Grove of Bones

This location was created when a mad druid took up the necromantic elements of sorcery. First he consecrated the area with an evil bent, then he turned an entire grove of fine alder trees into bones, using the limbs to raise up an army of skeletons and bone golems.

Throughout the grove are creeping vines, represented in dark green on the map. There is a 1 in 6 chance that each vine will attack as the party passes within the 10' reach of the vines. Once one vine attacks, every vine will attack a character that steps within 10' of the vine. This automatic attack includes vines within 10' of a character when the first vine attacks.

Each white circle on the map represents the trunk of bone. Those lying sideways are horizontal with the exception of two that are leaning against other bones. The grey areas are stone, the brown wood or road. Each number on the map corresponds to a location or set of locations described below.

1 The Approach

The wind grows still and the squawk of avians silent as you approach this fork in the road. The primary direction continues before you where it is blocked by a felled, forty-foot trunk. A smaller path heads into a grove of birch trees, their trunks covered in a white bark. The area smells of charnel.

If the characters study the trees more carefully, for instance walking up to one and trying to harvest its bark for parchment, they will notice that the trunks are not normal. A DC 15 Knowledge Nature check will reveal that they have a sturdy-yet-porous feel not unlike bone.

2 Felled Trunk

A tree with a 7' diameter trunk blocks the road before you. Spider webs cling to the underside of the rounded trunk, running to the ground in threads woven so thick that you cannot see the ground.

If characters try to scale the bone tree, they must make a DC 20 Jump check to reach the upper side of the bone, and then a DC 20 Climb check to continue to scale the bone. if they fail, they will find the trunk too smooth to climb, and will slip off. Those who succeed can walk along the trunk at half speed with a DC20 Balance check.

Characters who linger at the base of the trunk for more than 3 turns will be attacked by a group of 4 dire spiders, who climb up through the webbing. Characters within 15' of the trunk when the combat begins have a 1 in 6 chance of standing in some webbing, requiring them to make a DC 20
Reflex save or be stuck as if under the effect of a web spell as the fight breaks out.

After the combat, if the characters search under the trunk, they will find the crushed remains of a skeletal humanoid, his leather backpack intact. The backpack contains 2 cure medium wounds potions, a potion of momentary clarity, and a scroll of freedom of movement. On the skeleton's feet is one boot of speed. The other is on one of the skeletons that the party faces with the necromancer. If they check carefully, they will notice the match on the skeleton.

3 Summoning Circle

Chips of wood and bone dot the ground around this 15' circle surrounded by four stone obelisks. The obelisks have wooden adornments that serve as appendages emanating from the stone bases. The circle is rimmed with alternating white and black stones the size of a human fist. The weeds are kept at bay just outside the rocks; inside the circle there is no grass nor weed.

The chips are fairly long and narrow, and do not appear to have been made with axes or other normal blades, as the edges are serrated.

The obelisks are abstract representations of four woodland animals: bear, boar, owl, and wolf. The wooden portions provide the representations, as the stone portions are the same on each obelisk, constituting the base and the trunk. These obelisks belong to the long-dead druids who once cared for this grove.

This is where the necromancer summons creatures, growing his undead army.

4 Pile of Bones

A neatly-arranged pile of assorted bones lies in the center of the dirt path in the center of the grove.

Characters who linger at the base of the pile for more than 3 turns will be attacked by 2 bone golems, who, when killed, will rattle their bones, alerting the necromancer. If the time is right, he will attack the party. This is up to the DM. In most cases, he will attack when the party reaches location 6.

The bones are of assorted lengths, from 3" wide and 2' long to 3' wide and 10' long, and appear to have been shaped into bones. Perhaps they are true bones, perhaps they are trees-turned-bones.

5 Fitted-Stone Slab

This slab of fitted stones is stained a deep rust color.

The rust color is from blood used in sacrifice to aid the necromancer in his foul deeds.

The workmanship suggests that this slab was built some hundred or more years ago. If the characters look carefully, they will notice that the stones are arranged in the form of an owl mized with a bear. This grove once was the home of a great owlbear clan, the remains of which have been disturbed by the necromancer. This clan was befriended by the druids who then took over mantenance of the grove before their untimely end at the treacherous hands of the necromancer.

6 Stone Hut
When the party nears the hut, read or paraphrase the following:

A mound of vines obscures something large and grey underneath.

If the party clears off some of the creeping vines (by killing or otherwise dispatching with them), read aloud the following:

A well-mortared wall of a 10'x15' fitted-stone structure shows signs of age, yet is impressively intact in the face of the strong vines that once covered it.

Inside the stone hut, in among rusted rakes and shovels with rotted handles, the party will find various necromantic items, including a scroll of transmute wood to bone, a scroll of protection from good, and a collection of notes on the anatomy of human bones and trees, with strange connections drawn between them.

Once the party loots the hut, the necromancer will appear outside and begin summoning assistance. When they fight him, he will by flanked by 12 medium skeletons, 2 large skeletons, 3 bone golems, and 2 animated owlbear skeletons, all of which quickly rush up to engage the party in melee, while he casts spells from afar. In their rush into the melee, the owlbears knock over some of the remaining bone trees, creating dynamic terrain hazards. The bone golems and large skeletons will even lift some of the bones out of the pile at location 4 to use as large bone clubs against the characters.

7 Twin felled bones

Two twin bones have been knocked over here, forming a small space between which run thickly-woven spider webs.

In among the bones, the party discovers the remains of an old graveyard, with headstones written in a strange and ancient language. This is where the necromancer raised his skeletons out of their ancient graves.

8 Angled bone

A large bone leans against a standing one, providing a perilously balanced cover.

This bone of course, could at any moment be knocked loose, for instance in combat or if a character attempts to walk upon it, requiring anyone above or below it to make a DC 20 Reflex save to avoid taking 2d8 damage from the falling bone.

Blessed Structures

In some regions of Proppia, it is rumored that the buildings themselves are touched by a powerful force.

In order to bless a structure, a 4th level spell, bless structure must be cast with the appropriate magical material component to provide the base bonus.

The effects of these enchantments are due to magical amulets and ward statues mortared within the structures themselves. These bonuses can come in many forms, including strength, AC, saves, temporary hit points, etc.

A common recipient of these blessings are walls, which add bonuses to all those on defense within the walls. This is a great way to achieve mass effects upon entire forces.

Blessings placed in structures are nullified if removed from the structures themselves, for instance if excavated. In these situations, the amulets, statues and other magical items which provided the wards often retain their bonuses, but travel with their new owners. In order for them to bless a new structure, they must be used as material components in the new bless structure invocation.

Trangúll Dřevo Rumors

The following are quotes that various people who have heard of Trangúll Dřevo, or who are putting the party on, will say to them.

"It is said that southwest of Olde Bay is an ancient wood, wherein lives elf folk. Mischevious, kiniving they are, and will steal your pack if you don't keep it close you. Be careful traveling in those parts."

"I daresay, you should never head there. Only death and despair. 'Tis why the Olde Bay's been so haunted all these years. Foul beasts come form there, beasts half stone and half flesh. Carry you out to their island. Don't go into those woods."

"I never venture south of the Bay. Recommend you don't either. It is said there is a haunted wood down there. Filled with dark fey folk."

"In the heart of Trangúll Dřevo is a portal to another world -- on the other end is a dragon. Can't imagine anyone would ever want to find it."

"We have seen wandering patrols of armed men dressed in deep robes, with shiny armor sneaking out from under their adornment. Their faces have a slight green hue, and they are armed with impressive weapons. If you're heading there, be sure to be well armed, or you will face certain disaster."

Lone Tree

This single tree stands out in the vast stretch of Bale Morrow. It is said that this tree is so affected, that birds will not even land in its branches.

Many a shady deal has gone down in this location, with many an ill consequence. Here is a random encounter table (d100).

1-10: A small party of adventurers huddles around a crude map. If approached with care, they will serve as porters through the Bale Morrow in exchange for being led through.

11-15: A wandering wizard has set up a small camp under the tree, and is busy collecting mosses and fungi for use as spell components. If approached, the party will set off his glyph of warding, and he will turn on them.

16-20: A merchant has wandered off course, and his cart is stuck in the mud. If assisted, he will offer the party a few items.

21-35: A party of gnolls waits in ambush!

36-42: The skull of a humanoid provides the first clue of a deeper mystery, culminating in uncovering a murder.

43-50: The weather turns violent, and the party must seek shelter or risk being struck by lightning.

51-95: Choose a random encounter from an appropriate table.

