblin mass. When surrounded or when three or more enemies are within range, she lets loose with unearthly shriek. The corrupt goblin cutters and warriors gang up on a single enemy and take advantage ofgoblin tactics to achieve flanking positions, using the goblin mass to help flank when they can. They don’t have the survival insti nct of normal goblins, though, and do not retreat even when the odds are heavily against them.
Skill Challenge: Plugging the Leak The characters try to temporarily seal t he planar wound to limit the inf luence of the meteorite until a permanent solution can be found. This skill challenge can take place during or after the combat encounter. Completing it before the encounter is over should make the fight easier, since it removes some of the corrupted abilities from the creatures here. Even if it is performed after the fight, there is a time limit—too long exposure to the warping effects of the chaos “leak” will permanently corrupt the characters as well. The leak is focused on the pool in the middle of the cave.
Glork does her best to interfere with these efforts, directing her attacks against arcane characters in particular. Level: 4 (XP 175). Complexity:1 (4 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills:Arcana, Endurance, Nature, special Arcana (DC 17; standard act ion): The character channels arcane power to strengthen the barriers between planes. Endurance (DC 17; standard act ion): The character draws on his or her own life energy to patch the weak point. On a failure, the character loses a healing surge. A character can use a madstone to negate the healing surge loss. Each character can gain only 1 success in this way.
Nature (DC 17; standard acti on): The character reinforces the surrounding reality to enclose and diminish the planar wound. Special: Channel Divinity (no check; standard action): The character channels divine power to enforce order on this riven part of the world. This requires a use of channel divinity and counts as an automatic success. Only 1 success can be gained in this way. Secondary Skills:Dungeoneering, Heal, Thievery, special Dungeoneering (DC 12; stand ard action): The character recalls information about aberrant creatures that provides further insight into sealing the wound, granting a +2 bonus to the next Arcana check made during the skill challenge. Success with this check also reveals that Glork and the goblin mass will be unable to spawn new corrupt goblins if the wound is healed.
Thievery (DC 17; standard action): The character draws on knowledge of magical traps to suggest ways of dealing with the threat. Success grants a +2 bonus to the next check using any of the primary skills. Special:Using a sample of the glowmetal (whether taken from the cave walls or using one of the hexer’s glowmetal items) as part of the skill cha llenge reduces the DCs of all primary skill checks by 2. Conclusion:If the characters succeed in suppressing the chaos leak, the cave’s inhabitants are easier to defeat. Otherwise, they cannot stop the meteorite’s influence. Success:If the characters earn four successes, they are able to reduce the influence of the meteorite. Glork and the goblin m ass are no longer able to spawn corrupt goblins, nor can the goblin mass reincorporate fallen goblins into itself. Failure: If the characters accumulate 3 failures, they are no longer able to stabilize the chaos wound. Each character loses a healing surge as the rift pulls at their life essence. Other solutions to the problem become necessary (see “Conclusion” below).
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Features of the Area
Conclusion
Illumination:The area is dimly lit by the eerily shining pool and by nodules of glowmetal in the walls. Bedding:Glork sleeps in a rat’s nest of accumulated trash on top of a filthy bedroll. The square containing her bedding is difficult terrain. Pool: This shallow body of water (no more than 5 feet at the deepest) also glows with a strange purple hue. It is a site of concentrated chaotic residue left over from the meteorite’s passage through the Scar. The pool is difficult terra in for creatures tall enough to wade through it. Glork keeps her personal wealth in an oiled sack weighted down with stones in the center of the pool.
If the characters manage to suppress the chaos leak, they temporarily prevent further corruption from affecting these caves. The weak point is not completely repaired, though; only a special ritual can permanently seal it. The characters might be sent on additional missions to acquire materials necessary for this ritual. If they defeated the monsters but were unable to patch the wound, the problem will arise again as other natural creatures wander into the caves. The wound might develop into a full-blown planar rift, bringing aberrant horrors from the Far Realm into the world. Until a sealing ritual can be performed, it will be necessary to seal off the caverns and stand
Treasure:Glork’s longsword was absorbed into her mutated form but can be cut free. It is a+1 vicious longsword . Her “shield” is actually a mass of bone and flesh that was once her hand and forearm. It cannot be wielded and is worth nothing other than its gruesome scholarly interest. Her personal treasury contains 75 gp and two imperfect greenish diamonds, each worth 100 gp. The glowmeta l might be the key to form ing a permanent seal of the pool, which continues to radiate energy that could corrupt any future inhabitants of these caves. Arcane scholars are likewise interested in acquiring samples. Collecting some nodules fetches 200 gp from someone who recognizes its potential. However, glowmetal is dangerous to stay in contact with over a long time. See the “Treasure” entry in area 1.
guard to prevent other beings from entering—or leaving.
About the Author has been editing just about everyJennifer Clarke Wi lkes thing at Wizards of the Coast since 1995, and does a fair bit of writing too. Her recent credits include Draconomicon ™: Chromatic Dragons, Divine Power™, and Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters. When not edit ing, she is gam ing and feeding her inner goblin.
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a t 4t- ts By Robert J. Schwalb illustration by Empty Room Studios, Jeffrey Lai
cartography by Mike Schley
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Oh, there are many st range things beyond the Wall. I have seen some for myself. I’ve witnessed th e wonders it contains, and th e horrors bes ides. Yet for ever y obv ious danger and splendid treasure, there are things that have held their secrets close, places where some mysteries remain guarded despite my best efforts and those of other less worthy souls. “One such place is the Pillar of Eyes. A fascinating structure, and undoubtedly straddling a ley line—you can see the gaps through the t rees just there. But, you might ask, what does it do? Who raised it? And why? What do the e yes watch for? Do they even see? Trust me, traveler, these question s and others born from my fabulous intellect have troubled me greatly these long weeks. I defy you to answer even one of them!” —Jinko Storwell, renowned sage Ju ly 201 0 | DUNGEON
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Not far from the wall bounding the Chaos Scar’s haunted lands is a crooked stone pillar, standing alone in an otherwise ordinary field. It resembles nothing so much as a stack of staring eyeballs. Many explorers have sought out the strange monolith, certain some power hums beneath its rocky façade. But if the relic does hold magic, gaining access to it has proven troublesome. No one thus far has winkled out enough energy to power even the simplest cantrip. Thus the Pillar of Eyes has remained a hoary and puzzling edifice, a source of speculation and wonder for those who would test their mettle against the Chaos Scar’s manifold dangers. Recent study of the stone suggests that whatever it contains might be growing restive. Perhaps someone with special talents might be able to touch its magic and claim it. “The Pillar of Eyes” is a Chaos Scar adventure for five characters of 4th level.
an unSiGhTly STone The trouble with the Pillar of Eyes is that, for as long as it has stood (and local graybeards swear it has been there for as long as t hey can remember), it hasn’t done a thing. Not even spooky moaning or phantasms have arisen to indicate that anything is special about it. It is certainly a curious piece, an oddity in construction and style suggesting that some inhuman architect might have been responsible for the awful thing. Who else would find beauty in such a grotesque form? Adventurers have suggested it might be a petrified creature, but if t his theory is correct, it only raises more questions. What was it before? Why did it turn to stone? No one has yet tested this idea by performing a Remove Aff liction ritual—doin g so might let loose some hideous eyeball monster on the
countryside. Thus, most experts prefer to focus on the more fantastic and wondrous stories attributed to the stone. A second, more romantic, theory suggests the pillar was raised to honor the Master of Whispers: old Silence himself, the god Vecna. As anyone with passing knowledge is aware, the Lich Lord has an enduring interest in eyes, due in part to his losing one valuable orb. His cultists often honor their dread master by offering eyes—and hands—to their dark master, whether in flesh or stone. This possibility has drawn the unhealthy interest of a gluttonous barghest, Foosteth the Fat, the most recent in a long line of unhinged and thoroughly wicked villains to obsess over the Pillar’s mysterious powers.
facTS aBouT The pi llar
The pillar is in fact a petrified gibbering mouther that was created from a priest of Vecna who perished in a place touched by the Far Realm. Unlike others of its kind, the aberrant monster retained much of its awareness and knowledge. It slithered into the valley, where it ran afoul of something that t urned it to stone. Because of its unique experience, the pillar is important to Vecna’s followers. As well, many cultist s with a passion for the forbidden would love to free the imprisoned mouther.
Foosteth the Fat Aside from a predisposition to huskiness, Foosteth would have been an unremarkable barghest—a vile, ravenous monster to be sure, but no different than
any others of his kind. His life took an unexpected turn when he gobbled up a priest devoted to Vecna. The priest had come to the Chaos Scar to unlock the power of the Pillar of Eyes, but Foosteth caught him before he had the chance to begin the ritual of Remove Affliction that would release the petrified monster. Not only did the bones yield r ich marrow, but the priest’s will persisted beyond the life feeding. His memories and consciousness took root i n Foosteth’s mind, filling it with strange thoughts and an obsession with undead—and the mysterious pillar. During the weeks that followed, Foosteth acquired some of the dead man’s talents f rom the devoured memories. He itches to perform the Remove Affliction ritual, but he is not yet powerful enough to control it and lacks the necessary ingredients. Having no treasures worth disenchanting, Foosteth has turned to simple banditry to gather up magic items and distill them down to residuum . In time, he is certain he will accrue the necessary knowledge and experience to meet the ritual’s demands. One obstacle blocks the barghest from his dearest desire: his innate lethargy. Foosteth is unwilling to shift his bulk from his noisome throne room, so he relies on underlings to do the robbing for him. Having heard their fat leader go on about the pillar’s fabulous power, a few unscrupulous goblins have got t he idea to claim it for themselves and destroy him so they can receive a proper share of the food for once. They are too weak to overpower him but are constantly looking out for opportunities. Foosteth is too absorbed in his own conflicting thoughts to pay them any mind. He waits, patience fraying, for them to bring back the goods so he can get on with the ritual and be done with the accursed stone that torments him.
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involvinG The characTerS The Pillar of Eyes is a well-known point of interest in the Chaos Scar. The adventurers might come across the monolith while taking in the valley’s sights on their way to slay monsters. Gawking at the stone like tourists is not very heroic, though, so you might prefer to draw in your players with the following hooks. If you’re using one of these hooks, the party receives treasure on completing the quest. Otherwise, you can add the appropriate treasure to the loot gained in the final encounter. Font of Dread Power:The characters hear rumors that the Pillar of Eyes is pregnant with sinister power and that its destruction might reduce the Chaos Scar’s malign presence. Alternatively, they are hired to investigate the pillar and destroy it. Their employer might be a sage, wizard, or priest, with a personality ranging from eccentric to pompous. Regardless, the employer rewards adventurers who complete this desperate mission. Quest Reward: 875 XP (major quest). The adventurers also receive 140 gp and two potions of hea ling. A Plague of D reams:The petrified gibbering mouther wants desperately to be free. Unlike most creatures turned to stone, it retains some awareness and broadcasts its thoughts across the land, luring the adventurers to release it. The telepathic summons interferes with sleep, preventing extended rests as long as the adventurers remain in the Valley of the Scar. Whether the monster is harmless or a serious danger, the party needs to come to the pillar and decide what to do. The Remove Affliction ritual is beyond their ability to perform, even if they were
inclined to use it after seeing the pillar. Destroying the statue, freeing the gibbering mouther, or getting someone else to free it completes the quest. Quest Reward: 175 XP (minor quest). If the party frees the monster, it is grateful and offers a reward by describing a hidden treasure cache. Following up the description might be the seed for another adventure. Success leads to a 5th-level magic item and 250 gp.
Level: 4 (XP 350) Complexity:2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills:Arcana, Dungeoneering, Heal, Religion, Perception Arcana (DC 14, 1 minute): The character attempts to sense the presence of magic. A successful check contributes 1 success toward the skill challenge and reveals an arcane aura about the pillar. With a second success, the character confirms that the pillar is a GeTTinG STarTed petrified creature. Arcana can be used to gain 2 successes in this challenge. The Pillar of Eyes is within sight of the wall enclosing Dungeoneering (DC 14, 1 minute): The character the valley of the Chaos Scar, so once the characters tries to identify the creature depicted by the column. cross, they can head straight there. How long this A successful check reveals it to be a gibbering takes depends on where they entered the Sca r. mouther, a kind of aberrant magical beast created When the adventurers can see the Pillar of Eyes, when a sentient creature dies in an area touched by read: the Far Realm. Beating the DC by 5 or more allows A monstrous pilla r, crooked and spotted with liche n, rises the character to learn about the creature’s powers. from a crude pede stal in the middle of a green fi eld. Bones (For more information about gibbering beasts, see Monster Manual , page 127.) Dungeoneering can be litter the ground all around it, suggesting it might be an altar of some kind. The pillar has a lumpy appearance. used to gain 1 success in this challenge. Closer inspection reveals the reason: It is a giant column of Heal (DC 14, 1 minute): A character near the bones stone eyes. can determine that they all belonged to humanoids. With a second success, the character realizes that Investigating the Pillar the creatures were killed somewhere else; as well, The most notable feature here is the pillar, though the the bones look like something had been chewing on bones might merit some investigation too. The monothem. Heal can be used to gain 2 successes in this lith guards its secrets well, and only dedicated study challenge. Perception (DC 14, 1 minute): The character can coax them forth. However, while the adventurers examine t he site, goblin wolf riders slowly converge searches the area. A successful check reveals bestial on their position. Should the characters become conprints in the soft earth all around the pillar. With a fused or distracted by their investigation (represented second success, the character learns the direction from which the c reatures approached. Perception can by failing the skill challenge), the goblins can get the drop on them. be used to gain 2 successes in this challenge.
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Religion (DC 21, 1 minute): The character locates and deciphers hidden runes on the pillar’s base. These runes signify some connection to Vecna. Religion can be used to gain 1 success in this challenge. Secondary Skill:Nature Nature (DC 10, requires 1 success using Perception, 1 minute): The character tries to identify the prints around the pillar. A successful check reveals that the prints belong to dire wolves and grants a +2 bonus to the next Perception check made during this challenge. Success:If the characters get 6 successes, they learn that the pillar is in fact a petrified creature and that someone or something is delivering bones to the area, which has seen a great deal of traffic. They also detect the goblin wolf riders before they close and thus are not surprised. Failure: The wolf riders surprise the party. After the combat, the characters can retry the skill challenge to pick up any clues they might have missed. Let them keep any successes earned from the first try (a failed effort doesn’t mean they forgot what they had previously learned). The Nature check automatically succeeds, whether or not anyone attempted it. However, each time the party fails the challenge after the first costs each character a healing surge as the pillar’s malevolent influence gnaws at the soul. Should the party not bother to retry the skill challenge, you can make up for the lost XP by adding one extra cunning goblin archer to Tactical Encounter 2 and an extra green slime to Tactical Encounter 3.
Wolf Riders Whether or not they succeed at the skill challenge, the adventurers must deal with the wolf riders, goblins charged by Foosteth to plunder explorers that wander into the area. Tactical Encounter 1: “Howling Host,” page 10.
Tracking the Wolf Riders After the characters defeat the wolf riders, they should be able to figure out that the goblins are somehow involved with the pillar. The goblins are carrying bones similar to those surrounding the edifice, which the party can confirm by searching bodies or interrogating prisoners. The adventurers can follow the wolf riders’ tracks to discover their lair, represented by the following staged skill challenge. If they capture a goblin during the combat, they might be able to persuade it to help them (see “Development” on page 10). Level: 5 (XP 200) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures)
Stage 1: Finding the Way The first stage of the challenge involves detecting and following the wolf riders’ tracks. This process should take around half an hour. Primary Skills:Nature, Perception Nature or Perception (DC 14): The character attempts to follow the goblins’ tracks. Up to two characters can aid this check. A successful check allows the party to continue along the trail, while a failed check means it fades out where the goblins crossed rocky terrain. The characters lose the trail for a time and get lost; they must find the tracks again to continue the chase. In addition to incurring a failure, the characters take a –2 penalty to Acrobatics or Athletics
checks made during stage 2 of this challenge. On a second failure, they also take a –2 penalty to Stealth checks made during stage 3 of this challenge. This skill can be used to gain 2 successes in this challenge. Secondary Skill:Insight Insight (DC 21): The character examines the manner of the goblins’ approach to deduce the direction they likely came from. This skill can be used to gain 1 success in this challenge.
Stage 2: Unexpected Obstacles After achievi ng 2 successes, the party must deal with hazards and obstacles that might injure or slow them. Getting around these problems takes about an hour. Primary Skills:Acrobatics, Athletics Acrobatics or Athlet ics (DC 14, group check): The party follows the tracks into a forest, where progress is blocked by a dry river bed filled with branches. A successful check means that the characters climb or jump across safely, earning 1 success toward the skill challenge. On a failed group check, the party blunders through the obstacle but still earns 1 success in addition to incurring a failure. In addition, each character who failed the check loses 1 healing surge from injuries sustained in crossing the terrain. This skill can be used to gain 1 success in this challenge. Secondary Skill:Endurance, Nature Endurance (DC 14, group check): Tracking the goblins is an arduous task over difficult ground. A successful check keeps the group moving without undue exhaustion. Nature (DC 14): The character uses his or her knowledge of vegetation and terrain to help the party move past the hazard. A successful check grants a +2 bonus to Acrobatics or Athletics checks made during the group check described above.
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Stage 3: Arrival After 3 successes, the characters can approach the goblins’ hideout. Primary Skills:Nature, Stealth Nature or Stealth (DC 14, group check): The party locates the Wolf Den, at whose entrance a bugbear warrior stands guard. If t he group check succeeds, the adventurers approach without being noticed. In addition, they gain surprise in Tactical Encounter 2. On a failed check, the party’s approach alerts the guard. However, the party still earns 1 success in addition to incurring a failure. Secondary Skills:Perception, Thievery Perception (DC 14): The character scouts ahead to avoid goblin lookouts. A successful check grant s a +2 bonus to Stealth checks made during the group check described above. Thievery (DC 21): The character uses sneaky tricks to assist the party in finding short cuts through the woods. A success grants a +2 bonus to Stealth checks made during the group check described above. On a failure, the characters instead take a –2 penalty to the Stealth check. Success:The adventurers arrive at the goblins’ lair and surprise the sentry outside the entrance. Failure: The adventurers stumble across the Wolf Den, whose sentries are expecting them. Add another goblin wolf rider to Tactical Encounter 2 ( page 11).
The Wolf Den
1. Entrance
Foosteth and his goblin followers lair inside the Wolf Den, a stinking mound of dirt, debris, and fallen trees. Its single yawning entrance, littered with leavings and junk, is guarded at all times. Smoke lifts from crooked chimneys rising from the roof, but these gaps are too small to enter. The interior of the hill is filthy. The walls are made from packed dirt, rocks, and branches held together with spit and excrement. The floors and ceilings are made of the same materials. Rooms are semicircular, with ceilings about half as tall as t he rooms are wide.
Several bugbears and goblin wolf riders protect the entrance into the Wolf Den to ensure enemies don’t wander inside. Tactical Encounter 2: “Foosteth’s Sentries,” page11.
2. Common Room When not raiding and plundering, Foosteth’s troops billet in this dark chamber, with goblins along one side and the bugbears the rest. The remains of a cooking fire are in the center, with sleeping pallets strewn all around. Combat from Tactical Encounter 2 might spill into this chamber. Ju ly 201 0 | DUNGEON
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3. The Chamber of Smells The goblins deposit their rubbish in this sunken area, where slippery, nasty things scuttle forward to eat the offeringss. The creatures here have become aggressive and have snatched more than one incautious goblin. Tactical Encounter 3: “Things in the Dark,” page 13.
4. Trapped Hall The madness aff licting Foosteth the Fat has infected him with intense paranoia. His delusion is so strong that he has trapped the passage leading into his personal chambers to give him warning should someone try to get the jump on him. Footchopper Alarm Trap: This trap fills a space 2 squares by 2 squares. Stepping on a pressure plate in the eastern 2 squares causes a nasty scythe blade to sweep across the trapped area. A moment later, bells chime, accompanying the chorus of screaming from the trap’s victims. A DC 14 Perception check reveals a 2-inch tall groove running parallel to the floor for about 10 feet. Dirt and rocks fill the gap. A DC 21 Perception check is needed to recognize the pressure plate on the floor. A secret panel on the opposite side of the pressure plate (requiring a DC 21 Perception check to f ind) can shut off or reset the trap. Characters can also use Athletics to jump over the trapped area if they know where it is.
Footchopper Alarm Trap Object
XP 100
DetectPerception DC 14 or 21 Immuneattacks
T
Level 5 Trap Initiative—
A
M Attack At-Will Trigger: A creature enters one of the trigger squares. Effect: A loud ringing alerts creatures in adjacent rooms. Attack (Opportun ity Action): Melee 1 (each creature in the trap’s area); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target falls prone, takes ongoing 5 damage, and is slowed (save ends both). Miss: Half damage, and the trap slides the target to the nearest unoccupied square not in the trap’s area. C Preempt:Thievery DC 10 (standard action). Requirement: The creature must be adjacent to a square of the trap’s area. Success: The trap is triggered, and the creature can move safely through the area this turn. Delay:Thievery DC 14 (standard action). Success: The pressure plate is temporarily jammed, rendering the area until the end of the attempting creature’s next turn. Disable:Thievery DC 21. Success: The blade is disabled, rendering the area safe.
concluSion Defeating Foosteth and his goblins removes only one agency with designs on freeing the gibbering mouther. Eventually, some other lunatic will try to finish the job. The adventurers might decide to destroy the statue, thus raising the ire of Those Who Hear (Dungeon Master’s Guid e 2, page 120). The cultists might want to take revenge for the statue’s destruction. The question remains as to what turned the monster to stone in the first place. Was it a basilisk, a medusa, or something more dangerous, such as a beholder? The petrification might have been the result of a chance meeting, or it could serve some darker, more sinister purpose.
5. Hall of Whispers Foosteth lurks in this room, attended by guards, pets, and norker slaves who serve him in his personal quarters. Tactical Encounter 4: “Unhinged Mind,” page 15.
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encounTer 1:
Features of the Area
howlinG hoST
The wolf riders spot the party from some distance away and close on their position, using natural terrain to cover their approach. If the party failed the “Investigating the Pillar” skill check (page 6), the goblins have surprise against the adventurers.
Bones: Shattered bones litter the area around the pillar. Any creature that is knocked prone in a square containing bones takes 3 extra damage from the jagged splinters. Pillar of Eyes:Any creature that makes an attack while on top of the pillar or in a square adjacent to it ignores cover and concealment (but not superior cover or total concealment). The pillar stands 8 feet tall; climbing it requires a DC 10 Athletics check. Treasure:Other than their equipment, the goblins have nothing of value. However, one carries a bag of bones.
When the goblin wolf riders attack, read:
Development
A growling, barking band of wolves bearing goblins bounds across the field.
If the adventurers capture one or more of the wolf riders, they can try to extract useful information. A character can make a DC 10 Insight check to assess the prisoner’s state of mind, fears, or something else useful about its personality. A successful check reveals the goblin is not only unhappy because it is a prisoner but blames its master for its misfortune and would be happy to see him fall. This information
Encounter Level 5 (1,000 XP)
Setup 5 goblin wolf riders(G)
Tactics The goblins concentrate attacks on tough defenders, using wolf ’s bite against any they knock prone. Otherwise, they use mobile melee attack to strike and move away. They flee if the battle is going against them. 5 Goblin Wolf Riders (G)
8
Level 5 Skirmisher not provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the
Small natural humanoid XP 200 each HP 62; Bloodied31 Initiative+6 AC 19, Fortitude17, Reflex 17, Will 16 Perception+3 Low-light vision Speed
S
grants a +2 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks against the prisoner. With a successful DC 14 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check, the prisoner reveals that it serves a bugbear, Foosteth the Fat, and that the goblins bring bones to honor the pillar. On a successful DC 21 check, the captive also tells the party that Foosteth wants to awaken the pillar. It admits that the wolf riders attack adventurers to steal their magic, which Foosteth needs for the “ritual of awakening.” The disgruntled goblin also provides directions to the Wolf Den, granting a +2 bonus to all Perception checks during the “Tracking the Riders” skill challenge on page 7. (On a failed check, the goblin instead lies about the location and downplays the perils, imposing a –2 penalty on all skill checks during the skill challenge.) A captured goblin does not participate in combat and flees at the first opportunity.
A
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage. M Wolf’s Bite At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one prone creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage. M Mobile Melee Attack At-Will Effect: The goblin moves up to hal f its speed and uses short sword once at any point during the movement. The goblin does
target of this attack.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger: The goblin is missed by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The goblin shifts 1 square. Knockdown Charge At-Will Trigger: The goblin hits with a charge attack. Effect (No Action): The attack deals 1d6 extra damage and the target falls prone. Skills Stealth +9 Str 13 (+3) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 14 (+4) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, short sword
G
G
G
G
G
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3 Cunning Goblin Archers (G)
encounTer 2:
Tactics
fooSTeTh’S SenTrieS
The sentry retreats into the complex if attacked from outside. The bugbears ma neuver for combat advantage whenever possible. The goblins rush up, fire, and 6 then retreat, using perfect positio n until enemies close, when they instead rely onmobile ranged attack. They focus fire on leaders first and then pick off ranged attackers. The goblins try to fall back into the common room to retain their ranged advantage while the bugbears cut off escape to the outside. A retreating goblin might try to warn Foosteth or lure enemies into the trap guarding Foosteth’s throne room.
Encounter Level 4 (925 XP)
Setup 2 bugbear warriors(B) 3 cunning goblin archers(G) One bugbear sentry is on guard near the entrance to the mound. The other bugbear and the goblins are inside. They don’t pay much attention to what’s going on outside until the door guard gives the alarm. When the adventurers enter the mound, read:
A horrid odor ass ails your senses, a n unwholesome blend of filth, sweat , and smoke. A shod dy wooden pen occupie s the far side of this chamber, and a rounded t unnel leads into a dark area beyond.
2 Bugbear Warriors (B) Medium natural humanoid
6
Level 5 Brute XP 200 each
HP 76; Bloodied38 Initiative+5 AC 18, Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 14 Perception+4 Low-light vision Speed
S
A
m Morningstar(weapon)
At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage. M Skullthumper(weapon) Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature granting combat advantage to the bugbear); +8 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone and is dazed (save ends).
M
A
Level 4 Artiller y
Small natural humanoid XP 175 each HP 40; Bloodied20 Initiative+6 AC 18, Fortitude13, Reflex 18, Will 16 Perception+3 Low-light vision Speed
T Perfect Position If the goblin ends its turn at least 4 squares from where it started, its ranged attacks deal 1d6 extra damage until the start of its next turn.
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon)
At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage. r Shortbow(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 7 damage. R Mobile Ranged Attack At-Will Effect: The goblin moves up to half its speed and uses shortbow once at any point during the movement. The goblin does not provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of this attack.
T
A
Goblin Tactics At-Will Trigger: The goblin is missed by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The goblin shifts 1 square. SkillsStealth +11, Thiever y +11 Str 11 (+2) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 13 (+3) Con 10 (+2) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, short sword, shortbow, 30 arrows
Predatory Eye Encounter Effect: The bugbear deals 1d6 extra damage on the next attack it makes against a target granting it combat advantage before the end of its next turn. SkillsIntimidate +7, Stealth +9 Str 20 (+7) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4) Con 16 (+5) Int 10 (+2) Cha 10 (+2) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmenthide armor, morningstar
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Features of the Area Illumination:Torches on the walls fill the room with bright light. Wolf Pen:Moldy hay covers the floor of this shabby wooden pen, which is closed by a gate with a rope latch. Creatures inside the pen have cover from attacks srcinating outside the pen. Treasure:The creatures carry assorted coins totaling 140 gp.
G
G
G B
B
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Rust Monster (R)
encounTer 3:
Tactics
ThinGS in The dark
The rust monster rushes out to attack when it hears noise. The green slimes on the cavern floor follow, while those overhead wait until a character moves 8 underneath. Each readies an action to drop onto the target and gainscombat advantage if it has not been spotted. The rust monster goes for enemies wearing heavy armor but avoids those grabbed by slimes. The creatures fight to the death, being unintelligent and having no escape.
Encounter Level 4 (950 XP)
Setup 1 rust monster (R) 4 green slimes (S) The rust monster hides in the back of the chamber, along with two green slimes that don’t have much interest in their companion. Two other, sneakier green slimes hang on the ceiling over the entry passage. When the adventurers enter this area, read:
The smell worsens in the dank tunnel, which slopes gently downward. The air is heavy with damp, and the ground is muddy.
4 Green Slimes (S) Medium natural beast (blind, ooze) HP 47; Bloodied23 AC 18, Fortitude23, Reflex 17, Will 20 4, climb 4 Speed
Level 4 Lurker XP 175 each Initiative+9 Perception+2 Blindsight 10
; Resist5 acid; Immune blinded, gaze effects Vulnerable5 fire, 5 radiant
T Ooze While squeezing, the slime moves at full speed rather than
When a green slime on the ceiling attacks, read: half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it
A glistening green globule drops from above!
doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing.
Perception DC 21: The character notices the green slimes on the ceiling.
m Engulf(acid)
S
A
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +7 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + 3 acid damage, and the slime grabs the target (escape DC 18). Until the grab ends, the target takes ongoing 10 acid damage. Attacks that target the slime deal half damage to the slime and half damage to one creature grabbed by the slime. SkillsStealth +10 Str 11 (+2) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 11 (+2) Con 17 (+5) Int 3 (–2) Cha 1 (–3) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Level 6 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast XP 250 HP 66; Bloodied33 Initiative+10 AC 20, Fortitude16, Reflex 21, Will 17 Perception+5 Low-light vision Speed
T Rusting Defense Whenever a weapon attack hits the rust monster, the weapon used in the attack is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the weapon is rusting, attacks with the weapon take a –1 penalty to attack rolls. If the weapon used to attack the rust monster is already rusting, increase the penalty to attack rolls by 1 (to a maximum penalty of –5).
S
A
m Bite
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage. If the target is wearing heavy armor, the armor is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the armor is rusting, the target takes a–1 penalty to AC. If the target is wearing armor that is already rusting, increase the penalty to AC by 1 (to a maximum penalty of –5). Effect: The rust mons ter shift s 1 square. M Devour Metal Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Melee 1 (one creature wearing or wielding a rusting item); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: The rustin g item is destroyed. I f the item was magic, th e residuum from it can be retrieved from the rust monster after the creature is slain. The residuum is worth the market value of that item (inst ead of one-fif th the value). Str 8 (+2) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 15 (+5) Con 10 (+3) Int 2 (–1) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
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Features of the Area Illumination:This chamber is dark.
S R S
S
S
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encounTer 4: unhinGed Mind Encounter Level 6 (1,290 XP)
Foosteth (F)
Level 6 Brute
Medium natural humanoid (shapechanger), barghest XP 250 HP 84; Bloodied42 Initiative+5 AC 18, Fortitude20, Reflex 18, Will 18 Perception+10 6 (8 in wolf form) Low-light vision Speed
T
Setup Foosteth (F) 2 bugbear stranglers(B) 2 hungry di re wolves(W) 5 norker slaves (N)
O Aura of Madness Aura 3 Foosteth slides any creature starting its turn in the aura 1 square.
S
A
m Bite
At-Will Requirement: Foost eth must be in wolf form. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Do not place the norkers on the map at the start of Hit: 2d8 + 9 damage. combat. They are hiding behind the curtain and do m Battleaxe(weapon) At-Will not join the fight until the third round. Requirement: Foosteth must be in bugbear form. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC When the characters enter the Hall of Whispers, Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. read: M Jump Strike Recharge 5 6 Effect: Before or after the attack, Foosteth shifts 3 squares. The hallway opens into a roundish chamber. Seated in a Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC throne made from sharpened bones is a profoundly obese Hit: 4d8 + 7 damage.
bugbear. A gaudy tapest ry stinking of milde w hangs across from the gruesome throne, which is topped by a humanoid skull. Two tough-looking bugbears stand guard nearby. A pair of shaggy wolves growl near a curtain against the far wall.
The adventurers have surprise if they bypassed the footchopper alarm trap in area 4, since Foosteth is confident that the trap will warn him against intruders. Otherwise, all the creatures in the room are ready and waiting.
Tactics Foosteth begins by taking wolf form, then springs from his throne with jump strike to attack the closest enemy. When he sees an enemy use an interesting encounter power, he attacks that target withpower feed. If he becomes bloodied and hasn’t yet used power feed , he uses it to gain an enemy’s at-will power. Foosteth exploits aura of madness to draw the adventurers deeper into the room and also to position his servants to get combat advantage when possible. The bugbears wheel out to either side of Foosteth, maneuvering to flank enemies with him so they
M Power Feed(psychic) Rechargeif the power misses Requirement: Foosteth must be in wolf form. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 5 psychic damage, and Foosteth gains one use of an at-will or encounter attack power that it has seen the target use during this encounter. Foosteth must use the gained power while in bugbear form and before the end of the encounter. The attack bonus for the power is +11 vs. AC and +9 vs. any other defense. The damage roll uses the ability score modifier of the creature from whom the power wa s chosen. The damage does not include any bonuses or penalties to the damage roll that the owner of the power might have.
M
A
Change Shape(polymorph) At-Will(1/round) Effect: Foosteth can alter his physical form to appear as a Medium wolf or a bugbear until he uses change shape again or until he drops to 0 hit points. He retains his statistics in his new form. His clothing, armor, and other possessions do not change. SkillsStealth +10 Str 19 (+7) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 15 (+5) Con 14 (+5) Int 13 (+4) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentbattleaxe
can use strangle . The dire wolves charge the nearest enemy and then stay as close as possible to Foosteth or a bugbear so they can knock enemies prone. At the start of the third round of combat, the norker slaves roll initiative. They come through the curtain and focus against any enemy that’s not already engaged in melee. All creatures except the stranglers fight to the death. The stranglers are willing to sacrifice themselves only so long as Foosteth lives. If he falls, they attempt to flee when reduced to 15 or fewer hit points.
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2 Bugbear Stranglers (B)
7
Level 6 Lurker
2 Hungry Dire Wolves (W)
Level 4 Skirmisher
5 Norker Slaves (N)
Level 3 Minion Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 250 each HP 58; Bloodied29 Initiative+11 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 18, Will 16 Perception+5 Low-light vision 8 Speed
Large natural beast XP 175 each HP 59; Bloodied29 Initiative+6 AC 18, Fortitude17, Reflex 16, Will 16 Perception+9 Low-light vision 6 Speed
Small elemental humanoid XP 38 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+4 AC 19, Fortitude16, Reflex 14, Will 13 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed
S
T
S
Pack Harrier The wolf has combat advan tage against any enemy that is adjacent to one or more of the wolf’s allies.
m Battleaxe(weapon)
A
m Morningstar(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage. M Strangle At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature granting combat advantage to the bugbear); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the target is grabbed (escape DC 19). Sustain Standard: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the grab persists until the end of the bugbear’s next turn.
M
A
Predatory Eye Encounter Effect: The bugbear deals 1d6 extra dam age on the next att ack it makes against a target granting it combat advantage before the end of its next turn.
T
A
Body Shield Recharge4 5 6 Trigger: An enemy makes a melee or ranged attack against the bugbear’s AC or Reflex while the bugbear is grabbing a creature. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The grabbed creature becomes the target instead. The bugbear can’t use this power to redirect attacks made by a creature it is grabbing. SkillsIntimidate +8, Stealth +12 Str 18 (+7) Dex 18 (+7) Wis 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 10 (+3) Cha 10 (+3) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentleather armor, morningstar, rope garrote
S
A
m Bite At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage, or 3d6 + 5 damage against a prone target. The target falls prone if the wolf has combat advantage against it. Str 19 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 14 (+4) Con 19 (+6) Int 5 (–1) Cha 11 (+2) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
A
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 5 damage, and the target is marked until the start of the norker’s next turn.
T
A
Horrid Endurance At-Will Trigger: The norker takes damage from an attack by an enemy adjacent to it. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The norker gains resist 5 all against the triggering attack. If the norker takes no damage from the attack, the triggering attacker takes 5 damage. Str 14 (+3) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 11 (+1) Con 17 (+4) Int 6 (–1) Cha 7 (–1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentbattleaxe
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Treasure:Foosteth keeps his loot in a pile in his quarters. It includes a 7th-level magic item, a ritual scroll of Remove Affliction, and 420 gp worth of residuum in a glass phial.
N
Possessed Skull Object
N
W
N
W N B
B
Level 6 Trap XP 100
Detect automatic Initiative+2 HP 5 AC 10, Fortitude5, Reflex 10, Will — Immunenecrotic, poison, psychic, forced movement, all conditions, ongoing damage
N
S
A
C Close Power At-Will Requirement/Effect: Foosteth must be dead. Attack: Close burst 5 (one creature in the burst); +9 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed u ntil the star t of the skull’s next tu rn,
F
and the skull slides each creature adjacent to the target 1 square.
C
Features of the Area Illumination:Candles burn in wall nooks in the walls throughout the throne room and Foosteth’s quarters, filling the area with dim light. Curtain: A heavy curtain separates the throne room from Foosteth’s quarters. Entering a square containing the curtain costs 2 squares of movement. A DC 10 Strength check (standard action) pulls the curtain down. JaggedThrone:A hideous chair made from human bones stands against the south wall. The bones jab out at odd angles. Any creature forcibly moved into the throne’s space takes 5 damage. Possessed Skull:Foosteth has attached the skull of the slain cultist to his throne as a trophy. When the barghest is slain, the cultist’s essence slips free and
returns to the skull. The skull’s eye sockets glow with power, and it rolls initiative and attacks. Tapestry:A mildewed tapestry hangs on the north wall, depicting battle scenes involving various humanoids. It is too damaged to be worth anything but can be pulled off the wall to hinder nearby enemies. Tapestry
Single-Use Terrain
A quick tug, and the t apestry han ging on th e wall flut ters to the ground, trapping anyone next to it.
Control:Any creature that picks up and holds the skull can choose its target, but if the attack misses, the creature holding the skull takes 5 psychic damage.
About the A uthor is an award-winning game designer who Robert J. Schwalb has contributed design to or developed over one hundred roleplaying game titles for D D , Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, A Song of Ice and Fire RPG, Star Wars RPG, and the d20 system . Some of his more recent work for Wizards of the Coast can be found in Player’s Handbook 3, Martial Power 2, and Draconomicon 2: Metal lic Dragons . In addition, he’s a regular contribu tor to both D and D magazines. Robert lives, works, and will probably die in Tennessee.
Standard Action You must be adjacent to the tapestry. Requirement: Check:DC 14 Athletics. Success:The tapestry falls. Target:Each creature in a close blast 3 adjacent to the tapestry Attack:+9 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is blinded and slowed until it is no longer underneath the tapestry.
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vagad Tw An advent ure for 4th-level ch aracter s
by Rob Wieland illustration by Wayne England cartography by Jason A. Engle
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“Vanguard Tower” is a short adventure for five 4th-level characters. As the adventurers are going about their business, they learn that a beholder has taken captured rust monsters to a tower for an unknown purpose, and their goal is to find out what’s going on at the tower and deal with the beholder. The tower was held srcinally by the bandit group called the Cats of Thleen . Will the heroes discover and prevent the exchange of a rust monster to a gnoll tribe? And what do they find in the tower if they succeed?
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Many adventurers come to the Chaos Scar looking for lost treasure, powerful magic, and vicious monsters to defeat. The Scar has all three in copious amounts, and some seek to make a profit by turning a negative into a positive—for them if nobody else. The beholder gauth n amed Shur-Tuuz is o ne such profiteer. Background Many adventurers come to the Chaos Scar looking for lost treasure, powerful magic, and vicious monsters to def eat. The Scar has a ll three in copious amounts, and some seek to make a profit by turning a negative (captured creatures such as rust monsters or the last known location of a missing band of would-be heroes) into a positive—for them if nobody else. The beholder gauth named Shur-Tuuz is one such profiteer, and its recent efforts have seen it lead a group of duergar to the tower, where it also hopes to profit by selling a couple of rust monsters to a band of local gnolls. The beholder already has the duergars’ payment for the information; now it seeks to gain payment for the rust monsters. After the beholder arrived at the location with the band of duergar, they all discovered that the tower hadn’t had inhabitants for a few months. Seeing another opportunity, Shur-T uuz sent its runner off to the gnolls, but also sent another back to one of its usual haunts to gather more forces. It wants to keep the tower as another base of operations. Thus far, Shur-Tuuz has succeeded at its endeavors to sell information and various “found” goods, and th is
tower could serve as a useful location for it. Storing vicious cr eatures i n some of its bases i s not convenient; this place, however, is far enough out that it can consider selling more dangerous creatures than rust monsters. Unfortu nately for Shur-Tuuz, a local druid saw its band heading toward the tower, plus the rust monsters, and she quickly made it known to contacts that something was going on at the tower. How this news reaches the ears of the adventurers is up to the DM (see some hooks below for ideas), but the druid and other folk are not happy wit h the idea of having a beholder in that tower, and they don’t appreciate the presence of rust monsters in t he area. The heroes might also know the former inhabitants of the tower and seek to discover what happened to them. Whatever the case, they arrive as t he negotiations fo r the rust monsters are taking place.
Hooking the Characters “Vanguard Towe r” takes place in the Chaos Scar. Use of one the following hooks to bring your characters into conflict w ith the new lord of Vanguard Tower.
Not Rust Monsters!:A druid who lives in the area of the tower saw the rust monsters being taken to the tower by the beholder. She made this information known to fr iends of hers in various towns, and one of these friends approaches the heroes. He or she wants to alleviate the concerns the druid has about the rust monsters. Perha ps the druid finished handling a r ust monster menace elsewhere and wishes to prevent t his from happe ning agai n—but the beholder and its duergar entourage are beyond her ability to handle. Old Friends:The heroes could know any of the Vanguard Tower inhabitants. A rtemeque Labr uinn, the leader of the Cats of Thleen, could be an old friend of any unaligned heroes or the foe of any good heroes. Zagira could be a mentor to an arcane hero. Quillburn might have consulted on an arcane riddle or offered dungeoneering advice. The heroes receive word many months after t he fact that their old fr iend has built Vanguard Tower and is looking for adventurers to help tame the Scar. The heroes can use the tower as a base of operations for their adventures. When they reach the locat ion, though, t hey stumble across the beholder and its negotiations.
mAjor QueST: STop The BeholDer
The charac ters must kill the rust mons ters and find out what the beholder is doing in the tower. If all else fails, killing the beholder work s, too, without finding out anything as to its purpose for being there. Quest XP: 200 per character.
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A Noble Experi ment: A scholar studying the strange chaos metal wants to know the effect it has on rust monsters. Can they digest it? Does it mutate them like other creatures? The adventurers are put on the trail of a pair of rust monsters that leads them to the forest. The trail ends at the tower, so someone inside must have the rust monsters. Shur-Tuuz Must Pay:An ally of the heroes has been targeted by assassins. The heroes tracked down the source of the betrayal to Shur-Tuuz. The spies in the beholder’s employ have caused many setbacks in the lives of those who are looking to restore order to the wild lands of the Chaos Scar. If ShurTuuz were eliminated, the heroes would take one step closer to victory.
The Tower Formerly the base for the Cats of Thleen, the tower is being used for different purposes now. Both the srcinal purpose and the current condition of each floor are described below to allow DMs to use the tower for more than the adventure at hand. See “Using Vanguard Tower as a Hook” for more in formation on the tower’s backstory. Top Floor (An Interrupted Negotiation): Artemeque Labruinn, the leader of the Cats of Thleen, came to the Chaos Scar, realizing its potential as a base of operations. He reserved the top floor for himself as a library, where he would carefully plan the Cats’ next big heist. Over the years, he has collected information about the Scar and those interested in it. Someday, he hopes that selling th is collection of lore will allow him to retire. Cur rently the room is the location where the gnoll and beholder are meeting to make the exchange.
Middle Floor (Snake Charmers): Zagira, a dragonborn mystic, accompanied Artemeque to the area. The mystic spends most of her time studying the meteor, because she seeks to harness its power. Zagira took over the middle floor of the tower, though she is
rarely there. Instead, she wanders the Scar seeking out the strange interaction between the metal and arcane energy. When she first arrived, she turned her floor into a series of interconnected teleportation wards to allow the Cats to teleport to any one of their
uSinG vAnGuArD Tower AS A hook
If you have time to set it up beforehand, Vanguard Tower makes an excellent base of operations for a Chaos Scar campaign. Labruinn and the Cats of Thleen can act as allies that provide a safe shelter in between encounters and serve as a source of rumors and research. This group of bandits walks the fine line between being folk heroes and outlaws. A person must have ended at least nine lives to join the Cats. The group targets the rich and others they believe can stand to lose some gold pieces, but they don’t always give to the poor. In essence, the Cats of Thleen serve themselves first and others second. They understand the importance of allies, however, so they do a good job of staying in the good graces of the common folk. The Cats live simply in the woods, but every month they take a chunk of their ill-gotten gains and spread them around the nearest town. Innkeepers and blacksmiths aren’t likely to sell out rogues if they want to stay well-paid. Also, those willing to pursue the thieves into the dangerous Scar are either foolhardy enough to get themselves killed or brave enough the Cats might want them as part of the gang. If not allies, the Cats of Thleen could also be friendly rivals, spurring the heroes to greater deeds through competition and the quest for bragging rights. They might ride to your heroes’ aid in case an encounter goes poorly—but demand payment for their efforts. Today, nobody knows what happened to the Cats of Thleen. Their activities dropped off dramatically a few months ago, so now people suspect that something has happened to them. Some believe that creatures of the Chaos Scar might have overtaken them. Others think that the law might have finally caught up with them. Some, though, wonder if they might have moved on to easier lands to pillage. A couple of folk speculate that the Cats could still be hiding out in the forest, waiting for the word from Artemeque to strike. As an alternative to rumors of the disappearance of the Cats, a relatively recent attack on the tower makes for an excellent cliffhanger. Imagine the heroes, flush with gold and treasure, returning to Vanguard Tower to talk of their latest triumph. Perhaps before they reach the doors they stumble across the body of one of the Cats, which gives them warning that something isn’t right. Before they approach the tower, if the session was nearing its end anyway, you could give the players enough clues to have them realize that the haven they thought was safe for their characters is not—then end the session.
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bases hidden within t he forest. Today, several gnolls plus their snake pets are keeping watch on this floor while the negotiations take place on the floor above them. Ground Floor (Ambush in the Dark): The third Cat, Jorg Quillburn, is a dwarf expert of elemental earth magic. Quillburn’s elementals built the tower, and Quillburn chose to take over the base floor of the tower and make it into an art gallery of sorts. He likes to sculpt statues in his spare time, using his mastery of stone to create works of art. His last big score was stealing an artifact from the duergar and hiding it in one of his sculptures. Several duergar, who are here thanks to the beholder’s information, are attempting to locate the item.
Shur-Tuuz Shur-Tuuz likes to acquire information, items, and creatures to sell to others, and he has a small customer base built up already. If you, as the DM, already have an organization in place that would find ShurTuuz useful, consider having Shur-Tuuz be an agent of that organization with a clientele that he gained from his affiliation with the organization. Otherwise, the beholder is an entrepreneur who started successfully building up his own business just over a year ago. Regardless of where you decide Shur-Tuuz fits in your campaign, though, he believes that the information in the tower will add to his profits in some manner and intends to start going through the library that the Cats have acquired.
The Gnolls The gnolls are recent clients of Shur-Tuuz, and they just established a foothold in an area that the adventurers haven’t yet explored, or perhaps they’re
taking over an area that the adventurers have already cleared. After all, when one menace vanishes, another one might appear to take its place.
Conclusion
The heroes might wish to use the tower as a base of operations for their further adventures in the Chaos Scar. The characters can shore up the physical Treasure defenses easily and use it as a place to store their treaThe following treasure parcels can be found in Vansure. The adventurers might also wish to seek out the guard Tower. The magic items should be useful to history of those who lived in the tower before them your characters and themed to the fallen heroes that and complete any unfinished business. The fate of the built the t ower. Cats of Thleen is left open. Perhaps they were killed, or perhaps they retreated to another hideout with Parcel 1: 8 gold circlets grander treasures hidden away. (worth 50 gp each), 20 gp Ambush in the Dark On the other hand, the heroes might believe the Parcel 2: Level 5 magic item, alexandrite (worth 50 gp), 40 gp Snake Charmers tower has been corrupted too thoroughly. Destroying Parcel 3: the tower can be as simple as a ritual discovered in Level 7 magic item An Interrupt ed Negotiation the library or as involved as putting the ghost of Jorg Quillburn or another Cat of Thleen to rest. If the journals survived the encounter on the top Read or paraphrase the following when the floor, they are an excellent source of maps, cryptic adventurers reach the base of Vanguard Tower: entries, and encoded pages leading to ot her adventures in the Scar or wherever the heroes turn their The rectangular tower juts out of the ground, combining attention next. natural and structured features in unusual ways. Its sides The beholder gauth is also an excellent link to are like craggy rock faces rather than smooth chiseled stone. another adventure. The gauth could have been an Windows in the sides of the structure look like natural alcoves, agent of an enemy the heroes have already made. The yet the sun glints off glass set within each alcove. Two large beholder could also be a pawn sacrificed to see how doors at the base of the tower open into darkness, and th e much of a threat the heroes are becoming. Additionsounds of pick and shovel on stone echo within the str ucture. ally, the gnolls that meet with the beholder brought a magic item as payment for the rust monster. Whoever The tower is 50 feet tall, and the other f loors can be owned that item srcinally will probably want it back. accessed through windows (DC 15 Climb check to About the Author reach each window). Coming in through the windows Rob Wielandwrites about pirates, gangsters, Jedi, and will change the order of the encounters but have no dragons. He would like to thank everyone who ever spent effect on the encounters themselves. In fact, if the time in his basement, cramped apartments, and dining room heroes think to peer into the windows, feel free to helping him tell stories over dice and pizza. He lives in scenic Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is honored to be working on the give them a preview of the monsters inside the tower.
Getting Started
granddaddy of the m all: D
D
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GrounD Floor:
Tactics
AmBuSh in The DArk
The duergars’ limited knowledge of elemental magic allows them to control this room of the tower and turn it to their advantage. By shutting the doors and sealing the windows, the room is entirely enclosed in darkness and swings the encounter space into favoring the duergar. The guards engage the heroes as close to their entry point as possible. They try to keep the scouts free to rain down ranged attacks on their opponents. If the miners have been eliminated, the guards concentrate their attacks on any heroes bearing a light source, but they do not break off to close the doors if they are open. If the adventurers draw their own illumina-
Encounter Level 4 (850 XP)
Setup 2 duergar guards (G) 3 duergar miners(M) 2 duergar scouts(S) The duergar are chipping away at the corrupted stones that make up the tower. The Cats of Thleen took something from them before they went missing, and the duergar are tearing the room apart to bring it back home. Anyone pausing to listen to them talk in Deep Speech can hear that they’re searching for an item of importance to them. Read the following when the heroes enter the room, either through the main doors or through one of the windows around the tower: The base of the tower is a mess. What was once a welcoming area is n ow little m ore than a jun k room. Smashed statues litter the floor. Beautiful tapestries lie tattered on the ground or have been used to tie off rough mining equipment. The guttural chatter drops off suddenly. The sound of work comes to a stop, replaced by a slow rhythmic thumping. Duergar mash their tools on the ground, creating a deafening beat in the room. Suddenly, the windows seal close and the doors slam shut. The only thing you hear is the angry pounding. The only thing you see in the darkness is the glow of seven pairs of eyes.
tion devices, such as torches or sunrods, the miners attack the individuals bearing a light source. If a light source is dropped on the floor, one of the duergar miners moves to pick up t he item and bury it in one of the rock piles with a minor action. If the miner places it in the rock pile, the light source is considered extinguished. The duergar scouts do their best to stay to the shadows and use their underdark sneak and shadow attack . They engage the heroes at range and try to keep the long hallways between themselves and the heroes. They target any heroes with ranged abilities first , then heroes with light sources.
Features of the Area Illumination:None. The heroes can force t he doors open to allow some light in the room. Breaking open the doors requires a DC 17 Dungeoneering
check. If the doors are opened, the only squares still bathed in darkness are the ones behind the stairs leading up to the next level. Rock Piles:The piles of rocks are considered difficult terrain. The treasure parcel is hidden under the 10-by-5 foot pile.
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5
2 Duergar Guards (G)
Level 4 Soldier
3 Duergar Miners (M)
Medium natural humanoid HP 58; Bloodied29 AC 21, Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 15 Darkvision Speed Resist 5 fire, 5 poison
XP 175 each Initiative+6 Perception+4 5
Medium natural humanoid XP 50 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+3 AC 20, Fortitude17, Reflex 14, Will 17 Perception+4 Darkvision 5 Speed Resist 5 fire, 5 poison
S
A
m Warhammer(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 6 dam age. Effect: The duergar guard marks the target until the end of the target’s next turn.
M
A
Infernal Anger(fire) Recharge5 6 Effect: Until the start of the guard’s next turn, its melee attacks deal 4 extra fire damage, and if an enemy adjacent to the guard moves, the guard can shift 1 square as an immediate reaction.
r Infernal Quills(poison) Encounter Attack: Ranged 3 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both). Skills Dungeoneering +9 Str 14 (+4) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Equipmentchainmail, warhammer
S
Level 5 Minion Brute
A
m Warhammer(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage. Skills Dungeoneering +9 Str 17 (+5) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 14 (+4) Con 20 (+7) Int 10 (+2) Cha 7 (+0) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Equipmentchainmail, warhammer
2 Duergar Scouts (S)
Level 4 Lurker
Medium natural humanoid HP 48; Bloodied24 AC 18, Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 16 Darkvision Speed Resist5 fire, 5 poison
XP 175 each Initiative+8 Perception+9
T Shadow Attack The duergar scout ’s attacks deal 4d6 ex tra damage when the scout hits a target that cannot see it.
S
A
m Warhammer(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 4 d amage. r Crossbow(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage. Underdark Sneak At-Will Effect: The scout becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it hits or misses with an attack.
M
A
r Infernal Quills(poison) Encounter Attack: Ranged 3 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both). Skills Dungeoneering +9, Stealth +9 Str 13 (+3) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 14 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Equipmentchainmail, warhammer, crossbow
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miDDle Floor:
Tactics
SnAke chArmerS
The spitting cobras spit at anyone coming up the stairs and then withdraw down the hallway as the gnolls advance. They try to hit as many different targets as they can before they are killed. The deathpledged attack whichever hallway has fewer minions after the first round. They target any controllers first if any cobras are left. The gnoll war fang accompanies the deathpledged gnolls, but as soon as one of the gnolls drops, it can no longer use its pack atta ck ability and should consider using the central wall teleport to single out
Encounter Level 4 (900 XP)
Setup Gnoll war fang (W) 2 deathpledged gnolls(G) 5 spitting cobras(C) The gnolls brought the cobras with them and watch them move in the hallway. The deathpledged do not move—they are ready to die for their leader at a moment’s notice. The five spitting cobras wait in the hall: two on either side of the stairs and one directly in front. Before the encounter, one snake attempts to sneak past the heroes by making a DC 14 Stealth check. A failed check triggers the encounter. Read the following when the heroes enter the room, either up the stai rs or through one of the windows around the tower, or when a snake fails a Stealth check: Numerous h isses echo though the hal ls of this l evel of the tower. A quick glance downward shows several large snakes writhing on the fl oor. They crawl over broken stone, cracked glass, and other broken belongings of those who once lived here.
any lone hero.
Features of the Area Illumination:Sunrods placed along the western and eastern walls illuminate the hall. Central Wall: The central wall is covered in strange markings. The gnoll war fang has painted similar markings on its chest. Once an encounter, it can touch the central wall and teleport to any square adjacent to it. A hero can attempt the same thing by painting sigils on a person with a DC 14 Arcana check as a standard action. Each hero can teleport once during the encounter as a move action.
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Gnoll War Fang (W)
7
Level 6 Soldier (Leader)
2 Deathpledged Gnolls (G)
Level 5 Brute
Medium natural humanoid HP 74; Bloodied37 AC 18, Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 16 Speed 8
TRAI TS
T
S
O War Fang Defense Aura 1
Pack Attack The gnoll’s attack s deal 5 extra damage to any enemy that has two or more of the gnoll’s allies adjacent to it.
m Bite (poison)
Allies within the aura gain a +2 bonus to AC. Pack Attack The war fang’s melee at tacks deal 5 ext ra damage against an enemy that has two or more gnoll allies adjacent to it.
STANDARD ACTIONS M Longsword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage, or 1d8 + 10 while the war fang is bloodied.
MINOR ACTIONS Demonic Challenge (fire)
At-Will(1/round)
Effect: The war fang mark s one enemy within 3 squares unt il the end of the encounter or until the war fang uses this power again. Until the mark ends, whenever the marked enemy makes an attack that does not include the war fang as a target, the marked enemy takes 10 fire damage.
S
XP 200 each Initiative+4 Perception+4 Low-light vision
5 Spitting Cobras (C)
Medium natural humanoid XP 250 HP 72; Bloodied36 Initiative+7 AC 22, Fortitude17, Reflex 16, Will 20 Perception+5 Low-light vision Speed
A
m Longspear(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 damage, or 2d6 + 11 while the gnoll is bloodied.
T
A
(healing) Claws of Yeenoghu Trigger: The gnoll fi rst drops to 0 hit point s. Effect (No Action): The gnoll regain s 5 hit points, g ains 1 action point, and gains resist 15 to all damage. At the end of its
Level 5 Minion Soldier
Small natural beast (reptile) XP 50 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+8 AC 21, Fortitude17, Reflex 18, Will 17 Perception+4 Low-light vision Speed 6, climb 6
A
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 6 poison damage, and the cobra marks the target until the end of the cobra’s next turn. r Blinding Spittle(poison) Recharge4 5 6 Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 6 poison damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). Str 7 (+0) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 15 (+4) Con 15 (+4) Int 1 (–3) Cha 10 (+2) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
next turn, the gnoll drops to 0 hit points. Str 18 (+6) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 14 (+4) Int 9 (+1) Cha 7 (+0) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Equipmentleather armor, light shield, longspear
TRIGGERED AC TIONS No Mercy At-Will Trigger: An enemy misses the war fang with a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction):One ally adjacent to the triggering enemy can make a melee basic attack against it as a free action. SkillsIntimidat e +12 Str 19 (+7) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 15 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 16 (+6) Cha 18 (+7) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Equipmentplate armor, longsword
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Top Floor: An inTerrupTeD neGoTiATion Encounter Level 5 (1,100 XP)
Setup Shur-Tuuz, beholder gauth(B) Gnoll huntmaster (G) 2 rust monsters(R) The beholder gauth is seated at the small table in the lower left hand corner. The magic item from the treasure parcel is located on the table. The beholder plans to pay Shur-Tuuz with it in e xchange for one of the rust monsters Shur-Tuuz has in its possession. The beholder and gnoll are speaking in a mix of Abyssal and Deep Speech. A character would need to understand both languages to follow their conversation.
If the heroes make their presence known, read the following, adjusting as needed to fit the circumstances: As you approach , the beh older dr ifts away from the table and turns its attentions to you. “Perhaps a bit of a break before we continue? I’m sure you’d like a demonstration.” The beholder barks a word and the bone cage clatters to the floor.
Tactics Shur-Tuuz fights the first part of the battle to show off to its potential client. It cycles through its eye ray powers, but once it is bloodied, it starts playing for keeps. The huntmaster stays out of the fight initially unless attacked. If Shur-Tuuz takes double digit damage from any attack, it convinces the huntmaster to aid it by giving the gnolls the rust monsters for free.
Features of the Area
Read the following when the heroes enter the Illumination:The fireplace offers the room, either up the stairs or through one of the primary source of illumination, though sunwindows a round the tower: rods in sconces along the wall also provide light around the edges of the room. Bookshel ves line one wal l of the area, an d an alchem y set Bookshelves:The bookshelves contain occupies a table near the stairs. Two rust monsters are journals from various adventurers as well as items curled up around the table. A glowing blue cage of bone that look delicious to the rust monsters. These joursurrounds the rust monsters. nals are an excellent source of additional hooks You hear the sounds of speech coming from the end of and later adventurers. The bookshelves can be the long bookshelves, but the voices are too hushed to make knocked over, dumping more food to distract t he out the language. Seated at a small table near the shelves rust monsters. If a rust monster begins its turn in an are two creatures. One is recognizable as a beholder, its eye overturned shelf, it spends its move action digging up stalks taking in the surroundings. The other is a gnoll with small pieces of metal. its hand on an item on the table.
Alchemis t’s Table:Adventurers can find enough components in the alchemy rig to make one potion of level 5 or lower. Blue Sigils:In addition, the blue sigils represent wards containing the rust monsters. Shur-Tuuz drops the wards at the beginning of the encounter but they can be brought back. Restoring the wards requires a DC 14 Arcana or Nature check as a standard action. The beholder automatically succeeds in restoring the wards with a minor action.
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Shur-Tuuz, Beholder Gauth (B) Level 5 Elite Artillery Gnoll Huntmaster (G)
Level 5 Artillery
2 Rust Monsters (R)
Level 6 Skirmisher
Medium aberrant magical beast XP 400 HP 102; Bloodied51 Initiative+4 AC 17, Fortitude16, Reflex 18, Will 19 Perception+10 All-around vision, darkvision 8 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover) Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
Medium natural humanoid XP 200 HP 50; Bloodied25 Initiative+4 AC 19, Fortitude17, Reflex 18, Will 15 Perception+11 Low-light vision Speed
Medium natural beast HP 66; Bloodied33 AC 20, Fortitude16, Reflex 21, Will 17 Speed 8
T
T
T All-Around Vision Enemies can’t gain combat advantage by flanking the gauth.
Pack Attack The gnoll’s attack s deal 5 extra damage to any enemy that has two or more of the gnoll’s allies adjacent to it.