96-100: A magical item has been left leaning against the tree. There is a 50/50 chance that it is cursed.

Further, if anyone tries to climb the tree, the limbs will emit a low shriek, causing a 20' fear aura (DC 20). Finally, the limbs give off a murky poison (Fortitude save DC 25 or suffer 1d4+2 permanent Con damage).

Bale Morrow

Part peatland, part bog, part moor, this region lies to the east of the Ten Princedoms, west of the Flordlands, and north of the Central Valley. In Bale Morrow, the sky is eternally overcast, and the ground moist, making camping difficult. Even the most stalwart travelers find the land uncomfortable.

This region is also infamous as the last known location of many an adventurer. It is said a chill wind passes over Bale Morrow at night, catching wanderers in its icy grip and drowning it in the shallow, murky waters that dot the landscape. Indeed, flying Vs, wargoyles, and even wyrmholes patrol the night skies, and wolves, trolls, and giant caterpillars are known to stalk the grounds.

One reason adventures venture into Bale Morrow is for the unique muds, mosses, and foliage. The bogmoss is a natural curative, and can be harvested to make healing salves and tinctures. Morrow mud is a beauty aid, and the various wildflowers and small shrubberies produce flowers and berries that top the reagent lists of many a mage. Even the still water itself is prized, even though it is a low-grade poison if consumed.

It is rumored that there are settlements toward the center of Bale Morrow, but none in the known world has made it both to and from the center of the vast region.

Approaching the vast mix of bog and peat from the west, the last tree before Bale Morrow is known as Lone Tree, and it is avoided by birds and animals of all types. It is as if they can sense the corruption in the land. Poisoned by the waters that have seeped into its roots, Lone Tree has not had leaves upon its branches in years.

Fallon House

This location is inspired by the work of E.A. Poe, though none of it explicitly derives from his work.

This three-story dwelling is characterized by its distinctive lean. Each of the floors melds into the others, with very few staircases. Instead small one-step and two-step passageways pass from floor to floor, leaving all but the most astute dungeoneers disoriented. The corridors within are also oddly-shaped, starting wide and ending narrow. Ornate doors lead to rooms which face the outside in all cardinal directions, and a raised passage leads from the second floor main hallway to a two-story gazebo out back.

Throughout the house, cobwebs fill the corners, and a layer of dust coats the furniture and floors. Small animal footprints gather around the central hearth and lead off in all directions. Bats and giant caterpillars complete the ecosystem, in the broken rafters and under loose floorboards, respectively. Under these floorboards are old catacombs which predate the house itself. These catacombs can be cited as another reason for the lopsidedness of the house.

Outside, the barren trees have long-since grown away from the house, all they can do to distance themselves from the darkness within. A darkness that grows with each passing night. The timbers themselves have rotted from the inside, just like the human denizens of Fallon House.

The Fallons were once skilled translators of ancient texts, counting the most prominent political figures among their clientele. Since those halcyon days, however, the eldest couple in the Fallon household faced marital problems, eventually disintegrating the marriage. This collapse of the foundation of the family had visible physical effects, leaving the house and family lopsided as relationship upon relationship ended. The inhabitants left the house, one broken relationship at a time, until it was left deserted, as it has remained for a few years now.

This location holds many ancient secrets in the moldy tomes still within. It also hosts many creatures, as mentioned above.

Drawing by Ben Dare.

Ft. Wood Area Map

This map shows the area around Ft. Wood. There will be a series of posts related to an upcoming Unicorn Rampant release over the next few weeks. Enjoy!

Dindle Keep - Level 2

On level 2, most of the entrances to the rooms need to be approached through the hallways that line the outer walls. This means that the keep is dark on the inside, except when the torches are lit. These are found in the center of each of the hallways and hanging at the top of each stairwell. This floor is full of secrets, passageways leading to caches of items and information.

T1-T7 Towers: Each of the towers contains a small, wooden sitting chair at the top of a circular flight of stairs. The chairs face small windows through which guards keep watch on the surrounding countryside.

Hallways: The hallways between the towers are empty save torches in sconces which provide moderate light and decorative crossed swords behind wooden shields hastily painted with the logo of Dindle Keep. Spent torches are propped up against the wall. The exception is the hallway between T1 and T2, which features two guard chairs, one on each side of the door leading to 6, where the daughters are being kept under Silas' orders, who fears that goblins will otherwise take them.

1 Master Chambers

The plushness of this room has faded with time. It appears the master has not kept up with recent trends which have swept the Jæruel, as the hardware is decades old. An unmade bed lies in the center of the room, the concave mattress showing signs of heavy use. On the floor in front of the bed is a brown bear rug. Under a colorful woven fabric, a wide armoire fills the eastern wall. An old dresser lines the southwest wall, its mirror rimmed with a black smudge.

The armoire is filled with dirty clothes. At the bottom are a leather belt with a fancy belt buckle and a pair of fur riding boots.

In the drawers of the dresser are an ornate dagger, a pouch of gold dust, and a small key. The key fits in a small, invisible keyhole in the west wall hidden by the dresser, which the party will find on a successful DC 30 search check combined with a detect invisibility spell. An 8'x5' door opens inward once the key is placed in the keyhole and turned.

1a Secret Walk-in Closet

Chests line the walls, two deep. Hanging above the chests are ornate outfits from various events in a man's life. Across from those are a set of outfits befitting a lady, from age eight to twenty-eight.

Creature: Babau (See MM page 40) Living here is Silas Dindle's demon, Nadas Baran, or if you have the need to make this a more powerful encounter, substitute this demon for a marilith or other, more powerful demon. This demon will occasionally masquerade as a merchant, bringing ill news from the surrounding forests, and driving Silas into his fearful state. Nadas Baran's minions bring plunder from surrounding lands, and this is traded for writs and other powerful pieces of paper. Nadas Baran's ultimate goal is to lure Silas into conflict with the goblins on their terms, in their lands, or at least to convince him to send his guard out and leave the keep alone, so that he may acquire the keep.

Two of Silas' seven guards work for Nadas Baran as do countless other merchants who operate both inside and outside the Jæruel merchant collective. Nadas Baran's men are very loyal, and will fight on his side if he is challenged.

Silas knows nothing of this demon; Nadas Baran has been able to successfully hide from him and his men for months now, patiently running the operation of influencing Silas from the shadows.

Nadas Baran will only attack if the party has already explored much of the second floor of the keep. Otherwise, he will remain hidden until the dramatically-appropriate moment.

Treasure: various coins, gems, and jewelry totalling 2,500gp.

2 Interior Hall

This dimly-lit hall is lined with small paintings of rustic objects - a hoe, a still-life of fruit and a loaf of bread, and the portrit of a multi-generational family dressed to work the land. Sturdy-looking wooden doors lead in various directions and a man-sized mirror at the east end of the hall makes this room feel like it is larger than it is.

If the party studies the mirror in great detail, they will notice that along the frame is a latch. Flipping the latch, they are able to remove the mirror from the wall, where whoever removes it will need to make a DC 15 Balance or Strength check, due to the topheaviness of the mirror, or drop it and have it shatter. If it shatters, the various pieces attack the party as mirror shards (to follow in a future post).

In the space behind the mirror is a small archway hiding a makeshift closet.

2a Secret Hall Closet

A pile of papers fills this closet. Among them are many unsigned writs of passage and recommendations filled out in Silas' name, as well as personal letters.

Treasure: scrolls full of information and unsigned writs. These can be sold or used to curry favor with other merchants and landowners. They would need to be signed and stamped with the Dindle seal to be made official.

The letters tell the story of Silas Dindle as a series of personal communiques. If the players read through these papers in depth, they will find out that Lady Dindle was the true keeper of the fortune, and that Silas took her surname in marriage. He once considered leaving her, but feared the wrath of her father. Then, when she took ill, he felt guilty for having considered divorce, and began to see his twin daughters as her, and thinkinghe was seeing double, began turning mad. The latest letters are written in an illegible hand.

It turns out these last letters have been written under the influence of his demon. They have, luckily, not been sent, but Nadas Baran is trying to get him to send them through legitimate channels to legitimize his claim to Dindle Keep.

3 Small Nursery

The walls are a pleasant color resembling a robin’s egg, which is slightly faded. Off to one side is one crib, and off in the room's corner is another. The musty smell mixed with the stench of rotten eggs and the large amount of dust and cobwebs throughout the room indicates this room has not been used in years.

If the cribs are searched, down below the cobwebs which hang over them, they each contain a shiny, black egg with brown speckles. These are Babau eggs. Nadas Baran is already acting as if he owns the keep, turning this room into his nest.