S
S
Rusting Defense Whenever an attack using a metal weapon hits the rust monster, the weapon used in the attack is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the weapon is rusting, attacks with the weapon take a –1 penalty to attack rolls. If the weapon used to attack the rust monster is already rusting, the penalty to attack rolls worsens by 1 (to a maximum penalty of –5).
A
m Bite At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 5 damage. R Eye Rays At-Will Effect: The gauth uses t wo eye ray powers chosen from the list below. Each eye ray must target a different creature. Using eye rays does not provoke opportunity attacks. 1. Fire Ray (fire): Ranged 8; +10 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 6 fire damage. 2. Exhaustion Ray (necrotic): Ranged 8; +10 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). 3. Sleep Ray (charm): Ranged 8; +10 vs. Fortitude; the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is kno cked unconscious instead of slowed (save ends). 4. Telekinesis Ray: Ranged 8; +10 vs. Fortitude; the gauth slides the target up to 4 squares.
M
A
r Central Eye At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +10 vs. Will Hit: The target is immobi lized until the end of th e gauth’s next turn. Str 12 (+3) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 16 (+5) Con 15 (+4) Int 18 (+6) Cha 20 (+7) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech
A
m Handaxe(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 3 damage, or 2d6 + 5 while the gnoll is bloodied. R Longbow(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 30 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage, or 1d10 + 10 while the gnoll is bloodied. SkillsStealt h +11 Str 16 (+5) Dex 19 (+6) Wis 14 (+4) Con 14 (+4) Int 8 (+1) Cha 7 (+0) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Equipmentleather armor, handaxe, longbow, 30 arrows
S
XP 250 each Initiative+10 Perception+5 Low-light vision
A
m Bite At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage. If the target is wearing heavy armor, the armor is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the armor is rusting, the target takes a –1 penalty to AC. If the target is wearing armor that is already rusting, increase the penalty to AC by 1 (to a maximum penalty of –5). Effect: The rust mons ter shift s 1 square. M Devour Metal Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Melee 1 (one creature wearing or wielding a rusting item); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: The rustin g item is destroyed. I f the item was magical, residuum worth the item’s market value can be retrieved from the rust mon ster after the creatu re is slain. Str 8 (+2) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 15 (+5) Con 10 (+3) Int 2 (–1) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
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dvt 5t v ts By Robert J. Schwalb illustration by William O’Connor
cartography by Mike Schley
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
“The Slaver’s Stone” is an adventure for five 5thlevel characters. What appears to be a straightforward mission to rescue abducted folk from the settlement of Cled gets derailed by a betrayal.
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BackgrounD A few days ago, a wereboar slaver named Magrak Ironjaw attacked the remote village of Cled to capture prisoners he intended to sell as slaves. Magrak, his own troops, plus those of the Proud Boys bandits, led the prisoners across the King’s Wall and into the scar, bound for the Slaver’s Stone not far from the valley mouth. There, he hopes to offload the chattel to an orc chieftain who is known to be a good customer for slavers. Hot on the wereboar’s heels, however, is Cluff Maclire, chief and warleader at Cled. He nearly caught the slaver, but lost Magrak’s trail at the King’s Wall. Cluff then traveled to Restwell Keep, where he hopes to round up support from Lord Drysdale to rescue his people.
aDVenTure SynopSiS The adventure begins at Restwell Keep. There, the characters run across Cluff, who asks them for help after being rebuffed by the bailiff, who wants no trouble with the notorious slaver. Cluff, with his own warriors, the characters, and a guide named Zestren, heads into the Chaos Scar to pick up the bandits’ trail. The expedition winds up at the Crossroads where the Proud Boys, who parted ways with the wereboar, are camped. From them, the characters learn where Magrak was headed. The adventurers can then move to intercept the slaver band. They nearly catch up with them at the Stone Forest, a blighted area of petrified trees, but are delayed by several harpies. Magrak, it appears, offered the harpies a sacrifice—a young woman—to gain safe passage through their territory. If the characters
rescue her, they can learn important information about how to defeat the wereboar before he gets t o the Slaver’s Stone. That night, however, Zestren makes off with the captive and hauls her to the oracle at Cloven Skull. Cluff, dismayed, must choose to either follow the traitor or to push on to rescue the greater number of his folk.
planTing The SeeDS
If your group is not quite ready to handle this adventure, consider planting the following seeds so that when the characters hit 5th level, they’ll have extra incentive to hunt down Magrak. Maclire Clansperson: A character might have been born in Cled. Cluff is assumed to be human, but you can swap out his race to match a character in the party. Ties to the clan should be enough to draw the character into the plot. Magrak Encounter:The characters might meet Magrak in a tavern where he treats them poorly. Or they might encounter his handiwork when they discover a sacked village or a burned homestead. Because Magrak is likely more powerful than the adventurers, efforts to confront him should be difficult and include side treks to lure the adventurers onto different paths until they are ready for this adventure. Zestren: Drop Zestren’s level to one lower than the characters’ and have him accompany them as a companion character for a few encounters. This establishes a rapport between the party and the traitor.
The Consequences of Time Cautious adventurers might take one or more extended rests during the adventure. This is bad news for the poor prisoners, because the villains aren’t going to put their plans on hold for 6 hours. Luckily, extended resting shouldn’t be necessary thanks to the Companions (see below). Still, the adventurers might take their time, and if they do, they face specific consequences. First Extended Rest:Cluff and the minions abandon the party unless the characters can persuade them otherwise. You should run this as a complexity 1 skill challenge involving DC 17 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate checks. Success means Cluff sticks around. Failure means he doesn’t, resorting to combat if he must. Second Extended Rest: The captive at the Stone Forest is eaten. Add 1 orc chieftain (Monster Manual , page 204) and 8 orc warriors (Monster Manual , page 203) to Tactical Encounter 3: Chain Gang. Third Extended Rest:Magrak sells all the prisoners at the Slaver’s Stone and is gone by t he time the adventurers reach the place. The characters have failed. They might rescue the prisoners from the orc chieftain, though how this might play out is up to you.
Treasure “The Slaver’s Stone” awards six treasure parcels from party level 5. Items should come from the players’ wish lists. If t he characters near 6th level by the last encounter, add the remaining parcels for their level to make sure they are properly equipped. In that case, add the extra parcels to “Chain Gang” and “Eyes in the Darkness.”
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Parcel
Contents
10
110 gp
4
Level 6 item
5
2 potions of healing, 350 gp
8
300 gp, 400 sp
Location Bounty on Magrak’s Head “Local Color” “Local Color” “Dung and Feathers”
7
298 gp, 396 sp, 240 cp
9
Potion of lifeshield (AV 188), 80 gp
“Guardians of the Skull”
Level 9 magic item
“Eyes in the Dark”
1
Zestren plans to abduct a rescued prisoner at some point during the journey and bring the captive to the ghouls as a sacrifice. Zestren is not completely committed to t he plan and has not yet worked out how it will happen, so he is not beyond saving. If the opportunity presents itself, however, Zestren will take it and complete his slide into evil.
“Chain Gang”
Zestren Zestren joins Cluff Maclire’s expedition at Restwell Keep. He claims to know the land around the Scar well. Zestren has an ulterior motive in joining the group, however—he intends on betraying them. The eladrin is desperate to learn the fate of Riddle, his lover who was lost during another adventure long ago. Riddle was swallowed up in a dark portal beneath a rui ned keep somewhere near Winterhaven. Zestren has spent his time trying to recover his lover with little luck. Hi s efforts eventually put him on the path to the Lake Oracle who lived just outside the Scar in a cave known as the Cloven Skull. Zestren convinced himself the oracle was the only path to Riddle and thus sought her out. When he reached the site, he was barred passage to her by a pai r of wicked ghouls who demanded a living sacrifice before they would allow him passage. Zestren withdrew and stewed on their demand the long weeks since. The more he thought on it, the more convinced he became that it was the only way. When he heard of Cluff’s predicament, he was certain it would give him the means to acquire a suitable sacrifice while still doing some good.
Minor QueST: STop ZeSTren’ S Treachery
Unless stopped, Zestren steals a captive and makes off for the Cloven Skull to learn what secrets he can from the oracle. The adventurer s can foil this plot by uncovering his true motives or stopping him from escaping with a prisoner. Quest XP: 200 for the group.
Keep alone, hires the adventurers, and sends them on their way. Zestren appears at the Slaver’s Stone to steal a prisoner to give to the guardians.
Cluff Maclire Cluff Maclire is a middle-aged, lanky, pale human warrior with stringy brown hair going to gray. He wears a tartan k ilt and a leather jack studded with metal spikes. He carries a bastard sword in a sheath hanging down the middle of his back. He is a plain-spoken man with little patience for nonsense and no tolerance for cowardice. He has vowed to kill Magrak Ironjaw and save his people even if it costs his own life.
Zestren Zestren is a graceful eladrin warrior dressed in traveler’s clothing and chainmail covered by a long, blue-gray cloak. He carries a longsword in a scabbard hanging from his leather belt. He says little and appears to disdain humans.
coMpanionS
Something about Zestren
Two companion characters, Cluff and Zestren, plus ten minions join the characters’ adventuring group. Divide the minions between the players but consider controlling the two companion characters yourself. If you have too much to handle already, you can assign these characters to the players, but be sure to keep Zestren’s motives secret. A handout at the end of this adventure contains all the statistics for these characters. If Zestren becomes an enemy, use his statistics as given on page 11. The companions and minions add a new dimension to a traditional adventure, but if they prove too much to handle, you can adjust the adventure to run it without them. In that case, Cluff comes to Restwell
The characters have several opportunities to talk with Zestren before his betrayal. Learning more about him and winning his friendship can reveal what he intends. This skill challenge takes place over several hours and can be run during short rests or through roleplaying while the party travels. Level: 4 (XP 175) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills:Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight Arcana (DC 17; standard action; 1 success, maximum 1 success): The character identifies Zestren as a swordmage and recalls something useful about swordmage training, which can provide the character
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with a topic to discuss with Zestren (and allow for further bonding). Swordmages gain a +5 bonus to this check. Bluff (DC 12; 1 hour; 1 success, maximum 2 successes): A character uses false pretenses to learn more about Zestren. The first success reveals that he was an adventurer whose party met a terrible end beneath a ruined keep. A second success softens him up and he reveals a bit about Riddle, his lost love, though he keeps secret his efforts to recover her. A failed Bluff check results in two failures, closes off the Bluff skill for the duration of the challenge, and increases all other DCs by 2. Diplomacy (DC 12; 1 hour; 1 success, maximum 4 successes): A character tries to befriend Zestren. The first two successful checks reveal the same information as described under Bluff. The third check reveals a general dislike for humans over the fact that a human was responsible for Riddle’s apparent demise. A third or fourth success by the same character establishes a strong connection so that Zestren does not attack that character unless he is first attacked. Insight (DC 7; 1 hour; 1 success, maximum 2 successes): The character senses that Zestren is uneasy, and the uneasiness grows as the party travels into the Chaos Scar. A successful check by 5 or more grants an extra success and also identifies that Zestren is grieving. A character gains a bonus to Diplomacy checks made during this challenge equal to the number of successes earned from Insight checks. Secondary Skill:Arcana Arcana (DC 17; standard action; +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks): A character mentions something about magic that impresses Zestren. A successful check grants the character a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks for the duration of the challenge.
Success:The character or characters gain Zestren’s trust and he divulges his whole sorry tale, including his terrible plan. He accepts any solution the characters put forward—killing the ghouls, offering a villain as a sacrifice, or something else. Failure: Zestren goes through with the plan. Also, add 1 cackling harpy to Tactical Encounter 2: Stone Forest.
geTTing STarTeD The adventure begins in Restwell Keep (see “The Keep on the Chaos Scar” in Dungeon 176). The adventurers can be at the Keep for a variety of reasons, such as picking up supplies, gathering information about another lead, or simply taking some well-deserved downtime between expeditions. Restwell Keep is an excellent base of operations, and likely the characters are not strangers to the place. Once the adventurers conduct all their business, introduce them to Cluff Maclire. Cluff is at the following locations at the indicated times. 1. Main Gate (late morning): Cluff and his warriors enter the community to speak with the bailiff. 2a. Bailiff ’s Tower (late morning): The bailiff, who wants nothing to do with Magrak Ironjaw, informs Cluff that he intends to send out a force to deal with the slaver and then never does. 9. Fountain Square (midday): Cluff makes a scene by haranguing locals about Magrak Ironjaw and what he did to Cluff’s folk—namely how the brute stole their women and burned down their huts. After a few minutes of this, Kendon Longstrider and a handful of guards come in and break up the assembly to scattered applause. Cluff storms away to drink off his rage at the Stumbling Giant.
11. The Stumbling Giant (afternoon until morning):Cluff and company knock back grog at the Giant. As the hours wear on, their sobriety diminishes until the entire band passes out sometime after midnight.
Talking with Cluff The characters should run across Cluff in the Keep. Make it clear that he’s an unhappy man on a mission. Characters who approach him should learn the following bits of information. Cluff Maclire is the chief of Clan Maclire, a proud warrior tribe with a settlement several leagues to the north “as the crow flies.” A few days back while Cluff and the warriors were orc-hunting, a coward named Magrak Ironjaw raided the settlement, “burning all our homes and stealing t he women who chose to stay behind.” He knows it was Magrak because “the women gave as good as they got and the coward left his dead and dying behind for our questioning.” Cluff is sure he can find the slaver at the Crossroads. He intends to head there first thing in the morning and “give that brigand the killing he’s earned.” Any interest expressed by the characters about Cluff’s predicament results in the chieftain pushing hard to recruit the adventurers to help him. At first, he runs w ith the honor bit—“An honorable warrior could see the righteousness of our cause.” If that fails, he resorts to g uilt—“You wouldn’t doom innocents to an unspeakable fate, would you?” Finally, he settles for insults—“Well, I can see you lack the stones to go with real warriors. When we get back, I’ll teach you the basics of how to handle a spear.” If none of those
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efforts works, Cluff and Zestren leave with their small group of warriors but without the characters. Three days later, one of those warriors returns to describe how the expedition ended in ruin. Led by their guide Zestren, a few of the best hunters sneaked into the slavers’ camp at night and freed just one person, a young woman. Cluff hoped that she could provide information that would help the warriors defeat the slavers and release all the captives. Before the warriors could strike in force, harpies ambushed them at the Stone Forest. During that fight, Zestren and the rescued woman ran off, leaving everyone else to their fate. As word of this spreads, Lord Drysdale raises the bounty for Magrak Ironjaw’s head to 110 gp and also offers 50 gp for Zest ren’s head.
Major QueST: reScue Maclire’S aBDucTeD kin
The chara cter s must trac k down Magr ak Ironja w and free the captives before he sells them to the orc chieftain. Quest XP: 200 per per character.
Preliminary Investigation Before heading off to confront the wereboar at the Crossroads, the characters might be keen to ask around a bit to learn what they can.
Cluff Maclire A loudmouth and braggart, he talks big but no one around here has ever heard of him before (DC 7
Streetwise). The Maclire clansmen are fringe-dwellers, having little to do with civilized folks. Funny how they come crying for help when they have to pay for their independence (DC 12 Streetwise).
Crossroads Never heard of it (DC 7 Streetwise). Oh, that’s a nasty place all right. I hear them humanoids in the Scar string up those who offend them from the Gibbet Tree (DC 12 Streetwise). It’s a bad place to linger, sure, but it’s also about the closest one comes to civilization in that terrible place. Lots of bad folk meet there (DC 17 Streetwise).
Magrak Ironjaw Magrak Ironjaw is a warrior, slaver, and bandit. Because of his depredations, Lord Drysdale has offered a 110 gp bounty for Ironjaw’s head. Few people have tried to hunt him down, and those who have never return (DC 7 Streetwise). Magrak is a wereboar, a breed of lycanthrope t hat can tra nsform into a horrid dire boar (DC 12 Streetwise). He runs with a mixed band of orcs, half-orcs, and other scum. Because he provides a needed commodity (slaves), he comes and goes as he pleases in the Chaos Scar (DC 17).
Zestren Zestren is new to the keep, having been around only for a few days. He keeps to himself and says little to anyone (DC 12 Street wise). He perks up when anyone mentions Magrak Ironjaw (DC 17 Streetwise). Some say he’s the only survivor of an adventuring group that met their match in a dungeon near Winterhaven (DC 22 Streetwise).
on The way Reaching the C rossroads involves following the old trail toward the Chaos Scar. The characters might encounter a few locals along the way. Consider injecting one or two of the following encounters during the trek to the Crossroads.
Escaped Prisoner One of Magrak’s prisoners, a handsome young woman from Cled, escaped the wereboar. Unfortunately, Magrak dispatched his warriors to chase her down. Once the characters defeat the pursuers, then find the woman, Allysen can tell the adventurers that Magrak is headed for some place called t he Slaver’s Stone, though she doesn’t know where that is. Cluff, if with the part y, sends two warriors to escort her back to their lands. Level 4 Encounter (XP 900) 6 orc raiders (level 3 skirm isher,Monster Manual page 203)
Howling Pack A gnoll band spills across the countryside to attack the adventurers. They are undeterred by the characters’ greater numbers. The gnolls’ erratic behavior comes from the meal they made on strange mushrooms found in a nearby glade. Level 5 Encounter (XP 1,200) 2 gnoll claw fighters (level 6 skirmisher,Monster Manual page 132) 1 gnoll huntmaster (level 5 artillery, Monster Manual page 132) 4 hyenas (level 2 skirm isher,Monster Manual page 166)
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oTher MeThoDS
The players might concoct some other way to tr ack down Magrak rather than confronting the Proud Boys at the Crossroads. Using a ritual, scouring the lands around the Chaos Scar, or implementing some other method are all fine. You can still run “Local Color” as written; just change the environment. The Proud Boys might ambush the characters on the way to the Stone Forest or on the way back to Restwell Keep.
Roaming Dead A reckless necromancer was killed when he tried to raise an undead army. The results of his foolish ritual now roam the Chaos Scar. Level 4 Encounter (XP 900) 2 wights (level 5 skirmisher, Monster Manual page 262) 20 decrepit skeletons (level 1 minion, Monster Manual page 234)
1. croSSroaDS The Crossroads are beyond the King’s Wall, about halfway to the Chaos Scar, at the juncture of the main trail and a second, smaller trail that leads to the north. Veterans of the Chaos Scar might have been here before (see “The Crossroads” in Dungeon 176 for an overview of the site) and might have left a mark here—such as killing all the locals and burning the
place to the ground. If your players have been here before, adjust the following text as needed. When the characters approach the Crossroads, read: The muddy path leads to a road junction where you see a wooden fort and a couple of buildings. A large, metal construction stands to one side, and from it hang iron cages. Ravens clot the cages, gorging themselves on the contents. The Proud Boys gang camps near the trading post. They are cruel brigands who sometimes work with Magrak when he needs more muscle than his own team can provide. The bandits accompanied Magrak on his last expedition but split off from him to spend their pay at the trading post. The characters can beat the information they need from the brigands and, in fact, this might be the best approach. In that case, go to Tactical Encounter 1: Local Color.
Alternatively, cautious adventurers might try talking (or, they might beat the needed information from a captive after defeating the bandits). In that case, run the “Interrogating the Brigands” skill challenge. If parley occurs first, the bandit captain, a wily half-elf named Carrus, does the talking. Carrus is unpleasant, has a foul mouth, and a leering eye. Otherwise, the same information can come from any of the bandits. Characters gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks if they defeat the bandits first.
Interrogating the Brigands Skill Challenge Level: 5 (200 XP) Complexity:1 (4 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills:Bluff, History, Insight, Intimidate, special Bluff (DC 17; 1 minute; 1 success, maximum 2 successes): A character uses deception to winkle out the truth. The first success reveals the bandits are called the Proud Boys and that they “ain’t afraid o’ no ’venturers.” A second success gets them to admit they
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know Magrak Ironjaw, “jes saw ’im the day a’fore.” A successful check by 5 or more results in an extra success. A failed check nets a failure and closes off Bluff. History (DC 17; 1 minute; 1 success, maximum 1 success): A character recalls some exploit attributed to the Proud Boys. A successful check reveals the Boys are a gang who sometimes join forces with more powerful groups. Success by 5 or more lets the character remember the Boys once double-crossed an ogre named Blath and it’s said he still has an axe to grind against them. This information grants the character a +2 bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks for the duration of the challenge. Insight (DC 12; 1 minute; 1 success, maximum 1 success): The character reads the bandits. A successful check reveals they are intimidated by numbers and might respond to violence. Intimidate (DC 12; 1 minute; 1 success, maximum 2 successes): The character uses threats to start them talking with the same results as described under Bluff. Special: A character that kills a Proud Boy bandit gets their attention and earns the heroes 1 success. Killing a second bandit earns 1 failure and ends the skill challenge in failure if it happens before the combat. Success:The captain (or prisoner) reveals that they had hooked up with Magrak and helped raid a settlement beyond the wall. Magrak paid them and left them here. They think Magrak is headed to the Slaver’s Stone, “just beyond the Stone Forest.” They can provide directions. After the heroes depart, the bandits track them and attack the first time the heroes camp for an extended rest. Failure: If the failure comes before combat, the bandits attack. If it comes after, the adventurers
learn the same information as above, but the bandits follow them and attack while the heroes are engaged against the harpies in Tactical Encounter 2: Dung and Feathers.
2. STone foreST The Stone Forest is not an actual forest but rather a collection of monoliths set here by people unknown for purposes unknown. Some claim they are teeth liberated from a primordial’s mouth by a deft swing of Moradin’s hammer. Curious srcins aside, the Stone Forest is a popular roosti ng place for a band of harpies, who make it their business to torment folk coming and going from the Scar. Most locals tolerate their presence and bullying demands. Magrak is just such a local, and he offered one of his captives to silence the shrieking flock. The Stone Forest stands between the Slaver’s Stone and the Crossroads. The group can circumvent it easily, but trekking off the trail invites contact with other things haunting these parts (see “On the Way,” above, for possibilities). In any event, the heroes are bound to hear the shrieking cries and the shouted curses from their captive. Adventurers passing through learn the harpies’ demand. Groups can pass freely if they offer up one of their members (a minion w ill do), a pile of gold (at least 5 gp per traveler), or some other valuable trinket. The harpies readily betray Magrak, tell ing the adventurers, if they ask, that he came this way. The harpies attack anyone who refuses to pay for their passage. Under no circumstances will they release their prisoner voluntarily. Go to Tactical Encounter 2: Dung and Feathers.
Betrayal If the adventurers haven’t yet uncovered Zestren’s sinister motives by the time the combat starts, Zestren uses the chaos in the battle to snatch Lysa and make off with her. Zestren attacks the woman, knocking her unconscious. He then races off to the north to hand her over to the ghouls. If the characters stop Zestren and take him alive, they can get his story. Use the “Something about Zestren” skill challenge, substituting Intimidate for Diplomacy and fear for friendship. On the other hand, if Zestren escapes with Lysa, the characters must decide whether to give chase or to confront Magrak. Cluff, assuming he’s still alive, argues they should press on (one life is not worth t he dozen he hopes to save). He does not, however, stop the characters from going to rescue Lysa, saying he hopes to “see them once they settle that business.”
<< BEGIN SIDEBAR >> Major QueST: help ZeSTren
Zestren is desperate to learn what befell Riddle and how to bring her back. He begs the characters to help him restore Riddle or at least learn what happened to her. XP Reward: 350 per character.
<< END SIDEBAR >>
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Pursuing Zestren The adventurers might chase Zestren straightaway, in which case they have a chance to stop him before he reaches the Cloven Skull, or they might wait until the Magrak matter is concluded, thus consigning poor Lysa to certain death. The following skill challenge applies in either situation. 6 Level: 5 (200 XP) Complexity:1 (requires 4 s uccesses before 3 failures) Primary Skills:Athletics, Endurance, Perception Athletics (DC 12, group check; variable time; 1 success, maximum 1 success): An Athletics group check must be attempted, and it can be attempted only once. The characters run to catch up with the eladrin if chasing him or must overcome some natural obstacle while tracking him. T his is a group skill check with a success earned if half or more of the party succeeds on their individual checks. Failure for the group earns both 1 failure and 1 success. Endurance (DC 17, group check; variable time; 1 success, maximum 1 success): An Endurance group check must be attempted, and it can be attempted only once. The terrain is challenging, and the characters must struggle against its manifold hardships. This is a group skill check with a success earned if half or more of the party succeeds on their individual checks. Failure for the group earns both 1 failure and 1 success. Perception (DC 12, or 17 if tracking; variable time; 1 success, 2 successes maximum): A character tries to keep Zestren in sight or follow his tracks. Up to four characters can aid on this check. Success:If chasing, the characters catch up with Zestren, who surrenders and reveals the whole story. He begs the characters to help him pass by the guardians so he can speak with the oracle.
Failure: The characters find the Cloven Skull but get there too late to save Lysa. Proceed with “Seer in the Water,” below. Zestren
Level 4 Soldier
Medium fey humanoid, eladrin XP 175 HP 52; Bloodied26 Initiative+5 AC 21, Fortitude17, Reflex 17, Will 18 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed Saving Throws+5 against charm effects
S
A
m Longsword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Zestren’s next turn. M Greenflame Blade(fire, weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 fire damage. Each enemy adjacent to the target takes 3 fire damage. C Corrosive Ruin(acid, implement) Recharge5 6 Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +7 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 6 acid damage.
M
A
Fey Step(teleportation) Encounter Zestren teleports 5 squares.
T
A
Blinking Blade(fire, teleportation) At-Will Trigger: An adjacent enemy Zestren has marked shifts or makes an attack that does not include him as a target. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The triggering enemy takes 5 fire damage, and then Zestren teleports 3 squares. SkillsArcana +11, Athletics +10, Histor y +11 Str 16 (+5) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 8 (+1) Con 12 (+3) Int 18 (+6) Cha 12 (+3) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Elven Equipmenttraveler’s clothes, chainmail, longsword
Lysa, the Prisoner Assumi ng Lysa survives, she proves helpful. She is a strong-willed woman with brown hair and blue eyes, and she wears a torn shirt and skirt. She has a fiery disposition and a no-nonsense way about her. She knows the following: Magrak is headed to the Slaver’s Stone, where he’s to meet an orc chieft ain named Po to whom he hopes to offload his captives. The numbers and composition of Magrak ’s forces. That the Proud Boys were involved in the attack on Cled. Lysa is not about to go home. She joins Cluff’s forces, picking up spare armor and weapons from her cohorts.
3. SlaVer’S STone The Slaver’s Stone takes its name for the business conducted on the high, flat stone. Magrak named it himself. Magrak arrives at the Stone early and must wait several hours for the orc chieftain, Po, to arrive. If the characters arrive in time, which they do if they’ve been smart with their extended rests (see “The Consequences of Time” on page 5), they can catch the wereboar without the orcs to give him trouble. In this situation, allow the characters to see the camp and where the creatures are positioned. The characters can use Stealth against the sentries’ passive Perception to move into position and, most likely, take the entire camp by surprise. Go to Tactical Encounter 3: Chain Gang.
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4. The lake oracle Although tangential to the mai n plot, the characters might have cause to visit the seer of the Cloven Skull depending on how the story with Zestren plays out. The Lake Oracle is an insane steel dragon, driven mad through exposure to Far Realm bleed-through long ago. The dragon fled to the Chaos Scar to escape the voices and visions she experienced and now lairs in a dark cavern. She subsists on the blindfish swimming in the underground lake where she makes her home and has little to no contact with the other creatures found in her lair. Zestren knows the location of the Cloven Skull and can lead the characters there. Otherwise, the adventurers might come across the site through happenstance, to seek out answers to their own queries, or to deal with the evil believed to linger here. Although the oracle might be dealt with without combat, the self-styled guardians are dangerous.
The Cloven Skull The Cloven Skull is a queer rock formation in the side of the mountains forming the Chaos Scar and, as one might expect, it appears to be an enormous human skull chiseled from the stone and with a dark gap in the center. Go to Tactical Encounter 4: Guardians of the Skull.
Seer in the Water Beyond the ghouls at the Cloven Skull, the characters find a cramped, winding passage burrowing deep into the mountain. The adventure assumes the tunnel leads more or less straight to the oracle, but feel free to add an extra encounter or two if you like. When the adventurers reach the end, they are on the pebbled shore overlooking a broad, w ide lake teeming with pale crustacean s and darting blindfish. Some distance away is the small, rocky island where the oracle makes her home. If combat breaks out, go to Tactical Encounter 5: Eyes in the Dark . Heroes approaching the Lake Oracle with more discretion, however, can instead try to persuade the dragon to reveal a secret, foretell an event, or provide some other bit of information the characters need to learn. If the characters take this approach, run the “Consulting the Oracle” skill challenge.
Consulting the Oracle Skill Challenge Level:8 (XP 350) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures) Primary Skills: Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, History, Insight, special Arcana (DC 19; 5 minutes; 1 success, maximum 1 success): The character identifies the Far Realm influences in the dragon. A successful check, in addition to counting as a success, grants a +2 bonus to Bluff checks related to the challenge.
Bluff (DC 21; 1 minute; 1 success, maximum 4 successes): The character lies about the reason for wanting the knowledge. For every 5 points by which the check succeeds, the character earns an extra success. Each failed check, in addition to counting as a failure, increases the DC for all skill checks related to the challenge by 2. Diplomacy (DC 14; 5 minutes; 1 success, maximum 4 successes): The character makes an impassioned plea to the dragon, explaining the information’s importance. For every 5 points by which the check succeeds, the character earns an extra success. This skill can be used to gain 4 successes in this challenge. History (DC 19; 5 minutes; 1 success, maximum 1 success): The character recalls some interesting historical tidbit of interest to the dragon. In addition to counting as a success, a successful check also removes 1 failure. Insight (DC 8; 5 minutes; 1 success, maximum 1 success): The character tries to ascertain the dragon’s desires. A success reveals the dragon is quite mad. A successful check, in addition to counting as a success, grants a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks related t o the challenge. Success by 5 or more also reveals the dragon might accept a gift. Special: Offering the dragon a gift worth at least 400 gp grants 2 successes, with 1 additional success for each additional 100 gp of its worth. Secondary Skills:Intimidate Intimidate: The dragon does not respond to threats or bullying. Each attempted Intimidate check makes the dragon angrier and results in an automatic failure.
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Success:The dragon reveals useful information pertaining to the questions the characters put forward. The quality of this informat ion approximates to what a character might know with a successful DC 30 knowledge or monster knowledge check. This is an excellent place to see fut ure quests, foreshadow upcoming adventures, or reveal a secret about the campaign. If Zestren is with the party and he is allowed to ask after Riddle, the dragon reveals Riddle is dead and that her soul is being held by a necromancer named Kyrznan in the dark city of Gloomwrought (Manual of the Planes page 57). Riddle cannot be restored to life until the soul is first recovered. If the characters succeed on the skill challenge without accumulating any failures , the dragon rewards the character with the highest Charisma score a boon.
Whis pers from Beyon d
Level 9
You hear strange whispers and experience unsettling visions, yet from the confusing jumble can pick out use ful insights. 4,200 gp Legendary Boon Property:You gain a +1 item bonus to initiative and Perception checks. Power (Daily):Immediate Interrupt. Trigger: An enemy enters a square adjacent to you. Attack: Melee 1 (triggering enemy); level + 3 vs. Will.Hit: The target grants combat advantage and takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls that include you as a target until the end of your next turn.
concluSion The adventure ends when the characters rescue the prisoners from Magrak or, if the adventurers follow up on the oracle, after getting the information they or Zestren need (or slaying the dragon). If Cluff survives, he thanks t he heroes for their help and assures them they will be treated like kings the next time they come through Cled. If the characters helped Zestren learn Riddle’s fate (see Tactical Encounter 5: Eyes in the Dark for more i nformation on her fate), the eladrin is grieved by the knowledge but is more resolved than ever to hunt down t he necromancer and free Riddle’s soul. Whether the characters accompany Zestren and what such a mission might entail is up to you. You also have the matter of the orc chieftain. Po is angry about not getting his slaves and a little snooping around should garner him the names of the characters. He might seek revenge by attacking the adventurers later or mount an attack on Restwell Keep. If, though, the adventurers failed to rescue the prisoners, they might try to locate them and wrest them from the orc. What did he want the slaves for? Where are they? Do they still live?
About the Au thor is an award-winning game designer who Robert J. Schwalb has contributed design to or developed over one hundred ®, Warhamroleplaying game titles for D D mer Fantasy Roleplay, A Song of Ice and Fire RPG, Star Wars RPG, and the d20 system . Some of his more recent work for Wizards of the Coast is in Player’s Hand book 3, Martia l Power 2, and Draconomi con 2: Metallic D ragons . In addition, he’s a regular contributor to both Dragon and Dungeon magazines. Robert lives, works, and will probably die in Tennessee.
Failure: The dragon grows angry and attacks the heroes.
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1. lo cal color
If the heroes approach in the open, read:
Half-Orc Hunter (H)
Encounter Level 5 (1,025 XP)
A slim half-elf looks up from the mob and pins you wit h a suspicious glare. “Looks like you chose a bad day to stop by, right fellas?” Much laughter ensues.
Medium natural humanoid HP 62; Bloodied31 AC 19, Fortitude18, Reflex 18, Will 16 6 (8 while charging) Speed
Setup
XP 200 Initiative+7 Perception+3 Low-light vision
T
Half-Elf Bandit Captain (C)
1 half-elf bandit captain (C) 1 half-orc hunter(H) 1 human renegade mage (M) 8 Proud Boy bandits(P) 6
The bandits aided Magrak Ironjaw and now camp here, finding creative ways to spend their coin. They owe Magrak no particular loyalty and are open to discussion since they are not particularly interested in dying. The captain, hunter, mage, and four bandits are at the site. The other four bandits are off doing something bad in the trees. They come to investigate sounds of fighting at the start of the third round entering from the right side of the map. As noted above, if the characters arrive before the orcs, allow the characters to see the camp and where the creatures are positioned. The characters can use Stealth against the sentries’ passive Perception to move into position and possibly take the entire camp by surprise. When the heroes can see the encampment, read: In the shadow cas t by the wooden fort , you spy an encampment with a fire burning in the center. A little more than a half-dozen humanoids loiter, drink, and carouse. Each one wears a soiled bandage around his o r her left arm—probably a badge of some kind.
Level 5 Skirmisher
Level 6 Skirmisher (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid XP 250 HP 69; Bloodied34 Initiative+9 AC 20, Fortitude18, Reflex 19, Will 18 Perception+8 Low-light vision Speed
S
A
m Longsword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the captain shifts 1 square. r Dagger (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 5/10; +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d4 + 4 damage. M R Slash and Dash(weapon) Recharge4 5 6 Effect: The captain makes a longsword attack, shifts 2 squares, and then makes a dagger attack. M Triggering Slash (weapon) Recharge 5 6 Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and one ally shifts 1 square and makes a melee basic attack as a free action. SkillsAthletic s +11, Diplomacy +11, Insight +8, Stealth +12 Str 16 (+6) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 11 (+3) Con 13 (+4) Int 10 (+3) Cha 16 (+6) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Elven Equipmentleather armor, longsword, 6 daggers
Tactics The bandits fight simply, working in teams to flank while the mage hurlsmagic missiles and other spells into the party’s midst.
Draw First Blood The hunter’s melee att acks deal 1d10 extra damage against any target that has not yet taken damage during the encounter.
S
A
m Battleaxe (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 5 d amage. r Longbow (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 5 d amage. M Evasive Chop (weapon) At-Will Effect: Before and after the attack, the hunter shifts 1 square. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 5 d amage.
T
A
Furious Assault Encounter Trigger: The hunter deals damage with an attack. Effect (Free Action): The triggering attack deals 1d10 extra damage. Skills Endurance +9, Nature +8 Str 16 (+5) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 13 (+3) Con 14 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmentleather armor, battleaxe, longbow, 20 arrows
Botching the Encounter If the characters wipe out the bandits and learn nothing from them, all is not lost. Millen Silvereye, the psychic tiefling who runs the Trading Post, is relieved to be rid of the bandits and tells the characters everything they need to know in exchange for 50 gp. Substitute someone else if Millen is dead or gone.
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Human Renegade Mage (M) Medium natural humanoid HP 52; Bloodied26 AC 17, Fortitude13, Reflex 14, Will 15 Speed 6
S
Level 4 Controller XP 175 Initiative+4 Perception+5
A
m Quarterstaff (weapon)
S At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +7 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 damage. r Magic Missile (force, implement) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature) Effect: The target takes 5 force damage. R Brilliant Chains (implement, lightning) Encounter Primary Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +7 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 4 lightning damage, and the mage makes a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: Ranged 10 (two creatures within 5 squares of the primary target); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 4 lightning damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Whenever the target ends its turn more than 5 squares away from the primary target while it is slowed, it takes 5 lightning damage and the mage knocks the target prone. A Cacophonous Burst(implement, thunder) Encounter Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 squares (creatures in burst); +7 vs. Forti tude Hit: 1d6 + 4 thunder damage, the mage pushes the target 1 square, and the target becomes dazed (save ends).
T
8 Proud Boy Bandits (P)
Level 5 Minion Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid XP 50 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 19, Fortitude17, Reflex 17, Will 17 Perception+1 Speed 6
Features of the Area Treasure:The captain has a level 6 magic item. The bandits have 2 potions of healing and a sack of 350 gp (payment from Magrak).
A
m Club (weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 5 damage. R Crossbow(weapon) Recharges when bandit spends minor action to reload Attack: Ranged 15/30 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 6 damage.
T
A
C Fearful Scattering(fear)
Encounter Trigger: The bandit drops to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): Close burst 3 (ally minions in burst); the target shifts 1 square as a free action. Str 17 (+5) Con 13 (+3) AlignmentEvil
Dex 15 (+4) Wis 9 (+1) Int 8 (+1) Cha 12 (+3) LanguagesCommon
A
Deflecting Shield Encounter Trigger: The mage is the target of a melee or ranged attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The mage gains a +4 bonus to the defense targeted by the triggering attack until the end of the mage’s next turn. Skills Arcana +11 Str 10 (+2) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 17 (+5) Con 12 (+3) Int 18 (+6) Cha 12 (+3) Alignment Evil Languages Common Equipment robes, quarterstaff, orb
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2. Dung anD feaTherS Encounter Level 6 (1,400 XP)
Setup 7 cackling harpies(H) The harpies perch atop the monoliths. When the heroes come upon the Stone Teeth, read: Eight monoliths, each t wenty feet tall , rise around the t rail leading to the Scar. No stone stands straight; they lean as if they might fall at any moment. Lichen and dung stain the rocks, likely from the screeching bird women perched atop them. One calls out, “A gift and we shall let your band pass unharmed!” Just then , you hear a pitiful cr y sounding from atop the eighth st one, where you see a ter rified young woman searching for a way down.
7 Cackling Harpies (H)
Tactics The harpies start the f ight withfling f ilth attacks at the nearest enemies and then swoop down from their perches to makeswooping slash attacks and then land on another monolith. They fight until only two remain, at which point they kill their prisoner and fly off toward the valley.
Unstable Monolith
Single-Use Terrain
The spotted stone does not sit easily in the earth and might fall with a bit of pressure. Requirement:You must be adjacent to the monolith. Check:DC 21 Athletics check to topple the monolith Success:The monolith falls and makes the following attack. Target:Each creature in a close blast 3 away from the character making the check Attack:+9 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage, the monolith knocks the target prone, and the target has superior cover and cannot stand. The target can use the escape action (DC 15) to end the “cannot stand” condition. Miss:Half damage, and the target slides to the nearest unoccupied square adjacent to the blast.
S
Level 5 Disease
Enduranceimprove DC 17, maintain DC 12, worsen DC 11 or lower The target ! Initial Effect: !" The target takes a " Final State:The target takes a –2 penalty to AC, is cured. The target loses a –2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex. The target loses all healing surges healing surge. Fortitude, and Reflex. and cannot regain hit points.
XP 200 Initiative+8 Perception+3
A
m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage or 2d6 + 4 damage with combat advantage. M Swooping Slash At-Will Effect: The harpy fli es its speed and makes the foll owing attack at any one point during its movement. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the harpy slides the target 2 squares. R Fling Filth(disease) Recharge6 Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is ex posed to filth fever (see below) . C Curdling Screech (fear, psychic) Encounter Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +8 vs. Will Hit: 1d8 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage.
T
Filth Fever
Level 5 Skirmisher
Medium fey humanoid HP 62; Bloodied31 AC 19, Fortitude17, Reflex 18, Will 17 Speed6, fly 8 Immune filth fever
A
C Hideous Cackle(fear)
At-Will Trigger: The harpy hits with a melee or ranged attack. Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in burst) Effect: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn. Str 11 (+2) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 12 (+3) Con 14 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 14 (+4) Alignment Evil Languages Common
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Features of the Area Monolith:Each monolith stands 20 feet tall and counts as blocking terrain. A monolith has AC/Reflex 4, Fortitude 12, and 80 hit points. These stones have plenty of handholds and can be climbed with a DC 12 Athletics check. Furthermore, a good shove might knock a stone to the ground. Chained Prisoner(L): Use Cled warrior statistics for the prisoner, whose name is Lysa. She attacks any harpy she can reach on initiative count 10. Treasure:The har pies keep their wealth stashed atop one of the stones. It consists of 300 gp and 400 sp.
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3. chain gang Encounter Level 7 (1,628 XP)
Setup Magrak I ronjaw(M) 1 spiked blademaster(S) 2 orc reavers (R) 6 hobgoblin sentries(H) 6 mercenary archers(A) Magrak has set up camp around the Slaver’s Stone. He and his bladeling cohort sit around the campfire. The orc reavers guard the dozen prisoners. The hobgoblins hold positions to watch for enemies, while a few archers hide in the rocks so they can pick off intruders from cover and the rest take positions atop the drum. Magrak expects the orc chieftain, but anyone else gets one warning to “sod off” before he orders his force to attack. When the heroes see the encampment, read: A twenty-foot tall s tone drum with a cr ude stair wind ing all around rises in the center of an encampment, where you see several humanoids and their prisoners milling about. Perception DC 20: You spot a filthy human armed with a longbow hiding in the rocks.
Magrak Ironjaw (M)
Level 6 Elite Brute M Murderous Smash(weapon)
Large natural humanoid (shapechanger), wereboar XP 500 HP 172; Bloodied86 Initiative+3 AC 17, Fortitude23, Reflex 16, Will 17 Perception+4 Speed 6 (8 in boar form) Immunemoontusk fever; Vulnerablesilver (the wereboar loses regeneration until the end of its next turn) Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
T Bloodied Resilience While bloodied, Magrak gains a +2 bonus to all defenses. Regeneration (healing) Magrak regains 5 hit points whenever he starts his turn and has at least 1 hit point.
S
A
m Maul (weapon)
At-Will
Requirement: Magrak must be in humanoid form. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage. m Gore At-Will Requirement: Magrak must be in boar form. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage, ongoing 5 damage (save ends), and the target is exposed to moontusk fever (see below). If Magrak is bloodied, the attack deals ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
Moontusk Fever
Recharge5 6 Requirement: Magrak must be in humanoid form. Attack: Melee 1 (one bloodied creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 6 damage, and Magrak knocks the target prone.
M
A
Change Shape(polymorph) At-Will Magrak can alter his physical form to appear as a dire boar or a unique humanoid.
T
A
Death Strike Encounter Trigger: Magrak drops to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): Magrak makes a melee basic attack. Murderous Frenzy Encounter Trigger: Magrak reduces an enemy to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): Magrak gains 1 action point. Savage Rebuke At-Will Trigger: Magrak is hit by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): Magrak makes a melee basic attack. SkillsAthletics +13, Endurance +11, Intimidate +8 Str 20 (+8) Dex 10 (+3) Wis 12 (+4) Con 16 (+6) Int 10 (+3) Cha 11 (+3) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Equipmenthide armor, maul
Level 6 Disease
Enduranceimprove DC 17, maintain DC 12, worsen DC 11 or lower The target ! Initial Effect: !" While bloodied, the " Final State:When the target rolls a saving throw while is cured. The target takes target can roll only bloodied, it rolls two dice and takes the lower of the a –2 penalty to one saving throw at two results. saving throws the end of its turn, while bloodied. even if it is affected by multiple effects.
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Tactics Magrak doesn’t place much stock in group tactics and it shows in the forces under his command. Magrak prefers to fight in humanoid form, smashing enemies with maul and murderous smash. He uses change shape before he charges, so he can gore and expose his opponents to moontusk fever. The spiked blademaster is far more guarded in her approach. She engages the nearest knot of foes, using her aura and ensnaring spikes to lock down enemies. The blademaster holdsrazor storm as a defensive power to nail enemies crowding around her. The orcs abandon their prisoners on the first round by using ferocious charge to close the distance and then focus attacks on their targets until they can 6 Hobgoblin Sentries (H)
5
Level 4 Minion Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 44 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 20, Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 15 Perception+3 Low-light vision Speed
T Phalanx Soldier A hobgoblin sentry gains a +2 bonus to AC while at least one other hobgoblin with phalanx soldier is adjacent to it.
S
A
m Spear (weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage.
T
A
Hobgoblin Resilience Encounter Trigger: The hobgoblin suffers an effect that a save can end. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The hobgoblin makes a saving throw against the triggering effect. Str 18 (+6) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 9 (+1) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentchainmail, light shield, spear
use sudden charge. The minions fight simply. The sentries move to clump up into teams of two to benefit from their phalanx soldie r auras while the archers pick off any ranged enemies they can see. Spiked Blademaster (S)
Level 5 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid, bladeling HP 62; Bloodied31 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 15, Will 16 Speed 5 Resist5 acid
XP 200 Initiative+5 Perception+4
T O Blademaster’s Eye Aura 1 Any enemy that starts its turn within the aura becomes marked until the start of its next turn.
S
A
m Greatsword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage. M Power Strike(weapon) 2/Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 4 damage, and ongoing 3 damage (save ends).
M
A
C Razor Storm Encounter Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in burst); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage.
T
2 Orc Reavers (R)
Level 5 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid HP 65; Bloodied32 AC 19, Fortitude18, Reflex 15, Will 15 6 (8 when charging) Speed
S
XP 200 each Initiative+5 Perception+3 Low-light vision
A
m Battleaxe(weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage or 1d10 + 6 damage against a prone target. M Ferocious Charge(weapon) Recharges when bloodied Effect: The orc charges and makes the follo wing attack in place of a melee basic attack. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 4 damage, and the orc knocks the target prone. M Warrior’s Surge(healing, weapon) Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage, and the orc regains 16 hit points.
T
A
M Sudden Charge(weapon) Encounter Trigger: The orc reduces an enemy to 0 hit points. Effect (Free Action): The orc charges the nearest the enemy. Str 19 (+6) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 12 (+3) Con 17 (+5) Int 6 (+0) Cha 8 (+1) AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmenthide armor, heavy shield, battleaxe
A
M Ensnaring Spikes At-Will Requirement: The blademaster’s razor storm power must be unexpended. Trigger: An adjacent enemy the blademaster has marked would move or shift. Attack (Free Action): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 5 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of its turn. Skills Intimidate +7 Str 19 (+6) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 15 (+4) Con 14 (+4) Int 9 (+1) Cha 10 (+2) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, greatsword
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6 Mercenary Archers (A)
Level 4 Minion Artillery
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 44 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 16, Fortitude16, Reflex 16, Will 15 Perception+8 Speed 6
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 4 damage. r Longbow(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 5 damage.
T
A
Scatter At-Will Trigger: An ally the archer can see drops to 0 hit points. Effect (Free Action): The archer shifts 1 square. SkillsStealth +10 Str 14 (+4) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 12 (+3) Con 10 (+2) Int 8 (+1) Cha 9 (+1) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, short sword, longbow, 20 arrows
Features of the Area Rocks: The large rocks jutting from the ground count as difficult terrain and grant cover to creatures fully in their spaces. Prone creatures fully in these spaces gain superior cover. Slaver’s Stone: A wide and 20-foottall stone platform occupies the camp’s center. The stairs winding around the platform are difficult terrain. A fall from the top deals 2d10 damage. Prisoners:The twelve prisoners are in chains and immobilized. Freeing a prisoner requires a DC 17 Thievery or DC 19 Strength check. The chain can also be attacked: AC/Reflex 8, Fortitude 8, 60 hp. The prisoners use Cled warrior statistics except their melee basic attacks deal half damage until they are armed. Treasure:Magrak has a sack filled with coins that includes 298 gp, 396 sp, and 240 cp.
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4 Centipede Scuttlers (S)
4. guarDianS of
Tactics
The Skull
The ghouls hold positions in front of the gap, using claw attacks or ghoulish bite attacks against immobilized and stunned opponents. The centipedes boil out from the darkness at the start of the second round, climbing up the walls and circling behind the heroes to bite and feed.
Encounter Level 5 (1,100 XP)
Setup 2 ghouls (G) 4 centipede scuttlers(S) Two ghouls along with their pet centipedes established themselves here to exact payment from any who would treat with the oracle, a fee of which the oracle is unaware and never receives. T he undead prefer living gifts for passage, and anyone who offers a sacrifice can move through the gap unmolested.
2 Ghouls (G)
Level 5 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 200 each HP 63; Bloodied31 Initiative+8 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 20, Will 17 Perception+2 8,Speed climb 4 Darkvisio n Immunedisease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable5 radiant
S
A
A massive stone sk ull with a split dow n the middle juts f rom the side of a rocky wall. Humanoid skulls with bits of flesh still clinging to the bone stand in piles and hang in bundles from ropes on either sid e of the fissure.
m Claws At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). M Ghoulish Bite At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one immobilized, stunned, or unconscious creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 4 damage, and the target is stunned (save ends). Skills Stealth +11 Str 14 (+4) Dex 19 (+6) Wis 11 (+2)
If the heroes approach, read:
Con 15 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 12 (+3) AlignmentChaotic evil LanguagesCommon
Otherwise, theywho block anyone from entering, happily attacking those try. When the heroes reach the Cloven Skull, read:
Level 4 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast HP 51; Bloodied25 AC 18, Fortitude16, Reflex 18, Will 14 8, climb 8 (spider climb) Speed
S
XP 175 each Initiative+8 Perception+2 Darkvision
A
m Bite (poison)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 2 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). A target already taking ongoing poison damage is also weakened (save ends). M Feed At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one weakened creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 2 damage.
M
A
Scuttle At-Will The centipede shif ts 4 squares. W hen it shift s into an ally’s space, that movement does not count toward the 4 squares the centipede can shift. Skills Stealth +11 Str 14 (+4) Dex 18 (+6) Con 11 (+2) Int 2 (–2) AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Wis 10 (+2) Cha 9 (+1)
Two filthy humanoids dressed in befouled rags emerge from the gap, m ouths s pread wide in h orrid s miles of jagged teet h and long black tongue. They s pread their t hin arms in welcome, showing stained hands ending in sharp talons. One says, “See the oracle? Pay price. One life and you may pass .”
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Features of the Area Cloven Skull:The gap in the skull leads into a dark and winding passage that eventually ends at a subterranean lake. Skull Stacks:Humanoid skulls stand in neat stacks to either side of the gap. The stacks count as blocking terrain. All squares within 3 squares of each stack count as necrotic ground. Creatures that spend healing surges on necrotic ground regain only half the normal number of hit points. Treasure:Scattered across the ground before the fissure are 80 gp and one potion of lifeshield (level 5, Adventurer’s Vault, page 188).
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5. eyeS in The Dark Encounter Level 8 (1,850 XP)
Setup Lake Oracle (O) 12 murk wretches(W) The Lake Oracle lurks on the island in the lake’s center. The murk wretches, horrid petitioners driven mad by the Oracle’s revelations, haunt the water and emerge to join the fight should the dragon come under attack. When the heroes enter this cavern, read: The tunnel ends at a stony shore against which oily black water laps. A rocky island r ises from the waters som e distance away, where you can just make out a humanoid figure crouching by the lake. The heroes can catch the Lake Oracle’s attention by calling to her. She climbs on a small boat and rows to the opposite shore. When the Oracle reaches the heroes, read: A pale human woman with white, unse eing eyes regards you through dirty gray strands of hair. She wears nothing, but is unashamed by her nakedness. She says, “You have come seeking knowledge. Tell me why I should cast aside mystery’s veil.”
Lake Oracle (O)
Level 6 Solo Controller M
Large natural magical beast (blind, dragon, shapechanger), steel dragon XP 1,250 HP 288; Bloodied 144 Initiative+4 AC 20, Fortitude19, Reflex 17, Will 20 Perception+11 8, fly 10 (hover) Blind, blindsight 10 Speed Immune blinded, gaze ; Resist 15 force Saving Throws+5; Action Points2
T O Aura of Madness Aura 3 Whenever a creature starts its turn within the aura, the Lake Oracle can slide the target 1 square as an opportunity action.
S
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m Bite (force)
At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage plus 1d8 force damage, and the Lake Oracle slides the target 1 square. m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage. M Double Attack At-Will Effect: The Lake Oracle makes two claw attacks. C Breath Weapon(force) Recharge5 6 Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in blast); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 4 force damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Half damage. C Frightful Presence (fear) Encounter Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in burst); +10 vs. Will Hit: The target is st unned until the end of the L ake Oracle’s next turn. Afteref fect: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
Tactics The dragon drops her disguise, uses frightfu l presence, and then spends an action point to use herbreath weapon. The dragon then moves away, flying near the ceiling or near the island untilbreath weapon
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M Portent At-Will, 1/round Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Will Hit: Until the end of the Lake Oracle’s next turn, the target takes a –2 penalty to any attack that includes the dragon as a target and the target grants combat advantage. Change Shape(polymorph) At-Will The lake oracle can alter it s physical form to appear as a unique human.
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M Wing Scatter At-Will Trigger: An enemy moves into an adjacent square. Attack (Immediate Reacti on): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the Lake Oracle knocks the target prone. Effect: The Lake Oracle shifts 1 square and flies 3 squares. C Bloodied Breath Encounter Trigger: The Lake Oracle is first bloodied in the encounter. Effect (Free Action): Breath weapon recharges, and the Lake Oracle uses it. SkillsArcana +9, Bluff +12, Insight +11 Str 17 (+6) Dex 13 (+4) Wis 17 (+6) Con 16 (+6) Int 12 (+4) Cha 19 (+7) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Draconic
recharges. She uses melee attacks against any creature that closes on her. Her servants emerge from the waters to drag people on the shore into the water.
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12 Murk Wretches (W)
Level 5 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic, blind) XP 50 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+4 AC 17, Fortitude18, Reflex 17, Will 16 Perception+3 6, swim 3 Blind, blindsight 10 Speed Immune blinded, gaze
T Aquatic The wretch can breathe und erwater. In aquati c combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures.
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m Claws At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 5 damage, the wretch shifts 1 square, and the wretch pulls the target 1 square to a square adjacent to it. Skills Stealth +9 Str 17 (+5) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 12 (+3) Con 14 (+4) Int 6 (+0) Cha 8 (+1) AlignmentEvil
LanguagesElven
Features of the Area Illumination:This room is dark. Ceiling:The ceiling is 30 feet overhead. Water:Water squares adjacent to the shore count as difficult terrain. Beyond these squares, a character must swim (DC 10 Athletics check). Skiff: The boat can hold two Medium or Small creatures. Characters standing on the boat that make an attack must immediately succeed on a DC 12 Acrobatics check or fall prone in the boat. Failure by 5 or more topples the character into the water. Treasure:If the dragon does not grant the heroes a boon, they can find a level 9 magic item on the rocks where the dragon lairs.
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prinT T hiS page for playerS running cluff, ZeST ren, or The cleD warriorS. Cluff Maclire
Level 4 Soldier (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 52; Bloodied26; Surges8 AC 19, Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 18 Speed 6
S
XP — Initiative+6 Perception+7
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Cled Warrior
Level 4 Minion Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid, human XP — HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+4 AC 18, Fortitude16, Reflex 16, Will 16 Perception+2 6 Speed 6
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m Bastard Sword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 7 dam age. r Javelin(weapon) 2/Encounter Attack: Ranged 10/20 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 7 damage. M Wolf Pack Tactics(martial, weapon) At-Will Effect: Before the attack, one ally adjacent to you or the target can shift 1 square as a free action.
m Spear(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 5 damage (6 damage when charging).
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 7 dam age. M Hold the Line(martial, weapon) Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 7 dam age. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, allies adjacent to you gain a +2 power bonus to AC and cannot be pushed, pulled, or slid.
Equipmenthide armor, spear
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Knight’s Move Encounter Effect: Ranged 10 (one ally); the target takes a move action as a free action.
M
A
Leader(healing) 2/Encounter Effect: Close burst 5 (one ally); the target can spend a healing surge. SkillsIntimidate +10 Str 18 (+6) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 10 (+2) Con 12 (+3) Int 8 (+1) Cha 16 (+5) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon, Dwarven Equipmentleather armor, bastard sword, 2 javelins
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Deft Advance At-Will The warrior shi fts 2 square s. Str 14 (+4) Dex 11 (+2) Wis 10 (+2) Con 12 (+3) Int 9 (+1) Cha 8 (+1) AlignmentUnaligned LanguagesCommon
Zestren
Level 4 Soldier
Medium fey humanoid, eladrin XP 175 HP 52; Bloodied26 Initiative+5 AC 21, Fortitude17, Reflex 17, Will 18 Perception+1 Low-light vision Speed Saving Throws+5 against charm effects
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m Longsword(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the end of Zestren’s next turn. M Greenflame Blade(fire, weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 fire damage. Each enemy adjacent to the target takes 3 fire damage. C Corrosive Ruin(acid, implement) Recharge5 6 Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in blast); +7 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 6 acid damage.
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Fey Step(teleportation) Encounter Zestren teleports 5 squares.
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Blinking Blade(fire, teleportation) At-Will Trigger: An adjacent enemy Zestren has marked shifts or makes an attack that does not include him as a target. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The triggering enemy takes 5 fire damage, and then Zestren teleports 3 squares. SkillsArcana +11, Athletics +10, Histor y +11 Str 16 (+5) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 8 (+1) Con 12 (+3) Int 18 (+6) Cha 12 (+3) AlignmentEvil LanguagesCommon, Elven Equipmenttraveler’s clothes, chainmail, longsword
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Scarred for Life A Chaos S car A dventure
By Andrew G. Schneider Illu strat ions by Sam Wood and Wayne England Cartography by Sean Macdonald
I NTRODUCTION An infamous, scar red outlaw has come out of hiding to resolve his strange connection to the Chaos Scar. The heroes must decide whether to bring the outlaw to long-deserved justice, or cooperate with him to lift an ancient curse. ® “Scarred for Life” is a D &D Chaos Scar adventure for cha racters of levels 7–9. You can change the names of personalities and places to suit your own campaign.
BACKGROU ND Four hundred years ago, a meteor collided with t he world and left a nast y gash acr oss the face of the Nentir Vale. Unbeknownst to anyone, the meteor also carried a passenger. An ancient beholder thought that it could hitch a ride on the meteor and touch down on a new world ripe for conquest. To surv ive the l ong journe y, the beholder wrapped itself in a protective coating of crysta l (using a unique version of the Stasis Shell r itual, presented in Dragon 366) and rode the meteor through t he depths of space. Unfortunately for the beholder, a fragment of its crystal shell broke off as the meteor entered the atmosphere. The fragment struck a young man named
TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rig hts reserved.
Keljack, scarring him. Because the beholder’s shell was now not complete, the creature was unable to break free of its crystal prison. It lies in wait for the day when the shard that is part of Keljack is reunited with the rest of the crysta l shell. In the meantime, destiny has not been kind to Keljack. Although the crystal fragment gifted Keljack with great longevity, his life has been filled with hardship and misfortune because of the disfigurement. That’s about to change. Now a well-known outlaw, Keljack recently discovered that his body is infused with energy similar to that coming from a particular area of the Chaos Scar. He traveled to the outskirts of the Scar and tried to pinpoint the source of t he energy. Though he could feel the location of the stasis crystal dimly, he knew the Scar was too dangerous for him to venture any farther into it by himself. As he returned from this journey back to the Nentir Vale, he rescued an ogre named Fool from a pack of mutated beasts, and the two became fast friends. Keljack has resolved to undertake an expedition deeper into the Scar, and to attract hirelings he has spread word of a grand treasure hunt. He and Fool are going to meet with a pair of notable bandit leaders and decide which of those groups best suits their needs.
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S Y NOPS IS Whi le travel ing bet ween Fallc rest a nd Rest well Keep, the adventurers stop at the Quarter Moon Inn. T hey encounter Keljack and Fool in the middle of negotiating with two groups of bandits, and t he talks are going poorly . The heroes can attempt to apprehend Kel jack, or they can join him on his “treasure hunt.” Keljack and Fool lead the adventurers into the Scar; the characters might be pursing them, or they might all be traveling together. Either way, the heroes must contend with servants of the trapped beholder before arriving at the stasis crystal. In the final encounter, Keljack’s proximity to the beholder finally releases the creature from the crystal. The adventurers must prevail over the beholder before deciding Keljack’s ultimate fate.
GETTING T HE CHARACTERS I NVOLVED When the adventure starts, t he heroes find themselves in one of two situations.
Hook 1: Meeting the Blades Some inexperienced adventurers calling themselves Bathram’s Blades are at the Nentir Inn in Fallcrest celebrating their return from their first expedition into the Chaos Scar. Between drunken tales of their exploits, the Blades talk about the close call they had with the outlaw Keljack and his new ogre sidekick, Fool. The two were seen on the southern edge of the King’s Wall about a week ago as the Blades traveled away from the Scar, and they might still be in the area. Someone suggests that the Quarter Moon Inn, on the road between Fallcrest and Restwell Keep, gets
a lot of traffic to and from the Scar, so it would be a good place to go for more information. If you’re using this hook, the Blades can impart any of the commonly held beliefs about Keljack (see below) if any character makes a successful DC 12 Streetwise check.
Hook 2: Action at the Inn The heroes are passing by the Quarter Moon Inn and decide to stop for a meal at t he moment Keljack is concluding his negotiations inside with t wo groups of bandits. If you’re using this hook, the adventure start s without any prelude, and the characters learn about Keljack and his situation as the plot unfolds.
K ELJACK Keljack is well known throughout the Nentir Vale and the lands surrounding the Chaos Scar. Bandit leader, outlaw, mercenary—Keljack has been all of these things and more. Bards say he was birthed from the egg of a red dragon, yet appears human. The scar that mars his face grants him immense power, they say. Unequaled in skill with a longsword, he never draws first and never attacks without warning. Many people in the Nentir Vale consider Keljack a celebrity, even as they fear his presence. He is a man whom people love to hate, even if his reputation far surpasses his actual abilities. The truth is far less colorful. Keljack, born Kellem Jackson, was a teenager when the meteor that caused the Chaos Scar passed overhead. A fragment of the beholder’s stasis shell broke off as t he meteor entered the atmosphere, and that sliver struck Kellem in the face. He survived, but the fragment transferred its magic into Kellem’s body and left him bearing a large, vivid scar. Those who looked upon him immediately
afterward saw his disfigurement, coinciding as it did with the meteor’s arrival, as a n ill omen, and he was ostracized. Bitter and angry, Kellem resolved that if people were going to curse his name, they would do so because of his deeds and not because of his disfigurement. He stole his fat her’s longsword, joined a local bandit gang, a nd never looked back. Wanting no connection with the hapless farmer he had once been, he changed his name to Keljack and embarked on a career of banditry and terror. For reasons Keljack doesn’t understand, he suffers periodic bouts of madness. When he comes to his senses, his body is rejuvenated and revitalized, but his skills are rusty from disuse. What he doesn’t realize is that the magic of the shard that struck him is keeping him from aging, but at the same time that sliver is tainted by its connection to the beholder—it imbues Keljack with a healt hy dose of the beholder’s own insanity and paranoia. As the shard keeps him young, it also regularly drives him insane. During his periods of lucidity, Keljack returns to and remains in the Nentir Vale. He has found that the farther removed he is from the Chaos Scar, the more easily he can stave off the madness. Even so, the bouts of insanity are lasting longer and longer, and he wonders if the day m ight come when he never regains his senses. Recently, Keljack ambushed a wandering scholar in search of loot. The woman had no valuables, but she escaped with her life and health by telling the outlaw something he had never heard before: Magic emanated from Keljack, and it was similar to the energy that her fellow scholars had detected deep within the southern forest of the Chaos Scar. Keljack suspected this energy was related to his madness, so he traveled to the Scar to find the truth. Even though he sensed the stasis crystal somewhere ahead of him, he realized that he was no match for the monsters of the Scar and turned back. On his way
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out, he saved the life of the ogre named Fool, and the two quickly became friends. Now, Keljack and Fool are at the Quarter Moon Inn to meet with prospective hirelings. Keljack feels that another bout of insanity is fast approaching, and this upcoming expedition could be his last chance to find out the truth about himself before he loses his mind once more. Keljack
Level 8 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 85; Bloodied42 AC 22, Fortitude19, Reflex 22, Will 21 Speed 6
XP 350 Initiative+11 Perception+3
T Half-Remembered Swordplay Whenever Keljack hits an enemy that is granting combat advantage to him, he also imposes a random effect on that enemy. Roll a d4: 1. The enemy is dazed (save ends). 2. The enemy is immobilized (save ends). 3. The enemy is slowed (save ends). 4. The enemy takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
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m Longsword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage. M Fumbled FootworkF At-Will Effect: Keljack shifts up to 1d6 + 2 squares away from his starting position and uses longsword at any point during the move.
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A
F Recharge4 5 6 Left-Handed Parry Trigger: Keljack is hit by a melee or a ranged attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Roll a d20. On a 10 or higher, the triggering attack misses. SkillsAthletics +12, Bluf f +12, Diplomacy +12 Str 16 (+7) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 9 (+3) Con 13 (+5) Int 10 (+4) Cha 17 (+7) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, longsword, potion of healing
FOOL
Fool
This ogre is exceptionally intelligent. As he grew to adulthood and realized how different he was from the other ogres in his tribe, he decided to conceal his intelligence and act the part of a dimwit. Some time ago, his tribe came under the dominion of a red dragon named Maluriath, who had been corrupted by the chaotic energy of a Deck of Many Things . The dragon named the ogres after the various cards in the deck, and this particular ogre was dubbed “Fool.” Unlike the other ogres, Fool was smart enough to see that the dragon cared not for the tribe but only for itself. Determined to get his tribe out from under the dragon’s rule, he escaped and set out looking for help. As he reached the fringe of the Chaos Scar, he was attacked by monsters t hat threatened to end his quest before it could begin. Keljack was nearby when this assault occurred, and he helped Fool dispatch the monsters. When Keljack saved Fool’s life, Fool couldn’t believe his good fortune. Though his tribe hails from deep within t he Chaos Scar, Fool had heard stories of Keljack from travelers over the years. If anyone could defeat the dragon and free his people, it would be this man. He agreed to help Keljack solve the mystery of his scar and Keljack, in turn, agreed to help him vanquish the dragon afterward. Fool is in no way a stereotypical ogre. Smart, analytical, and difficult to anger, he tries to plan for every contingency. He maintains a “dumb ogre” facade, even away from his tribe, when dealing with those he doesn’t know. Never very social, Fool has found in Keljack something he never expected when he fled his tribe: a friend.
HP 93; Bloodied46 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 19, Will 19 Speed 8
Level 8 Soldier
Large natural humanoid (giant), ogre
XP 350 Initiative+8 Perception+6
T Master of Escape Fool can make saving throws against immobilized, restrained, and slowed effects at the start as well as at the end of his turn, even if the effect doesn’t normally end on a save.
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m Morningstar(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Fool’s next turn. M R Handaxe(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature) or Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone.
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Last One StandingF Encounter Trigger: An attack damages Fool while he is bloodied. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Fool gains 10 temporary hit points. SkillsThiever y +11 Str 22 (+10) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 15 (+6) Con 21 (+9) Int 20 (+9) Cha 8 (+3) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipment5 handaxes, morningstar, potion of healing
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T HE B EHOLDER At firs t, the beholder railed agai nst its imprisonment . The stasis shell t hat kept it alive during it s journey on the meteor now keeps it trapped until the missing shard can be reunited with the rest of the cr ystal. Through years of exper imentation, t he beholder figured out how to extend a small amount of its power beyond the crystal’s confines. Unwilling to become a curio in some wizard’s tower, the beholder dominated monsters and explorers that uncovered its resting place, and it used those captive creatures to ward off other snoopers. It s latest conquest is a small pack of gnolls. The beholder sensed when Keljack neared the Scar on his first expedition, and along the connection between itself and Keljack, it was able to perceive an image of the outlaw. Now most of its gnolls roam the Scar under specific orders to capture Keljack and bring him to the crystal.
P RICE ON T HEIR H EADS Faren Markelhay, Lord Warden of Fallcrest, is out to make a name for himself. Capturing Keljack would be a triumph for his political career, for the peace of the Nentir Vale, and for justice. He knows that going after Keljack personally would be foolhardy, especially since the outlaw has been seen with an ogre recently. But he’s pretty sure that raising the bounty on both of those outlaws will attract the talent needed to bring them in. Wanted posters (see below) are displayed prominently at inns and taverns throughout Fallcrest and the Nentir Vale. The accusations leveled at Keljack are largely true, though perhaps embellished by the passage of time. The accusations against Fool are entirely fabricated, but to the Lord Warden, they seem like crimes an ogre would commit.
Keljack FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The outcome of this adventure hinges on the adventurers’ interactions (or lack thereof) with Keljack and Fool. Roleplay Keljack and Fool to the hilt, especially in Encounter 1: Delicate Negotiations , so the adventurers have an opportunity to form their own opinions of the two outlaws.
By the order of the Lo rd Warden of Fallcrest, th e outlaw Keljack—known for the p rominent and distin ctive scar across his face, and being of moderate height and surly disposition—is wanted alive! He has pillaged, murdered, and committed a sundry host of villainous shenanigans too numerous to list. Any who deliver Keljack alive to Fallcrest will be paid the sum of 3,0 00 gold pieces .
Fool By the order of the Lo rd Warden of Fallcrest, an og re calling himself Fool, known to wield a morningstar and a handaxe, and also known to travel in the company of Keljack the outlaw, is wanted a live! He has committed murde r, destroyed property, and stolen sheep. Any who deliver this ogre alive to Fallcrest will receive the sum of 600 gold pieces.
COMPANION CHAR ACTERS
Keljack and Fool might accompany the adventurers on some of this adventure’s encounters. If they do so, give the players control of their actions in combat, using the provided statistics blocks. For more information about companion characters, see Dungeon Master’s Guide 2, pages 27–33.
E NCOUNTER SUMMARY Read the following section before beginning play to familiarize yourself with how the adventure flows. Once the encounters begin, each one leads directly into the next. When you’re done with the summar y, begin the adventure withEncounter 1: Delicate Negotiations.
The Quarter Moon Inn Between Fallcrest and Restwell Keep lies the Quarter Moon Inn, a roadside tavern and way station run by the halfling brothers Heller and Mir Halfmoon (cousins of Selarund Halfmoon in Fallcrest). Famed for its pies, both savory and sweet, the inn is a popular stopping point for travelers. Whether the adventurers track down Keljack and Fool (hook 1) or you use the outlaw duo as a chance encounter (hook 2), the adventurers come upon them in the inn as the two outlaws meet with a pair of bandit leaders.
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Following a Feeling Traveling through the Chaos Scar is neither safe nor easy. Accompanied by or in pursuit of Keljack, the adventurers must avoid the dangers of the Scar and the beholder’s forces as they make their way to the vast forest along the Scar’s southern border. These events lead up to Encounter 2: Into the Scar.
The Stream Crossing About a mile from the stasis cryst al, the part y comes to a fast-running stream beneath a beaver dam. Part of the stream is shallow enough to cross, but the beholder’s servants, gnolls and their trained owlbears, watch the crossing, ready to take advantage of the terrain to isolate and devour travelers. These events lead up to Encounter 3: The Stream.
The A ncient Forest Beyond the stream, the forest takes on a primeval look. The trees become larger, blotting out the sun, and the ground sinks into shallow swampland. The beholder’s stasis crystal landed here as the meteor tore its way into the Scar. Energy bleeding from the crystal has preserved this section of the forest as it was when the crystal landed. After the heroes have crossed or circumvented the stream, the adventure ends withEncounter 4: An End to Madness.
E NCOUNTER 1: DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS Encounter Level 9+ (2,100+ XP)
Setup Keljack (K) Fool (M) Char, tiefling occultist(O) Flip, gnome illusionist(G) 3 tiefling furies(F) 3 gnome assassins(A) Keljack is negotiating with two small-time bandit groups—Char’s a ndofFlip’s Shadows—for should have theFuries privilege accompanying himwho to his “treasure.” He thought to play one group off the other and gain a favorable cut of whatever is found within the Scar, but the negotiations have hit an impasse. Fabulous treasure is supposedly at stake, and neither group wants to allow the other to leave with Keljack. When the adventurers make their entrance, everything changes.
Moon, the half ling brothers Heller and Mir, are hiding in the kitchen until Keljack leaves, praying he doesn’t wreck the place.) If the adventurers look in a window, so that they can see and hear Keljack and Fool, read: A man with a scarred face is play ing cards with a tief ling and a gnome. An ogre sits by himself at a nearby table and sneers at the others. Allow the adventurers to be creative in planning their entrance to the inn. The outlaws have a passive Perception of 15 for noticing any sneaking or subterfuge. If the adventurers enter openly, Keljack greets them with a smile: The adventurers are just the type of people he seeks. He tries to use his reputation to convince the adventurers to help them find his “treasure.” His paranoia is hard at work, and already he doesn’t trust either Char or Flip. If the characters are persuaded to accompany Keljack and Fool, Char and Flip become enraged. They forge a temporary truce and gang up on the adventurers. If the adventurers try to put Keljack under arrest or if they charge into the tavern, Char and Flip fight to cover Keljack’s escape with the hope of rejoining him later.
As the advent urers approach the Quarte r Moon Inn, read: The Quarter Moon Inn looks busy today. Four strong If the heroes have come to arrest them, Keljack and horses are tethered out front, and chatter drifts through the Fool attempt to flee as soon as possible and in any doorway and windows. available direction—out the doors, through the windows, or up the stairs—though neither leaves the other The adventur ers notice the wanted poster s for behind if he appear s incapable of following. Keljack Keljack and Fool plastered on a board outside the steals a horse, trusting Fool’s natural speed to keep tavern. If they look around further, they can f ind up. They each have a potion of healing . a rear door and two more horses, around back. A If the adventurers plan to accompany Keljack, he second story has bedrooms where travelers can and Fool fight on their side against the other bandits. spend the night and windows that can be opened Fool’s preferred tactic, in either situation, is to cut without di ffic ulty. (T he owners of the Quar ter the chandelier with a thrown handaxe and send it
Tactics
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crashing down upon his enemies. For details on how to accomplish this, see the chandelier terrain power on page 8.
Features of the Area
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Illumination:Bright light. It’s around noon, with plenty of sunshine. Bar: The bottles of alcohol behind the bar can be used as one-handed improvised ranged or melee weapons. A bottle breaks after use, spreading f lammable alcohol in the square where it landed. If that square is included in a fire attack, flames burn there until the end of the encounter. Any creature that starts its turn there takes 1d8 fire damage. Chandelier:The chandelier hangs by a stout rope. A character adjacent to or beneath the chandelier can use it to swing over the battle. With a DC 15 Acrobatics check, an adventurer can move up to 4 squares. Doors: The front doors swing in both directions. The back door opens outward. A door can be broken with a DC 13 Strength check. Horses: The horses out front were ridden here by Char and his gang. The ones out back belong to Flip and the gnomes (who rode in t wo to a mount). Windows:The windows are large enough to pass through. They begin closed, and they can be broken as part of a move action with a DC 10 Strength check or as part of forced movement. Stairs Up: The large, open staircase leads up to the second floor. The stairs are difficult terrain. Stairs Down:Narrow stone steps lead to a 10-by10-foot lower chamber that serves a s a root cellar. Tables:The tables in the Quarter Moon provide partial cover whether they are upright or not. A table can be tipped over with a DC 10 Strength check. Treasure:The bandits have 500 gp from recent robberies plus two potions of he aling. Dead or alive, Char and Flip are worth 50 gp each in Fallcrest.
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Development If Keljack and Fool flee, they head for the Scar. Keljack is desperate now, betting that he and Fool alone can make it to the source of the strange energy. In any 5 case, he feels he has to try before the madness overtakes him once more. If Keljack and the adventurers team up, the outlaw leads the entire group into the Scar. In either case, proceed with Encounter 2: Into the Scar.
DEAD OR ALIVE?
3 Gnome Assassins (A)
Level 7 Skirmisher
XP 300 each HP 78; Bloodied39 Initiative+9 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 20, Will 19 Perception+9 Low-light vision Speed
Flip, Gnome Illusionist (G)
Small fey humanoid
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m Katar (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 8 damage, or 4d6 + 8 if the attack ended the gnome’s shade form.
M
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Shadow Step(teleportation) F At-Will Requirement: The gnome must be adjacent to a creature. Effect: The gnome teleports up to 3 squares to a square adjacent to a different creature, and any mark on the gnome ends.
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If the adventurers capture Keljack and Fool, the two outlaws do their best to convince the adventurers to
Shade FormF Rechargewhen first bloodied Effect: The gnome assumes a shadowy form that lasts until it makes an attack roll or until the end of its next turn.
helppersuades, them solveand the makes mysteroutlandish y of Keljack’s scar. Keljack lies, promises if he thinks it will do him any good; he has about 4,00 0 gp hidden in various locations around the Nentir Vale, though he’d rather not give it all up at once. Fool, for his part, talks of his enslaved tribe and argues cogently (dropping, whenever convenient, the “dumb ogre” act) for his and Keljack’s release. If the heroes insist on holding the outlaws captive, Fool’s ability to get out of certain kinds of restraining effects could come into play. If Keljack and the ogre manage to win free, the adventure continues just as it would have if the outlaws had escaped the inn. If the adventurers are determined and skilled enough to keep Keljack and Fool under arrest, later to be hanged for their crimes, it is ultimately up to you if the story of Keljack ends here.
While in this form, it is insubstantial and has vulnerable 5 radiant. In addition, it can make Stealth checks to become hidden if it has any cover or concealment. Sustain Minor: The shadowy fo rm persists un til the end of the gnome’s next turn. SkillsStealth +12 Str 10 (+3) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 13 (+4) Con 14 (+5) Int 14 (+5) Cha 16 (+6) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Elven Equipmentleather armor, 2 katars
Level 6 Artiller y
Small fey humanoid
5
XP 250 HP 57; Bloodied28 Initiative+5 AC 20, Fortitude15, Reflex 17, Will 18 Perception+4 Low-light vision Speed
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m Gnarled Staff(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage. A Bedazzle(illusion, implement, radiant) F At-Will Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 5 radiant damage, and the target grants combat advantage (save ends). C See Me Not(illusion, implement, psychic) F Recharge
56 Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in the blast); +9 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 10 psychic damage, and the target cannot see the gnome (save ends).
M
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There, Not There(illusion, teleportation) FEncounter Effect: The gnome teleports up to 5 squares and creates two duplicates of itself within 5 squares of its destination space. The duplicates last until the gnome attacks or until they are destroyed. Each duplicate has 1 hit point and the same ability scores and defenses as the gnome. The gnome can use it s actions to have a duplicate ac t in any way it could, except that the duplicates cannot use powers and cannot flank.
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Veil (illusion) F At-Will Effect: The gnome can disguise itself and up to three allies within 5 squares of it to appear as any Small or Medium creatures. A creature can see through the disguise with a successful Insight check opposed by the gnome’s Bluff check. SkillsBluf f +13, Stealth +12 Str 10 (+3) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 13 (+4) Con 15 (+5) Int 18 (+7) Cha 20 (+8) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Elven Equipmentrobes, gnarled staff (quarterstaff)
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3 Tief ling Furies (F)
Level 5 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid
6
XP 200 each HP 63; Bloodied31 Initiative+4 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 17, Will 18 Perception+2 Low-light vision Speed Resist 10 fire
S
A
m Longsword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage. Effect: The tiefling marks the target until the end of the target’s next turn.
T
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M Tail TripF At-Will Trigger: An enemy marked by the tiefling shifts. Attack (Immediate Int errupt): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: The target falls prone, and the tiefling uses longsword against it. Defiant CurseFAt-Will Trigger: An enemy hits the tiefling. Effect (Free Action): Close burst 10 (triggering enemy in the burst). The tiefling marks the target until the end of the target’s next turn. SkillsBluff +10, Stealth +7 Str 16 (+5) Dex 11 (+2) Wis 10 (+2) Con 15 (+4) Int 14 (+4) Cha 16 (+5) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, longsword
Char, Tief ling Occultist (O)
Level 8 Controller
Medium natural humanoid
6
XP 350 HP 87; Bloodied43 Initiative+4 AC 22, Fortitude18, Reflex 20, Will 22 Perception+5 Low-light vision Speed Resist10 fire
S
A
m Hell Rod(fire, implement) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 6 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends) A Soul Fire(fear, fire, implement, psychic) F At-Will Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Refl ex Hit: Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends). In addition, the first time t he target willingl y moves closer to the tief ling before the end of its next turn, the target takes 10 psychic damage. Miss: Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
M
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Chandelier Single-Use Terrain A large, ornate chandelier of iron and crystal hangs over the battlefield. It would be a pity if it fell to the ground. Standard Action Check:From a distance, to sever or loosen the rope or chain holding the chandelier aloft, make a ranged attack (the chandelier’s defenses are 14). Alternatively, you can spend a standard action to cut the rope while adjacent to either the chandelier or the rope or chain keeping it aloft. Success:The chandelier falls to the ground and smashes to pieces. Target:Each creature in an area burst 1 beneath the chandelier Attack:+12 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage. Miss: Half damage. Effect:The area where the chandelier fell becomes difficult terrain.
R Baleful Teleport(teleportation) F Recharge5 6
Effect: Before the attack, the tiefling teleports up to 10 squares. Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. Will Hit: The tief ling teleport s the target 10 squares to the square it just left.
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C Fiery Transposition(fire, teleportation) FEncounter Trigger: An enemy hits the tiefling. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Close burst 3 (creatures in the burst). Each target takes 5 fire damage, and then the tiefling and the triggering enemy teleport, swapping positions. Skills Bluff +14, Stealth +9 Str 10 (+4) Dex 11 (+4) Wis 13 (+5) Con 15 (+6) Int 17 (+7) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, rod
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E NCOUNTER 2: I N TO T HE S CA R Encounter Level 6 (1,000 XP) In this skill challenge, the adventurers must avoid the dangerous monsters that rove the Scar while helping Keljack locate the crystal or following his trail.
Skill Challenge Level: 6 (1,000 XP). Complexity:4 (requires 10 successes before 3 failures). Time Frame:Unless otherwise noted, each adventurer can make a check in this challenge once per day. Primary Skills:Arcana, Du ngeoneering, History, Nature, Stealth.
Arcana (DC 23, three successes maximum): If Keljack is with the party, the character boosts Keljack’s ability to detect the stasis crystal through other magical emanations that pervade the Scar. Or if Keljack is being pursued, the character detects and follows the energy coming from him. Dungeoneer ing (DC 23, four successes maximum): If Keljack is with the party, the character knows that many of the Scar’s inhabitants have been warped and twisted by the presence of the meteor, and he or she can predict the creatures’ preferred hunting grounds and behavioral patterns. Or if Keljack is being pursued, the character can perceive the effect of the strange energy associated with the meteor, and creatures of the Far Realm, before they are encountered. History (DC 15, two su ccesses maximum): The character recalls tales of other adventurers who have explored this area of the Chaos Scar. Although the stories are not current, they help the party avoid the area’s known threats. A result of 23 or higher on this check counts as two successes instead of one. If the adventurers earn both successes possible, they can then use Heal as a secondary skill in the challenge. Nature (DC 15, three successes maximum): The character understands clues—markings on trees, t he scarcity of other wildlife, distinctive droppings—that indicate that the adventurers are entering a dangerous creature’s territory well before they encounter the creature. Stealth (DC 15, four successes maximum): The character scouts ahead, determining the safest route through the area, or conceals the party’s tracks. A character who gets a result of 23 or higher on this check can
choose to remove a failure in the challenge rather than counting this result as a success. Secondary Skills:Heal, Perception. Heal (DC 23, usable only aft er two success ful Histor y checks): The character helps an ally fight off stress and exhaustion, granting the ally a +2 bonus to his or her next check in the challenge. Perception (DC 15): The character notices tracks or dangerous creatures before the adventurers are spotted in turn, granting a +2 bonus to the next Nature check or Stealth check made in the challenge. Special: Insight. Insight (DC 23): If the characters are traveling with Keljack, he becomes increasingly impatient and paranoid as the journey progresses. With a successful Insight check, a character discerns and reveals to the outlaw that Keljack’s actions are being influenced by an outside source related to the Far Realm. This knowledge makes Keljack redouble his efforts to see this quest through: The outlaw gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls until the end of the adventure. Success:The adventurers navigate the dangers of the Scar to arrive in the area of the stasis crystal. If the adventurers are pursuing Keljack, they arrive close behind him. Failure: The party is attacked by a group of gnolls in service to the trapped beholder. The gnolls have orders to capture Keljack and bring him to the stasis crystal (if he is present), or to kill any who approach the area of the crystal (if Keljack is traveling ahead of the characters). The gnolls include 2 blackfang feasters, 2 blackfang gravediggers, and 1 blackfang howler (1,200 XP, level 6 encounter, Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale). Treasure:None.
Development Proceed to Encounter 3: The Stream .
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E NCOUNTER 3: T HE S TREAM Encounter Level 8+ (1,850+ XP)
Setup 3 gnoll far fangs 1 gnoll pack lord 3 trained owlbears Keljack knows that the source of his feeling is in the primeval forest beyond the stream. The adventurers arrive here in his company, or close behind him, depending on their actions th roughout the adventure. The gnoll pack lord and the third trained owlbear are present only if the adventurers accompany Keljack and Fool. When the adventurers arrive at the stream, read: A fast-running st ream rushes from a nearby beaver d am. The trail leads to a shallow crossing before resuming on the other side. Gnolls in service to the trapped beholder patrol this crossing with several trained owlbears. They have slain the beavers that built this dam and now ambush any creatures crossing the stream. If the adventurers are pursuing Keljack, the outlaws were ambushed by the gnolls as they crossed the stream. Fool escaped, but Keljack was captured and is being taken to the beholder by the gnoll pack lord and one of the trained owlbears. The rest of the gnolls and the owlbears are lounging in the open, not expecting another group of trespassers so soon. If the adventurers and Keljack are traveling together, then the gnolls and the owlbears are hiding
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in the bushes across the stream, and the adventurers can spot them with a DC 22 Perception check. With a DC 16 Perception check, an adventurer notices numerous tracks, large and small, crisscrossing the trail on the other side of the stream.
Tactics If the monsters are encountered in the open, they take cover in the bushes and try to draw the adventurers across the stream before destroying the dam. If the monsters are in hiding, they try to ambush the first adventurer who steps past the flood line on their side of the stream. The pack lord then attempts to push the boulder into the dam, destroying it in hopes of separating the party. The gnolls have been instructed to kill any creature except Keljack that tries to enter the area. The gnolls fight to the death. If no gnolls are alive to direct them, the owlbears flee when bloodied.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light during the day or dim light at night. Beaver Dam:The gnolls have removed key pieces 8 of the dam so that it will fall apart when hit by the boulder. An adventurer can balance on the dam with a DC 16 Acrobatics check. Boulder: The boulder is perched on a steep rise over the dam and can be pushed into the dam with a DC 16 Strength check as a standard action. Bushes: The thick bushes on the other side of the trail are difficult terrain and provide partial concealment. Crossing:The crossing is difficu lt terrain. Flood: If the dam breaks, creatures between the flood lines must make a DC 16 Strength check or be pushed 2d4 squares downstream. Flood Line: The white dotted lines on the map indicate the level to which the water rises if the dam breaks. Pond: The pond is deep but placid (DC 10 Athletics check to swim). Stream: A character must make a DC 15 Athletics check to swim in the stream. If it is in flood, swimming the stream becomes a DC 20 Athletics check. Trees: The trees are 20 feet tall and provide partial concealment to any creature beneath their branches. The trunks can be climbed with a DC 15 Athletics check. A creature pushed downstream can make a saving throw to catch the adjacent trunk or the branches of any tree it passes. If the saving throw succeeds, the forced movement ends. Treasure:None.
3 Gnoll Far Fangs
Level 8 Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid
XP 350 HP 68; Bloodied34 Initiative+9 AC 22, Fortitude20, Reflex 22, Will 19 Perception+11 Low-light vision Speed
T Pack Attack The gnoll’s att acks deal 5 extra dama ge to any enemy that has two or more of the gnoll’s allies adjacent to it.
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m Handaxe(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, or 2d6 + 9 while the gnoll is bloodied. R Fang Bow(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 30 (one or two creatures); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, or 2d10 + 7 while the gnoll is bloodied. A Hungry Arrows(weapon) F Encounter Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 5 damage, or 2d10 + 7 while the gnoll is bloodied. The target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends). SkillsStealth +14 Str 17 (+7) Dex 21 (+9) Wis 15 (+6) Con 14 (+6) Int 9 (+3) Cha 7 (+2) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Equipmentleather armor, handaxe, fang bow (longbow)
Development Proceed to Encounter 4: An End to Madness .
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Gnoll Pack Lord
Level 8 Controller (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid
8
2 or 3 Trained Owlbears
XP 350 HP 90; Bloodied45 Initiative+6 AC 22, Fortitude21, Reflex 19, Will 22 Perception+6 Low-light vision 7 Speed
Large fey beast
T
S
Pack Attack The gnoll’s att acks deal 5 extra dama ge to any enemy that has two or more of the gnoll’s allies adjacent to it.
m Claw F At-Will
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m Flail(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 11 damage. R Demonic Frenzy(charm) F Rechargewhen an ally drops to 0 hit points Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. Will Hit: The target takes a –2 penalty to at tack rolls until th e end of its next turn. In addition, the target uses a free action to make two basic attacks against a target or targets of the gnoll’s choice. Effect: The target is dazed until the end of its next turn.
A Feed on the WeakF At-Will
Attack: Area burst 1 within 5 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Will Hit: The target grant s combat advantage until t he start of its next turn. Effect: One ally in the burst can make a basic attack as a free action.
M
HP 96; Bloodied48 AC 24, Fortitude23, Reflex 22, Will 20 Darkvision Speed
Level 9 Soldier XP 400 Initiative+8 Perception+7
A
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage. C Thunderous Shriek (thunder) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +12 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 5 thunder damage, and the target is knocked prone.
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M Guardian ClawF At-Will Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the trained owlbear makes an attack that does not include it. Attack (Opportuni ty Action): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage. Miss: 5 damage. Str 19 (+8) Dex 14 (+6) Con 16 (+7) Int 2 (+0) Alignmentunaligned Languages–
Wis 16 (+7) Cha 10 (+4)
A
C Pack CackleF Recharge5 6 Effect: Close burst 5 (allies in the burst). Each target can shift up to 2 squares as a free action. Str 17 (+7) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 15 (+6) Con 18 (+8) Int 10 (+4) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common Equipmentleather armor, flail
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E NCOUNTER 4: A N E ND TO M A DN ESS Encounter Level 9+ (2,000+ XP)
Setup 1 beholder The source of Keljack’s woes is the beholder’s stasis crystal. The presence of the missing bit of magic in Keljack’s body allows the beholder to finally emerge. If the adventurers are pursuing Keljack, then the gnoll pack lord and one trained owlbear from Encounter 3: The Stream are present, and they start adjacent to the crystal. As the ad venturers a rrive, read t he following : A large , red c ryst al obe lisk i s emb edded in a hi llock a mid this shallow swamp. Enormous trees rise from the waters, their branches weaving a dense canopy overhead. If the adventurers arrive in Keljack’s company, they have the opportunity to prepare themselves for whatever happens when Keljack touches the crystal. Keljack hasn’t come this far to turn around now. He can feel the magic singing in his body; he knows he needs to touch the crystal. Keljack starts the encounter adjacent to the crystal. Allow the players to place their characters and Fool around the map as they see fit. With time on their side, they can easily identify and avoid the squares of grasping bog. If the adventurers are pursuing Keljack and succeeded in Encounter 2: Into the Scar , then they arrive as the gnoll pack lord is dragging Keljack to the crystal and the beholder is being released. Fool enters the combat in the second round in an attempt to rescue Keljack. If the adventurers failed Encounter 2: Into the Scar and Keljack got ahead of t hem or was
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captured, the part y arrives as Keljack dies beneath the beholder’s deadly gaze. Fool wit nesses Keljack’s death from the trees, panics, and flees into the depths of the Scar. When Keljack is adjacent to the beholder or when he is ki lled, read: Suddenly, in a flash of light, the shard flies from within Keljack’s body and reintegrates wit h the rest of the c rystal. The stasis shell falls away in a shower of fragments, leaving a beholder hovering above the swamp and casting its gaze toward the nearest enemy.
Tactics With typical arrogance, the beholder considers itself invincible against this party of adventurers. Defeat is inconceivable, and it does not retreat. If the adventurers accompanied Keljack here, then he and Fool fight t he beholder alongside the heroes. If the characters pursued Keljack to this site, then he and Fool flee for their lives, leaving the adventurers and the beholder to work out their differences.
Features of the Area Illumination:Dim light during the day, darkness at night. Dry Land: Small hillocks of land emerge from the water and are normal terrain. Grasping Bog:The white dotted lines on the map enclose squares of grasping bog. A grasping bog is difficult terrain. In addition, a creature that falls prone in a square of grasping bog is restrained and cannot stand up (save ends both). Stasis Crystal:The beholder’s translucent stasis crystal is 10 feet in diameter and 10 feet tall (another 5 feet of its height is buried in the bog). The crystal is slippery (DC 20 Athletics check to climb). It is immune to dama ge, and it provides cover.
Beholder
Level 9 Solo Artiller y
Large aberrant magical beast XP 2,000 HP 392; Bloodied196 Initiative+9 AC 23, Fortitude21, Reflex 22, Will 22 Perception+11 0, fly 4 (hover) All-around vision, darkvisio n Speed Saving Throws+5; Action Points2
T All-Around Vision Enemies can’t gain combat advantage by flanking the beholder.
S
A
m BiteF At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); 14 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage. R Eye RaysF At-Will Effect: The beholder uses t wo of the following eye rays , using each against a different target. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. 1. Charm Ray (charm): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Will; the target is dominated until the end of its next turn. 2. Wounding Ray (necrotic): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Fortitude; 2d10 + 6 necrotic damage. 3. Sleep Ray (charm): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Will; the target is immobilized (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is knocked unconscious instead of immobilized (save ends). 4. Telekinesis Ray: Ranged 10; +14 vs. Fortitude; the beholder slides the target up to 4 squares. 5. Slowing Ray (necrotic): Ranged 10; +1 4 vs. Ref lex; 3d6 + 5 necrotic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). 6. Brilliant Ray (radiant): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Will; 1d6 + 5 radiant damage, and the target is blinded (save ends).
7. Terror Ray (fear, psychic): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Will; 2d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the beholder pushes the target its speed. 8. Petrifying Ray: Ranged 10; +14 vs. Fortitude; the target is petrified (save ends). Aftereffect : The target is immobilized (save ends). 9. Death Ray (necrotic): Ranged 10; +14 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 10 necrotic damage. If the target is bloodied before or after the attack, it is also dazed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is dazed and weakened (save ends both). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target dies. 10. Disintegrate Ray: Ranged 10; +14 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 5 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). R Eye Ray Frenzy FRecharge6 Requirement: The beholder must be bloodied. Effect: As eye rays above, except the beholder makes three eye ray attacks.
M
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C Central Eye F At-Will(1/round) Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in the blast); +12 vs. Will Hit: The target cannot use encounter or daily attack powers until the end of its next turn.
T
A
R Random Eye Ray F At-Will Trigger: The beholder is conscious and an enemy starts its turn within 5 squares of it. Effect (No Action): The beholder uses one ra ndom eye ray against the triggering enemy. Str 18 (+8) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 15 (+6) Con 18 (+8) Int 19 (+8) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech
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Swamp: The ground beneath the shallow water is difficult terrain. An adventurer can drop prone in the water to gain partial cover against ranged attacks. Trees: The trees in this area (represented on the map by their trunks) spread their branches into a thick, interwoven canopy 20 feet above the swamp. The trees can be climbed vertical ly, and the canopy can be traversed horizontally, each with a DC 15 Athletics check. Treasure:If the characters search the area where the crystal shattered, they find five large pieces that can be carried away. Each of these fragments is worth 1,000 gp to the right buyer. The wizards Nimozaran the Green in Fallcrest and Citirian in Restwell Keep would be especially interested.
GET THEM!
The adventur ers might ignore the beholder in f avor of pursuing Keljack and Fool. They can corner the outlaws while leaving the much slower beholder behind them. In the beholder’s mind, running away is the proper response to its presence. It has nothing against the adventurers personally, and if left alone it floats off into the Scar to pursue its long-delayed plans for world domination. The beholder has an in-depth understanding of the meteor’s powers, and it can be a great asset to the evil powers gathered around the mete or. If the adventurers continue to adventure in the Chaos Scar, they are likely to encounter the beholder again, possibly in connection with the Brotherhood of the Scar.
CONCLUDING TH E A DVENTURE If Keljack and Fool survive at the party’s side, their fate is up to the adventurers. Keljack asks the adventurers if they would be willing to help free Fool’s tribe from the dragon Maluriath. The red dragon and the rest of Fool’s tribe appear in the next Chaos Scar adventure, “Reflections of Ruin” (Dungeon 194). If Keljack and Fool flee the final encounter, the adventurers can attempt to hunt them down. If the outlaws are cornered, they fight until dead or unconscious (see the “Dead or Alive?” sidebar in Encounter 1 for more information). If Keljack dies, Fool might attempt to enlist the adventurers’ aid to free his tribe from the dragon, depending on his relationship with the party. In all cases, the death of the beholder lifts the madness from Keljack’s mind. He is free as never before to choose his own path in life, though he now ages at a normal rate. Perhaps, with the adventurers’ help, he can rise above the villainous identity he has forged for himself. Treasure:If Keljack survives the fight with the beholder at the party’s side, he promises them 3,000 gp and a level 9 magic item from his personal stash once they leave the Scar. If the adventurers take Keljack and Fool to Fallcrest, the Lord Warden rewards them with 3,600 gp.
About the Author Andrew Scheideris an author and freelance game designer in the Washington, DC, area. His recent credits include “Reign of Despair” ( Dungeon 191), “Creature Incarnations: Fomorians” (Dungeon 176), and “Channel Divinity: Ioun” ( Dragon 385).
Designer Andrew G. S chneider Developer Jeremy Craw ford Editor Miranda Horner Managing Editor Kim Mohan Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrators Sam Wood, Wayne England Cartographer Sean Macdonald Graphic Production Erin Dorries
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The Radiant Morn A Chaos Scar A dventu re
By Daniel Marthaler Illustration by William O’Connor Cartography by Jason A. Engle “The Radiant Morn” is a short adventure for characters of levels 6-8 which takes place in or near the Chaos Scar. During the course of the adventure, the heroes explore the Temple of the Radiant Morn, experience firsthand the terrible truth that festers behind the sympathetic façade, and have the opportunity to foil a hidden cult of the Archdevil Baalzebul, the Lord of Flies. Level 6 characters will have a somewhat harder time with the adventure’s challenges than level 8 characters would, but they should still be able to battle their way through with skilled play. For more on the Chaos Scar and its environs, check out theChaos Scar Introduction and its map of the valley.
If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can still use this adventure. The Temple of the Radiant Morn is easy to integrate into another locale or campaign. Just drop the temple near a suitable town and start playing!
Background A few months ago, drawn by the whispers of dark power and the opportunity presented by the suffering of those living near the Scar, a devotee of Baalzebul known to his ilk as Theran of the False Truth moved into the Chaos Scar with a small band of cultists. Once situated in an abandoned cave, they set up the fake “Temple of the Radiant Morn” and began
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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spreading a message of salvation from the anguish and terrible burdens of the world. Their message was tailored to appeal to the grief-stricken, the suffering, the outcast, and those with nothing to lose. While a few have found the relief and sympathy promised, they are but another means for the cult to propagate its lies, for in reality the temple is a web of deceit designed to spread the Lord of Lies’ influence and lure a steady stream of victims who will not be missed to their dooms. By now, the temple has established itself as a local institution. In an effort to widen its net from the poor and disenfranchised and draw in more powerful victims, devotees have begun spreading whispers of lost treasures and forgotten lore uncovered in the Scar. This, they hope, will att ract adventurers, wandering scholars, itinerant merchants, and anyone else whose disappearance won’t raise much suspicion.
Getting the Players Involved
Hook 2: An Unknown Quantity
Below are a few story hooks to draw the players into investigating the Temple of the Radiant Morn.
A local priest (i f your cha racters are us ing Rest well Keep as a base for exploring the Scar, this priest could be Chendera, or even Benwick) is unsettled by the rumors he has heard of a “ Temple of the Radiant Morn” springing up within t he Chaos Scar. He has never before heard of any such religious group a nd fears that it could be up to no good, despite its message of charity and brotherly love. What’s more, he has heard from beggars in town t hat some of their friends who went to the temple “just for a look” have never come back. That could be nothing—but if the characters f ind themselves traveling near the temple and have a chance to look into it, he would like to know what’s really going on. Optionally,
Synopsis
A begga r, Limpi ng Johann , approaches t he char acters to barter something he heard on the st reet that might be of interest to the adventurers for a stiff dri nk, a bite to eat, or a few copper coins. If the characters oblige, Johann tells them that “the boys from the temple” have been letting drop that they might know something about ancient treasures lost within the C haos Scar. If the characters ask him about the temple, Johann refers to them as a bunch of naïve do-gooders, but he can give accurate directions to the Temple of the R adiant Morn in exchange for another small gift. (The ru mors of treasure are false. This is a r use the cultists use to draw victims to t he temple. The temple itself does not hold much treasure because up to this time, most of its victims have been poor.)
After heari ng rumors or gathering information, the adventurers make their way to the Temple of the Radiant Morn. There they meet a warm welcome and are invited to speak with the head of the temple. Upon moving further into the temple, the characters are ambushed by the cultists. The heroes must fight their way through offal-filled caverns against cultists, their disgusting pets, and deluded peasants before facing the head of the cult.
Commonly-Heard Rumors Anyone who spends time in a nearby town (such as Restwell Keep) will hear that a few months ago, a priest who is a stranger to this region arrived with a small band of followers. They found a cave a few miles from the nearest settlement, cleaned it out, and set up the Temple of the Radiant Morn. They spread a message of salvation and relief f rom worldly woe which has found wide acceptance. After some resistance, the locals have grown accustomed to the presence of the t emple and its disciples. Its message is nonthreatening, even comforting.
Hook 1: Limping Johann
characters overheartheories beggarsabout discussing thismight situatthemselves ion and swapping the disappearances. Quest XP:1,500 XP for routing or destroying the cult (including Theran) and bringing news of it to Canard.
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Hook 3: The Missing Merchant
Treasure
GETTING S TARTED
A local trader who fancies himse lf something of an amateur adventurer approaches the characters and tries to hire them as muscle for his “big score.” (This may be Bosco Heldam in a Chaos Scar campaign.) He confides in them that there’s treasure to be had out at the Temple of the Radiant Morn, and he intends to have it. This information came to him through “reliable channels” which he refuses to share. Don’t make the offer too attractive; it should be clear that he’s an amateur who has fallen for a hoax and now has the fever of easy gold. A bit of asking around reveals that this trader has disappeared on similar wild-goose chases before only to come home
Characters can gain three treasures during the course of exploring the Temple of the Radiant Morn. The most likely places to find treasure and what it might consist of are listed below. The magic items should be from the players’ wish lists. Of course, DMs are free to substitute their own treasures for these or generate new treasure parcels using the methods on pages 298-302 of the Rules Comp endium or pages 124 -127 of the Dungeon Ma ster’s Guide.
After heari ng a few rumors or being approached by NPCs, characters might try to dig up their own information on the Temple of the Radiant Morn by making Religion and Streetwise checks. Although the name implies some connection to Pelor, no player character trying a Religion check recalls ever hearing of a temple calling itself the Radiant Morn (but be sure to purse your lips and think about this for a moment before announcing the result of the roll). A DC 11 Streetwise check, however, finds plenty of locals willing to confi rm that the temple’s disciples work to relieve the suffering of the worst off, and a DC 16 check finds one who can give reasonably clear directions to its location.
a few days later, and mud-smeared and vowing never to hungry go adventuring agai n. Alternat ively, the characters might overhear h im making the same offer to some other group of bravos or toughs, accompanied by much whispering and looking over his shoulder. A week or more after the cha racters tur n him down, his friends or wife approach the characters to ask for help because the merchant has never been gone this long before. The characters could also be approached without ever having seen or heard the merchant, after his disappearance. Quest XP: 1,500 XP for bringing the merchant home alive.
pudding’s remains): One level 9 magic item Parcel 3—The Lord of Flies (amid Theran’s shredded, cast off clothing): One level 10 magic item, one 500 gp gem (black pearl), and 700 gp
Parcel 1—Fleecing the Flock (carried or dropped in haste by a false priest): Six 100 gp gems (moonstones) and 250 gp Parcel 2—The Living Filth (found in the black
Dungeon Tiles All of the maps in this adventure were constructed using dungeon tiles from one set ofCaves of Carnage (DU3) and one set of Fane of the Forgotte n Gods (DT7).
When heroes arrive at the temple, read or paraphrase the following: Ahead of you, the rough mouth of a cave yawns wide to reveal what appears to be the interior of a chapel or temple. Inside , a small crowd of gaunt, un kempt , and gene rally miserable-looking people kneel on the stone floor or mill about quietly. A pair of white-robed figures moves through them, seemingly offering quiet words of reassura nce or sympathetic gestures. Traces of strong, musky incense are carried upon the breeze. If the characters stand and watch for more than a few minutes, or when they enter the temple, read or paraphrase the following: Upon seeing you, one of the robed figures turns and gestures wi dely, saying “ Welcome to the Temple of t he Radiant Mor n, travel ers. Within th ese walls, solace and understanding are freely given.” You see that the speaker and the other white-robed figure are both male humans.
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If the characters ask about the temple or its pur- hostile and aggressive, then the priest excuses himself to whisper briefly with his associate. At that time, pose, the speaker responds: “We offer compassion, understanding, and what relief we the pair turns upon the characters and encounter can from the heavy burdens of this world. The hungr y are T2 begins immediately. Otherwi se, if the characters fed, the wear y rested, th e griev ing counsel ed, and th e ill advence through the doorway, move ahead to encounter T1. tended. What is it that you seek?” Regardless of how the characters respond, the speaker soon becomes determined to lure them into the next chamber.Read or paraphrase the following: “I am afraid my duties are here, tending to those in need . Perhaps you sh ould s peak wit h the h ead of our order. I am sure he will be glad to h elp you.” The priest motion s for you to follow as he moves toward the doors across the chapel. He sound s a smal l gong b eside t he door way before t urning back to you: “Our brothers will meet you within to show you the way.” The speaker (Kal in) will not accompany the characters through the doorway. If urged to, he insists that he must stay and attend to the congregation. Kalin sticks to the established story if the adventurers have more questions but always turns the conversation back to meeting the head of the order, Theran. Suspicious or wary characters might ask for Insight checks while speaking with Kalin. He is a practiced liar; an Insight check or passive Insight score of 16 generates the feeling that the priest is not as excited about tending to a crowd of needy beggars as his well-rehearsed speech would indicate. A result of 23 or more reveals that something other than brotherly courtesy may be motivating his insistence on ushering the characters through the doorway. If the characters refuse to enter the temple’s inner chamber, confront Kalin for being a liar, or become
Concluding the Adventure Once the characters have cleared each of the encounters, they have convincingly routed the cultists. With the Temple of the Radiant Morn exposed and its members and leadership dead or fleeing, the threat it posed is ended for the foreseeable future. Whether that is the last time t he characters will confront the cult of Baalzebul is up to you. Cultists whotoescaped plotstronghold their individual revenge or flee anothermight hidden of the Lord of Lies and marshal the archdevil’s followers against the temple destroyers. In particular, if Theran escapes, his ability to don illusionary disguises could make him a deadly and hateful foe. Either path could lead to more adventures.
About the Author Daniel Marthaler is an avid gamer with soaring delusions of grandeur and dreams of breaking into the industry. Despite being 6’ 3”, he has a peculiar love of the wee races that populate the game, most notably gnomes and kobolds.
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T1: A WAR M R ECEPTION Encounter Level 7 (1,500 XP)
Setup 2 orc reavers (R) 2 orc storm shamans (S) 2 otyughs (O) Offal-Filled Pit Trap The characters are ambushed by members of the Temple of the Radiant Morn who were sent to be their escorts. Place only the two storm shamans at first; the reavers are hidden behind curtains and the otyughs are in the offal-filled pit. When heroes enter the room, read: Two members of the Temple wait for you as promised. As you move into the room, you perce ive that the h eavy aroma of incense in this chamber masks another, fouler smell. No sooner do you notice tha t than the whit e-robed figures throw back their hoods to reveal that they are snarling orcs ready to attack! If players declared their suspicions before entering this room or are acting in an obviously wary manner, then those with passive Insight of 16 or higher are immediately aware of an unfriendly tenseness within the temple priests and are not surprised. Otherwise, they are surprised. The temple guardians are not surprised. Regardless of whether they’re surprised, characters with pa ssive Perception of 16 or higher hear rustling from the alcoves and become aware that
something is hidden behind the curtains when initiative is rolled.
Tactics The storm shamans hope to lure rash characters into the pit trap. They begin the fight with their vengeful wh irlwinds in an effort to slide characters into the pit, then switch tolightning strikes . The reavers use their javelins immediately, also with the goal of pushing characters into the pit or the flaming braziers. The otyughs hide withi n the pit, waiting to attack any hero unfortunate enough to fall in. Once the trap has been sprung, the otyughs also try to grab and pull into the pit any char-
S S
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O
acter thatthe moves Because pit iswithin 10 feetreach deep,ofantheirtentacles otyugh in . it can reach only 2 squares outside the pit with its tentacles and can’t bite a target that is outside the pit. An otyugh leaves the pit only if this would be the third round when it has no targets within reach.
Features of the Area Illumination:The two braziers provide bright light in the chamber. If both braziers are dumped over, the illumination becomes dim. Curtains:The curtains concealing the orc reavers block line of sight but do not hi nder movement. They can be drawn open or closed with a minor action. Pit of Offal: A covered pit is hidden near the center of the room. Fragile timbers support flagstones which match the rest of the floor. The pit is 10 feet deep, and its bottom is covered with liquid filth to a depth of about 3 feet. The stinking sludge is difficult terrain for creatures without a sw im speed. Creatures othe r than oty ughs in the offal take a -2
R R
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penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Reflex, a nd creatures other than otyughs that start their turn in the offal take 5 poison damage. Statues: The statues provide cover and are difficult terrain. Braziers: The two large, shallow braziers are filled with f laming, scented oil. A creature that moves (or is forced to move) into a square containing a brazier takes 5 fire damage and the brazier is knocked over. Once a brazier is knocked over, it no longer has any effect.
Development After th is fight, the characters can either head back to the temple entrance (encounter T2) or they ca n push deeperthe into the temple (encounter T3; leave T2 for when characters exit the temple).
2 Orc Reavers (R) Medium natural humanoid HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 19, Fortitude18, Reflex 18, Will 16 6 (8 when charging) Speed
Level 5 Skirmisher XP 200 each Initiative+7 Perception+3 Low-light vision
2 Orc Storm Shamans (S)
Level 6 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 20, Fortitude16, Reflex 19, Will 18 Speed 6
XP 250 each Initiative+7 Perception+6 Low-light vision
T
S
Charging Mobility While charging, the orc gains a +4 bonus to all defenses.
m Scimitar (weapon) ✦ At-Will
S
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m Battleaxe(weapon) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage. Effect: After the attack, the orc can shift 1 square. R Javelin(weapon) ✦ At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage, and the orc can push the target 1 square.
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M Blood-Crazed Charge ✦ Encounter Trigger: The orc hits an enemy. Effect (Free Action): The orc charges an enemy. Savage Demise Trigger: The orc drops to 0 hit point s. Effect (Free Action): The orc takes a stan dard action. Str 18 (+6) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmenthide armor, battleaxe, 4 javelins
A
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage. r Lightning Strike(lightning) ✦ At-Will Attack: Ranged 30 (one creature); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d10 + 8 lightning damage, and one enemy within 5 squares of the target takes 5 lightning damage. A Vengeful Whirlwind (lightning, thunder, zone) ✦ Rechargewhen first bloodied Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in burst); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 4 lightning and thunder damage, and the target falls prone. Th en the shaman slides the target up to 2 squares. Miss: Half damage, and the shaman can slide the target 1 square. Effect: The burst creates a zo ne that lasts unti l the end of the orc’s next turn. Any enemy that ends its turn in the zone takes 10 thunder and lightning damage.
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Wind Walk✦ Encounter Trigger: The shaman is firs t bloodied. Effect (Free Action): Until the end of the encounter, the shaman gains a fly speed of 8 but must land or fall at the end of each move. Savage Demise Trigger: The orc drops to 0 hit point s. Effect (Free Action): The orc takes a standar d action. Str 16 (+6) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 12 (+4) Int 8 (+2) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmenthide armor, scimitar
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2 Otyughs (O)
Level 7 Soldier
Offal Filled Pit
Large natural beast HP 82; Bloodied41 AC 23, Fortitude22, Reflex 16, Will 19 Speed 5, swim 5
XP 300 each Initiative+5 Perception+11
Object
Darkvision
T O Otyugh Stench✦ Aura 1 Living enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura.
S
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m Tentacle✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, and the otyugh pulls the target up to 2 squares and grabs it (escape DC 16). M Diseased Bite(disease) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage, or 1d10 + 12 against a creature grabbed by the otyugh. In addition, at the end of the encounter, the target makes a saving throw. On a failure, the target contracts lesser otyugh filth fever (stage 1). Skills Stealth +13 Str 22 (+9) Dex 11 (+3) Wis 16 (+6) Con 18 (+7) Int 1 (–2) Cha 5 (+0) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Level 6 Trap XP 250
Detect Perception DC 23 Initiative— HP 20 per square AC 5, Fortitude10, Reflex 5, Will — Immune necrotic, poison, psychic, all conditions, ongoing damage
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A
m Attack✦ At-Will Trigger: A creature enters a trapped square or starts its turn there. Attack (Free Action): Melee 0 (creature in trapped square); +11 vs. Refl ex Hit: Target falls into the pit , takes 1d10 damage plus 1d10 poison damage, and falls prone. Miss: Target moves to nearest unoccupied, untrapped square and its move action ends immediately.
Lesser Otyugh Filth Fever
Level 7 Disease
Those infected by this disease waste away as they alternately suffer chills and hot flashes. Stage 0:The target recovers from the disease. Stage 1:While affected by stage 1, the target loses a healing surge. Stage 2:While affected by stage 2, the target loses a healing surge. The target also takes a–2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex. Stage 3:While affected by stage 3, the target loses all healing surges and cannot regain hit points. The target also takes a –2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex. Check:At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2. Lower than Easy DC: The stage of the disease increases by 1. Easy DC: No change. Moderate DC: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.
C Collapse Floor:Any successful attack against a trapped square which causes forced movement collapses that square of floor. Thievery DC 13. Success: An adja✦ Trigger Premature ly: cent character collapses one square of the trap, l eaving the open pit. ✦ Climb Out:Athletics DC 18. Success: The character climbs 10 feet to an adjacent, untrapped square. ✦
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T2: F LEECING TH E
F LOCK
Encounter Level 8 (1,800 XP)
Setup 3 rot grub swarms (S) 2 human transmuters (T) 9 human thugs (H) The two fa lse priest s have moved from comfor ting the w retched to preaching the message of the Temple of the Radiant Morn. They are weavi ng the skillfu l webs of lies so loved by their dark lord, and their audience listens in glassy-eyed rapture. Describe the rest of the scene and alter the readaloud text depending on how the characters arrived at this point in the adventure. Thanks to their paranoia, the two false priests are always on t he lookout and won’t be surprised. Do not place the rot grub swarms at the beginning of the fight; they emerge from hiding only after the struggle is underway. When the characters enter, read: Gesturing sharply your way, the speaker skillfully weaves your arrival in to his speech without mi ssing a str ide: “See how the world assails us? The source of your suffering is revealed. Cruel intruders have come to smash our good works and rob us of what littl e we have! The y believe the y can take whatever they want with their weapons and their magic! Defend yourselves, oh brothers! Stand up against their greed!”
Tactics The thugs are enthralled by the rhetoric of the false priests (transmuters) and hurl themselves against the characters recklessly until the transmuters are both killed, at which point the thugs flee back to the nearest village. The transmuters are happy to use the thugs as shields. They are keenly aware of the braziers’ effect and attempt to keep their foes within it while remaining clear themselves. They are cowards at heart, so once they are bloodied or all their minions are dead, the transmuters become more interested in getting away than continuing the fight. The rot grubs appear at the start of the second turn and immediately swarm forward to make the
H H H
H H
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H
S
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T H
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H
most of their auras. They fight to the death.
Features of the Area Illumination:The braziers, votive candles, and light streaming in through the mouth of the cave provide bright light throughout the area. Braziers: The thick, musky incense burning in the two braziers is enchanted by the cultists of Baalzebul to do more than just cover the temple’s stench: a creature within 2 squares of a brazier takes a -2 penalty to Will defense as the fog saps their mental resistance. A creature that moves through a square containing a brazier takes 5 fire damage and the brazier is knocked over. Once knocked over, the squa re can be navigated safely. A brazier can also be knocked over intentionally with a DC 15 Strength check as a standard action. This dumps the oil into any square adjacent to the brazier and deals 5 fire damage to any creature occupying that square. Gong: The gong has no special effect.
Pool: A low wall of stone surrounds the small pool. It counts as difficult terrain and provides cover. Statues: The statues provide cover and are difficult terrain.
Development The worshipers (human thugs) are not evil; most of them are no more than beggars and wanderers who came to the temple seeking food and some kindness. They fight back because they believe that the characters are here to loot their temple. If characters gleefully slaughter these innocents, look for ways to make them regret their cruelty later. You’ll have a prime opportunity if survivors flee back to the village with news of an “unprovoked massacre” at the temple.
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3 Rot Grub Swarms (R)
Level 4 Brute
2 Human Transmuters (T)
Level 7 Controller
Medium natural beast (swarm) XP 175 each HP 63; Bloodied31 Initiative+3 AC 15, Fortitude15, Reflex 14, Will 15 Perception+2 Darkvision Speed 5 Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable10 against close and area attacks
Medium natural humanoid HP 77; Bloodied38 AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 19, Will 20 Speed 6
T
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage. A Capricious Earth(charm, implement) ✦ At-Will Attack: Area burst 2 within 5 (enemies in the burst); +10 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, and the transmuter slides the target up to 3 squares. Miss: The transmuter can sl ide the target 1 square. R Beast Curse(implement, polymorph) ✦ Recharge4 5 6 Attack: Ranged 5 (one hexed enemy); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: The transmut er alters the target’s physical fo rm to appear
O Swarm Attack✦ Aura 1 Any enemy that starts its turn within the aura takes 5 damage plus 2 extra damage for each additional rot grub swarm adjacent to the enemy. Swarm The rot grub sw arm can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter its space, which is difficult terrain. The rot grub swarm cannot be pulled, pushed, or slid by melee or ranged attacks. It can squeeze through any opening that is large enough for at least one of the creatures it
S
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M Infesting Bite✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: Ongoing 5 damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: Ongoing 10 damage (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: Ongoing 15 damage (save ends). Str 10 (+2) Dex 13 (+3) Wis 11 (+2) Con 13 (+3) Int 2 (–2) Cha 4 (–1) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
A
m Staff (weapon) ✦ At-Will
comprises. Clumsy Attacker The rot grub sw arm lacks a melee basic at tack.
S
XP 300 each Initiative+3 Perception+11
9 Human Thugs (H)
Level 7 Minion Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid XP 75 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 21, Fortitude20, Reflex 17, Will 18 Perception+4 Speed 6
T Rush into Battle Whenever the thug hits a creature with a charge attack, the target grants combat advantage until the end of the thug’s next turn.
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m Club (weapon) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage. Str 14 (+5) Dex 11 (+3) Wis 12 (+4) Con 13 (+4) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentclub
as a Tiny animal until the end of the transmuter’s next turn. While in this form, the target cannot use powers or make attacks.
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Hex Jump(teleportation) ✦ Encounter Effect: Close burst 5 (one hexed creature in the burst). The transmuter and the target teleport, swapping positions.
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C Hex (charm, implement) ✦ At-Will(1/round) Attack: Close burst 5 (one enemy in the burst); +10 vs. Will Hit: The target is hex ed until the end of the transm uter’s next turn. While hexed, the target is slowed and takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls against the transmuter. Skills Arcana +10, Nature +11 Str 10 (+3) Dex 11 (+3) Wis 17 (+6) Con 13 (+4) Int 15 (+5) Cha 14 (+5) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentstaff, robes
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T3: T HE L IVING F ILTH Encounter Level 7 (1,600 XP)
Setup 1 black pudding (B) 3 carrion crawlers (C) The vile fi lth created as both a sign and a byproduct of the cult ’s devotion to the slug archduke slowly pooled here, where its corruption and foul magic condensed over time until it imbued the sludge with a terrible semblance of life. Now the cultists use the abomination and the carrion eating aberrations that took up residence to dispose of inconvenient objects or people. All of the monsters begin the encounter out of sight, so place them on the battle mat only when the adventurers gain line of sight to them. When the characters enter the room, read: The air of this cavern is foul from the stagnant r iver of stinking filth that flo ws across the chamber. Passive Perception 16: The character becomes aware that something lurks in the cavern, without knowing what or where. Characters who are alerted this way can then make active Perception checks against DC 23; place one carrion crawler or the black pudding on the map for each successful check, even if they are out of sight. Make appropriate adjustments for characters who enter the room especially cautiously or recklessly
Tactics The black pudding floats unmoving beneath the surface of the sludge, readying an action until a character wades into or jumps over the pool. At that point, it bursts from the muck toengulf the unfortunate adventurer. From then on, itengulfs and sustains the grab against as many adventurers as possible. Black pudding spawn attack characters at random. The carrion crawlers are aware of the black pudding’s hunting methods and stay hidden until the pudding attacks. Then they rush forward along the floor, walls, and ceiling. They are quite fond of using tentacle to strand heroes within the poisonous stream or adjacent to the ooze. They fall back on theirbite only when every target within reach is slowed or
C
C
C B
immobilized.
Features of the Area Illumination:Darkness. The only sources of light are those the characters bring with them. Pools of Offal: The pools and streams of stinking liquid and foul sludge count as difficult terrain to creatures without a swim speed. Creatures other than the black pudding and its spawn in the offal take a -2 penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Reflex. Additionally, creatures that start their turn in the offal take 5 poison damage. Remember that the carrion crawlers can use the walls and ceiling as readily as the floor. Shackles:The cultists sometimes keep prisoners chained here so they can witness the terrible fate awaiting them when the ooze and carrion crawlers messily consume (or dissolve) other captives. The chains hang empty at this time.