4 Large Room

This room is set aside for children's studies, with two desks facing opposite walls stacked with books.

Reading the books on local history and geography will improve the characters' knowledge skills. If the party searches the desks closely enough, they will discover a small latch behind one of them. The latch opens a child-sized door leading to a secret cache.

4a Secret Cache

A bookcase is nestled into the corner, and a chest lies on the other end of this secret cache.

Treasure: Among the children's books on the shelf is a minor tome of ensnarement. In the chest are various toys and dolls.

5 Long Room

This bedroom contains a bed, a chest of drawers, and a small chest serving as a footlocker at the end of the bed. A pile of rugs occupies the far end of the room.

One of the rugs contains a pack of rug rats (see future post), which rise up from the rug if anyone pulls the rug from the pile and steps upon it. The bed is normal. The chest of drawers is full of female young adult clothes.

6 Long Room

This chamber is sparsely decorated with a pair of cots, a small lantern on a wooden table. Two tomes lie open in the light.

This is where the daughters have been kept behind lock and key. They are still here, unless some other event has caused them to be moved. As the DM, use your judgment here. The books are fantasy novels that the daughters have been reading, something like Wuthering Heights but backdated to match your campaign world.

If the party is able to enter this room, they will have to have convinced Silas to let them speak with them (difficult), occupied or disabled the guards (moderate challenge), or used some form of magic or sneakery to accomplish the task (less difficult).

The daughters both know the story of what has transpired, but are unaware of much of the secret information found in 2a. They are both ready to escape the keep; living as captives in their home is unacceptable. However, because of their love for their father, they will want to help him first. Once he is freed of his demon, they will leave, Emmaigne with Lieutenant Hass and Antaigne with Captain Danus.

7 Bedroom

This bedroom contains a fine bed, a dresser, and an old rocking horse.

The bedpost farthest from the center of the room contains a small, hidden compartment, visible with a DC 30 Search check. Within the bedpost is a small scroll. Upon the scroll is a love note written in a finely-printed male hand.

The note is from the lieutenant, who is in love with one of the daughters. If pressed, he will admit this and beg the party to help him free her so they can leave this haunted place, even issue an order to the guards to let the party see the girls. He will help in the battle against the Babau if the party agrees to let the lovers leave.

The dresser contains a woman's clothes, mostly dresses and floral tunics. The rocking horse is masterwork, built by one of the master wood workers of the Jæruel at his shop in Tannen.

7a Secret Cache

The dresser slides away, revealing a wood-paneled room. Weapons are stockpiled in this triangular room, stuffed haphazardly into the corners of the room.

Treasure:Among the weapons are a long sword +1 and a masterwork dagger. Both belong to the Dindle household.

8 Lieutenant's Quarters

This neat room is sparsely decorated. The white sheets on the bed are clean and pressed. The keeper of this room is very organized. A lone armoire stands at the other end of the room.

Inside the armoire are two tunics and a jerkin, folded neatly. Hanging above them is a canvas uniform with multiple honors pinned upon the lapels. In the bottom of the armoire is a pair of leather sandals.

This is where Lieutenant Hass sleeps.

9 Captain of the Guard's Quarters

The elements in this room are slightly dissheveled. Apparently the room is not regularly cared for as its 15'x15' size deserves. The room is filled with wall-to-wall shelves, some open, some closed, some half-open, half-closed.

The open shelves reveal trophies from past battles, including chalices, small figurines, and other trinkets taken from the battlefield or potentially traded for. The closed shelves contain items considered more personal to the captain - clothing, a small, jade figurine, and various writs of passage and commendations from nobles across the Jæruel.

This is where Captain Danus sleeps. He has been troubled of late by needing to follow his liege's orders to imprison his love, Antaigne in 6.

10 Head Archer's Quarters

This room is decorated with a collection of feathers from various flying and non-flying avians. Used bows are hung on the wall, trophies of battles past. Leather straps and bowstrings are scattered atop the desk which serves as a workbench for a bowyer.

The head archer keeps watch not far from this room (hallway between T3 and T4), where he can see down over the south-facing cliff that faces the road below, so if the party spends much time here, he will come and watch them as they peruse his items. He also has a few uncommon items for trade if the barter is right.

Pernice is one of the more accurate archers in the Jæruel, and has worked for their organization for some time. He secretly works for the Jæruel administration in Tannen and has been stationed in Dindle Keep to keep watch on Silas. The Jæruel seeks an excuse to have him arrested so that they may take control of the keep. In this, Pernice is not evil, he is merely serving his true master. For this, he is well paid. he carries an official writ from the Jæruel which grants him the authority to make arrests in their name.

This will lead to a tense moment that the party gets to involve themselves in. Once the action reaches the climax, where Nadas Baran is exposed, Pernice will attempt to haul Silas off to Tannen, citing treacherous behavior. Of course, he has committed no crime, so this is a false accusation. The discussion will be handled in the follow-up post, The Story of Silas Dindle (part two), coming soon!

(To reiterate, the conclusion of Silas Dindle's story is to follow in a later post!)

Dindle Keep - Level 1

The party will arrive from the trail to the south, having had the guards in the toll houses far below signal up that they en route on business. This trail wraps around the front of the keep, which is inaccessible from the side facing the road.

Note of course that if the party is caught stealing anything or is deemed dangerous and unfriendly by Silas, the guards will attack the party, taking custody of them, and preparing them for delivery to Jæruel headquarters in Tannen.

If the party decides to sneak into the keep at night, Silas will be sleeping up in his room, his daughters both awake and sending messages to one another through a series of taps on the walls. Guards will be posted in many of the towers, in the entry hall, and outside their three rooms, two for Silas, and one for each of his daughters.

Towers – each of the hexagonal towers contains a small bed a the bottom of a staircase leading up. There is no level to the keep below ground; the bedrock was too hard to easily build into when the keep was built over a hundred years ago.

1 Outside the Keep

The tall door leading into the keep is nestled in between two towers on the uphill side of the keep. Tight clusters of cypress line the walls in patches along a neatly-fitted brick and stone walkway. The tall door is emblazoned with the emblem of the profile of a woman's head and shoulders on a deep yellow shield. A man in impressive field plate with the same emblem upon it steps forward, says "Ho!" and waits for the party to bow.

Once they do, he steps forward, introducing himself as Lanx and holding his arm out, pointing the way to the door.

2 Entrance Hall

As the party approaches, read the following:

The oversized door creaks on its hinges as it opens, leading into the keep from the uphill side. A man who introduces himself as Lanx bids the party, "Welcome to Dindle Keep. Keep your troubles outside!" As everyone steps through the door, two armed guards wield the heavy portal and latch it shut with a large caber. They turn to watch the party.

3 Study

This moderately-sized room is lined with short bookshelves. Atop the shelves are various houseplants taken from the fields and forests in the local region. Upon the walls are landscape oil and watercolor paintings of sunrises and sunsets in brilliant hues. A lone candelabra illuminates a table in the center of the room. A book lies open in the central reading chair.

The book is on the local folklore, containing small, hand-drawn maps from storytellers. There are annotations pencilled into the margins, and the names of places underlined.

In the early evenings, Silas retires to the study to improve his knowledge of history, geography, and religion. He will be found here if visited in the evening.

4 Library

An impressive collection of books lines the walls of this room, the leather spines like the scales of a dragon. In the center of the room is a large table upon which rest a collection of maps.

If thoroughly searched, the party will find books on the local geography and history, which if studied, raise those skills by a point each.

5 Statuarium

Worn, humanoid statues occupy the two hard corners of the room, with the far walls coming together at 45 degree angles toward the rest of the keep. The stone ceiling rises another two feet above the floor to accommodate the tall statues.

The two statues have the emblem of the Dindle family etched in them. A careful inspection of the statues reveals small sets of wings on both of them, jutting out just past the shields slung over their backs. This hints at a relationship with the celestial.

6 Back Chamber

Passing under another large arch, the wooden ceiling lowers to a more normal height. A stone fireplace occupies the center of the exterior wall, with a gold leaf framed, life-sized oil rendition of a middle-aged man eerily staring out across the keep back toward the entrance.

7 Small Hall

Between two arches, modest paintings of former denizens of the keep find refuge in a dark corridor with wooden doors at either end.

Artistic renditions of multiple generations are represented in the frames. In a hidden alcove behind one of the paintings of the twin girls is a key ring with extra keys to each of their rooms (on Level 2).