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Black Pudding (B)
Level 8 Elite Brute
Black Pudding Spawn
Level 8 Minion Brute
3 Carrion Crawlers (C)
Level 7 Soldier
Large natural beast (blind, ooze) XP 700 HP 218; Bloodied109 Initiative+6 AC 20, Fortitude22, Reflex 20, Will 18 Perception+4 Blind, tremorsense 10 Speed 4, climb 3 Immuneblinded, gaze effects; Resist 15 acid Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
Medium natural beast (blind, ooze) XP 88 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 20, Fortitude22, Reflex 20, Will 18 Perception+4 Blind, tremorsense 10 Speed 4, climb 3 Immuneblinded, gaze effects; Resist 15 acid
Large aberrant beast HP 81; Bloodied40 AC 23, Fortitude19, Reflex 18, Will 17 Speed 6, climb 6 (spider climb)
T
m Tentacles(poison) ✦ At-Will
T
Ooze While squeezing, the pudding moves at full speed rather than half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing.
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d4 + 5 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immo bilized instead o f slowed (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is st unned instead of immobilized (save ends). Miss: The target is slo wed until the end of the carr ion crawler’s next turn. M Bite ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC
Ooze While squeezing, the pudding moves at full speed rather than half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing.
S
A
m Slam (acid) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 6 acid damage. Effect: Before or after the attack, the pudding shifts up to its speed.
C Engulf(acid) ✦ At-Will Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 6 acid damage, and the pudding grabs the target (escape DC 16). M Melt (acid) ✦ At-Will Effect: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the pudding). The target takes 2d6 + 15 acid damage and loses a healing surge. It takes 10 extra acid damage if it has no healing surges.
T
S m Slam (acid) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. Fortitude Hit: 10 acid damage, and the pudding shifts up to its speed. Str 15 (+6) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 11 (+4) Con 19 (+8) Int 1 (–1) Cha 1 (–1) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
S
XP 300 each Initiative+8 Perception+5 Darkvision
A
Hit: 2d10 + 4 damage. Str 20 (+8) Dex 16 (+6) Con 17 (+6) Int 2 (–1) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Wis 14 (+5) Cha 16 (+6)
A
Split ✦ At-Will Trigger: An enemy hits the pudding with a weapon attack. Effect (No Action): A black pudding spawn appears in the unoccupied square closest to the pudding. Str 15 (+6) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 11 (+4) Con 19 (+8) Int 1 (–1) Cha 1 (–1) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
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T4: THE L ORD OF
F LIES
Encounter Level 10 (2,500 XP)
Setup Theran of the False Truth (T) 2 orc reavers (R) 2 orc storm shamans (S) 2 otyughs (O) This is the heart of the Temple of the Radiant Morn, where the cultists conduct their foul rituals in the name of Baalzebul the Fallen One, Lord of Flies. It is also the source of the noxious sludge found throughout the dungeon. The otyughs begin in hiding; place the beasts only when the characters spot them. Theran, the leader of the temple, appears human when the characters meet him. At the moment when he first takes damage, his illusory appearance dissolves to reveal him for what he is: a charnel otyugh gifted with high Intelligence. When that happens, provide a suitable description of tentacles bursting through clothing, the head reshaping into a gaping maw, and the body swelling into a bloated monstrosity, all accompanied by a burst of terrible stench, questionable fluids, and thousands of biting insects which swarm around him.
When the adventurers enter the room, read: The already nauseating stench becomes even worse as you enter this vaulted cavern. A statu e of a gigantic, sluglike creature vomits forth a continual stream of the vile filth which fill s this p lace. Ru nes sur rounding its cor roded mouth hurt the eye to look upon. You become aware of a low, humming noise; it is the sound of thousands of buzzing flies! Four cultists wearing tattered, befouled robes chant from the ban k of the st ream of filth . They are l ed by a surprisingly handsome human dressed in sumptuous and incongruously immaculate clothing. He turns and says, “We receive more offerings for Baalzebul, our patron. Let the Lord of Maladomini embrace them!” Perception DC 16:The character spots the beady eyes and twitching tentacles of an otyugh hiding in the sludge. If at least three characters succeed on this roll, place both otyughs. Insight DC 23:The character senses that Theran is not what he appears to be. Arca na or Reli gion DC 16: The character recognizes the name of Baal zebul, one of the Lords of the Nine who rule over the Nine Hells. Known as the Lord of Lies, the Lord of Flies, a nd (not within his hearing) the Slug Archduke, Baalzebul is a disgusting, sluglike being of filth that rules the seventh hell, Maladomini.
Tactics Theran uses only charnel frenzy to attack until he is forced to reveal his hidden nature by taking damage (his aura is always in effect). Once his subterfuge is stripped away, he uses all of his attacks to full effect; charnel lash is especially useful for pulling characters into the sludge. Theran expects his cult ists to die for him, and they probably will, but he has no such intention for himself. When it becomes apparent that the battle is lost, Theran will do his best to escape, either by rushing down the hideous stream or even squeezing himself up the filth-spewing pipe in the statue. Abandoning his followers to certai n doom in order to save his oozing hide is a price he’s willing to pay. The orcs may be nearly as surprised by Theran’s transformation as the player characters are, but they don’t pause in their attacks. They push characters into the sludge or within range of the ot yughs whenever possible. Each bolt of lightning fills the cavern with the odor of singed muck , and eac h whirlw ind swirls tiny droplets of stinking liquid into the already foul air. These things have no particular effect, but be su re to emphasize how nauseating this encounter is. The otyughs lurk in the stream of slime wit h their squishy bodies flattened beneath the surface. When a target comes within range, they burst from hiding and spend the rest of the encounter trying to drag tasty morsels into the sludge.
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Features of the Area
Theran of the False Truth/ charnel otyugh (T)
Level 10 Elite Soldier
Illumination:Candles, torches, and glowing runes keep the area in bright light. River of Offal: The stream of stinking liquid counts as difficult terrain to creatures without a swim speed. Creatures other than otyughs in the stream take a -2 penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Reflex; creatures other than otyughs that start their turn in the stream take 5 poison damage. Slug Statue:Despite the enchantments that keep corruption pouring endlessly from the statue’s mouth, the statue itself has no effect on the encounter besides the mundane attributes common to all statuary. Shackles: Sacrificial victims are kept chained in this chamber until needed. If the characters are look-
Large natural beast HP 212; Bloodied106 AC 26, Fortitude27, Reflex 21, Will 24 Speed 5, swim 5 Resist 5 necrotic Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
ing for the missing trader (Hook 3), they find him here, beaten and unconscious but alive. Otherwise, all the shackles are empty.
M Rotting Bite(disease, necrotic) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 6 necrotic damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). In addition, at the end of the encounter, the target makes a saving throw. On a failure, the target contracts greater otyugh filth fever (stage 1). C Charnel Frenzy(necrotic) ✦ Recharge5 6 Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in the burst); +15 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).
Development By the end of this fight, the characters are thoroughly drenched in reeking filth. If they return to town without cleaning up—a task that can take several hours, and they might never get the stench out of some clothing—they will be met with nothing but disgust no matter how successful their expedition was. If the characters have not yet defeated encounter T2, then they will find the exit to the dungeon occupied by the false priests and their enthralled parishioners. None of these are particularly loyal to Theran himself, so his demise (or flight) does not concern them; they fight or flee as described in that encounter, with the intention of either claiming the temple for their own use or at least escaping with their lives.
XP 1,000 Initiative+7 Perception+13 Darkvision
T O Otyugh Stench✦ Aura 1
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m Charnel Lash(necrotic) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). The otyugh pulls the target up to 2 squares and grabs it (escape DC 18).
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M Life Leech(healing, necrotic) ✦ At-Will(1/round) Attack: Melee 3 (one creature grabbed by the otyugh); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 10 necrotic damage, and the otyugh regains 5 hit points. Skills Stealth +10 Str 22 (+11) Dex 11 (+5) Wis 16 (+8) Con 18 (+9) Int 12 (+6) Cha 5 (+2) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon
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The Radiant Morn
2 Orc Reavers (R) Medium natural humanoid HP 63; Bloodied31 AC 19, Fortitude18, Reflex 18, Will 16 6 (8 when charging) Speed
Level 5 Skirmisher XP 200 each Initiative+7 Perception+3 Low-light vision
2 Orc Storm Shamans (S) Medium natural humanoid HP 54; Bloodied27 AC 20, Fortitude16, Reflex 19, Will 18 Speed 6
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Charging Mobility While charging, the orc gains a +4 bonus to all defenses.
m Scimitar(weapon) ✦ At-Will
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m Battleaxe(weapon) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 8 da mage. Effect: After the attack, the orc can shift 1 square. R Javelin(weapon) ✦ At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage, and the orc can push the target 1 square.
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M Blood-Crazed Charge ✦ Encounter Trigger: The orc hits an enemy. Effect (Free Action): The orc charges an enemy. Savage Demise Trigger: The orc drops to 0 hit point s. Effect (Free Action): The orc takes a standar d action. Str 18 (+6) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 13 (+3) Con 15 (+4) Int 8 (+1) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmenthide armor, battleaxe, 4 javelins
Level 6 Artiller y XP 250 each Initiative+7 Perception+6 Low-light vision
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Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 8 damage. r Lightning Strike (lightning) ✦ At-Will Attack: Ranged 30 (one creature); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d10 + 8 lightning damage, and one enemy within 5 squares of the target takes 5 lightning damage. A Vengeful Whirlwind (lightning, thunder, zone) ✦ Rechargewhen first bloodied Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in burst); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 4 lightning and thunder damage, and the target falls prone. T hen the shaman slides the target u p to 2 squares. Miss: Half damage, and the shaman can slide the target 1 square. Effect: The burst create s a zone that lasts unt il the end of the orc’s next turn. Any enemy that ends its turn in the zone takes 10 thunder and lightning damage.
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Wind Walk✦ Encounter Trigger: The shaman is fir st bloodied. Effect (Free Action): Until the end of the encounter, the shaman gains a fly speed of 8 but must land or fall at the end of each move. Savage Demise Trigger: The orc drops to 0 hit point s. Effect (Free Action): The orc takes a stan dard action. Str 16 (+6) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 12 (+4) Int 8 (+2) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmenthide armor, scimitar
2 Otyughs (O)
Level 7 Soldier
Large natural beast HP 82; Bloodied41 AC 23, Fortitude22, Reflex 16, Will 19 Speed 5, swim 5
XP 300 each Initiative+5 Perception+11 Darkvision
T O Otyugh Stench✦ Aura 1 Living enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura.
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m Tentacle✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, and the otyugh pulls the target up to 2 squares and grabs it (escape DC 16). M Diseased Bite(disease) ✦ At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage, or 1d10 + 12 against a creature grabbed by the otyugh. In addition, at the end of the encounter, the target makes a saving throw. On a failure, the target contracts lesser otyugh filth fever (stage 1—see Encounter T1). Skills Stealth +13 Str 22 (+9) Dex 11 (+3) Wis 16 (+6) Con 18 (+7) Int 1 (–2) Cha 5 (+0) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Greater Otyugh Filth Fever Level 11 Disease Those infected by this disease waste away as they alternately suffer chills and hot flashes. Stage 0:The target recovers from the disease. Stage 1:While affected by stage 1, the target loses a healing surge. Stage 2:While affected by stage 2, the target loses a healing surge and takes a –2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex. Stage 3:While affected by stage 3, the target loses all healing surges and cannot regain hit points. The target also takes a –2 penalty to AC, Fortitude, and Reflex. Check:At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2. 12 or Lower: The stage of the disease increases by 1. 13-18: No change. 19 or Higher: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.
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Rumble in the Valley A Chaos Sca r adventure for cha racters of levels 6–8
By Dave Chalker Illu strat ion b y Alexey Aparin Cartography by Sean Macdonald
I NTRODUCTION
A DVENTURE
A cunning plans to form a inhabitants mighty army, uniting thehobgoblin diverse and quarrelsome of the Chaos Scar into a fighting force, and lay siege to Restwell Keep. For this ambitious strategy to succeed, he must prove his might and remove a persistent problem: the adventurers. “Rumble in the Valley” is a D & ® D adventure set in the Chaos Scar. This adventure draws on source material presented in “Keep on the Chaos Scar” ( Dungeo n 176) by Mike Mearls, as well as characters and events in the adventures “Stick in the Mud” ( Dungeo n 171) by Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel, “The Lost Library” (Dungeo n 173) by Peter Lee, “The Hammer Falls” (Dungeo n 179) by Corwin Riddle, and the D &D E ™ adventure Keep on the Borderlan ds by Chris Sims. Feel free to change the names of places, the personalities involv ed, and the preceding events to suit your own campaign’s history.
B ACKGROU ND
TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rig hts reserved.
Kodan is an ex perienced hobgoblin commander, who leads a band of raiders called t he Talons, so named for their hit-and-run tactics patterned after those of certain dragons. Hearing of opportunities for wealth and power, he took his band to t he Chaos Scar. The Talons’ first mission was to be a simple one: Raid a passing merchant caravan on its way to Restwell Keep. Kodan quickly found that the area was not going to offer the easy pickings he had expected. His band was repelled by a combined force of guards from the keep and the adventurers. As the Talons retreated, though, t he group encountered a doppelganger assassin named Linn and a bullywug priest named Primpel, both seeking revenge for the adventurers’ previous meddling. The keep and adventuring parties were constant threats that couldn’t be dealt with as long as all the monstrous factions worked on their own. Kodan was struck with an idea: Instead of tr ying to carve out his own piece of the Chaos Scar, as so many others had done, he could unite all the inhabitants of the Scar under his banner by proving that he was a smart,
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Rumble in the Valley
WHO A RE T HE TALONS? These monstr ous character s have ties to other published adventures, as described in the Introduction, but your players needn’t have played through them. You can replace these creatures with other adversaries from previous adventures in your campaign, or have them be mercenaries who follow Kodan in exchange for wealth and power if his plan succeeds. Kodan, the hobgoblin leader, is new to this adventure. If the part y previously crossed paths with a band of hobgoblins, he can be one that escaped. Alternatively, replace Kodan with a recurring villain from your campaign who has similar qualities. F Linn, the doppelganger, is a sister to Gordi and Sal, who appeared in the Keep on the Borderlands adventure. She wants revenge for the deaths of her brothers. F Primpel is a bullywug priest who serves the Elder Elemental Eye. He came to the Chaos Scar on pilgrimage, but on discovering the bodies of slain bullywugs (see “Stick in the Mud”), now seeks to destroy the forces of civilization. F Slik is a kobold trapsmith of the kobold Clan Fireclaw, which was nearly wiped out during the events of “The Lost Library.” He magically soaked up a bit of the knowledge around the library and now wants to perfect the art of trapmaking. F Barulg the Returned is a duergar who swore his soul to infernal powers and was killed during the events of “The Hammer Falls.” The devils of the Nine Hells decided to return him to life as an example of their might, hoping that he would inspire other power-seeking creatures to make similar bargains.
capable, and powerful leader. To this end, he began to contact representatives of the caves’ inhabitants. Kodan soon encountered others who had experiences similar to his own, and he focused his attention on them. Using the talents of various monsters seeking revenge, Kodan took over a set of caves and has turned it into a massive trap. He doesn’t intend to kill the adventurers in the caves but rather weaken them so that he and h is now-reinforced Talons can eliminate them, in full view of emissaries from important Chaos Scar factions. With the adventurers out of the way, and having demonstrated his might, Kodan intends to rule the Chaos Scar.
A DVENTURE S Y NOPSI S The adventurers are summoned by Marz Dyson, a wealthy patron and frequent source of work, about another quest into the Chaos Scar. Dyson explains that elemental creatures are attacking his trade caravans and have been seen comi ng from a newly spotted cave entrance. He promises wealth and glory, as well as a chance to save innocent lives, if the adventurers investigate the incidents. In truth, the quest is a ruse. The real Dyson has been captured and replaced by Linn. Kodan has prepared a trap for the adventurers within one of the caves of the Chaos Scar, utilizing the talents of Slik, Primpel, and Barulg. The adventurers explore the cave, finding it surprisingly easy to navigate. They encounter little trouble until they reach a large chamber containing the wounded body of the true Dyson, guarded by several mud creatures. Entering the chamber triggers a cave-in, blocking the entrance. The only exit is through two sets of tunnels, designed to split the part y into two groups and weaken them with traps and hazards to give the Talons the edge in the fina l battle. At the end of the tunnels, a small force of sentries loyal to Kodan guard a stone outcropping that looks out over the Chaos Scar valley. The guards have strict
orders not to kill the adventurers, but to delay them while Kodan makes final preparations. In the valley below, witnessed by monstrous emissaries, Kodan and the Talons fight the party in one last showdown. If Kodan defeats the adventurers, he proves his worth to lead the monsters of the Chaos Scar in an attack on Restwell Keep. If he falls, the adventurers end a grave threat to the keep.
T HE A DVENTURE BEGINS When you’re ready to begin the adventure, read: Within the walls of Restwell Keep, you’ve made a name for yourselves as heroes, ready t o protect the innoce nt, rescue the endangered, and thwart the evil. As you walk along the streets, you’re thanked by passersby whom you have helped
or those who just know you by reputation. So you aren’t surprised to be called to another adventure at the behest of Marz Dyson, a local human merchant who has been a frequent ally and patron. In the past, he has needed help dealing with the dangers of the Chaos Scar, which are numerous, to cle ar the way for his trade caravans. Dyson asks you to investigate a poss ible incursion by elementals that threaten one of his trade routes. As always, he offers to pay well. “Th is should be short work for such experienced adventurers as you,” the old man says, smiling. Without waiting for your answer, he hands you a ma p to the spot whe re he believes the creatures are coming from. He encourages you to leave quickly, for he has another caravan moving through tomorrow. In fact, the person who the adventurers are meeting with is not Marz Dyson, but the doppelganger Linn, who has replaced the merchant to lure the party into Kodan’s trap. She doesn’t have the informat ion to answer many questions the adventurers might pose. If pressed, ”Dyson” claims that his scouts provided the tip and are back out on patrol.
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Rumble in the Valley This excuse might make the adventurers suspicious. With a successful DC 23 Insight check, a character senses that Dyson seems to be upset about something. If challenged, he explains that he is annoyed at the cost of doing business in the keep. (In reality, the doppelganger wants revenge for the death of her brothers.) If the adventurers continue to press him, he excuses himself on the pretext that he has another important meeting to attend. The fake Dyson pays the party 850 gp up front, with a promise of triple that on successful completion of the mission. If that doesn’t persuade the adventurers, the doppelganger increases the offer as needed—she intends for them never to return, so payment isn’t a problem. The map provided by Dyson is detailed and accurate, leading the party right to the cave entrance. The journey is surprisingly quiet for a trip into the Chaos Scar—the first clue that something is not quite right about the mission. If the characters manage to discover that Dyson is a fake, the doppelganger is willing to reveal what she knows of Kodan’s plan. Linn tells the group that Kodan has gained the allegiance of a number of Chaos Scar creatures and seeks to prove his worth by defeating the party. She pleads for her life and tells them that unless they go to the cave, the real Dyson will be kil led. If they spare her, she betrays them at the first opportunity.
Entering the Cave The cave immediately begins to slope downward, twisting to the east. With a successful DC 16 Dungeoneering check, a character notices that the caves aren’t entirely natural: Someone has recently done work to improve them. If the adventurers take time to search more thoroughly, or decide to turn back, you can encourage them to continue forward with the sound of an anguished cry from ahead: the voice of the real Dy son.
E V EN TS The events that follow tell the story of the adventure as it unfolds.
Event 1: Between Rust and a Hard Place Combat Encounter Level 8 (1,600 XP) The map for Event 1 shows the entrance and the cavern where Dyson is being held. He i s badly injured and needs attention if he is to survive. Once the adventurers enter the cave, the tunnel leading back out starts to collapse. Light: Torches along the walls of the farther cavern shed bright light. Monsters: nous cube (G),22elemental gluttonousevil rustmudborn monsters(M), (R).1 gelatiWhen the adventurers get close enough to see inside, read: You stand at the entrance to a large chamber, divided into two sections. The more distant half is illuminated by torches on the walls, placed to give you a good view of a sight you were clearly intended to witness. Your patron Dyson—batte red, beaten, and bloody— hangs pitifully from manacles attached by chains to the far wall. The re’s no way the old man could ha ve arrived before you, and his wound s show that h e has suf fered long-term abuse. Surrounding him are two humanoid shapes seemingly made of living mud. Within their chests, covered by the muck, are two wriggling insect-like creatures, whose antennae occasionally poke out of the disgusting slime. Dyson tries t o choke out a warning, but the pain of his injuries, reinforced by a brutal blow from one of the mud creatures, silences him before he can finish. The monsters emit a low gurgling sound as they turn to face you, and the
cat-sized insects burst forth, leaving a bubbling mud trail behind them. Behind you, a lou d crashing sound reverberates th rough the tunnels. 2 Elemental Evil Mudborn (M) Level 6 Controller Medium elemental magical beast (aquatic, earth, water) XP 250 each HP 70; Bloodied35 Initiative+7 AC 20, Fortitude20, Reflex 19, Will 16 Perception+6 5, swim 8 Low-light vision Speed Immunedisease, poison
T Aquatic The mudborn can breat he underwater. In aquat ic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any nonaquatic creatures.
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m Slippery Slam F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the mudborn can slide the target 1 square. r Mud BallF At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends). R Torrent of Mud FEncounter Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage, and the target falls prone. Miss: Half damage.
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M Stick in the Mud FRechargeif the power misses Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the mudborn hits it with a melee attack. Attack (Immediate React ion): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +9 vs. Fort itude Hit: The target is grabbed (escape DC 15). Until the grab ends, the target cannot make attacks, and the mudborn gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against it. SkillsDungeoneer ing +11, Nat ure +11 Str 19 (+7) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 14 (+5) Int 9 (+2) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial
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Rumble in the Valley Gelatinous Cube (G)
Level 5 Elite Brute
Large natural beast (blind, ooze)
XP 400 HP 156; Bloodied78 Initiative+4 AC 17, Fortitude18, Reflex 16, Will 15 Perception+3 3, climb 3 Blind, blindsight 5 Speed Immuneblinded, gaze effects; Resist5 acid Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
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T Ooze While squeezing, the cube moves at full speed rather than half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing. Translucent The cube is invisi ble until seen (Perception DC 25) or unti l it attacks. A creature that fails to notice the cube might walk into it, automatically being hit withengulf.
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m Slam (acid)F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 9 acid damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).
M Engulf(acid)F At-Will Requirement: The cube must have no more than two creatures grabbed. Attack: Melee 1 (one or two creatures); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: The cube grabs the target (escape DC 15) and pulls the target into its space. Until the grab ends, the target takes ongoing 10 acid damage and is dazed. When the cube moves, it pulls with it any creature grabbed by it, and the creature remains grabbed and within the cube’s space. This movement does not provoke an opp ortunit y attack from the grabbed creatur e. Str 14 (+4) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 13 (+3) Con 18 (+6) Int 1 (–3) Cha 1 (–3) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Start Area
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2 Gluttonous Rust Monsters (R)
QUEST: CAVERN RESCUE
Medium natural beast
7th-Level Minor Quest (300 XP) Returning Dyson to town alive earns the characters the quest reward.
Level 8 Brute At the start of the fi rst round of combat, the adventurers hear a loud rumbling: the beginning of a cave-in. On the second round, the entrance tunnel fills with rubble. On the third round, rubble spills out into the cavern, pushing anyone in it into the far chamber. T (The rubble-strewn area is difficult terrain.) Rusting Defense Any creature that tries to escape back through the Whenever an attack using a metal weapon hits the rust entrance tunnel on the first round gets caught in the monster, the weapon used in the attack is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the weapon is rusting, attacks falling rock, taking 2d10 + 5 damage. The creature with the weapon take a –1 penalty to attack rolls. If the is immobilized and takes ongoing 10 damage until weapon used to attack the rust monster is already rusting, it escapes. The creature can make a saving throw to the penalty to attack rolls worsens by 1 (to a maximum avoid the collapse, taking half damage on a save. A penalty of –5). trapped creature can try to escape once per round, S A and escaping requires a DC 23 Athletics check. m BiteF At-Will After the cave-in ends, returning through the Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 3 damage. If the target is wearing heavy armor, entrance passage is no longer possible. The only exit the armor is rusting until the end of the encounter. While is the tunnel at the far side of the cavern. the armor is rusting, the target takes a –1 penalty to AC. Tactics:The elemental evil mudborn are under If the target is wearing armor that is already rusting, orders to stop enemies from reaching Dyson. They increase the penalty to AC by 1 (to a maximum penalty stay near him, launching theirmud ball attacks at of –5). anyone who tries to approach. The gluttonous rust M Devour Metal FRechargeif the power misses monsters were imprisoned within the mudborn, Attack: Melee 1 (one creature wearing or wielding a rusting item); +11 vs. Reflex where they starved nearly to death. They home in on Hit: The rusting item is destroyed. If the item was magic, the character with the most metal to devour. residuum worth the item’s market value can be retrieved The gelatinous cube was prodded into place to from the rust mon ster after the creatu re is slain. prevent an early exit. It spends the first round moving M Gluttonous Bite FEncounter into better position to engulf prey. It avoids the mudAttack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC born (which have no f lesh to devour) but does not Hit: 4d10 + 8 damage. If the target is wearing heavy armor, hesitate to overrun a rust monster while trying to get the armor is rusting until the end of the encounter. While the armor is rusting, the target takes a –1 penalty to AC. to a character. If the target is wearing armor that is already rusting, the Dyson (D):The old man has been tortured and penalty to AC worsens by 1 (to a maximum penalty of will die in a few rounds if he is not tended to. Anyone –5). In addition, any weapon the target is wielding is rustadjacent to him can make a DC 15 Heal check to ing until the end of the encounter. While the weapon stabilize him. Using a healing power on Dyson autois rusting, attacks with the weapon take a –1 penalty to matically stabilize him. Otherwise, he makes a death attack rolls. If the weapon is already rusting, the penalty saving throw at the end of each round and dies after to attack rolls worsens by 1 (to a maximum penalty of –5). Miss: Half damage. three failures. Even if stabilized, Dyson barely clings Str 16 (+7) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 12 (+5) to life and is unconscious for the remainder of the Con 20 (+9) Int 2 (+0) Cha 11 (+4) adventure. Rescuing Dyson fulfills a minor quest. XP 350 each HP 110; Bloodied55 Initiative+7 AC 20, Fortitude21, Reflex 19, Will 17 Perception+5 Low-light vision Speed
Alignmentunaligned
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Event 2: Tunnels of Terror Skill Challenge Encounter Level 7 (600 X P) Kodan knows he can’t stand up to the adventurers at full strength. His goal is to weaken them as much as possible, perhaps eliminating one or two of them if he’s lucky. To that end, with the aid of Baru lg’s construction and forging, and traps designed by Slik, he has laid out the tunnels to harry and weaken the party. Kodan still needs a few adventurers to escape, however, so he can finish them off in view of those he’s trying to impress. After a short time exploring, the party comes to a spot where the tunnel forks. Both directions are blocked by heavy stone slabs, each connected by a chain to a pulley in the opposite tunnel. Each slab requires at least two characters to raise it by pulling on its chain, and it falls back as soon as the chain is released or fewer than two characters hold it. (The chain is long enough to a llow those holding it to move past the open slab if it is opened by the other chain.) Unless the adventurers come up with a way around this obstacle, they will have no choice but to split into two groups, each passing simultaneously into the opposing tunnels. After passing these obstacles, the groups are reunited at the exit chamber. Each group must deal with two of the obstacles laid out by the Talons, represented by short skill challenges that affect the final encounter. Tailor these challenges to the group’s abilities, choosing two from those described below , in whichever order you want. These challenges use a variety of skills, so they shouldn’t be too difficult for the characters to overcome. If the players come up with a way to avoid
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Rumble in the Valley splitting the party, they should easily bypass this challenge and emerge stronger than Kodan expects.
Barulg’s Infernal Forge The tunnel walls tra nsition into intricately carved works of metal and obsidian, engraved with devilish visages. Barulg, through his infernal masters, has infused his craftsmanship with primal fears of the living: the dark, being lost, and fire. The fiendish images swallow all light in the area (including any magical light sources) and launch blasts of invisible fire. Level: 7 (300 XP) Complexity:1 (requires 4 s uccesses before 3 failures). Time Frame: Each character can make a skill check in thisSkills: challenge once per minute. Primary Dungeoneering, History, Perception. Special : After any character makes a skill check, regardless of the skill used and the success or failure of the check, a random character takes 2d6 + 4 fire damage. Dungeoneer ing (DC 16 ): The character relies on familiarity with construction to advance carefully. History (DC 16 ): The character recognizes the art on the walls as duergar handiwork, allowing him or her to figure out the best places to step based on their patterns. Perception (DC 23): Despite the lack of light, the character uses other senses to find the path.
Secondary Skills:Perception, Insight. Perception (DC 11 ): The character tries to anticipate the fire blasts. No success is gained, but he or she takes no damage from the next blast of fire that targets that character. Insight (DC 11): The character uses intuition to warn the others about an oncoming blast of fire. No success is gained, but each other character takes only half damage from the next fire blast that attacks him or her. Success:The party reaches the end of the hall, and their light sources flare to life again. Failure: The adventures emerge with infernal darkness clinging to their souls. The group gains the Marked by Barulg trait: Any character who scores a hit against Barulg in the final encounter takes 5 fire damage.
Linn’s Paranoid Gauntlet The rocky walls change to a mirror-like substa nce, reflecting thousands of things both real and false. Images, voices, and sounds appear all around the characters, who become increasingly unsure if the other party members are real or have been replaced by something sinister. The adventurers must shake these feelings to emerge safely from the maze of mirrors. Level:7 (300 XP) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures). Time Frame: Each character can make a skill check in this challenge once per round. Primary Skills: Arcana, Diplomacy, Insight. Special : Each round, any character who has not succeeded at a primary skill check takes 2d6 + 4 psychic damage. Arcana (DC 23 ): The character uses his or her magical senses to get a fix on what is real and what is magically created.
Diplomacy (DC 16 ): The character gives a stirring speech to convince the others of his or her identity and trustworthiness . Insight (DC 16 ): The character trust s his or her intuition to tune out the false voices and images. Secondary Skills:Bluff, Intimidate. Bluff (DC 11 ): The character employs verbal gymnastics to confuse the various illusions, although his or her own reality is still in doubt. No success is gained, but each other cha racter receives a +2 bonus to the next primary skill check he or she makes this round. Intimidate (DC 16 ): The character forcefully asserts his or her existence. Although this tactic is effective, the other party members grow more distrustful of each other. No success is gained, but this character gains a +2 bonus to all primary skill checks during the challenge. All other characters take a –2 penalty to their next primary skill checks. Success:The bond between the adventurers helps to dispel the illusions and feelings of paranoia, leaving only a mild sense of doubt. Failure: The adventurers can’t shake their suspicions about what they experience. The group gains the Marked by Linn trait: Any character who scores a hit against Linn in the final encounter cannot regain hit points until the end of his or her next turn.
Primpel’s Muddy Tomb This section of tunnel is filled wit h slowly shifting mud, which seems to exude a n otherworldly essence. Level:7 (300 XP) Complexity:1 (requires 4 s uccesses before 3 failures). Time Frame: Each character can make a skill check in this challenge once per minute. Primary Skills: Endurance, Nature, Religion. Special : Each character must earn at least 1 success
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Rumble in the Valley with a prima ry skil l in order to proceed, even if the group has achieved 4 successes. Endurance (DC 23 ): The character uses brute force, pushing through while holding his or her breath. Nature (DC 16 ): By drawing upon his or her experience in swampy terrain, the character is able to find solid footing amid the deeper mud. Religion (DC 16 ): The character discerns that the earth and water bear traces of elemental energy tainted by evil. Calling on divine powers that oppose elemental evil causes the mud to part around the character. Secondary Skills:Athletics, Religion. Athlet ics (DC 11 ): No success is gained, but the character swims or wades through while dragging another character along, granting a +2 bonus to the next primary skill check made by another character. The character making this secondary skill check takes a –2 penalty to the next primary skill check he or she makes. Religion (DC 11): The character meditates on a blessing to help another character ward off elemental evil. No success is gained, but the other character gains a +2 bonus to the next primary skill check. The character making this secondary skill check cannot make primary Religion checks for the rest of the challenge. Success: The party struggles through the tunnels and emerges from the mud. Failure: The adventurers make it to the other side, but the evil instilled in the mud seeps into their bodies. The group gains the Marked by Primpel trait: Any character who scores a hit against Primpel in the final encounter is weakened until the end of his or her next turn.
Slik’s Mechanical Nightmare Slik the kobold has outfitted these halls with as many traps as he could think of, and he wasn’t subtle.
Blades on pendulums, pit traps, falling stone blocks, and poison dart shooters line this stretch of tunnel. Level:7 (300 XP) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures). Time Frame: Each character can make a skill check in this challenge once per minute.Special : After a character makes any skill check, the traps attack that character.Attack (Melee 1): +12 vs. AC. Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage. Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Dungeoneering, Thievery. Acrobatics (DC 16 ): The character dodges, slides, and weaves past the deadly traps. Dungeoneer ing (DC 16 ): These traps are old hat to seasoned adventurers, and the character relies on his or her experience to bypass them. Thiever y (DC 23 ): The character temporarily sabotages one or more parts of the elaborate trap system, allowing passage. Secondary Skills:Athletics, Perception. Athleti cs (DC 11 ): The character temporarily forces the machinery to a halt, facing an attack to give the others a greater cha nce of success. No success is gained, but all other characters gain a +2 bonus to any primary skill checks this round. This character is automatically hit by the traps this round. Perception (DC 11 ): The character observes a pattern to the traps’ activation. No succes is gained, but all characters gain a +2 bonus to AC against the traps’ attack this turn. Success:Through a combination of teamwork, timing, and tenacity, the party escapes the trapped tunnel. Failure: The traps have introduced Slik’s custom poison into the adventurers’ blood. The group gains the Marked by Slik trait: Each of the adventurers takes a –2 penalty to all defenses against Slik’s attacks and has vulnerable 5 to Slik’s damage.
Event 3: Valley Sentries Combat Encounter Level 6 (1,200 XP) The two tunnels eventually converge, allowing the adventurers to reassemble near the exit (if they were split). Just outside, they hear occasional sounds of bickering in Deep Speech. One more force waits to harass them as they emerge, in a further effort to weaken the party before the fi nal confrontation. The sentries also give Kodan plenty of time to get ready for his crowning moment. Light: If the adventurers arrive during the day, the area is brightly lit. At night, torches from the valley below shed dim light over the area. Monsters:1 ambush drake (A), 8 duergar thugs (D), 1 elemental evil mudborn (M), 1 ogre mercenary (O). The adventurers can take a short rest before proceeding out of the cave. If they are carrying Dyson, they have time to lay him down in a safe spot. The monsters ignore the old man; besides not being a threat, he’s not on the list. When the heroes advance to the outside, read: A chill air sweeps across you as you ma ke your way out of the tunnel, high on the slope of a rocky outcropping somewhere inside th e Chaos Scar. You have seen much of the Scar in your time here, but you’ve never had quite this view of it. From here, it looks almost serene. You don’t have much time to admire the view, though , for a sizable group awaits your arr ival with obviou s hostility. An ogre brandishing a massive morningstar dominates the scene, supported by a number of duergar. Two of the dark dwarves are holding the reins to a snapping drake, which they relea se when you emerge. A s ingle mud creature quivers in place. The ogre grins and hefts its weapon: “Th e boss wants ’em softened up. I call the big one.”
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Rumble in the Valley Ambush Drake (A)
Level 6 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast (reptile)
XP 250 Initiative+7 Perception+3
HP 71; Bloodied35 AC 20, Fortitude19, Reflex 18, Will 16 Speed 6, fly 4 (clumsy)
S
A
D
m ClawsF At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage. M Shifting Strike F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage. Effect: The drake can shift 1 square before or after the attack.
M
D M D
D
A
RavenousF At-Will Requirement: The drake must be bloodied. Effect: The drake shifts up to 2 squares to a square closer to a bloodied enemy. SkillsStealth +10 Str 16 (+6) Dex 14 (+5) Con 15 (+5) Int 3 (–1) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
8 Duergar Thugs (D)
5
Level 4 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid, dwarf XP 44 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+4 AC 16, Fortitude17, Reflex 15, Will 14 Perception+4 Darkvision Speed Resist 5 fire, 5 poison
S
O
Wis 11 (+3) Cha 6 (+1)
Start Area
D D A
D
A
m Warhammer(weapon)F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 8 damage.
M
A
R Infernal Quills(poison)FEncounter
D
Attack: Ranged 3 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 6 damage, and ongoing 2 poison damage (save ends). Str 14 (+4) Dex 15 (+4) Wis 15 (+4) Con 18 (+6) Int 10 (+2) Cha 8 (+1) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Equipment: chainmail, warhammer
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Rumble in the Valley Elemental Evil Mudborn (M)
Level 6 Controller
Ogre Mercenary (O)
Level 8 Soldier
Medium elemental magical beast (aquatic, earth, water)
Large natural humanoid (giant)
XP 250 each HP 70; Bloodied35 Initiative+7 AC 20, Fortitude20, Reflex 19, Will 16 Perception+6 Speed 5, swim 8 Low-light vision Immunedisease, poison
HP 93; Bloodied46 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 19, Will 19 Speed 8
T
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage. Effect: The ogre marks the target until the end of the ogre’s next turn. r Handaxe(weapon)F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 7 damage. C Brutal Sweep(weapon)F At-Will Attack: Close blast 2 (creatures in the blast); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone. Str 22 (+10) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 15 (+6) Con 21 (+9) Int 7 (+2) Cha 8 (+3) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesGiant
Aquatic The mudborn can breat he underwater. In aqua tic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any nonaquatic creatures.
S
A
m Slippery Slam F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the mudborn can slide the target 1 square. r Mud BallF At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends). R Torrent of Mud FEncounter Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage, and the target falls prone. Miss: Half damage.
T
A
M Stick in the Mud FRechargeif the power misses Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the mudborn hits it with a melee attack. Attack (Immediate React ion): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +9 vs. Fort itude Hit: The target is grabbed (escape DC 15). Until the grab ends, the target cannot make attacks, and the mudborn gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against it. SkillsDungeoneer ing +11, Nat ure +11 Str 19 (+7) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 14 (+5) Int 9 (+2) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial
S
XP 350 Initiative+8 Perception+6
A
m Morningstar(weapon)F At-Will
Equipment: 2 handaxes, morningstar
The combat takes place on a rocky outcropping 50 feet above the valley. The jutting stone partially blocks the view of what lies below. Anyone can peer over the edge and see that a small crowd of creatures of all sorts is gathering near the bottom of the cliff. The shape of the outcropping blocks the view of what they’re surrounding, which isn’t revealed until the adventurers descend farther. Rope Ladders:These are secured by metal spikes to the cliff edge in four spots and extend to the valley floor. If a creature is pushed off the edge beside a ladder and fails the saving throw to avoid falling, it can attempt a DC 16 Acrobatics check to grab onto the ladder instead. Creatures on the ladder gain partial cover from attackers on the cliff edge. If an adventurer descends more than 10 feet, he or she might be within range of some attacks from the monsters below—but they aren’t willing to start the fight until the party is on the ground. An adventurer might be knocked over the edge during the combat. If he or she survives the fall,
that character gets an early glimpse of the gathering below. Kodan does not immediately attack but barks, “Get back up there. We’re not ready for you yet.” If the adventurer chooses not to return to the outcropping, the Talons attack with overwhelming superiority of numbers. Tactics:On the first round, two duergar thugs descend about 10 feet on rope ladders to signal the crowd below that the party has arrived. On the next round, they climb back up and move to join the fight. All of the sentries have been ordered not to kill any of the adventurers. With the exception of the ambush drake, the monsters do not attack anyone who appears to be unconscious. Once the adventurers outnumber the sentries, the survivors fight only until bloodied, then attempt to flee down the rope ladders. Those who get to the bottom join the crowd in the final encounter. The ogre mercenary targets whoever looks the toughest in the party, preferring to attack bigger creatures and defenders in heavy armor.
Event 4: Rumble in the Valley Encounter Level 10 (2,350 XP) The final batt le for the Chaos Scar is here. Rope ladders lead to the valley, where representatives of t he Chaos Scar’s inhabitants will witness the culmination of Kodan’s plan. The party can take another short rest before venturing down. During that time a chant starts, at first low and growing progressively louder. At first, the words are inaudible and in a variety of rumbling monstrous speech. Gradually, the chant falls into unison, repeating “Talons” in Common over and over until the adventurers descend to the battlefield.
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Rumble in the Valley Light: If the adventurers arrive during the day, the area is brightly lit. At night, torches illuminate the scene with bright light. Monsters:Kodan, hobgoblin conqueror (K); Barulg, duergar/devil (B); Linn, doppelganger infiltrator (L); Primpel, bullywug priest of Elemental Evil (P); Slik, kobold trapsmith (S); the crowd (C). The only way to get down safely is on the ladders, each of which can hold the weight of t wo characters at a time. The adventurers will have to choose which ones to use, and in which order to descend, which dictates where they arrive in the valley. As they begin to descend, the chanting stops. Kodan takes this opportunity to rile up the spectators before the final battle.Read:
You make your way carefully down the rope ladders. After descending about 10 feet, you can more clearly see what’s waiting for you. A hobgo blin stands on a sho rt cliff above the crowd of monsters and addresses you. “Th e time of your oppression has come to an end. You have terrorized the denizens of the Chaos Scar long enough. We are the Talons, and we are here to see that justice is finally done.” There is a short cheer at the mention of the Talons, then the hobgoblin continues. “Each of us have been wronged. Whether you’ve killed our kind, our family, our livelihood, or even ourselves, the time has come for you to pay the price for your crimes against u s.” He gestures to prese nt a bullywug dressed in robes, a shapecha nger whose visage f lickers from the face of Dyson t o that of each of you , a kobold tinkering with a metal device, and a duergar whose eyes fli cker with infernal f lames. “These representatives have come to witness your doom. Once you are defeated, I shall lead a united Chaos Scar against your precious keep.” The first of you reaches the bottom of the ladder. The five Talons tense up. “Eno ugh introduct ions. Now for th e main event.”
CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
C
If a group failed one or more of the skill challenges presented in Event 2 (Tunnels of Terror), its members are affected by a magical disadvantage that hinders their effectiveness during the final confrontation. These effec ts are summarized below.
Challenge Primpel’s Muddy Tomb
Linn’s Paranoid
Disadvantage Marked by Primpel: Any character who scores a hit against Primpel is weakened until the end of his or her next turn. Marked by Linn: Any character who
scores hit a hit against regain points untilLinn the cannot end of his or her next turn. Barulg’s Marked by Barulg: Any character Infernal Forge who scores a hit against Barulg takes 5 fire damage. Slik’s Mechanical Marked by Slik: Each character Nightmare takes –2 penalty to all defenses against Slik’s attacks and has vulnerable 5 to Slik’s damage.
C C
C P C
Gauntlet
L K
S
C
C
B
C
C
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5
Kodan, Level 8 Elite Soldier Hobgoblin Conqueror (K) (Leader)
Barulg the Returned (B)
Medium natural humanoid XP 700 HP 174; Bloodied87 Initiative+8 24, 22, 19, 20 5+6 AC Fortitude Reflex Will Perception Low-light vision Speed Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
HP 87; Bloodied43 AC 21, Fortitude22, Reflex 17, Will 19 Darkvision Speed Immuneillusion; Resist 5 fire, 5 poison
T
m Warhammer(weapon)F At-Will
Lead from the Front When Kodan hits an enemy with a melee attack, his allies gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against that enemy until end of Kodan’s next turn.
S
A
m Spear (weapon)F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage. Effect: Kodan marks the target until the end of his next turn. M Spear SpinF At-Will Effect: Kodan uses spear twice. If he hits the same target with both attacks, the target is slowed (save ends).
M Roar of the Crowd(weapon)FEncounter
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 5 damage, plus 1 damage for each ally within 5 squares of Kodan. Miss: Half damage.
M
A
C Tactical Deployment FRecharge5 6 Effect: Close burst 5 (allies in the burst). Each target can shift up to 3 squares.
T
A
M RedeployF At-Will Trigger: An enemy adjacent to Kodan and marked by him shifts away from him. Effect (Immediate Reaction): Kodan charges an enemy other than the triggering enemy. SkillsAthletics +15, Diplomacy +13, History +12, Intimidate +13 Str 22 (+10) Dex 13 (+5) Wis 15 (+6) Con 15 (+6) Int 17 (+7) Cha 18 (+8) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, spear
Level 7 Controller
Linn, Doppelganger Assassin (L)
XP 300 Initiative+4 Perception+8
Medium natural humanoid (shapechanger)
Medium natural humanoid, duergar
S
A Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 4 damage.
HP 69; Bloodied34 AC 22, Fortitude18, Reflex 21, Will 21 Speed 6
Level 8 Lurker XP 350 Initiative+13 Perception+10
T Combat Advantage Linn deals 2d6 extra damage against any creature granting combat advantage to her.
S
A
C Choking Fumes(poison)FRecharge6
m Dagger(weapon)F At-Will
Attack: Close burst 3 (creatures in the burst); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 3 poison damage, and the target is blinded until the end of Barulg’s next turn. C Wave of Despair(psychic)FEncounter Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +10 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed and slowed (save ends both).
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage. C Cloud Mind(charm)FEncounter Attack: Close burst 5 (one enemy in the burst); +11 vs. Will Hit: Linn is invisible to the target until she attacks or is hit by an attack.
M
A
R Infernal Quills(poison)FEncounter
Attack: Ranged 3 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both).
T
A
M The Hammer Falls FEncounter Trigger: An attack bloodies Barulg or hits him while he is bloodied. Attack (Immediate Reacti on): Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 4 damage, and Barulg pushes the target up to 3 squares and knocks it prone. Miss: Half damage. Effect: Barulg gains 25 temporary hit points. Until the end of the encounter, his warhammer deals 5 extra damage. Skills Dungeoneering +8, Arcana +8, Religion +8 Str 17 (+6) Dex 13 (+4) Wis 10 (+3) Con 23 (+9) Int 10 (+3) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech, Dwarven Equipmentwarhammer
M
A
Change Shape(illusion, polymorph)F At-Will Effect: Linn alters her physical form to appear as a Medium humanoid and changes the appearance of her clothing and gear until she uses change shape again or until she drops to 0 hit points. To assume a specific individual’s form, Linn mus t have seen that individu al. Other creatures can make a DC 29 Insight check to discern that the form is a disguise . M Shapeshifter Feint F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: The target grants combat advantage to Linn until the end of Linn’s next turn. SkillsBluf f +13, Insig ht +10, Stealth +14 Str 12 (+5) Dex 21 (+9) Wis 12 (+5) Con 15 (+6) Int 13 (+5) Cha 19 (+8) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentdagger
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Rumble in the Valley Primpel, Bullywug Priest of Elemental Evil (P)
Level 6 Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 73; Bloodied36 AC 20, Fortitude18, Reflex 17, Will 20 Speed 6 (swamp walk), swim 4
T O Rancid Air(poison)F Aura 2 Each enemy that spends a healing surge in the aura is weakened until the end of its next turn. Aquatic Primpel can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, he gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against any nonaquatic creatures. (healing) Nature’s Release Any attacker who scores a critical hit against Primpel regains 5 hit points.
S
Level 6 Controller The battle continues until only one group survives. XP 250 Kodan has staked everything on this showdown, and Initiative+7 the other Talons fight on no matter what. Showing Perception+6 weakness in the Chaos Scar is just as bad as losing. Ledge: Kodan and his cronies stand on this T square chunk of stone, which rises to a height of about Trap Sense 10 feet at its westernmost edge. Slik gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps. Rope Ladders:These are secured by metal spikes S A m Buzzing Sword(weapon)F At-Will to the cliff edge in four spots and extend to the valley Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC floor. A creature can attempt a DC 16 Athletics check Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, and Slik can push the target 1 square. to climb to a higher position. r Sling (weapon)F At-Will The Crowd:This diverse group of Chaos Scar Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +11 vs. AC inhabitants can be represented by any monster tokens Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage. or miniatures at hand. The creatures are not there to R Trick Shot(weapon)FRecharge4 5 6 fight but to observe, so they don’t join in the combat. Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 2 damage, and Slik chooses one of the following However, any adventurer who gets to close to a crowd effects: member draws a reflexive attack. Slik, Kobold Trapsmith (S) Small natural humanoid (reptile)
XP 250 Initiative+6 Perception6+12
A
m Quarterstaff(weapon)F At-Will
HP 70; Bloodied35 AC 20, Fortitude17, Reflex 21, Will 17 Darkvision Speed
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage.
R Bolt of Caustic Mud (acid)F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 3 acid damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of Primpel’s next turn. If the target is already immobilized, it takes ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends). C Earth-Sundering Croak (poison, thunder)F At-Will Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d10 + 6 poison and thunder damage. SkillsArcana +9, Nature +12, Religion +9 Str 14 (+5) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 18 (+7) Con 17 (+6) Int 13 (+4) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesPrimordial Equipmentquarterstaff
Flame Shot (fire): The target takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Slick Shot: Slik slides the target up to 4 squares. Glue Shot: The target is immobilized (save ends). A Contraptions Unleashed FEncounter Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 3 damage, and the target cannot make opportunity attacks and takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends both). Until the effect ends, Slik can slide the target up to 4 squares at the start of its turn. Miss: Half damage.
M
A
ShiftyF At-Will Effect: Slik shifts 1 square.
T
A
M Watch Your Step(fire)F At-Will Trigger: An enemy moves adjacent to Slik. Attack (Immediate Reacti on): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +9 vs. Refl ex Hit: 1d10 + 4 fire damage, and Slik can push the target 1 square. SkillsDungeoneeri ng +11, Stealth +12, Thi every +12 Str 13 (+4) Dex 18 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 14 (+5) Int 13 (+4) Cha 13 (+4) Alignmentevil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentleather armor, sling, short sword, trapmaking kit
The Crowd (C) Special Detect Automatic
T
Level 6 Hazard XP 250
Initiative—
A
M AttackF At-Will Trigger: An enemy moves adjacent to a creature in the crowd. Attack (Opportu nity Action): Melee 1 (the triggering enemy); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage.
C F
Attack:A character can take a standard action to use an attack power against one or more creatures in the crowd. On a hit, that creature is removed from the crowd. F Disable:A character can make a DC 16 check using an appropriate skill (such as Bluff or Intimidate) to remove one creature from the crowd.
Tactics:Kodan directs the action, but he also wants to make sure he gets the credit for killing the adventurers. He focuses on bloodied enemies when possible. Linn is fanatically loyal to Kodan and does her best to protect him, seeking combat advantage whenever she can.
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Rumble in the Valley Primpel is not afraid to get mixed up in the fight but tries to stay around the periphery and catch as many enemies as possible with his earth-sundering croak. If Kodan dies or is otherwise incapacitated, Primpel attempts to take command of the Talons. Barulg wants only to prove his power, and he fights to the death. Slik uses his traps to stay as far away as possible from combat. He uses trick shot and contraptions unleashed to move enemies into melee with the other Talons or into the crowd.
Conclusion Defeating all the Talons ends the threat of a unified Chaos Scar and enhances the adventurers’ reputation as heroes. When the last of the Talons is killed, the rest of the crowd quickly scatters to report to their groups that Kodan‘s plan failed. If Kodan is killed and his body left unattended, some of the watching monsters spirit it away on the following round. Remove half the remaining creatures in the crowd, and if anyone asks, tell the party that there is no sign of the hobgoblin. (His absence is obvious at t he end of the f ight.) However, Kodan might return some day to exact revenge. The adventurers return to the keep, either with a living Dyson (who will eventually recover) or bringing word of his fate. In either case, they receive a reward of 1,800 gp, but only returning Dyson alive satisfies the minor quest. If Kodan’s body wasn’t recovered, the adventurers might have to keep an eye out for another scheme from t he hobgoblin or his followers.
About the Author Dave Chalkeris a freelance game designer and Editorin-Chief of the award-winning blog Critical-Hits.com. His recent work includes co-writing the “Choose Your Fortunes Wisely” ar ticle for t he D&D websit e, design ing for t he “Dragon Brigade Roleplaying Game” from Margaret Weis Productions, and creating the boardgame “Get Bit! ” from Mayday Games.
Design Dave Chalker Developer and Editor Jennifer C larke Wilkes Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrator Alexey Apar in Cartography Sean Macdonald Graphic Production Erin Dorries
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Head in the Clouds A Chaos S car A dventure
By Matt Sernett Illustration by William O’Connor F Cartography by Jason A. Engle Head in the Cl ouds is a short D & ® D adventure for characters of levels 7-9. It takes place in the Chaos Scar at any location you wish. Alternatively, it might start outside the wall and the characters might need to go inside to continue the adventure. The adventure begins when the adventurers notice something ominous in the sky, but instead of offering danger, the floating fortress begs for help. When it crashes, the characters have the opportunity to offer that aid when denizens of the Chaos Scar swarm the strange sky vessel.
If you’re not playing a Chaos Scar campaign, you can use this adventure in any wilderness area.
BACKGRO UN D The human wizard named Bolios Whitt ish commands a strange flying fortress carved from the head of an enormous statue and fortified with a crownlike tower.The Head in the Clouds serves as Bolios’s home and means of travel. Bolios has dedicated his life to the study of elemental spirits and the Elemental
TM & © 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Head in the Clouds
Chaos. He discovered the head in hi s quest for knowledge and christened it The Head in the Clouds . Bolios found the massive head (possibly from an immense statue) floating above a desert near a weak point in the b order between planes. He discovered that the stone was imbued with elemental spirits that made it weightless. With the aid of some desertdwelling dwarves, Bolios strengthened the bonds on the beings and built towers atop it, creating a flying fortress (which he insists on calling his “ship”) from which he could explore the world. After hearing about the Chaos Scar, Bolios traveled to the area in the hope of learning more about it. For a few days he made distant observations from high in the clouds. Recently, he realized that his tower is sinking and being pulled farther into the Scar. Well aware of the possible danger, Bolios has been trying to discover the cause of the pull and fight against it. By the time he drifts down out of the clouds and spots the heroes, Bolios is desperate. If you’d like to give the adventure a longer buildup, let the characters notice something ominous in the sky. It’s just a speck at first, but eventually it draws close enough that they can recognize it as something that doesn’t belong in the sky. Depending on how much lead time you have and how much myster y you want to build around it, this might take a few hours, a few days, or even a week or more. Allowing the characters to see the head as nothing more than a smudge against the distant clouds for several days should spark their curiosity. When the distant object is first spotted, there will be no reliable informat ion on it but plenty of conjecture. If the characters are in a town or settlement of any size, such as Restwell Keep, this will be the number one topic of conversation. (For a longer trek,
characters might even spot the head while they’re at Fallcrest and track Bolios’s journey toward the Scar, out of curiosity over what the object is.) Once the citadel’s shape becomes recognizable, the suppositions will only increase. Some people will hail it as a sign from the gods, others as a sign from devils; some will consider it a good omen, others a sure signal that the apocalypse is near. Those who favor more mundane explanations probably assume that it’s the home of flying raiders coming to attack and loot the village. All sorts of plans and proposals will be put forward ranging from scattering and hiding in the hills to imploring the spirits of the sky for intercession to organizing a scouting/diplomatic party to get a closer look. If the latter happens, the characters should be included in (or at least invited to join) the official contingent sent to investigate the intruder. If the characters are the ones to make this suggestion, so much the better. For furt her suggestions on how to build up the head’s mystery, see the online“November Adventure Hooks” article.
A DVENTURE S Y NOPS IS Bolios begs the heroes for aid as he drifts inexorably forward and down. If the characters have some means of getting aboard while he’s airborne, they can try to help Bolios counter the pull toward a distant cliff where minotaurs are performing a ritual. This effort is doomed to failure, however; the Head will crash to the ground well before it reaches the minotaurs. Unfortunately, the strange and unique intruder draws the attention of other inhabitants of the Chaos Scar. Before long, the thwarted minotaurs arrive to claim the prize they had hoped to pry from the clouds. If that isn’t enough trouble, the bindings on
the elemental beings that power the ship also unravel, presenting another threat that the heroes and Bolios must face. If the characters can keep Bolios alive, he rewards them handsomely. If they don’t, the heroes could attempt to claim The Head in the Clouds for themselves, assuming they can capture and bind the elementals necessary to power it.
GETTING T HE CHARACTERS I NVOLVED When the adventure starts, t he characters are assumed to be camping or traveling in the Chaos Scar area. Here are a couple of story hooks to use if the opening scene you chose doesn’t engage the players and their characters.
Hook: WANT ED When Bolios tells t he characters who he is, at least one of the adventurers remembers that someone called “Bolios the Elementalist” is wanted in a town the heroes left recently. A noble is offering a reward of 200 gp for the capture and return of Bolios and 1,000 gp for the safe return of a stolen book describing the Elemental Chaos, Azael ’s Elem ental Travels. (Ideally, you’ve planned ahead and actually planted this information the last time the characters passed through a town.) Quest: 350 XP for capturing Bolios and returning him to the noble. Unfortunately, Bolios dropped the book into a swamp because, as he says, “It was nonsense! Azael clearly knew nothing of the Elemental Chaos.”
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Hook: I Know that Face
B OLIOS W HITTISH
The face of the statue i s familia r to one of the adventurers as a depiction of a primordial, a dead deity, an ancient king, or some other individual of importance. The character m ight have seen it depicted on an ancient treasure map, carved into a wall associated with an impor tant legend, embossed on the arm or of a hated foe, stamped on an ancient coin, or used as a clue to something or someone the character is seeking. They may not know who the face represents, but he must have been important to have his image immortalized this way. If you like, a character might recognize the head as a legendary figure from your campaign with a DC 24 History skill check (use Religion or Arcana if those are more appropriate, but
Bolios Whittish is a rotund man of about 60 with white hair and a ruddy face in need of a shave. Bolios is outgoing, but unless the topic of conversation aligns with his interests (elemental magic, elemental creatures, the Elemental Chaos, and his ship,The Head in the Clouds ) he swiftly becomes distracted by his own thoughts and activities. Bolios came to the Chaos Scar to observe what elemental creatures live there and to see if he m ight find evidence that the evil that created the Scar has an elemental srcin. He can’t t hink of what life would be l ike w ithout The Head in the Clouds , so he’s not willing to give it up u nless he has no hope of saving it.
only one). In most cases, however, if the adventurers want to find out where The Head in the Clouds came from, they’l l need to help Bolios. He’s not going to chat idly with strangers about the history and srcin of the Head while he’s scrambling to save it, but he’ll be happy to show it off to anyone who helps him . Quest: 350 XP for keeping Bolios alive through the encounters so that he can tell the character what he or she wants to k now.
Bolios will agree to grant the heroes a reward if they ask for it, and he gives it freely if they don’t. See “Treasure” for a description of what Bolios can offer and what the heroes might claim if Bolios is dead. Use Bolios to aid the characters in battle. The encounters in this adventure assume his inclusion, so if you decide not to use Bolios, the encounters are more difficult.
RUNNING THIS A DVENTURE
The encounters in this adventure can be run in many ways. How you organize the encounters depends on the actions of the characters. During the opening scene, the characters might find a way to board The Head in the Clouds . If so, Bolios Whittish Level 7 Controller they meet Bolios and can see the magic circles Medium natural humanoid, human XP 300 that power his vessel. In this case, t he adventurers’ HP 73; Bloodied36 Initiative+3 efforts to slow the ship unravel the circles and crash AC 21, Fortitude18, Reflex 19, Will 18 Perception+5 the ship (causing 2d10 damage and knocking the Speed 6 characters prone ). Encounter 2 then start s as t he S A m Quake Staff(weapon) F At-Will elementals break free, follo wed by the ettins ar riving Attack: Melee 1; +12 vs. AC (one creature) for Encounter 1, and final ly the minotaurs arrive for Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage, and the target falls prone. Encounter 3. A Volcanic Blast(fire, implement) F At-Will If the characters can’t make it up to The Head in Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (targets in the burst); +10 vs. the Clouds , they won’t be able to keep up with it as it Reflex is blown over some very broken terrain of the Scar. Hit: 1d10 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Instead, when they arrive at the crash site, the ettins Bolios slides the target 1 square. are already on the scene, provoking Encounter 1. Miss: Half damage. Skills Arcana +11, Nature +10 While dealing wit h them, the characters can hear Str 15 (+5) Dex 11(+3) Wis 14 (+5) Bolios chanting (he’s trying to contain the elemenCon 9 (+2) Int 17 (+6) Cha 14 (+5) tal beings). The characters can thereafter enter the Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon enormous head and help Bolios deal with the escaped Equipmentrobes, staff elementals in Encounter 2. The minotaurs arrive soon after for Encounter 3.
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Whichever way you run the encounters, consider allowing one encounter to run up into the next with no short rest available to the characters. These encounters will be more fun if the players need to manage threats coming hard on their heels from different directions. If things aren’t going well, you can delay an encounter to allow a short or long rest. Perhaps Bolios rummages among his things and finds a scroll that raises a temporary wall of ice to block the monsters and give the group a respite. It’s up to you— but the more frantic the pace, the better.
T REASURE Bolios Whittish is willing to part with a great deal of his wealth if the characters can get him out of the Chaos Scar alive. He’s willing to grant them the following: F bracers of defense (level 7) F +3 magic dagger F 1,000 gp F two potion s of healing
Bracers of Defense
Level 7+ Uncommon
These enchanted armbands can be activated to reduce the damage you take from a single attack. Item Slot: Arms 2,600 gp Power (Daily):Immediate Interrupt. Trigger: You are hit by a melee attack. Effect: Reduce the damage dealt to you by the attack by 10.
If Bolios is killed, the heroes can find the following additional funds among his things: F two 500 gp sapphires F a silver coffer worth 200 gp filled with 300 gp of mixed coinage F +2 magic wand Lastly, the minotaur magi carry the following treasure among them: F Three 200 gp rubies F leather satchels filled with a total of 800 gp of mixed coinage
OPENING S CENE While the heroes are traveling or camped in the Chaos Scar, a howling wind kicks up all around and persists for a day. At some point dur ing the day, they receive a strange greeting (alter the following text to suit the situation if you’ve changed it): The strange weather suddenly worsens, and heavy hail slams painfully into your heads and shoulders. It takes a moment to realize it, but the “ hail” rings loudly off your gear and gol den circles pe lt the groun d around you. Doze ns of gold coins are falling from the sky! When you look up, you see their source . An enormous stone head drifts through the air about 200 feet above you. As you watch, it sinks slightly lower, and you see that a fortified tower has been built upon its top like a crown. An elderly human man is leaning out of the head’s gaping mouth and waving to you. He seems to be shouting something, but it’s hard to hear him over the howling wind.