8 Wide Hallway

Paintings of old relatives line this wide hallway, including as the most illuminated one, labeled "Lady Dindle." Doors are set in opposite ends of the hall, and one is also set in the center of the hall. Three archways keep the hall fairly open-feeling, like the rest of the keep.

If the painting is studied in any detail, read the following:

Lady Dindle was an beautiful, yet austere woman. These traits come out in her appearance, with a scornful scowl scratching the surface of her glowing skin.

9 Closet

This moderately-sized closet is adorned with wood-paneled walls. Jacket, coats, mittens, hats, two sleds, tack, and other sundries are hung here on various metal hooks that jut from the walls.

Treasure: In the pocket of one of the jackets is a pair of gloves of storing.

10 Throne Room

Eight alabaster columns line the fine carpet leading up to a pair of sitting chairs etched with the Dindle arms.

If it is daytime, and there are guests in the keep, Silas will be here, providing them an audience. If Silas is here, he will be flanked by two guards armed with swords at their sides. Merchants pass through, bringing stories, which Silas is eager to hear. He has been known to reduce the toll on the road for those who provide him with quality entertainment. (more in a later post)

Treasure: A masterwork instrument called the Silverhorn hangs to the right side of the throne.

11 Dining Room

A large table is set in the center of the room, requiring everyone to walk along the walls to navigate the space. A large brass candelabra rests upon the table, illuminating the room in a warm glow. Along the floor, paralleling the impressive table, is a finely-woven rug.

Treasure: The rug is worth 1500gp, the candelabra 500gp.

12 Den

Small tables and chairs are tastefully laid out in the room facing each other, with a simple rug in the center.

Treasure: There are a few loose coins in the seat of the chairs.

13 Kitchen

Years of caked on grease and other food cling to the walls, leaving them black toward the ceiling, where a tapered ceiling has led thousands of plumes of smoke out of the keep. A large oven and multiple stoves line the exterior brick walls of this room. Pots and pans hang suspended from the ceiling in the center of the room.

Various foodstuffs can be found throughout the kitchen.

14 Pantry

This oddly-shaped, dusty room is full of large crates, barrels, and bags of flour and wheat. Tiny flour footprints lead in all directions.

Creature: There are 3 large rats in this room.

Treasure: A potion of charm person lies at the bottom of a crate otherwise full of hay.

Tannen

Town: AL CN; 15,000gp limit; Assets 9,000,000gp; Population 5,000; Mixed (90% human, 5% halfling, 2% dwarf, 3% other)

On the coast of the Jæruel, where the river meets the sea, lies Tannen (pronounced TAW-nen), a bustling seaport of a town built on sandy soil.

Architecture

The larger, more established buildings of Tannen are of sandstone and light wood from the forests harvested upriver near the village of Ches.

The buildings on the capitol grounds are of carved alabaster, taken from the mines east of Alabaster. The humbling, white edifice in the center of the city lies on a 5-acre plot surrounded by formal gardens decorated with flowers from the farthest reaches of the Jæruel. This is truly where the goods of the Jæruel comes together in an impressive display of what a successful merchant collective (some would say oppressive) can accomplish.

Layout

Along the banks of the river Ches runs a short wall of sandbags to keep the river in its banks in rainier months. Within five feet of these walls rise the older and more ornately-decorated buildings made of old hardwoods, including the town hall, the Jæruel central offices, the two inns that made Tannen famous (Inn of Golden Meadows and The Lark's Nest), Smullivan's Emporium, and, where the river meets the sea, the shipyard, where ninety percent of the seaworthy vessels in the Jæruel are built.

The town blocks off the river are devoted to residences, including the mayor's house and on a low hill the wealthy neighborhood inhabited entirely by those in executive positions within the Jæruel, retired merchants who now manage their personal matters from their estates.

The rest of the town is a hodge-podge of market squares, shops on lower levels, and residences rising in the second and third storeys.

Key locations:
* Capitol Grounds - large, new construction that towers over town hall
* Town Hall - a converted keep that predates the town
* Jæruel Central Offices - new constructions across the river
* Twin Lighthouses - one in north-town and one in south-town
* Smullivan's Emporium - market for many items
* Inn of Golden Meadows - standard inn named for the surrounding countryside
* The Lark's Nest - exotic inn, featuring delicasies and fine things
* the shipyard - busy, working-class district where the river actually meets the sea

This town has served as the center of government for the Jæruel since the central offices of the merchant collective moved here two generations ago.

Map

(to follow in later post)

Personas

The Jæruel hierarchy represents the most notable personas in town. Galway Froid (mayor), Fennel Chatwid (head consulate), and Zann Diacon (finance minister) are the highest-ranking officials in Tannen.

The innkeeper owner of the Lark's Nest is a boistrous legend. Of foreign descent and well-traveled, he tells stories the way most men tell lies, with the upmost of ease. Chariz Muqatad is known throughout the Jæruel, and there are those who visit Tannen just to meet him and hear his stories. In the process, he listens to their stories, which he uses to continue to embellish his own tales.

J.P. Smullivan is a trader who has recently joined the Jæruel, electing to pay his membership dues rather than risk losing his business to the town guard. Though less-than-friendly to new faces, largely due to this pressure to join the Jæruel, he is aware of much that transpires in Tannen and thus represents a great source of knowledge. The key is getting him to share it.

Plot Points

Each of the executives in the wealthy district finance treasure hunting expeditions and each have constant need for couriers and escorts. In addition, the Meldor House is known for financing voyages inland, past Westfort into the mountains and plains beyond. Zane Meldor is a known eccentric, known for his misadventures in the brothels in Tannen's slums. He is ailing, and has been convinced that the fungal cure for his illness lies west of Westfort.

Smullivan is always after new supplies, especially those of an exotic nature. He knows of certain individuals who possess such items, and runs a secret business trading such items. Interestingly, it seems he has thieves steal from one Jæruel or Tannen city official which he then sells to another, and so on. He is likely to hire a party with an experienced enough thief to acquire such items from the homes of the wealthy.

Chariz Muqatad needs a message delivered to his extended family back in the dry lands to the far south, across the Old Bay. He is willing to pay handsomely for the message's delivery. The message itself is so important that it has been stuffed inside a chicken, and must be delivered while the chicken still lives. This is an age-old custom for communicating among his people.

Galway Froid's daughter, Ammrie has gone missing. Rumor has it she is being held for ransom, but there is no official word on this. If the party inquires too directly in official circles, they are likely to be taken to the dungeons beneath the town hall, a converted keep that predates the rest of the city, for probing and questioning. Others who have relevant information include Chariz Muqatad, who said he overheard some of the kids joking about staging an abduction, and Smullivan, who sold a load of face paint and robes to some of the local teens. The real story is that Ammrie had her allowance cut back and so she and her friends decided to stage a kidnapping to collect the ransom. It turns out, however, that when a local thug heard of this, he took her from her friends, and now holds her in a cliffside camp overlooking the sea to the north of Tannen, where he awaits delivery of the ransom sum.

Once the teens are found, they will admit their part in the staging, and provide a description of the thug, who happens to be Thaddius Brewster, former employee of Smullivan's. He used to lift large crates by himself and earned various nicknames for his feats of strength. If asked, Smullivan will mention Brewster's departure from his shop lines up with the time of the supposed kidnapping. Once returned, the mayor will pay the party handsomely, though less than the original ransom. He is a shrewd merchant, after all!

The dungeons beneath the keep lead in various directions throughout the city. They are well-explored in the vicinity of the town jail; however, the secret, windy passages are said to hold more in store for an adventurous enough lot.

Piran Point

Town: AL CN; 2,000gp limit; Assets 900,000gp; Population 920; Mixed (70% human, 15% halfling, 5% dwarf, 5% gnome, 5% other)

On the coast of the Jæruel, south of Tannen, there is a rocky point that juts out into the sea. This was once the home of a great serpent that fed on the schools of fish that swam around the point, as well as the occasional human who made their way here off-course from their intended destinations. This lair serves as the undersea port down the cliff from the main town center.

Architecture

The larger, more established buildings of Piran Point are hewn from the surrounding stone, a mix of limestone on the coast and granite further inland. More recent single-story buildings are of wood construction from the nearby oak, maple and pine forests.

Layout

At the top of the cliff, the town is laid out in a series of semicircles that run along the peninsula, the outermost being the poorest, and the region closest to the fresh water and woods the wealthiest. As the area was traditionally prone to piracy and attack by marauders, the wealthy moved farther and farther from the edge of the cliff, leaving their buildings unoccupied as they built increasingly more opulent estates inland. Because of this, there are various historic buildings that have been occupied by the working and non-working classes.

Encounters in this region include:
* low-scale thieves and pickpockets
* defensive family men
* various brawls and other pre-existing conflicts

Key locations elsewhere:
* St. Grisdon Square - where four churches come together in each of the cardinal directions
* Darkhouse Inn - featuring tinted windows; "what happens withinn stays within"
* Shelt's Pelts - center of the halfling market
* Fishing Market - varieties of fish from varieties of merchants
* Town Hall - center of the village

This town has long been at the crossroads of merchants and rogues, lying within seven miles of three known robber barons, though this town has largely escaped their direct advances, as they have found the passersthrough along the broad roads more vulnerable and thus worth their effort. This has led to more armed caravans, which has reduced the frequency of their arrivals and departures.

Out at sea, there has been pirate activity as well, making Piran Point a refuge for travellers both by land and sea. Sea trade has mostly ended, the merchant vessels converted to fishing ships. Those vessels which sail into Piran Point are escorted by larger galleons decked out with many arms.

Map

(to follow in later post)

Personas

Piran Point is home to several merchant families of the Jæruel. Elton Thistlewood runs the local chapter of the merchant house, aided by Jossathon Radvell and Saldon Thede. Each keeps control over their own region of the merchant quarter.

Reverend Marden and Brother Sandis run the Cathedral of St. Grisdon, by far the largest of the four churches in the center of the town. In it, sermons to the words of the dearly-departed Grisdon, worshipper of a merchant-sect of Pelor's younger brother Geld, and creator of the ten virtues of trade.

Plot Points

Tristega Thistlewood has split from her family and opened up a profitable business dealing in black market goods. Her father seeks to bring her back into the fold, and is willing to pay anyone willing to help convince her of this. The Radvells and Thedes have since made a play for power, realizing this distraction leaves the Thistlewoods vulnerable to infiltration and unable to rightly control their holdings across the town.

With this infighting among the merchant class, the streets have seen a rise in crime, the unorganized type that leads to confusion in the masses. Many poor have taken to picking the pockets of others, especially wandering parties. Of course, this news has not yet reached the lips of anyone in this town; why would they, when they profit from the unspoken truth.

The St. Grisdon sect of Geld has grown in influence among the more lawful-minded citizens of Piran Point, and can be called upon to assist the party if they uphold the ten virtues of trade. Tristega Thistlewood anonymously attends the sermons in the cathedral, and is a devout follower of St. Grisdon's teachings.

Griffon Roosts

These Griffon Roosts are set toward the east end of the Goduanil, though this location can be placed into your world wherever griffons roost. They are intended to range from EL 7-9, depending on which is needed for your adventure.

The Goduanil is a region filled with rocky hills, where along the valley floors flows purple ooze in streams that run all the way to the sea. This roost is set in a valley off one of the main streams of ooze. The difficult terrain adds a +1 to the CR of this encounter.

1 Approach through the valley

A steep 100' deep gorge devoid of a river branches off from the main valley, leading off in a direction clearly away from the central valley that runs with purple ooze. Stands of leafless birch saplings cling to the cliffsides in this otherwise barren landscape.

The characters hear the occasional flapping of wings as the wind gusts. Occasional rocks will break loose and tumble from the cliffsides. The party is not in danger of these small rocks, but they are an indication of something being afoot. When the party returns to the main valley, they will need to find a creative way around or over the rivers of ooze.

2 Bend in the rocks

The valley makes a turn to the left here, cutting a rocky path through the mountains. The bend obscures the view of the valley. Boulders cling to the ledges of the hillsides.

The characters see a shadow make its way across the valley floor. By the time they look up, whatever it was that caused the shadows has passed them over and is out of sight.

3 Hoodoos

Three sandstone hoodoos rise like towers from the valley floor, the result of years of extreme erosion in this valley. The scattered skeletal remains of large quadrupeds dot the valley floor. A few large feathers are blown about by the gusts of wind across the landscape, drawing attention to the tufts of hair clumped in small, regular dips in the ground.

In actuality, it is more the doing of the ooze that has caused the erosion and thus the hoodoos, areas of hardness where the erosion has not run its course on the rock. The skeletons and tufts of hair are those of horses, picked up from the lands to the north and east of the Goduanil and flown in to feed the griffons and their offspring. If the characters collect reagents or materials for fine brushes, they will recognize the horsehair and can collect a few horses worth, though not before they encounter the following.

Four griffons protect this valley floor, while the others hunt. They attack the party upon their entering this area. Resolve this encounter immediately after reading the above text.

Creatures: Griffons (4): MM page 139.

If the characters search the edges of the floor, they will find a broken staff and a torn red and white flag. This provides evidence that one of the horses belonged to a local knight.

4 View of Nests

From this vantage, it is clear that atop the hoodoos, large sticks frame 20'x20' bowls filled with oversized, brown and white eggs.

The mound of rocks that form the vantage point have been affected by many years of erosion and the ooze begin to slip out from under the party's feet, revealing a few pockets of a purple ooze that seep up to ground level, its acidic discharge spewing plumes of steam into the air.

Creature: Purple Ooze (see tomorrow's post on CCB!)

5 Nests

The sticks and straw are bound together to make a nest. The sticks have been chewed at the ends by sharp beaks. In the center of the nest is a pair of speckled eggs.

Two griffon eggs are in each nest. The eggs are nearing the time to hatch, and when the characters arrive in this location, there is a 50% chance per egg that it will be hatching.

Development: As the characters explore the first of the nests, the four remaining elder griffons (14 HD) swoop in and attack, with the tactic of lifting them off of the floor of the nests and dropping them from the sky onto the valley floor. They will attack relentlessly until one side is vanquished. After the battle, in one of the nests, the party finds a mace +1 and a helm of alacrity +2 among some shredded metal that once was a suit of plate mail.

Dream Plane

The Dream Plane is the space between the planes, the plane on which dreams take place, or, more precisely, the plane to which all dreamers are whisked upon sleep.

There are no native creatures on the Dream Plane, however, everyone spends time there at regular intervals. In a way, this is a way for beings to learn more about their true selves, allowing them to inhabit the projected form of another being for some time.

Everyone has another form on the Dream Plane. These tend to be projections that mirror the state of the being, either long-term or in the short term. For instance, paladins might be represented long-term as pegasi, but in the short term, as they are chased by a marauding horde of goblins and forced to flee, they may have a dream plane representation as a gazelle while pursued. The goblins might be represented as wolves or some other beast. If these beings were somehow transported to the dream plane, they would take on the characteristics of these forms. As a gazelle, the paladin would be able to run fast and leap over obstacles, the goblins as wolves would take on the hunting skills and trip attacks of wolves. If the paladin were to enter the dream plane as a pegasus, she would be able to fly, and so on.

Much like the Prime Material Plane, the Dream Plane is a battleground for the forces of good and evil. It is largely neutral, however certain areas tend toward good or evil.

The Dream Plane has the following traits.

* Subjective directional gravity.
* Subjective temporality. Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing function differently in the Dream Plane; certain dreams may play upon these human needs and have unexpected consequences.
* Strongly neutral-aligned, with pockets of mild good and evil where these forces have gained footholds.

Key Regions

Dreams - the core of the plane. This is where most visitors to the Dream Plane (and they are all visitors) spend their time.

Visions - where the future plays out in dream forms. Here characters may encounter future selves in altered forms or gain knowledge of upcoming events. The many islands of visions are set adrift upon the Seer Sea.

Memories - where the past plays out in dream forms. In this area, characters may relive certain events in their lives in altered forms. The fragmented islands of memories float upon the Forgotten Sea.

Deja Vu - A region where beings encounter events they feel have happened before.

Vuja De - A region where beings encounter events they know can never happen.

Everything else in the Dream Plane falls into the Region In-between, a void of an abyss of uncertainty. As the Dream Plane is a plane between the planes, there is not much to speak of in the Region In-between. Let all adventurers be warned - do not go there. This is the place of nightmares.

The Seat of the Seer

Presented here is the first encounter in the upcoming adventure "Anointing the Seer". Here, a group of giants have taken up residence in a cursed cathedral. Dangerous magic briers guard the exterior, and within the brutes feast on the trapped townsfolk. Feel free to drop it into your games to use as you see fit.

Seat of the Seer

Dungeon Features

Secret Doors in this area are priest-doors, concealed to appear to be part of the ornately carved stone or wood they are set into, and are a DC 18 Search check to find.