You can make Bolios as diff icult or as easy to hear as you like. Bolios hopes to communicate his need for help to the characters. He doesn’t know who they are, but they’re bound to be better than the minotaurs he can see from his high vantage. He hopes the adventurers have some means of helping him stop his ship, and he’s willing to offer wealth (beyond the 78 gp he threw to the ground) and magic if the characters help him retain his f lying home. Bolios can’t control his ship, but he’ll do what he can to get t he characters aboard. Unfortunately, that amounts to tying off a 50-foot length of rope and throwing it down. If t he heroes board his ship, he eagerly greets them and shows them to t he magic circles he hopes to use to arrest The Head in the Clouds . If t hey can’t get aboard, Bolios begs them to follow him and heads inside to work on the circles. Either way, the work on the magic circles causes the minotaurs’ ritual to fail and the f loating head to crash, dragging its neck across t he ground for several hundred feet before it finally stops.
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T HE H EA D TH E
IN
C LOUDS
The Head in the Clouds is crafted from the massive severed head of a statue with a crownlike tower built atop it. The head is about 100 feet tall from its chin to its top and 80 feet wide (slightly larger than George Washington’s head in Mount Rushmore or roughly five times the size of the head of the Statue of Liberty). In addition to this, the head wears a “crown”—a fortified tower of two levels, each about 15 feet tall. The head looks like an angry, bearded human face, but the artistic license taken with the shapes could mean it was meant to depict an individual of another race or even some godlike or primordial being. The Head: The face of the statue has openings for the mouth, eyes, and nostrils. The mouth opens into a “cave” carved out of the interior of the head. This cave has a source of water in it that remains forever full (at least until the elemental creatures escape in Encounter 2). The cave also contains a set of rough stairs that steeply round the back of the interior of the head until they reach the second cave level. The second cave chamber in the head is at the level of the eyes, roughly 50 feet above the lower chamber. Near the stairs, the dwarves broke through the wall and built a sta irwell to gain entrance to the tower above it. Someone in this level of the head can look out of the eye holes, but only a creature of Small or smaller size can squeeze through them. Small holes are also in the wall below the eyes and are narrow channels leading to the nostrils. A blackened spot on the floor sheltered by a fire-darkened overhang is between the nostril channel holes. The charred floor shows the position where a fire could be built to force smoke out through the nostrils.
In one corner of the chamber, rusted chains are attached to the wall. In its distant past, the chains kept creatures in place so that the statue could weep warm blood from its eyes. The Tower: Bolios’s tower consists of two levels. Originally he had the dwarves build a spacious lower floor for entertaining guests while his chambers for study and living were upstairs. Bolios has never had any guests, however, and he jettisoned much of the furniture on the first floor when he discovered that the head was sinking, before he realized the minotaurs’ ritual was to blame. The first floor contains a glowing, golden glyph that is part of how The Head in the Clouds remains lighter than air. Bolios has st rewn about many scrolls and books from a bookshelf on this floor in his desperate search for some way to thwart t he distant minotaurs. The second f loor is a jumble of Bolios’s studies and spartan living quarters. The red glyphs help to give The Head in the Clouds the power to move, but Bolios is not certain exactly how or why (“The fire spirits trapped within represent the animism inherent in all motion, even the planes. It’s elementary!”). A blue glyph on t he f loor represents t he means by which the sh ip can be pilot ed. If one cr eature i s withi n the circ le, that c reature c an see outside t he head as if looking out its eyes and thereby direct the vessel. It ca n be moved 10 squares once per t urn as a move action.
CONCLUDING T HE A DVENTURE If Bolios survives, he’s grateful to the adventurers and begs them to help get him and his library out of the Chaos Scar. The minotaurs’ bodies might reveal some clue as to why they wantedThe Head in the Clouds , but why that is and what adventures it might lead the characters to is up to you. Although Bolios strengt hened the bonds on the elementals in his ship, he doesn’t know how to recapture them or bond new elemental creatures. Once he has had time to do some research with his books, he’ll be happy to hire the characters to seek and capture some elementals to repowerThe Head in the Clouds (and probably to chase out whatever creatures inevitably move into the head after Bolios and the characters strip it of valuables and leave the Scar). As payment for these deeds, Bolios gives the characters the rest of his wealth and takes them wherever they wish to go, plus he offers to give them a nother free ride at a later date. If Bolios didn’t survive, the heroes might be able to research the means of re-powering the head themselves from Bolios’s library, but they must either get the books and scrolls out of the Chaos Scar, or defend The Head in the Clouds from other curious Scar denizens. Either way, the characters must find new elementals and then reclaim the head from those who have it when they return—surely that’s a quest worthy of the reward of a flying fortress!
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MouthLevel S E
Tower First Floor
EyeLevel
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Tower Second Floor
Tower Roof
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E NCOUNTER 1: O FFERINGS TO A G OD? Encounter Level 9 (2,100 XP) This encounter pit s the her oes agai nst a ba nd of curious ettins.
Setup 4 ettin thugs (T) 1 ettin wrath chanter (W) The crash of The Head in the Clouds lands it near an ettin hunting party. The enormous humanoids watched its arriva l from hiding and see its la nding near them as the potential blessing of a god. As soon as it stops moving, they run up and hurl their recent kills (the bodies of some hobgoblins) into the “god’s” mouth in the hopes of sating its hunger and making it happy. When the encounter begins, the ettins are wondering what to do next. Each ettin keeps one head looking to the sky (there must be another head coming!) while the other looks to the god and talks to the other ettins about what to do (in Giant). The ettin wrath chanter is the only one brave enough to speak to the god, but it’s also the most suspicious of the nature of the thing from the sky. The wrath chanter wants to see some godly power or it’s going to head in and claim the place for itself. If the heroes arrive by chasing down The Head in the Clouds , they crest a nearby hill and see the ettins surrounding the head while Bolios can be heard chanting a binding ritual within it. Allow the heroes to decide how they approach the ettins, but i f they take too long, the ettins enter to find the source of the noise.
If the adventurers hitched a ride on the head, they can hear the low voices of the ettins grumbling outside when they pick themselves up after the crash.
Deceiving the Ettins Skill Challenge (1,750 XP) An I nsight or R eligion c heck (DC 16) can deter mine why the ettins are behaving as they are. I f a character knows the Giant language, the things the ettins are saying also reveals their religious take on the situation. If t he characters decide to take advantage of the situation and manipulate the ett ins by playing god, run th is encounter as a skill challenge with a complexity of 5 (12 successes before 3 failures). Allow the players to improvise skill checks and actions. Bluff, Intimidate, Religion, and Sense Motive should be primary skills. Note that without access to the Giant language, certain ski ll checks automatically result in a failure. Certain actions should result in successes as well. I f the heroes make the bodies of the hobgoblins disappear, for instance, the ettins assu me they were eaten and believe more strongly i n the “god’s” power.
4 Ettin Thugs (T)
Level 8 Brute
Large natural humanoid (giant) HP 110; Bloodied55 AC 20, Fortitude21, Reflex 17, Will 19 Speed 6
XP 350 Initiative+5 Perception+11
T Double Actions The ettin makes t wo initiative check s and takes a full tur n on each initiative result. The ettin can take two immediate actions per round but only one between one turn and the next.
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m Smash F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 1d12 + 3 damage.
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M Kick FAt-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: The ettin pushes the target up to 2 squares. The ettin then moves up to half its speed. Str 20 (+9) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 15 (+6) Con 20 (+9) Int 8 (+3) Cha 9 (+3) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesGiant
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Ettin Wrath Chanter (W)
Level 8 Elite Controller (Leader)
Large natural humanoid (giant) HP 184; Bloodied92 AC 22, Fortitude21, Reflex 17, Will 20 Speed 6 Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
XP 700 Initiative+5 Perception+11
T O Rage SongF Aura 5 Enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls but gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls while in the aura. Allies gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls while in the aura. Double Actions The ettin makes t wo initiative check s and takes a full turn on each initiative result. The ettin can take two immediate actions per round but only one between one turn and the next. Dual Brain At the end of its turn, the ettin automatically ends any dazing, stunning, or charm effect on itself.
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m Smash (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target falls prone. Invoke FuryF At-Will Effect: Close burst 5 (one enemy in the burst). The target must use a free action to charge or make a basic attack against a target of the ettin’s choice. The movement for this charge does not provoke opportunity attacks. Str 20 (+9) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 15 (+6) Con 20 (+9) Int 8 (+3) Cha 17 (+7) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguageGiant
Tactics The tactics of the ettins depends a lot on the behavior of the characters. If the characters attack the ettins from outside The Head in the Clouds , the ettins take refuge within it and hurl attacks out of the mouth. When this tactic turns foul (such as when an area power hits many of them), they run up to the level of the eyes and then to the first level of the tower where they lie in wait for the heroes (and eat Bolios if the characters are too slow). If the adventurers attack from within The Head in the Clouds , the ettin wrath chanter uses invoke fury from range while the ettin thugs close into melee and attempt to kick opponents closer to the wrath chanter.
S E
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Features of the Area Attack ing from T he Head in the C louds: A creature can make attacks out of the eyes of the head, but the eyes are about 60 feet above the ground. Similarly, creatures within the tower are 100 feet, 115 feet, or 130 feet above the g round. Regardless of where the creatures are in the head or the tower, targets within 20 feet of the head have total cover. Only creatures leaning over the edge of roof of the first
T
W T
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level of the tower can get a clear shot at targets within 20 feet of the side of the head. Climbing The Head in the Clouds: A creature can climb the head with a DC 15 Athletics check. Climbing the side of the tower requires a DC 20 Athletics check.
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E NCOUNTER 2: TOO L ITTLE , TOO L ATE Encounter Level 8 (1,750 XP) After a futi le effort to contain the elementals, the heroes must defeat them in battle.
Setup 1 flame snake (S) 1 frost hawk (F) 3 geonids (G) 1 shardstorm vortex (V) Bolios begs the characters to help him contain the elementals trapped in the glyphs. They are unraveling simultaneously and each glyph requires a creature standing on it to succeed in three successive DC 15 Arcana checks. (If Bolios is dead, a character with the A rcana skil l can surm ise this is t he case as the glyphs flash and sputter.) Characters can aid one another, but their efforts are doomed. Bolios doesn’t know that the pool in the mouth cave serves as another point of elemental containment—a natural one that Bolios missed in his effort to turn the head into his flying fortress. Allow the characters to make an effort to contain the elementals, but when it fails, the encounter begins. The elementals appear as indicated on the tactical map. A ny creature except an elemental with in a glyph a rea when the encount er begin s is pushed out and stunned until the end of its next turn. Roll init iative for all the creatures normally (no surprise round).
Flame Snake (S) Medium elemental beast (fire, reptile) HP 74; Bloodied37 AC 23, Fortitude19, Reflex 22, Will 20 Speed 6 Resist20 fire
S
Level 9 Artiller y XP 400 Initiative+9 Perception+12
A
Frost Hawk (F)
Level 7 Skirmisher XP 300 Initiative+9 Perception+6
T Shattering Strike A frost hawk’s melee attacks deal 2d6 extra cold damage against a slowed creature.
S
Level 6 Lurker XP 250 Initiative+10 Perception+11
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m Bite (fire) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage plus 1d6 fire damage. r Spit Fire(fire) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 5 fire damage, and ongoing 5 f ire damage (save ends). Str 11 (+4) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 16 (+7) Con 14 (+6) Int 2 (0) Cha 10 (+4) AlignmentUnaligned Languages—
Small elemental beast (cold) HP 80; Bloodied40 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 20, Will 19 Immune disease, poison; Resist10 cold Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 8
3 Geonids (G) Large elemental magical beast (earth) HP 56; Bloodied28 AC 20, Fortitude18, Reflex 17, Will 17 Immune disease, petrification, poison Speed 4
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m Ice Talons(cold) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage plus 1d6 cold damage. M Flyby AttackF At-Will The frost hawk flies 8 squares and makes an ice talons attack at any point during that movement. The frost hawk doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target. C Freezing Screech(cold) F At-Will Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 5 cold damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Str 14 (+5) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 16 (+6) Int 2 (–1) Cha 8 (+2) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Shell Form A geonid with its shell closed resembles a boulder. A creature can recognize the geonid as a beast by succeeding on a DC 28 Perception check.
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m TentacleF At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage. M Capturing GrabF At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage. Effect: The geonid makes one more attack against the same target. If both attacks hit, the geonid grabs the target. C Shell SlamF At-Will Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in the blast); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target falls prone. Effect: The geonid closes it s shell. While the geonid’s shell is closed, its speed is 0, it gains a +5 bonus to all defenses, and it does not have line of effect to any creature other than a creature it has grabbed. The geonid slides a creature it has grabbed into its space. The grabbed creature has line of sight and line of effect only to the geonid. The geonid does not gain its bonus to defenses against the grabbed creature. If the grabbed creature escapes, it appears in a space adjacent to the geonid. The geonid can open its shell as a minor action. Skills Stealth +11 Str 19 (+7) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 17 (+6) Con 14 (+5) Int 6 (+1) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesPrimordial
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Shardstorm Vortex (V)
Level 7 Skirmisher
Medium elemental magical beast (air, earth) HP 80; Bloodied40 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 20, Will 19 Immune disease, poison Speed 0, fly 8 (hover)
XP 300 Initiative+9 Perception+6
Tower First Floor
T O SandblastF Aura 1 Each enemy in the aura takes a –2 penalty to all defenses.
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m Abrasive SlamF At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 2 damage.
G G G
C Whirling BlastF Recharge5 6 Effect: The shardstorm vortex shifts 4 squares and makes an attack. Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in the burst); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 3 damage, and the vortex pushes the target 1 square. Miss: Half damage. Str 10 (+3) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 16 (+6) Con 16 (+6) Int 5 (0) Cha 6 (+1) Alignment unaligned Languages Primordial
L
If Bolios lives, he tries to flee from the elementals by exiting the tower. The elementals try to prevent this, but if they can’t, all but the geonids can squeeze through to attack him. The elementals attack relentlessly , but they focus their rage on Bolios when possible. Assum ing no one is on the head levels below the tower, the frost hawk uses the first 2 rounds of combat to fly up to the first floor of the tower. The geonids appear touching the golden glyph with shells closed but attack on their initiat ives. They attempt to hold heroes in the glyph area with their grab attacks. The sha rdstor m vortex u ses whirli ng bl ast at its first opportunity while the f lame snake blasts away from a distance, climbing up a bookcase if necessary t o get away from melee attackers.
Tower Second Floor
Mouth Level S E
Tactics
F
V
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Features of the Area Bookcases:A DC 5 Athletics check allows a creature to climb a bookcase. A bookcase might be pushed over onto the 2-by-4-square area adjacent to it. If so, the pusher makes a Strength +2 attack at creatures in the area. On a hit, the creature takes 1d8 + Strength modifier damage and falls prone. On a miss, the creature slides to the nearest open space. Magic Glyphs:Any non-elemental creature that ends its turn in a square of a glyph suffers the following: Blue Gly ph—1d6 cold damage, and the c reature is slowed (save ends). Red Glyph —2d8 fire damage. Golden Glyph —1d8 damage, and a –2 penalt y to all defenses (save ends).
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E NCOUNTER 3: BESIEGED BY D EMONS
with them, chained, blinded, and muzzled. Thus their first action upon their arrival is to unleash the demonic savage minotaur.
Encounter Level 10 (2,850 XP) The characters are besieged when the minotaurs finally arrive to claim their prize.
Setup 3 neldrazu (N) 3 minotaur magi (M) 1 demonic savage minotaur (D) The minotaurs who performed the ritual to draw down The Head in the Clouds have come to claim it. They’re not pleased to have been forced to run across the Chaos Scar, and they’ll be even less happy when they learn the head has lost the power of flight. Figuring that some other denizens of the Scar might try to claim their prize, they’ve sent ahead some demonic servants to clear the field of opposition. The neldrazu approach The Head in the Clouds cautiously, keeping in the low spots of the rolling hills and moving behind the cover of tumbled boulders and brush. They attempt to approach from a side not watched by any visible heroes. Allow any character keeping watch from the top of the tower a Perception check opposed by the neldrazu’s Stealth checks. Otherwise, the neldrazu arrive at the base of the tower undetected. One then stealthily enters the mouth while the other two climb the side ofThe Head in the Clouds and try to enter through the doors or hatch in the tower. Combat begins when the heroes notice the demons or when they attack with surprise. The minotaurs time their arrival for 2 rounds after they detect signs that the neldrazu have attacked. The minotaur magi have one of their demonic brethren
3 Neldrazu (N)
Level 8 Lurker
Large elemental humanoid (demon) HP 71; Bloodied35 AC 22, Fortitude20, Reflex 21, Will 19 10 variable (1/encounter) Resist Speed 8, climb 6 (spider climb)
XP 350 Initiative+13 Perception+7 Darkvisio n
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m Slashing ClawF At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage. M Flaying ClawsF At-Will Requirement: Only one enemy is within 5 squares of the neldrazu. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 4d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
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M Abduct (teleportation) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Melee 2 (one enemy); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 4d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Effect: The neldrazu teleports the target 10 squares, and the neldrazu teleports to a space adjacent to the target. Miss: The neldrazu teleports 10 squares.
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Bloodied Abduction(teleportation) F Encounter Trigger: The neldrazu is first bloodied. Effect (Free Action): The neldrazu teleports an enemy adjacent to it 5 squares, and the neldrazu teleports to a space adjacent to that enemy. SkillsStealth +14 Str 15 (+6) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 16 (+7) Con 17 (+7) Int 7 (+2) Cha 11 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal
3 Minotaur Magi (M)
Level 9 Controller (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid HP 96; Bloodied48 AC 23, Fortitude21, Reflex 20, Will 23 Speed 6
XP 400 Initiative+5 Perception+12
T O Unleash the Beast Within F Aura 3 Any ally that starts its turn in the aura gains a +2 power bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls on attacks made as part of charges until the end of that ally’s turn.
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m Glaive F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 10 damage, and the magus slides the target 2 squares. Miss: The magus slides the target 1 square. r Baphomet’s Rage(charm, psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +12 vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target uses a free action to charge a creature of the magus’s choosing. r Crimson Bolt(fire, lightning) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +12 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 5 lightning damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage and cannot shift (save ends both).
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Goring FlingFAt-Will Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the magus deals damage to the magus. Attack (Immediate React ion): Melee 1 (the triggering enemy); +12 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d6 + 4 damage, and the magus pushes the target up to 3 squares. SkillsBluf f +14, Insight +12 Str 18 (+8) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 16 (+7) Con 16 (+7) Int 15 (+6) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common
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Demonic Savage Minotaur (D)
Level 11 Brute
Large natural humanoid HP 140; Bloodied70 AC 23, Fortitude25, Reflex 22, Will 20 Speed 8
XP 600 Initiative+8 Perception+7
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m Claws F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +16 vs. AC. If the minotaur targets only one creature, it can make this attack twice against that creature. Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage, and the minotaur grabs the target (escape DC 19) if it has fewer than two creatures grabbed. M Impale F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the minotaur); +14 vs. Forti tude Hit: 5d8 + 13 damage. The target falls prone and is no longer grabbed by the minotaur.
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M Goring AssaultFAt-Will Trigger: An enemy within 10 squares of the minotaur hits it with a ranged or area attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The minotaur charges the triggering enemy. Str 22 (+11) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 15 (+7) Con 20 (+10) Int 5 (+2) Cha 7 (+3) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesAbyssal, Common
Tactics The neldrazu want to separate the heroes, so they attempt to engage them in melee and then teleport outside the tower through the arrow slits. As a particularly fiendish trick, a neldrazu might abduct a character and teleport down the side of the head where it clings to the side. This puts a character in range of the crimson bolts of the minotaur magi and at risk of falling. The minotaur magi prefer to stay out of melee. If they must, they enterThe Head in the Clouds or climb its side to target a character. The demonic savage minotaur runs up through the interior of the head and the tower to engage the first enemy it sees.
Features of the Area Attack ing from T he Head in the C louds: A creature can make attacks out of the eyes of the head, but the eyes are about 60 feet above the ground. Similarly, creatures within the tower are 100 feet, 115 feet, or 130 feet above the g round. Regardless of where the creatures are in the head or the tower, targets within 20 feet of the head have total cover. Only creatures leaning over the edge of roof of the first level of the tower can get a clear shot at targets within 20 feet of the side of t he head. Climbing The Head in the Clouds: A creature can climb the head with a DC 15 Athletics check. Climbing the side of the tower requires a DC 20 Athletics check. Bookcases:A DC 5 Athletics check allows a creature to climb a bookcase. A bookcase might be pushed over onto the 2-by-4-square area adjacent to it. If so, the pusher makes a Strength +2 attack at creatures in
the area. On a hit, the creature takes 1d8 + Strength modifier damage and falls prone. On a miss, the creature slides to the nearest open space. Magic Glyphs:Any non-elemental creature that ends its turn in a square of a glyph suffers the following: Blue Gly ph—1d6 cold damage, and the c reature is slowed (save ends). Red Glyph —2d8 fire damage. Golden Glyph —1d8 damage, and a –2 penalty to al l defenses (save ends).
About the Author Matt Sernettis a writer and game designer for Wizards of ® the Coast who splits his time between D D ®. Recent credits include Player’s and M :T G Handbook Races: Tief lings , The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea , and Magic the Gathering: Zendik ar. When he’s not making monsters or building worlds, he’s watching bad fantasy movies you don’t realize exist and shouldn’t bother to learn about.
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Scarblade A Chaos Scar a dventure for cha racters of 7th to 9 th level By Sterling Hershey Illustration by Lorraine Schleter
t
Cartography by Mike Schley
“Scarblade” is an adventure for characters of 7th to 9th level. It takes place in the Chaos Scar or in any densely forested area in your campaign setting. In the adventure, characters discover the Proving Pit, a gladiatorial arena that is associated with an enticing magical sword called the Scarblade. The Proving Pit and the Scarblade are both self-aware to a limited extent. Though they share a location and methodology, they want separate things. Adventurers are drawn to the pit by fantastic tales or psychic lures. Once there, they must battle local denizens and the pit’s champion, the ghost of Morr n Bladeclaw. If they are victorious, the characters can escape with the Scarblade as their reward. For a map of the Chaos Scar along with further details, read the Chaos Scar introduction online at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/ duad/chaosscar.
TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
Getting the Characters Involved At some point during one of their explorations into the Chaos Scar, or while discussing the lore of the Chaos Scar at Restwell Keep or at the Crossroads trading post, the adventurers learn of the dreaded and violent Proving Pit. It should be a fairly well-known legend, although concrete, reliable information will be hard to come by. Select one or more of the following adventure hooks and adapt it to your campaign. t The adventurers hear local tales of the Scarblade from bards, discover the long-lost diary of a dead adventurer, or stumble onto the information through their own research or scrying. Provide them with a general description of the sword and the Proving Pit. The source might also relate some of Morrn Bladeclaw’s history.
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t The Scarblade wants to escape from the pit,
and it sometimes calls out psychically to an adventurer it believes is capable of freei ng it and wielding it, even if only temporarily. t The Proving Pit psychically calls to one or more of the most powerful characters, making promises of power and glory for those who are victorious. Characters might experience visions of themselves defeating their companions, or of using t he mighty Scarblade to defeat their longtime foes. t The adventurers enter the valley of the Proving Pit, either intentionally or because it happens to be in their path, and find it difficult to escape. Once there, they encounter the Scarblade. t The adventurers become embroiled in a dispute with a local inhabitant who demands that they go to the Proving Pit to resolve the situation. This individual wi ll almost certain ly withhold some details about the pit, or will himself be misinformed about its real nature.
Rumors Any of the following elements can be seeded into rumors for the purpose of drawing the characters toward the Proving Pit. Note that not all of this information is accurate. t Morrn Bladeclaw was a barbarian warrior known for his cruelty and ambition. He steadily rose in status in his clan until he claimed the right to become its champion by defeating t he wielder of a powerful artifact known as Scarblade. One of Morrn’s tribal enemies eventually killed him but was unable to wrest Scarblade from the dead man’s hands. Now the corpse of Morrn Bladeclaw fights anyone who will face him, with Scarblade as the prize for the victor.
t The Proving
Pit is used by the denizens of the Chaos Scar to settle disputes between themselves or to test themselves against other fighters of many kinds. A splinter of the meteorite that created the Chaos Scar lies hundreds of feet below the surface of the pit, giving the place itself a malevolent cunning. t No one who enters the pit has ever managed to leave it; either t hey die facing Morrn Bladeclaw, or they kill him, take Scarblade, and instantly assume Morrn’s curse. In fact, dozens of warriors have held the blade over the years, but none have carried it out of the Proving Pit. t Morrn Bladeclaw came to the Proving Pit intending to win Scarblade, and he did. Now, the blade makes him invincible and immortal. He could leave anytime he wanted to, but he enjoys the killing too much. t After capturing Scarblade from a frost giant, Morrn was assassinated by a wizard of great power who sought the mighty weapon. With his final breath, Morrn Bladeclaw cursed the wizard to forever f ight anyone who came to claim the blade. t The Scarblade is encased in a translucent crystal spire above a gladiatorial pit . Anyone who defeats the pit’s champion can claim it.
Background The Proving Pit is used by the denizens of the Chaos Scar to settle disputes and to test themselves against the finest fighters in the area. A small shard of the meteorite that created the Chaos Scar lies hundreds of feet below the pit, imparting a mysterious power and personality to the location. Combatants are drawn to the area by a powerful urge to achieve
victory th rough combat. Most combatants do not realize they are being impelled by an outside force. Morrn Bladeclaw was a barbarian known for his cruelty and ambition. His clan roamed the Nentir Vale region long before the formation of the Chaos Scar. Morrn advanced steadily in status among his clan. He claimed the right to become the clan’s champion and to wield the powerful Scarblade by defeating its previous owner. Driven by dreams of power, Morrn sought to prove himself worthy of the rank of chief. Lured onward by a vague call to battle, Morrn was drawn to the pit. There he honed his skill, always with the intent of returning to his home as the greatest champion of all. Morrn soon dominated all contenders at the pit, but in turn, he was dominated by the shard’s presence. The longer he stayed, t he less he cared about leaving and the more he became part of the place. His thoughts of clan leadership drained away. Morrn’s goal of becoming the greatest champion of all was realized, but not as he had planned. He was a slave of the Proving Pit, with no thoughts of returning to his tribe. The pit, however, has no use for eternal champions. Morrn was mortally wounded by a wizard of great power who coveted the Scarblade. The wizard was cut down by Morrn’s dying blow, and both per ished on the bloodstained floor of the Proving Pit. Under the influence of the pit, bystanders buried Morrn below the arena’s central dais. The Scarblade was encased in translucent crystal and embedded along the pit’s north wall, where it can be seen by all who fight and die in the pit. Morrn’s ghost haunts the area. Though he cannot use his sword, he longs for the feel of it in his grasp and still thrills to the roar of the crowd when an opponent crumples to the dirt.
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Psychic Connections Both the Proving Pit and the Scarblade call out to characters in the hope of luring them to the arena. Despite their seeming similarities, they are not a team. The sword and the pit have different methods and different goals. In fact, the conflict between the two is a principal element in the adventure, so it is important to understand what they want and how they go about pursuing their aims. You are the best judge of how these psychic communications should be handled. In groups with a strong storytelling focus, all of this can be completely open, so that everyone can enjoy the unfolding character conflicts while trusting that players will not act on information that their characters don’t have. In groups that enjoy mysteries, intrigue, and some internal conflict, you could handle the psychic overtures of the pit and the sword by passing secret notes to chosen players; everyone at the table will know that something is up, but only a few will have an inkling of what it is. In groups that focus on combat, it might be best to let everyone know that something or someone is trying to influence their thoughts. When they’re good and mad about that, then turn them loose against the pit and Morrn Bladeclaw. The Proving Pit:The pit seeks to draw intelligent creatures to itself and to trap them in a cycle of violence, combat, and killing. Psychic calls from the Proving Pit manifest themselves as strong emotions and instinctive urges. They build upon a character’s natural desire for victory, glory, and combat. Because it is animated by the buried chaos shard, the pit has a degree of influence over the surrounding terrain. Once characters move into the range of the pit’s influence, they find that the way forward is much easier than the way back. Their dreams, daydreams,
and stray thoughts are pervaded with visions of themselves as great victors in a competitive arena. These visions are innocuous, at least at first; t he arena is glorious, the competitions fair and nonlethal. When the pit finds a receptive mind, however, these images change quickly to b ecome more violent and bloody. The range of the pit’s psychic effect is up to you; a radius of a half-mile to two miles is recommended. There’s no reason why a particularly susceptible character could not feel the pit’s lure from Restwell Keep, Fallcrest, or even farther away, if that serves your storytelling style. The Scarblade:The sword has no connection to the chaos shard. It is a magic weapon that predates the Empire of Nerath. Its range for making contact with characters is about five miles. The sword specifically targets characters who can wield it with some mastery, and it ignores all others. It speaks to a character while that person is resting or calm, and it appeals directly to his or her martial spirit. The blade wants to be released from its crystal prison and once again used in mortal combat by a brave warrior. It’s not an overtly evil weapon, but it shares the barbarians’ love for battle and sees nothing wrong with killi ng in pursuit of glory. It no longer has any particular attachment to Morrn Bladeclaw. The Scarblade will help a character who is fighting in the Proving Pit, if it considers that character to be a promising candidate to become the sword’s new owner. When one of the character’s attacks misses by just 1 or 2, whisper to the player, “I can help.” Let the player know this is the same entity that contacted him or her earlier. If the character assents to being helped, then give the character a +2 bonus on the attack roll that just missed, turning that miss into a hit. Then have the character make a saving throw.
If it succeeds, the Scarblade will repeat the offer the next time the character’s attack misses by 1 or 2. If the saving throw fails, the Scarblade won’t repeat the offer to that character. Telling Them Apart:At first , psychic contact by the sword and the pit will be easily confused, because both want to lure heroes to the Proving Pit. The clues that can help characters realize they’re dealing with two different entities are: t The Proving Pit appeals to emotions such as anger, hate, and arrogance, while the Scarblade appeals to pride and ambition. t The pit creates a v ision of armed competition that starts out clean but soon becomes vicious and bloody in a way that thrills the viewer. The Scarblade creates a vision of personal triumph occurring largely on the field of battle rather than in a competitive arena. t The pit’s visions show the viewer as a more powerful, idealized, yet subtly debased version of the character. The Scarblade’s visions also show the character as powerful and idealized, but always as armed with an unfamiliar sword.
TREAS URE PARCELS Parcel 1: Magic Item, level 9 (on the body of a victim of the pit) Parcel 2: Three 500 gp gems + 200 g p (on corpses and packs scattered throughout the Proving Pit) Parcel 3: Scarblade, a level 10 magic item (encased in crystal in the Proving Pit)
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T HROUGH TH E R UGGED F OREST The Proving Pit lies in a secluded valley that is surrounded by low, steep hills. Only a few lightly used trails wind through the rugged woods, hills, and ravines. The adventurers might learn of these trails from a map or from residents of the region, they might cross one of them by chance, or they might be led to one by the pit or the sword. Through its connection to the chaos shard, the pit manipulates nearby terrain to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to leave the valley. The surrounding hillsides are sprinkled with the remains of those who tried and failed. Nothing of value remains on any of find the corpses, butdiary at your discretion, characters might a letter or or some other indication of what lies ahead. The pit’s efforts to herd the characters to the valley floor are subtle. As long as characters are moving generally downhill and toward the pit, they don’t meet any significant obstacles to their progress. Should they turn back the way they came or begin moving uphill, the pit begins unleashing hazards in their path. It is possible that the characters will descend directly to the bottom and not trigger any hazards at this time. If they try to leave without defeating the pit, the hazards will be waiting for them. Four sample hazards are included below. These can be encountered as you see fit, and you can add other terrain obstacles of your own. The encounter map shows one possible arrangement of hazards a nd corpses along a particularly dangerous section of trail. Rearrange them as needed to fit the situation.
Bear in mind that the purpose of the hazards is not to kill or injure the characters. Careful and clever players can find ways to avoid or overcome any static obstacle. The real purpose of the terrain hazards is to arouse the characters’ suspicion and curiosity about this place. When they get the idea that the land itself is trying to prevent them from leaving, they’re bound to wonder why. The crumbling trail and the collapsing trail appear not much different from any ot her places where the path is steep and g ravelly. The flash flood area should show signs of severe runoff and erosion. It will still appear safe if there hasn’t been much rain lately, but the pit can unleash the water from a pond into a gushing torrent. The gusting wind is useful chiefly against flying characters, but it can be turned against anyone with some effect.
Crumbling Trail
Level 5 Hazard
Terrain
XP 20 0
Detect automatic Immune attacks
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Initiative—
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M Attackt At-Will Trigger: A creature enters a square of crumbling trail while moving uphill. Attack (Free Actio n): Melee 0 (triggering creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d4 + 5 damage, and the target falls prone and slides 1 square downhill. If the target was already prone, it takes no damage and does not slide, but its turn ends immediately.
C t
Balance:Acrobatics DC 15. Success: The char acter can move into a square of crumbling trail without triggering the trail’s attack.
Collapsing Trail
Level 6 Hazard
Terrain
XP 250
Detect automatic Immune attacks
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Initiative—
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M Attackt At-Will Trigger: A creature enters a square of collapsing trail while moving uphill. Attack (Free Action): Melee 0 (triggering creature); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 2 damage, and the target falls prone and slides 5 squares downhill. It the target was already prone, it takes no damage and its turn ends immediately. Miss: Half damage, and the target sides 2 squares downhill. If the target was already prone, it takes no damage and its turn ends immediately.
C t Dodge: Acrobatics or Athletics DC 15. Success: The char-
acter can move into a square of collapsing trail without triggering the trail’s attack.
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Flash Flood Terrain
XP 350
Detect Perception DC 16 or Nature DC 24 Immune attacks
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Level 8 Hazard Initiative+8
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M Attackt At-Will Trigger: A creature enters a square in the area affected by the flash flood. Attack (Opportuni ty Action): Close burst 10 (creatures in the burst); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d10 + 5 damage, and the targets falls prone and slides 8 squares downhill. Miss: Half damage, and the target slides 4 squares downhill.
C t
Detect:Perception DC 16. Success: Characters who make successful Perception checks at the edge of the flash flood area can add their Strength modifiers to their Fortitude defense against the attack made by the flash flood.
Gusting Wind Terrain
XP 30 0
DetectPerception DC 16 Immuneattacks
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Level 7 Hazard Initiative+8
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M Attackt At-Will Trigger: A creature enters the area of the gusting wind. Attack (Opportuni ty Action): Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage, the target is pushed 2 squares downhill and toward the ground, and its movement ends. Miss: Half damage, and the target is pushed 2 squares downhill.
C t
Evade: Acrobatics DC 23. Success: The creature takes half damage and is pushed 1 square.
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T HE P ROVING P I T On reaching the valley floor, the characters emerge from the trees and get their first look at the Proving Pit and the Scarblade. The area is abandoned at first. Allow the characters a few minutes to poke around and get their bearings but not enough time to really explore the area. The buildings are mostly abandoned, but there are signs of recent inhabitants. After a few minutes, Morrn Bladeclaw appears. He is followed by the pit’s denizens, both real and spectral; then challenges are issued to the characters. When characters reach the valley floor, read: The dense forest along the trail opens onto the floor of a small glen. A few well-worn dirt paths flanked by scrub bushes lead to a wide, irregularly shaped pit with an eroded and crumbling edge. The valley floor slopes gently toward the pit. Around it stand a few crumbling, decrepit shacks and decaying wooden bleachers that provide an unobstruc ted view into the depression . The sky is o vercast, and light rain is beginning to fall. Through the gloom, a pale glow shimmers wanly from the pit . When characters look into the pit, read: Before you is a well-used gladiat orial arena, bat tle-scarred and bloodstained. It is 10 feet deep, and the walls of eroded stone and crumbling soil are nearly vertical. They are interspersed with dark, barred windows and narrow, rusted doors. A dais dominates the center of the pit. Rain is gathering into shallo w puddles on the fl oor. The scene is bathed in a pale blue light that emanates from a block of crysta l on the south wall. Within the
translucent crystal is a dark shape that suggests the contours of a large sword. A humanoid apparition shimmers into view atop the low dais. It carries a spectral sword that resembles the object in the crystal. It studies you for a few moments, then raises its hands and speaks, turning slowly in place as if addressing an unseen audience. “Who yearns for justice? Judgment? Fame? Who seeks glo ry through victor y over all challengers?” Then it faces you and points the sword toward you. “T hey do. T hey have come to co nfront their dest iny in the Proving Pit!” The characters can converse with the spectral figu re of Morrn Bladeclaw. His speech is harsh and aggressive. He will describe the pit, its purpose, and even his own history, but not at great length. He expects the characters to compete. If someone asks about the sword, he replies that it is the ultimate prize for victory, and one worthy of the greatest champion in the land—which is he. All of Morrn Bladeclaw’s conversation steers toward getting the characters to prove their worth by fighting. If someone agrees, a ghostly horn appears in Morrn’s fist. He raises it to his lips and blows out a long, mournful note. As the note fades, other shapes come into view in the surrounding stands. Phantom humanoids of every kind—pit shadows, spirits of combatants long dead—have gathered to enjoy the spectacle. A few living combatants appear at the pit doors. If the characters do not agree but they are already in the pit, Morrn blows the horn a nyway. If the characters are not in the pit but are near the edge, the ground buckles as if a live and the edge crumbles to dump them into the pit; use t he
crumbling trail or collapsing trail hazard. Characters can retreat from the area i f they so choose, but the pit will harry t hem with hazards during the entire trek out of the valley, and it will fill their minds with v isions of shame and defeat until they get beyond its range. Morrn is the master and grand champion of the pit, and he does not fight in any preliminary matches. Before characters can challenge Morrn, each of them must win at least one preliminary match. Morrn doesn’t mention this up front (he doesn’t expect the characters to survive that long). He will explain it if asked. Matches can be fought one-on-one or in teams. In team matches, t he opponents should include at least three pit shadows. Early matches will be against foes of the characters’ level, but as the characters accumulate victories (assuming there is more than one match), the opposition gets tougher. The fi rst opponent Morrn pits against t he newcomers is Marok, a half-orc death mage and the pit’s current champion. You can substitute any appropriate foe, dead or alive. If more than one character wants to fight Ma rok, he can be accompanied by several pit shadows plus a suitable number of orc rampagers, orc pummelers, and orc storm shamans (Monster Vault ). One round after combat begins, Morrn activates the spiked chain pinwheel trap. There a re no ru les, and all f ights are to t he death unless a character r uns away. Someone who retreats from a fight will be jeered cruelly by the spectators, be pelted with rotten fr uit or stones, and possibly pursued by enemies if other characters don’t intervene.
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Portions of the pit’s rim that are noted as dangerous should be treated as crumbling trail hazards. Characters can fight as many matches in the pit as they like. The spectators are against the newcomers at first, but if they fight multiple matches and put on a good show, the crowd swings noticeably in their favor. Characters can take a short rest af ter the first match. After that, Morrn tries to start a new match immediately after the last one ends, so that a character who fights back-to-back matches has no chance to rest between them. If t he party is 7th level, you can relax this a bit. If the part y is 9th level, press them hard.
Development Once each character has fought a nd won at least once, either individually or as part of a group, the characters can challenge Morrn Bladeclaw. If the players don’t think of this on their own, or don’t seem inclined to do it, the crowd begins to chant, “Bladeclaw! Bladeclaw!”
M ORRN B LADECLAW A N D TH E S CARBLADE When Morrn is ready to fight the characters, read: “Few dare face me, and fewer survive. I know the draw of the Scarblade. I know the drive of the pit. Long have I heard their whispers. Perhaps you will join the shadowy spectators, if the pit deems you worthy. I salute your courage now, before the match. Afterward, a salute would be too late for you.” Morrn Bladeclaw is willing to fight alone against onewon’t or twofight characters, justpart as he did as a gladiator. He the whole y by himself, however. If everyone gangs up against him, he calls on the aid of past victims. They appear in the form of pit shadows, a blue arcanian, and dread guardia ns. The blue arcanian represents the wizard who slew Morrn, and was slain by him, in the bout that cost Morrn his life. The pit shadows and dread guardians are nameless foes he vanquished over his career. Use enough foes to make th is a level + 2 encounter for the characters. No other competitors or spectators join in. Many of them would love to see Morrn defeated, but they fear attacking him themselves. At the start of this final bout, several massive stone blocks (shown on the map) slowly rise from the pit floor to stand 10 feet high.
Development When Morrn first becomes bloodied, the real Scarblade senses that his destruction is near. It triggers a crevasse as an immediate reaction, which shatters the crystal and splits the ground from the block of crystal to the center of the pit. The sword psychically calls out to the character it deems best suited to wield it, though anyone can pick it up from the shattered bits of crystal, including Morrn Bladeclaw. If a character grabs it, Morrn focuses all his attacks against that character. If Morrn is killed, t he pit becomes do rmant for 24 hours. The spiked chain pinwheel grinds to a halt. The pit shadows disapp ear, and any l iving combatants slink away into t he forest or into the rooms adjoining the pit. Some of them might speak to the characters or even congratulate them. A few might even immediately challenge them for t he weapon. For the next 24 hours, everyone is free to leave the valley u nhindered. If the S carblade is removed f rom the valley within that time, Morrn’s ghost is released from the valley and never returns. A day later, the Proving Pit reactivates and slowly begins calling new combatants.
About the Au thor Sterling Hersheysomehow finds the time to be both an architect and freelance game designer. Over the years, he worked extensively in a gala xy far, far away, on theStar Wars Rolepla ying Game and Star Wars Miniatures game, as well as ® contributing to D &D products. Sterling lives in the Midwest with his wife, Mary.
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moss and weeds, so t hat a DC 16 Perception check is needed to spot one. Crystal Block:This glowing crystal provides cover and holds the Scarblade. It is immune to all damage but shatters when Morrn Bladeclaw is first bloodied. Pit Shadows
S S S
S
Features of the Pit Illumination:During the day, bright illumination from an overcast sky. At night, dim illumination cast by the crystal block that holds the Scarblade. Dim illumination in the buildings and pit rooms. Blocks (red shaded areas):These are solid stone blocks 10 feet high. They rise up from the floor only for the final battle against Morrn Bladeclaw. Puddles: Puddles are difficult terrain. Rubble: Rubble and large rocks are difficult terrain and provide partial cover.
A
m Pit Strike(necrotic) t At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 necrotic damage.
P
B
Level 7 Minion Skirmisher
Medium shadow humanoid (undead) XP 75 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+8 AC 21, Fortitude20, Reflex 20, Will 18 Perception+3 Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing Immune disease, necrotic, poison
O
C Pit Wail(thunder) t At Will Atta ck: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 7 thunder damage, and the target is pushed 1 square. Skills Stealth +11 Str 4 (+0) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 10 (+3) Con 17 (+6) Int 4 (+0) Cha 12 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon
Low Dais:The low stone dais includes Morrn Bladeclaw’s horizontal headstone, which indicates that he died 30 years ago. The dais is normal terrain. Pit: The pit is 3 squares (15 feet) deep. Walls: The walls are easy to grip but unstable. A DC 20 Athletics check is required to climb. Pit Rooms:These small rooms are used to hold combatants, willingly or unwillingly. Some have decaying ladders that lead to trapdoors (T) on the surface. From above, the trapdoors are overgrown with
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Marok, Level 7 Elite Controller Half-Orc Death Mage (O) Medium natural humanoid, half-orc HP 148; Bloodied74 AC 21, Fortitude20, Reflex 22, Will 21
XP 600 Initiative+8 Perception+11, low-light vision
Speed 6 Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
S
A
m Rotting Touch(necrotic) t At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 3 necrotic damage, and the target loses necrotic resistance or immunity and takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends both). R Bolt of Putrescence (implement, necrotic) t Recharge5 6 Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +10 vs. Reflex
Morrn Bladeclaw (B)
Level 10 Elite Soldier Blue Arcanian Medium natural humanoid (undead) HP 105; Bloodied52 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 19 Speed 5
T
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 9 cold damage, and the arcanian pushes the target 2 squares. The target is immobilized until the end of the arcanian’s next turn. r Bolt of Frost(cold, implement) t At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 9 cold damage, and the target’s space and all squares adjacent to it are difficult terrain until the end of the arcanian’s next turn. A Swirling Blizzard(cold, implement) t Encounter Attack: Area burst 2 within 5 (creatures in the burst); +13 vs.
Double Actions Morrn makes two initiative checks and takes a full turn on each initiative result. He can take two immediate actions per round but only one between one turn and the next. Insubstantial Morrn takes half damage from all attacks, except those that deal force damage. Whenever Morrn takes radiant damage, he loses this trait until the start of his next turn.
Hit: 3d8 + 9 necrotic damage, and the target takes a -5 penalty to all defenses until the end of Marok’s next turn.
S
A Swarm of Flies(implement, zone) t Encounter Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in the burst); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d6 + 12 damage, and the burst creates a zone of swarming flies that lasts until the end of the encounter. Each creature that starts its turn in the zone takes 5 damage and does not have line of sight to squares more than 3 squares away from it. As a minor action, Marok can move the zone 2 squares.
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 1d12 + 7 damage, Morrn can push the target 1 square, and the target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends). Effect: Morrn marks the target until the end of Morrn’s next turn.
T
A
Furious Assaultt Encounter Trigger: Marok damages an enemy with an attack Effect (Free Action): The triggering attack deals 1d10 extra damage. Death Mark(necrotic) t Encounter Trigger: An enemy reduces Marok to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): The triggering enemy takes 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage. Skills Arcana +9, Intimidate +8, Religion +11 Str 15 (+5) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 17 (+6) Con 10 (+3) Int 13 (+4) Cha 13 (+3) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Giant Equipmentrobes, staff
Level 10 Controller
Large natural humanoid (giant , undead) XP 1,000 HP 147;Bloodied73 Initiative+12 AC 26, Fortitude24, Reflex 20, Will 21 Perception+12 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Immunedisease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
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m Spectral Sword(necrotic) t At-Will
T
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M Gladiator’s
Instinct t At-Will Trigger: An enemy enters a square where it flanks Morrn. Attack (Immediate Reactio n): Melee 1 (one creature flanking Morrn); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: Morrn pushes the target up to 3 squares. Str 24 (+12) Dex 20 (+10) Wis 15 (+7) Con 17 (+8) Int 14 (+7) Cha 19 (+9) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon
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XP 500 Initiative+5 Perception+6
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m Frost Staff(cold, weapon) t At-Will
Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 9 cold damage. Miss: Half damage.
T
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Staff of Shieldingt Encounter Trigger: An attack hits the arcanian. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The arcanian gains a +4 bonus to all defenses against the triggering attack. Arcane Surget Encounter Trigger: The arcanian hits an enemy with an implement attack. Effect (Free Action): The attack deals maximum damage to the enemy. Skills Arcana +14 Str 10 (+5) Dex 11 (+5) Wis 13 (+6) Con 17 (+8) Int 19 (+9) Cha 10 (+5) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon Equipmentstaff
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Scarblade
Dread Guardian Medium natural animate (undead) HP 79; Bloodied39 AC 23, Fortitude19, Reflex 17, Will 18 Speed 5
Level 7 Soldier XP 300 Initiative+6 Perception+5 Low-light vision
T O Shield of Undeatht Aura 1 While the dread guardian’s master is within the guardian’s aura, the master takes half damage from all attacks. Eyes of Undeath The dread guardian’s master can see or hear any thing the guardian can see or hear. The master can also speak through the guardian.
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m Longsword(weapon) t At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage. Effect: The target is mar ked until the end of the guardian’s next turn. r Longbow(weapon) t At-Will Attack: Ranged 20/40 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 6 dam age. Effect: The target is mar ked until the end of the guardian’s next turn.
T
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M Iron Rebuke(weapon) t At-Will Trigger: An enemy marked by the guardian attacks the guardian’s master. Attack (Opportunity Action): Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage. Str 16 (+6) Dex 12 (+4) Wis 14 (+5) Con 15 (+5) Int 4 (+0) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentunaligned Languagesunderstands Common Equipmentscale armor, heavy shield, longsword, longbow, 20 arrows
Spiked Chain Pinwheel (P) Object
Level 6 Trap XP 250
Initiati ve +7 Detect automatic HP 60 AC 17, Fortitude14, Reflex 14, Will — Resist 5 all; Immune necrotic, poison, psychic, all conditions, ongoing damage
T Spinning The pinwheel rota tes one-quarter t urn each round. Two chains sweep out in opposite directions, and each chain can attack. On the round it is activated, the pinwheel attacks with one blast toward the northwest corner of the pit and another toward the southeast corner of the pit. On the second round, it attacks toward the northeast and southwest corners. Attacks alternate in this way until the pinwheel is bloodied, when it is reduced to just one attack per round.
SM AttacktAAt-Will
Scarblade
Level 10 Rare
The Scarblade is a dark and rugged bastard sword forged from a chaos shard. It resonates with greater power when it is within the Chaos Scar. Lvl 10 +2 5,000 gp Weapon:Heavy blade Enhancement:Attack rolls and damage rolls Critical:+2d10 damage, or +3d10 when within the Chaos Scar. Property:Once per turn, when you hit with an attack using this weapon, the creature you hit takes 1d6 extra fire damage. Property:Wounds created by the Scarblade leave ragged, ashen scars even when healed by magic. The weapon emits red sparks and leaves a black scorch mark when it hits. Power (Daily):Standard Action. Striking the ground with the sword creates a crevasse 1square wide, 5 squares long, and up to 2 squares deep beginning in the square you strike and extending in a straight line away from you. Any creature that is entirely in the affected area must save or fall into the crevasse.
Attack: Close burst 4 (creatures in the burst); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the target falls prone and is immobilized (escape DC 15).
C t
Jam: Thievery DC 23. Success: The pinwheel is dis abled and stops attacking. Failure: The pinwheel at tacks the character as an opportunity action. t Snag: Thievery DC 15. Success: The pinwheel’s att ack becomes +6 vs. Reflex. Failure: The pinwheel at tacks the character as an opportunity action.
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Reflections of Ruin A Chaos S car ad venture for 7th-level charac ters
By John Rossomangno ´ Illu strat ion b y Milivoj Ceran Cartography by Kyle Hunter
I NTRODUCTION When a cursed dragon begins using the power of the Chaos Scar to magically reflect her warped image onto the world, the adventurers must end her twisted plans. Thanks to the chaos the dragon has toyed with in the past, she and her tribe of ogre henchmen offer several surprises for the interlopers. “Reflec tions of Ruin” is a short adventure for 7thlevel characters. This adventure is set in the Chaos Scar and refers to events from the superadventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey ™, but you can easily place it in another setting or run it without that resource. If the characters have already experienced Andrew Schneider’s adventure “Scarred for Life” (Dungeon 192), or if you plan to run that adventure before this one, you can make use of the connections involving the dragon Maluriath and the Deck of Many Things .
BACKGROU ND The red dragon Maluriath was once a vain creature who spent as much time lounging atop her treasure hoard as most dragons devote to gathering followers and scheming. When she chose to expand her hoard by raiding settlements, she worked in concert with her brother, Mekkalath, who was more concerned
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with findi ng a proper lair and amassing a cadre of suitably subservient underlings. Their concerted effort s reaped considerable rewards, but eventually Mekkalath did bring some followers to his side, and then he grew tired of dividing the spoils of their raids with his sister. He schemed to attack the ru ins of Gardmore Abbey, a place rife with forgotten treasures as well as potential henchmen, and brought Maluriath along without t elling her t he ful l extent of hi s plans. When he subjugat ed the creat ures there , Mekka lath revealed to his sister that the abbey was his new lair and that he now intended to conduct his affairs without her. Maluriath did not react immediately, realizing that it would be foolish to challenge her brother directly while his newly acquired followers surrounded him. She decided to use stealthier tactics to try to undermine his domain. She combed the abbey for the relic that the lost paladins had once hoped to contain: the Deck of Many Things. Worried that one of her brother’s cronies might discover her, she drew hastily upon the deck’s powers but failed to gain the help she wanted. As the deck overpowered Maluriath with chaotic energy, her betrayal became apparent to her brother, turning him against her and causing him to send forces to secure her hoard. She also came to
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the attention of a notoriously spiteful corruptor of the Nine Hells, who twisted her body into a wretched and vile form. Maluriath is unsure how she came to the devil’s attention, but chaotic forces from theDeck of Many Things now combine with the devil’s curse to wrack her with constant pain. Ashame d of her new form and barely sane due to the painful energy overwhelming her , Maluriath fled her brother’s domain and, in time, sought out the Chaos Scar, a place whose corruption called to her. She intended to make her lair in the forgotten depths of a dormant volcano by ousting the ogres that occupied the caves in the area. The ugly creatures suited her temperament, however, so she cowed them into servitude instead and used several of them as a repository for some of the energy that pained her greatly. In her attempts to break the devil’s curse of corruption, Maluriath thought the solution could be found in the creation of special arcane mirrors, but she had no success. When she placed a test subject near one of the mirrors, she hoped the mirror would give off a twisted reflection of the creature’s actual appearance. Then she would turn the reflection into truth, causing the creature to take on some of the cursed energy inside her. Instead, no matter how many mirrors she tried, her test subjects kept morphing into hideous aberrations, but without any change in her own condition. After failure upon failure, Maluriath changed the direction of her research. Instead of attempting to retur n to what she once was, she decided to visit the sa me tw isted ch anges she h ad exper ienced upon the world around her to create a warped domain for herself.
SY NOP SIS Maluriath’s research into breaking her c urse led to the creation of what she dubbed dark mirrors. Employing the labor of her ogres, she unearthed obsidian deposits throughout her caverns. She polished each into what she hoped would be the r ight form, then imbued each with energy the Chaos Scar inf luenced. Her haste and impatience in crafting the mirrors, however, caused mistake after mistake. Her mirrors kept reflecting her warped nature back into the world and transforming any creature touched by that essence. She tested the mirrors on whatever u nfort unate t ravelers her og res could cap ture, which produced the numerous foulspawn t hat now serve her as lackeys. The walls of her caves have polished obsidian surfaces that create a veritable hall of mirrors, which she uses to spy on her servants (and intruders). These ea rlier dark mi rrors stead ily lost t heir energy, and Maluriath abandoned them. The Chaos Scar sustains their remaining t rickles of magic while the dragon works on her f inal mirror in the depths of her lair. When the adventurers arrive, Maluriath is beginning the f inal stages of her ritual. The heroes can catch glimpses of the dragon’s twisted form in the mirrors, since the image is reflected from one mirror to the next a ll the way through the complex of caverns. After defeating the ogres and the foulspawn, the adventurers can survey t he earlier mirrors and see not only that the mir rors are flawed, but that they are also reflecting the dragon’s corruption upon the world, slowly altering the cavern. A closer look at the fallen foulspawn also reveals what might be in store for living creatures exposed to the mirrors’ power. As the adventurers progress, Maluriath remains aware of their whereabouts by using the mirrors to monitor them. As she continues her ritual, she rallies
her remaining defenders as the characters come ever closer to her lair. Characters can hear her chanting and barking orders to her ogres throughout their advance, and depending on how you prefer to narrate the adventure, characters who are knowledgeable about rituals might realize that the magical working is nearing completion. Even as the characters battle the warped dragon in the final encounter, her reflection continues to perform the ritual. Stopping the ritual is the party’s ultimate goal.
I NVOLVING T HE CHARACTERS You have a choice when it comes to involving the characters with Maluriath’s scheme, and depending on adventures they might have participated in previously, you can sow adventure seeds in a variety of places. Although “Reflections of Ruin” is placed in the Chaos Scar and assumes the adventurers are based out of Restwell Keep (see Dungeon 176), you can adapt this adventure to any campaign setting with a minimal amount of work. If you are running or intend to run the superadventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey, refer to the “Gardmore Abbey and the Deck of Many Things” sidebar for additional hooks.
Hook: A Rogue’s Find Than ks to t he effor ts of a t reasu re-hunt ing rog ue, Citirian of the Sar uun Guildhouse is in possession of a polished fragment of obsidian that casts eerie reflections. Citir ian is curious about the obsidian’s srcin (the rogue told him it came from a cave deep with in the Chaos Sca r) and is wi llin g to pay for similar objects.
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Hook: Ill Omens
Hook: Fool the O gre
Chendera of the temple of Avandra has seen ill omens and senses that world-changing corruption is building within the Chaos Scar. She hopes that a band of adventurers can succeed in investigating and destroying this evil before Lord Drysdale conscripts people and marches into the valley en masse .
If the adventurers battled or met Fool the ogre from the adventure “Scarred for Life,” he might entreat their aid in freeing his former tribe from the dragon’s enslavement. He asks the characters to fight past his kin, sparing as many as possible, to defeat Maluriath. Fool promises to lead the tribe away from human settlements, but it is up to you whether the cunning ogre makes good on his word.
GARDMORE ABBEY AND THE DECK OF MANY THINGS
Maluriath’s brother, Mekkalath, appears in the superadventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey. If the adventurers have encountered Mekkalath, highlight the stark contrast between his methodical plotting to expand his domain sensibly and his corrupted sister’s impulsive and chaotic efforts. You could set it up it so that Maluriath escaped the abbey in possession of a card from the Deck of Many Things. Although she despises the deck more than anything (except perhaps the corruption devil that cursed her), her greed won’t allow her to part with something that has so much potential power. In fact, if she hadn’t become obsessed with her attempt to remove the curse, the deck would have become her primary interest. If you use this option, place clues that point to her escape from the abbey, perhaps indicate where the heroes should have found the card she has, and place the card in Maluriath’s treasure trove.
as a starting point for roleplaying the interaction. In addition to giving a basic description of the cavern system’s layout, an ogre ca n provide one or more of the following clues about the dragon and her lair. F
A devil cursed Maluriath after she used forbidden magic, and the dragon has been seeking to undo the curse ever since.
F
Maluriath made the ogres excavate the stone from around the cave’s obsidian deposits in an effort to make dark mirrors. The ogres have no idea what the dark mirrors are for.
F
The dragon wasted perfectly good meals (wildlife, goblins, and stray travelers) by putting them in front of her mirrors and turning them into “uglies,” which is the ogres’ term for foulspawn.
F
The ogres finished their mining and polishing efforts on a very big mirror t hree days ago. Maluriath has been preoccupied in front of that mirror ever since then, but she murmurs about “making the valley mine.”
M A LUR IA T H’S O GRES Each ogre the characters come up against in this adventure has a special power associated with a card from the Deck of Many Things and a unique name that is the same as the card’s. Be sure to become familiar with the roleplaying aspects of each ogre, as well as the special powers, before you run an encounter. In naming the ogres after the cards and branding her minions with images of the deck, Maluriath unknowingly imbued part of the artifact’s chaotic powers upon them. (Such was the case with Fool, who became a wild card in h is tribe a nd escaped.) As the adventurer s battle the og res, intimat ions of the powers of the Deck of Many Th ings become noticeable. The ogres have little understanding of why this power manifests. Beyond the ogres’ special powers, the chaotic spark that has touched them has also altered their srcinal view of the world. An unexpected cunning enhances the brutal essence of many, and others have more radical changes. Adventurers might parlay in an attempt to win over some of their foes, since Maluriath has not been a kind taskmaster. If they do so, the ogres might back down from a fight, but they are unwilling to face Maluriath in her lair (Encounter 4). For the purpose of characters getting information from the ogres, through voluntary means or otherwise, use the description of the particular ogre
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E NCOUNTER 1: D UM B A ND U GLY Encounter Level 7 (1,525 XP)
4 Ogres
Level 6 Brute
7 Foulspawn Wretches Level 7 Minion Skirmisher
Large natural humanoid (giant)
XP 250 each Initiative+5 Perception+3
Small aberrant humanoid
HP 90; Bloodied45 AC 18, Fortitude20, Reflex 17, Will 16 Speed 8
S
Setup 4 ogres: Flames (F), Idiot (I), Talons (T), Void (V) 7 foulspawn wretches (W) When the adventurers reach the cave mouth (on the far eastern edge of the map), they hear Maluriath’s ritual chanting and ogres bickering over food. If the party attempts a stealthy approach, the characters must succeed on a DC 23 group Stealth check. If more than half the characters fail their checks, the dragon notices the heroes, and she bellows a warning. Otherwise, she begins shouting after characters engage the ogres in combat or conversation. When the heroes enter the cave, read: The air within the cave is filled with smoke and the odor of burned meat. Rough stone walls enclose a spacious cavern illuminated by a cook fire tended by a ruddy-skinned ogre, who is completely enthralled by the crackling flames. Nearby, three more ogres argue over a badly scorched chunk of meat. Farther inside, smooth black surfaces of polished obsidian reflect warped images of the fire and ogres, as well as something from deeper within the cave. A strange, clawed limb and a portion of a large, toothy maw are apparent, but a complete image of the creature or creatures never forms. Walls and floors around these obsidian mirrors have a peculiar, scaly patte rn. The stone heaves rhy thmically, in time with a gurgling chant. Misshapen humanoids skulk in the shadows.