The Cursed Seat of the Seer (EL 12)

This temple is much transformed after the attack on it. It is surrounded by magical briars, and inside giants feast on the townsfolk, who have been polymorphed into animals.

Exterior

Surrounded by small outlying buildings, this large and stately temple is completely overgrown with gargantuan brambles, to the point where is is nearly concealed. A large double door can be glimpsed through the thorn-covered trunks of the plants.

In order to enter the temple via the doors one must somehow pass through the patches of brier brambles that block the doorways. If the plants are not killed then they must be defeated in an opposed strength check (DC 19) in order to open the doors. Other methods of entry include teleportation or flying or climbing up and breaking through some of the stained glass windows on the east face of the temple. Either method requires navigating the brambles, which will attempt to grapple the intruders.

Interior

The smell of offal, greasy cooking fires and death permeate this area. The interior of the temple is also sparsely overgrown with patches of the thorny brambles which push up through the flagstones. Several dead peasants and acolytes are caught in their branches. The stone walls are adorned with tapestries of the Seer's visions and the stories of the petitioners helped by them. Several carcases worth of bones lie upon the floor.

1/4 of the squares in the temple are grown over with brambles in approx 10' patches in the first room of the temple. Some of the pillars also have brambles in the chapel.

Creatures: Nearly 100 domestic animals cower in the temple. They are the temple priests and townsfolk who had come to observe the coronation, polymorphed into sheep, pigs and dogs. Several giants and and an air elemental have been left behind by the vengeful family to ensure that the temple is not re-inhabited.

Hill Giants (2): HP 102 each

Ogre Barbarians (3): HP 79 each

Air Elemental (1): HP 136

Tactics: The brutes will likely be roused by anyone entering the temple and will have assembled to defend it. The giants may attempt to push intruders into the brambles as they fight, and will mercilessly bludgeon anyone caught in them. Similarly, the air elemental will attempt to scoop up the rear ranks of any intruders in its whirlwind form and drop them into the brambles. If the group is defeated, the air elemental will return to the warlock to inform him that someone has reclaimed the temple. The giants will fight to the death.

Traps: The exterior of the temple and portions of the first room are overgrown with the effects of the brier brambles spell. Anyone entering the area of the spells effect risks entanglement and the plants sleeping poison.

Treasure: Almost the only thing left in the temple's treasury is a scroll of break enchantment that the temple priest (in his form as a ram) will bring to the party if they are otherwise unable to disenchant the villagers. The giants have little of value on them.

Development: Once the giants are slain and the elemental has fled, the party should be able to disenchant the remaining animals, who creep cautiously up to the PCs once the violence has ended.

Once freed they will relate what happened: the new priestess was in the process of being anointed when a holy trance came upon her. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she began speaking in a strange, strained, voice. "I see... doom! The drake... he is brought low by his son..." The peasants go on to inform their rescuers that a witch and two warlocks, one young and one of middle age, suddenly appeared in a burst of flame and interrupted the anointing of the new Seer and turned them all into animals. One of the older villagers, the abbot of the temple, will angrily go on to identify the witch as the evil old witch who used to live in the village, but was driven off years ago. Some say she inhabits a farm nearby in the wild woods, and the players will be given sketchy directions by one of the village's hunters.

Attempts to scry upon the priestess will fail, as she is in the Dragon's lair, which is warded against scrying.

Ad Hoc XP Adjustment: +15% for difficult terrain (the brambles)

The Chamber of the Old One

Now that The Horror of the Old Ones has been released, here is the final encounter in the adventure. To see more, check out the 56 page adventure at RPGnow.com here!

The short, slick slope leading from the last chamber ends here at the shore of a pool of briny water. The water surges with the pulse of the ocean, small waves lapping at your feet. To the left a large cavern stretches out.

This dark cavern swirls with strange mists, and high above the ceiling seems to fade and reappear in patches with the mist, revealing distant, bright, hard pinpoints of light in an inky blackness above.

At the far end of the chamber, in a crater shaped pool, stands an immense oval-shaped mass. It's irregular surface is streaked with veins of purple, black and green minerals, and broken by a crack large enough for an ogre to pass through. Fragments of the strange oblong lie below the crack.

This 100 ft by 50 ft ovular cavern is the chamber of the Old One. Before the dawn of man, the old one's cocoon traversed the spaces between the worlds. It crashed into the sea here, creating the Onuago bay and the mountain of rock called harpy point with it's impact. DC 30 knowledge arcana or craft metalworking will reveal that the cocoon is made of iron, with veins of adamantium and magesilver throughout.

In the eaons since then, the sea's ceaseless crashing and later the scrabbling of the Children of the Sea have excavated this place. Then, with his ritual, Ernaldus fully wakened the Old One, who burst out of it's cocoon to sew madness and ruin in Onuago.

The pool of water leads to the sea at the west side deep below harpy point. The old one's will has prevented the water from flooding in to fill this chamber up to this point.

The roof of this chamber is shiftingly transparent, and reveals the stars that wheel above regardless of the time of day or night.

Creature: the Old One dwells here, and is likely either in it's vessel or out at the bottom of the bay. If in the bay, it should emerge from the briny pool and attack the party from behind as they examine the chamber and the cocoon.

Old One: HP: 175

Tactics: The Old One will likely begin it's assault with a chain lightning and dominate person and then cast blink as it strides towards the party, allowing it's wisdom draining gaze attack and it's slow aura to do their work. As long as the party is not being particularly effective, it will use it's melee attacks to slay them. If seriously threatened, it will retreat via dimension door, summon a chaos beast, and use lightning bolts to eliminate the most effective foe, be it spellcaster or warrior. The Old One will fight to the death.

Treasure: There are Adamantium and Magesilver deposits in veins in the interstellar asteroid. If somehow retrieved, they are worth approximately 50,000 gold.

Development: After the defeat of the old one, the sea rushes in to cleanse the chamber. The body of the old ones floats strangely and is washed out. As it passes, the players can make a DC 12 Strength check to grab it and hold on as they are carried out by the surging water. The body will quickly rise to the surface of the bay, and begin to drift towards Onuago on the now calm water.

Failing this, the party must swim (DC 13 swim checks, to travel 100 ft. to the surface of the Bay) or leave by magic.

The empty husk is deposited like a beached whale near the near the shore of Onuago.

The Elemental Subplane of Mist

The Elemental Subplane of Mist is a subplane where the Elemental Planes of Air and Water intersect. A Great Mist hangs suspended at the very center of the plane, its misty tendrils passing out in all directions all the way to the edge of the plane. It is said that great beings travel the misty tunnels of vapor. Outside the Great Mist, the plane has a calm breeze, which suspends creatures and objects, moving them in a clockwise manner around the exterior of the Great Mist.

The Elemental Subplane of Mist is home to mist elementals, the deep mist dragon, and the gods of obfuscation and warnings. At the edges of the plane are coastal waters which lead nowhere in particular, yet provide the moisture for the Great Mist.

This subplane has the following traits:
* Light winds which keep creatures and objects suspended above a non-extant ground (outside the Great Mist).
* Heavy, moist air (inside the Great Mist).
* Air-dominant, with room for water creatures to thrive.
* Enhanced magic (for the Air and Water domains).
* Impeded magic (for the Earth and Fire domains).

Alabaster

Overview

Village: AL LN; 1,200gp limit; Assets 700,000gp; Population 520; Mixed (75% human, 15% half-orc, 5% dwarf, 5% other)

Alabaster rests along the western edge of a vast rocky plateau. Men and half-orcs have dug mines deep into the rock and have excavated alabaster from its core, hence the town's name.

The rocks are moved south to Junction and north to Trover and the other regions of the Jæruel. The merchants of Alabaster are also known for their stained glass.

Architecture

Due to the abundance of alabaster in the area, the wooden homes are all adorned with small walls and cornerstones of alabaster. The town hall in the center of the village is built entirely of alabaster, with tall spires and large arches that the large slabs of carved stone allow.

Layout

The town is completely built around the idea of mining the stone along the eastern edge of the village, and all the main roads run along its edge. Smaller roads that lead to the homes of miners and the small amount of services run west along Broadsword St. from this eastern edge. The rest of the town sprawls over the vast expanse of the plains from there, mostly along Jæruel Loop. A cluster of servant quarters provides the buffer from the main town to the wealthier homes. Some of the wealthier stone homes on the west edge of the village are an acre or more apart.

Two guard towers manned by 5 level 3 guards watch over the western plains, and a garrison of 25 Jæruel militiamen led by a level 7 fighter stands on a small hill in the north part of the village.