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m Greatclub(weapon)F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. R Rock (weapon)F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage. M Grand Slam(weapon)FEncounter Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 4d10 + 4 damage, and the ogre pushes the target up to 2 squares and knocks it prone. Miss: Half damage, and the target falls prone. Str 21 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 11 (+3) Con 20 (+8) Int 4 (+0) Cha 6 (+1) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesGiant
Equipmentgreatclub, 4 rocks
When Maluriath notices the characters, read: A gurgling voic e emanat es from the cavern’s walls . “W hat twist of fate brought you to despoil my triumph? The deck? The devil? It matters not. T his time I shall succeed, and the creatures in this valley will learn to adore their ne w queen, Maluriath!” A pair of milky white eyes flickers within several of the mirrors. Other mirrors provide glimpses of braziers etched with arcane markings and burning with multihued f lames. “ Talons, Void, Flames—I h ave no fur ther ne ed of test subjects, so slay them all. Idiot—close the gate! I want no interruptions!” Three ogres turn their gap-tooth ed grins toward you as they heft their clubs. Another, holding an axe, stares slack-jawed at a rope that leads to two wooden portcullises at either end of the cavern. Strange, ghostly images flicker around their rough, filthy hides. Give the heroes a moment to interact with Maluriath. She harangues and taunts the adventurers before returning to her r itual. The adventurers
XP 75 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+10 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 20, Will 19 Perception+5 6, teleport 2 Low-light vision Speed
T Ceaseless Murmurs Any enemy adjacent to two or more foulspawn wretches takes a –2 penalty to Will.
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m Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage, and a foulspawn wretch ally within 6 squares can teleport to a square adjacent to the target.
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Screaming Echo(teleportation) Trigger: The wretch drops to 0 hit points. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The wretch teleports a nonminion ally within 6 squares of itself to the square the wretch occupies. Str 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Alignmentevil
Dex 20 (+8) Wis 14 (+5) Int 16 (+6) Cha 17 (+6) LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
might periodically catch a glimpse of part of the dragon’s strange shape in a mirror. Enhance the mystery of what they are facing rather than reveal what Malu riath is . Call attention to the brands and the strange effects surrounding the ogres. The brutes are also communicative, displaying cunning and personality, so take the opportunity to roleplay.
Special Powers The ogres in this encounter are named Flames, Idiot, Talons, and Void. Each one’s personality and special power is described below. Each of these special powers requires a standard action to use. Flames: As his name suggests, Flames has an obsessive fascination with fire, and he is responsible for maintaining the cooking fire in this room. The fla mes that billow forth enthrall him, a lthough
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anyone who can manipulate fire attracts his interest. Flames can add more fire to the mix by calling up a circle of flame to scorch everyone nearby.
where they once stood. As a result, he avoids being near the foulspawn. When in combat, his eyes glow with painfu lly bright white light, and his intense stare can cause those he faces to scream in anguish.
C Flames (fire) F Rechargewhen Flames first takes fire damage Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in the burst); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 6 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Idiot: Although many of the other ogres under Maluriath’s sway have an unusual clarity of thought, Idiot lives up to his name. He is easily manipulated and duped. If Idiot realizes that someone has played a trick on him, however, he erupts into a rage. In combat, this rage flows through him to his weapon in red waves of light, allowing him to befuddle his enemies. M Idiot (weapon) F Rechargeif Idiot is dazed Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Miss: Idiot is dazed (save ends).
Talons:Talons relishes theft, cruelty, and bullying. Due to his mean streak, many of his fellow ogres dislike him, but he doesn’t care. During combat, he sometimes snatches at a creature with his clawed hands, and gold-limned brown fog engulfs the creature momentarily.
R Void (psychic) F Rechargeif Void is dazed Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +9 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 6 psychic damage, and the target is removed from play until the end o f Void’s next turn. When t he target returns, it appears in an unoccupied space within 5 squares of its srcinal space and is dazed until the end of its next turn. Miss: Void is removed from play until the end of his next turn. When he returns, Void appears in an unoccupied space within 5 squares of his srcinal space and is dazed until the end of his next turn.
Tactics Ogres: Unless adventurers engage combat quickly, hethe cuts the rope that dropsIdiot the in portcullises in place. Flames remains close to t he cooking fire and takes any opportunity to push foes ➤ N
W
T
I
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M TalonsF Rechargeif Talons is grabbing no target Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, and Talons grabs the target (escape DC 16). Until the grab ends, the target takes a –5 penalty to attack rolls made during another creature’s turn.
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W
W
Void:Occasionally disappearing for hours at a time w ith no recollection of where he has b een, Void is the “strange one” that the other ogres shun. He is highly introspective and has an intense phobia of creatures that teleport or otherwise vanish from
F
into it. Talons closes with the heroes and tries to maneuver them to the ledge, grabbing them before tryi ng to toss them down to the cavern f loor. Void steers clear of the wretches as he f ights, using his special power on any character who deals him a lot of damage. Foulspawn:These wretches swarm the characters, trying to attack those who avoid melee.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light from the fire. If the fire is extinguished, daylight spilling through the cave entrance provides dim light. Cooking Fire:This fire is dif ficult terrai n. Any creature that enters the fire or starts its turn there takes 10 fire damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn. Dark Mirrors: The warped ground adjacent to the mirrors resembles dragon scales that can move underfoot. This ground is difficult terrain. A nonaberrant creature that starts its turn adjacent to a dark mirror takes 5 psychic damage. Attacks can shatter a mirror (AC 5, Reflex 5, Fortitude 10; hp 20), negating its effects. Ledge: It is a 10-foot drop from this ledge to the lower cavern floor, and a climb up (Athletics DC 16). Openings from the ledge to t he lower floor are gradual downward slopes. Portcullises:Severing the rope suspending the two portcullises takes a standard action. Each wooden portculli s is diffic ult to force upward (Athletics DC 23), but up to three characters can assist. A character can also climb up 15 feet to grab the severed rope (Athletics DC 16 to climb the walls). Having
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the rope reduces the DC to raise a portcullis to 16, and four characters can assist.
Conclusion If the characters explore this area, they can learn the following information here. When the heroes proceed west beyond the portcullis, move on to Encounter 2. Foulspawn Clues:The wretches have nothing of value, but scraps of clothing and minor personal effects are evidence that some were once natural humanoids. You have an opportunity here to make this quest more personal by having one of the wretches be someone the adventurers once knew. Mirrors:If the adventurers investigate the mirrors, the party begins to sense Maluriath’s plan. Dungeoneer ing DC 11: The obsidian occurs naturally due to volcanic activity, but it has been carefully shaped and polished. Arcana DC 11 (Detect Magic): A mirror can channel eldritch energy into the surrounding area. These mirrors are reflecting energy so that it alters the terrain. Arcana DC 16 (Detect Magic): A mirror more carefully crafted than the ones here might have the power to warp natural humanoids into foulspawn. Ogre Brands:Each ogre’s brand is unique, a nd a student of magic or an adventurer familiar with games might recognize the symbols of theDeck of Many Things (Arcana or Streetwise DC 16). Treasure:Talons has a ruby (500 g p) and two gold hoop earrings (50 gp each).
E NCOUNTER 2: P ERILOUS PAS SAGE S Encounter Level 7 (1,625 XP)
3 Ogres
Level 6 Brute
Large natural humanoid (giant)
XP 250 each Initiative+5 Perception+3
HP 90; Bloodied45 AC 18, Fortitude20, Reflex 17, Will 16 Speed 8
S
Setup 3 ogres: Balance (B), Donjon (D), Euryale (E) 1 foulspawn mangler (M) 7 foulspawn wretches (W) Three of Maluriath ’s ogres stand ready to assail the party as it emerges from the tunnel on the east edge of the map. Donjon stands directly ahead of the characters in plain view. Three of the seven wretches indicated above might appear during the fight—see the dark mirrors in “Features of the Area.” The other four are on the battlefield when the encounter begins. As the heroe s approach, read: The wide passage descends steeply. Although the caverns obviously formed naturally, scattered rubbish is a telltale sign of the presence of ogres. Rough-hewn ceiling timbers span erected intermittently throughout the chamber help to support the walls and the roof. Phosphorescent lichen clings to these beams and provides enough illumination to dimly light the area. In the wider corridor to your left, an ogre stands halfslumped against the wall, his chest rising and falling slowly. A snort eru pts from his nose a s he shifts h is bulk slightly, but he does not appear to be fully awake. If the characters are suspicious, allow a DC 16 Insight check to spot Donjon’s eyes twitching as he hides the fact that he’s watching the characters. Donjon sticks to his “asleep at his post” ruse unless he comes under attack, because he hopes to lure as many adventurers as he can into a cave-in.
A
m Greatclub(weapon)F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. R Rock (weapon)F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage. M Grand Slam(weapon)FEncounter Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 4d10 + 4 damage, and the ogre pushes the target up to 2 squares and knocks it prone. Miss: Half damage, and the target falls prone. Str 21 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 11 (+3) Con 20 (+8) Int 4 (+0) Cha 6 (+1) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesGiant
Equipmentgreatclub, 4 rocks
7 Foulspawn Wretches Level 7 Minion Skirmisher Small aberrant humanoid XP 75 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+10 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 20, Will 19 Perception+5 Speed 6, teleport 2 Low-light vision
T Ceaseless Murmurs Any enemy adjacent to two or more foulspawn wretches takes a –2 penalty to Will.
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m Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage, and a foulspawn wretch ally within 6 squares can teleport to a square adjacent to the target.
T
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Screaming Echo(teleportation) Trigger: The wretch drops to 0 hit points. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The wretch teleports a nonminion ally within 6 squares of itself to the square the wretch occupies. Str 14 (+5) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 16 (+6) Cha 17 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
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Foulspawn Mangler
Level 8 Skirmisher
Medium aberrant humanoid
HP 86; Bloodied43 AC 22 (24 while bloodied), Fortitude19, Reflex 20 (22 while bloodied), Will19 Speed 7 (9 while bloodied)
XP 350 Initiative+9 Perception+7 Low-light vision
T Combat Advantage The mangler deals 2d6 ex tra damage against any creatu re granting combat advantage to it. Mangler’s Mobility The mangler gains a +5 racial bo nus to AC against oppor tunity attacks provoked by movement.
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m Dagger(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 7 damage. R Thrown Dagge rs(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 4 damage.
M Dagger DanceF Rechargewhen first bloodied
Effect: The mangler uses dagger four times and can shift 1 square after each attack. SkillsAthletics +10, Stealth +12 Str 13 (+5) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 6 (+2) Con 14 (+6) Int 10 (+4) Cha 14 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10 Equipment8 daggers
Special Powers The ogres in this encounter are named Balance, Donjon, and Euryale. Each one’s personality and special power is described below. Each of these special powers requires a standard action to use. Balance: A peculiar ogre with a moody temperament, Balance switches sides in arguments and manipulates others without thinking twice. A silver mist sometimes wraps around him and a foe when they’re in combat, making the foe’s thought processes hazy and subject to Balance’s influence.
R Balance(psychic, weapon) F Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +9 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 6 psychic damage, and the target is dominated until the end of Balance’s next turn. Afteref fect: Balance is dominated by the target until the end of Balance’s next turn.
Donjon:This ogre feels a strange bond with Maluriath’s dark mirrors. He is the only ogre remotely interested in the dragon’s efforts, although he doesn’t understand the ritual. He protects the mirrors in t his area ferociously. When he uses his special power, his eyes and a nearby mirror glow blue. The target appears to be shackled to the f loor, but no shackles are apparent in the world.
Tactics The sound of the cave-in signals the other monsters in this area to be ready for intruders. Foulspawn:Wretches use their teleportation to prevent adventurers from falling back. The mangler moves around the fight to gain combat advantage. It favors attacking characters who damage it. Ogres: Donjon delays until he can catch a few enemies in the cave-in—see the “Development” section. Then he uses his donjon power. Balance and Euryale prefer to open with their ranged special powers, each ogre targeting a different foe. After these opening attacks, the ogres engage attempt to block the characters’ progress, bottlenecking them in narrow passages if possible.
R Donjon (psychic) F Rechargeif the power misses Attack: 5 (onedamage, creature); vs.target Will is restrained 2d8Ranged + 8 psychic and+9the Hit: until the end of Donjon’s next turn.
Euryale: Accidents and bad luck surround Euryale at every turn, but often these tragedies are visit ed upon other s. At t imes, he is deeply ap ologetic for these turns of fate a nd can verge on pitiable. If he has a chance to shed this bad luck on a foe, he does so in a wave of darkness that sparkles with green glyphs. R Euryale (psychic) F Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +9 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 8 psychic damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws (save ends).
Development
At his first opportu nity, Donjon uses the following terrain power. A marked area on the map indicates the area he prefers to target with this attack. Donjon’s Cave-In S A
Single-Use Terrain
C Cave-InF Encounter Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and Donjon slides the target up to 2 squares to a square adjacent to the blast’s area. Effect: The area becomes dif ficult terrai n.
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Features of the Area
E NCOUNTER 3: O N T HE R IGHT T RACK
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Illumination:Glowing lichen provides dim light. Dark Mirrors: The warped ground adjacent to the mirrors resembles dragon scales that can move underfoot. This ground is difficult terrain. A non-aberrant creature that starts its turn adjacent to a dark mirror takes 5 psychic damage. Attacks can shatter a mirror (AC 5, ➤ Reflex 5, Fortitude 10; hp 20), negatTo E3 ing its effects. Wretch Spawn: The first t hree times any character ends his or her turn adjacent to a dark mirror, that mirror spawns a foulspawn wretch that resembles the character in an unoccupied square adjacent to the character or in the nearest unoccupied square. Each mirror can spawn only one such wretch. Support Beams:An ogre must squeeze whenever its space contains one of t hese low-hanging structures. Rubble: This debris is difficult terrain.
Conclusion If the characters explore this area, they can learn the following information here. When the heroes proceed into the west corridor, move on to Encounter 3. Dark Mirrors:The adventurers can learn information similar to that revealed in the first encounter. In addition, they can discover the following additional details. Perception DC 16: The character discerns a distorted image of Maluriath performing her ritual. Success allows the Arca na check below.
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Encounter Level 8 (1,775 XP) W
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Setup
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3 ogres: Rogue (R), Ruin (U), Skul l (S) 1 foulspawn mockery (M) 7 foulspawn wretches (W)
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From E1
Arcana DC 16: Maluriath is creating another dark mirror similar to those in this area. This new mirror could create an effect that twists the landscape for miles around the caves. Foulspawn Clues:Any wretch that emerged from a mirror has a twisted similarity to the adventurer who spawned it. Especially if the characters succeeded on the Arcana check ab ove, play up the horrible potential of the mirrors’ effect being unleashed on the countryside.
The corridor west from Encounter 2 leads deeper into the old volcanic passages. After a time, the adventurers emerge in the ogres’ quarters. This large chamber also contains piles of the stone that the ogres mined from the area in Encounter 4. Three of the seven wretches indicated above might appear during the fight—see the dark mirrors in “Features of the Area.” The other four are on the battlefield when the encounter begins. As the hero es arr ive, read: The tunnel ahead widens into a torchlit cavern. Heaps of broken stone rise toward the ceiling, and a crude mine cart sits on a track leading off to the south. Hunkered behind a few of the haph azard piles, three ogres snarl in antic ipation. A handful of s maller warped humano ids skulk about . Although more dark mirrors are here, the fearsome voice of the creature spi ed in the mirrors emerges not o nly from their dis torted surface s but also from the southern corridor, rising in pitch and fervor and punctuated by blasts of multihued light. The cavern floor to the north exhibits the same twisting corruption present near some of the mirrors in the room. As the battle rages, Malur iath’s ritual begi ns to draw to its close, and ominous tremors are felt in the direction of her lair.
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3 Ogres
Level 6 Brute
Foulspawn Mockery
Large natural humanoid (giant)
XP 250 each Initiative+5 Perception+3
Medium aberrant humanoid
HP 90; Bloodied45 AC 18, Fortitude20, Reflex 17, Will 16 Speed 8
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Level 10 Controller
XP 500 HP 104; Bloodied52 Initiative+8 AC 24, Fortitude19, Reflex 22, Will 20 Perception+9 6, teleport 3 Low-light vision Speed
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m Greatclub(weapon)F At-Will
m Bite F At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. R Rock (weapon)F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage. M Grand Slam(weapon)FEncounter Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 4d10 + 4 damage, and the ogre pushes the target up to 2 squares and knocks it prone. Miss: Half damage, and the target falls prone. Str 21 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 11 (+3) Con 20 (+8) Int 4 (+0) Cha 6 (+1) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesGiant
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 6 damage. r Mind Harrier(psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 6 psychic damage. At the end of the target’s next turn, if it is not adjacent to any of its allies, it takes 10 psychic damage and ongoing 10 psychic damage (save ends). A Maddening Burst(psychic) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +13 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 6 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).
Equipmentgreatclub, 4 rocks
Str 18 (+9) Con 16 (+8) Alignmentevil
7 Foulspawn Wretches Level 7 Minion Skirmisher Small aberrant humanoid XP 75 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+10 AC 21, Fortitude19, Reflex 20, Will 19 Perception+5 Speed 6, teleport 2 Low-light vision
T Ceaseless Murmurs Any enemy adjacent to two or more foulspawn wretches takes a –2 penalty to Will.
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m Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage, and a foulspawn wretch ally within 6 squares can teleport to a square adjacent to the target.
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Screaming Echo(teleportation) Trigger: The wretch drops to 0 hit points. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The wretch teleports a nonminion ally within 6 squares of itself to the square the wretch occupies. Str 14 (+5) Dex 20 (+8) Wis 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 16 (+6) Cha 17 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
Dex 17 (+8) Wis 18 (+9) Int 15 (+7) Cha 21 (+10) LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
Special Powers The ogres in this encounter are named Rogue, Ruin, and Skull. Each one’s personality and special power is described below. Each of these specia l powers is either a triggered action or requires a standard action to use. Rogue: Rogue enjoys sowing discord, and he frequently places stolen items in the packs and bedding of others. In combat, Rogue tries to see if he can cause a foe to attack another of his enemies by mistake. When that happens, the air around Rogue glimmers briefly with red motes of light. He succeeds often enough to keep him looking forward to the next fight. Rogue F Encounter Trigger: A melee or a ranged attack hits Rogue. Effect trigadjacent gering attack insRogue tead hits a(Immediate creature ofInterrupt): Rogue’s The choice to him. can shift 1 square into the new target’s space, sliding the new target up to 2 squares to a square he left.
Ruin: Even though he revels in destruction, Ruin Level 6 Minion Skirmisher struggles not to smash everything within reach when XP 63 each he attacks, including Maluriath’s mirrors. He has HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+7 caused unintentional damage before. In combat, a AC 18, Fortitude16, Reflex 20, Will 17 Perception+2 single blow from him can reverberate in his foe’s 10 necrotic Darkvisio n Immunedisease, poison; Resist bones, creating a momentary burst of purple light Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing around his target. That creature’s ability to withstand S A m Shadow Caress(necrotic) F At-Will future attacks diminishes for a time. 4 Wraith Figments
Medium shadow humanoid (undead)
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 7 necrotic damage, and the target is slowed until the end of the wraith’s next turn.
M
A
Shadow GlideF Encounter Effect: The wraith figment shifts up to 6 squares. Skills Stealth +10 Str 3 (–2) Dex 17 (+5) Wis 10 (+2) Con 13 (+3) Int 4 (–1) Cha 15 (+4) Alignmentchaotic evil Languages—
M Ruin (weapon) F Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +9 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. Effect: The target gains v ulnerable 5 to all damage unti l the end of Ruin’s next turn.
Skull: Brooding and morbid, Skull is remarkably pale for an ogre and has a single-minded fascination with death. His belongings are littered with skulls, bones, and the carcasses of dead wildlife. As
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he moves in combat, he leaves smaller, ghostly afterimages behind. These images persist after he dies. Skull F Encounter Trigger: Skull dies. Effect (No Action): Four wraith figments appear, each in a square in Skull’s space. These wraiths act on Skull’s turn.
Tactics Foulspawn:The mockery moves to keep meleecombatant allies between it and the characters. Wretches focus on keeping the mockery safe. Ogres:These brutes’ primary aim is to block progress into the dragon’s lair. Ruin and Skull prefer direct melee combat, and Ruin uses his special power at the first opportunity. Rogue moves from rubble pile to rubble pile (see “Features of the Area”), toppling themison enemies with little appear, concernthe for his allies. If Skull slain and the wraiths other ogres take it as an ill omen and might be open to negotiating.
Tracks:These rails lead to Maluriath’s lair. The tracks are normal terrain despite passing over difficult terrain. Dark Mirrors: The warped ground adjacent to the mirrors resembles dragon scales that can move underfoot. This ground is difficult terrain. A nonaberrant creature that starts its turn adjacent to a dark mirror takes 5 psychic damage. Attacks can shatter a mirror (AC 5, Reflex 5, Fortitude 10; hp 20), negating its effects. Wretch Spawn: The first t hree times any character ends his or her turn adjacent to a dark mirror, that mirror spawns a foulspawn wretch that resembles the character in an unoccupied square adjacent to the character or in the nearest unoccupied square. Each mirror can spawn only one such wretch. Special Mirror: The dark mirror in the northwest wall of this chamber is especially potent, since it’s the closest one to Maluriath’s lair. As shown on the map, the area for several squares around this dark mirror is difficult terrain.
Features of the Area Illumination:Torches provide bright light. Bedding:These two heaps of debris, cloth, skins, and other filth are normal terrain. Cart: This crude wheeled vehicle can provide cover. A creature can use a move action and a successful Athletics check to shove the cart down the tracks (DC 11 to move it up to half the pusher’s speed, DC 16 to move it up to the pusher’s speed). T he pusher does not have to advance with the cart. Getting into the cart is like entering difficult terrain. A single Medium or Small creature can fit easily into the cart. A Large creature must squeeze to get in, as must a second Small or Medium creature. The cart can hold up to two Small or Medium creatures, or one Large creature.
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Rubble Piles:These piles are difficult terrain tall enough to provide cover. Each pile can be toppled by a creature that uses the following terrain power. Rubble Topple S A
Single-Use Terrain
C Rubble ToppleF Encounter Requirement: You must be adjacent to the rubble and succeed on a DC 16 Athletics check. Attack: Close burst 1 centered on a square in the pile (creatures in the burst); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target falls prone. Miss: Half damage, and the target is pushed 1 square. Effect: The area becomes dif ficult terrai n.
Conclusion If the characters explore this area, they might find treasure here. When the heroes proceed north, move on to Encounter 4. Treasure:Hidden in the bedding are items that Rogue stole from Maluriath’s hoard: a topaz (500 gp), a gold ring set with garnets (250 gp), and 240 gp.
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E NCOUNTER 4: M IRROR , M IRROR ON T HE WA LL
Maluriath
6
Encounter Level 10 (2,500 XP)
Setup Maluriath, Cursed Red Dragon (M) Maluriath’s ritual is drawing to a close. When the heroes interrupt Maluriath, read: The cavern broadens and deepens. Across the chamber from where you e ntered, a n entire wall of o bsidian st ands exposed and polished. The stone f loor has been twisted
into a semblance of scaled skin and protruding bone.t he The flames in three large braziers f licker in t ime with chants of the twisted draconic creature before the enormous dark mirror. Flesh on the creature’s fanged maw is pulled back to expose the jawbones. Ribs stick out from the dragon’s belly, producing gaping rents in its to rso that spill go uts of f lame onto the scorched floor. Where once the creature had wings, it now has two clawlike appendages. As it pauses to scan the room with dead, milky eyes, the creature speaks in a hideous gurgle. “Yes, come closer. Share my pain.” In the mirror, the dragon’s image continues to perform the ritual, filling the air with chants as the braziers flare with eleme ntal energy. In response, th e mirror glows. Th e air is painfully charged, foretelling the release of immense magical power.
Level 10 Solo Brute
Large natural magical beast (dragon) XP 2,500 HP 520; Bloodied260 Initiative+8 AC 22, Fortitude24, Reflex 21, Will 22 Perception+12 Darkvision Speed Saving Throws+5; Action Points2
T Action Recovery Whenever Maluriath ends her turn, any dazing, stunning, or dominating effect on her ends. Instinctive Assault On an initiative of 10 + her initiative check, Maluriath can use a free action to use bite or claw. If Maluriath cannot use a free action to make this attack due to a dominating or stunning effect, then that effect ends instead of Maluriath making the attack. Roiling Chaos At the start of each of Maluriath’s turns, roll a d6 to determine a damage type: 1–2, fire; 3, acid; 4–5, cold; 6, lightning. Substitute that damage type for the word “typed” in Maluriath’s powers until the start of Maluriath’s next turn.
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m Bite (varies) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 6 damage. The target is grabbed and takes ongoing 5 typed damage, or ongoing 10 typed damage if Maluriath is bloodied, until the grab ends (escape DC 18).
M Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one or two creatures); +15 vs. AC. If Maluriath targets only one creature, she can make this attack twice against that creature. Hit: 2d10 + 11 damage, and Maluriath knocks the target prone. C Breath Weapon(varies) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +13 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d12 + 10 typed damage, or 2d12 + 18 typed damage if Maluriath is bloodied. Miss: Half damage.
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A
C Pained FrenzyF At-Will Trigger: A melee attack damages Maluriath. Attack (Immediate React ion): Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +13 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage, and Maluriath pushes the target up to 2 squares. C Bloodied Burst(varies) F Encounter Trigger: Maluriath is first bloodied. Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d12 + 18 typed damage, and Maluriath pushes the target up to 2 squares. Miss: Half damage. SkillsArcana +11, Insight +12, Int imidate +14 Str 22 (+11) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 14 (+7) Con 20 (+10) Int 13 (+6) Cha 18 (+9) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Draconic, Giant
Tactics
The Ritual
Maluriath maneuvers to avoid being pinned down and to maximize her attacks. The dragon concentrates on adventurers who interfere with the ritual. If the party succeeds in halting the ritual, the dragon becomes irrational and enraged. Her madness might manifest as a belief that someone is a thief who has stolen from her. Or she might bel ieve that an adventurer is a servant of the devil who cursed her. In either case, she spouts absurd accusations and redirects her attacks at that character.
While the ritu al continues, Maluriath has the following aura. O Energy Leak(varies) F Aura 3 An enemy that starts its turn in the aura takes 5 typed damage, or 10 typed damage if Maluriath is bloodied.
A character who has training in Arcana, Relig ion, or Nature, or any character who has the Ritual Caster feat, realizes the aura’s source and that the image in the dark mirror is completing the ritual. Integral to the ritual are the braziers, the mirror, and the dragon.
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Disrupting the ritual does harm to the dragon, since she is intimately tied into the eldritch energy flowing here. The adventurers have 10 rounds to s top the ritual, possibly using one of the following tactics. Using any skill requires a standard action. These tactics are a guide—you can allow any creative solution you think might work. Arcan a (trained on ly; DC 16): The character siphons magical energy from the ritual. Success on the check can extinguish one brazier or deal the mirror 2d10 damage, and it deals Maluriath 2d10 psychic damage. A character who fails by 5 or more on this check takes 2d10 psychic damage. Athlet ics (DC 16):The character can topple a brazier (see “Features of the Area”). Toppling a brazier also deals Maluriath 2d10 psychic damage. A character who fails by 5 or more on this check takes 2d10 damage of the same type Maluriath currently deals due to her roiling chaos trait.
Nature (trained only; DC 16): A character who uses the primal power source can use it in place of Arcana to manipulate the un natural energy here. Religion (trained only; DC 16): A character who uses the divine power source can use it in place of Arcana to manipulate the un natural energy here. Thievery (DC 16):While adjacent to the dark mirror, the character can exploit weaknesses in the mirror to harm it. Success on this check deals 2d10 damage to the mirror and 2d10 psychic damage to Maluriath. A character who fails by 5 or more on this check takes 2d10 psychic damage.
Ending the Ritual
Brazier Topple S A
Single-Use Terrain
C Brazier ToppleF Encounter Requirement: You must be adjacent to the brazier and succeed on an Athletics check (DC 16). Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +10 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage of the same type that Maluriath currently deals due to her roiling chaos power. Miss: Half damage. Effect: The brazier is ex tinguished.
If the characters successfully mar the mirror and topple all three braziers, the ritual ends violently, and Maluriath takes 3d10 psychic damage. She also loses
Dark Mirror Wall:Damage can mar this enormous mirror enough to disrupt its part in the ritual (AC 18, Ref lex 17, Fortitude 17; immune to necrotic,
herIfenergy leak aura. do not end the ritual, then at the the characters start of Maluriath’s turn during the 11th round, the cursed dragon’s image completes it. If this happens, Maluriath gains her aura permanently, and each character takes ➤ 2d10 psychic damage. N
poison, psychic, all mirror conditions, ongoing damage;forced 55 hpmovement, to disable the as part of the ritual). If a character misses the mirror wall by 5 or more with an attack roll while the ritual is still active, that character takes 2d10 psychic damage. Deformed Floor:The enormous dark mirror actively warps the environment here. Any diagonal movement on this warped floor is treated as if the mover is entering difficult terrain. Maluriath is immune to this effect, which continues until the dark mirror is completely destroyed (see “Concluding the Adventure”). Ledge: It is a 10-foot climb (Athletics DC 16) from the area that has the tracks to the upper cavern floor. The area at the end of the tracks slopes gently up to the top of the raised area. Obsidian Rubble:The heaps of jagged obsidian rubble are difficult terrain and tall enough to provide cover. A creature that unwillingly enters one of these squares takes 5 damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn. Treasure Hoard:Maluriath’s hoard is difficult terrain.
Features of the Area M
to a brazier can extinguish it with a successful DC 16 Arcana check or can use the following terrain power to topple it.
Illumination:Each brazier produces bright light in a 15-square radius. It’s clear to the characters that these are the only source of light in the room. Once the last one is toppled, the area plunges into darkness. Braziers:These basins are 3 feet high, tall enough to provide cover and prevents creature from being forced into them. They burn with the same chaotic energy that leaks from Maluriath. A creature adjacent
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Conclusion Once the dragon is defeated, the characters can explore this area. Treasure:Maluriath’s hoard includes 2,000 sp, 1,760 gp, 3 gems (500 gp each), a gold statue (1,000 gp), an empty carved ivory case for holding cards (250 gp), and three u ncommon magic items (of character level + 1d4). Dark Mirror Wall:If the adventurers have not destroyed the dark mirror (see “Concluding the Adventure”), they can tell it still contains powerful magical potential. This potential makes the characters feel uneasy when they look at the mirror.
CONCLUDING T HE A DVENTURE Only Maluriath has the knowledge to complete the ritual. If the adventurers have any previous experience with the Chaos Scar, they know it’s a magnet for creatures of ill intent. Destruction of the final dark mirror, before another evil force discovers it, is a real concern. Although brute force can disrupt the mirror’s part in Maluriath’s ritual, the mirror requires at least 200 damage to destroy. If you want, however, an effort to destroy the mirror might not be so simple. You can devise further adventures for discovering a means of destroying the mirror. Those means could be as elaborate as you desire, such as a cleansing ritual, the need for a blessed hammer, or any other quest that suits your campaign. If the adventurers failed to stop the ritual, the corrupting influence of the mirror spreads from the cave at a pace and with effects appropriate for your campaign. Perhaps Maluriath must concentrate while in front of the dark m irror to spread its inf luence. If she survives and completes the ritual, she
spends time expanding this foul energy to create a vile domain for herself . If Maluriath needs to remain within her lair, the adventurers might have enough time to mount a second offensive. But with each passing day, the twisted nature of the cavern intensifies, changing it into a true nightmare landscape. During this time, Maluriath might also have the opportunity to create more foulspawn or subjugate other lackeys. You could instead decide that the Chaos Scar itself can power the spreading corruption. If this is true, the powerful eldritch energy might attract all sorts of monsters to the area. Further, if the mirror was not already part of the corruption devil’s plans, the object might come to the fiend’s attention.
About the Author John “Ross” Ros somangno is a freelance writer whose debut adventure, “The Devil’s Due,” appeared in Dungeon 188. He also created “Going Ape!” in Dungeon 192. His days are spent at the keyboard in an ongoing effort to expand his writi ng credits.
Developer Chris Sims Editor Miranda Horner Managing Editors Kim Mohan, Jeremy Crawford Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland, Stan! Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrator Milivoj Ceran Cartographer Kyle Hunter Graphic Production Erin Dorries
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The dwarf runepriest Olek Dael, devoted worshiper of Bane, intends to call an avatar of his god by scribing ancient, forbidden runes. Unknown to him , primordial thre ats, bound by the sanctity of these runes, strain the borders of their prison dimension. The more Olek uses his runes, the weaker the wards become. Olek’s followers, empowered by the forbidden runes, challenge the adventurers as they struggle to avert catastrophe.
The Runecutter’s Ruin An ad venture for cha racters of 8th to 10th level By Logan Bonner Illustration by Paul Bonner Cartography by Jason A. Engle TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
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Background Trained in the art of rune smithing by devotees of Erathis, the dwarf runepriest Olek Dael grew frustrated by the slow expansion or, at times, the contraction of civilization. Stymied by opposition at every turn, the votary had what he considered an epiphany: Force employed in service of order and light was far better than rampant chaos and darkness. If people would not listen to reason and work together, civilization must be imposed on them. The god of conquest, Bane, offered exactly what Olek so desperately sought. From his training , the fanatic knew about the ancient runes used in the Dawn War. Although the laws of rune smithing expressly forbade taking advantage of such tools, the dwarf was convinced that he was strong enough to command them. Using the runes, Olek would call down an avatar of Bane to lead an army dedicated to order. Casting about for a location to stage his triumph, Olek settled on the Chaos Scar. The meteor was a clear sign from Bane and a monument to his divine power. The lawlessness of the area made it t he perfect spot to engrave his runes and conduct his rituals devoted to order. With the avatar by his side, the various, warring creatures already present at the Scar would make an unstoppable army. As a first step, Olek joined the Brotherhood of the Scar, finding willing allies in that evil cult. The runepriest began using the ancient runes regularly, believing that he was binding his allies into a cohesive unit. He rose through the ranks, bringing prominent lieutenants under his command. Unknown to Olek, the runes are part of a warding mechanism that keeps a number of primordials trapped in a prison of dreams. The runic words hold
great power, but using them drains that power and weakens the ensnaring thought-construct. Olek’s careful plans and monomaniacal focus have borne fruit. His magical might approaches an apex, just as the first primordial beg ins to tear through the walls of the divine prison.
Adventure Synopsis After discovering Olek or his runes (suggestions are detailed in “Starting the Adventure” below), the adventurers follow the clues to a grove of statues. There, they encounter one of Olek’s lieutenants— Ptolema the medusa—guarding the entrance to the runepriest’s library. She calls on her ally, a tiefling occultist, to activate protective runes placed on the statues the grove. Afterindefeating the medusa and her statues, the adventurers descend into a runic library protected by Jorag, a hobgoblin lieutenant, and his underlings. Once the guards are defeated, the heroes find diagrams and plans showing where Olek plans to complete his ritual calling.
BEFORE THE ADVENTURE With a bit of planning, you could better integrate this adventure into your campaign. Start by scattering the mysterious runes about during prior sessions as noted in the “The Signs Are All Around Us” adventure hook. Perhaps a courier bringing a message to one of the adventurers’ enemies moves inhumanly fast, bolstered by one of Olek ’s runes. May be oddly shaped and ancient runes appear from time to time, carved on walls and objects, giving the characters a faint sense of unease as they pass.
The dwarf toils on a rise miles away, carvi ng the last runes on the standing stones that circle the hilltop. When the adventurers confront him and his gargoyle guards, Olek desperately calls upon his most powerful rune. It makes him more formidable, but also weakens the extradimensional prison enough that a primordial begins to emerge.
Starting the Adventure As a priest of an evil god, a member of the Brotherhood of the Scar, and an unknowing dabbler in primordial magic, Olek has made a number of enemies. These hooks describe a few of the ways the adventurers might get wind of the runepriest’s depredations.
Hook: In the Name of Erathis Lord Drysdale, paladin of Erathis and ruler of Restwell Keep (see “The Keep on the Chaos Scar” in Dungeon 176), knew Olek Dael before the dwarf deserted Erathis to worship Bane. Tales of his former ally’s fall from grace reached the paladin, and he feels responsible for stopping Olek. Unable to see to the task himself, Drysdale seeks adventurers well versed in religion (whether they worship Erathi s or not) and capable of tracking down the dwarf. Quest XP:400 XP per character (major quest) if the adventurers bring back Olek Dael, preferably alive. Drysdale also offers a reward of 2,500 gp.
Hook: The Signs Are All Around Us One of the party members who has training in Religion, or an ally with knowledge about the divine, finds a series of extremely powerful divine runes during the several sessions before this adventure starts. Whenever encountered, the runes feel subtly
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wrong. They do not radiate evil. Instead, t hey give the impression that they shouldn’t be seen by mortal eyes—as if they were never meant to be used. The adventurers might discover these runes on documents or people traceable back to Olek or his library. A character who succeeds on a DC 16 Religion check identifies the symbols as powerful versions of the runes common to runepriests. On a result of 24 or higher, the adventurer realizes the runes are an active part of a sealed primordial prison and have been weakened through overuse. A runepriest gains a +5 bonus to this Religion check and, if successful, knows the runes are forbidden. Quest XP:400 XP per character (major quest) if the adventurers track down the source of the runes and stop Olek.
Hook: Power Games Olek’s high position within the Brotherhood subjects him to the intrigues that run rampant through that baleful organization. An unscrupulous party (or one willing to go undercover) could accept a job from Hunter Keldos, a gruff human warrior who wants to improve his position in the Brotherhood’s ranks. Although doing so breaks the Brotherhood’s edict that its activities remain secret, Keldos has put word out that he seeks the removal of a rival. Quest XP:400 XP per character (major quest) if the adventurers kill Olek and return his important records to Keldos.
The Forbidden Runes
Rune of Poison’s Boon
Each of Olek’s lieutenants received a rune for serving the runepriest faithfully. Both a blessing and a curse, each rune provides supernatural powers but costs its bearer dearly. The runes have a life of their own—more an instinctual compulsion than true sentience. When a rune’s owner dies, the mark passes to a nearby creature that it can “help.” The rune jumps from host to host like a disease, granting power as it does so. Olek and his lieutenants in this adventure, Ptolema and Jorag, possess runes. Each rune’s boon and curse are included in their stat blocks. The runebound creature gains both the curse and the boon.
The runic marking on your flesh burns and steams, enhancing your strike with blazing green poison.
When the runebound creature dies, the rune appears on the arm of a nearby creature, searing the flesh in a specific pattern. The deceased former host turns into a water elemental (Monster Manual 3, page 83). The elemental is conscious, has full hit points, and is controlled by the DM. A character who dies as an elemental can be raised from the dead in his or her srcinal form. Removing the Runes: Cure Disease and other methods of removing ill effects cannot overcome the power of the ancient runes. Only one certain method of removing the runes exist: Upon the defeat of the primordial Hoshotath (see Encounter 3: The Shattered Prison), the runes dissipate from their hosts.
Rune of Poison (Ptolema) Rune of Poison’s Curse : If the runebound creature moves more than 4 squares on its turn, it becomes weakened until the end of its next turn.
Rune Utility
Encounter Divine, Poison No Action Personal Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack using a weapon. Effect:The enemy takes ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 15. Second Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 20.
Rune of Banefire (Jorag) Rune of Banefire’s Curse : The runebound creature takes a –2 penalty to AC.
Rune of Banefire’s Boon
Rune Utility
Ethereal flames burst from your skin, surrounding you in a protective embrace.
Encounter Divine, Fire Minor Action Personal : You must be bloodied. Requirement Effect: You gain a +2 bonus to AC, and each enemy that ends its turn adjacent to you takes 10 fire damage. Roll a d20 at the start of each of your turns. On a 9 or lower, the effect ends. The effect otherwise ends at the end of the encounter.
Rune of Command (Olek) Rune of Command’s Curse : When the creature bound to the rune rolls a natural 5 or lower on its first attack roll during a turn, it is dominated by Hoshotath (see Encounter 3: The Shattered Prison ) until the end of its next turn.
Rune of Command’s Boon
Rune Attack
The signs covering your upper body reverberate, imbuing your voice with divine power. Encounter Charm, Divine burst 1 Standard Action Close Target: Each enemy in the burst Attack: +15 vs. Will Hit: You dominate the target until the end of your next turn.
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Hoshotath, the Flaming Sea Made up of equal parts fire and water, the primordial Hoshotath is conflicted and unpredictable. Its mind lurches from being serene, like a placid lake, to implacable, like a tidal wave, to tumultuous, like a raging fire. At times, the gods and other primordials were able to reason with Hoshotath. More often, it left widespread ruin in its wake, causing atrocities on a massive scale. Before the Dawn War, a cadre of other primordials kept the Flaming Sea in check. When war broke out, it was unleashed. During the Dawn War, Hoshotath set about transforming the oceans of the world into roiling lava. The gods managed to counter this devastating event, but two deities lost their lives in doing so. Other gods drew from their own divine force to craft a set of powerful runes that could turn the Flaming Sea’s mind upon itself. So strong was the resulting thoughtconstruct that it proved able to contain not only Hoshotath but several other primordials. The gods knew, however, that t he runes were not inex haustible. Out of fear that the prison would shatter, the deities commanded that the potent runes never be used again.
The Runic Library After the adventurers get wind of Olek’s plans, they must locate his sanctum—a runic library hidden in a small dungeon he cleared out nearly a decade ago. Although Olek calls the place his library, the adventurers won’t find books or scrolls there. Instead, runes cover the floors and walls. Most of the marks are reference points, lacking a few touches that would make them active. The place is described in more detail in Encounter 2: The Runic Library .
You can use the optional Following the Tracks skill challenge to plot the adventurers’ search for the library. Alternatively, you can devise your own investigation and results based on the information provided in that section. When the characters arrive near the library, they find Olek’s lieutenant Ptolema standing guard on the earthen cliff near the entrance. The fight against her is presented in Encounter 1: Grove of Statues. If she’s defeated, the adventurers can descend the stairs to find Jorag, another of Olek’s lieutenants. They face him and the wards within the sanctu m in Encounter 2: The Runic Library .
Olek’s Trail AfterOlek defeating histhe champions, the adventurers discover that isn’t at runic library. Either by rummaging through his papers or by interrogating his lieutenants, the heroes can learn the runepriest’s whereabouts. Olek’s Papers : In a side room of the library behind a locked door (Thievery DC 18 to open), the runepriest’s papers lie scattered across a long wooden table. Each of the sketches directly in front of the chair features a diagram of a set of standing stones, with a series of runes written beside the stones. Several versions are stacked in a pile, each with some sections scribbled out, suggesting that Olek was unsatisfied with it. A small map, drawn crudely by someone other than the creator of the diagrams, shows the area near the runic library and a path that leads to a hill to the west. The map depicts the same circle of standing stones as the diagrams. Interrogation: Ptolema and Jorag initially refuse to give out any information. A hefty bribe or a promise of freedom backed by a convincing threat persuades one of the two lieutenants to part with information on Olek’s whereabouts. Both subordinates know that
Olek headed west with his rune-smithing tools and camping supplies. Beyond that, they are not privy to the details of his plan. He has been heading off to the west to work repeatedly over the last few weeks, but has kept quiet about where he’s going. If the adventurers pursue to the west, a DC 26 Perception check allows them to track Olek’s movements.
The Runic Stones The tr ip to the hi ll where Olek works cons umes hours. If t he adventurers decid e to ta ke an extended rest along the way, they see threatening, unnatural clouds ahead o f them. This swirling miasma indicates that Olek has almost completed his nefarious activities. If the party rests, he’ll finish it with time to spare! As the adventurers come within sight of the hill the stones stand on, they see strange, blue-tinged storm clouds gathering. They flash with red-orange sheet lightning. At odd moments, when the lighting is just right, the clouds take on a vaguely humanoid shape, reaching down toward the hill ahead. Upon the hill, Olek chants divine words of power. When the adventurers ascend the hill, read the text at the start of Encounter 3: The Shattered Prison . If they take a measured approach and try to talk to Olek, consult the “Parley with Olek” sidebar.
Conclusion If the adventurers defeat Olek without killing him, they can take him to an authority such as Lord Drysdale for imprisonment or deal with him on their own terms. The runepriest’s defeat does not change his goals, however. If the adventurers let him go, he’s likely to turn up again with more power and a more baleful plan.
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PARLEY WITH OLEK It could be easy to paint the runepries t as a madman, but he’s following a rational, if misguided, path. He chose to follow Bane not because he “turned evil,” but because he thinks conquest is the only way to form an ordered society out of the unrelenting chaos of the world. Olek knows little about, and never planned to release, the primordials. He sincerely believes he can control the ancient runes and has no idea why they were forbidden. Olek could be willing to negotiate with the heroes, but not if it’s clear they’ve been beating up his lieutenants. He instantly recognizes the runes he’s placed and considers anyone bearing the Rune of Poison or Rune of Banefire as an enemy. If the adventurers aren’t obviously antagonists and try to negotiate, Olek listens for only a short while before returning to his chanting. If they are disguised as followers of Bane or members of the Brotherhood of the Scar, the adventurers could engage Olek’s attention a bit longer. Even so, he has little patience for anyone who oppose s his plan to est ablish an orderly society through Bane’s conquest. If the adventurers offer religious arguments that explain how Olek’s rune smithing could set a primordial loose, they might convince him to stop what he’s doing. But no one can dissuade him from his ultimate goal. If he’s unable to bring about Bane’s conquest through the ancient runes, he’ll find another way.
After the Adventure
SKILL C HALLENGE:
The events of this adventure can influence the futu re of your game. Primordial Echoes:Although the adventurers sent Hoshotath crawling back to its prison, the primordial’s partial presence in the world has set forces in motion. Just as its “hands” left elementals behind, its body infested the Chaos Scar with elemental threats. Use elemental creatures in future encounters in the Chaos Scar and create elemental hazards spawned by Hoshotath’s presence in other locat ions. The Flaming Sea Unleashed : If the adventurers failed to stop Hoshotath from escaping its prison, the primordial rampages through the countryside. Still weak from atrophy and the strenuous escape,
F OLLOWING
the primordial can be defeated without setting off a new Dawn War. The adventurers need to act quick ly, however, and gain outs ide assistance if t hey’re going to return the Flaming Sea to imprisonment. The Chained God:Similar runes helped to bind Tharizdun. A part of that monstrosity’s mind began to stir when the great runes binding Hoshotath were overtaxed. His cultists begin to see visions calling them to reclaim Olek’s runes and to begin freeing trapped primordials, paving the way for their master’s release. Cleaning up the L ieutenants: Ptolema and Jorag were not the only members of the Brotherhood of the Scar to serve Olek. Additional lieutenants could be devised to challenge the adventurers. With Olek’s defeat and Hoshotath’s rebinding, these former subordinates have lost their runic advantages. They are desperate to regain some measure of the power Olek had granted them. With nothing to lose, they make reckless power grabs both within and outside the Brotherhood.
TH E
T RACKS
Once the adventurers hear about Olek or learn about the runes, they’ll need to find his location. Depending on how much time you have a nd the preferences of your players, you can handwave these events and simply move straight to the runic library; drop clues for them to follow, such as ru nes in places they’ve been or with people they know; or use this skill challenge. Level:9 (XP 400) Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures).
Setup This challenge assumes the adventurers have found some of the runes, but don’t know who Olek is. If they’ve already been specifically told about the runepriest (possibly by Lord Drysdale), they start with 1 success in the skill challenge. Urban or Rural: The challenge posits that the characters are investigating in Restwell Keep or another settlement. If they’re in the wild or a dungeon, you’ll need to make major changes, the least of which is any opportunity to use Streetwise.
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Strategies This section describes some of the strategies the adventurers might try and the associated checks you can call for. Find Rune Smiths: The adventurer tries to find out who in the area knows how to scribe divine runes. The character can attempt either a DC 17 Streetwise check to ask around or a DC 25 History check to recall the name Olek Dael. Either result gives 1 success. You can use the same checks and results if the character looks for members of t he Brotherhood of the Scar. Keep an Eye Out : The adventurers make a DC 12 Perception group check. If t he group check succeeds, the heroes gain 1 success. Choose one adventurer who succeeded on the check. That character notices a person who bears a rune (possibly a messenger or a mercenary) moving about nearby. Sense Runes: This option, open only to an adventurer trained in Religion, allows the character to reach out mystically and sense the presence of divine runes. With a DC 17 Religion check, the character “feels” the nearest one of Olek’s runes not yet discovered. Roll a d20. On a 10 or higher, the adventurers find a note inscribed by Olek or a person bearing a rune granted by Olek. This discovery nets the party 1 success. On a 9 or lower, the heroes find a rune unassociated with Olek offering no information useful to their mission (the background of that particular rune is open to the DM’s devising). Follow the Runed One: If t he adventurers find someone who bears a rune (by succeeding on “Keep an Eye Out” or “Sense Runes,” for example), they can track that person. Have the adventurers following the runebound person make a DC 12 Stealth group check. If they fail, their quarry notices them and
leads them astray, resulting in 1 failure. Otherwise, they gain 1 success. If they capture the person who has the rune, they can use interaction skills to press him or her for more information. T he “Quick Followers” detailed below have their attitudes described in their entries.
Consequences Success: The adventurers learn that Olek Dael, an accomplished runepriest, maintains a library in a grove of statues. They also discover where the library is located. Failure: The adventurers learn the location of the runic library, but the dwarf or one of his allies notices the party’s efforts. The heroes face tougher odds when they(see arrive at the library. Addencounter. another minotaur charger Encounter 2) to each Don’t award extra XP for defeating these additional monsters. Carefully monitor the adjustments in encounters resulting from the runes and from failing this skill challenge. Adding a minotaur to each encounter might make them too difficult, particularly for lowerlevel parties. In that case, other penalties could be opening the encounters with the characters surprised or with their opponents in more advantageous positions.
QUICK FOLLOWERS Some results indicate that the adventurers see a person whom Olek has blessed with a rune. The short descriptions below can be used if you need to roleplay a runebound creature on the fly. Tavitz Patrella : This teenage human boy accepts messenger jobs from Olek. The boy’s rune gives him greater endurance for the long trips (usually on foot, though he sometimes “borrows” a horse) between clients. (If the characters follow him over a long distance, they must succeed on a DC 15 Endurance group check or they lose him.) Tavitz suspects that the dwarf is involved with dangerous people, but keeps his nose out of it. He’s sarcastic and unhelpful, but open to outright bribery (300 gp or so). Victory: Bound to Olek by a common devotion to Bane, the tiefling priestess named Victory uses disguises to wander around in settlements and assess whether they’re prepared for war. The spy is cannier than Tavitz, and her rune gives her heightened senses—darkvision (the Stealth g roup check to follow her is DC 15 instead of 12). She sometimes f lirts with the idea of betraying Olek so she can ascend to a higher place in the Brotherhood, but she has yet to settle on a plan with a reasonable chance of success.
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E NCOUNTER 1: GROVE
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Encounter Level 11 (3,250 XP)
Setup Ptolema, medusa archer (M) Tiefling occultist(T) 4 runic statues(S) Olek’s lieutenant Ptolema stands guard on the rise above the underground library. Her other guards, creatures she has turned into stone statues, lie scattered about the grove. Thus, at the start of the fight, every enemy but Ptolema appears to be a statue.
Ptolema, Medusa Archer (M) Medium natural humanoid, female HP 96; Bloodied48 AC 26, Fortitude23, Reflex 25, Will 23 Speed 6 Immune petrification; Resist 10 poison
Level 12 Artiller y Effect (Opportunity Action): Close blast 2 (triggering enemy in XP 700 Initiative+12 Perception+14
T The Rune of Poison’s Curse If Ptolema moves more than 4 squares on her turn, she becomes weakened until the end of her next turn.
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m Serpent Hair(poison) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 poison damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to saving throws until the end of Ptolema’s next turn. r Shortbow(poison, weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 30 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 7 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage and is slowed (save ends both).
When the adventurers come within sight of the T A grove, have the players place their miniatures on Petrifying Stare At-Will the northeast portion of the map, on or near the Trigger: An enemy starts its turn within 2 squares of Ptolema. road, and read: Ahead, the path mee ts a stone br idge that crosses a shallow stream. Beyond the bridge, the trees lie fallen and ruined. A few statue s of humanoid creatures, th eir faces frozen in anguished expressions, are scattered among the dead When the adventurers notice Ptolema, read: foliage. Painted runes cover each s tatue. On the small hill ahead, a woman with green, scaly skin Ptolema has a good vantage point. Unless the adventurers are especially stealthy, she sees them with time to spare. Make a Stealth check for her, opposed by the heroes’ passive Perception checks. If she remains hidden, she waits for the first character to move into range, then takes a surprise round. If she rolls a low initiative, she uses the surprise round to kiss the tiefling’s statue (see “Tactics” below). If she thinks she’ll be able to act early in the first round, she instead fires an arrow on the surprise round.
stands guard. Her hair is a mass of writhing snakes, and she holds a shortbow. A dark green rune covers her right forearm.
the blast). The target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immobi lized instead of slowed (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is petr ified until one of the following conditions is satisfied. The use of an appropriate power, such as divine cleansing. Ptolema’s willing kiss (she might do this to gain information or to luxuriate in the victim’s fear before returning it to stone). Ptolema is killed and her blood is applied to the stony lips of the victim before a full day passes. (poison) Encounter The Rune of Poison’s Boon Trigger: Ptolema hits an enemy using shortbow. Effect (No Action): The enemy takes ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 15. Second Failed Saving Throw: The ongoing damage increases to 20. SkillsBluf f +15, Stealth +17 Str 14 (+8) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 17 (+9) Con 18 (+10) Int 12 (+7) Cha 19 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentshortbow
RUNE TRANSFERENCE When Ptolema is defeated, her rune dissipates and re-forms on the arm of one of the adventurers. It should be a character who makes weapon attacks. The rune transfers immediately—the new bearer is able to use it right away. Meanwhile, Ptolema transforms into a water elemental as described under “The Forbidden Runes” on page 3. If fighting this elemental would be anticlimactic, then let it dissipate in a gush of water and subtract 600 XP from the encounter reward.
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Tief ling Occultist (T ) Medium natural humanoid HP 87; Bloodied43 AC 22, Fortitude18, Reflex 20, Will 22 Speed 6 Resist 10 fire
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Level 8 Controller 4 Runic Statues (R) XP 350 Initiative+4 Perception+5 Low-light vision
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Level 9 Brute
Medium natural animate (construct) XP 400 each HP 118; Bloodied59 Initiative+6 AC 21, Fortitude23, Reflex 19, Will 21 Perception+8 Speed 5 Immune disease, petrification; Resist 10 poison
Water Elemental
Level 11 Controller
Medium elemental magical beast (aquatic, water) XP 600 HP 111;Bloodied55 Initiative+8 AC 25, Fortitude24, Reflex 23, Will 22 Perception+5 Speed6, swim 6 Vulnerablecold (see sensitive to cold)
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m Hell Rod(fire, implement) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 6 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends) A Soul Fire(fear, fire, implement, psychic) At-Will Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +11 vs. Reflex Hit: Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends). In addition, the first time the target willingly moves closer to the tiefling before the end of its next turn, the target takes 10 psychic damage. Miss: Ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Runes of Strength At the start of the encounter, the statue has one rune of strength. It deals 1d12 extra damage per rune of strength it has beyond the first.
Aquatic The elemental can breat he underwater. In aqua tic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Sensitive to Cold Whenever the water elemental takes cold damage, it gains vulnerable 5 agains t the next at tack that hits it bef ore the end of its next turn.
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Trigger: The statu e drops to 0 hit points. Effect (No Action): The statu e is destroyed, and each runi c statue ally within 5 squares gains one additional rune of strength until the end of the encounter. Str 22 (+10) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 18 (+8) Con 18 (+8) Int 3 (+0) Cha 6 (+2) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
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R Baleful Teleport(teleportation)
Recharge5 6 Effect: Before the attack, the tiefling teleports up to 10 squares. Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. Will Hit: The tiefl ing teleports th e target 10 squares to the square it just left.
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C Fiery Transposition (fire, teleportation) Encounter Trigger: An enemy hits the tiefling. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Close burst 3 (creatures in the burst). Each target takes 5 fire damage, and then the tiefling and the triggering enemy teleport, swapping positions. Skills Bluff +14, Stealth +9 Str 10 (+4) Dex 11 (+4) Wis 13 (+5) Con 15 (+6) Int 17 (+7) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, rod
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m Stone Fist At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 8 damage. If the target is adjacent to one of the statue’s allies, it is also knocked prone.
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Runic Gift Encounter
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m Slam At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). C Whirlpool Encounter Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in burst); +14 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 7 damage, and the elemental slides the target 3 squares.
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Drowning Essence At-Will(1/round) Effect: The elemental slide s each creature that has ongoing damage from its slam 2 squares. Str 20 (+10) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 11 (+5) Con 15 (+7) Int 5 (+2) Cha 8 (+4) Alignmentunaligned Languagesunderstands Primordial
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Tactics The first chance she gets, Ptolema moves adjacent to the statue of the tiefling and kisses it as a minor action, dispelling the petrification. When Ptolema frees the tiefling, read: The woman kisses the lips of a statue next to her. It turns from stone to fle sh, reverting to a liv ing tiefling in leather armor and a red cape. Coughing as he returns to life, he recites a brief religious phrase. The statues across the grove begin shuffling toward you—not turned to fles h, but animated by the runes that cover them. Roll initiative for the tiefling and the statues. If Ptolema used her action in the surprise round to kiss the tiefling’s statue, the tiefling acts in the surprise round, but the statues don’t. Ptolema stays on the hill, guarding the entrance to the library and counting on her petrify ing stare to take out anyone who gets close. The tiefling follows her lead, trying to get targets taking her ongoing poison damage within his soul fire burst. The statues possess little intelligence, but are able to gang up to take advantage of their stone fist attacks. Either of the other monsters can call the statues, commanding them to attack anyone who gets close. The monsters in the library below hear the fight above and start preparing for invaders. Jorag is happy to let Ptolema take the worst of an attack; after all, if she’s gone, he has more influence with Olek. Still, if the battle drags on, Jorag and one or more minotaurs might come up to help.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light during the day; dim light at night. Cliffs: The 5-foot-high embankments require DC 12 Athletics checks to climb. Statues: When they aren’t active, the statues provide partial cover to creatures in their squares and are difficult terrain. Trees: A creature in
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a square with a bush or T M the large tree’s branches gains partial cover. The large tree’s center square is blocking terrain. The fallen trees are difficult terrain. Water:The steam is slow and shallow. A Medium creature can wade through it as difficult terrain. A Small creature requires a DC 10 Athletics check to move through it as difficult terrain; otherwise, the creature f lounders, stopping and losing the remainder of its move.
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E NCOUNTER 2: T HE R UNIC L IBRARY Encounter Level 10 (2,700 XP)
Setup Jorag, hobgoblin l ieutenant (H) Gargoyle rock hurler(G) 2 minotaur chargers(M) The monsters have been warned about the adventurers’ arrival by the sound of fighting outside. Make a Stealth check for the gargoyle and compare it to the characters’ passive Perception. If the gargoyle beats them, it doesn’t make itself known until its initiative. Otherwise, the adventurers notice the gargoyle when they enter. Have the players place their miniatures on the staircase on the eastern edge of the map. When the adventurers open the metal double doors, read: In the large room beyond the doors, painted runes cover every surface. Some markings are active, pulsing with power. Other signs are sketchy—inactive and roughly painted. A basin of bubbling water sits in the center of the room, flashing with ghostly images of di fferent runes. T he tiles around it have runes carved in them as well. At the far west end, connected by two short hallways, a dimly lit room holds two large statues. Right in front of the stairs, a circle of runes is scribed on the floor. About a third of them glow. Past that, two old, eroded stone sarcophagi rise from the floor. Minotaurs with falchions hold posit ions by them . One stands ; the other sits on a sarcophagus. As you arrive, they heft their weapons and prepare to charge.
Fire Elemental
Level 11 Skirmisher
Medium elemental magical beast (fire) HP 107; Bloodied53 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 24, Will 23 Speed 10, fly 6 (clumsy) Vulnerablecold (see frozen in place)
XP 600 Initiative+14 Perception+6
Frozen in Place Whenever the fire elemental takes cold damage, it cannot shift until the end of its next turn.
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m Slam (fire) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends).
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Flickering Flame At-Will Effect: The elemental shi fts 2 squares .
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Level 12 Soldier XP 700 Initiative+10 Perception+8
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m Whip (weapon)
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Jorag, Hobgoblin Lie utenant (H) Medium natural humanoid HP 123; Bloodied61 AC 28, Fortitude24, Reflex 22, Will 26 Speed 6
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Seething Fire(fire) At-Will Trigger: An attack hits the elemental. Effect (Free Action): Each enemy adjacent to the elemental takes 5 fire damage. Str 10 (+5) Dex 24 (+12) Wis 13 (+6) Con 11 (+5) Int 5 (+2) Cha 6 (+3) Alignmentunaligned Languagesunderstands Primordial
RUNE TRANSFERENCE When Jorag is knocked out or killed, his neck runes dissipate and re-form on one of the adventurers. Any character could gain it, but it’s likely to jump to another heavily armored and armed melee combatant.tIavoids a character who already has a rune. The r une transfers immediately—the new bearer is able to use it right away. Meanwhile, Jorag transforms into a fire elemental (not a water elemental) as described under “The Forbidden Runes” on page 3. If fighting this elemental would be anticlimactic, then let it dissipate in a gout of flame and subtract 600 XP from the encounter reward.
At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 15 damage, and Jorag can pull the target 1 square. r Javelin(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 8 damage.
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Phalanx Movement At-Will Effect: Jorag and each ally adjacent to him can shif t 1 square as a free action. The allies must end adjacent to Jorag.
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(fire) The Rune of Banefire’s Boon
Encounter
Requirement: Jorag must be bloodi ed. Effect: Jorag gains a +2 bonus to AC, and each enemy that ends its turn adjacent to him takes 10 fire damage. Roll a d20 at the start of each of Jorag’s turns. On a 9 or lower, the effect ends.