The dwarves which have chosen to live in the town, as they are well-paid consultants to the miners, live nestled in the rock near the mines.

Map



Persona

Edmund Van Riggle: a level 8 noble, mayor of Alabaster and local Jæruel minister. Edmund lives in the westernmost wealthy residence with his brother.
Tarn Snagfoot: a lvl 6 half-orc mining foreman that rules over the half-orcs in town. Tarn lives in the largest house in the Half-orc camp on the northern edge of town. He has two 4th level bodyguards who are always at his side.
Finn Van Riggle: a level 8 mage from the Phyloctæte.

The miners of Alabaster are a tough, yet on the whole a lawful bunch. They enjoy the long hours honing their craft, and are well compensated, since the alabaster fetches a hefty sum in the neighboring towns. They are also a devout group, the humans worshipping Kord and the orcs Luthic in two large cathedrals in the center of town. Though there is a slight divide between the groups, they each know each other's roles in their prosperity, so they limit their trash talking to their own social circles.

Plot Points

The intrigue in Alabaster stems from the displacement of the non-mining locals, as well as the distinct lack of women in the town. There are no families, and the only women are those who serve the men's carnal desires. This leads to occasional outbursts of violence over them, as certain miner feel under-compensated in the flesh department.

In addition, there are multiple shafts which are off limits to many of the miners. There are rumors that something other than alabaster has been found there, and there are certain miners which have been picked to work the night shift to extract whatever this substance is.

There are also rumors of mages visiting the mines under cover of darkness. Certain perceptive and superstitious miners have put he two together and fear the worst. A mage by the name on Finn Van Riggle (brother of the mayor) has recently moved to the village and is staying in his brother's large home on the west end of town. There are those who say he takes the form of a large black cat in order to explore the region at night.

Goduanil

Pronounced Go-do-ann-ill, this is a region of bleak hills where the sky is always overcast, which end in cliffs that overlook the Olde Bay in the center of its north shore. In the valleys run wide streams of black pudding and other oozes, fungi and molds are common.

Goduanil stretches for many miles along the rocky coast and runs almost to the Swift River Road which parallels the river up onto the Cyrűk Mountains.

Locations and encounters within Goduanil include:
* Pryad Wastes
* Black Pudding Streams
* Oozes, Fungi and Molds
* Griffon Roosts
* Waste Giants

Locations of interest to the party include:
* Arthens Lighthouse
* Various ancient ruins sites
* The mysterious tower ruins where rumor has it a wizard went to hide

Locked in a Place Where No One Goes

First of all, Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday, and many happy returns!

So, I ran this little adventure on Sunday for my players in the "Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil" game I've been running. For those who haven't played that colossus of an adventure, near the end the players have a chance to draw from a Deck of Many Things. Almost immediately, two of the party members drew the Donjon and Void cards. I was afraid for a second that it was going to turn into a total party kill. Luckily the cleric and druid had some restraint drawing cards and only got the enmity of a powerful outsider and -1 to all their saves for the rest of their lives. All of it made me think the deck of many things is secretly the most effective trap ever created.

So, in an attempt to let the party re-unite and finish the adventure I whipped this side adventure up. It's a one-session mini-adventure, written for 12th level characters, in which some party members are escaping from hell and some are coming to their rescue. The encounters are planned for a half-size party (2 characters in each encounter). See the footnote for hints on adapting the adventure for higher or lower level parties.

Setting: The adventure takes place in small fortified manor house on the first plane of hell. The manor is one of the domiciles of Vivarea, a powerful succubus, who has seduced, hired, and subjugated these devils to maintain her hidden villa. The surrounding region is a blasted shale landscape filled with pits of fire and twisted woods where condemned souls writhe in anguish.

Adventure Hooks: This adventure can easily be adapted to involve the rescue of an important NPC or a needed item from the dungeons beneath the manor. As a straightforward dungeon delve with a united party it would be an appropriate adventure for a full party of 8th - 10th level adventurers.

To begin the adventure, simply have the characters find a few magically trapped item that have Azeroth's Snare, a spell similar to trap the soul, cast upon them. These items can be anything that the players would want, such as apparently enchanted magic items. The items in question will have been previously prepared by Azeroth, their trapped nature disguised (maybe via nistul's magic aura), and perhaps had an attraction spell cast upon them to lure in the intended victims.

Trap: hell's lure CR 10; magic device; visual trigger (true seeing); single use; triggers when touched; spell effect (Azeroth's Snare, 17th-level wizard, teleported, without their equipment, to a magic trap at location of caster's choosing, DC 30 Will save negates); Search DC 34; Disable Device DC 34.

Background: The outre story of how my players pissed off a succubus while raiding the Temple of All Consumption... will probably not make the pages of Claw / Claw / Bite ! Email me if you're curious.

Running the Adventure: In order that the halves of the split-up party don't get too bored, and also to increase the tension and build to the final encounter, the encounters should be run in this order:

1) The prisoners are captured.
2) The rescuers find out where they are being held, travel to hell, fight the hellcat encounter.
3) The prisoners slip out of their cell and escape the prison area.
4) The rescuers get to the manor and begin fighting the guards.
5) The prisoners fight their way over the bridge, past the hellhound.
6) The rescuers finish their fight against the guards.
7) The prisoners travel through the living areas up to the entrance to the main hall.
8) The rescuers start fighting the succubus; the prisoners join in after d2 rounds.



Encounters

1) Encounters for the Prisoners

A - The Devil Mocks Their Every Step (CR 23)
This encounter explains the character's capture: the succubus has contracted with a powerful daemon, named Azeroth, to capture the characters for her, and here she gloats over her success.

Area Description:

This grand hall of dark stone soars up with gothically carved pillars and arches to a high ceiling. A grand iron double door stands shut and barred, and several smaller doors and archways lead to smaller antechambers. A wide stone staircase leads down into the darkness.

You stand in a glowing magic circle in the middle of this hall. Your names are written along the border of the circle, along with many runes you cannot understand. Standing at the ready around the circle are dozens of armed devils of various types, wrapped in hooked chains, bearded with cruel-looking axes, their melted bodies pouring out in globs from their chainmail.

There is an incredibly beautiful woman here, dressed in revealing silk robes and adorned with gem-dripping jewelery of all types. A large pair of leathery wings are folded at her back. She turns and thanks a tall, robed figure, who holds a crystal-topped staff, and who's hood hides in shadow a skeletal dog's head with glowing red eyes. She then addresses you, saying: "Your interference in my families affairs in the mortal world are at an end! Now I will pay you back for my daughter's humiliation! Oh the tortures of the damned lie in wait for you, you wretched things."

The robed figure's fanged, skeletal mouth creaks open and issues forth a single magic word that knocks you to the ground, stunning you. A horde of horrid, melted looking humanoids in mail surge forward and clap you in irons, then drag you, in chains, to dungeons below.

Creatures: The house's entire contingent of devils is here at this encounter, in case the characters get out of hand. In addition to Vivarea and Asteroth, there is a chain devil, a bearded devil, and a dozen lemurian footmen. Asteroth, a 17th level wizard, has been paid be Vivarea to capture the player's characters, and will use whatever spells he must to subdue the party if the resist their parade to the cells below, such as or power word stun or dominate monster.


B- Escape! (EL 6)
In this encounter, the prisoners must trick or fight their way out of their cell and the underground prison / torture area where they are being held. They must overcome or evade their guards and the magical ward sealing them in.

Area Description:

This small cell's walls and ceiling are made from large blocks of stone. Through an open archway, its stones covered in strange runes, lies a short hallway and more cells. A small window, filled with thick iron bars, looks out into a large cavern. There, in the dull red glow from distant flames, several racks, iron maidens, braziers with hot coals, and other torture implements are being used by a scaly, bearded devil and several horrible, melted-looking guards. The screams of their victims echo back to you.

A DC 10 search check will reveal that the other cells in the hallway have only a single rune carved on the outward facing side.

Creatures: One bearded devil and three lemurian footmen work here tormenting a few anguished damned souls. They keep an eye on the characters, but are busy at their work and take 10s on their spot and listen checks. The bearded devil leaves occasionally, providing an opportunity to try to somehow trick the footmen into releasing the prisoners.

Bearded Devil: HP: 45
Lemurian Footmen (see below): HP: 10, 7, 10

Tactics: If taunted or otherwise engaged these torturers may come to the cells and perhaps stab at the prisoners through the arches (which are warded one-way). When the prisoners escape the guards will rush them and attack with their weapons.

Trap: Lightning ward on cell entrance: This ward prevents anyone from exiting the cell. Anyone trying to pass under the arch will cause the infernal runes carved across its face to flash. The creature will suffer 2d6 points of electricity damage and be thrown back. To pass through this trap, it must be dispelled (8th level caster), disabled by covering the runes (DC 29 Disable Device check), or one can push through it with a Strength check (DC 25), which also causes 4d6 points of electricity damage. From the outside, the ward can be suspended by covering the single rune carved on that side of the arch.

CR 5; spell; spell trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (shocking grasp, 8th-level sorcerer, 2d6 electricity, no save); Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29.

Treasure: 3 suits of chainmail, 3 spears, a glaive and a shortsword from bearded devil. Also, weapons can be improvised from torture implements.


C - The Dogs of Doom (EL 8 + 10% xp bonus)
Here, the escapees must bypass tricky spot with a hell hound guard on a narrow bridge over a pit of lava and fire.

Area Description:

Here, a narrow bridge of stone stretches across a deep chasm, filled with molten rock and towering tongues of flame. On the far side a smaller cavern is empty, save for stone stairs leading upwards.

Creatures: 1 nessian hell hound without barding lies in wait here.

Nessian Hell Hound: AC:18 HP: 111

Tactics: The hell hound, with a hide of +17, it will stalk across the bridge and try to attack anyone crossing with surprise. It will probably open up with it's breath weapon if it's opponents are clustered up, otherwise it will bite.


D - The Halls of the Damned
This level of the mansion consists of several underground hallways with small suites and rooms attached. These rooms include the quarters of the chain devil and the bearded devil, as well as the suite Viveria uses when she stays here. If searched, those rooms yield the treasures below, each secured with it's own trap. The majority of the rooms, however, are empty.

Bearded Devil's chambers
description etc
Trap:
Treasure: 57pp 70gp 19cp, and a small masterwork heavy crossbow.

Chain devil's chambers
description etc
Trap:
Treasure: 3 platinum coins, an arcane scroll containing: knock (lvl 2, cast 3), ray of enfeeblement (lvl 1, cast 1), and cat's grace (lvl 2, cast 3), an arcane scroll containing: shocking grasp (lvl 1, cast 1), magic circle against evil (lvl 3, cast 5), and an arcane scroll containing: command undead (lvl 2, cast 3).

Viveria's chambers
description etc
Trap:
Treasure: 4,785gp 4sp 1cp, a gold dragon comb with red garnet eye worth 1.000 gold, a silver chalice with lapis lazuli gems worth 80 gold, a fire opal pendant on a fine gold chain worth 1,100 gold, a black velvet mask with numerous citrines worth 80 gold, and a divine scroll with speak with dead (lvl 3, cast 5).




2) Encounters for the Rescuers

E - Determine Location
The first step of the adventure for the rescuers is to determine where the prisoners are being kept. Options for the rescuers could include the following:

• scying or using divination such as commune or contact other plane


• examining the trapped items via analyse dweomer or identify, combined with a spellcraft check (DC 24) to determine where the trap teleported them to.
  

At that point, the players must travel to hell (or wherever you set the manor house) via plane shift, teleport, through planar portals, or however is appropriate for the situation.


F - The Damned
Here the players pass through a small woods, where damed souls, in the form of trees, suffer. These petitioners are helpless, harmless, and horrifying.

Area Description:

The players enter a thicket of uncanny trees. The tree barks have faces etched into them. Upon closer examination, the wood of the trees is squirming with maggots, ants and spiders burrowing in and feasting on their bodies. They stir, and a cacophony of laments soon fills the air as the trees mutter and scream and cry and rant against the crimes that damned them in their mortal lives.

G - Hellcats (EL 9)
Here, a few examples of hell's native fauna attempt to predate the rescuers.

Area Description:

The dessicated landscape is eerily quiet here. Loose shale crunches underfoot. Everything is gray: the sky, the ground, the few skeletal trees that occupy the landscape--all sucked dry of color. A faint smell of rotten flesh permeates the air.

Creatures: 2 hellcats HP: 54, 69

Tactics: Listen checks against the hellcat's move silently +20 may be the party's only warning before they are attacked. Invisible, these hellcats will pounce upon the rescuers and fight until brought to less than 20 hit points, at which time they will flee.


H - Legions of Hellions (EL 10)
Here the rescuers must fight waves of guards to enter the manor.

Area Description:

Glistening walls of dark grey stone rise to protect the villa. Near the top, the crenelated walls slope inward slightly, perhaps to provide some cover from aerial attacks. Directly ahead of the players stands the black ironwood gates. Lemurian footmen stalk among the battlements. Though these Lemurians have a modicum of intellect, they still behave with nervous tics and gibber to themselves about their fiendish thoughts.

Creatures: There are several groups of footmen through the compound, and as the party fights their way in they should encounter several waves of the footmen, and then finally the chain devil, in the locations listed below. All the lemurian footmen have HP:9.
6 lemurian footmen guarding the gate
2 lemurian footmen reinforce right away from the gate towers
4 lemurian footmen from the circular tower as the players pass it
4 lemurian footmen are stationed in the courtyard
4 lemurian footmen reinforce from the kennels
4 lemurian footmen wait at the house entrance with the chain devil (HP: 55)

Tactics: The footmen are quite stupid, and will simply charge the players with their spears. If the end up surrounding a player or two, they may try to grapple them and bear them down under their numbers. If the footmen are slowing the rescuers, the chain devil may try to disarm them, otherwise he simply attacks. All fight to the death.


3) Encounter for the Party Reunited (EL 14)
In this encounter the characters all confront the Succubus Boss in the middle of the lair - in the main hall of the manor. The encounter should start with the rescuers coming into the hall, and the escapees should join the encounter after a round or two from the stairs below.

Area Description:

This grand hall of dark stone soars up with gothically carved pillars and arches to a high ceiling. A grand iron double door gives access to the courtyard beyond, and several smaller doors and archways lead to smaller antechambers. A wide stone staircase leads down into the darkness.

Creatures: Here Vivarea will make a final stand against the party. Every round or two a pair of lemurian footmen will join the fray, for a total of six.

Vivirith succubus sorcerer 8 (see below)
6 lemurian footmen: HP 9 each

Tactics: The succubus will begin by casting a hot fire shield, and then retreating from the party, using her greater teleport if necessary, and hurling fireballs and lightning bolts while the Lemurian Footmen harass the party. If she is somehow cornered, she will cast shield and vympyric touch. If seriously hurt she will attempt to teleport to safety, to plot against the party for another day.



Creatures

Lemurian footman (CR 1)
Lawful Evil Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Environment: A lawful evil-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), swarm (6-15), or mob (10-40)
Initiative: +0

Armor Class: 19 (+5 armor, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3

Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)
Attack: Claw +2 (1d4) or spear +2 (1d8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +2 (1d4) or spear +2 (1d8)
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good or silver, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, mindless, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 5

Possessions: chain mail, spear

A lemure is about 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds.

Lemures are typically mindless, but these souls have clawed their way up through the ranks of devils a half-rung, and have gained simple minds.

Combat

Lemurian footmen are simple combatants, lurching forward and attacking with their claws or whatever weapons they may have been given.

A lemure’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.




Vivarea, Succubus Sorcerer (CR 14)
Chaotic Evil Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil), Sorcerer 8
Initiative: +1

Armor Class: 24 * (+1 Dex, +9 natural, +4 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 19
Hit Dice: 6d8 + 8d4 + 14 (65 hp)
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +13
* includes Mage Armor

Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+11

Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Persuasive, Still Spell, Spell Focus (Enchantment)
Special Attacks: Energy drain, spell-like abilities, summon demon
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 18, telepathy 100 ft., tongues

Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 28
Skills: Bluff +28, Concentration +18, Craft (jewelery) +7, Craft (traps) +7, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +17* (+19 acting), Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +12, (the planes) +11, Listen +19, Move Silently +10, Search +12, Spellcraft +11, Spot +19, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Use Rope +1 (+3 with bindings)

Spells Available: (DC 19 + spell level, +1 for enchantment)
1st (9): mage armor, shield, magic missile,
2nd (8): scorching ray, invisibility, mirror image,
3rd (7): fireball, lightning bolt, vampyric touch
4th (5): fire shield




Adapting the Adventure

To adapt this adventure for parties of higher or lower level, not much needs to be changed. Add or subtract levels of sorcerer from the succubus so that she is 2 CR higher then the average party level.





All area descriptions copyright 2007 Unicorn Rampant Publishing