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M Swift Whip At-Will Trigger: An enemy within 2 squares of Jorag uses an attack power that does not include Jorag as a target. Target: The trig gering enemy Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Jorag uses whip against the target. If he hits, he doesn’t pull the target, but the target takes a –5 penalty to the triggering attack roll. Str 16 (+9) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 19 (+10) Int 13 (+7) Cha 22 (+12) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Goblin Equipmentscale armor, whip, 3 javelins
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Gargoyle Rock Hurler (G)
Level 11 Artiller y 2 Minotaur Chargers (M)
Medium elemental humanoid (earth) XP 600 HP 87; Bloodied43 Initiative+9 AC 25, Fortitude21, Reflex 19, Will 19 Perception+13 6, Speed fly 8 Darkvision
Level 9 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid HP 94; Bloodied47 AC 23, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 20 Speed 6
XP 400 each Initiative+9 Perception+10
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Stone Defense The gargoyle has resi st 10 to all damage from attack s srcinating at least 5 squares away from it.
Deft Charge While the minotaur is charging, its movement does not provoke opportunit y attacks.
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m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage.
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r Hurled Stone At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 9 damage.
m Falchion(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 4d4 + 7 damage. R Handaxe(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage.
A Hail of Hurled Stone At-Will
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Attack : Area burst 1 wit hin 10 (creatures in the burst); +18
M Goring Rush At-Will
vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage, or 2d6 + 12 against a target in the burst’s srcin square. Miss: Half damage. Skills Stealth +14 Str 22 (+11) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 17 (+8) Con 15 (+7) Int 5 (+2) Cha 17 (+8) Alignmentevil LanguagesPrimordial Equipment10 stones
Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the minotaur deals damage to the minotaur. Attack (Immediate Reactio n):Melee 1 (triggering enemy); +12 vs. Forti tude Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage, and the minotaur can push the target 1 square and shift 1 square to the square the target occupied. The minotaur can pu sh the target and shif t four more times in this way. Str 20 (+9) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 13 (+5) Con 14 (+6) Int 10 (+4) Cha 14 (+6) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon Equipmentfalchion, 4 handax es
Tactics Jorag does not wear armor at all times, but should have plenty of time t o don it once he hears the combat commence above. If you want to add a moment of drama, you could have Jorag delay his preparations as he listens to the fighting. In that case, he gets a late start on donning his armor and requires the first round of this encounter to complete that process. In that case, he remains behind the door until his initiative comes up during the second round, then steps out into the battle.
When Jorag arrives, read: A tall hobgoblin in red scale mail throws open the door, brandishing a barbed whip. He screams to his cohorts, “Prove your worth! Show you can tear apart these interlopers, and Olek will reward you as he did me!” He pulls loose his gorget to sh ow a series of ru nes encircling his neck, burning with faint orange embers.
Jorag stays close to the minotaurs, keeping them within 2 squares so he can protect them with hisswift whip power. He uses his boon as soon as he can after being bloodied, then moves adjacent to an enemy and pulls another to him with his whip. The monsters know how the runic tiles work. The minotaurs take full advantage, pushing adventurers into the active rune-warded tiles using goring rush . The gargoyle stays back, flit ting between the sides of the statue room and hurling rocks.
Development At the start of each round, the runes on the f loor cycle. See the descriptions of the runic circle, runic font, and rune-warded tiles under “Features of the Area” below.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light in the main areas; dim light in the statue room and bunk room. Beds: Beds are difficult terrain. The footlockers have weak locks (Thievery DC 12 to pick) and contain a few coins each. These coins are part of the treasures for this section of the adventure (see “Treasure” below). Ceiling:The ceiling is 10 feet high. Doors: The door to Olek’s study is locked (Thievery DC 18). The double door entrance and t he door to the bunk room have no locking mechanisms. Runic Circle: Depending on which rune is showing in the runic font, a section of the runic circle near the entrance glows brightly. The colored areas indicate which one is lit at any time. When the adventurers enter, the red runes are lit. The illumination then cycles to yellow at the start of the next round, then green, then blue, then back to red. (The
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H DISABLING THE RUNIC FONT
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color coding is for your reference; no such colors appear on the runes themselves.) The lit runes of the circle indicate which rune-warded tiles around the font are active; the circle runes have no effect on their own. Runic Font: The basin in the middle of the room is filled with roiling holy water. Runes appear across its surface, cycling between four major symbols. Each symbol lights some of the runes in the runic circle and activates some of the rune-warded tiles around the font, creating a sort of resonant prayer—a cyclical mantra that strengthens Olek’s rune smithing. Rune-Warded Tiles : The tiles around the font don’t glow or give any other outward indication of their effect, but they match the pattern of the runic circle. When an area is active (the four tiles shown in red on the first round, for example), any adventurer who moves into one of those squares by any means takes ongoing 10 radiant damage (save ends) and is teleported to one of the corresponding squares on the runic circle.
Sarcophagi: These battered, closed stone sarcophagi were left by the creatures that once lived here. They contain nothing but looted, splintered, brittle bones. Statues:Two statues stand at t he western end of the library, one of Bane (where the gargoyle starts) and one of a sphinx. The Bane statue appears of more recent srcin, and both are covered with runes. The reason for the Bane statue is obvious to anyone who knows Olek’s background. A DC 17 Arcana or Religion check reveals that sphinxes are sometimes treated as minor deities by monsters. Perhaps the creatures that created this place before Olek arrived worshiped the sphinx. Olek might have kept the sphinx statue as a symbol of the mystery he was trying to solve while he mastered the forbidden runes. Treasure: Generate two treasure rewards from the Treasure by Party Level table (Rules Compendium , page 300). The valuables are composed of art objects or magic items the adventurers find in Olek’s study and gems or coins found in the runic font and the footlockers.
Any hero who examines the runic font closely and succeeds on a DC 25 Arcana or DC 17 Religion check understands that the cycling runes are a power source accessible by a specially bonded creature, presumably Olek, from a distance. The adventurer also understands that the cycle can be disrupted. The part y won’t have enough time during combat to do so, however. The simplest way to stop the cycle is to empty the holy water from the font. The heroes can also remove the runes on the floor, either on the smaller runic circle or on the rune-warded tiles. Destroying runes on the warded tiles prevents the corresponding section of the runic circle from glowing and disrupts the magic. If the adventurers are able to disrupt the process, Encounter 3: The Shattered Prison runs a little differently. Removing runes fro m the run ic circ le doe s not sto p the proc ess on the tiles—it just stops indicating what tiles are affected—and does not disrupt the cycle.
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E NCOUNTER 3:
Olek Dael (O)
T HE S HATTERED P RISON
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Encounter Level 14 (5,700 XP)
Setup Olek Dael(O) 2 runic gargoyles(G) 3 fire elementals(F) 2 water elementals(W) Just in time, the adventurers find Olek preparing to call down what he thinks is the avatar of his god.
Level 12 Elite Controller (Leader) S
Medium natural humanoid (dwarf ) XP 1,400 HP 244; Bloodied 122 Initiative+7 AC 26, Fortitude26, Reflex 21, Will 25 Perception+12 Low-light vision Speed Saving Throws+ 2; Action Points1
T Rune Effect Whenever Olek uses an attack power, he chooses one of its two rune effects (conquest or resistance). He gains that effect for that use of that power. Rune of Command’s Curse After Olek uses rune of command’s blessing, whenever he rolls a natural 5 or lower on his first attack roll during a turn, he’s dominated by Hoshotath until the end of his next turn. Hoshotath commands Olek to attack one of the heroes. Runic Font If the runic font in Olek’s library is active, he has an extra action point.
When the adventurers arrive, have the players place their miniatures on the southeast corner of Stand the Ground Olek can move 1 square fewer than the effect specifies when the map. Then read: subjected to a pull, a push, or a slide. Olek stands encircled by monoliths, chanting loudly in Steady-Footed Supernal. The standing stones—completely covered with Olek can make a saving throw to avoid falling prone when an runes—glow faintly, pulsing stronger whenever he finishes attack would knock him prone. a stanza. Overhead, a mass of sea-blue clouds descends , crackling with red-orange sheet lightning. This un canny combination creates the appearance of fire coursing across an airborne ocean. For a moment, the clouds gather into shapes that resemble arms stretching down toward the earth. A flash of lightning illuminates a grinning visage in the clouds. Make Stealth checks for the gargoyles and compare them to the characters’ passive Perception.
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m Runic Warhammer(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 11 damage. Effect (Rune of Conquest): The target falls prone. Effect (Rune of Resistance): Olek or an ally adjacent to the target gains a +2 power bonus to all defenses until the end of Olek’s next turn.
r Runic Seal(radiant, weapon)
At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 11 radiant damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Effect (Rune of Conquest): Each enemy adjacent to the target takes 8 radiant damage. Effect (Rune of Resistance): One ally adjacent to the target gains 10 temporary hit points. C Rune of Command’s Blessing (charm) Encounter Requirement: Olek must be bloodied. Attack: Close burst 1 (enemies in the burst); +15 vs. Will Hit: Olek dominates the target until the end of his next turn. Effect (Rune of Conquest): Olek gains a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of his next turn. Effect (Rune of Resistance): Any target the attack misses is weakened until the end of Olek’s next turn.
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Runic Duality At-Will(1/round) Effect: Olek takes a second standard action. He must use an attack power. SkillsReligion +13 Str 24 (+13) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 23 (+12) Con 18 (+10) Int 15 (+8) Cha 16 (+9) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Dwarven, Supernal Equipmentscale armor, warhammer
If an adventurer notices one or more gargoyles, point them out and read: Grasping the side of a standing stone is a statue of a winged creature covered in runes. It moves ever so slightly. Ja nu ar y 201 1
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If the characters talk to Olek, consult the “Parley with Olek” sidebar. If they manage to convince him that what he’s doing will free one or more primordials, he stops his chanting and erases the runes from the stones. Even so, Hoshotath begins to break through and starts attacking. Olek sides with the adventurers and fights against the elementals while trying to remove the runes. If the adventurers fight Olek, read: As you prepare t o att ack, O lek ex tend s a warh ammer covered with intricate runes toward you. He shouts, “Bane gives gifts beyond kno wledge. Expect no quarter. Expec t defe at!”
2 Runic Gargoyles (G)
Level 8 Soldier
3 Fire Elementals (F)
Medium elemental humanoid (earth) HP 87; Bloodied43 AC 24, Fortitude20, Reflex 19, Will 22 Speed 6, fly 8 Immunepetrification
XP 350 each Initiative+8 Perception+12 Darkvision
Medium elemental magical beast (fire) HP 107; Bloodied53 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 24, Will 23 Speed 10, fly 6 (clumsy) Vulnerablecold (see frozen in place)
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RUNE TRANSFERENCE If Olek is defeated, the massive rune on his torso dissipates and re-forms on one of the adventurers. It likely binds to a character who uses the divine power source or has a high Religion modifier. It avoids any character who already has a rune. The rune transfers immediatel y—the new bearer is able to use it right away. Meanwhile, Olek transforms into a water elemental as described under “The Forbidden Runes” on page 3. If fighting this elemental would be anticlimactic, then let it dissipate in a gush of water and subtract 600 XP from the encounter reward.
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m Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage. Effect: The target is marked un til the end of the gargoyle’s nex t turn. M Avenging Claws Rechargewhen the gargoyle’s master is first bloo died Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of the gargoyle’s next turn.
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Shielding Wings At-Will Requirement: The gargoyle mus t be adjacent to its master. Trigger: The gargoyle’s master takes dam age. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The gargoyle takes th e damage instead of its master. Skills Athletics +14, Stealt h +11 Str 20 (+9) Dex 15 (+6) Wis 16 (+7) Con 15 (+6) Int 10 (+4) Cha 11 (+4) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Primordial
XP 600 each Initiative+14 Perception+6
T Frozen in Place Whenever the fire elemental takes cold damage, it cannot shift until the end of its next turn.
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m Slam (fire) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: Ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends).
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Flickering Flame At-Will Effect: The elemental shif ts 2 squares.
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To the Master(teleportation) At-Will Effect: The gargoyle telepo rts to a square wi thin 2 squares of its master.
Level 11 Skirmisher
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Seething Fire(fire) At-Will Trigger: An attack hits the elemental. Effect (Free Action): Each enemy adjacent to the elemental takes 5 fire damage. Str 10 (+5) Dex 24 (+12) Wis 13 (+6) Con 11 (+5) Int 5 (+2) Cha 6 (+3) Alignmentunaligned Languagesunderstands Primordial
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2 Water Elementals (W)
Level 11 Controller
Medium elemental magical beast (aquatic, water) XP 600 each HP 111;Bloodied55 Initiative+8 AC 25, Fortitude24, Reflex 23, Will 22 Perception+5 Speed6, swim 6 Vulnerablecold (see sensitive to cold)
T Aquatic The elemental can breath e underwater. In aquat ic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Sensitive to Cold Whenever the water elemental takes cold damage, it gains vulnerable 5 agains t the next att ack that hits it before th e end of its next turn.
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m Slam At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). C Whirlpool Encounter Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in burst); +14 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 7 damage, and the elemental slides the target 3 squares.
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Drowning Essence At-Will(1/round) Effect: The elemental slide s each creature that has ongoing damage from its slam 2 squares. Str 20 (+10) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 11 (+5) Con 15 (+7) Int 5 (+2) Cha 8 (+4) Alignmentunaligned Languagesunderstands Primordial
Tactics Although Olek, his allies, and the spawned elementals are as a ntagonistic toward each other as they are toward the party, this encounter remains a difficult one, particularly for a group of lower-level characters.
Olek’s rune effects provide him plenty of flex ibility, but that flexibility also makes him complex to run. Remember that he can take two standard actions per turn. Once he’s bloodied, Olek becomes desperate and uses his rune of command’s blessing (see “Development” below). The gargoyles protect Olek from both adventurers and elementals. If the creatures are still alive when the runepriest is defeated, their runes fade and they become inert statues. The elementals have no loyalty to Olek, attacking both sides equally. They don’t put much strategy behind their attacks, though they do gang up on anyone who starts using cold attacks against any elemental or who attempts to deactivate pillars.
Development When Olek becomes bloodied, he uses rune of command . The activation of this final rune allows Hoshotath to reach through the bounds of its prison into the world. Pause to read the following, then continue with the rest of the runepriest’s turn.
EFFECT OF DISABLING THE RUNIC FONT If the adventurers disrupted Olek’s runic system in the library, this fight gets a little easier: Olek has 1 action point instead of 2. You can add flavor by having the runepriest chant some words to access his runic font during the battle. When the power does not flow, he realizes that the heroes have attacked his library.
At some point du ring Olek ’s next turn a fter he is bloodied, read: The dwarf concentrates, and a massive rune on his torso flares. Bands of light stream out f rom the symbols to strike the standing stones all around. The clouds above coalesce into a massive humanoid shape formed half of water and half of flame. Rain pouring from one half hisses into rolling steam as it nears the other half. The ill-formed creature appears to be struggling, like it’s breaking through a barrier. Olek peers at it with confusion and says, “Bane? Have you answered my prayers?” Roll initiative for Hoshotath. Each time the primordial’s initiative comes up, it sweeps its limbs across the battlefield along the lines indicated on the map—a three-fingered hand of fire and two tendrils of water. Each character caught in the path takes damage: 1d10 + 10 fire damage and ongoing 5 f ire damage (save ends) for the f iery fi ngers; 2d10 + 10 damage for the watery tendrils. The first time Hoshotath does a sweep, its primordial flesh sloughs off, leaving three fire elementals and two water elementals behind. They appear in any square the primordial’s appendages passed through, adjacent to a person or object. The development assumes that the adventurers are trouncing Olek and the gargoyles at this point. If not, you can roll the extra enemies out more slowly, dropping two or so each round. Each time Hoshotath sweeps the field, it also smashes two standing stones. The power invested in them discharges, widening the cracks in the metaphysical walls of its prison. Olek’s Behavior:Even after the primordial appears, Olek doesn’t realize it isn’t an avatar of his god. Once he gets hit by the primordial or one of the
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elementals, he’s pretty sure he’s made a mistake. He might attack the elementals or attempt to deactivate standing stones using his rune. If near defeat, he might also flee. If so, make sure the adventurers know that containing Hoshotath is impossible without the assistance of Olek’s rune. They must access that rune, through him or despite him. Sealing the Prison: The bearer of the r une of command (whether Olek or someone else) understands that he or she can deactivate a pillar with a standard action. (If the primordial is about to destroy the last two pillars, pick a recipient of the rune who can act, or use an action point, before Hoshotath does). The Flaming Sea must destroy all the pillars while they are active. If any pillar is deactivated, the primordial is sucked back into its prison, unable to fight its way out.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light during the day; dim light at night (from the near continuous lightning). Cliffs: The 5-foot-high embankments require DC 12 Athletics checks to climb. Rock: The large stone is 10 feet high and requires a DC 15 Athletics check to climb. Standing Stones:The stones are blocking terrain. After a stone is destroyed by Hoshotath, itsw square becomes difficult terrain. Trees:A creature in a square with a bush or the large tree’s branches gains partial cover. The large trees’ center squares are blocking terrain. Treasure:Generate one treasure reward from the Treasure by Party Level table (Rules Compendium , page 300). The reward consists of the items on Olek’s person, plus what he has been using for his rituals and rune smithing. Instead of gems, use an equal value of residuum.
Conclusion If the adventurers defeat Olek and deactivate at least one standing stone before they are all smashed, Hoshotath screams as it is sucked back into its runic prison. Any runes bound to the adventurers (and anyone else Olek favored) fade as the primordial’s thought-construct prison re-forms as strong as it was before the runepriest began manipulating the runes. If the primordial destroys all the stones, it breaks through, returning to the world. The burning half of its body starts a massive forest fire while its watery half triggers a flood that drowns the nearby countryside. Hoshotath is free to rampage and destroy; the adventurers have failed utterly and doomed the surrounding lands. It might not be too late to save the world, but the adventurers have an uphill battle if they mean to overcome the power of a primordial (see “After the Adventure”).
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About the Author Logan Bonner’s 4th Edition work includes Player’s Handbook®, Arcane Power™, The Slay ing Stone™, and both Advent urer’s Vault™ supplements. He collected a rare hat trick on Draconomicon®: Metallic Dragons by providing additional design, development, and lead editing. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where he’s loganbonner.
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Pit of Delirium A Chaos S car ad venture for cha racters of levels 8–10
By Jeff Morgenroth Illustration by Lorraine Schleter and Crazyred
I NTRODUCTION A neogi slaver has learned how to harness the psychic energy trapped inside a fragment of the meteor that formed the Chaos Scar and is using it to enslave the inhabitants of nearby Restwell Keep. The adventurers will need all their wits, muscle, a nd insight to survive with their lives (and sanity) intact. ® “Pit of Delirium” is a D &D Chaos Scar adventure for characters of levels 8–10. The maps for this adventure were constructed using tiles from Dungeon Tiles Maste r Set: The Dungeon. Neogi and meenlocks are described in Monster Manual® 2 and Monster Manual ® 3 respectively, but neither resource is needed to run this adventure. This adventure draws on source material presented in “Keep on the Chaos Scar” (Dungeon 176) by Mike Mearls. Feel free to change the names of places and personalities to suit your own campaign.
TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC All rights reserved.
Cartography by Jason A. Engle
A DVENTURE BACKGROU ND Yalax the neog i had a run-i n with some i llith ids in the Underdark and was driven to the surface on pain of death. Staggering from defeat and lusting for revenge, the crafty neogi sought a means to gain the advantage against his subterranean enemies and return to his demesne. Yalax found his way to the shattered caves benea th the Chaos Scar and, after months of brooding and exploring, unearthed a f ragment of the meteor that crashed into the Nentir Vale and birthed the Chaos Scar. Yalax learned that he could manipulate the f ragment’s psychic power and use it to bend weaker minds to his will—or break them entirely. The meteor fragment, known as a chaos shard, screams with psychic energy, so much so that even
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the neogi’s mental powers were put to the test in manipulating it. Wasting no time, Yalax used the shard to dominate other creatures he encountered in the caves beneath the Chaos Scar, including troglodytes, meenlocks, and an umber hulk. Pleased with his newfound slaves, Yalax turned his thoughts toward acquiring more chaos shards; however, the neogi knows of several recent incursions into the Chaos Scar by meddlesome soldiers and adventurers from Restwell Keep, and he doesn’t want them interfering with his own planned excavations. The inhabitants of Restwell Keep pose a threat to Yalax. By neogi reasoning, t hey must be subjugated or destroyed. Commanding his umber hulk slave to burrow a miles-long tunnel to the keep (an ambitious endeavor), Yalax broke into some old catacombs and turned them into a temporary lair. Using the chaos shard, Yalax has begun bombarding the keep above with waves of psychic energy, while dispatching meenlock servants to lure the keep’s addled inhabitants into his clutches. Those who are captured are transformed by the meenlocks into monstrous slaves. In addition to orchestrating the disappearances, the neogi has also used the chaos shard to drive the keep’s lord, Lord Drysdale, half-mad with delusions. Drysdale is convinced that the Six Blades of Fortune— the former rulers of Restwell Keep—have returned, despite the fact that they’re all dead (slain by Drysdale). The paladin sees his old enemies lurking about and, in his madness, fears that the Blades intend to reclaim the keep. Drysdale has declared martial law. His soldiers, most of them suffering delusions of their own, have sealed the gates, jailed people whom they suspect are in cahoots with the Six Blades, and ransacked homes, searching for their elusive quarry. As
the heroes contend with their own visions and jittery emotions, they must choose to either stand by while Restwell Keep spirals into madness or decide that it is up to them to save it.
A DVENTURE S YNOPSIS A strange madness is sweeping through Restwell Keep. As fear and paranoia grow, the characters find they are not i mmune. Moreover, several of the keep’s inhabitants have disappeared without a trace. To discover what is causing the w idespread madness and the disappearances, the adventurers must interact with the keep’s remaining inhabitants and search for clues. At the same time, they must contend with Lord Drysdale and his soldiers, who are obsessed with a nonexistent threat brought on by their own madness. Clues eventually lead the adventurers to a forgotten cellar below the bailiff’s tower of Restwell Keep, which in turn leads to some old catacombs wherein the adventurers face several enslaved troglodytes guarding the way to Yalax’s lair, while simultaneously fending off a psychic assault from the chaos shard. As the adventurers descend into Yalax’s lair, they are mobbed by meenlocks and former Restwell Keep citizens transformed into meenlock minions. Once they reach the floor of the Pit of Delirium, the heroes are within striking distance of the shard but must finally defeat Yalax and his umber hulk.
T HE A DVENTURE B EGINS When you’re ready to begin the adventure, read:
Restwell Keep s tands on the edge of t urmoil. No one is allowed in or out while the garrison searches for evidence of a plot to overthrow Lord Drysdale. The soldiers seem unusually troubled, and you hear whispers among the common citizens that Drysdale has lost his mind and is haunted by the ghosts of dead enemies, believing that the Six Blades of Fortune—the former rulers of Restwell Keep— have returned from the dead to overthrow him. Lord Drysdale isn’t the only one plagued by delusion s. Fear and paranoia have spread like a fire through the keep; you it etchedare onmounting. the faces ofInguards commoners alike,can andseetensions the twoand days you’ve been holed up in the keep, you’ve experienced your own strange visions and sudden mood swings. It’s as though a contagion has swept through the keep. As if the madness isn’t enough, six guards and six commoners have gone missing in the past week. Still, Drysdale’s soldi ers seem more interested in th e threat posed by the Six Blades of Fortune. If something isn’t done, fear and paranoia will shake Restwell Keep to its foundations. No one is allowed in or out of Rest well Keep while Drysdale’s soldiers search for the nonexistent Six Blades of Fortune. If the adventurers try to leave, there’s little the guards can do to detain them (at this point in their careers, the characters are much too powerful). Your goal should be to provide incentives for them to stay. Hopefully you can leverage the relationships the characters have developed with the citizens of Rest well Keep; however, you might need to throw in the promise of a reward to hook the players.
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For example, self-centered characters might be enticed to stay by the possibility of seizing power from Lord Drysdale or the opportunity of looting the keep amid the chaos.
PREPARING FOR THE ADVENTURE
The adventure begins with the characters killing time in Restwell Keep. They begin experiencing strange visions planted in their minds by the neogi’s chaos shard. After the party spends at least 24 hours in the keep, each character becomes afflicted by a madness that fades only when he or she is no longer within 1 mile of the chaos shard. These afflictions present roleplaying challenges for the players, as well as make the threat of the chaos shard personal. To determine the nature of each character’s affliction, roll a d4 and consult the list below, or assign a random affliction to each character. 1. The character sees people, things, or both that no one else can see. Such delusions might elici t feelings of shame, terror, guilt, or some other strong negative emotion. 2. The character suffers moments of emotional instability, becoming suddenly angry, upset, or morose for no good reason. 3. The character is convinced that certain others are conspiring against him or her. 4. The character is haunted by fleeting shadows and ghost sounds that reflect a secret fear or guilt.
The characters must not only deal with Drysdale’s lockdown of the keep but grapple with their own mental afflictions, as described in the “Preparing for the Adventure” sidebar. Investigating the cause of the madness is handled as a skill challenge (see “Skill Challenge: Uncover the Truth” below). As they root out the cause, the characters also pick up several quests (see “Quests” below). The visions and madness caused by t he chaos shard are already widespread by the time the characters begin suffering the effects. Visions are usually subtle and menacing, and most citizens affected by the chaos shard are too afraid to speak of their aff liction openly out of fear of persecution or because of the guilt, shame, or confusion brought on by their affliction. By portraying the keep’s residents as paranoid or manic, you can create interesting roleplaying opportunities for yourself and the players.
discover the cellar in the bailiff ’s tower and the umber hulk’s tunnel. Each time the party succeeds on a skill check as part of this challenge, give them one quest (see “Quests” below) until all three quests are given out. Level: 9 (400 XP). Complexity:1 (requires 4 successes before 3 failures). Special Rules:Each time a skill check is called for, a character must use a particular skill against a specific DC, as indicated in the following table.
Skill Challenge: Uncover the Truth
The players decide which character makes each check, and the other characters can provide aid if they want to. If a check succeeds, the party obtains a clue or a valuable piece of information, as indicated below. After making six skill checks, the heroes will have either succeeded on or failed at the skill challenge; if they succeed, they will have earned the final piece of information pointing to the bailiff’s tower. Primary Skills:Arcana, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Streetwise. Arcana (DC 25): The first successful check reveals powerful mind-affecting magic engulfing the keep. A second successful check allows the character to ascertain that the magic is strongest in and around the bailiff’s tower.
The adventurers must wade through the paranoia and confusion in Restwell Keep to find clues leading to the neogi’s lair. In this challenge, the characters try to make sense of the bizarre occurrences and unexplained disappearances. Feel free to incorporate roleplaying opportunities and red herrings as part of this skill challenge; for example, the characters might be approached by a paranoid commoner who claims to know the true threat to the keep. She leads them to a stone well within which she hears demonic voices; however, the characters quickly confirm the voices aren’t real. Each skill check represents at least 1 hour of investigation. If the heroes are successful, t hey
Order
Skill Check Required
1st check 2nd check 3rd check
DC 25 Arcana DC 17 Streetwis e DC 17 Diplomacy
4th check DC 17 Intimidate 5th check* DC 25 Insight 6th check* Any of the above (player’s choice) * If needed to succeed in the skill challenge
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Diplomacy (DC 17): With careful words, the character convinces a guard to divulge information. The first successful check reveals that three of the missing guards were on night patrol when they “just wandered off.” A second successful check reveals that the other three missing guards were posted at the bailiff’s tower on the nights they disappeared. Insight (DC 25): The first successful check reveals that all of the keep’s inhabitants are affected by the madness; however, some are better at hiding their symptoms. A second successful check reveals that citizens living near the bailiff’s tower exhibit the worst symptoms. Intimidate (DC 17): The character presses a guard to divulge information. A guard admits to seeing an evil creature skulking around at night. It looked like a short, bug-eyed huma noid with pincers for hands (a meenlock); the gua rd dismisses it as “a fever-induced delusion.” A second successful check reveals that some of the missing guards were posted at the bailiff’s tower on the nights they disappeared. Streetwise (DC 17):The firs t successful check reveals that all six missing commoners were behaving erratically or seemed deeply troubled before they disappeared. A second successful check reveals that all the missing folk disappeared at night, and one of the commoners was last seen in the vicinity of the bailiff ’s tower. Success:All information leads the characters to the cellar of the bailiff’s tower, where they find the umber hulk’s tunnel. Failure: The characters are unable to track the source of the madness to the bailiff’s tower before they arouse the hostility of the keep’s guards. Drysdale’s guards try to arrest the characters, but they’re significantly lower in level and aren’t a genuine
threat. If the characters allow themselves to be detained for questioning, they are interrogated until they divulge the whereabouts of the Six Blades of Fortune or until they convince the more levelheaded guards to release them (which is best handled as a roleplaying encounter). The sergeant of the guard, Garrick Blackoak (see “Quests” below), might be instrumenta l in securing their release. Once they’ve freed themselves from captivity, the characters can attempt the skill challenge again.
Q UESTS As they wrestle wit h their own madness and the rampant paranoia in Restwell Keep, the characters receive the following quests. The quests are given out in the course of completing the skill challenge described above. Each time the party succeeds on a skill check as part of the challenge, give them one quest until all three quests are given out.
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End the Chaos (Major Quest): As Lord Drysdale’s delirium becomes the subject of fear and mockery throughout the keep, the adventurers are approached by Chendera, the keep’s priestess of Avandra. Chendera is deeply concerned about Lord Drysdale’s actions. Afraid that he will never surrender control of Restwell Keep, Chendera begs the heroes to intervene on behalf of the keep’s citizens, not just to root out the cause of Drysdale’s delirium but also to stop Lord Drysdale before he becomes a mad despot. If they succeed, the characters will earn the appreciation of the common folk within the keep—and perhaps the enmity of their scornful lord. Major Quest Re ward: 2,000 XP per character for destroying the chaos shard and restoring the peace. Break the Wizard’s Trance (Major Quest): Citirian, master of the Saruun wizards’ guild, is suffering more than anyone else in the keep. Thanks to the chaos shard, Citirian has become trapped in an arcane labyrinth of his mind’s creation. His apprentices have tried for days to free the wizard from his trance but have been unsuccessful. Valtaris, one of the apprentices, suspects that a chaos shard is responsible for all the trouble in the keep and suspects the shard is somewhere close by. Furthermore, he fears that destroying the shard might also shatter his master’s mind. Valtaris asks the adventurers to recover the shard and allow him and Citirian’s other apprentices to use their arcane knowledge to manipulate the shard’s energy in order to safely release the entranced wizard. A lthough Valtaris’s intentions are truly noble, the heroes might suspect that he has ulterior motives, further confusing the situation. Major Quest Re ward: 2,000 XP per character for delivering the chaos shard to Valtaris or for breaking Citirian’s trance without killing him. If he survives,
Citirian rewards the party with a level 11 rare or uncommon magic item. Find the Missing Guards (Mi nor Quest): Garrick Blackoak, Drysdale’s sergeant of the guard, carries out his lord’s commands to hunt down the imagined Six Blades of Fortune but is more concerned with finding his mi ssing soldiers. Minor Quest Reward: 400 X P per character for determining that t he missing soldiers were transformed into meenlock spawn and telling this to Blackoak.
T HE B AILIFF ’S T OWER This square tower, perched at the keep’s southeast corner, contains quarters for the bailiff and his scribe. However, neither individual is currently residing in
The heroes can also beg a key from Garrick Blackoak, the sergeant of the guard (see “Quests” above). In addition, Yalax’s troglodyte thralls found a key to the tower after the bailiff was arrested and taken away. They keep their key h idden under a straw mat just inside the door. The tower’s ground floor is a general living space. Stone stairs climb to the second floor and descend to the cellar. The second floor once served as quarters for the bailiff and the scribe and contains their cots as well as some treasure. A creaky wooden ladder leads from the second floor to the rooftop battlements. Treasure: Characters looting t he tower for treasure find a locked strongbox (Thievery DC 20 to open) containing 500 gp destined for the keep’s treasury. They also find a tiny holy symbol of Ioun on a silver chain; this belongs to Syradon and is worth 10 g p.
the tower. See “Keep on the Chaos Scar” in Dungeon 176 for more information about t hese people. The Bailiff:Kendon Longstrider has been arrested on suspicion of colluding with the Six Blades of Fortune. Kendon has long expressed misgivings Exploring the Cellar about Lord Drysdale’s rule; consequently, Drysdale Characters searching the cellar of the bailiff’s tower was quick to have him thrown in the dungeons. The Scribe:Syradon was taken prisoner along with quickly find the umber hulk’s tunnel hidden behind some empty crates and barrels. The tunnel is an the bailiff. Although it’s widely believed that the young 8-foot-wide hole in the floor haphazardly covered man is deaf and dumb, Lord Drysdale thinks t here’s more to Syradon than meets the eye. Consequently, the with wooden boards. (The meenlocks placed the boards to conceal the tunnel mouth, albeit poorly.) scribe is now a “guest” in Drysdale’s fortress. The tunnel burrows through the earth and clay, spiraling downward at a 45-degree angle for 100 Entering the Tower feet before breaking into some old catacombs. A DC The tower’s thick oak door is locked. A character can 17 Dungeoneering check reveals that a large burpick the lock with a DC 20 Thievery check, but doing rowing creature dug the tunnel; a character whose so without being seen by nearby guards also requires check result is 22 or higher recognizes the work of an a DC 25 Stealth check (or DC 20 at night). Fallek, the umber hulk. corporal of the guard assigned to the main gate, has a If the characters descend the tunnel, proceed with key that a character can steal with a DC 17 Thievery Encounter 1: Old Catacombs . check.
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YAL A X’S S ECRET L AIR Three encounters await the adventurers in the old catacombs beneath Restwell Keep. In Encounter 1: Old Catacombs, the heroes fight their way past a gang of enslaved troglodytes. In Encounter 2: Fate Worse than Death, the heroes learn the fate of those who went missing from the keep and try to eliminate Yalax’s meenlock servitors. In Encounter 3: Pit of Delirium, the chaos shard attacks the heroes’ sanity as they struggle to wrest it from the clutches of Yalax and his umber hulk thrall. Once the heroes defeat Yalax and either destroy or retrieve his chaos shard, the adventure is over.
C ONCLUDING TH E A DVENTURE If the heroes defeat Yalax and bring the chaos shard to the surface, Citirian’s apprentices can study it and find a way to destroy the shard without harming the wizard (see “Quests” above). If the heroes destroy the shard, Citirian falls into a coma. Freeing him from his coma requires a Remove Affliction ritual. Once restored to his waking senses, the grateful Saruun wizard might become the party ’s newest benefactor, giving them leads to new adventures. Destroying the shard ends the madness in Restwell Keep. Kendon the bailif f and Syradon the scribe are released from custody. The keep’s citizens and defenders are deeply troubled by recent events, and faith in Lord Drysdale’s leadership is sorely shaken. If the characters invest money and time to revive the citizens who were transformed into meenlocks, they become popular figures in Restwell Keep and might find themselves at the center of an uprising,
allowing them to usurp Drysdale’s mantle of leadership and assume control of the keep. (If his authority is contested, Drysdale backs down without a fight and returns to Fallcrest in disgrace.) Were they to take charge of the keep, the heroes could wage open war against the monstrous inhabitants of the Chaos Scar. If Yalax escaped, the heroes might encounter the neogi again, hiding in a cave complex deep within the C haos Scar and plotting his revenge.
About the Author Jeff Morgenrothlurks on the outskirts of Seattle, where he games, thinks, writes, and tin kers away the days. He love s the mountains, dice, martial arts, and his sweetheart, Mariah. Seek him wherever the chorus of frogs drowns out sounds of the highway, or where heavy-metal power chords shatter the still of dark places.
Designer Jeff Morgenroth Developer and Editor Christopher Perkins Managing Editor Kim Mohan Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrators Crazyred, Lorraine Schleter Cartographer Jason A. Engle Graphic Production Erin Dorries
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E NCOUNTER 1: O LD C ATACOMBS
Chaos Shard Delirium I
Encounter Level 9 (2,304 XP)
T
Setup 1 troglodyte temple champion (T) 2 troglodyte impalers(I) 8 troglodyte grunts(G) The adventurers reach this area by following the umber hulk’s tunnel from the cellar of the bailiff’s tower in Restwell Keep. As it nears this room, the tunnel dips 15 feet below floor level. It then climbs sharply and erupts from the floor in the southwest corner. When the heroes peer into the room, read:
The tunnel breaks through the floor of a vaulted chamber supported by thick stone columns and marked with piles of ancient rubble. A revolting stench fills the room, and pale reptilian creatures lurk in the shadows—troglodytes. There are no light sources in the room. The troglodytes rely on their darkvision to see.
Chaos Shard Delirium During the battle, Yalax’s chaos shard plants delusions in the minds of the adventurers to make them think slain troglodytes are suddenly returning to life. Characters can fight off the delirium induced by the chaos shard, treating it as a hazard. DM Tip:If you’re using miniatures to represent the troglodytes, consider using tokens or other markers to indicate which ones are delirium-induced troglodytes risen from the dead.
Terrain
Level 9 Elite Hazard XP 80 0
Detect — Immuneattacks
Collapsed Tun n el
Initiative—
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Undying Troglodytes (illusion) At-Will Trigger: A troglodyte dies in the encounter. Effect (No Action): At the start of its next turn, the dead troglodyte appears to rise up. This illusory troglodyte has the statistics of a normal troglodyte (including full hit points), except that its attacks deal psychic damage instead of any other damage type. When it drops to 0 hit points, the illusory troglodyte appears to die and does not rise up.
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G G G Down to En coun ter 2
I T I G
C Regain Sanity:Insight DC 17 (minor action 1/round). Success: The character is convinced that the deliriuminduced troglodytes aren’t real, and the illusory troglodytes do not attack the character for the rest of the encounter. Once all the characters have succeeded on this check, the hazard is overcome and does not trigger again. Perception DC 17 (minor action 1/ Resist Delusions: round). Success: Until the start of his or her next turn, the character gains resist 5 psychic against attacks made by illusory troglodytes. Reassure Ally:Heal or Intimidate DC 17 (minor action). Success: The next time an ally fails an Insight check made against this hazard, he or she can reroll the check and use the new result instead.
PCs Arrive Here
G G
G
Tactics The troglodyte temple champion and troglodyte grunts mob the heroes while the impalers harry them from a distance with thrown javelins. Yalax enslaved the troglodytes several months ago. Since then, the chaos shard has ravaged their minds and made them completely subservient.
Features of the Area Illumination:None. The room is illuminated only with light the adventurers bring with them. Collapsed Hallway:Rubble chokes a corridor in the northeast corner of the room. This passage collapsed many years ago and m ight lead to other sections of the old catacombs. Excavating the hall is a major operation requiring several days a nd is beyond the scope of th is adventure. However, if you want to expand the old catacombs, this corridor provides the means.
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5
Troglodyte Temple Champion (T)
Level 9 Soldier 2 Troglodyte Impalers (I)
Medium natural humanoid (reptile) HP 101; Bloodied50 AC 25, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 20 Darkvision Speed
XP 400 Initiative+9 Perception+6 5
Medium natural humanoid (reptile) HP 69; Bloodied34 AC 22, Fortitude22, Reflex 19, Will 17 Darkvision Speed
T
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O Troglodyte Stench Aura 1
O Troglodyte Stench Aura 1
Living enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura.
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m Flail (weapon)
Level 7 Artiller y 8 Troglodyte Grunts (G) Level 6 Minion Skirmisher XP 300 each Initiative+5 Perception+9 5
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m Spear (weapon)
Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, and the target falls prone. Encounter Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in the burst); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 9 damage. Miss: Half damage. SkillsAthletics +13, Endurance +14 Str 19 (+8) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 14 (+6) Con 21 (+9) Int 10 (+4) Cha 12 (+5) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentscale armor, flail, 2 javelins
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage, and the target is restrained (save ends). SkillsAthletic s +12, Endurance +13 Str 19 (+7) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 13 (+4) Con 21 (+8) Int 7 (+1) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentspear, 6 javelins
Gaping Fissure:This naturally formed pit plunges 20 feet. Any creature falling into the fissure takes 2d10 falling damage. Buried in the loose rubble at the bottom of the fissure is a gold dwarf statuette inlaid with mithral filigree worth 1,000 gp. Anyone searching the bottom of the fissure automatically finds it.
O Troglodyte Stench Aura 1
Living enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura.
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage. r Javelin(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 6 damage. M Sweeping Trip(weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. Reflex
C Whirlwind Attack(weapon)
Medium natural humanoid (reptile) XP 63 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 20, Fortitude20, Reflex 18, Will 16 Perception+5 Darkvision Speed
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 4 damage. r Javelin(weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage. R Impaling Shot(weapon) Recharge4 5 6 Requirement: The troglodyte must be wielding a javelin.
Living enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura.
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m Club (weapon)
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage. Effect: The troglodyte shifts up to 2 squares.
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A
Scatter At-Will Trigger: The troglodyte is targeted by a close or an area attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The troglodyte shifts up to 2 squares to a square outside the triggering attack’s area of effect. SkillsAthletic s +12, Endurance +13 Str 18 (+7) Dex 13 (+4) Wis 14 (+5) Con 16 (+6) Int 4 (+0) Cha 9 (+2) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDraconic Equipmentclub
Rubble:The piled remains of a shattered column as well as rubble cast aside from the umber hulk count as difficult terrain and provide partial cover to creatures kneeling behind them. Staircase:These crumbly stone steps lead to a lower chamber. If the characters descend the stairs, continue with Encounter 2: Fate Worse than Death.
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E NCOUNTER 2: FATE WORSE THAN D EATH Encounter Level 10 (2,656 XP)
Setup 2 meenlock stalkers(M) 12 meenlock spawn(S) These lower catacombs are connected to the catacombs above by a stone staircase. Here the adventurers learn the fate of the guards and commoners abducted from Restwell Keep: The poor sods wallow alongside the meenlocks that have corrupted them.
using a Remove Affliction ritual and Raise Dead ritual or powers such as the cleric’s holy cleansing and resurrection .
Mounds of r ubble litt er the floor of this dust y chamber. Lurid orange light r ises from t he depth s of a gaping pit surrounded by a crumbling stone st aircase. The light barely illuminates a dozen or more foul shapes standing about the room. Three of them appear small and deformed. They leer at you with milky eyes, snap their pincers, and bare crooked teeth. The rest look like humans in the midst of becoming something else, their bodies crooked and stooped. They flex their claws and shamble forward with the intent to kill. The citizens of Restwell Keep (six commoners and six guards) have been transformed into meenlock spawn. A DC 18 Dungeoneering check reveals that these people can be freed from the corruption only if the meenlock dominating them is destroyed. (Each meenlock stalker controls six spawn.) Even then, the spawn must also be slain and its body burned. The victim can t hen be restored to its true living form
S
M
Chaos Shard Delirium
S
During the batt le, Yalax’s chaos shard plants more delusions in the m inds of the adventurers, making it seem as though the meenlocks (stalkers and spawn) can turn invisible. Characters can fight off the delirium induced by the chaos shard, treating it as a hazard. DM Tip:If you’re using miniatures to represent the meenlocks, consider using tokens or other markers to indicate which ones are invisible to the characters. Chaos Shard Delirium II
When the heroes reach the bottom of the staircase, read:
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S
Terrain
Detect — Immuneattacks
T
S S S
S
S S
S S
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Down to En coun ter 3 Up to En coun ter 1
Level 9 Elite Hazard XP 80 0
Initiative—
A
(illusion) At-Will Invisible Meenlocks Trigger: A meenlock is targeted by an attack. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The triggering meenlock becomes invisible until this hazard is overcome or until a character successfully employs a countermeasure.
C Regain Sanity:Insight DC 18 (minor action, 1/round). Success: The meenlocks are no longer invisible to the character. Once all the characters have succeeded on this check, the hazard is overcome and does not trigger again. Detect Enemy:Perception DC 18 (minor action, 1/ round). Success: Until the start of his or her next turn, any meenlocks adjacent to the character are not invisible to that character. Reassure Ally:Heal or Intimidate DC 18 (minor action). Success: The next time an ally fails an Insight check made against this hazard, he or she can reroll the check and use the new result instead.
Tactics The meenlock spawn obey the psychic commands of the stalkers and spread out to attack the characters with their claws. The meenlock stalkers keep their distance, attacking the characters at range withhorrid link , maddening whispers , and twisting whispers . A cornered stalker uses dimension step to extricate itself and move to a safer location within range.
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Features of the Area Illumination:Dim light (shed by the chaos shard at the bottom of the pit). As one descends the pit, the 5 light grows brighter. Rubble:Treat these mounds of rubble as difficult terrain. The meenlock stalkers have buried a level 11 uncommon magic item under the smallest pile of rubble. Anyone searching the pile finds the item automatically. Pit: The pit drops 40 feet to the floor of another chamber (see Encounter 3: Pit of Delirium). The stairs that hug the edge of the pit descend to the floor of this lower chamber.
Development Characters infected with meenlock corruption will find themselves at a disadvantage in the next encounter (see Encounter 3: Pit of Delirium for details).
2 Meenlock Stalkers (M) Small aberrant humanoid HP 97; Bloodied48 AC 23, Fortitude20, Reflex 21, Will 22 Darkvision Speed Immune meenlock corruption
S
Level 9 Controller XP 400 each Initiative+10 Perception+9
A
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 7 damage. R Maddening Whispers (psychic) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature affected by the stalker’s horrid link); +12 vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). R Twisting Whispers (charm, disease, psychic) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature affected by the stalker’s horrid link); +12 vs. Will
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12 Meenlock Spawn (S)
5
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R Horrid Link(psychic)
Recharge4 5 6 Effect: The stalker forges a link with one creature within 10 squares of it. The link lasts until the start of the stalker’s next turn or until the stalker uses horrid link again. Whenever the stalker takes damage, the target of itshorrid link takes 1d10 + 5 psychic damage. SkillsAthletics +9, Stealth +13 Str 10 (+4) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 11 (+4) Con 17 (+7) Int 13 (+5) Cha 20 (+9) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech
Level 8 Minion Brute
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 88 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+7 AC 20, Fortitude21, Reflex 21, Will 19 Perception+5 Speed Low-light vision
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m Claw
At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 10 damage.
A
Dimension Step(teleportation) Recharge4 5 6 Effect: The stalker teleports up to 8 squares.
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Level 9 Disease
Stage 0:The target recovers from the disease. Stage 1:While affected by stage 1, the target takes a –4 penalty to Will. Stage 2:While affected by stage 2, the target grants combat advantage. Stage 3:While affected by stage 3, unless prevented from doing so, the target moves toward the lair of the meenlocks that infected it. Treat the target as dominated by meenlocks until the target recovers from the disease. Check:At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Insight check if it is at stage 1 or 2. 14 or Lower: The stage of the disease increases by 1. 15–19: No change. 20 or Higher: The stage of the disease decreases by 1.
m Claw
Hit: 1d6 + 4 psychic damage, and the target makes a basic attack against one creature of the stalker’s choice as a free action. T he target then contract s meenlock corruption (stage 1).
Meenlock Corruption
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A
Whisper of Death(psychic) Encounter Trigger: The spawn dies. Effect: Each enemy adjacent to the spawn takes 5 psychic damage. Str 17 (+7) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 12 (+5) Con 15 (+6) Int 8 (+3) Cha 9 (+3) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech
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E NCOUNTER 3: P IT OF D ELIRIUM Encounter Level 11 (3,100 XP)
Setup Yalax, neogi(Y ) 1 umber hulk(U) 1 chaos shard(C) The advent urers re ach th is area e ither by fall ing down into the pit or descending the stairs that encircle it. When the adventurers reach the bottom of the pit, read:
The pit opens into a spacious chamber bathed in the lurid orange glow of a craggy stone fragment. Bizarre in texture and glistening with crystalline shards, it floats a few feet off the ground. You feel a psychic wind trying to draw you toward it, tearing through your mind with grim intent, and you see your doom reflected in its c rystal shards. Suddenly, immense shadows move across the walls of the room as two monstrous shapes appear from behind the floating shard. One is a hulking black biped with four e yes mounted above a pair of sharp mandibles. The other is a spidery abomination with the head and neck of an eel. It glares at you with savage hate. Characters can make a DC 19 Arcana check to recognize the floating stone as a chaos shard—a fragment of the meteor that formed the Chaos Scar.
The Chaos Shard The chaos shard is a 1,000 -pound spindle of jagged rock 5 feet thick and 7 feet tall. Despite its weight, it floats and can be pushed easily. If pushed over a ledge, it sinks slowly until it’s levitating only a few feet above the ground. If the chaos shard is destroyed, Yalax shrieks in fury as the delirium plaguing Restwell Keep ends abruptly. Unless the characters have their own light sources, the room goes dark. Chaos Shard (C) Object
Y C
U Bottom of Pit
Level 10 Hazard XP 500
Detect — Initiative+7 HP 66 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 5, Will — Immuneall conditions, necrotic, poison, psychic
Up to En coun ter 2 Ex it Tun n el
T O Psychic Probe Aura 1 Enemies have vulnerable 5 psychic while in the aura. Enemies of the Shard The chaos shard has the same enemie s as the creature that controls it.
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C Winds of Madness(psychic)
At-Will Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in the burst); +13 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 6 psychic damage, and the chaos shard slides the target up to 2 squares.
C Impede:Arcana DC 18 (minor action). Success: The chaos shard cannot attack on its next turn. Control:Arcana DC 26 (standard action). Success: The chaos shard targets the controlling creature’s enemies on subsequent turns, until some other creature takes control of the shard. Failure: The creature is stunned until the end of its next turn.
Tactics The chaos shard begins the battle under Yalax’s control and assails enemies with winds of madne ss. Characters can take control of the shard and use it to attack Yalax and the umber hulk. If this happens, Yalax attempts to regain control. Yalax uses enslave and mind twist to turn his enemies against one another. The neogi can tell which enemies are infected with meenlock corruption (see Encounter 2: Fate Worse than Death) and targets them foremost. If Yalax is bloodied and the umber hulk is slain, the cowardly neogi usespsychic shackles to restrain enemies before fleeing through the exit tunnel (see “Features of the Area”). In melee combat, Yalax uses scything claw to slide enemies into the chaos shard’s aura or within range of the shard’s winds of madne ss attack.
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The umber hulk uses confusing gaze to keep the party as near to it as possible and rending claws against grabbed prey.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light (the chaos shard). Exit Tunnel:Leading away from the chamber is a rough-hewn tunnel f lanked by two mounds of rubble (difficult terrain). The miles-long tunnel, Yalax (Y)
which was created by the u mber hul k, leads back toward the Chaos Scar, eventually breaking the surface amid a copse of trees. The t unnel serves as Yalax’s escap e route. Pit:A rough-hewn, 10-foot-deep pit in the northeast corner serves as Yalax’s nest. Characters searching the nest find a level 13 uncommon or rare magic item and two gemstones worth 1,000 gp each.
Level 11 Elite Controller A Psychic Shackles(charm, psychic)
Large aberrant magical beast HP 228; Bloodied114 AC 25, Fortitude22, Reflex 22, Will 23 Speed 6, climb 4 (spider climb) Immune dazed Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
Encounter Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 15 psychic damage, and the target is immobilized
XP 1,200 Initiative+5 Perception+12 Darkvision
(save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed (save ends).
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T O Telepathy Aura 10
At-Will(1/round) Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Will Hit: The target makes a basic attack against a creature of Yalax’s choice as a free action. The target can choose not to make the attack and take 15 psychic damage instead.
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m Scything Claw At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 10 damage, and Yalax can slide the target 1 square. R Enslave(charm, psychic) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 12 psychic damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to the attack rolls of attacks that include Yalax as a target (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is dazed and takes the –2 penalty (save ends both). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is instead dominated (save ends).
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C Larva Burst(zone)
Encounter Trigger: Yalax is first bloodied. Attack (Free Action): Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. Refl ex Hit: 2d10 + 18 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). Effect: The burst creates a zone of squirming grubs and larvae that lasts until the end of the encounter. The zone is difficult terra in. SkillsArcana +14, Bluf f +15, Insight +12, Intimidate +15 Str 17 (+8) Dex 11 (+5) Wis 15 (+7) Con 18 (+9) Int 19 (+9) Cha 21 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech
Level 12 Elite Soldier
Large natural magical beast XP 1,400 HP 248; Bloodied124 Initiative+11 AC 25, Fortitude22, Reflex 22, Will 23 Perception+13 Darkvision , tremorsense 5 Speed5, burrow 2 (tunneling) Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
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m Claw
At-Will Requirement: The umber hulk must not have a creature grabbed. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage. M Double Attack At-Will Effect: The umber hulk uses claw twice. If both attacks hit the same target, the umber hulk grabs the t arget (escape DC 20). M Rending Claws At-Will Effect: Melee 2 (one creature grabbed by the umber hulk). The target takes 40 dama ge.
A
R Mind Twist(charm, psychic)
Yalax can communicate telepathically with any creature in the aura, provided the creature has a language.
Umber Hulk (U)
M
A
C Confusing Gaze At-Will(1/round) Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +15 vs. Will Hit: The umber hulk slides the target up to 5 squares, and the target is dazed until the end of the umber hulk’s next turn. SkillsArcana +14, Bluf f +15, Insight +12, Intimidate +15 Str 26 (+14) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 14 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 5 (+3) Cha 11 (+6) Alignmentunaligned Languages—
Ma y 20 11 | DUNGEON
190
12
Heart of the Scar An ad venture for cha racters of levels 9–11
By Aeryn “Blackdirge” Rudel Illu strations by Eric Belisl e, Christopher Burdett, an d Peter Tikos Cartography by Jason Engle The t ime h as f inal ly come t o assau lt the fort resstemple standing above the remnants of the ancient meteor that carved the Chaos Scar centuries ago. A horr if ic crea ture lurks below t he edi fice , and this monster has t he power to shake the citadel to its foundations and wreak havoc th roughout the Nentir Vale. “Heart of the Scar” is an adventure for characters of levels 9–11. It takes place in the Chaos Scar, within Hallowgaunt, a fortress-temple that belongs to the Brotherhood of the Scar, a wayward cult of Bane.
BACKGROU ND The Far Realm is home to countless alien abominations, some of which rival the mightiest gods in power. Occasionally, these great entities clash over motives and machinations far beyond the ken of mortal minds. Rarer still, one of these terrible beings is defeated, stripped of its power, and hurled into t he dark cosmos to wander the void for eternit y. TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved.
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Such was the fate of the entity known as ShothGorag. However, Shoth-Gorag had made inroads into the world of mortals, attracting t he attention of warlocks and mad cultists. Ba nished from its domain in the Far Realm, Shoth-Gorag used what remained of its power to pass into the morta l world, in hopes that it might go unnoticed and slowly rebuild its strength. Shoth-Gorag’s physical form had been destroyed, and all that remained of the malign entity was its heart, a calcified chunk of unspeakable evil. This rock shot across the cosmos a nd impacted the world centuries ago, carving out what is now called the Chaos Scar. After the heart fell, a group of Banites discovered it. Mistaking the heart for a gift from their tyrannical deity, they took it. Around it, high on the cliffs above the Chaos Scar, they built a small fortresstemple they named Hallowgaunt. The heart of Shoth-Gorag became the center of worship for the Banites. From their temple, the heart began to exert its influence, inundating the surrounding area with its evil. Its presence acted as clarion call to wicked creatures, and such monsters began to come to the Chaos Scar in great numbers. Over the years, Shoth-Gorag has fed on the constant violence and turmoil in the valley. Shoth-Gorag has also been poisoning the minds of the Banites in Hallowgaunt. Banite clerics there draw some of their strength directly from Shoth-Gorag. Its influence has also begun to twist the bodies of these misguided servitors, and some of them have bizarre deformities indicative of exposure to the Far Realm’s energy. These Banites have come to call themselves the Brotherhood of the Scar. While gaining mastery over Hallowgaunt, ShothGorag has also amassed enough power to begin the final phase of its plans. It is undergoing a hideous resurgence, building a physical body worthy of a Far Realm lord. To build this physical form, Shoth-Gorag requires ample supplies of flesh. It has been sending
out its most trusted servants, members of the Brotherhood of the Scar, to capture creatures great and small. Any unfortu nates these Banites capture are dragged back to Hallowgaunt to be tortured out of their wits and cast down to where Shot h-Gorag dwells deep under the fortress. Shoth-Gorag absorbs those brought to it, using their flesh as raw material to construct a horrific body around its heart. Soon, Shoth-Gorag will be powerful enough to move beyond the t emple of Bane and begin absorbing the myriad creatures dwelling in the Chaos Scar. Their evil, insanity, and flesh will become its own, until nothing remains except ShothGorag and its truest servants. Although Shoth-Gorag now controls a majority of the priests and soldiers serving in Hallowgaunt, a small group of temple guards loyal to Bane resisted the Far Realm lord’s growing influence. These faithful Banites surreptitiously sought aid from their allies outside the Chaos Scar, seeking is a means to destroy Shoth-Gorag and return the temple to Bane. Another temple sent a potent relic to its allies in the Chaos Scar. This item, a powerful warhammer called Farbane, was crafted to destroy interlopers from the Far Realm. Shortly after t he hammer arrived, however, Shoth-Gorag became aware of the insurrection. Shoth-Gorag’s loyalists attacked the rebellious Banites and seized Farbane. Most of Bane’s true servants were slain or captured for torture. Shoth-Gorag then called forth a potent aberrant guardian for Hallowgaunt’s reliquary, whereFarbane is now stored. A fraction of the faithfu l Banites managed to escape Shoth-Gorag’s purging. Most perished during their escape or while crossing the Chaos Scar with the Brotherhood of the Scar in pursuit. However, one made it to the King’s Wall. This surviving Banite, a human named Yorven, hopes to find allies powerful enough to end Shoth-Gorag’s growing threat.
A DVENTURE S YNOPSIS While traveling into or out of the Chaos Scar, the party discovers a wounded Banite under attack. The wounded human is Yorven. His assailants a re members of the Brotherhood of the Scar. After defeating the members of the Brotherhood of the Scar and, perhaps, rescuing Yorven, the party gains most of the information presented in the Background section. Yorven, if he lives, asks the party to travel to Hallowgaunt and destroy the horrific evil within. From information Yorven shares or carries with him, the characters find they can gain access to Hallowgaunt through a secret tunnel that runs underneath. This tunnel is the means by which Yorven and some of his allies escaped, but other loyal servants of Bane might remain within the temple and be willing to lend a hand against Shoth-Gorag. The adventurers also learn of the warhammer Farbane. If the party can infiltrate the temple and claim the weapon,Farbane can help destroy Shoth-Gorag. Armed with Yorven’s information, the adventurers make their way through the Chaos Scar to the base of the great cliffs, atop which sits the fortress-temple of Hallowgaunt. They find Yorven’s secret tunnel and navigate its dark passages up into the first level of the temple. Inside, the characters face the first lines of the Brotherhood of the Sca r’s defenses. The adventurers then proceed down to the second level. Horrific creatures from or polluted by the Far Realm lurk here. As the characters win through, they can claim Farbane and gain aid from a small group of faithful Banites held prisoner here. Likely with Farbane in hand, the adventurers can make their way to the third level, a cavernous chamber carved from the bedrock of the cliffs. Here awaits the cosmic horror of Shoth-Gorag and a battle the characters will not soon forget . . . if they survive.
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Heart of the Scar
Dark Rumors This adventure assumes the characters have prior experience in the Chaos Scar, and that they are acquainted with its history and perils. As veteran adventurers, the characters have likely heard rumors about the Brotherhood of the Scar. Streetwise checks can grant the following information. Streetwise DC 12:The Brotherhood of the Scar has been more active in the Chaos Scar lately. Streetwise DC 17:Small, well-armed groups of brotherhood soldiers have been spotted attacking monsters and humanoids within the Chaos Scar. These raids are to capture rather than kill. Streetwise DC 25:Brotherhood soldiers have been taking captives to Hallowgaunt, where the brotherhood must be building a slave army or something worse.
Treasure This adventure contains no specific treasure ot her than Farbane. Hallowgaunt has plenty of places for treasure, including if you wish, some extra loot hidden to reward exploration. In addition to Farbane, include at least nine treasures (or treasure parcels) appropriate to the characters’ level. Ideal locations for treasure include the armory, captain’s quarters, kennel, profane chapel, reliquary, and any barracks. Tainted Banites in the first encounter might have a little money, but they are unlikely to have anything else of high value. Among nonplayer characters in Hallowgaunt, Alain, Garvan, Dasharr, and the kennel master are the most likely to be carrying treasure on their person. Hallowgaunt’s Banites are isolated and prefer practical wealth. Considering this fact, you might place more art objects, such as idols, and useful consumable items in Hallowgaunt than coins and gems.
I NTRODUCTION The adventure starts as the characters near the K ing’s Wall during a journey into or out of the Chaos Scar. As the advent urers nea r the Kin g’s Wall, read: The King’s Wall looms ahead, rising over dense trees that dominate this area of the Chaos Scar. Breaches in the wall are common and easily used to pass in and out of the valley. One of these breaches lies ahead within a clearing, and the sound of battle comes from nearby.
Beleaguered Banite As the characters approach the breach in the King’s Wall, they hear a confrontation unfolding. When adventurers approach the breach, read:
Ahead, be yond the breach in the wall, three warriors, o ne clad in chainmail and the others in leather armor, stand in a loose circle with two massive war dogs around a fourth warrior, a human male. Each warrior ha s the symbol of a stylized three-clawed hand upon armor, tabard, or shield. The surrounded human has one hand clamped over his side, and blood pours between his clenched fingers. Any character trained in Religion can see that all the warriors, including Yorven, wear the symbol of Bane. The brotherhood members are focused on Yorven, so any attempt at stealth allows the characters to move closer, overhear the conversation presented below, and learn more about the situation. Priest: “Yorven, you can’t escape us. Submit, and the master might show mercy. There is no help for you now.” Yorven:“The only master I serve is Bane. The foul creature you serve profanes our lord’s temple.” Priest: “We serve the master of the temple, the master of this valley, and soon, the master of this world. You fight the inevitable.”
Yorven:“What of my comrades? What have you done with them? ” Priest:“Soon, their f lesh shall be added to the master’s, their knowledge to its knowledge, their strength to its strength. One could not wish for a more glorious end.” Yorven:“Fools! Your master will consume you all. Find your faith! Return to Bane! Help me see k aid to end this blight on our creed.” Priest: “The master grows strong. It shall devour all who stand agains t it. Those who remain faithf ul shall be allowed to serve. At the end of all things, not even Bane can offer sanctuary from mighty Shoth-Gorag.” Yorven:(He spits on the ground.) Priest: “Slay this fool, and let us be done with this.” The adventurers can interrupt at any time. Otherwise, when the tainted Banites move in for the kill, the hounds notice one or more of the characters. The brotherhood members attack the adventurers “for Shoth-Gorag!” Go to Encounter 1.
A Banite in Need Once the adventurers have defeated the tainted Banites, Yorven approaches them. If Yorven is dead, the party finds on his body a report intended for other Banites. This report contains all the necessary information to inform the adventurers of the situation. If you wish to create other adventures against Banites, the report could also indicate the location of another secret Banite stronghold. If Yorven lives at the battle’s end, read: The wounded human moves slowly toward you, grimacing with each footste p. He says nothing for a few moment s, his face set as he looks you over. Then, he f rowns, ges tures at the corpses strewn around the clearing, and says, “You did for these traitorous bas tards. You’ll do.”
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Yorven is entirely forthcoming about the situation at Hallowgaunt. He sees the characters’ timely arrival as a sign from Bane. If the adventurers doubt Yorven, a few successful DC 12 Insight checks tell them he is honest and frightened. The cha racters should receive the following information. F
The meteor that carved the Chaos Scar is not a mere rock. It is the malign heart of a horrid entity from beyond space and time.
F
Worshipers of Bane found the meteor and took it back to Hallowgaunt. They believed the meteor to be a gift from Bane, and it became central to the temple’s worship. (Yorven identifies the symbol he wears as that of Bane.) The Banites at Hallowgaunt named their cult the Brotherhood of the Scar.
F
Over the last few years, the meteor regained its awareness. It began exerting its will over the Brotherhood of the Scar. In the last year, the meteor revealed itself as a malignant entity called Shoth-Gorag. It has corrupted the majority of the Banites and swayed them to worship it instead of Bane. Its most fervent servants have been tasked with bringing flesh to their master so that it can construct a body around its heart.
F
F
F
Yorven was part of a splinter group that resisted Shoth-Gorag and sought to destroy it. This group sent word to allies and received a great relic, the warhammer Farbane. Yorven believes Farbane can destroy the meteor that is Shoth-Gorag’s heart. Yorven knows the hammer is still within the temple, but not where. Shoth-Gorag discovered the splinter group, and battle ensued in the temple. Some, including Yorven, decided they must take word to other Banites. They fled through a secret tunnel under Hallowgaunt. The Brotherhood of the Scar pursued, and Yorven was the only one to survive the trek across the Chaos Scar.
F
Loyal Banites might yet live within the temple, probably in the fort’s prison. They are likely to aid anyone seeking to destroy Shoth-Gorag.
F
Yorven believes that Shoth-Gorag is growing in power and might soon be powerful enough to move beyond the temple and exert its dominance over the Chaos Scar and the surrounding lands.
Fill in additional details from the Background and Adventure Synopsis sections as you see fit. After telling his tale, Yorven departs, heading for Restwell Keep. Unless you wish to keep him around as a companion character, he refuses to aid the party further.
Shoth-Gorag Characters skilled in Dungeoneering might know more about Shoth-Gorag. Dungeoneering DC 12:The name Shoth-Gorag and Yorven’s description of the ent ity suggest t he creature is native to the Far Realm. Dungeoneering DC 17: Centuries ago, certain warlocks who drew power from the Far Realm did so in the name of an entity called Shoth-Gorag. Dungeoneering DC 25:Most of the creatures inhabiting the Far Realm are nameless horrors. Those with names, such as Shoth-Gorag, are often powerful beings that can rival the gods in power.
Quests You might give the characters quests at this point. Minor quests could include locating any surviving Banites in Hallowgaunt and gaining their information, as well as locating and recovering Farbane. The major quest of the adventure might be to destroy Shoth-Gorag’s heart with Farbane.
Yorven
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Heart of the Scar
T UNNEL TO T EMPLE Armed with the in formation from Yorven, the adventurers trek across the Chaos Scar to the base of the cliffs atop which the Banite fortress-temple sits. Although it is cleverly hidden behind a mass of thorny bushes, the tunnel Yorven’s group used to escape the temple is easy to find. The tunnel runs nearly 2 miles underground, and it is roughly 15 feet w ide and 10 feet high. It opens up into numerous wider caverns. The tunnel goes up at a steady incline, eventually ending in a trapdoor that opens into the upper level of Hal lowgaunt into area F1 (see the map on page 8). If you want to furt her illustrate the growing power of Shoth-Gorag, some of the Banites have become so corrupted they have become foulspawn. A group of these foulspawn could have ta ken up residence in one of the tunnel caverns. You can create an encounter with these denizens, using foulspawn stat istics found in this adventure. After the batt le, the characters find items on the corpses that suggest the foulspawn were once human. Include holy symbols of Bane, as well as shredded armor and clothing of the Brotherhood of the Scar.
H AL LOWG AUN T The fortress-temple Hallowgaunt sits atop the soaring cliffs on the western edge of the Chaos Scar.
Level 1: Fortress The upper level of Hallowgaunt looks like any small military fortress befitting Bane. It has all the necessities to function on a day-to-day basis. Shoth-Gorag’s influence has not affected the soldiers and acolytes on this level to a great extent. The warriors here react to intruders with extreme hostility. See page 8 for the map of Level 1.
Features of the Fortress All areas of the fortress share these features in common unless noted otherwise. Illumination:Small windows near the ceiling provide bright light during the day. At night, torches in wall sconces provide bright illumination. Ceiling: Ceilings are 15 feet high. Furniture: Unless noted otherwise, furnishings are difficult terrain. Higher furnishings, such as tables, might require checks to move atop or be blocking terrain. Most furnishings can provide cover. Outer Wall:This fortification is 15 feet high (Athletics DC 18 to climb), 3 feet thick, and constructed of massive blocks of granite.
Fortress Rooms The upper level of Hallowgaunt figures prominently in Encounter 2 and Encounter 3. However, battle could spill into other areas. Below are brief descriptions of such areas. Unless noted otherwise, locks on this level require a DC 17 Thievery check to open or a DC 25 Athletics check to break. Kennel (F5):Straw covers the earthen floor here, and two sets of shelves against the back wall hold a variety of leashes, combs, and other beast-care tools. The kennel master’s cot rests against the back wall with a locked chest underneath. Four large cages house the hounds at rest. Each cage is 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, 5 feet tall, and locked with a simple lock (Thievery DC 13 to open; Athletics DC 21 to break). Armory (F6):The door to this area is locked with a stout padlock. Inside the room are numerous armor stands holding chainmail and leather armor, as well as cabinets filled with weapons and ammunition. A small, unlit forge is against the back wall. Mess Hall (F7):This room holds three large tables each with six chairs. Against the east wall are a low serving table and a cabinet that holds plates, cups, and eating utensils.
Captain’s Quarters (F8): This room has a bed, a small altar to Bane, a small table, two chairs, numerous shelves, a locked cabinet, and two armor stands. The captain’s personal items are inside the cabinet. Kitchen (F9): This cooking area has a high counter that runs the length of the north and east walls, as well as numerous cooking utensils, knives, pans, and other containers hanging from the walls. A larder in the southeast corner holds all manner of food.
Level 2: Temple This level once served as the main place of worship for the followers of Bane. However, the Banites here are completely under Shoth-Gorag’s sway, and they all bear the dread taint of the Far Realm. The temple contains a grand chapel, barracks, a prison and torture chamber, and a reliquary that housesFarbane. A number of Yorven’s compatriots languish in t he prison. If freed, they might aid the characters. See page 12 for the map of Level 2.
Features of the Temple All areas of the temple share these features unless noted otherwise. Illumination:Torches in sconces create bright illumination. Ceiling:The ceilings are 15 feet high. Walls: The walls are tight-fitting granite bricks (Athletics DC 18 to climb).
Level 3: Shoth-Gorag’s Pit This level consists of little more than a raised stone platform overlooking a vast natural cavern. Within a shallow depression in the cavern, the vast horror of Shoth-Gorag seethes and bubbles, its heart encased in an organic body that is a blasphemous melding of hundreds of unfortunate creatures. Above ShothGorag, hanging in the air, is a portal to the Far Realm. See page 21 for the map of Level 3.
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C ONCLUSION With Shoth-Gorag destroyed, the peril of the Chaos Scar diminishes over time. Without the chaotic power of the Far Realm lord drawing evil creatures to the region, fewer monsters come into the area to replace those that fal l to adventurers. However, much evil still exists beyond the King’s Wall, and mighty heroes are still needed to keep that evil from spilling out into the world. Hallowgaunt, while obviously the nerve center of the Brotherhood of the Scar, is far too small to house all the members of the far-reaching cult. The brotherhood still exists. It has other bases of operations outside the Chaos Scar. Shoth-Gorag has been destroyed, but other Far Realm lords could assume control of the Brotherhood of the Scar and continue to provide the cult with assistance from the Far Realm. Whether such an event occurs, the Brotherhood of the Scar is eager to avenge its past setbacks upon the characters. The adventurers likely still have Farbane, an important relic of the Bane’s faith. If the characters find Yorven at Restwell Keep after the adventure, they can return the hammer to him. However, if the adventurers decide to keep the relic, Bane’s faithful come to reclaim it, using force if necessary. Any or all these scenarios can provide for furt her adventures in or based on the Chaos Scar as the characters advance through the paragon tier.
E NCOUNTER 1: M Y E NEMY ’S E NEMIES Encounter Level 9 (XP 2,100)
Setup 1 tainted warpriest(T) 2 tainted scouts(S) 2 war hounds(W) Yorven(Y) When the fight begins, read: Subtle differences distinguish Yorven and those who threaten him. Yorven is undeniably human, but his attackers all bear strange deformities such as spines, horns, and other bizarre growths on exposed flesh. Their chainmail-
T S
S
Y
W W
clad leader is the most deformed—his skin is translucent white, exposing the ve ins and muscle beneat h.
Features of the Area Illumination:Bright light (daylight). King’s Wall:The wall is 15 feet high (Athletics DC 18 to climb). It is 5 feet thick in this area. The top of the wall is rough, so it’s difficult terrain. Trees: Smaller trees are 20 feet tall, and the larger-trunked ones are 30 feet tall. Their trunks are blocking terrain that can be climbed (Athletics DC 12). Above half a given tree’s height, thick leaves render the tree’s area lightly obscured. Rubble:A large section of the wall has collapsed, covering the area in rubble that is difficult terrain.
Conclusion Even if Yorven dies, the characters can acquire the information they need for the adventure to proceed. See “A Banite in Need,” page 3.
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Heart of the Scar
2 Tainted Scouts (S)
Level 9 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 96; Bloodied48 AC 23, Fortitude21, Reflex 22, Will 20 Speed 6
XP 400 each Initiative+11 Perception+8
Tainted Warpriest (T)
Level 10 Controller
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 105; Bloodied52 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 23 Speed 5
T
T
Disquieting Movement The scout has a +2 bonus to all defenses dur ing its turn .
O Disquieting Presence (fear) F Aura 2
S
S
A
XP 500 Initiative+7 Perception+5
A
m Mace (fear, weapon) F At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 damage, or 2d6 + 14 if the scout has combat advantage against the target. Effect: The scout shif ts 1 square after t he attack. M Brutal Stab(weapon) F Rechargewhen first bloodied Attack: Melee 1 (one creature the scout is flanking or one prone creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage. Effect: The warpriest slides the target up to 3 squares. r Grasping Terror(fear, implement, psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is instead immobilized (save ends). C Force Tremor(fear, force, implement) F Recharge5 6
A
Swift RepositioningF Rechargewhen first bloodied Effect: The scout shifts up to half its speed. SkillsAthleti cs +10, Intimidate +11, Stealth +14 Str 12 (+5) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 8 (+3) Con 16 (+7) Int 10 (+4) Cha 15 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, short sword
Tactics
Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in the blast); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 10 force damage, and the warpriest pushes the target up to 3 squares and knocks it prone. SkillsIntimidat e +15, Religion +11 Str 12 (+6) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 10 (+5) Con 17 (+8) Int 12 (+6) Cha 20 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, mace, holy symbol
Level 9 Brute
Medium natural beast XP 400 each HP 116; Bloodied58 Initiative+7 AC 21, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 20 Perception+10 Low-light vision Speed
S Enemies in the aura take a –2 penalty to saving throws.
m Short Sword(weapon) F At-Will
M
6
2 War Hounds (W)
A
m Bite F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 5 damage, or 3d10 + 10 damage against a prone target, and the target is grabbed (escape DC 17). While the hound has a target grabbed, it can use bite only against that target.
M
A
M Pull DownF At-Will(1/round) Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the hound); +12 vs. Fort itude Hit: The target fall s prone. Miss: The grab ends. Str 20 (+9) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 13 (+5) Con 16 (+7) Int 2 (+0) Cha 10 (+4)
Alignmentunaligned
Languages—
The warpriest closes in and uses force tremor. He then wades into melee with his mace, targeting prone characters. If he has no melee targets available, he uses grasping terror. Scouts and war hounds enter melee to protect the warpriest. The scouts shift to f lank their foes or use swift repositioning to quickly assault a prone target with brutal stab. Once a war hound has grabbed an enemy, it keeps that enemy grabbed and prone. Yorven:Too wounded to offer much assistance, Yorven retreats to the nearby woods. He might aid the characters if they falter. If necessary, use Banite captain statistics (page 10), but Yorven has only 25 hit points remaining.
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E NCOUNTER 2: L ATR IN E D UT Y Encounter Level 10 (XP 2,500) The tunnel up through the clif fs ends in an iron trapdoor that leads to one of the privies in the main barracks latr ines (area F1).
F5
F1
F6
F7
The latrines are empty when the characters arrive. K
S
A
S B
W
W
F2 S
X
F8
F4
B
S S
B
C
F3
F9
S X B B
A
S
B S
S
When the characters reach area F1, read: The end of the tunnel terminates in a set of iron rungs leading upward to an iron trapdoor. An unpleasant odor wafts into the tunnel from above. Beyond the trapdoor is a small privy. The lat rine’s bench is behind you, and t he privy door is shut before you.
B B
When the party leaves the privy stall, read: The privy opens up onto a large room that has stone floors. Seven privy stalls take up the north and west walls. A trio of bathing pools occupies middle of the room, and a set of wooden doors is se t into the south wall. Perception DC 13:Muff led voices can be heard beyond the southern doors. The southern doors lead to area F2, but they’re closed, so the party’s arrival goes unnoticed. If the characters take any precautions to remain undetected, they surprise the Banites in area F2. The Banites are not expecting attackers to burst out of the latrines.
Setup 2 Banite sergeants(X) 2 Banite acolytes(A) 6 Banite soldiers(S) 4 Banite bolters(B)
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Indicated inhabitants represent the combined forces of areas F2 (northern ba rracks) and F3 (southern barracks). When the adventurers reach area F2, read: This room is a military barracks. Four sets of bunk beds sit against the west wall, each with two trunks beneath the bottom bunk. Beyond the beds, the room contains a pair of tables, each with chairs, and a small altar to Bane in the northeast corner. Another set of double doors leads away to the south and a second, smaller door is set into the east wall. Seven heav ily armed warriors resid e here, all bearing the symbol of Bane on some piece of clothing or armor. Perception DC 13:Barked orders and baying hounds can be heard beyond the smaller door. The Banites attack immediately. Sounds of combat in area F2 are easily heard by the forces in the south barracks (area F3), who come running. The noise on the parade ground (area F4) prevents the Ba nites there from hearing any battle here soon enough to reinforce the barracks. 2 Banite Acolytes (A) Level 10 Minion Controller Medium natural humanoid, human XP 125 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+5 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 23 Perception+8 Speed 6
S
A
m Mace (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 9 damage, and if the acolyte scores a critical hit, the target grants combat advantage (save ends). R Bane’s Beckon(charm, implement) F Rechargeif the power misses Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. Will Hit: The acolyte sl ides the target up to 3 square s. Then one ally of the acolyte that is adjacent to the target can make a melee basic attack against it as a free action. Str 12 (+6) Dex 10 (+5) Wis 16 (+8) Con 14 (+7) Int 13 (+6) Cha 13 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, mace, holy symbol
2 Banite Sergeants (X)
Level 10 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 103; Bloodied51 AC 26, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 22 Speed 5
XP 500 each Initiative+8 Perception+8
4 Banite Bolters (B)
Level 10 Minion Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 125 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+8 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 23, Will 21 Perception+11 Speed 6
T
S
Formation Fighter The sergeant gains comba t advantage against an enemy i f any of its allies has combat advantage against that enemy.
m Short Sword(weapon) F At-Will
S
A
m Battleaxe(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 9 damage. Effect: The target gran ts combat advantag e until it hits th e sergeant with an attack (save ends).
M
A
A
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage. r Crossbow(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 15 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 9 damage, or 11 damage if the bolter has any cover. Str 14 (+7) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 13 (+6) Con 14 (+7) Int 11 (+5) Cha 10 (+5) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, short sword, crossbow, 20 bolts
M Shield Bash(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature granting combat advantage to the sergeant); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target falls prone.
T
A
F Rechargewhen first bloodied Pursuing Shield Bash Trigger: An enemy starts its turn adjacent to the sergeant but ends its turn not adjacent to the sergeant. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The sergeant shif ts up to its speed and uses shield bash against the triggering enemy. Str 18 (+9) Dex 12 (+6) Wis 16 (+8) Con 15 (+7) Int 10 (+5) Cha 13 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentscale armor, light shield, battleaxe
6 Banite Soldiers (S)
Level 10 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 125 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 22, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 22 Perception+7 Speed 5
S
A
m Morningstar(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 11 damage, plus 1 extra damage for each ally of the soldier adjacent to the target. Str 16 (+8) Dex 13 (+6) Wis 15 (+7) Con 14 (+7) Int 10 (+5) Cha 10 (+5) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, morningstar
Tactics Soldiers and sergeants rush to engage in melee, while the bolters flip over a table (a minor action) and take cover behind it. Acolytes use Bane’s beckon to slide enemies toward the soldiers and sergeants, who stick together to benefit from formation f ighter and extra morningstar damage. If both sergeants are killed, the rest of the Banites retreat into the parade ground (area F4) and regroup with the Banites there (see Encounter 3).
Features of the Area Altar :This is a simple shrine dedicated to Bane. Bunks: These beds are 7 feet high and bolted to the floor. A ladder on the side of each bunk provides access to the top bed. Pools: The bathing pools in the latrines are 2 feet deep and difficult terrain. Tables:A creature can jump atop one of these oak tables as part of a move action (Athletics DC 18).
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E NCOUNTER 3: PAR ADE G ROUND Encounter Level 11 (XP 3,175)
Setup 1 Banite captain(C) 1 kennel master(K) 2 war hounds(W) 3 Banite soldiers(S) 4 Banite bolters(B) Use the map on page 8 to run this encounter, referring to area F4. To reach the stairwell that leads down to the second level of Hallowgaunt, the adventurers must brave the parade ground and defeat the rest of the Banite defenders. Alain, the Banite captain who commands the first level of the fortress, has heard the combat in the barracks, and he marshals what remains of his forces. When the adventurers exit the barracks, read: A U-shaped stone build ing encloses a large parade ground , which has an earthen sur face worn flat and hard. In the center of the parade ground is a walled staircase leading down into darkness. Across the area are three other doors. To the north are two more doorways, one a steel door and the second an open entryway into straw-covered area. A set of massive wooden gates reinforced with bands of steel closes the parade ground in on the south. Just inside the gates are two raised platfor ms, each ris ing high enough to allow those on them a view over the fortress walls. Beyond the wall, a cliff side soars up and disappears into the mist.
When the adventurers see the Ba nites, read: Across f rom you sta nds a t all human warrior in black plate a rmor w ith red tr im, a glitte ring ba stard swo rd in his hand. Other soldiers stand beside him. Nearby, a muscular human in leather armor stands behind two massive war houn ds, e ach st raining agai nst it s leas h. On t he raised platforms, four humans armed with crossbows take aim at you.
Banite Captain (C)
Tactics
S
When combat begins, Alain and his soldiers charge the adventurers. The kennel master usessic ’em to push the war hounds into melee combat. Bolters on the raised platforms fire their crossbows. As the battle progresses, Alain and his soldiers team up with allies, trying to gain an increase in damage and combat advantage. Alain uses rally point to these allow ends. his allies to reposition themselves tactically to
Conclusion Alain has the key to the armory, the key to the cabinet in his room, and a skeleton key that unlocks the kennel cages. On the kennel master’s belt is a skeleton key that opens the kennel cages, as well as a key to the chest under his cot.
XP 1,000 Initiative+9 Perception+12
T Formation Fighter The captain g ains combat advantage ag ainst an enemy if any of its allies has combat advantage against that enemy.
A
m Bastard Sword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 9 damage. Effect: The target grant s combat advantage unti l it hits the captain with an attack (save ends).
M
A
Rally PointF Recharge5 6 Effect: Each ally within 5 squares of the captain can shift up to half its speed as a free action.
M
A
M Shield Slam(weapon) F At-Will(1/turn) Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, and if the target is granting combat advantage to the captain, the target falls prone.
Features of the Area Platforms:These simple platforms are 15 feet from the ground. Each has a ladder nailed to it, allowing access to the top. Walled Staircase:This staircase’s wall is 5 feet high. It can provide cover. The stairs are steep enough to be difficult terrain. They lead down to Encounter 4.
Level 10 Elite Soldier (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 208; Bloodied 104 AC 26, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 22 Speed 6 Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
T
A
F Rechargewhen first bloodied Pursuing Shield Slam Trigger: An enemy starts its turn adjacent to the captain but ends its turn not adjacent to the captain. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The captain shi fts up to it s speed and uses shield slam against the triggering enemy. SkillsAthletics +14, Intimidate +13 Str 19 (+9) Dex 15 (+7) Wis 14 (+7) Con 16 (+8) Int 12 (+6) Cha 17 (+8) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentplate armor, heavy shield, bastard sword
Alain has positioned his forces around the parade ground to best deal with invaders.
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Kennel Master (K)
Level 10 Controller (Leader)
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 103; Bloodied51 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 23 Speed 6
XP 500 Initiative+7 Perception+9 6
2 War Hounds (W)
T
S
Hounder Allied natural beasts have combat advantage against any enemy that the master is adjacent to.
m Bite F At-Will
S
M
A
A
m Whip (weapon) F Rechargewhen sic ’em recharges Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 1d4 + 3 damage, and the target falls prone. SkillsIntimid ate +11, Nature +14 Str 17 (+8) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 18 (+9) Con 15 (+7) Int 12 (+6) Cha 13 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, mace, whip
3 Banite Soldiers (S)
Level 10 Minion Brute
Medium natural humanoid, human
XP 125 each
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+6 AC 22, Fortitude23, Reflex 21, Will 22 Perception+7 Speed 5
S
A
m Morningstar(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 11 damage, plus 1 extra damage for each ally of the soldier adjacent to the target. Str 16 (+8) Dex 13 (+6) Wis 15 (+7) Con 14 (+7) Int 10 (+5) Cha 10 (+5) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, morningstar
A Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 5 damage, or 3d10 + 10 damage against a prone target, and the target is grabbed (escape DC 17). While the hound has a target grabbed, it can use bite only against that target.
m Mace (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, or 2d8 + 13 damage against a prone target, and the master pushes the target up to 2 squares. Sic ’EmF Recharge5 6 Effect: Close burst 3 (one or two allied natural beasts in the burst); the target can shift up to half its speed and make a melee basic attack as a free action.
Level 9 Brute
Medium natural beast XP 400 each HP 116; Bloodied58 Initiative+7 AC 21, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 20 Perception+10 Low-light vision Speed
M
A
M Pull DownF At-Will(1/round) Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the hound); +12 vs. Forti tude Hit: The target fall s prone. Miss: The grab ends. Str 20 (+9) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 13 (+5) Con 16 (+7) Int 2 (+0) Cha 10 (+4)
Alignmentunaligned
4 Banite Bolters (B)
Languages—
Level 10 Minion Artiller y
Medium natural humanoid, human XP 125 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+8 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 23, Will 21 Perception+11 Speed 6
S
A
m Short Sword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 7 damage. r Crossbow(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 15 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 9 damage, or 11 damage if the bolter has any cover. Str 14 (+7) Dex 17 (+8) Wis 13 (+6) Con 14 (+7) Int 11 (+5) Cha 10 (+5) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, short sword, crossbow, 20 bolts
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E NCOUNTER 4: P ROFANE C HAPEL Encounter Level 11 (XP 3,325)
M M M B
B
When the adventurers descend, read: Stairs from the parade ground lead down steeply, terminating in a short hall lit by torches in sconces. A great set of doors, each carved from a solid piece of ebony, blocks further progress. The black hand of Bane is deeply etched on a red field in the center of each door. Cold dread rises in you as you consider opening those doors.
M M
O
G G M W
Encounter 7
Encounter 6
M
Beyond the double doors dwells the former high priest of Bane and current high priest of Shoth-Gorag, Garvan, alongside foulspawn created from other Banites. Garvan is unaware of the battle on the upper level. The foulspawn seer, however, is aware of some kind of disturbance above, so the seer is keeping an eye on the chapel doors. Adventurers need to succeed on a DC 19 group Stealth check to surprise the monsters beyond the doors. If half or more of the characters succeed on the check, the party receives a surprise round.
S S G
Encounter 5 Encounter 4
H
H
S B
B T
Setup Garvan, High Priest of Shoth-Gor ag (G) 1 foulspawn seer(S) 2 foulspawn hulks(H) When the adventurers enter the chapel, read: The great double doors open onto a dimly lit chapel. Twisting columns line the east and west walls and a great altar flanked by a pair of statu es stands ag ainst the nor th wall. The statues were once of Bane, but the likeness of the grim, militant god has been replaced by a tentacled, alien visage. In front of the altar and sta tues, in the ce nter of the chapel, short stairways lead down to a black basalt slab fitted with manacles. Old bloodstains are visible on the floor near the
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slab. Sets of double doors on either side of the chapel lead off to the east and west. Four horrific monsters stand within the chapel. One is a blubbery humanoid with a bone staff, and two others look like fanged giants without skin. The fourth is a bearded, 5 deformed human who wears remnants of chainmail and a symbol of Bane. His armor is torn open to allow his two tentacles to move freely. 2 Foulspawn Hulks (H)
Level 12 Brute
Large aberrant humanoid XP 700 each HP 150; Bloodied75 Initiative+8 AC 24, Fortitude 27 (29 while bloodied), Perception+9 22, Will 22 Low-light vision Reflex Speed 8 Immunefear
S
A
m Slam F At-Will Attack: 2 (one creature); +17 vs. AC, or +19 vs. AC while Melee the hulk is bloodied. Hit: 3d8 + 12 damage, or 4d8 + 15 damage while the hulk is bloodied. Str 24 (+13) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 7 (+4) Con 20 (+11) Int 7 (+4) Cha 14 (+8) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
Garvan, High Priest of Shoth-Gorag (G)
Level 11 Elite Controller
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 1,200 HP 228; Bloodied114 Initiative+6 25, 24, 23, 25 AC Fortitude Reflex Will Perception+6 Low-light vision Speed Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
6
Foulspawn Seer (S)
T O Foul InsightF Aura10
T
Any ally in the aura that can hear the seer gains a +2 power bonus to one attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw on its turn.
O Mind MireF Aura 2 Any enemy that starts its turn in the aura is slowed until the start of its next turn.
S
A
m Heavy Mace(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 2d10 + 8 damage.
C Mind-Bending Whispers (psychic) F Recharge5 6 Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. Will Hit: The target takes on going 15 psychic damage and is dazed (save ends both).
M
A
(charm) F At-Will(1/round) C Compelling Whispers
Effect: Close burst 2 (dazed enemies in the burst); Garvan slides the target up to 3 squares. M Grasping Tentacles F At-Will(1/round) Attack: Melee 3 (one or two creatures); +14 vs. Fortitude Hit: Garvan slides the target up to 3 squares. If Garvan slides a target adjacent to him, he can useheavy mace against it once as a free action. SkillsArcana +13, Intimida te +15, Religion +13 Str 17 (+8) Dex 12 (+6) Wis 13 (+6) Con 18 (+9) Int 16 (+8) Cha 21 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech Equipmentchainmail, heavy mace
Level 11 Artiller y (Leader)
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 600 HP 86; Bloodied43 Initiative+7 AC 25, Fortitude21, Reflex 25, Will 23 Perception+9 Low-light vision Speed
S
A
m Twisted Staff(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 10 damage, and the seer can push the target 1 square. R Warp Orb(psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead dazed (save ends). C Distortion BlastF Encounter Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +14 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 8 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). If the target is aberrant, the damage is halved.
M
A
Teleport(teleportation) F At-Will Effect: The seer teleports up to 3 squares.
T
A
Bend Space(teleportation) FRecharge5 6 Trigger: An attack hits the seer. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The seer teleports up to 3 squares. Str 10 (+5) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 8 (+4) Con 14 (+7) Int 22 (+11) Cha 18 (+9) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10 Equipmentstaff
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Tactics When combat begins, the foulspawn hulks charge forward to engage the adventurers in melee. Garvan follows them, but the foulspawn seer remains behind the basalt slab. Garvan opens withmindbending whispers, then uses compelling whispers to slide foes away from him and closer to the hulks. The foulspawn seer begins combat with distortion blast but tries to avoid hitting the hulks with the attack. In later rounds, the foulspawn seer uses warp orb while keeping as many allies as possible in itsfoul insight aura. It avoids melee combat unless cornered. Garvan moves toward ranged attackers and uses grasping tenta cles to pull those enemies within range of his or the hulk’s melee attacks. The foulspawn fight to the death. If all of the foulspawn are slain and he is bloodied, Garvan retreats to the barracks (see Encounter 5).
Features of the Area Altar :The altar is 8 feet long, 2 feet high, 2 feet deep. It is difficult terrain, and it is suffused with Far Realm energy (Arcana DC 18 to detect). Behind the altar is a locked secret door that leads to the pit of Shoth-Gorag (see Encounter 8). The altar can roll to the side when the secret door behind it opens, allowing easier access to the open passage. A character can ascertain that t he altar can roll to one side with a successful DC 18 Perception check. Finding the secret door and its opening lever then requires another successful DC 18 Perception check. If the characters fail the first check, finding the secret door and lever requires a successful DC 26 Perception check. Once the lever is pulled, the altar rolls to the right and the secret door swings open on hidden hinges. However, moving the altar also triggers a trap ShothGorag and Garvan placed. Only they know about the trap and can activate the mechanism safely.
The door closes and the altar returns to its normal position after 3 rounds unless one or both are somehow prevented from doing so. A hidden switch in the passage beyond the secret door (DC 18 Perception check to find) allows one to open and close the secret door from inside, which does not trigger the trap. Far Transport
Level 10 Minion Trap
Object DetectArcana DC 18 Immuneattacks
T
XP 125 Initiative—
A
C Attack (psychic, teleportation) F At-Will Trigger: A creature other than Garvan or Shoth-Gorag uses the lever to open the secret door. Effect (No Action): Close burst 5 (creatures in the burst); 5 psychic damage, and the target is teleported to the torture chamber (see Encounter 7).
C DC 26. Success: The charac ter opens the secret door without using the lever. Failure (21 or lower): The trap trig gers. F Suppress:Arcana DC 26. Success: The charact er suppresses the magical energy on the altar so that the trap doesn’t trigger when the secret door is opened.Failure (21 or lower): The trap trig gers. F Unlock: Thievery
Pillars: A pillar can provide cover. Pit with Basalt Slab:The pit is 5 feet deep. The basalt slab in the middle of it is 3 feet wide, 10 feet long, and 3 feet tall. It is difficult terrain. Statues: These figures are blocking terrain.
Conclusion Barracks Soldiers:If the characters take more than 10 minutes to reach Encounter 5, the barracks occupants might come looking for intruders. These creatures spend a few moments investigating any carnage the characters leave behind before moving on to find the invaders. They might show up just after the characters finish a short rest in another area. Garvan
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E NCOUNTER 5: T EMPLE B AR RACKS Encounter Level 9 (XP 2,100)
Tainted Warpriest (T)
Level 10 Controller
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 105; Bloodied52 AC 24, Fortitude22, Reflex 21, Will 23 Speed 5
XP 500 Initiative+7 Perception+5
T
Setup 1 tainted warpriest(T) 2 tainted scouts(S) 2 foulspawn berserkers (B) Use the map on page 12 to run this encounter. This barracks houses guards and their leader, a tainted warpriest named Dasharr. Although the walls are thick in the temple, the scouts here heard the battle in the chapel and made ready for intruders. Monster locations on the map reflects this awareness. When the adventurers can see the room, read: This barracks contains four beds, a large table and chairs, various cabinet s for storage, and a numbe r of armor stand s and weapon racks. Standing in the middle of the room is a figure in red chainmail, a mace clenched in his hands. His face is covered in tiny tentacles like writhing worms, and his eyes are black. Flanking this creature are two bulky humanoids, who heft their g reatswords and gurgle in antic ipation. Each has gray skin, massive muscles, beady glowing eyes, and a fanged maw. All three warriors wear the symbol of Bane. When the scouts emerge, read: A pair of humans in leather armo r and armed with short swords rush into the room. They also bear strange deformities and wear the symbol of Bane.
Level 9 Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid, human HP 96; Bloodied48 AC 23, Fortitude21, Reflex 22, Will 20 Speed 6
XP 400 each Initiative+11 Perception+8
T
O Disquieting Presence (fear) F Aura 2 Enemies in the aura take a –2 penalty to saving throws.
S
2 Tainted Scouts (S)
A
Disquieting Movement The scout has a +2 bonus to all defenses dur ing its turn .
S
A
m Mace (fear, weapon) F At-Will
m Short Sword(weapon) F At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage. Effect: The warpriest slides the target up to 3 squares. r Grasping Terror(fear, implement, psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is instead immobilized (save ends). C Force Tremor(fear, force, implement) F Recharge5 6
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 damage, or 2d6 + 14 if the scout has combat advantage against the target. Effect: The scout shif ts 1 square after t he attack. M Brutal Stab(weapon) F Rechargewhen first bloodied Attack: Melee 1 (one creature the scout is flanking or one prone creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in the blast); +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 10 force damage, and the warpriest pushes the target up to 3 squares and knocks it prone. SkillsIntimidat e +15, Religion +11 Str 12 (+6) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 10 (+5) Con 17 (+8) Int 12 (+6) Cha 20 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentchainmail, mace, holy symbol
Tactics The berserkers begin their assault withberserker charge. The warpriest Dasharr opens with force tremor, then favors melee combat. If need b e, the scouts delay so they can enter the fray after the party is engaged. They favor rear-rank targets and those whom they can flank. As the battle progresses, the berserkers and scouts move about the battlefield, attempting to flank foes. The berserkers continue to charge, risking opportunity attacks if necessary. Creatures here fight to the death.
M
A
Swift RepositioningF Rechargewhen first bloodied Effect: The scout shifts up to half its speed. SkillsAthleti cs +10, Intimidate +11, Stealth +14 Str 12 (+5) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 8 (+3) Con 16 (+7) Int 10 (+4) Cha 15 (+6) Alignmentevil LanguagesCommon Equipmentleather armor, short sword
Features of the Area The warpriest’s personal quarters and a small latrine are accessible through a door in the east wall and the north wall, respectively. Cabinets:The lockers in the southeast corner of the main room are unlocked and contain personal items. A cabinet in Dasharr’s room is locked (Thievery DC 17 to open; Athletics DC 25 to break). It contains his personal effects. Pools: The bathing pool in the latrine is 2 feet deep and difficult terrain. Tables:A creature can jump atop one of these oak tables as part of a move action (Athletics DC 18).
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2 Foulspawn Berserkers (B)
Level 9 Soldier
Medium aberrant humanoid HP 102; Bloodied51 AC 25, Fortitude23 (25 while bloodied), Reflex 20, Will 20 Speed 7 (9 while bloodied) Immunefear
XP 400 each Initiative+7 Perception+0 Low-light vision
T O Berserker AuraF Aura 1 When a creature in the aura makes a melee attack, it must choose its target at random from the potential targets in range. (psychic) Mental Feedback Whenever a creature targets the berserker with a charm attack, the creature and the berserker each take 10 psychic damage.
S
A
m Greatsword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC, or +16 vs. AC while the berserker is bloodied Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, or 2d10 + 10 damage while the berserker is bloodied.
M Berserker Charge F At-Will Effect: The berserker charges , and the charge att ack deals 5 extra damage on a hit. Str 18 (+8) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 3 (+0) Con 22 (+10) Int 8 (+3) Cha 12 (+5) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10 Equipmentgreatsword
Conclusion Dasharr carries the key to the armory on the upper level, as well as the key to his storage cabinet.
E NCOUNTER 6: R ELIQUARY Encounter Level 11 (XP 3,000)
Setup 1 giant object mimic(O) 7 giant mimic whelps(M) Use the map on page 12 to run this encounter. This room houses texts and items sacred to Bane. Most items stored here are of esoteric value. However, the reliquary’s most recent addition is a potent Banite warhammer named Farbane and its guardians, the giant object mimic Ithgok and its spawn. When the adventurers can see the room, read: A treme ndou s slab of ba salt d omina tes t he ce nter o f this wide chambe r, and u pon the slab re sts a glow ing warhammer of violet metal. Arranged about the slab are several wooden tables displaying various relics and icons. Lining t he ea st an d west walls are she lves pa cked w ith tomes, candles, and other religious items. Against the far wall st and f ive hea vy woo den c abine ts. Perception DC 29:One of the nearby tables wiggles—it ’s some sort of crea ture. When the mimics attack, read: The great basalt block writhes, its surface taking on the appearance of wet, gray clay. A wide maw opens in the block, and tentacles sprout from it. Around the room, other smaller furnishings undergo a similar transformation. The mimics prefer to surprise intruders, but they attack if one or more of them is discovered. See the Tactics section.
Giant Object Mimic (O)
Level 13 Elite Lurker
Large aberrant magical beast XP 1,600 HP 208; Bloodied 104 Initiative+12 AC 27, Fortitude26, Reflex 24, Will 25 Perception+16 5 Darkvision , tremorsense 5 Speed Resist10 acid Saving Throws+2; Action Points1
T Ambush The mimic deals 3d6 ex tra damage against sur prised foes.
S
A
m Slam F At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage. M Crushing Tendrils (acid) F At-Will Attack: Melee 3 (one creature, or two creatures if the mimic has no creatures grabbed); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage, and the mimic grabs the target (escape DC 25) until the end of the mimic’s next turn. Sustain Standard: Each grab persists until the end of the mimic’s next turn, and each grabbed target takes 15 acid damage.
M
A
M Ravening MawF At-Will(1/round) Attack: Melee 3 (one creature grabbed by the mimic); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 7 damage. Shapeshift(polymorph) F At-Will(1/round) Effect: The mimic assumes one of the following forms without changing its size. It remains in the chosen form until it uses this power again. Ooze Form: The mimic become s an ooze. When it squee zes while in this form, it moves its full speed rather than half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing. Object Form: While in this form, the mimic has resist 15 to all damage, is immobilized, and cannot attack. In addition, a creature must succeed on a DC 29 Perception check to notice that the mimic is a creature. SkillsBluf f +13, Stealth +13 Str 22 (+12) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 21 (+11) Con 20 (+11) Int 19 (+10) Cha 15 (+8) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech
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7 Giant Mimic Whelps (M) Level 13 Minion Lurker Medium aberrant magical beast XP 200 each HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+13 AC 27, Fortitude25, Reflex 24, Will 24 Perception+14 acid Darkvision , tremorsense 5 Immune Speed 6
T Ambush The mimic deals 5 ex tra damage against sur prised foes.
S
A
m Slam F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 10 damage.
M
A
Shapeshift(polymorph) F At-Will(1/round) Effect: The mimic assumes one of the following forms without changing its size. It remains in the chosen form until it uses this power again. Ooze Form: The mimic become s an ooze. When it squee zes while in this form, it moves its full speed rather than half speed, it doesn’t take the –5 penalty to attack rolls, and it doesn’t grant combat advantage for squeezing. Object Form: While in this form, the mimic has resist 15 to all damage, is immobilized, and cannot attack. In addition, a creature must succeed on a DC 29 Perception check to notice that the mimic is a creature. SkillsStealth +14 Str 18 (+10) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 17 (+9) Con 15 (+8) Int 15 (+8) Cha 13 (+7) Alignmentunaligned LanguagesCommon, Deep Speech
Tactics If possible, Ithgok waits for several adventurers to move within range of its crushing tendrils before it and its whelps attack. If Farbane is still resting atop Ithgok when the mimics attack, Ithgok swallows the hammer as a minor action before attacking (see below for what happens later). As the battle progresses, Ithgok uses crushing tendrils when it has fewer than two enemies in its clutches. The mimic whelps focus their attacks on grabbed targets.
If Ithgok is reduced to 50 hit points or fewer, it disgorges Farbane and uses shapeshift to return to its object form. The whelps follow suit, returning to object form. Ithgok hopes the adventurers take the hammer and leave it be. If the adventurers press the attack, Ithgok and its spawn fight to the death.
E NCOUNTER 7: TORTURE C HAMBER
Features of the Area
1 foulspawn warpcaller(W) 2 foulspawn grues(G) 2 foulspawn berserkers (B)
Book Shelves:The shelves lining the east and west walls in this area are 8 feet high and can be climbed (Athletics DC 13). They contain sacred texts that are worth little except to followers of Bane. Cabinets:These four walk-in cabinets are each 5 feet deep and 8 feet high. They can be climbed (Athletics DC 13). Each contains items used in the worship of Bane. Treasure:Farbane.
Farbane
Level 14 Rare
This stout hammer is forged, head to haft, of a strange violet metal. The symbol of Bane adorns the head and pommel, and the haft is wrapped in mottled leather. Warhammer 21,000 gp Weapon: +3 to attack rolls and damage rolls Enhancement Bonus: Critical:+3d8 damage, or +3d10 damage against aberrant creatures Properties F When within 10 squares of an aberrant creature, Farbane sheds dim light out to 2 squares. You can suppress or resume this light as a minor action. FYou gain resist 10 psychic. F You gain a +3 item bonus to damage rolls made against aberrant creatures. Attack PowerF Daily (No Action) Trigger: You hit an enemy with a melee weapon attack using Farbane. Effect: The enemy takes 1[W] extra damage. If the enemy is an aberrant creature, it instead takes 2[W] extra damage, and this power recharges. You can use this power only once per encounter.
Encount er Level 9 (X P 2,200)
Setup
Use the map on page 12 to run this encounter. This room serves as a jail and torture chamber. Monsters here are intent on their task, so they fail to notice battle elsewhere in the temple. However, the adventurers still need to succeed on a DC 19 group Stealth check to surprise the monsters. If half or more of the characters succeed on the check, the characters receive a surprise round. The trap in Encounter 4 might teleport the adventurers into the cells here. If the party teleports in, the foulspawn still attack. They use their powers to teleport weak-looking foes into the open room, leaving tough-looking opponents behind bars. If the characters enter through the doors, read: Racks along the walls here hold various ins trument s of torture. A wooden table fitted with straps and manacles sits in the center of the room, and behind it is a pair of prison cells with doors of iron bars. Each cell contains two wounded humans. A dark hole opens in the floor near the south wall. If the characters teleport in, read: You arrive inside prison cells that have doors of iron bars. Each cell contains t wo wounded humans. Ou tside the ce lls, racks along the walls hold various instruments of torture. A wooden table fit ted with straps and man acles sits in the center of the room. A dark hole opens in the floor near the south wall.
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In either case, read: Squatting atop the wooden table are two stunted humanoids with sharp claws and maniacal grins. Guarding the cells are two massively muscled gray humanoids that wield greatswords and wear tat tered tabards with Bane’s sy mbol on them. A blubbery humanoid that has rippling skin and a musical pipe in hand sits near the hole.
Foulspawn Warpcaller (W)
Level 12 Controller (Leader)
Medium aberrant humanoid XP 700 HP 126; Bloodied63 Initiative+9 26, 24, 22, 24 AC Fortitude Reflex Will Perception+9 6, teleport 3 Darkvision Speed
T O Droning PipeF Aura 3 Enemies in the aura gain vulnerable 5 psychic.
2 Foulspawn Grues (G)
Level 8 Controller
Small aberrant humanoid
4
XP 350
HP 87; Bloodied43 Initiative+8 AC 22, Fortitude19, Reflex 21, Will 20 Perception+5 Low-light vision Speed
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A
m Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d4 + 9 damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead dazed (save ends). (psychic) F Recharge5 6 R Whispers of Madness Attack: Ranged 5 (one nondeafened creature); +11 vs. Will Hit: 4d6 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). If the target is already slowed, it is instead dazed (save ends).
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Teleport(teleportation) F At-Will Effect: The grue teleports up to 4 squares.
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R Mind WormF Rechargewhen the target saves against this power Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +11 vs. Will Hit: The target is slowed and takes a –2 penalty to Will (save ends both). Skills Stealth +13 Str 8 (+3) Dex 19 (+8) Wis 3 (+0) Con 15 (+6) Int 11 (+4) Cha 16 (+7) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10
S m Bite F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 5 damage. r Warped Sending(psychic, teleportatio n) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 5 psychic damage, and one of the warpcaller’s aberrant allies within 5 squares of the target teleports to a square adjacent to the target. M Twisted Dismissal (psychic, teleportation) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 5 psychic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). The warpcaller then teleports the target 2 squares. A Warpmind Field(psychic, zone) F Encounter Attack: Area burst 2 within 5 (enemies in burst); +15 vs. Will Hit: 2d6 + 6 psychic damage. Effect: The burst cr eates a zone that last s until the end of the warpcaller’s next turn. Any enemy that enters the zone or ends its turn t here takes 10 psychic damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn. In addition, any enemy within the zone can attack only targets within 3 squares of it. As a move action, the warpcaller can move the zone up to 4 squares. Sustain Minor: The zone persists until the end of the warpcaller’s next turn. SkillsArcana +15 Str 19 (+10) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 17 (+9) Con 22 (+12) Int 18 (+10) Cha 19 (+10) Alignmentevil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10 Equipmentmusical pipe
2 Foulspawn Berserkers (B)
Level 9 Soldier
Medium aberrant humanoid HP 102; Bloodied51 AC 25, Fortitude23 (25 while bloodied), Reflex 20, Will 20 Speed 7 (9 while bloodied) Immunefear
XP 400 each Initiative+7 Perception+0 Low-light vision
T O Berserker AuraF Aura 1 When a creature in the aura makes a melee attack, it must choose its target at random from the potential targets in range. (psychic) Mental Feedback Whenever a creature targets the berserker with a charm attack, the creature and the berserker each take 10 psychic damage.
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m Greatsword(weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC, or +16 vs. AC while the berserker is bloodied Hit: 2d10 + 6 damage, or 2d10 + 10 damage while the berserker is bloodied.
M Berserker Charge F At-Will Effect: The berserker charges , and the charge att ack deals 5 extra damage on a hit. Str 18 (+8) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 3 (+0) Con 22 (+10) Int 8 (+3) Cha 12 (+5) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 10 Equipmentgreatsword
Tactics The warpcaller and grues focus on ranged attackers. Grues use mind worm to weaken a foe’s Will before assailing it with whispers of madness . When cornered or flanked, they escape via teleport . The warpcaller uses its teleportation powers to keep enemies away from it and the grues but near the berserkers. When it uses warpmind field , the warpcaller places the srcin square so the zone forces foes out of the hallway or affects the largest number of enemies in the room. Berserkers charge into melee. They willingly take great risks to defend the grues and warpcaller.
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Banites If freed during the combat, the Banite soldiers are willing to f ight if asked to do so. Use the Banite soldier statistics (page 9) but reduce damage by 3 if the soldier is unarmed. Allow the players to control the soldiers’ actions, stepping in only if the chosen action is suicidal for t he soldier. Unless the Banites join the battle, when targeting their powers, the foulspawn do not consider the Banite prisoners to be enemies.
Features of the Area Cells: Each cell has doors of 1-inch-thick iron bars. The bars are spaced 6 inches apart, providing cover if the bars are between an attacker and its target. The doors are locked (Thievery DC 18 to open; Athletics DC 31 to break). Hole: This opening in the f loor descends in a decline down to Shoth-Gorag’s lair about 50 feet below. It is wide enough to accommodate a crawling Medium creature, but it is slimy with old gore. Racks: These wooden racks contain instr uments of torture. The various blades, pokers, and hooks function as daggers or clubs in combat, but they are enough to arm the Banite soldiers. Table:This blood-spattered torture table is bolted to the floor. A creature can jump atop the table as part of a move action (Athletics DC 18).
Diplomacy (DC 13):The character reassures the Banites that they and the party share a common goal. Dungeoneering (DC 18):The character uses knowledge of the Far Realm to drive home the danger that Shoth-Gorag represents. Heal (DC 13):The character eases the Banites’ pain and tends their wounds, deepening their gratefulness to the party. Intimidate (DC 18):The character threatens the Banites or leverages their fear of Shoth-Gorag. Religion (DC 13):The character uses an understanding of Bane’s tenets to influence the Banites into assisting those whom Yorven believed to be sent by the deity.
It’s up to you whether the Banites can be persuaded to join the characters in the battle against other enemies here. They are inclined to leave the fortress and unwilling to do further battle without arms and armor. Any soldiers allowed to leave make for the surface and escape. If they learn that Yorven has gone to Restwell Keep, they join him there.
Conclusion Each foulspawn grue has a key to one cell. The warpcaller has the key to both cells.
Information Gains The Banites are will ing to help their liberators with information. They know the following facts: F
A secret door is hidden behind the altar in the main chapel. The door has a magical trap, but the Banites don’t know the trap’s function. They know that Shoth-Gorag dwells b eyond the secret door, but they know nothing about the layout of the pit. With this information, characters can easily f ind the secret door, and they gain a +4 bonus to checks to find and disable the trap.
F
Farbane is in the reliquary, and a terrible gigantic creature and its spawn guard the weapon. These creatures can take the shape of objects. The DC to see the mimics for what they are lowers to 20 for the characters.
F
The hole in this room is a chute to an unknown location. When a prisoner beca me too incoherent to merit further suffering, the foulspawn threw the unfortunate down the chute. The soldiers here are all that remain of about a dozen loyal Banites.
F
The Banites might know where other treasures you have placed are hidden in the fortress.
Prisoners Despite their wickedness and loyalty to Bane, these captives are grateful to be rescued. However, they do not completely trust the adventurers. Roleplay the scene as the characters interact with the Banites, perhaps including some of the optional skill checks shown below. Each time the characters make a good case or succeed on an optional check, they gain a new piece of information from the Banites.
Unlikely Allies
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E NCOUNTER 8: T HE T HING T HAT SHOULD N OT B E Encounter Level 13 (XP 4,000)
Setup Shoth-Gorag(G) 1 creeping spawn(C) 1 reaching spawn(R) 1 slithering spawn(S) If the adventurers brave the chute that leads from the torture chamber, see Features of the Area and describe their entrance as you see fit. Otherwise, when the adventurers enter, read: A long stairway lea ds to a short hall that ends at a s tone platform overlooking a g reat cavern. Ston e stairs lead do wn to the cavern floor, which has a few shallow crevices in it. A blue glow emanates from a rift suspended in the air above the cavern’s center. A writhing mass of tentacles, appendages, eyes, and mouths is connected to the rift. The mass fills the cavern with the deafening shrie k of a thousand raving voices an d sends out questing tentacles in your direction. Foul creatures, mostly fleshy tentacles and fanged maws with hints of other creat ures mixed in, writhe an d wriggle near the huge mass. They also screech and begin to slither toward you. Shoth-Gorag and its spawn attack immediately. When Shoth-Gorag uses create spawnfor the first time, read: One side of the huge mass bursts open in a spray of fluid. From this dripping wound, a w retched abomination of t entacles and fanged maws slithers free.
Shoth-Gorag (G)
Level 13 Solo Brute
Creeping Spawn (C)
Level 13 Minion Controller
Huge aberrant magical beast XP 4,000 HP 520; Bloodied260 Initiative+6 AC 25, Fortitude26, Reflex 25, Will 27 Perception+14 4 All-around vision, darkvision 6 Speed Immunecharm, dazed, dominated, stunned; Resist 10 acid Saving Throws+5; Action Points2
Medium aberrant beast XP — HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+8 AC 27, Fortitude24, Reflex 23, Will 25 Perception+5 Darkvision Speed Immuneacid
T
m Foul Tentacle(fear) F At-Will
All-Around Vision Enemies can’t gain combat advantage by flanking Shoth-Gorag. (psychic) Font of Madness Any non-aberrant creature that starts its turn within line of sight of Shoth-Gorag takes 5 psychic damage. Threatening Reach Shoth-Gorag can make opportunity attacks against enemies within 2 squares of it.
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 10 damage. Effect: The spawn slides the target up to 2 squares. Str 14 (+8) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 8 (+5) Con 16 (+9) Int 3 (+2) Cha 18 (+10) Alignmentchaotic evil Languagesunderstands Deep Speech
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m TentacleF At-Will Attack: Melee 4 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 2d12 + 12 damage, and Shoth-Gorag grabs the target 6 (escape DC 20).
M Tentacle Flurry F At-Will Effect: Shoth-Gorag uses tentacle three times.
C FleshwarpF Recharge5 6 Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in the burst); +16 vs. Will Hit: 3d6 + 4 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends).
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Create SpawnF At-Will(1/round) Effect: In an unoccupied square adjacent to it, Shoth-Gorag creates one spawn of its choice: creeping, reaching, or slithering. Shoth-Gorag can normally have only two spawn of each type (up to six spawn) in play at a time, but while bloodied, it can have up to three spawn of each type (up to nine spawn) in play at a time. 8 (acid) F At-Will(1/round) Dissolving Tentacles Effect: Each creature grabbed by Shoth-Gorag takes 10 acid damage.
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Horrific GenesisF Encounter Trigger: Shoth-Gorag is first bloodied. Effect: Shoth-Gorag uses create spawn three times. Str 23 (+12) Dex 10 (+6) Wis 16 (+9) Con 18 (+10) Int 19 (+10) Cha 21 (+11) Alignmentchaotic evil LanguagesDeep Speech, telepathy 20
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Reaching Spawn (R)
Level 13 Minion Artiller y
Medium aberrant beast XP — HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+9 AC 27, Fortitude23, Reflex 24, Will 25 Perception+10 Darkvision
Speed acid Immune
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m Far TentacleF At-Will Attack: Melee 10 (one creature); +20 vs. AC Hit: 10 damage. Str 13 (+7) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 8 (+5) Con 14 (+8) Int 3 (+2) Cha 18 (+10) Alignmentchaotic evil Languagesunderstands Deep Speech
Slithering Spawn (S) Level 13 Minion Skirmisher Medium aberrant beast XP — HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative+12 AC 27, Fortitude24, Reflex 25, Will 23 Perception+5 Darkvision Speed Immuneacid, all damage dealt to the spawn during its turn
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m Raking TentacleF At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 10 damage, or 12 damage if the target is granting combat advantage to the spawn. Str 16 (+9) Dex 18 (+10) Wis 8 (+5) Con 14 (+8) Int 3 (+2) Cha 14 (+8) Alignmentchaotic evil Languagesunderstands Deep Speech
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Tactics
Features of the Area
Shoth-Gorag grabs foes, and it uses threatening reach to discourage enemy movement. The creature rarely moves unless it needs to reach a ra nged attacker. It instead prefers to use create spawn to replenish destroyed minions, and then trade a move action for a minor to use dissolving tentacle s on those it is grabbing. If it has to choose, Shoth-Gorag favorscreate spawn. Shoth-Gorag’s spawn focus on those their master isn’t currently grabbing. They direct their attacks especially at enemies that use ranged attacks, and they work together to gain combat advantage and to herd foes toward Shoth-Gorag. When Shoth-Gorag dies, all its spawn are immediately destroyed.
Illumination:The rift dim ly lights this area. Ceiling: The ceiling is 30 feet high. Chute (X): This tun nel from the prison enters the pit here, 30 feet from the cavern floor. One Small or Medium creature can lurk in this narrow opening, but is prone and blocks line of sight for those farther inside the chute while doing so. Crevices:These fissures are difficult terrain. Platform:This raised area is 10 feet above the cavern floor (Athletics DC 18 to climb). Stairs: The stairway from the platform to the cavern floor is difficult terrain to a creature ascending them. Stairs up to Level 2 are difficult terrain. Rift: This opening to the Far Realm occupies a square 15 feet above the floor. When Shoth-Gorag dies, any creature that ends its turn within 15 feet of the rift is pulled 5 feet upward toward the rift. A creature pulled adjacent to the rift tumbles into the Far Realm and is destroyed. A character holding Farbane feels the rift’s pull but moves only if willing to do so.
R
Conclusion
G
X C
S
When Shoth-Gorag drops to 0 hit points, read: The unearthly monstrosity shrieks, and its flesh dissolves into putrescent slime. Its spawn quickly liquefy into pools of disgusting ichor. Left behind is a chunk of black stone, roughly 3 feet in diameter, that pulses with a fell blue radiance. The blue rift in space still flickers menacingly. Shoth-Gorag’s heart weighs 450 pounds and is all that remains of the meteor that fell centuries ago and carved the Chaos Scar. A DC 18 Dungeoneering check reveals that Shoth-Gorag can eventually regrow its body unless its heart is destroyed. To ensure that Shoth-Gorag never does so, the adventurers must use Farbane to strike the heart and destroy it. When the characters do so, proceed with Encounter 9.
E NCOUNTER 9: FLEE ! Encounter Level 10 (XP 2,500) When Farbanestrikes the heart, read: Shoth-Gorag’s heart shatters into powder. Above, the blue rift in reality winks out. A deep rumble shakes the cavern. Massive chunks of ston e begin to fall from the ceiling a s the ground buckles with te rrible energy. Destroying the heart abruptly closes the rift to the Far Realm, releasing anyone suspended in the air and unleashing a tremendous amount of energy. This energy sets off a series of earthquakes that begins to bring the entire complex crashing down. Characters have only a few minutes to escape the destruction of Hallowgaunt. The entire fortress is collapsing. To represent the desperate flight from the fortress, you can run the following skill challenge.
Escape Hallowgaunt The characters are immediately aware that Hallowgaunt is collapsing around them. They have to escape or risk being crushed under the falling fortress. Level: 10 (2,500 XP). Complexity:Special (12 successful group Endurance checks before 20 rounds ex pire) Time: Each group Endurance check represents 1 round of progress, and each secondary check is a standard action. Adventurers have 20 rounds before the fortress crashes down. The countdown begins at the start of the initiative count on the round after the adventurers destroy the heart of Shoth-Gorag. Primary Checks:This skill challenge uses a group DC 18 Endurance check as the primary check. All the characters push their bodies to the limit in their mad flight. If at least half the characters in the party succeed on the group check, the party earns one success in the skill challenge.
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Secondary Checks:Once before each group Endurance check, each character can use a secondary skill to attempt a DC 18 check. A successful check with a secondary skill grants each character a +1 bonus to the group Endurance check. Secondary Skills include Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Dungeoneering, Nature, Perception, and any other skill for which a player can make a creative case. Use these checks to help weave a narrative of the escape. Acrobatics: The character dodges through narrowing gaps last, allowing others to move ahead first. Arcana (trained only): The character channels the violently dispersing magical energy to slow the tremors’ nearby effects. Athletics: The character climbs, jumps, or forces past obstacles quickly, helping others advance. The character might force open t he outer gates of Hallowgaunt as a final check. Dungeoneer ing: The character spots weaknesses in the passages, helping the party avoid poor paths. Nature (primal power source required; trained only): With the help of primal ear th spirits, the character stabilizes the nearby ground, giving the party a little more time. Perception: The character sees the clearest way through the debris and falling dust. Splitting Up:If any character decides to spend a standard action healing a fallen comrade, searching for treasure, or performing some other task that doesn’t directly aid in the party’s escape, the whole group that character is with loses 1 round. This fact is readily apparent to the characters and, by extension, the players. The party can split up, leaving behind those who tarry. Each time this happens, the character or characters left behind become a separate group, and the new group’s successes are tracked separately from then on.
Success
About the Author
If a fleeing group accumulates 12 successes before the 20 rounds have expired, the group escapes the crumbling fortress with only superficial injuries.
Aeryn Rudelis a freelance writer. He kicked off the Chaos Scar series with “Stick in the Mud” (Dungeon 171), so it was fitting that he should end it.
If a group escapes, read: Your mad flight through the fortress has brought you safely beyond the walls of Hallowgaunt. Moments after you make it clear, the citadel crumbles downward in a massive implosion of dust and rock.
Failure Characters in a group that fails the skill challenge do not escape the collapsing fortress in time. Each adventurer in a group that fails takes damage equal to his or her bloodied value plus 3d10 damage. Use t his damage and the number of successes the group accumulated to help you decide in what conditions the adventurers find themselves after the collapse. For example, a character who is knocked unconscious could be trapped under fal len debris and require rescue. A group that had 8 or more successes might be on the surface but inside Hallowgaunt’s walls when the citadel implodes. Such a group is close enough to the surface to escape after the fall. A group with fewer than 8 successes might instead be entombed in some corner of the fortress and left to search for another way out. Perhaps they fall all the way into the caverns below Hallowgaunt, with no choice but to explore until they reach an exit.
Developer and Editor Chris Sims Managing Editors Christopher Perkins, Jeremy Crawford Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland, Stan! Digital Studio Consultant Dan Helmick Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrators Eric Belisle, Christopher Burdett, Peter
Tikos
Cartographer Jason Engle Graphic Production Angie Lokot z, Erin Dorr ies
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